Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006) - Tykwer's fabulous 18th century serial killer sensory bombardment

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+ Breakthrough Actor of the Year: Ben Whishaw + Best Crime Drama of the Year + Best Serial Killer Movie of the Year

 

An unnaturally red-haired, beautiful fair woman lies outstretched in a pose that suggests that she may be deceased on this sensual poster for Tom Tykwer's Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

An orphan boy with an extraordinary sense of smell later in life begins the criminal hobby of enfleuraging women, essentially meaning that he murders them in order to make perfumes out of them.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is written by Andrew Birkin (King David (1985)), co-writer/producer Bernd Eichinger (Die Eltern (1974, TV movie)) and great German filmmaker, co-writer/director/co-composer Tom Tykwer (Friday Afternoon (1986)), adapting Patrick Süskind's (Das Kontrabass (1981)) same-titled 1985 novel.

A highly unusual story, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is an epic crime drama narrated wonderfully by John Hurt (Jackie (2016)), with the attractive Ben Whishaw (Surge (2020)) portraying the murderer Jean Baptiste. There are plenty more of Christian connotations in the film, especially towards the end of it, and ending which is highly ambiguous; at the same time seemingly pleading the case for love - and limitless, decadent aestheticism. 

Dustin Hoffman (Boychoir (2014)), Alan Rickman (The Butler (2013)), the music (by Tykwer, Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek (Deadwood: The Movie (2019, TV movie), both)) and the images (cinematography by Frank Griebe (Sense8 (2015, TV-series))) are also large enjoyments in this stunning film. 

Related posts:

 

Tom Tykwer: 2006 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

1998 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Run Lola Run/Lola Rennt (1998) - Tykwer's zeitgeist amuck run 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 63.7 mil. $

Box office: 135 mil. $

= Flop (returned 2.11 times its cost)

[Perfume: The Story of a Murderer premiered 7 September (Munich, Germany) and runs 147 minutes. Eichinger had attempted to buy the film rights from Süskind since his bestseller's publication, but he had resisted for many years, explaining that only Stanley Kubrick and Milos Forman were appropriate to film it. Eventually Eichinger got the rights, reportedly for a gigantic 10 mil. € paycheck. 19 companies and support bodies cooperated in the financing and making of the film. CEO of VIP Medienfonds Andreas Schmid was later found guilty of multiple counts of tax evasion connected to the financing of the film and given a 6 year prison sentence. The huge budget made the film one of the costliest German films ever made. Shooting took place from July - October 2005 in France and Spain. 3.5 tons of fish and meat were reportedly used in the fish market scene. The film opened #48 to a 37k $ first weekend in 3 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #24 and in 280 theaters, grossing 2.2 mil. $ (1.6 % of the total gross). The film's biggest markets were Germany with 53.1 mil. $ (39.3 %), where it was #1 for 3 weeks, selling more than 5 mil. tickets; Spain with 9.9 mil. $ (7.3 %) and Russia with 9.2 mil. $ (6.8 %). The film won 2/5 European Film award nominations, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, translating to a notch over this one. The film made more than 7.5 mil. $ on the North-American home video market and much more in Germany. Tykwer returned with The International (2009). Whishaw returned in I'm Not There (2007). Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is rotten at 59 % with a 6.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer?

The Lobster (2015) - Lantimos' absurd, hilarious, out of this world relationship fantasy

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+ 2nd Best Movie of the Year
+ Best Animal Movie of the Year

Colin Farrell looks not exactly hopeful embracing someone who has been erased on this mysterious poster for Yorgos Lanthimos' The Lobster

A single man checks into a hotel for singles. Here he is to find a partner within 45 days, - or suffer transformation into an animal.

The Lobster is the 5th film from Greek master filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos (My Best Friend/O kalyteros mou filos (2001)), co-written with Efthymis Filippou (Alps/Alpeis (2011)). The grotesque premise above delivers material for a divine absurd-comedy, making The Lobster likely the year's funniest film.
But behind the original and eccentric universe also clearly lie many dark and rather cynical observations about humans, our behavior, marriage, single life, monogamy and death. This altogether makes The Lobster a thoroughly unique and fantastic experience, which bears the distinct Lanthimos stamp of poignant, alienated absurdity.
The film has less sex and violence than his biggest success preceding it, the provocative Dogtooth/Kynodontas (2009), which broadens its appeal. So do the cast of international stars, obviously:
Colin Farrell (Daredevil (2003)) is great in arguably the best role of his career yet; Rachel Weisz (The Brothers Bloom (2008)) is also outstanding, and there are several other very good performances; among them are Ben Whishaw (A Hologram for the King (2016)), John C. Reilly (Carnage (2011)) and Olivia Colman (Peep Show (2003-15)).
SPOILER The ending could be described as a bow out, but in this story and Lanthimos' case, I find it appropriate. - It is a sure conversation starter in a film that should be enjoyed in the company of others. The Lobster is a splendid film and a brilliant director's work.

