'Rocketman' Review

Nominated For: Best Original Song "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" (written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin).

Won: Best Original Song "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" (written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin).

Synopsis: A musical fantasy about the fantastical human story of Sir Elton John's breakthrough years.

Runtime: 121 minutes

MPAA Rating: R (for language throughout, some drug use and sexual content,)

Who should see it? Teenagers and adults who are interested in the story and music of Elton John.

Directed by Dexter Fletcher with a screenplay written by Lee Hall, Rocketman is a musical biographical picture which details the highs and lows of Elton John's upbringing and rockstar career. Last year, Fletcher swooped in to complete production on Bohemian Rhapsody after director Bryan Singer was removed from the project, and the Queen biopic was championed by general audiences and the industry alike as it somehow managed to secure four Oscars, a Best Picture nomination, and a healthy box office haul against all odds. Those of you who read my BoRhap review and 2019 Oscar coverage are aware that I wasn't particularly fond of said film, so it's easy to see why I'd be concerned that Rocketman would be made in a similar generic musical biopic mold... Well, I'm DELIGHTED to say that's not the case! 

Rocketman doesn't completely break the mold, but Fletcher's method of retelling Elton John's life story as a non-chronological, fantastical jukebox musical is a refreshing creative choice. Many of John's greatest hits are included to relay major life events rather than serve purely as the basis for staged concert recreations. Though the narrative's thoroughly grounded in the tragic elements of Elton John's various additions, the dreamlike musical numbers carry an over the top bravado befitting of the exuberant musician. Fletcher alternates between dramatic reality and psychedelic song and dance numbers with relative ease and assuredness, so the switches flow naturally within the narrative.

Screenwriter Lee Hall frames the events as unreliable recollections from John during an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting in rehab. Though Elton admits to being an alcoholic, drug and sex addict, shopaholic, narcissistic, and a tad temperamental, he withholds key details about his life from the support group and presents a glitzy version of his experiences which are soon revealed to be a facade for the audience. As Elton reminisces on the life and upbringing of Reginald Dwight (his birth name), the story shown doesn't always align with his spoken iteration, but the production doesn't skimp on sharing the darker details of the pop star's life. The truth of it all may up for debate (especially considering the fantastical nature of the musical numbers), but I believe Fletcher and Hall crafted an honest, harrowing portrait of the ups and downs of Elton John's breakthrough years. Fortunately, Elton John served as an executive producer on the project, so he endorsed the film's depiction of said events through his substantial involvement.

Nevertheless, the script still falls into the rut of exploring tired genre clichés and breezing by some pivotal moments in the musician's memoir. Though the technical execution compensates for these shortcomings, as colorful costuming, vibrant production design, inspired choreography, and a committed cast helps Rocketman maintain its upbeat vitality. 

Front and center, Taron Egerton encapsulates the Elton John persona to a tee, voice and all. Egerton easily could have sunk into an exaggerated caricature of Elton, but the rising actor wholeheartedly throws himself into the role. Egerton replicates John's disposition and mannerisms but also imbues the necessary nuance to avoid an impressionistic portrayal. Taron Egerton ironically sang an Elton tune as a talking gorilla in the animated jukebox musical Sing ("I'm Still Standing" is reprised here) and recently starred alongside Elton John in Kingsman: The Golden Circle, so it'd seem he was fated to take on this part. Thankfully, he's got the pipes for it, and he echoes Elton's vocals to great effect!

Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, and Bryce Dallas Howard depict prominent individuals in Elton's life as his respective lyricist and best friend Bernie Taupin, manager and former flame John Reid, and wishy-washy mother, Sheila. Bell's a kindred spirit while Madden accentuates Reid's manipulative, cruel qualities, with Howard fluctuating in-between.

All in all, Rocketman blasts off as an extravagant musical bonanza which honors the respected rockstar's rich legacy and is also unafraid to explore the darker side of Elton John's history. Fletcher's unique approach to the material and a distinguished lead performance from Taron Egerton ensures Rocketman will bring the house down.

Film Assessment: B+

Throwback Thursday Review: 'King Kong' (2005)

This week I'm reviewing the 2005 Peter Jackson rendition of King Kong to coincide with the release of Kong: Skull Island this weekend, I've already seen and reviewed it so click on the blue hyperlink if you're interested in checking that out. Next week I'll be reviewing Disney's 1991 animated Beauty and the Beast to tie in with the release of the live-action incarnation. Reviews you can expect throughout the remainder of March include Throwback Thursday Reviews over Beauty and the Beast (1991), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, and Spider-Man 2 and new releases Kong: Skull Island, Beauty and the Beast (2017), The Belko Experiment, Power Rangers, Life, The Boss Baby, The Zookeeper's Wife, and Ghost in the Shell (2017).

