2016 Cinema & Stadium Film Awards

2016 Cinema & Stadium Film Awards

I want to take the opportunity, with the Academy Awards being presented this weekend, to describe what I consider the best performances of the year.  This is based, as always, only on films that I have actually seen.  I also include only films that were given a wide release in 2016 - which is becoming a murkier thing to determine each year, as many awards-hopeful films are given a limited release late in the calendar year and then trickle out across the country.  At any rate, I will present my awards in the same way I did last year:  my top five selections in the category, followed by an explanation of any of the Academy Awards nominees left out, then a brief recap of each of those performances.

Please also check out my 2016 Film Year-in-Review, where I list my top 10 movies of the year, miscellaneous awards (most disappointing/surprising/etc.) and quick review of the films that I saw via Netflix.  Enjoy!

Winners in bold
Runners-up underlined

Acting Awards

Best Actor:
Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)
Nate Parker (The Birth of a Nation)
Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool)
Denzel Washington (Fences)

Oscars nominees not listed:  Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge), Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic) - haven't seen the films; Ryan Gosling (La La Land) - film released wide in 2017.

I'll start with an honorable mention nod for Tom Hanks, who turned in yet another impressive performance in a historical drama (following Captain Philips, Bridge of Spies).  Nate Parker not only starred in but also directed and wrote a film that was once a Best Picture shoe-in, The Birth of a Nation.  A controversy sunk the film's chances; I'm not going to weigh in on that, but the passion and skill of his performance I feel deserves recognition.  Ryan Reynolds may seem rather out of place here, but he was perfect for his role and his sarcastic, vulgar, hilarious superhero was a genre game changer.  Leonardo DiCaprio won the Oscar, and it's hard to argue given the grueling, determined physical nature of his performance.  I have seen few, if any, others like it.

I hate to start with a tie, but I really can't separate the outstanding performances by Casey Affleck and Denzel Washington in their films.  Affleck is unbelievably subtle and nuanced, playing a regular man with a devastating past.  His acting shows both his everyday, normal struggles and the way that the tragedy has affected all of it.  Denzel's performance seems quite the opposite, one of the most expressive, even explosive, I've ever seen.  Yet he has mastered the character and is in complete control, as he too reveals the complexity and depths of the soul.


Best Actress:
Amy Adams (Arrival)
Viola Davis (Fences)
Melissa McCarthy (The Boss)
Helen Mirren (Eye in the Sky)
Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad)

Oscar nominees not listed:  Isabelle Huppert (Elle), Ruth Negga (Loving), Natalie Portman (Jackie), Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins) - haven't seen the films; Emma Stone (La La Land) - film released wide in 2017.

Upfront: I'm pretty embarrassed by my record of moviegoing this year in terms of strong female leads.  I tend to skew pretty heavily toward male/action films anyway, but I had to go through my list of films a few times before I settled on my list.  That's not to say any of these are weak performances.  Margot Robbie gives a gonzo, highly entertaining show as the unhinged Harley Quinn; if only the whole film could have followed suit.  Melissa McCarthy is probably the most reliable comedic star right now, and her dedicated, hilarious performance elevates an otherwise weak film.  Helen Mirren is of course a great actress, and her dedicated, exasperated, yet troubled general is the foundation in an intriguing look at modern warfare.  Amy Adams is great in the strange new sci-fi film, and hers was an essential human element in the thoughtful affair.  Her character is quiet and withdrawn, acting as a vessel for the audience's amazement at alien life early before showing why, powerfully, only later.

Viola Davis is simply remarkable as Rose in Fences.  Being able to register at all, when seen next to Denzel's dominating, bravura show, would have been impressive.  However, Viola takes what could have been a passive, nurturing yet victimized character and makes her into a strong, loving, wise yet vulnerable and flawed co-lead.  She is both perfect when out of the spotlight - cooking, listening to her family - as well as the center of attention, the only person whose retorts could silence Denzel.


Best Supporting Actress:
Naomie Harris (Moonlight)
Gillian Jacobs (Don't Think Twice)
Kate McKinnon (Ghostbusters)
Alicia Vikander (Jason Bourne)
Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea)

Oscar nominees not listed:  Nicole Kidman (Lion) - haven't seen the film; Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures) - film released wide in 2017.

