The Protégé

Movie Name: The Protégé
Year of Release: 2021
Director: Martin Campbell
Starring: Maggie Q, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, David Rintoul, Patrick Malahide, Ray Fearon, Ori Pfeffer, Robert Patrick, Florin Piersic Jr., Tudor Chirila
Genre: Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
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Synopsis and Review:

After the costly debacle of "Green Lantern", director Martin Campbell was relegated to directing TV movies, and has slowly been coming out of that forced exile, with some lower budget films. After "The Foreigner" with Jackie Chan, he has followed that with "The Protégé", a collaboration with screenwriter Richard Wenk, who has also penned "The Expendables 2", "The Equalizer" and "The Mechanic" to name but a few. "The Protégé" follows the story of Anna, a hired assassin who always works with her mentor and savior, Moody. He rescued her from Vietnam when she was nothing but a child, and trained her to be lethal and ruthless in what she does. After Moody gets killed, she sets her sights on the person responsible for it, starting to go through evidence in order to get to the culprit. She soon finds out the person responsible goes by the name Edward Hayes, and has ties to Moody's past in Vietnam. As she investigates further, she's soon captured and tortured, which is how she meets Rembrandt, Hayes' personal security expert. After lethally evading her captors, Anna sets her plans in motion to reach Hayes, however her attraction to Rembrandt proves itself somewhat distracting, as does an unexpected turn of events. 

"The Protégé" is another film to join the roster which recently premiered and has included titles as Tanya Wexler's "Jolt", Navot Papushado's "Gunpowder Milkshake" and Cedric Nicolas-Troyan's "Kate", films that are modeled after Luc Besson's "Nikita" and even more recently, Philip Noyce's "Salt" and David Leitch's "Atomic Blonde" (and there's also other forgettable features such as Olivier Megaton's "Colombiana" for instance). These films all place at the center of their narrative, a woman who is a cold hearted killer, who was traumatized as a child, and therefore is now an extremely organized person and is completely devoid of feelings, until an unexpected revelation about her past shakes her beliefs and foundation to its core, forcing her to realize what life is all about. It's a re-heated formulaic plot, one that typically is more successful when the director manages to bring a distinctive point of view to the narrative. Whereas "Nikita" gave the central character a motivation and a life, in a way building a narrative arc for her final escape, the same going for "Salt" and the graphic novel adapted "Atomic Blonde", the other films previously mentioned and "The Protégé" included, fail to give much dimension to its central character. Giving the character some contextual flashbacks and a few scenes to interact with her charismatic "handler", isn't synonymous with giving an actual motivation, or for that matter, to make her humane, since while those brief interactions are supposed to be indicative of her love for her mentor or best friend, they're momentary and most of the times, artificially crafted. In the end these films live by how well staged their action scenes actually are, since they are after all B-movies, with more or less ambitions. In this particular case, the formula isn't particularly memorable (much like the plot itself), but Martin Campbell redeems himself with a solid cast, with the always wonderful Michael Keaton (wearing a bad hair piece) and a weary Samuel L. Jackson (sadly Maggie Q just doesn't seem entirely convincing in this film this time around). The cinematography from David Tattersall is solid, as is the score from Rupert Parkes. Watchable but forgettable. 

Napoleon Dynamite

Movie Name: Napoleon Dynamite
Year of Release: 2004
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell, Tina Majorino, Diedrich Bader, Sandy Martin, Haylie Duff, Trevor Snarr, Shondrella Avery, Bracken Johnson, Carmen Brady, Ellen Dubin, Brian Petersen
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

"Napoleon Dynamite" premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, and went on to become one of the year's success stories, both commercially and critically (the film which had a low budget of $400k, went on to make over $40million at the box office). The film, which takes place in Preston, Idaho, focuses its narrative on Napoleon, a 16 year old high school student. Napoleon lives with his grandmother and older brother Kip, and mostly stays to himself. When his grandmother suffers an accident, his uncle Rico shows up, in order to look after him and Kip, much to Napoleon's annoyance. Rico who always dreamed of NFL stardom, is constantly trying to make some money through some wild schemes, and currently lives in his campervan. Napoleon eventually makes two good friends in school, the shy but artistic Deb, who runs various small businesses, including a photography studio, and Pedro, a transfer student from Juarez, Mexico. After the debacle of the high school dance, where Napoleon ends up going with a girl who doesn't care for him at all, things take an interesting turn when Pedro decides to run for class president, pitting him against the popular cheerleader, Summer Wheatley. Napoleon decides to help his friend with all his ingenuity and artistry. 

Jared Hess and Jon Heder originally worked together on the short feature "Peluca", about a nerdy high school student named Seth, which in a way informed what "Napoleon Dynamite" eventually became. What has remained an indelible source of amazement and entertainment, is how cleverly the film juggles the characters that it depicts, even if they are very broadly defined. Jared Hess weaves and constructs a universe that is somewhat anachronistic, where one doesn't really know if the film is taking place in the 80s/90s or 2000s, though there are elements from all those time periods, combined with a retro style that also makes it very unique (and hard to place). What is also so refreshing about this film, is the way the director plays with the typical high school clichés and personas, subverting them in small details, while still maintaining some of the aspects which make them so recognizable (the jock, the popular cheerleader, the intellectual nerdy girl, and the list goes on). Also from a stylistic perspective it's a film that from its pacing (editing), production design and cinematography, really transports its audience to an almost different universe, very much one that is the vision of its director (a sort of low fi retro inducing aesthetic). The cast is uniformly solid, with the underrated Jon Heder creating an iconic central character, with wonderful support from Aaron Ruell, Efren Ramirez, Jon Gries and Tina Majorino. A film always worth revisiting. 

