(Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was a poem about joy and gifts, so I thought of the selflessness offered to the title character of this biopic.)
A dream is a gift on the highest of shelves,
And no one is tall enough for it.
We wonder what treasures are hidden within,
And watch other people reach theirs with chagrin.
We reach and we climb
And we strain every time;
We yearn and beseech
While it’s just out of reach.
This struggle, we hate and adore it.
But after the struggle has worn us bone thin
And made us give up on the treasures within,
For someone still taller to pluck our dream down,
Impelled by our dreaming and not for renown,
And offer it to us,
The dream that so drew us…
It questions the thought
That the world is all rot,
For kindness still lives
In the gifts that it gives.
_____________________
MPAA rating: PG-13
I didn’t realize that I’d be highlighting Meryl Streep’s lesser performances this week (Into the Woods was just a couple days ago), but it just worked out that way. I’ve long held Florence Foster Jenkins in semi-contempt ever since Streep got an Oscar nomination while Amy Adams in Arrival was snubbed. Yet I was curious to see whether her portrayal of the aspiring untalented opera singer was really undeserving or not.
While I believe without a doubt that Streep’s Academy clout clinched the nomination, her role as Jenkins does have its strong moments, particularly when it shifts from milking her bad singing for comedy to mixing in the drama of her failing health and self-confidence. I suppose knowing from Into the Woods and Mamma Mia! that Streep can sing adds to the role’s difficulty; it takes skill to sing poorly on purpose. I can see Streep’s performance being worthy of an Oscar nom in a weak year, but I’ll take it to my grave that Amy Adams deserved it more in 2016.
Nearly overshadowing Streep is Hugh Grant as her husband/manager St. Clair Bayfield, who repeatedly swings the audience’s opinion of him; at first, he seems a faithful husband, then a cad when we realize he has a mistress, then somewhat sympathetic when the circumstances are clarified, then back to amazingly sweet and selfless husband by the end. Likewise, Simon Helberg as Cosmé McMoon, Jenkins’ self-conscious pianist, serves well as a stand-in for the audience, shocked by Jenkins’ naivete about her lack of talent but hesitantly supportive of her efforts.
Florence Foster Jenkins is a well-written biopic I doubt anyone was clamoring for, but it’s better than its title character’s voice might indicate. While it extracts inspiration from Jenkins and her eagerness to share her passion and fulfill her dream whether the listening world likes it or not, it didn’t quite convince me whether that was a good thing or not. When someone aspires to be legitimately famous, would they really be satisfied with becoming infamous instead?
Best line: (Carlo Edwards, a ‘friend’) “Obviously I’ll do my utmost to attend the concert, but I’ll be away in Florida at some point.” (St. Clair) “Oh, right. When?” (Edwards) “Let me know when you’ve fixed a date.”
(Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was for a poem about the possible, so I tackled the improbability/possibility of sci-fi dystopias.)
What would you call an improbable threat
For the future that no one has witnessed as yet?
Dystopian visions are dozens per dime,
Propped up by the volatile nature of time.
Who knows if we might be supplanted by apes,
Or drive over ruined, deserted landscapes?
Who knows if we might be beset by undead,
Or banned from free thought by a Big Brother head?
Perhaps we might battle an alien foe
That strikes from above or attacks from below.
The sun may desert us or scorch us to ash,
Or robots may kill us or clean up our trash,
Or humans may live in a virtual setting
That no one recalls since it’s built on forgetting.
Or maybe, just maybe, mankind may well learn
From all its mistakes that so often return
And set up a world of the peaceful and wise,
Not built on the backs of control and dark lies.
But with all of the ifs that end nightmarishly,
I think that’s unlikely, but hey, it might be.
_____________________
MPAA rating: R
It’s hard to know how I feel about Snowpiercer. On the one hand, I can appreciate the ambition that went into this epic dystopian vision, and on the other, I’m confounded by the bizarrely unrealistic concept that remains straight-faced throughout all its weirdness and violence. It’s a film I’m glad to have seen once, but I’m not sure I want to see it again.
