'State Funeral' Review: The Days Following Stalin's Death
If a country were to put its entire national identity into a government ruled by one political party, and if that one political party were to put its entire identity into one person–and if that person were to then die, leaving a vacuum of identity and direction in his wake–what would that look like? The answer can be seen in the new documentary State Funeral. At over two hours long and comprised entirely of restored footage shot over those historic days, the film captures the grandly-staged spectacles in which the Soviet Union mourned and serves as an unsettling depiction of how Totalitarian savior politics affects its citizens.
Expression
State Funeral relies on the emotions emitted from the faces of the people who fill the screen as they learn the news of Stalin's death on March 5th, 1953 (he passed away of a brain hemorrhage due to hyper-tension). What's fascinating is that all of the people–young, old, men, women, army members, citizens and workers alike–collectively mourn in the same solemn and stoic way; nearly expressionless, with the occasional breaking of tears. It's exactly what you would expect though, from a Communist nation whose political philosophy rested on a projected sense of emotional strength. Because of this, State Funeral is a mostly introspective experience that requires the viewer to look past these stone-walled faces and wonder what the uncertain and fearful thoughts are running through their minds throughout their mourning.
Expression: 3 out of 5 stars
Daring
State Funeral is daring in its form for the fact that it is composed entirely of assembled footage and without a "narrative," so to speak. For that reason it really is as much of an arthouse film as one could expect. What's more is that the footage and sequences play in long stretches, leaving lots of times to process the footage and feeling (it's a lot to ask of an unseasoned viewer, who, if they choose to stream the film digitally, might choose to watch it in stretches). So while cutting down on shot lengths and even using voice-over narration would certainly make the film more accessible, director Sergey Loznitsa presents the historical footage as objectively as possible to allow the audience to make up their own minds without over-influencing the events.
Expression: 3 out of 5 stars
Craft
The first thing you'll notice while watching is that all of this historical footage is pristinely restored and colored which makes for a photographic journey that transports you back in time. Alternating between black and white and colored footage, this fluid visual change-up is also welcomed for how it breaks up the viewing (which could otherwise feel repetitive due to the similarity in the footage that's presented). The film also uses silence to great effect, which feels eerie seeing lined-blocks and fully-filled town squares with large crowds totally quiet.
And then there's the film's editing: although it has no narrative, there is a naturally assembled arc that grows from the smaller pockets of villages that scales to the larger masses, whose scale of people mourning, whose scale looms large and proves powerful.
Craft: 3 out of 5 stars
Impact
Seeing the scope of the mourning is impactful in and of itself. Masses of crowds in the tens of thousands, drawings and tributes, and around 900,000 wreaths (okay maybe not that many, but there's certainly a ton), is all wild to see. It's also impactful to see how people mourn amongst the state-sponsored messages that are so present, which makes you realize as a viewer that you need to reframe from this trance and objectively witness the events in front of you: tens of thousands of people whose grief is manipulated through propaganda.
The film also allows the viewer to meditate on what a state-sponsored funeral would look like under Totalitarian rule (which, in recent American and world politics, makes one curious where those roads could lead). It's also impactful in that it offers a meditation on what it might be like to be a part of a directionless citizen body, knowing that every single person is consumed by the same unrest.
Impact: 4 out of 5 stars
Conclusion
State Funeral is a true cinematic treasure, and its existence stands as a landmark artifact for historians and cinephiles alike to see what the death of a leader under Totalitarian regime looks like. Its overall impact will rely on how much you're willing to extrapolate from it: if you're simply looking at the stunning images themselves, you'll certainly be impressed at what's on screen. But if you dive deeper you'll see the cinematic achievement for what it is, serving as a warning so that audiences can guard themselves from finding ourselves subjected to needing to attend something similar to it in the future.
Conclusion: 4 out of 5 stars
135 minutes. 'State Funeral' is available to stream on MUBI starting Friday, May 21.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB_ZPTjgeyI&ab_channel=MUBI
6 Films I Hadn't Seen Before the 2021 TCM Classic Film Festival
The TCM Classic Film Festival 2021 is one of the most cherished times of the year for cinephiles–myself included. Once again being held virtually (but with plans to return to Hollywood in 2022), the festival expanded its reach this year by including films on HBO Max (which I hope attracted new audiences).