You Again

Movie Name: You Again
Year of Release: 2010
Director: Andy Fickman
Starring: Kristen Bell, Odette Yustman, Sigourney Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis, Victor Garber, Kristin Chenoweth, Betty White, James Wolk, Sean Wing, Kyle Bornheimer, William Brent, Christine Lakin, Patrick Duffy
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis and Review:

Director Andy Fickman made a name for himself with the comedies "She's the Man", "The Game Plan" and "Race to Witch Mountain", before tackling "You Again", which featured a very clever casting coup, bringing together both Sigourney Weaver and Jamie Lee Curtis (both leading ladies who did iconic work in James Cameron films, respectively "Aliens" and "True Lies"). "You Again" follows the story of Marni, a professional in Public Relations, who we find at the beginning of the film, getting a big promotion to become a VP in NY. Before she starts the new job, she actually has to go back to her hometown, since her older brother is getting married. And turns out, by a weird coincidence, his bride is the insufferable Joanna, her former high school nemesis who made Marni's life a complete hell, humiliating her at every chance she had (and she had plenty of opportunities). Much to Marni's surprise, Joanna acts as if though she has never met her, and much to Marni's chagrin, Joanna has seemingly changed her act, and is now a caring nurse. Joanna also introduces her closest family member, her aunt Ramona, to Marni's family. Much to everyone's surprise, she is Gail's (Marni's mom), high school best friend, and they also had a very public fall out. As the wedding is in 4 days, all this tension comes to a boiling point moment. 

"You Again" benefits from the fact that it manages to gather a terrific cast, some of whom have a terrific chemistry together (Sigourney Weaver and Jamie Lee Curtis for instance), however and unlike Michael Lehman's "Heathers" or Mark Waters' "Mean Girls", the script is afraid to really showcase the nastiness of some people, and how ultimately there isn't redemption for everyone. The script somehow sanitizes many of the nasty behaviors that early on in the narrative Andy Fickman illustrated, trying to envelop and wrap all the threads with happy endings, which ultimately renders this film almost like a Lifetime type of engagement (only with top notch caliber acting). Another big issue of the film itself, is the fact that none of the lead characters seem to have much dimension to themselves, aside from what the early flashbacks provide. Marni for the most part seems just like the same person she was in high school, with not much maturity, friends, or even ability to demonstrate why she became a VP at 30. The same going for her nemesis. Sigourney Weaver's Ramona and Jamie Lee Curtis' Gail, they both turn out to be far more interesting characters, since their falling out stems from a cracked friendship (less campy than Helen and Madeline's in Robert Zemeckis' "Death Becomes Her"), and not necessarily from a deliberate and persistent bullying. It's a film that has immense potential, but it squanders it by trying to neatly tie everything with a happy ending, failing to realize that in order for that happy statement to occur, the characters have to resonate and have some actual motivation. The cast is game, particularly Ms. Weaver and Ms. Curtis, with the wonderful Kristen Bell trying her best to give the film a jolt of energy, with apt support from Victor Garber, Kristin Chenoweth and Betty White. While the cast is indeed fantastic, this film is ultimately forgettable.  

Encanto

Movie Name: Encanto
Year of Release: 2021
Director: Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith
Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, Maria Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Mauro Castillo, Jessica Darrow, Angie Cepeda, Carolina Gaitan, Diane Guerrero, Wilmer Valderrama, Rhenzy Feliz, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Adassa, Maluma, Rose Portillo, Juan Castano
Genre: Animation, Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review:

Titan producing and distributing studio Disney released two animated features in 2021, with the most recent one being "Encanto", which was preceded by "Raya and the Last Dragon". "Encanto" hails from directors Jared Bush, Byron Howard, with co-direction of Charise Castro Smith, the latter also one of the responsible writers for the story and screenplay. Jared Bush and Byron Howard had previously worked in the very successful "Zootopia", and this film once more dazzles with an impeccable aesthetic and animation, lacking more in terms of narrative or arc for its characters. The film follows the story of Maribel, a Colombian teenager who lives in the idyllic village of Encanto, one that has flourished throughout the years thanks to the magic that lives within her family. That magic has been trickling through the generations since her grandmother had to flee her own hometown due to an armed conflict with nothing but her triplets and her husband. When her grandmother also loses her husband, the candle she was carrying magically protects her and her family, also creating a magical house, and in the process granting her children magical abilities. Since then, every Madrigal child goes through a rite of passage, where they're granted a special ability, with the exception of Maribel. She seems to be only one with no special abilities. However Mirabel starts having visions of the family's magical abode cracking, and desperately wants to prevent this from happening. Only the more she tries, the worse things get. 

