"Creed III" Review: The Message in The Whisper
In 1 Kings YHWH speaks to Elijah in a whisper after an earthquake and a fire. Now, Creed III is not a Biblical epic nor am I putting it on that level. I’m only using that example to illustrate how it speaks in a whisper if you can see past the boxing action and grudge match rivalry, and the film did speak to my soul. It lands on a poignant character drama with themes of overcoming trauma, being emotionally vulnerable, letting go of grudges and of course, the underdog story we’ve come to love.
The film picks up at a time where Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) has decided to step away from the sport while he’s on top. No sooner does he do that than an old friend, Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors) comes back into his life. Damian has been locked up for the past eighteen years. He’s watched Adonis’s meteoric rise to a position he feels should have been his. How their history is intertwined is a major key to the story.
This is a by-the-numbers Creed movie, infused with intimacy and originality that makes the film stand out. You get what you would expect but it continually strives to slip the predictable as well. From a technical perspective, Jordan (in his directorial debut) finds a way to show boxing visually from a fresh point of view. He uses the camera, sound and fight choreography to allow us to see the fight but step into the mentality of the fighter in the present moment of it. This is seen throughout the film but is beautifully executed in the final act.
Jonathan Majors is showing that he is a force to be reckoned with on screen. His physicality of Dame in the film is like a character choice from a Kurosawa picture. He has certain ticks that he repeats throughout the film that embody his raw rage. He’s carrying eighteen years of baggage internally and it comes out in his voice, movement and how he makes eye contact. He’s constantly studying. Jordan is serviceable as Adonis and gives a nuanced nod to being an aged fighter. Tessa Thompson gives Bianca a soul. Many times, the “wife” can be lost in the film as a side character, but here she is a present, integral part of Adonis’s life. Mila Davis-Kent is a welcomed addition as Amara Creed. Amara uses ASL to communicate and the relationship with her parents is beautiful.
Some may note the lack of a certain figure in this film. However, I think it’s intentional. Sylvester Stallone and the shadow of Rocky has been in the first two films. This installment allows Adonis Creed to make a name for himself. Ties have not been cut, and while Rocky’s absence is noticed it certainly doesn’t hinder the movie in anyway.
Whether you are looking for entertainment at the theater or dealing with middle aged thoughts and issues, this movie delivers on all levels. We’re reminded that at the heart of every Creed film, there is an intimate, dramatic story that is universally understood. You just might have to catch the message in the whisper!
Rating: A
"Safety" Review: A Safe Telling of A True Story Worth Celebrating
“Safety” is the true story of Ray “Ray Ray” McElrathbey (Jay Reeves), who played safety for the Clemson Tigers from 2005 to 2007. During that time, his mother (Amanda Warren) went into a rehabilitation program to deal with her addiction, forcing Ray to take care of his younger brother, Fahmarr (Thaddeus J. Mixson) by housing him on campus. The film could trim about thirty minutes of fat and fumbles in the screenwriting with some Disney emotional cues, but when it focuses on the heart of the issue it’s in the zone.
The film introduces us to Ray just as he’s starting to play, on scholarship, for Tommy Bowden at Clemson. Almost as quickly as he adjusts to the rigorous schedule of college football, he has to adjust to the fact that his brother is at home without positive supervision with his mother in rehab. (In the film, there is an adult in the apartment with Fahmarr, but he seems to be into street life.) Ray quickly takes Fahmarr back to his dorm and pulls his roommate, Daniel (Hunter Sansone), into the scheme.
The first hour is set up for comical buddy/caper comedy moments with Ray trying to hide his brother under laundry and getting him to and from school without his friendly resident advisor catching them. He also meets Kaycee (Corinne Foxx) and spends time trying to court her while balancing his new responsibilities. The film doesn’t really find its groove until an hour into its run time.
At times, “Safety” feels like one of the best student films you’ll see about football this year! The acting, camera work, and silly jingles playing underneath certain scenes feel forced and uninspired. It does have a measure of weight and depth when the story digs into the true life conflict of Ray trying to balance school, his brother and mother’s welfare. It’s a difficult situation to be in. The crux of the story is about a mother who chooses herself in getting clean and the weight that puts on Ray, a brother turned father, who has a scholarship and his own future on the line. The conflict of Ray being torn between his own dreams and desires for himself but being willing to sacrifice everything to make sure his younger brother is taken care of is the reason that the story was known in every household around America at the time.
I’ll be the first to admit I have a few biases. First, I went to the University of South Carolina, so it’s kind of in my blood to hate Clemson. Second, I graduated in 2005, so it’s really hard for me to believe that a line like “Whatchu know about Lauryn Hill?” would come out of Kaycee’s mouth. Lauryn Hill was still the GOAT at that time. The soundtrack is extremely accurate though- like if buying soundtracks was still a thing and you were in college during that time, it would take you back! Biases aside, there is a constant fight between stale performances (Foxx) and authentic performances (Reeves) and rehashed storylines and a heartwarming story.
“Safety” feels like a three hour movie because it spends the first hour meandering and crawling to its fifty yard line. The second hour is where the film gets into the end zone. What Ray McElrathbey did is noteworthy, but this film is just a passable representation of it.
Rating: C-
"Spies In Disguise" Review: Great Message In A Fun Ride
There’s only one spy that we really focus on in Spies In Disguise. While the name may be misleading, you don’t really need more people in a film when you have the charismatic charm of Will Smith. It’s a fun, comedic, espionage animation that manages to pack a great message without hammering it home.
Lance Sterling (Will Smith) is the world’s number one spy. He’s so good, bad guys know him by name and shutter when he’s in their presence. His fellow secret agents and colleagues at work do as well in that rockstar kind of way. This includes a nerdy tech officer named Walter (Tom Holland). Walter’s latest gadget, kitty glitter, gets Lance out of a sticky situation in the field, but not in the particular loud style that Lance is accustomed to and demands. So the two meet under circumstances in which Lance attempts to give Walter a stern talking to with walking papers. Simultaneously, Lance is moved on the agency’s wanted list after a doppelgänger steals a top secret killer drone.
Forced on the run to clear his name, Lance enlists the help of Walter, who just happens to have made an elixir that can change a person into a pigeon for spy purposes. With a new identity, Lance goes after the villain who stole his identity. Along the way, he learns the value of teamwork while Walter learns to believe in himself.
There’s a message at the heart of Spies In Disguise that needs to be heard by everyone. You have to look past Will Smith’s animated charm, DJ Khaled’s interesting voice acting debut, and the humor. Be yourself and it’s ok to be weird are a couple of the messages, but the deeper message we can gain from the movie is that we should try our best to solve conflict without destroying the person or entity we’re in conflict with. All of Walter’s gadgets are non-lethal but are still effective. After Joyless (Reba McEntire) tells Walter that he’s the future of the organization, I couldn’t help but think she was talking to the young kids in the audience. They have the ability to change the world, but it may be too late for the generations currently in power.
Spies In Disguise is an enjoyable time at the movies for families. You’ve definitely seen the character archetypes before, but its messages are worth hearing. If there is a better way to resolve conflict, choose it! At the very least you’ll learn that pigeons fly as fast as ninety miles an hour!
Rating: B
"Joker" Review: The Beautiful, Dark, & Twisted Origin Story
With Warner Bros officially creating a new movie genre, DC Black (DC- based standalone films), who better a character to start with than with their most iconic villain himself, the Joker? With all the great actors who’ve played the villain (Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Mark Hamil and Jared Leto) my initial thought was that it was going to be hard to fill those sinister clown shoes. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Director Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix take the comic book villain and give him a beautifully dark, twisted, gritty anti-hero reintroduction.
