Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

 

Based on the Marvel Comics series, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the story of the titular heroes along with a few family members enter into the quantum realm where they don’t just deal with new evil forces emerging but also a man who wants to destroy all in Kang. Directed by Peyton Reed and screenplay by Jeff Loveness, the film explores the world of the Quantum Realm as they’re getting ready for a war while the heroes also meet this mysterious figure known as Kang the Conqueror who doesn’t just want to destroy the world but every universe and multiverse along the way as he is portrayed by Jonathan Majors. Also starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathryn Newton, David Dastmalchian, William Jackson Harper, Katy O’Brian, with Bill Murray, and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a visually-astonishing yet clunky film from Peyton Reed.

The film revolves around titular heroes and a few of their family members who create a device to make contact with the Quantum Realm only to be sucked in as they deal with not just a growing rebellion but also this evil figure known as Kang the Conqueror. It is a film that has a lot happening as it plays into a family not only dealing with this evil figure but also what he plans to do with the multiverse. Jeff Loveness’ script does do enough to establish some of the characters as well as insight into what Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) had been doing in the Quantum Realm for 30 years. It unfortunately gets bogged down by not just a lot of exposition but not enough urgency into the stakes over how dangerous Kang the Conqueror is where Janet would unveil her own fears towards Kang. A key sequence during the film’s second act about Janet’s first encounter with Kang does play into why Janet never told her husband Hank and their daughter Hope/the Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) about her time in the Quantum Realm. Yet, it features a lot of exposition into Kang’s true motivations but also something much bigger though it ends up being clunky while there’s not enough weight into this rebellion towards Kang and his empire.

Still, the script does focus on Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) who hasn’t done much since the Battle of Earth as he’s written a memoir and sort of became a celebrity but hasn’t done enough to bring attention to his daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) who has become an activist. Yet, it is an invention she had developed during the Blip with Hank’s help that would suck everyone into the Quantum Realm where she and Scott would meet these people in the Quantum Realm who are rebellion against Kang where Cassie wants to help them. The script unfortunately doesn’t do enough to establish these people living in the Quantum Realm where Lang and Cassie not only deal with Kang but also a mysterious being known as M.O.D.O.K. who is someone that Scott and Cassie knew. There is also a lack of humor throughout the film as some key characters from past films doesn’t appear in the film but are barely mentioned as the few moments in the attempt of humor is uninspired and forced at times. Notably a scene where Lang tries to retrieve an object for Kang where he meets multiple versions of himself that is suspenseful but its attempt to be funny doesn’t work.

Peyton Reed’s direction does have some incredible moments in terms of the visuals and world-building though he is bogged down by its clunky script. Shot largely at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire in Britain with additional shots set in San Francisco and parts of Turkey, Reed opens the film with Janet’s time in the Quantum Realm and how she first met Kang which then cuts to what has Lang done since the events of the Battle of Earth. While a lot of Reed’s compositions are grand in the way he presents the Quantum Realm with its wide and medium shots, Reed does maintain some intimacy in the close-ups to play into the character interactions as well as their reactions to their surroundings. Reed does manage to infuse energy into the action scenes along with some moments of suspense as it relates to Kang in his initial meeting with Lang. Yet, the need to try and infuse humor in some of these moments don’t work as it gives the film an inconsistent presentation where it wanted to be all of these things only to not find balance in blending all of these genres.

Reed’s direction does suffer from not just the exposition that does drag the film in bits of the film as there isn’t enough weight into the stakes of what Kang wants and how he used Cassie to force Lang to retrieve this energy source that he needed for his own personal mission. While Reed does provide enough back story into Kang but also revealed how he came to meet Janet, the fact that there isn’t enough urgency into defeating him other than Janet’s own warnings doesn’t give the film that intensity that it needed. Though its third act with its grand set pieces allow Reed to go all out where there are a few funny moments but also some intense ones. Its aftermath is clunky where Reed isn’t sure how to end things since Kang is a much bigger threat than everyone realizes while there’s also this sense of confusion into whether the good guys have won or they just created something worse. Overall, Reed crafts a wondrous but undercooked film about a two superheroes and their families dealing with a new threat in the Quantum Realm.

Cinematographer William Pope does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its approach to stylish lighting for many of the exterior scenes set in the Quantum Realm as well as its approach to natural lighting for the scenes on Earth. Editors Adam Gerstel and Laura Jennings do terrific work with the editing as it does play into some fast-cutting for some of the action scenes but also in some stylish moments when the characters are sucked into the Quantum Realm. Production designer Will Htay, with set decorator Richard Roberts and supervising art director Nick Gottschalk, does amazing work with the look of some of the places the characters go into at the Quantum Realm as well as Kang’s home base. Costume designer Sammy Sheldon does fantastic work with the costumes from some of the clothes that the Van Dyne/Pym clan would wear in disguise as well as the super-suits that Lang, Hope, and Cassie would wear.

Hair/makeup designer Jan Sewell does nice work with the look of the characters such as Janet’s hair during her time in the Quantum Realm and her white-hair look following her return from the Quantum Realm. Special effects supervisors Paul Corbould and Noah Meddings, along with visual effects supervisors Axel Bonami, Cristian Camaroschi, Jeff Campbell, Alex Cancado, Jesse James Chisholm, Russell Earl, Roy Malhi, John Mangia, and Malte Sarnes, do excellent work with the look of not just some of the creatures and people in the Quantum Realm but also the look of it as it is a major highlight of the film. Sound designer Kimberly Patrick does superb work with the sound design in not just creating sound effects in some of the weapons, vehicles, and creatures at the Quantum Realm but also in the way natural sound would be presented in the Quantum Realm. The film’s music by Christophe Beck does wonderful work with the music as its usage of orchestral bombast help play into the action and suspense that include some soaring themes that relates to Kang while music supervisor Dave Jordan provides a low-key soundtrack as it features John Sebastian’s theme song to the 1970s show Welcome Back Kotter.

The casting by Sarah Halley Finn is incredible as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Randall Park in a cameo as FBI Agent Woo, Gregg Turkington as Lang’s old boss at Baskin-Robbins, and Ruben Rabasa as a coffee shop attendant who mistakes Lang for Spider-Man. William Harper Jackson and Katy O’Brien are terrific in their respective roles as Quantum Realm freedom fires in the telekinetic Quaz and the warrior Jentorra who both meet the Langs while doing what they can to fight Kang’s forces. David Dastmalchian is superb as the slime-like creature Veb who is fascinated by holes while proves to very powerful during the film’s climax. Bill Murray’s performance as a Quantum Realm governor in Lord Krylar is pretty much a waste as he is an old friend of Janet that works for Kang where he doesn’t really do anything in the one big scene he’s as it is a real waste of Murray. Mark Weinman’s on-set performance as M.O.D.O.K. is quite funny at times though it is the reveal of its identity that provides laugh as a guy who has a grudge towards the Langs yet is also forced to face his own faults.

Kathryn Newton is fantastic as Cassie Lang as Scott’s daughter who has become an activist in her time in her desire to help people have created something she had hoped would’ve gotten her father back years earlier where Newton does provide some humor but also a lot of weight as someone who does feel responsible for her actions and wanting to make up for it as she would become her own superheroine in Stature. Michael Douglas is excellent as Dr. Hank Pym as the scientist who created Pym Particles who doesn’t just deal with the chaos of what is happening but also discovers something that happened around him during the moment he and his family got sucked into the Quantum Realm that would play a key part in the film’s third act. Evangeline Lilly is good as Hope Van Dyne/the Wasp as Lang’s partner who doesn’t just deal with the chaos of the Quantum Realm but also the stakes though Lilly’s character doesn’t really get much to do but react and take action while sporting an awful haircut. Paul Rudd is brilliant as Scott Lang/Ant-Man as this superhero who can shrink himself as the size of an ant who has chosen to not really do anything until he’s in the Quantum Realm where he deals with what is happening as he is trying to protect Cassie but also deal with the evil force that is Kang.

