“Ad Astra” Movie Review

    In films, space has always served as the backdrop for some of the most imaginative stories ever made.  Space is the great unknown which is scary, exciting, thrilling, and pretty much every other feeling a person can experience.  Most space films explore the great unknown with a sense of wonder, but a few films depict space as the empty vacuum it can seem to be.

    The film follows Major Roy McBride, a member of the U.S. Space Command and son of legendary astronaut H. Clifford McBride, on a secret mission to figure out what or possibly who is responsible for power surges on Earth which threaten the planet.  Roy learns that, despite the fact that he was informed years ago that his father died on a deep space mission, that his dad might still be alive.  To complicate things, Roy also learns that his father might somehow be linked to the power surges on Earth due to his involvement with the Lima Project.

    I have mixed feelings about this film after watching it.  When I watch a science-fiction movie, I tend to expect a sense of wonder or excitement and this movie subverted the expectations of what many thought this film would be.  This is less of a science-fiction movie and more of dramatic thriller that just so happens to be set in space.  It makes for an interesting experience but also a frustrating one at times (at least for me).

    That isn’t to say that film doesn’t deliver on spectacular action scenes, it is just a very grounded take on space travel with a focus on the sacrifices men and women make in the name of science.  This film feels very much like a reverse “Interstellar” as a result.  While “Interstellar” had a lot of heartfelt performances in what some critics would describe as a soulless film (I happened to love “Interstellar” by the way), “Ad Astra” had a lot of soulless performances in a movie built on heart.  The comparison may not make a lot of sense until you watch both films and then I think it becomes pretty clear fairly quickly.

    I did like the central theme of the movie however.  We, to this day, spend so much time looking to the stars wondering if we are alone in the universe.  Why do we feel so alone on a planet filled with over 7 billion people?  Is it that difficult to find human connection?  Should we ever feel alone?  I liked this concept explored in a film even though I might not have actually set that particular film in space.

    The film is led primarily by Brad Pitt and he delivers a strong performance as a son desperately trying to reconnect with father.  Tommy Lee Jones delivers a strong performance as said father in the few minutes he is in the picture.  Donald Sutherland and Liv Tyler offer brief but memorable supporting roles.

    I like director James Gray a great deal which is why I really wanted to see this film.  I really enjoyed his film “We Own the Night” and thought it was very underrated.  Though “Ad Astra” received mixed reviews, Gray’s talent behind the camera made watching this film a must for me...even if I did end up feeling rather mixed about this film myself.

    “Ad Astra” isn’t exactly out of this world but it does give it’s audience something to think about in a much simpler respect.  I am not sure what to make of this film and I have a lot to think about, which is sort of the point of this movie I guess.

Grade: C+

“Ford v Ferrari” Movie Review

    My father was obsessed with cars in the same vain I am obsessed with movies.  He joked that he lived for anything with wheels.  For every photo he took of the family, he took twenty of his cars.  My dad worked for Ford and even named one of my brothers after famed car designed Carroll Shelby (who he got to meet at an Autorama one year much to his delight).  Even after his death, his love for cars has always been felt.  So when the movie “Ford v Ferrari” came out, I felt an urge to see it not only because it received good reviews but because part of me felt like it was a bit of connection to my dad.

    The film tells the story of car racer and designer Carroll Shelby as he is hired by Ford Motor Company to design a car that might win the twenty-four hour Le Mans race.  Shelby’s friend and driver Ken Miles is brought on to help Carroll Shelby design the car that eventually becomes the famed Ford GT40.  Unfortunately Ken Miles isn’t permitted by Ford to drive the car and it’s debut, Ford loses Le Mans to the Ferrari once again.  Carroll Shelby is able to convince Henry Ford II to give him another chance with Ken Miles behind the wheel and Henry Ford II gives him the go ahead.  Can Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby achieve the impossible and give Ford the win for the Le Mans race?

    While the racing sequences are thrilling and as exciting as you would expect, much of the drama of “Ford v Ferrari” comes from the behind the scenes struggles Carroll Shelby had with the Ford Motor Company.  The film showcases how devastating poor management can be to a company.  As someone who works at a job with managers who do little but lower the morale of their workforce, I can relate to this film’s take on executives.

