Entertainment
The Most Popular Director In The World Wants To Transform A New Genre
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Right now, Christopher Nolan is on top of the world. Despite all the concerns that it would flop (mostly from people who think Citizen Vigilante is the best movie ever made), The Odyssey has proven to be a massive success in its first weekend. Unlike Odysseus himself, it looks like the film has some smooth sailing ahead of its voyage to earning (with the blessing of the gods) at least a billion at the box office. Considering how this literary epic is so different than his previous works (which focused on everything from Batman to Oppenheimer), fans all have the same question: what will Nolan do next?
Now, it seems we have an answer…sort of. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he discussed how large portions of The Odyssey essentially function as a horror film and that each scary scene in that film “whets my appetite for more.” It seems the Dark Knight director is interested in making his own horror movie, and he went so far as to praise Curry Barker for turning Obsession into a microbudget success story. As a huge horror fan myself, I’m crossing my fingers Nolan transforms the genre with the exact opposite: a macrobudget film that stretches the boundaries of cost as much as it stretches the boundaries of imagination.
Christopher Nolan’s Newest Obsession
Have you ever wondered why there are so many new horror movies each year? It comes down to basic math. It doesn’t take much money to make a movie where young, virtually unknown actors die in gruesome ways, making these films a safe gamble for the studios. Their goal is the kind of success that happened with Obsession, a movie made for $750,000 that has earned over $443 million at the box office. When you have a chance to get that kind of insane return, you better believe studio execs are happy to roll the dice on horror.
That particular cinematic success story seriously impressed Christopher Nolan. In his interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Nolan indicated a desire to direct his own horror movie, but he doesn’t want to rush into anything. “I’ve always believed that horror as a genre has to be approached very carefully from a conceptual point of view. In other words, you have to have an amazing idea,” he said. “When you go see a film like Obsession, that’s an amazing idea. That movie works like a motherf*cker. It’s not about the technical side. It’s not about what technical itches I would have to scratch. It’s about story. So I’m always looking.”
Beer Taste On A Champagne Budget
That means all you horror fiends can mark down Nolan as being tentatively interested in crafting his own spooky movie. His praise of Curry Barker is both sweet and charming; it demonstrates that Nolan (who is reportedly a huge fan of lowbrow comedies like Talladega Nights) is no snob, and he’s impressed with what the younger director could do on such a shoestring budget. While I’m confident Nolan could deliver a similarly thrilling film on a similarly tiny budget, I’d like to see him go in another direction. That is, I’d like to see him make a horror movie with an Odyssey-sized budget!
Traditionally, horror movies have been made on the cheap for the reasons I outlined earlier. It’s one thing for a studio to gamble on a microbudget film, and it’s another for them to gamble on a blockbuster. Of course, this wouldn’t be just any blockbuster scary movie; it would be one from Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan, whose critical and commercial success rate is undefeated. As both a fan of Nolan and the spooky genre, I can’t help but wonder how cool it would be if he got to film a lavish horror movie in IMAX, replete with special effects and the most famous working actors, all of whom want to star in one of his pictures.
We Deserve Better Big Budget Horror
Beyond my fanboyism, the main reason I want to see Nolan tackle a horror movie is that big-budget spooky films are rare, and the ones we get are usually pretty bad. Like, that awful Van Helsing movie cost $160 million to make, and the deeply disappointing World War Z cost $190 million. Most genre fans can acknowledge those movies are forgettable trash. But what if Nolan, the most ambitious modern director, used that kind of money to bring the scariest story he can think of to life? It could do more than scratch his proverbial itch; it might, in fact, transform the horror genre into something else entirely.
Until he makes any official announcements, the idea of Christopher Nolan directing a horror movie remains a beautiful (or, at least, beautifully bloody) dream. But it’s a dream worth having. Like, this guy just turned a 3,000-year-old poem that 99 percent of the world hasn’t read into a blockbuster nobody can stop talking about. He’s already transformed the tired superhero genre and the bland biopic genre. Why not go for the hat trick and transform scary movies, too? At the very least, Nolan would give spooky fans something to argue about other than their favorite subject: whether “elevated horror” is the best thing ever or the stupidest marketing term ever created.
Entertainment
Suspense Mystery Thriller Based On Hit Novel Will Leave You Breathless
By Nikola Pajtic
| Published
Based on the bestselling novel by Delia Owens, 2022’s Where the Crawdads Sing gave me the same emotional sensations as the book. Directed by Olivia Newman, the film is a visual feast and a remarkable coming-of-age story embroiled in a murder mystery. It follows Kya, a young woman, as she grows up alone in the unforgiving North Carolina marsh.
Where The Crawdads Sings
While in most books, childhoods are as idyllic as they can get, that is not the case here. Where the Crawdads Sing portrays Kya’s childhood as harsh, to say the least. An abusive alcoholic father breaks the family, and Kya is left to take care of herself alone at just seven years old.
Daisy Edgar Jones, of War of the Worlds fame, beautifully portrays a girl who tries to fend for herself but becomes ostracized by the townsfolk of the small North Carolina town Barkley Cove. She is given the nickname ‘Marsh Girl’. Through the years, she has survived by selling mussels at a store owned by people who become Kya’s friends.
A Coming-Of-Age Murder Mystery
Where the Crawdads Sing sees Kya through several stages of her life, jumping from one timeline to another. On this coming-of-age adventure, Kya finds love and gets her heart torn apart by lies and betrayal. Growing up, she becomes close to a kind neighbor, Tate Walker, played by Taylor John Smith, who teaches her to read and write, and their romance blossoms within the limits of the marsh.
