Die My Love

 

Based on the novel Die, My Love by Ariana Harwicz, Die My Love is the story of a couple who travel to Montana for a quieter life as a woman deals with post-partum depression as she starts to unravel mentally and emotionally. Directed by Lynne Ramsay and screenplay by Ramsay, Edna Walsh, and Alice Birch, the film is an exploration of a couple dealing with new changes in their lives only for the changes to not live up to what it seems as a woman struggles with motherhood and all its expectations. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, LaKeith Stanfield, Nick Nolte, and Sissy Spacek. Die My Love is an enthralling and uncompromising film by Lynne Ramsay.

The film is about a woman who unravels after the birth of her child as she descends into madness putting strain into her relationship with her boyfriend months after they move to Montana. It is a film that is an exploration of post-partum depression as well as a woman coming to terms with the reality of this new change in her life. The film’s screenplay by Lynne Ramsay, Edna Walsh, and Alice Birch does not have a conventional narrative as there is a flashback scene as well as elements of surrealism. It is more of a character study where the script explores the couple in Grace (Jennifer Lawrence) and Jackson (Robert Pattinson) as they arrive in rural Montana away from New York City to start a new life at the latter’s childhood home near where his parents live. When Grace becomes pregnant, there is a lot of excitement but its aftermath in which they have a baby born with a name to be determined. Things start to fall apart with Jackson often away at work and not understanding her mental and emotional state.

Even as Grace begins to suspect that Jackson is cheating on her after finding condoms in the glove compartment of their car where he often arriving home late. Jackson would attempt to smooth things over in buying a dog, which would prove to be a poor decision considering they have a baby to take care of. It only adds to the tension and Grace’s own mental issues as she turns to Jackson’s mother Pam (Sissy Spacek) who is also going through own issues including sleepwalking with a shotgun. The script also play into elements of surrealism as it relates to a mysterious man in a motorcycle named Karl (Lakeith Stanfield) that Grace is aware of to deal with Jackson’s affairs with other women. Grace’s encounters with Karl play into her own sexual desires, which is not getting at home to the point that she would act in a feral manner while struggling to raise her newborn son.

Ramsay’s direction is entrancing in the way it captures a woman succumbing to madness as it opens with a long shot of Grace and Jackson entering the latter’s childhood that once belonged to his uncle as it is this simple static medium-wide shot that goes on for a few minutes. Shot on a 1:33:1 aspect ratio and on location in province of Alberta in Canada as Montana, Ramsay uses the aspect ratio to create this sense of claustrophobia that help play into Grace’s madness as she become suffocated by the changes in her life as well as the lack of control in being a new mother. While there are some wide shots that are presented in the film including scenes in a car whenever she and Jackson are on the road. Much of Ramsay’s direction is emphasized on close-ups and medium shots to play into Grace’s mental deterioration and her relationship with Jackson falling apart. Even as there are montages where Grace would be alone at the house with her baby as music would blare loudly and it is the same song.

Ramsay also delves into elements of surrealism that includes a strange meeting with Jackson’s late father Harry (Nick Nolte) whom she is dancing with in the forest at night as he is seen previously in a flashback as he has dementia. Some of these scenes at night are surreal, including a shot that followed the film’s opening shot of a forest fire. It is among these moments in the film that play into Grace’s own descent while a few scenes in which Grace and Jackson are in a gathering show the sense of discomfort the former begins to have where she would slowly unravel. There are also these abrupt and shocking moments of violence that play into Grace’s descent into madness as the third act forces Jackson to realize that she needs help. The third act is not just about the realization of what Grace is dealing with but also an understanding about a world that expects too much from her. Whether it is in being a writer, a wife, a mother, a lover, or anything else as it becomes overwhelming to the point that there is only one path to go. Overall, Ramsay crafts a visceral and unflinching film about a woman’s descent into madness following the birth of her child.

Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its colorful and stylish photography for many of the daytime interior/exterior scenes as well as the usage of bluish filters for the exterior scenes at night. Editor Toni Froschhammer, along with additional work by Adam Biskupski, does excellent work with the editing as her usage of montages, jump-cuts, and other stylish cuts help play into sense of mania that looms throughout the film. Production designer Tim Grimes, along with set decorator Amber Humphries and art director Amanda Nicholson, does amazing work with the look of Jackson’s home as well as a place made for a party in the film’s third act. Costume designer Catherine George does terrific work with costumes where it is casual apart from a party scene where they wear stylish clothing.

The special effects work of Lindsey Dietz, along with visual effects supervisors James Frislev, Koray Guzey, Victor Tomi, and Mehmet Kurtulus Tuncer, is fantastic for some of the visuals such as the forest fire and a few other bits to play into Grace’s encounter with surrealism. Sound designer Tim Burns does incredible work with the sound as it help play into the atmosphere that include sparse sounds of flies flying around the house as well as how music is presented on location as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Lynne Ramsay, George Vjestica, Ben Frost, and music supervisor Raife Burchell is superb as it features original music from Ramsay, Vjestica, and Frost who provide a mixture of score music ranging from ambient music to noisy rock along with a cover of Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart. The soundtrack supervised by Frost features a diverse music soundtrack from Toni Basil, Billie Holiday, Eels, the Cocteau Twins, Cream, David Bowie, Raffi, Tom Philips & D.T.S., Peggy Lipton, Elvis Presley, Shirley Ellis, Pinky and Perky, and an inspired usage of the John Prine & Iris Dement duet of In Spite of Ourselves.

The casting by Lucy Pardee is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Sarah McPherson as a cashier who annoys Grace, Gabrielle Rose and Debs Howard as a couple of old ladies who are friends of Pam, Sarah Lind as an acquaintance of Jackson and Grace in Jen who does share Grace’s own issues with motherhood, and the duo of Kennedy and Victoria Calderwood as Grace and Jackson’s unnamed baby. Lakeith Stanfield is superb as the mysterious man named Karl who rides a motorcycle as he is drawn to Grace leading to an affair at a farm. Nick Nolte is brilliant as Jackson’s father Harry as he only appears in 3 scenes such as a flashback of a man dealing with dementia and in a couple of surreal moments where he is the one man who really understands Grace. Sissy Spacek is amazing as Jackson’s mother Pam as a woman dealing with grief as well as her own issues as a woman where she is wise as well as eccentric considering she sleepwalks with a shotgun.

Robert Pattinson is excellent as Jackson as a man that is trying to deal with Grace’s depression the best way he can though he makes some awful decision where Pattinson brings some great facial expressions to showcase his anger as he is a man that clueless at times but also frustrated in his ability to understand what his partner is going through. Finally, there is Jennifer Lawrence in a performance for the ages as Grace as a writer who is struggling with post-partum depression where Lawrence goes all out in terms of her physicality and in displaying the sense of rage and madness her character goes through. It is a performance that can be described as raw and primal in terms of the ferality her character starts to act where she even becomes indifferent in some stages as it relates to her relationship with Jackson where Lawrence has this air of danger and fragility that play into a woman coming undone.

Die My Love is a magnificent film by Lynne Ramsay that features a tremendous leading performance from Jennifer Lawrence. Along with its ensemble cast, eerie visuals, its raw take on post-partum depression and madness, stylish presentation, and a blistering music soundtrack. It is a film that does not play it safe in its depiction of post-partum depression and madness while also being this study of a woman lost in a reality that does not understand her pain. In the end, Die My Love is an outstanding film by Lynne Ramsay.

Lynne Ramsay Films: Ratcatcher - Morvern Callar - We Need to Talk About Kevin - You Were Never Really Here - (Polaris)

Related: The Auteurs #6: Lynne Ramsay - Favorite Films #9: Morvern Callar

© thevoid99 2025

Affliction

Based on the novel by Russell Banks, Affliction is the story of a small-town policeman who investigate a fatal hunting accident as he deals with his own issues in his family including his ex-wife and his domineering father. Written for the screen and directed by Paul Schrader, the film is the study of a man becoming obsessed with trying to solve an accident while dealing with the history of violence from his family including his own troubled relationship with his father. Starring Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek, Willem Dafoe, Jim True-Frost, Mary Beth Hurt, and James Coburn. Affliction is a harrowing yet mesmerizing film from Paul Schrader.

