Women Talking

 

Based on the novel by Miriam Toews, Women Talking is the story of a group of women living in an isolated religious colony as they deal with a series of sexual assaults committed by the men in their community towards them as well as how to confront this incident. Written for the screen and directed by Sarah Polley, the film is based on real-life incidents at the Manitoba Colony at a Mennonite community in Bolivia where women deal with not just being raped but also being powerless in a world isolated from modern-day society. Starring Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, and Frances McDormand. Women Talking is a haunting and gripping film from Sarah Polley.

Set in a remote Mennonite colony in 2010, the film revolves the aftermath of an incident involving an attempted rape where one of the women attacked her attacker as a bunch of them discuss about what to do as many of the men have left the colony to bail out the attacker. It is a film that explores women as they talk about what had happened but also what they’ve experienced as they discuss what to do next in this remote community as well as the idea of whether things will change after what had happened. Sarah Polley’s screenplay is largely straightforward in its narrative though it is told by a teenage girl in Autje (Kate Hallett) to an unseen character where it mainly revolves around this meeting in a barn where a group of women plus a couple of teenage girls and a male schoolteacher. They all discuss about what to do after this violent incident as all of the women took a vote, despite being illiterate, on what to do as the choices were to do nothing and beg for forgiveness, stay and fight, or to leave the colony. The latter two choices led to a tie with some of the women discussing whether to stay and fight or to leave the colony into the unknown.

Throughout the course of the film, the women talk about their options as one of the elders known as Scarface Janz (Frances McDormand) who voted to do nothing believes that if they resist. They will bring more trouble and would be judged in the afterlife as she leaves the meeting early with her daughter and granddaughter who are both resistant of doing something. Salome (Claire Foy) is the one who had assaulted an attacker as she wants to fight after what had happened while her sister Ona (Rooney Mara) was raped and is currently pregnant is unsure though she has suggestions on what to do if they do stay and fight. The schoolteacher August (Ben Whishaw) records the meeting on paper as two of the elder women in Greta (Sheila McCarthy) and Ona/Salome’s mother Agata (Judith Ivey) take part in the meeting along with Mejal (Michelle McLeod), Greta’s granddaughter Autje (Kate Hallett), another teenager in Neitje (Liv McNeil), and Greta’s daughter/Autje’s mother Mariche (Jessie Buckley) are also in the meeting with Mariche is also unsure due to its possible outcome. Even as they receive news that Mariche’s husband is returning to get more bail money as the women do whatever to reach a decision on their fate.

Polley’s direction is definitely mesmerizing in not just its overall presentation but also the intimacy it has as it is shot on location near Toronto as the location itself with its harvest fields, barns, and houses in this farmland is a character in the film. Polley uses a lot of wide shots for the locations what include scenes of children playing in the fields and crops as well as Greta’s own stories about her own horses and the small amount of freedom she has driving her buggy. Much of Polley’s direction is set inside the second floor of this barn where the women talk about what to do with August moderating the whole thing as he is the only person that knows what the world outside of the colony is like despite the fact that his family had been excommunicated. Polley’s usage of close-ups and medium shots are key to the film as it does feature a few humorous moments while a lot of it is straightforward in its drama with arguments and such along with anecdotes on the idea of forgiveness.

Blood is a recurring image throughout the film as the first show is a shot from above of Ona waking up with blood and bruises around her crotch along with brief flashbacks of women waking up in bed with blood on the bed. There is also a shot from bird’s eye point of view in the barn that plays into the meeting as well as these intense discussions about what to do as well as making the ultimate decision after learning that Mariche’s husband is returning later in the night. The film’s third act is about this decision with many of the women aware of the consequences as well as the risks and sacrifices they’re taking as it also play into August’s own sacrifices as he is the only man that listened to the women as it relates to the young men and boys who are expected to carry on the ideals of their fathers in this remote community where August has to teach guide them to realize there’s more out there. Overall, Polley crafts a chilling yet intoxicating film about a group of women discussing the aftermath of a sexual assault incident in a Mennonite colony.

Cinematographer Luc Montpellier does amazing work with the film’s cinematography with its low-key naturalistic lighting along with a bit of desaturation in some of its exterior/interior daytime scenes along with low-key natural lighting for some of the scenes at night. Editors Christopher Donaldson and Roslyn Kalloo do excellent work with the editing as it features a few montages that play into the horror that these women endure while also using some straightforward cutting to capture the rhythm of the conversations. Production designer Peter Cosco, with set decorator Friday Myers and art director Andrea Kristof, does fantastic work with the look of the barn where the women have their meeting as well as some of the interiors of the homes they live in. Costume designer Quita Alfred does amazing work with the dresses that the women wear as well as the overalls that the men and boys wear as it play into the look of the colony as well as the details into the culture of the Mennonite.

Key hairstylist Antoinette Julien and makeup artist Ashley Rocha do terrific work with the makeup from the scar on Janz’s face as well as some of the bruises that the women have on their bodies. Visual effects supervisor Kevin Chandoo does nice work with some of the film’s minimal visual effects in bits of set dressing for some of the wider shots to showcase the world outside of the colony. Sound editors David McCallum and Jane Tattersall, along with sound designer Siamak Omrani, do superb work with the sound in the way some of the natural sounds appear on location as well as things sound from afar. The film’s music by Hildur Guonadottir is incredible for its mixture of orchestral textures, dissonant percussive arrangements, and folky instrumentation as it plays into the drama as well as a few of the film’s suspenseful moments while music supervisor Mandy Mamlet cultivates a soundtrack that features a few traditional hymns and the Monkees’ Daydream Believer that is played when the census man visits the farm for a census count.

The casting by John Buchan and Jason Knight is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Eli Ham as Mariche’s abusive husband Klaas, Nathaniel McParland as Salome’s son Aaron, Emily Mitchell as Salome’s sickly daughter Miep, Kira Guloien as Janz’s daughter Anna, Shayla Brown as Janz’s granddaughter Helena, and August Winter as a mute transgender boy in Melvin who had been raped as he rarely speaks except to the other children in the colony. Kate Hallett and Liv McNeil are fantastic in their respective roles as the teenage girls Autje and Neitje who both take part in the meeting as they were the ones to witness one of the attackers that Salome would go after with the former being Mariche’s daughter who wants to leave the colony. Michelle McLeod is superb as Mejal as a young woman who wants to stay and fight as she feels like little is going to change in doing nothing while is also unsure about leaving.