Unfortunately, their happiness is short-lived as Tate leaves for college and breaks the promise of returning to her. Fast forward, and Kya has found love again. This time, she found solace with Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson). Dickinson brings a believable character from the book to the screen with all its charm and darkness underneath. She soon discovers his dark side, which sets in motion a string of events that turn a coming-of-age story into a murder mystery thriller, with Kya sent to jail.
Closely Follows The Novel
As a film, Where the Crawdads Sing is afraid to stand on its own and follows the book to the tiniest details, with some timeline changes that don’t even affect the story. Olivia Newman played it safe here by following the book, which was good to see.
I didn’t expect new twists and turns, as the film doesn’t need them. It required great acting and beautiful scenery. The score, the scenes, and the main story of Where the Crawdads Sing won’t be dull to you for a single moment, despite the film being over two hours long. When the credits rolled, I wondered how fast the time flew by.
Cheering For Kya
I was glued to the screen from the start until the end cheering for Kya, feeling what she felt throughout this magnificent journey. Her independence and innocence hooked me and kept me on her side, a stark contrast to how the people treated her. Yet, I knew there was something more about her than meets the eye, keeping the suspense element alive throughout the entire film.
Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine, was pivotal in bringing Delia Owens’ bestselling novel Where the Crawdads Sing to the big screen.
Filmed in Louisiana in early 2021, the movie adaptation arrived in theaters in July 2022. Critical reception was mixed as the film holds just 34 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with some praising the film’s stunning visuals and lead performance by Daisy Edgar-Jones, while others found the story uneven. Despite this, the film became a box office success, grossing over $144 million worldwide against a $24 million budget, and currently boasts a 96 percent approval rating across over 5,000 reviews on the Popcornmeter.
Taylor Swift Contributed An Original Song
The film score also helped set the mood, with Taylor Swift’s original song “Carolina” stealing the show. Swift wanted to create something for the film, having read the book a while back and still taking hold of her. Taylor said she wrote the song before the filming even started, and this effort earned her Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song.
A few plotholes might scare you off, but I recommend you give When the Crawdads Sing a chance. First, because the marsh breathes and exists independently as a character. Then, because of the Oscar-worthy acting of Daisy and the twist that will leave you breathless. This suspense mystery is a must-watch for those who read the book and newcomers alike.
As of this writing, Where the Crawdads Sing is streaming on Hulu.
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING SCORE
Entertainment
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Entertainment
Netflix Sci-Fi Dark Comedy Series Is The Perfect One-Day Binge
By Charlene Badasie
| Published
The 2018 dark comedy-drama Maniac is streaming on Netflix. Created by Patrick Somerville and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, the 10-episode series is a reimagining of the Norwegian series of the same name. It stars Jonah Hill and Emma Stone in the lead roles, supported by a stellar ensemble cast including Justin Theroux, Sally Field, Sonoya Mizuno, Gabriel Byrne, and Jemima Kirke.
Maniac Stars Jonah Hill and Emma Stone
Maniac tells the story of two strangers, Owen Milgrim (Jonah Hill) and Annie Landsberg (Emma Stone), who sign up for a mysterious pharmaceutical trial. Owen is a man struggling with schizophrenia, while Annie is dealing with a traumatic past and a strained relationship with her family. Both are looking for an escape from their troubled lives.
The pharmaceutical trial they join promises to solve all their problems with no complications or side effects. Led by Dr. James K. Mantleray (Justin Theroux), it involves a series of mind-bending, immersive experiences induced by experimental drugs. As Owen and Annie undergo treatment, they bond within a series of interconnected and surreal alternate realities.
A Cure For What Ails You
Maniac begins in New York City, where Owen Milgrim hides his schizophrenia symptoms. After losing his job, Owen joins a trial at Neberdine, a pharmaceutical company, for a new drug that promises to cure all disorders. There, he meets Annie Landsberg, who helps him avoid trouble by pretending to know him. Annie, dealing with her own issues, gets into the drug trial by stealing a badge.
After taking the “A” pill, Annie relives her sister Ellie’s death. Annie, Owen, and another test subject are questioned after the “A” pill test, and Owen reveals his past trauma. When the GRTA supercomputer malfunctions, it links Annie and Owen during the “B” pill test. The malfunction leads to complications in the trial, and Dr. Greta Mantleray (Sally Field) is brought in to fix it.
Well-Received By Critics And Audiences Alike
Maniac received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances of Hill and Stone, as well as the ambitious and imaginative storytelling. The series was lauded for its unique visual style, thought-provoking themes, and eclectic approach. The aesthetic draws on influences from the 1980s and incorporates retro-futuristic elements.
The series premiered at the Southbank Centre in London, England, in September 2018, followed by its American debut two days later at Center 415 in Manhattan, New York. Maniac, described as “wild, audacious, addictive” and a “brilliant piece of world-building,” currently holds an 84 percent critics score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes alongside an equally impressive 84 percent audience rating.
A Little Too Cold And Calculating
While the overall consensus was largely positive, Maniac was not without its detractors. Some reviewers felt that the show was too calculated and lacked the thrill of the unexpected despite its mind-bending premise. One critic noted that while incredibly fun to watch, the series becomes emptier the more one thinks about it.
Sill, Maniac serves as a bold and unconventional exploration of the human psyche, marked by standout performances and a distinctive visual flair. The Netflix series is a definite must-watch for fans of the black psychological comedy-drama genre.
Panthers extend naming-rights deal, reveal reimagined stadium
Suspense Mystery Thriller Based On Hit Novel Will Leave You Breathless
