Kubo and the Two Strings - I thought this movie was as close to perfect as anything I have seen all year. Beautiful to look at, poignant, sweetly humorous with a satisfying story and a wonderful message. I don't know what more you can ask for?
Moana - Funny and light with a great feminist hero, I enjoyed this movie a lot. My kids enjoyed it even more! There was something slightly empty about it, though? I liked it and them immediately started forgetting about it and probably won't ever need to see it again.
Zootopia - We saw this one so long ago! We loved it for its sharp sense of humor and inventive world. It was a really engaging adventure story and my friend Navin Pinto worked on it! Isn't he amazing? I think so, too. This one is a family favorite because of Flash the Sloth alone. He is the greatest animated character of the year!
The Red Turtle - A film about a castaway making a whole life on a remote island. The whole film is done without dialog. The character of the red turtle is the most visually interesting thing in the film, so yeah, I got a little bored. It is kind of a slow meditation on life, at times beautiful and at times perplexing. It mostly presents as a fairly realistic story so the few times that it crosses over into magic left me a little confused.
My Life As A Zucchini was not available for me to view.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Documentaries
The documentaries that are nominated every year absolutely gut me. By and large, this category is crammed with heavy, serious, depressing topics. Hard though they are to digest, I am always glad I get a chance to feel empathy for a new human experience and connect to the humanity of people who may or may not have anything in common with me.
Life, Animated - First of all, this film has illustrations by Mac Guff. (Don't get excited! There is no "r" in that name; it turns out it is not MacGruff, the crime dog!) This film is about an autistic boy's fascination with Disney's animated movies and how his parents used that to build a framework through which he could interact with the world. His mother describes losing him into autism and wanting to keep him so close and hug him so hard that whatever it was would go away! Ugh! So much truth in that. What mom or dad hasn't wanted to hug away all the ills that threaten the peace of our children? Ultimately, this is a pretty (cautiously) optimistic film.
13th - (Trigger Warning: Trump, violence) - Ava DuVernay's study of the criminalization of being black in America. It is moving, tough to watch, well put together and perfectly argued, in my opinion. I wish I could force half of America to watch this film with an open mind. At one point I openly wept at the juxtaposition of historical racial violence and modern day politics. Utter f*&king heart break.
I Am Not Your Negro - Another tough look at the racial history of America and the legacy of slavery. James Baldwin, an author and witness of the times, shares his views on the damage the white man has done to himself and his brothers with particular attention paid to his friends, Medgar Evars, Martin Luther King, Jr, and Malcolm X. This documentary is compiled of James Baldwin's readings and recorded appearances, with his written word performed admirably by Samuel Jackson. Assembling this sort of documentary is a tougher job. Its not easy to structure an argument and make clear points when you are restricted to the material you have from that one individual. It wanders a bit compared to the straight arrow of reasoning you receive in 13th, but its impact is no less disturbing or great.
Fire At Sea - There were two different movies going on. One was the quiet, traditional people of Lampudesa, a small fishing village of an island located between Sicily and Africa. The other movie was about the military ships stationed on Lampudesa who spend their days fishing refugees out of the ocean and the island doctor who tries to care for them. One would think that the refugee presence would have an impact on the residents but the viewer is never privy to it. I wish the juxtaposition of the two worlds paid off better. I also got no info about what happens to the refugees after they arrive here? Are they processed and moved on? Do they live here in camps? I left with a lot of questions. This one will probably win!
OJ: Made in America - This is a documentary series! It is seven and a half hours long. Techinically, they released it to a few theatre screenings first, making it eligible for Oscar nomination. I would prefer that they don't do this to me in the future! This challenge is taxing enough, people! It's hard to measure a weekly series against single sitting documentaries. This doc was comprehensive, for sure. It added a little context for me that I was less aware of, however, I watched the OJ trial in the 90s so there wasn't much that was new here for me.
