Tuesday, August 27, 2024
I Origins
- Commentary: This is not a typical "catch" movie (see descriptions of other of her movies below) of Brit Marling's. It hit me as a "trick" movie and left me a bit uncomfortable with the story. The elements were fine, but the design into which they were put was a little too mushy for me. Otherwise the production is top notch, as is Marling's usual. Her single job in this production was as an actor. The writer is one she's worked with before, but her own thoughtful magic was missing. Maybe that's what was wrong with this movie for me. It certainly scored well with other "members of the audience".
This movie generated three articles at RogerEbert.com. The first, linked in the title to this post, a "general review", is Brian Tallerico's. The second, also by Brian Tallerico, is an interview with Mike Cahill and Michael Pitt "dissecting" (word lifted from the title) the movie. The third, by Alan Zilberman, is a curious and very interesting meditation on the eye, Lenses and Reflections: "I Origins" and the history of the eye closeup, in film.
The eye is the subject of the movie. Why shouldn't it be the subject of an essay about the eye in film?
Update 6/2/2022: This post was originally published on 8/14/16 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Michael Pitt Ian Gray Brit Marling Karen Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey Sofi Elizondo Steven Yeun Kenny
Archie Panjabi Priya Varma Cara Seymour Dr. Jane Simmons Venida Evans Margaret Dairy William Mapother Darryl Mackenzie
The cast also includes Kashish Kumari as Salomina.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2014
Directed by Mike Cahill.
Labels: brit-marling, drama5, fantasy2, mystery1, romance1, science-fiction1
Thursday, June 02, 2022
The East
- Commentary: Okay, so I am so pleased with certain work of the dramatist (which is to say writer/producer/director/actor/et al) Brit Marling that I've established a label category for the movies of hers I own, including this one. This story is unique, involving and, by the way, watch it through the credits. The movie polishes itself off through those. If you miss the credits, you'll miss the point of the movie. I've been pushing this woman's work on one of my nieces, who is involved in drama, so far as an actor, and I own four of Marling's DVDs. I try to follow her work in other efforts, such as The Keeping Room and Arbitrage, both of which were satisfying to watch. I am really looking forward to watching her (with others with whom she's worked) scheduled Netflix series, The OA, which hasn't yet been released. Click her label to the left to see everything of hers I own, watch those, then look up the rest of her work. You won't be disappointed.
Update 6/2/2022: This post was originally published on 8/14/16 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Brit Marling Sarah Moss/Jane Owen Alexander Skarsgård Benji Ellen/Elliot Page Izzy Toby Kebbell Doc/Thomas Ayres Shiloh Fernandez Luca Julia Ormond Paige Williams Patricia Clarkson Sharon Danielle Macdonald Tess
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2013
Directed by Zal Batmanglij.
Labels: adventure1, brit-marling, drama5, political2
Another Earth
- Commentary: This is the movie that introduced me to the marvel of Brit Marling and started me on the journey of following her work. The story is strange and super-real, which I love. The acting is subtle and involving. The production quality is amazing. This movie made me a Brit Marling fan and I will be ever grateful.
Update 6/2/2022: This post was originally published on 8/14/16 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Brit Marling Rhoda Williams William Mapother John Burroughs Jordan Baker Kim Williams Robin Lord Taylor Jeff Williams Flint Beverage Robert Williams Kumar Pallana Purdeep Diane Ciesla Dr. Joan Tallis Dr. Joan Tallis Keith Harding
This film also includes a narrator, Richard D. Berendzen, an astronomer and physicist.
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up for this movie.
Release Date: 2011
Directed by Mike Cahill.
Labels: aliens, brit-marling, drama5, fantasy2, science-fiction1
Sound of My Voice
- Commentary: This is the first Brit Marling movie I sought out after having fallen for Another Earth. As before, as is true of all her work, the story is unusual and a touch unbelievable, so much so that even characters in the movie don't believe it, which leads to a "catch" at the end, a feature of many of Marling's productions. It's brooding, which also seems to be a Marling trademark, but not heavily so. After I watched this movie it occurred to me that Marling and her regular work colleagues seem to be fooling with the science-fiction/fantasy formula, adding a little here, subtracting a little there, playing around to see what's possible.
Update 6/2/2022: This post was originally published on 8/14/16 but disappeared from public view. I am now reinstating it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Christopher Denham Peter Aiken Jack Griffo Young Peter Nicole Vicius Lorna Michaelson Brit Marling Maggie Davenia McFadden Carol Briggs Kandice Stroh Joanne Richard Wharton Klaus Christy Myers Mel Alvin Lam Lam Constance Wu Christine James Urbaniak Mr. Pritchett Avery Pohl Abigail Pritchett
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2011
Directed by Zal Batmanglij.
Labels: brit-marling, drama5, fantasy2, journalism, mystery1, science-fiction1
