'I'm Thinking of Ending Things' Review

If you missed my Tenet review, then welcome back! I'm writing once more, and hope to catch up on reviewing everything I've seen and neglected these past six months. I'll prioritize recent releases starting with Mulan, The New Mutants, and The Personal History of David Copperfield before doubling back to share Reel Recaps for March-August.

''I'm Thinking of Ending Things' Review

Synopsis: Full of misgivings, a young woman travels with her new boyfriend to his parents' secluded farm. Upon arriving, she comes to question everything she thought she knew about him and herself.

Runtime: 134 minutes

MPAA Rating: R (for language including some sexual references)

Who should see it? Adult fans of  Iain Reid's novel and Charlie Kaufman.

Adapted from Iain Reid's bestselling novel, I'm Thinking of Ending Things was written and directed for the screen by Charlie Kaufman. Before I continue, I feel it's worth noting that I haven't read the novel or seen Kaufman's prior work. Therefore, I may feel differently after doing so and revisiting IToET. This review is written without the benefit of that hindsight. Regardless, I anticipate a polarizing reception as more and more Netflix users discover the film. 

I rarely consider films to be profoundly pretentious, but can't help labeling IToET as such. Between the drawn-out car conversations and microscopic font size of the opening/closing credits, there's an air of superiority that grows old quickly. In the dialogue between Jake and the Young Woman, the two reference an abundance of obscure literature. It comes across as Kaufman condescending the audience who may be unfamiliar with such things. The story's ambiguous nature doesn't help matters either, as Kaufman presented seemingly contradictory details, and I was often left second-guessing my interpretation. After scouring IToET explained articles, I discovered I was on the right track. 

In of itself, ambiguity is a potent storytelling tool, but in this instance, it was very frustrating and didn't service the story. Kaufman communicates his message in such a way that it can only be fully understood by those familiar with the source material or willing to undergo some online research afterward. By the time you've done this, you've wasted nearly three hours. I arrived at the conclusion that Kaufman's script seems better suited for the stage due to the minimal locations and lengthy dialogue scenes between a tight-knit ensemble. That said, I'll admit the story occasionally benefited from cinematic flourishes such as cross-cutting, intimate framing, and a particularly hysterical visual gag. While I was frequently irritated by Kaufman's methodology, I admired the filmmaking which supported it. 

Though the core quartet of Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, Toni Collette, and David Thewlis, fluctuating from understated to exaggerated, best elevate the material. Buckley and Plemons lend ample nuance to the fragile burgeoning relationship between their characters. In contrast, Collette and Thewlis operate on the other end of the spectrum as cooky parents excited to meet their son's girlfriend. In particular, Buckley's performance works wonders to ground the increasingly uncomfortable atmosphere. Plemons also enhances this aspect through Jake's lacking self-confidence and secondhand embarrassment introducing his parents to the Young Woman (how she's credited).

With only a passing familiarity of Charlie Kaufman's previous work (I hope to soon resolve this), I didn't know what to expect of I'm Thinking of Ending Things. Ultimately, I found myself at odds with the complexity of Kaufman's tangled narrative web. Perhaps I'd come around with subsequent viewings, but the film's bleak outlook and inflated sense of self-importance don't inspire such a desire. One thing's for sure, it left me thinking of writing things.

Film Assessment: B-

'Wonder Woman' Review

Wonder Woman recounts the origin story of trained warrior and courageous princess Diana who has grown up among the fierce female race of Amazons on the sheltered tropical island Themyscira. All is well on the secluded paradise till American intelligence officer Steve Trevor crashes off the island's shore, the first instance of man entering the mythic realm. Trevor is retrieved by the Amazons and in turn tells them of the ongoing power struggle outside their island, World War I. Diana then decides to disobey her mother's commands and accompanies Trevor on a quest into man's world with intentions to end the conflict at hand, discovering her exceptional abilities and fated destiny along the way.

I'll be honest in saying I was cautiously optimistic for Wonder Woman since I was burned thrice before by DC with Man Of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Suicide Squad. While Wonder Woman's marketing material has been stellar from the outset of its promotion, much like Suicide Squad, the DC Extended Universe's spotty track record was enough for me to temper my expectations. I did however maintain hope that Wonder Woman would be the film to turn everything around for DC considering Patty Jenkins was directing and it seemed more standalone in nature, and it is with great pleasure that I'm able to reassure any skeptics that Wonder Woman is truly wonderful! 

Director Patty Jenkins shepherds the Amazon into her own corner of the DC universe so the two can brief moviegoers on the influential heroine's humble beginnings. Jenkins had a difficult task at hand in meeting a broad appeal that didn't favor men or women and she struck the right chord. The supporting male characters are never downplayed in favor of some feminist agenda and there are moments exemplifying Wonder Woman's heroic qualities that offers an ideal representation of female empowerment without overdoing the girl power. Jenkins makes it clear from the start that this will be a tale for everyone to enjoy by infusing Wonder Woman with a sense of hope and optimism, something that's lately been lacking from DC films. 

