Inside Out

Score:  ***** out of ***** (A+)

Directed by Pete Docter
Starring (voices of) Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Lewis Black, et. al.
Running time:  94 minutes
Rated PG

Long Story Short:  After an excruciatingly long two-year hiatus, Pixar is back with Inside Out - quite possibly their best film yet.  Starring the anthropomorphized emotions in a little girl's head - and voiced by an all-star cast of comedians - this film delves into the human psyche more deeply than ever, both literally and creatively.  It's everything you expect from Pixar, and more.  A must-see for all.


Riley is an ordinary, 11 year-old girl with loving parents in Minnesota.  Guiding her through her days of carefree fun are her five emotions:  Joy (Poehler), Sadness (Smith), Fear (Hader), Disgust (Kaling), and Anger (Black).  They cause her to respond to life's events based on which emotion has been "activated," then file the memories away in long-term storage; some events are important enough - like a game-winning hockey goal - to become core memories.  One day, however, Riley's Joy-dominated life is turned upside down when her family moves to San Francisco.  Not only does Riley struggle to find Joy anywhere in her new surroundings, but Sadness has become a problem.

When a profound event threatens to pull Riley further down, Joy grapples with Sadness, pulling them both into the distant, hard-to-access land of long-term memories.  As Riley faces life with just Fear, Disgust and Anger to guide her, Joy and Sadness race through the wonders of her mind to get back to her daily life.

The voice cast of Inside Out is outstanding, featuring some of my favorite contemporary comedians.  Amy Poehler is perfect as Joy, the lead character/emotion.  Having become a fan of hers as the star of Parks & Recreation, I can't think of a more appropriate actor given the boundless optimism and enthusiasm she produced on Parks.  Joy is a cheerful (duh), strong, tireless lead in helping her "host" Riley, with hints of the exasperated humor of Poehler's Parks character.  Phyllis Smith, supporting actress on The Office (one of my favorite comedies ever), is equally perfect as Sadness.  Her weary, down-trodden voice frames the character, but has stirring moments - within the confines of the emotion - of strength and resilience.  Fear, Disgust and Anger are also voiced by comedians I adore - Bill Hader (SNL), Mindy Kaling (The Office, Mindy Project), and Lewis Black (The Daily Show), respectively.  They are primarily used for comic relief (very effectively), but also play important roles in the story.  Richard Kind also has a significant part, but one that I'll leave secret.

Pixar films are known for their creativity, storytelling, emotional effects, and visual splendor - and Inside Out carries on this legacy, perhaps better than any before it.  Most obvious here is creativity - while Pixar has had many unique touches, the idea of a little girl's emotions being the main characters of a film takes the cake.  I'd like to read much more about it, but it's not surprising to me to know that this world went through painstaking revision to get to its final form, and it's a masterpiece.  The film incorporates the "rules" of this world effortlessly, painlessly into a simple yet incredibly compelling story.  As the characters navigate their way through Riley's head, they encounter endless ingenious devices that serve both the story and psychology (such as the "train of thought").  The visual construction of Riley's mind is also both well thought out and fun.  Scenes taking place in the "real world" (perhaps a quarter of the film) seem almost bland in comparison, though they are as expertly fleshed-out as you'd expect from a Pixar film.

The creativity is brilliant here, but it's the perfect harmony with poignant themes and storytelling that make Inside Out such an incredible achievement.  The themes, of course, deal with the interaction of our emotions, especially within a developing child (whose subject is one of Pixar's many strengths).  The degree of difficulty here must have been extraordinary; so easy to oversimplify, yet almost impossible to keep coherent when explored with any meaningful depth.  Somehow, Inside Out manages to achieve both elegant simplicity as well as universal significance that encourages reflection on the audience's own lives.  Beneath the bright colors and cheerful music, the film provides a more realistic look at our lives than 99.9% of live action films.  Draw in the technical creativity and tie it all together in a strong, well-paced, dramatic story?  Wow.

***

Pixar has made better films than any other studio in Hollywood since 1995, period.  Still, it had been noticeably quiet and merely "strong" since 2010's Toy Story 3.  Well, they are back.  I think I usually rein in my enthusiasm for films that I really like, at least in the short term, until there is time to fully digest the work.  There is no doubt here, though:  Inside Out is an instant classic, quite likely Pixar's best film to date.  I simply can't find anything to criticize:  everything, everything is well done in this film.  It's admirable for a film to be solid, but Inside Out goes above and way beyond to amaze with its imagination, to impress with its ingenuity, to entertain with its humor, and ultimately to touch our hearts and souls with humanity.  I'm not sure what else there is to say; this film is essential viewing for all.


