Cary Joji Fukunaga Film Club

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  • Posts: 4,400
    Has anyone seen Sin Nombre? It's very good....

    I found this very interesting article on the film that is well worth a read:
    https://theplaylist.net/sin-nombre-essay-cary-fukunaga-20200429/

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  • edited July 2020 Posts: 4,400
    peter wrote: »
    Yes, I heard that his down-time on Bond wasn’t spent playing video games, but, while in London, he was pouring over the Kubrick/Napoleon notes; ideally this would be his next project. It’s a weighty one with loads of history, and it would take Netflix balls and money to push this over the finish-line (and as we know with The Irishman, they’ve got deep pockets, and they do eye prestige films for awards season).

    I hope that this is indeed a signal that this is what he’s working on.

    Hey @peter - did you ever get word on what Fukunaga's Netflix project is?

    I love this guy's work and hope he comes up with something exciting to follow NTTD. I've done some research online and there was talk that Fukunaga was working on Napoleon and Shockwave, about Hiroshima.

    Personally, I was very interested in the Bernstein film. But that seems dead with Bradley Cooper's version winning out. Though it has been very quiet on that front recently....However, I think Napoleon sounds like a perfect follow-up to Bond.

    IMDB just realised this awesome video examining Cary Joji Fukunaga's filmmaking style...anyone yet to watch CJF's back catalogue should check this out. He has such a distinct cinematic style. Makes me so hyped for NTTD!! The cinematography is stunning.

  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 8,255
    The last I heard was he was doing full on research for Napolean-- but that was month's ago now. Saying that, I think this epic will be years of prep and I could believe that Cary would still bang out other projects as he nears Napolean's production.
  • edited July 2020 Posts: 4,400
    peter wrote: »
    The last I heard was he was doing full on research for Napolean-- but that was month's ago now. Saying that, I think this epic will be years of prep and I could believe that Cary would still bang out other projects as he nears Napolean's production.

    I hope it gets off the ground when production kicks off again...

    Meanwhile, it's Cary's birthday today 🎂🎈🎉



    So this is your reminder that this guy is the internet's hipster boyfriend. I think it'll be a crying shame if we are denied a press tour where Fukunaga gets to try an array of outfits for our viewing pleasure. This guy is a serious babe 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍



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  • ResurrectionResurrection Kolkata, India
    Posts: 2,541
    I wouldn't mind a cameo from him in NTTD, still handsome looking fellow. Happy Birthday to Cary.
  • edited August 2020 Posts: 4,400
    According to his Instagram, Cary Fukunaga has started filming his next project.....

    Which is most interesting as nothing has been announced as of yet. I know @peter heard some rumblings that he was working on Kubrick's long-awaited Napoleon project. Could it be that? Perhaps that would be a slightly ambitious project for this pandemic-era of filmmaking. Maybe it's something smaller? Perhaps he's even filming Billie Eilish's music video for NTTD?

    (There's even an outside chance this is NTTD pick-ups/reshoots - especially considering all the blue screen visible.....)

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  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 8,255
    I think that the Napoleon project would need a long runway of development and pre-production, so I am also curious on what he’s working on so soon!
    Even if he was developing something in the pandemic, he would still need a couple to three months of pre-production.
    But this IG story looks like an active set.

    Interesting!!
  • JamesCraigJamesCraig Ancient Rome
    Posts: 3,497
    No reshoots or pickup shots. You just cannot let it go, can't you.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 8,255
    I didn't know this about Cary but when I mentioned the IG post today with a friend in the industry on the production side of things, he let me know Cary has directed commercials for Calvin Klein and Levi jeans... He suggested he may be shooting a commercial considering that restrictions on sets are only being lifted now.

    I don't know if this is true, but it makes the most sense...

    As I said earlier: even if he developed a project over the 5-6 months of Covid-lockdown, he'd still need a couple months (or more, depending on budget), to get into pre-production on a film or TV series. A commercial he could almost step right into.

    Just thoughts on the matter.

    The Calvin Klein commercial he had done stars Jake Gyllenhaal.
  • peter wrote: »
    I didn't know this about Cary but when I mentioned the IG post today with a friend in the industry on the production side of things, he let me know Cary has directed commercials for Calvin Klein and Levi jeans... He suggested he may be shooting a commercial considering that restrictions on sets are only being lifted now.

    I don't know if this is true, but it makes the most sense...

    As I said earlier: even if he developed a project over the 5-6 months of Covid-lockdown, he'd still need a couple months (or more, depending on budget), to get into pre-production on a film or TV series. A commercial he could almost step right into.

    Just thoughts on the matter.

    The Calvin Klein commercial he had done stars Jake Gyllenhaal.

    Thanks, @peter - I think you may be on to something there.

