Thursday, July 26, 2012

007 James Bond Marathon: The Spy Who Loved Me



Based on Ian Fleming’s novel, The Spy Who Loved Me is the story of James Bond teaming up with a Russian agent to stop a reclusive megalomaniac from destroying the world and create a new one under the sea. Directed by Lewis Gilbert and screenplay by Richard Maimbaum and Christopher Wood, the film is a return to James Bond going back to basics after spending time dabbling with other genres with its two previous films as Roger Moore plays Agent 007 for the third time. Also starring Barbara Bach, Curd Jurgens, Richard Kiel, Geoffrey Keen, Walter Gotell, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell, and Bernard Lee as M. The Spy Who Loved Me is an extraordinary and thrilling film from Lewis Gilbert.

Following the disappearance of two nuclear submarines from Britain and the Soviet Union, James Bond is asked by the Minister of Defense (Geoffrey Keen) to investigate the matter as Bond travels to Cairo. He then meets KGB officer Major Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach) who is also there to find a microfilm plans about the tracking system that has captured the submarines where they encounter a metallic-teeth henchman named Jaws (Richard Kiel) as they get the microfilm where Bond later meets Amasova’s superior in General Gogol (Walter Gotell) who has decided to team up with M to investigate the submarines’ disappearance where Bond and Amasova suspect a shipping tycoon named Karl Stromberg (Curd Jurgens).

Traveling to Sardinia, Bond and Amasova meet Stromberg posing as a couple where Bond learns about Stromberg’s plans to create an underwater society away from the decadence and chaos of the modern world. After another tussle with some of Stromberg’s people including Jaws, Bond and Amasova realize that an oil tanker from Stromberg might have something to do with it as the two board a U.S. submarine to uncover more about Stromberg’s base known as Atlantis where they’re captured by Stromberg’s oil tanker along with the U.S. sub crew. Realizing what Stromberg plans to do with the two captured subs, it’s up to Bond to once again save the day.

The film is essentially the story of James Bond teaming up with a KGB agent to defeat an industrialist tycoon who is hell-bent on destroying the world in order to create a new one under the sea. It’s a plot that is simple yet screenwriters Richard Maimbaum and Christopher Wood create a script that is complex in terms of the motivations of Karl Stromberg as well as fleshing out both James Bond and Anya Amasova who team up to stop Stromberg. Especially since Bond is the one who kills Amasova’s lover early in the film during a mission where she would eventually find out that would cause some tension between the two.

Anya Amasova in some ways is Bond’s equal as she is a spy who is just as cunning, intelligent, and is able to get the job done though she may not be as physically superior as Bond. Still, she is someone who understands Bond as well as the fact that she is someone who is loyal to the KGB and wants to ensure that she gets the job done. Then there’s Karl Stromberg who is an interesting villain that stands out from the rest. All he wants is to create a new world under the sea where things are simpler as there’s no politics and decadence that he feels is ruining the modern world. While he may not be a villain who can match Bond physically, his ambition and willingness to face anyone who will get in his way does make him a compelling antagonist.

Lewis Gilbert’s direction is definitely big in terms of the set pieces that are created as well as the locations as the film is shot in Egypt, Canada, Switzerland, and Sardinia, Italy. Yet, it’s also intimate for the way it explores the relationship between Bond and Amasova where they have to work together despite being part of different factions as they’re away of the bigger picture in order to maintain a good British-Soviet relationship. Through some amazing compositions, close-ups, and tracking shots, Gilbert’s direction is always engaging for the way the suspense is built and the payoff that comes in afterwards. Notably in the climatic action scenes involving submarines and possible nuclear Armageddon where Bond would have to use his own intelligence to save the world. Overall, Gilbert creates a truly magnificent and engrossing film that stands up there with some of the great Bond films.

Cinematographer Claude Renoir does spectacular work with the film‘s photography from the beauty of the exteriors in its locations to some of the interiors with some amazing light schemes that features un-credited work from Stanley Kubrick. Editor John Glen does excellent work with the film‘s editing by playing up to the film‘s suspense and action with methodical and rhythmic cuts to maintain its leisured pace. Production designer Ken Adam, with set decorator Hugh Scaifie and art director Peter Lamont, does superb work with the set pieces such as the Atlantis home base as well as the secret meeting rooms Bond and Amasova meet to pull their sources together.

Visual effects supervisor Derek Meddings does amazing work with the miniatures created such as the exterior of the Atlantis base as well a few key visual effects shots. Sound recorder Gordon Everett does terrific work with the sound to play up some of the action scenes with heightened sound as well as the way the narrator speaks during the Egyptian pyramids sequence.

The film’s score by Marvin Hamlisch is brilliant for its lush orchestral pieces mixed in with a bit of funk and disco for the some of the film’s action sequences. With a soundtrack that includes classical pieces from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, Camille Saint-Saens, and Frederic Chopin along with Maurice Jarre’s theme from Lawrence of Arabia. The film’s theme song Nobody Does It Better by Hamlisch and lyricist Carole Bayer Sager and sung by Carly Simon is among one of the best Bond theme songs ever recorded.

The casting by Weston Drury Jr. and Maude Spector is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features notable appearances from Michael Billington as Amasova’s lover Sergei Barsov, Shane Rimmer as the U.S. sub commander, Edward de Souza as Bond’s Egyptian contact Sheikh Hosein, Robert Brown as Admiral Hagreaves, Milton Reid as Stomberg henchman Sandor, and Caroline Munro as Stromberg’s assistant/assassin Naomi. Bond regulars such as Lois Maxwell as the witty secretary Miss Moneypenny and Desmond Llewelyn as the inventive but unappreciated Q are a joy to watch. New Bond regulars in Geoffrey Keen as British defense minister and Walter Gotell as General Gogol are also great to watch as the latter is a great character who serves as an authority figure Bond can trust. Bernard Lee is superb as Bond’s superior M who always keeps Bond in check while ensuring that he does his job.

Richard Kiel is excellent as the silent but deadly Jaws where his tall figure and big metallic teeth makes a great impression as one of the most memorable henchman of the Bond franchise. Curd Jurgens is great as the villainous Karl Stromberg who displays a low-key sense of intimidation to his character as well as devilish charm to a man who likes to show off his ideas. Barbara Bach is wonderful as Major Anya Amasova aka Agent Triple X as she displays an intoxicating beauty but also determination as a woman keen on doing her job as well as deal with someone as charming as Bond. Finally there’s Roger Moore in a phenomenal performance as James Bond where Moore maintains his low-key sense of humor for the role while bringing a wit to the way he handles business as it’s one of Moore’s best performances as Agent 007.

The Spy Who Loved Me is a remarkable film from Lewis Gilbert as it stands as one of the best films of the James Bond franchise. Thanks to an ensemble cast led by Roger Moore as James Bond, the film is highlighted by high production values, amazing visual effects, and a compelling story. It’s a film that does everything that is expected in a Bond film and more. In the end, The Spy Who Loved Me is an outstanding film from Lewis Gilbert.




© thevoid99 2012
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Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Sawdust and Tinsel



Written and directed by Ingmar Bergman, Gycklamas afton (Sawdust and Tinsel) is the story of a circus ringmaster who decides to see his estranged wife in order to see his young sons while his young lover is having an affair with an actor. Starring Ake Gronberg, Harriet Andersson, Hasse Ekman, and Gunnar Bjornstrand. Gycklamas afton is an extraordinary film from Ingmar Bergman.

