coopermcdonald-52056 Reviews

Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Decommissioned (2021) Season 1, Episode 6

Give it a chance!

[9/10 · 9 June 2021]

I actually found this episode to be the best one yet. A lot of people are giving low reviews because the martez sisters returned, but I found this episode to have some of the best action, story, and humor. It's crazy fun watching wrecker's starting to activate. Even Omega who I've despised since the beginning started to grow on me. A lot of people were complaining that this episode was hard to follow, but if you pay attention and have watched the clone wars then there's really no way you can get lost.

Big Time Adolescence (2019)

The Start of Pete Davidson's Rise

[6/10 · 14 June 2020]

Big Time Adolescence follows a friendship between two characters: Mo and Zeke. Mo (Griffin Gluck) is a coming of age teenager who grows under the destructive guidance of Zeke (Pete Davidson). Mo and Zeke's relationship is strange to the viewers. Not only did they meet because Zeke was dating Mo's sister, but the two continued to hangout even after the breakup. On top of that, throughout most of the film Zeke is 23 and Mo Is only 16. Griffin Gluck is outstanding in his role as Mo. He's featured in a hefty number of tv series and movies, but this was the first lead role I've seen him in and he nailed it. His character is charming and relatable and Gluck does a fantastic job bringing his character to life. The side characters are great as well, but Zeke's story is obviously the crown jewel of the movie. But his story is nothing, a black hole. As the movie drags his darkness into the light, his quirks become less and less entertaining. The story of the main character is not that resonant, but the way we see Zeke's evolution through his eyes, along with some laughs and entertaining scenes along the way, is more than enough to make this a good movie - the bitter, acrylic, burger joint ending seals the deal. Zeke, who begins as entertaining but ends as trite and soulless, is a representation of all those things people try to find meaning in during their high school years. It is the story of one man who can't connect with anyone, and who personifies all the methods people use to try and get ahead in the world without building something real. Look at all the scenes where Zeke shines - they are dark. In the night. Slowly, the movie brings his personality into the daylight. All the grime, filth, and destructive patterns of behavior are laid bare as the movie goes on. By the end of the film, it's clear that this coming of age story proves to be more than just another teenage movie. It provides a lesson of who you should listen and look up to while developing in high school. This film is fun ride that knows just when to sit back and provide some emotional scenes for the viewer. I am rating Big Time Adolescence at a 6.6/10.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

Gets way too much hate

[8/10 · 23 May 2020]

