By Brett Blake For reasons that need no elaboration, 2020 was a strikingly odd year for cinema. With most (but not all) of the scheduled major theatrical releases pushed off into 2021, premium cable, streaming, and VOD became the avenues for new films to make their way to audiences. I ended up seeing even more new movies in 2020 than I did in 2019, but the majority were of a quality that was... well, let’s say subpar. A lot of crap got dumped into the digital release pipeline, but thankfully, some quite solid efforts also made it through, and the first few months of the year brought some terrific offerings to theaters, as well. So even with 2020 being, overall, a disappointing movie year, none of the films on this list have made it here by default, or because of a lack of options. Even in a great cinema year, I think any of these might have found their way onto an end-of-year “Top 10” list. So let’s take a look. Honorable Mentions
10. RUN (Directed by Aneesh Chaganty) Though derivative of several already-existing thrillers (MISERY is the big one that comes immediately to mind, but there are others), this is elevated by its two central performances and some terrific pacing. Sarah Paulson has this uncanny ability to go big without losing emotional authenticity, and she brings those skills to the table with her work in this. On paper, there’s a much more arch, vile way this character could be portrayed, but Paulson eschews the obvious, less interesting possibilities in favor of some genuine layers, while still being majorly threatening. Kiera Allen makes something usually very difficult -- appearing to think and work things out on-screen -- seem extremely easy, and she deserves a lot of credit for tackling the physicality of the role with (apparent) ease. The scenarios may be rather trope-y and old hat (especially for those who’ve consumed a healthy diet of thrillers over the years), but the direction is effective and confident enough -- and the pacing dialed right in -- that, when paired with the strength of the acting, RUN crosses over from being just serviceable and familiar, to being genuinely good. 09. SOUL (Directed by Pete Docter) Easily the most emotionally mature, adult-skewing Pixar film to date. That’s not to imply that kids won’t get anything out of this, but the themes it’s playing around with will absolutely be particularly resonant for a slightly older crowd. After a kind of rough first act, it settles into a groove. All the material about finding the joys and simple pleasures in everyday life is highly effective, and its big idea about trying to find fulfillment in one’s life was presented with a deft touch that keeps things from becoming too heavy (or sappy). It’s relatable and affecting stuff. The primary vocal performances from Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey are excellent; they hit just the right balance of being funny without being grating, and being emotionally resonant without being cloying. The animation’s beautiful, and the score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is tremendous. 08. LEAP OF FAITH: WILLIAM FRIEDKIN ON THE EXORCIST (Directed by Alexandre O. Philippe) Sometimes, simplicity in the documentary form really pays off. LEAP OF FAITH is essentially just a long conversation with William Friedkin, director of THE EXORCIST -- he’s entirely the guiding force. There’s nothing particularly notable in terms of the construction or the filmmaking, but that’s surely because director Alexandre O. Philippe understood that simply letting Friedkin talk would be compelling enough. And it is. His recollections and ruminations on that seminal film are constantly engaging, and packed with anecdotes that even I -- an EXORCIST devotee -- had never heard before. So it’s absolutely essential for EXORCIST fans, of course, but those who appreciate the cinema of the 1970s should also likely find a lot here to be of interest. I found it completely fascinating. 07. RELIC (Directed by Natalie Erika James) A movie with an atmosphere of intense unease, which uses the visual language of horror to address real-life anxieties of aging. It’s hauntingly and evocatively shot, plus there are some truly eerie moments of “blink and you’ll miss them” apparitions. Emily Mortimer and Bella Heathcote both do solid work, but it’s Robyn Nevin who contributes the most important performance; the movie lives or dies based on how this role is handled, and there are a lot of ways it could have gone wrong, but Nevin is utterly convincing (and avoids most of the more traditional “crazy old lady” pitfalls). The sound design is terrific, which emphasizes the creaks and groans of the house where the story takes place, and also implements some more subtle, psychological touches. Much like was the case with THE BABADOOK, which similarly uses the horror genre in a metaphorical way, people who go into this film expecting a conventionally scary movie may come away underwhelmed. This is very much a slow burn, and while it’s tremendously and consistently creepy throughout, it’s far (very far) from a jump scare machine. So look elsewhere if that’s a prerequisite for you. 06. BAD EDUCATION (Directed by Cory Finley) Probably career-best work from Hugh Jackman, playing a character totally unlike anything I’ve ever seen from him. It’s a complex performance that involves so many elements (warmth, dedication, desperation), and it could have gone too broad and caricature-y in the wrong hands, but Jackman makes this guy feel like a completely real, authentic, complicated human being. Allison Janney’s also great as Jackman’s right-hand woman (confidant/consigliere/conspirator), and the distinctly different energy she brings to this role makes for a great contrast with the work Jackman’s doing. Both bring quite a bit of nuance to their parts, which helps us empathize with people who have made decisions that are difficult (and/or impossible) to justify. So as an acting showcase and a chronicle of an unusual true story, it works in a big way. 05. ONWARD (Directed by Dan Scanlon) 2020 was a good year for Pixar, as this is a thoroughly charming, heartwarming adventure. There were probably lots of ways that the central conceit of this movie’s world could have gone wrong, but the filmmakers thread the needle of being genuinely funny without becoming grating or -- worst of all -- pandering. From a design standpoint, it has a lot of fun fusing classic high fantasy concepts with something identifiable as related to our modern world, and this gives the movie a pretty fresh visual approach. Where ONWARD really shines, though, is in the arena of its characters, particularly the central brothers; the film mines humor from them, of course, but the heart of the movie is the way it handles their relationship. Pixar’s patented “We’re gonna try as hard as we can to make everyone in the audience cry!” touch is certainly felt, though the writing earns it. The loss of a parent is a trope that has a storied history in Disney media, and this explores that idea with some nuance, depth, and surprising frankness. 04. LET HIM GO (Directed by Thomas Bezucha) I mean this in a good way: LET HIM GO feels like an old-school, nuts-and-bolts dramatic thriller for adults, where a (relatively) simple yarn is executed in a straightforward -- but effective -- way. Diane Lane and Kevin Costner are excellent here, embodying a particular kind of subdued Americana folksiness, displaying convincing concern for their grandson and for the increasingly tense situation they find themselves in. Opposite them, Lesley Manville nearly walks off with the entire film as the matriarch of a very dangerous family; this performance is an eye-opening demonstration of her range. It’s quite well-shot, as the story is photographed like a kind of stark western, with lots of expansive landscapes against mostly-cloudy or hazy skies. The movie also boasts a fairly low-key and very warm score from composer Michael Giacchino. It’s a no-nonsense movie in a quite appealing way, and should make pretty good company alongside other recent neo-westerns like HELL OR HIGH WATER and WIND RIVER. 