Merry Christmas 2019

    It’s that time a year again and boy did it seem to come out of nowhere.  One minute it’s Thanksgiving and then bam, it’s already Christmas.  It hasn’t been an easy year for me but I have also been blessed with amazing people in my life who have been there for me in some of my darkest hours.

    Christmas time is difficult for me, having lost my oldest brother and parents.  The only immediate family I have left is my one older brother who needs help taking care of himself.  Still, Christmas is a time to thankful for the things I have.  I have an amazing girlfriend who has helped me through the years even though it’s been more difficult for her.  She is beautiful and sweet and could be with anyone she wanted and yet she loves me.

    I started this blog as a sense of escapism to some degree.  I guess my love for cinema has also been a sense of escapism over the years.  Still, it is something I have enjoyed doing and I feel like I have grown as a writer over the last few years.

    Thank you to the people who support me, the people who read my blogs, people who also enjoy cinema in general, and for distribution companies like Mill Creek Entertainment who provided me review copies.  Thank you everyone and have a very Merry Christmas.

“Togo” Movie Review

    Sled dogs have a very special place in my heart and always will.  This year, I unfortunately lost both of my Siberian Huskies within months of each other.  Though they were both older and I knew their time was near, the pain from losing two of my best friends was devastating.  While I was very much looking forward to this film, I knew that it would be an emotional experience regardless of how the film turned out.  That being said, I also felt like my dogs would have wanted me to watch this film in their honor.

    The film tells the story Leonhard Seppala and his team of sled dogs led by Togo as they brave death to deliver antitoxin to Nome, Alaska during the diphtheria epidemic of 1925.  During their run, the film uses flashbacks to depict the relationship between Leonhard and his lead dog Togo.  During these flashbacks, we learn a great deal about the complicated relationship between Leonhard and Togo.

    I thought this movie was extremely well done and I am a little surprised this was released on Disney+ instead of given a theatrical release.  I feel like this movie would have been profitable enough given Disney’s past success with dog centric films.  I also honestly feel like “Togo” would have been more likely to be an awards contender if it was released in the multiplex (I still think there is a chance it could garner some awards if it is given enough of a push).

    While most people associate the serum run of 1925 with Balto due to the children’s animated movies made featuring him (and the statue of Balto in New York), many mushers and dogs were responsible for saving countless lives during the epidemic.  Leonhard and Togo were responsible for covering far more miles than any other musher on the relay however.  The film does a terrific job showing the possible cost of life the epidemic might have cost without the sacrifices Leonhard and Togo risked to save the town of Nome.

    Perhaps what the movie showcases best is the character development Leonhard goes through in the film.  Leonhard starts the film as a harsh and even sometimes cruel musher due to the unforgiving nature of Alaska.  Leonhard doesn’t like Togo at first, seeing him as an unhealthy runt not fit to survive and then a trouble making Hell hound as he grows older.  After unsuccessfully trying to give Togo away, Leonhard begins to realize Togo has the heart of a survivor and is lead dog material.  As time passes and Togo gives more and more of himself to Leonhard and to the serum run, Leonhard begins to regret how he had treated Togo and grows as a person to be more loving and less harsh.

    The film has a lot going for it aside from a great story.  The music is haunting and the cinematography is marvelous.  The only complaint I would have is that the computer animation is less than stellar and the film relies on the subpar computer animation a bit too often in key scenes.

    The cast is led by Willem Dafoe as Leonhard Seppala and he does a magnificent job.  Dafoe has a way of conveying normal dialogue in an almost Shakespearean manner that shouldn’t work but Dafoe somehow pulls it off.  Julianne Nicholson also delivers a strong performance as Leonhard’s wife.

    Disney has a streaming hit on their hands with “Togo” in my opinion and I am glad I got to see it.  If “Togo” is any indication of the quality Disney+ movies are going to have, perhaps Netflix should be very worried.