The Last Jedi is seen as the most controversial Star Wars film to date, splitting Star Wars fans down the middle and emphasizing the toxicity of the Star Wars fandom. The Last Jedi acts as the eighth installment in the Skywalker Saga, and despite protests and signed petitions of fans, is going to stay that way. The Last Jedi picks up right where The Force Awakens ends, a first for a Star Wars film. The films centers around Rey being trained in the ways of the force by Luke Skywalker, while the resistance flees from the first order's powerful fleet. As Rey travels to The Supremacy to turn Kylo Ren to the nightside, Finn and newcomer Rose to a chance of finding a "master codebreaker" to weaken the first orders hold on the resistance fleet and provide a chance of escape. The film ends with a battle between the massive first order army and the few remaining members of the resistance. This film includes the best performances of the sequel trilogy. Daisy Ridley, Oscar Issac, and John Boyega all take their characters first introduced in the previous film and gives them new meaning, but the strongest performance comes from Adam Driver's portrayal of Kylo Ren. Rian Johnson took the quiet and monotoned villain that delivers no emotion hiding behind his mask and gives him intense and brutal scenes, really diving into the character and giving him more worth in the trilogy. The cinematography of The Last Jedi is some of the best of the saga, easily separating it from the other films. Even those who aren't fans of the film can agree on the beauty that Rian Johnson was able to create. I will never forget when each story is at its climax and Commander Holdo uses her ship's hyperdrive to erupt through The Supremacy. Another example of the beauty this film generates takes place on the planet Crait. The resistance is flying their ski speeders towards the first order army in a perfect line, shooting the red planet surface into the air. The whole planet of Crait is very satisfying to watch with the white surface being splattered with red, every blast, every step, every track of a vehicle is being recorded on the planet surface. One of the biggest issues the fans have with The Last Jedi is how Luke Skywalker was written. It's argued that the character is ruined in how he has run away and cut himself off from the force. What people don't seem to understand is that Luke's story didn't finish with Return of the Jedi. Luke's fear and ,mistakes prove that he isn't the legend the galaxy saw him as, but a human, like everyone else. Luke's character is redeemed by the end of the film, as he sacrifices himself to save the resistance. Fans wanted Luke to come back and just save the day with an epic lightsaber fight, but that wouldn't have progressed the story in any way. They complained The Force Awakens was too similar to the original trilogy and they complained that this film was too different. Luke already saved the galaxy in the original trilogy and now it was time for the new characters to have their story. Another interesting aspect Episode 8 showed was the fall of Ben solo. Ryan Johnson showed this event through multiple points of view, giving the viewers a little mystery of who to believe and how the event actually went down. It's argued that it is completely unlike Luke to strike down Ben Solo in fear, and that's 100% true, Luke even knew it and that's why he couldn't kill his nephew. This gives meaning to Luke going into exile as he was ashamed by himself. Through these flashback sequences, we are able to learn more of why Kylo Ren turned and what makes him the person he is. One of the coolest features of The Last Jedi are the scenes that highlight the force bond of Rey and Kylo Ren. These scenes of them speaking to each other in different locations are unlike anything we've seen before, and further the tension between the two. Kylo is certain he can turn Rey to the dark side and Rey is certain she can do the opposite with him. They are both being seen exactly what they want, and proves just how manipulative Snoke really is. Snoke is another reason the movie receives so much whiplash by the fans is because Snoke is killed off before we can learn more about who he is and how he rose to power. People had no problem with Palpatine being killed in the original trilogy. Similarly to Smoke, it was only his second movie and we knew nothing about him. We later learn all about him in the prequels, and we even get to learn about Snoke in the Rise of Skywalker and we might even get more secrets uncovered in time to come. Just like Palpatine, Snoke's story is far from finished, and I am certain more will be uncovered as more Star Wars projects are made. When it comes to the massive controversy surrounding The Last Jedi, there are many fingers being pointed at who should be taking the blame. Rian Johnson? Kathleen Kennedy? It is clear that the real blame is held with the fans. The fanbase has grown so toxic that no matter how amazing a film The Last Jedi could've been, it's impossible to please everyone, and with technology and social media at an all time high, those who aren't please we have no fear in sharing their opinion. This resulted in multiple actors going off of social media, the fanbase becoming split and even future Star Wars projects being cancelled. The Last Jedi is the most debated and controversial film in the saga, and while certain parts of the plot are weak, the overall story, stunning performances, visual and audio effects, and magnificent score by John Williams quickly turn the film round into a complex and enjoyable ride for the audience. I am giving Star Wars: The Last Jedi a 7.8/10.

Onward (I) (2020)

Same Pixar tricks, but still unique in its own way

[7/10 · 18 April 2020]

