CODA

And this week's Friday night movie has been... CODA!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th December 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 94 (2021)

Seems I was wrong: Nomadland wasn't the endpoint of the trend of Best Picture Oscar winners being small-scale/budget movies. Well one more for the road I guess. 
So that this movie won was something of a milestone in that it's the first time the winning film was one that was exclusively available on a streaming platform. Seems that in nearly a century of the Academy Awards there is still plenty of room for firsts. 

So anyway, I have nothing but good things to say about this movie. Key to it's success is that we are watching disabled who are being treated with dignity: they have wants, needs and are able to run a business. You know, like proper human beings. See? It's not that hard.

But this is still the story of a young adult leaving the nest and forging their own path. Sure one might think that story has been told countless times before however, as is often the case, it's not the tools but what one does with them.
The family dynamic works a treat and Emilia Jones does a great job with her performance.

So here we finally reach the end of this particular run of Best Picture Oscar winners. Where do we go from here? Well we have two Fridays left of the year....

Rurouni Kenshin: The Final

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... Rurouni Kenshin: The Final!

 Original image located here. Accessed 7th July 2023

I first became aware of Rurouni Kenshin in 2000 - the same year I discovered Queens of the Stone Age. As such it didn't take much to combine the two: "K-K-K-K-K-Kenshin!!!"

*crickets chirping*

Moving swiftly along, given that I saw the Beginning last week, it is therefore a natural progression that I would watch The Final. And this movie is of particular interest as it's an attempt to cover the Revenge arc - which was never covered by the original anime (well there was the Reflections OAV but we don't talk about that one...). Of course, I did know what the Revenge arc covered beforehand so it is interesting to see how this would stack up.

Its interesting to watch this having watched the other movie the previous week before (even if it was released second). Because they're both like night and day. Beginning is grim, with desaturated colours, realistic fight sequences and a tragic air. Final is colourful, Wire-fu all over the place and a theme of redemption. And again, the LA cast have the mannerisms of their animated counterparts down pat with freakish accuracy. 

Obviously this is working with the strengths established with the previous movies which is well and good. But what as an adaptation?

Well it follows the same story beats but this is where the filmmakers have to deliver something news that wasn't already covered in previous adaptations. So this adaptation is a loose one but it still feels lacking. Most of the side characters get the shaft and some moments don't have the punch that they should have. Guess the Revenge arc will never have a proper adap.. wait, there's a new Kenshin anime? Coming out this year?

Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning!

 Original image located here. Accessed 30th June 2023

Back in 2020, i saw the first Live action Rurouni Kenshin movie and liked it enough to have a look at the rest. But, as is often the case with me, I never got around to it. However, as of now, I was able to find the final two - Final and Beginning - on Netflix. Of course, I will be missing out on the middle two but having seen that portion of the Kenshin story in animated form, I can feel confident that I can skip that part.

As for this? Well it's the LA adaptation of Kenshin's background as an assassin - which was done previously with the Trust/Betrayal OVAs. And much like said OVAs, much of the mood is carried over: This movie is grim, lacking in colour, bloody and the tragedy still hits like a truck. And in a way it does improve over the OVAs as it dispenses with some of the arty diversions for a more tighter narrative. Much of the strengths of the first movie, the cast and the visuals are carried over but they still work even when placed under such a grim light.

I have to say: Of all the Live action adaptations of well known manga/anime, this is hands down the best. But then again, when the source material is so strong you can't really do a bad job of it, right? 

Ghostbusters Afterlife

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Ghostbusters Afterlife!

Original image located here. Accessed 3rd June 2022

I have a friend named Nick. He is the biggest Ghostbusters fan i know and he was adamant that i watch this. Well, I'm not one to argue with fanboys - that and the fact that Nick is a big guy so I'm definitely not going to argue with him.

I have to say this movie does come across like the most expensive fan movie ever made. There's loads of in jokes and references. There is a sense that nostalgia is powering the whole thing. There is Paul Rudd acting like he can barely contain his inner fanboy.
Yet at the same time, while the reverence is there, it faces opposition. For movie is from Jason Reitman who directed Young Adult (which I saw weeks before). And the reverence is for a movie that was built on irony. And can I really buy Egon being a parent let alone a neglectful one?

