Written and directed by Michael Haneke, Funny Games is a remake of the 1997 made by Haneke about a couple and their son whose vacation home is terrorized by a couple of young men. The film is a shot-for-shot remake of Haneke’s original 1997 film as it explores the idea of violence used in films and other forms of media. Starring Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet, and Devon Gearhart. Funny Games is a harrowing yet strange film from Michael Haneke.
A family arrives at their vacation home where they meet a couple of young visitors who would later terrorize their home and make them play a game where the family have 12 hours to live or else they all die. That is the premise of the film in a nutshell where it’s exactly the same thing that writer/director Michael Haneke told ten years before with the original film in the same name made in Austria. This time around, it’s set in America and told through English dialogue as it also has moments that break the fourth wall where one of the young men asks the audience if they want to see more violence. It all plays into this world where there are no rules other than what one decides on what to do and the fate of these characters.
Haneke’s direction has him doing the same visuals shot-for-shot as he did with his original version with a few minor differences as it is shot on location in Long Island, New York and areas in the state of New York. Notably as Haneke maintains that intimacy in the compositions through medium shots and close-ups to play up the suspense and terror. The moments of violence happen off screen as it’s more about the reaction to the aftermath rather than the action of gory violence. Haneke isn’t afraid to show blood or a dead body to maintain that sense of dread of what the characters would encounter. Then there’s these brief moments where the fourth wall is broken as one of the young men in Paul (Michael Pitt) would look at the camera and ask the audience if they could go further. The growing tension and suspense get more uneasy as the story progresses while there is concern of whether this family can get out of this situation. Overall, Haneke crafts a riveting yet unsettling film about two young men invading a family’s home.
Cinematographer Darius Khondji does excellent work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key colors for some of the daytime scenes along with lights for some of the scenes set at night. Editor Monika Willi does terrific work with the editing as it is straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into some of the suspenseful moments in the film. Production designer Kevin Thompson, with set decorator Rebecca Meis DeMarco and art director Hinju Kim, does fantastic work with the look of the home of the family including the interiors of the living room and other things at the house. Costume designer David C. Robinson does nice work with the clothes as it is mainly casual with a posh-tennis look for the two young men who terrorize the family. Sound mixers Jean-Pierre Laforce and Thomas Varga do superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the home and the usage of diegetic music that is played on a stereo or a car radio that would play an array of classical music as the only non-diegetic piece that is played is a screeching metal piece by Naked City.
The casting by Johanna Ray is wonderful as it include some notable small roles and appearances from Boyd Gaines as the neighbor Fred, Siobhan Fallon Hogan as a friend on a boat in Betsy, Robert Lupone as Betsy’s husband, and Susanne Haneke as Betsy’s sister-in-law. Devon Gearhart is fantastic as Georgie Farber as a young boy who is dealing with the terror as he would try to get help only to make a chilling discovery of what happened next door. Brady Corbet is superb as Peter as the more timid of the two young men who is terrorizing the home yet can prove he can be threatening if he wants to.
Michael Pitt is amazing as Paul as the more aggressive of the two young men who has a devilish wit to him in the way he masterminds everything as well as asking the audience if they want more. Tim Roth is brilliant as George Farber as a man who gets injured as he becomes helpless in his inability to defend his family and fight back. Finally, there’s Naomi Watts in a tremendous performance as Ann Farber as a woman that is trying to deal with everything including moments of humiliation and terror as well as willing to do whatever she can to fight back.
Funny Games is a phenomenal film from Michael Haneke that features great performances from Naomi Watts, Michael Pitt, and Tim Roth. Along with its ensemble cast, eerie storyline, and haunting visuals, it’s a film that play into the concept of home invasion while making commentary on its depiction of violence in film and popular culture. While it doesn’t have much difference with its original version in 1997, it still manages to pack in some punches as well as raise questions about violence. In the end, Funny Games is a sensational film from Michael Haneke.
Michael Haneke Films: (The Seventh Continent) – (Benny’s Video) – (71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance) – (The Castle (1997 TV movie) – Funny Games (1997 film) - Code Unknown – The Piano Teacher - (Time of the Wolf) – Cache` - The White Ribbon - Amour (2012 film) - Happy End
© thevoid99 2018
Directed by Jean-Marc Vallee and written by Bryan Sipes, Demolition is the story of an investment banker whose life unravels following his wife‘s death as he copes through destruction and chaos while meeting a single mother who answered his complaint letter. The film is an exploration of grief as well as how someone copes with loss at its most unexpected. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Judah Lewis, Heather Lind, Polly Draper, Debra Monk, C.J. Wilson, and Chris Cooper. Demolition is a mesmerizing yet offbeat film from Jean-Marc Vallee.
After a car accident that left his wife dead, an investment banker becomes numb where an incident involving a vending machine forces him to write a complaint letter that reveals a lot as it’s answered by a single mother who is intrigued by this complaint. While coping with this loss, the man would vent his numbness and uncertainty if he ever loved his wife through dismantling certain things around him as it becomes a metaphor for his loss. Bryan Sipes’ screenplay doesn’t just explore the lack of grief that Davis Mitchell (Jake Gyllenhaal) is feeling for his late wife Julia (Heather Lind) but also questions about himself and what he’s done with his life. By writing these letters of complaints over a vending machine that refused to give him some candy, he would notice things he never paid attention as well as deconstruct things in his home to see what made them work.
When he meets Karen Moreno (Naomi Watts) who answered one of his complaint letters, he would become friends with her as she struggles with raising a teenage son in Chris (Judah Lewis) as well as parts of her own life. Davis would help Karen deal with Chris where a conventional script would’ve had them fall in love but Sipes would go for something else where it’s more platonic as Karen is already in a relationship with someone. Still, Davis finds some fulfillment in his time with Karen and Chris which is in sharp contrast to his own meetings with his father-in-law Phil Eastwood (Chris Cooper) whom he also works for. Phil never thought Davis was good enough for his daughter at first but comes to care for him but becomes bewildered by Davis’ odd behavior. Even as some revelations about Julia come to ahead where Phil wants to set up a scholarship and foundation in her name but Davis isn’t sure if it’s a good idea.
Jean-Marc Vallee’s direction is quite simple for the intimacy that he creates throughout the film as it begins with the fatal accident that would leaves Davis unharmed but Julia dead. Shot on location in New York City and areas near the city, the film play into this world where it has this strange schism of class structure of upper class and middle class where Davis is part of the former and Karen is part of the latter. While there’s some wide shots in the film, Vallee would go for close-ups and medium shots to create something that is simple as well as some bits of hand-held cameras. Vallee would also create paralleling images as it relates to Davis’ own reflections of his time with his wife on certain locations or memories as it play into the search for his own feeling for his wife. It adds to this sense of wandering in the film as it can be comical at times or dramatic. Though there’s a few moments in the third act where it does a go a bit overboard in the dramatic aspects of the film. Vallee does manage to find a way to not let it overwhelm the story as well as provide something that is fitting to Davis’ journey through grief. Overall, Vallee creates an engaging and somber film about a man going through grief through destruction and opening himself to new worlds.
