The Beatles: Get Back

 

Directed by Peter Jackson, The Beatles: Get Back is a documentary film series that expands on the footage with hours of unreleased material that didn’t make it to the 1970 Michael Lindsay-Hogg documentary film Let It Be about the band’s attempt to make a new album in January of 1969 that culminated with their final live performance to the public. The documentary that features newly-remastered footage as well as material that expands the rarely-seen Lindsay-Hogg documentary from 80 minutes to nearly 8 hours of material. The result is an astonishing and rapturous film from Peter Jackson that manages to bring some new revelations into the story of the Beatles in their final year as a band.

It’s January of 1969 as it had more than a year since the death of their manager Brian Epstein and more than two years since the band had played live to the public as a recent filming for the promotional video for the single Hey Jude where the band was surrounded by an audience gave them an idea. The idea would be for John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr to create new songs for an upcoming concert appearance to be filmed on television in the span of a few weeks as Starr is set to leave to act in a film project for Apple Corps in The Magic Christian with Peter Sellers. The project called Get Back is an attempt of the four to become a band again and to create new music without overdubs and edits and the new songs to be performed live.

Told in the span of 22 days, the film that became Let It Be as it hadn’t been shown publically since the 1980s showcased a fragment of what was happening as it was released to coincide the album of the same name which was released at the time when the Beatles had called it quits. Nearly 50 years later since the release of the film and album of the same name, filmmaker Peter Jackson went into the vaults where he found more than 60 hours of footage and 150 hours of audio that hadn’t been heard as his discovery of the footage along with restoration work lead to revelations of what was really happening in these 22 days. Amidst all of the turmoil and tension that was looming throughout the band over creative differences as well as the lack of leadership when it comes to business. There was still this air of joy of these four men from Liverpool who not only loved making music but also wanted to be a band again instead of this brand that was already recognizable and at times, too big.

Broken into three parts, the film breaks the month into the three settings and events in the course of these 22 days as it does follow the narrative of Let It Be where the first act is about the disastrous sessions at Twickenham Studios that lead to Harrison briefly quitting the band, the second act being about the band moving to Apple Studios on Saville Road and Billy Preston’s arrival, and the third act being the rooftop concert which would be their final performance and the last session of the project afterwards. What Jackson does is follow that narrative but reveal so much more to the story as it is more about a band trying to become a band again and create new songs while showcasing the work that goes through in creating a song. The first part of the film is devoted entirely to the band at Twickenham Studios where they had shot the video for Hey Jude as it would be used as a rehearsal/recording space where the band would try to create a bunch of new songs for a TV special where the band would play to a live audience with these new songs with Glyn Johns being the main producer and the band’s longtime producer George Martin sort of being the executive producer though Johns and Martin were both unsure of the roles they’re playing.

Among the people who are seen throughout the film is filmmaker Michael Lindsay-Hogg, cinematographer Anthony Richmond, longtime road manager/assistant Mal Evans, Yoko Ono, Linda Eastman, and roadie Kevin Harrington. Ono’s presence in the film reveals that she did nothing to disrupt the band creatively as she mainly kept herself quiet while knitting a few things, doing a bit of art, and all sorts of things and only speaks up whenever McCartney and Starr wanted an opinion from her. McCartney would comment in the film about the press and how vicious they are following Harrison’s brief departure with claims that Lennon and Harrison got into a fight (untrue) and knowing that Ono would be the scapegoat as McCartney made the famous joke that the band broke up because Ono sat on an amp. What Jackson is able to reveal in Ono’s role not only redeems her but also reveal that she was treated greatly by the other members of the band as there was a brief shot of her and Linda Eastman giggling in the first part of the film.

The second part at Apple Studios doesn’t just showcase a band trying to enjoy playing together and get some new ideas for songs but also reveal how Billy Preston got to be involved as he was in London doing a few TV appearances as he was someone the band met back in Hamburg in 1962 when he was playing for Little Richard. The band asked if he could just jam with them and his role in playing organs and the electric piano not only liven up the music but also the band themselves. The film also showcases idea of music theory and how accomplished Preston was in that as the Beatles themselves weren’t accomplished in music theory as his role did a lot to give them new musical ideas. The jams are also a key component to how songs are made where the band play covers for the fun of it and then get an idea for a song as it among these little things that inspires them.

The film also reveal other moments during the first and second part as it relates to business as there’s an appearance from the band’s publisher Dick James on the songs he acquired for the band’s Northern Songs catalog as it is a rare moment where they were seen with James in a cordial way instead of the other stories into their relationship that ultimately led to James selling Northern Songs to ATV without the band’s consent. Other Beatle cohorts/Apple officials such as longtime assistant/Apple Corps chief Neil Aspinall, publicist Derek Taylor, and Apple Films producer Denis O’Dell also appear in the film talking about business with Lennon talking about having the Rolling Stones’ then-manager Allen Klein as their new manager. There’s a scene in the third part where Lennon and Harrison have a conversation about Klein that lead to the band’s first meeting with him which is one of several scenes not filmed including an audio conversation between Lennon and McCartney late in the first part.

The third part of the film where its climax is the rooftop performance does feature some enjoyable moments involving Linda’s daughter Heather who would have some conversations with John, play additional percussions with Starr, and even do her own imitation of Ono in a version of Dig It. Mal Evans is a key player in the songs in banging the hammer on an anvil for Maxwell’s Silver Hammer as well as provide additional percussions on a song which showcases why he is an important figure to the band. Even as he would do whatever he can to stall the cops during the rooftop concert as Jackson shows the concert in real-time from the reaction of the people on the streets to those complaining and the police trying to understand what is going on. Yet, the concert also reveals the level of excitement from Starr’s wife Maureen Starkey who got a closer look in watching the band perform live while was also jovial upon listening to the recordings of the songs.

Since the original film by Michael Lindsay-Hogg and shot by Anthony Richmond on 16mm film that was originally meant for television as it lead to the grainy look of Let It Be. Jackson along with Damian McDonnell on the restoration work with additional visuals from Darwin Go not only manage to flesh out much of Richmond’s photography but also reveal something vibrant in how the footage at Twickenham looks as well as the scenes in Apple Studios and the rooftop concert. The footage of those scenes from the film plus the newly-discovered footage add a bigger scope from the 1:33:1 aspect ratio of Let It Be to the broader 1:78:1 aspect ratio as well as showcasing multiple perspectives during the rooftop concert in three split-screens with editor Jabez Olssen not only creating this real-time perspective of the band, the audience, and police at this concert but also the reaction from the people on the street and on the roof of other buildings nearby. Olssen’s editing in the footage that had been released also does more in showcasing the energy of the recordings as well as some montages and small moments such as Starr giving Ono gum which she split with Lennon.

Sound editors Brent Burge and Martin Kwok, with music mixing by Giles Martin and Sam Okell, do incredible in cultivating the 150 hours of audio with in capturing the many outtakes and versions of some of the songs by the band along with some future solo songs from Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison. The mixing in those songs have a lot of breath into how an instrument sounds as Martin’s contribution is crucial as he has been the one overseeing all of the remastering and such of the Beatles’ music that his father George had produced.

For a film with an eight-hour running time that has been broken in three parts, Jackson has managed to create something that is immersive as it showcases a moment in history that is corrected after years and legends that have been told about that period. Yet, there is also an element of melancholia that looms in the film knowing that the band would break up in the year to come with several people in the film that are no longer here. John Lennon, George Harrison, George Martin, Mal Evans, Neil Aspinall, Derek Taylor, Billy Preston, Dick James, Linda McCartney, and Maureen Starkey have all passed on as they’re now in another universe yet they were all a part of something really special. Something that is never going to be matched or replicated as the music itself still stands for generations to come to discover what made the Beatles so great and so revered as well as the people who played with the band, worked with them, and supported them be just as important.

