Total Recall

Movie Name: Total Recall
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone, Rachel Ticotin, Ronny Cox, Michael Ironside, Marshall Bell, Mel Johnson Jr., Michael Champion, Roy Brocksmith, Ray Baker, Rosemary Dunsmore, David Knell
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6 
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

Director Paul Verhoeven continued the interesting phase of his directorial career in the US, following the immense success of "Robocop", with this adaptation of a Philip K. Dick short story. The screenplay from Ronald Shusett and Dan O'Bannon (also responsible for Ridley Scott's "Alien") had been groomed by other directors, before ultimately settling on Verhoeven. The film takes place in the future, and follows the story of Douglas Quaid, a construction worker, who is fascinated by Mars. His wife keeps bringing his attention to other topics, but Doug is focused and fascinated by life on Mars, and how people live in that colony (though the current events speak of an insurrection against the local power, who seems intent on controlling air). Following a visit to an institute (appropriately named Rekall), who is capable of implanting fake memories (which goes awfully awry), Doug gets jumped/attacked by some co-workers, forcing him to kill them in order to escape. When Doug returns home and explains these events to his wife, he suddenly has to defend himself from her, since she's not who she seems. Turns out Doug's memories have been erased and he has gotten a new set of memories, alongside a new life and a new wife. Once he discovers this, as he uncovers who he is, his trail takes him to Mars, where he unmasks a bigger conspiracy.
Paul Verhoeven has made a career out of tackling subject matters that may at times be considered riskier. His approach is definitely a visceral one, where he doesn't brush aside presenting what makes humans eminently human, including the rawness that sometimes comes with those topics. "Total Recall" is no exception to his point of view - a lot of his trademarks, such as the representation of oppressive/repressive authority figures, brutality and bloody fight scenes, and heroes that are flawed, are all on display on this film. Doug Quaid who is supposedly an ordinary worker, finds himself to be a lot more than what he has been led to believe. His existence and his path in this film, is the thread we accompany, as he uncovers the conspiracy, while in the process also understanding who he was and where he wants to be (and of course, brutally dispatching supporting opponents) . The tropes are somewhat familiar and typical, but Verhoeven imbues this film with his visual style and panache, making it entertaining, humorous and even a tad kitsch. It's a film that is aware of the limited character definition scope, but one that has fun with these conventions, not taking itself very seriously. The score from Jerry Goldsmith is impeccable, as is the cinematography from Jost Vacano. The cast is uniformly competent, and it's a nice opportunity to witness Sharon Stone on her way to become a marquee name, which she would do just two years later. Worth watching.

Avengers: Endgame

Movie Name: Avengers: Endgame
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Karen Gillan, Don Cheadle, Brie Larson, Tom Holland, Tilda Swinton, Bradley Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Josh Brolin, Evangeline Lilly, Chadwick Boseman, Tessa Thompson, Rene Russo, Elizabeth Olsen, Danai Gurira, Sebastian Stan, Hayley Atwell, Natalie Portman, Dave Bautista, Benedict Wong, Pom Klementieff, Anthony Mackie, John Slatery, Marisa Tomei, Angela Bassett, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, William Hurt, Cobie Smulders, Winston Duke, Linda Cardellini, Gwyneth Paltrow, Alexandra Rachael Rabe, Samuel L. Jackson, Ty Simpkins, Robert Redford, Angela Basset, Letitia Wright, Jon Favreau, Taika Waititi, Frank Grillo
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
View Trailer

Synopsis and Review:

