The Revenant

Based on the novel The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge by Michael Punke, The Revenant is the real-life story of American frontiersman Hugh Glass who was buried alive following an attack by a bear as he goes after those who had left him for dead. Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and screenplay by Inarritu and Mark L. Smith, the film is an exploration of survival and vengeance set in 1823 South Dakota and Montana with Leonardo diCaprio playing the role of Glass. Also starring Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Forrest Goodluck, Will Poulter, Brendan Fletcher, and Lukas Haas. The Revenant is a chilling and visceral film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.

It’s 1823 in the Rocky Mountains where a group of men are collecting fur and pelts while evading the Arikara tribe who has been pursuing them. The film revolves around Hugh Glass’ expedition in that world with his son where he is attacked by a grizzly bear and later left for dead by his men where he goes on a quest for vengeance. While it is a simple story about vengeance and survival during a harsh winter, it is a film that plays into Hugh Glass coping with loss as well as trying to do what is right where he is trying to survive near-death experiences and evade this tribe that is trying to find a chief’s daughter who had been kidnapped. The film’s screenplay by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Mark L. Smith does follow a simple structure in terms of its narrative which play into Glass and Captain Andrew Henry (Domhnall Gleeson) trying to survive the attack and then the former’s attack from a grizzly bear where he is left to dead by the trapper John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy).

The narrative is very straightforward yet it is more of a minimalist script that doesn’t rely much on plot but rather character motivations and what Glass is trying to do to survive. Even as he reflects on his own past and his reasons to live as he was accompanied by his son Hawk (Forrest Goodluck) on this hunting expedition. After the attack from the bear and being cared for by Hawk and a young trapper in Bridger (Will Poulter), Glass’ life hangs on the balance where Fitzgerald would make some decisions as he is a man driven by greed and thinking only for himself. For Glass who would be left for dead and buried alive, the actions of Fitzgerald would only make him determined for revenge but has to endure something more treacherous which is the cold and bruising weather, his damaged body, and the Arikara tribe who spare no one.

Inarritu’s direction is definitely sprawling in terms of not just the visual palette he creates but also in the atmosphere that is set which adds to the film’s very dreary tone. Shot largely on location in mountain and forest locations in Alberta and British Columbia provinces in Canada as well as some of it in Argentina, the film has this sense of physicality in what Inarritu is going for. The forest and the mountains are definitely characters in the film as it play into what Glass and the men in the film are trying to do in this terrible conditions of not snow but also winds and blizzards in the mountains. Inarritu’s usage of wide and medium shots would bring so much to the location as well as what these men have to do to get in this fort and be safe despite another presence from the Arikara tribe who will kill everyone including a group of Native Americans living outside of the fort. It adds to the tense tone of the film as well as elements of surrealism as it relates to Glass’ past and the sense of longing and loss that looms over him.

Inarritu would create something that is a bit dream-like but also moments that are filled with dazzling visual imagery in some of the intense action scenes along with some close-ups that play into the suspense and drama. Inarritu would also create this idea about death as it play into Glass’ own sense of grief and loss as it includes a flashback of him looking into this small hill filled with skulls. It adds to Glass’ determination to go after Fitzgerald where the two would have this climax where it’s not just a battle of wits but also a battle of will with the cold mountains and harsh weather conditions being their surroundings. Overall, Inarritu crafts a very gripping and evocative film about a man’s determination for revenge and survival in the Rocky Mountains.

Cinematographer Emmuanel Lubezki does incredible work with the film‘s cinematography with its naturalistic yet intoxicating approach to much of the lighting for many of the scenes set in day and night with the latter using natural lighting things such as fire and lamps as it is a major highlight of the film. Editor Stephen Mirrione does brilliant work with the editing in creating some unique jump-cuts and other stylish cuts to play into the film‘s offbeat rhythms as well as using fade-outs to structure the story. Production designer Jack Fisk, with art directors Laurel Bergman, Michael Diner, and Isabelle Guay and set decorator Hamish Purdy, does amazing work with the design of the ferry boats, the fort, and some of the smaller things that are created in the forest including the little tents that Glass would make in his journey.

Costume designer Jacqueline West does fantastic work with the costumes from the look of the clothes that the Native Americans wear as well as the array of furs and such that many of the trappers and frontiersmen wear. The hair/makeup work of Sian Grigg, Duncan Junman, and Robert Pandini do excellent work with the look of Glass from the beard and hair as well as the bruises and scars on his body as well as the look of Fitzgerald. Visual effects supervisor Rich McBride, Matthew Shumway, Jason Smith, and Cameron Waldbauer do terrific work with the visual effects from the look of some of the animals including the bear that would attack Glass as it look and felt real.

Sound designers Lon Bender, Martin Hernandez, and Randy Thom, along with sound editor Victor J. Hernandez, do sensational work with the sound from the way the wind sounded as it creates a sense of unease in the locations as well as the sounds of arrows, gunfire, and all sorts of naturalistic sounds that is captured throughout the film. The film’s music by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Alva Noto, and Bryce Dessner is superb for its mixture of discordant string arrangements and bombastic percussions with an air of ambient textures while music supervisor Lynn Fainchtein would provide some traditional music pieces that were played during those times.

The casting by Francine Maisler is phenomenal as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Lukas Haas, Brendan Fletcher, Paul Anderson, and Kristoffer Jones as fellow trappers and soldiers who work under Captain Henry in hunting pelt while Fabrice Adde is terrific in a small role as head French trapper team named Toussaint. Other noteworthy small roles include Grace Dove as Glass’ late wife, Melaw Nakehk’o as the captured daughter of the Arikara chief, Arthur Redcloud as a Pawnee Indian Glass meets during his journey who would heal him, and Duane Howard as the Arikara chief Elk Dog who leads his tribe to find his daughter and kill whoever stands in his way. Forrest Goodluck is fantastic as Glass’ son Hawk as a young man who aids his father as he copes with Fitzgerald’s insults as well as the situation his father is in. Will Poulter is excellent as Bridger as a young trapper who deals with the severity of Glass’ situation where he tries to help him while understanding what Fitzgerald is doing and what kind of person he is.

Domhnall Gleeson is brilliant as Captain Andrew Henry as a military leader who is the leader of the expedition as he is someone that trusts Glass as he does whatever he can to help him while wondering about what Fitzgerald is about. Tom Hardy is incredible as John Fitzgerald as a trapper who is a man that is in it for himself and make a lot of money while seeing that carrying the injured Glass is a waste as he decides to leave him for dead without any remorse. Finally, there’s Leonardo diCaprio in a tremendous performance as Hugh Glass as this frontiersman that tries to survive as he gets attacked by a bear and then left for dead where it’s a performance from diCaprio that is astonishing in terms of how little he speaks and how determined he is to survive as the physicality of what he does is just eerie to watch in what is one of his finest performances to date.

