Another new topic that will have a recurring segment on my blog is the entries titled: Movies That Deserve A Criterion Makeover! These are movies that I personally believe have what it takes to make the Criterion Collection.
My taste in cinema is one that many people seem to have an issue with accepting. My personal taste is something I highly enjoy. Critics usually don't see eye to eye with my taste, but I always believe that the movies that make this list are brilliant and deserve a location on the ever growing Criterion list.
Part 1 of this entry will focus towards such movie subject matter as Torture, Child Abuse, Prostitution, Rape, Drugs, Suicide, The End Of The World and lastly not one of them has what Hollywood describes as a happy ending. These five films all amazed me in terms of what message they tried to get across and I personally believe each one is highly underrated in terms of critic approval and box office receipts.
I'd personally like to thank Timotayo over at The Auteur's for creating me these lovely fake criterion covers for the movies below. A brilliant artist if I don't say so myself.
1. Lilya 4-Ever
How Lukas Moodysson is yet to have a film released on the Criterion Collection is an outrage. The mind boggles when a film like this hasn't made the cut. Even his debut feature Fucking Amal (Show Me Love) was a masterpiece. Lilya 4-Ever is what I like to describe as the saddest movie in the world. The movie has moments of true bliss but they are ripped out from underneath the viewer at every chance. The ending is when the characters find true happiness but at what cost?
The movie deals with such subject matter as teenage prostitution, child neglect, rape and many more themes. It all happens to our protagonist and we rarely if at all see Lilya happy for more then a few minutes on screen. Why would I like such a film?
It's hard hitting, brutal, depressing and one of the greatest films ever made in my eyes. Lukas Moodysson gives us a story that while many will not be able to handle such subject matter or even want to sit around for repeat viewings. I however see this as a masterpiece that is an emotional journey and one I'll always adore, regardless of the hard hitting subject matter.
2. The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things
The second film on my list may be even worse then the first film in terms of Child Sex Abuse, Drugs and Violence. Based on the now known hoax novel by J.T. LeRoy titled The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things is a trip like no other. What was believed to be a real story based on his childhood was made known just two months before the films release that it was all made up. Does this take away from the film knowing it's a lie? No... Asia Argento directs this hard hitting drama and she can give her dad Dario Argento a run for his money in terms of disturbing content.
Basically the story is about Jeremiah. A boy who is ripped out of a loving foster home and taken on the road with his drug addicted mother Sarah. We live through the years and watch Jeremiah fall victim to child abuse both violence and sexually. We see him live through all this and never really is their a happy moment. I may be a sadist but it's based on one of my favorite books and it never shys away from the disturbing subject matter. In different hands I couldn't see someone telling this story. In Asia Argento's hands... It's a brilliant piece of cinema that while low budget and hard to watch is worth every second. Risky as it may be, I still love it after many viewings and think it's an astounding piece of work.
For those who don't know the cast. I'd recommend watching it for the amazing talent involved such as: Asia Argento, Kip Pardue, Ben Foster, Peter Fonda, Michael Pitt, Marilyn Manson, Jimmy Bennett, Jeremy Renner, Dylan & Cole Sprouse, John Robinson, Matt Schulze, Jeremy Sisto and Winona Ryder.
3. Funny Games
The third film on my list is the horror flick Funny Games. Many will say it's not a horror film but more so a thriller. I however reckon the subject matter is every bit a horror movie and more. The film from the very first moment is drenched in misery and it never stops right up until the final credits. A US Remake was made that while not as hard hitting as the original due to it being a shot for shot remake just with English speaking actors still packed a punch for those who never witnessed the original.
The plot of Funny Games is simple. A family decided for a lovely holiday at their holiday house. Little do they realise that two young psychopaths are waiting to play games with the family. Not the funny games that the title surgests but games involving humiliation towards the family and basically toture of the mind, body and soul.
A relentless piece of cinema that like the above two films never has a moment of true happiness. It rips it's claws into you and never lets go. Basically after watching the film you'll end up being an emotional wreck or you'll go into cardiac arrest. The film is high on tension and one I'd recommend for those who like their films darker then night.
