Month: November 2023

“Passages” (2023) starring Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, & Adele Exarchopoulos

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SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read this post if you haven’t seen, or don’t want to know, details from the movie Passages (2023) streaming on MUBI.

…a form of cultural censorship that is quite dangerous, particularly in a culture which is already battling, in such extreme ways, the possibility of LGBT imagery to exist. -Ira Sachs (co-writer/director) on the NC-17 rating given to the film by the MPAA

At the wrap party for his latest movie, 30-something director, Tomas (Franz Rogowski- a German actor), celebrates w/ his hubby, Martin (Ben Whishaw- a British character actor), the film crew, and their guests. Among these guests is a 20-ish teacher, Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos- a Frenchwoman), who invites Tomas to dance. Soon, the two begin an affair, which puts strain on the relationship btwn Tomas, Martin, and their wider social circle.

I really liked how in this story the 3rd person is a woman. Because it shows how awkward it is to maybe try to have that balance of freedom and being open to people exploring, but also wanting traditional needs met. […]

He [Tomas] is not interested in making anyone else comfortable but himself.

-Excerpts from YouTube video by Jelly Fish Reviews (8/1/23)

This indie film was rejected by both Cannes and the Venice film fests; it had its world premiere at Sundance. Ira Sachs (who is American) and the film’s distributor, MUBI, rejected the NC-17 rating; it was released in theaters (unrated) in AUG 2023. I heard some positive things from media critics I follow, so had high hopes for this movie. I think many ppl are hungry for mature dramas w/ serious themes. This story has a V unusual/interesting premise, BUT there is little in the way of character development. Polyamory is NOT a topic we see discussed much in media.

The unlikeable protagonist (NOT a hero) doesn’t grow/learn/change by the end. FYI: Ragowski speaks w/ a lisp, which is his natural speaking manner (hard to understand at times IF you’re not using subtitles). Tomas is a narcissist who causes havoc w/ his words/actions wherever he goes. Some viewers commented that he isn’t “conventionally handsome”; Tomas has a patchy beard, gaunt features, dresses in mismatched clothing, and moves in a “snake-like manner.” We may wonder why Martin (a successful artist/business owner) and Agathe (an independent-minded/strong woman) found him SO appealing! After all, it’s easier for the audience to relate when a baddie IF he also happens to be a hottie (i.e. Brando in Streetcar; Newman in Hud).

The visual style of the film is NOT impressive; there are even scenes where the framing seems off and a character is hidden from view (while speaking). There are no camera “tricks,” which could’ve made this film a BIT more effective. The pacing is slow and I didn’t sense tension building as the story went on; there are common issue in (modern) movies. As for the “controversial” scenes, the sex looks “animalistic” (NOT romantic), as a few viewers commented. I saw little passion/connection btwn the characters.

[1] Not all films need to be message driven, but I think any director or writer makes a film because they have something to say. In that sense, I’m not sure what ‘Passages’ wanted to say.

[2] …a rather dull introspective of characters that didn’t really leap off the screen at me. […] The production and pacing all contribute to the general ennui of the whole thing and to be honest, I was just a bit disappointed with this whole thing.

[3] Without style, the absence of substance dominates this lackluster experience.

[4] The movie transcends type and finds the truth in its relationships, it dotes on and suffers with its protagonists in a manner that does feel intimate, both emotionally and physically.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Two Films Directed by Christopher Nolan: “Inception” (2010) & “Dunkirk” (2017)

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Inception (2010) starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy & Cillian Murphy

Your mind is the scene of the crime. -Tagline

Dom Cobb (DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep w/in the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back, but only if he can accomplish the impossible, inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea, but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming. -Synopsis (Warner Bros.)

What to say about this movie!? Did y’all understand what was going on (w/o a re-watch)? I felt nothing- to keep it short! OK, that’s NOT quite true; I did enjoy seeing ’80s star Tom Berenger (Browning), Tom Hardy (Eames), and Cillian Murphy (Robert Fischer). Hardy gets to be funny/quirky; he has good banter w/ Joseph Gordon-Levitt. As the uber-rich businessman who the gang kidnap, Murphy speaks w/ an American accent (which is flawless). Marion Cottilard doesn’t have much to do in the (undercooked) role of Dom’s wife. Maybe she wanted more (international) exposure? A LOT of media critics commented that Nolan is NOT good at writing female characters. The CGI was somewhat interesting, though since I saw it last month on Max (on TV), it didn’t make a huge impression. I’m sure many viewers (back in 2010) were more impressed. This is a prime case of style over substance, sad to say!

