Tag: Ludwig Göransson

Movie Review – ‘TENET’ – “Does your head hurt yet?”

Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan
Cast: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Clémence Poésy, Fiona Dourif, Himesh Patel, Dimple Kapadia, Martin Donovan, Michael Caine
Soundtrack: Ludwig Göransson

Let me start with the elephant in the room.

No, not coronavirus. The sound mix.

No doubt, part of my experience may have been due to some venue-specific subwoofer issues, but I’ve seen other complaints about not being able to make out the dialogue, so this appears to be something of a baked-in problem. Even going in armed with this information, and prepared to listen well, it was still a major struggle. I’m guessing TENET didn’t get much audience testing, because, frankly, much of it is as bad or even worse than Bane’s original mix in The Dark Knight Rises. Perhaps it’s not as pronounced of an issue in a regular theater with an unenhanced speaker system (if I see the movie again, it’ll probably be in a smaller venue), but who knows? I wouldn’t mind some subtitles, to be honest.

Thankfully though, Christopher Nolan has enough silent film sensibility that, even without getting a large chunk of the dialogue, I still never felt utterly lost; though I can’t say I have a complete understanding of the film. However, I’d say I have a better handle on TENET after one viewing than I did on Dunkirk after the first time, though I don’t think it’s quite as good.

Before we even get there though, from the jump, people have been comparing TENET to James Bond, but having now seen the movie, I find this argument specious, if not downright lazy. For one thing, most Nolan movies are influenced by Bond, no matter the subject matter, but second, I think Nolan very specifically didn’t want this to be a Bond film (if anything, I’d say the action in this movie is far more Bourne-influenced, just, you know, not awful). In fact, there’s one specific film, that’s not even really a spy movie, that I would compare TENET to (“[title redacted] on steroids” you might say), but to name it outright would be too much of a spoiler (hint: a major player in that movie is related to a major player in TENET).

But enough criticism. Let’s get to the good stuff.

As we’ve some to expect, if nothing else, I appreciate Nolan’s effort to capturing things in the camera lens as much as humanly possible. Someone else could have made this movie, no doubt for a lot cheaper, and filled in scenes with CGI rather than real extras and practical effects, but it just would not have looked the same. We’ve become so accustomed to computer generated sets and people that simply seeing dozens of actual humans on screen, in a real location, is visually striking (not unlike Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood).

And speaking of humans, there are actually multiple performances worth mentioning here. For one, John David Washington. If he didn’t already win you over in BlacKKKlansman, he’s officially putting you on notice now that he is a S-T-A-R. I seriously could not get enough of him. Also, Robert Pattinson, as I’ve come to expect, turns in another compelling performance (and I’m guessing he got to have even more fun than usual, not having to deal with the extra layer of an American accent [not that he isn’t great at those]). And, finally, Kenneth Branagh gives the movie some real weight; I mean, I loved him for his five-or-so minutes in Dunkirk, but this is the best acting work I’ve seen from him in years.

Overall, I guess I have paradoxical thoughts on TENET, which is somewhat appropriate. On the one hand, it doesn’t feel like the most original Nolan movie, because it’s kind of a spiritual sequel to Inception the way The Fury is to Carrie for Brian De Palma; and yet, there are elements of it that still feel, if not groundbreaking, at least new for Nolan.

It’s a lot, it’ll overwhelm many, but, despite the runtime, I was never bored, and that pays off many debts.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Thanksgiving Smörgåsbord: ‘The Front Runner’ – ‘Creed II’ – ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ – ‘Robin Hood’ (2018)

One of these things is not like the other…

Let’s get it on.

Directed by Jason Reitman
Written by Matt Bai & Jay Carson & Jason Reitman, based on the book All The Truth Is Out by Matt Bai
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J. K. Simmons, Alfred Molina, Sara Paxton, Mamoudou Athie, John Bedford Lloyd, Bill Burr, Kaitlyn Dever, Molly Ephraim, Josh Brener, Mike Judge, Kevin Pollak, Ari Graynor, Mark O’Brien, Alex Karpovsky, Toby Huss, Tommy Dewey, Spencer Garrett, Nyasha Hatendi, Steve Zissis, Chris Coy, Jennifer Landon, Oliver Cooper, Courtney Ford, Jonny Pasvolsky, Randy Havens, Steve Coulter, Jenna Kanell, Gabriel Manak, Evan Castelloe
Soundtrack: Rob Simonsen

The Front Runner has gotten mixed reviews, and I think I know why (Rorschach test-type situation), but ultimately I don’t understand why.  Given that we live in the Golden Age of the Documentary, and based-on-true-story movies often fail to justify themselves, this one was a refreshing exception.