4. Southland Tales
The fourth film to make my list is the epic Sci-Fi Comedy Southland Tales. Directed by Richard Kelly who many would rather see his first film get the Criterion Treatment Donnie Darko. We already know that is a cult masterpiece that actually stands a chance at having Criterion put their names on the film. I would love to see his second film Southland Tales get the treatment due to it being what I like to call a Misunderstood film. I believe that in years to come this will be seen as a masterpiece of Sci-Fi cinema that many people didn't understand or simply did not watch.
Trying to write a plot for Southland Tales is a difficult task due to the massive scope of the production and how many stories are going on in the actual film. The ensemble piece is set in the futuristic landscape of Los Angeles on July the 4th, 2008. Los Angeles is on the brink of social, economical and environmental disaster. A handful of characters move the story along to a conclusion that may just be the the final apocalypse that brings the world to an end. Subjects that are thrown into the mix are Nuclear Attacks, Conspiracies, Politics, The Book Of Revelations, Government Corruption, Porn Stars, Kidnapping, Dystopian Future, Marxism, Drug Induced Hallucinations, Quantum Physics, Musical Numbers, Split Personalities, Paranoid Schizophrenia, Alternate Realities, Time Travel, Alternative Energy Sources, Blackmail and a nation under constant surveillance.
The cast is also one of the strangest to ever grace the screen. I however think the actors in this movie were fantastic. It stars Dwayne Johnson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seann William Scott, Mandy Moore, Justin Timberlake, Miranda Richardson, Kevin Smith, Will Sasso, Wallace Shawn, Zelda Rubinstein, Jill Richie, Lou Taylor Pucci, Cheri Oteri, Amy Poehler, Holmes Osbourne, Jon Lovitz, Christopher Lambert, Bai Ling, John Larroquette, Wood Harris, Beth Grant, Janeane Garofalo, Nora Dunn, Rebekah Del Rio and Curtis Armstrong. The soundtrack is also another amazing piece of work. The score is done by Moby and gives the Surreal tale that something extra. Worth the 2.5 hour running time.
5. The Rules Of Attraction
The last film to make my list is The Rules Of Attraction. Based on Bret Easton Ellis's novel of the same name. It revolves around a love triangle set in Camden College. The film may look like a teen comedy but Roger Avary completely turns the tables on the college campus genre and gives us a mean spirited, drug and sex fuelled tale of college co-eds that are all just despicable characters and are only their to party hard, take drugs and fuck. The movie is much more complex then that but basically you'll end up hating everyone involved as they don't care for anybody but themselves.
The movie I stated is different from other college movies due to the fact this is a hard R18+ movie and while funny in some parts, when the drama hits, it hits so hard it caused walk outs at film festivals. The film when it has to be mean, dark and sometimes disturbing really sets itself out to prove this is a completely different type of college based film. It deals with a shitload of drugs and sex scenes that includes one scene involving a major star of the movie waking up to being fucked while someone else is filming. The end result has the girl covered in a fountain of vomit. It also deals with suicide, drug overdoses and a ton of violence.
The film however while hard hitting is still a brilliant piece of Cinema. Roger Avary gives us many scenes that involving Nonlinear timelines, fancy cinematography a killer soundtrack and a cast that features such talent as (And still to this day against the grain for most of these actors) James Van Der Beek, Shannyn Sossamon, Jessica Biel, Kip Pardue, Kate Bosworth, Ian Somerhalder, Clifton Collins Jr., Thomas Ian Nicholas, Faye Dunaway, Swoosie Kurtz, Clare Kramer, Russell Sams, Ron Jeremy and Eric Stoltz. Worth the watch a hundred times over.
The 400 Blows (1959)
Director: Francois Truffaut
Writers:
Francois Truffaut
Marcel Moussy
Cast:
Jean-Pierre Leaud
Patrick Auffay
Albert Remy
Claire Maurier
Guy Decomble
Georges Flamant
Richard Kanayan
Running Time: 99 Minutes
I like to consider myself a fan of cinema. In my lifetime I have seen my fair share of films. I would like to think I know my stuff when it comes to discussing film and everything about it. For the first time while watching a movie and it's features I learnt something new. I had heard the term French New Wave. However I also had a confused look on my face when it came to discussions about such subject matter. After The 400 Blows I can safely say I understand the term enough to be able to discuss French New Wave. I understand it's a form of cinema that several directors changed the styles of classic cinema and experimented with Visual Style, Editing and Narrative. The 400 Blows may be my first Truffaut but I can see why it's today considered a masterpiece in the realm of cinema.
