'mother!' Review

In order to analyze this movie, a spoiler discussion is simply necessary. There will be clear spoiler warnings to mark this as a means of forewarning those who've yet to watch mother! or intend on doing so.

[This review was originally written in September 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.] 

mother! sees a couple put to the test when uninvited guests intrude and upset the balance of their humble home. What then follows are two hours of utter insanity that will definitely divide audiences everywhere, something already evident on the internet through Rotten Tomatoes and Cinescore.

Darren Aronofsky wrote and directed the film, leaning towards being an artistic approach with metaphors, symbols, and allegories galore! Which I'm sure was one of reasons general audiences didn't take to it. Aronofsky is known for creating sick, twisted films like Requiem for a Dream or Black Swan, and mother! certainly falls in line with those. I'm trying to tip-toe around specifics because it's easy to unintentionally ruin the film thanks to the cryptic misleading marketing, but Aronofsky certainly succeeded in translating his dark depraved ideas onscreen.

mother! is one of the most unique experiences I've had in a theater this year, because the film lends itself to extensive interpretation. This is a movie that will get you thinking. Once the credits started rolling, I was swiftly approached by another audience member who asked me for my take on what the heck just happened. We quickly started bouncing our ideas back-and-forth and by the time we were done, we both only had an inkling of what Darren Aronofsky was trying to convey. The last time I saw something even remotely close to this would have been last year watching Arrival and Nocturnal Animals, two thought-provoking films released last year that both happened to star Amy Adams. But even with those films, I felt I had a general understanding of what happened when it was over and was merely curious about the deeper meaning or the film structure.

**Spoiler Warning**

However, mother! is an entirely different ordeal altogether. I was able to follow along fairly well till the floor started bleeding. At that point, I realized Aronofsky was expressing his ideas with strange symbolism. I just didn't know what the symbols represented. After reading some interesting internet articles about mother!, I feel that I have a reasonable grasp of a few different interpretations about was going on.

I still have no idea what the yellow medicine was, but I've gathered that Javier Bardem's character represented God, Jennifer Lawrence represented Mother Earth (Nature), and the series of characters causing mayhem in the house represented various stories from the Old Testament including Adam & Eve, Caine & Abel, Noah & the flood, etc. Although, each were conveyed rather haphazardly with a sloppy frenzy. In the moment, these events felt like random chaotic events with absolutely no rhyme or reason. This may be due to the fact the script was written in five days...

For those that don't know, Aronofsky's an atheist. A general theme present throughout mother! seemed to be that God is a neglectful God, and Aronofsky tries to incorporate specific points of reference with biblical allegories. As a Christian, I can't help but disagree with his viewpoint and that goes without saying. I am of the mindset that if Aronofsky's going to explicitly throw this out there, that he should at least find better support than a surface level glimpse through the Bible. Aronofsky constantly alludes to things, but doesn't ever take the time to accentuate his arguments or fully understand what he's referencing. I think if you're going to make the effort to make such a bold claim, you should at least support your viewpoint with more than an ill-interpreted allegory.

An issue I found in the screenplay was that the writing was rather uneven. The environment is an enigma that's able to be perceived differently on a viewer-to-viewer basis. While that is somewhat fascinating, the lack of any clear definition to the events was frustrating since many of the characters come across as half(or even a quarter)-baked and the circumstances seemed scattershot.

On top of that, Aronofsky makes a clear, conscious effort to include grotesque imagery that's disturbing to say the least. The thing that went way too far in my mind was when he showed the crowd kill a baby... That just seemed uncalled for... I totally get that it was meant to symbolize Christ's death at the hands of humanity, but I feel that didn't have to be communicated in such a heavy-handed manner. If it weren't for A Cure for Wellness, that would have been the most disturbing thing I've seen in theaters all year... 