Set in a small town in New Hampshire, the film revolves around a man who investigates a hunting accident at the woods nearby where it raises questions about what happened just as the man is starting to unravel through his theories as well as his own behavior in relation to his father. It’s a film that is really the study of a man who is extremely flawed in what he does as a local cop as well as a father and as a man who is having a hard time trying to be a good person while bearing the dark persona of his father. Paul Schrader’s screenplay follows the life of Wade Whitehouse (Nick Nolte) who is a local police officer that works for the local town selectman in Gordon LaRiviere (Holmes Osborne) as he is divorced and dealing with this detachment from the fact that he carries some of the abusive behavior of his father Glen (James Coburn) which he is in denial of.

While the narrative follows many of the activities of Wade, it is told partially through his younger brother Rolfe (Willem Dafoe) who doesn’t appear in the film until its second act. Rolfe is aware of the abuse that his father instilled on Wade, himself, and their other siblings as he is the one who only appears briefly during its second act as his character lives in another town and having a life completely different from his father and older brother. Still, Rolfe’s narration does provide some insight into Wade and coming to terms with the abuse their father had done as it would seep into Wade as it relates to his relationship with his daughter Jill (Brigid Tierney) whom he unknowingly neglects and tries to win over as he has a lot of bitterness towards his ex-wife Lillian (Mary Beth Hurt). While Wade tries to attempt to create a normal life with girlfriend Margie Fogg (Sissy Spacek), he would unfortunately introduce her to his father as she would watch over him as it becomes overwhelming just as Wade’s attempt to investigate the hunting accidents starts to become troubling.

Schrader’s direction is understated in its presentation as he aims to capture life in a small town in New Hampshire during the Halloween period though it’s snowy as it is shot mainly on location in Quebec. While Schrader would use some wide shots for some of the locations including a few of the mountains in the background as well as the intimacy of the small town. Much of Schrader’s direction emphasizes on close-ups and medium shots as it play into the way Wade would interact with other characters as well as scenes with his father where it is clear there is still a sense of fear whenever Wade is being seen from his father’s perspective. The direction also would have Schrader create different perspectives of what Wade is thinking about as it relates to the accident that involved his friend Jack Hewitt (Jim True-Frost) who was accompanying one of the rich locals in Nick Wickham (Wayne Robson) for a deer hunt. Even as Rolfe would provide Wade an idea of what might’ve happened as it add to Wade’s sense of paranoia.

Schrader also uses these haunting flashback scenes shot in grainy film stock that show Wade and Rolfe as kids and the terror they endured around their father who is a full-blown alcoholic with a lot of disdain for the world. Even during the film’s second act following an event that would bring Rolfe back to town along with his other siblings as it shows a man who could care less about what just happened as well as how he presents himself in front of his children. The third act has Schrader play into this man unraveling and dealing with the fact that he is like his father in the way he drinks heavily as well as becoming unruly towards those he works for and those he is friendly with. The film’s final moments isn’t just this revelation for Wade about his father but also in the fact that he will never escape his father’s cruelty as well as the actions he would later commit that would hurt those who are close to him. Overall, Schrader crafts an eerie yet riveting film about a man coming to terms with himself and his father’s abuse towards him.

Cinematographer Paul Sarossy does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography from the usage of snow and naturalistic photography for many of the daytime exterior scenes to the usage of low-key lights for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor Jay Rabinowitz does excellent work with the editing as it include a few montages in the flashbacks as well as what Wade sees in the hunting accident along with some stylish rhythmic cuts to play into the drama. Production designer Anne Pritchard and art director Michel Beaudet do fantastic work with the look of the place where Wade works at as well as the diner her frequents and the home where his father lives in its messy look.

Costume designer Francois Laplante does terrific work with the costumes as it is largely casual to play into the look of the winter with its heavy coats as well as the Halloween costumes the kids wear early in the film. Sound editor Tony Martinez does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the locations including the sounds of winds and cars on the snow. The film’s music by Michael Brook is wonderful for its mixture of folk and ambient music to play into the drama as well as some of the intense moments of the film.

The casting by Ellen Chenoweth and Kathleen Chopin is great as it feature small roles from Marian Seldes as a local who keeps track of financial records as she revealed some things to Wade about LaRiviere, Wayne Robson as Nick Wickham who would go on a hunt that lead to a horrible accident, Joanna Noyes as Wade and Rolfe’s mother in the flashbacks, Brawley Nolte as the young Wade, Michael Caloz as the young Rolfe, Christopher Heyerdahl as the diner owner Frankie, and Brigid Tierney as Wade’s daughter Jill who is often unhappy around her father due to his neglect and not really being there for her. Jim True-Frost is terrific as the local hunting guide Jack Hewitt who would guide Wickham for a hunt that would turn tragic. Holmes Osborne is superb as Gordon LaRiviere as the town selectman who is trying to run things while is also doing some business that would make him rich much to Wade’s suspicions.

Mary Beth Hurt is fantastic as Wade’s ex-wife Lillian who still has issues with Wade as she is aware of his neglect towards their daughter while reluctant in having Wade be around her. Willem Dafoe is excellent in his brief performance as Wade’s younger brother Rolfe as a man who briefly returns home to deal with a family matter as he is aware of what is going on as it’s an understated performance that has Dafoe be aware of the abuse he’s endured but also with an acceptance over the persona of his father. Sissy Spacek is brilliant as Margie Fogg as the diner waitress who is also Wade’s girlfriend as she is aware of Wade’s issues while getting to know Glen closer than she expected which makes her uncomfortable as she is trying to get Wade to get away from his father.

James Coburn is phenomenal in a monstrous performance as Glen Whitehouse as Wade and Rolfe’s alcoholic and abusive father. Coburn displays this physicality as someone who lords over those who he feels are weak as there is an element of him that is filled with hate but also seems to have a dark glee in the way he conveys this idea of masculinity and power as it is a career-defining performance from Coburn. Finally, there’s Nick Nolte in an incredible performance as Wade Whitehouse as a local cop who is investigating a hunting accident thinking it’s not an accident where he would later unravel into his own thoughts as well as his relationship with his father that is complicated and filled with fear as it’s an eerie and chilling performance Nolte in one of his career-best roles to date.

Affliction is a tremendous film from Paul Schrader that features great performances from Nick Nolte and James Coburn. Along with its supporting cast, gorgeous visuals, haunting music, and study of abuse and identity. It’s a film that explore a man unraveling as he deals with the fact that he inherits some of his father’s dark attributes as well as the dark history of his family. In the end, Affliction is an outstanding film from Paul Schrader.

Paul Schrader Films: Blue Collar - Hardcore – American Gigolo - Cat People (1982 film) - Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters – (Light of Day) – (Patty Hearst) – (The Comfort of Strangers) – (Light Sleeper) – (Witch Hunt) – (Touch) – (Forever Mine) – (Auto Focus) – (Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist) – (The Walker) – (Adam Resurrected) – (The Canyons) – Dying of the Light – (Dog Eat Dog) – First Reformed - (The Card Counter)

© thevoid99 2018

Cape Fear (1991 film)

Based on the novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald, Cape Fear is the story of a convicted rapist who has been released from a 14-year prison stint as he decides to go after the attorney who put him in jail through some moments of injustice. Directed by Martin Scorsese and screenplay by Wesley Strick that is based on James R. Webb‘s script of the 1962 film, the film is a remake/homage of sorts to the 1962 film of the same name as it plays more into a man who is hell-bent on making the life of a public defender and his family a living hell. Starring Robert de Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis, Illeana Douglas, Joe Don Baker, and special appearances from Martin Balsam, Robert Mitchum, and Gregory Peck from the 1962 film. Cape Fear is a thrilling and mesmerizing film from Martin Scorsese.