What made "Zootopia" so instantly endearing, aside from the great animation, was the fact that it toyed with known story archetypes, namely the innocent hero in a big city, and married them with all the flurry of animal characteristics that populated that particular detective narrative. "Encanto" goes in a slightly different direction, trying to bring some of Isabel Allende's magical aspects of her narratives into a story about a "different duckling" (somehow applying the term "ugly duckling" doesn't seem accurate for the story at play). The story of the under-appreciated and underrepresented Maribel could have fared far better, was it not for the fact that all the supporting characters, including the figurehead of the family, grandmother Alma have so very little to do and say, the same going even for the cultural identity of the family and where they actually live. Unlike what Pixar studios did so superbly with "Coco", where the cultural heritage of the young hero, and the family dynamics were cleverly illustrated, with both heart and joy, in the process also joyously tackling a rather somber topic such as death, "Encanto" makes the whole narrative almost very generic and devoid of identity (something that also transpires into the mediocre score that is heard throughout the film). In the end, when all is seen and done, what is left is some truly great animation, a fantastic explosion of colors, all of which make the film watchable, but not memorable. It's a cleverly put together, yet generic effort from Disney which could have benefited from some far better writing. 

300

Movie Name: 300
Year of Release: 2006
Director: Zack Snyder
Starring: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Dominic West, David Wenham, Vincent Regan, Michael Fassbender, Rodrigo Santoro, Tom Wisdom, Andrew Pleavin, Andrew Tiernan, Giovani Cimmino, Stephen McHattie, Greg Kramer, Alex Ivanovici, Kelly Craig, Eli Snyder, Tyler Neitzel, Tim Connolly
Genre: Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

After making a first bold impression with his directorial debut, the remake of "Dawn of the Dead", writer/producer/director Zack Snyder, hopped on another adaptation of a graphic novel, hailing from Frank Miller & Lynn Varley, "300". At the time, Frank Miller's adaptations were coming off another successful run, particularly Robert Rodriguez & Frank Miller's co-directorial take on "Sin City". "300" focuses on the story of Leonidas, the King of the Greek city-state of Sparta, from his childhood, through adulthood and his leadership of an army of 300 men to stop an impending invasion from Persians. The impending battle starts precisely with a herald from the Persian nation, who demands submission from King Leonidas. When he refuses to do so, he seeks council and help to further substantiate a plan he has set up. However that help is denied, and as an alternative, Leonidas manages to gather three hundred of his best soldiers to put his plan in action. His plan includes funneling the Persian army into a narrow pass, between the rocks and the sea, allowing for the Greeks to have some superiority, since the Persians army numbers are far higher. As the waves of battles keep coming, the Greeks remain valiantly in place, until treachery occurs. While this is happening in the war front, Leonidas' partner, Queen Gorgo is trying to persuade the Spartan Council to send reinforcements, before all is lost.

"300" was a big commercial success and opened far more opportunities for Zack Snyder, which translated into his next feature, the flawed but nonetheless interesting, "Watchmen". "300" manages to be an entertaining endeavor, that somehow also demonstrates some of the issues that have plagued most of this director's films, namely, a stylistic and distinct approach that while interesting and virtuous, also minimizes the character development and storytelling that is needed to be anchored to the characters of the narrative. In this case, Leonidas alongside the supporting characters, are described in very broad strokes, essentially much like the graphic novel they hail from. He's a king who endured challenges, and managed to carve a path for himself by being strategic, brave and relentless. Not much more is provided in terms of his motivations, frictions, longings, as the film quickly shifts to the battle scenes. Visually the film contains some beautiful frames and shots, once again demonstrating Snyder's background in directing commercials, something that the editing also reinforces (at times there are some similarities to the style of the late Tony Scott). It's a film that has momentum, and a cast that is invested in the narrative being depicted, with Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Michael Fassbender, Rodrigo Santoro and Vincent Regan, all trying their best to bring some grittiness, anguish and verisimilitude to the action taking place. The cinematography from Larry Fong is solid, as is the score from Tyler Bates and costumes from Michael Wilkinson. It's a film that has a distinct look and appreciation of its source material, but one that fails to make these characters more than just drawings. It's watchable, but ultimately not that memorable. 

Big Bug

Movie Name: Big Bug
Year of Release: 2022
Director: Jean Pierre Jeunet
Starring: Isabelle Nanty, Elsa Zylberstein, Claude Perron, Stephane de Groodt, Youssef Hajdi, Claire Chust, François Levantal, Alban Lenoir, Marysole Fertard, Helie Thonnat, Juliette Wiatr
Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review:

After his many issues with The Weinstein Company with the release of his feature "The Young and Prodigious T. S. Spivet", director Jean Pierre Jeunet has returned, courtesy of Netflix. The narrative, which takes place in 2045, focuses on the household of the family Barelli. As the narrative begins, Victor Barelli the father, is dropping off the daughter at her mother's place. He and Alice have divorced, and he shows up with his fiancee, whom he plans to marry soon. Alice in the meantime has a visitor at her place, a gentleman by the name of Max who came along with his son Leo, and who is desperately courting her. They are soon joined by one of their neighbors, Françoise, who is desperate about the fact that she can't receive signal in her home. The Barelli's smart house is run efficiently with the further assistance of a few androids, including the humanoid Monique, but also Einstein, Tom and Greg, all of whom serve a purpose. When the androids sense a threat enveloping the outside world, which is coming in the shape of the artificial intelligence by the name of Yonyx, one that now runs all of society, they decide to lock everyone inside the house, in order to protect them. As all these individuals try, unsuccessfully, to get out they suddenly have to figure out a way to work together in order to leave the house. That is, until one of the Yonyx androids shows up at their front door and starts wreaking havoc. 