Cinematographer Yves Belanger does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the naturalistic daytime exterior scenes as well as the usage of low-key lights for some scenes at night as well as some stylized looks for some of the interior scenes. Editor Jay M. Glen does excellent work with the editing with its stylish usage of jump-cuts and flashback montages as well as in some of the slow-motion moments in the film. Production designer John Paino, with set decorator Robert Covelman and art director Javiera Varas, does amazing work with the look of the home that Phil and his wife live in as well as the very shiny home of Davis and Julia which is sharp contrast to the more quaint and colorful home of Karen and Chris. Costume designer Leah Katznelson does wonderful work with the costumes from the mid-upper class posh look of Julia, her parents, and Davis along with the more stylish and casual look of Chris and Karen with the former embracing a more ambiguous look.
Visual effects supervisor Marc Cote does nice work with some of the minimal visual effects which consists mainly of set-dressing for a few scenes including the film‘s opening sequence. Sound editor Martin Pinsonnault does superb work with the sound from the way music is heard on location or some of the sound effects at a party or in scenes where Davis is destroying something. Music supervisor Susan Jacobs creates a wonderful soundtrack that consists a mixture of classical music as well as some rock songs with the latter often being a driving force for Davis as he starts to take on a new lease on life.
The casting by Jessica Kelly and Suzanne Smith is remarkable as it feature some notable small roles from Malachy Cleary and Debra Monk as Davis’ parents, Polly Draper as Julia’s mother Margot, C.J. Wilson as Karen’s boss/boyfriend Carl whom Chris isn’t fond of, and Julia Lind in a wonderful performance as Davis’ wife Julia who often appears in flashbacks as someone that did love Davis. Judah Lewis is excellent as Chris as a 15-year old kid that is struggling to find himself as well as deal with the lack of a strong fraternal figure in the family. Chris Cooper is brilliant as Phil Eastwood as Julia’s father that is trying to cope with the loss of his daughter while being baffled by Davis’ odd behavior which only creates some anger towards him.
Naomi Watts is amazing as Karen Moreno as a customer service person who reads Davis’ letters as she is intrigued by him while befriending him as she deal with her troubled life involving her son and things in her own life. Finally, there’s Jake Gyllenhaal in an incredible performance as Davis Mitchell as an investment banker whose life unravels after his wife’s death where he begins to deconstruct and destroy things where it’s a performance filled with some humor and charm but also a sense of restraint in his approach to grief as it’s one of Gyllenhaal’s finest performances.
Demolition is a marvelous film from Jean-Marc Vallee that features great performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts. It’s an odd yet compelling film that explores grief and how a man tries to cope with loss while finding some aspect of life he can connect to. In the end, Demolition is a remarkable film from Jean-Marc Vallee.
Jean-Marc Vallee Films: (Black List) - (Los Locos) - (Loser Love) - (C.R.A.Z.Y.) - The Young Victoria - (Café de Flore) - Dallas Buyers Club - Wild (2014 film) - (Big Little Lies (TV miniseries))
© thevoid99 2017
Part 2 (2002-2013)
Darkened Room VIDEO Shot as an eight-minute experimental film with digital cameras that was seen on his website, the film plays into a young woman (Jordan Ladd) crying in a sofa as a Japanese woman (Etsuko Shikata) is in Tokyo talking about bananas. It’s a film that doesn’t have much plot as it would feature a brunette woman (Cerina Vincent) coming in to the room for the short’s second half. It’s a short that is quite dramatic but also has this sense of the unknown where it’s not trying to explain itself or be anything other than an experiment.
DumbLand VIDEO In a return of sorts to the world of animation, Lynch creates eight episodes where its entire series run at nearly 30 minutes which plays into the life of a dim-witted white-trash man named Randy. Set to crudely-drawn hand-made animation, the short series present Lynch at his most absurd in terms of just off-the-wall stupidity and low-brow humor. Yet, it is so goddamn funny into the situations Randy and his family go into involving a neighbor, a doctor, a treadmill, a clothesline, a man with a stick inside his mouth, Randy’s son having a toothache, his uncle Bob, and ants. All of which involves Randy reacting to these situations in the most idiotic way as it’s one of Lynch’s most entertaining shorts.
Out Yonder (Neighbor Boy) VIDEO In another experimental short of sorts that Lynch would make for his website, it has him and his son Austin sitting on lawn chairs observing a young neighbor who is creating a racket. It’s a short that has the two Lynches talking in squeaky voices about this gigantic neighbor who just wants milk as all sorts of craziness occurs. It’s a short that is quite simple yet it also shows Lynch’s knack for low-brow and offbeat humor as it showcases that he can find humor in not just the absurd but also in the surreal.
Rabbits VIDEO In a four-episode series where it’s shot entirely in a single room with only three characters, the short is a strange mix of horror, comedy, drama, and avant-garde where Scott Coffey, Naomi Watts, and Laura Elena Harring all play rabbits who converge in a single room in a wide static shot. Through some very strange dialogue, the short uses some laugh-tracks and other sound effects to play off the idea of a sitcom yet many of the things said are very dark. It’s definitely Lynch at his darkest and most surreal but certainly one of the most intriguing projects he ever did.
Boat Made as part of the Dynamic No. 1 DVD film collection of shorts Lynch did for his website, the short is a simple story of a young woman talking about a boat as she goes on a trip with a man on this boat. Featuring the voice of Emily Stofle, the film features Lynch driving the boat himself as it has this air of hypnotic textures in the voiceover with Lynch providing pristine yet intoxicating images through the digital camera.
Bug Crawls VIDEO A digital video/animated short is a simple story that revolves around a bug crawling on top of a house just as a blimp passes by. It’s a simple 4 minute short that reveals what happens when a bug crawls over the house as it’s a short that harkens back to Lynch’s early work. Especially in what happens when a door is revealed as it’s a short with only two simple cuts and that is it making it one of Lynch’s finest works.
Lamp Lamp - David Lynch from Félix Al-karaz Al-wazir on Vimeo .The thirty-minute short film is essentially David Lynch making a lamp where he reveals not just his meticulous approach into making the appliance but also in the craft and dedication into making the stand with the help of a tree. It’s also a short that looks into the workshop Lynch has where he does things outside of films while he would film himself doing everything that is happening. Even as he would take breaks during the making of this lamp stand.