Dunkirk (2017) starring Fionn Whitehead, Barry Keoghan, Mark Rylance, Harry Styles, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Tom Hardy, & Cillian Murphy

When 400,000 men couldn’t get home, home came for them. -Tagline

Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Commonwealth and Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II. -Synopsis

The Mole [beach]: One Week, The Sea: One Day, and The Air: One Hour. -The 3 timelines of the film

Thank goodness- this movie (shot on the actual beach at Dunkirk) was a LOT better than Inception! There were camera operators floating in the water w/ actors. For many of the cockpit shots, Nolan had a two-seat plane rigged, so that the front canopy and cockpit looked like a real Spitfire (BUT w/ non-functioning flying controls). The actual pilot was flying the plane from the rear cockpit, so that the actor could play the pilot (as the plane actually flew). Nolan mounted front and rear-facing cameras on a reconditioned Spitfire. This movie is focused on the experience of battle (incl. its sounds and sights). The individual characters don’t have many lines. Germans are heard/talked about, BUT never seen; this story is NOT about them. The ticking sounds in the score were recorded by Hans Zimmer from one of Nolan‘s own pocket watches; the composer then put the sounds into synthesizers and altered them for the soundtrack.

This is an essential moment in the history of World War II. If this evacuation had not been a success, Great Britain would have been obliged to capitulate, and the whole world would have been lost, or would have known a different fate. The Germans would undoubtedly have conquered Europe, the U.S. would not have returned to war. It is a true point of rupture in war and in history of the world. A decisive moment. And the success of the evacuation allowed (Sir Winston Churchill) to impose the idea of a moral victory, which allowed him to galvanize his troops like civilians and to impose a spirit of resistance while the logic of this sequence should have been that of surrender. Militarily, it is a defeat. On the human plane, it is a colossal victory. -Christopher Nolan (director) re: importance of this battle

While scouting locations, Nolan found a button from an English soldier’s uniform in the sand. After first-hand accounts of this evacuation revealed how young/inexperienced the soldiers were, Nolan decided to cast young/unknowns (aside from pop star Harry Styles- of course). Tommy (Fionn Whitehead) and a French deserter in the uniform of a dead Englishman- Gibson (Aneurin Barnard)- are among the many young soldiers trapped on the beach (The Mole). Styles does a good job in his small role; he should stick to those. Mr. Dawson (veteran character actor Mark Rylance), his son Peter (Tom Glynn Carney- before House of the Dragon), and his 17 y.o. pal George (Barry Keoghan- before fame) are the civilians on the sea. They rescue Cillian Murphy, an (unnamed) soldier shaken by the cold and PTSD; he was the most interesting character. Farrier (Tom Hardy) is the RAF pilot in the air in his Spitfire plane; he liked working w/ Nolan (so took this small role). As w/ Bane (in the Batman movies), he wears a mask most of the time- LOL!

Who are the heroes of Dunkirk? Tommy and Gibson (scared/hungry) try to hide/preserve their lives however they can. George jumps aboard the boat b/c he wants to contribute. We learn that the sub the survivor was on got destroyed by German bombs; also the boat he was escaping in was also destroyed. Murphy’s character has reached his limit; he attacks Mr. Dawson (who was empathetic toward him). George quickly stops him, BUT is grievously injured in a fall! If (eager/naive) George hadn’t sacrificed himself, a LOT of men could’ve died (3rd act). Tommy doesn’t tell the survivor that he caused the death of George. Mr. Dawson remains even-keeled and stoic; we eventually learn that he lost his (older) son in war. Though Farrier’s plane runs out of gas, he continues to protect the beach from attack. In the last scene, he’s forced to land on a small strip of land, then captured by Germans. I almost cried at the end; it was (quietly) emotional. This is unlike what I experienced in 1917.

“Fair Play” (2023) starring Phoebe Dynevor & Alden Ehrenreich

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SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read this post if you haven’t seen, or don’t want to know, details from the movie Fair Play (2023) streaming on Netflix.

Competition is Close. -A tagline for the movie

[1] Fair Play is about the sort of guy a lot of women are uncomfortably familiar with – the one who’s perfect until he’s not, who’s an ally as long as he stays in power. 

[2] I really liked the concept, and the story up to a point, but then it careens off the rails, and becomes something altogether different. By the end, it has taken one of the leads into a place that is barely believable, and borderline absurd.

[3] It’s about how a loss in traditional balance sends a couple into their dark side.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Emily (Phoebe Dynevor: 28 y.o.) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich: 33 y.o.) are a smart/ambitious couple who’ve been dating for 2 yrs; they live in a spacious apt. in NYC’s Chinatown. They decide to get engaged, BUT keep their relationship a secret, as they both work as traders in the same investment firm. Suddenly, a position of PM (portfolio manager) opens up, when a co-worker is let go w/o warning (NOT unusual in this cut-throat field). Everyone in the (glass-filled/open plan) office is buzzing re: who’ll get the promotion; Emily assumes that Luke will be the one (and is happy about it). Late one night, Emily gets a (mysterious-sounding) call from a PM, Rory (Sebastien De Souza). She goes to a (speakeasy-style) bar; their boss is sitting there instead of Rory. Campbell (Eddie Marsan) reveals to Emily that he has chosen her as the new PM!

