Film Review: Midnight Special (2016)

© Warner Bros. | Source: Little White Lies

USA; 111 min.; drama, sci-fi, mystery

Director: Jeff Nichols

Writing: Jeff Nichols

Cinematography: Jim Denault

Cast: Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Jaeden Lieberher, Adam Driver, Paul Sparks, Sam Shepard, Bill Camp, Scott Haze

“Dad. It’s okay.” – Alton Meyer 

Midnight Special is one of those films that really had me brimming with anticipation. Its writer and director Jeff Nichols, who has already given us a couple of cinematic gems, certainly is a talent to look out for in the future. He has a way with creating rich characters, atmospheric settings and beautiful homages to cultural greats. His second feature film, Take Shelter (2011), an intense, psychological piece about a family man haunted by visions and dreadful nightmares, put Nichols’ name on everybody’s lips back then. His follow-up Mud (2012), a Huckleberry-Finn-like coming-of-age adventure with a darker, more violent edge, manifested his status as an up-and-coming filmmaker indeed worthy of praise and, well, my anticipation.

Now, with Midnight Special, Nichols finds himself ready to take on the sci-fi genre and pay tribute to one of its pinnacle directors, Steven Spielberg. The film, it seems, sets the bar quite high and sadly, I have to admit, ends up being a small disappointment in my eyes. I know, I know, part of it is my own fault. As a huge fan of Nichol’s work, I probably got a bit overexcited, expecting genius and rainbows, cinematic ecstasy and unicorns all at once. What I got definitely wasn’t a bad film, don’t get me wrong. But knowing that Take Shelter is very well capable of delivering all those aforementioned things (minus the unicorns, maybe), I think that Midnight Special indeed could have been better.

Telling the story of Alton Meyer (Jaeden Lieberher), an eight-year-old boy with special powers, the film throws us right into the middle of the action. His biological father Roy (Michael Shannon) and the family friend Lucas (Joel Edgerton) have abducted the wunderkind from his foster father, the leader of a religious cult, to save him from exploitation and restore him to a more secure place. So while the religious fanatics and the FBI are closing in, the trio unites with Alton’s mother Sarah (Kirsten Dunst) and takes flight.

There’s a mystery at the heart of Midnight Special. What are Alton’s powers? Why does he have them? What can he do with them? Is he dangerous? Nichols refrains from giving clear answers and, thus, is able to maintain an aura of enduring mystique and wonder. His film is slow-burning, tense, dark and brooding, beautifully atmospheric in all its vagueness and presentiments of possible threats. It is accentuated by a haunting piano score and engaging, dimly lit visuals. And while the finale might be spelling out things a bit too explicitly, taking away from the general mystery, there’s still something about this film that stayed with me long after I had left the theatre.

However, what Midnight Special lacks is truly intriguing characters. Nichols, as a man perfectly capable of writing deep, down-to-earth, multi-layered roles, here mostly presents us with one-dimensional stereotypes. There’s the strong, caring father and the emotional, caring mother. There’s the reliable best buddy throwing in a bit of comic relief here and there. There’s the freaky cult leader and the nerdy FBI specialist. In a film that heavily relies on presenting interpersonal bonds, I’d expect those bonds to feel heartfelt and sincere. Midnight Special, at its core, is about parents making sacrifices for their child, about friends leaving their own safe haven to help out pals, about rationalists abandoning their disbelief in order to serve something greater. While Nichols has gathered an impressive cast to play out his characters, his minimalist dialogues hinder them from becoming round and relatable. Their respective relationships never appear real or deeply felt. I simply don’t care about them.

When it comes to underlying themes, Midnight Special is ambitious. Nichols has stated that his main motivation for writing the script came from expressing his feelings as a new father. Naturally, the film is about the lengths to which parents go to protect their children. It is a tale about letting go off your offspring and allow it to explore its own ways. However, the movie also forays into different directions. With a constant focus on outside surveillance and governmental control, the film appears quite topical and manages, despite its lack of interesting characters, to build another layer of intrigue besides the atmospheric execution.

