5 ideas about 5 movies

Hello!

And welcome to a slightly different type of a movie review. Long story short: I have been feeling a bit burned out after writing 2-3 movie reviews per week while also writing a lot of essays for my studies. Thus, as soon as the summer started, I almost stopped writing completely and missed out on reviewing quite a few films. In order to get myself back to writing without pushing myself too much and in order to catch up on the missed reviews ASAP, I decided to review all the 5 films together in 1 post. Thankfully, these movies easily lend themselves to this type of format, as they all have a similar message and some shared ideas.

The movies that I will be discussing are: I Feel Pretty, Life of the Party, Book Club, Eddie, and Tully. You might have heard about some or all of these films. If you know anything about them, then you know what’s their connection: they are all female-driven films that encourage women to live at ever age (yes, even after 30) and however they want (as mothers, as career women, as both or neither, or as whoever they want to be). Let’s go over all the pictures one by one in a bit more detail and see what exactly they were doing with the overarching topic of female empowerment.

• I Feel Pretty

I Feel Pretty is the latest Amy Schumer comedy (joining Trainwreck and Snatched), written and directed by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein (who did How To Be Single recently). I have always appreciated Schumer’s ‘zero f*cks given’ attitude but never found her jokes particularly funny or original. I had similarly mixed feelings about this film. I wasn’t sure and I’m still not sure whether this movie portrayed character growth or was confused about its message. Was the movie trying to portray body positivity or body shaming? Was it condoning or celebrating egoism and privilege? Were we laughing with or at Schumer’s character? It’s been like 3 months since I saw the film and I’m still not sure. Rate: 3/5

• Life of the Party

The second comedy out of the five films, Life of the Party is less raunchy than I Feel Pretty and has a clearer message. Mellisa McCarthy starred and wrote the film, while her husband Ben Falcone directed it (the duo previously worked on Tammy and The Boss together). The main idea of the movie was the female empowerment through higher education, specifically. The film also promoted female friendship and solidarity, which both are super important. On the entertainment side, the movie was funny but a bit cringe-y too. Rate: 3.3/5

• Book Club

The third comedy of the bunch, Book Club stars the creme de la creme of Hollywood: Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen. Bill Holderman directed the film (in a directorial debut) from a script written by him and Erin Simms (TV actress). Book Club was my favorite of the three comedies because it had the best-written dialogue and banter and also promoted female friendship not only in college (like Life of the Party) but throughout one’s whole life. It also showcased 4 successful women with different career and life choices (variety is important as any life choice is valid!). Lastly, Book Club, even though inspired by Fifty Shades of Grey, somehow felt the most profound out of all the comedies. Rate: 4/5

• Edie

The indie version of Book Club, Eddie is small British drama about not being afraid to live and follow one’s dream at any age. While Book Club gets to the same message through a raunchy book, Edie gets there through hiking in Scotland. Sheila Hancock stars as the frustrating and sympathetic lead, while Elizabeth O’Halloran writes and Simon Hunter directs. In addition to Book Club, this film also reminded me of other indie dramas like The Leisure Seeker and Finding Your Feet! Rate: 3.7/5

• Tully

The last of the films and the second drama of the five, Tully was the film that surprised me the most. Starring Charlize Theron (in another, Monster-esque de-glamourized role) and Mackenzie Davis, written by Diablo Cody and directed by Jason Reitman (the duo behind Juno), Tully tells the not sugar coated at all story of a tired mother. It has a Bad Moms set-up but doesn’t go the comedy route. Instead, its story goes into an unexpected direction in order to present a message that a simple family life is as valid of a life choice as any other, even if it is no longer promoted as much in the media (‘a career woman’ is the desired ideal these days and my personal ideal too. And yet, this ode to motherhood of a movie states, moms should be celebrated and idolized just as much). Rate: 4/5

To conclude, I hope you enjoyed reading my slightly rushed and probably confused take on 5 movies that I’ve seen recently and somehow managed to connect in my own head!

 

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Movie review: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Hello!

And welcome to a review of a film that I was looking forward to for a decade! This is Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again!

IMDb summary: Five years after the events of Mamma Mia! (2008), Sophie learns about her mother’s past while pregnant herself.

