'No Time To Die' Review

Synopsis: James Bond has left active service. His peace is short-lived when Felix Leiter, an old friend from the CIA, turns up asking for help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.

Runtime: 163 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, brief strong language, and some suggestive material.)

Who should see it? Fans of Daniel Craig's James Bond.

Daniel Craig's 15-year tenure as 007 has been rather interesting. Craig was reluctant to accept the part and went on record saying he'd rather slash his wrists than reprise the role. Though it's worth noting these comments followed a grueling shoot on Spectre in which Craig had broken his leg. But Craig's back one last time and clarified his comments were disingenuous. His series began amidst a widespread tonal shift for espionage thrillers and the action genre as a whole. Craig's films were more grounded than his predecessors and serialized in the wake of Jason Bourne and Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. The reception to his films has been admittedly uneven. I enjoyed the odd-numbered entries (Casino Royale and Skyfall) over the others, and fortunately, No Time To Die followed suit. 

Over the last few years, we've seen series conclusions that either respectfully acknowledged all that had come before or found themselves with selective memory. No Time To Die thankfully falls in that first camp, building on the foundation laid by all four preceding entries, warts and all. Bond actors traditionally have chosen to hang up their tux after their last outing. No Time To Die breaks the mold, with an intentional ending for Daniel Craig's 007. It was long believed Spectre would be his last, but I'm glad Craig had one more film left in the chamber because it proved to be his very best. 

Craig's films have accumulated a stable of respected talent over the years, and No Time To Die director Cary Fukunaga proves to be no exception. This is Fukunaga's first true blockbuster, but that's not something you'd glean from the screen because he has a deft handle on things. Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge contributed to the script alongside Fukunaga, keenly interested in deconstructing James Bond as they bid Daniel Craig a fond farewell. Fukunaga and company brave uncharted waters for the franchise, but they do so with an admirable assuredness. No Time To Die is nearly three hours long, but the time breezes by thanks to show-stopping set-pieces and an especially intriguing plot. I'd be remiss not to mention Daniel Kleinman's exquisite title sequence, Linus Sandgren's gorgeous cinematography, the exceptional stuntwork, booming sound mix, and Hans Zimmer's propulsive score. All of these elements coalesce for one of the most exciting action movies I've seen since Tenet.

Yet, No Time To Die is not simply a show of spectacle. It swells just as often as it explodes. Thanks to the groundwork of the four prior films, plenty of emotional weight lingers behind Daniel Craig's final mission. Here, character is just as essential as the action. The all-encompassing nature of this film permits Craig to go out on a high note with his best performance among the five 007 films in which he starred. As the plot unravels, audiences are shown new sides to his Bond. Despite any comments he may have previously made, he's devoutly committed to this material. 

The supporting cast features a mix of familiar faces and newcomers. Reprising her role of Madeleine Swann, Léa Seydoux remains a compelling love interest for Bond as more light is shed on her past. The dynamic between Seydoux and Craig is fascinating to watch, and I found myself much more invested in their relationship this time around. I'll leave it at that for the sake of not spoiling anything. Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, and Christoph Waltz stepped back into their roles with ease, while Billy Magnussen, Lashana Lynch, and Ana De Armas were thrilling additions to the cast. I particularly enjoyed the rapport between Craig and both Lynch and De Armas. It was amusing to see Craig and Lynch butt heads as Bond met his successor. Ana De Armas's Paloma only appears in the Cuba sequence but is impressionable due to her charisma and comic timing. It was interesting to see her act opposite Daniel Craig in such radically different roles than their previous collaboration in Knives Out. 

Regarding Rami Malek, I was taken aback by his villainous performance as Lyutsifer Safin. Safin is a genuinely evil foil to Bond, and Malek plays the part, channels an unsettling aura anytime he appears onscreen. It's impressive how Craig's antagonists have varied so much in personality from film to film but remain convincing threats to Bond. 

