The 25th Hour

Movie Name: The 25th Hour

Year of Release: 2002

Director: Spike Lee

Stars: Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rosario Dawson, Barry Pepper, Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Tony Devon, Patrice O'Neal

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis:

After "Bamboozled" failed to find an audience and a warm critical reception, director Spike Lee bounced back with one of his finest films, "The 25th Hour". The film is an adaptation of the book by David Benioff (these days better known as one of the writers and creatives behind the behemoth that is "Game of Thrones"), and follows the story of Monty Brogan. The film takes place over the last day of freedom of Monty, since he is going to be incarcerated for drug trafficking. He plans on spending the day with his two best friends, Jacob and Frank, as well as his beautiful girlfriend Naturelle. Monty suspects that he was set up, and for a moment, he thinks Naturelle may have had something to do with it, but after visiting with his underground boss, the Russian Nikolai, he discovers that it was someone else altogether. Monty fears for his safety and life in the prison, and asks his friends to help him, before he sets out to fulfill his sentence.
Spike Lee has always been an interesting director, one who marries an acute stylistic approach, with a focus on the urban fissures and the challenges felt by the African American community. "The 25th Hour" may at first glance feel like an odd choice for him to tackle, but on closer inspection, it's a film about the strains, frictions, tensions that exist within the American society, particularly the ones in NY, which is a condensed microcosms, and something he explored in prior films. It's also a film that looks head on to the impact created by terrorism, and how people have had to reshape their thinking and their lives, in order to be able to move on and continue living. The film has a fantastic cast, with Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Brian Cox all creating memorable performances, the same going for the beautiful cinematography from Rodrigo Prieto. A very good film always worth watching.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Movie Name: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Year of Release: 2018

Director: J.A. Bayona

Stars: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, James Cromwell, Toby Jones, Ted Levine, Jeff Goldblum, BD Wong, Geraldine Chaplin, Isabella Sermon, Robert Emms, Peter Jason
Genre: Drama, Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis:

After the surprise success of "Jurassic World", a sequel was inevitable, and this one, while from a different director, hails from the writing duo of Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly, both of them also responsible for the first installment of this new planned trilogy. The film picks up three years after the disastrous occurrences of Isla Nublar. The animals have been left there to their own devices, but are now facing a mortal threat in the shape of a volcano, that is erupting at any moment. A wealthy benefactor, by the name of Lockwood emerges, and we soon find out he had been one of the original proponents of the DNA sampling alongside the late John Hammond. Lockwood wants to save the dinosaurs and move them to an island he has specifically shepherded to maintain the species. He reaches out to Claire Dearing, so she can go to the island, and with her former employee credentials, access the database and track whatever animals are left, particularly the velociraptor. In order to do so, Claire reaches out to Owen, and successfully convinces him to return with her. They soon find out that their intentions while noble, hide unbeknownst to them, some very dark motivations from Lockwood's managerial team.
Juan Antonio Bayona is a very talented director, who has managed to excel in both gothic horror films but also natural disaster films, since he understands that while mayhem and destruction are eye catching, only when you have actual characters with dimension, do viewers actually appreciate what you're setting out to do. His films all focus on this sense of family, and particularly how dramatic events can test the bonds of what a family unit truly is all about. That was the case with his previous feature, "A Monster Calls", and there are some remnants of that focus here, with Lockwood's granddaughter, and the relationship she manages to create with Owen and Claire. Sadly the film is so poorly written that is difficult to engage with the nonsense that it depicts. The problem does not lie with the incredulous concepts of the film, but mostly with the predictable ploys and archetypes the script puts forth (the supporting comic relief character, the brainy and ethnically diverse supporting character, the evil corporate shill, it's very much like a checklist that goes on and on, and that the script chooses to include all the way). There are set pieces that are placed together to elicit a certain type of response from the audience, and though the director is competent to illustrate the story with a style and a sense of menace, it still can't hide the fact that this story is as pedestrian and poorly conceived as they come. Here's hoping the series can find a better writer and creative direction. As a film, this is a misstep for Juan Antonio Bayona. Avoid.

