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The Whale (2022)
Believe in people, not in religion
So Brendan Fraser received an Oscar thanks to this movie and a long campaign in social media, which is surprisingly fair considering how he managed to play such a miserable and destroyed character but, at the same time, a vulnerable and weirdly optimistic one. A complex one.
But, what about the plot? Well, it is pretty interesting when it focuses on the background and the strong friendship between Charlie and Liz, telling a story of loss and surrender that makes sense to the protagonist situation. However, the conflict that surrounds that backstory develops a pretty poor idea about the problems with religion and how obsession towards it can hurt people, something that is really one sided considering how vaguely explored it is. Sure there´s this interaction between Liz and Thomas but, besides that, religion is kind of the antagonist of Charlie´s backstory. Also his interaction with Charlie´s daughter, Ellie, feels out of place, developing a subplot that ends in a conclusion that adds nothing new to the main plot of the film. Just a weird way to include that topic into this story,
Now, about the main conflict, the way how the relation between Ellie and Charlie is develop is kind of problematic. First of all, Ellie´s character has no redeeming qualities and her motivations are pretty flat, all of this thanks to how little we know about her besides that Charlie leaves her at the age of 8. On the other hand, Charlie tries to convice herself that she is better than she think as his last purpose of live, something that, in addition to how he feed the bird on his window, shows that he still cares about people and has faith in them, which is his reason of being even in his last week of life. At the end, and even without the most complete or complex representation, they are two opposite forces like Ahab and Moby Dick: she wants to kill the whale in order to kill her own misery, but maybe the answer is in forgiving and trying to improve.
Talking about the technical aspects of the film, it is clear that the production and costume design aren´t really that great but they manage to encapsulate the depressing atmosphere of the movie. On the other hand, the use of prosthetics and make up to create Charlie´s character is pretty impressive; also the edition give a lot of to rhtymn to what it seems like a slow passing movie, giving some intense and emotional sequences. Finally, the cainematography has it moments with some claustrophobic shots that are supported by the aspect ratio; also the soundtrack is fine to reinforce the tone of the movie.
In conclusion, the acting is the best thing of this movie full of stumbles and repetitive ideas in its script. Sure it isn´t a narrative or visual marvel but it´s still an interesting film, one that mainly explores how people are able to give everything for others, even if they have nothing for themselves.
Dog (2022)
Just hope and paws
This road trip movie follows some of the typical clichés of the genre (landscape shots, two characters that end understanding each other and the misadventures they go through) but with a digestible look of the war trauma effects and how most of the soldiers are left by their luck dealing with this problems.
The script follows Briggs, an ex soldier that wants to return to war despite he has a brain injury, the reason why he was firstly discharged. Despite that, his superior give him a chance to consider his wish is he fulfill one mission: take Lulu, a dangerous war hero dog, to the funeral of her owner and then return to the army to sacrifice her. In general, it follows the topics of the genre as I mention but still manage to make them entertaining and interesting as the situations become more significant for the plot and the characters, it is a movie that evolve with the. There is a lotof criticize against this white war heroe figure but it is pretty on the surface and obviuos too, thanks the movie isn´t that focused on it, giving more time develop the relation between this man and the dog, how both of them can recognize their situations and try to improve. It doesn´t have an original structure but the execution is, at least, correct, especially on the second half of the movie, where is possible to see some of the soldier situations after they leave war and how that make them feel uselest and, even, left their lives. However, this movie isn´t that hard, giving just more talking than an actual show of this situation (it is not Taxi Driver). Another interesting stuff in the movie is how it manage its message of hope and faith, even including some spiritual things, elements that are important to the arc of the protagonist. All I can say is that it offers enjoyable moments and a story that is predictable but still manage to give one or two memorable moments.
