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Aladdin (2019)
Built-In Audience
Much like a Tyler Perry movie, or Transformers instalment, Disney's new throng of live-action remakes was destined to have a built-in audience. The fate of the legacy was decided on the success of the first attempt, 2016's The Jungle Book. Jon Favreau created a familiar, but thankfully not a cut and paste remake that showed the potential of truly fantastic CGI. A single human interacted with a remarkably life-like world and any reticence I had about the necessity of its existence fell away. More than being a well-crafted exercise in technology, it was a plain good movie. The following year, Beauty and the Beast stepped up to the bar and it was decided then that quality would likely take a backseat to familiarity for future developments. A taken-for-granted audience was guaranteed, and with a library spanning 80 years, Disney films could now be repackaged and digitized to autopilot a franchise. For all its occasional charm, Guy Ritchie's Aladdin 2019 is continuing a tradition based more on the Disney brand than the Disney magic.
Much like Beauty and the Beast, I can only briefly describe how marginally Aladdin departs from the animated feature. If the nagging thought "I've already seen this movie" doesn't bother you, you're getting exactly what you came to see. The street-rat one jump ahead of the lawmen, the princess in disguise, the Cave of Wonder, it's all there, confined to a box that won't spoil a single pre-conceived notion.
Nobody can deny that Mena Massound embodies Aladdin like he fell seamlessly into a mold. Naomi Scott plays Princess Jasmine as if a casting agent was given the directions, "Go find me a 25 year-year-old Sarah Michelle Gellar of Middle-Eastern decent," and find her they did. I don't know how much of themselves our two leads were allowed to bring to these roles, but I didn't feel much. When I first saw Will Smith in a pre-view, glowing blue and built like The Rock, I had to remind myself that there was no point in comparing anyone to Robin Williams. As Aladdin came to the second act, I was actually a little anxious to get to something that felt new. I can assure you Smith does not disappoint. Even while watching "Friend Like Me," I wasn't hearing Robin Williams re-packaged, I was seeing a gamble pay off. Will Smith has his own musical style and incorporates that contagious personality into a new genie that could have gone horribly wrong.
Almost as severe as the initial pullback fans had of Will Smith as the Genie, was Marwan Kenzari as Jafar. The animated character's sharp features and measured delivery doesn't lend itself to a specific actor I can think of off-hand, but Marwan certainly isn't it. As much as I would welcome a fresh anything to the feature, forgettable is forgettable.
What we can mark as a successful new addition to the Aladdin soundtrack is Jasmine's powerful Speechless. I would not have checked Aladdin as needing a strong feminine anthem, but this one was built to impress. The story arc makes a more progressive turn than any preceding genesis of the story and sheer effectiveness beat out an eye-roll. The same cannot be said for the film as a whole. Favreau made such a strong statement with The Jungle Book that I can't imagine July's The Lion King will be anything less than incredible, but Aladdin seems to be a precursor to an upcoming decade of safe remakes that will transparently play a numbers game. I can only hope the magic comes back to Disney.
Thoroughbreds (2017)
Who's Capable of What?
When you finish a mystery thriller like "The Usual Suspects" or "The Prestige," you're anxious to think back on the first act of the movie. Could you have seen the revelations coming? Did the film give you enough to make the connections on your own? There is no magic when a twist "comes out of nowhere." The magic comes from having all the evidence and information right out in the open, and still blindsiding you with the truth. I had a similar want in re-watching the first act of "Thoroughbreds", where I was surprised to find that not only did I not have a prayer of seeing the ending coming, but neither did any of the characters.
Lily and Amanda are a pair of affluent teens in Connecticut. Amanda (Olivia Cooke) carries herself with an on-the-spectrum disconnect that's manifested with brutal honesty that would be cruel were it not for a biting wit. Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy) is harder to pin down. We first meet her as a doe-eyed former friend of Amanda, now tutoring her as a favor. She initially walks on eggshells around Amanda, prim bordering on obsequious. Within the first ten minutes, the thin veneer of obligatory platitudes is set aside by Amanda's social inability to accommodate them. This dynamic is a misdirection of a formula we know well. "The free spirited acquaintance helps the tight-ass unwind and learn to live." The subtle changes that occur in Lily from this moment on chip away at all our preconceived notions of this premise.
True to the form, Amanda has shown up in Lily's life at a convenient time for a new perspective to be utilized. Lily lives in a mansion of sorts. In daylight it is a sprawling and meticulously up-kept lap of luxury. At night, it is takes on a more Kubrickian atmosphere, with endless hallways, dimly lit staircases and floors. The subdued chill of the environment can be attributed to both the effective cinematography and Lily's crass stepfather, Mark (Paul Sparks). Mark only speaks to criticize and belittle. Lily's mother will weather his iciness in the interest of maintaining their lavish lifestyle. Lily's hatred of the man had likely never been verbalized, until Amanda came along. Amanda's infectious way of cutting to the quick in even the most uncomfortable of topics liberates Lily into finally articulating her frustrations. Hypothetical solutions regarding Mark range from comically naïve to dark.
Now that Lily has someone to bounce her ideas off of, the two girls ruminate a plan to get rid of Mark. It is at this point unexpected comedic undertones imbibe the plot. Lily and Amanda are well educated, very articulate, but still teenaged girls. They can talk circles around philosophical and social topics, but when it comes down to real-world action, they are as inept as anyone their age. Amanda doesn't have a dog in the race, merely spouting off flippant solutions to Lily's problem. Neither of them take the lead on these plans, as Lily is too timid and Amanda has no feelings about anything... literally. Rumors have stirred around their school about Amanda having done something sadistic and violent to a horse, so she becomes Lily's de facto expert in murder. Realizing that all the gossip contradicts Amanda's neutral temperament leaves nobody in the driver's seat.
Their best laid plans eventually lead to a patsy, Tim (Anton Yelchin.) Tim is the guy that lingers around high-school parties who looks simultaneously years younger than he is, and far too old to be at the party. The only students happy to see him are the ones that called him for an eighth of shwag. He is a low level drug dealer with high aspirations. He's happy to tell you about it with all the confidence that can be gleaned from the Cliff's Notes of The Power of Positive Thinking. Through the most remedial methods of reverse psychology and leverage, Lily and Amanda have prospective hit man. From this moment on, all our investment in what we can expect of these characters begin to blur to a crescendo.
The character development of Thoroughbreds is its greatest asset. I can't imagine that the project would have looked particularly exciting on paper, but with a steady pace and intelligent casting, these characters become exponentially complex. Joy and Cooke go from opposites, to interchangeable, to something shocking yet logical. Yelchin (In his final role) plays Tim as pitiful, pitiable, hilarious, and endearing. The overall mystery of this comedy thriller is "Who's capable of what?" By the end, the revelations come as a twist just as surprising to the characters as they are for us.
The Greatest Showman (2017)
No History Lesson, Just Joy
If ever there were a musical that can get away with manipulative character development, hokey plot lines, and complete misrepresentation of history with 9 layers of gloss, the story of P.T. Barnum would be it. The Greatest Showman leans so heavily on just a few (but marvelous) elements that it's hard to imagine that the whole tent doesn't just come crashing down. There's a good reason you might find it hard to believe that the 1850's New York portrayed in Greatest Showman, takes place (concurrently) only blocks from the filthy streets in Gangs of New York. That's because it didn't. We are being shown a shamelessly white-washed fairy tale that cares little to educate, but will do anything to dazzle... P.T. Barnum would've been proud.
How Barnum differs from other historical figures of his ilk is that he's more fascinating than beloved. If you were to shake his hand after a show, marveling at his pomp and costume, you may also be tempted to check for your wallet as you walk away. So, when a movie like The Greatest Showman oversimplifies the exploits of history's biggest perpetrator of exploitation, it might as well swing for the fences.
The film begins with silent movie titles and heavy beats that evoke The Colosseum and Imagine Dragons. Hugh Jackman's whisper carries us into the opening number "Greatest Show," which lets you know this movie hinges and sustains its fate on the music. A powerful choir punctuates Jackman's capable baritone as the track moves seamlessly from punk, to rock, to hip-hop, to vaudeville. The cynic in me retired from the on-deck circle and told my inner-child to grab a bat. For the rest of the evening I was smiling like a fool and singing 9 of the catchiest songs I've heard written for a single movie in... maybe ever. If your only bellwether for Jackman's musical talents is Les Miserables, just know that the man had a Tony on his shelf years before he donned the adamantium claws. He is more than up to the challenge.
When the fantasy of The Greatest Show fades into Barnum's childhood, forlornly gazing at a ringleader costume at his father's tailor shop, we see that the dream sequence isn't far removed from the movies slick set pieces. We settle on his childhood for just long enough to get the next number, A Million Dreams. Ellis Rubin's remarkable vocals carry us into the adult Barnum where Jackman and new bride Michelle Williams dance on the roof of a decrepit tenement building where they start a family with two adorable daughters. The music picks back up on the roof to the same tune of A Million Dreams, just three octaves higher. I sat in me seat thinking, "I don't know if my heart can handle it if these little girls start singing," I hid my face behind my Coke.
