Black Widow (2021 film)

 

Based on the Marvel Comics series by Stan Lee, Don Rico, and Don Heck, Black Widow is the story of a Russian-born assassin who becomes a fugitive as she returns to her home country to confront her past and reunite with those who were the family that raised her. Directed by Cate Shortland and screenplay by Eric Pearson from a story by Jac Schaeffer and Ned Benson, the film takes place between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War where Natasha Romanoff tries to settle personal business as well as reunite with a fellow assassin and two of her mentors as they go to war against the organization that broke them apart as Scarlett Johansson reprises her role as Romanoff/Black Widow. Also starring Florence Pugh, David Harbour, O-T Fagbenle, William Hurt, Olga Kurylenko, Ray Winstone, and Rachel Weisz. Black Widow is an exhilarating and captivating film from Cate Shortland.

The film revolves around the Russian-born assassin who goes into hiding after violating the Sokovia Accords where she receives a mysterious package from her adopted younger sister as it relates to the Black Widow program and their training facility in the Red Room as the two reunite to destroy the Red Room with the help of the spies who were their adoptive parents. It’s a film that has Natasha Romanoff not just deal with demons from her past but also dealing with the mysterious figure known as the Taskmaster who is from the Red Room and can mimic the fighting moves of everyone including Romanoff and her fellow Avengers. Adding to the turmoil is a figure from her past whom she believed she had killed prior to joining the Avengers as he has an army of Black Widows under his control with a chemical that can free them from his control.

The film’s screenplay by Eric Pearson is largely straightforward yet it opens in Ohio 1995 where a young Romanoff (Ever Anderson) and her young sister Yelena Belova (Violet McGraw) are living with a seemingly-normal American couple when really they’re Russian spies in Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) and Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz) as the former is a super-soldier figure known as the Red Guardian who was also the Soviet Union’s answer to Captain America. When the family becomes separated with Romanoff and Belova trained to be Black Widows, Romanoff would eventually go on her own as it leads to her becoming a fugitive following events that lead her violating the Sokovia Accords as she has been hiding in Norway with an old S.H.I.E.L.D. ally in Mason (O-T Fagbenle) helping her out. Yet, it would be a package from Belova (Florence Pugh) that would get Romanoff out of hiding as she meets Belova in Budapest as they deal with other Black Widows.

The script isn’t just about this story of revenge and redemption but it’s really a film about a woman reuniting with the family who raised her when she was young. It’s also about the fact that these two women who were raised as sisters when they were young were both taken away, trained, and tortured to be assassins yet Romanoff begins to realize that she should’ve taken Belova with her. Yet, Belova’s time as an assassin showed a woman that was lost and under control by a mysterious substance until she attacked a former Black Widow carrying vials of another substance in Red Dust that got Belova out of the control of the Red Room but made her a target of its leader including its mysterious soldier known as the Taskmaster. A major revelation for Romanoff involves a past assignment that lead to her defection to S.H.I.E.L.D. involved killing the Red Room leader Dreykov (Ray Winstone) who is alive and continues to run the Red Room. This forces Belova and Romanoff to break Shostakov out of prison as well as find Vostokoff for a tense family reunion filled with more revelations about their false family life in Ohio.

Cate Shortland’s direction is grand as it play into the world that Romanoff has been in and trying to run away from yet realizes she has to go back and destroy it once and for all. Shot on various locations including Norway, Budapest, and Surrey, England with studio shots in Georgia including parts of Atlanta and Macon, Shortland creates a film where Romanoff is on the run from the U.S. Secretary of State in Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) who created the Sokovia Accords. The film’s opening sequence set in Ohio play into this world that has the young Romanoff and Belova playing as if they’re normal children yet it is followed by a chase from the authorities including a ride on a small plane as it showcase a world that Romanoff and Belova have to deal with as adults. Shortland’s usage of wide and medium shots to play into not just the locations but also these intense action set pieces such as Shostakov’s prison break that is full of action and humor with the character of Shostakov providing the latter as a man who has gained weight but also still sees himself as an iconic figure.

Shortland also maintains an intimacy and knows when to break from the action for character interaction where Romanoff and Belova both try to figure out what to do with Belova revealing that she didn’t have much of a life or anything under the control of the Red Room. The scene where Romanoff, Belova, and Shostakov reunite with Vostokoff who is a scientist for the Red Room is one filled with tension with its usage of close-ups but also humor as it plays into Shostakov trying to reconnect with his family where he sings a song that the young Belova loved. The film’s third act isn’t just about the unveiling of the identity of the Taskmaster but also revelations about Romanoff’s own past as it relates to her identity but also the events in Ohio that tore her family apart. While the film is focused largely on Romanoff, it does also focus on Belova who was robbed of having a normal life as well as a life that Romanoff had as its post-credit scene is about her and her future. Overall, Shortland crafts a thrilling and compelling film about an assassin who reunites with her adoptive family to take down the organization that tore them apart.

Cinematographer Gabriel Bernstein does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on natural low-key lighting for a few exterior scenes at night along with some stylish lighting for scenes in the Red Room building. Editors Matthew Schmidt and Leigh Folsom Boyd do excellent work with the editing as it does some stylish fast-cuts to play into the rhythm of some of the fighting along with some inventive montage work for the prison break scene. Production designers Clint Wallace and Charles Wood, with set decorators John Bush and Jess Royal plus supervising art director Thomas Brown, do amazing work with the look of the Red Room building along with Vostokoff’s secret home and the trailer that Romanoff was living in Norway. Costume designers Lisa Lovaas and Jany Temime do fantastic work with the look of the suits that the Black Widows wear including a vest that Belova likes to wear as well as Shostakov’s costume as the Red Guardian.

Hair/makeup designer Paul Gooch does nice work with the look of Romanoff’s hair but also the look of Shostakov from his prime in the mid-90s to the many tattoos he would have during his time in prison. Special effects supervisor Paul Corbould, along with visual effects supervisors Geoffrey Bauman, Varuna Darensbourg, Gerard Diefenthal, and Sean Noel Walker, does incredible work with the visual effects from the design of the Red Room’s exteriors as well as the special effects in some of the action scenes that has an air of realism through the usage of practical effects in some scenes. Sound designer Nia Hansen and sound editor Daniel Laurie do superb work with the sound in the sound effects in some of the weapons used as well as its emphasis on natural sounds for some scenes on location. The film’s music by Lorne Balfe is wonderful for its bombastic orchestral score that help play into the suspense and action along with somber pieces for the dramatic moments while music supervisor Dave Jordan provides a soundtrack that includes pieces from SIA, Don McLean, and a cover of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit by Thing Up Anger with Malia J.

The casting by Badr Balafrej, Victoria Beattie, Fouad Chaairi, Leo Davis, Sarah Finn, and Redouane Meftah is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Olivier Richters as an inmate of Shostakov, the trio of Liani Samuel, Michelle Lee, and Nanna Blondell as Black Widow assassins, Ever Anderson and Violet McGraw in their respective roles as the young Romanoff and Belova who both deal with the chaos of their true identities, and Olga Kurylenko as a Red Room official. O-T Fagbenle is terrific as Mason as a former S.H.I.E.L.D. official who helps Romanoff in getting supplies as well as being a comic relief of sorts since he and Romanoff used to be an item. William Hurt is superb in his small role as Thaddeus Ross as the U.S. Secretary of State trying to find Romanoff and bring her to justice for violating the Sokovia Accords.

