Maestro

Movie Name: Maestro
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Bradley Cooper
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer, Sarah Silverman, Maya Hawke, Miriam Shor, Zachary Booth, James Cusati-Moyer, Josh Hamilton, Sam Nivola, Alexa Swinton, Jordan Dobson, Michael Urie, Nick Blaemire, Greg Hildreth, 
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Another prestige release from Netflix, this one comes courtesy of multi-hyphenate Bradley Cooper, in his sophomore directorial outing, following his great debut with "A Star is Born". The narrative focuses on the life of composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein, and his numerous relationships, but with a particular focus on his marriage to Felicia Montealegre. The film captures Leonard's life at different junctures, starting with his journey towards recognition, when at age 25 (in 1943) he makes his conducting debut, quite unexpectedly, as a result of a guest conductor falling ill. Following raves reviews of his work, his career takes off. He maintains a romantic relationship with clarinetist David Oppenheim, but he meets Felicia Montealegre, an actress, at a party and is smitten with her. They eventually marry, and have three children, and remain supportive of each other's careers throughout their lives. Bernstein's success continues to rise, with his name appearing on multiple successful operas and Broadway musicals, including West Side Story. However in parallel with his success, Bernstein's personal excesses also start becoming more evident, including multiple affairs with men, and substance abuse, something that starts corroding his relationship with Felicia. They have a devastating argument one Thanksgiving, but remain married. While they manage to patch their relationship, things take a darker turn when Felicia becomes ill.

In a way Leonard Bernstein's life had a way to wreak a bit of havoc on Bradley Cooper's second directorial outing. One of the things that I mostly personally appreciated about his debut, "A Star is Born", was how he pursued a sense of authenticity to his characters, allowing them to be flawed, and imminently human, even if they were operating within the confinements of a well known story. In "Maestro", Bradley Cooper stylizes his approach, and looks a bit over his shoulder, as if the figure of Mr. Bernstein is looking at his interpretation of his own life, and therefore the director has to tread the topics with competence, but without infusing them with an actual spark of life. And that's what ends up summarizing this film: it's competent, and hints at brilliance, but there's too much restraint and it is unable to bring the characters to life. With that being said, there's much to admire here, and while Bradley Cooper is trying to find his stylistic voice and approach, one thing remains true: he is able to elicit great performances from his cast, and this case is no exception. Both him and the luminous Carey Mulligan carry this film with an ease and complicity which makes the relationship between Leonard and Felicia feel intimate and authentic. Sadly the script is unable to do much for the supporting characters and even for the supporting scenarios. It treats them all as sketches for a brief montage, which almost begs the question if Bradley Cooper and Josh Singer had focused on a specific time period of Bernstein's life, maybe that would have allowed more characters to have additional dimension and bring some nuance to the web of relationships that the film hints at, but never truly develops (I personally wanted to know more about Sarah Silverman's Shirley Bernstein). Nonetheless, and while some reviews found the film pretentious, and even tedious, I disagree with that assessment. While it doesn't hit all its marks, it's an ambitious film, focused on a flawed and larger than life persona, and while unbalanced, it still manages to characterize and bring color to the central characters of the narrative. Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan are excellent, as expected, with good support provided by Sarah Silverman and Matt Bomer. The production team is impeccable, including the beautiful cinematography from Matthew Libatique, production design from Kevin Thompson, costumes by Mark Bridges, and the makeup artistry from Kazu Hiro and an array of artists, all of which did a phenomenal job of adding authenticity to these characters. A flawed film, but worth watching for sure.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Movie Name: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Joaquim dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Starring: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Jake Johnson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya, Karan Soni, Shea Whigham, Greta Lee 
Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

After the resounding commercial and critical success of "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" it was only a matter of time until a sequel was set in motion. This narrative picks up right after the events of the first film. Miles Morales is still dealing with his challenges of finishing high-school and preparing to go to college, while still having a crush on Gwen Stacy, the Spider-Woman from a parallel universe. Gwen in the meantime is dealing with a version of the Vulture, who came into her universe wreaking havoc, and finds some help courtesy of other universe travelers, Miguel O'Hara and Jess Drew. Her father in the meantime, police captain George Stacy thinks Spider-Woman is a criminal, unaware that he is actually pursuing his own daughter. Miles also has additional challenges, courtesy of a new villain, someone who goes by the name Spot and has the ability to create portals and navigate through them. Spot blames Miles for his condition, since he was just an average scientist, and suddenly developed those abilities as a result from an explosion that took place in the previous film. As Gwen travels to Miles' universe with the intent of also tracking Spot, and while they pick up their friendship/love interest right where they left it, they find themselves going into yet another universe in pursuit of Spot, only for those actions to start having dramatic consequences. Their action force the Spider-Man society to intervene and in ways that none of them were expecting.

One of the most interesting aspects of the "Spider-Verse" films has been their obvious superior animation and aesthetics. Both films are astonishingly well done, with a superlative use of color, transitions/editing, animation styles, all assembled in what feels like a frantic momentum, but one that is actually sensical, and eventually demonstrates the high energy and stakes that the central characters face. These films have successfully branched out beyond the traditional and have demonstrated the potential that modern animation can actually have in storytelling. However one of the big challenges with these narratives are the storylines, and in this case in particular, the multiverse plot point which is starting to sound tired and repetitive. The multiverse aspect of a storyline is something comic-books have used many times, and at some point writers have always found ways to press the reset button, since it's a plot device that becomes complex and frankly, tiresome to tackle at the same time with a considerable amount of characters to expand upon (multiple versions of the same character, with different families, and relationships, and so on). DC Comics legendarily tried to solve some of these Multiverse issues with the iconic series "Crisis on Infinite Earths" in the mid 80s to much success. Marvel however is still persisting on this journey, as can be witnessed from Sam Raimi's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness", though based on their filmic output of 2023, they may also have to rethink their storylines. All this to say, while this iteration of the "Spider-Verse" is aesthetically stunning to look at, and everything does align, from an art direction, character design, score, voice cast, the narrative itself is starting to wear itself out. Miles Morales essentially treads on topics that have been tackled before (in the other "Spider-Man" features), with the biggest difference for this film being the drama faced by Gwen, and her relationship with her father. But these aren't the central topics of the narrative, with the attention being pulled into this multiverse storylines. And that just isn't enough anymore. It's a film worth watching, but one that also questions what else could have been told about these characters that doesn't necessarily revolve jumping around different universes. 