Rolling rankings of the summer's movies (click to go to my reviews):

1. Inside Out (A+)
2. Tomorrowland (A)
3. Jurassic World (A-)
4. Spy (A-)
5. Mad Max: Fury Road (A-)
6. Avengers: Age of Ultron (A-)

*Blinks* what an incredible summer so far... this year is already one for (my) record books, and we haven't even gotten to James Bond or Star Wars yet!!




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Spy

Score:  **** out of ***** (A-)

Directed by Paul Feig
Starring Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Jason Statham, Jude Law, et. al.
Running time:  120 minutes
Rated R

Long Story Short:  Spy is Melissa McCarthy's biggest film yet as lead and, re-teamed with director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids), she continues to produce great comedy.  While this film isn't hiding its role as 007-parody from anyone, its secret weapon is a hilarious supporting cast (where McCarthy herself developed) including Statham and Byrne.  Come see McCarthy as she takes her place at the top of contemporary comedy, and go back home still giggling happily.


While MI6 has the suave, heroic James Bond, the CIA has impressive Agent Fine (Law) supported by analyst Susan Cooper (McCarthy) watching his back (and talking in his ear).  Fine, along with Cooper, is determined to locate and retrieve a stolen suitcase nuke.  However, despite all of CIA's intel and Cooper's assistance, the bad guys see Fine coming and he is taken out.  With the bomb still out there, the CIA's hands are tied as its top field agents have been compromised.  Analyst Cooper steps up, however:  she is technically an agent herself, but has spent years behind the desk instead.

As Cooper hops around Europe searching for the nuke, she is told to stay at a safe distance:  surveillance only.  Following orders becomes more difficult, though, when she finds that a rogue agent has decided to take the mission on himself.  It soon becomes a question that, if not her, who will prevent the bad guys from using the nuke?  With friends of her own, including her own desk jockey friend, Nancy (Hart), Cooper dusts off her skills and goes to work.

Spy has a great cast, quite funny all around despite featuring just one star comedian.  Melissa McCarthy gets perhaps her most important role yet as the undisputed lead of this big film.  I think she's one of the top three best comedians today, and after a string of excellent supporting or co-lead roles (and the lead in the severely underrated Tammy), I'm thrilled that Hollywood has gotten the memo that she's A-list talent.  Interestingly, as the lead, McCarthy has to modify her humor away from scene-stealing crazy lady to (relatively speaking) more conventional heroine.  Fortunately, she pulls this off just fine, assuring us that she can be the dependable lead for many more films to come, as Ferrell and a select group of other comedians have managed.  Don't worry - she also gets to fire off some of the machine gun-deadly, filthy (and hilarious) monologue insults she's known for, too.

Pulling Spy above the level of a good comedy is its excellent supporting cast - essentially doing the things that McCarthy herself once did so well.  Most surprising, and I would argue most hilarious, is Jason Statham as tough-guy agent Ford.  Statham puffs up his usual act even more, particularly in regaling Cooper with ridiculous tales of his feats.  Then when he actually gets put in action... well, more comedy ensues.  A genius casting, pulled off superbly.  Rose Byrne also appears as the villainess, though her comic skill isn't at all surprising anymore (Bridesmaids, Neighbors).  Still, the intensity and consistency of her haughtiness is impressive.  Miranda Hart is another standout, as Cooper's friend and CIA helper; the two have great chemistry.  There are other small but funny roles as well, particularly from Allison Janney and Peter Serafinowicz.