Life, Animated - First of all, this film has illustrations by Mac Guff. (Don't get excited! There is no "r" in that name; it turns out it is not MacGruff, the crime dog!) This film is about an autistic boy's fascination with Disney's animated movies and how his parents used that to build a framework through which he could interact with the world. His mother describes losing him into autism and wanting to keep him so close and hug him so hard that whatever it was would go away! Ugh! So much truth in that. What mom or dad hasn't wanted to hug away all the ills that threaten the peace of our children? Ultimately, this is a pretty (cautiously) optimistic film.
13th - (Trigger Warning: Trump, violence) - Ava DuVernay's study of the criminalization of being black in America. It is moving, tough to watch, well put together and perfectly argued, in my opinion. I wish I could force half of America to watch this film with an open mind. At one point I openly wept at the juxtaposition of historical racial violence and modern day politics. Utter f*&king heart break.
I Am Not Your Negro - Another tough look at the racial history of America and the legacy of slavery. James Baldwin, an author and witness of the times, shares his views on the damage the white man has done to himself and his brothers with particular attention paid to his friends, Medgar Evars, Martin Luther King, Jr, and Malcolm X. This documentary is compiled of James Baldwin's readings and recorded appearances, with his written word performed admirably by Samuel Jackson. Assembling this sort of documentary is a tougher job. Its not easy to structure an argument and make clear points when you are restricted to the material you have from that one individual. It wanders a bit compared to the straight arrow of reasoning you receive in 13th, but its impact is no less disturbing or great.
Fire At Sea - There were two different movies going on. One was the quiet, traditional people of Lampudesa, a small fishing village of an island located between Sicily and Africa. The other movie was about the military ships stationed on Lampudesa who spend their days fishing refugees out of the ocean and the island doctor who tries to care for them. One would think that the refugee presence would have an impact on the residents but the viewer is never privy to it. I wish the juxtaposition of the two worlds paid off better. I also got no info about what happens to the refugees after they arrive here? Are they processed and moved on? Do they live here in camps? I left with a lot of questions. This one will probably win!
OJ: Made in America - This is a documentary series! It is seven and a half hours long. Techinically, they released it to a few theatre screenings first, making it eligible for Oscar nomination. I would prefer that they don't do this to me in the future! This challenge is taxing enough, people! It's hard to measure a weekly series against single sitting documentaries. This doc was comprehensive, for sure. It added a little context for me that I was less aware of, however, I watched the OJ trial in the 90s so there wasn't much that was new here for me.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Tanna
Tanna is based on a true marriage dispute among the tribal people of Vanuatu. It closely resembles Romeo and Juliet in content. What makes it special is that its actors are the modern day tribal people of Vanuatu who agreed to act out the story. These people have chosen to uphold the old ways and continue their tribal lifestyle even with some modern day homes and electricity on their island! It's pretty astounding.
The film is beautiful! The mists of the forest, the blue of the waters and the backdrop of an active volcano are all breathtaking. The tribal life depicted is genuine, so the acting is natural and feels special and real.
It really feels like a gem, like you are being afforded the opportunity to witness something that few people would otherwise see. I am struck by the brilliance of this project. If a documentary had been made about the life these tribes live, that would have been interesting and informative, I'm sure. But the choice to have them enact a story from their own history and in so doing, let us in to their lives and customs is a really magnificent and beautiful way to connect us to a very unique culture in a small corner of the world.
The film is beautiful! The mists of the forest, the blue of the waters and the backdrop of an active volcano are all breathtaking. The tribal life depicted is genuine, so the acting is natural and feels special and real.
It really feels like a gem, like you are being afforded the opportunity to witness something that few people would otherwise see. I am struck by the brilliance of this project. If a documentary had been made about the life these tribes live, that would have been interesting and informative, I'm sure. But the choice to have them enact a story from their own history and in so doing, let us in to their lives and customs is a really magnificent and beautiful way to connect us to a very unique culture in a small corner of the world.
The Salesman
Trigger warning: Sexual Assault
The Salesman was not what I expected!
I knew it was an Iranian film about a couple that is putting on a production of Death of a Salesman and that's all I knew. It is about so much more than that!