Related posts:

Yorgos Lanthimos: The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) - Lanthimos' psycho-thriller turns out a twisted Greek tragedy

Top 10: Best fantasy movies reviewed by Film Excess to date

2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]

2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
 
Dogtooth/Κυνόδοντας (Kynodontas) (2009) - Lanthimos establishes himself internationally with an unsettling family portrait

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 4 mil. €, approximately 4.5 mil. $
Box office: 18 mil. $
= Big hit (returned 4 times the cost)
[The Lobster premiered 15 May (Cannes Film Festival, France, in competition) and runs 118 minutes. Financing came together from 21 companies and governmental support bodies. Shooting took place in Ireland, including Dublin, from March - May 2014. The film opened #23 to a 190k $ first weekend in 4 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #11 and in 560 theaters (different weeks) and grossed 9.1 mil. $ (50.6 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 2.3 mil. $ (12.8 %) and France with 0.9 mil. $ (5 %). The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, lost to Kenneth Lonergan for Manchester by the Sea. It was also nominated for a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, won 3 prizes in Cannes, including the jury prize, 2/6 European Film award nominations and many other honors. Lanthimos returned with The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), again starring Farrell. Farrell returned first in True Detective (2015, TV-series) and theatrically in Solace (2015); Weisz in Youth (2015). The Lobster is certified fresh at 87 % with a 7.6/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Lobster?

Spectre (2015) - Mendes' 2nd Bond is mostly good

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Daniel Craig looks snug and ready for action on the poster for Sam Mendes' Spectre

Spectre is the 24th Bond film. It is the second by British master filmmaker Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road (2008)), his 7th film overall. It is written by Neal Purvis (Johnny English (2003)), John Logan (Skyfall (2012)), Jez Butterworth (Black Mass (2015)) and Robert Wade (Die Another Day (2002)), based on Ian Fleming's (Diamonds Are Forever (1956)) characters.

While M and his spy service is under pressure in London from a new hotshot, who thinks traditional intelligence is antiquated, Bond chases leads to find and apprehend the leader of the evil SPECTRE organization.

Spectre opens with a high-octane chase that ends in a spectacular helicopter finale at the Day of the Dead in Mexico City, one of the film's highlights.
Besides the exciting action scenes that are a key part of the films, and which don't disappoint here, Spectre is a rich serving of lots of elements of story, characters and style. Thomas Newman's (Bridge of Spies (2015)) immersive score also works its charms professionally. Spectre is a highly entertaining cocktail, which brings the new Bond back to some of the roots of the story universe, links the former three films, and throws out some of the solemnity and grey seriousness of the same three previous films. It slices the Bond babe ingredient from the 007 recipe in favor of connecting Daniel Craig's (Munich (2005)) Bond with Léa Seydoux (Blue Is the Warmest Color/La Vie D'Adèle (2013)).

Craig has grown on me, and I think he has grown into a good Bond for me by now, although I still don't appreciate his diva-ish snide comments about his character and the Bond universe (which, besides being nearly universally beloved, is also making Craig a very wealthy man.) But boy can Craig wear the hell out of a tailored suit and some awesome shades!
Magnificent Monica Bellucci (Malèna (2000)) is in the film for precious few moments, regrettably. Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)) is another newcomer that seems an obvious fit as a brutish henchman. He is great here and very exciting against Craig, who also has a fine fight scene with him on a train through North Africa, besides a fun car chase in Rome. Irish Andrew Scott (Pride (2014)) is an appropriately disgusting fellow as the surveillance-obsessed new London power-person; part of this side of the plot seems to have been directly inspired by the News of the World scandal and Britain's general surveillance obsession.
Naomie Harris (Ninja Assassin (2009)) is delightful as Miss Moneypenny; Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)) is good if barely noticeable as M; Jesper Christensen (The Bench/Bænken (2000)) returns for a frightening, strong scene as Mr. White; and Ben Whishaw (The Danish Girl (2015)) still brings personality and life to the character of Q. - Although I am disappointed that the Bond writers, who seem to here have created the first major character who is both gay and a good guy, (I can count at least 3 gay villains from past Bond movies in my memory right now), but who they don't allow a normal home life with a boyfriend or husband. Instead Whishaw's Q lives with his cats ... which sucks!
SPOILER Christoph Waltz (Carnage (2011)) brings the old heavy of Blofeld to life here again, and we are given new details about Bond and Blofeld's intricate backstory, which I had never heard before. Waltz makes sure not to overplay, but perhaps should have gone more for the jugular after all. Still it is exciting to have Blofeld back.
Spectre runs long, at 148 minutes, - a Bond movie shouldn't ever be longer than 130 minutes is my best calibration, and the pomposity of the length hurts the film.
SPOILER Waltz' Blofeld seems destined to be the cornerstone of the next Bond as well, as he probably breaks out of jail, which I am already looking forward to.