Taking a few pages out of Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver with character development and some references, Phillips peels back the layers of the complex character to humanize him and show how he began his path of brutal destruction. This is a period place that takes place in the early 80’s and shows the grislier and faint side of Gotham City like we’ve never seen it. It follows Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a mentally ill misfit, who works as a clown by day and failed comedian by night. His journey to menacing criminal is perhaps all the more horrific because it’s grounded in reality.
One of the opening images is of Fleck, working as a clown, looking in the mirror while contorting his face into that creepy, iconic smile while laughing uncontrollably from his pathological laughing disorder while crying. It’s immediately followed by a portrait of the city of Gotham, and it’s not compassionate to say the least. In the first few minutes Fleck endures mental and physical abuse by everyone from his job, his therapist, civilians, his job again, and then his mother (Francis Conroy). It’s a hard watch. Throughout the movie this seems to be a trend as life itself continues to punch Fleck in the face, increasing its power at every turn. In his lighter moments, when life isn’t knocking him down, he pursues a career in comedy. His jokes are dark and twisted, writing what he believes society deems as funny, wishing to one day be on the Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro) late night show.
Something that sets this movie apart is the progression of Fleck’s character. He evolves from and awkward, gentle loner to the malicious, confident Joker. Robert De Niro and Zazzie Beetz interactions with Phoenix give more depth to the character’s development with their limited but memorable interactions as Fleck’s idol and love interest respectively. Conroy also helps identify some of the loose ends of his childhood that viewers may find interesting. Rather than being eaten by the dog eat dog world, Fleck eventually embraces it with a cynical twist that feels so natural.
This is ultimately a standalone film that we’ve never seen in the comic universe that has a sinister and refreshing twist to it. It’s well crafted, with a vintage, grunge look that captures the mood and tone being portrayed in the film. From beginning to end, Phoenix owns the character. It has remnants and a few nods to them but Phoenix pushed my perception of the character or new uncharted anti-hero territory. The only knock I have toward the movie is the slow, build but once it started you were invested. Overall the casting, the story, the development and the conclusion of this film is phenomenal and gives you the ultimate satisfaction of an origin story. I wouldn’t be surprised if this movie gets an Oscar nod.
Rating: A-
"Dark Phoenix" Review: Bring the Reboot Already
The real hero in Dark Phoenix is Hans Zimmer. His score elevates the film to a darker, more somber mood. It’s just unfortunate that the writing doesn’t quite match the composition, because if it had, this would be an excellent final bow!
The X-Men have elevated themselves to friends of humanity thanks to Professor Charles Xavier’s (James McAvoy) crafting. After a mission to space goes awry, the team is sent up to retrieve the astronauts. Of course, no mission can go perfectly and rather than letting the solar flare hit her team, Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) absorbs it. Fortunately, she doesn’t die, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a solar flare she absorbed either. As time proves, it’s something more powerful.
This franchise is known to have horrible or half baked villains. Enter Vuk (Jessica Chastain). I wish I could tell you what she is and the depth of her power, but the movie didn’t tell me. So all I know is that she’s an alien life form who came to Earth with what was left of her fledgling empire and took the body of a bleach blonde woman. Their goal is to retrieve the power that went in to Jean, rebuild on Earth and they will stop at nothing to get it.
Where Dark Phoenix soars is in the action sequences. Seeing certain characters’ power on display is entertaining. Magneto (Michael Fassbender) shines with some of the sheer might he possesses. Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) gets to go ham for a moment of line of sight teleportation at it’s finest. The climactic train sequence is definitely of note.
The problem that we’ve come to expect with these films is its character development. You just don’t care. Jean’s backstory is shown, but her family is nothing more than a setup. Quite frankly, for this to be the classic ascension of Jean to the Phoenix, she barely gets to do much on screen. There was an opportunity to make her really dark, but that didn’t happen. They could have put her full power on display. She can wipe out planets in the comics for goodness sake! Instead, you could call her the Accidental Phoenix in this film because many of the bad things she does aren’t necessarily on purpose. They come from an “oops I did it again” motive. Wins and losses are just beats on a screenwriter’s page here. The big bad Vuk is certainly just an antagonist in the film whose team seems invincible without explanation.
I’ll give co-writer/director Simon Kinberg credit for trying here. This was an effort in the right direction. The tone felt right, the costume design tried, the cast tried, Hans Zimmer infused his superhuman score, but alas, they just couldn’t get this up the hill of good filmmaking. Did I mention Hans Zimmer’s score is awesome? It’s entertaining, but if you wait to catch it when it’s streaming you’ll probably do yourself and your wallet a favor this weekend!
Rating: C-
"UglyDolls" Review: Bless Its Ugly Wittle Heart!
STX Entertainment isn’t necessarily a household studio name, but it’s quickly growing its portfolio. Giving us recent films like The Upside, The Best of Enemies, and the forthcoming 21 Bridges, the studio is slowly making a name for itself. UglyDolls is their move into family friendly films and like any first outing it has its bumps. While the film has the spirit of Trolls, its execution is disjointed and poor pacing makes for a difficult watch at times, but bless it’s ugly heart if the messaging isn’t the positivity the world needs right now!
The film starts with a positivity drenched ballad led by Moxy (Kelly Clarkson). She tells the story of how living in the town of UglyVille is great. UglyVille is where dolls go after being separated from the “perfect” dolls on the assembly line in the sky. While all the defected dolls enjoy live in the Ville, Moxy dreams that everyday may be the day that she gets picked by a kid to live in the big world.
After seeing a new ugly doll come out of the tube in the mountain, Moxy decides she wants to see where the tube leads. She takes her friends Ugly Dog (Pitbull), Babo (Gabriel Iglesias), Wage (Wanda Sykes), and Luck Bat (Leehom Wang) along for the adventure. The crew eventually finds the Institute of Perfection, where all the good looking dolls are tested before going to the big world to meet their child. A doll named Lou (Nick Jonas) runs the show and sings brutally frank ballads about being perfect versus ugly. Most of the dolls at the institute are obsessed with perfection and Lou or hiding flaws as not to be shamed.
The heart of this film is about not being afraid to be who you are and let the things that make you who you are shine. The opening number is so beautiful and you can quickly see the imperfect dolls are brimming with talent and happier than the dolls at the institute. It’s a great message, even if it’s overt. Messaging aside, the film limps along from musical number to musical number. While casting tons of talented singers and comedians may be great for social media tags and posts for marketing the film, the acting talent and chemistry that Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake in Trolls can’t be found here. It feels more like a dress rehearsal with understudies for a better film that could have come out of this movie.
Overall, the plot is noticeably Frankensteined from Trolls, Monsters Inc, Toy Story and other classic animation films. Which is kind of funny in a movie about ugly dolls. However, it doesn’t make for a creative, fresh film about being yourself. There’s no doubt that the conversation parents can have about the deeper meaning behind this film on the car ride home will be worth it, but you can’t escape the ugly truth!
Rating: C
"Little" Review: The Laughs Make Up For The Story
There is certainly an attrition in regard to the person we were as a child versus who we are as an adult. Why that happens and if we can continue to be ourselves from adolescence to adulthood is what Little takes aim at. While the movie has some pacing and story issues, the calories you’ll burn laughing evens things out!
