I haven't felt like writing much as I used to do. In what I assume is a natural ebb and flow, I've felt less compelled to trace down my thoughts on *every* new movie I get a chance to check out, certainly not helped by an ever-hectic personal life, and in the future, I may feel less compelled to give as many movies an essay like examination. However, just because I'm writing less doesn't mean I'm seeing less, and I do have a number of films to offer thoughts on. So before the conclusion to the galaxy far, far away eats up my attention, I'm going to do some catch up on some films I've checked out over the year, which you should see if you get the chance. Enjoy, everyone!
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood:
A touching, earnest, if occasionally dry dramatization of a classic Esquire profile of Mr. Rogers, Matthew Rhys excels as a damaged man of well-intentions, grappling with anger he can't let go, with personal demons he must learn to confront and soothe. Tom Hanks is perfect casting as the irrepressible Fred Rogers, if not an exact physical match for him, then a perfect embodiment of the undying graciousness and patience that made him so fascinating, lending poignant depth to a man literally born without any cynicism. It's the perfect mood brightener.
**** / *****
Blinded by the Light:
Bend it Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha uses the music of Bruce Springsteen as a compelling backdrop for her latest film, set in a messy and deeply prejudiced late-80's England amidst protests and racial tensions, using the Boss' lyrics as a universal message for acceptance and the dream for a better life, both in the intimate and larger sense, that are still as incisive today as they were then. From its rousing musical set-sequences, to its stellar performances - such as a standout Kulvinder Ghir, it's a film that makes you want to stand up and cheer.
****1/2 / *****
Ford v. Ferrari:
Logan director James Mangold deftly handles the lead-up and payoff to Ford's bid to take on Ferrari at Le Mans '66, as the brilliant, calculated minds of seasoned racers Matt Damon and Christian Bale tinker with their racing machines, with Bale in particular having a blast. The pacing is buttery smooth, making the two-and-a-half hour runtime feel like a breeze, with the waiting paying off when we get to the spectacular racing sequences at Le Mans, which is some of the most rousing action spectacle you'll see all year. It's last five or so minutes are only one of a few dings on an otherwise near perfect film.
****1/2 / *****
Jojo Rabbit:
Ham-fisted for the type of film it is, Taika Waititi's prestige picture is nevertheless a thoroughly enjoyable time. Managing to balance near-seamlessly between emotional tragedy and gut-busting fits of laughter, there's an earnest sense of timeliness to Waititi's wacky representation of the Nazis, that despite how stranger than fiction their actions in film appear, are unfortunately not too detached from circus shows of debauchery going today, anchored by a splendid cast of performers including Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, and Thomasin McKenzie, who continues to cement herself as a star in the making.
**** / *****
Judy:
Largely free of real surprises, and following in tropes of the classic tragic last days biograph, Judy is an affectionate tribute to the legacy of icon and legend Judy Garland, passing no judgment over her actions, from her well-meaning attempts to secure a better life for her family, while unafraid to show the tragic after-effects of a business that scarred her. All of which are brought to life by a fantastic Renee Zellweger, who effortlessly inhabits the skin of Garland, and creating an at once intimate, and larger than life portrait of the incredible talent.
***1/2 / *****
Knives Out:
Rian Johnson returns to the director's chair following The Last Jedi, taking his habits of subversion to the Whodunit genre, and wringing similarly clever results out of those. Honestly, the central mystery is the least compelling thing about it, as the characters Johnson crafts are such wild, distinct creations, from the many members of the vile Thrombey family, to Daniel Craig's hilariously theatrical Poirot-meets-Columbo detective, although the real standout is Ana De Armas as the mortified caretaker. There's a real wit to the dialogue of the film, especially as the pieces of the mystery come together, with surprises both of the shocking and hilarious variety. It's one of the most purely entertaining films I've seen all year.
****1/2 / *****
I Lost My Body:
A striking and beautifully simple animated feature, while its central gimmick and time jumping can be initially jarring, the sense of progression that the winding narratives give us, as well as the continually deepening connections it gives to the people at the center of them, makes for a tremendous pay-off near the end. Some of the most soulful, powerful emotional resonance of the year came from this film, the simple animation taken to maximum effect, giving personality to the most unlikely of objects, and so many frames of this beautiful film could be their own paintings.
****1/2 / *****
Wild Rose:
A Star is Born style story with its feet firmly planted to the ground, the soul of country music are sank into the bones of this modest, but no less powerful and moving tale of reinvention, and the personal sacrifice - and negligence - that can come from the search for fame. Jessie Buckley is a revelation as the titular Rose, who in the midst of her quest for long-desired reconstruction, finds herself continuing to make the same mistakes, unable to find a balance between what she desires, and what she actually needs. Like country itself, it's simple in its construction, but grand in its execution, and Buckley's mad singing skills are not to be short-changed either.
****1/2 / *****
Waves:
Trey Edward Shults wrings subdued, but heartbreaking drama from a suburban family grappling with crisis and change, many of which have been boiling up for a long time, and many that are slowly developing out of new events. Almost Malick-esque in its approach, there's often an esoteric touch to the shifting nature of the film, even if stylistically it doesn't always sit well (namely the tinkering with the frame rate). But through that approach allow some powerful, raw emotion to seep through, especially through the heartbreaking likes of Sterling K. Brown and breakthrough Taylor Russell, delivering some heavy gut punches within the film's last twenty minutes. It's not showy, but it's one of the most honest and affecting films of 2019.
**** / *****
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