The Final Girls

 

Directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson and written by M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller, The Final Girls is the story of a young woman who is transported back in time to 1986 where she meets her late mother at a film set for a slasher film where they deal with a serial killer. The film is a comedy-horror film that sort of spoofs the slasher films while it also play into the clichés that are often expected as a young woman teams with her mother to break those rules. Starring Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Adam DeVine, Thomas Middleditch, Alia Shawkat, Alexander Ludwig, and Nina Dobrev. The Final Girls is a witty and inventive film from Todd Strauss-Schulson.

Three years after the death of her mother who was a film star of a famous slasher film in the 1980s, a young woman attends a screening of that film with her friends as a fire breaks out and they find themselves in the movie as they deal with the killer in the film but also other things as they become characters in that film. It is a film that is a spoof of sorts of slasher films where a group of people find themselves in a slasher movie with all of its bad dialogue, stereotypical characters, and everything that is expected as they find themselves being part of the film. The film’s screenplay by M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller is straightforward as it play into these five college students who attend a revival screening that goes wrong and then become part of the movie they’re supposed to watch. One of the students in Max Cartwright (Taissa Farmiga) is still dealing with the death of her mother Amanda (Malin Akerman) three years earlier in a car accident that Max had survived as she is reluctant to attend the screening of the film Camp Bloodbath as it was a film that Amanda was famous for but never did anything noteworthy afterwards.

Upon entering the film, Max and her friends including her best friend Gertie (Alia Shawkat), Gertie’s stepbrother Duncan (Thomas Middleditch) who is a horror fanatic, Chris (Alexander Ludwig), and Chris’ bitchy ex-girlfriend Vicki (Nina Dobrev), whom Max had been estranged from, all witness the events of the film as Duncan comments on what is happening as the character Amanda played in Nancy was someone who doesn’t survive in the film as the final girl is Paula (Chloe Bridges). Yet, things don’t go by the narrative due to the presence of Max and her friends as they all have to deal with the machete-wielding killer Billy Hopkins (Daniel Norris) as the script also feature exposition about why Hopkins kills people via flashback.

Todd Strauss-Schulson’s direction does have some style as it play into the style of 80s slasher films though it also maintains a straightforward visual style as it is shot on location in locations in and around Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The film starts off with a young Max waiting for her mother returning from an audition as they deal with mounting bills leading to the accident that would kill Amanda as that scene and several others are presented in a straightforward manner in its compositions including some wide and medium shots as well as close-ups. The scene where the movie theater gets burned leaving Max and her friends to escape into the film screen is an inventive moment where Strauss-Schulson shows what happens and then the film changes. The moment where Max and her friends become part of Camp Bloodbath starts off as funny with its clichéd characters and setting as they then become part of the film. Even as they find themselves waiting for the van arrive and then it would arrive again 92 minutes later as it sets up the tone of the film.

Strauss-Schulson also maintains a certain visual style for the scenes of Camp Bloodbath and how Max and her friends would interact with those characters as it does play into these slasher film clichés with the flashback sequence presented in black-and-white. The approach to humor is offbeat as it play up the clichés including a scene where the hot counselor in Tina (Angela Trimbur) discovers Vicki’s pills and things go hilariously wrong. The film’s climax is typical of slasher films but there’s also these moments that do subvert expectation as it relates to Max and her connection with Nancy who becomes aware of the stereotype she plays. Yet, Strauss-Schulson also play up the idea of the final girl and adds something different to raise the stakes for everyone in the film within a film. Overall, Strauss-Schulson crafts a witty and exhilarating film about a young woman and her friends entering themselves into a 80s slasher movie starring that young woman’s mother.

Cinematographer Elie Smolkin does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as it is more low-key and naturalistic for the scenes in Max’s world while the colors are more vibrant in the interior/exterior scenes in the day for Camp Bloodbath along with some stylish lighting for scenes at night. Editor Debbie Berman does excellent work with the editing as it has some style that play into rhythmic cuts for the suspenseful moments in the film as well as some stylized slow-motion as it adds humor to the film. Production designer Katie Byron, with set decorator Rachael Ferrera and art director Alexi Gomez, does amazing work with the look of the camp as well as some of the way the rooms are as it play into the 1980s aesthetics. Costume designer Lynette Meyer does fantastic work with the costumes that also play up to the look of the 1980s for the camp counselors as it isn’t afraid to look and be cheesy.

