Soul: Life-Affirming Film or CGI Hallmark Card?

 

 

    Joe Gardner (voiced by Jaime Foxx) is a middle school music teacher who had just been promoted from part-time to full time. The steady job is nice and all, but Joe would rather be fulfill his dream as a Jazz pianist, working gigs in clubs and living the life he had always dreamed for himself. Feeling like he hasn't accomplished anything in his life, Joe takes the chance to set up an audition with Dorothea Williams (voiced by Angela Bassett), a legendary Jazz musician. After getting the job, Joe rushes home...and falls down a pothole. Joe wakes up heading to the Great Beyond, but he manages to break free and try to find a way back. Along the way he has to become a mentor to a troublesome soul named 22 (Tina Fey) who absolutely refuses to go to Earth and live, considering it all pointless. Joe and 22 work out a deal to try and get him back to Earth and 22 back to a carefree pre-existence.

 

    Soul is a beautifully animated film, but that's no surprise given that it's a Pixar film. The living world (specifically New York, where Joe lives) is bustling with life all around, even if many don't realize it do to the doldrums of their everyday routines. And at first it seems like regular background that you or I (even Joe) walks by every single day without a second thought. But when you stop to take a look around you, there's a lot to see and marvel at if you let it. The people move fluidly, the buildings and interactions feel natural and realistic. Especially in scenes where a character just admires the scenery, it teems with life and vibrancy that is plain to see if one just pays attention.

    The same can be said of the Great Before. It's a bright, colorful and beautiful plane of existence, with blue grass, hills, fluffy new souls bouncing around saying "hell" (no, really). The Great Before is looked after by the Jerrys, beings that are, essentially. sentient abstract lines that can shapeshift. They counsel and give souls personalities and try to help inspire them to find their spark so they can travel to Earth and be born. Of lesser note is a place called "The Zone" a darker, but no less resplendent desert where the living enter whenever they find themselves doing something they love, enjoy or are passionate about. It also is where lost souls, or folks who've lost touch with their spark of life, also reside.

 

    The primarily inspired Jazz compositions, created by Jon Baptiste, fits the movie like a good suit. Baptiste provided references for the musical sequences with original compositions. From chase scenes to simple moments of Joe playing on his piano to get himself in the zone and lose himself in the flow of the music, each part of the score works perfectly. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross also provided music for the film, one composition that sticks out to me is when Joe first escapes the Great Beyond and falls through a traditional 2D animation sequence with heavy, industrial music. The soundtrack sounds like a must-have. 

 

    The main crux of the film deals with what one considers a spark. What makes your life worthwhile to you? When will you break from your everyday life and really, fully, truly live? What makes you enjoy living to its fullest? What stirs in your, for lack of a better term, soul? From what I've seen, having watched the movie twice, the film would have you believe that simply living, enjoying the little things of each day is what make it all worth it. It tries to dispel the notion of having a singular purpose or passion in one's life. That there's something that we love to do and that gives our lives meaning and purpose. And it's not an inherently bad lesson to learn if that's what you believe. Your career and passions are not all that life is about. To quote Shakespeare's Hamlet: There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy. Joe and 22 both have existences they've more or less settled into. They try not to deviate from it and think they have things more or less figured out. Their shared experience, has them re-evaluate their positions on life.

    All of that having been said, the overall messaging of Soul comes off as very simplistic and a little bit naive. One might consider that any further nuance would alienate younger viewers or even depress older audiences. However, life isn't a singular, one-size-fits all experience. Different people have different philosophies, different outlooks. Some of those outlooks are myopic and narrowly focused. Others are grander, more expansive and inclusive. It feels like this movie tried to have both a grand cosmic scale to it alongside a focused personal story behind it, and it's an ambitious task; but one that feels, well, like a soul trying to walk when they've never used legs before. 

 

    We do get bogged down in the humdrum of routine. Doing the same thing day in and day out with little to no variety out of a basic need to survive in a broken and unfair as fuck economic system.We've become accustomed to tuning out our surroundings and narrowing our visions to our immediate needs, wants and desires. It's what it is. But, in my opinion, that isn't living, it's existing. I'm not saying that the movie is terrible or wrong in what it's trying to say. I just think it came off as a bit clumsy and watered down what could've been a bigger, grander message about what being ready to live truly means. It treats people simply doing what they have to do to survive or feel fulfilled as "lost souls" who've been swallowed up by the obsession of their passion or been beaten down by the demands of modern living. I can see that point and it's not a bad one, but it's not particularly a new one, either. It doesn't really expand on the notion or look at people who actually do enjoy work that, to others, may appear soul-crushing or tedious.

 

    Without spoiling, some of the plot elements of where the real world ends and where the afterlife begins don't really make a whole heaping lot of sense if you put too much thought into it, but I'd be nitpicking narratives and that's Sisyphean bullshit I do not have time for. All I'll say is, the afterlife/beforelife is not a revolving door. I get the story has to go from point A to point B, but the journey to get it to that point is a bit muddled and expects the audience to suspend a metric ton of disbelief in order for it to work. It's a Pixar film, so it's nothing new and I can easily let go of most of the plot contrivances. Most. At the end of the film, it's hard to root for the character development of someone who, most likely, won't remember the lessons they've learned during the events of the movie. It's one of those things that kind of falls apart if you think about it too much.

    It's clear to me that this movie is meant to inspire people to enjoy life and that is admirable. If it inspires you to live life and go out to enjoy the sunshine or a rainy day or even to just stop to take a breath, then do so. That's perfectly fine and something we should probably all do more often. But the things we have to do to actually survive in this world will still be waiting for us when we get back. And that's okay, too. We are not our jobs, our passions, or our careers. We're all (apparently) fluffy balls of energy, teeming with personality and vibrancy that we need to keep in tune with on occasion as a reminder that we are alive in a beautiful, if complex, world. And that's no small wonder.

SCOOB!: A Story About Boys And Their Dogs

     After many years of solving mysteries from childhood into adulthood, Shaggy (Will Forte), Scooby Doo (Frank Welker), Fred (Zac Effron), Velma (Gina Rodriguez) and Daphne (Amanda Seyfried) are looking to expand Mystery Inc. into a business and when their backer (Simon Cowell playing Simon Cowell) tells Shaggy and Scooby that they bring nothing to the table, the duo are then swept up in a globe-spanning plot by Dick Dastardly (Jason Issacs) to kidnap Scooby. Their only help comes in the form of Shaggy and Scooby's longtime hero The Blue Falcon (Mark Wahlberg) and his long-suffering teammates Dynomutt (Ken Jeong) and Dee Dee (Kiersey Clemons). As Scooby and Shaggy progress in their journey, their friendship is pushed to the absolute limit.

     Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Scoob!, originally slated for theatrical release on May 15th, has been released via Video On Demand. I watched it on Early Access late Thursday because I had been looking forward to this movie for a while. Even though I had reservations about some of the casting, the story itself looked like it could be at least somewhat interesting. As a kid, I used to watch Hanna Barbera cartoons as frequently as I would Looney Tunes, Disney or any of their contemporaries.

    There is plenty to enjoy in this movie. The animation by Reel FX Animation Studios is fluid, cartoonish, and bright. The design of Scooby and Shaggy are spot on, Blue Falcon and Dynomutt are well designed, Dick Dastardly looks both nefarious and goofy as he should. The action was well done and there's a genuine mystery that differs from the typical Scooby Doo formula of greedy real estate developers or thieves in gaudy costumes. Scooby and Shaggy's friendship is shown faithfully and it's always nice to see The Mystery Machine in action. There are many callbacks and easter eggs to other Hanna Barbera properties like Magilla Gorilla, Atom Ant, Grape Ape, as well as characters referencing the original Scooby Doo cast like Casey Kasem, Nicole Jaffe and Don Messick.

    That being said, this isn't entirely a Scooby Doo movie. Scooby is the titular main character, Shaggy is right there with him and he is important to the story. But there are a LOT of moving parts and a lot of characters for the audience to get acquainted with and get to know. For someone like myself, it's not too difficult to get a feel for the characters because I grew up knowing these personas and their respective shows. In this instance, however, there are some variations, in particular a dynamic duo's, for lack of a better term, dynamic is inverted to a surprisingly effective degree. The problem is that many kids these days (said the old man, sucking on a werther's original) don't know or are not necessarily familiar with Hanna Barbera's more esoteric properties.

