Star Wars Episode IX

When I was ten years old my family lived on Mare Island, which is where my first memories of discussing Star Wars begin.  The phrase "fan theories" hadn't been coined yet, because nobody had taken movies so seriously before.  Return of the Jedi's finale has sparked more "what happens next" conversations than any other movie ever made.  Luke's journey to becoming a Jedi is barely achieved, and the movie was over.  Han finds out that Leia is available, and the screen wipes to the closing credits.  Light sabers, speederbikes, the Forest of Endor, AT-STs, Chewbacca, and the Millennium Falcon... it was all over too soon.  So we started hearing rumors, and adding our thoughts; maybe we created the stories that evolved into the momentum that made it inevitable that the story would be revisited.  The reason I mention Mare Island, is that there is one distinct memory I have of my friend Brett telling me how the next movie was going to be all about the Empress; Luke, Han, and Leia's kids would have to fight to defeat her.  Good call Brett.

Our house on Mare Island

Best Picture

Now that I've seen each of the films nominated in the Best Picture category, let me give my final analysis and prediction.

The eight nominated films (click any one to go to my review)


A Star Is Born

Blackkklansman

Black Panther

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Favorite

The Green Book

Roma

Vice


Blackkklansman is probably the most deserving.

Bohemian Rhapsody, while formulaic, probably was the most enjoyable film, thanks in large part to the music of Queen.

I wouldn't be surprised if Black Panther wins.

Hopefully this coming year delivers a stronger contingent of contenders.

Vice

Director Adam McKay's inspiration for Vice is clearly any film by Oliver Stone; this is an unabashedly a one-sided depiction of Vice President Cheney's time in office.

That McKay directed 2015's The Big Short isn't surprising, it was a film told with much the same energy and political slant.  What may be more surprising is that McKay directed Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and Step Brothers - maybe it's not so surprising, since he seems more concerned with getting a laugh than actually contributing anything substantive.

Christian Bale leads a cast of excellent actors and actresses who could easily use the caricatures they've created to Saturday Night Live.  There's nothing wrong with that considering this is a Stone-esque dark comedy, but please don't confuse this with dramatic acting.  Well, except for Christian Bale - his Dick Cheney is so much fun to watch that accuracy doesn't really matter.

Roma

Ok, so I watched Roma earlier today, and it was the last of this year's Best Picture films I had to watch.  The first two hours of this film were quite boring, and sometimes painful to watch.  Yet, here is the antithesis film to The Last Samurai - the last ten minutes of this film redeem everything that precedes it.  That's not to say that the first two hours are bad, they're just slow and uninteresting.  I'm not sure that the black and white contributed to the film, except to make it feel like it was from the past.  I'm not sure what airplanes flying overhead at key scenes what meant to signify.  I'm not familiar with the political unrest that was going on in the part of the world where Roma is set during the 1970s.  Honestly the film wasn't compelling enough to make me search for answers to these questions, but at least my final impression of the film is that it was a good one.

The Green Book

Jess and I saw The Green Book just before it was announced as one of this year's Best Picture contenders.  Everything about this film is adequate - I wish that I could say it's better than that.  The title refers to books that were available in the 1930s through 1960s to help black people identify hotels and restaurants that would serve them.  While the film does deal with the racial tensions in the United States during the 1960s, this conflict is simply used as a backdrop to create a challenge that the main characters must overcome.  Unfortunately the historic element feels forced, and is only adequate in its effectiveness in supporting the story.  The director, Peter Farrelly has made some truly stand-out comedies in his career including Dumb and Dumber, Me, Myself & Irene, and There's Something About Mary.  I think The Green Book proves that Farrelly should stick to comedies.  Viggo Mortensen is adequate as the white guy, and Mahershala Ali is adequate as the black guy.  Like I said, it's an adequate film.

The Favourite

I didn’t want to like The Favourite; the tidbits of reviews I was unable to avoid over the past few months led me to believe that this would be a mean-spirited depiction of despicable people from a time period that is of very little interest to me.  My impressions were correct, but in spite of this I found the film to be quite captivating.  In the film, Olivia Colman plays a physically and mentally unstable Queen Anne, who has a twisted relationship with two manipulative women played by Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone.  The title of the film refers to the savage competition between Weisz’s and Stone’s characters to be the queen’s closest confidant.

This is the first film that I’ve seen from director Yorgos Lanthimos, and I must say that he brought a very distinctive style to The Favourite; the deep rich colors in the set design and costumes, the foreboding score, and the ostentatious cinematography all combined to great effect.  Just about every shot is low, looking upwards, giving a somewhat claustrophobic feel to the film; the audience never is on the same level as the characters onscreen.  Wide lenses are used throughout the film, which was distracting at first, but as I became accustomed to the perspective, it became clear that everything in frame had purpose.  It’s actually quite impressive that Lanthimos was able to transition from one subject to another with a smooth wide angle lens pan. 