Special effects makeup artist Elvis Jones does terrific work with some of the design of the gore as well as it doesn’t just play to the conventions of horror but also for laughs. Visual effects supervisors David Lebensfeld, Grant Miller, and Matthew Poliquin do wonderful work with the visual effects whether it’s in some backdrops for scenes in a car or to create something that feels cheesy to play up the humor. Sound designer Lewis Goldstein does superb work with the sound in creating some unique sound effects that play to conventions of slasher films along with elements in how music sounds from a stereo and other sparse moments. The film’s music by Gregory James Jenkins is incredible for its 80s-inspired score with elements of eerie orchestral pieces and synthesizer-based music as the latter is something typical of 80s slasher films where there are these fun elements while music supervisor Susan Jacobs creates a fun soundtrack that features pieces from Warrant, Bananarama, Wang Chung, the Chordettes, the Cold Crush Brothers, Bleachers, Toni Basil, and Kim Carnes.

The casting by Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Lauren Gros as the hippie chick Mimi, Reginald Robinson as a hunky hiker Mimi hopes to have sex with, Eric Carney as the young Billy from the flashback, Tory N. Thompson as a camp counselor that Gertie flirts with, Chloe Bridges as the cool virgin in Paula who is the final girl in Camp Bloodbath, and Daniel Norris as the killer in Camp Bloodbath in Billy Murphy who wears a mask and wields a machete. Angela Trimbur is fantastic as the slutty camp counselor Tina who always wear skimpy clothing and becomes even more animated due to Vicki’s pills while Adam DeVine is superb as the douche-bag Kurt who claims to have a big dick and thinks he’s all that to the point that he annoys Chris for being a misogynistic douchebag.

Thomas Middleditch is excellent as the horror film fanatic Duncan who revels in being in the film as he comments on everything around him as he ends up annoying everyone. Alia Shawkat and Nina Dobrev are brilliant in their respective roles as Gertie and Vicki with the former being Duncan’s stepsister and a friend of Max as she is aware of what is going on while trying to be the sensible one of the group while the latter is a bitchy student who is possessive towards Chris as it adds to her estrangement from Max where Dobrev is also someone who is eager to get things done. Alexander Ludwig is amazing as Chris as a longtime friend of Max who also has feelings for her as he tries to help her while also doing what he can to ensure that he and his friends survive.

Taissa Farmiga is great as Max Cartwright as a young student still dealing with the death of her mother as she finds herself in her mother’s film as she copes with the presence of her mother’s character as well as the desire for both of them to survive which includes dealing with Billy Murphy. Finally, there’s Malin Akerman in an incredible performance as Amanda Cartwright/Nancy with the former being an actress struggling to find work despite her infamy for the film she’s famous for while being this upbeat counselor that is hoping to get laid and fit in only to learn that she doesn’t make it in the film where Akerman displays that sense of uncertainty but also a woman who realizes the choices she has to make.

The Final Girls is a remarkable film from Todd Strauss-Schulson that features great performances from Malin Akerman and Taissa Farmiga. Along with its ensemble cast, fun music soundtrack, and playing up the many clichés of slasher films with biting humor and offbeat suspense. It’s a film that isn’t afraid to be funny in making fun of slasher films but also with its heart as it has a group of people being part of a slasher film as they figure out how to survive but also change the rules. In the end, The Final Girls is a marvelous film from Todd Strauss-Schulson.

