Greetings again from the darkness. Being courageous and heroic doesn’t mean one must wear a cape and possess super powers. In fact, some of the most courageous folks use their words (spoken and written), their feet (for marching into battle), and as we learn here, even their eyes. Lee Miller is a famous photojournalist who used her words to get to the front lines of WWII, her feet to march with soldiers, and her eyes to decide where to focus her camera. The film is based on the biography, “The Lives of Lee Miller”, by her son Antony Penrose. It’s directed by renowned choreographer Ellen Kuras (her feature film directorial debut) and co-written by Liz Hannah, Marion Hume, John Collee, and Lem Dobbs.
Oscar winner Kate Winslet stars as Lee Miller, and her fierce and committed performance validates what a passion project this was for her, and just how hard she worked to bring the project to fruition. Lee Miller was a well-known fashion model, and we see her hanging out with her band of artistic friends in pre-war France. It’s here where she first meets Roland Penrose (Alexander Skarsgard), and their initial intellectual bantering leads right to the bedroom. This after we hear Ms. Miller proclaim that she had ever only been good at drinking, having sex, and taking pictures. She speaks this line in 1977 while being interviewed (by Josh O’Connor, CHALLENGERS, 2024) about her life. It’s this interview that provides some structure to the film, while confirming that drinking and smoking were hobbies until the end.
It’s really Lee’s photographs that guide us through each phase. She and Roland relocate to London during the war, and soon enough she’s taking pictures under the guidance of British Vogue editor Audrey Withers (Andrea Riseborough). Continually having to stand up for herself after being rebuked for being a woman doing a man’s job, Lee partners with (and ultimately befriends) Life magazine photographer David E Scherman (a surprisingly effective Andy Samberg). Their work documenting history becomes historic in itself. After hearing about the “missing”, they were the first journalists to document Dachau concentration camp and the tragic prisoner trains.
Although British Vogue refused to publish the photographs as being too “disturbing”, the U.S. magazine did publish, creating awareness of the atrocities. The segment that leads to the infamous photo of Lee bathing in Hitler’s tubs is handled expertly. If there is a flaw in the film, it’s that we never really get to know Lee’s friends, so as she re-connects with Solange (Oscar winner Marion Cotillard), their meeting doesn’t hit as hard as it should. Still, the cinematography from Pawel Edelman and the accomplished performance by Kate Winslet, do justice to the stunning (actual) photographs shown. There is a dramatized twist near the film’s end that pays homage to Lee and her story. An early comment about Hitler is all too relevant today, and the battle scenes and photographs reinforce what courage Lee Miller exhibited.
Opens in theaters on September 27, 2024
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. With any discussion or article about relationships these days, there is inevitably a mention of ‘red flags’ … warning signs in a potential partner that shouldn’t be ignored. Thanks to writer-director Fernando Trueba (BELLE EPOQUE 1992, CHICO & RITA 2009) and co-writer Rylend Grant, there is now a movie that offers clear examples of red flags for those who can’t manage to spot them without assistance.
Greetings again from the darkness. The distance between desperation and hopelessness can sometimes be very narrow, although desperate folks can make for interesting story characters thanks in part to the unexpected actions one can take when not thinking clearly. In his first feature film, writer-director Simon Hacker tackles a desperate man, only he kicks things up a notch by including a surprise visitor.
Greetings again from the darkness. I’ve always been enamored with movies which are paced so deliberately that it can easily seem like not much is happening, when actually we drift from dark comedy to tenderness to tragedy. It’s likely why I’ve been drawn to films from Iceland, including this one from writer-director Elfar Adalsteins (END OF SENTENCE, 2019) who has adapted the 2005 novel from renowned Icelandic author Jon Kalman Stefansson. The culture in this small village is such that folks mostly keep to themselves, and nature is a constant companion.
Greetings again from the darkness. Part of my attraction to arthouse films is the often-unconventional path to storytelling that the filmmakers take – sometimes expending more effort on the look and style than on the characters and plot. These films once only had life in film festivals, and today many also carry on in the streaming revolution. I’ll go ahead and admit upfront that this latest from Argentinian filmmaker Lisandro Alonso (JUAJA, 2014) and co-writers Martin Caamano and Fabian Casas is a bit esoteric for my tastes … although it looks beautiful.
Greetings again from the darkness. Eighteen-year-old Elliott is counting down the twenty-two days remaining until she leaves home for her freshman year of college. For anyone who was once 18 or has raised an 18-year-old, you know that 22 days is the future. Writer-director Megan Park follows up her excellent feature film debut, THE FALLOUT (2021), with a different tone, albeit another one that focuses on the stress of being a teenager.
Greetings again from the darkness. After the lukewarm reception at last year’s Toronto Film Festival, and complaints about the ending, director Anand Tucker (SHOPGIRL 2005, HILLARY AND JACKIE 1998) called the cast back for re-shoots. Oscar nominated writer Patrick Marber (NOTES ON A SCANDAL, 2006) adapted the 2015 novel, “Curtain Call”, by Anthony Quinn (a former film critic, not related to the two-time Oscar winner with the same name). Although I can’t comment on the original version, this one provides a bit of entertainment.
Greetings again from the darkness. Many of us (perhaps too many) are drawn to the dark side – topics that dig into the ugly side of human nature that Mr. Rogers mostly avoided in his neighborhood. A quick look at the popularity of true crime shows provides proof of the fascination that corresponds to those who don’t subscribe to the golden rule. Writer-director Pascal Plante has a track record of film festival success and his latest fits the mold – fascinating to watch with a twist that may have viewers questioning their own assumptions.
Greetings again from the darkness. I don’t know why. I wish I could explain it. So many movies I admire or find intriguing are not the kind of movies that one would describe as uplifting, likable, or even watchable multiple times. The first feature film from writer-director Luna Carmoon is yet another for that category. It’s simultaneously compelling and unpleasant – a difficult movie to watch with an unrelatable lead character. And yet, I couldn’t turn away. The film won multiple awards at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, so obviously I’m not the only one drawn to this.
Greetings again from the darkness. ‘Coming of Age’ films typically lean heavily into either comedy or tragedy. In his first feature film, writer-director Sean Wang (Oscar nominated for his documentary short NAI NAI & WAI PO, 2023) takes a different approach. While he certainly injects some humor, it’s isolation and awkwardness – that feeling of not fitting in – that takes center stage. It’s quite possible, even likely, that some of this is autobiographical for director Wang. That’s a safe statement since most every teenager can relate to bits of this story.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 