It is about marriage and hardship. It is about assault and the aftermath. It is about shame and the wedges it drives between people. It is about revenge and entitlement. It is about empathy and pushing the limits of understanding. Holy cow! It made me think so much and feel so confused about really complex situations!
The acting was really great, the pacing admirable; just all around great film making!
The Salesman was not what I expected!
I knew it was an Iranian film about a couple that is putting on a production of Death of a Salesman and that's all I knew. It is about so much more than that!
It is about marriage and hardship. It is about assault and the aftermath. It is about shame and the wedges it drives between people. It is about revenge and entitlement. It is about empathy and pushing the limits of understanding. Holy cow! It made me think so much and feel so confused about really complex situations!
The acting was really great, the pacing admirable; just all around great film making!
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Isabelle Huppert in Elle
Trigger Warning: Rape Story Told by Men
Elle. WTF?
Can I just stop there? I don't know what to do with this movie.
Paul Verhoeven made a film about a woman who gets raped. But this woman is Elle and she is different. Her father was a sociopath serial killer and so maybe she has problems, too? Or maybe she is just another strong woman who gets called a bitch at work? Maybe she is cold and heartless? Or maybe she is just confident and knows what she wants?
Maybe this film is really feminist? But then why does it make me so uncomfortable?
The rape is brutal. And so is the violent sex that later becomes consensual. The one thing I can say in defense of this film is that they never romanticize these scenes. They aren't shot to be sexy, thank goodness. They are fairly disturbing and mostly offered without a defined point of view.
What I don't like about the film is watching a story about rape and sex that is told by a male director, with three male writers, a male cinematographer, a male editor and based on a book by a male author. I think it is time we took the depiction of rape in film seriously, and that has to mean that we include women's points of view in how these stories are told. Maybe each of these men is close to a woman who has been a victim to male brutality and made it out of a deep sense of activism? I know I should leave space for that, but also, I just don't buy it.
I could not help several times during the film imagining three or four white men having coffee and one of them saying, "But what if she kind of likes the rape?" And then I want to vomit.
While the film making was sound and the story did hold some interest, I would prefer we don't see any more films like this. Thank you.
Elle. WTF?
Can I just stop there? I don't know what to do with this movie.
Paul Verhoeven made a film about a woman who gets raped. But this woman is Elle and she is different. Her father was a sociopath serial killer and so maybe she has problems, too? Or maybe she is just another strong woman who gets called a bitch at work? Maybe she is cold and heartless? Or maybe she is just confident and knows what she wants?
Maybe this film is really feminist? But then why does it make me so uncomfortable?
The rape is brutal. And so is the violent sex that later becomes consensual. The one thing I can say in defense of this film is that they never romanticize these scenes. They aren't shot to be sexy, thank goodness. They are fairly disturbing and mostly offered without a defined point of view.
What I don't like about the film is watching a story about rape and sex that is told by a male director, with three male writers, a male cinematographer, a male editor and based on a book by a male author. I think it is time we took the depiction of rape in film seriously, and that has to mean that we include women's points of view in how these stories are told. Maybe each of these men is close to a woman who has been a victim to male brutality and made it out of a deep sense of activism? I know I should leave space for that, but also, I just don't buy it.
I could not help several times during the film imagining three or four white men having coffee and one of them saying, "But what if she kind of likes the rape?" And then I want to vomit.
While the film making was sound and the story did hold some interest, I would prefer we don't see any more films like this. Thank you.
Visual Effects
Rogue One - This is such a nuanced and more grown up look at unrest and resistance. These characters have guilt, darkness, blood on their hands. Everyone who signs up for the mission to sabotage the death star is looking for some redemption. They have either done too much for their causes or not enough. There is a high price to be paid for this, too!
My favorite part about Rogue One is that there are so many people that have to dig deep in dire circumstances in order for the mission to be successful. If any one of them had failed, the rebellion would have lost. Each one of these heroes not only had to draw from immense bravery but they had to do so with no guarantee that their plan could ever be carried out. They have to rebel on their hope and faith alone! So tragic.
