Written and directed by Sandra Nettelbeck, Bella Martha (Mostly Martha) is the story of a chef whose workaholic lifestyle is forced to change when she has to work with another chef as well as care for her niece. It’s a dramatic film of sorts that play into a woman who is good at what she does as she is forced to find a balance for her life as a chef and as a woman at home. Starring Martina Gedeck, Maxime Foerste, Ulrich Thomsen, and Sergio Castellitto. Bella Martha is a charming and heartfelt film from Sandra Nettelbeck.
Following the death of her sister in a car accident, the life of a workaholic chef is changed when she finds herself having to take care of her niece where she is force to adjust to the changes in life that include having to share the workload with an Italian chef hired to help her at this restaurant. It’s a film that has a woman whose life is about control and knowing how to cook and when a certain piece of food is well-cooked as the news about her sister’s death just halts everything she knows. Sandra Nettelbeck’s screenplay opens with the titular character of Martha Klein (Martina Gedeck) talking to a therapist (August Zirner) who is asked to examine Klein from the suggestion of her boss Frida (Sybille Canonica) because Klein is a perfectionist who only seems to live for cooking and cooking alone. All of that changes upon the news about her sister’s death in a car accident leaving her to care for her niece Lina (Maxime Foerste) who is shutting herself from anything while refuses to eat the gourmet food that Klein has created.
Adding to this change as the staff at her restaurant is dealing with the pregnancy of one of the cooks, Frida brings in the Italian sous-chef in Mario (Sergio Castellitto) who is not as disciplined nor seems to care about perfection. What he brings to the kitchen is something more carefree as well as a stereo that plays music to get everyone else in the staff feel relaxed and not worry as much on the job. Mario and Klein are two different people who have different ideas about running a kitchen yet the former knows when to step aside while he would creating food that Lina would eat which would make Klein’s life easier as she struggles with taking care and getting to know Lina while also trying to find Lina’s father who is Italian.
Nettelbeck’s direction is largely straightforward as it is largely shot on location in Hamburg, Germany where it play into the world of a gourmet restaurant with rich menus and food that only a few can get regularly. While there’s some wide shots of the locations, Nettelbeck’s direction is much more intimate in its usage of close-ups and medium shots where it does play into the intimacy of the kitchen. Notably as Nettelbeck uses the camera to see how people move in the kitchen as well as pay attention to the small things that they’re creating whether it’s a soup, a side dish, or the main course. Still, Nettelbeck does keep an interesting outlook into the story that include this relationship between Klein and Lina where would start to bond through cooking with Mario’s help as he would make a dinner for all three of them as a way for Klein to relax and connect with other people. Even as Nettelbeck would have these scenes between Klein and her therapist be approached with some low-key humor with the latter becoming interested in the meals she’s created. Still, there is this search for Lina’s father who is from Italy as Klein becomes unsure if Lina should be with her father or with her as she is forced to learn about the aspects of life and not having to follow the rules all the time. Overall, Nettelbeck crafts a touching and lively film about a workaholic chef dealing with the changes in her life.
Cinematographer Michael Bertl does excellent work with the film’s cinematography from the daytime exterior wintery look of Hamburg to the usage of gorgeous lights at the restaurant to the more basic look of the kitchen in its interiors. Editor Mona Brauer does terrific work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few transitional fade-outs. Production designer Thomas Freudenthal and set decorator Sigrid Schroeder do fantastic work with the look of Klein’s home that includes a big kitchen as well as the kitchen at the restaurant as well as the restaurant itself.
Costume designer Bettina Helmi does nice work with the clothes as it is largely straightforward and casual with a more posh role for Klein’s boss Frida. Sound designer Martin Langenbach does superb work with the sound in creating an atmosphere of the kitchen as it play into the chaos as well as how music is presented from Mario’s stereo. The film’s music by Steven A. Reich is wonderful for its jazz-driven score with some pianos and brass while music consultant Manfred Eicher and music supervisor Michael Beckmann both create a soundtrack that features an array of jazz and pop music that Mario likes to listen to.
The casting by Heta Mantscheff is brilliant as it feature some notable small roles from Katja Studt as the pregnant sous-chef Lea, the trio of Antonio Wannek, Idil Uner, and Olivier Broumis as a trio of fellow cooks at the restaurant, Diego Ribon as an Italian man named Giuseppe Lorenzo, W.D. Sprenger as a noisy customer, and Ulrich Thomsen in a superb performance as Klein’s new neighbor Samuel Thalberg who helps Klein in dealing with Lina as well as being a friend. August Zirner is terrific as Klein’s therapist who is hired to analyze her where he becomes more concerned about her cooking recipes that makes eager to eat though he tries to maintain a sense of professionalism in his job. Sybille Canonica is fantastic as Klein’s boss and restaurant owner Frida who is concerned about Klein’s state of mind as well as trying to run a restaurant that remains popular despite some of the awful customers they get.
Maxime Foerste is excellent as Lina as an eight-year old girl who just lost her mother as she’s struggling with loss while doesn’t seem excited to eat what her aunt creates yet finds solace and comfort through the food that Mario creates which would allow her to bond with her aunt. Sergio Castellitto is amazing as Mario as an Italian sous-chef who is hired by Frida to help out where he brings a more laid-back and fun approach to cooking in the kitchen as well as help Lina cope with food as he also manages to woo Klein in a subtle way while his voice is largely dubbed by Frank Glaubrecht. Finally, there’s Martina Gedeck in an incredible performance as Martha Klein as a workaholic chef whose life has been defined by perfection and following the rule is shattered by the death of her sister forcing her to care for her niece where she copes with newfound responsibilities but also having to share duties with another chef as it would allow her to open up more as it’s a charming and heartfelt performance from Gedeck.
Bella Martha is a sensational film from Sandra Nettelbeck that features a great performance from Martina Gedeck. Along with its supporting cast, simplistic presentation, a lively music soundtrack, and its love for food and cooking. It’s a film that explores a woman’s grief and having to adjust to unexpected changes as well as learn to let go of control and share the joy of cooking with others. In the end, Bella Martha is a phenomenal film from Sandra Nettelbeck.
© thevoid99 2019
Written and directed by Brian de Palma, Femme Fatale is the story of a thief who double-crosses her accomplices and takes on a new identity where she marries an American ambassador while being hunted by those she double-crossed. The film is a suspense-thriller that involves the idea of identity and greed with a woman caught in the middle of this theft while going after the photographer that would get her in trouble. Starring Rebecca Romijn, Antonio Banderas, Peter Coyote, Rie Rasmussen, Thierry Fremont, and Gregg Henry. Femme Fatale is a ravishing yet thrilling film from Brian de Palma.
The film revolves around a thief who stole diamonds with a team only to double-cross them and disappear by taking on the identity of a doppelganger until a paparazzo takes her photo leading to all sorts of shit. It’s a film that play into a woman trying to leave her past behind only to return to France seven years after the theft under a different identity until a photograph would undo everything forcing her to take action and hide from the men she double-crossed. Brian de Palma’s screenplay focuses on the character of Laure Ashe who takes part in a diamond heist that is happening at the Cannes Film Festival where she steals the diamonds from a model she seduces and then goes into business for herself. Through a series of events where Laure had been seen by one of the thieves she betrayed, she is mistaken by a few people as another woman who had disappeared due to the deaths of her husband and child where she realizes that she has a woman who looks like her.
