“Onward” Movie Review

The bond of a brother can accomplish wonders that few relationships can.

This computer-animated urban fantasy film from Pixar Animation Studios premiered out of competition at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival. It was then released in theaters worldwide by Walt Disney Studios on March 6th, 2020. Produced for the budget of around $175 million, the film unfortunately never made a real profit in theaters. It topped off at about $106.1 million at the worldwide box office before the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to drop out early and land on the streaming service Disney+. It is currently scheduled to release in foreign countries when it’s deemed safe enough to return to theaters but in the meantime, has produced positive responses from fans and audiences.

Directed by Dan Scanlon in his second feature-length film, the story was inspired when he heard an audio clip of his late father, who passed away when he was very young. After coming up the plot and setting for the film, Jason Headley and Keith Bunin were brought onboard to perform rewrites on the script. The film got into some legal trouble when San Francisco tattoo artist Sweet Cecily Daniher alleged that the studio copied art designs in the film from her vehicle “The Vanicorn” after renting it for a single-day festival. The film also faced bans and censorship in Russia and various Arab countries for the inclusion of an LGBT character, the first such one in a Pixar film.

The film is set in a fictional world where magic used to exist and classic mythical creatures exist in suburban environments. On his 16th birthday, nerdy elven high schooler Ian Lightfoot, played by Tom Holland, receives a staff from his late father along with instructions for a spell that can bring him back to life for one full day. However, midway through the spell, Ian and his fantasy-loving older brother Barley, voiced by Chris Pratt, accidentally destroy the required gem, leaving only their father’s pants and shoes. With only 24 hours left, they set off on a quest to find a new gem to complete the spell and bring him back to life in the full.

Even with 22 feature films in the can and counting, there’s a certain level of anticipation that comes with a brand new Pixar film. They are undoubtedly a collection of some of the most creative storytellers and animators in the entire medium, but the quality of their films has been rather inconsistent as of late. Part of the issue is that they struck out with so many masterpieces in a row during their heyday that they’ve set the bar a little too high for themselves, which often results in their newer films being disappointing.

I honestly wasn’t quite sure what to make of this new entry in their long-running catalogue when I saw all of the marketing material. I was definitely interested since the studio promised that it would be the first of a new slate of original films instead of another Toy Story or Cars sequel but wasn’t really convinced of the traditional fantasy concept. And yes, Onward doesn’t really measure up to Pixar’s best work, but I still think it’s a fun movie to watch with the family with worthwhile themes.

If you’re as involved with these movies like I am, after a while, you’ll start to notice similar themes and ideas come up. Like most of the studio’s oeuvre, this is another film focused on a buddy relationship and uses the backdrop of a fantastical adventure to help the main characters come to terms with long overdue issues. In this case, Barley is learning how to finally grow up and Ian finds a way to step out of his comfort zone and go on an adventure, which has always given him anxiety.

Also like many of Pixar’s finest entries, Onward does an pretty good job at fleshing out the world around the characters in a natural way. The way it utilizes many classic fantasy creatures like elves, manticores, centaurs, and unicorns is really clever in how they’re all contextualized in a modern-era world while still feeling like a bunch of wholly unique species. The central story itself is somewhat hit-or-miss, but the worldbuilding is one of the big reasons this adventure remains memorable.

Another big reason is the voice cast, which is filled top to bottom with great actors inhabiting their characters. At the forefront are Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as the brothers Lightfoot, Ian and Barley, who genuinely feel and sound like lifelong pals and blood relatives. They contrast each other very well, with Ian being the more introverted and skeptical of the two while Barley is obsessed with fantasy lore and hanging onto the past. Their equally boyish charms do wonders for selling their chemistry, especially as they start to realize the deep bond they share.

Also, Julia Louis-Dreyfus lends her comic voice to great effect as Laurel, the Lightfoot brothers’ headstrong and determined mother. Strong-willed and pragmatic to a fault, she has little belief that the spell can actually work and bring her late husband back but still wants to find a way for her sons to bond in a healthy way. Without hesitation or much forethought, she chases after the boys when they set off on their quest and follows any lead that she can pick up along the way.

Octavia Spencer also deserves some recognition as Corey, a cantankerous manticore who runs a popular restaurant. Despite her cheery outward personality, there’s a lot of deeply repressed strength and rage when she finally comes to realize how much she’s missed going out on adventures in the days of old. Every moment that she appears onscreen, she suddenly radiates with a certain energy and sense of fun that is sometimes missing in the rest of the film.

Mel Rodriguez, Lena Waithe, Ali Wong, Grey Griffin, and Tracey Ullman all round out the well-chosen supporting voice cast here. Each actor does well with their respective characters, even if some of them deserve more screen time than others. Almost all of them portray different species within this world and they all help subvert the classic tropes of fantasy and what’s often associated with centaurs and dragons and so on.

And from a technical perspective, Onward sees Pixar pushing their limits even further in the field of animation. Replacing mythical creatures with humans and real-life animals, every frame is able to capture the movements and physics so beautifully and with exquisite detail at that. There’s a vast array of colors for all of the races and landscapes and even magical items, especially in various hues of blue and purple.

Even the facial expressions of characters and the fabric of their clothes and equipment is shown in a stupidly amazing fashion. Whether it’s the subtle flick of an ear to something coming, the stretch of wings not flown in many a year, or even the faded paint on the film’s central van, it’s really a sight to enjoy. The visual references to fantasy tales of old are woven in now and again, which further makes the world feel alive.

Appropriately, the instrumental film score here is provided to us by two brothers, Jeff and Mychael Danna. The score they bring unto us is befitting of both a typical Pixar adventure and an old-school fantasy story. The film mixes strings and woodwinds in an excellent way, often times used to help create an atmosphere of mystery and the unknown. Other times, during the quieter moments, the music will swell in an emotional, yet non-manipulative way that keeps everyone engaged.

The film also includes an original song that plays during the end credits called “Carried Me With You” by Brandi Carlile. Although it’s folk-pop sound feels a bit jarring compared to the rest of the film, it actually works in relation to its themes of a roadtrip adventure and close friendship. Carlile’s lovely vocals mixed with the acoustic guitar and full band sound is a satisfying way to close off the story.

Wonderfully animated and told with sincerity, Onward is a fun and heartfelt, if somewhat lower-tier, adventure for the whole family. While it stumbles to find its footing and simply can’t compete with the rest of their filmography, Dan Scanlon is still able to provide a magical journey that marks Pixar’s return to original filmmaking. Topped off by a willing voice cast and fantastic visuals, there’s a lot to chew on here, even when it feels like its full potential isn’t reached.

“Tron: Legacy” Movie Review

Imagine being trapped inside a computer programming of your own creation for the better part of 30 years. With absolutely no knowledge of any of the politics, crimes, misery, or troubles of the real world. I kind of envy that.

This techno-influenced science-fiction action drama initially had its world premiere in Tokyo on November 30th, 2010. It was later released in theaters worldwide by Disney over two weeks later on December 17th to high anticipation. Made for the budget of $170 million, it went on to gross just over $400 million at the global box office. Although it managed to break even, it didn’t meet the studio’s big expectations for the long-awaited sequel. The financial disappointment and mixed critical reception put plans for a new franchise on hold, with talks of a new installment coming and going with each passing year.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski in his feature debut, rumors of a sequel to the 1982 original had been in circulation for a long time. Although Pixar was supposedly interested in continuing the story in 1999, it was only around 2005 that Disney began serious development of the project. Kosinski rejected the studio’s idea of drawing visual and narrative inspiration from The Matrix, and instead used money that producer Sean Bailey lent him for concept footage of the style and tone. An architecture student, he also used chroma keying and various other unconventional techniques to give as much creative room for the effects as possible.