Midnight Special is a visually enthralling road movie, aiming at up-to-date social and political discourses as well as a more human, family-related approach. It pays tribute to established genre conventions and yet also tries to tread on unique paths. It is strangely powerful and yet so void of actual heartfelt human emotions. It simply fails to make me connect with its main players. So, while the atmosphere drew me in completely, the flat and aloof characters spit me out cold. Next time, try and put in a unicorn somewhere? Maybe? No?

Rating: 

Data Base: Supernatural

© The CW | Source: Fanpop

Series Premiere	September 13, 2005
Series Finale	---
Genre	Supernatural, Drama, Sci-fi, Mystery, Horror, Adventure
Country of Origin	United States
No. of seasons	11
No. of episodes	229
Running Time	40-45 minutes
Channel	The WB (2005-2006) The CW (2006-present)
Website	http://www.cwtv.com/shows/supernatural
Developed by	Eric Kripke Robert Singer
Starring	Jensen Ackles, Katie Cassidy, Lauren Cohan, Misha Collins, Jared Padalecki, Mark Sheppard

Synopsis

Supernatural is the story of Sam and Dean Winchester - two brothers who grow into their family business of slaying demons. They live on the road and travel from one location of supernatural activity to the next, all the time on the lookout for their father, who left to hunt down the yellow-eyed demon that killed his wife.

Yay or nay?

Well, there is a reason why Supernatural is currently the longest-running North American science-fiction series. The unique mixture of ghost-hunts, urban legends, roadtrips, difficult family relations and a great soundtrack is definitely worth watching.

Film Review: Crimson Peak (2015)

© Universal Pictures International  |  Source: A Tale of Two Dans

USA; 119 min.; drama, romance, mystery, horror, gothic

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Writing: Guillermo del Toro, Matthew Robbins

Cinematography: Dan Laustsen

Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam, Jim Beaver, Burn Gorman, Leslie Hope

“Love makes monsters of us all.” – Lady Lucille Sharpe 

In an interview with The Guardian, director Guillermo del Toro stated that it wasn’t his intention to “reinvent” the gothic romance. He rather planned on bringing modern audiences closer to those stories abundant with supernatural occurrences, repressed eroticism and/or shocking psychological revelations. His Crimson Peak is indeed a very much by-the-book effort, presenting everything I’ve come to expect from the genre. And while Del Toro provides us with intriguing images and a thrilling final act, he mostly fails to establish strong lead characters and truly frightening sensations.

Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) falls head-over-heels for young Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston). After a rushed marriage, the handsome baronet moves his new wife to live in his run-down family estate somewhere in the middle of nowhere. But Edith does not feel quite at home. For one, there’s Thomas’s controlling and grim sister Lady Lucille (Jessica Chastain), and then Edith is also haunted by a bunch of ghostly creatures who warn her of her new, apparently murderous, accommodation.

The Sharpe mansion is indeed the star of Del Toro’s film. Gloomy hallways, strange noises, old-fashioned furniture, a 19th-century elevator, dying flies on cupboards and moths flying out of every dark corner, blood-red clay seeping through the floorboards like the earth is ready to swallow the place whole – this house stands out as an ominous character on its own. The set design, in addition to the lush costumes and moody lighting choices, creates an atmosphere of spine-chilling opulence and a sense of unhealthy nostalgia, of lingering in a past that is rooted in rotten deeds.

I immediately get this The Fall of the House of Usher (1960) vibe. There’s a fair bit of Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940) in there as well, and an abandoned wheelchair alludes to some Jane Eyre-ish madness in the attic. The film opens up another Poe-esque dimension with its abrupt outbursts of relentless, graphic violence. For me personally, these moments harbour much more shock than any of the ghost appearances throughout the film. Mostly computer-generated, these abstract and out-of-this-world looking beings never quite manifest themselves as a tangible threat to my peace of mind, and, most often, they pop up and vanish in a rather predictable fashion. While this particular look and the tame, old-school scare tactics probably were exactly what the Mexican director aimed to achieve, I had a difficult time being spooked by these swirling CGI spectres.

