The Mustang

What’s striking about this is: as much as the main character must bond with a wily horse, the actor must also bond with the horse actor. That had to have taken lots of time and dedication. Overall, it’s a pleasant but dull prison-western driven by themes of captivity and rehabilitation. It’s never ham-fisted or insincere, but it also plays it pretty safe in most of the scenes – checking the “family film” box, which is funny because it’s rated R. See it if you like horses.

Us

Doppelgangers, evil twins, clones, and alter-egos have always populated volumes of parables in art and literature. The takeaway themes vary, but one of them is almost always: we are our own worst enemy. Beyond that, I’m not sure what to take away from Us. It’s a very well-acted and always mysterious yarn, but I’m not sure if I “get” it. It’s more funny than scary, and the big “uh-oh” eerie finish left me baffled. It swings for the fences, thematically, but I wish it had been more conclusive.

Captain Marvel

Who would win in a fight? Captain Marvel or Superman? Captain Marvel or the Hulk? Captain Marvel or Dr. Strange? You can practically hear the conversations comic-book geeks and eight-year-olds are having about Carol Danvers and how powerful she is – really. That’s probably the best thing about this: she’s seems to be one of the strongest and most powerful heroes in any of the universes, which raises the superhero stakes considerably. But I’ll admit I found this movie confusing, mainly because I’m not a big enough of a comic-book geek to keep track of all of the important colorful stones and glowing cubes, green people and blue people, planets and alternate universes, to fully understand what the hell is going on. But I enjoyed the actors and the fact that Captain Marvel seems to be more powerful than Superman. (I smell a Marvel/DC crossover!) Looking forward to finding out who will be her Louis Lane.

Greta

There are a lot of things to appreciate about DePalma. Audiences and filmmakers have been yakking about and discussing and dissecting DePalma for years and years. Often the conversation steers to: Is he serious? Is he kidding? Is this meant to be over-the-top and jokey? Is it meant to be this derivative? It’s possible that many filmmakers appreciate his movies so much because he was able to get away with so much. “I want to get away with that much!” They think. “I want to cheat like DePalma cheats!” The filmmakers of Greta are these filmmakers. Let’s rip-off DePalma but also wink at the audience that we know we’re ripping off DePalma, who also ripped-off himself, and who also ripped-off Hitchcock… Ultimately, you can see a lot of these plot points and goofs coming, so the whole experience is a bit dull.

Alita: Battle Angel

There’s an expression – “the uncanny valley” that I’ll admit I really don’t understand. It has something to do with objects and creatures that aren’t real but that look so real that it creates a distant, repulsive feeling in the viewer. That’s Alita, whose voice doesn’t quite match her body, whose super-human movements don’t obey the laws of physics, and whose eyes seem freakishly huge and focused. She’s a robot, for sure. But you have to wonder why her creators would treat her exactly like she's human knowing full well that she isn’t. Doesn’t that mean she doesn’t have free will if it has to be given to her?

The script and the story also contribute to this uncanny problem. If she had free will would she really choose to roller-skate competitively? There’s just something off about this. The tone, the themes, the pacing. It all feels rushed. Decisions were made to get to the action scenes as quickly as possible. And granted: they’re amazing. But they don’t really resonate emotionally because the whole thing feels like you’re watching somebody else play a video game. I can’t really define the uncanny valley. It’s hard to put your finger on it. There’s just something… off.

You Were Never Really Here

I know I saw this movie. I think I saw it. I’m not sure I remember it all. Does that mean it’s unmemorable? What I DO remember is the way the movie plays with dreams and memory. It’s kind of an "unreliable narrator" mind-fuck with fancy, stylistic editing to… I don’t know… convey confusion? Joaquin Phoenix plays Liam Neeson – a guy who rescues kidnapped girls – which he does by beating the fuck out of people in a potboiler that devolves into a sequel to The Raid. I can’t remember how it ended. Did it end?

Eighth Grade

This feels very honest. There are some pacing problems and some logic problems, but this will serve as an excellent time capsule of "Generation Tech" and the terrifyingly quick assimilation with all social media. Still, there are some teen tropes and rites of passage that technology doesn’t change and this movie handles those well, too.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Yep. Saw it again. Best movie of the year. I wish I understood the amount of innovation that went into this. The techniques that make it so surprisingly different. Whose creative decisions are these? The writers? The editors? The directors? Sony’s? It’s electrifying.

Leave No Trace

Really strong character-building and a rich father-daughter relationship here, but the plot lacks. Missing details about why these two are living in the woods and the serious lack of social workers leaves too many unanswered questions at the end. The strong performances aren’t enough to spin a satisfying yarn.

Free Solo

A heroic doc in which the hero is the camera gear. As admirable as it is for the subject, Alex Honnold, to climb El Capitan without ropes, to FILM it without getting in the guy’s way and causing him to fall to his death is what earned this doc all of its well-deserved trophies. Because, let’s face it: it’s not like it’s really suspenseful. They would have never released the movie if the guy had died, right?

Green Book

This is a solid best picture candidate with two unforgettable performances. It behaves like a road movie, and cruises along with a steady and engaging clip. Like Bohemian Rhapsody, it touches on some of the real-life characters more complicated qualities, but it never lingers for long. It’s expertly acted, directed, shot and edited and it might very well win best picture. And it’s also really human, depicting a heart-felt friendship in an era of change. You kinda wish some of our “leaders” liked movies. They might learn something from this.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Animated superhero stories were always the bargain basement in terms of quality. The cheap looking cartoons on Saturday morning had so much potential, but I’m sure were thought of as low-art or commercials for toys. It wasn’t until the Batman: Animated Series in 1992 that superheroes started getting some super-serious animated love. Sam Raimi’s live-action Spidermans started ten years later and it seemed like the comic books would be “live action” from then on. But then Pixar released The Incredibles, which was, in my mind, the most beautifully animated superhero saga to date. (Why did it take so long?) When I saw The Incredibles 2 this year, I was blown away and believed it was, at the time, the best animated thing I’d ever seen, in any genre. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

That is... until I saw Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, which is sublime in a way that’s almost impossible to describe. So, also and including Mary Poppins Returns, 2018 seems like it was a banner year for animation, because this is… ground-breaking and game-changing. It redefines the animated superhero model and obliterates the cartoons. The story is spellbinding, the voice acting is top-notch, and the use of music is unprecedented. Before I saw this, people were saying that this was the best movie of the year. I was skeptical, but the people are right. This is awesome. Steve Ditko and Stan Lee may rest in peace because their legacy is safely wrapped in a web with this: an achievement for the ages. DO NOT MISS IT IN THEATERS.