The film is a simple story of a released convict who served a 14-year sentence for a rape charge as he decides to make the life of the man, who put him in jail for mishandling his case, a living hell. It is a revenge story of sorts as a battle of wits and wills between this convict and an attorney yet it is the convict that feels wronged where an attorney’s past actions are catching up with him. Even as the sins of this attorney named Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte) have his own family live in fear but also wonder what did he do as Bowden is driven to the edge to protect them with the help of a private investigator where things don’t go very well.

Wesley Strick’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the dynamics of two men but also a growing sense of distrust towards Bowden from his wife Leigh (Jessica Lange) and daughter Danielle (Juliette Lewis). Especially as the former is suspicious of Sam’s supposed infidelities while the latter would have her own meeting with the convicted man in Max Cady (Robert de Niro) who would charm her. All of which adds to Bowden’s determination to rid of Cady one way or the other but at the cost of his own reputation and who he is as a man.

Martin Scorsese’s direction is definitely very stylish for not just the fact that he pays homage to the original 1962 film by J. Lee Thompson. It is also a film in which Scorsese pays homage to the many thrillers and suspense films of the past while doing something that is an update of sorts to those genres. Shot largely on location in South Florida as well as some sequences shot in Universal Studios Hollywood, the film does set itself in the American South but in a more modern idea of the South as it tries to maintain elements of tradition but in a world that is ever-changing. With its stylish usage of wide and medium shots along with some close-ups, Scorsese would go for something that is very stylistic in the way he would put actors into a frame where one would be in the foreground and the other in the background.

Scorsese also provides these moments that are quite surreal with its usage of different film stocks, color schemes, and moments that feel very artificial as it relates to the fear that is growing in Sam and his family. It says a lot to this kind of reality that Bowden has created but one that feels false where Cady would come in and disrupt everything as if he is this wronged man that is trying to make their lives a living hell. Featuring some dazzling imagery that includes this exotic opening credits sequence created by Saul and Elaine Bass that serves as a homage to the works of Alfred Hitchcock. It would add to the film’s unique look with some stylish camera angles that Scorsese would inject as it would also play into the film’s climax that is set on a river. The impact of the violence as well as some religious-based imagery would say a lot into what is happening where it does take place on this houseboat where it is about not just some truths coming out but also what one is willing to do to survive. Overall, Scorsese creates an exhilarating yet provocative film about a convicted rapist stalking and preying on lawyer for the sins he had committed.

Cinematographer Freddie Francis does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography with its usage of different film stocks and lighting schemes for some of the surreal sequences while creating some moods in the lighting for some of exteriors scenes in the day and at night. Editor Thelma Schoonmaker does brilliant work with the editing with its stylish montages for some of the more eerie sequences that play into Bowden‘s fear as well as some stylish rhythmic cuts to play into the suspense, drama, and much of its dark humor. Production designer Henry Bumstead, with set decorator Alan Hicks and art director Jack G. Taylor Jr., does excellent work with the look of the Bowden home to play into its sense of artificial world that Sam lives in to the look of the houseboat for the film‘s climax.

Costume designer Rita Ryack does nice work with the costumes from the more casual and clean look of the Bowden family to the stylish clothes that Cady wears. The hair/makeup work of Ilona Herman does fantastic work with the look of Cady from his slick hair to the tattoos on his body that features a lot of religious text and imagery. Sound editor Skip Lievsay does superb work with the sound in the way some of the quieter moments such as Danielle‘s meeting with Cady sounds like in its intimacy to the chilling moments in the film‘s climax. The film’s music largely consists of the film score Bernard Herrmann made for the 1962 film as it is adapted by Elmer Bernstein which does maintain that air of suspense and high drama as it proves anything that was used in the past can still be used again while the soundtrack would also feature music from Guns N‘ Roses and Aretha Franklin.

The casting by Ellen Lewis is wonderful as it features some notable small roles from Zully Montero as the Bowden’s family maid Graciella, Fred Dalton Thompson as Bowden’s law partner Tom Broadbent, Domenica Cameron-Scorsese as Danielle’s friend, Charles and Catherine Scorsese as a couple of fruit stand customers, and Martin Balsam in a terrific cameo appearance as a judge who would disbar Bowden early in the film’s third act. Illeana Douglas is fantastic as the law clerk Lori Davis who is rumored to be Bowden’s mistress until she has a meeting with Cady that would prove to be extremely ugly. Gregory Peck is excellent in his brief yet mesmerizing appearance as Cady’s attorney Lee Heller who would defend the man after an assault as he would have this passionate plea to disbar Bowden. Robert Mitchum is brilliant as Lt. Elgart as this police detective who realizes what is happening to Bowden and what Cady is doing as he sort of plays the film’s conscience in telling Bowden to not descend into darkness which is a surprise since Mitchum played Cady in the 1962 film. Joe Don Baker is amazing as Claude Kersek as a private detective who tries to see what Cady is up to while realizing that he is in the middle of a game where does whatever he can to stop Cady.

Juliette Lewis is incredible as Danielle as this 15-year old girl who deals with the chaos surrounding her family as she becomes intrigued by Cady and the books she is given until she realizes the severity of his terror. Jessica Lange is remarkable as Leigh Bowden as a wife/artist who deals with not just Cady’s presence but also the sins of her husband as she has a hard time trusting him. Nick Nolte is marvelous as Sam Bowden as an attorney who is terrorized by a man he was supposed to defend only to bury evidence that could’ve given Cady a lesser sentence as he tries to outwit Cady only to realize the flaws of himself. Finally, there’s Robert de Niro in a phenomenal performance as Max Cady where de Niro brings a charm that just exudes in every moment he is in as well as a sense of terror that is menacing as it one of de Niro’s most definitive performances.

Cape Fear is a sensational film from Martin Scorsese that features great performances from Robert de Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, and Juliette Lewis. In being an updated version of the 1962 film as well as a homage to that film, Scorsese creates a film that isn’t just a thriller that oozes with excitement and terror. It’s also a study of sin and what one man would do to make another man pay for his sins. In the end, Cape Fear is a riveting film from Martin Scorsese.

Related: Cape Fear (1962 film)

Martin Scorsese Films: (Who’s That Knocking on My Door?) - (Street Scenes) - Boxcar Bertha - (Mean Streets) - Italianamerican - Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore - Taxi Driver - New York, New York - American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince - (The Last Waltz) - Raging Bull - The King of Comedy - After Hours - The Color of Money - The Last Temptation of Christ - New York Stories-Life Lessons - Goodfellas - The Age of Innocence - (A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies) - (Casino) - (Kundun) - (My Voyage to Italy) - Bringing Out the Dead - (The Blues-Feel Like Going Home) - Gangs of New York - (The Aviator) - No Direction Home - The Departed - Shine a Light - Shutter Island - (A Letter to Elia) - (Public Speaking) - George Harrison: Living in the Material World - Hugo - The Wolf of Wall Street - (The 50 Year Argument) - Silence (2016 film) - (The Irishman) - Killers of the Flower Moon - (An Afternoon with SCTV)

© thevoid99 2016

Noah (2014 film)

Directed by Darren Aronofsky and written by Aronofsky and Ari Handel, Noah is a dramatic re-telling of Noah’s Ark in which Noah sees an apocalyptic vision as he decides to build an ark with his family before a great flood emerges. The film is a grand vision of the Noah’s Ark story where it plays into a man trying to save his family and animals from a world that is being ravaged by terror and the fault of mankind. Starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Douglas Booth, Ray Winstone, and Anthony Hopkins. Noah is an extravagant yet intense film from Darren Aronofsky.

The story of Noah and his ark is a story that’s been told for ages as this film is a dramatic interpretation of that story where Noah (Russell Crowe) builds an ark to save his family and animals. Yet, it’s a film that explores a world where humanity has taken advantage of the world they live in as Noah and his family try to live in peace until Noah sees a vision of a world where humanity is wiped out. Once Noah builds his ark with his family and a small group of fallen angels who became stone-like creatures called the Watchers. Noah has to contend with the presence of Tubal-cain (Ray Winstone) who only sees the cruelty of the Creator as he would try to sway Noah’s young son Ham (Logan Lerman) into giving in towards temptation. What Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel do is tell the story in a dramatic form while playing into the myth of Noah and where he’s descended from.