I cannot in good conscience recommend The Favourite, because it is all the horrible things that I expected it to be, without any redeeming qualities.  It is a well-made, effective film that showcases Hollywood’s obsession with depravity, and a culture that confuses technical mastery with beauty.

First Man

I was intrigued when I heard that Damien Chazelle was directing a film about Neil Armstrong and the events that led up to the first manned moon mission.  Would Chazelle be able to conjure the same energy that rocketed him to the top with Whiplash and La La Land?  Would the clout afforded top Hollywood directors make it possible for him to capture the best space sequences ever filmed?  The short answer is no.  Apollo 13 retains it position atop the list of most compelling space dramas, and to my knowledge holds the title for best rocket launch and space sequences.  That being said, Chazelle's First Man surprised me with a down-to-Earth look at Neil Armstrong.  The film focuses more on Armstrong's relationship with his wife, and their struggle to remain close within the context of a history-defining, seemingly impossible mission.  Ryan Gosling as Neil, and Claire Foy as his wife Janet find the right rhythms in their portrayal of these characters.  Foy's Janet understands how the Neil's mission is important on many levels; it has historical significance, it is her husband's passion, and ultimately it will be a reflection of her too.  Instead of treating a supporting character like a second class citizen, Chazelle emphasizes the importance of being a supportive partner.  A lesser film might suggest that Neil Armstrong's wife made it possible for him to walk on the moon, First Man makes it clear that he wouldn't have made it there without her. 

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

The Harry Potter film series had its high and low points - Prisoner of Azkaban being the high point, and any game of Quiddich or "wand duel" after the first film being the low points. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald reaches a new low in the Harry Potter universe; and I'll explain why in the next few sentences.  All the characters are disinteresting (I'm not sure that's really a word), and more than that, the main character is disinterested.  Some of my favorite cinematic protagonists are the reluctant heroes (i.e. any Humphrey Bogart character), but Newt Scamander is so reluctant that I'm somewhat surprised that he even showed up for auditions.  The only clear memory I have of the movie is an extended long awkward moment between Johnny Depp and Jude Law - I believe that one of them is supposed to be playing Dumbledore, and I believe that the scene was meant to be somehow erotic.  But wait, I thought one of these guys is really evil...  Why would a woke Dumbledore fall for the bad guy?  Well nevermind, I'm not really sure why I'm labeling anyone the "bad guy", I can't really remember either of these two character doing anything interesting.  I do remember Newt swimming in some subterranean fish pond, I think he was feeding something, most likely some really fascinating computer-generated mythical creature...  Well that's my review, and now I plan to never think of this movie again.

The Equalizer 2

Director Antoine Fuqua and star Denzel Washington bring a level of professionalism to The Equalizer 2, effectively elevating it above its B-movie source material.  But why do we need professional B-movies?   Some may argue that Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Kill Bill are glorified B-movies, but they'd be wrong.  Tarantino created a new genre, the homage to B-movies, that rises to the level of a new artform.  Fuqua and Washington are simply making a better B-movie, but it's still just a B-movie.  I do wonder why men who brought us the genre-defining Training Day are making relatively standard revenge flicks.  Perhaps it's for the money, or maybe they genuinely enjoy making these movies.  Personally I'd rather see something a bit more substantive.

Deadpool 2

Why did I see Deadpool 2?

I'm a guy.

Part of me wishes that I could turn my nose up at movies like Deadpool 2 and stay home, sitting by the fireplace drinking a nice glass of Scotch while reading another Graham Greene travel book.

I can't speak to the qualities of Deadpool 2, in the same way that it's impossible to describe the qualities of most popular culture from the last 2264 years.  So really what's the point in writing a review? 

I can say that I laughed at some of the jokes, winced at some of the moments of violence, and marveled at the special effects.  Overall it was another unfulfilling experience at the movies - at least I didn't rack up exorbitant library fines like the last time I read a Graham Greene travel book.

Christopher Robin

When I write a review many months after seeing the film I have a tendency to describe my impression of the film; the details are somewhat fuzzy.  I remember liking Christopher Robin for the reasons that I've always liked Winnie-the-Pooh stories; the childlike honesty and charming naiveté are a refreshing departure from the cynical worldview portrayed in most movies.  I liked the way that Winnie-the-Pooh and the other animal characters were portrayed in the film, from an artistic standpoint the look and feel was just right.  I also liked Ewan McGregor in this film, his performance as a grown-up Christopher Robin captured the character well and found the right tone.  The film wasn't without flaws, as is so often the case with digital effects, there were quite a few moments when Winnie-the-Pooh and his animal friends were portrayed in a way that distracted from the story.  In the books (and animated Disney films) these characters quite often find themselves in misadventures, but the level of zaniness and cartoony action in this film was out of place.  Overall I remember liking the film, and could recommend it in good conscience.

