mark isham – Smaller Pictures

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is one of the most meta comedies to be released this year. The film serves as a tribute to the filmography and persona of iconic actor, Nicolas Cage. Over the years, Cage has garnered a reputation for his unique acting style that has often been parodied and discussed and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a perfect response from the man himself. The film follows Cage playing a fictionalised version of himself who is offered $1 million to travel to Spain and attend billionaire Javi Gutierrez’s birthday party. Struggling to revitalise his career and maintain a relationship with his daughter, Cage soon finds himself in the middle of a major operation as CIA agents Vivian (Tiffany Haddish) and Martin (Ike Barinholtz) rely on Cage for intelligence.

Directed by Tom Gormican who cowrote the screenplay with Kevin Etten, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent leans into everything we love about Nicolas Cage, even going as far as to include a version of Cage named “Nicky” that torments him about the direction his life has taken. The film acts as a retrospective of Cage’s vast filmography while also allowing Cage to showcase his talent thanks to the range that the role demands. The script may not be the most complex, but it doesn’t need to be as this film is all about the actor and his performance while also giving Pedro Pascal an opportunity to show that he is incredibly funny.

Nicolas Cage plays a fictionalised version of himself while also playing a hallucination that parodies an appearance Cage made on TV in the 1990s. His performance is quintessential Cage, bringing his signature charisma with a brilliant level of self-awareness, showcasing his passion for acting. What is fantastic about Cage’s performance is that it feels genuine and sincere in execution with plenty of nods and tributes to his extensive filmography. There are plenty of parodies and memes online surrounding Nicolas Cage and his performances, but it is often forgotten that the man is actually a brilliant actor and thay the charisma feeds into each of his performances, especially his action films of the 90s. Cage’s performance in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent gives him the platform to show just how good an actor he is while equally feeding into the frenzy that surrounds him in popular culture.

In support, we have Pedro Pascal who plays billionaire Javi Gutierrez. Pascal has proven his dramatic skills, especially on TV with his performance in Game of Thrones still remaining a fan favourite even though he wasn’t in a lot of episodes. However, in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Pascal shows that he is more than capable of pulling of a comical performance. Unpredictable and intense, Pascal feeds off Cage’s eccentric energy and the two make a great pair to watch throughout. What makes Pascal the perfect choice for the role is how likeable he is while also providing an intensity that works brilliantly against Cage’s eccentricity. It’s clear that Pascal is having a lot of fun in the role which makes it even more enjoyable to watch.

The score by Mark Isham plays into the action and feels reminiscent of Cage’s films from the 90s with a mix of fast-paced tracks to backdrop the chase scenes while slower and more dramatic tracks support the emotional moments between characters. The track “They Made You” is one of the highlights as it is filled with plenty of tension while also incorporating the Spanish guitar to reflect the film’s setting. Isham’s score works well as it fits the film perfectly while also leaning into Cage’s persona and filmography.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a wonderful celebration of Nicolas Cage and his unique charisma and acting style. However, the film isn’t simply a tribute to the star as it incorporates an intriguing storyline and a phenomenal turn by Pedro Pascal who has great chemistry with Cage throughout the film. With plenty of humour from beginning to end, there is also a thread of sincerity that brings an emotional weight to the film.

What did you think of The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent? Let me know in the comments below!

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is available to own on DVD and bluray!

Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)

Judas and the Black Messiah has proven to be a strong competitor this awards season. Following the true story about an FBI informant, William O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) who infiltrates the Black Panthers and gets close to Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), the film tells a point of view that is often missing from the narrative. Directed by Shaka King and based on a script written by King and Will Berson, Judas and the Black Messiah doesn’t try to spoonfeed the audience and immediately throws us into the situation. As we see William delve deeper into the Black Panthers, we begin to see the conflict in his position as a black man who is working for the predominantly white government that the Panthers are protesting against.

The directorial decisions when it comes to the structure and editing of the film has proven to be a hit or miss when it comes to the critics and audience. I appreciated King’s decision to throw us into the situation and remain neutral on William’s political stance. As reflected in the interview footage we see at the end of the film, William leaves it for the individual to decide whether he was in the right or wrong in his actions as he has been forced into his situation.

Lakeith Stanfield is perfectly cast as William O’Neal and does a great job at conveying the inner conflict that O’Neal faces as he is torn between his job as an FBI informant and as a rising presence in the Black Panthers. Stanfield excels during the scenes in which O’Neal’s life is at stake when there is violent conflict between the police and the Panthers as we see how he doesn’t know what is the right or wrong point of view. As his friendship with Fred grows, his inner conflict grows more and there is more at stake. The chemistry Stanfield has with Jesse Plemons who plays the FBI agent is fantastic and the scenes of negotiation between the two are greatly intense as O’Neal is forced to carry out his time with the Panthers whilst reiterating confidential information to the FBI. One of the biggest surprises at this year’s Oscars is Stanfield’s nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category alongside Kaluuya. It’s great to see Stanfield getting the recognition he deserves but he is definitely the film’s lead and should have been considered as such.

With most of the acting awards being up for debate this year, one consistency has been Daniel Kaluuya’s clean sweep of the Best Supporting Actor gongs from the major awarding bodies. Having received his film breakout in the excellent Get Out which saw him receive his first Academy Award nomination. His performance as Fred Hampton only shows signs of growth and is absolutely breathtaking. If it wasn’t clear before that Kaluuya is one of the best actors working today then it definitely is now. The scenes in which Fred is addressing his congregation commands the room and is so gripping to watch as we cannot predict what decision he’ll make next. There is always that looming danger around Fred as informants are compromised and police action becomes more violent. Some people have a problem with Kaluuya playing Hampton because he is British but his accent is pitch perfect and his mannerisms reflect Fred brilliantly so much so that he becomes the character.

One thing about the film that really stood out to me was the score which was composed by Mark Isham and Craig Harris. The sharp jazz tones make the film feel like a thriller in places and takes away from the reality of the situation. Heavily inspired by the upbeat music of the 1970s also, the score is captivating and helps to elevate the viewing experience.

Overall, Judas and the Black Messiah is filled with fantastic performances from all of its cast. The decision to keep O’Neal’s stance neutral throughout may not work for everyone but I appreciate King for trying something different by allowing O’Neal to act as an observer to Hampton and the FBI and seeing how the two sides make their plans. Kaluuya in particular is worth the watch alone as he does Fred Hampton justice thanks to his passionate and fearless performance.

What did you think of Judas and the Black Messiah? Let me know in the comments below!