Nothing else to say
In the 2000s, one of my favorite review sites to go to was that of “Mr. Cranky”. It was a satirical site (now no longer available), in which the reviews would state how bad the film really was (the highest rated were for films deemed “almost tolerable”).
Of the many reviews I had seen, my favorite header came from the review of Apollo 13, which read along the lines of “Spoiler: They survive.”
All of my interactions I had with Sonic as a 90s kid were from my friends.
After my older brother and I got the Super Nintendo (a landmark day in my life at the age of 4 or so), we would have to depend on friends to play on the Sega console and race with Sonic, Tails (being the little brother, I was always second player, so this was my character), and Knuckles. While the Nintendo library is undoubtedly more popular than that of Sega, it is clear the that Sega’s mascot would always be the blue furry Sonic going forward (even if some of his games, like the one in 2006, would come to a crashing halt). Sonic’s roller-coaster career in the gaming world is surpassed by the even more uneven history of movies based off video games, so mixing them together to make Sonic the Hedgehog definitely had me wary, to say the least.
Still, Sonic has a steady loyal fan club. When the first trailer of Sonic the Hedgehog came out, there was online protest that was heard by nearly all those on the internet: Sonic did not look right at all. This forced director Jeff Fowler and the rest of the needed crew to go back and change Sonic’s appearance to be more accurate to the games. As someone who only played one or two of the games, I cannot say how accurate Sonic’s “backstory” is. In the film, the baby hedgehog is born with incredible speedy legs, soon to only be matched by his speedy mouth. When his powers are discovered, he is told by his guardian Owl Longclaw (don’t ask) to use his magic rings to travel through the universe to Earth. He is ordered strictly not to be seen by anyone.
Flash forward ten years. Sonic is living in the outskirts of a small town in Montana called Green Hills. The town is looked after by the local sheriff (or “Donut Lord”, as Sonic calls him), Tom (James Marsden). He and his wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter) are in the process of moving to San Francisco. In the mean time, Sonic has caused an accidental black out of the whole town (if not more of the west coast), leading the government to (somewhat unwillingly) call in Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). Tom and Sonic team up and are on their way to San Francisco where Sonic has lost his bag of rings he needs to get to his next safe haven: a mushroom planet (“I hate mushrooms” is perhaps Sega’s commentary towards a certain plumber in the Nintendo canon).
No doubt the plot of the film is rather fast paced, yet full of questions. Here is the main one: If Sonic (who is voiced well by Ben Schwartz) is able to run as fast as he can, you would think he could just run to San Francisco and get the rings (though to be fair, the rings have ended up on top of a building). The movie does have one moment where Sonic does in fact run to the West Coast, only to go straight into the Pacific. The movie does its best to show that Sonic is in desperate need of a GPS. Of course, if he could just run there and get the rings himself, not only would there not be a friendship between him and Tom, but there would be no movie.
While I was not the biggest fan of Sonic growing up, I was a very big fan of Jim Carrey. From Ace Ventura to The Mask to (mainly) Dumb and Dumber to Liar Liar, he was the first real movie star I knew by name. His work as Dr. Robotnik is far from his best work (comedic or dramatic), but I would be lying if I said it did not bring back some vibes I had long forgotten about these past two decades.
Though the film does not get as deep as other family films (like those in the Disney library), young kids can still learn a good lesson or two. Sure, the idea of not being cruel to animals is there (Tom’s wife is a veterinarian), but most kids won’t look at Sonic as some kind of pet. He is indeed as human as most CGI characters (the CGI is actually very well done). The real lesson for kids is how to help those in need, regardless of if you know them or not (Luke 6:31). There is also a secondary lesson on life decisions (as shown in whether Tom should take his new offer in San Francisco or not.)
Parents, the film is fine for kids. There is may one minor swear word or two, and light kissing. The action has virtually zero violence in it. Add in some lightly peppered humor the adults might get, and the film ends up being fine for anyone in the family.
