Aquaman

Score:  B-

Directed by James Wan
Starring Jason Mamoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, et. al.
Running time: 143 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  The famous yet often belittled superhero Aquaman finally gets his own movie, led by Jason Mamoa and as part of the DC Extended Universe franchise.  Mamoa is a strong lead, with more attitude and humor than most of his DC kin, but despite some big names, the rest of the cast doesn't quite shine like those from a certain *other* superhero studio.  James Wan guides this fairly standard superhero vessel steadily, but often cliched sentiments and extended action overshadow the good elements.  Go see it for a popcorn adventure ride, otherwise save it for Netflix.


In 1980s Maine, a lighthouse keeper rescues an underwater princess, Atlanna (Kidman), who he finds injured on the shore.  The two become close, but eventually Atlanna returns to Atlantis, her underwater kingdom, knowing that her people will never allow her to stay.  Thirty years later, their son, Arthur (Mamoa), patrols the high seas, yet lives on land among humans.  Another Atlantean princess - Mera (Heard) - comes to find him, warning him that his half-brother, Prince Orm (Wilson), is planning an attack on the "surface world".  Although he has long ago rejected the half of his heritage that dwells in the sea, he grudgingly joins Mera in an attempt to protect the other half.  Still, while Arthur's strength and abilities are formidable, he soon finds that he can't afford to remain ignorant to the ways of - and his role in - the incredible world beneath the waves.

Aquaman boasts an impressive cast, although the extent to which its talent is utilized varies.  Jason Mamoa, introduced in the role of Arthur (aka Aquaman) in Justice League, takes on the lead here.  A big, burly guy who's a bit thick but also funny, Mamoa and his character somewhat resemble Marvel's Chris Hemsworth/Thor.  His swaggering, devil may care attitude sets him apart from even his Marvel cousin, and as it tends to get him in trouble, the self-effacing humor that results is fun.  Sadly, rote plot requirements mean this gets downplayed as the film goes on, but as a primary mode it serves him well as an entertaining lead.  Amber Heard plays Mera, and to the film's credit she gets a significant role and one that is only minimally the "love interest".  Unfortunately, what she gets to work with is not all that interesting, and it doesn't help that Heard isn't able to come up with a distinctive angle to play it so Mera ends up as little more than a faithful sidekick.  Veteran actors Nicole Kidman and Willem Dafoe both get considerable roles as Queen Atlanna and her advisor Vulko, respectively, and both show up for more than just the paycheck.  Kidman is a natural underwater royal and is also invested in her familial roles, while Dafoe is a steady, no-nonsense presence that you're still not one hundred-percent trusting (after all his other roles, probably not even fifty).  Rounding it up, Patrick Wilson does a solid job toeing the line as the bad yet not villainous Prince Orm, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen hams it up a bit too much in a superfluous fanboy role as "Black Manta".

Aquaman is a solidly entertaining superhero movie, but its adherence to formula and overreliance on more (of everything) waters down the genuine quality bits that can be found.  The structure is quite familiar; this is really an origin film, even if we've seen the character before (similar to Wonder Woman).  As that other DC film showed, a certain lack of originality in this is not necessarily bad, but the prologue illustrates how it fails here.  Kidman does her best, but the circumstance is somehow both ridiculous and dull, and the CGI youth-ification of the actors doesn't help.  Even the irreverent Mamoa gets dragged eventually into the heavy and tired harping on his outsider ("half-breed") status and what he was "born to be".  For a decent portion early on - after the prologue - Mamoa's smirking attitude rights the ship, such as at a seaside bar scene and in little asides during fights or as Mera guides him to Atlantis.  Once we get there, by the way, it is a pretty impressive sight: the sheer scale and detail of this underwater world are absorbingly colorful and alive.  It's all fantastical of course, but this frees the designers to be more creative, from bucking and roaring shark "steeds" to a 360-degree labyrinth of floating structures.  It's also easy to buy into the nature of underwater interactions, with gently bobbing bodies and floating hair.  On the other hand, unfortunately, the action scenes are generally too big, long, and similar, from a chase scene on land in Sicily (which had promise) to the gigantic final battle.  There are some highlights, certainly, such as close quarters combat on a sub and a creepy nighttime encounter with sea bug-like drones, and those somewhere in between like the Arthur-Orm duels.  They show the potential here for something better, something with a more intimate focus on the innovative strengths present rather than another blown up spectacle.

***

Aquaman is another solid superhero film for DC Comics, but it also shows that they are still definitively second class, compared to Marvel.  Aquaman entered with a lot of advantages: it's the character's first solo film yet already fairly well-known; the lead is a charismatic rising star; and the underwater setting is different from others in the genre.  While the film does use each of those well to varying degrees, it's difficult not to think "Marvel would've done it better."  DC might have all the ingredients for success, but Marvel clearly holds the gold standard recipe.  Still, Aquaman can be worth a trip to the theater, if you're a fan of the genre or just want some high production value, escapist entertainment.




By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57916546

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald

Score:  B-

Directed by David Yates
Starring Eddie Redmayne, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Ezra Miller, et. al.
Running time:
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  The Crimes of Grindelwald continues the new Harry Potter-universe saga begun in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.  The introductions of Johnny Depp and Jude Law are a double-edged wand: while great presences in themselves, they also herald the full transformation to all-out wizarding war.  Redmayne's Newt is still an awkward fit for the story arc, and though there are other interesting characters and dynamite action aplenty, it's too much and too familiar.  Worth it if you're a big Potter fan or need a shot of action, skip it if not.


The dangerous dark wizard Grindelwald (Depp) is on the loose once more.  The magical authorities of the world are distressed that he is rapidly gaining followers as he demands that wizards stop hiding from Muggles (non-wizards) and take control of the world.  Newt Scamander (Redmayne), who helped stop Grindelwald last time, has little interest in these politics, yet he is being confined to England unless he agrees to help the search for a mysterious young man called Credence (Miller).  So Newt, along with his American friends Queenie (Sudol) and Jacob (Fogler), head to Paris, along with an array of other interested parties.  Much depends on the hunt for Credence, an outsider: his past holds answers to dark wizarding secrets, and his future could determine the fate of the world.

The Crimes of Grindelwald has quite a large cast, returning most of the characters from the first film and adding some major new players, too.  Eddie Redmayne is once again the lead as Newt Scamander, a shy wizard who prefers the company of magical animals - and once again shows that the character is a questionable choice for the role.  Redmayne's performance is fine, although he's forced to dispense with much of the fun quirkiness from the first film.  However, the character is just swallowed up by the serious, foreboding nature of the plots.  While Newt gets the most screen time, everyone else fights for supporting roles to varying degrees.  Newcomers Depp (technically not new, but had only a cameo last time) and Law are great for their roles as the two most powerful wizards, Grindelwald and Dumbledore.  Law in particular captures his famous character's charm and slight mischievousness, along with the arrogance of a younger man.  Zoe Kravitz also does well as a new character with a familiar last name - Lestrange - who gets just enough to become interesting but could have used more.  Of Newt's three returning friends, Alison Sudol's Queenie gets the biggest part, an interesting turn which should be more fully explored in future chapters.  Dan Fogler and Katherine Waterston are essentially reduced to cameos, unfortunately.  And while everyone and the plot is so focused on Credence, Ezra Miller himself doesn't actually get a lot of screen time, nor a chance to convey change during this pivotal time for the character.

The Crimes of Grindelwald is an entertaining movie with top-notch production values and some neat characters; unfortunately, it's also overstuffed and accelerating the blurring of a franchise.  The second in a five-film series, this film wastes little time in moving past the relative "frivolities" of the first and honing in directly on what is sure to be the main theme of the series, the war against Grindelwald.  The set up recalls both the X-Men franchise, in having an angry group of "others" wanting to rise up and rule over all, as well as Star Wars, in having a powerful yet naive individual torn between a good, if untrustworthy, establishment and a bad outfit that promises him freedom.  Combined with constant callback to the Potter-verse's own canon, it's all a little too familiar even if the faces are new.  There are plenty of side elements present to potentially deepen the narrative and its characters, from Leta Lestrange's school past with Newt to Queenie and Jacob's odd but adventurous future, from Nagini's mysterious past as a "freak" to Tina's achieving her potential as an auror.  But there are too many interesting strands that get started, and ultimately washed out by the main action.  That action, it should be said, is often quite thrilling, though.  Grindelwald's escape at the beginning is particularly exciting, thanks to an attention to detail and brought to life through astounding CGI.  The "Beasts" in the title - whose exploits were the highlight of the action in the first - are given only a token role here, but digital magic does provide a useful visual role in the climactic showdown, and choosing of sides, between Grindelwald and the Ministry (good guys).