© thevoid99 2021

The Bling Ring

Based on the Vanity Fair article The Suspects Wore Louboutins by Nancy Jo Sale, The Bling Ring is about the true story of a group of young teenagers from Los Angeles whose obsessions with celebrity culture has them robbing the homes of various celebrities that include Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bilson, and many others. Written and directed by Sofia Coppola, the film is look into the world of celebrity culture from the perspective of young teens eager to part of that world where their crimes eventually go out of control as they become disconnected with reality. Starring Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Claire Julien, Gavin Rossdale, Stacy Edwards, and Leslie Mann. The Bling Ring is a fabulous yet entrancing film from Sofia Coppola.

The film is a fictional account to the real-life Bling Ring robberies where a group of teenagers robbed the homes of celebrities when those celebs aren’t at the house. For these five kids, their fascination with celebrity culture and the fact that it was easy to steal from their idols gives them the chance to feel like they’re part of that world of excess. Eventually, things do get out of control where paranoia and mistrust starts to come in where they’re eventually caught and face a world of trouble. It all plays to the fact that these kids want to be in that world of celebrity and wear the finest fashion designer clothes and be the envy of their peers. Yet, they become disconnected with the reality of their crimes as once they face the consequences. There are those who are more concerned with the fact that they’re about to become infamous while wondering about the people they stole from as well as their thoughts on the thefts.

Sofia Coppola’s screenplay is mostly told in a straightforward narrative where it mesh genres from drama, comedy, and suspense yet it does play with some of its conventions as it features bits of voice-over narration and interviews with two of its characters in Marc (Israel Broussard) and Nicki (Emma Watson). The story is largely told from Marc’s perspective where he meets a girl named Rebecca (Katie Chang) as they become friends due to their love for celebrities and fashion as they decide to sneak into the home of Paris Hilton as there are some serious revelations about the world that celebrities live in as well as what goes on in Los Angeles where people don’t lock their cars and leave their belongings there. Once Rebecca’s friend Chloe (Claire Julien), Nicki, and Nicki’s adopted sister Sam (Taissa Farmiga) join in the thefts, things eventually get crazy and all five of these kids are having the time of their lives.

Coppola isn’t interested in judging these kids but is aware that what they’re doing is wrong. Especially as they live in a carefree environment where they go to house parties and clubs where there’s no adult supervision while driving cars and wearing the best clothes of the day. While it definitely will seem to be very alienating to those that don’t live in the suburban posh areas of Los Angeles. There is still something about these kids that are intriguing as they want to be part of something that can make them cool and have other kids be envious of them. At the same time, they want to be people like Paris Hilton, Audrina Partridge, Lindsay Lohan, and all of these celebrities as to live the carefree yet excessive life they have while wearing their clothes, sporting their jewels, and doing the kind of things as if they were them. It’s all part of living the fantasy that these kids want to do no matter how immoral it is. Notably as Nicki’s mother (Leslie Mann) is someone who is also fascinated by the world of celebrity but is clueless to what her daughter is doing.

Coppola’s script has a structure where the first half is about the joy of stealing and being part of that world of celebrity where these kids will post pictures of the stuff they stole on Facebook and party at clubs. The script’s second half is actually much darker once the reality of their crimes is getting the attention of the public and the need to steal more becomes more frightening as they become oblivious to the fact that they’re being filmed by security cameras. The third act isn’t just about the group of kids being caught but also the infamy they’ve gained where Nicki and Marc are interviewed as it shows a contrast of what these kids are feeling over the troubles they’ve caused.

Coppola’s direction is very stylized for the fact that she goes for something that is a mixture of home movies with something that is grand and cinematic. Particularly as Coppola opens the film with the gang stealing objects from the home of a celebrity and then cuts to Marc’s interview with a Vanity Fair reporter (Anne Fitzgerald). While a lot of the visual compositions are straightforward in terms of close-ups and wide shots, there is an energy to Coppola’s compositions that is still enthralling from the moments in the club where the kids see Paris Hilton and longtime Coppola cohort Kirsten Dunst. Even in the club scenes where these kids are dancing as if they’re part of the in-crowd though not fully part of that exclusive club.