     A running theme with this movie is basically the typical story about a boy and his dog. In this case, Scooby and Shaggy, Blue Falcon and Dynomutt and Dick Dastardly and his criminal canine companion Muttley. The relationships displayed with each shows their commitment, as well as their occasional exasperation with one another, as can happen sometimes when things change wildly out of anyone's control. Dynomutt bemoans Blue Falcon's apparent apathy and fear towards superheroism.  Shaggy struggles to find himself useful not just to Mystery Inc but to Scooby. Dick Dastardly goes to any lengths to be reunited with his partner. All of these relationships have one thing in common: devotion to their friend no matter what and it's a beautiful thing to have in one's life.

     Earlier I had said that this isn't entirely a Scooby Doo movie and, for the most part, it's true because the Blue Falcon/Dynomutt subplot takes up a bulk of the movie. Scooby and Shaggy kind of just tag along while others are being much more active in unearthing Dastardly's plans. The same goes for the rest of Mystery Inc. Fred, Daphne and Velma spend a majority of the film either captured or away from the plot until it swoops back around and realize, "Oh shit, they're supposed to be in this, too!" It's a shame that they spend so much time away from Shaggy and Scooby, especially since they are supposed to be the pair's best friends. But sadly, for this supposed Scooby Doo movie, the main characters feel like they're riding along in someone else's story. Their inclusion in the Blue Falcon/Dick Dastardly plot feels incidental. Fred, Velma and Daphne are given very little to do aside from catching up to where the superheroes are in terms of the plot and providing exposition.

     While I'm on the subject of Mystery Inc, I think I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up their voice actors. Gina Rodriguez and Amanda Seyfried for as little as they have to do in the movie are decently cast as Velma and Daphne, respectively. Whenever they have a chance to shine, they can pull off the characters well. Jason Issacs sounds like he's having a blast as Dick Dastardly, providing the appropriate levels of ham a story like this needs. Mark Wahlberg gives an easy, dudebro approach to Blue Falcon to mix with Ken Jeong's straight-dog Dynomutt. Kiersey Clemons's Dee Dee is a nice addition to the Blue Falcon team but she seems just as underused as Daphne, Velma and Fred, speaking of which...hoo boy.

     Fred Jones over the decades has had some changes in his personality and his role in Mystery Inc. In the beginning he was as much of a sleuth as Velma but was more of a planner and a leader of the rag-tag group of misfits. This, to many, somehow translated to him being boring or without a personality. Some incarnations have Fred being a well-meaning, if a bit dorky engineering prodigy with a bit of a sleuth in him, while some have decided to just have him be a complete idiot in love with the Mystery Machine. As for Zac Effron, I didn't really feel he had a chance to put in any sort of personality into Fred aside from how he's written here, a lovable, if somewhat vanilla, doofus.

     And then there's Will Forte as Shaggy. Hearing that Matthew Lillard wouldn't be reprising the role he's now famous for was a bit disheartening. The others not reprising their roles and being effectively replaced with "name" actors was enough of a misstep despite the good work from Amanda Seyfried and Gina Rodriguez. Forte's Shaggy feels more like an impression than a performance. It's not an especially bad impression, and Forte, from what I've seen, can be funny. But he doesn't hold a candle to Lillard or Kasem, in my opinion. It just didn't work for me, personally.

     I really wanted this movie to be more than just "pretty good" and hoped for more expansion of the Hanna Barbera properties into, perhaps their own movies somewhere down the line. I would hope we get movies like Hong Kong Phooey or a full-on Blue Falcon/Dynomutt film that explores the possible mythology of the mantle passing from generation to generation. I certainly wouldn't turn down a Frankenstein Jr or Space Ghost movie. Maybe even a Captain Caveman movie without Tracy Morgan playing him as just Tracy Morgan.

Onward: Heartfelt Family Film About Moving On

     Brothers Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley Lightfoot (Chris Pratt) live with their mother Laurel (Julia Louie-Dreyfuss) after the father and husband respectively Wilden passed away from illness many years ago. Upon his sixteenth birthday, Ian is given a present from his later father: a wizard staff along with the rare Phoenix gem and a spell to bring Wilden back to life for twenty four hours. A mishap in performing the spell results in the gem shattering. leaving only half of their father being reconstituted. Ian and Barley set off on a quest to find another Phoenix gem, leading the brothers down paths of peril, life lessons, and being reminded of what you have and how much you miss it when it's gone.

     The newest outing by Pixar, Onward gives us another heartfelt tale of family that doesn't shy away from the notion that, even when we love them, sometimes family can be the biggest pain in the ass. But the latter doesn't always disqualify the former. It's especially tough when you've lost a family member to disease or circumstances far beyond anyone's control. Losing a family member or someone you loved enough to spend the rest of your life with is like losing a part of yourself. Time may heal the wound, but you never really forget. Even when the weight of the loss slowly lifts with each passing day, it feels like you'll carry it, in some part, with you forever. But life goes on, the world moves ever forward.

     Fantasy creatures inhabiting modern times is hardly unbroken ground (see Bright, The Dresden Files, Supernatural, Buffy The Vampire Slayer etc;), Onward seems to take a different approach. In most contemporary fantasy, the fantastic and the modern are more or less folded into each other, like a deck of playing cards. The world of this film seems to have a different history, or at least more of an alternate version. I suppose if one were to take a fine-toothed comb, one could pick apart how technology shouldn't exist so similarly to our own, but the movie doesn't really bring it up and frankly, it isn't important to the bulk of the story. It's not about the world itself, though it is worth exploring on its own. But it rightly focuses on Ian and Barley's journey, brotherhood and respective relationships with their father.

     Chris Pratt and Tom Holland are perfectly cast as Barley and Ian Lightfoot respectively. Tom portrays Ian's nerdy, nebbish awkwardness and desire to be more confident with little to no effort. Barley seems like a role made for Pratt, who first charmed audiences as Andy Dwyer in Parks and Recreation. Though, in all honesty, ten years ago, Jack Black and Michael Cera would've turned in terrific portrayals of Barley and Ian respectively, as well.

     The premise to this movie spoke to me in a very personal way. In late 2003, my father died of cancer and, to be honest, it still affects me to this day. Not a day goes by that I don't miss him, even after sixteen years. Eventually you do move on, you do live your life. Losing a family member to disease is the kind of pain that changes forever those who have been left behind. Parents remarry, families are altered, but the love for those we lose never goes away. The family dynamic in Onward is heavily relatable in that way. It does go into something of a cliche, especially when it comes to the boys's relationship with Colt Bronco, who is dating Barley and Ian's mother Laurel (played by Julia Louis Dreyfuss).

     Speaking of cliches, the structure and pacing of this film does feel somewhat recycled from just about every road trip/buddy movie you've seen before. Our heroes get sidetracked for a gas run and encounter a biker gang (of pixies). Circumstances force a rift between the brothers, particularly Barley's perception as a screw-up and manchild. It's another coming of age story for a boy learning to become a young man. It is effectively told and enjoyable, but as far as Pixar films go, it's not anything revolutionary or new.

     Special mention should be given to Octavia Spencer's Manticore Corey. Her character arc in the story can serve as something of a microcosm of what the audience should take away from this film. She starts out going through the motions as the owner of a kids-themed tavern based on her exploits. Modern life and responsibilities had taken their toll on her fighting spirit. Through a brief encounter with the young elf men, she realizes what she has become. Corey and Laurel have a fun but brief adventure together on the road trying to help Barley and Ian from the disastrous consequences of their quest. While Corey experiences what some may call a mid-life crisis and possibly isn't as strong as she used to be, she still manages to rekindle the fire and passion for life that drove her in ages gone by.

     In the end Onward is about how we progress in life, but never forgetting the magic that's within us and others. Life goes on, but we can't let that get us down. We can't let an ever-changing world snuff out the heart's fire that burns within us. While we can't ignore the responsibilities and trappings of modern living, they also aren't what we're meant to live for. We as people are meant to do wondrous things and if we can just harness the spark and speak from our hearts, maybe we can make magic live on in some form of our lives.

Sonic: The Hedgehog: A Fun Fantasy Film For Fans of Family-Friendly Fare

     Stranded on Earth after losing his protector and mother figure, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz), an anthropomorphic hedgehog raises himself in the forests of Green Hills, Montana. He spends the next few years scavenging for food and stalking local sheriff Tom (James Marsden) and his wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter). His loneliness and isolation cause him to lash out, causing a power surge that draws the attention of the U.S. Government, in particular the brilliant but demented mind of Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). While trying to use one of his magic rings to escape Earth, Sonic is shot with a tranquilizer dart by Tom, accidentally causing the rings to land on a skyscraper in San Francisco. With Tom's reluctant help, Sonic has to find a way to evade the mad scientist and retrieve his one-way ticket to safety.