Michelle Pfeiffer is incredible as Janet Van Dyne as Hank’s wife and Hope’s mother who had been in the Quantum Realm for 30 years as she is eager to not return only to get sucked in with her family and the Langs as she is forced to reveal a terrible secret while also being cunning in trying to save her family from this terror that is Kang. Finally, there’s Jonathan Majors in a phenomenal performance as Kang the Conqueror as a man who is eager to destroy everything including variants of himself in the hopes to just conquer and destroy those who oppose him as Majors has this commanding presence that is chilling to watch as he just owns every moment he is in.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a terrible film from Peyton Reed. While it is a film that does feature some entertaining moments, incredible visuals, and stellar performances with Michelle Pfeiffer and Jonathan Majors being the major standouts. It is a film that unfortunately tries to be a lot of things but doesn’t deliver in terms of its stakes while also lacking a lot of the humor that made its predecessors enjoyable to watch. In the end, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is an underwhelming and bloated from Peyton Reed.

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers

Phase Two: Iron Man 3 - Thor: The Dark World - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Guardians of the Galaxy - The Avengers: Age of Ultron - Ant-Man

Phase Three: Captain America: Civil War - Doctor Strange - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Thor: Ragnarok - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Ant-Man and the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Spider-Man: Far from Home

Multiverse Saga: Phase Four: Black Widow (2021 film) - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Eternals - Spider-Man: No Way Home - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - Thor: Love and Thunder - Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Phase Five: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – The Marvels – (Deadpool & Wolverine) - (Captain America: Brave New World) - (Thunderbolts*)

Phase 6: The Fantastic Four: First Steps - (Avengers: Doomsday) - (Avengers: Secret Wars)

© thevoid99 2023

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Based on the Ant-Man comic series by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby and the Wasp comic series by Lee, Kirby, and Ernie Hart, Ant-Man and the Wasp is the sequel to the 2015 film Ant-Man in which the titular character teams up with the Wasp on a new mission to protect not just their technology from new foes but also use it to enter the Quantum Realm in the hope they can find Janet van Dyne. Directed by Peyton Reed and screenplay by Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Paul Rudd, Andrew Barrier, and Gabriel Ferrari, the film follows Scott Lang/Ant-Man as he tries to balance his life as a father and superhero while being watched by authorities for his involvement in a dispute between Captain America and Iron Man two years earlier as he also tries to help Hank Pym and Hope van Dyne/Wasp with a mission as Paul Rudd reprises his roles as Lang/Ant-Man along with Evangeline Lilly as van Dyne/Wasp, and Michael Douglas as Pym. Also starring Michael Pena, Hannah John-Kamen, Walton Goggins, Judy Greer, Bobby Cannavale, Tip “T.I.” Harris, David Dastmalchian, Abby Ryder Fortson, Randall Park, Laurence Fishburne, and Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet van Dyne. Ant-Man and the Wasp is a sprawling and witty film from Peyton Reed.

Set two years after events in which Scott Lang/Ant-Man aided Captain America in a dispute with Iron Man in Berlin that eventually lead to his arrest, the film revolves around Lang reluctantly helping Hank Pym and Hope van Dyne/Wasp over information relating to the Quantum Realm believing that Hank’s wife/Hope’s mother Janet van Dyne could still be alive. Yet, there are forces that want Pym’s technology believing that the Quantum Realm has so much to offer forcing Pym and van Dyne to go on the run as well as do their work in secrecy as they’re still upset at Lang for his aiding Captain America two years earlier. The film’s screenplay definitely play into the stakes of what Lang, Pym, and van Dyne are trying to do to protect their technology as well as the fact that there isn’t much time to retrieve Janet who had given Lang a message during his brief encounter with the Quantum Realm a few years ago. Even as part of Janet is in Lang’s mind where he would briefly communicate with her husband and daughter in Lang’s body in a key scene in the film.

With the possibility of getting Janet back, the trio of Lang, Pym, and van Dyne are also dealing with black markets dealer in Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins) who has a component that Pym needs but he becomes aware of what the Quantum Realm can bring believing it can make him super-rich. Adding to Lang and van Dyne’s trouble is a mysterious being known as Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) who can move through objects as she wants the technology to cure herself as she also has a grudge towards Pym since her father used to work with Pym many years ago until a falling out occurred leading to Starr’s father to work on an experiment that would affect Starr in her present state. The trouble that Lang, Pym, and van Dyne are dealing with force them to seek help from Lang’s friend Luis (Michael Pena) whom Lang is trying to start a security business with as they also seek the help from a former colleague of Pym in Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne) who also knows about the Quantum Realm as he is reluctant to help out Pym due to the fact they had a falling out in the past as well. With all of this drama in trying to get Janet back, Lang is a few days away from finishing up his house arrest sentence as he’s trying not to screw up often turning to his daughter Cassie (Abby Ryder Forston) for advice as she is aware that her father is a superhero and knows what needs to be done.

Peyton Reed’s direction is stylish in terms of the action set pieces and humorous moments that is created in the film yet he also would balance it with some drama and low-key scenes that don’t require action as it relates to the human stories within the film as it is really about family. A man trying to balance his role as superhero who can shrink into the size of an ant and be a father to his daughter while helping to repair a father and daughter’s relationship by getting the mother back in the picture. Shot largely in San Francisco with several locations shot in Atlanta and at Pinewood Atlanta Studios including Savannah, Georgia. The film does play into this world where it is about the stakes as Reed would infuse elements of the chase scenes for a key sequence in San Francisco as well as moments that are suspenseful with the usage of the wide and medium shots. Reed would also wisely know when to give the audience a break from the action in favor of these human moments where there are elements of exposition including a hilarious exposition montage from Luis about how he met Lang and such.

Reed’s usage of close-ups and medium shots play into the character interactions that would include these scenes involving Lang, Pym, and van Dyne in their encounter with Starr as it is filled with suspense and drama. There are also some somber moments such as the opening scene as it relates to Pym and Janet van Dyne talking to a young Hope (Madeleine McGraw) about going on a trip that would become the mission that would lead to Janet’s disappearance. Even as it has Lang get Janet’s message through a memory of Janet’s as it does have these touching human moments. The scenes set in the Quantum Realm are surreal as it does play into this alternate reality of sorts yet it also shows what it can provide as it says so much into what Starr wants from it as well as Burch with the latter thinking more about money. The film’s climax does revolve around this lab that Pym and van Dyne have been building for years as well as the race to get Janet back home with Starr wanting to get the technology for herself prompting a showdown between her against Lang and van Dyne. Overall, Reed crafts a whimsical and exhilarating film about two superheroes trying to stop evil forces to protect their technology so they can bring someone back home.

Cinematographer Dante Spinotti does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it’s largely straightforward to play into the look of the exteriors in the day and night as well as some low-key lighting for scenes at Starr’s home and at the building where Luis and his friends are trying to start their security business. Editors Dan Lebental and Craig Wood do terrific work with the editing as it does have bits of style such as Luis montage exposition as well as some rhythmic cuts to play into the action and humor. Production designer Shepherd Frankel, with supervising art director Jay Pelissier plus set decorators Gene Serdena and Christopher J. Wood, does amazing work with the look of Pym’s lab including the Quantum tunnel he and van Dyne built as well as Lang’s apartment home and the place that Starr lives in. Costume designer Louise Frogley does fantastic work with the costumes such as the look of the suits that Lang and van Dyne wear as superheroes as well as Starr’s suit as Ghost and some casual clothing with the other characters.

Visual effects supervisor Stephane Cerretti does incredible work with the look of the Quantum Realm in all of its trippy and surreal visuals as it does feel like another world as well as some of the visuals as it relates to Ant-Man and the Wasp’s shrinking powers as well as some of the unstable powers of Ghost. Sound designer David Farmer and sound editor Addison Teague do superb work with the sound as it play into the effects of Starr’s condition as well as some of the sounds from the gadgets that Ant-Man and the Wasp uses. The film’s music by Christophe Beck is wonderful for its playful score with bombastic orchestral score for some of the action as well as some somber pieces in the drama and bits of jazz in the comedic moments while music supervisor Dave Jordan creates a fun score that feature music from Dusty Springfield, David Cassidy, and Morrissey.

