Sorry to Bother You

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Sorry to Bother You!

Original image located here. Accessed 29th July 2022

I once saw a video on YouTube wherein the YouTuber proposed that that the movie Sorry to Bother You was better than Idiocracy. Now I haven't seen Idiocracy - I have heard a lot about it and have so far resisted - but I did see a challenge in this claim. And one worth rising to at that.

And this......

....it's a strange one.
On one hand there is decent satire with some delicious jabs taken at race, privilege and businesses that overwork employees. The surreal humour is also quite funny and there is indeed a excellent sense of creativity.
But on the other hand, there is a lot of meandering and the film seem directionless at times. Sure there are some good laughs to be had but when the movie slows down, it can be a chore to get through.
So yeah, not bad but could've been better....

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness!

Original image located here. Accessed 22nd July 2022

I have been following a lot of criticisms about the current phase (no.4) of the MCU. Chief among them is that the movies of this phase seem to lack a sense of direction and, after such a pay-off (Endgame) from years of build-up, there is nowhere left to go.
Personally I did enjoy the Eternals and Spiderman: No Way Home but even I will admit that the criticisms of being directionless are hard to ignore. After all, when you climb the mountain and find nowhere left to go, what do you do?

That being said, I did find this latest instalment to the MCU something of mixed bag. On one hand, there is so much continuity to cater for that the movie seems to groaning under it's own weight. Also, there is a lot going on here that the pacing seems to go at light speed and is therefore difficult to pick up. In addition, this isn't quite the horror movie I was expecting.
But that's for the first half: Maybe it's just me but once the second half kicks in, this movie remembers it's a Doctor Strange movie and plays into it's strengths: The creative & striking visuals and Benedict Cumberpatch. It's great to see Benedict playing different iterations of this character and some truly impressive visuals (the staircase immediately comes to mind). And I also must give credit to director Sam Raimi who is able to make his own stamp - especially when doing so isn't an easy task in the MCU.
So yeah, not a bad effort but the problem of 'where do we go from here' still persists....

Little Miss Sunshine

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Little Miss Sunshine!

Original image located here. Accessed 15th July 2022

I was planning to watch the latest Dr Strange movie but then I noticed this and realised I've been putting this off for far too long.

At first I had no idea what to make of this movie. At times I was left wondering if this was the comedy i was promised as it seemed to come across as more strange than bust-a-gut funny. The laughs seemed slow and what humour was there seemed very off the wall. But within time, this movie won me over: largely through this eccentric cast of characters and watching them facing adversity together. I cna only how many other people have watched this family and remarked: "That's just like mine..."
And there is something to be said that, in world that is divided into winners and losers, being yourself can be an act of defiance.

Also that unforgettable dance to Super Freak:
"What's your daughter doing?!"
"Kicking ass!!"

Reds

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

Original image located here. Accessed 8th July 2022

Lets talk about Warren Beatty for a minute.
To me, he is a man of two sides. One is the actor/ladykiller/'i'll-bang-anything-with-legs' and the other is the filmmaker: One who can produce, direct, is willing to take risks and is willing to back his own projects in order to make them happen. Of course, it is the latter side that interests me and the one that seems to less prominent in the mind of the public consciousness (and as such, less difficult to shake off).
So we come to this: A three hour biopic from 1981 which snagged Beatty an Oscar for Best Director. It tells the story of John Reed, a US writer who chronicled the Russian Revolution and even became involved in it. And, as a major selling point, the movie includes footage of people of the era (then aged considerably) describing John and the era this movie portrays.

Perhaps it is fitting that i mention Doctor Zhivago in last weeks post because I feel this is working from the same template: A three hour epic on the Russian Revolution with a romantic framework. And much like Doctor Zhivago I found myself more interested in the Revolution than the actual romance.
And it is with that that Beatty's talents as filmmaker shines through: In the terms of a history this movie is compelling and having the interview footage adds a lot to it with humanity and historical documentation. It may be slow to start with but this movie does indeed gather steam the more it goes on. And it is fascinating to see Reed grow from a passionate idealistic to being defeated by the system he supported.
Have to wonder though: Just how much did Reed resonate with Beatty? Obviously enough to get this movie made would be a suitable answer - But it's a story that Beatty wanted to tell so I'll give him that much.

Lawrence of Arabia

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Lawrence of Arabia!

Original image located here. Accessed 1st July 2022

Well I'm in quarantine so now would a good time as any to address some of the longer running movies in my to-watch list.
I knew this movie on two fronts: a) it's a very famous movie and b) it was directed David Lean. Now I've already seen one of his works, Doctor Zhivago, and it seems to me his films are defined by two characteristics: a) they feature lots of exotic locales and b) they tend to be very long. So should I be put off by such a reputation?

No I shouldn't. Because it seems to me this movie's reputation is justified. It runs over three hours but it never drags. The locations are astonishing and the filmmaking techniques put to use are incredible. The battle scenes are great and there are plenty of unforgettable images. There is plenty of desert sure but the film does a clever job making you feel like you're there - which is saying a lot for a movie approaching it's 60th birthday.
And it's always nice to see a pre-Star Wars Alec Guinness.
I was told that this is one of cinema's achievements and now I see no reason to doubt it.

Yankee Doodle Dandy

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Yankee Doodle Dandy!

Original image located here. Accessed 24th June 2022

Another trip to the classics, with this flick hailing all the way from 1943. I first heard of this movie over twenty years ago when I read of it in a book. There, it said that the lead, James Cagney, took a departure from the gangster roles that made him famous to playing a biopic of theatre giant George M Cohan. This intrigued me: On paper it seemed like a great way to a) dodge typecasting and a way to show one's versatility. In fact, could you do something like that now? Like say, John Travolta going from a dancing guy to a tough g......never mind.
More recently, I watched a DVD Kiera has detailing the history of Broadway and I came to know who George M Cohan was. So I guess now is a good time as any.