Albert Johansson (Ake Gronberg) is a traveling circus ringmaster who is about to enter a small town that he hadn’t visited in three years. Albert is nervous because the town is home to his estranged wife Agda (Annika Tretow) who used to be part of the circus as he also hadn’t seen her or his two sons in three years. With things already troubled and half of the costumes lost, Albert decides to ask the town’s local theater director Mr. Sjuberg (Gunnar Bjornstrand) for help as Albert also brings in his mistress Anne (Harriet Andersson) to help out. Anne however, has caught the eye of a young actor named Frans (Hasse Ekman).

With the day of the performance still looming despite issues with the police, Albert intends to see Agda and his sons much to Anne’s dismay as the two are having issues where Anne threatens to leave the circus convinced that Albert wants to return to his wife. At Agda’s home, Albert learns about Agda’s new life where he confesses to Agda about what he wants to do. Meanwhile, Anne goes to the theater to see Frans as the two have a tryst where she becomes conflicted about her loyalty towards Albert. When the two return to the circus, a blowout eventually ensues as the two try to get ready for the day but emotions run high for Albert as he tries to defend Anne’s honor in front of his troupe against Frans.

While the film’s plot about a traveling circus ringmaster who returns home to visit his estranged wife and two sons is a simple one. It’s really more of an exploration of a man starting to feel lost in his world in the circus as he hopes to return home for a better life while he also starts to become tired of his young mistress who also wants a life outside of the circus. It’s a film that revels in the lives of this couple where a ringmaster and his mistress, a bareback horse rider, are dealing with the dreary life of the circus where morale becomes low over lost costumes, a sick bear, and a couple whose marriage is falling apart.

Ingmar Bergman’s screenplay examines the lives of this man who feels like he’s losing his lust for life in the circus and his love for his mistress as the only way he can have happiness is by returning to his estranged wife and the two boys he hadn’t seen in a while. Yet, he gets a rude awakening when it turns out that she doesn’t really need him nor do his sons who really don’t know who he is. It’s a huge moment of defeat that is furthered by more revelations about his own life and how he tries to maintain some form of liveliness when it comes to the climatic show in the third act.

Bergman’s direction is very startling from the close-ups he creates to display the characters lost in their own despair. With its evocative framing such as Anne walking to the stage to see Frans perform where she’s up close, Frans is shot at a medium position and there’s another person in the background. Bergman’s direction is very potent for the way he displays emotions in a simple scene while creating lively moments such as a flashback that involves a clown named Frost (Anders Ek) and his wife Alma (Gudrun Brost) where the latter was skinny-dipping in front of a group of soldiers during cannon practice. It’s among one of the moments of humor and craziness that occurs in a film that is mostly serious and dramatic. Notably in the latter where the performances are quite theatrical at times to display the emotions that run wild between its two main characters. Overall, Bergman creates a truly dazzling and mesmerizing film about loss and desire.

Cinematographers Hilding Bladh and Sven Nykvist do superb work with the cinematography from the heightened grain of the flashback scene involving Frost and Alma to the more hypnotic lighting schemes in the theater to display the contrasting world of the circus and the theater. Editor Carl-Olov Skeppstedt does excellent work with the editing by utilizing mostly straightforward cuts to play out the emotions of the film as well as a few dissolves to smooth out the transitions. Art director Bibi Lindstrom does wonderful work with the design of the theater play the actors are rehearsing to the look of the circus and wagons many of the circus people live and work at as it’s set during the turn of the century.

The costumes by Mago are splendid for the look of the times as well as the gorgeous clothing that Anne wears to display her youthful persona. Sound work by Olle Jakobsson is brilliant for the way sound is used such as the flashback scenes where the laughter of the soldier overshadows the conversations between Alma and Frost along with the way sound used in the theater scenes. The film’s score by Karl-Birger Blomdahl is terrific for its use of playful circus music mixed in with flute and woodwind arrangements to play up the film’s whimsical tone with some more heavier string and percussion instruments to play out the drama that would occur in the film.

The film’s cast is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features notable performances from Curt Lowgen as Mr. Sjuberg’s assistant Blom, Erik Strandmark as the talkative circus worker Jens, Anders Ek as the melancholic clown Frost, Gudrun Brost as Frost’s lively wife Alma, and Gunnar Bjornstrand as the very revered theater director Mr. Sjuberg. Annika Tretow is very good as Albert’s estranged wife Agda who brings a very calm performance to a woman already content with her life while admitting that she does like Albert but not enough to have him around. Hasse Ekman is great as the dramatic Frans who tries to woo Anne into doing things where he would also push Albert into a climatic duel.

Harriet Andersson is wonderful as the conflicted Anne who loves Albert but also yearns for the youthful drive of Frans as Andersson also displays a thrilling sexuality in her performance that is truly engaging to watch. Finally, there’s Ake Gronberg in a marvelous performance as the troubled Albert Johansson who tries to deal with his loss for everything as well as his desire for a simpler life without complications as it’s truly larger-than-life performance for the famed Swedish actor.

Gycklamas afton is an excellent film from Ingmar Bergman that features remarkable performances from Ake Gronberg and Harriet Andersson. The film is definitely one of Bergman’s great early triumphs before his breakthrough in the late 1950s as it’s a film that people who are new to Bergman should seek out. In the end, Gycklamas afton is a delightful drama from Ingmar Bergman.

Ingmar Bergman Films: (Crisis) - (It Rains on Our Love) - (A Ship to India) - (Music is Darkness) - (Port of Call) - (Prison) - (Thirst (1949 film)) - (To Joy) - (This Can’t Be Happen Here) - (Summer Interlude) - Secrets of Women - Summer with Monika - A Lesson in Love - Dreams (1955 film) - Smiles of a Summer Night - The Seventh Seal - (Mr. Sleeman is Coming) - Wild Strawberries - (The Venetian) - (Brink of Life) - (Rabies) - The Magician - The Virgin Spring - The Devil’s Eye - Through a Glass Darkly - Winter Light - The Silence - All These Women - Persona - (Stimulantia-Daniel) - Hour of the Wolf - (Shame (1968 film)) - (The Rite) - The Passion of Anna - (The Touch) - Cries & Whispers - Scenes from a Marriage - (The Magic Flute) - (Face to Face) - (The Serpent’s Egg) - Autumn Sonata - From the Life of the Marionettes - Fanny & Alexander - (After the Rehearsal) - (Karin‘s Face) - (The Blessed Ones) - (In the Presence of a Clown) - (The Image Makers) - Saraband

© thevoid99 2012
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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

007 James Bond Marathon: The Man with the Golden Gun



Based on Ian Fleming’s novel, The Man with the Golden Gun is the story of James Bond facing off against an assassin who has created a device that can harness the power of the sun during an energy crisis around the world. Directed by Guy Hamilton and screenplay by Richard Maimbaum and Tom Mankiewicz, the film has Bond traveling to Hong Kong and Thailand as he faces a man who can kill someone with just one bullet with his golden gun as Roger Moore plays James Bond once again while Christopher Lee plays the titular character in Francisco Scaramanga. Also starring Britt Ekland, Maud Adams, Herve Villechaise, Soon-Tek Oh, Clifton James, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell, and Bernard Lee as M. The Man with the Golden Gun is a thrilling and comical film from Guy Hamilton.

