Steve Jobs (2015 film)

Based on the biography by Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs is the story about the man who co-founded Apple Computers as the film explores three different periods of his life. Directed by Danny Boyle and screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, the film is an unconventional story of Jobs’ life set in three different presentations of his three creations with behind-the-scenes moments where he deals with his own personal life as he’s played by Michael Fassbender. Also starring Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Katherine Waterston, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sarah Snook, and Jeff Daniels. Steve Jobs is an astonishing film from Danny Boyle.

Told in the span of 14 years from 1984 to 1998, the plays into the life of Apple Computers co-founder Steve Jobs as he is to launch three landmark products to the world in three different stage presentations. The film plays into Jobs on a day where he is to present a different product in a different year as he contends with colleagues, last-minute changes, glitches, and his own personal life as it relates to his illegitimate daughter Lisa Brennan. It’s a film told in three different periods in Jobs’ life and career as screenwriter Aaron Sorkin creates a unique structure that plays into Jobs’ life with some flashbacks of events that preceded the launches such as Jobs and Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen) creating the Apple II computer and Jobs hiring John Sculley (Jeff Daniels) to be the CEO of Apple Computers.

The first act revolves around the launching of the Apple MacIntosh where Jobs and his right-hand woman Joanna Hoffman (Kate Winslet) fret over the computer in saying something to a packed house at an auditorium. The second act revolves around the NeXT personal computer four years after Jobs was fired from Apple in which he not only tries to deal with launching a computer that isn’t working on all cylinders but also his issues with Wozniak and Sculley. The third act is about the launch of the iMac just two years after Jobs has returned to Apple where he not only deals with other issues relating to his own ego but also his own personal demons. While Sorkin definitely shows not just how complicated Jobs is as a person where he was in denial over being the father of young girl but also in someone who likes to take all of the credit. It adds to the often contentious relationship with not just those who are close to him but also those who helped him in his ascent.

While Wozniak, Sculley, and Andy Hertzfield (Michael Stuhlbarg) each had their own issues with Jobs, they respected him though it is clear that they often feel slighted by him as Hertzfield is often pressured to meet deadlines and fix whatever technical issues a certain product has. Wozniak is just a guy that everyone likes as he was the brainchild of the Apple II computer which was Apple’s most successful product at that time as he just wants credit. Sculley meanwhile is the man that wanted to help Jobs and be cautious as there’s a key moment in the second act where the two talked about Jobs’ firing from Apple in 1985 where Sculley is called the scapegoat by everyone. Then there’s Joanna Hoffman as she is the film’s conscious as someone who knows Jobs left and right as well as the people in his life including Jobs’ former girlfriend Chrisann Brennan (Katherine Waterston) and their daughter Lisa. Adding to Sorkin’s approach to the narrative is his dialogue as it features lot of monologue and stylish dialogue which definitely says a lot to the characters in the film and their personalities.

Danny Boyle’s direction is very stylish not just in the intimacy he creates in these three different presentations in the life of Jobs but also in how they’re presented. The first act which revolves around the Apple MacIntosh presentation as it is shown in a grainy film stock to play into the look of the early 1980s as Boyle would use a lot of close-ups and handheld cameras to maintain that intimacy. Even in some of the wide shots of the many stage settings of each presentation has something to say where it is all set in different venues that play into the evolution of Jobs as a man and artist. Each segment would feature a montage of the events that occurred in between the different acts where the presentations in the second and third act would provide a much more polished film stock that doesn’t just play more in Jobs’ evolution but also him trying to prove himself even more.

Boyle’s direction would also use some unique tracking shots to play into many of the events that goes on behind-the-scenes Jobs and his crew are trying to get a presentation ready. Some of it is frenetic which plays into the demands that Jobs wants where the camera is often following him, Hoffman, and whoever but it also slows down for scenes set in the dressing rooms. Notably as it play into some of the private moments that occur between Jobs, Hoffman, Brennan, and Lisa while Boyle would also create some flashback scenes which play into Jobs on the rise and the fall he would suffer once he is fired from Apple. By the time the film reaches its third act with the upcoming launch of the iMac, the look is much brighter but the tension is still there as it plays into some of the dramatic elements of the film as well as how far Jobs has become where he is finally about to achieve some success. Overall, Boyle creates a compelling yet stylish film about one of the greatest figures in the world of computers.

