Based on the biography Patton: Ordeal and Triumph by Ladislas Farago and the memoir A Soldier’s Story by Omar Bradley, Patton is the story of the World War II general and his exploits in the war along with his own unconventional methods in battle. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North, the film is an exploration into the life of General George S. Patton his time during World War II as he’s played by George C. Scott. Also starring Karl Malden, Michael Bates, and Karl Michael Volger. Patton is a riveting and rapturous film from Franklin J. Schaffner.
The film explores the life of George S. Patton during his campaign in North Africa in 1943 as well as his eventual battles in Sicily and other European campaigns till the end of World War II in Europe. It’s a film that plays into a man who isn’t afraid to speak his mind while being a general who plays his own rules with old-school methods inspired by moments of the past. Yet, his tactics and uncompromising views on the way things are either has him be praised by some while others are bewildered by his behavior as well as his old-school methods. In some ways, Patton is essentially a stubborn motherfucker yet he is someone that seems to be fine with that as he knows he’s a egotistical son-of-a-bitch that wants some glory in the battlefield. The difference between himself and those he’s fighting with is that he has the balls to admit it.
The film’s screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North play into these different period of battle in Patton’s time as he is a man that embodies the idea of what it is to be a soldier and a general as he isn’t afraid to get his boots dirty nor is afraid of being shot at. It’s the kind of man that seems to love war as he lives to fight where the Germans want to know how he’s able to beat them in North Africa during its first act. When German military leaders ask one of their insubordinates in Captain Steiger (Siegfried Rauch) to study about him, it is Steiger who is fascinated by him as he sees him as a man out of step with the times as he uses methods from past wars to win battles instead of going for modern-day tactics.
It’s tactics that often confuse the Germans as well as Americans and their British allies where Patton often contends with his leaders and other officers including his longtime friend General Omar Bradley (Karl Malden). At the same time, Patton is also his own worst enemy as his willingness to say things or do things often get him in trouble. Especially at the risk of his superiors who want him to stay put and not cause any trouble yet they need him because he’s someone that can get the job done. It’s a dichotomy that is very interesting as well as the fact that he is a man that is someone that plays into a sense of something that was lost in war which adds to Captain Steiger’s admiration towards him.
Franklin J. Schaffner’s direction is truly mesmerizing from the opening sequence where Patton does this amazing monologue behind the American flag about the ideas of war and what men should do when fighting a war. It’s not about dying for the man’s country but making the other person die for his country. It sets the tone for the rest of the film of who Patton is as much of the film is shot in Spain for the scenes set in North Africa and Sicily along with a few locations in England, Belgium, Greece, and Morocco to play into his battles and moments of notoriety. Schaffner definitely aims for a lot of broad wide and medium shots to play into a man who is definitely considered larger than life. The use of those wide shots add a lot to the film’s battle scenes as well as everything that Patton is doing in terms of strategy and the need to beat the Nazis in such a brutal way. While the violence isn’t quite graphic, its sense of impact in its aftermath as well as the sense of death is still evident such as the first sequence set in North Africa.
The direction also has moments that are very intimate where Schaffner knows where to place the camera such as a key scene where Patton learns he is expected to do nothing during the upcoming Normandy campaign as he talks to his longtime aide Sgt. Meeks (James Edwards) in the hallway about how he’s feeling. It’s presented in a very detached wide shot and then cuts to medium shot of the two with Sgt. Meeks in the foreground and Patton in the background as he is talking. It plays into that sense that Patton is a man who isn’t just detached from the current state of the world but also someone who might be too extreme for the 20th Century. Most notably in a scene where he visit a hospital tent to meet with the wounded while he sees a young soldier crying over fatigue as he slaps the shit out of the guy and threatens to kill for acting like a fucking pussy. It plays into the idea of what war is where it is about fighting to go home. If that person doesn’t want to fight and go home, what happens when there is no home to go to?
It is among these elements in a film that like this that plays into the idea of who Patton is. He is a flawed individual but Schaffner knows how to play into that as there’s scenes where Patton is giving speeches in places near France and in Britain where he does take a few pot-shots at certain individuals and countries. The presentation of these moments play into Patton’s own discomfort when he’s not in the battlefield as Schaffner uses some key close-ups to play into that sense of discomfort. Once Patton is in battle, he is absolutely in his element where Schaffner showcases someone who lives to fight through its many different approach to compositions as the direction feels loose and sprawling. Overall, Schaffner creates a very towering yet exhilarating film about one of the 20th Century’s most controversial yet uncompromising warriors.
Cinematographer Fred J. Koenekamp does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography that is very vibrant with its approach to colors for many of its daytime interior/exterior scenes as well as create some unique lighting schemes for the scenes at night including an impromptu battle at night between U.S. army tankers and a German battalion. Editor Hugh S. Fowler does brilliant work with the editing as it‘s very straightforward in terms of creating tension in the drama as well as using some offbeat rhythms for the comical scenes as well as the battle scenes that occur in the film. Art directors Urie McCleary and Gil Parrondo, with set decorators Antonio Mateos and Pierre-Louis Thevenet, do fantastic work with the set pieces from the look of the mansions where Patton stays in during his down time as well as the tents and bases where he deals with military matters.
The sound work of Douglas Williams and Don Bassman do excellent work with the sound to capture the way planes fly near the bases as well as the sounds of gunfire and cannons as it adds to the sense of chaos that is war. The film’s music by Jerry Goldsmith is superb for its very bombastic, brass-based score to play into a sense of triumph and pride as well as some low-key orchestral moments for some its dramatic moments.
The casting by Michael McLean is great as it features notable small roles from Tim Considine as the crying soldier that Patton slaps, Morgan Paull as Patton’s North African aide Captain Jenson, John Doucette as Major General Lucian Truscott, Edward Binns as General Walter Bedell Smith, and Richard Munch as the top German military leader Colonel General Alfred Jodl who tries to figure out everything that Patton is doing. James Edwards is terrific as Sgt. Meeks who often helps Patton with smaller duties out of the battlefield while Paul Stevens is superb as Colonel Charles R. Codman who is Patton’s new aide during the European campaigns as he would observe Patton’s methods. Karl Michael Vogler is fantastic as Field Marshal Erwin Rommel whom Patton admires for his tactics though Rommel is a Nazi. Siegfried Rauch is excellent as Captain Steiger who is asked by Rommel and Jodl to study Patton as he would become an admirer of his ideas and methods.
Michael Bates is brilliant as Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery as a man who is eager to win battles so he can be in history books as he has a hard time dealing with Patton’s own methods and one-upmanship during the war. Karl Malden is amazing as General Omar Bradley who starts off as an insubordinate of Patton as he tries to cope with Patton’s methods as he later becomes his superior where he tries to keep Patton in check so that Patton could fight. Finally, there’s George C. Scott in a performance for the ages in the titular role as he exudes that sense of grandeur and craziness into a man that feels like he is from another place in time as he uses old-school methods to win battles while becoming unhinged when he’s not fighting battles as he has to deal with diplomacy as it’s a performance filled with charm and ferocity as it is truly an iconic performance from Scott.
Patton is an outstanding film from Franklin J. Schaffner that features a truly towering and astounding performance from George C. Scott in the titular role. It’s a film that doesn’t just embody the idea of what it means to be in a war but also in how to lead an army into fighting for what is right. Especially as it showcases George S. Patton in a very complex way through all of his flaws and attributes while revealing that there will never be another warrior like him. In the end, Patton is a phenomenal film from Franklin J. Schaffner.
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly and written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Singin’ in the Rain is the story a silent-film actor who finds love as he adjust to the changing ways in the world of film as the era of sound emerges. The film is a musical that plays into a man coping with changing times as he also falls in love where he tries to express that sense of joy through song. Starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor, Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell, and Cyd Charisse. Singin’ in the Rain is a dazzling and glorious film from Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly.