After a half-baked attempt to stop global warming sends the planet into a deep freeze, the only remaining humans are those aboard the Snowpiercer, a high-speed train looping endlessly across the globe. The wealthy live in luxury in the front of the train, while those in the back scrape by in squalor and authoritarian suppression, personified by the loathsome Minister Mason (Tilda Swinton with false teeth). After seventeen years, the have-nots make their final push for change as their leader Curtis (Chris Evans) aims to take the engine.
The biggest problem with Snowpiercer is buying into its unlikely dystopia without being distracted by just how unlikely it is. So much science fiction is dedicated to conjuring future worlds where vices are taken to extremes or improbable outcomes challenge our perceptions, so in some ways, Snowpiercer is in good company. But then again (and my views may be tainted by a semi-famous and extremely negative review I read a while back), there is such a thing as too many plot holes. Why is one Korean girl psychic? How is it that the wealthy of the front section have perfectly maintained amenities and clean clothes with no visible manufacturing or service areas? It’s a train after all; there’s only so much room in the cars, all of which Curtis passes through to get to the front, often with random themes, like an aquarium or a rave. Surely this train isn’t as self-sustainable as it appears with no outside resources. Considering the body count and how pyrrhic the battle becomes, how can the ending be viewed as anything but a total downer waving a shred of false hope?
It’s a lot to overlook, yet, if you can, there’s much to appreciate as well. The set design and limited CGI effects (mainly any exterior shots) have a convincing world-building flair, and the fight scenes, while unnecessarily bloody, are tense and shocking, with a strange preoccupation with limb amputations. The film does excel as an action movie and has moments of pointed social commentary about the breakdown of society, though its almost cartoonish class struggle themes were done far better in The Hunger Games series.
Snowpiercer seems to be divisive, and all in all, I can’t completely agree with either end of the spectrum. It’s not a total train wreck (pun intended) as some faultfinders have derided it, but neither does it seem worthy of its effusive critical praise and 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. I’m somewhere in the middle, dubiously positive you might say. If you can manage to take its grim craziness in stride, Snowpiercer may be the dystopia for you.
Best line: (Wilford, the creator of the train) “Curtis, everyone has their preordained position, and everyone is in their place except you.” (Curtis) “That’s what people in the best place say to the people in the worst place.”
(Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was for a villanelle, a special form with alternating repeated lines as below, and the prompt suggested incorporating someone else’s words. The repeated lines I used are drawn from the musical Into the Woods, along with part of the theme.)
Careful the tale you tell,
For tales are not words but adventures and fates;
All stories cast a spell.
They conjure the best and worst places to dwell,
And leave you in clouds or burdened by weights.
Careful the tale you tell.
Emotions on strings as they rise and repel
Are pulled by the magic that fiction creates.
All stories cast a spell.
No louche Casanova, no wish from a well
Has broken more hearts or honored more dates.
Careful the tale you tell.
Each one is a world and a ceiling-less cell,
Where soon-to-be-friends and a new home awaits.
All stories cast a spell.
When fantasy finally bids you farewell,
How do you feel as the world deviates?
Careful the tale you tell;
All stories cast a spell.
______________________
MPAA rating: PG
Those familiar with this blog might already know that I’m a huge fan of musicals. While others roll their eyes or cringe at all-sung films like Les Miserables, I love it. There’s something about the combination of song, lyric, dance, and story that I find particularly appealing and entertaining. However, not all musicals are equal, and all four (sometimes three minus dance) of those ingredients have to be on point for the magic to work. Into the Woods comes so close to nailing them all, yet by the end, I could only wonder what went wrong.
Based on Stephen Sondheim’s popular musical, which is just as old as The Phantom of the Opera, Into the Woods weaves multiple fairy tale stories together: Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Rapunzel, and an original connecting tale of a Baker (James Corden) and his Wife (Emily Blunt) seeking out spell ingredients for a desperate Witch (Meryl Streep). The way the stories blend together and overlap, playing out in familiar ways with unexpected connections, is a joy to watch, especially with hammy but committed performances from Johnny Depp, Chris Pine, and Streep (who shockingly got an Oscar nomination; she’s good, but this is probably her least deserving role).