***

Fantastic Beasts, part two, is a finely made, entertaining film, but still a disappointment, both as a single film and as a signal of what the rest of the series is likely to be.  While the original Harry Potter eventually built up to the same level of bombast, the fact that the children and their school remained at the core kept its heart and its grounding.  Newt is undoubtedly to be the unlikely hero type, to go with his friendships with Tina, Queenie and particularly Muggle/No-Maj Jacob, but at least so far it is a hollow replacement for Hogwarts.  We don't need another epic series within the Harry Potter universe.  If I was in charge, I would instead release unrelated, one-and-done films that live within that universe.  It would allow for so much freedom, although they should skew to the lighter, yet still emotionally resonant, side.  It would keep the franchise fresh, and with so much lore, you could still callback to interesting elements here and there to have fun tie-ins.  Anyway, we have what we have - if you're a HP fan and you want some blockbuster fun at the theater, go for it.  If not, there will surely be better options this holiday season.




By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58960320

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Score:  A

Directed by Marielle Heller
Starring Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant
Running time: 107 minutes
Rated R

Long Story Short:  Melissa McCarthy takes a detour in this stranger than fiction biopic about an author turned literary forger.  Teamed with Richard E. Grant, McCarthy is spectacular as the down in the dumps lead, and this perfect coupling along with the bizarre story generate both dark humor and unique character development.  Add in a bevy of thoughtful themes and ideas, and this is a must-see.


Lee Israel's (McCarthy) problems in the early 1990s began with a bad case of writer's block.  A biographer and magazine staff writer, Israel alienates her agent with increasingly desperate ideas and gets herself fired for behavior.  Alone with her cat, Israel resorts to selling one of her prized possessions, a personal letter from Katharine Hepburn, to pay her rent and vet bills.  Helping to keep her going, too, is a new acquaintance named Jack (Grant), met at a bar, who delights in mischievous fun and commiserating on their bad luck.  Still hanging on by a thread, Israel soon catches on to an idea that will allow her to put her talents back to use - and money in her wallet.  The only catch is that it's illegal.  Still, spurred on by professional slights and egged on by Jack, Israel decides to take the plunge that will define her legacy - for better or worse.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? has a very small cast, but the two leads are so good that it's better that way.  Melissa McCarthy is the perfect choice as Lee Israel.  Best known, of course, for her various hilarious comic roles, she is also an underrated actor, and she inhabits the flawed, real-life author very well.  Most distinctive is her pessimistic outlook, at times taciturn and glowering and at others bursting with bitter yet sharp, clear-headed insults.  McCarthy somehow makes this miserable creature sympathetic, though (she's had practice in other roles like Bridesmaids and The Heat).  Her affection for her cat is sweet and genuine, and her humanity seeps through in her combative yet respectful friendship with Jack.  She portrays Lee as a woman who is driven yet doesn't even realize it, someone full of glaring flaws yet persistent inner strength.  Richard E. Grant is also great as the drifter Jack, who appropriately comes in and out of focus through the film.  He is almost the opposite of Lee in some ways: he is overtly charming, pleasant and energetic, yet privately guarded and even afraid of success.  While he encourages Lee to come out of her shell and enjoy herself, she provides a model for him of (relative) stability.  Grant gooses the film with his smile and personality just enough to balance Lee's dour disposition.  All other roles are minuscule in comparison, though Dolly Wells is another nice presence as a book seller who works with Lee.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? is a modest little biopic in some respects, yet with its tremendous performances, script, interesting story and thoughtful themes, it is also a great one.  The central premise is Lee Israel's criminal forgery of personal letters from literary greats.  It provides a darkly humorous as well as fascinating backbone as the main action, but the film develops all the surrounding elements so well, too.  The film begins with Lee at rock bottom, with her humiliating professional failures and deteriorating living conditions, effectively establishing the character and her circumstances.  It's this gut-punch of a start that gives such great perspective on Lee's choices in getting more and more involved in her forgeries.  Especially as you see the haughtiness of the collectors - and their own lack of scruples - it becomes easier to root for her.  Equal attention is given to developing Lee and her relationships.  Jack, as mentioned above, is the perfect companion for her, not only in helping her cope with her darkest days but also in illuminating her character by contrast with his own.  We're also shown both Lee's past relationships - with her agent, a past girlfriend - and how they have soured her outlook, as well as potential new ones, like with Anna the book seller, and their fits and starts.  By the end, we have an impressively complete picture of this woman.

The film goes beyond even these elements, in illustrating themes and asking questions on a variety of professional and personal topics.  Authenticity and commercial success/fame at times go together - but what about when they don't?  Each has its own rewards, but without the other, also considerable problems.  Lee is not a very likable person, which the film makes clear is due to a combination of her own poor choices as well as to the actions taken by those close to her.  We all fall somewhere on that spectrum - can we be honest and strong enough to see that in ourselves and others?  Lee hasn't answered these questions by the end, let alone become a perfectly happy or (legitimately) successful writer.  But she, like the rest of us, is a work in progress.

***

Can You Ever Forgive Me? is a great success, thanks to a nice confluence of story, performances and more.  The premise is a great hook, but it still allows for a very grounded film to be made around it, and the writers and filmmakers took full advantage of that combination.  McCarthy and Grant are phenomenal leads, and while there are other important roles here and there, the film is able to focus its attention on the pair.  The film's ambitions may seem modest at first, but the themes derived organically from the plot and characterization are deep, interesting, as well as uncommon.  This is not  necessarily a good choice if you need a pick me up, or something light and cheerful, but you should still see it some time.  Highly recommended for all.




By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56873249

Widows

Score:  A-

Directed by Steve McQueen
Starring Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Rodriguez, Liam Neeson, et. al.
Running time:
Rated R

Long Story Short:  Widows, a heist film, is an abrupt change of pace for the Oscar-winning Steve McQueen, but it delivers as a well-made, entertaining as well as thoughtful film.  The main cast is all-female, like Ocean's Eight, but the similarities end there, as the film delves more deeply and seriously into the characters' lives and related political machinations.  Highly recommended.


A group of robbers, led by Harry Rawlings (Neeson), is killed by police when a job goes south.  Harry's wife, Veronica (Davis), and the other widows soon learn about their spouse's secret lives, as one of their targets, a local Chicago political candidate named Manning (Henry) demands restitution.  Manning is running against a green Jack Mulligan (Farrell), who was a friend of Harry's and is next in his family's dynastic line.  Veronica also discovers her late husband's secret notebook of plans, which lays out his would-be next heist - on an all-too-familiar target.  As Manning's brother Jamal (Kaluuya) menaces her with a deadline, Veronica desperately prepares for a literal do-or-die job with her new friends.

Widows has an enormous cast of talented actors, capably led by the titular foursome.  Viola Davis plays the leader of this group, and none could have done it better.  Initially, grieving the loss of her husband and put upon by Manning, her performance resembles her Oscar-winning role in Fences.  She portrays a remarkable combination of strength and vulnerability in quiet moments as she ponders her past life, wiping away tears one moment yet composing herself and striding forth with steely determination the next.  Through her subtle acting, you truly get to know this woman in transition, from dignified yet naive wife of a powerful (yet criminal) man, to a strong, independent woman figuring things out on the fly.  She doesn't instantly transform into a master, and she retains an edge of tension till the end, but also shows her considerable leadership and courage.  Elizabeth Debicki gets the next biggest role, a formerly abused trophy wife, underestimated yet quite intelligent and capable.  The transformation here is a bit more abrupt, but Debicki's performance is great, sharp-edged at times and subtly observed at others.  Cynthia Erivo, joining the group later on, provides some highlights of physicality, though Michelle Rodriguez is given a bit of short shrift (granted, she's probably the least talented of the ensemble).  Colin Farrell does well as a politician who looks the part, but is insecure and overwhelmed by expectations, countered nicely by the smooth and savvy but frustrated Manning played by Brian Tyree Henry.  Neeson is a suitable presence in his flashback scenes, but the standouts in supporting roles are Robert Duvall as Mulligan's father, a declining yet powerful son of a bitch and Daniel Kaluuya as a cruel and unhinged, behind-the-scenes enforcer for Manning.

Widows is really good, an engaging thriller and heist film yet also one with intriguing character work and broader social observations.  Although the film begins with a brief but harrowing scene of Neeson and co. literally going up in flames, most of the tension and excitement in the film is not from the main heist and its preparation, but from the development of the characters and the intriguing web they form.  We get a glimpse of the lives of the widows, pre-doomsday, revealing hurt and neglect.  Even Veronica, treated better than her peers, realizes her husband has left her in an impossible situation.  You see the difficulty in their overcoming the shock, fear, and then mutual suspicion of one another, and then start to come into their own in this bizarre, desperate situation.  The tone is certainly serious, sometimes even dark (typically when the bad guys flex their muscles) but the women's efforts, struggling yet steadily succeeding, keep the film's realism while providing a glimpse of good in the world (at times even optimism).  When it's finally go-time for the heist, you fully believe in the abilities of these four women, but also realize it's not going to be a walk in the park.