Barnum's rise to power at this point is rushed through with little conflict. I'll confess to being a bit disappointed at the low gravity of the adventure. An Ocean's 11 style sequence gets the gang of "freaks" together for Barnum's risky start-up. He funds this through means appropriate to the character. Jackman takes Barnum into highs that are glittering and lows that never feel too low. The story is not quite as weak as the songs are strong, making it all very forgivable. For example, Barnum turns away from his business and family after hearing a single song from an opera singer (Rebecca Ferguson.) How good would that song have to be for that plot turn to make sense? You'll see.
You might not be surprised to find that Jackman, Efron, Zendaya, and Keala Settle (of Broadway fame) bring powerful voices and dancing to the film. So you may be delighted to hear that Michelle Williams keeps up with seeming ease, even soloing her own number, Tightrope. Ferguson is the only first billed member that is dubbed over, though it is done wonderfully by The Voice contestant, Loren Allred.
I walked out of The Greatest Showman feeling like I hadn't learned a single thing about P.T. Barnum's real life. There may be a movie one day that aims to reveal the fascination and ugliness of Barnum's time, personal flaws, and impact on the world. That is not this film. The Greatest Showman is a celebration of the lie that Barnum sold the world for decades. Even after they all knew it was a gimmick by a gifted hoodwinker, they still stood in line eager to hand over their two-bits for the privilege. I knew at the ten minute mark that if I was to be entertained, it would be superficially. This would be a film that holds little value on paper and would bring out the worst in my cynicism if I let it. It may speak little to my instincts as a critic that I found it easy to set that negativity aside, but it also hardened my resolve to be the moviegoer I want to be. Then again, maybe I'm one of the suckers born every minute.
The Disaster Artist (2017)
Wiseau Serious
If you are aware of the broader catalogue of James Franco's filmmaking decisions, you should appreciate him as the lead of "The Disaster Artist." As a director, Franco has made bold and ambitious decisions that would (or should) be considered senseless by even the best of filmmakers. Great stories like "As I lay Dying" by Faulkner, and "Child of God" by Cormac McCarthy make for absorbing and introspective reading, but are almost untranslatable to screen. Franco throws himself heedlessly and enthusiastically into these projects with every intention of honoring his adored authors. The results have stacked up to a litany of adaptations that are generously called pretentious, and more often considered self- serving passion projects by an ill- equipped visionary. One could see why Franco found a kindred spirit in the tragically inept creator of "The Room", Tommy Wiseau.
"The Room" is an un-spoilable movie. There isn't a coherent plot to ruin. It is infamous for all the reasons a filmmaker would hope their film wouldn't gain notoriety. Incomprehensible melodrama, atrocious acting, baffling editing, and otherworldly dialogue are all slapped together in a film that should be unwatchable. The reason it has gained a loyal cult following and become endearing is an unmistakable sincerity. Each frame shows a filmmaker hopelessly baring his soul while making every mistake in the book. Had this been a contemptuously produced project by a creator who truly didn't care, we might feel affronted for the gall. With Tommy, the audience may laugh at him for the duration, but they also ardently thank him for the experience. We can hardly conceive of a picture made with so little self-awareness and so much innocence. "The Disaster Artist", based on the book of the same name, is the first-hand account of "The Room's" creation by its 2nd lead, Greg Sestero.
Greg (Dave Franco) is a 19-year-old dreamer from San Francisco in 1998. He struggles to utter syllables in his local acting classes and hopes to be part of the movies in some capacity, appropriately naïve for his age. It is there he meets the enigmatic and marvelously eccentric Tommy (James Franco). Greg overthinks every line in his rehearsals while Tommy fearlessly gives zero thought into every line he bellows. The sheer confidence of Tommy is attractive. Based on the reaction Tommy gives to Greg's attention, you'd think it was the first person that ever showed him interest. Tommy orders everything on the menu when they go out, and drives a $50,000 car with literally no backstory. When they toy with the idea of venturing to Hollywood to follow their dreams, Tommy reveals he already has a place, unused for months, in the heart of L.A. for no logical reason. Money is never an issue. It's as if Greg conceived an imaginary friend that came to life before he was finished thinking through the details.
Once in Hollywood, the duo quickly find that wanting the dream isn't enough to gain traction in the cynical city. Months pass without the promise of work and still nothing comes to light to explain who or what the hell Tommy is. He maintains lies about his age and citizenship, making for hilarious moments where he thinks he's got everyone fooled. The depths of Tommy's pockets grow in scope when he decides to write, produce, and direct his own film having exhausted all other prospects. Acting in the lead role, of course.
The production of "The Room" is the most entertaining act of the movie, but it's not its heart. We find that Tommy deals with challenges with less maturity than his teenage (now 23-year-old) co- star. The lovable qualities of Wiseau start to teeter when his childlike jealousy and frustrations mold him into a much less sympathetic character. I suppose it's all necessary so that we can feel justified in our glee of laughing "at" Tommy and not feeling too guilty about it. Supporting actors on the project like Seth Rogan, Aria Gaynor, Josh Hutcherson and Alison Brie get to make all the side comments during production that we all said to each other in the theater when first seeing the finished project.
It may not be a high compliment to say that Franco is more suited to adapting a book based on "The Citizen Kane of Bad Movies" than Steinbeck, but he deserves something for the well-executed effort. Franco goes full method in his approach to portraying Wiseau, all while directing himself, directing himself, and treating the character with dignity. For those who can't appreciate the low- stakes juggling act, "Leave your stupid comments in your pocket!"
It (2017)
Floats Above the Original
In the first 10 minutes of the remake of Stephen King's "It", I was taken aback by how much more violent and graphic it was than its 1990 predecessor. I recalled a creepy yet campy made-for-TV movie that was ultimately forgettable were it not for the spectacularly unsettling performance by Tim Curry in the title role. I initially attributed this upswing in gore to the Hollywood trend of remakes, dial it up to 11 and hope for the best. It didn't take long for me to see that there was something more at work here. As the familiar story ticked on I realized that this movie isn't for those who are being introduced to the story for the first time. It's for those, of my generation, who knew that the evil of "IT" was waiting its obligatory 27 years to reemerge and scare the hell out of us again as adults.
In the small town of Derry Maine, big brother Bill is paper folding the ill-fated SS. Georgie on his bed. Little brother Georgie scampers in to take his toy boat out to the rainy gutters of the neighborhood. Bill and Georgie have an unrealistically precious relationship. Georgie is literally too cute to live. As the little tike chases the makeshift sail-boat down the street, it becomes clear that the swollen $35 million budget was put to good use. From the original, we know Georgie's floating destiny, but how he arrives there is a red flag for the extremes we can expect for the 135 run-time. Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) looks nothing like the Bozo interpretation by Curry. More like a mix between John Wayne Gacy and John Leguizamo from Spawn. The only real acting Skarsgard gets to do is in those creepy few minutes, menacingly gawking out of that gutter. The rest of Pennywise's appearances are too heavily CGI'd to require an actor. Most of the character's appearances are relegated to creepy waving and jump- scares. This might sound disappointing if Pennywise's only manifestation was as a clown.
More than the terror of this ever-morphing entity, the town of Derry itself is a certain type of hell for children. There are sadistic bullies that would be showing mercy by simply punching you in the face. There are no adults in the traditional sense as they are all guilty of apathy, predatory hungers, or just being former bullies who now own small businesses. The 7 protagonist children have nowhere to turn when their personal nightmares starting coming to life. Bill has lost his brother the year before with parents who have all but moved on. Beverly is becoming a woman in a home where her single father's loving touch is completely unwelcome. Mike, the home-schooled slaughterhouse worker, may have the most traumatizing past which is only briefly capitalized on. That brevity might have been a good idea considering how it would clash hard with the tongue-in-cheek humor that makes most of the horror palatable. The other members of the group, Richie, Ben, Eddie, and Stanley have their own triggers but they don't stem from trauma
At least not yet.
Pennywise gets a disappointing amount of dialogue, but it is made up for by our 7 heroes, self-dubbed The Losers. Richie (Finn Wolfhard of "Stranger Things" notoriety) is particularly hilarious with one- liners that would kill in any Apatow flick. The others are given depth of character through realistic interpersonal relationships and convincingly fitting into the late 80's aesthetic. Their world is a terrifying fantasy, but the nostalgia is refreshingly real.
With the reverence that the creators of IT have shown the material, I was surprised to find the small catalogue they have contributed to in the past. Director Andy Muschietti created the stylish, but ultimately forgettable "Mama." Only Gary Dauberman of the three screenwriters has had notable contributions to the genre, writing the disappointing "Annabelle" and much better "Annabelle: Creation." So it is quite satisfying to see that this was likely a passion project for these artists. The result being a dutiful and exhilarating remake that has every right to stand up to, and even float above the original.
It Comes at Night (2017)
What do you really see?
The immediate question I had to ask myself after watching It Comes at Night was, "What did I really see?" Certainly there are horrific images and dangers beyond the superficial; but the true fear didn't come from tangible figures, it was evoked from filmmaking that makes the fear personal to each viewer. Whether you are predicting monsters lingering out of frame, or feeling feverish on behalf of the characters, this film has the guts to require the audience to engage.
