To the surprise of pretty much nobody, Netflix announced that the success of Monster - The Jeffrey Dahmer Story meant they were were renewing the show as a new anthology show for at least two seasons, Monster, slightly akin to how American Horror Story season one become AHS - Murder House retrospectively.
Evan Peters was impressive in the eponymous role of Dahmer, after having gained prominence in the AHS universe for main roles in nine out of the eleven seasons completed to this date (the only two missing were 1984 and NYC). So I began to wonder, what two monsters could feature in the next two seasons, and what Ryan Murphy favourites could feature in the roles?
I was going to do a build-up of anticipation, but instead I’ll skip it and jump straight to the monsters, which I believe will be John Wayne Gacy and Ed Gein. Both are not only famous serial killers memorable just as much as Dahmer, but both men featured in brief appearances in the Dahmer season, and Murphy has a habit of foreshadowing future seasons in AHS. Examples include references to ‘crazy’ in Murder House as a foreshadow to the setting of an asylum in, well, Asylum, which itself mentions ‘witches’ and has someone demonstrate telekinesis, both of which appear in season three Coven.
The question may be who will play Gacy and Gein respectively, and starting with Gacy, it probably won’t surprise many that I reckon John Carroll Lynch is perfect for the role. Lynch has not only impressed as the main suspect for the eponymous killer in Zodiac, but has appeared as both Gacy himself and the terrifying Twisty The Clown in American Horror Story. He’s a tremendous character actor who can balance that genial nature that made him seem so unthreatening and then that shift into terror. His work alone in Zodiac and the scene below demonstrates that:
The one I’m curious about is who could play Ed Gein, as despite being a major inspiration for many famous movie serial killers (Leatherface, Norman Bates, Buffalo Bill), there’s never been a major film or television production that focused on the original killer. For me, I’m kind of torn between two actors, one is Joseph Fiennes, who could demonstrate the younger version of Gein but may be too clean cut for the role. The other, and possibly more likely, could be Denis O’Hare, whose physicality and older looking appearance may be better suited in the role of Ed Gein, especially as the main focus would likely be in Gein’s 40s-50s.
Who would you have feature in the next two seasons of Monster? Do you think there could be further seasons? A season dedicated to Albert Fish could be massively disturbing...
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It’s official, The Conjuring 4 has been announced, with screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (who wrote my favourite of the franchise, The Conjuring 2), producers James Wan and Peter Safran, and the beloved protagonists Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson all returning. While the franchise as a whole can be inconsistent in quality, the relationship between Ed and Lorraine as depicted by Vera and Patrick has this adorable, sincere chemistry that fans gravitate towards. The horror becomes more impactful as we see two people we love work together to survive.
But what story could they focus on? The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It moved the series into the 1980s, so it seems likely The Conjuring 4 will also continue into that decade. There are three major cases that have been suggested, which are below:
The Smurl Haunting, which occurred in Pennsylvania and featured a family suffering from a Demon haunting, similar to the first two Conjuring movies as opposed to the third movie. The hauntings began in 1973 and continued until 1989, so you have an opportunity to demonstrate the passage of time when dealing with hauntings. It has however been featured previously in a TV-Movie, so it depends on whether you want to put a new spin on a previously told story, or start anew with something not yet shown.
The Snedeker House began in 1986 when a family of two parents, a daughter and three sons moved into a house they discovered used to be a funeral parlour. There are some horrendous tales of how the house was occupied by demons, including visions of decaying flesh and blood in the kitchen, the parents being raped and sodomised by the demons, and the eldest son being haunted regularly. Again, this film could be similar to the first two movies, but demonstrate an escalation in terms of violence and horror. The only issue could be that like the Smurl Haunting, this has previously featured in a movie.
The third option is the Union Cemetery in Easton, Connecticut, which supposedly has several ghosts, including a White Lady Ghost. The interesting thing about this option is it’s probably the one that the creators can put their own spin on the most, as there’s not a singular case bit instead supposedly multiple hauntings. Technically, due to its location, you could combine it with the Snedeker House if so wanted.
There has been discussions about returning to the Amityville Hauntings, which appeared briefly in the opening to The Conjuring 2, but the decision to have it already appear seemed an intentional decision to avoid expectations? If so, it probably makes no sense to return to it, then. Personally, I think that the best option for The Conjuring 4 would be the Snedeker House with elements of the Union Cemetery, leaving the Smurl Haunting for a fifth and final film.
Now...about that Samurai Suit, Ferryman and Black Shuck spin-off series?
With the upcoming fourth iteration of John Wick, which will likely be another awesome event, there has been recent discussions of a possible video game based on John Wick by the CEO of Lionsgate. While not a gamer myself, this would be a great decision, capitalizing on the popularity of the series and allowing fans the dream of representing Wick in action. In fact, there are some clips already on YouTube of John Wick in the Unreal Engine 5 world.
The question I have is what type of game could they incorporate? A simple adaptation of the movies seems a bit obvious and underwhelming, so what could they make instead? Unquestionably it has to be an open world style, possibly in the guise of Grand Theft Auto or more likely, Red Dead Redemption, allowing side quests to accomplish alongside the main gameplay.
You’d have to include three different types of gameplay, which would cover the three main parts of John Wick’s appeal:
Car chases
Gunplay
Hand-to-hand combat
The style could be akin to the most recent iterations of God of War and God of War:Ragnarok, a one-shot camera that follows the protagonist as they travel the world, mixing between distance attacks (gunplay) and hand-to-hand combat, while using the horse riding of Red Dead Redemption to replicate the car chases for Wick.
But what would the story be? Personally, I feel the perfect choice would be based on a scene from the first movie:
A masterclass scene that introduces the mythos of who John Wick is and why you should be terrified. I personally would have the opening of the game feature Wick undertaking a hit (which can count as a training sequence getting you used to the guns and combat system), with Wick afterwards meeting his girlfriend Helen and deciding he needs to leave the business.
