Baby Driver Review
From the brilliant mind of Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Edgar Wright delivers Baby Driver, the story about the best getaway driver, Baby (Ansel Elgort), working for crime lord Doc (Kevin Spacey). While he may be the best at what he does, Baby no longer wants to be part of the criminal life and only works for Doc to repay a debt. Falling in love with a woman named Deborah (Lily James) only makes it harder for him to escape the life of a crime as he is called to one last heist.
Baby Driver is an anomaly of a film because it is the ultimate balance between action, humor, and story. This film had me laughing hysterically. Jokes never feel forced and don’t hit you over the head. Some jokes come out of left field and completely catches the audience off guard. Baby Driver had so much personality that you can definitely feel Edgar Wright’s personal stamp on it. The music is the heartbeat of the film. Music flows and syncs to scenes so seamlessly that it never feels out of place. When the music is silly and fun, you feel that way. When the music is exciting and dramatic, you sense it. When the music is slow and tension building, you experience it. When one thinks of masterful usage of music, one would recall the success of James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy and its Awesome Mixes. Baby Driver kicks it up a notch with its own musical flavor.
Baby Driver’s action sequences are so thrilling to watch and listen to. Watching car chases, in general can sometimes make you feel lost when camera shots aren’t edited together properly or they can even feel too slow and disengaged with static shots. However, Baby Driver nails this aspect down perfectly as the car chases in the film are shot and edited so fluidly. The sound mixing is incredible as well. There’s perfect emphasis on the sound of the car’s engine, the sound of the wheels turning and burning against the asphalt, when the music needed to be loud, and when the music needed to tone down and be subtle.
Each character is unique and has their own flavor and backstory. It felt as if every character was a scene stealer, but you can appoint this to great casting, acting, and directing. As explained in the trailers, Baby had an accident when he was a kid that left him with tinnitus (ringing in his ears) so he listens to music to drown the ringing out as well as making him focused while he’s on the job. Ansel Elgort plays Baby perfectly; a confident, but innocent character that wants nothing to do with crime. You can get a real sense of his confidence from the look in his eyes when he’s driving; outmaneuvering cop cars left and right. His facial expressions really show his regret in his actions as he performs unlawful deeds after unlawful deeds. Ironically, the more Baby tried to get out of the life of crime, the deeper he actually got into it.
Kevin Spacey really shines as crime lord Doc as he’s cunning, witty, and compassionate. Baby is indebted to Doc because of their shared past and is almost blackmailing Baby into being his getaway driver. One of the rules of their operation is to never have the same team of people on any given heist. However, Baby is the exception to Doc’s rule because he trusts Baby. Doc frequently stands up for and vouches for Baby when other members of the heist crew doubt Baby. Their relationship is an interesting one in that it contains multiple elements; that of an employer and employee, the blackmailer and victim, friends, and even almost a father-son relationship. Doc is a character you both dislike and love at the same time because of his bad, but smart decision making and the delivery of his sharp lines. I liked the relationship shared between the two characters, up until the end where their relationship takes an unexpected turn which I found questionable, but not overly flawed.
Lily James plays Deborah well, as the innocent love interest of Baby as well as the driving force for Baby to get out of doing crime. Ansel Elgort and Lily James have great chemistry together as their on-screen love is believable and adorable. Their interactions are so natural and their back and forth about music is pleasant to watch. I do feel that there were one too many of their scenes together and could’ve been edited to one scene less. Jamie Foxx’s character Bats is an absolute scene stealer as he’s both hilarious and captivating in all his scenes. He’s so believable as an impulsive, crazy criminal that you’re never sure whether to laugh or be scared of. Bats is comparable to Jamie Foxx’s other character in Horrible Bosses where he plays an ex-con. Foxx is able to flex his acting chops when he’s able to go from a more serious role in Django Unchained to a crazy, funny role in Baby Driver. Jon Hamm is another surprise standout as Buddy, the handsome bank robber that’s crazy about his wife Darling (Eiza Gonzalez). He plays a seemingly good guy that tries to relate to Baby through music as well as trying to stick up for Baby when other crew members question Baby. He plays this type of good guy so convincingly, no one sees the twist coming at the end with his character.