The Hitcher

Movie Name: The Hitcher

Year of Release: 1986

Director: Robert Harmon

Stars: Rutger Hauer, C. Thomas Howell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jeffrey DeMunn, John M. Jackson, Armin Shimerman, Gene Davis

Genre: Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis:

"The Hitcher" was the feature length debut for director Robert Harmon. Working from a crackling and enigmatic script from the talented Eric Red (who collaborated with Kathryn Bigelow in both "Near Dark" and "Blue Steel"), the film has become a cult classic from the 80s, featuring iconic performances from Rutger Hauer and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The film focuses on the story of young Jim Halsey, who has been hired to drive a car from Chicago to San Diego. During his drive, and in order to stay awake, Jim takes in a hiker by the name of John Ryder. John turns out to be a dangerous individual, one who has killed multiple people, and Jim is next on his list. Jim manages to kick him out of his car, and from that point on, he and John form a harrowing relationship, with the latter pursuing Jim, wanting him to stop his actions, as John sees him as his ultimate foe. It takes every ounce of resourcefulness and sheer will from Jim to not go insane and battle that persistent and unstoppable force.
"The Hitcher" was received with a mix of reviews upon its release, but it has since then gathered a cult following. It's a film that is tight in terms of narrative arc, one that pitches this charismatic figure of evil, versus a young man, a personification of innocence, someone who has to fight for all that he loves, and ultimately his own life, to overcome this tremendous challenge. It's also a film that is very well directed, with Robert Harmon allowing for the actors to create these enigmatic characters, who are thrown into a truly challenging and dramatic situation. Rutger Hauer and Jennifer Jason Leigh both create memorable characters, the cinematography from John Seale is stunning (he went on to win the Academy Award for Anthony Minghella's "The English Patient"), as is the score from the underrated Mark Isham. A very good film worth watching and revisiting.

Incredibles 2

Movie Name: Incredibles 2

Year of Release: 2018

Director: Brad Bird

Stars: Holly Hunter, Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Catherine Keener, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, Bob Odenkirk, Sophia Bush, Brad Bird, Isabella Rossellini, Jonathan Banks

Genre: Animation, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis:

Director Brad Bird is back, following "Tomorrowland", his previous directorial effort, which turned out to be a disappointing commercial endeavor for Disney (though it is a very interesting film in itself). His latest is a sequel to one of his best features, "The Incredibles", dated from 2004. The film follows the story of the Parr family, all of whom are superheroes, who are coming to terms with the events of the first film, after dealing with another villain, and having to adjust to the reality that being a superhero is still prohibited by law. The family is forced to live in a Motel, since their house has been destroyed, and suddenly hope appears in the shape of a technology company wanting to employ Elastigirl, in order to bring back super powered beings to the limelight (lawfully). This new job forces Bob/Mr. Incredible to stay home and take care of the children, particularly Jack Jack whose powers are revealing themselves in unexpected ways. A new villain reveals itself, with sinister plans, forcing the entire family with assistance from their friend Frozone, to battle it out.
Brad Bird is a very talented filmmaker, one who knows how to build coherent universes, always marrying action set pieces with humor, all tied with a great sense of style. "The Incredibles" is one of his most iconic endeavors, one that is filled with a style that marries a retro aesthetic, with futuristic tones, all within the conventions of the superhero genre, which he constantly reshuffles, focused more on the family dynamics between the central characters, with the super powers almost secondary. This film isn't as tight and successful as the first, narratively speaking, but it's still an impressive accomplishment, where the beautiful animation brings to life a script that is all about a family learning to live with themselves, and how typical roles within the family unit evolve and change. The voice work is uniformly fantastic as is the score from Michael Giacchino. A very good film worth watching.

Hereditary

Movie Name: Hereditary
Year of Release: 2018

Director: Ari Aster

Stars: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd, Mallory Betchel, Jarrod Phillips
Genre: Drama, Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis:

"Hereditary" is the feature length debut of director Ari Aster, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival of 2018 to great reviews. The film follows the story of a tight family, who have just suffered the death of their matriarch figure, the grandmother, who was at odds with Annie, her daughter, with whom she was estranged for a large part of her life. Annie, an artist who specializes in creating model replicas of what her life is about, goes to group therapy in order to deal with all these bottled feelings she has towards her mom. Her relationship with her two children is somewhat distant, due to some events that occurred previously. When her son Peter asks permission to go to a party, Annie forces him to take her younger sister, Charlie. Charlie who suffers from nut allergy, eats chocolate cake at the party, which induces her into a shock, forcing Peter to drive frantically to the hospital to help her. On the way to the hospital, they suffer an accident, that instantly kills Charlie, plunging the family to a deeper depression. Annie gets support from a woman by the name of Joan, who claims that during a spiritual gathering, she managed to get in contact with her lost son and grandson. Annie decides to do the same, and opens the door to unexpected and tragic events.
"Hereditary" is a great debut from Ari Aster. The writer/director manages to create a story that is compelling, detailed, thorough, paying attention to the family dynamics, painting that canvas before introducing the more abnormal or horror elements to it. Very much in the vein that William Friedkin painted with "The Exorcist", this is a story of a family who is dealing with grief, but that opens the door to things that are unknown and out of control. It's a film that takes its time to showcase the different personalities within that small familial universe, something that slowly gets disintegrated, until the entire plot is revealed. The entire cast is uniformly great, with Toni Colette again creating a fantastic character, filled with grief, anger and horror. The cinematography from Pawel Pogorzelski is beautiful, as is the score from Colin Stetson. A very good film worth watching.