Set in the late 1920s at a crucial time in cinema history, the film revolves around a silent film star who falls in love with an aspiring actress while coping with the new medium of sound as he tries to prove his worth by making a sound picture. It’s a film with a very simple story but one that plays into an actor trying to see if he really can act with sound while questioning himself upon meeting this young woman who isn’t impressed by his persona nor his work as an actor. For Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly), that sense of rejection only drives him to wanting to do better as he is willing to take the challenge in being taken more seriously as an actor. While he is aided by longtime friend and musical director Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor), there is still the problem in the fact that Lockwood’s longtime co-star in Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) is a vain and terrible actress with a very nasally-shrill voice which is a reminder into why she is a silent film actress.
The film’s screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green showcase that sense of determination that Lockwood has to be taken seriously as he had always wanted to make it and maintain his dignity. His encounter with Kathy Seldon (Debbie Reynolds) would be a major proponent for Lockwood to not only cope with who he is but also in what he wants. Realizing that Seldon has all of the qualities that Lamont lacks in terms of discipline, singing ability, acting range, and humility. Lockwood decides to give her work in his new feature where he hopes to gain some legitimacy but the result is a disaster until he, Seldon, and Brown come up with an idea that wouldn’t just give him some renewed confidence but also the chance to give him legitimacy and more.
Yet, there is still the presence of Lamont who isn’t as dumb as Lockwood nor studio bosses think as she becomes aware of what is going on but at great risk into exactly who she is. The Lamont character maybe a comical one but she’s also a great antagonist who would be responsible for getting Kathy to lose her job following a party she was at that Lockwood attended. It’s the party where Lockwood is introduced to the world of talkie-pictures as it plays into a world that is changing. Though Lockwood was reluctant into embracing this new sense of change, it does become a major proponent into displaying more of his talents with Seldon and Brown being key collaborators as their characters would have major development in the story.
The film’s direction by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly is definitely enthralling in terms of not just the musical and dance numbers that are created. It’s also in the world that is presented where it plays to a moment in time where the world is changing from silent films to the talkie-films but with the sense of glitz and glamour of Hollywood in its golden era. Much of the dramatic and comical sequences not involving music are quite straightforward in terms of its compositions where Donen and Kelly know where to place the camera as well as create moments that can drive the story. Most notably the party sequence where Seldon is a dancer at the party as she would get her first brush in angering Lamont in a very comical manner. There’s also the sequence where Lamont and Lockwood first try to act out their first scene in sound where it’s also comical but also shows the end result when they do a preview screening that is disastrous.
The non-musical scenes are balanced with these musical numbers as Donen and Kelly know how to film these sequences and capture every moment that occurs with a few dolly tracks, medium shots, wide shots, and array of engaging camera angles. The film’s dance choreography has elements of chaos such as a scene where Lockwood is getting diction lessons with Brown mocking the teacher. The dance numbers has a sense of flair but also beauty into the way they’re presented as the performances of Kelly, Reynolds, and O’Connor have this chemistry and liveliness to the way they dance. Plus, the camera knows when not to cut or move as it knows where to showcase these numbers while capturing something that is very emotive and expressive as if it has something to say. Not just story wise or in its performance but also something more as it plays into Lockwood’s desire to retain a sense of dignity no matter how hard life throw things at him. Overall, Donen and Kelly creates a truly sensational and riveting film about a man adjusting to change and find more of himself through change.
Cinematographer Harold Rosson does amazing work with the film‘s gorgeous Technicolor-based photography to capture the richness of some of the film‘s interiors including its soundstages as well as some of the lighting to play into the mood of the dance numbers. Editor Adrienne Fazan does brilliant work with the editing with its stylish approach to cutting that includes a musical montage scene as well as knowing when not to cut for the musical numbers as it help plays into the sense of joy in the dancing. Art directors Randall Duell and Cedric Gibbons, with set decorators Jacques Mapes, Edwin B. Willis, and Harry McAfee, do fantastic work with the set pieces from the house of the studio boss to the sets that are created for the film that Lockwood and Lamont are in. Costume designer Walter Plunkett does excellent work with the costumes from the lavish gowns and dresses that Lamont wears to the stylish suits and casual 20s clothing of Lockwood as the clothes definitely add some touches to the characters and who they are.
Hairstyle designer Sydney Guilaroff does nice work with the some of their hairdos that the characters would wear for the film within-a-film that Lockwood and Lamont are starring in. The special effects work of Warren Newcombe, Irving G. Ries, and visual effects photographer Mark Davis is terrific for some of the musical numbers that includes a fantasy sequence of sorts as it adds to the sense of joy in the film. The sound work of Norwood A. Fenton and sound editor Van Allen James is superb for some of the sound effects that is created such as the scene where Lamont and Lockwood first act out their first encounter with sound as well as the moments in the disastrous screening. The film’s music by Nacio Herb Brown, with songs by Brown and producer Arthur Freed, is an absolute delight as the songs definitely add a lot the story such as its title track plus songs like Make ’Em Laugh, Broadway Rhythm, and Should I? as the score itself is exuberant and joyful as it is one of the finest pieces of music made for film.
The film’s marvelous cast includes notable appearances from Rita Moreno as a friend of Lamont, Douglas Fowley as the frustrated film director Roscoe Dexter, Madge Blake as a radio host in the film’s opening premiere sequence, Kathleen Freeman as Lamont’s diction coach, Bobby Watson as Lockwood’s diction coach, and Cyd Charisse as the fantasy woman that Lockwood dances with in the film’s fantasy sequence. Millard Mitchell is excellent as Monumental Studio head R.F. Simpson as a studio man who is aware of the changing times as he tries to keep up with the new world of sound as well as do whatever to save Lamont and Lockwood’s new film from being a further disaster. Jean Hagen is amazing as Lina Lamont as this shallow and idiotic diva who is this absolute walking joke due to her nasally voice while being a total bitch as Hagen just makes her an absolute delight to hate.
Donald O’Connor is fantastic as Cosmo Brown as he has some scene-stealing moments such as the Make ‘Em Laugh number while being the guy that can keep Lockwood intact as it’s a performance that is fun as well as full of humor. Debbie Reynolds is brilliant as Kathy Seldon as a no-nonsense woman that is trying to make it as a serious actress as she despises Lockwood initially only to realize how helpful he can be while becoming a key collaborator and object of affection as Reynolds is a joy to watch in her singing and dancing. Finally, there’s Gene Kelly in an incredible performance as Don Lockwood as a swashbuckling silent-film star who is coping with changing times and personal issues as Kelly brings a humility and sensitivity to his role but also a charm into his dance numbers as he radiates chemistry with his fellow actors as it’s truly one of his greatest performances of his career.
Singin’ in the Rain is an outstanding film from Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly. Armed with great performances from Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor, and Jean Hagen as well as some of the most spectacular song-and-dance numbers. It is truly one of the quintessential musicals of the genre as well as being so much more than what the genre often offers. In the end, Singin’ in the Rain is a magnificent film from Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly.
© thevoid99 2015
Based on the novel by Reidar Jonsson, Mitt liv som hund (My Life as a Dog) is the story of a young boy who is sent to live with his relatives in a small town in Sweden due to his mother’s terminal illness which he doesn’t know much about. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom and screenplay by Hallstrom, Jonsson, Brasse Brannstrom, and Per Berglund, the film is a coming-of-age story of a 12-year old boy who deals with his new surroundings and the changes in his life. Starring Anton Glanzelius, Melinda Kinnaman, and Tomas von Bromssen. Mitt liv som hund is a evocative and very touching film from Lasse Hallstrom.
Set in late 1950s Sweden, the film revolves around a young boy who is sent away to live with his relatives during the summer while his mother is coping with a very serious illness. There, the boy copes with not just changes in his life but also in how complicated the world is as the character of Ingemar (Anton Glanzelius) is a representation of innocence. While he’s a character that is quite wild and rambunctious, he is someone that is still a child at heart as he is unable to comprehend exactly what is wrong with his mother when he is sent to live with his relatives in a small town while his older brother Erik (Manne Serner) is sent to live with their grandmother. For Ingemar, he ventures into a world that is much simpler while trying to understand the way things are as it relates to the dog Laika who was sent to space inside the Sputnik satellite and other things while pondering about his own dog who was sent to a kennel during his time away from home.