After taking her identity as Lily, Laure meets and marries a rich man who would later become the American ambassador to France where they travel to France seven years after the theft where a paparazzo named Nicolas Bardo (Antonio Banderas) would take her photo. One of her betrayers, who had been in prison for seven years for the theft, is freed and picked up by his partner as they see the photo and go on a search leading to Laure to try and get revenge on Bardo by making him a stalker and a kidnapper who wants a $10 million ransom. The script has de Palma play into this intrigue and battle of wits with Bardo becoming more curious about what Laure is doing unaware of her true identity and where he knew her from before.
The direction of de Palma is all style in terms of not just the compositions he creates but also the usage of intricate crane shots, split-screens, and scenes that last for more than a minute or two. Shot largely on location in Paris and various locations in France including the 2001 Cannes Film Festival where that location is where the jewel heist takes place. It’s a sequence where a lot is happening as a film premiere is happening where Laure would seduce the model while one of the thieves would switch a piece of diamond jewelry with a fake as it would be this mixture of sensuality and suspense. It’s an intricately rich sequence that would be followed by scenes that have a similar style to the shot of Laure being thrown from a hotel balcony and landing somewhere as she is mistaken for Lily. The scene of Laure seeing Lily where the latter is unaware of being watched has de Palma aim for something simple in the compositions with its medium shots and close-ups while he would employ wide shots for many of the scenes during the second act of the film.
The direction would have de Palma also create scenes that add some foreshadowing as well as intrigue as it relates to Bardo who becomes aware that he might be set up in an act of revenge yet he also is aware that he has very little choice. The film’s third act is one of not just intense sexuality and desire but also fantasy as it relates to Bardo being blackmailed by Laure in her scheme as she knows that time is running out. There is a twist to what de Palma does yet it is all about the decisions that Laure has made following her betrayal forcing her to wonder if there was a way to hide from her past. Overall, de Palma crafts a gripping and evocative film about a beautiful thief who double-crosses her team and tries to reinvent herself as another person only for her past to catch up with her.
Cinematographer Thierry Arbogast does brilliant work with the film’s ravishing cinematography in terms of its approach to lighting for the interiors at the Cannes Film Festival building along with its usage of stylish lighting for some of the daytime scenes as well as its dream-like look for some of the scenes set at night. Editor Bill Pankow does amazing work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts, slow-motion cuts, split-screens, and other rhythmic cuts to help play into the suspense and drama. Production designer Anne Pritchard, with set decorator Francoise Benoit-Fresco and art director Denis Renault, does excellent work with the look of some of the sets including the women’s bathroom at the Cannes building, Bardo’s apartment, and the club that Bardo and Laure go to during its third act. Costume designer Olivier Beriot does fantastic work with the stylish clothes that Laure wears including the skimpy lingerie during the club scene along with the gold/diamond snake top that was designed by Elli Medeiros for the model to wear at Cannes.
Visual effects supervisor Agnes Sebenne does nice work with some of the visual effects that is largely set-dressing as well as some offbeat compositions that de Palma wanted where one person is in the foreground for a close-up with someone else in the background in a medium shot. Sound editor Laurent Quaglio does superb work with the sound as it help play into the atmosphere of some of the locations as well as in the quieter moments of the film. The film’s music by Ryuichi Sakamoto is incredible for its lush string arrangements including its variations of Maurice Ravel’s Bolero in some parts of the film that is a major highlight while music supervisor Edouard Dubois provides a soundtrack that features a wide mix of score pieces from other films as well as a few contemporary pieces by Dead Fly Syndrome, Vicarious Bliss, and Damien Saez.
The casting by Kerry Barden, Billy Hopkins, and Suzanne Smith is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Cannes Film Festival curator Gilles Jacob, filmmaker Regis Wargnier who was presenting his film East/West, and its star Sandrine Bonnaire. Other notable small roles include Eriq Ebouaney and Edouard Montrouge as the two men Laure betrayed, Eva Darlan as a woman who mistakes Laure for Lily, Thierry Fremont as Inspector Serra who interrogates Bardo over a kidnapping claim, Rie Rasmussen as the model wearing the gold-diamond corset in Veronica, Gregg Henry as a security officer in Shiff who watches over Lily and her husband, and Peter Coyote as the man Laure as Lily would meet in Bruce Hewitt Watts who would later become the American ambassador to France.
Antonio Banderas is marvelous as Nicolas Bardo as a paparazzo who would get a picture of Laure unaware of her true identity as he becomes a figure of blackmail where he deals with Laure and her plans while becoming aroused by her. Finally, there’s Rebecca Romijn in an incredible performance in the dual role of the thief Laure Ash and her doppelganger Lily where she provides an anguish in the latter as a woman who has suffered great loss while is more cool and playful in the former but also cunning as it is Romijn proving that she’s more than just a beautiful woman but also someone that knows how to be cool.
Femme Fatale is a spectacular film from Brian de Palma that features great performances from Rebecca Romijn and Antonio Banderas. Along with its gorgeous visuals, riveting script, Ryuichi Sakamoto’s playful score, and study of identity and fate. The film is definitely one of de Palma’s finest films in terms of its love for cinema as well as its willingness to play with the conventions of suspense. In the end, Femme Fatale is a sensational film from Brian de Palma.
Brian de Palma Films: (Murder a la Mod) – (Greetings) – (The Wedding Party) – (Dionysus in ’69) – (Hi, Mom!) – (Get to Know Your Rabbit) – Sisters - Phantom of the Paradise – Obsession – Carrie - The Fury - (Home Movies) – Dressed to Kill - Blow Out - Scarface (1983 film) - Body Double – (Wise Guys) – The Untouchables - Casualties of War - The Bonfire of the Vanities - Raising Cain - Carlito's Way - Mission: Impossible - Snake Eyes - Mission to Mars - The Black Dahlia - (Redacted) – Passion (2012 film) - (Domino (2018 film))
© thevoid99 2019
Directed by Dave McCary and screenplay by Kyle Mooney and Kevin Costello from a story by Mooney, Brigsby Bear is the story of a man who lived in an underground bunker learns that his favorite TV show was created by the man who captured him prompting him to see the outside world and finish the show’s narrative. It’s a film that plays into a man who embarks into the real world after being held captive for so many years as his ideas of reality and fantasy become confusing. Starring Kyle Mooney, Claire Danes, Greg Kinnear, Matt Walsh, Jane Adams, Michaela Watkins, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Ryan Simpkins, and Mark Hamill. Brigsby Bear is a whimsical and heartfelt film from Dave McCary.
A young man who obsessively watches a TV show while living in an underground bunker learns he had been abducted by a couple where he returns to his real family and eventually decides to finish the show that his fake father created into a film. It’s a film that has a man dealing with reality and what happened to him while realizing that a new tape of his show isn’t coming forcing him to make a project relating to that show. The film’s screenplay by Kyle Mooney and Kevin Costello focuses mainly on the character of James Pope (Kyle Mooney) who lives in an underground bunker as he obsesses over this educational TV show about a bear who saves the universe as well as teach children ideas and math problems of the world. For James, it’s the only contact to the outside world that he has while he also created an online fan forum about the show unaware that no one knows about the show’s existence.