Even with the flimsy plot, Sonic the Hedgehog worked on me mainly due to the fact that I am, as stated before, a child of the 90s. The film is like a boxing match of two different bits of 90s nostalgia. In one corner, you have video games (Sonic), and the other corner has Jim Carrey. It is a match of nearly equal amounts of quirky, bizarre energy (both Sonic and Dr. Robotnik seem to clearly have some amount of ADD). While most movies based on video games are genuinely bad, Sonic the Hedgehog has set a nice pace for those to follow.
Here is hoping they catch up.
Overall:
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Even those of us who are not parents did not have to make much effort to see how much of a cultural impact the original Frozen film made back in 2013. It came out just in time before the beginning of the live action remake wave that Disney is now on, gave a lot of kids (especially girls) life lessons to learn, and songs that were stuck in their heads (as well as their parents’) for so long afterward I feel we may have forgotten how good it was to begin with. The only true negative about the film was that it made Disney produce Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, which would have been fine had it not been played before 2017’s Coco as a “short” (it was 20 minutes long), resulting in a theater experience I still am recovering from.
Still, we now come to Frozen 2, which (thankfully) does not reference anything to Olaf’s Frozen Adventure. As children, Elsa and Anna are told by their parents (who we know died in the first film) that the people of Arendelle were once sent to the forest to make a form of peace with the dwellers of the forest, where the spirits of earth, wind, water, and fire would dwell (kind of like that film The Last Airbender, without the awfulness). In the present, Elsa (Idina Menzel) begins hearing voices, leading her to the forest where an immense fog has made the way completely impassable. She is joined, of course, by her little sister Anna (Kristen Bell) and Anna’s boyfriend Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Kristoff’s loyal reindeer Sven, and Olaf (Josh Gad), destined to go down as one of the best supporting comic relief characters in Disney’s long history.
As is the case with nearly all animated sequels (Disney or otherwise), the returning characters are accompanied with some fresh new faces, including Sterling K. Brown ( from This is Us) as a long-time loyal guard to Arendel. Other voice talents include Alfred Molina, Evan Rachel Wood, and Jason Ritter. My favorite new addition was that of a speechless and small (yet powerful) small toad that is befriended by Elsa.
The story is (mostly) solid, and kids can walk away learning about how we all play a part in the grand scheme of things, as well as helping out your friends/family. One thing I regret to say adults will not like is that the songs of this film are not as up to par as those from the original. That is not to say they are totally bad, but I for one did not find myself humming hardly any tunes from this film (unlike the first film, which made “Let it Go” one of the most overplayed songs in the history mankind.)
An example of this would be the song “Into the Unknown”, which is being marketed as the sequel’s “Let it Go”, sung by Menzel’s character Elsa. I recall the first feelings I had when I sat in the theater during the first film and got chills (so to speak) when “Let it Go” was performed. Vibes were sent through me that truly reminded me of Menzel’s true iconic song, “Defying Gravity” (from the musical Wicked). I did not get this sense here and would argue it is not even the best song of the film (I was more into Elsa singing “Show yourself” and Kristoff singing “Lost in the Woods”.) Matters are made even worse when the credits role, and “Into the Unknown” is sung by Panic at the Disco.
Even the solo song by Olaf is rather disappointing. In the first film, we truly believed that his character was certain to be having a future life “In Summer”. Here, he sings about how all things will make sense “When I am Older”. All well and good, but the song seems like the makers just said “Quick, we need a song for Olaf!”, and did not stop to realize it is not part of the story at all.
Parents, this is easily one movie you will probably end up taking your kids to, since I am certain many have been begging there parents for ages about it. There are some dark moments, but nothing most kids can’t handle.
Will kids enjoy Frozen 2? More than likely (at least those under the age of 7 or so). The little girl sitting behind me (around five or six years old) surely did, when she said at one point “I want that dress!”. Parents are another story (though Olaf does give all ages plenty to laugh about). The first film enthralled us with stunning animation, catchy songs, and intriguing new characters. No one would have predicted before the first film came out that it would become the entity it is today, which was mainly due to engaging the imaginations of all ages of the audience (something that Disney is arguably the best at doing in any form of entertainment).