I couldn't have been more thrilled, as there were a number of classic movies that I had not seen, and that I finally committed to watching as part of the festival which I listed below. A big thank you to TCM Classic Film Festival 2021. And in case you want to catch up as well, the films are all still available to watch on HBO Max for a limited time.
The Thin Man (1934)
I didn't know that The Thin Man was the first film in a series of "Thin Man" movies. But after watching this first one, I can say that I am looking forward to seeing the rest. I was ready for a mystery of a film (which the plot does center around), but was totally enamored with the real magic of the film, which is all of the comedy that comes from the relationship between married couple Nick (William Powell) and Nora Charles (Myrna Loy). The hook in every movie is that, when a mystery is afoot, Nick–a retired detective–is drawn in to the case, but it's his wife Nora who gets him to take the case, and stays his faithful and sharp-minded partner along the way. Beyond all of the laughs The Thin Man earns, I loved seeing how these characters were written and performed with such admirable integrity and equal-footing. Sign me up for the next one.
Top Hat (1935)
It was an easy choice to decide to queue up Top Hat, as watching Fred Astaire dance in a top hat and tuxedo as a kid is one of the very reasons that I fell in love with movies. Like many who love the iconic song and dance man, I was absolutely spellbound when I first saw Fred Astaire dance, through the screen and into my heart. I very likely might have even seen this movie as a child, but it's been so long that watching it felt like the first time, with a smile across my face the whole time. Top Hat has something of a silly story, but Fred Astaire humble charm is irresistible, and he keeps the film feeling effortless and fun. And the film's dance sequences–done with screen legend Ginger Rodgers–make Top Hat cinematic gold.
Bringing Up Baby (1938)
One of the most enjoyable parts of this year's TCM Classic Film Festival 2021 was the curated selections of Howard Hawks' films, which I hadn't seen before. I'd known of the screwball comedy genre at large, and had definitely seen references of its use in other films (rapid-fire dialogue and escalating mayhem). But seeing these films from Howard Hawks, who set the template and created the language for the genre that others have gone on to attempt to imitate, was a true treasure. I was over the moon to watch Bringing Up Baby, a perfectly executed romantic comedy that elevates the genre into a whole other level of sophistication. Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn are movie magic together (I'm still laughing at Grant's exhausted shouting of "Just a minute, Mr. Peabody!"). Beyond this, the decision to add a leopard into the mix just makes the whole thing one of the very best.
His Girl Friday (1940)
Doubling up with another Howard Hawks film, I must say, I wasn't expecting what I got with His Girl Friday. Where Bringing Up Baby set me up to think that Hawks' films would all be polished slapstick comedies (and inclined on silly romantic comedy plots), His Girl Friday surprised and delighted me to see an even more accomplished film, with more sophisticated direction and a smarter and more serious story that makes the film timeless. The thornier and more acidic comedy between a once-married newspaper publisher (Cary Grant) and a rapacious reporter (Rosalind Russell) gives the film wonderful friction, and the story's centering around a convicted murderer and their efforts of trying to get the scoop led to His Girl Friday being the most enjoyable surprise of the festival.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Here's where I start to get embarrassed over admitting which modern masterpieces I hadn't seen prior to TCM Classic Film Festival 2021. The fact that I had not seen One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (one of only three films to win all 5 of the major categories in its Oscars year) is, I'll admit, one of the worst oversights in my movie-watching journey to date.
After watching the film, it's clear to me why Jack Nicholson is one of cinema's most important figures. His brand is "Jack," a manic live-wire who doesn't disappear into his characters so much as he brings them to life through the bravado of his own persona, which makes his performance here as R.P. McMurphy so one-of-a-kind. It's the supporting cast who surround Jack that makes the film what it is, with supporting performances from Danny DeVito that give the film its magic ingredients. And while I was expecting the Nurse Ratched character (Louise Fletcher) to be something of a more obviously villainous role, the understated control and precision she employs makes for a performance that will stand the test of time.
All The President's Men (1976)
It was here at TCM Classic Film Festival 2021 that I finally watched All The President's Men, which was too long to have lived without having seen it. While the thriller films of today use things that they know will work to create suspense and tension, this film has all of those things, and it's about newspaper men. I was hooked from the start, and along for every minute of this film, which says a lot for how much peripherally I knew about the film.