Frances McDormand is excellent in her brief role as Scarface Janz as an elder in the colony who prefers to do nothing in the hope that she and the other women can be forgiven in the hopes they will reach the Kingdom of Heaven. Judith Ivey and Sheila McCarthy are brilliant in their respective roles as the elders in Salome and Ona’s mother Agata and Mariche’s mother Greta as two women who have seen a lot and both express their own concerns but also realize that nothing is going to change if they don’t do anything about it. Ben Whishaw is amazing as August as one of the few men who stayed behind as many of them left to bail out the attacker as he observes and records the minutes of the meeting while also providing his own opinions as an outsider of sorts as he is also a schoolteacher for the colony who believes he can guide the young boys into doing something other than harming women.

Claire Foy is incredible as Salome as Ona’s older sister who had attacked the man that is in jail as she wants to stay and fight as she is a woman filled with rage over what happened while also willing to listen to reason as she is concerned for the well-being of her children. Jessie Buckley is phenomenal as Mariche as a woman who had endured a lot of abuse as she is hoping that forgiveness will defuse the situation while also revealing the lack of choices she has as a wife who is married to a man who treats her and her children terribly. Finally, there’s Rooney Mara in a sensational performance as Salome’s younger sister Ona as woman who is pregnant from a rape as she wants to leave the colony but also leave the door open for forgiveness with some ideas for change.

Women Talking is an outstanding film from Sarah Polley. Featuring a tremendous ensemble cast, Hildur Guonadottir’s eerie music score, evocative visuals, and its exploration of sexual assault and women trying to deal with the aftermath in a remote religious colony. It is a film that doesn’t just explore women dealing with being sexually assaulted in this remote colony but also having to confront that these ideals enforced by men has done nothing to keep themselves or their children safe. In the end, Women Talking is a magnificent film from Sarah Polley.

Sarah Polley Films: Away from Her - Take This Waltz - Stories We Tell

© thevoid99 2023

Stories We Tell

Written and directed by Sarah Polley, Stories We Tell is a film about Polley’s family and the revelations about her life as it’s told in a documentary style with some dramatic recreations. The film is a look into Polley in her own life as she talks to her own siblings about their parents as well as things in their life with Rebecca Jenkins playing Polley’s mother in dramatic recreated scenes. The result is an astonishing and evocative film from Sarah Polley.

In 2007, Sarah Polley learned a major revelation about her life as well as about her late mother who died when Polley was only 11. The news of this shocking news about who she is forces her to piece things not just about her whole family life that included four half-siblings but also people who knew her mother. During the course of the film, Polley would learn about her mother’s life that included two marriages with her second and final marriage to David Polley who would narrate the film as he’s seen in a recording booth with Sarah watching in a different room in seeing her father read bits of his memoir. Even as she would film her father, her siblings, and others in the filming as she knew she had to create some idea of what her mother’s life was like since she only had pictures and recollections from others about that time in her life before she was even born.

With the aid of cinematographer Iris Ng, production designer Lea Carlson, set decorator David Gruer, costume designer Sarah Armstrong, and casting directors John Buchan and Jason Knight, Polley would use Super 8 camera footage to create these fictionalized home movies with actors such as Rebecca Jenkins playing her mother while other actors such as Peter Evans playing David Polley and Alex Hatz playing the role of Harry Gulkin who is crucial to the story as he is also interviewed as it relates to the big reveal. Much of the Super 8 footage is presented as a silent film of sorts to capture an idea of what life was like with Diane Polley who had been through a lot including a terrible first marriage as her divorce was considered scandalous for a time in Canada.

Even as she lost custody of her two kids in John and Susy though meeting David Polley proved to be fulfilling as she would get Mark and Joanna before this bump in 1978 when she and David hit a rough patch. When Diane took an acting gig for a theater show in Montreal is where things start to occur though she eventually stayed with David till her death in 1990 on the week of Sarah’s eleventh birthday. The stories about Diane’s time in Montreal would raise a lot of questions as it relates to Harry Gulkin as well as another man she met during that time though she still loved David. These revelations weren’t just devastating to Sarah but also her siblings who had a sense that something was going on yet Sarah was more concerned about her father and what he would think. Even when news was to emerge as Sarah had to beg on the phone during the production of Mr. Nobody to not have this story go public.

Editor Mike Munn would collect some of the photos and footage that Sarah would recreate to play into the story as some of it include elements of montages and such. Sound editor David Rose would capture a lot of the audio to help play into the dramatization and the narration of David Polley. The film’s music by Jonathan Goldsmith is largely low-key in its plaintive and somber piano-based score as it play into the drama while much of the music is a mixture of folk, classical, and traditional music with a cut by Bon Iver that play into drama and sense of loss.

Stories We Tell is a tremendous film from Sarah Polley. It’s a film that explores the idea of family and identity as well as the many versions of the truth about someone that is no longer around. Even as it forces people to see that there’s still so much to tell while learning more about themselves and the people around them. In the end, Stories We Tell is a magnificent film from Sarah Polley.

Sarah Polley Films: Away from Her - Take This Waltz - Women Talking

© thevoid99 2018

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

Directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Charles McKeown, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is the story of a 18th Century German nobleman and his many adventures as it is told in a whimsical fashion where many wonder if they’re true. The third part of a trilogy based on the ideas of imagination, the film is a sprawling tale where a man tries to fight against forces while coming to terms with his own drawbacks as a hero as he is played by John Neville. Also starring Eric Idle, Sarah Polley, Uma Thurman, Oliver Reed, and Jonathan Pryce. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a spectacular and absolutely adventurous film from Terry Gilliam.

The film explores the world of a famous German nobleman during the Ottoman Wars of the late 18th Century where he is a man known for his great adventures where he returns to save a town ravaged by war as he felt responsible for being the one that caused all of it. With the help of a young girl named Sally (Sarah Polley), Baron Munchausen would travel through different worlds to retrieve the men who had helped him in his many adventures yet is battling age and the new realities of his quest as it plays into the idea of fantasy vs. reality. Especially as Munchausen is trying to tell this story of his adventures while a young girl wants to know if anything he is saying is true. All of which plays into a man wanting to die as he deals with a world that is becoming more complicated as there are forces who have other ideas about conflict and such.