Braveheart

Braveheart is a nearly perfect film.  The following is not a review, it is simply an exercise to help me understand better how the film is structured:

I. Introduction.
a. Central characters are introduced - including love interest.
b. Traumatic event sets protagonist on life's journey.
c. Antagonist's depravity is established.

II. 1st Act
a. Protagonist returns home after a time of personal growth.
b. Central characters are reunited, and deeper relationships develop.
c. Tension between protagonist and antagonist is released in the form of violence.
d. Protagonist rallies people to his side - their movement builds momentum.

III. 2nd Act
a. The tide changes, it becomes clear that the antagonist's depravity knows no bounds
b. Characters true natures are revealed - new enemies and allies emerge.
c. The odds appear overwhelming, but the protagonist struggles forward.

IV. Final Act
a. A final confrontation between the protagonist and antagonist is set in motion.
b. The way in which this final confrontation unfolds is more important than the outcome in its affect on the remaining central characters.
c. The protagonist defeats the antagonist, even if it is not yet evident to the average onlooker.

V. Epilogue - The protagonist's victory is revealed, and the message of the story is clearly affirmed.

Bohemian Rhapsody

The "progressives" of the world, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, tell us that we should be sympathetic towards the Freddie Mercury's of the world because we've been born with an unfair advantage, or privilege.  Bryan Singer's Bohemian Rhapsody latches on to this concept and suggests that no matter how many other advantages Mercury might have been born into, a wealthy family, loving parents, natural talent, etc., having just one progressive-approved disadvantage entitles him to behave however he likes.  And please don't think that I'm somehow misrepresenting Ocasio-Cortez on this issue, you can listen to her here, if you so choose.

Of course Bohemian Rhapsody is about a creative genius, whose music rises about cultural strife - I find it difficult to believe that anyone, of any race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, military service, disability, etc. doesn't enjoy a rousing performance of Fat Bottomed Girls.

I think it would be unfair of me not to give credit to Rami Malek (who plays Freddie Mercury) and Bryan Singer for making Bohemian Rhapsody such a strong film, in spite of the unfair advantages discussed in the previous paragraphs.  Malek plays Mercury convincingly, and there were moments in the film when I was sympathetic towards the man I saw onscreen, which is a testament to his acting ability.  Singer's direction is intentional and effective, he knows when to hold the shot on grandiose concert scenes, and when to focus on close intimate moments.  It's important to remember though that Singer is the same director who made The Usual Suspects, he's working with quite a bit of filmmaking privilege.

Blockers

I heard an interview on NPR with Kay Cannon, the director Blockers, in which the audio from a scene in the movie was played as an example of its witty writing.  Shame on NPR for playing the only funny part of the movie, and suggesting that this was indicative of the entire movie.

BlacKkKlansman

Spike Lee's Blackklansman is a well made film, contains some compelling characters, and tells an interesting story.  For most filmmakers this would be enough, but Spike Lee seems intent on making it clear that Blackkklansman is a poignant and important film too, which it is not.  I went into the film under the impression that it would be the story of a black man somehow infiltrating the KKK, which I found fascinating because I'm sure that would be frowned upon by the majority of members...  It turns out that a black police officer did infiltrate the KKK, albeit over the phone, and one of his white counterparts handled all the face-to-face meetings.  This was pretty clever, and the situation lends itself to many humorous (and sometimes sad) phone conversations between the KKK grand wizard and the black police officer.  Ultimately it's the white police officer who is risking life and limb, but the film isn't so much about bravery as it is about exposing how deeply racism is rooted in American society.  At its heart, this is a film about two police officers who, regardless of race, are committed to making their city a better place.