It's become increasingly rare for franchise films to be driven by bold storytelling choices, but when one comes along, I can't help but admire it... No Time To Die draws the Daniel Craig chapter to a close in an unexpected fashion, albeit delivering an appropriate ending for this iteration of Bond. Contrary to how James Bond prefers his martinis, Craig's swan song is an emotionally-stirring conclusion to his 15-year run as 007. Not one that was haphazardly shaken. 

Film Assessment: A+

'Knives Out' Review

Nominated For: Best Original Screenplay.

Synopsis: A detective investigates the death of a patriarch of an eccentric, combative family.

Runtime: 130 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for thematic elements including brief violence, some strong language, sexual references, and drug material)

Who should see it? Fans of whodunnits and murder mysteries.

Written and directed by Rian Johnson, Knives Out is an ode to the work of Agatha Christie set amidst today's contentious political climate. A Thanksgiving release is quite fitting considering the volatile nature of family get-togethers, so once you finish scarfing down turkey this Thursday, visit your local multiplex to solve a uniquely entertaining murder mystery. Knives Out offers all the fun of Clue without the insufferable board-game bickering. 

Johnson kicks things off by thrusting viewers straight into the scene of the crime. He then efficiently characterizes the members of the Thrombey family while establishing each of their potential motives through a series of police interviews seamlessly strung together by editor Bob Ducsay. The board has been set with an audience understanding of the prime suspects, and we're only fifteen minutes in. An elaborate unwinding of truth and justice follows closely behind. In the search for a killer, Johnson deceptively tinkers with the truth. When the family members lie, he ensures the audience remains sure of the facts rather than steering them away to elude suspicion. However, there's undoubtedly a sleight of hand at play behind the camera as Johnson shifts your focus from figuring out whodunnit to more pressing matters. 

As a result, the narrative of Knives Out is wildly unpredictable since each twist changes the course of the story and, by extension, the mystery. On second viewing, I noticed that Johnson drops clues without calling direct attention to them. The hints may be disguised as an innocent joke or irrelevant happenstance, but, as any detective knows, every detail matters. Contributions from Johnson's frequent collaborators further fortify his efforts in the form of Steve Yedlin's stately cinematography and an engrossing score composed by Rian's cousin Nathan Johnson. Not to mention, superb work from production designer David Crank, as the Thrombey mansion provides an intricate, embellished setting for the sleuthing shenanigans. At the center of it all, Johnson's sharp screenplay leads audiences down a winding path of absurdity, animosity, and intrigue that amounts to one of the year's most entertaining moviegoing experiences. 

Heading the star-studded cast, Ana De Armas and Daniel Craig are the two breakthrough performers. De Armas continues to impress while Craig's clearly having the time of his life as renowned detective Benoit Blanc, hamming things up with his Southern drawl and kooky disposition. The shared moments between their characters tend to be among the film's best, though the eccentric personalities in the Thrombey family give them a run for their money. 

Comprised of veteran actors and up-and-comers, the A-list ensemble assuredly inhabits their roles of entitled A-holes and make the most of every morsel Johnson sends their way. This includes the likes of Christopher Plummer, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Jaeden Martell, and Katherine Langford, who each relish in the Thrombey family's argumentative nature and distinct attributes. On the other side of the investigation, LaKeith Stanfield and Nathan Segan portray an amusing pair of police officers dead set on closing this peculiar case. 

Gripping murder mysteries don't reveal themselves too often, but Knives Out is guilty as charged. To no surprise, Rian Johnson's dunnit again! One can only hope it's successful enough to warrant further exploits with Detective Blanc.

Film Assessment: A

'Blade Runner 2049' Review

It's difficult to discuss Blade Runner 2049 without diving into spoilers. However, I have the luxury of publishing this review well after the theatrical release date, so I will indeed be including a spoiler discussion in this review. In order to preserve the plot for those who have yet to watch Blade Runner 2049, I'll indicate the beginning of the discussion with a clear spoiler warning. I'll be detailing specifics of the performances inside the spoiler section, because it's tricky to dance around that aspect of the film without simply saying "Ryan Gosling was really good" or something like that.