For Frozen 2, the movie does try to go into newer territory, but it did not take as many original risks as the first film. It would have been a better film if it truly did venture into the unknown.
Overall:
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
It was film critic Gene Siskel who normally would ask “Is this movie as interesting as the same actors having lunch together?” Had he lived to see The Goldfinch, the answer would be a short and direct no. With actors like Ansel Elgort, Nicole Kidman, Oakes Fegley, Finn Wolfhard, Sarah Paulson, and Luke Wilson, it can be safetly assumed that the making of this film would almost be riveting (not to mention some of those behind the camera). Oh how I wish these people were in a different movie.
Alas, that is not the case, and we are stuck with The Goldfinch, based off the 2014 Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Donna Tart (unread by me). The film starts in the aftermath of a (fictional) terrorist attack at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, leaving few survivors. One of which is 13 year old Theo (young talented Oakes Fegley), whose mother was killed in the attack. He is taken in briefly by an upper class family, the Barbour, and finds a somewhat newer mother figure in Mrs. Barbour (Nicole Kidman).We learn that one of the other victims in the attack was an acquaintance of a antiques dealer named Hobie (Jeffrey Wright), who takes young Theo under his wing as the young soul is more than intrigued by “old things” (not to mention Hobie’s adopted daughter Pippa, who also survived the attack and was catching Theo’s eye before the explosion). It is soon discovered by the audience that Theo has stolen a priceless artwork from the rubble, known as The Goldfinch.
He is soon taken away from his deadbeat dad (Luke Wilson) and his girlfriend Xandra (Sarah Paulson) to live with in the outskirts of Las Vegas. Though both seem loving, it does not take much to see that these two only want Theo for the money that his mother left him. The only light in Theo’s young life is his new friend Boris (Finn Wolfhard of Stranger Things and the IT films), a Russian immigrant (though he mentions he is from many places).
There is a lot (to say the least) jumping around in this movie, as we fast forward to an adult Theo (Ansel Elgort), who now deals in antiques, and finds pieces of his past childhood experiences, which were mostly nothing short of bad, as certain people of the past have died (and in tragic ways). It is melodrama cranked to the max. I forgot to mention how, when he first moved in with the Harbour family, Mrs. Harbour introduced him to a prescription drug that helped with the affects of the aftermath of the attack (PTSD I guess). This starts Theo into a drug habit that escalates even more when he meets Boris (whose own home life is chaotic with his father). The end of the film shows a crime caper of sorts, which legit makes no sense.
I am sure this film had all the best of intentions (and I am sure the book is great), but the translation from page to screen is not merely lost: it vanishes. There was a lot of source material to work from (I found out the book is in the 700-800 page range), but the film still drags on for too long. Sure, the run time is long (two and a half hours), but even films at that length don’t always seem to drag as much (the first film to come to mind that had about that same length of runtime is The Dark Knight, which never dragged on). The Goldfinch had me checking my watch constantly, and that started about 20 or 30 minutes into the film.
Parents, the film is rated R mainly for language and drug use. There is no sexuality (though it is inferred that some characters have slept with each other). High School and above.
The film is directed by John Crowley, who was at the helm of 2015’s criminally under seen gem Brooklyn. He is clearly a talented filmmaker, but even the best of them have flops. The one bit of light for The Goldfinch is (somewhat poetically) that the man behind the lighting (i.e., the cinematographer) is the legendary Roger Deakins, meaning the film is indeed wonderful to look at.
Toward the end of the film, one character mentions how some good can come from bad. It will be sometime before I discover what good has come from seeing this film.
Overall:
⭐
Rating: 1 out of 5.
It goes without saying that the title of a film is rather crucial to reeling in an audience. Awkward examples include 1991’s Highlander 2: The Quickening (though I have heard the title is far from the only problem with the film), 1995’s To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar, and 1996’s Don’t be a menace to South Central while drinking your juice in the hood (a title that wowed me in my youth, though, like the other mentioned films, I have not seen it). There can be some that work (no other title is more everlasting than the Stanley Kubrick masterpiece Dr. Strangelove: Or How I learned to Stop worrying and love the bomb from 1964), but it is up to the audience member to decide if they will let the title make or break the film going experience, which leads us to The Peanut Butter Falcon, one of the year’s best films. I won’t spoil what the title implies, for the less you know about the film, the better (I would not blame you at all if you stopped reading and came back after you saw the film).
