Review by Dan Skip Allen
Anime has had a long and storied history. This type of animation has been known as some of the best ever at times. Various legends of animation have created numerous animated films in this style in the past. The latest studio doing great work in this style is Bones combined with Shochiku Animation and Kadokawa Animation who produced the film Josee, The Tiger and the Fish. This is a very beautiful type of animation.
Taishi Nakagawa voices a man who works at a diving equipment store, but he's also a student who dreams of going off to be an underwater scientist/explorer. He is fascinated by the sea. He's been saving his money to go off to Mexico. Because of this, he gets another job as a caregiver of a disabled girl voiced by Kaya Kiyohara. She is unable to walk. She's very shy as far as she doesn't like to leave the house. Her caregiver helps change her perspective on this and the world as a whole. This film deals with topics a lot of people deal with daily. Disabled and wheelchair-bound people are everywhere. They need constant care. That's where caregivers come in handy. They help these types of people get around. In the case of this man, he takes her places like the sea, the zoo, the park, and the library. She learns a lot about the world from visiting these places. The man learns about her as well. It turns out she's an artist and wants to be an illustrator. That's her dream. This film deals with people understanding that all people are different. Understanding this is important and respecting different types of people is key. That being said, this film has an underlying story of romance and potential love. Characters in the film have feelings for others, but they do always see how others feel for them. That is part of the key to why this film works so well. It deals with various forms of understanding and caring for others. Something this world needs more of this day and age.
The director Kotaro Tamura and the writer Sayaka Kuwamura, who adapts Seiko Tanabe's short story, all understand the material they are working on. This film is so important on so many levels. It's a film the world needs to see about topics rarely seen in animation these days. Serious topics about real life are a necessity in all films, and it is nice to see them be tackled in this form of animation.
The animation in this film has the anime style for the human characters but has a detail around the world it exists in. The streets and buildings, as well as the trains, are so realistic. The animation on these types of things is beautiful to behold. This level of animation has progressed so much in the last couple of decades. The detail put into these films is amazing. This film is beautiful on all levels. Josee, the Tiger and the Fish has a lot to say about society and people's understanding of others, especially those who are different from you. It also deals with love on a level rarely seen in film these days, let alone animation. The style used in the film is so beautiful and detailed as well. This is one of the best-animated films of the year bar none. Josee, the Tiger and the Fish is now in theaters. Rating: 4.5/5
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Review by Camden Ferrell
Jim Cummings has made a name for himself in the independent film scene, winning awards at SXSW and Sundance among others. His new movie, The Beta Test, is his third feature film since 2016 and his first feature collaboration with PJ McCabe. The movie is clearly bursting with passion behind screen from its creators, and its satirical attack on Hollywood is enjoyable even if it hits some snags along the way.
Jordan is an engaged Hollywood agent. One day, he receives a letter for an anonymous sexual encounter. He soon finds himself ensnared and obsessive in a world of lying, murder, and infidelity. This is a very original premise that is crazy enough to support its themes and interesting enough to engage audiences. The script, written by Cummings and McCabe, is strong. The dialogue isn’t always perfect, but the film has its fair share of hilarious rants, mostly from its main character. Some of its commentary can be a little too on the nose, even for a blatant satire of Hollywood. Regardless, there’s a lot to commend in the script and how it lays down a solid framework for the movie to move along at a mostly steady pace. The acting in this movie is a little all over the place. Cummings leads the film as Jordan, and he is a delight to watch. He has an uninhibited energy in his character that will elicit quite a few chuckles from audiences. However, the rest of the cast never really matches this energy or achieves great chemistry with Cummings.
The film very much feels like an indie film in the way its shot. This is only the second feature shot by cinematographer Kenneth Wales. It’s sufficient but not perfect. However, it does show a lot of promise for his future. There are a handful of really cool moments of composition throughout that show his potential for visual storytelling.
One of the main charms of the movie is how it’s clear that everyone on and off screen is passionate about the project. I think it’s obvious to tell when people have fun making a movie, and this is a prime example. Especially with Cummings, it’s clear that there is some true passion backing this project, and it translates well to the audience, and it’s very enjoyable. Despite all of the great things happening in this movie, it does hit a few snags in its latter half. As our main character dives deeper into this sinister world, the movie’s pacing can get a bit erratic and throw off the fast-paced comedy we had previously. It doesn’t derail the entire movie, and it slowly gets back on track, but it is something that prevents it from becoming great. The Beta Test is a fun indie movie from Cummings and McCabe, and it’s a funny and biting criticism of Hollywood and the shallowness that is present in it. It may not be for everyone, but I think most audiences will find something to enjoy in its wackiness. The Beta Test is in select theaters and on VOD November 5. Rating: 3.5/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Since getting into the original content business, Netflix’s projects have been getting bigger and bigger, and Red Notice is perhaps their most ambitious yet, a mainstream action blockbuster with three legitimate movie stars as the leads. It’s exactly what one would expect, an entertaining and entirely forgettable adventure made into a winner by its central trio.