[This review was originally written in October 2017 and is now being published to coincide with the digital home media release. For an explanation of this, visit my Fall 2017 Important Update post.] 

Nominated For: Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

When Blade Runner 2049 begins, it has been thirty years since the events of the 1982 sci-fi masterpiece Blade Runner. The older replicant models are still being hunted down and retired by the Blade Runner task force. While on assignment, the youthful Officer K stumbles across a long-buried secret that sets him on a path of self-discovery as he's forced to locate a long-retired runaway Blade Runner, Rick Deckard, for answers. 

Legacy sequels are a hot commodity in Hollywood right now. For those that don't know what a "legacy sequel" is, they're basically sequels that pick up several years after the last film in the context of the franchise with a new core cast of characters taking the torch from the previous protagonists (think Jurassic World, Creed, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Independence Day: Resurgence). Blade Runner 2049 easily falls into this category, although it stands apart from the aforementioned examples because it doesn't attempt to lay groundwork for future franchise entries.

Anytime it's announced a beloved film will be receiving a sequel, it's understandable that fans will have their fair share of skepticism. It's a tall order to release a sequel thirty five years after the original that's strong enough to stand toe-to-toe with the first, especially when that first film is Blade Runner. However, Denis Villeneuve, whom you may be familiar with for directing the fantastic films Sicario and Arrival, takes the reigns from Ridley Scott to solidify himself as one of the greatest working directors today. It's simply remarkable how Villeneuve was able to recapture the futuristic science-fiction noir's tone, style, and sensibilities without retracing any steps.

For those readers who have kept up with my blog for some time, you may recall me making a comment in my Arrival review that Denis Villeneuve had the potential to be the next Christopher Nolan... Well he's gone out and proven my point... Blade Runner 2049 cements Villeneuve as a master filmmaker. It'd be an understatement for me to say I anticipate buying a ticket for every film spanning his directorial career.

On a technical level, Blade Runner 2049 astounds from beginning-to-end with an exquisite aesthetic. Roger Deakins' sensational cinematography seamlessly integrates with the exuberant neon-flourecent lighting, peak production design, and extraordinary visual effects to bring audiences one of the most visually-arresting productions ever made. Deakins has been nominated for thirteen Oscars, but still doesn't have a single golden statuette on his mantle. However, I suspect Deakins will get his due next February because it seems absurd not to award someone at the top of his craft.

Speaking of sneaking suspicions, I'm guessing general audiences will say Blade Runner 2049 is "slow," "boring," and "too long," but I think that'll only be the case if you a) aren't a fan of the original Blade Runner or b) refuse to put your thinking cap on. Blade Runner 2049 isn't a popcorn movie. Don't expect to see copious scenes of mind-boggling action, or you'll probably be enormously underwhelmed. While I can agree that the two hour forty-three minute runtime seems lengthy, it didn't feel three hours long because I was absolutely engrossed in all the events unfolding onscreen.

Everything about Blade Runner 2049 is quite mesmerizing for that matter. The film escalates at a slow burn, but the developing story (which I'll touch on in a second) is totally transfixing. This is only enhanced by the spellbinding score accompanying said events. On that note, there's an interesting story behind this soundtrack. Villeneuve's frequent collaborator Jóhann Jóhannsson was first attached to compose the score, but wound up being entirely replaced by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch about a month before the film's release. Zimmer and Wallfisch were already on-board throughout the post-production process, but it alarmed me to see a composer depart the project considering how much I loved his Arrival compositions. It's needless to say I absolutely adored the end result though, because it was reminiscent of Vangelis' electric ambiance yet sounded entirely unique.

Like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Blade Runner 2049's marketing campaign was shrouded in mystery and offered no clues as to what the actual plot was. At press screenings, Warner Bros. and Villeneuve even issued a statement requesting critics to refrain from including revealing specific plot details in their reviews. I absolutely adore this approach, because oftentimes we as an audience know way too much about movies before we've even seen it because of some spoiler-inclusive marketing material and indifferent journalists. Anyways, if you want to get the most out of Blade Runner 2049, I would actually advise to watch Blade Runner beforehand to have a better understanding of everything that's going on. Although it's certainly possible for to glean from the surface level without watching it, you'll get a better grasp of the true significance if you've seen it.

