Dev Patel. © 2024 Universal Pictures, Monkeypaw Productions, Bron Studios, Thunder Road Films, Minor Realm, S'YA Concept, WME Independent, and Creative Wealth Media.
Directed by Dev Patel.
Press Screening
Watched it in ICON-X @ Showplace ICON One Small Ember Can Burn Down Everything This ain't your average John Wick esk film. Dev Patel's directorial debut in the action genre with his film Monkey Man is a heart-pounding bloody film with a deep cultural story that makes it stand out. I was expecting pure bloody action sequences but there is care to its narrative and protagonist that makes this film feel fresh and unique. Beyond the action sequences, there is something that connected with me that can be universal and with Patel's direction, writing, and acting, he brought something special to the action genre table. Let's visit India and follow the legend, Monkey Man in his revenge tale. Story: A young man ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he's beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, he discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city's sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him. Revenge stories are always intriguing but some of them don't hit the right marks with their emotional beats or brutal moments that keep up the suspense. However, with Monkey Man, Patel delivers those beats while adding the Indian culture to its environments and the protagonist's story arc. The way it is structured is simple but there is surprisingly more character and even backstory development that makes the final act impactful and his altercation with the main antagonist meaningful. Dev Patel's character Kid, faces many challenges like classism, love, and trauma. There is a lot of trauma and PTSD with his character and it is used effectively and luckily, not overdone which tends to be a bit of a problem when relying too much on flashbacks. One of the reasons I said that Kid faces classism is because the story's environment is focused on classism in India and the lives of the poor and the rich. In the film, Kid's younger life was bright and happy because of his mother and they were living in a well respectable community. However, everything falls when Rana (Sikandar Kher) kills his mother and destroys his home. These scenes' environments told a lot about his struggles and with Patel's visual direction, it carried the tone and visual landscape while adding depth to the protagonist's backstory. Overall, it was effective and it is an interesting aspect that Patel tackled. Adding onto that aspect, beyond the bloody revenge story, there is also some political commentary and representation on-screen. It felt natural within the story and it added a level of realism which enriches the themes and visual elements. As for the actual revenge story, it is deeply about trauma and love. Patel mixes flashbacks and present time effectively through editing which strengthens the emotional beats and Kid's PTSD. His relationship with his mother which became the key that made him become the hero was constructive and with Kid's enemies like Rana and Baba, it powers his rage which makes his character so compelling and fearless, and also makes the action feel more raw and powerful. His character arc went from climbing up to a better life, getting beaten down by his own trauma, re-facing and evaluating that trauma, and ultimately fighting and defeating that trauma. With Dev Patel's direction, that character arc was executed very well and I was so compelled by how he keeps facing his trauma but also learning his struggles and using those struggles as strengths to become the monkey man. Altogether, his character is compelling with depth and with the socio-political commentary tied into the environment of the story, it makes a sturdy and raw story that makes the total bloody action feel right in its own way. As for the other characters in the story, I thought they served a purpose in Kid's journey. Most of them had limited screen time but they brought out each important element that triggers Kid's feelings, or a subtle action. Rana and Sita (Sobhita Dhulipala) were the main triggers to Kid's trauma and their roles in the film were well-developed with limited dialogue between Kid. The visual direction that Petal executed in displaying Kid's trauma is very strong and it doesn't shy away it's realistic, meaningful, and sometimes uncomfortable scenes. He focused a lot on visuals and it worked right with these characters specifically. I also cannot deny that Alphonso (Pitobash) was a funny character and he brought the action charm to the film. As for Alpha (Vipin Sharma), Alpha became a cornerstone character for Kid's journey and Alpha's mentorship role strengthened the struggles of Kid's trauma as a way to overcome his own trauma. I would say this is the standout side character in the film and his role overall brought depth to the environment of the story and most importantly, the culture. Lastly, it is also nice seeing Sharlto Copley back on the silver screen. His role was energetic and added a level of craziness to the wild nights in India. These characters altogether had an impact on the protagonist's arc, trauma, or the environment of the story. As I mentioned before, the film's culture serves as an important background in the film and through its revenge story.
The culture in Monkey Man is diverse and rich in each setting in almost every scene. The environments play a key part in building the protagonist's backstory and current struggles. With the great and grounded production design, it makes each environment very distinct and unique. What also makes it unique is that some environments represent the protagonist's journey including his emotions. Especially inside the luxury hotel on each floor, the wide variety of neon colors support the cinematography and add a layer to the character's emotion through production design. Back to the overall culture presented in the film, there is authenticity and social commentary from Patel's direction. From the cultural myths and arts to the film's music, there is a rich variety of Indian culture and luckily in the film, we get to see a huge variety of locations that diversify the whole culture. I really enjoyed Patel's direction with his personal injection of the Indian culture. All of these elements lead to the biggest element that makes his film brutal and the story gritty and grounded.