The film’s script is definitely told from Ingemar’s perspective where he would occasionally narrate the film as it plays into his curiosity about the ways of the world including an increasing interest towards sexuality. At the same time, Ingemar deals with other strange things such as a tomboy named Saga (Melinda Kinnaman) who is coping with becoming a woman. The time where Ingemar spends the summer with his uncle Gunnar (Tomas von Bromssen) and aunt Ulla (Kicki Rundgren) would be fulfilling as it takes much of the film’s second act to play into Ingemar’s broadening view of the world. When he returns to the city in its third act, Ingemar would cope with not just the realities of the world but also in the fact that the world is quite complicated no matter how bad things are as it plays into Ingemar’s coming of age.
Lasse Hallstrom’s direction is very intimate for the way it plays into the life of a young boy in the late 1950s as he doesn’t go for anything that is overtly stylistic in favor of creating something that is simple. Notably in his compositions while using scenes of nighttime skies as mini-interludes where Ingemar narrates about what he’s thinking as it relates to his growing awareness of the world in general. Hallstrom’s usage of close-ups and medium shots play into that intimacy as he also creates moments that can be funny such as Ingemar trying to get a look at the naked body of a co-worker of his uncle. At the same time, there’s some sad moments as it relates to the events in the third act where Hallstrom’s approach to composition becomes far more intriguing where the sense of realism starts to loom but with something that isn’t afraid to be sentimental in everything Ingemar is coping with. Overall, Hallstrom creates a very powerful and intoxicating film about a boy coming of age during a summer with his relatives.
Cinematographer Jorgen Persson does amazing work with the film‘s gorgeous cinematography with its approach to vibrant and natural colors for the daytime scenes in the summer in the small town as well as low-key lights and natural interior lighting schemes for some of the scenes including the glass factory. Editors Christer Furubrand and Susanne Linnman do excellent work with the editing as it‘s very straightforward in terms of timing some of the film‘s humor and its dramatic moments. Production designer Lasse Westfelt, with set decorators Tove Hellbom and Pontus Lindblad, does fantastic work with the look of the small summer house that Gunnar is trying to create as well as the house he and Ulla live in plus the flying saucer that the small town kids are making.
Costume designers Susanne Falck and Inger Pehrsson do terrific work with the costumes from the look of the clothes to match with the film‘s naturalistic yet simple look. The sound work of Eddie Axberg and Goran Carmback is superb for the sparse approach to natural sound for many of the scenes in the glass factory and other nearby locations. The film’s music by Bjorn Isfalt is brilliant for its very somber yet lush orchestral score as the soundtrack features some of the pop music of the time from both Sweden and America.
The film’s incredible cast includes some notable small roles from Lennart Hjulstrom as the small-town sculptor, Jan-Philip Hollstrom as a green-haired boy named Manne, Arnold Alfredson as Manne’s grandfather, Leif Ericson as Erik and Ingemar’s uncle Sandberg who would briefly take them in, Christina Carlwind as Sandberg’s wife who is bewildered by Ingemar’s behavior, Vivi Johannson as an old woman that lives with Gunnar and Ulla, and Dirdik Gustavsson as the old woman’s husband who asks Ingemar to read him lingerie catalogs for him in complete secrecy. Other noteworthy small roles include Manne Serner as Ingemar’s older brother Erik who would often get Ingemar into trouble while Ing-Marie Carlsson is wonderful as Berit who is this beautiful glass factory worker that Ingemar has a liking to as he wants to see her naked.
Kicki Rundgren is superb as aunt Ulla who is often annoyed with a pop song that Gunnar likes as she also copes with the living situation that Ingemar has to be in. Anki Linden is excellent as Ingemark and Erik’s mother who copes with the craziness in the house as it affects her already ailing illness. Melinda Kinnaman is amazing as the tomboy Saga as a girl who likes to play soccer and boxing as she copes with the changes in her own life and physicality. Tomas von Bromssen is brilliant as uncle Gunnar as a man who is like a child himself as he cares for Ingemar while helping him cope with the realities of the world in the film’s third act. Finally, there’s Anton Glanzelius in a remarkable performance as Ingemar as he captures a lot of the exuberance and innocence of a young child who is coping with the changes in his life where there’s a sense of energy and later heartbreak that he conveys as it relates to what he’s facing.
Mitt liv som hund is a phenomenal film from Lasse Hallstrom. It’s a film that manages to more than just a simple coming of age film as it’s also a very touching story about a boy coping with changes in his life. Especially as it’s told through a sense of innocence that is rarely conveyed in films. In the end, Mitt liv som hund is an absolutely tremendous film from Lasse Hallstrom.
Lasse Hallstrom Films: (A Guy and a Gal) - (ABBA: The Movie) - (Father to Be) - (Tuppen) - (Happy We) - (The Children of Noisy Village) - (More About the Children of Noisy Village) - (Once Around) - (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape) - (Something to Talk About) - (The Cider House Rules) - (Chocolat) - (The Shipping News) - (An Unfinished Life) - (Casanova (2005 film)) - (The Hoax (2007 film)) - (Hachi: A Dog’s Tale) - (Dear John) - (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen) - (The Hypnotist (2012 film)) - (Safe Haven) - (The Hundred-Foot Journey)
© thevoid99 2015
Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/7/08 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions
Directed by Greg Mottola and written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Superbad tells the story of two high school boys whose days of high school is about to finish. Deciding to go out in style where they were invited to a party, one of their friends is asked to supply alcohol where after a robbery gone bad, the boy gets the attention of two inept cops who use him to relive their youth. With Judd Apatow as a producer, the film is a raunchier film than Apatow's other material as his cohorts Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg recount the days of their youth. Starring Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Emma Stone, Martha MacIsaac, Bill Hader, and Seth Rogen. Superbad is a hilarious and boisterous comedy from Greg Mottola.
It's near the end of the school year as Evan (Michael Cera) and Seth (Jonah Hill) are hoping to score some chicks and such as they're both set to separate with Evan going to Dartmouth in the fall. Joining Evan to Dartmouth is their friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) who also hopes to join in a graduation party. When Seth hears that Jules (Emma Stone) is having a party, she asks if he can supply the beer. Seth is excited as he hopes to use the beer to score with Jules while Evan decides to go as after he managed to convince a girl he likes named Becca (Martha MacIsaac) if she wants to go. She says yes and asks him if he could bring a special vodka. Though Evan and Seth don’t have a Fake ID, Fogell manages to score one under the alias, McLovin'.
McLovin' tries to score some beer with a Fake ID only to be assaulted by a robber. With Evan and Seth looking on outside, they're convinced that Fogell is in trouble with the cops as Seth gets hit by a car as the driver named Francis (Joe Lo Truglio) tries to apologize by taking them to a party. Fogell meanwhile, is interrogated by two cops named Slater (Bill Hader) and Michaels (Seth Rogen) as they take McLovin' to some wild shenanigans where he becomes accepted. Seth and Evan meanwhile, arrive at Francis' party where he gets beat up by its host Mark (Kevin Corrigan) while things get crazy when Evan is forced to sing to some drunken guys while Seth has an encounter with Mark’s girlfriend (Carla Gallo) that gets him in trouble. Seth and Evan leave with two detergent containers worth of booze yet the tension between the two boys start to rise over Evan's departure to Dartmouth.
After Fogell's night out with Slater and Michaels, things get tense when an encounter with Seth and Evan lead to some trouble as the three boys finally managed to escape the cops with Fogell carrying the booze he managed to score at the liquor store hours earlier. After arriving to Jules' party, everything becomes great only until Evan and Seth realize their own flaws while McLovin' lives up to his name with some surprising help.
While the film is based on the teenage lives of both its writers and executive producers Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, it does have something relevant to men, teens and adults, who remember their high school lives. The film's plot is simple, two boys wanting to party, get laid, get drunk, and have a whole lot of fun. Yet, there's more to this story as Goldberg and Rogen focus on the film's core story about these two young men and their long-standing friendship that is about to end. That plot device also leads to a conflict between the two boys as the more abrasive Seth is angry at the very sensitive Evan over this departure and as the film develops, secrets are unveiled and they're not really the same people in the beginning of the film.