Based in New York City, you could have Viggo Tarasov as the leader of the Russian Mafia based in Manhattan but the weakest of Five Families, and Wick is given the task of eliminating the other four families, to allow the Russian Mafia to take over New York City completely. Each family could have their own borough, working through The Bronx, Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens as you battle through each families mob and eventually kill the leader of each family.
As you kill enemies, you can earn new gold coins that you can use in a Continental Hotel (one based in each borough) to upgrade weapons, outfit and contacts, meeting a different Sommelier in each one, cameos from Winston, John Lequizamo’s Aurelio (when upgrading vehicles) and other assassins from the movies. As you take over different areas of the five boroughs, the reputation for the Russian Mafia builds up, with the aim to reach 100%.
The option of variety in antagonist you can have, the different guns and vehicles, but more than anything, the possible size of this world could be amazing. New York City has a square mile of 302.6 miles, There are only twelve games supposedly bigger as of 2022, which includes Just Cause 3, Final Fantasy XV, The Elder Scrolls II and No Man’s Sky. I for one would love to see this game.
What about you, any thoughts, things you’d like to see, ideas you’d incorporate?
Rian Johnson has done it again with Glass Onion, an excellent follow-up to the raucously enjoyable Knives Out. The consistency in the writing and the way both films award repeat viewings make them great comfort watches, and Daniel Craig seems to be having a wonderful time playing the over-the-top Southern drawling, eagle eyed dandy Benoit Blanc.
The success of the series so far has been not just the clever writing, but the casting, as each film utilises an ensemble of tremendous character actors who enjoy being outlandish and ridiculous. Unsurprisingly, Twitter quickly began asking who fans would love to see in the cast, and it prompted me to consider my own ideas. It won’t shock many to hear I quickly thought of many, but below are some of my ideas. The good thing is that Benoit Blanc has the potential to be the Columbo of feature films, appearing every few years in an ongoing franchise, so even if these don’t all appear in the third movie, there could always be the next one...
Brendan Fraser is currently in the midst of a career renaissance due to his performance in The Whale, where he has become a front runner for Best Actor prizes in his heartbreaking portrayal. But this kind hearted, beloved man first came to prominence with his self-deprecating manner in fan favourite cult classics such as George of the Jungle and one I particularly love, The Mummy. He’s shown his ability to balance comedy with pathos, so he’d be perfectly suited in this world.
Jon Hamm is man who looks like he is chiselled out of perfection, and yet surprised many with his comedic timing in 30 Rock and the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Hamm could work perfectly as the murder victim in a Benoit Blanc movie, his magnetism allowing him to be depicted positively before flashbacks reveal a darker edge, akin to his more dramatic roles.
Stephanie Hsu was the surprise break out from Everything Everywhere All At Once, demonstrating surprising pathos in her support role and impressively holding her own against Michelle Yeoh. A trope in the previous two movies of the series has been Blanc’s double act with a young female, firstly the Cuban-Spanish Ana De Armas, and then the non-binary African-American Janelle Monae, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they continue that method. Hsu could have a brilliant double act with Craig, so I think she’d be fantastic.
Hugh Jackman is handsome, can sing, is funny, an amazing dramatic actor, and reputedly one of the nicest human beings in Hollywood. Renowned for his classic portrayals of Wolverine, one of the few action heroes to challenge James Bond, I could see him portraying one of Benoit’s best friends, inviting both Blanc and Hugh Grant’s Phillip to a Broadway event (any excuse to see Jackman, Grant and Craig singing Broadway together).
Daniel Kaluuya is mostly known for his partnership with Jordan Peele, specifically in the excellent horror films Get Out and Nope, as well as his appearances in Steve McQueen’s Widows and his award winning performance in Judas and the Black Messiah. However, an often underrated element is his dry, deadpan line reading, epitomised by his performance in Nope especially. I could see Kaluuya in a similar role to LaKeith Stanfield from Knives Out as an exasperated detective working alongside Benoit Blanc.
Lupita Nyong’o may be better known for her dramatic roles in 12 Years A Slave, Jordan Peele’s Us, and even her role as Nakia in the Black Panther series, but it’s actually her role in the horror comedy Little Monsters that makes me think she would suit the series. Portraying a kindergarten teacher trying to protect her class from a zombie outbreak, her mix of sincere positivity and deadpan humour could make her a Toni Collette / Kathryn Hahn esque figure.
Sandra Oh finally got the lead role she deserved in her series Killing Eve, her role as Eve Polastri allowing her to demonstrate her tremendous range in comedy and drama. She mainly now features in voiceover roles, such as Turning Red or Invincible, but it would be great to see her bring her frazzled energy to a Benoit Blanc mystery.
Pedro Pascal is currently the lead in two of the biggest possible television shows, firstly playing the eponymous character in Disney’s The Mandalorian, and recently taking on the lead role of Joel in HBO’s The Last Of Us. Although these two roles means Pedro is likely going to be fully booked for the majority of his time, a role in a Benoit Blanc ensemble seems perfectly suited for him.
Florence Pugh is probably the least likely, considering she’s now a critical and commercial darling with upcoming roles in Dune: Part Two and ongoing performance as Yelena Belova in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, her comedic timing demonstrated in Fighting With My Family and as Yelena is an underrated element of her repertoire that deserves more attention. She would seemingly suit a similar role to Ana De Armas and Janelle Monae, but I’d love to see that expectation get turned on its head and reveal her to be more similar to Kate Hudson in Glass Onion, the reversal of “hidden depths”.
Those are just some that come to mind, but I’d love to hear others thoughts on who they would have join the Benoit Blanc Cinematic Universe?
Predictions for Maxwell Jacob Friedman’s Reign as AEW World Champion
At the 2022 iteration of Full Gear, Maxwell Jacob Friedman won the AEW World Championship for the first time, defeating Jon Moxley in a rematch from All Out 2020. This victory was the culmination of MJF’s entire AEW career, who regularly refers to himself as better than everyone else, was a founding Pillar of the AEW youngsters, and created both The Pinnacle and The Firm to give himself the best opportunity to win the title.