Uncharted

Movie Name: Uncharted
Year of Release: 2022
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Starring: Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Banderas, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle, Steven Waddington, Pingi Moli, Tiernan Jones, Rudy Pankow, Georgia Goodman, Alana Boden, Joseph Balderrama
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 1
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Director Ruben Fleischer continues his prolific output, following the commercially successful but critically reviled "Venom" and the sequel to the film that originally put him on the map, "Zombieland: Double Tap". This time around he's tackling the adaptation of a very successful video game, courtesy of a script by Rafe Judkins, Art Macum and Matt Holloway (Macum and Holloway have written the scripts for Jon Favreau's "Iron Man" and F. Gary Gray's "Men In Black: International", to name but a few). The narrative focuses itself on Nathan Drake, a young bartender with pickpocketing skills, who we initially witness as a teenager with his older brother being caught trying to steal a map, one that traces the Magellan expedition. The brothers get separated with Sam Drake fleeing and Nathan staying at the orphanage. In the present, Nathan is contacted by a man calling himself Sully, who claims to be a fortuned hunter who was working with his brother Sam. He claims his brother disappeared after they both stole a diary from an ancient Spanish navigator. Nathan agrees to work with him, hoping this will enable him to find Sam. They go to an auction to try to steal a golden cross linked to the Magellan crew, which they believe will give them more clues in their quest to get the gold they're pursuing. However more people are on the trail of that antique and that treasure, including Santiago Moncada, the last descendant of that Spanish family. They manage to steal the cross and fly to Barcelona where they hope to continue their search, since Sully has a contact there who had the other cross needed for more clues to be uncovered. However things quickly escalate and get out of control upon arrival. 

Ruben Fleischer tries to modernize the Indiana Jones archeologist/adventurer character for newer generations with this film, without realizing that sadly this film (and its script) fails to provide much in terms of giving characters something memorable to say (or do), the same going for the tired premise of the film itself. The film which at times comes across as a slow burner that is about to reveal something tantalizing, actually never really reveals much, and most of the characters have very little to expose in terms of motivations or for that matter, of who they actually are (Tom Holland's Nathan Drake is a twenty something bartender who lives in a great space in the New York area, which in itself is fiction enough, though we never really know more about him, his relationships, what his goals are, nothing much really). The villains themselves, portrayed by the always underrated Antonio Banderas, and the muscle/brawl, embodied by the great Steven Waddington (who definitely had better things to do in Derek Jarman's "Edward II" and Christopher Hampton's "Carrington"), also have nothing much to do, other than appear "menacing" and "irritated", with their motivation at times appearing to be that precisely that (make facial grimaces). It's a film that is so vapidly built and staged that at times it comes across as a parody of what an action/adventure film actually is meant to be (or how it was done in prior decades). Tom Holland tries his best to bring Nathan Drake to life, but the character is as generic as possible, while the wooden Mark Wahlberg continues to basically portray the same character he actually does from film to film, though in this case he attempts to emulate a Cary Grant "To Catch a Thief" mystique, without any semblance of memorable results (what a difference a visionary director such as Paul Thomas Anderson makes, who managed to get a great performance from him in "Boogie Nights"). The production team is competent but unremarkable. This isn't worth watching. 

Pain Hustlers

Movie Name: Pain Hustlers
Year of Release: 2023
Director: David Yates
Starring: Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Andy Garcia, Catherine O'Hara, Chloe Coleman, Brian d'Arcy James, Jay Duplass, Amit Shah, Valerie LeBlanc, Aubrey Dollar, Alex Klein, Britt Rentschler, Michael Kosta
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Another release from Netflix, "Pain Hustlers" is the latest directorial endeavor from David Yates, whose name has become permanently associated with the "Harry Potter" universe, courtesy of the fact he directed the final 4 films of that saga, alongside the 3 more recent films of the "Fantastic Beasts" saga (in between those two sagas he found the time to direct the truly terrible "Tarzan" with Alexander Skarsgaard and Margot Robbie). The film which is an adaptation of the book by Evan Hughes with the same title, features a script by Wells Tower, and focuses its narrative on Liza Drake, whom we first encounter working as an exotic dancer in order to make ends meet for herself and her daughter Phoebe (who experiences epileptic seizures on occasion due to a congenital brain issue). While at the club where she performs, she meets Pete Brenner, who works for a pharmaceutical start up. They strike a conversation and she demonstrates her salesperson capabilities, which impresses Pete enough for him to share his card with her and suggest the possibility of a job for her. Liza's life suffers another setback when her living arrangements change, since her sister expels her out of her garage, and Liza finds herself living in a motel. She decides to reach out to Pete, and beg for a job. Unbeknownst to her however, Pete's employer Zanna, is also struggling financially, and no hiring is actually in place. The company is desperately trying to find investors, and in the spur of a moment, and while doing a pitch for a potential investor, Pete rewrites Liza's resume and introduces her as someone with a degree in biochemistry. Pete gives her 5 days to convince a physician to prescribe their drug, Lonafen. He offers a risible baseline salary, but lures Liza with the promise of sales commissions. Liza goes through the list of doctor prospects very quickly, without getting a single one to adopt the drug. At the last moment however, one of the doctor is convinced by her arguments, and prescribes the drug. This starts a momentum for Liza who soon hires a team of sales reps to push the drug across the regional market. And while the company starts to suddenly bring money and dominate that market, Liza starts noticing certain things that are not correct at all.