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

As with any bio-pic, you have to wonder how much of it actually happened and how much is dramatized for effect. You could argue that if it’s an entertaining movie than it shouldn’t matter that much. But I still wonder about this: the story of Lee Israel and how it all went down. Be that as it may this is a very well-acted drama about a desperate (or was she?) and alcoholic author who’s strapped for cash and willing to swindle some collectors so she can take her cat to the vet. The main character is such an unlikable grouch that the movie runs the risk of not working, if not for the complicated and careful performance by Melissa McCarthy, who nails it. The story also dives into to an unfamiliar but surprisingly interesting sub-culture of collectable, old letters written by famous people. It’s like baseball cards for literary types and the world therein can be dark and seedy! Kudos to Richard E. Grant here, too, who shines as a breezy con-artist who conspires to hock the counterfeit goods. A strong and intimate character study well worth the time.

Mary Poppins Returns

Emily Blunt can’t sing like Dame Julie Andrews. You wouldn’t expect her to. But she CAN sing a little. More than a little. And as she takes on a more stern and disciplinary tone with the Banks children, she leaves a lot of the Disney showiness and sparkle to… the filmmakers. And the results are fantastic. The make-up, the costumes, the sets, the animation, and the songs are all glorious. The crew did an incredible job working, obviously for years, to craft one of the best movies of 2018. I can only imagine the numerous meetings at Disney headquarters fretting about the risk of fucking up one of the most beloved movies of all time by making a sequel. “Don’t fuck this up…” must’ve been the on-set mantra. They didn’t.

Doug's Favorite Movies of 2018

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
The Incredibles 2
Mary Poppins Returns
Green Book
Bad Times at the El Royale
Can You Ever Forgive Me? 
Game Night
RBG

Honorable mention: 

Mission Impossible: Fallout
Ready Player One

BlacKkKlansman

Watching the first half of this, I was really impressed. Despite some typical Spike Lee weirdness (i.e. scenes going on too long, weird camera angles, etc.), it was an emotional and gripping biopic. But during the second half, I began to roll my eyes. Embellishments to the true story seemed preposterous. The story falls away, the hero’s journey peters out, and the movie becomes just a preachy essay. Too bad. It started out really good.

Vice

Poor Dick Cheney. Poor, poor Dick! His daughter is gay! GAY! That must have been SOOOO difficult for him. How conflicted he and his wife must have been when they found out.

Please.

The filmmaking is expert. The acting is superb. But this is an ugly, off-putting movie about ugly, off-putting people. There’s not a single redeemable, likeable character throughout the whole thing. It’s just about a bunch of assholes. Granted, some of the best actors in the business play these assholes, which makes it watchable in a dumpster-fire, train-wreck kind of way. But heroes they are NOT. Hard to recommend because it might just make you angry, rather than make you marvel in the Richard III, Shakespearean way that America was taken over by assholes.

The Favourite

What starts out as a corset farce skillfully evolves into a corset thriller, which is neat. But the resolution to this is more about the farce and less about the thriller, which is completely dissatisfying. Nevertheless, all of the acting is top-notch, even if the plot is as muddy as the castle moat.

Bumblebee

Use E.T. as a template. Replace E.T. with the lovable robot/car and Elliot with a teenage girl, and voila! You got yourself a toy advertisement. Hailee Steinfeld does a great job here, acting effectively on her own but pretending to care about and hug and love a CG car/robot. It can’t be easy. This movie benefits considerably by not being directed by Michael Bay, so it doesn’t have an unnecessarily macho vibe. It’s sweet, and it works for what it is. Herbie: 2018.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Publicity about the fired director and the historical inaccuracy could have sunk this project before it ever hit theaters. But Rami Malek, Dexter Fletcher, the rest of the cast, as well as the guardianship of the members of Queen, bring a “fake-it-til-you-make-it” rock-and-roll enthusiasm to this, which makes it fine and watchable. It strikes all of the necessary notes of the music bio-pic subgenre and features a rousing finale. But I can see how the gay community and the AIDS awareness advocates might be put off by this. It’s clearly trying to rush through that stuff quickly so that they can arrive at the next musical number. This movie will help sell a lot of records for years to come, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I just wish they had said SOME-thing about Flash Gordon.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

This short film compilation by the Coens is tied together with one common theme: death. It’s always a treat to get a new film from the Coens, although admittedly the Netflix release makes this a more muted affair. While the entire thing takes place in the “old west”, it doesn’t feel like a western. It’s not fun or action-filled and is more of a measurement of existential wrangling than it is about shoot-em-ups in the OK corral. I like the Tom Waits segment the most, perhaps because it’s the most optimistic? Typically of the brothers, it’s technically flawless and visually innovative, and strikes its creepy and silly chords with snappy timing. But you’ll mosey away from this feeling gloomy -- it’s not a day at the carnival, just like the old west, I suppose.

First Man

Opening minutes of this biopic of Neil Armstrong are exhilarating. One of the best action sequences of the year. A lot of this reminded me of The Right Stuff, to the point where it almost feels like a sequel. The filmmaking and technique here is perfect, but efforts to pepper in an emotional quest for Armstrong to find some kind of closure for himself and his deceased daughter feel forced. The finale was in IMAX and beautiful to behold, so again the whole thing is technically awesome, despite misbegotten, character-driven internal strife.

Bad Times at the El Royale

Nifty thriller from the sci-fi TV whiz and Cabin in the Woods director Drew Goddard. All the performances are excellent and the Agatha Christie/Alfred Hitchcock plot is full of genuine surprises. It’s one of those “What the Hell is going on?” kind of movies in which one of the twists is what genre the movie will eventually be (like genre hybrids Buffy, Lost, etc.). While everyone in the cast is in top form, one actor stands out: Cynthia Erivo, who I’ve never seen before, and is the glue that keeps the whole labyrinthian mystery grounded and engaging. Many times in the “what the Hell is going on?” sub-genre the resolution can be cheap or lame. “It was all a dream” or whatever. That’s not the case here. The finale is dark and fantastic and totally thrilling.

The Predator

This feels like it was edited with a crowbar. Lengthy sequences seem to be missing and the result is a disorienting hodge-podge. Shane Black’s chippy dialogue, blue humor, and cartoony action is fun. But as a whole story? It’s a mess.

A Star is Born

Too much Bradley Cooper. Not enough Gaga. This is a pretty ham-fisted musical, attempting to update the dusty “aging star discovering a new star” trope by adding drag queens and pop music. I think that Bradley Cooper has been in one to many Clint Eastwood movies and has adapted his sentimental, melodramatic style. It feels like it’s trying too hard, and it didn’t really resonate for me.

