The Bikeriders (2023)

"They felt undesirable. They felt unwanted. And that's why they ended up together." 

(Jeff Nichols)

In cinemas now The Bikeriders, Jeff Nichols' sixth film. Was not a big fan, but saw them all, from Shotgun Stories in Bucharest BIFF to Mud even in Cannes in Bunuel, ,Take Shelter, Midnight Special to Loving (which somehow left me unloved)...

This was supposed to be released last summer but the studios had no faith in it. Went to Mill Valley Fest, won directing, sat a bit, now it's out. See it on the big screen, it's widescreen, (2.39.1) & the sound  is awesome (as is the soundtrack)!

Based on a photo-book that looks great, by Danny Lyon who documented the life and runs of a bike gang (the Chicago Outlaws MC, name changed in the film to "The Vandals"), first published in 1968 and republished tons ever since. 

It's like  Goodfellas on bikes. No Pesci character tho. Tom Hardy was great, found an inner space for the part. Jodie Comer's accent drove me nuts, Austin Butler (elvis) too young and rough for the part. Supporting wagon- but they could've handled more. Michael Shannon-Nichols doppleganger, in his every film, Damon Herriman-one of my faved aussies (Mr. Inbetween, Quarry, Justified, OUATIH, Mindhunter), Boyd Holbrook, Norman Reedus. And mind the "Benny Blanco from the Bronx" syndrome 

Anyway, for Nichols kudos for the atmosphere and reconstruction of that era, his best and most ambitious flick yet.

3 1/2 out of 5, 7 out of 10 !

With this heard about a new band (new for me that is), LUCERO, Nichols' brother, Ben Nichols' band and on the closing titles, his/their song from 20025, Bikeriders (from his band's album Nobody's Darlings) . Pretty punk, reminded me of Wayne Kramer, Dropkick Murphy's and Headstones.

Ben was the one who told his brother about the book and pushed him into doing this film. BTW, Jeff dropped out of the A Quiet Place prequel in order to get this done. Great idea ;)

*****

The soundtrack of Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders:

“Lonely Room” by Mickey Murray

“I Wanna Holler But the Town’s Too Small” by Gary U.S. Bonds

“Declaration of Independence” by Count Five

“Talkin Bout You” by The Animals

“Come and Get It” by Leroy Tooks

“Out in the Streets” written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, Performed by Adrienne Pedrotti, Michelle M. Kahan & Leila Louise Henley

“Out in the Streets” by The Shangri-Las

“My Babe” by Dale Hawkins”

“Get Up and Get Out” by Clint Stacey

“Chino” from “The Wild One” by Leith Stevens

“Raunchy” by Bill Justis

“That’s All I Need” by Magic Sam

“Mama Talk To Your Daughter” by Magic Sam

“Road Runner” by Bo Diddley

“Mannish Boy (Electric Mud Version)” by Muddy Waters

“I Feel Free” by Cream

“New Orleans” by Garry U.S. Bonds

“Hush Little Baby” by Deon Jackson

“Baby Please Don’t Go” by Them feat. Van Morrison

“Master of War” by The Staple Singers

“Bet You’re Surprized” by Aaron Neville

“I’m Going Home” by The Sonics

“I’ll Never Learn” by The Shangri-Las

“I Can See” by Liberty Bell

“Oh Love” by Brother T. and Family

“I Don’t Know Who to Blame” by Pugsley Munion

“Down On the Street” by The Stooges

“Treat Him Right” by Mickey Murray

“I Don’t Worry Myself” by Johnny Adams

“Vandalize” by Ben Nichols

“Come Softly To Me” by the Fleetwoods

“Bikeriders” by Lucero

RIP Donald Sutherland

Last Wednsday I was in TIFF at the Dolce far niente dinner ;) when a message shattered me.

I shared Keifer's post on FB, about the death of his father, Donald Sutherland, 

saying ONE OF THE LAST OF THE ONLY ONES (quoting the Danny & Dusty song)

The greatest Canadian actor of all times for sure, Sutherland was 88 now, would've been 89 in less than a month (born July 17, 1935).  Still active as an actor, almost 200 films to his name, and unbelievably he didn't win an Oscar ever. Shameful, but they gave him a Honorary Award in 2018, just like with Peter Fonda and other Greats. I met him briefly at a Dec. 1st Buftea studios Media Pro Party when he shot there An American Haunting in 2005,  he was also in Romania in Cold Mountain, the nightmare of waiters in Poiana Brasov because of his contractual clause of non-smoking around him ;)

one of The Dirty Dozen 

one of the M.A.S.H. (Hawkeye)

John Klute in Klute

1900  (absolutely brilliant part !!!)

Fellini's Casanova -masterpiece and a career best

Don't Look Now 

Homer in The Day of the Locust

Liam Devlin in The Eagle Has Landed

The Eye of the Needle

Ordinary People

my soft spot for Kelly's Heroes

The Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1979 

X in JFK

a Soviet colonel in Citizen X 

The  Puppets Masters (1994, saw and did promo when on HBO, a sort of Body Snatchers by Robert A. Heinlein)

His last great part was in Mr. Harrigan's Phone (2022), based on a Stephen King's story, on Netflix. Before that I loved him  in 2019's The Burnt Orange Heresy as the reclusive painter Jerome Debney.

Before that Ad Astra as the Kurtz in space figure. He was John Paul Getty in Danny Boyle's Trust miniseries, a much superior fare on the kidnapping of the Man's nephew than Ridley Scott's film.  But more popularity came as President Snow in the Hunger Games series.

LaRoy, Texas (2023)

"It's important to finish things once we start them."

(Dylan Baker as Harry)

LaRoy, Texas is a smart rehash of noir fare (neo-noir), that works as a re-modelling of Coen bros' Blood Simple and also The Man Who Wasn't There.

Similar to recent The Last Stop to Yuma Country, but smarter, bigger, better-plotted. 

It's also a debut feature, from writer-director Shane Atkinson, who won 3 awards at the Deauville Film Festival last year, Special Prize, Jury and Audience Prizes.

TBC 

RIP Anouk Aimée

Anouk Aimée  is no more. She was 92. From Anne Gauthier in Claude Lelouch historical Nouvelle Vague film Un Homme et une Femme (where she was nominated for an Oscar, though it was a Foreign film and it was the year 1966 !), through Lola (1961, which was a subsubject in the latest Nani Moretti film), Model Shop (1969, another Jacques Demy film, in which she was Lola and that is an inspiration for Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and one of the women of Marcello in Fellini's masterpiece metafilm 8 1/2 (1963) , also a bit part in La Dolce Vita (1960). Another great part was in Bertolucci's 1981's La Tragedia di un uomo ridiculo, next to Ugo Toganzzi. Best actress at Cannes in 1980 for Marco Bellochio's Salto nel Vuoto (A Leap in the Dark)..

She was the wife of Albert Finney from 1970 to 1978. 

Anouk partnered up with Trintignant for also the sequel of Lelouch's film, Un Homme et une femme: vingt ans  déjà (1986), but also as Anne Gauthier in her last film, toujours avec Trintignant et Lelouch in 2019 in Les Plus Belles annees d'une vie. 

French arts & culture are in mourning after Francoise Hardy and Anouk Aimée.

Variety obit