Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

 

Based on the characters created by Michael McDowell and Larry Wilson, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the sequel to the 1988 film Beetlejuice in which a family returns to a small town following the death of their patriarch where a woman reunites with a demonic figure after her daughter is taken to the Afterlife leading to another misadventure. Directed by Tim Burton and screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar from a screen story by Gough, Millar, and Seth Grahame-Smith, the film explores a family whose previous encounter with the Afterlife has them dealing with loss and other strange things with Michael Keaton reprising his role as the titular character/Betelgeuse with Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara also returning to reprise their respective roles in Lydia and Delia Deetz. Also starring Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Arthur Conti, Santiago Cabrera, and Willem Dafoe. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a whimsical and witty film by Tim Burton.

More than 30 years after events in which a young woman meets a demonic figure named Betelgeuse, the film revolves around that woman, her stepmother, and daughter who return to the small town following the death of her father where strange events occurred in the Afterlife involving Betelgeuse and his ex-wife seeking revenge on him. It is a film that does not just explore loss but also a woman dealing with the traumatic events when she was a teenager as she is forced to confront her past as well as her own relationship with her daughter. The film’s screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar is straightforward in its narrative as it plays into a woman who remains haunted by Betelgeuse where she has spent her adult life hosting a TV show relating to ghosts whom she can see. Yet, the show has also been the reason Lydia Deetz has become estranged from her teenage daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) who does not believe her mother’s claims, nor does she believe in ghosts as she wonders why her mother could see ghosts but not her late father.

The death of Lydia’s father Charles Deetz forces Lydia, Astrid, and Lydia’s stepmother Delia to return to Winter River fin the funeral as well as cleaning out their old house where Astrid discovered a flyer at the attic that has Betelgeuse’s name. Astrid would meet a fellow teenager in Jeremy (Arthur Conti) as they share a love of Dostoyevsky while Lydia’s boyfriend/producer Rory publicly proposed to her during the wake adding to the growing tension between Lydia and Astrid while Delia also is not fond of Rory as she’s concerned with cleaning out the house and express her grief through art. The script does play into Lydia and Delia’s relationship with each other as the former feels lost as she turns to the latter despite the issues they have had in the past. Still, the presence of Betelgeuse still looms as he has problems of his own in the fact that his ex-wife Delores (Monica Bellucci) has returned following a strange accident involving a janitor. Delores and Betelgeuse met during the plague as the former was part of a soul-sucking cult that tried to kill the latter only for Betelgeuse to kill her in retaliation. While Lydia is reluctant to ask for Betelgeuse’s help when Astrid is sent to the Afterlife, Betelgeuse does help her though it does come with some risks as he is an opportunist who will always want something. Still, he does want to show Lydia that he does care despite his motives.

Tim Burton’s direction is stylish and full of whimsy in terms of re-establishing a few visual clues and some Easter eggs relating to the original 1988 film but also paying tribute to that film as its opening sequence mirrors the same one from that film. Shot on location in Vermont and Massachusetts with some interior shots created in London, Burton does play into these two different worlds that is the living and the dead where Lydia’s show is filled with these quirks that is expected in shows about the paranormal. Yet, Burton also infuses the film with different kinds of style ranging from European horror in a sequence where Betelgeuse tells his employees about how he met his ex-wife to stop-motion animation in discussing how Charles Deetz had died. Still, Burton knows when to break from the humor and horror to create scenes that are straightforward in his compositions where he uses close-ups and medium shots in the way characters interact with one another. There are some wide shots that Burton uses though he prefers to maintain some simplicity when it comes to the compositions and elaborate set pieces.

Burton also plays into this idea of death where there are some humorous moments as it relates to Delia’s over-the-top approach to grief as she expresses it through art as well as well as some of the antics that Betelgeuse does in the building he works at. Burton also maintains some suspense once Astrid is sent to the Afterlife as there are stakes not just for the Deetz but also for Betelgeuse himself as he is also being chased by the ghost detective Wolf Jackson (Willem Dafoe) who was once a B-movie actor. The film’s climax is a throwback of sorts to the climax of the original film, but Burton brings in a more elaborate setting that involves musical dance numbers and other silly things that is expected from Burton. Overall, Burton crafts a dazzling and offbeat film about a woman reaching out to her former tormentor to help her retrieve her daughter in the Afterlife.

Cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with the usage of natural lighting for the daytime exteriors in some scenes as well as the usage of colorful lighting for the interior scenes in the Afterlife. Editor Jay Prichidny does excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward in its approach to rhythmic cuts to play into the humor and suspense. Production designer Mark Scruton, along with supervising art directors Nick Gottschalk and Andrew Palmer plus set decorators Lori Mazuer and David Morison, does amazing work with the look of the Afterlife offices and hallways as well as the interiors of the old Deetz/Maitland home that also featured additional work from the first film’s production designer Bo Welch who serves as the film’s visual consultant. Costume designer Colleen Atwood does fantastic work with the costumes from the black clothing that Lydia wears as well as some of the clothes that Betelgeuse wears and the stylish clothing that Astrid and Delia wear.

Hair/makeup designer Christine Blundell does incredible work with the look of the characters from the look of the dead in the Afterlife as well as Delia’s red hair. Visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton and special effects supervisor Stefano Pepin, along with creature effects designer Neal Scanlan, do phenomenal work with the visual effects in the mixture of practical and CGI effects to create a unique world . Sound designer Jimmy Boyle does superb work with the sound in some of the sound effects created as well as the atmosphere of a room during the wake scene as well as the raucous atmosphere of the scenes in the Afterlife.

The film’s music by Danny Elfman is wonderful for its bombastic orchestral score filled with grand string and brass arrangements that play into the sense of suspense and humor while music supervisors James Balmont and Matthew Lawrenson create a fun soundtrack that features two different versions of the song MacArthur Park sung by Richard Harris and a disco version by Donna Summer. The rest of the music soundtrack also features music from the Bee Gees, Mazzy Star, Scott Weiland, Pino Donaggio, Sigur Ros, and Richard Marx as it is a highlight of the film.

The casting by Sophie Holland is great as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Georgiana Beedle as Jackson’s secretary who always brings him a cup of coffee, Filipe Cates as a mysterious figure Astrid would meet in Vlad, casting director Sophie Holland as a hot dog lady with a stick who runs the office when the dead arrive, Sami Silane as an artist in Le Tigre who is upset at Delia for cancelling her show, and Amy Nuttall as the real estate agent Jane Butterfield who took over the business from her mother as she reveals some crucial information to Lydia that would be a key plot-point to the film. Other notable small roles include Santiago Cabrera as Astrid’s late father Richard who had died in South America, Burn Gorman as Father Damien who performed the funeral for Charles Deetz as well as other events in the town, and Nick Kellington as Betelgeuse’s right-hand shrinker-zombie friend Bob who helps run things for Betelgeuse.

Arthur Conti is superb as Jeremy as a young man Astrid meets after crashing her bicycle into his fence where he offers a chance to help Astrid see her father though he has motives of his own. Willem Dafoe is excellent as Wolf Jackson as a former B-movie actor who leads a paranormal detective force as he tries to deal with Delores and the antics of Betelgeuse where Dafoe gets the chance to ham it up as someone who really loves playing the role of a detective. Monica Bellucci is fantastic as Delores as Betelgeuse’s ex-wife who is part of a soul-sucking cult that tried to kill Betelgeuse during the black plague only to be killed by him in retaliation as she is eager to get revenge on him. Justin Theroux is brilliant as Lydia’s producer/boyfriend Rory as a guy who is the embodiment of uncool as he tries everything to win over Astrid while also forcing Lydia into a wedding for publicity reasons where Theroux is fun to watch in the way he reacts to certain things as well as just being so dumb. Jenna Ortega is incredible as Astrid as Lydia’s teenage daughter who wants nothing to do with her mother as she doesn’t believe in ghosts while feeling resentful towards her mother for not seeing their late father as well as other issues where Ortega brings a lot of wit and angst to her character while also proving to funny as she has great rapport with her co-stars.