My introduction to the Best Actress nominees applies here, too.  Alicia Vikander more than holds her own among the many allies of Jason Bourne, morphing fluidly between confident, overwhelmed, and scheming.  Alongside the uber-talented Keegan Michael-Key, Gillian Jacobs is a great complement, someone very funny but also quite vulnerable and compassionate.  In a film filled with hilarious women, SNL's Kate McKinnon stole the show in the rebooted Ghostbusters as she took hold of her zany yet fierce character.  Naomie Harris was responsible for perhaps more heartbreak and brutality than anything or anyone else in Moonlight, both an impressive and very difficult achievement.  The wayward mother of the main character, she still manages to convey an enduring love for her son.

Although her screen time is quite limited, Michelle Williams' appearances in Manchester by the Sea are so powerful that they reverberate throughout the film.  An ordinary woman in many ways, she shows her fierce love for her children even as she navigates a tumultuous young relationship with her husband (Affleck).  So when tragedy strikes, you can't escape the devastation she must feel, and can't look away when she finally reconnects with Affleck for a brief but powerful few moments.


Best Supporting Actor:
Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)
Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)
Tom Hardy (The Revenant)
Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea)
Mykelti Williamson (Fences)

Oscar nominees not listed:  Dev Patel (Lion), Michael Shannon (Noctural Animals) - haven't seen the films.

I want to give an honorable mention here to Kyle Chandler in Manchester by the Sea; playing Affleck's brother in flashbacks, he is a strong foundation for a family without which many individuals understandably suffer.  His co-star and on-screen son, played by Lucas Hedges, is more prominent, and is very good for a young actor; his teenage antics can be believably insufferable, but mostly he is a young man trying to bury his pain.  Tom Hardy is good at the stark and brutal, and that certainly describes his trapper in The Revenant.  Mykelti Williamson is Denzel's brain-damaged brother in Fences, unrestrained yet appropriately played as a reminder of both his brother's responsibilities and grievances.  Mahershala Ali is sadly only in the first part of Moonlight, but his performance makes perfectly clear why he has such long-lasting effect on the main character.  He is tough as nail, yet utterly humbled and moved when confronted with a young boy's suffering.

For Jeff Bridges, his Texas Ranger hunting a pair of bank robbers in Hell or High Water wasn't entirely new (see: True Grit).  But damn, is he good at this.  On the edge of retirement and set in his ways - both in his operating procedure and his cultural attitudes - he is loyal enough to both his responsibilities and his partner to try to fight his worst tendencies.


Other Awards

Best Director:
Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)
Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea)
Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: Civil War)
Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)
Denzel Washington (Fences)

Oscar nominees not listed:  Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge) - haven't seen the film; Damien Chazelle (La La Land) - film released wide in 2017

Although he will likely be remembered (and perhaps awarded) more for his acting, Washington did a superb job adapting Fences for the big screen, maintaining pace and intrigue throughout despite having just one set and near-constant dialogue.  Anthony and Joe Russo pulled off another difficult feat, producing a wildly entertaining movie that defied genre conventions, pushed the MCU's story forward, and somehow juggled a ridiculous number of characters.  Denis Villeneuve continues to be one of my favorite directors, going in yet another entirely new direction with a more thoughtful and culturally-relevant sci-fi film than I've seen in years.  In taking on a film about a young gay black man that has no plot, Barry Jenkins took perhaps the biggest risk of them all.  But instead of being boring or cliched (or worse), Jenkins made something challenging, haunting and artistic.

The director, Kenneth Lonergan, of the best film of the year, Manchester by the Sea, deserves much credit for creating a film that is strong in so many different ways.  He got an amazing amount of nuance and power from his entire cast, from Affleck, on down, which played ordinary people and could not rely on any of the usual actorly "red meat".  Despite a simply story (to go with the ordinary people), Lonergan paced it perfectly, letting the audience feel the ebb and flow of emotion just as his characters did.  Of course, perhaps it helped that he was working from such an amazing script (oh, he did that, too).  With all the investment, it ended up coming together perfectly in a wonderful film.


Best Screenplay:
Jared Bush and Phil Johnston (Zootopia)
Guy Hibbert (Eye in the Sky)
Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea)
Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Deadpool)
August Wilson (Fences)

Best Visual Effects*:
Doctor Strange
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
The Jungle Book
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Star Trek Beyond

*honorable mention to The Revenant (Emmanuel Lubezki) for absolutely amazing cinematography.




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John Wick: Chapter 2

Score:  **** out of ***** (A-)

Directed by Chad Stahelski
Starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishbourne, Ricardo Scamarcio, et. al.
Running time: 122 minutes
Rated R

Long Story Short:  Chapter Two continues the tale of John Wick, picking up just about right where the original left off.  Keanu Reeves once again does a good job of making Wick into a legendary fighter.  The film wisely builds on the previous entry by emphasizing the mythology of its world and - most importantly - somehow increasing both the quantity and the quality of its action scenes.  For fans of action films, this is a must-see.


