Directed by Asif Kapadia, Amy is a documentary about the life and career of British singer Amy Winehouse who rose big during the mid-to-late 2000s only to die tragically at the age of 27 in July of 2011. The film follows her tumultuous career as well as her struggles with substance abuse and various issues as well as fame itself that would eventually take its toll as it is presented with existing footage from her life and career with commentary by the people who were close to her as well as those who worked with. The result is a harrowing yet intoxicating film from Asif Kapadia.
On October of 2006, Amy Winehouse releases her second album Back to Black which was a blend of jazz and soul that unexpected became one of the biggest albums of the 21st Century so far. Winehouse would become this major star all over the world but the fame would eventually prove too much as the singer had struggles in her personal life such as a tumultuous marriage to longtime boyfriend Blake Fielder-Civil and her own battles with bulimia, alcoholism, and drug abuse that would ultimately claim her life on July 23, 2011 at the age of 27. The film is about Winehouse’s tragic life as it’s largely told through existing footage from home movies, concerts, recording sessions, and such throughout the course of her life as well as interviews from her own words during her lifetime as well as audio interviews from those who knew her.
With the aid of editor Chris King as well as sound editors Stephen Griffiths and Andy Shelley compiling many of the interviews with Winehouse’s friends, family, and collaborators during the course of the film. Asif Kapadia would use all of this footage to tell Amy’s story from this young girl who had lived largely with her mother after her parents divorced at the age of nine to her love for music when she was in her teens. Notably jazz as she was considered someone who knew every jazz record from front to back as her first album in 2003’s Frank showcased that love as her original aspirations were to just be a jazz singer playing small jazz clubs and succeed through that. Once she moved to the Camden area in North London during a thriving period in the music scene where a lot of indie bands such as the Kills and Babyshambles were playing at that time. Things suddenly changed when Winehouse met Fielder-Civil who would introduce her to drugs and all sorts of things.
Fielder-Civil isn’t a bad person as he really did love Winehouse but he was part of a scene that was quite destructive and it definitely snowballed into total chaos as they would marry in 2007 until he would be incarcerated for possession later that year. The person that is the film’s real villain is Winehouse’s father Mitchell who would be in Amy’s life around the time she would become famous and then use her for his own reality TV show that had him with a camera crew when all she wanted was her father. It’s among these moments in the film that is heartbreaking to watch as well as Winehouse’s big moment when she won Grammys including one for Record of the Year for the song Rehab where she was in Britain because she wasn’t well-enough to travel. Family and friends were at this event with her as it should’ve been a big moment but a friend of Winehouse recalled how sad it was because all Winehouse wanted was to get high to cope with not having her husband around and all of the bullshit that fame has brought her.
The final months of Winehouse’s life didn’t just show her trying to clean herself up and get ready to make a new album but it also showed the struggle she was going through that led to her final concert a month before her death in Belgrade, Serbia where the footage is just sad. Especially as she wasn’t mentally nor emotionally ready to perform in front of a large audience as it show how far she’s descended as the people in her band were concerned as are management and others in the industry which is quite surprising considering how cynical the music business is. With the aid of cinematographers Rafael Bettega, Jake Clennel, and Ernesto Herrmann in shooting aerial footage of some of the locations that were important in Winehouse’s life. Kapadia would also emphasize the importance of Winehouse’s music as lyrics would appear on some of the footage to express the pain of what she was singing to express parts of her life while there’s score music by Antonio Pinto, that is mainly ambient music with some orchestral piano pieces, that play into some of the darker moments in Winehouse’s tragic life.
Amy is a tremendous film from Asif Kapadia. It’s a film that isn’t just an artist that was gone too soon but also a troubled exploration of someone with a great gift but had trouble dealing with additional baggage that comes with being successful. In the end, Amy is a visceral yet astonishing film from Asif Kapadia.
Asif Kapadia Films: (The Sheep Thief) - (The Warrior (2001 film)) - (The Return (2006 film)) - (Far North (2007 film)) - Senna - (Ali and Nino)- Diego Maradona (2019 film)
© thevoid99 2017
Written and directed by John Carney, Begin Again is the story of a struggling music executive who finds a young singer-songwriter as the two collaborate on making an album through various locations in New York City. The film is an exploration into two people who both endured failures and disappointments as they try to do something together to express their love for music. Starring Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, Catherine Keener, Hailee Steinfeld, Adam Levine, CeeLo Green, Mos Def, and James Corden. Begin Again is a touching and enjoyable film from John Carney.
