'Aquaman' Review

Once home to the most advanced civilization on Earth, the city of Atlantis is now an underwater kingdom ruled by the power-hungry King Orm. With a vast army at his disposal, Orm plans on conquering all oceanic people and ruling the surface world as well. Standing in his way is Arthur Curry, Orm's half-human, half-Atlantean brother and true heir to the throne. With help from royal counselor Vulko, Arthur must retrieve the legendary Trident of Atlan and embrace his destiny as protector of the deep if he's going to prevent war between the surface world and ocean dwellers. 

The DC Extended Universe went through a bit of a rough patch, and only briefly found its footing with Wonder Woman last year before Justice League squandered the goodwill of many critics, fans, and general audience members mere months later. Eyes then turned towards DC's next batch of projects, curious if any could possibly save the sinking ship and help course-correct the franchise to better compete with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Helmed by visionary director James Wan, Aquaman seemed like a viable candidate to turn things around for DC and Warner Bros. Wan would have to overcome waves of preconceived cultural stigmas surrounding the character to succeed, but given his track record, it was an obtainable goal. Though the film has its flaws, which I'll address momentarily, Wan dove headfirst into the extensive source material and emerged with an entertaining onscreen adaptation. 

I wouldn't say Aquaman is a "game-changer" for DC or even the comic-book genre for that matter, but it will likely bestow audience members with a newfound appreciation for the often ridiculed hero or at least demonstrate that he should be taken more seriously. The script collectively credits David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Will Beall, Geoff Johns, and Wan as being responsible for screenplay and story. Dialogue from Johnson-McGoldrick and Beall is occasionally quite cheesy while the story by Beall, Johns, and Wan frequently seems derivative of other genre-fare. 

The pacing and visual effects are also somewhat uneven, as the second act meanders a bit while the color-grading and green-screen work are sometimes shoddy in the brighter environments above water. My impression is that Wan understandably concerned himself with doing justice to the underwater setting that time constraints and budget allocations likely inhibited the visual effects outside the ocean. With that being said, Aquaman relishes in its underwater setting and the darker environments. The visuals are genuinely sensational underwater, and there's a noticeable uptick in quality as the film enters the third act and Wan's able to get in touch with his horror roots. Aquaman really reminded me of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in regards to the third act being substantially better than the rest of the film since everything from the Mariana Trench sequence onwards was absolutely outstanding! 

In spite of some sketchy CG here and there, the action in Aquaman is very well-executed across the board. The combat's cool, clear, and easy to follow. What more could you ask for? Also, it's worth mentioning that slo-mo seems to now be a staple of the DCEU, for better or for worse, as it's employed quite often. Additionally, I noticed some clever editing transitions were applied when fluctuating between the past and present via flashbacks. Furthermore, Rupert Gregson-Williams' score was spectacular, utilizing the recently re-popularized futuristic synth-sound. The incorporation of pop-music stuck out like a sore thumb and was quite jarring when juxtaposed against the onscreen events though. Pitbull and Rhea's "Ocean-To-Ocean" which samples from Toto's "Africa" was a particularly dreadful ear-sore. 

Jason Mamoa and Amber Heard admittedly aren't the greatest actors and honestly have no chemistry with one another, but they each do their characters justice. It's readily apparent that neither performer was necessarily cast for their acting ability, but instead because they're attractive individuals. To upend the public's perception of Aquaman as a lame character, casting an actor with Mamoa's physique was required. We'd previously only seen Mamoa's Aquaman in small doses and gotten a brief glimpse of his iteration, but Mamoa exudes an infectious charisma and even displays some convincing emotional range in the lead role. Otherwise, Heard made the most of her time onscreen as Mera to leave an impression on audiences as a capable female character. I'm not going to on record saying Mera couldn't have been portrayed by another actress, but I think Heard was fine in the role. In fact, I'll confidently say she amounted to being more than eye-candy, with a vital proactive role in the narrative to boot. I'd say that's a win in my book!