Director Jean Pierre Jeunet has long created a name for himself as someone who creates distinct universes, where the whimsical and magical coexist with the macabre and grotesque. This film is no exception, with the narrative attempting to be a satire at how dependent of computers and machinery we're all becoming. And simultaneously asking the question, one that also haunted Steven Spielberg's "A.I": can artificial beings have a conscience and a soul. Unlike Spielberg's emotional film, Jeunet's illustrates situations where the cartoonish characters have somehow to deal with their primal instincts, until they realize the seriousness of the situation, and eventually have a reawakening to what is truly important in their lives (always at the sacrifice of those who are innocent and pure). It's not a particularly polished narrative, something that becomes quite obvious in the character development, which is barely existent (though Alice is one of the lead characters, it's never truly clarified why she loves books, and typography, or for that matter, what caused the dissolution of her marriage). As is typical of this director's films, the production design, cinematography and score are top notch, but this time around, the lack of substance to the film makes it look somewhat gratuitous, with the grotesqueness outweighing some of the more humane and sentimental aspects Jeunet always manages to pepper his films with. Elsa Zylberstein is however always a pleasure to watch, as is Isabelle Nanty (who was also in Jeunet's "Amélie"). While there are some interesting moments to it, it's a film that over extends itself, and lacks both momentum and dimension to its characters. 

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot

Movie Name: Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
Year of Release: 1974
Director: Michael Cimino
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, George Kennedy, Geoffrey Lewis, Catherine Bach, Gary Busey, Jack Dodson, Burton Gilliam, Roy Jenson, Claudia Lennear, Bill McKinney, Vic Tayback
Genre: Crime, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

Writer, producer and director Michael Cimino, had a brief and both memorable and infamous career, one that was forever derailed by the well known "Heaven's Gate". However, he started his career as a screenwriter, with one os his early projects being Ted Post's "Magnum Force", where he had an opportunity to work with Clint Eastwood. His first directorial effort came shortly afterwards, an original script of his, starring and produced by Eastwood, the well received "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot". The film follows the story of Thunderbolt, whom we initially encounter preaching in a small church in the middle of nowhere. He soon as to make his exit, as a shooter appears and starts gunning him down. As he flees the scene, an unexpected help comes in the shape of a young man, himself escaping from his latest small time crookery. These two form a friendship, which is further solidified when two other men come chasing and shooting at them. Thunderbolt admits to having been involved in a big robbery a few years back, of which the spoils never got divided, with some of the remaining people involved in the caper thinking he is the one who has it all. As they eventually manage to clarify the story with their chasers, Lighfoot has the idea of performing another heist, and this time around dividing the proceeds. Lightfoot's demeanor and Leary's personality however clash most of the time, and as the date of the heist approaches everyone gets increasingly more on edge. 

"Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" is a film that smartly combines the more free flowing aspects of the culture of the 70s, with a style that resembles the 1950s, which is to a certain extent, perfectly embodied by George Kennedy's character. There's certain aspects that are reminiscent of Terrence Malick's "Badlands", particularly as the characters drive around on what seemingly seems to be an empty America, filled with nothing but some small towns, but this film goes in a different direction, allowing for the relationship between Clint Eastwood's Thunderbolt and Jeff Bridges' Lightfoot to take center stage, and develop progressively. And that's one of the most interesting aspects of the film, precisely the fact that Michael Cimino allows for these characters to slowly reveal themselves, even as they get involved in this heist scenario, one that adds an extra layer of thrill to their ongoing adventures. The whole caper/heist aspect of the film also feels very organically placed and never topples it or steals attention from the characters themselves. The film benefits tremendously from the chemistry between Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges, both of which are fantastic (and Bridges is truly phenomenal in his role), with more than apt support from George Kennedy and the always underrated Geoffrey Lewis. The cinematography from Frank Stanley is solid, as is the score from Dee Barton. A very entertaining film from a talented film maker. 

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

Movie Name: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Year of Release: 2004
Director: Adam McKay
Starring: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Fred Willard, Chris Parnell, Kathryn Hahn, Fred Armisen, Seth Rogen, Danny Trejo, Vince Vaughn, Tim Robbins, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, Jack Black, Judd Apatow, Holmes Osborne, Ian Roberts
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

Writer/producer and director, Adam McKay made his feature directorial debut with "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy", after tackling some shorts on "Saturday Night Live". The film focuses its story on Ron Burgundy, a popular TV news anchorman in San Diego in the 1970s, who surrounds himself with a series of male colleagues, all of whom have different roles on his program. His existence is thrown into disarray when the station hires the ambitious Veronica Corningstone. While the station's leaders don't know what to do with her point of view and experience, she finally gets a chance to show her potential, when Burgundy is late for work and she has to cover for him. When Corningstone gets promoted to co-anchor, Burgundy's insecurities rile him up, and both him and Veronica are soon ardent rivals, though they both tried to maintain a discrete relationship till that point. As their antics on screen intensify, Burgundy is set up with a particularly embarrassing situation, which results in him getting fired. While this initially almost destroys his sense of self, and finally re-emerges ready to fight for his place.