The film begins with a story of Adam and Eve and the three sons they created in Cain, Abel, and Seth. Tubal-cain is a descendant of Cain while Noah is a descendant of Seth as the latter would seek guidance from his grandfather Methuselah (Anthony Hopkins) who would also help the rest of his family. While the screenplay does take some liberties into the story where it would only focus on Noah, his wife Naameh (Jennifer Connelly), their three sons, and adopted daughter Ila (Emma Watson). It would play into the internal struggles that Noah deals with as he becomes confused about whether to save the rest of humanity as those he had encountered including Tubal-cain are filled with sin and temptation that had destroyed the world and ravaged the things that the Creator has made.

Aronofsky’s direction is truly vast in not just its scope but also in the way he presents the world that is coming apart by temptation and cruelty where only Noah and his family are the few who have been good towards the Earth and its surroundings. With much of the location set in Iceland with scenes of the ark construction set in upstate New York, Aronofsky goes for something that could’ve been set anywhere in the world while he does utilize visual effects for some dazzling sequences where Noah plants a seed where trees are created for the wood he needed for the ark. Much of the direction has Aronofsky go for a lot of spectacular wide shots and massive scenes involving crowds and such to play into the dark world that Noah needed to protect his family from.

The direction also includes scenes where it is set on the ark as Aronofsky wanted the ark to look as realistic as possible where it’s a place where animals and plants can be salvaged while Noah’s family can be safe and look for some message of hope after the rain dies down. Yet, there’s also a sense of tension that occurs over Noah’s sense of hopelessness and doubt as the element of suspense and drama is raised where Naameh and Ila become much more prominent in trying to get Noah to see reason. Especially when he completes his task and deals with what was gained and what got lost. Overall, Aronofsky creates a very compelling yet glorious film about the story of Noah and his ark.

Cinematographer Matthew Libatique does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography with its use of natural lights for some of the exteriors with some usage of grey in the rainy scenes along with some low-key lighting schemes and sepia tones for the scenes inside the ark. Editor Andrew Weisblum does incredible work with the editing with its use of montages, jump-cuts, and other stylistic cuts to play into the suspense and drama that occurs in the film. Production designer Mark Friedberg, with supervising art director Dan Webster and set decorators Nicholas DiBlasio and Debra Schutt, does amazing work with the set pieces from the design of the ark in its interior and exteriors to the tents that Noah and his family lived in.

Costume designer Michael Wilkinson does nice work with the costumes as it plays the ragged look of the characters as it plays into a world that is in its infancy. Visual effects supervisors Ben Snow and Joe Takai do terrific work with the visual effects for the look of the flood and the design of the creatures and Watchers though some of it does look a bit wobbly at times. Sound editor Craig Henighan does superb work with the sound from the way some of the action in the locations sound to the sounds of people screaming during the flood where Noah and his family are listening from inside. The film’s music by Clint Mansell is fantastic for its bombastic orchestral score and serene pieces to play into the drama and sense of adventure as the soundtrack includes performances by the Kronos Quartet and a closing song sung by Patti Smith.

The casting by Lindsay Graham and Mary Vernieu is great as it features voice work from Mark Margolis and Kevin Durand as a couple of Watchers, Nick Nolte as the leader of the Watchers, and Frank Langella as the voice of a Watcher who immediately recognizes Noah as a human to trust. Other notable small roles include Gavin Casalegno, Nolan Goss, and Skylar Burke in their respective roles as the younger versions of Shem, Ham, and Ila along with appearances from Marton Csokas as Noah’s father Lamech, Madison Davenport as a refugee that Ham meets, and Dakota Goyo as the young Noah. Anthony Hopkins is superb as Noah’s grandfather Methuselah as a man who often gives Noah and his family some guidance while providing some bits of humor in his craving for berries. Leo McHugh Caroll is terrific as Noah and Naameh’s young son Japheth who watches over the birds he cares for.

Douglas Booth is excellent as Noah’s eldest son Shem who tries to deal with his love for Ila and watch over the family whenever Noah does other things. Logan Lerman is fantastic as Noah’s middle son Ham who becomes lost in the idea of being alone after the flood as he becomes tempted by Tubal-cain about the realities of humanity. Ray Winstone is amazing as the very cunning Tubal-cain as a man who tries to talk to the Creator as he deals with the chaos and despair of the world where he goes after Noah and later manipulates Ham. Emma Watson is brilliant as Noah’s adopted daughter Ila as a young woman who deals with the fact that she can’t have a child as she also would later cope with some of the decisions Noah would make.

Jennifer Connelly is remarkable as Naameh as the wife of Noah who is also the voice of reason as someone who tries to get Noah to look closer at his surroundings as she knows what he’s dealing with as she also thinks about her family and their future. Finally, there’s Russell Crowe in a marvelous performance as the titular character as a man who realizes what is going to happen as he tries to salvage all that is good in the world while becoming lost over his task and what it all means as it’s a performance that has Crowe being tough but also display a sensitivity that doesn’t get seen much from him.

Noah is a phenomenal film from Darren Aronofsky that features amazing performances from Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, and Ray Winstone. While it does have a few flaws, it is still an engrossing story that manages to bring a lot of humanity and stakes into a story that’s been told so many times. Especially as Aronofsky infuses it with a lot of visual spectacles and ideas that will captivate a wide audience as well as bring something to religious audiences. In the end, Noah is an incredible film from Darren Aronofsky.

Darren Aronofsky Films: Pi - Requiem for a Dream - The Fountain - The Wrestler - Black Swan - mother! - The Auteurs #2: Darren Aronofsky

© thevoid99 2014

Tropic Thunder

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 8/13/08 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Directed and starring Ben Stiller and written by Stiller, Justin Theroux, and Etan Cohen. Tropic Thunder tells the story of a Vietnam war film production gone horribly wrong due to a group of egomaniacal actors and an overly serious director as production is suddenly shut down. Through the suggestion of the film's deranged screenwriter, the director and five of his actors decide to into guerilla filmmaking to shot on actual locations until they're captured by a real Vietnam army as they decide to fight back. A spoof of sorts on egomaniacal, so-called "auteurs", method actors, and all sorts of things that go wrong in a big, Hollywood production. Stiller and his team decide to make a film that makes fun of all of these notorious Hollywood production while taking shots on everything and everyone including Stiller himself. With an all-star cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Brandon T. Jackson, Nick Nolte, Jay Baruchel, Reggie Lee, Brandon Soo Hoo,  Matthew McConaughey, & Tom Cruise. Tropic Thunder is an explosive yet witty comedy from Ben Stiller & co.

A Vietnam War film epic entitled Tropic Thunder is being made by first-time director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) with help from the man who wrote the book the film is based on named "Four Leaf" Tayback (Nick Nolte). The film stars fading action star Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) whose career is in the skids and is in desperate need to make a comeback following a disastrous portrayal in the critical and commercial bomb Simple Jack where he played a mentally-challenged farmhand. Speedman's co-star includes comedy actor Jack Portnoy (Jack Black) whose Fatties franchise has made him rich but with no respect as he's also gotten trouble for his dependency on heroin. Playing the role of the film's African-American platoon sergeant is critically-acclaimed, award-winning Australian actor Kirk Lazarus whose method-actor persona to play roles has reached new heights where he darkens his skin to portray an African American.

The film also stars a rapper-turned-actor named Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) and newcomer Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel) as Cockburn is overwhelmed with the actors' demands and such. With a month behind schedule, lots of money spent, and an accident involving pyrotechnics by special effects guru Cody Underwood (Danny R. McBride) has made Tropic Thunder a likely disaster. After a meeting with studio head Les Grossman (Tom Cruise), Cockburn fears that the film would be shut down until Tayback suggests to shoot the film on location in the jungles guerilla style. Cockburn, Tayback, Underwood, and the five actors go to the jungle as Tayback and Underwood watch from afar to work on the special effects. Yet, as Cockburn gets ready to shoot, something bad happens.  What the actors and crew don't know is that they're nearby a group of drug farmers known as Flaming Dragon as everything becomes confusing except for Kirk Lazarus who believes that they're lost and in trouble. 