In the depths of the supporting cast, Nicole Kidman, Temuera Morrison, Willem Dafoe, and Dolph Lundgren elevate their material and help buoy the two leads as well. Kidman and Morrison carry one of the film's few emotional threads and actually had stellar chemistry in their limited shared screen time. It was particularly exciting to see Dafoe acting in another comic-book movie (the most recent being Spider-Man 3 in 2007) and refreshing to finally witness Morrison onscreen again years after the Star Wars prequels where he played Jango Fett and every conceivable Clone Trooper. Not to mention that Lundgren's career is also now on a resurgent hot streak between this and Creed II.

Meanwhile, two oceanic antagonists are meant to swim circles around Aquaman. Patrick Wilson lends greater gravitas to Orm but ultimately flounders as a one-note, power-hungry villain. Then, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's Black Manta is a neat addition but would have been better saved for a sequel because he didn't have a natural place in the narrative. Abdul-Mateen and Wilson do well in their respective roles and are at least cool-looking villains, but both characters are underdeveloped on paper and onscreen. Per film, I'd say the DCEU is currently 0-6 in its strong villain department.

Whether Aquaman will be the much-needed rising tide for DC's future ventures remains to be seen, but the Atlantean's already making a splash in terms of international box office and is a significant improvement over Man Of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad, and Justice League in my eyes. It may not measure up to Wonder Woman, but Aquaman successfully stands on its own two feet and spearheads a brighter future for DC! 

Film Assessment: B

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Paddington'

This week I'm reviewing Paddington to coincide with American release of its sequel this weekend. I hadn't seen the film prior to last Saturday, but it's on Netflix for those interested. Reviews you can expect for the remainder of the month include Throwback Thursday Reviews of The World's End and The Shining, reviews of new releases Paddington 2, The Commuter, Proud Mary, 12 Strong, and Maze Runner: The Death Cure. I'll be reviewing any films from 2017 that I missed out on as I watch them so look forward to seeing some of those reviews up sometime soon as well. 

'Paddington' Review

Paddington journeys alongside a young bear after the devastating destruction of his quaint home in the Peruvian rain forest forces him to seek shelter and solace in London. Through circumstance, the altruistic bear meets the considerate Brown family while waiting at London Paddington station. The Browns then temporarily extend their home and hospitality in addition to bestowing the bear with an English name, "Paddington."

Paddington is a feature length film written and directed by Paul King that adapts Michael Bond's classic Paddington Bear children's book series. Beloved children's stories are regularly adapted to film nowadays, so the fact Paddington joined the pack wasn't too surprising. However, these modern adaptations typically lose sight of the source material's wholesome family-friendly angle. Instead, audiences are treated to crass, tasteless humor catered way too heavily towards children... Thankfully though, Paddington never found itself ensnared by such absurdity. 

King's script can sure be silly at times, but the humor is genuinely funny and well thought out. King could easily have appeased to younger audiences with stupid, purposeless jokes encompassing flatulence, but Paddington rises above every opportunity to tell a charming, virtuous tale about a marmalade-loving bear from Peru. 

In regards to the film's technical prowess, Paddington looks and sounds very much like a Wes Anderson production due to a quirky, colorful aesthetic and a breakneck score from Nick Urata, but I can assure you it's not one. King was clearly inspired by Anderson's work, but that's not the only influence on Paddington, as the Peruvian bear even tips his red hat to Raiders of the Lost Ark and Mission: Impossible in two distinct instances. Now, I probably couldn't finish writing this review without applauding the film's vfx team for the wonderful work on creating a convincing CG-Paddington. Oftentimes, CG-creatures found in live action family films aren't quite authentic in their appearance, instead seeming distinctly digital. However, the vfx department's fine craftsmanship here did not go unnoticed.  

Paddington's cast features the likes of abundant accomplished actors from Great Britain, and everyone turns in a fine performance. Front and center, Ben Whishaw bestows Paddington with a kindred spirit and naive nature through his sufficient voice work. Sally Hawkins makes for a calm, endearing presence as Mary Brown while Hugh Bonneville's Henry Brown is ill-tempered and uptight, and their troubled parental dynamic wound up being a plus for me! The Brown children, Judy and Jonathan, are portrayed by Madeleine Harris and Samuel Joslin respectively, who each offer up quality performances for their age. While I wouldn't say they quite fit into that upper echelon of young actors who have emerged lately, I'd still consider them the cream of the crop as far as child talent goes. 