"Anchorman" manages to maintain its hilarity, not because of the unpolitically correct topics that it clearly pokes fun at, but mostly because of the fantastic chemistry that all actors display in their interactions. Will Ferrell who co-wrote the screenplay with Adam McKay, knows how to craft narratives where the deeply flawed and completely misguided hero, is someone typically unaware of himself, but who has a good heart and is also invariably on a journey of redemption. His heroes are on a journey, much like John G. Avildsen's "Rocky", but unlike the charismatic boxer, Will Ferrell's heroes hit their highs very quickly and their lows even quicker, all this on a road which eventually leads them to a position that is invariably front and center, with just enough of a dash of political correctness thrown in to counter-balance the craziness they demonstrated earlier. "Anchorman" in a way is the film that set up this template for many of his subsequent films, and it's one that hilariously captures, in very broad strokes, some of the rampant sexism of the 70s, while also establishing this wacky camaraderie between this group of characters, including some of his rivals that are thrown in for good measure (and Ben Stiller's character alone is worthy of a film of his own). While many of these characters are mostly a collection of mannerisms, the film does poke fun at the inflated egos, sexism and silliness from working in such an environment, and does so with just enough corrosive humor and heart. The whole cast is terrific, with the cameos by Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson and Jack Black adding further substance to justify watching this film. While it's a film that could go deeper and provide a more insightful satire on gender roles and ego frailty, it's nonetheless an entertaining film worth watching.

The Campaign

Movie Name: The Campaign
Year of Release: 2012
Director: Jay Roach
Starring: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott, Katherine LaNasa, Sarah Baker, John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd, Brian Cox, Karen Maruyama, Grant Goodman, Kya Haywood, Thomas Middleditch, Josh Lawson, Heather Lawless, Jack McBrayer 
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

After remaking Francis Veber's "Le Diner de Cons" with Steve Carell and Paul Rudd with the unfortunate title, "Dinner for Schmucks", director Jay Roach quickly followed that feature, with two projects, one being the celebrated HBO film "Game Change", the other being "The Campaign". "The Campaign" focuses its narrative on the story of Cam Brady, a four-term Congressman who is up for re-election, unopposed. Cam has had a series of misfires and scandals, which prompts the very rich Motch brothers to intervene, and decide to place someone else on the race, someone who is more controllable, and will actually help them establish factories in the district in which these candidates are running. And of course, these factories will import cheap Chinese labor, which in turn has ties with their own interests in China. The candidate they decide to choose is the docile Marty Huggins, the son of a Republican heavy hitter, who has always had some issues with his father. An expert in campaigning is hired to toughen up Marty's image, and as these two candidates play the game, the antics surrounding the race become more and more over the top. 

A film featuring two talented comedians such as Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, already has a surplus of good value inherently attached, since these two performers always manage to bring irreverence and humor to any project they tackle. And ""The Campaign" is no exception, since the film leverages both these performers ability to succinctly and comically capture the traits of larger than life politicians, and average & meek every day working individuals (respectively). Where the film does falter is in the writing, since the scribers opt to mine politics in the most conventional and expected manner (ah the South and religion and small towns and their ability to be gullible), though they do allow for some surreal nonsense to come through, particularly with Cam's constant misfires during the campaign trail. It's a film that is at its best when it allows for the cast to relish in the clichés they're playing, though it's also a film that could have benefited from a more acidic point of view, one that actually demonstrates that no matter what candidates do and say, people will follow them blindly, even if at times they exhibit behaviors that are monstrous and horrifying (but truth be told, reality has far surpassed anything this film has demonstrated). In the end, it's a film that is unpretentious, one that tries to elicit laughs, and in the process winks at everyone while saying "Politics are crazy, but you the audience, likes it that way, and allows it to happen", with just enough of a dash from Frank Capra's idealism thrown in for good measure. Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis are great as usual, this time with good support from Jason Sudeikis, Sarah Baker and the impeccable trifecta of Brian Cox, John Lithgow and Dan Aykroyd. Watchable though not memorable.

They Live

Movie Name: They Live
Year of Release: 1988
Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster, George 'Buck' Flower, Peter Jason, Raymond St. Jacques, Sy Richardson
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

Director John Carpenter had to contend with smaller budgets following the less than enthusiastic response of the great "Big Trouble in Little China", which prompted him to direct "Prince of Darkness" which was quickly followed by "They Live". "They Live" focuses on the story of Nada, a drifter who comes to Los Angeles in search of a job. He soon finds work at a construction site, where he makes friends with Frank, who invites him to live in a slum type of town/soup kitchen led by a man named Gilbert. That night, he notices a hacker taking over the TV signal, claiming to the audience that people are being enslaved through signals that keeps everyone in a dream-like state. Nada soon discovers a rebellious group, who is trying to unmask this massive conspiracy. When that group is uncovered by the police and beaten down, he manages to escape. He notices one of the boxes the group had with them is now in the trash, and while looking for more clues, he uncovers that its content is comprised of sunglasses. When he tries one on, he notices the sunglasses render the world monochrome, but also reveal subliminal messages everywhere, while also revealing what appears to be a different/alien like species living alongside humans, pretending to be just like them. As he tries to make sense of what is happening, he comes in contact with his friend Frank, whom he attempts to convince of what is going on.