The 400 Blows is about a young adolescent by the name of Antoine Doinel. We see life from his point of view. The boy is always in trouble at school, His grades are less then average, his parents don't know what to do with him and barely show him an ounce of love unless it's called upon due to forms of their own selfish needs. Antoine's only escape from such trials and tribulations are his closest friend and the local cinema. After some events that are undertaken in the film, Antoine decides to live life as a runaway and falls into a life of petty crime. All coming to a conclusion that leaves the viewer more or less on what can only be described as a open book that will be seen in many years to come as the tales of Antoine Doinel.
I will start straight away with the acting in The 400 Blows. Child actors are a rare breed in terms of sustaining a career in the film industry. Jodie Foster and Drew Barrymoore are exceptions when it comes to having a healthy career. For me it's rare to see a performance from a child that completely stuns me. Jean-Pierre Leaud as Antoine is an amazing performance. Mature, Strong and in some instances downright Heart Breaking. Another time that I've seen a performance from a child actor thrown into a film that completely shocked me as to how amazing child actors are when given the right roles were Jimmy Bennett and Dylan and Cole Sprouse in The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things. Never have three young actors been put in situations that would be considered a nightmare for any child. That's how I feel about Jean-Pierre in The 400 Blows, the kid is amazing and delivers one of the best child roles I've witnessed.
The supporting cast of actors are also great. We have Claire Maurier who delivers the role of Antoines mother. A role that is harsh in the simplest of words. A mother who has moments that one can only describe as heartless. She pulls off the mother who doesn't show love towards her child very well. Albert Remy in the beginning as his stepfather I thought may be his saving grace when some tender moments are shared on screen. This is only a blink of the eye as Antoines misunderstood actions are the cause of so much friction. Lastly Albert Remy as Julien who is Antoines closest friend is what I'd describe as the only light in his life. Giving him food, a place to stay and friendship and love that is rarely seen from any of the adults in this movie. Sad that this film is semi autobiographical and it makes it that little bit harder to watch when you know Truffaut lived through a lot of these situations.
Now visually The 400 Blows is amazing for it's time. The Paris streets, city scape's and sky line are brilliantly shot to perfection in this movie. It's movies like this that show you the in and outs of the city and make you actually want to visit such a place regardless of the subject matter that is shown on screen. A few wonderful tracking shots. camera angles and lots of beautiful shots of Paris give this movie something more then the norm. Truffaut and Co. certainly deliver on the details and it makes for a highly interesting watch.
The score in this film is something I noticed straight away. I will be honest and state that in the realm of film that the last thing I notice in a movie is the score. I can pick up songs right of the bat but a score registers last to me in terms of what goes on in a film. With Amarcord and The 400 Blows I really enjoyed the scores for these films. Danny Elfman, Hanz Zimmer, John Williams, James Newton Howard are all composers I enjoy. I would say that I like their scores the best and what they have to offer. In The 400 Blows I was surprised to pick it up as I watched the movie. Jean Constantin is a new composer to me but he delivered a wonderful score that to me gave some scenes a little more light then what was being displayed on screen.
Lastly The 400 Blows is a film that I really enjoyed. It's simple in terms of story yet everything that is thrown at you on screen makes this movie a brilliant one. I can see why in many circles it's considered one of the greatest movies ever made. The acting from the young cast is stand out. The film is beautifully shot. The subject matter is what really made this movie for me. The film in one moment is comedic and the next is heart breaking. A film that delivers the goods in all aspects. My only beef with the movie is that it was too short. But thankfully Truffaut continues this story in future movies. Gives me something to look forward to in the future and see how these characters have grown.
NOTABLE SCENES:
- Chapter Six: Stolen Kiss: This scene is the first scene that really hit hard for me. To be so young and already have an understanding that your mother is barely showing any love to her own child yet while he's jigging a day at school happens to catch his mother kissing another man that isn't his stepfather. This scene is sad because as the movie continues on the mothers love towards her son is entirely fabricated because he now has the power to tell his stepfather the mother is cheating on him. The only time the mother shows anything for her child and it's based on lies. A sad scene that only gets worse for Antoine.