The film follows an FBI agent who must team up with a highly skilled art thief to track down and thwart one of the world’s most wanted criminal masterminds by getting their hands on a priceless artifact before her. It’s about as standard as they come for a globe-trotting adventure, hitting all of the regular beats, even the lost Nazi treasure storyline. That said, the movie manages to be a charmer thanks to the amazing chemistry between the three leads. Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson are both doing their usual schtick, but they work well together. It’s interesting to see two actors who are normally the lead share the spotlight with each other, creating a constantly shifting dynamic of hero and sidekick. And in a rare antagonistic role, Gal Gadot gives an uncharacteristically enjoyable performance. And yet, despite the fact that the actors are so good at what they do, their roles don’t give them much of an opportunity to do more than the usual. Reynolds plays the cocky criminal whose smooth talking makes him a lovable anti-hero. Johnson is the by-the-book cop who has to go against what he knows when he is framed for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. And Gadot is the only one doing something somewhat different from her repertoire as a generic femme fatale.
The pacing of the film also isn’t all that great, even though the high-energy nature of the movie serves as a facade for the pointless nature of the film. The opening hooks viewers in with a solid action sequence but then the movie grinds to a halt with a twenty minute route to the main story, even though a single sequence could have connected the fit action sequence to the next much more concisely.
And for a film about art thieves, the heist sequences sure aren’t all that interesting. The plot literally revolves around stolen artifacts and yet little effort is put into making the stealing of them fun. The action is mostly focused around the aftermath of stealing these precious MacGuffins, and it’s not all that creative in its choreography. It’s clear from the look of the movie that this had an enormous budget, but money alone does not give the film a feeling of energy. Sure, the camerawork is flashy, and there are lots of CGI effects and beautiful scenery from around the world, but that doesn’t make up for a lack of action sequences that are genuinely fun to watch. Red Notice is exactly what is promised, for better or for worse. It’s a popcorn flick that will be sure to draw plenty of views from Netflix’s massive subscriber base, but will be forgotten as quickly as it came (at least until the inevitable sequel reminds people of its existence). Red Notice hits theaters on November 5 and Netflix on November 12. Rating: 3/5
Review by Sean Boelman
After picking up the maritime war thriller Greyhound from Sony, Apple TV+ is at it again, releasing another abandoned once-theatrical blockbuster starring Tom Hanks, this time the sci-fi drama Finch. A serviceably cute film turned into something worthwhile by its strong performances, this is yet another Hanks venture that would have been a hit had it been released a decade ago.
The movie tells the story of one of the last survivors on Earth after the apocalypse as he builds a robot to protect his beloved dog upon his own eventual passing. For a “man and his dog” movie, it’s not bad, creating a world that feels lived in and hits its emotional beats with grace and ease, even if other post-apocalyptic films have done it better. Of course, as with any post-apocalyptic movie, there’s the doom-and-gloom element of how modern society’s carelessness is causing the destruction of the world, but that isn’t the focus here. Instead, the film is about finding the humanity in everyone and everything, and this message is really beautiful and poignant. The character development isn’t anything extraordinary, but it works for what it is. Watching the protagonist cope with his own mortality is compelling enough, but the portion of the movie that audiences seem more likely to latch onto is the story about this (effectively newborn) robot who is forced to grow up so quickly.
Hanks is great (as expected) in the lead role. It’s hard to find anything in his filmography in which he’s not giving a strong turn, although this also probably isn’t going to be one of the performances for which he is most remembered. That said, his unique brand of tenderness is what allows the film to shine. And in his motion capture performance, Caleb Landry Jones is exceptional, bringing a surprising level of emotion to a literally robotic character.