Jordan Sanders (Regina Hall) is the type of boss you don’t want to have. She’s mean, self-centered, condescending, and has enough money and power to get away with it all. Her assistant, April Williams (Issa Rae), is her talented but overlooked and overworked doormat. Jordan’s latest technological invention, Homegirl (voiced by Tracee Ellis Ross- think Alexa but a cool black version) is in beta testing. When her biggest client, Connor (Mikey Day) gives her 48 hours to give a new innovation before he leaves her firm, Jordan goes Hulk on her employees. She just happens to be mean to a little girl who casts a spell on her in the process.
The next morning, Jordan wakes up as the middle school version of herself (Marsai Martin). She quickly pulls in April to help her figure out what’s going on, while using her to continue the day to day activities in the company. Shenanigans ensue as Jordan learns more about herself, friendship, and what it means to be yourself.
Both a blessing and a curse, the screenplay fires off jokes like a TV sitcom. It seems like the jokes come at least once per minute of screen time. Many of the jokes hit, but others noticeably don’t. When you have power players like Issa Rae, Marsai Martin, and Regina Hall (while she’s in less of the film in comparison) the funny moments of this film are not just in the dialogue but also in their expressions. All three nail their character’s persona. It is a pleasure to watch Martin outside of her role on Black-ish as she commands the screen acting as a 38 year old in a 13 year old’s body. The rapport between her and Rae is so authentic and infuses life into some of the scenes that in other hands would be hackneyed.
While the laughs come consistently and the film taps into some emotional moments, many of the scenes within the film feel common in a bad way. Inspired by the movie Big, Little doesn’t do much innovating in the body switching, Freaky Friday, type of genre. Due to that, some of the storytelling and transitions force you to forgive it for following the leader rather than lead you down a refreshingly original path.
Regardless, this film is packed with the right kind of girl power. Co-writer/director Tina Gordon takes us on a funny ride. Both Hall and Martin serve as executive producers on the film, making Marsai Martin one of the youngest executive producers in Hollywood. This movie finds itself lending to crowds somewhere in between date night and an outing with the girls, but it’s an overall entertaining time at the movies.
Rating: B-
"Captain Marvel" Review: A Speed Bump On The Way To "End Game"
We’ve had an amazing journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) thus far! What the studio has been able to do in growing from 2008’s Iron Man to Captain Marvel is incredible. With half the universe gone and the other in peril, Captain Marvel, while full of great chemistry amongst its cast and female empowerment, feels like a speed bump on the road to Avengers: End Game.
The call went out from Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) via an old two way pager in Avengers: Infinity War during the end credits of the film. We saw the iconic symbol for Captain Marvel, and this weekend in theaters we get our answer as to who she is and what her powers are, kinda. Set in the 90’s, Vers aka Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) doesn’t remember much about her past but sees it in glimpses within her dreams. She’s being prepared for battle by her mentor Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) of the Kree race. Their enemy are shape-shifters called Skrulls. After an interaction with the Skrulls ends with her landing on planet C-53 aka Earth, Vers must hunt for the Skrulls who landed with her while trying to make sense of her past. Her crash into the local Blockbuster brings a young Nick Fury to the site, and thus begins a buddy comedy as only Marvel can do.
The issue with Captain Marvel is that the first two acts of the film are a small, intimate tale that viewers would have ate up in 2011. The magnitude of what’s going on in the 2019 MCU is so big, that Carol Danvers backstory seems so insignificant in the scheme of it all. I realize it’s not, but the convention of storytelling used by writer/directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck is all over the place for the first two thirds of the film. It starts out as a mystery, Hangover-esque tale and then becomes a buddy comedy and is heavy handed in making sure its main character knows that she needs to stay in line. It’s also missing an internal clock (a device in film in which the characters are moving to a deadline) to help us move toward the end of the film. So the search for Skrulls doesn’t have any real weight to it other than what the characters tell us.
Once you get to the final act of the film, things take off! Suddenly, we have an engaging film that you feel more invested in. Don’t get me wrong, this film is packed with brilliant performances by Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, and Ben Mendelsohn as Talos/Keller (in that order). The chemistry of the cast and the way they bounce dialogue off of each other is what excuses the first part of the film. Even smaller roles like Carol’s best friend, Maria (Lashana Lynch) and her role model, Mar-Vell (Annette Bening), are nice character performance additions. The final act also gives us something to run toward in regard to impending danger.
As the marketing for this film suggests, there is a strong message of female empowerment that’s great to see, especially for little girls who get to see a powerful female superhero on the big screen! The 90’s references and soundtrack for the film (while the songs are a bit on the nose coupled with each scene) is a nostalgia fest for those of us who lived through them! The one other problem I had is that the film gives us an understanding of how Captain Marvel obtained her powers, but does not tell the extent nor give an actual clear description of them for us to understand what they are and why the internets are saying she’s so powerful. So be sure to sit next to a fanboy/girl who can explain it to you if you don’t know the history like me.
Overall, the film is another decent entry to the MCU, but it just doesn’t have the same bite and excitement in storytelling that the films released in Phase 3 has had. It will be great to see her in the MCU going forward and she is a welcomed addition. Look, speed bumps are necessary, keep us safe and you have to go over them in order to get to your destination. This is a safe entry installment into the broader franchise and I wish it was more! As always, be sure to stick round through the final credit sequences!
Rating: C+
"The Front Runner" Review: A Timely Bio Drama
The Front Runner is proof that there’s nothing new under the sun. The film looks at a pivotal moment when politics and media crashed together to change the way we analyze political candidates personal lives and decisions forever. We still deal with political scandal today, much like the 1988 presidential run that crashed within a matter of weeks for Gary Hart, but this is when the idea of news media being a watchdog and covering candidates personal lives to ensure they match. We’ve seen bio drama films like this as well, but co-writer/director Jason Reitman gives us that old gum with a new way to chew it.
Gary Hart (Hugh Jackman) is a man of the people. He is charismatic, smart, handsome, and willing to take a stand against politics as usual. You know, the kind of stuff we like to see even today. All signs pointed to him being the frontrunner of the ’88 election before suggesting to a reporter that he’d be bored if he followed him around, and thus encouraging him to do so. Hart’s bluff is called, as the Miami Herald follows him and uncovers a scandal that ultimately ends Harts political run.
Reitman gives us an inside baseball look at the situation as things unfold. In fact, perspective is key in Reitman’s direction both in the script and in his frame. Numerous times throughout the film he tells two stories simultaneously so that you have to keep up. In one particular scene, Hart sits at a table in a wide shot with his back to the camera as it moves around capturing the conversation amongst Hart’s team. In the background you see a young reporter enter the room and begin a discussion with a member of Hart’s political team. Reitman’s ability to keep our mind engaged, while cleverly displaying multiple stories and pushing each scene forward is what makes the film fun to watch. We know the ending as we watch the story unfold in 2018, but getting there is probably as stimulating cinematically as it was to live through in 1988.
This is an ensemble film in which everyone brings their A game. Jackman, known for his ability to be a larger than life on screen presence, shows considerable controlled restraint and focus. He makes Hart, a player on the team, rather than the star in the film. In doing so, you can focus on all the angles and members of the cast. Vera Farmiga as Lee Hart doesn’t have a lot of screen time in comparison, but her presence is felt. In fact, in one confrontation scene between Gary and Lee, the atmosphere changing of her presence and what’s about to happen is so palpable that you feel as bad for Gary as when your sibling was about to get spanked back in the day. JK Simmons, Molly Ephraim, and Mamoudou Athie all have incredible character archs as they come to grips with Hart’s infidelity and what the fallout means to them. Each perspective gives the audience something to chew on.
