Suede/Roger Sargent - Night Thoughts (2016)

- Jesse E. Mullen

The effects of loss are difficult to portray in film under traditional circumstances - dialog, a beginning-to-end storyline, etc. But trying to portray it in a silent film beginning in medias res is another beast entirely. 

Night Thoughts does just that though. Set to the Suede album of the same name - and produced in collaboration with the group - the Night Thoughts film chronicles the effects that a tragic loss has on a couple and their extended family. 

By telling the story solely through the actions of the independent actors on screen, it gives the characters a greater sense of reality. It also turns the focus on director Roger Sargent's vision. 

A London-based photographer, Sargent uses a variety of techniques to advance the plot and demonstrate the mindsets of the characters on the screen. From the creative to downright experimental, these effects help set the film apart from others within the genre. 

Especially is the removed-frames effect during an attempted suicide-by-overdose of the grandfather whilst "No Tomorrow" is played in the background, alllowing his fade from consciousness to resonate with the audience on a deeper level. 

The faded, polaroid-like look of the flashback scene within "Tightrope" is also highly effective, and makes the context of the on-screen action all the more heartbreaking. 

The choice of scenery is also very effective - and very British. The pub scenes and cobblestone streets evoke feelings of nostalgia for happier times, whilst the film's epic climax at the seaside recalls The Who's Quadrophenia film. 

While the album is certainly strong enough to stand up on its own - it's not only one of Suede's finest, but amongst the best Britpop and Art Rock albums ever - Night Thoughts is equally haunting, cathartic, and ultimately enchanting on celluloid. It isn't easy to portray ruminations on tragedy and loss, but Sargent and Suede have succeeded on all counts. 

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

 

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

The Banshees of Inisherin deals with all aspects of the Irish experience. The laughs and the community. The drinking and hurt feelings. The vast green landscapes and broken friendships. The tight clusters of pubs and open valley roadways. The threat of impending war and the beauty of waves crashing upon the shores.

It is this duality – the intermingling of beauty and ugliness – which make director Martin McDonagh’s film such an effective viewing. The film tells the story of two friends who fall out as their worlds start to unravel around them – and the damage that it does to both of them, both physically and emotionally.

Banshees is a film that is all about building an atmosphere. Similar to the work of Bill Forsyth circa Local Hero, McDonagh uses the lush surroundings as a de facto co-star to the film. The cinematography looks stunning, with the outdoor ultra-wide-angle shots being particularly gorgeous.

Credit must also be given to McDonagh for developing such an open-ended concept. The story appears simple on a surface level but incorporates elements of Shakespearean tragedy and Camus-inspired existentialism. (That our tragic hero most certainly would not know who either of these literary masters are adds another layer of irony to the proceedings.)

McDonagh’s film ultimately ties several elements into a moving portrait of life on a tiny island off the coast of Ireland. Beit war, the IRA, or broken friendships, the overriding motif is bitterness and the consequences it carries. While this can make for some heavy viewing, The Banshees of Inisherin manages to convey its message through a heavy dose of dark humor. Sometimes laughing is all we can do to avoid crying. 10/10

Happening (2021)

 

Happening (2021)

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

Happening is a topical, poignant film about Anne, a bright young college girl in 1960s France who gets pregnant and attempts to secure an abortion. As this was illegal at the time, however, she is risking criminal prosecution if she is hospitalized, and a doctor does not sympathize with her.

From a story, acting, visual, and directing perspective, the film is a technical marvel. First time director Audrey Diwan uses an unconventional 4:3 aspect ratio, which might raise a few eyebrows. But in keeping with the “older” times of the story, it fits.

Diwan and co-writer Marcia Romano must also be given credit for a great screenplay, bringing the story to life, and allowing the viewers to connect and sympathize with the character of Anne. Speaking of Anne, star actress Anamaria Vartolomei brings the character to life, lending her a reticence and multidimensional realism that only the best can do.

While Happening was originally released in France, the film is more topically relevant in America, where abortion is once again a hot button issue. Because Anne is trying to finish her studies, having a child without a father would likely derail any career ambitions she has – which include being a writer.

Diwan’s handling of the subject, through stark, coolly lit shots of open rooms – and later scenes of raw emotion – demonstrates the feelings that Anne must have dealing with her predicament. It speaks to all involved that it is all handled with such beauty and sadness in equal measure. 10/10

Official Secrets (2019)

 

Official Secrets (2019)

By

Jesse E. Mullen

Some films are purely for enjoyment, while others serve a deeper purpose. They either educate the public on a past injustice, give context to a historical moment, or try to prevent a similar crisis in the future.

Official Secrets does all three. Starring Keira Knightly as Katherine Gun, a British GCHQ spy who uncovers a memo from the NSA revealing a conspiracy between the British and US governments. Katherine must choose between her legal obligations and her ethical desire to expose her government to the people she signed on to protect.

Naturally, the film challenges the viewer to also challenge their own preconceived notions about spies and whistleblowers. The moral of the story – don’t let partisanship get in the way of the bigger picture.

The film is a visual marvel, despite being fairly conservative on special effects. The integration of real-life footage of Tony Blair, George Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, and Colin Powell on TV screens throughout adds a sense of reality to the diegesis. Contrasting this footage, with a stunning lead performance by Knightly, and the film is given both emotional and factual weight. 10/10