While the women deservedly take center stage in adjusting to their new lives and working together to prepare the heist, an intriguing - and narratively adjacent - political battle takes place.  We get to see how this part of Chicago could lead to such criminality in the first place, with ruthless leaders lording over desperate poverty.  Farrell's Mulligan is caught between a young man's idealistic vision and his family's darker, dirtier political reality.  A genius, single camera shot from the hood of his car shows his path from a campaign stop at a broken down neighborhood to arrive just minutes later at his well-tended, fortress-like mansion.  Manning, the challenger, has noble intentions, too, but is already mired in tar, too, from shocking displays from his cousin to a humorous yet depressingly cynical negotiation with a local pastor.  The heist is almost an escape from this all too-realistic, everyday war, and does not take its time in showy, extravagant sets.  Rather, it bursts from the darkness, moving with deliberate speed and quickly on to an inevitable yet well-deserved conclusion.

***

Widows is a great film, one of those that so well straddles the line between artistic, Oscar-awards style and good Hollywood entertainment.  Comparisons with Ocean's Eight, the other heist movie this year featuring a female ensemble, are natural, but fortunately they are so different that each stands by itself.  Ocean's Eight is more typical Hollywood, quite a bit funnier and showier, while Widows is more serious, focused on the characters and background rather than the action of the heist. They do both move along with a good pace, while still allowing the actors plenty of time to shine outside the action.  Hopefully more films like Widows are coming, both entertaining and well-made artistic pieces, as the season of Oscar-hyped movies arrives.  As you begin the holidays, try to get out to see this movie - and if you can't, at least check it out on Netflix.




By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58221920

Overlord

Score:  B+

Directed by Julius Avery
Starring Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier, and Pilou Asbaek
Running time: 110 minutes
Rated R

Long Story Short:  Overlord brings the gritty, realistic war drama of recent classics into contact with a taste of Hollywood horror, and it works.  A cast of unknowns, mostly playing WWII soldiers, does well and helps set a believable war-time scenario well before anything goes bump in the night.  When it finally does, it's effectively creepy, but overall fairly restrained in the horror department.  Recommended for genre fans, or even those just looking for a well-made action film.


As the sun sets on the day before D-Day, a squad of paratroopers sits nervously in their plane crossing over the English Channel, on the way to a mission behind enemy lines.  Nazi air defenses throw the final approach into chaos, though Private Boyce (Adepo) and a few others manage to land safely in the night.  A small group of survivors find their way to a nearby French town close to their objective: a Nazi radio tower.  A young French woman, Chloe (Ollivier), gives them shelter, and Boyce and others scout the location.  He finds more than just the Nazi military installation, though; beneath a church, bizarre and disturbing experiments lurk.  Short on time, with the D-Day invasion just hours away, the team is forced to reconsider their priorities as they realize the world-changing threat emanating from this small, quiet French village.

Overlord's cast is filled with little-known faces, but the ensemble does impressive work in bringing this historical fantasy to life.  Jovan Adepo plays the primary character, Private Boyce, following him from the chaos of the paratroop landing to the hell that awaits him and his team in France.  Following on a small but nice role in Fences, Adepo is understated but rock solid here as a GI at first frightened and overwhelmed, but who finds his footing as both the personal and broader stakes develop.  This courage under fire is about as deep as the development goes for him, but he makes it convincing, and makes for a very rootable hero to boot.  Wyatt Russell also does quite well as the team's commander.  He plays a rather familiar role as the cold, mission-focused leader, but he does it well, putting his own unique stamp on the part.  Mathilde Ollivier appears at first to be in the damsel-in-distress role as Chloe, but she's also the strikingly strong head of her war-torn household, and believably takes up arms, too, in defending her family.  Pilou Asbaek (GoT's Euron) is more than menacing enough as the main Nazi villain, with a dose of creepiness that helps bridge the war-horror film divide.  In smaller roles as soldiers, Iain de Caestecker gets a brief showcase, and John Magaro helps sell the war setting by looking like he was born to play a soldier (and, in fact, has several other similar credits).

Overlord is a relatively restrained film, considering its war-horror genre combination, and it's very solidly made, even though it doesn't ultimately leave a big impression.  The film is really more accurately described a war movie, with elements of horror and fantasy.  If you've seen productions like Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, you'll be familiar with the overall structure - and, at least for me, also impressed by the level of historical accuracy and realistic filming.  The filmmakers could have lazily used a generic war setting on which to lay their very non-historical fantasy elements, but I appreciated the detail and specificity, and it served to ground the story effectively.  It also helps that there are no star actors involved, allowing you to focus better on the characters (themselves, nobodies) as presented, yet the cast is still perfectly strong as previously mentioned.  Really, just about all major elements of the film are rock solid; the script is good (a minimum of genre cliches) and the pacing is steady, allowing just enough space to consider its mysteries.  The action is well done; most of it, especially the drop over Normandy, depicting the brutality of war without gratuitous gore.  There is at least as much quiet tension as actual shooting, reflecting the practical needs of the soldiers' mission, providing a good contrast in the types of suspense.

When the horror and fantasy elements finally show up - quite a ways into the film - they take full advantage of it while maintaining the overall integrity of the tone.  There are only glimpses and ghoulish groans in the night at first, existing within the war setting.  But while a soldier's abrupt transformation is shocking, the horror elements stay just as creepy as they come out more into the open.  The finale starts to shift the film into more of a Hollywood actioner (though a secondary line definitely keeps the war footing), but it results in a satisfying conclusion.  Still, some things hold it back from being a (multi)genre classic.  The characters are good but not really memorable.  The historical realism is good, too, but blunts the impact at times, even of the intense air drop scene, because we've seen variations of it before.  And there's no real defining moment or scene to bring it all together and/or showcase.  It's content to run a tight ship throughout, and that's alright.

***

Overlord is a quality action/genre film, but certainly not the one I was expecting.  The biggest temptation, it would seem to me, would be to amplify yet also simplify war movie cliches, then bring in that most timeless of Hollywood villains, the Nazi (literal) monsters to slay as the ultimate evil.  So, first and foremost, kudos to the filmmakers for going in pretty much the opposite direction (even if the climax gives in to it a little).  The film does right by war predecessors like SPR, and its essentially no-name cast does a great job bringing both genre elements to life.  Only time will tell, but I don't think it will necessarily stand out as a cult classic.  Still, if you want to see an enjoyable, well-done action film, this is a good choice for a night at the movies - or later on, as a change-up option on Netflix.




By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59021690

Bohemian Rhapsody

Score:  B-

Directed by Bryan Singer
Starring Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello
Running time: 134 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  Bohemian Rhapsody is a biopic of Queen, the famous rock band and its one-of-a-kind star, Freddie Mercury.  Rami Malek does an outstanding job in the lead role, and the music helps the film ride along perfectly smoothly.  But it is also overwhelmingly cliche, with a script that mostly hampers any attempts the film makes to show the band's true background.  If all you want is pure entertainment, it's just fine, but otherwise, hold off on this.


In 1970, a young British immigrant named Farrokh (Malek) decides to chase his dreams, joining a band named Smile that just lost its lead singer.  The band, renaming itself Queen, struggles along the countryside doing gigs, but gets its big break when manager John Reid (Gillen) discovers them and they sign a contract with the record label empire EMI.  Thus begins a whirlwind decade for Queen, building a strong reputation as performers but also stretching themselves musically even when it puts them in conflict with their business associates trying to maintain the status quo.  The pressures of fame and fortune, along with Farrokh's - now Freddie Mercury - private struggles, eventually begin to pull the band apart.  But a once-in-a-generation event offers the band an opportunity to cast off the mounting wounds and resentments and come together again.

Bohemian Rhapsody boasts a pleasant cast, ranging from a standout lead performance to heavily cliched parts.  Rami Malek stars as Queen's lead singer, Freddie Mercury, and the intensity and commitment of his performance raises the whole film significantly.  Malek bursts with frenzied energy in concert scenes, and is just as focused and passionate in quieter scenes in which only his protuberant eyes show the conflict, hurt, or love he is feeling.  While his development is somewhat simplified and dulled by the script, Malek keeps his superstar character very much the charismatic, intriguing lead he needs to be throughout.  Lucy Boynton plays Mercury's wife, Mary Austin, and does pretty well with what she's given: plenty of stereotypical rockstar-girlfriend stuff, but she takes advantage of the more interesting anger-to-acceptance-to-warmth transition later on.  Allen Leech, as Mercury's personal manager turned lover, Paul, goes too far into villainous territory, suckered in by the script's many minefields.  The rest of the Queen band does a very solid, understated job, showing genuine, warm camaraderie (though the conflicts often feel contrived).  There are plenty of other small parts, notably Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones) as Queen's slick manager, and particularly Mike Myers as a comedically idiotic EMI executive.