The Beatles: Get Back is an outstanding film from Peter Jackson. It is a film that not only showcases an important period in time for the band but also reveal so much more about that time and how much these four men loved and cared for each other despite their own issues with one another. It is a documentary that isn’t just a must for fans of the Beatles but it is also a film that showcases what it takes to make great music and what it means to be in a band and finding joy in being part of something that is great and fun. In the end, The Beatles: Get Back is a magnificent film from Peter Jackson.

Peter Jackson Films: (Bad Taste) – (Meet the Feebles) – (Braindead) – (Heavenly Creatures) – (Forgotten Silver) – (The Frighteners) – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King – (King Kong (2005 film)) – (The Lovely Bones) – (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) – (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug) – (The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies) – (They Shall Not Grow Old)

The Beatles: The Albums: Please Please Me - With the Beatles - A Hard Day's Night - Beatles for Sale - Help! - Rubber Soul - Revolver - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Magical Mystery Tour - The White Album - Yellow Submarine OST - Abbey Road - Let It Be

Compilations: (1962-1966) - (1967-1970) - Past Masters - (Live at the BBC) - (Anthology 1) - (Anthology 2) - (Anthology 3) - (1) - (Let It Be… Naked) - (Love) - (Anthology 4)


The Beatles Films: (A Hard Day’s Night) – (Help!) – Magical Mystery Tour - (Yellow Submarine) – Let It Be – The Beatles Anthology

Related: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Across the Universe - Nowhere Boy - George Harrison: Living in the Material World - Good Ol' Freda - (Eight Days a Week-The Touring Years)

© thevoid99 2021

Spider-Man: No Way Home

 

Based on the comic series by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Spider-Man: No Way Home revolves around the titular character/Peter Parker who deals with the events following some incidents in Europe as his identity had been exposed where he turns to Doctor Steven Strange for help where they had unknowingly opened the multi-verse where other villains from other universes go after Parker. Directed by Jon Watts and screenplay by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, the film is an exploration of a young man who had become a pariah following a series of lies where he hopes to keep his real identity a secret only to open a multi-verse where other villains who battled different versions of Spider-Man are going after with Tom Holland reprising his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Steven Strange. Also starring Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Jon Favreau, Benedict Wong, J.K. Simmons, J.B. Smoove, Tony Revolori, Angourie Rice, Hannibal Burress, Rhys Ifans, Thomas Haden Church, Jamie Foxx, Alfred Molina, and Willem Dafoe. Spider-Man: No Way Home is an enthralling and heart-wrenching film from Jon Watts.

The film picks up where its predecessor left off where Peter Parker’s identity as Spider-Man has been unveiled leading to him to trouble where he turns to Doctor Strange for help only for the spell be botched by Parker leading to the opening of the multi-verse where other villains from other universes try to kill Parker. It is a film about this young man who is just trying to finish his senior year in high school and go to MIT but his friends are affected by their chances as they too know about Parker’s identity as does his aunt May (Marisa Tomei) and Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau). Parker feels responsible as he wants to be a normal person where he asks Doctor Strange in casting a spell that would allow the world to forget that he’s Spider-Man yet there’s people he cares about that still wants him to know that he’s Spider-Man. The film’s screenplay by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers is ambitious in terms of not just the idea of the multiverse and the many foes that Parker has to deal with but also in themes of responsibility and redemption.

Past films about Spider-Man did involve multiple villains in different iterations where they often become bloated and messy but McKenna and Sommers manage to find a structure but know when not to do too much. The first act is about Parker dealing with his identity being known as he is seen by many as a murderer with the Daily Bugle leading the charge as its reporter J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) instigating the matter which makes Parker’s life worse but also affect the chances of his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and their friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) to go to MIT. He goes to Doctor Strange who is dealing with issues at his home as well as the fact that he’s no longer the Sorcerer Supreme due to being blipped as Wong (Benedict Wong) is now filling that role. The second act is about Doctor Strange’s botched spell and what got unleashed in these villains that all want to kill Parker but they all realize that he’s not the Parker they’re going after. Dr. Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Dr. Norman Osborn/the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Dr. Curt Connors/the Lizard (Rhys Ifans), Flint Marko/the Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), and Max Dillon/Electro (Jamie Foxx) all have issues as Doctor Strange manages to traps them in the hope of sending them back to their universes but Parker realizes that they’re fated to die as he hopes he can help them as the script manages to show that these men weren’t villains from the start but rather men who made mistakes or were slighted in some way.

It does play into the theme of redemption as it relates to a scene where Osborn in his lost state meets with May knowing that he is mentally-unbalanced as it allows Parker this idea of wanting to help him with Ned and MJ’s help though Doctor Strange does have valid concerns for not wanting to. Parker’s actions in trying to help is what leads to this third act as it doesn’t just play into the theme of responsibility but also how to overcome guilt as it does lead into more ideas of a multiverse and how those from other universes would help Parker.

Jon Watts’ direction is definitely grand in scope and in setting up the multiverse but it is also grounded in this human story of a kid that is a superhero but is aware of what he can do but also knowing that he can do more. While it is shot mainly in Atlanta at the Pinewood Studios in Duluth, GA as Queens and parts of New York City with some additional shots in the New York City area. Watts does manage to make the city a character in the film from the opening scene in Times Square where Parker’s identity as Spider-Man is revealed where he and MJ run from the authorities as it has some amazing scenes of Spider-Man and MJ swinging to avoid the news and such as the usage of close-ups and hand-held cameras add to that chaos. Watts would also keep things grounded for some of the humorous and dramatic scenes with close-ups and medium shots such as Happy, May, MJ, Ned, and Parker all being interrogated by the FBI as May and Parker would lose their home and move in at Happy’s apartment with the AI mini-crane that Tony Stark created. There are bits of humor that Watts put in as it play into the interactions between characters but also in how it plays into some of the absurdity of the multiverse.

There are also some wide shots to play into some of the fights such as Parker’s first interaction with Dillon where Parker unexpectedly gets help from Marko of all people as it really showcases a lot of the complexities into the people Parker is dealing with. Especially as Dr. Octavius, Osborn, Dillon, Dr. Connors, and Marko are all different villains who do have issues with Spider-Man in their respective universes but they also learn about their own fates as it definitely adds a lot of dramatic weight. The sequence of Strange and Parker fighting over an object that Strange created to send the villains back to their respective universes is among one of the most surreal as it play into Strange’s pessimism against Parker’s own belief about second chances for these men as his experiment would show that even people who lost their way can be redeemed.

Yet, this idea would be challenged once again for its third act where Watts showcase not just some intensely dark moments that Parker has to face but also the outcome and how it affects those around him. Even as there are those who feel that they either couldn’t be redeemed or are eager to want something more rather than go back to who they used to be. It would play into the film’s climax where Watts does create this grand moment that has a lot of callbacks to the other Spider-Man films but also an aftermath that is about responsibility and what Parker had to do for himself and for those he cares for. Overall, Watts crafts a rapturous yet emotionally-investing film about a young man trying to reclaim his identity as well as take action for his own mistakes and help those who had been lost in their own rage.

