Digital Dreams

Shifting Stories: A Look Back at "The Fall" (2006)

By Sean Frank

Before I start, I want to say that there will be spoilers. I highly recommend watching the film before reading this. With that out of the way, The Fall (2006) by Tarsem is a passion project that is well worth any film enthusiast’s time. I remember seeing the trailer online. The visuals and music were dazzling. Bold colors and careful composition caught my eye and the trailer hinted at a story that would tug at my heartstrings.

The trailer represented the film well, which was as stylish and emotional as I expected. The closest theater that I could find playing it was an hour and a half away. It was just about empty. This hinted at the film’s financial performance, which, according to BoxOfficeMojo, was a total worldwide box office take of $3,669,425. With a RottenTomato critic score of 61%, it was well received, but not exceedingly so. This is a shame but makes sense. There is no neat genre to fit this film into. It contains fantastical elements but it is not a fantasy. There is action, but it has no consequence. Instead, The Fall is about the stories we tell and the perspectives that shape them.

Before I move on to the plot, here are a few facts about the production. According to the back of the DVD case, The Fall was shot over a time frame of 4 years in 18 countries. It is also revealed on the disc that Tarsem financed much of the film’s cost, using money he had made on high-end commercials. This is impressive but not shocking. The vast amount of locations hints at a unique and immense undertaking. The fact that they are all real-world locales also creates a subtle texture that computer graphics cannot fully replicate.

Watching the film again, I am more convinced than ever that the world Tarsem and his collaborators have created is stunning. It starts in pristine black and white as the accident hinted in the film’s title occurs. It is a 1920’s movie shoot and stuntman Roy hurts himself critically. This is shown in ultra-slow motion and draws me in immediately, even though what is occurring is not crystal clear. The film transitions to vivid color when he is taken to a sunlight dappled California hospital. It is here where we meet young Alexandria. Her perspective is shown throughout. From an upside down shadow of a horse to the imposing wardrobe of an x-ray tech, these represent small details that become important later on.

The scope of the film opens up once Roy, stricken to his hospital bed, meets young Alexandria. He decides to tell her a story about the Masked Bandit and his five allies in a quest for revenge on the evil Governor Odious. The fantastical story includes both their perspectives. The villainous Odious is based on a movie star currently dating a woman Roy loves. Odious’s henchmen wear an outfit similar to the x-ray tech’s wardrobe, which frightens Alexandria. Roy has an ulterior motive though, as he tells Alexandria he needs “medicine” so he can sleep and finish the story. This medicine is morphine and Roy is looking for enough to close his eyes forever.

As the story Roy tells progresses, we are shown images that are hard to believe. The scale of the desert is used to full effect as Alexandria the Great (One of the Masked Bandit’s five allies) is seen in a wide shot, riding on his horse. He looks minuscule compared to the mountain of sand behind him. Another wide shot presents a large town with most of the houses painted blue, making them pop vividly off the screen. The vast amount of locations is also incorporated in a sequence of them traveling, as the Pyramids, Great Wall of China, & even Eiffel Tower flash by.

There is no set time-line for Roy’s story or even much logic. The Masked Bandit and his allies are thinly fleshed out. For me, it works though. These characters help illuminate Alexandria and Roy’s perspectives. As Roy tells his story to Alexandria, his depression lays itself bare. One startling sequence has the Masked Bandit’s twin brother lying dead next to a massive sheet, half covered in bright red blood. Since the Masked Bandit is really Roy, this must be how he sees himself; half broken & half alive.

Roy’s hopelessness comes pouring out during the final scenes. Alexandria hurts herself trying to get him “medicine”. She awakes, her head covered in gauze, to a drunken Roy at her bedside. He reluctantly finishes the story for her. Director Tarsem creates beauty out of the grim spectacle here as the Masked Bandit’s allies are killed. One falls back on a bed of arrows. Birds fly out of the mouth of another as he is slaughtered. In shock over the turn of events, Alexandria asks Roy “Why are you making everybody die"? Roy replies, “It’s my story” to which she quickly utters, “Mine too”. This reinforces the theme of how we shape stories and stories shape us. Roy isn’t alone on this journey. None of us are.

Roy realizes he isn’t alone when he tries to kill the Masked Bandit, as he somberly utters, “So he sank to the bottom of the pool. He didn’t even try to swim”. Alexandria relents to this turn of events, as she exclaims, “Get up and fight…..I Don’t want you to die. Don’t kill him. Let him live.” At this point they finally understand each other’s perspectives. Most importantly, Roy understands it’s not just his story and lets the Masked Bandit live. The film closes with Alexandria out of the hospital, with her family, as she recounts seeing Roy at work on the silver screen, performing his stunts.

On the surface, The Fall looks like a stunt, filmed over 4 years with highly stylized visuals and a high-concept plot. At its heart though it is about how we see and how we tell our stories. Sure, they don’t involve Masked Bandits or Villainous Governors, but the stakes can seem just as insurmountable. It is when we listen to who we are sharing our stories with, that we gain perspective, that we cushion our fall.