Dev Patel's action direction is raw, brutal, bloody, heart-pounding, and fun! This is the real juice that keeps the momentum and suspense of the film, including its important character development scenes which lead to the bloody final act. Patel's action style is right in front of our noses when shit goes down. A lot of interesting Dutch angles, close-ups, and shaky camera movements that feel just so right for this film alone. It is total pack-a-punch in each action scene and there is some breather between the action. Yet, when the action is about to commence, the intensity already shines into the emotions of the characters and it explodes once the first punch hits. I knew that this film was going to be bloody but it was a blood-fest and there is more hand-to-hand combat rather than gunfight which is a nice change in this modern era of action films. Patel keeps telling in many interviews that he broke his arm, his fingers, and other bones. By that news, I am not that surprised and there is a lot of creativity within the sequences in terms of physicality. Patel kicked ass hard in these sequences and the action alone is worth the ticket to see all of the brutality on the big screen. As for the technical aspects, it is a well-produced film with a lot of creativity within its restrictions based on interviews from Patel. The technical production is excellent and while there were restrictions due to a limited budget, there is a lot of creativity that couldn't been possible without those restrictions. The cinematography is very slick with a lot of beautiful colors and smart lighting choices. The Dutch angles as I mentioned earlier were a key aspect to the cinematography and it worked well due to the visceral and raw nature of the violence present. Especially with the shaky cam technique, it worked in creating that grounded action. The editing is also well done and I cannot find a way to complain about the fast editing here because it was necessary to visualize some of the trauma of the protagonist and the flashbacks. As for the production design, as I explained earlier in the review, I thought it was very great due to the culture of the country and the emotional connection with the protagonist. It also supported well with the overall visuals which is also nice to see. The film's score is also good with a lot of recognizable songs which did not bother me for the most part. Based on the many interviews about the production itself made me appreciate the technical aspects and it is insane how they pulled it off. A fantastic round of applause to the production team. While I love the creativity of this film narratively and its technical elements, there are still some flaws that I ran into. One of those flaws is the supposed main villain Baba (Makarand Deshpande). His scenes were cool and served a purpose, but I found his character quite lacking until his last scene with the protagonist. Even though his presence felt strong, his character overall didn't seem interesting until his last scene. It felt like the main villain for half of the film is Rana and while that balance worked out, I was still itching for more of Baba's backstory. I was a bit underwhelmed with Sita on her relationship with the protagonist. Besides those flaws aside from minimal pacing issues, I was hooked with the film until the final frame. As for the ending, some will have mixed feelings on it but it worked for me. Ultimately, Monkey Man is another achievement in the action genre and a fantastic directorial debut from Dev Patel. It is bloody, raw, gut-punching, vivid, and brutal from start to finish. Lots of creativity within the cinematography, production design, and action sequences. More importantly, there is a lot of great depth in the protagonist's journey and the culture being represented. A ballpark of a film and I am happy that Universal picked it up for theatrical distribution because this is a must-see action-packed film. Let Patel cook more within directing.
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Vizeit Score: "A"
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Copyright © 2024 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
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Emma Stone. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures, Film4, Element Pictures, and TSG Entertainment.