MJF has already declared that his title reign will be a Reign of Terror, citing Triple-H’s 2002-05 reigns as World Champion on Raw, as well as Jeff Jarrett with TNA. Bearing that in mind, I legitimately believe that MJF will keep the title until Full Gear 2023, giving him a near or actual year-long reign (which would make him the longest reigning champion in AEW’s short history). I will explain my reasoning for MJF losing the title at Full Gear and why, but what about the journey to that event?
AEW produce four major PPVs per year, which are:
Revolution in March.
Double Or Nothing in May.
All Out in September (or end of August sometimes).
Full Gear in November.
The only other possible PPV that may occur could be another Forbidden Door crossover event with NJPW in June (maybe July this time to allow more time between it and Double Or Nothing). There may be other special episodes on Dynamite and Rampage that MJF appears on, but his hints towards only defending the title every 30 days cannot be ignored. So far, he has defeated Moxley in November, and defended against Ricky Starks in December at Winter Is Coming., so let’s assume he will defend monthly.
Currently, he is avoiding Bryan Danielson, who is determined to hurt MJF for attacking Danielson’s mentor William Regal. How long MJF can avoid Danielson is uncertain, but at the latest, MJF will surely defend the title against Danielson in the main event of Revolution, currently booked for March 5th. Until then, MJF could defend the title at January’s Battle of the Belts V, and then in February at a Beach Break special. The first match could be against someone with a recent big victory, such as Swerve Strickland against Wheeler Yuta, or even AR Fox for being one of the winners for the recent Casino Battle Royal, but the February event would likely be against Wheeler Yuta, in a continuation of MJF’s overall feud with Danielson.
However, these matches also achieve something else, which is the gradual transition of some of the younger stars into the main event scene. We may see a lot more stars who have yet to feature in the main events. With that in mind, I think you’ll possibly see MJF defend the title in April against another member of the Four AEW Pillars, Sammy Guevara, who could cite his winning of the TNT Championship at both the first and second Battle of the Belts. This will a vital match as it will be the first AEW World Championship between two members of the Four Pillars, which will set up expectation for future events.
For Double Or Nothing, I think that we will see MJF defend his title against ‘Hangman’ Adam Page. The reason for this is that quite often in AEW booking, you will see cycles, arcs develop on similar PPVs (you only need to look at Page’s history with All Out, losing to Chris Jericho in 2019, and losing his tag titles in 2020. There’s a reason people predicted Page to win the AEW World Title at the 2021 edition before he went on paternity leave). At the first ever Double Or Nothing, MJF lost the inaugural Casino Battle Royal to Page, with the winner challenging to become the first ever AEW World Champion. The idea of MJF ever having forgiven Page for that is pretty much zero, and seeing the two battle four years after it happened will allow AEW to show the contrasting fortunes of both men.
After Double Or Nothing, you have three months before All Out in September, so you can see MF face less likely wrestlers. Road Rager in June could see MJF face his past, as he defends the title against a determined Wardlow, his former bodyguard, while July may likely feature a Forbidden Door crossover. Knowing MJF, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see MJF refuse to participate, even lambasting the idea of ‘Fighting Spirit’, which could lead to a match many fans have wanted to see for the promos alone. As a huge fan of Japanese Wrestling, especially All Japan’s Kings Road classics, I could envisage Eddie Kingston defending the reputation of Strong Style in a match that fans would flock to see. Just to tantalise fans, I could see this match getting a Dusty Finish with MJF rubbing his keeping the title in fan’s faces.
August could see MJF defend against Keith Lee at Fyter Fest, who won the Tag Team Championships at the previous year’s event. This could culminate in a match at All Out against a man he’s never faced, and a former AEW World Champion, in Kenny Omega, who in previous years had defended the AEW World Title against Christian and was crowned the first ever Trios Champion.
Finally, taking the cycles into account, there are two possibilities for who MJF will face at Full Gear. My theory, is that it will be either Darby Allin or Jack Perry, and the reason why is the history of the event. In 2019, you had Moxley and Omega in the main event in a Lights Out Match. In 2020, Moxley was in the main event as AEW Champion, while Omega defeated Page in the opening match. In 2021, you had Page defeating Omega for the title, while MJF beat Darby Allin in the opening match. One year later, MJF won the AEW World Title. In 2023, you have the possibility of returning to that cycle, similar to Omega and Page, but this time with Allin defeating MJF in the main event to become AEW World Champion for the first time. Or...you will have the winner of the opening match in 2022 having an arc over the next year to culminate in winning the AEW World Title in the main event, which would be Jack Perry, having defeated Luchasaurus in a Cage Match in 2022. For me, I think Jack Perry is more likely, but Darby Allin could win and be a short term champion. Maybe Tony Khan will fuck with me and make it a triple threat match? If not, whichever individual MJF loses to, he will defeat the other the previous month at Grand Slam (i.e. defeat Darby Allin at Grand Slam and then lose to Jack Perry at Full Gear).
January / Battle of the Belts V - Swerve Strickland or AR Fox
February / Beach Break - Wheeler Yuta
March / Revolution - Bryan Danielson
April / Battle of the Belts VI - Sammy Guevara
May / Double Or Nothing - Adam ‘Hangman’ Page
June / Road Rager -
July / Forbidden Door -
August / Fyter Fest - Keith Lee
September / All Out - Kenny Omega
October / Grand Slam -
November / Full Gear - ‘Jungle Boy’ Jack Perry or Darby Allin.
And so, MJF’s reign will end one year later, having passed the belt over to the next member of the Four Pillars. Thoughts?
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Double Bill: Years Where A Director Made Multiple Movies - Part 1
It doesn’t happen very often, but every now and again, a film director releases multiple films in a singular year. Whilst sometimes it can be as simple as a film being held back for a period of time, other times it can be an example of a director having an amazingly productive year (yes, a slight sound of envy there). Curious about how often it happens, I decided to look back at some favourite directors and their release periods, quickly finding a surprising list of examples.