Misgivings aside, there is still a lot going for this movie. The strength of the franchise - the unlikely combination of horror, humor and special effects - are at work here. There is some great use of atmosphere (the chess game for one), the kids that are the leads do a great job and and the climax is indeed a treat.
So yeah, not a bad effort

Favorite line: "Playtime's over, lets toast this muffin!"

Spiderman: No Way Home

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Spiderman No Way Home!

Original image located here. Accessed 6th May 2022

I think we all know the big drawcard for this movie. I guess we knew it was coming given the sensation the trailer originally caused. Personally, i couldn't escape it - which is unusual because the MCU tend to keep it's big reveals very securely.
But who am I kidding? I knew it was coming. I knew we will see Tobey, Andrew and Tom all on screen together and it still a treat.

I guess it is inevitable that the MCU will make the attempt to integrate other movies into the canon. Sure the first Avengers movie did it originally but here the concept has been elevated even higher. I suppose this is what happens when you have the resources that only a behemoth such as Disney could provide.
And it works! Okay sure I never saw the Amazing Spiderman movies and yes this movie is kind of playing the same hand that Into the Spiderverse did ("I can do that too!" much?, but this was still great fun. It's fun to see these familiar faces and have them interacting with each other.
But, as mentioned above, we are here to see Tobey, Andrew and Tom all on screen together and it is truly a delight. They all work well off of each other and it is great to see Tobey again and Andrew scoring gold with his efforts.
So yeah, another feather in the MCU's (rather overstocked) cap.

The Eternals

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Eternals!

Original image located here. Accessed 29th April 2022

Here we are: The MCU's first 'flop'. Sure it may have made a lot of money (hey, it's the MCU of course it's going to make money) but it has polarized both critics and audiences alike. Given MCU's track record it would be interested to see if they can bounce back from th...what a minute, the new Spiderman movie was a box office hit? Oh well never mind then.
Personally, I was a bit cautious about this one. The trailers seemed to indicate something that breaks the tried and tested formula and, to me, suggest a movie akin to 2001: A Space Odyssey. In which sense, I do give credit to MCU for taking their guaranteed success and attempting to stretch out & try something different. So how is it?

People have said this was long and tedious. I won't deny that. People say there is a lot going on here. I won't deny that either. People say that a lot of blame for this movie's shortcomings rests on either Jack Kirby and Chloe Zhao. That seems awfully harsh to me (will Zhao's; career bounce back? Now there's a thought...).
But I still find a lot to admire here. I like the diversity and how it is handled. I like the action sequences. I like the visuals. I like seeing Richard Madden and Kit Harrington back on screen together. I like the handling of time in the narrative. And I like the use of Pink Floyd in the opening titles.
Actually the mention of Pink Floyd is an apt one. For when I was listening to them in my university years, i was drawn to idea of listening to Pink Floyd with undivided attention and absorbing what was being presented to me. Which, in a way, is very much like this movie. Was that what Zhao was going for? One can only wonder...
So in the end is this movie the failure I was led to believe it was? I don't think so. But ultimately, i would rather a noble failure than a weak success any day.

Encanto

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Encanto!

Original image located here. Accessed 15th April 2022

Well I guess it was inevitable that i would see this one: It's been a hit with critics, audiences, and Tiktok users. In fact, given how much traction this movie has inspired, it is a near miracle i kept myself away from the plot. And spoilers. And the music. Because, as I've mentioned many times before, there's nothing like approaching a movie on your own terms, amirite?

Oh who am i kidding. Encanto was great!
Given that much has been said about the music (and sung by many people) I find it interesting to discuss it because I found that much of it is words being shot out at a rate so rapid, it's difficult to keep up. Indeed, there are many times I wondered: What did that character just say?
Other than that, I really enjoyed the sense of family that this movie conveys. Each character in this is unique and are supportive of each other. It does indeed resemble my own family when I was a kid, - being part of this network of aunts, uncle and cousins - and just how bound together they are.
The animation is great and the art direction is superb but given it's a Disney movie, that's kind of a given right?
But in the end, everyone will be gravitating towards the music but I am far more interested in the depiction of a familial unit

Belle

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Belle!

