Notes on films we haven't talked much about to catch-up...
Friday, November 29, 2019 at 1:00PM by Nathaniel R
The year sure got away from us. People are diving into "Best of Decade" lists right and left and we're still waist deep in 2019's offerings. Here are some thoughts on films we didn't properly review for some reason. "Some reason" nearly always means not enough hours in the day and the less flattering but no less true (sigh) lack of self-discipline.
A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD (Marielle Heller)
Non movie-based spoiler alert: This film will be on my top ten list. That's the excuse I kept making when delaying writing a real review. "You'll have to talk about that later anyway, Nathaniel" Still, the silence does this movie a disservice. Everyone should go see it at the first possible opportunity. Heller is one of our greatest working directors...
Her debut film was a provocative dissection of a teenager's sexual awakening via her mom's boyfriend. Her sophomore feature was the undervalued tale of a curmudgeonly middle-age lesbian having a career crisis but rediscovering her own talent as life fell apart. For her third trick, she's dramatizing a jaded journalist's reflections and reconciliations after an interview with television icon Mr Rogers throws him for a serious emotional loop. She keeps taking these nearly impossible internal concepts and diving into her characters headspace and journeys with nuance, confidence, depth of feeling, and such a steady hand with actors than the complex journey hits emotional bullseyes. More on this one later but it's a beauty and so much better than any random "biopic of Mr Rogers" would have been. A/A-
HARRIET (Kasi Lemmons)
Rather than focusing on a single rescue mission or two, we meet Harriet Tubman while she's still suffering under slavery and don't leave her again until years later when she's long since become a free woman and underground railroad legend. So why does she feel fully formed as a heroine from the first frame... and why do we glean so little else about her character despite two full hours of time with her? The movie is never slow and always watchable but Harriet suffers from no clear shaping and an inability to sit still long enough to be stirring. The rare time it does, Harriet squinting into the sun surely reimagining a nearly mythic freedom of The Future or taking a little hop across a border, the feeling floods in beautifully (if all too briefly). Still bonus points for Erivo's amazing vocals emanating from the woods as she sings slaves to safety, and again during the end credits on what could be a Best Original Song contender. C
JOJO RABBIT (Taika Waititi)
I don't quite get why people are so offended by this film apart from today's literal and easily-offended era being diametrically opposed to the m.o. of satires. For the most part, Waititi pulls off the tricky black humor tone and absurdist child's-eye-view of Nazi era Germany and cults of hate. Even the shifts into something more grounded and humanist work. The latter is courtesy of Scarlett Johansson's finely tuned performance as a mom pretending to be from one half of the film (the 'Heil Hitler!' buffoonery) while in actuality she's working on the down low for the other half of the film (seriocomic / humanist).
Despite the skill at putting this difficult proposition over, JoJo Rabbit doesn't have much in the way of staying power, fastly fading after a first view, possibly because neither of its halves push quite hard enough. Or maybe it's just the oddly pitched ending which, though memorable, doesn't quite unlock the two tones to open a third, for an exit point. B
MALEFICENT MISTRESS OF EVIL (Joachim Rønning)
Queen Ingrith is shady and casts one incronguously beautiful shadow. Early on in the royal proceedings of Maleficent Mistress of Evil, the queen (Michelle Pfeiffer ❤️ ) is relaying her disgust about Maleficent's horns -- a not so subtle suggestion that she must be evil with those things on her head. She raises her hands above her head to mime those devilish decorative bones and her gestures throw a shadow on the wall of a Queen with phantom horns. In a film overstuffed to bursting with chaotic movement, CGI beasts, and colorful explosions, it's a relatively simple visual but it lands. Who's the real Mistress of Evil here?
Despite our (righteous) disapproval of Disney's decision to retroactively defang their single greatest animated villain into a ill-tempered heroine, if you accept the new franchise at face value, this spiritual makeover is not inherently unininteresting. Nor is the sequel which pits two powerful and ill-tempered women against each other, both feeling justified in their less than charitable feelings towards "enemies". But it's (way) more than the Mouse House is able to do justice to. The Disney factory, which has ever stanned the binaries of good and evil, is ill-equipped to dramatize these shades of gray. So the movie never stops to think about it, racing through political maneuvers and very dark dramatic turns, but constantly comprosing itself. It's hard to feel the sadness or loss of war when death is represented by a full rainbow of powdery explosions and instant topiary gardens (these are the two ways fairies die so it's quite pretty!). That said, as complete messes go, Maleficent 2 is weirdly memorable with strange visual choices, great costumes, and two true movie stars giving each other the stink eye. C+
TERMINATOR DARK FATE (Tim Miller) C
We've all heard the term "franchise fatigue" before but it's perhaps too broad a term. Which part is fatiguing exactly? It's not just that there are a lot more of them now or that franchise fatigue is drifting into television too where everything is by its nature a franchise but now, none of them are ever cancelled exactly since they're rebooted, renewed years after cancellation, or just move to different channels. In the cast of Dark Fate the fatigue factor is surely a case of borrowed glory. Though this is arguably the strongest Terminator film in over two decades, all of its best moments / ideas are merely inversions or callbacks to the two classic original films -- like rejiggering it to make law enforcement the villains (visually if not in actuality) and immigrants the victims, and also to reunite the classic pairing of Linda Hamilton (still awesome) and Arnold Schwarzenegger. In short, there is little reason for it to exist since it doesn't move the series forward but rather backward to try and reinvigorate / update a 35 year-old franchise. And when you're inviting direct comparisons to one of the greatest action films of all time (T2 Judgment Day) but don't have the unparalleled skills of James Cameron in making action sequences transcend all possible expectations, you're going to feel lesser than.