It’s a highly enjoyable movie, or rather two-thirds of a movie, because at a certain point, it’s just…ruined. At a happy moment that could have ended the film well, the story suddenly takes a left turn into disaster and tragedy and shattered reputations. It’s a dark move, which is apparently even darker in the stage version, and it saps most of the enjoyment from the film as a whole.
Even if none of the songs are instant classics likely to live long in the memory, the music is the saving grace of Into the Woods. My VC thought the tunes were a bit too repetitious, lacking the complexity or vocal range of Phantom or Les Mis, but, as a poet, I especially admired the clever lyrics and rhymes. It has outstanding production values and strong performances too, but in its effort to offer a darkly unsatisfying take on beloved stories, this fractured fairy tale proves to be a failed musical in my book. My VC and I agree that we would recommend the first two thirds; just bail when the tale goes to pot.
Best line: (the Baker’s Wife) “Oh, if life were made of moments, even now and then a bad one – But if life were only moments, then you’d never know you had one.”
(Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was for a sad poem using simple, straightforward language, and this story of a father mourning his son’s choices seemed like a perfect fit.)
When I first held you in my hands,
A life so small and yet so dear,
I dreamt of all your hopes and plans
That lay so far away from here,
In years ahead, when you perhaps
Did not need me as you did then.
Too soon did all those years elapse,
Too soon you joined the world of men.
You’ve gone your own way, that is clear,
On paths I’d never dreamed before,
And now I wait, with growing fear,
For news that you are here no more.
My son, I love you and I will,
Although you’ve left my heart so sore.
Afar, I stand and love you still
And wish I held you close once more.
_________________________
MPAA rating: R (for much language and drug content)
Do you remember the final, heart-breaking scene of Philadelphia, where the film gives us a stark comparison between the disease-ridden character that just died and his innocent child self, subtly asking how someone once so pure could have been brought so low? That’s essentially what Beautiful Boy is, just stretched out to feature-length, yet still quite affecting, thanks to Oscar-worthy turns from Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet as a father and son plagued by drug addiction.
Carell plays real-life journalist and father David Sheff, who in the early 2000s had to endure the pain of watching his son Nic (Chalamet) battle a meth addiction. The story is rife with flashbacks, many of which contrast Nic’s current struggle with his free-spirited childhood, as I said. Some also offer hints of what led him down the dark road to addiction, as when he defends his early gateway drugs in the name of youthful experimentation, just as his father did back in the day. Yet the phase that David grew out of, Nic succumbs to, leading to an emotional rollercoaster as he goes in and out of rehab with David desperate to help him any way he can.
Since it’s what I call a Triple A movie (one that’s All About the Acting), I’m honestly shocked that Beautiful Boy was entirely snubbed by the Oscars, though it did get a couple nominations at the Golden Globes, including one for Chalamet. The repetitive plot ends up feeling longer than it really is, perhaps because it’s emotionally draining as well, but there’s genuine heartfelt talent here, not to mention the extra-timely subject matter, which brings home the personal cost of America’s drug epidemic in stark, sympathetic detail. I’ve personally never understood the attraction to drugs, but this movie brings into focus how destructive they are and how unpredictable their effects can be, with one man’s single experiment becoming another man’s road to addiction.
I can see why it might not win Best Picture, with its excessive flashbacks and music (occasionally intrusive) stressing how dramatic it is, but the snub is hard to believe, especially compared to 2016’s Manchester By the Sea, another Amazon Studios film that won two Oscars and was dull and inferior next to this film. Chalamet and Carell give exceptional performances, and I highly suspect they’ll both end up with Oscars one of these day, or at least they should.
Best line: (David, to Nic as a child) “Do you know how much I love you? If you could take all the words in the language, it still wouldn’t describe how much I love you. And if you could gather all those words together, it still wouldn’t describe what I feel for you. What I feel for you is everything. I love you more than everything.”
(Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was for a poem about something that takes time, like falling in love, for example. It’s also fittingly paired with a movie that felt longer than it was.)
Love at first sight is a storybook rarity,
Meant to give real life a sorry disparity.
No, love occurs with much more regularity
Born out of patience, frustrations, and time.