There’s also some very exquisite moments in the film where Coppola showcases the thefts that these kids are doing that includes this amazing wide shot of one celebrity’s house where it moves very slow with its zoom lens to see these kids coming and coming out to steal stuff from that person’s house all in one take. It’s among these moments in the film that shows Coppola taking some risks in her direction including scenes where things do play into an element of darkness in the second half with security footage and TV clips to showcase the chaos of the Bling Ring thefts. Particularly as there’s that sense of ambiguity where Coppola does shoot the film in the actual home of Paris Hilton that is quite surreal in some ways to think that they’re actually in Paris Hilton’s home.

While it’s a film that has no sense of defining genre where Coppola can use comedy and drama for elements of the film. She also employs some suspense in the third act where there is that element of paranoia that occurs about the idea that these kids could be caught. Notably as there’s that feeling that these kids should stop but that doesn’t happen where there is that troubling aftermath about the crimes they face. Coppola could’ve ended the film with some exposition about what happens to them but she doesn’t do that by just revealing what needs to be shown and said. Yet, it is followed by the two different paths of two of the members of the gang that showcases an uneasy ending that plays to the what these kids want no matter how shallow or how unrealistic it is. Overall, Coppola creates a wild yet fascinating film about a group of kids’ desire to be part of the world of celebrity culture.

Cinematographers Harris Savides and Christopher Blauvet do amazing work with the film‘s very colorful yet evocative cinematography to play out some of the beauty of the locations in Los Angeles in day and night as well as the more use of stylish lights for the scenes at the houses and clubs at night. The photography include some truly gorgeous work that is typical of Savides in his final contribution to cinema as the film is dedicated to his memory as his work with Blauvet‘s contributions is a technical highlight of the film. Editor Sarah Flack does fantastic work with the editing to bring in a flair of style in the cutting from montages to some dazzling rhythmic cuts to play out the craziness of the thefts as well as using TV clips to establish the awareness of the thefts.

Production designer Anne Ross, with set decorator Sara Parks and art director Kevin Bird, does brilliant work with the set pieces from the look of the clubs and some of the homes of the celebrities to the design of the objects the kids steal. Costume designer Stacey Battat does wonderful work with the clothes the kids wear from sweats to designer clothing in their desire to be like their idols. Sound designer Richard Beggs and co-sound editor Michael Kirschberger do excellent work with the sound from the way sirens and helicopter sounds to create that air of suspense to the atmosphere of the film‘s party scenes.

The film’s music by Brian Reitzell and Daniel Lopatin is superb for its moody ambient score to play out some of the drama and suspense that occurs in the film. The film’s soundtrack that is supervised by Reitzell features an array of artists ranging from hip-hop and R&B to indie as it features pieces from Kanye West, Frank Ocean, Rick Ross with Lil’ Wayne, 2 Chainz, Phoenix, Sleigh Bells, and Can to play out the sense of excitement and terror in the film.

The casting by Nicole Daniels and Courtney Sheinin is spectacular as it features cameo appearances from Paris Hilton and Kirsten Dunst as well as small appearances from Stacy Edwards and Marc Coppola as Marc’s parents, Carlos Miranda as Chloe’s friend Rob, Gavin Rossdale as the club owner/black market dealer Ricky, Annie Fitzgerald as the Vanity Fair reporter, Georgia Brown as Nicki’s younger sister Emily who takes part in one of the thefts, and Leslie Mann as Nicki and Emily’s mom who is very funny for her fascination with The Secret and how she tries to raise her daughters and Sam by living in that world.

Claire Julien is terrific as Chloe as the girl who helps everyone out in the thefts while being the one to introduce the girls to Ricky so they can sell stuff to him and make a profit. Taissa Farmiga is wonderful as Sam as Nicki’s adopted sister who shares the gang’s fascination for clothes, shoes, and jewelry while being very comical in a scene involving a gun. Katie Chang is excellent as the gang’s ringleader Rebecca as she is the one who always leads in the thefts while becoming more obsessed with stealing more as she also brings some wit to her performance. Israel Broussard is superb as Marc as the lone boy in the group who finds the homes of the celebrities while becoming more troubled later on as things get out of control. Finally, there’s Emma Watson in a remarkable performance as Nicki where Watson brings this air of shallowness and grand delusion to a character who is full of herself and is not afraid to be dangerous while is yearning to be famous one way or another.