Jenkins and her cinematographer Matthew Jensen quickly break the mold of DC's gritty/grungy aesthetic with the lush locale of Themyscira. The vivacious color palette of Themyscira is easily the most vivid venue to be seen in the DCEU thus far, managing to look like a plausible place while maintaining a guise of mysticism. This is even further accentuated when contrasted to the nasty No-Man's land and murky London skyline. The visual effects and production design showcased also are a step above DC's usual display, making a breathtaking backdrop to the insane action.

If you thought that Wonder Woman would skimp out in the action department because it was directed by a woman, then you were way off because the action sequences constructed by Jenkins and her stunt team are absolutely incredible! Scenes of the Amazons sparring, a beachside invasion, a trek through No-Man's Land, and an all-out melee in the third act will all astound viewers based on looks alone. It's worth noting that Jenkins and editor Martin Walsh utilize quite a bit of slo/fast-mo in these sequences that can grow a bit repetitive for those not in favor of that technique, but it adds a visceral energy that only intensifies the excitement. This vitality is then dialed up another notch by Rupert Gregson-Williams' potent compositions and Hans Zimmer's pre-existing exuberant Wonder Woman theme. 

Despite Wonder Woman's ability to leaps bounds above the other DCEU installments, I'm fairly certain that Wonder Woman will draw criticism from its startling similarities to the period piece war backdrop featured in Captain America: The First Avenger and the fish-out-of water story told in Thor. There will be numerous comparisons between them (especially with The First Avenger), but I assure you Wonder Woman is very unique when it's all said and done.

Wonder Woman features a screenplay penned by Allan Heinberg, who received some assistance from Zack Snyder and Jason Fuchs in writing the story treatment. Heinberg's script works well and it's not because it revolutionizes the superhero origin story, but rather because it understands the lead character. Diana's easily the most heroic DC character to galavant onscreen in quite some time and pairing Diana opposite the horrific scrim of World War I really brought out her valiant nature. It's also incredibly refreshing to see a female character in a superhero movie that's not a damsel or obvious eye candy, but a fully realized character. While Marvel has Black Widow and Scarlet Witch, DC had yet to truly deliver one of those till now.

Allowing Diana to enter man's world not only accentuates her character but it provides a suitable opportunity for humor thanks to the fish-out-of-water element and I laughed at nearly every joke the writers threw at me. The romantic relationship between Steve Trevor and Diana felt fully fleshed out and strayed away from feeling unbalanced, which was something I feared. Steve probably saves Diana as many times as she rescues him so while Diana's clearly more capable than Steve thanks to her power-set, she learns a thing or two from him on her expedition.

Wonder Woman does admittedly run into a little trouble in its third act with a chaotic, needlessly elaborate final fight. The film's villains also feel slightly underdeveloped with vague motivations, which weren't exactly convincing to begin with. The third act CG isn't the greatest when compared to the remainder of the flick, but it worked for everything Jenkins was striving to achieve. Outside of those minuscule nitpicks, Wonder Woman doesn't encounter too many other issues and easily outweighs those cons.

The cast assembled for the Amazonian's first feature film is one to behold and they step up to the legacy the comics set before them. When Gal Gadot was first cast as Wonder Woman, fans were quite contentious about whether she was the right choice for the role considering she was almost entirely known for modeling at the time. Even after a scene-stealing appearance in Batman v Superman, no one really quite had a grasp of the character since her powers and characterization were left a mystery. Thankfully, Gadot walks a fine line as Wonder Woman and proved up to the task of meeting the physical demands of the role as well. Gal Gadot imbues Diana with compassion, strength, and virtue making her the ideal female role-model and exemplary incarnation of the female icon.

Chris Pine brings charisma aplenty to Steve Trevor as an endearing action hero and likable love interest opposite Gadot. Pine and Gadot exhibit an interesting and sincere dynamic, unlike most comic book couples as the two share an undeniably unique chemistry. Lucy Davis also tags along as sociable supporting player Etta Candy, showcasing some solid comedic chops along the way.

Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright play the predominant Amazonians as the lionhearted General Antiope and confident Queen Hippolyta. Both actresses serve as influential up-bringers and memorable maternal figures for Diana, demonstrating courage and kindness in the best ways imaginable.

Ewen Bremner's anxious sniper Charlie, Saïd Taghmaoui's ladies man Sameer, and Eugene Brave Rock's soft-spoken Chief each added delightful personas to Trevor's squad and stood out as captivating supporting players among the larger ensemble. Elsewhere Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, and David Thewlis adequately act the archetypes of the hardened General Erich Ludendorff, tortured Doctor Poison, and inscrutable Sir Patrick. In regards to references, there aren't too many easter eggs that I noticed aside from the obvious origin story beats and there's no post credits scene, but do look forward to a new DC logo opening up the proceedings. There's absolutely no question about it, you should definitely check out Wonder Woman this weekend! I know I'll be seeing it a few more times!

Turns out Wonder Woman had more in her arsenal than I suspected with dedicated direction, vibrant visuals, astonishing action, powerful performances, and charming characters. She didn't even need to use her Lasso of Truth to coerce me into acclaiming Wonder Woman as the greatest DCEU entry to date, the foremost female lead comic-book movie, and the best DC film I've seen since The Dark Knight! 

Film Assessment: A-