Directed by Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz, the film takes place in modern day as we meet Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a young man with down syndrome who has been living at a nursing home because he has no immediate family. He dreams of attending a school to learn professional wrestling as taught by his hero, The Salt Water Redneck (Thomas Haden Church), but is unable to despite many escape attempts. Eventually, he is able to get away, only to come across a fisherman/outlaw named Tyler (Shia Lebeouf), on the run from rival fisherman Duncan (John Hawkes). Meanwhile, one of the nursing home staff Eleanore (Dakota Johnson) has been tasked to find Zak.
For a small movie (which is not a bad thing), there are a sizable amount of talented actors. Aside from those formentioned, small parts are filled by the always adept Bruce Dern as one of Zak’s nursing home friends, Jon Bernthal as Tyler’s deceased brother (shown in flashback), and minor roles from former wrestling stars Mick Foley (“Mankind”) and Jake “The Snake” Roberts. The mention of the last two gives me promise that some who are in the WWE will be able to see the film.
Despite all the star power of the film, the core of the film’s energy belongs to the relationship of Tyler and Zak. As they set off on a modern day Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn type of journey, the unlikely bond becomes humorous, heartfelt, potent, and true. There is a moment where Zak states that, when he reaches the pro circuit of wrestling, he will be a “bad guy”. Tyler then explains Zak does not need to be the bad guy, and….well, the movie explains it better than I can, but expect to be floored with a lot of positive emotion.
About ten or so minutes of screentime made me realize I have been too hard on Shia Lebeouf over the years (I know I am not alone). Despite what goes on in his personal life, he proves here he is one rather talented individual, giving one of his better performances of his career. The same can also be said for Dakota Johnson. Though she had a small part in The Social Network (2010), I have not seen her in any other film until this one (I have not seen any of the Fifty Shades films, and never plan on it). She is proof that actors are best able to shine when given the right material. Still, it is Zack Gottsagen (who does have down syndrome in real life) who steals the scenes he is in.
Parents, the film is rated PG-13, mainly for swearing and some violence (though there is no sexuality, there are scenes where Zak is in nothing but his underwear at the beginning). Still, I would think middle schoolers and above would be okay seeing the film, and would argue they should.
Of all the things The Peanut Butter Falcon exudes the most is a spry charm that I have not felt for some time at the theater. I will put it simply: Give the movie a chance, or you are no longer invited to my birthday party.
Overall:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
In just under twelve months, we have seen films that have glamourized the music of Queen (last year’s Bohemian Rhapsody), Elton John (Rocketman), and The Beatles (Yesterday), not to mention other music icons such as Ray Charles (2004’s Ray), Johnny Cash (2005’s Walk the Line) and Bob Dylan (2007’s I’m Not There). As is the case with any viewer, my familiarity with each artist varied as each movie started. The same is true for the film Blinded by the Light, the most recent film by director Gurinder Chadha (who made the unsung gem of a film Bend it like Beckham back in 2003), about a soul discovering the music of “The Boss” Bruce Springsteen.
Based on a true story, the film is set during 1987 England, during the times of Margaret Thatcher and increased chances of unemployment. It has been seven years since the Khan family has had to flee Pakistan due to the invasion of the Russians. With two older sisters, teenager Javed (newcomer Viviek Chadra) has many more problems than the average High Schooler. Perhaps the most stressful source in his life is his rather domineering (but still loving) dad Malik (Kuvinder Ghir), who is in danger of losing his job. He wants to make sure his son studies hard and “stays away from girls” (which he yells out for all to hear). His mother Noor (Meera Ganatra) is sewing clothes all day in order to make more money. One of his sisters, Yasmeen (Tara Divina), is set to be married, though he does get along well with his other sister Shazia (Nikita Mehta). He constantly seeks the attention of classmate Eliza (Nell Williams), though is still shy to come out of his shell. His only true escape is writing, but even though he tries to write lyrics for his lifelong friend Matt (Dean-Charles Chapman) and his band, the school paper still won’t publish Javed’s work. He does get inspired to keep at it by one of his teachers, Ms. Clay (Hayley Atwell, once Peggy Carter of the MCU).