03. TENET (Directed by Christopher Nolan) The ultimate Christopher Nolan film, in many ways encapsulating the very best -- and some of the worst -- of his tendencies and interests. His preoccupation with time (as both a thematic idea and a storytelling device) is in full bloom here, and the result sees him staging big, cinematic sequences that hold true, visceral power. While, at heart, this is an espionage tale (complete with stylish wardrobe and cool locations), Nolan further dresses that up (some might say fusses with it) with a conceit that -- while visually extremely cool to watch -- will surely frustrate some viewers. There’s a difference between believing in an audience’s intelligence, and deliberately challenging them with an impenetrable story; Nolan errs a bit to much towards the latter this time out. I also really can’t defend the muddled sound mix, which is clearly a filmmaking choice made by Nolan. There is so much exposition in here that if the viewer doesn’t catch it all through the dialogue, they could easily be totally lost (in a story with logistics that would already be pretty complicated even if all the dialogue was heard in crystal clarity). However, the movie’s spectacle is properly spectacular. Photographed incredibly well, the setpieces here are absolutely wonderful, and contain more than a couple of jaw-dropping “How’d they do that?!” moments. So the picture’s strengths are good enough to easily put it among the best (and certainly the most ambitious) films of the year, and you have to appreciate a filmmaker creating big, original science fiction stories at this level. 02. THE VAST OF NIGHT (Directed by Andrew Patterson) A remarkable demonstration of filmmaking prowess from director Andrew Patterson. There are sequences in here of great visual energy and invention, and even the scenes of relatively simple character interaction are consistently compelling. On a script/story level, it has to be stressed that this is a very small, contained tale. It skews lower-key than some might expect or want, refraining from taking the story into bigger or more outlandish areas. In that sense, it truly does feel like a (very technically-accomplished) throwback to the sort of scope that one would find on THE TWILIGHT ZONE (which is a good thing). Something the script does very well is quickly establish our central characters, their dynamics, and the locations of the small town before the supernatural mystery starts to develop; we get a very good sense of this sort of “aw shucks” 1950s setting, and the way the paranormal starts to creep in is handled very effectively. Sierra McCormick and Jake Horowitz are terrific as the protagonists, with Horowitz bringing a bit of an affected “‘50s cool” vibe that is gradually chipped away, while McCormick has a “gee whiz” presence that is highly engaging. It’s a beautifully-shot film, both in lighting and camera placement/movement, and the confidence displayed here by Patterson immediately marks him as an extremely promising talent. 01. THE INVISIBLE MAN (Directed by Leigh Whannell) A fantastic, suspenseful re-interpretation of a classic tale (which dates back to a story courtesy of the legendary H.G. Wells) from writer/director Leigh Whannell. Employing some very effective cinematic techniques, Whannell reframes the Invisible Man story as a parable about domestic abuse and trauma at the hands of a sociopath. The idea of there being somebody watching you, following you, harassing you... who you cannot see... is very chilling, and that flavor provides Whannell’s story with a great deal of its intensity. How can you really hope to escape a presence like that? The implications are genuinely very frightening, and Whannell explores them to great effect and for maximum tension. When shots of empty rooms are powerfully unnerving, as they often are in this film, you’ve done something very right. Elisabeth Moss is extremely impressive in the central role, not only eliciting deep sympathy from the audience, but also layering in something even more interesting: the sense that perhaps she is truly being driven insane by the horrors being inflicted on her. It’s not just her physical well-being that’s in danger, but her psychological stability, as well, and there’s the implication that if she’s pushed far enough off the deep end, she might become just as dangerous (to herself and others) as the Invisible Man is. That Moss is able to thread the needle of conveying that without ever going over the top or losing the viewer’s desire to root for her shows what an adept performer she is. Overall, this is a terrific horror-thriller, and the best (so far) of any of Universal’s attempts to revive their Classic Monsters characters.
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By Brett Blake Given the relative lack of major new releases through most of 2020 (I will still have a “Best of 2020” list coming around the end of the year!), much of my movie-watching since March has been devoted to diving deep into older films. I’ve watched over 320 movies (and counting) so far in 2020. Some were new releases, others were films I revisited, and most were films from prior years that I saw for the first time. That third group is the subject of this list, which is comprised of the fifteen best/favorite/most intriguing older movies that I saw for the first time this past year. Criteria for appearance: a movie with a United States release date of any time prior to 2020 that received a first-time viewing from me during the year. So, in no particular order, take a trip with me through a few decades of interesting cinema... LOOKER (1981) -- Directed by Michael Crichton Though primarily known as a novelist, Michael Crichton’s filmography could probably do with a positive reappraisal. This film tackles his usual interests (which tend to involve a mystery with the backdrop of some sort of techno issue/concern), but also adds a level of prescient satire that -- despite definitely being a very early 1980s film in style -- has actually allowed it to age very well. Stories about the lengths people will go to alter themselves and/or pursue fame tend to be timeless to begin with, but this story feels particularly like one you could make today, where computer algorithms dictate the kinds of content people make and consume, and where digital animation can (almost) be indistinguishable from the real thing. In terms of Crichton’s work in the director’s chair, this is a quite well-shot and edited film, with effective tension throughout (there’s a one-sided, time-distorting fight sequence in here that is particularly excellent). Albert Finney, who’s incapable of being bad in any part, comfortably slides into the role of the protagonist being framed and drawn into a web of mystery. Opposite him, Susan Dey has a very naturalistic, even quirky/funny quality that is really appealing, while James Coburn (like Finney, always a pro) lends some gravitas to what could have easily been a very tired, stock character. More people should seek this movie out, because it’s a quite fun and effective thriller. THE PLAYER (1992) -- Directed by Robert Altman Could also be titled HOLLYWOOD INSIDE BASEBALL: THE MOTION PICTURE. I don’t know how much the average viewer who doesn’t really have an interest in the inner workings of filmmaking and studio decision-making would get out of this, but for those of us who are major film buffs, this is pretty fantastic. As a satire of the whole Hollywood process, it’s often funny... if, again, you’re able to keep up with the fairly