Writing

Mamma Mia 2 was written by Catherine Johnson (the playwright who wrote the first film as well as the original theatre production), Richard Curtis (the writer of some classic romantic movies, like the Bridget Jones series), Ol Parker (the director of the film). I highly enjoyed the story of the second film. I loved the fact that it was a prequel and a sequel hybrid that took the narrative both forward and backward. I thought that the blend of the two timelines was really neat and the connections that were drawn between the characters in the past and the present allowed the movie to explore some great themes. The multigenerational family dynamics (mother-daughter bonds), family, friendship, love, adventure were all touched upon to some extent. The movie also had some weird accidental meetings that were only there to allow the film to include more musical numbers. I would have been mad about that if they weren’t ABBA songs, which I love unconditionally.

Additionally, it was also interesting to see the tonne difference between this film and the original. While Here We Go Again! was still a fun comedy, it did have a more somber tone than the first film. There was an overwhelming feeling of mourning even if the healthy kind (by ‘healthy’ I mean mourning that is hopeful and has a foreseeable ending). Plus, the majority if not all of the romantic plotlines included a lot of heartbreak and wasted opportunities type of ideas.

Directing

Ol Parker of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movies directed Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! directed the second film and did a great job. Still, I wonder why Phyllida Lloyd, the director of the first film, didn’t helm the sequel. Was she asked and declined? Wasn’t she asked at all? Up until just last year, her original film was the highest grossing movie directed by a woman. It was also the highest grossing musical. (Wonder Woman and Beauty and the Beast dethroned it from the two top spots).

Anyways, I thought that the second film was crafted beautifully. The transitions between the two timelines and between the different locations in the musical numbers were seamless and beautiful. It was nice to hear some ‘new’ ABBA songs as well as some new takes on the songs used in the first film. The 70s setting of the past timeline was also very fun because it was true to ABBA’s roots. I also loved how self-aware the movie was and how it had a carefree attitude too. My one gripe was the fact that it had some fake looking backgrounds in a few musical numbers.

Acting

Mamma Mia 2 had a great cast. The favorites from the original returned, including Amanda Seyfried (who was recently in Gringo), Meryl Streep (in a cameo appearance / The Post, Florence Foster Jenkins), Dominic Cooper (not gonna lie, was a bit weird to see him as Sky after seeing him on Preacher; he was also in Warcraft not that long ago), Christine Baranski and Julie Walters (the best (and most relatable) duo of friends that I wish to have when I’m older), and Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth (Kingsman), and Stellan Skarsgård (all of who have barely aged in 10 years).

Joining them was Lily James (whose film career has been blossoming with Cinderella, Baby Driver, Darkest Hour, Guernsey), Jessica Keenan Wynn, Alexa Davies, Jeremy Irvine, Hugh Skinner, and Josh Dylan. The younger counterparts were very respectful of the beloved characters that they got to play but also made them their own and were charming in their own right. Lastly, Cher (who should really cover all ABBA songs) and Andy García rounded out the already perfect cast!

In short, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! is a fun but slightly sad summer musical, certainly worthy of the original!

Rate: 4.5/5

Trailer: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! trailer

Movie review: Ant-Man and the Wasp

Hello!

And welcome to a review of a film that is supposed to sustain MCU fans till Avengers 4. This is Ant-Man and the Wasp!

IMDb summary: As Scott Lang balances being both a Super Hero and a father, Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym present an urgent new mission that finds the Ant-Man fighting alongside The Wasp to uncover secrets from their past.

As per usual, just before we start, these are my previous MCU reviews: Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Civil War, Doctor Strange, The Winter Soldier, Age of Ultron, Guardians 1and 2, Infinity War, and, of course, the original Ant-Man.

Writing

Ant-Man and the Wasp was written by a whole bunch of writers: Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers (who both have worked on The Lego Batman, Spider-Man and Jumanji before), the star of the film – Paul Rudd, and Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari (another writing duo that doesn’t have a lot of credits on IMDb yet ). I thought that they did a good job with the script. The film had a good opening to catch the viewer up on the previous events and this film’s place in the timeline. It was also rooted in MCU lore but accessible enough for the newcomers. It was also a good sequel as it took Scott Lang’s story further and forwards.

It was also nice to see a female character getting at least half of a solo movie in MCU (finally!). The superhero-couple idea was also neat and was probably the best romantic plotline in MCU (Hulk/Black Widow didn’t really work, Gamora/Starlord always felt rushed, and only Vision/Wanda is/was a neat pairing, just wish it had more screen time). It was also nice to see the idea of the generations of superheroes in the film and the passing of the mantle between the heroes – that happens in the comics all the time but hasn’t really been touched upon in the movies before. The picture’s villain wasn’t the best but also wasn’t bad. Her intentions seemed valid and believable. The movie was also quite chucklesome if not laugh out loud funny. Overall, while I didn’t think that Ant-Man and the Wasp was one of the staple/must-watch MCU films, it was thoroughly enjoyable and a well-written summer actioner.