All this changes when Javed meets Roops (Aaron Phagura), who insists that a listen to Bruce Springsteen will alleviate him. Indeed, when we experience Javed’s experience of his first Springsteen song (“Dancing in the Dark”), the words are so powerful to him that they almost literally jump off the screen.
The screenplay is rather predictable and borderline trite, as we know that Javed will be inspired to open up about his writing, show his true self to his family (something also very relevant in Bend it Like Beckham), express his feelings, and even interact with Eliza. Yet the film still works because of the nearly effortless charm of everyone in the cast, from Chadra in the lead role to Mr. Evans (David Heyman), the neighbor next door who turns out not to be all Javed believes him to be.
In my review on the film Yesterday (of which I was not a fan), I said that one thing that film got right was the zeal that the film’s character Jack (Himesh Patel) had for The Beatles. The same is true for Javed’s zeal of The Boss. Looking at Javed’s face as he listens to the music, it is easy to imagine back to the time when you were captivated by the Word of God. Not just reading it, but understanding it and letting its power guide your character. The same could be said of looking into the eyes of Javed, as he actually is oozing out intensity as he explains his love of Bruce Springsteen.
Parents, the film is a solid good PG-13. Most of this is do to swearing (including words not considered swearing in the United States), but there is a fair share of racism and mild violence (just a bloody nose when one character is punched in the face). There is kissing, but nothing beyond that. Basically, trust the rating.
As teenagers, we all had forms of escapism (no doubt mine were movies, both past and present). Undoubtedly, the real source we need to “escape” to is Jesus, which requires effort. Or better yet, as we learnt to live as Christ, we learn to live in the world and not escape from it.
We were born to run, after all, so run to Jesus.
Overall:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Whether it is the news of a loved one’s passing or the news that the passing is closing in faster than expected, we all process the information in different ways. Admittedly, I never thought of it being different for certain cultures, let alone different individuals. Whether it is a custom for Chinese people to not tell a family member they have terminal cancer, I am not sure, but that is surely the case for the family in The Farewell.
Raised almost entirely in the United States, Billi (Awkwafina, the highly affective comic relief sidekick in last year’s Crazy Rich Asians) is still at the stage of young adult life where she is being treated like she is ten years younger than she is. She has a rickety relationship with her mother Jian (Diana Lin), but does still love her as well as her less domineering dad Haiyan (Tzi Ma). Still, even though they live in New York, she still loves to chat with her Grandma Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhao), who still lives in China.
Billi’s world is thrown a curve when her dad (Nai Nai’s son) informs her that the Grandmother has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, and is expected to live only three months at the most. The family decides to go, using her cousin Hao Hao’s (Han Chen) wedding to a Japanese woman (Aoi Mizuhara) as a valid reason to see her one last time, under the strict rule not to let Nai Nai know she will die soon. Despite her parents wanting her to stay, Billi arrives in China to attend.
Despite the obvious dramatic aspects of the film, The Farewell (which starts off by saying it is “based on an actual lie”) has more than enough moments of realism that make it rather comedic. Not laugh out loud comedic (though a moment or two may get you), but more in a subtle way. Consider the wonderful scenes where the family sits down to eat. Regardless of you ethnic background, every family has dynamic encounters (both positive and negative) when at the dinner table. There is laughing, squabbling, screeching, talking with your mouth full. Regardless, love is at the center of it all.