     It all started last year with the release of a trailer and the misguided executive decision to show the public a version of Sonic The Hedgehog that looked nightmarish, somewhat realistic and not all that great. While my reaction wasn't as over-the-top as others was, it was universally agreed upon that it could have been better. After months of redesigning, the new look for Sonic was a marked improvement and the artists behind it deserve all the credit in the world.

     With everything being said about the redesign, it was clear that any changes would be cosmetic. The film, as a whole, would be largely left alone. In which case, everything else we saw from the trailers was what we would get. The premise of "normal live-action human interacts with cartoon/CG animal for wacky hijinks/road trip" movies is not exactly breaking new ground in terms of subgenres. See Yogi Bear, the Alvin and The Chipmunks movies, Hop (which also stars James Marsden) and The Smurfs for the more notable examples. However, even if something appears to be yet another in a long line of formulaic, plot-by-numbers movies, sometimes a film can surprise you by being better than you thought. Not spectacular by any means, but not having you leave the theater wanting to punch actual hedgehogs.

     It's all been done before, and it's certainly true here. Road trip movies are a dime a dozen, Live-action/animated mashups are plentiful and family friendly stories about what makes a friend or family or finding a true home. The key to a quality movie-going experience, at least in my opinion, is in how the movie engages with you, if it does at all. While movies like Woody Woodpecker, Yogi Bear, and Alvin and The Chipmunks didn't really do it for me, there's a charm to Sonic the Hedgehog that makes it at least an enjoyable romp for me. Even if they borrow scenes from X-Men when Sonic seemingly slows down time to pull pranks or save Tom from either a bar fight or Robotnik's onslaught.

     Ben Schwartz nails the childlike energy and immature nature of Sonic. He's practically raised himself on Flash comic books, pop culture osmosis, and hiding in the shadows. It's not unlike an introvert wanting to be part of a crowd or community, but always feeling like an outsider. It's different in Sonic's case, as he was instructed by his mother figure to always remain hidden. While he does like to play the occasional prank, Sonic enjoys the spotlight and is naturally outgoing, leading to his mounting frustration.

     Jim Carrey's Dr. Robotnik is also full of fun, entertaining manic energy. When I saw Carrey's antics, it made me feel young again while he was playing The Mask or Ace Ventura. He fully commits to the insanity of the character, especially at the end. In contrast to Sonic, he is someone who likes to be alone with his machines and finds people annoying, stupid and tedious. Seeing his efforts stymied by those he deems inferior to himself enrages Robotnik. Even when James Marsden's Tom gives us a cliched, "Sonic is more human than you" type speech about friendship, it simply doesn't register to the rabid robot creator. He cannot grasp the need or desire for companionship.

      James Marsden's Sheriff Tom spends the movie dreaming of being a San Francisco cop and being a hero. He dreams of leaving behind Green Hills and getting calls to do seemingly menial work for its townspeople. With Sonic being thrust in his life, he learns the typical lesson one does in these situations about where one's home truly lies. A more cynical mind will think that the message of the film is "have no ambitions beyond your stations" but honestly, the character suffers mainly from being bored with his career and thinking he needs a change. And, as in life, change comes from an unexpected source.

     Sonic The Hedgehog is a fun, entertaining way to kill ninety minutes, especially if you happen to have kids or are a fan of the character. While it's true, the story is ground that has been tread before many, many times, it still can be an enjoyable ride, a lot like when you go through Green Hills Zone's first level. It feels familiar, but it's still a good time from beginning to end.
    

Birds Of Prey And The Groin-Kicking Of The Patriarchy

     After a horrible break-up with the Joker, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) is on her own. After blowing up Ace Chemicals as a symbolic middle finger to her former puddin', the Gotham underworld are now after her head to pay her back for past grievances. One of those is the sadistic crime boss Roman "Black Mask" Sionis (Ewan MacGregor). Caught in the middle are Detective Rene Montoya (Rosie Perez), a lounge-singer/martial arts badass Dinah Lance/Black Canary (Jurnee Smollet-Bell, assassin Helena Bertinelli/Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and pickpocket Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco). As all these paths converge, wacky hijinks, brutal bone-snapping battles and more outrageous splashes of color than a crayon box in a wood chipper ensue.

     I didn't like Suicide Squad. It looked like try-hard, disjointed, horribly edited, "look-at-us-we're-so-punk-but-in-a-safe-marketable-way" garbage. Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jay Hernandez are three of the only good parts about it, but it still didn't do it for me. This time around, however, I'm glad to see a movie that is a good kind of crazy, wild, and in-your-face with its themes and aesthetic. It felt like the movie that Suicide Squad tried to be but couldn't quite nail down because it was so busy trying to cram ten different origins into one movie. While one could make the argument that the pacing of events may appear jumbled, but actually does its job of fleshing out the characters and makes sense given that the point-of-view of the overall narration is provided by Harley Quinn.

     Birds Of Prey is something of a punk feminist manifesto without being either subtle or explicit about it, and I don't say that as a bad thing. These are awesome, strong, capable women who have ambition, drive and tenacity. Such traits are evident, even to the male figures in this film. But it's shown, again and again, they only accept a woman's strength so long as it benefits their goals. There's a very pointed scene with Jurnee Smollet-Bell singing "This Is A Man's World" in a slow minor-key number while Harley stews in her post-break-up depression and Roman parades around like the cock of the walk. The power dynamics between men and women are at the heart of this story.

      Each main character deals with breaking the stifling and, in most cases, abusive control that men or male dominated fields exert over them. Renee Montoya tries getting Roman/Black Mask off the streets despite male cops stymieing her progress not just with the case, but her entire career. Helena Bertinelli/Huntress seeks bloody vengeance on the mobsters that murdered her family. Dinah Lance wants to be out from under the murderous controlling thumb of Black Mask, all the while keeping her head down but never really breaking from her good-hearted nature. Cassandra Cain hopes to escape abusive foster parents through pick-pocketing. Harley begins the struggle of being more than just "Joker's girl" and realizing she doesn't need him anymore.

     The fight choreography is fantastic, giving each character their own distinct style. Montoya brawls, Harley incorporates gymnastics and blunt objects, Canary and Huntress are martial arts masters though Huntress tends to also shoot and stab with crossbow bolts just as often. Their chemistry as a combative unit is, sadly, only given one scene to truly shine, but the climactic final battle is exciting, fun and worth the price of admission by itself. What also shines is the fact that they can push through pain, both mental, emotional, and physical. Getting thrown around and punched in the face doesn't slow them down in the slightest. They get right back up and start snapping (a LOT of) legs and kicking ass.

     While I can certainly understand the notion that this is, first and foremost, a Harley Quinn movie, it's not to say that none of the other characters aren't developed or have arcs to go through. Their chemistry as characters becomes apparent much too late in the film, but there's smatterings of it here and there when two characters would interact on occasion. I wish there could have been more with the entire team, but hopefully with a sequel (box office pending) that can be explored a bit further.

     I really dug the art direction and tone of this film. The color schemes were just right without being gaudy or over-the-top, but still dynamic enough that I wasn't watching a grey, drab, miserable mess.The editing knows when to be frenetic and when to slow down and let the action play out. The cinematography is excellent, one of the highlights being a slow, almost fetishistic look at the making of a breakfast sandwich.

     Finally, there's a villain you love to hate in Ewan MacGregor, who was having the time of his life as Black Mask. He chews the scenery with aplomb and gusto. While there were reports that the character of Roman Sionis was portrayed as gay, it isn't made explicit in the film. There are some intimate touching here and there with his right hand man Victor Zsasz, played by Chris Messina, which is about as close as it gets. It isn't a complaint so much as an observation, really. I also liked that they kept the fact that Renee Montoya is a lesbian by confirming her past relationship with a female District Attorney, as well as Harley's bisexuality in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it animation of college flames. One, in particular, bore a striking resemblance to one Pamela Isley a.k.a. Poison Ivy.

     I cannot recommend Birds Of Prey enough, it's fast paced, action-packed, with great characters to get attached to and root for. It's the kind of girl power film that isn't insincere, cheesy or hokey about it. It's a fun time to be had that'll put a fantabulous smile on your face. 

