This week on Awake in the Dark, I’m joined by my friend Bailey Suits as we break our silence on the new supernatural thriller A Quiet Place, starring (and directed by) John Krasinski and his real-life wife Emily Blunt. We then recap our latest binge sessions with the Netflix series Grace and Frankie and the Amazon Prime series Sneaky Pete, whose 2nd season was just released last month. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Letterboxd.
This week on Awake in the Dark, I’m joined by my friend Bart Good as we enter The Shimmer and attempt to break down Annihilation, the new sci-fi horror mind-bender from writer/director Alex Garland. Then we sing the praises of unhinged Nicolas Cage in his newest film Mom and Dad and Brigsby Bear takes a well-deserved victory lap. Our entire conversation could generally be described as Kafkaesque. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Letterboxd.
On the third episode of Awake in the Dark, I’m joined by my friend Taylor as we unravel time and space to discuss A Wrinkle in Time, the latest Disney film based on the children’s novel by Madeleine L’Engle. We’ll also discuss a couple notable Netflix series, including The Crown and the new docuseries Flint Town. Then we do a brief Oscar recap and give the Academy some advice for next year’s telecast. There’s even a Mars Needs Moms reference for good measure. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Letterboxd.
On this slightly delayed second episode, I’m joined by my friend and colleague Jared Kalish as we delve into Black Panther, the latest entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We’ll also discuss some of the latest offerings from Netflix, including A Futile and Stupid Gesture, The Open House, and the new TV series Altered Carbon. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Letterboxd.
On the inaugural episode of the Awake in the Dark podcast, I’m joined by my wife Aubree as we discuss the year 2017 in film. We’ll run down each of our 10 favorites from last year and then go in-depth with the recently-announced Oscar nominations. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Letterboxd.
Best Picture
More than most years, this group of Best Picture nominees is particularly stellar. Each of my top 3 films from last year are present, along with a few others from my top 20, and even the ones that didn’t quite work for me are respectable achievements in their own right. It seems to be a two pony race between Shape and Billboards (Shape currently holds favor, thus my prediction) but I wouldn’t be surprised to see any of the other 7 make a February push, especially after the shenanigans from last year’s Best Picture race.
My Prediction: The Shape of Water
My Vote: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Overlooked: The Big Sick
Best Director
Again, another excellent field marked with very deserved nominees. Gerwig is only the fifth woman to be nominated in the field, while Peele is only the fifth black nominee ever for the category, even more impressive when you factor in that both of their films were directorial debuts. This award is more firmly predicted for del Toro at this point, with Nolan being a dark horse for his determined work on Dunkirk.
My Prediction: Guillermo del Toro
My Vote: Paul Thomas Anderson
Overlooked: Martin McDonagh – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Actor
Darkest Hour remains one of my few Oscar blindspots from last year and while I’m sure Oldman does a terrific job in it as he almost always does, the role whiffs strongly of Oscar bait (especially in a year with so little of it) and I wish some of these other actors had a chance. Unfortunately, they don’t; this is one of the surest picks of the evening.
My Prediction: Gary Oldman
My Vote: Daniel Kaluuya
Overlooked: Robert Pattinson – Good Time
Best Actress
Like Oldman for Actor, McDormand is all over this category but given how big a fan I am with her performance in Billboards (I can’t imagine what the film would have been without it), I’m excited for her to walk home with Oscar gold for the second time. Newcomer Meryl Streep nabs her very 1st nomination in…ah, sorry. Read that wrong. It’s 21st. Meryl Streep has been nominated for an Oscar 21 times.
My Prediction: Frances McDormand
My Vote: Frances McDormand
Overlooked: Jennifer Lawrence – mother!
Best Supporting Actor
My Prediction: Sam Rockwell
My Vote: Willem Dafoe
Overlooked: Ray Romano – The Big Sick
Best Supporting Actress
My Prediction: Allison Janney
My Vote: Lesley Manville
Overlooked: Holly Hunter – The Big Sick
It’s Rockwell and Janney in front, with Dafoe and Metcalf trailing distantly behind them. Odd that things have shaken out this way, as Dafoe and Metcalf have been scooping up other awards left and right for their performances but as the Oscars loom large, two other frontrunners emerge. Plenty of great nods here, especially the stunt pick of Christopher Plummer in a performance captured entirely during reshoots approximately a month or two before the film was released.