If the film had ended there, so would my review, and it would have been overwhelmingly positive.  Instead, Spike Lee jumps forward 40+ years to a white supremacist rally, showing footage of the incident where a white man drove his car into a crowd of counter protesters, killing a 32 year old woman, and injuring many other people.  Does Lee include this clip to remind us that there is still racial tension in this country?  Does Lee feel as though its his moral duty to convey a serious message in a film that otherwise could be simply seen as entertainment?  As I ask these questions, I realize that I don't really have an issue with Lee's approach; after all it is his film.  Maybe more films should have a closing statement, something thought provoking to make the 2-hour runtime a little worthwhile.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Joel and Ethan Coen have made some of the best movies in the past 35 years.  My first Coen brothers' movie was The Hudsucker Proxy back in the winter of '94, and I've been a fan ever since.  They've made some really funny movies, some really great films, and some quirky near misses.  The Ballad of Buster Scruggs has its moments, but overall must be placed in the "near miss" category.
Unfortunately, this made-for-Netflix feature length movie feels just like a made-for-Netflix feature length movie.  Now I realize that Netflix and Amazon have produced films that become Oscar contenders, but those are definitely in the minuscule minority.  I'm concerned that The Ballad of Buster Scruggs could be part of a trend, where filmmakers see the opportunity to make a quick buck without fear of too much criticism, because bad movies are the norm on these streaming platforms.  That being said, I really enjoyed the first of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs' four episodes - it was laugh-out-loud funny and had the quirkiness of O Brother, Where Art Thou?  I'm not sure why the brothers ran this episode first, perhaps it's because they saw the metrics showing that the average streamer only gets through the first 10 minutes of a movie before switching back to watching The Office or Friends...  If you don't front-load a Netflix movie, no one will ever see the rest.


FYI - I completely made up the statistic used towards the end of this review, but it seemed to support my argument.

Avengers: Infinity War

I thoroughly enjoyed Avengers: Infinity War while I was watching it, but walked away feeling unsatisfied.  My first draft digressed into a fanboy rant focused on how commercialism has stripped all weight of death from the Marvel universe.  Disney might be willing to sacrifice one superhero in the name of art, but wiping out (spoiler alert) half the superhero population is laughable in its transience.  Thanos might have well just shot the Avengers with a paintball gun; their vaporization will be reversed with the stroke of a pen.  Alright, so the fanboy rant survived to the final draft (there were only two after all).  Avengers: Infinity War was enjoyable because anything could happen.  The universe is the Avenger's playground, you never know where they're going to be next, or who they'll run into.  Even the psychopathic villain who is hell-bent on committing genocide is somehow likable because the special effects by which he is rendered are so amazing.  Yet every character is a slave to the plot, which wouldn't be so bad if the plot were any good.  Doctor Strange seems to have a plan, but I have a sneaking suspicion that he's in collusion with the Disney executives to keep the sequels coming.  Here's the weird thing, I'm looking forward to the next movie (and the one after that), but I'm not necessarily looking forward to the drive home from the theater.

A Star is Born

It's fortuitous that A Star Is Born comes alphabetically just before Avengers: Infinity War, because it gives me the opportunity to examine the shallow end of the pool.  I'll start with this, my review of A Star is Born: 

I have to hand it to Bradley Cooper, the director of, and leading man in A Star is Born; he almost had me convinced that his movie had depth.  Some of the most entertaining movies keep you questioning their value up until the final moments, when the significance of everything preceding it is revealed.  Bradley Cooper made the opposite movie.  I was moved during a scene early in the movie when Bradley Cooper playing a veteran rock star invites his new girlfriend (played by Lady Gaga) onstage to perform a duet.  This scene was moving because Cooper (as a director and an actor) had effectively established each character as sympathetic, and only teased us with their singing ability.  Together they were far better then apart.  If that was the message of the movie, I would have quickly forgiven the cliché, but that's not what this movie is about, it's just the setup.  And believe you me, I'm ok with a depressing movie from time to time, but at least have the decency to own your pessimistic world view...  A Star is Born is a movie about a man with no depth who tries to teach the importance of being true to yourself, whose student has no depth and doesn't get the lesson.  Perhaps there's some irony to be found, but not enough to be worth looking for. 

The moment I previously described from early in the movie when Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga sang together was great, and it was followed by other scenes showcasing their amazing talent.  It's too bad that a certain AA counselor didn't pick up on Cooper's foreshadowing during a speech towards the end of the second act... and he was laying it on pretty thick.  And that's why you should always listen when a rock star is telling you a tragic story from his childhood.

A Quiet Place

I have seen A Quiet Place twice now, which should be sufficient testimony of the film's worth.  I first watched the film because I found the trailer to be intriguing, I was hoping that the necessity for silence would be more than a gimmick, and I was pleased to find that "a quiet place" has a much deeper meaning than the trailer implied.  I was captivated by the complex relationships that were explored in such an interesting and thoughtful way.  I watched the film a second time because the first viewing was a surprisingly uplifting experience. 

A Quiet Place isn't a perfect movie; it follows certain rules of the genre that require the viewer to suspend in-depth logical analysis.  My primary criticism would be with its creatures, while much could be said for the artistic creativity in their production, overall their visual representation was anti-climactic; an unseen terror is far more effective. 

Criticisms aside, A Quiet Place has on of the best "silence breaking moments" in recent history.  I'm referring to a wonderful moment where two characters share one pair of earbuds.  What are your favorite moments like this from other films?