STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER -- A Satisfying Conclusion to the Universe's Most Epic Saga12/18/2019 Review by Sean Boelman After a second chapter that divided critics and audiences, J.J. Abrams returns to the Star Wars director’s chair for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the final chapter in the saga that began back in 1977 with Lucas’s original film. Although it admittedly isn’t as ambitious as Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi, Abrams’s much safer vision is the wholly satisfying conclusion for which fans worldwide have been clamoring. This movie picks up in the battle between the Resistance and the First Order as a new threat arises in the form of a familiar foe hoping to regain control over the galaxy. Whereas The Force Awakens was essentially a rehash of the original story and The Last Jedi was something entirely different but overly convoluted, The Rise of Skywalker benefits from a simple plot that feels like a fresh adventure with these characters. Abrams never goes as far as retconning any of the major developments that came out of The Last Jedi, but the film does go in an entirely different direction from that implied by the divisive last entry. Even though this is very obviously catering specifically to the fans, it is effective fanservice at that. As Star Wars movies should be, The Rise of Skywalker is a crowd-pleaser. Additionally, Abrams returns the series to its spectacle-driven nature with The Rise of Skywalker. There were a few memorable action sequences in The Last Jedi, but The Rise of Skywalker is nonstop action from the very opening. Audiences will have their eyes so locked on screen watching intricately-choreographed lightsaber battles in fantastical worlds that there is no time to process some of the film’s more problematic inconsistencies. As always, the cinematography and visuals of the movie are absolutely phenomenal. Abrams is able to fully immerse the viewer in a galaxy far, far away thanks to excellent production design and use of CGI. Over the course of the film, multiple new worlds are explored in beautiful ways, but there are also some welcome callbacks to settings from the series’s past.
Perhaps the most satisfying thing about this movie is that it brings the arcs of the three main characters of the new trilogy full circle. Characters such as Poe Dameron and Finn, who were amusing but underdeveloped side characters in the last two films, are given much more to do in this entry. Still, this does not come at the expense of the Rey/Kylo Ren conflict at the center of the story. This movie also features series-best performances from some of the actors. Adam Driver does an excellent job as Kylo Ren in this film. In the last two movies, he has felt a bit out-of-place, but he is much more subtle with the character in this entry. Driver has a couple of scenes in which he is truly mind-blowing. Daisy Ridley, Domhnall Gleeson, and Oscar Isaac are also highlights. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker may not be the most complex film to come out of the new trilogy, but it is arguably the most compelling and entertaining. While it may be sad that this is the last adventure to be had with these characters, there is still plenty to explore in this galaxy far, far away. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 20. Rating: 5/5
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Review by Sean Boelman The latest film from animation studio Blue Sky (the Ice Age series), Spies in Disguise is an energetic new action-comedy based on the short film Pigeon: Impossible. Thanks to a witty script and an excellent voice ensemble, this is a wonderful movie for families this holiday season and perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the year. The film follows a secret agent who, after being accused of going rogue, is turned into a pigeon by a young scientist and must stop the evil mastermind who has framed him. As one would expect, this plays out like a self-referential version of Mission: Impossible. Although the beats of the story aren’t remotely unpredictable, the silliness will keep the kiddos entertained and their older companions will be amused by the tongue-in-cheek approach. Much of the movie’s humor is either slapstick or fish-out-of-water comedy, the latter of which is particularly hilarious. The idea of a wise-cracking secret agent turning into a pigeon is pretty ingenious, and the writers do a great job of milking that premise for all of its jokes without leaving it feeling like it has been worn too thin. As is the case with many films aimed at younger audiences, the pacing can get to be a bit much at times, but the narrative momentum is frequently irresistible. By jumping from action sequence to action sequence as any live-action spy movie would jump from set piece to set piece, the film is successful both as a globe-trotting actioner and a parody of the genre. A majority of the movie’s emotional arc comes from the scientist sidekick character voiced by Tom Holland, and while he is a necessary and effective part of the film, Will Smith’s secret agent often steals the show. An endlessly charming conglomeration of the traits of all of the best action movie spies, Lance Sterling is a compelling protagonist and audiences will likely be clamoring to see him in more avian adventures.