Favorite Media of 2019

By, Sean Frank

FILM

1: Parasite

Parasite is crafted to perfection. Every element, from the acting to the cinematography, to the script feels thought out and carefully executed. It is this attention to detail that kept me invested in the film as it bounces between various genres.

Parasite is a thriller. It is also a comedy and a razor sharp satire with rich characterization that gives it shades of a drama. It is the characters that invested me so thoroughly in this film. Writer/Director Bong Joon Ho gives his talented cast a lot to work with, thanks to his tight script. It moves along briskly but lingers on details such as the reveal of the wealthy family’s modern home or the lower class family’s apartment being filled with “free” pesticide fumigation from outside. Both families have their own perspectives and priorities which seem wholly reasonable to them. The film understands this but shows that it is the large gulf between these perspectives and priorities where conflict bubbles to the surface.

2: Little Women

I have seen the Little Women film version from the 1990s so I already had familiarity with the story. What Writer/Director Greta Gerwig does with her 2019 adaption makes it very unique. She has the film jump around in time as it follows the Marsh sisters in 1800’s New England. While I was occasionally confused, the effect overall is impressive. It made me think about time, memory, and how things change while a somber familiarity lingers. Saoirse Ronan’s Jo is the heart of the film as she finds her voice as a writer. Florence Pugh also impresses as Amy with a complex, confident performance.

3: Us

Jordan Peele’s sophomore effort Us is an astonishing film. It is a parable that can be interpreted many different ways. It involves Lupita Nyong’o’s Adelaide and her family going on a vacation that gets interrupted by murderous versions of themselves. There are some jump scares but the horror comes more from the ideas Peele presents. Since this film is high concept it will fall apart if you think too logically about it; (How did the tethered get all the red jumpsuits & gold scissors etc…). Taken as a parable though, this film succeeds wildly. It left me rattled as I thought about the vastness of the human experience and how many people suffer unseen. Lupita Nyong’o also deserves recognition for dual performances that are layered, physical, and subtle.

4: Avengers: Endgame

While this film is impressive on its own terms, it really becomes monumental if you have seen the previous 22 Marvel movies. A long list of characters come full circle and reckon with their actions from the past 10 years of Marvel cinema. This creates characterization that is rich with drama and themes. Endgame keeps drama in mind as it starts slowly, exploring the grief that comes with half of the population disappearing thanks to villain Thanos. When the action does come it hits hard and gives all the very human superheroes moments to shine.

5: Wild Rose

Wild Rose is a film about Rose, played brilliantly by Jessie Buckley, fresh out of prison and dreaming of becoming a country singer. She lives in Glasgow, Scotland and has two children. The film humanizes her as she struggles to reconcile her responsibilities as a parent and dreams as a singer. Over the course of the narrative she learns, that while she is immensely talented, she can never succeed if she closes herself off. The film concludes with a song and performance which powerfully sums up her emotional journey but doesn’t feel pat or contrived. Wild Rose instead feels wholly authentic thanks to careful direction and committed performances.

6: Midsommar

Midsommar is a great horror film. It is not scary but it is terrifying. It is also very hard to recommend. Florence Pugh plays Dani, who experiences a horrible family tragedy. She decides to go with her boyfriend and others to a festival in an isolated community in Sweden. The horrible events that slowly escalate happen in broad daylight which creates an eerie atmosphere. Dani is also constantly confronted by her grief and the deterioration of her relationship with her boyfriend. Midsommar is unpleasant, dense, and hard to shake once the credits roll. It also features another stellar 2019 Florence Pugh performance, impressively choreographed camera movements, and rich themes of grief and loss.

7: Knives Out

Rian Johnson is a bold & unique writer/director. After one of my all-time favorite directorial debuts with Brick, he has jumped from genre to genre while maintaining a high level of quality. While I loved The Last Jedi, Johnson received a fierce backlash from some fans. This did not seem to deter him. Knives Out is an ensemble murder mystery that subverts expectations and entertains at every turn. Anna de Armas’s Marta is the center of the film. She plays a nurse to a wealthy novelist. Her performance is very engaging and full of empathy. Daniel Craig is also a joy to watch as Detective Benoit Blanc. The rest of the ensemble cast is at the top of their game with carefully calibrated performances that complement each other. Overall though, it is Johnson’s engagingly intricate script and pitch perfect direction that elevate this to a new genre classic.

8: JoJo Rabbit

Taika Waititi has created what is advertised as an "anti-hate satire" with JoJo Rabbit. While this description makes sense it doesn’t convey the amount of heart this film has. It follows Jojo, a young boy who is a Hitler youth member. His mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home. Hitler also happens to be JoJo’s imaginary friend. The comedy is broad but effective and the drama is much more powerful than I expected. This is thanks to Scarlett Johansson as Rosie; JoJo’s mother, and Thomasin McKenzie as Elsa; the Jewish girl hiding in their home. Both of them are full of compassion and strength as they challenge JoJo and the hate he has been taught. Roman Griffin Davis also impresses as Jojo with a subtlety expressive performance. While this film’s blend of broad comedy and sincere drama won’t work for everyone it did for me.