Following the immensely successful "Avengers: Infinity War", directors Anthony and Joe Russo are back, with the continuation and conclusion of the "Avengers" plot-line (at least the one surrounding the series of films around this team, which started in 2012 with Joss Whedon's "The Avengers"). The plot resumes right after the events of the last feature - the alien Thanos, snapped a finger and decimated billions of people across the Universe. The remaining Avengers go on his pursuit, though once they find him, getting the stones and undoing that dramatic occurrence is impossible to be done. That is until Ant-Man emerges finally from being lost microscopically, and devises an idea to basically build a time machine of sorts, which will allow the team to retrieve the stones, before Thanos ever gets a chance to use them. By the time this happens, 5 years have gone by and the team has scattered, and are trying to cope with the devastating effects of those losses, as well as they can. The whole team has to go to different moments in time, retrieve the stones and bring them back to their present time, in the hopes of saving not just humanity, but the universe itself.
"Avengers: Endgame" is of course another film from the well oiled production machine from Marvel/Disney, which this year alone has already released the very successful "Captain Marvel". These films, as much as their different directors try, are starting to look and feel like the result of a production factory, where entertainment value aside, what typically occurs - narratively speaking - is very standard and formulaic (and that's always been, to a certain extent, the reason of their immense popularity). This time around, the directors and the writing team, having decided to place the story at a mortal crossroads on the previous episode, move in the direction of introducing time travel in order to satisfyingly bring back most of the characters to the fold. Narrative coherence aside, the film manages to exhibit some nuance in the manner of how it handles the aftermath of a destructive occurrence and the effects that it has on some characters and to a larger extent, the inhabitants of Earth. However, subtlety has never been one adjective associated with Marvel, and even in the grief there's a series of cliches the characters have to exhibit, namely the change that occurs in Thor. As the film picks up speed and the plot is set in motion, everything and everyone in the Marvel films pantheon makes a comeback, making for a jumbled mix of timelines and styles (Joss Whedon's style, mixed with James Gunn's among others). By the time the climactic big battle comes along, there's a hyperbolic curtain call of all these characters, in a Marvel rave/greatest hits sort of situation, where no one necessarily makes an impact, save for the remarkable visual effects. The film manages to score some heart and drama with the performance of Robert Downey Jr., though most of the remaining characters, in particular the female ones, once again have nothing much to do (even Captain Marvel, who sort of shows up momentarily, only to once again disappear). It's an entertaining film with impeccable production values, a diverse cast (who doesn't really have much to do), but that ultimately doesn't really shift how these films are built, both narratively speaking and even visually/aesthetically (where the most thrilling one in the series so far continues to be Scott Derrickson's inventive "Doctor Strange"). On to the next.

The Sheltering Sky

Movie Name: The Sheltering Sky
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Starring: Debra Winger, John Malkovich, Campbell Scott, Jill Bennett, Timothy Spall, Eric Vu-An, Amina Annabi
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6 
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

Following the huge success of "The Last Emperor" in 1987, director Bernardo Bertolucci decided to tackle another story taking place in an unexpected locale, this time around, Northern Africa. The film is an adaptation of the novel by Paul Bowles, originally published in 1949. It follows the story of Kit and Port Moresby (who were in turn, thinly disguised versions of Paul Bowles and his wife, Jane), who arrive in Algeria in 1947. They're accompanied by Tunner, a young rich New Yorker, who is indeed a tourist, whereas the couple sees themselves as travelers (they plan on being in Africa for 2 years). Kit and Port are trying to overcome some relationship issues, and coming to a different setting, is something that they feel can re-energize their life and how they relate to each other. This re-awakening is towards each other, but also towards life itself. Kit rebuffs Tunner's romantic advances, while Port explores what the city has to offer. As they continue to explore and simultaneously get acquainted with other travelers, their lives starts taking a turn that will forever change them. 
"The Sheltering Sky" was a property that had been targeted to be adapted to the big screen for quite some time, until Bertolucci decided to tackle it. The director had in the past delivered richly layered films, such as "The Conformist", "Luna" and "Last Tango in Paris", and this novel seemed like a good fit for him. The film is possessed of a beauty that is undeniable, due to the simply superb cinematography from Vittorio Storaro (this is quite possibly one of the most stunningly captured films I have personally seen) and the equally fantastic score from Ryuichi Sakamoto. Where the film fails to engage, is the definition of the relationship between the central characters. There's a lack of nuance and depth to Debra Winger's portrayal of Kit, and her relationship with John Malkovich's Port is never conveyed or believable. There's no chemistry between the characters, and as the story progresses, we never really witness a journey of experience or even of all the tribulations producing any sort of awareness or comprehension on the lead characters, particularly Kit. As their reality unravels and their ordeals become more dramatic, what should have been captured in a somewhat desperate manner (such as what was illustrated by Alejandro G. Inarritu in "Babel"), never really achieves those heights. It's a film that while successfully capturing the remoteness of that universe and the longing to simultaneously be lost and found for some of the characters, it fails to ultimately make them humane. Not all characters need to be relatable to the audience, but their ordeals, challenges, dynamics have to at least be transposable in a way that they can be viewable and reachable. It's a film filled with promise, but hampered by a faulty casting (Bertolucci should have gone with Annette Bening or even Natasha Richardson). An unbalanced film from a sadly missed director.