Upon his return to the real world and reunited with his real parents as well as learning he has a younger sister in Aubrey (Ryan Simpkins), James struggles with his new reality until Aubrey reluctantly takes him to a party where he manages to win a few people over through his discussion of his favorite show that it interests a few people. Even one of the detectives of his case in Detective Vogel (Greg Kinnear) takes interest in what James is doing as he wanted to fulfill a lifelong dream of acting as he used to act in plays before becoming a detective. With Aubrey eventually joining in, James finds a fulfillment in creating this film version of his favorite TV show with the props of the show that Detective Vogel retrieved from the station. Yet, James’ project makes his parents uneasy thinking he wouldn’t adapt to society following a stunt he pulled during filming where he took the blame for everyone. It would play into James’ need to focus on this project rather than adapt to a world he doesn’t know much about.
Dave McCary’s direction is full of imagination and whimsy which play into this clash of reality and James’ need to create a reality that is based on the fantasy of the TV show that he loved. Shot on location in Utah, the film does play into a world where it starts off as this strange and offbeat sci-fi film where this family is living underground as if the world had been destroyed by a nuclear holocaust until the police arrive to arrest James’ captors. There are some wide shots of the locations in McCary’s direction yet he’s more focused on the interaction between characters and James’ enthusiasm for this TV show that he loved. Notably in the creation of James’ film where there is that element of amateurish, homemade filmmaking that is full of creativity thanks in part to a friend of Aubrey in Spencer (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) who would create visual effects and be James’ closest collaborator in all aspects of the film.
There are dramatic elements in the film as it relates to James’ parents desire to connect and bond with him as they bring in their family therapist Emily (Claire Danes) who suggest some things that she believes would help James. Still, McCary maintains a low-key approach to the drama in favor of something more light-hearted in its approach to humor as well as James’ journey about the world around him including those who participated in the TV show that his fake parents created. Even in what would become James’ vision for this film as he would do what he can to create something faithful to the TV show but also as a closing chapter in his life. Overall, McCary creates a touching and witty film about an abducted young man who seeks out to finish his captors’ TV special into a film.
Cinematographer Christian Sprenger does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward with some grainy video footage for the TV show presentation as it was shot largely on video. Editor Jacob Craycroft does nice work with the editing as it is straightforward with some rhythmic cuts that play into the humor and drama. Production designer Brandon Tonner-Connolly, with set decorator Cynthia A. Neibaur and art director Andy Eklund, does amazing work with the look of some of the amateurish sets that James and Spencer created along with the props from the show. Costume designer Sarah Mae Burton does fantastic work with the clothes and costumes of the show including the homemade costumes that were created along with the casual look of the people in James’ life.
The visual effects work of Andrew Sherman is brilliant for its approach to amateurish visual effects and usage of practical effects to create something as if it was homemade. Sound editor Leslie Shatz does superb work with the sound as it create some sound effects for the film along with some usage of naturalistic sound in various parts of the film. The film’s music by David Wingo is wonderful for its usage of ambient and electronic pieces to play up the feel of the 1980s as if the TV show was created in the 1980s while music supervisor Kier Lehman provides a mixture of music for its soundtrack that includes acts like YACHT, Kyle, DecadeZ, Vessel, Join the Riot, and Nate Heller.
The casting by Courtney Bright and Nicole Daniels is great as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Andy Samberg as mental hospital patient James befriends late in the film, Tim Heidecker as an actor in a movie James sees with his dad, Kate Lyn Sheil as an actress who appeared on the TV show as an object of affection for James, Alexa Demie and Chance Crimin in their respective roles as a couple of Aubrey’s friends in Merideth and Logan, Beck Bennett as a detective in Deputy Banner who becomes suspicious about James’ activities, and Claire Dane in a terrific small role as the Pope’s family psychiatrist Emily who is trying to understand James only to make suggestions that proved to be not helpful to his well-being.
Jorge Lendeborg Jr. is superb as Aubrey’s friend Spencer who becomes fascinated by the TV show that James tells him about where he would upload episodes to YouTube and become James’ key collaborator in the film. Matt Walsh and Michaela Watkins are fantastic as James’ real parents in their respective roles as Greg and Louise Pope who are trying to re-establish their relationship with their son while being confused by his obsession for the show while Ryan Simpkins is wonderful as James’ younger teenage sister who initially doesn’t want to do much with him only to become a collaborator for his film where they start to bond.
Mark Hamill and Jane Adams are excellent as James’ captors in their respective roles as Ted and April Mitchum with Hamill as the creator of this TV show who has also been James’ protector with April as the maternal figure where the two try to protect James from the ugliness of the world. Greg Kinnear is brilliant as Detective Vogel as the man who brings James back home while becomes interested in what James is doing prompting him to return to his love for acting by taking part in the film. Finally, there’s Kyle Mooney in an amazing performance as James Pope as an abducted young man who is a big fan of a TV show he believed everyone knows only to learn he was abducted yet is more concerned about the next episode forcing him to create his own film where it’s a charming and heartfelt performance of a man whose innocence is his key to living.
Brigsby Bear is a sensational film from Dave McCary. Along with its ensemble cast, touching script, dazzling visual effects, and old-school approach to amateurish filmmaking. It’s a comedy-drama that touches all of the right places while not being afraid in expressing sentimentality in a young man wanting to finish the creation that his abductors had created. In the end, Brigsby Bear is a phenomenal film from Dave McCary.
© thevoid99 2019
Directed by Charles Vidor and screenplay by Marion Parsonnet from a story by E.A. Ellington with adaptation by Jo Eisinger and un-credited work from Ben Hecht, Gilda is the story of a kingpin’s wife who is caught in a love triangle between her husband and a former lover who manages her husband’s casino. Set in the casinos of Bueno Aires, the film is a noir picture that play into a woman whose sex appeal drives two men to a breaking point as the titular character is played by Rita Hayworth. Also starring Glenn Ford, George Macready, Joseph Calleia, and Steven Geray. Gilda is a dazzling and exhilarating film from Charles Vidor.
A gambler meets a casino owner as he is hired to manage the man’s casino where he finds himself meeting the owner’s wife who was an old flame of the gambler. It’s a film that play into an uneasy love triangle of sorts yet there is this love-hate relationship between Gilda and the gambler Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford) who hide their past from Gilda’s husband in the casino owner Ballin Mundson (George Macready) who eventually becomes suspicious about them. Marion Parsonnet’s screenplay is largely told through Farrell’s perspective in a traditional film-noir style of voice-over narration and a language that features stylized dialogue that add to the tension in the film. Notably as it play into this tense atmosphere in the casino in Buenos Aires where Farrell is helping Mundson watching over the casino as it relates to cheats and such.
Still, Farrell does become concerned about Mundson’s business as it relates to German businessman who want to work with Mundson following the aftermath of World War II. Mundson’s business would also attract the attention of Argentine government agent Obregon (Joseph Calleia) who is also suspicious about Mundson’s dealings. Things get more complicated during the second half as it would relate to Farrell trying to steer Gilda away from other men believing that Mundson would get hurt if he knew the truth. Yet, it would play into an uneasy alliance between the two during its third act that would create more tension and intrigue.
