SCOOB! - Review

In today’s age of decade long build ups for crossover films, the prospect of a cinematic universe of classic cartoon characters seems extremely appealing. Doubly so if those characters regularly crossed over with each other in their original incarnations as well. That’s what makes “Scoob!” so appealing: it’s essentially Warner Bros. testing the waters for a potential Hanna Barbara cinematic universe!

As a first step in this kind of plan, it unfortunately leans far closer to another first step in a cinematic universe by WB, “Man of Steel” than something like “Iron Man.” It’s a great incarnation of these classic characters, but they constantly feel like they’re shoved into somebody else’s film.

Despite initial woes, Will Forte (“The Willoughbys,” “Last Man on Earth”) as Shaggy is delightful. He might not be a perfect vocal match for the classic hipster, but he nails the heart of the character, as well as the various vocal tics and mannerisms. Frank Welker (“Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!,” “The Transformers: The Movie”), the voice of Scooby-Doo since 2001, returns and is as wonderful and iconic as he’s always been.

The rest of the voices are a mixed bag. Fred, Daphne, and Velma are voiced by Zac Efron (“High School Musical,” “Neighbors”), Amanda Seyfried (“Mamma Mia!,” “Les Misérables”), and Gina Rodriguez (“Jane the Virgin,” “Annihilation”) this time around, and while they aren’t terrible, their vocals reek of celebrity casting syndrome. It feels like they were cast because of their names, not because they best embodied the characters. Mark Wahlburg (“Ted,” “Lone Survivor”) and Ken Jeong (“The Hangover,” “Community”) fair far better as Blue Falcon and Dynomutt, since you can actually tell they’re putting forth effort. Kiersey Clemmons (“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,” “Hearts Beat Loud”) as Dee Dee Sykes would be worth mentioning if the film actually did anything with her, as she constantly feels like the screenwriters forgot she existed.

Thankfully there is a giant bright spot, and its Jason Issacs (“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” “The Death of Stalin”) as Dick Dasterdly, the antagonist of the film. His version of the classic cartoon maniac is weird and overtly British in a great way. It isn’t as iconic as Paul Winchell’s old performance from “Wacky Races,” but it’s still pretty good.

It’s not a coincidence that the film’s antagonist is a classic Hanna Barbara character, as the entire film is choked full of Easter eggs and sight gags that pay homage to the long history of Scooby-Doo and other Barbara properties. There are billboards for “Pitstop Perfume”, a Hot Dog stand with the name Casey plastered on it introduces Shaggy, and a sequence in an amusement park features posters for The Hex Girls and The Banana Splits, with arcade cabinets for the Laff-A-Lympics and Wacky Races.

Unfortunately, these great Easter eggs are about as good as the movie gets. It’s just a generic hero’s journey story, the exact same Warner Bros. expertly parodied in “The LEGO Movie”, with the Mystery Inc. gang shoved in the middle. Not once does it truly feel like it’s a film that they belong in, rather like an existing script they were retrofitted into.

It’s not all bad though. There are plenty of set piece moments that perfectly recapture the whiz-bang cheesiness of the original Scooby spirit. An early sequence in a bowling alley is a particular delight, and whenever things get actiony, the sound effects and squash and stretch techniques of the old Hanna Barbara days shine through. It’s just a shame that all of that is bogged down under a cliched to all hell storyline, and some truly groan worthy jokes. There are even tiny robotic Minion stand-ins, and a really dumb extended celebrity cameo. And yes, Scooby-Doo did have a whole series based around celebrity cameos, but this one in particular is just stupid.

The animation also looks rather cheap. While there are moments of beautiful creativity, like the overall use of bright colors, the fur texturing on Scooby and other animals, and the way they nail the old school stilted animation of the 60’s show, most of the other sequences feel flat, cheap, and lifeless, like an (intentionally) direct to DVD film.