That said Gabriel Luna is always welcome (though not getting him naked is a ridiculous and improper waste or resources) and Mackenzie Davis continues to prove that she's an exciting screen presence and undervalued actor, ready and willing to serve up her own movie star breakthrough. But first she'll need a star vehicle worthy of what she's bringing to the table.
ICYMI - Reviews for brand new titles...
Frozen 2 • The Irishman • Klaus • Knives Out • The Two Popes
ICYMI - Reviews for other movies that are "now playing"...
Atlantics • By the Grace of God • Charlie's Angels • Dolemite Is Me Name • Ford v Ferrari • Good Liar • Honey Boy • Joker • Last Christmas • The Lighthouse • The Kingmaker • Motherless Brooklyn • Pain & Glory • Parasite • The Report • Waves • Zombieland 2
Reader Comments (12)
Jojo Rabbit needs another viewing. I like it a lot and it stayed with me a bit but I don't yet know if it crossed the line into being a great movie.
Re: A BEAUTIFUL DAY..., I highly recommend this recent Atlantic article by the journalist whose story "inspired" the movie, Tom Junod, in which he talks (more) about Mr. Rogers and provides some interesting details about how the movie was conceived and changed, as well as his own personal reaction to it.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/12/what-would-mister-rogers-do/600772/
His original 1998 piece on which the movie's based is also worth reading, but I found this one even more compelling.
I agree that JoJo Rabbit doesn't have a lot of staying power. My movie theater was not packed and I had a hard time remembering details later that night even. Scarlett Johansson was the MVP for me, but Thomasin McKenzie's scene of "I am descended from angel wrestlers and giant slayers" was the best scene.
Terminator Dark Fate isn't very good. That scene in the detention center, in a better movie, would've been such a highlight. The fact that this movie is basically the first 2 movies condensed doesn't help. The new girl (who isn't Davis) was fine, but her character was irritating and Davis, while fab, had the same dour line-readings in EVERY SCENE. Even when the lines didn't lend themselves to it, she had that same inflection!
As for Hamilton and Schwarzenegger, they were CLEARLY the MVPs. Hamilton more so then Schwarzenegger, especially when she sees him again. Her and SigWeavy are, in fact, founding members of the Bad Bitches Club.
JoJo Rabbit awarded a grade of B with Harriet smarting with a grade of C.
Not for me. I'd much rather rewatch the earnest bio pic of Harriet Tubman with Cynthia Erico's solid performance than endure the Taika Waititi Nazi occupation misfire with its scattered tone.
I saw A Beautiful Day...yesterday and Tom Hanks was sublime in a way I've never seen him before. I never forgot that I was seeing Tom Hanks - which I think is the point and works wonderfully. I don't think I've ever felt more memorized by him than in the film. The "minute of silence" and puppet scene from the film is enough to make me tear up.
It really needs to have it's whole ensemble mentioned for acting kudos. Susan Kelechi Watson, Chris Cooper, Christine Lahti, Maryann Plunkett, Enrico Colantoni, and Tammy Blanchard all give authentic and lived-in performances even while not the focus.
My problem with JOJO RABBIT, which I just watched last night, is that I feel like it's almost as irrelevant in 2019 as it would have in 1944. These switzerland movies are so useless. I don't really need nazis dancing to David Bowie's "Heroes", you know? It's not that I don't get satire - although I don't think this is a good one, nor is it especially funny although JoJo's friend got me with his deadpan delivery - it's that it ultimately seems to be selling a message that means jack shit. We're doing nazi redemption arcs in the name of... what, exactly?
I wanted to hate Ford v Ferrari but it's a well-made movie with a couple of good twists and one of the best scenes of the year starring Mr. Tracy Letts.
Saw ABDITN last night and thout it was soul nourishing. Tom Hanks better get nominated. What a lovely film.
@Lynn Lee
Thx for the wonder link!! such a precious gem!!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Glad you loved ABDITN. I loved it too, almost in my top 10, though there is still quite a bit for me to see and catch up on.
Watched The Irishman a second time at home with family, after seeing it for the first time in theaters. Dare I say, it plays better at home. We were able to pause and take a much needed bathroom/snack break about halfway through. I'm glad I saw it in the theater, as I do believe movies are better experienced and appreciated in the darkened room with a big screen and the best sound possible, but a second viewing at home really solidified this as one of the best of 2019 for me.
In the theater, for example, the whole Jimmy Hoffa "hit" scene, which plays like a much slower short film within the larger film, wasn't as impactful, probably because I was sitting in an uncomfortable movie theater seat for two and a half hours prior. By the time the end of the film came, I wasn't as moved in the theater as I was at home, most likely because I didn't take a bathroom break in the theater, didn't get to switch positions too much in the seat, etc.
Point being -- The Irishman is an amazing achievement and one of Scorsese's most ambitious films, and I think those who experience it for the first time on Netflix will be just fine.
A few other films that standout that I wish would be getting more attention this year are Climax and the Nightingale.
Joseph : also saw The Irishman in the theater and am excited to watch it again on Netflix. Thought Pesci was incredible.