The opioid crisis is a topic ripe for an interesting feature film, which sadly "Pain Hustlers" is not that feature. The film tries, unsuccessfully one should say, to emulate the environment and energy Martin Scorsese brought to life in "The Wolf of Wall Street". However the way David Yates has chosen to illustrate the narrative, is both anemic and also arid when it comes to giving any of the lead characters something substantial to actually do and be. Liza, the protagonist, we progressively learn during the narrative that she's been divorced and has had a prior arrest, something we only uncover much later in the film, and it's something casually discussed, but never really addressed again. We also know she has a troubled relationship with her mother and sister, but those relationships are briefly illustrated and quickly tossed aside (the fact that the only somewhat healthy relationship Liza is able to maintain is with her daughter is never really discussed). The script is so worried in making a big statement about the maladies and greed of the pharmaceutical industry, that it forgets that characters have to actually mean something, have motivations beyond showing up on screen and utter a few lines. It's a film that touches on quite a few clichés, but does so without reinterpreting them or presenting them in a new light (the single mother who works in a strip club to make ends meet for herself and her daughter, isn't that also Andrew Bergman's "Striptease" premise which features Demi Moore and Robert Patrick, and came out in 1996). Chris Evans, Andy Garcia, Catherine O'Hara, Brian d'Arcy James, Jay Duplass are all talented performers who sadly have very little to do in this tale of ambition, greed and conspiracy. Their characters have the dimension of a cue card, including the ambitious corporate man who doesn't want to settle down and is cutthroat in his dealings with others, the mother constantly pursuing crazy schemes, the eccentric CEO, etc. Emily Blunt for all her investment in the role, also lacks both the spunk and the beaten by life aspect that this role needed (this role needed someone with the energy of Charlize Theron). The production team is not particularly memorable either, with just a serviceable cinematography from George Richmond, the same going for the score from James Newton Howard, Cliff Lanning and Michael Dean Parsons. It's not a disaster of a film, it's just not a particularly interesting one. 

Music with an Impact - 2023

2023 was a year peppered with sadness as so many fantastic artists bid us all farewell (Ryuichi Sakamoto, Tina Turner, to name but a few), however their legacy and work lives on. It was also a year where I got to discover albums from artists that quickly became part of my constant listens, so much that I've since gotten their previous albums. Some of my favorite artists released new albums, including PJ Harvey, Clark, Eluvium and Jon Hopkins. I also got to revel and enjoy albums that were well received in the past but passed me by at the time, including albums by HAIM and Daniel Avery. So much to keep enjoying and discovering. Happy 2024 to you all.

u-ziq - 1977
Alva Noto - HYbr:ID II
Boygenius - The Record
Eluvium - (Whirring Marvels In) Consensus Reality
PJ Harvey - I Inside the Old Year Dying
Jon Hopkins - Tayos Caves, Ecuador
Oneohtrix Point Never - Garden of Delete
Loscil and Lawrence English - Colours of Air
Sean McCann & Maxwell August Croy - I
Clark - 05-10
Porya Hatami & Arovane - Kaziwa
Sean McCann - Music for Private Ensemble

More favorites that are not illustrated in the list above.

HAIM - Women in Music Pt. III

Daniel Avery - Ultra Truth

Troye Sivan - Something to Give Each Other

Overmono - Cash Romantic

Barbie

Movie Name: Barbie
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Greta Gerwig
Starring: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Michael Cera, Kate McKinnon, Ariana Greenblatt, Rhea Perlman, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Issa Rae, Simu Liu, Hari Nef, Sharon Rooney, Ritu Arya, Ana Cruz Kayne, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Helen Mirren, Jamie Demetriou, Will Merrick, Andrew Leung, Lucy Boynton, Rob Brydon
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

After the phenomenal "Lady Bird", and the unnecessary adaptation of "Little Women" (which was watchable, but didn't necessarily add anything to Gillian Armstrong's 1994 version or even the previous adaptations), writer/producer/director Greta Gerwig is back with what has turned out to be the big sensation of the film world in 2023. The narrative focuses of course on Barbie, the stereotypical one, who alongside other Barbies live in Barbieland, a matriarchal society populated with different variations of Barbies, Kens and also discarded (and somewhat ostracized) Barbies. Ken is constantly trying to ingratiate himself with Barbie, who refutes his advances. Barbie's days are fairly repetitive, until one morning everything starts taking a dark turn. She worries about death, develops bad breath, has concerns over cellulite, and doesn't even walk on her toes. She resorts to Weird Barbie to figure out what's going on with her. She tells her she must go go the real world, and find the child playing with her in order to lift whatever is plaguing her. Ken stows away and decides to go with her. When they both arrive in the real world, they have some issues adjusting, but eventually Barbie uncovers Gloria and Sasha, a mother and daughter, who are behind her existential pains. Mattel executives in the meantime are trying to locate Barbie in order to send her back, and Ken has uncovered that patriarchy seems to suit him just fine, and goes back to Barbieland to explain those theories to other Kens. Barbie decides to bring Gloria and Sasha back to Barbieland, in order to explain why Barbies and their principles stand for something, only to realize the place has changed quite a bit.

What's been interesting about Greta Gerwig's films thus far, and even her most interesting acting performances, have been the fact that they focus on women who aren't afraid of finding their own voice, of speaking their own mind, even if that instantly renders them as "difficult" or "different". This unapologetic aspect of "Lady Bird" and even "Little Women" made those films so watchable, as did her ability to give her characters dimension: her heroines weren't simply a teenager vying to leave Sacramento with the ambition of becoming an artist, or a young woman rebelling against a typically male centric profession in the 19th century, they were also people coming to terms with who they were (growing up after all). "Barbie" tries a similar approach, in a pink colored hue, with a stylized and quasi musical stance to it, but for all the cacophony of color and visual stylings, it's a film that never feels jolted with a spark of vivacity and humor as much as her prior features did. The film plays with its own artificiality, almost like winking an eye at what's taking place and addressing the audience on the joke ("Yes, this is all pink and silly, don't you know?") and with Ryan Gosling's silliness ("Oh Ken"), but simultaneously tries to deliver important messages that while well intended and very pertinent, simply don't align with the rhythm of the film itself. For a film that calls itself a comedy, I personally found very little to be comical, and some aspects of the film seem to be battling itself out (the whole aspect of the Mattel executives, with the underserved Will Ferrell in particular, was difficult to witness). Even Margot Robbie who is a fantastic actress, seems a bit lost in this world, and I kept expecting her to drop the facade at some point and tell the audience "What's up everyone, it's me Tonya or Harley Quinn or Sharon Tate": this role needed more of the whimsicality, goofiness and airiness that Anna Faris brought to "The House Bunny", which in a way, ends up treading on similar topics, but with far more humor than this film (and yes, I am aware that "The House Bunny" also treads on sensitive topics and is directed from a male driven perspective). It ultimately feels that the filmmakers knew this was going to be a difficult topic to tackle, which could go in many directions (and people could pick on it for a series of reasons), and for the most part the directions were indeed showcased. They just weren't very funny. 

