Tag: The Irishman

December 2nd, 2019

Netflix Has been busy financing films and putting many directly to streaming.   They stepped up most recently with the latest Martin Scorsese film, The Irishman.   I am not certain whether the reunion between Robert DeNiro, director Scorsese and Joe Pesci in another collaboration (like Raging Bull, Good Fellas and Casino beforehand) is more notable than the use of CGI to make the almost 80 year old actors younger.   The Irishman also has Al Pacino (seen on screen with DeNiro for the first time since 1995’s Heat) and Harvey Keitel.   The impressive cast is brought together to tell the story of Frank Sheeran who was the muscle and hitman for a number of powerful people in the 1950s-1960s, and was heavily involved in the Teamster’s Union Jimmy Hoffa story.   Studios balked at financing this, and Netflix decided to step in.   It had a short release in the theatres (but when you announce a short timeline when it will be streamed, you doom the box office for it).   In short the 3.5 hour time is too long.  It takes too long to develop the early introduced trip to Detroit.   These actors for me look just a little off.  And I say that now, not knowing exactly what it was, but I think it is their gait and how they move versus how their faces look outwardly and their voices.   Early on, a young DeNiro is needing assistance with his ice truck.   The dark hair and lack of lines on his face belie the body posture.   It just doesn’t fit.  DeNiro does an admirable job in the role.   He yet again plays a man without a soul (in 2017 playing Bernie Madoff who watched his family disintegrate with his Ponzi scheme, without any apparent conscience about it).   Sheeran as a person is distant and shows a remarkable lack of conscience all in the name of doing what he is told, and legalities be damned (his lawyer can manage to get him off certain crimes without consequence).   I was waiting while watching to see a Pesci rant.   It came from Pacino instead, who seemingly comes to newfound life as he rants about the people surrounding him and keep doing things that look suspicious for investigating eyes from the Federal Government.   It aggravates a man who is full of pride and feels himself worthy of more respect than some provide him.   It is a downfall according to the story.   I didn’t know a lot about the Hoffa story.   This provides a perspective.   I enjoyed it but it dragged, and it didn’t need to.   Worth checking out and it may yield some Award nominations in the New Year.

The Mandalorian (episode 1) has become the most watched streaming episode of all time at 100 million views surpassing the Netflix Stranger Things.  Although I wasn’t moved by the end of Episode 1, I have continued to watch.   The Jawa fight in episode 2 was a little silly, and the abilities of The Child when dealing with the one-horned dinosaur are skeptical (I am later to learn apparently the Child is already 50 years old).   Episode 3 for me was better as “Mando” grows a conscience and wanting to better understand what was going to happen to The Child.   He becomes an outcast from the Guild where he had been working and their poster child of success.   Episode 4 “dropped” on US Thanksgiving Friday.   A couple new characters are introduced and a new planet that could hold some sanctuary.   The story is reminiscent of Clint Eastwood’s Blondie or The Stranger in The Good, The Bad and the Ugly or High Plains Drifter.   He is a loner and someone who is a mercenary, but is showing signs of sympathy for those around them.   Again the production value is excellent.  It looks every bit a Star Wars film, but it should for the $100M spent on it.  Bryce Dallas Howard directed this fourth installment.   In this episode the Mandalorian is looking for a safe haven and seeking somewhere for The Child to remain and be raised.   Mando helps out an oppressed and defenseless group all the while making a few new friends.   The ending is predictable as the series moves on.   I still have to wonder how on a planet, one can’t find another place to live!!   I don’t know people in Macedonia and what they are doing.  I couldn’t find one of them by just having been given a name alone, but anyway.   I will continue to watch.  Of course the Disney marketing machine is in full on swing with the latest (and supposedly last) Skywalker trilogy film.  I have to admit that I am not optimistic.

Finally Nextflix released the latest film from Alicia Vikander, and actress who I really like.  She has some impressive roles to her credit including a Best Supporting Actress Oscar from The Danish Girl.   Earthquake Bird is the latest story but it was not overly compelling.   Vikander does her best to play the young woman living in Tokyo with a mysterious past.  She plays the cello in a quartet, and lives a rather simple life.   One day a complete stranger takes her picture (old school with a SLR (single lens reflex) camera).   She stops immediately and engages with the stranger.  Later she meets an American woman looking for a roommate and someone who speaks Japanese.   Along comes Vikander.   The young American is played by Riley Keough.   Soon enough the three are spending time together.  Undercutting this story is a seeming back story where Vikander is being questioned by police.  It seems there has been a murder, or at the very least a disappearance, and she is brought in for questioning.   It is slow.  It’s not overly engaging, despite the star power.   As part of the story, you unravel the backstory to the Vikander character.   She looks tired for much of the time and this is done on purpose.   The Japanese cast is pretty good, and the young photographer is a good balance of handsome and rogue.   I can’t recommend.