Industrial Soundscape VIDEO This ten-minute animated short is essentially a loop where machines do the same thing to create sound textures as it is shot in an entire static shot where the only thing that changes is the sound to play into this mix of ambient and industrial music. It’s Lynch using film to display his love for music as it play into not just his own dark sensibilities but also his willingness to try different things.
Intervalometer Experiments VIDEO VIDEO VIDEO A trio of short films where Lynch would shoot simple things through the digital camera showcases the filmmaker once again trying to do something simple and find something entrancing. Whether it’s a room, some steps, or the sunset, it’s all shot in time-lapse presentation which allows the ordinary to become extraordinary. Even as it plays into these simple events being told in the span of a day.
More Things That Happened VIDEO Featuring 75 minutes of material that didn’t make the final cut of INLAND EMPIRE , the short is essentially a collection of scenes and outtakes that is turned into a project that is entirely its own. The material included additional subplots that related to the film as it involve Laura Dern’s Sue character and her marriage as well as insights the lives of prostitutes in Hollywood, the work of the Phantom in the film, and other aspects that relate to Sue. The scenes are interesting while as a whole film, it’s an odd and dense one that won’t be for everyone. Yet, it is still one of the most fascinating things that Lynch has ever done.
Ballerina VIDEO The 12-minute short film is essentially a ballerina dancing to music though the soundtrack is largely dark-ambient music that is reminiscent of the music in many of Lynch’s films. Yet, it is presented with images that are very cloudy as it dissolves over the ballerina dancing where it has this dream-like quality to the short. It is one of Lynch’s most beautiful short films as well as one of his essentials that proves he can find beauty in dark places.
Absurda VIDEO A three-minute short made specifically for the anthology film Chacun son Cinema that celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival, Lynch’s short segment plays into a group of teens going into a movie theater. An old man would present them the film that is filled with horrifying images that comes to life as it plays into not just Lynch’s own take on horror and surrealism. While it is a very short segment, it is definitely one Lynch’s best works.
Blue Green VIDEO Made as a music video collaboration with David Vegara, the short is a simple yet offbeat short that has a child skipping around a factory while a young woman wanders around in the street and buildings. It is a short that isn’t trying to say anything yet doesn’t need any kind of explanation as it’s just Lynch being himself and having fun making a short inside a factory.
Dream #7 VIDEO This 10-15 second short plays into not just Lynch’s own ideas of surrealism but also in the fact that he is willing to strange things no matter how long or how short the film is. A digital animation short involves an egg and an eye and what does it all mean? Well, does it need to mean anything? Still, it is one inventive short.
Lady Blue Shanghai VIDEO A 15-minute short made for Dior which stars Marion Cotillard as well as Emily Stofle, Gong Tao, Cheng Hong, Lu Yong, and Nie Fei. It’s a short that revolves a woman who returns to her hotel in Shanghai where she finds a mysterious blue purse not knowing where it came from as she starts to see things believing that she’s been to Shanghai before. Shot in digital video, the short has this air of beauty that Lynch is often not known for yet he manages to do so much with the film as well as flesh out a mesmerizing performance from Marion Cotillard. The short itself is truly one of Lynch’s best works.
The 3 Rs VIDEO This 65-second short that Lynch made for the 2011 Venice Film Festival is a simple short which revolves around surreal images shot mostly in black-and-white where Lynch has a man holding two rocks though people are really wondering how many rocks he’s really holding. It’s definitely in line as an avant-garde short but it offers so much more where it ranges from being scary to being comical.
Idem Paris VIDEO The 8-minute documentary short has Lynch go into the Idem Paris fine art studio print which reveals the art in making lithographic processing. Shot on high-definition digital video in black-and-white, the film is essentially a documentary with no dialogue or anything strange but rather something very straightforward about what these people do at Idem Paris. Even as these are people who work very hard at what they do and be dedicated to an art form that doesn’t require new technology as they often try to fix or refine the machines they’re using. It’s definitely one of Lynch’s best films that showcases his love for the world of art.
No matter what form David Lynch is doing, his work in short films definitely adds to his already legendary status as an artist. Whether it’s in musical performances, commercials, animation, or just something straightforward. Lynch always find something to say no matter how small or how short these films are as it is an indication of his power as a filmmaker. Even if it plays into the absurd, the fear, or just being absolutely comical as it shows why people love David Lynch.
David Lynch Films: Eraserhead - The Elephant Man - Dune - Blue Velvet - Wild at Heart - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me - Lost Highway - The Straight Story - Mulholland Dr. - INLAND EMPIRE - The Short Films of David Lynch Pt. 1 - The Music Videos of David Lynch
The Auteurs #50: David Lynch: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and written by Guillermo Arriaga, 21 Grams is the story of three people who are each connected by the death of a person as they each cope with loss and faith. The second part of a trilogy that explores death, the film is a multi-layered story that plays into the lives of three people who don’t know each other but become connected by tragedy. Starring Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, Benicio del Toro, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Melissa Leo, Danny Huston, Clea Duvall, Denis O’Hare, and Eddie Marsan. 21 Grams is an ominous yet exhilarating film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
When a hit-and-run claimed the lives of a man and two little girls, the lives of three different people are affected in drastic ways as the film is about tragedy and its after effects. Much of it involves the life of a critically-ill mathematician who is need of a heart transplant, a grieving widow who also lost her daughters in this tragedy, and a born-again ex-convict whose faith is tested over what had happened. Through Guillermo Arriaga’s complex and multi-layered screenplay, it is told in a non-linear fashion as it plays into not just the tragedy but also the search for meaning as one man tries to find redemption, another man is trying to find answers into why he’s alive, and a woman is caught in the middle over what she had lost. All of which plays into those dealing with mistakes and such as well as several other things where everyone tries to find answers.
For the mathematician Paul Rivers (Sean Penn), he is given a second chance to live but his own marriage to Mary (Charlotte Gainsbourg) starts to fall apart as he becomes obsessed with the identity of the heart he had received which would lead him to Cristina (Naomi Watts). Cristina would learn about Paul and what he has to do with the death of her family as it has the two come together to track the man who was responsible for changing their lives in the ex-convict Jack Jordan (Benicio del Toro). Yet, there are elements into both Cristina and Jack that are interesting as the former was a former drug addict who was saved by her husband as she found a reason to live as that loss drove her back to drugs and alcohol.