Mandy

What if Hunter S. Thompson wrote a horror movie? Would it even BE a horror movie, or would it be something else entirely? Story-wise, and structurally speaking this is a pretty traditional revenge tale. But that’s where the conventional part ends. Because when your revenge-thirsty hero is Nicholas Cage and he’s tripping on acid, and he’s killing multiple, cult-member, acid-trip bikers, things get really bonkers really quick. It’s difficult to recommend because it’s so weird and very slow. But if you’re into that sort of thing…

Kin

What if Elmore Leonard wrote a gritty, hard-boiled sci-fi movie? Kin is filled with gangsters, murderers, scumbags, and strippers from the hardest of hardboiled pulp novels, and, oh-by-the-way, a laser gun from the future. The cast is all strong and play along with the wild conceit well, except for James Franco who plays his villain too cartoony; only mimicking the great slimy movie baddies of the past. Filmmakers (including Dan Casey!) make a crazy unpredictable mash-up; a new genre with no precedent. Elmore Leonard meets Douglas Adams. Buckle up.

Mission Impossible: Fallout

Yep. Saw it again. Admission possible.

Mission Impossible: Fallout

Ethan Hunt is having bad dreams. We should be worried about him. He’s not the operative he used to be. As much as the filmmakers intend to entertain (and they succeed spectacularly) they also intend to open a window and explore Ethan Hunt’s psyche. But because Tom Cruise is such a… mysterious fellow, these explorations into his love life and motives leave us more confused than we already were. The supporting cast, including Rebecca Ferguson, are all top notch. But we’re not sure if Ethan really loves Ilsa. They’ve never even kissed! Sequences and stunts are, as always, incomparable. Twists are well-crafted. There is never any doubt that you’re getting your money’s worth, despite the fogginess of Ethan’s love life.

Sorry to Bother You

This bites off a lot. It’s a satire of whitewashing, American greed, income inequality, telemarketers, guerrilla artists, and office politics. It’s very funny at times, but as these sci-fi satires go, it culminates in chaos. Story-wise there’s really no other place to go. We’re headed to an ugly future. But kudos to the filmmakers for swinging for the fences.

Ant Man and the Wasp

Gravitas-less. Everything about this is light and little. The characters. The plot. The stakes. It’s almost like a kid’s movie – a Sid and Marty Krofft, Saturday morning adventure. Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, et al have a really light, fun rapport with a quick and easy delivery. So it’s fine for what it is: featherweight fun. But these people don’t stand a chance against Thanos.

RBG

Good-natured doc about the Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. What stands out is her background facing the courts as an advocate for civil rights. It’s amazing to think about how many pivital cases she took to the court and how, in many ways, she transformed America by winning those arguments. But her body and mind seem frail and this movie makes you worry that she may not have very long to go.

The Incredibles 2

A beautifully animated and dazzling adventure from Brad Bird. It a shame about John Lassiter and all of the unwanted hugs, because it’s feeling like the end of an amazing era from Pixar. The quality and the entertainment could NOT be higher.

As for the story itself, you can guess who the villain is by how intricately their hair is animated. A secondary character would NEVER have hair this cool. It must have taken thousands of people thousands of hours. There are lots of ideas about brain-washing the masses, which, because of the nature of super-strong super-heroes, can only be stopped with lots of chasing and fighting. Nevertheless, it’s a gorgeous achievement in animation.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

This is like a "Jurassic" greatest hits. Throw in some of the Michael Crichton novels, throw in some stuff from the Spielberg movies, throw in a little Congo, a little bit of Frankenstein, a piece or two from King Kong… That doesn’t mean it isn’t entertaining. It just feels like a rehash. Much of this movie is filmed on soundstages in very controlled environments. Instead of moving around in the natural world with plants and rocks and bugs and birds, the dinos are interacting with cages and hallways and furniture and stuff. Easier to control and probably a lot cheaper to animate. Which means there’s a lot of cool camera moves and geography, but don’t stop and think about a guy fighting an evil dinosaur in a library.

Solo

One of Ron Howard’s best movies, which means: lower those expectations, folks! If you do, it’s a fun but light Star Wars prologue. It might have worked better as one of those animated things like Clone Wars or Rebels. The introduction and bromance of Han and Chewy works really well, and it’s the best part of this. But other subplots: failed heists, double crosses, and Casablanca-lifted thematic elements are less dazzling, even though they do eventually work. The cast is strong, especially Alden Ehrenreich, who delivers the right balance of youthful swagger and emotional inexperience. The stakes just feel… low. The fate of the galaxy isn’t on the line. There’s no real love lost. It’s just kind of a slapdash adventure. There’s nothing wrong with that. But if you need to make a billion dollars, some planets need to explode.

Avengers: Infinity War - Part 1

** INFINITE SPOILERS!! **

More of a prelude of things to come than an actual movie. It’s so crowded that most of the characters only get cursory appearances. Often there will be four or five super-people in the frame at the same time, as one character doles out ominous exposition. The other super-people in the scene don’t seem to be listening and look bored. The Russos neglect to block the scenes, maybe because none of the actors were there at the same time and they were all superimposed together in post? That being said, there are a couple of pairings filmmakers spend a little more time on: Vision and Scarlet Witch, which could have been a whole movie by itself, and Gamora and Thanos, a nicely-expanded backstory for Zoe Saldana. Again and again, the biggest problem with these superhero movies is there’s no suspense because you know there’s sequels and franchises coming. And the thrill of cg just isn’t enough anymore. So if you can’t have any death, where else do you find conflict? Love, maybe?

A Quiet Place

** SPOILERS AHEAD **

More of a series of sequences than a whole movie. The sequences are suspenseful but the big picture is lacking. Efforts to play with story structure by eliminating the intro and the climax are valiant but gimmicky. Who are the aliens? What do they want? Who else is building signal fires at night? There’s no context. No sense of a larger world. That being said, a hugely successful debut for John Kraszinski, who made a lot of money for somebody, and now he’ll get to do what he wants.

Ready Player One

Spielberg and company summarily change the novel, for the better I suppose, even though that’s always considered a high-crime. The story weaknesses in the novel, of which there are many, are torched all together and a new plot emerges from the ashes. The novelist’s affinity for certain, very specific 80’s pop-culture treasures falls by the wayside, which is why we don’t see War Games clips in this, but instead it’s… I’m not spoiling it. Filmmakers drastically improve on the motives of “Halliday” -- the Willy Wonka of this adventure, peppering in a taste of Spielbergian sentimentality. It’s a pleasure to watch and purely entertaining, even if it’s not the purely 80’s trip down memory lane that audiences were expecting.

Red Sparrow

“Jennifer Lawrence is a hilarious, Academy Award-winning ray of sunshine. I know: let’s put her in a movie where she pouts the entire time.”