John Wick (Reeves) has unfinished business.  After recently coming out of retirement (in the first film), the former hitman storms the headquarters of a Russian mob to retrieve his stolen '69 Mustang. Once this is accomplished, John hopes to gather the remnants of his life and settle back into a quiet peace.  However, a crime lord named Santino (Scamarcio) soon pays him a visit, demanding that John repay him a debt.  John is reluctant, but his former employer in the Continental tells him that he has no choice.  Soon he finds himself on his way to Rome to carry out one last mission; but he finds that for a man of his lethal talent, truly leaving his old world behind is not as simple as abiding by the rules.

John Wick: Chapter 2 has a solid core cast, with a number of familiar faces in supporting roles.  Keanu Reeves once again leads as the title character, a hitman whose reputation precedes him wherever he goes.  Reeves is not exactly a top-tier actor, but the role is perfect for him, and he is just as entertaining as in the first film.  He is a man of few words, communicating instead through his perpetually distant, often grim expressions, his precise movement, and of course his fighting.  Rather than empathize with him, the film asks the audience to regard Wick as a fighting deity with human characteristics.  Although only in the film for a few minutes, Laurence Fishbourne gets to reunite with his Matrix co-star, and he clearly relishes his role as a shadowy, cast-off gang leader, taunting a desperate Wick.  Ian McShane plays the Continental's leader with a feel of cool authority and wisdom.  Ricardo Scamarcio is not a great villain, but he's OK (importantly, he brings plenty of henchmen to dispatch).  And Common is very good in a small role as Wick's rival, producing intense stand-offs and energetic, bone-crunching brawls.  Finally, there are a number of brief but notable roles, both new and recurring: Lance Reddick as the cool Continental concierge, Ruby Rose as a fiesty, crude, mute bodyguard, and Peter Serafinowicz as "the Sommelier", essentially Wick's Q.

The sequel to 2014's surprise action hit is a worthy follow-up, one that does not try to copy the formula of the original yet also accentuates some of its strengths.  John Wick introduced us to the hitman in a plot that was surprisingly personal - even including a puppy.  Chapter Two acknowledges all that briefly at the beginning, but then focuses and expands on two other elements from the first: its alternate world and gonzo, ruthless action.  Taking place in the present, the Wick films imagine an extensive network of criminal organizations and free agents, all revolving around an organization that has its HQ in the Continental hotel in the middle of NYC.  They make and enforce the rules of the "game", and the building itself serves as a hub and safe space.  This mythology lends crucial specificity and creativity to the events.

Those events are, broadly speaking, pretty standard action, but in build up and execution, extremely well done.  The first battle involves little shooting, and Wick gets battered in hand-to-hand fighting and car chasing just as much as he dishes out.  This is a fun, often humorous start, and it allows the action to evolve from there.  There is a big build up to the next fight,  and suddenly John Wick slips naturally and effortlessly into the legend that everyone else fears.  Things escalate up to Wick fending off hitmen himself, and includes extended sequences of both shoot-outs and intense hand-to-hand combat.  Much of the fighting style was introduced in the first film, but Chapter Two ramps it up not only in sheer quantity but also in the brilliance of its choreography.  No shaky cam or confusingly quick edits here - the action may happen fast and furiously (eat your heart out, Vin Diesel) but every part of the battle is captured beautifully and interestingly on screen.

***

John Wick: Chapter 2 is an excellent start to the year in the action genre.  The film is a perfect complement to the original: it doesn't attempt to copy, but rather bring more depth and quality to select elements, and then set up the franchise for an interesting new direction in a (likely) third film.  It makes me want to see the original again soon, and puts John Wick among the titans of the genre: James Bond, Jason Bourne, Ethan Hunt.  Keanu Reeves deserves credit for solidifying the Wick persona.  Equally important is the new style and excellent quality of action as well as its interesting background.  Note that, if it wasn't clear already, this is extremely violent, more so than the other three franchises I just mentioned.  If you can handle it, though, you are unlikely to find a better action film any time soon.



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The Founder

Score:  **** out of ***** (B+)

Directed by John Lee Hancock
Starring Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch, Laura Dern, et. al.
Running time: 115 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  The Founder brings the story of the McDonald's restaurant's rise to fame to the big screen.  Michael Keaton shines as Ray Kroc, the man who took the concept and made it huuge.  With him as the focus and a slightly satirical tone, the film manages to balance the nastiness within the story with plenty of humor and optimism.  Recommended for all.