9: The Irishman

The Irishman is unlike Martin Scoreses’s other gangster films. There is no glamour in the violence. While there are hints of glamour in the lifestyle there is much more regret. This is a somber film as Robert De Niro’s Frank Sheeran recounts his career as a hitman and enforcer. CGI de-aging techniques are used during scenes when De Niro, Pacino, & Joe Pesci are younger. This is not entirely convincing but also gives these scenes a glossy coat that works to its benefit; feeling like the haze of memory. Steve Zaillian’s script explores themes of regret and memory deftly as it balances patient plotting with rich dialogue. Scorsese uses his masterful technique in new ways such as displaying text which details gangsters’ abrupt ends as they appear on screen. He also uses one of his signature tracking shots not for a club entrance but for a journey down the hallway of a nursing home to the melancholy strains of The Five Satins – In the Still of the Night.

10: 1917

This is a large scale film but it feels small. It follows Lance Corporal Black and Lance Corporal Schofield during World War 1 as they race to deliver a message that will prevent 1,600 men from walking into a fatal trap. This journey is presented to look like one long shot with hidden edits. Cinematographer Roger Deakins cements his already impressive legacy with compositions and lighting that immerse and impress upon the viewer. Lights and shadow from flairs cascading across the ruins of a bombed out village is a particular highlight. Director Sam Mendes gets natural and emotional performances out of the leads while keeping the action easy to follow and showcasing the horrors of war along the way. This is not the average war film. It feels more like a journey that the viewer becomes a part of thanks to stellar camerawork and production design.

TELEVISION

1: Watchmen (2019)

This series takes place many years after the events of the graphic novel which is considered the best of the form by many. For this reason I was hesitant about the series and how the creators could follow up such a masterpiece of fiction. It turns out they were more than up to the task. This series explores racism, vigilantism, and time while moving a mysterious and intricate plot steadily forward. Regina King is the star of the show as Angela Abar/Sister Night. Her performance conveys strength and vulnerability in equal measure as she learns about her past while digging deep into a mystery.

2: Chernobyl

This mini-series explores the 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. It is an excellent drama and also taught me a lot about the event. It centers on two scientists and a Politician who are driven to mediate the effects of the disaster against a government intent on covering it up and denying the extent of the problem. The production design and direction never falter, maintaining a believable representation of the time period while giving us characters to empathize with and root for.

3: The Crown (Season 3)

The Crown follows Queen Elizabeth and the Royal family. Season 3 (set during 1964-1977) features new actors in the lead roles and their performances are on par with the impressive work of their predecessors. While the Royal Family is not a topic I am particularly interested in, this show is just exceptional on all levels. The dialogue is smart, the performances feel real and lived in, the production design is incredibly detailed, and the camera work is full of rich lighting and beautiful compositions.

VIDEO GAMES

1: Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Switch)

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a tactical role-playing game full of choice and rich characters. Soon after the start, you are tasked with picking one of three houses at Garreg Mach Monastery to be a professor of, teaching your students and readying them for battle. The conflict that follows changes depending on choices made throughout the experience. The gameplay is split into exploring the large complex of Garreg Mach and turn based battles. The exploration sections offer great dialogue and characterization that create bonds with your students. The battles use layers of systems and weapons that can be upgraded and changed as you progress. While this is a niche genre that is not for everyone, I was enthralled by the action and rich drama throughout.

2: Control (PS4)

Control is a third person action-adventure game set in the fictional Federal Bureau of Control. The Bureau is tasked with investigating and containing the paranormal. The player controls Jessie, a civilian with powers of her own, looking to find answers from the bureau about her brother. The action involves gunplay and powers such as telekinesis. Destructible environments elevate the combat and atmosphere. Performance issues and projectiles that are unfairly hard to see coming do deter from the action though. Overall, it was the atmosphere that kept me coming back. Notes found along the way at the Bureau about everyday things such as a book club or personal grievances give the location a great sense of place that, along with the shifting walls, make it memorable.

3: Luigi’s Mansion 3 (Switch)

I have tried but never completed the previous two games in the Luigi’s Mansion series. They are very well made but my horrible sense of direction kept getting me lost. Luigi’s Mansion 3 takes place in a hotel infested with ghosts. Levels are separated into different floors. These smaller, broken up, spaces are easy to navigate and contain great puzzles and engaging combat. Using Luigi’s vacuum is a blast and most items on tables, walls, and shelves are affected by it, which creates a great sense of interactivity. The stationary camera and difficulty aiming the vacuum are occasionally problematic though.