Cinematographer Mauro Fiore does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography as its usage of vibrant colors for a few scenes at night including the usage of red and blue lights help broaden a mood for those exterior scenes at night along with the natural approach to scenes in the day. Editors Leigh Folsom Boyd and Jeffrey Ford do excellent work with the editing as it is stylish with its usage of jump-cuts, fast-cuts, and other rhythmic cuts to play into the action as well as some straightforward cuts for some of the dramatic moments. Production designer Darren Gilford, with supervising art director David Scott plus set decorators Rosemary Brandenburg and Emmanuelle Hoessly, does amazing work with the look of the Sanctum Sanctorum and its basement as well as the look of Happy’s apartment and the design of the Statue of Liberty for the film’s climax. Costume designer Sanja Milkovic Hays does fantastic work with the costumes in the different designs of the Spider-Man suits including the Iron-Spider suit with its nanotech as well as some the casual clothing from the other characters including some of May’s stylish clothing.

Special effects supervisor Daniel Sudick, along with visual effects supervisors Kelly Port and Chris Waegner, do wonderful work with the visual effects in the design of Octavius’ claws, some of Electro’s powers, the look of the Lizard, and other visual effects as it does have an air of realism and a lot of detail into the villains but also in the overall presentation during the film’s climax. Sound designers Chris Diebold, Tony Lamberti, and Ken McGill, with sound editor Steve Ticknor, do superb work in the sound as it play into some of the sound effects in Spider-Man’s web shooters as well as some of the weapons the villains have as well as other objects in the film. The film’s music by Michael Giacchino is incredible as it is a major highlight of the film with its bombastic orchestral score but also some soaring themes involving strings that include some of its quieter moments while music supervisor Dave Jordan creates a soundtrack that features themes from other Spider-Man films by Hans Zimmer, James Horner, and Danny Elfman as well as music from Talking Heads, De La Soul, Odyssey, Liquid Liquid, the Beastie Boys, and Antonio Vivaldi.

The casting by Sarah Finn and Chris Zaragoza is marvelous as it features notable small roles from Angourie Rice as classmate/school reporter Betty Brant, Hannibal Burress as the gym teacher who is convinced that Parker is a murderer, J.B. Smoove and Martin Starr in their respective roles as Parker’s teachers Julius Dell and Roger Harrington who side with him, Paula Newsome as a MIT administrator Parker is trying to meet for Ned and MJ, Arian Moayed as a government official who interrogates Parker and his friends/associates, Mary Rivera as Ned’s Lola who has a hilarious interaction with a couple of characters in a key scene, Tony Revolori as classmate Flash Thompson who tries to use Parker to sell a book as a way to suck up to Parker while sporting a hilarious new look, and Benedict Wong as Wong who warns Strange about the spell he is to cast as he is trying to clean-up the Sanctum Sanctorium and do his duties as the Sorcerer Supreme. Rhys Ifans and Thomas Haden Church are terrific in their respective roles as Dr. Curt Connors/the Lizard and Flint Marko/the Sandman as two villains who aren’t sure about Parker’s plans with Dr. Connors being unwilling to be cured and Marko unsure if he can be redeemed.

J.K. Simmons is fantastic as J. Jonah Jameson as the host of the controversial news organization The Daily Bugle who is convinced that Spider-Man is a villain as he spreads a lot of fake news and is willing to incriminate Spider-Man any way he can. Jon Favreau is excellent as Happy Hogan as the head of security for Starks Industries who helps out Parker and May while letting him live at his apartment as he is in love with May. Marisa Tomei is amazing as Parker’s aunt May as she is someone who is aware of what is going on as well as what Parker is trying to do knowing that these men aren’t bad while giving her nephew some important lessons on responsibility knowing that he is just trying to redeem himself. Jamie Foxx is brilliant as Max Dillon/Electro as a former Oscorp engineer who is given electric powers where his arrival gives him a more normal look as he has his own issues while is intrigued by the idea of having more power to use. Jacob Batalon is incredible as Ned Leeds as Parker’s best friend who is trying to help him in figuring things out as well as being one of the few who knew about Parker’s identity.

Zendaya is remarkable as MJ who is Parker’s girlfriend who is one of the few that knows his identity as she is also aware of what he’s doing while also making some funny comments including some towards Doctor Strange. Benedict Cumberbatch is great as Doctor Steve Strange as a master of the mystic arts who agrees to help Parker while dealing with the severity of the spell he created as he is also unconvinced that the villains in the universe can change. Alfred Molina and Willem Dafoe are phenomenal in their respective roles as Doctor Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus and Dr. Norman Osborn/the Green Goblin as two villains who both have issues with Spider-Man as the former is someone who is the first to realize something is up while is unconvinced that he can be cured while the latter is more convinced despite his bipolar personality where he acts evil as both Molina and Dafoe bring a lot more nuances to their characters as well as showcase why they were among the best villains in the Spider-Man film series.

Finally, there’s Tom Holland in a spectacular performance in the titular role/Peter Parker as the young superhero who deals with the consequences of his actions as he tries to fix them only to make things worse while wanting to do what he can to help everyone. Holland adds this maturity to a character that is in transition from being a young man to becoming an adult as he deals with his actions but also what he has to do to be a hero as it is his best performance as the famed web-slinger.

Spider-Man: Now Way Home is a sensational film from Jon Watts that features a tremendous leading performance from Tom Holland. Along with an ensemble cast for the ages, dazzling visuals, a mesmerizing music score, themes on responsibility and redemption, and action set pieces including an unforgettable climax that manages to do so much more in its grand scale. The film isn’t just one of the best entries in the Spider-Man film series and its related franchises but also a superhero film that isn’t afraid to tackle major themes while also being ambitious with a story that is grounded in reality and its exploration of human nature. In the end, Spider-Man: No Way Home is a spectacular film from Jon Watts.

Jon Watts Films: (Clown (2014 film)) – Cop Car

Spider-Man Films: Spider-Man - Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 3 - The Amazing Spider-Man - The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - (Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse)

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

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

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

Multiverse Saga: Phase Four: Black Widow - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Eternals - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – Thor: Love and Thunder – Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

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

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

© thevoid99 2021

Thursday Movie Picks: New to the City

 

For the 50th week of 2021 as part of Wandering Through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks. We go into the subject of new to the city where people from the country or in rural areas go to the city and experience some form of culture shock or something even worse. Here are my three picks as these films absolutely fucking suck:

1. Addicted to Love

An idiotic rom-com in which Matthew Broderick goes to NYC where he learned his girlfriend in the late Kelly Preston has left him for a new guy as he has never been to the city where he meets Meg Ryan’s whose ex-boyfriend is with Preston. The two stay at the apartment which is across Preston’s new apartment to spy on them and a lot of dumb shit occurs. Especially as no one in that film came off as genuine nor do you root for any of them as they’re just a bunch of insufferable pieces of shit.

2. Raise Your Voice

Hilary Duff isn’t a bad actress as she does have charm while has managed to become a likeable and well-adjusted woman who knows her strengths. This film however isn’t one of her best as it plays into a young girl from the Midwest whose older brother is killed in a car accident as she is accepted to a prestigious music school on Los Angeles against her father’s wishes. There, she tries to find her voice while falling for some British kid with one of the worst haircuts that never should be revived ever again with John Corbett as an eccentric teacher who thinks he’s cool but he’s not.

3. Burlesque

A film that for some reason has a cult following but the reality is that it’s a shitty-ass film made by that guy who was the annoying little rich shit who tried to kill Josh Brolin in The Goonies and yelled for his daddy when the toilet blew up. Cher, Christina Aguilera, Kristen Bell, and Stanley Tucci deserved better than this piece of shit as it’s about Aguilera who moves to Los Angeles where she tries to be a burlesque dancer and succeeds but there’s a bunch of bullshit where Cher is struggling to keep things afloat but it has one of the stupidest fucking resolutions in the film in how they save their shitty-ass club.