**End of spoilers**

One nice technical touch that I did actually appreciate was how the camera followed Jennifer Lawrence for practically the entire runtime. It rarely lets up, but when it does Lawrence is always nearby, somewhere in frame or it's shot from her perspective. The cinematography from Matthew Libatique conveys a sense of claustrophobia and pits the audience in Lawrence's headspace so they also feel cooped up. The technique is incredibly effective, because the audience feels thrown amidst the chaos with Lawrence when the insanity piles up.

I'm not the biggest Jennifer Lawrence fan, but I appreciate her when she puts forth genuine effort and roll my eyes when she takes a paycheck gig. In this case, I'm ecstatic to report that Lawrence is exceptional as Mother. She has to slowly and steadily transition from a relatively passive, but uncomfortable protagonist to a woman driven mad by the events conspiring around her, and she pulls it off. It's a pity this performance is buried underneath such a troubled film. Opposite Lawrence, Javier Bardem carries a genuine gravitas that makes Him all the more engrossing of a character. The role's quite intriguing as his character exhibits a charming debonair and a foreboding temperament, so it's difficult to determine exactly what makes his character tick. 

Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer, along with legions of actors, pop by so the fever dream can regularly accumulate. However, Harris and Pfeiffer leave the largest impression as Man and Woman considering their characters were more developed than the supporting stock faces. 

mother! isn't exactly something I'd recommend someone go see, because I think opinions will widely vary from person-to-person. Aronofsky's vision is absolutely bonkers and certainly didn't line up with what I expected going in. If you're looking for an outright horror thriller, you're not going to find that in mother!. This is an artistic intellectual experience that will get you thinking for sure. Whether you will like that or not is completely dependent on your personal taste. Aronofsky's message was too cynical in my mind, but I can't entirely discredit the film as it was competently-made and the cast put forth proficient performances.

Film Assessment: C-

'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales' Review

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales charts a new course for the spirited swashbucklers by steering the franchise closer to its humble beginnings. Dead Men Tell No Tales follows the adventures of Henry Turner, son of Elizabeth and Will Turner, as he searches for a means to free his father from his cursed fate. Turner then enlists the help of astute astronomer Carina Smyth and disreputable drunk Jack Sparrow to embark on a quest and find the treasured Trident of Poseidon, an artifact said to grant the wielder complete control of the seas with the power to break any curse. In the midst of all this, a vengeful Spanish specter Captain Salazar escapes the Devil's Triangle with an army of apparitions and a particularly unpleasant ambition. 

Dead Men Tell No Tales is the fifth entry to the Pirates franchise and after Curse of the Black Pearl, the savvy seafarers have landed ashore from their their subsequent plunders with receding riches among their treasure trove. Despite the diminishing returns of the succeeding ventures, I still manage to let loose a hardy "Yo-ho!" anytime Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man's Chest, or At World's End sail my way because that original trilogy knew how to handle the cultivating crew. However, On Stranger Tides waded into unfamiliar waters in hopes of extending the franchise only to meet a rocky reception and nearly sink the ship. 

Thankfully, all hands were called on deck so Norwegian co-directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg were able to save Disney's lucrative vessel just when I thought these pirates were about to walk the plank and abandon ship. Rønning and Sandberg ensure that everything encountered along the voyage looks and sounds tremendous, harkening back to the strange, supernatural elements Verbinski interposed into his own swashbuckling stories. 

For starters, every orchestral score in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has sounded exceptional, regardless of the film's quality, and this entry is no exception. Though Hans Zimmer abandoned ship and the score includes a number of familiar sea shanties, composer Geoff Zanelli proudly waves the Jolly Roger in his deconstruction & reconstruction of the pivotal Pirates themes. Elsewhere, the hair & makeup team alongside the commendable costuming crew continue to impress, despite dressing the cast in the usual pirate garb. I'm sure it must be a huge ordeal to ensure each pirate has the distinct and adequate attire, so the simple fact that each cast member looks great is enough for me to tip my hat to those members of the crew!