Cinematographer Alwin H. Kuchler does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography as it each act and presentation has a different and distinctive look from the colorful yet grainy look of the first act, the more polished yet colorful look of the second act, and a much brighter and evocative look for the film‘s third act. Editor Elliot Graham does excellent work with the editing as it features some jump-cuts and other stylistic cuts including inserted montages as it help plays into Jobs‘ development as a character and the products he would create. Production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas, with set decorator Gene Serdena and supervising art director Luke Freeborn, does brilliant work with the set design for each of the presentation of the auditoriums where Jobs would present his new creations as it helps establish a mood for each sequence as well as the locations of these auditoriums.

Costume designer Suttriat Anne Larlab does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly casual though it does evolve over time as it includes some of the hippie-style clothes Chrisann wears. Makeup designer Ivana Primorac does fantastic work with the look of Jobs as well as Hoffman throughout the years as well as the other supporting characters. Visual effects supervisor Adam Gascoyne does terrific work with some of the visual effects as it‘s mostly minimal for some of the big presentations. Sound designer Glenn Freemantle does superb with the sound to play into frenzy of the crowd awaiting for the product unveilings as well as some key scenes in the conversations and backstage areas. The film’s music by Daniel Pemberton is wonderful for its orchestral-based score as it features an array of different themes for each act and presentation where some of it is operatic and some of it is low-key while the music soundtrack largely features music from Bob Dylan, the Macabees, and the Libertines.

The casting by Francine Maisler is incredible as it features a few notable small roles from John Ortiz as the journalist Joel Pforzheimer, Adam Shapiro as the software engineer Avie Tevanian for the film’s third act, and Sarah Snook as one of Jobs’ key collaborators in Andrea “Andy” Cunningham. In the dual of roles as the younger versions Lisa Brennan-Jobs, Makenzie Moss and Ripley Sobo both bring excellent performances in their respective roles as the five and nine-year old versions of Lisa where they provide the innocence of a young girl who wants to get to know her father. As the 19-year old Lisa, Perla Haney-Jardine is fantastic as the young woman who reluctantly wants to talk to her father as she deals with his attempts for a reconciliation. Michael Stuhlbarg is superb as the programmer/engineer Andy Hertzfield who was part of the Apple II team as he tries to help Jobs with some last minute things for the MacIntosh presentation as well as comment on some of the things in Jobs’ own life including Lisa.

Katherine Waterston is brilliant as Chrisann Brennan as Jobs’ former girlfriend who reluctantly shows up to the first two presentations asking for money as well as acknowledging that he’s Lisa’s father. Jeff Daniels is amazing as John Sculley as Apple’s CEO for the first two acts who deals with Jobs’ lavish presentation as well as being the scapegoat of getting Jobs out of Apple where he tries to get Jobs to admit his own wrongdoings that forced him out of Apple. Seth Rogen is remarkable as Steve Wozniak as the co-founder of Apple and the brainchild behind the Apple II as he tries to be Jobs’ friend but also want him to acknowledge the Apple II team for what they’ve done for the products Jobs would create for Apple in the coming years.

Kate Winslet is phenomenal as Joanna Hoffman as Jobs’ right-hand woman who is the film’s conscience as she tries to get everything ready while being the one person who tries to get Jobs to establish a relationship with Lisa as well as do what is right for him. Finally, there’s Michael Fassbender in a magnificent performance as the titular character as this man who sees himself as an artist in the world of personal computers as he tries to give the world the best product possible while dealing with his ego as well as his personal life as Fassbender isn’t afraid to make Jobs un-likeable as well as display some humanity into the character as it’s one of Fassbender’s finest performances to date.