Related posts:

Sam Mendes:  Skyfall (2012) - Overly celebrated third pout from Daniel Craig as Bond in slick production
Away We Go (2009) or, Where Do We Start This Family?
American Beauty (1999) or, Escape by Death

Most of the cast with director Sam Mendes at the London premiere for Spectre

Watch the exciting trailer for the film here

Cost: 245-300 mil. $
Box office: 108.4 mil. $ and counting
= Too early to say
[Spectre is one spectacularly expensive film, ranking among the priciest of all to date: It will have to become a major, global hit to make back its budget and possibly emerge with profits. It was filmed in England, Rome, Austria, Mexico City and in Morocco. Spectre broke UK's opening day and opening week records, and it looks like it will get a warm reception in North America as well. Spectre is fresh at 62 % with a 6.4 critical average on Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Spectre?

Skyfall (2012) - Mendes elevates a slickly produced modern Bond to thrilling heights

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+ Best Action Movie of the Year
+ Best Blockbuster of the Year

An icy-looking Daniel Craig on the poster for Sam Mendes' Skyfall

It's going bad for Great Britain's MI6, - really bad: Their #1 agent, James Bond, has been shot; their building in London is terror-bombed; and information on their agents has been leaked on the Internet. It all points back to an embittered ex-agent with an unhealthy mother-fixation on M.

Skyfall is rightly celebrated, because in the Bond plethora, it certainly stands out and in a good way: It is the most modern and unconventional film in the franchise ever. Its production design, by Dennis Gassner (Road to Perdition (2002)), is fantastic, grand in a different way than the classic Ken Adam designs, and so is the inspired, Oscar-nominated photography by Roger Deakins (Fargo (1996)), which includes an intense fight scene in Shanghai in almost total dark. The story feels more real than Bond stories usually do, - with the franchise elements, such as Q and the deformity of the villain, working as exciting, familiar pixie-dust at times.
Skyfall, a clear improvement after Marc Forster's dull Quantum of Solace (2008) has an intense, exciting opening action section in Istanbul, a resplendent title sequence to Adele's great, Oscar-winning title theme, written by her and Paul Epworth, truly one of the great Bond themes. 
The most exciting thing about the film is that it's more of an actors film than so many previous Bond movies: For the first time, Judi Dench's (Notes on a Scandal (2006)) character M really gets something to do, other than act as a wry commentator house-mouse to Bond. Dench is spectacular as the tough old bird, sprinkling  lots of dry, British humor on the proceedings, and Javier Bardem (Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008)) is equally fantastic as one of the best villains in the Bond universe in a very long time, Silva. Daniel Craig (Munich (2005)) himself gets into the film looking like an alcoholic, which is what Bond had become (or Craig?), but as it turns out (surprise), - he still has it.
The unusual solemnity and minimalism of the visual concepts culminate in the ending of the film, which takes place in a gloomy countryside Scotland and is a standout in all ways in the Bond world. Not only is the setting almost completely uninhabited (save for Albert Finney (Simpatico (1999)) who resides there and adds his unique brand of stout backbone to the section), it has nothing to do with the villain, is not sexy or technological in any way, and doesn't even have much in the way of arms. The kick-ass finale works terrifically as the bold, tough awakening upon the financial crisis, which Skyfall cleverly rides the tail of. Among the developments in the film of perhaps a bit lesser interest is the significant heating of Bond's relation to Moneypenny, (suggesting sex between them!), now in the guise of sexy Naomie Harris (Spectre (2015)), and a scene between Silva, another slimy homosexual in the franchise's villain gallery, which already features quite a few of those, and Bond, in which the latter suggests that he has had gay experiences himself.
The film is written by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade (Die Another Day (2002), both) and directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty (1999)), who enters the director's chair in the world's #1 franchise with impressive assertiveness.

Related posts:

The Bond franchise: A View to a Kill (1985) or, Once a Gentleman, Always a Gentleman!
Sam Mendes: Top 10: Best franchise movies

2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
Away We Go (2009) or, Where Do We Start This Family?
American Beauty (1999) or, Escape by Death

Javier Bardem in Sam Mendes' Skyfall

Watch the trailer here

Budget: Est. 200 mil. $
Box office: 1,108.6 mil. $
= Huge hit, first Bond to cross 1 billion $, 7th highest grossing movie of all time, highest grossing film in the UK ever

What do you think of Skyfall?