Reversal of Fortune

Movie Name: Reversal of Fortune
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Barbet Schroeder
Starring: Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close, Ron Silver, Annabella Sciorra, Uta Hagen, Fisher Stevens, Jack Gilpin, Christine Baranski, Stephen Mailer, Christine Dunford, Felicity Huffman
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8 
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

Director Barbet Schroeder has had a diverse and interesting career. "Reversal of Fortune" followed "Barfly", the first feature he directed in the US, and was focused on the life of writer Charles Bukowski. "Reversal of Fortune" is based on the real life case of Sunny von Bulow, an American heiress born Martha Sharp Crawford in Virginia, who after a first failed marriage, marries Claus von Bulow, a Danish/British socialite. The film is narrated by Sunny, who is in a coma, after falling into a diabetic shock which occurred following a Christmas party. Her husband Claus, is accused by her two elder children of attempting to murder Sunny, by giving her an overdose of insulin. Claus resorts to Alan Dershowitz  in order to reverse the case, and while the attorney is initially against taking the case, he finally acquiesces, since he has other cases that need funding, something that the von Bulow case can pay for. He and his team (comprised of a variety of professionals and students), go through all the data, in order to understand the facts, but also clarify and hopefully dismiss the prejudice against the charming and cold Claus.
"Reversal of Fortune" is an interesting film in the sense that, when it starts, we already know the fate of one of the lead characters. Sunny von Bulow, never recovered from that coma, and eventually passed away in 2008. What makes the film so compelling, is the way it showcases the information that defines these characters lives. Much like a detective story, it traces the backdrop to all these characters lives, while also considering multiple alternative scenarios, and never really giving a clear definition of what actually happened. There's conjectures, hypothesis, but the film never solves anything, and the characters, particularly the stupendous Jeremy Irons, walks the fine line between debonair/charm and possible guilty/assassin. The film manages to perfectly capture the universes that it sets out to showcase, starting with the life of luxury lived by Sunny, Claus and their families, the life of attorney Alan Dershowitz, and his colleagues/team members and finally the courtroom scenario, where all the facts, findings and suspicions get analyzed, dissected and showcased. It's a finely drawn film, very well edited by Lee Percy, with a beautiful cinematography from Luciano Tovoli. The cast is uniformly fantastic, but Jeremy Irons is simply superb and towers over all the proceedings of the film. Glenn Close and Ron Silver provide solid support. A very good film always worth revisiting.

Pretty Woman

Movie Name: Pretty Woman
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Garry Marshall
Starring: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Laura San Giacomo, Hector Elizondo, Jason Alexander, Ralph Bellamy, Alex Hyde-White, Amy Yasbeck, Hank Azaria, Larry Miller, Robyn Peterson, Patrick Richwood
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4 
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