Baby Driver combines thrilling action, laugh-out-loud comedy, and personal storytelling to deliver a perfect summer movie. While I could easily say Baby Driver is the better of the two out of Baby Driver and the entire Fast franchise, Baby Driver is in essence, a different kind of film that’s on another level. The stellar cast, great acting, and sharp writing drives the story and never really stops. Masterfully shot action scenes are fun to watch and just make you want to become a driver on the level of Baby. To anyone reading this out there, I’d tell you to drive to the theater to see this movie, baby. I give this film, 4.5 stars out of 5 and invite you to see Baby Driver.
Transformers: The Last Knight Review
Directed by Michael Bay, Transformers: The Last Knight follows the human, Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) as he hides away from the government with the Autobots. This movie takes place sometime after Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers and humans are at odds again because Transformers are still landing on Earth without anyone knowing why. The government sets up a response team called the Transformers Reaction Force that hunts down and kills Transformers. Only this time, Optimus Prime is gone. The absence of Optimus Prime leaves the Autobots leaderless and unable to respond to the threat of the Transformers Reaction Force until they are forced back into action when a mysterious enemy threatens Earth.
In the opening scene, it is revealed to us that humans and Transformers have been in contact for centuries. The concept of Transformers aiding King Arthur is a silly, but cool one. I for one bought into this story element, but the way it plays out later never really satisfies my expectation for hidden secrets of the Transformers universe. Transformers: The Last Knight is a movie jam-packed with characters without any actual character. What I mean by that is, most of the characters are flat, have no development throughout the film, and I never really care about them by the time the credits roll.
Let’s start with Optimus Prime, the head honcho of the Autobots. He was gone for most of the movie and gets turned evil by the Transformer sorceress, Quintessa. Under her evil influence, he fights fan-favorite Bumblebee. As this was a fight I looked forward to because of the trailers; I felt underwhelmed. The fight does not last that long and doesn’t hold as much emotional meaning as I wanted. It ends in a cheap, dissatisfying way that felt like a deus ex machina. When Optimus Prime eventually does become good again (this was expected), his heroic moments feel forced and never have any weight to them. Bumblebee is the most likable Transformer and makes me look forward to the Bumblebee spinoff that’s set to release in a few years. Megatron is supposed to be the big boss of the Decepticons, but I have not felt a very impactful presence from him since the first film in the franchise. Once again, he feels like a second-rate lackey with not much of a real purpose other than to be a bad guy that the good guys shoot at. There were also instances where other Transformers were jammed into the movie for the sole purpose of selling toys. I do like the introduction of Quintessa and the general Transformers mythos the filmmakers were trying to build, but I never fully bought into the way it was executed.
Cade Yeager’s character is supposed to be this noble, cool father that has a good moral compass and the story leads the audience to believe he is meant to have some greater purpose in the movie. However, any emotional moments or character development Cade was supposed to have, were botched by silly dialogue and unfunny one-liners. In general, the humor is either hit or miss. One could feel the notion that the filmmakers try to force as much humor onto us as they can, often sacrificing storytelling for a laugh. Isabela Moner plays a young girl caught in the middle of the human-Transformers war and almost acts as a foster daughter to Mark Wahlberg's character. Moner’s character is brave, smart, and underutilized. She appears at the beginning of the movie, then disappears for a good eternity, and shows up at the end having absolutely zero presence and zero impact on the film. This contrasts the marketing in which her character is used heavily and even featured in her own T.V. spot. While there was great potential for her character, she fell flat and became a missed opportunity. You could take her out of the movie and there wouldn’t be any consequences because of it. Laura Haddock plays Viviane, a professor at the University of Oxford that is important to the “story” and mythos. The reveal of her lineage should’ve been grand and cool, but just feels bland. I feel the filmmakers did not know how to use her or know what to do with her. Anthony Hopkins as Sir Edmund Burton is a fun addition the film. Though off the walls and a little bizarre, he is a likable character, and I get the sense Hopkins had fun playing this role.
Even though this is an action movie, it felt like there were just mindless explosions with humans and Transformers fighting for nothing. When the huge battle at the end happens, I was not sure where these new enemies came from. While the movie is a visual spectacle, it also felt like there was just too much visual noise. The movie, in general, is too much of everything; over the top action, forced humor, too many characters, tons of Michael Bay explosions. At the same time, it’s an empty movie with no character development, no substance, and no story. However, this is not anything new because it sticks to the Transformers formula we have been getting for the past 10 years. Michael Bay has openly said this is his last Transformers movie and I really hope it is. He has directed 5 of them of which most are mediocre to bad. I find him to be a talented director with movies such as Bad Boys and Pain & Gain under his belt, but he really needs to move on from the franchise.