© thevoid99 2021

A Most Violent Year

 

Written and directed by J.C. Chandor, A Most Violent Year is the story of an immigrant businessman who is trying to expand his small business into something bigger amidst one of the most tumultuous years filled with violence and corruption in New York City. The film is an exploration of a man and his wife who are forced to take action when their small business is being threatened by the competition leading to a dark wave of violence. Starring Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, Alessandro Nivola, David Oyelowo, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Albert Brooks. A Most Violent Year is a gripping and harrowing film from J.C. Chandor.

It’s the winter of 1981 during one of its tumultuous years as an immigrant businessman is trying to buy a refinery as he finds himself being targeted by competitors where many of his trucks are stolen as it leads to harrowing acts of violence. It is a film that explore a moment in time just as this man who had worked his way to become an American citizen as he owns a small heating oil company as he’s managed to become successful and with a wife and family but he is also an idealist who wants to do things the right way. J.C. Chandor’s screenplay follows a month in the life of Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) who is about to embark on a major deal that would expand his empire but the theft of trucks by hoodlums threaten this deal as well as questions about his business dealings where an assistant district attorney in Lawrence (David Oyelowo) believes Abel is hiding something.

While Abel’s wife Anna (Jessica Chastain) is looking into their books and their attorney Andrew Walsh (Albert Brooks) is trying to handle all of the legal issues. Both Anna and Andrew urge Abel to fight fire with fire as they suspect their competitors are involved as it lead to the assault of one of their drivers in Julian (Elyes Gabel) and one of their young salesman in Alex (Ben Rosenfield). Abel however is convinced that violence isn’t the answer as he knows Lawrence is after him while he is trying to ask his competitors to stop the violence unaware that these hired thugs are just trying to hurt his business. Then there’s Julian who would have another encounter with thugs that lead to trouble where Abel asks Julian’s wife Luisa (Catalina Sandino Moreno) about his whereabouts as his activities would threaten everything Abel is hoping to have.

Chandor’s direction definitely echoes a lot of the films of the 1970s in terms of the crime drama as it play into this man trying to expand his small business empire into something bigger but without trouble and violence during a period of violence in New York City. Shot on location in New York City and areas around the city, the film does play into this cold winter where there is a lot of chaos that include these trucks being stopped either during traffic jams or coming out of a toll booth. Chandor’s usage of wide and medium shots do play into the scope of the city as well as an intense chase scene during the third act through a tunnel and later into a subway is among these moments in the film where there is a lot of suspense. The film also has these small moments that do play into the drama as it relates to a handgun that one of Abel and Anna’s daughters had found following an attempted attack on Abel that got botched. Chandor also play into the stakes of what Abel is trying to do as this piece of property he acquired and his intentions for it yet he has 30 days to make the down payment or else the owners will sell the property to one of Abel’s competitors.

Chandor also play into this underworld that Abel refuses to be a part of but it is a world that Anna’s father used to be in and it’s a world that Walsh is aware of as he talks to a teamster chief in Bill O’Leary (Peter Gerety) about the need to bear arms which Walsh agrees with but Abel refuses to go into that route. Even as he has to deal with Lawrence where Chandor definitely uses some unique camera angles and medium shots to play into their conversations where it is about power play as Lawrence is just someone that wants to uphold the law but he too is a man of ambition like Abel. The film’s ending is about this idea of what to do to achieve that goal but for someone like Abel who wants to maintain some morals and ideals about doing things without illegal means. There is no such thing as morals and ideals when it comes to running a business and dealing with other competitors as it is also about having it all or having nothing at all. Overall, Chandor crafts an astonishingly eerie yet intense film about an immigrant businessman trying to expand his empire in 1981 New York City amidst an era of violence.

Cinematographer Bradford Young does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography from the usage of natural lighting for some scenes in the day to bits of sepia for a few interior/exterior scenes at night including some eerie low-key lighting for the tunnel chase scene. Editor Ron Patane does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the suspense as well as a few intense moments of violence. Production designer John P. Goldsmith, with set decorator Melanie J. Baker and art director Doug Huszti, does amazing work with the look of the lavish home that Abel and Anna live in with their family as well as the offices and places they go to as it play into the early 80s aesthetics. Costume designer Kasia Walicka-Maimone does fantastic work with the costumes from the designer clothes that Anna wears as well as the suits and expensive winter coat that Abel wears.

Makeup artist Stephanie Pasicov does nice work with the look of Anna from her hairstyle and the makeup that she wears at times to play into the period of the times. Visual effects supervisors Luke DiTommaso, Jason Forster, and Mark Russell do terrific work with the visual effects as it is largely set-dressing for some of the exteriors to play into the period that is 1981 New York City. Sound designer Steve Boeddeker does superb work with the sound as it help play into the atmosphere as well as add to the suspense including scenes such as the chases and the tunnel scene. The film’s music by Alex Ebert is wonderful for its low-key music score with some orchestral flourishes that play into the drama and bits of suspense while music supervisor Linda Cohen creates a soundtrack that is largely low-key that includes a song from Marvin Gaye early in the film and a classical piece.

The casting by Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Jerry Adler and Quinn Meyers as a couple of Hasidic businessmen who are making a deal with Abel, Ashley Williams as Lawrence’s deputy Lange, the trio of Daisy Tahan, Taylor Richardson, and Giselle Eisenberg as Abel and Anna’s daughters, Nick Bailey and Jenilyn Rodriguez as a couple of sales recruits, Linda Marie Larson as Abel’s secretary Debbie, David Margulies and Annie Funke as a couple of business people whom Abel asks for a loan, Ben Rosenfeld as a young sales recruit who gets mugged by a thug, Pico Alexander as Abel’s younger brother Elias, Peter Gerety as a teamster manager in Bill O’Leary, Elizabeth Marvel as a party guest at a birthday party for one of Abel and Anna’s daughters, Christopher Abbott as a thug that Abel confronts late in the film, Glenn Flesher as a competitor that Abel sees at a barbershop, and Catalina Sandino Moreno in a fantastic one-scene performance as Julian’s wife Luisa who is aware of what her husband has done but also the stakes of how it will affect Abel’s business.

Elyes Gabel is superb as the truck driver Julian who gets mugged by muggers and later gets himself in trouble following another confrontation that puts himself and Abel in serious trouble. Alessandro Nivola is excellent as Peter Forente as a competitor of Abel who also has connections with organized crime as he is aware of what is happening to Abel though is cagey about his involvement where he tries to make a deal with Abel that is in his favor. David Oyelowo is brilliant as Lawrence as the assistant DA who is investigating Abel’s activities though he knows that Abel is a good man but has a job to do while he is also an idealist of sorts but is aware of what needs to be done. Albert Brooks is amazing as Abel’s attorney Andrew Walsh as a man who is trying to handle all sorts of business but is also aware of what needs to be done as he is someone who had seen a lot and knows that not everything is clean.

Jessica Chastain is incredible as Anna Morales as Abel’s wife who has been supportive in his ambitions but is also aware that her husband needs to play dirty as she is annoyed by his idealism as she also watches over their books and finances as it’s something she’s done in working with her father. Finally, there’s Oscar Isaac in a phenomenal performance as Abel Morales as an immigrant businessman who owns a heating oil business as he hopes to expand his business only to deal with the chaos and violence that is looming around him as it is this fierce yet calm performance of a man that is just trying to do the right thing only to learn that there is no straight arrow when it comes to ambition.