The film revolves around a music executive who is down on his luck as he stumbles into a club where he hears a song from a young woman as he wants to sign her to his label and make her album. While it is a simple story of two people who both endured moments in their life as they’re down on their luck as they find something that brings them together through the love of music. For the music executive Dan Mulligan (Mark Ruffalo), he wants to find something that matters regardless if it sells or not as he was once a great music producer whose life has not gone well and has a shaky relationship with his daughter Violet (Hailee Steinfeld). For Gretta James (Keira Knightley), she’s a singer-songwriter still stinging not just from the break-up of her musician boyfriend Dave Kohl (Adam Levine) who cheated on her. It’s also in the fact that really cares about the music and learns that Kohl has sold out in order to become part of the machine.
John Carney’s screenplay has a unique structure where its first act is about Dan stumbling into the club meeting Gretta who reluctantly sings in a club after being prodded by her friend/musician Steve (James Corden). It plays into what Dan and Gretta were doing on the day before they meet as well as the latter and her relationship with Dave. Most notably in how it fell apart when Dave returned with a new song where Gretta learned that he cheated on her. The second act is about Dan and Gretta collaborating to make the album as Dan reluctantly produced himself as he is aware that he’s not getting any support from his label nor his business partner/label head Saul (Mos Def). With a group of several unknown musicians and Steve, Dan would record Gretta’s album on any location as they’re eventually aided by Violet in a means to reconnect with her father. It’s third act isn’t just about the reality of the music industry but also about Dave who returns to meet Gretta as it becomes clear how much he’s changed as it plays into what Gretta wants for herself and her music.
Carney’s direction is very simple as it plays into the wonders of New York City and how music fills that world where Dan and Gretta are eager to make use of its many locations and record whatever they can flesh out musically. Much of it involves a lot of hand-held camera movements with lots of close-ups and medium shots as Carney doesn’t really go for anything big. Yet, he does manage to find moments that are engaging such as Gretta and Dave’s break-up scene where it is about the song that Dave created and their reactions which has Gretta very upset. Carney also creates moments that are lively not just in the outdoor sessions where Dan is recording Gretta and her band but also in a moment where the two walk around New York City listening to music from their earphones. It is all about the love and power of music where Dan would also reveal why things with him and Violet hadn’t been easy until he invites her to play on Gretta’s record where it is this cathartic moment. The scenes involving Dave and the results of Gretta’s record doesn’t just play into some of the cynical realities of the music business but also what music is supposed to be for the artist rather than what Dave and Saul represent. Overall, Carney creates an exhilarating film about two people who find salvation through their love for music.
Cinematographer Yaron Orbach does excellent work with the cinematography from the naturalistic yet colorful look of the scenes set in the day to the usage of lights for the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor Andrew Marcus does nice work with the editing as it‘s straightforward with some stylish jump-cuts and montage cuts to play into its energy and humor. Production designer Chad Keith, with set decorator Kris Moran and art director Anne Goelz, does fantastic work with the look of the apartments Steve and Dan live in to play into their personalities as well as the massive loft apartment Dan and Gretta lived in where things were good.
Costume designer Arjun Bhasin does terrific work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual with the exception of the rich designers suits that Saul and Dave wear. Visual effects supervisor Yuval Levy does good work with the minimal visual effects that is used which includes an acceptance speech Dave does that Gretta and Steve see on YouTube as well as an inspiring scene of what Dan sees in Gretta‘s performance. Sound editor Lewis Goldstein does superb work with the sound to capture every layer of the music as it‘s presented on location as well as the atmosphere of the clubs and other venues.
The film’s music by Gregg Alexander is amazing as it‘s a very low-key yet melodic-based score that features elements of folk and pop while music supervisors Matthew Rush Sullivan and Andrea von Foerster bring in music from Stevie Wonder and other artists yet it’s the originals song by Alexander, John Carney, Glen Hansard, and other writers that is the heart of the film as it includes Lost Stars and other songs that Knightley would sing as well as the songs that Levine sings.