After receiving a bullet with his name, James Bond learns that renowned assassin Francisco Scaramanga is after him. After traveling to Beirut to retrieve a bullet from a belly-dancer (Carmen du Sautoy) who kept it as a souvenir from an agent killed by Scaramanga. Bond then travels to Macao to find the man (Marne Maitland) who created the bullet for Scaramanga where he sees Scaramanga’s mistress Andrea Anders (Maud Adams) taking a box back to Hong Kong where she was staying. After getting answers from her, Bond goes to a club to see if he can find Scaramanga only for another man killed who had a solar device object called the Solex stolen. After a briefing from M about retrieving the object to help solve the ongoing energy crisis, Bond teams up with Hong Kong agent Lieutenant Hip to go back to Macao for further investigation with Bond‘s aide Mary Goodnight (Britt Ekland).

Going to the home of industrialist Hai Fat (Richard Loo), Bond pretends to be Scaramanga to discuss the death of a man who has the Solex device as the plan later backfires as Scaramanga is at Fat’s home. With the help of Lt. Hip and his nieces, Bond is able to escape as he later meets Anders who reveals some information about Scaramanga and the Solex device. At a kickboxing arena, Bond gets the Solex device but gets a bigger surprise when he meets Scaramanga and his assistant Nick Nack (Herve Villechaise). After Bond secretly gives the Solex to Lt. Hip who gives it to Goodnight, Goodnight sees Nick Nack get into a car where she tries to put a homing device only to be put in the trunk by Scaramanga leading to a car chase that involves a visiting J.W. Pepper (Clifton James). After finding where Scaramanga is hiding out, Bond confronts him to learn what Scaramanga is up to as it leads to a duel between the two men.

The film is about James Bond dealing with a top assassin who plans to monopolize the solar power energy in the wake of an energy crisis as the assassin also wants to face Bond in a duel over who is the best killer. That’s pretty much it since it is typical of the schematics of what is expected in a Bond film. Yet, what makes it so interesting is the villain itself in Francisco Scaramanga. A man who is always offered a million dollars to kill someone due to his reputation and always gets the job done. The film’s opening scene establishes who he is and how good he is by knocking off a gangster (Marc Lawrence). Yet, having James Bond killed in his own hands would be the centerpiece of his killings prompting Bond to find him first before Scaramanga has him killed.

That’s the set-up of the entire story as Bond has to do whatever he can to find this assassin before he gets killed yet he would face numerous challenges as he’s also trying to finish a mission that concerns a solar device that could help bring solar power to the world. While the screenplay does manage to get that story be used as a nice subplot that eventually comes together with the Scaramanga plot. The script’s drawback is due to the fact that it’s not linear as it could’ve been while some of the comical elements involving J.W. Pepper were really unnecessary as if it was another film.

Guy Hamilton’s direction is definitely vast in terms of the locations that is set in the film such as Macao, Bangkok, and Hong Kong where it has Bond exploring another world. There, he delves into the world of martial arts where Bond is sort of an expert as he has to face up against numerous enemies while it the martial arts sequences do have a sense of humor. While the humor of the film is certainly engaging, it does go a little overboard as the presence of J.W. Pepper really bogs the film down where he may have been funny in Live and Let Die. In this film, he isn’t really needed as he’s nothing more than a distraction from the main story of the film. Despite the flaws the film has, Guy Hamilton does manage to succeed in creating a Bond film that has all of the entertaining value as well as carrying the air of suspense that is needed.

Cinematographers Ted Moore and Oswald Morris do excellent work with the photography such as the beautiful exteriors of the city locations and the large wide depth of field shots of the sea along with interior shots of the sets including the casinos in Macao. Editors Raymond Poulton and John Shirley do superb work with the editing by keeping things straightforward including some rhythmic cuts to play out the suspense and action. Production designer Peter Murton, along with art directors John Graysmark and Peter Lamont, does brilliant work with the set pieces such as M‘s office in the RMS Queen Elizabeth ship as well as the home base of Scaramanga.

The visual effects work of Derek Meddings and special effects work of John Stears do terrific work with the special effects work such as the miniatures for Scaramanga‘s islands and home base along with the solar laser. Sound recorder Gordon Everett does nice work with the sound to play up the atmosphere of the crowd scenes as well as more intimate moments in the climatic duel scene. The film’s score by John Barry is fantastic for the way the suspense is build up as well as the action that occurs. The title song co-written with lyricist Don Black and sung by Lulu is a wonderful song that plays to the bombast of the film with its orchestral flourishes and swanky rock arrangements.

The casting by Weston Drury Jr. and Maude Spector is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it includes appearances from Carmen du Sautoy as the belly dancer Bond tries to woo, James Cossins as the arms expert Colthorpe, Marne Maitland as the arms maker Lazar, Marc Lawrence as an ill-fated opponent of Scaramanga in Rodney, and Richard Loo as Scaramanga’s boss Hai Fat who tries to outwit Bond. Bond regulars such as Desmond Llewelyn as Q and Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny are excellent in their roles while Bernard Lee is great as usual as the stern but always resourceful superior M. Soon-Tek Oh is excellent as Lt. Hip who aides Bond in his assignment while Clifton James as J.W. Pepper isn’t as funny due to the fact that he’s just repeating the same schtick he did in Live and Let Die.

The late Herve Villechaize is fun to watch as Scaramanga’s assistant Nick Nack who helps Scaramanga do dastardly deeds while proving to be a challenge for Bond. Maud Adams is superb as Andrea Anders, Scaramanga’s mistress who gives Bond information about the Solex as well as revealing some revelations about Scaramanga. Britt Ekland is quite terrible as Mary Goodnight for the fact that Goodnight is a total dimwit who either puts herself in a bad situation or will accidentally do things that just causes trouble as she is definitely one of the worst Bond girls in the history of the Bond franchise.

Christopher Lee is incredible as Francisco Scaramanga where Lee displays a great sense of charm in his role as the assassin while proving to be a man who displays a big ego that only Lee can bring as he definitely creates one of the franchise’s great villains. Roger Moore is excellent as James Bond where Moore maintains his low-key sense of humor while showing more restraint when it comes to the action and suspense as he makes Bond more about getting the job done and not get killed as it’s one of Moore’s finer performances as Agent 007.

While it may not be ranked among the list of the best Bond films, The Man with the Golden Gun is still a thoroughly fun film from Guy Hamilton. Thanks to the performances of Roger Moore and Christopher Lee, the film does have enough adventure for fans to enjoy despite its flaws. In the end, The Man with the Golden Gun is a stellar film from Guy Hamilton.




© thevoid99 2012
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Monday, July 23, 2012

Blog News & Blogging Around 7/23/12



I'm aware that it's been nearly 2 months since the last time I've done this but a lot has happened. Particularly on a personal level where if anyone did read my last month's end of the month post. I went to the hospital for a few days for stress as I'm right now doing OK but I feel tired all the time. I'm pretty worn out and I've been having mood swings. It seems like I'm back in depression mode again though I'm not sure how severe it is though I'm currently taking medication for the time being.

Due to my condition for the time being, my film viewing output has slowed considerably as I've paced myself more in watching films. Particularly longer ones at over two hours or two-and-a-half hours, depending on the film, where I'll watch an hour and a half of it and then stop and watch the rest a few hours later. It's often because I would feel tired to the point that I need to rest or something. Plus, I would have to write something down immediately just so I can come back and process everything in my head.

