Music by John Williams

Making a nice documentary about a beloved guy isn’t really a wildly ambitious endeavor, but it’s a necessary one. Cross-referencing what credit pops up on the list of top grossing movies of all time, it’s John Williams. He’s a national treasure and he can take a great movie and make it better; monumental. Not surprisingly, the doc feels too short. How do you cover the composer’s whole amazing career in one two-hour slot? You’re going to leave them wanting more.

Wicked

I never saw the live play. I don’t know the story and I had no idea what to expect. When I saw that the running time was two and a half hours, I assumed it was full coverage of the musical. When the “to be continued” popped up at the end, I was flabbergasted. I guess you gotta make money to pay for all of those beautiful sets and steam-punk trains and stuff. You can’t deny that the music talent is stellar. As there should be, there are several big music numbers that blow the roof off. The dichotomy of the nerd and the princess works really well, and I sensed why this might appeal to young women and theater nerds with the acceptance/discrimination themes. There’s a crowd-pleasing, fan-service aspect to this that I can’t quite describe. Filmmakers build-up to and forecast big entrances and musical numbers with almost a wink and a nod to the rabid fanbase. “We have an inside joke…” I have no objection to this. You have to play to the fans, not the randos. But it felt a bit exclusive to THIS rando; cluelessly trying to interpret a secret language.

Gladiator 2

Sir Ridley Scott is 86, and every couple of years he comes out with a big movie, and that’s nothing to sneeze at. There’s an epic eye-candy aspect to this, but emotionally it’s sub-par. It’s fun to see guys getting beheaded, etc. But the important moments lack “punch” and that might be the fault of the script. It’s one thing to watch a villain get killed. But it’s another, better level to watch the hero kill the villain. Unfortunately, the script doesn’t allow for that. It doesn’t seem like there were any personal stakes considered by the filmmakers. It’s a sequel to a very popular best picture winner. The job is to not fuck it up. And they don’t. It's fun in a "Gladiator-riding-a-rhinoceros" way. And it'll make money. So, there’s plenty of swords and plenty of sandals, but it won’t resonate in any kind of emotional way.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

In terms of an emotional journey, this doc has a lot going for it. The Superman stuff and the paralysis stuff has all the ingredients for a boo-hoo extravaganza. But’s it’s not like this is so uniquely or expertly made. For comparison, I found Still, the Michael J Fox doc, to be more emotional and the Jim Henson doc, Jim Henson Idea Man, to be more informative. It suffices to say that it’s a worthwhile doc to show how much impact Reeve had on the cultural views of the wheelchair bound and the changes that happened because of him.

¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor!

It’s basically one of those restaurant rescue shows from the Food Network. It’s significant that the new owners keep saying what a stupid purchase it was and what a huge waste of money it is. But they’re doing it because… love? Also poignant when co-owner Trey Parker realizes he can’t go to the restaurant and enjoy it because he’ll be recognized. The resolution of the rescue has yet to be fully determined, but reservations are booked out for a few months in advance, so…

Red Lights

How did filmmakers get this incredible cast for this so-so 2012 movie? The scientific debunking of mentalists and hucksters is sharp and intriguing. Cillian Murphy captivates as the paranormal debunker with a hidden agenda. The rest of the cast is stellar. But things about this are wacky. Askew. Cattywampus. Off. Well-known actors are sidelined, unnecessary scenes go on way too long, and the conclusion must be explained through voiceover. It aspires to be a modern-day, big budget Scanners meets X-Files. But the pacing feels scattered and directionless. The plot feels unrealized and unmotivated. This is supposed to be my expertise. I’ve put in my 10,000 hours. But I can’t explain it. Something is just… off.

Train to Busan

Zombie retrospective. The zombie movie cream-of-the-crop, to some. Production design is clean and slick, which makes the arrival of the fast zombies and the spraying blood all the more dreadful. It starts with routine domestic issues, and a sympathetic Dad trying to do his best. When the outbreak begins, Dad makes a few selfish moves to save his young daughter, but efforts to dial back hero’s sympathetic qualities ring false. We know he’s a good guy. Don’t bother with a ginned-up arc. There aren’t too many young children in zombie narratives, I suppose for production safety reasons, but having a little girl in this gives the whole spectacle a layer of vulnerability. Filmmakers intend for this to add HEART to the story, which more often than not, works. Sequences are extremely well-choreographed. Lots of glass, and windows being the only thing that stands between the heroes and the zombie hoards. The pace, like a speeding train, doesn’t let up, and the editing is expert. Is this the Citizen Kane of zombie movies? Kinda. Maybe. If you don’t count OPENING NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.

28 Days Later

Zombie retrospective. I remember reading about this before it came out. Film nerds (like me) were very skeptical that a theatrical feature could be shot on consumer video cameras and not feel cheap and gimmicky. But Danny Boyle proves with his track record that he welcomes risk. It’s scary. Scenes on the abandoned London streets are truly eerie. And Cillian Murphy’s commitment to the bit is unwavering. As usual, zombie parables inevitably chart how quickly people can turn on each other when the undead start lumbering around. There’s an unsavory rapey-ness to the final third of this. Thankfully, revenge is sweet. Interesting, too, to watch the DVD of this, with the alternate endings (I can’t remember the last time I watched a DVD). Filmmakers conclude with a small amount of hope for mankind. But they still had their doubts.