Earlier this year I was pleasantly surprised by the sequel to Cloverfield, 10 Cloverfield Lane. Rather than expanding the story to global catastrophe, we entered a very intimate setting with only 3 characters. In that film we knew what waited outside the bunker, making it an emotional game of duality, prison or sanctuary? Somehow, It Comes at Night accomplishes something very similar, without a prequel to add any suggestion as to where the terror is derived. In a remote woodland, in a boarded-up two-story cabin, we again have three characters that have secluded themselves from an unnamed horror. Paul, Travis, and Sarah don't go out at night; they wear gas masks at the slightest foreign element; and seem prepared for anything. Paul (Joel Edgerton) is a hardened man, shouldering the desperation so that his wife and son can live rather than just survive. His son, Travis, is in his late teens and has just buried his grandfather. The grandfather's death, from an unspecific disease, is both a red herring and catalyst for what we begin to understand is an isolated life amidst an apocalypse.
The nature of the threat, beyond a sickness, is maddeningly hinted at. Can we expect zombies? Might there be mutant animals in the hills? The ambiguity of the threat could easily become a cheap plot device, if indeed the movie were about the threat. The real story begins when a second family ends up on Paul's doorstep. They are a mirror to Paul's family; a husband, Will; wife, Kim; and child, Andrew. Will's family is younger, and in greater need. Paul sees it as a duty to save those who can be, but makes it clear that his obligations go no farther than that.
Social graces work juxtaposed to desperate measures so that politeness is relegated to curt respect. Nothing is free in this environment so harsh rules are accepted without question, and hard work is an expectation. Andrew is only 4 years old and Travis becomes the bridge between this young family and his stern father, breaking protocol for the sake of harmony. The protocol of safety is broken down on the first day. Gas masks are to be worn under strict conditions; the only entrance to the home is under Paul's control, and trust is a privilege that will ride on a razor's edge.
The performance that carries this movie is from Travis, Kelvin Harrison Jr. He is the "us" in the movie and expresses every human emotion the setting deprives from others. Travis is a teenager almost non- existent in horror films. He loves, fears, but never shows that he is trying to prove himself. His character in almost any other suspense thriller would be gunning to live up to his father's expectations, and add to the divide between the two families. We find from his mourning over his grandfather, and horrible nightmares of suffering the same fate, that he is a child appropriately acting his age. He lusts after Kim, but doesn't create untoward drama. He dotes on the young Andrew, and respects Will. We feel his misery as he watches the humanity in his home unravel.
Always in the margins of each scene is the implied horror. I found my speculation for what it might be waning steadily to the film's conclusion. Some might find the ending cheap, or anti-climactic. I can't imagine it ending any other way. The final moments are a subtle reveal that make the earlier climax all the more heart wrenching. If you feel that you missed something when the credits start rolling, you were looking for the wrong monster.
Alien: Covenant (2017)
Frustrating Alien Prequel, Exemplary Prometheus Sequel
This is a rare film review for me. It's one that will celebrate the quality, imagination, and depth of a story, while also never settling on being a firm recommendation. Alien: Covenant rounds out one of the most spectacular universes in all of cinema, while doing little to live up to the advertised subject matter. This dissonance makes for a frustrating Alien prequel, and an exemplary Prometheus sequel.
Ridley Scott lit a fuse for a boundless concept in 1979 that spread beyond his own imagination. Developments brought about in Aliens and Alien 3 have become such companion pieces to the original that when Scott began working on a prequel in 2000, he tapped James Cameron as a writer. When inferior prequels such as AVP perverted tangential focus from their ideas, a broader scope was sought. The connections in Prometheus to the original feature were incidental; As much as Alien was a pure horror that was incidentally Sci-Fi. Based on the lukewarm reaction to Prometheus, I have always believed that viewers were unsatisfied with the light touch it used to bridge the two features, and how heavy handed it was in its own direction. Therefore, those expecting a true "Alien" film will be disappointed in Covenant's approach to the alien itself, but enthralled with how thoroughly it delves into the thoughts provoked in Prometheus.
The colonization vessel Covenant is on its long journey to a new planet. It's not made clear what shape Earth is in, but the 2000+ colonizers and crew seem to be making a one-way trip. After an incident (similar to that of Passengers) forces crew members awake, that all-too-familiar signal from another planet is detected and rouses interest. The source is a planet, seemingly better suited for colonization than their original. The decisions at this point are made without a firm resolve, as the captain has perished during the aforementioned incident. Oram (Billy Crudup) has taken command and is so anxious he seems to second-guess nervous ticks. The Ripley- esque voice of reason, Daniels (Katherine Waterston), has lost her husband (the captain) and is none-too-keen and deviating from the plan. Daniels is not alone in having a spouse on board, as every member of the crew is working alongside a husband or a wife, colonizing by example.
Once on the surface of the source planet, we find an environment more suited for Predator than Alien. Torrential rain feeds a never- ending forest and there is scarcely a flat surface to be found. The constant flow of water from lakes and falls masks an unsettling quality, silence. Such a hospitable environment is void of all animal life. The ground crew is made up of the essential characters. The captain, Daniels, some armed muscle and a new generation of synthetic man, Walter (Michael Fassbender). Walter is noticeably different from Prometheus's David. More than a different accent and physicality, Walter's personality lacks the deceptive and self- assured nature of David, effectively a more efficient slave. The stark difference between the two Fassbenders is made much clearer when the crew finds the sole inhabitant of the planet, David.
Ten years have passed since the events of Prometheus, and David has been busy. Having lost his only companion since his arrival on the planet, Shaw (Noomi Rapace), he has built a lonely and elaborate dwelling in the mausoleum of a lost society. It is in this setting that the marvelous possibilities posed in Prometheus are elaborated on like poetry between Walter and David. Fassbender plays both roles with impeccable timing. Even in identical close-ups, it is unmistakable which synthetic is which. From this encounter the central theme is revealed, the privilege and hubris of creation; Creation being the essential difference between the two. In David's chambers, countless experiments are displayed. Amazing drawings are laid out as if David had H.R. Geiger on commission. With a plentiful supply of Engineer canisters at his disposal, the mysteries surrounding the vacant planet start to become darkly clear.
From the trailers, and even the poster, we know that Xenomorph will eventually make its appearance, along with some inventive other creatures. And it is in this vein I would imagine viewers will get decidedly less than the bargained for. Prometheus was, wisely, never promoted as an "Alien movie." Covenant has been advertised as a Xenomorph absorbed horror film, and it simply isn't. The discord of expectations will inevitably cause unnecessary disappointment. When the focus turns to the favorite movie monster, the beats of formula start drumming and the final half-hour feels like a misplaced fourth act. An overly-familiar sequence trying to deliver on a promise that shouldn't have been made in the first place.
Other elements of the film are praiseworthy. Because this isn't purely a horror feature, when the crew experiences loss the actors have time to show range through grief and hopelessness, rather than simply running for their lives. Danny McBride as the pilot Tennessee isn't relegated solely into the role of comic relief, giving more than you might expect. Samantha Waterston is too numbed by tragedy from the start to go through the same descent into madness as Weaver or Rapace, but creates a heroine all her own. In most other features, Crudup can be counted on to be a muted and self-assured everyman. Here, he breaks new ground as convincingly neurotic, un- composed and unsure. By far the best performance is by Fassbender. As David, he is an amalgam of great villains and powerful leading men. As Walter there is an understated kindness that challenges David. The synthetics are the profound and pivotal creations of the film, just perhaps not the ones you paid to see.
Star Trek Beyond (2016)
For Anton
It probably doesn't exist, but I would love to find out there is a special club of Hollywood extras, made up entirely of faceless members of the Starship Enterprise who were sucked into space during an attack. This particular death is exclusive for the faceless, because it is not dignified enough for the 8 crew members we care about. Star Trek Beyond was written with reverence to the franchise, but may have stacked the deck against making enough characters matter. It begins on a familiar, but entertaining note. The Enterprise is hitting its 3rd year in deep space, doing the good work of The UFP (United Federation of Planets.) Kirk notes that he is coming up on a significant birthday, 1 year older than his father was when the Romulans made him a martyr. Despite Kirk's young age, he is considering taking a high-end desk job. Spock is doing his own form of Vulcan soul searching when the Enterprise docks at the Federation space station. Just when it seems we will be diving headlong into these characters' hearts and minds, duty calls and distracts.
There were easily identifiable themes in the last two installments. In "Star Trek" it was lineage and destiny. In "Into Darkness" it was morality and friendship. With Beyond we believe the set-up will come full circle with a poetic remark on the crossroads' of these characters, but the spectacle becomes the theme. After a few minutes of docking at the beautifully expansive space station, The Enterprise is put through the ringer and the crew finds themselves held on an uncharted planet under the thumb of another monstrous villain. Krall (Idris Elba) is the leader of the hornets' nest of ships that dominate a remote nebula and veiled planet. The swarm of ships and carnage wrought by his innumerable army is the highlight of the aforementioned spectacle. Moving as an ever-morphing war unit, hundreds of ships attack like sentient thorns. Krall has an interesting look: a mix of between Worf and Jerry from Enemy Mine. His features are never consistent, as he uses an ancient technology on the planet to revitalize himself. I couldn't go into more specifics if I wanted to as the story hinges on the mayhem, not the details. Krall's planet is home to stranded races of aliens spanning generations. Jaylah is the local with a marvelous set of skills and technology. She has a great dynamic with Scotty and provides all the need-to-knows to get everyone into a final showdown.