It has been 10 years since the debut of the first Transformers, but the film franchise has not gotten better since then. I hope this franchise transforms into something else because it would be a waste hashing out these bad Transformers movies when there’s so much potential with all the lore behind it. If you’re a fan of the Transformers movies, I would say see this because it sticks to the same formula. If you’re not a fan of the Transformers movies and might be interested in seeing this, I’d invite you to stay at home or watch another movie at the theater. Personally, I’d give Transformers: The Last Knight 2.5 out of 5 stars.
The Little Hours Review
Sex jokes, valley girl accents, and expletive-filled rants -- Giovanni Boccaccio would no doubt be proud of the soon to be released The Little Hours, based on a story from his 14th Century work The Decameron. The film, boasting an ensemble cast with Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Ginevra Micucci, Dave Franco, John C. Reilly and Molly Shannon, manages to retain the the realness and imagination of the original piece while invoking 21st Century humor.
The story takes place in medieval England, in a convent where three Catholic Sisters (Brie, Plaza, and Micucci), vent their frustrations with their lifestyle by berating their hard-working gardener. After the gardener leaves, unable to take any more of the sister’s insults, Father Tommasso (Reilly), head of the convent, replaces him with Masseto (Franco), a young, attractive servant who is escaping death for having slept with his master’s wife. At Father Tommasso’s request, Masseto pretends to be deaf and mute so as to escape to sister’s wrath, but even so, the young women take a shine to him, finding his youth, attractiveness, and inability to resist the perfect tool to ease their lustful desires. What ensues from the competition for Masseto’s….”time” is ninety minutes of half stunned hilarity.
The actors give it their all, and watching them navigate the situation they have ended up in is comedy in itself. Moreover, comedy is not the only thing the film excels at -- the cinematography is pure art, never letting the viewer forget the beautiful English countryside the story is set in, even though the actors all keep their American accents (for the comedy, of course). Cameos from Nick Offerman and Fred Armisen add extra laughs along the way -- in fact, Armisen’s stint as the highly offended and shocked Bishop brought just the right amount of giggles before the uncharacteristically sweet ending.
The Little Hours is raunchy, sexy, and maybe even a little bit offensive -- but it is also brutally funny, and missing it would mean missing a chance to laugh about something, even if it is a little ridiculous.
4/5 stars.
The Little Hours opens everywhere on June 30th
Shut Up Anthony: Review
Shut Up Anthony is a complex film, one that requires an intricate sense at listening to the small details, and appreciating the things that are often not said. Movies like these can often be a beacon for self-reflection. Amongst those films Shut Up Anthony is the self-facing camera on your phone that you unwittingly turn to and are taken aback with. The main character: Anthony (played by Robert A. D'Esposito), after a series of cringe-worthy misgivings, retreats to a family vacation home, talking the whole way. Yet, it’s only when you realize it’s what Anthony does not say do you truly get to the beauty of the film. It’s not easy to find an unlikable main character so relatable as one finds Anthony. Relating to a character like him can hold the uncomfortable truth that from an outside perspective, we can look absolutely absurd and dickish. For that reason, I feel Shut Up Anthony will struggle to be liked by those who do not deal well with self-reflection. Some people just can’t handle the truth.
That being said, the actual depth of each character shows something to be said about Kyle Eaton’s debut film. With an uncompromising eye to both frame and script, Kyle marries outer aesthetic with internal turmoil in a way that brings the characters to life. Tim, played by Jon Titterington, holds the place of being a deep quasi-antagonist; Sparring verbally with Anthony until tensions build to a final confrontation, Tim is both wonderfully typed and dialogued. It is rare to see two male characters talk on end about emotions in the way these two do. Both passive-aggressively and on a deep emotional level.
Besides the two male characters there exists a presence that I feel others fail to touch upon in their reviews. That of the wonderfully rich character of Sam (played by Katie Michels). Sam subverts the typical girlfriend role in this film and refuses to play into a shallow, single faceted stereotype. Instead, Michels brings the depth of a complex and multi-directional woman who knows where the line is, and how to deal with those who cross it. Sam’s character is one who can see the deeper side behind Anthony and his often inappropriate babbling, and yet, knows when the relationship is taking a toxic turn.