Onward springs from a deeply personal place and nestles on a heartbreaking premise: the possibility of being able to spend just one more day with a parent who has passed away. But the high-energy, pop-culture-heavy result feels frantically eager to please, until it tries to yank at your heartstrings in the by-now familiar formula of Pixar Animation. The film is episodic in structure, leaping from one place to get one thing before leaping to another place to get another, and so on and so on in a series of breathless fetch quests. But in the few moments when it settles down and allows its characters to interact with one another in a meaningful way, Onward provides a glimpse of what director and co-writer Dan Scanlon probably was aiming for in sharing an intimate piece of his childhood on the big screen. Scanlon was inspired by the death of his own father when he was just a year old; his brother, who's a few years older, had only hazy memories. From his own loss, Scanlon tells the story of two blue haired, elven brothers living with their widowed mother in a world that was once full of magic. Long ago, it was a place of unicorns, mermaids and fairies, filled with rolling, green hills and tinged with pixie dust in the air. Now it looks a lot like our modern world, just with no humans. The mixture of old and new reveals itself in some clever ways: tract houses are shaped like oversized mushrooms and baby dragons serve as perky, slobbery pets. But while the background details can be quite lovely in their tactile realism (shafts of sunlight, bumps of asphalt) the bulbous and simplistic character design is blandly off-putting. Thankfully, the voice work from stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt is strong enough to overcome that. Holland plays the shy, skinny Ian, who was in his mom's womb when his dad died; he's hoping that turning 16 will inspire him to make friends and take chances, and he has a checklist of goals to make it all happen. Pratt plays boisterous big bro Barley, who's a bit stunted and still living at home with their mom (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who makes you wish there were more to her character); he's into a Dungeons & Dragons-style role-playing game and drives a retro van with a unicorn emblazoned on the side. Despite their inherent differences (or perhaps because of them), the two have a likable chemistry with each other. So when Barley says playfully to Ian early on, "There's a mighty warrior inside of you, you just have to let him out," the sentiment comes from a place of authentic kindness and doesn't sound as mawkish as it might look on the page. (Plus, it's just amusing to imagine a world in which Spider-Man and Star Lord are brothers affectionately messing with each other.) Both guys get a chance to tap into their hidden adventurer when their mom reveals a secret to them, one she was meant to hold onto until Ian's 16th birthday: Their father left them an ancient staff with a rare gem to place atop it. Those items, along with a few magical words, would bring him back to them for 24 hours-but they could only perform the spell once and they had to get it exactly right. Naturally, in the excitement of this newfound knowledge, nothing goes as planned; they only get halfway through the spell, resulting in their father appearing from the waist down as just a pair of khakis and shoes with whimsical socks. In order to make the most of their limited time with him, they must go on a journey through their seemingly mundane town to finish what they started and make their dad whole. The film isn't nearly as funny as other Pixar movies. Onward takes a step back at time from the humor to emphasize its more emotional scenes. We learn near the end that when Barley was a child, his father requested for him to visit him one last time in the hospital, only to hav Barley deemed too frightened of all the tubes hooked up to his dad in the hospital bed, and refusing to enter the room. This influences Ian to make his ultimate sacrifice, and when only one of the boys are able to see their father, he lets Barley make amends for that regretful night he had as a kid. Onward is both an emotional and comedic ride, and balances the two perfectly. While it features many of Pixar's recycled themes, it still delivers an extremely heartfelt and unique film for all ages. I am rating Pixar's Onward at a 6.9/10.

Assassination Nation (2018)

Aesthetically Pleasing, but Not a Great Story.

[6/10 · 3 April 2020]

Assassination Nation centers around a quartet of unapologetically shallow teen girls more concerned with getting likes on Instagram than decent grades. Lily (Odessa Young), Bex (Hari Nef), Em (Abra), and Sarah's (Suki Waterhouse) lives are turned upside down when half of the population of their home town is hacked, and all their data made public. The quartet, and Lily in particular, find themselves at the dangerous center of a rapidly escalating situation, as the town becomes increasingly vicious and desperate. Assassination Nation works primarily with exaggeration, as with so much great Juvenalian satire. The milieu of the film is not such as would be found in a piece of social realism, nor does it claim to be. Instead, it works to draw attention to various cultural aspects by outlandish exaggeration. Nowhere is this clearer than the film's very premise - all Er0str4tus (the hacker) has to do to destabilize the town is let everyone know what everyone else is thinking. Director Sam Levinson sets the tone immediately. The opening shot shows a camera moving along a suburban street, passing by white picket fences of a normal suburban town, with people performing mundane tasks such as emptying the trash and watering the lawn. Except everyone is wearing a mask of some kind. A rapidly edited montage then shows a series of quick clips, each one labelled with a requisite "trigger warning", for various scenes filling the film, including Bullying, Blood, Abuse, Classicism, Death, Drinking, Drug Use, Sexual Content, Toxic Masculinity, Homophobia, Transphobia, Guns, Nationalism, Racism, Kidnapping, Murder, Attempted Murder, The Male Gaze, Attempted Rape, Sexism, Swearing, Torture, Violence, Gore, Weapons, and Fragile Male Egos. This abrasive style continues for much of the film, which is purposely designed to confront, provoke, and challenge people, not only thematically, but aesthetically. An especially, aesthetically interesting scene occurs after the data dump, but prior to people turning on one another. Learning that her best friend has been mocking her behind her back, a friend of the central quartet takes a baseball bat, finds her friend in the school gym, and cracks her over the head. This scene is the first act of violence from which all others will follow. It starts out normal enough, but soon the camera turns upside-down and we see the girl standing against an unrealistically large American flag. Turning the camera upside-down like this mid-shot and using the flag in this way indicates that something within the social fabric has fundamentally changed. The film's most aesthetically accomplished scene, however, is a five-minute single-take shot depicting a home invasion, with the camera remaining outside the house, following the action as it moves from window to window. It's a dazzling sequence that has the effect of positioning the audience as passive spectators. It is clear that while not a particularly fun film, Levinson did have a lot of fun in the creation of it. Between these interesting camera shots and angles and colorful set and costume design, the film is extremely aesthetically pleasing. Aside from those already mentioned, this film tackles a ton of problems young girls are facing everyday over social media. For example, firmly of the belief that privacy is a thing of the past, Lily claims that her generation accepts that their lives are for mass consumption, and all they can do is try to choose how they are consumed. In relation to this, the film addresses the myriad ways that young girls are represented on social media, deconstructing the inherently misogynistic assumptions that underpin so many of our attitudes to online behavior (if a guy shows off his washboard abs, it's no big deal, but if a woman shows off her cleavage, she can be considered a slut). Unfortunately, because it tries to deal with so much, many of the issues are raised only to be touched on once or twice, and then dropped. This has the side-effect of making it seem a little thematically scattershot, and it would have worked far better if Levinson had threaded a core group through the narrative rather than jumping around as much as he does. Aside from dealing with too many themes, if the film has a defining flaw, it's that the last act essentially turns into "The Purge" where the girls, as complicit as everyone else in the early part of the film, now turn into the leaders of a righteous vigilante group facing off against those who seek revenge for their privacy being made public, a conflict drawn primarily along gender lines. It's a disappointingly simplistic ending given the complexity and thematic depth of the preceding narrative. While it is immensely strong (both hilarious and disturbing) in its depiction of teenage gender politics, gun culture, political correctness, online behavior, etc, it falters when it comes to the dynamics of the narrative, setting up several strands which never pay off, and ending a little weakly. I am rating Assassination Nation at a 5.9/10.