In the antagonistic camp, Nicole Kidman plays Millicent as an over-the-top taxidermist, and it totally works due to Kidman's commitment and the sometimes cartoonish setting surrounding her. Peter Capaldi, who's probably best known as the last Doctor Who, steps into the shoes of the Brown family's nefarious neighbor Mr. Curry and manages to constantly complain about the beloved bear in astonishingly amusing ways. Also, there's a number of familiar faces from the Wizarding World to be found among the film's exceptional British ensemble including the likes of Julie Walters, Michael Gambon, Imelda Stanton, and Jim Broadbent in roles of varying size and substance. 

At its best, Paddington is a bear-y good example of something that doesn't come around too often these days... A loving, wholesome adaptation of a classic children's book that the entire family can enjoy.

Film Assessment: B

'The Killing of a Sacred Deer' Review

[This review was originally written in October 2017 and is now being published that my internship is over. For an explanation of this, visit my Fall 2017 Important Update post.] 

The Killing of a Sacred Deer opens with Dr. Steven Murphy performing an unsettling open-heart surgery. The patient dies, and it's not too soon afterwards that we're introduced to his son. The boy appears to approach the doctor out of nowhere, but it's soon revealed the two exchange gifts and Murphy has been going on walks with the boy. The nature of their relationship is shrouded in mystery at first, but the threads come undone and a more sinister plot unravels. Martin isn't just an average boy, he's an evil force seeking justice for the death of his father. Martin informs Dr. Murphy that he must kill either his wife or one of his two children, and if he doesn't then all three will slowly sicken and die.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer is written and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, who some may be familiar with as the director of last year's The Lobster. I haven't seen The Lobster yet myself, but if it's anything like The Killing of a Sacred Deer, I imagine it would be extremely unique and off-kilter. Lanthimos has made a horror film, but not in the traditional sense. The imagery in The Killing of a Sacred Deer is just as grotesque, but the unease is largely derived from the viewer's own psyche. In fact, it's quite brilliant how the paranoia creeps up on the viewer. 

It's first established by the eerie dissonance that can be heard in the background (compliments of Johnnie Burn, Sarah Giles, and Nick Payne), which automatically generates a feeling of unease when combined with the detached cinematography (Thimios Bakatakis' fine work) and monotonous dialogue delivery. None of it feels right, and that's just what Lanthimos wants the viewer to be thinking. I'd find it difficult to imagine this will film will be embraced with open arms by general audiences. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see casual viewers skip out on the film entirely because it's simply too unusual. I don't really blame them because it's not meant for mass consumption anyways. However, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is probably one of the more interesting horror films I've seen all year because of its quirks. 

The central conflict posed by Lanthimos and second screenwriter Efthymis Filippou is compelling because it's a choice that lingers. As an audience member, you know there inevitably has to be a resolution. You just don't know what it will be or when it will happen, and Lanthimos draws out the suspense for as long as possible. An unexpected element that I found quite fascinating was witnessing Dr. Murphy's rationale throughout the entire ordeal as he seemed to consider the strangest solutions. In the beginning, he believes the boy is bluffing, but the doctor starts to realize what he's dealing with once illness strikes his family members one-by-one. He weighs insignificant human attributes against one another, and resorts to the oddest authorities to dictate how he should proceed. 

Almost every line of dialogue in The Killing of a Sacred Deer is spoken in deadpan, which is a precarious approach because it rarely pays off, but there are actors who are an exception to this rule. Thankfully for this film's case, the actors at Yorgos Lanthimos' disposal are more than up to the task. Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman seem to be on the same wavelength as Lanthimos and Filippou as they channel complexity with limited expression. Farrell plays Dr. Murphy as a man of science grappling with an outwards confidence that science offers a solution for everything and an inner cowardice in the face of something he can't understand or ever hope to control. It's exceptional how Farrell walks the tightrope. Kidman, on the other hand, is utterly remarkable at exhibiting a cold demeanor, bottling up Anna's anger like nobody's business. Her external vacant expressions are perfectly matched with an inner intensity. 