    The film stars Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale as Ken Miles.  Damon plays Shelby with a sense of recklessness and rebellion the real Shelby was well known for.  Bale is an absolute delight giving Miles humor and a giant ego yet still making him likable.  It is hard to imagine anyone but Damon and Bale playing these roles (though Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt almost ended up starring in this movie at various points).

    In addition to focusing primarily on Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles, the film also explores their relationship with the likes of Henry Ford II and Lee Iacocca to name a few legendary big three figureheads.  For the most part, save for Iacocca for the most part, the top brass at Ford isn’t painted in the most flattering light.  Jon Bernthal does a stellar job bringing Lee Iacocca to life and is able to make him the most likable of Ford’s chief board.

    James Mangold does an excellent job making this film feel as if it was filmed in the mid 60s.  The style and feel of the era made you feel as if you stepped into a time machine.  Mangold also always seems to manage to get the best from his performers no matter the project they are attached to.  Mangold definitely deserves award recognition for his work on this film.

    When the dust settles, “Ford v Ferrari” is a crowd pleasing win for everyone involved.  Even if you don’t care about Le Mans or racing (I am not personally a fan), the film makes you care about it protagonists and most of the audience will be rooting for Shelby and Miles by the end.

Grade: B+

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Movie Review

    It’s that time of the year again, the summer movie season is winding down and large tentpole films begin to make way for artsier films before the theaters are taken over by horror movies in the fall.  With few event films left to see, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” seemed like a natural choice as the next film for me to watch to review.

    “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is a fairytale version of the last days of the golden era of Hollywood.  The film tells the story of Rick Dalton and his stunt double and friend as the pair struggle to find work in a changing entertainment industry (and world).  As Rick slowly adapts and accepts new career opportunities in Italy, he accepts that his time in the spotlight might be behind him before an encounter with members of the cult of Charles Manson changes everything.

    As a major film buff, I really enjoyed this film.  I am not the biggest fan of Quentin Tarantino out there but he always gets incredible performances from his cast.  Tarantino is as passionate as he is controversial and his work on this film is no exception.  This film received some backlash for multiple reasons but none of the reasons take away from the movie as a whole.

    While I don’t feel any of the complaints about the film affect it as a whole, it doesn’t mean the backlash it faced was unfounded.  The biggest complaint it faced was due to it’s ending which...SPOILER ALERT...rewrote history and saw Sharon Tate spared of her fate.  I admit that the ending of the film surprised me although I should have seen it coming considering “Inglorious Bastards” also rewrote history.

    The depiction of women in the film also came under fire.  I think perhaps some critics are being a bit hard on Tarantino for this considering the men in the film aren’t depicted in the best light either.  With all that being said, perhaps “I reject your hypothesis” isn’t the best response to give a reporter when asked about the subject.

    Lastly, the film also was criticized for the way it depicted legendary actor Bruce Lee.  Bruce Lee’s daughter spoke out against the way Tarantino depicted her father and for not contacting his family.  I completely understand the family being upset but I personally felt it was one of the best parts of the movie and knowing how many liberties Tarantino took with real life events, it doesn’t tarnish his legacy one bit in my opinion.

    The film featured outstanding performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt.  The two actors have a natural chemistry and their friendship shines through.  Margot Robbie is good as Sharon Tate but isn’t given as good of material as DiCaprio and Pitt to work with.

    Now, I mentioned that I wasn’t a huge Quentin Tarantino fan but his work on this film is impressive.  The movie is truly a love letter to the end of an era in Hollywood at a time when the film industry is changing once again.  Big name stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt no longer guarantee box office success so their inclusion in this film is a bit meta.  I also admire the different filming techniques Tarantino used when showcasing everything from older black and white network shows to spaghettini westerns.

    I will say if you aren’t a huge movie fan, this film may not be as accessible or as interesting to watch.  My girlfriend went to see this with me and did not enjoy it as much as I did partly for these reasons.  It is a movie that definitely isn’t for everyone.  That being said, there are a lot of funny moments and the soundtrack helps transport you back in time.

Grade: B