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. VFA Nominee - 12 VFAs Including "Best Motion Picture"
For Your Consideration (FYC) Screener
This Ain't No Ordinary Frankenstein Story... Wacky, expressive, and darkly hilarious, Poor Things is an exceptional film that speaks on so many levels. It is a deeply thematic film that explores life from a whole different point of view while giving it purpose and open interpretations. Plus, with its steam-punk world-building and magical realism in its story, it allows the film to explore other ideas and subject matter that a "modern setting" film won't allow. It is a whole different type of film that you will love or be questioned by. Let's explore Victorian London and see what this wacky world is all about! Story: Brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist, a young woman runs off with a lawyer on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, she grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation. Throughout the majority of the film, the story is pure wackiness and all but there is an interesting theme that keeps its protagonist Bella Baxter, front and center of the message and its journey about the darkness of our society. A reflection of our actions, pleasures, emotions, and view of the world, all through the mind of Bella Baxter played by Emma Stone, gives us a deep potent look of self-discovery and gives us a feel of how we look through our current society. The wacky tone adds this magnetic feel to the overall look of the film but it doesn't shy away from its raunchy aspects through a meaningful message. Even with the wacky tone that the film delivers, it has a great Frankenstein spin to the story that takes risks while making it familiar and fresh. There is so much wackiness but it is consistent while adding subplots that expand the pure wackiness of the overall story. However, the character of Bella Baxter makes the film and the journey so out of this world but not in the innocent way you expected it to be. Probably a bit more but you get the point. I feared that Bella Baxter was going to be a bit of an annoying character from the trailers I saw but I was so deeply invested in her journey of discovery right when she left her home. Her journey develops more of a philosophical and emotional journey whereas the story takes a zany route, making her journey a bit more of a true discovery of reality and consequences. Emma Stone blends in so well with Bella Baxter's personality and character tone, which seamlessly fits the overall absurd tone of the story. Her discovery of the world and the way she interacts with the environment feels funny in nature. The way she interacts with others is like a baby but as an adult with some manners which is hilarious. At certain points, she acts more mature rather than Mark Ruffalo's character Duncan Wedderburn. Yet, Stone's physical performance gives more meaning to her progressive state of mind throughout the film and each scenario she presents adds a level of maturity and craziness. This progressive maturity doesn't apply to just Stone but also to his father and her friends, except Duncan which is a different case. Yet, all of those characters contribute to Bella Baxter's decisions and they give so much depth to the overall themes of the film. I loved Jerrod Carmichael's performance due to his philosophical character while Ruffalo's character Duncan is unhinged and desperate for some kind of love or something crazy. His character's downfall is hilarious and it gives Ruffalo to improvise and express his character even more. There is even one take where he breaks character but with the environment and tone of the scene including his character's personality, it feels natural in the end. Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, and Kathryn Hunter all give terrific performances and it feels like each character serves a piece of Baxter's personality. Her interaction with each character opens a new sense of discovery in her personal journey and allows the side characters to give meaningful messages while showing the reality of what this weird world has to offer. All of the characters don't feel out of place in this wacky world and they fit perfectly in where they interact with Bella Baxter which makes the story flow very smoothly. Speaking of the wacky world, Poor Things not only keeps the tone consistent but it's comedy as well.
The absurdity of the world of Poor Things is immaculate with chaos. I love the physical comedy mixed in with the writing. There are many moments where the characters just let their wackiness side take over them and everything starts going crazy. As I wrote earlier, Ruffalo is the stand-out with his unhinged actions and downfall which makes his personal story a tragic comedy. There is a lot of dark humor in this film that actually takes risks with its subject matter in the second act and it almost hits every beat. The world's design and buildings give a sense of unreality yet vividly real with the characters' interactions in this world. I'm glad that this film keeps everything consistent with its wacky comedy tone which makes the overall technicality of the filmmaking very creative.
Due to the nature of the story's wackiness and magical realism, the production work presented here is gorgeous and prolific. I'm glad that it won Oscars for production design, costumes, and make-up not just for its creativity, but for the complexity and absurdity of each production element that fits perfectly within Yorgos Lanthimos's direction. The amount of detail put into each town, home, room, and hall gives character while making it fit naturally into the environment. The cinematography is also very creative with its lens choices for each absurd moment including its usage of black and white. It looks like a mess for one second but with its majestic color grading, it sticks into your mind and lets the colors soak in. The score is also very solid and the editing choices here are effective, especially during the comedic moments. Overall, it is a fantastic technical production of a film. Yet, I still encounter some issues during my viewing. One of the biggest controversies is the overuse of sex scenes. While the messages do get across, the actual scenes become too repetitive and a bit disturbing. Even with Lanthimos's last films he made that included sexual elements, they were not overused and they were used well based on where the characters are in their state of mind or character arc. The pacing also could've been a bit tighter in the second act and it was intervened too much with the sex scenes. Even outside of the sex scenes, some scenes could've been shortened but other than that, the pacing overall was solid. Lanthimos' unique world of Poor Things is glamorous, wild, and unhinged. The philosophical elements and themes bring the absurdity of this world and ask interesting questions and answers about the craziness of society and love. The characters across the board are fantastic. Stone gives a crazy character performance while Ruffalo gives a sad and hilarious performance. The production elements are well-crafted and ultimately, the direction is very creative and it hits the right comedic and dramatic beats with its story. Overall, this is a fantastic film that will make you laugh and probably make you uncomfortable for the right reasons.
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Vizeit Score: "A"
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Copyright © 2024 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
Luca Padovan and Robert Pattinson. © 2023 GKids, Studio Ghibli, and Toho.