Grade: B+

“Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker” Movie Review

    To call the supposedly last Star Wars film in the ‘Skywalker Saga’ one of my most anticipated films of 2019 is a bit of an understatement.  Star Wars have been an important part of my life since I was a kid.  I watched the original trilogy countless times growing up and enjoyed the expanded universe material with dreams of what that universe had to still explore.  When the prequels and later the Disney era films came out, “Star Wars” has continued to hold a special place in my heart.

    This review will continue no spoilers, only brief descriptions of events already shared through trailers or plot summaries before the film’s release.  The film follows our new generation of heroes Rey, Finn, and Poe as they seek to bring peace to the galaxy from the grips of Kylo Ren (formally Ben Solo).  A mysterious force from the past may prove a greater challenge, and danger, to both the Resistance and the First Order than anyone could have imagined.

    There was a lot for me to process upon finishing the movie but long story short, I enjoyed this movie quite a bit and I don’t feel the movie deserves the negative reviews it has been getting.  That being said, the movie is not without some flaws (some minor, a few major).  The film has many moments of jaw dropping visuals and moments fans will discuss for a long time to come but some of those moments will surely divide fans.

    The film is paced at a breakneck speed with little time to rest and makes the film feel a bit rushed at times.  Some of this was the fault of the last film, “Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi”, for not building towards a climax in regards to the trilogy.  J.J. Abrams was forced to set up a conflict and resolve it in a satisfying way over the course of this single film.  For the most part I feel like Abrams has succeeded in his efforts.

    Another divisive element this film will face is the same complaint people had against Abrams’ first Star Wars film,  “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens”, in that it feels like a copy of an original trilogy film.  Instead of borrowing story elements of ‘A New Hope’, this film borrows elements from ‘Return of the Jedi’.  Abrams has always seemed to struggle with originality, regardless if it’s Star Wars or Star Trek.

    One interesting note is that this film also seems to borrow quite a bit from the non-cannon expanded universe material from years ago.  Parts of this film feels lifted from the pages of “Star Wars: Dark Empire”.  Fans who have read that and have seen this film will know what I am referring to but if you haven’t, trust me, it does.

    The main complaint people will have about this film is the ending.  Of course I can’t really talk about what happens, but for a film that bills itself as ‘the end of the Skywalker saga’, it certainly leaves plenty of obvious doors open to continue.  I am not even saying that is necessarily a bad thing, but it will make some fans upset.  From Finn’s secret that never gets addressed (though hinted at) to mysteries that are left unsolved, there are plenty to explore in regards to more Star Wars films.

    I will say that I love the way this film manages to tie all the episodes together.  While most of the fan service is in regards to the original trilogy, this film doesn’t shy away from the prequel trilogy.  I also absolutely loved what this film did with the character of Chewbacca.

    The cast did an excellent job in this film with the highlights being Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Oscar Isaac, and Billy Dee Williams.  Carrie Fisher’s scenes were handled well and very carefully crafted into the movie in an organic way which was a huge concern of mine.

    “Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker” isn’t a perfect film but it is still very fun and a step above ‘The Last Jedi’.  Like this film or hate it, this was a Star Wars film clearly made for the fans so we have no one to blame but ourselves if we don’t like it.  I had a good time personally and while I think most fans will need some time to digest the film, I think they will ultimately look at this film favorably.

Grade: B

“Jumanji: The Next Level” Movie Review

    Every December, especially around Christmas, the multiplex tends to be fairly crowded with a slew of new releases.  One could say it’s a bit of a jungle out there in the theaters, so another Jumanji movie seems like a no brainer.  I finally got a chance to catch “Jumanji: The Next Level” and I can finally give you my take on the film.

    The film takes place a few years after the events of “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”.  Spencer, Martha, Fridge, and Bethany are now separated from each other and going to different colleges.  The group decide to get together but Spencer is reluctant to meet back up with them because he feels insecure and inadequate now.  Unbeknownst to the rest of the group, Spencer patches the Jumanji video game together and returns to the game in an effort to regain his confidence.  Unfortunately, Spencer becomes trapped in the game again and it’s up to his friends to rescue him by returning to Jumanji.