Smith’s casting as the arrogant hero who gets caught outside of his comfort zone is absolutely perfect. The amount of fun he is having voicing this character is evident, and it helps make the film a lot more enjoyable. Holland also does a very good job in his role, although there isn’t much comedy given to him. Other standouts include Ben Mendelsohn as the villain and Rashida Jones as an internal affairs agent chasing the protagonists. On a visual level, the animation is pretty strong, but one would expect no less from Blue Sky. Perhaps the best part of this film’s style is the world-building. Though there are some real-life points of reference, the animation for the movie’s settings is as amazing as the location scouting and set design for its live-action counterparts. Spies in Disguise doesn’t have the most original storyline, but because of the unique approach that the filmmakers take to these familiar tropes, the result is immensely entertaining. It may have seemed unlikely that a film about pigeon spies would have been this good, but it is. Spies in Disguise hits theaters on Christmas Day. Rating: 4.5/5 Review by Sean Boelman To Kid or Not to Kid, directed by Maxine Trump (Musicwood), is a new documentary exploring what the filmmaker claims to be one of the most prominent social issues affecting women today. However, despite Trump’s obvious good intentions, her approach to the topic is simply too misguided for the film to be particularly effective. The movie follows Trump’s struggle with her decision to remain childless, which she claims to be a choice still held taboo in modern society. Even though there is an extremely interesting film to be found in this story about female independence, Trump’s perspective on the issue too often feels like whining about how society has wronged her rather than a legitimate commentary on the repression of women. Trump’s movie contains some not-too-subtle subtext about how the patriarchy lives on despite the increase in rights enjoyed by women in recent years, but this is disappointingly buried beneath many layers of self-pity. By focusing on herself as the subject and giving less screen time to the other subjects she interviews, Trump attempts to give the film a more personal feel but instead alienates the audience from some truly compelling subplots. The movie likely could have been much more resonant had these other subjects’ stories been explored with more depth. One of the consequences of focusing on a single subject in a political film like this is that the story can sometimes feel overly specific. With the introduction of additional women who have made the decision not to have children, Trump could have made the issue feel much more pressing and relevant. That said, many of Trump’s arguments are inherently flawed to the point of being outright offensive. One of the filmmaker’s main qualms with the issue is society’s reception to making her decision. In one scene, Trump seems to compare announcing her decision to be childless to the coming out experience of LGBTQ+ individuals, which is an entirely unreasonable comparison.
Other scenes feel extremely artificial, almost as if they had been staged. This completely ruins any emotional connection that the viewer may have otherwise felt to the subject. A scene in which Trump and her husband discuss emergency contraception feels particularly unnatural and even brings to question Trump’s ethics as a filmmaker. Granted, the subject is herself, but one can’t help but question what extent she would go to with someone else in front of the camera. It is disappointing that Trump doesn’t seem to have control over her own story, because she is certainly a very talented filmmaker. The movie is assembled in a way that is both well-paced and aesthetically-pleasing, but her arguments are simply too poorly-argued for the film to be considered good. To Kid or Not to Kid claims to have a timely social issue at its core, but in reality, it is just the filmmaker complaining about the ways in which she was wronged by society. Trump claims that the main reason she wants to remain childless is to make more movies, and hopefully those will be much better than this. To Kid or Not to Kid is available on VOD now. Rating: 2/5 Review by Camden Ferrell Uncut Gems is the new film from writers and directors Benny and Josh Safdie (Good Time). This crime thriller had its premiere at the 2019 Telluride Film Festival. This film is yet another anxiety-inducing roller coaster that is boosted by a career best performance from its lead and some risky yet confident execution. This movie follows a New York City jeweler with a penchant for high-stakes bets and a lust for the ultimate win. We see him as he navigates his family life and professional life all while dealing with those he has wronged. It’s a great premise that lends itself to a lot of tension and raw energy. It’s also a creative approach to the thriller genre that feels fresh and original. The Safdie brothers have established themselves as directors with a firm artistic vision that doesn’t conform to the status quo of cinema. They have shown their immense talent for creating chaos on screen, and this film is a perfect testament to that ability. Every aspect of this film is firmly controlled yet feels so artistically liberated and spontaneous that it makes this film incredibly electric from start to finish. However, the real highlight of this film is the lead performance from Adam Sandler (Punch-Drunk Love). This is the best performance of his career, and it’s one that really gives him a chance to show off his natural talent as an actor. He steals every scene he is in, and he infuses some fervent energy into the film. We get to see every emotion on the spectrum as his character tries to manage his bets and personal life. It’s a one-of-a-kind performance that stands out as one of this year’s best. This film also features a strong supporting cast consisting of actors like LaKeith Stanfield, Kevin Garnett, and Julia Fox. These side characters support Sandler very well while also being strong performers in their own right. They are eccentric and unique in a way that prevents this film from feeling like a derivative thriller.
