Anomalisa (2015, dir. Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman)

The goal of great animated films is to go where you can’t go with reality-based, live action, fictional cinema.  Most animated films thus transport the viewer to fantastical locales or create characters that have qualities that you couldn’t find in your typical actor and character.  This can be found in Disney’s preoccupation with animal characters with human qualities.
 
Anomalisa, as an animated picture, doesn’t take you to unimagined worlds or depict action that is unrepresentable in live action.  In fact, the film’s depiction of its world and characters is fairly conventional and could even be considered realizable if it were a live action movie.  What it does do that only an animated film could have done, however, is delve into psychological depths and personality environments that could only be accomplished through its own medium. 

This is an animated film that is definitely not for kids.  It contains sex and swearing.  Interestingly, only three voice-actors are used, although there are several more characters than that.  The reason for this is that the main protagonist, Michael Stone (voiced by David Thewlis) only has ever heard one voice in everyone he meets or knows (everyone else is voiced by Tom Noonan).  This includes his wife and son.  However, one day he hears a new voice.  Lisa (voiced by Jennifer Jason Leigh) is unique in this way and he thus immediately is attracted to her.  The focus of the film is on their brief relationship and on themes of loneliness and conformity. 

The film is enjoyable and funny at times.  Perhaps the reason that Tom Noonan voices all the other characters is because writer Charlie Kaufman wanted to stress the mind-numbing uniformity of modern day existence and to express the idea that someone unique and right for us can come along when we least expect it.  At the same time, in showing Lisa’s voice at one point slowly starting to change into that of Noonan’s, Kaufman is showing how our initial joy in finding what appears to be love is often dispelled and demystified as we grow acquainted with the object of our desire.

Season 4 of "Luther"

The new season of "Luther" has arrived on Netflix and its only two episodes long.  I'm not sure why.  It doesn't allow for a lot of character development and as much psychological intrigue.  Furthermore, an agreeable character from the first three seasons are shoddily done away with and haphazardly and dismissively written off the fourth season.  I won't spoil for you who that is.  It may be obvious.  Perhaps this is only temporary but I wasn't happy with that characters' sudden absence.

Another things that continues to bother me about this show is the increasingly ludicrous and outlandish nature of the murders and perpetrators.  In this season, the serial killer is a cannibalistic madman who's idiosyncratic ticks make him like an overdrawn cartoon character.  This show should take a lesson from other European cop shows like "The Fall" and "Happy Valley" where serial killers are apparently ordinary citizens with some human qualities that makes the viewer find it difficult to accept and mistake them for their true, malicious identities.

Idris Elba is a charismatic leading man and some of the new characters are OK.  Season four of "Luther" may, however, leave you with a feeling of mental-undernourishment and dissatisfaction. Hopefully, future seasons will be longer, more psychologically-realistic, and a return to its previous strengths.

Thoughts on Season 2 of "Bloodline" (A Netflix Original Series)

In my previous analysis of season one of the Netflix series, "Bloodline", I argued that the show could be seen as an example of neo-noir.  With its delving into the depths of the dark side of human nature, its dealing with emotional turbulence, often dimly-lit exterior and interiors, and general feeling of despair and conflict, the series, in its new season, continues to exemplify its strong noirish tendencies.


The death of Danny Rayburn (Ben Mendelsohn) near the end of the first season signaled a profound shift in the trajectory of the show's characters, mainly his surviving family members.  Brother John Rayburn (Kyle Chandler), sister Meg (Linda Cardellini), and brother Kevin (Norbert Leo Butz) find themselves in increasingly deeper trouble and conflict.  The arrival of Danny's estranged son Nolan (Owen Teague) throws a monkey-wrench into the situation as those dealing with Danny's death have to accept him into the fold.  With Nolan comes his mother Evangeline (Andrea Riseborough) and other associates of Danny including new character Ozzy (John Leguizamo).

