UKC

I have seen numerous people praising Taylor Sheridan's Wind River so I got around to watching it on Friday. It was very good. Somehow a rather powerful film is built around a frankly wafer thin plot, and the minimal story is not any sort of issue at all. 

I admit to having given in and turned subtitles on for the whole thing; I have no idea if my set-up is partially responsible, or if I was just very tired, but I found the audio on the dialogue to be very deep and muffled. 

Anyway I thought it was better than Sheridan's "Hell and High Water" as it was far more grounded and convincing. 

Sheridan also wrote both Sicario films and I've noticed that he is very sparing with giving character backgrounds, but he gives you just enough that you can fill in the gaps yourself and create quite rich characters without getting bogged down in long expository flashbacks etc. 

Wind River takes this to an extreme, and it's masterfully done. 

TV as opposed to film, but I'm currently enjoying Sheridan's "Yellowstone" on C5.

The masculinity might be bordering on toxic  to some viewers but there's action and  nice scenery.

Disappointed to see that singer Ryan Bingham doesn't stay the course.

Agree about Wind River. Great shootout.

I strongly recommend Sicario 2 which was really overlooked due to not being directed by Denis Villeneuve and not featuring the Emily Blunt character. It is not perfect, there are larger themes promised in the opening, which seem to get sidelined, but it is at least as impactful as the first one, and arguably a lot more critical about foreign policy and "dirty" operations etc. It might just be the best work Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro have done. Because of the nature of the story and themes, it is kept relatively unpredictable, which really ratchets up the tension (I remember the first time I saw it, a certain scene in the final act was unbelievably gripping where, in a more conventional narrative, you'd feel relaxed because you would just KNOW the protagonists will get through the scene OK. Not here!) 

Just watched Wind River last night! A really good movie, I'd highly recommended it.

I agree about the sound ... I think you are being a bit mean on the plot.

I also watched the first season of Yellowstone but found it tough going as everyone seems to be on a scale of very flawed to sociopathic. Lovely scenery though.

I spent a summer just outside the wind river res and thought its pretty spot on. Not a safe place. 

Also I thought I was the only one watching yellowstone. Its total trash but I love it

I got to admit I'm a sucker for anything Sheridan

I didn't intend my comment as criticism, so it's not "mean" as such. 

I watched Mosul on Netflix the other night. A foreign language film based on real life events concerning the forced removal of ISIS from the Northern Iraqi city. The plot centres on the characters in a SWAT team who pick up and induct a yoing Police officer they saved in a shoot out with ISIS. I thought the film was excellent. Vivid, sad and cruel but ultimately heroic. Well worth watching.

Sheridan is clearly talented. I rate Hell or High Water, and Sicario, and Wind River certainly has its moments.

But. I would like to see Sheridan write a female lead who is more than a pretty placeholder for naivety and inexperience. The primary function of both Blunt and Olsen's characters seems to be providing a contrast in competence to the badassery of his grizzled leading men, which isn't a recipe for satisfying viewing. 

I've seen Sicario 2 a couple of times now, and still am a bit confused by the logic of what they were trying to do with the staged kidnapping, and subsequent ambush shenanigans. Might be more my fault than the film's, but it reduced the impact for me compared to the first one 

My understanding is that they are trying to spark a major war between the largest rival cartels in Mexico. Assassinating the main lawyer of Cartel 1 l and framing Cartel 2 for it, then kidnapping the daughter of the head of Cartel 2, and framing Cartel 1 for it. 

The police ambush was a load of corrupt police owned by Cartel 2, presumably sent to intercept the convoy, wipe everyone out and (hopefully!) get the daughter back. 

I admit that this is not hugely clear, even though it is spoken about explicitly in dialogue - you can easily miss it amongst the general shouting match between Brolin and Keener. 

Interesting and fair comment. He seems to be trying to place "classic Western" themes into a modern setting, and the "classic Western" often didn't have much space for a rounded female character. HOWEVER, referring to a comment in my OP about the screenplays offering minimal background, I didn't actually take the obvious assumption that Jane in Wind River was NECESSARILY all that inexperienced, at least not based on prettiness and youth. Her character didn't need to be young, or female. Just needed to be an out-of-towner with no experience of that niche culture and environment, sent there simply because they were geographically the closest. Sure, she was young but that seemed fairly incidental, as did her gender and looks. Arguably, Blunt's character in the first Sicario illustrates what you say, more strongly (indeed that was one of my problems with the first Sicario!). 