'King Kong' (2005) Review

Nominated For: Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing. 
Won: Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing. 

King Kong tells the story of a film crew venturing to the mysterious Skull Island to shoot a picture, only to have their lead actress apprehended by the natives to be sacrificed a 25 foot gorilla. The primate chooses to take Ann Darrow himself and a bond is formed between the two before the crew capture Kong to showcase as "The Eighth Wonder of the World" back in New York. If you know anything about King Kong then you know how that turns out... He escapes, finds the lady, and scales the Empire State Building. Yes, this is the typical Kong story we've grown accustomed to hearing set in 1930s New York.

Peter Jackson had a hand in writing and directing this 2005 remake, hot off his successful adaptation of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, spanning the 1933 story about the great ape into a (longer than necessary) feature-length epic. The one thing that makes this version quite difficult to sit through is its three hour and seven minute running time. In my mind anything that lasts longer than three hours overstays its welcome unless it's one of The Lord of the Rings and King Kong unfortunately suffers from symptoms of a bloated running time.

Fortunately, the technical aspects of King Kong hold up remarkably well. Jackson captures the spirit of Depression-era New York rather quickly in the film's opening thanks to accentuated '30s costume & production design and James Newton Howard's gorgeous musical accompaniment. Howard's score is all-encompassing of what you would want for a Kong feature; he's got the epic themes for the action, resonant character compositions for the more emotionally-moving sequences, and eery accompaniment for the mysterious moments.

I would be remised to forget the visual effects though, which are awe-inpiring. Kong remains the ever fascinating CG-creation, largely thanks to the animators and Andy Serkis' motion capture performance. Serkis nailed the monkey mannerisms and subtle expressions exhibiting the creature's emotional spectrum, which only added further credence to the beast's authenticity. It's no wonder he's still playing the lead mo-cap primate in The Planet of the Apes franchise and stands as one of the motion capture kings today.

One slight complaint/nitpick that stuck out to me was Jackson's tendency to encourage blurred camera movement from long time collaborators cinematographer Andrew Lesnie and editor Jamie Selkrik in some of the more exhilarating moments. I feel this went in direct opposition to the momentum built up in some action sequences and came across a bit too often for my taste. In the writing department, Jackson reunites the writing braintrust behind adapting The Lord of the Rings trilogy including Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and himself.

It's apt that screenwriter character Jack Driscoll is the hero of the story but by the time the credits are rolling the character doesn't receive his due for his heroics. That's just the nature of filmmaking, general audiences respond to a film and will praise/scorn the director and cast but typically the screenwriter's left in the dust. Thankfully that's not an issue for this version of King Kong. The script does a remarkable job fleshing out its characters (a little too excessively in some cases) but I can't say that I finished the film without any concerns over certain logistics. I wondered such things as how the crew possibly got King Kong on their boat once he was captured, where they put him considering the cages on the boat were all intended for smaller creatures, how the boat made it off Skull Island with Kong onboard. Wouldn't he have significantly weighed the vessel down? These are relatively remote plot-holes to say the least but questions I genuinely pondered over, unable to conjure up any explanations behind any of them.

Anyways, the cast amassed for King Kong are quite something. Naomi Watts' Ann Darrow exemplifies beauty in addition to making a sufficient damsel. Watts is in-distress but showcases enough emotional range to more than compensate for her classic role. Adrien Brody's playwright Jack Driscoll makes for a likable protagonist while Jack Black plays the stubborn yet exuberant director Carl Denham that you can't help but feel conflicted over liking. Meanwhile, Kyle Chandler, Thomas Kretschamen, Collin Hanks, Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis (who has a role as the boat's chef along with his Kong duties) each have brief supporting roles worth acknowledging.

In summary, King Kong has almost everything going for it but a tight running time. Had Jackson trimmed the film down, he may have had a masterpiece on his hands.

Film Assessment: B

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Snowpiercer'

Last week I didn't post a Throwback Thursday Review so I thought I'd try to post two today and I may not be able to get a Throwback Thursday review out every Thursday but I will do my best! It will get increasingly more difficult as the tv shows I watch come back on air and school gets going again but I would like to try to review all six Star Wars films before Star Wars: The Force Awakens comes out, each of the Back To The Future films since it's the 30th anniversary this year, and a few James Bond flicks before Spectre. This film has been on a list of movies I've planned to watch for a while now and I noticed it was on Netflix so I seized the opportunity and decided to watch and review it as this week's Throwback Thursday Review even though it's completely unrelated to any upcoming releases.