It is always wonderful when a comedic actor is able to show off their dramatic chops (and vice versa for dramatic actors). Here, there result for Awkwafina (who, last I heard, is going to be the seagull Scuttle in the Disney Live action remake of The Little Mermaid) is no different. There are truly times I had to remind myself I was watching the same person who was Peik Lin Goh in Crazy Rich Asians just a year ago. While I doubt it is going to be in the conversation for the award season, it is clearly proof that this is one actress with a wide range in the acting department.
Another standout is the director Lulu Wang (who based much of this off of her own experiences). While this is only her second full length feature since 2014’s Posthumous (unseen by me), the direction she uses here is powerful in how gentle and reserved it is. I was reminded of one of the cinema giants, Yasujiro Ozu, mainly from his masterful work Tokyo Story (1953). That film (which I would endorse highly) was also about parents in their twilight years seeing their children and grandchildren. Even though it was unique to its country of origin, it still spoke to us all on a universal scale. Though Wang is not as subdued as Ozu (who was known for hardly moving his camera, if at all), the technique she uses is rather imposing and proof of a filmmaker worth looking at in the coming years.
Parents, the film is PG, and has nothing here that should worry you as parents. There is little swearing, no sex (though some bare back nudity in one shot), but nothing else. It should be noted, however, that much of the film’s dialogue is in subtitles. If your kids are fine with that, then they can see this film.
One of the aspects of The Farewell that is also universal is how, regardless of the family life we have, we convince ourselves to lie to our loved ones when we think it is for their own good. Whether it be to cushion the blow, save them from details, or just because we don’t want to hurt feelings, we have all done it. When it comes to this film, I will do the opposite, and simply state it is easily one of this year’s best films.
Overall:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Nowadays, I am to the point where very few film makers are able to still deliver me with shock and awe. Some of them are still working, like Wes Anderson, the Coen Brothers, Martin Scorsese, and, of course, Quintin Tarantino. With only eight previous movies to his (directorial) credit, his newest one, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, is one of his more (somewhat) subtle films, but is still nevertheless a borderline masterpiece, riddled with plenty of the expected humor only QT could provide.
While the setting is in the title, the time is 1969. We soon meet former TV star, now fading movie actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo Di Caprio, who, like Tarantino, is in his first film in four years). Never feeling that the public has ever forgave him for leaving TV for film, he is heading for a mid life crisis. The only solid support he has is his stunt double and friend Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). His dream of making it big are only escalated when he realizes he is living next to actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), actress of filmmaker Roman Polanski (who would later go on to have his own dark history).
Of course, being a Tarantino film, the movie is not at all as simple as that. From lead roles to the smallest of supporting (more on the cast in a bit), every character is as deeply developed as need be. This can be seen especially when Cliff is paying a visit to the old Spahn Ranch, where he used to shoot old westerns. It has now been taken by the Manson “family” (“Charlie’s gonna dig you.”). Even those on screen with no lines seem like they have their own back story.
The old saying “There are no small parts…only small actors” has always applied to a Tarantino film. As to be expected, no one here gives a bad performance. Just a few of the actors include Dakota Fanning as one of the main Manson girls, Damon Herriman as Charles Manson, Bruce Dern as the old Spahn Ranch owner, Emile Hisch as Tate’s friend Jay Sebring, Al Pacino (!) as a studio executive, and the late Luke Perry (in his final role) as one of the actors on set. We also get roles from normal Tarantino faces such as Kurt Russell and Michael Madsen.
It also helps that (as in all his films), there are countless scenes that nearly live as their own small films (which helps when some of the scenes are about filming). My favorite involves the scenes between Rick and a young upcoming child actress (an absolutely delightful young talent named Julia Butters). The chemistry between her and DiCaprio is truly special. Yet the one who steals the film is Pitt. His unparralled charm and delicious line delivery are truly mesmerizing. He truly should get some awards consideration here.
Another key aspect in the film is what Tarantino may be better at then any other working director: a solid soundtrack. As someone who grew up listening to “oldies” (shout out to my parents), I can say that most of these are songs I had heard at one point or another, but forgot the name of (with the main exception being the use of Simon and Garfunkel’s Mrs. Robinson). We don’t get what would be considered “the best” of the 1960s, but we do get the perfectly placed songs in accordance with the story. These include hits from Paul Revere & the Raiders, Bob Seger, The Rolling Stones, the Box Tops, and Neil Diamond.