One subplot that balances the film's study of teenage friendship is the story that involves Fogell and the two cops he hang around, who are trying to relive their own youths after feeling disappointed by in the world of adulthood. Goldberg and Rogen are definitely smart enough to create stories that men can relate to while for women, it gives them an ideas of what guys are and even though it's from the perspective of guys, not men. Women might relate to their own youths of young woman who probably also want to get drunk and party as well. The humor overall is very raunchy, far more raunchier than the films that Judd Apatow directed due to its coarse dialogue that is definitely shocking to some audiences. Yet, teenagers do talk like that, they think about sex, they watch sex, that's what being a teenager is.
Director Greg Mottola understands that as well as his direction is solid throughout. From its opening credits that is in the style of 1970s cinema, the film has a 70s feel of sorts with its funk-drenched music, ode to porno films, and hilarious situations. Yet, there's also a modern feel that plays to the film's humor. A lot of it has a spontaneous feel with the action being a bit unexpected and such. Still, Mottola lets the actors act in a relaxed approach as he gives them a moment from the comedy yet still manage to let them be funny. Even through wild antics as the film definitely brings laugh after laugh after laugh. Overall, Mottola's direction is superb.
Cinematographer Russ T. Alsobrook does some fine work with the film's look, notably the exterior nighttime sequences that are awash with sepia-color tones and yellow lights along with the film's interior scenes for the parties. Editor William Kerr does some nice work for the film's editing as it manages to have a nice, leisurely pace to help with the film's humor along with some great transitional cuts. Production designer Chris L. Spellman & art director Gerald Sullivan do excellent work on the look of the parties including the home of Mark in all of its debauchery while costume designer Debra McGuire does fine work in the look of the clothes that looks very contemporary. Sound editor George H. Anderson is also good with the film’s sound, notably the use of sirens, car squeals, and such to convey the action. The drawings of Seth's penis doodles are wonderfully drawn by Evan Goldberg's brother David.
The score of Lyle Workman is excellent with its homage to 70s funk that is very bouncy courtesy of legendary Parliament-Funkadelic members Bootsy Collins and Bernie Worrell in their respective playing of the bass and keyboards. The rest of the soundtrack is filled with loads of 70s funk and soul music that includes KC & the Sunshine Band, the Four Tops, The Bar-Kays, Guess Who, Rick James, and other assorted cuts from Ted Nugent & the Amboy Dukes, Nugent by himself, the Rapture, Motorhead, and Van Halen. It's a killer soundtrack that is fun to listen to.
The cast is overall brilliant feature appearances from David Krumholtz and Martin Starr as party guys, Erica Vittina Phillips as the liquor store cashier, Carla Gallo as Mark's girlfriend, and Seth Rogen's father Mark as a man chasing Seth and Evan with a bat. Brooke Dillman is funny as the home economics teacher while Clement Blake is great as a drunken wino, Matthew Bass as a star of a porno Seth, Evan, and Fogell watch with cameos from porno actresses Aurora Snow and Jenna Haze. Roger Iwami as Evan's classmate Miroki, Laura Seay as Jules' friend Shirley, Marcella Lentz-Pope as Becca's friend Gabby, Joe Nunez as a liquor store clerk, and Aviva Farber as Fogell's crush Nicola.
Joe Lo Truglio of The State fame is funny as the creepy Francis, a driver who hits Seth while trying to get them to a party while Kevin Corrigan plays Francis' former friend Mark with a lot of attitude as a dude who doesn't like to be messed with. Stacy Edwards, known to indie fans as the deaf woman in In the Company of Men, is funny as Evan's mother whom Seth seems to have a crush on her because of her cleavage. Emma Stone is amazing as Jules, the girl Seth has a crush on her as she reveals that though she likes to party, she isn't really a wild person. Martha MacIsaac meanwhile, is also good as Becca, the girl Evan likes as she hopes to win him over but in a way that forces Evan to rethink things. Bill Hader and Seth Rogen are hilarious as the two cops Slater and Michaels as two inept men who are trying to relive their youth and wild ways through Fogell.
Jonah Hill is very funny as the boisterous, profane Seth as his performance is really the funniest of the film with the excessive use of the word "fuck" while often saying obscene things about sex and body parts. Hill's performance is definitely a highlight as he is the wildest character of the entire film. Michael Cera is great as the more sensitive Evan, the young man who wants to do things right while trying to come to terms about the end of his friendship with Seth. Cera's performance is the perfect counterpoint to Hill's more abrasive performance as the two have great chemistry that it's in the tradition of most comedy duos. The film's best performance and scene-stealer is newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fogell aka McLovin'. Mintz-Plasse's performance is truly phenomenal as this nerdy, skinny kid who tries to act like the coolest kid in the world yet unwittingly gets himself into a strange situation. Often the foil for Seth's jokes, he ends up becoming the coolest character of the film as he tries to act like a total gangsta while managing to be one of the greatest guys ever on film.
Superbad is a remarkable film from Greg Mottola. Armed with a great that includes Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Emma Stone, Bill Hader, and Seth Rogen. It's a film that manages to explore the exuberance and uncertainty of youth while telling it in such a raunchy and uncompromising way. In the end, Superbad is a fun and exciting film from Greg Mottola.
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Julian Schnabel, Berlin: Live at St. Ann’s Warehouse is a concert film held during five nights in 2006 where Lou Reed performs his 1973 album in its entirety. The film features Reed performing his album in its entirety for the very first time as it is considered one of his finest work despite its harsh reception upon the album’s initial release. Joined by a live band that includes the album’s producer Bob Ezrin conducting an orchestra as well as Antony Hegarty and Sharon Jones singing backing vocals and an appearance by Emmanuelle Seigner in film clips shot by Lola Schnabel. The result is a wondrous and enchanting film from Julian Schnabel.
In 1973, Lou Reed released his third solo album Berlin which was considered a daring release for the artist for the man who was a founding member of the seminal 1960s underground art-rock band the Velvet Underground. Yet, the album was not well received critically upon its initial release as it also did poorly on a commercial level where audiences were expecting another Transformers that Reed did previously that spawned the hit Walk on the Wild Side. Over the years, the album would gain a reputation as one of Reed’s finest works as the concert film has him playing the album in its entirety for the very first time in a series of five concerts held in December of 2006 at Brooklyn’s St. Ann’s Warehouse. Augmented by longtime band members in drummer Tony “Thunder” Smith and bassist Fernando Saunders, Reed is also joined by guitarist Steve Hunter who played on the original album while that album’s producer Bob Ezrin serves as a conductor.
The film opens with an introduction by Julian Schnabel about how much the film means to him as he would introduce the show as it would feature these exotic super-8mm films in the background of stage where Emmanuelle Seigner plays the character of Caroline. Also performing with Reed and his band are keyboardist/pianist Rupert Christie, the Brooklyn Children’s Choir, a string quartet, a small brass section, and special backing vocals from Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons and Sharon King of Sharon King and the Dap-Kings. Schnabel and cinematographer Ellen Kuras would go for something that is intimate while getting very few perspective shots from the audience in favor of capturing the performance and what the album could unveil from a visual perspective through Lola Schnabel’s 8mm film footage.
With its use of close-ups and medium shots as well as a few wide shots, Schnabel maintains that intimacy into the performance where it’s not about anything that is wild or comical. Instead, Reed keeps things forward while it is clear that he’s glancing at his lyrics for some of the songs which isn’t a bad thing. At the same time, he lets some of the other musicians to shine in the performances as Schnabel uses a lot of close-ups for those moments along with stylish editing by Benjamin Flaherty who would do amazing work in using super-imposed dissolves for the 8mm footage in some of the songs that are performed. With the help of sound mixer John Harris and re-recording mixer Tony Valonte, Schnabel makes sure that things do sound great in terms of how powerful the songs are as the encore includes a duet between Reed and Hegarty for the Velvet Underground song Candy Says plus a couple of others in the encore such as Rock Minuet and another Velvet Underground song in Sweet Jane to close the show.