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. VFA Nominee - 2 VFAs Including "Best Animated Feature Film"
Watched it at 59th The Chicago International Film Festival @ Music Box (CIFF #4)
How Do You Live? It has been a decade since Hayao Miyazaki's recent film, The Wind Rises. A decade of waiting. Waiting for the supposedly final film by Miyazaki and it is now here. Was it worth the long wait? It definitely is and Miyazaki pushes the animation genre with breathtaking animation and a deep story that will speak to our current lives and our morality. This story goes to new lengths to bring meaningful imagery and it lets us question our choices in life and the regrets we have that strengthen or weaken our relationships with others. So many questions that Miyazaki let us interpret with his latest film and it sure was a personal experience from beginning to end. Let's travel to the oceanic world and witness the beauty and madness of this world. Story: Mahito, a young 12-year-old boy, struggles to settle in a new town after his mother's death. However, when a talking heron informs Mahito that his mother is still alive, he enters an abandoned tower in search of her, which takes him to another world. The beauty of this film is out of this world with so many deep themes while keeping the "awe" factor that makes this film colorful and spectacular. Through its synopsis, it seems like a straightforward story about finding a mother in an extraordinary unique world. However, the story is far more through the visual imagery and characters. The characters are the story of this journey. It feels like this story is just a simple blueprint for the vast depth and emotional complex of the characters in the film which combines another story within the main initial story. I always loved the visual complexity, symbolism, and philosophical themes that Miyazaki explores and there's so much to explore. Yet, the more I watch and think back to the film, it gets more personal and it slowly reveals a huge message about grief and family relationships. Also, a theme of trying to move on and pushing yourself to become your true self. A lot of thematic elements and central themes which are almost all laid out with the protagonist and the side characters in the film. It doesn't feel like a narrative structure, but rather, a thematic structure and it spices the film through its crazy adventure. It feels like two films into one but it culminates the main themes of the film into a very personal message for Miyazaki and his audience. With those thematic elements, the characters carry them which makes their journey, a journey through personal ups and downs. These characters are very likable with certain characters having a lot of depth. The cast of characters are very great with the Heron character and Lady Himi being the biggest standouts. Even with their American voice-over performances, they are amazing and they have some much depth in their character that connects to the overarching themes. Lady Himi being a representative of a mother is very heartwarming and seeing her with the protagonist Mahito Maki was emotional and touching. These characters click easily and they carry the film alongside its supporting cast of characters. With these characters, it paints a picture of a personal journey for the audience and Miyazaki. I feel like these characters are a representation of Myazaki's family but also a representation of his emotions and past memories. It is a very personal film and it easily resonates with me through its many symbolisms and visual imagery. Even with its simple story, it opens for interpretation and lets you soak into the many emotions these characters are going through each event and it makes their journey wildly special.
The animation alone is a fantastic treat and a spectacle of wonder, imagination, and texture of each world and location Mahito Maki visits. 2D animation always floors me. Even though I love 3D animation, 2D animation, especially hand-drawn animation, really adds depth and smooth flow to the animation and there is more freedom to do. The set designs are flawless with each distinctive location being tied to the emotional and thematic context. I also have to compliment the food animation because the food in Studio Ghibli movies looks delicious and this film is no exception. Besides the wonderful animation, the sound design is great alongside its breathtaking score by Joe Hisaishi. The mixture of sound design and score really made the sound aspects stand out more frequently which adds a feel of vividness and straight-up goosebumps. Some of the in-animation camera work is smooth with divine lighting and colors! Altogether, the animation and technical filmmaking hits the jackpot with its stellar attention to detail and letting the audience feel the sense of imagination and scale through its huge feat of animation. Even with all of this praise, there are some flaws that I would like to point out.
The film's pacing was a bit of a mixed bag. While I like the editing choices with certain sequences and transitions, it felt a bit slow, but unintentionally. It could slow some of its emotional scenes and some little scenes or moments could have easily been cut out. The majority was in the first half of the film but the second half was much stronger with its editing and pacing. Plus, some audiences would be a bit lost with its narrative or even a bit bored because there is nothing quite going on in terms of plot. I could see that issue flying over some audiences and I felt like for certain scenes, the plot moved more slowly than I expected. Yet, it amps up when we arrive at the magical world and the rest of the film is a treat. Miyazaki gave us a wonderful and thematic focus film that not only speaks to him but to his central audience. Jaw-dropping animation, well-rounded thematic story, amazing voice-over performances with Robert Pattison and Karen Fukuhara being the major standouts, and maybe an emotional send-off to Miyazaki's career. We don't know for sure that this is his true final film but time will tell what will Miyazaki and the team at Studio Ghibli will do next.