With Sandusky being the only person able to read maps, Speedman is convinced that they're still shooting a film. Tayback and Underwood meanwhile, learn that something has gone wrong when they're suddenly captured by the Flaming Dragon as a secret is unveiled. Back in Hollywood, Speedman's agent Rick "Pecker" Peck (Matthew McConaughey) tries to get Speedman his TiVo as part of the contract when he learns that Speedman has been captured by the Flaming Dragon whose leader is a 12-year old kid named Tran (Brandon Soo Hoo) who has held him for ransom. Speedman is forced to be tortured while having to play the role of Simple Jack in front of the Flaming Dragon. Rick and Grossman contact the Flaming Dragon but Grossman has ideas of his own that would make him save money. With Portnoy now on withdrawal after his stash of heroin had been stolen by a bat, it's up to Lazarus, Chino, Sandusky, and Portnoy to save Speedman as they try to figure out what to do as they decide to act out as war heroes with Speedman, Tayback, and Underwood helping by as all hell breaks loose with some surprising help.

The film is essentially a satire on not just war movies but Hollywood itself. The film begins with a series of fake trailers and an ad for Alpa Chino's Booty Sweat drink to his song I Love Tha Pussy that makes fun of Hollywood, it's commercialism, and the types of films that are being made from bloated action films, low-brow comedy, and the Oscar-bait films. What Ben Stiller and his co-writers do is take a look at Hollywood and show audiences how bloated it is. How they can do stupid things while taking shots at studio executives, agents, directors, and actors. Stiller even makes fun of himself knowing that he too, has an ego since he's also the director of this film.

Stiller's approach to the film does work since that it's a big film with explosions and such as he creates something that's meant to be bloated like a war film set. Shot on location in Hawaii, the film does have a look that is like many war films. At the same time, it plays up like an action film. While not every joke Stiller creates is perfect, he does hit the funny moments right at its target largely due to the help of his actors and crew. Stiller even lets actors get loose into some comedic moments while the faux trailers he creates range from being really funny to something that looks extremely bad yet unintentionally hilarious. It's Stiller making fun of Hollywood as well as the things actors are willing to do for the sake of their art. 

The character of Kirk Lazarus, who darkens his skin black to play an African-American might conjure up the idea of black-face. Yet, what Stiller does is to show how method actors are willing to take themselves way too seriously. Yet, there's an African-American character in that film who takes issue with Lazarus acting like an African-American as a commentary on how actors of color would get overlooked in favor of white actors. It's a dead-on commentary that Stiller and his writers make as does the portrayal of mentally-challenged people.

Now there were some groups that might have had some offense to portrayal of mentally-challenged individuals where the term "retard" is used. Those advocate groups and such are missing the point. What Stiller is trying to say is how far actors are willing to go to play mentally-challenged folks just so they can win an Oscar and such. It's really more about how low Hollywood is willing to cash in or claim glory for a group of flawed individuals. The conversation Speedman and Lazarus has about this issue is where Lazarus says "You never go full retard" as a point of how low actors are willing to play mentally-challenged people. Stiller is right on the money, why do you think Sean Penn didn't win for Best Actor for I Am Sam? And that movie fucking sucked! Overall, Stiller's direction and the script unveils at Hollywood at its most absurd as Stiller and his team is dead-on about all the things Hollywood is willing to do.

Cinematographer John Toll, famous for his work in Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line and Edward Zwick's The Last Samurai does excellent work with the film's war-like look with wonderful shading and such on the film's exterior sequences. Toll's work, though not up to par with his other camera work, is right for the film as he captures the look of war movies while getting the chance to mimic some of those great war scenes. Editor Greg Hayden does excellent work with the film's cutting that plays to its rhythm of action films while allowing the chance to slow down for some of the film's comedy scenes.

Production designer Jeff Mann with set decorator Daniel B. Clancy and art directors Richard L. Johnson and Dan Webster do excellent work in creating a set for film's war scenes, heroin farm, and all that stuff to create a look that looks like a war movie. In the Hollywood scenes, it's all filled with hi-tech gadgets and posh rooms with Matthew McConaughey playing video games and such. Costume designer Marlene Stewart does great work in creating the look of the soldier clothes as well as the look of the Flaming Dragon stuff to give the idea of a war movie. Sound editors Jim Brookshire and Craig Henighan also do great work with the film's sound in the layering of machine gun fire, explosions, and such. Special effects supervisor Michael Meinardus and visual effects supervisor Michael Owens do great work in the creation of explosions and falling helicopters for all the film's action sequences. The make-up design is great with Michele Burke and Barney Burman creating a great look for Tom Cruise as the fat, bald, flabby Les Grossman.

Music composer Theodore Shapiro creates music that is reminiscent of most war films that is often sweeping and bombastic while the film's soundtrack supervised by George Drakoulias is filled with classic cuts by the Temptations, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Rolling Stones, and other cuts of the late 1960s while the Mooney Suzuki and Crystal Method provide most of the newer music. The soundtrack overall, is excellent for that era of Vietnam while the new music adds a fresh, exciting approach to the film.

The casting by Kathy Driscoll and Francine Maisler is excellent with cameo appearances from Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jon Voight, Jason Bateman, Nsync star Lance Bass, Tyra Banks, Maria Menounos, Stiller's real-life wife Christine Taylor as a star in Simple Jack, and in the hilarious Satan's Alley trailer, Tobey McGuire. Notable small roles from J. Thomas & Jacob Chon as an Asian boy Stiller befriends while Reggie Lee and Trieu Tran are excellent as two of Tran's henchman. Bill Hader is good as studio executive Rob Slolom though isn't given much to do except play a foil for Les Grossman. Newcomer Brandon Soo Hoo is great as Tran, the 12-year old drug lord who manages to beat Tugg Speedman into submission while having a great fight scene with Jack Black.

Steve Coogan is excellent as first-time director Damien Cockburn who is trying to make a great war movie while dealing with all of the egos of his actors and production problems as Coogan's small role is definitely worth remembering. Danny McBride, riding high from his other comedic role in the Judd Apatow-David Gordon Green film Pineapple Express, is great as special effects guru Cody Underwood who likes to explode things while in awe of Four-Leaf Tayback as he gets a chance to live a dream despite some bad experiences on Hollywood sets. Nick Nolte is also great as Four-Leaf Tayback with all of his grizzled, psychotic war experience while sporting hooks until he seems what he isn't to be as Nolte is superb in this role. Matthew McConaughey, who fills in for Owen Wilson, is great as loyal agent Rick "Pecker" Peck who is trying to get Speedman his TiVo for while making sure his career is still going well no matter how bad it is.

In what has to be his best performance since Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 film Magnolia, Tom Cruise delivers a hilarious performance as a foul-mouthed, balding, sleazy studio head honcho Les Grossman. Wearing a fat suit and all sorts of prosthetics, Cruise's appearances are some of the funniest moments as he dances and curses throughout the entire movie. Brandon T. Jackson is excellent as Alpa Chino (get it), a rapper-turned-actor who also carries a secret while trying to deal with Kirk Lazarus acting all African-American as he serves a great foil for Downey. Jay Baruchel is also great as Kevin Sandusky, a new young actor with combat training experience who is the straight man of the film while being the one guy who keeps his cool and point out every contradiction that the actors have.

Jack Black is wonderfully funny as Jack Portnoy, an actor that's a satire on latter-day Eddie Murphy as well as late, troubled comedy actors like Chris Farley and John Belushi. Black's performance is filled with some funny one-liners and antics that's typical of Black yet it works since he brings what he does. Ben Stiller is excellent in his role as the clueless yet egotistical Tugg Speedman, an actor whose star is fading as he's desperate for a comeback. Playing it straight while doing the typical Stiller antics known in most of his comedies, it's an excellent performance where Stiller makes fun of actors including himself. It's a fine one from a comedy actor who prefers to share the screen with other actors.