In the 1950s, traveling salesman Ray Kroc (Keaton) bounces around the casual restaurants of the midwest trying to sell his milkshake machines.  He is increasingly frustrated with the grind, but is surprised to one day receive a large order from a joint in southern California.  He drives there himself and finds an entirely new kind of business, called McDonald's.  Instead of servers on skates slowly delivering food to a gruff crowd, he finds long lines of families receiving clean, delicious meals - astonishingly quickly.  McDonald's brother owners Dick (Offerman) and Mac (Lynch) proudly give Ray a tour, showcasing their efficiency and high standards.  The businessman in Ray is ecstatic, and eventually convinces the brothers to allow him to franchise their restaurant.  His wife, Ethel (Dern), is supportive, happy for her husband's renewed enthusiasm.  But she does not realize that McDonald's has taken hold of her husband like none of his previous ventures, and it soon drives him to both amazing success and profound personal change.

The Founder features a cast of familiar faces which give the film a vivid, interesting set of characters.  Michael Keaton plays Ray Kroc so well that it is difficult to imagine another actor more suited to the role.  As foreshadowed by the playing of a motivational record, Keaton constantly displays the persistence of his character; in the beginning, this makes the struggling Ray a sympathetic underdog, but it transforms him into a cold, ruthless corporate dictator by the end.  All along the way, Keaton gives a physical performance, particularly in his rhythm of speech, slight accent, and facial expressions, that embodies Ray's natural salesmanship.  But he also shows an intensity of thought and emotion in pivotal scenes both with others and alone.  Dick and Mac McDonald, played by Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch, are fun characters, though much less developed.  In some ways they are almost charicatures, with Mac as the optimistic, friendly half and Dick as the gruff, get-to-business half.  Offerman in particular is suited for his part - almost too closely, as it is difficult to separate him from his Parks & Rec Ron.  Laura Dern is great in a small role, a supportive yet savvy, knowing wife; she is perhaps the most tragic character, suffering in silence.  There are several other decent roles, including the seductive wife of a business partner (Linda Cardellini) and a scheming adviser played by B.J. Novak (The Office).

The Founder is a strong drama focused on its title character, both enhanced and limited by a larger-than-life, almost satirical style.  Keaton's performance as already mentioned is outstanding, and serves as, well, a solid foundation for the film.  Although there are colorful characters around him, it's his film, and wisely so.  The events are of course based on those that actually occurred, but they are often presented in a slightly mocking, satirical tone, as if the film is almost pretending to be an advertisement for McDonald's.  This gives the film a unique tone, and allows flexibility in the script, which alternates somewhat (and somewhat effectively) between realistic, serious dialogue and quiet observations, and more dramatized scenes which include semi-fantasy images of the restaurant.  It also allows for a good dose of quality humor, while further pushing forward Ray's point of view.  However, the style choices also restrict the subtlety and nuance that is possible; the few and best bits of this come from Ray's wife Ethel.  Characters not named Ray can seem almost plot devices; even the McDonald brothers are fairly simple symbols of hardworking America getting screwed over.  The film has a sense of inevitability for its overall direction and even individual plot points, particularly Ray's courting of Joan (Cardellini).  Still, after a film full of outsize characters, romanticizing business, and humor, there is a lasting feeling of disquiet brought forth effectively at the end.

***

The Founder is a strong film, and well worth seeing not just for the quality but also for bringing something new to the table - and an interesting origin story for the ubiquitous restaurant.  It has its share of flaws, largely as a result of limitations of the very style that makes it interesting.  But Keaton's performance might itself be worth taking a look at this film.  Over the next few weeks, I'll be watching some much different movies; although the series of dramas I've seen over the past few months have been outstanding, I'm looking forward to something a little more lighter.  You don't need to rush out to the theater to see The Founder, but I recommend it to any audience for at least a home viewing (Netflix, on-demand, etc.).




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Moonlight

Score:  ****1/2 out of ***** (A)

Directed by Barry Jenkins
Starring Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, Alex Hibbert, Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris
Running time: 111 minutes
Rated R

Long Story Short:  Moonlight meditates on the life of a young black gay man and the ways in which both hard life circumstances as well as unexpected blessings shape him.  Taking place over three periods of the main character's life, three different actors do a great job not just with continuity but in convincingly developing him.  Even as it tells a relatively simple tale, the film will leave you with plenty to think about.  Highly recommended.


