Alien

1979’s “Alien”, directed by Ridley Scott.

Starring Sigourney Weaver, Ian Holm, Tom Skerrit, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, and Yaphet Kotto.

Winner of an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects (H.R. Giger, Carlo Rambaldi, Brian Johnson, Nick Allder, Dennis Ayling).
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Art Direction (Michael Seymour, Leslie Dilley, Roger Christian, Ian Whittaker)

What is it about?

Deep in space, a crew of 7 wakes up from their cryo sleep. They are some kind of industrial miners, towing tons of mineral ore on the ship, Nostromo. They are lead by their captain (Tom Skerrit), with a science officer (Ian Holm), executive officer (Hurt), a warrant officer (Sigourney Weaver), navigator (Cartwright), and engineers (Stanton and Kotto). They are awakened by a beacon from a nearby planet’s moon (LV-426), and under company orders, go down to investigate. Once landing, some members of the crew explore the alien landscape. What they bring back with them is life threatening, and once they realize just how much, things get intense. The crew’s predicament is compounded by their employer, who may have intentions that are not conducive to ideal collective bargaining agreements.

Why is it worth seeing?

Alien is the genesis of one of the more interesting film franchises in Hollywood history. In some way, all of the films are about dealing with an awful alien race that lives to do 2 things: kill everything else that lives, and breed, (which involves killing). Here, in part 1, we explore this race through one of the more pure horror tropes ever expressed.

Based off of the science fiction comics by Dan O’ Bannon, he wrote the screenplay for “Alien”, which flashy director Ridley Scott took on. For his second film, Scott has said that he was going for something that was between “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “2001: A Space Odyssey”. As for O’Bannon, after he made “Dark Star”, and wondered what a horror movie set in space would feel like with an actual scary monster (instead of a beach ball). They made the decision to base the movie’s pivotal creature off of the surreal sexual/mechanical (read: Freudian) works of Dutch surrealist H.R. Giger (who himself was inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s works). As a result, all of this movie’s background is either tangled metal, terrible phallic alien head, or both.

One of the horrors of the Alien creature isn’t just how it looks- it’s how plausible an organism it is. I won’t get into the gory details, as half the fun of “Alien” is going along for the terrible ride. More philosophical critics in the past have likened the grisly series to an allegory into male rape, body horror, misunderstandings about human child birth, and mother nature unleashing all of her Gaia energy back at us. That’s fine. My Marxist leanings focus on the class warfare depicted on the corporate ship. The employees of the corporation kvetch about the unplanned extracurricular activities that the company wants them to do, before being told that they won’t be paid their bonuses unless they follow orders, as well as certain part of the mission being expendable- are plenty enough for my intellectual musings. But that’s not really what the movie’s about. It’s survival of the fittest- with a strobe light and a ton of goo.

Here, we get to see a flick that’s perfect for it’s pacing. Scott takes his time, as we get to meet the crew and their ship, and slowly are absorbed into the viscus of pure aggression, before we end up gasping for breath. Although we faintly know of it’s greatness, we don’t realize how much until it’s over.

The cast is flawless, perfectly capturing the mundane grind of interstellar employment hell, and then the terror of dealing with something they don’t understand, and aren’t prepared to fight. From Holm’s chilliness as the detached scientist, to Skerrit’s toned down captain following orders, to Weaver’s initially muted but undeniable pluckiness, we sympathize with these blue collar humans who have been abandoned both by mother nature in the depths of space, and the company they work for.

Those that claim the effects at times look like they are decades old will be on to something- the wrong thing. Same for the horror tropes of jumping cat scares or of a pair separating to go hunting alone. “Alien” is the film that inspired countless comic books, video games, and at least 7 more films (such as the equally formidable, "Aliens") featuring the baddie. More importantly, it introduced a new sub genre, that of science fiction horror, catapulted Weaver to stardom, and hasn’t even really had much competition from other like-minded films (certainly not "Life"). Alien is a classic film, the perfect start to a classic series.

Rating:

5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

2017’s “Kingsman: The Golden Circle”, directed by Matthew Vaughn.

Starring Tarron Egerton, Colin Firth, , Julianne Moore, Mark Strong, Edward Holcroft, Hanna Alstrom, Jeff Bridges, Pedro Pascal, Halle Barre, and Channing Tatum.