The casting by Sarah Finn is great as it features some notable small roles and appearances from Michael Cerveris and Riann Steele in a flashback scene as Starr’s parents, Tim Heidecker as the whale boat captain, Divian Ladwa as a henchman of Burch in Uzman who created a serum to get some answers, Brian Huskey as a schoolteacher, RaeLynn Bratten as the young Ava Starr, Langston Fishburne as a younger version of Bill Foster, Madeleine McGraw as the young Hope van Dyne, and the obligatory cameo from Stan Lee as a man who witnesses some of the action. Bobby Cannavale and Judy Greer are terrific in their small yet respective roles as Jim Paxon and Lang’s ex-wife Margaret Lang who help Lang with his house arrest while dealing with the presence of the FBI. Randall Park is superb as FBI agent Jimmy Woo who watches over Lang as well as making sure Lang doesn’t break his parole violation while is eager to learn some card tricks.

David Dastmalchian and Tip “T.I.” Harris are fantastic in their respective roles as Kurt and Dave as Luis and Lang’s business partners in the security business as they also help out Pym and van Dyne with the former thinking Ghost is some kind of mystical figure. Abby Ryder Forston is excellent as Cassie Lang as Scott’s daughter who knows about his identity as she knows his struggle but also wants him to succeed knowing that Pym and van Dyne needs him. Laurence Fishburne is brilliant as Bill Foster as a former colleague of Pym who is reluctant to help him out while is aware of what Pym is trying to do as he is also aware of Starr’s condition. Michelle Pfeiffer is amazing in a small but crucial role as Janet van Dyne as Pym’s wife/Hope’s mother who is seen early on in flashbacks but is also someone who has given Lang a message into helping her family reach her knowing there’s a chance to get back to the world.

Michael Pena is incredible as Luis as Lang’s best friend/former cellmate who is trying to start a security business while helping out Pym and van Dyne with their troubles while providing some of the film’s funnier moments. Walton Goggins is marvelous as Sonny Burch as a black markets dealer that is eager to get Pym’s lab in the hopes he can make money from the source of the Quantum Realm as it’s an unconventional villain whose motivation is financial but also is someone who is way over his head in what he’s trying to do. Hannah John-Kamen is remarkable as Ava Starr/Ghost as a woman with unstable powers to move through objects as someone that needs Pym’s lab and tech to cure herself though she’s not really a villain but more of an anti-hero who has a legitimate grudge towards Pym and his family.

Michael Douglas is great as Hank Pym as the creator of the Pym particle that allows objects to shrink or enlarge including the creator of the Ant-Man suit as he’s determined to get his wife back into the world while dealing with his own faults for the falling outs he created with former colleagues. Evangeline Lilly is phenomenal as Hope van Dyne/the Wasp as Pym’s daughter who takes on the role that her mother had played more than three decades ago as the Wasp where she finally gets the chance to kick some ass as well as display a determination of wanting her mother back and needing Lang to be her partner. Finally, there’s Paul Rudd in a sensational performance as Scott Lang/Ant-Man as a former thief serving two years of house arrest for his involvement in Captain America and Iron Man’s dispute where he deals with letting Pym and van Dyne down as well as trying to be there for his daughter where he has to become Ant-Man again despite a few screw-ups in some updated tech where it has that nice balance of humor and determination.

Ant-Man and the Wasp is an incredible film from Peyton Reed. Featuring a great ensemble cast, amazing visual effects, a great balance of action and humor, and a fun film score. It’s a film that manages to be not just entertaining and full of laughs but also with a human story about a man trying to help a family get back together as well as be part of this offbeat family. In the end, Ant-Man and the Wasp is a spectacular film from Peyton Reed.

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers

Phase Two: Iron Man 3 - Thor: The Dark World - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Guardians of the Galaxy - The Avengers: Age of Ultron - Ant-Man

Phase Three: Captain America: Civil War - Doctor Strange - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Thor: Ragnarok - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Spider-Man: Far from Home

Multiverse Saga: Phase Four: Black Widow (2021 film) - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – Eternals – Spider-Man: No Way Home – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – Thor: Love and Thunder – Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Phase Five: Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – The Marvels – (Deadpool & Wolverine) - (Captain America: Brave New World) - (Thunderbolts*)

Phase 6: The Fantastic Four: First Steps - (Avengers: Doomsday) - (Avengers: Secret Wars)

Related: MCU is Cinema: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 – Pt. 4 – (Part 5) – (Part 6) – (Part 7) - The MCU: 10 Reasons Why It Rules the World

© thevoid99 2018

The Game

Directed by David Fincher and written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris (w/ additional work by Andrew Kevin Walker and Larry Gross), The Game is the story of a wealthy investment banker who is invited to play a game that blurs reality and fiction as it becomes dangerous and thrilling. The film is about a man being forced to confront his own fears as well as his own life through a deadly game. Starring Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, James Rebhorn, Deborah Kara Unger, Carroll Baker, and Armin Mueller-Stahl. The Game is an exhilarating and sprawling film from David Fincher.

The film follows the life of a wealthy but cold investment banker who is given a mysterious birthday present from his estranged younger brother which is an invitation to play a game where reality and fiction blur. It’s a film where a man is forced to confront aspects of his own life as well as memories about his father’s death where he has no idea if the game he is playing is real or just some sick joke. The film’s screenplay by John Brancato and Michael Ferris doesn’t just establish the life of its protagonist Nicholas Van Horton (Michael Douglas) who is wealthy but very lonely as he lives in a mansion with a longtime family maid as he is more content with making money and being powerful. When he is invited to lunch by his younger brother Conrad (Sean Penn) who would give him this mysterious invitation. Nicholas doesn’t think about what his brother gave him until he takes a chance where he’s interviewed and examined and then the game starts in a mysterious way.

In the course of the film, Nicholas would wonder what is going on as aspects of his life begin to fall apart from a TV reporter that he watches who suddenly talks to him to other odd things. Along the way, he meets a waitress named Christine (Deborah Kara Unger) who has no idea what is going on as she becomes part of the game for some strange reason. Even as his house has been vandalized and other things start to make no sense as Conrad would claim that the company who handles the game has gone out of control. There is a structure to the script as much of the second act is about the game while the third is Nicholas trying to find out more about this company and expose them to see if he’s still playing or something else has happened.

David Fincher’s direction is definitely stylish in terms of the moods and compositions he creates as it play into a man taking part into the world of the unknown. Shot largely on location in San Francisco, the film plays into this world that mixes the corporate business side with a wild side as Nicholas is not familiar with the latter. Fincher’s meticulous compositions in the usage of the medium shots and close-up play into that sense of cold and unforgiving world that Nicholas lives in as Fincher presents Nicholas in a somewhat detached way. Once the game begins, the direction becomes more intimate and eerie as well as having some bits of dark humor. The lines of reality and fantasy would blur where Fincher doesn’t try to make anything distinctive only for the fact that a game is being played. At the same time, it is about the sense of the unknown where San Francisco is a character in the film where Fincher uses some wide shots to establish some of its landmarks.

The direction also has Fincher use some flashbacks shown in 8mm film as it play into the guilt and loss that Nicholas is carrying which adds to his loner persona. Yet, he realizes that he will have to depend on those who are willing to help him such as Christine. Still, there is that blur of who is playing what and are any of them in on the game or have no clue that they’re in a game. The film’s climax definitely ups the ante in terms of its intensity where Nicholas tries to decipher what is real and what is fantasy as well as face some of his own fears that had been looming into his life. Overall, Fincher creates a thrilling yet provocative film about a man playing a game of death where he is forced to confront his own fears and flaws about himself.