Actor/Writer/Producer/Director Garry Marshall was fresh off a successful 80s string of films, which included "Overboard" and "Beaches" when he decided to tackle "Pretty Woman". The film based on a script by J.F. Lawton had a very different tone, which was of course altered during filming and in post production, and resulted in one of the biggest hits of 1990 and further launching Julia Roberts career. The film follows the story of Vivian Ward, a young woman who is also a prostitute, in the Hollywood area. One evening she meets a man, whom she assumes is a client, but turns out to be lost. His name is Edward Lewis, and he's in town to address some corporate business, alongside his attorney. What starts as a casual meetup, and a simple case of providing directions, evolves into something more, as Edward hires Vivian to be his escort for the week. During that week it is her job to attend social gatherings with him, and generally always be available to him (day and night). Unexpectedly though, they both develop feelings for each other, and end up impacting each others lives in ways that none of them had predicted. 
"Pretty Woman" is a very slight film, that takes the typical Cinderella story (which in itself is a narrative that has existed for centuries, and has become a classic thanks to the writings of Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm), where a destitute girl, meets a man of wealth, both falling in love and building a life together. "Pretty Woman" mixes this somewhat typical premise, by introducing the concept that Vivian is a prostitute, living in a shoddy situation, surrounded by some bleak scenarios and counterparts, and Edward is the man who comes in to save her from that whole nightmarish ordeal. It's very much a fairytale, one where the tone of the narrative is a bit all over the place, and one where the roles of men and women are somewhat drawn in clichés, but looking past that, it's a romantic story anchored on the chemistry of the leads, and the charm, energy and charisma brought forth by Julia Roberts. The film effectively launched her career to great heights and lives mostly from her ability to navigate both drama and comedy effectively, making the character feel more than just a stereotype. While the prostitution angle is never effectively sold (she comes across more as an 80s Halloween costumed version of what a prostitute is), the rest of the film plays very superficially like a romantic comedy between two charismatic leads. The rest of the cast, including Richard Gere, Hector Elizondo, Laura San Giacomo are all equally effective and captivating. A slight film worth watching for its cast. 

Presumed Innocent

Movie Name: Presumed Innocent
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Alan J. Pakula
Starring: Harrison Ford, Brian Dennehy, Raul Julia, Bonnie Bedelia, Greta Scacchi, Paul Winfield, John Spencer, Joe Grifasi, Sab Shimono, Jesse Bradford, Joseph Mazzello, Bradley Whitford, Christine Estabrook
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7 
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

Director Alan J. Pakula had a somewhat discrete decade in the 80s, save for his finely drawn and impeccably acted "Sophie's Choice" which came out in 1982. "Presumed Innocent" jumpstarted his career in the 90s which turned out to be filled with films with far more success and visibility. "Presumed Innocent", based on the novel by Scott Turow, follows the story of Rusty Sabich, a Chief Prosecuting Attorney, who finds himself in hot waters, when one of his colleagues is murdered. Initially in charge of the case, Rusty quickly becomes a suspect, when it comes to light that he had had an affair with the beautiful Carolyn Polhemus, something that nearly destroyed his marriage. When some evidence is discovered at Polhemus' apartment, Rusty is indicted and forced to hire a defense attorney. As the case starts being litigated, some unexpected politics surface, and Rusty seems himself in a progressively worse situation. 
"Presumed Innocent" was one of the big hits of 1990 and it's easy to understand why. It's a finely drawn thriller, with a series of unexpected situations that keep popping up and deflecting the unravel of the killer of the beautiful Carolyn Polhemus. It's a film that also perfectly captures the despair of a man targeted by a system that contains interests and agendas that go far beyond what is immediately perceived. Rusty is man engulfed in a situation that is the more dramatic, since he was still in love with the victim, and his family life, though now stable, isn't what he truly desired and longed for, something that more shocking with the twist at the end of the feature. It's a taut and well defined thriller, with an impeccable cast, including Harrison Ford in the central role, playing a more passive character unlike his previous larger than life heroes, well supported by Brian Dennehy, Raul Julia and Paul Winfield. The cinematography of the late Gordon Willis is fantastic, as is the score from John Williams. A solid and entertaining film always worth revisiting.