This film also boasts impressive technical features. The cinematography of this film is beautifully chaotic. Darius Khondji shot this film with a lot of colorful artistry while also capturing the more visually bleak side of its characters. The film also excels due to its fantastic sound mixing and score. It is an unnerving soundscape that heightens the intensity of this film. These technical aspects lead this film into increasingly gorgeous disorder. This film is an act of cinematic entropy. We feel as if we are with our characters as they descend further into irreversible insanity. This is an absolutely nerve-racking experience that doesn’t allow its audience to ever truly exhale. It’s a triumph in many regards, and it is one of the most enjoyable and fun films of the year. Uncut Gems is not for the faint of heart. It’s a non-stop thrill ride of a film. It is an experience that will leave you feeling winded and shocked yet thoroughly impressed. Sandler’s performance and the Safdie brothers’ direction is something that is not to be missed. Uncut Gems is in theaters now. Rating: 4.5/5 Review by Sean Boelman Black Christmas, from Blumhouse and director Sophia Takal (the New Year, New You episode of Hulu’s Into the Dark), is a new reimagining of the 1974 cult classic holiday horror film. To call it a remake would be a disservice to both the original and the new vision, as this is an almost completely different, but still very good thriller. The movie follows a group of sorority sisters who are stalked by a masked killer during their Christmas break as they soon begin to suspect that there may be something more sinister afoot. Whereas the original Black Christmas was a relatively straightforward slasher, Takal and co-writer April Wolfe have taken the basic concept of sorority girls being hunted at Christmastime and turned it into a biting commentary on toxic masculinity. This film is undeniably going to be extremely divisive, especially among male viewers, because it is so upfront and aggressive about its commentary. Viewers with a fragile male ego may be offended by the position that the movie takes on the rape culture that has infected college campuses across the country, but every single statement that Takal and Wolfe makes is true. Perhaps the most surprising thing about this film is that Takal and Wolfe completely nail the portrayal of these characters. Although the movie is satirical to a certain extent, there is a level of honesty to the dialogue that is able to totally sell the film’s commentary. This is the first movie in quite a while to capture perfectly the ‘fuckboismo’ that permeates modern fraternities, and that is what makes the film absolutely terrifying. That said, the movie does have a few shortcomings. One of the biggest disappointments in the film is the cast. Although there are some very strong performers on an individual level, like Imogen Poots and Cary Elwes, the ensemble doesn’t come together as a whole. For a movie centered around a sorority, one would hope that the actresses would have had much better chemistry together.