Upgrade

Movie Name: Upgrade
Year of Release: 2018

Director: Leigh Whannell

Stars: Logan Marshall-Green, Harrison Gilbertson, Benedict Hardie, Melanie Vallejo, Betty Gabriel, Simon Maiden, Linda Cropper, Christopher Kirby, Clayton Jacobson
Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis:

Actor, writer, director, Leigh Whannell has made a successful name for himself across multiple disciplines, and multiple projects he's been responsible for. He was the creator (with James Wan) of the "Saw" series, and also "Insidious", having also acted in films such as "The Conjuring" and even further back, "The Matrix Reloaded". "Upgrade" is his second directorial effort, following "Insidious: Chapter 3" and focuses on the story of Grey Trace. The film takes place in a near future, where self driving cars have become impeccably done, and where technology has completely integrated itself into house, security and medical living. Grey makes a living creating cars that are all about the mechanical components, with little to no contact with technology. Upon delivering his latest project to a very well known tech businessman, Grey and his wife get attacked on their way home. His wife gets killed, and Grey is shot in his back, rendering him a quadriplegic. His client, Eron, comes forth with a solution under the guise of a chip, that once inserted in his organism can give him the opportunity to start walking again. The chip, by the name of Stem, does more than that - Stem is AI, and starts giving Grey not only the opportunity to walk, but also trace what happened to his wife.
"Upgrade" is an extremely interesting film from Leigh Whannell, borrowing elements from different sources, but still creating something fresh and very relevant to how society currently is envisioning and fearing technology and the relationship with humans. There's definitely an aesthetic that Whannell has borrowed from his associate James Wan, and his lean approach to the action proceedings is also reminiscent from the style of Don Siegel in the 70s. But where the film reaches a superlative take, is in its influences that seem to digest what David Cronenberg did with his films focused on body horror, and how the human body can be shifted ("Videodrome" from 1983 for instance), something that here gets taken to a very interesting level. The mix of the biological with the technology, with the hardware within the bodies is simultaneously interesting and surprising, very much like the ending. It's a film that packs an interesting punch, violent, but one that is definitely worth watching.

Coco

Movie Name: Coco

Year of Release: 2017

Director: Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina

Stars: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renee Victor, Jaime Camil, Alfonso Arau, Herbert Siguenza, Gabriel Iglesias, Lombardo Boyar, Selene Luna

Genre: Animation, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 9
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Synopsis:

Another year, another Pixar release, this time around one that is not a sequel (thankfully). The film comes from one of their seasoned directors, Lee Unkrich, who also directed "Toy Story 3" and co-directed "Finding Nemo", "Monsters Inc" and "Toy Story 2". This time around he co-directs with Adrian Molina, centering the action around the story of a young boy, by the name of Miguel, whose family has thrived for years in the business of making shoes. Miguel longs to be a singer more than anything, but his family, particularly his grandmother is vehemently against it. As All Saints Day comes around, and the family prepares to pay homage to their loved ones who have passed away, Miguel goes to the burial site of the icon Ernesto de la Cruz, a famous singer from his small town. There Miguel magically gets transported to the land of the ones who have passed away, and where he comes across Hector, who turns out to be someone crucial from his past and inspirational to his future.
"Coco" is another great example of what makes Pixar films such staples in animation and how it successfully achieves all audiences. It's a film that plays on multiple levels, going from the didactic storyline which aims to showcase that everyone should follow their dreams and ambitions, but also on a more profound level, that relationships - romantic and familial - are not always perfect, and that resentment can indeed be a heavy burden to carry through life. And it also has a darker layer, focusing on the traits of the villainous character, who stopped at nothing to achieve what he wanted, and how those actions eventually catch up with him. If the storyline is stunning, tying it all with the legacy of the Mexican culture, the film itself is visually fantastic, both aesthetically and also with beautiful animations and transitions that are both sophisticated and elegant. The voice work is impeccable across the board, making this a great film to be watched and entertained by.