As y’all regular readers (and Twitter pals) know, I was anticipating this film for quite some time. This is the 1st movie written/directed by an American woman in her 30s, Chloe Domont; the rights were bought by Netflix for $20M. The setting is NYC (Manhattan), it was primarily shot in Serbia; Domont chose that location as it allowed her to build the sets according to her specifications. The co-leads of the movie are two up-and-comers in Hollywood: Dynevor (a Brit best known for the Netflix series Bridgerton) and Ehrenreich (an American who starred in Solo: A Star Wars Story; he recently had a supporting role in Oppenheimer). The rest of the (international/mostly male) cast are NOT well-known; they portray Americans. When it comes to the relationship element, it was effective; the leads have good chemistry (make a believable couple) and are well-suited physically. When it came to the workplace, it fell short; my mind would wander off. (I’ve known ppl who worked in finance when I lived in NYC.) The frenetic energy of NYC is missing; that is an element you can’t fake. One critic said that Lynbrook (where Emily grew up) is “a nice/middle-class town” on Long Island; Campbell made it sound like a hole to crawl out of.

This is NOT an erotic thriller, as you may’ve assumed from the marketing; however, it does contain elements of the genre. The central issue here is the fragility of the male ego. Today, there are some women who earn more than their (male) partners; this could be a point of friction in relationships. Though she never worked in finance, Domont based this story partly on her own life; she said that she “made herself small in some dating relationships” (when she had success professionally). After Emily is promoted, the relationship btwn her and Luke starts to break down. Tension builds and continues to grow in their interactions. Luke makes snide/mean comments, loses interest in sex, and gets obsessed w/ the teachings of a business guru (reminded me of Don’t Worry Darling). Emily changes her style and navigates the world of the PMs (act like “one of the guys”). In the 3rd act, Luke goes into a tailspin which came off as extreme (and unexpected) for many viewers. Do you think that any man can become a rapist? Honestly, I have to say no! There is one scene in the finale which may be troubling and (possibly) triggering to some viewers.

#Noirvember: “Abandoned” (1949) starring Dennis O’Keefe, Gale Storm, Jeff Chandler, & Raymond Burr

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NO NAME FOR HER BABY…only a PRICE! -A tagline for the movie

This B-movie delves into an unusual/sensitive topic for its day: black market baby adoptions. A young woman, Paula Considine (Gale Storm), from a small-town comes to a police station in L.A. She is looking for info on her missing younger sister; a local newspaper reporter, Mark Sitko (Dennis O’Keefe), offers to help. There is a burly/tall man, Kerric (Raymond Burr), lurking in the shadows and following Paula. Her sister’s dead body is in the morgue; there is evidence that she recently gave birth! Though it looks like suicide to the coroner, Paula insists there must’ve been foul play. Also, what happened to the baby?

Mark [to Kerric]: You couldn’t sleep, so you decided to take your gun out for a walk.

I saw this film (free on YouTube) last week; it moves along quickly, w/ snappy dialogue, and a variety of characters. Several of these actors went on to long/successful careers in TV. Burr (best known as Perry Mason) is working for the main baddie, a matronly “society lady” w/ a cane, Mrs. Donner (Marjorie Rambeau). In one tense scene, Burr fights one of her henchmen, played by Mike Mazurki (another “heavy” often in noirs). As for the good guys, Major Ross of The Salvation Army (Jeanette Nolan- looking FAB after 40), is an ally to pregnant women w/ no place to turn. Mark’s handsome/cop friend is Chief McCrae (Jeff Chandler); I hadn’t seen this actor before, BUT learned that he became a TV star.

[1] This excellent thriller deals with the sale of stolen babies by baby broker racketeers. It is thus more relevant to today, when this problem is much more widespread, than it was in 1949. The plot is sound, the script first rate, and the acting is extremely good. […]

A sinister sub-plot about the father of the two sisters making his daughter get rid of her illegitimate baby seems to have been cut because it was too shocking, but enough of it survives to show that it was clearly once there.

[2] I loved the camerawork… particularly in the early portions of the film. The angles and shadows are great… and very moody. I also loved the incredibly violent and gritty ending, where evil clearly is punished big time! Overall, a well written and acted film that never is dull and is well worth your time.