Ray Winstone is fantastic as Dreykov as the head of the Red Room who controls everything as he hopes to maintain control in secrecy while also wanting to get Romanoff back in the fold so that he can have an Avenger on his side. Rachel Weisz is excellent as Melina Vostokoff as a maternal figure for Romanoff and Belova as well as a scientist for the Red Room who is reluctant to help out her family due to her work while also lamenting over the past and how it affected her as Weisz provides a sense of grace into the role. David Harbour is incredible as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian as a former Soviet super hero who breaks out of prison following a betrayal from Dreykov as he is eager to reconnect with his adoptive daughters where he provides a lot of humor in his attempts to reclaim his glory days but also some warmth as a man in conflict of his fraternal role as well as the role of an icon.

Finally, there’s the duo of Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh in tremendous performances in their respective roles as Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova. Johansson’s performance as Romanoff is grounded in a woman trying to evade the authorities but also trying to deal with her demons as there’s a bit of humor in the performance but it is largely straightforward as a woman filled with regrets as well as trying to do things right. Pugh’s performance as Belova is a major scene-stealer as someone who has awoken from the Red Room’s control as she deals with being abandoned as well as trying to find some meaning where Pugh not only has some funny one-liners but also proves to be tough and powerful. Johansson and Pugh together are a delight to watch in the way they play as sisters where they get to banter a bit but also display a bond that keeps them both sane and full of heart as they’re a massive highlight of the film.

Black Widow is a remarkable film from Cate Shortland that features great performances from Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh. Along with its supporting cast, study of family and identity, dazzling visuals, intense action set pieces, and a gripping music score. The film isn’t just this sprawling and grand super-hero action/adventure film but also a film about redemption and family where a woman tries to mend the broken pieces of her family by going after the forces that tore them apart. In the end, Black Widow is a marvelous film from Cate Shortland.

Cate Shortland Films: Somersault - (The Silence 2006 TV film) – Lore - (Berlin Syndrome)

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


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

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

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

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

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

© thevoid99 2021

The Gunman

Based on the novel The Prone Gunman by Jean-Patrick Manchette, The Gunman is the story of a former assassin who is trying to move on from his dark past as he learns that his sins have come back to haunt him. Directed by Pierre Morel and screenplay by Don MacPherson, Pete Travis, and Sean Penn, the film is an exploration into a killer who once killed for his government and many others as he becomes the target himself when he refuses to kill. Starring Sean Penn, Javier Bardem, Jasmine Trinca, Ray Winstone, Mark Rylance, and Idris Elba. The Gunman is an engaging though very typical film from Pierre Morel.

Eight years after an assassination in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a former assassin finds his past has come back to haunt him following an attack at the country as he goes to Europe to find out why. That is essentially the plot of the film as it plays into a man who copes with not just his own sins but also failing health and other issues as he becomes paranoid following a hit on him. While it is a story that is very simple, the script does explore the world of multi-national corporations that get involved with these things as it never really gels into the story as its protagonist Jim Terrier (Sean Penn) travels to London and Spain to find out why he is being targeted as it related to the assassination of a mining minister that he took part in eight years before.

While the script does maintain some intrigue in its storyline, it does have some major flaws as it plays into the way many of the film’s supporting characters are written. Notably as characters like Felix (Javier Bardem) aren’t fleshed out as he is a character that was a friend of Terrier but is also a suspect for the fact that he might’ve been the one to carry out the hit on Terrier. Felix’s wife Annie (Jasmine Trinca) is another character that also suffers from the script’s shortcomings as she is nothing more than an object of affection for Terrier as they had a past together. It’s among some of the things in the film that don’t work though the script does succeed in creating the moments of action as well as some dialogue as it relates to the suspense and some funny banter between Terrier and his friend Stanley (Ray Winstone).

Pierre Morel’s direction is very typical of what is expected in action films where a trained killer becomes the hunted though Morel does manage to keep things simple in the non-action scenes. Notably in the close-ups and medium shots while some of the establishing shots do get repetitive at times with its wide angles even though it is to represent a world that is coming undone by scandal. While Morel’s approach to action is quite straightforward, there are moments where he does go into fast-cutting styles to play into its intensity where it is a mixed back. The editing also suffers in a sex scene between Terrier and Annie as it is clumsily handled. Even though the film’s ending is quite conventional, its climax is still quite chilling as it relates to Terrier battling it out with the people who tried to kill him as it is set in a very public setting in Spain. Overall, Morel creates an adequate but very unoriginal film about a former assassin who is being targeted for his own sins.

Cinematographer Flavio Martinez Labiano does excellent work with the cinematography to capture the nighttime scenes set in Barcelona, London, and in Africa to play into its dark moods along with some low-key scenes set in the daytime. Editor Frederic Thoraval does some fine work with the editing in some of the film‘s non-action scenes though the sex scene between Terrier and Annie is terrible while some of the action relies on fast-cutting that doesn‘t really work at all. Production designer Andrew Laws, with set decorator Anneke Botha and supervising art director Stuart Kearns, does fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of Felix‘s country home to the quaint apartment Terrier would stay in Barcelona.

Costume designer Jill Taylor does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly casual for all of the characters involved in the film. Visual effects supervisor Stuart Lashley does OK work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects though they weren‘t distracting as it helps play into the film‘s gritty tone. Sound designer Paul Carter does terrific work with the sound to play into the sounds of gunfire and other key elements in the film‘s action scenes. The film’s music by Marco Beltrami is pretty good for its bombastic orchestral score with elements of guitars to play into the intensity of the action.

The casting by Reg Poerscout-Edgerton is amazing as it features some notable small roles from Ade Oyefeso as Terrier’s assistant in Africa who save him, Peter Frenzen as an assassin hired to kill Terrier, and Idris Elba in a small yet fun role as a mysterious operative who is so good but has very little screen time. Mark Rylance is terrific as an old friend of Terrier in Cox who had reinvented himself as a corporate businessman that would make Terrier uneasy. Ray Winstone is fantastic as Terrier’s friend Stanley as he is the most fun supporting character in the film that is also the one character that has any depth as he is concerned for his friend’s well-being as well as telling him to just hide.

Jasmine Trinca is alright as Annie as a doctor who didn’t know what Terrier or Felix did in the film’s first act until she copes with the truth as Trinca’s role is very underwritten as some damsel-in-distress character. Javier Bardem is good in his role as Felix though he is also underused and underdeveloped as he spends much of the film’s second act drunk and cagey while being more straight in the film’s first act. Finally, there’s Sean Penn in a superb performance as Jim Terrier as Penn brings a bit of charm to his role while having his moments as a badass though it’s not perfect due to the shortcomings of the script and Penn not being entirely convincing of playing an assassin though he does manage to bring a bit of gravitas to his role.