Aside from the Bond marathon and the essays that I've been doing, there was supposed to be a few things I was supposed to do but the stuff like watching a few Werner Herzog films I hadn't seen as well as a mini-Samuel Fuller marathon are now being pushed by the wayside. Either I don't have time for them or I'm just into something else for the time being. I can't predict everything I want to see as I would schedule everything else days before I see the film and have a review prepared. Right now, the output is slowed a bit but at least I'm doing something.

In the world of the blogosphere, there's a lot going on.

There's a lot of reviews of The Dark Knight Rises that I think people should seek out. Among them are Courtney of Big Thoughts from a Small Mind, Red Georges @ Anomalous Material, Ryan of The Matinee, Dan @ Dan the Man's Movie Reviews, Film Intel, Norma @ The Flick Chick, Andy @ The Film Emporium, Stevee of Cinematic Paradox, Phil on Film, Sam of Duke & the Movies, Alex of And So It Begins..., & MovieNut14 @ Defiant Success.

Alex of Film Forager has a great review of one of my favorite films in Trois Couleurs-Bleu.

Jake of Not Just Movies has a review of Alps that has me interested in Yorgos Lanthimos' new film that has definitely divided audiences.

Bonjour Tritesse has a review of Lindsay Anderson's If... that I really want to see as I hope to watch it for next year's Cannes marathon.

Corey of JustAtad reveals Why He Loves Movie Theaters in a very compelling and poignant piece.

Sati of Cinematic Corner has a great visual parallel on Mulholland Dr. and Young Adult.

John of John Likes Movies has been doing a James Bond marathon of his own where he has some very kind words for Timothy Dalton as James Bond and I felt Dalton doesn't get enough credit as Bond. He is really underrated.

Diana of Aziza's Picks has a review of another of my all-time favorites in Almost Famous which I still think is one of the great films of the 2000s.

Finally, there's Tyler @ Southern Vision who lists The Piano Teacher as one of his favorite films and it's a film I hadn't seen in a while and hope to revisit. I do remember that ending and how unsettling it left me.

Well, that's it for today. In the coming days of July, I will finally post my Auteurs piece on Christopher Nolan this coming Friday which I finally finished yesterday. I'll also be watching a few Ingmar Bergman films as well as a couple of Bond films. I'll also be starting my piece on Andrei Tarkovsky by watching a documentary on him as well as his first film Ivan's Childhood for next month's Auteurs piece. My Favorite Film series will continue as I'm still early in writing my essay for The Dollars Trilogy which I hope will come out somewhere in August. Until then, I'll close with some music I've been listening as I'm currently going through a synth-pop phase for the moment.


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Sunday, July 22, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises



Based on the DC Comics, The Dark Knight Rises is the story of a battered Bruce Wayne who dons his role as Batman after an eight-year hiatus to battle a cat burglar and a large man who has taken over the League of Shadows who hopes to wreak havoc on Gotham. Directed by Christopher Nolan and screenplay by Christopher and Jonathan Nolan with story by Jonathan Nolan and David S. Goyer. The film is the third and final part of Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy as it follows Bruce Wayne in his quest to bring peace for Gotham as Christian Bale reprises the role. Also starring Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, Ben Mendelsohn, Matthew Modine, and Tom Hardy as Bane. The Dark Knight Rises is a magnificent end to the Dark Knight trilogy from Christopher Nolan.

Eight years after the events that involved Harvey Dent’s death, Gotham lives in a world of peace but based on a lie as Commissioner James Gordon (Gary Oldman) starts to feel uneasy about the lie. Back at Wayne Manor, Bruce Wayne is living a life as a recluse still lost over his grief and having Batman hide out. Yet, he learns that a cat burglar named Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) has broken into his safe as she had been trying to retrieve his fingerprints for a business rival in John Daggett (Ben Mendelsohn). Yet, Wayne learns about a far more sinister figure in a mercenary named Bane who plans to wreak havoc on Gotham. Realizing he needs to be Batman again, he has his left leg repaired while getting ready to face whoever as Bane has officially arrived at Gotham. Still, Wayne has to deal with his losses as he asks Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard) to take over Wayne Enterprises with Lucius Fox’s help.

With Gordon recovering from a gunshot after discovering Bane’s hideout, he asks a young police officer in John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to watch over things as Peter Foley (Matthew Modine) takes when Bane finally storms Gotham’s financial stock market to wreak havoc. Yet, it would mark the first of his many confrontations with Batman who makes his return as Batman also confronts Kyle over her theft as she reveals what she’s been doing. She would eventually lead Batman to confront Bane where the confrontation proves to be disastrous for Wayne as he’s sent to a mysterious land that he cannot escape leaving Bane to destroy Gotham all by himself.

After learning some stories about the League of Shadows and having to see Gotham be on its own under Bane’s terror with help from a fusion device Wayne had hoped to use for clean energy. The fusion device becomes a bomb that will detonate leaving the people of Gotham in fear as its criminals are free leaving to do whatever they want. Having to see Bane’s destruction, Wayne realizes what he must do to destroy Bane and the League of Shadows from destroying Gotham as he’ll need the help of some people.

The film is about Bruce Wayne/Batman getting back in the swing of things when Gotham is being threatened by a terrorist who hopes to finish the job that Ra’s Al Ghul (Liam Neeson and Josh Pence as the younger Ra’s Al Ghul) was able to finish in Batman Begins. Yet, Batman also has to deal with a cat burglar who has been trying to steal things from him in order for a businessman to bankrupt Bruce Wayne as she eventually realizes that she is getting little in return as she eventually teams up with Wayne. It’s all about Bane’s plan to fulfill Ra’s Al Ghul’s desire to destroy Gotham at the pinnacle of its chaos and then rebuild it as a new society. Still, he has to face Batman and a few others who actually believe in good triumphing over evil.

While the screenplay does have trouble following along with what Bane is planning along with subplots revolving around John Daggett’s plans to bankrupt Bruce Wayne for the League of Shadows. It does succeed in fleshing out the characters and motivation as it centers around Wayne’s desire to finally return as Batman following an eight-year hiatus but finds himself facing foes that are more powerful than him. Particularly as his motivations get him into conflict with his longtime butler Alfred (Michael Caine) who believes that Wayne is headed for death where he eventually reveals a secret that he kept for eight years.

Then there’s Bane who is this villain that represents a physical force where literally in his confrontations with Batman but also conceptually in how he terrorizes Gotham. Yet, he’s also a very intelligent man who wants to punish Wayne for the lies he created eight years before and for wounding the League of Shadows several years before that. He may not be the anarchist of the Joker nor the more organized planning of Ra’s Al Ghul but Bane is still an interesting villain. While other new character like John Blake and Miranda Tate are also interesting with some back story about them. Another character who simply steals the show from everyone is Selina Kyle. Though she isn’t called Catwoman throughout the film, she is a character that is quite complex as she’s just a thief who likes to steal for herself while aiding others in hopes to clear her name. Yet, she has to deal with all sorts of things as she eventually becomes conflicted about stealing from Wayne once Bane starts to wreak havoc.