Because of that, I thought I’d do a couple of articles naming some examples, how both films performed and the comparisons between the two. They may also be a good opportunity for some unique movie marathon sessions?
One of the first I found was an Oliver Stone double bill from 1986, with James Woods starring in Salvador as an American photojournalist covering the Salvadoran Civil War, and Charlie Sheen in the classic Platoon, a near-autobiographical depiction of the Vietnam war as inspired by Stone’s own experiences. The two movies do have similarities in terms of focusing on an outsider trying to survive in a foreign war, Woods’ journalist more experienced in comparison to Sheen’s novice soldier. Interestingly, both films were a struggle to get made until Stone met British film producer John Daly, who agreed to finance both.
Salvador was commercially unsuccessful yet netted Woods an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, and Best Screenplay for Stone and Richard Boyle, but paled in comparison to Platoon, where it was a critical and financial success, with Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay again (this time solo for Stone), and Best Supporting Actor for both Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger, and victories for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Sound. As a double bill, they offer fascinating depictions of introduction to foreign war, and are unflinching in the true horrors that exist.
Thirteen years later, Joel Schumacher was recovering from the critical bashing of Batman and Robin, and attempted a double bill comeback in 1999. The first was a Nicholas Cage-starring crime thriller called 8MM, and the second was a surprisingly smaller character based drama called Flawless, which featured Robert De Niro and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
The interesting element was the realisation that despite the issues with Batman and Robin, Schumacher still had the ability to interest two of the bigger dramatically respected actors in the world at the time. Both films put the focus on the actors, with Cage a classic noir private investigator, while De Niro played a security guard dealing with a stroke, demonstrating his tough man style with a vulnerability from his conversations with drag queen Rusty, played by Hoffman.
These two films seem an interesting double bill to watch when taking into consideration Batman and Robin, as both films are scaled back in comparison and demonstrate Schumacher’s ability with actors.
Finally, we have Sidney Lumet, one of the most respected film directors of the last hundred years and his work from 1973. That year, Lumet directed two films that focused on police officers but from two different perspectives. The first is the British-based The Offence, while the second is the American-based Serpico.
The latter is the better known of the films, focusing on the real life tale of New York city based undercover police officer Frank Serpico, played by Al Pacino and dealing with the corrupt actions of his colleagues, eventually testifying against them. A widescale Crime Drama, Serpico is remembered for over 100 speaking parts and locations, as well as encompassing eleven years during Serpico’s time with the police force.
In comparison, The Offence is a much smaller and more intimate piece, focusing on interviews / interrogations between Sean Connery’s detective Johnson and his wife Maureen, Detective Superintendent Cartwright, and suspected child molester Kenneth Baxter. Despite both films dealing with the main character struggling with the world they inhabit, The Offence focuses more on a character committing a crime whereas Serpico revolves around an incorruptible hero.
However, what both films achieve are some of the best performances from both actors. This was one of Connery’s first major roles after finishing with the James Bond role, demonstrating a depth he rarely got to exhibit, while Pacino won a Golden Globe for his subtly intense somberness. Lumet was regularly credited for bringing out some actors best performances, so this double bill offers a fascinating depiction of the complex emotions for police officers.
Previous to this, I’d only seen one film from Wim Wenders, which was a 2014 film called The Salt of the Earth, which followed photographer Sebastiao Salgado. I know this because I went on Letterboxd to check, but whilst I am sure it’s full of beautiful imagery (I mean, it’s about a photographer who takes photos of landscapes, territories, and plant life), it left little impact on me. A case of “looks pretty, but not much substance”.
When watching films, I am one of those that can appreciate great cinematography, beautiful images, etc, but I have little patience when it comes to style over substance. I need to have something with dimension to make the scene worthwhile. If it’s just a camera watching some water running or a field of grass for three minutes just because, I’m probably not going to enjoy the film. Let me discuss three examples to give you evidence:
I love The Assassination of Jesse James by Andrew Dominik, despite being a slow burner of a movie with lots of scenes dedicated to the surroundings or having a gorgeous image like a silhouette of Jesse James walking in the dark to rob a train. The reason I love it is because the scenes such as Jesse’s silhouette helps build up the legend and mythical nature of the outlaw, making him a deity, before the gradual deterioration of that legend in the eyes of Robert Ford.
One of my favourite scenes of all time is ‘The Lighting of the Beacons’ in The Return of the King. I remember the first time I saw it in cinema, I was holding my breath as the camera covers these fields, these mountain tops, etc, he gorgeous scenery of New Zealand on display. However, these shots matter because it also follows the lightning of beacons between Gondor and Rohan, Pippin having lighted the first beacon to call for aid and we follow this journey to Rohan, seeing the answering of the call. It’s a moment that has the context of Gandalf trusting Pippin, who rises to the occasion, and the question of whether Rohan will come to Gondor’s aid after King Theoden earlier hinted they wouldn’t. That doesn’t even consider the wondrous music from Howard Shore, a God among composers.
And yet, I can’t stand The Tree of Life. I am not a fan of Malick, one because I feel he’s inconsiderate of the actors he brings in, using them for multiple scenes then cutting them without communicating to them, leading to the moment where Adrien Brody went to the premiere of The Thin Red Line having been made out he was the leading role, only to be cut down to 90 seconds. But more than that, I find The Tree of Life more concerned with looking pretty than focusing on a fascinating story of Sean Penn as an adult struggling with the tempestuous relationship he had with his father Brad Pitt. You have these scenes focusing on Penn, Pitt and Chastain that should be emotionally hard hitting, with Pitt especially impressive, but Malick is too busy following a blade of grass. It says something when the most beautiful scene, the creation of the universe and life on our planet, could be cut out completely and you wouldn’t miss it. Malick is too busy chronically masturbating the visual screen and hoping you’ll ask him what it means. It means a waste of my fucking time.
So after all that, imagine my surprise when I thought this film was great. Harry Dean Stanton has always been an underappreciated actor to some degrees, as he could be guaranteed to add a bit of class to a movie. If I remember correctly, Roger Ebert used to say that no movie that features Stanton can be truly bad (which means Ebert would be a fan of The Avengers, you heard it here first). And yet, this is one of the few films that has Stanton as the main actor.
