Friday, June 7, 2013

Old Reviews: Blue Valentine and Place Beyond the Pines

Derek Cianfrance. A newly discovered director who I wish to impose on all of you.

Derek Cianfrance's 2010 "Blue Valentine" is available on Netflix Instant. It is now one of my favorite films of 2010 and quite possibly the best movie I've ever seen about a deteriorating relationship. Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are very, very talented. If you didn't know that before, you will post-Blue Valentine. It's a beautiful film that shows the best and worst of relationships. The cinematography complements the stages of the relationships quite nicely as well. I strongly, strongly recommend it. Make sure you have a box of Kleenex nearby to wipe away the tears.

Derek Cianfrance's 2012 "Place Beyond the Pines" is playing in theaters now. I had the chance to watch it two weeks ago before my Munich trip. Though I admit that it isn't as good as "Blue Valentine," it's still a really good film that proves Cianfrance is a force to be reckoned with. The opening and closing shots are wonderful. Ryan Gosling, again, is awesome here. The story is intriguing, and the pacing is perfect. I will say, though, that I expected more from the cinematographer, Sean Bobbitt (that first shot might have set the bar too high). And I would have either written the story differently or edited it differently (I don't think the cleanly delineated triptych structure completely works), but overall the movie is quite engaging.

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