Waiting is always considered austerity,
Wading through troubles with fresh solidarity,
Yet it is waiting that tests our sincerity
After the passion grows ashen with time.
Love is not love only born from prosperity,
Tested then bested by irregularity.
Months and then years offer startling clarity;
They are the mountain true romance will climb.
_______________________
MPAA rating: Not Rated (should be PG-13)
Based on an Ann Patchett novel, Bel Canto flew under the radar last year with very little fanfare, making me think perhaps it was a diamond in the rough worth discovering. After watching it, I’d say it’s more of a nice piece of quartz that could have been shinier. Featuring a plot of revolutionary turmoil and classical music, Bel Canto just doesn’t foster enough interest to sustain its plot, even with strong performances from Julianne Moore and Ken Watanabe.
Moore plays an opera singer and Watanabe a Japanese businessman, who are both guests in a South American official’s mansion, only to become hostages when the entire complex is locked down by armed insurgents. The fear and terror of the situation gradually give way to a false sense of security as the weeks drag on, as the hostages begin to bond with their captors and unlikely romances are sparked.
Bel Canto has some honestly powerful moments, such as a meaningful opera performance Moore’s character is compelled to give from a balcony. Likewise, the film’s climax is classically tragic in its inevitability, but, in dramatizing the protracted build-up due to the stubbornness of the rebels’ demands, the film just gets unfortunately dull.
Nevertheless, the message of peace and humanity between enemies has echoes of the much more powerful film Joyeux Noel, and there are quality performances here. It just takes a little patience to enjoy them.
(For today’s NaPoWriMo prompt, we were to write a poem that ends with a question, so I tried to channel the underlying panic in this thriller. On a side note, I’m not really this paranoid in real life, just seen too much Criminal Minds lately. 🙂 )
Don’t you know that dangers lurk where many do not dare to dream,
And folk who look so ordinary prove much darker than they seem?
Don’t you know and don’t you care
That predators are lurking there,
Where no one thinks to be aware
Until they do not have a prayer?
I’ve seen the CSI shows, and I know the nightly news.
There are murders out on Main Street, there are allies who abuse,
There are hedons on the highway, there are fiends among our friends,
And I fear the day when bubbles pop and ignorant bliss ends.
This one may well be the day
When someone snaps and goes astray,
When thin decorum’s stripped away
And black and white are turned to gray.
Is your neighbor one of those with skeletons beneath their floors?
I know they’re out there; you do too, yet never thought to think of yours.
It’s paranoia, some will say,
While hearts of darkness have their way.
Is not the deadly viper’s nest
Where no one would have ever guessed?
_________________________
MPAA rating: PG
I watched Duel strictly out of curiosity to see Steven Spielberg’s very first film as director, even if it was a TV movie at the time. Coming four years before Jaws, Duel served as a practice round for the thrills Spielberg had yet to deliver. It’s apparently considered one of the best TV movies ever, but I think it has weaknesses and mainly serves as evidence of how Spielberg improved as a director.
Dennis Weaver plays David Mann, an ordinary salesman on his way to a business meeting, who drives into the desert and passes a large tractor-trailer. Before long, though, he realizes that this truck’s driver has it in for him, repeatedly antagonizing and threatening his life. It’s a simple premise (reused in other films like Joy Ride) that Spielberg makes the most of, finding new ways to make the truck into an enemy while always keeping the driver anonymous, a faceless and relentless enemy not unlike the shark in Jaws.
However, even 90 minutes seems to be too long for the simplicity of this plot. It certainly has its moments, especially when the truck becomes more actively villainous toward poor Mr. Mann, but I found myself getting bored over time, which is never a good thing for a thriller. There was just too much of the truck looming behind and passing and being passed, while a sweaty Weaver frantically looks over his shoulder at it, sapping the tension through sheer repetition. Plus, the conclusion is left too open-ended, offering no resolution for anything outside of the truck plot.
Even so, for a TV movie, Duel is far better than a lesser director might have made it. Right from the first shot, Spielberg does the unexpected, providing a first-person driving view from the car’s perspective as the credits start. The film overall proves his unique talent but also how much further it grew with time and practice. This ain’t Jurassic Park, but we wouldn’t have Jurassic Park or Jaws or many other such films without it.