Picking up 27 years after the original, Garret Hedlund stars as Sam Flynn, the primary shareholder of the tech company ENCOM International. For the past two decades, he has been investigating the disappearance of his father Kevin, played by original star Jeff Bridges. One night, Sam’s investigation leads him to an arcade that unintentionally transports him to The Grid, an independent virtual reality system. While he reunites with his father, he must contend with a corrupted version of him named Clu and figure out a way to get back to the real world.

It has been many years since I last watched this film, and I only had vague memories of liking it. On the off chance that I would miss something, I made sure to watch the original Tron first to try and understand the lore a little better. And it was a highly impressive and stylistic technical achievement, but was extremely confusing from a story standpoint.

I was hopeful to see what, if any, lessons this long-belated sequel could take from the first go-around. It’s supposed to be so different from almost all of Disney’s other live-action films recently and I wondered if this was as much of a cult hit as a lot of people have made it out to be. And Tron: Legacy is undeniably entertaining and aesthetically unique, but the story at the center is rather simplistic.

This is exactly the kind of film I think Disney should try investing more stock in making. No “live-action” remakes of animated classics, but something that looks and feels totally different than what’s usually on the market. The film is always at its best when its pushing the boundaries of family-friendly entertainment and ponders if it’s worth sacrificing fatherhood for something truly revolutionary.

But beyond the gorgeous visuals (Which still hold up quite nicely) and these brief moments of contemplation, Tron: Legacy falters to create a very meaningful or engaging story. While there is some pretty cool worldbuilding throughout and the majority of the film’s 2-hour and 5-minute runtime are spent inside The Grid, there’s not much of an emotional pull beyond the father-son thread. Still, it’s cool to watch and this is one IP I hope Disney considers revisiting in the future.

Garret Hedlund has always been a “good-not-great” actor and his performance here epitomizes that pretty well. As Sam Flynn, he constantly does immature and rash things in the real world, likely to cope with the lack of a real father figure for the past 20 years. It’s apparent that The Grid gives him an opportunity not only to make up for lost time with his father but to thrive in a world that doesn’t even exist.

In a dual role as both Kevin Flynn and his evil counterpart Clu, Jeff Bridges returns to the franchise with lots of gusto. With Flynn, he feels much more mature and wise than the previous film, optimistic for the future of humanity but still feeling guilty about his lackluster job as a father. On the opposite end, he’s intimidating and relentless as the villain Clu, even though the then-burgeoning effort of de-aging technology doesn’t quite work for him.

Olivia Wilde is also worth mentioning as Quorra, a uniquely programmed warrior who serve’s as Kevin’s only ally in The Grid. She’s extremely adept at fighting and even steals the show in a handful of action scenes because of her wicked skills. However, she’s also deeply curious about what the real world is like, as reading endless amounts of literature and asking questions isn’t enough to quench her thirst to witness a real sunrise.

And while there are some familiar faces that pop up in the supporting cast, it’s Michael Sheen’s turn as Castor, a flamboyant nightclub owner. Although he doesn’t appear until the second act, he absolutely steals the show from under the protagonists and clearly relishes the role. Sheen’s bright personality and fantastic wardrobe are also heavily reminiscent of David Bowie’s early years, which makes him by far the most interesting character in the whole movie.

And from a purely technical point of view, Tron: Legacy is a major step forward for the studio and shows Kosinski knows what he’s doing. Claudio Miranda’s cinematography is extremely noteworthy for its smooth movements and slick framing. The Grid heavily relies on the opposing colors of orange and blue while scenes in the real world are relatively muted. This is one of the best examples of 3D filmmaking as the cameras capture everything, from light cycle battles to one-on-one duels, with great precision.

James Haygood’s editing job goes hand-in-hand with the visuals, knowing when to leave a shot lingering or keep the action flowing. There are enough cuts during action sequences to keep the momentum up and never makes it confusing or hard to follow. It’s a testament to the editing crew that the flow between CGI shots and practical actors or sets is mostly seamless. Plus, the sound design is stellar, ensuring that every scene can be heard just as well as seen. It’s actually one of the most satisfying sound designs of the last decade.

Speaking of sound, French music duo Daft Punk provide their first and thus far only score for a film. I hope they decide to do more soundtracks because it’s an absolute thing of beauty and innovation. Like the rest of their work, the score is heavy on electronics across the board, which is appropriate for the unique world here. However, much of the soundtrack avoids being just dubstep and uses synthesizers, low strings, and percussion beats to create an emotional connection to the storyline. At times, it’s warm, harsh, and always attention-grabbing, making for one of the most underrated film scores in recent years.

Pushing the boundaries of filmmaking technology in exciting ways but lacking a real human pull for it, Tron: Legacy is a visually and audibly stunning adventure with a rather unaffecting story. At the end of the day Joseph Kosinski and Disney have made a really impressive tech demo that’s more like candy for the eyes and ears than anything else. It’s fun to see Jeff Bridges return to the saga and his new cast members are welcome as well, but their characters aren’t the most compelling to watch.

I think there’s a lot of potential in this franchise for Disney to explore, and this film seems to indicate they have an idea of where it would go. I just wish Kosinski was just as good with his actors as he was with her camera and effects.

“Frozen II” Movie Review

The lengths I would go to protect my sister.

This computer-animated family fantasy film was released in theaters worldwide by Disney on November 22nd, 2019. Following the biggest opening weekend of all time for an animated feature, it has gone on to gross over $1.268 billion at the global box office thus far. This almost puts it financially up to par with its predecessor in a shorter amount of time. With a little more time, it has managed to become the most successful animated film ever released, in addition to the positive attention it’s gotten from fans and critics.

Once again co-directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, the filmmakers and studio had constantly talked about a sequel to the 2013 hit for a couple years before officially moving forward. Lee worked on several different drafts alongside Allison Schroeder, although the latter ended up not getting a real credit for the screenplay. The actors’ recording for dialogue and songs supposedly began as early as late 2016, though the veracity of these claims is disputable. The studio also worked in close collaboration with various experts and representatives of the Saami people to get some story elements culturally accurate.

Set 3 years after the first film, Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell return as Queen Elsa and Princess Anna, who have managed to keep the kingdom of Arendelle in prosperity. One night, Elsa begins hearing a strange voice singing repetitive notes to her and drawing her away into a mystical forest. There, the two of them alongside Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven- voiced respectively by Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad -travel there and discover a deeply rooted conflict between their kingdom and the natives of the land. Wanting to mend things before it’s too late, they also find that their journey may bring them closer to what happened to their parents.

The original Frozen, when it first came out in 2013, was a hugely pleasant surprise for me. It had all of the elements of a classic Disney movie (Memorable songs and heartwarming characters) while also finding interesting ways to invert the traditional format of the past. It was also an indisputably gorgeous movie with some of the best animation of its time and still looks stunning to this day.

It being far more successful than anyone had anticipated, a sequel to the film was pretty much inevitable. I was extremely curious to see how Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee would be able to continue the story, especially since Lee has been made the new head of Disney Animation following John Lasseter’s unfortunate exit. And while Frozen II is certainly a step down from the first installment, it’s still a great time at the movies with the whole family.

Just like last time, this movie is at its best when its questioning the usual tropes of a typical adventure story. Despite what the people around her seem to think, Elsa is neither a villain nor a damsel in distress; she’s just unsure of how to rule a kingdom and manage her mysterious powers at the same time. Similarly, Anna wants to be the princess who falls in love and gets married, but she also learns how to retain her own agency and doesn’t want to be defined either by her sister’s status or her romantic relationship with Kristoff.