Yesterday (III) (2019)

An interesting approach on a rock biopic

[7/10 · 30 March 2020]

Yesterday opens by proving just how difficult it is to make it as a musician. Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) has a fantastic voice, but between his small gigs he still is forced to work in a grocery store. After another failed show, Jack expresses his disappointment to his long time best friend and manager Ellie Appleton (Lily James), deciding that if he hasn't made it big yet, he never will. As he bikes his way home (his parents house) later that night, the entire planet experiences a blackout. In the sudden darkness and shock of it all, Jack is hit by a bus. After leaving the hospital, Ellie and a few of his other friends got him a few gifts, including a new guitar. He plays them the song "Yesterday" by The Beatles, and discovers that he is the only one to remember who The Beatles are. Jack is faced with a conundrum, he knows how popular and well received these songs were before, but he is unsure if it is a good idea to steal them for his own. Nevertheless, he starts playing them at his shows, until he starts to make a small name for himself. Jack gains the attention of Ed Sheehan, and Jack starts to open up for him. As the film progresses, Jack becomes a huge star, but he struggles with a multitude of problems: He feels guilty for stealing songs; Ellie professes her love for him, but requests that he must choose between her and his music; without the help of Google, he is having trouble remembering the lyrics to every song, especially Eleanor Rigby; and finally, he discovers that he isn't the only one who remembers The Beatles, and is afraid of being outed as a thief. Himesh Patel makes not only his cinematic debut as the lead in this movie, but also his musical debut as well. He plays Jack Malik exceptionally well, but really steals the show with his music. Patel is an incredibly talented musician and does The Beatles justice in this film. Lily James does the best with what she is given as Ellie. As the movie plays out, she is revealed to be a more shallow character than anything else. While she claims to be Jack's best friend, she forces him to choose between her and his dream. Lily James is also an extremely talented singer (as seen in Mama Mia: Here We Go Again) and while I guess it wouldn't make sense to the storyline, I wish she could've sang more than just backing Jack up one time in "I want to Hold Your Hand". The two actors that surprised me the most were Ed Sheeran as himself and Kate McKinnon as Debra Hammer, Jack's second manager. Sheeran actually does a good job with his acting for not being an actor, and was a pleasant surprise for the film. I am a huge fan of Kate McKinnon, but I was not a fan of her in this movie. She has proven time and time again how talented of an actress she really is, but it did not show as Debra Hammer. One of my biggest issues with Yesterday was with how they movie handled each plot line. It felt as if the writers didn't really know how to end the film, which gave resulted in it being very anticlimactic. When Jack is finally confronted by the other people who remember The Beatles, they thank him for playing their music. Scenes of Jack trying to remember the lyrics for Eleanor Rigby are featured multiple times throughout the film, but he never actually does learn the song, almost if the writers just swept that plot line under the rug. People don't even seem to be upset when he tells the world he stole the music and that he is retiring! One thing I definitely wasn't expecting going into this film was that The Beatles weren't the only things that fell off the face of the earth. Alongside The Beatles, the list includes: The band Oasis, Coca Cola, cigarettes, and Harry Potter. This movie is surprisingly really fun, and takes a different approach from other recent films documenting the lives of musicians (Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman, Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story, etc) it is extremely refreshing to be presented with a film that sheds light on the work and life of an artist while not adhering to the strict biographical approach. I am rating Yesterday at a 7.1/10.

Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Funnest movie of the year

[7/10 · 24 March 2020]

Following the conclusion of the Vietnam War, Kong: Skull Island follows a team of scientists and soldiers as they explore an uncharted island in the Pacific Ocean, only to discover that they have stumbled across an island filled with monsters, weather storms, and other dangers. Washed up monster hunters Bill Randa (John Goodman) and Houston Brooks (Corey Hawkins) assemble a team consisting of former Captain James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston) to guide the expedition; a group of soldiers under the command of Colonel Preston Packard (Samuel L. Jackson) ; and the awarded journalist and photographer Mason Weaver (Brie Larson). The group becomes separated as their helicopters are destroyed by a massive ape they later learn to call "Kong", and as they are separated each group is forced to survive against a myriad of other equally terrifying and exotic beasts. As you can already tell this film is stuffed with award winning, big name actors. Tom Hiddleston stars as the movie's lead: James Conrad, the man leading the party on Skull Island. Sam L. Jackson plays a hell bent war general who wants nothing more than to kill Kong, even if it means his men not making it to the pick up zone on time. Brie Larson and John Goodman both do a good job porting their characters, and do the best with what the are given, but are evident left with shallow characters. One of the most surprising actors in the film was John C. Reilly, who shows up roughly halfway through the film as an old American pilot who crashed here during WW2. While all of these actors did exceptionally well, the real show stealers were the troops. Although they didn't have as many moments or lines as the others, I always enjoyed the film most when they were on screen. Their performances were really convincing on showing how close you grow with your brothers wile stationed together during wars, and how brutal it can be to watched them killed. Probably the most entertaining part of the film, is how Vogt-Roberts nails the monsters. The level of scale, fear, imagination and action he is almost constantly delivering is impeccable. The fights with Kong are always shot in a wide, sweeping shot that turns around him and holds on for long. Those are absolutely incredible, they are sophisticated, beautiful shots to which sounds adds a real savage nature and together bring a real enthusiasm for the audience to the fights. Moreover, the various other monsters from the island are all interesting creatures and all feel part of the island. Furthermore, Vogt-Roberts shows off quite a drive in his first act. The journey to the island is riveting and build with constantly good editing and witty cinematography choices that always keep us oriented in what's going on. The full blown action sequences are amazing, really absolutely stunning. He places the camera in the most interesting places and it throws us into the world and the size of Kong. The score is dead on with every scene and never felt out of place, which is a very easy problem to notice in a lot of recent films. The cinematography is some of my favorite, where loud actions scenes would suddenly be cut quiet and replaced with nothing but the sound of a gun reloading. While this movie wasn't up for any oscars, I think it easily could've won sound mixing and/or editing. While the movie is hits a slow patch part way through the second act, but is quickly resurrected at the end as the movie reaches its climax. Kong: Skull Island sticks out from the other Kong movies. I see it as less of a Kong movie and more so a King Kong meets Jurassic Park meets Saving Private Ryan film. I don't think I have ever left a theater so pleasantly surprised by a movie. Arguably the most underrated film of 2017, I am giving Kong: Skull Island a 7.5/10.

The Art of Self-Defense (2019)

A simple movie with a dark twist.