Favorite Media of 2018

By, Sean Frank

FILM

1: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
This animated Spider-Man film surprised me. It is funny, thrilling, emotional, sincere, and irreverent. The script moves along briskly, juggling a large amount of characters while giving them all moments to shine. The main character; teen Miles Morales; has a great arc that finds him overcoming his uncertainty and fears. This helps convey the film’s message that, with courage and conviction, anyone can wear the mask.

Miles ultimately finds this courage from within but Spider-Mans from other dimensions as well as Spider-Gwen & Spider-Ham (A talking pig) encourage him. These characters and the world itself are animated in a distinct style unlike anything I have personally seen. The animation also takes direct inspiration from comic books using dialog bubbles and splash panels to great effect. All of this combines to create a film that is loaded with plot, character, and style but not overstuffed. Instead it is overwhelming in the best way possible.

2: Bad Times at the El Royale
Bad Times at the El Royale is set in the late 60’s and involves various characters whose lives violently intersect over the course of a night at a once glamorous hotel that straddles the California-Nevada border. It is long, tediously plotted, and slow. But it is also distinctly stylistic, genuinely thrilling, and unexpectedly moving. Writer/director Drew Goddard has crafted a film that uses the conventions of a thriller to comment on the ways our past defines us.

3: Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians is a romantic comedy that is unabashedly romantic and unabashedly funny. It follows a young Asian American woman meeting her boyfriend’s extremely wealthy family in Singapore. She clashes with his mother over their divides in culture and class. Throughout, this film is engaging with a tight script and excellent performances. I have already seen it three times and each time I was just as surprised by how witty, well-crafted, and heart-felt this film is.

4: Mission Impossible: Fallout
Star Tom Cruise and Director Christopher McQuarrie are the perfect combination for the Mission Impossible franchise. After the very good Rogue Nation they have created an action masterpiece with Mission Impossible: Fallout. The plot may be fairly convoluted but it deftly pushes the protagonist and his team towards escalating scenarios. Tom Cruises’ willingness to participate in the stunts allows the camera to capture the star in the action and invest the audience in the inherent danger. An emotional through line about the many sacrifices Ethan Hunt has to make give the film its necessary beating heart.

5: Roma
Roma is not a film for everyone. It is subtitled, in black and white, and very slow. It is worth the effort though. Writer/director Alfonso Cuaron uses the pristine black and white widescreen image from the ARRI ALEXA 65 to capture the actors as well as the details and crowds in the background. It creates a great sense of place, specifically Mexico City in the early 1970s. Although Mexico City is an important part of the film, the main focus here is on Cleo, played brilliantly by Yalitza Aparicio. Cleo is a maid for a middle class family. The beginning of the film spends time with her during her average day to day life. The richness and deliberate nature of the character work here is transfixing. Because of this, when the traumatizing moments do hit, they land with an unexpected impact.

6: Eighth Grade
First time writer/director Bo Burnham has crafted an impressive feature-film debut with Eighth Grade. It follows the last week of eighth grader Kayla Day’s school year. She is very shy and anxious and uses Youtube to express herself in advice videos. Elsie Fisher does a great job with this role. I was especially surprised to see social anxiety expressed so clearly. Her anxiety and insecurity feels very real. There are no easy answers or simple fixes to the external and internal social pressure she faces. This film acknowledges that but is not entirely cynical either. The cringe-worthy moments are carefully balanced with moments of acceptance and resolution.

7: If Beale Street Could Talk
The best word to describe this film is poetic. From the evocative orchestral score to the fluid and carefully composed camera work, everything feels seamless and overtly expressionistic. The plot involves Tish and Fonny, a young African American couple in early 1970s Harlem. Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit, and the pregnant Tish fights for his release. Tish’s voice-over along with flash backs and the fantastic score reveal the depth of their love for each other. Barry Jenkins further cements his place as a world class director in this artful exploration of love, compassion, and racial injustice.

8: A Quiet Place
I have always thought that horror works best when paired with great drama. A Quiet Place accomplishes this paring brilliantly. It involves a family in a post-apocalyptic world doing what it takes to survive. The creatures that destroyed most of humanity have incredible hearing and now the remaining few must live in strict silence. This scenario allows for tense scenes of horror and expressive moments of drama. Though sign language helps with the plotting, it is the committed performances and careful camerawork that elevate this into a new genre classic. When the credits rolled, I felt exhausted, breathless from the action and moments of sorrow, regret, and sacrifice that drive it.

9: A Star is Born
I have always found Bradly Cooper to be a great actor. Though his impressive performance in A Star is Born further confirms this it also announces him as a great director. Sure, there are some Hollywood contrivances, but overall this film feels very raw and very human. Lady Gaga’s performance is full of depth. Perhaps, the best example of this is when Bradly Cooper’s veteran rock star Jackson Maine invites her to perform on stage. Her singing is of course excellent but it is her initial hesitation which evolves so naturally into disbelief and finally pure joy that elevates this scene into an iconic one. Though this scene proves difficult to top, topics such as fame, alcoholism, and depression are aptly explored by this ambitious film.