Spy is a really good comedy, one of the best in recent years, but it still is important to know what you're going into.  In fact, my personal preference would be to avoid trailers/previews as much as possible (which for comedies reveal most of the funniest parts - even for Spy) and instead be told what kind of humor to expect.  Here, we have obviously a parody film, but also one that is considerably more slapstick than McCarthy's other films.  Even though goofiness abounds in her films, the overall tones are not as silly as the one in Spy.  This is fine - but also good to know to maximize your enjoyment, I think.  As a parody, the majority of the humor arises from mocking the kinds of roles in these films (Statham's tough guy agent, Byrne's arrogant villain).  McCarthy's is the zero-to-hero character - and thanks to her (and director Feig's) sharp-as-tacks comic sensibility, the fact that she's a plus-size leading lady elevates it to the complete opposite of scorn.  As a 007 parody, Spy has quite a bit of action too (more than I was expecting), and most of it's done well, particularly for something that's a comedy at heart.

***

Spy is one of the best comedies in recent years, and I hope to see it again soon (for the additional reason that I felt... off, for some reason while watching it, yet still recognize its high quality).  I think The Heat is still her best film, but this is not far behind.  At any rate, McCarthy has achieved Will Ferrell-level status for me:  if I find that she's in a film, I'm going to see it - period.  Not only is she super funny, she can also pull of a range of personalities (sometimes within the same character) that would make plenty of other great comedians jealous - from outrageous provocateur to genuine, sympathetic, vulnerable cast-off (see Tammy - no, really, go watch it).  And wherever she goes with her characters, she remains likable, in part because she's so damn funny and in part because she doesn't come off as having a bone to pick, as an actress, through her character.  It's not surprising that McCarthy lured and inspired such a good supporting cast (including comedy newbies) in Spy, and surely will continue to, making her films all that much better.  McCarthy is a genuine superstar - go see her in Spy, and then eagerly await whatever she does next.


Rolling rankings of the summer's movies (click to go to my reviews):

1. Tomorrowland (A)
2. Jurassic World (A-) (after seeing this a second time, I've upgraded my score; since it's a dinosaur film it wins all tiebreakers for me, but also very worth a trip to the theater for any moviegoer)
3. Spy (A-)
4. Mad Max: Fury Road (A-)
5. Avengers: Age of Ultron (A-)

As you can see, this continues to be an absolutely astounding summer for movies - don't miss out!

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Jurassic World

Score:  **** out of ***** (A-)  (Note: upgraded from B+ after a second viewing)

Directed by Colin Trevorrow
Starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio, et. al.
Running time:  124 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  The Jurassic franchise is back at last after a 14-year hiatus, and the filmmakers are eager to make up for lost time with the most action-packed installment yet.  Chris Pratt ably leads the way, a suitable choice whose distinct yet subtle playfulness matches the film's tone.  The script is lacking, but the dinosaurs rampage gloriously - and the humans do OK, too.  For those unlike me who don't see Jurassic films as essential viewing, this is still a perfectly entertaining summer film.


After 22 years in the making, Isla Nublar has finally been transformed into a full operational wonder of the world: a resort filled with animals gone millions of years ago and brought back to life.  Amazing as it is, though, this Jurassic World finds itself in the unforgiving world of modern capitalism.  As youngsters Zach and Gray arrive, their aunt Claire (Howard), operations manager of Jurassic World, introduces CEO Masrani (Khan) to a radical new idea to boost profits.  Meanwhile, behavior specialist Owen (Pratt) works with a group of the fearsome velociraptors, studying their intelligence up close and personal.  Nervous, CEO Khan calls him away to examine the new attraction.

It isn't long before this new freak of nature surprises everyone and shatters the peaceful stability on the island.  As shady businessmen and other parties try to both hunt down the creature and hide its true origins, the animal wreaks havoc on the island where nothing alive - man nor beast - is safe.

The cast of Jurassic World can be split into two categories:  the humans, and the (frequently more interesting) dinosaurs.  Chris Pratt leads the homo sapiens as the Alan-Grant-meets-Indiana-Jones trainer, Owen.  Pratt is a strong presence as a source of safety and stability, but not quite the average hero.  He frequently conveys the underlying, good-natured smirk that he had in Guardians of the Galaxy; he's "serious" enough when he needs to be, but also matches the role to the more fantasy-like qualities of the film, too.  Easily the most enjoyable human role.  Bryce Dallas Howard also does well as Claire, avoiding damsel-in-distress cliches, building decent rapport with Pratt, and being perfectly watchable (unlike JP3's insufferable Tea Leoni).  The film's kids are basically dull obligations, though, and the human "villain" played by Vincent D'Onofrio is painfully overplayed and poorly written.  The CEO, played by Khan, has a small and bizarre role, and there is just one returning actor from the original (whose JP role was so small that only fanatics - like me - would remember).