The Florida heat is palpable as the sweat drips off the characters' brows and there is an impending sense of doom that is telegraphed from the first moments.  John is running for Sheriff and his and his siblings' responsibility in Danny's death comes to the fore and is constantly threatening to undermine their chances at peace, life and family well-being. 

The second season is gripping and suspenseful at times.  It surpasses the first season in quality and interest and is one of Netlix's finest dramas.  Danny's influence continues to pervade the family and seeps into the consciousness of each individual.  Danny was a festering cancer who's treachery is felt long after his death, but the second season does his character justice by developing his charisma and emotional identification through a series of flashbacks that allude to his previous life before the events of season one.  He is not totally evil, as any human being alive isn't completely, but possesses admirable qualities such as his ambition to become a successful restaurateur and chef.

The amount of trouble that the Rayburn siblings find themselves in seems insurmountable and impossible.  They constantly are digging themselves into deeper holes and problems.  The show is clever in how some of these crises are evaded or suppressed temporarily, while others are required to be faced head on.  By the end of season two, new problems present themselves, others are slightly answered perhaps, but the sense of doom prevails always.  This is noir after all, where answers to the pro-filmic world and its character's problems are never clear-cut, easily-digested or pleasant.

The Originality of "Run"

The concept of "Run", a British series you can find on Netflix is original.  It is a four episode series and each episode focuses on one specific character.  In that episode there will be a secondary character, not very prominent, who will take the focus of the following episode.  In the end, the series comes full circle and connections between all the characters are made more clear. 

The show takes place in London - the gritty, seamy underbelly of that city.  The lower class, immigrants and drug addicts are signifiers that may be used to describe of the central character of an episode.

I was drawn to the show on the strength of Olivia Colman's performance in "Broadchurch", another British television series on Netflix.  She stars in "Run" as a hard-drinking mother of two violent young men and is the character of focus in the first episode. 

The second episode portrays the life of a Chinese immigrant woman who sells things on the Black Market.  Her debts are a source of mental and physical slavery.

In the third episode, a heroin addict tries to get his life together and win the respect of his estranged daughter.

Finally, the fourth episode focuses on a Polish immigrant who's husband has been recently murdered.

All these characters are drawn together in intricate ways and the way they interconnect throughout the series is interesting to watch.  Thus, the writing of the show is worthy of acclaim.  Though I liked the writing, the originality of the concept and some of the intense moments, I wasn't won over by "Run" as I have been by other Netflix British shows I have already seen, such as "Broadchurch" and "Happy Valley."  It's 42 minute running time seems to drag a bit and you may not feel totally invested in the characters.  Overall, it is a good series but it may not blow you away like some of its contemporaries.

Great New Film Studies Book - "Filmish: A Graphic Journey Through Film" by Edward Ross

I want to draw your attention to a fantastic new film studies book told in graphic novel style.  It is called "Filmish: A Graphic Journey Through Film" and is written and illustrated by Edward Ross.  It was published last year (2015) and will be a worthy addition to any cinephile, film studies student, or general movie lover's library.

The novel is divided into seven chapters and they are as follows:  The Eye, The Body, Sets and Architecture, Time, Voice and Language, Power and Ideology, and Technology and Technophobia.  Each chapter is painstakingly drawn, recreating scenes from various films throughout history, always illustrating the theme of the chapter in unique ways.  The text of each page reflects the drawings and subject of the chapter and offers interesting, original, and enlightening insights into the nature of the medium.  Even seasoned film buffs will find untapped nuggets of information in this revealing graphic text.  Where information was not new to me, I found that it was told in such a way as to seem fresh and added depth to my previous knowledge.

The text of the book provides detailed information and quotes from various theorists, past and present always giving citations for further study.  The drawings are simple but beautiful - the recreations of film scenes are done in such a way as to recall the original film but at the same time add an effervescent, cartoon-style perspective on the scenes.

This book will add depth to your study of the filmic medium as great film studies books should.  It is an original and engrossing work of painstaking detail by author Edward Ross.