The photography from Gordon Willis here is exquisite (it's great to finally see the split-diopter camera shots in context!). The production design of the newsroom, sounds of phones ringing and typewriter keys clacking, and detailed insert shots of note-taking and printed materials, all comes together to make an unforgettable world. Redford and Hoffman are both rock solid here, but I was taken in by Jason Robard's performance of The Washington Posts' newspaper publisher(for which he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for).
'Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street' Review: What the TV Taught
Big Bird, Bert & Ernie, Kermit the Frog and Cookie Monster are as timeless today as they were when they debuted on "Sesame Street" in 1969. But what I didn't know about these lovable muppets was the incredible story behind the seminal children's TV show's creation, which the new documentary Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street reveals. The road that was taken by television producers and educators to create this one-of-a-kind children's program was radical, as they set out to create an education show that would answer: what if a show loved kids instead of sold to them? Could TV help kids? Could it be used to teach?
This became "Sesame Street," which changed the culture and has been cherished by children still to this day. Whether you do or don't know much about the show, Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (based on the New York Times Bestselling Novel) should be required watching to see how art and altruism can go together to change the world for the better.
Expression
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is a feel-good film and was such a joy to watch, capturing the pure spirit that "Sesame Street" was created with. A smile hit my face the moment I saw Frank Oz and Jim Henson bring Bert and Ernie to life through their shared improvisational puppeteering (I forgot that "Yoda" also voiced Bert, Grover and Cookie Monster!). Seeing the late Caroll Spinney (who was interviewed for the film before his passing) recount playing the eight foot tall Big Bird as well as Oscar the Grouch is also fascinating to watch people acting on their pure imagination and creative artistry, all to connect to children who had never been communicated to before.
Beyond the amazing puppeteering, the documentary also captures the era in which the show was created, as well as New York's turbulent late-sixties' soul and spirit. Street Gang shows how America was a time of social inequality and civil unrest, and these stirring pictures and footage makes the story of "Sesame Street"'s creation even more affecting.
Expression: 4 out of 5 stars
Daring
At 1 hour and 47 minutes, Street Gang makes much of highlighting the radical reason of why the show was created: as a way to help teach basic education skills such as reading and counting to impoverished inner-city Black and minority children at a time when nothing like it had been done. It was a daring notion, and the doc introduces the main people behind the show's development such as Joan Cooney. The female television producer who was responsible for putting the show on the air, Cooney shares how she worked with the Federal Government's Office of Education to create the "Children's TV Workshop," a group of educators and TV producers that would create an entirely new style of children's educational show.
The biggest debt that Street Gang wishes to pay here is to Jon Stone, who we learn was the visionary and central force for what "Sesame Street" the show would become. Motivated by the disillusionment that the Vietnam War placed on the country, as well as a disgusted response to overt consumerism in children's TV shows, Stone was not only responsible for pioneering "Sesame Street"'s mix of education and entertainment, but for its daring decision to set the show in a gritty New York street environment (versus a fantasyland or suburban setting which was more popular), with the intent to relate to the Black and minority kids that they wished to connect with.
While Street Gang celebrates the radical spirit of "Sesame Street"'s creators, as well as how it broke socio-economic and political barriers with its proudly multi-racial cast, the documentary itself is more conventionally made and restrained. Rather than choosing to be more daring and an even-sharper critique of present day American education, Street Gang is ultimately more of a celebration than a "call to action."
Daring: 3 out of 5 stars
Craft
However, it's a smart decision that Street Gang plays more conventionally and that it chooses not to use any more obvious filmmaking flourishes beyond its use of single interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, which would likely be distracting to the incredible stories and genius in the footage that's already on the screen. The footage itself–grainy, weathered and worn–is a treasure to behold, and present-day interviews in which former cast members and creators talk about the show brings further magic to the stories. Rather than attempt to add additionally clever and artistically inventive media into the mix, Street Gang opts to impress by way of being more polished in its straightforward filmmaking approach, and a wider emotional range is felt because of it.