A Most Violent Year is a tremendous film from J.C. Chandor that features phenomenal leading performances from Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain. Along with its ensemble cast, eerie visuals, and its study of ambition along with its dangers and complexities. It is a film that explores a period in time in New York City that showcases what some will do to get ahead in business and how an immigrant businessman is trying to maintain some morality in a world that is immoral. In the end, A Most Violent Year is a magnificent film from J.C. Chandor.

J.C. Chandor Films: Margin Call - All is Lost - (Triple Frontier) – (Kraven the Hunter) – (The Auteurs #73: J.C. Chandor)

© thevoid99 2021

Obvious Child

 

Written and directed by Gillian Robespierre from a story by Robespierre, Karen Maine, and Elisabeth Holm that is based on a short film by Robespierre, Maine, and Anna Bean, Obvious Child is the story of a stand-up comedian who deals with a one-night stand that lead to an unexpected pregnancy as she decides to have an abortion. The film is the story of a woman who deals with this unexpected event as well as her own issues where she believes an abortion would help matters for something she’s not ready for. Starring Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann, Richard Kind, Polly Draper, Gabe Liedman, and David Cross. Obvious Child is a witty and somber film from Gillian Robespierre.

The film follows a stand-up comedian who just got dumped as she meets a man during a show leading to a one-night stand that resulted in her pregnancy and her eventual decision to have an abortion. It is a film that plays into a young woman who doesn’t have a lot of things in her life figured out as she just got dumped where she does her stand-up revealing that her boyfriend has been sleeping with her friend and is leaving her for her friend. Gillian Robespierre’s screenplay is largely straightforward in its narrative as it follows Donna Stern (Jenny Slate) who does her performance where she reveals she got dumped and a friend of hers has taken her boyfriend. While lamenting over her break-up and other misfortunes as well as being unable to pay her rent, she drinks where she meets a guy named Max (Jake Lacy) where they have a one-night stand that eventually lead to her pregnancy. With all of the things in her life, Donna decides to have an abortion but she also learns that Max is a former student of her mother as it only complicates things.

Robespierre’s direction is largely straightforward as it is shot on location in New York City with much of it in and around Brooklyn and parts of Manhattan. While there are some wide shots in some of Robespierre compositions, much of the film is intimate with its usage of medium shots and close-ups as it play into Donna’s interaction with other characters including her best friend/roommate Nellie (Gaby Hoffmann) and another comedian in Joey (Gabe Liedman). Robespierre does move the camera to gather some of the conversations in the streets while much of it has her just aiming for something simple as it play into Donna’s own anxiety in whether to tell Max or not that she’s carrying his child and planning to abort it. Robespierre also knows where to put the actors in a shot as well as showcasing how they perform and the reaction of the audiences. Robespierre also play into the drama in its third act it as it relates to Max and why he is different from the men that Donna had met in her life as he is also trying to find himself. Overall, Robespierre crafts an engaging and touching film about a woman dealing with a one-night stand and her decision to have an abortion.

Cinematographer Chris Teague does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as its emphasis on low-key and autumn/winter-like colors as well as yellowish lights for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editors Casey Brooks and Jacob Craycroft do terrific work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few rhythmic cuts to play into the humor. Production designer Sara K. White, with set decorator Ramsey Scott and art director Bridget Rafferty, does fantastic work with the set design from the book store that Donna and Nellie work at where they live above as well as the interiors of the comedy club. Costume designer Evren Catlin does nice work with the costumes as it is largely casual in the winter clothing the characters wear including a few stylish blouses that Donna wears.

The sound work of Mark Corbin is superb for its low-key yet naturalistic approach to sound in how comedy clubs sound as well as sparse moments in the film. The film’s music by Chris Bordeaux is wonderful for its low-key indie-folk score that largely features bits of folk guitars and keyboards to play into some of its light-drama while its music soundtrack features some indie, folk, and classical music with contributions from Paul Simon, Ludwig Van Beethoven, and Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

The casting by Suzanne Crowley and Jessica Kelly is amazing as it feature some notable small roles from Stephen Singer as the bookstore owner Gene, Cindy Cheung as a physician in Dr. Bernard who gives Donna advice about her pregnancy, Paul Briganti as Donna’s ex-boyfriend Ryan, Gabe Liedman as Donna and Nellie’s friend Joey who is a gay comedian, and David Cross as a comedian in Sam who is trying to flirt with Donna. Richard Kind and Polly Draper are fantastic in their respective roles as Donna’s separated parents in Jacob and Nancy Stern who both provide different advice to Donna about her life with the former being more comical and the latter being more serious. Gaby Hoffmann is excellent as Donna’s friend/roommate Nellie who is one of the few to learn about the pregnancy as well as Donna’s decision to get pregnant while observing Max.

Jake Lacy is brilliant as Max as a former student of Nancy who meets Donna at a club as it lead to a one-night stand where Lacy brings a lot of wit but also someone who is just as uncertain about his own future as a person. Finally, there’s Jenny Slate in an incredible performance as Donna Stern as a stand-up comedian who is dealing with a lot in her life such as the need to find a new place to live, rent money, and a relationship that just ended only for things to worsen by a one-night stand that lead to her pregnancy and eventual abortion. Slate brings not just a lot of low-key wit to her performance but also some light-drama that is filled with anxiety and uncertainty that has an air of realism into someone who is dealing with a major event in her life.

Obvious Child is a phenomenal film from Gillian Robespierre that features a great leading performance from Jenny Slate. Along with its ensemble cast, exploration on unexpected pregnancy and abortion, and its simplistic presentation. It is a film that is a study of a woman who is still trying to find herself following a break-up and a one-night stand as well as dealing with the stigma of abortion. In the end, Obvious Child is a phenomenal film from Gillian Robespierre.

Gillian Robespierre Films: (Landline) – (The Pisces)

© thevoid99 2021

Thursday Movie Picks: Rags to Riches

 

For the 49th week of 2021 as part of Wandering Through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks. We go into the subject of rags to riches stories as it plays to those who strike it rich or work their way to become successful. Here are my three picks:

1. The Jerk

Carl Reiner’s hilarious story about a poor white boy raised by an African-American family of sharecroppers as he goes on his own where he creates an invention and becomes rich. It is a film that isn’t afraid to be idiotic but also play into this man’s own lack of reality where he does become rich but is unable to understand how he did it. It would also play into his downfall due to the fact that is invention is also flawed as the way Reiner presents it is genius as the film is this top-tier moment in his rich collaboration with the film’s star in Steve Martin.

2. Trading Places

John Landis’ unique take on The Prince and the Pauper is a strange one as it’s more about these two rich billionaire brothers who decide to switch the lives of a rich and entitled stock broker with a poor and homeless hustler. With Dan Aykroyd as the rich Louis Winthorpe and Eddie Murphy as the poor Ray Valentine, the two become victims of these billionaire brothers for an experiment on breeding vs. environment where Murphy’s character uses his street smarts to show how he can make a lot of money in the stock market while Aykroyd’s character is forced to learn about the ideas of hard work. Yet, the two come together to get revenge as this experiment that they were used was all for a fucking dollar.

3. Brewster’s Millions

From Walter Hill is an unusual adaptation of the George Barr McCutcheon novel that is about a minor league player whose great uncle has left him a $300 million fortune but it comes with several conditions where he can spend $30 million in thirty days but not make any money from that $30 million. Starring Richard Pryor as Monty Brewster, it is a film that does play to Pryor’s gifts as an actor where he is funny but also display some dramatic chops. Featuring a great supporting performance from John Candy, it is a comedy that does explore some of the good and bad of having lots of money but also how it can change people for better or for worse.