Cinematographer Harris Savides does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the usage of filters and lights for some of the interior scenes as well as the scenes set at night while creating a cold look for some of the exteriors set at night. Editor James Haygood does excellent work with the editing as it has some nice rhythmic cutting to play into the suspense and action as well as some of the darkly comic moments in the film. Production designer James Beecroft, with art directors James J. Murakami and Steve Saklad and set decorator Jackie Carr, does fantastic work with the look of the interior at Nicholas‘ home as well as the look of the office where the people of the game work and the hotel rooms in San Francisco‘s finest hotels. Costume designer Michael Kaplan does nice work with the costumes from the expensive suits that Nicholas wears early in the film to the more casual look he would sport later on as well as the clothes of the other characters.

Visual effects supervisor Kevin Haug does terrific work with some of the minimal visual effects as it mostly relates to the film‘s climax it play into that blur of reality and fantasy. Sound designer Ren Klyce does amazing work with the sound work as it has many layers into the locations that Nicholas encounters as well as in the phone conversations he has. The film’s music by Howard Shore is superb for its haunting yet bombastic score as its orchestral flourishes swell into the drama and suspense while music supervisor Dawn Soler creates a fun soundtrack that features elements of jazz, classical, and contemporary music.

The casting by Don Phillips is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Spike Jonze as a EMT, Linda Manz as Christine’s roommate, Yuji Okumoto as the Nikko hotel manager, Tommy Flanagan as a solicitor/taxi driver, Mark Boone Junior as a shady private detective following Nicholas, and Charles Martinet as Nicholas and Conrad’s father in the flashback scenes. Anna Katarina is wonderful as Nicholas’ ex-wife Elizabeth who only appears briefly late in the film as someone who has moved on but is starting to see that Nicholas is having some revelations about himself. Carroll Baker is terrific as Nicholas’ maid Ilsa as a woman who has been taking of Nicholas’ home yet knows a lot about Nicholas’ father once he starts to ask her about him. Peter Donat is superb as Nicholas’ attorney Samuel Sutherland as someone who watches over and handles some of Nicholas’ business as he becomes evasive later in the film. Armin Mueller-Stahl is excellent as Anson Baer as a businessman that Nicholas tries to buy out only to be just as eccentric and mysterious as he is fun to watch.

James Rebhorn is fantastic as Jim Feingold as a man who is an analyst for the company that creates the game as he is this eccentric yet fun guy that brings so much joy into his performance. Deborah Kara Unger is amazing as Christine as a waitress whom Nicholas meets during his game as she becomes this unlikely player that becomes part of the game as she tries to figure out what is going on. Sean Penn is brilliant as Conrad as Nicholas’ estranged younger brother who would introduce his brother to the game saying it will change his life only to find himself owing money to the company that created the game. Finally, there’s Michael Douglas in an incredible performance as Nicholas Van Orton as a wealthy investment banker who is quite cold and distant where he is given the thrill of a lifetime where Douglas gives a performance that is exhilarating as a man who encounters fear and danger as it is one of his great performances.

The Game is a phenomenal film from David Fincher that features a sensational performance from Michael Douglas. Along with a great supporting cast, eerie visuals, a chilling music score, and a crafty screenplay that blur the lines between reality and fiction. It’s a film that isn’t just a smart and engaging thriller but also a study of fear and control. In the end, The Game is a spectacular film from David Fincher.

David Fincher Films: Alien 3 - Se7en - Fight Club - Panic Room - Zodiac - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - The Social Network - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011 film) - Gone Girl

Related: 15 Essential Music Videos by David Fincher - The Auteurs #61: David Fincher

© thevoid99 2016

Ant-Man

Based on the Marvel comic series by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, Ant-Man is the story of a recently-convicted thief who is given a chance to find redemption when he meets a scientist, who had created a shrinking technology many years ago, who wants his help to stop his former protégé from creating something similar to what he made in the hopes of global domination. Directed by Peyton Reed and screenplay by Joe Cornish, Adam McKay, Paul Rudd, and Edgar Wright from a story by Cornish and Wright, the film is an origin story of sorts where this thief is given a chance to do good and fulfill the legacy of the man who was once donned the suit known as Ant-Man. Starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Wood Harris, Martin Donovan, Michael Pena, Judy Greer, Tip “T.I.” Harris, Damian Dastmalchian, and Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym/the original Ant-Man. Ant-Man is an exhilarating and whimsical film from Peyton Reed.

The film is a simple origin story of sorts of a man who shrinks to the size of an ant where he fights off bad guys and can go back to normal size whenever he can. Yet, it’s so much more as it is about redemption not just for the man who created the suit and myth but also the one who would don the suit and stop the creator’s former protégé from creating one of his own for his own gain. Plus, it’s also the story of what happens when something so brilliant as its creator realizes what could wrong as he also bears the weight of responsibility over what happened as it relates to the loss of his own wife. The film’s screenplay which was largely written by Adam McKay, with Rudd writing much of the comic dialogue, doesn’t just explore two men wanting to do things right but also cope with the responsibilities of themselves.

For Dr. Hank Pym, he was the man that found the formula to shrink himself into the size of an ant and succeeded to the point that he would become Ant-Man and would create a suit for his wife as Wasp. Yet, a mission that involved the two led to Wasp’s death where Pym felt deeply responsible as he had become somewhat estranged with his daughter Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) who works for Pym’s protégé Darren Cross (Corey Stoll). Adding to the chaos for Pym is the fact that he refused to share his knowledge of what he created to anyone including his friends in S.H.I.E.L.D. where he realizes that Cross’ work on Pym’s formula is getting closer as he becomes uneasy about not in what could go wrong. It’s also in what happens if it goes into the wrong hands and used in ways that could make the world even worse where Van Dyne is aware of her father’s worries where she also works as a spy for her father. Upon meeting this recently-released thief in Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), Pym realizes that there is a way he could fix the mistakes in his life.

The Lang character is also very interesting as he is just this brilliant thief that has just been released from prison as he also has a young daughter that he wants to be there for. Unfortunately, his criminal record prevents from finding work as well as be able to see and support his daughter while his ex-wife is about to marry a cop who doesn’t like Lang. When Lang meets Dr. Pym and Van Dyne, he isn’t sure about donning the suit which he stole early in the story while being unaware of its powers. Yet, he realizes that his skills as a thief and breaking into some of the most highly secure places can benefit where he would also bring in a group of criminals to help him and Dr. Pym in getting the suit that Cross has created. While the script does have a lot of exposition and a narrative structure that is expected from the world of superhero origins. It does have a lot of humor but also some big dramatic stakes as it relates to what Cross is up to and the people he plans on making money with that includes one of Pym’s former colleagues from S.H.I.E.L.D.

Peyton Reed’s direction is quite straightforward in terms of what is expected from a superhero origin story yet manages to find ways to bring in a sense of style into the story. Shot largely on location in San Francisco with some shots set in Atlanta, the film does maintain something that is more homegrown as it plays into Lang’s attempt to set his life back on course while Dr. Pym is forced to sit in the sidelines as his business has grown into something bigger than he realized under Cross’ leadership. Reed’s usage of wide and medium shots do play into some of the big moments in the film while using the latter for some of the intimate moments where Van Dyne would reluctantly train Lang in becoming Ant-Man in combat fighting. The meshing of genres do work where it’s not just in the action and suspense but also in the humor.

Much of the humor doesn’t just involve some of the action sequences and Lang’s banters towards situations and those he would meet. It’s also in the supporting characters such as Lang’s former cellmate Luis (Michael Pena) who would provide some of the funniest moments that involve people he know and what he heard in these dizzying sequences that are ridiculous but fun. Reed would also create an air of suspense that is part of a homage to heist films as it relates to the climax that would involve Lang and Cross where it is elaborate but also thrilling. Even as Reed maintains the idea of what is stake but also uncover some huge revelations about a world that Lang would encounter. Overall, Reed creates an engaging and fun film about a man who shrinks to the size of an ant to save the world.