Berlin: Live at St. Ann’s Warehouse is an exquisitely rich and compelling concert film from Julian Schnabel that features a mesmerizing performance from the late Lou Reed. Fans of Reed will no doubt want to see this as well as get the chance to hear Berlin be performed in its entirety as it’s presented by a fan/friend who manages to make it more than just a concert film. In the end, Berlin: Live at St. Ann’s Warehouse is a remarkable film from Julian Schnabel.
Julian Schnabel Films: Basquiat - Before Night Falls - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Miral - At Eternity's Gate - The Auteur #43: Julian Schnabel
© thevoid99 2015
Written, edited, co-shot, and directed by Ondi Timoner, DiG! is a documentary about the diverging path of two bands in the Dandy Warhols and the Brian Jonestown Massacre as they start off as comrades only to become rivals in the mid-to-late 1990s. The film is an exploration of two bands who have a love-hate relationship as it showcases the fate of the two bands including their respective vocalists in Courtney Taylor-Taylor of the Dandy Warhols and Anton Newcombe of the Brian Jonestown Massacre. The result is one of the finest and most chaotic films about the world of underground music and two bands’ desire to succeed on their own terms.
The film is a documentary that plays into the rise of two very different bands who start off as comrades only to become rivals in the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dandy Warhols. From 1995 to 2003, the film explores these two bands in their quest to rid of bad music as they both came out of a neo-psychedelic revival as its led by their leaders in Massacre vocalist/guitarist Anton Newcombe and Dandys’ vocalist/guitarist Courtney Taylor-Taylor. While both band had different ideas to their respective sounds, Newcombe and Taylor-Taylor were eager to do something yet the end results have the Dandy Warhols be very successful in Europe as well as remain critical darlings during that time as well as gain modest success in America. For the Brian Jonestown Massacre, the band would endure many problems despite being praised by critics as it relates to Newcombe and his erratic behavior as well as bad luck.
The film is also a unique view into the world of the music industry in the late 1990s before the age of the Internet would bring it down to its knees. Just as both bands were getting some attention, the Dandy Warhols would get a major label deal with Capitol Records which was a major boost but Taylor-Taylor would endure many of the downsides of being in a major label. Especially in his reaction towards the video for the band’s hit single Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth by David LaChapelle whom Taylor-Taylor called a diva. The success of that video would inspire the Brian Jonestown Massacre to make an underground hit single called Not If You Were the Last Dandy on Earth in response that would lead to the dissolution of Newcombe’s friendship with Taylor-Taylor.
Director/editor/co-cinematographer Ondi Timoner captures a lot of what these bands would endure where the Dandy Warhols would find some major success in Europe to the point that the band would gain complete independence from the record industry to succeed on their own. Yet, Taylor-Taylor is seen as someone who is happy that he’s success but is also humbled as it relates to the fact that a band like the Brian Jonestown Massacre hasn’t endured that kind of success as he knows how great they are. It’s not just Taylor-Taylor and Newcombe that are interesting personalities as other members of the BJM in bassist/vocalist Matt Hollywood and percussionist Joel Gion are among some of the finest people presented on film.
With the help of co-cinematographers Vasco Nunes and David Timoner, Ondi Timoner captures moments that showcase how the Dandy Warhols were able to succeed and get their heads straight despite a few issues while the Brian Jonestown Massacre would sometime blow their opportunities. Most notably a show where record company executives were to sign them as the show becomes a disaster due to Newcombe’s desire for perfection and his often very demanding personality as the band fights onstage. Another moment that showcases the two diverging fortune of the two bands involve both the Warhols and the BJM being stopped by police officers. The latter of which was in Homer, Georgia where BJM got stopped for marijuana possession. For the Dandys, they would also be stopped for the same thing in France but managed to be let go by giving the cops a few t-shirts.
Through Timoner’s editing and the work of sound mixer Noa Winter Lazarus, the film showcases a lot that can go right as well as what can go wrong. Especially where BJM would sign a brief and ill-fated deal with TVT Records that would add to their already turbulent journey in their search for success. Several members would come and go to the point that some of them would form successful careers of their own like Miranda Lee Richards and guitarist Peter Hayes who would form the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. For Newcombe, his road to find happiness would be an uneasy one as he does remain the film’s most interesting personality.
DiG! is a wild and captivating film from Ondi Timoner. It’s a film that plays into the path of two bands who start off with the desire to rule the world only to diverge into paths of success and failures. For fans of both bands, it’s an essential film to watch while those new to these acts would find it interesting no matter how dysfunctional it is. In the end, DiG! is a remarkable film from Ondi Timoner.
© thevoid99 2015
Based on the play Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare, Titus is the story of a general who tries to seek vengeance against a queen as it would play into his own downfall. Written for the screen and directed by Julie Taymor, the film is a radicalized interpretation of the Shakespeare play where the Roman Empire is set in the mid-20th Century in a world that is very anachronistic and chaotic as it plays to this general’s downfall as the titular character is played by Anthony Hopkins. Also starring Jessica Lange, Harry Lennix, Alan Cumming, Laura Fraser, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Colm Feore, James Frain, Matthew Rhys, Angus MacFayden, and Geraldine McEwan. Titus is a sprawling and rapturous film from Julie Taymor.
Set in a world that mixes Fascist-era Italy and Ancient Rome into an anachronistic world, the film revolves the downfall of a general in the hands of a queen whose life he had destroyed as she would seek vengeance for the death of her son in the most graphic way. There, Titus Andronicus copes with the decisions he has made in his life as well as the decision of who would be Rome’s new emperor as it would come back to haunt him as he faces dishonor and ruin in himself and his own family. Much of it involving a plot by the Queen of the Goths in Tamora (Jessica Lange) who sways the mind of Rome’s new emperor Saturninus (Alan Cumming) while conspiring with her moor lover Aaron (Harry Lenix).
Julie Taymor’s script does explore the world of vengeance in all of its fallacies where Titus would descend to madness not only by his own hands but also in the way his own family would be affected. Much of it is observed by his young grandson in young Lucius (Osheen Jones) who is mostly silent for much of the film. The script also involves commentary by Aaron who would break the fourth wall to unveil many of his plans to destroy Andronicus and his family. Even as Aaron becomes an integral part into playing both sides for his own gain until he would become vulnerable in his attempt to play into observing Titus’ own fragile state of mind.
Taymor’s direction is definitely grand in not just the way he tells the story but in how she would fuse to different periods of Roman history into a story where it could’ve been told in any time frame. Shooting on location in various areas in Rome and nearby as well as a few of its ancient monuments. Taymor definitely aims for something that mixes decadence and surrealism in her approach to telling the story as she goes for all sorts of dazzling visuals in her compositions. Even as she isn’t afraid to put in things like video game arcades or pool floats into the film as it is obvious they weren’t around during Fascist-era Italy. Using a lot of wide and medium shots as well as some low camera angles, Taymor goes for a film that plays into a man coping with a world that is changing as the decisions he made for this next era of Rome would have some serious repercussions.
Taymor also infuses a lot of these lavish moments about the way some of the parties emerge as well as some of the film’s violence. The latter of which involves rape and other graphic moments where it is told in a very stylistic manner. Even as the impact of what Titus would see are shown in some very eerie close-ups as while Taymor would use wide shots and some unique framing devices to play into his own confusion and the need to comprehend about what had happened. All of which would lead to some definite extremes into Titus’ own plot for vengeance as it played into its fallacies as well as the cost of what one man did for vengeance as well as Tamora’s own quest as it led to tragedy. Overall, Taymor creates a very extravagant yet harrowing film about the fallacy of revenge.