rapid-fire references to -- and appearances by -- real filmmakers/actors and their work. It also skewers the creative bankruptcy that is always threatening to overtake the business (and some might say it already has), and condemns a lot of the personalities found there in a fairly dark, biting way through a bit of a noir-inflected plot. It’s a movie made for, I think, a niche, small audience. I happen to be in that audience, so I really enjoyed it. JOHNNY GUITAR (1954) -- Directed by Nicholas Ray I’ve underrated Joan Crawford for far too long, apparently. Sterling Hayden may play the title character, but Crawford owns this movie entirely; in fact, I’ve never seen Crawford better. To call her character tough and hardscrabble would actually be an understatement, as this is Crawford in powerful, take-no-prisoners mode, but there’s a surprising amount of subtle nuance she brings to the part which elevates it way above being a simple “tough broad” archetype. The writing is tremendous, taking what could be a stock setup (on paper, it’s basically a variant of some common western tropes) and weaving in unexpected quirks and complications, populating the key roles with compelling characters, and giving them all some pretty great dialogue. This has the sort of colorful, idiosyncratic supporting cast that only classic Hollywood could provide: Ward Bond, Scott Brady, Ernest Borgnine, Royal Dano, John Carradine... that’s quite a rogues gallery that any western would kill to have on hand. Putting the great Mercedes McCambridge, one of the most distinctive female performers of her or any other era, opposite Crawford creates a fantastic dynamic, and there’s something rather fascinating about taking probably the most masculine film genre in existence and telling a story driven by two extremely forceful women that still satisfies as a two-fisted, bare-knuckles western yarn. SOUTHERN COMFORT (1981) -- Directed by Walter Hill A classic premise -- a group enters foreign territory and transgresses, bringing down deadly consequences upon them, in what is basically DELIVERANCE meets STRAW DOGS as a Vietnam allegory -- executed at a high standard. The whole ensemble is great, and the performers benefit from Walter Hill’s economical characterizations and direct dialogue. The choice of making the characters basically civilians who have the trappings of the military is a particularly interesting one, as it allows Hill to construct a scenario where these people have the outward appearance of a superior force... but they are, in fact, completely out of the their depth. Hill’s also able to generate a great amount of tension; even though we (sort of) know the general contours the story is going to take, the ever-evolving clash of personalities between the men provides for an always-there undercurrent of suspense on top of the actual threat facing them. Its choice of location also contributes a great deal to its effectiveness; the bayou is depicted as a hostile, harsh place out of step with the modern world. This is a quality thriller. VAMPIRE CIRCUS (1972) -- Directed by Robert Young During the early 1970s, Hammer Films seemingly made a concerted decision to really push the boundaries of what horror content they were allowed to get away with, and VAMPIRE CIRCUS is one of the results, a surprisingly kinky effort awash with bare breasts, child murders, people sexually aroused by the murder of said children, bizarre circus acts, gruesome panther attacks, disease-spreading giant bats, and healthy amounts of sadism, all presented in an overheated manner... and all under a PG rating! The actual plot -- a dying vampire vows revenge on a village, with this vengeance being realized by his cousin’s weird circus which comes to town 15 years later -- is solid and functional enough, but it’s all those extra, strange little touches that push this one into the “overlooked gem” category. It’s pretty wild stuff, done with an utterly straight face, and the film ends up being extremely entertaining because of it. COP LAND (1997) -- Directed by James Mangold A tense, no-nonsense crime drama. It’s fun to see Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, and and Ray Liotta -- vets of this kind of material -- put fresh spins on roles of this sort, but this movie belongs entirely to Sylvester Stallone; playing significantly against type, this is a sad, burned-out Stallone, which is a mode we’ve never really seen him in, and he nails it. His arc, which takes him from willfully oblivious and ineffectual to... well, something else... is very strong, and I’m not sure Stallone has ever been better in any role anywhere else. There’s also something kind of fascinating in here about big city police politics playing out in a much smaller locale, where everybody has skeletons in their closets on the verge of being exposed, and where their personal baggage is dangerously intertwined. PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW (1971) -- Directed by Roger Vadim A truly bizarre collection of talent joining forces to bring us some perverted -- and extremely entertaining -- trash. Directed by Roger Vadim, written and produced by STAR TREK creator Gene Roddenberry (!), scored by Lalo Schifrin, and starring a cast of eclectic performers, this is just an oddball project before you even really start to dig into what it’s about... and once you do that, the strangeness gets even more pronounced! Only in the 1970s could you assemble a supporting cast that includes the likes of Angie Dickinson, Telly Savalas, Roddy McDowall, Keenan Wynn, and James Doohan, and it’s fun to see them all here. And you’ve got to give credit to Rock Hudson for playing such a complete sleazebag without overplaying it. Now, I don’t know how audacious the storytelling decisions made in here were in the early ‘70s, but by 2020 standards, the audacity of some of this is pretty striking; it’s a sex-obsessed movie, where basically all the major characters are constantly turned-on, where high school is a combustible lust factory (for students and staff), and where sexual urges are barely restrained and lead to some deadly consequences that are (again, adding to the oddness) kind of played for laughs. The brazen, blatant handling of all this stuff is kind of shocking, but in a very watchable way. NO ESCAPE (2015) -- Directed by John Erick Dowdle Shockingly solid! Putting Owen Wilson in the lead of an action-thriller is the sort of debatable choice that might sink an entire film if not done right, but NO ESCAPE actually turns out to be a pretty taut exercise in tension. Wilson and Lake Bell have a believable dynamic, and the young performers playing their daughters are just the right amount of “movie cute” without being cloying or annoying; some might say that putting children in this sort of extreme jeopardy is a cheap storytelling move, but it works very well here. Pierce Brosnan, always a welcome presence, pops up in a supporting role and has a ton of fun with it, and there are some quite nice character touches along the way that flesh things out, give us a reason to be invested, and elevate this above being action schlock. It gets a lot of mileage out of constantly placing the audience in the position of asking themselves, “What would I do in this situation?” It also benefits from a premise that -- while heightened for cinematic effect -- is not too far out of the realm of possibility (and is certainly inspired by real world coups over the years). MUTE WITNESS (1995) -- Directed by Anthony Waller The basic premise very easily could have resulted in a film that was quite sleazy, but director Waller’s filmmaking is so energetic and entertaining that the entire project is elevated. Clearly a student of the great thriller directors, Waller’s suspense techniques are extremely effective, and there’s also a playfulness