What is it about?

Tarron Egerton returns as a member of the Kingsman, an elite and secret non governmental spy agency. We see Egerton, now fully enmeshed in the technology and values of his agency, have an unfriendly visit from an old co-applicant, (Edward Holcroft), whom we remember not making the cut for the Kingsman in the previous film. We meet Holcroft’s employer, a drug kingpin (Julianne Moore), who wants to decriminalize drugs throughout the entire planet, and be recognized as a great business woman. Living in the middle of a jungle in a theme park like compound, from the 50’s diner where she occasionally grounds underperforming underlings into hamburgers, she strikes out at the Kingsman via coordinated missile attacks. Moore manages to wipe out the entire agency, save for their technology specialist (Mark Strong, back for more), and Egerton, who is meeting his girlfriend (Hanna Alstrom) ’s parents for the first time. Adrift and looking for answers, Strong and Egerton end up in Kentucky, where they meet the American versions of their agency, the Statesmen. Lead by Jeff Bridges, with Channing Tatum and Pedro Pascal infiltrating while Halle Barry takes care of the technology, they attempt to stop Moore. Moore’s final plan involves poisoning her narcotics so that their users succumb to paralyzing and fatal positions, with her also making an antidote that she can blackmail world leaders into accepting. Will our British and American heroes be able to stop her before hundreds of millions die agonizing deaths?

Why is it worth seeing?

“Golden Circle” continues director/co-writer Vaughn and co-writer Jane Goldman’s efforts to modernize the James Bond trope. Back for more, we see a second super secret non governmental agency, more gadgets, and more brawls that spill across every section of a car, not to mention continents. Vaughn brings more of the flash that we’re accustomed to seeing, and “Golden Circle” features at least 4 stunning scene transitions that are quite kinetic to watch. It’s a testament to his talent that this is even palatable.

Unfortunately, “Golden Circle” both suffers from franchise fatigue (that was fast) and takes things way too far into cartoon land. As I’ve stated about the previous movie, Egerton does not have the prowess to carry the franchise, and with Firth sitting out a bunch of this film (for those who didn’t see the first film, he was thought to have been killed), we feel largely amiss without his presence. The narrative doesn’t help, with Egerton’s family life not being addressed (at the end of the last film, we know that his mother was with an alcoholic prone to domestic violence, not to mention an infant sibling- topics that have been abandoned). Instead, we watch a large amount of scenes between Egerton and his Princess girlfriend (Hanna Alstrom), who decided to hook up with him in the previous film because he saved the world. Although we get to meet his mates (who cares), it’s a mystery whom he is other than a hothead who continues to strike me as not being Kingsman material (he’ll never be a sapper, either).

Continuing the theme of villains with great ideas who are willing to do terrible things to achieve them, here, Moore is spectacular in her character’s cognitive dissonance, wanting to play waitress, live in a theme park with a kidnapped Elton John performing when he’s not swearing and jump kicking at his abductors, with robotic canine killers and robo waitresses to do her bidding, along with her non descript henchmen who look like they wandered in off the set of “Back to the Future”. She’s not scared of a couple hundred million people dying while she retro bowls, in order to meet her goals. Finally, the American spies introduced here are completely uninteresting, and Oscar winner Bridges’ turn as the head of the American agency feels both phoned in, and stunningly lazy once you consider he doesn’t seem to understand if any of his agents are true to the cause (nor how to address it if there is an issue), nor what the difference is between hiring perfect strangers instead of promoting his existing agents for empty job positions. However, he seems excellent at nosing different whiskeys, so that will impress alcohol fanatics.

We also get to continue the themes of offensive pandering to the poor and middle class hordes who deserve to root about in chicken cages in football stadiums while the elites figure out what to do with their respective complications. “Golden Circle” has a lot of interesting movies lurking in the skipped over aspects of this fear and loathing mess, especially in the grips of a full blown opioid crisis. It’s sidebar where a Chief of Staff argues with the President of the US about acceptable drug policy is more interesting than any other aspect of “Golden Circle”. But there’s also the world’s first panty penetration shot (sure to delight gynecologists/home surgery network fanatics), a pointless trip to Glastonbury’s largest tent, and a ski gondola that features a helpful spin cycle. Vaughn has made some really solid movies in the past, but here his considerable talents can’t help this practically incoherent mess. This is one circle you don’t want to complete- stay tuned for the inevitable second sequel.