The film also suffers from some pacing issues. Unfortunately, the trailers revealed a lot of the most important moments in the movie, and as such, the suspense isn’t as strong as it could have been. Takal shoots these scenes in a way that, while a tad generic at times, is mostly effective — but the fact that audiences already know what is coming eliminates much of the surprise. Visually, Takal’s film is very stylish, playing with the typically bright and cheery look of holiday movie and giving it a dark turn. There are some shots in the film that are absolutely breathtaking, like one early on that involves a snow angel. However, the editing does get a bit overly choppy at times, and likely could have been used to give the movie even more of a rhythm. This new vision of Black Christmas isn’t perfect, and its message is likely to put off some viewers, but that is exactly what makes it work so well. Many things about this film ring true, making it an important movie of the moment. Black Christmas is now playing in theaters. Rating: 3.5/5 Review by Sean Boelman The Fare, directed by D.C. Hamilton and written by and starring Brinna Kelly, is a new mystery film set entirely in a taxicab. Although it does become a bit melodramatic at times, an interesting concept and some surprisingly witty dialogue allow for this to be a mostly refreshing and intriguing ride. The movie follows a cabbie as he discovers that he is stuck in a time loop, picking up a woman in a rural area only for her to disappear and the loop to reset itself. Like many movies centered around time loops, the world-building of this one doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, and when the obligatory exposition is delivered to attempt to explain what it happening, it isn’t particularly satisfying. However, the first half of the film, during which everything is still shrouded in mystery, is extremely compelling. Unlike most similar movies, the destination of this story isn’t entirely obvious from the get go, and while the mythological allusions being made are a bit too on-the-nose for the film’s own good, they still serve the movie somewhat well. If there is something that needed to be improved significantly in this movie, it is the pacing. Although the middle section moves quite well, it takes a bit too long for the film to get off the ground, and the end feels a bit rushed. Clocking in at under an hour and a half, there was plenty of time for the resolution to be done in a more satisfying way. Perhaps the main reason that the movie works so well is that the character development is quite strong. Even though the intro section does run a bit long, it does a good job of making the audience invested in the characters. This is particularly important as the film switches from being a straight mystery in the beginning to a mystery-romance later.
The two lead actors in the movie, Gino Anthony Pesi and Brinna Kelly, are both relatively strong. Their chemistry together is entirely believable, particularly during the more playful moments in the film, and this is a significant part of what helps the emotional moments resonate. There are a few scenes in which Kelly’s delivery feels a bit artificial, but these eventually come to make sense. On a technical level, the movie is quite strong. Like many single-room thrillers, the film does a good job of making the audience feel trapped within the setting, in this case, a moving vehicle. A few CGI shots cause the movie to show its budget, but the film’s use of color and its solid production design help disguise its very independent nature. Though it isn’t perfect, particularly in the end, The Fare is a surprisingly enjoyable romantic thriller. Audiences will likely be surprised by the movie’s intelligent script and the great chemistry between the stars. The Fare is now available on VOD. Rating: 3.5/5 Review by Sean Boelman The Hottest August, directed by Brett Story, is an ambitious new documentary taking a unique approach on universal issues. Although Story’s idiosyncratic film likely won’t appeal to everyone, those who read into the various segments are sure to find themselves challenged and enlightened by what they see on screen. In the movie, Story interviews various residents of New York City in August 2017, which was one of the hottest months on record and was a particularly tumultuous time in the political landscape. By allowing these people to tell their personal stories, Story effectively creates a cinematic collage of the population of New York and the country as a whole. On its surface, the film is about climate change and how this crisis is affecting the people of the world. However, on a deeper level, the movie is about the collective anxieties that are faced by American society today. While some of the stances that are expressed in the film may not be the most agreeable, it would be hard to deny that many of the emotions these people are feeling are ones everyone has felt. That said, the movie could have spent a bit more time with each individual subject and cut out some of the less interesting ones. Story undoubtedly has enough footage to make an entire miniseries or art instillation out of these tales, so cutting them down into a feature film that is just over an hour and a half must have been quite the task. The episodic nature of Story’s movie is what is likely going to be the most trying for general audiences. Even though the segments are linked by time, place, and theme, they also feel very independent of each other. Some viewers may be put off by this loose narrative, but since the anecdotes are relatively interesting, the film never feels overly slow.