The Front Runner may not appeal to mass audiences. It’s certainly a character study that allows viewers to draw conclusions on politics today, and a director’s masterclass on framing and technique. However, its undeniable timeless and timeliness of its subject matter is worth the view!
Rating: B+
Middleburg Film Festival '18: "Boy Erased" Review
Boy Erased is based on the memoir of Garrard Conley’s experience with gay-conversion therapy. Adapted to screen by writer/director Joel Edgerton, the film allows its audience to come to a conclusion based on what’s presented. At its heart, the movie is about where we draw lines in our love, and if we do, is it truly unconditional love?
Lucas Hedges is Jared Eamons, son of minister Marshall Eamons (Russell Crowe) and first lady Nancy Eamons (Nicole Kidman). Growing up a preacher’s kid, Jared finds himself at a crossroads between his faith and family after coming to terms with the fact that he’s gay. Upon his son’s coming out, Marshall seeks wisdom through church elders, while Nancy defers to Marshall’s leadership.
Marshall and Nancy enroll their son in a conversion program called Love in Action that’s directed by Victor Sykes (Joel Edgerton). As time moves forward, Jared quickly sees that something is off in the therapy. His dutiful trust in his parents becomes shaken as he witnesses the degradation of his fellow participants. This sparks action in Jared to take his destiny into his own hands.
The film jumps around in chronology to give us a picture of Jared’s life leading up to Love in Action and beyond while giving us the “full picture” of Jared’s struggle. The key to this film is that Edgerton makes Jared our eyes into this world. Hedges has a way of displaying his internal conflict without wearing it on his sleeve. Instead, his journey in finding himself, standing up to his abusers, and charting his path in life is easier to understand because the message is not clouded by accusation or heavy judgement. Crowe and Kidman turn in authentic performances as well with both sides clinging to to their belief system.
Boy Erased’s conspicuous restraint allows its viewer to be haunted after the film by what they witnessed. After all, it’s the quiet, solitary moments in life in which we wrestle with the big questions.
Rating: B
"In Search of Greatness" Review: One of The Best Sports Docs Ever Made
In Search of Greatness is a unique documentary that exposes a different side of athleticism that is oftentimes overlooked. The creator, Gabe Polsky, is an up and coming filmmaker and a former Division 1 athlete who graduated from Yale University. His first film Red Army focused on the history of Hockey in the Soviet Union. In Search of Greatness doesn’t focus on one sport, instead it highlights athleticism joined with mindful dedication and training. This film exposes the sacrifices famous athletes have had to make in order to be the best of the best. From the interviews, sound editing, and archival footage, the film paints a beautiful perspective of what it takes to be the greatest.
Kevin Sampson reviews Gabe Polsky's exciting documentary "Red Army".
The first important element to note are the interviews; Polsky was able to speak with legendary athletes from history like Wayne Gretzky, Jerry Rice, and Pelé. These interviews carry the storyline of the film, but most of all they give direct insight into the mind of a professional athlete. I was fortunate to interview the director Gabe Polsky, and he stated that it took about a year to get in contact with these athletes for a video interview. He also went on to state that it was incredibly difficult to get in touch with these legendary people, which lead to difficulty finding female athletes to interview. The lack of female athletes in the film is the only criticism I have of the film itself, but it is understandable how difficult it would be to schedule time to interview these athletes, let alone find the perfect mixture of athletes from throughout history. In order to alleviate this issue, Polsky includes a great deal of archival footage from female athletes, which attributes to the reconciliation of not being able to interview any women.
On that note, the amount of archival footage that is included in this documentary is astonishing to say the least. The clips included are able to emphasize what the athletes are saying in the interviews perfectly and allows the audience to get inside the athlete’s mind. The dense amount of archival footage is so impressive that it truly makes the film; it adds to the storyline in such a way that it makes you as an audience member want to be great right alongside these athletes. This documentary inherently breeds feelings of nostalgia as a great deal of these athletes were highlighted in past commercials, movies, and television shows. You can’t help but reminisce on the moments, if you were lucky to be alive during that time, that you saw this history made. Alongside the clips included, the editing of the archival footage makes the film even more electric through juxtaposition, clever transitions, and emphasizing significant moments. They are an important addition to the film’s success as without these strong elements the film would have been completely different.
The sound editing and mix is both profound and shocking. One particular moment that stands out is the juxtaposition of Jerry Rice preparing for a game with the throat singing of chanting monks replacing the natural sounds of the stadium. This particular juxtaposition alludes to the mindfulness of a great athlete; the complete presence they have to have while they are in the game. This combination of chanting and archival footage is so beautifully thought out and exquisitely illustrates the thought process that Rice used to go through. This philosophical undertone exposes the thoughtfulness that of director Gabe Polsky, and exposes his brilliance as a filmmaker.
This film should be regarded in history as one of the greatest sports documentaries created. From the athletes highlighted in the documentary, to the intelligence exposed behind the athleticism, and the historical clips that show greatness; this film truly captures the magnitude of power one human can acquire if they believe in themselves. Documentaries like this one creates universal inspiration, allows aspiring athletes to see what it truly takes to be the best (and even how to get there). In Search of Greatness is beyond inspirational and one of a kind; I highly recommend attending a screening it when it is released.
Rating: A-
"First Man" Review: The Best Space Race Film to Date
First Man could be the best space race film created to date! Plenty of films have taken us to the moon. Plenty have shown the complications that can arise when an astronaut is alone, hundreds of thousands of miles away from the Earth. None have captured the human sacrifice, internal struggle, and loneliness of getting there so well as this motion picture.
Director Damien Chazelle, hot off his success with La La Land, tells the story of the life of Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) in the eight years leading up to his infamous walk on the moon on July 20, 1969. With a film like this, you know the outcome, but it’s the journey to get there that’s intriguing, entertaining, and educational. Chazelle does more showing than telling with his production of the story. His camera predominately stays in tight on his subjects, forcing us to connect with them, see what they see, and absorb small moments that we may usually miss in wides or mid-shots.
Sound is another important element in the film. Every breath, turn of a knob, rocket roaring, bone crunching accidents, and even the silence of space matters in this film. It accentuates the moment and submerges the viewer further into the emotional weight or lack there of in a scene. The grand stakes of the mission to the moon is perfectly balanced between moments of devastating failure and nuanced humor backed by a beautiful score from Justin Hurwitz. Hurwitz manages to insert a piece of percussion that ticks throughout many of the songs subconsciously pervading the sense of time, whether it’s running out or seemingly nonexistent in space.
The casting is spot on with this ensemble. Gosling turns in a stellar performance as Armstrong with an emotionally distant, introspective yet caring portrayal of the American hero. In films set in the 60’s we typically see the stay at home mother and housewife character portrayed as seen and not heard but there for support. Yet, Claire Foy as Janet Armstrong is able to evoke this enormous sense of a highly intelligent woman, emotionally strong enough to shoulder the burden of raising kids with the ever present reality that her husband could lose his life at any moment. With notable performances from Corey Stoll as Buzz Aldrin, Kyle Chandler as Deke Slayton, and Jason Clarke as Edward White you get the authenticity of the best indie film performances in a blockbuster.
While the film never focuses specifically on the politics of the time, you are able to get glimpses of the economics of the day through various meetings NASA has with politicians and protests. Gil Scott-Heron’s “Whitey On The Moon” gets a surprising moment in the sun during this film. The powerful spoken word allows Chazelle to highlight the disparity of funding for the expensive space program versus the hard working citizens paying for it with tax dollars while trying to survive.