Dolemite Is My Name And Perseverance Is My Game

     Rudy Ray Moore is a down-on-his-luck entertainer in Los Angeles in the 1970's. Record store clerk by day and club MC by night, Rudy tries everything he can to get into the entertainment business. Until one day he hears the lyrical, almost poetic musings of hobos and bums nearby. Of particular interest are limericks involving the name "Dolemite." He decides to create a character by the same name and immerses himself in a flamboyant, jive-talking, superstar on the rise. After making successful comedy records, Rudy decides to make his own movie featuring his popular creation as he chases his dreams of success and entertaining the people in a way that only he can.

     Getting into show business is a hellacious struggle. Even trying to be moderately successful in any entertainment field is like trying to climb a rainy mountainside with a two-ton boulder tied to your waist on a bungee cord. That's why seeing someone who could be pigeon-holed as "down and out" finally make good or make something of themselves can be inspiring to others in similar situations. Here you have Rudy, who's stuck working at what he himself calls a "temporary day job," struggling for a way to make people laugh and have a good time and become successful in the process.

     Eddie Murphy, with this one role, has come back to peak form not just as a comedian, but as an actor as well. His (in my staunch opinion) Oscar-worthy performance carries the movie on its shoulders almost effortlessly. If anyone else had been in the role, I would dare to say it might not have had as much impact and resonance. As some may know, Murphy himself was going through a tough time in Hollywood, with failed movie after failed movie and his stock plummeting. But like with Rudy Ray Moore, sometimes you just need that one shot to really get things going and working in your favor.

      Dolemite Is My Name shows the highs and lows of perseverance. With every success Rudy faces, he's hit with a setback. He tries to work a longer set for his MC position but the club manager sternly refuses. He then finds a way to bring the house down with the creation of Dolemite. Rudy decides to make a movie but finds that he is woefully out of his depth as a filmmaker and financier. He then hustles to get the money to pay the cast and crew. One by one, distributors refuse to play his movie, until he takes a chance at playing Dolemite at a theater owned by a relative of a radio host who wanted to know if the movie was ever coming out. While Rudy does feel the frustration almost to the point of giving up, something or someone prompts him back on point so he can complete his goals.


      While watching the film, I couldn't help but think of an early creative inspiration of mine, Adaptation, with Nic Cage as a struggling screenwriter trying to make a compelling story of a reporter's investigation of a particularly rare orchid. It showcased the internal battle to make a story about what amounted to little more than a book report engaging to an audience. Self-loathing and self-doubt crept in at every opportunity, but despite all of it, Cage's character still pushed through, even when his life was on the line. It shows the complete war of imaginative attrition that creative people can and often do go through when making art, especially for a living.

     It's a rocky and tumultuous road to make a living doing something you love. Even achieving moderate success can seem herculean in time and effort put in. The saying goes, "Do what you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life." But we all know that isn't true. Doing what we love takes work because love takes work. If it's a passion project, or in a relationship, or even getting through the day. It takes work and effort. Some might reply, "But they mean it won't feel like work." But the thing is, they're wrong there, too. Sometimes the things you love will exhaust you, frustrate you, grate on you, irritate you, maybe even drive you mad. But none of that truly diminishes that love. We keep going because we believe the reward will be worth it. And sometimes it is, and sometimes, it falters and ultimately fails. But without the will to try and push forward, we will never really, truly know what we're capable of.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker: Oh, boy...

(Warning: In order for me to give this my full and complete opinion, I'm afraid I must spoil the events of the movie. Go watch the film and form your own opinions)

Continuing her training in the ways of The Force with Leia (Carrie Fisher), Rey (Daisy Ridley) joins Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Issacs) in trying to find a way to the Sith planet of Exagol, where sits a somehow still-alive Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), who has conscripted Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) into doing his bidding by searching for and killing Rey, offering up a new fleet of planet-destroying ships as reward.

     If this were a video, this would be the part where I let out a long, painful, weary sigh. I'd likely have my head in my hands and just let out one more deep, exhalation of frustration before going into my thoughts on this movie. I felt I had to go to see this movie twice in order to make sure I had all my ducks in a row when it came to presenting my arguments for how I feel the way I do about this movie. I honestly don't think I'll ever really be ready, but to hell with it. Here goes nothing.

     Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker is an absolute mess. Imagine leaving a clean room behind, something someone could take and make good use of. You leave a pristine work of art behind, even if it may not be to everyone's liking. And the previous tenant comes back and decides to party like an old 80's rock band on its farewell tour. Full of sound and nostalgia that, while pretty to look at at times, leaves behind a disarrayed curtain call. You walk in and find the janitorial equivalent of a bomb going off. Scattered food all over the floor. An overturned couch. Underpants  hanging on the lampshade. Paper plates full of what you hope are Spaghetti-O's smeared all over the walls and television set. 

     Originally, I didn't want to think this movie had used The Last Jedi as an outhouse when it came to its themes on "anyone can be a hero" and "you are not beholden to your lineage." But when you have Kylo Ren yammering about how Rey is Palpatine's granddaughter and having "his power," the case is tough to argue against. I won't say it inflamed my passions like it has many across the internet, but I understand the reasoning behind many detractor's gripes. JJ Abrams had a toy box full of good, working, perfectly fine characters to use and make a great story out of. He seemed content to just bring along a broken, busted old toy and make everything all about that. This is the biggest missed opportunity in franchise history. When you have the supposed finale of a forty-year-long story, you need to stick the landing. You need your A-game. Saying that this movie's writers brought their Z-game would be too generous.

     I could sit here and add to the pile of nitpicks like "Who the hell would purposefully have a child with Palpatine" or "How did he build hundreds of thousands of ships manned by, one assumes, millions of people on one single planet over three decades" or even "When did Poe have time to be a Spice Runner?" Or go into the hackneyed tragic backstory of Rey's parents being killed by a Palpatine henchman after they sold her into slavery in secret (even if it was to protect her from the power-mad fuck, it's still wrong) because when it comes to Disney and dead parental units, this is the way. Being related to one of the galaxy's most vile and villainous mass murderers to ever breathe air is enough of a gut-punch, but learning your parents, who apparently weren't drunks according to the briefest of flashbacks, sold you into slavery only to be killed for hiding you in the first place?

     Hey, future filmmakers! Want to make your two hour epic move by quickly? Edit the pacing of the story like a rabbit on meth! Sweet Buddha in a Buick, this movie moves way too fast. Literally lightspeed skipping from one scene to the next with very little time to breathe before we can even settle into the Macguffin hunt for little dark triangles that point the way to Exagol where Palpatine is hiding out, chilling with his massive army of  planet-killing Star Destroyers, just announcing to everyone that he's back like a Twitch streamer that no one liked who had to take a break due to "personal reasons."

     Before I go further, I want to talk about the things that I DID like about this movie because they do exist and I want to give credit where it's due. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Issacs have great chemistry together. I'm truly saddened it took two movies in a trilogy to finally get more Rey/Poe interactions. They argue like they're best friends or, if one was so inclined, a polyamorous relationship. I'd be fine with either scenario, really. The action scenes were well filmed, choreographed and exciting to look at. Star Wars does love its gigantic space battles that are actually decided by individual actions of space sorcerers instead of actual strategic planning. Babu Freek was a funny little marketable character to watch.

     It was nice to see Billy Dee Williams return as Lando Calrissian and watching him in the cockpit of the Millenium Falcon at the climax. It was also nice to see Mark Hamill as Luke in a nice cameo role for one scene as Rey tries to exile herself for all of five minutes. And I always enjoy seeing Carrie Fisher onscreen. Due to her untimely demise in 2016, it's a miracle we got as much of her as we did in this film.

     I liked the idea of other Stormtroopers leaving and defecting from The First Order to make their own settlement and help The Resistance. I wish they did more with that premise. Janna, while an interesting character, is given not much else except being put by Finn's side, which Kelly Marie Tran's Rose could've easily been placed and done just as much. That being said, we need much more WOC representation in science fiction and pop culture in general so it's not that big of a deal. Maybe they'll do something with the new characters like Janna, Babu Freek and Zorii Bliss. Be a shame if this is the only installment we see them in, given so little time to flesh out their stories.

     Bringing back Palpatine and making him the end boss for the entire saga, especially given his demise at the end of Return of The Jedi, was the biggest mistake this film made. Especially when you make him Rey's grandfather. It robs Rey of her overcoming the feeling of being "no one from nothing." Even when it tries to go for the message of family not necessarily being blood, it stumbles and falls on its face into a row of tire spikes. The Peanut Butter Falcon did that theming a lot better. Also, making yet another old guy Kylo Ren's mentor, even going as far as hinting that Leia, through the force, influenced her son to turn back to the light just robs the character of any sense of agency and taints his attempted redemption arc, which is a whole other mess I don't have the energy to get into.