That’s the worst part about all this; there are better Scooby-Doo films you can find direct to DVD from the early 2000s. What “Scoob!” delivers is a decently animated film with a cliched plotline, so-so voice acting, some really groan worthy jokes, all mixed in with some great physical comedy, an actually pretty good third act, and some cross-over moments that will make any Boomerang kid happy. It’s not as bad as the live-action films, but at least those had the spirit of the source material down. This feels more like a overly mediocre film wearing a rubber Scooby mask. 2.5/5

The Half of It - Review

 

It easy to trivialize “The Half of It” and sum it up as a quaint teen romance movie that serves its purpose well and nothing more. And while that might technically be true, it’s the smaller details within its plot and filmmaking, as well as the terrific performances that make this a standout romance for any orientation and any age.

Directed and written by Alice Wu (“Saving Face,” “Over the Moon”), the film features many stylings typical of independent film. Had Netflix not snapped this up, its easy to see a studio like Focus Features, Annapurna, or even A24 (though it might be a bit too happy for their tastes) having put it out. The world is clean and features a muted color palette, but this is all on purpose.

Wu clearly knows when to let locations, colors, and cinematography take over and when static shots will suffice. It almost seems like a plot device, letting the colors take over when things need more color to communicate the happenings.

These might seem like rudimentary techniques, but for the romance genre, specifically the teen romance genre, its almost revolutionary. To see a filmmaker approach a film like this with some actual skill instead of shooting it like a sitcom is nothing short of a miracle. It helps to not only make the film more watchable, but more memorable as well.

Anyone familiar with the tale Cyrano de Bergerac, or its more well-known film counterpart Steve Martin’s Roxanne, knows the story here. Guy like girl but is too afraid he won’t know what to say, so he enlists in the help of a smarter stranger to write letters for him. The twist here is all about the main character and smarter stranger Ellie Chu.

Ellie is queer and an immigrant, and while we get more details on her birth and moving to the U.S. than here queerness, both are quietly revolutionary. The film doesn’t ever call her gay, a lesbian, bisexual, or anything of the like, instead allowing her attraction to just exist. There is some of the requisite “sinner” talk in the latter half of the film, but for the most part Ellie’s attraction is allowed to exist just as an attraction.

Some easy comparisons could be made to the friendship that blossoms between Ellie and Paul, the guy who hires her to write for him, and the “lesbian and himbo” meme culture that has popped up recently, but their bond is a highlight of the film.

It’s a friendship that evolves naturally and with ease, which only makes it more fun to watch the two of them get along and involve themselves in each other’s lives. Take out the romance plot, and you’d still have an engaging and charming story of two opposite people becoming friends.

Leah Lewis (“Charmed,” “Nancy Drew”) plays Ellie with a quiet and stern attitude that only sees her coming out of her shell more as the film progresses. Daniel Diemer (“The Man in the High Castle”) might speak with a slight monotone, but that also fades as the film progresses and his doofy charm and slightly askew mannerisms come into play.

“The Half of It” is a movie about finding joy in the unexpected pleasures. It features a football star who wants to become famous for cooking, not for playing football. It features a queer twist on a classic tale that seems so extremely effortless and it features the most mature incorporation of queerness in any recent romance because its never pointed out directly.

Like previously stated, its easy to write off “The Half of It” because of what it appears to be, but like the characters within, its what’s on the inside that makes it so extremely charming and easy to watch. It’s a well-made romance with intelligence put into it, not dumbed down or easy to swallow for mass audience appeal. To call it a charming film isn’t even the half of it. 4/5

Senior Thesis Video: Birds Of Prey: How to Kill the Male Gaze using a Clown and Camp

My senior seminar presentation video, in which I detail the history of Harley Quinn, Camp film, the Male Gaze, and how Birds of Prey uses Camp to surgically counteract the Male Gaze and the typical incorruptible female superhero films.

The Willoughbys - Review

 

If no other animated film is released this year, that means that the best animated film of 2020 will likely be “The Willoughbys”, a quirky, stylized animated adventure with as hard of an edge as a family animated adventure can have. That isn’t a slight though, as it is a worthy recipient of such praise.

With voice work from Will Forte (“The Last Man on Earth,” “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2”), musician Alessia Cara, Maya Rudolph (“Bridesmaids,” “Big Hero 6”), Martin Short (“Three Amigos,” “Father of the Bride”), Jane Krakowski (“30 Rock,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), and Terry Crews (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Idiocracy”), and narrated by Rickey Gervais (“The Office,” “Night at the Museum”), there’s a very cartoony spirit throughout the entire world of the film. Each character has a distinct personality and their actors do great jobs inhabiting the roles, preventing it from coming off like a “star studded” celebrity affair. The weakest link is likely Gervais, only because his narration doesn’t really feel necessary, but it doesn’t take away from the film as a whole.