The showdown, of course, is the point. All the shortcomings in plot and character development fall quickly into hindsight when the epic space battle steals the show. Interestingly, the action and visuals are more Star Wars-like than ever. That's because J.J. Abrams isn't at the helm of this latest installment. Justin Lin (of Fast and Furious credit) directs Beyond with a heavier hand than the previous films. It doesn't extend into Michael Bay territory, but the cut- rate becomes pretty unforgiving during combat. When it comes to a space adventure, deep implications and well-established drama isn't what draws the crowd. However, all the spectacle doesn't amount to a great deal of memorable scenes. The resolution puts an obligatory bow atop the forgotten introspection at the beginning, and memories of the film play like a highlight reel instead of a story.
Honestly, Beyond does not fall short of the other films. It carries the people we love into dazzling places, and I left with a smile. But after the tragic news of Leonard Nimoy and 27-year-old Anton Yelchin, I naturally wanted the best swan song for their talents. If anything is truly memorable about Star Trek Beyond, it is the words before the credits roll.
"In memory of Leonard Nimoy."
"For Anton."
Suicide Squad (2016)
A Bull's-Eye of Horrible Execution
Admit it, you want to like this movie. Even if you never heard of Suicide Squad prior to the trailer's unveiling at Comic-Con, it just looked like a winner. Then came the reviews last week
Headlines have denigrated Suicide Squad for all manner of politicized reasons. It has been labeled as misogynist, racist, and morally vapid. I simply do not agree. You do not need to stand on a soapbox of social superiority to call attention to how this film failed in political correctness; it is much easier to blatantly call it out for being an incoherent mess of atrociously executed plot lines and editing. I have to call attention to the editing, because I like to think there may very well be a better movie left on the cutting room floor. This is little consolation for the monumental disappointment fans are flocking to see in record numbers.
The introduction is hopeful. Director and writer David Ayer wastes no time in getting us into the miserable and eccentric prison lives of the beloved Gotham villains. Will Smith as the world's greatest assassin, Deadshot; Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as the mutant crocodile-human hybrid, Killer Croc; Jay Hernandez as the repressed pyro-kinetic, Diablo; Jai Courtney as the slovenly Australian thief, Boomerang; and of course Margot Robbie as Joker's right hand wild card, Harley Quinn. More than looking the part, this cast admirably puts their backs and hearts into these characters. This is almost tragic considering so many other elements of the movie failed to do them justice. Viola Davis plays the government spook who masterminds the "Suicide Squad Initiative", a worst-case-scenario operation that involves taking the nation's most dangerous prisoners and thinly offering them clemency in exchange for defending the home team.
So, what atrocity leads to the gang being organized? Enchantress, an ancient witch inhabiting a doctor's body, breaks free from the government's leverage and wreaks unholy havoc on a global level. The issue with this, Enchantress is initially a member of the Suicide Squad. The rest of the team is organized for the first time to battle one of their own members who went rogue. And I kid you not, this paradox is never addressed. The loose debates about letting these mass murderers walk the streets pivots on an assurance of control. Once the control is lost with one member, the rest are allowed out of their cages to get it back. Our love for the characters is stretched so far that we are expected to turn a blind eye to gaping plot holes and lazy justifications. The story ostensibly fast forwards through necessary expositions and tangents to get to the next battle or witty exchange between squad members.
For all its faults, there are short stretches of entertainment when you feel the joy Jared Leto and Margot Robbie bring to their roles. Flashbacks to Leto's Joker with Robbie will make you lament that they didn't just ride that tangent instead of letting this story go so astray. Will Smith has moments of embodying Deadshot in very satisfying ways. He can strike a pose in the heat of battle that summons more fond memories of the comic character. The actors have a reverence for the material that is unfortunately not shared by everyone on the project. Because Suicide Squad can officially be called a blockbuster despite critical backlash, it's a lock for a sequel. When that project comes to fruition, you may still want to like it, but you at least may not expect to.
Don't Breathe (2016)
Sweet Manipulation
There is a special arrangement exclusive to the horror/thriller genre that audiences subconsciously agree to, we want to be manipulated. If manipulation is detected in any other style, it is met with incredulity and a sneer. The makers of "Don't Breathe" are shameless in their understanding of this paradigm. I surprised myself in how much I was willing to overlook the lazy writing of the first 20 minutes, and the gaping plot holes of the last 60, just to feel that enthralling sensation only a good thriller can provide. If you are such a stickler to continuity and details that "Don't Breathe" has no effect on you, it might make you a more astute viewer, but also a more pitiable one.
In simple terms this is an imperfect, but highly effective movie that sidesteps story structure to deliver one hellova setting. Once in that setting, we are given ample time to marinade in it, and believe it. 3 twenty somethings; Rocky, Alex, and Money (guess which one is the white guy with corn rows) start to grow more confident and desperate in their small burglary enterprise. Rocky is the stealthy blonde with doe eyes and small build, perfect for squeezing through tight entrances (or hiding places.) Alex is the brains and voice of reason; which doesn't amount to much as his breed of character never has enough confidence to be heard. And Money is the reckless muscle with an attitude who functions only to provide leads, break locks, and roll his eyes at good advice. When their most promising lead has a possible six-figure payday, aspirations of getting out of the gutters of Detroit bring them to a rundown suburban home with a plan that borders on incompetence. The reason for their frivolity, the target is blind. Stephen Lang is billed only as The Blind Man, a war veteran sitting on a possible fortune, hidden somewhere in a three-story pile of squeaky floorboards and crawlspaces.
This house has a familiar feel, like that of "The People Under the Stairs" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," where daylight does nothing to brighten it. Knowing the present state of Detroit, it's unsettling to know this house is far from one-of-a-kind. Once our young prowlers enter, we get our first clear glimpse of the blind man. He whimpers almost pathetically with a sotto voce "Who's There?" His eyes don't look blind-stricken, more like something exploded from inside the eyeball. With battle scars spreading like cracked glass from the socket. After he appears in a doorway, you will find it hard to believe him as a victim. Stephen Lang is 64 with a body MMA fighters train tirelessly for. He wears a wife- beater for the duration, intimidating arms half-cocked at his sides. It becomes clear why he's not billed as the blind "old" man. With his loyal Rottweiler and dilapidated abode, the blind man draws on a nearly universal fear of the house around the corner you don't dare sell cookies to.
As you might expect from the trailers, power roles reverse and you ping-pong between antagonists and protagonists. If the twists and turns were set only on this basis, it would still be a compelling thriller, but "Don't Breathe" has much more up its sleeve. There are a few moments where things stretch a bit too far for shock value, but it is praiseworthy how infrequently "Don't Breathe" relies on them. This is a technical achievement with beautifully choreographed long-takes and staging that you can't call natural, but certainly can't call ineffective. At 90 minutes and a $9 million budget, it's a welcome break from the 9 figure marathons Marvel produces every 9 months. And as a side note, you will undoubtedly have a few plot holes start nagging at your brain on the ride home. If you think they're enough to ruin the movie, just imagine telling them to Stephen Lang in a dark room.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
Cat and Mouse, Niffler and Newt
An interesting idea from the world of Harry Potter is that wizards could possibly exist parallel to our reality. You can take that world with you and throw suspicious eyes to previously innocuous things. Discarded coffee cups could be port keys. Strung-out homeless people, holding passionate conversations with themselves, could be talking to a great witch or wizard with a concealing charm that we mere muggles can't see. Their private world is such a marvelous amalgam of centuries past that it translates effectively regardless of whether it's 1920 or 2020. What "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" brings is a stunning marriage of the eccentric wizarding world, and New York during the roaring 20's. More than simply changing the venue to a different nation, FB (we are now using this shorthand, word count be damned) grows the fantasy without losing the familiarity of Rowling's brilliant series.
One of the greatest elements of this setting is the preexisting climate that parallels the wizarding world. So much of New York's society in the 1920's was underground. The laws dictating temperance and gambling made for an underworld so iconic that it comes to mind, today, much quicker than the standard lifestyle at the time. Think back to when Harry took his first trip to Diagon Alley, through the back of a pub, to the brick wall, a secret knocking sequence opened you to that amazing world. All the best nightclubs in New York in 1926 worked the same way. Between these two subcultures, everything in the margins of the setting holds something astounding.
A small concern I had before going into FB was how much time they would take bringing the audience up to speed. As it turns out, virtually zero. If you have no knowledge of the world of Harry Potter prior to seeing this movie, you will unfortunately be lost. For those of us who have devoted a shameful amount of time to accruing Potter knowledge, it's appreciated to get into the theater and hit the ground running. The familiar John Williams score brings us into the cobblestone streets of New York before we get our first glimpse of dark magic.
Graves (Colin Farrell) investigates the Nomaj (muggle) streets after a dark force has destroyed half a block. Graves is a Tim Burton wet dream, all black and white without a hint of grey. Based on what we know of the title, a beast is loose. Soon an awkward Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) docks off of Ellis Island wielding his Mary Poppins case that bumps and squeaks with life. Redmayne has a great way of being both boyishly innocent and obliviously selfish in his pursuit to acquire his beasts. He has a one track mind and doesn't seem to have much regard for collateral damage. How he accomplishes this whilst remaining likable is
(adjective pending.) The climate of the city is tense. The magical community is up against a Salem-like resurgence of anti-witchcraft evangelicals. Newt couldn't have arrived at a worse time. The Nomaj community's blind fear of magic is paralleled by the magical community's ignorant fear of magical creatures. Newt, obviously, becomes a suspect for the havoc wreaked in the city, and the rest of the film is a whirlwind of cat and mouse, niffler and Newt.