What also puts a damper on my overall enjoyment of the film is that most of the main characters suffer from a lack of depth and intrigue. Edith, especially. She starts off as an independent spirit (no pun intended) and shrivels into a meek, helpless creature whose sole purpose seems to be to uncover the manor mystery for us. I find this unfortunate since Mia Wasikowska is one of those actresses with beautiful understatement and emotional strength, and a bit more substance for her to work with would have been nice. Same goes for Tom Hiddleston. He succeeds in portraying the charming, tall and handsome stranger, but has to present a rather unconvincing development of his character towards the end of the film. Charlie Hunnam, as Edith’s secret admirer Dr. Alan McMichael, is the knight in shining armour, and that’s all there is to him.

It is Jessica Chastain as Lady Lucille who really steals the show. When the narrative focus shifts to her character in the final act, the film picks up pace and reaches a dynamic, captivating conclusion, in which even Edith’s self-esteem is ready to return. Chastain’s portrayal is calm and repressed, yet freaked and discomforting. She makes the most of a plot twist that I saw coming from miles away, and is ready to be fully wrapped up in lunacy. Fortunately, she doesn’t feel the need to resort to exaggerated fits of laughter or gaping eyes. Lucille’s craziness is dry, wonderfully wicked and even self-empowering.

Del Toro’s homage to gothic horror succeeds in evoking immersive visuals and paying tribute to genre classics of old. Unfortunately, a bunch of not-too-interesting core characters and a mostly too conventional approach to the material can occasionally result in a rather tedious viewing experience. And while the ghosts fail to stir my blood, Crimson Peak shines most in its finale in which it’s the human characters that leap down their respective spiritual abysses. 

Rating:

Film Review: Lost River (2014)

© Warner Bros. | Source: sky.com

USA; 95 min.; drama, mystery

Director: Ryan Gosling

Writing: Ryan Gosling

Cinematography: Benoît Debie

Cast: Christina Hendricks, Iain De Caestecker, Saoirse Ronan, Matt Smith, Reda Kateb, Barbara Steele, Torrey Wigfield, Ben Mendelsohn, Eva Mendes 

The wolves, if they're not already at your door, they're gonna be there very fucking soon.” – Dave 

Ryan Gosling has always been a sort of spirit animal for the BSP crew since, obviously, there's much to be admired. Not only is he an actor who has proven multiple times that he can bring characters of all dispositions and genres to life. No, he's also a producer, musician and, as of late, a screenwriter and film maker. His directorial debut Lost River premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014 to rather unfavourable reviews. I, however, do not see the need to advertise for a new BSP spirit animal. In fact, Lost River, despite all the negative buzz, genuinely impressed me, further proving that Gosling will continue to increase his influence on the movie industry.

But let's talk plot first: In her struggle to keep her family afloat, single mum Billy (Christina Hendricks) encounters the shady banker Dave (Ben Mendelsohn) who offers her a job at Cat's (Eva Mendes) bizarre burlesque club. In the meantime, Billy's teenage son Bones (Iain De Caestecker) and his friend Rat (Saoirse Ronan) have to deal with the violent outbursts of the town bully, aptly named Bully (Matt Smith). That's the story in a nutshell for you.

I admit, the film is difficult to access if you head into it expecting a conventional narrative, a plot-driven piece or a kind of character study. Gosling certainly values style over substance. Here, the stars are neither the characters nor the story, but the mood. Shots of abandoned, rundown buildings, overgrown areas and mysterious lakescapes evoke an all-engrossing atmosphere of loneliness and hopelessness. Trapped in a setting overtaken by natural forces and decay, the characters find themselves without any prospects – and yet they cling to their surroundings, to their memories of times and places gone by. The use of neon lights and a sometimes beautifully melodic, sometimes upbeat electronic score by Johnny Jewel give Lost River a haunting, dream-like quality. The visuals stayed with me long after the film was over.

The characters aren't as memorable, due to a lack of depth. Their relationships with each other are broken down to basic emotions of love, hate and responsibility. On the one hand, this gives them an everyman quality, making it easy for viewers to connect with their emotions and struggles. On the other hand, it doesn't make them all that interesting. Fortunately, Gosling gathered a talented cast capable of making the most of their respective roles, despite the absence of fleshed-out character profiles. Especially former Dr. Who Matt Smith, who's usually cast as the cheeky nice guy, has the opportunity to shine as a vicious brute. His Bully is menacing, lulling his victims into a false sense of security only to strike them twice as hard.