Yarn for hair, wispy cottony clouds, and a deliberately stop-motion-esque pace lend the visual style of “Willoughbys” is one of its most endearing aspects. It truly lends the world a fairy tale kind of quality, which further enhances the dark edge given to the direction of the plot.

Most of the jokes are quite on the nose when it comes to poking fun at “traditional” families and values. An extended sequence focused around an open house is particularly amusing and is a perfect encapsulation of how the filmmakers juxtaposes the Willoughbys against the rest of the world.

Writer/Director Kris Pearn (“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2”) and writer Mark Stanleigh have supervised animation and done storyboarding for most of their careers and it really shows in the way the film presents humor. In a way most comparable to “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” there is a very deliberate focus on visual humor. While there are written jokes, most of the humor is in the way characters move, react, and the way it’s all animated. This is yet another animated film that understands that its style can be as inventive as the writing.

The easiest recipients of this adventure are likely to be those raised on “Invader Zim” or “The LEGO Movie” due to how the film’s edge works. Its not shy about throwing its characters down and letting utter despair washes over them and the audience. While most of it is candy colored, it feels gradual; things only become sweet and colorful once the Willoughbys outlook has turned that way as well.

In its most surprising feat, this is also a film that leaves you wanting more. At a tight 90-minute runtime, the world and characters are so delightful and likable, that it easily leaves the possibility open for a follow up film or television series.

While there’s nothing groundbreaking about it, this is another in a long line of animated films that shows that Hollywood is clearly opening up to more experimentation in its animation and storytelling. This is an extremely well executed adventure into an oddball family, backed up by a very tight script and wordplay and a wonderful sense of humor. Its easy to watch and enjoy, and most surprisingly of, how much you’re willing to come back for more. 4.5/5

Trolls World Tour - Review

 

It’s hard to be excited for a sequel film, let alone one from Dreamworks. Sure, they’re turned out hits like “Shrek 2”, “How To Train Your Dragon 2”, and “Kung Fu Panda 2”. But it’s difficult to justify a sequel to a film as hyperactive and peppy to a fault as 2016’s “Trolls” beyond just making more money.

Director Walt Dohrn (“Shrek Forever After,” “Trolls”) and the five writers on this flick: Jonathan Aibel (“Kung Fu Panda 2”, “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water”), Glenn Berger (“Kung Fu Panda 2”, “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water”), Maya Forbes (“Infinity Polar Bear”, “The Rocker”), Wallace Wolodarsky (“The Rocker”, “Monsters vs. Aliens”), and Elizabeth Tippet (“Neighbors from Hell”) have done a surprisingly good job of expanding the world of this sequel in a way that makes a lot of sense. Given how music-centric the first movie was, it only makes sense to broaden that aspect for this sequel.

This world and music expansion also helps to bolster the film’s soundtrack and cast to include the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Anderson Paak, George Clinton, Mary J. Blige, J Balvin, Gustavo Dudamel, Anthony Ramos, and Red Velvet. It’s a veritable who’s who of all across the spectrum of musical genres and it lends the film’s extensive soundtrack and world a lot of creative heft.

That’s right, there’s quite a bit of world-building here. There are plenty of other genres besides Pop at play here, and each get their moment in the spotlight. This makes some of the subplots, one of which involves a Troll with a multi-genre background, and groups of subgenre Trolls, far more interesting. It’s just much easier to take, for example, a world focused entirely on Funk, seriously when the king and queen are voiced by George Clinton and Mary J. Blige. And it is very important that you take this world seriously, because “Trolls World Tour” might be a kid’s movie about bright colors and music, but it’s also about cultural appropriation.

In a trend continuing from “Ralph Breaks the Internet” and “Frozen 2”, “World Tour” is yet another kids film sequel that stuffs some really heavy real-world metaphors into its plot. As queen of Rock Barb tries to forcefully transform the world into only loving rock music, there are legitimate discussions into why the genres and worlds are separate from each other, who’s to blame for that separation, and who music even belongs to in the first place.