Craft: 3 out of 5 stars
Impact
There were multiple moments throughout Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street in which I was emotionally affected. Whether it was me genuinely laughing over brilliant puppeteering skits (at one point in time in entertainment, the only two shows on air that had comedy writers were "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" and "Sesame Street"), or politically enlightened, or emotionally moved, the doc spans a wide emotional range. Seeing then-musical composer Joe Raposo–who wrote the show's original songs and music–reminisce over writing Kermit's famous ballad "It's Not Easy Being Green," or seeing special guest star Jesse Jackson get a huge set full of kids to chant "I am somebody, I can change the world" made my eyes water. Beyond its bold artistic achievements, Street Gang also serves as a love letter and reminder to artists and educators everywhere, that with fearless creativity and a good heart, you can create something that can change the world.
Impact: 5 out of 5 stars
Conclusion
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is a fascinating and inspiring document of the story of how a fearless and good-willed group of creative artists and innovator taught disadvantaged kids that they could be something they never dreamed they could be. If you decide to re-visit Big Bird, Bert & Ernie, and the rest of the muppet gang, you'll remember what can be achieved when people's voices are heard–even if it's underneath multi-colored felt.
Conclusion: 4 out of 5 stars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQDydUQQNCA&ab_channel=ScreenMediaFilms
Rooftop Cinema Club Brings Outdoor Screenings to El Segundo In May
While the COVID pandemic has disrupted our lives and wrecked havoc across the world this past year, it's uplifting to start seeing parts of the world open up once again, with California also being the state with the lowest COVID-affected numbers in the whole country.
The news of re-opening is especially thrilling for Los Angeles movie-lovers, who, after more than a year of streaming movies from their living rooms, are once again able to start experiencing films the way they were meant to be watched: on the big screen.
While many are still processing the sad news of the Arclight Cinemas and Pacific Theaters' closures (including myself), South Bay movie-lovers have a new reason to celebrate, as Rooftop Cinema Club is bringing their outdoor movie screening series to El Segundo for the month of May.
Starting tonight, May 6th and running through the end of May, LA and South Bay movie-lovers (ages 18+) will be able to experience the "ultimate outdoor air experience" with an amazing offering of popular, classic and cult films projected on a rooftop setting while being provided personal headphones and deck chairs (you'll need to bring your own cozy blankets, which is highly recommended for any rooftop breeze).
Typically held in downtown Los Angeles (along with other major cities like New York, Houston, San Diego and even London), Rooftop Cinema Club is moving their residence to El Segundo's Smoky Hollows District this month, and South Bay movie-lovers should be thrilled to hear it.
As a spokesperson for Rooftop Cinema Club said about the decision to move the Los Angeles location to El Segundo: "We’ve been closely monitoring safety guidelines in Los Angeles with the ultimate goal of reopening our Rooftops safely and with the same experience our guests have come to know and love. This new venue in El Segundo allowed us to do just that - reopen with safety and social distancing top of mind without jeopardizing the Rooftop experience we’ve built over the years. We plan to reopen our DTLA and Hollywood locations when it’s safe to do so."
With the lineup of amazing movies, you won't be able to go wrong with any film you wish to see in this rooftop setting. Maybe you want to head to tonight's films and catch Selena or Dazed and Confused? Or just think about watching La La Land under the actual Los Angeles stars. The offerings range even further, from family films like The Goonies to The Princess Bride, hood films from Friday to Boyz N The Hood, and comedies from Anchorman to Superbad (El Segundo locals may want to check out the latter to catch the city's many famed high school shots). The list goes on with classic, horror and even more special-event films to see.
Of course, maintaining safety is the most important part of being able to hold these social screenings. As Rooftop Cinema Club says: "Our number one priority is our guests’ and team’s safety and wellbeing, which is why we have adapted our operations on the Rooftop." Be sure to review the new safety measures and rules for guests before booking a screening at rftp.cc/rooftopsafety and check out the on-site precautions to expect:
- We are opening at a limited capacity, and all ticket purchases must be made online prior to the screening.
- Sanitization solutions will be available around the venue, and team members will wear masks, routinely change gloves and regularly wipe down surfaces.
- We will enforce masks and social distancing in the cinema and bar areas.
- Headphones will be thoroughly sanitized after each use.