[6/10 · 9 March 2020]

The Art of Self-Defense brings the story of Casey, a man that could be the epitome of weak and cowardly. As the movie opens, we get to know Casey: reading the newspaper, being mocked at work (where he audits expense reports), and generally being very timid and afraid. Then one night, when he realizes his dog is out of food, he walks to the convenience store, but upon walking back he is harassed, and ultimately severely mugged, by a group of bikers. After his recovery, one day he walks by a karate school, and on sheer impulse he walks in, and decides to take karate lessons. When asked by the head of the karate school why, Casey replies "I want to become what intimidates me". Casey continues to take lessons until he is invited by the sensai to start going to the night classes, this is where the movie dives into a dark, intense film that we can expect from writer/director Riley Stearns. Casey quickly realizes that the night class he joined was the same group that mugged him before. Casey decides to kill his sense, and challenges him to a fight to the death, even though Casey is only a yellow belt and his sensai has way more experience and skill. The fight ended before it even began, with Casey shooting his teacher in the head, and then giving a black belt to Anna. The performances in this film are respectable, but hobbled by a screenplay that is choppy (no pun intended) before it loses luster and veers off to its surprise ending. Eisenberg does his best as a cardboard protagonist, the loser extraordinaire with a thankless job, a small dog, an '80s television set and who seemingly was born to fight absolutely no one. He is upstaged considerably by Alessandro Nivola who gives a formidable, bravado-driven performance as the magnetic sensai, the real life of the film. Imogen Poots is a welcome presence as the strong-willed sole female student. Even with a muddled script, the acting is enough to keep things afloat. Watching Casey grow from a wimpy, socially awkward loser to the confident, self-assured version we were waiting the entire film to see, was very fun to watch. The Art of Self-Defense is a simple movie that takes a dark turn near the end. This provides a different experience for movie viewers that was very refreshing to watch. I am giving The Art of Self Defense a 5.7/10.

Sorry to Bother You (2018)

One of the most entertaining films of the decade.

[8/10 · 25 February 2020]

In an alternate version of Oakland, California, Cassius Green finds a job as a telemarketer, only to discover the commission paying job to be quite the struggle as a black man trying to sell to predominately white people over the phone. This changes when a veteran telemarketer advises him to use his "white voice", which makes his attitude more appealing to the customers. With this bizarrely high-pitched and flamboyant accent, Cassius becomes a huge success as his job, right as his colleagues form a union to improve their miserable jobs. Regardless, Cassius finds himself promoted to a "Power Caller", where he started selling the most morally abhorrent but lucrative products and services as his connection to his girlfriend and colleagues slip away. However, Cassius' conscience arises anew as he finds himself in the midst of his boss' bizarre world of condescending bigoted decadence and his sinister plans to create the perfect subservient work force with Cassius' help. This film is filled with a truly outstanding cast. Lakieth Stanfield is given the lead as Cassius Green, and he does a phenomenal job. Stanfield is usually acting in more minor and supportive roles, so it is awesome to see him fully unleashed as the lead. Tessa Thompson stars as Detroit, Cassius' girlfriend. She is definitely one of the stranger characters in the movie, and Tessa Thompson delivers that weirdness with beautiful expertise. I cannot imagine another actress with this role. Other big faces act in smaller roles including Steven Yeun as Squeeze, and Terry Crews as Sergio, Cassius' uncle. Aesthetically, the film adopts a visual style obviously influenced by Michel Gondry, and, to a lesser extent, Terry Gilliam. An especially interesting aesthetic device, as anyone who has seen the trailer can attest, is how white voice is handled - rather than having the actors simply speak in a different voice, Riley instead has the white actors' voices overdubbed; when Cash's friend Salvador first hears Cash's white voice, he literally tells him "you sound overdubbed". However, the lip syncing is, presumably intentionally, far from perfect, with the voice not quite aligning with the actors' mouth movements. This throws the scenes "off" ever so slightly, creating an extra layer of surreality, and highlighting just how absurd the whole thing is, drawing attention to the lengths these people have to go to achieve real success. The fact that our culture places such value on "correct" intonation is, in and of itself, absurd, like an extreme version of the phone voice that pretty much everyone has, and by failing to perfectly sync white voice to black actor, Riley is able to deconstruct and draw attention to this absurdity. The film's other big aesthetic innovation is having Cash plunge (not especially gracefully) into the living room of the people he calls, desk and all. Obviously, this draws attention to the level of intrusion with which most people greet telemarketers, but, at least in the early stages, it also highlights Cash's own discomfit at being the intruder, seen most clearly when he drops in on a couple having sex. This is an excellently-handled piece of visual shorthand, conveying Cash's internal process, without having him verbalise it at any point. A black comedy/Juvenalian satire/science fiction/horror/magic realist/allegorical character study, Sorry to Bother You is impossible to classify. Dealing with the obstacles facing African Americans in a white-dominated corporate milieu, and positing that the experience of workers is determined by both labor conditions and race, the film examines labour relations, wage issues, worker solidarity, unionism, mass media, and the dangers of betraying oneself and choosing corporate advancement over friendships, relationships, and personal integrity. Although it's a beat or two too long, and although the spectacularly bizarre left-turn at the end of the second act will surely alienate a lot of viewers, the deconstruction and comic appropriation of code-switching results in a film that is constantly inventive, highly confrontational, and extremely funny. Sorry to Bother You is one of the most underrated movies of the decade. This is one of my favorite movies, as it is incredibly well done and has an A tier cast. I am giving Sorry to Bother You a 7.9/10.