Charles Vidor’s direction does have some style in terms of the lavish presentation of Buenos Aires though it was shot mainly in studio lots in Hollywood. While there’s some wide shots of the streets as well as interior of the casino, Vidor aims for something much simpler as it play into the dramatic tension between Gilda and Farrell through close-ups and medium shots. Vidor would also use some intricate compositions as it would show what Mundson is seeing in the casino on the second floor while it has this air of controlled chaos unless something goes wrong where Farrell would take care of the situation. The scenes between Gilda and Farrell have Vidor play up the sexual tension with Gilda being quite forward to get Farrell to do something as a scene of her singing and playing a guitar late one night is a key example of this romantic interplay.
Things would get more exhilarating during its third act due to a couple of musical numbers involving Gilda who would try to wow men just to get attention or to rile Farrell up who feels immense loyalty to Mundson. It would lead to revelations about Mundson’s business as well as why so many people are after him as Vidor would play up the suspense in the third act with Gilda and Farrell being forced to work together to stop Mundson. Overall, Vidor crafts a scintillating yet exciting film about a gambler dealing with a former flame who is married to his new boss at a casino.
Cinematographer Rudolph Mate does amazing work with the film’s black-and-white photography as it help set a mood for some of the scenes at the club including the musical performances with its usage of light and shadow. Editor Charles Nelson does terrific work with the editing as it is straightforward with a few fade-outs to help structure the story along with rhythmic cuts for the suspenseful moments. Art directors Stephen Goosson and Van Nest Polglase, along with set decorator Robert Priestley, do brilliant work with the look of the interior of the casino and its bar as well as the Mundson home and his office overlooking the casino.
Costume designer Jean Louis does excellent work with the costumes that focuses mainly on the clothes Gilda wears including the iconic strapless black dress for the big musical number. Makeup artist Clay Campbell does nice work with the look of Gilda to play into her glamorous persona as well as the steely look of Mundson. Sound recordist Lambert E. Day does superb work with the sound as it play into the raucous atmosphere of the casinos as well as the exterior scenes involving cars. The film’s music soundtrack supervised by M.W. Stoloff and Marlin Skiles is wonderful for its mixture of orchestral-based stock music that is used sparingly along with some big-band music that include some of the songs that Gilda sings.
The film’s incredible cast include some notable small roles from Ludwig Donath and Lionel Royce as a couple of Germans, Joe Sawyer as a hood of Mundson in Casey, Don Douglas as a lawyer Gilda goes out with late in the film in Thomas Langford, Mark Roberts as a man flirting with Gilda in Gabe Evans, and Steven Geray in a fantastic performance as the washroom attendant Uncle Pio as a man who isn’t impressed with Farrell as he calls him “Mr. Peasant” as he’s someone who is a lot smarter than people give him credit for as he’s an observer with some philosophical views about what Farrell is going through. Joseph Calleia is excellent as Detective Maurice Obregon as a police investigator who is suspicious about Mundson’s business dealings outside of Argentina as he believes that Farrell knows something while is a man that is incorruptible and wants to help Farrell.
George Macready is brilliant as Ballin Mundson as a casino owner who gives Farrell a job to manage the casino while he is also trying to do other things while becomes concerned about Gilda and questions about her past as it’s a chilling yet engaging performance from Macready. Glenn Ford is amazing as Johnny Farrell as a gambler who is hired by Mundson to manage the casino where he feels indebted to Mundson but is troubled by the presence of Gilda as he copes with his feelings and disdain for her as it’s one of his great performances. Finally, there’s Rita Hayworth in a phenomenal performance as the titular character as a woman who is married to a casino owner as she is someone trying to get attention and to be loved while also riling up both her husband and former love as it’s a performance full of charisma and oozing sex appeal along with this air of ferocity that makes it an iconic performance from Hayworth.
Gilda is a spectacular film from Charles Vidor that features great performances from Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, and George Macready. Along with its ensemble cast, gorgeous photography, dazzling costumes, and thrilling moments of suspense and drama. It’s a noir film that manages to hit all of the right notes while being a study of emotions and temptation between two former lovers who both have a bad history in this love-hate relationship. In the end, Gilda is a sensational film from Charles Vidor.
Charles Vidor Films: (The Mask of Fu Manchu) – (Sensation Hunters) – (Double Door) – (Strangers All) – (The Arizonians) – (His Family Tree) – (A Doctor’s Diary) – (The Great Gambini) – (Romance of the Redwoods) – (Blind Alley) – (Those High Grey Walls) – (My Son, My Son!) – (The Lady in Question) – (Ladies in Retirement) – (New York Town) – (The Tuttles of Tahiti) – (The Desperadoes) – (Cover Girl) – (Together Again) – (A Song to Remember) – (Over 21) – (The Loves of Carmen) – (Hans Christian Andersen) – (Thunder in the East) – (Rhapsody) – (Love Me or Leave Me) – (The Swan) – (The Joker is Wild) – (A Farewell to Arms (1957 film)) – (Song Without End)
© thevoid99 2019
Written and directed by Paul Schrader, First Reformed is the story of a Protestant minister who deals with a declining attendance in his church while coping with his own identity and faith in these trying times. The film is a study of a minister who is dealing with his crisis of faith as well as what faith is becoming in a world that is ever-changing. Starring Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Victoria Hills, Michael Gaston, and Cedric “the Entertainer” Kyles. First Reformed is a haunting yet evocative film from Paul Schrader.
The film follows a minister, whose church is about to celebrate 250 years, is dealing with a crisis of faith not just with his own being as well as his health but also a declining attendance of the church as one of its visitors comes to him for help as it relates to her husband. It’s a film that play into a world that is ever-changing as this minister is trying to deal with the reality around him but also this sense of hopelessness in this world. Paul Schrader’s script follows Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke) who runs the First Reformed church at a small town in upstate New York where he notices a declining audience as many of the locals go to a nearby megachurch run by Pastor Joel Jeffers (Cedric Kyles) who owns the historical landmark where the First Reformed is where Toller goes to Jeffers for counsel. The main bulk of the narrative revolves around Toller trying to help a troubled environmental activist in Michael Mensana (Philip Ettinger) who is wracked with despair about the world as his wife Mary (Amanda Seyfried) was the one who suggests that Michael should go to Toller for help.
Toller would get close to Mary in helping her as she is also pregnant which adds to Michael’s despair while Toller is trying to understand what Michael is seeing. Throughout the film, Toller would write down the recollections of the day in a journal as it would include voice-over narration that play into Toller’s own feelings as his plan is to write out his thoughts for a year. Even as he is dealing with loss from the past and has trouble trying to connect with others aside from Mary where he also becomes troubled by his surroundings as well as the ideas of climate change which makes him question the world around him.