In the latter, here is someone who is trying to redeem himself as he devotes himself towards Christianity and swear off drugs and alcohol but his involvement in this tragedy forces him to question his own faith and being as he has no clue what to do as he carries the guilt. All of which forces all three characters to converge into a heavy confrontation about loss as it is, once again, told in a non-linear fashion. There’s moments that play into the drama where all three have to work together as it becomes clear that none of them have anything to gain in this tragedy that their connected by. Even as they all know that there is nowhere else to go as some try to find redemption while others seek an answer.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s direction is very entrancing not just for how dreary he presents the drama but also into the many layers that the story takes. Much of it is presented with a sense of intimacy as Inarritu’s approach to close-ups and medium shots play into the anguish that occurs throughout the film. Even in scenes where Jack eats dinner with his family as he is trying to be a good father but his approach might seem harsh as it relates to his own children. Much of Inarritu’s approach is shot with hand-held cameras but it’s never overly shaky as he maintains something that is very steady and to the point. Notably as Inarritu would create scenes to tease various storylines coming together such as Mary waiting for Paul as he does surgery as she gets a glimpse of Cristina walking out of the hospital with her family.
Since it is a film told in a non-linear narrative, Inarritu is able to create moments in the film where it allows a scene to be told in very different ways. Even as he would shift moments that is supposed to be in the third act back into the first or second act as it plays into the drama. There’s also moments in the film where things do intensify on an emotional level as it relates to Cristina’s grief and Jack’s own guilt such as the scene of him returning home as he reveals to his wife what he had done. Inarritu’s approach to the compositions in how he frames his actors are also intense such as its climax in the third act as it is about who is where in the frame and such. Overall, Inarritu creates a very brooding yet somber film about death, faith, and understanding.
Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto does amazing work with the film‘s grainy and colorful cinematography where it adds to the very grimy sense of despair that looms in the film with its gritty approach to daytime exteriors to its usage of low-key lights and dark shades for the interior scenes whether it‘s day or night. Editor Stephen Mirrone does brilliant work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts and other stylish cuts to play into the drama and its offbeat, non-linear narrative. Production designer Brigitte Broch, with set decorator Meg Everist and art director Deborah Riley, does excellent work with the look of the different homes of the three characters to showcase who they are as well as some of the places they go to including the swimming pool center that Cristina goes to.
Costume designer Marlene Stewart does terrific work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual for the look of the characters to play into their sense of loss. Sound designers Martin Hernandez and Roland N. Thai do fantastic work with the sound to capture the intensity of the emotions as well as some of the chaotic moments of violence and drama that occurs in the film. The film’s music by Gustavo Santaolalla is superb for its very ominous and eerie score with its emphasis on folk guitars and somber electric guitars to play into the drama while music supervisor Lynn Fainchtein brings in a nice soundtrack that features different kinds of music from acts like War, Ozomatli, Ann Sexton, and Dave Matthews.
The casting by Francine Maisler is remarkable as it features notable small roles from Carly Nahon and Claire Pakis as Cristina’s daughters, Paul Calderon as a friend of Jack in Brown who tries to get him work, Denis O’Hare as Paul’s heart surgeon, John Rubenstein as Mary’s gynecologist who tries to help her chances to be pregnant, Clea Duvall as Cristina’s friend Claudia, Danny Huston as Cristina’s husband Michael, and Eddie Marsan as Reverend John who tries to help Jack following the tragedy. Melissa Leo is excellent as Jack’s wife Marianne who tries to cope with what Jack had done as she tries to help him. Charlotte Gainsbourg is superb as Paul’s wife who is eager to start over with him after a separation period as well as taking care of him as she copes with the changes in their life after his surgery.
Benicio del Toro is brilliant as Jack Jordan as a former convict turned born-again Christian who becomes the catalyst for the tragedy that is shaped in the film as he spends much of the film questioning his faith and ponders if he can be redeemed. Naomi Watts is amazing as Cristina Peck as a recovering addict who falls back into her addition following the loss of her family as Watts display the sense of anguish that looms over her as she searches for answers and satisfaction. Finally, there’s Sean Penn in a marvelous performance as Paul River as a mathematician who was dying until he received a new heart as he ponders whose heart does he have as he tries to find answers while coping with his own mortality and existence.
21 Grams is a phenomenal film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu that features very strong performances from Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, and Benicio del Toro. It’s a film that doesn’t explore the severity of death and tragedy but also plays into the world of existence and faith. It’s also a film that doesn’t play by the rules of conventional narrative thanks in part to Guillermo Arriaga’s inventive screenplay. In the end, 21 Grams is a tremendous film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Films: Amores Perros - The Hire-Powder Keg - 11' 9' 01 September 11-Mexico - Babel - To Each His Own Cinema - Biutiful - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) - The Revenant - The Auteurs #45: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
© thevoid99 2014
Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, While We’re Young is the story of a middle-aged couple who cope with their life as they would start to socialize with a young couple in their 20s. The film is an exploration into the world of adulthood and growing up as two different couples hang out together in an attempt to have fun and figure out how to live their lives. Starring Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Horowitz, Brady Corbet, and Charles Grodin. While We’re Young is a witty yet compelling film from Noah Baumbach.
The film is the story of a couple in their 40s as they cope with aging and uncertainty until their lives are sparked after meeting a young couple in their 20s where they become reinvigorated creatively and in themselves. At the same time, they help this young couple with a documentary film where things become more complicated where the old couple starts to get close the younger one while alienating their older friends. It’s a film that plays into the idea of aging and growing up but also ambition and such as the character Josh (Ben Stiller) is a documentary filmmaker struggling to finish a film as he and his wife Cornelia (Naomi Watts) are also dealing with the fact that their friends are spending more time being parents as they become unsure about having children.
Noah Baumbach’s screenplay does have a unique structure as well as some depth into the key characters in the film as both Josh and Cornelia are reluctant into having children as their previous attempts ended up not being good. Upon meeting the aspiring filmmaker Jamie (Adam Driver) and his wife Darby (Amanda Seyfried), the two would socialize with the two where both couples get something out of each other. Jamie isn’t just a fan of Josh’s work but also the work of Cornelia’s father Leslie Breitbart (Charles Grodin) whom Josh was mentored by. Jamie’s influence on Josh would seep into his work and ideas to get more money for the film he wanted to make where Josh would also help Jamie out with his own film project as it related to an old friend he knew as a kid.
Eventually, it plays into the ideas of ambition as Josh copes with his own failings as a filmmaker but also deals with Jamie’s ambition which would affect everyone’s lives. Even as Cornelia returns to the producer’s hat which becomes complicated while Darby becomes left out as her character is the one that would grow up as she craves for something simpler. All of which play into this world of ambition as Cornelia and her father gets sucked into Jamie’s world as Josh’s own professional life begins to fall apart where he is forced to act like the adult. Even if he comes to term with who he and Cornelia are as well as who Jamie and Darby are.
