I Am Mother

Movie Name: I Am Mother
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Grant Sputore
Starring: Clara Rugaard, Rose Byrne, Hilary Swank, Luke Hawker, Tahlia Sturzaker
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review:

Another release hailing from streaming giant Netflix, "I Am Mother" is the feature directorial debut for Grant Sputore, following some work on TV and a short feature. The film takes place in the future, following a global apocalypse which decimated the human population. In a secured bunker, an Android becomes active, and goes about bringing to life a frozen embryo, among many that were saved. The embryo eventually becomes a baby girl, who grows up under the tutelage of the Android, who is addressed as "Mother". Mother educates the young girl, versing her in multiple disciplines, also testing her to validate she is a hard worker and well versed on topics she deems relevant to her human condition. This seemingly tranquil existence is thrown into disarray when a wounded woman shows up at the entrance of the bunker, shocking the young girl, who was until then, under the assumption humanity had entirely perished. She goes against Mother's orders, and allows the woman to come in, which changes their relationship permanently while simultaneously makes her aware there's more to the narrative that she was told since her childhood. 
"I Am Mother" is an interesting digest of multiple dystopian feature films, with influences from James Cameron's "The Terminator", Stanley Kubrick's "2001", Steven Spielberg's "A.I.", among many others. Director Grant Sputore is successful in portraying a claustrophobic existence for the two entities living in the bunker for the most part of the film, showcasing the complicity between them, the idyllic existence that they have created for themselves, all of which is disrupted with the introduction of an external factor. The wrench, in the shape of Hilary Swank, is never more than a one note character, always acting like a persecuted animal, with little to no nuance. The "Mother" entity, the Android, actually has far more interesting shades of humanity than the external disruptive factor. Rose Byrne, who voices Mother, perfectly captures and defines her personality, with a mix of her soothing voice, which is consistent, even when it goes dark. Opening the context of the film to the outside area of the bunker, actually makes the film lose some momentum. What makes it so interesting, and far more successful than for instance Stanley Donen's "Saturn 3", is the environment created in that space (the bunker), where there's no escape, and where the revelations keep escalating. The film is entertaining and well crafted (solid visual effects), featuring a great performance from Clara Rugaard. Worth watching.

Midsommar

Movie Name: Midsommar
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Ari Aster
Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Will Poulter, William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren, Ellora Torchia, Archie Madekwe, Henrik Norlen, Gunnel Fred, Isabelle Grill
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review:

After the success of "Hereditary", director Ari Aster has returned with yet another unexpected tale. The narrative focuses on Dani, a young student, who suffers a life shattering event at the beginning of his story. She is currently in a rocky relationship with Christian, also a student, who is about to embark on his PHD dissertation and who lives with a few roommates, including his best friend Mark and Pelle, who's originally from Sweden. The roommates, which also includes Josh, have planned a trip to Sweden, to visit a commune where Pelle was brought up. That commune is filled with sociological and anthropological aspects that Josh wants to use to build his dissertation, and Christian worried about Dani's well being, invites her to come along. Upon the introduction to the area and community, the group starts experimenting with some hallucinogenic drugs, and slowly learn about their way of life. These daily discoveries and occurrences come to a crashing halt, when one of the traditions of the group is presented to them, much to their horror and consternation. As some of them start wanting to leave, absences start mounting, all the while Dani and Christian's relationship becomes more and more distanced.
What made "Hereditary" so striking and interesting, wasn't so much the twist and shocking turn that occurred in the final act of the film. It was actually the process captured by Aster of how a family handles grief, pain, and how he captured the disintegration of some of the bonds between that nuclear group. He perfectly captured the dynamics between those characters, what made them interesting and unique. "Midsommar" is sadly not as successful as its predecessor. While Aster is obviously talented and paints this unique commune and universe with attention to detail and a stylistic bravado, the characters sadly aren't quite as well developed or portrayed as they were in his previous feature. Dani is the more nuanced character, going through a range which includes sheer terror, fear of loneliness, and dealing with unbearable pain. Florence Pugh manages to bring the character to life with abandon and conviction, however the remainder of the cast doesn't fare so well. Jack Reynor sadly is again quite monolithic in his portrayal of Christian, both in his lack of warmth, or enthusiasm, or for that matter, any emotion really. The rest of the roles don't have quite as much dimension, failing to provide an interesting backdrop for what Dani is going through. There are hints of Roman Polanski's films in this feature (a la "Rosemary's Baby"), but sadly the film just isn't as tightly woven as "Hereditary". The practical and visual effects lack quality, which renders the narrative less impressive, while the editing could have also been a bit more finely tuned, with sequences that drag on needlessly (such as the seduction of Christian). The score from Bobby Krlic is fantastic as is the cinematography from Pawel Pogorzelski. A lesser effort from an interesting director.