The casting by Jeanne McCarthy is brilliant as it includes notable small roles from Cee-Lo Green as rapper Troublegum who helps Dan find musicians and Mos Def (under his real name Yasiin Bey) as Dan’s old friend and business partner Saul who tells him about why he can’t help Dan because of the changes of the music business. Catherine Keener is wonderful as Dan’s ex-wife Miriam who is surprised by Dan’s recent enthusiasm as she would later help him in making Gretta’s album. Adam Levine is superb as Gretta’s ex-boyfriend Dave Kohl who became successful despite the things he had done for her as he copes with not just success but also the fact that he has made a lot of compromises for the music he and Gretta made in the past for the sake of commercialism. James Corden is fantastic as Gretta’s friend Steve who is a street musician who not only helps Gretta cope with her break-up but also to get her to play music again as he would also help Dan in the recording of her album.
Hailee Steinfeld is excellent as Dan’s daughter Violet who isn’t just dealing with growing pains but also not having her dad around as she copes with his frequent absences until she is asked to join his project where she reveals her brilliance as a musician to her father. Keira Knightley is remarkable as Gretta James as a songwriter who just loves to make music as she copes with her ex-boyfriend and his success as well as the need to make music that is true and honest while Knightley shows she can really sing. Finally, there’s Mark Ruffalo in a marvelous performance as Dan Mulligan as a once-famous producer turned music executive who experiences some bad luck until he hears Gretta’s song where he collaborates with her as a way to make something that is meaningful again as Ruffalo brings a lot of humor and some great chemistry with Knightley.
Begin Again is a phenomenal film from John Carney that features great performances from Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley. The film isn’t just about the celebration of music but also in the idea of how music can mean so much to people in an age where purity is being coerced by commerce. In the end, Begin Again is a sensational film from John Carney.
John Carney Films: (On the Edge) - Once - (Zonad) - Sing Street
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Michel Gondry and written and starring Dave Chappelle, Dave Chappelle’s Block Party is a documentary in which the comedian holds a block party in Brooklyn as it would feature a concert with several acts in R&B and hip-hop. The film would also showcase the stress that Chappelle was going through that would lead to the end of highly-revered comedy show in late 2004. Featuring performances by the Fugees, the Roots, Jill Scott, Kanye West, Mos Def, and Erykah Badu. The result is a fun and exciting documentary from Michel Gondry and Dave Chappelle.
On September 18, 2004, Dave Chappelle organized a block party in Brooklyn that would be a concert for the people not just from Brooklyn but also from his hometown of Dayton, Ohio whom he personally invited. Throughout the film, Chappelle expresses his love for Dayton and his locals who treat him like he’s one of their own and not think about him as the comedian that’s famous for. Among the people he brought in from Dayton is the Central State University Marching Band as they would perform with Kanye West at the show where Chappelle would converse with acts like the Roots, Dead Prez, Jill Scott, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and several others about music and art. The film would also include a one-off reunion from the Fugees that was the big surprise of the concert.
Through Michel Gondry’s very simple and engaging direction as it’s shot in 16mm film blown-up to 35mm where Gondry gets the chance to keep things lively as Chappelle seems relaxed throughout the shoot. Even as he talks about his frustrations with fame and some of the expectations he’s had as a comedy as it relates to the comedy show and big money deal that he would later walk away from some time later after the concert was filmed. Gondry would also have Chappelle converse with the locals in Brooklyn where they get a chance to speak about their views on the world where a lot of it is very light-hearted and humorous. Even as a couple who lives in a nearby church admit they’re not into hip-hop yet did manage to have fun at the show.
It’s apparent that the film is inspired by the 1973 concert documentary Wattstax in terms of its presentation and moving back-and-forth from the concert performances and interactions with the people in Brooklyn and Dayton. With the help of Ellen Kuras’ colorful cinematography, the stylized editing of Sarah Flack, Jeff Buchanan, and Jamie Kirkpatrick, and the sound editing of David F. Van Syke, the film has a very vibrant and crisp look that does play to the film’s simplicity while the concert performances from the act is always exciting and fun where it’s shot on the stage and where the audience is at. With additional help from production designer Laura Faggioni, art director Pete Zumba, and costume designer Whitney Kyles for the look of the stage and the clothes some of the performers wear. There’s a realness to the story as well in the performances where none of it feels boring as the music is a major highlight of the film that features some contributions from music supervisor Corey Smyth.