The film’s screenplay by Terry Gilliam and Charles McKeown definitely play into this idea of a man wanting to live a life that no longer exist as the men who had been with him in his adventures now live very different lives without the powers they once had. The film begins with theater actors led by Sally’s father (Bill Paterson) who tell Munchausen’s story until the real Munchausen appears to reveal that the reason this small town is at war is all because of a wager that Munchausen won which upset the Turkish sultan Mahmud I (Peter Jeffrey) who wanted to cut Munchausen’s head off. Once Sally realizes that the man who claims to be Munchausen is real, she would stowaway in his hot-air balloon to help him retrieve his old friends for the film’s second act.

Yet, the fast-running Berthold (Eric Idle), the strongman Albrecht (Winston Dennis), the midget with strong ears and wind-power in Gustavus (Jack Purvis), and the sharpshooter Adolphus (Charles McKeown) aren’t the same as they share a sense of resentment towards Munchausen as they reluctantly join him. Throughout the course of the film, Munchausen would face many challenges that plays into mythical figures of the universe such as a delusional moon-king (Robin Williams), Vulcan (Oliver Reed), and all other things that would tempt Munchausen into believing he’s young and still part of the world until he would anger the wrong people and put himself and Sally into situations that would test their will. Especially as it comes to the climatic confrontation with the Turkish army where Munchausen is still caught up in his idea of defeating the Turkish in such a way that it almost seems unreal and more of a fantasy.

Gilliam’s direction is quite lavish in the way he tells the story as it opens up with scenes of an 18th Century town being destroyed where people are watching a performance of Munchausen’s story in this theater that is on the verge of collapse. It is part of this world that Gilliam sets up where he definitely infuses a lot of dark humor into the film where it’s very offbeat as well as fanatical considering how troubled Munchausen is as he wishes for death due to his old age. Adding to that feeling of death is the presence of the Angel of Death who would appear to reveal that it’s Munchausen’s time to go only to be evaded by many circumstances. Much of Gilliam’s compositions include a lot of wide shots and medium shots plus some stylish usage of some crane shots and visual effects that play into this world that is extremely off-the-wall in terms of what the universe is like.

Gilliam’s approach to set pieces definitely showcase that sense of a world that is quite strange where he plays with the idea of mythological figures like Vulcan and Venus (Uma Thurman) as Munchausen would charm the latter much to the dismay of the former. There is a sense of a world where it does have this idea of nostalgia and fantasy that Munchausen seems to try and hold on to where he becomes oblivious to what is happening in the real world thinking it will be okay for a while. The film’s third act would definitely play into that idea of reality vs. fantasy as it is this constant struggle that Munchausen would face as he would deal with the realities of war and death in a manner that only Munchausen would do no matter how fanatical he can be. Overall, Gilliam crafts a very sensational and whimsical film about a heroic man dealing with aging and living up to the idea of fantasy.

Cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography with its usage of lights for some of the war sequences set at night as well as some of the interior settings and a chilling scene inside the body of a sea monster. Editor Peter Hollywood does excellent work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s humor and action sequences. Production designer Dante Feretti, with set decorator Francesca Lo Schiavo and supervising art director Massimo Razzi, does phenomenal work with the set designs from the lavish staging of the moon city as well as the European town that Munchausen needs to protect as well as the stage play and other sets as it‘s one of the film‘s major highlights.

Costume designer Gabriella Pescucci does fantastic work with the film‘s lavish costumes from the ragged period clothing of the people of the town as well as the costumes made for the stage shows as well as Munchausen‘s uniform. Hair/makeup designer Maggie Weston does superb work with the different aging makeup that Munchausen would endure in his journey as well as the look of the younger versions of his gang. Special effects supervisor Richard Conway does terrific work with some of the film‘s visual effects with the movement of the moon-king‘s floating head as well as some of the shots set in outer space. Sound editor Peter Pennell does superb work with the sound effects as well as the layering of sounds in the battle scenes and other lavish sequences. The film’s music by Michael Kamen is amazing for its bombastic score that is quite triumphant at times in its orchestral setting as well as comical to play into the film’s humor.

The casting by Francesco Cinieri, Irene Lamb, and Margery Simkin is just incredible as the film features some cameo appearances from Sting as a soldier, Terry Gilliam as an irritating singer, Ray Cooper as a functionary for the city official, Alison Steadman as an actress with a baby, and Robin Williams in an un-credited appearance as the delusional yet funny the King of the Moon. Bill Paterson is terrific as the theater company leader who is also Sarah’s father as he struggles to get his play on Munchausen going. Charles McKeown, Jack Purvis, and Winston Dennis are excellent in their respective roles as Adolphus, Gustavus, and Albrecht as well the actors who would play these characters to add to that sense of fantasy vs. reality. Valentina Cortese is wonderful in a dual role as Queen Ariadne who is a former lover of Munchausen as well as a stage actress that is in love with Munchausen. Peter Jeffrey is superb as the Sultan Mahmud I who starts a war only because of a wager he lost to Munchausen.

Uma Thurman is amazing in a dual role as the young actress Violet who is trying get some attention as well as the role of Venus whose beauty is indescribable as she is charmed by Munchausen. Oliver Reed is fantastic as the eccentric yet hot-tempered fire god Vulcan who welcomes Munchausen only to be upset when Munchausen gets to dance with Venus. Jonathan Pryce is great as the very smarmy city official the Right Ordinary Horatio Jackson who wants to maintain order in the city as he is also someone that represents the dark realities of the world. Eric Idle is brilliant in a dual role as Berthold and the actor who played him as a man who can run with great speed as he loses him memory for a short time only to feel resentful towards Munchausen for abandoning him.

Sarah Polley is phenomenal as Sally as this young girl who would join Munchausen in his adventure as she would be this person who would try to ground him into reality and also make him not give up. Finally, there’s John Neville in a remarkable performance as the titular character as an aging hero who is caught up in living in a world that no longer exists while wishing for death due to the harsh realities that he’s dealing with as it is a truly astonishing performance from Neville.

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a tremendously extravagant and incredible film from Terry Gilliam. Armed with a great ensemble cast as well as amazing technical work from its crew, the film is truly a visual feast filled with dazzling set pieces and images. Especially as it’s backed by this compelling story revolving around the ideas of reality vs. fantasy as a man deals with age and death. In the end, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a dazzling and exhilarating film from Terry Gilliam.

