“1917” Movie Review

    War, what is it good for?  If your answer was anything but “absolutely nothing”, shame on you for not respecting the lyrics of the hit song by the band War.  The same can’t be said for films focusing on war however.  War films, if done well, have a way of showcasing the brutality of battle and depicting the physical and mental strain it puts on soldiers.  It also has a way making us reflect on the human cost of war.  Unfortunately for many people, war is an inescapable reality.  Does the new film “1917” reach the high bar already set by such war classics as “Platoon” or “Saving Private Ryan”?

    Set during the Great War (World War I), Corporals Blake and Schofield are tasked with crossing the German trenches to deliver a message of vital importance to Colonel Mackenzie.  Mackenzie is about to lead an attack which would jeopardize the lives of thousands of men, including Blake’s brother.  The men risk their lives to reach Colonel Mackenzie in time before his troops are massacred in a tactical German trap.

    Much of the success of “1917”, from a storytelling point of view, is it’s rather simplistic plot which allows us to grow attached to the men as they make their way across no man’s land.  A lot of the best war movies put a focus on the soldiers over the grander battle.  We should care about these men’s lives, not find war to be visually appealing.  What happens to the two leads sticks with you throughout the film and you find yourself rooting for them to just survive.

    The lighting and cinematography overall for this film was breathtaking.  The way the shadows fell on every frame was mesmerizing.  It’s amazing how organic they managed to make it seem as well.  “1917” and “Joker” are going to be the films to beat in the Oscar’s best cinematography category this year.

     Director Sam Mendes has made a stunning film depicting the lives of soldiers fighting in World War 1 loosely based on a story his grandfather shared with him.  Mendes once again delivers a unique movie going experience by telling “1917” through one long continuous shot (or at least the illusion of one).  To be completely honest, I didn’t even notice it in the theater since I was so engrossed with story.  Now, it gives me an excellent excuse to revisit this film just to soak up Mendes’ filmmaking techniques.

    Using two relative unknown actors also helped make the film feel ‘real’, never was I distracted by movie stars in this film.  This isn’t to say the film was without star power at all.  Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Richard Madden all appeared in the film, but they were minor roles that didn’t last long enough to pull you out of the movie.

    “1917” is definitely one of the most unique war movies ever made and one of the best films of 2019.  “1917” is a film best scene on the big screen but important to see regardless how you see it.

Grade: B+

“Rocketman” Movie Review

    Another week, another trip to the cinema!  With so many good looking films out now, it’s been hard to decide what to see these past few weeks.  One movie my girlfriend and I really wanted to see was the Elton John biopic “Rocketman” so when our friends Elva and Roy wanted to see that movie as well, it was settled.

    The movie tells the story of Sir Elton John from his childhood to his rise to living legend status.  Born Reginald Dwight, the movie shows his upbringing in a broken home and how he felt responsible for his home life.  Reginald was born a musical prodigy and turned to music in his troubled times.  The film then swifts focus to Reginald as a young man struggling to make it as musician.  This all changes with his musical partnership with Bernie Taupin.  Their collaborations together helped create some of the most iconic music in the modern era as the movie goes on to depict.  There are plenty of dark times for Reginald, now known as Elton John, ahead however.  As his fame rises, Elton John is forced to hide the fact that he is homosexual from the press for fear of the damage it would do to his career and he also grows increasingly addicted to alcohol and drugs.

    I really enjoyed this movie overall.  One thing that caught me a little off guard at first and took a little getting used to was the fact that the movie was both a biopic and musical.  I was expecting a more straight forward biopic in the vain of “Bohemian Rhapsody” but this film managed to set itself apart from that film by telling it’s story in a different way.

    I am a big Elton John fan so I wanted to see this movie a little more than my girlfriend (although she enjoys some of his music as well).  I grew up listening to oldies as a kid and performers like The Beatles, Elton John, The Monkees, Queen, The Doors, The Rolling Stones and so on have a special place in my heart.  Naturally, the music that featured in this film was a highlight for me.

    One thing that worried me a bit going into the movie was the fact that Elton John himself was listed as an executive producer, which typically means, Elton John himself has to approve of how he is depicted in the movie.  People have a tendency to only want to highlight the best parts of their lives and omit aspects which may make them appear in a negative light.  After all, we are the heroes in our own stories.  Somewhat surprisingly, the film does a pretty admirable job painting a complete picture of Elton John.  There are times in the film in which Elton John comes off as a very sympathetic character and times in which he is depicted as sort of a jerk.  The thing is, it makes him feel like a real person because even the nicest person can be seen as rude or nasty to someone else and perhaps they have good reason to be.

    The film also doesn’t shy away from Sir Elton John’s personal struggles.  The film depicts Elton John as a man who turns to alcohol and drugs to cope with his depression.  His depression, at least as depicted in the film, is caused from his home life and having to live his life in the closet.  It wasn’t until he could accept his homosexuality and learn to love himself that he was able to free himself from addiction.  With June being LGBT pride month, this movie couldn’t have picked a better time to come out.  One struggle I thought Elton John might want downplayed in the film was his struggle writing lyrics.  Instead, much of the focus of the film was about his struggle admitting that he loved and needed Bernie Taupin in his professional and personal life.  The two are still good friends after all these years.

    What makes this film extra special is the cast.  Taron Egerton does a stellar job embodying Sir Elton John.  Egerton seems almost destined to play the role after singing one of Elton John’s songs in the movie “Sing” and co-starring with the icon himself in “Kingsman: The Golden Circle”.  Jamie Bell does a good job as Bernie Taupin (thankfully Bell is a better actor than he is a singer however).  “Game of Thrones” alumni Richard Madden plays against type as John Reid, the antagonistic manager of Elton John.  Fun little trivia for “Game of Thrones” fans, Aiden Gillen played John Reid in the film “Bohemian Rhapsody”.  Lastly worth a mention, Bryce Dallas Howard appears and does an incredible job as Elton John’s mother.

    It should be noted that Dexter Fletcher directed this film and a good chunk of “Bohemian Rhapsody” after Bryan Singer was fired from the project.  To some degree, the two movies feel a bit like they share the same universe (being biopics, I guess they do to some degree).  While some aspects feel very different than “Bohemian Rhapsody”, other visual styles feel very similar.

    In the end, “Rocketman” proved to be an interesting look inside the early life of Elton John.  Regardless if you enjoy his music or not, it makes for an interesting movie. “Rocketman” shows how a star is truly born and will keep your toes tapping.

Grade: A-