at work, as well, which helps some of the more unsavory and seedy elements of the picture go down easier. The placement of the story in Russia adds some extra interesting dimensions; because the central character is a visitor (rather than a local) and inherently less at-ease because of that (in addition to already not being able to speak!), it makes the menace potentially even more grave. The communication gap is a big and ongoing component of the film, and it provides fodder not just for tension, but also for some genuine humor (there’s a pretty fun opening sequence that sets the stage for all this very well). Marina Zudina makes for a compelling heroine, and the script allows the character to be intelligent and resourceful, which gives her plenty to work with; Fay Ripley and Evan Richards round out a very likable central trio. It’s also weird (but not unwelcome!) to see the legendary Alec Guinness pop up in one of his final roles. Ultimately, this ends up being a quite fun and crowd-pleasing thriller. TIGHTROPE (1984) -- Directed by Richard Tuggle A peculiar, tense, and kind of sordid thriller that explores sexual violence without descending into total bad taste territory. There’s something fascinating about seeing a huge star like Clint Eastwood (still at the height of his stardom at this time) dive into a project that undercuts his image in such a complex way; the character he’s playing here is a devoted father to his two young daughters (who, refreshingly, are real characters and not “movie kids”), but he’s also dealing with some serious sexual hang-ups that override his professional judgment, which ends up being fodder for some quite effective character drama. The killer Eastwood’s on the trail of is a genuinely creepy figure, and the way he slowly starts to tighten the noose around Eastwood’s neck really amps up the suspense of the picture. It’s a very well-photographed film, too, utilizing its New Orleans location to add some extra personality and style to the proceedings. BLACK SUNDAY (1960) -- Directed by Mario Bava Spectacular black-and-white atmosphere. Filled with eerie, fog-shrouded forests and cemeteries, and spooky, cobweb-covered castles and crypts, this is a terrific visual evocation of gothic horror; it’s all heightened stuff, not realistic in the slightest, but wonderful to look at. Director Bava would eventually go on to be no stranger to graphic violence in the ensuing decade, but even this is a surprisingly hard-edged movie for 1960; it doesn’t shy away from blood and sadism. The story is nothing particularly notable, as it indulges in many familiar tropes (involving stuff like ancient family curses and people rising from the dead through the evil power of Satanic worship!), but the execution of that story through imagery is excellent, and Bava’s filmmaking throughout is very sharp. CAST A DEADLY SPELL (1991) -- Directed by Martin Campbell A fantastic genre hybrid which fuses film noir with the occult and Lovecraftian horror. Just the idea of that will be inherently appealing to a certain sort of viewer, and if you’re in that camp, there’s an enormous amount of fun to be found in here. Its “alternate 1940s Los Angeles” setting, where the casual usage of magic is commonplace, is a kind of brilliant conceit that allows the story to organically incorporate the fantastical elements without taxing the audience’s suspension of disbelief too much; if you can buy into that initial ask, you’re set. Fred Ward could probably have played this kind of role in his sleep, but he’s great as the hardboiled, anti-magic private detective. Plus we’ve got an early Julianne Moore performance, very good as a sexy femme fatale with her own agenda. Punchy dialogue evokes the noir classics, and it’s also self-aware about its genres in a way that’s often very funny, but it never fully crosses over into being a pure send-up. Instead, it just seems to be having a great time playing around with its ideas, and that feeling is palpable when watching. THE SWIMMER (1968) -- Directed by Frank Perry There’s something undeniably and oddly compelling about THE SWIMMER that is hard to really put my finger on. There’s a tone here -- a mood -- that is engrossing and yet also off-putting. Burt Lancaster is fantastic in the central role, playing up his inherent physicality and navigating a difficult character to invest in. His “1960s masculine ideal” physique makes for a quite striking contrast with the characterization, which is of a guy who is clearly undergoing some kind of crisis and can’t find a way to confront it or work through it, so he puts on a too-affable face and gives himself a strange quest: swim in one neighborhood pool, then go to the next, and to the next, and so on until he finally makes it back to his home. All the performances around him (and even his, to some extent) are turned up to a level just slightly more than realistic; everyone feels just slightly affected, and this is obviously a deliberate choice to heighten the curious atmosphere of film. It culminates in a finale that is extremely disquieting and kind of shocking, and which will certainly stick with me for a while. THE HANDMAIDEN (2016) -- Directed by Park Chan-wook Arresting, provocative, and magnetic. A work of extreme visual confidence in the filmmaking, and inventive plotting in the writing. The cinematography and design elements give the film a lush, sumptuous quality, and the movie overall is a beautiful production from top to bottom. But in addition to just its merits in those departments, this is also a pretty terrific yarn, packed with intrigue and unexpected developments. It also has a playful spirit that punctuates the narrative and adds some humorous zest to a plot that could have been plodding, but is instead utterly lively and constantly shifting and zig-zagging around viewer expectations in the process. It’s also deeply erotic and sensual in ways I wasn’t expecting, in addition to being completely engrossing. THE HANDMAIDEN defies easy genre classification, as it is many things, but the totality of the experience is a potent one. THE OFFENCE (1973) -- Directed by Sidney Lumet Utterly bleak, but quite powerful. Sean Connery teams with director Lumet to bring a very dark police story to the screen. After helming this and SERPICO in the same year, it’s easy to see why Lumet would be attracted to something more glamorous like MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (which he would direct the following year), because this is a picture fully in “gritty realism” style. It’s about a man driven over the edge by the depravity of the world around him; Connery is operating in a mode we never really saw from him before or since, and he’s excellent, conveying the simmering intensity of a guy trying to hold it together, but ultimately being unable to stop his rage and frustration from boiling over. He has an incredible sequence opposite (the also very good) Vivien Merchant where he relates all the awful things he’s seen in his job as sort of one long story, each incident flowing into the next, and you realize just how eaten-away this man’s soul is. The gloomy British atmosphere contributes to an uber-grim tone that, while challenging, is very much appropriate for this material. This is, at times, a tough movie to watch, and it’s not enjoyable in any conventional meaning of that word, but it’s extremely effective at what it wants to be. It should be considered absolutely essential Sean Connery. By Breanne Brennan I suspect many of you CATS virgins out there may have a lot of burning questions: Why a movie-version? Why can’t I reconcile the blending of human and cat bodies? Why do the female cats have boobs? What the flying fuck is a “Jellicle?!” I might not be able to answer all of these questions, but my main focus here is not taking the easy, fashionable