Terry Gilliam Films: Jabberwocky - Time Bandits - Brazil - The Fisher King - 12 Monkeys - Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas - The Brothers Grimm - Tideland - The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus - The Zero Theorem - The Auteurs #38: Terry Gilliam

© thevoid99 2014

Away From Her

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/2/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on the short story The Bear Came the Mountain by Alice Munro, Away from Her is the story of a couple's blissful life is changed when the woman suffers from Alzheimer's disease as her husband copes with the changes as he takes her to a nursing home. Written for the screen and directed by Sarah Polley, the film is an exploration into the world of Alzheimer's disease where a man tries to deal with his wife's illness. Starring Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent, Olympia Dukakis, Kristen Thomson, Michael Murphy, and Wendy Crewson. Away From Her is a startling yet enchanting film from Sarah Polley. 

The film is an exploration into the life of a couple where a woman starts to lose her memory as she is suffering from Alzheimer's disease as her husband tries to cope with the disease as he reluctantly takes her into a nursing home. It's a drama that showcases a man dealing with the disease and the unexpected changes it would have as Grant (Gordon Pinsent) is forced to watch his wife Fiona (Julie Christie) become attached to another patient in Aubrey (Michael Murphy) whose wife Marian (Olympia Dukakis) also watches. For Grant, it's a hard pill to swallow as he deals with the new change in his life as it's a film that could've become a sappy melodrama. Instead, it's a film that is about the loss and the fear of that loss.

What Sarah Polley does with her script and direction goes for a meditative approach of a woman's disintegration as her husband is forced to watch her mind leave with her not remembering who she is half of the time. The script is wonderfully structured with the first act about the beginning of the end and Grant's first trip to the Meadowland facilities, the second is about him coming to terms about Fiona's relationship with Aubrey, and the third act is about her continuing disintegration through the disease.

The dialogue feels realistic that also includes text from many books read in the film while some of the words do end up being funny just to add a bit of humor to a very serious drama. The direction that Polley has taken is very observant and enchanting as she takes the camera to unveil a woman's disintegration where she would pull the camera away to dramatize its sadness. What is really amazing in Polley's approach to the film is how restrained the drama is since the actors are given more dimension while not being overly sentimental or very dramatic to emphasize the subject matter. While the film is a bit flawed due to a few pacing issues where the entire film does move very slow, it works to convey that sense of emotional, mental disintegration. Overall, Polley proves herself to be a very strong director who can channel a scene while not doing to much to convey heavy emotions.

Cinematographer Luc Montpellier brings a wonderfully dreamy look to some of the film's sequences at the Meadowlands while the rest is very intimate and colorful while the exterior shots is gorgeous with the white snow laid down on the Canadian film location. Production designer Kathleen Climie and art director Benno Tutter create a low-key look to the film's Meadowlands facility along with an intimate, earthy look to the home of Grant and Fiona. Costume designer Debra Hanson plays to the film's natural look with clothing that looks normal with the exception of a tacky, striped sweater and a yellow dress that Julie Christie wears that in the former, causes Grant to be upset.

Editor David Wharnsby brings a wonderful approach to the editing by not doing any stylized or fast-cutting but rather in playing with the film's structure to make the film play like memory of sorts which gives the film a unique feel and tone. Sound designer Jane Tattersall definitely adds a nice tone to the film's sound with the use of cars, elevators, and objects to convey the intimate feel of the Meadowlands where it's nearly silent as well as Grant and Fiona's home. Jonathan Goldsman brings a plaintive, subtle score of guitars and piano to convey the sadness and emotional intensity of the film to convey the tragedy while not overdoing it which definitely works in the film.

The film's cast is definitely wonderful assembled by Polley's brother John Buchan that includes memorable, minor performances from Nina Dobrev as a teenager bored by her holiday visit at the Meadowlands, Ron Hewat as an ex-sports announcer who still does play-by-play, and Angela Watson in a small role as a doctor. Wendy Crewson is excellent in her role as the Meadowlands supervisor by acting both professional and caring who reminds Grant of what he has to face. Kristen Thomson is wonderful as the very sympathetic nurse Kristy who bonds with Grant over Fiona while often reminding him that it's never easy to deal with loss. Michael Murphy is great despite having no dialogue and having to be in a wheelchair yet adds life through the facial responses he makes in the film. Olympia Dukakis is brilliant as Marian, Aubrey's wife who understands what Grant is feeling though she is a bit upset over what Fiona was doing to Aubrey while coming to terms over their relationship.

Gordon Pinsent is incredible in his performance as Grant. An icon known to Canadians, Pinsent's performance is wonderfully restrained and subtle as in some ways, he's the observer for the audience watching his wife becoming detached from him. Pinsent's tender chemistry with Julie Christie is wonderful to watch as if they're both a couple who have known each other for a long time. Julie Christie delivers a truly radiant performance as Fiona. Looking very beautiful for her age and almost youthful in some ways, Christie remains jaw-dropping with her performance as she brings subtlety and an innocence to her approach in playing a victim of Alzheimer's without being overly-dramatic.

Away From Her is a remarkable film from Sarah Polley that features great performances from Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent. It's a film that is a very smart and engaging film for the way it explores the world of Alzheimer's disease without delving into heavy-handed melodrama. Especially as Polley balances it with being a love story and a story about loss. In the end, Away from Her is an extraordinary film from Sarah Polley.

Sarah Polley Films: Take This Waltz - Stories We Tell - Women Talking

© thevoid99 2014

The Weight of Water

Based on the novel by Anita Shreve, The Weight of Water is the story of a newspaper photographer doing research on the murder of two immigrant women in 1873 while on a boating trip with her husband, his brother, and his brother’s girlfriend. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and screenplay by Alice Arlen and Christopher Kyle, the film is an exploration of women dealing with the relationships they’re in with men as a woman in the modern world tries to sort out the mystery of a murder that happened more than a century ago. Starring Sean Penn, Catherine McCormack, Josh Lucas, Elizabeth Hurley, Sarah Polley, Katrin Cartlidge, and Ciaran Hinds. The Weight of Water is a messy although interesting film from Kathryn Bigelow.