Uncut Gems (2019)

Adam Sandler at his finest.

[8/10 · 18 February 2020]

From acclaimed filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie comes the electrifying crime thriller Uncut Gems. This film centers a jewelry store owner in Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) as he gets his hands on a precious gemstone from Ethiopia, he decides to lend it to an NBA star in good faith. What sadly becomes apparent is the fact that he has many issues under the surface. Being a really shady figure and having a serious gambling addiction ends up giving this movie an insane amount of tension. This is a roller coaster ride of claustrophobia and I couldn't get enough of it. It has been a fascinating ride watching the numerous ups and downs of Adam Sandler's career. From classic comedies like Happy Gilmore to great dramatic performances like Reign Over Me, he has proven time and time again that he is a very talented guy. The problem is that he has let himself fall out of the spotlight over the last ten years, simply due to the fact that he has been choosing some of the worst films of each year, on multiple occasions. I can say without a shadow of doubt, that this has been Sandler's best performance yet. While Eric Bogosian, Lakeith Stanfield, Kevin Garnett and many others here give an extremely solid performance, it's Sandler's show, and it's soulful and tense and harrowing and ultimately (as terrible as Howard can be) tragic. The filmmakers's greatest achievement from the looks of this and Good Time is finding star-actors who aren't known for their wide range and getting career-triumph work from them. If the movie isn't all that complex, I do think Howard is and that helps make this pretty special as a depiction of addiction, more than anything else. By the time the third act begins, you'll probably wonder why you have been so invested in Sandler's portrayal of Howard because he's really not the best person. With that said, it's the fact that he is a terrible person deep down and is so greedy that is what made it so engaging and unnerving at times. Right when you think Howard can't possibly dig himself into a deeper hole and that the movie can't get any more stressful, he goes and makes it even worse for himself. It is impossible to sit through this movie without biting your nails down to the nub. While this movie is out in theaters right now, I'm pretty sure it's coming to Netflix very soon, and I highly recommend watching this movie the next chance you get. I am rating Uncut Gems at an 8.2/10.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

Not the worst Star Wars film, but far from the best.

[6/10 · 18 February 2020]