First Man is a film about perspective. It gives the viewer a moment to feel what it must have been like to be in Armstrong’s shoes, what his family and other family’s who lost loved ones for the mission endured, and how small we are in the universe. The focus on character and story, using all of the components of film to engage its’ viewer, makes this film soar above all other race to the moon films that have come before it. Treat yourself to an IMAX showing of this film, because it deserves star treatment!
Rating: A
"A Star Is Born" Review: A Fresh Look At A Classic Story
Even before its release, A Star is Born (2018) existed as a landmark point in the history of contemporary American cinema. This is the third version of the story to hit the screen since 1937. It also marks the directorial debut of Bradley Cooper, as well as the big screen debut of Lady Gaga. The press for this iteration has been brimming with praise since the film’s premiere screening at the Venice Film Festival. While not destined for classic status, A Star is Born is a strong debut feature and provides a fresh look at a classic story.
Ally’s (Gaga) life is a struggle; she lives at home with her father (Andrew Dice Clay) and works as a server in an upscale restaurant in the city. Her only reprieve is her weekly slot at a local bar, where her vocal talent allows her to perform live alongside a group of lip-synching drag queens. This all changes when singer-songwriter Jackson Maine (Cooper) swings by the bar on his way home from another headlining arena show. Maine immediately falls for Ally, and the couple embark on a journey through the contemporary music industry filled with soaring highs and soul-crushing lows.
The film serves as a strong directorial debut for Cooper, who quickly draws the audience in, even though they may be familiar with the story. The numerous musical performances were shot live in secret during a number of large musical festivals and feel extremely authentic…because they are. The camera stays close to its characters, resulting in extremely intimate moments within the context of packed stadiums and festivals. The songs, many of which are penned by the stars, are emotional earworms that support the main storyline and will likely stay with audiences after the lights come up in the theater.
Cooper’s reliance on close-ups throughout the rest of the film keep this intimacy going when its characters are offstage as well. Despite the quality of the direction, the film is not without issues. The film’s 135 minute runtime starts to crawl after a while; the momentum built in the opening hour drifts away in the final act. In addition, Cooper’s choice to replace an existing narrative of the rise and fall of musicians with a battle over “authenticity” is an interesting one, but it doesn’t quite land.
While the film serves as evolution for Cooper’s career, it’s Lady Gaga who steals the show. The pop star’s stripped-down turn as Ally makes her a serious contender in the film industry. Near unrecognizable sans the elaborate costuming she’s known for, Gaga becomes her character and elevates the emotional core of the story. This is in contrast with Cooper, whose performance as Maine, while good, wasn’t born of the same immersion While the leads are obviously the focus here, much could be said for the supporting cast, all of whom provide a real sense of depth to their roles. This is especially true of Sam Elliot, who plays Cooper’s older brother/manager Bobby.
A Star is Born isn’t perfect, but it will likely be remembered as a watermark in the careers of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. The film will probably receive a number of Oscar nominations, although wins are not guaranteed. This reimagining of A Star is Born manages to take a classic Hollywood tale and update it with the visual playbook of modern independent cinema. Fans of either may come away with a positive opinion of the film.
Rating: A-
"Mandy" Review: A Vision Both Strange and Eternal
It has been seven years since filmmaker Panos Cosmanos burst onto the scene with the cult sci-fi film Beyond the Black Rainbow, and many have wondered if and how the writer-director could top Rainbow’s ramped-up hallucinogenic visuals. Fans of the director now have their answer, as Cosmanos has returned with Mandy, an acid-drenched revenge thriller unlike anything released in theaters this year.
Lumberjack, Red Miller (Nicolas Cage), lives a quiet life in the forests of the Shadow Mountains alongside the love of his life, the titular artist Mandy (Andrea Riseborough). However the serenity of the forest is disrupted by the arrival of Jeremiah Sand (Linus Roache), a failed folk singer- turned-cult leader and his group of God-loving hippies. After a passing encounter on a desolate logging road, Sand decides that Mandy must join his group. Tragedy eventually ensues and leads Red and his home-forged battle axe into the night seeking revenge at any cost.
Cosmanos takes this simple plot and drowns it in gallons of blood and LSD. Mandy’s forest setting is constantly punctuated by beams of Giallo-influenced color, animated hallucinations, and an ever-present heavy metal-influenced score composed by the late Jóhann Jóhannsson. The film contains homages to midnight films of the past, but these blend seamlessly into Cosmanos’ world and never feel tired or cliche. It takes a special film to do that in a nostalgia-dominated media landscape, and Cosmanos has shown that a throwback film doesn’t need to consist of yelling “HEY REMEMBER THIS?” at its viewers.
Of course, the film isn’t all nostalgia, and provides a number of original set-pieces that must be seen to be believed. Otherworldly S&M bikers are summoned via ocarina, and grown men duel with chainsaws under the lights of a mining quarry. These (and other) insane sequences aren’t for everyone, but they certainly draw the viewer into Mandy’s unique vision. It takes a total commitment to the craft to pull things like this off without irony, and the film succeeds where other camp-focused features may fail.
This all-in feeling is buttressed by the film’s impressive cast, many of whom turn in milestone performances in their respective careers. Nicolas Cage’s monolithic filmography has been varied to such a degree that the internet has designed a four-point matrix on which to graph his performances. This, however, is a role no one else could pull off, and Cage’s performance as Red transcends the points on the aforementioned Cage matrix. Red’s transition from loving partner to blood-soaked death machine requires just about every emotion to come through on screen, and Cage nails every beat required of him. The viewer really feels Red’s emotional arc, and when Cage engages in one of his legendary on-screen freak-outs, the moment is more than earned. This is a performance for the ages, and should be seen as a return to form by one of Hollywood’s finest.
While most of the press surrounding the film’s post-Sundance premiere has focused on Cage, Andrea Riseborough and Linus Roache deserve equal amounts of praise. Riseborough’s portrayal of Mandy is wonderful, and Roache’s turn as the villainous Sand should be seen as a breakout moment in his career. A confrontation between the two is one of the film’s highlights and provides a clear piece of social commentary in the age of #metoo. Expect to see both actors doing big things in the future.
All of this praise is certainly warranted, but the film is not without some issues. The filmmaker’s editing style is a bit of a double-edged sword, as it was in Rainbow. The pivotal shift in tone occurs about halfway through Mandy’s 2-hour run time. This gives the viewer plenty of time to invest in Red’s eventual rampage, but the film does drag a bit. Those expecting a pace similar to other action-oriented films may find the glacial pace of Mandy’s first half off-putting, but it’s hard to say whether the film’s tender first half could be shortened.
Nontheless, Mandy is a strong addition to Cosmano’s filmography, and fans of genre-filmmaking looking for an unforgettable experience should strongly consider giving Cosmanos’ latest a view. Mandy is showing in a limited run of theaters and is available on VOD.
Rating: B+
"The Nun" Review: Save Your Money for the Warren's Next Adventure
Since its debut in 2013, The Conjuring has grown beyond stand-alone status into a fully realized cinematic universe, all fueled by the real-life investigations of Ed and Lorraine Warren. The newest entry in this gathering of demons and ghouls is Valak, the hell-spawned nun first seen terrorizing the Warren’s home in The Conjuring 2. Director Colin Hardy takes the viewer back to the source of the demon’s power in the newest Conjuring-related film. However, the interpersonal relationships and horrific imagery of the source films have unfortunately been stripped away, leaving a carnival ride that fans of the horror genre have ridden a few too many times before.