The film is about the mysterious murders of two women at the Isles of Shoals in 1873 where a German immigrant named Louis Wagner (Ciaran Hinds) is accused of the murders. The film is about this investigation set in modern times where a photojournalist goes to the Isles of Shoals with her novelist husband, his brother, and his brother’s new girlfriend during a vacation. There, Jean Janes (Catherine McCormack) wonders if Wagner really did kill those women while reading the memoirs and notes about the survivor of those attacks in Maren Hontvedt (Sarah Polley) who would be the one to claim that Wagner killed her sister and sister-in-law. While Janes reads about Hontvedt, she deals with her troubled marriage as she’s convinced her husband and her brother-in-law’s girlfriend might’ve had an affair that leads to jealousy and other things.

The film’s screenplay by Alice Arlen and Christopher Kyle does have an interesting premise but one that is very uneven. The stuff about Maren and the actual murders is the most interesting portion of the story where it plays into her life as a Norwegian immigrant who arrives to the Isle of Shoals in New Hampshire with her husband John (Ulrich Thomsen). Notably as it plays into the life that Maren lead and the eventual arrival of her brother Evan (Anders W. Berthelsen) and his new wife Anethe (Vinessa Shaw). A lot of it is told from Maren’s perspective as it’s read by Jean who is fascinated by her discovery yet is dealing with her marriage. The scenes involving Jean, her husband, and the boating vacation they’re having with her brother-in-law and his girlfriend isn’t as interesting. Notably as Jean’s husband Thomas (Sean Penn) spends much of the film drunk and ogling over his brother’s girlfriend Adaline (Elizabeth Hurley) as the dramatic tension that occurs feels flat.

Another problem with the film’s screenplay that would greatly affect the film as a whole would be is lack of suspense where it does lead to a major reveal about who really killed Anethe and Maren’s sister Karen (Katrin Cartlidge). Once Jean figures out who did kill them, it does affect the suspense where it does slowly reveal many of the motivations behind why the killer did those things. It would play into Jean’s jealousy over Thomas’ infatuation with Adaline but also the sense of loneliness that is prevalent about her.

Kathryn Bigelow’s direction definitely has a lot of interesting images that sort of does makeup for much of the script’s shortcomings. Yet, it’s narrative doesn’t allow Bigelow to keep things interesting for the scenes set in the present where not much really does happen with the exception of Jean’s investigation to try and uncover the story. Bigelow does infuse a lot of style into the visuals where her best work is in the scenes set in the 19th Century as the compositions are stylized but also very engaging in the way she presents the drama and such. The way the narrative moves back and forth doesn’t give Bigelow the chance to really find ways to make things cohesive where there’s two different movies being played out. One of them is very interesting and the other is pretty flat. Overall, Bigelow creates a film that does have moments that are interesting but the result is a very troubled and in cohesive film that doesn’t do much to create any major suspense.

Cinematographer Adrian Biddle does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the usage of black-and-white in some of Jean‘s photographs to the use of colors and lights for much of the exterior setting in New Hampshire and places nearby in the different period settings. Editor Howard E. Smith does nice work with the editing with the use of montages and slow-motion shots to play into some of the drama and suspense that occurs in the film. Production designer Karl Juliusson, with art director Mark Laing and set decorators Laura Cuthill and Patricia Larman, does amazing work with the set pieces from the look of the 1870s home that Maren lived in as well as the bits of the town and trial she had to be part of.

Costume designer Marit Allen does fantastic work with the period costumes for the scenes set in the 1870s that include the different dresses that Maren wears. Sound mixer Mike Smith and sound editor Anne Slack do superb work with the film‘s sound from the calm atmosphere of the scenes in the sea to some of the chilling moments for the film‘s climax. The film’s music by David Hirschfelder is wonderful for its jazz-like score that mixes somber string arrangements with bits of piano and saxophones to play into the film’s lingering mood.

The casting by Mali Finn is brilliant for the ensemble that is created for the film as it includes some noteworthy performances from Ulrich Thomsen as Maren’s husband John and Anders W. Berthelsen as Maren’s brother Evan. Katrin Cartlidge is pretty good as Maren’s sister Karen while Vinessa Shaw is wonderful as Evan’s kind wife Anethe. Ciaran Hinds is terrific as Louis Wagner as this German immigrant who is proven to be a really nice man that may have not been the killer after all. Elizabeth Hurley is pretty much a waste in the film as Adaline as this very sexual being who spends her time in a bikini and topless for a bit as she doesn’t really do much except recite some literature and look hot.

Josh Lucas is excellent as Thomas’ brother Rich who tries to ensure that everyone is having a good time as he would show concern for Jean. Sean Penn is pretty fine as Thomas as this pretentious writer who deals with some demons though Penn doesn’t really do much other than drink and stare at Elizabeth Hurley. Sarah Polley is amazing as Maren as this young Norwegian woman who arrives to America trying to start a new life only to deal with Louis and the presence of her new sister-in-law. Finally, there’s Catherine McCormick in a radiant performance as Jean as this photojournalist trying to solve the mystery of the murders as she also deals with her issues with her husband as well as the demons that are lurking into that marriage.

Despite its cast and some amazing visual flair, The Weight of Water is an incomprehensible yet lackluster film from Kathryn Bigelow. Due to its messy script and two different storylines that never finds its balance. It’s a film that has a unique premise but falls flat due to its lack of suspense and emphasis on heavy drama. In the end, The Weight of Water is a very disappointing film from Kathryn Bigelow.

Kathryn Bigelow Films: The Loveless - Near Dark - Blue Steel - Point Break - Strange Days - K-19: The Widowmaker - The Hurt Locker - Zero Dark Thirty - The Auteurs #29: Kathryn Bigelow

© thevoid99 2014

Take This Waltz

Written and directed by Sarah Polley, Take This Waltz is the story of a married freelance writer who meets a rickshaw driver/artist as she falls for him while dealing with the fact that she’s also in love with her husband. The film is an exploration into a woman trying to find herself in love as she struggles with the possibility of having relationship with this man she just met or be with the man who’s been devoted to her for five years. Starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby, and Sarah Silverman. Take This Waltz is an extraordinary film from Sarah Polley.