We are introduced to many creatures and characters that I won't spoil, but there are two actors who deserve high praise for bringing a level of joy to the feature that makes FB endearing. Dan Fogler as the Nomaj Kowalski, adds beats of humor that are easy to overlook. With Redmayne playing everything straight, the comic relief is necessary but requires Fogler's discipline. The other is Alison Sudol as the witch, Queenie. Sudol is contagious in how much fun she has with this role. Queenie is the perfect complement to Kowalski's fish out of water Nomaj. Their dynamic with each other and as supporting characters is the highlight of the film. The Harry Potter films matured into some truly dark territory that FB doesn't quite venture, but the more kid-friendly feature doesn't feel overly precious. The mysterious antagonist and conflict may grow too far into the absurd for its own good, but how it all fits into the beloved world doesn't give the impression of a spin off cash-grab. The hunger for all things Potter is insatiable and the inevitable sequels to come have an admirable bar to hit.
La La Land (2016)
Low Stakes Escapism
In the years of the Great Depression, the average American went to damnable lengths just to pay bills or scare up food for their family. And yet, Hollywood was still able to pull off successful numbers at the box office. The reason, escapism. The late 1930's brought movies of pure joy and carefree lifestyles. Films like My Man Godfrey, Top Hat, Chaplin and Marx Brother comedies were a tonic to forget hardship. La La Land is a film in this vein. 2016 is coming to a close and has yet to pump its breaks as a freight-train of ugliness. La La Land will have one of two effects on viewers, the desired effect of escapism, or one of jaded cynicism. It was a telling experience that I fell firmly into the second category.
I will begin with how this movie succeeds, and it does so spectacularly. La La Land is a beautiful, engaging, and technical feat of production. Long choreographed takes and sparkling settings compliment music and dance that act as an ode to Hollywood classics that could sweep you away. The opening song and dance number sets the mood for how dutiful the production will be for the rest of the film. Hundreds of dancers jump and glide over car hoods on the interstate in perfect step, in a single take. The shot pulls back and the line of cars, and dancers, go on for miles. Here we meet our stars. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are Sebastian and Mia, classic dreamers. Mia is a part-time barista and even more part-time actress. Sebastian is a talented pianist that is willing to spin his wheels to the grave rather than sacrifice his integrity as an artist. They have a modern meet-cute, a middle finger on the interstate.
Like any classic musical, their relationship develops through a series of musical numbers rather than dialogue. They start as flirty enemies who dance at one another. When the romance picks up they dance with one another. We follow their romance as they court us through this new Hollywood that isn't so unlike the old. Sebastian lives and breathes Jazz, perfecting pieces off of garbled records that were pressed before he was born. Mia auditions for any tired cliché that will have her, all while going to sleep with a 9-foot Ingrid Bergman banner on her wall. La La Land certainly follows a formula, but it does so while celebrating it.
Now for the cynics. When you have a year like 2016, cute cat videos and puff stories on the news just can't quell the acidity of what's going wrong. La La Land takes place in a world void of these struggles. Consequently, it's hard to see these beautiful people and think of their struggles as anything but trivial. I found my smile frequently turning to an eye-roll when prompted to care about the conflict. Based on the overwhelming praise coming from countless other sources, I count myself as unfortunate for falling victim to this dissonance.
If there is anything imperfect about the musical arc of the film it's that it plays more like a score than soundtrack. The songs are as grandiose as any great Broadway number, but not as memorability. They may not be meant to be, but the songs don't exactly stay with you. This is a true romance, featuring actors with perfect chemistry. You root for them to a point, but when things get hard, their worst case scenario is still a dreamy existence in La La Land.
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
The Fabled, Dialed-Down Sequel
In the months before its release, there was a resurgence of rentals and purchases of 2008's Cloverfield. As with any anticipated sequel, the mentality follows that you will be lost if you aren't fresh on the original. After seeing 10 Cloverfield Lane, I truly wished I had not seen the original first. Note, I say "first", not that I regret ever having seen Cloverfield. This is a special sequel, where the less you know, the more effective it is. This is a high praise. We know from the original that there is an alien invasion. There are suggestions of global impact, but the found footage element kept things intimate, perhaps the film's greatest strength. Seeing a bridge demolished by a monstrous claw with 500 helpless civilians screaming can't carry the weight of seeing 5 people we care about in danger. Subject matter like this begs for sequels to raise the stakes; more destruction, wider carnage, higher casualties. Therefore it is unprecedented that 10 Cloverfield Lane shoots for more intimate, with 3 people we can't look away from.
I may have painted myself into a corner here. The less you know the better so I will follow the lead of the well edited trailer. At the 15 minute mark of the film, I noted that I had seen everything the preview had unveiled. Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is a 20- something driving down a dark country road. She is alternating her attention from scratchy but ominous radio broadcasts, to a voicemail from a pleading boyfriend. A car approaches from the opposite direct and following a few screeches and flashes of light, Michelle awakens in a concrete cell. Her leg is bound and she has two lines leading to her; an I.V., and an ankle chain. She sees a small mattress, her belongings, and a large steel door. After a moment, a gruff John Goodman opens the chamber and enters. He is cryptic, brash, and solemn. From this moment on, we are making up our mind about his intentions. She leaves her cell, freely, and finds she is part of a bigger prison, a bunker. Another captive, John Gallagher Jr, lounges without any sense of skepticism to their situation. It is explained that the air outside is deadly, for reasons unknown.
If the first Cloverfield adds to this film in any way, it is to add weight to the possibility that the bunker is a sanctuary, not a prison. We know what could be waiting outside, and we allow the setting to make its case. There is no diegetic music to suggest anything beyond what we are seeing. The setting holds all the implications we need, ping-ponging between surprisingly homey and claustrophobic. The tension and relief of this mood is hinged on the performance by Goodman, who is equally capable of playing a lovable oaf and a menacing antagonist. You'll have fun making up your mind every step of the way
Fehér isten (2014)
Hagen the Everydog
Thematically, foreign films in the U.S. gain acclaim for universality. In the past, directors had pressure from their own country to stay true to their local form while studios wanted to appeal to the huge market in America. Therefore it is an impressive feat that the independent film "White God" out of Hungary is unmistakably European in style and execution, while dealing with unanimously effective subject matter. Cruelty to animals transcends language and customs as a viscerally hated act. However, one man's sacred cow is another man's steak. There are only a handful of species that bridge these gaps. Number 1 with a bullet is man's best friend.
Dogs in "White God" are seen as little more than a nuisance in Urban Hungary. The used plot of an adolescent going to stay with the lesser of two divorced parents is less establishing the setting here, and more lulling you into a false state familiarity. Lili is all friction with here jaded father, and his disdain for her only friend Hagen is palpable. Hagen is the Jimmy Stuart of dogs. Not in the "Greatest Dog Actor of All Time" sense, but in the sense that he is the "Everydog." He is lovable, loyal, appropriately misbehaved, and expressive. And since the beginning of filmmaking, any character that provokes this level of emotional involvement will have to take some licks to build conflict. And man does this dog take some licks (Pun shamelessly intended).
Lili's father is human but questionably humane in his actions of turning this dog away, adding him to the throng of strays in the city. From the moment of their separation, Lili and Hagen begin to break traditions as "lost pup" and "sad little girl." After the mandatory dodging of the dogcatcher, Hangar gets put through the ringer. His struggles against humanity become a statement against humanity very gradually and unrelentingly. Apart from the singular brutality that Hagen endures, originality is apparent in Lili's life juxtaposed to her lost dog.
Lili isn't pigeonholed into the "Lost Dog Poster" wielding girl for 2 hours. She is more than a girl that lost her pup. She is a talented musician, spiteful daughter, sexually confused co-ed, and part of the world that is putting her best friend through hell. Her struggles are tame compared to those of Hagen, but relatable as a teen experience. She is not defined by her lost dog and we are torn between understanding and cynicism for her among these mirrored conflicts.
This film is ever-building to the degree of farce by the end. There are customs and specific rules that are foreign to us in the US; but everything that matters is instantly relatable. We can argue that our immediate environment is more conscientious to the vulnerable than this world; but if you can get to the last frame of this film without an ache of guilt, being a White God has done you no favors.
Rogue One (2016)
Episode 3.9
Rogue One has finally accomplished something that I might not have known was possible, Retro-Science-Fiction. Fads like steam-punk may be a stylized play on outdated technology, but Rogue One is something special. With prequals like The Phantom Menace and Prometheus, they are made after their source material but it's hard to believe they take place prior. Try as they might, filmmakers can't help themselves, they gloss up the production value and inert updated technology that undermines the story that should be taking place in the past. Rogue One fits like a forgotten puzzle piece to the Star Wars Universe, a veritable Episode 3.5. Everything down to the knobs on the control panels fit into the "New Hope" aesthetic. And with how the story hugs so satisfyingly closely to Episode IV, it might be more appropriate to think of it at Episode 3.9.