I’ll admit that I haven’t seen a Jason Reitman film since Thank You for Smoking, which I enjoyed and which The Front Runner compares favorably to, though they are distinct from each other, but to me you can’t really ask for more from a non-fantastical film-making perspective.  It’s a period piece that takes itself very seriously in that regard (which I appreciated to no end), it’s slick, the performances are by-and-large very good if not excellent (a few questionable casting decisions, but nothing unforgivable), and, at least in my opinion, it lets you make up your own mind (which is perhaps why some people are down on it).

Truthfully though, this is the Hugh Jackman show.  Not that he doesn’t have plenty of help (Vera Farmiga in particular is her usual wonderful self), but it’s certainly among the best performances I’ve ever seen from him, maybe the best so far.  I don’t know if it’ll be “impressive” enough to earn him awards season love, but it would not shock me to see him earn some nods.

It may not be an entirely life-changing experience (although it is about not only a life-changing experience, but a societal-changing experience), but given how down this year has been for movies, I have no problem giving The Front Runner a quality recommendation.

Rating: ★★★★☆

 

Directed by Steven Caple Jr.
Written by Sylvester Stallone (story and screenplay), Juel Taylor (screenplay), Sascha Penn (story), and Cheo Hodari Coker (story)
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Dolph Lundgren, Florian Munteanu, Wood Harris, Russell Hornsby, Andre Ward, Phylicia Rashad, Jacob “Stitch” Duran
Soundtrack: Ludwig Göransson

Alright, Rocky IV: Part 3-D.  Let’s do this.

It’s crazy, because the main fulcrum of Creed II is like something a couple of kids would have thought up on a playground thirty years ago: “What if Apollo Creed had a son and Ivan Drago had a son and they fought each other?”

And yet, it works.  As predictable as it may be at times, as a sequel to a sequel to a sequel will be, Creed II still has enough in its core to be satisfying.

Story-wise, it’s not as cohesive as I remember its predecessor being, but it brings out just as much emotion (cribbing good story elements from Rocky II, III, and IV helps with that), and, frankly, from a visual standpoint, I actually think it’s a better looking film (I can’t find any numbers, but I’m guessing this had a bigger budget than the $35 million for Creed, which would be one explanation why).

In terms of performances, not everybody gets a whole lot to do (even Stallone seems to have less screen-time than in the last one), but I can’t think of anyone who sticks out in a bad way (except maybe for Max “Where’s My Camera” Kellerman).  Even Dolph Lundgren (who I like more than most other people seem to) brings his fair share to the table.  And, he only gets about three scenes, but I really liked Russell Hornsby as the fight promoter.

I know I rag on Hollywood’s lack of originality these days quite a bit, but at the same time I try to judge every movie I see on it’s own merits, and I like what Creed II brings to the table, especially as a Rocky IV fan.

Rating: ★★★★☆

 

Directed by Phil Johnston & Rich Moore
Written by Phil Johnston (story and screenplay) & Pamela Ribon (story and screenplay), Rich Moore (story), Jim Reardon (story), Josie Trinidad (story)
Cast: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, Bill Hader, Alfred Molina, Alan Tudyk, Ed O’Neill, Flula Borg, Hamish Blake, Ali Wong, GloZell Green, Timothy Simons, Ana Ortiz, Jason Mantzoukas
Soundtrack: Henry Jackman

On the one hand, I want to hate on Ralph Breaks the Internet for being a giant corporate self-pleasure session (which, to be fair, it is).

On the other hand, it’s a lot of fun and it tugged at my heartstrings.

Life is complicated sometimes.

I don’t remember why I didn’t see Wreck-It Ralph in theaters, I think I was just too skeptical to pull the trigger, but eventually I came around to it on DVD and was pleasantly surprised; and the sequel is an even more pleasant surprise because it might actually be better than the original.

Does it go too far sometimes with the references for references’ sake?  Most certainly yes, but, strip all of that away (and, honestly, sometimes it is handled in clever and humorous ways, especially the princess elements), and you still have a solid story of friendship.  Simple, but solid.

It might seem obvious, given that it’s an animated film, but beyond the voice performances, which are by-and-large on point, and the music, the movie’s biggest strength is it’s detailed visual creativity.  Little things like how players in the not-Grand Theft Auto game move with a little lag as opposed to the free-flowing non-player characters, and just overall in how the Internet as a setting is portrayed, as I said, it’s a lot of fun.

Will Ralph Breaks the Internet hold up in ten to fifteen years?  Maybe, maybe not, but somehow it feels more substantial than a lot of other “time-capsule” movies.  I mean, it’s clearly geared towards Disney fanatics, of which I am not one, and I still give it a high recommendation, so, take that for what it’s worth.