The Gunman is a decent but messy film from Pierre Morel. Despite its intriguing premise as well as some adequate performances from Sean Penn and Javier Bardem as well as a fun one from Ray Winstone. It’s a film that could’ve done more for the hunter being the hunted premise but ends up being very typical of these kinds of films. In the end, The Gunman is a very mediocre film from Pierre Morel.

© thevoid99 2015

Sexy Beast

Directed by Jonathan Glazer and screenplay by Louis Mellis and David Scinto from a story by Andrew Michael Jolley, Sexy Beast is the story of a retired and reformed safe cracker who is asked to take on a job as a crime boss sends a sociopath who is willing to do whatever to get this man on board. The film is an exploration of a criminal trying to do good in his life until elements from his past returns including this man who uses words as weapons who tries to coax this safe cracker into doing the job. Starring Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, Amanda Redman, James Fox, and Ben Kingsley as Don Logan. Sexy Beast is a stylish yet extremely dark film from Jonathan Glazer.

What happens when a former safe cracker is being coaxed out of his idyllic retirement by a man whose choice of weapons is his words as he scares the shit out of everyone by his presence alone? That is pretty much the premise of the film where a man named Gal Dove (Ray Winstone) is living an idyllic life in the middle of the deserts in Spain with his wife DeeDee (Amanda Redman) and some friends as it’s interrupted when he’s being asked to do a job for a crime boss in Teddy Bass (Ray Winstone) in breaking into a safe from a bank that is claimed to be impenetrable. Gal has no intentions in doing the job as Bass’ organizer Don Logan arrives to Spain to convince Gal in doing the job. Yet, Don Logan is a character that doesn’t take no for an answer as he spouts insults and all sorts of things to make those around him grovel and feel awful about themselves.

The film’s screenplay does contain a traditional narrative structure where its first 20 minute explore Gal’s idyllic life with his wife and their friends Aitch (Cavan Kendall) and Jackie (Julianne White) as Gal has definitely put his past behind. That all changes where elements of surrealism start to appear to haunt Gal in his dreams as it would set the tone for Don Logan to arrive as the words that come out of his mouth are beyond obscene. The things Logan says about various people such as Jackie and DeeDee definitely can be described as misogynistic but that is just understating it. Racial slurs and all sorts of offensive things that are said are just small potatoes for Don Logan as he really goes into the core of a person and makes it small. As much as Gal refuses to do the job, he is continuously pushed by Don Logan who will get violent if he has to and he brings fear to everyone.

Jonathan Glazer’s direction is definitely filled with style in terms of not just his compositions but also the air of surrealism and images that he creates in the film. The film opens with a sense of style into the idyllic life of Gal as he’s sunbathing nearby his pool as a boulder nearly kills him and lands on the pool. It’s among these bits of eccentricities that Glazer would infuse as he is aware that he is making a film that is largely style over substance. Yet, it is presented with such care and coolness until news that Don Logan is coming to Spain as the tone of the film changes. Glazer’s compositions are quite striking in the way he puts Don Logan into a frame where he is at the center of attention while everyone else is at the edge of the frame during this tense and first meeting in Gal’s living room. Even a scene where a drink with Don Logan as he’s all by himself and everyone else is in the kitchen just goes to show the sense of discomfort everyone has. One wrong word on Don Logan is likely to get someone killed as Glazer’s direction also uses wide shots to play into that sense of fear and tension.

The scenes set in London also has a sense of style such a montage of Don Logan explaining the job to Gal. Notably in the way it explores the gritty tone of the British crime world as it is a total contrast to the idyllic life that Gal has in Spain. Glazer’s compositions are tighter to play into that grimy world as it includes this orgy scene that Teddy Bass is in as he meets the person who owns the bank he’s going to break into. It adds to the sense of drama that would loom over Gal as he is contemplating whether to do the job or not though he’s leaning more towards the latter due to the fact that he has no desire to return to the criminal world. Even as he has to contend with a force as nihilistic and as intimidating as Don Logan who is the judge, jury, and executioner for Gal whether he likes it or not. Overall, Glazer creates a very intoxicating yet terrifying film about a man who is pushed to the edge into doing another job by one of the scariest men walking on the face of the Earth.

Cinematographer Ivan Bird does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the sunny look of the daytime scenes in Spain to the array of stylish lights for the scenes set in night as well as a more low-key yet stylish look for the scenes in London. Editors John Scott and Sam Sneade, with additional work from Louis Melllis and David Scinto, do amazing work in the editing for it sense of style from its usage of jump-cuts, montages, and slow-motion cuts to play into some of the terror that lurks in the film as well as sense of peace Gal has before Don Logan‘s arrival. Production designer Jan Houllevigue and set decorator Jane Cooke does excellent work with the look of Gal‘s Spanish villa with its swimming pool as well as some of the places in London that is the exact opposite of the serenity of Gal‘s world.

Costume designer Louise Stjernsward does wonderful work with the costumes from the stylish dresses that DeeDee and Jackie wear to the very straight-laced clothes of Don Logan who looks like he means business. Visual effects supervisor Mark Nelmes does fantastic work with the visual effects from some of the elements of fantasy that plays into Gal‘s life as well as some of the darker moments that involve Don Logan. Sound editor Jeremy Price does terrific work with the sound to play into a sense of atmosphere in how voices are heard as well as in creating the sense of unease whenever Don Logan is in the room. The film’s music by Roque Banos is superb for its low-key yet Spanish-based score while most of the music score is driven by the electronic outfit UNKLE and the British group South with its bass-driven score as the soundtrack also includes music from Wayne Marshall, the Stranglers, Dean Martin, and Henry Mancini to convey that world of British crime.

The casting by Lucy Boulting is incredible as it features a few notable small roles from Darkie Smith as Bass’ associate Stan who tells Don Logan about the assignment, Alvaro Monje as the Spanish boy Enrique who often helps Gal out in his home, Julianne White as Aitch’s wife Jackie who once had a fling with Don Logan that she regrets having as she is uneasy around him, and James Fox as the bank manager Harry who shows Teddy Bass the vault through some very devious means. Cavan Kendall is excellent as Gal’s friend Aitch who is afraid of Don Logan as he knows about his wife’s past with the man as he tries to make him comfortable only to be chewed out by Don Logan. Amanda Redman is fantastic as Gal’s wife DeeDee as a former porn actress who has also reinvented herself as she is the one person that isn’t afraid of Don Logan as everyone else as she does manage to say a few things to him and get away with it.

Ian McShane is brilliant as Teddy Bass as a crime boss who has a job to break into a bank as he asks Don Logan to recruit the best as he is just as ruthless as his recruiter. Ray Winstone is amazing as Gal Dove as a former safecracker who just wants to live a decent life with no trouble as he politely tries to decline Don Logan’s offer only to be pushed to the edge into whether he should do the job or not. Finally, there’s Ben Kingsley in a performance for the ages as Don Logan as Kingsley’s performance is without question one of the scariest ever captured on film. Kingsley toes the line between aspects of dark humor and some of the most profane and vile usage of words as well as carry a presence that will make anyone uneasy as it’s a performance that is described as the anti-Gandhi which Kingsley was famous for nearly 20 years earlier.