Cinematographer Russell Carpenter does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it is largely straightforward with some stylish lights for scenes set at night as well as well as the way some of the film‘s action sequences are lit. Editors Dan Lebental and Colby Parker Jr. do nice work with the editing as it is quite straightforward with some stylish flair in some of the montages and in some of the action scenes without deviating into intense fast-cutting editing styles. Production designers Shepherd Frankel and Marcus Rowland, with set decorator Leslie A. Pope and supervising art directors Nigel Churcher and David Lazan, do amazing work with the look of Cross‘ lab as well as the home of Dr. Pym and the apartment where Lang lives with other former convicts. Costume designer Sammy Sheldon does fantastic work with the look of the Ant-Man suit as well as the Yellow Jacket suit that Cross is designing while much of the clothes are very casual.

Visual effects supervisors Jon Capleton, Dinesh K. Bishnoi, Jake Morrison, Greg Steele, Dan Sudick, and Alex Wuttke do brilliant work with the visual effects from the look of the ants as well as the way Ant-Man would shrink and reverse at times along with a very surreal sequence set during the film‘s climax. Sound designers David Farmer, David C. Hughes, and Shannon Mills, with co-sound editor David Laurie, do superb work with the sound in the way some of the sound effects are mixed along with some of the natural moments in some of the locations and how Lang hears them when he‘s shrunk. The film’s music by Christophe Beck is terrific for its bombastic orchestral score that plays into the sense of adventure and comedy along with some of the dramatic moments while music supervisors Alejandro de la Llosa and Dave Jordan create a fun soundtrack that features music from Camilo Azuquita, Roy Ayers, the Commodores, HLM, and the Cure.

The casting by Sarah Finn is incredible as it features appearances from Hayley Atwell and John Slattery as S.H.I.E.L.D. co-founders Peggy Carter and Howard Stark, respectively, who deal with Pym’s departure knowing they’ve screwed things up while Anthony Mackie makes a fun appearance as Sam Wilson/Falcon who has a big encounter with Lang in a key scene. Other notable small roles include comedian Garrett Morris as a man in a car Lang meets, Gregg Turkington as a Baskin-Robbins manager who reluctantly fires Lang, Abby Ryder Fortson as Lang’s daughter Cassie, Judy Greer as Lang’s ex-wife Maggie who is reluctant to let Lang back into their daughter’s life, Wood Harris as a police detective named Gale, Tip “T.I.” Harris and David Dastmalchian as a couple of Luis’ friends who help Lang and Pym out for the film’s climax, and Martin Donovan in a superb performance as former S.H.I.E.L.D. executive Mitchell Carson whom Cross wants to make a deal with.

Bobby Cannavale is terrific as Maggie’s new boyfriend Paxton who is also a police detective that isn’t very trustful towards Lang as he later tries to find him after Lang escaped from jail. Michael Pena is great as Luis as a former criminal who has a lot of connections as he tries to help Lang out while later being part of a scheme to help Lang and Pym stop Cross as he is also the most hilarious character in the film. Corey Stoll is excellent as Darren Cross as Pym’s former protégé who created a formula similar to what Dr. Pym has created as he plans to make it into something bigger as it’s a role filled with some dark, comical humor and a sense of bravado. Evangeline Lilly is amazing as Hope Van Dyne as Dr. Pym’s estranged daughter who works for Cross as a spy for her father as she also deals with the fact that her father is hiding some things from her as it relates to her mother.

Michael Douglas is phenomenal as Dr. Hank Pym as the creator of a shrinking formula that he would use to be the original Ant-Man as he copes with the dangers of what happens when his formula is into the wrong hands while he deals with his own regrets as it’s a role filled with a lot of weight as well as some humor. Finally, there’s Paul Rudd in a marvelous performance as Scott Lang as a notorious thief who is trying to start over and do right for his daughter only to be forced back into crime where he meets Dr. Pym and get his chance at redemption where Rudd definitely exudes the idea of being a hero while also providing some funny banter along the way to make Lang more engaging as a person as it’s one of his finest roles to date.

Ant-Man is a remarkable film from Peyton Reed that features amazing performances from Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, and Michael Pena. Not only is it a fun action-adventure film but also a compelling one as it relates to the themes of redemption and wanting to do the right thing in a world that is often very complicated. Even as it is told in an entertaining fashion without deviating too much from the story. In the end, Ant-Man is an excellent film from Peyton Reed.

Peyton Reed Films: (The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes (1995 film)) - (The Love Bug (1997 film)) - (Bring It On) - (Down with Love) - (The Break-Up) - (Yes Man)

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One Films: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers

Marvel Phase Two Films: Iron Man 3 - Thor: The Dark World - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Guardians of the Galaxy - The Avengers: Age of Ultron

Marvel Phase Three Films: Captain America: Civil War - Doctor Strange - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Thor: Ragnarok - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Ant-Man & the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Captain Marvel - Spider-Man: Far from Home

Multiverse Saga: Phase Four: Black Widow (2021 film) - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – Eternals – Spider-Man: No Way Home – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – Thor: Love and Thunder – Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Phase Five: Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – The Marvels – (Deadpool & Wolverine) - (Captain America: Brave New World) - (Thunderbolts*)

Phase 6: The Fantastic Four: First Steps - (Avengers: Doomsday) - (Avengers: Secret Wars)

Related: MCU is Cinema: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 – Pt. 4 – (Part 5) – (Part 6) – (Part 7) - The MCU: 10 Reasons Why It Rules the World

© thevoid99 2016

Haywire

Directed, shot, and edited by Steven Soderbergh and written by Lem Dobbs, Haywire is the story of a spy who is betrayed by her organization as she seeks revenge while uncovering a conspiracy that is going against her. The film is an action-thriller where a woman whose job was to help a company as she realizes that there’s more at stake as she is a pawn of a big scheme. Starring Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Channing Tatum, Michael Angarano, Antonio Banderas, and Michael Douglas. Haywire is a stylish yet entertaining film from Steven Soderbergh.

The film is an exploration of betrayal where a woman, who is hired by a private organization to retrieve hostages and kill targets, becomes part of a conspiracy where that organization tries to get rid of her. While it is a premise that is very simple, it is a film that is about a group of people who try to play a scheme where those of power become either corrupt or be caught off guard. Lem Dobbs’ screenplay doesn’t just explore what governments do to take care of situations but how certain individuals are willing to compromise them. In the middle of this is Mallory Kane (Gina Carano) who is just someone that does her job as she learns she is betrayed when an assignment she reluctantly takes part in is merely more of an attempt to eliminate her.

The first half of the story is about Kane being betrayed and what does she do as the narrative is largely told in flashback after a meeting a colleague has gone bad as she takes a hostage and tells him what is going on. The second half is about Kane exacting her revenge and why she gets betrayed as it involves all sorts of things about government involvements. Especially as it plays into ideas of capitalism and corruption in a world where the rules are changing and some in the old order are out of the loop. These things would motivate Kane into not just take action but also confront those who are running the show.

Steven Soderbergh’s direction is very stylish not just in his approach in creating a film that is thrilling and action-packed. It’s also a film where it’s quite engaging in the way the mystery unfolds and how it’s being told. Shot in various locations in two different continents, the film has something that feels big but also very intimate in some of the compositions that Soderbergh makes. Much of it involves close-ups and medium shots while some of the action scenes are presented in wide shots such as a chase scene in Dublin involving cops as there’s an intricacy to the way Soderbergh presents the sequence.

Serving as cinematographer in his Peter Andrews alias and editor in his Mary Ann Bernard alias, there are some unique images to the look of the film in terms of how the interiors are lit while Soderbergh uses a lot of blue filters for the scenes set in upstate New York. Soderbergh’s editing definitely has a lot of unique rhythms in the way the action and fights are presented yet he keeps it straightforward in order to maintain the air of suspense. Even as it would lead to confrontations and questions about the way the world works. Overall, Soderbergh creates a very intelligent yet riveting thriller about a woman going after those who betrayed her.