Steve Jobs is a tremendous film from Danny Boyle that features an outstanding performance from Michael Fassbender in the titular role. Along with a great supporting cast as well as some beautiful imagery and Aaron Sorkin’s inventive screenplay. The film is a provocative yet ravishing portrait of one of the great figures of the 20th and 21st Century who changed the world with technology as well as someone who was also very complicated professionally and personally. In the end, Steve Jobs is a spectacular film from Danny Boyle.

Danny Boyle Films: Shallow Grave - Trainspotting - A Life Less Ordinary - The Beach - 28 Days Later - Millions - Sunshine - Slumdog Millionaire - 127 Hours - Trance - T2 Trainspotting - (Yesterday (2019 film))

© thevoid99 2015

Kill Bill

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill is a two-part film about a woman who was left for dead as she is awaken from a four-year coma to kill the man who tried to have her assassinated as well as the assassins themselves. The film is a journey into a woman seeking vengeance for her near-death experience as it blends all sorts of genres from action, samurai films, martial arts films, and westerns as playing the lead role of the Bride is Uma Thurman. Also starring Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, Michael Parks, Sonny Chiba, Julie Dreyfus, Gordon Liu, Samuel L. Jackson, and David Carradine as Bill. Kill Bill is a thrilling and exciting epic film from Quentin Tarantino.

Kill Bill Vol. 1

After being nearly killed by the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad during her wedding ceremony, the Bride is comatose as she doesn’t wake up until four years later as she decide to seek revenge for those that tried to kill her including her boss Bill. After her recovery, the Bride travels to Okinawa to meet with the great swordsmith Hattori Hanzo (Sonny Chiba) to create a sword for her. She then travels to Tokyo to go after the first of the four assassins in Yakuza head O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) and her army known as the Crazy 88s. The Bride also decides to go after the assassin Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox) as she’s closer to reach her target.

Kill Bill Vol. 2

Following news of what the Bride is doing, Bill decides to warn his estranged brother Budd (Michael Madsen) about the Bride coming. With the Bride reaching Budd’s trailer, she gets an unexpected surprise from Budd as he decides to take her sword and bury her alive inside a coffin. Budd calls fellow assassin Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) about the news as he plans to sell her the Bride’s Hanzo sword for a million dollars. Elle makes the deal but has a big surprise for Budd as she suddenly finds herself dealing with the Bride as the two fight it off. Finally set to go after Bill with information from Esteban Vihaio (Michael Parks), the Bride finally reaches Bill’s home as she learns something that shocks her. After that, the Bride and Bill finally discuss why all of this had to happen.

The films are essentially a two-part story of a woman seeking revenge for the beating she took that left her comatose for four years where on the day of her wedding, she was pregnant with a child. After being awoken from that coma, she decides to after the four assassins that tried to have her killed along with the man who ordered the assassination as she revealed in the opening scene of the film that the baby she’s carrying is his. The loss of what would be their child as well as being comatose for four years would drive this woman known as the Bride to go after the people that tried to kill her as it would be this big long adventure that would span through many places and blend into many different genres.

Quentin Tarantino’s screenplay, that features contributions from Uma Thurman for co-creating the Bride character, has a plot that is very simple yet he creates a story that doesn’t delve into a traditional structure. The first film is told in a non-linear style where it begins with the Bride’s confrontation with Vernita Green that is a short but a very poignant scene that reveals a lot about Green and what she’s become. It’s a moment where the Bride shows some remorse for her actions as the first film moves into very different scenes that includes a back story about O-Ren Ishii told in an animated sequence about how she became an assassin after the death of her family in the hands of a Yakuza lord. Another character that is presented in the first half of the story, aside from Hattori Hanzo, is Ishii’s right-hand woman Sofie Fatale (Julie Dreyfus) who was also present at massacre.