© thevoid99 2021

Heat (1995 film)

 

Written and directed by Michael Mann, Heat is the story of a conflict between a LAPD police detective and a career thief as they both deal with their own personal and professional issues with a heist set to take place. Based on a 1989 TV movie directed by Mann called L.A. Takedown, the film is an exploration of two men from different sides of the law as they’re about to embark on a major battle but are also being aware that they’re both approaching the end. Starring Al Pacino, Robert de Niro, Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Natalie Portman, Dennis Haysbert, William Fichtner, Danny Trejo, Tom Noonan, Henry Rollins, and Jon Voight. Heat is a riveting yet exhilarating film from Michael Mann.

The film is about a cat-and-mouse chase between a LAPD police detective and a career thief with a loyal heist crew who take part in a major heist following another theft that involved bonds belonging to a money-laundering insurance owner. It is a film that explore two men who only know what to do as they’re set to collide but there is a mutual respect in the fact that they’re men who both have a code and know what to do if they meet face-to-face. Michael Mann’s screenplay is largely straightforward in its narrative yet it is more about the men involved in this cat-and-mouse game where the LAPD detective in Lieutenant Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) and the criminal Neil McCauley (Robert de Niro) are trying to outwit one another but they’re also dealing with issues outside of their line of work with Hanna’s third marriage to Justine (Diane Venora) is crumbling as her daughter Lauren (Natalie Portman) is becoming emotionally-unstable. McCauley is just trying to do more work as it is all he knows while he meets and falls for a graphic designer in Eady (Amy Brenneman).

The film isn’t just about Hannah and McCauley dealing with each other and their own lives but the film also showcase that McCauley’s right-hand man in Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer) is going through issues with his wife Charlene (Ashley Judd) who is having an affair with a businessman in Alan Marciano (Hank Azaria). The script also play into the fact that McCauley, Shiherlis, Michael Cheritto (Tom Sizemore), and Trejo (Danny Trejo) are a crew who pride themselves in being professional and not kill anyone unless they have to as they bring in a wildcard in Waingro (Kevin Gage) who ends up becoming problematic as McCauley tries to kill him only for him to escape as he would end up being a problem for everyone including Hanna as it relates to the murders and raping of young women. Waingro would also play a role in the film’s second act as it relates to the bonds that McCauley and his crew stole as it belonged to the rich insurance salesman Roger Van Zant (William Fichtner). Mann doesn’t really create any heroes and villains but rather people are complicated with Van Zant and Waingro being the real villains in the film as they’re immoral and don’t care for anyone but themselves.

Mann’s direction definitely has an air of style in the presentation as it is shot on location in and around Los Angeles as the city itself is a character in the film. Mann uses these locations to not just play into the world that McCauley wants despite its lack of fulfillment but also a world that is simple as McCauley’s crew are diverse as it would later include a former prison-mate of his in Don Breedan (Dennis Haysbert) as they also have a simple life. There are wide and medium shots to play into the scope of the locations as well as banks, hotel rooms, and other places as there is a lot of attention to detail in these rooms and places that Mann is filming as it adds to the large scope of the film. Notably in a scene where Hanna and his team are at a docking area where McCauley and his team are having a conversation as Hanna and his team go to that location where Hanna realizes what is going on. It adds to this air of intrigue and suspense that occurs throughout the film that includes this meeting between McCauley and Hanna at a diner.

It’s a scene in the middle of the film in this meeting of the two men where it serves as a meeting of the minds before these two men go to war as it is clear through its close-ups and simple reverse shots as these are just two complicated men who could be friends in another world and have a lot of similarities but are on opposite sides of the law. The heist sequence that comes in late in the second act is an intense moment where there is a lot of quick shots that play into the frenetic energy as there is a lot at stake including lives where McCauley and his crew don’t want to kill anyone but they’re pinned down. The third act isn’t just about who ratted McCauley out but also Hanna wanting to find out who snitched to them as well yet both men and Shiherlis would deal their own personal issues. There is also a lot of drama that Mann explore where it is clear that McCauley and Hanna are men of certain extremes but at least are honest to admit with the latter having to realize what he means to his family despite not being there as much. The climatic showdown of the two is one that is filled with an immense visual style in its scope but it also owes a lot to the western. Overall, Mann crafts a ravishing yet gripping film about a LAPD detective and a career-criminal going head-to-head in an upcoming heist.

Cinematographer Dante Spinotti does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of low-key lights and bluish colors for some of scenes in the day and night as well as using available light in some scenes to enhance some of the drama. Editors Don Hoenig, Pasquale Buba, William Goldenberg, and Tom Rolf do amazing work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, fast-cuts, and other stylish cuts to play into the suspense and drama including the heist sequence. Production designer Neil Spisak, with set decorator Anne H. Ahrens and art director Margie Stone McShirley, does excellent work with the look of the homes that some of the characters live in as well as the offices that Hanna and his team work at and some of the diners that the characters go to. Costume designer Deborah Lynn Scott does fantastic work with the costumes from some of the stylish and posh clothing that both Charlene and Justine wear to the more casual and looser look of Eady with a lot of the suits that the men wear.

Makeup artist John Caglione Jr. and hair stylist Vera Mitchell, with tattoo designer Ken Diaz, do terrific work with the look of a few characters from the long-haired look of Shiherlis as well as the tattoos of Trejo. Visual effects supervisor Neil Krepela does nice work with some of the film’s minimal visual effects such as a scene of McCauley and Eady looking at the L.A. skyline at night. Sound editors Per Hallberg and Larry Kemp, along with sound designer Peter Michael Sullivan, do superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the locations as well as how guns sound when they fire as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Elliot Goldenthal is wonderful for its somber yet moody score that mixes orchestral bits with some ambient electronic pieces while music supervisor Budd Carr creates a hypnotic soundtrack that features pieces by Moby, Einsturzende Neubauten, Terje Rypal & the Chasers, the Kronos Quartet, the Passengers (U2 & Brian Eno), B.B. King, and Lisa Gerrard.

The casting by Bonnie Timmerman is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Bud Cort as a diner owner that Breedan works for, Farrah Forke as a news reporter, Hazelle Goodman as a dead prostitute’s mother, Paul Herman as a police sergeant, Jeremy Piven as a surgeon, the trio of Rick Avery, Bill McIntosh, and Thomas Rosales Jr. as armored truck guards, Patricia Healy as Bosko’s date, Cindy Katz as a forensics investigator, Xander Berkeley as a friend of Justine named Ralph, Tom Noonan as a former criminal/guide in Kelso, Tone Loc and Ricky Harris as a couple of informant brothers who talk to Hanna about the word on the street, Jerry Trimble as one of Hanna’s detectives in Danny Schwartz, Henry Rollins as Van Zant’s assistant, Kim Statton as Breedan’s wife, Susan Traylor as Cherrito’s wife, Yvonne Zima as a young girl Cherrito reluctantly takes hostage, and Hank Azaria as Charlene’s lover Alan Marciano who is also involved in his own criminal activities until Hanna uses him as bait.

The performances of Ted Levine, Wes Studi, and Mykelti T. Williamson in their respective roles as Detective Mike Bosko, Lieutenant Sammy Casals, and Sergeant Bobby Drucker are terrific as members of Hanna’s team who all provide some insight into their mission with Sgt. Drucker being the one who deals with Charlene while not taking shit from Marciano. Natalie Portman is wonderful in her small role as Justine’s troubled teenage daughter Lauren who is dealing with an absentee father and other mental issues that raises concern from Hanna. Dennis Haysbert is superb as Don Breedan as a former prison mate of McCauley who is not happy with his parole assignment until he meets McCauley and agrees to help him while Danny Trejo is fantastic as McCauley’s friend Trejo who often serves as the driver in the heists until he is tailed by the police. Kevin Gage and William Fichtner are excellent in their respective villainous roles as Waingro and Roger Van Zant with the former being this deviant wildcard who has no remorse in who he kills while the latter is just a greedy insurance salesman who only cares about money and control.