This isn’t Pixar levels of subtext, but the effort is clearly there, and it makes the whole experience feel a bit more nutritional. It’s also pulled off far better than the first films depression and “eating your feelings” plotline was.

A huge reason why it works is thanks to the performance from Rachel Bloom (“The Angry Birds Movie 2,” “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”) as Queen Barb. While the rest of the cast is pretty good, but nothing exceptional, her voice work and singing really knocks it out of the park. Her comedic timing and stylings for this villainess showcase just why she seems to be on every animated casting director’s radar in the past few years.

Just like with the first film, the arts and craft visual style makes this one of DreamWorks’ most visually distinct films yet. Despite what you might think with the smaller budget, it ends up looking even better than the first. Waterfalls are silvery strands of cellophane, the ground is literally made out of stuffing and crafts, wide-open desserts are patchwork, and every piece of sand and drop of water is glitter. Some moments even look stop motion, and it ends up being as gorgeous to watch as it is to listen to.

Now, at the end of the day, this is a sequel to “Trolls”, and therefore no matter how pretty it looks, great the world-building is, and surprisingly effective its sub-textual social message is, if you didn’t like the first film, you’re not going to like this one. It’s at least more effective and creative than the giants vs. trolls fairy tale plot of the first film, but the very things that annoyed so many about the first film are baked into the entire franchise by this point.

So, take that warning as seriously as you wish. At the end of the day, “Trolls World Tour” might just be better than the first film, thanks to stronger subtext, visual style, soundtrack, world-building, and a pretty exceptionally memorable villain. At the end of the day, it’s about as good as it could possibly be. 4/5

The Reel Life's Best of the Decade (2010-2019)

Jacob DiLandro counts down his top 20 favorite films of the past decade, with some honorable mentions thrown in for good measure.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always - Review

 

One of the hardest things a filmmaker can do is create a story outside of a political agenda. Think of the silliest, most bizarre films out there and they likely have some inkling of political commentary: “Raising Arizona” wouldn’t have happened if convicts didn’t lose so many rights once they were released, “The LEGO Movie” has a lot to say about corporations and social influencing, and “The Invisible Man (2020)” and “Halloween (2018)” are both tales of women surviving abuse and not being believed by the justice system.

So, to create a film that not only feels politically autonomous, but to be so autonomous while having a story about such a politically charged subject is either the mark of a master filmmaker or someone in way over their head. Luckily, writer/director Eliza Hittman (“Beach Rats”) clearly knows what she’s doing, and “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” ends up being a near perfect film.

Its incredible how little dialogue is in “Always,” instead just letting the audience members sit with the characters, taking in their journey and situation alongside them. This is a textbook example of “show, don’t tell,” instead of Autumn telling her cousin how she feels or how upset she is, it’s clearly visible in the way she interacts with the world and reacts to things as they come to her. You don’t need to be told how a situation has affected her, you can feel it too.

That’s a testament not just to the excellent direction from Hittman, but to the performances from these two leads; Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder, both in their film debuts. Their chemistry and friendship is immediately palpable, and it’s the lifeblood of the film. There is no other way to describe their performances other than perfection. Ryder might lean a bit more towards an outgoing side and Flanigan is the more “lead” actress, but both do such an incredible job together its virtually impossible to separate them.

Most will likely not like this film for a number of reasons, one of the biggest being that it is a slow movie. Things really take their time to happen, and it is a film that exists outside of a strict plot structure. “Always” isn’t a film where you ask yourself “does this scene matter more than this other scene?” because they’re all parts of a whole. As cheesy as it might sound, this is less a film and more so an experience.

This is bolstered by some great an inobtrusive cinematography from Hélène Louvart (“The Milk of Human Kindness,” “Pina 3D”) and music from Julia Holter (“Pure,” “Bleed for This”). Holter’s music fades in and out to compliment moments, not to provide a thumping score, and its used to beautiful effect to point out very specific moments within Autumn’s journey. Likewise, while Louvart’s cinematography is for the most part simple, there are specific moments where she deliberately uses Autumn’s attention and a focus away from the moments within ultrasounds and operating rooms to further accentuate her feelings.