Best line: (Mann) “Fill it with Ethel.” (Gas station attendant) “As long as Ethel doesn’t mind.”
(For Day 1 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt is for a poem of instructions, so I wrote up one describing a rigid daily routine, not unlike that of the autistic main character in this film.)
Wake up at 7, not early or late,
Then shower at once so you won’t have to wait.
Two squirts of shampoo but just one of toothpaste,
And spit as you brush to get rid of the taste.
It’s Monday, so dress in the blue shirt today,
Then go and eat breakfast and be on your way.
Don’t walk at the crosswalk when there’s a red hand,
And move (not too slowly) to reach work as planned.
Whatever your boss says, you do like you learned,
And roll your eyes only when his back is turned.
When your shift is over, retrace your steps back,
And practice your lessons with time for a snack.
At eight o’clock sharp, time for your favorite show,
And those who don’t like it are welcome to go.
Depending on whether there might be dessert,
Get ready for bed then (remember, one squirt).
Your eight-thousand six-hundred and twelfth day is next
And if something happens you do not expect,
Don’t panic; please stand by while life interjects.
______________________
Every year, I look out for that one obscure movie that I can champion, one that no one’s heard of but I can confidently call a new favorite of mine. Past examples would include King of Thorn or Chronesthesia, and while Please Stand By isn’t the strongest of the group, I think it might be 2018’s contribution. While a road trip movie featuring an autistic character may be reminiscent of Rain Man, Please Stand By distinguishes itself as its own story, thanks to a nerdily engaging journey and strong character work from Dakota Fanning and Alice Eve (oh, and a cute dog).
Fanning plays young Star Trek fan Wendy, a high-functioning autistic girl living in a group home under the care of Toni Collette’s Scottie. (Sadly, they never use the joke “Beam me up, Scottie.”) Eager to win money and the respect of her sister Audrey (Alice Eve, herself a Star Trek alumnus), Wendy types up a screenplay for a Star Trek writing contest, and when she realizes mailing it would miss the deadline, she decides to forsake her routine and travel on her own from Oakland to Los Angeles to deliver it herself.
Deriving its name from the phrase Scottie uses to help Wendy stay calm, Please Stand By charmed me, combining two of my favorite things, Star Trek and the Meet-‘Em-And-Move-On genre, wherein a character makes a journey and meets various others along the way (and yes, I made up that name). Wendy herself is a great main character, smart but overly focused and naïve when it comes to the ways of the world. Those she meets sometimes offer rude awakenings, while others are sympathetic and helpful, with Patton Oswalt in particular furthering his nerdy everyman cred. (By the way, don’t watch the trailer; it gives the whole movie away.)
My VC thought Please Stand By was a nice movie but nothing special, while I can’t help but like it the more I think of it. There are some loose ends and a middle section that loses momentum, but I enjoyed rooting for Wendy’s journey and seeing it to its optimistic conclusion. It might be the Trek fan in me, and I might end up changing my mind by the end of the year when I’ll have to fit it into my List, but I’m going to call Please Stand By List-Worthy, if only so others will give it a try. It’s a sleeper gem that deserves more love.
Best line: (Scottie, after trying to read Wendy’s script) “Okay, so, I know he’s the hero of Star Wars, but who exactly is this Kirk person?”
What makes a hero, I ask you, my friend?
Some inhuman power defending good ends?
Some courage or virtue beyond normal means
Or blasting the bad guys to small smithereens?
Perhaps perseverance, refusing to yield,
Or wielding a weapon, a sword or a shield?
No, heroes are simple yet more than all these,
And those they inspire can spot them with ease.
_____________________
MPAA rating: PG-13
Well, I’d say the Marvel Cinematic Universe has a new MVP. No, not Captain Marvel, although she’s pretty cool too. I’m talking about a scene-stealing cat named Goose (which is a Top Gun reference since Carol Danvers was an Air Force pilot). There are still endless possibilities in the MCU, many of which are opened by this very movie, but I’d be happy if every movie from now on had a cameo from Goose.