The trio of Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, and Diane Venora are brilliant in their respective roles as Eady, Charlene Shiherlis, and Justine Hanna as the women in the lives of these three men with Brenneman providing a sense of warmth and hope to McCauley while Judd serves as a frustrated wife who is upset over her husband’s gambling issues and Venora as Hanna’s wife who is often upset by his frequent absences and her troubled daughter. Tom Sizemore and Jon Voight are amazing in their respective roles as the thief Michael Cherrito and the fence Nate with the former being someone who is eager for one more score while the latter helps McCauley in finding new jobs but is aware that something about Van Zant isn’t right. Val Kilmer is incredible as Chris Shiherlis as McCauley’s right-hand man who is a great marksman but also has gambling issues and feels like he’s not good enough for his wife and kid where he deals with the dangers of his work and being caught.

Finally, there’s Al Pacino and Robert de Niro in tremendous performances in their respective roles as Lieutenant Vincent Hanna and Neil McCauley. Pacino’s performance is a bit reserved while he also has some wild moments in a scene where he confronts Marciano as there are also moments where he is sensitive and does what he can to be helpful. The performance from de Niro is also low-key as someone who is meticulous in what he wants to do as he is also a man with a code while is eager to have a life outside of crime. Pacino and de Niro’s few scenes together are a joy to watch where it is two men displaying a mastery in their craft as these two extremes who have a lot of similarity but also know they have a code to live by.

Heat is a magnificent film from Michael Mann. Featuring a phenomenal ensemble cast, rapturous visuals, gripping action sequences, fascinating studies of characters and ideals, and an intoxicating music score. The film is definitely a crime drama that diverts the idea of heroes and villains in favor of studying morals as well as what two men would to maintain their own ideals. In the end, Heat is an outstanding film from Michael Mann.

Michael Mann Films: The Jericho Mile – Thief (1981 film) - The Keep – Manhunter - L.A. Takedown – The Last of the Mohicans - The Insider – Ali - Collateral - Miami Vice - Public Enemies - Blackhat - Blackhat - Ferrari – (Heat 2) - The Auteurs #73: Michael Mann Pt.1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2021

Last Night in Soho

 

Directed by Edgar Wright and screenplay by Wright and Kirsty Wilson-Cairns from a story by Wright, Last Night in Soho is the story of a young woman whose love for 1960s fashion and culture travels to London to study fashion where she finds herself transported to the 1960s where she meets a young aspiring singer unaware of what is really going on. The film is suspense-drama with elements of fantasy as it plays into a young woman dealing with the truth about the times as well as trying to figure who killed this young singer back then. Starring Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Michael Ajao, Terence Stamp, Rita Tushingham, and in her final performance, Diana Rigg. Last Night in Soho is an eerie yet whimsical film from Edgar Wright.

The film revolves around a young woman who goes to London to study fashion as her love for the 1960s has her transported to that time where she meets an aspiring singer whom she believed would later be killed by her pimp. It is a film that explore a woman’s obsession for a period in time she had never lived in where she finds herself going back in the 1960s where she follows the life of a young aspiring singer who ends up going into a dark path that lead to her death as she wants to know who killed this young woman. The film’s screenplay by Edgar Wright and Kristy Wilson-Cairns follows the desire of its protagonist Eloise “Ellie” Turner (Thomasin McKenzie) who has largely been raised by her grandmother Margaret “Peggy” Turner (Rita Tushingham) following the death of her mother when Ellie was a kid. Ellie’s love for 60s fashion, music, films, and culture has her wanting to go to London where she gets accepted to the London College of Fashion. Yet, she is mocked for her taste by her snobbish roommate Jacosta (Synnove Karlsen) though she does befriend another student in John (Michael Ajao).

Ellie would then accept an open invitation to live in the house of an old woman in Ms. Collins (Diana Rigg) upon she pays rent where she takes a job at a pub where the first night she stayed at the house. She is transported to the 1960s where she meets Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy) who goes to a club where she catches the attention of a man named Jack (Matt Smith) who promises her the chance to be a singer at another club. Yet, things don’t go well as Ellie suspects this silver-haired old man (Terence Stamp) as Jack who keeps following Ellie claiming she looked like someone he recognized after Ellie had dyed her hair blonde. Adding to the chaos that Ellie endures is that she has strange visions that are probably connected to the fact that her mother was a schizophrenic as she starts to see things including ghosts that also includes a ghost of her mother (Aimee Cassettari). Through what Ellie sees with Sandie, it does commentate on the roles women had to play in order to reach their dreams as there is a feminist commentary about what Sandie had to endure and Ellie is dealing with as it relates to Sandie’s own plight.

Wright’s direction definitely owes a lot to films from the 1960s including the British cinema of that period where it is shot on location in London and in the Soho area as well as areas outside of London where Wright manages to showcase the Soho area of what it looked like in the 1960s and how it looked like in the 2020s. Wright’s usage of the wide and medium shots do capture a lot of detail into these locations as they are characters in the film as is the London College of Fashion as it showcases a modern world that is trying to distance itself from the past with Ellie being this anomaly who prefers the music of the past than what everyone else is into. Even as she is treated terribly by Jacosta forcing her to sleep outside of her room where there’s a party while John accidentally drank her can of Coke. Wright’s direction definitely knows when to play into the drama and some of the humor though the film opens in a light-hearted manner of Ellie dancing wearing a newspaper dress she created.

Wright’s usage of close-ups do add to the drama and suspense as the first shot of Ellie meeting Sandie in a mirror and how much they mimic each other in that sequence showcase Wright’s flair for style in the dancing where both Sandie and Ellie are dancing with Jack. It is among these images along with these fantasy scenes of Ellie trying to save Sandie whose dream to be a singer doesn’t go as planned as it is this reality that Ellie has a hard time coping. Even as things begin to blur in the third act where Ellie sees ghosts as she wonders if she is crazy or is she really seeing something that really did happen to Sandie. It all play into the roles women had to play then to get what they want in life but also the compromises they made where Ms. Collins would warn Ellie that a lot of bad things happened in London in the 1960s but people prefer not to talk about it. Overall, Wright crafts a thrilling and evocative film about a young woman who goes back to the 1960s to avenge the murder of a young woman from that period.

Cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its stylish usage of lighting to play up the Soho-London nightlife of both the 1960s and 2020s as well as emphasizing on natural lighting for some of the daytime interior/exterior scenes including at the classroom where Ellie and other students try to create their own fashion designs. Editor Paul Machliss does excellent work with the editing with its stylish usage of fast-cuts as well as montages to play into some of the chaos that both Ellie and Sandie would endure. Production designer Marcus Rowland, with set decorator Judy Farr and supervising art director Tim Blake, does amazing work with the look of the room that Ellie rents as well as Ms. Collins’ home as well as some of the places in the 60s including the ballrooms. Costume designer Odile Dicks-Mireaux does fantastic work with the costumes from some of the homemade clothes that Ellie has created including her casual clothing to some of the stylish clothes that Sandie wears.

Hair/makeup designer Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou does nice work with the look of the characters from the hairstyle that Sandie has as well as the different hairstyles that Ellie would sport as well as the look of the characters in the 60s and the Halloween party scene. Special effects supervisor Stephen Hutchinson and visual effects supervisor Gary J. Brown do terrific work with the visual effects in some of the effects as it relates to Ellie and Sandie looking at each other in the mirror as well as the design of the ghosts that Ellie sees. Sound designer Ben Meechan, with sound editors Dan Morgan and Julian Slater, does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the locations and settings as well as the effects as it play into this blur of reality and fantasy.

