Category: 2017-2018

“God’s Own Country” (2017) starring Josh O’Connor, Alec Secareanu, Gemma Jones, & Ian Hart

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Are you looking for a man in drama, 6’2”, blue eyes, and unconventional looks? After seeing British actor Josh O’Connor in Challengers (2024), I started to look into his earlier work. Wow, I fell (even more) in love w/ his acting! The actor (now 34 y.o.) is from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire (southern England). However, when 1st time feature writer/director (Francis Lee) watched his audition tape for Johnny (w/ a V convincing accent), he assumed O’Connor was from Yorkshire (northern England). O’Connor’s mother is from Yorkshire, though he said she doesn’t have that specific accent. Lee said: “he is one of those rare actors who is a real shape-shifter.” This movie was inspired by Lee’s own experiences of growing up/working on his family farm; he is also an openly gay man. To prepare for their roles, the two lead actors lived/worked on a farm for 2 weeks (prior to filming). All scenes w/ the animals are real; the movie was shot chronologically on location at a working farm near Lee’s childhood home. Georghe (Alec Secareanu) was inspired by a Romanian immigrant who Lee met some years ago and that man’s experiences of racism while working in the UK. Lee (who insisted that a Romanian was needed for this role) flew 3 actors in from Bucharest to London to screentest w/ O’Connor.

Johnny Saxby (O’Connor- then 26 y.o.) is a young man in his early 20s responsible for the running of his family’s small farm. His grandmother, Deidre (Gemma Jones), takes care of their humble house. Johnny’s father, Martin (Ian Hart), has gone through serious health issues, so decides to take on a hired hand. Though he doesn’t speak much (repressing his thoughts and emotions), it’s obvious that Johnny resents his father’s decision. Unlike Johnny, who projects a cold/forbidding demeanor, Georghe is a warm presence in the small household. He carries himself w/ quiet dignity and humility, as well as being a capable farmhand; this impresses Martin and Deidre. When the two men have to go off alone to a secluded area to look after the sheep, tensions boil over in unexpected ways!

There is a LOT of talk re: toxic masculinity, male loneliness, and racism/prejudice (faced by migrant workers) today; this film delves into such topics (yet NOT in a heavy-handed/Hollywood manner). The weight of responsibilities has made Johnny bitter, angry, and a (possible) alcoholic. While his old schoolmates attend college and hang out in pubs, Johnny spends time w/ cows, sheep, and random hookups. As an outsider to this land, Georghe sees the (natural) beauty and appreciates it. There are a few scenes in this film which MAY put off sensitive viewers; as many viewers have pointed out, it’s BOTH gritty and lovely (in its own way). Lee and his cinematographer (Joshua James Richards) worked for 4 mos, planning every shot before production. O’Connor won Best Actor for his work at the 2017 British Independent Film Awards (BIFA).

[1] Like Brokeback, this is a genre-defying, coming of age, drama-rich love story.

[2] All in all, next to downplaying the overly popular romantic view on running a farm, this movie also does a good job of introducing a fresh take on gay relationships.

[3] Before I knew it I was in Yorkshire. The silence was deafening, emotions unspoken. Then, Josh O’Connor – a miraculous actor – I didn’t know who the actor was and that helped enormously to get sucked into his world – exterior and interior – and to live his experience fully. Alec Secareanu produces the perfect emotional blow. Roughness and tenderness in a stunning, totally believable performance that, I know will live in my mind forever.

[4] Absolutely stunning film that is now right up there among my all-time favourites. It’s sensual and romantic; and raw and ugly at the same time which is actually quite an accomplishment. The partnership between O’Connor and Secareanu is incredibly effective; the magnificent Ian Hart made me cry and Gemma Jones is amazing as well.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“The Killing of a Sacred Deer”(2017) starring Collin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, & Barry Keoghan

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After the untimely death of 16 y.o. Martin’s (Barry Keoghan), father on the operating table, a bond forms btwn him and the cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Steven Murphy (Collin Farrell). Martin gets an expensive watch, then an invitation for dinner w/ the family in Stephen’s spacious/suburban home. The (humble/shy) teen quickly wins the approval of Steven’s wife/eye doctor, Anna (Nicole Kidman), and their 2 kids: 13 y.o. Kim (Raffey Cassidy) and 11 y.o. Bob (Sunny Suljic). Soon, Martin invites Stephen to come to his home and meet his widowed/lonely mother (Alicia Silverstone). Unexpectedly, the sins of the father come back to affect the entire Murphy family!