Sexy Beast is a phenomenal film from Jonathan Glazer that features a truly unsettling and scary performance from Ben Kingsley. Along with great performances from Ian McShane and Ray Winstone as well as a cool soundtrack and awesome technical work. It’s a film that is infused with some style as well as a sense of terror brought by a man who refuses to take no for an answer as he’s like a dog that will get very dangerous if he bites. In the end, Sexy Beast is a spectacular film from Jonathan Glazer.

Jonathan Glazer Films: (Birth) - Under the Skin

© thevoid99 2014

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

Rango

Directed by Gore Verbinski and screenplay by John Logan from a story by Verbinski, Logan, and James Ward Byrkit, Rango is about a pet chameleon who finds himself in a desert town where he becomes an unlikely sheriff to fight off villains. The animated film is a modern-day approach to the western as it features various film references while making it accessible for a wider audience. With a voice cast led by Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Ned Beatty, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, Harry Dean Stanton, Ray Winstone, and Timothy Olyphant. Rango is a stylish and very entertaining animated-western from Gore Verbinski.

An unnamed pet chameleon (Johnny Depp) gets stranded somewhere in the middle of the desert where he meets a wounded armadillo named Roadkill (Alfred Molina) who is trying to find the mysterious Spirit of the West. With the chameleon trying to survive the hot desert and its surroundings, he meets up with a desert iguana named Bean (Isla Fisher) who is a rancher’s daughter trying to save her land. She takes the chameleon to a town called Dirt as the locals are trying to deal with a water shortage where the chameleon ends up calling himself Rango where he deals with a small posse led by Bad Bill (Ray Winstone) and later a hawk whom he accidentally kills. Rango’s antics impress the town’s mayor (Ned Beatty) who appoints him as sheriff as Rango’s claims of his adventures has him trying to figure out the water shortage.

Rango gathers a posse that includes Bean to figure out what’s going on as the water jug bank had been stolen by a group of moles led by Balthazar (Harry Dean Stanton). During the journey, Rango and the posse makes some discovery as they retrieve the jug only to realize something is up where Balthazar isn’t the one they’re after. Rango suspects that the mayor is involved since he states that he who controls the water controls everything where Rango is forced to deal with a vicious gunslinger named Rattlesnake Jake (Bill Nighy). After revealing what he really is, Rango reluctantly leaves town until he meets the mystical Spirit of the West (Timothy Olyphant) who provides him with the answers Rango needs.

The film is essentially a modern-day genre-bending film where a pet chameleon, with a wild sense of imagination, suddenly finds himself in a Western town where he faces a world of corruption where a bunch of locals are finding hope in this horrible drought. That’s pretty much what the film is about as it’s filled with numerous film references including the classic westerns of Sergio Leone and Roman Polanski’s Chinatown in relation to the drought storyline. Screenwriter John Logan does manage to infuse these storylines and film references to create a very compelling yet fun western that is filled with lots of silly humor and character development. Notably for the titular character who is just a lizard that likes to act as indicated in the opening scene while he realizes that he might have to go full-on with this role.

While the script is sort of predictable in its set-up and creating characters that are essentially archetypes of various characters in the western genre. They all manage to still be very interesting and engaging while Logan also adds surreal elements that play up with the genre. Overall, Logan creates a very crafty and thrilling script that doesn’t get boring and create a western that does a lot for what is expected in its genre.

Gore Verbinski’s direction is definitely full of style as he creates lots of wide compositions, character close-ups and scenery where some of it is really a tribute to the visual style of Sergio Leone. The animation from supervisor Hal T. Hickel is truly whimsical in the way Verbinski wants to create this world where it’s a clash between the old world and a new one that the mayor wants. With additional help from renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins for the visuals, Verbinski is able to create a look that is true to the western but also dream-like for some of its nighttime scenes. Overall, Verbinski creates a truly engaging and visually-astonishing film that brings more to what an animated-western does and make it a whole lot of fun.

Editor Craig Wood does superb work with the editing to play up with some of the film‘s humor and suspense along with some amazing rhythmic cuts for a huge chase scene and stylized ones for the showdowns. Production designer Mark “Crash” McCreery, along with art directors John Bell and Aaron McBride, does excellent work in the set pieces created for the town of Dirt where everything looks decayed. Visual effects supervisor John Knoll does fantastic work with the visual effects to play up some of the surreal imagery that Rango encounters in his journey. Sound designer Peter Miller and sound editor Addison Teague do amazing work with the sound to help set a mood for some of the film‘s suspense and in the showdowns that occur.

The film’s score by Hans Zimmer is marvelous for its mixture of bombast and orchestral flourishes that is also very operatic. Notably as the score is very similar to the music of Ennio Morricone with its huge arrangements, twangy guitars, and blaring trumpets to help set the mood. Along with some contributions from Johann Strauss and Richard Wagner to play with the score and contributions from Los Lobos for some of the original songs and the industrial band Lard in the score. The music that Zimmer creates is definitely one of his best as it’s a major highlight of the film.

The voice casting by Denise Chaiman is brilliant for the cast that is assembled as the actors that contribute to smaller characters in the film include Beth Grant, Vincent Kartheiser, Alana Ulbach, Chris Parsons, Blake Clark, Patrika Darbo, director Gore Verbinski, and Stephen Root who voices some of the characters including the bank manager Merrimack. Other notable small voice roles include Timothy Olyphant as the mysterious Spirit of the West, Alfred Molina as the Don Quixote armadillo Roadkill, Abigil Breslin as the witty cactus mouse Priscilla, Ray Winstone as the gila monster Bad Bill, and Harry Dean Stanton as the old-timer mole Balthazar. Bill Nighy is excellent as the cool, Lee Van Cleef-inspired villain Rattlesnake Jake while Ned Beatty is funny in doing a great John Huston impression as the town’s corrupt mayor. Isla Fisher is wonderful as the cunning desert Iguana Beans who tries to fight for her land while helping Rango out. Finally, there’s Johnny Depp in a fantastic performance as the titular character as he brings a lot of humor and swagger to his character making it one of the most enjoyable animated characters on film.

Rango is an extraordinarily rich and whimsical animated film from Gore Verbinski. Thanks to a very talented voice cast led by Johnny Depp, the film is truly an animated film that appeals more than just a young audience. Notably as it features numerous film references that film buffs can enjoy and elements of the western that western aficionados can love. In the end, Rango is a superb animated-western from Gore Verbinski.