Academy Award Nominated Animated Short Films

DEAR BASKETBALL

With music by John Williams, this essay about how much Kobe Bryant loves basketball is nicely animated, but thematically shallow and obvious.

GARDEN PARTY

Beautifully animated, with a dark-comedy twist at the end.

LOU

Not that animated films HAVE to be logical. But this doesn’t make a lot of sense. Sentiment supersedes inner logic, I suppose.

NEGATIVE SPACE

Thematically strong short about a narrator’s relationship with his father based on how he learned from his father how to pack a suitcase.

REVOLTING RHYMES

A twist on the old red-riding hood fable. Felt long.

Game Night

We laughed all the way through this; a comedy version of the Fincher movie The Game. And it's not like the premise is all that original, but it's the delivery of the actors -- the perfectly timed jazz of Bateman, McAdams, and Jesse Plemons is so smooth it could settle your stomach. Lots really funny riffs on twist-endings, too. A blue-chip farce. Huzzah, etc.

Black Panther

Beautifully imagined and rendered comic-book saga with all of the necessary ingredients. African and racial politics work their way in occasionally, but they don’t really drive the plot and they don’t get resolved in any kind of interesting way. The cast is great but the action feels par-for-the course. It’s the typical running and driving and chasing and fighting stuff. What this movie lacks (and what all the super-hero movies really lack now days) is suspense, because you know that Black Panther can’t really die. This is a dilemma for all the comic-book, superhero movie-makers I suppose. How do you ratchet up the stakes?? Be that as it may, it’s a great, big feline leap for black heroes, no longer relegated to being supporting characters or starring in b-movies.

The Darkest Hour

Gary Oldman is undoubtedly impressive in this. His technique, along with the great makeup, makes this performance muy authentic. But this is not a very personal or emotional movie. It’s all about important speeches and Churchill screaming at the minions. There’s very little insight into who Churchill was as a person. As a history it’s fine, but as a drama, it’s a lot like British food: it needs a little salt.

Call Me By Your Name

What if Brokeback Mountain had turned out well? Well, not “well” but better? Here you have a love story about acceptance. The stakes are low, mainly because the setting is isolated; away from the hate speech and the AIDS crisis of the era. When you strip away all of the socio-political hullaballoo, what’s left is a nice, warm-hearted travelogue through the small towns and swimming holes of Northern Italy. While the pace is meandering, the main character makes several interesting choices in his assent to manhood.

I, Tonya

A well-made but violent dark-comedy about that well-covered incident before the 1994 Olympics. Robbie (who also produced) is excellent and Janney will probably win an Oscar. In the 90’s, the media portrayed Tonya Harding as a master-manipulator; a femme fatale who tricked her husband into carrying out her evil bidding. But in this depiction, there is a brutal cycle of abuse. Harding gets smacked around A LOT by her husband, and for many complicated reasons, she can’t shake him off. When the story is told in a different way, you can see that she was a victim of circumstance, and didn’t have the support system to overcome the rotten people in her life. In some ways, it’s the perfect, juicy film noir. In other ways, it’s an American tragedy.

Paddington 2

We regretted not seeing the first movie in the theater since it was better than we thought it would be and skillfully sentimental. This behaves more like an action movie (albeit one for toddlers), in which the action culminates on a speeding train. It’s very well-done, big-budget, family fare with some charming word-play and Britishy shenanigans. Kudos to Hugh Grant for delivering, full-bore, his hilariously narcissistic but non-threatening antagonist.

All the Money in the World

This is a true docudrama, unfolding realistically and never stopping for any emotional reflection. Michelle Williams, the best (as always), must deliver any emotion with her eyes, her body language, her “instrument”, because it’s not on the page. Sir Ridley seems determined to keep the pace moving, which makes this a somewhat dry, impersonal experience. The Mark Wahlberg part could have been played by any macho leading man, which brings an extra level of irony to the whole public squabble about the pay difference. Nevertheless, Christopher Plummer as J. Paul Getty is electric. What a historically rotten prick, and a great performance from Plummer. The facts about this incident and how it all unfolded are the best thing about this movie, and add new context during your next drive by the Getty Center. It’s very watchable, but tissues will not be needed.

Doug's Favorite Movies of 2017

Get Out
The Shape of Water
Blade Runner: 2049
The Big Sick
Dunkirk

Honorable Mention:

John Wick Chapter 2
Thor: Ragnarok
Logan

The Disaster Artist

I think this was supposed to be funny, but I actually found it sad. Because it revels in a hacky filmmaker who believes in his dream, but never realizes how hacky he is. And I can’t help but worry that I, too, might be a filmmaker that’s THAT hacky. The acting and directing by James Franco is on-point, as is the delivery by brother Dave. I’ve seen The Room a few times, and it’s truly terrible. But not really funny/terrible, just terrible. Again, I think I dislike artistic train-wrecks because I’m always thinking: that could be ME! Be that as it may, this is a strong and passionate offering from the Freaks and Geeks kids. I think they’ve got a future in this business.

Obey Giant

Interesting and worthwhile doc on Hulu about Shepard Fairey – from the Andre the Giant “Obey” stickers to the Barack Obama “Hope” campaign. Lots of insight from Fairy himself about his art and purpose.

Downsizing

This is like 3 movies crammed into one. A sci-fi move, a upstairs-downstairs class satire, and a travelogue. I’m sorry, Alexander Payne and company, but there’s too much stuff in the pie. Swing and a miss. The silver lining here is a great, funny, human performance from Hong Chau, who might get some nominations.

Lady Bird

Greta Gerwig took a page out of the Noah Baumbach playbook for this; a episodic and uniquely female portrait about a senior in high school. It’s not super plot-heavy, but it’s clear what “Lady Bird” wants: to get into a college across the country and "get out of Dodge." It’s honest, awkward, and funny. Saoirse Ronan, who’s always been good, navigates friends, family, and Catholic school, but she never really resolves or copes with any of her unresolved issues. She just moves-on from them. Change occurs when she accepts who she is and what she wants. It’s an accomplished debut by Gerwig.

The Post

All of the necessary, newspapery tropes are here, and welcome. Reporters are sticking to their story, never revealing their sources, and putting their ass on the line. And it’s all about that very important democratic thing: holding the government accountable for their actions. If you were Vladamir Putin and you were trying to undermine a democracy, how would you do it? Make people distrust the news by contaminating the newsfeed with misinformation, right? Sounds like a plan. A vital and necessary movie, full of great acting, brains, and constitutional truths. So it will inevitably be accused of being liberal propaganda.