**Spoiler Warning**

The screenplay whipped up by Hampton Fancher and Micheal Green offers an incredible expansion on the ideas Blade Runner often came across, taking things a step further in regards to the blurred lines that separate man and machine. This is mostly achieved through Officer K, who's almost immediately revealed to be a replicant. K clearly has a beating heart, soul, and conscience beneath his synthetic skin, mechanical motors, and proven programming as evidenced by his reluctance to hunt down the miraculous replicant child. The concept is further fleshed out by K's wishful thinking and inner desire to be special as K projects the idea that he is the child in-question due to his implanted memories.

I'll say that K's conviction totally tricked me into thinking I had predicted the "huge twist" at the center of Blade Runner 2049, but Fancher and Green threw a huge curve ball instead that took me completely off-guard by revealing that the child was actually Dr. Ana Stelline. I especially appreciate how the turn-of-events deepened K as the aspirant replicant who was disappointed to learn he's just a replicant. Instead of going to kill Deckard as commanded, K realizes his potential to help reunite the father and daughter, and his commitment to doing the right thing causes him to sacrifice his own life so he can make a difference for others. The selfless nature of K's actions in the face of crushing adversity and Ryan Gosling's subdued performance only made his arc more impactful. 

Another fascinating exploration of these ideas is rooted in the romance between K and his holographic Artificial Intelligence Joi. Since Joi is an intangible visual projection, the romance is strictly relegated to an intellectual level similar to the storyline spread throughout Spike Jonze's Her. However, Blade Runner 2049 examines the material with enough of a unique spin to differentiate itself because it asks viewers the existential question of how agonizing it would be to fall in love with consciousness you could see, but never truly touch. To me, that idea is an entire level above the Her dynamic and even the romance central to the original Blade Runner.

What truly sells the relationship though is how Ana De Armas and Ryan Gosling authenticate the complex connection between an artificial consciousness and an android lover who are just longing for a physical connection. De Armas projects so much depth to a seemingly shallow character and establish the pivotal love scene to be a beautiful moment. In regards to that scene, I'm sure someone will come out and say it's sexist and demeaning, but it's really not... I felt the moment meant so much more. Joi is restricted from being able to foster a physical intimacy with K, so she hires a surrogate pleasure replicant model to step in as a vessel so she can merge herself and achieve just that.

Then I couldn't possibly complete this review without bringing up Harrison Ford's return as Rick Deckard. He doesn't show up till about two hours into the film, but Ford leaves a lasting impression with every second onscreen. Much like his reprisal of Han Solo in The Force Awakens, he steps right back into the shoes of the character he left behind thirty-five years ago. He especially astounded me in one particular scene where he's forced to encounter a replicant resembling Rachel. The mere reaction from Ford in this moment positioned him as one of the film's stand-outs. 

In the antagonistic camp, Jared Leto's suitably strange as technical tycoon Niander Wallace and had substantially less screen time than I was expecting, but honestly gave a great performance. It's his underling android assistant Luv that truly terrifies though. Sylvia Hoeks latches onto the menacing demeanor with complete conviction, and I hope this role perks the eyes and ears of many casting directors so I can see her play another villain once more.

It was also nice to see familiar faces Robin Wright, Dave Bautista, David Dastmalchian, Barkad Abdi, Edward James Olmos, and Sean Young show up and provide strong supporting turns, regardless of screen time.

**End of spoilers**

Blade Runner 2049 is the scarce spectacular sequel that brilliantly builds upon the wonderful world and profound philosophical pondering of the original, while maintaining the first film's integral atmosphere and standing strong on its own merit. I know it's been said-to-death at this point, but there's no other way to articulate it, Blade Runner 2049 is a master work of science-fiction that won't be soon forgotten and will inspire entire generations of filmmakers to come.

Film Assessment: A+