jab at the film just because everyone else is doing it, but instead to break down the successes of its translation from stage to screen. Let’s start with the main culprit here, Tom Hooper, whose directing choices can either be hit (JOHN ADAMS) or miss (LES MISERABLES). After his near-bastardization of the latter, I was reluctant to trust him with another beloved musical. I’m sure many of you would say that trust was broken with CATS, but I respectfully disagree (somewhat). CATS was never a musical begging for a film version. It’s relatively plotless—a series of vignettes if you will. Steven Spielberg (serving as a producer here) originally planned on adapting this musical into a movie in the 90s as an animated feature, which probably would’ve been a more palatable medium. However, I understand the desire to go the feline-human-CG-live-action route, since it pays homage to the stage version’s cat-leotarded human dancers. There was definitely a choice to be made with the titular characters’ aesthetic here--and made one Hooper did. Was it a good or bad choice? I’ll leave it to the viewer to make that choice, as much of it comes down to your tolerance of questionable CGI, as well as the fact that CATS is just a bizarro show to begin with. I will say that despite how flawed the film is, my faith was slightly restored when I realized this time around Hooper decided to form relationships with characters and environments in the musical numbers—rather than have us stuck in perpetual close-ups for every song. Breaking up songs by moving your characters through their respective environments is integral to a successful movie musical, in my opinion at least. Just take a look at any animated Disney movie song-break or some of the large-scale musicals from the 60s (THE SOUND OF MUSIC, OLIVER, WEST SIDE STORY…) as examples. This happens to be one area where the movie succeeds. In its opening numbers, we are danced through neon-soaked London streets with some nifty built-to-scale set pieces of houses, garbage cans, and a rundown theatre to name a few. The physical sets are quite stellar. There are also some well-executed numbers here. What solidified the original stage production’s success was the combination dance/instrumental number, “Jellicle Ball.” Andy Blankenbuehler’s choreography along with Christopher Ross’ slick cinematography are both able to let loose and make it the highlight of the film. “Skimbleshanks” is also nicely done, breaking away from the theatre set and jumping between different railway locations with ease. Jennifer Hudson also brings much-needed emotion to the film with her passionate rendition of “Memory.” At these points, I felt I could throw my annoyances away like Rebel Wilson discarding her, um…unzippable cat skin-fur(?). So, while the masses regard this film as a disaster, I am taking the unpopular stand of defending its good aspects and saying that I legitimately enjoyed it...consider it an extremely guilty pleasure. I look forward to the inevitable cult-status time will bring to the film and the raucous midnight showings that will presumably ensue. By Brett Blake Universal's been struggling over the last decade with the question of what to do with what is arguably their most valuable -- and untapped, in terms of potential -- cinematic asset: their catalogue of Classic Monsters characters. We’ve seen them take the reverent approach (with 2010’s underrated, but also financially unsuccessful, THE WOLFMAN), the “revisionist history” approach (with 2014’s DRACULA UNTOLD), and the modern-era “building a cinematic universe” angle (with 2017’s Tom Cruise vehicle, THE MUMMY). For various reasons, none of those takes on the respective material worked out in terms of generating mass interest, so what we have now is Universal’s fourth course of action -- allow filmmakers with idiosyncratic ideas about the material to come in and tell smaller (and less expensive!) stories that don’t necessarily have to be direct remakes of their classic namesake films, nor do they have to tie together as building blocks of some kind of Marvel-style shared universe. The result? A fantastic, suspenseful re-interpretation of a classic tale (which dates back to a story courtesy of the legendary H.G. Wells) from writer/director Leigh Whannell. Employing some very effective cinematic techniques, Whannell reframes the Invisible Man story as a parable about domestic abuse, with Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) coping not just with the lingering trauma of a horrible past relationship... but also with the growing belief that her recently-deceased ex, a sociopath/scientist named Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), is still very much alive and tormenting her in an unseen way. The key distinction between this new film and Universal’s old Invisible Man films is that those movies tended to focus on the title character himself; we stayed with him, we got into his mindset, we followed his increasing madness and/or desperation. What Whannell does here is put us squarely on the side of one of our new Invisible Man’s victims. This shift in perspective has the result of making the Invisible Man a truly frightening figure, because we can see the sort of paranoia that he induces in our protagonist. The idea of there being somebody watching you, following you, harassing you... who you cannot see... is very chilling, and that flavor provides Whannell’s story with a great deal of its intensity. How can you really hope to escape a presence like that? The implications are genuinely very frightening, and Whannell explores them to great effect and for maximum tension. When shots of empty rooms are powerfully unnerving, as they often are in this film, you’ve done something very right. Elisabeth Moss is very impressive in the central role. Not only does she elicit deep sympathy from the audience, but she also layers in something even more interesting: the sense that perhaps she is truly being driven insane by the horrors being inflicted on her. There are twinges of madness that shine through her work in this role which add an extra layer of jeopardy for the character. It’s not just her physical well-being that’s in danger, but her psychological stability, as well, and there’s the implication that if she’s pushed far enough off the deep end, she might become just as dangerous (to herself and others) as the Invisible Man is. That Moss is able to thread the needle of conveying that angle without ever going over the top or losing the viewer’s desire to root for her shows what an adept performer she is. There’s also an element of the story that involves Cecilia’s friends and family being incapable of believing her that there’s an invisible man stalking her, but Whannell doesn’t overplay this aspect to the point of being frustrating; all the characters behave plausibly and sympathetically given the situation. Of course we want Cecilia to be believed, but of course those around her have reason to think her story’s nuts... because it is! Now, it is true that there’s very little of H.G. Wells in Whannell’s take, outside of the fundamental concept (a scientist named Griffin turns himself invisible, goes mad, and terrorizes others), but there is some classic Universal horror seasoning in here, not in terms of style, but in terms of how he approaches crafting this narrative. If anything, I think this INVISIBLE MAN owes a bit to the approach of Universal’s INVISIBLE MAN sequels from the 1940s, which were barely/loosely connected to the original 1933 film, and instead chose to take the underlying conceit but discard the actual plot strands of the Wells novel in favor of original riffs on the idea. Indeed, those films veered into quite different subgenres -- Revenge murder mystery! World War II espionage! Gender satire! -- just as this new film does by