Given this is a film that's nearly eighty years old, it would be easy to dismiss it for it's age. And while it may be dated in places, the strength of this movie purely lies in telling the story of Cohan's life . Sure it may be easy to dismiss any biopic for inaccuracies, but it does do an effective job of showing a life lived and introduces a lot of his music. And some of his music I did recognise even if they were adapted for AFL Team theme songs.
So yeah as a celebration of both Broadway and the life of a man who revolutionised it, this film still holds up.
And of Cagney? Well, he scored an Oscar for Best Actor, he singled out this movie as his favourite performance and apparently came up with the tap-dancing routines on the spot.
And I don't doubt him in the slightest.

Ran

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

Original image located here. Accessed 17th June 2022

Anyone heard of this? This was a Japanese movie from 1985, directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa.
Akira Kurosawa. Any film geek worth their salt knows the name. The man who announced Japanese cinema to the rest of the world. The man who gave us the Seven Samurai and inspired a whole trope in it's wake. The man known for his samurai epics, humanistic approach and his Shakespeare adaptations.
And Ran is, apparently, one of his best. It's one of his aforementioned Shakespeare adpatations, in this case, King Lear.

In a word: Extraordinary. I thought I was familiar with Kurosawa, having seen Rashomon and Seven Samurai, but this is something else entirely. So much to admire I don't know where to begin: I like the use of landscapes, I like the acting, I how many of the battle scenes take place in silence. I like how is a different take on tried and tested material (Shakespeare amirite?). I like the battle choreography and the beauty present.
At first i didn't what to make of this movie but eventually, it did reveal itself as nothing less than a triumph
Some say that this movie was the end result of a lifetime in movie making. Kurosawa was 75 when he made this and it seems that what he learnt over the years is there on the screen.
I believe it.

Please Stand By

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Please Stand By!

Original image located here. Accessed 10th June 2022

Anyone heard of this? It's a movie from 2018 wherein Dakota Fanning plays an autistic character who attempts to get her submission for a Star Trek script competition entered.
As regular readers will know, i will show favoritism to movies that shows autism in a positive light. And I certainly won't say no to a plethora of Star Trek references.

Clearly the strength of this movie rests on the shoulders of Dakota and whether or not she can pull off a conviction portrayal of an autistic character. Some might think such a character should be be played by a genuine autistic actor and to do otherwise would be ableist. But for what I could gather, Dakota took the role as she wanted to establish an understanding for the autistic.
I believe her.
Okay so maybe the end result isn't 100% correct, but for the most part, the autism here is shown in a positive and sensitive light. And I don't get the impression the people who worked on this movie were being exploitative.
So yeah, looks like we have a winner

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!"

Megamind

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

Original image located here. Accessed 27th May 2022

I will admit this one took me by surprise: I don't recall it being that big a deal at the time (2010) and some people have compared it unfavorably to the Incredibles. But as it turns out, a lot of people like this and the titular character commands a surprising amount of fangirls. Something must've worked right?

Turns out it did: I had a real ball with this. There were some genuinely funny moments (the first half hour is a riot) and there are some really hilarious jabs at the Superman mythos. But I think this is less a superhero movie and more a character study. Megamind himself is indeed fun to watch and he is indeed a three dimensional character. Throw in a lively performance from Will Farrell and suddenly the fangirls make sense.
And it is more than enough to elevate this movie to being more than a rip off of The Incredibles and being well and truly it's own thing.
Also they have the music of Guns N Roses in a kids movie. Yep, the one time 'World's Most Dangerous Band' is utilized in a (admittedly badass) scene. That deserves something right?

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga!

Original image located here. Accessed 20th May 2022

Well Eurovision was on this week so I couldn't ask for a better time to watch this movie.
It may be an easy target to make fun of Eurovision with it's songs, gaudy outfits and crazy staging. And in a way that was what i was expecting but, much to my surprise, this movie does not go in that direction. Instead it takes the Love Letter approach to its subject and - would you believe - that decision was a wise one.

So yes I did have fun in this and there is indeed genuine love for Eurovision - even to the point of bringing in previous winners in for appearances. There are some genuinely funny moments and the climax is surprisingly touching.
So yeah this movie surprised me. And given the amount of movies I've seen, a surprise like this is a welcome one.

Young Adult

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

Original image located here. Accessed 13th May 2022

You know how it happens: You put a movie on your To Watch List and it stays there. It stays there for so long that you eventually forget why you put it there in the first place. But then again, there is something to be said about approaching something with fresh eyes.

So what this movie is putting forth is a character study: Of a woman who is wrapped up in the idealised teen life that her own life is in a period of stagnation. It's billed as a comedy but I don't believe it is. It is quite a bleak movie. Sure there are laughs but they are few and far between. As mentioned above, I forgot why I wanted to see this movie but somehow I think the anxiety of my approaching middle age could have something to do with it.
So far what I may have typed up sounds anything but a crowd pleaser but the movie works purely through the lead Charlize Theron, who certainly does a lot to make a potentially dislikable character appear in a sympathetic light.
But here's a thought: Does it make all the difference that this character is a female one? Somehow i can't help thinking that if this character was played by a male actor the movie would be disregarded as either a) a Taxi Driver clone or b) incel bait.
So yeah, not an easy watch - more akin to a car crash if anything - but it certainly was compelling.

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.