In fact, Stanton also has the similarly talented Dean Stockwell in support. The first half of the film has Stanton almost completely mute, more akin to a mystery box with Stockwell the protagonist, before transitioning to Stanton as the lead in the second half when he begins to look for Jane, and it’s wonderful to see both actors entrusted to carry their half of the movie.
The inclusion of Wenders’ photography and cinematography is actually vital in this movie as it helps sell the feeling of seclusion in the desert, giving Stanton’s Travis an otherworldly mystery to his character.
Hunter Carson is only 8-9 years old during this movie, and he could have been an uncomfortable albatross as the main focus for the characters. Instead, Carson as Hunter is excellent, a realistic depiction of a confused 8 year old whose gradual change of body language towards Travis is subtle but impactful. He is probably the silent MVP of the movie.
The third act where Stanton as Travis and Nastassja Kinski as Jane is engrossing. It’s mostly a monologue where Travis opens up and admits his mistakes to an unaware Jane, but the decision to have the two separated by both glass and sight is inspired. It evokes the chasm between the two due to their previous actions, but also allows both to bare themselves in ways they otherwise may not. Stanton can see Kinski but not touch her, and yet turns away from her due to his shame, whereas Kinski cannot see but can hear Stanton and stares at her own reflection throughout. I find this decision fascinating, as Stanton staring away also enforces his decision that he must leave her behind, while Kinski staring at herself allows her to face her history and previous actions.
The reveal that Travis was once so jealous and nearly cruel is a shocking reveal but is wonderfully reminiscent of the underlying possible depths to the world the characters inhabit. The desert was beautiful, but a terrifying location that swallowed Travis for four years. The marriage between Stockwell and his wife as parents for Hunter is heartwarming but built upon a self-deluding lie as Hunter is not really their child. And the supposed gentle nature of Travis and flaky abandonment by Jane is actually a damaged relationship that required Jane to escape Travis and leave Hunter with her brother-in-law instead.
This is almost perfectly embodied in the title itself, as you hear the word Paris and instantly think of France, when Stanton is actually focused on Paris in Texas, where he was supposedly conceived. It takes the obvious and unpacks it to reveal a more humane, personal aspect.
I forgot to mention that the soundtrack was amazing.
Overall, this movie has been stuck in my mind ever since I watched it, specifically that end scene, and that’s what Paris, Texas does, it burrows within without letting go. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did, but that third act is probably worth a star or two singlehandedly. The first 90 minutes can sometimes feel a little bit slow or even drag slightly, but that ending makes the journey worthwhile, bit like every road trip itself.
The beginning of a new year, here are my current figures on the main Lists on Letterboxd. The one I’m probably most disappointed with is the Top 260 Women Directed, that’s an area I definitely need to improve in.
The easiest ones to probably complete would be the Oscar Best Picture Winners, and AFI 100 Years, 100 Movies. The reason for this is that they are the two least likely to change (at most, you get a new Best Picture Winner this year) and will impact the other lists as well (hopefully).
There are some other lists not included, such as Official Top 250 Narrative Feature Films, where I have watched 97 films (38%), Letterboxd’s Top 250 International Films where I’ve seen only 20 (8%), Letterboxd’s Top 250 Sci-Fi Movies, of which I have seen 113 (45%), and finally Rolling Stone’s 101 Best Horror Movies of which I’ve seen 70 (69%).
I’m undertaking several challenges on Letterboxd this year, which should also impact the other lists, but the biggest films I’ve not seen yet that are on the most lists are the ones below:
The 400 Blows
All About Eve
Amadeus
Annie Hall
Ben-Hur
The Bridge On The River Kwai
City of God
Come and See
Do The Right Thing
Double Indemnity
Gone With The Wind
The Grapes of Wrath
Ikiru
Metropolis
Network
North By Northwest
Once Upon A Time In The West
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
Persona
Sunset Boulevard
To Be Or Not To Be
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Vertigo
Wild Strawberries
It shall be interesting to see how my figures compare this time next year...
Film Premise Challenge: One Director, Two Actors, One Genre - Entry Fifteen.
This will be a semi-regular series, where someone has to nominate a Director, minimum of two Actors, and a Genre, preferably ones who have not worked together before. I will then come up with a premise / story based on those parameters. Some of these may be more detailed than others, but overall, it’s mainly a bit of fun. If anybody would like to submit an idea, then please do!
Entry Fifteen, the director nominated is…Christopher Nolan. The nominated actors, of which there were two, are…Michael Caine, and Denzel Washington. The chosen genre is…Sci-Fi Horror.
Nolan timeframe special, two different timelines as a modern day Denzel investigates a haunted house in the Scottish mountains (Skyfall style look) that seems to hold more rooms inside (TARDIS style). As he ventures deeper inside, the rooms retreat through history, showing skeletons in Victorian dress, decomposing bodies in Georgian, retreating further back to the Tudors when the house was originally built. As Denzel retreats through, he finds several survivors, including Michael Caine from the 60s with a pregnant black family.
Caine, the family & Denzel arrive in the first ever built room, containing a flaming fireplace, from which arrives an unknown horror that chases them back through the house, Conjuring 2 style tension as they try to survive. They end up in the main mansion & the pregnant woman escapes out the kitchen to the outside as Caine, Denzel & the husband battle the creature.
With the husband possessed, Caine is ripped apart as he saves Denzel. Denzel is the only survivor & staggers out the front door, where he looks at a worn-out picture of the pregnant mum.
Film Premise Challenge: One Director, Two Actors, One Genre - Entry Fourteen.
This will be a semi-regular series, where someone has to nominate a Director, minimum of two Actors, and a Genre, preferably ones who have not worked together before. I will then come up with a premise / story based on those parameters. Some of these may be more detailed than others, but overall, it’s mainly a bit of fun. If anybody would like to submit an idea, then please do!