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Vizeit Score: "A"
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Copyright © 2024 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Jon Bernthal. © 2024 NEON and ARRAY Filmworks.
Directed by Ava DuVernay. VFA Nominee - "Best Adapted Screenplay"
For Your Consideration (FYC) Screener
The Link of American Racism Is Beyond Through A Caste System After Ava DuVernay's documentary film 13th, audiences have been eager to see what powerful story DuVernay will make next. Origin is her next film and she brings momentum and ambitious scale to the project in a thesis-type film. It is a narrative film but with a mix of documentary filmmaking and cinematic narrative structure that only this project has the guts to do. DuVernay takes long risks for this project and the majority paid off with an important message that speaks to our current issues today. Let's explore the history of the caste system in the USA, Germany, and India. Story: Author Isabel Wilkerson writes her seminal book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, while coping with personal tragedy. There is a lot to digest with this film's themes, messages, and ideas that DuVernay wants to get across. Especially for a narrative structure film, it is hard to tackle this type of thesis story since this story is based on the novel written by Isabel Wilkerson. In this case, DuVernay's vision of the story on the big screen works in ambitious ways that make the experience emotional and thought-provoking. As I said earlier, this film is a mixture of documentary and narrative with its subject matter, the material that the screenplay is adapting, and the structure of the film. From what I heard and read about the adaptation of the book, they say it was impossible or very difficult to adapt in a narrative feature film rather than a documentary or even a television series. However, DuVernay wrote the adaptation by mixing narrative and documentary into one film and it works. There are creative avenues within the screenplay and the story that DuVernay is tackling which gives the certain events being portrayed in the film have depth within the protagonist's journey and the thesis she is creating which adds importance to the film's themes. The story goes international by exploring the issues of racism that are connected to a caste system in Germany, India, and ultimately, the United States. The way we get to see her journey through each country is very depth and we get enough time in each country to see their issues and how it all comes back to racism in America. There are a lot of risky story elements. Some of them worked while some did not. Yet, with those great risky story elements, it adds nuance to Isabel Wilkerson's thesis and also adds more drama to her personal life. The one thing that audiences should know is that this film is half research and half narrative. The structure of the narrative was challenging but it was smooth for the most part and it didn't ruin the overall pacing of the film. Isabel's narrative story worked because the thesis was integral to her personal struggles which made her story more emotional and impactful when her literature journey concludes. The history sequences are ambitious and gripping. You can feel the sense of scale with those historical sequences and it can be quite emotional when you see the intense imagery. With Isabel traveling around the world, it is also quite ambitious and authentic to go to the important places that Isabel is researching for her book. When the film switches back to Isabel's personal story, it is smaller scale but there is still some big scope within the performances and the way it was directed and shot. By combining her personal story and her literary journey, it creates a huge ambitious film that has personal heart throughout in a smaller-scale story that is directed in a rich cinematic spectacle. Overall, the execution and direction of Isabel's literary story, the themes that DuVernay is tackling, and the personal story of Isabel are all fantastic and they worked very great for this type of film. For its characters, they are also great with Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor leading the cast. Ellis-Taylor's performance was amazing and she adds more emotional layers to her portrayal of Isabel than I anticipated. Her tragedy in the beginning comes to full fruition throughout her story arc and it adds clarity to her character story in which it connects to her thesis. Sometimes, I think that the way the film was shot, it felt like she was in a documentary because of her performance communication with the real-life literature authors and researchers in Germany and India. It makes her performance real and alive. The supporting cast is great and there are huge names that are part of the film. Jon Bernthal has minimal screen time but he adds that charm to the film and his chemistry with Ellis-Taylor's character is very great. I am surprised that Nick Offerman is in the film but he's only there for one scene. Fresh Emmy winner Niecy Nash as Marion, Isabel's cousin also gives a great performance and a heartful one as well. Her scenes were great and it adds to Isabel's personal even more than I anticipated. I really loved the dynamic between Marion and Isabel throughout and it was consistent. There are other big names like Blair Underwood, Connie Nielsen, and Vera Farmiga who had a very small role but have importance in Isabel's literary journey. Her journey with everyone throughout the countries she visited adds ambition to her thesis and DuVernay's vision. For a film that is focused on a book thesis, this was intriguing to see this literature journey through a narrative form but in a huge scope. Yet Altogether, it creates a personal journey for Isabel and for the audience to experience her ups and downs as a writer, wife, and sister. It looks like a mess on paper, but through its execution, DuVernay manages to juggle Isabel's personal and literary journey in eccentric ways that work well with the pacing and material that the film is handling. It is a lot but it works through my eyes. Even with its story execution, the ambitious narrative story worked because of the technical filmmaking elements behind the film.