Nyad

Movie Name: Nyad
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
Starring: Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifan, Jeena Yi, Luke Cosgrove, Erica Cho, Karly Rothenberg, Ethan Jones Romero
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

The directing duo of Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi have made a name for themselves as documentary filmmakers. They won the Academy Award for "Free Solo" and since then they released the well received "The Rescue" and the not so well received "Return to Space" and "Wild Life". "Nyad" is their first foray into narrative driven features, and follows the life of Diana Nyad, and her best friend Bonnie Stoll, in a phase of their lives where they go through the arduous process of getting Diana to swim in the open waters from Cuba to Key West, Florida. Diana tried to get that feat accomplished at an earlier age, and wasn't able to do so, but at the age of 61 (in 2010), she decides to try again, recruiting Bonnie to help and coach her through the process. They go through a series of trials, with Diana falling short of accomplishing her feat, but in no way deterring her from continuing, and in the process also alienating her team. After 4 unsuccessful attempts, and when it seems she has pushed everyone away, Diana finally manages to swim across, with the help of Bonnie, and her loyal team, even if her accomplishment isn't certified. 

The synopsis for this film is an adequate description of what it focuses on, in the sense that there isn't much nuance or much reach beyond that description. It's a rather threadbare type of narrative, where the filmmakers are very interested in detailing the process of the swim, across its various attempts, and the impact that it has on Diana Nyad's physical and mental health, and of course on her team's disposition and willingness to continue that journey, but there isn't much to say other than that. The narrative tries to illustrate the justification Diana finds in herself to pursue that goal so ferociously, of how that was shaped in her childhood by her father and her coach, but the film's main storyline and the character arc itself simply don't coalesce. It's not so much that the central character isn't very likable or even pleasant, it's more the fact that nothing much of what makes this person/character what she is, has some perspective or dimension for the entirety of the film. For instance, we realize Diana and Bonnie were in a relationship years before, but nothing is ever revealed much about why they're alone, or for that matter, what does Bonnie even aim to do with her life, other than being consumed by Diana's goals. The whole focus of the film is the constant challenge to get through the act of swimming in the open waters, and that in itself just doesn't provide a sufficiently robust dramatic dimension to make this an interesting feature. It's not just the event that holds an audience's interest, it's the characters that inhabit it, and that's something the script and the directors didn't give enough attention in this film. What ultimately makes this watchable are the two lead actresses, Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, both worthy of any superlative adjectives that can be imparted on any working actor these days. They do turn flimsy to gold, and they do arrest our attention, but the film in itself doesn't have much to hang on to: the screenwriter simply doesn't do much with the material, and the filmmakers simply illustrate what's on the page, not really transcending it. The production team is impeccable, including Alexandre Desplat's score and Claudio Miranda's cinematography. It's watchable, and definitely well acted, but these actresses deserved a better film. 

Bones and All

Movie Name: Bones and All
Year of Release: 2022
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Starring: Taylor Russell, Timothée Chalamet, Mark Rylance, Kendle Coffey, André Holland, Chloe Sevigny, David Gordon Green, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jessica Harper, Sean Bridgers 
Genre: Drama, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Director Luca Guadagnino has stayed steadily busy since his underrated "Suspiria" came out in 2018. He has shot a variety of short feature films, tackled the series "We Are Who We Are" and already has two films ready to be released. "Bones and All" is an adaption of the book by Camille DeAngelis, with a script by his usual collaborator David Kajganich, and it follows the narrative of Maren, a teenage girl who lives with her father Frank in the Maryland area. Maren is a cannibal, something that is a genetic aspect of who she is, and her father has been the "cleaner" of whatever situations unravel as a result of her nature. He decides to leave her after she turns 18 and does so in the middle of the night, leaving her some cash and a cassette tape explaining his decision and giving her some guidance. She decides to go seek her mother, who abandoned the family when she was but an infant. She decides to go to Minnesota, since it is listed as her own birthplace and she assumes her mom is still living there. She decides to take the bus to get to her destination, but as she begins her journey she encounters situations and people that challenge what she has experienced thus far. Firstly she meets Sully, who introduces himself as a fellow "eater", and they both end up sharing a feast, though Maren quickly grows weary of him and boards the greyhound bus to continue her journey. Next she comes in contact with a young man named Lee, who is also another "eater", who decides to help her locate her mother. Lee has a past of his own, but they both become close, and eventually fall in love. Maren tracks down the home of her maternal grandmother, who lets her know that her mother has been in a psychiatric hospital for years. When she finally visits and meets her mother, she suddenly realizes the solutions she seeks are not there. 

What has now become a trait or central motif for Luca Guadagnino's films, is a narrative thread where his lead characters go through a journey of finding out who they actually are, where they come to terms with their true nature, no matter what the cost of that acknowledgement actually is (even if it means alienating family, lovers and confidants). That has been the case for Tilda Swinton's character in "I Am Love", Dakota Johnson's character in "Suspiria" and even "A Bigger Splash", and even Timothée Chalamet's character in "Call Me By Your Name". This is something that is also present in "Bones and All", where Maren is on a journey of finding out who her mother is, but in reality is seeking out answers that may explain why she is the way she is, something that justifies her own nature. She eventually finds love in the process, but not before actually coming to terms with her own uniqueness. Luca Guadagnino is a stylistic director, in parallel with being one who is able to build universes that are perfectly illustrative of a certain time period and locale, for instance, this time around he focuses in Middle America during the 1980s (in "Suspiria" it was Berlin of the 70s). He also manages to find beauty in the shots he captures, echoing at times the alienation or isolation of his characters by representing the emptiness and desolation of the spaces in which they move. In "Bones and All" as Maren and Lee become closer, it's interesting to witness their closeness, their interactions and even the spaces in which they move themselves into, all of which becomes sunnier and brighter. It's a road movie, that is somehow much more than that, a geographical journey that is echoed in an internal journey of self discovery for Maren, and to a certain extent with Lee. The characters could have benefited of a bit more attention, particularly the supporting ones (Maren's mother alone could have deserved an entire chapter of her own), but the narrative is arresting and compelling nonetheless. The cast is uniformly solid, led by Taylor Russell, Timothée Chalamet, Mark Rylance and Chloe Sevigny. The cinematography from Arseni Khachaturan is stunning, as is the score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. A very good film from a very interesting author worth watching. 