Rating:

3/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Kingsman: The Secret Service

2014’s “Kingsmen: The Secret Service”, directed by Matthew Vaughn.

Starring Colin Firth, Tarron Egerton, Mark Strong, Samuel L. Jackson, Jack Davenport, Michael Caine,  Sophia Boutella, Lily Travers, Mark Hamill, and Samantha Womack.

What is it about?

Tarron Egerton stars as a young working class Brit in London who one day as a child is approached by a British gentleman (Colin Firth). Firth explains to him about how Firth owes a debt to his deceased father, and gives him a medallion to call in a favour when he gets older. We flash forwards to present day, where Egerton is a young man, getting into trouble with the local hoods, and stealing cars to settle scores. Nicked by the police, Egerton calls in his favour and ends up meeting Firth. Out of a sense of obligation, Firth lets Egerton try out to join his elite non governmental spy agency, The Kingsman, who pose as tailors but actually fight global terrorism. Should Egerton be successful in passing his dangerous tests to become a Kingsman, he’ll need to help in the fight to stop a madman tech genius (Samuel Jackson). With an assistant (Sophia Boutella ) who has razor sharp prosthetic legs to keep people in line, Jackson plans on distributing free cell phone plans to the world’s population. However, Jackson has a plan to use his technology to send a signal that makes people homicidal, in a type of Gaia worshipping earth cleansing that will restore the planet’s environmental balance after the population wipes itself out. Will Egerton pass his schooling and be able to help thwart Jackson?

Why is it worth seeing?

“Kingsman” is a modern day version of James Bond, keeping the outlandish villains, the prim and proper values of British Tories, and the timely gadgets that come in handy when battling henchmen. But the modern part here is we get almost cartoon elements added to the Bond themes, through some of the comedy elements, and more importantly, the overall narrative. Let’s just say the less you think, the more you can enjoy the ride.

Here, Oscar Winner Colin Firth is fantastic, as the old guard trying to teach the new dog his tricks (along with the solid Mark Strong, playing a version of Q). Jackson, who has been a in a lot of films where the term auto pilot would be an understatement, but here he tries something he’s never done before, a whiny entrepreneur who has quite the lisp and hates getting his hands dirty while attempting to purge the planet of it’s inhabitants. But Tagerton’s range is limited, and even when he puts on the suit and adapts the mannerisms, it’s tough to imagine him giving up the track suit life and retiring the baseball hat and chain wardrobe.

Peppered with adrenalized action sequences to keep things interesting, Vaughn certainly leaves no chambers empty in this weaponized comedy spy action thriller. Ever the stylist, Vaughn knows a lot about making hearts pound, and it’s tough to not go through his career catalogue as you watch “Kingsman”. There’s the scenes of outcasts being taught to become more proficient in their training, while flying vehicles out of the mansion (“X-Men:First Class), and there’s the class warfare themes of living in the “smart part of town” where Firth (and later Egorton) live, as in “Layer Cake”. But unlike his other films, which have a degree of restraint, here he cranks the absurdity up to 11, with scenes like a church congregation slaughtering each other, and another where a group of people’s heads explode in cartoonish fireworks. It’s cheerfully macabre stuff, and all done in the name of protecting British values… or something like that. At least James Bond, who at times questioned the values of his employer, worked for the government (who at least attempt to serve their people). Here, we watch a private citizenry, funded by old money, operate apart from and above the law, in order to protect society, so poor and disheveled in it’s plebian values, from itself. The movie does explain that they came about in the 19^th century, and because of WWI leaving so many wealthy people without heirs to inherit their fortunes, that they decided to give back with the “selfless” Kingsman. Right. They also call themselves a modern day version of knights- which king do they serve? By accident, “Kingsman”’s antagonist AND protagonist(s) make the case for why participants in a democracy want accountability and justice while advancing forwards as a society- and that will take more than a pair of Oxfords.

Rating:

3.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Baby Driver

2017’s “Baby Driver”, directed by Edgar Wright.

Starring Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Jon Bernthal, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Eliza Gonzalez, and Flea.

What is it about?