While Tarantino employs a non-linear narrative structure for the most of the first film, it’s restrained for the second film where he begins the story with the wedding rehearsal that Bill attends that would lead to the attack. It also reveals more about the other assassins in Budd and Elle Driver where the former has become a broken-down bouncer for a strip club. Another element that is revealed in the second film is a story about the Bride’s training with a cruel martial arts teacher named Pai Mei (Gordon Liu). Once the story progresses where the Bride finally reaches Bill, a twist is revealed that would impact everything the Bride had gone through where she and Bill finally have their own confrontation. Notably as it revealed why the Bride left Bill in the first place during an assignment.

It’s not just the structure and the stylish dialogue that makes Tarantino’s screenplay so interesting but also the way he creates the characters. Tarantino does give each assassin each time to establish their characters where O-Ren Ishii is a Yakuza lord, Vernita Green is a mother, Budd is a broken-down strip club bouncer who lives in a trailer in Texas, and Elle Driver who is still an assassin that is very close to Bill. Each have their own history with the Bride which does create some complications for the way she deals with her enemies though there are those that she just truly despises. When it comes to Bill, Bill is not a traditional antagonist as he’s someone who truly cherishes the Bride as what he did to her was part of who he is as a killer.

Tarantino’s direction is definitely stylish in terms of the presentation he wants to create for both films. The first film is largely a samurai picture with a mixture of action and suspense that includes an anime-style animated sequence to reveal the story of O-Ren Ishii. Through some very stylish shots for the fight scenes, Tarantino captures the intensity of the fights including the Bride’s battle with the Crazy 88s as it includes some beautiful moments such as the fight inside a blue room. Tarantino knows when to slow things down to establish what is going on as he creates some lovely moments for scenes in Tokyo along with some interesting shots such as Elle’s visit to the hospital to poison the already comatose Bride.

For the second film, Tarantino employs a different mix of genres such as martial arts and the western where the latter plays out to the world of Budd and the eventual fight between the Bride and Elle. In the scenes set in Texas, Tarantino employs a wider canvas to tell the story such as the wedding rehearsal and the scenes involving Budd in his trailer. Tarantino adds an element of suspense to these moments when the Bride is set to confront Budd that is later followed by this chilling moment of horror when the Bride is buried alive inside a casket as Tarantino maintains this very claustrophobic framing as if there’s a possibility that she won’t survive. Still, Tarantino knows the Bride has to survive where he creates some very captivating moments that would lead to the ultimate confrontation between herself and Bill.

The way Tarantino directs the ultimate final meeting between the Bride and Bill definitely lives up to everything that had been expected except there’s a lot of surprises in store. There’s a bit of low-key humor but also heartfelt moments that shows that Tarantino can create something that is very innocent. This is of course followed by tense, dramatic moments involving Bill and the Bride where it’s all about why Bill had her killed and why the Bride had to seek revenge. It is truly something that is unexpected by Tarantino as he creates something that is more than a revenge story but also a love story. Overall, Tarantino creates a truly exciting yet engrossing genre-bending epic that does a lot to entertain and more.

Cinematographer Robert Richardson does great work with the very vibrant and colorful photography from the stylish looks of the scenes in Japan in the first film to the more gritty look of the desert scenes in second film. Editor Sally Menke does brilliant work with the editing to create some amazing cuts for the film‘s action along with some slow, methodical cuts for the film‘s suspenseful moments. Production designer David Wasco, along with set decorator Sandy Reynolds-Wasco and art director Daniel Bradford for both films, does excellent work with the set pieces such as the hospital room that the Bride was in plus the wedding chapel and Budd’s trailer while the Japanese scenes featured work by production designer Yohei Taneda and set decorator Yoshihito Akatsuta for the set pieces such as Hanzo’s bar and O-Ren Ishii’s home base.

Costume designers Kumiko Ogawa and Catherine Marie Thomas do wonderful work with the costumes from the Bruce Lee-inspired look of the Bride‘s jumpsuit during her battle with the Crazy 88 to the clothes that O-Ren Ishii and Elle Driver wears. Visual effects supervisor Frankie Chung does superb work with the minimal visual effects used for some of the film‘s action and fight scenes that occur in the film. Animation director Katsuhito Ishii does terrific work with the first film‘s lone animated sequence that tells the story of O-Ren Ishii‘s early life. Sound editor Wylie Stateman, along with sound designers Peter Michael Sullivan, Scott Sanders, and Harry Cohen (for the first film) plus Dino Dimura (for the second film), does fantastic work with the sound to capture the atmosphere that occurs in both films such as the sound effects in the Bride‘s battle with O-Ren‘s army as well as the chilling scene inside the coffin in the second film.