As for Sicario 2, I kind of liked how Isabela was written. Given that she is a 16-year-old rich kid, she's very smart, independent, resourceful, cocky and bold, especially given her circumstances. 

But yes, on the whole I do agree. 


Off on a tangent (aside from his namesake being in the cast of Wind River), I was thinking about Graham Greene the author recently, and although I haven't read probably even 50% of his output, I've noticed that he very rarely writes a strong rounded interesting woman. The End of the Affair has one, which was what got me thinking. 

i think some of your concerns about the lack of a rounded female character in Sheridan's work have been addressed to an extent in Yellowstone.

The character of Beth Dutton is an intriguing one, not least because she is so unlikeable. I hope this won't be taken the wrong way if I say she is more deserving of a good slap than any character I can think of in film or TV over the last twenty years. 

But when the scriptwriters oblige, you feel strangely out of it. Possibly because of small acts of humanity, possibly because you know someone  sired  by Costner's character can't possibly be utterly nasty; possibly because you suspect she is damaged goods and that she is reacting against some childhood trauma ( her slick haired brother looking increasingly suspect in this area).

Anyway, TV  encroaching on the film thread.

Just watched Ava.

 It might be a low point in Jessica Chastain's career, in fact, I hope it is.

Those were Wilberforce’s concerns. I wasn’t concerned; I can go elsewhere for rounded female characters! 😃

I don’t know what that is but if it is lower than Mama and Crimson Peak, she needs a new agent. (actually I gave up on Mama after about forty minutes despite having bought the DVD! Maybe I should try it again)

oh she was in one of the many poor X Men films as well. And I didn’t really rate Lawless either (aside from Dane Dehaan, Jason Clarke, and the little we saw of Mia Wasikowska). Chastain wasn’t given much to do there 

edit - quickly peeked at what Ava is. Looks dreadful. Nice review comment “I would have walked out but it was raining” 

Oh wow it’s Kelly Reilly. She is always intriguing to just WATCH, even if her role is minor (eg Sherlock Holmes movies) or the material isn’t top notch (eg the dreadful “Flight”). And when she has a bigger role in quality material, all is good ! 

In fairness, the dynamic is perhaps more plausible and less grating in Wind River, since as you say, it is a unique/niche setting that few outsiders would be well-equipped to handle without help. However, my recollection was that her naivety extended well beyond the bounds of reasonable ignorance and indicated general inexperience. I have not seen Wind River in a while though, and I did watch it with a rather keen (prejudiced) eye for that trope - since the Blunt arc was so ridiculous in Sicario. Perhaps a neutral rewatch is due.

Despite being a fan of Benicio, I have not got round to watching Soldado yet. The first one was incredibly atmospheric and I just can't see the sequel living up to it without the triple-threat of Villeneuve, Deakins, and Johannsson.

A product of his era perhaps? I've not read any of his work and only seen The Third Man, once, many years ago. It is strange that some writers cannot (or will not) convey people from certain demographics as... people - with all the virtues, flaws, complex motivations and whatnot that go with that.

Thanks for the tip Tom, I shall try Yellowstone.

Straggler - for your elsewhere, I highly recommend The Queen's Gambit, if you've not already seen it. 

Soldado’s score is by Hildur Guonadottir who has worked directly alongside Johan Johansson several times. It’s great and seems to “homage” Johan without copying him. 

I haven’t and I should, not least as a longtime fan of Anya and her truly fascinating beguiling screen presence in everything she’s done, even the lesser fare. But I just don’t seem to make the time for whole television series (plus I recently put my netflix subscription on hold as I simply don’t use it much. Self fulfilling prophecy I know!) 

A good friend of mine recommended "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" when it came out but I never got the chance until now that it's popped up on C4.

I've seen "The Lobster" and "Dogtooth" and so had an idea what to expect but really  it was stalling for me until a certain point ( where the boy confronts the doctor and issues the ultimatum). From then on I was taken in completely.

Great camera work throughout, Farrel and Kidman in good form  . Keoghan was outstanding.

I've seen him in lots of Irish stuff but he really rises to the task here.

I think Raffey Cassidy deserves a namecheck for The Killing of a Sacred Deer too. 

I have yet to see Dogtooth. 