Production designer Howard Cummings, with set decorator Barbara Munch and art director James F. Oberlander, does excellent work with the look of the home where Kane‘s father lived in as well as the government offices and house that Kane goes to with a MI-6 agent. Costume designer Shoshana Rubin does nice work with the costumes as most of it is casual with the exception of the dress that Kane wears for a party. Visual effects supervisor John Kennedy does terrific work with the few visual effects shots in the film such as a scene in upstate New York where Kane tries to evade the police. Sound editor Larry Blake does fantastic work with the sound from the way punches and kicks are heard to the sound of sirens in some of the film‘s action scenes. The film’s music by David Holmes is brilliant for its mixture of funk and jazz to play into the energy of the film with some electronic pieces for the suspense and drama.

The casting by Carmen Cuba is amazing for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small roles from Anthony Brandon Wong as a hostage Kane had to retrieve and Mathieu Kassovitz as a businessman that Kane and her MI-6 colleague Paul had to target. Michael Angarano is terrific as a young man named Scott that Kane takes hostage in the film’s first half as he learns about what she is doing. Michael Fassbender is excellent in a small role as a MI-6 agent named Paul who is part of the scheme to betray Kane. Antonio Banderas is brilliant as a Spanish contact named Rodrigo who is trying to watch over the international interest for the U.S. in terms of what is happening. Bill Paxton is fantastic as Kane’s father John who knows what his daughter does as he is aware of what is happening as he does whatever it takes to fool those who have betrayed her.

Channing Tatum is wonderful as a colleague in Aaron who only knows Kane for about a week after an assignment as he’s asked to deal with her where he would question about what is going on. Ewan McGregor is superb as Kane’s former boyfriend/contractor Kenneth who is trying to make some moves while getting Kane to accept a job that he needed. Michael Douglas is incredible as the government agent Coblenz who is this ambiguous figure as he is someone that is trying to watch over everything while being unaware of things that are happening. Finally, there’s Gina Carano in a remarkable performance as Mallory Kane as this woman who is trying to leave her job as she copes with being betrayed as it’s a performance that has Carano display some charm while kicking some ass at the same time.

Haywire is a phenomenal film from Steven Soderbergh that features a fantastic performance from Gina Carano. The film isn’t just a smart action-thriller but also a compelling film about the way governments and private firms deal with things in a world that is becoming very complicated. In the end, Haywire is a marvelous film from Steven Soderbergh.

Steven Soderbergh Films: sex, lies, & videotape - Kafka - King of the Hill - The Underneath - Gray’s Anatomy - Schizopolis - Out of Sight - The Limey - Erin Brockovich - Traffic - Ocean's 11 - Full Frontal - Solaris (2002 film) - Eros-Equilibrium - Ocean’s Twelve - Bubble - The Good German - Ocean’s Thirteen - Che - The Girlfriend Experience - The Informant! - And Everything is Going Fine - Contagion - Magic Mike - Side Effects - Behind the Candelabra - Logan Lucky - (Unsane) - (High Flying Bird)

The Auteurs #39: Steven Soderbergh: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2014

Behind the Candelabra

Based on the book Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace by Scott Thorson and Alex Thorleifson, Behind the Candelabra is the story about Thorson’s affair with the famed pianist Liberace during the late 1970s where they endured all sorts of trials and tribulations to keep the affair a secret from the public. Directed by Steven Soderbergh and screenplay by Richard LaGravenese, the film is a look into the life of one of the great entertainers of the 20th Century and the secret life he had with a young man as Liberace is played by Michael Douglas and Matt Damon as Scott Thorson. Also starring Dan Aykroyd, Scott Bakula, Cheyenne Jackson, Rob Lowe, Tom Papa, Paul Reiser, and Debbie Reynolds as Frances Liberace. Behind the Candelabra is a majestic yet sensational film from Steven Soderbergh.

Liberace was known as a man of flamboyance and showmanship who loved to dress in lavish designer suits that is often very excessive while his piano designs play up to his personality. Yet, the man was an entertainer who believed that too much of a good thing is wonderful. Still, there is the private side of Liberace that the public didn’t really know about until after his death in February of 1987 where it was revealed that he was gay. What this film is about is Liberace’s love affair with a young man named Scott Thorson who wouldn’t just be Liberace’s assistant and chauffer in his shows but the relationship they had was loving but also tumultuous. Largely as Liberace would start to stray from the relationship making Thorson more insecure as he becomes addicted to drugs. It’s a story that is told in the span of a decade where the relationship would have its ups and downs though there was a real love between these two men.

Richard LaGravenese’ screenplay takes it time to explore how this relationship was formed with Thorson attended a show with another gay man in Bob Black (Scott Bakula) who knew Liberace as he would introduce Thorson to the man. Since Thorson was a young animal trainer who aspired to be a veterinarian, Liberace invited to his home to help tend one of his sick dogs as a love affair ensued though Thorson isn’t aware that he’s becoming one of many lovers Liberace has had previously that had come and gone including his protégée Billy Leatherwood (Cheyenne Jackson) and a butler named Carlucci (Bruce Ramsay). What wasn’t expected is that the affair would become much deeper to the point that Liberace would hire a drug-addicted plastic surgeon in Dr. Jack Startz (Rob Lowe) to make Scott look a bit like Liberace himself.

That would eventually play to some of the troubles of the relationship as Thorson begins to feel insecure as he is addicted to drugs while he isn’t taken seriously by some of Liberace’s personnel including manager Seymour Heller (Dan Aykroyd). Adding to the insecurities is the fact that Liberace likes to sleep with other men including a young dancer named Cary (Boyd Holbrook) which would eventually play to their split where Thorson would try to expose Liberace in the early 80s only to fail. While there are some dramatic liberties that LaGravenese does with his screenplay in order to dramatize the story, he does make sure that it is still a love story that has an element of camp but also drama. The dialogue is also quite stylish as it plays up to some of Liberace’s own campy personality on and off the stage as well as maintaining some realism over the intensity of the relationship between the two men.

The direction of Steven Soderbergh definitely plays up to that sense of excess that Liberace is known for where he utilizes a lot of stylish compositions but also keep things at a minimum to explore the complexity of this relationship between Liberace and Thorson. With the use of tracking shots, wide shots, and other camera angles, he creates a film that is about the secret life of a man seen from the perspective of a younger man. There are also shots that would mirror similar situations where Thorson is watching Liberace talking to younger men that also echoed a similar scene where Billy Leatherwood is shot in a close-up while Thorson and Liberace are blurred in the background though their dialogue can be heard quite clearly.

There are also moments in the direction where Soderbergh creates an element of camp that includes a very funny scene of Liberace and Thorson watching Johnny Carson where Liberace is aghast over how old he looks. Even the scenes of Liberace playing the piano in his stage performances maintain that sense of decadence where Soderbergh knows that excess is best. Through his very colorful yet lavish cinematography, under his Peter Andrews alias, where he uses lights to create a sense of atmosphere in the film’s humor and drama. Soderbergh also creates an element of drama in its third act where not only does Thorson deal with loss in a big way but also betrayal. Through his editing, under the Mary Ann Bernard alias, where Soderbergh creates some fantastic montages and rhythmic cuts to play up the drama that comes in that third act.

Even in some of the attention to detail where it reveals a moment in time when all of that excess would finally come to haunt Liberace in the end. It’s in these moments where Soderbergh does restrain things to create a sense of calm and normalcy where it definitely has a melancholia in the imagery that he’s conveying. Since the film is about Liberace, Soderbergh knows that he can’t end the film on a down note. It has to end in style and the way he chooses to end the film isn’t just about Liberace but also the love he had with Scott Thorson. Overall, Soderbergh creates a very heartfelt and engaging film about Liberace and his secret relationship with Scott Thorson.

Production designer Howard Cummings, along with set decorator Barbara Munch and art director Patrick M. Sullivan Jr., does brilliant work with the set pieces from the look of Liberace‘s home to his stage shows where everything is excessive and lavish that includes two of everything and little model pianos to play up Liberace‘s sense of generosity to those he love. Costume designer Ellen Mirojnick does amazing work with the costumes as they‘re always filled with style from the fur coats, the suits, capes, and everything else that is all a part of Liberace‘s world of decadence. The makeup and hair design work is also worth noting for the hair styles that play up the world of the late 70s and early 80s as well as Liberace’s own hair and how his face evolved through his plastic surgeries including Thorson who also looked a younger version of Liberace after his surgery.