Catherine O’Hara is phenomenal as Delia Deetz as Lydia’s stepmother who becomes consumed with grief over the death of her husband as she expresses it through art in the most hilarious of ways. Notably as she does some things that are odd, yet O’Hara often keeps things lively while also proving to be understanding over Lydia’s relationship with Astrid. Winona Ryder is great as Lydia Deetz as a paranormal TV show host who is still dealing with trauma as well as loss where Ryder keeps a lot of her performance straightforward while retaining a few quirks in her choice of clothing. Even though she is determined to not deal with Betelgeuse but realizes that she needs him to help retrieve her daughter in the Afterlife. Finally, there’s Michael Keaton in a tremendous performance as Betelgeuse as the demon who still pines for Lydia while dealing with the return of his ex-wife as he is eager to be rid of Delores while also hoping to reunite with Lydia in the hopes of marrying her. Keaton adds a lot of energy and charisma to his performance as well as the complexity of someone who likes to create chaos while also wanting to show Lydia that he really does care in his own offbeat way.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a marvelous film by Tim Burton that features great performances from Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, and Jenna Ortega. Along with its supporting ensemble cast, amazing set pieces, dazzling visuals, a fun music soundtrack, and a story about loss and family. It is a film that does not try to be its predecessor while also acknowledging it in a loving way while also wanting to be entertaining and not taking itself too seriously. In the end, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a remarkable film by Tim Burton.

Tim Burton Films: (Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure) – Beetlejuice - Batman - (Edward Scissorhands) – Batman Returns - Ed Wood - (Mars Attacks!) – (Sleepy Hollow) – (Planet of the Apes (2001 film)) – (Big Fish) – (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) – (Corpse Bride) – (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) – (Alice in Wonderland (2010 film)) – (Dark Shadows) – (Frankenweenie) – (Big Eyes) – (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children) – (Dumbo (2019 film))

© thevoid99 2024

The Age of Innocence (1993 film)

Based on the novel by Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence is the story of a man who is about to get married only to fall for his fiancee’s cousin as it causes a lot of problems in the world of upper-class New York City in the 1870s. Directed by Martin Scorsese and screenplay by Scorsese and Jay Cocks, the film is an exploration of a love triangle where man falls for a woman who is known for having a very bad reputation as it is told by Joanne Woodward who serves as the film‘s narrator. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, Michael Gough, Robert Sean Leonard, Norman Lloyd, Richard E. Grant, Mary Beth Hurt, Stuart Wilson, Miriam Margoyles, and Geraldine Chaplin. The Age of Innocence is a ravishing and evocative film from Martin Scorsese.

Set in 1870s New York City, the film plays into the life of a lawyer who is engaged to a woman who is prim and proper as her cousin makes a return to the city as the man falls for her and sense of individuality. It’s a film that does play into ideas of a love triangle but it’s also a film that explores a world that is changing as certain behaviors and ideas that is part of the norm of society forces this man to wonder if that’s the way to live. Even as this woman he falls for is a woman with an already scandalous reputation as she is seeking to divorce a count she is married to. It’s a film that plays into a lot of things as it’s told by this unseen narrator who often comments about the behavior and feelings of Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his relationship with May Welland (Winona Ryder) as well as his feelings for May’s cousin Countess Ellen Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer).

The film’s screenplay by Martin Scorsese and Jay Cocks definitely explores a world where there are expectations to fit in to the conventions of upper-class New York City society. It’s something that May has been doing and seems comfortable with as she never really has an opinion about anything but rather maintain that idea of conformity. Archer definitely loves May as he knows that she is a woman that can be a great wife but upon meeting Ellen, he begins to question about what he wants in his life. Especially as Ellen is someone that is quite opinionated and doesn’t play into the idea of conventionality as she knows she is the subject of gossip due to her relationship with a count. That individuality is what attracts Archer to Ellen as it has him looking at the world in a different way but also has him obsessing about Ellen who is trying to lead her own life.

The script also explores that sense of two people wanting to be in love as Archer and Ellen are aware that May is in the middle as she is someone they don’t want to hurt. Even as there’s moments where Archer and Ellen want to say something but there’s many other things that happen which often has Ellen leaving Archer for different reasons. Plus, they’re hiding the relationship around people that are close to them as there’s other characters involved in the story such as Ellen’s grandmother Mrs. Mingott (Miriam Margoyles) who is a powerful woman of New York society with very strong opinions as she is admired by nearly everyone. Even as she would be an influence to May and several other characters as well as Archer where he would have to make a major decision on what he wants to do with his life and who to be with.

Martin Scorsese’s direction is definitely exquisite in terms of is total attention to detail in the way he captures 1870s New York City as it’s shot mostly in the city itself with scenes shot in Paris and other locations in Philadelphia. Much of it plays into a world that is very refined with a set of rules about how to live in upper-class New York society where everyone goes to the opera and are sitting in seats as the men are in one booth and their wives are in another booth. The usage of wide and medium shots play into that vast world while Scorsese also uses some stylish camera movements such as tracking shots and cranes to play into a world that sort of feels constrained by its rules only for someone like Ellen to come in and kind of break things down bit by bit. Even as Scorsese goes for close-ups to capture the sense of desire that looms between Archer and Ellen as well as extreme close-ups of their faces and hands.

The direction also has Scorsese utilizing many elements that are very stylistic in his approach to framing in the way he would light certain moments or to capture something where Archer and Ellen are in their own world that is detached from everything else. It adds to something that plays to a world that is changing though the people in Archer and Ellen’s world are quite oblivious to it because they’re protected by their environment. Yet, things would crash down once reality starts to come in for Archer and Ellen where Archer would have to make a decision as it also relates to May who does start to display elements of her own self to emerge late in the film. Overall, Scorsese creates a very intoxicating yet heart-wrenching film about a man caught in a complicated love triangle.

Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful and lush cinematography to capture the many layers of colors that is in display for some of the film‘s interior scenes while using some low-key lights for scenes at night. Editor Thelma Schoonmaker does incredible work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, flourishing montages, dissolves, and other stylish cuts to play into the sense of dramatic tension as well as longing between Archer and Ellen. Production designer Dante Ferreti, with art director Speed Hopkins and set decorators Robert J. Franco and Amy Marshall, does amazing work with the set design from the look of the houses and rooms where the characters are in to the ballrooms and opera houses as it displays great attention to detail to capture a period in time.

Costume designer Gabriella Pescucci does excellent work with costumes from the hats and suits the men wear as well as the lavish dresses that the women that plays into that period in time. Hair designer Alan D’Angerio and special effects makeup artist Manilo Rocchetti do fantastic work with the look of the characters from the hairstyles of the women to the beard and sideburns of some of the male characters. Sound editor Skip Lievsay does superb work with the sound to capture some of the atmosphere of the social gatherings along with low-key sound work in the dramatic moments of the film. The film’s music by Elmer Bernstein is wonderful for its lush and orchestral score to play into the period of the times as well as the romantic tension between Archer and Ellen while the soundtrack features music from that period including some opera and classical pieces.