Shut Up Anthony is a film to be watched for its deepness in character, realness in the plot, and unique cinematography in all facets. Stay patient with Anthony as so many others do in this film, and you will reveal a deeper meaning to both his absence of words and your own.
Meeting up at The West I interviewed Kyle Eaton to get a take on his Brooklyn Film Festival showing and the future of Shut Up Anthony.
How’s everything been since the showing?
Kyle: Pretty good. We actually won a spirit award! I was pretty surprised. It essentially is a critic's choice that they felt like it best suited the spirit of what the Brooklyn Film Festival was all about. Any additional recognition is really nice, you know? It’s always nice to get a little nod for whatever you produce.
That’s pretty amazing! Where do you think Shut Up Anthony is going next?
I think the film might be going down the video on demand streaming route like everything these days. We’re coming into a time where theatrical releases aren't as common these days. I sort of have to reckon with the fact that everyone wants to view movies on their laptop nowadays. So although we have a festival circuit coming up, the final form might be more digital for at-home viewers.
I read some reviews that didn’t like Anthony, suggesting he spoke too much. How do you respond to that?
Kyle: The root of Anthony’s self-destructive behavior is talking as a way of dealing with his grief. Especially returning to the house where a very traumatic incident took place, is very personal in a way. It stings to know that people would base their entire review on the main character's likability when in all honesty, they're supposed to be a real people that go through real hurt and deal with it in their own ways, not characters who you’d fall in love with but characters who have depth.
I really loved Katie’s character, how did you determine her lines and personality?
Kyle: We were very intentional in working with Katie on this character, that we didn't want her be one-sided and “the girlfriend.” We wanted her to have her own set of beliefs and ways of dealing with things just as any other character in the film. As it ends, we don’t know what really happens to Sam and Anthony but we see her start to take control at the end of the film. Sam has her own demons and her own problems and we didn’t want her to be a cardboard cutout of a traditional role that we so often see in classic film.
Photos courtesy of Shut Up Anthony
Brooklyn Film Festival Spotlight: Sweet Parents
Despite the title that indicates a demure nature, Sweet Parents is anything but. This debut film by Leah Rudick and David Bly, features a delightfully real couple in turmoil, multi-faceted female characters, and a unique plot that has to be seen to be understood.
Sweet Parents is one of those rare films that serves as both a window and a mirror. You feel uncomfortable realizing that you have unwittingly peeped inside someone else's life, yet are surprised to see your own reflection staring surprisedly back. In this film the element of realness is always there, you have had relationships like these before. One in where both sides act in best intention, but everyone gets hurt in the process. The fall from grace in this relationship can only be described as happening in a way that deeply roots itself in New York City culture, ambition, and miscommunication.
As I sat there watching with my partner, and keenly reading the room, I saw Sweet Parents evoke a level of participation, unlike anything I have seen. Audience members laughed and shouted at the screen, most even breaking the sacred silence of film to groan at the misgivings of one of the couple. I attribute this reaction to the intensely relatable nature of both the script and detail put into each small movement of the characters. Rudick and Bly have put ten years into writing and producing this film, and it truly shows.
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Following the showing, I caught up to both Actors/Directors at the nearby coffee shop for an interview
So, how do you think it went?
Leah: I think it went great! I was really happy with the response and the turnout; I was really happy to see it on the screen instead of just a laptop. To put something you make out to a big group or audience can be a bit scary sometimes.
David: We forgot that after ten years of perfecting these one liners that a lot of our script actually elicits a lot of laughter. Especially where there are some uncomfortable situations, and people laugh nervously, we sometimes get used to the comedic aspect of some of those points
What are you hoping for next?
Leah: Ideally, a distribution deal, a festival run. Just showing it to more people and getting the word out about what we made.
David: Yeah ideally more festivals similar to one we just had. More independent festivals who like to screen movies like ours. I would love to do some more in Canada where I am from.
Leah: Especially that we had the showing there (Windmill studios) it was really special. David started working on it ten years ago, I started working on it five years ago. For a long time, there was a fear that we are never going to make it, but one we decided to take the leap It was a pretty inspiring experience to see how everyone just flooded out of nowhere to help put the film together.