Original image located here. Accessed 18th February 2022

Yep, it's another trip down the anime well. And this time we are taking a look at the latest offering from auteur Mamoru Hosoda.
I have been saying glowing things about this guy and his work (Summer Wars, the Girl who leapt Through Time, Wolf Children) and with this latest effort he does not disappoint.

At this point I have seen enough of Hosoda's repertoire to recognise some familiar themes: The search for connection, the use of online personas, the importance of family, and the act of being true to one's self. And all of which are put to work in Belle in an effective manner.
I like the artwork, i like the music and I like the ideas presented about having an online persona and how one utilizes it to interact with the world.

Much has been made how this movie owes a sizable debt to Disney's Beauty and the Beast. i certainly won't deny it but for me it remains an odd aesthetic choice. Because for me, Disney's Beauty and the Beast is all about how one wants to change themselves for the people around them. In belle however, it is all about the pursuit of understanding and empathy. Not a bad idea but it does make the sequences in the Beast's castle somewhat jarring. Indeed it is telling to me that the sequences in the real world leave a greater impression - especially the part focusing on the webcam conversation and the subsequent climax.
Still, i will not fault Hosoda: He has some great ideas, an eye for the visual and he certainly knows how to pull the heartstrings. Has he delivered another winner? I think he has.

Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time!

Original image located here. Accessed 28th January 2022

IV - Rebuild
I can't recall the last time I sat down and watched Evangelion - clearly End of Evangelion left a bad taste in the mouth. But what i do know is that I spent a fair chunk of my twenties and thirties sorting myself out and overcoming the demon that is self-loathing - and much like Shinji it was down through a lot of self-analysis. Of course, the only difference is when i overcame my self-loathing I didn't get a round of applause accompanied by "Congratulations!" (would've liked to though).

 So when i found out a new Evangelion reboot, Rebuild, came about it was a case of "You Again"
Which now brings us here: Facing down the fourth and final movie in this rebuild, therefore the endpoint of this journey taken over this pat month - and also the endpoint of a longer journey that started back in late 1998.

Firstly this movie is long, at two and half hours. Granted this nothing new for movies in general but to see an animated film at such a length is indeed an anomaly. With such a length it wouldn't be that much a of a stretch to draw comparisons to Avengers Endgame. So can this movie pull off the same trick?

Well...kinda.....

A number of things of note: I like the quiet moments - that may sound odd but thy work. And considering that Evangelion has a reputation for bombast when it decides to be quiet it does so superbly.
I like the revelation of Gendo's history. It has indeed been along time coming - and who would've guessed that one of fictions most reviled characters could command empathy?
And I I like that this is effectively the big farewell that Anno wanted: There are indeed surprises throughout and we finally FINALLY get to see Shinji grow up and take control of his life. And yes, I do feel happy for him.
Of course, there are a lot of things that don't work: The action is fast and aggressive to the point of being difficult to keep up, certain characters are sidelined and, once again, the mysteries of Evangelion are never resolved to the point of aggressive.
Still, this movie does what it set out to do: Conclude Evangelion as a franchise for good so I give it that much. Furthermore, I will forever maintain that End of Evangelion was Anno urging us the audience to move on. And here i do believe he is saying the same thing - just in a far less passive-aggressive manner.

Well this month-long odyssey has now come to an end and what a heavy one it has been. So next week, i think I'll watch something a bit more fun.
And that s a guarantee.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings!

Original image located here. Accessed 5th November 2021

The MCU tries it's hand at making a Kung-Fu movie. Well, why not? It's tried a whole lot of other genres so in a way this was inevitable.
Okay seriously though, there's nothing wrong with that its just that I've seen many a kung-fu movie in my time and when Marvel do it, i want only for them not to do shoddy job.