The Bling Ring is a phenomenal and entertaining film from Sofia Coppola. Thanks to a great ensemble cast along with a vibrant look courtesy of the late Harris Savides as well as a fun film soundtrack. The film is definitely Coppola’s most accessible film since The Virgin Suicides in terms of the way kids are portrayed. It’s also a film that plays into a wild world that has no rules despite the fact that these kids are committing terrible crimes with no sense of remorse or morality. In the end, The Bling Ring is a sensational film from Sofia Coppola.

Sofia Coppola Films: Lick the Star - The Virgin Suicides - Lost in Translation - Marie Antoinette - Somewhere - A Very Murray Christmas - The Beguiled - On the Rocks - Priscilla (2023 film)

Sofia Coppola Soundtracks: Air-The Virgin Suicides OST - The Virgin Suicides OST - Lost in Translation OST - Marie Antoinette OST - (The Bling Ring OST) - (Priscilla OST)

Related: The Ads & Videos 1993-2008 - The Auteurs #1: Sofia Coppola - Favorite Films #1: Lost in Translation - Favorite Films #4: Somewhere

© thevoid99 2013

Higher Ground

Based on Carolyn Briggs’ memoir This Dark World: A Story of Faith Found and Lost, Higher Ground is the story of a woman whose life goes through various changes when she becomes religious at 18 only to question her beliefs as a married adult. Directed and starring Vera Farmiga with a screenplay by Carolyn Briggs and Tim Metcalfe, the film explores the world of faith and doubt in the eyes of a woman in the course of her life. Also starring John Hawkes, Taissa Farmiga, Donna Murphy, Dagmara Dominczyk, Joshua Leonard, and Bill Irwin. Higher Ground is a compelling drama from Vera Farmiga.

Following a period where her mother Kathleen (Donna Murphy) had a miscarriage that would ruin the marriage between her mother and father CW (John Hawkes), a young girl named Corinne (McKenzie Turner) is dealing with a troubled aftermath as she attends church with her young sister Wendy (Taylor Schwenke). At the church, Pastor Bud (Bill Irwin) has a sermon where Corinne accepts Jesus into her heart where she watches her parents’ marriage disintegrate. Years later as an 18-year old (Taissa Farmiga), Corinne meets a young rock singer named Ethan (Boyd Holbrook) where they have a relationship that would lead to Corinne getting married and having a baby. The marriage nearly crumbles following an accident when Ethan’s band goes on the road where he and Corinne decide to give their life towards God.

Time has passed as Corinne (Vera Farmiga) is now an adult with two kids another on the way while she and Ethan (Joshua Leonard) are part of a community of followers that includes Corinne’s friend Annika (Dagmara Dominczyk). A visit from Wendy (Nina Arianda) starts off well until Wendy’s lifestyle starts to get to Ethan while Corinne becomes fascinated by Wendy’s views on God and faith. Though Corinne loves the community, she starts to feel slighted by its restrictions over what to wear and such where it starts to overwhelm her after getting her third child. When Annika starts to feel ill leaving Corinne worried, the result would have an impact on Corinne’s views as it would lead to her marriage to finally unravel. Notably as she starts to have doubts about the way God works leading to Corinne to wonder if she had taken the right path to righteousness.

The film is about a life of a woman spanning through four different decades of her life where she encounters the world of Jesus Christ and faith only to find herself questioning about God’s will. It’s a compelling story that is about faith and doubt in the eyes of a woman who starts off going through tragedy only to find solace in God but later becomes doubtful following the restrictions of her community and various incidents that would impact her doubts. Carolyn Briggs and Tim Metcalfe’s screenplay does an excellent job in exploring Corinne’s life in the world of God and such. When it comes to the film’s third act, it gets a bit drawn out because the story starts to drag a bit as Corinne starts to break away from her old life to try and find something new. There’s nothing bad about it but it just takes a lot of out of what the first 2 acts had done in terms of dramatic execution.