Entry Fourteen, the director nominated is…Ava DuVernay. The nominated actors, of which there were two, are…Amy Adams, and Daniel Kaluuya. The chosen genre is…Drama.
I will admit to not having watched much of DuVernay, so I had to research her previous work and use that as a basis for this idea. Hopefully it feels authentic to her style?
In 1966, Amy Adams travels with her father to the U.K during the '66 World Cup. Adams is an aspiring journalist who uses the experience to write more prospective articles for when she returns to America. Adams & her father are staying in London during this time period. During their time in the U.K., Adams & her father are surprised at the differences in racial relations, which leads to her meeting a black police officer, played by Daniel Kaluuya.
The two spend the first half of the film falling for one another, going on dates and as they enter 1967, they have fallen in love, but Adams has to return to the U.S., with Kaluuya wanting to stay with her. Despite Adams' reluctance, he goes to the U.S. for the first time.
The second half of the film contrasts the first as it depicts racial tension with Kaluuya shocked by the difference in treatment in the U.S. compared to milder racism of the U.K, refused as a policeman & forced into menial jobs, whilst Adams is ostracised by friends & colleagues, impacting her journalism prospects.
This impacts their relationship until Adams discovers Loving v. Virginia, a court case where an interracial couple are battling for decriminalisation of interracial marriage. With Kaluuya at her side, they travel to Virginia, meeting the couple & supporting them in court, using both their experiences policing & journalism to both offer protection & coverage. The court case would start engulfing their relationship, almost becoming invested to the point that the decision of the courts might decide their future together.
Dramatic, racially drawn, based on character & history.
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Film Premise Challenge: One Director, Two Actors, One Genre - Entry Thirteen.
This will be a semi-regular series, where someone has to nominate a Director, minimum of two Actors, and a Genre, preferably ones who have not worked together before. I will then come up with a premise / story based on those parameters. Some of these may be more detailed than others, but overall, it’s mainly a bit of fun. If anybody would like to submit an idea, then please do!
Entry Thirteen, the director nominated is…Darren Aronofsky. The nominated actors, of which there were two, are…Portia Doubleday, and Amanda Seyfried. The chosen genre is…Horror-Thriller.
Before I hide the premise, I would like to say that this is one of my favourite pieces I’ve written so far on this challenge, just because of the level of detail. i hope you also enjoy!
Okay, the movie is directed in split screen throughout. Left side has blue lighting and undertones, while the right side has orange/yellow lighting and undertones. This is vital, as at times the two main characters will match on the split screen.
The left side is Portia, shows her waking up in an expensive apartment. She works in a rich office, involved in meetings & presentations as a manager. She's cold, aloof, she gets ready in the morning to silence & is almost mechanical in her routine.
The right side is Amanda. She wakes up in a smaller but more expressive apartment. She's happy, positive, she gets ready to music in the morning. She is a Kindergarten teacher, highly involved and passionate, lots of friends.
It's important to mention they are both intelligent & good at their jobs. During a presentation/lesson, both Portia & Amanda get a papercut at the same time, with a shot of both of them bleeding & crying out at the same time. As this happens, they both get a flash of each other.
Both women begin to feel unnerved, as they both start seeing images of one another in mirrors, & they think they're being followed by an old man in a trenchcoat, played by Mark Margolis. At one point, Portia gets chased through the city as Amanda experiences a panic attack.
Both women get attacked in their apartments, Amanda's involves her music crackling & Margolis' voice calling her name, while Portia's apartment has her windows banging & television switching to her name being said. It ends with both having the other's name written in a mirror.
Portia travels out of the city to a small town, where she knocks on a large-ish house. The same time, Amanda gets a bus to a small house, where she knocks. The camera stands behind both women as the door opens, to the same man but slightly different, as he calls both "Daughter".
Portia sits at a table opposite her parents, while Amanda sits between her parents on a sofa. The parents have different hair & clothes in each, but definitely same people. Amanda is consoled & tells the whole story, while Portia is a bit more reserved in her story.
Both Portia & Amanda ask their parents about the other's name, and the shocked parents reveal to both that the mum was originally pregnant with twins. However, there were complications during the birth, & only one survived, with the other stillborn. They are each other's twin.
Portia leaves & drives to the woods, while Amanda walks to the same woods near her parents' house. Amanda is in shock, while Portia breaks down. They are sat on the same bench, but are actually still alone. They both feel something there, & realise Margolis is nearby.
You see a calm Amanda & emotional Portia both ask Margolis why are they being haunted, & Margolis reveals they're wrong. They aren't haunting one another. Neither has actually been born yet. And the woods cut to a dark, empty void, where Portia & Amanda are finally together.
As Portia & Amanda meet for the first time, shocked & confused, Margolis reveals the truth: they're actually both still in the womb. He allowed both 30 years of imagined life to decide which should be born, but he can't choose. Instead, they will be given a challenge to decide.
Margolis tells them both they will awaken & the first to reach a chosen point to push a button will survive, & the other will die. Portia & Amanda wake up in each other's home, trying to make the button. Portia's car (transferred between worlds) crashes, Amanda has to run, misses busses, split screen.
The chosen point is the hospital ward where they were born, & they arrive at the same time, tackling one another to try & get to the button. It ends with both crashing through a window, bleeding & hurt as they lay opposite one another, the button a few feet away.
As they both lay hurt, Amanda mentions how Portia's apartment looked lonely. Portia said she was shocked by Amanda's musical alarm clock. Portia asks what their parents were like. Amanda admits she always wanted a sister. They talk, smile, laugh, & cry. They talk of their dreams.
To both their surprise, Portia asks "What happens if we press the button together?" They look at one another, help each other to their feet, and holding hands, walk to the button. As the screen splits, this time Amanda on left, Portia on right, they press the button together.
We cut to the parents unpacking in a new house. We don't get proper look at them, so can't tell from which timeline. There's a knock at the door, & the dad goes away to answer. As we focus on the Mum holding her stomach, we hear a voice shout "Hi Dad". Cut to black.