The relationship between DiCaprio and Pitt is the true heart of the film (Tarantino has said they are the most dynamic film duo since Paul Newman and Robert Redford.) We see this at the beginning as Cliff must drive Rick around, offering his sunglasses to Rick as he breaks down in tears. The only other real relationship Cliff has in the film is with his dog (love that dog). It truly brings out a cinema friend who “sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). The same could also be said for Proverbs 17:17: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity”.
Parents, it is Tarantino, so there is virtually no way this film is for kids. Though the violence is somewhat toned down (at least compared to his other films), the scenes that do show violence is really graphic. Add in the language and the sexual dialogue (though there is no nudity, there is one scene with a younger teen in a car with an older character that is rather disturbing, even though it does not go anywhere further), and you have a movie that deserves its R rating.
Despite some minor flaws (there are some scenes, especially with Margot Robbie, that drag on a bit long), this is another Tarantino classic, proving that originality still exists in film. In my years as a movie goer, he is one of the select few who (like Cliff) have stuck closer than a brother.
Overall:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
For those who are suffering from film fatigue of the superhero genre, you can at least rest a little easy knowing that Spider-Man: Far from Home (the ending of Phase Three of the MCU) is the last we will see for at least a year. For those who are fans (such as yours truly), it is another (somewhat) solid entry into the MCU, and an even deeper dive into the world of Spider-Man.
Taking place just months after Avengers: Endgame (meaning if you have not seen it, stop reading now, because it is impossible to review this film without talking about the fall out of Endgame), Peter Parker (Tom Holland, proving again he is the best Spidey to date) returns to high school after the reverse of Thanos’s snap (called the “blip”) from five years ago. While Peter and many of his classmates did return, those that stayed still aged five years older. He still tries to be the “friendly neighborhood” webslinger, but is soon thrown into the position of having to fill the shoes of his late mentor (and father figure) Tony Stark/Iron Man. This is apparent as Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) attempts to call Parker, only to be ghosted (“You don’t ghost Nick Fury!”) It also does not help that his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) is starting a budding romance with Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau). In short, Peter is in desperate need of a vacation.
He is on his way for a class trip to Venice, where he looks forward to hanging out with his buddy Ned (Jacob Batalon), and may even get to spend time with his crush M.J. (Zendaya), who has a bit of a slightly darker/awkward side than her past cinema portrayals. This of course is put on the side when big water and fire monsters (called Elementals) are terrorizing the locals, meaning Peter will have to join in with Fury, Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), and the one fighting the monsters from the start, Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal), who becomes known as Mysterio.
All the actors are top notch. Gyllenhaal (who I still think is underrated as an actor) works off of the younger Holland, and there are times it is hard to tell who is the veteran thespian. As for Zendaya, I admit I was very worried when I heard she would take on the role of M.J. (though not entirely Mary Jane, she may as well be). The chemistry between her and Holland is so palpable that I admit to being totally wrong. While they are not teenagers in real life (both are in their early twenties), they look, sound, and act like actual teenagers that we don’t care.
As is always the case, the film has enough of those nicely seasoned comedic moments that will have you in smiles and giggles (such as the acronym for the gift that Stark has given Parker). It is also rather amusing to know that, at the start, Peter is somewhat almost oblivious to the fact that he can’t get out of helping Fury. It some ways in reminded me of Proverbs 16:9: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
(Note: The following paragraph contains a spoiler for the film). [bg_collapse view=”button-blue” color=”#ebebeb” icon=”eye” expand_text=”Show Me the Spoiler” collapse_text=”Close the Spoiler” ] The movie also reminds us how we as humans can sometimes trust the wrong person. When we are vulnerable (especially if we have just lost someone close to us as Peter has lost Tony), we can look for nearly anyone who can fill that void, or for someone to share our burden with. While God would certainly be able to provide that person for us, Satan will do all he can to make us follow the wrong person, making our situation end in chaos. (End Spoiler)[/bg_collapse]
Parents, the film does have a little violence and some good amount of swearing (including one use of the middle finger), but nothing else to worry you. If your kids have seen any other MCU movie, they will be okay with this PG-13 rating.