A young boy (Hibbert) known as "little" to his peers is chased through a rough neighborhood in sunny Miami.  A drug dealer, Juan (Ali), sees him go to hide in an abandoned apartment and gets him to come out.  Little refuses to speak, not even his name, and so Juan feeds him and gives him a place to sleep for the night.  The boy returns home the next day, but soon finds Juan again and the two become close.  They spend entire days together, learning how to swim and sitting quietly.  Years later as a teenager, Little - real name Chiron (Sanders) - continues to be bullied at school.  He becomes friends with Kevin, but his tormentors force them apart, and Chiron is arrested when he lashes out against them.  Further along in his life, Chiron has taken the nickname "Black", given to him by Kevin, as he falls into the drug dealing of his former mentor and friend.  Now living in Atlanta, Black is haunted by - and still pulled back to - his tumultuous upbringing.

Moonlight features a fairly small cast, with a few supporting characters surrounding Chiron at each of three stages in his life.  The film's focus, first and last, is the gay, black lead character, and so it was essential to find not just three excellent actors but also three who shared many characteristics.  Fortunately, this mission was accomplished.  Young Alex Hibbert is perhaps the most impressive, acting as naturally as I've seen anyone of his age.  Heartbreakingly, he is already quiet and withdrawn as a consequence of his home life and treatment by other boys, and Hibbert's performance pulls you in immediately.  Sanders is very good as well, as teenage Chiron.  He effectively captures the awkwardness of his years combined with further awareness of being gay in society.  This is where Chiron shows the most emotion, but whether in anger or joy, his pain is quite evident.  Finally there is Rhodes who plays the oldest Chiron, further hardened and emotionally crippled by this point that the ability to clearly feel his raw, unresolved inner conflict juxtaposes strongly with his powerful adult physique.  All three actors share the same haunted stare, a chilling symbol that reaches through the years - revealed in under two hours.  The supporting cast is quite strong, too, particularly the great roles for Mahershala Ali as the fatherly drug dealer, Naomie Harris as Chiron's ruined mother, and Andre Holland as an adult (in more ways than one) Kevin.

Moonlight is first and foremost a character study, one that is presented with an interesting mix of realism and abstract artistry.  Taking place over three distinct, brief periods of Chiron's life, there isn't exactly a plot, but more a developing understanding of Chiron over time.  This is done largely by several themes running through all three periods and symbolized by various people in Chiron's life.  The two most influential forces in his life are his broken home life and his homosexuality.  While his mother is tragically incapable of properly raising him (although the undeniable mother-child bond is evident in many moments), Chiron ultimately embraces the lifestyle of his long-gone mentor Juan despite the painful memories it must bring.  Kevin offers a brief but powerful glimpse of what it could mean for Chiron to embrace his sexuality, but this too is taken from him; although in a sense, he unconsciously pushes this happiness away, too.  The way this all is depicted is primarily through ordinary life moments, with particular focus on several of Chiron's crucial relationships.  Fortunately, the pace never falters much, with the changes in time period keeping things fresh.  Even as the film eschews any false dramatic devices, it still filters sounds and images creatively to show their impact on Chiron.  At the end, we get another look at Little, standing at the edge of the ocean and then staring back at us, with eyes through which we have seen a lifetime.

***

Moonlight is yet another great film in the running for Best Picture at this year's Oscars.  It is a powerfully intimate film - in that it is so focused on the main character in every way - and took me a little while to grapple with how I felt about it.  Well, I still am, to tell the truth.  It can feel a little bit too limited in some ways, particularly as it doesn't have any plot, yet at the same time almost too full, as it deals with such big issues including the devastation of drugs, and the experiences of African Americans and homosexuals in modern society.  However, above all Moonlight does an excellent job of illustrating an intriguing, genuine-feeling character via outstanding performances and very good, subtle filmmaking.  A powerful, valuable film to watch, whether in theaters (first came out months ago, but I think my theater got it as part of the Oscar lead up) or at home.




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Hidden Figures

Score:  ****1/2 out of ***** (A)

Directed by Theodore Melfi
Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kevin Costner, et. al.
Running time:  127 minutes
Rated PG

Long Story Short:  Hidden Figures tells the true story of the vital work done by three black women at NASA in the crucial early days of the Cold War space race.  The film has a fantastic foundation to work from, with Henson, Spencer, and Monae skillfully portraying the incredible women.  It's a crowd-pleaser in tone, yet it's also made with the quality and care of the best Hollywood has to offer. Come not just for an important piece of our national history, but also for an extremely entertaining tale.  A must-see.