Photos courtesy of Sweet Parents
You're Killing Me Susana: Review
You’re Killing Me Susana is a dark romantic comedy based on the book Ciudades Desiertas by Jose Augustin. The movie follows the turbulent relationship between intellectual writer Susana (Verónica Echegui), and Eligio (Gael García Bernal), her loving but controlling actor husband. Our first glimpse of their relationship is Eligio coming home drunk late at night after we see him flirting with other women. The first fifteen minutes of the movie continue on this way until Eligio realizes that his wife has left. This already sets up the uneven power dynamic and emotional exchange of their relationship. It made sense story-wise and thematically that Susana had very few lines as Eligio was very selfish in their relationship.
Watching Eligio’s journey from Mexico to small town Americana is one of the more captivating parts of the movie. The visual contrast between the lively vibrant streets of Mexico and the overcast gray landscape of Iowa perfectly illustrate Eligio’s drastic re-orientation. The film is subversive in that the relationship between Mexico and the United States parallels this power dynamic between Eligio and his wife. Whereas back home in Mexico Eligio’s status as male allowed him to do as pleased, immediately upon entering the US, Eligio’s movement and autonomy are restricted. Indeed before he is even allowed to enter the country he is subjected to a cavity search, the ultimate threat to a traditional sense of masculinity.
The movie of course ends with him spanking his wife. Thus he in a sense “reclaims” his masculinity. There is also a very intimate relationship between Eligio’s performed hyper-masculinity and whiteness in the United States. It’s under siege throughout the entire movie, whether it be by the white woman in Susana’s class who teaches him how to shoot a gun properly, or being chased down by the police for not paying cab fare or the final insult when Eligio catches his wife having sex with a Polish man.
It’s tempting to view Eligio as nothing more than an overly controlling and paternalistic figure. But his position in many ways parallels the US and it’s relationship to foreigners and people of color. Eligio is most interested in Susana when she conforms to his idea of what a good woman and a good wife should do. He appreciates her talent as a writer but in many ways brushes that aside in favor of her appearance. Eligio upon entering the United States is immediately exotified and sought after mainly for his perceived attractiveness and fitting the idea of what a Mexican “should” be. And while Eligio is bumbling he has a somewhat misled sense of superiority and haughtiness, which looks comedic in the face of his many ineptitude.
Eligio manages to shed his toxic masculinity for the most part when he returns home to Mexico. Eventually Susana comes back to Eligio and they are a couple again. But only after Eligio spanks her into saying she loves him. The movie ends with them smiling after having more or less the same kind of argument they always have. It’s implied that they will get back together and possibly fall apart the way they did before. The hanging ending invites the viewer themselves to ask “is it all worth it?” without ever forcing an answer on anybody.
La La Land: Review
Director Damien Chazelle has once again knocked it out of the park with this year’s La La Land; following his critically acclaimed film, Whiplash, in 2014. Chazelle’s preference in creating films with musical elements is seen again in La La Land; a modern day musical telling the romantic story of aspiring actress Mia (Emma Stone) and jazz enthusiast/pianist Sebastian (Ryan Gosling).
As both director and screenplay writer, Chazelle deserves all the praise in the world for what he’s done with La La Land because of the clear direction and vision he had with the film. The film consists of a number of long takes to nail the feel of a musical as well as authenticate the experience of watching its musical numbers. Mia and Sebastian are two characters you end up deeply caring for and rooting for to succeed. Their relationship is so believable that it gets the audience emotionally invested, all thanks to the powerful performances of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. Stone and Gosling are the perfect on-screen couple as Mia and Sebastian, with their chemistry being second to none. While neither had any prior musical experience, Stone and Gosling mastered all parts of the film in which they had to sing and dance. Gosling started with zero piano experience and was the subject of worry from Chazelle, but after months of piano lessons, we got what we see on screen; beautifully crafted piano playing with no sign of movie magic or hand doubles to edit Gosling’s astounding performance. While Gosling gives a strong performance, Stone is the one who absolutely owned her role as her performance in La La Land is perfect. Her character, Mia, is the one you feel most absorbed in because Stone is able to bring her character to life; living and breathing as the aspiring actress in Hollywood. One can’t help, but wish for the couple to succeed in the pursuit of their dreams as well as hope their love triumphs over all other obstacles.