Gore Verbinski Films: (MouseHunt) - (The Mexican) - (The Ring (2002 film)) - (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl) - (The Weather Man) - (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest) - (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End) - (Lone Ranger (2013 film))

© thevoid99 2012

Hugo (2011 film)

Based on the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, Hugo is the story of a young boy who lives secretly at a Parisian train station in the 1930s fixing clocks unbeknownst to anyone. When he meets a young girl, they uncover a secret from automaton that he and his late father try to repair which relates to filmmaker George Melies. Directed by Martin Scorsese and screenplay by John Logan, the film is a family adventure film where Scorsese also pays tribute to early 20th Century cinema. Starring Asa Butterfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jude Law, Emily Mortimer, Frances de la Tour, Christopher Lee, Helen McCrory, Michael Stuhlbarg, Ray Winstone, Richard Griffiths, and Ben Kingsley. Hugo is a dazzling film from Martin Scorsese.

Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) lives alone at a train station in Paris where he fixes clocks throughout the station in secrecy. With his father (Jude Law) dead due to a fire at a museum and his uncle Claude (Ray Winstone) away, Hugo spends his time making sure the clocks work while stealing parts to fix an automaton that his father had found at the museum. Still, Hugo tries to evade the snoopy station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen) while getting into trouble with a bitter toy shop owner name Mr. George (Ben Kinglsey) who notices that Hugo had been stealing as he also takes away his notebook. Hugo follows George to his home as he sees a young girl named Isabel (Chloe Grace Moretz) who notices Hugo outside as he asks for his notebook back.

Though Isabel was unable to retrieve the notebook, she befriends Hugo as the two go into an adventure where he introduces her to the movies. While Hugo’s talents to fix things did get George’s attention as he hires him briefly to fix things, Isabel’s interest in what Hugo is hiding as him showing her what he’s been doing. Since she has a key that is shaped like a heart, they managed to get the automaton working where they uncovered a big secret. Realizing that it has to do with a film that Hugo had seen years ago, they ask the help of a station librarian Monsieur Labisse (Christopher Lee) who tells them to go to the Parisian library about the history of film through a book. They meet its author Rene Tabard (Michael Stuhlbarg), a film historian who is a big fan of George Melies though he believes that Melies has died during the first World War.

With Isabel learning about George’s strange behavior and its reasons as she even asks her godmother Jeanne (Helen McCrory) about it. Yet, she and Hugo continue to try to uncover the mystery about Melies while Hugo tries to evade the station inspector. Particularly when Hugo receives news about his uncle as he tries to get the automaton to help uncover the secret about Melies.

While the film is about a young boy trying to repair an automaton to unveil a secret that he and his father wanted to unveil. It becomes much more once the film progresses into an adventure story about the boy and a girl where the secret they unveil involves the disappearance of George Melies. Throughout the story, there’s little subplots that involves the people that Hugo sees such as the longing attraction between a café owner (Frances de la Tour) and a newspaper seller (Richard Griffiths) and the station inspector’s infatuation with a flower girl (Emily Mortimer). It’s all part of the world that its titular character lives in as he is determined to finish his father’s work. What he would eventually do in relation to his own love for cinema is that he would take part into something much bigger.

John Logan’s screenplay is brilliant for the way he follows this young boy in his quest to uncover a secret that would unlock something that is very magical. Magic is part of the theme in the film as the mysterious George character is a man that seems to be lost and what he would find through Hugo would have him unravel as if he is trying to hide a secret. While the secret would be unveiled, the reasons for Melies’ disappearance would become more compelling as Hugo and Isabel would play into something where they could have the chance to resurrect Melies. Logan’s script definitely goes into the world of film and the idea of film preservation while creating a story that is truly thrilling and lively in what is expected for the adventure drama.

The direction of Martin Scorsese is truly divine in the way he chooses to present the film as more than just a tribute to the early days of cinema and film restoration. Instead, Scorsese creates a film where he can put his passion for cinema into a family adventure that is very engaging and exciting. From a wonderful tracking shot that follows Hugo in his world inside the station to the way he recreates 1930s Paris through visual effects and actual set pieces as it’s shot in a studio in London. Scorsese’s direction is very stylish from the way he shoots from above for conversation pieces to the way he allows the camera to be intimate and simple for conversation scenes.

Since it is an adventure film where Scorsese is able to create scenes that are very lively and thrilling. He’s also able to find a way to make the scenes involving Melies and his work into something that is more than just a love letter. The way he creates the world of Melies is by going into old-school cinema to see how they were made along with using footage of old movies ranging back from the first film made by the Lumiere Brothers back in 1895. There is a romantic element to the way Scorsese chooses to present these films and from the perspective of the two young kids. He recreates the idea of what it’s like to see a movie for the first time that is indescribable. What Scorsese does with this film is to prove that filmmaking is like magic as he creates what is a truly magical. Overall, Scorsese makes a film that is very accessible as well as being both entertaining and educational about cinema and its impact.

Cinematographer Robert Richardson does a glorious job with the film‘s colorful cinematography that is filled with a wonderful yet de-saturated look for some of the scenes involving Melies. The look for the rest of the film is quite straightforward with an element of style for the way the lights are set up as well as the dark look of the station deep inside where the look is more sparse and natural in its machine-like world. Longtime Scorsese collaborator in editor Thelma Schoonmaker does a brilliant job with the editing in adding some stylistic flairs to the cutting with rhythmic cuts to play up the energy as well as maintaining a leisured pace for the film. Schoonmaker also plays into the world of magic for utilizing the old films to help create wonderful montages of its history including a gorgeous montage that includes clips of the surviving work of George Melies.

Production designer Dante Ferretti and set decorator Francesca Lo Schiavo do a spectacular job with the set pieces created such as the some of scenes in the train station along with a few exteriors for places in London as 1930s Paris. One of the key highlights in the art direction is the set pieces created for Melies film as it is shown in great detail for what they looked like and how they were made. Costume designer Sandy Powell does an excellent job with the costumes from the uniform that the station manager wears to the simple yet casual 1930s clothes that a lot of the cast wears including the stylish costumes made for the Melies scenes.

Visual effects supervisors Ben Grossman and Robert Legato do an amazing job with the visual effects for some of wide exteriors of 1930s Paris along with some old-school effects to recreate the special effects of Melies‘ films. Sound editor Phillip Stockton does a fantastic job with the sound from the chaos of the station to the way a film is played on a projector to emphasize its magic.

The film’s score by Howard Shore is wonderful with its lush, orchestral pieces to play up some of the adventurous moments of the film as well as creating some low-key work in the dramatic moments as it‘s a very lively and exciting score. Music supervisors Karen Elliot and Randall Poster do a terrific job with the soundtrack as it includes soothing Parisian accordion music to 1930s jazz as well as an original song performed by Zaz that plays up to period.

The casting by Ellen Lewis is phenomenal as the ensemble that is created truly plays up to that world that is created for the film. In small appearances, there’s memorable performances from Jude Law as Hugo’s father, Ray Winstone as Hugo’s alcoholic uncle, Shaun Aylward as a street kid caught by the inspector, director Martin Scorsese as a photographer, and Emil Lager as legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. In other small but memorable supporting roles, there’s Emily Mortimer as a very kind flower girl as well as Christopher Lee as an informative yet generous bookshop owner. Frances de La Tour and Richard Griffiths are wonderfully funny in their respective roles as a café owner and a newspaper seller who are both in love despite the café owner’s Dachshund.