    Writing this has caused me headaches, stress, and no end to disappointment. I wanted to like this movie. I really tried to like this movie. But the more I thought about it, the more I looked back on it, the more I found it lacking. Even trying to justify things in-story felt hollow to me because the story itself was shattered by trying to put a square peg in a round hole. After this, if it isn't something new or having to do with the excellent Disney+ series The Mandalorian, I am washing my hands of this whole mess and moving on to trying to watch better movies.

Happy New Year, everyone.

CATS: Peanut Butter And Jellicles

Every year, the Jellicle cat tribe has what they call The Jellicle Ball. In it, Jellicle cats sing Jellicle songs to the Jellicle leader Old Deuteronomy (Dame Judi Dench) and she decides which Jellicle cat gets to Jellicle go to the HeavySide Layer Jellicle for a new Jellicle life. But Jellicle the wicked Macavity (Idris Elba) wants to make sure he is chosen, by Jellicle hook or Jellicle crook.

     Tired of hearing the word Jellicle yet? That's kind of how I felt after the first few minutes of CATS. I swear, if they made a drinking game of the number of times that that one word was spoken, the audience would be dead from alcohol poisoning before the finale. In terms of overexaggerated hyperbole when it comes to this film, that's about the best I've got for you. I didn't outright hate this film. I got over the supposed "uncanny valley" CGI humanization of the feline characters rather quickly. There seemed to be genuine effort and skill put into this production and all of the performers seemed to be giving it their all and having a blast doing so. There's just one simple problem. I just didn't care.

     I had never seen CATS before so I went into this movie hoping for, if not a good story, then something so-bad-it's-awesome in just how spectacularly it fails. Hey, the trailers made it look like it look like at least the latter, right? Well, what I came away with was a bunch of characters being introduced to me, having their personalities and traits sang to me and then oh, look at the time gotta hurry along to the next character and musical number and yes, they ALL get musical numbers. Some characters even get two!

      In terms of concepts, it's certainly unique and not without ambition, but in terms of making a solid narrative structure, it's found wanting. And this is with the film adding more structure into the story than the stage play has, as I've been told. The lack of a strong narrative made it difficult for me to get invested in these characters and their goals. It's not that I don't get it. I just didn't care about any of the characters. It's not that a story can't be found in this musical. It's that the production never seems all too interested in telling us about it. They're content to just speed through song after song like a Spotify playlist in the Speed Force.

     I've seen all of the hand-wringing. I've heard the over-dramatized ballyhooing. I've noticed the hype of this movie being likened unto peeling back the thin veil of this reality to simply glance at the totality of the dark underbelly of this universe and going mad from the revelation. To all of this, I simply say. This isn't that crazy. Is it an odd choice? Yes, but CATS is not a conventional musical production in a multitude of ways. It's basically Andrew Lloyd Webber putting music and dance numbers to T.S. Elliot poetry. It's one thing to not like the movie, and that's perfectly fine. But is it the worst movie of the year? Serenity would like a word with you.

     My friend Matt, who saw this with me, is a fan of the musical, having seen it back in San Francisco many years ago. He explained it thusly: "People don't go to see CATS for the story, they see it for the dancing and the music." And I will give credit where it's due, the dancing numbers and music are very well composed and performed. Francesca Hayward, a ballerina in the Royal Ballet at London's Convent Garden, is an amazing dancer with near-perfect body control and the ability to mimic cat-like movements. What little acting she did here won't light the world on fire, but not a whole lot of standard non-singing acting was given to anyone.

     Jennifer Hudson's rendition of "Memory" was the highlight of the movie. She brings power, emotion and depth to her vocals and for a brief moment, she seemed the most compelling character on-screen. Everyone else seemed like they were at least having a good time, especially Idris Elba's Macavity. Ian McKellen and Judi Dench do the best they can to class up the place while James Corden and Rebel Wilson are there to be James Corden and Rebel Wilson and if that's your thing, that's cool.

     I would like to note that, as of the writing of this article, I have not seen the new "update" version of CATS. I have no plans on seeing it, either. Mainly because it won't really effect or change my opinion on my enjoyment or lack thereof of this movie. Also, this kind of sets a dangerous precedent that studios can just rush out unfinished films and then "patch" them later so they can have folks pay to watch the same movie twice trying to play "Spot the effects change!" I'd say I sure hope that studios don't adopt the video game plague upon mankind that is "Crunch" (corporate practice that abuses computer-animation/game programmers to work almost 24/7 to rush projects to market before they're even finished or tested). But then it's corporate studios and if there's a way for them to make all of the money right now, workers well-being, either physical or mental, is no object.

     That all being beside the point, CATS is definitely an experience. Not one that engaged me particularly well, but I did find things to appreciate about it. The bombastic music and terrific dance numbers are as good as advertised, but I guess I was just hoping for more story meat on the bones of this Jellicle. If you have a chance to see it, do so with fresh eyes and perspective.

Jumanji: The Next Level In More Of The Same

Three years after their first adventure in the magical world of Jumanji, Bethany (Madison Iseman), Fridge (Ser'Darius Blain) and Martha (Morgan Turner) have all reunited in their hometown of Brantford.Conspicuous by his absence is Spencer (Alex Wolff) who came home to spend the holidays with his mom and grandfather Eddie (Danny Devito). Eddie's former friend and business partner Milo (Danny Glover) comes by to reconcile but it rekindles a bitter disagreement. As Bethany, Fridge and Martha try to find Spencer, they realize that he has somehow returned to the world of Jumanji and go in after him. But, unbeknownst to them, Eddie and Milo have been brought along for the ride.

     I rewatched Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle  in preparation for this and to keep things fresh in my mind. It's a pretty fun, if basic, adventure/character piece that gets good performances out of its star-studded cast. (I could watch Karen Gillan kick-ass to "Baby I Love Your Way" all day everyday but that's beside the point).Jumanji: The Next Level is more of the same, which if you liked the first movie, will be a welcome treat.

     This time around, Dwayne Johnson gets to try out his impressionism skills as he spends the majority of the movie playing Danny Devito's character Eddie in the body of  Dr. Smoulder Bravestone. He affects a stereotypical Brooklyn stereotype accent and complains a bit, acting completely oblivious to the game world around him except for when it's time for him to jump into action. Kevin Hart returns to play Danny Glover's Milo, giving him a slower but deliberate cadence. After a while, it does become a bit grating, but it's likely by design since they do have an in-story method of switching the previous players to the original bodies and putting the newer players into new playable characters. After a while, it basically just becomes a game of "guess which character is playing which other character."

     That all being said, the film's humor is heavily reliant on the interactions between the characters as well as the elderly Eddie and Milo trying and failing to adjust to their new surroundings; So, much like most elderly people thrust into playing a video game. It helped to endear the characters and provide them with growth beyond their usual roles in reality. While the same is hinted at for a good portion of the running time, it's interesting that they chose to have the characters switch avatars into things supposedly more suited to them.

     Also, I know that characters tend to have arcs in these kinds of stories, but with Jumanji, both "Welcome To The Jungle" and "The Next Level" have an almost be an extreme form of therapy for many of the characters. Though in the case of both Alan Parrish and Alex Vreek (played here once again by Colin Hanks and Nick Jonas in reality and game respectively), it sets about it in the most traumatizing and psychologically brutal ways possible. But, and this occurred to me in the writing of this article, that the entire plot hinges on one of the main characters not being willing to talk to his friends. In fact, both Spencer and Eddie apparently have the familial trait of insecurity and grumpiness when it comes to their friends having grand life adventures or doing well in college.

     Much like the movie, aside from some fun interactions, as well as a brief backstory bit on Bravestone's parents stereotypical tragic origins (with Dwayne Johnson playing Bravestone's father), there isn't a whole lot to talk about with this movie. The themes are nakedly apparent as well as easily resolved once people actually stop to have an honest conversation. There's still fun to be had, but hopefully in the next installment (because there is sequel bait at the mid-credits point) will have something a little more substantial than just magical therapist with extremely loose ethics on boundaries.

Queen & Slim: Making A Modern Myth

     "Slim"/Ernest (Daniel Kaluuya) and "Queen"/Angela (Jodie Turner-Smith) start their evening like every other ordinary pairing: meeting at a diner after a Tinder match up. In any other world, they might have just had the one dinner date and never spoken to each other again. An overzealous and bigoted cop pulls them over, which results in his death via self-defense. Knowing the "justice system" will not look favorably on their involvement, Ernest and Angela decide to make a life or death trek across the country in order to flee the country, but not before learning their tale has made an impact on more lives than they could even imagine.