The tone of the movie is also intriguing. Although the overall outlook of the film on the future is rather dark and gloomy (there is some doom-and-gloom related to climate change), there is still quite a bit of hope to be found in the individual narrative of these people. As such, the movie is nowhere near as emotionally exhausting as other environmental documentaries. On a technical level, Story’s film is quite strong. The interviews in the movie, shot at various places around New York City, are often beautiful, doing an excellent job of making not only the people but also the city feel alive and energetic. This film’s visual energy helps it become more captivating and almost mesmerizing. The Hottest August is a challenging experimental documentary, and while it isn’t perfect, the filmmaker’s ambition pays off. Brett Story obviously has a lot to say about society, and her next movie may be an even more exciting prospect. The Hottest August is now playing in theaters. Rating: 4/5 Review by Sean Boelman Citizen K, from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side), is a new documentary exploring the structure of the Russian oligarchy. Although the film does lose a bit of its steam heading into its second half, it is nonetheless a surprisingly captivating and timely tale of political corruption. The movie tells the story of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former Russian oligarch who, after skyrocketing to the top of the Russian upper-class in the 1990’s, found himself disgraced, becoming an important rival of Russian president Vladmir Putin. Although stories of a rise and fall from grace are relatively common in film, audiences are unlikely to have seen anything quite like this one. For the first hour of the movie, audiences will likely be glued to the screen, absorbed by the explanation of the Russian political system. Although there is a lot of complex information communicated in a short period of time, Gibney does an excellent job of detailing the oligarchy in a way that will be mostly accessible and fascinating for general audiences. However, around the halfway mark, when the film switches focus from exploring the Russian oligarchy to being a commentary on Putin’s leadership, the movie becomes much more conventional. While Khodorkovsky’s perspective is very interesting, hearing him make his political statement is nowhere near as compelling as tracing his rise and fall. One of the things that the film does extremely well is developing its subject in an ambiguous light. Though the movie is very much anti-Putin, it does not take as clear of a stance on Khodorkovsky. Some see him as a martyr for the anti-Putin cause, whereas others look at him as an upper-class oligarch that exploited the system for his own personal gain and got punished for it. Gibney obviously leans one way, but he allows the audience to come to their own conclusions.
Perhaps most surprising about the film is that the story is actually pretty emotionally resonant. Most political documentaries like this are all about getting the aggressive political message out as quickly and effectively as possible, but Gibney takes the time to show the human impact that these issues have. Even though most viewers will not be directly impacted by the things being discussed, it is easy to sympathize with Gibney’s message. On a technical level, Gibney’s movie is very strong, crafted in a way that is both extremely entertaining and aesthetically-pleasing. Thanks to razor-sharp editing, Gibney’s film has a natural rhythm to it, even during the somewhat underwhelming second half, that keeps the pacing moving along. The score is also excellent and does a good job of building the mood. The first half of Citizen K made it seem like it was going to be the best documentary of the year, and while the second half doesn’t quite match up, the movie is still very effective. An important and entertaining political documentary, this is one not to miss. Citizen K is now playing in theaters. Rating: 4/5 Review by Sean Boelman Shooting the Mafia, directed by Kim Longinotto, is a new biographical documentary with one of the most interesting subjects one could imagine. Yet despite the truly fascinating story at the core of the film, Longinotto is unable to get her subject to discuss the most interesting aspects of her life, and as such, the movie falls flat. This documentary offers a biography of Italian photographer Letizia Battaglia, who spent her career photographing the mafia and the atrocities committed by them. In a world that often romanticizes the mafia (films like The Godfather having brought the lifestyle into the public eye), it is interesting and important to see an alternate perspective on this institution, particularly as it relates to the area in which it was born. Longinotto’s movie is at its best when it uses Battaglia’s photographs, letting them linger on screen as Battaglia discusses some of the horrific things she witnessed and documented. This film certainly isn’t for the faint of heart, as it pulls no punches in showing the brutality committed by the criminal organization at the core of the movie. However, Battaglia herself ends up being one of the main limitations of the film. Although interviews she conducted for the movie sometimes provide interesting insight into her work and the way in which the criminal underworld functioned, it soon becomes obvious that she doesn’t really want to be talking about these things (a stance which she even voices on occasion). As one would expect, there are some ethical issues involved with asking someone to recount such a difficult period of their life, and as such, Longinotto does have to take it a bit easy on Battaglia in the interviews. Thankfully, the honesty of the photographs does help a little in making up for the loss of depth in the interviews, but one can’t help but feel like something is missing from the film.