Finally, there's Robert Downey Jr. in one of his best performances to date. Riding high from his recent performance in Jon Favreau's Iron Man, Downey exhibits all of the craziness that method actors do as Downey stays in character throughout the entire film. Sporting a funny African-American accent, saying lots of slang, and a whole lot of stuff, Downey downplays all the stereotypes given for most African-American actors while saying the word "motherfucker" a lot. It's a performance that's truly Oscar-worthy as in a year of stellar to great performances, Robert Downey Jr. is truly at the top of his game.

Tropic Thunder is a funny, smart, and action-packed comedy from Ben Stiller as it's also his best work to date as a director. While some might prefer the zaniness and low-brow humor of Zoolander, Tropic Thunder works for its satire and a great collection of actors led by Robert Downey Jr. In a year where spoofs, parodies, and satires lose its touch, it's good to see a film that knows that it can take itself seriously and cannot. With additional kudos to Jack Black, Brandon T. Jackson, Jay Baruchel, Matthew McConaughey, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Nick Nolte, and Tom Cruise. Tropic Thunder is an all-out, laugh-out, explosive comedy that stands out as one of the year's best.

Ben Stiller Films: (Reality Bites) - (The Cable Guy) - (Zoolander) - (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013 film))

© thevoid99 2014

Warrior (2011 film)

Directed by Gavin O’Connor and screenplay by O’Connor, Cliff Dorfman, and Anthony Tambakis from a story by O’Connor and Dorfman, Warrior is the story about two estranged brothers who enter a mixed-martial arts tournament for very different reasons as they also deal with their estranged father who would train one of them. The film is an exploration into the world of mixed-marital arts as well as the troubled bond between two brothers. Starring Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo, and Nick Nolte. Warrior is a gripping yet exciting film from Gavin O’Connor.

The film is essentially the story of two estranged brothers who each decide to enter a MMA tournament for different reasons as they deal with their troubled relationship as well as their relationship with their father whom they had been abused by as kids. For the eldest Brendan (Joel Edgerton), it’s to make sure he doesn’t lose his house after having to mortgage it to give one of his daughters heart surgery. For the youngest Tommy (Tom Hardy), it’s a chance to help a widow of a friend he lost in the war. Then there’s their father Paddy (Nick Nolte) who is a man simply wanting to redeem himself for his actions as he wants to reconcile with both sons as he would train Tommy during the preparation for the tournament while cheering for Brendan once the tournament commences. Yet, complication ensues between the two brothers as they would eventually face each other in this tournament.

While the screenplay’s schematics is quite predictable in its second half, what makes up for it is the fact that it’s about these two brothers fighting their way to get the $5 million prize money. Both men would display very different styles of fighting in the course of the film but the obstacles they face aren’t inside a cage but outside. Brendan is worried about getting hurt as does his wife Tess (Jennifer Morrison) who knows about Brendan’s past as a UFC fighter. Brendan is also reluctant about reconciling with his father as he isn’t sure about having him near his daughters. Tommy meanwhile, is also reluctant about reconciling with his father though he only wants him as a trainer. Yet, Paddy is wondering about Tommy’s time as a Marine which would eventually lead to trouble as well as create many complications in Tommy’s troubled relationship with Paddy.

Gavin O’Connor’s direction is very engaging for the way he creates a film with two pretty different halves as the first half is essentially a family drama that concerns the two very different lives of two men. O’Connor’s direction is quite straightforward as he does employ a lot of hand-held cameras to capture the action as it would also feature montages to showcase the two different training styles of the two men. In its second half, it does become more of a typical fight movie yet O’Connor does insert some dramatic scenes to establish what these men are fighting for. Notably the first confrontation between Tommy and Brendan at a beach where O’Connor creates an amazing wide shot of the Atlantic City location. The fight scenes are quite stylish though O’Connor wisely doesn’t dwell too much into fast-cutting editing by taking his time to let the fights unfold. Notably as the climatic fight between the brothers is invested with lots of emotion and action. Overall, O’Connor creates a very dazzling yet tender film about two brothers trying to do whatever it takes to fight for something good.

Cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi does excellent work with the film‘s vibrant cinematography that carries a bit of grain in its look where it features a stylized look of some of the nighttime exterior scenes as well as very different colored schemes for the contrasting lives of Brendan and Tommy. Editors Sean Albertson, Matt Cheese, John Gilroy, and Aaron Marshall do great work with the editing by maintaining a straightforward approach to the dramatic scenes while utilizing montages for the training scenes as well as rhythmic cuts for the fights. Production designer Dan Leigh, along with set decorator Ron von Blomberg and art director James Donahue, does terrific work with the set pieces such as the gym that Tommy goes to as well as the school that Brendan works at.

Costume designer Abigail Murray does good work with costumes as it‘s mostly casual for many of the characters in the film. Sound mixer Peter J. Devlin does superb work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the fights in the arena as well as the more intimate moments in some of the film‘s location settings. The film’s music by Mark Isham is wonderful for its low-key yet bombastic orchestral score that underscores the drama and action that occurs while not utilizing any swelling arrangements to intensify the drama. Some of the film’s music consists of pieces by Ludwig van Beethoven as Brendan’s entrance music along with a very crucial song from the National in one of the film’s emotional moments.

The casting by Randi Hiller is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small performances from director Gavin O’Connor as the tournament organizer, Noah Emmerich as Brendan’s financial advisor, Kevin Dunn as Brendan’s principal, Vanessa Martinez as a widow Tommy tries to help out, Capri Thomas and Lexi Cowan as Brendan and Tess’ daughters, and Frank Grillo in a terrific performance as Brendan’s trainer Frank Campana. Other noteworthy small roles as the fighters include performances from Anthony Johnson, Nathan Marquardt, Roan Carneiro, Erik Apple, and Kurt Angle as the Russian fighter Koba. Jennifer Morrison is excellent as Brendan’s wife Tess who is worried about Brendan’s return to fighting as becomes aware of what is at stake.

Nick Nolte is incredible as Brendan and Tommy’s father Paddy who trains Tommy while wanting to re-establish contact with Brendan as he deals with his own troubled past as he’s yearning for redemption. Joel Edgerton is superb as Brendan who is determined to save his house as he goes back to fighting as he also seeks to try to make amends with his brother. Finally, there’s Tom Hardy in a marvelous performance as Tommy where Hardy displays a very quiet persona to a man who likes to keep things to himself and remain very guarded that often has him pushing people away from him.

Warrior is a remarkable film from Gavin O’Connor that features top-notch performances from Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, and Nick Nolte. The film is definitely a unique take on the fight movies as well as creating a captivating drama that allows the audience to root for these two men. It’s also a touching film that explores the relationship between brothers and fathers in all of its dysfunctions and more. In the end, Warrior is an amazing film from Gavin O’Connor.

Gavin O’Connor Films: (Comfortably Numb) - (Tumbleweeds) - (Miracle (2004 film)) - (Pride and Glory)

© thevoid99 2012

Hulk

Based on the Marvel comic by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Hulk is the story of a scientist who turns into a huge, green monster whenever he gets angry as he fights off various enemies while wanting to calm the beast from within. Directed by Ang Lee and screenplay by James Schamus, Michael France, and John Turman, that is based on a story by James Schamus. The film is an origin story of how Bruce Banner became the Incredible Hulk as well as his troubled relationship with his father David. Starring Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliot, Josh Lucas, Celia Weston, Cara Buono, and Nick Nolte. Hulk is a dazzling and stylish comic-book action-drama from Ang Lee.

Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) is a young scientist working at Berkeley as he and ex-girlfriend Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly) are experimenting with regeneration. Though the experiments are still a work in progress, it gets the attention of Major Glenn Talbot (Josh Lucas) who wants the two to work on the experiments for military reasons. Bruce refuses as an accident during a test has him save a scientist only to be exposed to gamma radiation. Though Bruce seems fine, he starts to have nightmares of strange images that he thinks are from a distant memory as a strange man (Nick Nolte) enters his room claiming to be his real father David. The encounter has Bruce unsure of who he is as the effects of the radiation has him dealing with his own emotions leading to him growing into a big monster.