As for the rest of the movie, widely touted as Marvel’s first film with a main female protagonist, Captain Marvel is a success beyond the cultural box it ticks. I had some reservations about Brie Larson playing Carol Danvers, just because of how serious she is in most of the trailers, but she is a welcome addition to the MCU, finding a healthy balance between self-assured power and typical Marvel humor. It does help that she usually has someone to play off of, sometimes Jude Law as her Kree trainer Yon-Rogg but mostly that someone being Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, who has two eyes and is digitally de-aged (incredibly well, by the way) since this is set back in 1995. Having already starred together in Kong: Skull Island and Unicorn Store, the two have great buddy-movie rapport as they take on the war between the shape-shifting Skrulls and the Kree Empire.
A word to the uninitiated: Captain Marvel doesn’t try to give many concessions to the casual Marvel viewer. There are moments in the first quarter or so that are bound to leave people confused, but it picks up when events (and Captain Marvel herself) get more down to earth. The alien Skrulls, who can impersonate anyone, make for an intriguing foe, especially with Ben Mendelsohn as their leader, and the makeup work for them is much more effective than if they had been created solely with CGI. And as usual with Marvel, the effects and action are top-notch, especially when Danvers reaches her maximum power (the “Whoo!”s she makes while destroying alien ships really add to the fun).
My VC wasn’t all that excited for Captain Marvel. Not being much of a feminist, she didn’t like the gender switch, since she associated the name Captain Marvel with the male hero Mar-Vell from the comics (never mind that the name originally belonged to the DC character now known as Shazam). While it didn’t remove all her reservations, the film managed to win her over to accept this version of the character. I think this was not only due to the fun ‘90s setting but also its message of perseverance that is universally human, not being limited to male or female. Whether Carol Danvers is known as Ms. Marvel or Captain Marvel (neither name is actually used in the movie), she’s a welcome heroine for the MCU for reasons beyond the fact that she’s a she.
Captain Marvel is a well-made origin story that sits squarely in the middle of the MCU rankings and, like last year’s Black Panther, doesn’t seem to have much bearing on the next Avengers movie following in its wake, aside from providing background for a major character. Nevertheless, it has lots of well-planned ties into the larger MCU (loved Stan Lee’s tribute, and I’ll never look at Fury and his scar the same way again!) and still whets the appetite of us Marvel nerds; the first thing I said when the credits rolled was, “At least we only have another month to wait,” to which my VC replied, “Thank God!” Now, in addition to all the hopes and fears I had for Endgame, I can add the hope that Goose will make an appearance. Fingers crossed!
Best line: (Carol Danvers) “What does your mother call you then?”
(Nick Fury) “Fury.”
(Carol) “What do your friends call you?”
(Fury) “Fury.”
(Carol) “Kids?”
(Fury) “If I ever have them? Fury.”
I would normally have posted this over a month ago, but, despite the delay, I wanted to give a little sneak peek of what the rest of the year holds for us movie lovers. If I had gotten to this list earlier, I would have included the likes of Glass, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, and Captain Marvel (Alita: Battle Angel was part of my list from last year), but these are all films that I’m eagerly awaiting. If they’re as good as I hope they are, 2019 will be a very good year for film (and these are just the ones I know of so far).
The Best of Enemies
Reminiscent of Hidden Figures and Selma, the trailer for The Best of Enemies promises a riveting story of the real-life friendship between civil rights activist Ann Atwater (Taraji P. Henson) and KKK leader C. P. Ellis (Sam Rockwell). With two strong leads, I hope it will help in bridging the racial division plaguing our country.
Aladdin
In principle, I’m still not a fan of these Disney live-action remakes (The Lion King especially just feels wrong, but then again so did Beauty and the Beast), but Aladdin’s latest trailer raised my expectations. Will Smith is no Robin Williams, but he could still pull off a different kind of Genie, and the production looks sumptuous.
Cats
Cats isn’t really one of my favorite musicals, but if it means more musical films in its wake, I hope it’s a massive success.