Saltburn

Movie Name: Saltburn
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Emerald Fennell
Starring: Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Archie Madekwe, Paul Rhys, Carey Mulligan, Alison Oliver, Dorothy Atkinson, Shaun Dooley, Reece Shearsmith
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

After scoring an Academy Award for "Promising Young Woman" (best original screenplay), writer/producer/director Emerald Fennell is back with a decidedly different narrative. The film focuses its attention on Oliver Quick, who attends Oxford University. He struggles a bit to find his footing in that environment, and soon enough becomes friends with the charismatic, affluent and popular Felix Catton. Felix responds to Oliver's apparent economic challenges and also family and domestic troubles that seem to plague Oliver's existence. When Oliver announces his father's death, Felix invites him to spend the Summer at his family's estate, named Saltburn. There he meets Felix's parents, Sir James and Lady Elspeth, alongside Felix's sister Venetia and his American cousin Farleigh. Oliver quickly ingratiates himself with Felix's parents, and his obsession with Felix himself increases. As games of seduction escalate, Sir James and Lady Elspeth plan a party for Oliver's birthday. However, Felix unexpectedly decides to take Oliver for a visit with what he assumes to be his estranged mother. Turns out both Oliver's parents are alive and well, haven't had any issues with each other and live in a respectable suburb. Felix is repulsed by Oliver's lies and wants him to leave after the celebratory party. However Oliver has different plans. 

"Saltburn" brings to mind a few other films/tv-series immediately as the narrative unfolds. The most obvious reference is of course the character of Tom Ripley from Patricia Highsmith's books, which was adapted to the screen several times, starting with 1960's "Plein Soleil" with Alain Delon, and one the most recent ones being "The Talented Mr. Ripley" from Anthony Minghella, with Matt Damon as Ripley. Another literary property that pops up immediately is the adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's "Brideshead Revisited", which was a showcase for Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews in the early 80s. All this to say, this film doesn't necessarily set anything particularly new in motion or treads any sort of unexpected territory. The writer/director has something to say about the disaffected behaviors of the higher class or the extreme affluent, but that's something that Paul Mazursky for instance did so well in "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills", and with far more humor and irreverence. This film is somewhat successful in creating a particular universe in which the Catton's live, a bit like a bauble of a reality, self contained and also at odds with the modern world, but it's simply not enough to move the narrative forward, nor are they at the center of the narrative. Oliver as the morally and sexually ambiguous center of the narrative is meant to be the disruptor, but unlike Terence Stamp in Pier Paolo Pasolini's "Teorema/Theorem", his character is never given much substance, and he ends up being a rather underwhelming presence for most of the film (even his Alex Forrest moments lack gravitas). What is left of this film is essentially a decal from what others have previously done, to a better effect, with some interesting stylistic moments thrown in for good measure, and with some unnecessary scenes that are meant to elicit some surprise, but mostly come across as shallow. The cast tries their best to bring these characters to life, carrying the nonsense of the narrative as much as they can, but Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant and Jacob Elordi are the most memorable actors of the cast (Barry Keoghan who was so fantastic in Yorgos Lanthimos "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" looks and feels too old to be playing this character). The production team is excellent, with particular highlights going to Linus Sandgren's cinematography, Anthony Willis' score, and production design by Suzie Davies. It's a puzzling film, and not for the right reasons. Hopefully the next film from this author will be a more focused one. 

Us

Movie Name: Us
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyongo, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Anna Diop, Cali Sheldon, Noelle Sheldon, Madison Curry, Ashley McKoy, Napiera Groves
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following the commercial and critical success of his feature debut, "Get Out", writer/producer/director Jordan Peele followed up with an equally riveting film, that was once again just as celebrated as his first. "Us" focuses its narrative on Adelaide Wilson. We first encounter her as a child in an amusement park with her parents. There's a considerable amount of tension in her parents relationship, and Adelaide wanders off once they're focused on other things. She finds herself in a spook house, where the reflections scare her, until in one of the reflections she realizes there's another little girl, looking just like her, staring back. The story jumps forth a few decades, and Adelaide is now married, has two children, and her family is on its way to their Summer home. They meet with their friends at the beach, and Adelaide is a bit weary of the whole situation, and mostly just wants time for herself. They get back home and when it's nighttime, and as everyone is about to turn in for the night, Jason warns everyone there's a family standing in their driveway. That family, all dressed in red jumpers, come roaring inside their house, and much to Adelaide and her family's surprise, the strangers look exactly like them. They're replicas of them. Adelaide's replica starts explaining who they are, and what they intend to do, and while that happens the original one is focused on finding ways to escape, since she suspects there's a sinister motive behind the invasion.

