BLADE RUNNER 2049 Review

Just a heads up: this will be a spoiler-free review. Regardless, I'd advise you all to go see this movie ASAP (and maybe watch the first Blade Runner just as a quick refresher before you check out the sequel) before everyone else spoils it for you. In the meantime, on with the critiquing.

Sitting in my local IMAX theater, witnessing the awe-inspiring marvel that is Blade Runner 2049 made me feel like I was experiencing the real-life equivalent of the Stargate sequence from 2001: A Space Odyssey. So much complex beauty to take in, that you're left speechless and thinking "Wow! That was an experience!" I haven't left a screening so speechless and awestruck since I saw Christopher Nolan's Interstellar about three years ago. To discuss the plot in any way would potentially ruin a mystifying experience that I wouldn't dare deprive you of.

It must be said that the entire cast brings all that they got to the table. Ryan Gosling manages to undercut a very cold demeanor with layers of raw emotion. The pain and melancholy his character goes through is poignant and thought-provoking. Robin Wright does fine of giving her expository dialogue some personality and pathos. Despite their relatively brief amounts of screentime, Jared Leto and Dave Bautista leave big impressions in their respective parts. Incidentally, Harrison Ford's extended appearance around the end of the second act turns out to be quite satisfying while adding a few more layers to his character. There are also great moments from bitplayers like Barkhad Abdi, Mackenzie Davis, and Sylvia Hoeks. With all that said, the real standout here acting-wise is relative newcomer Ana de Armas. Her relationship with Ryan Gosling's K is tender and sweet while also maintaining an ethereal aura of tragedy. Here's hoping this is a breakout for her like how it was for Sean Young in the 1982 original.

Thankfully, the fantastic acting and masterful storytelling are matched by near flawless technical aspects. If Roger Deakins doesn't win next year's Best Cinematography Oscar, the Academy Awards will be officially worthless*. He conjures up so many colorful, instantly iconic images that one might say this is his best work to date (and that's saying a lot). Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch provide a mesmerizing score. While not living up the astronomical heights of Vangelis' compositions from the original (really, what can?), it complements the film extremely well and is easily among the former's best work since Man of Steel. Fortunately, it doesn't rely on constantly using cues from the original to work and provides the movie with something truly fitting. Don't get me wrong, there are occasional tones from the original score; but, they're used sparingly and with great purpose. All of the effects work is jaw-dropping. It manages to expand upon the already fascinating world of the original in novel and interesting ways. Plus, its still kind of funny to see Atari is a huge voice in the consumer market in the not-too-distant future. My only nitpick about the movie is a certain plot point regarding Gosling's character near the beginning of the third act. Maybe I'm in the minority on this, but I feel like it robs his character of a little more intrigue. Even with that, that doesn't stop everything else from being absolutely top-notch.



In the end, only time will tell if Blade Runner 2049 goes on to become a classic work of cinematic science fiction like its predecessor; nevertheless, its a relentlessly captivating work of filmic artistry in its own right. Director Denis Villeneuve and company should be applauded for accomplishing the impossible. Aside from being an amazing sequel, it displays the very best of what mainstream blockbusters and the very medium of the motion picture can offer.


BLADE RUNNER 2049 gets an...
ARTISTIC TRIUMPH out of TEN

*Which, if we're being honest with ourselves, they kind of are already.

It Came From Letterboxd (09/30/2017)

Yeah, yeah, you know the drill...

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

A remarkable portrayal of youth at the dawn of the quote unquote Information Age. Pretty much every performance (yes, even Jesse Eisenberg’s Mark Zuckerberg) works like gangbusters and I could listen to Aaron Sorkin’s dialogue for hours on end. Fincher packs more energy and punch into scenes of guys sitting around coding than a lot of blockbusters do in their action setpieces. Terrific filmmaking that I’m puzzled to not have witnessed sooner. Also, that score by Reznor & Ross just kills. It makes for great listening on its own and imbues the film with a unique sense of vibrancy that lends gravitas to every moment it’s used for.
[RATING: 4 out of 5]

DELIVERANCE

Oh boy, did things escalate quickly while somehow maintaining an almost glacial pace. Despite the strong performances, this movie really just kind of sits there a lot of the time. Plus, when it does get interesting, it’s usually in a way that feels undeservedly slimy and raw. Still, there are a few high points. It opens on a leisurely but intriguing note. The legendary John Boorman directs the thing like a champ and it’s all occasionally reinvigorated by a unique score. Before watching this, I read that this was adapted from a novel by its author. It certainly makes sense. I figure that would work much better on the page than it does on the screen. Also, mustache-less Burt Reynolds is my least favorite variety of Burt Reynolds.
[RATING: 2 1/2 out of 5]