Christopher Nolan’s direction is definitely vast in the way he presents the film in its opening scene with this elaborate scene of a plane being captured by a bigger plane that is inter-cut with a scene of Bruce Wayne watching above Wayne Manor to see Commissioner Gordon praise Harvey Dent. It’s a big way to open a film that is ambitious but also intimate in the way Nolan creates small scenes involving Wayne’s own turmoil with his loss that includes a heartbreaking moment where Alfred makes a confession that becomes an emotional turning point for Wayne in his upcoming confrontation with Bane. Yet, there are few scenes where Batman appears as it’s mostly to do with Wayne’s struggle to find reasons to be Batman again while dealing with all of these new dark forces.

Through the vast compositions and big action scenes, Nolan’s direction is truly ambitious as it includes the climatic battle between Batman and Bane where there are revelations into how Batman must save Gotham from nuclear Armageddon. It’s all about creating suspense and moments where Nolan is waiting for the payoff as well as things where Wayne has to face some realities. While there’s a few things in the film that don’t work such as a fantasy sequence where Wayne sees Ra’s Al Ghul in a dream. Still, Nolan does enough for what is expected in a blockbuster superhero film genre with his rapturous shots and thrilling action sequences that does more than entertain. Overall, Nolan creates a truly solid film that ends his Dark Knight trilogy on a high note.

Cinematographer Wally Pfister does amazing work with the photography such as the vast opening sequence and other action sequence that carries a wide depth of field while creating amazing lighting schemes for some of the film‘s interior scenes. Editor Lee Smith does excellent work with the editing to play up the intensity of the action films as well as slowing things down to build up the suspense. Production designers Nathan Crowley and Kevin Kavanaugh, with set decorator Paki Smith and art directors James Hambridge and Naaman Marshall, do spectacular work with the set pieces such as the new Batcave as well as Wayne Manor and the prison that Wayne is put in during the film‘s second half.

Costume designer Lindy Hemming does superb work with the costumes from the look of the Batsuit and Bane‘s costume to the gorgeous leather look of Selina Kyle‘s cat-suit. Visual effects supervisor Paul J. Franklin does terrific work with the minimal visual effects created such as the wide shots of the bridges blowing up as well as other shots involving the Batwing. Sound designer Richard King does brilliant work with the sound from the way the chants sound at the prison scene to the layering of sounds to exemplify the chaos that occurs in the film‘s second half. The film’s score by Hans Zimmer is wonderful for its percussive-driven score to play out the intensity of the action along with more low-key yet heavy orchestral themes to play up the drama.

The casting by John Papsidera and Toby Whale is incredible for the ensemble that is created for the film. With notable appearances from Liam Neeson and Josh Pence as Ra’s Ah Ghul with the latter in flashback scenes, other standouts include Juno Temple as Selina’s assistant Holly Robinson, Brett Cullen as a Congressman Selina woos, Thomas Lennon as a doctor, John Nolan as a Wayne Enterprises board member, Nestor Carbonell as Mayor Garcia, Alon Abutbul as the scientist Dr. Pavel that Bane kidnaps early in the film, Matthew Modine as deputy commissioner Foley, Chris Ellis as a priest John Blake confides in, Ben Mendelsohn as the slimy John Daggett, Burn Gorman’s as Daggett’s assistant Stryver, and Cillian Murphy reprising his role as Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow in a mock trial scene.

Morgan Freeman is excellent as the always resourceful Lucius Fox while Michael Caine is brilliant as the very witty but concerned Alfred where the latter definitely pulls a lot of the emotional weight involving his relationship with Bruce Wayne. Marion Cotillard is excellent as philanthropist Miranda Tate who tries to get Bruce back in the world and be involved with a clean-energy machine that ends up being trouble. Gary Oldman is great as Commissioner Gordon who deals with the guilt he created from a lie as he becomes overwhelmed with facing Bane by himself only to find a new ally in John Blake. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is superb as John Blake, a hot-headed young cop turned detective who confronts Wayne about what really happened to Harvey Dent as well as try to figure out what Bane is doing. Tom Hardy is marvelous as Bane by exemplifying his physique as a huge force while proving to be a man of great intelligence and power as it’s definitely Hardy at his best.

Anne Hathaway is phenomenal as Selina Kyle where she definitely steals the show from everyone from the one-liners she gives to the way she is able to outwit Wayne in every way and form. It’s Hathaway bringing a lot of humor and physicality to a woman who can’t be trifled with as she gives out one of her greatest performances of her career. Finally there’s Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman where Bale gives another great performance by displaying the anguish and confusion of a man unsure if he’s willing to be Batman again while having to deal with all of these forces. It’s Bale creating a lot of realism to the character of Wayne while being more cunning as Batman where he is more unafraid to do whatever he needs to do to save Gotham.

The Dark Knight Rises is an exhilarating and thrilling film from Christopher Nolan. Thanks to a large ensemble cast that features top-of-the-line performances from Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman. It’s a film that definitely lives up to the hype though it doesn’t top its predecessors in terms of excitement and storytelling. It’s also a blockbuster that manages to excite but also engage for the way it reveals on what Batman must do to save the world. In the end, The Dark Knight Rises is an incredible film from Christopher Nolan.


© thevoid99 2012
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Saturday, July 21, 2012

The Underneath



Based on the book Criss Cross by Don Tracy, The Underneath is the story of a man returning home to deal with his past as a criminal as he tries to make amends. Yet, his past catches up with him as he deals with his ex-wife’s new boyfriend. Directed by Steven Soderbergh and screenplay by Soderbergh and Daniel Fuchs, the film is a remake of the original 1949 film Criss Cross by updating it for the mid-1990s. Starring Peter Gallagher, Alison Elliott, William Fichtner, Joe Don Baker, Paul Dooley, Elisabeth Shue, and Shelley Duvall. The Underneath is an entrancing noir film from Steven Soderbergh.

After being freed from prison, Michael Chambers (Peter Gallagher) returns home for the wedding of his mother (Anjanette Comer) to armored truck guard Ed Dutton (Paul Dooley) as Michael hopes to start a new life. Though his police officer brother David (Adam Trese) remains suspicious of Michael’s intentions, Michael’s old life finally catches up when he sees his ex-wife Rachel (Alison Elliott) at a club where he tries to woo her again only to realize she’s engaged to the club’s owner Tommy Dundee (William Fichtner). While Michael recalls his life as a gambler where it led to all sorts of troubles, Ed gets Michael a job as an armored truck guard where he runs into a bank teller named Susan (Elisabeth Shue) whom he met some time earlier at a bus on his way home.

When Michael’s secret meetings with Rachel eventually leads to trouble with Tommy, Michael makes Tommy an offer he couldn’t refuse about planning a robbery at a bank to get a daily payroll. Tommy takes the offer to help Michael in a robbery but the result would prove to be troubling for Michael’s conscience as he eventually realize all of the things he’s been doing to get back his ex-wife.

The film is essentially the story of a man trying to make amends for his past deeds only to bump into his ex-wife and her new boyfriend where he eventually finds himself in trouble and in an even worse situation when he takes part in a robbery. It’s a story that is typical of what is expected in a film noir schematics as it would often involve a woman and a man in conflict over trying to start a new life and be involved in a world of crime. Yet, what makes this film so interesting is how the story is told through recollections and how everything leads up to this ill-fated robbery.

Under the Sam Lowry alias, Steven Soderbergh and co-writer Daniel Fuchs create a story where the film opens with the day of the robbery and then cuts to a scene of Michael Chambers coming home as he’s talking to Susan at the bus about going home. A lot of the film is told from Michael’s perspective as he recalls his life when he was this successful gambler who is in it for himself and his then-wife Rachel by giving her a better life only to crash because of one big loss. By returning home, he hopes to make amends but the presence of his ex-wife and trying to reclaim her would only cause trouble as he has to deal with her new boyfriend and his own brother who isn’t happy to see him home thinking he’s just going to screw things up like usual.