With a budget of 38 million dollars, this is a great-looking film with some ambitious sequences in the period and modern settings. The cinematography looks crispy and very aesthetic like an early 2000s film with a documentary look to it. Yet, with the handheld technique being used constantly, it adds a bit of realism to the film and it is purposeful. I dig it a lot since I love the handheld cinematography style. The period production design and costumes are solid and you can tell with the behind-the-scenes of the film that there were a lot of hidden production elements to keep the image look real. The score is nice but nothing special. Overall, it is a great technical film with a lot of creativity in its cinematography and production design. If we go back to its story, there are some issues that made some scenes a bit messy with its pacing and the material that the film is juggling with.
The structure of the plot can be a bit scattered but it didn't ruin the overall pacing which could have been way more messier if it did. I see many critics saying that it's messy with the themes and ideas that DuVernay is trying to get across. I can say that it avoids that when it starts to be a bit messy. The flow slows down which gives a breather to the literature journey but there were at some points where the flow of a scene can be quite unexpected and it fails. There is one scene earlier in the film where Isabel experiences a tragedy and the flow of that scene was too quick and while it did happen in real life, it felt too quick. There were even some scenes that were mostly in the first half of the film, that wanted me to feel something and I did, but it felt jaded. Luckily, it started to fix those issues in the second half in which I started crying and that's where the film succeeded. It's not an easy film to watch for anyone who experienced racism, antisemitism, or any racial or even religious discrimination. However, it can be quite controversial with some of its political issues and risks that DuVernay is connecting to its core thesis. Especially in the first ten minutes of the film which raised questions about the idea of the caste system. For me, it doesn't ruin anything as long as it connects to the ideas that the filmmaker is trying to communicate and the execution of those ideas works through its story and characters. Even with those risky elements, alongside the critiques of the pacing, it is still a strong ambitious film that takes guts to pull off and it worked in the end. Quite a journey with this review, including this film. I used the word "ambitious" a lot in this review and I stand by it because it is ambitious for the story is trying to tell and it could have been a smaller film. Yet, DuVernay takes the adaptation to its limits and experiments with its structure, characters, and themes it is tackling. These issues and ideas are still relevant not just in the United States, but in the entire world. It's not an easy film but it will build your curiosity to research more about the Caste system and it did for me. This was such a bold film that I can only see DuVernay take the book material and thesis and explore it through the film medium. Already an underrated film of 2024 and a must-watch for indie filmmakers and literary writers as well.
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Vizeit Score: "A"
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Copyright © 2024 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
Sandra Hüller. © 2023 A24, Film4, Access, Polish Film Institute, JW Films, and Extreme Emotions. Directed by Jonathan Glazer. VFA Nominee - 6 VFAs Including "Best Motion Picture"
Watched it at 59th The Chicago International Film Festival @ AMC Theaters (CIFF #3)
Everything Seems Normal Until You Look Out of The Picture... The sounds of dread, death, and peace are through the house of a Nazi-oriented family. A manipulative view of peace and quiet is seen through the eyes of this family. Director Jonathan Glazer shows us a different perspective of a Nazi family who are living their lives like any other family, but secretly hear the violence playing in the background. It is a deeply rooted film through its psychological and philosophical presence. A film that may be uncomfortable to watch, but it will immerse you, keep you thinking throughout, and leave you in a complete state of mind when the credits roll. It is a film that represents the horror that we may be living in today, but Glazer lets us soak into this time when war was at its peak and fall during this critical point in human history. Let's go back to 1943 and take a peek at this family living next to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Story: A Nazi commandant tries to build a dream life for his family near the Auschwitz concentration camp. However, with leadership and international changes, he must find ways to keep his family stable while keeping his job and the future of the family. In the first few minutes of the film, it is totally pitch black. However, the film slowly brings up the dreaded and daunting music and sounds that seem unpleasant and unconformable. Yet, it is fitted with the theme and story of the film which showcases the first shot of the film where the family is enjoying a nice summer day like any other family would. Yet, when closely hearing the sounds through the speaker channels in the theater, I hear a small yet distinctive sound of work and possible gunshots in the distance. This is just the beginning of a film that utilizes sound as a character which elevates not only the experience but deeply connects to the family and the environment surrounding them. The sound design and mixing are flawless with the rich and unnerving sounds of the environment and the conversations of each family member. From the silent sounds to the loud chaos within the Auschwitz camp, it stresses and destresses your listening experience from scene to scene. There are moments where sound can be given as a breather moment but once those dreading sounds come back, the film pulls you in like an instant shock. The brilliant sound design