The front line of the Cold War in the early 1960s was the race to space and, having been the first to do so, the Soviet Union sent shock waves through millions of stunned Americans.  At NASA bases across the country, including Hampton, VA, many people were hard at work to catch up to and surpass their rival.  Part of this effort, but tucked out of sight, included a group of African American women such as computer Katherine Goble (Henson), engineer Mary Jackson (Monae), and the unofficial head of the group, Dorothy Vaughan (Spencer).  Pressured to accelerate his Space Task Group's progress in putting a man into orbit around the Earth, Al Harrison (Costner) reaches out for another "computer", to check and correct the incredible amount and complexity of calculations being done by his team, all white men.  Katherine is called upon, leaving her group for the exciting yet daunting opportunity.  Meanwhile, Jackson attempts to join another team as engineer and struggles as barriers are thrust before her.  And Dorothy continues to fight for her work family; denied the actual position that she does anyway, she takes it upon herself to learn about a new kind of computer - a kind made by IBM - and make her team valuable to the space race in a brand new way.  The clock is ticking, and as John Glenn prepares to take a leap of faith on NASA's efforts, his success depends on the talents and efforts of the three incredible women in Virginia.

Hidden Figures has quite a cast of popular and talented actors which is crucial in driving the drama and essence of the film.  The cast is led by the impressive trio of NASA employees: Katherine, Mary, and Dorothy.  Each woman is a distinguished, intriguing character, thanks to the work of the actresses.  Katherine, if any, is the primary lead due to her role working on John Glenn's flight trajectory.  She has a sort of middle of the road personality, from her nervousness in joining the big shots to her occasional outburst of frustration at her treatment; from her intense dedication to her work to her gentle and loving care of her children.  Katherine is a very well-rounded and developed character, thanks to both Henson and the script (and, of course, the woman herself).  While Spencer's Vaughan and Monae's Jackson don't receive quite the depth of attention, again the performances and character's themselves are impressive.  Vaughan is the dignified emotional leader; also perhaps the most oppressed, she quietly moves forward undaunted, providing a foundation for all the rest.  And Jackson is perhaps the most impassioned one, determined to live on her own terms yet also using a calm and focused mind to get there; a court scene in which she argues for her own right to education is one of the best dramatic scenes I've witnessed in a long time.  There are some notable supporting roles, including Costner's team leader Harrison, an arrogant engineer played by Jim Parsons, a romantic interest for Katherine in Mahershala Ali's Jim Johnson and even a tiny but nice John Glenn part.  But make no mistake: this is Katherine, Mary, and Dorothy's movie.

Hidden Figures is one of those rare films combining a crowd-pleasing style with a top-notch level of filmmaking from its performances to its script and design - oh, and it tells an important, inspiring true story with care and respect.  The overall tone and style of the film has the unmistakable scent of Hollywood drama (from the type of dialogue to the score); sometimes this can be a nauseous odor, but here it is fresh and warm.  And the main reasons this turns out alright - make that fantastic - is the quality and care of execution, and the amazing nature of the true story and its characters.  There are frequent reminders of the racism that the main characters dealt with every day - from a policeman's stopping when he sees their car pulled over, to having to run half a mile across the NASA campus just to get to a bathroom.  But these are not heavy-handed, rather they are both powerful and thoughtfully done.  On the other side of the coin, the white characters do not simply move from ignorant and hateful at the beginning to redeemed and loving at the end.  Each starts at different levels and some make progress while others don't.  In short, for a crowd-pleaser, this film is remarkably complex in its social narrative.

Hidden Figures is not primarily about race relations, however; its main goal is illustrating its remarkable protagonists.  Sure, a large part of that is the women's work (most of this is Katherine's, both the everyday grind as well as a few moments where her mathematical genius gets to shine before a stunned audience) and the racial barriers they face.  But there are also important scenes with family and friends, primarily dealing with single mother Katherine's efforts raising her daughters and being courted by an Army officer.  And despite the seriousness of the story, the script and actors manage to produce some great humor, too (this is where the crowd-pleasing nature comes back in).  Finally, the film is quite historically accurate - Parsons' and Dunst's characters are fictional composites, and some details are swapped around - with little of the dramatic embellishment that can go way overboard in lesser-skilled hands.  Glenn himself trusted Katherine - when he wanted his calculations checked, he specifically asked for her to do it, not the machines or anything/anyone else.

***

Hidden Figures is a great film, and caps what has been an incredible winter season of films - to go along with Manchester by the Sea, Fences, and La La Land.  Speaking of which, I'll be delaying my year-end movie post a bit this year - both so that it comes closer to the Oscars, and so I can see a few more movies on Netflix that I didn't get to see in theaters.  I find it interesting that, in this space for my La La Land, I hoped for more films like it - i.e., strong films that entertain and reach a large audience, while harnessing the talent of Hollywood (not just acting but writing, etc.) on good ideas.  Well, if Hidden Figures doesn't fit the bill, I don't know what does.  It's been a great start to 2017 in movie terms, and hopefully it will continue.  Make sure to get out to see this one!