There are two ways to watch this film. You can read the negative reviews and go in with preconceived notions. Or, what I would suggest, watch it with an open mind. The choice is yours. Episode 9 opens with the return of Emperor Palpatine, the big bad guy of Star Wars who was killed by the hands of Anakin Skywalker back in the original trilogy. The resistance sends Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, and C-3PO on a mission to find a Sith wayfinder, a device that should show them where Palpatine has been hiding this whole time. The mission escalates with Rey discovering that Palpatine is her grandfather, and that Kylo Ren thinks that together they can kill him to rule the galaxy together. The party is led to a moon of Endor where the wreckage of the second Death Star has fallen, and here, Rey and Kylo duel over the ruins. Leia creates a force connection with her son, which petrifies him for just a second, allowing Rey to stab him but sadly the connection deemed too great an effort and Leia was killed in the process. The climax of the movie is sadly not nearly as good as the second act. The final battle is split into two parts: the resistance pilots battling against Palpatine's fleet of planet killing star destroyers, and Rey and the redeemed Ben Solo taking on Palpatine himself. This battle ends with Rey defeating Palpatine, but losing her life in the process. Ben force heals Rey, sacrificing his life for hers. I hate to say it but this movie does not do a lot of our beloved characters justice. Rey does develop into a better trained Jedi, but we don't really get to see that in the film. It was nice to see her struggling with the dark side, although its not a concept we have never seen in the other trilogies, but it does make her character a little less perfect than she comes off in the other films. Finn was great in The Force Awakens. His character was important to the plot, he was exciting and had a lot going for him, he was arguably one of the better characters in episode 7. It was clear Rian Johnson didn't really have any plans for him in The Last Jedi, and he was kinda thrown to the side, but in The Rise of Skywalker, it felt like even JJ didn't know what to do with him. I do have to say Adam Driver has carried the sequel trilogy for the past half decade. Kylo Ren easily has the best character arc in the sequel trilogy, but also one of the best in the entire saga. It was clear to me that this was JJ's plan ever since episode 7 for Ben Solo. Palpatine returning was a very interesting choice. Part of me really enjoyed having him back on screen, but the other part of me thinks the movie would have been more intense if Kylo remained evil and was the true villain of trilogy. One thing I didn't like about The Rise of Skywalker, was that it introduced too many new characters. The problem with introducing new characters in the final installment of a series of movies is that it is impossible to become attached to them before the end. Despite the fast pace, sloppy writing, and unsatisfying final battle, there were a lot of things I loved in this movie. Harrison Ford returning as Han was a pleasant surprise, even if it was just for one scene. The score did a great job at giving the viewers a sense of nostalgia. This is especially heard in the scene where Luke is lifting his old X-wing out of the water and we hear the same song heard back in Empire when Yoda does the same, and when Rey is venturing through the Death Star and we hear Vader's theme hidden in the score. One of the most rememberable scenes in the entire trilogy is when Rey hears the voices of dead Jedi. These voices include: Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), Obi-wan Kenobi (both Ewan McGregor and Alec Guinness), Yoda (Frank Oz), Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), Mace Windu (Sam L. Jackson) and many more from the animated shows. The action in this movie, sadly, wasn't anything special. The biggest fight was a duel between Rey and Kylo Ren on the ruins of the Death Star. This battle is particularly interesting because there is no score backing it up for almost half of the fight. This fight was also very cool because we never see Jedi blocking other lightsabers with the force and we finally got to see it in this battle. While this isn't the worst Star Wars movie, it is far from the best. The critics tore this movie apart, but if you are a fan of Star Wars, you will enjoy it. JJ really made this movie for the true fans of Star Wars. While it's not the best film in the saga, it does offer a satisfying conclusion to those who have been with it since the beginning. I give this epic finale to the Star Wars saga a 6.9/10.

1917 (2019)

A beautiful work of art.

[9/10 · 18 February 2020]

Sam Mendes' war drama is set during World War I and very personal to him, as it tells a story his grandfather used to tell him when he was still young. Dedicated to Mendes' hero, this drama cuts deep when we join two young soldiers on a mission to deliver a message that could possibly save thousands of fellow combatants. Filmed and edited as if it was one long take, the camera never leaves our main protagonists, Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George MacKay), out of its sight.The use of the single shot was brilliant as it brings the viewer along in the trenches and further adds to the realism to the film. This gives the viewer a feel as if they are almost part of the mission, walking through the trenches and ducking under the fire of bullets alongside Blake and Schofield. I was surprised to hear that this was gimmicky effect from some critics, I felt Mendes nailed it brilliantly with the help of some fantastic cinematography. The set pieces were so realistic and detailed, a lesser director would've focused more on them but for this ride the camera never stops moving and it's a benefit to the film. Roger Deakins' cinematography is once again breathtakingly superior to anything else you've seen this year, and for sure will be the one thing people unanimously praise. Sound editing/mixing, visual effects and production design are all outstanding. These are the things, people will remember. It is Thomas Newman's score that elevates every moment happening in front of you, intensifying the emotions brought by our main characters. And although MacKay and Chapman do a pretty phenomenal job at capturing the true essence of their characters going through a literal hell, it's the side characters with little-to-no screen time who steal their spotlight. Andrew Scott, Mark Strong, Richard Madden and Benedict Cumberbatch are checkpoints along the way, but man, do they impress with the few lines they're given. There is no sigh of relief, no respite from the fear of uncertainty. They survive to move forward to face more uncertainty. This movie will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire way through, never giving you a chance to catch your breath. 1917 is without a doubt a technical masterpiece, that will inspire many filmmakers. It for sure is one of the better films 2019 has brought to the big screen, yet a bit more focus on the script could've made this the cinematic masterpiece of the decade. Nonetheless, I recommend watching this on the biggest screen possible and enjoy another fine piece of cinema brought to you by Sam Mendes. I am giving 1917 a 9.2/10.