The Shape of Water

Lovingly derivative, Guillermo refers to  mythology, 1950’s cold-war, b-movies, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet in this very adept and sweet “beauty and the beast” love story. Some of Del Toro’s dark and twisted sensibilities find their way in, but it’s mostly a love letter. All of the performances are SUPERB (and nomination-worthy), including Doug Jones as the slimy creature with the heart of gold. There’s an acceptable level of schmaltz in this, too, which makes you feel all warm and squishy and goopy inside, a lot like that sensitive swamp creature, I suppose. A must-sea. (Ha!)

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

This is the “trials and tribulations” chapter of the saga, where nothing works out, nobody trusts anybody, and everybody generally gets their ass kicked. If you find yourself liking something a character is doing, it will eventually backfire. If you find yourself expecting a character will do something, brace yourself – they will do the opposite. The problem with the whole saga now (the brand) is that the movies will never end; they will always require sequels. That means that the dramatic effect is watered down. How do you author surprises in a movie that never ends?? With soap opera plotting, and shattering expectations.

It’s always a thrill to see a Star Wars movie in the theater. The effects are amazing and the music is beautiful. But if the corporation is going to be releasing chapters once a year, the chapters themselves need to have a little bit of resolution. Not “Death Star blowing up, applause in the theater” resolution, but something conclusive.

Phantom Thread

Let’s ruminate about dresses. For them to be exquisite, they must be built by an army of women and one obnoxious asshole. The Phantom Thread is about that asshole. There’s a subgenre of dramas about misunderstood geniuses and artists who get to be assholes to everybody because they’re so gifted and talented that they aren’t held accountable for their assholey behavior. They must be allowed to work in silence. (see also Mother!) Only an artist who feels misunderstood would make a movie about an artist who’s unappreciated or misunderstood. But it’s kind of hard to feel any sympathy for the asshole in this, which makes the experience kind of distant and unemotional. But the dresses are pretty and the teapots are grand.

As for the character we the audience are asked to feel something about, she gets swept up rather easily by the asshole from a life we know nothing about. She doesn’t really exist before he (the asshole) asks her to move in to his house. How can we know if she’s able to restore sanity or normalcy to her life if we never know who she was before she met the asshole? Be that as it may, the dresses are pretty and the teapots are grand. It finally gets a little bit Hitchcockian in the final third when filmmakers weave in some thrillerish threads. You might find yourself wishing that the opening minutes of this yarn would have started out as taut.

Justice League

I kind of didn’t hate this as much as I thought I would. It’s analogous to eating one (1) Cheeto™. It’s bad, it’s unfulfilling, but you want more. So it’s a calorically empty, but not terribly painful chapter of the DC universe. The villains are baffling. Zach Snyder is obsessed with fire, glowing, molten lava, flying demons, and all things gladiator. (Remember the weird flying creatures on Krypton in Man of Steel?) But you never really understand what these weird, flying aliens want from Earth, except: to conquer it. The WB Animation movies from the DC Universe have richer plots than this! But there are a few charming moments, too. And the cast, all 6 of the superfriends, are game and up to the challenge, even though they’re only given short vignettes throughout the story to reveal their character. The Danny Elfman music is noteworthy. Not only did he nail the original score, but he also functions as a kind of D.J., weaving-in nostalgic snippets from his own Batman score and John Williams’ score from Superman: The Movie. I would never advise anyone to eat just one Cheeto. It would be frustrating and unfulfilling. But it also wouldn’t kill you either -- you would want more. Welcome to the WB/DC universe.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

It’s like a twisted Lifetime movie with better cursing. Performances are really strong. Filmmakers walk a delicate high-wire of tone; combining heavy grief with deadpan wit and southern sarcasm. The stakes are high, and Martin McDonagh and company handle these sudden shifts in tone skillfully. As my lovely wife Kristen Haldeman Kauffman said, “It’s more Coen Brothers than a Coen Brothers movie.” The aforementioned tone shifts, are, in some moments, exhilarating; there are several instances when humor is mined from terminal cancer. So it’s well-done, but occasionally sad.   

Murder on the Orient Express

Past incarnations of Poirot have depicted him as a big, fat slob. Who knows? Maybe Christie imagined him that way, too. But Kenneth Branagh has done for Poirot what Guy Richie did for Sherlock Holmes -- made him lean, spry, and a black belt in karate. The structure of Christie’s murder mystery means that we never get to know very much about the man murdered, the backstory, or the suspects until the very end, which makes the proceedings feel impersonal and distant. Be that as it may, the acting by the ensemble is top-notch, the sets are as "Harry Potterish" as they could be, and the pace is peppy.

Thor: Ragnarok

This was closer to a Power Rangers movie than the actual Power Rangers movie that came out a few months ago. Neon colors blast from the screen, heroes and villains crack wise and never shut up, nobody ever seems to be in any real peril. I was impressed by the music score composed by Devo guy and new wave guru Mark Mothersbaugh. It’s a combination of typical, bombastic superhero music, a "Missing Persons" album, and a Bret Easton Ellis, new-wave coke party. Usually, people want their superhero movies to be heroic in some way. Do good, save the world, conquer the evildoers. Act as some kind of remedy or analogue for society’s ills. Maybe we could learn to be better humans. "Ragnarok" intends to be pure fantasy. Funnier and more colorful than it should be. Irreverent and barely human. It’s never boring, but it’s not really a sustainable tone, either. Brief moments, like when the Valkyrie recalls a bygone battle atop a flying Pegasus, stoke the potential for a serious opera; a myth; a true Norse saga. I’d see that movie, too.

Ghost in the Shell

I watched this on the plane which I regret because it was beautiful. I bet it looked good in theaters.

American Made

I didn’t hate watching this, but it didn’t really resonate either. It aspires to be like Blow, Goodfellas, or The Wolf of Wall Street. An ordinary family man (Tom "I can actually fly airplanes myself" Cruise) gets sucked into a life of crime based on a true story. The docudrama aspects of this story are fascinating, but as a character study it feels rushed and impersonal.

Blade Runner 2049

The central conflict -- the “inciting incident” -- of Blade Runner 2049 is frank and fascinating; a mind-blowing “what if” that delivers a truly essential sequel to Ridley Scott’s opus. The visuals are so beautiful you could break down into tears. The acting is always sublime. But this movie lingers a little too long. Emphasis on beauty presides over story, which ends up ultimately being confusing, and it requires a second viewing. You can walk away from this having “experienced” something, but it’s difficult to explain what, exactly. The director’s cut of Ridley Scott’s original is, in many ways, the masterpiece of sci-fi ambiguity. “2049” tries to emulate that, and it’s a noble effort. Unfortunately, a shitload of bad Blade Runner knock-offs (I'm looking at you, Hot Bot!)have been released in the last 35 years that have over-exposed and spoiled that special kind of Ridley Scott/Philip K. Dick flair for un-resolved questions about robots, making Denis Villeneuve and the crew’s job especially difficult. His beautiful but confusing attempt gets an “A” for effort.