Forever

TV Show Name: Forever
Year of Release: 2018
Created by: Matt Hubbard, Alan Yang

Directors: Alan Yang, Miguel Arteta, Janicza Bravo

Stars: Maya Rudolph, Fred Armisen, Catherine Keener, Noah Robbins, Sharon Omi, Kym Whitley, Julia Ormond, Obba Babatunde, Peter Weller

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
View Trailer

Synopsis:

As the streaming wars continue, it's interesting to witness the output of shows that the different companies are producing. From Amazon Prime comes "Forever", a show created by Matt Hubbard and Alan Yang. Yang previously created "Master of None" (with Aziz Ansari), while both he and Hubbard wrote for different shows such as "Parks and Recreation" and "30 Rock", to name but a few from their eclectic writing resumes. The show follows the story of June and Oscar, a married couple who have comfortably lived together for some time. Their existence is based on a series of repetitive routines that they have established, which June initially found endearing, but as time as moved on, have begun wearing her out. When they decide to go on a ski trip, their lives change dramatically, as Oscar dies and June is left to move on. June's career also, and unexpectedly, suffers a dramatic change, sending her on a trip, where she suffers a fatal accident. June and Oscar are reunited in the afterlife, where they initially start resuming their lives together, much like they did when they were living, but with different friends/neighbors. But as new neighbors join their peaceful existence, such as Kase, June in particular starts questioning her relationship with Oscar, and particularly the choices she made and keeps doing even in the after life. This need to explore leads her into unexpected situations and discoveries.
"Forever" is a show that takes its time to unfold the concept that is presenting. It's a comedic show made of nuances and observations, and plays cleverly with the concepts of afterlife, relationships, the dichotomy of resistance/acceptance to change and ultimately the notion of true acceptance of one self. It's a show that provides enough information on the context to keep the audiences interested, without delving too deeply into the circumstances where the characters find themselves in. The focus is very much on the relationships between these characters and how they come to realize their paths, always with a great sense of humor, with some situations being borderline ridiculous/surreal, but also and because of that, extremely funny. Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen are perfectly cast in the show, and they ultimately elevate it, making it always interesting, particularly since their characters are always showing a different side to them. It's a show that still needs a bit more clarification on the universe where it stands, and where the supporting characters can also benefit from some extra dimension, but it's nonetheless engrossing and impeccably shot. Worth watching! 

Russian Doll

TV Show Name: Russian Doll
Year of Release: 2019
Created by: Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler

Directors: Leslye Headland, Jamie Babbit, Natasha Lyonne

Stars: Natasha Lyonne, Charlie Barnett, Greta Lee, Elizabeth Ashley, Rebecca Henderson, Jeremy Bobb, Ritesh Rajan, Yul Vasquez, Dascha Polanco, Brandon Sexton III, Burt Young, Chloe Sevigny, Yoni Lotan

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Mystery

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
View Trailer

Synopsis:

Another show hailing from the prolific streaming giant that is Netflix, "Russian Doll" is a show that is the result of a diverse trio of writers: Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne and Amy Poehler. Two of those writers are of course acclaimed actresses on their own, and one of them is the protagonist, in what is one of the best shows Netflix has released thus far. The show focuses on Nadia, a woman living in New York, who is celebrating her 36th birthday. Nadia is a software engineer, and has an active and eclectic social life. During the party she talks to her best friend Maxine, hooks up with Mike, a college professor, and generally has a nice time. However after her fling, she ends up getting involved in a car crash and is killed. That death is temporary as she suddenly reappears on the bathroom of the apartment where her birthday party is taking place, as if nothing had occurred. As these occurrences keep surfacing, Nadia tries to understand the meaning behind these interminable loops, until she accidentaly meets Alan, who is also experiencing the exact same problem. Together they set out to find out how to break their loops, as their lives seem to be progressively losing detail as the loops become more and more frequent.
"Russian Doll" is a show that manages to function on a multitude of levels. It's successful as a perfect capture of a specific type of cultural New York microcosms, but it's also peppered with the perfect balance of humor, drama, heart and insight. It's a show that leverages the mechanics of Harold Ramis' "Groundhog Day", but takes it in a completely different direction. Whereas Ramis' film was about a man finding his soul and connecting with others, this show focuses on characters who are coming to terms with their own pasts, choices, and the paths in life (both past and present). These can be weighty themes to ponder in a show, but it's concocted with such intelligence and warmth, that one can't help but marvel at what is occurring. The cast is uniformly great, but Natasha Lyonne, Jeremy Bobb and Elizabeth Ashley are all impeccable in creating their characters. The show allows them to be more than just typical archetypes, and the interminable loops allows to see these characters from multiple angles and connections. A very smart show, impeccably acted, written and directed, worth watching.