Rating: ★★★★☆

 

Directed by Otto Bathurst
Written by Ben Chandler (screenplay and story) and David James Kelly (screenplay)
Cast: Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx, Ben Mendelsohn, Eve Hewson, Tim Minchin, Jamie Dornan, Paul Anderson, Josh Herdman, Cornelius Booth, Björn Bengtsson
Soundtrack: Joseph Trapanese

Hey, remember Batman Begins?  That was a good movie.

No, but seriously, as much as this version of Robin Hood wanted me to hate it, I can’t say I hated it.  I wouldn’t say it’s good, but it’s not all bad either.

I don’t know that it entirely works or makes sense (in fact, it’s a bit jarring at times), but I don’t fault the filmmakers for trying to do something different in terms of visual style and fight choreography.  After all, when you’re the fifty-seventh (numbers approximate) Robin Hood movie in film history, you’ve got to do something to distinguish yourself.

Honestly, even story-wise, I wouldn’t say things are entirely poor, but there are moments when the writing is so awful you can’t even believe it.  Add to this a dose of ham-fisted social and political commentary (The War on Terror is the new Crusades!  The Church is evil!), which is no surprise given that one of the producers is Leonardo DiCaprio, and some related tonal inconsistencies (much of the movie is played pretty straight, but then there are scenes, in order to paint people as cartoonishly evil, that are like The Hunger Games meets Mad Max), and you go from a pretty good movie to something you’d randomly find in a Redbox.

As I keep saying though, it’s not all bad, and most of the good comes down to Taron Egerton as Robin Hood.  Occasionally there’s a line or two that not even Laurence Olivier could make good, but on the whole his performance is charming and enjoyable, yet deeply human.

Still though, as most remakes are, 2018’s Robin Hood isn’t really worth your time or money.

You might even say that it’s a Thanksgiving turkey.

Rating: ★★½ (out of five)

New and Old Twofer – ‘Venom’ and ‘The Blob’ (1988) – Oozing on Through

Venom

Directed by Ruben Fleischer
Written by Scott Rosenberg & Jeff Pinkner (screenplay and story), Kelly Marcel (screenplay), and Will Beall (screenplay), based on the Marvel comics by Todd McFarlane & David Michelinie
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Scott Haze, Reid Scott, Jenny Slate, Michelle Lee, Mac Brandt, Sope Aluko, Wayne Péré, Scott Deckert, Marcella Bragio, Christian Convery, Sam Medina, Ron Cephas Jones
Soundtrack: Ludwig Göransson

Another week, another Riz Ahmed movie, and another big surprise.

I will admit, as I did last month, that it’s been such a down year for movies that I may well be grading on a curve at this point, but I will say unequivocally that in terms of new releases, Venom is the most fun I’ve had in a theater in 2018.  Big time critics may not value that (or even experience it), but I do.

The film is a horror-comedy-action-sci-fi mash-up that won’t work for everyone, but it won me over early and never betrayed my trust.  It’s certainly the best thing Ruben Fleischer (who I’d say I generally like) has done since Zombieland.

Now, you may ask, “Is there a lot of CGI in this movie?” and the answer is yes, there is, but, there is also a noticeable commitment to keeping things practical where they could.  For example, at the beginning of the film, there’s a spaceship that crashes, and when you see a response team at the crash site, they’re not looking at a blue screen, they’re looking at, as Daniel Craig’s James Bond might say, “A bloody big ship,” and that warmed my heart immediately; not to mention there’s some lovely use of San Francisco as a location.

As far as performances go, I’m not sure you can call whatever Tom Hardy is doing good or bad, it just kind of is, and since this isn’t Citizen Kane, I was fine with it; and, frankly, he pulled off the humor much better than I would have expected.

Beyond that, I like the way the Venom story and characters have been updated to present day-sensibilities (making Eddie Brock essentially a VICE reporter is particularly choice), and, even though the studio opted out of going for the R-rating (despite the success of Deadpool and Logan), it’s clear to me that the movie owes something, at least in spirit, to the 80s splatter films of Frank Henenlotter and Stuart Gordon (as well as Chuck Russell’s The Blob, which we’ll get to shortly), perhaps even Devil’s Express.

It’s not the most original screenplay in the world in terms of plot (hello, Iron Man), but it at least tries to do it’s own thing tone-wise.

As I said, it won’t work for everyone, but it’s certainly better than the critical reception would have you believe; perfect for a Halloween season comic book fix.