The Revenant is a spectacular film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu that features great performances from Leonardo diCaprio and Tom Hardy. Along with a strong supporting cast, dazzling visuals, high-octane sound, a thrilling soundtrack, and a harrowing story of death, survival, and vengeance. It’s a film that manages to be engrossing in its locations as well as what is going on during a time where hunting was natural and survival was key to living. In the end, The Revenant is a magnificent film from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Films: Amores Perros - The Hire-Powder Keg - 11'9'01-September 11-Mexico - 21 Grams - Babel - To Each His Own Cinema-Anna - Biutiful - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) - The Auteurs #45: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

© thevoid99 2016

A Knight's Tale

Based on the story The Knight’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer, A Knight’s Tale is the story of a squire who decides to become a knight as he becomes a hero to the people while gaining the ire of a tournament champion. Written for the screen and directed by Brian Helgeland, the film plays into a young who comes from nothing and becomes a champion with the help of other peasants as well as those who are from the world of nobility. Starring Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell, Mark Addy, Shannyn Sossaman, Alan Tudyk, Laura Fraser, Berenice Bejo, James Purefoy, and Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer. A Knight’s Tale is a gloriously entertaining and engaging film from Brian Helgeland.

The film revolves a young squire who decides to become a knight following the death of his master as he’s aided by a couple of friends in his quest to become a champion despite not being connected to any kind of nobility. With the aid of a broke and naked Geoffrey Chaucer and female blacksmith in Kate (Laura Fraser), William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) would find his way to climb up the ranks as tournament champion while hoping to defeat the great champion Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell) and win the heart of a noblewoman in Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossaman). While it’s a story that is quite simple, Brian Helgeland creates something that manages to be universal in this young man who was born a peasant squire who does these joust tournaments and becomes a champion of the people.

Helgeland’s script plays into William’s determination to become a knight in the hopes that he can get out of his hardened upbringing and go for something more. Yet, he would share it with his friends as well as intrigue Jocelyn who sees him as someone that is very different from the knights that often court her. To the film’s antagonist in Count Adhemar, he sees William as someone that doesn’t play by the rules nor is someone that behaves a certain way as his jousting style is one that Ademar replies as no style at all. It adds to this conflict of sorts of old world ideals vs. new world ideals as William represents the latter in his pseudonym Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein of Gelderland.

Helgeland’s direction is filled with not just an air of simplicity in the compositions but also something that is very offbeat in the way he fuses 20th/21st Century ideas into the film such as music and product placement logos. Notably as Helgeland discards the idea of anachronisms in scenes where songs by Queen or David Bowie are played in parties or jousting events as it makes sense in the scenes he creates. Many of the compositions in wide and medium shots play into the many locations set in the film as much of it is shot in the Czech Republic near Prague. Helgeland’s usage of close-ups add to some of the drama as well as the humor including some scenes where William looks back into his life as a child and the dreams that are instilled in him wanting to make his own destiny. Even as it plays into that determination of a man from a poor background giving people from his world hope in becoming champion as well as defying the odds. Overall, Helgeland creates a riveting and exciting film about a poor squire who becomes a champion for the people.

Cinematographer Richard Greatrex does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography with some naturalistic lighting for some of the daytime exterior scenes while creating some unique lighting schemes and moods for scenes set at night. Editor Kevin Stitt does brilliant work with the editing with its stylish usage of jump-cuts, montages, and dissolves to play into some of the action and humor in the film. Production designer Tony Burrough, with set decorators Dominic Smithers and Jiri Zureck and art directors John Hill and Grant Armstrong, does amazing work with the set pieces from the jousting arenas and castle halls as well as the tents in that period of medieval times. Costume designer Caroline Harris does fantastic work with the costumes from the gowns that the noblewomen wear including the dazzling clothes of Jocelyn to the armors and robes the knights wore.

Hair/makeup artist Pebbles does nice work with some of the designs for Jocelyn‘s hairstyle and some of the makeup she would wear. Visual effects supervisor Tim Burke does terrific work with the minimal visual effects that include a few set dressing scenery including one shot of the old London Bridge. Sound editor Jon Johnson does superb work with the sound from the way the spears sound against the armor to the sounds of swords clanging. The film’s music by Carter Burwell is wonderful for its mixture of orchestral flourishes and folk pieces to play into the periods of the time as it is mixed in with late 20th Century music from Queen, David Bowie, War, Thin Lizzy, Rare Earth, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Sly and the Family Stone, AC/DC, and Eric Clapton.

The casting by Francine Maisler is phenomenal as it features some notable small roles from Steven O’Donnell and Jonathan Slinger as men Chaucer owes money to, Nick Brimble as William’s old master Sir Ector, Leagh Conwell as the young William, Christopher Cazenove as William’s father who encouraged him to go after his dreams, Scott Handy as Adhemar’s assistant, and James Purefoy as the knight Sir Colville whom William befriends. Berenice Bejo is wonderful as Jocelyn’s lady-in-waiting Christiana who would be Jocelyn’s conscience and liaison. Laura Fraser is terrific as William’s blacksmith who would create a new armor for him while showing him how to dance with a woman for a ball. Alan Tudyk is fantastic as William’s friend Wat as this very tempered squire that always throw a fit while hoping to eat again. Mark Addy is excellent as Roland as another of William’s friend who is also a squire as he is also a conscience of sorts for William.

Paul Bettany is brilliant as Geoffrey Chaucer as a writer who becomes William’s herald as well as speak for him before the matches where Bettany also provides humor from the way he’s introduced as he’s walking on the road completely naked. Shannyn Sossaman is amazing as Jocelyn as a noblewoman who copes with her status and being seen as a prize until she meets William and realizes that he just cares about her as an equal as it’s a very delightful performance to watch. Rufus Sewell is incredible as Count Adhemar as jousting champion and nobleman who tries to woo Jocelyn while dealing with William’s presence which he sees as a threat as he’s a fun antagonist to watch. Finally, there’s Heath Ledger in a spectacular performance as William Thatcher as a young peasant squire who dreams of becoming a knight as he seizes the chance to become one while trying to do what is right as well as be humble as it’s one of Ledger’s definitive performances.

A Knight’s Tale is a remarkable film from Brian Helgeland that features a phenomenal performance from the late Heath Ledger. Along with a strong ensemble, a compelling story, and a fun soundtrack. It’s a film that manages to be a story that is entertaining with characters audiences can care for. In the end, A Knight’s Tale is a sensational film from Brian Helgeland.