Visual effects supervisor Thomas J. Smith does superb work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects such as the TV stuff that Liberace watches that he‘s in along with some backdrop dressing for some scenes in Las Vegas and Palm Springs. Sound editor Larry Blake does excellent work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the performance as well as some of the intimate moments between Liberace and Thorson as it would also play into their dissolution. The music adaptation by the late Marvin Hamlisch is fantastic for the piano pieces Hamlisch selects as well as some playful score music from the composer as he makes the music a major highlight that isn’t just about Liberace but also a great tribute to Hamlisch himself whom the film is dedicated to.

The casting by Carmen Cuba is marvelous for the actors that is assembled for this film as it features appearances from David Koechner as an adoption attorney, Josh Meyers as Liberace’s attorney in Thorson’s palimony suit, Jane Morris as Scott’s adopted mother Rose, Nicky Katt as the drug dealer Mr. Y, Cheyenne Jackson as Liberace’s protégée Billy Leatherwood, Bruce Ramsay as Liberace’s gay butler Carlucci, and Boyd Holbrook as a Young Americans dancer named Cary whom Liberace gets interested in as he would usurp Scott. Other notable small performances include Paul Reiser as Thorson’s attorney in the palimony suit, Tom Papa as Liberace’s head assistant Ray Arnett, and Scott Bakula as Bob Black who would introduce Scott to Liberace.

Debbie Reynolds is amazing as Liberace’s mother Frances where Reynolds looks unrecognizable as an old European woman who adores her son while is one of the few people who is very kind to Thorson as Reynolds steals every scene she’s in. Rob Lowe is hilarious as the freaky-looking plastic surgeon Dr. Jack Startz as a man who looks like he’s had too many facelifts while doesn’t really know what he’s talking about as he claims to know so much. Dan Aykroyd is superb as Liberace’s manager Seymour Heller who doesn’t have much of an opinion towards Scott as he’s very straightforward while being Liberace’s great protector from all sorts of things as he is also the guy who takes care of things.

The film’s best performances definitely go to the duo of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon in their respective roles as Liberace and Scott Thorson. Damon exudes all of the naiveté and frustrations of a young man who is caught up in Liberace’s world as he seeks to find himself while dealing with Liberace’s affairs with other men. Douglas is a real surprise as he plays up all of the charm that is Liberace while not being afraid to go camp as he can be funny but also quite dramatic. The two together make a fantastic duo in the way they play off each other in all of its moments whether it’s funny, romantic, or dramatic as they are key reasons for the film’s success.

Behind the Candelabra is a tremendous film from Steven Soderbergh that features outstanding performances from Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. The film isn’t just a very genuine and compelling love story but also a look into the life of one of the great entertainers of the 20th Century and the secret life that he had. If this film is Steven Soderbergh’s final contribution to cinema, at least he goes out with a winner and in grand style. In the end, Behind the Candelabra is a fabulous and sensational film from Steven Soderbergh.

Steven Soderbergh Films: sex, lies, & videotape - Kafka - King of the Hill - The Underneath - Gray’s Anatomy - Schizopolis - Out of Sight - The Limey - Erin Brockovich - Traffic - Ocean's Eleven - Full Frontal - Solaris (2002 film) - Eros-Equilibrium - Ocean’s Twelve - Bubble - The Good German - Ocean’s Thirteen - Che - The Girlfriend Experience - The Informant! - And Everything is Going Fine - Contagion - Haywire - Magic Mike - Side Effects - Logan Lucky - (Unsane) - (High Flying Bird)

The Auteurs #39: Steven Soderbergh Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2013

Traffic

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/23/09 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

The war on drugs has been a costly battle with the government spending loads of money fighting against drug dealers and crime lords. Yet, the drug wars have shown that not much progress had happened once it arrived into the 21st Century. Films about drugs and drug wars were often glamorized and over the top until a 1989 British TV show called Traffik brought a realistic view of the drug wars and its effects on people. The show caught the attention of renowned independent film director Steven Soderbergh who had just gained a comeback with 1998's Out of Sight and 1999's The Limey. For a film adaptation of the show, Soderbergh took the film's multiple storyline study on drugs for a huge, dramatic feature about the drug trade and drugs on the home front entitled Traffic.

Directed and shot by Steven Soderbergh with a script written by Stephen Gaghan, Traffic tells three different stories about the war on drugs. The first involves a Mexican police officer fighting drugs in his native country only to deal with corruption from the police force he's working for. The second story involves a drug czar fighting a war on drugs for the government while dealing with his daughter's drug addiction. The third and final story involves a wife learning that her husband is a big-time drug lord as she decides to fight for his freedom while battling a couple of DEA agents. Three storylines moving back and forth and intercut with each other as they all connect, the film is a harrowing yet provocative feature about the drug war and its effects on the individuals involved.

Starring Michael Douglas, Benicio del Toro, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Don Cheadle, Steven Bauer, Dennis Quaid, Luis Guzman, Jacob Vargas, Tomas Milian, Amy Irving, Miguel Ferrer, Erika Christensen, Topher Grace, Clifton Collins Jr., Peter Riegert, and cameo appearances from Salma Hayek and Albert Finney. Traffic is an eerie yet profound masterpiece from Steven Soderbergh.

Javier Rodriguez Rodriguez (Benicio del Toro) and Manolo Sanchez (Jacob Vargas) are police officers that just got attention over a drug bust in Tijuana, Mexico. General Salazar (Tomas Milian) wants Rodriguez's help to stop the power of the Obregon family as he and Manolo captured the family's top assassin Frankie Flowers (Clifton Collins Jr.). Despite the success, Rodriguez believes that something isn't right as he gets into deep over what he finds. In Ohio, Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas) is a judge that just been given a new job to be the new Drug Czar for the President after his predecessor (James Brolin) steps down as he gives Wakefield a warning. With his assistant Jeff Sheridan (D.W. Moffett) helping Wakefield to fight against drugs, his daughter Caroline (Erika Christensen) has become a drug addict where her boyfriend Seth (Topher Grace) introduces her to freebased cocaine.

Following a bust, Robert's wife Barbara (Amy Irving) reveals to Robert that she knows about Caroline's addiction prompting him to send his daughter to rehab. With Robert's new job taking much of his time as he meets General Salazar, a DEA bust in San Diego by Montel Gordon (Don Cheadle) and Ray Castro (Luis Guzman) leads to the capture of Eduard Ruiz (Miguel Ferrer) who rats out his boss Carlos Ayala (Steven Bauer). With Ayala revealed to be the Obregon's top distributor as he gets arrested, Ayala's pregnant wife Helena (Catherine Zeta-Jones) turns to Carlos's friend Arnie Metzger (Dennis Quaid) for help. Arnie brings in attorney Michael Adler (Peter Riegert) to deal with the case while Helena learns about her husband's true job as she goes to Frankie Flowers to get Ruiz killed while later meeting Juan Obregon (Benjamin Bratt) to continue business.

After learning that Caroline has escaped rehab, Robert tries to find her with Seth's help prompting him to deal with the demand of his new job. Rodriguez's suspicions have him and Manolo turning to the DEA as trouble occurs as Rodriguez goes to Manolo's wife (Marisa Padilla Sanchez) for help. In turn, Rodriguez would create moves that would change everything for him, Robert Wakefield, and Helena Ayala.

The film can be described as a message film of sorts about the war on drugs, its lack of progress, and how it's troubled certain individuals. Yet, Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan create a film that goes into the world of the drug culture and its effects on government, lifestyles, and the people fighting against. What Soderbergh and Gaghan creates is a political film with some human drama with Gaghan creating a story that isn't conventional. Instead, Gaghan's approach in the script is to move from one storyline to another and to another in a rhythmic, intercutting style of writing to connect one situation to another. Gaghan's screenplay is truly brilliant in its political and social commentary on drugs, its effects on the economy, and how one tries to either fight corruption or use it to maintain a certain lifestyle.