Michael Stuhlbarg is excellent as film historian Rene Tabard who helps Hugo and Isabel uncover information about Melies. Helena McCrory is radiant as Isabel’s godmother Jeanne who tries to protect her husband while eventually revealing her own secret as she becomes much warmer as the film progresses. Ben Kingsley is great as George, a bitter toy shop owner who is very suspicious about Hugo while becoming more guarded as the film progresses. Sacha Baron Cohen is very funny as the station inspector who tries to capture Hugo and woo the flower girl as Cohen also displays his gift for physical comedy and awkwardness into a very charming performance.

Finally, there’s the duo of Chloe Grace Moretz and Asa Butterfield in their respective roles as Isabel and Hugo. Moretz brings a wonderful enthusiasm and energy to Isabel in the way she get things going. Butterfield is superb for the exemplifying the anguish and longing of a boy trying to finish something and uncover a secret. Moretz and Butterfield also have a chemistry that intoxicating in the way they work and interact together as they are the heart and soul of the film.

Hugo is an outstanding and delightful film from Martin Scorsese. Armed with a great ensemble cast of veterans and young actors along with great technical work by its crew. It’s a film that is truly ambitious in its size while displaying lots of heart in telling a story a boy that would help resurrect the life of a filmmaker. While the film may be a departure of sorts for Scorsese but his passion for film and his mastery at cinematic wizardry makes this film a joy to watch from start to finish. Even as it has enough power and love that would rank with some of his great films of the past. In the end, Hugo is a magnificent and imaginative film from Martin Scorsese.

Martin Scorsese Films: (Who’s That Knocking on My Door?) - (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 - Cape Fear (1991 film) - The Age of Innocence - (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 - George Harrison: Living in the Material World - The Wolf of Wall Street - (The Fifty Year Argument) - Silence (2016 film) - (The Irishman) - Killers of the Flower Moon - (An Afternoon with SCTV)

© thevoid99 2011

The Proposition

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/18/06.

Known for his dark lyrics, brooding music as an iconic artist in the Alternative rock genre with his band the Bad Seeds, Nick Cave has often made songs about the dark side with subjects ranging from murder to drug addiction. From his early years in the band the Birthday Party to the Bad Seeds, the Australian rocker has endured as a figure in rock music. While his work as a musician brought him success, Cave has always had interest in the world of cinema where he often collaborates with director John Hillcoat on music videos for the band. Several of Cave's songs have been used in the film work of Wim Wenders including the song Red Right Hand that was used in Wes Craven's 1996 horror classic Scream. In 2005, Cave and Hillcoat teamed up to create a film that was close to Cave's heart in is love for the Western in a film simply entitled The Proposition.

Written by Nick Cave and directed by John Hillcoat, The Proposition is set in 1880 Australia in the hot Outback where a police captain in a local town makes a deal with a criminal to free his younger brother in order to capture his psychotic, murderous older brother. Meanwhile, amidst a rebellion among Aborigines and pressure from his superior, the captain is trying to protect his wife from her newfound surroundings. Shooting on location in the hot, sweltering land of the Australian outback, the film is a reminder of Australia in its early days where the country was considered as a hell-hole in some eyes. Starring Guy Pearce, Danny Huston, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, David Wenham, and Emily Watson. The Proposition is further proof that the Western is still alive in all of its bloody glory.

After a bloody shootout between police, Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) and his younger brother Mikey (Richard Wilson) are captured by Captain Morris Stanley (Ray Winstone). With the murder of a woman that still haunts the town that Stanley is trying to protect and with the Burns connected to that murder, Stanley offers Charlie a proposition. Since Mikey is very young and completely innocent, Stanley offers Mikey and Charlie pardons if Charlie hunts down his older, psychotic brother Arthur (Danny Huston) in 9 days until Mikey is hanged on Christmas. Charlie takes the proposition as Mikey remains jailed while Captain Stanley watches over the town with recent news of a rebellion among Aborigines as he hasn't returned home in a few days. Concerned for his well-being is Stanley's wife Martha (Emily Watson), who hasn't seen him a few days as she got a peek at Mikey.

Charlie rides into the Outback desert where he encounters an aging bounty hunter Jellon Lamb (John Hurt) who is trying to find Arthur Burns. After a conversation that involves drinking, Charlie knocks out the hunter as he continues on his journey. Back in town, Stanley learns from his Aborigine officer Jocko (David Gulpilil) of a growing rebellion after capturing some troops where the location of Arthur Burns was revealed. Stanley gets a visit from his superior Eden Fletcher (David Wenham) on trying to restore order about the Aborigine rebels and the presence of Arthur Burns. Martha's visits to the town brought some trouble as she is reminded of the murder of the woman from Arthur Burns is her friend. Charlie gets closer to where Arthur is hiding where he's attacked by Aborigines only to be saved by Arthur's gang that included the young Stanley Stoat (Tom Budge) and Aborigine Two Bob (Tom E. Lewis). Wounded from the attack, Charlie is found in the hideout where Arthur lives as he often looks into the Outback landscape on sunset.

When Fletcher learns of Stanley's proposition, he decides to take matters into his own hands in punishing Mikey with 40 lashes to the back. Stanley tries to stop the matter as his wife also sees the punishment unaware of its damage. Haunted by the image, Martha is forced to recall a dream to her husband involving the murdered woman while Mikey is suffering from his punishment. With Stanley's men led by Jocko going into the land to find the Aborigine rebels, they find themselves closer to Arthur Burns as a bloody battle ensues where Arthur and Two Bob kills them. After an attack from Lamb, Charlie survives as his wounds are healed where he, Arthur, Stoat, and Two Bob decide to save Mikey where Arthur reveals some true intentions as Charlie is stuck in the middle between two brothers.

While the Western genre hasn't seen anything that is close to its greatness in several years, it seems that the genre in the context of American and European standpoints have run out of ideas. Fortunately for a place like Australia, there is a new idea of what the West is and like the great films before them, it's not very pretty. Setting the film in 1880s Australia seems to be a sense of inspiration for director John Hillcoat and screenwriter Nick Cave for its despair, heat, and the tension between settlers and Aborigines. What the film has isn't just the epic scope of the Westerns of Sergio Leone and the anti-heroism of Clint Eastwood but also the violence and morals of Sam Peckinpah. In many ways, Hillcoat and Cave have reinvented the West back into its gritty, desolate tone.

The story and plot in many ways seem like something that Nick Cave could've come up with if he was making it into another song or a collection of songs in an album. Particularly since the film revolves around a rape/murder of a woman who is connected to every major character in the film. The film has a sense of melancholia surrounding its characters, particularly Martha Stanley recalling a dream and how it relates to the murder and the way Charlie reacts around his brother Arthur. Cave's study of character, surroundings, and morals is unique in how it's interpreted since they're all more than just the one-dimensional stereotype that's expected from the genre. The language of the West, notably in Australian terms circa 1880 is very authentic to the way someone like an Englishman like Cpt. Stanley reacts to Australia which he refers to as a hell-hole. The script Cave has created is one of the most fascinating of any Western script where the famed rock icon has now opened a new path into his creative psyche.

