1162 – Abendland (2011)

timespace coordinates: Europe at night (2008 – 2010)

Abendland is a 2011 observational documentary film by Nikolaus Geyrhalter. The documentary, which has only scenes at night, explores European obsession with technology and security. Manohla Dargis of The New York Times called Abendland a “visually precise and politically amorphous” portrait of an imagined community: “The overall impression is a vision of Europe as a mosaic, as an artful amalgam of perfectly framed, seemingly disconnected moments during a long shared night, give or take a time zone change or two.” (wiki)

ABENDLAND Trailer

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imdb   /   review

1083 – The Wind (2018)

timespace coordinates: the Western frontier of the late 1800’s

The Wind is a 2018 American supernatural western horror film directed by Emma Tammi in her directorial debut. The film was written by Teresa Sutherland. It stars Caitlin Gerard, Ashley Zukerman, Julia Goldani Telles and Miles Anderson. (wiki)

The character Emma seems to enjoy Gothic literature. Among the books from her collection that read aloud at various points in the film are Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Ann Radcliffe‘s The Mysteries of Udolpho.

imdb   /   rt

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“Towards evening, they wound down precipices, black with forest of cypress, pine and cedar, into a glen so savage and secluded, that, if Solicitude ever had local habitation, this might have been “her place of dearest residence”  (Ann Radcliffe)

1058 – Tropic Thunder (2008)

timespace coordinates: 2000’s Vietnam / Golden Triangle

Tropic Thunder is a 2008 action comedy film directed by Ben Stiller. It stars Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Jay Baruchel, and Brandon T. Jackson as a group of prima donna actors who are making a Vietnam War film. When their frustrated director (played by Steve Coogan) drops them in the middle of a jungle, they are forced to rely on their acting skills to survive the real action and danger.

The film had an extensive marketing promotion, including faux websites for the three main characters and their fictional films, airing a fictional television special, and selling the energy drink advertised in the film, “Booty Sweat”.

The film received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the film’s characters, story, faux trailers, and the performances of Stiller, Downey, Black and Tom Cruise, though the depiction of the mentally handicapped and usage of blackface makeup were seen as controversial. (wiki)

kinopoisk.ru

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imdb   /   rottentomatoes

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Tropic Thunder: Rain of Madness (2008) – A behind-the-scenes mockumentary of Tropic Thunder.

Tugg Speedman, Action Hero

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0948 – A Private War (2018)

timespace coordinates: 2001- 2012 / Sri Lanka, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya (Arab Spring), Syria

A Private War is a 2018 American biographical drama film directed by Matthew Heineman and starring Rosamund Pike as journalist Marie Colvin. The film is based on the 2012 article “Marie Colvin’s Private War” in Vanity Fair by Marie Brenner. The film was written by Arash Amel and features Jamie Dornan, Tom Hollander and Stanley Tucci. (wiki)

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0946 – Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

timespace coordinates: September 2001 – May 2011 Pakistan / USA / Afghanistan / Kuwait

Zero Dark Thirty is a 2012 American thriller film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal. The film dramatizes the nearly decade-long international manhunt for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the September 11 attacks. This search leads to the discovery of his compound in Pakistan and the military raid that resulted in bin Laden’s death on May 2, 2011.

Jessica Chastain stars as Maya, a fictional CIA intelligence analyst, with Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Mark Strong, James Gandolfini, Kyle Chandler, Stephen Dillane, Chris Pratt, Édgar Ramírez, Fares Fares, Jennifer Ehle, John Barrowman, Mark Duplass, and Frank Grillo in supporting roles.

Prequel / Historical accuracy / Controversy

imdb

945 – SuperGrid (2018)

timespace coordinates: near future CanadaSuperGrid is a Canadian post-apocalyptic road movie directed by Lowell Dean, who previously directed horror-comedies WolfCop and Another WolfCop. The film stars Leo Fafard, Marshall Williams, Natalie Krill, Jonathan Cherry, Amy Matysio and Jay Reso.

imdb   /   rottentomatoes

908 – The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a 2018 American western anthology film written, directed, and produced by the Coen brothers. It stars Tim Blake Nelson, Liam Neeson, James Franco, Brendan Gleeson, Zoe Kazan, Tyne Daly, Harry Melling, and Tom Waits, and features six vignettes that take place in the American frontier.

The film was based on Western-themed short stories written by the Coens over a period of 20 to 25 years (accounts vary) that differ in mood and subject.

“All Gold Canyon” was based on a Jack London story.

“The Gal Who Got Rattled” was inspired by a story by Stewart Edward White and based in part on contemporaneous accounts, including those of heated arguments over pets.

the Coens intended the stories to be seen together, structured them that way in the script they submitted to Annapurna, and shot the script as written. (wiki)

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