Brian Helgeland Films: (Payback) - (The Order (2003 film) - (42) - Legend (2015 film)

© thevoid99 2016

Great Moments in Film Featuring the Music of David Bowie

When used correctly, music can be a powerful tool to help drive a film or a scene. It can enlighten a scene or set a mood for something sinister or dramatic. If there was anyone whose music was not just the ultimate soundtrack for the world of music but also can make a film probably more special than it is. It was David Bowie. For anyone who had listen to his music would probably feel something when watching a scene or be introduced to something that is just cool. For this list in tribute to Bowie, this list would include films that featured Bowie’s music to great effect. Yet, it would not count films that featured Bowie in the film as that is for another list. Here is the list of 15 films moments featuring the music of Bowie:

1. Mauvais Sang/Frances Ha-Modern Love



The first pick is a tie as one film does something original while the latter is a homage to that film. Yet, both Leos Carax and Noah Baumbach are aware of the power of music and how something like Modern Love can be used as an expression of love and joy. In Carax’s Mauvais Sang, it’s a scene where Denis Lavant expresses his own pain and anguish in his love for Juliette Binoche as it showcases a sense of passion through that song. In Baumbach’s Frances Ha, the scene isn’t just a homage of sorts to Mauvais Sang but it’s also something of its own which play into Greta Gerwig’s Frances’ in a new home but still in a state of transition while trying to remain upbeat. Though both films are very different, the way they used this song proves that it displays not just a sense of passion and determination for both characters but also to display the song’s message on the fallacy of modern love.



2. A Knight’s Tale-Golden Years



There are moments that just makes a scene all cool and such but this one is one of the most enjoyable in cinema. Here’s Heath Ledger’s William aka Sir Ulrich at a ball where he is trying to get people to learn his dance from his fictional land. Ledger’s performance is so perfect in how awkward he tries to present his dance to the many people at the ball as he looked lost until Shannyn Sossaman’s character comes in and helps. While the film is set during medieval times and the music starts off as being very folk with its flutes and woodwinds, the strains from Golden Years would emerge little by little as it manages to fit in with the period of the film. Then Bowie’s vocals come in and everyone starts to dance to the song as it has this sense of exuberance and joy that makes life worth living. Plus, why would anyone not want to dance to a song as funky as Golden Years?

3. Cat People/Inglourious Basterds-Cat People



One of the darkest tracks Bowie has created in the 1980s was a collaboration he made with Giorgio Moroder as is considered one of his finest songs. It was first used in Paul Schrader’s remake of the 1940s noir film of the same name as Bowie’s song just fits in with the tone of that film. Especially for a film that is very sexually provocative and filled with a lot of dread and terror. When it was used for Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 war film Inglourious Basterds, it plays into a great montage where Melanie Laurent’s Shoshanna gets ready for her own revenge against the Nazis. It is one of the most powerful usages of that film as it showcases Tarantino’s mastery in blending music and image.



4. Intimacy-Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise) & The Motel

Patrice Chereau’s 2001 film is one of the most raw portraits of adultery as it plays into a man and a woman who have sex with each other and that’s it without the need to know who they are. From the 1974 Diamond Dogs album, the medley of Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise) plays into Mark Rylance’s character and the sense of abandonment he has created for himself as it plays into flashbacks of the life he once had until he fucked it up. From 1995’s Outside is The Motel as it plays during the final credits as it plays into the severity of not just the affair but also what Rylance and Kerry Fox know about each other as it’s a film that many people need to see as Bowie’s music helps give the film some depth.



5. Lost Highway-I’m Deranged



Also from 1995’s Outside is I’m Deranged as the song is used to open and close David Lynch’s 1997 film as it definitely sets the tone for the film in its ode to noir and identity. After all, it is the perfect song to open and close that film where it is like this wild rider of who is who and what is going on. Lynch’s usage of the song that is given some editing by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails for its soundtrack would help play into many of the things that goes on in the film.

6. The Ice Storm-I Can’t Read

For anyone that is a super Bowie fan, this song is probably one of its most obscure because the song doesn’t originate from Bowie but from his late 80s/early 90s band Tin Machine. For Ang Lee’s 1997 film, Bowie would do a re-recording of the song with Tin Machine guitarist Reeves Gabrels in a stripped-down acoustic presentation. There, the song is given a more direct feel than its blazing rock version as it adds to the melancholia of the film and the events that had happened which is played during the film’s final credits.



7. Guardians of the Galaxy-Moonage Daydream



With rumors that Bowie was supposed to be in the upcoming sequel to the 2014 blockbuster hit in a cameo, it’s sad that it will never happen as it probably would’ve been cool. Among the many awesome tunes in Starlord’s Awesome Mix Vol. 1 is a song from 1972’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The song is played just as the Guardians are set to arrive in the mining planet where they would meet the Collector about this artifact Starlord had stolen. It is definitely the perfect song for that moment as it plays into the world that is the galaxy as it indicates that one cannot have a movie set in the galaxy and not use David Bowie.

8. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story-Starman



OK, this is sort of a cheat considering that Bowie doesn’t actually contribute a song into the soundtrack. In fact, Starman is presented in the form of a kooky cover by John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox. It is actually one of the finest covers ever as Reilly definitely does the song justice as it plays into the world that Cox is in during the 1970s where he is hosting his own variety show. It is also hilarious considering what Cox is doing as he would sort of turn it into a disco song.

9. Kinky Boots-The Prettiest Star

From one of 2005’s finest films definitely plays true to Bowie’s spirit as someone who was willing to embrace sexual identities and what it means to be one’s true self. The song is used where Chiwetel Ejifor’s Lola character reminisces hearing the song as he dances around in high heels like he did when he was a child until his father tells him to stop that. It is probably one of the most effective usage of the song yet the version that is presented is the original 1970 version that features Marc Bolan on lead guitar instead of the 1973 re-recording from Aladdin Sane with Mick Ronson playing the solo note-for-note with saxophones. Yet, the one with Bolan is the definitive version of that song.



10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower-”Heroes”



From the 1977 album of the same name comes one of Bowie’s best songs as it plays into a scene where Logan Lerman’s Charlie is coming from a party with Emma Watson’s Sam and Ezra Miller’s Patrick are about to enter this tunnel. Yet, the moment is where they hear this song that they have no idea what it was but it is very powerful as Sam would go behind the truck and just free herself with that song playing. The trio would eventually found out what the song is and who is it by as it is one of the powerful moments in film and shows how many generations Bowie has managed to touch for so many years.