Cinematographer Luciano Tovoli does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful and lavish cinematography with its use of stylish lights and shades for some of its nighttime interior/exterior scenes along with vibrant colors for the daytime scenes. Editor Francoise Bonnot does amazing work with the editing as it is very stylized with its jump-cuts and dissolves to play into some the craziness that goes on in the film as well as in some of the drama. Production designer Dante Ferretti, with set decorator Carlo Gervasi and supervising art director Pier Luigi Basile, does fantastic work with some of the film‘s set pieces from the palace where Saturninus lives in with Tamora to the home of Andronicus. Costume designer Milena Canonero does excellent work with the costumes as they’re lavish from the gowns that Tamora wears as well as the design of the uniforms and clothes that the men wear.
Special makeup effects artist Tony Gardner does superb work with the makeup for some of the characters in their look as well as some of things they wear to play into Andronicus‘ troubled mind. Visual effects supervisor Kent Houston does terrific work with the visual effects with its emphasis on surrealism for the dream sequences as well as some of the key elements that drive the story. Sound designer Blake Leyh does nice work with the sound to play into some of the sound effects as well as the sense of terror that occurs in the film in terms of its plotting and in Titus‘ mad state of mind. The film’s music by Elliot Goldenthal is wonderful for its orchestral-based score that features elements of bombast to play into the drama as well as some comical moments as the score features elements of electronic music and rock with contributions by Page Hamilton of the alternative-metal band Helmet.
The casting by Irene Lamb and Ellen Lewis is incredible as it features some notable small performances from Raz Degan as Tamora’s eldest son Alarbus, Geraldine McEwan as a nurse who would bring Aaron his son, and as the trio of Titus’ youngest sons, there’s Kenny Doughty, Blake Ritson, and Colin Wells as the men who become victimized in Aaron and Tamora’s plot. Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Matthew Rhys are superb as Tamora’s son in Chiron and Demetrius, respectively, who create chaos and cause trouble while James Frain is terrific as Saturninus’ brother Bassianus who is love with Lavinia as he tries to bring peace only to be a source of ire for Saturninus. Osheen Jones is wonderful as the young Lucius who is the film’s observer while Angus MacFayden is excellent as Titus’ eldest son Lucius who tries to see reason for everything while coping with the chaos that is emerging. Colm Feore is fantastic as Titus’ brother Marcus who is sort of the film’s conscious as he copes with the decisions his brother has made as well as the sense of chaos that has loomed over his entire family.
Laura Fraser is amazing as Titus’ daughter Lavinia who becomes victimized by Chiron and Demetrius in the worst way where she spends much of the film in silence to display the loss of innocence that she once represented. Harry Lennix is great as Tamora’s lover Aaron who would be the architect of the conspiracy as he often breaks the fourth wall to create elements of chaos. Alan Cumming is brilliant as Saturninus as the new emperor who is this man that represents a form of chaos as he becomes drunk with power. Jessica Lange is remarkable as Tamora as Lange brings a lot of theatricality and ferocity to her performance as a woman who felt wronged as she plots the ultimate revenge. Finally, there’s Anthony Hopkins in a tremendous performance as the titular character as a general whose decisions that he makes would come back to haunt him as he descends into madness where Hopkins brings a lot of energy to his role as well as not afraid to ham it up.
Titus is a phenomenal film from Julie Taymor. Armed with a great cast as well as dazzling visuals and sprawling set pieces. It’s a film that plays into the fallacy of revenge as it’s told with such style that pays true to the works of William Shakespeare. In the end, Titus is a spectacular film from Julie Taymor.
Julie Taymor Films: Frida - Across the Universe - The Tempest - The Auteurs #42: Julie Taymor
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Amma Asante and written by Asante and Misan Sagay, Belle is the story of an illegitimate mixed-race girl who is sent by her father to live with her rich relatives as she copes with her identity and what her uncle does while falling for an aspiring lawyer. Inspired by a 1779 painting, the film is a fictionalized story about Dido Elizabeth Belle and the events that she took part in that led to the abolishment of slavery in Britain as she is played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Also starring Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson, Sarah Gadon, Penelope Wilton, Miranda Richardson, Tom Felton, Matthew Goode, Sam Reid, and James Norton. Belle is an exquisitely rich and ravishing film from Amma Asante.
The film is a fictionalized story about Dido Elizabeth Belle as she is a young woman who is half-black and half-white as her white father asks his relatives to care for her where she would contend with her identity as well as what to do with herself as she falls for an aspiring lawyer. It’s a film that plays into this young woman who has all of the means to advance in upper-class society yet is often confused due to her skin color as well as what her uncle is doing as it relates to a famous trial relating to an incident known as the Zong Massacre. Yet, it’s more about this woman who is trying to understand who she is as she deals with prejudice for who she is as well as cope with what is happening in this trial that is happening.
The film’s screenplay does take a few dramatic liberties as it relates to the trial of Gregson vs. Gilbert yet it is more about Dido’s relationship with her uncle William Murray 1st Earl of Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) who would take the young Dido in as he cares for her as well as her status. A status in which Dido would inherit money from her late father (Matthew Goode) as well as be given a much larger inheritance from her uncle and aunts. It’s a status that would help Dido as she would get the attention of many suitors but it would create some problems in her relationship with her cousin Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) who is in need to marry someone who has money or else she would be destitute despite Dido wanting to share her inheritance with her. While there’s a chance for Elizabeth to be married into a rich family when Dido gets engaged to Oliver Ashford (James Norton), Dido still has to contend with Oliver’s bigoted older brother James (Tom Felton) and their scheming mother Lady Ashford (Miranda Richardson).
It is when Dido meets John Davinier (Sam Reid) where she begins to ask questions about not just herself but also what is happening around her as it becomes a key plot-point for the film. Especially as Davinier is a young man who doesn’t come from a rich family as he aspires to change the world through law as he rouses Dido’s view of the world as she thinks about herself and where would she be if her father hadn’t took her out of the slums and into a life of great wealth and love. Yet, Davinier would prove to be a man who doesn’t just see Dido as more than just a woman with mixed-skin but as a woman where the two fall in love though he’s not the kind of person that her uncle wants her to be with because of her rich status as she also has to think about her own family. Still, Murray’s encounter with Davinier and Dido’s own awareness of who she is would come into play into not just the decision of this court case but in also how he sees Dido as more than just family.
Amma Asante’s direction is truly exquisite as it plays into a drama where a young woman deals with her upbringing as well as the role she is destined to play along with her identity. Most notably in the way she creates a period drama that manages to be so much more as well as play into how things were back in the late 18th Century where it is set during a crucial period in British history when slavery was still prevalent. Asante would maintain something that feels quite contemporary while still giving the film a feel that is set in 18th Century as she would bring in some unique wide and medium shots into the film but also some unique close-ups into the film as it relates to Dido’s relationship with Davinier. There’s also a few hand-held camera shots and some tracking shots to play into some of the drama while Asante’s compositions are very entrancing to the way it plays into a world that is changing as well as being sort of disconnected from what is really happening.
The direction is also very intriguing for the way it explores the Zong Massacre and the Gregson vs. Gilbert which plays into Davinier trying to reveal exactly what is at stake. While Murray is a man that has the power to create change, he’s reluctant as he has a lot on his plate about how it would effect Britain but also his own status and his own family. Asante maintains that sense of tension that is in Murray as he also copes with the future of his own nieces as his wife Lady Elizabeth (Emily Watson) and his sister Lady Mary (Penelope Wilton) are trying to ensure that Dido and Elizabeth will marry to good families. The film does climax with not just the trial itself but also the reveal of the famous painting that features both Dido and Elizabeth as it relates to exactly how Murray sees Dido. Overall, Asante creates a very captivating and evocative film about a young woman dealing with her identity as well as knowing what she wants in her life as well as how she sees the world.
Cinematographer Ben Smithard does brilliant work with the film‘s very lush and colorful cinematography for the look of the gardens and exterior in the daytime scenes to the usage of candlelight and other lights to play into some of its nighttime interior and exterior scenes. Editors Pia Di Ciaula and Victoria Boydell do amazing work with the editing as it‘s quite straightforward while also having bits of style in a few montages and some dazzling rhythmic cuts. Production designer Sarah Bowles, with set decorator Tina Jones and supervising art director Ben Smith, does phenomenal work with the set pieces from the homes the characters live in as well as the courthouse and the look of the slums where Dido‘s father found her in the film‘s opening sequence. Costume designer Anushia Nieradzik does fantastic work with the design of the dresses from the way it plays to the personality of the women as well as the clothes that the men wear.
