'In the Heights' Review

Synopsis: The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside the 181st Street subway stop. The likable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines, and sings about a better life.

Runtime: 143 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for some language and suggestive references)

Who should see it? Fans of the stage show, movie musicals, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Based on Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes's stage musical, In the Heights is directed by Jon Chu and features a screenplay from Quiara Alegría Hudes. Before Hamilton, In the Heights was Lin-Manuel Miranda's claim-to-fame. It's always exciting to see a hit musical materialize on the big screen, much less one from Miranda. Minutes into a vivid opening number, it became clear that Jon Chu was an excellent choice to helm this adaptation. Chu previously directed the visually splendid rom-com Crazy Rich Asians, and those eye-catching sensibilities carry over nicely here. 

Sufficed to say, In the Heights carves out its own space amongst the genre as a contemporary crowd pleaser. The diverse blend of musical stylings ranging from rap, R&B, and hip-hop to ballads, salsa, and merengue culminates in an earworm of a soundtrack. Every musical number is a showstopper, and Miranda's tendency to intermingle varying styles in a single song gives the chords an extra punch. The song-and-dance numbers carry an infectious cheery atmosphere and plenty of striking imagery. Christopher Scott's choreography uniquely incorporates seemingly mundane settings and ordinary objects, while Alice Brooks' cinematography and supplemental special effects lend the songs a look befitting the big screen. While the human drama remains grounded in reality, there are no limits for Chu's vision once characters begin singing or rapping. A burst of energy and dreamlike ambiance overtake the audience, and viewers will be awestruck. You'll be pleasantly surprised when songs like "96,000," "Carnaval Del Barrio," and "Blackout" pervade your mind for days to come. All of the music is quite catchy, though. And I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to the Broadway recording since the complete film soundtrack wasn't yet available when I first saw it. 

I haven't seen the stage version, but I could pinpoint story changes in developing In the Heights for the big screen from listening to the Broadway recording. I suspect this was to reign in the runtime and simplify certain story elements. None of the alterations seemed significant, so I suppose diehard fans of that version won't mind. One thing not lost in translation is that Hudes's script expertly balances a large ensemble, who instantly endears the audience. Each character must grapple with grounded obstacles holding them back from their sueñitos (dreams). Their struggles are rooted in reality, whether it be financial strife, undocumented immigration, or familial/relationship drama. 

The sense of community amongst the Washington Heights barrio (Spanish-speaking neighborhood) feels especially sincere on behalf of the cast's chemistry. There's not a weak link in the cast, and everyone has their moment in the spotlight. As Usnavi, Anthony Ramos proves to be a charismatic presence and dynamic performer. I expect he'll break out as a very in-demand male lead. Opposite Ramos, Melissa Barrera's Vanessa makes for a compelling love interest. Olga Merediz reprises her role of Abuela Claudia from the stage version, and her impassioned rendition of "Paciencia y Fe" will surely tug on your heartstrings. One of the biggest stand-outs, though, is undoubtedly Gregory Diaz IV's Sonny. Diaz steals many scenes with incredible comic timing and will charm you within minutes of his introduction. Otherwise, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Jimmy Smits, and Daphne Rubin-Vega are impressionable supporting players. 

As a fan of musicals, I can sometimes be their harshest critic. However, I haven't been this enamored with a new one since seeing La La Land. Hamilton honestly didn't do it for me, but In the Heights cements the musical genius of Lin Manuel-Miranda, and it's easy to see how this was his stepping stone to stardom. One thing's for sure, though. I have a soft spot for all-encompassing movie musicals which highlight the importance of chasing your sueñitos. 

Film Assessment: A

'Kong: Skull Island' Review

Nominated For: Best Visual Effects.

In Kong: Skull Island secretive government organization Monarch sets off to explore the uncharted Skull Island, dropping bombs to map the island's terrain, only to have their expedition brought to a screeching halt when a 100 foot ape trashes their helicopter convoy. That ape is Kong of course, who happens to be the largest incarnation of the raging gorilla yet.

Kong: Skull Island is the second entry in Warner Bros. and Legendary's MonsterVerse which kicked off with 2014's Godzilla and is headed towards a monster showdown between these two versions of Kong and Godzilla (the reasoning behind Kong's size-up), and there are plenty of breadcrumbs sprinkled throughout the film hinting towards that confrontation including a post credits scene I highly advise you wait for afterwards. Kong: Skull Island is unique when contrasted to the other Kong flicks, its set in 1973 and takes place almost entirely on Skull Island once the crew arrives (Don't be hopeful for an Empire State Building standoff because you'll be severely disappointed).

Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts and cinematographer Larry Fong soak Kong's cinematic resurgence in 'Nam napalm to evoke Apocalypse Now's vibrant color palette, leaving Kong: Skull Island's stylistic aesthetic to be one of the film's highlights. On that note, Kong: Skull Island's quite impressive from a technical standpoint. It's got superb sound design and a rousing rock soundtrack but I found the score to be lacking. None of the arrangements from Henry Jackman were particularly memorable, something I found disappointing since I hold Jackman in high regard for his scoring of X-Men: First Class, Big Hero 6, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Captain America: Civil War.

The various creatures brought to life by the team of visual effects artists assembled for the feature are absolutely incredible though, with the great ape standing chief among them all as the film's crowning achievement. Kong manages to simultaneously exhibit inspiration from cutting edge motion capture animation work showcased in recent Planet of the Apes films while paying homage to the look of the model utilized in the 1933 King Kong production composed of rabbit fur, rubber/foam for muscle structure, and a metal mesh skeleton. It obviously looks much better than that original model but I noticed a few similarities when looking at Kong from a distance that I'm sure were intentional. One thing that annoyed me to no end about 2014's Godzilla was how long it took for director Garth Edwards to show the King of Monsters in his full reptilian glory, I understand the visual effects required to render the beast are expensive but consistently playing with your audiences expectations by teasing the beast's emergence only to cut away was downright cruel.

Thankfully, Kong: Skull Island doesn't suffer from this issue as it doesn't take long for Kong to trample onto the scene and Vogt-Roberts lets you back in his glory once he shows up. Kong's fight sequences against the other monsters are magnificent to say the least. My screening was in IMAX 3D and I can say in these moments the experience payed off, largely due to the larger screen and fuller sound, but overall I'm not quite sure it would be worth the uncharge. However, Kong: Skull Island does have story and character vulnerabilities that somewhat drag it down. Admittedly, that's not exactly what one would come to a monster movie like Kong: Skull Island to see but it doesn't hurt to have characters the audience will actually care about. I legitimately can't remember a single character's name and couldn't tell you any character traits beyond their corresponding skill set, appearance, and occupation for a vast majority of the characters.

This largely derives from the screenplay penned by Dan Gilroy, Max Borenstein, and Derek Connolly featuring a story from John Gatins. The script just has too many characters to juggle so the result is that virtually all the characters are underserved. On the flip-side, I was pleasantly surprised how the screenwriters toyed with genre conventions and cliché moments leading to some fantastic situational humor (I'm not even sure I was supposed to laugh at these moments but I relished in the irony). Otherwise, the plot of Kong: Skull Island is fairly paint-by-numbers so don't expect anything too abrupt.

Kong: Skull Island's cast is stacked with plenty of prestigious talent as well as names you may recognize from a genre film or two. Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman, Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, and Shea Whigham all do the most with what's provided to them but but it's Samuel L. Jackson and John C. Reilly who were able to flip things around and make the most of meager caricatures. Oh and Tian Jing shows up out of nowhere and literally adds nothing of significance to the story just so Warner Bros. and Legendary could shoehorn in an Asian actress and cover all demographics I guess?

Really just about every cast member but Jackson and Reilly are wasted space, something I'm disappointed to say considering their show of talent elsewhere. Something interesting to note though is that Tobey Kebbell has a small live action role and provided the motion capture performance for Kong, along with Terry Notary, similarly to how previous Dawn of the Planet of the Apes costar Andy Serkis was utilized in King Kong (2005). It's funny how the two were rival characters in the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and have become the pillars of motion capture acting today. I rarely see motion capture performance driven films today that don't take advantage of all Serkis and Kebbell have to offer.

If you're looking to take a trip to the theater this weekend, I'd prioritize seeing Logan over Kong: Skull Island. However, if you're looking for a dumb popcorn blockbuster then Kong: Skull Island should suit your mindless monster movie needs. Sadly, the vague strokes of characterization hold Kong: Skull Island back from its true potential but the impressive effects work, adrenaline-fueled action sequences, and stylish visuals help position it to be an entertaining monster flick.

Film Assessment: C B-