Baumbach’s direction is quite simple in terms of the compositions he creates as it is emphasized more on capturing moments that are happening as opposed to something that is more visual. Shot on location in New York City and various nearby locations, the film is definitely a look into this world of the city where 20-somethings created an environment of their own. Baumbach’s usage of close-ups and medium shots are very potent as it includes a scene of the two couples in a car where Josh and Jamie are in the front both wearing Fedora hats while Cornelia, Darby, and a friend are in the back singing an obscure song from a commercial that Josh did years ago. There are elements in the film that does feel loose and realistic as well as comical such as a scene where Cornelia goes to this thing with mothers and their babies as it’s very silly that plays into Cornelia’s sense of discomfort.
Baumbach also plays into the world of high art culture and the world of film as it relates to Josh and Jamie where they would collaborate on a film together. In some ways, Baumbach sort of makes fun of the world of documentaries as it relates to some of the current gimmicks some use to tell their stories. Even as it plays into the idea of old vs. new generation ethics and such where Baumbach definitely approaches it with some humor and some light drama as it delves into Cornelia’s own sense of confusion about where to go and Darby’s own frustrations with the idea of ambition. All of which leads a climax as it relates to the idea of what it means to be an adult. Overall, Baumbach creates an engaging and funny film about a middle-aged couple seeking to find their youth through a young couple.
Cinematographer Sam Levy does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it is very colorful and vibrant that captures many of the moments of New York City with some intimate lighting schemes for some of its nighttime interior scenes. Editor Jennifer Lame does superb work with the editing as it‘s straightforward in some parts while has some stylish usage of montages and jump-cuts to play into the humor. Production designer Adam Stockhausen and set decorator Kris Moran do amazing work with the look of the home that Josh and Cornelia live in as well as the place that Jamie and Darby live in.
Costume designer Ann Roth does nice work with the costumes as it‘s very low-key and casual with a sense of style that plays into the world that Jamie and Darby live in. Sound editor Paul Hsu does terrific work with the sound as it‘s very low-key in some places with some raucous moments in some of social events the characters go into. The film’s music by James Murphy is fantastic as it‘s a very low-key electronic music score that plays into the humor and drama in the film while music supervisor George Drakoulias brings in a fun soundtrack that features classical pieces by Antonio Vivaldi to a diverse array of contemporary music from David Bowie, Lionel Richie, Survivor, Paul McCartney & Wings, Haim, 2Pac, A Tribe Called Quest, Danny Kaye, and the Psychedelic Furs.
The casting by Douglas Aibel and Francine Maisler is brilliant as it features notable small appearances from Peter Bogdanovich as a tribute speaker, Ryan Serhant as a dim-witted hedge fund investor, Dean Wareham as a shaman, Liz Stauber as the sister of Jamie’s old friend Kent, Matthew Maher as Josh’s editor Tim, Bonnie Kaufman as the wife of Josh’s documentary subject, Dree Hemingway as Jamie and Darby’s flat mate Tipper who aids Jamie in his film work, and the legendary folk singer Peter Yarrow as Josh’s documentary subject who often says strange things that are often quite amusing. Charles Grodin is excellent as Cornelia’s father Leslie Breitbart who tries to help Josh with his documentary while being impressed with what Jamie has come up with. Adam Horowitz and Maria Dizzia are fantastic in their respective roles as Fletcher and Marina as Josh and Cornelia’s friends who had just become parents as they have a hard time dealing with Josh and Cornelia’s new activities. Brady Corbet is amazing as Jamie’s old friend Kent who becomes Jamie’s documentary subject as it’s an odd but engaging performance from Corbet.
Amanda Seyfried is remarkable as Darby as a young woman who is skilled at making things including her own ice cream as she bonds with Cornelia in dancing while being alienated by Jamie’s ambitions. Adam Driver is marvelous as Jamie as an aspiring filmmaker who befriends Josh when he attends one of Josh’s lectures as he is someone that does mean well as he is generous and cool but also is very driven to succeed which alienates Darby and scares Josh. Naomi Watts is riveting as Cornelia as a woman who used to produce films for her dad as she copes with not wanting to be a mother as she tries to find herself while being infatuated with Jamie and Darby. Finally, there’s Ben Stiller in a phenomenal performance as Josh as a documentary filmmaker struggling with aging as he tries to feel young while becoming usurped by Jamie as it would affect his professional and personal life.
While We’re Young is a sensational film from Noah Baumbach. Armed with a great cast, a fun soundtrack, and engaging views on aging and adulthood. It’s a film that isn’t just one of Baumbach’s more accessible films but also one of his funniest in terms of exploring the downsides of growing up as well as some of the fallacies of youth. In the end, While We’re Young is an exhilarating and heartfelt film from Noah Baumbach.
Noah Baumbach Films: Kicking and Screaming - Highball - Mr. Jealousy - The Squid & the Whale - Margot at the Wedding - Greenberg - Frances Ha - Mistress America - DePalma - The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) - Marriage Story - (White Noise (2022 film)) - The Auteurs #41: Noah Baumbach
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and written by Inarritu, Armando Bo, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., and Nicolas Giacobone, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is the story of a once-famous film star who tries to mount a comeback by staging a production of Raymond Carver’s What We Talk About When We Talk About Love as he deals with professional and personal issues. The film is an exploration into the day of a life of a man whose greatest claim to fame was playing a superhero on film as he struggles with his ego, failures as an actor and as a man, and all sorts of things just days before he tries to make his comeback. Starring Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Lindsay Duncan, and Naomi Watts. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a sprawling yet engrossing film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
The film explores a week in the life of a once-famous film star in Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton) who is trying to make a comeback by directing, writing, and starring in a Broadway stage production of Raymond Carver’s What We Talk About When We Talk About Love . Yet, Riggan’s life starts to spiral downward as he copes with the bad decisions he made in his life as an actor and as a man while his attempts to gain legitimacy as an actor has him questioning his worth. It’s a film that explores a man who is at a crossroads where the play that he’s doing starts to mirror the chaos of his own life while famous alter-ego that he played many years ago is stalking him about the decisions he’s making. Even as parts of his own life from his troubled relationship recovering drug-addict daughter Sam (Emma Stone) to who he is play into this turbulent week as he struggles with his past glory and the fear of failing as he’s putting everything on the line.
The film’s screenplay is quite complex in the way it explores a production that is quite chaotic where Riggan is trying to do everything he can but there’s a lot that isn’t working. After purposely taking out an actor from the production because he sucks, Riggan would bring in the very popular but pretentious theater actor Mike Shiner (Edward Norton) who would do whatever to usurp Riggan as he would also make first-time Broadway actress Lesley (Naomi Watts) insecure as she had previously dated Shiner. Riggan’s relationship with another actress in Laura (Andrea Riseborough) starts to fall apart as she feels unappreciated while Riggan’s relationship with his daughter Sam is often filled with tension as Riggan blames himself for not being there for her. With his ex-wife Sylvia (Amy Ryan) appearing to see what is going on with him while his friend/producer Jake (Zach Galifianakis) tries to keep things under control.
