She’s Lost Control

January, 02, 2008 , by Jedidiah

It’s awards season for the film industry. This is the time of the year when all the big studios release the films that they have been saving for emphasis. There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men, and Juno are just a few that have been garnering lots of praised since all being released in December (although There Will Be Blood has yet to make it to Raleigh). Each of these films are widely known, either for their directors, their score, their actors, or all the above.

Another film was also released in December that has been given great reviews across the board but seems to be showing at only a theatre or two in major cities across the country. The film is Control and is one the most beautiful films of the year. Tonight is the last night to see it on the big screen with two showings at The Galaxy Theater in Cary.

Much like other biopics released in the past 5 years (Ray, Walk the Line), Control shows a musician who dives into music head first. Passion for this music is evident in Sam Riley’s portrayal of Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis. The passion leads to a dark journey through the day to day rituals which are well documented through Anton Corbijn’s flawless camera and photography work (in gorgeous black and white stock). Control is set apart from the previous biopics with this documentation of day to day struggles of the main character and how he deals with the pressure and internal stress. A large glimpse into a small piece of his life. England is portrayed in the dimmest yet most accurate lights and Samantha Morton portrays Curtis’s wife like she lived through the pain first hand.

Joy Division is one of the most influential bands from post disco era and it is still rare that you go into a bar or club in London without hearing one of their tracks from the DJ’s turntables. Control is one of the most underrated films of the year and here’s hoping Riley and Corbijn don’t get snubbed in The Oscars nominations like they did for The Golden Globes. Only two showings remain at the Galaxy, 7:10pm and 9:40pm, tonight (Thursday January 3, 2008). It’s worth the drive past the strip malls and if the Bollywood film Welcome next door is overpowering the bass guitar in your theater, be sure to tell the workers to crank up the volume to eleven. They will and your experience will be as good as being in the front row at The Factory in Manchester on April 11th, 1980.