Sodebergh’s direction is truly mesmerizing for the way he creates moods in the film as well as the way he frames his actors for certain scenes. Notably as it’s all very stylized for a simple family dinner scene where there’s a close-up of someone on the edge while the other actor is in a medium shot talking. Yet, it’s Soderbergh creating something that is tense for a character like Michael Chambers as if he is trying to integrate himself back into the world. The film also features a lot of suspenseful moments and flashback scenes to see how Chambers fell apart or, in the case of the suspense, how far is he willing to screw things up again. It’s all about the lead-up to the heist and to understand who this man is that is playing part of a robbery that would eventually go wrong.

Since it’s a modern-day take on the noir genre, Sodebergh utilizes a lot of the schematics to what is expected in the genre. The set-up of the crime, a man in conflict, a femme fatale, a villain, and a surprise ending. While the first two acts carries a largely non-linear structure in the story where Soderbergh has the lead-up to the robbery crisscross against the narrative of Michael’s homecoming and his reunion with Rachel that would spell trouble. It’s the third act where the robbery and a troubling aftermath occurs that leads to some major surprises and revelations. Overall, Soderbergh crafts a truly hypnotic and wonderfully stylized noir film that plays with the genre’s plot devices.

Cinematographer Elliot Graham does amazing work with the film‘s stylized photography from the way he uses colored filters to set the mood to the interiors he shot in the club that Tommy runs as there‘s always something to see in those shots. Editor Stan Salfas does superb work with the editing to play out the film‘s unique non-linear structure to help build up the suspense for the eventual robbery that is to happen. Production designer Howard Cummings, with set decorator Jeanette Scott and art director John Frick, does nice work with the set pieces such as the home of Michael‘s mother as well as the look of the old house he and Rachel stayed in.

Costume designer Karyn Wagner does good work with the costumes as a lot of it is casual to keep up with the look of mid-90s fashion. Sound editor Larry Blake does terrific work with the sound to play up the atmosphere of the clubs to the intimacy of other locations to help build up some of the film‘s suspense. The film’s score by Cliff Martinez is brilliant for its mesmerizing electronic score to help set a mood for the suspense as well as the flashback as Martinez’s score is a major highlight. The film’s soundtrack features a wide mix of alternative music of the mid-90s as it features cuts from Better than Ezra and Cowboy Mouth as the latter appears as one of live bands in the club scenes.

The casting by Ronnie Yeskel does solid work with the casting as the ensemble features appearances from filmmaker Richard Linklater as a club doorman, Shelley Duvall as a nurse late in the film, Joe Don Baker as an armored truck supervisor, Anjanette Comer as Michael’s mother, Joe Chrest as a man Michael talks to at the hospital late in the film. Paul Dooley as the very kind Ed Dooley, and Elisabeth Shue as the very likeable new bank teller Susan whom Michael befriends. Adam Trese is very good as Michael’s brother David who doesn’t seem happy to see Michael back as he also has some strong opinions about his brother. William Fichtner is excellent as the intimidating Tommy Dundee who presses Michael over his relationship with Rachel as it’s a very strong performance from the character actor.

Alison Elliott is wonderful as Rachel where she’s a very lively character in the flashback scenes while in the present scenes is someone who isn’t happy to see Michael back in her life though she’s tempted by him. Finally there’s Peter Gallagher in a superb performance as Michael Chambers where Gallagher brings a very layered performance as a man trying to restart his life only to be tempted by the world of crime again as Gallagher shows a real sense of bravado and restraint to a man troubled by his own past and the world he’s about to re-enter.

The Underneath is a stellar noir film from Steven Soderbergh that is highlighted by Peter Gallagher’s marvelous performance. Along with great supporting work from Alison Elliott, William Fichtner, Adam Trese, Paul Dooley, and Elisabeth Shue. It’s a film that definitely finds way to keep the film noir alive in the mid-90s while it is also one of Soderbergh’s more underrated works. In the end, The Underneath is a chilling yet evocative film from Steven Soderbergh.


© thevoid99 2012
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Friday, July 20, 2012

007 James Bond Marathon: Live and Let Die



Based on Ian Fleming’s novel, Live and Let Die is the story of James Bond uncovering the deaths of three agents in the hands of a dictator who also poses as a drug lord in a small Caribbean Island. Directed by Guy Hamilton and screenplay by Tom Mankiewicz, the film marks the first of seven features to star Roger Moore as James Bond where Moore brings a bit of humor to the famed character. Also starring Yaphet Kotto, Jane Seymour, David Hedison, Lois Maxwell, Clifton James, Gloria Hendry, and Bernard Lee as M. Live and Let Die is a stylish yet thoroughly entertaining film from Guy Hamilton.

After the death of three different agents at the United Nations building, New Orleans, and the Caribbean island of San Monique, M asks James Bond to uncover the mysteries of these death as he and Bond believe the deaths are all connected to San Monique dictator Dr. Kananga (Yaphet Kotto). Bond travels to New York City where he encounters some strange occurrences in Harlem involving voodoo after his driver was assassinated. With his CIA friend Felix Leiter (David Hedison) and another agent named Strutter (Lon Satton), Bond learns about a heroin distributor named Mr. Big as he meets a mysterious tarot card expert named Solitaire (Jane Seymour) who is considered Dr. Kananga’s most treasured possession.

Traveling to San Monique, Bond meets CIA agent Rosie Carver (Gloria Hendry) to uncover what happened to the death of an agent in San Monique with the help of Quarrel Jr. (Roy Stewart) as Bond sneaks up to Solitaire’s home to find more answers. After tricking her with her tarot cards, Bond and Solitaire discover a field of poppy fields near Kananga’s home as Bond believes Kananga is in cahoots with Mr. Big. After he takes Solitaire to safety, Bond is stopped by Big’s henchmen where he eventually discovers who Mr. Big is. Realizing what Big is planning to do with the heroin, Bond realizes what he must do to stop Big as well as save Solitaire who has lost her powers as a tarot card expert.

The film is essentially the story of James Bond going to different places like New York, New Orleans, and the Caribbean to uncover the deaths of three agents that is connected to a dictator in a fictional Caribbean island. There, he encounters voodoo, heroin smuggling, and a beautiful tarot card expert who might be the key to helping him figure out what is going on. It’s a simple plot for a James Bond film but Tom Mankiewicz’s screenplay does manage to do what is expected but with a different approach to the Bond film schematics. Notably as the film bends a few genres such as 70s blaxploitation and the American Southern films to put Bond in new worlds that he previously hadn’t been in.

In these new worlds, Bond faces up against a dictator who also masquerades as a drug distributor named Kananga who is just an ambitious man that is planning to make a profit in giving away heroin to those that want it. While he isn’t as ambitious as other villains, he is certainly cunning while he treasures Solitaire more than anything as she is the one person who could reveal his fate. The character of Solitaire is just as interesting as she is the tarot card reader with a special gift yet her encounter with Bond would bring conflict as she is also a virgin. In Bond taking away her virginity, he would unknowingly take away her powers which she despairs at in an amazing monologue about her gift where she would have to use her faded powers in a crucial scene for Bond’s freedom as the aftermath is a heartbreaking one. While the script also includes some comical moments that involves a redneck state trooper in J.W. Pepper (Clifton James), the screenplay succeeds in playing out the suspense and adventure of what is expected in a Bond film.