After Betty learns what happens to Bruce, the incident gets the attention of her father in General Ross (Sam Elliot) who realizes what is happening. Wanting Betty to stay away from Bruce, things go bad when David sends his newly-mutated dogs to go after Betty until Bruce as this new monster saves her. Despite having little recollections about what happens to him as this monster, Bruce reveals to Betty about what it’s like as he’s later captured via tranquilizer by Betty’s father. Taken to a secret base, Bruce learns about his past as General Ross reveals that Bruce’s father conducted an experiment over mutating DNA that could heal wounds and injuries that later went out of control. Yet, David would experiment on himself as it was passed on to Bruce after his birth where things seemed fine. Yet, General Ross learns about the dangerous experiment where things go bad as it led all sorts of trouble.

After Bruce and Betty learn about what had happened those years ago, General Ross wants to do things right until an injured Talbot decides to take control in his desire to experiment on Bruce. With General Ross unable to take control and Betty forced to leave the secret lab, she later meets with David Banner who reveals what he had done as he asks to see Bruce one more time. Instead, Talbot’s attempt to experiment on Bruce goes wrong as the Hulk emerges once again to wreak havoc forcing General Ross and his soldiers to fight. Still, Bruce would later have another surprise in store for him from the man who created him.

The film is essentially an origin story of how Bruce Banner became the Incredible Hulk. Yet, it’s told in a very different style than most comic-book related pictures are presented as the film opens with a prologue of how David Banner created this experiment on mutant DNA regeneration and then pass it on to his son back in the early 1960s. Things eventually go wrong with the military authorities as it would lead to a young Bruce Banner losing his parents at an early age until he becomes a man who is unsure of his past only to discover who he really is and why he could be a threat.

Screenwriters James Schamus, Michael France, and John Turman explore Bruce Banner as a man who starts off as this calm and intelligent scientist that feels haunted by these dreams that he believes are from a distant memory. He’s also someone who doesn’t want to be involved in any kind of confrontation. He’s also a man that has a lot to give as he’s very close with his ex-girlfriend Betty who knows him better than anyone. Even as he becomes the Hulk, she is the one person that can get him to calm down and make him human again. Supporting characters like Betty Ross and her father do have depth as the latter expresses regret over how he handled things in his professional career as well as the estranged relationship he has with Betty.

The one character that adds to Bruce’s own internal conflict is his mysterious father David who is seen as this brilliant scientist who becomes paranoid and fearful over what Bruce might’ve become. Yet, he is later re-introduced as a haggard janitor wanting to finish the experiment he felt he hadn’t come close to finishing. The father-son dynamic of the film, which is a prominent theme to Ang Lee’s earlier work, adds to a dramatic layer rarely told in comic-book based action-blockbusters. It’s a unique element to the film that is well-executed until the third act where things become a bit ridiculous as it would also include a lot of exposition over the events that happened in the film’s prologue.

Ang Lee’s direction is definitely told in a stylish manner as if he wanted to create a cinematic comic book. Featuring arrays of multiple split-screens and dazzling editing styles, Lee aimed what he was looking for to play up some of the film’s action and intense dramatic moments. Yet, there’s parts of these montages that tend to overwhelm the story a bit though it’s part of the spirit Lee wanted to create a live-action comic book. While there’s lots of amazing compositions and styles in the way he will shoot scenes from multiple angles to play up the dramatic tension. Notably as he wants to emphasize on objects or things that will help build up the suspense.

For some of the film’s intense action moments that involve the Hulk, Lee goes for a lot of big scenes with wide depth of field shots set in parts of Utah and Arizona for Hulk’s chase scene. While some of the visual effects do look a bit wobbly, there is still an impressive element to the way they look as Hulk would fight off all sorts of things in the film. Including some of the fights with the exception of the film’s ridiculous climax between Bruce and David Banner. Despite some of the film’s flaws, Ang Lee does manage to create an engaging film that does more than what it is expected in its genre.

Cinematographer Frederick Elmes does excellent work with the film‘s very vibrant and colorful cinematography to play up the different locations of the film while setting dark colors for some of the film‘s nighttime interior and exterior scenes. Editor Tim Squyers does amazing work with the film‘s unique editing to play up varying cutting styles that manages to keep the film‘s brisk pace very while creating some wonderful montages for some of the film‘s dramatic and action moments. Production designer Rick Heinrichs, with art directors John Dexter and Greg Papalia and set decorator Cheryl Carasik, does nice work with the set pieces such as the secret lab that Ross runs to the old 60s home that the young Bruce lived in as a kid.

Costume designer Marit Allen does very good work with the costumes from the nerdy look that Bruce Banner has to the more haggard clothing of David Banner. Visual effects supervisors Dennis Muren and Bruce Holcomb do terrific work with the look of the Hulk, despite some flaws, to capture the hugeness of the monster. Sound designers Eugene Gearty and Gary Rydstrom, along with sound editor Richard Hymns, do superb work with the sound to capture the intensity of the Hulk‘s growls as well as the explosions and other sound effects to play up Banner‘s transformation into the Hulk. The film’s score by Danny Elfman is pretty good for its bombastic orchestral score that features elements Indian vocals in the mix to make it feel different while the soundtrack includes a song by Velvet Revolver in the film’s closing credits.

The casting by Avy Kaufman and Franklyn Warren is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it includes small appearances from Paul Kersey as the young David Banner, Todd Tesen as the young Ross, Mike Erwin as the teenage Bruce, Rhiannon Leigh Wryn as the adolescent Betty, Michael and David Kronenberg as the young Bruce, Kevin Rankin as Bruce and Betty’s scientist friend Harper, Celia Weston as Bruce’s stepmother, Cara Buono as Bruce’s real mother in the film’s prologue, and as a couple of security guards early in the film, Stan Lee and the original Hulk in Lou Ferrigno, who also does the voice for the Hulk. Josh Lucas is terrible as the villainous Talbot as Lucas does nothing to a very typical villain as he ends up looking very smug and tries to be intimidating only for him to end up being a complete moron.

Sam Elliot is excellent as General Ross as a man that wants to keep Bruce under control in hopes to not the same mistakes that he did years ago though he has issues trying to do what is right as he is estranged from his daughter. Nick Nolte is pretty good as the mysterious David Banner who tries to help Bruce in finding a cure only to have regrets as it’s a very intense one from Nolte though he goes over-the-top late in the film. Jennifer Connelly is quite fine in her role as Betty Ross as she does present as the emotional calm for Bruce though her character at times is a bit underwritten. Finally, there’s Eric Bana as Bruce Banner where Bana definitely gets to show the conflict in Banner as well as a man who is consumed by fear only to give in to the anger as the Incredible Hulk where Bana manages to create a very compelling performance.

Though it’s flawed in terms of its presentation, Hulk is still an entertaining film from Ang Lee thanks in part to Eric Bana’s reserved performance. While it’s not one of the great films of the comic book origin films nor among one of Lee’s best work. It is still a film worth seeing for the way Lee chooses to present the film that does make it stand out from the rest. In the end, Hulk is a fun action-drama from Ang Lee.

Ang Lee Films: Pushing Hands - The Wedding Banquet - Eat Drink Man Woman - Sense & Sensibility (1995 film) - The Ice Storm - Ride with the Devil - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - The Hire: Chosen - Brokeback Mountain - Lust, Caution - Taking Woodstock - Life of Pi - Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk - The Auteurs #19: Ang Lee

Related: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers (2012 film)

© thevoid99 2012

Clean

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 5/17/08.

French director Olivier Assayas is known for his prolific styles of filmmaking whether its exploring teen angst, film satire, mystery, or straightforward drama. Assayas is considered to be one of France's premier directors of the 1990s and so on as he also admitted to his appreciation towards Asian cinema. In 1998, he married Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung whom he has collaborated with in 1996's Irma Vep. Yet in 2001, the couple divorced though their relationship was still amicable for their 2004 collaboration in the drug abuse drama Clean.