Upon hearing of a suspicious suicide at the Abbey of St. Carta, the Vatican dispatches paranormal investigator Father Burke (Demián Bichir) and novitiate Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) to the Romanian countryside. Upon their arrival at the Abbey, the pair, along with French Canadian farmer “Frenchie” (Jonas Bloquet), confront and attempt to overcome Valak’s evil influence.
Despite providing an imposing, Hammer Films-esque haunted house and vague glimpses of the dark history of the Abbey, the film chooses to provide a minimum amount of world building. After all, the filmmakers have viewers to scare! However, the scares here mostly fall flat, as the viewer is rarely exposed to anything truly terrifying.
The old standbys are all here: unseen forces inverting crosses, undead beings lurking around the corner, and mysterious pairs of hands reaching out from the dark-all accompanied by a shrieking violin or loud otherworldly thump. Look, a jump scare is an effective way to get a reaction from the viewer, but so is any unexpected loud noise. The most iconic films of the horror genre invade the mind of the viewer, implanting imagery and a sense of unease that lasts long after the lights go up in the theater. Unfortunately, The Nun provides very little in the way of true nightmare fuel. Instead, the film relies on recycled cliches and involuntary nervous system responses to illicit cheap reactions from its viewers. Some imagery may have felt transgressive at an earlier time but feels tired in 2018.
The quickly established characters of Burke and Irene, both possessing hints of a troubled past, ultimately serve as little more than engines to move the barebones plot forward. The dialogue between the two consists mainly of heavy exposition punctuated by screaming. The duo constantly separate, dragging the audience from scare to scare until finally reuniting with Frenchie and Valak for the film’s welcomed ending.
Credit should be given to Farmiga, who injects some level of humanity into her character. Nonetheless, the film gives the viewer little reason to care about the fate of its inhabitants. Bichir’s portrayal of Father Burke is relegated to a confused facial expression and the desire to run towards any strange sight or otherworldly sound the film throws at him. The campers at Camp Crystal Lake had more sense than the Vatican’s top “Miracle Hunter” has in this film.
It could be argued that the traditional imagery and lack of characterization is itself an homage to the B-movies of old. After all, weak characterization in horror films isn’t exactly a new phenomenon, and lord knows film buffs have seen their fair share of haunted houses/castles/hotels/etc, but The Nun doesn’t fully commit to B-Movie status. Instead, it floats somewhere between Hollywood blockbuster and midnight trash. If the filmmakers chose to lean further toward one of the two extremes, it may have resulted in a better product. However, the lack of commitment here hurts more than helps.
Save your money for the Warren’s next official adventure, and leave The Nun alone.
Rating: D+
"Teen Titans Go! To the Movies" Review
I’ll be up front with you, I’ve never watched an episode of Teen Titans Go!. I’m aware of the Cartoon Network animated series that began airing in 2013, and that people have different opinions about the show itself. I’ve only seen clips here and there, so watching the film adaptation of the series was my first time experiencing this property. Other than the clips I’ve seen and the trailers, this film piqued my interest when it was announced that they got Nicolas Cage to voice Superman, since he was slated to be Superman in Tim Burton’s planned Superman Lives movie twenty years ago before it collapsed. Not knowing what to expect, it certainly won me over with this: Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is a much more enjoyable experience than last fall’s Justice League, and some parts in this film had me howling in laughter.
Every superhero left and right has his or her movie. In this world, you’re not considered a real superhero until you get a movie made about you. Robin (Scott Menville) dreams of having his own film, but none of the superheroes take him or the Teen Titans, which consist of Beast Boy (Greg Cipes), Cyborg (Khary Payton), Raven (Tara Strong), and Starfire (Hynden Walch) seriously. Popular film director Jade Wilson (Kristen Bell) tells the team that in order to get a film made about their exploits, they need to find an arch nemesis. The Titans might find one in Slade (Will Arnett, who also produced the film), who has nefarious plans of his own.
One of the things that I enjoyed about this film is how they sendup all the comic book films that have populated the multiplexes lately. In a sense, whereas the Deadpool films are aimed at an adult crowd, this caters to the kids. Like with last year’s The LEGO Batman Movie, directors Peter Rida Michail and co-creator Aaron Horvath (who also wrote this with co-creator Michael Jelenic) incorporated references of past DC films, TV shows, and comics. No characters are safe, from Batman (there’s a killer joke that WB will basically make any film that’s remotely related to him), Superman, and Wonder Woman, to the most obscured, like the Challengers of the Unknown. While the jokes are mostly catered to the younger demographic, the filmmakers get away with some extremely funny dark humor that adults can appreciate.
Unlike the tone that’s on display with some of the past DC films, this film knows exactly what type of film it’s trying to be. It’s self aware, and it embraces its roots as a film geared towards children, which is to entertain us for 88 minutes. There is an interesting dynamic in which the directors and animators switch up the animation style whenever it drifts away from the reality of the film universe which helps enhance the story. It feels a bit like a cross between Looney Tunes with a dash of anime. Voice wise, the dynamic between the Titans is good, and you can hear the years of teamwork and how they care for one another in their vocal acting. Arnett once again nails the over masculine type character as Slade, and how over the top he portrays it. The cameos did there part, and Cage as Superman was perfection in my eyes. It makes you wish that he would get another opportunity to voice Superman down the road. Also, the songs are catchy enough that you might have a hard time getting them out of your head.
As for any drawbacks, there’s not enough meat to the bones, and it basically feels like a feature length episode of the series. Even though it runs at 88 minutes, at times, it was as if the filmmakers were trying to figure out ways to pad out the runtime by stretching a comedy bit out or throwing things against the wall until something sticks. As the old saying goes, they had style over substance. There isn’t enough plot, and the film doesn’t go any deeper than you may anticipate going into it. Maybe it was because of the PG rating, but I was a little surprised that the name Deathstroke never gets mentioned once (since that’s Slade’s name in the comics). Finally, the DC animated short that precedes the film, involving the DC Super Hero Girls, felt a little off and choppy.
Overall, if you’re a fan of the show, chances are you will have a lot of fun with this film. Even if you haven’t watched the show at all, give it a shot. I know I’m not the target audience for this film, but I’ll admit that it has its charm to it, and I was laughing more than I should have. The real question is whether watching this film will lead to me and others to watching the series? There’s a strong likelihood that newbies like myself, may check out at least a few episodes. Be sure to stay around until the mid-credits, because some of the audience members around me lost their minds when it occurred. In terms of DC Animated Movies, I think The LEGO Batman Movie is better, but hey, it seems like Warner Animation may have a better grasp on the DC characters than the live action division. If you were looking something fun to watch this weekend with your family, or just a fan in general, I would recommend checking this out.
Rating: B
"Eighth Grade" Review
Eighth Grade is an honest and realistic look at that crossroad of life we come across before we begin high school. The directorial debut of Bo Burnham, a comedian who began his career on YouTube, this film is one of the more refreshing takes on this genre that I have seen in quite awhile. Led by what could be a breakout performance from its leading star, this premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival to positive word of mouth. In short, once again, A24 delivered on the goods with this film.
The story revolves around the last week of eighth grade for Kayla (Elsie Fisher). To put it mildly, it wasn’t the best year for her. She’s awkward, doesn’t have many friends, and spends most of her days on her phone or on her social media pages. After being voted by her fellow peers as being one of the most quiet students in school, Kayla does her best to break out of her shell and be more noticeable, all the while trying to navigate her final week at school.
