“Dolittle” Movie Review

    I haven’t had the opportunity to view many new movies lately while my state has been on lockdown.  Theaters remain closed and even deliveries take quite some time to arrive due to increased orders of essential items from websites such as Amazon.  I finally got a chance to check out the latest remake of “Dolittle” and I was very excited to see something new.

    The film opens up with an animated sequence which sets up the rest of the film showing Doctor John Dolittle and his wife Lily before she passes away while at sea.  Following Lily’s death, Doctor Dolittle has become a recluse and only communicates with the animals he lives with.  Dr. Dolittle is forced to set off on an adventure to save the life of the Queen, much to his dismay.  While on the adventure, Dolittle ends up taking on an apprentice named Tommy, a young boy with a love for all animals as well.

    I went into this film a bit blind as far as the overall tone of the movie.  I enjoyed the Eddie Murphy films but I had never read the source material and I have never seen the original musical adaptation so I was curious how this film would be.  I was pleasantly surprised by how family friendly the movie ended up being.  I figured it wouldn’t be too adult in nature, but you never know these days.

    Much like the original books written by Hugh Lofting, this film is set in Victorian England unlike the contemporary setting of the Eddie Murphy adaptation.  This time frame helped set it apart from the most recent adaptations while also providing a fresh visual palette that the modern setting couldn’t take advantage of.  All of the colorful sets and costumes featured really help you feel engrossed in the setting.

    Now, there are some faults I found in the film which I will now dive into now.  The most distracting aspect of the film for me is how the film uses voices overs to cover exposition and actions not shown on screen, it doesn’t happen often, but it can be a little jarring (it was to me at least).  It almost felt like the filmmakers forgot to film some scenes and just figured a quick ADR session would be a better (and cheaper) solution to reshoots (which to be fair, it is).  Also, there are some beautifully shot scenes in the film and the cinematography is often very good overall, but there are parts with extreme zooms that I found a out of place with the rest of the film.

    The animals and the overall computer animation is very good.  The voice cast including the likes of John Cena and Tom Holland also did a stellar job making the animals feel real.  So many different personalities are displayed with the animals and they often feel the most realistic elements of each scene.

    As far as the human cast of characters goes, they are led by the great Robert Downey Jr. and he seems to be having a blast.  Now this admittedly seems like an odd role for Downey to take post Iron Man, but I think he just wanted to make a different type of movie.  I really enjoyed Robert Downey Jr. in the movie and it was a delight to see him go over the top in the role.  Downey Jr. sets himself apart from Eddie Murphy and Rex Harrison with this adaptation and showcases why he gets paid the big bucks.  I should also point out that despite little screen time, Antonio Banderas absolutely steals his scenes and he managed to make me wonder why he was never cast in a “Pirates of the Caribbean” film.

    In a world consumed by the Coronavirus epidemic, it’s refreshing to see a film like this and know that the author who wrote this came up with the characters during another dark time in the world, World War I.  Even during dark times, light always shines through.  While “Dolittle” isn’t a perfect film, it was still cute and better than I expected with some wonderful performances.

Grade: B

“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+

"Wonder Woman" Movie Review

    The DCEU has had a rough time with critics and audiences as a whole since it’s conception with “Man of Steel”.  While I very much enjoy the films of the DCEU and I think critics have been too hard on them compared to the films of Marvel, it’s clear these films are very polarizing and not everyone’s cup of tea.  It seems like the first exception to this came in the form of “Wonder Woman”.

    The adaptation of the popular comic book takes place in World War I as opposed to World War II as often depicted in the comic book character’s origin.  When an American pilot happens to crash off the shores of Themyscira, an island consisting of only women, Princess Diana rescues the young man named Steve Trevor and learns of the troubles going on outside of their island.  After being told to stay out of man’s conflicts, Diana decides she must do something and goes with Steve to help put an end to the war.  Diana ends up becoming the superhero Wonder Woman and kicks a lot of butt along the way.

    I know you are all wondering what my thoughts on the film were, or at least I humor myself thinking you do, and it’s probably what you would guess.  I really enjoyed the movie and felt it showcased a female led superhero movie in a positive and progressive way unlike other attempts before while still being entertaining.  “Elektra” and “Catwoman” weren’t exactly game changers.  Although the MCU has managed to stay one step ahead of DC for the most part on the movie front, “Wonder Woman” is the rare win and manages to beat their “Captain Marvel” movie out the gates in wonderful fashion.

    The film stars Gal Gadot reprising her role of Wonder Woman from “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and she makes her mark on the role.  While Gadot isn’t the first person to play Wonder Woman and she certainly won’t be the last, she manages to take the role down a more serious route than the likes of Lynda Carter.  Chris Pine manages to be among one of the bright spots of the film.  As Steve Trevor, Pine carries many of the film’s more emotional scenes and his arc manages to pull at the heart strings by the end.  The rest of the supporting cast also shine through most of their scenes.

    “Wonder Woman” is beautifully shot and many scenes will remain iconic for years to come.  It’s almost hard to believe the film wasn’t shot during World War I at times because it is so captivating and realistic.  The score for the film is also captivating and serves as a great companion piece to the cinematography.

    With all the praise I have given this film, I will say that I wish the film had a stronger villain.  The villain of the film is revealed to be that of Ares, the God of War.  Ares in the comic book is Wonder Woman’s main arch nemesis but comes off a bit weak in the film as opposed to a serious threat.

    Being the fourth film in the DCEU, “Wonder Woman” certainly proves to be a bit of a course correction and proves DC could be a serious rival to Marvel given some time.  With a strong female lead and a solid story, “Wonder Woman” is an absolute wonder!

Grade: A-