The story of Rogue One is mentioned without many specifics in Episode IV. Once by the roundtable heads of the Empire and also by the rebel base, referring to a great sacrifice made to obtain plans for a weapon of unimaginable scale. Rogue One takes our intimate knowledge of the original trilogy and monopolizes on it, sometimes shamelessly. Fans will never forget the look on Leia's face when Alderaan is destroyed with a single blow, followed by Ben's philosophical understanding "Millions of voices cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced." We know the deadly potential of this machine, Rogue One counts on it. The movie doesn't earn the audience's investment in the story so much as throw fuel onto a fire that hasn't been snuffed in 40 years. When an Imperial Engineer named Gelen Erso is forced out of hiding to build the moon-sized weapon, we will the story to throw anything familiar at us. Rogue One has almost nothing new up its sleeve, its greatest strength.
The daughter of Erso is Jyn (Felicity Jones), a rebel to both the Empire and Rebel Alliance. One of the beauties of Rogue One is how it doesn't paint a hard line between the Empire and Rebels as good guy/bad guy. The Empire has made the galaxy too desperate. Our idea of the Rebel Alliance from Episodes 4-6 may come across as endearingly rag-tag, but Rogue One presents them as a nearly lost cause with dark characters we begrudgingly accept. The rebels take what they can get, and some vibrant pseudo-heroes make up the bulk of Rebel Fighters. Cassian (Diego Luna) fits these criteria. We first see him painted into a corner by Storm Troopers, how he escapes can't be called "honorable." Jyn has reasons to hate the empire, but the methods of the Rebels don't act as a lightning-rod for moral unity.
Jyn is much like Leia, beautiful but not "gifted" with abilities. Her heroics stem more from a firm heart than a midichlorian count. She is not taken into the rebel base because of skill, but because of heredity. Erso is the head engineer in the Death Star project, and a glimmer of hope comes when Jyn reveals his allegiance is not one of morals but desperation. He is playing a dangerous game of wits, in the heart of the lion's den. Erso's counterpart is a sinister rebel, Saw Gerrera (Forrest Whitaker), who shows what will become of a man who opposes the Empire physically. Decades of fighting have left him more machine than man. There is the obligatory wise-cracking robot, but Rogue One is far and away the darkest chapter in the Star Wars universe.
I mentioned that the film can be shameless in its monopolization of our knowledge of Star Wars. This allows for clever bits of dialogue and references that will make you nudge the person next to you. Things go a bit too far when CGI characters like the bullies from the Tatooine Cantina show up and disappear for no other reason than familiarity. However, for every scene like this there a dozen that respect the viewer and hone the edges of the story to fit into the saga seamlessly. Liberties are taken with cinematography and art but never story. If The Force Awakens was an enjoyable addition to the series, Rogue One is invaluable excavation of the holy trilogy, giving everything deeper meaning.
Manchester by the Sea (2016)
The Crux of Grief
There are rare moments, usually in comedies with a heart, that leave you in a profound state of not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Those who know tragedy have felt that tinge of guilt from smiling when there shouldn't be a reason to. But, there always is. That's the little known crux of grief, life doesn't know you're in pain. As the world carries on around you, the mundane can leave you irate just as easily as it can leave you in stitches. This build and release of tension can be seen in occasional, but effective moments in black comedies. It is unprecedented how "Manchester by the Sea", a true drama, sustains this emotion throughout.
Casey Affleck fits into the role of Lee Chandler almost too comfortably. Affleck's casual Massachusetts brogue and understated delivery would seem lazy if it weren't so effective. Lee is the maintenance man in a Boston two building tenement, full of renters you'd expect in such a place. A flirty college student, a cheap dad, a bored housewife just begging to be somebody's problem. Lee lives on the property, in a room
Not an apartment, just a 200 Sq Ft hole in the wall. We see that he splits his days between hard thankless work, and a steady flow of liquor. Lee's particular brand of affectation is dialed just above valium haze. His conversations are void of any platitudes and awkward moments draw out like a blade. His demeanor may not change from one extreme to the next, but the drink reveals a short fuse.
The story kicks off with a death in the small family. Lee is called back to his hometown of Manchester after news of his brother's passing. As Lee takes the 50 mile drive up North, the film reveals one of its greatest strengths, editing. Flashbacks are handled with an understanding of mood. Often, movies treat backstory as a pillar for story structure. The need-to-knows are doled out for little purpose beyond continuity. Manchester is such a vivid setting that past and present share a harmony. We see Lee from years ago, lively, humorous, happy. His older brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler), has been on borrowed time since a heart diagnosis. Joe has a son, Patrick, a red-headed kid with a loving father and Uncle. In the present, Lee arrives at the hospital, where friends from his old life treat him delicately. Seemingly too delicate even for a man who lost a brother. The contrast between Lee, then and now, establishes an emotional investment that doesn't disappoint.
Details of Lee's life pour in naturally. Lee learns that his brother left the responsibility of raising his son, Patrick (Lucas Hedges), in Lee's hands. Lee's nephew is now going on 17 with a blessed high school life, and difficult home life. Patrick's mother is still around, but the women in these men's lives don't seem to make a single thing easier. Lee's estranged ex-wife Randi (Michelle Williams), stays at arm's length in the story until she provides the emotional pinnacle. The gravity of the turns of the story doesn't drop like a Shyamalan twist, but hits just as hard. It would seem that in this setting, there would be no room for comedy, exactly wrong.
True to life, the grieving family copes with their changes and must eschew pleasantries, simply to keep sanity. When needless social graces are dropped, reality shines its natural funny light. You can't call a single moment unnatural, if only because moments like these are rarely shown with such honesty. Gallows humor is one of the few privileges granted in misery. And these characters earned theirs in spades.
Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Redundant, but what the heck.
Upon viewing Jon Favreau's Jungle Book (2015) for the second time, I admired how far a departure it was from its Disney source material. The pillars of familiarity were leaned upon but the films strengths were drawn from some remarkable new ideas and execution. If Bill Condon's Beauty and the Beast (2017) can be admired for anything it is giving the people what they want. Aside from a handful of new songs and character tweaks, this new adaptation is almost painstakingly dutiful to the 1991 Disney feature. There will be some, like me, who find it all a little too redundant; but for the bulk of viewers the relentless nostalgia won't disappoint.
There is no point in prefacing anything with "spoiler alerts", as you have already (ostensibly) seen this movie. Belle is the rural French misfit in her small village. Beautiful, but "a funny girl" simply because she thinks for herself. Emma Watson portrays Belle capably, but without much range. Her opening number shows promise, hitting her required pitches without unnecessary flourishes. She floats through the lively town square in ennui. The long takes are well crafted and the music plays like a sing-along, kids who know the words will make the theater pretty adorable. Kevin Klein as Belle's father (Maurice) is a bit of a departure from the original. He is not the buffoonish cartoon, but a more haunted widower. The Gaston role is filled with ease by Luke Evans. He is a powerful singer and has the convincing swagger that comes with the territory. His lacky, LeFou (Josh Gad) couldn't be more at home in the movie if he was actually animated. The issue with the vibrancy of the setting is it does offset Belle's dream of escaping the "boring village."
Our first glimpse of the castle actually occurs in the prologue. The arrogant and spoiled Prince hosts a glamorous ball that's little more than an embarrassment of decadence. A former plot hole is filled when it's explained that curse affects more than the castle. The local villagers are cleared of any memory of the castle and its dwellers. Years pass and Maurice has the misfortune of taking a fateful wrong turn to the castle. From this point on the CGI absorbed setting just doesn't live up to the first act. Famous names voice the cursed inhabitants, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellan, Stanley Tucci, and Emma Thompson. Once Belle arrives on the scene the "Be Our Guest" number can't arrive fast enough. Once it does, I'll confess to being a bit disappointed. As the song played I couldn't help but have the Orbach track playing in unison to McGregor's and it became all too clear I was watching a remake, and only a passable one.
I would say that the film is entirely unnecessary, were it not for the amazing title number. I was not sure who had voiced Mrs. Potts through the film. As the vocals began for the "Beauty and the Beast" dance, I would have put money on Julie Andrews. I was pleased to find that it was Emma Thompson, every bit the equal of Angela Lansbury.
Much has been made about certain political elements in the film, (I.E. Homo-erogeny, diversity.) These are trivial. Had the film developed these elements into more daring areas, it may have provided some very welcome spice to the proceedings. This is a beautiful movie, but comes up short in ways I might be too apathetic to articulate. I craved something that the film may never have intended to provide. If I had to boil this review down to one adjective I'd say "harmless." Not a glowing recommendation, but you're likely to get exactly what you want out of it
just not an inch more.
Arrival (2016)
Because of Kangaroo
It is estimated that over 90% of communication is non-verbal. It is interesting to think that of the thousands of languages and tens of thousands of words we have, we're only marginally more sophisticated than Cro-Magnon-level pointing and grunting. When attempting to convey a thought, there are countless ways for things to get lost in translation. The new and thought provoking "Arrival" takes this notion and raises the stakes to such heights that a single word misunderstood could result in global catastrophe. As a dozen alien space-crafts emerge all over the globe, the threat is twofold; how do we accurately communicate with these extraterrestrial beings, and how do we trust the rest of the world's handling of these new visitors?
