StateLikeSleep Cert: 15 / 100 mins / Dir. Meredith Danluck / Trailer State Like Sleep is a psychological thriller from writer/director Meredith Danluck. American fashion photographer Katherine Grand (Katherine Waterston, Inherent Vice) is slowly rebuilding her life after her actor husband Stefan Delvoe (Michael Huisman, The Age Of Adaline) is found dead in their Brussels apartment from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot.
Twelve months later with her mother hospitalised after a series of strokes, the property is due to be sold and Katherine returns to empty it. But revisiting her old life rekindles unsolved mysteries, and soon Katherine is drawn into a seedy underground club scene where she meets her husband’s secret friend Emile (Luke Evans, Midway) as well as her own enigmatic hotel-neighbour Edward (Michael Shannon, Midnight Special).
PROBLEM Despite some solid casting, the main problem is that the emotionally-anaesthetised characters and their sprawling story aren’t particularly interesting, yet neither are they presented in a particularly interesting way. And since Katherine knows at the time of his death that Stefan had issues with drugs and women, there’s no revelation awaiting her return. Everything she finds out about Stefan’s life comes more as an explanation rather than a shock.
The film’s 100 languorous minutes feel far more ordinary than a film with this cast ever should. Scenes taking place in the fetish club aren’t as provocative as they’re perhaps intended to be, and the sequences in which Katherine is quietly wide-eyed on a variety of recreational drugs feel worryingly similar to those where she’s not.
VOODOO And so what could easily have been a solid yet unambitious thriller turns out to not even make it to that mark. Originally filmed in 2016, State Like Sleep finally saw its US release back in January 2019, with an international straight-to-domestic follow up almost a year later. It’s not difficult to see why there’s been little enthusiasm to get this out there.
At one point, Katherine propositions Edward into casual sex with the disclaimer “It doesn’t have to mean anything, it can just be tonight”, seemingly unaware that this should really be the tagline for the front of the DVD…
A load of stuff on Netflix that you've never heard of.
The £3 DVD shelf in ASDA.
The distributors have wisely taken that decision out of your hands.
Stream it out of idle curiosity if you must.
Not not likely.
Quite possible.
Definitely not.
Level 2: Katherine Waterston is in this, and she was in that Logan Lucky with Adam 'Kylo' Driver and Daniel 'Gullible First Order Stormtrooper' Craig.
DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.
Knives Out (second-pass)
Cert: 12A / 130 mins / Dir. Rian Johnson / Trailer
Not a great deal more to add upon my first brief mutterings on this movie, other than to say that it will become a firm favourite in the years to come and I'm already hoping Benoit Blanc has more outings in the future.
Knowing the story and its outcome, a second-pass of Knives Out meant I could get fully immersed in the magnificent performances which Rian Johnson plucks from his cast - one of the very few exceptions where the players of a movie are clearly having an absolute ball and it still results in something which isn't self-indulgently awful. And although there are narrative 'tells' to pick up when re-watching, the identity of the murderer never seems too obvious, the motives of the non-murderers are just as potentially solid, and Blanc most definitely does not know whodunnit all along.
Come for the murder, stay for the fun.
Then come back again for both...
Agatha Christye type things.
It is.
It is.
It will be high up on a a lot of performers' CVs for quite a while, and with good reason.
DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.
Another pre-Christmas flick arriving with much anticipation*1 is Rian Johnson's Knives Out, a good old-fashioned, star-studded whodunnit murder mystery in the very best traditions of Agatha Christie but with a (12A-permissible) potty mouth. Heading up the cast list are Jamie-Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Ana de Armas, Christopher Plummer, Michael Shannon, Chris Evans and Don Johnson, but it's Daniel Craig who really steals the show as sleuth Benoit Blanc (with his force of character being sequel-bait alone).
Now despite the many 'film of the year' plaudits I've seen so far, it's important to note that Rian Johnson is neither deconstructing nor reinventing the genre here; he's just having a load of intricate fun in the sandpit. Viewers versed in Christie's canon will feel instantly at home with something that's definitely an homage rather than a rip-off. The film never tries to be smarter than its audience, and that counts for a lot. You can spend your time trying to second-guess the outcome, or you can enjoy the two hours in the company of a cast and director who understand character-play through a viciously squabbling family full of potential murderers.