- We will not be offering our usual pillows and blankets, but guests are encouraged to bring their own. After all, it’s not really a Rooftop without a cool, refreshing breeze!
If you decide to experience any of these truly unique social cinema events (and I'm hoping that you do), be sure to arrive early to enjoy delicious food from The Urban Oven, as well as a drink (full bar complete with craft cocktails, beer and wine) at sunset with the mountains as your backdrop. Select your socially distanced seats and snack on classic cinema concessions like popcorn and candy with contactless order and pickup. When the movie starts, you'll be able to live completely in those movie moments with state-of-the-art wireless headphones (sanitized thoroughly after each use) and an amazing view of the big screen.
The venue will be located in the parking structure at 1310 E Franklin Ave. Tickets are offered for two different types of deckchairs – a single Lounge Seat for one or a double-width Love Seat for two (and Student Discount tickets are offered at 10% off). And the screenings go ahead come rain or shine.
Rooftop Cinema Club (whose tagline is Love, Peace and Great Film) believes that all experiences should be memorable, which is why they are on a mission to transform nights at the movies in to cinematic events like no other. "You bring your friends and loved ones, and we'll bring you city skylines, sunsets, starlit evenings, awesome drinks, delicious food, and great movies on the big screen." Rooftop Cinema Club is also currently running a drive-in theater experience at the Santa Monica Airport through May 31st.
As Rooftop Cinema Club told us, "Going to the cinema provides a sense of escapism we can’t get at home. There’s nothing like watching a film on the big screen surrounded by like-minded moviegoers and friends. As we slowly enter life post-pandemic, we’re adapting our operations to make guests feel comfortable and excited about a night out at the movies again. We’re seeing other cinemas do the same and the entire industry has stepped up to support one another. Our entire drive-in model was built with that in mind - to give communities a safe escape through the power of film. "
So come on out to Rooftop Cinema Club El Segundo and support this unique big screen experience, make some new memories, and remember why social cinema events like this are so meaningful and should be celebrated and saved as we return to our post-pandemic lives.
For all screenings and more information visit https://rooftopcinemaclub.com/. For tickets to El Segundo's outdoor screenings visit https://rooftopcinemaclub.com/los-angeles/venue/el-segundo/.
The 9 Best Moments From the 'Mainstream' Trailer
Influencer life becomes a social media circus in the new Mainstream trailer from director Gia Coppola. Starring Andrew Garfield as a wannabe social media celebrity, Mainstream sees his rise from nobody into "No One Special," the next big social media sensation whose antics may have consequences for his former friends (Maya Hawke and Nat Wolff).
Mainstream looks to be a very of-the-moment movie that aims to satirize "influencer culture" and its negative consequences of destroying very real human relationships in the making.
We had to share our favorite moments from the insane trailer, which has us pumped to see the film. Check out the trailer and our favorite moments before Mainstream opens in select theaters, on digital platforms and VOD on May 7th.
1. Andrew Garfield, Insane Influencer
Garfield is so good at being a douchebag bro here that you might forget he's British. #thispineapplelife
2. Emoji-Filled Madness
We can't wait to see the clever ways in which Gia Coppola will infuse emojis into the real-world moments of the movie. We're all living between something of a dream and reality as it is already.
3. Having His "Social Network" Moment
Hearing Garfield say, "We're going stratospheric" with that worlds-conquering intensity makes us think he's very much enjoying the opportunity to finally be on the other side of internet domination this time. Suck on that, Zuckerberg.
4. A Whole Lot of Hoverboarding
Seeing Garfield glide on this hoverboard is making us think of how many different paparazzi and red carpet moments the actor has deprived us from.
5. Johnny Knoxville Acting, Jake Paul Not So Much
We're here for Johnny Knoxville channeling his acting skills into playing a talent manager. Less believable will be Jake Paul attempting to play "himself."
6. This moment
Garfield was clearly waiting his whole life to channel this rock god moment.
7. THIS MOMENT
Seriously, how many movies have we been deprived of not seeing Garfield channel his inner-freak?
8. Emoji-Overdosing
Emojis coming out of every orifice.
9. Whatever Evil Andrew Garfield is Thinking Here
Unleash your inner glam demon at will, sir.