- Chapter Ten: Smaller And Smaller: One of the most comedic scenes happens to have no slapstick comedy in it at all. We see the PE Teacher taking all the boys out for a run through the streets of Paris. But him leading the group we see from rooftops overlooking the streets that block by block the group of kids gets smaller as two or three dart off every couple of seconds down alleys and through doorways and by the end of the scene the group of kids goes from twenty five to five. A nice little scene that shows us as an audience how the rebel against there adults.
- Chapter Fifteen: Childhood Magic: A simple scene by all means. Yet so much emotion in the faces of all the little children who are sitting watching a puppet show of Little Red Riding Hood. Happy, Scared, Excited are just some of the emotions shown on the children's faces. A wonderful little scene that shows so much in something so simple.
- Chapter Sixteen: Heist: This scene is where the petty crime goes into overdrive. Antoine and Rene decide to go to Antoines fathers work and steal a typewriter. What I love about this scene is that they end up not being able to sell it. They nearly get ripped off by an adult and in the end decide to return it only to be caught. This scene pretty much sums up the rest of what goes down in The 400 Blows. It has a snowball effect in terms of trouble and it's why I love the scene so much.
EXTRAS:
- Audio Commentary (1): Cinema Professor Brian Stonehill's commentary is a good listen. He is very informed on all things Truffaut. It makes for a entertaining information session on what went down in this films production. The one thing that came off strange to me in regards to this commentary is that it also has interview supplements with the screenwriter Marcel Moussy. I was trying to keep up with both and the two different stories they were telling in regards to the production.
- Audio Commentary (2): Second Commentary is done by Robert Lachenay who is a lifelong friend of Francois Truffaut. A very informative commentary in terms of just what happened in their childhood. What him and Truffaunt got upto when they were roaming the city causing chaos. I really enjoyed this commentary and is worth a listen. More entertaining for me then the first commentary.
- Auditions: I love that the special features are called Psychological Profiles on this release. The auditions are in relation to Jean-Pierre Leaud, Patrick Auffey and Richard Kanayan. The younger cast members. It's enjoyable in the terms of seeing how mature these kids were before they went into production. The standout being Richard Kanayan who can actually belt out a tune. A great feature for this Criterion Release.
- Cannes 1959: Interviews and Cannes Footage featuring Jean-Pierre Leaud. It's interesting in the sense that we witness Jean-Pierre taking questions for the press and seeing how he reacts to the questions and what his thoughts are on the film. I loved that he answered all questions in such a mature way. He seemed very mature for his age in the interviews.
- Cineastes de notre temps: A 22 Minute interview with Francois Truffaut. It was filmed for a TV show and discusses many topics in relation to the characters, the film and has interviews with Jean-Pierre Leaud and Albert Remy. A good watch if you wanted to know more about some later films of Truffaut.
- Cinepanorama: A 7 minute interview with Francois Truffaut. It's just after his return from New York where The 400 Blows won Best Foreign Language film by the New York Film Critics Circle. A good watch to find out which countries are and aren't liking the film. Who have picked it up for distribution and who hasn't and lastly what countries are having issues with the subject matter in the film.
- Theatrical Trailer: This 4 minute trailer is just like the previous trailers. Shows lots of footage of the film. But what I love about this trailer is the opening as it shows reviews from newspapers and all the uproar this film had critics in. A fun trailer and a decent one for once.
RATING: 10 out of 10
SPINE: 5
Amarcord (1974)
Director: Federico Fellini
Writers:
Federico Fellini
Tonino Guerra
Cast:
Bruno Zanin
Magali Noel
Josiane Tanzilli
Pupella Maggio
Armando Brancia
Maria Antonietta Beluzzi
Running Time: 123 Minutes
Amarcord is the first film I have ever seen by Federico Fellini. I know he has made many films that are considered to be masterpieces in the eyes of many film goers and critics alike. If Amarcord is anything to go by then I'd have to start taking notice and agreeing with people. For me this is so far the best film I've witnessed in the Criterion Collection. One I'd recommend to anyone who wants to get into Federico Fellini and see what the man is capable of or even his visual style in terms of cinema.