Schrader’s direction definitely evokes a lot of visual style and themes from those he admire like Ingmar Bergman, Robert Bresson, Carl Theodor Dreyer, Yasujiro Ozu, and Andrei Tarkovsky as he aims for something that is meditative and simple. Shot on various locations in the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn with the Zion Episcopal Church from the former being the film’s centerpiece and in a 4:3 full-frame aspect ratio. Schrader would use Ozu’s static camera approach to medium shots and close-ups where he doesn’t aim for any kind of camera movement except in a few scenes or in some zooms for close-ups. Still, Schrader uses this approach of not moving the camera to get a lot of coverage including some wide shots of the locations to play into this growing awareness of the ever-changing world that Toller is encountering. Particularly as he does what he can to help others and offer assistance to Jeffers’ church yet becomes troubled by his own reliance on alcohol and other health issues. Schrader’s direction would maintain that sense of discomfort in Toller as he copes with the world at hand where he question his own faith as he would position the camera in a wide or medium shot whenever he’s writing his journal.
Schrader also would create moments of surrealism as it relates to a meeting between Toller and Mary who reveal this non-sexual yet physical intimacy she and her husband did as it’s a moment that play into the fears and hopes of what the two want for the world. It’s a moment that does recall some of the visual ideas of Andrei Tarkovsky as it would play into Toller’s awareness of a world becoming more unruly. The film’s final sequence plays into Toller’s response as it would climax with this celebration of the church as it celebrates its 250th anniversary with Toller being part of the festivities. It is a moment that has Toller display his disdain of what faith is becoming and his act of defiance towards the modern world and how he believes is ruining God’s creation. Overall, Schrader crafts a riveting and rapturous film about a minister dealing with his crisis of faith as well as helping a young woman with an emotionally-troubled husband.
Cinematographer Alexander Dyan does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography by emphasizing on simplistic and natural visuals for many of the interior/exterior daytime scenes along with some lighting for scenes at night as well as a shot during dawn at a decaying location. Editor Benjamin Rodriguez Jr. does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward in terms of its rhythmic cutting as well as not playing to anything remotely stylized in favor of letting shots linger for a while. Production designer Grace Yun, with set decorator Nadya Gurevich and art director Raphael Sorcio, does fantastic work with the look of some of the interiors at the house that Toller stays in next to the church as well as the home that Mary and Michael live in and some of the rooms inside Jeffers’ church. Costume designer Olga Mill does nice work with the costumes as it is largely casual for its winter-time look with many of Toller’s clothes being his black minister clothes and white robes as well as the casual look of the other people in the small town.
Visual effects supervisors Justin Cornish, Brian Houlihan, and John Mangia do terrific work with some of the film’s minimal visual effects as it relates to the fantasy sequence involving Toller and Mary that play into their hopes and fears of the world. Sound editors Ruy Garcia and Michael McMenomy do amazing work with the sound in creating a sparse yet effective atmosphere for much of the locations including these little moments in the quieter scenes and settings. The film’s music by Brian Williams, in his Lustmord pseudonym, is wonderful for its low-key electronic score that only appears in the film sparingly for much of its second half while music supervisor Dina Juntila provides a soundtrack that is mainly music played on location includes rendition of traditional music as well as an acapella cover of a song by Neil Young.
The casting by Susan Shopmaker is superb as it include some notable small roles from Bill Hoag as a worker at the First Reformed church in John Elder, Michael Gaston as a corporate figure in Edward Balq, Victoria Hill as a church worker in Esther who becomes concerned for Toller’s health, and Philip Ettinger as Mary’s troubled husband Michael as an environmental activist who is becoming uneasy about the world around. Cedric “the Entertainer” Kyles is great as Pastor Joel Jeffers as a preacher who runs a megachurch in the small town that is trying to counsel Toller about his troubles while also supervising the organization of the First Reformed church’s 250th anniversary celebration.
Amanda Seyfried is incredible as Mary Mensana as the pregnant wife of an environmental activist who is concerned for her husband as she turns to Toller for help as well as befriend him as someone she can go to for guidance as it’s understated and radiant performance from Seyfried. Finally, there’s Ethan Hawke in a phenomenal performance as Reverend Ernst Toller as a pastor that is troubled by his own health, crisis of faith, and the need to help a troubled activist where it’s a calm yet eerie performance from Hawke who displays an anguish as a man trying to do what he can to help people yet is troubled by the world around him as it’s a true career-defining performance for Hawke.
First Reformed is a tremendous film from Paul Schrader that features a tour-de-force performance from Ethan Hawke. Along with its ensemble cast that includes a phenomenal supporting performance from Amanda Seyfried as well as gorgeous visuals, a simplistic presentation, and compelling themes of faith. It’s a film that play into the ideas of the world at large and a man asking big questions about his surroundings as well as the need to help someone in need. In the end, First Reformed is an outstanding film from Paul Schrader.
Paul Schrader Films: Blue Collar - Hardcore – American Gigolo - Cat People (1982 film) - Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters – (Light of Day) – (Patty Hearst) – (The Comfort of Strangers) – (Light Sleeper) – (Witch Hunt) – (Touch) – Affliction - (Forever Mine) – (Auto Focus) – (Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist) – (The Walker) – (Adam Resurrected) – (The Canyons) – Dying of the Light - (Dog Eat Dog) - (The Card Counter)
© thevoid99 2019
For the third week of 2019 as part of Wandering Through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks. We focus on the year before as it relates to films that were released in 2018. It’s been a whirlwind year although there’s been several films that played in film festivals that have yet to be seen. Here are my three picks of recent 2018 films that I think audiences should seek out:
1. Roma
Alfonso Cuaron’s intimate tale of the life of a middle-class family in Mexico City told from the perspective of one of its maids is a very touching and gorgeous film that definitely deserves a lot of the praise it’s been getting. While it is clear that it’s not for everyone as it is long and doesn’t aim for conventional shooting styles in favor of lingering long shots. There was something about the film that appealed to me personally where I found myself looking back at my own childhood during my visits to my parents’ home country of Honduras. That air of nostalgia I think was what sealed the film for me as it definitely played into those sensibilities as it’s really the kind of film that fans of Andrei Tarkovsky, Federico Fellini, and Carl Theodor Dreyer would enjoy instead of casual filmgoers.
2. If Beale Street Could Talk
A film I just saw this past weekend is definitely proof that everything that is said about Barry Jenkins is indeed for real. This is a man with immense talent as well as being a storyteller that is willing to go into places not many are willing to go into. While the film is sold as this love story between a young woman and a young man in early 1970s Harlem as the latter is in jail for a crime of rape he didn’t commit. It’s so much more than that as it is a film about family as well as the need to keep a family together no matter how bad things are as well as what they have to do to make things right. It’s a film that should be seen by a wide audience and it’s not just because it’s a compelling story. It’s a film that offers so much more and with the buzz for Regina King’s supporting performance as the young girl’s mother. There’s a damn good reason why she’s getting a lot of deserving accolades.
3. Blockers
This was a film I saw late towards the end of the year as I didn’t think it was going to be anything exciting but rather a good and watchable comedy. Instead, it’s a film that ended up exceeding all of my expectations and more in ways I couldn’t imagine. It’s a comedy that has gross-out moments as well as scenes of three adults in awkward situations but it’s got heart. Ike Barinholtz, Leslie Mann, and John Cena are actually great in this as these parents who are shocked by this pact their daughters made to lose their virginity on senior prom night. In the hands of other filmmakers, it would’ve been gross but Kay Cannon manages to hit all of the right notes and more while giving audiences a film that is funny but also a film that cares about the characters.