The script also showcases much of Riggan’s reasons to want to make this comeback and why he chose Raymond Carver as his comeback vehicle. Yet, his reasons only gain questions from Shiner who also knows Carver’s work as he believes that Riggan isn’t authentic enough to do Carver justice. Adding to Riggan’s own self-doubt and low self-esteem issues is the notorious theater critic Tabitha (Lindsay Duncan) who despises Hollywood and its actors believing that they’re not good enough to do theater. It all plays to ideas in Riggan’s head in his attempt to find legitimacy and shake off the Birdman character that he had played a long time ago as it leads to questions of existentialism and art. Even as it plays to the idea of one man against the entire world.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s direction is truly astonishing as it is presented in a mostly one-continuous shot that follows the turbulent week of Riggan trying to mount his production. While it is a feat that is quite amazing, Inarritu does use some editing and visual tricks to make it feel like a film that is presented in an entire take. It is quite engaging for the way it explores a theater production coming together as the usage of steadicam and hand-held cameras in intimate, cramped-up spaces such as hallways and dressing rooms. Much of it has Inarritu use a lot of medium shots and close-ups where the compositions are engaging such as a scene between Lesley and Laura talking about Shiner. There’s also these smooth transitions where the camera is often moving in a crane shot or on a dolly track where it would have a character in a scene and then be seen again in a few seconds in another scene.
While the film is shot on location in New York City in its Broadway setting, there is something that feels loose in its direction such as a scene of Riggan walking through the city at night in his underwear. Even in the scenes where much of the theater performances has this sense of energy where it would evolve into something more authentic as well as daring. Especially in its climax where it is about this opening night performance as Riggan will do whatever it takes to become the star of the show in this mentality of me against the world. There’s also elements of surrealism in the scenes involving Riggan struggling to get Birdman out of his life as it would play into Riggan thinking about returning to the character as an act of defiance where a sequence of him flying and saving the world plays into Riggan’s desire to act and prove that he has what it takes. Overall, Inarritu creates a very thrilling and mesmerizing film about a man trying to mount a comeback against all odds while dealing with his ego and is troubled personal life.
Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki does brilliant work with the film‘s very entrancing cinematography from its colorful approach to theater lighting in some of its scenes to more low-key yet naturalistic look in its interiors plus some unique lights for the exterior nighttime scenes in New York City. Editors Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrone do fantastic work with in a few montages that is created in the film‘s opening and a sequence near the end while using some tricky editing skills to make the film feel like an entirely continuous shot. Production designer Kevin Thompson and set decorator George DeTitta Jr. do excellent work with the set pieces from the look of the theater sets as well as the bar next to the theater where Riggan would wind down as he has to endure Shiner in one scene. Costume designer Albert Wolsky does amazing work with the costumes from the clothes the actors would wear onstage to the casual clothes behind the scenes as well as the design of the Birdman costume.
Special effects makeup designer Mike Elizade does nice work with a few of the minimal makeup work that the actors would do for the play along with the look of the Birdman mask. Visual effects supervisors Jake Braver and Adam Howard do terrific work with the fantasy sequences that involves Birdman in a reminder of what Riggan used to be and what he could be again. Sound designer Martin Hernandez and co-sound editor Peter Brown do superb work with the sound from the sparse sounds that happens in the theater to the raucous sounds of the locations including the bird screeches that remind Riggan of Birdman. The film’s music by Antonio Sanchez is just incredible as it‘s mostly this very hypnotic and energetic jazz-based score led by drums that is either played on location or in the scene while music supervisor Lynn Fainchtein brings in a soundtrack filled with some classical pieces from Piotor Tchaikovsky, Gustav Mahler, John Adams, and Sergei Rachmaninoff to play into Riggan’s own sense of fantasy.
The casting by Francine Maisler is great as it would feature some notable small roles from Merritt Weaver as the assistant director Annie, Benjamin Kane as the Birdman character that stalks Riggan, Jeremy Shamos as the original actor that Shiner would replace, and Lindsay Duncan in a wonderful performance as the very vicious theater critic Tabitha who adores Shiner and hates Riggan and everything he’s about. Zach Galifianakis is excellent as Riggan’s friend/producer Jake who is trying to make sure nothing goes wrong as he deals with legal issues as well as the money that Riggan is giving away making Jake nervous. Naomi Watts is fantastic as Lesley as a girlfriend of Shiner who is eager to star in her first Broadway production as she becomes very insecure due to Shiner’s arrogance as she is annoyed by Sam’s presence. Andrea Riseborough is amazing as Laura as Riggan’s girlfriend who feels unappreciated as she tries to reach out to him amidst his own issues while helping Lesley with her insecurity issues.
Amy Ryan is brilliant as Riggan’s ex-wife Sylvia who tries to understand what Riggan is going through as well as expressing concern for Sam and their troubled relationship. Emma Stone is incredible as Sam as Riggan’s recovering drug-addict daughter who is working as her father’s assistant as she tries to deal with her dad while flirting with Shiner to cope with her anger towards her dad. Edward Norton is superb as Mike Shiner as this arrogant theater actor who craves for realism in every aspect of the performance as he makes Riggan insecure while being a dick to everyone but Sam. Finally, there’s Michael Keaton in an outstanding performance as Riggan Thompson as this once-famous film star who tries to mount his comeback on Broadway as he deals with his ego, his issues as a man, and all sorts of things as it’s a performance that has Keaton be quite funny but also lay it on the line with monologues and scenes about the art of acting as it’s really a performance for the ages.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a magnificent film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu that features a tour-de-force performance from Michael Keaton. Along with a strong supporting cast as well as amazing technical work from Emmanuel Lubezki and Antonio Sanchez’s brilliant score. It’s a film that definitely blurs the line between the world of art and reality as well as being a film that features technical feats that isn’t seen very often in mainstream films. In the end, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a gloriously tremendous film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Films: Amores Perros - The Hire-Powder Keg - 11'9'01-September 11-Mexico - 21 Grams - Babel - To Each His Own Cinema-Anna - Biutiful - The Revenant - The Auteurs #45: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by David O. Russell and written by Russell and Jeff Baena, I Heart Huckabees is the story of an environmental activist who finds himself dealing with coincidences and such as he hires two existential detectives to help him as others also seek the help of the detectives. The film is an exploration into the world of existentialism as it’s told in a humorous manner as it also features a corporate executive who is the antagonist to the activist. Starring Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg, Naomi Watts, Isabelle Huppert, Lily Tomlin, and Dustin Hoffman. I Heart Huckabees is a truly hilarious and captivating film from David O. Russell.