Directing

Peyton Reed, who directed some amount of the first film (remember that Edgar Wright debacle?), helmed the second film and did a neat job. The pacing was good and the narrative was translated to the screen cohesively. The shrinking action was also inventive and fun to watch.

Mid/Post-credits scenes

The film had two scenes at the end. The mid-credits scene acted as a follow-up to Avengers: Infinity Warand was a continuation of that heartbreak. It also raised some questions about the character’s potential comeback in the 4th Avengersfilm. The post-credits scene was fun but kinda a let-down and not really necessary.

Acting

Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man and Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne / Wasp were both great – likable and believable. Their chemistry worked too. Michael Peña (The Martian, Collateral Beauty, 12 Strong, A Wrinkle in Time) had a couple of great scenes that have become signature of his character’s Luis. Walton Goggins (The Death Cure, The Hateful Eight, Tomb Raider) was good as another slightly off-putting and potentially crazy villain Sonny Burch. Hannah John-Kamen was also good as Ava Starr / Ghost. It was nice to see Michelle Pfeiffer (mother!) as Janet van Dyne, though she wasn’t in the movie much. Laurence Fishburne (John Wick 2) jumped shipped from DCEU to MCU to portray Bill Foster, a former colleague of Hank Pym’s, played superbly, once again, by Michael Douglas.

In short, Ant-Man and the Wasp was a tasty treat for all MCU fans, broken after Infinity War.

Rate: 4.3/5

Trailer: Ant-Man and the Wasp trailer

Movie review: Sicario: Day of the Soldado

Hello!

And welcome to a review of a sequel that I did not think Hollywood would make but I’m so glad they did. This is Sicario 2 or Sicario: Day of the Soldado.

IMDb summary: The drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the US border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver re-teams with the mercurial Alejandro.

Writing

Sicario 2 was written by Taylor Sheridan – the same screenwriter who wrote the first Sicario as well as such great pictures as Hell or High Water and Wind River. I thought that the writing for the sequel was quite spectacular for the most part. I highly appreciated how topical the movie was, tackling topics that one sees on the news daily. I also loved the ambiguity in the script: the film didn’t have the clear ‘good side’ and it also did not have a conclusion or a clear ‘winning side’. No real happy ending in the film as in life.

The narrative was a bit convoluted and murky at times but I thought that was an accurate representation of the modern warfare. Plans rarely go as planned, layers of authority make decisions impossible to make, and various actors have their own agendas I also really loved how the movie touched upon the ideas of performance within warfare. It was also interesting to see the movie trying to deal with more personal stuff within a context of war.

My only gripe with the film was that I did not think its 3rd act was as strong as the first two. The intensity dropped, the story stopped, and the movie finished a bit of an underwhelming fashion. It tried setting up a sequel which is never an easy way to finish a picture.

Directing

Stefano Sollima, an Italian director, took over the reins of the now-franchise from Denis Villeneuve and crafted an intense and cohesive film, definitely worthy of the first one. The sequel was violent but maybe not as shocking as the first picture. The intensity was still palpable, though. The instrumental score, full of deep and low sounds could be felt in one’s body (if your cinema has a good sound system). The cinematography was great too – static continuous shots of Mexico’s landscape made nature seem both gorgeous and threatening/mysterious.

Acting

Soldado’s cast consisted of Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, and Jeffrey Donovan reprising their roles, with Isabela Moner, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Elijah Rodriguez and Catherine Keener joining the film. I feel kinda bad for Emily Blunt, as she was sort of the star of the previous film but didn’t/couldn’t return (wasn’t asked to return?) for the sequel. Del Toro killed it in the role again and Brolin (Only the Brave, Hail, Caesar!, Everest) was amazing too (I loved the last shot of him in the hellicopter and just that tiny hint of emotion in his eyes due to the loss of his comrade). I do love the range of the two actors – from The Collector/a smuggler in the Star Wars Universe and Thanos/Cable to the characters in Soldado! Moner was able to showcase her acting abilities so much better in this film than in Transformers 6. It was also nice to see the movie showcasing some Mexican talent – another group of performers that goes underappreciated and underexposed so often in Hollywood.

In short, Sicario 2: Day of the Soldado is a great-looking and smart sequel that will definitely keep you glued to the edge of your seat for at least 2/3 of the film.

Rate: 3.9/5

Trailer: Sicario: Day of the Soldado

5 ideas about a movie: Tag

Hello!