Mother!

Perhaps the least realistic, least literal movie to be released in theaters since the last AFI genius had a movie. Malick, maybe? This is one of those movies that’s so obtuse and ambiguous that everyone will form their own theory of what it’s all about. My theory: The marriage in the story represents two sides of the same artist: the nurturing side and the ego side. The chaos in the story is what erupts in an artist’s psyche when fans get involved, when adulation and money start to drive the creative process, and when the artist is finally able to create, or give birth, to something truly unique and beautiful -- their “baby.” Kill your darlings, Faulkner said. Or maybe it was Stephen King. Performances here are great. They have to be, or else people would walk out in the middle screaming, “What the fuck?” Anyway, if you want to get beaten over the head and dragged behind a truck by a metaphor, this is your movie.

IT

Well-acted and beautifully filmed, but confusing. I need someone to explain the plot to me. The “evil” sometimes manifests itself as a scary clown, but also manifests as each individual kid’s greatest fear. The drama during these segments is strong and it’s provocative to see how much their parents play a role in their terror. We wonder, but also don’t wonder, what was happening to Beverly. King doesn’t pull punches in this regard, but director Andy Muschietti may need to -- to keep it an R rating. Despite the hodgepodge of themes and ideas feeling less grounded (and less scary) than they should be, the filmmakers made the shit out of this movie. Acting, music, cinematography, and designs are all top notch. I just wish it wasn’t a “kitchen sink” story. (Maybe this is just the inherent danger of filming a novel…)

War for the Planet of the Apes

Watching the opening third of this, I was thinking, “Holy crap! This could get a Best Picture nod!” But alas, the flame burns down in the long and contemplative second and third parts. The apes become the prisoners again, but this time there’s a crazed, right wing, Colonel Kurtz type, obsessed with destroying apes. The metaphor shifts a little here, and it’s less about a slave uprising and more about an eagerness to wage war. The filmmaking is beautiful; stunning really. But the whole story felt a little strained and obvious. It’s like they tried to introduce a little more "Serling" into something that already had plenty of "Serling." It’s impressively serious, but also not a whole lot of fun. Thank God, as always, for Steve Zahn.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Some of this looks SO dated. And I had a revelation while watching it: If you set a movie even slightly in the past, you have the ability to curate history a little. Weed out the ugly fashions and boring cars. But if you place it right smack in the present-tense, it almost always feels unstylish. Certain things about this, of course, are timeless: Dreyfuss, Williams, and the Devil’s Tower of mashed potatoes. (And nice seeing one of my gurus Seth Winston in the credits.)

Logan Lucky

…feels like an old Dukes of Hazard episode. The southern accents are pushed to the hilt, the smart guys are dumb and the dumb guys are even dumber, and there can’t be enough car chases. It’s comforting to have Steven Soderbergh back in the driver's seat, doing his funny/heist thing. It seems so effortless for him to wave a wand and make a popcorn movie. Will it resonate? Nope. But it’ll pass the time nicely.

Atomic Blonde

At some point in this movie, Charlize Theron, covered in bruises, soaks her body in a bathtub full of ice. And you can almost feel the bruises and feel the cold ice. This thing is brutal. And as much as I love John Wick, he’s never quite out of breath and a never quite totally injured -- you always assume he can spring back any minute. Charlize (as MI6 Agent Lorraine Broughton) brings an added level of emotional charge to the karate/assassin narrative. You can feel her pain. So, it’s good that she’s there, because otherwise the plot doesn’t make a lot of sense and we’re never quite sure what her goal is. In John Wick (same director, btw), we NEVER question his motive: revenge. Simple. So, this takes place in a greyer world of divided loyalties and evolving goals. Despite the story not being satisfying per se, it’s Charlize’s neck on the block, and she delivers.

Dunkirk

The reverence that Christopher Nolan has for movies and stories and photography and film stock is absolutely sterling. This is a love letter to exposure. Story-wise, this behaves a lot like those big, old war movies, when you jump back and fourth from one character’s story to another. Think The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Great Escape, or Midway. You never really get to know the characters, except for a recreational yacht owner played by Mark Rylance, sailing into a war zone, as the true story goes, to help evacuate British soldiers. It’s interesting too that this movie starts when most movies begin their final third: at the beginning of the climax. So it’s relatively short and always tense. It’s bold filmmaking. It embraces the tropes of the genre, but twists them slightly to the point where your expectations are unhinged. It’s both a quintessential example of a war movie and also a consummate one. And it’s full of laughs! (Not really. It’s a war movie.)

The Big Sick

This is about a Pakistani guy dating a white girl. But the conceit of it is: it’s not ALL ABOUT the guy being Pakistani. The guy’s culture definitely plays a part, but thankfully (and this is why the movie works) it becomes about things that are WAY BIGGER than our cultures and why dating is so hard. Because, for reasons that I can’t remember, the girl gets really sick and slips into a coma. And the girl’s parents rush into town, and suddenly it’s “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner in the Hospital Cafeteria While Your Daughter’s in a Coma.” The cast and the acting is top-notch and the script is really personal and funny. Apatow-ish story notes rear their sentimental heads occasionally, which is unfortunate. Small contrivances are too obvious here, in Kumail Nanjiani’s very personal and probable milieu. Also, it’s not always as light-hearted as you might expect. Hospitals and illnesses can be heavy and un-funny. But, again, it’s obviously SO personal. Nominations are likely.

Spiderman: Homecoming

** TONS OF SUPER-SPOILERS **

The new Spiderman is good only because it’s not horribly, painfully, catastrophically bad. It has NONE of the gravitas of the Raimi movies, but it’s also not as dull or forgettable as the Mark Webb movies. Sometimes, accidentally, filmmaking by committee can work. Six writers, one unknown director, and a studio so desperate to keep their franchise alive that they RENT some of the best characters from their competitors, and they all somehow managed to make a marginally entertaining movie. Who knew?

But now some questions and random thoughts:

Why does a crew that’s cleaning up volatile, radioactive material from another planet not wear hazmat suits?

Stark Industries decides, after the clean-up has started, that maybe they should clean up the powerful, highly radioactive alien power supply instead of the New York schmos from Waste Management??

Tony, Happy Hogan, and the off-screen Avengers seem pretty blasé about all of this alien tech falling into the hands of bitter New York garbage men.

If Tony Stark is so hung up on inhumans and mutants being dangerous in Civil War, why would he fund a superhuman kid that was bit by a radioactive spider?

In Iron Man 3, they make such a big deal of Tony breaking it off with Pepper, and in Civil War, they make it clear he’s got the hots for Aunt May. So why dust off Pepper??