Rating: ★★★★½

 

The Blob (1988)

Original Release Date: August 5, 1988
Directed by Chuck Russell
Written by Chuck Russell & Frank Darabont, based on an earlier screenplay by Theodore Simonson and Kay Linaker, based on a story by Irvine H. Millgate
Cast: Kevin Dillon, Shawnee Smith, Donovan Leitch, Jeffrey DeMunn, Candy Clark, Joe Seneca, Del Close, Paul McCrane, Robert Axelrod, Beau Billingslea, Michael Kenworthy, Douglas Emerson, Jamison Newlander, Judith Flanagan, Art LaFleur, Sharon Spelman, Billy Beck, Jack Nance, Bill Moseley, Erika Eleniak, Ricky Paull Goldin, Frank Collison, Jack Rader, Clayton Landey, Noble Craig, Julie McCullough
Soundtrack: Michael Hoenig

Full disclosure, I saw this in a double feature with the 1958 original, which gave me an appreciation I might not have otherwise had (not that I hadn’t seen both versions before).  I’d give the original a review as well, but it was on a pretty faded archival print and I just don’t feel right about judging it in that way.

Anyway, in terms of 80s horror (and remakes in general), Chuck Russell’s The Blob is definitely up there.

It’s essentially a sliced, diced, sauteed, and smothered (get it?) version of the original (Blob comes to Earth in a meteor, eats a hobo, wreaks havoc in a small town, etc.), with more than a dash of Stephen King mixed in for flavor (no surprise there given Russell co-wrote the screenplay with Frank Darabont), and a refreshing attention to detail (no joke, I think even the cliche jump-scare cat is set up).  Seriously, if you like structure in your plot, this is the movie for you.

And, it’s properly gooey and gory and gross, although it’s amazing how some of the practical effects don’t look all that different from their counterparts thirty years earlier.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s not the best-acted movie I’ve ever seen (although that aspect is still an upgrade over the original), but I can forgive that based on the strength of the visuals and the story.

Overall, 1988’s The Blob certainly isn’t as strong as Philip Kaufman’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers or John Carpenter’s The Thing, but, for the genre and the time it was made, it deserves to be in the conversation of more-than-worthwhile remakes.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Movie Review – ‘Black Panther’ – Rising Like Olympus

Directed by Ryan Coogler
Written by Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole, based on the comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Sterling K. Brown, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis, Florence Kasumba, John Kani, David S. Lee, Nabiyah Be, Isaach De Bankolé, Connie Chiume, Dorothy Steel, Danny Sapani, Atandwa Kani, Ashton Tyler, Denzel Whitaker, Seth Carr, Alexis Rhee
Soundtrack: Ludwig Göransson

I don’t know if anybody had the vision in 1998 that in twenty years time Marvel would be eighteen movies deep into a run of who-knows-how-many dozens of connected films grossing billions-upon-billions of dollars at the box office, but I do know that it all started with Blade.

That’s right.  The financial success of Blade was enough to convince Marvel that this whole movie thing was worth getting into (after some, shall we say, false starts in the 80s and early 90s).  Ten years later, bing-bang-boom, we’ve got Iron Man, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is off to the races.  Ten years on from there, enter Black Panther.  In a way, you could say it’s all come full circle.

But enough about that.  Is the movie any good?

Yes, very much so.

Black Panther is decidedly among the better MCU films thus far, is refreshingly story-driven, and has the most stand-alone feel of its peers since the original Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014.

More than that though, it’s got a lot of meat to it.

For one thing, the basic story is downright Shakespearean (King dies, Prince ascends the throne, and so on and so forth), but the film also delves into such real-world issues as the African vs. African-American experience, political isolationism, and violent vs. non-violent revolution, all naturally worked into the script without feeling like they were tacked on by some committee.

Of course, Black Panther is also a superhero movie, and a pretty good one at that.  I wouldn’t call it entirely perfect (some of the visuals felt a little lacking, and a few creative choices felt a bit off), but I liked that it was something of an origin story without starting all the way back at square one, and I particularly enjoyed the array of enjoyable characters (unlike some other movie).

If I have a couple of nitpicks, for one, it bums me out that seemingly everybody can put on an effective accent except for Chadwick Boseman as the titular character (although Forest Whitaker for some reason decided to sound like an Afrikaner…weird), and, second, I felt like Michael B. Jordan’s performance was a little too “I’m from the streets!”  I thought a little subtlety could have gone a long way there, but, like I said, these are nitpicks.

Overall, I have to hand it to Ryan Coogler for making yet another quality film that’s undoubtedly part of a larger franchise but also has enough legs to stand on its own, and credit to Marvel for letting him do it his way.  I was feeling pretty superhero-fatigued heading in, and I was worried there wouldn’t be enough to overcome that, but, in that respect, the movie triumphed.

Hail to the King, baby.

Rating: ★★★★☆

P.S.
Of course stingers, duh.

P.P.S.
As usual, thanks to Alamo Drafthouse for the glass.