Hey all,
Whether you noticed or simply didn’t care. I have been on a hiatus from the Screen Watchers Guild for some time. But I am back, and will continue contributing my thought on the most current films.
When you think of October films, the first thing that may come to mind are the horrid slash films or mediocre found footage movies. While 2014’s October was filled with crap such as; Annabelle and Ouiji, there were other films out there that captured a specific Horror. For “Fury”, it captured the essence and horror of War. In “Gone Girl”, the film focused on suspense that is able to make you squirm in your seat. As for “Nightcrawler”, it is a totally different thing.
For those who don’t know, “Nightcrawler” is the debut film for writer/director Dan Gilroy. Centered around Lou Bloom, a man looking to be successful in the flooded business world, the film throws us into the world of investigated crime journalism. Lou Bloom starts from the bottom, but quickly learns how to master the somewhat looked down upon art.
Outside of a few films, Jake Gyllenhaal has had a rather magnificent resume. From Donnie Darko, Brokeback mountain, Zodiac and End of Watch, Gyllenhaal’s range of acting has been tested. “Nightcrawler” is yet another example of how versatile he can be. From the start of the film, there is a sense of “something is strange about him”. As the movie progresses, you can begin to see the darkness unfold within Lou. Physically, Gyllenhaal looks emaciated as if he is fighting off a disease. This was due to Gyllenhaal losing weight for the role. This little effort adds to the grandness of the role.
The Horror of the film lies within Gyllenhaal’s character. We rarely get to witness a ppsychopaththat fits inside the rules of human society. Its hard to pinpoint why the character feels so real, but its evident throughout the film that this could happen in real life. Obsessed with being successful and flawless, Lou removes any obstacles or obstructive competitors with ease. “Nightcrawler” could have easily became a film about a psychopath going on a murderous rampage, however Gilroy’s screenplay kept it original. The mixture of a well developed screenplay and the wickedly talented Gyllenhaal results in a modern day classic.
There were a few things missing in my opinion, such as stronger supporting characters. Gyllenhaal’s skills can only carry the film so far, and the lack of surrounding talent hinder the overall view of the film for me. Visually the film was great, however I kept reminiscing “Drive”. Compare to “Drive” the film isn’t as visually spectacular, but there are some well shot scenes in the movie.
While the film received a mid 90 rating on rotten tomatoes, I have to go with my gut and give it a 8/10.
The Screen Watchers Guild 
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