Check out the full 'Mainstream' trailer on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlpm36Vi-3U&ab_channel=IFCFilms
'This Is How You Make a Movie' Pairs Film Techniques With Popular Films
Chances are that if you love movies as much as I do, This Is How You Make a Movie will be a worthy addition to your film book collection.
While most of us have a favorite genre and/or filmmaker, we might not even be aware of why we feel a certain way towards these particular films, even our favorites.
And yet all of the decisions that go into a film – not just those from directors, but from the actors, editors, and entire filmmaking team – are right there on the screen, just waiting to be decoded by viewers.
The best films in cinema use a multitude of filmmaking techniques that highlight the subtextual elements of their stories, which add even deeper meaning than the words or images could do alone.
For example: how does the opening slow pan in Peter Bogdanovich’s The Last Picture Show perfectly introduce us to the world of the film’s rural and sleepy suburban town?
How does director Steve McQueen use the rule of thirds to highlight electricity between the characters in Shame?
And why does Andrea Arnold’s decision to use a 4:3 aspect ratio in American Honey make sense to emphasize the individuals in the film?
If these kinds of questions interest you, then keep reading, as I got my hands on a newly published book titled This Is How You Make a Movie, which explains the terms, processes, and techniques seen in classic and contemporary films, to help you watch and understand films better.
The Design (The Outside)
If you’re anything like me, you might own 5, 10, or even more books on film. Most that you’ve read, some that you’ve lightly read, and a few that you haven’t really committed to at all.
They all either explain the general history of film or how to make a movie in more production-focused terms. So what makes this book different than the rest?
Two things: For one, it’s beautifully designed. And second, it's such a succinct book, which focuses on breaking down filmmaking terms like a dictionary would, and provides examples from films to illustrate those points.
It has a coffee table design and a hardcover treatment. Coffee table books need to be visually appealing since most of their life is being prominently displayed while closed.
Its publisher, Laurence King (based out of London), is in the business of making beautiful-looking books and gifts on film and art, which applies to this book as well.
This isn’t a dog-eared, paperback textbook you might still have kept from college. It's a simple, intelligently designed book, and is meant to be displayed on a table or anywhere in your home.
Its two-tone color-pairing makes for a wonderful harmony. And its sans-serif fonts are smartly chosen, giving a modern touch.
And finally, its size and weight are accessible. You can pick it up and put it down, reading a few sections at a time, all at your leisure.
The Content (The Inside)
As I mentioned before, this isn’t a chronological step-by-step guide for how to make a movie. This is great because all of the books that do that are also limited by the technology that they advise you to use (which sort of video camera, and the editing software that’s already outdated).
This is How You Make a Movie is more or less an encyclopedic look at the techniques and terms that are used in the best films, which the book’s author, Tim Grierson, succinctly and elegantly breaks down.
The book includes 5 sections:
- Acting
- Directing
- Lighting & Camera
- Editing
- Writing
Within these sections are further sub-sections. So in acting, we get breakdowns of "method acting" – popularized by Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire – through improvisation, seen in Knocked Up and Girls Trip.
And again, these are simply, succinctly written. 1 or 2 paragraphs with negative space to hammer the approachable design home. So you truly can take this book in sections at a time.
Classic films from City Lights, The Godfather, Star Wars, and The Shining, to more contemporary works like Moonlight, Good Time, We Need to Talk About Kevin, and Deadpool.
Directors like Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, and Charlie Chaplin are also nested alongside the more diverse filmmakers of today, such as Barry Jenkins, Andrea Arnold, Kathryn Bigelow, and the Dardenne Brothers.
My favorite section of the book (which I didn’t know before reading) was in the Lighting & Camera section, which discussed “Chiaroscuro." Chiaroscuro, as I learned, is a lighting technique in which the protagonist is prominently in focus against a fuzzy background fuzzy (or, with a shallow depth of field).
Lighting can enhance this even further, which Gordon Willis did in The Godfather’s "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse" scene. The effect goes back to Caravaggio and Rembrandt, and how those masters introduced this technique in their paintings.
I didn’t know this before reading this book, and now I get to make that observation the next time I'm watching The Godfather with my family and friends.
But really, reading This Is How You Make a Movie does make me appreciate my favorite films and the artistry in them even more, which is what it will do for you.