One of the most interesting things about Jordan Peele's feature films, is the fact that he manages to create unexpected turns in the narrative without ever making those turns feel like they're the point and purpose to the feature itself. Some have criticized M. Night Shyamalan for instance, for making his feature films revolve around a key narrative ploy that is revealed towards the third arc of his narrative, however Jordan Peele has managed to deflect that criticism by creating an environment that is seemingly conventional and familiar, only to quickly be destabilized with the introduction of what can only be described as an extreme occurrence. These odd occurrences have happened on all his features thus far, starting with "Get Out", "Us" and the more recently "Nope". "Us" is particularly well crafted, since essentially Jordan Peele guides us to a reality that lies on the other side of the mirror, just like Alice in Wonderland. The mirror that Adelaide witnesses at the beginning of the feature, is an adequate metaphor for what happens subsequently, only the events that unfurl are far more emotionally and physically painful. The surreal aspect of what happens in the narrative, in no way diminishes its impact, and the fact that the central family, all families as it turns out, are threatened and in danger. The film could have benefited from slightly more established supporting characters (in particular Winston Duke's character), but Lupita Nyongo carves a fantastic performance by embodying two sides of the same person with enough nuance, highlighting aspects of self preservation, fear, and love. It's a complex role, and as our host/narrator, she does a remarkable job of taking us through all the nightmarish occurrences, and what she'll do preserve herself and her family. The supporting cast is equally strong even if their characters lack as much substance as the lead, including Elisabeth Moss and Tim Heidecker as the token friends, and Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex as Adelaide's children (and as their doppelgangers). The production team is equally solid, including Michael Abels' score, Michael Gioulakis' cinematography and Ruth de Jong's production design. A good film worth watching. 

Asteroid City

Movie Name: Asteroid City
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Bryan Cranston, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Hong Chau, Matt Dillon, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan, Jeff Goldblum, Sophia Lillis, Adrien Brody, Bob Balaban, Fisher Stevens, Rita Wilson, Zoe Bernard, Sebastian Stephens, Steve Park
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

After the well received "French Dispatch", which took some time to the screens due to Covid 19, writer/director Wes Anderson quick set in motion his next feature. The narrative focuses on the staging of a play by a famed playwright by the name of Conrad Earp. In the play, a youth astronomy convention is taking place in a fictional desert town named Asteroid City. One of the central characters in the play is war journalist Augie Steenbeck, who arrives with his 4 children in tow, including his teenage son Woodrow. Another person in town is Midge Campbell, a famous actress, who is also traveling with her teenage daughter Dinah (both Woodrow and Dinah are expected to be honored at the convention). A variety of other characters make their way into town, due to the convention, with all of them staying in a local motel. The locale is the target of an actual alien visit, upon which everyone in town is placed under strict quarantine. The events from Asteroid City become national news. In the interim the process of creating the play takes on different journeys, as Conrad becomes romantically involved with his lead actor. Conrad writes the play with the help from a local acting school and recruits cast members from it.

As the years have gone by, and Wes Anderson has further cemented his universe, it's interesting to witness the direction which some of his features have taken. Comparing his earlier endeavors such as "The Royal Tenenbaums" or even "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou", with "Asteroid City" while still bearing similar DNAs, they also feel like distant relatives. One of the biggest issues with "Asteroid City" is the fact that while impeccably rendered and put together, it's a feature that is easier to admire than to love. Easier to admire in the sense that this film is a stylized endeavor, almost like a piece of performance art, where every little aspect of the film and what's taking place feels timed to a rhythm that the author has established. Nothing is left to casual or unexpected. And this in itself does make the film something to admire, in the sense that the universe this author creates is very much his own, he has a point of view that he ferociously pursues, illustrates and controls. As an audience member, this proposition can take many directions, in the sense that a viewer can embark on this journey, or simply feel distracted by what's taking place without realizing its purpose, since it's difficult to create an emotional connection with the feature itself. These characters, and there's a vast array of them, feel very much like puppets being told what to do and what to recite by their creator, with some actors being more successful at embodying the character, versus others who almost become decals of the Wes Anderson style (delivery itself). There is humor, as it's usual in Wes Anderson's films, but unlike "The Grand Budapest Hotel", where there was a formidable energy afloat, on par with a brilliant central performance from Ralph Fiennes, this film in particular becomes trapped of the narrative devices the director has set in motion. The staging of the play, of which its creation is also staged/illustrated, doesn't entirely work, and not because of the difference in styling, but because of the artificiality of it all. And in a way, that's probably one of the things Wes Anderson aims to create or illustrate: a level of artifice, tied with a certain period piece, which is all part of his aesthetic and point of view. Many authors bask in the universe they create, for instance Woody Allen who during the late 70s, all of the 80s and most of the 90s, dabbled in his own universe without compromising or deviating from his point of view or type of narratives he illustrated. With "Asteroid City" it feels like Wes Anderson created this perfectly manicured microcosms, but one that leaves no room for actual characters to exist. The phenomenal cast bring these puppets to life, but what's more memorable about this film is the whole construct that the production team puts together. Robert Yeoman's cinematography, Alexandre Desplat's score, Milena Canonero's costume design and Adam Stockhausen's production design. It's an interesting feature and it's watchable one for sure, but it isn't nearly as satisfying as prior features from this director.

Wonka

Movie Name: Wonka
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Paul King
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Olivia Colman, Tom Davis, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Freya Parker, Keegan-Michael Key, Jim Carter, Rakhee Thakrar, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Grant, Rufus Jones, Natasha Tothwell, Rich Fulcher, Colin O'Brien, Sophie Winkleman, Dominic Coleman, Charlotte Ritchie, Phil Wang, Robyn Rose
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Musical
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review

After making a name for himself with the "Paddington" series, writer/director Paul King has ventured into illustrating the adventures of another iconic literary character, in this case Willy Wonka, one of the creations of Roald Dahl (who created this character specifically in 1964 as part of the book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"). This particular take on the character is in a way a prequel to the adventures Wonka subsequently has with Charlie Bucket and all the other children. This narrative focuses on young Willy Wonka who arrives on a thriving European city after exploring the world for a while. He's eager to start his own chocolate shop, something that he was influenced by his mother. Though he initially strikes a chord with the people of the city, he is also met with resistance from the three main chocolatiers who monopolize that business and who want to keep it that way. Willy, in need of a place to stay, ends up signing a contract with the sneaky Mrs. Scrubitt (mistakenly drawn in by her henchman, Bleacher). The contract basically forces him into hard labor, something he soon realizes has been her tactic with a series of people who are trapped in her web of deceit. Willy becomes fast friends with everyone, in particular with the young Noodle, who has been with Mrs. Scrubitt since she was a baby, doing hard work all the time. Noodle has no idea of who her parents are. They devise a plan which allows Willy to start selling Chocolate all over town without getting caught, and they also manage to do so thanks to the collective skills from his newfound friends, and Mrs. Scrubitt victims. However the Chocolate mafia isn't willing to give up so easily, and they resort to shady tactics to get back at Wonka.