However, it's Dunkirk's Barry Keoghan who will unnerve you at every turn. Simply hearing the teenage actor engage in such cynical conversation when it's spoken so softly and straight-faced is extremely unsettling to say the least. Keoghan successfully emits a drastic darkness and inhospitable aura so you'll inevitably be creeped out by the kid.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer isn't exactly something I'd recommend someone to see, unless I knew for certain they would appreciate the artistry on display. The film is a psychological horror in the strongest sense, and definitely not something for the faint of heart. The Killing of a Sacred Deer is a film that manages to be both insightful and perturbing, something I thought to be long lost to the studio system of pumping out an excess of ordinary horror every year.

Film Assessment: A

'Lion' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor; Dev Patel, Best Supporting Actress; Nicole Kidman, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score.

Lion tells the true story of a five year old, Saroo, who's separated from his family and must fend for himself as he traverses the large landmass, that is India, in search of home. Fortunately for Saroo, he's adopted by a well-off Australian family but twenty five years later is constantly reminded of his complicated past so he sets out to find his home and family using Google Earth. That's the basic premise of Lion, an adaptation of real-life Saroo Brierley's novel "A Long Way Home" directed by first time feature director Garth Davis.

Davis finds the appropriate tone, setting, and direction to guide the story with exceptional framework captured by Greig Fraser, well-weaved editing from Alexandre de Francheschi, and a beautiful score composed by Volker Bertelmann and Dustin O'Halloran. Lion is undoubtedly distinct from the fellow Best Picture nominees yet similar to Moonlight, in that both show their respective protagonists at different stages of life. However, Moonlight is more a coming-of age story while Lion's a film about tragedy and quite literally finding home. In hindsight, I just realized that Lion has virtually the same exact plot as Finding Dory, with different details filling in the protagonist's set of circumstances. 

I'll warn you now that the opening ten/fifteen minutes of Lion are absolutely heart wrenching. I'll confess to tearing up a few times through the two hour runtime (approximately an hour and fifty eight minutes) and screenwriter Luke Davies really dives into the horrible truths about India's lost and homeless children through the appropriate lens of Saroo's innocent eyes. 

My only gripes with Lion lie in the film's structure and the way the story's framed. The first half of the film focuses on the young Saroo wandering further and further away from home in hopes of reaching his family but there's a middle-point where the film jumps forward about twenty-twenty five years, leaving a huge gap in Saroo's life and preventing the viewer from emphasizing with Saroo's adoptive family situation. Saroo is positioned as a jerk towards his girlfriend and family in the second half when he seeks to pursue his real family. He becomes an emotionally distant recluse obsessed with his end goal. The viewer logically understands his reasoning for his actions but not his decision to distance himself from those closest to him. This is resolved of course but it's almost unbearable to watch the older Saroo treat his friends and family this way for that portion of the film. 

If any actor's going to get a huge boost from this film, it's undoubtably Sunny Pawar. Pawar portrays Saroo at the younger stages of his life and this child is another remarkable child actor to emerge from 2016. Pawar showcases an impressive emotional spectrum for his age, displaying everything from convincing childlike wonder to hopeful despair. Pawar's excellent performance serves as a solid foundation for Dev Patel's take on an older, troubled Saroo. 

Patel takes the character in a completely different direction as I've mentioned but maintains spouts of enthusiastic optimism and determination evidenced by Pawar. Despite some of the character flaws, Patel gives an incredibly rich performance and manages to convincingly convey the emotional anguish he suffers from as a result of his journey. 

Abhishek Bharate's stint as Saroo's older brother Guddu stands out as a encouraging mentor for Saroo as the brotherhood between Guddu and Saroo is an emotional driving force behind the film. 

Nicole Kidman genuinely conveys both the anxiety and caring sensibilities often found in concerned mothers as Saroo's adoptive mother Sue Brierley, while David Wenham is a steady rock of emotional support as Sue's husband and Rooney Mara's relegated to the clingy over-supportive girlfriend role. 

Lion is more an inspiring story than it is a great movie but the strength of its filmmaking, performances, and story are impossible to ignore, making Lion a worthwhile endeavor.

Film Assessment: B