Captain America is funnier than everybody else. 

Filmmaking by committee aside, the one who’s coming out of this smelling like gold is Spiderman’s sidekick “Ned,” played by Jacob Batalon. That kid’s going places.

Baby Driver

I kind of feel like I’ve seen this movie before. The getaway driver who agrees to do one last job. Count the tropes. Efforts to give this concept a “haircut” to make it look like something new only partially succeed. Would The Transporter be a vastly different movie if the “transporter” had a backstory? Or an old guy he’s trying to protect? Or a weird ear thing that makes him play music all the time? Otherwise, really, this feels like Edgar Wright pandering to the Fast and the Furious crowd. Moments of this are watchable and fun, but it’s really nothing new.

It Comes at Night

A lot of movie company bosses seem to forget the existence of John Carpenter’s The Thing. Because it seems like a lot of hot-shots rolling in off the street, who just happened to have caught Carpenter’s aforementioned paranoid opus on cable or something, pitch their remakes and rip-offs with aplomb. And the bosses and critics seem to be saying, “That’s so original! Let’s do it.” The main guy played by Joel Edgerton even LOOKS like MacReady. So those people who’ve never seen The Thing, or people with amnesia, might like this. Which is fine, but Mr. Carpenter deserves royalties.

Wonder Woman

Watching the perfectly cast Princess Diana of the Amazons leap out of the World War One trench and easily kill dozens of enemy soldiers is exhilarating. Much has been made about this hero being a woman and the movie being directed by a woman. And this is a lot like eating a gluten-free pizza crust. The conversation is always like: how does it compare to the real thing? Wait! This crust is gluten-free?? Really? It tastes like the real thing! And so: Wait? This movie was directed by a menstruating woman? With a vagina? You’re kidding?! It would be nice if, someday, this novelty wears off and we could just look at the story of Diana as a piece of popular entertainment. As it stands now, ignoring the forced novelty of it all, it’s overlong but pretty good. Origin stories tend to not be very suspenseful. I mean, you know they’re going to live at the end. And so the weird, overwrought, CG ending of this feels a little bit like comic book lip-service. Here’s a battle... because battles are required. But the casting here is precise and it does feel like there’s a different point of view of the proceedings, as trope-filled as they are. There’s a refreshing lack of Zack Snyder’s cuttiness and bombast that makes the popcorn taste a little bit better. So, kudos to Patty Jenkins and company for trying to salvage the DC universe…

Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

It’s difficult to say EXACTLY what Gore Verbinsky brings to the table, until he’s NOT at the table anymore. It’s only then that you realize: there’s a big piece that’s missing. All of the ingredients are there on the screen, but there’s something about the way the camera moves at the wrong time, the way the music crescendos a little too much, and the way that Johnny Depp’s combination of skill and drunken befuddlement feels out of synch that makes me miss Gore. Granted, I didn’t really the like the CURE FOR WELLNESS eel movie much, either, so maybe it’s just me? Is it terrible? Not really. It's just so... un-weird.

Alien: Covenant

You can almost feel Sir Ridley saying to the audience, “See! I can direct an action scene just a well as James Cameron! See?? And Prometheus did make sense! See! I told you!” Despite the slight smell of pandering in this, I’ll admit, I fully enjoyed it. It was icky and goopy and tense and creepy and cool. And it doesn't feel like a whole movie as much as it just feels like a chapter. A good chapter. So, there’s not a whole lot to take away from this, it won’t really resonate culturally, but it’s a fun night at the movies.

How to be a Latin Lover

Rarely is the commercial purpose of a movie so clearly cynical. The purpose of this movie is to introduce Eugenio Derbez to American audiences. Period. That being said, there are funny moments in this, especially from the top-notch supporting cast. The truly funny moments, spilling into the “off beat” and “weird” category, are directed with a light, silly touch by comedian Ken Marino. Unfortunately, the heavy-handed sentimental stuff, meant for kids and families, I suppose, bogs this down.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 2

I don’t know how much plot and story I NEED in a movie like this, but the story goes down like a custard that’s been whipped way too much. It’s pleasant for a minute, but it doesn’t satisfy. All the visual showmanship, music, and smart-alecky camaraderie feels like it’s blasted out of a cannon, and the entire experience is a fun night at the movies. But on the drive home, after you’ve stepped back for a second, you might find yourself saying, “Wait… what??”

The Void

Would you rather be trapped inside a hospital with a bunch of zombies or try your luck outside against the freaky, KKK-hooded, cult-types who may or may not be from another planet? There’s clever, budget-saving devices here, goopy special effects, and a brisk pace, but there’s not a lot that’s very original. It feels like a résumé movie. “Look what we can do with NO money in Canada!” The filmmakers would claim. “Now give us more money.”

Boss Baby

The premise is so outlandish, even for an animation, story-tellers must rely on the “it-was-all-a-dream” style of ending. But the kids in the audience loved the fart jokes and the diaper jokes, so it’s got that going for it.

Power Rangers

I submit to you that, throughout the course of this saga, there is very little power and extremely short-range rangers.

Kong: Skull Island

Somebody saw Apocalypse Now and thought, “What if King Kong was Colonel Kurtz?” There are numerous shots and designs lifted from Coppola’s opus and other Vietnam war films. So if you haven’t seen those movies, Kong: Skull Island might seem pretty cool. But if you HAVE seen those old movies, this might leave a stale aftertaste.

Get Out

There are those that think that horror movies should just be catharsis; escapism. But the best horror movies are about something -- social, political, sexual, etc. Jordan Peel/Blumhouse et al confront a very specific and very racially charged subject in a funny, sarcastic, and highly entertaining way. Horror film fans may miss not seeing ALL of the tropes of the genre, but what they do get is a surprisingly insightful yarn about the co-opting or cultural appropriating of black lives and black culture for the benefit of the rich and primarily the white. Performances here are GREAT, including some sizzling supporting turns from body-snatched staff of the evil rich, white people in question. And just when you think you’ve got Peele’s script figured out, he twists it up in the most funny and unpredictable ways. Is it suspenseful? Not really. Is it perfect? Not even close. But the humor, satire, and insight about race makes this a modern classic. Kudos to all.

Logan

** SPOILERS UNITE!!**

What if Charles Xavier had dementia? What if there was a child like Wolverine with no moral compass? What if someone cloned Wolverine and made him a mindless super-soldier? There are several really gripping comic-book premises loaded up here, and the execution is robust. Filmed and paced like an old Western by James Mangold et al, there’s actually scenes of the movie Shane in this movie, which is a lot like Shane. But it’s not like it’s THAT innovative of an idea to change the tone. People are getting tired of superhero movies, but you have to keep the characters alive and in the zeitgeist. So what do you do? The last “Wolverine” movie by the same team was more of a samurai movie than a “superhero” movie, so it would make sense to veer into the Western genre mythos. What is always key in anything X-Man is that the kids who are different have a tribe; a place to not be ostracized or weaponized. Professor X always sees to it that they’re accepted somewhere, which makes him the real super-hero.