*1 Cineworld Unlimited advance-screening, and dear lord the casual cardholders were getting their money's worth with this one. The place was packed (which is a good thing), attracting as it did the type of patron who apparently pays for the card but doesn't use it very regularly so doesn't know how to behave in a cinema. The shuffling, the talking, the phones, the smell. Did I mention I don't like people? [ BACK ]
DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.
Luckily, I didn’t need to study my calendar to know it was still January as The Rule-of-4*1 held strong throughout my viewing of Guillermo del Toro’s surreal, fantasy-romance, The Shape of Water. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Working as a cleaner for (ostensibly) an aeronautics company in 1950s America, the quirky Elisa (Sally Hawkins) becomes aware of a subject in their subterranean research-laboratories - a humanoid sea-creature, supposedly of Mexican origin. Our heroine develops a relationship with the mysterious mute stranger and finds herself falling in love, and as her employers’ methods and motives become clearer, she hatches a plot to liberate him with her friend and neighbour Giles (Richard Jenkins). But the path of true love never did run smooth, and more than one agency is interested in this aquatic asset…
Now, if you’ve read the word “quirky” in that first paragraph and thought ’oh right, I see...’, then you’ll have some understanding of my reaction watching the film. If the Q-word is going to be a problem for you, good luck with The Shape of Water. As the central character, there’s scant escape from Elisa's enforced oddness, and even less relief from del Toro’s apparent self-indulgence in bringing his and Vanessa Taylor’s screenplay to life..
Don't get me wrong, there is much (much) to admire in here. A solid story, great performances and fantastic visuals and creature-effects. But on a character-level, the film feels shamelessly overwritten, like there’s been no editorial process, or anyone leaning in with ’should we maybe tone that down a bit?’*2. For the most part, the personalities of the characters we meet stay fixed throughout, with little in the way of development*3. Ultimately I couldn’t overcome the neatness of the story*4, even if it is framed as a fairy-tale*5.
I imagine you'll love it.
The Shape Of Water is basically a greatest-hits medley of Amelie, E.T. and Nightbreed.
*1 Whereby every movie I've seen in this first month of the year (which hasn't had a Disney stamp on it), whether that be an allegorical tale of miniaturisation, the study of a nation uniting against fascism or just Liam Neeson punching people on a train, has been met with a resounding shrug of my shoulders and a final awarded score of 4/7. Only Coco (which is technically a movie from 2017) and Star Wars (which is definitely a movie from 2017) have punctured my bubble of misanthropic apathy in January.
[ BACK ]
*2 Because it's not enough for the young guy in the café to be revealed as a homophobe, he also has to be shown as a massive racist IN THE SAME SCENE. This guy is all the wrong, DO YOU SEE? That section in particular feels like sketching a nicely rounded character-subplot, then throwing it in the bin because you're worried it's taking too much away from the rest of the picture. [ BACK ]
*3 With the slight exception of Michael Stuhlbarg's research scientist. Although what we learn about him still doesn't really change the character's behaviour or the audience's perception of it. [ BACK ]
*4 The early stages of the relationship between Elisa and the creature seem almost skipped over, whereas other movies would have gone on a detour of cross-species exploration. Here it's just 'would you like a hard-boiled egg?', 'oh, yes please.'. We have to assume the beautifully utilised sign-language has been picked up rapidly as we go from a one-word basic to pretty much full communication with next to no on-screen progress. And this is also apparently taking place in a top-secret laboratory which is not under CCTV surveillance (otherwise Elisa would have been removed instantly, lunch-break or not), while the loading dock in the back yard gets its own constantly monitored camera-feed. And don't even get me started on how smoothly Dimitri's own plans for the creature are altered to seamlessly fit in with Elisa's, apparently with little or no actual discussion. I have no problem believing a sea-monster exists, but do not mess around on the admin, Guillermo. [ BACK ]
*5SPOILERS: Highlight-to-readAnd the guy next to me (an adult human old enough to have seen other films) did a little gasp of realisation at 'that reveal moment' with the scars on Elisa's neck. It was all I could do to not take him to one side during the closing credits and be like "Seriously, though? Mate, that's been relentlessly telegraphed since the beginning of the film. It's an early-tell which explains the rest of the film before it's happened. The film's about water. You don't need a masters-degree in H.P. Lovecraft to see where that was going…"[ BACK ]
DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.