Bohemian Rhapsody is an entertaining biopic driven by a star performance that goes down smooth - but at the same time, it's too smooth, an artificial and cliched journey of just another rock band.  Even if you know nothing about Queen beyond their music before you see the film (like me), you'll know pretty much how this goes.  Working class kid decides to leap into the world of rock that he's admired from afar, gets a girlfriend as he becomes cool in his ragtag new outfit, surges to stardom on a big break, then deals with intra-band turmoil before rediscovering the magic by the end.  Admittedly, even when you see it coming, much of this is still fun or at least diverting, particularly when driven by some nice acting and a (mostly) up-tempo pacing.  The filmmakers also wisely throw in plenty of musical scenes - not only serving as interludes between plot sections, but of course, splurging on why we're interested in Freddie and Queen in the first place.  My favorite section of the film is when it effectively combines the music with the obligatory plot points, in the recording of their masterpiece titular song in seclusion, just the band enjoying themselves and producing great humor along with the tunes.  However, the script is criminally cliched throughout the film, leading not just to the ruin of a number of scenes' sincerity and believability, but ultimately betraying the band itself through the loss of whatever unique spirit they surely had.  Nearly every scene is constructed according to what the audience expects to see rather than what it needed to show (if it was needed at all), and the dialogue is at times so bad that even Malek can't bring himself to convey it convincingly.  It is only in the music, then, that the film seems to capture what Queen really was, and beyond that, the audience is left to blindly speculate just how much of the rest of the story gets to the truth.

***

Bohemian Rhapsody, while offering some pleasing elements, ultimately serves as a disappointment in the effort as a rock band biopic.  Although I haven't read any individual reviews, its 61% score on Rotten Tomatoes would seem to reflect this.  Truly, if all you're looking for is a familiar, undemanding story with a great lead performance and music, then this is a perfectly good choice, and  a pretty entertaining one.  But if you're looking for a great film, and/or as a Queen fan, looking for a complex, nuanced take on your favorite band, then this will leave you wanting.  I know very little about their history, but have been told that the film deviates in a number of crucial ways from reality, a reality apparently not convenient to the flow the filmmakers wanted.  You're not going to find anything else like it in theaters so give it a try if it's what you're in the mood for - otherwise, I suggest waiting for Netflix, if at all.



By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57419421

The Old Man & the Gun

Score:  A-

Directed by David Lowery
Starring Robert Redford, Sissy Spacek, Casey Affleck
Running time: 93 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  Robert Redford steps in front of the camera one last time in this crime adventure, co-starring Sissy Spacek and Casey Affleck.  The actors are all great, of course, and the premise is more than a little nod to Redford's career.  But the filmmakers get the chance to present a fully developed - and balanced - story here, both the highs and the lows, and that makes it a worthy tribute.  Highly recommended.


Forrest Tucker (Redford), a genial older man, enters a bank in the early 1980s, and calmly walks back out with quite a bit of money that isn't his.  As he listens via an earpiece to the police frantically but belatedly spring into action, he begins to cruise out of town when he notices a woman broken down by the side of the road.  Forrest then takes Jewel (Spacek) to a local diner, and they find themselves mutually charmed.  Forrest continues seeing her, while also "touring" a number of other states to visit their banks.  Detective John Hunt (Affleck) senses something deeper going on than just an average bank robbery in his town.  He begins to discover the trail of robberies by an unassuming - even gentlemanly - criminal, and takes it on as a personal challenge.  Still, as determined as Hunt is to catch him, Forrest's largest obstacle to freedom may be his own past.

The Old Man & the Gun has a small cast, choosing to focus intently on its legendary leading man.  Robert Redford has said this will be the final role in his long and celebrated acting career, and the role itself is a salute to his previous work.  He clearly relishes this final opportunity to play a roguishly charming outlaw, someone who seems so genuinely nice and decent that it's no surprise that the various bank employees can't help but give him their money.  The camera lingers on Redford throughout the film, almost asking the audience to see in his lined but defiant face the earlier days and journeys that brought this actor/character to his final adventure.  Sissy Spacek does a great job as well, as his romantic interest, Jewel.  Her role - and performance - is essential in holding the film back from flying off into sentimental hero worship.  While the veteran actors have an easy rapport and banter in a realistic, almost improvised manner, their characters are also different enough that there remains an invisible yet distinct barrier between them, too.  In the third significant role, Casey Affleck also does fine work as the detective on the case.  The film wisely does not spend too much time on him, but does give him enough to show the complexity of his work-home life, and his awakening from a professional stupor.  Not flashy, intense, or even portrayed as the "good guy", he brings more groundedness via the law-and-order inevitability he represents.

The Old Man & the Gun succeeds as both a restrained yet fun crime comedy as well as a touching and well-executed send off for one of Hollywood's most famous actors of all time.  Based loosely on a true story, the film wisely does not really focus too much on the ostensible main action, the brazen robberies of banks by an old man (and his two equally-elderly conspirators).  We do get to see several of the crimes, which are really pretty simple and emphasize the irresistible charm that Redford commands, and the transition of the hapless managers and tellers from customer service to incredulity as reality dawns on them.  However, it's the moments around these crimes that get more emphasis.  Forrest's burgeoning relationship with Jewel is the center of this, as you watch him debate whether he can continue this while carrying on as usual, or whether this is his opportunity to finally get out of the "game".  While this all lends a fun, Hollywood-fantasy aspect to the film, it is smartly countered with the grim elements of reality, too.  Detective Hunt's investigation, while amusing at times as the "victims" are interrogated, shows the steady march to justice.  And it becomes more and more clear, to Forrest and the audience, that he really can't have it both ways.  Trying to do so gets people hurt, Forrest himself included, and even his aura of invincibility and pleasantness drops at times.  It is this balanced approach that makes the film a worthy capstone to Redford's career.  If there were no challenges, or Forrest forever escaped the law, it would be a superficial and insincere ending for him. But the film waits until near the end, wisely, to explore Forrest's life of crime - and incarceration - using (subtle) snapshots from previous moment's in Redford's career to illustrate the journey in a way possible only for this film and this actor.

***

The Old Man & the Gun has a premise that almost screams for awards attention - but its success not only validates that attention, it shows a triumph of walking a sneakily perilous tight rope.  Redford could easily, I'm sure, have taken complete control of this film, and used it to glorify himself, results on the film itself be damned.  But I get the strong impression that he stepped back and allowed the filmmakers to create and enact their own overall vision for the film - which, of course, included a certain honoring of the actor himself, but which came about more naturally this way.  This allowed also for other real characters to develop around him - Spacek and Affleck's characters, specifically, are no mere stereotyped stand-ins.  Finally, it all wraps up in a tidy 90 minutes or so, not overstaying its welcome.  Highly recommended, particularly of course for Redford fans.



By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57635090

Bad Times at the El Royale

Score:  B

Directed by Drew Goddard
Starring Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Chris Hemsworth
Running time: 141 minutes
Rated R

Long Story Short:  Drew Goddard gives a try at the neo-noir, taking cues from Tarantino in setting up an interesting roster of characters in a mysterious and tension-packed environment.  The cast mostly does a great job, particularly relative newcomer and virtuoso Cynthia Erivo.  But while the first half is a great build up, it borrows a little too heavily from others and its rewards diminish as it goes on.  Worthy of a theater trip if you're in the mood, but otherwise probably a better choice on Netflix.


Sitting right on the border of California and Nevada, the El Royale hotel, its glory days long past, finds an odd handful of visitors arrive one day.  They include a drawling, upbeat salesman named Laramie (Hamm), Catholic priest Flynn (Bridges), singer Darlene (Erivo), and hippy Emily (Johnson).  Not long after settling in, each commences his or her own mission.  Forgetful Father Flynn is looking for something, but is bewitched when he hears Darlene's lovely voice.  Laramie has a job on the side to take care of, and Emily is not traveling alone.  The El Royale hotel holds its own secrets, too, and soon its unwitting guests begin to grapple not just with each other, but with the danger lurking in their very surroundings.