Working from a short story by Ray Nelson, writer/director John Carpenter ingeniously crafts a narrative that is a not so subtle criticism at the consumerism of the world, and in the process, on how everything in life has become a commodity where anything and everything can be bought and sold for just the right amount. The story plays out almost like a "Twilight Zone" episode, something that the monochromatic aspect of reality provided by the sunglasses is a nice nod to. John Carpenter knows how to make economical narratives work, and in this case he manages to do so once more, clearly establishing the goal for the enigmatic Nada, who goes on a crusade to uncover these aliens, with the able support of friends he makes along the way. Of course the story is also an open criticism on the effects greed and corporate malfeasance have on more exposed populations, as can be noted by the slums that are illustrated throughout the narrative. While the characters themselves are thinly described and established, it is nonetheless a film that is original and has the typical John Carpenter touch, including his typical touch where the epilogue doesn't necessarily ring a happy ending. The score from his authorship, with Alan Howarth is excellent, while the film also features a solid cinematography from Gary B. Kibbe. An entertaining film from a remarkable director always worth revisiting. 

Licorice Pizza

Movie Name: Licorice Pizza
Year of Release: 2021
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Bradley Cooper, Benny Safdie, Christine Ebersole, John Michael Higgins, Skyler Gisondo, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Este Haim, Danielle Haim, Maya Rudolph, Harriet Samson Harris, Ryan Heffington, John C. Reilly, Joseph Cross, Emma Dumont, Yumi Mizui, James Kelley
Genre: Drama, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:

Like many of the most recent crop of Paul Thomas Anderson's films, this is another feature that lingers on, forcing one to think about everything that his narrative is packing, across many different layers. "Licorice Pizza" focuses its narrative in two central characters: a teenage actor by the name of Gary Valentine, who has been acting since he was a child, and the young adult Alana, whom we first encounter working for Tiny Toes, organizing the process of taking photos of high school kids in the 1970s. When these two meet, Gary is smitten with Alana, who is considerably older, and clearly indicates that to him, making sure he understands nothing will ever happen between the two of them. As Alana becomes a guardian or partner of sorts, they're soon involved in a business of selling water beds together, a business that doesn't last for very long, but gets them to meet the charismatic Jon Peters. As Alana sees herself surrounded by teenagers and wants to move on, she sets her sights in assisting a young candidate to the mayoral position of LA, bringing Gary along for shooting commercials. As their relationship goes through their ups and downs, they both come to the realization of the bond that ties them together.

While I've always been an enormous admirer of Paul Thomas Anderson, and continue to be so, this film feels to me like the first in all of his films thus far, where the narrative arc of whatever is happening on screen seems to be somewhat over indulgent and chaotic (and not necessarily a controlled chaos). It's a film with much to admire, since the characters are vivid, authentic, and even the ones who briefly appear in the film, inject something memorable in it, particularly the ones embodied by Sean Penn, Bradley Cooper and Benny Safdie. However the core of the film, the relationship between Alana and Gary, seems to be made of an unresolved tension, but also from what they collectively experience from a series of episodes that don't necessarily have a sensical continuity between them. While the film is successful at placing us squarely in that area of California in the 70s, Gary's schizophrenic lack of focus, which includes jumping from acting, to salesman, to pinball owner, from immature teenager, to someone looking to connect with the woman he wants, all these narrative threads seem to be all over the place, and not necessarily in a structured manner, the same going for Alana. While the universe in which these characters live is so vivid and memorable, this lack of grounding for the central characters, erodes much of the attention and power the central relationship holds (sometimes less is definitely more, case in point, "Punch Drunk Love", where the central relationship was beautifully rendered, in a much more economical manner). Albeit all of this, the film features a solid performance from Alana Haim, with excellent hilarious support from Bradley Cooper, and great cameos from Maya Rudolph, Harriet Samson Harris and John Michael Higgins. The cinematography from Paul Thomas Anderson and Michael Bauman is beautiful, as is the score from Jonny Greenwood, and costumes from Mark Bridges. Worth watching even if it's not quite as potent as some of his earlier work. 

Nobody

Movie Name: Nobody
Year of Release: 2021
Director: Ilya Naishuller
Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, Aleksey Serebryakov, Christopher Lloyd, Michael Ironside, Colin Salmon, RZA, Billy MacLellan, Araya Mengesha, Gage Munroe, Paisley Cadorath
Genre: Action, Crime
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review:

Director Ilya Naishuller who made a name for himself as a commercials and music videos director, had a less than auspicious feature directorial debut with "Hardcore Henry", but "Nobody" is his chance to team with writer Derek Kolstad, who has written the "John Wick" series, alongside some episodes of the Marvel series, "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier". "Nobody" follows the story of Hutch Mansell, a seemingly average middle aged men, father of a lovely family, who goes about his daily routine, working out but for the most part, keeping a low profile about everything. When his house is burglarized, he has an opportunity to deter the assailants, but chooses to do nothing and let them go. That is until he realizes those assailants took something that belonged to his daughter. As it turns out, Hutch is much more than he had led on, including to his family. Most of his professional career was spent connected to intelligence agencies, in a role he calls "auditor", but in reality an actual assassin, someone who basically wipes out problems no one wants to deal with. After stopping a bunch of hoodlums from attacking people on a bus, Hutch puts one of those individuals in the hospital, however one of those people is the brother of a Russian mobster, now intent on getting his revenge. However, the more information comes out on Hutch, or whatever they can find out, the scarier the situation seems, since it seems Hutch's skills and lethal approach to problem solving are unstoppable.