Well, you know you haven't come to watch any run-of-the-mill flick when the demographically-targeted preceding trailers are for The Neon Demon and Julieta. Although that eclectic vibe is offset somewhat by the film having that San Miguel ad bolted onto it (yes, that again). And that's probably not a bad analogy for Elvis & Nixon, to be honest: a mainstream, if offbeat, script-driven caper, presented for a fairly niche audience. So niche, in fact, that after two walkouts in the first twenty minutes, I was treated to my own private screening (that's no reflection on either the film or the venue, it's just how these things work out sometimes).
Expanding on the famous photo of of the eponymous duo, Liza Johnson's film tells the story of the time that the patriotic Elvis wanted to be sworn in to the government as a Federal Agent at Large*1 working with the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. His idea was that as a touring entertainer and experienced actor, he could covertly infiltrate and intercept the supply and trafficking of drugs over a wide area for the government. Yes, covert. Yes, Elvis. And in order to pursue that goal, Presley started at the top with the then-President of the USA. A playful title-card in the opening sequence informs the audience that while the characters of the film are (were) very much real, the details of the story itself are completely unverifiable. It's the very antithesis of true-story exploitation…
And it's a lot of fun. The humour is largely smirk-inducing, but I guffawed enough to class the film firmly as a dry comedy. Surprisingly straight-faced given the self-awarely preposterous nature of the story, the cast are still enjoying themselves enormously and revelling in the film. Although an oddly notable exception is Alex Pettyfer as Jerry, Elvis' long-time friend and fixer, who seems to play his role completely straight. He's great doing it and it never de-rails what's meant to be an intensely odd film anyway, but his seriousness would be more rational if anyone else was joining him. On the main stage, they may be two of the finest actors of our generation but Michael Shannon never quite becomes Presley, and Kevin Spacey never quite becomes Nixon. They've both got the vocalisations and mannerisms down, but neither performance can escape the gravity of its owner (although in many ways that also adds to the film's charm).
Oh, and considering the film takes place in late 1970, the general wardrobe and makeup are very 1970s. In fact, between this and Everybody Wants Some (set in 1980), it appears that America had the same haircut for a decade.
When you're in the mood for something a little different, this should fit the bill nicely. It's also going to make a great companion piece to Bubba Ho-Tep, although you'd probably want to watch Elvis & Nixon first…
Oh, and for the last time, film-industry types, the ampersand is indeed a lovely thing but punctuation breaks hashtags. Anyone posting online about the actual title on your poster (ie #Elvis&Nixon) is more likely to be adding to the ongoing discussion about The King himself, rather than marketing the film for you. I love punctuation as much as anyone but keep it out of film titles ;)
Although it's not trying to be anywhere near as dynamic, there's a hint of Pulp Fiction here in the dialogue and performances.
Only if you want to see it sooner rather than later.
The film won't be ruined by watching it at home.
It does.
It's definitely on their A-list.
Nope.
There isn't.
Level 2: This fim's got Evan Peters in it, and he starred in that X-Men: Apocalypse alongside Rose 'Dormé' Byrne and Oscar 'Dameron' Isaac.
*1 The definition, indeed existence of such a title is a recurring joke throughout the movie which gets better each time it rears its head.
DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.
• Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.
• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.
State Like Sleep is a psychological thriller from writer/director Meredith Danluck. American fashion photographer Katherine Grand (Katherine Waterston, Inherent Vice) is slowly rebuilding her life after her actor husband Stefan Delvoe (Michael Huisman, The Age Of Adaline) is found dead in their Brussels apartment from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot.