Where Frozen II starts to falter is that, while it acknowledges change as something inevitable and even positive, it still doesn’t quite make enough narrative progress to be fully satisfying. It’s undeniably cool to see this world grow beyond the kingdom of Arendelle and even see the potential origins of magic in this universe. Still, by the end, you can’t help but feel that they played a little too safe for its own good, particularly because of how it teased something that could have been much more.

Idina Menzel is still just as iconic as she was in the first go-around, and cements Elsa as one of the most interesting monarchs in Disney’s library. Still unsure of her capability as a leader, she strives to find a balance between the powerful and humble, thinking distance is the safest option for her loved ones. Her voice is still a powerhouse as always and she releases all of her worries and troubles into song whenever possible.

Also, Kristen Bell is charming and delightful as ever as she returns to the role of Anna. Her own sense of confidence and self-worth have grown immensely since the previous film, but she still cares deeply about the fate of her sister, willing to do whatever it takes to keep her happy.

Josh Gad also makes a return as Olaf, the magical talking snowman. He proves to be much more fun and likable as a side character than a protagonist, and brings out some of the biggest laughs of the whole movie. He also has a newfound sense of wisdom and maturity in this film; although much of it proves to be him misunderstanding its true meaning for comic effect, it still creates an interesting dynamic with the others.

Jonathan Groff, Alan Tudyk, and Ciarán Hinds all reprise their respective roles from the first installment while Alfred Molina, Evan Rachel Wood, Sterling K. Brown, Martha Plimpton, and Norwegian singer Aurora come in new ones. All of them bring different weight and while not all of them get a chance to sing, they’re memorable for the most part. Woods and Brown were particularly interesting and I was hoping to see more from their parts than we ultimately did.

And from a technical point of view, Frozen II proves that even after 58 animated features, Disney is still able to make some real surprises. The animation in this movie is somehow even more stunning and rich than the previous one, utilizing 3D animation to its full potential. The stupid amount of detail in everything in every frame, even the hair or fabric of a character’s wardrobe, is jaw-dropping. Not to mention the remarkable physics being displayed on-screen throughout.

There’s a heavy emphasis on the colors blue and orange. We see all different shades of blue in the film, from the ice emitting from Elsa’s powers to the deep blue of the ocean. For orange, it’s mainly an autumnal look from fall leaves and even Anna’s brunette hair has a bit of orange in it. It plays up a nice contrast in the visual composition, representing the contrast between the life the main characters want to live versus the adventure they’ve embarked on.

Songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez return from the first film to provide a whole new soundtrack here. And with the help of composer Christophe Beck, they’re able to create a bounty of memorable new songs. The big one is obviously “Into the Unknown,” a powerful ballad that allows Idina Menzel’s powerhouse vocals to work magic. It uses the motif of light and uncertainty to a great advantage as it builds and builds, much like Elsa’s confidence.

But for me, the best song of the film is “Show Yourself,” which comes in the latter half of the story. The natural culmination of all the elements that have come before it, it’s a true showstopper as Elsa finally comes to terms with her abilities and their implications. It also features the vocals of Evan Rachel Wood, who proves to a worthy song partner as their voices collide. The animation of the scene that song plays in is some of the best in the whole movie, and both come together to create something special.

More safe and fun than forward-thinking, Frozen II is a perfectly fine family-friendly romp with gorgeous animation and great music. While it doesn’t take as many risks as it probably should, Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee are still able to deliver a fun sequel to its immensely successful predecessor. The vocals of the cast are all still excellent and the Lopez’ give them new tunes worthy of the gold voices singing them.

I think part of what made the first Frozen so surprising and special is that it defied expectations and subverted several of the classic Disney tropes. This sequel still understands those tropes exist, but is more content to coast on the comfort of the characters from last time. Even if it means it has to miss out on what could have been some truly exciting storytelling opportunities here.

“Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker” Movie Review

**Out of respect for the fans and viewers who wish to go into this film as cold as possible, I’ll only be giving the baseline premise for everything. Read at your own discretion.**

2019, as a whole, really has been a year of ending for a lot of pop culture things. Avengers, Game of Thrones, The Good Place, Mr. Robot, Toy Story, How To Train Your Dragon all seeing their narratives come to a close. But perhaps none were quite as anticipated or high-profile as this one, so let’s dive right in.

This epic space opera was released in theaters worldwide by Disney and Lucasfilm on December 20th, 2019, having previously been scheduled for May. After making a cool $40 million from Thursday night previews, it has gone on to gross over $927.5 million worldwide against a budget of $275 million. While that’s undoubtedly impressive, it’s a dip down from the intake of its two mainline predecessors. Not to mention, it has managed to split both fans and critics down the middle on its overall quality and effect.

Directed by J.J. Abrams, the third and final installment in the sequel trilogy under Disney was originally meant to be helmed by Jurassic World director Collin Trevorrow. After he departed due to “creative differences,” Abrams came back with co-writer Chris Terrio in tow to basically start over from scratch. There was also an incident months after production wrapped where one of the actor’s scripts accidentally got put up on eBay and a studio employee spent at least 5 figures to take it back. And in addition to the main characters returning here, this film has repeatedly been stated by the cast and crew to definitively be the final installment of the Skywalker Saga.

Picking up roughly a year after the events of The Last Jedi, Daisy Ridley returns as Rey, a young woman training to become a Jedi. During her journey, she and The Resistance discover that The First Order is about to make their final move in an attempt to control the galaxy once and for all. With time running out, Rey and her friends Poe Dameron and Finn, played by Oscar Isaac and John Boyega, set out on a quest to figure out the enemy’s plan before they can enact it. And it proves difficult when the malicious and power-hungry Kylo Ren, played by Adam Driver, tries to beat them to the punch all the while coming to terms with his own sins.

Although it hasn’t always been great, overall I’ve been happy with the Star Wars content Disney has been putting out in the last decade. I still and always will maintain that The Last Jedi is the best film in the saga in many, many years and I am eager to see what they do with The Mandalorian and season 7 of The Clone Wars. And hearing repeated vows that they would finally bring the nine-film Skywalker Saga to a big close made me excited.

As the hype built towards its release, I remained cautiously optimistic about what the results would be. I had hoped that there would be enough resolution for the characters and storyline to satisfy even fans who haven’t been on-board with the newer entries. And while The Rise of Skywalker is undeniably entertaining, there is so much it leaves to be desired from a thematic and story standpoint.

I don’t envy Abrams or Terrio because of the enormity of their task, (Concluding the mainline story for the biggest movie franchise of all time) but it can’t be denied they took the easiest possible route here. While it doesn’t completely retcon the choices made in The Last Jedi, it repurposes them into something that tries to bring all nine main films into play. But by trying to bring in a big picture, which can be admittedly admirable in concept, it’s unable to find enough satisfaction with the current narrative.

Despite this, there is still a lot of emotional weight that The Rise of Skywalker carries that, admittedly, can often be affecting. The character arcs of this new trilogy have arguably been some of the most interesting in the whole franchise and seeing them come to a head, regardless of the method, is a big event. And obviously, Disney and Lucasfilm have more films coming down the pipe, but it’s nice that they committed to wrapping up this particular narrative.

Daisy Ridley proves for the third time in a row why she was perfectly cast for the lead role of Rey. She has so much emotional baggage being carried, some of it for years on end, and the pressure of trying to bring back the Jedi is clearly weighing her down. All she wants to do is bring light and goodness to the galaxy, which is difficult with the consequences of the on-going war.

Opposite her, Adam Driver still proves why he’s one of the best actors of his generation thanks to his role as Kylo Ren. Still as deeply conflicted as always, his internal struggle comes to a dramatic head as his journey nears its end. He’s equal parts desperate, powerful, and pathetic here as he still struggles to figure out what exactly he desires and what path is he to take.

John Boyega also continues to be golden as Finn, one of the more interesting side characters of the franchise. His comedic timing is still impeccable as always and while he isn’t given as much to do as the last two films, his presence is always a welcome one. Seeing him come this far after having defected from the First Order is one of the more satisfying story threads in the film to be sure.

Oscar Isaac, Kelly Marie Tran, Anthony Daniels, Domnhall Glesson, Joonas Suotamo, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams, and the late great Carrie Fisher (Who appears through unused footage from the last two films) all reprise their respective iconic roles from previous installments. Keri Russell, Richard E. Grant, Dominic Monaghan, Shirley Henderson and Naomi Ackie also make impressions as new characters in this story. Everyone onscreen is reveling in the fact that they’re in a Star Wars movie.

Meanwhile, The Rise of Skywalker is nothing short of a technical marvel. Abrams’ regular cinematographer Dan Mindel handles the camerawork once again here and it’s just as energetic as their previous efforts. The widescreen camera constantly roves around the action to keep up the momentum, even in smaller dialogue-driven moments. The use of primary colors, especially red and blue, are frequently saturated to highlight the constant battle between good and evil.

Maryann Brandon and Stefan Grube’s joint editing job is mostly a success, considering they had to edit some of it on-set. At 2 hours and 21 minutes, it’s one of the longest films in the saga, but this film really *moves.* Mile-a-minute pacing is the name of the game, as the main group of characters move around from one cool-looking world to the next as the adventure moves along. All of the action is cut together very well and comprehensively, even during some of the more extravagant sequences.

For his 9th and final Star Wars movie, the inimitable John Williams returns to provide the instrumental film score. It’s almost as magical as his previous efforts in the franchise, combining themes and motifs from all of the collective soundtracks into one while coming up with a couple of new ones. The woodwinds, brass, and strings all come together in the composer’s trademark sound of an emotional epic. He also brings in an ominous choir for the villain’s main theme, which encapsulates both the mystique of Kylo Ren’s morality and the somber road he’s taken thus far. The use of percussion like timpanis and bells also deserves to be noted, making it feel truly mysterious and adventurous.

Bringing the nine-film Skywalker Saga to a close and doing whatever it takes to get there, Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is an enjoyable but narratively frustrating end to a truly epic cinematic story. J.J. Abrams sets out to finish the trilogy that he started and while it’s far from being worthy of getting thrown in the trash compactor, it still shows that he’s looking too much towards the past. All of the cast members do a great job to bring their characters’ arcs to a close and Williams’ final score for the franchise is undeniably excellent, even when it’s retreading old territory.

A part of me almost admires Abrams to sticking with his gut and ending the story on his own terms, but the choices he makes along the way are often ill-advised. Regardless of what you may think of how the Star Wars saga under the Disney banner has gone, it’s hard to argue that this final chapter could have been so much more.

Top Ten Most Anticipated Movies of 2020

Welcome to the new year! Welcome to the new DECADE! As the last one passes on by, the next one comes in with an embarrassment of promising cinematic riches. Some of the films on this list have been on my radar for quite a while, others have only recently come to my attention. In any case, these are the 10 feature films that I’m most excited for coming out in the year 2020. I’d like to start off, however, by labeling some honorable mentions for other films that look pretty promising.

Honorable Mentions:

Artemis Fowl, The Way Back, West Side Story, The Prom, Free Guy, Saint Maud, Halloween Kills, The Eternals, Birds of Prey, Onward, Next Goal Wins, The Rhythm Section, The Trial of the Chicago 7, The Witches, Wonder Woman 1984, Black Widow

Now, let’s get on with it, shall we?

#10: “Soul” (Opens June 19th)

After a couple of long in-development sequels to beloved classics of theirs, Pixar is finally making the return to original filmmaking in 2020. Onward also looks interesting, but it’s Pete Docter’s newest film that has my attention the most. Early impressions seem to give off the feeling that this is yet another creative and heartfelt creation from the animation studio. The animation looks unsurprisingly vibrant and the integration of jazz music into the narrative has me giddy for whatever kind of personality it has in store- especially because Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are handling the score. And given the recent shakeup in leadership at Disney’s animation branch, if Soul ends up being Docter’s swansong, it looks like a big way to go out.

#9: “The Gentlemen” (Opens January 24th)

Many filmmakers are able to sustain their careers by stretching out into different genres. Guy Ritchie isn’t really one of those directors, as his personal style never quite fit into a live-action Disney musical or a fantasy epic. However, his next movie The Gentlemen feels like a return to form for him, similar to Snatch and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. With an all-star cast at his disposal, all of whom seem to be having the time of their lives, it looks like Ritchie has found his comfort zone again. Let’s hope it’ll be genuinely fun and not just two hours of him trying desperately to relive his glory days.

#8: “Mank” (TBA 2020)

David Fincher finally making another feature film is enough reason for me to become excited about the project. But hearing that it was written by his late father Jack makes it sound much more personal for him, even with the near-mythical subject matter. It promises to be a movie about screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, who fought with Orson Welles to attain a writing credit on the film Citizen Kane. Seeing talent like Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, and Charles Dance among the cast members makes it seem like this could be a major awards contender for Netflix next fall. Fingers crossed Mank won’t get buried in their catalogue.

#7: “Last Night in Soho” (Opens September 25th)

After the success of Baby Driver, Edgar Wright could have done anything he wanted for is project. Rather than choosing something obvious or right up his alley, he’s doing a non-comedic horror movie with Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, and Thomasin McKenzie. The first image above teases something genuinely creepy and stylistic that he’s created alongside rising co-writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns. We still don’t know exactly the story might entail, but it sounds like it will be his rendition of psychological thrillers from the 1970’s. That alone is enough for me to be at least intrigued for whatever Wright and company have cooked up for next fall.

#6: “Cherry” (TBA 2020)

It’s always an exciting prospect when established blockbuster filmmakers move away to something smaller and more personal. Cherry sounds like such a prospect, as it finds the Russo Brothers reuniting with Tom Holland on a true-story drama that’s, unfortunately, only increased in its relevance. The tale of Nico Walker, a PTSD-ridden soldier who becomes addicted to opioids, is one that begs to be told. I’m eager to see how all parties involved can get a film made that doesn’t have to be defined by the constraints of a traditional Hollywood blockbuster like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although it technically doesn’t have a 2020 release date or distribution deal set just yet, I really hope the major studios will at least try to give it some attention when the time comes.

#5: “The Invisible Man” (Opens February 28th)

I’m still recovering from the spectacularly failed promise of the “Dark Universe” 3 years ago. It pretty much convinced me that none of the classic Universal Monsters could be properly adapted to the modern age. However, it looks like Leigh Whannell and Blumhouse have managed to find a new and relevant angle on The Invisible Man. It looks like it will be taking a MeToo approach, using the titular character as a way of relating society’s absurd reluctance to listen to women’s stories of abuse even though they can’t really see it. Add in Elizabeth Moss as the lead, and this looks like it could become a real word-of-mouth hit in February.

#4: “No Time to Die” (Opens April 8th)

The James Bond franchise has, by and large, been hit or miss for me over the years. Skyfall still remains my favorite one, and Daniel Craig’s version of the character has been remarkable, but there have been a number of stinkers every now and then. However, his 5th and supposedly last outing as 007 looks intriguing as hell. After a troubled early production history, No Time to Die looks like it’s on the right track based on what we’ve seen thus far. Cary Joji Fukunaga making the transition to big blockbuster filmmaking is incredibly interesting, especially when you consider how gorgeous the film looks visually. And of course, Rami Malek as the main villain sounds really exciting, and I can’t wait to see Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s writing come to light after a hyper-successful rise with Fleabag and Killing Eve.

#3: “In the Heights” (Opens June 26th)

Of the high-profile Broadway adaptations coming to theaters this year- the others being Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Spielberg’s spin on West Side Story -it’s In the Heights I’m the most pumped for. I’ll admit to having only become a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda in the past few years because of Hamilton, but his first musical is still a joy to listen to. The first trailer showcased exactly what I was hoping to see from the film, and seeing Anthony Ramos in a huge leading role, not to mention the whole ensemble surrounding him, makes me so pumped.

#2: “Tenet” (Opens July 17th)

Christopher Nolan might be one of the last filmmakers who’s able to let a major studio allow him to make a completely original blockbuster on a massive budget. And after finally getting an Oscar nod for Dunkirk, I knew that whatever he did next would be unique. And seeing him recruit John David Washington and Robert Pattinson for a huge action epic, alongside a wildly exciting crew, makes it sound amazing. As for what Tenet’s plot seems to be? Even after watching the glorious first trailer, I probably still won’t know what the film is actually about until I see in theaters. And I absolutely love that.

#1: “Dune” (Opens December 18th)

Denis Villeneuve was, unquestionably, the breakout director of the last decade. Blade Runner 2049 is one of the best films of all time, Prisoners is an underrated masterpiece, and Arrival is a modern sci-fi classic. So it’s only fitting that his newest project is an adaptation of one of the biggest and most influential science-fiction novels ever written. It feels almost like the type of film that he’s been building his whole career towards, especially with all of the support involved. He also has an enormously talented ensemble at his disposal, from Timothée Chalamet to Jason Momoa to Stellan Skarsgård bound to bring their all to the table. In short, Dune is shaping up to be a true sci-fi epic that could hopefully define cinema of the coming decade.

Do you agree with my picks? What movie are you most excited to see come out in 2020? I’d love to hear your thoughts in a Comment below. And for more awesome content like this, be sure to leave a like and Follow my Blog. Happy New Year, everyone!

“It’s a Wonderful Life” Movie Review

If you’re not in the mood for the sappy schmaltz of Hallmark movies or the action-heavy bravado of Die Hard, you can always look to the “Golden Age” for holiday favorites. This holiday romantic fantasy drama was originally released in theaters worldwide by RKO Pictures on December 20th, 1946. Despite being able to recoup its $3.18 million production budget, the film failed to break even due to stiff competition, and it wasn’t close. Many experts and historians attributed this as the start of the once-popular director’s decline in his favor with the major studios. Nowadays, it is considered to be one of the greatest films of all time. Directed by Frank Capra, the film was originally inspired by the short story “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern. The studio initially set it up as a starring vehicle for Cary Grant with Dalton Trumbo writing the screenplay before all of their ideas were scrapped. Capra came in and did extensive (And apparently strenuous) work on the new script with Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich and auditioned several actors for all bu the main role. A few months after the release of the film, there was a memo sent out to the public by the FBI accusing the film of having Communist sympathies. Set in the fictional small town of Bedford Falls, Jimmy Stewart stars as George Bailey, a young man working as a building and loan banker. As the film goes along, we witness all the things in his life leading up to a series of particularly miserable decisions and bad luck. On Christmas Eve 1945, he becomes so depressed from his situation that he contemplates suicide, only to be saved by his guardian angel Clarence Odbody, played by Henry Travers. In an effort to show him how different life would be, Clarence takes George to a version of the world where he was never born and the consequences therein. I’ve made it clear in the past that Die Hard is my favorite Christmas movie of all time and I firmly stand by that. However, I also recognize that sometimes it’s nice to find something a little older and more family-friendly to watch over the holiday break. And although it could from household to household, more often than not, it comes down to this film and White Christmas. I had personally not seen this film for the better part of a decade, even though I distinctly remember loving it the first time. I finally got the chance to watch it again in the past few weeks, hoping that my older eyes would see it in a new light. And it’s with a brightened heart and a lifted spirit that I say It’s a Wonderful Life is still fabulous and even improves on repeat viewings. The central premise is a question we’ve all asked ourselves before; would the world be much different without me? This film paints Bedford Falls as a genuinely kind town and in the scenario without George Bailey around, it becomes a much darker and colder place called “Pottersville.” It does a fantastic job at showing how much the protagonist has made the lives of those around him better, even if he himself can’t realize it. Interestingly, something you may notice is that It’s a Wonderful Life doesn’t really get to Clarence or the alternate world until over an hour into the film. The whole movie leading up to that moment is spent with the voices in Heaven recounting George’s whole life story from childhood to present day. It not only helps further establish context for him and his loved ones but also creates a big emotional payoff for the iconic and heartwarming ending. Jimmy Stewart has built his whole career playing the likable American everyman, and I’m convinced that this might be his best work outside of Alfred Hitchcock’s films. As George Bailey, he’s immensely compassionate and is able think on his feet rather quickly when financial situations come up. Although he’s clearly happy to help his fellow neighbors, seeing him sacrificing his dreams of leaving Bedford Falls time and again shows his growing frustration of wanting to live a bigger life but never getting to. In direct contrast to him, Lionel Barrymore is extremely memorable as Mr. Henry F. Potter, the richest man in town. Although he doesn’t move much outside of his wheelchair, he’s successfully able to make both Bedford Falls citizens and audience members despise him as he only cares about buying and owning everything. He prides himself on manipulating various businesspeople on deals and loans for his own gain and only seems to get angrier and greedier as the film goes along. Henry Travers also delights as the guardian angel in training Clarence Odbody, one of the best side characters in cinema. Despite his cheerful and optimistic attitude, he’s determined to show George why his life truly matters and isn’t afraid to show the darkness. It’s almost like a learning experience for both him and us as we learn everything about this town and its people right alongside Clarence and the value of human decency. The supporting cast includes Donna Reed as George’s loving and quick-witted wife, Thomas Mitchell as his caring but dim-witted uncle Billy, Todd Karns as his innocent yet honest younger brother, H.B. Warner as a well-meaning but oft-drunk druggist, and Frank Albertson as George’s wealth but absent old friend. Each one plays an important part in the story of the main character and it’s clear they all are impacted by him. Even if George himself can’t see it, their lives are much better with him around and radiate a genuine warmth and neighborly presence in each scene. And from a technical point of view, It’s a Wonderful Life showcases Capra’s real brilliance behind the camera. Because of the difficulty of production, three cinematographers were credited: Joseph Biroc, Victor Milner, and Joseph Walker. Despite this, the black-and-white cinematography is still timelessly great, filled with long takes for dialogue-heavy scenes between all of the characters. There are a surprising amount of close-up shots used, either used to capture an actor’s internalized emotions or highlight important information on a document. Although a colorized version does exist, the black-and-white original makes the frame feel much more natural and the smooth movements make it seem almost like a fairytale. The editing job by William Hornbeck is equally excellent, being able to showcase everything with great precision and timing. As previously stated, there are several long takes throughout the film. But there are also numerous scenes where it cuts back and forth between different points of view to provide variety and tension, especially during arguments. A handful of times, the frame will freeze so that Clarence and his superiors in Heaven can fill in some blanks on lost time. It’s a brilliant way to keep the audience engaged without trying to hold their hand the whole way through. Dimitri Tiomkin, who previously worked on the director’s prior films, provides the instrumental film score for what would be their last effort together. It has all the sweeping greatness of many old-school Hollywood films, with a full orchestra and more. The main suite is a grand theme that mixes multiple different sounds and instruments together in a great manner. The mixture of strings and brass help create an emotional environment as George moves from one thing in his life to another. It also utilizes both subtle and overt choral moments that highlight the ethereal nature of the story. And best of all, it also knows when to let their be no music whatsoever, making it land much more effectively. A true cinematic classic if ever there was one, It’s a Wonderful Life is a beautiful and humanistic tribute to all the small moments in our lives. Arguably Frank Capra’s masterpiece, the film shows us how much of an impact we all have on the people immediately around us, even if we don’t fully realize it. Jimmy Stewart has quite possibly never been better than here and George Bailey is undoubtedly one of the best heroes in movie history. There is perhaps nothing more true to the “Christmas spirit” than for us to appreciate the time and space we share with our loved ones, and this film shows that wonderfully.

“Highlander” Movie Review

After watching and reviewing a slew of critically acclaimed “classics” for My New Year’s resolution, I decided to have a bit of a change of pace. And I honestly couldn’t be prouder of the decision. This fantasy adventure film was originally released in U.S. theaters by 20th Century Fox on March 7th, 1986. It was eventually brought to theaters in the U.K. about 5 months later on August 29th of that year by the now-defunct EMI Films. Made for the budget of around $19 million, it failed to recuperate that with a final box office intake of just $12.9 million. It also didn’t help that critical reviews for the film at the time ranged from dismissive to outright panning it. Despite this, it later found some newfound success when it was released on home media, becoming something of a gem with a huge worldwide cult following. It also, for some reason, spawned a franchise that included four sequels, an animated film, and a T.V. spinoff. Directed by Russell Mulcahy, the screenplay was originally written while screenwriter Gregory Widen was an undergrad student at UCLA, and sold it for $200,000. The original concept was apparently much darker and more violent but was watered down after the studio brought Larry Ferguson and Peter Bellwood to rewrite several drafts. Filming was apparently a grueling process for all involved, particularly with getting locations figured out and the logistics of certain shots. Beginning in Scotland 1536, Christopher Lambert stars as Conor MacLeod, a warrior and patron of his family clan. After apparently dying on the field of battle, he discovers that he is one of a group of immortals that can only be killed by decapitation. Fast forward to 1985, Conor is living in New York City under the alias Russell Nash and learns that his lifelong enemy The Kurgan, played by Clancy Brown, has found him. Knowing that their confrontation could decide the fate of the universe, Conor remembers all his teachings and prepares for the final battle. If that premise alone doesn’t automatically scream the 1980s, then I honestly don’t know what does. It was a time when the industry, while heavily commercialized and influenced by the Reagan Era, still churned out original blockbusters at a steady rate. Even if all of the movies from that decade weren’t great or even good, it’s cool to see something so admittedly bonkers get bankrolled by a major studio at the time. This was one of those movies that I had always heard a weird response about, with just as many people proclaiming it a genre classic as there were those who denounced it completely. It had been in my Blu-Ray collection for many years, but now I finally had the chance to sit down and watch it myself. Make absolutely no mistake; Highlander is objectively a bad movie on several fronts, but I just couldn’t help but be totally entertained by it. In my personal experience, there are two different types of “guilty pleasure” movies to watch. There are the ones that are so atrocious that they’re hilariously fun to watch with a crowd, and then those that you love even with the full knowledge that it’s not good at all.  The 80s had plenty of both types, and I consider this film to be among the latter category. I also feel like Highlander is a movie that could only really have worked if it were made in this specific time frame. If they had made it today, (And apparently, there are efforts to try and reboot it) it would have taken everything way too seriously and tried to find some sort of thematic resonance. And while there is a glimpse of looking at immortals cursed to walk the Earth forever, it’s really the zany silliness that makes the movie what it is. Christopher Lambert is not a good actor and his performance as Conor MacLeod in this film is iconic in a different way. As stoic as a statue of William Wallace, he can either go too far into a scene or not far enough depending on the emotional requirements. It’s also arguable that no other actor could’ve portrayed him like this, especially with all of that luscious hair. In more positive notes, Clancy Brown seems to be having the time of his life playing The Kurgan in this film. The future voice actor for Mr. Krabs chews up how overtly villainous and contemptible his character is, covered in many scars and undesirable clothing. Aside from an epic voice and a litany of swear words, he also gets credit for uttering the film’s most iconic line, “There can be only one!” Sir Sean Connery is also noteworthy as Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez, Conor’s immortal mentor during his early days. The only one in the film with a convincing Scottish accent, it’s both perplexing and amusing trying to figure out what background his character is supposed to be. As he rides through the gorgeous hills with a flamboyant costume in tow, he espouses some observations on the values of love for men like them and just hams it up the best he can. Roxanne Hart, Beatie Edney, Alan North, Jon Polito, Sheila Gish, and Hugh Quarshie round out the relevant players in the supporting cast. There’s a decent variety of performance here, with some playing it straight and others going all-or-nothing. I wouldn’t put these actors up as the most memorable roles of the decade or even their careers, but for what it is, they do a fine job. Meanwhile, the technical aspects of Highlander are a mixed bag, ranging from good to jarring. The cinematography by Gerry Fisher bares a sort of sheen of plasticity found in many films from the era. Many colors are weirdly washed out, but come bursting out in bits and pieces such as Juan’s extravagant outfits. It often trades big, swooping landscape shots for many intimate medium or close-ups to try and bring it back to the characters. With only one exception relatively early on, most of the shots are consistent in style and quality as it moves from scene to scene. Speaking of which, the editing job by Peter Hoeness can be highly inconsistent. The transitions from scenes in the present day to 16th-century Scotland are pretty clever and subtle for the most part. But during the fight sequences, the cuts between multiple, drastically different shots is bizarre at best and incomprehensible at worst. A couple of battles even take place mostly in dark shadows as if to hide the stunt doubles, which is a shame because a number of them are decently choreographed. But the incorporation of practical sets and effects is mighty cool and at least feels like an attempt at authenticity. The soundtrack is noteworthy because it reeks of the 1980s in the best way possible. Immortal British rock band Queen write a handful of songs for the film, which eventually were composited into their album Kind of Magic. The two most notable songs they contributed are “Princes of the Universe” and “Who Wants to Live Forever.” Both feature the band’s typical, synth-heavy sound from the decade, while Freddie Mercury’s inimitable vocals fit perfectly for the grand scope of the adventure. Although the former song discuss the cosmic implications of the main story and characters, the latter is more of a somber love ballad for Conor’s doomed attempts at mortal romance. Iconic in ways both genuine and ironic, Highlander is a shamelessly cheesy adventure with entertaining yet unreached potential. Although it definitely leaves much to be desired and could easily find more meat with its premise, Russell Mulcahy and Gregory Widen still managed to create an original mythology that finds a great place in its crowded era. Christopher Lambert may not be able to act well, (Or at all, really) but Conor MacLeod is a hero worth rooting for who gets the chance to go head-to-head in a swordfight against Mr. Krabs. I mean, is there anything else you could possibly ask for?

“All That Jazz” Movie Review

I’ve been constantly looking for the one film that could possibly win over even people who weren’t a fan of musicals. And I’m pretty sure I just found it. This fantastical musical drama was originally released in theaters worldwide by 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures on December 20th, 1979. Made for the budget of $12 million, it went on to gross over $37.8 million at the box office, considered above expectations. One of the most acclaimed films of its year, it went on to garner the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival the following year and won 4 Academy Awards out of 9 nominations. Additionally, it received high praise from figures in the industry, including filmmaker Stanley Kubrick. Directed by Bob Fosse, the screenplay was written in collaboration with producer Robert Alan McArthur. As the production’s cost was continuously climbing, another studio had to be brought in to help finish it and was given domestic distribution as well. The film is said to be based on Fosse’s experiences trying to stage a production of Chicago while simultaneously editing the film Lenny, which resulted in him suffering massive heart attack. Many of the actors involved were either based on people in Fosse’s life or were playing mildly fictional versions of themselves. Roy Scheider stars as Joe Gideon, a workaholic yet successful Broadway director and choreographer. As he’s working on a brand new show, while also editing a film behind schedule, his health condition gradually becomes worse as he can’t pull himself away from a life of debauchery. He frequently has imaginary conversations with an angel of death named Angelique, played by Jessica Lange, who tries to help him understand the sins of his life. And despite the crystal clear signs and warnings from family and friends that he needs to slow down, Joe is determined to finish his work before his time on Earth is over. While my Broadway history is far from thorough, I really do enjoy Bob Fosse’s work on musicals like Chicago. His intimate and first-hand knowledge of that world really shines through in just about every one of his projects. There’s a certain energy and wavelength they’re all on that’s just impossible to resist so easily. Despite this, I had never seen any of his film productions until this one. I guess it was partially because I feared if his masterful staging and choreography would translate into cinema very well. And that is just the case because All That Jazz is a phenomenal film that transcends its very genre over and over. Unlike most semi-autobiographical pictures, this one doesn’t try to sanitize the director’s lifestyle or his profession. In fact, the best and most terrifying part about it is how Fosse reckons with his destructive choices and the people he’s damaged as a result. And yet, I’ve been told that this is still somehow less dramatic than what had actually transpired in real life. Even more scary is that All That Jazz is unafraid to show the dangerous side of show business, warts and all. There are numerous scenes where the producers and financiers of Gideon’s projects are either extremely uncomfortable with his vision or trying to find a way to undermine it for investment returns. In that, it might be too brutal to watch for some, but it never forgets the humanity at the heart of the story. Roy Scheider makes a total departure from his heroic turn in Jaws by completely embodying the director in the best way possible. As Joe Gideon, he convincingly portrays his gradual downfall as his personal and professional life come to a head. His constant movement and multitasking shows the natural talent he possesses, even if it alienates everyone in his life. Watching him slowly fall apart, first denying it hen embracing it, is heartbreaking to see. Jessica Lange also shines as Angelique, Gideon’s eager and contemplative angel of death. The film often interjects scenes of the real world with Gideon recounting different stories to her, who’s goal seems to be trying to understand his humanity as death inches closer. Her curiosity towards his failings as a man makes her one of the few characters he opens up to, even though she’s somewhat distant emotionally. The supporting cast is rounded out by a troupe of noticeable character actors, many of whom have background in theater. This includes Ann Reinking as the auteur’s youthful new girlfriend, Ben Vereen as a late night music entertainer, Cliff Gorman as the lead actor in a film Gideon is cutting together, John Lithgow as one of Gideon’s Broadway rivals, and Wallace Shawn as an opportunistic insurance investigator. Each one plays a big part in Joe’s personal or professional life and frequently come and go as the story needs them to. And from a purely technical standpoint, All That Jazz is a towering achievement in the Hollywood New Wave. Shot by Federico Fellini’s collaborator Giuseppe Rotunno, the cinematography is gritty and largely unpretentious. For the moments when it’ just focused on Joe’s personal affairs or business dealings, the color palette is very grimy and harsh as to represent his lifestyle. But when it switches to something more theatrical, the colors turn vibrant with spotlights and the lighting is incredible. Most of the shots are steady zooms or tracking shots, often showcasing a whole performance in one go. It is made even more amazing by the editing job from Alan Heim, which may as well be a Masterclass in editing. The most notable example of it being Joe’s morning routine, which repeats several times and gives a great view of his unhealthy habits. It frequently cuts between two scenes to show a strong juxtaposition between them, such as the Broadway show’s backers discussing financial prospects contrasting with Joe’s heart surgery. As the film goes along, the editing becomes more distorted as Joe becomes more unsure of what’s real and what’s the afterlife. Both of these things culminate in a glorious final act, which might just be one of the best endings in film history. With a new rendition of The Everly Brothers’ “Bye Bye Love,” it’s a spectacular finale befitting of its protagonist. And the smash cut to the last shot is perhaps one of the most devastating you’re likely to ever see in a motion picture. Featuring intense performances, amazing direction, and an incredible ending to cap it all off, All That Jazz is an existential masterpiece of music, death, and the personal cost of artistry. By subverting the “tortured artist” cliché and letting his guard down, Bob Fosse delivers one of the most powerful and unhinged portraits of the entertainment industry. Roy Schieder gives a great performance as a caricature of Fosse and the whole rest and the cast and crew bring their absolute A-game. As I said in the beginning, even if you don’t really like musicals, it will be very difficult to not be captivated by this film’s chaotic beauty.

“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” Movie Review

I’m not even lying when I tell you guys that The Pale Lady and The Jangly Man made me piss myself out of fear. And before anyone judges, I’m almost positive that everyone else in the theater had the exact same reaction as me. This youth-centered supernatural horror film was released in theaters worldwide by Lionsgate and CBS Films on August 9th, 2019. It has fare very well at the international box office, grossing over $93.5 million against a budget of roughly $23 million. Although it never attained the tope spot and didn’t even finish first its opening weekend, it still managed to attain relative success. It’s believed that much of its intake was due to decent word-of-mouth and nostalgia for the source material. Directed by André Øvredal, the film is based on the horror short story collection of the same name by Alvin Schwartz. The adaptation had long been a passion project of Guillermo del Toro, who also served as producer and story co-writer on the final product. Although there were virtually no connections between any of the stories in the original collection, the film ties all of them into the same narrative without using an anthological format. Set in 1968, the film follows a group of teenage outcast friends in a small rural Pennsylvania town. Led by amateur horror author Stella Nicholls, played by Zoe Colletti, on Halloween night the gang discovers an old book in a supposedly haunted mansion. They soon realize that the book writes horrific short stories about people that they know, which then come to life almost immediately. With their peers getting picked off one by one and the adults not willing to believe them, the group race to figure out the origins of the book and how to stop it. I can’t say I ever read Alvin Schwarz’s anthology books growing up or had too much familiarity with them. I only really became interested in this adaptation when I heard that Guillermo del Toro was instrumental in production. Not to mention, it’s always exciting to see a film of the genre focus more heavily on practical effects and makeup over CGI nonsense. The marketing campaign really played this one up as a sort of Goosebumps for teenagers, which I have some fond memories of. It’s PG-13 rating was encouraging that it was going to have a wider appeal but still have something in store for older viewers. And while Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark definitely has some stumbles in the road, it’s still worth a look. On the whole, there isn’t anything particularly wrong with wanting to make a horror film that’s geared for a younger audience. It’s a fun and overall harmless way to get them into the genre without having to necessarily traumatize their childhood. And as an added bonus, parents will also likely get a kick out of it with its atmosphere and generally toned down scares. This also happens to be Scary Stories‘ biggest flaw in that it often relegates itself to numerous horror clichés. Screenwriters Dan and Kevin Hageman seem interested in exploring the lore behind the book at the center of the plot, but also include far more jump-scares than is probably necessary. But again, that’s kind of par for the course in getting new viewers into the genre, and mostly redeems that with some pretty unsettling imagery throughout. In a genre notorious for bad child performances, the troupe of young lead actors here proves to hold their own quite well. They’re led by newcomer Zoe Colletti, who shows that she’s a capable lead in a genre film even at her young age. Like many of del Toro’s other films, there’s an enormous amount of empathy for her status as an outsider, as she’s dealing with an internal trauma that’s never been resolved or even addressed before now. Michael Garza also puts in some decent work as Ramón Morales, the second-in-command for the main group of friends. Although he’s new to town and harbors some mystery, he immediately becomes worth caring about as he puts his full foot forward to protect his newfound friends. Austin Abrams is also worth noting as Tommy Milner, the high school jock and frequent bully to the main group. His performance and attitude are reminiscent of bullies in several Stephen King stories, and while he may go a little too far in some scenes, it’s perfect for getting audiences to despise him. Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur, and Natalie Ganzhorn round out the primary group of child friends while Dean Norris, Lorraine Toussaint, and Gill Bellows play some of the adults practically oblivious to the horrors their children are facing. Each one contributes something to the package, even if some of their characters are stuck in typical horror film archetypes. From a technical point of view, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark tries to distinguish itself from other films in the genre. Returning from their collaboration on The Autopsy of Jane Doe, the cinematography by Roman Osin has a sleek color palette throughout. The steady movements and angles make subtle callbacks to old-school Amblin features without dipping completely in nostalgia. Although much of the film takes place at night, it’s never too dark to tell what’s going on and keeps some of its best scares in the shadows. It makes excellent use of primary colors, particularly red, which at one point fills the screen as a character is faced with a terrifying monster. The editing job by Patrick Larsgaard, meanwhile, can be a bit of a mixed bag. While it’s mostly able to move between different shots and scenes fairly well, every now and then it feels like its waiting for the next jumpscare. There’s surprisingly a lot of room in some shots for the young actors to breathe and the camera usually cuts away to something vital to the plot. It works best when the stories themselves are being rad aloud while juxtaposing their actual coming to life. The biggest asset this film has going for it by far is its surprisingly heavy reliance on practical effects and makeup over CGI. This lends well to adding a sort of physicality and believability to the monsters the main children have to face. It also helps that the designs for these creatures, from Harold the scarecrow to the Jangly Man, are absolutely unsettling. It’s too rare in horror movies today, and it’s nice to see them in play here. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a fine and diverting entry-level horror film for burgeoning genre fans. Although it certainly leaves much to be desired, André Øvredal still manages to carve out the rare scary flick that can appeal to old and young audiences alike with surprising finesse. Ultimately, it’s Guillermo del Toro’s distinctive touch that makes this film work as well as it does.

“Zombieland” Movie Review

We’re coming up on the tenth anniversary for this movie, AND it’s getting the long-awaited sequel it finally deserves. To paraphrase one of the main characters here, now is as good as any time to nut up or shut up. This post-apocalyptic horror comedy film originally premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2009 to a highly enthusiastic reception from critics and genre fans. It was later released in theaters worldwide by Sony and Columbia Pictures on October 2nd of that year, a week earlier than had been advertised. Within its first 17 days, it managed to gross over $60 million at the global box office, eventually bringing its total intake to $102.4 million. This made it become the highest-grossing zombie movie to be released in North America, a position previously held by Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake in 2004. Directed by Ruben Fleischer in his feature-length debut, the incredibly witty screenplay was written by Deadpool scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The idea for the film had floated with them for years, and originally wrote it as a television pilot in the summer of 2005. Although one specific part had been written for Patrick Swayze, the actor was too sick from terminal pancreatic cancer and over a dozen other stars were considered before settling on someone else. One of its other stars had a number of demands before signing on, including the director changing his diet, and allegedly attacked a TMZ photographer while in character. Set two months after mad cow’s disease devolved into a zombie apocalypse, Jesse Eisenberg stars as Columbus, a college student who lives by a strict set of rules. On his journey to see if his parents are still alive, he runs into another survivor called Tallahassee, played by Woody Harrelson, who’s very violent in his killings. The two of them then encounter sisters Wichita and Little Rock, played by Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, who have a hard time trusting anyone. The four of them begrudgingly agree to travel to an amusement park in Los Angeles that’s supposedly free of zombies, and unexpectedly become closer as they make their way. Zombie stories are nowhere near anything new in movies, but they’ve come a long way from George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. Some are extremely gory, others are more sterile; some are loaded with sociopolitical undertones, are just as mindless as the undead roaming the frame. And others, like this one, are just the right amount of fun and emotional to carry itself for the runtime. I remember really liking this movie the first time I saw it, but after seeing Venom, I worried that maybe Ruben Fleischer’s directorial skills weren’t what I remembered them being. It’s not often that some comedies hold up on repeat viewings, especially if they were released years ago. But that’s not the case with Zombieland, as it still proves to be a very funny and bloody good time. I had genuinely forgotten how sweet-natured the film is, which balances out the wittiness and snarky humor typical of Reese and Wernick’s work. Rather trying to be a serious commentary on contemporary society or human nature, the film is more concerned with telling a story about an unconventional makeshift family. Even though we never learn their real names, we really grow attached to the four central protagonists as they learn to trust other people again. Another thing that sets Zombieland apart from the rest of the pack is the inclusion of Columbus’ extensive list of rules. All of them make sense in the context of the apocalypse, and several others are so amusing because of how weirdly specific they can be, such as “Beware the Bathrooms.” Even though not all of them are explicitly given in the movie, it’s a neat and unique way for worldbuilding. Right before creating Facebook and alienating everyone around him, Jesse Eisenberg puts in earnest and funny work as Columbus. High-strung as ever and always thinking on his feet, his small physique and demeanor juxtapose his harsh view of the new world. Meeting these new people clearly has an effect on him as he suddenly and willfully thrusts himself into danger to keep them all safe and alive. Woody Harrelson delivers arguably his most iconic performance as Tallahassee, a redneck with a big penchant for Twinkies. A man’s man if ever there was one, he has an enormous amount of bravado and pride that attributes to his instinct for distrust no matter the situation. But underneath all of the macho gun action and hilarious one-liners is a fundamentally lonely man broken by the status of the world around him. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin are both badass and funny in their own right, always thinking on their feet. It’s clear that something happened to them that instilled a great feeling of antitrust among fellow survivors and always keep trying to move along to the next “safe zone.” They provide a great foil to the more masculine attitudes of Tallahassee and Columbus and all four intermingle perfectly throughout. And as many have already heard, Bill Murray makes an all-timer of a cameo in this film as a fictionalized version of himself. Although he apparently wasn’t the first choice, he gamely puts his effort into this hilarious and self-deprecating caricature. When asked if he has any regrets about the world before the apocalypse he casually replies, “Ehh, Garfield maybe.” And meanwhile, the technical aspects of Zombieland show its effort to stylistically separate itself from other entries in the genre. Michael Bonvillain’s cinematography is highly stylized and frenetic, which lends well to the chaos of this post-apocalyptic world. Not many shots are handheld, more often opting for more controlled or gliding shots into the madness as the four protagonists try to fight their way out. It also frequently lets a shot be drawn out for a pause to make a comedic moment much funnier. This goes almost hand-in-hand with the joint editing job by Peter Amundson and Alam Baumgarten. At 88 minutes long, the scenes are all cut together at a brisk and consistent pace that mostly flows well all the way through. There’s a really great opening credits sequence that shows a slow-motion highlights reel of the initial outbreak of the zombie virus which sets the unorthodox tone to come. The film also features cutaways from the main action to a different scenario. For example, if a character feels particularly proud of a zombie kill, Columbus’ narration will bring up another example of an exceptional kill somewhere far away. More energetic and fun than meaningful and serious, Zombieland is an appropriately zany and subversive breath of life in the genre for the undead. While not really classic, Ruben Fleischer, along with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, are able to inject some great thrills balanced with lighthearted moments. The core four cast members really help to sell this story of a makeshift family trying to find solace after the end of the world. It’s a great movie to watch every now and then with a group of friends and still doesn’t lose its luster after all this time.