© thevoid99 2019
Based on the novel by James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk is the story of a young woman who turns to her family for help in trying to free her lover who is wrongly charged with a crime as she hopes to free him before the birth of their first child. Written for the screen and directed by Barry Jenkins, the film is a period drama set in early 1970s Harlem as it play into a couple who meet and fall in love only for things to go wrong due to a false accusation. Starring KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Dave Franco, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Ed Skrein, Brian Tyree Henry, and Regina King. If Beale Street Could Talk is an evocative and touching film from Barry Jenkins.
Set in early 1970s Harlem, the film revolves around a young couple whose life is in disarray when the man is accused of raping a young woman as those who know him are aware he’s innocent. Adding to the plight for this young man is that his girlfriend is pregnant as her family is trying to get him out of prison and prove he’s innocent in a world that is getting more complicated. It’s a film that play into the plight of two young lovers as they deal with the arrival of a baby as one family is willing to help yet the other, with the exception of the man’s father, chooses not to help. Barry Jenkins’ screenplay aims for a reflective narrative of sorts as it relates to the character of Clementine “Tish” Rivers (KiKi Layne) who looks back on her life with Alonzo “Fonny” Hunt (Stephan James) as well as the moment they conceived their child while cutting back to the present where Fonny is in jail as he just learned Tish is a few months pregnant.
The film moves back and forth to the times when Tish and Fonny were a couple as they knew each other since they were kids although Tish is a few years younger than Fonny. Their relationship is one filled with innocence and dreams as Fonny does whatever he can to learn a trade while also discovering his passion for being a sculptor. The flashback scenes also showcase moments of darkness such as a visit from Fonny’s friend Daniel Cartee (Brian Tyree Henry) who had just been released in prison as he reveals what he had seen as it would play into Fonny’s worries for the future following a terrible encounter with a racist police officer named Bell (Ed Skrein). The present narrative that play into Fonny’s time in prison as well as the impossibility of what had happened to this young woman in Victoria Rogers (Emily Rios) who suddenly returned to her home in Puerto Rico. While the Rivers’ attorney in Hayward (Finn Wittrock) is trying to help the family, there are complications prompting Tish’s mother Sharon (Regina King) to find Rogers herself as it present revelations about the severity of what happened to Rogers.
Jenkins’ direction definitely has this poetic tone to the film as it play into Tish’s recollections of her life with Fonny through voice over narration as well as playing into the ideas of the life she and Fonny could have but also be aware of the dark realities around them. Shot on location in New York City with Harlem being the predominant location as well as additional locations in the Dominican Republic as Puerto Rico. Jenkins does use wide shots to establish the locations but emphasizes more on close-ups and medium shots in carefully crafted compositions to maintain an intimacy between the characters. Most notably the scene where Tish and her family ask Fonny’s family for a drink where Tish’s father Joseph Rivers (Colman Domingo) and her older sister Ernestine (Teyonah Parris) are excited about the news of Tish and Fonny’s baby as is Fonny's father Frank Hunt (Michael Beach). Yet, Fonny’s mother (Aunjanue Ellis) and his sisters Adrienne (Ebony Obsidian) and Sheila (Dominique Thorne) aren’t happy with the news.
It’s among these simple yet tense scenes where Jenkins play into this tension as well as the severity of what Fonny is enduring as well as some of the fallacies into what he’s charged with as it relates to the different parts of New York City. The scenes at the prison where Fonny and Tish meet have Jenkins use some extreme close-ups but also medium shots for the setting as the latter is dealing with her pregnancy while there’s repetitious images of her at the subway. The film’s third act that play into Sharon going to Puerto Rico to find Rogers as it is this poignant sequence that play into Sharon’s desperation to get Rogers to tell the truth about Fonny and prove his innocence but it ends up being an uneasy task with lots of emotional repercussions.
Even as Jenkins reveals that what Fonny and Tish would deal with play into the fates of many others through pictures of African-Americans living in the ghettos during the 1970s and beyond but also show that they would find a way to maintain a sense of hope for their child. No matter how bad the circumstances can be and the injustice that many African-Americans have to suffer in the past and in the present as Jenkins reveals that despite all of these troubles. There is always hope through love. Overall, Jenkins crafts a rapturous and intoxicating film about a young woman hoping to free her lover from prison so he can be proved innocent and be with his family.
Cinematographer James Laxton does incredible work with the film’s cinematography as its usage of lights for some of the daytime/nighttime interiors and nighttime exteriors as well as the usage of natural lighting play into the beauty of the times despite some of its ugliness. Editors Joi McMillon and Nat Sanders do amazing work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts as well a montage involving Tish dealing with her pregnancy and other stylish cuts that play into the drama. Production designer Mark Friedberg, with set decorators Devynne Lauchner and Kris Moran plus art directors Robert Pyzocha, Oliver Rivas Madera, and Jessica Shorten, does excellent work with the look of the family home of Tish’s parents as well as the home she and Fonny were eager to live as it would be something really special plus the Puerto Rican restaurant they like to go to. Costume designer Caroline Eselin does brilliant work with the costumes in terms of the stylish clothing the characters would wear to play into the times while Fonny’s mother is presented in this very uptight demeanor in her clothing as if she represents this false idea of purity.
Visual effects supervisors John Bair and John Mangia do nice work with the visual effects where it is largely set-dressing for some of the exteriors to help play into the period of the times. Sound designers Odin Benitez and Bryan Parker, along with sound editor/mixer Onnalee Blank, do fantastic work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the locations as well as the sound of records being played from a record player and other sparse elements that is key to the film’s sound work. The film’s music by Nicholas Brittell is phenomenal for its rich and intoxicating orchestral score that has elements of lush string arrangements as well as operatic tones and other subtle themes as it is a major highlight of the film while music supervisor Gabe Hilfer creates a soundtrack that is filled with a mixture of blues, jazz, soul, Latin music, and other contemporary pieces of the time.
The casting by Cindy Tolan is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Dave Franco as a landlord who shows Tish and Fonny this big loft home, Diego Luna as a Puerto Rican restauranteur who is a friend of Fonny, Finn Wittrock as the Rivers’ attorney Hayward who does what he can to help them knowing that he’s up for a big legal battle, Pedro Pascal as a local Puerto Rican hood in Pierto Alvarez who meets with Sharon about Rogers, Milanni Mines and Ethan Barrett in their respective roles as the adolescent versions of Tish and Fonny, Ebony Obsidian and Dominique Thorne in their respective roles as Fonny’s sisters Adrienne and Sheila who aren’t excited about the news of Fonny’s new baby, and Emily Rios in a terrific performance as Victoria Rogers as a woman who had been raped and believes that Fonny is the one who raped her.