    I personally don't think they are reshooting any of NTTD. From what we've heard, CJF is happy with the film as is. I actually think that he may be filming a music video for Billie Eilish's 'No Time to Die' song. Currently, we only have the Brits performance. So it make sense from a marketing perspective to do a music video.........we know CJF campaigned to get her the Bond gig, so maybe he'd want to do it.

    ....Though, it's probably an advert for perfume or Apple. They can be very lucrative jobs.

  • JamesCraigJamesCraig Ancient Rome
    Posts: 3,497
    If you don't think they are doing it, which is indeed the case, why do you keep on bringing it up?
  • peter wrote: »
    I didn't know this about Cary but when I mentioned the IG post today with a friend in the industry on the production side of things, he let me know Cary has directed commercials for Calvin Klein and Levi jeans... He suggested he may be shooting a commercial considering that restrictions on sets are only being lifted now.

    I don't know if this is true, but it makes the most sense...

    As I said earlier: even if he developed a project over the 5-6 months of Covid-lockdown, he'd still need a couple months (or more, depending on budget), to get into pre-production on a film or TV series. A commercial he could almost step right into.

    Just thoughts on the matter.

    The Calvin Klein commercial he had done stars Jake Gyllenhaal.

    Mystery solved.

    Cary is in Greece at the moment filming a Perrier commercial with model, Rafa Consentino and Skyfall's Jany Temime




    Rafa Consentino is quite the woman....looking forward to seeing this advert:



  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 8,255
    thanks @Pierce2Daniel -- makes sense it was a commercial as we were guessing, and, uhm, wow-- lucky man.

    Wow.
  • QBranchQBranch Always have an escape plan. Mine is watching James Bond films.
    Posts: 13,879
  • edited October 2020 Posts: 4,400


    Cary has booked his next project post-Bond. He'll direct 3 of 10 episodes for an Apple TV+ series. It's a WWII series focussed on fighter planes and produced by (no less than) Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.

    This is a good move from Fukunaga. It's always a good move to get into bed with a big streamer as they have very deep pockets. I imagine that he's probably cooking another film at the moment. Perhaps he's hoping for a boot once people actually get to see NTTD and see what he's come up with. He may then be able to get more personal projects off the ground.

    For all intents and purposes, everything we have seen from NTTD looks terrific. So I'm glad to see that he's getting buzzy projects. However, it isn't exactly the 'coolest' projects. It isn't exactly going to excite anyone, aside from someone's Dad.

    @peter do you suspect Cary's Napoleon film is now DOA because of the pandemic?
  • Posts: 12,506
    Loved Band of Brothers, have high hopes for this show?


  • It looks like Cary is working on another interesting project...A drama about Hiroshama. I just Googled the book and it has got numerous great reviews. So this is encouraging. I suppose this must be a more personal project for Fukunaga given his Japanese heritage.

    Interestingly, he is working with Tom Stoppard, who was actually courting to write Bond 22 (before it became Quantum of Solace) when Roger Michell was involved. Back in 2007, Baz Bamigboye himself wrote that Stoppard was involved. It's kind of a shame that we didn't get this film instead of Marc Forster's.

    Maybe, Stoppard and Fukunaga for Bond 26?
  • DoctorNoDoctorNo USA-Maryland
    Posts: 754
    RogueAgent wrote: »
    Loved Band of Brothers, have high hopes for this show?

    Band of Brothers was amazing. Their follow up Pacific was a big disappointment. So, hope this show is good, but we shall see...
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 8,255
    @Pierce2Daniel -- we have spoken since this post, but this is the first time I've seen this-- my apologies:

    @peter do you suspect Cary's Napoleon film is now DOA because of the pandemic?

    There may be many things that derail this (namely-- from what I hear-- the absolute enormousness of its undertaking since Kubrick researched a gargantuan of a project..., but; HBO seems confident)...

    No... this project will not go under because of COVID... they're still in the script development phase on this; the final draft wont be delivered for months... By the time they green-light this, hopefully we have a vaccine, or a treatment for all.

    Fingers crossed this project happens. A visionary director to bring to life another visionaries passion project. WOW!!
  • Posts: 12,506
    DoctorNo wrote: »
    RogueAgent wrote: »
    Loved Band of Brothers, have high hopes for this show?

    Band of Brothers was amazing. Their follow up Pacific was a big disappointment. So, hope this show is good, but we shall see...

    I never bothered with Pacific, was it that bad?
  • DoctorNoDoctorNo USA-Maryland
    Posts: 754
    RogueAgent wrote: »
    DoctorNo wrote: »
    RogueAgent wrote: »
    Loved Band of Brothers, have high hopes for this show?

    Band of Brothers was amazing. Their follow up Pacific was a big disappointment. So, hope this show is good, but we shall see...

    I never bothered with Pacific, was it that bad?

    It’s watchable, but it’s far below the level of BoB, particularly on the character level
  • Posts: 12,506
    DoctorNo wrote: »
    RogueAgent wrote: »
    DoctorNo wrote: »
    RogueAgent wrote: »
    Loved Band of Brothers, have high hopes for this show?