The vfx artists and production designers prove to be no land lubbers either, considering they are able to craft an authentic tropical background that these rum-smitten sailors can inhabit. The film looked leagues better than On Stranger Tides from start-to-finish and bolstered an awesome, unabridged aspect ratio in IMAX that further enraptured me. On the flip side, I was a bit worried about the look for Salazar and his ghastly crew judging from the trailers. Fortunately, my concerns were ill-suited because the dastardly Spanish crew looked exceptional thanks to a mix of profound practical prosthetics and illustrious CG-effects.

**Spoiler warning in case you somehow haven't seen any of these movies I'm about to mention**

Other technical accomplishments to note include Disney's alarming ability to de-age actors lately. You may have noticed this in various Marvel Studios entries including Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 that all featured brief scenes with a younger version of a prominent character (Hank Pym, Tony Stark, and Ego respectively).

**End of spoilers**

I previously haven't brought this up in any reviews because each of those occurrences were well under-wraps and I was avoiding spoilers. However, Disney has put this de-aged Jack Sparrow front and center in their marketing material so I think it's safe to talk about it. While I don't think there has been a misstep yet, I'd place the de-aged Sparrow among the upper escalate of examples because he's onscreen longer and maintained the authenticity throughout. It's truly incredible that technology has come this far that studios can now effectively de-age an actor and practically bring a deceased one back to the big screen (in the case of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story).

On the other hand, Dead Men Tell No Tales doesn't play out nearly as well on paper. Jeff Nathanson penned the seadog's screenplay and does an adequate job finding a means for the story to carry onward but the plot's riddled with meaningless side-quests involving extraneous characters. Dead Men Tell No Tales could have easily had the shortest running time in the series if Nathanson had thought to throw out a few of these meandering plot lines and insignificant characters. On top of that, the story basically follows this ridiculously repetitive pattern of [interchangeable character] is captured and [interchangeable character] is free. There were a number of clear comedic attempts that fell flat or pandered primarily to children, in quite a few of these instances absolutely nobody in my theater even chuckled. The dialogue is what failed to elicit a response most of the time and Sparrow's schtick hasn't completely worn off because some of the situational humor works quite well! 

Even when Dead Men Tell No Tales sails around in storytelling circles, there's an adequate level of enjoyment to be had. A bank heist at the film's outset literally gives the one featured prominently in Fast Five a run for its money and there's some zombie sharks in the second act that were particularly cool. Dead Men Tell No Tales has all the outlandish, outrageous pirate escapades you were missing in On Stranger Tides but very few of them are on par with the set pieces concocted by Verbinski.

If you're a stickler for continuity, Dead Men Tell No Tales will raise some serious concerns regarding its well-traversed story routes, pirates lore, and the mythical side of the Pirates universe but these things may sail away completely unnoticed by casual Caribbean tourists. Dead Men Tell No Tales somehow managed to simultaneously feel the furthest removed and most interwoven of the Pirates films thus far and I'm lost for words at how that was even possible. There are a number of cameo appearances that I found amusing and worth mentioning, but you may already know about them thanks to the film's marketing so they aren't exactly surprises. 

Meanwhile, Johnny Depp's performance as Captain Jack Sparrow has definitely improved from his turn in On Stranger Tides. He's no longer the lead so he doesn't have as much weight on his shoulders and is able to let loose as a supporting character again. Depp will never not be a great Jack Sparrow, but he's as kooky caricature once more. Nathanson unintentionally set up an interesting arc for Sparrow regarding his fall from grace but Depp never gets to tackle the underlying emotional vulnerability I was hopeful to see because he's too busy parading around for laughs. I'm doubtful Depp and the Caribbean's creative forces will ever be able to recapture the restrained, comedic brilliance of his debut but anything's possible. 