Dave Chappelle’s Block Party is an excellent concert documentary from Michel Gondry. It’s a film that is a very enjoyable one where it has some good tunes from the artists performing as well as some funny jokes from Dave Chappelle. Even as it’s a very positive film where it’s more about having fun and creating a community through music, art, and comedy. In the end, Dave Chappelle’s Block Party is a extraordinary film from Michel Gondry.
Michel Gondry Films: Human Nature - Etneral Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - The Science of Sleep - Be Kind Rewind - Tokyo!-Interior Design - (The Thorn in the Heart) - The Green Hornet - The We & the I - Mood Indigo - (Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?) - (Microbe & Gasoline)
© thevoid99 2014
Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/19/09 w/ Additional Edits.
Written and directed by Michel Gondry, Be Kind Rewind tells the story of a junkyard worker whose attempts to sabotage a power plant goes haywire. When he accidentally creates a magnetic field, he goes to his best friend's video store and accidentally erases the contents of the video tapes. In order to keep the store going, they create new versions of the films that become cult hits only to later deal with authorities. The film explores not just Gondry's love of spontaneity but also his themes of imagination and innocence told through a couple of bumbling men. Starring Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow, Melonie Diaz, and Sigourney Weaver. Be Kind Rewind is a funny, imaginative, and heartwarming film from Michel Gondry.
In Passaic, New Jersey, a man named Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover) runs a VHS-rental video store with his assistant Mike (Mos Def). The two muse about jazz musician Fats Waller whom Mr. Fletcher claims was born in the building where he runs the video store. One of the regulars who attends the store is Mike's klutzy friend Jerry (Jack Black) who often causes accidents while wanting to sabotage a nearby power plant. With the video store losing money and in danger of being demolished to become a condo unless Mr. Fletcher can provide money. Mr. Fletcher decides to go out of town for several days to attend a Fats Waller memorial with Mike running the store with his order to keep Jerry out of the story. Unfortunately, Jerry's attempt to sabotage the power plant went badly where he goes to the video store unknowingly erasing all of the content of the video tapes.
When one of the store's regular customers in Mrs. Falewicz (Mia Farrow) wants to see Ghostbusters, Mike and Jerry decide to make their own version with cheap special effects and the two playing the characters themselves. When another customer wanted to see Rush Hour 2, Mike and Jerry make their own version where they get help from a local named Alma (Melonie Diaz) to help. The film versions they created have become successful as Mike, Jerry, and Alma decide to create their own versions of the films as the demands suddenly increase with the community being involved. When Mr. Fletcher returns to the store, he reveals that he's planning to get the store going as a DVD-rental place.
For Mike, it's disheartening but Jerry and Alma press on where they make more to Mr. Fletcher's surprise as the films they make help raise money to save the story. When a couple of bailiffs (Sigourney Weaver and Paul Dinello) arrive, they decided to have the tapes destroyed due to copyright infringement forcing the store's future to look even bleaker with Mr. Fletcher revealing some harsh truths. Yet, it would take an entire community to rally for one final hurrah to save the store as it's time is running out.
The film is about two things in one whole film. One is the decline of the VHS-rental, mom-and-pop video stores and the rise of corporate, DVD-rental chains. The other is about a community rallying together to watch and make home films of the movies they always wanted to be in and such. While some of the film's humor might seem a little childish with a few moments that don't work along with the script often delving into conventional and sentimental territory. Yet, Michel Gondry manages to create a film that is filled with some of the thematic qualities of his work with innocence, light-humor, and heart in his script.
While the script has a nice story despite a few flaws, the direction that Gondry definitely raises the script's weakness with his imaginative presentation. Bringing his music video background to the forefront, Gondry truly is a director in his own world where he proves that anyone could make a film with shabby sets and such. Even in the use of home video cameras with night vision is an example of Gondry's unique vision. Even in one of the film's big moment, he goes for something that is black-and-white or scenes with one take for a movement of Mike, Jerry, and Alma making one film and then move to another. It's Gondry proving that he can create something whimsical with a lot of heart and humor for audiences who love the power of film and wish they can be in them in their own remakes.
