Hi!
I went to the movies last Saturday to watch Cold In July and I came home absolutely mesmerised and amazed by Ryan Samul's work on this feature so I said: Why don't write a bit about it!
Trailer
Director
Jim Mickle
Cinematographer
Ryan Samul
www.ryansamul.com
Actors
Sam Shepard, Michal C. Hall, Don Johnson.
Cold In July is set in Texas back in the final 80's (1989 to be more accurate) and it shows a normal man in a normal village who has to make a decision in about 2 seconds and how that decision will change the course of his life forever.
Well, I did not know anything about this movie before entering the cinema, and what I saw was a masterpiece, Ryan Samul's cinematography is so well done that it should be one of the Oscar's contenders as it is a very good example of how to use cinematography to help the narrative of a project.
There are three very different parts in the movie, all of them with a different tone and ambience but very real when put together.
Although the story is very simple, the use of light, colours and frames to emphasise feelings, emotions, actions and consequences is really well done, the best movie in that field I have seen this year so far.
It is very clear that both, the director and the cinematographer thought about the viewers when deciding about what kind of style they wanted for the movie, it is true that it has that gritty look that it needed but also it has very interesting stylistic choices and shoots.
Probably it is not in cinemas in the States anymore but if you are in Europe, get to the cinema and watch it as soon as you can!
Best!