Best Original Screenplay
My Prediction: Lady Bird
My Vote: Get Out
Overlooked: Logan Lucky
Best Adapted Screenplay
My Prediction: Call Me By Your Name
My Vote: Logan
Overlooked: Their Finest
Best Animated Feature Film
My Prediction: Coco
My Vote: —
Overlooked: The Lego Batman Movie
Best Foreign Language Film
My Prediction: A Fantastic Woman
My Vote: The Square
Overlooked: Raw
Best Documentary – Feature
My Prediction: Faces Places
My Vote: —
Overlooked: The Work
Best Documentary – Short Subject
My Prediction: Edith & Eddie
My Vote: —
Overlooked: —
Best Live Action Short Film
My Prediction: DeKalb Elementary
My Vote: —
Overlooked: —
Best Animated Short Film
My Prediction: Dear Basketball
My Vote: —
Overlooked: —
Best Original Score
My Prediction: The Shape of Water
My Vote: Phantom Thread
Overlooked: Good Time – Oneohtrix Point Never
Best Original Song
My Prediction: “Remember Me”
My Vote: “Mystery of Love”
Overlooked: “The Pure And The Damned” from Good Time
Best Sound Editing
My Prediction: Dunkirk
My Vote: Baby Driver
Overlooked: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Best Sound Mixing
My Prediction: Dunkirk
My Vote: Baby Driver
Overlooked: John Wick: Chapter 2
Best Production Design
My Prediction: The Shape of Water
My Vote: Blade Runner 2049
Overlooked: It Comes At Night
Best Cinematography
My Prediction: Blade Runner 2049
My Vote: Blade Runner 2049
Overlooked: The Killing of a Sacred Deer – Thimios Bakatakis
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
My Prediction: Darkest Hour
My Vote: —
Overlooked: Bright
Best Costume Design
My Prediction: Phantom Thread
My Vote: Phantom Thread
Overlooked: Wonder Woman
Best Film Editing
My Prediction: Dunkirk
My Vote: Baby Driver
Overlooked: The Post
Best Visual Effects
My Prediction: Blade Runner 2049
My Vote: Blade Runner 2049
Overlooked: A Ghost Story
Enjoy the show!
Hot off of last year’s heartfelt sci-fi hit Arrival, director Denis Villeneuve returns to the same genre once more but this time, he has his sights on something even more ambitious: a direct sequel to one of the genre’s most influential and visually quoted works that comes 35 years after the original. Given how much could have gone wrong, it’s remarkable just how much Blade Runner 2049 gets it right, from its flawless production design to its nuanced storytelling that muses on the same existential themes that ran through the 1982 future-noir classic. This is an awe-inspiring follow-up that further expands Blade Runner‘s already vast scope to a futurescape with dazzling depth and a grandeur without rival.
The story follows sullen LAPD detective K (Ryan Gosling) as he carries out his duty as a Blade Runner by tracking down a class of older generation Replicants (advanced robots made to look identical to humans) and “retiring” them as their very existence is illegal. After a visit with one such Replicant, he discovers a chest buried deep in the ground (with the help of a handy drone that detaches from the roof of his car) that leads him on an investigation that could have cataclysmic ramifications on the relationship between man and machine. His search for answers pits him against tech mogul Niander Wallace (Jared Leto) and his Replicant enforcer Luv (Sylvia Hoeks) while eventually leading him to legendary detective Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who’s been in hiding since the events of the first film.
Even more so than its predecessor, Blade Runner 2049 is a thorough and intentionally paced detective story that uses its futuristic setting to further deepen the mysteries at the heart of its story while adding a layer of insight into how humankind may look 30 years from now. Among the film’s most prevalent themes is that which speculates humankind’s relationship to artificial intelligence and what we deem as “real” or “unreal”, whether it be a Replicant or an interactive advertisement or a sophisticated computer simulation meant to mimic human behavior. The role of Joi played brilliantly by Ana de Armas is the most consistent evocation of this concept, as she is characterized as the most empathic and understanding presence in K’s life despite the fact that her translucent appearance is a reminder that she is ultimately a collection of light dictated by 0s and 1s.
The nimble and seamless effects work is always first-rate, whether it is utilized in small ways like the depiction of raindrops falling softly on the hands of a hologram to the larger scale uses that bring the urban monoliths and pyramids of the first film back to life again. The production design is just as meticulous and makes every space feel like something we’ve never seen before and yet completely believable at the same time; I was struck in particular by the layout of Wallace’s office, whose minimalist wood-based configuration both looks stunning and reminds us that this world’s scarcity of trees means that a room like his could only be afforded by someone of great means. All of this is framed with the excellence of all-time great cinematographer Roger Deakins, previously nominated for an Oscar in his field on 13 different occasions and if there’s any justice, he won’t go home empty-handed next February.