So, are you going to pick up a copy of this book for yourself, a family member, or a friend? It's the perfect way to learn more about why you love your favorite film, by better understanding the techniques that went into the technique (or vice-versa).
A beautifully designed, succinct, and smartly written book will always have a place in my film book collection, as it should in yours too.
You can order This Is How To Make a Movie now here at Laurence King's website.
'In the Earth' Is a Hallucinatory Pandemic-Era Horror
It was fitting that Ben Wheatley's new movie In the Earth–a horror film set during a deadly virus outbreak–premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival, as the fest itself was virtually-held while our own world moved through the very real Coronavirus pandemic. In the Earth, which comes out this Friday, even has the credit of being the first feature film to start and complete production during last year's quarantine (while adhering to the UK's strict social distancing guidelines).
In this regard, it's fascinating to see the final result of the film, which uses its own production limitations to tell a story of a similarly scaled-down size: that of a scientist (Joel Fry) who teams up with a park scout (Ellora Torchia) to head into to the woods to procure equipment to find a cure for a deadly virus. Of course, what the find instead is that they are not alone, and that horrors beyond what they can imagine lie waiting for them.
Personal Expression
Director Ben Wheatley has balanced between making artistically independent and commercially-contrived films throughout his career. 2016's artfully absurd High-Rise delivered a totally unique cinematic vision of its source novel, yet is pretty inaccessible to most audiences, and undeniably strange. On the other hand, his most recent film outing, Netflix's remake of Rebecca, was a painfully conventional and disappointing exercise.
Read our review of 'High-Rise' here.
While In the Earth does hit the expected conventions one would expect and hope for in a horror movie, Wheatley's creative and assured directorial vision remains in display here, and perhaps thanks to the film's micro-budget scale. The film feels more personal and intimate, and we're able to develop a closer connection to the actors, which all pays off when the film moves into its second act and tip-toes into the nightmarishly absurd.
Personal Expression: 3 out of 5 stars
Daring
There are a few elements at work in In the Earth that make this a totally daring film. For one, the film mixes a few different sub-genres of horror: that of a slasher hunting in the woods, mythical folklore evil, and then surprisingly with its ecologically supernatural horrors. It's an ambitious undertaking to evolve to such an unexpected other-worldly enemy, as well as to do so with such daring vision, as the film climaxes into a strobe-filled psychedelic freak-out.
And then of course, the larger real-world fact that the film was shot during quarantine of a very-real pandemic is perhaps the most daring aspect of all, which speaks to the filmmakers' dedication to independent filmmaking.
Daring: 3 out of 5 stars
Craft
With its limited scale, In the Earth has a noticeably restrained vision (which at first, gives the film a Blair Witch-style of familiarity). However, the film does know how to stretch their production and dollar in the right ways, such as with the scenes of gruesome axe-related special effects work, and sequences that show more literal depictions of the folklore evil that's hinted at early on. However, it's when the real reveal happens halfway through and when hallucinatory, oscillating trips occur, that the film shows its true visual ambitions, making for an even greater movie and horror experience.
Craft: 3 out of 5 stars
Impact
In the Earth has stuck with me since I first saw its premiere back in January, and likely for a few reasons: the climactic light and color rave-like sequences still stick in my head. I'll also remember the movie for being one that was made about a pandemic, during a pandemic. But I think the biggest impact comes when it chooses to reveal its ecologically-conscious enemy at play. Without looking to reveal the twist, it made me think of M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening (in a good way), and still makes me think about how we relate to our natural surroundings.
Impact: 4 out of 5 stars
Conclusion
In the Earth is a very welcomed treat for this year, as the world continues to vaccinate and as we slowly move out of this pandemic, back into the real world. It's wild to see a film that's not only about a pandemic, but one that was made during one as well. And to also watch a movie with such a surprising, daring and experimental vision–along with its poignant thoughts on how we relate to the environment–In the Earth is the best horror of the year so far, and an appreciated warning of what dangers lie in the woods if we don't remain careful.