Thoughts on Season 1 of "Making a Murderer" (A Netflix Original Series)

[Spoiler Warning]

Many may argue that Netflix's new series "Making a Murderer" isn't a balanced and fair assessment of the trials of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin's Steven Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey.  They will say that the series is biased towards the idea that Avery and Dassey were wrongfully imprisoned and didn't receive a fair trial.  There is some validity to this claim.  But at the same time, the series needs to be slanted and biased.  Why?  Because to propagate the views and sides of the District
Attorney and the Manitowoc police would be to bolster an argument and opinion that has already been well-established.  The result was the convictions.  To take an opposing point of view, as this documentary series does, is the duty of the makers and is sorely needed in the name of truth and justice.

Feelings of frustration, anger, and disbelief may arise in the viewer over the course of the ten episodes of season 1 of "Making a Murderer." The miscarriage of justice is totally palpable, and the argument that writers/directors Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos put across about the wrongful convictions seems like the truth.  Yes, they may have made the prosecuting attorneys and the police look like lying, deceiving, and repugnant characters.  But, this was necessary to get their point across succinctly.

The way that the series is edited and filmed is totally riveting, making use of voice over dialogue, interrogation video clips, news report footage, and trial highlights.  There is a sense of elation each time the Defense team makes a revelation about police cover-up, corruption and the planting of evidence.  But at the same time, there is an impending sense of doom as the trial progresses - a feeling that justice will not prevail.

The series speaks volumes to the disadvantages of the disenfranchised when it comes to legal matters.  The less money you have, the less chance you have of assembling a worthy defense team and case for you.  The allegations against Avery and Dassey are horrifying as is the nature of Teresa Halbach's murder.  In the murder trial, it doesn't seem like the guilt of Avery is established beyond a reasonable doubt.  Still, the jury is apparently biased from the beginning and Avery's guilt is assured in the end.

Dassey's situation is equally dire and unforgivable.  The way the interrogator bait and goad the youngster, who is intellectually-disadvantaged to begin with, is appalling.  It is a mystery how a jury could not notice the obviousness of how interrogators used the power of suggestion and manipulation to lead the impressionable Dassey to confess to something that apparently never happened.

This is a fantastic Netflix original.  It will be interesting to see if the second season continues to explore the mishandling of the cases and whether the justice system can redeem itself.  All in all, "Making a Murderer" is nothing more than a microcosm of the United States Justice system and how corrupt and wayward it can be now and throughout history.

Emotional Growth and Other Joys of Abbas Kiarostami's Like Someone in Love

Abbas Kiarostami continues to amaze me.  He has a way of enlightening the viewer with his character's interactions and nuances.  An issue of Cineaction a few years ago alluded to this:  the idea of "emotional priming" in his films, where you as a viewer become more whole, self- and world-aware as a result of watching them.   His films prime us through his characters' ways of conversing and interacting with the world around them and the emotions they convey.

This obviously is achieved through the selection of the right actors, the right amount of rehearsal, and a strong screenplay.  But, there is also an element of improvisation in this and other Kiarostami films.  This improvisation is found not only in the nature of the acting and character interaction, but in the "jazz-like feel" of the entire film.  There are little quirky flourishes and accents placed at various places throughout the film that give it extra character and nuance.  This might be a scene that seems to have no motivation, a focus on some element that seems ambiguous or odd, or an eccentric action or plot feature.

Kiarostami has a lot of love for his characters.  He treats them with dignity and respect, allowing them to grow as the film progresses and take on a certain humanity.  He demonstrates with Like Someone in Love a refusal to resort to ethnocentric biases: focusing on a country outside of Iran where he is from, he shows a world-centric outlook that pushes him into the realm of a truly global director.

This film doesn't offer easy answers or traditional, Hollywood-style, conventional endings.  This is what makes Abbas Kiarostami one of the most interesting and emotionally-resonant directors of our time.