The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley

Movie Name: The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Alex Gibney
Starring: Elizabeth Holmes, Errol Morris, Dan Ariely, Roger Parloff, John Carreyrou, Tyler Schultz, David Boies, Tim Draper, Douglas Matje
Genre: Documentary
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
View Trailer

Synopsis and Review:

Celebrated and prolific documentary film maker Alex Gibney is back, following his latest feature which focused on Rolling Stone magazine, "Rolling Stone: Stories from the Edge". His new documentary focuses on the company Theranos, its creator Elizabeth Holmes, the culture of entrepeneurs in the Silicon Valley area, the whole mechanics of this environment, and the eventual downfall that has since occurred (to Theranos and Holmes that is). It's a documentary that succinctly defines the scope of what is attempting to explain, namely, how Theranos came to exist. It does so by painting a picture of its leader, Elizabeth Holmes, with a summarized and brief view of her beginnings, to the crucial point where she decides to cut short on her college experience, in order to start Theranos.  While the film doesn't go into great lengths to understand a bit more about who this person is, and ultimately her motivations, besides some of the interviews that are captured and where her pitch is consistently repetitive, it does showcase the process by which an idea in Silicon Valley can immediately attract investors and large sums of money, all based on good pitches, and a charismatic personality. As the film probes deeper and deeper to the inner workings of the organization, it's shockingly surprising to realize that fiction, captured for instance by Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street", is not that distant from what Alex Gibney captures here through his clinical and unflinching look at Theranos. They're both stories focused on people who projected an image that ultimately didn't correspond to the reality, and both of whom had built an empire, based on hollow promises, that soon fell apart. It's an interesting look not only at how Silicon Valley works, from an investing and idea generation point of view, but also a sharp look at how quickly the media, investors, and even general audiences, embark on the creation of these mythical personalities, based on nothing, or on cleverly designed games of show and tell (that ultimately have little to show and nothing to tell). A very pertinent documentary for these days, worth watching!

Predator 2

Movie Name: Predator 2
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Starring: Danny Glover, Ruben Blades, Gary Busey, Maria Conchita Alonso, Bill Paxton, Robert Davi, Adam Baldwin, Morton Downey, Jr., Calvin Lockhart, Kevin Peter Hall, Kent McCord
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3 
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

John McTiernan's "The Predator" was a solid hit, one that further established his career, but also Arnold Schwarzenegger's. Obviously a sequel was inevitable (and the other ones that have since followed), but the director chosen, Stephen Hopkins, was at the time a slightly untested one, with one of the "Nightmare on Elm Street" films under his belt, alongside his debut feature, "Dangerous Game", which he directed in his native Australia. The film takes place in 1997, in Los Angeles, which has become a city dominated by gang warfare, and where the police is clearly unprepared to deal with the level of destruction wreaked by them. The Predator is lured to this city torn by warfare, and as his attacks begin, he comes under the attention of Lieutenant Mike Harrigan and his team, who stop at nothing to find and solve issues/problems. The Predator also lures a secret government agency, who has been on his trail since the events from the first film, and their goal is not to document the explorations of the creature, but possibly capture him in order to get more information on that alien species. 
Whereas the first "Predator" was a film focused on a group of trained individuals, who get decimated one by one, very much like a Hitchcock type of suspense story, only gorier and more muscled, this sequel moves the character to an urban setting and down plays the hide/reveal game that defined the Predator originally. The concept of the group of characters that gets targeted is still there, but this time around, there's less focus on each of these characters, making them all feel even more under-developed than the original ones. The central character, Danny Glover's Harrigan, seems to be a one note character, and apparently a relentlessly going one, without need for food, sleep or water. The film takes place during an interval of a few days (though that's not exactly defined), and as the gore increases, so do the clichés around certain characters (the drug dealers, the women on the police force, the playboy police officer, the scummy news reporter). Whereas the first film was about the quest for survival, resourcefulness of the group and understanding that alien entity, this second one lacks focus, with the Predator also becoming part of the scenery, and ultimately not quite as interesting. It's a film that has a good cast, with Ruben Blades and Bill Paxton trying their best, but ultimately lacks character definition, and action scenes/set pieces that are ultimately, more exciting. Quickly forgettable.