The story of Amarcord is set in the time frame of one year in a coastal town in Italy. We as an audience are witness to the characters that inhabit this small town. We being in Spring and for the next two hours we are thrown many characters and situations that could almost be considered fantasy. From the DVD Commentary it explains that this movie is semi autobiographical in the sense that this town represents in some form the town of Rimini in which Federico grew up in, the only difference about our village in the movie is that some aspects border on the carnivalesque and more so based a little out of reality. This only adds to the imagination and visual aspect of the film and that's what made it a brilliant piece of work for me.
What I loved about Amarcord is that it didn't feel like it had a completed plot or a story that had somewhere to go. It might have had some form of destination for other people but for me it felt like it just didn't have a story that had a direction. This however for once is not a bad thing at all. The movie flows so smoothly and at two hours some films would buckle without a sure fire solution. The characters of Amarcord are what keep this movie moving and it's them that make this piece of cinema a character driven fantasy. At the end of the movie and after so many different characters and little stories involving this town it just felt like I had witnessed a place I'd have wanted to visit myself.
Amarcord is what I would describe as a dark comedy. It has moments that are downright hilarious. It also has moments of dark comedy. What it contains are many scenes involving great sadness and loss. Sexuality and some moments that I found were boarding almost on a horror movie. It reminded me of Little Red Riding Hood. So when these scene all take place in the movie they end up being a visual feast for the eyes. The scenes of Fascism are the scenes that come closest to this movie boarding on the darker side of comedy. The movie crosses so many genre elements it's hard to keep track of what is witnessed by the town in the four different seasons. Still all worthy of never slowing the film down for a second. It never feels boring and long.
Now onto the visual aspect of Amacord, for being my first Fellini film, I have to say that his eye for the visual aspect in this movie is astounding. I could name a hundred things in this film that just blew me away visually but I want to mention the ones that mainly stood out. The scene involving the town on boats watching the Il Rex float past. This scene is just amazing. It looks stunning and the way it's done and not to notice what is pointed out in the commentary just goes to show that less is more. The Burning of The Witch Of Winter is another beautiful scene and lastly the scene involving the peacock displaying it's colours on the frozen fountain is stunningly beautiful. And these are just three scenes that I noticed as some of the best sequences in the film. Fellini is a brilliant visual director and Amarcord shows that perfectly.
Lastly Amarcord is a movie that so far has been my favorite in the movies I've witnessed in the Criterion Collection. It is a visual masterpiece driven by the characters we meet through out the film. So many wonderful moments make this dark comedy a cinematic treasure. Not once in the two hour running time was I ever bored during Amarcord. The movie is visually stunning. The soundtrack is wonderful. The direction from Fellini is brilliant and the acting while not always perfect doesn't ever take anything away from the movie. I loved every element of this movie and on repeat viewings I could see this movie becoming a personal favorite of mine. Highly recommend to anyone who loves there character driven comedies with a side of imagination and fantasy. A beautifully made movie.
NOTABLE SCENES:
- Chapter Three: Burning The Witch Of Winter: One of the more visual oriented sequences in the movie and also one of the only scenes in the film that contains the whole town in the one scene. The welcoming of Spring is started with the bonfire that burns the Witch Of Winter. The scene has many funny moments and also a bonfire that sets the mood of this towns gatherings. A standout is when one man doesn't let another off the top of the already burning bonfire causing the guy to completely panic. Funny if I don't say so myself.
- Chapter Six: The School: This sequence shows the audience on what the teachers are teaching the students but with a twist. The scene could easily be classed as a bunch of gross out gags that you'd like find in an American Pie film. Yet with Fellini it's just hysterical. Scenes involving urine being sent from the back of the class to the teachers feet all while using rolled up tubes of paper. Language class gone wrong. The teacher drinking while teaching. All scenes that are hilarious and make for one of the funniest moments in the film.
- Chapter Eighteen: Il Rex: The scene where a lot of the towns people go out to sea to watch a huge luxury liner come past the town. The scene is beautiful but what I love about it is that it starts off in the actual ocean and as we sit and watch the ship sail past you can clearly see that the ocean's water has been replaced by plastic sheets. It is noticeable but for me I found this stunning. Why it's done this way? I have no idea. But it never took me out of the movie. Which is why I loved this scene.
- Chapter Twenty Three: The Peacock: A simple scene that shows the visual aspect of Fellini. A snowball fight followed by the landing of a Peacock on the frozen fountain. Yes it's exactly like it sounds yet it's so beautiful. The scene is only short yet when the peacock opens it's feathers to display it's beauty. It's stunning and one of my favorite scenes. It may have nothing to do with the story or moves it forward. But it's pure visual and it's a great scene.