11. The Runaways-Lady Grinning Soul



While the film itself isn’t great as it took too many liberties with the real story about the influential all-women rock band. There are moments in the film that are still interesting which gave Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning some excellent work. Especially in the latter as Cherie Currie where she plays a song from 1973’s Aladdin Sane for her high school talent show performance. It’s a moment where Fanning really got to display a moment that is just powerful despite being booed and heckled where she had a great response to her classmates. After all, anyone who boos Bowie is a jabroni.

12. Hanna-Kooks



While the scene is only very brief, it is probably one of the most effective moments in film where Saoirse Ronan’s titular character has just escaped and is on the run. She would encounter a couple of kids and a family where she would hide in their RV as she sees them singing along to a song that is actually appropriate. A song by Bowie from 1971’s Hunky Dory that he wrote for his son as it plays into the idea of family and Hanna’s encounter with this strange and kooky family as if she is the alien. It makes total sense since Bowie was considered an alien and he played an alien rock star.

13. Juno-All the Young Dudes

OK, this is another cheat as it’s a film that doesn’t feature a song by David Bowie but it is a song written by David Bowie for Mott the Hoople. The song which is considered a glam rock anthem and a big fuck you to 1960s idealism serves as a fitting moment where the titular character goes to meet Mark Loring where the two share a dance to the song. It’s a moment where Juno believes that she had found the ideal father for her baby while having a crush on this man because he listens to cool music and watches cool films but it’s also this sort of sad moment when Mark gives her some very startling news.



14. Cool World-Real Cool World



While the Ralph Bashki live action/animated film was an OK film, the song that Bowie contributed to its soundtrack which played in the final credits is a fitting one considering that it plays into that strange mix of off-the-wall animation with strange reality. Especially for a song that mixes rock, electronic music, jazz, and bits of hip-hop as the film itself has that strange mix of jazz, rock, and industrial music which adds to the weirdness of the film. It’s really one of Bowie’s more overlooked gems just as he was starting to return to make music that mattered in the 1990s.

15. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou-Queen Bitch



Wes Anderson’s 2004 prominently featured Bowie’s music through a few of the originals while much of Bowie’s songs were covered and translated into Portuguese by Seu Jorge for what would be an incredible album. In the film’s final moments and credits, Anderson closes the film with a great sequence to the tune of a classic cut from Hunky Dory as it would showcase some of the cast members. After that, the credits would continue with Seu Jorge’s cover of the song as it is one of the finest covers of the film.



© thevoid99 2016

David Bowie (1947-2016)

One of the earliest memories I have is like anyone who was born or grew up during the 80s was watching MTV. Among the early music I probably can remember listening to were the likes of Michael Jackson, Men at Work, Huey Lewis & the News, and Pat Benatar. Then there was this bloke with blond hair singing in a restaurant in Australia that had this song which was different from what was out at the time. It had this funky bass groove but also something was simple, direct, and you can dance to it. I was two years old when Let’s Dance was the big song on the radio and on MTV as I remember my parents owning that cassette as my mother was pregnant at the time carrying my sister who would arrive that September. I think my favorite song at the time was the title track to the album while my mom’s favorite song and still her all-time favorite song is China Girl.


It’s amazing that I could remember that which goes to show why David Bowie means so much to me but also to the entire world. While I probably grew up throughout my childhood and into my teens being surrounded by other things where I probably forgot about Bowie for a while. It wasn’t until the time when bands like Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails were around where they would acknowledge Bowie’s importance to them. Nirvana’s cover of The Man Who Sold the World was the first in a series of events that I feel brought Bowie back to the public eye and make him aware to a new generation of fans. Yet, I think there were many who were listening to grunge and alternative rock that were reluctant to listen to Bowie as they thought of him as that lounge lizard from the 1980s.


That changed when I was on vacation in New York City at the summer of 1995 when I was 14 with my parents and sisters visiting my mom’s favorite cousin where I read the news that my favorite band at the time in NIN were going to go on tour with David Bowie. It struck me as odd knowing that my memory of Bowie was from Let’s Dance but then I heard some of these others songs like Space Oddity, Fame, “Heroes”, and Ziggy Stardust and realize this is the same guy. That made me want to go see Bowie and NIN but other events forced me to miss it. This is why for anyone who is into a band or an artist of a current generation, it gives those the chance to look for something else. It’s among the reasons why I’m grateful for Trent Reznor and NIN for providing gaps between albums which gives me the chance to find other things.


Compilations are a good thing when it comes to certain artists who have a catalog that is quite vast as I bought the Changesbowie compilation when I was in high school. By the time I was a junior/senior in 1998 when two new compilations of Bowie’s work that featured not just his hits from 1969 to 1979 but also rarities and some album cuts. It was also around the time Velvet Goldmine was coming out as I wanted to see that film. A year later, a series of reissues of his albums from 1969 to 1987 came out as I wanted to see where to start thanks in part to the Internet which was new at the time. By the end of the 20th Century, I became a full-on fan of David Bowie as one of my favorite purchases I have is the Bowie at the Beeb three-disc limited edition compilation which featured an abundance of material Bowie did for the BBC from 1968 to 1972 with the third disc as his concert from June of 2000 for the BBC where he played songs from the 80s and beyond.


Through the Internet, I would go into his entire body of work as it became clear that this was a man of great importance. While bands like Radiohead and NIN are among my all-time favorite acts, Bowie is probably right behind those two though maybe he’s better than both of them considering the wealth of music he created. Like NIN and Radiohead, Bowie made music that didn’t play by anyone’s rules nor did they cater to trends with the exception of some of the stuff he did in the 1980s which were, even by his own admission, terrible. At the same time, they were artists that spoke to me in my teens and through my early stages of adulthood. Yet, Bowie was the master as songs like Rock N’ Roll Suicide and Quicksand had lyrics that were very powerful and direct. He spoke about alienation, anxiety, and fear yet made it so relatable that it probably saved my life.


I’m saddened that I never got to see him live but the shows he did present on video/DVDs showcased that everything else everyone did. He did it better and he did it with more heart and more passion no matter how silly it was back then or how strange it was. He was someone that was ahead of his time and laid the ground works for practically everything and everyone. People would probably say the same things about Elvis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, or Michael Jackson in how they influenced their life or pop culture in general. For me, it was Bowie. He was someone that constantly reinvented himself and kept people guessing through his music and art. A few years ago, I made a list of his essential work from 1969 to 1980 which I think is his golden period though I would expand it to 1983’s Let’s Dance as that golden period.