Ryan Gosling continues his streak of seeking out challenging roles that still play to his strengths as a performer and here, he works off the baseline stoicism that we’ve seen from his roles in Nicolas Winding Refn’s films but adds notes of longing and warmth to his role. Similarly great is Ford, who, despite his more limited screentime in this movie, may actually give a better performance here as Deckard than he did in his first occasion playing the grizzled gumshoe all those years ago. Blade Runner 2049 is proof that sequels can be so much more than a retread of their source material and with the right minds at work, they can even supersede the legacy of the original.
The entertaining but cursory new sports biopic Battle of the Sexes from Little Miss Sunshine directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris covers the events that led to the what could be considered the most infamous US tennis match of all time: the 1973 exhibition between Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell). Functioning more as a personal tale of sexual awakening and ultimately as a message movie about equality, it unfortunately drops the ball when it comes to providing a compelling sports-driven narrative between its two main characters. One may be surprised just how little screen time Carell and Stone share prior to their climactic showdown and the decision to separate these two appealing actors is ultimately to the film’s detriment.
We are introduced to King as she learns of a vast disparity between the men’s and women’s cash prizes in professional tennis tournaments and after trying to plead her case of equal pay to USLTA chairman Jack Kramer (Bill Pullman), she instead forms her own all-female rival league. While getting makeovers at the salon with her new teammates, King has an instant connection with her hairdresser Marilyn (Andrea Riseborough), with whom she pursues a romantic relationship unbeknownst to King’s husband Larry (Austin Stowell). Meanwhile, Riggs learns of King’s newly formed coalition and due to his flare for the theatrical, he challenges her to an inter-gender match with a $100,000 cash prize and bragging rights at stake.
Though the title implies a fair split of time between its central players, it’s clear that this is King’s story from the very beginning and it’s a sensible choice given that her struggle with inequality in professional sports mirrors the same issues of misogyny that women face to this day. Hot off her Oscar win for last year’s hit La La Land, Stone is a tremendously likeable screen presence and an excellent choice to play King as both a fiercely competitive spirit and a largely private person who seems cautious to let her true self through. It’s no surprise, then, that her scenes with Riseborough are among the film’s most memorable, especially the moment when they first meet and within the first few exchanges, its clear that King and Marilyn have a deep connection that throws them both off their game in the best way.
If King’s personal and professional contributions to the story count as the most successful elements of the film, the examination of Riggs as a character and the explanation of his role leading up to the titular face-off is markedly short-sighted by comparison. We find out about Riggs’ steadfast addiction to gambling and he is portrayed by Carell as a flamboyant showman whose proclivity for the outrageous is matched only by his unfettered desire for media attention but that’s about as deep as his character study runs. He proves his excellence as a provocateur by dubbing the match as a “women’s libber” against a self-professed “chauvinist male pig” but the movie never pierces through the public facade to discern Riggs’ true perspective on the hot-button issues.
Even if you don’t know the outcome of the match that was allegedly seen by 90 million people worldwide when it was televised in 1973, there’s not much tension during the film’s final scenes as the winner is eventually revealed. Whether the filmmakers assume a good portion of the audience already knows the outcome of the true event or assume those who don’t know will likely have a sensible prediction based on the narrative arc leading up to it, they don’t seem as interested in the final result as the gender-related controversies that sprung up from the famous duel. That’s likely why Battle of the Sexes feels sub-par as a sports movie but as an exploration of gender politics both past and present, it hits its mark.
Film essayist Kogonada makes his feature debut as both a director and writer with this contemplative and quietly moving tale of two souls who converge during pivotal moments in their respective lives. One of those souls is the introverted Jin (John Cho), who is working in Korea as a literature translator when he receives the news that his estranged father has been hospitalized for an unexpected coma. Once he arrives in the titular Indiana city where his father resides, he is joined by his father’s devoted assistant Eleanor (Parker Posey) as they awkwardly catch up on each others’ lives while waiting for the coma to release its hold.
After talking on the phone one day, Jin meets the young bookworm Casey (Haley Lu Richardson) and the two open up to each other as they slowly saunter on opposite sides of a fence that separate Jin’s motel and the library where Casey works. We learn that she’s recently graduated high school and despite that fact that she seems very bright, she forgoes the opportunity of higher education and chooses instead to toil between the bookshelves with her work friend Gabriel (Rory Culkin). Over the course of their time together, Jin and Casey share several conversations that center around their shared interest of architecture (for which Columbus in both the film and real life is apparently renowned) but ultimately blossom out to larger life subjects.