This is a modern take on a Greek myth; the movie’s title comes from the ending of the tragedy Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides. It’s a (lesser-known) Greek myth; in JHS, I got V interested in Greek mythology when we studied it in English class. Before Greek director/writer, Yorgos Lanthimos, became famous/Oscar-nominated for The Favourite (2018), he made this domestic drama/horror/mystery. Despite it’s V dark events/serious themes, much of the movie is shot on sunny days or in bright lighting. The film was shot on location in Cincinnati, Ohio (which is NOT often shown in media). Farrell starts off attempting to do a Midwestern accent, BUT then it falls off half-way through the movie. Kidman does a better job; she played a LOT of Americans in her career. Keoghan does a good job w/ the American accent; I think he slipped once. When Martin talks re: his father’s favorite film, the actor’s natural/Irish accent can be heard on the word “father.”

This is one of those films where you ask yourself: “Whoa, what did I just watch!?” It’s definitely for those looking for fun/escapist entertainment! It’s also NOT for more sensitive viewers, such as those who dislike seeing blood, violence, etc. The characters speak in a stilted manner, which is NOT quite naturalistic; their responses are often weird/unexpected (from what we’d expect in everyday society). Steven has bought into his own self-importance/power; he needs to be in control (in and out of surgery). Anna is able to stand up to Steven; she is NOT a pushover in this story. This was a “breakout” role for Keoghan (at just 24 y.o.) The actor makes himself appear younger/smaller (baggy clothes/stooping down) and takes on a (sad-eyed/down-trodden) physicality for Martin. At first, the audience feels sorry for Martin; he maybe just needs attention/guidance. Then, we start to wonder IF something is unstable about his personality. What are Martin’s true motives?

[1] Because this is such a primal story, it could be the most powerful and disturbing film of the year. The characters speak in a kind of dead tone, usually on banal matters (like how waterproof a watch is). The music alternates eerie silences with harsh nerve-wracking strings and drums. Shots of surgery and blood churn the stomach. The widescreen settings have an amphitheatrical stretch. Alone among recent films, it sends you out in catharsis — “calm of mind, all passion spent.” This film releases you, drained.

A man’s misdeed brings down a curse upon his entire house that only his own immense sacrifice can expiate. That’s the Greek tragedy, beside which our mundane stories of simple guilt, rationalization, mercy, forgiveness, and even human justice — the business of cops and courts — dwindle into insignificance.

[2] From the very first scene, to where your mind goes in regard to the sexual nature of the relationships, to the inappropriate or generally eyebrow-raising topics of discussion between some of the characters, this film is MEANT to BE “creepy” and to make the viewer FEEL odd, off – and even dirty.

Much of the creepy-factor, if you will, comes PRECISELY FROM the amazing way in which most of these talented actors made these characters come across as disturbing, unappealing, ALMOST like most of us, ALMOST worth sympathizing with, but not quite. It would have lost much as a film of this nature had the acting been that of a normal or run-of-the-mill family). Again, EVERYTHING, from the topics of conversations, to their postures, to their almost detached delivery, was purposeful and meant to lend to the eeriness of the film and the discomfort of the viewer.

-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.

“The Delinquent Season” (2018) starring Cillian Murphy, Catherine Walker, Eve Birthistle, & Andrew Scott

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Love is a dangerous game. -Tagline

Two friend couples, Jim (Cillian Murphy) and his wife Danielle (Eve Birthistle), and Yvonne (Catherine Walker) and her husband Chris (Andrew Scott), have 2 children each, and appear to live in marital bliss, until cracks start to appear in both seemingly-steady marriages. The film asks “How well do any of us really know each other?” and explores the ideas of love, lust, and family relationships. -Synopsis

Have you seen the new movie Oppenheimer (starring Murphy) yet? (I’ll have a spoiler-free review up soon). Perhaps you’re a fan of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s recent comedy series Fleabag (where Andrew Scott plays the “Hot Priest”). Or maybe you’re just looking for a smart/mature/modern drama (streaming for free on several platforms)? I came across this indie/Irish film (written/directed by Mark O’Rowe) while looking up Murphy’s work. It is mostly filmed like a play and centers on 4 characters; O’Rowe is known in Ireland for his work in the theater. Murphy (who was a musician before getting into acting) started out on the stage; he collaborated w/ O’Rowe in several plays. The more I see of his acting, the more I want to see!