If anything, his second self-titled release to Let’s Dance is quintessential Bowie and there is rarely a bad moment in those albums along with the live albums in those times like David Live from 1974 and Stage from 1978 in their respective expanded editions. There’s some gems he did in the 1980s and his work with Tin Machine while I think 90s albums like Black Tie White Noise and Outside are among his most underrated albums of his career. Heathen would be the return of classic-era Bowie with Reality being a fantastic follow-up. Then he disappeared where I was content knowing that even if he didn’t put out new music. He made more than enough to create music that would last for eons and then in 2013, he returned with The Next Day with little warning and it was a fucking classic from start to finish. It was as if he would return to do shows and such but I figured that it would take awhile but alas, that would never happen. Then there’s his final album Blackstar which if anything is a great testament to a great career. It’s a phenomenal record that stands with the rest of his work and a way to go out.


It’s not just through music that Bowie made an impact but also in art and film. As an actor, he had everything many would want while he didn’t go for the starring roles but rather play parts that suited him. Whether it’s Thomas Jerome Newton in The Man Who Fell to Earth, Major Jack Celliers in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, John Blaylock in The Hunger, Pontius Pilate in The Last Temptation of Christ, bringing Andy Warhol back to life in Basquiat, Nikola Tesla in The Prestige, Vendice Partners in Absolute Beginners, or Jareth the Goblin King in Labyrinth. Bowie always brought something to a film and made it something special that many film buffs will enjoy.


Another thing that I think made Bowie exceptional was his generosity to other talents. While many artists would try to do whatever they can to boost their own egos or whatever, Bowie used his fame to give friends and unknowns their breaks. If it wasn’t for Bowie, I’m sure there are many who wouldn’t have heard of such artists/acts like the Velvet Underground, the Stooges, or T-Rex. They did something for him as an artist and he returned the favor where he gave Lou Reed his biggest hit with Walk on the Wild Side while Iggy Pop would become a major solo star. If it wasn’t for Bowie, I’m sure ambient music wouldn’t become prominent as he definitely raised attention for that genre and one of its creators in Brian Eno. He was also there to help those who were in need like his childhood friend Peter Frampton where he had him play guitar for the Glass Spider tour of 1987 and exposed his work as a guitarist.


I’m sure that if Bowie was never around, Luther Vandross would’ve never gotten a break or something as Bowie saw this young man and had him sing back up on the Young Americans album as well as co-write a song with him and did vocal arrangements. It shows how broad his music was and how important he was to popular culture. For those who probably grew up watching Soul Train in the 1970s were probably taken aback by this skinny British white guy with orange hair on the show until they heard him sing as it was clear that he had soul. He can rock, he can do dance, he can do electronic music, he can be loud, and he can also chill. What more could anyone ask from an artist like that?


Through the people he’s helped out and the people he’s given breaks to, it is clear that Bowie’s influence has created many that would come into his wake. There are covers by many artists who had paid tribute to him. Some in a very direct way like Bauhaus and Nirvana through some weird yet funny tributes by Flight of the Conchords in a song called Bowie’s in Space. One of my favorite tributes came from this guy named Steve Riks who would play many legends as he did one of the most bizarre yet funny tributes to both Bowie and Elvis Presley who were both born on January 8 (which I hope to be the day when I get married if that ever happens).


It goes to show that Bowie has made people smile and bring joy to the world. Even as fans would create some of these bizarre video compilations like Bowie getting annoyed during interviews.


Then there’s Chris Hadfield’s cover of Space Oddity in outer space, that is a cover done with great justice. It’s also quite moving.


For someone who dressed up like an alien, a coked-out European, a clown, and wears women’s clothing. It is clear that he’s managed to do so many things for so many people including children who recently did a little tribute to the man known as Ziggy Stardust, Halloween Jack, the Thin White Duke, Major Tom, and Jareth.


While it is sad that he’s gone now. It is clear that he has meant so much to the world and probably made them feel OK to be weird and challenging. Especially as he also created anthems through his music and art which will endure. Right now, Bowie is probably somewhere in the galaxy reforming the Spiders of Mars with Mick Ronson and Trevor Bolder while waiting for Mick Woodmansey to join them soon as that was his best band. To the collaborators such as Carlos Alomar, Brian Eno, Mick Woodmansey, Tony Visconti, Trent Reznor, Nile Rodgers, Ken Scott, Earl Slick, Mark Plati, Mike Garson, David Sanborn, Edral Kiziclay, Reeves Gabrels, George Murray, Dennis Davis, Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Giorgio Moroder, Sterling Campbell, Gail Ann Dorsey, Gerry Leonard, Peter Frampton, and Iggy Pop. Thank you for being part of his musical family along with the men who aren’t with us such as Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder, Marc Bolan, Luther Vandross, John Lennon, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Lou Reed for making his music mean something.


To the people who were involved in his career like his first wife Angela and his longtime personal assistant Coco Schwab, thank you for being there for him and giving him the confidence. Finally to Iman, Duncan, Zulekha, and Alexandra, thank you for taking care of David Robert Jones and being the family that loved him. To David, thank you for being there for all of us and we will miss you.

R.I.P. David Bowie (1947-2016)

© thevoid99 2016

Casualties of War

Based on an article for The New Yorker about the real-life Hill 192 incident during the Vietnam War by Daniel Lang, Casualties of War is the story of a young soldier in the Vietnam War who finds himself being forced by his platoon sergeant to take part in raping a young Vietnamese woman. Directed by Brian de Palma and screenplay by David Rabe, the film explores some of the dark aspects of war where a young soldier tries to deal with the immoral events that occur in war including by those he is forced to serve for. Starring Michael J. Fox, Sean Penn, Don Patrick Harvey, John C. Reilly, John Leguizamo, Ving Rhames, and Thuy Thu Le. Casualties of War is a gripping and chilling film from Brian de Palma.

Set during the Vietnam War, the film revolves around a real-life incident in which a platoon kidnaps and rapes a young Vietnamese War during a mission where a young private deals with the circumstances of what is happening. It’s a film that plays into this young private first-class named Eriksson (Michael J. Fox) who questions the actions of his superior and his fellow soldiers. Especially as he gets confronted by Sgt. Tony Meserve (Sean Penn) who orders him to do this while claiming that it’s what they need to do to fuck over the Viet Cong. David Rabe’s screenplay does dramatize the events that happened in real life but also display some interesting development into the characters as men who are fighting this war where boredom and fatigue doesn’t just drive them into madness but also in doing things that are considered immoral. Much of the story is told from Eriksson’s perspective as the film begins and ends in 1974 San Francisco where Eriksson is on a train sleeping where he sees this young Vietnamese-American woman which triggers what he remembered as a soldier.