centering the tale around intense and very personal paranoia. Do I wish it had a little bit more of a throwback vibe? Yes. But when I really look at it, I do think this isn’t too far afield from what those old movies would probably look like if they had been made fresh in our modern era. And since that seems to be the underlying goal behind this update, I’d say Whannell and Universal succeed not just on that score, but on the even more important one of delivering just a terrific suspense picture. I don't know that I'd want to see every Universal Classic Monster get the modern day, high-tech treatment like this, but that turned out to be the exact right approach for this specific character. Despite being radically different, it's a worthy successor to the classic original. By Breanne Brennan 2019 yielded a plethora of interesting scores. Take a listen to my personal favorites from last year... Highly Commended 1917 (Thomas Newman) The Highwaymen (Thomas Newman) Judy (Gabriel Yared) Under the Silver Lake (Disasterpiece) Penguins (Harry Gregson-Williams) Ma famille et le loup (Stephen Warbeck) The Hustle (Anne Dudley) Top 10 Best of 2019 Scores 10. The Mustang (Jed Kurzel) If you liked the score for JOKER, then take a listen to Kurzel’s string-heavy, dissonant and moody work. It opens with one of my favorite music cues of the year “Horse Run,” and plays out with modern-day-Western-infused-walking-through-a-ghost-town-style motifs. 9. Ford v Ferrari (Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders) Okay, kiddos. Buckle up for this oh so slick and cool score that mirrors what’s onscreen. There’s pulse-racing percussion and just enough gentle guitar-twang to make you feel like you’re in the driver’s seat or gazing at an open horizon. 8. Downtown Abbey (John Lunn) It might not seem fair to put an adaptation of the lush television score on this list, but getting the big-screen treatment makes Lunn’s work feel much more grandiose and effective. I’d be remiss if I didn’t admit that the sweeping classical orchestrations of the main theme gave me “movie chills” when experiencing it in a darkened theater. 7. Tolkien (Thomas Newman) While it’s a score we’ve heard from the Newman catalog before, I’d argue that it’s one of the composer’s more “listenable” scores of 2019. It’s a fantasy-tinged score with faerie-like voices, low chorales, and Newman’s trademark delicate piano and string motifs that could almost serve as an alternate LOTR score. 6. Lucy in the Sky (Jeff Russo) Russo creates a blend of mysterious and awe-inspiring themes that make you feel like you’re floating in space alone or gazing at a stunning view of our planet. That being said, the score is not without its own feeling of discord, and there’s plenty of experimental, sometimes droning, styles that the composer weaves in, making this one of the more interesting scores of the year. 5. Bunuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles (Arturo Cardelus) Chances are you might not have heard of this international animated feature, but its score is one that simply deserves to be heard. The main theme is a determined, often heart-felt waltz that dances between tender piano and rich accordion countermelodies. 4. Little Women (Alexandre Desplat) It’s trademark Desplat, but is that ever really a bad thing? The composer crafts an emotional, playful, and often thoughtful score that meshes perfectly with the familial bonds between the onscreen characters. 3. A Hidden Life (James Newton Howard) JNH might be riffing on his gorgeous score for THE VILLAGE, but it’s nonetheless a beautiful work that’s apropos for a Terrence Malick-rumination on contentious objection. The piano and violin work here is gentle, often heartrendingly emotional, and gives us a sense of the fragility in the world of the film. 2. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (John Powell) More like, “How to Build Upon an Already Great Score.” The third DRAGON installment by Powell is even more glorious than its predecessors. With a majestic new waltz theme and epic orchestrations, this is a purely traditional film score to say the least, and it succeeds in all the right ways. 1. Star Wars – The Rise of Skywalker (John Williams) John Williams has always managed to create lush new melodies for each of his STAR WARS installments, but he caps off the latest trilogy with such elegance I almost want to weep with overwhelming nerd-joy. The sweeping “The Rise of Skywalker” theme might be one of the composer’s best of the last decade, and it is joined by a number of familiar, but transformed, character themes that make this the year’s best score.
By Brett Blake
The biggest film awards of the year are going to be announced this weekend, so I’m back with Breanne Brennan to break down all the categories, handicap the various races, and highlight assorted snubs and general odd choices that were made in the nomination process! Below is a handy ballot of all the categories, courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes, so feel free to follow along with our discussion! By Breanne Brennan
By Brett Blake The opportunity to look back the cinematic decade is something that has excited me for the last several months. Now, what follows is a list of 35 films -- 10 and 20 seemed way too small to truly encompass what 2010 - 2019 had to offer, while 50 felt like such a large number that you start diluting the intention of a “favorites” list by selecting that many. So 35 it is. Many, many films I like a great deal were left by the wayside, but I had to go with my instincts. It’s also worth pointing out that I’m not necessarily saying I think these are the “best” movies of the decade. Instead, these are the ones that most spoke to me for various reasons. 30 - 11 are presented without commentary, while the Top 10 feature a few words on their merits. Enjoy, and here’s to another great decade at the movies! 35 - 31
30 - 26
25 - 21
20 - 16
15 - 11
10. SILENCE (2016) -- Directed by Martin Scorsese A powerful, heartfelt examination of persecution, doubt, and faith in 17th century Japan. It’s intensely compelling, both as a tale and as a deeper look at a crisis of faith against the backdrop of horrific atrocity. Scorsese’s movie filled with haunting images and provocative ideas, and while interpretations may vary, of course, I ultimately found this experience affirming and deeply moving. 9. IT FOLLOWS (2015) -- Directed by David Robert Mitchell Mitchell’s chiller plays on common sources of teenage unease and mines them for maximum effect. The screenplay is really quite simple, but it layers in idiosyncratic and nuanced elements which make the film feel much richer and more essential than just another teen-centric terror picture. Its themes and Mitchell’s overall approach here come across as quintessentially of the 2010s... in a good way. 8. ONCE UPON A TIME... IN HOLLYWOOD (2019) -- Directed by Quentin Tarantino Quentin Tarantino’s most sentimental, bittersweet, and funny film. It’s constantly engaging on nearly every level -- the performances (Brad Pitt, particularly), the writing, the visual approach -- and as its title implies, it showcases an almost fairy tale-like vision of a bygone Hollywood era. It’s simply a fabulous entertainment, and Tarantino remains one of the few filmmakers whose new movies are still truly “events.” 7. NIGHTCRAWLER (2014) -- Directed by Dan Gilroy Featuring deft tonal work and anchored by an absolutely phenomenal, ferocious, chilling central performance from Jake Gyllenhaal, this is a scorching, biting satire of the news, a spiritual successor to the likes of NETWORK that doesn’t offer an optimistic appraisal of the industry or (some of) the people who populate it. 6. GONE GIRL (2014) -- Directed by David Fincher A thriller with some satire overtones, this is Fincher at the height of his powers, taking a potentially sleazy, trashy story and staging it beautifully for maximum tension. The writing is extremely sharp, delivering both a barbed view of suburban marriage and a pretty compellingly-plotted mystery yarn. Rosamund Pike’s performance is an all-timer. 