Michael Beach and Aunjanue Ellis are superb in their respective roles as Fonny’s parents in Frank and Mrs. Hunt with Beach as this man that is ecstatic about the arrival of a grandchild as he is eager to help his son get out of jail while Ellis has this chilling presence as a woman who is convinced her son is in jail because he sinned greatly against God. Ed Skrein is fantastic in his small role as the racist police officer Bell as a man that confronts Fonny one night and tries to get him arrested as he would later play a part in Fonny’s incarceration. Brian Tyree Henry is excellent as Daniel Carty as a friend of Fonny who had been paroled as he talks about his experience in prison as well as what he saw during his time. Colman Domingo and Teyonah Parris are brilliant in their respective roles as Tish’s father Joseph and older sister Ernestine as two people being supportive of Tish as well as do what they can to get Fonny out of jail and prove his innocence. Regina King is incredible as Tish’s mother Sharon as a woman that is supportive of her daughter as well as wanting to prove that Fonny is innocent as it’s an understated yet riveting performance from King who really is a major highlight of the film.
The performances of KiKi Layne and Stephan James are phenomenal in their respective roles as Tish and Fonny. Layne’s performance is one filled with innocence as a 19-year old woman trying to understand what Fonny is going through as well as deal with her pregnancy as it’s a calm yet radiant performance from Layne. James’ performance is one that is full of sensitivity and care but also someone who is aware of the dark aspects of the real world as he does show some anger during a confrontation with a man trying to harass Tish as well as the struggle he is having in prison. Layne and James together just have this natural chemistry in the way they spend time with one another as well as deal with the pain of being apart as they talk together in prison.
If Beale Street Could Talk is a tremendous film from Barry Jenkins. Featuring a great ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, Nicholas Brittell’s gorgeous score, and themes of love and family trying to help one another. It’s a touching drama that play into the period of racial injustice and unfairness during 1970s Harlem as well as show what some people will do to provide some hope and love in these troubled times. In the end, If Beale Street Could Talk is a spectacular film from Barry Jenkins.
Barry Jenkins Films: Medicine for Melancholy – Moonlight - (The Underground Railroad (2021 Limited TV Series) - (Mufasa: The Lion King)
© thevoid99 2019
Written and directed by Paul Schrader, Dying of the Light is the story of a CIA agent who is trying to track down a terrorist as he copes with memory loss that is worsening by the day. The film is a psychological thriller of a man trying to stop a terrorist from doing more harm only to become a liability to himself. Starring Nicolas Cage, Anton Yelchin, and Irene Jacob. Dying of the Light is a by-the-numbers and unexciting film from Paul Schrader.
22 years after an incident that left him with a lot of bad memories and a severed right ear lobe, the film follows a CIA agent who believes that a terrorist who tortured him is still alive as he is aided by his protégé to help find this terrorist. That is the premise as a whole as it play into this man trying to stop the terrorist who nearly killed him as he is convinced the man is alive. Yet, he is starting to unravel due to the fact that he’s ill with an early stage of frontal temporal dementia as he is seen as a liability to the CIA. Paul Schrader’s screenplay does have a unique premise that seems to work on paper but it is clear that whatever ideas he had to create a thriller that is more about a man dealing with his illness and confront his past falls by the wayside into something that is more by-the-book that is expected in these political-based thrillers.
Schrader’s direction does have some unique compositions and moments that are interesting yet it is clear that whatever ideas he had to stray from convention were tampered with during the film’s post-production. Shot on various locations in Bucharest, Romania, Washington D.C. and nearby locations in Virginia, and locations in Queensland and the Gold Coast in Australia as Kenya. The film does have this worldly feel as it play into the idea of global terrorism as Schrader is also focused on the plight that CIA agent Evan Lake (Nicolas Cage) is dealing with where he would be aided by his protégé in Milton Schultz (Anton Yelchin). The moments of the two having a simple conversation are the most interesting scenes in the film yet it gets bogged down by not just some of the visuals but also these stories and scene that relate to the mission in hand.
Many of the visual elements of the film that include Gabriel Kosuth’s cinematography feel like it’s been given a polished look as whatever idea that Kosuth and Schrader wanted to do visually definitely was changed in the post-production without Schrader’s consent along with the input of one of its executive producers in Nicolas Winding Refn. The photography has something that feels way too clean and emphasizes more on the beauty of a location which is far from what Schrader wanted while its third act that include the climatic meeting between Lake and his dying torturer in Muhammad Banir (Alexander Karim) should’ve been compelling but the presentation with its usage of flashback montages end up making it conventional that is followed by a big shoot out that feels like it comes from another film. Overall, the film is a thriller that plays too much into its traditional schematics forcing its director Paul Schrader to not do anything new or break away from its conventions.
Editor Tim Silano does terrible work with the editing as it doesn’t do enough to build up the suspense as well as emphasize a lot of flashback montages while not doing enough to let shots play out longer in some of the film’s conversation scenes. Production designer Russell Barnes, with set decorator Gina Calin plus art directors Adam Head and Serban Porupca, does fantastic work with the look of Lake’s home as well as the Bucharest medical building he goes to. Costume designer Oana Paunescu does nice work with the costumes as it is casual for many of the characters in the film.
Hair/makeup designer Francesca Tampieri does terrific work with the look that Lake would use to play a Romanian doctor to meet Banir. Special effects supervisor Lucian Iordache and visual effects supervisor Danny S. Kim do OK work with the visual effects as it is mainly set dressing that eventually add to the film’s bland look. Sound designer Trevor Gates does superb work with the sound in creating an atmosphere in some of the locations though it gets unfortunately drowned out by Frederik Wiedmann’s score that is mainly a low-key electronic music that gets bombastic to the point of overblown. Music supervisor Gina Amador provides a soundtrack that doesn’t stand out as it is a mixture of pop and world music that never does anything.
The casting by Carolyn McLeod is alright as it feature some notable small roles from Serban Celea as the Romanian doctor in Dr. Iulian Cornel, Silas Carson as a CIA official trying to stop Lake from doing his assignment as well as express concern for the man’s health, Geff Francis as Lake’s doctor who reveals the severity of Lake’s condition, Adetomiwa Edun as a courier of Banir, and Alexander Karim as the terrorist Muhammad Banir as this man who tortured Lake many years ago only to re-emerge as a dying figure who is eager to live so he can plot another major attack. Irene Jacob is pretty good as the journalist Michelle Zuberain as a former lover of Lake who help Lake and Schultz in trying to get information as her character is underused largely due to the post-production work to reduce her performance.
Anton Yelchin is excellent as Milton Schultz as a protégé of Lake who makes a discovery about Banir and the idea that he’s alive as he is willing to help Lake as it’s a reserved performance that has Yelchin provide strong support though he too is hampered by the post-production tampering where it feels like there’s more to his character. Finally, there’s Nicolas Cage in a brilliant performance as Evan Lake as a CIA agent who is dealing with a disease as he is haunted by bad memories where Cage is given the chance to act crazy and be wild as well as display some calm in the way he’s dealing with his fading memories though he too is hampered by the film’s post-production troubles that doesn’t do more with his performance.
Dying of the Light is a terrible film. Despite the performances of Nicolas Cage and Anton Yelchin, it’s a film that seems to have a good idea from someone as talented and observant as Paul Schrader only for the film to be taken out of his hands and without his input. It’s a film that should’ve felt like a thriller that is also a character study but instead becomes something that never does anything new nor does it bring any kind of thrills. In the end, Dying of the Light is a horrendous film by people who doesn’t understand the language of cinema and take it away in the hands and mind of someone as talented as Paul Schrader.