While this is not the best of the Spider-Man films (2004’s Spider-Man 2 was always the best until 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse came along), it still does service for fans and non-fans alike. While watching it, the theater was sold out (unsurprising), meaning I had to sit in the front row (not to mention next to young teen girls, and if you are sitting next to teen girls when the movie has Tom Holland, you can be sure to hear their reactions). The special effects were so uncanny I actually was happy to sit as close as I did. The film will satisfy everyone’s inner spider- sense.
Or, to be more accurate, “Peter tingle”.
Overall:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
From what I remember, I was about 9 or 10 when my dad introduced me to the Beatles, easily his favorite band (though I think Bread was a close second). The first song I remember hearing was “I want to hold your hand”, and then my world of music was never the same again. This is what would start me out on listening to other “oldies” of the 1960s and 1970s. Even those who don’t like The Beatles cannot deny the influence they have had on music, putting them right on the list of names like Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Elvis. The love of the fab four from Liverpool is clearly evident in the movie Yesterday, but its brain is not.
The premise is well known by now: Struggling solo musician Jack Malik (relative newcomer Himesh Patel), once a former teacher and now working part time at a local factory, is about to hang up his guitar strings for good, having only his manager/life long friend Ellie (the always charming Lily James) as his main supporter (even his parents seem hesitant on his musical career). All this changes one night when, as he is riding his bike home, there is a mysterious power surge all over the world that lasts for twelve seconds. This also happens right at the time Jack is hit by a bus, knocking out his two front teeth in the process.
Eventually, he realizes he is the only person left alive who remembers any songs from John, Paul, George, and Ringo (his google searches lead him straight to Beetles and Pope John Paul). While he has some struggle remembering certain song lyrics (mainly Eleanor Rigby), he finds he can become famous by passing the songs as his own (and does a good job of singing them in the process). He becomes so well respected that Ed Sheeran (as himself) says that Jack is Mozart and he is Salieri.
One of the things of the film I was not expecting was that the Beatles would not be the only thing that people have forgotten about. I won’t spoil what they are, but they seemed really superfluous to the film other than some laughs and a product placement (one of the absences would be even more impactful than the absence of The Beatles, without question). Another flaw is the character of Debra, Jack’s new manager. She is played by Kate McKinnon. This is a character that felt totally out of place and even somewhat annoying, going for total schtick. This is in no way a negative take on McKinnon (who has done wonderful work on SNL.)
Parents, the movie is a very soft PG-13. There is swearing, but very little violence (just the aftermath of Jack’s accident). There is also mild suggestive material, but it does not get past lots of kissing. I would think that mature middle schoolers and up are okay.
One thing the movie does get right is the zeal that Jack has for the Beatles (such as his reaction to Ed trying to change the name of “Hey Jude”). Sure, he can use the money, but at the core of it all he is trying to make sure people here songs from the most influential band of all time. This got me thinking: What if I got up one day, and somehow found myself to be the only person alive who has heard about Jesus Christ? While I would assume my first reaction would be utter shock, how would I get his message across? How much fervor would be behind it? Even now, when not alone in knowing the name of Christ (who the Beatles did say they were more popular than at one point), how much joy do I have in proclaiming his name to all?
Yesterday was written by Richard Curtis (who wrote 2003’s wonderful all star cast rom-com Love Actually), and was directed by the very talented Danny Boyle (who won an Oscar for his 2008 capraesque like Slumdog Millionaire). Their work on Yesterday, though well intended, falls short of their previous works, as well as other films revolving around The Beatles such as the underrated Across the Universe (2007) and (perhaps the best of the fab four flicks) A Hard Day’s Night (1964). As a relatively loyal fan of the band, I will stick with those films and the original tracks.
Ob-La-di, Ob-La-Da. Life still goes on.
Overall:
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Nothing else to say