Additionally, Longinotto doesn’t seem to know exactly what she wants to say about Battaglia’s story. On one hand, it is a striking commentary on violence and the brutality of this criminal organization, discussing how wrong society was for turning a blind eye on these crimes for so long. However, Longinotto also seems to intend Battaglia’s story to be an inspiring tale with feminist undertones of an important artist doing what she can to be successful. These two storylines don’t sync together very well. On a technical level, the movie is somewhat lackluster. Although the incorporation of Battaglia’s photographs is excellent (and the images themselves are beautifully shocking), Longinotto’s work is somewhat sloppy. The interviews, for example, are poorly-composed and sometimes out of focus. The soundtrack choices are questionable at times as well. Though there are some interesting things happening in Shooting the Mafia, director Kim Longinotto simply doesn’t have enough control over her film for it to be truly effective. Perhaps at the hands of a different filmmaker, Battaglia’s story would have been better served. Shooting the Mafia is now playing in theaters. Rating: 2.5/5 Review by Sean Boelman Knives and Skin, written and directed by Jennifer Reeder, is a new avant-garde teen noir that isn’t quite like anything else to come out this year. However, despite the extremely stylish nature of the film, the script is less than satisfying and ultimately doesn’t have enough substance to make this anything more than an exercise in visual self-indulgence. The film tells the story of a community as they are torn apart following the disappearance of a teenage girl. One of the biggest issues with this film is that it tries to juggle too many storylines. There are simply too many moving parts in this story, and it is frequently frustrating when one of them begins to pick up legitimate steam only for Reeder to cut away to another one that isn’t as compelling. Additionally, since there are so many characters, it is difficult for the film to develop them all adequately. As is the case with the similarly-themed Stranger Things, the first wrong turn this film makes is in allowing a character about whom very little is known to disappear. Since the viewer isn’t invested in this character before the disappearance, there is precious little reason to care about the story as a whole. Yet even though there is an apparent overabundance of things happening in the story, the film ultimately feels dreadfully stagnant. There are some interesting interactions every once in a while, but they feel strewn together by a thin narrative that doesn’t really go anywhere, or at least it doesn’t go in a riveting direction. Reeder’s use of dialogue is also mostly ineffective. Much of the film is written in a very surreal and deadpan way, and while this does play into the bizarre fantasy world which Reeder is trying to build, it also undermines some of the realism that could have resulted from the characters’ interactions. More often than not, the matter-of-fact way in which the characters are speaking is distracting.
For an ensemble-driven film, it is disappointing that the cast isn’t stronger. Granted, a lot of blame can be placed on the script and the fact that it doesn’t give the actors much to do. Raven Whitley, for example, does a solid job as the girl whose disappearance is the catalyst of the film’s conflict, but she is only given two or three scenes in which she is able to shine. This film’s real successes all occur on a stylistic level. Reeder has a very clear vision for what she wants the film to be, and she is obviously very talented behind the camera, but the script sadly just isn’t up to par. Visually, the film switches between being bright and colorful to dark and neon-soaked, and it is admittedly gorgeous. The choice of music in the soundtrack is pretty interesting too. There is a lot of potential within Jennifer Reeder’s Knives and Skin, but the script is written in a way that makes it unpleasant to watch. Although the unabashedly bizarre style of the film will likely gain it some cult followers, it isn’t entertaining enough to gain much traction. Knives and Skin is now available on VOD. |
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