La La Land deserves all the critical acclaim for its musical score and musical numbers from Justin Hurwitz. While its opening number “Another Day of Sun” is grand and fantastic, La La Land’s smaller and more personal numbers are the real spotlight, such as “Audition (The Fools Who Dream),” and “City of Stars,” performed by Stone and Gosling respectively. Overall, the soundtrack is an absolute joy to listen to and had me listening to it as soon as I finished watching.
The only minor gripe I had with the film was the use of Sebastian’s high school classmate Keith (John Legend). While I understand his role in the plot, it never felt like his involvement with Sebastian and Mia ever came full circle.
As others have stated, La La Land is a love letter of sorts or an ode to L.A., but at its core is a story about dreams, passion, and the drive to succeed. In old Hollywood movies, there would usually be a happy ending where all loose ends are tied up in a nice bow. La La Land, however, doesn’t try to portray this fairy tale and often times pokes fun at the very concept of a fairy tale story. This film contains the perfect marriage between going after your dreams and the reality of sacrifice for a fulfilled life. In a city of dreams, not all of them come true no matter what you wish for. I absolutely La La loved this film and give La La Land a personal rating of 4.75 out of 5 stars.
Rogue One: Review
Another year, another Star Wars film -- except this isn’t just another Star Wars film. Director Gareth Edwards brings us the story of a ragtag group of people from the Rebel Alliance and their mission to steal the Death Star plans from the Galactic Empire. Going into this film, many were curious as to how the general audience would receive a story that’s not mainly connected to the major plotline. There were rumblings as to whether or not this film is a sequel to J.J. Abrams’ The Force Awakens and confusion as to whether or not Felicity Jones’ character is the same as Daisy Ridley’s Rey. Rest assured, the distinction is made clear from the opening sequence of the film, detailing a young Jyn Erso’s (Felicity Jones) background, which clearly contrasts Rey’s mysterious parentage.
As reported by many news outlets, the film had a more dreary tone than the saga films. In contrast to to the saga films, a darker, bleaker world of Star Wars was presented to the audience in Rogue One. It really brings back the “war” in Star Wars, as the film has a ton of amazing action sequences, space battles, and blasters- basically everything a Star Wars fans could ask for. The original trilogy depicted the Rebel Alliance as a heroic group of soldiers, but Rogue One portrays the Rebels at the brink of desperation, with their backs against the wall.. Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) managed to perfectly exemplify this side of the Rebels as he’s put in situations throughout the movie where he’s conflicted with the orders given to him by the Rebels and his own morals. Diego Luna’s acting really strengthens the impact of every scene he’s in, and he is able to convey Rebel’s gloomy situation to the audience masterfully. Coming off her academy award nomination for The Theory of Everything, one can already assume Felicity Jones would bring her A game and boy did she! There were multiple instances in which you can’t help, but sympathize with her character Jyn. I was so moved by her performance that there were few instances that almost brought tears to my eyes over her own personal strife and the eventual acceptance of her fate. With a well-assembled cast, all the characters had their moments to shine. While Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) has less screen time than other characters, he does without a doubt play a key and significant role. What he did in the movie manages to enrich the story of the original Star Wars: A New Hope as well as explain a looming question that have always comes up in discussions of the movie. Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) is a great villain not because he’s menacing or successful in his ventures, but because he’s very human; he made mistakes and displayed the emotional outcome from conflict between himself and another Imperial officer.
Rogue One did bring back a well-known character not just in Star Wars fandom, but in pop culture in general: the infamous and iconic Darth Vader. While there was much speculation on how big of a role he plays in the film and how much screen time he gets, I can say that his part is small, but justifiably so. Many would have hoped he had more screen time, but the story revolves around this group of Rebels’ mission and the filmmakers wouldn’t have wanted to detract away from that. Easter eggs and little bits of information pertaining to the saga films were treated with care and felt very organic to the story without blatantly name dropping. Darth Vader’s scenes are short, but so amazing that one of his scenes can easily be considered one of the greatest Star Wars moments of all time. I think the unexpected breakout character of Rogue One was the droid K-2SO, voiced by Alan Tudyk. For a droid, K-2SO had so much heart and, in some ways, had more character development than most of the other characters. For a darker film, Alan Tudyk was able to bring a lot of humor, sass and charm. I applaud the handling of where this movie fits in the timeline as Gareth Edwards ensured Rogue One flowed seamlessly into the next film.