Film Premise Challenge: One Director, Two Actors, One Genre - Entry Twelve.
This will be a semi-regular series, where someone has to nominate a Director, minimum of two Actors, and a Genre, preferably ones who have not worked together before. I will then come up with a premise / story based on those parameters. Some of these may be more detailed than others, but overall, it’s mainly a bit of fun. If anybody would like to submit an idea, then please do!
Entry Twelve, the director nominated is…Steven Spielberg. The nominated actors, of which there were two, are…Tom Holland, and Leonardo DiCaprio. The chosen genre is…Comedy.
This one I admit I struggled to get too detailed with, as Comedy is not my strong suit and i feel that the setpieces would cover the majority of the movie. I’d aim for a Catch Me If You Can spiritual sequel, one that while funny has a familial relationship core to the characters at the centre of the story.
Tying back to the original, I’d be interested to see DiCaprio plays an experienced con man who meets a young protege in Holland. After a first act where they get used to working together, create a bond, they would attempt to pull the ultimate con on a random individual who they identify as rich, played by Andy Serkis.
However, Serkis would turn out to be a vicious crime boss who afterwards, starts sending a series of killers after Holland and DiCaprio, who end up on the run in a big city. Thankfully for them, it turns out the ones sent after them are all inept Hitmen, leading to comedic setpieces.
Anybody who is much better at comedy than I, more than welcome to suggest some setpieces with stunt casting?
Film Premise Challenge: One Director, Two Actors, One Genre - Entry Eleven.
This will be a semi-regular series, where someone has to nominate a Director, minimum of two Actors, and a Genre, preferably ones who have not worked together before. I will then come up with a premise / story based on those parameters. Some of these may be more detailed than others, but overall, it’s mainly a bit of fun. If anybody would like to submit an idea, then please do!
Entry Eleven, the director nominated is…Martin Scorsese. The nominated actors, of which there were two, are…Tom Hardy, and Adam Driver. The chosen genre is…Horror.
Adam Driver is a Priest who is involved in paranormal investigations, ala The Warrens, specifically hauntings & possible exorcisms. Open scene features him assisting an older Priest (let's say, Liam Neeson) in an exorcism, with the Priest & possessed both dying violently.
Shortly after the deaths, Driver is investigated by the church & cleared of any wrongdoing, but is frustrated as Neeson had ignored his advice. Driver is told to go on sabbatical & decide if he wants to stay in the order, or move on from exorcisms.
At Neeson's funeral, Driver reunites with a fellow former student of Neeson, the defrocked Tom Hardy, now a famous TV presenter for a ghost adventures show. Hardy stays at Driver's home, the old friends reigniting a passionate affair from years gone by, questioning Driver's faith.
After a passionate night together, Driver finds his house seems a bit creepier than before, shadows in rooms & any religious iconography seemingly falling or breaking. Soon, Driver begins to suspect there's something haunting him, something evil & demonic.
Driver begins to suspect that Hardy is possessed, & one night, ties Hardy up, using holy water to see if Hardy is possessed. When Hardy doesn't react, Driver finally let his go, apologising for his mistake, when Hardy grabs a bottle from his bag & chucks it over Driver.
It turns out that Driver was possessed by a small, weak demon from the possession that killed Neeson, & it has been growing in power. The dark shadows were his own, the crucifixes were knocked down by himself, & the demon tricked Driver into using non-holy water.
The final third of the film features Hardy using his knowledge to try & exorcise a faithless Driver, with the Demon using their love for one another against them, jumping between bodies & damaging both. Combination of horror, religion, faith, violence, very Scorsese esque.
Film Premise Challenge: One Director, Two Actors, One Genre - Entry Ten.
This will be a semi-regular series, where someone has to nominate a Director, minimum of two Actors, and a Genre, preferably ones who have not worked together before. I will then come up with a premise / story based on those parameters. Some of these may be more detailed than others, but overall, it’s mainly a bit of fun. If anybody would like to submit an idea, then please do!
Entry Ten, the director nominated is…Denis Villeneuve. The nominated actors, of which there were two, are…Bryan Cranston, and Emily Blunt. The chosen genre is…Thriller.
The film starts with a de-aged Brian Cranston taking his young 10 year old daughter to a theatre show, where his daughter goes to the toilet halfway through. After a while, Cranston goes looking for her, & calls the police in a panic, the police investigate & find evidence that Cranston's daughter had been taken. This leads to Cranston doing press conferences begging for his daughter back, & begins to become obsessed with finding out who took her, blamed by his wife who leaves him afterwards.
Meanwhile, we cut to Emily Blunt locked away in a hidden room. An older gentleman appears & introduces a young girl to Blunt, telling her "she's your new daughter". Blunt is suicidal & depressive at her captor, but becomes protective of this young girl from the predator. We cut between Blunt protecting the girl & formulating a escape plan against her rapist, whilst we see Cranston lose his wife & job. At one point, he desperately intrudes on a crime scene of a young murdered girl, only to find it isn't his daughter, killing his hope.
But after a very tense & terrifying escape attempt by Blunt, she accidentally kills her captor by sending him down a flight of stairs, discovering an unsuspecting & traumatised captor's family. Blunt & the girl escape & are found by police & taken to their headquarters, the police call any living relatives, including to Cranston. When the families arrive, we see the young girl & Blunt escorted down hallways, with Blunt taken into a room, when an old Cranston is waiting. The two breakdown to flashbacks, reuniting after 20+ years of survival.
Film Premise Challenge: One Director, Two Actors, One Genre - Entry Nine.
This will be a semi-regular series, where someone has to nominate a Director, minimum of two Actors, and a Genre, preferably ones who have not worked together before. I will then come up with a premise / story based on those parameters. Some of these may be more detailed than others, but overall, it’s mainly a bit of fun. If anybody would like to submit an idea, then please do!
Entry Nine, the director nominated is…David Fincher. The nominated actors, of which there were two, are…Jake Gyllenhaal, and Sigourney Weaver. The chosen genre is…Thriller.