With its walk-and-talk pacing and story of the encounter between an older man and a young woman, there are hints of Lost In Translation and Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy embedded within Columbus, although it’s not nearly as chatty as either of them. This is decidedly a more introspective meeting of the minds that is generally more patient in the way it allows its dialogue to unfold, though there are times it comes across as frustratingly sedate as a result. Still, the knowledge and wisdom that they impart to one another rings true to the characters and the actors bring plenty of understated charm to their reserved roles.
Richardson, who is something of a new name and face to me (I didn’t recognize her from the thriller Split earlier this year), gives a glowing and magnetic performance full of grace and warmth that establishes her as a major screen presence. This is a film that’s more about what isn’t said rather than what is said and she’s able to imbue the pauses in between Casey’s words with notes of longing and heartbreak that makes every sentence an emotional wellspring. Although it’s great to see a talented actor like Cho finally get a leading role, I do wish that his character was able to open up a bit more as his proclivity for stoicism got to be a bit tedious especially given the much more heartfelt nature of Richardson’s work.
Kogonada and his cinematographer Elisha Christian capture their Midwestern setting brimming with modernist marvels in an evocative and curious manner that perfectly mirrors the film’s quaint narrative. Beyond its focus on the grand architecture, they also take time to build out the small moments too; I was particularly fond of a sequence between Cho and Posey that’s framed entirely around a bedroom mirror in which we see the reflections of the two talking quietly and reminiscing on the past. Pensive and personal scenes like this characterize Columbus as something of a cinematic zen garden and a welcome respite from an increasingly chaotic world.
The new Darren Aronofsky movie mother! begins with a deceptively simple premise: we are introduced to a young woman (Jennifer Lawrence) as she wakes one morning in an secluded country house and looks around for her husband (Javier Bardem). We learn that she spends most of her time cleaning and restoring their home, which recently was subject to a devastating fire, and he spends his days searching for inspiration in an effort to follow up his wildly successful book of poetry. Their seemingly peaceful existence is breached when a man (Ed Harris) who claims to be a fan of the poet and his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer) show up on their doorstep unannounced and request to stay the night.
From there, it’s safe to say that things spin wildly out of control and with masterworks like Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan under his belt, there’s no storyteller that I trust more with a tale about a descent into madness than Aronofsky. The breakthrough with this film and what makes it stand out among the other titles in his filmography is how small the scope of the story is towards the beginning and just how much it encompasses by its conclusion. The film’s sole location, the couple’s home, cleverly follows this concept too, as we’re able to get our bearings on the size of each major room early on but with each escalation in the story, the house seems to expand in impossible proportions.
This is also fitting for a film that applies nightmare logic to near-perfect effect as it lulls us into a sense of security with establishing shots that feel like a dream and then slowly shifts the paradigm of reason to places that are unrecognizable and terrifying. Comparisons to Polanski (Repulsion in particular) are certainly apt in terms of mood while there seems to be echoes of Buñuelian absurdism (The Exterminating Angel especially) as the plot develops but the horror that it generates is unquestionably unique. It’s uncanny just how much tension Aronofsky and his cinematographer Matthew Libatique are able to establish by utilizing just three basic camera angles — close-up, point-of-view and over-the-shoulder — that all center around the central character.
It’s been dispiriting to watch a great young actress like Jennifer Lawrence commit herself to blockbuster franchises like The Hunger Games and the X-Men series over the past five years but I suppose it makes watching a great performance like the one she gives here even more satisfying. Her role is more reactive than we’re used to seeing from her in films like Winter’s Bone and American Hustle, so much so that some may even feel she’s miscast here, but the level of unease and discomfort that she’s able to convey lends yet another dimension to her acting chops. The interaction that she has with Harris and especially Pfeiffer is often loaded with buried emotion, from disgust to jealousy to rage, that manages to find its way to the surface in unexpected ways.
With loads of Biblical allusions and its commentary on humanity and our place in the universe, Aronofsky has crafted a bombastic and challenging work that has already inspired feverish analysis and debate and will no doubt continue to do so in the future. As this is a puzzle movie of sorts, I always come back to the same central question I ask myself when viewing others like it: even if I don’t have every aspect of the picture figured out, did what I see resonate enough with me that I’d find it worthwhile to dig deeper? Immediately after I saw mother!, I knew the answer was “yes” but the staying power that it’s had with me in the days following are an even better indication of its artistic merit.