Why can’t we (in U.S) make dramas like this!? I was pleasantly surprised by this film; I didn’t know what to expect beforehand. I thought it was quite true to life; the acting was terrific from all of the cast (incl. from the cute/tween kids). No one is depicted as a straight-up “villain” or a conventional “hero.” The characters look, dress, and speak like modern/middle-class folks w/ “everyday” problems (though the setting is suburban Ireland). This is the (perhaps rare) movie that doesn’t glamorize having an affair (unlike what is depicted in Adrian Lyne’s Unfaithful). The love scenes are shot in a matter-of-fact style, NOT to tittilate. I was reminded of David Lean’s Brief Encounter when it came to the tone (in certain scenes). The ending came as a BIT of a surprise to me (as it was un-Hollywood). Watch it for yourself- I don’t want to give away TOO many details!

Drama is conflict. I’m not interested in a good man’s life. I’m interested in contradiction, and pressure, and duress. All great works of art, or film or literature, in my opinion, have elements of those in them. Because who wants to write about happy people? -Cillian Murphy

[1] The film treats well the topic of middle-class malaise and ennui, deftly shifting the audience’s sympathy multiple times throughout.

[2] It was Cillian Murphy that attracted me to watch this movie. And I got so much more. Solid story with a presentation of moral dilemmas that have a lasting effect – both in thought and discussions

[3] At the end, I felt like I really knew these people, and I deeply felt for them. It’s such a small but perfect cast and such a tender and yet uncomfortable story.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Submergence” (2017) starring James McAvoy & Alicia Vikander

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In a room w/ no windows on the Eastern coast of Africa, James More (James McAvoy- an actor I really admire), is held captive by jihadists fighters. Thousands of miles away in the Greenland Sea, Danielle Flinders (Alicia Vikander), prepares to dive in a sub to the ocean floor. They’re drawn back to the Winter of the previous year, where a chance encounter in Normandy, France led to an intense romance. This was one of the recs (on Amazon Prime) a few weeks ago; I liked the lead actors and the trailer was V interesting. You can also see it on YouTube (for free). The veteran German director, Wim Wenders, is considered an “auteur.” The French cinematographer, Benoit Debie, does a fine job. This film is based on the novel by a British-born writer, J.M. Ledgard, who was a war correspondent and political consultant for 20+ yrs.

James: Death. It gets very real when you’re watching somebody die in front of you. You’re thinking, is this all I am? Is this all I added up to? And all the clichés are true. You’re thinking, why now? Why did it have to be… this happen, before I realize what life truly is? It’s direct, it’s immediate, and it’s their whole life exposed to you.

Dani: Did you think about your own death a lot?

James: I did, and I do.

Dani: I’ve heard people telling me that they’ve had those exact same thoughts when they fell in love.

James: No, you don’t die when you fall in love.

The 1st half is an intelligent and stylish love story; I thought it was told V well. James (an ex-soldier/intelligence expert) and Dani (a scientist who studies the deepest layer of the ocean) are opposites in many ways when they meet on the beach during vacation. It’s refreshing to see a romance where brains (as well as physical beauty) count! At first, James is the one to show interest, BUT it’s Dani who takes things to the next level (rare in modern films, as some critics/viewers noted). Their love/romantic scenes are shot in a way that is classy, unique, and soulful.

The 2nd half contains some action/intrigue, though is NOT as effective (yet important/modern issues- esp. terrorism- come up). Dani’s side of the story comes off as dull (unless you’re a scientist maybe), while James is put in more… and more danger. There are several scenes that drag on; the editing could’ve been much tighter. We see a few supporting characters, incl. a doctor played by Alexander Siddig (best known for his roles on Star Trek: DS9 and Game of Thrones). Many viewers were disappointed that the lovers were apart for such a big part of the movie. Also, there is a (possibly confusing) ending; we needed to see more! One of the main reasons to check out this film is its (natural) beauty. There was a LOT of shooting on location; sadly, the elegant home that serves as a hotel isn’t intended for tourists.