Wine Country

Movie Name: Wine Country
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Amy Poehler
Starring: Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer, Rachel Dratch, Paula Pell, Emily Spivey, Jason Schwartzman, Tina Fey, Jay Larson, Cherry Jones, Craig Cackowski, Greg Poehler
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review:

"Wine Country" is yet another Netflix exclusive release, this one in particular, having the privilege of being acclaimed actress/writer Amy Poehler's directorial debut. The film follows the story of a group of friends, all of whom get together in Napa to celebrate one of their birthdays. The person in particular, Rebecca, is about to turn 50. Abby who has arranged and organized the whole trip, secretly has lost her job, and every single one of the friends on the trip are going through some sort of self questioning in their own lives. As their trip progresses and they come face to face with a series of unexpected events/occurrences, what becomes more and more apparent is the friendship and love tying all these women together, something that has lasted since their younger adulthood, and has survived their hectic and filled lives. 
"Wine Country" is a film that functions as a rehash of Lawrence Kasdan's "The Big Chill", but without the death of a friend being the catalyst that brings a group of close friends together. Instead, these women, come together to celebrate a milestone anniversary, while secretly each one of them is pondering decisions, dealing with insecurities and generally trying to figure out what path lies ahead in their lives. It's a film that lives mostly and primarily from the quality of the cast assembled, particularly with the presence of Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, all from SNL, and acclaimed actresses in their own right. They all share and have a familiarity and rapport between themselves, something which allows the film to feel breezy and effortless, but the script doesn't provide enough nuance to really bring these characters to life (each of their lives are pretty much summarized in quick cliches, and the main characters themselves, really required some further investment to be fully illustrated and realized). As is, the film is a funny sketch, with a really talented group of performers, all of whom have an opportunity to have fun, but it's also quickly forgettable and rather generic. Here's hoping the next directorial output from Amy Poehler has more of her incredible personality and talent. 

Kafka

Movie Name: Kafka
Year of Release: 1991
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Jeremy Irons, Theresa Russell, Ian Holm, Joel Grey, Jeroen Krabbe, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Alec Guiness, Brian Glover, Keith Allen, Simon McBurney, Robert Flemyng
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

Following his auspicious debut with the fantastic "sex, lies and videotape", director Steven Soderbergh tackled a decidedly different material, working from a script from Lem Dobbs, whom he'd work with again on "The Limey" and "Haywire". "Kafka" though not a traditional biopic, is centered on the famed author, known for "The Trial", "The Castle" and "The Metamorphosis", to name but a few. The film introduces us to Kafka, an insurance clerk, who is also an unpublished author, living in a city which appears to be Prague, in 1919. When one of his co-workers is murdered, he starts investigating the occurrence, and finds himself tangled with an underground group, responsible for bombings around town. The goal of this group is to damage the control that a secret organization has over major events taking place in society. The root of all this control seems to lie in the castle which looms over the city, where Kafka goes, in order to understand the full scope of these occurrences. 
"Kafka" is a film that has been relegated to cult status. Upon its release, it largely flew under the radar, and unfairly so, since it's a film that takes the mantle of Franz Kafka's career, and makes it a suspenseful and claustrophobic thriller/mystery. The film is a mix of a quasi-biopic with a mystery, showcasing the influences from several of the author's books, creating in the process an interesting narrative. The invisible and oppressive authority, the conspiracy that is never clarified, the absurdity of situations, all of those are topics present in the author's work, that permeate the film. Unlike his previous film though, this one does not depict the characters as fully dimensional, but Jeremy Irons, Theresa Russell and Ian Holm, all manage to create interesting and captivating identities for themselves in this darkly lit mystery. It's a film that entertains and showcases the point of view of a great director, who at the time was still finding his path. The cinematography from Walt Lloyd is fantastic, as is the score from Cliff Martinez. An underrated gem from a great director.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Movie Name: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Year of Release: 2018
Director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
Starring: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Luna Lauren Velez, Nicolas Cage, Zoe Kravitz, John Mulaney, Kathryn Hahn, Kimiko Glenn, Liev Schreiber, Chris Pine, Natalie Morales, Oscar Isaac, Greta Lee, Jorma Taccone, Lake Bell, Joaquin Cosio, Edwin H. Bravo
Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis and Review:

Continuing the expansion of the "Spider-Man" universe and mythology, Sony Pictures released the entertaining and stunning "Into the Spider-Verse", which featured a story from writer/director Phil Lord (who alongside Christopher Miller has been responsible for "The Lego Movie" and the "21 Jump Street" films, among many others). The film, with three credited directors (two of which, Bob Persichetti and Rodney Rothman are first time feature film directors, while Peter Ramsey, this is his sophomore effort), follows the story of young Miles Morales, a high school student who has been enrolled in a private school, much against his will. His father, a police officer, wants to succeed, and set aside his art vocation and leaning, which Miles loves dearly. While out with his uncle, Miles is bitten by a radioactive spider, and becomes a "Spider-Man", very much like Peter Parker, who already wears the suit in New York City. When Peter (and Miles) try to defraud a risky and dangerous plan from the Kingpin, Peter is killed in the process, but unbeknownst to them, what the Kingpin put in place, opens a ripple effect in multiple dimensions, one that brings multiple Spider powerful beings to Miles' New York. They collectively have to battle the Kingpin and his cronies, and each of the Spider powered beings return to their realities, before they die.
"Into the Spider-Verse" is a dynamic and stunning animated feature. The film starts with the premise of a well known story, the origin of Spider-Man, but quickly shifts into Miles' awakening and understanding of what being a Spider-Man truly entails and requires. It's a film about responsibility, being empowered to follow one's dreams, but also understanding that every action has a consequence, and that pursuing one's dreams requires sacrifice, struggle and overcoming pain. Also it ultimately is a film with a powerful lesson about relying on friends, and understanding the power of acceptance and love. If the topics of the story are somewhat familiar, specifically the tone of the film, which mixes heart, humor and action in perfect balance, the animation itself is truly wonderful to behold. The film is aesthetically beautiful with a saturation of colors that is truly bewildering, featuring shots and frames that are quite stunning. It's a stylistic delight, one that demands multiple views.
The voice cast is uniformly impeccable, with Liev Schreiber bringing his intensity to the Kingpin character, where the versatile Kathryn Hahn, is as usual, fantastic playing the villainous Doc Ock. A very good film worth watching!

Spider-Man: Far From Home

Movie Name: Spider-Man: Far from Home
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Jon Watts
Starring: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Cobie Smulders, Zendaya, Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei, Jacob Batalon, Tony Revolori, Angourie Rice, Remy Hill, Martin Starr, J.B. Smoove, Peter Billingsley, Toni Garrn, J.K. Simmons, Michael de Roos
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review:

In what appears to be the omnipresence of Marvel at every turn (and almost every month), director Jon Watts returns with a sequel to the 2017 "Spider-Man" feature, which rebooted the uneven franchise (which has had three versions thus far, starting with Sam Raimi's, followed by Marc Webb's and the current one under the tutelage of Jon Watts). The film takes place after the events that took place in the last "Avengers" film ("Endgame"), which has seen everyone brought back to life after the collective demise brought on by Thanos. Peter looking to get back to his every day life, has the opportunity to go with his class to Venice and Paris. He hopes the getaway will allow him the opportunity to share with Mary Jane a special moment, finally letting her know his feelings. His plans are derailed when these powerful entities start popping out of nowhere and wreaking havoc everywhere they go. They go by the name of Elementals, and Peter is caught in a dicey situation in Venice, but much to his surprise, an unexpected ally by the name of Mysterio pops up. Peter who has questioned his Iron Man legacy, and what he has been left behind with, decides to trust this person, and grant him access to the technological legacy from Tony Stark. But people aren't always what they seem, and Peter learns it the hard way.
Jon Watts has quickly and deftly learnt how to handle big budgets and large canvas storytelling, since this latest iteration of Spider-Man is a surprisingly limber and enjoyable film, even more so than the first one. The film manages to have the right amount of teenage angst and relationship development, combined with the more typical super hero action set pieces, which are quite impressive in this case. The film also benefits from the fact that the cast is uniformly completely at ease in this environment and inhabit these roles with a sense of ease and relaxation, which makes the film more enjoyable and definitely less contrived. It's a film that also wears its heart proudly, deals with the aftermath of loss, all the while showcasing thinly veiled nods to the spirit of John Hughes (the European vacation, the high school rivalries). If the whole cast is uniformly good, high marks should be given to Jake Gyllenhaal, who once again proves just how interesting of an actor he has become, with his character going through a very interesting and nuanced transition. The cinematography from Matthew J. Lloyd is solid, as is the score from Michael Giacchino. An entertaining film worth watching.