The film explores the struggles of an environmental activist who is trying to save some marshes from being destroyed in favor of a new department store as he battles a corporate executive who lied to him. Yet, the activist Albert Markovski (Jason Schwartzman) finds himself encountering a tall Sudanese bellboy which prompts him to get the help of two existential detectives in Bernard & Vivian Jaffe (Dustin Hoffman & Lily Tomlin, respectively) where things get complicated as he finds himself in a bigger battle with Huckabees executive Brad Stand (Jude Law) who also hires the Jaffes. With a disgruntled client of the Jaffes in fireman Tommy Corn (Mark Wahlberg) leaning towards the nihilistic views of the Jaffes’ former protégé Caterine Vauban (Isabelle Huppert) as Albert would join Tommy. Things get complicated when the Jaffes’ presence starts to ruin Brad’s life as his girlfriend/Huckabees’ spokeswoman Dawn Campbell (Naomi Watts) starts to rebel against her own image. All of which plays into a group of people questioning themselves as well as their ambitions and roles in life in a very humorous fashion.
The film’s screenplay by David O. Russell and Jeff Baena has an offbeat structure where the first act is about Albert’s frustrations to save the marshes and deal with Brad who constantly bullshits everyone including the people he works for about a story involving country-pop singer Shania Twain and a tuna sandwich. While the Jaffes claim that both Albert and Brad are the same due to their ambitions and the need to make a difference. It’s something Albert refuses to believe as his encounter with Tommy would have him see a much darker view. Tommy is a fireman who despises petroleum as he sees Albert as a man who believes in something where a series of events would have Albert lose the trust of the people trying to save the marshes who go to Brad who is bullshitting them. The second act is about Albert and Tommy turning to Vauban for help as well as revelations for Albert about his own life where Tommy would often combat the Jaffes about their views on how everything is connected while Tommy refutes that.
Then comes this third act where it is about Brad and his own ambitions where his own life would unravel. Even as his relationship with Dawn comes into question as Dawn is often seen wearing skimpy clothes to promote Huckabees as she begins to ask questions about herself and her own relationship. Especially as she would threaten the future of Huckabees and Brad getting into some trouble which would then lead to a major epiphany for all of those involved. Especially the Jaffes and Vauban whose opposing views on the ways of the world would suddenly come together.
Russell’s direction is simple in the way he would shoot some scenes but there’s also something that is very offbeat in the way he plays into many of the film’s humorous moments. Notably the way it opens with Albert cursing at himself for all of the problems he is having where his encounters with this Sudanese bellboy are comical. It plays to the tone of the film where a lot of the humor is absurd as the scene where Albert and Tommy are in a room with the other clients of the Jaffes to showcase a world that is chaotic. The scenes with Vauban doing her own teaches are also absurd as it tries to play into this comical idea of nihilism. There’s also some very offbeat fantasy scenes that play into Albert’s own struggles and his hatred for Brad.
The opposing views of the Jaffes and Vauban would add to the offbeat tone of the direction where Russell would showcase their views through minimal visual effects. The Jaffes present their ideas in dots and such to say that everything is connected in a variation of transcendentalism while Vauban is more grounded in reality where there aren’t any visual effects but one that is still darkly comic. It would all culminate in a scene where it plays into these two diverge forces finally coming together in a moment of enlightenment. Overall, Russell crafts a very witty yet engaging comedy about a young man dealing with the ways of the world and his place in the world.
Cinematographer Peter Deming does excellent work with the film‘s colorful cinematography to capture the naturalistic of the locations in California as well as some of its interiors where a lot of the film is shot on daytime. Editor Robert K. Lambert does brilliant work with the editing with its unique approach to montages and jump-cuts as it plays to the film‘s offbeat style. Production designer K.K. Barrett, with set decorator Gene Serdena and art director Seth Reed, does amazing work with the look of the Huckabees corporate building as well as the home office of the Jaffes to display their eccentric approach of transcendental philosophy.
Costume designer Mark Bridges does nice work with the costumes from the skimpy clothes that Dawn wears in her job to the different array of clothes that Vivian Jaffe and Caterine Vauban would wear. Visual effects supervisor Robert Barrett does fantastic work with the visual effects that play into the ideas of the Jaffes about connection and such as it‘s very playful. Sound editor Kelly Oxford does terrific work with the sound work to play into some of the sounds in the fantasy scenes as well as some of the moments in the location. The film’s music by Jon Brion is an absolute delight with its playful approach to the Chamberlin instrument as well as some folk-based pieces that he brings in to the film.
The casting by Mary Vernieu is incredible as it features some notable appearances from Shania Twain as herself, Richard Jenkins and Jean Smart as a couple who let the Sudanese bellboy live with them, Jonah Hill in his film debut as that couple’s son, Talia Shire as Albert’s mother, Bob Gunton as Albert’s stepfather, Tippi Hedren as a coalition leader who tries to save the marshes where she aligns herself with Brad, Isla Fisher as Dawn’s replacement later in the film, Ger Duany as the tall Sudanese bellboy in Stephen, and Kevin Dunn as the Huckabees executive manager Marty. Naomi Watts is excellent as Dawn Campbell as the Huckabees’ spokeswoman who is often in their commercials and is Brad’s girlfriend as her encounter with existentialism showcases Watts at her funniest as she questions her own image and such.
Isabelle Huppert is amazing as Caterine Vauban as this absurd nihilist who tries to show Albert and Tommy a world where there is nothingness as she proves to be quite extreme and convincing in her views. Dustin Hoffman is brilliant as Bernard Jaffe as this oddball existential detective who is trying to get people on board with his own ideas while Lily Tomlin is fantastic as Bernard’s wife Vivian who also expresses the same views while being more analytical about the people she’s working with. Mark Wahlberg is phenomenal as Tommy Corn as this fireman who rides a bike as he becomes lost in his own despair as he tries to find meaning as it’s Wahlberg in one of his funniest and most vulnerable performances.
Jude Law is superb as Brad Stand as this corporate executive who likes to tell a story about Shania Twain to win over people and such as he’s a man that is quite vain in his ambitions only to realize how empty they can be. Finally, there’s Jason Schwartzman in a marvelous performance as Albert Markovski as this frustrated environmental activist who tries to make a difference as he deals with the different ideas of existentialism and his own issues with Brad as it’s Schwartzman in one of his funniest roles.
I Heart Huckabees is a smart and compelling film from David O. Russell. Armed with a great ensemble cast and very witty ideas about existentialism, the film is certainly a comedy that doesn’t play to any conventions. Especially as it showcases the idea of existentialism in its most absurd. In the end, I Heart Huckabees is a remarkable film from David O. Russell.