TIM AND ERIC'S BILLION DOLLAR MOVIE

Proof that the jump from television to the cinema comes with an equal amount of cons as well as pros. To put it simply, Heidecker and Wareheim really do work better in a somewhat restrained 22 minutes chock full of sketches instead of something that’s three times as long and contains more misfires than bullseyes. Even at a measly 93 minutes, the end product is way too slow and the running time way too cumbersome. Definitely not for anyone outside of hardcore T&E fans or maybe those seeking some really out there, preposterously vulgar anti-comedy.
[RATING: 2 out of 5]

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN

Certainly, an interesting picture. Think of it like La La Land, only set in the Great Depression, decidedly pessimistic and oddly dirty at points. Steve Martin proves himself more than capable of handling the dramatic role of a struggling music salesman while Jessica Harper and Bernadette Peters equip themselves quite nicely as his thankless wife and a potential new lover, respectively. Even the legend himself, Christopher Walken, has a rather entertaining cameo near the end. Even amongst the seemingly endless aura of gloom, the occasional song-and-dance numbers breathe some well-choreographed life into the proceedings. A fascinating mixture of musical optimism and realistic cynicism.
[RATING: 3 1/2 out of 5]

KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE Review

Kingsman: The Secret Service was very much in tune with director Matthew Vaughn's other Mark Millar adaptation: Kick-Ass. Both films were refreshing bits of mud in the eye of their respective genres while also being genuinely great in their own right. Heck, Kingsman was arguably better at providing what people love about the genre it was satirizing than the real deal, considering that the bland disappointment that was Spectre came out around the same time. As is the case with sequels (especially with Kick Ass 2), this film doesn't reach the same level of the first entry even though its still a fun time in its own way and is probably more out there/over-the-top than its predecessor.

Of course, a lot of this ridiculousness is buoyed by stellar work from the cast. Taron Egerton continues to be a winning screen presence with plenty of charm and good humor. Colin Firth and Mark Strong bring an equal level of dignified class and raw awesomeness. Then, there's the Statesmen. To sum it up quickly, the stuff with them is pretty inventive despite their limited screentime. And then, there's Julianne Moore as the film's antagonist. Her performance is best described as Pablo Escobar by way of a 1950s sitcom mother. This unique persona combined with a delightfully pitch-black sense of comedy and a gleefully cartoonish arsenal. Arguably, she's a better/more memorable villain here than Samuel L. Jackson was in the first movie. Then again, Moore has the advantage of a jungle-50s hometown hybrid lair and two terrifying yet adorable robotic guard dogs. Also, Elton John just won Cameo of the Year in my book.

Once again, the action is a gloriously spectacle. Not only because of their outlandish nature on paper, but also because Matthew Vaughn continues to effortlessly display his chops as one of the most visionary artists in the realm of modern action cinema. Everything from the intimate camerawork to the to the excellent use of , his approach is like the best remix of what's come before with his own new, individual tools for good measure. His action setpieces feel like they were thought up by a 12-year-old on the ultimate sugar high and I mean that in the most positive way possible. Going back to Elton John for a moment, the climactic jungle battle set to one of his most electrifying tunes is so energetic and amusing, I'm confident in saying that it reaches the same insane heights as the first one's infamous Free Bird church brawl. Meanwhile, The Golden Circle continues the first film's streak of cheekily vulgar comedic style. Yes, in case you're wondering, they do indeed one-up the Princess Joke. Granted, I wasn't that shocked by it considering that I knew about it ahead of time and that I was too busy being startled by the fact that some misguided individual decided to bring their young child to this sublime cavalcade of violence and depravity. Nevertheless, I still admire the gumption of the cast and crew to use a portion of the $100 million budget to put something so shamelessly salacious to celluloid.
My only gripes consist of a few great characters from the first film being kind of wasted (lets just hope that what happens here is simply a red herring and they do come back in a potential third flick) and it does occasionally feel like its going through the motions. Still, that doesn't hold it back from being great fun and maybe a second sequel could bring more new interesting ideas to the table.

Ultimately, Kingsman: The Golden Circle is essentially what's expected of a sequel. It's bigger, bolder and even more brash than the first one (which is admittedly quite an impressive feat). Is it better than the first? No, because it doesn't feel as fresh or as, for lack of a better word, restrained as the original. Regardless, this is still an absolute hoot that puts a lot of other action movies out at the moment to shame.

KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE gets a...
GOOD TIME out of TEN

That New TOMB RAIDER Movie Actually Looks Kind of Awesome

First things first, let's address the elephant in the room and talk about that poster. You know, THAT poster.

Rarely have I seen such a disastrous Photoshop job that could've easily been avoided. Seriously, they couldn't have just covered her neck with some more hair to make sure she doesn't look like she's morphed into a freakish giraffe-human hybrid. Anyway, those are some minor semantics; let's get to the real interesting point of discussion.