Hacksaw Ridge

Never has a movie been more appropriately named. Mel went out and made a pretty decent war movie, but then jammed in a bunch of Christianity and pontificating. The boot camp/training scenes are overflowing with clichés. One almost wonders if Mel was TRYING to make a throwback in tone; the bloody war version of a Todd Haynes movie. Nevertheless, Mel thrives when the bodies are being blown apart, but falls on his face when the hero and his best gal go on a date. It almost feels like this was directed by two people. One, a talented commander of epic battles, and two, a ham-handed hack. Moments of this are pretty good, and moments of this are embarrassingly bad. It’s a fascinating juxtaposition, probably a lot like the voices in Mel Gibson’s head.

A Cure for Wellness

Ultimately a downer. This icky, creepy shaggy-dog story had some great visuals -- beautiful compositions of old sanitarium hallways and steam rooms. Lots of eels. So, so, so many eels. Almost too many eels. Is there really such a thing as too many eels? I'm getting off track. Regardless, the plot makes NO sense. I think it’s supposed to be an allegory for something, but I’m not sure what. Fertility? The holocaust? I’ve always liked Gore Verbinsky, but this was overwrought and underwhelming.

Loving

Refreshingly, this is less about the famous court case of Richard and Mildred Loving (Loving v. Virginia) and more about their marriage while they’re coping with all of the civil right injustices. Performances are sensitive and the filmmakers use great care to never make this preachy or ham-fisted. One wishes this same delicacy could have been used in Selma, another civil rights account worthy of way more tenderness and subtlety than those filmmakers wrought. Good to know, too, that sometimes the SCOTUS can be on the right side of history.

John Wick Chapter 2

DO.
NOT.
FUCK.
WITH.
JOHN.
WICK.

Manchester by the Sea

Unpretentious drama about how tragedies shape who we are going forward in our lives. While we can often NOT forgive ourselves, it still helps to be forgiven by others. It’s very well-acted, and the deepest human emotions are explored skillfully. It’s notably less tear-jerky than Lion or Moonlight, which makes it worthwhile. Although the resolution feels a bit downcast at first, on the drive home, one realizes there is some hope for redemption.

Moonlight

Well acted and skillfully filmed, Moonlight reminded me of Precious and Beast of the Southern Wild. It’s a harrowing tale of a certain black experience, wherein there seems to be a frustrating lack of social workers. It’s difficult to know what the hero “Chiron” wants or needs out of life. How does a character express a need for self-discovery or acceptance? Nevertheless, he does what heroes do: he searches for answers. The revelations are more emotional than suspenseful, and at the end you wonder where the characters will go from there. But at the moment that the curtain finally falls, you feel that Chiron may have found temporary peace. A worthwhile goal in life, but is it too abstract for a movie? Will one artist’s vision of peace resonate with everyone who sees it? Maybe not, but it’s worth a shot.

Harry Benson: Shoot First

Worthwhile documentary about a Scottish photographer famous for covering the Beatles and numerous world events. His timing, being in the right place at the right time with a camera, was impeccable. Nice personal story, too, about the man and his family.

48 Hours to Live

Structured like a film noir, this low-budget dance/club movie won’t resonate. You can either dance or you can kill, but you can’t really do both.

Passengers

Sci-fi movies often ask you to suspend your disbelief a couple of times at the beginning. You have to believe in the future, in space travel, and in time travel. As long as they can set the story in motion, and as long as the story is still about humanity, this can work. But if you ask the audience to suspend their disbelief TOO MANY times, logic start to seep through the cracks, and the movie gets ruined. That’s Passengers, which crashes with a big, astronomical THUD at the end. At a certain point, you begin asking logic questions, and space is no place for logic...

Rogue One

Seeing this a second time is still thoroughly enjoyable. Watching the motley crew of the galaxy’s unshaven, swarthy outcasts kick imperial ass and sacrifice their lives makes for a thrilling night at the movies.

Doug's Favorite Movies of 2016

La La Land
Rogue One
Arrival
Hell or High Water
Everybody Wants Some!!
Hail Caesar!
10 Cloverfield Lane

La La Land

Inevitably, there will be backlash. There’s always a backlash. I was part of the backlash bandwagon for Birdman. People don’t want to see other people be happy. I get that. The funny thing is: La La Land doesn’t care what you think. La La Land requires no context. La La Land is not a reaction to the downward spiral of morale in the U.S. or a rejoinder to the grimness of Spotlight. La La Land is a brightly-burning candle in a vacuum. It’s delightful, it’s innovative, it’s funny, and it’s heartbreaking. It deserves every Oscar it wins. “But I don’t like musicals!” People will say. That’s fine. La La Land doesn’t need their oxygen. It will burn brightly on its own.

Jackie

Despite being way too short to play Jackie, Natalie Portman mines extreme emotional depths to portray the famous grieving widow. But no amount of perfectly-accented, blue-blooded scenery-chewing can make up for the fact that there’s just not that much of a plot here. Jackie plans the funeral a little bit, then wanders around in the house a bit, and then wanders around in the garden a bit, all with the accompaniment of the depressing monotone piano score. It’s all very maudlin, even if, as people say, it’s a treatise of feminism.

Rogue One

**  May the SPOILERS be with you! **

“Wow them in the end and you’ve got a hit.”

Remember when the fake Robert McKee said that to the fake Charlie Kauffman in Adaptation? That’s how it feels to watch Rogue One. Unlike the JJ Abrams directed The Force Awakens, which doesn’t really end because we know that it’s a franchise and for some reason Disney and Lucasfilm don’t trust us to come back for the next movie, so they have to end everything on a cliffhanger like it’s an episode of Lost, Rogue One ENDS. And we already know how it’s supposed to end! It’s been completely forecast and foreshadowed. It’s the opening crawl of Star Wars! And yet, it still ends beautifully and tragically.  No sequels here. It’s all over for some of these people, but they go out more heroically then almost anybody else in Star Wars, and that is extremely satisfying. So the beginning is sort of a mess. There are a million unanswered questions, there seems to be scenes missing, and at times I felt like I had walked into the movie halfway through without a clear introduction to some of the characters. You ask yourself, “Who the hell are these people?”

But they wowed me at the end and that makes it worth the price of the ticket and a bucket of popcorn.

“I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me!”

Lion

Well-acted but depressing true story about a dumb kid who gets lost in India. Super, super depressing.