Hair/makeup designer Marese Langan does excellent work with the design of the wigs some of the men wore as well as the hairstyle of the men and women. Visual effects supervisor Henry Badgett and Angela Barson do terrific work with the minimal visual effects scenes that is really more set dressing in a few key scenes. Sound editor Lee Herrick and sound designer Robert Ireland do superb work with the sound from the way shoes sound on floors to some of the scenes at the parties that occur in the film. The film’s music by Rachel Portman is wonderful as it is largely a lush orchestral score that adds to the sense of drama while music supervisor Maggie Rodford bring in a soundtrack that is largely classical pieces from Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel.
The casting by Toby Whale is incredible as it features some notable small roles from Bethan Mary-Jones as the black maid Mabel, Lauren Julien-Box as the young Dido, Cara Jenkins as the young Elizabeth, Alex Jennings as James and Oliver’s father, and Matthew Goode in a brief but very touching role as Dido’s father Captain John Lindsay who manages to the most of his brief role. James Norton is terrific as Oliver Ashford as the youngest of the two brothers who likes Dido while Tom Felton is superb as Oliver’s more prejudiced older brother James who detests Dido for being black while proving to be very cruel to Elizabeth. Penelope Wilton is wonderful as Dido and Elizabeth’s aunt Lady Mary as someone who tries to keep both women in check while realizing their fate if both women don’t find men to be in love with. Miranda Richardson is brilliant as Lady Ashford as a woman who doesn’t like Dido very much only to agree to Oliver’s engagement to her out of ensuring that her son will have money.
Sarah Gadon is fantastic as Elizabeth as Dido’s cousin who is like a sister to Dido as she copes with the changes in Dido’s life but also her own future as she tries to find a good husband so she wouldn’t be destitute. Emily Watson is excellent as Lady Elizabeth as Murray’s wife who is considered the conscious of the film as she tries to ensure the futures for both Dido and Elizabeth while trying to make sense of the decision that her husband is going to make in this court case. Sam Reid is amazing as John Davinier as a reverend’s son who aspires to be a lawyer and makes change as he has this presence that is very engaging as someone that displays some humility as he is intrigued by Dido where he would eventually fall for her.
Tom Wilkinson is phenomenal as William Murray as a man who reluctantly takes Dido in only to care for her as if she was his daughter as he copes with everything he’s trying to do for her as well as being involved in a case that involves blacks which affects the decision he would make. Finally, there’s Gugu Mbatha-Raw in an absolutely tremendous performance as Dido Elizabeth Belle as this young woman who is coping with her identity and place in the world while realizing the complications of the real world as it relates to her race as well as what is expected from her as a woman as it’s a very radiant and powerful performance.
Belle is a remarkable film Amma Asante that features an incredible performance from Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Along with a strong supporting cast as well as an engaging story that features some insightful historical elements. It’s a film that manages to be more than a period piece and a character study as it is also a film that features characters coping with changes as well as uncertainty in their idyllic and safe environment. In the end, Belle is a sensational film from Amma Asante.
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Michael Powell and written by Emeric Pressburger from an idea by Powell and Brock Williams, Contraband is the story of a Danish sea captain who is stuck in the British ports as he deals with Nazi spies in the early stages of World War II. The film is a spy drama set at a time when Denmark was neutral to the war as it explores a Danish man who is suddenly forced to take part in the war. Starring Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson. Contraband is a thrilling and engaging film from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
The film revolves around a Danish sea captain who is stopped at a British port where he unknowingly is carrying two British secret agents as he aids one of them in uncovering a Nazi spy syndicate in London. It’s a film that plays into a man trying to do his duty and not be involved in this conflict between Britain and Nazi Germany as he is only in the British seas to transport cargo. Though there are rules and regulations that Captain Andersen (Conrad Veidt) had to follow, the British officers do give him a chance to relax where a shore pass he and his subordinate First Officer Axel Skold (Hay Petrie) were supposed to have were stolen prompting the two to find the passengers that stole those passes. One of them is a passenger in Mrs. Sorensen (Valerie Hobson) who is revealed to be a British spy where Andersen reluctantly helps her.
Emeric Pressburger’s screenplay plays into the sense of fear that is going on in Britain where there’s curfew as London is having blackouts. Though Captain Andersen wants to remain neutral, his encounter with the Nazis would only prompt him to be directly involved knowing the risks he is putting for himself and his country. The script also has these intricacies into what is happening in Britain and what Nazis would try to do as they would target other countries including the U.S. to create more trouble. It adds to the sense of suspense and stakes that emerge where Andersen and Sorensen have to take charge while the script includes a moment before the suspense where the two eat at a Danish restaurant where Andersen would later get help from those men for the film’s climax.
Michael Powell’s direction is quite simple as he shoots the film on location on the British ports just around the time Britain was in war with Nazi Germany. Much of it is simple with some unique tracking shots for the scenes set at the Danish boat as it plays to the sense of control that Andersen needs in his boat. The scenes at the Danish restaurant are energetic with some unique approach to close-ups and medium shots as well as some unique camera angles for some exterior scenes during the blackout. Powell also create these tense moments where Sorensen is being interrogated by the lead Nazi spy Van Dyne (Raymond Lowell) where he knows where to place the camera as well as showcase exactly what Andersen is seeing after being knocked unconscious by a spy. All of which leads to a very interesting and energetic climax that is told with such style and bits of humor by Powell. Overall, Powell and Pressburger create a very riveting and captivating spy film about a Danish sea captain helping a woman uncover a Nazi spy ring.
Cinematographer Freddie Young does excellent work with the film‘s black-and-white photography where many of the film‘s exterior nighttime scenes in London and at sea are very interesting with its low-key approach to lighting as well as some of the interiors including its climax. Editor John Seabourne does nice work with the editing as it‘s very straightforward with a few fade-outs for structural reasons and some rhythmic cuts for some of the film‘s humor. Set decorator Alfred Junge does superb work with the set pieces from the look of the Danish restaurant in London to the secret place where the Nazi spies are.
Costume designer Rahvis does amazing work with the dress that Sorenson wears as well as the tuxedos and uniforms some of the men wear. Sound recordists C.C. Stevens and A.W. Watkins do terrific work with the sound to play into the film‘s suspenseful moments as well as some of its celebratory scenes. The film’s music by Richard Addinsell and John D.H. Greenwood is brilliant for its bombastic orchestral score as well as some lush moments while music director Muir Matheson uses some dancehall music and some traditional pieces to play into Andersen’s need to rally such as the Danish folk song that he and his brethren would sing.
The film’s fantastic cast includes notable appearances from Esmond Knight as a fellow British spy known as Mr. Pidgeon, Joss Ambler and Harold Warrender as a couple of British officers who stop Andersen to inspect his cargo, and Raymond Lovell in a terrific performance as the Nazi spy Van Dyne who is trying to create havoc for Britain and other future enemies. Hay Petrie is excellent in a dual role as Andersen’s subordinate Axel Skold and as Skold’s brother Erik as Petrie brings a lot of charm and wit to both characters. Valerie Hobson is amazing as Mrs. Sorenson as this woman who irks Andersen early on for not wearing a life jacket as she realizes that she needs his help to uncover the Nazi spy ring in London. Finally, there’s Conrad Veidt in a brilliant performance as Captain Andersen as this Danish sea captain who is just trying to do his job as he finds himself involved in uncovering a Nazi spy ring as he decides to get involved for the sake in doing what is right for the world.