Numerous moments throughout the film some might find shocking or upsetting, and question why nothing is done about them. To discuss those specific moments would be to get into spoiler territory but suffice it to say that Hittman has these moments here because, for moment girls and women, that’s how the world is. It’s brutal and shocking and upsetting, but Autumn and Skylar just have to deal with it, like so many other women in the world do. That unflinching commitment to realism might turn some away, as it contributes to the slow pace, but it just further cements the film as an absolute masterclass.

“Never Rarely Sometimes Always” is without a doubt the first truly great film of the year. While there may have been other good movies and ones that will enter the best of the year conversation come December, this is a movie that is virtually guaranteed to be on those lists. From the script to the direction to the acting to the music and cinematography, this is virtually a masterpiece through and through. 5/5

The Hunt (2020) - Review

 

Satire noun

The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. (Oxford English Dictionary)

Going purely off of the definition of the genre, “The Hunt” is, without a doubt, a satire. It uses its semi-horror movie setting and over the top violence to satirize the massive divide between the two political camps that exist in American politics today; the elite, snobby liberals and the down to earth, dirt covered conservatives. Are there people somewhere in between? Who knows, because according to Director Craig Zobel (“Westworld,” “Z for Zachariah”) and writers Nick Cuse (“Maniac,” “Watchmen (2019)”) and Damon Lindelof’s (“Westworld,” “Watchmen (2019)”) new satire, who cares?

While the idea of turning the current debate on American gun control into a film taking the model of the classic short story “The Most Dangerous Game” seems novel at first glance, the film doesn’t seem to be about that. Despite the writers citing it as an adaptation of that story, and it having an almost verbatim setup, this kind of an idea is thrown out the window by the time the film starts. It abandoning its original idea doesn’t even crack the film’s top five biggest problems though.

For starters, the film takes far longer than it should to do just that, start. The first 20 minutes flip flop between protagonists until it finally lands on the one who can stay alive the longest, Betty Gilpin’s (“GLOW,” “Nurse Jackie”) Crystal. Her set jaw and country drawl aren’t the least bit convincing or engaging. She resembles the imagined worst-case scenario for female leads for films like “Terminator: Dark Fate” or “Captain Marvel.” She’s just not that charismatic or engaging, speaking with an incredibly quiet growl, with near superhuman levels of foresight, only occasionally spouting out of tone jokes and physical comedy gags. The tonal whiplash that these gags cause might be necessary to just keep audiences awake.

Even if she was a charismatic lead (she isn’t), she isn’t the least bit interesting. She gains the least background and character building in the film, and by the time it’s revealed why, the reasoning is on par with a 10am rerun of “Days of Our Lives.” Its shockingly poor, causing a moment of silence as if the audience is waiting for her to stare at the camera and say “Sike.” She also is apathetic to the events as they proceed, frequently repeating the same line as new information is learned: “I don’t care.”

Now, while Crystal’s character and arc might be the biggest issue, the violence is not far behind. For a film that seems to market itself on its horror/thriller aspects, it’s hard to see annoying being scared or thrilled by the proceedings. What’s here either plays out like a bad episode of “The Walking Dead,” with stilted effects and cheap looking gore, or holds back on the goods, hiding exploding heads behind doors or wide shots. The few moments of gruesome violence that are here are played for laughs, which is incredibly confusing given the film’s messages and leads to its most glaring flaw.

If Zobel, Cuse and Lindelof wanted to make an overly violent thriller, that’s fine. If they wanted to make a satire on American politics, that’s fine too. But mixing the two together seems to have been the ultimate mistake, at least with this execution. Early on there’s a gag about a young woman falling into a pit of spikes, being impaled and being rescued. She is then blown up and falls back in the pit of spikes, this time with her intestines out and her legs missing. She asks a nearby ally to shoot her to put her out of her misery and when he refuses, she grabs the gun from him, calls him a pussy, and shoots herself.

Its genuinely uncomfortable to watch, given that this is a character that we’ve been endeared to so far in the film. Its not possible to laugh at the moment due to the context that she’s being hunted and brutally murdered for no apparent reason, and it’s hard to gather if the moment is trying to make a point due to how incredibly uncomfortable and overly violent it is.