Tolkien
I have no idea how historically accurate this film will be, but I do love a good literary biopic, and my love of The Lord of the Rings will no doubt bleed into my appreciation of Tolkien. I do hope they include his faith since it was so integral to his life and work.
Men in Black: International
My expectations are cautiously optimistic for this reboot largely unconnected to the original MIB trilogy. Still, it’s a promising reunion for Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, who are both due to show off their proven comedic chops, and perhaps it can kick-start the franchise all over again.
Yesterday
I hadn’t heard of this film till recently, but the trailer has me hyped. The Beatles are quite dear in my family, and this Twilight Zone-esque what-if plot has my interest piqued.
Frozen 2
Is the first Frozen overrated and overcommercialized? Yes. Is it still a great Disney movie worthy of an equally great sequel? Yes again. The trailer certainly captures an intriguing, darker mood than the original.
Toy Story 4
I really think they should have ended the series with Toy Story 3, but I guess we simply must trust Pixar to pull off one more fun, tear-jerking visit with Woody and Buzz.
Weathering with You
Makoto Shinkai might have the toughest job of any filmmaker this year: following up the highest-grossing anime film of all time, Your Name. There aren’t a lot of details about Weathering with You, but we know Shinkai excels at depicting clouds and rain and weather, so it will no doubt be gorgeous to behold.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu
I’ll admit I’m strangely fascinated by this movie, based on a spin-off game from 2016. Pokémon fans I’ve talked to seem to have low expectations, but I really think this film could be great if done right. Whether a Deadpool-style Pikachu voiced by Ryan Reynolds will constitute “done right” remains to be seen, but I do wish this movie would defy the odds.
Star Wars: Episode IX
I was in the minority in loving The Last Jedi, so Star Wars: Episode IX has a doubly hard task: pleasing fans who loved its predecessor and “redeeming” the franchise for those who didn’t. I can’t wait to see how J.J. Abrams rises to the challenge.
Avengers: Endgame
After that ultimate cliffhanger at the end of Infinity War, there’s no doubt that Endgame is the most anticipated film of the year, at least in my house. I love how mum Marvel’s trailers are thus far (except for the next Spider-Man movie’s), leaving much room for hype-building speculation. I’m hoping time travel will be involved. Thank God it’s only a month away!
Other promising features in the coming year:
1917 – Sam Mendes directing a World War I movie released in late December. Probable Oscar material.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – Can’t wait to see how Tom Hanks plays Mr. Rogers in this biopic.
Ad Astra – This Brad Pitt vehicle sounds like Interstellar but potentially with aliens.
Artemis Fowl – Never got into the books, but Disney might be going for a new Harry Potter-type franchise.
Call of the Wild – Not sure how this classic retelling will combine live-action and animation, but I’m curious to find out.
Dark Phoenix – Considering I hated The Last Stand, I don’t have very high hopes for this new retelling of the Dark Phoenix saga, but you never know.
Doctor Sleep – Of all the unexpected sequels being developed, a follow-up to The Shining was particularly unexpected, but since it’s also based on a Stephen King book, this might have potential.
Dumbo – I wish Disney would lay off the live-action adaptations. I’m not really a Tim Burton fan, so only time will tell for Dumbo.
Gemini Man – The plot sounds suspiciously like Looper without time travel, but Will Smith could make this a real winner.
Jumanji sequel – Welcome to the Jungle seemed like a good standalone follow-up to the original, so I’m not sure how they’ll sequelize it with the same characters.
Knives Out – An all-star cast in an Agatha Christie-style whodunit. I’m all for it!
The Lion King – This isn’t even live-action, just a more realistic-looking animation!
Little Women – Another all-star cast in a classic novel adaptation released in late December. Can you say Oscar bait? If it’s faithful to the book, I’m hoping it won’t need the R rating so common to Oscar-worthy films these days.
Midway – A Roland Emmerich war remake could be explosive or explosively bad. We’ll see.
The New Mutants – Between this and Brightburn, horror is starting to creep into the superhero genre, and I’m not sure how I feel about it yet.
PLAYMOBIL: The Movie – Never played with Playmobil, but I like the animation here. Despite allegations of ripping off The Lego Movie, I’m more curious to see this one than the second Lego Movie.