If there is one thing that the movie struggles with, it is its pacing. Writers Craig Luck and Ivor Powell can’t seem to decide whether this should take a more relaxed, character-driven pace or have lots of action, and so they switch back and forth between them. The film is at its most effective when it leans more into the former, as the latter sequences really only drag the main story to a halt. Visually, the movie looks exactly as one would think for a studio-driven post-apocalyptic drama (it was previously going to be released by Universal). A mixture of CGI and practical backgrounds make this world feel adequately deserted, even if there isn’t really much of a flair to make it feel distinctive. Finch succeeds for what it is — nothing more, nothing less. It’s an extremely watchable starring vehicle for Tom Hanks that probably would have been entirely forgettable if not for the talents of one of the last remaining true leading men. Finch streams on Apple TV+ beginning November 5. Rating: 3.5/5 Review by Adam Donato It’s another new season for Big Mouth and that comes with a new school year at Bridgeton Middle School. It’s more of the same for the poor children as they confront a new monster this season, Hate. Nick likes Jessi, Jessi likes Ali, Missy hates all of them, and Andrew is just jerking off. Jay and Lola are on again, off again, while Matthew is starting to relapse with Jay. Love triangles galore and some songs along the way. Is the latest season of Big Mouth a standout? The season starts out with a bang and slowly declines into mediocrity. It’s not an overwhelming detour in quality, but the mistreatment of developing characters and a perceived lack of fresh ideas holds this season back. Especially in comparison to the last two seasons, which now feel like the peak of the show. Even the songs in this season feel uninspired and won’t be remembered. It’s still generally enjoyable as the jokes maintain their humor and nothing story wise is irreparable. Without spoiling anything, several characters feel like a retread of previous arcs. Nick and Jessi dated briefly in season one and that doesn’t seem to be brought up this season as Nick pathetically thirsts after Jessi again. It didn’t work before and there’s nothing that happened between then and now for it to be a natural progression of their situation. Sure, Nick found himself longing for Jessi in his future imagination during last season’s finale, but it’s just disappointing seeing this plotline be resuscitated. Similarly, Matthew drops both of the storylines that make him interesting so that he can be infatuated with Jay. This is unfortunate because the last couple seasons made a concerted effort to bolster his character into more than just a side stereotype joke character. A new school year feels like an opportunity to update the characters a bit. There’s a chance for some growth. The only character that looks any differently is Missy. It feels like the show is trying to do damage control with the character of Andrew this season. He’s done some pretty irredeemable things in previous seasons and this season goes out of its way to make him more likable. His whole internal storyline is just to be more chill and in touch with his feelings. There’s a nice moment between him and his father that helps develop their relationship, but there’s also a scene where Andrew straight up pleases himself at Nick’s house right next to Nick and Jessi. Obviously this cartoon show is an exaggeration of what it’s like to be a horny teen, but it's reasonable for people to lose any hope for genuinely caring about Andrew.
The show does experiment with different forms of representation as there’s an episode with puppets and other forms of animation. It is nice to see that kind of effort be put into the show. There’s a very large swing that is taken towards the finale of the season. On the one hand, it’s funny and an interesting concept to explore in this world. On the other hand, it feels lazy and lacking in emotional effectiveness. Seasons three and four both leave off feeling satisfying and thematically compelling, but this finale makes the show feel like it’s running out of steam. Maybe the show desperately needs a paradigm shift and hopefully the future transition to high school will make the show feel fresh. It’s unfortunate, but there’s not much here. The show isn’t suddenly terrible, but it is a noticeable step down in quality from previous seasons. Regular fans of the show shouldn’t not watch this season, though. It delivers enough laughs and good moments to suffice, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a drop in viewership if the show doesn’t reinvent itself soon. In the nicest way possible, this season is serviceable. Big Mouth streams on Netflix beginning November 5. Rating: 3/5
Review by Sean Boelman
Brazilian filmmaker Alexandre Moratto made a splash on the independent film scene with his micro-budget debut Socrates, so it was exciting to see what he would do with a bit more money on his hands. His sophomore feature 7 Prisoners is about as gripping as they come, an extraordinary social drama with a timely theme and great character work.
The film tells the story of a young man who accepts a live-in job at a junkyard in São Paulo for an exploitative boss, unintentionally getting wrapped up in the world of human trafficking. It’s a story that specifically pertains to the practices of one culture, but the script by Moratto and Thayná Mantesso is sharply written in a way that is quite thought-provoking. Clocking in at just over ninety minutes, this definitely feels extremely rushed. The film struggles with trying to do too many things at once, which can prevent some of the emotional beats from having much of a lingering emotional impact. That said, the short runtime and density of suspenseful moments also allows the film to hold the audience’s interest without any issue. There is a lot to be said in the film about the Brazilian class system, but some of this message is lost when other subplots are introduced. Everything which the film has to say is interesting, but in trying to address so many different ways in which the lower-class is taken advantage of in his country, Moratto can’t address any of them with much depth.
The protagonist in the film has an extremely well-written arc. The “wolf in sheep’s clothing” trope is common in all forms of literature, but it was interesting to see that spun on its head here into being a “sheep in wolf’s clothing”. The rest of the characters in the film, particularly the antagonists, are nowhere near as substantial.
Christian Malheiros, who also played the lead in Moratto’s debut, does an extraordinary job in the lead role. It’s unexpected to see someone with so few screen credits deliver a performance that is this nuanced and complex. More seasoned actor Rodrigo Santoro is also brilliant, giving some career-best work with his role. On a technical level, Moratto’s low-budget roots definitely show here, as it is still very economically-shot. He builds suspense not through flashy action, but tension between the characters and short bursts of brutality. The way in which the film utilizes its confined location to create a feeling of entrapment is also quite effective. 7 Prisoners is a really impressive follow-up for Alexandre Moratto, cementing him as one of the most impressive new voices in filmmaking in recent memory. Those who are looking for a lean ninety-minute thriller will be satisfied by this offering. 7 Prisoners hits theaters on November 5 and Netflix on November 11. Rating: 4.5/5 |
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