The casting by Ellen Lewis is great as it features notable appearances from Charles and Catherine Scorsese as an old couple walking out of a train station, Martin Scorsese as a wedding photographer, Domenica Scorsese as a young woman Archer meets in Newport when he’s trying to find Ellen, Alexis Smith as Louisa van der Luyden, Sian Phillips as Archer’s mother, Alec McCowen as the Archer family friend Sillerton Jackson, Jonathan Pryce as a Frenchman Archer met in London in Riviere, Robert Sean Leonard as Archer’s adult son Ted in the film’s final moments, and Norman Lloyd as Archer’s mentor Mr. Letterblair who would counsel him about Ellen’s own attempts to divorce her husband. Mary Beth Hurt is wonderful as Regina Beaufort who feels shamed by her husband’s bad real estates deal while Stuart Wilson is terrific as Julius Beaufort who would often visit Ellen which raises suspicions in Archer that he’s one of her lovers. Richard E. Grant is superb as Archer’s friend Larry Lefferts as a man who is known for exquisite tastes as he is wowed by Ellen’s appearance.

Michael Gough is excellent as Archer’s family friend Henry van der Luyden who is giving Archer some advice on life while being very gracious towards May whom he likes a lot. Geraldine Chaplin is brilliant as May’s mother who is always warm towards Ellen while preparing May for the wedding and other family/social gatherings. Miriam Margoyles is amazing as Mrs. Mingott as Ellen’s grandmother who is always on a chair surrounded by little dogs as she is a person of power and influence while not afraid to speak her mind just like her granddaughter. Winona Ryder is remarkable as May Welland as a very kind and warm young woman who represents the form of innocence as she is the kind of woman that Archer should marry but manages to be so much more as Ryder just has this evocative presence that is a joy to watch.

Michelle Pfeiffer is incredible as Countess Ellen Olenska as this woman who is a free-spirit of sorts but is tormented by the mistakes she made in her past while is trying not to be judge as she finds comfort in Archer though she doesn’t want to hurt May. Finally, there’s Daniel Day-Lewis in a phenomenal performance as Newland Archer as a lawyer who is tormented by his love for May but is in love with Ellen as it’s a very restrained yet mesmerizing performance of a man who is torn between two women as well as realizing that the world he’s lived in is a façade of sorts but one that can protect him.

The Age of Innocence is an enchanting and sensational film from Martin Scorsese. Armed with a great cast led by Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder as well as amazing technical contributions from its crew. The film is definitely a period piece that manages to be so much more in its study of characters, motivations, and ideals in late 19th Century New York City. In the end, The Age of Innocence is a tremendously rich and rapturous film from Martin Scorsese.

Martin Scorsese Films: (Who’s That Knocking on My Door?) - (Street Scenes) - Boxcar Bertha - (Mean Streets) - Italianamerican - Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore - Taxi Driver - New York, New York - American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince - (The Last Waltz) - Raging Bull - The King of Comedy - After Hours - The Color of Money - The Last Temptation of Christ - New York Stories-Life Lessons - Goodfellas - Cape Fear (1991 film) - (A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies) - (Casino) - (Kundun) - (My Voyage to Italy) - Bringing Out the Dead - (The Blues-Feel Like Going Home) - Gangs of New York - (The Aviator) - No Direction Home - The Departed - Shine a Light - Shutter Island - (A Letter to Elia) - (Public Speaking) - George Harrison: Living in the Material World - Hugo - The Wolf of Wall Street - (The 50 Year Argument) - Silence (2016 film) - (The Irishman) - Killers of the Flower Moon - (An Afternoon with SCTV)

© thevoid99 2015

Beetlejuice

Directed by Tim Burton and screenplay by Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren from a story by McDowell and Larry Wilson, Beetlejuice is the story of a recently deceased couple who asks a deranged ghost to get rid of a family who have moved in to their house. The film is a strange romp of horror and comedy where a couple try to deal with living with an eccentric family where its teenage daughter can see them due to her fascination with death. Starring Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O’Hara, Winona Ryder, Glenn Shadix, Robert Goulet, and Sylvia Sidney. Beetlejuice is a wild and extremely insane film from Tim Burton.

Following their death due to an accident, a newlywed couple deal with new inhabitants of their house that includes a death-obsessed teenage girl prompting the couple to hire the services of a crazed ghost by the name of Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton). It’s a film that doesn’t play by the rules of conventional horror as it’s more of a comedy where this recently deceased couple cope with their death as well as the fact that they’re forced to share the house with a New York City family and their offbeat interior designer. Yet, Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, respectively) do befriend this Goth teenager in Lydia (Winona Ryder) who is the only one that can see them due to her fascination with death. Even as it is frowned upon by the afterworld to make friends with the living as Beetlejuice would cause hell for the Maitlands.

The film’s screenplay starts off with the life of the Maitlands as they just bought their new home which they refuse to sell from some potential buyers as a simple errand goes wrong which lead to their deaths. Upon this discovery that they’re dead and any place outside of their house has them in a very strange afterworld as they would eventually go to a caseworker named Juno (Sylvia Sydney) who reveal what they have to deal with as well as what to do to get rid of their new inhabitants in real estate developer Charles Deetz (Jeffery Jones) and his aspiring sculptor in Delia, who is Lydia’s stepmother,.

While the Maitlands try to haunt them, they would eventually succeed in haunting Charles and Delia but end up amusing them while their interior designer Otho (Glenn Shadix) would realize what is going on. Adding to this sense of chaos and the Maitlands’ attempt to get rid of the Deetzes is Beetlejuice whose approach to scaring the living is cruel and diabolical. Yet, there is something about the character that is so off-the-wall as he ends up being this very unconventional antagonist. Even as he has this macabre sense of humor who thinks The Exorcist is a comedy while is very crude to the Maitlands as he also pines for Lydia who would get to know what Beetlejuice is.

Tim Burton’s direction is definitely off the wall where it starts off being this quaint little story about a nice couple living in this small New England town. Then comes this very chilling accident where it plays to the sense of macabre humor that would be prevalent in the film. Even as Burton’s compositions ranging from some wide shots to some offbeat close-ups and medium shots showcase something that is really out of this world. Notably the scenes in the afterlife where the dead arrive in a waiting room to meet their case worker and later learn how to live as a dead person. Much of the presentation of the afterworld is presented with some unique visual effects and stop-motion animation to play into this strange approach to black humor that Adam and Barbara have to deal with.

The direction also had Burton create some moments that really amp up the line of reality and fantasy such as a dinner party with the Deetzes where Delia finds herself singing The Banana Boat Song where she has no control of what is happening to her. It’s a sequence that mixes humor and horror in the most absurd way as it refuses to play into any kind of traditional or conventional genre but rather a mish-mash of genres. Even as the film’s climax would maintain that offbeat approach of horror-comedy would force the Maitlands to do something as Beetlejuice would just cause hell for everyone. Overall, Burton creates a very spectacular and hilarious film about two dead people hiring a psychopathic ghost to get rid of people who moved into their home.

Cinematographer Thomas E. Ackerman does fantastic work with the film‘s cinematography from the use of colorful lights for some of the film‘s interior scenes including the dinner scenes and the meeting with Juno. Editor Jane Kurson does excellent work with the editing as it‘s quite straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the film‘s humor and suspense. Production designer Bo Welch, with set decorator Catherine Mann and art director Tom Duffield, does brilliant work with the set design from the house in and out based on Otho‘s work as well as the world of the afterlife including the sand dunes. Costume designer Aggie Guerard does superb work with the costumes from the Goth clothes that Lydia wears to the fashionable upscale New York City look that Delia and Otho wears.