10: Searching
Searching is part of a new genre of film that takes place entirely on computer screens. Though this would seem limiting it actually expands this film in interesting ways. John Cho plays a father looking for his missing teenage daughter. We watch him do the investigative work of digging into his daughter’s digital life. This methodical approach is engaging instead of tedious as new plot details are revealed along with twist after twist. The director also uses video chat and video files found on the computer to keep us connected to the characters. This film may just take place on computer screens but the engaging mystery and committed performances make it feel just as cinematic as any other thriller.

TELEVISION SHOW

The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix 2018)

This show is about a family. It is also about trauma, depression, mental illness, and ghosts both literal and metaphorical. Sure it may be too ambitious but when it lands it lingers with you long after the episode is over. The plot jumps back and forth in time from when a family stayed at a haunted house during the summer of 1992 to present day when everyone is still dealing with their experiences. Most episodes have a unique mixture of terrifying scares and sincere drama. While this combination may not work with everyone I found it to be mesmerizing.

MUSIC ALBUM

Now Only by Mount Eerie

Following up the great album A Crow Looked at Me, Singer/Songwriter Phil Elverum is still dealing with his grief over the passing of his wife on Now Only. This album is more dynamic but still just as intimate and devastating. While there is some guitar distortion and more variety in melody and tone, the lyrics still cut deep. On the title track he sings the chorus in an upbeat voice but the lyrics are “….But people get cancer and die. People get hit by trucks and die. People just living their lives get erased for no reason with the rest of us watching from the sides….”. These songs are about loss, grief, and moving on while looking back. Just like his previous album, it is a difficult listen but worth the effort.

VIDEO GAME

Red Dead Redemption 2

I didn’t know what to expect after the excellent Red Dead Redemption but this sequel is a landmark in video game storytelling and open world immersion. Players control Arthur Morgan, an outlaw in the old west. Arthur is a member of the Van Der Linde gang. The gameplay can sometimes be tedious but there seemed to be valid reasons for this. One example is I couldn’t make Arthur run in the gang camps. Because I couldn’t run, I took the time to talk to the other gang members and create connections with them. One evening, when everyone celebrated after a rescue was a particular highlight. A few people were singing around the fire, a couple others drunkenly stumbling along, and as Arthur, I could interact with all of them. The story allows for time to interact with the world and all its inhabitants but it does move steadily along. I don’t want to spoil where it goes but by the end of this long journey I was stunned. Stunned by how a video game could tell a story just as grand and cinematic as any film or television series.

Favorite Media of 2017

By, Sean Frank

FILM

1: Blade Runner 2049
Of all the films I saw in 2017, Blade Runner 2049 left the biggest impression. Its visuals are astonishing both in the careful cinematography and intricate set design. What really impresses me though is how a film following an android and his hologram girlfriend feels so human. Though a larger story looms in the background, the focus here is an intimate tale on family and what it means to be human.

2: Lady Bird
Lady Bird is a film following a teenager ready to leave her hometown for college. It perfectly captures the end of high school and the unease it creates for us and the unease we create for ourselves. The acting is great across the board but Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf are superb. The way they express the many emotions of a mother daughter relationship give the film its strong emotional core. Thanks to Writer-Director Greta Gerwig’s script and direction the actors have room to breathe while the story never loses its sharp focus.

3: Dunkirk
Dunkirk is war film of pure experience. It follows the Dunkirk evacuation of allied soldiers during World War II. There is very little dialogue. Characters don’t talk about back home or plan their next move. They are just trying to survive. While the timeline of events can be confusing the filmmaking on display here is next-level. Director Christopher Nolan creates moments of harrowing beauty that are hard to shake. The film ends on a note of hope, which through the culmination of watching the soldiers’ ordeal, feels bittersweet but earned.

4: The Big Sick
The Big Sick is a great drama that also happens to be a comedy. For most of the film Kumail looks after Emily while she is in a medically-induced coma. The problem is they just broke up because he was keeping their relationship secret from his traditional family. During the course of the film he befriends Emily’s parents while challenging his own. The script here contains so many small and big moments that land with unexpected impact. This is a film about love, family, tradition, and how to smile through the tears and laugh through the pain.

5: Star Wars: The Last Jedi
The Last Jedi is Rian Johnson’s Star Wars movie. I say it is his because he imbues it with an abundance of style and personality. There are some plotting missteps that halt the pace here and there. Overall though, I was enthralled by the drama-driven action and the visually striking way it is all captured; from Snoke’s bright red throne room to the cave scene with Rey’s row of reflections. This was the only film I saw twice in the theaters in 2017. I think I saw it the second time because I couldn’t believe there was a Star Wars film this bold, this unique, and this subversive.

6: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a messy film about loss, pain, and anger. Main character Mildred seeks justice for her daughter and puts up the three billboards to push the investigation along. Of course things go sideways from there. Frances McDormand inhabits Mildred with a fierceness and vulnerability that seem to coexist. Her performance is one for the ages. The film that surrounds it isn’t all that bad either. The cinematography, music, script, and supporting cast are extremely engaging as the film shifts from comedy to drama and back again without losing a step.