Bad Times at the El Royale is elevated by a diverse and creative cast, with performances both familiar and revelatory.  There is no one, true lead, so I'll start with Jeff Bridges as Father Flynn.  He is a welcome presence as always, easily nailing his role's affable, if occasionally feeble-minded air.  Of course, as with the rest of the cast, there is more to him than meets the eye, but the only other thing I'll say about him is that he has good chemistry with his odd bedfellow Darlene.  Broadway star Cynthia Erivo is the highlight of the film as Darlene, particularly her show-stopping renditions of classic hits like "You Can't Hurry Love".  But her regular acting is just as impressive, too, quietly and painfully victimized in one scene yet hanging tougher and calmer than any of her cast mates in the next.  Jon Hamm gets to show off his impressive range, particularly early in the film, and was a great choice for the role.  Dakota Johnson also does quite fine work, an alluring hippy who might have the poorest poker face, but when she gets the screen to herself, manages to portray a complex, intriguing private side.  Chris Hemsworth finds himself far from the mythical Thor, though by now his comedic talent, here as a cult leader, is no surprise.  His character is also quite cruel and manipulative, though, and Hemsworth doesn't quite land it.  Maybe he's just too nice? - at any rate, he overplays it.

Bad Times at the El Royale is an entertaining and solidly-made film, but it takes a little too much from other recent noirs and flails in the landing.  I can't help but compare the film - and even did so while watching it - to some of Quentin Tarantino's work.  The colorful characters, the specificity of the surroundings (like the frequently-playing jukebox), nonlinear narrative, spasms of violence, and even the old-school, brief chapter headings constantly reminded me of the auteur.  Problem is, it's pretty damn tough to beat Tarantino at his own game.  The script is good, but not as sharp and unique.  There are some fun and strange encounters, but nothing like Tarantino's finest, razor-sharp scenes of dialogue.  And the most exciting element of the film - guessing how all the seemingly-incongruous parts fit together, or just waiting for it - results in a bit of a letdown (IMO) by being too straightforward and/or cliche (despite this, I don't want to spoil it for you).  That might all sound harsh, but the majority of the film is still pretty fun - especially the first hour or so.  Goddard turns the tricky task of making the exposition-laden setup interesting, thanks largely to honed-in performances from the stars, but also to developing the setting of the hotel itself well.  Then, as we start to get the cover lifted from these characters, the fun really revs up, allowing the action to both get started in a hurry yet also take its time via the nonlinear, multiple perspective style.  The soundtrack is also great, featuring plenty of classic rock hits - as well as Erivo's fantastic performances.  While I was disappointed with how the film developed at around the midway point and on, the stronger early parts still stand well on their own.

***

Bad Times is overall a fun time, even if this neo-noir ends up a bit of a disappointment, too.  Perhaps those more familiar with the genre won't experience this, but I couldn't help but make those Tarantino comparisons (though when it's at its best, these fell away).  If this doesn't happen to you (or you haven't seen much Tarantino anyway), the experience may be even better.  Watch it at least for the first half - and you also may enjoy the second better than me - as well as for the cast, particularly Erivo. I would have preferred the filmmakers use this premise to take new or more interesting turns, but the result is still just fine.  Theater viewing is optional, but it could make a perfectly nice Netflix some evening.




By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57628868

First Man

Score:  A

Directed by Damien Chazelle
Starring Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Kyle Chandler
Running time: 141 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  Damien Chazelle's follow up to La La Land is about Neil Armstrong - not just his famed moon landing, but also his personal life.  Gosling joins Chazelle again, and he's a great choice for the role, as is Claire Foy as his wife, Janet.  The film does a great job showing just how tough that mission to the moon was, on the ground as well as through a new, tangible sense of the perils of journeying to space.  By looking in on his home life, too, the film offers an intriguing take on how one man was pushed to legendary success as well as ordinary heartbreak.  Highly recommended.


In the early 1960s, Neil Armstrong (Gosling) is a struggling NASA test pilot.  He is going through deep personal turmoil as he watches his young daughter lose a battle with cancer.  However, he is accepted for Project Gemini - a crucial step for the ultimate goal of landing on the moon - and moves his wife and son with him to Houston.  There he befriends several peers, and they (and their families) help each other through an arduous journey as NASA seeks to make a breakthrough that will push the U.S. space program beyond the Soviets'.  Armstrong's skill and tenacity set him apart over the years, and he is named the commander of Apollo 11, the first lunar landing.  The designation is far from a victory lap for Armstrong, though: his continued grief is an unpredictable, double-edged sword, and regular close calls clearly show how thin a line exists between triumph and disaster in outer space.

First Man benefits from a strong, fairly small cast of men - plus one crucial woman's role.  Ryan Gosling was a clear choice for the role of Armstrong: not only did he work with director Chazelle on La La Land, he has proven his skill in quiet, introspective performances like this one.  He is also convincing as the driven, legendary astronaut, fully prepared and focused, though he can't help but laugh casually with his team members, too, a bit of the hotshot coming through.  It's actually his stoic father-husband role that is ultimately the weaker half.  He does a good job - perhaps too good a job - at realism here; his evolution is complex, but also frustratingly opaque and unresolved (like reality).  Claire Foy receives a substantial role as Janet Armstrong, and she does a great job with it.  While we don't get to see her personal ambitions, she fully inhabits a steely, perceptive, deeply compassionate wife and mother.  She shows this in even the briefest moments, but also gets to shine when storming to NASA HQ to check on her husband's status, and when powerfully forcing Neil to finally confront his deeply buried personal fears - and responsibility.  All other roles are purely supporting, though several help create a vivid personal and professional environment for Neil's story.  Of particular interest are Kyle Chandler's all-business yet caring NASA leader, Jason Clarke's friend-and-mentor Ed White, and Corey Stoll's amusingly socially-oblivious Buzz Aldrin.

First Man is a great biopic, one that makes the legendary lunar landing fresh with its focus on detailing the perils and struggles for Armstrong both personally and professionally.  While it is not as hyper-focused on a short period as similar masterpieces Lincoln and Selma, First Man wisely avoids using too broad a canvass to tell its story about Neil Armstrong.  The story begins with Neil near a breaking point, though he doesn't realize it, in both his NASA career and his home life: a key failed mission (following a string of disappointments), and a daughter whose illness resists all solutions.  This is the situation that launches him on a multi-year mission all the way to the moon, but the film does a great job to show that what is fueling him is also, like his rockets, dangerously unstable at times.  The film flows in a naturalistic way through its two-and-a-half hours, alternating focused, extended scenes (mostly Neil's NASA missions) with snippets, individually random but collectively filling in the portrait of a life (mostly his personal life, here).  It can be difficult to decipher the dialogue, often mumbled or sped through in this very non-staged style, but it's really the overall mood and direction of the drama that's important, so it's not a big deal.  The film's final, and one of its most poignant, scene has not a word uttered at all to emphasize that point.

The highlights to me were the NASA missions, which had me clinging to my seat: from the opening test flight gone wrong, to the first Gemini mission that seems a success (until it isn't), and even the famous Apollo 11 flight.  They are mostly filmed from inside the cramped vehicles with Neil, and you truly get the sense that he is riding buckets of bolts.  The camera itself shakes violently with the vessel, showing how helpless the passengers often are; metal creaks, groans and rattles ominously, straining to hold together against unbelievably powerful forces.  Crucial moments and circumstances on the mission are given great context by earlier moments on the ground, but not in an awkward way.  At times this is too much for the quieter, gentler home life scenes to compete with, but Foy does a great job to provide at least a few big impressions, as mentioned previously.  Finally, the journey is enriched by a great soundtrack whose repetitiveness but quiet urgency helps sustain that tone in the film; thankfully it does not succumb to cliched, triumphant swells.  Just making it through - whether on the ground at home or in the eerie quiet of outer space - is enough.

***

First Man is a great start to the season of Oscar hopeful film releases.  So many promising elements came together - Oscar-nominated director Chazelle reuniting with his lead actor from La La Land in Gosling, the biopic genre that has been so successful recently, etc.  But great promise is no guarantee of success, and the filmmakers deserve much credit for developing a focused, intriguing vision for the film as well as the actors for bringing it to life.  This only reinforces my interest in closely following great directors and their muses (when are your next films coming out, Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve??) and adds Chazelle to that list.  I recommend this for everyone.




By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57634807

Night School

Score:  B

Directed by Malcolm D. Lee
Starring Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Taran Killam, Rob Riggle
Running time:  111 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  Night School teams up two of the hottest comedians, Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish, in a goofy but relevant premise.  It does not adhere at all to the modern comedy tone, and replaces self-aware cleverness with riotous, simple yet strong verbal sparring to keep you laughing.  A strong supporting cast helps drive the film.  Recommended.


Teddy (Hart) is living his dream, albeit precariously - he is a clever if modestly-paid barbecue salesman, and he has just engaged a successful, beautiful woman (Echikunwoke) who believes his tall tales of business brilliance.  However, an accident leaves Teddy jobless and he quickly finds that, as a high school dropout, his options are extremely limited.  A friend promises a lucrative financial job for him if he can just get his GED, so he signs up for night school at a local high school, expecting a quick and easy process.  But he confronts an all-business, tough-as-nails instructor (Haddish), and an old nemesis (Killam) from school who's now the principal.  Teddy soon begins to strain under keeping the illusion alive to his fiancee while also diving back into the same problems he confronted in high school.  Fail at one, and he fears the rest of his life will soon follow.