We open in Atlanta, where we meet a gang of bank robbers. They are assisted by a millennial (Ansel Elgort), who can drive like a stuntman and never goes without a member of his cherished arsenal of iPods. Accompanied by a constant soundtrack, Elgort is a grown up orphan who is in debt to Kevin Spacey’s master criminal. Pressured into one last job to pay off his debt, Elgort follows through and is freed from his obligations. Free to chase a waitress (Lily James) that he is crushing on, he soon has to contend with the notion that the criminal world that he seems to be clear of will never go away, and that the criminal world is full of unsavoury types (such as Jon Bernthal, Jon Hamm, Eliza Gonzalez, and Jamie Foxx). Is this one situation our Baby can drive away from?

Why is it worth seeing?

Edgar Wright is one talented Mother Effer. Owner of some of the most bad ass shooting/editing techniques in the biz, he delivers yet again some very tight scenes to provide endless propulsive kinetic energy, both in the car chases and the romantic scenes, and even things as mundane as a bank deposit. So, that’s a pro.
And the soundtrack is an eclectic mix of all sorts of genres and moods that constantly accompany our hero. That’s 2 pros.

But what a bummer I don’t care for our hero (nor his muse and their love affair), and the bevy of underworld characters who don’t make nice. If the movie had been shot less like an extended iPod commercial (it’s almost like a musical at times, which is never a good thing when it’s not a musical), then maybe we could really get to the bottom of what makes our hero tick underneath the ever present iPod and sunglasses. This is the manifesto of youth who believe they can command the world to do what they wish while constantly hiding from it behind the detached cool façade.
With the generic one last heist/criminal underworld sequencing, Wright is as talented a ripoff artist as any, but he’s even better when you take away the ripoff part (see the “Cornello trilogy” and “Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World”). There are those who will say that this is just a “Drive” clone- but “Baby” lacks it’s artistic ambition and amazing performances. Here, I’m relieved when Foxx’s character just stops talking. And Elgort may not have the charisma to carry a film such as this. And that’s before we get to whether the movie is politically correct or not.
A semi truck of style, but running on empty for the story, “Baby Driver”’s crew may need to apologize to Mint Royale (the band who wrote the song that “Baby Driver” is based off of) for product displacement.

Rating:

3/5

Trailer: Click Here.

The House

2017’s “The House”, directed by Andrew Jay Cohen.

Starring  Will Farrell, Amy Poehler, Jason Mantzoukas, Ryan Simpkins, Nick Kroll, Allison Tolman, and Rob Huebel.

What is it about?

Farrell and Poehler star as a couple who’s daughter (Ryan Simpkins) has been accepted into university. They are excited about the prospects of her attending, especially since she is eligible for a town sponsored scholarship. However, at the city’s town hall, the councilman (Nick Kroll) announces that the town spent too much money on a luxury pool (when he is in fact embezzling) and therefore cannot cover the yearly scholarship. Broke and desperate for their daughter to attend post secondary, Farrell and Poehler meet up with their degenerate friend (Jason Mantzoukas), and decide to run a casino from his house. Will they be able to ensure that “the house always wins”, or will they come up rolling sevens?

Why is it worth seeing?

“The House” is not interested in aiming very high with it's stakes, playing slots when it could be playing baccarat. Farrell and Poehler are practically living legends, but here their talent largely is put to waste, alongside the up and coming Mantzoukas. And the plot, while somewhat original (“Boiler Room” is the only other flick I can remember that depicts casino-like gambling from one’s home), it’s premise/resolution is a clunky cliche, stuff that feels like it was shuttled in from the Las Vegas strip. There are certainly funny scenes (that will make you delighted to have your fingers), but also the opposite where the jokes go bust and even at times don’t make sense. Having scenes inspired from “Casino” and other mob gambling movies feel like the rip offs they are, and the character development can be a little difficult to believe. As well, some of the editing can be terrible at times, hastily chopped together like one of Mantzoukas' schemes. With all of that in mind, “House”’s biggest sin is being forgettable. It’s easy to want to see the characters develop, but when the credits roll it’s tough to remember much else about the ride you’ve just taken. Ultimately, it will come to wondering if one should have let it ride, or cashed their chips in while they were ahead.

Rating:

3/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Big Drive

2011’s “Big Drive”, written and directed by Anita Lebeau.

What is it about?