of the camp sounds, the nature and home environment, and even each room tone gave a sense of nervousness and sometimes fear. Fear is the message with the sound design and mixing of the film which gives the entire experience a memorable experience but in a unpleasant way. If there was no dialogue and just pure sound, this film still would be a masterpiece due to the sheer amount of haunting dreaded audio from the camp and the calm noises from the home environment. It is like two worlds smashing into one which creates some of the most haunting sounds I have heard in film and by the end, I left shocked. I felt like I was watching this film in a museum with its presentation and this should absolutely be in museums around the world. It is a work of art. I didn't even get to the score of the film yet in this review and it is also very memorable and disturbing. Within the music, it gets distorted through the instrumental score with hushed piano music mixing in the entire score. There isn't a lot of music in the film but when it is present, it hits you silently. It is atmospheric through and through which steps up the cinematic experience. If I were an Academy member, this would easily win best sound at the Oscars without a doubt including a nomination for music as well! Yet, as a critic, I love the amount of detail and expression within the sound design in every second. Before I lose myself in the fantastic sound work, the story and characters drive the film forward which accompanies interesting philosophical themes that are being challenged throughout the film for audiences. Ever since I finished taking that "Philosophical Issues in Film" class during the fall semester, I have been more deeply into philosophy than ever before which leads me to this film filled with philosophical interpretations. Before I dive into the philosophical themes, let's take a look at the story of this film which is based on a book based on the same name. Even though it is based on a true story, many of the story plot points are based on the novel with some dramatic storytelling being added for dramatic effect. There isn't much dialogue within the story but the relationship between the mother and father of the family we follow is apparent and focused. Throughout the film, the film quickly shifts to the father's point of view while it switches back to the mother. There is a balance between those characters which gives a fresh view of their family actions and the life they are living. It gives us empathy for these characters in their lives and while we know that they are a Nazi family, that is mostly landed on the father. The father is pretty much the protagonist or even the antagonist of the film. Yet, Glazer lets us into the family's home and live into the moment of their lives from their morning routine until they go to bed. That is the most crucial part of the film because it deals with this family. If it was just focused on the father, it wouldn't be a strong story, let alone, the whole point of the film. Glazer uses the occasional character development for all characters but there is little for each family member until the Nazis are starting to lose or where there is conflict in the family. For some, it will feel late, but for me, it fits well into the structure of the story and it feels natural within the context of the situation. This is not a typical family drama. It is more experimental within its technical filmmaking and its directing style of Glazer. Yet, with the storytelling narrative being also the focus, Glazer allows his interpretation of the characters to feel real and write them in interesting ways like the way they react to the slow defeat of Nazi Germany and the fall of the Auschwitz camp. Even from their kids, they are raising them to think that they are going to be future Nazi soldiers and have nice families in the Nazi regime. When watching it through, it is very sad to see how these children were raised in this environment which makes it devastating and you feel a bit of sympathy for them, but you quickly remember that they are still part of the Nazis. It can be emotionally complex based on your relationship with the history of WWII and the Nazis, but it also manipulates your feelings about the family alone. There is so much depth within the storytelling of the film but by the third act of the film, the plot takes into a whole new direction that exceeds the first two acts and makes the ending devasting and real. There is so much to praise with this film but the one thing I would like to explore is its philosophical themes about the family, war, and the Holocaust. Even though this film is focused on a Nazi family, you can't ignore the fact that this is one of the many tragic stories of the Holocaust. It is devasting to witness a family living near the Auschwitz concentration camp where you hear gunshots, screaming, mining sounds, and death. It is heartbreaking and it feels like your breath is out for two hours due to the sheer experience throughout the film that you are being sucked into. The way the Holocaust is being viewed here is interesting because you don't see the camp inside. You only hear sounds from outside. However, the film lets you briefly enter the camp but with no actual sight of the camp. Only the father monitoring the camp while you hear the loud gunshots, mining, and crying in close proximity. That is one of the few moments in the film that brought a true horror aspect and it has stuck with me ever since. There are moments in the film where they talk about the killing of the Jews which made me sick to my stomach and I was very uncomfortable witnessing that. Yet, it was necessary and it is not an easy film to watch. Even though there are not any real disturbing scenes, it is still disturbing with the context behind it including the way these characters talked and treated the Jews. The final ten minutes of the film is where the Holocaust takes its importance over the family with a silent memorial of the Jews in which the father doesn't know what his future holds. It is a brilliant yet sad ending that I will not forget.