The best way to explain why “The Hunt” fails so spectacularly is to compare it to a longstanding piece of satirical history; Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal.” Swift writes in the piece that, in order to solve Ireland’s issues with a lack of food and money, that poor families should start eating and selling babies. He does include in the piece moments where he describes which cuts of a newborn are the most delicious, but at no point is it ever mistaken for seriousness. “The Hunt” is so concerned with being taken seriously, that it fails to remember that to be an effective satirical work, it has to show how ridiculous its events are.

So frequently the film employs traditional and outplayed horror film violence that it obscures any point that could’ve been made. Also, given that the film spends so much time talking about guns and violence, it’s still baffling that its point isn’t about gun control in any way.

A work of satire should evoke some emotion in the viewer. It should empower those who agree with its points and anger those who don’t. If a film is setting out to be satirical and, when credits roll, the reaction from its audience is the same as its apathetic and droll main character (“I don’t care.”) the satirical elements, and by extension the film, has fundamentally failed. Its virtually impossible to see anyone on either side caring about this hunt. 1/5

Onward - Review

 

Once, there was magic in the world. It enchanted people across the lands with exuberant sights of fancy and tales of brave heroes and great sacrifice. And most of that magic came from a studio called Pixar. While their tracked record is still a cut above most, it’s easy to immediately think “It’ll never be as good or inventive as their originals,” at almost anything the studio has released post 2010.

However, there is something to be said for a tale that might recycle its overall plot in favor of cultivating a gooey emotional center. Those big beating hearts at the center of their films are what make most audiences put their butts in seats still to this day. That’s what “Onward” coasts on and what makes it a cut above.

The urban fantasy stylings, while it may be “Bright” by way of Disney, are what visually set the world apart though. Thankfully, while they may not be anything particularly new nowadays, writer/director Dan Scanlon (“Monsters University,” “Mater and the Ghostlight”) makes sure that these elements are more than window dressings.

Lighting is a huge wonder in this film, with neon signs and streetlamps juxtaposing brilliantly against cobblestone and the green haze of enchanted woods. The urban fantasy elements factor into every facet of the plot and make this feel like a tale that could only be told via this vibrant and fairly goofy animated world. It also wears the D&D inspirations on its sleeve, just likes its brotherly heart, and it’s all the better for it.

Tom Holland (“The Lost City of Z,” “Spider-Man: Far From Home”) and Chris Pratt (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “her”) have excellent chemistry together as brothers Ian and Barley and that chemistry and emotional connection makes for the film’s biggest and best quality. There is no single moment wherein the love between these brothers does not seep off the screen. Scanlon doesn’t make their journey easy yet doesn’t fall into typical tropes like “the liar revealed” or “if we only just talked to each other.”

The bumps feel organically navigated, and neither feels too much like a stereotype. Yes, Ian is nervous and shy, yet he isn’t just as shy at home or around family and his desire to break free of his emotional crutches is seen throughout. Likewise, Barley isn’t just a bumbling oaf, as he has his own set of skills and is just as smart as his brother, yet in different ways.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Seinfeld,” “Veep”) and Octavia Spencer (“Hidden Figures,” “Snowpiercer”) don’t get material as emotionally rich but are still very funny. Spencer’s Corey has her journey played mostly for laughs and while there’s clearly the inklings of an emotional breakthrough for Dreyfus’s Laurel, the mother of Barley and Ian, it just doesn’t have the same amount of screen time associated with it. Shoutouts go to Mel Rodriguez (“The Last Man on Earth,” “Overboard (2018)”) as Colt Bronco, one of the best mostly comedic characters Pixar has had in a long while, as well as Kyle Bornheimer (“Marriage Story,” “Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made”) and Tracy Ullman (“The Tracey Ullman Show,” “Small Time Crooks”) as the masters of doing great work with minimal screen time.

The film’s biggest struggles are completely plot based, as it does two things that are pretty annoying and make the plot much more obvious for attentive moviegoers. There’s a particular method in which the plot of the film is effectively telegraphed within the first 20 minutes, and while by the end it manages to be turned on its head, it doesn’t save the fact that it ends up resulting in a much more predictable adventure than what otherwise could have been.

Also, the film’s last 5 minutes seem as if they were added in after the film was already completed, as they serve more as putting all the ducks in a row in too short of a fashion, with some callbacks that feel incredibly weak compared to the ones implemented earlier in the film.

