With how often I've been seeing movies this year, and how busy I've been with other priorities, it's not always easy for me to find time to write my thoughts on a movie down. In fact, even for some movies I like, I'm not always compelled to give detailed thoughts (not everything is deserving of 1,000+ word write ups). But over the summer, I've seen a fair share of films. Some good, some bad, some great, and some horrible. And for those I haven't gotten around to until now, I'll go ahead and give some of them some token acknowledgement, with the mid-year return of capsule reviews. Enjoy!
Anna:
Director Luc Besson has had a miserable last few years, with epic misfires Lucy and Valerian being among his worst films. Can't really say that Anna does much to rectify his slump. This movie is in *love* with flashbacks. It's the type of movie that thinks itself brilliant for doing so, as the film will constantly cut away from present day action sequences, to months or years in the past to continually turn the plot on its head, but all that does is bring the film to a frustrating halt every time it happens. It gets so infatuated with those time jumps, it begins slipping into self-parody, with these cutaways feeling less like intricate cogs in the narrative, and more blatant u-turns to weasel themselves out of a dead end. Even the action, which is supposed to be Besson's specialty, is poorly telegraphed. If not in choreography, than in the jumbled fashion that he shoots the action. Despite an enjoyably hammy Helen Mirren, it's completely unaware of what a joke it ends up being.
*1/2 / *****
Crawl:
Piranha 3D director Alexandre Aja returns, this time pitting a father and daughter against some tough Florida gators, while a category 5 hurricane rages outside. Crawl is unashamedly brazen about what it is; fun, trashy horror camp in the best possible way. Yes, the fractured relationship of the two leads acts as the film's emotional anchor, but this movie still revels in the icky, grisly nastiness of its b-movie set-up, and in doing so can be genuinely sweat-inducing. A bit repetitive and slight, even at a compact 88 minutes, the movie still keeps its tight momentum up through its intense close encounters, largely held together by the strength and commitment of its main stars. Kaya Scodelario is a fantastic scream queen, and Barry Pepper is a genuinely touching father figure. If you have the stomach (and the lungs) for one tightly paced, and seriously enjoyable creature feature, enjoy your swim.
***1/2 / *****
Late Night:
Workplace comedies aren't usually my speed, but I was absolutely charmed by the simple, but effective introspect in Late Night, thanks mainly to Mindy Kaling's snappy writing that candidly tackles topics of casual workplace sexism and marginalization, and importance of adapting to the progressing comedy climate. Late Night also offers a fantastic platform for Emma Thompson, excelling as the lone woman late night host in a male dominated society, but whose casual disregard for her staff, and lack of any women or persons of color, make her feel regressive despite her iconic status. Thompson is spot on casting, carrying herself with just the right charm and self-deprecation to land those big laughs, even as her snarkiness may get into pettiness, leading her to realize that to grow and retain relevance, she has to get with the times. Late Night gets into some sharp, incisive territory with its comedy, and while a clear riff on The Devil Wears Prada, has just enough inspiration to keep itself moving nicely along.
**** / *****
Men in Black: International:
The original Men in Black is one of my favorite popcorn movies, but this fourth installment doesn't deserve to share the same breath as it. Despite a charming lead performance from Tessa Thompson, she's unfortunately let down by her usually charming co-star Chris Hemsworth, who is spinning his wheels with just another variant of his usual persona. International completely lacks the spirit that made the original film so funny. There are little to no quotable zingers anywhere in the film, and with its ridiculous globe-trotting narrative, that often devolves into cartoonishness, it's hard to feel involved. That's not taking into account the horrid alien designs, that disregards practical and makeup effects in favor of choppy CGI. And even though this is getting into spoiler territory, I've genuinely never seen a more insultingly obvious villain reveal. It somehow makes Men in Black 2 look dignified by comparison.
* / *****
Spider-Man: Far From Home:
As a soft palate cleanser for the MCU following Infinity War, this is a far superior film to Homecoming, that better represents Spider-Man as a character and an idea. It's a significant turnaround for Peter's character, as the full weight of his responsibilities start to pile up, as he desperately tries to lead some sort of normal life, and win the heart of MJ (A standout Zendaya). It's a huge testament that, while Spider-Man sounds great for wish fulfillment, it can also be a psychological drain, a burden that means Peter's life may never be as "normal" as he wants. Tom Holland continues to be a great Pete/Spidey combo, but Jake Gyllenhaal steals the show as the enigmatic Mysterio, with strong motivation fueling his actions, and Gyllenhaal clearly enjoying eating the scenery up. It's also a more confident Spidey venture, that even reintroduces Raimi-esque horror roots in the film's standout set-piece (those who've seen it know what I'm talking about), and while it doesn't do much to reinvent the MCU, it's another entertaining winner in their lineup. And that mid-credits scene, AMAZING!
***1/2 / *****
Yesterday:
The team up of Danny Boyle and Richard Curtis sounds incredible in theory, but in practice is incredibly underwhelming. The two flavors feel like they're constantly competing for attention, as Richard Curtis' twee script becomes a very hard sell without him actually directing it, while Danny Boyle's involvement feels strictly for-hire, as rarely does he ever make use of his personal stamp. Himesh Patel tries his hardest, but his character isn't easy to gravitate to, especially as it's difficult to believe that Lily James - a ray of irrepressible sunshine - could be madly in love with him, and he's never taken the hint. Which leads into the Beatles music, and while it is fun to hear some of the greatest music of all time get a reinvention, and work in some genuinely thoughtful thematic ideas, how often the movie relies on them, and how little energy it has when they're not playing, really highlights what a slight, unfocused movie this is. By the time the movie was halfway over, I was getting restless. It's competent, but that's precisely it.
**1/2 / *****
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