Tag: Mckenna Grace

Twofer Review – ‘Apollo 11’ and ‘Captain Marvel’ – Up and Down

Directed and Edited by Todd Douglas Miller
Soundtrack: Matt Morton

In an era in which we have seemingly unlimited options for content, and the only event “everybody” stops and looks at anymore is the Super Bowl, it can be difficult to:
A. have an appreciation for a truly shared cultural experience
and
B. think of a “documentary” as a must-see cinematic event.

Apollo 11, however, will make you a true believer.

This is a big, beautiful movie; as big as anything you’ll see on the big screen this year.

Rather than a traditional documentary with face-to-face interviews and a lot of experts explaining things, Apollo 11 is more of an art house experience, but make no mistake, it’s for everyone, not just a niche audience. Whether you’re a NASA nerd or a complete space novice, the power of the film is undeniable.

There’s not much else I can say in terms of the moon landing itself or the movie, but the score by Matt Morton is as nearly perfect as the rest of the film (and, as confirmed to me by a source, was performed on strictly Sixties period instruments, which is impressive).

You will laugh; you will cry; you will cheer.

If you see nothing else theatrically in 2019, go see Apollo 11.

Rating: ★★★★½ (out of five)



Directed by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
Written by Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck (story and screenplay), Geneva Robertson-Dworet (story and screenplay), and Nicole Perlman & Meg LaFauve (story)
Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, Jude Law, Akira Akbar, Azari Akbar, Mckenna Grace, London Fuller, Marilyn Brett, Stan Lee
Soundtrack: Pinar Toprak

It stands to reason that after twenty-one feature films since 2008 (and three per year since 2017) the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) would start to unravel at some point.

I haven’t seen every MCU film theatrically, but I have seen every single one in full. They’re not all great, but to this point they’ve all maintained a certain level of quality, be it through ambition, emotion, charm, or just being quirky.

Unfortunately, Captain Marvel is lacking in all of these areas.

Frankly, it’s a boring, predictable tonal mess that feels like a Frankenstein’s monster of a script, and it tries to skate by on some mild Nineties nostalgia that largely falls flat (REMEMBER BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO!?).

The one true highlight of the movie is some quality de-aging effects for Sam Jackson (who finally gets to have some fun in these movies).

Other than that, there’s just not a lot to grab onto. I like Brie Larson as an actress, I’ve seen her do quality work, but her attempt to be laid-back and cool here just comes off as lethargic; and she’s not the only quality performer who goes wasted (Jude Law and Ben Mendelsohn among them).

Overall, there’s nothing Captain Marvel does better than any MCU film beforehand, and for the first time ever in seeing this giant franchise I felt like the movie was just total a waste of time.

The worst sin, though, is that the biggest question the film asks goes unanswered. I could forgive a lot but to get to the end of a movie like this and not have that “Why?” answered is just too much.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Movie Review – ‘I, Tonya’ – Stranger Than Fiction

I apologize.  This is another one I should have had up weeks ago.

Directed by Craig Gillespie
Written by Steven Rogers
Cast: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney, Julianne Nicholson, Paul Walter Hauser, Bobby Cannavale, Caitlin Carver, Mckenna Grace, Jason Davis, Anthony Reynolds, Ricky Russert, Jan Harrelson, Luray Cooper
Soundtrack: Peter Nashel

I’m inclined to say that this is a movie that came out of nowhere, but that’s not entirely true, at least for me.  I knew it had gotten some buzz at various festivals, but I didn’t truly believe the hype until I actually saw it.

And boy am I a believer.

Perhaps what is most satisfying about I, Tonya is that it got me to root for someone I never thought I would.  Not that I ever had a grudge against Tonya Harding, per se.  I’m old enough to remember “the incident”, but not quite old enough to remember the full breadth of the circus surrounding it.  As they say though, perception often becomes reality, and my opinion of her was essentially a photocopy of a photocopy of a Hard Copy.

Not that I, Tonya even purports to tell “the truth”, as the film concedes right up front that it’s a compilation of personal and often wildly contradictory accounts from the people who lived it, which I found to be admirably honest (perhaps somewhat ironically).

What is also tremendously satisfying about I, Tonya is that it gave me so much from people I had been really eager to see more from, namely Margot Robbie and Sebastian Stan.  Both established actors, to be sure, but the show they put on here is truly a tour de force.  Their commitment to their roles and the range of emotions they go through (not to mention the span of time within the world of the film) helps elevate the movie beyond its occasionally noticeable budget limitations.

Of course I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention Allison Janney as Tonya’s mom, who pretty much steals the show anytime she’s on screen.  Her performance in particular is actually rather emblematic of the film itself: brash, coarse, sardonic, yet at times humorous and even heartfelt…in her own way.

Kudos to director Craig Gillespie and writer Steven Rogers for making the decision to do this story as a dark comedy.  I suppose it could have worked another way, but I can’t imagine it would have been as effective, engaging, or artful.  Also, as period pieces go, this one dives in headfirst, and I love the movie even more for it.

In the end, much like Tonya Harding herself, I, Tonya may not be entirely flawless, but it’s definitely something special.  One of the best of 2017, hands down.

And wherever she is, I hope she’s doing great.

Rating: ★★★★½ (out of five)

Movie Review – ‘Gifted’ – Something Unexpected

Directed by Marc Webb
Written by Tom Flynn
Cast: Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan, Jenny Slate, Octavia Spencer, Glenn Plummer, Elizabeth Marvel, John M. Jackson
Soundtrack: Rob Simonsen

I’m going to climb out on a limb and say that, based on what I’ve seen from the marketing, I am not in the target demographic for this film:

A single uncle raising his super smart niece finds himself in a battle with his mother over custody of the child.

Sounds like the plot of a terrible Hallmark Channel movie, doesn’t it?

Fortunately, Gifted is much better than that, and for not being the garbage it so easily could have been, it has my respect.

It may not be Oscar bait, and it may not go to the same emotional depths as something like Manchester By The Sea or Good Will Hunting or Kramer vs. Kramer (I suppose the plot of Gifted is a mix of all three), but it’s a quality familial drama nonetheless; and it’s a welcome return to form for director Marc Webb, who stormed onto the scene with his debut film (500) Days of Summer and was quickly diverted down the Amazing Spider-Man path (possibly because his last name is Webb; I don’t know).

I also respect Gifted for transcending the axiom of “Never work with children or animals,” because Mckenna Grace, like Dafne Keen in Logan (a bit apples and oranges, but still), is a young star on the rise; and there’s also a one-eyed cat who does a fine job.  And, of course, the other experienced actors in the film perform as well as you’d expect them to.

There are certainly some “movie moments” in Gifted, and I couldn’t tell you if it’s entirely realistic, but on the whole I did not feel pandered to, talked down to, or manipulated.  There may be characters you don’t like, but everyone feels like a human being; there are no monsters or psychopaths.  However, as mature as it is, it is not without a sense of humor, which is helpful.

Other than that, there’s not much else to say without getting into spoilers, which I don’t want to do because I really liked this movie.

It may not be an all-time classic, but sometimes you need a heartwarming movie that has a brain, too, and Gifted definitely fills that role.

Good for dates or watching with grandma.

Rating: ★★★★☆