5. LINCOLN (2012) -- Directed by Steven Spielberg Reverent, focused, and one of the least showy movies in Spielberg’s filmography. He lets the craft departments, screenplay, and performers take center stage, which results in something quite powerful. Daniel Day-Lewis embodies all the traits you’d want to see from arguably the United States’ greatest president, showing him to be a man of great, fundamental decency. The weight of his responsibilities is evident at all times, which greatly humanizes a man who is easily (and often) seen as a kind of mythic figure in history. 4. LA LA LAND (2016) -- Directed by Damien Chazelle A dazzling ode to the classic Hollywood musical with a bittersweet edge. Chazelle’s filmmaking crackles with both energy and sensitivity, equally up to the task of staging upbeat musical numbers, romantic fantasy sequences, and the more realistic ebbs and flows of a relationship. Emma Stone’s work here is particularly luminous, and she deservedly won an Oscar for it. Acting as both a glorious homage to classic cinema and an incredibly vital and energetic modern work, LA LA LAND is simply fantastic. 3. INCEPTION (2010) -- Directed by Christopher Nolan It would probably be too cliched and on-the-nose to describe INCEPTION as “mind-bending,” but it’s also extremely appropriate. After the smash of THE DARK KNIGHT, Nolan returned with a cerebral (literally) action-adventure that found a way to keep topping itself all the way through, peaking only at the very end with its brilliant final moments that reframe (perhaps!) everything we thought we were experiencing. 2. THE WITCH (2016) -- Directed by Robert Eggers The horror genre’s masterpiece of the decade. From the costumes and production design, down to the very formal, mannered way in which the characters speak, everything we see and hear in THE WITCH feels utterly authentic, which makes the horror elements all the more disturbing. Beautifully, moodily shot and featuring one of the decade’s most unnerving musical scores, THE WITCH is a horror tale that I’m quite confident will have great staying power. 1. WHIPLASH (2014) -- Directed by Damien Chazelle No other film in the last ten years left me feeling as exhilarated when the end credits started to roll as this one. Writer/director Chazelle’s examination of dedication-bordering-on-obsession, seen through the lens of a combative (and abusive) teacher/student relationship, simmers with propulsive intensity for much of its running time before finally coming to a roaring boil during the powerhouse third act. This climax is properly electrifying and spellbinding, adjectives that the movie completely earns. Razor-sharp editing and sound mixing give the picture a powerful drive, as well. WHIPLASH is filmmaking at its most vibrant and arresting, and it’s my favorite movie of the 2010s. By Brett Blake After having been dramatically underwhelmed by 2018, 2019 rebounded and produced a crop of very fine films. Character dramas, crime thrillers, science fiction spectacles, comic book adaptations, and other assorted genres were well-represented this year, and even though I’m only selecting ten movies to highlight here, the next tier right below them is large and full of good stuff. In the interest of full disclosure, here are some of the notable films from 2019 that I haven’t yet seen: 1917, UNCUT GEMS, LITTLE WOMEN, RICHARD JEWELL, PARASITE, JOJO RABBIT, A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. 10. AVENGERS: ENDGAME (Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo) Purely for what this movie represents -- the culmination of 11 years of interconnected storytelling across 20+ films -- it deserves a spot here. That it was able to (mostly) stick the landing and provide both genuine thrills and genuine character work is impressive. 9. US (Directed by Jordan Peele) While US is unquestionably weaker on the script level than Peele’s previous, GET OUT, it’s also better-directed, with Peele showing a real flair for crafting effectively tense suspense sequences. Lupita Nyong’o, in a dual role, delivers some of the best acting of 2019, as well. 8. DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE (Directed by S. Craig Zahler) A brutally uncompromising crime drama, this is perhaps the most deliberately provocative film of the year, offering up a bleak interpretation of the classic “cops and robbers” genre that punches you in the face and presents no easy answers or platitudes. 7. TOY STORY 4 (Directed by Josh Cooley) A heartfelt epilogue for the already-perfect TOY STORY franchise, this is so much better than it probably should have been (and certainly could have been). Funny and utterly sincere, this is just a delightful confection. Quality cinematic comfort food. 6. MARRIAGE STORY (Directed by Noah Baumbach) Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson turn in two of the year’s very best performances, and in conjunction with Baumbach’s very sharp writing, they present a nuanced and unexpectedly warm portrait of divorce in which all of the parties are presented in extremely sympathetic ways. 5. AD ASTRA (Directed by James Gray) Some legitimately stunning science fiction visuals underlined by some big (if familiar) ideas in service of a fascinating character study. Its themes are fairly classic sci-fi fodder, but they’re presented here in a fresh, incisive, and even quite artful way. 4. FORD V FERRARI (Directed by James Mangold) An often thrilling movie that supplies not just a crowd-pleasing sensibility, but also some genuine depth. The editing, cinematography, and (especially) sound are all Oscar-worthy, and I also think a case must be made for Christian Bale’s performance as one of the year’s strongest. This is a big, glossy, satisfying slice of studio filmmaking. 3. JOKER (Directed by Todd Phillips) A stark, harsh, and extremely hard-hitting picture of a city in a state of utter decay and one increasingly-deranged individual who wants to see it pushed over the edge. Joaquin Phoenix is a powerhouse here, charting his character’s journey from mentally-unwell to full-on maniac in a way that is chilling and magnetic. 2. THE IRISHMAN (Directed by Martin Scorsese) Scorsese’s definitive final statement about organized crime and the ultimately devastating and soul-damning effects it has on those who come into contact with it. A host of terrific performances and excellent pacing (especially for a 200+ minute movie) contribute to this being unquestionably a powerful and engrossing work that perfectly closes the book on Scorsese's crime films. 