October 21st, 2019, Canadian Election Day

I managed to see the charming movie Yesterday last week, and I think I was in just the right frame of mind to enjoy it.  Himesh Patel stars along with Lily James, and a little too much Ed Sheeran for my liking.   But that’s really a side show.   Patel is a young musician who has never quite made it in the music business.   James plays his manager, initially, and also someone who is romantically interested in the musician.  A solar flare occurs and the world is put into darkness and the fable aspects of this begins with almost everyone not knowing The Beatles music.   Patel does, and when he is presented with a new guitar and requested by his friends to play something, he plays Yesterday.   His friends think it’s quite good but don’t have any recollection of The Beatles.  He is incredulous, and soon realizes this to be true.   The story continues on, with some moments that are pleasantly unexpected.   I was not really convinced as much about the romance, but there was some good social commentary (like the public acceptance of certain artists and how they should appear, even if they happen to have volumes of material that is genius.   I saw this on the small screen and this was fine.    No theatre experience required, and I would recommend checking it out if you can.   I am of the first generation where The Beatles have been part of my entire existence.    It is difficult to imagine (no pun intended) life without them.

I also ventured to the theatre with my youngest son in tow to see Joker.  Like Alison, I had heard about the buzz on this film (it was all over TIFF) and there were good reviews, including hers.   I will preface this review with my underlying attitude that I am not a big superhero movie fan.   For me Christopher Nolan has created the better superhero movies, including the Batman trilogy with Christian Bale.    For me, the epic performance by Heath Ledger in 2008 as the Joker remains the pinnacle of the craft.  I can’t imagine better.  As I watched trailers for this version, I was more than a little skeptical.   Having said that, upon viewing, I will readily admit that the Phoenix performance is excellent.  I fully expect an Oscar nomination for it, as the range of emotions for him to go through would be an acting challenge unlike many others.   I can’t even imagine shooting day after day and take after take with the laughing scenes.   Then there is the physical transformation which Phoenix himself shows with the scenes where he is half-dressed or shirtless.   He is so thin.   It doesn’t rival Bale himself in The Machinist (Bale also well known to transform himself physically for a role like De Niro and Day-Lewis).   His physical appearance mirrors the darkness and depressed underlying story.   He looks every year and then some of his 45 years of age (he turns October 28th).

Joker is a backstory for this character and how he came to be the way he is.   I have no challenge about the desire to show this, but I struggle with the tight connection between the Joker story and the Bruce Wayne story.   Without giving anything away, I don’t see the need to go as far as it does.   Why can’t Joker be a guy who has had a difficult life, and has had many knocks which drive him to become an agent of chaos or anarchy?    The story explores mental illness and bullying issues too, which makes complete sense.   If you see the movie, you will understand what I am talking about.  The timeline then with The Dark Knight doesn’t really work either, so one can’t expect that there will be complete continuity.   On it’s own, Joker shows yet again that this character can be the source of truly great acting performances.    It touches on so many issues.  Incidentally having seen Ledger and Phoenix taking on this challenge, the performance by Jack Nicholson in the original Batman from 1989 (a film that I didn’t like at all) is lacking.   Jack is Jack but doesn’t show the depth or the range of emotion.   He is more cartoonish and one dimensional.   So I can echo the positive review by others and Alison, but just not as enthusiastically.

Finally I saw the trailer for The Irishman this week:

This movie along with Gemini Man with Will Smith is showing the new de-aging software that Hollywood is getting excited about.   Had this movie been made 25 years ago, then I would be all over it (De Niro, Pacino, Pesci, and Keitel) would be anybody’s dream cast, being directed by Martin Scorcese.   Keitel is 80 years old.  Pacino is 79, and the other two 76yo.   The de-aging process uses expensive technology to recreate their faces while allowing them to still act.   Clearly these superstars of acting are having their lives prolonged, but why not find new actors to fill these roles and be the NEXT De Niro or Pacino?   Why can’t they just age and play grumpy old men?    Netflix has chosen to pick up this project and it will be released in theatres in early November.   Then Netflix.   There is another aspect of this that I think about, is why aren’t they de-aging the actresses?   I would think actresses who have made movies about Hollywood not accepting actresses over 40yo, would welcome this technology to hide lines and made bodies tighter.   The age of the digital actors is coming – and we will see again in Star Wars where deceased Carrie Fisher will be on screen and fully acting in that film in December.    Not sure if I am a young and up and coming actor that this would be welcome or not.