The first act is about Eriksson being this new soldier who has arrived three weeks earlier where he is saved by Sgt. Meserve during a battle as it is the first encounter of the realities of war as well as the bond between soldiers. The second act is about Sgt. Meserve’s mission to inspect a river boat delivery where he decides to go into a village and kidnap this young woman (Thuy Thu Le) with the aid of Corporal Clark (Don Patrick Harvey), PFC Hatcher (John C. Reilly), and the new soldier in the platoon in PFC Diaz (John Leguizamo). While Cpl. Clark is willing to help Sgt. Meserve in kidnapping and raping this young woman with PFC Hatcher reluctant at first. Eriksson is the one who is against this as is PFC Diaz only to join in. The third act is about its aftermath where Eriksson copes with what happened but also learns that some of his superiors are indifferent to what happened which forces him to deal with the moral implications and the troubling aspects of war.

Brian de Palma’s direction is very gripping for the way it plays into the terror and chaos of war as well as some of the immorality that occurs. Shot largely on location in Thailand, the film does play into a world that is dangerous and unpredictable from Eriksson’s first encounter with seeing one of his own being killed unexpectedly which sets the tone for what is to come. The usage of the wide shots definitely has de Palma capture the tense atmosphere of the jungles as well as using some close-ups and medium shots to play into the drama and eerie moments of suspense. Even in some of the intense moments of Sgt. Meserve raping the young woman with the very reluctant Pfc. Diaz being the first to have sex with her after Sgt. Meserve is done. The usage of crane shots for some of the battle scenes as well as some of the suspenseful moments that play into the events that would horrify Eriksson. The third act is where de Palma really gets to shine such as a monologue delivered by Eriksson’s superior Lt. Reilly (Ving Rhames) who reveals about some of the dark aspects of human nature as it would force Eriksson to realize that the realities of the way things are. Even if attempting to do what is right is pushed aside by politics and indifference in order to keep going in the state of war. Overall, de Palma crafts an engaging yet harrowing film about a real-life incident that involved the rape of a young Vietnamese woman.

Cinematographer Stephen H. Burum does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography from the look of the exteriors of the jungle and bases at night to the lighting inside the tunnels that the Vietcong uses. Editor Bill Pankow does amazing work with the editing in creating some unique jump-cuts and rhythmic cuts to play into the suspense and drama that occurs throughout the film. Production designer Wolf Kroeger, with art director Bernard Hides and set decorators Peter Hancock and Hugh Scaife, does fantastic work with the building of the army bases as well as the underground tunnels and bars outside of the army bases.

Costume designer Richard Bruno does nice work with the costumes from the look of the uniforms as well as the ragged clothes of the Vietnamese villagers. Sound editor Maurice Schell does superb work with the sound from the sparse sounds of the jungles to the loud mixing of sounds of gunfire and helicopters in the air. The film’s music by Ennio Morricone is phenomenal with its usage of Asian flute music and lush string arrangements to play into the drama and suspense as it is definitely one of the film’s highlights along with a soundtrack featuring music of that period in time.

The casting by Lynn Stalmaster is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features some notable small roles from Darren E. Burrows as a young soldier Eriksson deals with late in the film, Sherman Howard as a military judge, John Marshall Jones as a military police officer, Sam Robards as an army captain/chaplain, Dan Martin as Eriksson’s friend Hawthorne, Dale Dye as the top officer of the platoon in Captain Hill, Erik King as a veteran soldier who would serve as an early mentor for Eriksson, and Ving Rhames in a superb role as Lt. Reilly as a platoon leader who reveals some harsh truth about war and human nature. Thuy Thu Le is excellent as the young woman Oanh who is captured by Sgt. Meserve and his platoon as a sex slave claiming that she is working for the Vietcong as she becomes humiliated and destroyed by their actions. In his film debut, John C. Reilly is fantastic as PFC Hatcher as the comic-relief of sorts who always talking about drinking beer and having fun while dealing with the chaos as well as being reluctant in taking part of the rape.

John Leguizamo is amazing as PFC Diaz who just joined the platoon as he is very reluctant to take part in the rape only to be coerced into it which displays someone trying to fit in with the platoon. Don Patrick Harvey is brilliant as Cpl. Clark as a sadistic man with a knife who has no qualms in raping and killing Vietnamese women as well as do things that are very questionable. Michael J. Fox is remarkable as PFC Eriksson as this young soldier who deals with the moral implications of his platoon sergeant as he struggles to do the right thing as well as try and save this young woman in an act of anti-war sentiment. Finally, there’s Sean Penn in a terrifying performance as Sgt. Meserve as this platoon leader who is a great soldier but also quite sadistic himself as Penn brings a strange complexity to someone who is a totally dick and ruthless in what he does yet is the kind of person any soldier would want to have by their side.

Casualties of War is a marvelous film from Brian de Palma that features tremendous performances from Sean Penn and Michael J. Fox. Along with Ennio Morricone’s fantastic score, early breakthrough performances from John C. Reilly and John Leguizamo, and strong anti-war themes. It’s a film that doesn’t play by the rules of war as it showcases some of the dark aspects of humanity in war. In the end, Casualties of War is a sensational film from Brian de Palma.

Brian De Palma Films: (Murder a la Mod) - (Greetings) - (The Wedding Party) - (Dionysus in ‘69) - (Hi, Mom!) - (Get to Know Your Rabbit) - Sisters - Phantom of the Paradise - Obsession - Carrie - The Fury - (Home Movies) - Dressed to Kill - Blow Out - Scarface - Body Double - (Wise Guys) - The Untouchables - The Bonfire of the Vanities - Raising Cain - Carlito’s Way - Mission: Impossible - Snake Eyes - Mission to Mars - Femme Fatale - The Black Dahlia - (Redacted) - Passion (2012 film) - (Domino (2018 film))

© thevoid99 2016

Charlotte et son Jules

Written, directed, and co-edited by Jean-Luc Godard, Charlotte et son Jules (Charlotte and Her Boyfriend) is a thirteen-minute short film about a man who gets a visit from his ex-girlfriend as he deals with her appearance. Largely set inside a Parisian apartment, the film explores the many ups and downs of love as the couple is portrayed by Jean-Paul Belmondo as Jules and Anne Collette as Charlotte. It begins with Charlotte arriving into the apartment as her date (Gerard Blain) waits outside in his car where Jules rants about everything she’s done to him.

With Godard dubbing the voice of Jules (due to budget limitations and Belmondo unavailable for post-production), the film has Godard maintain a sense of intimacy with his usage of close-ups and medium shots in the film’s direction with Jules ranting while Charlotte remains mostly silent as she mocks him in a pantomime style. Shot in black-and-white by cinematographer Michel Latouche with stylish cutting by Godard and Cecile Decugis, the film has a playful feel with some sound work by Jacques Maumont and a whimsical musical score by Pierre Monsigny. The performances of Belmondo and Collette are splendid with Belmondo displaying some humility with Collette being very funny in her near-silent performance.