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La La Land

Score:  ****1/2 out of ***** (A)

Directed by Damien Chazelle
Starring Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend
Running time: 128 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  La La Land is a musical, set in modern times but in the tradition of the classics.  Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone must now be cemented as the top pairing in Hollywood, making the film an enrapturing experience.  But credit also must be given to a simple yet well-devised story, a very good script - and perhaps most importantly, fantastic music.  A must-see.


In the sunny setting of Los Angeles, Mia (Stone) dreams of becoming a successful actress.  As she patiently endures failed auditions, she squeezes into a crowded apartment and works as a barista by day.  Sebastian (Gosling) mourns society's declining interest in classic jazz, and his resistance to catering to popular tastes as a pianist bounces him from bar to restaurant and back.  The struggling artists run into each other several times by coincidence, and slowly, grudgingly, get to know each other.  They begin to see themselves in each other, though, in their ambitions, and soon spend more time with each other, urging each other on in their pursuits.  As he grows more fond of Mia, Sebastian looks for more stable employment, and joins an old friend's band - one with a popular sound he dislikes but provides a steady paycheck.  Soon he is out of town on tour more often than not, leaving Mia to continue her vain efforts to land a significant acting role.  The strain of day-to-day living and frustration in achieving artistic ambition for Mia and Sebastian combines now with observing and supporting the same struggles in another; if they can't both have it all, where will their hearts and their minds ultimately pull them?

La La Land has a very small cast - basically, the leads - but the actors take you into their hopeful yet vulnerable world.  Having starred together in several other films, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone have developed a rapport that is evident immediately and throughout the film.  Both are energetic, and their personalities fit together well; Gosling/Sebastian as a more naturally outgoing people-person yet with a brooding quieter side, and Stone/Mia with a smart, quieter, reserved posture along with the desire and ability to connect with others.  Fortunately, we get plenty of opportunity to observe both characters by themselves in addition to their dynamic relationship.  Naturally, this occurs mostly at the beginning of the film, with Sebastian's passion and Mia's resolve particularly well illustrated - and for both, the internal fear and frustration they try to mask.  But also we see them separately towards the end, showing how their relationship has helped them grow (and also heighten the pain of certain failures).  It sometimes seems that Gosling and Stone are merely being themselves on screen, but I think that more reflects their commitment and consistency to character - and both strike just the right balance at the particularly emotional and powerful moments.

La La Land is a great movie, one that incorporates its musical elements seamlessly and tells a strong story - but above all, a joyful and uplifting one.  With the focus solely on Mia, Sebastian, and their relationship, the filmmakers have room to really explore the characters, with music (and dance to a lesser degree) celebrating and enhancing them along with the more traditional dramatic tools.  After all - this is a film about artists.  The beginning third (well, probably more like first half) and the ending are particularly strong in this combination of art and drama; the middle is still fine, and importantly moves the story forward, but it can't help but drag a bit in comparison.  The story mostly just glides along - in support of the characters - but it provides an ending that is both heartbreaking and also triumphant.  It says, no, you can't have literally everything in life, but the result can still be happy.  Last but certainly not least, the music is tremendous.  Several of the tunes are quite strong and I've been humming them in my head ever since.  Equally as impressive is the instrumental work, in and around the featured songs; it certainly is musical-y, but it all ties together with its own jazzy style and features some great moments, especially for the piano and trumpet (it helps that those are my favorites!).

***

La La Land, like several other films in this awards season, certainly lives up to its critical hype.  Especially in the depths of winter, and the tense, dark political atmosphere of the day, this film is a perfect way to escape, enjoy yourself, and remind yourself of life's hope and possibilities.  I hope, too, that the film can be successful enough to show Hollywood studios the (financial and other) merits of nurturing top talent - here, up-and-coming director Chazelle, and everyone else from Gosling and Stone to the writers and musicians.  These films get made every year of course - and fortunately, at least in my rural area, they are even slowly coming to a wider audience - but I'd like to see more regular effort to A) pour in the same talent and ideas/innovation to the blockbusters (i.e. wide releases) and B) release them throughout the year, not just award season (December-January).  In the mean time, make sure you, the audience, go out to enjoy and support great work like La La Land - so hopefully there'll be more like it to come!