Night School has an impressive comedic ensemble that goes beyond the two headlining stars.  Kevin Hart, one of my favorite contemporary comedians, does quite well in the lead role as Teddy.  This might be the first time I've seen him in a more conventional, solo lead role, and he impresses.  It's often hard for this type of role to standout comedically, as it's usually saddled with anchoring the story, but fortunately Hart is blessed with the virtuoso talent at performing required to overcome that.  Tiffany Haddish's role is smaller than I expected, but she does very well at delivering her trademark hilariously tough attitude while maintaining believability and sincerity in her narrative role as night school teacher.  Taran Killam, a former (and underrated) SNL cast member, is sneakily good as the villainous principal, adjusting his usual style to match his co-stars' and the movie itself.  The supporting cast gets a surprisingly large role, overall, perhaps expanded during filming due to how good they are.  Rob Riggle, Romany Malco, Mary Lynn Rajskub, and Anne Winters match Killam's skill in lining up with the tone of the film, arguably even playing a big part in shaping it themselves.

Night School is a throwback, broad comedy that works perfectly well in that role, though is ultimately also somewhat limited by it as well.  I think it's important to emphasize that this is not the stylistic direction that most contemporary popular comedies have been going, but the unapologetic, back-to-basics tone is quite welcome.  The effort could have resulted in a train wreck, had the writing either been lazy or tried to sneak back to the current norms, or if the cast had not been fully committed to just having a good time and leaving their egos in their trailers.  While it gets off to a bit of a bumpy start (this may have just been my adjusting to the film's tone), the film quickly settles into a nice pace.  Even Hart's performance is a little off at first, but once he gets to meet the other main players, particularly Haddish and his night school classmates, it all begins to jell immediately.  Most of the film's humor comes from the somewhat simplistic but well-crafted dialogue; still, there are also some standout sets, which are particularly important in this kind of comedy.  These include the night-schoolers attempt to break in at, well, night to steal an upcoming test, and an exasperated Haddish literally whipping Hart - wearing a Christian chicken suit (long story) - back to his senses.  But the funniest to me was an indulgently long, clearly improvised introduction of the night school class, both playing with stereotypes in a funny but sensitive way as well as piling on Hart as a clueless but charming victim which is where he shines brightest.  It's probably a little too long, but the film keeps the plotting fairly minimal while also ending on a surprisingly poignant message about the strength of those whole struggle on the fringes of society.

***

Night School is another pleasant entry in what has been a very strong year for comedies.  Critics, unfortunately, must not have seen the same movie that I did.  I truly think it comes down to expectations: they simply were thrown by its simple, back-to-basics style, significantly different from other entries in the genre.  And I might be overrating it a touch myself, having seen it in a theater full of people who found it absolutely hilarious (and it was contagious).  But beyond even the quality of the film - which is pretty high anyway - I see this variety in style to be all to the good, rather than a negative.  Just like we all hope to see more original stories and ideas from Hollywood, this too is a great way to keep things fresh and interesting.  I recommend this seeing this movie, particularly with a packed audience, but just keep in mind it may not be what you expect and I think you'll enjoy it.



By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57021176

The Predator

Score:  C-

Directed by Shane Black
Starring Boyd Holbrook, Sterling K. Brown, Olivia Munn, Keegan-Michael Key
Running time: 107 minutes
Rated R

Long Story Short:  The Predator resumes the franchise begun and made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger over thirty years ago.  Brought back to theaters by a director known for recent curve ball hits, this sequel flops in its attempt to blend a winking tone with more familiar action and violence.  There are a few bright spots in the cast, but there's just little here to spark much interest.  Avoid.


A ship carrying a single, extraterrestrial hunter lands in a remote jungle, right in the middle of an Army Ranger mission.  Ranger McKenna (Holbrook) survives an encounter with the alien, and flees with some equipment found around the ship.  Upon making his way back to America, he is seized by Will Traeger (Brown), in charge of the mysterious government Stargazer Project.  Lab technicians, led by Dr. Casey Bracket (Munn), study the incapacitated alien, or "Predator".  However, the Predator escapes the lab; on a bus to military prison, McKenna spots it and teams up with fellow inmates to track it down.  Time is short for McKenna to find the Predator, figure out why it has come to Earth, evade the determined Traeger, and - most importantly - save his family and the human race.

The Predator has some big names in its cast, but for the most part they are wasted by a careless and thin script.  Boyd Holbrook, who's popped up here and there in recent years (Logan), steps into the lead role, and plays about as vanilla and uninteresting of a typical hero role as possible.  He may not be bad, but just completely unremarkable in any way.  Sterling K. Brown, as the villainous director Traeger, clearly enjoys his role, taking every opportunity to form a cruel smirk or deliver an offhand but cutting putdown.  Even the ticks and quirks he develops are fun, and the film would have done far better to give him much more screen time.  Olivia Munn, in the only significant female role, is given nothing interesting to do, and is unable to cobble something out of it herself.  There are a number of smaller roles, the most welcome of whom are Keegan-Michael Key's military veteran Coyle, who is predictably funny when he gets the chance, and Thomas Jane, a fellow veteran with Tourette's.

The Predator is a scifi horror film that tries to be both silly and light as well as violent and intense, and the result is a failure on both ends.  The overall structure is a fairly familiar one: malevolent alien life lands on Earth, good individuals as well as shady government forces discover it, and a ragtag, underdog group manages to win the day.  Clearly, more thought went into how to connect this story with other Predators, both past and future; fortunately, as a newcomer to the series myself, the various references to the series aren't too burdensome or confusing.  And it's not necessarily a problem to use a well-worn story pattern.  But the film's bipolar tone sinks any chance it might have had.  Even the score reflects this: it is painfully dated action-style fare, which could be read as either winking at the audience or just poorly done.  The action and horror elements are by far the weaker - but also eventually dominant - component.  Although the Predator is obviously designed to evoke terror, it came off as merely ugly to me, and while it racks up an impressive kill count, it never actually seems that big a threat or menace.  There is plenty of action - bits here and there are clever - but it's pretty standard, uninspired stuff, and beyond that there's a good bit of clunky and awkward choreography.  If only the filmmakers had committed to a unified, parody, light tone, things could have turned out much better.  Brown, Key, and Jane are by far the film's strengths anyway, and I suspect Munn could have flourished in a far less sober role.  The scene in which the "ragtag" military team meets, on a prison bus, is my favorite in the movie, allowing the characters to introduce themselves as (at least here) surprisingly interesting and with some laugh-out-loud moments (with some admittedly basement humor).

***

That The Predator failed to resurrect yet another scifi franchise is not all that surprising.  It's a victim of a common trap for such films:  it has far too much reverence for its predecessors, and tries to walk the almost impossible tight rope of reproducing the original's successful formula while updating it to contemporary tastes.  Admittedly, I have often been one of those fans who does not want one of his favorite franchises to boldly change direction or tone.  But clearly, the half-hearted messing around in the middle that The Predator represents is usually a recipe for disaster (or at least something completely forgettable).  Fortunately, my craving for decent movies in the theaters shouldn't have to wait much longer, and I'll hopefully have more reviews coming soon.  For this one, give it a hard pass (I guess if you're a big franchise fan, catch it on Netflix).



By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58057065

Crazy Rich Asians

Score:  B+

Directed by Jon M. Chu
Starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina
Running time:  121 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  Crazy Rich Asians, an adaptation of Kevin Kwan's bestselling novel, gives the romantic comedy a look it's never seen in Hollywood.  Its all-Asian cast is spot on, and Constance Wu and Nick Golding are particularly good leads.  The genre bona fides are rock solid, and both its cultural focus and elaborate displays of wealth give it a winning edge.  Recommended.


Economics professor Rachel (Wu) has a happy relationship with Nick (Golding), but is hesitant when he asks her to join him at a wedding in Singapore and meet his family.  She agrees, and enjoys hanging out with the bride and groom, but slowly becomes aware that Nick comes from one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the city.  Much of the family is intrigued by the American "commoner", but Rachel receives a cold reception from Nick's mother, Eleanor (Yeoh).  As she becomes more deeply involved in the relationships - and politics - of the Young family, Rachel finds herself increasingly isolated, and challenged to keep her once simple, innocent life with Nick afloat.