Makeup designers Steve La Porte, Ve Neill, and Robert Short do amazing work with the makeup from the look of Beetlejuice as well as the look of the dead characters in the afterlife. Visual effects supervisor Alan Munroe does awesome work with the visual effects from the use of stop-motion animation to the design of the sand dunes world that would feature sandworms. Sound editor Richard L. Anderson does nice work with the sound from some of the low-key sound work in some of the scenes at the house to the sound effects that occur in the world of the afterlife. The film’s music by Danny Elfman is incredible as it is very offbeat with its playful orchestral score that is filled with strange choirs and string arrangements while the soundtrack features some amazing songs by Harry Belafonte to play into the film’s offbeat tone.

The casting by Janet Hirshenson and Jane Jenkins is just phenomenal as it features some notable small roles from Annie McEnroe as the woman who tries to sell the Maitlands’ home early in the film, Patrice Martinez as an afterworld receptionist, Dick Cavett and Susan Kellermann as a couple of guests at the dinner party, and Robert Goulet as Charles’ boss Maxie Dean who wants Charles to do some things to the small town. Glenn Shadix is very funny as the interior designer Otho who tries to give the Maitlands’ home a post-modern look that plays to his taste. Sylvia Sydney is amazing as the deceased case worker Juno who often smokes a cigarette where smoke would come out of her neck as she is very blunt and to the point about what not to do. Jeffrey Jones is excellent as Charles Deetz as a real estates developer who is eager to wanting a simple life as he copes with the chaos involving ghosts. Catherine O’Hara is amazing as Delia as this aspiring sculptor who wants to make it as an artist while wanting to live the life of a New York City artist.

Winona Ryder is brilliant as the troubled Goth teenager Lydia whose fascination with death has her meeting the Maitlands as she wants to die due to loneliness. Alec Baldwin is fantastic as Adam Maitland as a guy who designs models who tries to make sense of everything that goes on. Geena Davis is superb as Barbara Maitland who also tries to make sense as she doesn’t want to bring harm to Lydia despite what the people in the afterworld says. Finally, there’s Michael Keaton in a magnificent performance as the titular role despite only appearing in less than a third of the film. Yet, he steals every moment from his crude approach to humor as well as being completely wild in every kind of mannerism that he does as it’s really an iconic performance for the ages.

Beetlejuice is a rapturous yet extremely fun film from Tim Burton that features a tour-de-force performance from Michael Keaton in the titular role. Along with a great cast as well as some amazing technical work, it’s a film that showcases Burton’s gift for blending weird and macabre humor with an absurd approach to horror. In the end, Beetlejuice is an outstanding film from Tim Burton.

Tim Burton Films: (Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure) - Batman - (Edward Scissorhands) - Batman Returns - Ed Wood - (Mars Attacks!) - (Sleepy Hollow) - (Planet of the Apes (2001 film)) - (Big Fish) - (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory) - (Corpse Bride) - (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) - (Alice in Wonderland (2010 film)) - (Dark Shadows) - (Frankenweenie) - (Big Eyes) - (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children) - (Dumbo (2019 film)) - Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

© thevoid99 2014

Celebrity (1998 film)

Written and directed by Woody Allen, Celebrity is the story about a divorcing couple that both take on two different paths of their lives where both find themselves immersing into the world of celebrity culture. The film is an exploration into that world where two people go into different paths to see what will happen after this encounter with this world. Starring Kenneth Branagh, Judy Davis, Leonardo diCaprio, Charlize Theron, Hank Azaria, Winona Ryder, Joe Mantegna, Melanie Griffith, Bebe Neuwirth, and Michael Lerner. Celebrity is a stylish though very messy film from Woody Allen.

The film explores the world of a divorced couple who both go into very different paths outside of their marriage. Lee Simon (Kenneth Branagh) was a travel writer who turns into a celebrity journalist as he ventures into the world celebrity culture while trying to work on a novel in the hopes to gain a career as a writer. For his insecure ex-wife Robin (Judy Davis), she quits being a schoolteacher as she tries to find a new place in life where she eventually works for a TV producer named Tony Gardella (Joe Mantegna) as she falls for him. The paths these two would take would have not just some major impact in their personal lives but also the path they would both take in this messy world of film premieres, parties, theaters, gatherings, and all sorts of thing in that world that is celebrity culture.

While it’s an interesting concept, Woody Allen’s screenplay unfortunately loses some of its luster in the second act where not only does the journeys of Lee and Robin become repetitive but their neuroses would also play into their troubles as that would become grating to watch. The script’s narrative does move back-and-forth into the different storylines of Lee and Robin in the paths they take though their storylines would coincide in brief moments. Most of it would play into their dramatic development over their split as those moments are told in flashbacks such as Lee’s decision to end the marriage and why did he did he decide to pursue a career in writing in his 40s after attending his high school reunion. A lot of the first act is interesting but it loses some steam in the second while it does have an interesting third act to see the outcome of the paths they took.

Allen’s direction is quite stylish as he aims for something that is timeless in its black-and-white photography as it would recalls some of his early films from the 1980s. Notably in the compositions and camera movements that he creates as it has this amazing opening of a plane writing the word “help” in the sky for a film. While many of Allen’s compositions are gorgeous, some of the humor doesn’t seem to work as it relies too much on characters acting awkward to their situations where the comedy feels a bit forced instead of natural. At the same time, the situations that occur starts to wear thin to the point that the outcome is sort of predictable. Overall, Allen creates a film that has an interesting concept but loses steam due to its predictability and over-emphasis on neurotic characters in a culture they know little about.

Cinematographer Sven Nykvist does amazing work with the film‘s gorgeous black-and-white photography that has this air of style in its look that is timeless as well as playing to some of air of pretentiousness that is common with art films. Editor Susan E. Morse does nice work with the editing in the way the story is structured as well as a few moments in the film‘s drama. Production designer Santo Loquasto, with set decorator Susan Kaufman and art director Tom Warren, do terrific work with the set pieces from the look of the runways and parties to the home of Lee.

Costume designer Suzy Benzinger does wonderful work with the costumes from the many stylish clothes of the models and the young people that Lee hangs around with to the more loose clothing of Robin early in the film. Sound editor Robert Hein does excellent work with the sound from the atmosphere of the party scenes to the intimate moments in the apartment and such. The film’s soundtrack consists of classical and jazz music from the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Billie Holliday, Stan Getz, the Gershwin Brothers, and Richard Wagner to play up the world of that culture to give the film a romantic feel.

The casting by Laura Rosenthal and Juliet Taylor is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as well as the cameos that are made as it includes appearances from Donald Trump, supermodels Frederique and Roshumba, filmmaker Greg Mottola as a director in the film’s opening sequence, Andre Gregory as an art house filmmaker, Karen Duffy and Debra Messing as TV reporters, J.K. Simmons as a souvenir salesman, Alison Janney and Celia Weston as socialites, Tony Sirico as a mob guy who is supposed to appear on a TV show, Isaac Mizrahi as an artist, Jeffrey Wright as an off-Broadway theater director, Sam Rockwell and Adrian Grenier as entourage guys for actor Brandon Darrow, Gretchen Mol as Darrow’s girlfriend, David Marguiles as an alderman, Kate Burton as Robin’s friend Cheryl, Dylan Baker as a Catholic retreat priest, Douglas McGrath as a novelist, Larry Pine as a publisher, Aida Turturro as a fortune teller, and Hank Azaria as a date of an aspiring actress named Nola.