And welcome to the review of Tag, or what Hawkeye was doing instead of fighting Thanos!

IMDb summary: A small group of former classmates organize an elaborate, annual game of tag that requires some to travel all over the country.

1. Tag was written by Rob McKittrick and Mark Steilen (two fairly unknown writers), based on a true story about 5 friends, who have been playing tag for 3 decades. A lot of the developments in the story were embellished and exaggerated for the movie, however, a lot of the core elements o the narrative were actually true as the real footage during the credits proves. You know what else felt real about this comedy? Its sincere message.
2. I loved the focus on adult friendship in the film and the message that growing up doesn’t have to mean losing the fun in life or growing apart. I highly appreciated that misquoted quote “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” too (I do love cheesy words of wisdom, have a whole board o them on my wall). In addition to a nice message, the film’s humor also worked mostly because it also felt real – the banter between the friends, the inside jokes, the blasts from the past were all familiar and relatable elements for the audience.
3. Jeff Tomsic directed Tag and did a great job with his cinematic debut (his previous work has mostly been TV related). Tag had a weird ‘we are taking this way too seriously’ tone that was self-referential and tongue-in-cheek rather than annoying or cringe-y. The style o the action scenes, which were exciting and entertaining, was also very fitting and displayed a good usage of slow-mo and voice-over combination.
4. A big reason why this movie worked was its cast and the chemistry between them. Ed Helms, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Jake Johnson, Hannibal Buress made characters with little development be seen as three-dimensional humans. This was probably Helms best performance I have seen in a couple of years, while Renner (MI5, Wind River, Arrival) seemed like he was having so much fun with the role (way more than he appears to have when he is playing Hawkeye). Hamm’s (Baby Driver) and Johnson’s (The Mummy) characters worked well as competitors of sorts, while Buress (Blockers) commentary was top-notch.
5. On the supporting/female front we had Annabelle Wallis (The Mummy) as the clear-headed outsider (I liked that she wasn’t portrayed as too serious or judgemental) and Isla Fisher (who was a bit crazy but so much fun. Her comedic chops should definitely be appreciated more than they are).

In short, Tag is an entertaining and sincere comedy that might not be a must-watch but makes for a great time.

Rate: 4/5

Trailer: Tag trailer

Movie review: Ocean’s 8

Hello!

And welcome back to the sporadic AF movie reviews. Ocean’s 8 is the topic for today.

IMDb summary: Debbie Ocean gathers an all-female crew to attempt an impossible heist at New York City’s yearly Met Gala.

Writing

Ocean’s 8 – a spin-off of the original trilogy rather than its reboot (this is no Ghostbusters) – was written by the director of the film Gary Ross and Olivia Milch (she is writing a Barbie movie next, don’t know how to react to that). There was a lot to like in the script. To begin with, I liked how this action film was kept feminine with the focus on the MetGala and diamonds. A decision to make women steal diamonds might be seen as playing into stereotypes. However, I’d argue that by keeping a feminine focus, Ocean’s 8 fights the stereotype that strong women, especially female action stars, have to be masculine. Some of them might be masculine, while others might prefer femininity (or a mixture of the two). And Ocean’s 8 showcases that by having a variety of women of different colors/shapes/sizes/styles as the core characters. While the character development isn’t plentiful, there is enough of it to make each character necessary and at least a tiny bit interesting.

Additionally, while Ocean’s 8 stands on the shoulders of the original Ocean’s trilogy, it doesn’t lean on them too hard, meaning that one can go into this movie not knowing anything of the first 3 films and completely get the plot of this one. As I wasn’t a fan of the original films, I also didn’t mind some of the developments/reveals about the original characters in this film (some fans might actually be legitimately annoyed by them). Personally, my main problem with this movie was its structure. I loved the first two acts – the pre-heist set-up and the actual heist. However, I feel like the whole 3rd act, rather than being a big finale, was a boring wrap-up that dragged immensely. The investigation and the reveals felt both rushed and like the movie was overstaying its welcome.

Directing

Gary Ross (of the first Hunger Games film and Free State of Jones) directed Ocean’s 8, while Steven Soderbergh – the director behind Ocean’s 11,12, and 13 – stayed on as a producer. I thought that Ross handled the material well, the narrative made sense and was intense for the most part. Pacing had some issues, especially the pacing of the aforementioned third act. The glitz and the glamours of the MetGala were realized accurately.

