Tag Archives: Nicolas Winding Refn

The Place Beyond the Pines vs The Cool

Posted on April 5, 2020 by The Filmsmith | Leave a comment

Before “epic” became bro shorthand for some major stunt or accomplishment, it was defined as “a long poem…narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation.” The Place Beyond the Pines stands appropriately as a traditional epic, tracing the generational sins & legacies of fathers and sons. Starring Ryan Gosling as a heist man on two wheels this time, it’s the yin to Drive‘s yang.

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Nicolas Winding Refn – A Brutal Name to Watch

Posted on September 26, 2011 by The Filmsmith | Leave a comment

There are very few directors working today as in control of their craft as Nicolas Winding Refn. With his most recent film, Drive, Refn has had his most evident success yet, and probably his greatest work. Yet Drive is bound to Refn’s previous work via its thematic material and similar cinematic devices.

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Drive is the coolest film of the year

Posted on September 16, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 3 comments

Nicolas Winding Refn should be mandatory viewing for film nerds. The audacity and craftsmanship of his filmmaking put him on par with the likes of Darren Aronofsky (see Refn’s Bronson), but with a sense of subtlety (Valhalla Rising). Pair Refn with the magnetic Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson, Lars and the Real Girl) and a high concept heist film that co-stars Bryan Cranston, and you have an unholy concoction of brilliant variables unseen since the release of the Double Down (with less heart disease). But this is far from an action film… Continue reading →