[3] Despite an obviously low budget, “Abandoned” benefits from location filming, which adds a documentary touch, enhanced by narration that implies some truth to the story. A fine cast of “B” players, memorable photography, and steady direction by Joe Newman, a veteran of modestly budgeted second features, together produced an entertaining, engaging film noir that is well worth catching.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Outlaw King” (2018) starring Chris Pine, Stephen Dillane, Billy Howle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, & Florence Pugh

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A true David vs. Goliath story of how the 14th C. Scottish “Outlaw King” Robert the Bruce used cunning and bravery to defeat the much larger and better equipped occupying English army. -Synopsis

Are you a fan of the epic movie Braveheart (1995), like me? To recap that story: A commoner, William Wallace (Mel Gibson), led a rebellion against Longshanks, AKA King Edward I of England (Patrick McGoohan), who wished to inherit the crown of Scotland for himself. When he was a boy, William’s father, brother, and many men of his village lost their lives trying to free Scotland. Once his wife, Murron (Catherine McCormack), is killed by a British soldier, William begins his quest to make his country free once and for all. He seeks to make an alliance w/ a young nobleman, Robert the Bruce (Angus Macfadyen), who yearns for the love/respect of his people (which William has). This recent Netflix movie is the (unofficial) sequel to Braveheart.

Robert the Bruce: It is our feudal duty to provide fighting men for our overlord, King Edward.
Villager: You assured us these obligations would be over!
Robert: I’d hoped they were.

I always wanted to know what happened to Robert; he was a complicated character. His father grew up partly in the English court w/ King Edward I; they fought in “the holy lands” as young men. I enjoyed this movie (for the most part); I learned that some of it is NOT historically accurate. Hey, the filmmakers of Braveheart changed a LOT of that story! The look is simply beautiful; some viewers felt that it was TOO “nice-looking” for the subject matter. I don’t agree w/ that; I’m tired of the modern trend of gray-ish/blue-tinted historical pieces! This film was shot on location in Scotland. Director David Mackenzie is known for small budget/indies; he does a good job here. However, I felt some scenes were a BIT too long or too short; I learned that the original version was quite a BIT longer (40 more mins.) As for those of you who’re sensitive to blood/gore, this is NOT the movie for you!

King Edward: It was my hope to grow old and not die on the battlefield, but I see now that the great danger in a death from natural causes is that one may be lying in one’s bed chamber thinking of all the things that have been left undone.

I was surprised to discover that the love story btwn Robert and his young/2nd wife, Elizabeth Burgh (Florence Pugh), was more interesting than the war (action) elements. Yeah, they have an arranged marriage and are separated by more than a decade, BUT slowly fall in love over several mos. However, it is NOT probable that ppl lived chastely for long, as a marriage wasn’t considered “real” until it was consummated. I’m sure the “slow burn” romance was written to appeal to modern audiences. Pine (w/ a NOT so glam haircut) does a fine job; he gets to show his range as an actor. As you may’ve heard, there is one scene where (pun intended) we glimpse the full Pine. Pugh is always FAB, no matter what material she is given! Now y’all understand why Pine and Pugh had such great chemistry in their scenes together in Don’t Worry Darling (2022).

James Douglas: Thinking about revenge? It tears on the soul, but it can also be a weapon.

When it comes to the (baddie) Brits- whoa boy- they’re ALL evil! Did you expect subtlety from a Netflix production? Edward, Prince of Wales (Billy Howle) has some serious “daddy issues” (as we saw in Braveheart); however, here he is violent and desperate to prove himself. King Edward I (Stephane Dillane) is cold/power-hungry; he can still fight at his (advanced) age. One of the allies of Bruce is James Douglas, Lord of Douglas (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a wild-eyed/bushy bearded Scotsman bent on revenge. When I see this actor’s name, I have to cringe a little. Though James is a tough warrior w/ some cool sword skills, he doesn’t get much characterization. Taylor-Johnson will star in a superhero movie soon (no shocker). If you’re a fan of dramas like Game of Thrones, then you should check it out. I want to learn more re: Scotland’s history.

[1] …everything is crammed together quickly, if they had made a mini series they could have showed more of the story. […]

The action scenes are brilliant in the Outlaw King, and you can tell that most of it was inspired by Braveheart, from the gore, to the realism. However, I feel the movie put style over story and characters. I would watch it just for its visuals alone.

[2] A great story, impressive fight and battle scenes, care for details and a powerful, convincing lesson about fundamental values. In the age of blockbusters, it is a “must see.”

[3] The film does take certain liberties with historical accuracy, namely certain events either merged together or moved around on the timeline – all in aid of dramatic effect. Nonetheless, this does not shadow the realism that does exist, especially in terms of the savagery of warfare and intrigue, as well as the superb set pieces and costume designs that accompany the productions heavy attention to detail.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews