February 26th, 2018

With the end of the Olympics, then there comes a time to get back to some movie viewing.

I will be sending out the officepools.com Academy Awards selections for this year as well for those who are interested. Quite honestly I don’t think that there will be much drama at all at this years Oscars. At every major award so far (Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG) the same names keep popping up.

Anyway, this weekend I saw Annihilation. This is a not very well publicized movie starring Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac. It bombed at the box office but as the attached article will attest, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is bad movie or not worthy of your dollars. In fact, I would argue that it is a good movie, and EXACTLY the type of movie that if you love film should go and see. Why? Because it’s different. Because it has a premise that pushes the viewer to bring their own life experiences to the forefront to have it impact them personally. It won’t impact all people the same way.

The director here is Alex Garland, who directed Ex Machina and 28 Days Later, and shares a futuristic world, set in some reality. In this story, the future world is impacted by a meteor that hits a lighthouse that looks like it’s from Maine. There a multicoloured wall emanates and grows larger and keeps growing out. Efforts to understand the wall and what happens inside it, are fruitless. A team of all women choose to go behind the wall and investigate, and then things happen and the story unfolds. And unfolding and layering is what happens here. The viewer is thrust into the middle of something and then is provided with pieces along the way to have it make more sense. There are strong visuals, and some good scary bits. One scene in particular is just plain shocking.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2018/02/26/annihilations-grim-box-office-fate-was-an-inevitable-tragedy/#798dc1c04ed9

One of the challenges for this movie is the direct-to-Netflix (International) decision of Paramount. Obviously the international box office will suffer as a result. But it’s sad that a unique and original film takes a back seat to any number of super heroes and reboots of other tales. There are parallels to other films from before, and I will happily discuss these once Alison has seen the film. No spoilers. But in the end, I decided to see this without much review or fanfare. I didn’t look at trailers and decided to avoid the Ebert review except to see the 3 ½ star overview.

I have thought about it some more since I saw on Thursday, although I am still on the fence about whether I would need to re-see this or watch again like an Arrival to get more out of it. Likely I would as one focuses on different things than just plot when seeing a second time. Further discussion to be made on this one.

On tap are a few library films: The Accountant and The Huntsman Winter’s War. I also picked up Elizabeth once again to see how badly Cate Blanchett was robbed of an Oscar for that performance by Gwyneth (ugh). So many supporting cast members is that film from 20 years ago (like Daniel Craig, Emily Mortimer, Lily Allen etc) have gone on to amazing careers. 1998 – feeling old yet?!

February 19th Family Day 2018

Blue Is The Warmest Colour is a 2013 Palm D’Or Winner, a film which bested Inside Llewelyn Davis for the top honours. It is another coming of age story about a teen girl finding herself and her place, much as we have Lady Bird and Call Me By Your Name for this year’s prizes. It differs in that it is more graphic than both of those other films. Even though Timothee did some nasty things to a summer peach, there was not the European sensibilities of the nude and sexual nature of it.

It has been debated (like below) whether a man can even depict lesbian love appropriately on film, or is a pre-requisite to have a lesbian on the set who actually knows this first hand?

https://www.rogerebert.com/balder-and-dash/is-blue-a-straight-color-on-blue-is-the-warmest-color-and-representing-lesbians

For me I don’t see why a man can’t put a graphic novel on film. He can film what he read which presumably would include the thoughts and feelings of the involved characters. So I have no issue with it. The story is a long one (over three hours) and takes its time from the days of Adele (our Greek protagonist) in high school and figuring out what satisfies her to her taking on a career and being in a more domestic role. There was part of me that half expected there to be “an event” which she needs to make a choice about her relationship and her career. She works with children in school, teaching young grades like 2 or 3. Anyway, that was her calling and she knew it from a young age. With her sexuality, she saw a blue haired women (university student) just walking on the street and later meets her at a bar with a friend. They become involved. There is shown in detail the euphoria of early attachment, the honeymoon phase, and then later as life takes over the more stable steady state. It travels a familiar arc with something that happens and then some time for reflection.

For me this was a bit slow and too long. There was certain chemistry between the characters. Life is about moments, and perhaps lost opportunities as well. But I am not sure whether it was a Palm D’Or winner. It is a more rare find on Netflix where there is more graphic scenes of sex. Life is complicated and confusing at times, especially when you are young and finding yourself. Choices made can take you down a path, and it is uncertain whether that path is one for you longer term. This is a film, however, like the above two that makes me wonder about the impact of film and media on young people and their choices. Do they choose to be homosexual, and part of the decision can be through film and what they see around them, or is it born in them and inevitable and all the media in the world doesn’t change it. The Danish Girl was from early 1900s, as one example of countless throughout history. There is a longer piece that can be written on the subject, and I may get to it one of these days. Just not now.

Febraury 12th, 2018

Wind River stars Jeremy Renner, from The Town, Bourne, Arrival and many other films. He has an intensity about him. Here he plays a hunter/trapper out in Wyoming. He is divorced from his Native Indian wife, and early on you see that his daughter was missing. Another local girl goes missing too, and he happens upon her in the middle of the wilderness. She is barefoot and apparently ran 6 miles in that condition. What happened? The FBI is called in (Elizabeth Olsen), along with the local police Sheriff (Graham Greene). They enlist the help of Renner as Olsen in particular has very little experience and certainly not in those conditions or in the environment. The story unfolds. I found the resolution to be unsatisfying, and a little disappointing, at the same time think about just how many people might be suspects in this vast countryside. The point that is made however was troubling; the US keeps statistics on missing persons except for Native women. Strange. And the conditions that these people live under, with chronic unemployment, alcoholism, abuse all make for a sad commentary of the North American treatment of Native people. This was worth checking out.

January 31st, 2018 – BR2049

I re-watched Blade Runner 2049 the other night as I had purchased it and wanted to look upon again with fresh eyes. I had said in my initial review that I would speak further on it once everyone had seen it. I am certainly no spoiler of films. Enough time has passed, and fair warning that I will include spoilers shortly in this commentary on this sequel.

So we are 30 years beyond the ending of Blade Runner, in whatever variation and cut that you saw. In the end, Deckard was fleeing LA in his car with replicant Rachel. His Blade Runner colleague, played by Edward James Almos states with echoes bouncing off the walls “too bad she won’t live…..but then again, who does?”….

Blade Runner was a look and feel movie, where the set and production design is a character. Rain, buildings, billboards, street speak, noodles were all part of this futuristic world. This films takes the concepts and pushes the envelope. And push it out mightily. Blade Runner was also about its music and sounds, from Vangelis, who provided a synthetic sound backdrop to a future world perfectly. Together the sets and sounds made Blade Runner an immersive experience. There were characters sure, and a plot but you were transported into the future, and not just onto a set. Denis Villeneuve, fresh off his Arrival experience, is an excellent choice by Ridley Scott (producer) to take the banner of his brainchild forward. He believes in real. Doesn’t like green screen. He wants his actors in the sets and feeling the spaces around them. Here he has various unique locations; from downtown LA in rain and skyscrapers, to a junkyard outside San Diego, to farmer’s fields and then Vegas, in its rundown glory. I have to confess that I didn’t catch on to the Vegas bit on first viewing but got it the second. I noticed the tables before and Elvis of course in lounge, but I got the reference better here and it was more impactful. I believe that every one of the Oscar nominations here were merited, and will make this a difficult film to beat for those. We will see. One could ignore the plot completely and storyline and marvel at the music (so pronounced and contributing – now Hans Zimmer shared with Benjamin Wallfisch). Zimmer has had a brilliant career, and a frequent Scott collaborator as well as Christopher Nolan.

Now to the plot. Some have called the movie misogynistic with the treatment of the female characters and this was partly to blame for the lack of box office success (ie: women just didn’t like it). Perhaps these are the same people who felt Deckard was raping Rachel in the apartment scene with them in the original. I have stated emphatically that I disagree with that characterization. Others have stated that Deckard was the real villain in the film and also a Replicant himself. I disagree with those as well. Much of the killing to address that, and the violent killing takes place at the hands of a woman in this updated version. She is ruthless in her disposition of those seen as being in her way, almost Terminator-like.

Ryan Gosling plays a Replicant, a newer model, who is more obedient, but also a Blade Runner. He is meant to “retire” older Replicants. In his travels he hears about a “miracle” and then the bones of an old Replicant who was buried and appears to have died in child birth.

Tangentially, I was struck on second viewing with the parallels to not only Prometheus and Alien Covenant (and the themes of creation and God) but of the Christ story itself. Much effort is made on two sides to track down this unique child; one to prevent war and destruction as “the walls come down” from Gosling’s boss, but also from the new Tyrell who can’t “make” Replicants fast enough and needs to find out the truth of Replicants who can give birth. Those who know the truth are slaughtered unmercifully on either side. Stories are told and leads followed to find and seek the truth of the miraculous birth! All in the name of saving society, and more so the “souls” of the Replicants. I think that this aspect of the film, or at least my interpretation of it, make the film more impactful.

But continuing on, Gosling searches and has the belief that he himself is the child. He is the right age. He has memories that come true. Realizing later, in one the major findings of the film that he is NOT the one, also puts his life in perspective.

Layer upon this the added theme of artificial or projected beings, similar to the treatment in Her, where a character who is real falls for and has a real relationship with “an operating system” shows the modern society where the being avoids human contact with real humans to stay true to his virtual companion.

In the end, you are left with the Gosling character fulfilling what he feels is his destiny. He recognizes and rewards the earlier sacrifice of Deckard. He sees value in contributing in this way.

January 29th, 2018

With all the hype and the multiple nominations for Get Out, I got a loan from the library to check it out.

I am flabbergasted that this film has been nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director. My only explanation as I grapple with it is one of political correctness. The Oscars are tired of being labelled “White” and want to show just how inclusive and diverse that they are. Given the increased number of films allowed for the Best Picture nomination this one is a throw in (and gains you points with media).

The film itself has a basic premise, inter-racial young couple go for a visit to see her family. They have only been dating a little while and she has not told them that he is black. Then it proceeds to turn strange, and simply doesn’t feel right for our black protagonist. It has some aspects of Rosemary’s Baby in it, but also other movies like Coma etc. About three-quarters of the way through this I just began laughing to myself at how ridiculous it all was. At the end I knew that this would be a different review.

I feel saddened that a Director for Three Billboards (which will likely win most of the awards) was not nominated while Get Out’s director was. It is a head scratcher. Still after reading the article on Harvey Weinstein and how he stole the Oscars for Shakespeare in Love by spending millions on promoting it with Academy members, while Saving Private Ryan was left aside. Spielberg refused to spend the money. His film stands the test of time better. So he wins in the end. But I am mindful that it’s not the BEST films that get nominated, but rather those that put the Academy in the best light. Much like the NFL in the eyes of public opinion.

I watched Concussion on Netflix. Here is a movie about the NFL and doing research into the damage that multiple head shots have on the brain and life after the game is over. I have a couple issues with the film. First the NFL got off pretty lightly in this. Sure they denied the issue from their self-funded research but it could have been much worse (and I suspect that it was). I suspect there was a compromise made there. Then there is the whole argument in the film to dissuade our researcher; “you are trying to shut down the NFL, but bringing forward this issue”. WHAT?!! The argument goes on to say if parents are dissuaded from getting kids into playing because of dangers, the game will die. Clearly they have never been to Texas or Florida or Pennsylvania where football is a religion. See movies like Friday Night Lights, All the Right Moves, Rudy and many others about the sport. So rather than talk about how the NFL has so many charities, the multi-billion dollar business can invest in prevention and protection of players as well. This grows the game! If you claim to love these players, then you help them to deal with post-game life. That is just good business.

I have started season 2 of Peaky Blinders. Season 1 started slowly but finished really well. The BBC scores yet again with quality TV.

January 15th, 2018

I saw Darkest Hour a couple weeks ago and for me it was an excellent companion piece with Dunkirk. The film starring the ever-excellent Gary Oldman, outlines the political and war time struggles for the British during May 1940. Hitler has moved aggressively into Belgium and threatening France. Former PM Chamberlain sits as a leader of a Party where the opposition demands new leadership. The obvious first choice to them is Viscount Halifax, which was unknown to me. The next choice was Winston Churchill. There are intriguing elements going on where the TV series The Crown Season 1 fits in as well. The King who is good friends with Halifax isn’t really ready to plunge back into another war. The US sits on the sidelines, with their own commitments not to enter another war, while France is utterly useless. The history is well known, but the thoughts, feelings and mood are less so. This movie’s strength, and the strength of the excellent supporting cast is conveying that feeling about the uncertainty and fear about potentially being invaded. Oldman earns his Golden Gobe, and likely his Oscar here well. He didn’t put on the weight for the role, but the make up is never a distraction. He plays politics well too by publicly supporting the allies in mainland Europe who for the most part turtled when Hitler’s tanks came rolling in. This is a very good film. See it knowing about what happens in Dunkirk. Together they form the strength in a time where fear and trepidation were in abundant supply. If you wish to add a third excellent film for the time, you can add The Imitation Game.

I finished watching the second season of The Crown. Claire Foy will be missed in the title role of The Crown. There will be a Season 3, but they will use older actors in it. She is simply excellent here at showing on her face what goes through her entire being. The pressures of her position, not only as a sovereign but as a Wife and a Mother. Matt Smith plays Phillip and he really shines in these ending episodes as well. For him, the episode about he and Charles attending the same rugged school are outlined, and despite the Queen’s protests to protect her “different” son, Phillip is steadfast. As a husband, it would be difficult if you had “the Crown” argument thrown in your face every time you had an opinion that didn’t align with hers. The other excellent episode is that with Jackie Kennedy, where you see some of the dynamics which may or not hold true to life during a Presidential visit to Buckingham Palace. It also coincides with some political turmoil in Ghana. Once again, Foy plays the part so well. Will people who don’t care for the Monarchy like this or have any interest in it? I can’t say. Perhaps they don’t care for well acted and written stories about people during challenging times. From the Abdication of the Crown up until early 1960s, you see many different times.

I have started GLOW, as Alison Brie was nominated in her role. This is a series about the starting of the cheesey and sexist Lady Wresting. It’s quite funny, and Brie plays a part of a struggling actor just trying to pay the bills and get work. It is lighter entertainment.

January 1st, 2018 New Years Day

The dialogue and writing in any film is a crucial part in understanding the characters and how they interact but it shows so much more than that; intelligence, humour, sympathy etc. I have enjoyed Aaron Sorkin’s work for some time. From TV with The West Wing and Newsroom, his political satire and addressing news of the day was second to none. His banter among the characters as well is first rate. Then in movies like Money Ball, Steve Jobs, the Social Network again he shows his strength. His latest project is Molly’s Game with Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba. He doesn’t disappoint. Here is a story from the novel which I am currently working my way through. The movie differs from the book in not naming many of the more famous people – in the book Tobey Maguire and Leo Di Caprio figure prominently early anyway. The stories about Maguire are interesting – and I am still trying to decide if Mr X (played by Michael Cena) in the film is supposed to Maguire. In the book he wants to charge a $200 fee for his card-shuffling machine that he insists upon using. This from a multi-millionaire. Back to the film, Sorkin’s directorial debut is a good one as he shifts from the early days of Bloom in an accomplished family where she is a world class mogul skier (made the US Team) despite spinal fusion surgery due to a curvature in her spine. That career ends and before heading to law school she heads to LA for rest and warmth. There she eventually enters into a high stakes poker game as the organizer. This moves into a Federal indictment for organizing a game with Russian mob ties. She seeks out Elba to act as her lawyer. The story unfolds and you see her experiences as well as the challenges that she had along the way. You meet certain players at the table, and it all comes together in a satisfying story. Chastain is nominated for a Golden Globe, and Oscar should call as well. Sorkin is nominated too for Screenplay and will likely be nominated for an Oscar. Unsure if they win, but should be nominated. This was yet another quality film that I have seen over the holidays. I look forward to finishing the book.

I took youngest son to see Coco, the new animated film from Pixar. The guys who brought us Finding Nemo, Toy Story, Incredibles, Up etc know how to tell a story and bring emotional impact to drawings (computer and hand drawn). This is an excellent addition to their library of films. It is set with Mexico and the Day of the Dead backdrop. The characters are uniformly Mexican and it shows cultural aspects of the day which were unknown to me. The story is about family, extended family and music. There are other messages too about heroes and living your own dreams. The songs are very good and add to the story. Historically animated fables are about white princesses searching for a prince charming. Here is a Mexican boy seeking an outlet for his love of music which flies in the face of his family where the great-grandmother was left with a young daughter by a man looking to play music for the world. As a result the family banned all music. This film has been a phenomenon in Mexico and I can see why. Both young son and I thoroughly enjoyed this and can recommend without hesitation.

Darkest Hour to be seen soon. Add to that The Post when it comes out. I struggle to support any aspect of the life of Tonya Harding, despite the good reviews. It has been a very good year for film.

The Netflix documentary called Hired Gun about play-for-hire musicians was very good. These are players from bands that are all well known. I liked particularly the guitar player who plays with Mandy Moore, and then also Hilary Duff but also Alice Cooper and then Five Finger Death Punch. What a contrast!! I am continuing through season 2 of The Crown and really enjoying this as well. Claire Foy is excellent. The episode where Princess Margaret gets engaged is excellent. The quality supporting cast makes this must-watch tv.