Written and directed by Olivier Assayas, Clean tells the story of a former video jockey whose relationship with a musician takes a troubling turn as they succumb to drug addiction. Upon a tragic moment where she is discovered with heroin, she goes to jail, loses custody of her child, and then tries to redeem herself while trying to pursue a career as a singer. With Maggie Cheung in the leading role, the film is an exploration of addiction and redemption. Also starring Nick Nolte, Beatrice Dalle, Jeanne Balibar, Don McKellar, Martha Henry, James Johnston of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, James Dennis, and Emily Haines. Clean is a harrowing yet provocative film from Olivier Assayas on redemption.

Emily Wang (Maggie Cheung) for several years has been trying to help her lover musician Lee Hauser (James Johnston) as his music career is at an all-time low. With no deal and all the connections running out, they turn to their already troubling addiction to heroin. With their son Jay (James Dennis) living in Vancouver with Lee's parents Albrecht (Nick Nolte) and Rosemary (Martha Henry), Lee and Emily are still struggling. When one of their friends in Vernon (Don McKellar) has an offer to help Lee with a deal, Emily turns it down as Vernon along with the band Metric led by Emily Haines believe that Emily is the reason for Lee's decline. Following an argument about drugs and their troubling lifestyle, Emily walks out of their motel room as she does heroin in their car where she passes out. The next morning as she wakes up, police arrive where she learns that Lee had died of an overdose while she was arrested for possession.

When Albrecht and Rosemary hears the news of Lee's death, they're distraught as Albrecht is now dealing with Lee's estate as well as what's left of his music career. Emily is sent to prison for six months as Albrecht and Vernon handle Lee's business. Following her release, Emily meets Albrecht as she reveals she's on methadone as Albrecht asks if she stays away from Jay for a while. Emily moves to Paris to begin a new life though her methadone intake has taken a toll. After meeting Jean-Pierre (Remi Martin), she tries to get him to send a letter to one of Lee’s old friends Tricky as she reconnects with her old friend Elena (Beatrice Dalle). Emily reveals she's made demos of music with a friend named Gloria (Jodi Crawford) as Elena listens where she helps her get contact with a former employer named Irene Paolini (Jeanne Balibar). After being snubbed by Irene, she finds comfort in Irene's lover Sandrine (Laetitia Spigarelli) who had been a fan of Emily in her old days as a video jockey.

Still working a Chinese restaurant, Irene finally meets with her but the conversation goes nowhere as she moves in with Elena while getting a job selling clothes. Meanwhile in London, Albrecht and Jay accompany Rosemary for treatment as she had fallen ill. With Albrecht concerned for Rosemary's health and Jay's well-being, he realizes that the boy has to be with his mother no matter what Rosemary had told Jay about her. With Emily now clean and no longer on methadone, she becomes more determined to clean herself fully for her son. When Albrecht decides to go to Paris with Jay for a visit, Emily is ecstatic to see her son until a call from Gloria where she revealed to have gotten some sessions with David Roback of Mazzy Star in San Francisco. Unsure of what to do, she decides to see Jay, though he is reluctant to see her where she turns to Albrecht for help about what to do where he gives her a choice to think about her own future as well as her future with Jay.

Assayas' eerie yet moody take on a woman's journey from rock bottom to redemption is truly mesmerizing as his script reveals the affect of the death of this man and how his lover is trying to find ways to redeem herself in front of her son and her father-in-law. The film has an added subplot that involves Albrecht and how he's trying to deal things where unlike his wife who blames Emily for her son's death. Albrecht is aware that Lee is at fault for his own actions and is willing to forgive Emily for her own actions. While the screenplay is superb, it's the direction of Olivier Assayas that is spellbinding. With dreamy images, intimate settings, and observant camera, it's clear that Assayas is creating a film, though harsh and unsettling, that is all about mood as he unveils a harrowing portrait of redemption where the ending is complex yet emotional.

Cinematographer Eric Gautier adds a wonderful moodiness with his camera that includes stark colors for the film’s eerie, exterior settings in the daytime scenes in Canada, Paris, and London. The nighttime scenes in Paris are more colorful including some great interior shots with different array of colors. Gautier's photography is superb in every frame as he captures the tone of each scene in the film. Editor Luc Barnier does wonderful work in the film's editing with the use of jump-cuts and fade-outs to add a unique rhythm and style to the film. Production designers William Fleming and Francois-Renaud Labarthe do superb work in the different location and settings for the film as well as the French apartments that Emily visits. Costume designer Anais Roman does nice work with the costumes that range from rock-star like clothing to more casual, street clothing to convey the mood of the characters throughout the film. Sound designers Roman Dymny, Nicolas Moreau, and Daniel Sorbino add to the film's moodiness with on location sound work for the streets as well as the concert scenes shown.

Music composer David Roback of the Rain Parade and Mazzy Star brings a dreamy, moody score to the film while contributing original songs that are sung by Maggie Cheung herself. Additional contributions for the film's soundtrack comes from Tricky, Luna's Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips, Joey Ramone, and a lot of cuts from Brian Eno in his various periods including his collaborations with David Byrne, Daniel Lanois, and Roger Eno. The music of Brian Eno works to convey the melancholia of Emily's character as it's used greatly.

The cast is truly superb with an array of appearances from David Roback, the band Metric led by Emily Haines of Broken Social Scene, and Tricky as himself. James Johnston of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is excellent as Lee Hauser, a struggling musician who is having problems with Emily that would lead to his own death. Jodi Crawford is good in her brief role as Emily's music collaborator Gloria while Laetitia Spigarelli is also good as Irene's secretary/girlfriend Sandrine who is a big fan of Emily in her old VJ days. Remi Martin is fine in his role as Emily’s old friend Jean-Pierre who helps her give a letter to Tricky while Don McKellar is superb as Lee's friend Vernon who handles his affairs after his death while giving Emily her cut. Jeanne Balibar is excellent as Emily's former employer Irene who seems to be unhelpful as she has become disenchanted with everything only to conform to corporate leanings.

James Dennis is great as Jay, the little boy who is unaware about his mother only to be told lies about her as he tries to figure out why she wasn't there for him. Martha Henry is good as Rosemary, an ill woman who is so heartbroken over her son's death, she couldn't bear but to hate Emily for what happened to her son. Beatrice Dalle is excellent in a supporting role as Elena, an old friend who helps out Emily while giving her a home and guidance on what she has to do for her career. The film's best supporting performance truly goes to Nick Nolte as Albrecht, Lee's father who provides a sense of wisdom and support for Emily as he helps her try to redeem herself as his character is the one with a huge conscience and the one with moral value.

The film's best performance truly goes to Maggie Cheung who would win the Best Actress prize at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival for this film. Cheung's performance is magnificent from start to finish as she speaks English, French, and a variation of Chinese in the film as she plays a woman who is very flawed and then, tries to redeem herself. Though Cheung's beauty is definitely striking to watch, it's how she sells herself through the performance where the result is truly raw and also unsettling. Cheung also display subtlety to some heavy emotional scenes as she restrains herself in the performance while also displaying greater talent in her singing that is true to the film's mood. If there's one real highlight of this film, it's Maggie Cheung.

Clean is a harrowing yet engrossing film from Olivier Assayas led by the sprawling performance of Maggie Cheung. Fans of the work of Assayas and Cheung will no doubt consider this as essential while the film also includes an amazing supporting turn from Nick Nolte. While the film might be harrowing, it's subject matter is truly universal while both Assayas and Cheung create a film that is accessible yet arty. In the end, Clean is gratifying film that shows a woman's attempt to seek redemption for her actions and trying to find a new hope.

Olivier Assayas Films: (Disorder) - (Winter’s Child) - (Paris Awakens) - (A New Life) - (Cold Water) - (Irma Vep) - (Late August, Early September) - (Sentimental Destinies) - (Demonlover) - (Boarding Gate) - Summer Hours - Carlos - (Something in the Air) - Clouds of Sils Maria - Personal Shopper

© thevoid99 2011