     I want to make something clear from the beginning. I have no education in Black history, iconography or culture. I am well aware that our economic, judicial, and even societal systems have been prejudiced against people of color for far too long and they desperately need to be overhauled, if not dismantled and rebuilt entirely. If anything, this movie is but one more example in media of the disparity in social justice. It may not reach everyone or affect them the same way, but it does provide a means to look into a culture that wants, needs and deserves more heroes and representation.

     This movie feels like an example of modern day mythology. Not in that the events that set off the story didn't happen, far from it. But that people see the events unfold and craft narratives from the aftermath. The media and police calls them criminals. Some people call them revolutionaries. Bokeem Woodbine's character, Queen's uncle Earl, jokingly declares them the new "Bonnie & Clyde." From outside perspectives, the pair have become infamous outlaws shirking the authority of a system that, often times, doesn't need an excuse to brutalize and oppress people of color.

     But as we travel with the perspective of both Queen and Slim, played with energy and real chemistry with Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya, respectively, we find that they don't see themselves as icons or legends. The filmmakers remind us that these are scared shitless people who are trying to escape a bad situation. They constantly worry about being tracked down and caught, keeping one eye open almost at all times. Their journey only pausing in brief respites between stops on their way trying to flee the country. It's discussed that, had a twisted stroke of fate not interfered, they never would've gone on a second date. 

     The couple's unexpected and newfound notoriety spurs to action protests across the nation, particularly in a young man who makes a rash mistake, even if borne of genuine and deserved outrage. When Slim and Queen learn of this, they're shocked that their actions have led others to such ends. "We didn't want this" Queen protests when asked if they told the young man to take up arms against police officers. It showcases the unforeseen and tragic ways that people can take inspiration from people who've suffered legitimate injustices. Unfortunately, it's rushed along as the movie approaches its finale.

     By a technical standpoint (as much as I can tell, anyway),the tone of this movie sometimes takes wild and sharp turns from intensely serious to farcically comedic. There's a scene, right after a very scary showdown with a sheriff, where the leads go to a restaurant, pay a kid to go get them food, and when they are about to leave, run over the same child's father, who's talking them up as revolutionaries. All the while being taken to the hospital for the broken leg they caused. There's another scene where ErnestAs I had stated earlier, the last few minutes feel a bit rushed to getting into the climax. There's also pauses in the story that some might consider unnecessary, but I thought were at least decent character moments. I also found an interesting detail that despite the title, neither Ernest nor Angela are called Slim or Queen respectively. And we don't find out their birth names until the very end of the movie. But the film plays out in such a way that it almost doesn't matter.

     Legends aren't born, they are crafted by the hands of fate. When that happens, sometimes the only thing one can do is ride the wave, even when you know it'll crash violently against the rocks. And you hope you have a great tale for others to tell. It is through legends passed down through generations and the important lessons their lives teach that people truly are immortalized.

Frozen 2: Show Yourself Into The Sequel

     Three years have passed after Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel) reconciled and opened the gates of the castle to the people of Arendelle, the sisters celebrate Autumn with their subjects. But a mysterious voice calls out to Elsa. As she heeds the voice, the kingdom is besieged by elemental spirits who force the townspeople to flee town. Elsa and Anna must find out the connection of the voice with Elsa's powers and an enchanted forest to the north of Arendelle. Also Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and Olaf (Josh Gad) come along.

     In the interest of full disclosure, I had not seen Frozen until this past Saturday in preparation for this movie and review. I'm glad I was able to go into this with fresh eyes and the previous film still fresh in my mind. That all having been said, I can say I get that why this IP has become as popular as it has. Even if its use of subverting conventional Disney tropes is a bit passe at this point, it is still an engaging, heart-warming story of sisterly love and learning to live without fear of others or of yourself. Frozen 2 shows that not everyone is strong enough to face their fears, but everyone has the capability of overcoming them if they are willing to.

     This time, we have songs about Autumn, being yourself, a Peter Ceterra-style power ballad about not knowing where you stand in a relationship, maturity, and so many more songs. If you like songs with a lot of musical numbers then Frozen 2 has more than its fill. I'd venture as far to say there's at least two too many. Elsa gets at least two big musical numbers, (Into The Unknown, Show Yourself) and they both feel important to the story on top of just being really good songs.

     The story this time around does expand the world of Arendelle somewhat, revealing an enchanted forest full of magical forest spirits and perhaps the secret behind Elsa's powers. We see that the conflict is not a particular villain they have to fight, which is pretty refreshing for a Disney movie, in my opinion, but the same enemy as before: fear. The entire theme of the story appears to be exploration and conquering fears of the unknown or that you don't readily understand.

     Watching both movies back to back, it occurs to me that the Frozen movies are, first and foremost, character movies. They focus more on the growing and developing relationships with Anna and Elsa and their respective friends circles. While Frozen was a bit more heavily focused on Anna repairing her bond with Elsa as well as finding what real love actually is, this time around Elsa gets the bulk of the heavy lifting with the onus of the story being how she gained her abilities as well as finding out more about her and Anna's parents.

     Kristoff and Olaf, for the first two acts, seem to simply tag along in order to remind us they're there, though Olaf's constant rambling about "water having memory" does provide some plot critical information later. Kristoff's only major contribution seems to be Lost In The Woods, the aforementioned 80's power ballad. It's a hilariously cheesy and over the top scene but I also get where he's coming from. He thinks highly of Anna and wants to propose but isn't quite able to get the words out properly, leading to, admittedly, groan-inducing misunderstandings between the two. He's a little insecure and unsure about himself because he finds himself struggling to keep up with someone who can challenge, if not surpass him. It's relatable but I don't think the movie really gets a chance to dig too deep into it.

     That's something of a flaw in Frozen 2. There's a rich, deep story beneath the glacier of potential, but the storytellers seemed to want to give us a small tidbit of it, not digging in too deeply into the world being built. We're introduced to the Northuldra, a Native American-esque tribe that resides in the enchanted forest and we're given virtually nothing about their history, their ancestry. All we're told is that they live in balance with nature, which is how some can commune with or harness the forest spirits. But once the mission is underway, them as well as Kristoff vanish for a good chunk of the movie.

     For the most part, I enjoyed Frozen 2, it's a good, logical continuation of the story of Anna and Elsa, changing from one status quo to the next. If I'm being honest, though, I'd either conclude the story here or maybe fast forward the story a few years. Or at the very least, explore the history of Arendelle a little bit more.

Special Thanksgiving Review!

On the morning after his 85th birthday, wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead in his study of an apparent suicide. As the family grieves, Detective Lieutenant Elliot (Lakeith Stanfield) and State Trooper Wagner (Noah Seegan) question the bereaved family members in order to confirm their initial suspicions. Then enters private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) to investigate the possibility of foul play. With the entire Thrombey family as possible suspects, the game is afoot.


     Knives Out director Rian Johnson stated a love for murder mysteries and it shows in this brilliantly complex but surprisingly straightforward whodunnit. There'll be no spoilers, but what I can say is that Johnson has crafted a puzzle so tightly written and meticulously put together it would make Agatha Christie proud. Johnson brings together an all-star ensemble cast putting on great performances all around, each player pulling off their characters with gusto and aplomb.

     The setting of a lone mansion out in an isolated field is nothing new for the murder mystery genre. One could say it's almost expected, especially if the manor has secret passageways and hidden rooms. There's even the eccentric private investigator whom the police call in to be the actual sleuth while they run errands and do some legwork. And ontop of all of that is a multitude of red herrings, each having their own motives and alibis for the time of death. But, as is usually the case, things are not as they appear to be. No detail is too minute, from prop knives to cases of mistaken identity both real and supposed Clue is mentioned in a funny throwaway line and the game GO is a game that Harlan liked to play with his nurse Marta, played by Ana De Armas.

     In the hands of a lesser creator, this could've been a mishmash of deceit, misdirection and fake outs. In my opinion, a good mystery is a story that gives the viewers everything they need to solve the mystery. It doesn't break its own rules or lie to the audience. It plays the game fair and square and lets you do the deducing and sleuthing alongside the gumshoe or protagonist. Here Rian Johnson plays around with the convention of the "gentleman sleuth" as Benoit Blanc's character is described as. Normally he'd be the focus, the character we spend the most time with. However, it's Ana De Armas's Marta on whom the film holds its focus. We go through her family life with her mother and sister as they live in a small apartment brownstone. We also see how she thinks on her feet and is able to outwit those who might do her harm.