Bebe Neuwirth is excellent as a famed prostitute named Nina who teaches Robin how to pleasure someone sexually while Michael Lerner is funny as a famed plastic surgeon named Dr. Lupus. Famke Janssen is terrific as the publisher Bonnie whom Lee dates while Melanie Griffith is very good as the actress Nicole Oliver whom Lee hangs out with early in the film. Winona Ryder is superb as the aspiring actress Nola whom Lee falls for while Charlize Theron is amazing as a supermodel Lee hangs out with as they get into some trouble. Leonardo DiCaprio is great as the young actor Brandon Darrow as he displays all of the traits of a bad boy actor. Joe Mantegna is wonderful as TV producer Tony Gardella whom Robin falls for as he becomes the guy that can help her.

Judy Davis is fantastic as Robin as a former English schoolteacher whose life worsens following her divorce with Lee as she becomes more insecure and neurotic as she tries to figure out what to do with her life while meeting Tony as Davis brings some humor and dramatic weight despite some of the repetitiveness of her character. Finally, there’s Kenneth Branagh in an absolutely horrible performance as Lee. Branagh can do comedy but in trying to impersonate the personas that Woody Allen has played in his many films just doesn’t work. It comes off as a very bad impression of Allen where the awkwardness feels forced while Branagh doesn’t do enough to make his character sympathetic as he ends up being a real scumbag.

Celebrity is a really terrible film from Woody Allen. Despite a remarkable performance from Judy Davis as well as wonderful ensemble, the film is hampered by its messy storyline as well as Kenneth Branagh’s poor leading performance. While there’s moments in the film that are very engaging that includes Sven Nykvist’s cinematography, the overall results are just very disappointing. In the end, Celebrity is just a dreadful film from Woody Allen.

Woody Allen Films: What's Up Tiger Lily? - Take the Money and Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love and Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer's Night Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - New York Stories: Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - Shadows and Fog - Husbands and Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Bullets Over Broadway - Don't Drink the Water - Mighty Aphrodite - Everyone Says I Love You - Deconstructing Harry - Sweet and Lowdown - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)

The Auteurs #24: Woody Allen Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2013

A Scanner Darkly

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/12/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on the novel Philip K. Dick, A Scanner Darkly is the story about an undercover narcotics agent whose drug addiction has him unsure of his true identity as he is still investigating a series of drug-related crimes that he might be involved in. Written for the screen and directed by Richard Linklater, the film is a mixture of sci-fi and animation as it is presented with the surrealistic roto-scoping animated style that Linklater had done with 2001's Waking Life. Starring Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson, and Rory Cochrane. A Scanner Darkly is a compelling yet provocative thriller from Richard Linklater

The film is set in 1994 in California where the war on drugs has been lost as drug addicts have become infatuated with a mysterious drug known as Substance D. Yet, it's effects have already become troubling as an addict named Charlie Freck (Rory Cochrane) is losing touch with reality as a narcotics agent named Fred (Keanu Reeves) is part of an undercover unit trying to investigate a series of drug-related crimes. Fred is also an addict as he often hangs out with a coke addict named Donna Hawthorne (Winona Ryder) and their friends Barris (Robert Downey Jr.) and Luckman (Woody Harrelson) who are also addicts. With Fred trying to find the drug dealer Bob Arctor, Fred is unaware of who he really is as things become more complicated during the investigation as paranoia ensues for those involved. Even as Fred and his circle of friends are becoming troubled where Fred's investigation starts to falter as he reports to his superior who later reveals his true identity to confirm the failure on the war on drugs.

While the film is really faithful to the novel and text of Philip K. Dick, it's not a perfect film largely due to the film's complex, high-brow plot where the themes of reality vs. fiction and the dark side of drugs definitely take on an intellectual level that audiences might not understand. That may be the film's flaw despite Linklater's observant, eerie direction which gives the film a strange, graphic-novel look and a sci-fi feel though it's set in 1994. Really, Linklater managed to be faithful to Dick's novel by using a lot of the dialogue from the book which is very provocative in its subject of drugs and paranoia. Still, the film is really about a man who becomes confused at his own identity in the role in the war against drugs while being surveyed in a world where he's being watched.

While Linklater's direction and script was unique in its faithfulness, Linklater and head animator Bob Sabiston created a look where a graphic novel comes to life with eerie, colorful animation from the rotoscoping technique. The animation is wonderfully superb to convey the paranoia and darkness of the world due to drugs with some hilarious moments that included Robert Downey Jr. being a bug. It's also a bit more adult due to language and some nudity where it adds a look of realism and surrealism. The result gives the animation and the entire film a hypnotic look where the film isn't boring despite its complex and confusing plot. The result is truly some of those most imaginable animation ever captured on film.

Cinematographer Shane F. Kelly does some wonderful photography and lighting designs to help give the sheer look of the animation which highlights the film's atmosphere. Production designer Bruce Curtis and set decorator Joaquin A. Morin do wonderful work in creating the messy, technological look of Bob's home as well as the eerie computer world of Fred's. Costume designer Kari Perkins definitely adds to the look of the 90s with baggy shorts and shirts plus flowing dresses for Winona Ryder. Longtime editor Sandra Adair does a wonderful job in bringing a nice pace to the suspense and rhythm that plays to the film's paranoia. Sound designers Justin Hennard and Tom Hammond plus Skip Lievsay do excellent work in the film's sound to the shifts of personalities and everything that goes on the world of Fred/Bob. Visual effects supervisor Richard Gordoa also does some great work in the animation from the shift of changes, notably in the scramble suits.

Music composer Graham Reynolds brings a plaintive, suspenseful score that is filled with harrowing arrangements in the orchestra while a lot of the music features the work of Radiohead. The cuts Radiohead bring are remixes to convey the sci-fi suspense of the film while a then-new track from Radiohead singer Thom Yorke appears from his album The Eraser.

The film's cast is filled with notable small performances from Angela Rawna and Chamblee Ferguson as the two psychiatrists who interrogate Fred, Lisa Marie Newmyer as Connie, Melody Chase as Bob's wife and the voices of Mark Turner as Hank and Sean Allen as Fred. Linklater regular Rory Cochrane gives a funny yet harrowing performance as Charlie Freck with his shaking and paranoia that conveys the sense of addiction at its worst. Cochrane really shines in a scene that is accompanied by a narration given by the voice of the late Philip K. Dick to play to the film's intellectual take on death. Woody Harrelson is very funny as the temperamental, cautious Ernie Luckman who is the antagonist of sorts against Barris. Harrelson brings a lot of laid-back humor and stoner realism as he is the perfect foil for Robert Downey Jr. Downey meanwhile, is hilarious in his role as the intellectual, jabbering James Barris as he steals every scene he's in. Downey also brings an intellectual complexity as a man who could be an informant or a suspect who's forced to tell things.

After an absence from films, Winona Ryder returns in what has to be her best performance since 1999's Girl, Interrupted. Ryder brings a layered performance as a fellow addict who is hiding something about her cocaine addiction while trying to understand the behavior of Bob Arctor. It's a different role from Ryder as she adds a fragility mixed in with a sexiness that hasn't been seen in a longtime as it is great to see her in a movie. Keanu Reeves gives an excellent yet understated performance as the dual role of Bob Arctor and Fred. Reeves brings the right touch of a man unaware of who he is and what role he serves. Reeves brings a surprising complexity as someone who is burnt out and tired where he only realizes that he's a pawn in the war against drugs. It's a fine performance from Reeves who, under the right director, can actually bring in a performance that is worth noting.