In terms of characters, our protagonist is another "loser" who want to return to his old glory days but, instead, a situation change his point of view and find something to live. Briggs isn´t outside this mold but he isn´t that bad thanks to the weight of his intern conflict and how it affects many others as him, you can emphatize with him and it is better when he realizes how important was Lulu for his owner and decide to fight and change his life, a point that is exagerated at the end. Lulu is a dog but with a personality, she isn´t capable to connect with people because nobody can´t empathize with her trauma or even humanly care about her until, of course, she´s is taking outside, which can be a really fast change at moments, so it isn´t that belivable but still recognizable and helpful for the character arc of Briggs. Well the rest of the characters are there more to give information or show other ways of life foreign two the protagonist, so they aren´t really that important.
The acting in the movie is generally okey with a Channing Tatum that, in a protagonist role, give a decent performance that becomes better as the movie progresses. As in many of this movies, it is surprising how they train a real dog to give a belivable performance and this is one the cases, Lulu is both cute and intimidating.
In the technical aspects, there isn´t a destacable costume or production design because it is just another movie in the U. S. about army mens, nothing done bad but nothing new. The interesting stuff come with the photography, which is kind of generic but still give some shots of the beauty of the nature from America and some other with interesting angles. The soundtrack isn´t something destacable, it has your typical pop and country songs.
In conclusion, this could be a piece of heartless propaganda, but, over that stuff, there is another story of personal growth that, even with its clichés, succes both in the entertaining and the emotional without being that melodramatic or pretentious. Dogs are, for sure, heroes.
Lightyear (2022)
Too much hate for a little movie
A pretty polemic movie because of a lesbian kiss that only appear 2 seconds on screen, a pretty decent film about Lightyear learning how to be humble and forgive himself. It isn't the funniest or the most emotional Pixar film (only the first minutes are kind of touching) but it still works as an entertaining science fiction story.
To start with, the script is the main problem of the movie, I mean, it starts pretty well if you ignore some lazy jokes and interactions but then is just something both predictable and uninspired, just think about the main twist and how inconsistent it is, it creates more answers than questions. Apart of that, it is pretty obvius the role of most of the characters, especially Sox who is a plot device, a big amount of tools to solve problems, sometimes in creative or, at least, convincing ways and other well, just punch of luck. Talking about conveniences, there are one or two moments where our protagonist or other character is saved by surprise, which isn´t that abd but still something to mention. And yes, it really tries to be funny but its humour isn´t the best from Pixar, at least the emotional stuff works decently with the montage of the first minutes. So yeah, the story with all the time travels is enought to entertain but not the best to create a unique experience as other Pixar movies.
Now the best part of the movie are the characters, starting with the protagonist, Buzz, which character arc is pretty well develop as he learn to be more humble and forgive himself, in fact, are the element in the movie helps to make this more belivable despite it is predictable. On the other hand, I mention that Sox is, basically, a plot device, despite this, he is the funniest character in the movie and, basically, the most enjoyable, maybe because its pretty simple and careful personality. About the other supporting characters, the granddaughter of Hawythorne has a small arc of superation that well depicted still not that explored and the other ones aren´t funny enought or even annoying at moments. The main villain is part of the Buzz arc but its origin is pretty dumb, I mean, the way how the movie justify it its pretty poor.
Now in technical part the SFX is well made despite it isn´t that amazing. About more important things, the animation is great as in other Pixar movies but the designs are a little to generic to make its world memorable. The photography looks great specially in the space scenes, which are the most stunning of the movie.
In conclusion, it isn´t that special in general terms, just the main characters and some scenes saves the movie to be just another planet on the vast universe.
The Ghost and Molly McGee (2021)
A lot of heart for a ghost story
The Ghost and Molly McGee break with what Disney is making in its recent animated shows: introduce us to a lineal story. Despite this, it is still pretty entertaining with its episodic format with some pretty enjoyable and good episodes on its way. It has some potential to create something bigger but after I saw thats season finale I prefer to stay in the simple territory, I mean, the thing the creators do better. So yeah, not the greatest animated show but its characters, music and style help a lot to introduce us in its tiny, cute and, sometimes, bizarre stories.