I found La La Land enchanting, but not simply because it is a revival of the musical genre and I’m a nut for the classic musicals. It is just a really good film. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling play a respective struggling actor and jazz musician, trying to make it big in Los Angeles. Mia goes to audition after audition, but rarely even makes call-backs. Sebastian loves the straight ahead jazz of a bygone era and is reluctant to play other types of music which may pay the bills. The two meet, and support each other to continue to reach for their goals, despite what it may do to their relationship. A beautiful film, with stunning scenery, wonderful songs, strong acting, and most importantly, a heartwarming tale, though maybe not one you are expecting. Well worthy of all the awards it received last year.
I went into A Monster Calls not really knowing anything about it, other than it had a decent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Sometimes it is those films that you aren’t expecting anything from which suprise you the most. This is a heart-breaking, yet ultimately uplifting film about a boy, Conor, who is “too old to be a kid and too young to be a man” as the opening describes. His mother is fighting cancer and getting worse instead of better. Conor’s emotions over this ordeal are causing him to variously withdraw and/or lash out. He is visited by a fantastical beast, a living tree called “the monster,” who tells Conor he will tell him 3 tales, after which Conor must tell his own story. As with real life, the stories are complex without clear good and bad guys, which enlightens Conor, and ultimately helps him deal with the very real possibility of losing his mother. The only real fault in the film, and minor at that, is that it hammers home those “ah-ha” moments, so younger viewers won’t miss the true meaning, yet I believe much of the growth Conor makes can only be appreciated by adults. Still, a very fulfilling movie, especialy for those who may have lost someone at a young age.
I found the newest Harry Potter film (and apparently the start of a new franchise) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them to be fairly ho-hum until the climax in the end. Most of the film is OK I guess, though it seemed like it was purely made for fanboys until the latter stages. A prequel to the Harry Potter films, the outstanding Eddie Redmayne plays Newt Scamander, an English wizard visiting 1920’s New York. He brings with him a magical trunk carrying a host of magical creatures, some of which escape in the city. The American wizard federation blames Newt for the crazy happenings in the area, when in reality something much more sinister is in play. If you can hold your attention through the admittedly slower first half, you’ll be rewarded by a very satisfying denouement. I can’t quite shake the feeling that the movie feels like a cash grab (it made over $850 million worldwide), but it isn’t a bad film.
Hidden Figures is a great movie on its own merit, regardless the racial element it brings to the table. I had a good friend downplay the film (without having seen it), saying there were many people behind the scenes during the space missions, so why single out these 3 women just because of the color of their skin. The obvious answer of course is these three had to work that much harder to have their voices heard. Telling the true story of three women (Katherine G Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson) working at NASA during the “space race” with Russia to put a man in space, this is a strong film for both its acting and story. With plenty of dramatic liberties taken, it isn’t entirely accurate, but it is still a wonderful film. You can’t help but root for them, and the team as a whole, to be successful at putting John Glenn in space.
Blah blah blah. That’s the first thing I think about 3 Generations. It is one of those movies with great subject matter (let’s be honest, Oscar-worthy subject matter), and the filmmakers know it. Know it so well, that they repeatedly ram it down our throats. It stars Elle Fanning as transitioning teenager Ray (born a girl but feeling like a boy all of his life), with a single mom and a lesbian grandmother. Unfortunately the dramatic moments are pushed so incredibly hard, and it would be nice to let the viewer breathe a little. The comedic respites just make the film feel choppy. The framework of the movie is good, but strong acting by all involved can’t hide poor directing and so-so dialogue.
Jons Movie Takes 