While not as superb as other Linklater films or Philip K. Dick adaptations like Blade Runner, A Scanner Darkly is still an intriguing yet hypnotic film from Richard Linklater and company. With a great cast, the film does have a lot of humor and performances that audiences can enjoy thought might be put off by some of the film's intellectual dialogue. Still, this is a film that should be worth noting as a nice introduction to the complex work of Philip K. Dick. In the end, A Scanner Darkly is an intense yet eerie film from Richard Linklater.

Richard Linklater Films: It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books - Slacker - Dazed & Confused - Before Sunrise - subUrbia - The Newton Boy - Waking Life - Tape - School of Rock - Before Sunset - Bad News Bears (2005 film) - Fast Food Nation - Me and Orson Welles - Bernie (2011 film) - Before Midnight - Boyhood - Everybody Want Some!! - The Auteurs #57: Richard Linklater Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2013

Alien: Resurrection

Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and screenplay by Joss Whedon, Alien: Resurrection is the fourth and final film of the original Alien franchise in which a newly-cloned Ellen Ripley returns to fight a new species of aliens with a group of mercenaries after an experiment had gone wrong. With Sigourney Weaver playing the role of Ripley once again. The film also stars Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon, Brad Dourif, Michael Wincott, Dan Hedaya, Gary Dourdan, and Leland Orser. Alien: Resurrection is a stylish yet engaging thriller from Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

200 years after the events that led to the death of Ellen Ripley, a military experiment that featured remnants of her DNA sample has finally succeed in cloning Ripley where her body contained a baby queen alien. With the newly-cloned Ripley still in containment as she contains alien blood in her body, the experiment led by General Perez (Dan Hedaya), his subordinate Dr. Wren (J.E. Freeman) and Dr. Gediman study the aliens as they wait for a ship to arrive. The ship features a team of mercenaries who had captured a group of people unaware of the motives the military has for them. While the band of mercenaries that includes Call (Winona Ryder) who recognizes Ripley as she secretly enters her cell in an attempt to kill her where Call reveals why she and the mercenaries are really here.

Instead, things go wrong when the alien experiment have the aliens break out of their containment area and kill most of the crew leaving Ripley, Call, the rest of the mercenaries, Dr. Wren, and a marine in DiStefano (Raymond Cruz) to deal with the aliens. Realizing that the only option is to destroy the ship and board on the mercenaries ship to escape, Ripley and the gang try to deal with the aliens as they kill a few while Ripley makes a discovery about the experiment that was done to her. While trying to escape the aliens, the group finds a man named Purvis (Leland Orser) who had survived the experiment as he learns he has an alien inside him that’s going to burst soon. Things become more complicated where another discovery is made where Ripley and Call realize what the queen alien is doing as Ripley realizes that new breed of alien is being made and it has to be stopped.

Throughout the entirety of the series, there is always a subplot that relates to a corporation wanting to take the sample of an alien in order to use it for bio-weapons. In this film, the military finally gets a hold of an alien for their experiment and everything goes wrong. Once again, Ellen Ripley and everything she had faced in the past reveal that everything she didn‘t want to happen has finally come true. Resurrected from the dead in order to fight the aliens one more time, she goes all out while having a new advantage that would help her fight off the aliens as she also has alien blood in her.

Joss Whedon creates a script that does reveal a lot into how Ripley was finally able to be successfully cloned yet also shows a woman who is trying to get in touch with her humanity while becoming aware of what she’s facing. There is a new conflict that she’s facing as she is a bit of an alien where she is quite reluctant to kill them since they’re really her children. It’s one of the interesting aspects of the screenplay as well as the mercenaries themselves who definitely have a motive to board the U.S. science ship as one of them in Call knows a lot about Ripley and her history with the aliens. While the script does play to formula a bit and carries lots of exposition that does go a bit overboard, Whedon is able to create a script that is very faithful to its predecessors.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s direction is definitely stylish in the way he presents the film in a visual scale as well as the fact that he was able to keep things more simple. With some unique framing from camera shots shown from above and under to create an air of suspense while emphasizing that it’s more than just a film as it’s often led by an ensemble. While Jeunet is aware that there’s a formula that’s to be played where characters do get killed off and such. Jeunet does manage to give some characters moments where they can stand out and actually give the audience something to care about. Jeunet also keeps the action exciting without delving too much into fast-paced action or shaky camera work. While the film definitely has flaws in some parts of the script as well as moments where some of the action and visual effects don’t mesh up. Jeunet does create a solid and thrilling film that lives up to some of the brilliance of the franchise.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji does excellent work with the film‘s lush yet evocative photography to play up the mood of the film with its emphasis for a bit of grain in the look as well as low-lights for many of the scenes to play up the sense of style. Editor Herve Schneid does nice work with the editing in the way the action is given a rhythm that isn‘t too fast while slowing things down for the suspense and low-key moments. Production designer Nigel Phelps, along with set decorator John W. Dwyer and art director Steve Cooper, does terrific work with the sets from the look of the labs and hallways in the spaceship to the designs of the nests where the alien eggs are to be hatched.

Costume designer Bob Ringwood does some good work with the costumes to create some nice mercenary suits for the mercenaries as well as the clothes that Ripley wears when she fights off the aliens. Visual effects supervisors Erik Henry and Pitof do wonderful work with the visual effects such as the way the aliens move and how some of the exteriors are made though there‘s some bits that doesn‘t entirely work. Sound designer Leslie Shatz and sound editor John A. Larsen do superb work with the sound to create an atmosphere that occurs as well as setting a mood for some of the film‘s suspenseful moments. The film’s music by John Frizzell is quite good for its orchestral bombast to play out the drama and action that occurs in the film.

The casting by Richard Pagano is brilliant for the ensemble that is created for the film as it includes some notable small roles from Carolyn Campbell and David St. James as a couple of scientists doing research on the aliens, Dan Hedaya as the big ship’s head General Perez, Leland Orser as a lab rat who has to deal with an alien inside of him, J.E. Freeman as the distrustful Dr. Wren, Raymond Cruz as the marine DiStephano, and Brad Dourif as the main scientist Dr. Gediman who is fascinated by the aliens. For the roles of the mercenaries, there’s Kim Flowers as the pilot Hillard, Gary Dourdan as the skilled shooter Christie, and Michael Wincott as the mercenaries leader Frank Elgyn. Jeunet regulars Ron Perlman and Dominique Pinon are great in their respective roles as the humorous shooter Johner and the paraplegic yet resourceful mechanic Vriess.

Winona Ryder is excellent as the mercenary Call who knows a lot more than her other mercenaries seem to know about the situation as she also carries a secret that would help everyone. Finally, there’s Sigourney Weaver in her fourth outing as Ellen Ripley. Weaver brings a new dark element to the character as a woman who is really a shell of what she used to be as she deals with her new alien blood as well as the fact that she’s the aliens’ mother where Weaver brings another fantastic performance as the famed character.