Charlotte et son Jules is an extraordinary short film from Jean-Luc Godard. Not only does the film contain elements that would become prominent in his work in feature films but it’s also a film that manages to play into the ideas of love in all of its fallacies and joyful moments. In the end, Charlotte et son Jules is a sensational film from Jean-Luc Godard.

Jean-Luc Godard Films: All the Boys Are Called Patrick - Breathless - The Little Soldier - A Woman is a Woman - Vivre Sa Vie - The Carabineers - Contempt - Band of Outsiders - A Married Woman - Alphaville - Pierrot Le Fou - Masculin Feminin - Made in U.S.A. - Two or Three Things I Know About Her - La Chinoise - Weekend - One Plus One (Sympathy for the Devil) - (Joy of Learning) - (British Sounds) - Tout va Bien - (Letter to Jane) - (One A.M.) - (Number Two) - (Here and Elsewhere) - (Every Man for Himself) - (Passion) - (First Name: Carmen) - Hail, Mary - (Soft and Hard) - (Detective) - (King Lear (1987 film)) - (Keep Your Right Up) - (Nouvelle Vague) - (Allemagne 90 neuf zero) - (JLG/JLG - Self-Portrait in December) - For Ever Mozart - (Historie(s) de Cinema) - (In Praise of Love) - (Notre musique) - (Film Socialisme) - (Adieu au Language) - (The Image Book)

© thevoid99 2016

Jazzin' for Blue Jean

Directed by Julien Temple and screenplay by Terry Johnson from a story by David Bowie, Jazzin’ for Blue Jean is a twenty-minute short film that serves as a promotional video for David Bowie’s single Blue Jean from his much-maligned 1984 album Tonight. The short revolves around a socially-awkward man trying to woo a beautiful young woman by taking her to an exclusive concert as Bowie plays both the socially-awkward man Vic and the singer Screamin’ Lord Byron. Also starring Louise Scott as the young woman. Jazzin’ for Blue Jean is a witty and whimsical short from Julien Temple and David Bowie.

The film is essentially a comedy where this man tries to impress this young woman into taking her to a concert for this pop singer where everything goes wrong. He tries everything from claiming he’s on a list to bad negotiating for tickets where he would eventually meet the singer Screamin’ Lord Byron through an accidental moment in the hopes of winning over this young woman. It’s a short that is very witty which plays into the silliness of 1980s culture from Vic trying to find ways to dress cool only to get advice from his much clean and more fashionable roommate. The script is largely told from Vic’s perspective as someone who is so desperate to be cool but he is such a dork.

Julien Temple’s direction is quite stylish from the usage of crane shots to capture the streets of London as well as how the club looks in a way superstars have to be presented. There are also moments where Temple makes fun of the idea of stardom in the way Screamin’ Lord Byron arrives as if he had partied too much and is quite full of himself. It adds to the ridiculousness of the story where Temple also create some scenes which play into the false worship of pop idols including Bowie himself who music for the film including the song he performs. Temple’s direction also has a unique way some of the comedy is set up as it is done naturally which showcases Bowie’s knack for comedy.

With Louise Scott providing a wonderful performance as the dream girl, it is Bowie’s show as his approach to playing a dork is so fun while his performance as Screamin’ Lord Byron is just as funny for how much of a diva he is. It is Bowie not being afraid to lampoon himself a bit but also make some commentary about 1980s commercialized-pop music which he had been sucked into in the aftermath of the blockbuster success of his 1983 album Let’s Dance.

Jazzin’ for Blue Jean is a fantastic short film from Julien Temple and David Bowie. It’s a short that fans of Bowie will consider as essential despite the fact that it was made in one of his un-creative periods. It’s a film that isn’t just entertaining but also provides as a great tool to promote new music as it’s just Bowie selling himself. In the end, Jazzin’ for Blue Jean is an excellent short film from Julien Temple.


© thevoid99 2016

Night and Fog

Directed and edited by Alain Resnais and written by Jean Cayrol, Nuit et brouillard (Night and Fog) is a thirty-one minute documentary short that explores the grounds of Auschwitz where some of the most horrific atrocities in humanity is explored. The film serves as a look into the world of the Holocaust with recollections by prisoners as it is narrated by Michel Bouquet. The result is one of the most chilling and evocative documentaries about the Holocaust.

Shot in the span of an entire just a decade after the end of World War II, the film is a document into the grounds of Auschwitz as it is shown a decade after it was used as it looks like peaceful and calm. Yet, the fact that it is also the place where millions and millions of people were killed by Nazi Germany makes it a ghost town with a sense of unease over what this place was once was. The film is told in this mixture of past and present where Resnais and cinematographers Sacha Vierny and Ghislain Cloquet shoot Auschwitz circa-1955 in color where it looks like an abandoned park or factory with some ruins. At times, the colored photography makes it look sort of peaceful but once the camera gets inside with some unique tracking shots and camera movements. It is clear that is this unsettling ghost town.

When the film is presented in black-and-white, Resnais collects many archival and stock footage from various newsreels and such that documented what happened. What is revealed includes images that will definitely test viewers as much of it isn’t just uncomfortable to watch but it is also very intense due to the aura of death that looms throughout the film. Resnais’ editing doesn’t just capture many of the moments that occur through the images about what happens when a prisoner enters the camp but also what one would endure. Aided by Michel Bouquet’s editing that features text by Jean Cayrol and additional work by Chris Marker, the narration doesn’t just help drive the story but also go into great detail about what these people would endure. Featuring a somber and mesmerizing score by Hanns Eisler, the film has this very harrowing tone that is melancholic but also visceral in how eerie the images are as the music adds to that while having melodic moments that serve as offbeat.

Nuit et brouillard is an outstanding short documentary from Alain Resnais. Not only is it one of the most devastating and powerful documents about the Holocaust but an evocative statement into the atrocities on humanity by those driven by hate. In the end, Nuit et brouillard is a phenomenal film from Alain Resnais.

Alain Resnais Films: Hiroshima Mon Amour - Last Year at Marienbad - (Muriel) - (The War is Over) - (Je T’aime, je t’aime) - (Stavisky) - (Providence) - Mon Oncle d'Amerique - (Life is a Bed of Roses) - (Love Unto Death) - (Melo) - (I Want to Go Home) - (Gershwin) - (Smoking/No Smoking) - (Same Old Song) - (Not on the Lips) - (Private Fears in Public Places) - Wild Grass - (You Haven’t Seen Anything Yet) - (Life of Riley)

© thevoid99 2016

The Auteurs #50: David Lynch

If there’s one filmmaker in the late 20th Century whose name is synonymous with the world of surrealism other than Luis Bunuel, it’s David Lynch. A name that has managed to inspire many as well as polarize critics and audiences into his work. With films ranging from the strange and violent to odd tales of Americana, Lynch has been a filmmaker that has continuously refuse to define himself. Even as he would spawn many who imitate his visual style and ideals but Lynch remains mysterious in everything he does while refusing to explain anything about his work. Whether it’s in film, television, music, art, or literature, Lynch is an artist that always keep people guessing and have fun playing with their expectations.