Postcards from the Edge

Movie Name: Postcards from the Edge
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Mike Nichols
Starring: Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman, Annette Bening, Richard Dreyfuss, Robin Bartlett, Conrad Bain, Rob Reiner, Mary Wickes, Simon Callow, CCH Pounder, Barbara Garrick, Gary Morton
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7 
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

After ending the 80s with two distinct but equally well received films, namely "Biloxi Blues" and the Academy Award magnet, "Working Girl", director Mike Nichols started the 90s with another award winning caliber film. The film is an adaptation of the novel by Carrie Fisher, who is also responsible for the screenplay, and follows the tribulations of Suzanne Vale, an actress going through a rough patch in Hollywood. Suzanne has substance abuse problems, and finds herself in rehab, due to the insistence of her mother, a well known actress from Hollywood's golden days, Doris Mann. The relationship between the two women is strained, and matters get further complicated, when Suzanne is forced to live with her for the duration of a new film she's about to start. Susanne attends her AA meetings, but when she meets the handsome Jack Faulkner, her hopes of staying focused on her well being are somewhat compromised. 
Mike Nichols films always primed for allowing characters to exist as more than two dimensional archetypes, allowing for actors to flex their muscles and create interesting and distinct performances. "Postcards from the Edge" is a great example of his craft - the film is built around the process of self awareness and path into adulthood of a woman, who has lived a sheltered and privileged life, but does so with nuance, humor, tackling difficult issues, without falling into schmaltz or kitchen sink drama. The screenplay is of course peppered with references and insider knowledge of what actually entails to live and work in Hollywood, but to Carrie Fisher's credit, she's more interested in Suzanne's point of view, and how her jaded outlook on that reality, actually makes everything look superficial. The film features some fantastic performances, namely from Meryl Streep, who runs the gamut and is truly phenomenal, but also Shirley MacLaine, Annette Bening, Gene Hackman and Mary Wickes. The cinematography from Michael Ballhaus is impeccable, as is the score from Carly Simon. A good film always worth watching and revisiting. 

Pacific Heights

Movie Name: Pacific Heights
Year of Release: 1990
Director: John Schlesinger
Starring: Melanie Griffith, Michael Keaton, Matthew Modine, Laurie Metcalfe, Mako, Carl Lumbly, Dorian Harewood, Luca Bercovici, Tippi Hedren, Guy Boyd, Jerry Hardin, Beverly D'Angelo, O-Lan Jones
Genre: Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5 
View Trailer

Synopsis and Review:

Celebrated director John Schlesinger followed his well received "Madame Sousatzka" with a splashier and more visible endeavor, which came in the shape of "Pacific Heights", which incidentally was the first released feature screenplay for acclaimed screenwriter Daniel Pyne (following a prolific career writing for several TV shows in the 80s). The film was also one of the first and most visible ones for Scott Rudin, the well known producer, who started his career in the 80s, and who has of course since then become a staple for literary and award winning material. The film follows the story of couple Patty and Drake, who after living together for a while, decide to buy a beautiful, yet in need of renovation, house in the San Francisco area of Pacific Heights. In order to make the finances work, the couple decides to renovate the house, but also rent the bottom area in two distinct apartments. One of those apartments falls under the attention of what appears to be a man of means, the polite Carter Hayes. Without so much signing a contract, he moves in, and starts avoiding Patty and Drake, not paying rent, and generally doing huge noise in the apartment, much to their shock and consternation. Their attempts to evict him are futile, costly, which puts them in further financial stress, causing Drake to drink and Patty to miscarriage. Unbeknownst to Patty and Drake, Carter has a much darker agenda of his own, which wreaks havoc on their existence.
"Pacific Heights" is a thriller that manages to create a sense of unease by firstly building a familiar scenario, and suddenly populating it with a situation that is both extraordinary and menacing. The film builds the scenario for the characters progressively, and as the idyllic situation starts collapsing, it's interesting to see the other dimension to these characters. The film aims to build empathy with the viewers, by asking us to embrace Patty and Drake, and confront the dastardly behavior exhibited by Carter Hayes, who has made a living out of scamming people. In a way this is a similar concept to the "Grifter" concept, which Stephen Frears captured so well in the film with the same title, but the view here sits with the victims, and how they go about getting their comeuppance. The central characters however are not very drawn out, but it's a testament to Melanie Griffith and Michael Keaton's talent, that they both manage to embody them with sufficient credibility to warrant attention. It's a film that really needed to invest a bit deeper on motivations and character development, but whose decision of making it a more standard thriller, also makes it slightly more forgettable. The cinematography from Amir Mokri is impeccable, as is the score from Hans Zimmer. A watchable but minor film from a talented director.

Shazam!

Movie Name: Shazam!
Year of Release: 2019
Director: David F. Sandberg
Starring: Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Jack Dylan Grazer, Asher Angel, Djimon Hounsou, John Glover, Marta Milans, Cooper Andrews, Grace Fulton, Faithe Herman, Ian Chen, Jovan Armand, Evan Marsh, Carso MacCormac, Lotta Losten, Meagan Good, Adam Brody, Ross Butler, D.J. Cotrona
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
View Trailer

Synopsis and Review:

Director David F. Sandberg is steadily building an interesting career in the US, following his debut with "Lights Out" (which he quickly followed with "Annabelle: Creation"). "Shazam!" is his first big budget endeavor, and is based on the comic book character from the DC universe. The film follows the story of young Billy Batson, who has had a rough childhood. His mom abandoned him when he was 3 and he has been looking for her ever since. Now at 14 he finds himself in Philadelphia, and living with a couple who takes care of foster children in their household. His life suddenly changes, when an ancient wizard, grants him monumental powers when he utters the words "Shazam". His initial reaction is one of shock and astonishment, something he quickly shares with his best friend, Freddy, who also lives in the same foster home, and is constantly bullied at school. They both set out to discover what these new powers and body possess, while also unknowingly becoming the target of Thaddeus Sivana, a man who is being manipulated by dark forces to undermine the power behind the "Shazam" mythology.
"Shazam!" is a hybrid film, in the sense that while trying to expand the traditional canvas and concept of super hero/comic book films, still adheres to it, while also introducing more humor and a human aspect to it that is both endearing and lighthearted. The film clearly knows that is not to be taken seriously, but it does bring to mind the spirit of Penny Marshsall's "Big" - a child trapped in the body of an adult, just in this particular case, in the body of a superhero. It's a premise which allows for the film to be revelatory in its approach: it's not as ponderous and serious as the counterparts from Marvel, but it's also not as kitschy or poorly developed as previous DC films (such as James Wan's "Aquaman" or Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel" for instance). It's a film that knows that this is a journey of discovery, and does it from the perspective of a young kid, only faltering towards the end, when it embraces the more typical tropes of the genre, with the interminable digital battles with the villainous creatures. It's nonetheless an entertaining, lighthearted endeavor, featuring a humorous performance from Zachary Levi and allowing for Jack Dylan Grazer to be the heart of the story. Worth watching.