    Let me start off by saying that I enjoyed this film quite a bit.  The film has it’s flaws, but it is hilarious at times and makes for some great escapism.  The main flaw of the film isn’t with it’s humor, it’s in the movie’s lack of an original story.  Despite a great deal of terrific new gags, the film is essentially more of the same plot overall with little new to offer aside from it’s humor.  Thankfully, it very much delivers in that department.

    “Jumanji: The Next Level” is the fourth overall film in the franchise following “Jumanji”, “Zathura: A Space Adventure” (which was the official book sequel but more of a spin-off in regards to the adaptation) and “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”.  I sort of hope the inevitable next film in the franchise takes the story in a different direction with more ties to the first film (and possibly Zathura).

    The core cast of “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” all return including Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillian, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Nick Jonas, Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Ser’Darius Blain, Madison Iseman, and Colin Hanks.  They are joined by new cast members Awkwafina, Danny Glover, and Danny DeVito who all add a lot of humor and heart to this film.

    One of the funnier gimmicks of the film is that the youngsters of the film end up in different avatars this time around except for Martha (Morgan Turner) who once again becomes Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillian).  Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain) is now in the avatar of Sheldon Oberon (Jack Black) and Bethany initially gets left out of the game completely.  Spencer’s grandfather Eddie (Danny DeVito) isn’t so lucky and gets sucked into the game and becomes Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson) while his friend Milo (Danny Glover) is now in the avatar of Frank Finbar (Kevin Hart).

    Dwayne Johnson does a great job channeling Danny DeVito and is given more to work with in this sequel.  Kevin Hart also sounded and acted identical to Danny Glover which was often hilarious.  I really enjoyed Awkwafina in this film as well.  The only actor to get the raw end of the deal was Jack Black because the gifted comedian isn’t given as many funny lines due to his character now being Fridge’s avatar.

    This installment of the popular franchise doesn’t take us to new places or advance the story much but it is still very fun.  When it comes to monkey business, no franchise excels at it quite like “Jumanji”.

Grade: B

“Marriage Story” Movie Review

    When you love passionately in love with someone and decide to spend the rest of your life together as husband and wife, does that love ever die, even in the face of divorce?  Can you love someone as much as you grow to hate them?  “Marriage Story” is a character study of a couple in the middle of a divorce and how the separation effects each of them and their child.  Divorce is a painful and heartbreaking experience that is far to common these days so this movie is sadly very relatable to a large chunk of audiences.

    The film tells the story of a young married couple named Charlie and Nicole currently going through a divorce.  The couple have a child and decide to keep things simple and negotiate anything between themselves.  Things grow complicated when Nicole hires a divorce attorney on the recommendation of a friend and things spiral out of control.  Rival lawyers, court dates, skyrocketing costs, and broken dreams are only but a few of the hardships face in order to start new lives apart.  Unfortunately their child is caught in the middle in a nasty custody battle when all the couple really wanted was for child not to be caught in the middle of their divorce.

    This film isn’t a movie I would normally be much interested in and if this wasn’t on Netflix, I wouldn’t have went out special to see it.  Films such as “Kramer vs Kramer” are well done and beautifully acted but they don’t tend to emotionally connect with me.  Much to my surprise, “Marriage Story” actually managed to connect with me and left me caring about the couple.

    A lot of the strength of this film comes down to the performances of Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson and how vulnerable they make their characters feel.  This isn’t about a couple trying to destroy the other person (though on the surface it might appear that way), this is about a couple terrified to have to start all over again and admit their own failings.  Added to Driver and Johansson’s powerful performances, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta all deliver strong performances as the couple’s lawyers.

    What makes this film standout is that it plays all the characters as real and avoids going over the top.  Each character is deeply flawed but also lovable.  You could understand what the couple saw in each other and loved, and also what tore them apart.  The film also sends an important message about the importance of communication in a successful relationship and marriage.  Once someone builds walls up, they can’t always be torn down.