Paul Schrader Films: Blue Collar - Hardcore – American Gigolo - Cat People (1982 film) - Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters – (Light of Day) – (Patty Hearst) – (The Comfort of Strangers) – (Light Sleeper) – (Witch Hunt) – (Touch) – Affliction - (Forever Mine) – (Auto Focus) – (Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist) – (The Walker) – (Adam Resurrected) – (The Canyons) – (Dog Eat Dog) – First Reformed - (The Card Counter)
© thevoid99 2019
Based on the 2010 film Love Crime by Alain Corneau, Passion is the story of two women working for a multi-national corporation as they try reach for a prime position only for the competition to get dangerous. Written for the screen and directed by Brian de Palma, the film is a remake of sorts of Corneau’s film with some different interpretations as it play into two women trying to one-up themselves in a game to reach to the top. Starring Rachel McAdams, Noomi Rapace, Karoline Herfurth, Paul Anderson, Rainer Bock, and Benjamin Sadler. Passion is a gripping yet stylish film from Brian de Palma.
An advertising executive takes credit for her subordinate’s idea as she would later try and blackmail her prompting her subordinate to try and one-up her where it would eventually lead to murder. That is the film’s premise as it play into two women trying to vie for position in a multi-national advertising corporation in Berlin as it would intensify with one of them playing mind games over the other. Brian de Palma’s screenplay, which includes additional dialogue by Natalie Carter, focuses on this relationship between Christine Stanford (Rachel McAdams) and her subordinate Isabelle James (Noomi Rapace) as they’re trying to create a new ad yet Stanford would take credit for James’ idea for an ad that she created with her secretary Dani (Karoline Herfurth). Yet, Stanford is a woman that always gets what she wants as her reason to hurt James is due to the fact that James is having an affair with Stanford’s lover in a co-worker in Dirk Harriman (Paul Anderson) who is already in trouble for embezzling money from their company as he’s hoping to pay them back. Stanford’s usage of power and seduction would eventually cause James to break down and the desire to fight back.
The direction of de Palma definitely play into his stylish approach of slanted camera angles, split-screens, perspective shots, and other tricks that he is known for yet he does maintain the importance of the suspense and drama that occurs in the film. Shot on location in Berlin, de Palma avoids many of the city’s landmarks to focus on something that is more intimate in the corporate world that also include these lavish apartments that the main characters live in. There are some wide shots in the film yet de Palma emphasizes more on close-ups and medium shots to not just focus on the characters but in the environment they’re in. Even as he uses webcams and phones for footage as it would play into Stanford’s need to humiliate James in every way she can that include an office party scene that also shows footage of office workers in compromising positions.
The direction also has de Palma maintain this idea of what James might do yet she is already falling apart where she is seen using prescription pills to cope with the humiliation she endured. The usage of split-screen is a method that de Palma is known for where he gets multiple perspectives of what is going on where it focuses on a party Stanford is having as well as who is going to join for an after party while the other focus is on a ballet performance that James is watching. It is a sequence that is offbeat yet it play into the suspense of what is going to happen followed by an aftermath in the third act that is filled with the usual twists and turns over who did it. Even as it raises questions about who and why did it happen where de Palma definitely play with the tropes though it’s ending does get a little over-written towards the end. Overall, de Palma crafts a witty and exhilarating film about a corporate ad executive trying to outdo her subordinate leading to a battle for supremacy and seduction.
Cinematographer Jose Luis Alcaine does amazing work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of bright and vibrant colors for some of the scenes in the day and night along with blue filters and shades for other scenes to express the mood of the characters. Editor Francois Gediger does excellent work with the editing with its approach to rhythmic cuts for the suspense as well as playing up to the style of split-screens. Production designer Cornelia Ott, with set decorator Ute Bergk and supervising art director Astrid Poeschke, does brilliant work with the look of the offices and homes of Stanford and James as well as the restaurants and places they go to. Costume designer Karen Muller Serrau does fantastic work with the costumes with the clothes that Sanford wears including some skimpy and stylish lingerie to the black clothes that James would wear.
Special makeup effects artists Tamar Aviv, Goran Lundstrom, and Jorn Seifert do terrific work with the look of the characters including a mask that Stanford has which matches her face. Visual effects supervisor Sarah Moreau does nice work with the film’s minimal visual effects for some of the film’s set-dressing and scenes involving computers and such. Sound editor Jean Goudier does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the offices and some of the places the characters go to. The film’s music by Pino Donaggio is incredible for its lush and eerie orchestral arrangement that play into the suspense with its usage of strings as it adds to the dramatic tension while music supervisor Elise Luguern provide a few classical pieces from Claude Debussy, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as well as contemporary pieces from Archive, Steve Dudas, and Mark Hart.
The casting by Anja Dihrberg is wonderful as it feature a few notable small roles from Jorg Pintsch as a lover of Stanford in Mark, Michael Rotschopf as James’ attorney, Polina Semionova and Ibrahim Oyku Onal as the ballet dancers, and Dominic Raacke as a corporate boss in J.J. Koch. Benjamin Sadler is terrific as a prosecutor who believes that James is a suspect involved in a murder while Rainer Bock is superb as a police inspector who is suspicious of James yet is aware that something doesn’t feel right. Paul Anderson is fantastic as Dirk Harriman as a co-worker of James and Stanford who is sleeping with both women yet is already in trouble for embezzlement that leads to him being blackmailed by Stanford. Karoline Herfurth is excellent as Dani as James’ secretary who takes part in creating the ad that James wants to present while is also aware of the mind games that Stanford is playing where she becomes protective of James.
The performances of Noomi Rapace and Rachel McAdams in their respective roles as Isabelle James and Christine Stanford are incredible as two women working for a multi-national corporation as they find themselves fighting to be on top. Rapace’s performance is definitely filled with a lot of anguish and humility as someone who feels like she’s not getting enough credit while being used. McAdams’ performance as Stanford is such a delight in how bitchy she is where she uses her sex appeal to get what she wants as well as be emotionally manipulative that has a darkly comic edge. Rapace and McAdams together are a joy to watch with Rapace being the foil and McAdams being bad as they have this amazing chemistry together as they are the highlights of the film.
Passion is a remarkable film from Brian de Palma that features great performances from Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace. Along with its gorgeous visuals, study of multi-national corporate culture, themes of seduction and humility, and Pino Donaggio’s score. It’s a film that has the kind of story that definitely has the touches expected from de Palma while being this erotic thriller of sorts that play into the tropes of the genre. In the end, Passion is a marvelous film from Brian de Palma.
Related: Love Crime
Brian de Palma Films: (Murder a la Mod) – (Greetings) – (The Wedding Party) – (Dionysus in ’69) – (Hi, Mom!) – (Get to Know Your Rabbit) – Sisters - Phantom of the Paradise – Obsession – Carrie - The Fury - (Home Movies) – Dressed to Kill - Blow Out - Scarface (1983 film) - Body Double – (Wise Guys) – The Untouchables - Casualties of War - The Bonfire of the Vanities - Raising Cain - Carlito's Way - Mission: Impossible - Snake Eyes - Mission to Mars - Femme Fatale – The Black Dahlia - (Redacted) – (Domino (2018 film))
© thevoid99 2019