Even after that rather laughable poster, I'd say this new trailer earns the film some much-needed goodwill. All of the elements of a fun action-adventure flick. The cast is impeccable (the inclusion of Walton Goggins and Nick Frost are enough to rope in to seeing it), the action setpieces seem like fun, it seems to be drawing from the most recent iteration of the franchise (which is all fine and dandy to yours truly) and its all edited together quite handsomely. Plus, I have to admit, Alicia Vikander seems to make for a pretty convincing action heroine. Sure, it helps that she's a good actress; but, having charismatic genre film lead chops can go a long way (see also: Harrison Ford and Kurt Russell). I'm just hoping the final product is actually good.

I mean lets be honest with ourselves here, videogame movies haven't exactly had what could genuinely called a stellar track record; but, I do think something as inherently simple as could make for a great starting point for gradual improvement. Some of the best adaptations out there are ones where the creative team uses the basic skeleton of the source material as a foundational point and then focus on being just a great movie. Need I remind you that what the Tomb Raider games have settled into as a niche is already pretty well-worn territory as films go. Nevertheless, if this thing pans out okay, I'm totally fine with another serviceable adventure flick.

TOMB RAIDER hits theaters on March 16th, 2018. Here's hoping this ends the whole sucky videogame movie curse that's been plaguing this particular genre for almost 25 years.

IT (2017) Review

For a couple years now, I've been holding the belief that a horror movie can still be good (if not great) even if it isn't all that scary overall. Its kind of like how Edgar Wright's comedies are legitimately great films, regardless of whether or not they're actually funny, which they most certainly are. Anyway, this new cinematic version Stephen King's seminal novel (which itself was already adapted into a not terribly good TV movie, aside from Tim Curry's legendary performance as Pennywise, back in 1990) does a bang-up job of being a solid adaptation and a fantastic creepfest film in its own right. Granted, me not finding this film all that scary is partially due to the fact that I just don't find clowns particularly frightening; still, its certainly effective due to terrific atmosphere and a spectacularly menacing performance from Bill Skarsgard as the dancing clown himself.

In some ways, the live-action portrayals of this iconic creature bring to mind the most memorable live-action versions of the Joker. Sure, Tim Curry and Jack Nicholson are undeniably iconic and are humorously entertaining; nevertheless, Heath Ledger and Bill Skarsgard deliver the better performances and will most likely leave you shaking with fear by the time you exit the theater. From his beady yellow eyes to his smile to his suspicious voice, Skarsgard stands apart from the original while also blazing his own new terrifying trails.

Plus, what makes this new Pennywise work besides his unsettling mannerisms and chilling presence is how sparingly he's used. They use him enough to where you'll be satisfied; but, not too much to a point where he's no longer scary. Aside from that, the second smartest move was splitting the book's epic story into two movies. Not only does this let both portions of the story unfold in a way that doesn't feel too crowded or bare bones, it also means that we get, at least, one great film out of the deal if this first one doesn't rack up the box office numbers that Warner Bros wants it to*. In my opinion, the first half with the protagonists as children is superior because there's more dramatic meat that comes with such a young age and their vulnerability lends the story to developing both character and suspense. All of which this movie pulls off like gangbusters. Let me just take a moment to give credit to the absolutely marvelous casting in this film. Each and every one of the kids delivers star-making turns (Sophia Lillis' Beverly and Finn Wolfhard's Richie are particular standouts). Even though these individual performances are terrific, its the dynamic between all of them and the excellent character development that make sure the story has its vital strand of heart and humor underlying all the ghoulish chaos.

There's also the amazing technical aspects. Director Andy Muschietti has only worked one other film before this and he shows up like a seasoned professional here. Seriously, its shocking how well-directed IT is. The cinematography is also quite striking. Everything from the claustrophobia invoked in the sewer scenes to the dutch angles and haunting backlighting in the Neibolt House that feel ripped straight from the playbook of Sam Raimi. Benjamin Wallfisch already proved his composing chops earlier this year with the gothic histrionics he brought to A Cure for Wellness and he gives IT a fitting sound as well. The music he did here is often otherworldly and phantasmagorical in ways that bring to mind names like Jerry Goldsmith, Bernard Herrmann, and especially Danny Elfman. There's also the frequently sharp and tight screenplay courtesy of Gary Dauberman, Chase Palmer, and True Detective-alum Cary Fukunaga. The dialogue here makes the back and forth between pre-adolescent main characters credible without losing any of Stephen King's trademark wit/attention to detail.