Conclusion: 3.25 out of 5 stars
100 min. 'In the Earth' opens in theaters and starts streaming this Friday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lqkfo7IymU&ab_channel=NEON
'Shiva Baby' Review: Fans of 'Fleabag,' This Film's For You
In Judaism, "sitting shiva" is the week-long mourning period that is observed following the passing of a first-degree relative. In Shiva Baby, a millennial undergrad feels the same sort of deep mourning, albeit over the current state of her young life. When Danielle (Rachel Sennott) returns home from NYU to attend a funeral, she knows that she's also entering the lion's den of an overbearing family. The equal parts eager and concerned "How are you?" triggers her anxieties of her uncertain future.
Danielle easily soothes family members expectations with talks of post-grad ambitions (either business or law school). In reality, she's concealing the fact that she's academically middling and currently involved with a sugar daddy in the big city. It's not until the arrival of an unexpected guest that Danielle's shakily constructed life starts to crack. It all sets the stage for an event where everything is set to come out.
Personal Expression
Shiva Baby is such a refreshing and enjoyable new comedy due to how totally authentic the characters and situations all feel. It's not altogether surprising, given that the film is based on the experiences and observations from writer and director Emma Seligman's own life, here making her directorial debut. Seligman's shrewd observations of the Jewish culture along with a new millennial identity make for a wonderfully cringe-worthy but very real culture clash. From the specificity of detail in the shiva setting and the hilarious characters who attend it, down to its stark portrayal of young people owning their newfound sexualities, Shiva Baby is the type of equal-parts defiant and personal filmmaking that make for the best kind of directorial debuts.
Daring
While set to a fairly conventional narrative structure (that of a person returning to the home they once left and by doing so, are forced to confront their true selves), Shiva Baby merely uses this foundation to then make daring leaps from. Danielle (played note-perfect by newcomer Rachel Sennott) brings a new young woman character (made popular by Lena Dunham's Girls and Phoebe Waller-Bridges' Fleabag) to the big screen, who, for all of her flaws and poor decision-making, remains unapologetically herself. By her casually decided choices of engaging with a sugar daddy as well as exploration of bi-sexual attractions, Danielle subverts every expectation that both her age and gender are typically met with. In doing so, Shiva Baby shows a very real and untraditional character of female empowerment.
Craft
Shiva Baby smartly uses its single setting location to bring many elements of filmmaking together to control its tone–that being a cringe-worthy one every truth that Danielle skirts only raise the stakes to becoming a pressure cooker of discomfort (halfway through the film when she bursts out of the house to get air, we are desperately grateful for it as well).
This hilarious suffocating experience n is controlled by the entire filmmaking team: Hanna A. Park's measured and then energetic editing controls each new wave of discomfort wonderfully. Maria Rusche's cinematography captures the jam-packed nature of this house (building to a near-hallucinatory climax that reminded me of Rosemary's Baby). And of singular note, composer Ariel Marx's score is quite actually the thing that stands out that gives Shiva Baby its anxiety-inducing identity, an off-beat tension that reminded me of Jonny Greenwood's score for Punch Drunk Love. All elements swirl to make for a cringe-worthy setting, which is pretty rad to see this all-female unit.
For our exclusive interview with Ariel Marx, click here.
Impact
Shiva Baby is sure to stay on your mind long after watching it (as it has for me). Seligman's self-assured vision, in which all of the elements of stress and tension had me on the edge of my seat wondering how Danielle would escape the next lie, are hilariously constructed. I really can't remember the last adult comedy that felt so edgy, raunchy, risky, yet smart. Along with the fact that this type of character, unsure how to move forward at this point in their life) is typically now only seen in TV (Fleabag, Girls), it's refreshing to find it in a film (I hate to break it to you Judd Apatow, but The King of Staten Island didn't feel anywhere near as enjoyable as Shiva Baby).
Conclusion
I absolutely love recommending a film like Shiva Baby, a directorial debut that is both successful in its own right and makes me look forward to what lies next for the whole filmmaking team. Especially as theaters slowly re-open and new releases continue to struggle to find mass distribution, it's such a gift to get the chance to be able to see a new film like this one that also happens to be one of the funnier adult comedies to come out in recent times. Get behind this one, baby.
77 minutes. 'Shiva Baby' is not rated. Available to rent on Apple TV+ and Amazon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uT1M9WfqYA&ab_channel=Utopia