Helping Cave in his story is director John Hillcoat who definitely uses the Australian Outback as an atmosphere and location that not many will understand. Since the Outback is mostly a desert land that stretches for miles, it's known more for its open spaces and unbearable heat which definitely brings light to the story. The heat in the desert gives a bleakness that Hillcoat coats with not just sweat in the characters but also flies on their bodies and clothes. Most of the male characters aren't clean-shaven nor are someone who has taken a bath. Hillcoat's bleak presentation doesn't give the audience a look that is likely to pretty since it's the West. The West isn't meant to be pretty despite the fact that the locations do create an epic scope and scenery that is breathtaking in a way that only Sergio Leone would've loved. Overall, the direction that Hillcoat gives is some of the best work ever done in a Western since Clint Eastwood's 1992 masterpiece The Unforgiven.

Helping Hillcoat with his visual presentation is French cinematographer Benoit Delhomme whose photography style for this film is absolutely stunning. Taking advantage of the Outback landscape, the yellow sunlight is very prevalent in many scenes to convey the bleak heat of the location as well the night sequences which is awash with wonderful blue, greenish night colors as well as shots of the sunset that is breathtaking. Interior sequences take advantage of the yellow sunlight of the film with shades and intimate settings including a few shots in the Stanley home where the blue-green look of one scene is beautiful as well as a shot with red silhouette that is amazing. Delhomme's photography is amazing for its beauty and atmosphere.

Production designer Chris Kennedy and art directors Bill Booth and Marita Mussett also take advantage of the locations by creating a bleak town where everything looks a bit old and everything is very primitive while the Stanley home is completely different from its Victorian look inside and the gardens outside to bring a contrast of lands and idealism. Costume designer Margot Wilson does great work in creating the dirty costumes of many of male cast with old bowler hats, sombreros, and other objects while Emily Watson gets to wear a great array of old, Victorian dresses that presents the same contrast to her own world clashing with Australian culture. Sound editor Paul Davies does some great work in capturing the wind and bleakness of the Outback. Editors Jon Gregory and Ian Seymour also does some great editing to bring out long shots and perspective cutting to make the audience aware of the situation and surroundings of where the characters are as it's done in a leisurely pace for 105-minutes.

The music written and performed by Nick Cave and his Bad Seeds bandmate Warren Ellis is mostly ambient-driven to convey the brooding texture of the film with Cave's haunting vocals. The music isn't reminiscent of the work of Ennio Morricone but rather take Morricone's approach to intensity to make way for action while Cave adds some traditional songs of the Irish including the standard of Danny Boy that is sung in a brooding fashion. It's a wonderful score from the talented Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.

The film has a great cast that includes some noted small roles from Robert Morgan as a sergeant, David Gulpilil, Bogdan Koca and Sue Dwyer as a couple from the town, Leah Purcell as an Aborigine nurse from Arthur, and a quick cameo from Noah Taylor as an ill-fated gang member in the film's first showdown sequence. Tom E. Lewis is great as Arthur's psychotic yet wise friend Two-Bob who is aware of the Aborigine struggle while maintaining his own identity. Tom Budge is excellent as the crazed yet young Stoat who can do some nice singing of old Irish standards while going along with Arthur's devious plans. Richard Wilson, who looks like the late River Phoenix, is great as the youngest brother of the clan Mikey Burns with his innocent presence, fearsome personality, and a childlike mind as a young man unaware of where he is or what's going on.

David Wenham is great as the intimidating, clean-cut Eden Fletcher whose superiority clashes with the morals of Captain Stanley as Wenham brings a great presence and look to a character who doesn't care about right and wrong but about power. John Hurt is hilarious as a crazed bounty hunter who says awful things about people notably the Irish while is mad into capturing Arthur Burns as Hurt's brief appearance is wonderful to watch. Emily Watson delivers another great performance as the innocent, haunted Martha Stanley whose murder of a friend has frightened her while trying to find some escape in her own home while wondering about everything around her as she and Ray Winstone have some wonderful chemistry. Ray Winstone also delivers a complex performance as a police captain who has to uphold the law while trying to be fair in a town that isn't so fair and being a protective shield for his wife.

In a performance that can be described as brooding, Danny Huston delivers an amazing yet troubling performance as the psychotic Arthur Burns. Huston channels all of the starkness of a character who is so reclusive and so murderous that he can only come from someone like Nick Cave. Huston hits all the right notes of quietness into his character when he's in some form of peace when he’s watching the sunset yet when he becomes a psycho, his character brings a complexity of danger that it is intimidating to watch. Huston truly delivers a performance that ranks up there with the legacy his famed family has made. Guy Pearce also delivers a fantastic performance that is completely against some of his more comical and tough-guy persona to explore more darker territory. Playing a somewhat traditional, anti-hero character like the movies Sergio Leone made with Clint Eastwood, Pearce adds an edge and brooding texture to his performance as a man caught in the middle of an uneasy proposition. Pearce looking very ragged reveals a man who is trying to do what's right yet is in conflict to loyalty over his two brothers as Pearce adds all of the angst and grittiness of a traditional Western character.

The Proposition is a full-blown masterpiece from John Hillcoat and Nick Cave with a great cast led by Guy Pearce, Danny Huston, Ray Winstone, Emily Watson, David Wenham, and John Hurt. Fans of the Western genre who for years have been disappointed in what the genre's been giving can wait no more. This film is a return to what the Western is and what it should be. Thanks to its awe-inspiring location, epic-scope, grittiness, and odes to the traditions of the genre, this is a film that definitely lives up to what famed directors like John Ford, Sergio Leone, and Sam Peckinpah had in mind. In the end, The Proposition brings back the West into its unruly, enchanting glory. 

(C) thevoid99 2011

Cold Mountain

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 12/31/03 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions

With Oscar-award season looming, every film in the fall comes out trying to compete for that coveted Oscar prize. While some films weren’t intentionally made for the Oscars but get noticed, there are some films that were tailor-made for those awards. Recently, some films got smarter by not just trying so hard to make a great film but also just doing it right. Recently, Miramax chief Harvey Weinstein wanted to get a film from his film company to win that coveted prize for once and he chose a project that was going either going to help or sink Miramax. Based on the novel by Charles Frazier, filmmaker Anthony Minghella was chosen to make a big screen adaptation of the American Civil War love story entitled Cold Mountain.

Budgeted at over $80 million, Cold Mountain is by far the most ambitious film that Miramax has ever made. Directed and adapted into a script by Minghella, Cold Mountain is an epic film in some cases but also has elements of drama and comedy set in the 1860s during the American Civil War. It’s about a Confederate soldier trying to return home to North Carolina to reunite with his love as he meets strangers while she is trying to survive her loneliness with help from a wild woman. Starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renee Zellweger plus appearances by Natalie Portman, Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone, Ray Winstone, Kathy Baker, Giovanni Ribisi, Brendan Gleeson, and James Gammon.  Cold Mountain is a film that has all of the ambitions for an epic film but lacks a very strong story.