    Band of Brothers was amazing. Their follow up Pacific was a big disappointment. So, hope this show is good, but we shall see...

    I never bothered with Pacific, was it that bad?

    It’s watchable, but it’s far below the level of BoB, particularly on the character level

    Oh i see, thanks for the info though. :-bd
  • A few months back you may recall we were speculating on a post from Fukunaga saying he was back filming. Well, as it turned out it was an advert for Perrier. That advert has now been released for those interested. Also, it was shot by Phedon Papamichael.

    I like the spot. It's charismatic, fast-paced and entertaining. Visually and tonally it's very reminiscent of Blade Runner 2049 and Amelie....

    https://www.gangfilms.com/director/cary-joji-fukunaga
    https://www.moving-picture.com/our-work/all/perrier-theheat



  • DaltonFanDaltonFan California
    Posts: 69
    I did see his version of Jane Eyre. Michael Fassbender And Judy Dench were in it.
  • edited May 2021 Posts: 4,400
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    In preparation of NTTD, I have been (slowly) making my way through Cary's filmography. I first watched True Detective back when it aired in 2014 and was obsessed with this show. In fact, it blew me away. So I was a little nervous revisiting it. I do feel that on a rewatch its lustre has diminished (I'm jealous of anyone who gets to watch this for the first time). Partially, because the hype was pretty deafening when I first watched it. Also, once you know the mystery, you know the mystery. It doesn't have any secrets left to reveal. Nonetheless, it's still terrific. 

    It's shot with a tremendous attention to the rural flavor by Fukunaga, and with a literary at times script from Nic Pizzolato. True Detective is potent. It gets ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

    The show is very slow burn. Which is surprising as the actual mystery to be solved is fairly slight. Fukunaga and Pizzolato are less concerned with the case, than with the weight it bears on Rust and Marty. Indeed, right from the start, the concern isn’t foremost about the murder, but about the people involved in solving the case. 

    True Detective is at least as much about Rust Cohle and Marty Hart, a character study, as it is about their investigation. Which is no bad thing when you have actors like Woody Harrelson and Mathhew McConaughey. Cohle seems the more outwardly enigmatic of the pair. Indeed, the show seems at pains to present him as as big a mystery as the murder itself. Also, McConaughey is outrageously good. It's his show and he deserves a huge round of applause 👏👏👏. Pizzolato's script can be a little overwrought and clunky - but McConaughey makes it sound poetic and earnest (Only realised on a rewatch how much some of Cohle's saying have stuck with me). Cohle is a truly iconic and fantastic character. 

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    Crucially, Harrelson, as the strait-laced Hart, is on hand to take Cohle to task – or just insult him – when his navel-gazing gets excessive. Harrelson comes into his own in the second half of the series, but I did find Marty's story to be a bit of a drag. He's basically lumped in to deal with one of the show's themes of 'masculinity' - which is compelling enough - even when the female characters are underdeveloped (they're reduced to being prostitutes, victims, sex objects or nags).

    Also, the show's unique structure is a major  asset, providing tantalising tidbits about the original case and adding an additional layer of ambiguity to the characters as unreliable narrators. It's basically an eight-hour film (more like a novel with the episodes functioning as chapters). The final two episodes are - in essence - the third act when the narrative comes full circle.

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    Which brings us on to the direction of the show.  The style deployed actually reminded me a lot of the elegant filmmaking Fukunaga demonstrated in 2011's Jane Eyre. He brings a moody, atmospheric quality to the show - at times shooting it as a Southern Gothic Horror and even a Western. You can see clear echoes of David Fincher's Seven and Zodiac. Though I was also reminded of the work David Lynch did with a similar subject matter on Twin Peaks, another auteur-driven television show.

    Of course, there is the much mythologised tracking shot from episode 4. It's truly a bravura piece of filmmaking that put Fukunaga on the A-list. It's nervy, nailbiting, utterly astonishing stuff. I remember seeing it back in 2014 and having many a conversation with friends about it ("How did they get the camera over that fence?!" Etc). This was the first time I've seen it since 2014 and perhaps it too has lost its sense of 'newness.'  

    I disagree with people who say it had too "neat" an ending. I still have a lot of questions about the Tuttle family, Dora Lange's more ostentatious murder, the Yellow King and Carcosa. I'm glad there was some ambiguity left.

    Also, another shoutout has to be given to Fukunaga's atmospheric and "hauntingly beautiful" cinematography. The landscapes of Louisiana are a character themselves. There's something grim and ugly about those bleak horizons. 

    I genuinely think the team of the first season of True Detective probably will never do better work than seen here.

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  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,372
    @Pierce2Daniel, beautiful write-up, it really doesn't get better viewing for me than that first season of True Detective.
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