The three storylines created for the film are truly genius due to Gaghan's approach in telling the story. For the story of Javier Rodriguez and his discovery of corruption within the police force he's working for is about a man trying to do the right thing. Even if he has to risk his life and maybe his own moral judgment where his only gain is his conscience and something he wants that isn't for him. In the Robert Wakefield storyline, it's about a conservative judge taking on a role to fight drugs for the President while having to deal with drugs in his home as his daughter spirals down into a world of drugs. The third storyline about Helena Ayala discovering what her husband really does and Montel Gordon's fight to keep Carlos Ayala in jail provides an interesting, dramatic sense of conflict of two people trying to fight for what they each think is right.

Then there's Steven Soderbergh's direction which is truly mesmerizing in his approach to tell the story. Also serving as the film's cinematographer under the Peter Andrews alias, Soderbergh goes for various styles in telling the story for the three different storylines. For all the scenes shot in Mexico, Soderbergh goes for this cinema verite style of handheld cameras, grainy footage awash in sepia-like colors to play up to the country's desert-like climate. The camera work is shaky and loose with interior shots in some places very low in order to create an atmosphere as there's very few moments where the camera is still. In some of the scenes involving Robert Wakefield and his situation, a lot of the daytime scenes are shot in this blue, cold style to represent the chilling feel of addiction in Caroline. The camera work and direction is more steady and dramatic in order to discover the troubles of addiction from a young teenager.

In the scenes shot in California, Texas, the border from the U.S. perspective, and nighttime U.S. scenes, are more traditional though the daytime, exterior and interior shots are more sunny, dream-like, and wondrous for the California feel of the film. The camera work is also more steady and dramatic like the Wakefield sequence as Soderbergh does make it clear in how he wanted each storyline and location to be presented. He creates a film that doesn't play up to convention while creating different worlds in each location and setting while maintaining the film's theme on the war on drugs. The result is truly a film that is unique in its varied visual styles and themes as it's done with such brilliance by Steven Soderbergh.

Editor Stephen Mirrione does spectacular work with the editing in the use of jump-cuts, dissolves, and rhythmic transitions to create a feel to the film that doesn't get boring but also doesn't go way too fast. Mirrone's cutting style is truly fascinating in the way he shifts from one sequence to another with a nice cutting transition as if he plays to a certain rhythm while knowing when not to cut or move to another sequence. Mirrone's work is overall superb in the art of editing. Production designer Phillip Messina along with set decorator Kristen Toscano Messina and art director Keith P. Cunningham do excellent work with the homes of the various characters from the gritty, urban look of Rodriguez to the posh worlds of the Wakefield and Ayalas. Costume designer Louise Frogley does fine work with the look of Helena's dresses along with the suits that Robert Wakefield wears as well as the urban clothing and street clothes that most of the characters wear.

Sound editor Larry Blake does fantastic work with the sound to help with the film's varied locations with actual location sounds for the film's Mexico sequences that are raw and crisp to capture the Mexican deserts. The U.S. sequences are more layered and mixed with some polish but also to make them atmospheric for the dramatic tension of Gordon-Ayala sequence and haunting in the Wakefield sequence. Blake's work is truly superb in its sense of action and drama. Music composer Cliff Martinez creates a truly haunting, atmospheric score filled with ambient-style textures for it sense of mood and drama with light, percussive pieces in the background, piano performances from noted jazz musician Herbie Hancock, and soft bass melodies from Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, whom Martinez used to play drums for. The soundtrack includes electronic pieces from Morcheeba and Fat Boy Slim plus an ambient piece from Brian Eno.

The casting by Debra Zane is truly phenomenal with appearances from John Slattery as an ADA official, Viola Davis as a social worker, real-life politicians Orrin Hatch, Barbara Boxer, and Charles Grassley. Salma Hayek makes a very memorable cameo as the mistress of a drug lord while Albert Finney is good in a small role as Chief of Staff. Other small roles like Alec Roberts as Helena's son David, Corey Spears as a friend of Seth and Caroline who overdoses, Rena Sofer and Stacey Travis as a couple of Helena's friends, and Eddie Velez as a FBI agent Javier Rodriguez turns to. Steven Bauer is good in his small role as Carlos Ayala, a distributor who is jailed as he gives his wife information on how to get him out. Marisa Padilla Sanchez is also good as Manolo's wife who suspects something is wrong as she turns to Javier while Peter Riegert is very good as Carlos' attorney. In another small performance, Benjamin Bratt is excellent as Juan Obregon, the cartel leader who makes a deal with Helena.

Jacob Vargas is excellent as Manolo, Javier's partner who finds himself hanging out with Salazar's men only to get into trouble when he tries to reveal information to the DEA. D.W. Moffett is very good as Robert Wakefield's assistant while James Brolin is really good as Wakefield's predecessor who gives him a warning about the new role Wakefield is taking on. Amy Irving gives a fine performance as Barbara Wakefield, Robert's wife who knows about her daughter's secret but has no ways to stop Caroline's increasing addiction. Clifton Collins Jr. is great as Frankie Flowers, an assassin who provides information to Salazar under torture while helping out Helena in an assassination attempt on Eduardo Ruiz. Spaghetti Western legend Tomas Milian is great as the shady General Salazar as he provides charm and wit into his role. Topher Grace of That 70's Show is great as Seth, Caroline's boyfriend who provides commentary on drugs and its affects on the social standings.

Erika Christensen delivers a brilliant, haunting performance as Caroline Wakefield, a teenage girl who becomes a drug addict as Christensen brings all of the realism and angst to a troubled character. Dennis Quaid is excellent in a small role as Arnie, Carlos' lawyer and partner, who tries to handle things only to not have Elena involved. Miguel Ferrer is very good as Eduardo Ruiz, Carlos' associate who gets caught and demands immunity as he gives commentary about the DEA and their real role. Luis Guzman is great as Ray Castro, the DEA agent who tells jokes while providing some funny lines as he has wonderful scenes with Don Cheadle. Don Cheadle is superb as Montel Gordon, a DEA agent determined to get Carlos Ayala arrested as part of his job while being Eduardo Ruiz's protector. Catherine Zeta-Jones is wonderful as Helena Ayala, a woman who discovers her husband's true job as she steps up to take over and make moves that truly proved how loyal she is to her husband.

Michael Douglas is brilliant as Robert Wakefield, a man who becomes a drug czar who takes on a huge important role for the government unaware of the damage that his daughter is taking towards drugs. It's a brilliant role from Douglas as he plays a man in deep conflict while dealing with trouble at home. Finally, there's Benicio del Toro as Javier Rodriguez Rodriguez, a good cop facing corruption while trying to stop drugs and corruption around him. It's a fantastic role from del Toro as he brings a lot of restraint and wonderment to his character as man trying to do good, even if he has to question his own moral judgement.

Traffic is a haunting, gritty, and provocative film from Steven Soderbergh and company. Thanks to an all-star cast led by Michael Douglas, Benicio del Toro, Don Cheadle, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Luis Guzman. This is truly a film that is original, fascinating, and with a message that isn't overbearing. Fans of Soderbergh definitely considers this as one of his finest films to date while it's also a great introduction to his filmography. In the end, Traffic isn't just one of the best films of the decade but also a haunting film that will surely be seen by audiences in the years to come.

Steven Soderbergh Films: sex, lies, & videotape - Kafka - King of the Hill - The Underneath - Gray's Anatomy - Schizpolis - Out of Sight - The Limey - Erin Brockovich - Ocean's Eleven - Full Frontal - Solaris (2002 film) - Eros-Equilibrium - Ocean's Twelve - Bubble - The Good German - Ocean's Thirteen - Che - The Girlfriend Experience - The Informant! - And Everything is Going Fine - Contagion - Haywire - Magic Mike - Side Effects - Behind the Candelabra

The Auteurs #39: Steven Soderbergh Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2011