Thankfully Marvel don't do a shoddy job: The action sequences are very well done and are, at times, jaw dropping. Indeed there is a sense that this a kung-fu movie being made with a larger budget - when compared to some Hong Kong flicks I have seen in my time - and they are going to milk it for all that it's worth.
Simu Liu is great, Michelle Yeoh is always fantastic, Benedict Wong is having fun, but personally, the real MVP is Awkwafina who is a delight to watch and steals every scene she's in. So if this film was made for more Asian representation on the silver screen, then all I can say is: More please!
Funny thing however: One gets the sense that with this film, as well as the upcoming Eternals movie (if the trailer is anything to go by), is bringing the MCU to a more grandiose direction than ever before. It may seem a strange movie - considering that Phase one was a very grounded one - but when Endgame makes so much money one can do whatever they want.

The Suicide Squad

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Suicide Squad!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th August 2021

I've never seen the original Suicide Squad - in all honesty, the backlash it received was enough to turn me off completely. But that places me in a position where I can judge this sequel/reboot on it's own terms and without any connection to it's predecessor.

Perhaps it is fitting that i should see James Gunn's earlier piece Super weeks prior because in a way, that movie is effectively a blueprint for this one. The only difference is, whereas Super is mean-spirited (even uncomfortably so) The Suicide Squad is less so. Sure it is loud, obnoxious, gory and has loads of profanity, but Gunn pulls the same trick he did with the Guardians of the Galaxy - that being taking characters that are lesser known, and hardly the type to be taken seriously, and making them work. And that certainly is a feat in itself. Sure Harley is the most recognizable face here (courtesy of the incomparable Margot Robbie) but the real stars are the rest of the Suicide Squad. Which is indeed saying something.
Obviously, the success of Guardians of the Galaxy netted Gunn the job of doing The Suicide Squad but for me, The Suicide Squad is clearly the work of someone who has been left off the leash and is going for it at full tilt.
So yeah, this movie was great and some truly demented fun.

So the big question now is what DC are going to do next. On one hand this movie, as well as Joker, proves that their movies can work well with the villains in mind - and that can't be underestimated.
But on the other hand, I have previously praised Shazam and Aquaman - and now, The Suicide Squad proves the notion that DC's movies can be successful if they take the characters that are either lesser known or not to be taken seriously and make them work.
Needless to say, it would be interesting to see what DC will take away from The Suicide Squad....

Space Jam A New Legacy

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Space Jam A New Legacy!

Original image located here. Accessed 13th August 2021

I should not like this movie. It has been said that this is less a movie and more an ad. And that many of the jokes are out of date. And it completely ditched the characterization of Lola Bunny provided by the Looney Tunes Show. And it operates at the pace of Sonic the Hedgehog on red cordial. And I can't escape the feeling that this was done by someone who really wanted to rewrite the narrative of 'Space Jam < Looney Tunes: Back in Action'

And while such criticisms are indeed valid, I couldn't help but enjoy this movie. I did enjoy picking out some familiar faces in the crowd scenes. I did enjoy LeBron Jame's presence. I did enjoy the humour that made me love Looney Tunes as a kid. And I especially loved Don Cheadle, stealing every scene he was in. It may be easy to dismiss this movie has being soulless but I can't say it was half-arsed (if that makes any sense).
So in the end, given the recent trend of movies leaning towards the socially conscious, perhaps there is something to be said about a movie that wants nothing more than to make it;s audience laugh.

Black Widow

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Black Widow!

Original image located here. Accessed 16th July 2021

It has been quite some time since the last MCU movie. They have been churned out regularly to a point where to go a long time without a MCU movie does indeed create a notable absence.
As such, it would be easy to lavish praise on this in the sense that absence makes the heart go fonder.

But truth be told, this movie rises above such a cheap tactic and stands on it's own two feet. I won;t say this is a spy movie - instead I would call it an action movie and it does so with flair. It's great to see Natasha have a movie all to herself and the new characters are far from dull (especially the Red Guardian stealing every scene he's in).
I've heard some say this is a disappointment but somehow I never got that vibe.