Vera Farmiga’s direction is quite engaging and stylish for the way she opened the film with a baptism and then cuts to the narrative to follow this woman’s life. Shot on location in upstate New York, the film has gorgeous images of the fields and cliffs to play out the world that Corrine and her community live in. Farmiga also knows how to set up dramatic moments with her framing and having the actors be placed to create dramatic tension. A lot of it is very interesting despite the flaws in the third act where it loses a bit of steam. While the film is a dramatic take on a woman’s life, Farmiga isn’t afraid to put in some humor including a strange fantasy scene to play out what Corinne might be feeling. Overall, Farmiga does a solid job in creating an insightful film about a woman’s exploration towards faith.

Cinematographer Michael McDonough does excellent work with the film‘s photography from the lush look of the interiors for the scenes in the 60s and 70s to a more naturalistic look for the scenes in the 80s and 90s with some gorgeous exterior shots of the locations. Editor Colleen Sharp does nice work with the editing to create something that is straightforward without a lot of style while maintaining a leisured pace for the film. Production designer Sharon Lomofsky, with art directors Shawn Carroll and Lisa Meyers and set decorator Diana Bregman, does fantastic work with the set pieces such as the homes that Corinne lives in to the churches that she attends.

Costume designer Amela Baksic does wonderful work with the clothes that Corrine wears to explore her evolution and personality through the dresses she wears in the 70s and 80s to a more casual look in the 90s. Sound editor Robert Hein does terrific work with the sound from the intimacy of the churches to the way music is performed in a lot of those scenes. The film’s score by Alec Puro is superb for its folk-driven sound while its soundtrack that is assembled by music supervisor Levon Broussalian features a lot of folk-based religious music.

The casting by Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it includes some notable small roles from Ebon-Moss Bachrach as community member Luke, Norbert Leo Butz as community leader Pastor Bill, Barbara Tuttle as Bill’s wife, Sean Mahon as the Irish mail carrier that Corinne befriends late in the film, Jack Gilpin as a therapist Corinne meets, Michael Chernus as Annika’s husband Ned, and Bill Irwin as the inspiring Pastor Bud. In the roles of Corrine and Ethan’s children, there’s Flynn Hawkey, Luella Roche, and Sarah Little as the eldest daughter Abigail, Sarah Banks and Zoe Allegra as Lily, and Matthew Biltonen as the young child Gabe.

Boyd Holbrook is excellent as the young Ethan with his energetic performance while Kaitlyn Rae King is very good as the teenage Wendy with Taylor Schwenke who is also good as the younger Wendy. McKenzie Turner is wonderful as the young Corinne while Taissa Farmiga is amazing as the teenage Corinne who feels lost in her world as she falls for the young Ethan. Donna Murphy is brilliant as Corinne’s outgoing mother Kathleen while John Hawkes is terrific as Corinne’s troubled yet laconic father CW as the two have a great moment in a scene in the third act. Nina Arianda is superb as Corinne’s troubled sister Wendy who tries to figure out her sister’s world while admitting she is troubled. Dagmara Dominczyk is great as Corinne’s best friend Annika whose view on faith would shape Corinne’s view later on.

Joshua Leonard is fantastic as Corinne’s husband Ethan who tries to maintain his musical side while becoming confused by his wife’s behavior as he tries to hold on to his faith. Finally, there’s Vera Farmiga as Corinne where Farmiga’s performance is entrancing in the way she tries to deal with God and religion only to become confused by her world and its restrictions as it’s one of Farmiga’s essential performances.

Higher Ground is a stellar and fascinating film from Vera Farmiga as it features a terrific ensemble cast that includes Joshua Leonard, Dagmara Dominiczyk, Taissa Farmiga, Donna Murphy, and John Hawkes. For audiences that is interested in the world of religious communities and faith will definitely find the film intriguing despite the flaws it carries in its third act. In the end, Higher Ground is a film worth seeing from its star and director Vera Farmiga.

© thevoid99 2012