The films double-soundtrack features a wide array of music that plays up to mesh of styles of the genre. Supervised by Mary Ramos for both film soundtracks and Michelle Kuznetsky for the first film soundtrack, the first volume consists a wide range of music from genres like 60s garage rock, score music, 70s soul, and electronic music from acts like Nancy Sinatra, Bernard Herrmann, Louis Bacalov, Meiko Kaji, Isaac Hayes, Neu!, Al Hirt, Santa Esmeralda, Gheorge Zamfir, Quincy Jones, and some original score pieces by Wu-Tang Clan’s the RZA who provides a mixture of hip-hop and electronic music to play up the momentum of the battle.

The second soundtrack consists a different style of music ranging from 70s soul, pop, country, and electronic music from Luis Bacalov, Malcolm McLaren, Meiko Kaji, Charlie Feathers, the RZA, and Johnny Cash. The film also features original music by Robert Rodriguez and his band Chingon as it plays to a mixture of Tex-Mex blues and mariachi while the soundtrack also features Spaghetti Western-inspired music that largely features the work of Ennio Morricone. Both soundtracks are definitely among some of the best usage of music ever assembled for these films.

The casting by Koko Maeda and Johanna Ray is incredible for the large ensemble that is created for both films. From the first part, there’s notable small roles from Michael Bowen as the perverted hospital orderly Buck, Sakichi Sato as a man the Crazy 88s humiliate that they call Charlie Brown, Yuki Kazamatsuri as the House of Blue Leaves proprietor, James Parks as the policeman Edgar McGraw, Jun Kunimura as a Yakuza head who insults O-Ren, and Ambrosia Kelley as Vernita’s four-year old daughter Nikki. From the second film, there’s wonderful performances from Helen Kim as an assassin that tries to kill the Bride, Larry Bishop and Sid Haig as people who work at the strip club Budd works at, Chris Nelson as the Bride’s fiancee Tommy Plympton, Bo Svenson as the reverend at the Bride’s wedding rehearsal, Jeannie Epper as the reverend’s wife, Samuel L. Jackson as the organist that was to play at the wedding, and Perla Haney-Jardine as a little girl that the Bride meets.

Other noteworthy small roles include Michael Parks playing a dual role as Texas Ranger Earl McGraw in the first film and Bill’s old friend Esteban Vihaio in the second, Gordon Liu as the Crazy 88s leader Johnny Mo in the first film and the cruel teacher Pai Mei in the second one, Chiaki Kuriyama as O-Ren’s sadistic bodyguard Gogo Yubari, Julie Dreyfus as O-Ren’s lawyer Sofie Fatale, and Sonny Chiba as the legendary swords maker Hattori Hanzo. In the roles of the former DiVAS assassination team, there’s brilliant performances from Vivica A. Fox as Vernita Greene who tries to make amends with the Bride, Lucy Liu as the skilled yet darkly-humored O-Ren Ishii who has a unique history with the Bride, Michael Madsen as Bill’s broken-down brother Budd who is filled with a lot of regret as he deals with the Bride, and Daryl Hannah as the vicious Elle Driver who seems to have a lot of animosity towards the Bride.

The late David Carradine is incredible as Bill as this very charismatic yet sadistic man who deals with the Bride’s vengeance as well as everything that happens where Carradine brings a performance that is truly engaging as he creates an antagonist that is quite likeable. Finally, there’s Uma Thurman in an outstanding performance as the Bride as a woman hell-bent on getting revenge for what happened to her. Thurman’s performance is full of complexities as a woman who has some charm as well as someone with remorse for her actions as there’s also a chilling restraint to her role. It’s definitely Thurman going all out and more as she creates a performance that is simply iconic.