    I also preferred that the film decided to focus more on the couple’s love for their child and how that can turn toxic over the couple’s hatred over each other.  The divorce gets ugly but only to prove their love for their child.

    “Marriage Story” isn’t a movie I would normally enjoy which is perhaps the best testimony to how powerful it is.  With some of the strongest performances of the year, Netflix has another win this awards season.

Grade: B+

“Klaus” Movie Review

    Over the past few years, it has seemed like less and less Christmas movies have been released in theaters.  I looked forward to possible new Christmas classics but they seem to be few and far between these days.  Sure, you get a movie like “Last Christmas” this year, but nothing that really screams Christmas tradition.  When I saw Netflix released “Klaus” this year, I knew I had to give it a shot.

    The film tells the story of a spoiled post officer worker named Jasper Johansson who gets assigned to the small freezing town of Smeerensburg by the head postmaster (and Jasper’s father) in the hopes that the job will straighten him out.  Jasper has to make the town’s post office successful before he is permitted home.  When Jasper encounters a local woodsman named Klaus, Jasper hatches a scheme to make his post office a success by manipulating the townspeople and their children.

    This film is an interesting spin on the Santa Claus legend and is very unique as a result.  Sometimes a break from traditional Christmas stories make for the best new traditions.  “Klaus” manages to teach children the values of the holiday while still telling a new origin for Santa Claus that is original.

    What helps “Klaus” the most is it’s animation style which isn’t like anything you have seen before.  It is an English language film made by Spanish animators.  Sergio Pablos actually made his directorial debut with this film and he certainly impresses.  Pablos managed to obtain a skilled voice cast led by Jason Schwartzman as Jasper and J.K. Simmons as the title character Klaus.

    “Klaus” has the honor of being Netflix’s first original animated film and it couldn’t have been more impressive.  It should be noted that “Klaus” clothing can actually be currently purchased at an Old Navy by you.  The film is a winner all the way around and is destined to be a new Christmas tradition for many families.

Grade: B+

“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” Movie Review

    I never really grew up watching “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” a lot as a kid but I was familiar with the show and I did catch it occasionally.  Still, anything with Tom Hanks automatically gets my attention and Mr. Rogers was a very culturally important figure so “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” was a must for me to see.

    The movie tells the story of Lloyd Vogel, a cynical investigative journalist for Esquire magazine, who gets assigned a job to do a fluff piece on children’s show host Mr. Rogers as a part of the magazine’s heroes issue.  Lloyd is having personal issues with his father when he is tasked to interview Fred Rogers and refuses to believe someone could really be as good as Fred Rogers seems and seeks to prove he is as flawed as everyone else.  During the process of interviewing Mr. Rogers, Lloyd ends up learning more from the children’s host than he ever thought he would.

    The film surprised me because I assumed the film would be more focused on the character of Mr. Rogers but it instead focused on Lloyd Vogel.  The film uses the character of Fred Rogers as more of a mentor figure to Lloyd.  I was just shocked that Tom Hanks wasn’t given as much screen time as possible.  With that being said, Tom Hanks is still very much one of the leads and is very effective in the film.

    Tom Hanks once again delivers an incredible performance that will be hard for voters to ignore come award season.  Hanks’ Fred Rogers is compassionate and flawed but embraces his imperfections and learns from them.  When dealing with a figure like Mr. Rogers, it’s hard to imagine anyone but Tom Hanks being able to pull him off.  Matthew Rhys was also stellar as Lloyd Vogel which is a sigh of relief since the movie relies primarily on their performances alone.

    I found the production design of the film whimsical and I liked how they managed to make the movie feel strangely like it was set in “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood”.  In fact, the filmmakers use the old children’s show as a framing device for the events of the movie in a really inventive way.

    I really enjoyed the film and felt the film delivered some heavy and powerful messages that no one is too young, or too old, to learn.  Sometimes we just have to let our guards down and let people in.  This movie is definitely a nice look back at our childhoods and teaches us that some lessons are timeless.

Grade: B+