Alien: Resurrection is a stellar though flawed film from Jean-Pierre Jeunet that features a superb performance from Sigourney Weaver. Along with amazing visuals and top-notch supporting work from Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman, and Dominique Pinon. While it may not love to the brilliance of the first two films, it does manage to be entertaining enough for fans of the franchise. In the end, Alien: Resurrection is a superb film from Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet Films: Delicatessen - The City of Lost Children - Amelie - A Very Long Engagement - Micmacs - (The Young and Prodigious Spivet) - The Auteurs #20: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Alien Films: Alien - Aliens - Alien 3

© thevoid99 2012

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

Written and directed by Rebecca Miller, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is the story of a housewife whose perfect life starts to unravel by her memories of the past as she would befriend a man dealing with his own issues. The film explores the life of a woman as she tries to come to terms with her past as her seemingly perfect marriage and life starts to wind down. Starring Robin Wright, Alan Arkin, Maria Bello, Keanu Reeves, Monica Bellucci, Blake Lively, Julianne Moore, Zoe Kazan, Ryan McDonald, and Winona Ryder. The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is an engaging although messy film from Rebecca Miller.

Pippa Lee (Robin Wright) is the housewife of publisher Herb Lee (Alan Arkin) as they had just moved to a small town in Connecticut as they celebrate with friend Sam Shapiro (Mike Binder) and his wife Sandra (Winona Ryder). Just as Pippa seems to enjoy her role as a housewife taking care of Herb, things start to unravel by the messes she sees in her home thinking Herb caused all of it. Instead, Pippa traces back to her life as a child where her mother Suky (Maria Bello) was a crazed woman with a troubled amphetamine addiction that eventually took its toll by the time the teenaged Pippa (Blake Lively) decided to leave home. Living with her lesbian aunt Trish (Robin Weigter), she briefly becomes a model for Trish’s photographer girlfriend Kat (Julianne Moore) that featured Pippa in racy positions.

After being kicked out by Trish, Pippa would wander around New York City for a few years until she attends a party with some friends where she would meet Herb. Though Herb is married to a beautiful Italian woman named Gigi (Monica Bellucci), the two hit it off as Pippa finds someone in Herb she can be loyal to as they would later have two kids. Years later as the two live a comfortable life, Pippa’s persona starts to unravel after discovering who has been making a mess in her home. Meanwhile, her neighbor’s son Chris (Keanu Reeves) has just move in as the two become friends as he wonders about her behavior. Realizing she’s starting to have a nervous breakdown, Pippa decides to take control only to discover that not everything around her is going well at all.

The film is an exploration of a woman recalling her past just as her life as a helpful housewife starts to come undone through secrets and the fear that she might become her mother. Throughout her journey, this woman would endure the troubled chaos of her neurotic mother as well as trying to find a place where she can feel like she’s at home. Though things seem fine once she meets this much older gentleman, a breakdown gives in as she finds a friend in a man that has his own problems with the world. It’s a story that is engrossing in the exploration of a woman who would later unravel by the events of her past. It’s just that Rebecca Miller draws it out too much to the point that the story becomes a total mess.

Miller’s approach to the screenplay, that is based on her own book, is creating a narrative that moves back and forth that features a reflective narration told through Pippa’s perspective. While the narrative device is effective, it tends to linger too long on the segments of Pippa’s past where Pippa is trying to figure out what happens. While there’s a lot of interesting moments, the moments where Miller tries to infuse humor in these stories feels forced and out-of-place with the story. The segment of Pippa in the present time is a bit more interesting in the way Miller tries to figure out how she’s breaking down while making some discoveries about herself and her life as a friend of hers is also starting to unravel. It’s an intriguing story but doesn’t do enough to create a narrative that isn’t all over the place.

Miller’s direction is pretty stylish in the way she presents a lot of the film’s different period settings. Notably the scenes in the 1960s and 1970s to explore the young Pippa’s life as there’s a sense of style where things feel a bit exaggerated and quirky. By the time the story moves into the 1980s, style is still evident but becomes more restrained once Pippa’s life starts to become less crazy as she would become an adult. The compositions become more straightforward and also claustrophobic as it’s Miller wanting to emphasize the world where Pippa starts to lose control. A lot of it works though there’s scenes of fantasy where it doesn’t fit in with that portion of the film. Despite some wonderful moments in underplaying the drama and framing the actors to play out what’s happening. Miller’s film unfortunately falls short due to its emphasis to its uneven story and its attempts to draw out this woman’s trouble life into something grander.

Cinematographer Declan Quinn does excellent work with the film‘s very vibrant and colorful cinematography for the scenes in the 1960s and 1970s while utilizing more straightforward palettes for the scenes of the 1980s and present scenes despite the exaggerated fantasy scenes in the present segment. Editor Sabine Hoffman does superb work with the editing to play with the film‘s structure and create unique montages for Kat‘s photo material that the young Pippa takes part of. Production designer Michael Shaw and set decorator Cherish Magennis do great work with the set pieces created to emphasize the different places and periods that Pippa would encounter to play up her evolution.

Costume designer Jennifer von Mayrhauser does a wonderful job with the costumes that also plays up the different periods for Pippa in her evolution from more stylish clothes of the 70s and 80s to more casual clothes in the present. Sound editor Sarah Gaines does nice work with the sound to play up the party scenes that Pippa explores early to the more sparse intimacy of her time with Chris. The film’s music score by Michael Rohatyn is a pretty good for its low-key string orchestra and somber pieces to play up the drama in the film. Music supervisor Linda Cohen creates a soundtrack that is a mixture of music from pop and folk along with cuts by Dusty Springfield, Lucinda Williams, and a couple of ambient pieces from Brian Eno.

The casting by Cindy Tolan is terrific for the ensemble that is created as it would include small roles from Ryan McDonald and Zoe Kazan as Herb and Pippa’s adult children in Ben and Grace, respectively, along with Shirley Knight as Chris’ mother Dot, Robin Weigert as Pippa’s aunt Trish, Julianne Moore as Trish’s photographer girlfriend Kat, and Madeline McNulty as the 7-year old Pippa. Other notable small roles include Mike Binder as Herb’s writer friend Sam who has feelings for Pippa as well as Monica Bellucci as Herb’s vibrant Italian wife Gigi. Maria Bello is alright as Pippa’s mother Suky in the way she expresses a woman who is at the grips of addiction though Bello tends to overact some of the film’s emotional moments by going over the top. Winona Ryder is very good as Sam’s wife Sandra who is trying to deal with her failing marriage as she starts to break down and go to Pippa for help.

Blake Lively is really good as the young Pippa as a young woman trying to deal with her troubled life while finding solace in Herb. Keanu Reeves is superb as the very quiet Chris who becomes Pippa’s friend by helping her deal with her impending breakdown. Alan Arkin is excellent as Pippa’s husband Herb who tries to deal with her unraveling while is shown to be a very tender man who cares for Pippa in her evolution. Finally, there’s Robin Wright as the adult Pippa Lee as Wright gives an entrancing performance as a woman seemingly lost in her troubled state. Notably as Wright starts off as this calm and kind woman who slowly starts to lose herself as she tries to come to terms with everything around her.

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is a decent but very uneven film from Rebecca Miller despite a great lead performance from Robin Wright. Despite an interesting premise and a superb supporting cast, it’s a film that falls flat due to a script that tries to do a lot and leave very little. Particularly as its exploration of a woman unraveling could’ve been very interesting but gets lost due to its over-stylized approach to the story. In the end, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is a disappointing film from Rebecca Miller.