The film’s first act begins back and forth to 1861 in the town of Cold Mountain, North Carolina, and 1864 at the Siege of St. Petersburg in Virginia. A Confederate soldier named Inman (Jude Law) is anticipating the attacks from the Northern troops while talking with friend Oakley (Lucas Black). Unfortunately, the Yankees pulled a surprise attack on them as Inman is nearly killed while he loses Oakley during the battle. While recovering, he thinks of his love Ada Monroe (Nicole Kidman) and how he met her in 1861. Ada was the daughter of Reverend Monroe (Donald Sutherland) as they meet for a brief time as they fall in love immediately. Then he’s called out to serve the Confederate army as he is forced to leave Ada but she gives him a picture and he does the same so they can remember each other.

Back in St. Petersburg, Inman tries to pull a surprise attack on the Yankees but gets shot in the neck and barely survives the attack. In the hospital, a woman reads him a letter as he ponders on what he should do. He decides to leave the hospital and return home to Cold Mountain. On the day he leaves, Ada learns that anyone who deserts the Confederate army will be tried for treason. Pursuing the deserters is the town’s law enforcement chief Teague (Ray Winstone) as he and his goons, including an albino-looking man named Bosie (Charlie Hunman), look for them. Since Inman’s departure, Rev. Moore had passed away with Ada leaving the house all to herself with no one to help her clean as she gets a bit of help from neighbors Sally Swanger (Kathy Baker) and her husband Esco (James Gammon).

Ada finally gets help from a fast-talking wild woman named Ruby Thewes (Renee Zellweger) who teaches her how to grow crops and rebuild her garden and all sorts of work as the two begin to bond. Inman meanwhile learns he’s in pursuit as he meets up with a former priest named Veasey (Philip Seymour Hoffman) as they both try to escape from drifters by getting help from a ferry girl (Jena Malone) and hide in a shack by a crazy local named Junior (Giovanni Ribisi). Junior and his hordes of women (including Melora Walters and Taryn Manning) try to seduce Veasey and Inman but Junior rats on them as they’re captured. While they’re being pulled by Confederate forces, they get attacked by more Union troops as Inman again, survives another attack.

Back in Cold Mountain, the pursuit of deserters get intense as Sally is beaten and tortured while Esco and her sons are killed by Teague and his goons. Sally loses her voice as she is being cared by Ada and Ruby. Ruby knows that Teague will do something very drastic. Inman then finds himself in the care of an old woman named Maddy (Eileen Atkins) as she gives him a gun and heals his wounds as he continues his journey. He finds shelter at the home of a young single mother named Sara (Natalie Portman) who is mourning the death of her husband while trying to raise her baby. Inman comforts her in her loss as he later saves her from an attempted rape by some Union soldiers.  Back in Cold Mountain, Ruby’s father Stobrod (Brendan Gleeson) visits to her dismay as he and his musician friends Pangle (Ethan Suplee) and Georgia (the White Stripes’ Jack White) entertain her, Ada, and Sally.  Teague later captures Stobrod with Georgia escaping Teague's clutches as he turns to Ruby and Ada.  With Inman finally returning, the three finally make a stand towards Teague and his goons.

For a film like Cold Mountain, it's a romantic-epic that has everything needed for a period piece set in the American Civil War.  The problem is that the story isn't that interested in some parts.  Inman's journey from his escape to his arrival is the most interesting piece of the film as he would meet various people during this journey.  Then there's the story of Ada and her plight which isn't interesting at all where the film pretty much becomes uneven.  When Ruby shows up, it doesn't raise that section of the film to newer heights where anything about them doesn't give the viewers anything interesting to see.  Instead, they're forced to see Ada long for Inman and Ruby talk with all of that sass and such.

Anthony Minghella's direction has a lot of great visuals and scenery as it's all wonderfully shot by John Seale.  Though it's shot on location in Romania as the South, it does have a dirty, gritty look that it needed for some scenes.  Yet, there are places where the film lags a bit whenever Minghella chooses to go into Ada's own story.  Many of the scenes with Inman have a nice rhythm thanks to Walter Murch's superb editing though it's more leisured with Ada's story.  While Minghella does get things moving with the third act, he ends things in a somewhat cheesy way.

The film’s score and music provided by the White Stripes’ Jack White, T-Bone Burnett, and Gabriel Yared are well used for its down-home, 1860s feel as the music is all stripped down while Yared’s orchestral score is heightened in the more melodramatic moments of the film.

On the film’s performances, the casting is indeed a remarkable achievement from its leads to the smaller supporting roles. Although the roles of Donald Sutherland, Cillian Murphy, Taryn Manning, Giovanni Ribisi, Melora Walters, Lucas Black, Eileen Atkins, Ethan Suplee, and Jena Malone, were small. They were memorable for their brief moments.  Notably Donald Sutherland as Ada's father, Jena Malone as a ferry girl, and Cillian Murphy as a sympathetic Union soldier.  Philip Seymour Hoffman is superb in a supporting role as a slimy priest who joins Inman in a journey as he brings some humor to the role. In the Cold Mountain scenes, James Gammon is excellent as Esco while Jack White shows some charm as Georgia.  Brendan Gleeson is both funny and heartwarming as Ruby’s father Stobrod.

Ray Winstone is great as Teague, the man trying to pursue Nicole Kidman for all the wrong reasons. Winstone is just devilishly cool in his role, especially with Charlie Hunman as his albino henchmen that is just fun to watch. Kathy Baker definitely puts in a standout performance as the lovely Sally Swanger as she goes from a nice, caring woman to a mute of sorts who still can light up the screen. Natalie Portman delivers her most mature performance to date as Sara. Although she’s in it for five-seven minutes, she is amazing as a young single mother who finds solace in Inman's presence.

The film's most aggravating performance goes to Renee Zellweger as Ruby.  Though it would be the performance that won her as an Oscar.  The performance which has her look ugly and sport an accent is more of a caricature than a real character.  It's the kind of role that screams Oscar as Zellweger tries to be funny in most of the film while her attempts to be dramatic is so overdone.  Nicole Kidman doesn't fare much better as she is supposed to look beautiful and be longing for Inman.  She comes across as uptight and then when she tries to loosen up.  She underplays it too much and tries to remain all regal.  It's a very dull performance.  Jude Law is the film's best performance as Inman.  While he does have some chemistry with Kidman, it's where he's by himself or interacting with various characters.  It's a truly marvelous role for the actor.

While it has a lot of the visuals and ideas of a romantic-epic, Cold Mountain is a good film that has a lot of style but has an uneven and somewhat weak story.  Though it's not one of Anthony Minghella's great films, it does have a wonderful performance by Jude Law along with appearances from Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ray Winstone, and Natalie Portman.  It may be the kind of film that looks great on the big screen but it's doesn't deliver in what a kind of film needed in terms of grand spectacle.  In the end, Cold Mountain is a good film that is watchable though doesn't carry enough weight to be a much greater film.

(C) thevoid99 2010