The real attractions, of course, are the dinosaurs - and there are more in Jurassic World than ever before.  The dino "villain" this time is the lab-designed genetic freak Indominus Rex.  A T-Rex like creature with some special features due to its hybrid origins, it's a bit like JP3's Spinosaurus:  a previously-unknown but seemingly unstoppable terror.  It serves as the symbol of World's status as, again, the most fantasy Jurassic film yet, and even as an intriguing "villain" to the other dinos.  The raptors have an interesting new role, as Owen trains a small group of them.  It makes sense due to their intelligence, but the film emphasizes the unpredictability of these deadly creatures.  It all adds up to an intriguing new feel for them.  There are many more "supporting" dinos than before, too - in other words, the herbivores.  And finally - yes, the T-Rex also returns, despite its absence in the previews (which was quite savvy, I think).  More on the big guy later, but suffice it to say that World makes up for the injustices committed by JP3 here.

It might be tempting to lump all the Jurassic films together, but the first three were actually all quite distinct in tone.  Jurassic World continues this, perhaps to an even greater degree.  If and when you can accept this (which took me a little while), it becomes a perfectly entertaining film.  Consider the following:  Jurassic World, fully functional, is essentially a zoo that happens to have dinos; Owen is training velociraptors; and an invented dino with the traits of several different kinds mushed together is on the rampage.  Frankly, it makes Jurassic Park look pretty damn realistic.  It is possible to get bogged down by weaker elements of the film, especially if one doesn't accept this change in tone.  The script is poor, sometimes awful, and while I expected a build-up, it serves up no appetizers at the beginning as we sit through obligatory muck.  Despite inheriting the greatest film theme music of all time (IMO), the soundtrack is lazily utilized.  And perhaps most shocking, many of the effects are not that great.  It does make me appreciate just how mind-blowingly good Jurassic Park's were (both computer and animatronic), but disappointed in some of the quality produced here in a $150 million budget.

All that said, Jurassic World still has much to its credit.  Once the action starts to get going, it's pretty damn entertaining.  While the beginning is poorly handled, some of the human scenes are just fine, particularly involving Pratt and Howard, and even moments in the control room with (a sadly under-utilized) Jake Johnson.  The pacing starts to improve, and, just as John Hammond "spared no expense" in trying to build the park in 1993, the film starts throwing everything, including the kitchen sink, at you.  Indominus Rex puts the beat down on teams of security personnel.  A sky full of flying dinosaurs descend on terrified crowds.  Owen leads his velociraptors in a spooky nighttime hunt.  And then there's the finale battle royal.  No surprise entrance like in the original, the film teases T-Rex's big entrance and it put a huge grin of anticipation on my face.  Here, full disclosure, the film goes totally nuts.  No, it's not realistic - but if you were ever a kid who played with toy dinosaurs, all you can do is hold onto your seat and say, "****, yeah!".

***

It is difficult, to say the least, for me to give Jurassic World an accurate score.  I hold the Jurassic franchise on a pedestal within the film world; I have high expectations, yet the sight of dinosaurs in film entertains me more than the average joe.  I will surely see this film in theaters several more times, and my opinion will likely evolve and eventually settle somewhere.  As the first of three super-anticipated releases in 2015, and on initial consideration, I would say that Jurassic World meets my expectations, despite its flaws.  The crucial thing for me - and likely for others - is to understand and accept (or not) its tonal differences from previous Jurassic films (esp. the first two) and its go-for-broke philosophy.  Yes, its script and characters are hit-or-miss (though still much more entertaining than in JP3), but those aren't the reasons you see this film, anyway.  The disappointing effects are probably a bigger problem, to be honest.  The dinosaurs are the real stars, as always, and they are about as good as, and sometimes better, than ever.  I hope they continue making Jurassic films - and don't wait 14 years to do so.  The great thing is, they can do whatever they want - make a sequel to World, in plot and style, or reboot it for an entirely new approach.  The dinosaurs are the key, and I'll always be back for more.  


Rolling rankings of the summer's movies (click to go to my reviews):

1. Tomorrowland (A)
2. Mad Max: Fury Road (A-)
3. Avengers: Age of Ultron (A-)
4. Jurassic World (B+)

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