I enjoy how Gosling embraces a very postmodern approach to his material. The influence of David Lynch and Nicolas Winding Refn, two directors I hugely admire, is omnipresent. The scenes in Cat's nightclub seem like a prolonged version of the "Llorando" scene from Lynch's masterpiece Mulholland Dr. (2001). Furthermore, Gosling interlaces the moody, beautiful melancholy of his film with snippets of absurdity and relentless violence, reminiscent of Refn films such as Bronson (2008) and Drive (2011). While I appreciate Gosling's efforts to pay homage to these cinematic treasures, there are moments when I find myself looking for his very own thumbprint on the movie. In future projects, I'd love to see him add a bit more personality to his already attractive web of intertextuality.

However, the Canadian has to be applauded for the way in which he manages to raise a number of topics within an only 95-minute time span. Lost River can be regarded as a commentary on nostalgia and how we tend to burden ourselves with idealisations of the past when, really, we should be looking towards the possibilities that lie ahead of us. It explores the connection between violence in fiction and real-life brutality. It sheds light on our understanding of entertainment, and – on another postmodern note – challenges our perception of what is real and what is only make-believe. These themes, however, are never force-fed to the viewer. They vanish, re-appear throughout the film and linger in the background again. They're subtle and yet strong enough to endow the film with an intriguing complexity and food for thought.

Lost River isn't a crowd pleaser. Only viewers who are willing to put visual power, cinematic intertextuality and a broad range of underlying subject matter over complex plot structures and characters will find pleasure in Gosling's first feature film. It's Lynch-ian, absurd, dark and brutal; yet enchantingly beautiful and delightfully mysterious. Call it artsy-fartsy if you must, but I revelled in its atmosphere and engaging music. While it heavily relies on looks, I don't find it to be merely an empty, pretty shell. For me, Gosling has shown that he harbours the spirit of an up and coming director, and has thus rightfully secured his position as BSP spirit animal. So yes, the job's taken. Please refrain from sending your applications.

Rating: 

Data Base: Lost

© EW | Source: EW

Series Premiere	September 22, 2004
Series Finale	May 23, 2010
Genre	Mystery, Survival, Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction
Country of Origin	United States
No. of seasons	6
No. of episodes	121
Running Time	40-48 minutes
Channel	ABC
Website	http://abc.go.com/shows/lost
Developed by	J. J. Abrams Jeffrey Lieber Damon Lindelof
Starring	Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje, Sam Anderson, Naveen Andrews, L. Scott Caldwell, Nestor Carbonell, François Chau, Henry Ian Cusick, Jeremy Davies, Michael Emerson, Jeff Fahey, Fionnula Flanagan, Matthew Fox, Jorge Garcia, Maggie Grace, Josh Holloway, Malcolm David Kelley, Daniel Dae Kim, Yunjin Kim, Ken Leung, Evangeline Lilly, Rebecca Mader, Elizabeth Mitchell, Dominic Monaghan, Terry O’Quinn, Harold Perrineau, Emilie de Ravin, Zuleikha Robinson, Michelle Rodriguez, Kiele Sanchez, Rodrigo Santoro, Ian Somerhalder, John Terry, Sonya Walger, Cynthia Watros
Guest Stars Worth Mentioning	Clancy Brown, Francois Chau, Kevin Durand, Mark Pellegrino, Katey Sagal

Synopsis

The survivors of a plane crash find themselves on a seemingly deserted island. There they struggle to stay alive, but it’s not only the “usual” aftermath of the crash and being lost they have to overcome. The island bears its own mysteries that threaten the lives of the survivors.

Yay or nay?

With its intriguing plot, an abundance of OMG-moments and more secrets and cliff-hangers than any even only mildly curious person can bear, Lost is the kind of show that gets you hooked so fast, you won't even notice. Among fans it seems to be common practice to spend nights binge watching episode after episode - it's just that addictive. So if you are a fan of the sci-fi/mystery genre and don't care much for a good night's rest, Lost might just be THE show for you.