When I think of Luke and Leia with their clean white outfits and their straightforward, indignant defiance of the Empire, I can't help but feel their privilege has protected them from a lot. But no matter. I don't care how or when people join the fight as long as we are all working together to defeat Trump. Or the evil empire! Whatever. What were we talking about?
Oh, Visual Effects! Yeah those were pretty cool, too.
Doctor Strange - Seriously mind blowing effects! I get dizzy watching these sequences where you manipulate the time space continuum and bend a whole city street around you just to be a pip to someone who is chasing you. I mean, I don't just get dizzy because they are turning the world upside down, but also just thinking about how to conceive of, design and implement an action sequence that incorporates such unreality. It's pretty cool, but it's even better when it happens in a movie that is actually enjoyable in terms of plot and character as well!
Jungle Book - This live action realization of the old Disney cartoon has non stop visual effects, some which looked seamless and others not so much. The movie was fine but I really don't like talking animals! I prefer the animated classic.
Deepwater Horizon - Wow! The movie exhaustion is setting in. It took me two nights to get through screening this and I still nodded off several times. It was a standard "Mark Wahlberg-is-a-hero" kind of movie. Lots of loud and complex noises (it's nominated for Sound Editing, too) and the hero does a LOT of slow motion hugging at the end.
Kubo & the Two Strings is under Animated films.
My favorite part about Rogue One is that there are so many people that have to dig deep in dire circumstances in order for the mission to be successful. If any one of them had failed, the rebellion would have lost. Each one of these heroes not only had to draw from immense bravery but they had to do so with no guarantee that their plan could ever be carried out. They have to rebel on their hope and faith alone! So tragic.
When I think of Luke and Leia with their clean white outfits and their straightforward, indignant defiance of the Empire, I can't help but feel their privilege has protected them from a lot. But no matter. I don't care how or when people join the fight as long as we are all working together to defeat Trump. Or the evil empire! Whatever. What were we talking about?
Oh, Visual Effects! Yeah those were pretty cool, too.
Doctor Strange - Seriously mind blowing effects! I get dizzy watching these sequences where you manipulate the time space continuum and bend a whole city street around you just to be a pip to someone who is chasing you. I mean, I don't just get dizzy because they are turning the world upside down, but also just thinking about how to conceive of, design and implement an action sequence that incorporates such unreality. It's pretty cool, but it's even better when it happens in a movie that is actually enjoyable in terms of plot and character as well!
Jungle Book - This live action realization of the old Disney cartoon has non stop visual effects, some which looked seamless and others not so much. The movie was fine but I really don't like talking animals! I prefer the animated classic.
Deepwater Horizon - Wow! The movie exhaustion is setting in. It took me two nights to get through screening this and I still nodded off several times. It was a standard "Mark Wahlberg-is-a-hero" kind of movie. Lots of loud and complex noises (it's nominated for Sound Editing, too) and the hero does a LOT of slow motion hugging at the end.
Kubo & the Two Strings is under Animated films.
Songs?
Why do I even watch this category? It's not even about the film making! I already reviewed Moana and La La Land. These are the other films with original songs that have been nominated.
Trolls - dreadful
Jim: The James Foley Story - Tough to watch story about the frontline conflict journalist that was murdered by Isis. I really felt for the painfully normal family that did not understand their crazy son/brother and his need to throw himself in harm's way. I didn't quite understand it either; I vacillated between finding theses private war journalists heroic and utterly idiotic. Not one of the best made docs, but Sting did the song.
Trolls - dreadful
Jim: The James Foley Story - Tough to watch story about the frontline conflict journalist that was murdered by Isis. I really felt for the painfully normal family that did not understand their crazy son/brother and his need to throw himself in harm's way. I didn't quite understand it either; I vacillated between finding theses private war journalists heroic and utterly idiotic. Not one of the best made docs, but Sting did the song.
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