7: Phantom Thread
Phantom Thread is a peculiar film that is hard to settle into. It is worth the effort though. The performances are incredibly detailed. It is the looks between lines and during long stretches of silence that the characters really speak. Daniel Day-Lewis plays a dressmaker in 1950’s London who demands total control over his life. Vicky Krieps’s Alma enters his world and things change. Lesley Manville plays his sister Cyril, unsure but curious of Alma. Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson is also the DP of the film and creates a texture through careful framing and lighting that looks deliberate but feels very natural.

8: Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 is a sequel that is rougher around the edges, a little too long, and a little too confident of itself. It is also a film where the drama between the characters outshines the special effects. I enjoyed spending time with them again and becoming entangled in their sibling rivalry, father issues, and self-doubt. The ending is also both over the top and unexpectedly touching.

9: Baby Driver
Baby Driver is an action film full of character. Director Edgar Wright keeps the focus on Baby, a getaway driver without much to say. The director does all the talking, using music and dynamic angles to convey his character’s frustration, desperation, and hope of a new life. The action scenes also convey the speed and thrill of the chase without losing the spatial geography of the scene.

10: Logan
Logan feels like a character study that happens to feature a superhero. Hugh Jackman portrays Logan as carrying the weight of his past actions in all the prior X-Men films and struggling to stand against it. Patrick Stewart also plays an ailing Professor X. The film is violent and at time somber. Dafne Keene does a great job with young mutant Laura who challenges Logan’s tough exterior.

MUSIC

Melodrama by Lorde

This album uses pop music and unique phrasings to convey emotions with a singular point of view. The production is intricate but not over produced. There is also great variety within the specific tone of the album, from the strings of “Sober II (Melodrama)” to the piano driving the chorus of “Green Light”. The lyrics are personal but just broad enough. The album doesn’t have filler tracks. It flows perfectly from first song to last. It is one I will listen to again and again.

Runner-Up

A Crow looked at Me by Mount Eerie

This album is intimate, raw, and full of details that are devastating in their specificity. It is about the loss of the Singer/Songwriter Phil Elverum’s wife. He struggles with his grief and the prospect of raising their young daughter alone. The album follows the struggle with minimal instrumentation. It is all about the lyrics, which are poetic and plain spoken at the same time. Lines such as, “…when I walk into the room where you were and look into the emptiness instead, all fails, my knees fail, my brain fails, words fail…” convey emotion without trying to be catchy or clever. This album is not an easy listen but it is a highly rewarding one.

VIDEO GAMES

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Zelda games have been largely fantastic. The majority of them haven’t strayed far from the basic formula of a series of dungeons in a linear order. Breath of the Wild though, allows total freedom. After clearing The Great Plateau you are free to complete all the shrines, climb all the towers and defeat the four Divine Beasts or you can go right for Gannon. It is up to the player to explore and conquer as little or as much of the map as they want. The excellent physics system, tight combat, and ability to climb just about anything make the gameplay behind the journey a joy. What makes the game a true masterpiece though, is that it is your journey, your story. Personally, I wasn’t ready to fight Gannon for a good thirty hours. For other players it might be 20 or even 200 hours. Nintendo has always had a laser focus on gameplay and in that regard, this is their crowning achievement.

Runner-Up

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

I have never completed a turn based game before this. I usually don’t have the patience for it. But the turn based combat in this game never frustrated me too much. There was always strategy to learn, weapons to purchase, and skills to unlock. The ability to fast-forward the enemy’s turn also helped with my patience a great deal. Overall, the art direction, irreverent comedy, and polished gameplay kept me hooked and turned a game in a genre I usually never touch into one of my favorites of 2017.

Favorite Films of 2013 So Far

Some of my favorite films this year have used ambitious structures, understated realism, and unrelenting tension to great affect. These techniques have kept me focused on the characters and the emotion of the story rather than the mechanics of it.

I’ll start with The Place Beyond the Pines. This film touches on legacy and how the actions of fathers can shape the lives of sons. Some of the plot turns are very easy to predict. This would be more of an issue if every other aspect of the movie weren’t so impressive. The cinematography mixes naturalistic lighting with repeating compositions. This allows the viewer feel invested in the scenes but also creates important emotional crescendos. Performances from Bradley Cooper and Ryan Gosling along with the young actors playing their sons are restrained and use every trick in the book. From Bradley Cooper’s nervous eyes to Ryan Gosling’s anxious hands: smoking cigarettes, hitting his helmet, or playing with a switchblade. The music is also minimal but highlights emotions rather than selling them.