I only have two complaints of note. For starters, the jump scares are pretty hit-and-miss. Most of them work pretty well; but, others feel like they were lifted wholesale from Blumhouse's back catalogue of weaker material which is a shame because these end up undoing of some of the tension that the film had built up to almost masterfully in a given scene. Besides that, the CGI is a bit questionable at times which makes certain moments elicit of screams of laughter instead of fear. Still, these are very minor quibbles with what is otherwise a fantastically package.

Overall, IT feels like an old-fashioned, cinematic carnival spook-house (think Evil Dead 2 or Creepshow) with enough dramatic depth and poignancy to make it feel like something more.

IT (2017) gets a... 
BADA$$ out of TEN

Also, I highly recommend seeing this with a crowd. I was fortunate enough to see IT in a packed house and I had a bloody blast.

*By the way, I have no doubt this is going to get a sequel. Not only because of its staggeringly impressive box office haul; but, also because IT is a bonafide crowd-pleaser. The word-of-mouth on this production are going to give some serious staying power and well-deserved leverage.

Colin Trevorrow Is No Longer Directing Star Wars: Episode IX

Recently, Lucasfilm released a statement declaring that Colin Trevorrow (the filmmaker behind Jurassic World and Safety Not Guaranteed) will no longer be directing Star Wars: Episode IX. To sum it up, he's left the project due to the most common reason for someone exiting a production that isn't scheduling conflicts: creative differences. If you're even remotely tuned into the whole movie news traffic cycle, this should seem somewhat familiar. Ever since the whole Ant-Man debacle with Edgar Wright way back in mid-2014, there's been kind of a pattern of big-name directors leaving high-profile productions. This isn't even the first time this happened with the newer Star Wars flicks. Josh Trank (Chronicle, Fant4stic) and Phil Lord & Chris Miller (21 Jump Street, The Lego Movie) left for the same reasons.

Honestly, I don't see this as a huge loss because I've never had any strong opinions on Trevorrow as a filmmaker one way or the other; nevertheless, I do think there could be more to this story than simple disagreement between a studio and a director. The Book Of Henry, his latest film, has generated a significant amount of ink in the film journalism racket. Not for garnering Oscar buzz or surprising box office numbers; but rather for the exact opposite. Granted, I'll continue to reserve judgment until I've actually seen the film for myself; but, suffice it to say, the reception has been pretty ugly. So, this could be Disney/Lucasfilm severing their ties with what they see as dead weight. Now, is this certain? It's hard to say; yet, I wouldn't be shocked if this wasn't at least partially responsible for this departure. At the time of writing, the script is being rewritten by Jack Thorne (the playwright behind Harry Potter and The Cursed Child). Even with all this drama, I still think Episode IX is going to turn out just fine. We'll just have to wait and see.

It Came From Letterboxd (09/03/2017)

Remember when I posted a few mini reviews of movies both new and old about a month ago? Well, I'm doing that again. Enjoy!

THE HITMAN'S BODYGUARD

The Hitman's Bodyguard joins the ranks of The Other Guys in the pantheon of flicks that FX likes to keep in their back catalogue of late Saturday afternoon fodder. Doesn't really hit the ground running until halfway through the runtime (also, Gary Oldman is completely wasted as the bad guy); but, the chemistry between the two leads manages to carry the film through the many dry spots. Overall, a disposable (albeit intermittently fun) excuse for Sam Jackson gleefully throw around his very favorite word a few hundred times.

[RATING: 3 out of 5]

SKYFALL

Almost five years old and I'm still convinced that this is one of the best Bond movies ever. Aside from the iconic action sequences and memorable character moments, there's a lot of other stuff to recommend. The story is layered in all the right way and Javier Bardem is a fantastic villain. Plus, I do love me some Deakins photography (especially when it involves 007 and neon lighting). Stone-cold spy stunner that's aged like a fine wine and will continue to do so for years to come.
[RATING: 5 out of 5]

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND

I honestly feel lucky that I was able to experience one of Spielberg'a masterworks on the big screen. Fantastically mysterious  buildup to a cryptic yet optimistic payoff. Immaculate cinematography of late-70s Americana paired with great performances (especially from Dreyfuss and Truffaut) and one of the all-time great music cues. One of the great classics from the wizard of whimsy.

[RATING: 4 & 1/2 out of 5]

ROCK N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL

A wonderfully bizarre, punk-fueled teen comedy (presumably from a strange alternate dimension where things go by the logic of a MAD Magazine sketch). Even after a few minutes of seeing it, I'm going to say this is one of the best high school movies ever made. Partially for the awesome music from the Ramones, one of the all-time greats in the pantheon of punk rock bands; but, mostly because of how utterly deranged it is. To list all of the insanity that goes down here would not only be redundant, it would ruin a lot of the fun. Definitely saving this for whenever a party gets too boring and I need something to liven things up.

[RATING: 4 out of 5]