David O. Russell Films: Spanking the Monkey - Flirting with Disaster - Three Kings - The Fighter - Silver Linings Playbook - American Hustle - Accidental Love - Joy (2015 film) - The Auteurs #70: David O. Russell
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by J.A. Bayona and written by Sergio G. Sanchez, The Impossible is the story about a family’s survival during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami as it is based on the real life experience of Maria Bolon and her family. The film is an exploration into how a family survives one of the most catastrophic events in human history. Starring Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin, Oaklee Pendergast, and Geraldine Chaplin. The Impossible is a harrowing yet powerful film from J.A. Bayona.
The film is essentially the story about how a British family survived the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami while vacationing in Thailand where they endure one of the great catastrophic events in history. During this tsunami, the family is splintered in two as Henry Bennett (Ewan McGregor) is with his two youngest boys in Thomas (Samuel Joslin) and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast) as they’re at the hotel where they’re safe as Henry goes on the search for his wife Maria (Naomi Watts) and their eldest son Lucas (Tom Holland). Maria and Lucas are swept up by the water where Maria is badly injured as Lucas has to help her where they get help as Maria is weakened by her wounds. While there’s a lot of uncertainty to whether Maria survives, Lucas tries to fill his time to help others while finding out if his father and brothers are still alive.
Sergio G. Sanchez’s screenplay that is based on Maria Bolon’s story doesn’t require a lot of plot schematics as it’s just a simple story about a family’s survival in this catastrophic event. Yet, it does reveal a lot into what this family goes through as it is also told in the eyes of children. Notably the Lucas character as he’s this teenage boy who is forced to grow up due to what he has been through while helping his wounded mother as she’s got a bad leg and stab wounds on her chest. Lucas also has to deal with the possibility that he might not have a family as he helps other people try to find loved ones while being at the hospital. His character not only goes through the most growth but also becomes the most determined when he sees something that makes him realize that he might not be alone after all.
While Thomas and Simon don’t have as much development as Lucas, they still have a compelling story of their own as Thomas, who is the middle child, is known for being very scared. When he and Simon have to go to a shelter while their father wants to find out where his wife and Lucas are. Henry does reveal to Thomas that it’s OK to be scared as he just needs to watch out for Simon so that these two can keep each other company. There is the prospect that the boys might not have their mother as she’s weak from her wounds as their father knows that as well as it is up to a family to ensure that they’ll be together despite the tragedy they’ve just encountered.
J.A. Bayona’ direction is definitely engaging for the way he presents a world in chaos where this family is at the center of this devastating moment. While Bayona employs a lot of hand-held cameras for some close-up and intimate moments including a home-video camera shot of the family playing around. Bayona definitely creates a lot of shots that are grand in terms of what he wanted to present as it is a mixture of visual effects and real locations. While the film was shot largely in Spain with some shooting in Thailand, Bayona uses the landscape to tell the story where it is a world in ruin where a mother and son are trekking around this land as they find help where they would encounter a survivor in a young boy named Daniel (Johan Sundberg).
The scenes of the actual tsunami happening is just gripping to watch where it has this air of unpredictability and danger that occurs. It almost feels like the audience is in the water and being part of this moment. Bayona wants the audience to realize how this woman survived this horrific wave as she’s underwater and being hit with all sorts of things while she is trying to reach out towards her son. The atmosphere in the direction for the scenes after the tsunami are just as harrowing to watch where there’s all of these people struggling to survive and deal with what just happened. Yes, there’s moments that are just hard to watch and will be melodramatic but it plays true to what these people have been through. Overall, Bayona creates a truly sprawling yet heartfelt film about survival and the human spirit as it also serves as a true inspirational story.
Cinematographer Oscar Faura does excellent work with the film‘s photography from the sunny yet grimy look of the exterior locations to the more low-key lights for scenes at night as well as some of its interior scenes. Editors Elena Ruiz and Bernat Vilaplana do brilliant work with the editing to capture the energy of the action as well as jump-cuts for some rhythmic moments as well as effective cutting for some of the film‘s dramatic moments. Production designer Eugenio Caballero, along with art directors Didac Bono and Marina Pozanco and set decorator Pilar Revuelta, does terrific work with some of the set pieces from the look of the hotels and hospitals as well as scenes in the locations to create the air of despair.
Costume designers Anna Bingeman, Sparka Lee Hall, and Maria Reyes do nice work with the costumes to display the sense of ruin the character go through. Visual effects supervisor Felix Berges does amazing work with the visual effects for some of the scenes involving the arrival of the tsunami as well as some backdrop dressing for some of the film‘s exterior setting. Sound designer Oriol Tarrago does fantastic work with the sound to capture the sense of terror that occurs underwater and in the water as well as the scenes in the hospitals and shelters. The film’s music by Fernando Velazquez is wonderful for the orchestral serenity it plays to the film’s dramatic moments as well as using some low-key piano accompaniments to play out the drama and uncertainty that occurs.
The casting by Shaheen Baig and Raweeporn “Non” Srimonju is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features some memorable small roles from Johan Sundberg as the young boy Daniel that Lucas and Maria find in the aftermath of the tsunami, La-Orng Thongruang as the old Thai man who finds Lucas, Maria, and Daniel, Ploy Jindachote as the caregiver at the hospital, Sonke Mohring as a man who helps Henry find any survivors, and Geraldine Chaplin as an old woman who sits with Thomas at the shelter talking about stars. Oaklee Pendergast and Samuel Joslin are excellent as the youngest boys in Simon and Thomas, respectively as Pendergast plays the youngest as a boy just scared about what happens while Joslin is the middle child who is aware of what he has to do in order to not be afraid.
Tom Holland is outstanding as the eldest son Lucas as he deals with the events that he just went through as well as realities that he’s facing. It’s a truly engaging performance for the way Holland lets the audience see what he’s going through while desperate to hold on to what he has left. Ewan McGregor is fantastic as Henry as a father dealing with the possibility that he might have lost a wife and a son as he is desperate to find them while admitting to his youngest sons that he is scared. Naomi Watts is phenomenal as Maria as a woman who goes through hell as she is beaten and bruised by the waves as she tries to stay alive for her son as well as cling to the idea that the rest of her family could still be alive.
The Impossible is an intense yet mesmerizing film from J.A. Bayona that features magnificent performances from Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, and Tom Holland. While it is not an easy film to watch in terms of the visceral events that occur in the film, it is still a story that is just unforgettable. Notably in the way it reveals the triumph of the human spirit and how a family was willing to come together in this horrific event. In the end, The Impossible is a tremendous film from J.A. Bayona.
J.A. Bayona Films: The Orphanage - A Monster Calls - (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom)
© thevoid99 2013