“Big Drive” is an animated short film about a family of 6 in Manitoba, Canada (go NFB!), whom go on a road trip. Mostly absent from the narrative (except as the silent partners who drive and sit in the front of the car) are the parents, along with their very imaginative 4 school aged children. They hit the road, and go through the various stages of journeying. From apprehension to boredom to rage over how your sister is pulling your hair to unpredictable bathroom breaks, they go through it all.

Why is it worth seeing?

Anybody who’s ever been on a road trip with multiple young children (but not too young that they just sleep the whole time) will instantly connect with the depiction of 4 sisters in the back seat trying to amuse themselves while trying not to start WWIII with their siblings. But as the drive drags on, the lack of space between the siblings becomes a creative launching pad for their fertile imaginations, as they create scenarios depicted here that are collaborative and wholesome (and at times almost psychedelic in their creativity and brightness).

“BD” is a movie about the way life changes, and just when we think we’ve adapted, how it will change again. But it’s also a heartfelt memorial to the family trips that most people (who are blessed enough to have a family to go with) have taken, for better or worse. The late comedian Bill Hicks once said that instead of going on vacation with their families, that it would be more productive for families to just take LSD together. In any case, “BD” smartly celebrates the resiliency of children. While it’s animation could use some improvement (check out the cat pawing at a flat dragonfly, or the distracting use of both photo realistic imagery with the animation), “BD” is a very short, cute, and pleasant ride.

Rating:

4/5

Trailer: Click Here (It's 9 minutes long, here's the entire movie).

Mistress America

2015’s “Mistress America”, directed by Noah Baumbach.

Starring Greta Gerwig, Lola Kirke, Matthew Shear, Jasmine Cephas-Jones, Kathryn Erbe, Michael Chernus, Heather Lind, and Cindy Cheung.

What is it about?

“MA” is about a docile college freshman (Lola Kirke) who is a literary major at a New York campus. Freshly moved and new to the city, she meets classmates and potential romantic partners (such as Matthew Shear). She also has a newly engaged mother (Kathryn Erbe) who’s fiancée has a daughter who also lives in New York (Greta Gerwig). With her college setting, and with Gerwig’s metropolitan experience/teachings, Kirke is in a particularly fecund position to experience her mid 20’s metamorphosis. Will she able to develop a personality that’s actually worth developing?

Why is it worth seeing?

The somewhat prolific team (and married couple) of Gerwig and Baumbach unite again (both co-writing with her acting and him at the helm) to create another New York City based dramedy about adultlescence (such as 2013’s “Frances Ha”). While the duo’s work can easily be interpreted as some sort of new wave Woody Allen (New York based, young and metropolitan, neurosis saturated), I prefer to think of the zeitgeist here as John Hughes 2.0, if he had made films this millennium about 20-somethings instead of teens. The pulsing contemporary soundtrack, exploratory conversational wanderings of it’s protagonist, and existential ramblings of it’s characters certainly ring some bells and remind me of the times spent in my 20’s becoming whom I am today.

Here, Gerwig reprises a variation of her “Frances” character: bouncing from topic to topic, switching tones constantly; from serious, funny, heartfelt, dramatic, psycho, immature, and in general refusing to stick with any one story about her life… Her Times Square apartment (and subsequent urbane lifestyle) inspires Kirke out of her subservient approach to others, but the cracks in Gerwig’s sleek armour start to show quite quickly, and Kirke starts to understand the line between the fantasy and the reality.

Not that the setting depicted helps Kirke in her journey- Baumbach and Gerwig’s story at one point attempts to cram all the characters into 1 scene and just watches them bounce off each other like ping pong balls. It creates a farcical kind of sketch comedy vibe that is at times hilarious, and other times groan inducing.

While “Mistress” can be a little too in love with itself (and the jealous girlfriend played by Jasmine Cephas-Jones is just plain ridiculous), it’s an authentic portrayal of the urban mid 20’s (predominately white) urban scene that at times can be quite funny.

Rating:

3.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Nocturama

2017’s “Nocturama”, directed by Bertrand Bonello.

Starring Finnegan Oldfield, Vincent Rottiers, Hamza Meziani, Manal Issa, Martin Petit-Guyot, Jamil McCraven, and Rabah Nait Oufella.

What is it about?