     Another way that this film differs from the usual detective story is that the initial mystery is revealed early on. This sort of lulls the viewer into thinking this won't be a "whodunnit" but a "how will they get away with it." I know; that phrasing isn't as quick or punchy. In any case, There was well set-up tension all throughout the film as to how this person would succeed when everything seems to go against their favor. Every time they seemed to be in the clear, a new complication would occur, like trying to get rid of evidence, only for one of the family dogs to retrieve it like a game of fetch.

     The entire ensemble cast turned in great performances. Jamie Lee Curtis's Linda was a "keeping up appearances" uptight matriarch, Don Johnson were her doofus husband, Michael Shannon showed a slightly sinister side as the self-serving acting CEO of Harlan's publishing company. Toni Collette puts on her best "Karen" impersonation (the internet folks will get that) as Joni Thrombey, Harlan's daughter in law and a hippe-esque lifestyle guru. Joni and her daughter Meg, played by Katherine Langford, come off as the type of liberals who sound off on social injustices from the safety of their ivory towers but will turn as WASP-y as the rest of the clan if their livelihood is threatened. On the other side of the political spectrum, Jaeden Martell of the "IT" movies is given brief scenes as Walt's son Jacob, an avatar of online trolls, from whom Rian Johnson has experienced more than his fill of virtual vitriol. While Joni and Meg are shown as lacking the courage of their convictions, Jacob is outright mocked and made fun of. The Thrombeys are not nice people, except for maybe Harlan and his mother.

     Chris Evans is something of a show-stealer in his scenes as the arrogant, spoiled-rotten grandson Hugh "Ransom" Thrombey. He carries himself with an egotistical swagger sporting a sharp tongue and even sharper mind, despite never having made anything of himself. But it's Chris Evans's charm and sincerity that lets you look past the brash, immature, vulgar exterior to see glimpses of a good person underneath the playboy lifestyle. 


     Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc is a true character right out of an Agatha Christie story. Delightfully eccentric, almost to the point of silliness but knows how to ask the right questions to get to the truth. When he finally hangs up the tux as Bond, Craig has another character he could easily turn into a franchise. Blanc is a throwback to Hercule Poirot in both method and inspiration. He didn't come off as a Holmesian type detective, or at least the ones that pass for it. Blanc isn't impossibly brilliant nor lacking in social skills or patience for courtesy. He was a gentleman sleuth through and through with a keen deductive mind. He never boasted about his brilliance like some geniuses in popular culture seem fond of doing, which was honestly refreshing.

     Knives Out  features a terrific ensemble cast, twists and turns that come right out of left field but don't insult the audience's intelligence, and some genuinely funny moments. I would definitely recommend everyone see this film as it is one of the best this year and I hope we get more like this from Rian Johnson, perhaps having Daniel Craig returning as Benoit Blanc to solve yet another oddball mystery of murder, intrigue and betrayal.

Parasite and The Quandry of Ethical Survival

     Ki-Woo (Choi Woo-Shik), has a plan to help his struggling family get out of poverty and the dirty, dingy semi-basement apartment they huddle together in. He plans to take over for his friend as an English tutor for tech company CEO Park Dong's (Lee Sun Kyun) daughter Da-Hye (Jung Ji-So). While there, he hatches a scheme to not only bring on his sister Ki-Jeong (Park So-Dam) as an art therapist for young Park Da-Song (Jung Hyoon-Jun), but his father Kim Ki-Taek (Song Kang-Ho) as Dong's personal driver and mother Chung-Sook (Jang Hye-Jin) as the housekeeper and maid of Dong's wife Choi Yo-Jeong. While the Kim family run their little collective hustle, events take a turn for the strange and things escalate to a shocking, brutal conclusion.

     Bong Joon-Ho's Parasite starts out as a kind of dark comedy, with a family on the brink of destitution while they struggle for work and are down on their luck. It's almost like the opening to Mickey And The Beanstalk with everyone huddled close together and trying to find something, anything to eat and get through the day. It'd be depressing if it weren't for the almost absurd ways they try to make money and keep their phones on through searching the house for a wi-fi signal and chasing away drunks who urinate near their window. So naturally, they'd jump at the chance at even the slightest hint of a better life when it's presented to them.

    It doesn't take long for this movie to remind me of Snowpiercer, Joon-Ho's 2013 drama about class warfare on a train rolling along a desolate planet Earth in a post apocalyptic future. The Kims, people of little opportunity and means try to climb up the ladder of success through any methods necessary. They hustle and manipulate to get some of the good fortune from those who have enjoyed an almost obscene amount of material wealth. The way they do this is ethically questionable at best, but such is the world they, and unfortunately we, live in where such methods become almost necessary to even make ends meet. The result of the cult of materialism and the bondage of modern capitalism.

    It's easy to see why this movie comes with this particular title. If anything it's pretty much on-the-nose. The Kims, in essence, feed off of the pay that the Parks give them for their work (unknowingly on the Parks's part) and then suddenly they realize that they aren't the only ones who've had this idea, or at the very least, aren't the only ones with problems dealing with their lot in life. Each family takes their turn privately looking down on the other, not recognizing the humanity in others, treating them as means to an end or as simple tools to use and discard on a whim.

     The film makes it a point to bring up young Da-Song's obsession with Native American (called Indian in the film) activities, culture and garb. Whether or not this is considered cultural appropriation is something that I am, admittedly, not educated enough to gauge, though I would say he seems particularly enamored with the watered-down "Americanized" version of it. It's entirely possible they consider it a phase of impressionable childhood fascination as one does. On the other hand, I think the inclusion of this character quirk is not just for "you little rascal" type shenanigans, but an explicit reminder of how anglo-centric cultures like majority white societies borrow or feed off of the cultures of others.

     Take the American settlers, for instance. Arriving on a land already settled by various Native American tribes. Little by little, they take and take and take until they begin to have this notion that what they have stolen was already theirs or that they deserve it more than those who have learned to balance their respect for nature with their need for consumption of food, shelter, etc; People do what they must to survive. Morality or even dignity often times don't factor into it. It simply is what it is. But it's when the bar for what constitutes "survival" raises higher and higher that one can question the morality behind the methods with any sort of authority. It's one thing for a poor man to steal a load of bread to avoid starvation. It's an entirely different thing for a billionaire to steal money from his own company for his own personal hoarding.

     Parasite doesn't try to make one family or group better than the other. All have their flaws and prejudices toward the other and engage in almost vicious condescension behind each other's backs. Park Dong constantly makes reference to Mr. Kim's raunchy stench, brought about by stink bugs introduced in the first scene. Mr .Kim repeatedly asks Mr. Park about loving his wife, to which the latter either blithely concedes or dismisses entirely.The characters constantly refer to Mrs. Park as "simple" and we get implications of Da-Hye having repeated affairs with her young English tutors. The Kims are benefiting off of the Park's wealth that Mr. Park has worked for. However, the disrespect the Parks have for Mr. Kim especially, weighs on Ki-Taek, as evidenced by multiple outbursts whenever his pride is wounded or he is insulted. He learns all too late that sometimes your dignity is the currency with which those who hire you want in trade.

     Envy and the feeling of want can drive people to unethical extremes and in our modern hyper-capitalist society that considers greed not just good but a necessity, it's its own parasitic nature that creates poverty for many, opportunities for few. Instead of trickling down like Regan promised in the 80's, capitalism, particularly for the top percentile of "job creators" and "billionaires" feeds itself like an economic ouroboros. It's a financial feedback loop that is unsustainable with prices ever swelling and less people being able to afford even basic needs. It's no wonder impoverished people turn to hustling or other less savory methods of making money simply to stay afloat. Those in need have little choice but to either take it for themselves or rely on the whims of those of means.

     We all have to consume to survive, whether it be food, resources for shelter and clothing, land, even simple pleasures. Some covet what others take for granted, and yet others squander abundance when spoiled for choice. Others think those who are without are the most free of all, unburdened by choice. There may truly be no such thing as ethical consumption under capitalism, especially today when the disparity between arbitrarily designated  "wage classes" is more severe than it has ever been.

But as the axiom goes, whatever helps you sleep at night.

The Lighthouse: All Work And No Play Makes Homer Something Something

The Lighthouse: All Work And No Pay Makes Homer Something Something

     Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinsion) takes a four weeks contract job with lighthouse wickie Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe) at a New England lighthouse. During his time on the island, the young man is driven to the brink of madness by the repetition of his duties and the irritable company of Mr. Wake. Unfortunately, a storm delays the ferry that was meant to retrieve the two men, forcing them into a prolonged isolation that pushes them both over the edge. 