"Wonka" takes a different approach to what Tim Burton and Johnny Depp did with their "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" adaptation (which was also delightful). Paul King deliberately crafts a musical that traces the tribulations Willy Wonka has to go through, but also one that emphasizes the delight his creations bring to the city and its inhabitants. It's a film that is just as visually enchanting as Tim Burton's version of this universe was, but in this case the narrative is more focused on how an idealistic young man can change the world simply by sweetening it with chocolate (and other treats). While the central character here, Wonka, is described as a hero who is seeking to reconnect with his lost mother, but also someone who is ambitious and confident in his talents (at first glance), the remainder of the characters are actually very similar to the ones that typically pepper Roald Dahl's storylines. For instance, Mrs. Scrubitt seems like a decal from Ms. Trunchbull from "Matilda", while Noodle can actually pose for a similar type of hero as Charlie Bucket, Matilda or Sophie (from "The BFG") actually were in their respective storylines. All this to say, most of the supporting characters are indeed sketches, but they're sketches with something unique to them, something that gives them some dimension and relevance. They all make a good support for the magic Willy is trying to impart on the city. Paul King is successful in creating this particular universe, one that feels frozen in time, but also instantly recognizable: he creates a fantasy scenario of a city that could have easily existed in the 1940s or 1950s (when Roald Dahl was experiencing much of what inspired his stories). The musical numbers are superbly choreographed, and feature wonderful music and lyrics (the songs hail from the partnership of Neil Hannon and Joby Talbott, who have been working together for years on Hannon's musical project, The Divine Comedy). The cast is uniformly excellent with Timothée Chalamet creating an idealistic and hopeful character with ease and charisma, with wonderful support from Olivia Colman, Jim Carter, Matt Lucas and Hugh Grant. The production team is equally fantastic, including Chung-hoon Chung's cinematography, Nathan Crowley's production design, and Lindy Hemming's costumes. Worth watching. 

Rebel Moon

Movie Name: Rebel Moon
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Zack Snyder
Starring: Sofia Boutella, Michiel Huisman, Ed Skrein, Doona Bae, Charlie Hunnam, Djimon Hounsou, Staz Nair, Ray Fisher, Fra Free, Cleopatra Coleman, Stuart Martin, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Alfonso Herrera, Cary Elwes, Anthony Hopkins, Jena Malone, Corey Stoll
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

Zack Snyder is back, continuing his deal with Netflix after the somewhat mediocre "Army of the Dead" (and after being excised from Warner Bros. and their DC comics universe). "Rebel Moon" focuses its story on Kora, whose real name is Arthelais, and has been working as a farmer in a remote planet since being rescued by the father figure Hagen. Her community is breached by a ship commanded by Atticus Noble. Atticus and his men are part of The Motherworld, an empire that is now ruled by Balisarius, someone who is intent on keeping expanding the footprint of that empire through war and conquest. Atticus lands on the planet looking for supplies, but also is aware the community has sold some of its crops to the rebellion. After killing the leader of the community, Atticus leaves with the promise of returning to seize all crops. Kora eventually reveals herself to be a highly skilled and trained military officer, and embarks on a journey with another man from the community to seek warriors who can help the community defend themselves from the return of Atticus. They manage to get the help of Kai, a smuggler who introduces them to a series of highly skilled individuals, all with a motivation to fight back the empire, but everyone isn't who they appear to be.

"Rebel Moon" tries really hard to be a new version of George Lucas' "Star Wars", peppered with some hints of flavor of what the Wachowskis did with "Jupiter Ascending", with a dash of "Harry Potter" and even a hint of "Lord of the Rings". You'd think with such a rich tapestry of flavors, the overall confection would turn out far more elaborate than this, but the narrative has a difficult time finding a tone, and even building characters that actually have any motivation at all. The story of the renegade soldier who wants to move past a checkered and brutal past can make for a great narrative, however Kora is flatly described, and apparently her single motivation in the film is to a) escape the ships from the industrial complex and then suddenly b) find a couple of warriors to tackle the entire empire. While flimsy character development can at times be compensated by establishing a compelling universe in which the characters live in, Zack Snyder fails to give this universe and its characters much personality or distinctiveness. While pillaging narrative aspects from better films, he failed to realized that there needs to be some coherence in the storytelling that is being presented to the audience. So while we have the introduction of characters like Kai, the pseudo Han Solo, and the group that is created, which almost feels like a less interesting version of Joss Whedon's "Firefly", the subsequent group is rapidly put together, with little to no explanation to what makes these characters actually worth paying attention to or even caring about. The film feels like a rapidly assembled sketch/decal from other templates, all tossed in together, but with no consistency amongst themselves. Visually the film also lacks polish and sophistication, which is surprising, considering this director has made a name for himself more as a stylist than as a gifted storyteller. The visual effects look unpolished. The cast is a bit all over the place, with a highlight going to Sofia Boutella, who tries her best to bring Kora to life, with good support from Corey Stoll, while Doona Bae (who usually works with The Wachowskis), is sadly lost on this mishmash of a film. Charlie Hunnam who is typically a one note performer, manages to keep that streak intact, while Ed Skrein, who has now become the official new Michael Wincott, simply needs to find better roles. Anthony Hopkins who has a brief voice role, manages to bring more humanity and dimension to a character that is literally animated, when compared to the rest of the cast. The production team is also unmemorable, including the cinematography from Zack Snyder himself (just bring back Larry Fong), score from Tom Holkenborg and production design from Stefan Dechant and Stephen Swain. This is just not a very good film all around. 