The film’s music by Steven Price is wonderful for its orchestral score as it feature some low-key themes as well as some bombastic string-based pieces for some of the suspense while music supervisor Kirsten Lane creates an incredible music soundtrack that features pieces by Sandie Shaw, Cilla Black, Peter & Gordon, the Who, the Kinks, the Searchers, Dusty Springfield, John Barry, the Graham Bond Organization, the Walker Brothers, R. Dean Taylor, James Ray, Barry Ryan, Rory Gallagher, and Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich as well as non-60s music pieces from Siouxsie & the Banshees and Anya Taylor-Joy singing a couple of 1960s classics.

The casting by Nina Gold and Martin Ware is remarkable as it feature some notable small roles from James and Oliver Phelps as cloakroom attendants, Michael Jibson and Lisa McGrillis as a couple of detective Ellie goes to in the third act, Beth Singh as the famed singer Cilla Black, Pauline McLynn as the bar-owner Carol that hires Ellie, Aimee Cassettari as Ellie’s mother, Elizabeth Berrington as Ellie’s professor, the trio of Jessie Mei Li, Kassius Nelson, and Rebecca Harrod as Jacosta’s friends, Sam Claflin as a punter that Sandie meets in a montage, and Margaret Nolan in her final film performance in a brief performance as a barmaid at a club that Sandie works at. Synnove Karlsen is terrific as the snobbish Jacosta who is briefly Ellie’s roommate who thinks Ellie is homely and the embodiment of uncool. Rita Tushingham is fantastic as Ellie’s grandmother Peggy as a woman who encourages Ellie to reach her dream but also remind her that there is always need for help.

Michael Ajao is excellent as John as a fashion student that Ellie befriends as he is one of the few kind people she meets as he is also concerned about Ellie’s behavior yet does believe that her claims are true. Terence Stamp is brilliant as the silver-haired man who follows Ellie in Soho after she dyed her hair blonde because she reminds him of someone where Stamp brings that ambiguity into his identity yet is someone that isn’t fond of the past. Matt Smith is amazing as Jack as a man who frequents at clubs who promises Sandie all of the things to expect only to use her for his own financial means as he has this devilish charm to him that is also menacing. In her final film performance, Diana Rigg’s role as the landlady Ms. Collins is truly an incredible finale for the famed British film/TV icon as this old woman who is fascinated by Ellie but also harbor secrets of her own as there is a charm to her but also someone who lived in the 1960s through its good times and bad times as it is really a performance that for the ages with Rigg at least going out a winner.

Finally, there’s the duo of Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie in phenomenal performance in their respective roles as Sandie and Ellie. Taylor-Joy’s performance as the aspiring singer with a sense of style in Sandie is one of charisma and energy as someone who has a lot of talent but is unable to deal with the harsh realities of the world as it lead to some dark turns. McKenzie’s performance as the fashion student in Ellie is a more reserved character who prefers the music and culture of the 1960s than today’s culture as she deals with being in the 1960s and later what happened to Sandie where McKenzie sells a lot of the sense of fear but also someone who wants to bring some kind of justice towards a world when women didn’t have a lot of choices.

Last Night in Soho is a sensational film from Edgar Wright that features great performances from Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy as well as a towering finale from Diana Rigg. Along with its ensemble cast, dazzling visuals, story of reality and fantasy in a world dominated by men, and a phenomenal music soundtrack. The film is definitely a riveting and genre-bending thriller that explores a young woman’s fascination with the past only to realize that there were also a lot of dark things that happened that would repress another young woman from reaching her dreams. In the end, Last Night in Soho is a spectacular film from Edgar Wright.

Edgar Wright Films: (A Fistful of Fingers) – Shaun of the Dead - Hot Fuzz - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - The World's End - Baby Driver - The Sparks Brothers

© thevoid99 2021

Thursday Movie Picks (Oscar Winners Edition): Best Foreign Language Films

 

For the 48th week of 2021 as part of Wandering Through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks. We return to the subject of Oscar winners in the Foreign Language film category as it is an award that celebrates the best of what countries outside of America and other English-language speaking countries have to offer as some of those films are usually better than the American films as it has recently been renamed as the Best International Feature Film. Here are my three picks:

1. Nights of Cabiria

While Federico Fellini has won the award four times in such classics as La Strada, 8 ½, and Amarcord, it is the film where he won the award the second time around that kind of gets overlooked as it doesn’t have the ambition of the latter 2 films nor the whimsical melodrama of its predecessor. Yet, the film is this touching story about a prostitute who is trying to find love in Rome as she is mistreated and shamed through a series of events. It is the performance of Giulietta Massina that is the heart of the film as her performance as the titular character is full of heartbreak but also charisma.

2. Z

Costa-Gavras’ political drama about the assassination of a left-wing activist and the government’s attempt to cover it up is definitely a groundbreaking film that explores this growing political discord that is to come in not just in the 1970s but also in today’s climate. Set in Greece, the film stars Yves Montand as this activist who is killed where a magistrate investigates the assassination but also the government’s role in this plot. It is a film that definitely showcases the power of government and how someone who doesn’t fit in with their agenda could be a threat with an outsider being more troubling.

3. Dersu Uzala

Akira Kurosawa’s adaptation of Vladimir Arsenyev’s novel is an unusual bio-pic of sorts as it came at a time when many thought Kurosawa’s time had come following the poor reaction towards his last film and his falling out with 20th Century Fox during his early involvement in Tora! Tora! Tora! Teaming with Soviet producers for this film, it is a film that explores a friendship between Captain Arsenyev and the titular character who is this eccentric guide as the film is set during the 20th Century. There’s not much plot in the film where Kurosawa would favor settings and themes about nature and the modern world. The film would give Kurosawa his second win in the category just 22 years after his first win with Rashomon.

© thevoid99 2021

2022 Blind Spot Series Announcement

 

Another year is coming to an end and this one was difficult though it is likely to be harder considering that there's a lot of films that I wanted to see but I have no access to with torrents no longer becoming an option at this point. With this year's Blind Spot Series set to end with Sergei Bondarchuk's near-7 hour epic take on Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. The time has come to get ready for what is to come in the new year despite the threat of a new COVID variant as it is clear the pandemic isn't over and we need to be ready. For the 2022 Blind Spot Series, I hope to never go through another snafu like what happened this past summer where I was forced to delete my illegally-downloaded copy of Werckmeister Harmonies and then watch it on YouTube for free but with a score that wasn't in the final film. My choices this time around are all based on films that I have purchased on DVD/Blu-Ray as well as films I hope to purchase on DVD/Blu-Ray. My choices aren't just based on availability but also films that are diverse in genre but also in the time period as I also wanted to go into different places around the world but also do films by great filmmakers that I am enjoying but also some I haven't discovered as all of these films are from the Criterion Collection. Here are the films for the 2002 Blind Spot Series in chronological order:

Westfront 1918 by G.W. Pabst

Bringing Up Baby by Howard Hawks

The Bigamist by Ida Lupino

Devi by Satyajit Ray

Mandabi by Ousmane Sembene

Army of Shadows by Jean-Pierre Melville

The Merchant of Four Seasons by Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Celine and Julie Go Boating by Jacques Rivette

Boat People by Ann Hui

Dreams by Akira Kurosawa

Flowers of Shanghai by Hou Hsiao-Hsien

Letters from Fontainhas Trilogy (Ossos - In Vanda's Room - Colossal Youth) by Pedro Costa

© thevoid99 2021