Fruitvale Station is a very emotional film. It concerns the tragic death of a young African American man by a police officer. This is shown upfront before the film jumps back, presenting his day leading up to it. The camera follows him as he makes calls, runs errands, and contemplates his life. A flashback is also revealed, highlighting a moment he probably wants to forget but will always remember. The film makes it clear that, just like all of us, he isn’t perfect but it also portrays him as a multifaceted human being. It is the empathy the film has towards him that makes his tragic death very powerful. He shouldn’t have died and had family and friends that cared about him and he cared about in return. This sounds simple but when a film decides not to spell this out to its audience it shows how complex life really is.

Captain Phillips uses tension more effectively than any film in recent memory. The fact that I knew the outcome of this true story ahead of time makes the tension it generates even more impressive. Tom Hanks, in one of his best performances, portrays a man forced to think on his feet. The Somali pirates that board his ship are shown as desperate and poor. The leader seems doomed from the start, chasing a fortune that he’ll have to give to his criminal bosses. The director uses handheld compositions to great affect. This disorients the viewers without confusing them. Making them feel part of the action but not lost in it. The end scene features one of Tom Hanks best acting moments. He seems to let go of the façade his character was keeping in front of the pirates and let the emotion of the situation wash over him.

There are more films I’m looking forward to having wash over me. If they are as good or better than these three this year has the chance of being a notable one for the movies. With films from directors such as the Coen Brothers, Spike Lee, and David O. Russell on the horizon I think it’s a safe bet.

Best Films of 2012

It’s been a great year for movies and I’ve tried to see as many as I can. I was surprised by the variety of the best films. Some are niche genre while others are large studio films. This kept the year in film from becoming stale and also proved a belief I have that excellence has nothing to do with the genre or scale of a motion picture but with the craftsmanship put into it. The top five films of this list were easy for me to decide, but the remaining five proved difficult with a lot of contenders. Without further rambling here is my list.

1. Beasts of the Southern Wild

I knew right away that this film was something special when the credits started to roll. It features stellar performances by a non-professional cast. A story that is abstract, moving, and full of momentum without a real plot to speak of. Set among survivors making the best of their life on the other side of a levee, it presents survival as a state of mind. This is done through the direction of Benh Zeitlin who, with his first feature, establishes himself as a voice to be heard. Everything works perfectly together. From a rousing score, that is one of the best I’ve ever heard, to the voice-over, and the naturalistic performances. This is a film I’ll revisit again and again and one of the best feature debuts I’ve ever had the luck to see.

2. Silver Lining Playbook

When you make a house of cards it’s easy at first and becomes more difficult as the house expands and elevates. Throughout the process you have to keep a steady hand though. This is similar to what director David O. Russell pulls off with this film. It’s a romantic comedy, a family drama, a quirky independent, and an uplifting studio film. It’s also one of the best films of the year. The cast, led by Bradley Cooper, in a career-best performance, create chemistry that feels honest and raw. The plot, while conventional, is always pushing the characters forward and showing them in every kind of light.

3. The Cabin in the Woods

Horror films seem to follow certain rules and contain certain character types. The Cabin in the Woods acknowledges this and has a hell of a time subverting them. Director Drew Goddard along with co-writer Joss Whedon create a film that feels like a fresh spin on horror and a tribute to it at the same time. It uses the premise written in the title to create a story that while not necessarily scary is definitely horrifying.

4. The Impossible

Films about natural disasters have a hard time balancing scope with well-drawn characters. The Impossible solves this problem by focusing on a single family but never losing sight of the horror and loss impacting everyone else. Through wide shots of the damage and the presence of body bags , it never lets you forget the incomprehensible loss that resulted from the 2004 tsunami. Powerful performances express the emotional and physical pain the family suffers. This is especially true for Naomi Watts, whose performance at times feels so real it’s tough to watch yet hard to turn away from.

5. Zero Dark Thirty

Director Kathryn Bigelow has found a great collaborator in journalist turned screenwriter Mark Boal. After the great The Hurt Locker they have worked together again to create the even better Zero Dark Thirty. It focuses on a CIA agent played by Jessica Chastain whose determination to find Osama Bin Laden never wavers. This movie shows the process of finding Bin Laden as complicated, painful, and far from easy. Small details like a computer desktop background with the image of a deceased friend create character depth in subtle ways.

6. The Dark Knight Rises

I have always found Batman to be a fascinating character. He’s a superhero with no super powers and an abundance of emotional scars. The last film in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy finds Batman more human than ever. He is hiding and full of grief and guilt. There are some pacing and technical issues such as a sequence that goes from day to night a little too abruptly. These issues are overshadowed by great performances and an ending that offers closure and hope. What makes it so powerful is that, because of the focus on drama in this film and the previous two, it feels earned.

7. The Innkeepers

Director Ti West follows up the very good The House of the Devil with this superb ghost story. It continues his method of using atmosphere to create tension in a long lead up to the first scares. It also contains far better acting and characterizations. Actors Sara Paxton and Pat Healy are great as two employees of a hotel about to close. They decide to investigate for ghosts and the best scares come through great sound design rather than CGI. This film may not be for everyone and what really happens in it is open for interpretation. Personally, I found it to be one of the best surprises of the year.