The film is about a woman named Margot (Michelle Williams) who meets this artist named Daniel (Luke Kirby) during a trip to Nova Scotia where they meet again at the airport on their way back to Toronto where they realize they’re neighbors. Yet, Margot is happily married to Lou (Seth Rogen) for five years as she finds herself attracted to Daniel where the two have some chemistry together where Margot becomes torn between the man she’s falling for and the man that she loves. What Sarah Polley creates in the story is this conflict in a woman who is in love with two different men that each have something to offer. While Lou is sort of a goofball, he’s someone that is very kind and devoted to Margot. Daniel is a more mysterious individual who is a rickshaw driver but also an artist who has this sense of unpredictability around him. For Margot, there’s this sense of confusion and conflict that she’s dealing with where she has no idea what to do as well as the outcome where she knows that one of these men will be hurt.

Polley’s direction is definitely filled with some gorgeous imagery and unique compositions where she keeps things simple while making the city of Toronto a character in the film. Yet, Polley also employs some stylish shots to play up the sense of wonderment that Margot is going through while infusing it with some humor in some scenes. There are also shots do play into Margot’s relationship with Lou and how they interact with one another while there’s also that sense of uncertainty and fantasy that plays into Margot’s attraction towards Daniel. There’s also moments where Polley isn’t afraid to shoot things like a shower scene with naked women that is a mixture of young and old to establish the idea something new will be old again. Even as the decision that Margot would eventually make would have some repercussions about what she’s doing. Overall, Polley creates a very compelling yet mesmerizing film about love and womanhood.

Cinematographer Luc Montpellier does amazing work with the film‘s colorful cinematography from the use of natural lights some of the film‘s daytime exteriors and interior scenes to more stylish uses of yellow for some scenes at night and some scenes at Daniel‘s home. Editor Christopher Donaldson does fantastic work with the editing where he utilizes a few jump-cuts for some key dramatic scenes as well as some montages in a sequence in the third act while a lot of it is very straightforward. Production designer Matthew Davies, with set decorator Steve Shewchuk and art director Aleksandra Marinkovich, does wonderful work with the sets from the more simpler look of Margot and Lou‘s home to the more arty look of Daniel‘s home.

Costume designer Lea Carlson does nice work with the costumes where it‘s mostly straightforward for the men though the clothes that Margot wear are very colorful to play up the different moods she‘s in. Sound editor Jane Tattersall does terrific work with the sound where it‘s mostly low-key in some intimate moments as well as more layered in some of the more livelier moments. The film’s music by Jonathan Goldsmith is superb for its low-key score that is mostly a mixture of ambient music with some folk arrangements while music supervisor Jody Colero creates a soundtrack that consists of folk and indie music that includes pieces from Feist, Charles Spearin, Jason Collett, the Buggles, and Leonard Cohen whose title song is the inspiration for the film’s title.

The casting by John Buchan and Jason Knight is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small roles from Graham Abbey as Lou’s brother-in-law, Vanessa Coelho as Lou and Margot’s niece, and Jennifer Podemski as the family friend Karen. Sarah Silverman is excellent as Lou’s recovering alcoholic sister Geraldine who is also Margot’s best friend as she is intrigued by Margot’s attraction towards Daniel. Luke Kirby is amazing as Daniel as an artist who has this quirky sensibility and charm that fascinates Margot as they have this strange chemistry that is unique. Seth Rogen is fantastic as Margot’s chef husband Lou as a man who is absolutely devoted to her while being a goofball as Rogen also displays some dramatic range in the film’s third act to reveal that there’s a lot to him which adds a sense of heartbreak to his role.

Finally, there’s Michelle Williams in a dazzling performance as Margot. Williams brings a complexity to a woman in deep conflict over the two men in her life while bringing something very different in those relationships. Williams is quite playful and comedic in her scenes with Rogen while more low-key and serious in her scenes with Kirby. Williams makes Margot a unique woman where she is bound to make a decision where she’s not afraid to be judged but also admit that it could be the wrong decision that makes her character far more engrossing to watch as it’s definitely one of Williams’ finest performances of her career.

Take This Waltz is a remarkable film from Sarah Polley that features a phenomenal performance from Michelle Williams. Along with top-notch supporting work from Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby, and Sarah Silverman. It’s a film that explores the idea of love and its complications where it’s told from the perspective of a woman without being too sappy or complicated. In the end, Take This Waltz is a riveting film from Sarah Polley.

Sarah Polley Films: Away from Her - Stories We Tell - Women Talking

© thevoid99 2013

The Claim

Based on The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy, The Claim is the story about a young surveyor who comes across a town in California during the late 1860s figuring out where to put a railroad while its mayor deals with demons from the past as a woman and her daughter arrives to town. Directed by Michael Winterbottom and screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce, the film is an exploration into the world of the American West in the aftermath of the Gold Rush and the changing times that is to emerge with the arrival of the railroad. Starring Peter Mullan, Milla Jovovich, Nastassja Kinski, Sarah Polley, Shirley Henderson, and Wes Bentley. The Claim is a mesmerizing yet haunting film from Michael Winterbottom.

Arriving to the town of Kingdom Come is a young surveyor named Donald Dalglish (Wes Bentley) where he works for the Central Pacific Railroad company to find a site where he can put a railroad through California. Accompanied by a group of men who work for the company, Dalglish has to ask the town’s founder and mayor Daniel Dillon (Peter Mullan) for permission to survey the land as Dillon grants it as he’s hoping that a railroad through town can increase the business. Meanwhile at the same time, a woman named Elena Burn (Nastassja Kinski) and her daughter Hope (Sarah Polley) arrive asking for Dillon as Hope gives Dillon a cross where Dillon realizes who they are as he’s haunted by memories of how he got the gold in which he traded his wife and baby daughter for gold.

Hope befriends Dalglish as he continues to survey the land around Kingdom Come while Dillon hopes to meet the ailing Elena who is suffering from tuberculosis. While Dillon has a lover in the saloon/brothel owner in the Portuguese-born Lucia (Milla Jovovich), Dillon wants to be with Elena as he tries to give Lucia the deeds to the places she owns as well as some gold bricks but she refuses. Dillon marries Elena as hopes to help her beat her tuberculosis as he also gets to know Hope as her relationship with Dalglish blossoms. After some major setbacks and issues over the land, Dalglish makes the decision to leave town to move the route somewhere nearby and easier leaving Kingdom Come without a promising future. Things get worse for Dillon and the town that would force Dillon to do something in response to what is happening around him.