With its philosophical themes that Glazer is tackling like the problem of evil, ethics, and morality, it makes the psychological part of the characters a bit more complex. Evil is depicted in the film through the family actions with the Jews and the father working near the camp. There aren't a lot of on-screen evil actions but through the tone and atmosphere of the film, you can sense the evil and fear within the walls of the house and the camp walls as well. A sense of horror and dread is blocked off from the outside walls of the camp which questions the true evil within the family. Who is the problem of evil in the family? What is the problem of evil in the family? So many interpretations can be expanded but one thing to note is that evil is being hidden from the family except the father. He's the true evil person in the family and when he realizes that the Nazis are losing, his evil starts to die and he will be forgotten. He also has no morality in the Jews unfortunately except the mother but maybe not the kids. Morality is also being juggled here but their ethics within the family are very centered and we get to see it play out in the family. Some morality is developed between the family and their Jew workers but no morality is developed by the father which makes his character a bit soulless to have empathy. Yet, from a philosophical point of view, that makes his character a bit more sinister. The philosophical elements can be seen through its visual presentation than its character storytelling but it allows more interoperations of evil and morality within the characters and ethics running through the family. Through all of this storytelling, Glazer ultimately uses the technical part of filmmaking to bring this story in a thoughtful yet immersive dark experience of this tragic and haunting story.
The way this film was shot is quite simple. Yet, it is beautiful and the framing is exquisite and intentional. There are no handheld or gimble shots being used. It is purely static and tripod shots in every shot of the film. There are a quite few dolly shots but there are no pure moving shots which helps the film to not break the illusion that the film is intended for. Plus, the way the cameras are being positioned in the house feels like a camera watching them at all times. It gives a Big Brother feel to the experience of the film and with its slow pacing, it feels like it was playing in real time. The editing is brilliant with its sound mixing and editing. There are interesting editing choices that made the experience a bit more real. There is also a sense of rhythm through each scene with its pacing in each pivotal sequence and when it hits nighttime in the film, the editing keeps that rhythm momentum going like a CCTV camera. Even during the scenes with the mother and father, it only cuts up close to the person who is feeling a sense of uncomfortable or taking control of the conversation. The editing is better described when you watch the film. The production design is also fantastic and while the film is just in the house with some great VFX being placed with the wall and the camp, it takes a step further into the house. Even way beyond the house with its underground system and in the final act, it goes beyond the house. There is one aspect that may be overlooked but it is the costume design of the film. With the context of the story, it is scary to think that some of the costumes being worn could have been dead Jews and there is one scene where Sandra Hüller's character is trying out a nice winter coat. However, that winter coat belonged to a Jew, and seeing a Nazi mother wearing that was honestly shocking. The colors on certain characters' costumes including the father give a sense of authority, system, and emotional state. Even if we go back to the cinematography, the colors are mudded yet vivid with some standout colors like white, green, and gray. It feels like a documentary at certain moments but at the same time, it feels like you are actually being there. That feeling of if it is a documentary or a narrative feature. That blur is present throughout because of the fantastic production of the film and it is one of the best technical films of 2023. As I look back on the film, I don't see any major flaws besides that this film could be very slow for some people, despite being a 105-minute film. I didn't feel that at all throughout. However, I feel like I wish there was more family drama but I don't think that was the point of the film. It can be mixed for some people who had family members who experienced the Holocaust or had relations with the war in Germany. I know it can be emotionally complex for folks out there so I have nothing against that. This is not an easy film to watch. It will destroy your mood for the entire day or night. Yet, it is an important film that everyone should watch. Jonathan Glazer takes this important story and unfolds it into a daunting experience that will leave you numb or speechless. It is an important film that interestingly explores the Holocaust through a Nazi family but without seeing the Jews in the camp. It blocks you from seeing the horrors within the camp by keeping the "beauty" of the family right in front of your eyes. It can be manipulative but the film gets its point across with its dark themes about humanity, morality, and history. The ending is what made me say this film is a work of modern art. This should be shown in schools and show both sides of the events of the Holocaust. This film even made me join a course about the history of the Holocaust. Film can really impact you in so many ways and this film successfully did that. Even though I know the Holocaust in general, I still wanted to learn the many stories that aren't being told through the eyes of the Jews and Germans during this crucial event in human history. A true work of cinematic film art.
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Vizeit Score: "A+"
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Copyright © 2024 Vizeit Reviews. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC]) |
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