As I said earlier in my opening paragraph, I suspect this will be Fisher’s breakout role (she previously voiced Agnes in the first two Despicable Me films). Fisher gets the awkwardness down to a capital T and makes her character feel like a living and breathing being. Whether she’s trying to stand out or gets an anxiety attack when forced to attend a fellow student’s birthday party Fisher is impressive with what she brought to the table. Watching this film, I could relate to this film since I was like Kayla in eighth grade. I remember being quiet and painfully awkward at times and didn’t know what to do. Josh Hamilton, playing Mark, Kayla’s father, also puts in good work as a single dad who’s doing his best in trying to connect with Kayla. The chemistry that both Fisher and Hamilton exhibited between one another is authentic and sincere as daughter and father.
For his first directing effort, Burnham does a good job in showcasing how kids these days are more glued to their phones and their social media accounts than interacting with one another in real life. Case in point, it’s evident that Kayla is more confident in doing her videos for her YouTube channel or spending an entire morning trying to get that perfect selfie for Instagram. Burnham never tries to make a statement, but shows us how the younger generation is more adapt to social media. Burnham shows skills in his direction by juxtaposing scenes to match whatever YouTube video Kayla is making, like talking about how to be more confident, being yourself, and so forth. The film also has a nice blend of awkwardness and drama. Since eighth grade is a strange time in our lives when we’re at that age where we slowly start to transition to adulthood. It’s quite effective, especially during a scene in the third act where Burnham plays with the tone all at once. The cinematography from Andrew Wehde felt realistic in that the film is set up so we are alongside Kayla throughout the film. Even though she’s basically a blank spot to the world, it’s as if Kayla’s in the center of the viewer’s world, and the look of the film made the world bigger than what it actually is. What seems trivial now looking back at it is the end all be all for Kayla. The dialogue is natural enough that it feels like real teenagers talking. The music Anna Meredith composed for the film is wonderful as well.
Even though the length of the film was just the right amount at 94 minutes, there were some storylines Burnham that could have been explored more that he introduces in the film. One minute, it’s about how Kayla is trying to get her crush, then the next, a different topic, and so forth. There are a lot of small moments he brings to the film that on it’s own, could possible fill out as a film in itself, but it would have been great to get some resolutions to these storylines.
Overall, Eighth Grade doesn’t try to be hip and cool, but gives a much more grounded look at life from an eighth grader’s point of view. As a first-time filmmaker, Burnham put in solid work in this, and I’m interested to see how his filmmaking career progresses from this film. This is Fisher’s film through and through, and a big part of this film’s success rests on her shoulders. Even though it’s a different generation, the growing pains that Kayla goes through is universal all around. It’s a charming film that shows us that no matter what, we’ll get through this awkward phase of life. I would definitely recommend checking this out in a theater when it opens up near you.
Rating: B+
"The First Purge" Review: It's Just a Movie...But
They say that practice makes perfect. While the fourth installment in the Purge franchise is far from perfection, there is something to it that is undeniably breaking through to speak to real world issues. Yes, The First Purge is more refined and closer to B-movie, survive the night status like some of the classic John Carpenter films. However, the real magic is in how much its’ premise feels a lot more tangible and believable in our present day political climate.
This film takes it back to the beginning when The Purge became The Purge. At this point, it’s called an experiment, created by Dr. Updale (Marisa Tomei). Rather than being nationwide, its’ first at bat is localized to Staten Island. In an effort to get members of the community to participate, the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) offers $5,000 for wearing contacts that double as cameras with bonuses for committing violence. Potential candidates that range from psychotic and mentally ill to people trying to feed their family are analyzed by NFFA staff.
The formula here is no different. We’re introduced to the main characters early. Dmitri (Y’lan Noel) is the drug king of the borough. Nya (Lex Scott Davis) and Isaiah (Joivan Wade) are siblings who have each other’s back in a world without parents. Nya is an activist who believes the experiment is not good, while Isaiah is caught in the middle ground, seeing an illegal way to provide for him and his sister he starts dealing on the corner. Dolores (Mugga) is their hilarious neighbor and aunt figure in their lives.
In the midst of main character development, the NFFA is setting up cameras and surveillance around the island to broadcast to the world. Right before and once The Purge commences, so do the one-liners that strike a nerve. The Founding Father president states “We’re all Staten Islanders tonight”. Nya tells her old flame, Dmitri, “we have to make choices to heal or to hurt” after approaching him due to a setback Isaiah had on the street corner.
Since there is little ruckus outside of people robbing and looting when things start, Dr. Updale notes that in order for people to truly embrace The Purge “morality and religious dogma must be dropped”. It’s easy to gloss over that line, but it truly is the key to why The Purge works and why our current real life political climate is as it is. Even if you’re not religious, we all have a moral compass. Whether that compass has been pointed south by life, we all start out with the purity of knowing right from wrong. The statement is truly has Last Action Hero, off of the screen and into the real world impact.
With our morality in question, Arlo Sabien (Patch Darragh) the NFFA Chief of Staff, makes a call to spice things up. Simultaneously, director Gerard McMurray and writer James DeMonaco (who wrote all Purge films) do the same cinematically. Suddenly, white men wearing Ku Klux Klan hoods and throwback Nazi-like regalia show up on the island, forcing Dmitri and friends to fight back. There are particularly harrowing moments of racism and violence that come straight from our history’s headlines as klansmen shoot up a church with predominately black community members. One man is dragged through the street by his leg attached to a vehicle by chain. Tiki torches light the night. These images seem vaguely familiar. While the formula of the film calls for the main characters to get some payback on their oppressors, the joy that one feels for those kills is worth questioning. Sure, it’s just a movie, but why use Klan hoods as masks? That hadn’t been done before. It’s just a movie, but why are the clean cut white men in power positions to experiment in low-income neighborhoods that are comprised of people of color? It’s just a movie, but why does Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” close it out? The song is the rallying cry of this generation’s people of color. Again, see my opening statement, practice makes perfect and DeMonaco’s pen is getting closer to making powerful statements on the state of our union and lack their of.
Ultimately, the final act of the film is tense and suspenseful as Dmitri must “old school video game” his way up to the 14th floor of Nya’s project apartment building, taking out the bad guys along the way. McMurray’s direction is controlled and his frame is claustrophobic at times, allowing us to see what he wants us to see. He leads the audience to the end like a Carpenter throwback.
Some of the performances in this film are worth noting. Mainly, Y’lan Noel, who has an enormous presence on screen and natural charisma that forces you to root for him, even when he’s murdering people. Mugga provides plenty of laugh out loud moments in the film. In one scene she tells Nya that she left the church to look for her, then got the bubble guts and had to purge another way! Joivan Wade truly portrays a scared teenager trying to do what he thinks will help his family. Perhaps one character that will be a fan favorite is Skeletor, played by Rotimi Paul. He’s a giant psycho who wants to Purge from the opening scene. Rather than playing crazy, Paul truly makes Skeletor feel like the neighborhood fiend who finally gets to reek havoc on the world that looks down on him.
The First Purge certainly shows us how everything started. It’s the right length, and an authentic installment in the thesis of what all Purge films rest on in answering the question “what if all crime was legal for 12 hours?”. However, it low key shows us ourselves as well. That’s worth a deeper conversation after the lights come up.