The film is essentially the story about a mayor who learns about a surveyor who is trying to find a path for a railroad in the hopes that it will bring a lot of things to the town. Yet, he is haunted by the arrival of an ailing woman and her daughter which forces him to confront his past when he first found gold and became rich that led to him finding a town where he became its mayor. Upon their arrival, the mayor hopes to redeem himself and do right for this woman as she’s ill from tuberculosis as well as her daughter. Yet, he faces complications from his lover who owns and runs a saloon and a brothel who is in love with him as well as changing times when it becomes clear that the land near might not be suitable enough to have a railroad nearby or right on his town.

Frank Cottrell Boyce’s screenplay is very multi-layered in the way he presents a world that is changing during the late 1860s just as the arrival of the railroad is happening around the American West. The character of Dalglish is a young man who works for a prestigious railroad company who wants to see where a railroad can be placed in northern California near Sacramento. He becomes the man that places the fate of the town to see if a railroad can help this small town be more well-known as a lot is already happening. At the center of this is a mayor who is hoping for the railroad to come to the town as he is dealing with how he became rich and is hoping to redeem himself to this woman he knew from his past. While it is obvious who this woman and her daughter are to this man based on the flashbacks but Boyce doesn’t dwell on exposition as he just lets the flashback tells the story.

For Daniel Dillon, the arrival of Elena and Hope Burns can give him the chance to not just find redemption but also do right for both of these women but he would alienate his current lover who is also in love with him. Lucia would definitely play part to not just Dillon’s downfall but in unexpected ways since things become more complicated in the third act when Dalglish makes his decision that would be uneasy for Dillon in what he would face. A showdown would occur but since this is not a conventional Western, the showdown would only serve little to what would happen in the third act.

Michael Winterbottom’s direction is definitely ambitious in terms of the world that he recreates though it is shot largely in Canada with some parts in Colorado. Since the story takes place in the winter and in a small town that is in the middle of the mountains. Winterbottom creates a film that is filled with lots of broad images where it takes place in this land as a young surveyor tries to see where to put the railroad and see if he can help this little town. The direction is also big in lots of ways that includes a very memorable scene of a house being pulled down a hill by men and horses. Still, Winterbottom maintains an air of intimacy with his close-ups and in the interior scenes to showcase a world that is thriving but also changing.

Notably as it is about the possibility of a greater future yet Daniel Dillon would face things that he is unprepared for that would make him deal with everything he had been through. Winterbottom’s use of the flashbacks only pop up once in a while though it would tell enough of what is needed without too much exposition. By the time the third act occurs, things definitely get grim where there are aspects of the Western but it’s not a conventional manner. It’s about a whole lot of things but also loss in a grand way. Overall, Winterbottom creates a truly majestic yet harrowing film about changing times and loss set in the American West.

Cinematographer Alwin H. Kuchler does brilliant work with the film‘s vast cinematography from the look of the exterior settings to the more evocative lighting schemes for the scenes at night as well as the use of candle lights in the nighttime interior scenes. Editor Trevor Waite does excellent work with editing to play up the intensity of the drama as well as using jump-cuts for certain scenes as it has an air of style throughout the film. Production designers Ken Rempel and Mark Tildesley, along with set decorator Paul Healey, do amazing work with the set pieces from the look of the saloons and homes in the town as they are very elaborate in their presentation to present a world of the American West.

Costume designer Joanna Hansen does superb work with the costumes from the ragged clothes the men wear to the more stylish dresses the women wear during that period. Sound editor Ian Wilson does wonderful work with the sound to capture the raucous atmosphere of the saloons to the harsh sounds of the cold winds. The film’s music by Michael Nyman is truly a highlight of the film as it’s a very low-key yet sweeping operatic orchestral score that plays up to the sense of drama and uncertainty that is prevalent throughout the film.

The casting by Kerry Barden, Wendy Brazington, Billy Hopkins, and Suzanne Smith is terrific for the ensemble that is created as it includes some notable small roles from Shirley Henderson as a prostitute named Annie, Julian Richings as one of Dalglish’s friends in Frank Bellanger, and Barry Ward as the young Dillon. Nastassja Kinski is excellent as the ailing Elena Burn who deals with her illness and her past with Dillon as she hopes that he does the right thing. Milla Jovovich is wonderful as Lucia who deals with the presence of Hope as she tries to hold on to Dillon while being intrigued by Dalglish’s arrival.

Wes Bentley is excellent as Donald Dalglish who deals with the fate he’s carrying as well as what is going on in the town where he would make some drastic decisions in his life. Sarah Polley is superb as Hope Burn who deals with her mother’s illness while falling for Dalglish as she sees a town going through changes. Finally, there’s Peter Mullan in a marvelous performance as Daniel Dillon who deals with his demons and a possible future while hoping to find redemption for his past sins in a world that is changing around him.

The Claim is a remarkable film from Michael Winterbottom and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce. Featuring a great ensemble cast that includes Peter Mullan, Sarah Polley, Wes Bentley, Milla Jovovich, and Nastassja Kinski. It’s a film that definitely showcases a bit of realism into what was happening in the American West. Notably as it’s very different from most films about the West without delving too much into conventions. In the end, The Claim is an extraordinary 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) - Wonderland (1999 film) - 24 Hour Party People - In This World - Code 46 - 9 Songs - Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story - The Road to Guantanamo - A Mighty Heart - Genova - The Shock Doctrine (2009 film) -The Killer Inside Me - The Trip (2010 film) - (Trishna) - (Everyday (2012 film)) - The Look of Love - (The Trip to Italy) - (The Face of an Angel)

© thevoid99 2012

eXistenZ

Written and directed by David Cronenberg, eXistenZ is about a video game designer whose new virtual reality game is the talk of the video game world only to be targeted by assassins. With a security guard to help her, the two go on the run while trying to save the game that she creates. The film is among of Cronenberg’s themes with new technology and its implications that recalls such earlier films as Videodrome. Starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Ian Holm, Don McKellar, Sarah Polley, Callum Keith Rennie, Christopher Eccleston, and Willem Dafoe. eXistenZ is a mind-bending yet thrilling film from David Cronenberg.