Sci-Fi has the potential to succeed in conjunction with any other genre. Action is easy, comedy is forgettable, drama is hit and miss, and melodrama is more miss than hit. It is therefore high praise that the guarded melodrama in "Arrival" functions successfully as it should, as a parable. The film starts with a fade-in accompanied by music that would be welcome in a Schindler's List montage. We see Louise (Amy Adams) in silhouette before we are thrown into a whirlwind of memories. Louise welcomes a baby girl, Hannah, into the world. In a matter of a few minutes Hannah is 4, then 8, then on her deathbed at 12. We accompany Louise after these events in a mental fog. She is a professor of speech and linguistics at a local University but she seems detached. Before we see her enter her classroom we hear the clapping of running feet to groups clustered around televisions. Murmurings suggest something big, but Louise is slave to routine and continues to her nearly empty classroom. When prompted to turn on the news, she gets her first glimpse of the alien spacecraft. The next day she goes to work to find not only an empty class, but vacant University.
Naturally, Louise is tapped by the government to communicate with the Montana based ship, and we begin to see the fear and immediacy employed by our own government. After the first meeting with these entities, it becomes apparent how quickly things could go wrong with even a minor slip of communication. As the fear rises, the faith in the rest of the world's competence plummets. The developments of Louise's crucial role in communicating with the aliens are something I can't spoil. The logic and brilliant examples used to guide us through this process is extraordinary.
The style of the aliens and their ships, however, is not the show stealer. The ships look somewhere between a Reese's peanut butter egg, and a rock for a hot-stone massage. The aliens themselves can best be described as a Harry Potter dementor, sitting atop a face- hugger from "Alien," all wrapped in elephant skin. The words these visitors "write" look like a language based on forgetting to use a coaster on a coffee table. The purpose for the "look" of these aliens is not visual appeal, but to illustrate exactly how foreign this species is from human.
Performances by Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker are an afterthought to the plot and protagonist. This is Louise's movie. Amy Adams has to play a role that juggles grief, fear, thrill, and urgency. This may sound like a heroine from many action films, but "Arrival" takes its time to allow us into her introspection. We feel her doubt and confusion as her perceptions of chronology and reality begin to make more and less sense simultaneously. A film that can feel this intimate on a global scale has to anchor itself on a relatable character. Her emotions are relatable, but her mind is leagues beyond. Half of what we understand, we get second-hand as she explains processes to other characters. The second half is much more profound. The endless possibilities that can be hypothesized and entertained make for a great exercise of the imagination. Just think how maddening it will be to successfully communicate these ideas to anyone else.
Swiss Army Man (2016)
Castaweekend at Bernies
He's a compass, water spigot, flame thrower, Jet-Ski, grappling gun, and a SCUBA tank. You have to love the mind that thought of the most versatile character in film history, who also happens to be a corpse. There's a moment in Swiss Army Man where Hank (Paul Dano) is skipping across the sea at breakneck speed, riding the lifeless body of Daniel Radcliff (Manny) . They are propelled by the sheer power of Manny's post-mortem flatulence. There is a close-up of Radcliff's hairy ass-crack, vibrating with wind power, and I thought "I love this, and I can't defend it." Hank has been marooned on a deserted island for enough time to give up hope. He rethinks his suicide when a corpse rolls up on the beach. Within minutes, the farting starts and continues for the duration. You might be inclined to ask, "What could be the possible relevance of this level of breaking wind?" Simple, flatulence is the only sign of life a dead body can give.
With the absurdity of the premise, it is admirable how touching the performances are. Hank's loneliness is so vividly established in the beginning that you encourage his relationship with any companion, even a rotting one. Paul Dano has to play a pitiable man, while performing physical comedy that doesn't undermine the desperation of his situation. He has the demanding task of being in every frame of the movie while handling all of Daniel Radcliff's physicality. It is easy to overlook the difficulty of Radcliff's role. He has no means of moving on his own and is thrashed about by his environment and Dano. This may sound like Weekend at Bernies, but he is given the ability to speak and slowly gain facial expressions. All of this has to be subtle and nuanced, lest the whole ordeal turn into a zombie comedy. Manny is more of a clean-slate character, learning humanity and all of his incredible abilities. He has a mentally deranged teacher. This allows for great moments of mirroring what he's learned where you don't know whether to laugh or sob.
This is either a comedy where you are constantly second guessing your own laughter, or a drama where you turn a blind eye to great beats of humor. There will not be a general consensus of this movie's genre or quality. If you watch exclusively as a comedy, you are ignoring real depth. If you view it as any other genre, you are taking it too seriously. Therefore, you can't judge anybody for getting too little or too much out of it. You may find yourself ardently arguing for the integrity of a film that truly may not deserve it. If you take the side of praise, stick to generalities.
Anomalisa (2015)
All the world's a set
Michael Stone is a familiar character, an upper class man living a monotonous life on the cusp of a mid-life crisis. He craves substance and variety, but sees the world superficially as a chore that should have been completed long ago. How this premise differs from dozens of others is marvelous realism in interestingly unrealistic animation. I had to ask myself at the end of Anomalisa, "What did animation accomplish for this movie?" From a technical standpoint, nothing occurred on screen that couldn't have been more easily accomplished from live action. The true purpose of the stop- motion animation with these marionette-like characters is to engross us in Michael's mental state. He sees a world of puppets and seems to realize all the world's a stage, or more appropriately, a set.
David Thewlis voices Michael with a dry British brogue that makes him both distinctive and superior to everyone else. In fact "Everyone Else" is a character in this film. Tom Noonan voices every man, woman, and child that Michael encounters. Noonan's voice has the great effect of being placidly common. This allows him to make small variations to give each character its own personality without ruining the effect of insufferable monotony. Two characters voiced by the same person can have viscous confrontations and it's still unmistakable that there are two characters. This is accomplished while making it glaringly clear that it's completely inconsequential who these characters are.
Michael is a writer that preaches business models. What he laments about life is what he perpetuates, getting everyone on the same page. His job is going city to city, reading excerpts of his book to adoring entrepreneurs who have seen outstanding productivity growth based on his model. In one speech we hear him give details of his strategies in which he mentions recognizing clients as "individuals" and celebrating their diversity. These words are as hollow as the puppets he's speaking to.
In most romances, there is a moment when the protagonist notices their counterpart. A "meet-cute" tugs at our heart strings and we follow them to a predictable end. The setting of Anomalisa allows for a profound moment for our protagonist to find his mate, a voice! Jennifer Jason Lee voices Lisa, a simple woman with low self-esteem and no exceptional virtues to speak of. She has to be special simply because she is not Tom Noonan. We have faith that there is something about Lisa souly on this basis, and Michael's blind infatuation with her. In all of our lives we have seen a friend find their "one." We may see red flags but nothing can convince them that this isn't "the real thing." This isn't denial, just a hopeless optimism that is all encompassing. How Michael falls for Lisa is a perfect representation of how short sighted we all are in the initial stages of love. Some learn the hard way how fleeting certainty can be.
Charlie Kaufman movies can be a chore. They are always remarkable, often ingenious, but require multiple viewings to peel the labyrinthian onion. Anomalisa is no chore. The story is brief and the deep metaphors that we have come to expect are tied to the style. Duke Johnson is the co-director and animator on this project. His previous credits are low-budget shorts like "Moral-Oral" and "Mary Shelley's Frankenhole." With claymation and stop-motion animation, talent can't be taken for granted. An obscene amount of dedication and patience has to be employed to see a finished product. With an $8,000,000 budget, a masterpiece was created from a talented animator and one of the generation's greatest writers. I don't envy how they see the world, but it is a privilege to be shown.
The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015)
To Fear a Witch
The full title is, The Witch: A New England Folktale. Like Grimm's fairy tales, American folklore has taken revisions over the centuries to become a palatable collection of juvenile life lessons. Anyone who has read the original versions of these stories knows how brutal, horrifying, and far removed they are from our current values. As much as I would not condone reading original classic witch tales to a small child, they do contain much deeper implications and ideas than the simple "Don't tell lies" that are gleaned from modern revisions. What's fascinating about The Witch is how familiar the setting and story is, without a single cliché or moment of prediction to speak of. The evil that was feared in 17th Century Puritan America has been so eclipsed by the human horrors of The Salem Witch Trials, that we have forgotten what it was to fear a witch.
We know these characters only by their Christian names. William removes his family from their Colonial settlement due to an incompatibility of faith. The colony of Puritans isn't Christian enough. With his wife, Katherine, William takes his 4 children into the wilds of the Northeast. Airs of The Crucible envelope the setting. Common pronouns are replaced with "thines" and "thous". Dialogue is delivered as if quoted from Shakespeare or the Bible itself. In the past, this oral dynamic has always sounded ardently rehearsed. Somehow, it's natural here. Considering William's rigorous faith, you might expect him to be an overbearingly shrewd father. He is in fact a loving and good man of his time; often a pushover. Katherine is the more fearsome parent, with a shrill voice and gaunt pointed face. While they do live in hardship, this is a good family. Once Fall deadens the colors and greys the skies, things begin to take a disturbing turn.
Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie play the parents without an exaggeration of the material. Remarkable still are the actors portraying their children. Harvey Scrimshaw plays William's 10-year- old son, Caleb, as natural as can be imagined. The dramatic beats of a horror movie come with taxing climactic moments and Scrimshaw acts beyond his years. Anya Taylor-Joy plays the eldest daughter Thomasin; a doe-eyed blonde beauty who plays the most relatable character of the flock. The dynamic between Caleb and Thompsin has notes of innocent sexual tension. Their secluded life leaves a great deal of new feelings that can't be addressed due to their customs. These feelings lead to foreign temptations that are preyed upon by the timeless evil beyond the trees.