Filling out the crew, Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario are thrown out into the seven seas with hopes they would be able to recapture the Bloom/Knightley pairing from the original trilogy. While they come closer than the last feeble attempt, the two simply don't have the spark. Thwaites is a serviceable plucky lad and Scodelario plays the adept academic to a tee. Both are fine in their respective roles but neither were able to carry the weight required to completely fill the void left by Will Turner/Elizabeth Swann.

However, Javier Bardem oozes the appropriate amount of menace as Spaniard spirit Captain Salazar and stood out as the best baddie this franchise has seen in some time. Bardem wasn't given much to work with but he successfully elevated his character and projected a huge screen presence as you'd suspect an Oscar winner would. Geoffrey Rush also goes all in with his rotten, roguish portrayal of Captain Barbossa and Kevin McNally makes for a nice addition as dedicated first mate Gibbs.

When it comes down to my Memorial Day movie recommendation, it really depends on what you as a viewer would like to watch. If you want to see a gallivanting, enjoyable romp across the sea, go see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Crude comedy? Baywatch. Suspenseful sci-fi? Alien: Covenant. Out-of-this-world superhero story? Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. You can't really go wrong with any of those options provided you're seeking that specific source of entertainment. Otherwise, keep your eyes peeled to the WONDER-ful horizon. I guarantee if you feel lost in the summer sea of blockbusters, you'll be shouting "Land, ho!" next weekend.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is being billed as the "final adventure" but with a post credit scene offering a titillating tease for a sixth installment and the insane international business these pirates manage, I can't help but feel there will be a few more adventures for Captain Jack on the horizon. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales offers plenty of reasons to raise the Jolly Roger thanks to its capable cast, refreshing tropical visuals, elaborate action set pieces, and another sea-spirited score. Dead Men Tell No Tales is by no means the optimal expedition but it was reassuring to see Jack Sparrow and his merry band of marauders change course.

Film Assessment: C+

Throwback Thursday Review: 'Skyfall'

This week concludes my Daniel Craig 007 series of reviews as the is the last one before Spectre. I will be seeing Spectre tonight so expect a review up on that film soon. Next week I will begin my Hunger Games Throwback Thursday Reviews leading up to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. Maybe one day I will go back and review the classic Bond flicks when my review schedule opens up.

'Skyfall' Review

Nominated For: Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song "Skyfall" (written by Adele and Paul Epworth).
Won: Best Sound Editing and Best Original Song "Skyfall" (written by Adele and Paul Epworth).

Prior to beginning the 007 series of reviews this was the only James Bond movie I had ever seen, and I loved it and still do. This film jumps straight into the action with an intense chase scene with high stakes followed by Adele's beautiful song "Skyfall" with some stunning opening credit visuals. The film manages to balance dialogue and action well with very intense action scenes as well as phenomenal acting performances. Daniel Craig once again is phenomenal as James Bond perfectly captivating the essence of the suave gentleman agent. He is incredible in the role and this time around is probably his best take at the role in comparison to the two previous films. Judi Dench also goes her best performance as M in this film as she struggles to lead in these difficult times when the agency is in question. Ralph Fiennes was great in his supporting role but unfortunately wasn't given too much to do this time around although I'm sure that will change with Spectre. Naomi Harris was great as Eve Moneypenny in her action scenes as well as the character interactions, especially with Bond which contained some great humor. This film also had the best villain of the three Daniel Craig led Bond flicks with Javier Bardem playing a very twisted compelling villain who was a great equal in opposition to Bond. I loved that his character was always a step ahead and was a mental and physical force to be reckoned with who had well thought out complicated schemes that were executed well. Skyfall also allowed for a little bit of a dive into the 007 mythos as we are teased about Bond's childhood and yet learn quite a bit about the character. I thoroughly enjoyed the story of the film which was quite captivating and the best of the three in my opinion. The film also had gorgeous cinematography and incredible visual effects. This film was not only a good spy flick but a terrific film as well. Overall, this is currently my favorite among the Daniel Craig Bond flicks and I'm curious to see if Spectre will be able to compete for that spot.

Film Assessment: A+