Kill Bill is a magnificent two-part film from Quentin Tarantino that features a magnificent lead performance from Uma Thurman. With its amazing blend of genres, stylish production value, a killer soundtrack, and a brilliant ensemble cast that includes David Carradine, Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen, and Sonny Chiba. Both films as one is truly an unforgettable experience as though both films does have something for everyone. In the end, Kill Bill is a phenomenal two-part film from Quentin Tarantino.

Quentin Tarantino Films: Reservoir Dogs - Pulp Fiction - Four Rooms: The Man from Hollywood - Jackie Brown - Grindhouse: Death Proof - Inglourious Basterds - Django Unchained - The Hateful Eight - Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

Related: The Auteurs #17: Quentin Tarantino - Growing Up with Quentin Tarantino

© thevoid99 2012

Genova (2008 film)

Directed by Michael Winterbottom and written by Winterbottom and Laurence Coriat, Genova is the story of a widowed professor and his two American daughters who move to Italy after the death of their mother. There, they deal with their new surroundings as they all try to come to terms with loss. Starring Colin Firth, Catherine Keener, Willa Holland, Perla Haney-Jardine, and Hope Davis. Genova is a touching yet enchanting drama from Michael Winterbottom.

After the death of his wife Marianne (Hope Davis) from a car accident, Joe (Colin Firth) decides to take a job to teach English literature at a university in Genova, Italy. Taking his two daughters in 16-year old Kelly (Willa Holland) and 10-year old Mary (Perla Haney-Jardine) with him for the entire year, they’re accompanied by Joe’s old college friend Barbara (Catherine Keener) who also teaches at the university. Things aren’t easy as Mary is ravaged with guilt over the accident as Joe has his two daughters take piano lessons from a local teacher. Kelly meanwhile, becomes interested in socializing as she meets a young man named Lorenzo (Alessandro Giuggioli). With Barbara showing Joe and the girls the sites in the town as well as other places as she gets to know Mary who claims to see her mother’s ghost.

When Barbara takes Joe and the girls to a beach that is nearby a monastery, Barbara takes Mary to a place to light candles where Mary suddenly wanders around and gets lost prompting Joe to try and find her. Joe becomes more worried about Mary while Kelly starts to come home late from parties as she starts to rebel and do things behind her father’s back. With Mary still seeing her mother’s ghost, Joe takes an interest in one of his students in Rosa (Margherita Romeo) much to Barbara’s chagrin where he would go out with Rosa on one particular day. With Kelly also out, Mary remains haunted by the visions of her mother prompting her father and sister to realize what has been happening.

The film is about a British professor who decides to try and start over following the death of his wife as he takes his two daughters to the exotic world of Genova. While he takes a job teaching English literature for a summer course in a local university, his two daughter go into very different directions to deal with loss of their mother. For the rebellious teenager Kelly, she ventures into a world of parties and falls for a young man while keeping it secret from her father. For the younger daughter Mary, she tries to find solace in attending spiritual places to light candles as she is surrounded by the ghost of her mother while dealing with the guilt over how her mother died. While an old friend of Joe in Barbara would try and help out, she would start to feel guilty thinking she’s getting too close.

The screenplay that Michael Winterbottom and Laurence Coriat create is an exploration of grief where they emphasize more on following these characters in this new world they’re adapting to rather than play to the conventions of a melodrama. Since the film doesn’t have much of a plot as it wanders around a lot for the characters to figure out how to adapt to this new environment. Yet, there are moments of repetition of what these people do for their surroundings though there’s a break every once in a while from these daily routines. Notably as there’s a few moments where Mary cries in anguish prompting Joe to comfort her as she remains haunted by the events presented early in the film. The characters are definitely flawed because they’re all unsure of how to move on. Though Kelly starts to act out by going home late and become cruel to her younger sister and dad. It’s only because she is at an age where she is trying to find herself but the loss of a maternal figure adds to her confusion.