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Fences

Score:  ****1/2 out of ***** (A)

Directed by Denzel Washington
Starring Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Jovan Adepo
Running time: 139 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  Fences is the film adaptation of a play by August Wilson; it stars, in fact, the lead actors from the Broadway show of 2010.  Denzel and Viola are incredible, a dynamic duo whose characters' lives speak not just to the African American experience but to any family.  Wilson's simple yet compelling and powerful story translates just fine from stage to screen, with loads of great dialogue and interactions that keep you riveted.  Highly recommended for all.


Pittsburgh garbage collector Troy Maxson (Washington) has a seemingly traditional 1950s life, with a wife, teenage son, and home of his own.  After work each day, Troy shoots the breeze with best friend Jim (Henderson), reminiscing about the old days while waiting for dinner.  However, a world of complexity and pain lies beneath the surface for Troy.  His mentally disabled brother, Gabe (Williamson), wanders the streets and Troy often gets him out of trouble.  His adult son, Lyons (Hornsby), struggles to support his own family in the way his father does.  Both Lyons, and younger son Cory (Adepo), strive at making their dreams (in music and football) a reality - which only makes Troy look back at his own dashed dreams with regret.  All the while, his loyal wife Rose (Davis) stands by his side, somehow finding the strength to make the physical and emotional effort of keeping the family together.  But when Troy reveals a secret to his family, they are all forced to confront not just the painful differences that have separated them, but also the parts that join them all together.

Fences benefits from a very talented ensemble that breathes life into the story.  Denzel Washington and Viola Davis are the leads, and both bring much experience to their parts: they each won Tony awards for their work in the Broadway play.  Their comfort with the roles is clear on screen, as they both simply disappear into the characters.  Denzel's is one of the most emotional and animated that I have ever seen - his Troy wears his heart on his sleeve - and also one of the best in general that I've seen.  He is usually energetic, even if crankily so, and Denzel powers through extended scenes of dialogue with tremendous endurance and focus.  Through his eyes and face and voice, you can easily see what a damaged soul Troy is, yet Denzel lowers his defenses enough, at times, to show his vulnerability, too.  Viola Davis is equally brilliant, albeit in a much less showy role (although she gets a few moments, too).  Credit goes to August Wilson, of course, for making the wife of the focal character as deep and complex as she is, but Davis pulls off the great feat of making her presence known at all times, while not hogging all the attention.  Her Rose is a model of strength and courage and Davis' performance is at least as important as the script in doing so.  All of the supporting roles are superbly done, too: from Troy's friend Jim (Stephen M. Henderson), the affable man of deep wisdom; to Lyons (Russell Hornsby), the distant yet warm son and Cory (Jovan Adepo) the passionate adolescent son.  Multiple Oscar nominations are deserving here.

Fences is an excellent film adaptation of a very interesting and powerful play by August Wilson.  It is important to first note, if you haven't yet seen it, that the style of the action retains its roots from the stage.  Not only is it set almost entirely in the Maxson family home, but there is continual dialogue (I say this because my attention tends to wander a little while watching films, since dialogue is usually less constant - but you can't do that with this one!).  This all was just fine with me, and it fits the needs of the characters and story quite well; it's a testament to the strength of the script and the performances, though, that such a style does not drag at all during a two hour-twenty minute run time.  Denzel is the tour de force here, but there is room for a complex set of issues not just within him but for his individual family members as well.  Of course, the story and characters speak volumes about the African American experience: the resentment of the treatment of blacks, and indoctrination of "their place" in society, which itself powerfully limits even a strong, capable man like Troy - beyond even the de jure means of oppression.  I would argue, though, that it is even more interested (and interesting) in terms of even broader ideas of family.  Troy's early experiences, race-related and otherwise, strongly shaped him.  And tragically, even as he did all he could not to raise a family the way his father did, the avoidance of those evils also created a different kind of oppression for his own family.  The film's ending, with Troy's family coming to terms with his legacy from their various perspectives, speaks powerfully to these themes with love and compassion.

***

A great, bread-and-butter drama, Fences works beautifully as a film even as it retains much of its style as a play.  The adapted script - started by Wilson and completed by fellow Pulitzer-prize winning Tony Kushner (Wilson died in 2005) - is just fantastic.  Wilson's framework is tried-and-true yet also creates characters and a story with true life; and I'm guessing that Kushner's work helped make it even more appropriate for the big screen, while retaining the intimacy of the stage.  The entire cast is equally deserving of praise, especially Washington and Davis, of conveying these people and their thoughts and emotions - and not in brief snippets, but in long, heavy doses of intense and evolving dialogue and action.  It's instantly among the strongest overall dramas I've seen, with universal appeal and relevance.  Highly recommended.



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