Minor gripes I had with the film starts with things that happened or didn’t happen before the film actually began. This film felt very geared towards the more knowledgeable Star Wars fan than the casual fan. The signature opening crawl of all Star Wars films is missing and feels missed not just because of the nostalgia it gives off, but because it would have helped the audience ease into the film and digest new info easier. The score itself isn’t anything to brag about and it missed John Williams-esque style and flair that his music usually adds to films. Another minor issue is the film’s second act. While the first act is paced quickly to introduce characters and plot points, the second act feels slower and longer with a lot of setup for the third act. The setup for the third act, however, pays off well as the third act really picks up and takes off as an action packed, well tied together story. What I found most troubling about this film is the use of CGI for a certain character. While I understand the character to be necessary to the story, his presence felt very jarring. Often times it took me out of the movie and had me thinking about the CGI and the risk they took instead of focusing on the scene itself.
Rogue One does what the filmmakers originally set out for this film; to stand on its own as a Star Wars film that’s different than the saga films. For its dark tone, Rogue One perfectly shows the coming together of a group of people for a greater cause through heroism and sacrifice. Through clear direction from Gareth Edwards, as well as an amazingly talented cast, Rogue One solidifies its place in Star Wars history as one of the greats. It not only manages to stand on its own, but supplements and reinforces the story of the original trilogy. Lucasfilm and Disney should be proud of what they’ve accomplished with this film because Rogue One is sure to be a huge win. Rogue One? More like Rogue Won! Casual moviegoers are going to like this film, but Star Wars fans are going to love it. I give Rogue One a personal rating of 4.25 stars out of 5, and I invite you to go see it as soon as you can.
Shin Godzilla: Review
Shin Godzilla? More like Shin Mortal-zilla. Directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, the Japanese reboot of the beloved giant monster movie does not live up to all the hype. When one thinks of Godzilla or giant monster movies, one assumes an intimidating Godzilla and frightening destruction driven by human emotion. What we get instead is a rather underwhelming Godzilla with too many subplots from the human side of the story.
The film follows the structure of “this event is impossible, but if it happened, this is what would occur.” From the get-go, even when seemingly natural catastrophes occur, everyone tries to rationally explain what is happening, ruling out the improbable -- or rather the “impossible” -- except for Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Rando Yaguchi (played by Hiroki Hasegawa). He points out evidence of a possible giant monster, but everyone around him seems to be in denial before Godzilla actually appears and starts destroying the city. What ensues after are countless meetings between Japanese politicians, foreign officials, and military officers discussing the Godzilla crisis and how to resolve it.
Good films are driven by its characters and Shin Godzilla manages to partially capture the human aspect of the film. Tension and drama builds really well amongst characters and overall the actors perform very well. The main spotlight would definitely be on Hiroki Hasegawa’s character, Rando Yaguchi; he always has great chemistry with whichever actor he’s with in any scene showing great versatility. What came as a surprise while watching this film was the amount of humor. Through the chaotic meetings between government and military officials, Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi sneak in quirky, yet funny moments that seem to show that no matter how serious the situation, there’s always time to add in a joke.
The upside to the meetings is its humor, but they also include unwanted or unnecessary subplots that clutter the film’s plot. While I understand the purpose of Kayoko Ann Paterson (played by Satomi Ishihara), she never seems relevant or as important as she should’ve been. The key problem in this movie is Godzilla itself. Godzilla may have been destructive, but it sure wasn’t terrifying which it should be since it is a giant monster that towers over buildings. Its very first appearance is rather underwhelming because of how it looks and though I understand why it looks the way it does at the beginning and at the end of the movie, the damage it had on my impressions were too negative. Buildings got destroyed, people died, and everyone was in mass panic, but I never felt a real sense of danger or fright from Godzilla itself.
Shin Godzilla is a sci-fi monster film featuring the legendary Godzilla. Even though this film has a strong lead, surprising humor, and good acting all around, this new incarnation does not quite live up to the legend because it completely misses the mark on the Godzilla side of the film. With a personal rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars, I’d wish I didn’t get invited to see Shin Godzilla.
Photos courtesy of Rogers & Cowan for Funimation Films
Operation Avalanche: Review
One small step for man, one medium leap for Director Matt Johnson in his found footage conspiracy thriller Operation Avalanche. As director, star, and producer, Johnson shows he is able to accomplish both a lot and very little at the same time. The found footage medium has seen a lot of ups and downs over the years, but Operation Avalanche can be recognized as one of the better ones. Strong performances, technical achievement and stylistic sense manage to make this film a more likable one than not.