8. This is 40

Judd Apatow has produced some great comedies such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Bridesmaids, & Superbad but it is his films as writer/director that I find the most interesting. In This is 40 he follows the married couple from Knocked Up as they face middle age. The film may be messy and meandering but it feels achingly personal. Maybe this is because the director casts his wife and children. That’s part of it for sure but I think it is mainly because this film shows the hard work it takes to keep a marriage going and the ugly truths that marriage or any long term relationship can reveal.

9. The Master

Director Paul Thomas Anderson created one of my favorite films of all time with Magnolia. While The Master does not come close to that film for me it is still an impressive achievement. It is about the relationship between a troubled young man and a leader of a new religion with cult-like qualities. Joaquin Phoenix comes back from his acting hiatus with a performance for the ages. He embodies his character with a physical and emotional intensity that seems primal. 70mm film is used to capture the details of the performance in lingering close-ups. This and every other aspect of the film are extremely well done. Be warned though. This film is very slow and unsettling. So while I can’t necessarily recommend it to everyone and won’t re-watch it too often I am very happy I saw it.

10. The Grey

The trailer made The Grey look like Liam Neeson punching wolves. That is not what this film is. It is a survival tale and a character study. Liam Neeson delivers an excellent performance full of sadness, anger, and resolve. While there are exciting action sequences it is when Liam and the other survivors reflect on their lives that it is the most compelling. A poem is even recited by Liam Neeson’s character that adds real weight to the film rather than being a dramatic gimmick. That is the most important thing to take away from this short summary. This film is not the gimmick of Neeson punching wolves the trailers made it out to be. It is a survival tale with real dramatic and thematic weight.

The Biggest Picture and the Smallest Details: A Reaction to "The Tree of Life"

By Sean Frank     

     I knew I needed to see The Tree of Life after viewing the trailer.  A tour de force of imagery and sound, it grabbed me. I replayed it over and over, overwhelmed with the emotional impact of a seemingly unrelated series of images channeled through the furious grace of classical music.  The funny thing is the film is actually represented very well from the trailer.  Sure, the pace may slow down to almost a standstill at times but the grand movements of our known universe and seemingly lost moments of life are what define this film.

      Films are usually easy to define.  This one is not, nor is it easy to recommend.  There’s no real plot to speak of.  Characters don’t have true arcs.  They exist, ponder existence, and sometimes stare it down, hoping for something to break.  When they exist it is absolutely beautiful.  A free flowing camera makes every moment feel extremely authentic.  One scene of kids carelessly playing with sparklers brought me back to my own youth.  To countless Fourth of July’s and the awe of carrying sparks of light as smoke trailed into the comfort of darkness. 

     This film is full of every shade of life.  The main character, Jack is shown as a baby and then grows into an older child.  Sequences use music and mesmerizing camera work to observe the transition from awe to abandon to rebellion.  Jack grows to resent his father whose authority seems to stem from his own regret as a failed musician.  This relationship sounds simple in some ways, but it isn’t.  There are always other forces at play and their effect can send shockwaves that reverberate for a lifetime.

      It’s easy to say that this film affected me.  Walking out of the theatre I felt it creep up on me and after a few minutes everything seemed different.  It was a feeling similar to the sensation I got after taking a small amount of mushrooms once in college.  It wasn’t enough to hallucinate but everything seemed suddenly vibrant and vital.  The streetlamps and treetops weren’t just there.  They were present and existing second to second along with me and my own life.  One full of memories.  Some half-remembered, some abstracted into surreal dreams, and others that sneak up on the occasional hot summer day.  These usually resurface when I notice a small detail.  Details found in countless shots of The Tree of Life.  It could be a curtain blowing peacefully as sunlight pierces through or crystal clear water trickling from a hose.

     These details contrast nicely with the scope of a portion of the film that examines life from before it even existed.  CGI is used for once, to create something complete rather than complete something half created.  It is a beautiful sequence full of lonely stars flickering against blackness and single cell organisms struggling and thriving.  One shot in particular focuses on one organism.  I’m not sure if it was single cell or not.  But it’s seen swimming up the water, towards the surface and for some reason hit me as hugely dramatic.  This is all before the dinosaurs show up, which are filmed with the same delicate touch as the humans.

      Although this film could be seen on a religious level, I saw it on a completely humanistic one.  The actors, particularly Brad Pitt, display a naturalistic presence that may surprise and even confuse most moviegoers.  They aren’t playing a part; they are living through moments of someone’s life.  This gives scenes emotional layers that will take multiple viewings to peel away and may differ depending on the viewers own life experience.  

      Make no mistake this film is an experience.  It is not an easy one though.  It’ll test your patience and your very definition of what a film is.  But I would say it is a test worth taking.  The more that I think about it director Terrence Malick pulled off something very impressive in that he created a film both extremely personal and endlessly universal.  A piece of art that finds true beauty and perhaps even enlightenment in the struggle to put the pieces together.