Guy Hamilton’s direction is definitely marvelous for the way he opens the film with the three different deaths of the three agents in different locations to establish everything Bond is about to face. With some amazing shots of the locations in New York City’s Harlem district, New Orleans, and Jamaica for the scenes of San Monique. Hamilton creates a film that is very worldly while bringing a new energy that is needed for a new James Bond. Filled with dazzling chase scenes on cars and speedboats, the action is always engaging and crucial to what Bond needs to do.

The action is balanced by Bond exploring these new places where he’s in where he’s a fish out of water where a white man is in the world where the black man rule. It’s essentially Bond trying to integrate with a new world where 70s cinema is changing as Bond manages to make himself to be a worthy opponent for a man like Kananga. While the humor ranges from being low-key to more comical in the scenes involving J.W. Pepper, it works to display Bond in action and how he tries to handle the situation. Overall, Guy Hamilton succeeds in creating a Bond film that is truly enjoyable to watch from start to finish.

Cinematographer Ted Moore does wonderful work with the film‘s photography from the beautiful Jamaican locations to the interiors set in Harlem and New Orleans to establish the world Bond is encountering. Editors Bert Bates, Raymond Poulton, and John Shirley do excellent work with the editing by utilizing a lot of straightforward cutting to play up the film‘s suspense and action along with some of the film‘s comical manners. Art director Syd Cain does brilliant work with the set pieces such as the voodoo ceremony and the secret meeting rooms Kananga does his business at.

Costume designer Julie Harris does superb work with the costumes such as the elaborate clothes that Solitaire wears during her tarot reading. The special effects work of Rick Baker and Derek Meddings is very good for some of the moments that involves the shark bullet Bond uses for the film‘s climatic meeting with Kananga. Sound recorders Ken Barker and John W. Mitchell do terrific work with the sound to capture the atmosphere of the club Bond and Felix Leiter encounter as well as the voodoo ceremony filled with a big crowd of people. The film’s music by George Martin is certainly fun to listen to with its mix of bombastic orchestral flourishes mixed in with a bit of funk. The title sung by Paul and Linda McCartney for their band Wings is definitely one of the best songs of the Bond film franchises thanks to its sprawling orchestral and horn arrangements mixed in with rock bombast.

The casting of Weston Drury Jr. is incredible for the ensemble that is created as it includes some notable small roles from Lon Satton as CIA agent Strutter, Arnold Williams as one of Kananga’s henchmen in a corrupt cab driver, Roy Stewart as Quarrel Jr., and Madeline Smith as the Italian agent Miss Caruso that Bond romances early in the film.  Other notable small roles include Lois Maxwell as the always funny Miss Moneypenny, Bernard Lee as the always stern M, Gloria Hendry as the fearful CIA agent Rosie Carver, David Hedison as the resourceful Felix Leiter, and Clifton James as the hilarious idiotic redneck state trooper J.W. Pepper.

In the roles of Kananga’s henchmen, there’s standout performances from Tommy Lane as the brutish Adam, Julius Harris as the robotic-armed Tee Hee Johnson, Earl Jolly Brown as the raspy big man Whisper, and Geoffrey Holder as the voodoo priest Baron Samedi whose laugh is one of the most memorable. In her film debut, Jane Seymour is great as the conflicted Solitaire who falls for James Bond while dealing with her loyalty towards Kananga. Yaphet Kotto is excellent as the villainous Dr. Kananga whose ambition to run the heroin market has Kotto proving to be very dastardly while getting the chance to be upset when things don’t go his way as it’s one of Kotto’s great performances.

Finally, there’s Roger Moore in his first of seven outings as Agent 007 James Bond. While he may not have the toughness of Sean Connery, Moore is able to put his own spin into Bond by making Bond tough but also resourceful in whatever objects he can use to get out of a bad situation. There’s also a laid-back sense of charm in Moore in the way he deals with women or how he confronts a villain. Moore’s approach to the humor is also more laid-back in the way he delivers the funny one-liners as Moore definitely makes Bond his own to standout from the more iconic figure from Sean Connery.

Live and Let Die is a thrilling yet fun film from Guy Hamilton featuring Roger Moore in a phenomenal performance as James Bond. The film is definitely proof that Bond can survive without Sean Connery with Moore being the right guy to play the legendary Agent 007. With a top-notch supporting cast that includes Yaphet Kotto and Jane Seymour, it’s a film that is truly adventurous and funny while doing what James Bond films do best. In the end, Live and Let Die is a glorious film from Guy Hamilton.




© thevoid99 2012
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Thursday, July 19, 2012

Your Film Fucking Sucks #2: North


Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 4/17/07 w/ Additional Edits.


The son of comedy actor Carl Reiner and famous for playing Meathead in All in the Family, Rob Reiner came to greater fame as a director for such films like the mockumentary This is Spinal Tap, the college comedy The Sure Thing, the coming-of-age story of Stand By Me, the romantic fantasy of The Princess Bride, the romantic-comedy of When Harry Met Sally, and the intense horror of Misery. From 1984-1990, Reiner was on a winning streak, commercially and critically, with six different films. Then in 1992, Reiner reached a peak creatively with the military courtroom drama A Few Good Men with Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Keifer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, and Jack Nicholson that gave Reiner a nomination for Best Director. At that point, it seemed like Rob Reiner could do no wrong. In 1994, Reiner returned to comedy to tell a story about a neglected young boy who divorces himself from his parents to find a new family. The idea at first seemed like another surefire hit from Reiner but the resulting film would mark the beginning of the end for Reiner's string of hits.

Written by Alan Zweibel that was based on his novel with scribe credit to Andrew Scheinman, North tells the story of a young boy who after watching his parents argue and neglect them decides to split from them. With help from another kid, a lawyer, and a guide dressed in a bunny suit, the boy goes on a trip around the world to find the perfect family. With Rob Reiner at the helm, it seemed like a movie that would be very funny with then-child star Elijah Wood in the title role. Instead, the film was a disaster of epic proportions. While the film included an all-star cast like Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bruce Willis, Reba McEntire, Dan Aykroyd, Jon Lovitz, Graham Greene, Kathy Bates, Abe Vigoda, Kelly McGillis, Ben Stein, Faith Ford, John Ritter, and in her film debut, Scarlett Johansson. North is an extremely mean, insulting film that looks like a family film but ends up being very vicious.

To the eyes of many in a small town, North is a kid who has it all and is probably one of the best kids around. He's a brilliant, bright student, a great ballplayer, a gifted actor in school plays, and the friends of many. Unfortunately, North doesn't get the attention of his parents (Jason Alexander & Julia Louis-Dreyfus) as they often bicker about their own lives. The arguments and neglect starts to affect North in everything he does as he goes to his secret spot. A large armchair in a mall where he finds himself talking to a man dressed in an Easter Bunny suit (Bruce Willis).  After turning to his friend and school editor Winchell (Matthew McCurley), North is convinced that he's neglected as he decides to split from his parents for good. When Winchell's report attracts the attention of the town including an attorney named Arthur Belt (Jon Lovitz), North's parents are in total shock as a media circus and trial occurs. When the judge (Alan Arkin) decides to give North his freedom until Labor Day. By Labor Day, North had to get either new parents or return to his old parents but if he doesn't, he will be taken to an orphanage.