All of these issues are easy to point out after the fact because the thing that distracts the audience from them, the chemistry and love that radiates from the film’s center, only exists while watching the film. It’s the eternal struggle, as these issues are only truly apparent after the film is over, not during it.

None of these issues could mask what is a beautiful and emotional adventure from Pixar. While more formulaic than the studio’s other works, “Onward” knows where to put its time and energy to best make the emotional arcs work as opposed to creating something wholly original. That’s where is succeeds and passes with flying colors.

Only time will tell where exactly “Onward” falls in comparison with the other Pixar works, but as a film on its own, this is an emotionally powerful and gorgeous realized adventure choked full of clichés and charm, making for something big, goofy, warm and inviting. It’s also makes it virtually impossible to leave the theatre without your heart in high spirits. 4/5

First Cow - Review

 

If you know the name Kelly Reichardt (“Meek’s Cutoff,” “Night Moves”), you know exactly what kind of movie “First Cow” is going to be. The screenwriter/director has made a career out of telling stories set in the American Midwest, in various different time periods, and this is no exception.

There’s a thick fog that seems to linger over every aspect of “First Cow.” The sets, dialogue, characters, events. It all has a very authentic feeling, one of those films where it genuinely comes across as if the actors and director were the only ones on set. It lives and dies on its atmosphere, and luckily Reichardt has injected a wry sense of wit and critique into this gold rush era tale.

John Magaro (“Not Fade Away,” “The Umbrella Academy”) stars as Cookie, a former indentured cook who just wants to make people happy and serve them good food. He has an apathetic nature to him that just begs you to fall in love with him. His warmth and kind nature shines through the entire film, and his gentle soul is simply a delight. He’s the kind of character that makes you smile simply by smiling himself.

His friend and business partner King-Lu, played by Orion Lee (“Only You,” “Chimerica”), is equally interesting. He’s far more blunt than Cookie, and his is the eye for business. Yet, as much as they disagree on the reasons behind their business, their love for each other is real. It has been a long time since a friendship has been portrayed so honestly and easily as it is here.

Yes, while King-Lu wants to make money, he also wants people to buy their food so his friend can continue to make it, and this is absolutely clear. As much as Cookie just wants to cook for people, it takes King-Lu to bring him around and help him become a bit more outgoing, and you feel for these two every moment they’re together.

The supporting cast helps maintain Reichardt’s somewhat serious, somewhat comedic tone authentically. Toby Jones (“Infamous,” “Captain America: The First Avenger”) plays a British aristocrat always a few steps behind everyone else and Ewen Bremner (“Trainspotting,” “Wonder Woman (2017)”) plays a somewhat bumbling and self-aggrandizing Scottish guardsman for Jones’s aristocrat. They’re excellent, helping to maintain the tonal shifts as the film moves from a slightly bent heist story to a more serious tale of survival.

This is where the biggest trouble comes with reviewing a film like “First Cow.” It is a slow film, often times with characters simply going through the motions and living their lives. We aren’t even introduced to what the central concept of the film is for about 20-25 minutes. And yet, despite the deliberately slow pace, things never feel like a drag.

It might be because of Reichardt’s script or just the chemistry between Magaro and Lee, but this is simply one of those films that fun to watch because you want to spend time with the main characters. You grow to care about them. It virtually fails to provide anything resembling a traditional “plot”, but it nevertheless tells their tale efficiently, even if it does lack a real ending.

Maybe this was the point, and it seems like it very well might have been. It’s a gorgeous looking film regardless of plot however. The forests and gold rush era setting dazzle with their authenticity and it becomes a nice respite to a time of simpler visual aesthetics. Cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt (“Meek’s Cutoff,” “mid90s”) uses the 4:3 aspect ratio simply and effectively, blending some great shot construction and depth work with the dream-like oldness of the setting.

“First Cow” is a slow film that somehow doesn’t feel slow thanks to the chemistry between its lead actors. Its easy to nitpick it apart, but what Reichardt has delivered is an enjoyable tale with dreamlike qualities and a non-standard plot that just wants to be about why people love food and why capitalism can be a killer. It’s a quaint film, nothing less and nothing more, and its all the better for it. 4/5