1. ONCE UPON A TIME... IN HOLLYWOOD (Directed by Quentin Tarantino) A film that’s grown on me continuously since my first viewing, I now find this to be Tarantino’s most sentimental, bittersweet, and funny film. It’s constantly engaging on nearly every level -- the performances (Brad Pitt, particularly), the writing, the visual approach -- and as its title implies, it showcases an almost fairy tale-like vision of a bygone Hollywood era. It’s simply a fabulous entertainment, and Tarantino remains one of the few filmmakers whose new movies are still truly “events.” By Brett Blake Billed as “The End of the Skywalker Saga,” this ninth Episode of the STAR WARS franchise has taken on the responsibility of attempting to satisfy multiple groups of fans and pay-off decades-long storytelling in something at least approaching a satisfying way. So does it? I’d say it does more than it doesn’t, though there are some quite serious weaknesses baked into this cake. To honor the spoiler-averse out there, here’s the officially-released synopsis of the film: “The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more in the final chapter of the Skywalker saga.” It’s kind of interesting that the description doesn’t even mention this installment’s most central characters by name, so without getting too specific, it can also be said that Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe (Oscar Isaac) lead the charge for the Resistance, which puts them at odds with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), now Supreme Leader of the dreaded First Order and the fallen heir to the legacy of the Skywalker family, and a final battle will ensue for the fate of the galaxy. Much has been written (too much, probably) about the controversial previous Episode, THE LAST JEDI, which hit theaters two years ago. For some, it was a stunning and impressive tale that provided them substantial depth. For others, it was an empty and too-cute-by-half detour that squandered some of the potential of its characters. Two years later, I fall more in that second camp than I do the first; Rian Johnson’s choices in that film were gutsy and worthy of respect... but none of his swings for the fences connected with me. So with that preface out of the way, what can absolutely be said in THE RISE OF SKYWALKER’s favor is that director/co-writer J.J. Abrams is really trying (very, very hard) to position this movie as a more straightforward STAR WARS adventure that wants to be an all-around crowd-pleaser. I think he’s probably trying too hard. Now, to Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio’s credit, the story takes its responsibility to conclude the tale of the Skywalker family very seriously (in contrast with THE LAST JEDI, which -- in my view -- kind of pushed the “family fable” element off to the side and wanted to make them kind of irrelevant to this trilogy). While constrained by various factors out of their control (Luke Skywalker dying in THE LAST JEDI and Carrie Fisher passing away in real life), Abrams and Terrio clearly understand that these nine films -- as one large, epic tale -- hinge on the fortunes of the Skywalker family, and they do deliver something that feels (basically) appropriate in concluding that. As such, perhaps the most pleasant surprise for me is that, ultimately, Kylo Ren is truly the pivotal figure here; whereas the marketing has focused almost entirely on Rey and friends, this story really does equally belong to Kylo, and as the last in the Skywalker family line, that feels appropriate. The major characters and their performers themselves extremely well. Abrams seems to be quite aware of various criticisms that have been leveled at Rey’s characterization, and the screenplay does challenge Rey in a more pronounced way that in either of the previous two films (where, frankly, she wasn’t challenged much at all, either philosophically, emotionally, or physically); here, Rey is battling insecurity, she’s fallible, and frightened by the implications of her power, and Daisy Ridley carries that off with subtlety, grace, and an extremely appealing “I just want to do the right thing” spirit. I liked Rey after THE FORCE AWAKENS, but this is the first time I’ve truly rooted for her. I love how her arc is handled in this... with one major exception that I can’t discuss at this time! Oscar Isaac and John Boyega have such a natural and infectious chemistry together that any time they’re sharing a scene, you can feel some of that intangible STAR WARS magic happening. And credit to Anthony Daniels, as well, who gets more to do as C-3PO than in any movie since RETURN OF THE JEDI. But to me, as I hinted at above, this is really Adam Driver’s show. Driver is asked to sell some outlandish and kind of ridiculous things, honestly, but his great skill makes those things plausible. The story would utterly collapse if the audience doesn’t buy into what’s being done with Kylo Ren, and (by some accounts) plenty of people apparently aren’t buying in, but I did in a big way, and that’s pretty much all because of Driver’s extremely nuanced and complex work. This is his best performance of this trilogy, and it’s one of the best performances of the whole Saga. The various action sequences provide the sort of adventure thrills you’d want from a STAR WARS movie (a lightsaber duel between Rey and Kylo amidst wreckage and ocean waves is certainly the best battle of this trilogy), and there are plenty of cheer-worthy moments, alongside a couple of emotional resolutions that do manage to land with some heft. And as composer, John Williams once again demonstrates that he’s indispensable to these movies; his score for THE RISE OF SKYWALKER is powerful, both grandiose and delicate, and he closes out the series in high style. And yet the film as a whole, from a storytelling perspective, is deeply flawed. Structurally, the screenplay is an absolute mess, bouncing the characters from planet to planet to planet (to planet...) without a particularly deft feel for pacing. It does have a kind of enjoyably breathless energy (which Abrams’ previous, THE FORCE AWAKENS, certainly had), but it also has the effect of making much of the exposition (and there’s a lot of it in the first half) feel particularly clunky. It’s a lot of “We have to go to a place to get a thing to find a guy to do a thing that will take us to another place where there’s another thing...” stuff. Too much stuff, really, which renders some of the narrative needlessly and aggressively convoluted. It’s trying to do so many things, service so many characters (both old and new), that only a few end up being handled in a way that feels truly elegant or organic. It’s overstuffed, like a couple of movies spliced together and cut down into one, and that’s a problem. There’s also one HUGE aspect of the movie, relating to a certain returning villain, that is not explained anywhere near as well as it needed to be. Abrams relies far too much on the audience filling in the blanks, and he also resorts to some pretty hackneyed and borderline-insulting story “tricks” to attempt to make it all work. It’s basically inexcusable that this aspect of the plot is handled the way it is. The ultimate issue is this: it seems pretty clear (to me, anyway) that Abrams felt the need to provide something of a rebuttal to the controversial LAST JEDI. It doesn’t ignore the decisions made in that film, but in several cases, it bends over backwards to sort of rework those decisions to suit a very particular story that Abrams and Terrio seem to have been dead-set on telling. As such, the first act of this film is comprised of a lot of convoluted plot machinations that are necessary to set-up where they want to take the eventual second half of this story. They end up having to invent a host of new plot ideas because (evidently) they didn’t feel that THE LAST JEDI left the Saga in a position from which they could get to the ending they wanted without putting a bunch of new wheels in motion. And in some ways, I’m extremely sympathetic to that, as somebody who didn’t love THE LAST JEDI. I can understand feeling as though you have no choice but to jump through hoops in order to follow it up. But it’s just not done here with any particular grace at the writing level. But really, at the end of the day, my honest reaction to this movie is that I felt satisfied... enough. I felt as though my emotional connection to these films, which I was introduced to as a kid and have enjoyed (as an overall “thing,” if not necessarily every individual movie) for most of my life, was honored and respected and (mostly) paid-off. That doesn’t excuse where the movie falls short, but it does provide enough of an optimistic lift to top off the story of the Skywalker family in a way that is modestly fulfilling. |
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