     If there's one thing you can give director Robert Eggers credit for, it's that he can make small period pieces look about as authentic as possible. The production value on this movie, as well as his previous film The VVitch, is astounding. The utensils, the weathered appearance of the cabin, the menial labor on display lend a particular verisimilitude to the experience. Eggers knows how to research a time period to give you as close to a clear picture as possible. The cinematography and film aspect ratio harkens back to older films, with the end credits calling the cast "players" which was a nice touch. It almost makes the film feel like a two-man play of sorts. 

     Speaking of, both Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe give terrific performances. Pattinson's Ephraim showing the weary, depressed, lonely mindscape of a young man running from past failures and Dafoe's Wake is a salty former sea captain who's so full of barnacles and bullshit that even Ephraim calls him out on his almost parodist portrayal. When the two men aren't drunkenly crooning sea chanties to each other and dancing like lunatics, they let out insults. One in particular delivered by Dafoe brings chills to the blood and cements his character firmly in the mind, regardless of his somewhat comical delivery and appearance. 

     The story starts out a bit slow, building its atmosphere with a patient hand, letting the audience figure things out through dialogue and context clues. On the first night, Ephraim finds a mermaid statue in the head of his cot. Hints at his backstory involving being a timberman or woodsman in Canada as he sees logs somehow floating on the ocean surface, giving way to the siren's call of a beautiful mermaid (played by Valeriia Karaman). It's also the first threads of the tapestry of his sanity fraying and becoming untangled. 

     From there it becomes a slog, both for Ephraim and for myself, watching him doing his repetitive duties day in, day out, with Wake barking orders in the young man's ear about shirking his responsibility. I'm not saying that it's boring, but it does convey the boredom Ephraim is suffering from, which works in the movie's favor. If I know anything, it's going to work day in and and day out and doing basically the same thing over and over with little deviation. And each day passes with Ephraim working diligently, though not without incident or complaint as when he insists he swabbed the floors. It's when the reality of his continued servitude and captivity sets in that things really pick up and take a turn for the insane. 

     It's never concrete on whether or not there's something supernatural afoot, even when Ephraim commits something of a bad luck faux pas for sailors. It could easily be chalked up to coincidence that the ferry coming to whisk them away was nowhere to be found and that's perfectly fitting with the downward spiral of Ephraim's mental state. Personally speaking, I think it's all in the unfortunate man's head. Fever dreams of a mind gone mad through the doldrums of duty. His only respite being the times he spends alone pleasuring himself or getting into nightly drunken encounters with Wake, the ever-demanding taskmaster, who throws in a sea-dog's version of a "damned millenial snowflake" speech near the end.

     The Lighthouse is an interesting watch if one doesn't mind the atmosphere of loneliness, depression and performative masculinity to the sacrifice of one's sense of self. The more head-tilting and visually distinct moments (such as when a person starts sprouting tentacles, is covered in barnacles with a crown made of coral or a mermaid with a human vagina for ease of "use") are momentary slaps of "WTF-ery" that punctuate a story of a man who just flat out took the wrong job and wasn't cut out for it, driving him bonkers.

Click down below to subscribe to my Patreon!

Become a Patron!

Subscribe To My Patreon Today!

Hello, everybody! I've had this up for a while but haven't really promoted it a whole lot. But that changes today! Click the embedded button below to subscribe to my Patreon page! I'll have the Patreon button in every post/article going forward!

As a Patron you can:

$1- Get a producer credit in any future published works.

$2- Can make a review request (see tier for guideline details)

Constructive feedback is appreciated. If we get more patrons, we can expand benefits and perks in the future! Thank you all for your time!


Become a Patron!

Joker Review: Sympathy For The Devil

Joker Review: Sympathy For The Devil

Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a pitiful man with a condition in which he compulsively laughs until he can barely breathe. While living in a slum in 1980's Gotham City, he takes care of his eccentric mother Penny, who dreams of one day being taken care of by mayoral candidate Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen). Every day, he goes to work as a party clown with aspirations of being a stand up comedian. Economic troubles, social unrest and his own mental anguish regarding himself, his past and the rising anger from the lower-income citizenry push Arthur into a downward spiral the effects of which not even his fevered mind could contemplate.

      This review has been something of a long time coming for me, personally.I'm not usually a big fan of villains. That's not to say I don't enjoy some villains (Rowena on Supernatural is a personal favorite of mine), but by and large when a character is a bad guy and the story needs me to dislike them, it doesn't take much prompting. But then you have stories where the villain is excruciatingly human and it's tough not to at least understand their motivations for their actions. I think that's the key factor to a good villain: motivation. Which is a steep mountain to climb when it comes to an iconic villain like The Joker.

     To call The self-proclaimed "Clown Prince of Crime" mercurial would be the grand-daddy of all understatements. His motivations change with nearly each appearance. One moment, he wants to sell fishes full of Joker-venom, the next, he wants to run for President. One time he wants to kill all of Batman's family and comrades, the next he's trying to ruin Jim Gordon's sanity.You never quite know what to expect when the gruesome grinning gangster shows up. Even when it comes to his backstory, he would "prefer it to be multiple choice." Which is pretty much at the heart of Joker.

     Let me be absolutely clear about this right now, Joaquin Phoenix gives a STELLAR performance. He puts his entire body and mind into this performance and completely owns each scene he's in. Phoenix looks like this role exacted a heavy toll on him portraying such an emaciated, pathetic figure. But at the same time, there's a dark, sinister foreboding bubbling under the surface. It gives an uneasy sense of menace to every scene he's in. Joaquin Phoenix's performance is worth the price of admission alone.

     One other mark of praise I will give the film is that the cinematography and gritty aesthetic of Gotham City were top notch. It evokes a dilapidated metropolis with the contrast of the bright lights of the rich and famous with the shadows and dim bleakness of the unprivileged and forgotten. Anyone who's seen Taxi Driver or King Of Comedy can see the influence of Scorsese dripping off of every frame of this movie. The lighting and colorization of each scene sets the tone it's meant to convey perfectly, from the darkness of Arthur and Penny watching Robert DeNiro's Murray Franklin, to the bright, vibrant bombast of Joker's "coming out" scene on the now famous staircase in The Bronx. This is a technically well-crafted movie, for whatever misgivings I may have.

     Having said all of that, this is a strange, depressing and often times uncomfortable movie to watch. The violence isn't excruciating or out of place, just abrupt and visceral. The hopelessness of economic inequality echoes the current strife of today's society with the subtlety of a sledgehammer lobotomy. As relatable as Arthur's situation can be to some, it doesn't distract from his less endearing qualities like making an entire relationship in his head about a woman he shared an elevator with and briefly stalked.

     Watching someone spiral into madness can be an intriguing experience, but it can also cause self-reflection. If we went through what Arthur endured in this movie, would we be any better or would we ourselves lose our minds? That's what the movie would like to ask, I'm sure. But it doesn't really bother to. I'd go as far to say this movie really doesn't have anything to say about anything. It's not trying to be a grand political statement about the downtrodden citizens rising up to overtake the privileged, because the main character doesn't really care about that. He just happens to relate to or come from similar situations as those who live in poverty and having their medical care cut in order for the rich and powerful to live high on the metaphorical hog.

     Another thing that the story seems to gloss over is the notion of reliable narration. Certain revelations about not only Arthur but particular interactions with other characters, namely Sophie, an apparent love interest (played by Zazie Beets), it's shown that our protagonist's view of the world isn't necessarily one we can simply take at face value. Even though it's not specifically narrated to us in voiceover (like in Taxi Driver one of the movie's clear artistic inspirations) we still see the world framed through Arthur's perspective. Which throws how people's interactions with Arthur into question. Even at the end, we're not quite sure if what we watched was even real, but then again, that's probably the most Joker-ish thing of all. 

     As something of a side note, I want to take a moment to laugh at the hand-wringing fear-mongering that the media tried to put forth about this movie being so violent, so insane, so horrible, that it would inspire incels or aggressive male douchebags into going on killing sprees. First of all, while popular culture is known for people missing the point of a story, someone who ends up shooting up any place usually was headed down that path anyway and it isn't the fault of a fictional felonious fool. Secondly, while Arthur does display creepy behavior, especially toward Sophie, he doesn't show a sense of entitlement, at least not towards her. His concerns and cares seem to stem more about his own well-being and what he can get. And third, all this movie has inspired as of the time of writing this article is a bunch of folks clogging up a stairway in The Bronx.

Now that's funny.