The Boy and the Heron

Movie Name: The Boy and the Heron
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Luca Padovan, Robert Pattinson, Florence Pugh, Mamoudou Athie, Tony Revolori, Dan Stevens, Barbara Goodson, Denise Pickering, Melora Harte, 
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 10
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Synopsis and Review

The genial Hayao Miyazaki has returned after the magical "The Wind Rises", with what can be considered another one of his all time masterpieces (and a companion to "Spirited Away"). The narrative focuses on 12 year old Mahito, whose mother is killed in a hospital fire in Tokyo (this during the Pacific War in 1943). His father who works for an air munitions factory, marries his late wife's younger sister Natsuko. Mahito and Shoichi (his father) soon move to the countryside to be close to Natsuko, who is pregnant. Mahito has a tough time adjusting to his new life, and has some trouble in school. He injures himself purposefully, which turns out to put his life in danger. While recovering Mahito notices a heron keeps coming by, and talking to him. Mahito in the meantime has uncovered a tower nearby that is supposedly off limits, and that his family had blocked access to, due to its strange nature. In the meantime Natsuko becomes ill, and soon disappears. All the maids in the property, start seeking her out, the same going for Natsuko. Mahito and one of the maids eventually wander off to the Tower, where the magical heron appears once more, but this time Mahito fires an arrow through his beak, which transforms him into a diminutive birdman. A wizard appears and orders the birdman to guide Mahito and Kiriko (the maid) in their quest for Natsuko.

Watching a Hayao Miyazki film is a unique experience, where one is literally transported to a universe that is very much his own. His films have long maintained a common thread throughout them, where they typically take place during wartime, or in the aftermath of war, where the world has been scorched, and people have to survive in a world that is nothing like it used to be. Nature has taken over, and in a way, is teaching humans to live more purely and without savagery. In these stories, technology is also one of the roots of evil, something that can be witnessed in "Future Boy Conan", "Nausicaa" or even "Castle in the Sky". These films of course tie with the director's own childhood experiences of living in aftermath of World War II. Another undercurrent of his features is the spiritual world (or fantastical), and how it can profoundly impact characters' destinies. That has been the case for instance of "Spirited Away", "Porco Rosso" or even "Howl's Moving Castle", all features which deal with ghosts, magicians and alternate realities. These are realities that at times are demonstrative of the grotesqueness of humans, but where kindness is always rewarded, as is selflessness. All these topics are perfectly coalesced in "The Boy and the Heron", where the film has various layers to consume, a family that has to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a tragedy, a devastating war, and a spiritual world nearby, that is far more than it seems. It's a film where the central hero once again has to redeem himself, emotionally mature up, and salvage his family, all this in a universe that is unaware of. It's a journey populated with phenomenal characters and details, one that never cease to impress. Mr. Miyazaki once again proves why his universe is so uniquely crafted and why the narratives he creates are simultaneously humorous, emotional, thrilling, and ultimately unforgettable. The animation is of course stunning, and this is a film worth savoring over and over. 

Love and Monsters

Movie Name: Love and Monsters
Year of Release: 2020
Director: Michael Matthews
Starring: Dylan O'Brien, Jessica Henwick, Michael Rooker, Ariana Greenblatt, Dan Ewing, Ellen Hollman, Tre Hale, Pacharo Mzembe, Amali Golden, Te Kohe Tuhaka, Tasneem Roc, Thomas Campbell, Joel Pierce, Melanie Zanetti, Bruce Spence
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Originally slated to be released in the movie theaters back in 2020, "Love and Monsters" was one of the features who fell victim to changes in release schedules due to Covid 19, eventually being released on video on demand in 2020 and subsequently internationally by Netflix in 2021. The narrative follows the story of Joel Dawson who is also the narrator of the feature. He's the one who introduces what has happened to the planet and why people are for the most part living in underground bunkers. Turns out there was a massive asteroid on its way to Earth, however a plan to bomb it was carried through, resulting on its destruction. However the fallout residues from the asteroid resulted in alien particles becoming embedded in the Earth's ecosystem, which generated mutations in cold-blooded animals. These evolved into massive monsters who virtually destroyed most of humanity. Joel who at the time of these events was living in Fairfield, California, had a girlfriend by the name of Aimee, and they got separated, as Joel attempted to escape with his parents, and Aimee tried to rescue hers. 7 years later, Joel is living in one of the bunkers with other survivors. He's the only one not partnered, he's the cook for the group, but he's well liked and loved by everyone in the group. While attempting to communicate with other colonies in other bunkers leveraging a radio, Joel realizes Aimee is still alive and not that far from where he currently is. Even with his limitations and lack of experience in being outside of the bunker, he decides to go and check on her. While everyone on the bunker asks him not to go, he embarks on the journey, and soon finds himself in trouble, only to be salvaged by a stray dog, whom he soon realizes is named Boy. As they both continue their journey, they find more survivors and more dangers. 

"Love and Monsters" is Michael Matthews sophomore directorial effort, following his debut with "Five Fingers for Marseilles". The film which is written by the duo of Brian Duffield (who has in his filmography the Natalie Portman fronted "Jane Got a Gun" and also "The Babysitter") and Matthew Robinson (who has worked on "The Invention of Lying" and "Dora and the Lost City of Gold"), while not the most original in its premise, manages to create a somewhat sweet and uplifting narrative from what could have easily become a re-hash of "Zombieland", only with monsters. The central hero has to come to terms with growing up and standing up for himself, since his bunker family has sheltered him from the world and from its challenges. This unexpected hero journey isn't uncharted territory of course, but Michael Matthews manages to illustrate the narrative with little pretension, peppering it with influences that at times brings to mind Ron Underwood's "Tremors" and Steven Spielberg's "AI". However and while the film is certainly sweet and quasi Disney-centric in its narrative, it could have certainly benefited from additional character development, some additional humor, and some edginess, considering the film takes place in a world where everything seems to have turned toxic or dangerous. Sadly these undernourished aspects of the film also result in making it less memorable: the protagonist is the sensitive guy with no real life experience, nor romantic one for that matter, with motivations that are quite limited, and the supporting characters become a cluster of clichés with no discernible traits amongst themselves (Aimee is the beautiful love interest, who is taking care of elderly survivors). The transitions between the external shots and the in-studio ones are also a bit demonstrative of a lack of consistency in terms of tone, with the in-studio work almost bringing to mind futuristic/Mad Max/New Age combo, that doesn't really gel with slightly darker/edgier look of the outside world. The cast isn't particularly memorable, save for the always iconic Michael Rooker (just give this gentleman his own show already), the same going for the production team, though the visual effects are solid for a film of this budget. It's watchable but ultimately a forgettable endeavor.