Rebecca Miller Films: (Angela) - Personal Velocity: Three Portraits - The Ballad of Jack & Rose - Maggie's Plan - Arthur Miller: Writer

© thevoid99 2012

Night on Earth

Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, Night on Earth is a collection of five stories set in five different cities all over the world where a taxi driver and a passenger would engage in various conversations during their brief time together. The film has Jarmusch going into various places with different actors in each city to explore the dynamic between passenger and driver. With an all-star cast that includes Winona Ryder, Gena Rowlands, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Giancarlo Esposito, Rosie Perez, Issach de Bankole, Beatrice Dalle, Roberto Benigni, Paolo Bonacelli, and Matti Pellonpaa. Night on Earth is an extraordinary yet hypnotic film from Jim Jarmusch.

In Los Angeles, tomboy cab driver Corky (Winona Ryder) picks up the rich casting agent Victoria Snelling (Gena Rowlands) at an airport on their way to Beverly Hills. During the ride, the two women discuss the fallacies of men and their differences as Victoria reveals to have night blindness while Corky aspires to be a mechanic. In New York City, a man named YoYo (Giancarlo Espositio) is trying to get a ride to Brooklyn as he gets a cab driver in an East German circus clown named Helmut Grokenberger (Armin Mueller-Stahl). Unfortunately, it’s Helmut’s first day as he doesn’t know the city nor how to drive as YoYo takes over where the two talk while picking up YoYo’s brash sister-in-law Angela (Rosie Perez).

It’s late at night in Paris as a frustrated cab driver (Issach de Bankole) had just been dealing with a couple of awful passengers (Pascal N’Zonzi and Emile Abossolo M‘bo) as he takes a blind woman (Beatrice Dalle). During the ride, the driver is fascinated by the blind woman as she reveals that she can still do things despite her blindness. In Rome, the talkative Gino (Roberto Benigni) wears sunglasses during the late night as he picks up an ailing priest (Paolo Bonacelli). During the ride, Gino reveals his many sins which overwhelms the priest. In Helsinki, Mika (Matti Pellonpaa) picks up three passengers (Kari Vaananen, Sakari Kuosmanen, and Tomi Salmela) where one of them has just had the worst day of life as Mika tells them a story that moves the two awake passengers.

The idea of a taxi as far as a driver and passenger is concerned is this. Driver takes the passenger on a ride. Passenger tells the driver to its desired location. Driver does that and once the destination is reached, driver gets paid and the passenger is at its desired location. Yet in a world as glorious as this, a simple cab drive could be something more as Jim Jarmusch creates five different stories in five different worlds with several different people in different situations. All in different races, nationalities, age groups, and personalities as Jarmusch creates something is truly engaging in the stories that are told.

In each segment of the film, there is something happening between passenger and driver where they all get something out of this little moment in their lives. For the L.A. segment, two different women bond over their frustration towards men along with their different lifestyles. In the NYC segment, an East-German man becomes fascinated by the city and the two people he meets as it’s a great sense of discovery on his first day as a taxi driver. In Paris, a man from the Ivory Coast is fascinated by this blind woman as he seems uninterested in what he’s doing. The segment in Rome has a very talkative man who drives very fast as he ends up overwhelming an ill priest that is strange dark comedy as it’s one of the strangest. The last segment in Helsinki has a driver taking in three passengers where he reveals to them a sad story that reveals that there’s always something worse from happening.

The script that Jarmusch creates is very loose as each segment is given enough time to develop the relationships and the stories told in these segments. In his direction, Jarmusch goes for the same kind of compositions of each segment to capture the driver and passengers with the camera always in front of the car. Yet, he also brings something different to the look and tone of each segment as some are light-hearted while some can seem grim and entrancing. Jarmusch keeps each segment and fresh so each can bring something different to the table. The film and each segment is preceded with a shot of five clocks where the camera zooms towards the clock with the city’s name above and a globe to reveal where what city is to be told.

Throughout the entirety of the film, each segment opens with a look of the city at night in a montage and a cab to introduce the driver, with the exception of the NYC segment, for each segment. During the entirety of the segments, shots of the cities at night are taken place to reveal what locations the driver and passengers are at. The overall approach to Jarmusch’s direction is very stylish yet intimate portrait of an entire night on earth in five different cities with different people musing about the world around them. What Jarmusch creates is a truly exciting and entertaining film that is unconventional yet engrossing in its simplicity.

Cinematographer Frederick Elmes does a wonderful job with the film‘s colorful cinematography from the evening look early in the Los Angeles airport scene to the colorful lights in New York and Los Angeles. Elmes’ work adds a wonderful beauty to the cities with blue lights for the Paris and Helsinki scenes to more intimate settings for the scenes in Rome. Editor Jay Rabinowitz does a great job with creating some stylish cuts for the film while maintaining a fascinating rhythm for many of the conversation scenes that occur in the film. Rabinowitz also keeps a tight pace for each segment at around 20-25 minutes in total to bring enough moments for each story.

Sound designer Anthony J. Ciccolini III does an excellent job with the sound to capture the differing atmospheres of each city along with the intimacy of the cab conversations between the characters in the film. The film’s music by Tom Waits is superb as it is a wonderful mix of jazz and folk that includes different instruments to play to each city. Featuring a few songs written by Waits and wife Kathleen Brennan, Waits score is definitely a highlight of the film as the rest of the soundtrack includes additional music pieces from Davie Allan and Blue Cheer for the L.A. segment.

The big ensemble cast is truly magnificent as each segment provides something different for the film. In very small roles include Lisanne Falk as a manager for band that Corky had brought in the L.A. segment while Pascal N’Zonzi and Emile Abossolo M‘bo are good as the two passengers who annoy the driver in the Paris segment. In the Helsinki scenes, Tomi Salmela is good as the drunk passenger who is passed out while Kari Vaananen and Sakari Kuosmanen are excellent as the other passengers who starts to befriend the cab driver Mika following his story. Matti Pellonpaa is amazing as Mika, the Helsinki cab driver who maintains a stoic approach to his performance as he holds his emotions together during the drive. Paolo Bonacelli is wonderful as the ailing priest who is forced to listen to his driver’s confessions while Roberto Benigni is hilarious as the talkative Gino whose confessed sins prove to be too much in an otherwise dark but funny segment.

Beatrice Dalle is brilliant as the blind passenger who can feel things around her despite her blindness while Issach de Bankole is superb as the quiet driver who is fascinated by the presence of his blind passenger. Rosie Perez is very funny as the brash Angela who spouts all sorts of profanities towards her brother-in-law while being a bit nice towards Helmut. Giancarlo Esposito is also funny but charming as YoYo who tries to help Helmut about being a cab driver and showing him New York City while Armin Mueller-Stahl is phenomenal as the East German cab driver on his first day in amazement on the world around him. Winona Ryder and Gena Rowlands are spectacular as the two different women in L.A. who share their disgust about men while bonding over their differences in low-key but fun performances.

Night on Earth is a fascinating yet magical film from Jim Jarmusch. Armed with a diverse yet exhilarating ensemble cast of actors and in five different locations. It’s a film that truly chronicles the idea of how big the world is and despite the different nationalities, races, genders, and personalities shown in the film. These characters all will have a brief experience that is profound in a world as vast as this one. In the end, Jim Jarmusch creates a lively yet exciting film with Night on Earth.

Jim Jarmusch Films: Permanent Vacation - Stranger Than Paradise - Down By Law - Mystery Train - Dead Man - Year of the Horse - Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai - Coffee and Cigarettes - Broken Flowers - The Limits of Control - Only Lovers Left Alive - Paterson - Gimme Danger - The Dead Don’t Die - (Father Mother Sister Brother) - The Auteurs #27: Jim Jarmusch

© thevoid99 2011