Allegra Gellar (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is a revered though reclusive game designer who is at a focus group to premiere her new virtual reality game. With help from a seminar leader (Christopher Eccleston) and a security guard named Ted Pikul (Jude Law) watching, things seem to go well until an assassin (Kris Lemche) tries to kill Allegra. With Ted saving her and taking her away from the place, the two go on the run as Allegra is worried about her game pod that she’s been working on for five years. Needing Ted to be in the game so she can check its status, she realizes that he doesn’t have a bio-port on his back. Turning to a black-market bio-port installer named Gas (Willem Dafoe) for help, Gas puts a bio-port hole in Ted’s back where things don’t work out.

Hiding out at the home of her mentor Kiri Vinokur (Ian Holm), Kiri fixes Allegra’s pod as she and Ted begin to play the game. With Ted realizing he is in a very different world, he learns that in order to play the game. He had to abide by their rules and talk in cheesy dialogue to advance the story as he and Allegra get close. Meeting such characters like the strange Yevgeny Nourish (Don McKellar) and a resistance leader (Callum Keith Rennie), things get blurred as Ted wants to stop playing. Instead, things become more complicated and violent as Allegra believes something is up about her pod. In the game world, she encounters another pod which turns out to be very bad as it’s up to Ted to get her back only to realize they’re in the middle of a battle between anti-reality game groups and pro-realist groups that wants Allegra dead.

The film can be described as a strange, multi-layered film about a game designer whose life is in danger because of the work she’s created that further blurs the line between reality and fiction. During this journey, she goes on the run with a man that is sworn to protect her as he steps into a world that he doesn’t know about at all. In turn, they take on roles and say awful dialogue in order to play a game where only the designer knows what to do and there’s a guy who has never played a game before.

David Cronenberg creates a film where it’s about reality vs. fiction and technology being part of something organic where it can be connected to a body. The pod and other objects such as guns have a strange, organic look that acts less like a machine rather than something very real. Throughout the film, Cronenberg creates a lot of exposition in order for the Ted Pikul character to figure out what is going on. Exposition is fine though it does overwhelm the plot a bit as complex as a film like this due to its reality vs. fiction narrative. The script is truly fascinating for its development of characters as well as motives over why Allegra is being targeted. At the same time, Cronenberg understands the world of video games as he does create cheesy dialogue that is intended to help move the story.

Cronenberg’s direction definitely plays up to what is expected of him in terms of creating a world that is surreal but also fascinating. Though he sets it at a not-so-distant future, many of the objects that are made has this organic look and feel to them where the guns shoot out teeth as bullets while the pod looks like a body organ. Still, Cronenberg makes the real world and the video game world seem almost realistic as he often keeps the film straight in terms of camera work and compositions. It’s Cronenberg keeping a controlled approach to the filmmaking while using his odd, surreal ideas to help add a quirky element to the film. Cronenberg also likes to play with the idea of reality and fiction that becomes much more complex with a strange twist in the last 10 minutes of the film. While it’s not a perfect film due to the overuse of exposition at times, it is still one of Cronenberg’s enjoyable films.

Cinematographer Peter Suschitzky does a wonderful job with the cinematography from the grimy yet colorful lighting schemes in many of the film‘s interiors to the naturalistic camera work for some of the exterior scenes. Editor Ronald Sanders does an excellent job with the editing as he creates a mostly straightforward style to the film while maintaining a leisured pace for the film. Production designer Carol Spier, along with set decorator Elinor Rose Galbraith and art director Tamara Deverell, does some fine work with the set pieces such as Vinokur‘s home and the factory that Ted and Allegra work at in the game world.

Costume designer Denise Cronenberg does a very good job with the costumes such as the colorless yet stylish clothing of Allegra to the more casual look of Ted as it’s mostly very low key. Visual effects supervisor James Issac does an amazing job with the visual effects such as the mutant amphibians Allegra comes across to some of the creatures that is made in the world outside of the factory. The sound work of Ryan Shore and Glen Gauthier is pretty stellar for the atmosphere that is created from the suspenseful scenes to the intimate moments when the pod is making strange sounds. The film’s score by Howard Shore is superb for its sweeping orchestral arrangements to play up the film’s suspense as well as some low-key yet heavy scores to help underplay the drama.

The casting by Deirdre Bowen is brilliant for the appearances and people she put into the film such as Vik Sahay as Vinokur’s assistant, Kris Lemche as the assassin, Oscar Hsu as a waiter at a Chinese restaurant, Robert A. Silverman as a game character Allegra and Ted interacts with, Christopher Eccleston as seminar leader, and Sarah Polley in cameo as a mysterious woman towards the end of the film. Other notable appearances include Don McKellar as a mysterious pro-game leader named Yevgeny Nourish, Callum Keith Rennie as a resistance leader, Ian Holm as Allegra’s eccentric mentor, and Willem Dafoe as a creepy gas station owner/black market salesman.

Finally, there’s the duo of Jude Law and Jennifer Jason Leigh who each give superb performances for the film. Law brings a wonderful sense of energy and naiveté as a security guard new to the world of virtual reality games. Law also brings a determination and drive to his character as it’s definitely one of his most overlooked performances. Leigh gives a gritty yet troubled performance as a gifted game designer who is desperate to save her game while showing Law’s character the ropes of playing and living the game. It is also one of Leigh’s darker performances as she also add a bit of sexiness to a strange character as she and Law have amazing chemistry together.

eXistenZ is a remarkable yet provocative film from David Cronenberg featuring terrific performances from Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jude Law. While it’s a film that doesn’t live up to some of Cronenberg’s great films, it is still a pretty original yet daring film that plays to his themes about the dangers of technology. Particularly as some of the ideas in the film about reality and fiction would have audiences thinking about Christopher Nolan’s 2010 film Inception. In the end, eXistenZ is an excellent yet suspenseful film from David Cronenberg.

David Cronenberg Films: Stereo - Crimes of the Future - Shivers - Rabid - Fast Company - The Brood - Scanners - Videodrome - The Dead Zone - The Fly (1986 film) - Dead Ringers - Naked Lunch - M. Butterfly - Crash - Spider - A History of Violence - Eastern Promises - A Dangerous Method - Cosmopolis - Maps to the Stars - Crimes of the Future (2022 film)

The Auteurs #26: David Cronenberg Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2011