Cinematographer Ellen Kuras does a wonderful job with the film's cinematography with the use of the home video camera with its grainy look and cheesy night vision along with scratchy black-and-white footage. Kuras' work is phenomenal in how she captures the look of Passaic, New Jersey in its actual location along with some wonderful nighttime exterior shots. Notably in the film's final scene with its sepia-like exterior and intimate, low-light interior scenes. Editor Jeff Buchanan does excellent work with the film's editing with rhythmic and jump-cuts to get the film moving in such a unique pace that it's all done leisurely and without going into style-over-substance. Production designer Dan Leigh along with set decorator Ron von Blomberg, and art director James Donahue do spectacular work with the film's set designs of the sets created for the film and cheesy special effects made for a homemade feel that looks wonderful and imaginative.
Costume designers Rahel Afiley and Kishu Chand do fantastic work with the costumes that are imaginative in the cheap remake versions of the films that are made, notably the Robocop suit that Jack Black wears in their remade version. Visual effects supervisor Fabrice Lagayette does an excellent job with the film's minimal special effects scenes like the buzzing screens and the scene where Jerry gets electrocuted by the power plant that would cause him to create a magnetic field. Sound editor Paul Hsu with mixer Pawel Wdowczak do excellent work with the film's sound effects and location sounds to create a whimsical atmosphere for the film. Music composer Jean-Michel Bernard brings a light-hearted, whimsical score to play up to the film's humor and heartfelt moments with smooth, elegant arrangements. The soundtrack consists of music from Fats Waller, the Gap Band, Ray Parker Jr., Billy Preston, and other jazz cuts to complement the film's devotion to jazz.
The casting by Jeanne McCarthy is excellent for its casting choices that includes Arjay Smith as a local DVD store owner named Manny, Chandler Park as Mrs. Falewicz's nephew Craig, Paul Dinello as a bailiff, Irv Gooch as a mechanic named Wilson, and I'm Not There star Marcus Carl Franklin as a local kid. Sigourney Weaver is excellent in a cameo-like role as a bailiff who shuts down the store while Mia Farrow is great as a neighbor/loyal customer who is amazed by the remakes as she finds hope in them. Danny Glover is wonderful as Mr. Fletcher, an elderly video store owner trying to deal with changing times and developments as he thinks about conforming while trying to salvage whatever hopes and dreams he have.
Melonie Diaz is brilliant as Alma, a local girl who originally becomes an actress and later help run the video store with rules as Diaz's performance truly shines. Even as she steals scenes from the always boisterous Jack Black where Diaz has great chemistry with both Black and Def. Mos Def is wonderful as Mike, the straight man who is trying to save a video store for Mr. Fletcher while becoming an unlikely visionary in the films he and Jack Black make. Def is more restrained that Black while having a few funny moments in his performance. Jack Black is very good in his usual Jack Black-type of character as a clumsy, boisterous, and innocent character who likes to play around and be the funny guy. Yet, Black wisely under play his persona in order to give his co-stars more to do while being the typical funny guy. Though it's a typical performance from Black, it's one that works for what the film is needed and only a guy like Jack Black could play a character like Jerry.
While the film doesn't live up to the brilliance of films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or The Science of Sleep, Be Kind Rewind is still an entertaining, funny, and heartwarming film from Michel Gondry. While fans of Gondry's work will enjoy his imaginative vision and thematic quality, the film doesn't exactly live up to expectations in comparison to his previous films. Still, Gondry does manage to make something that is enjoyable to watch thanks in part to the cast led by Jack Black and Mos Def. In the end, Be Kind Rewind is a whimsical film from Michel Gondry that plays up to his themes of innocence and imagination.
Michel Gondry Films: Human Nature - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Dave Chapelle's Block Party - The Science of Sleep - Tokyo!: Interior Design - (The Thorn in the Heart) - The Green Hornet - The We & the I - Mood Indigo - (Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?) - (Microbe & Gasoline)
© thevoid99 2013