The greatest achievement of this film is how faithful it is to its setting and story, while keeping enough behind the veil to become engrossing. The tale feels as old as any, drawing from universal fears and motivations. How it draws you in, keeping you tied to the victims and their perspective while keeping the evil at arm's length, shows a discipline of craft that greatly compliments the material. Much like vampires, witches have been trivialized and diluted by film into something superficially attractive and entertainingly evil. As with Noseferatu, seeing a witch living a damnable existence of ugliness is much more appropriate. If they're ever beautiful, they won't be for long.
Horace and Pete: Episode #1.2 (2016)
All About the Dialogue
Though I can't imagine there will be much monetary gain to speak of, there is palatable sense of freedom with this format. It seems there will be no uniform length to these episodes; and the liberties that can be taken with this freeform media will be, but not for the sake of taking liberties. Episode one established a setting, episode two is all about depth of that setting. At its best, dialogue is exchanged with the audience feeling like they are overhearing it, not being presented it. There is no rush to get to exposition with these people, and we are free to absorb their lives voyeuristically. Comedic writing of this quality is normally accompanied by a studio audience's reaction that acts as beats to the stories rhythm. With no guidance from these familiar rhythms, something special happens; you become an audience of one. Truly funny dialogue is exchanged but you are never safe in levity for a moment. Alan Alda as the viscous curmudgeon Uncle Pete has the pivotal role of putting the brakes on any tangent. Any character who has something profound or sincere to say has this looming bartender to puncture it with an outstanding cynicism. The other side of that coin is the deadpan genius Stephen Wright, you can't afford to miss a single line he delivers. There will be viewers who are "waiting for something to happen" This is it. No doubt this story will grow, but at no obligatory pace. I won't take any more stabs at "what this show is." I'm just happy it exists.
Horace and Pete: Episode #1.1 (2016)
Best Description... Ambiguous Entertainment
If you're reading this, you likely got the same email I did. Louis C.K. absently mentioning that he put a new show on his website. I went to the site to find a 1-hr show available for $3 and I took the low stakes gamble. The master of absurdist clips could have put anything up and I can't imagine regretting the modest purchase; then "Holy sh@#, Steve Buscemi!" For something that I never saw advertised or promoted, I was shocked to see great actors pour in one-by-one. By now you know the cast; Edie Falco, Steven Wright, Alan Alda, Jessica Lange, and Rebecca Hall. These are not cameos. These are actors you love giving real performances in an unclassifiable program. As original as Louis is, you can see some semblance of source material in his other work. FX's Louie has beats of Woody Allen, even "Lucky Louie" was a callback to "The Honeymooners." This is an experience that shirks labels by never settling on a single genre or arc. This may sound like incoherence, but it is simply ambiguous entertainment. High drama, unforced comedy, and compelling dialogue drive this first episode into an ellipses rather than a finish line. You know there is more to come. Horace and Pete has a cherish-able setting, a century-old bar that is a dwindling legacy for its proprietary namesakes. More than just a place to tell their story, it is a breeding ground for a great variety of characters. As diverse as they are, there is a comradery of hopelessness and gallows humor that makes for a very intimate relatability. As much as I would love to get everyone on board loving this show, I feel a selfish tinge, wanting this little known thing to myself. It's all part of the experience.
The Jungle Book (2016)
A Movie for Kids and Once-a-kids
As a kid of a certain generation, you had a favorite VHS clamshell that took ridiculous punishment, inside and out. You knew every warped frame of the movie that was exacerbated over time from overviewing and fast-forwarding to favorite parts. It made its rounds to every room of the house regardless of whether or not there was a TV, because you could play the movie back in your head simply by looking at the cover. Mine was The Jungle Book (1967). Movies that build that level of adoration make you lament adulthood and wish you could see it again, unjaded, for the first time. This was something like the experience of seeing The Jungle Book (2016). This is a movie for kids and once-a-kids; those that are being introduced and re-introduced to the beloved characters.
Mowgli the man-cub is a character that predates Tarzan. Animation made for a fantastic Disney adaptation full of slapstick comedy and a Mowgli that kids wanted to trade places with. This darker live- action feature has a Mowgli that the kids want to be. Neel Sethi plays this role as a true hero. He is 12-years-old but looks 10. He lives in a beautiful world with wonders and dangers that were once only adaptable exclusively through animation. Now that technology has allowed for a mix of heavy CGI and real environments, we get a vulnerable character that we root for with greater intensity than we would in its cartoon counterpart. Director John Favreau has helmed other films with this level of live to CGI ratio (I.E. Iron Man, Cowboys vs Aliens); but this time it was used to its highest potential. A real life Mowgli can talk with extremely realistic animals and the result is (along with Pan's Labyrinth) one of the most engaging fantasies in recent memory.
There is a balance of expectations with such renowned source material. If it is too faithful, it seems redundant. If too many liberties are taken, you've spoiled a cherished story. This film hits all the obligatory beats and the liberties are taken with the character's personalities, not their nature. Something that gets lost in animal animation through personification is the animal. They become humans in animal bodies and modern stories are overflowing with "nowadays" references that turn animal characters into critiques of humans. The Jungle Book is loaded with a great voice cast that never breaks character as animals. Bill Murray as the lovably lazy Baloo; Ben Kingsley as the moral compass Bagheera; Idris Elba as the dark and sinister Shere Kahn; Lupita Nyong'o as the strong mother Raksha. These characters are portrayed without a wink to the audience that there is a human inside. I had misgivings about Christopher Walken as King Louie, I needn't have. This is a much more villainous character, warped by his passion to wield the power of man. Walken can have a silly voice and cadences, but he can also pull off a terrifying mob boss, he is much more the latter here. These animals have their own opinions of what humans represent in their world. To make them too human would diminish their perspective.
The medium this adventure is told in doesn't warrant spunky song and dance numbers. However, the beloved songs from the original are worked in without turning the production into a musical (the credits sequence is worth sticking around for). The ending is the greatest plot departure for the original. But the story arc meets a logical conclusion. We have been bombarded over the years with parables about man's poisonous presence in nature. Mowgli is not representing all of mankind here. He is a living being that is trying to find his place in the animal kingdom. There are questions raised about how welcome any human should be in the jungle. Mowgli being a human may come with incompatibilities to his surroundings, but why should that mean the man-cub can't have his tricks and slap a tune on Baloo's belly while floating down a stream?
The Big Short (2015)
The Ultimate Side Bet
I can only imagine there will be two emotions after watching The Big Short, confusion or anger. Confusion is natural; there is an enormous amount of information about an intentionally murky system. The financial structure that led to the housing collapse and largest recession since The Great Depression has enough information to fill a library. This is no exaggeration. The sheer scale of data, cause, effect and global impact could take lifetimes to truly understand. What The Big Short succeeds at more than anything else is dumbing it all down in a way that makes you angry at the system for needing it dumbed down. If this world, which all of our well-beings are slave to, were easily understood than there would be no story for the handful of people who saw the collapse coming. What makes these people special is a mix of in-the-know brilliance, and a pessimism that requires a dark capitulation of the finish line.
Christian Bale plays Michael Burry, an investor on the spectrum who clues into a default trend for sub-standard housing loans
Had I not just seen the movie, this sentence would have been nearly meaningless to me. What is important is that this story is not about protagonists who are clamoring to prevent a crisis. These are self- interested people who may lament the collateral damage of the impending hell, but at least know how to hedge bets so they won't be in its path. Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Bale, Brad Pitt, John Magaro, and Finn Wittrock are only half the players portrayed in this high stakes game of Jenga. They are somewhere between the victims of the general populous and the perpetrators that obliviously helped move pieces into the decaying structure. They are not around to elicit our sympathies; they are there to court us through this quagmire of jargon and elicit emotions on our own behalf. Stands a good reason why I was so engaged and furious by the end of it.
The end-game for these characters is to bet against the housing market; the largest medium of investment in our country. When the bubble bursts, the side bet they made on it pays out with outstanding odds. Because we live in the future to these events, we know from the beginning that this is a sound business strategy if not just making lemonade. What their personal stories reveal is just how corrupted the system really is. Even with all of their foresight, these characters wait unreasonably long for the truth to come out. This is due to a national evasion working against any prevention by not recognizing the wound until the body is already bled out. It's the difference between seeing your guilty child next to a cup of spilled milk and that child distracting you at the door while the carton is still spilling in the kitchen. If there is redemption for these characters, it's how little they gain from their fortunes. The realization that the humanitarian cost for their monetary prosperity is too high to celebrate. These subtle character pivots are the endearing entertainment to an enraging story.
If you knew anything about Adam McKay prior to this movie, about the only thing you were thinking during the pre-view was "where's Will Farrell?" When so much of McKay's previous work was hinged on improv comedy, it was enthralling to see that he helped pull off an Oscar- worthy screenplay. The comedic notes throughout The Big Short made this upsetting story easier to take. Were this a documentary, it would have been equally as informative, but less engaging because of the unrelenting waves of infuriating facts. With a very talented cast, these characters unburden us by feeling so much on our behalf. Steve Carell is especially fun to watch as he maintains a constant anger that mirrors our own. The entertainment factor is probably little consolation for the thousands of home buyers in 2006 who look on thinking "Great, now I know specifically how I got screwed."