Born on January 20, 1946 in Missoula, Michigan, David Keith Lynch was the first of three children to Donald and Edwina “Sunny” Lynch. Donald Lynch was a member in the Department of Agriculture which would allow him and the family to travel all around the country as it would have a profound effect on the young Lynch. At a young age, Lynch was a member of the Boy Scouts of America where his increasing interest in the world of art got him lots of attention where he would travel to Austria with friend and future collaborator Jack Fisk to study under the guidance of Oskar Kokoschka which was only brief due to Kokoschka’s absence.

In 1964 at the age of 18, Lynch would briefly attend the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston where his roommate was future J. Geils Band vocalist Peter Wolf. The experience at the school would prompt Lynch to find a more fruitful education at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts where Fisk was attending as he would become a prominent art director and production designer where he would gain fame for his work with Terrence Malick. In Philadelphia, Lynch would find inspiration in his work while his own personal life was in an upswing as he would marry Peggy Reavey in 1967 and gain a daughter in Jennifer a year later.

More can be read in Cinema Axis in four parts through these links in Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2016

Nobody Walks

Directed by Ry Russo-Young and written by Russo-Young and Lena Dunham, Nobody Walks is the story of a young woman who moves into the guest home of a wealthy family to complete an art project where she unknowingly disrupt their life. The film is an exploration into a family whose quaint and idealistic life is shattered by an innocent outsider who has no clue what she had gotten herself into. Starring Olivia Thirlby, John Krasinski, Rosemarie DeWitt, India Ennenga, Dylan McDermott, and Justin Kirk. Nobody Walks is an intriguing yet mesmerizing film from Ry Russo-Young.

The film revolves around a 23-year old filmmaker who moves into the guest home of another filmmaker who will help her with the project she’s making as she finds herself getting involved in the life of this wealthy family. It’s a film that plays into a woman whose arrival doesn’t just create a bit of chaos in the life of this family but does it so without meaning to as she just needed help with her film. The film’s screenplay doesn’t just play into the ideas of a woman finding herself interfering a bit with the life of a family but also how things just happen amidst this chaos. Yet, the script doesn’t judge Martine (Olivia Thirlby) for her actions as she is just a young woman that needed help but she is also kind of flirtatious as she charms her host Peter (John Krasinski) where the two have a secret affair. Yet, things in Peter’s life become troubling when his therapist-wife Julie is dealing with a patient who reveals to have feelings for her while her daughter Kolt (India Ennenga) is dealing with growing pains and a creeping Italian tutor (Emanuele Secci).

Ry Russo-Young’s direction is very simple as she shoots the film largely on location in the Silver Lake area in Los Angeles. Russo-Young’s approach to hand-held cameras and the usage of close-ups and medium shots help play into the intimacy that looms throughout the film. Much of it is very loose in terms of how the actors are shown in the frame or in a scene such as a dinner sequence where Julie’s ex-husband Leroy (Dylan McDermott) shows up for a visit where it does make things a bit uncomfortable. The direction also feature some low-key humor but it’s mostly dramatic since it plays into this young woman needing help for her experimental film. The film-within-a-film is an experimental feature involving bugs where Martine just needed some sound as it plays like many experimental/art-driven films which play into Martine’s own personality. Even as she is someone that is in need of a home or companionship but manages to make a mess of things as she tries to fix them. Overall, Russo-Young creates an engaging yet low-key film about a young artist whose presence nearly causes trouble for a family.

Cinematographer Christopher Blauvet does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography in capturing the sunny look of the locations as well as creating some low-key lights for many of the film‘s nighttime interior/exterior scenes as well as Peter‘s sound room. Editor John Walter does nice work with the editing as it is mostly straightforward with some stylish jump-cuts to play into some of the dramatic moments into the film. Production designer Linda Sena and art director Mando Lopez do excellent work with the look of the home that Peter and Julie live in as well as Martine‘s guest home and the design of Julie‘s office.

Costume designer Kim Wilcox does terrific work with the costumes as it is largely casual with the exception of some of the stylish clothes that Martine wears. Sound designer Rich Bologna does fantastic work with the sound to create the many textures and sound effects that Martine needed for her film as well as capture some of the moments in the places the characters go to. The film’s music by Will Bates and the indie band Fall on Your Sword is wonderful for its mixture of dreamy and ambient music that plays into the Californian landscape while music supervisor Tiffany Anders brings in a mixture of folk and electronic music for the film’s party scene.

The casting by Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee is superb as it features some notable small roles from Jane Levy as Kolt’s classmate Caroline, Sam Lerner as another of Kolt’s classmate in Avi, Mason Welch as Peter and Julie’s son Dusty, Emanuele Secci as Kolt’s creepy Italian tutor, Rhys Wakefield as Peter’s assistant David whom Kolt has a crush on despite flirting with Martine, and Dylan McDermott in a terrific role as Julie’s ex-husband/Kolt’s father Leroy who arrives for dinner as he would create some discomfort for Martine and Peter. Justin Kirk is excellent as Julie’s patient Billy who reveals to her that he had dreams of having sex with her where a later encounter at the party makes Julie really uncomfortable. India Ennenga is fantastic as Kolt as Julie’s teenage daughter who deals with growing pains as she has a crush on step dad’s assistant while dealing with the strange teachings of her Italian tutor.

Rosemarie DeWitt is brilliant as Julie as a therapist who deals with Martine’s presence as well as her own issues as it’s a very low-key yet charming performance from DeWitt. John Krasinski is amazing as Peter as a filmmaker and stay-at-home dad who helps Martine do sound work on her film as he would fall for her only to deal with the implications of their tryst. Finally, there’s Olivia Thirlby in a phenomenal performance as Martine as this young artist who is seeking help to finish her experimental film as she is grateful for the help only to be flirtatious at times as it’s a very complex and charismatic performance from Thirlby.

Nobody Walks is a brilliant film from Ry Russo-Young that features incredible performances from Olivia Thirlby, John Krasinski, and Rosemarie DeWitt. With a captivating script and subtle themes on family, trysts, and art, it’s a film that doesn’t try to be or say anything but showcase the idea of needing to help and how someone can unknowingly screw things up. In the end, Nobody Walks is an amazing film from Ry Russo-Young.

© thevoid99 2016