North takes his trip to find new parents where he arrives in Texas and meets a Texan couple (Dan Aykroyd and Reba McEntire) where he's greeted lavishly. He sees the bunny guy being a farmer as North learns the Texan couple wants him to replace their dead son. North decides to leave where back in his old town, Winchell and Belt decide to make a liberation movement for children with Belt as a political candidate. North goes to Hawaii to meet another new set of parents (Keone Young & Lauren Tom) but finds out that he's being used as a tourism advertisement. North then goes to Alaska for another set of parents (Graham Greene & Kathy Bates) where things go fine until they decide to drop off North's new grandfather (Abe Vigoda) away for good. With Winchell trying to take control, North's parents recover from their state of shock but unaware of what Winchell and Belt are trying to do.

After a group of searches all over the world including a visit to an Amish land with parents (Kelly McGillis & Alexander Godunov) as it doesn't go well. North finally finds the perfect family in the Nelsons with a nice group of parents in Ward & Donna Nelson (John Ritter & Faith Ford, respectively) and siblings Bud & Laura (Jesse Ziegler & Scarlett Johansson, respectively). Things at first go great but when North receives an edited tape of an interview with his real parents, North is disillusioned and sad as he leaves the Nelsons. When Winchell learns that North hasn't found a family and threatens to kill the kids liberation law. When North is being hunted by a Winchell's security guard Al (Robert Costanzo), North finds out the truth and gets guidance from the man in bunny suit being a comedian and a Fed Ex driver.

While the film and its plot tells a simple story of a kid wanting to split with his parents and then, goes into a moral judgement. The pay off and final result however, is a total mess. Instead of being this warm, life-lesson family film. It ends up being a film where it starts out pleasant yet very silly into something darker and suspenseful that doesn't work. Obviously, Rob Reiner has no idea what he wants to make. A funny family film, a satire, a thriller, a drama. There, the audience is confused and being insulted by everything that's shown towards them. The film does lean towards sentimentality towards the end when North decides to return to his parents but there's no payoff. The ending ends up making the entire film a waste of time.

The script fails to not even present some moral lesson but also create characters that are very one-dimensional with very little development. Plus, some of the families that North sees end up being displayed as stereotypes. The narration even becomes distracting to let the audience make up their mind and interpretation of what goes on. While the character of North is interesting who goes through the most serious of development, the character ends up being lost in the situations he's in and the result isn't rewarding or fulfilling to him or the actual story. Much of the blame should go to Reiner for really making a family film that tries to pander down to its audience with its bland, manipulative style that only becomes a parody of a bad sitcom.

Not even the film's technical work in Adam Greenberg's cinematography or Robert Leighton's editing should be worth noting since there's nothing unique. Even the score by Marc Shaiman isn't memorable where it just plays up to the lame, sentimental tone of the film. This is part of the film's big failure. Even its casting filled with some great talents being wasted in the roles they're given. They're not given a chance to play real people but rather awful caricatures. The performance Alan Arkin gives as a judge is pretty bad. Arkin, a very talented actor, looks like he went through a bunch of takes and looks very haggard during the performance where he's not even sure why he's even in the film. The roles of the adoptive parents like Dan Aykroyd, Reba McEntire, Keone Young, Lauren Tom, Graham Greene, and Kathy Bates aren't given any material and end up being pandered down to the stereotypes they play.

The cameos from Alexander Godunov and Kelly McGillis playing the Amish from Peter Weir's Witness is very silly and pointless as well as a reference to Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor in another sequence. The late John Ritter and Faith Ford as the perfect model of the typical American parents doesn't have any amount of life. They just smile and act really bland which is a waste for a real comedic talent like Ritter. Even the Nelson kids played by Jesse Ziegler and Scarlett Johansson don't add anything. Still, that's not Johansson's fault. She was only eight-years old in her first movie. She was cute but still had a long way to go in being the famous star we all know. Jussie Smollett in the role of North's friend Adam is very awkwardly performed where he has to play spy and such and doesn't feel natural. Jon Lovitz is largely wasted along with Robert Costanzo in a very stereotypical role as a security hitman. Oh, there's also a worthless cameo from Rita Wilson as a parent who fawns over North.

Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus from Seinfeld are forced to play caricatures where they're not given a chance to be funny or real. Even in their attempts to gain sympathy feels contrived and bland which is a shame to the comedic talents. One of the film's worst performances is Matthew McCurley as Winchell. It's a very unnatural performance of this smarmy, little kid who looks like the poor man's Macaulay Culkin (well him and that other little bastard from Full House). McCurley tries to act like some adult that doesn't work and as a villain, it's very cartoonish. Bruce Willis is also in a very bad performance (he's done worse though) as a guy dressed up as an Easter Bunny, no wait, a cowboy, no an eskimo, no a surfer, comedian, Fed Ex guy. Willis acts some strange guardian angel/moral guide that feels very out of place and his narration doesn't even have any life.

Finally, there's Elijah Wood in what has to be one of his worst performances. It's a shame since Wood at the time was a brilliant, gifted child actor. Here, he is forced to try and be funny, be dramatic and it doesn't come off in a way that is relatable to kids. It feels very detached and awkward. The blame isn't entirely Wood's fault but Reiner's direction as he doesn't give Wood anything to do. Wood is forced to observe every situation he's in and it looks like he's overwhelmed to the point that he doesn't know where to take his character. It should also be noted that Wood was 12-13 during filming and was definitely starting to grow out of his adolescent phase which can explain the sense of detachment in his performance.

When the film was released in the summer of 1994, the film was expected to do well with Reiner's box office and critical winning streak along with Elijah Wood's young fanbase. Instead, the film bombed in the box office while also receiving negative reviews. Making things worse was probably one of the most notorious film reviews ever written from the famed Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert. Ebert not only bashed the film but it was in this review, he would state probably one of the most infamous statements:

I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie. Hated it. Hated every simpering stupid vacant audience-insulting moment of it. Hated the sensibility that thought anyone would like it. Hated the implied insult to the audience by its belief that anyone would be entertained by it.

The review and its failure in the box office marked the beginning of the end for Reiner. Though he did recover briefly with The American President starring Michael Douglas and Annette Benning. His subsequent films, Ghosts of Mississippi, The Story of Us, Alex & Emma, and 2005's Rumor Has It... were all critical and commercial failures.

For anyone who enjoys family films should stay away from North. The film's message is pretty bad while it also features some coarse language that should a no-no for kids. Fans of Rob Reiner will no doubt hate this film and are convinced that this was the movie where he jumped the shark. So in the end, stay away from North. It's not entertaining, it's not very intelligent. It's a film that will make you angry like Roger Ebert himself. Oh, and the late Gene Siskel thought it sucked too.  He called it junk.  He and Ebert weren't being kind.  After all, North is a piece of shit film that will make anyone hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate this movie and the man who made this in Rob Reiner.

Rob Reiner Films: This is Spinal Tap - (The Sure Thing) - (Stand By Me) - The Princess Bride - (When Harry Met Sally) - (Misery) - (A Few Good Men) - (The American President) - (Ghosts of Mississippi) - (The Story of Us) - (Alex & Emma) - (Rumor Has It...) - (The Bucket List) - (Flipped) - (The Magic of Belle Isle)

© thevoid99 2012
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