Crazy Rich Asians comes to life thanks to its charismatic leads and talented ensemble; the fact that it is a milestone in having all Asian actors is commendable, but also perfectly natural.  Constance Wu, best known from Fresh Off the Boat, anchors the film as the fish out of water lead.  She effectively portrays a strong if fairly normal American woman, independent yet warm, bitingly sarcastic at times and plainly vulnerable at others.  If anything, I wish the script had allowed her a bit more opportunity to shine, although she has some great moments, like an intense game of Mahjong with Nick's mother.  Henry Golding's Nick is clearly the supporting member of the pair, but thanks to his performance and the script, he leaves his mark even as he defers to Wu's Rachel.  The actor is likable and interesting, even in the more cliched parts, crucially providing a near-match for Wu's more developed character.  Michelle Yeoh is excellent as Nick's mother, Eleanor, the plot's foil who nevertheless conveys real human complexity.  She is afforded ample screen time without being too dominant, and Yeoh makes Eleanor's intent crystal clear while remaining subtle.  Two supporting characters deserve particular mention, primarily for their invaluable comic contributions: Rachel's best friend, played by Awkwafina, and Nick's cousin by Nico Santos.  There are a few other goofy parts, but these two are the funniest and the characters themselves are very well done.

Crazy Rich Asians is at heart a fairly conventional genre film, but it far exceeds this thanks to the cast, script, and full embrace of its unconventional (to Hollywood) setting.  Key to this genre is having a central romance that is led by a capable pair of actors, makes you root for them and serves as the backbone for all that goes on at the periphery.  Check to all three.  As already described, Wu's Rachel and Golding's Nick are worthy stars; the obstacles in their path certainly help you to cheer them on more, but they're also plenty likable enough individually, too.  Nick's family provides the main accompanying factor; although it's difficult to keep track of how they're related, they are each almost immediately distinctive and make for a, well, rich world to watch.  While that side gets the most attention, Rachel's best friend and mother also play crucial roles, their relationships giving her more depth as well as critical support.  The story plays out in pretty standard form, with a normal couple being thrown into turmoil by awkward bachelor(ette) parties, maternal approval issues, and their own private self-doubts, before rallying to return to each other.  But each of these parts is done well, and serves to show how surprisingly relatable the otherwise culture-specific elements are.  Eleanor frowns on the American stereotype Rachel must represent, individualistic and "free spirited", yet how different is this from any family's doubts about a prospective partner's background?  The tension is sharp and ubiquitous, without spoiling the fun.  And fun there is - why not just go for sheer, extravagant displays of glamor?  It doesn't ever make the (main) characters themselves feel exaggerated, but it gives the film a nice, steady dose of Hollywood wow and keeps this light but well-made film entertaining from beginning to end.

***

Crazy Rich Asians is not the kind of film - if you read my blog regularly - that I tend to see in the theater, but I was convinced by its high score on Rotten Tomatoes and unique setting for the genre.  This film is not just a good movie worth the cost of admission, it's one that opens new doors for Hollywood even as it follows certain tried and true methods.  It is critical for films to increasingly reflect the diversity of the real world - and when it does, like in Crazy Rich Asians, it is always surprising yet reassuring (to one degree or another) how similar the stories are to what you've seen before.  Yet these films also bring fresh perspectives to those overall familiar stories, bringing them to life anew in one way or another.  Quality of filmmaking, of course, is still key - but far more often than not, this is well above average in these movies, too.  Particularly recommended for a date night, of course, but this is worth watching for just about everyone.




By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57212947

The Spy Who Dumped Me

Score:  C-

Directed by Susanna Fogel
Starring Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon, Justin Theroux
Running time: 117 minutes
Rated R

Long Story Short:  Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon star in the latest action comedy spy satire, as the "girlfriends" get to take the driver's seat in the action this time.  The premise and leads are promising, but it's wasted from the very start by a bad script and poor directing; it isn't as funny as it should be, and the action is both too violent and boring.  Not even McKinnon mania is enough to make this worth a theater viewing; go to Mission Impossible instead (even a second viewing would be better!).


Audrey (Kunis) has the birthday blues; she's just been dumped by her boyfriend, Drew (Theroux), and though best friend Morgan (McKinnon) tries to cheer her up, she now has just her boring cashier job to look forward to.  That is, until a customer takes Audrey aside and tells her that Drew is in fact a secret agent on the run, and sure enough, Drew shows up in her apartment to tell her they are both in danger.  Audrey and Morgan flee together in the ensuing chaos as bad guys close in, and head off to Europe according to Drew's final instructions.  Drew clearly had something valuable - to save themselves, the friends must figure out what it is, who wants it, and who can help.  But in the spy game, who's on whose side is a difficult, and perhaps impossible, puzzle to solve.

The Spy Who Dumped Me has some talented actors in the cast, some of whom fare better than others, but they are all dragged down by a terrible script.  Mila Kunis is the 1A lead in the film, the woman "dumped" by the spy.  Like her character, Kunis is in unfamiliar territory here, but she does an OK to solid job serving as the film's anchor.  She's pretty convincing in action scenes and even better in her comic timing; she's also the focus of the romantic subplots, which are thankfully minimal.  Kunis clearly has the chops for this kind of role, but her character is simply limited by the script.  Kate McKinnon is once again the goofy sidekick, similar to Ghostbusters.  It's the obvious part for an SNL star who excels at such a variety of exaggerated, sketch-level characters.  She provides what little passion and energy this film can muster, but she's never more than a collection of quirks, a weird but loyal best friend.  The men, on the other hand - who are fortunately only in supporting roles - are pretty dreadful.  Justin Theroux and Sam Heughan play boring, generic spy-types; other than occasional efforts to be 007-suave, they are most distinguished by moments of sheer brutality.  They're both just window dressing that happen to spew out dialogue too frequently.  There are some cameos from impressive comedic actors, too, but none get anything worth writing about.

The Spy Who Dumped Me completely wastes a promising premise and two very talented leads, thanks to a horrific script, poor directing, and an inconsistent cast.  I very much enjoy both the spy genre and good send-ups of it, like Melissa McCarthy's spy, so this unique take, with great acting talent behind it, appealed to me.  The overall structure of the plot is extremely familiar and predictable - the girls' shock of learning the boyfriend's secret, dangerous world; the flight to and peril within various foreign locales; and finally the plan to turn the tables on the bad guys.  I doubt any thought went into this at all; and the film could have survived it, had each of the sections been well-crafted, and good roles and interactions given to the performers.  It fails on both those counts, as well.  The tone whipsaws back and forth between funky buddy comedy, relying on lots of improvisation, and pretty hardcore action sequences with ugly violence.  Rather than letting one of those elements take the lead and inform the tone of the other, the comedy and action constantly clash with each other.  This also makes the film unpleasantly unpredictable, in small ways - overall, the next part is always predictable but you never know if it will be told through the goofy or the brutal lens.  McKinnon throws a whole lot at the wall to see what will stick, and her success rate is pretty low by her standards, but at least she brings good, consistent energy and some much needed chuckles here and there.  There is nothing to redeem the spy/action elements, on the other hand.  There is confusion and chaos simply for its own sake (except in small, cliched moments like decrypting stolen files), and it's difficult to care what's going on so that by the end, you wish the double-crossing agents would just shoot each other and be done with it.

***

Among the summer films I've seen this year, The Spy Who Dumped Me is certainly the worst, and probably the most disappointing, too.  More than the experience of sitting through a poor film, I'm upset by the potential of the elements wasted here, the premise and the actors.  As long as 007 and his  kin are around, there will surely be more films to poke fun at the idea, and hopefully this particular angle will be better explored later.  Meanwhile, Hollywood still owes McKinnon a good lead role to showcase her talents; SNL stars get typecast in the silly, sketch-type roles, but McKinnon has the ability to take a more standard role and bring it alive in ways that few others could.  I'm not sure what's next for me at the theaters, now that summer is winding down, but hopefully it will be a pleasant surprise.  For this one, I recommend you avoid it, unless you're a huge McKinnon fan (and even then, just wait for Netflix).




By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56915129

Mission Impossible - Fallout

Score:  A

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
Starring Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, et. al.
Running time: 147 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  The sixth Mission Impossible is aptly named, dealing with consequences from the previous film's plot.  Yet in important ways it's also a rebirth of the franchise - and even the genre - in its emphasis on and spectacular execution of its action sequences.  Tom Cruise seems to put his very soul into this one, as the two and a half hours race by in a glorious rush of adrenaline.  Must see.


From a safe house in Belfast, Ethan Hunt (Cruise) receives his latest mission: to stop the sale of three nuclear weapons to a terrorist group.  The mission does not go as planned for Hunt and his team, and the race is on to locate the weapons before it's too late.  To prevent a repeat of the episode the CIA assigns one of its own agents, Walker (Cavill), to accompany Hunt's team.  The group finds a contact with information, but which demands them to spring Solomon Lane, an ex-spy turned rogue, from French custody.  Hunt feels the pressure of the ticking bombs, but struggles with what to do about the dangerous Lane - all while a traitor lurks in the shadows, intent on ruining the mission.