Rating: B
"Incredibles 2" Review
Incredibles 2 is a fun summer movie sequel. The new film from Brad Bird, whose previous film 2015’s Tomorrowland underperformed greatly at the box office, returns to the world that he created back in 2004 (which feels oddly similar to how after 2012’s John Carter bombed badly at the box office, director Andrew Stanton retreated back to Pixar to direct 2016’s Finding Dory). Even though it feels safe at times, this is an enjoyable film from start to finish! Given Pixar’s spotty track record with their sequels, I would say that this is their best sequel they have made since 2010’s Toy Story 3.
Immediately picking up after the events of the first film, the Parr family comes across Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk), a telecommunications tycoon who wants to bring superheroes back into the spotlight. With the assistance of his sister Evelyn (Catherine Keener), they propose a plan to have Helen/Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) be the face of the new program. Helen goes off on her missions leaving Bob/Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) in charge of looking out for their kids: Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (newcomer Huck Milner, replacing Spencer Fox), and Jack-Jack. Along the way, the Incredibles comes face to face with The Screenslaver; a mysterious figure that has nefarious plans of his own.
I enjoyed how Bird switched up the dynamic in this one by having Helen take the lead while Bob watches the kids. It’s hilarious to see how Bob adapts to being a stay at home dad, and you can tell that Bob wants no part of it as everything slowly overwhelms him. More often than not, some of the strongest parts of the film revolve around the domestic aspect of the story with fun moments Bird plays with. The voice acting is still on point, especially between Hunter and Nelson and the chemistry they have with one another. Bird gives strong characterizations to the family themselves allowing each family member have their own standout scene. The MVP of the film is easily Jack-Jack, who they all come to realize is way harder to handle than they previously thought. Although at times it feels as if his scenes are lifted from a Looney Tunes short. Side note, if Disney/Pixar can make a spin-off film or a short involving Jack-Jack and Edna (also Bird), that would be awesome!
The animation in this was a beauty to look at, which is expected from Pixar, and there are some gorgeous shots that Bird and his team put together. The 60s aesthetics that Bird employed with the first film is carried over into here, and at times, the film feels like an animated James Bond movie come to life. The action scenes are inventive and nicely edited, with each having their own rhythm and pace to them that doesn’t feel stale. Finally, Michael Giacchino’s score is an absolute standout! Make no mistake about it, it’s one of the best film scores I’ve heard in a theater so far this year!
While I had a good time in the theater watching this, the story in this is predictable at times. This was one of those films where you can figure out the basic plot points of the film from watching the trailers. I didn’t buy into the villain’s motivation at all in the context of the story. In fact, a couple of the storylines that we are introduced to don’t get resolved at all, as if Disney/Pixar were setting certain things up for an inevitable Incredibles 3. Finally, even though the family had great character development, there isn’t much character development with the other characters in the film.
Overall, I think families will love this film. If you enjoyed the first one, chances are you will get a kick out of watching this one. As I said in my opening, I had an enjoyable time watching Incredibles 2. The question I had going into this film was whether or not the story that was presented was absolutely necessary for Disney/Pixar to tell. Even though I had some slight issues with the film, Bird accomplished what he needed to do, which is to make a fun superhero film for families to watch. After watching this, would I watch an Incredibles 3? Sure I would. When you do see this, you will be treated to Pixar’s latest short Bao, which is a sweet and touching story about a lone dumpling. So, on that note, I would say check this out in the theater.
Rating: B
"Superfly" Review
Whoa boy, Superfly is something, but not in a good way. It’s a reimagining of the 1972 Blaxploitation film that had the famous Curtis Mayfield soundtrack to it. The newest version comes to us from veteran music video director, Director X, who makes his feature length debut with this film. I was a little nervous about the film when after it began shooting this past January, Sony announced it was going to be released five months later. It’s worse then I feared. Devoid of any personality of its own, this is a misfire on all accounts, from the questionable acting to poorly staged scenes and everything in between. It also makes one of the worst cardinal sins of any film: it’s boring.
If you’ve seen the original film, the newest version hits on the same basic story, for the most part. Priest (Trevor Jackson) is a successful drug dealer in Atlanta who has enough to get by and flying low from capturing the attention of the authorities. After getting into an altercation with Juju (Kalann Rashard Walker) of the rival Snow Patrol gang, which leaves a bystander getting shot, Priest wants out of the game and wants to make one last big score with his pal Eddie (Jason Mitchell). Since Priest’s mentor Scatter (Michael Kenneth Williams) won’t give him more coke, Priest goes directly to Scatter’s source and makes a deal with the Gonzalez family, a Mexican cartel. Supplied with more coke than they ever gave Scatter, Priest makes his way into trying to make fast cash and then exit the game for good, hoping he doesn’t get killed or captured along the way.
If there’s anything that I liked about the film, which isn’t much, it’s that Williams, Mitchell, and Big Boi (playing Mayor Atkins), are decent enough in the film. These three knew the type of film they were acting in. Whenever Mitchell is on screen as Eddie, it makes you wish that the filmmakers decided to have him play the lead role of Priest, because that version would have made things more interesting to watch. The soundtrack curated by Future, who also produced this update, got the job done, and it was nice to hear some of the classic Mayfield songs from the original film in this. Whenever those songs played, the film suddenly became slightly better. Finally, there were some lines in this that made me laugh, whether that was intentional or not.
Too bad the screenplay sucks the life out of the film. The screenplay, credited to Alex Tse (whose last credit was the under-appreciated and underrated 2009’s Watchmen adaptation), hits the same plot points and beats that you would typically see from a cliché gangster/drug dealer film about someone who’s trying to get one last score equipped with the same basic narration from the main character we hear from every film of this type. Even though this has more story than the original film, it’s all over the place to the point that you won’t care at all as the film tackles police corruption, drug cartels, and potential gang war during the course of the runtime. Superfly is the type of film whose bread crumb trail is comprised of biscuits! You know exactly what’s going to happen, so there’s no tension at all. At least the original film had style to it; this one lacks style or any type of personality. It’s just bland.
From the opening frame of the film, you can feel something’s off. Even though Director X is a music video veteran, you can tell this is a work from a first time feature length filmmaker. The few action scenes that are in this are poorly edited with no flow and a lot of quick cuts to the point of overkill. Even for a dialogue scene, Director X and his editor overcut to the point of distraction. The pacing that Superfly has is extremely slow. For a 103-minute film, this feels even longer than that. Acting wise, the actors ranges from completely amateur hour, like Walker’s Juju or Big Bank Black as Q, Snow Patrol’s leader, to over the top, like Jennifer Morrison’s Detective Mason. I also hate to say this, but the film was completely miscast. No disrespect to Jackson, since he’s good as Aaron in Grown-ish, but I couldn’t believe him as Priest since he looks way too young. There’s no character development for anyone and I didn’t care for any of the characters for me to sympathize with.
Overall, Superfly is easily one of the worst films I’ve seen in the theaters this year. Could a remake have worked in today’s age? I think it could have, but for this iteration, it showed that the filmmakers clearly didn’t care, or had no idea about how to properly adapt it for today. Coming out five months after you started shooting doesn’t help matters at all. With careful development and maybe a different filmmaking team on board, this had the potential to be an entertaining update. Alas, this is a generic, cliché film that follows formula with a capital F and is ultimately super-forgettable. You don’t need to pay money to see this. Truth be told, don’t even bother watching this update. Stick with the original version and whatever you imagined for a remake, it would be infinitely better than what you would have paid to see this. Skip this one.
Rating: D