Photo: Lionsgate Premeire
The CIA sends Ivy League recruits Matt Johnson and Owen Williams(playing themselves) on a mission to infiltrate NASA and expose a Russian mole. To do so, they use the cover of a documentary film crew that’s attempting to document the behind the scenes efforts leading up to man’s landing on the moon. In a turn of events, Matt and Owen realize the U.S. cannot actually land on the moon by the expected date and are forced to take on a new mission to fake the moon landing to “beat the Russians.”
While the premise may sound ridiculous and Argo-esque, Johnson and his team deliver something that has more comical moments than one would expect. Because the plot involves creating a fake documentary, the style feels like a mockumentary. Great acting is key in any film, but the found footage, mockumentary medium emphasizes capturing facial expression, small ticks and changes to the face that make a performance not only believable, but feel real.
During the Q&A after my screening of the film, Johnson revealed his difficulty in playing his character because of his inability to relate to him. He is, however, able to show us a passionate CIA agent with a restlessness to accomplish his mission. His determination shows not only through his character, but through his technological achievement. In one scene, Johnson and his crew visit Stanley Kubrick’s film set of 2001: A Space Odyssey to find the necessary technique to replicate the moon setting. Since this never actually happened, VFX specialist Tristan Zerafa had to animate old photographs of Kubrick on set and combine it with the footage of Johnson and company. This alone lends even more credit to this film as an ambitious one.
Matt Johnson, director and star of "Operation Avalanche," Photo: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times
Operation Avalanche is supposed to be a thriller, but sometimes doesn’t feel like one. Tension doesn’t always build the way it’s supposed to and the climax doesn’t feel as thrilling as one would hope. While the narrative is easy to follow and technical parts of the film are explained well, pacing led the film to feel longer and dragged out during certain parts. For something as large as the moon landing, the film doesn’t quite deliver on the ambitious and impactful journey it sets out to be.
The film’s likable, comical nature combined with its stylistic approaches easily outweigh its lackluster climax. Operation Avalanche may not have reached its potential, but for its small crew and budget, Johnson manages to deliver something that stuck the landing with a great, fun, crazy film to watch. With a personal rating of 4 out of 5 stars, I’d invite you to watch Operation Avalanche.
"The Intern" NY Premiere
Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros Pictures
The Intern World Premiere
The Premiere took place at Ziegfried Theater with a steep price of $1,500 (luckily I was invited) and included an invitation to the after party at Tavern on the Green. Being a world premiere, all of the heavy hitter stars of came out to show support, Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway included.
There was free popcorn and sodas for everyone, but for $1,500 they should been serving caviar.
Regis Philbin
While walking around waiting for the screening to start, I noticed someone familiar from the corner of my eye As I got closer, I realized it was Regis Philbin. I had no idea he was 84 years old; he looked really good for that age. Regis was sagacious and very kind, even offering me some of his popcorn.
The stars finally arrived, even Mariah Carey showed up with her billionaire boyfriend.
After all the stars, arrived it was finally time for the screening. This was my first movie premiere so I did not know what to expect. I sat four rows (Yes, I counted...) in front of Robert De Niro. When everyone was seated in the movie theater, someone came out and introduced all the stars. They stood up while everyone cheered on. It was a surreal moment, to be watching a movie with some of the biggest movie stars on the planet.
End of the movie
After the movie, everyone including the stars went into lobby and greeted each other for such a wonderfully done movie.
This was definitely the funniest guy in the movie. You might recognize Zack from the substitute teacher skit from Key and Peele where he played A-a-ron.
Christina Scherer
Christina played assistant to Anne Hathaway and she was just adorable. I see big things in her future, and I am wishing her the best. I actually sent her this picture on Facebook, and she responded!
My Movie Review: I thought the movie was great, charming, and lots of fun. I really did not expect anything less from Robert and Anne. The pacing and comedic bits between the two of them were well developed for a lighthearted film such as this one. The whole time I was watching the movie, I could not help but think about The Devils Wear Prada. The movie was like a sequel to TDWP with Anne being the boss this time, and Robert changing her perspective on life. Although the movie was not Oscar worthy or anything, it is a fun weekend escape.