Sorry for coming back to this but I just remembered something that maybe put me a bit more on Jane's side in Wind River. During the "crux" scene, investigating the oil workers' cabins, after the initial hoo-hah about flanking, and the big macho standoff, but before any weapons are fired, there is a neat inversion. The men on both sides are posturing, and it's Jane who pulls rank and orders everyone to stand down. Whether she is doing with real confidence, or false "acting" confidence, it shows a strength and resolve. If it's a while since you've seen it, it's a small enough detail that it could be easy to forget, especially given what follows. 
Also, throughout the film, she is openly aware of her relative inexperience and addresses it. 
Again, I am pretty much agreeing with you and I know you are not saying she is a weak character but just an inexperienced agent. I think she is a good character though, but you thought Sheridan hadn't written her as any more than a pretty-face representation/cipher. We can agree to disagree on that, it's just splitting hairs!  

 

  ....but she's not quite quick enough to understand the message in "There's an FBI agent RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR....!".

A man has to realise its import!

And he was quick enough was he? Nope. Was he wearing a bullet proof vest? Was Jane? 😃

I can't remember who shouted the warning - was it the Graham Greene character ?

Perhaps we should have issued a spoiler alert a few posts ago 

That was my take on Jane. The two young victims are also portrayed in the film/narrative as self confident and very determined young women.

These are some good points, I had forgotten that about the standoff to be honest. Tell you what: I'll rewatch Wind River with an open mind, and you watch The Queen's Gambit - if you don't love it I will eat my climbing helmet.

But as victims first and foremost. It may have been my harsh initial take, but I didn't feel that the Native American characters in Wind River had much (any?) agency or voice. I shan't continue to blarr on about it until I've rewatched it though. 

I really don't think that. Watch it again.

As an aside, the crimnal fate of huge numbers of native american women in the US and Canada is a major international scandal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_and_murdered_Indigenous_women

Yellowstone addresses that issue as well. 

Well I've only seen it once and whilst it treats the Native Americans with sympathy and dignity, I'd go along with them not being given much agency or voice. Which was surely a large part of the plot, and the point of the film. Look at Ben's jaded and cynical line about Jane's arrival. "This is what they send us". 

I am sure I will love Queen's Gambit, I am just not finding or making the time for it right now. Down the line, definitely. Because Anya. (Watch Throroughbreds, one of her earliest films). 

Thanks for absorbing my points. Didn't expect Wind River to generate this much discussion and debate !  

I think I've said it on here before but if you like Wind River you should watch Goldstone. Its the sequal to Mystery Road. You'll have to rent it off prime but it's fantastic, set in the out back and has the best score I've heard in years.

It's a very confusing collection of TV and feature films. As you say, anyone who appreciates sparse dialogue will reaaly like the Jay Swann chracter.

I think that's what must have happened. I thought Wind River was wholly refreshing in its lack of tropes and am grateful we were spared of yet another kick-arse female lead (which is a trope by now); Jane was highly competent in what she knew, which just wasn't the freezing winter of Wyoming and the strange things that happen in such places.

The film reminded me of Jagten or Manchester by the Sea in its naturalness of writing and acting. It's surprising how long such films take to come along.

I'm not claiming it's exemplary but I thought they were given voice in the parts that they took in the film given the circumstances of the characters. Their lack of agency is in a way part of the point: the social problems they face as resources are tight and federal support thin.... and that came over well in my view... deprived society generating the usual social problems, that in the US  get too little outside assistance. On this theme they get one inexperienced fed to help the investigation and need to ask a hunter to help track (his agreement is in part down to his own past tragedy). The main circumstances in the death are horrific and highly unusual, and the victim fought to the last breath to get out of the situation they were in. That end result doesn't detract from that spirit and strength of will in the face of extreme violence arising from toxic masculinity.

I watched Wind River and Goldstone a while back the same weekend. Both great and share some common ground (from opposite ends of the globe). All the Goldstone, Mystery Road spin offs are worth tracking down, and a rewatch of Wind River this summer bore fruit. Bonus points for the Nick Cave/Warren Ellis score. Not seen Sicario, will watch out for it.

The TVs shows make zero sense but I think the creator had left by then. The films though, fantastic

Exactly. Would it make sense to 'give voice' to concentration camp occupants in a war film? Not really (unless it's Tarantino).

At the same time, the film did well not to slip into an oppressor-oppressed narrative—it almost remained agnostic as to the cause of the rotten situation, which made it all the more powerful.

