I can’t remember the last time an original (non-sequel) Pixar film let me down, but I did not get into Elemental at all. A twist on the classic love story about two people from different sides of the tracks, the movie follows a fire element girl named Ember. Her parents immigrated to Element City when she was a baby, to start a new life, but the city mostly caters to elements of earth (tree-looking people), air (clouds), and water, so fire elements have always been on the outs. Even so, her dad built a good business and now, years later, Ember is looking to follow in his fire-steps and take over the family business. However, she falls in love with a water element, Wade, a relationship that is strictly forbidden by her father. It’s cutesy enough, but doesn’t really do anything new, and honestly I spent much of film indifferent, which is almost as bad as bored. I think kids would like it more, but it does make me wonder if Pixar has lost a step. I am excited for next year’s Elio and even Inside Out 2 (though their track record on sequels isn’t always the best), so hopefully this is just a one-off. ★★½
Aporia Is a very impressive movie, showing that you can make a high concept sci-fi film on a minuscule budget. Sophie has been unable to get over the death of her husband Mal a year ago, and their daughter too is barely getting by in school. Mal’s former friend and colleague, Jabir, comes to her with an idea. A physicist, Jabir has been working on a time machine for years, but realized long ago that actually going through time would be impossible. However, it can send energy (particles) through time, and if directed at someone’s brain at a certain time and place, it could kill. A perfect target would be the drunk driver who killed Mal. Sophie agrees, and just like that, Mal is back in their lives, and only Sophie and Jabir seem to know he was ever gone (something to do with them being the observers of the change). When Mal notices his wife acting differently (because of her elation at having him back), she comes clean, and he is thankful. But this leads to a new dilemma: should they continue to use the machine to take out serial killers or radical terrorists in the past? And while Mal and Jabir work on the time machine to make it able to affect times further in the past, Sophie looks up the family of the person she killed to bring back her husband, and how their lives have changed. This leads to the group deciding to kill another person, but this time, they may not like the changes. Tremendous film, and while the ideas aren’t necessarily new for people that watch a lot of sci-fi pictures, it does put a family spin on it that adds tons of emotion. The ending is very predictable, but done so well that I just didn’t care. ★★★★½
Air is the story of the signing of Michael Jordan to Nike when he was a newly drafted NBA rookie in 1984. And who would of thought anyone could make signing a contact exciting, but director Ben Affleck (barely) pulls it off. Starring Affleck, Matt Damon, Viola Davis, and Jason Bateman, at the beginning of the movie, Nike’s basketball department is in trouble. The shoe company has become a mainstay in the track and field and running area, but they’ve struggled to be “cool” in pop culture. (As someone quips early on, inner city kids aren’t watching Bruce Jenner throw a javelin.) Nike has a couple hundred thousand dollars in the budget to try to sign 3 or 4 rookies to shoe deals, but marketing expert Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) wants to spend it all on one guy: Jordan. The company knows Adidas and Converse will have a leg up on them, and Jordan is a hyped rookie who will be able to choose whichever he likes better, but Vaccaro wants to do more than have Jordan wear Nike shoes; he wants to build a brand around who he thinks will become the greatest basketball player ever, and that is idea that he sells on Michael (and more importantly, he parents). This movie has the potential to be dry and boring, but Affleck’s steady hand and ability to grow suspense from simple things like waiting for a phone call go a long way. Say what you will about his acting, but I think he’s a great director (Gone Baby Gone, The Town, Argo). ★★★
White Building is the rare film out of Cambodia. When it begins, it seems to be following Samnang and his friends, as they work on a hip hop dance routine. Just when you think it’s going to be a “reach for your goals” kind of movie, it becomes something much deeper. Samnang and his parents live in a dilapidated building in the center of the city. The city wants to tear it down and build something new (and more profitable), but the tenants have been loath to go, at least, not for the peanuts the government is offering for their apartments. Most of the inhabitants worked for the city in one form or another, and Samnang’s dad thinks they should be treated better. Add to this, the father is fighting infection in his extremities, but refuses to see a doctor. Less and less dialogue as the movie goes along, until there is almost none as the end approaches. I’m not smart enough to understand meaning in that, but it doesn’t create a bigger feeling of loss as Samnang “comes of age.” Decent enough for art film lovers, but didn’t blow me away. ★★★
Joy Ride was supposed to be a good comedy for adults, but it was just too much for me, and honestly got old quick. I can only handle so many sex jokes, and that is literally every joke in this film. Audrey (adopted from China as a baby) and Lolo (an immigrant to USA from China) have been best friends since they were kids, and have remained so as adults, even though their lives have gone in different directions. Audrey is a successful lawyer and rents her garage to Lolo, who is a “starving artist.” When Audrey is sent to China to close a big business deal, Lolo goes along to help translate, but has an ulterior motive: to look up Audrey’s birth mom while they are there. They are joined by Lolo’s cousin Vanessa (purely along for the gags, as she lives mostly an online life), and, in China, team up with Kat, Audrey’s good friend from college (again, just another person for gags, so she and Lolo can butt heads for Audrey’s attention, and more sex jokes since she’s dating a devout Christian). Of course, once settled in China, nothing goes right. The humor is what is supposed to keep the film moving along, but as I said, it got stale for me quick. I started fast forwarding to see where the plot went with Audrey’s birth mom, but finally I realized I just didn’t care, and gave up. ½
- TV series recently watched: Black Snow (season 1), Titans (season 4)
- Book currently reading: The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan
Jons Movie Takes 