EXTRAS:
- Audio Commentary: Film Scholars Peter Brunette and Frank Burke talk about everything Fellini. Their commentary is informative. It was a pleasure listening to these men discuss Italian Cinema and Amarcord. They also explain things about recurring characters and informed me on many things that I didn't pick up while watching this movie. One of my favorite commentaries every put on DVD. One I also wont soon forget.
- Deleted Scene: As described on the DVD. The scene has no sound. But what is gathered from the visual side of things. Someone of high accord loses a ring down the drain or toilet. A man from the town goes into the cesspit and tries to locate this missing ring. It kind of is worthless without sound but it would have been great to get a commentary on why it was exactly cut from the film itself.
- American Release Trailer: The Amarcord trailer for America goes for close to four minutes. Just like any standard trailer on any DVD. It's a feature that isn't anything special in terms of features but clocking in at close to four minutes, it's a trailer that shows you lots of footage from Amarcord. Yet from my point of view, it still doesn't show just how layered Amarcord really is which you'd only learn from obviously sitting through the entire film.
- Fellini's Homecoming: This 44 Minute Documentary is basically a trip down memory lane for Federico Fellini's friends and co-workers. It discusses the matters such as his relationships with the town he was born in Rimini. It gets accounts from the people who knew him well and what troubled issues he had with the town. It's a great watch to hear how his friends knew him and how things from Amarcord were true to life or made up in the mind of Fellini.
- Magali Noel Interview: This 15 minute interview with Magali Noel who played the character of Gradisca in Amarcord is a wonderful watch. The actress has a warm spirit and is still beautiful as ever. It was great listening to her tell stories of her time on Amarcord, working with Fellini on several other films and just interesting stories about the one and only Federico Fellini. You could tell that they had a great working relationship and in the interview you can see she really cares for Federico.
- Fellini's Drawings: With this feature I learnt that Fellini began his life working as a Cartoonist. So seeing his drawings of his characters and various locations from Amarcord were a treat. The drawings are almost child like in their design and colours. It was good seeing what he wanted the characters looked like and what they eventually turned out to be in Amarcord.
- Felliniana: One of my favorite features on any DVD is the media section on the DVD. Stills from the film aren't what exactly impress me. It's the international posters and press cards that I really enjoy. The posters from all over the world are fantastic and it's great to see what countries try to turn the Amarcord posters into. Some great. Some strange. All brilliant. On this feature we also get a dozen Radio ads for Amarcord. Basically they are the same just with different reviewers stating how magnificent Amarcord is and that Fellini has won more Oscars for his work then any other director.
- Gideon Bachmann Interviews: Clocking in at an hour and a half these interviews are done with Federico Fellini himself. A great listen to get inside the mind of the director himself. The next interviews are with his mother, sister and his closest friends. The photos that are displayed during this oral interview are fantastic as well. We get to see many pictures of the director and his family. A wonderful treat for any fan of Fellini.
- Restoration Demonstration: One of the best features on the Criterion Releases are the Restoration Demonstrations that are done to their collection before release. Once again we are shown just how far the people at Criterion go to give us these wonderful transfers. Water marks, damaged reels, splices all gone with their technology. A worthy feature on these DVD's.
- Amarcord Booklet: 64 Page booklet featuring an Essay by Film Scholar Sam Rohdie and the full text of Fellini's 1967 essay "My Rimini".
RATING: 10 out of 10
SPINE: 4
Due to the recent recession and changes in life I had to stop doing this blog. But now I want to come back and start this blog back up. My love for cinema is still as ripe as ever and I think I will start buying more of the collection so I continue keeping this blog updated with my reviews.
As Criterion keeps releasing 2-Disc Special Editions and what not, I want to review each release to the fullest ability and if I come to a halt due to me not having the 2-Disc Editions I will order them and try and get back in the game.
I hope this blog takes off and the comments and discussions start with other film lovers like myself.
Please keep an eye out for future reviews as this blog should be up and running very soon.
The Next Review will be Armacord: Spine Number (4)
Until then please keep checking out the blog and I hope to eventually get a following going who can discuss the reviews with me.