Winterbottom’s direction is truly engaging in the way he presents the film without trying to make Genova into a world where it’s all about the beaches and luxurious buildings. Instead, Winterbottom avoids the postcard look of the film to go for something more realistic as he takes the camera into these narrow alleys where it’s a place that is very strange and dark. Since it is presented largely in a hand-held digital camera style, Winterbottom makes a film where it is about this new environment and this family trying to start anew. Though the early portions of the film shot partially in Sweden and Chicago, the first scene that involves the accident has Winterbottom create something simpler and then cut to black only using sound to emphasize what is happening.

The presentation of these early scenes are shown with a much tighter and controlled approach to the direction while everything else in Genova is much looser. Though the locations are a bit claustrophobic at times and other locations much more spread-out. There is something to that presentation that is engrossing to watch while the drama that unfolds makes it more entrancing. Notably the scenes where Mary would often see her mother either in her room or at a certain location. The overall work has Winterbottom create a truly mesmerizing film about grief and coping with loss.

Cinematographer Marcel Zyskind does an amazing job with the film‘s very vibrant and colorful digital photography to make the film have a more realistic look as well as maintaining some hypnotic lighting set-up for some of the film‘s interior setting. Editing the film with Michael Winterbottom is Paul Monaghan as the duo create a very stylish approach to the editing utilizing rhythmic cuts to play up some of the drama that unfolds in the film. Production designer Mark Digby does a nice job with the set pieces created such as the apartment Joe and his daughters live in to a few other set pieces in some of the locations in Genova.

Costume designer Celia Yau does a wonderful job with the costumes for the more youthful clothes of Kelly and Mary to complement their differing personalities. Sound designer Joakim Sundstrom does excellent work with the sound to capture raucous atmosphere of the locations including the party scenes and beaches. The film’s music by Melissa Parmenter is superb for its somber yet evocative presentation as it’s mostly low-key with piano pieces while a lot of the film’s soundtrack includes a mix of classical piano sonatas, a score piece by Georges Delerue, and alternative rock cuts from Modest Mouse.

The casting by Wendy Brazington is brilliant for the small ensemble that is created as it includes small appearances from Alessandro Giuggioli as Kelly’s Italian lover Lorenzo, Margherita Romeo as Joe’s Italian student Rosa, and Hope Davis in a very crucial yet ethereal role as Joe’s late wife Marianne. Perla Haney-Jardine is great as the young Mary who seeks some sort of spiritual answer from her late mother as she is filled with guilt for her mother’s death. Willa Holland is excellent as the teenager Kelly who tries to rebel by going to parties and explore her sexuality as a way to act her loss. Catherine Keener is terrific as Joe’s old friend Barbara who helps the family out while trying to understand what Mary is dealing with. Colin Firth is superb as the grieving professor Joe who tries to deal with Mary’s guilt and Kelly’s rebellious nature while wanting to start over as it’s a very touching performance from the British actor.

Genova is a rich and exotic film from Michael Winterbottom featuring top-notch performances from Colin Firth, Catherine Keener, Willa Holland, and Perla Haney-Jardine. The film is definitely one of Winterbottom’s most unconventional yet surprisingly accessible film in terms of its exploration of loss while adding a realistic look to the city of Genova. In the end, Genova is a radiant yet engrossing film from Michael Winterbottom.

Michael Winterbottom Films: (Rosie the Great) - (Forget About Me) - (Under the Sun) - (Love Lies Bleeding) - (Family (1993 TV film)) - (Butterfly Kiss) - (Go Now) - (Jude) - Welcome to Sarajevo - I Want You - (With or Without You (1998 film)) - Wonderland (1999 film) - The Claim - 24 Hour Party People - In This World - Code 46 - 9 Songs - Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story - The Road to Guantanamo - A Mighty Heart - The Shock Doctrine (2009 film) - The Killer Inside Me - The Trip (2010 film) - (Trishna) - (Everyday) - The Look of Love - (The Trip to Italy) - (The Face of An Angel)

© thevoid99 2012