Gyllenhaal plays a Crime Journalist who writes ongoing serials for newspapers that focus on famous murder cases or unsolved crimes. For 10 years, he's been trying to get his dream interview, a famous actress who was suspected of murdering her entire family, but was acquitted.
The opening scene consists of Gyllenhaal interviewing a survivor of a serial killer with Fincher-classic flashbacks detailing the scene, whilst demonstrating Gyllenhaal's interviewing style, empathy & reputation. Transitions to Gyllenhaal appearing on a Night Show where Gyllenhaal announces that he's going on sabbatical, possible retirement. The next morning, he receives a phone call: the famous actress who was acquitted heard he was retiring, & will now accept his request for a one-on-one interview, at her home.
The morning before the interview, Gyllenhaal is picked up by the police. They tell him that his interview could reopen the case if the actress accidentally reveals any information that wasn't released, or slips up, so they include some extra questions to try slip her up. Afterwards, Gyllenhaal makes his way to the interview, which is based at the actress' reclusive mansion in the middle of a forest, hidden behind tall walls & gates, intimidating. He's let in by a remote entrance, up to the front door and the door is opened by the acquitted actress, the one suspected of having killed her entire family twenty years ago, the one Gyllenhaal has to try & slip up to reopen the case, played by Sigourney fucking Weaver.
The shadows & darkness intimidates Gyllenhaal, the rest of the movie is one-on-one interview between Gyllenhaal & Weaver, mixed with flashbacks to the night of her family's murder, Gyllenhaal trying to open Weaver up, & discover, is she really a killer, or was she right to be acquitted...
I'd have it in a similar vein to the latter half of Doubt, two awesome actors battling, & the truth left open to interpretation. Weaver will know to help her performance, that's it.
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Film Premise Challenge: One Director, Two Actors, One Genre - Entry Eight
This will be a semi-regular series, where someone has to nominate a Director, minimum of two Actors, and a Genre, preferably ones who have not worked together before. I will then come up with a premise / story based on those parameters. Some of these may be more detailed than others, but overall, it’s mainly a bit of fun. If anybody would like to submit an idea, then please do!
Entry Eight, the director nominated is…David Lynch. The nominated actors, of which there were two, are…Peter Falk, and Ally Sheedy. The chosen genre is…Western.
This film will be planned as if it was made in 1988, two years after David Lynch made Blue Velvet and a year before Peter Falk returned to Columbo.
Set in the 1830's, Peter Falk plays a small town Sheriff in his sixties who has a dream one day & leaves the town, walking into the lands formerly occupied by Native American territory prior to the Trail Of The Tears. He disappears, & despite best attempts, is reported missing.
Over a hundred miles away, Ally Sheedy is married to a lawyer & is visited by her father, Falk, in an unnerving dream showing bloody skies in the American West with Falk pointing to a distant mountain. Afraid, Sheedy packs her bags & travels to her old town to find him.
Sheedy surprises the locals by showing herself as a Sharpshooter, trained by her father, & a few of the Sheriff's deputies accompany her into the West, which is depicted as a monstrous, desolate land with burning skies & an eerie silence. Sheedy follows a trail of blood and at night is visited by visions of her father dripping blood upon the Western sand, as he mumbles to her "it dances upon the air", the further she enters the West, the bloodier the sand & his hands in the visions get. The deputies abandon her when she refuses to turn back.
She finds in the middle of the West a tent with a fire burning outside, & she realises her visions weren't a dream, but a repressed memory, to as a child where her father on orders of the US Government forced a tribe from their home during a night raid.
During the night raid, Falk accidentally killed a Native American father, Sheedy having seen him & a violent wind causing blood to cover them both, hence the line "It dances upon the air" from a shaken Falk. Sheedy had repressed the memory & her Dad left the army after.
The night Falk had his dream, he had been approached for a job by a Native American needing money, & realised it was the son of the man he killed. Shaken with remorse, Falk travelled into the desert knowing he couldn't be forgiven & wanting to pay his life for his actions.
The final scene depicts Falk & Sheedy sitting in the tent together, the fire raging against the blackened sky, as they hold hands & silently cry. The sand around them fills with dark red bloody, & Falk whispers "you are not bound by my sins". They hug, as the fire rages louder.
The final shot is of Sheedy walking away, back to camera, as the sun rises like an inferno, the tent behind her highlighted by the shadow of a man, blood running down the sand following Sheedy, as the only sound is that of the crackling ember of the fire.
Just imagine David Lynch directing scenes like this ending for a movie like this. And as unimaginative as it sounds, I feel like the title has to be something like "The Trail of Blood And Tears"?
In fact, I have to admit, this is a film I would love to work on myself.
Film Premise Challenge: One Director, Two Actors, One Genre - Entry Seven.
This will be a semi-regular series, where someone has to nominate a Director, minimum of two Actors, and a Genre, preferably ones who have not worked together before. I will then come up with a premise / story based on those parameters. Some of these may be more detailed than others, but overall, it’s mainly a bit of fun. If anybody would like to submit an idea, then please do!
Entry Seven, the director nominated is...Rian Johnson. The nominated actors, of which there were two, are...David Bowie, and Aubrey Plaza. The chosen genre is...Noir.
I admit, this was originally suggested back in 2019, but I like to imagine it occurred between 2012 and 2016 (when Bowie passed away), after Looper was released in 2012.
Brick-inspired spiritual sequel but in black and white ala scenes from Legion. David Bowie is tracking down a con man who turns out to be Aubrey Plaza, who begins to steal Bowie's identity. This is complicated when a hitman ends up on both their trails, an identity shattering psychotic noir.
I’d imagine Plaza in a style similar to her character in the first season of Legion, I thought Bowie copying Plaza would be both more obvious & blander, whereas Bowie as a noir detective would have been amazing & Plaza could push the boundaries copying him, especially the androgynous style of both.
With Bowie’s unfortunate passing, I’d love to hear suggestions of who people would have in the Bowie role, but not Jared Leto like in Blade Runner 2049, please?