Contraband is a marvelous film from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Featuring great performances from Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson as well as intriguing ideas on the world of spies in World War II during its Phoney War period. It’s a film that showcases a moment in time where World War II was just starting as Denmark would enter that war knowing what is at stake. In the end, Contraband is an exhilarating film from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
Powell/Pressburger Films: The Spy is Black - (The Lion Has Wings) - (An Airman’s Letter to His Mother) - 49th Parallel - One of Our Aircraft is Missing - The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - (The Volunteer) - A Canterbury Tale - I Know Where I'm Going! - A Matter of Life and Death - Black Narcissus - The Red Shoes - The Small Black Room - (Gone to Earth) - The Tales of Hoffman - (Oh… Rosalinda!!!) - (The Battle of the River Plate) - Ill Met by Moonlight - Peeping Tom - (They’re a Weird Mob) - (Age of Consent) - (The Boy Who Turned Yellow)
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Asif Kapadia and written by Manish Pandey, Senna is the story of the famed Brazilian Formula One racer Ayrton Senna who was considered one of the greatest racers in sport. The film explores the racer’s career from his debut at the 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix to his shocking death 10 years later at the San Martino Grand Prix. Told through various footage of the man in and out of the race track, the film is a look into one of the most compelling figures in sports. The result is one of the most intoxicating but also heartbreaking films about one of the greatest racers that ever lived.
The film explores the life and career of Formula One racer Ayrton Senna who was considered to be the fastest man in Formula One racing in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A man who was known for driving very fast in the rain as well as maintain a sense of consistency and drive as he would win three world championships in 1988, 1990, and 1991. In his native Brazil, he was considered a god though Senna was someone who often thanked or prayed to God for guidance. Senna’s death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix on May 1 of that year was considered one of the most tragic moments in the sport as many questioned what went wrong on that day. Yet, the film is more about Senna and his legacy as it’s told through archival footage of his races including his early years racing go karts in the late 70s as well as audio interviews with those who knew him including his longtime rival Alain Prost.
Through these interviews and footage of the races, interviews, and rare home movies provided by Senna’s family, the film showcases the man as someone who was quite humble despite coming from an upper-class background. For the country of Brazil, he was a people’s champion that gave joy to the country during some of its most troubled times where Senna would use his fame and celebrity to help children in the country. Director Asif Kapadia keeps things simple by letting Senna tell his own story through these archival interviews as well as audio interviews from family members, the members of his racing team, and a few others. There’s also archival interviews with Alain Prost who was a teammate of Senna during their years as part of the McLaren racing team as they later became rivals that would intensify during the seasons from 1989 to 1991 where the two wouldn’t like each other. Yet, Prost and Senna would eventually renew their friendship in 1993 when Prost retired as he is part of the charity Senna had founded.
Kapadia would also use footage from Senna’s races to showcase the intensity of how he raced from the camera footage as it’s remastered by its cinematographer Jake Polonsky along with rare camera footage from interviews and other specials. Editors Chris King and Gregers Sall do amazing work in compiling the interviews and footage to help tell the story along with the audio interviews that are compiled by sound editors Stephen Griffiths and Andy Shelley. The film’s music by Antonio Pinto is brilliant for its mixture of ambient music and traditional Brazilian music to play into Senna’s identity as a Brazilian.
Senna is an incredible documentary film from Asif Kapadia about the life of Ayrton Senna. It’s a film that fans of the late Formula One racer will love while making it very appealing to those unfamiliar with the sport as it tells the story of a man who was a true champion of the people. In the end, Senna is a magnificent film from Asif Kapadia.
Asif Kapadia Films: (The Sheep Thief) - (The Warrior (2001 film)) - (The Return (2006 film)) - (Far North) - Amy - (Ali and Nino) - Diego Maradona (2019 film)
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Mark L. Lester and screenplay by Steven E. de Souza from a story by de Souza, Joseph Loeb III, and Matthew Weisman, Commando is the story of a former Delta Force commando who is forced by a South American dictator to kill a leader or else the commando’s daughter is killed forcing the man to take action. The film is a simple story that revolves around a commando who is being pushed into doing something he doesn’t want to do while knowing that his daughter’s life is on the line. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong, Vernon Wells, James Olson, David Patrick Kelly, Alyssa Milano, Bill Duke, and Dan Hedaya. Commando is an ass-kicking and exciting film from Mark L. Lester.
When a man is being forced to kill a political leader by a dictator in the hopes that he can save his daughter’s life knowing that she’ll still be killed if he does the deed. It’s a dichotomy that is uneasy but if that commando is John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger), then that dictator is going to need a lot of body bags. It’s a film that manages to be very simple in its premise where this former commando is dealing with old foes who definitely have a grudge towards him all because Matrix is a man that stands for what is right as the only thing he has in the world is his daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano). Knowing that Jenny is likely to be killed, Matrix uses his skills as a commando to do whatever it takes to save her with the help of a flight attendant named Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong) who understands the severity of the situation. It’s a film that manages to do so much with a simple story while the script itself does have some funny one-liners and puns that Matrix says like “I eat Green Berets for breakfast”.
Mark L. Lester’s direction is quite simple though it starts off in a very dark way when some individuals are being killed as it is a total contrast to the peace and tranquility that Matrix is having with his daughter. Yet, the film would take a dark turn once Matrix is in danger as Lester’s usage of close-ups and medium shots come into play. Much of the film is shot in California where it would be set in different places in South America as it maintains something that feels like it’s set in another world. Especially in the film’s climax where Matrix arrives at the home of the dictator Arius (Dan Hedaya) where it becomes one of the film’s most violent moments. Some of which is very ridiculous but Lester knows it’s ridiculous which makes it so fun to watch. Especially in the way Matrix kills soldiers as if he is this one-man army as Lester adds a lot of humor to some of the violence no matter how gruesome it is. Overall, Lester creates an exhilarating and explosive film about a commando trying to save his daughter from the bad guys.
Cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti does excellent work with the cinematography from some of the daytime lighting schemes in the Californian mountains to the usage of lights for the interior/exterior scenes at night. Editors Glenn Farr, Mark Goldblatt, and John F. Link do amazing work with the editing from the opening credits montage to the stylistic cuts in the film‘s action sequences including its bloody climax. Production designer John Vallone and set decorator Robert Gould does nice work with the film‘s set design from the home of Arius to the cabin home that Matrix lived in at the Californian mountains. Sound mixer Donald F. Johnson does terrific work with the sound to capture the intensity of the fights and the gunplay that occurs. The film’s music by James Horner is wonderful for its mixture of brooding electronics with calypso percussions and orchestral flourishes to play into the air of suspense and action.
The casting by Jackie Burch is amazing as it features notable small roles from Bill Paxton as naval interceptor, Bill Duke as a former Green Beret that works for Arius in Cooke, David Patrick Kelly as an associate in Arius in Sully, and James Olson as Matrix’ former superior General Kirby who would inform Matrix about some mysterious occurrences involving Arius. Alyssa Milano is wonderful as Matrix’s daughter Jenny as this young girl dealing with being kidnapped as she manages to talk some shit towards Arius. Vernon Wells is excellent as Arius’ henchman Bennett who was an old ally of Matrix who despises him as he wants Matrix dead.
Dan Hedaya is fantastic as Arius as this dictator who has a grudge towards Matrix for usurping him as he wants him to kill the man who had replaced him in his old country as a form of torture. Rae Dawn Chong is superb as Cindy as this flight attendant who joins the ride by accident as she helps Matrix do what is right while being funny and be crafty with a bazooka. Finally, there’s Arnold Schwarzenegger in a phenomenal performance as John Matrix as a former commando that is being pushed to the breaking point about what he’s asked to do only to refuse in an attempt to save his daughter. It’s a performance that has Schwarzenegger be a total badass as well as saying some funny puns and one-liners as it’s one of Schwarzenegger’s quintessential performances.
Commando is a remarkable film from Mark L. Lester that features an incredible performance from Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s a film that isn’t just an entertaining action movie but one that does what it needed to be and more while not being afraid in making itself look ridiculous which adds to the film’s unique approach to humor. While Commando is a spectacular film from Mark L. Lester, there is a lesson to all of this. It’s one thing to kidnap a young girl and be forced to carry out an assassination. If that girl happens to Alyssa Milano and her father is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Then Jabroni, you’re about to be fucked.
© thevoid99 2015
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