"Nobody" bares many similarities to the economical tone and narrative from "John Wick", with the biggest difference being of course, the fact that Wick walks alone, has no family ties, and adhered to a certain extent with the code established by the criminal underground. Hutch shares the same lethal traits as Wick, but operates within the mantle of protection from the "good guys", which allows him to do some really rough things, without having to consider much about consequences. It's a film that once more, reads like a straightforward B-movie, with little character development, and a narrative mostly focused on the action set pieces that comprise the bulk of the film. While Hutch is given some dimension, most of the supporting characters are mostly archetypes without many differentiating aspects, save for the personality and talent the actors bring to them. What has been the saving grace for the John Wick series, besides Keanu Reeves presence, is the fact that the films while hyper violent and deftly staged, are also peppered with humor and ultimately don't take themselves too seriously. "Nobody" borrows some of these elements, but not enough, since while attempting to humanize some of the supporting characters, fails to give them much to do, while the action set pieces are not quite as strong as the ones Chad Stahelski and his creative team stage for John Wick. Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, RZA, all create solid characters, while the cinematography from Pawel Pogorzelski is somewhat generic. It's watchable, though not very memorable. 

The Tender Bar

Movie Name: The Tender Bar
Year of Release: 2021
Director: George Clooney
Starring: Ben Affleck, Daniel Ranieri, Tye Sheridan, Lily Rabe, Christopher Lloyd, Max Martini, Rhenzy Feliz, Briana Middleton, Max Casella, Sondra James, Michael Braun, Matthew Delamater
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review:

Actor, writer, producer and director George Clooney continues his steadily output of projects, following the successful "The Midnight Sky" which he released on Netflix. "The Tender Bar" is the adaptation of the memoir by J.R. Moehringer, scripted by the celebrated William Monahan (who won the Academy Award for Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" and has also written "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Body of Lies" both for Ridley Scott). The film follows the story of J.R. who we first encounter as he and his mom are coming back to her father's house, following the dissolution of her marriage. He is taken under the wing of his uncle, who works and owns a local bar. Charlie becomes his father figure, motivating him to pursue his dreams, and become a writer. His mom on the other hand, has openly declared her ambition that he goes to Yale or Harvard and become a lawyer. J.R. does eventually manage to get a scholarship and goes to Yale in the early 80s, making some life long friends along the way, and starting an unfulfilling relationship with Sidney, who has plans of her own, which don't include him. As J.R. navigates his first professional experiences, he also comes to terms with the role of his actual father in his life, both in terms of his absence and other issues his uncle warns him to stay clear of.

"The Tender Bar" manages to be yet another coming of age story, about a young man living with his slightly dysfunctional family, aiming to become a writer, but having to come to terms with the heavy legacy his absent and alcoholic father has had in his own life. While Cameron Crowe for instance crafted his coming of age narrative in "Almost Famous", also on the premise of a young boy growing up without a father figure but protected by a brilliant and controlling mother, permeating his narrative with humor and enough details to keep the characters always enthralling, George Clooney transfers some of that fatherly mantle to Ben Affleck's character, failing however to give that uncle much of a dimension aside from being a saintly, good humored presence who owns a bar. While there is much to admire about this film, particularly as young Daniel Ranieri navigates the dynamics of his family, and then Tye Sheridan as his grown up equivalent, tries to navigate his own life and decide what comes next, the film fails to give much dimension to both Ben Affleck's Charlie and Lily Rabe's Mom, both of whom have a fair amount of screen time, but whose characters while enticing and somewhat vivid (a testament to the quality of its performers), fail to be more than just a pale version of the stories they also could and should have shared. "Almost Famous" managed to bring William Miller to life, not because of the rock stars he interacted with, but because of the diverse group of people he learnt from, how they shaped his writing and his experiences, including his college professor mother. "The Tender Bar" feels like it's on the brink of showcasing the tribulations of this young artist, and how the people who surround him shaped much of what he has turned out to be, but shies away from giving those characters some extra dimension, or for that matter, some much needed humor. Curtis Hanson also managed to capture the tribulations of a young author in "Wonder Boys", and did so with heart and humor, something "The Tender Bar" could have benefited from. As it is, it's a competent film, with a great performance from Ben Affleck, and solid support from the wonderful Lily Rabe, newcomer Daniel Ranieri and Tye Sheridan. The cinematography from Martin Ruhe is solid, as is the score from Dara Taylor and production design from Kalina Ivanov. Worth watching. 

R.I.P.D.