Rocketman – An Elton John musical that has real promise.
Shazam – A superhero version of Big. Sure, why not? I’m game.
Sonic the Hedgehog – I’m less convinced on a live-action Sonic than a live-action Pokémon. Too early to tell.
Spider-Man: Far From Home – I’m sure this will be another solid Marvel/Sony collaboration, but I don’t appreciate the spoiler-ish trailers before Endgame. Still, marketing is marketing.
Terminator: Dark Fate – Like the Terminator himself, this franchise refuses to die. Will they end on a high note?
UglyDolls – I didn’t even know these toys were a thing until the trailer, but a cast full of singers promises a fun kid-friendly musical.
Us – Jordan Peele’s follow-up to Get Out looks darn scary and is getting really strong reviews. Hope it’s not too R-rated.
When money’s no object,
There’s no need for greed.
You know there’s enough
To go round guaranteed.
Go buy a skyscraper
With price tag untold;
Go drink the best wines
From a glass of pure gold.
Go build a palazzo
With fountains and streams
That flow through the house
Bearing all of your dreams.
You think you’d find better,
More sane things to do,
But if I were that rich,
I might go nuts too.
______________________
MPAA rating: PG-13
The romantic comedy hasn’t gotten much love since the 1990s, has it? After the heyday of Nora Ephron, it’s languished in clichés (just look at the recent parody Isn’t It Romantic?), and even the good ones (Elizabethtown, Music and Lyrics) have rarely enjoyed both critical and commercial success. In 2017, The Big Sick seemed to buck that trend, but Crazy Rich Asians really breathed new life into the clichés and broke some barriers along the way, though it may be too soon to say it’s revived the genre in a lasting way.
Constance Wu plays NYU professor Rachel Chu, whose boyfriend Nick (Henry Golding) invites her to a hometown friend’s wedding back in Singapore, where she soon finds out that she’s dating the most coveted bachelor in the country and heir to a huge fortune. While that would normally be a dream come true, she is faced with the hurdles of both jealous rivals and Nick’s judgmental mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh), along with a host of extended family members to navigate.
The core plot of Crazy Rich Asians isn’t all that revolutionary, but it features plenty of opulent visuals and good humor delivered by its all-Asian cast, making up for Hollywood’s limited Asian representation with one huge and lavish ethnic crowd-pleaser. At the same time, it weaves in some unique and subtle themes, particularly involving Yeoh in disapproving mother mode; you don’t often see examples of cultural prejudice, which is apparently more prevalent outside the U.S., where everything has become about race lately. Nick’s mother and Rachel are both ethnically Chinese, but Rachel’s American upbringing makes her selfish and unworthy in Eleanor’s eyes, a conflict that is beautifully resolved with some excellent acting between Wu and Yeoh.
While Crazy Rich Asians has many merits and many advocates to praise them, it does falter at times. Despite the best efforts of Ken Jeong and Awkwafina, there aren’t enough laughs for the comedy side of things, and the splendor of the wealthy Singaporeans sometimes went annoyingly over-the-top, which was probably the point considering the film’s title. Back when I reviewed The Philadelphia Story, I had to disagree with Jimmy Stewart’s line “The prettiest sight in this fine pretty world is the privileged class enjoying its privileges.” The same holds true here. The lifestyles of the rich and famous can become insufferable with excess, and Crazy Rich Asians features that same irritating materialism, including the strangest wedding ceremony I think I’ve ever seen, at least as far as set design (though the film does incorporate other positive elements, such as Eleanor’s Christian faith).
Negatives aside, Crazy Rich Asians manages to live up to its name and to the more favorable side of its genre. As a fan of good romantic comedies, I’m glad that it was so wildly successful and hope that other unique and well-made rom coms will follow in its wake.
Best line: (Wye Mun Goh, Rachel’s friend’s father, speaking to his son at the dinner table) “Uh, you haven’t finished your nuggets yet, sweetie. Okay, there’s a lotta children starving in America. Right? I mean, take a look at her.” [Points at Rachel]
Rhyme and Reason 