Nocturama is a tale about a (very) loosely connected group of individuals in current day Paris, who commit themselves to terrorism. Taking place over the course of 24 hours, the film has 2 distinct acts. The first is the group’s members going about the setting up of their terroristic acts, and the subsequent results. The second is the group hiding in a massive department store, waiting for the hubbub to pass over so they can avoid the police and escape from their crimes undetected.

Why is it worth seeing?

Listed by some as one of the best films of the year, it appears that I am guilty of being that guy who just doesn’t “get” this film. “Nocturama” (referring to the part of the zoo that houses nocturnal animals) certainly has it’s appeals: freakishly unique,  tons of style, a hip soundtrack, it looks great, is an interesting grab bag of past director’s styles and tropes (“Assault on Precinct 13”, “Dawn of the Dead”, “Elephant”), is a commentary on capitalism and it’s excesses, and finally it can inspire a LOT of conversation about terrorism’s potential strengths based on the failings of the society that it wants to prey upon.

But I found it slow- agonizingly so (I fell asleep). The choice to have an ongoing updating clock throughout the first act, instead of a timer and no indicator of when the time to strike is, eviscerates the potential of mounting tension. And the movie refuses to explain any of the characters’ motivations in joining the terrorist group, nor explain the group’s goals in actually committing the acts- despite having flashbacks of the characters.

Another strength I haven’t mentioned is the stakes involved- this is life and death stuff, and the movie does not hide from the consequences of these actions. This brings up the question of how this group could have planned so poorly for such an important task. However, again in it’s defence, perhaps that’s the best the characters can do. Twice, they express their bewilderment at being alive in present day society. When the credits roll, it’s tough to know what to say about this opaque art film and it’s group’s mission- was it accomplished?

Rating:

3/5

Trailer: Click Here.

The River Wild

1994’s "The River Wild”, directed by Curtis Hanson.

Starring Meryl Streep, David Straitharn, John C. Reilly, Kevin Bacon, Joseph Mazzello, and Benjamin Bratt.

What is it about?

Streep stars here as a teacher, married to partially estranged workaholic architect (Straitharn). They have 1 adolescent son (Mazzello), and together decide to go on a white water rafting camping expedition. With plans to meet the maternal grandparents at the end of the their journey, Streep has enough knowledge of rowing and rafting survival techniques for the 3 of them- and the stage is set for a nice weekend of enjoying nature and perhaps patching up the relationship between Streep and Staitharn’s characters. However, the family meet up with a friendly duo of rafters (Reilly and Bacon), whom are very forwards, but increasingly suspicious in their actions. Before the family knows it, they are navigating through the rapids as hostages. Will they be able to survive both their captors and the river’s forces?

Why is it worth seeing?

I came into this film vaguely remembering the commercials from when it was released, and wasn’t sure if this was going to be vintage Streep or slumming Streep. The end results were somewhere in the middle. Streep can do anything, and she is perfectly capable as the do everything girl scout, able to convey expertise, innocence, and maternal instinct when needed. Straitharn’s character is a little less believable, as the fish out of water managerial workaholic who seems out of his element both spending time with his family, and in nature. Bacon’s performance is superb, as the charming but menacing criminal. Finally, the child actor, Mazzello, is a serious issue. Much like Jurassic Park before it, he plagues this film with his irritating presence. The script doesn’t help him either, as he bonds with the family’s captors because of their knowledge of Jane’s Addiction, while he has no idea what his father does for employment.

In “Wild”, Hansen does a good job of creating suspense from a relatively stagnant concept (Potential marketing: “It’s Speed on a Raft!”), but the script at times tells instead of just showing- and letting the audience make up it’s own mind. Overall, the movie has some absolutely lovely flora and fauna, and we end up cheering for the family to overcome their adversity and reconnect as a unit. At times, the drama can be easy to get swept up into, like a Class 5 rapid.

Rating:

3.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Frances Ha

2013’s “Frances Ha”, directed by Noah Baumbach.

Starring Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Michal Zegen, Michael Esper, Adam Driver, and Patrick Heusinger.

What is it about?