Movie Name: R.I.P.D.
Year of Release: 2013
Director: Robert Schwentke
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary Louise Parker, Stephanie Szostak, James Hong, Marisa Miller, Robert Knepper, Mike O'Malley, Devin Ratray
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis and Review:

After the success of "RED", director Robert Schwentke tackled another adaptation of a comic book (though "RED" was a graphic novel), this one with a somewhat similar tone to Barry Sonnenfeld's "Men in Black". The narrative focuses on the story of Nick Walker, a Boston police detective, who alongside his partner decides to steal some valuable evidence from a crime and keep it to themselves. When Nick has a change of heart, and decides to return it, his partner Bobby kills him during a raid in which they're both involved. As Nick gets to the afterlife, he is given the option to work for the R.I.P.D. department, as atonement for what he stole while he lived. The department essentially has the responsibility to monitor the dead, making sure to bring them in when they refuse to leave the land of the living or simply dispatching them if they don't comply/resist. He is assigned a partner in the shape of Roy, and they're quickly put on a case. Their first case has ties to the gold Nick stole, and as they go through the process of figuring out what's going on, they soon realize Bobby is actually much more than he let on to believe.

"R.I.P.D." is a film that has the potential to be an interesting action comedy, since it deals with the notion of badly behaved dead characters, but also a police department created just to deal with them. While the premise is ripe, and so is the talent conjured to embody these characters, sadly the script never really manages to stitch a dynamic narrative or for that matter, articulate much sense into what's set in motion. We never really get to know much about Nick or Roy, the leads of the feature, or even the main villain, all of whom come into this shorthanded narrative spewing a bunch of nonsense, shoot a few guns, and then all too briefly, all is over. There are obvious attempts at marrying the style of "Men In Black", in the sense that the two leads are at odds with each other, and they have to deal with otherworldly fantastical creatures, sadly the film never truly manages to substantiate the after life scenario properly, wasting Mary Louise Parker's immense talent in the process. What is left is a series of vignettes, trying to pass as a coherent and consistent film, with only Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds managing to keep the film afloat, since even the reliable Kevin Bacon has literally nothing much to do. The Visual effects are also a mixed bag in terms of their quality, though the cinematography from Alwin H. Kuchler is solid, as is the score from Christophe Beck. Definitely a minor film in all these performers resumes and ultimately a waste of talent. 

Drop Dead Gorgeous

Movie Name: Drop Dead Gorgeous
Year of Release: 1999
Director: Michael Patrick Jann
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Ellen Barkin, Allison Janney, Kirstie Alley, Denise Richards, Amy Adams, Brittany Murphy, Sam McMurray, Mindy Sterling, Laurie A. Sinclair, Alexandra Holden, Matt Malloy, Michael McShane, Will Sasso, Brooke Elise Bushman, Casey Garven, John T. Olson, Nora Dunn, Mo Gaffney, Adam West, Jacy King
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
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Synopsis and Review:

After working on a few TV special and shows, director Michael Patrick Jann made his feature directorial debut with "Drop Dead Gorgeous", tackling an original script from Lona Williams, until then mostly well known for work on "The Drew Carey Show". The film, which is shot akin to a documentary, takes place in Mount Rose, Minnesota, and focuses on the story of a few contestants who are in the running for the annual Sarah Rose Cosmetics Mount Rose American Teen Pageant competition. One of those contestants is Becky Leeman, who is the daughter of one of the organizers, the wealthy and ambitious Gladys, who wants nothing more than for her daughter to become the next winner of the pageant. Another contestant in the running is the hard working Amber Atkins, whose mother Annette is also a former contestant, and whose life has turned out to be somewhat underwhelming, but wishes only the best for her daughter. As the documentary crew follows the contestants on their path to the pageant, a series of incidents and occurrences also start popping out, including the death of fellow contestant Tammy Curry, a usual favorite for the winning position. Amber's mom also ends up in the hospital following a freakish explosion in their trailer, forcing Amber to reassess if she actually wants to participate. As the pageant begins, and more sabotages keep occurring, it only reinforces Amber's motivation to keep in the running and hopefully defeat the Leemans.

"Drop Dead Gorgeous" is a film that aims to emulate the tone and humor of the Christopher Guest films, such as "Waiting for Guffman" or even "Best in Show". That intention in itself is commendable, however the results fall a bit short from those aforementioned features. The problem itself lies with the script, which takes the various scenarios over the top, never allowing for the irony in which the characters find themselves in, to truly gel. Essentially in trying to amp up the parody of the pageant industry, and also of the style Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy solidly established with their films, Lona Williams failed to realize there was already plenty to mine, without the need to include murderous sub-plots or even the poor taste digs at contestants with eating disorders. The characters themselves are also generally speaking, bluntly established cliches, including the vicious rich girl, the hard working humble beautiful lead, the beautiful girl who dates all the boys, the clueless one, the slightly alcoholic mom, and the list goes on. The lack of nuance of most of these characters is also one of the downfalls of this film, since its cast is actually quite solid, particularly Kirsten Dunst, Allison Janney, Amy Adams, Brittany Murphy and Ellen Barkin, all of whom manage to create vivid characters with whatever material they have. It's ultimately a film that could have benefited from a slightly more polished screenplay, alongside a direction that is not so generic. It's watchable, sadly not particularly memorable.