'Snowpiercer' Review

This film is the last film from the list of the top 5 movies I wish I had seen 2014 that I needed to review making it an adequate selection for this week's Throwback Thursday with the added bonus that I've yet to see the film prior to watching it last night making it the first film in my Throwback Thursday review series I haven't seen before. I must say I loved this film it has everything I want in a film with action, a mysterious and intriguing story, stunning visuals, and some stellar performances from some great actors. Chis Evans is phenomenal in the lead role with some great scenes and really dives into his complex character. Jamie Bell is also a standout in the film and I'm sure this got him the role of Ben Grimm in the new Fantastic Four reboot as he is quite enjoyable and complex as well. Tilda Swinton provides a great supporting role and manages to steal many scenes as one of the antagonists. John Hurt, Ed Harris, and Octavia Spencer each shine in supporting roles creating characters we care about. The plot of the film is very intriguing and maintained my interest throughout the entire film taking many twists and turns that made the story much more interesting and increased stakes. The director Joon-ho really dives into the post-apocalyptic world he has created and does an effective job in combination with the production design to create an authentic gritty dark train atmosphere for the film. The action sequences are very violent at times since the film is rated R but they are very enjoyable and incredible to watch. The film also allows for great social commentary on social classes and how ridiculous these class divisions are. I really loved this film and can say with the upmost confidence that this is probably the best movie I've seen relatively recently within the past month or so and highly recommend that you check it out on Netflix if you can spare two hours at home!

Film Assesssment: A-

'Fantastic Four' (2015) Review

I will admit I have been concerned about how this film would turn out from the beginning with rumors of very troubled production, the fact that they were changing tradition and cast a black actor as Johnny Storm but failed to make his sister Sue Storm the same ethnicity instead saying she's adopted, the look of Doctor Doom, and the fact that this is the only incarnation of the Thing not to wear a pair of pants. So I went into this film with very low  expectations, especially after seeing the dreaded reviews but tried to remain optimistic since sometimes I don't agree with the majority of critics but sadly that is not the case here. This reboot is a jumbled mess but the sad thing is that it's apparent the trouble comes from behind the camera. The story is incoherent with no theme or central message, the tone of the film proved to be very inconsistent, and the script was ridiculous at times. This movie is very boring and almost entirely chocked full of exposition with little to no action. It also takes a team who are usually depicted in a light setting and tries to mimic the Christopher Nolan Dark Knight Trilogy by having a darker tone but this proves to be very unsuccessful. There are specific scenes or gags in the film that you can tell screen writers wrote to be intentionally funny but it doesn't really come across in the dark setting. I'm unsure if 20th Century Fox or Josh Trank is to blame for what has occurred because there are various conflicting reports. Trank even tweeted last evening that a year ago he had a great film in mind that was ruined due to studio interference. This does seem likely since he was practically removed from the project and there were many reshoots done but in the end it does't matter since it's very unlikely there will be a sequel. I will admit there are a few aspects I enjoyed about the film. There were many great concepts that just seemed to be developed poorly, the cast was terrific, and the visual effects looked amazing. The cast is very talented and each gave admirable performances with what they were given. I particularly enjoyed Miles Teller, Jamie Bell, Michael B Jordan, and Kate Mara in their respective roles. Miles Teller made a very convincing Reed Richards and had great chemistry with Jamie Bell who did quite well in the role of Ben Grimm. One of my biggest complaints about the film prior to seeing it was the look of the Thing and I must say that I have changed my opinion for the most part. I did like the CGI look of the Thing that was much more expressive than the 2005 adaptation but I still think it's ridiculous that the Thing didn't have pants. All of the other team members were given some form of a suit except the Thing. Unfortunately Michael B Jordan and Kate Mara, who played Johnny and Sue Storm, didn't have much to do in the film and there was so much potential to explore their adoptive sibling relationship in this adaptation that was simply ignored. Despite the good performances almost none the the actors really had good chemistry or worked well as an ensemble cast like for example The Avengers cast as these actors seemed to work better independently other than off of one another. Toby Kebbell portrays the film's villain Victor Von Doom, a while back it was reported he would be an internet blogger with a different name but I assume they reverted back after fan backlash, and he does a decent job but once he is transformed into Doctor Doom the character is ruined. He has absolutely no motivation, looked ridiculous, and is simply a stereotypical powerful villain that must be stopped because he wants to destroy everything. I did really like most of the visual effects though, especially the effects used for the Fantastic Four's power set. Throughout the film there are many cool conceptual ideas that weren't quite able to flourish for some reason that might work more effectively in a sequel. Overall, I will admit the film wasn't awful but it wasn't good either, it was just "alright". I do believe that with the proper guidance a successful sequel could be made thanks to the talented cast but I doubt it will even be greenlit. If you were remotely interested in the Fantastic Four at all, I'd advise that you go see either Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation or Ant-Man as better substitutes for a fun action film. 

Film Assessment: F