Gerwig stars as a 27 year old New York based dancer, who is adrift in her life and struggling to find direction. We see her being best friends with Mickey Sumner, and the 2 are inseparable until one day Sumner announces she’s moving in with her boyfriend into his trendy apartment- which sends Gerwig spiraling. Already having tenuous employment circumstances, she jumps from living situation to living situation, desperate to fulfill some vision of what being a New York based 20 something vagabond with limited life skills is like. Things start to come to a head when Gerwig finds herself on a 2 day Paris trip, due to wanting to appear a certain way in conversation at a dinner party. Will she ever grow up, or is she doomed to spend her life in perpetual adultescence?

Why is it worth seeing?

Remember that stage in your life where you were growing up, had graduated from college, and were both parts moving on from your friends and they were moving on from you? Director/co-writer Noah Baumbach may, and he certainly knows how to help us re-live it. Him and star/co-writer Gerwig do their best to create a central character based out of New York who is sweetly naïve- but ridiculous at every turn. Constantly insecure while telling others lies about the success of her life, she maintains her façade, lying to perfect strangers, her best friend, and even her parents west in California (actually played by Gerwig’s real life parents). At times, she shuns good luck and favours from well meaning people for reasons unclear to us.

“FH” performs like a perfectly maintained jalopy, threatening to seize with awkwardness and discomfort at the true to life dialogue, but it never abandons it’s focus or love for our heroine’s plight. Helping out in spades, is the hip crew that comes along into Gerwig's life, such as Adam Driver (flaky but strong), and Michal Zegen (flakier but friendlier).

Shot in black and white to emphasize the low fi aspects, “FH” is the perfect length of a movie, and as I watched I wondered if the flick wraps itself up too nicely, or if this character could even find success after watching her kill golden goose after goose- but it’s impossible to feel anything but delight at the closing scene. At time hilarious, with a perfectly punctuated ending, “Frances Ha” is a joy that I can’t wait to see again.

Rating:

4.5/5

Trailer: Click Here.

Big Trouble in Little China

1986’s “Big Trouble in Little China”, directed by John Carpenter.

Starring Kurt Russell, Dennis Dun, Victor Wong, James Hong, Kim Cattrell, Kate Burton, and Suzee Pai.

What is it about?

Russell stars as an outspoken trucker, resting on his route in San Francisco, and visiting his old friend, Dun. After a night of drunken gambling, Russell goes with Dun to pick up Dun’s fiancee (Suzee Pai) at the airport. A unruly gang shows up to kidnap Pai, and despite Russell’s (lack of) heroics, gets away. Hot on her trail, Russell and Dun end up in Chinatown, where 2 rival gangs get into an epic kung fu battle. The battle appears to be over, when 3 martial arts cosmic masters show up and begin slaughtering the group indiscriminately. Russell and Dun leave in Russell’s truck, and end up running over a Chinese immortal (Victor Wong). Disorientated by the resulting beams of light shooting out of his mouth and eyes, Russell and Dun leave on foot, regroup with more friends (such as lawyer Kim Cattrell), and go about recovering Dun’s fiancé, Russell’s truck, and in getting a story to report on. Deep in the sewers of San Francisco, the gang end up penetrating Wong’s stronghold, and embark on a journey of illicit telephone repairs, floating eyeball creatures, jailed prisoners, demon hellions, and lightning and mysticism sorcery.

Why is it worth seeing?

“Big Trouble” is the bible for adolescent boys, a throwback to the days where the North American zeitgeist was based around “American Ninja” and dojos on every street corner promising suburban kids that they could use martial arts to kick ass. It also happens to be a rollicking good time. There are those that will say it is stupid- they are missing the point and projecting! Kill them!

This is the genuine article, a rollicking kung fu epic with just enough lightning and sword fights to promise an annual re-watch from those who can stomach the absurd premise and cartoon fighting. Carpenter, ever the master of B movies, took an abrupt left turn from works such as “Halloween”, “Assault on Precinct 13”, and “Prince of Darkness” to make something as goofy as it gets. Once you suspend your sense of reality, “Big Trouble” moves fast and doesn’t stop until the final temple (resembling a food court) crumbles from the martial arts mayhem. Russell, who generally has done some of his best work with Carpenter, here does the world’s least competent impression of John Wayne, all bluster and zero follow through- and the results are hilarious. This is one American hero who does not save the day- but he tries! And his friends kick ass for him! “Yes sir, your cheque’s in the mail!”
For those who can appreciate retro camp, “Big Trouble” is big fun that features almost as many laughs as back flips.

Rating:

4/5

Trailer: Click Here.