The cast of Fallout mostly consists of familiar franchise faces, but several new intriguing roles are added to the mix.  Tom Cruise returns as lead action hero Ethan Hunt, and impressively he seems more game than ever to throw everything he's got at the role.  Hunt - IMO - has never had the distinct persona of British rival 007, though he does get a bit more personal story here than usual.  What really matters is the physical performance, and Cruise lifts the bar yet again here.  If there are any signs of mortality (or aging) in his action scenes, it is only to heighten the jaw-dropping displays.  Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg return as Hunt's sidekicks:  the tough, wise veteran and the sarcastic tech expert, respectively.  They know just where they fit in, and their presences are crucial yet leave the spotlight to Hunt and other more plot-decisive roles.  One of those is Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa, a British spy returning from the previous film.  Her part and performance are superb, affectionate yet not romantic with Hunt, his equal in the spy game (perhaps even more clever) and perfectly natural.  Cavill is interesting as CIA agent Walker, certainly more nuanced than his Superman.  He quickly forms a rivalry with Hunt, and he's at once an odd, frictious yet handy new member of the team.  There are a number of smaller roles too, most notably Sean Harris's chilling villain Solomon Lane, and Vanessa Kirby's deceptively nonchalant White Widow.

Mission Impossible - Fallout is a bravura action film; not without its flaws, yet standing out in the important ways like few others.  In recent MI films, Cruise has developed a signature of performing one death-defying stunt of an action scene; there's more action in the films than the one scene, of course, but it tends to stand out.  In Fallout, nearly every action scene is like this.  Normally I don't care much about the special features/"making of", but I certainly want to see this one.  Three action sets in particular were just bonkers, ridiculous fun for me: a three-way fist fight between Hunt, Walker and a villain that is as intense as any I can recall; an insanely long and realistic car- and motorcycle chase through Paris; and a finale involving helicopters (I'll leave it at that).  What makes these scenes so outstanding is not superhuman feats or slo-mo or other fancy camera work, it's the raw, gritty, practical-stunt nature of it.  Surely some CGI was used, but I truly couldn't tell; you feel all the bone-rattling, nerve-jangling, yet (relatively) grounded action as you hold onto the arm rest for dear life.  The rest basically doesn't even matter.  Yes, it's a bit long, but mostly because all the insane action scenes just keep going (which you want them to).  The plot is head-spinning even for an MI film, but the crucial points are clear enough that it doesn't detract from any of the action.  Cruise and the filmmakers clearly took a step back when they were planning this one, thinking about how to set it apart.  Thankfully, they shunned just going louder and crazier and pulled things mostly back to basics (even the soundtrack seems a bit reined in), and in doing so pushed the genre to new heights.

***

Mission Impossible - Fallout breaks out of the pack in this summer movie season, a great film after a series of good but unremarkable films.  For all you can say about how crazy Tom Cruise is and his enormous ego, he is one hell of an action star.  There is no "cruising" on reputation - I'm not sure I've seen another actor put more effort or personal risk into an action film.  Nearly as important as the effort here is the thought that went into the production.  Old franchises and new standalones alike can easily fall victim to inertia and just crank up the intensity one or two notches on what was done before and call it a day.  Fallout brought something special again to the moviegoing experience, and we can only hope all studios, filmmakers and performers take note.  Highly recommended for all.




By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56464804

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Score:  B+

Directed by Peyton Reed
Starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michael Pena
Running time: 118 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  Ant-Man and the Wasp is the sequel to 2015's unlikely Marvel hit (at this point, a term that is becoming an oxymoron).  Paul Rudd is again the lead but, as the title indicates, Evangeline Lilly's Wasp is about an equal co-star, not to mention a smorgasbord of a supporting cast.  It's one of the funniest movies - Marvel or otherwise - in recent years, though its overall reach exceeds its grasp.  Still, it's outrageously entertaining and recommended to all.


Two years after helping Captain America, reformed criminal Scott Lang (Rudd) is under house arrest.  One night he has an odd, eerily vivid dream, and soon finds himself back in the company of old friends Pym (Douglas), an eccentric scientist, and his daughter Hope (Lilly).  Pym is searching for his wife who disappeared years ago after using one of his inventions and shrinking so small that she entered the quantum realm.  His wife, Janet, has managed to communicate with them through Scott, who had also briefly entered the quantum realm.  The trio is eager to get her back, especially when they find out they have only a matter of hours to do so.  Meanwhile, however, other forces have discovered the work that Pym, Hope and Scott have been developing on the quantum realm, and hope to use it for their own purposes.

Ant-Man and the Wasp welcomes back the core cast of the original film, and adds some great new actors as well.  Paul Rudd reprises his lead role as Scott Lang, aka Ant-Man.  The casting was a stroke of genius (as many of Marvel's choices have been): Ant-Man and his corner of the MCU are silly and lighter than others, and so Rudd's tremendous comedic talents are perfectly suited (not to mention his formidable overall acting skills).  The film's large and talented cast prevent him from being quite the focal point he was in the original, but he makes the most of his spotlight, from impressive physical humor as his size changes from 6 millimeters to 60 feet tall, to tender, quieter moments with his daughter.  Evangeline Lilly gets a much bigger role here as Hope, aka the "Wasp" in the title.  She is a very solid performer, though she lacks the unique traits that so many of her co-stars possess so it can be easy to underestimate her.  Nevertheless, she provides crucial grounding for the film, key to the film's heart and reason, not to mention pretty damn funny parts here and there.  Michael Pena fortunately returns as well as Luis, Scott's friend and former partner in crime (now partner in business).  Pena is a riot, stealing just about every scene he's in, but also maintaining a more solid character than just a joke machine (his partners are also back and also still hilarious).  Walton Goggins is the villain this time, and he is outstanding as usual in the role, fitting right in with the film's tone, too.  Michael Douglas's Pym is a welcome presence once again.  And there are yet more roles... Randall Park stands out as Scott's hilarious parole officer; Laurence Fishbourne is very good but underutilized, and Hannah John-Kamen is interesting as a mysterious foil, but is also underdeveloped.

Ant-Man and the Wasp is a really funny movie packed with lots of great ideas and characters - too many in fact, but it's still hugely entertaining and light-hearted.  It follows the general formula of many other sequels: the first having set the table by introducing the main characters (Scott, and Pym-Hope) and the settings or rules (technology that can manipulate the size of objects and people), the follow-up introduces new characters and plot points designed to maximize the features of the first.  It's far from a cash-grab, though: clearly much thought went into this, perhaps even too much.  The ostensible main plot is the effort to rescue Pym's wife from the quantum realm (basically, a strange new dimension).  However, there are also the obstacles of Scott's house arrest; then, Pym and Hope run into a villain whose parts they need for their tech; then, a character with new powers comes out of left field with an entirely different set of problems.  Each of these separately is interesting, and all things considered it's juggled about as well as can be expected.  Still, I would have cut the last of those parts and used it in a third Ant-Man film instead (which I hope there will be).  The techno-babble is also overwhelming at times - this from an MCU devotee - though fortunately you can mostly tune it out and still understand what's going on.  But enough with the nit-picking.  Marvel has made another hilarious film whose humor puts to shame most of the straight-up "comedies" these days.  Highlights include a child-size Scott (in adult-Scott clothes) running around a school; a drugged Luis being interrogated, Drunk History-style; and anything with Randall Park.  Everyone gets involved, and it just never stops (a good thing).  There's also some great action, though on a, well, much smaller scale (literally and figuratively) than other MCU films.  There's a great car chase scene in the last act, and the shrink-expand tricks continue to be clever and interesting throughout.  The stakes are more personal here, a nice change of pace from the epic Infinity War, and the villain is appropriately street-level and sarcastic.  If you're not entertained, you're not paying attention.

***

Ant-Man and the Wasp is another high-quality success for Marvel, even if it tries to pack in a little more than it can handle.  Although not one of the flashier parts of the MCU, 2015's Ant-Man established an important new setting and tone for the wider franchise, thanks to its silliness and sense of humor (though distinct from Guardians) and contained scope.  The sequel is a rousing romp through that world, its success only limited by having to split attention among so many different elements.  It also is a signal that the MCU can continue to flourish after the main core of Avengers characters (Iron Man, Capt. America, Thor) presumably bow out after next year's finale.  As with other MCU films, you'll obviously get maximum enjoyment out of it if you've seen the other films, too.  But I still don't hesitate to recommend it to others as well - sit back and let the special effects dazzle, and the humor make you laugh 'til your belly hurts.




By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56449896