From my own point of view, one coincidence in a film's plot is acceptable but two is too big a leap and spoils things.

But for that, "Only the Animals" on Netflix would be my film of the year so far. Definitely due for a second watch sometime in the week and I think hindsight might even make it more enjoyable in a dramatic irony sense.

Yes I loved 'Only the Animals,' and as it jumps back and forwards in time a lot it's worth a second watch.

It's one of those films where you think about it for days afterwards.

I also enjoyed 'Clara' this week on Netflix, it's about the search for planets in orbit around our nearest stars that couple possibly support life, i.e. In the Goldilocks zone.

There is a lot of interesting science in the film about how they use the TESS space telescope to measure the change in light planets cause when  transiting across a star.

It's also a love story.

It got me interested in the real science behind the search for exoplanets:

https://www.nasa.gov/tess-transiting-exoplanet-survey-satellite

Hillbilly Elegy. With reference to your November review. 5.5 or 6/10. Glossy unengaging melodrama with clunky editing that thinks it’s being clever. Some decent acting (JD as a kid and also as an adult, Gabriel Basso plays it generously and quietly, like he knows it’s not HIS film).

I would argue against this being Adams’ finest work though. She is very good, because this is a very simple role that she could play in her sleep. Any actress could do this unsubtle shrieking hysteria oscillating with quiet moments of kindness. The writing and directing are frankly beneath her. If she gets her Oscar for this it will be like when Al Pacino got his for Scent of a Woman. 

Fright wigs, stick-on noses and rubber teeth were all a bit “look! look! Look at our star actresses, didn’t we do well”

And as much as I like Haley Bennet, they really should have a younger actress to play 16-year-old Lindsay 

The Legend of Barney Thomson. Info on the Scottish films thread. I watched Cloud Atlas the other night. I know this film divides opinion and people who read the book were disappointed. I haven't read it, and I did think the film didn't quite hit the target it was aiming for, but I really liked it. At the end I felt I'd experienced something special and enjoyed listening to the music and enjoying the atmosphere as the credits rolled. And it was fun playing 'spot the actor' with the multiple parts they played. Not only that, for a big chunk of the film I thought Jim Sturgess was Andrew Scott. 

I saw Cloud Atlas at the cinema and was looking forward to playing “spot the actor” during the credits but this senior couple in front of stood up and then faffed around forever with coats and bags etc. I really wanted to just push their heads down like ducking someone at the swimming pool, or shout “sit down or get out”, but both options seemed a bit rude. They were really annoying though 

You could have stood up, taken them by the shoulders, turned them towards the screen and said "Oh my god look, that's Jim Sturgess playing Andrew Scott playing something else!" 

Billie 

Billie Holiday documentary - with an added layer about the journalism that brings it to the screen. Looks a lot like the truth about society, and music, and people. A lot of it's very difficult to watch, but the music and humanity pull you through. 

The real deal.

A couple of Korean films streaming on Netflix/Amazon currently - Parasite and #Alive. Both grisly and comic in turns, depends if you find zombies funny (I do). Parasite rightly did well at the Oscars.

A heads up that The Death of Stalin is on BBC 2 on Sunday at 9.30.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_death_of_stalin

On the Korean pulp front The Witch: Subversion was fun once it warmed up

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_witch_subversion

It has just struck me that Cats (2019) did not receive the lowest score I gave to any film I saw at the cinema in 2020! 

Kattumaram is an interesting film looking at a conservative fishing village in Tamil Nadu, still struggling a few yeas after the tsunami. A fisherman repeatedly tries to arrange a marriage for his niece but she isn't interested. Things explode when she falls for a visiting lesbian photographer.

The synopsis is incorrect: the films doesn't focus on the uncle coming to terms with the relationship. The majority of the film is before the relationship is formed.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13098938/

Just finished watching Shoplifters, an astonishingly clever and human portrait of a dysfunctional family of occasional petty criminals and scammers trying to scrape a living in urban Japan. Just mesmerisingly good.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/shoplifters

Embrace of the Serpent is an epic tale of two european explorers, decades apart, travelling with native guides in search of a rare plant,  through an area of the Columbian rainforest facing the chaos of colonial damage of the environment and its peoples. Mystical and at times psychedelic, a unique (river) road movie where the sense of exploitation, loss and human catastrophe is strangely compelling. Highly recommended.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/embrace_of_the_serpent