Acting

Undeniably, the best part about Ocean’s 8 was its cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter. I adored the female solidarity and friendship on display. Cate Blanchett (Thor 3, Cinderella, Carol) was my absolute favorite – I loved her character’s outfits, charisma, and just effortless coolness. I also enjoyed seeing Hathaway (Alice 2) playing the gossip sites’ version of herself. I also loved seeing Bullock, back on screen in a lead role as I feel I haven’t seen her in a big movie in ages (since Gravity). Kaling (A Wrinkle in Time) and Paulson (The Post) were also really fun to see. I loved the uber contemporary vibes that Awkwafina brought to the film and I loved seeing Rihanna actually having a character to play rather than just being there to look pretty (*cough, cough*, Valerian. BTW, I’ve been to her concert some years before and wrote about that). Bonham Carter (Suffragette) was also good in the film, though I feel like she played her typical, slightly awkward and over-the-top type of a personality.

Ocean’s 8 also featured some cool celebrity cameos, some neat cameos by the original cast, and a short appearance by James Corden (Peter Rabbit), who is always a delight to see.

In short, Ocean’s 8 was a great all-female thriller. It might not please everyone, but then again, why does it have too?

Rate: 4/5

Trailer: Ocean’s 8 trailer

 

Movie review: Deadpool 2

Hello!

Welcome to a review of Deadpool 2. Took me absolutely forever (4 weeks and 3 screenings) to finally write it.

IMDb summary: Foul-mouthed mutant mercenary Wade Wilson (AKA. Deadpool), brings together a team of fellow mutant rogues to protect a young boy with supernatural abilities from the brutal, time-traveling cyborg, Cable.

Writing

The Deadpool sequel was written by the same duo that wrote the first film – Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, however, this time around, the star of the movie – Ryan Reynolds – also got a writing credit. I thought that the second film’s writing was fairly similar to the first one’s writing in that, the screenwriters took a familiar plot and packaged it in new and exciting ways. While the first film was an origin story of sorts, the sequel did the typical superhero sequel thing and took away the familiar things from the hero, taught him a lesson, and expanded the universe. And yet, while we all have seen these elements before, they still felt fresh because they were accompanied by that unique to Deadpool tone: humor, references to the real world, the 4th wall breaks, etc. The Easter Eggs were plentiful and I don’t know if any one person can actually get all of them, I certainly didn’t. The Mid-Credits scenes contained the best jokes so make sure you wait for them! (Although you have probably already seen the movie as I’m so late with this review).

And yet, while Deadpool 2 was similar to the first film in a lot of ways, it also felt different because it came across as more sincere – seriously emotional (this come from the loss and the lesson elements in the picture). It also felt very comic-book and had an ending that combined Logan’s and Doctor Strange’s 3rd acts (save a kid + play with time). Cable worked well in the story, though his first appearance felt a bit out of nowhere. In general, this picture engrained itself more into the X-Men lore but in true Deadpool fashion, did not fully commit.

Directing

David Leitch – the one half of the directing duo behind John Wick and the director of Atomic Blonde – helmed Deadpool 2 and did a spectacular job. The hand to hand combat was good and the bigger budget was well utilized on the bigger explosive action scenes. The pacing worked well too and the emotional core of the movie was also handled well. The soundtrack was fun too (what’s dubstep tho?:D).

Acting

Ryan Reynolds pulled double duty as both Wade Wilson / Deadpool and Juggernaut and was absolutely incredible. Nobody can deny that he was born to be Deadpool, not just play the role but fully embody it. Josh Brolin was amazing as Cable and topped his very recent performance as Thanos! Morena Baccarin returned as Vanessa and had some neat scenes. Hunt for the Wilderpeople’s Julian Dennison joined the cast as Russell Collins / Firefist alongside another newcomer Zazie Beetz as Domino. Both of them were great and I can’t wait to see more of them in X-Force (potentially/probably). T.J. Miller (Ready Player One) also appeared in a film and in a significantly reduced role, probably because of all the legal issues that surround him. Brianna Hildebrand returned as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, while Deadpool’s BFF Colossus was again voiced by Stefan Kapičić. The movie also featured some fun cameos by Terry Crews, Bill Skarsgård, Rob Delaney, Brad Pitt, Alan Tudyk, and Matt Damon.

In short, Deadpool 2 is similar to the first film but also tops it with a stronger emotional core and more expensive action!

Rate: 4.5/5

Trailer: Deadpool 2 trailer

 

Movie review: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Hello!

And welcome to a review of a movie that nobody really asked for and not a lot of people are going out to see. This is Solo: A Star Wars Story!

IMDb summary: During an adventure into the criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his future copilot Chewbacca and encounters Lando Calrissian years before joining the Rebellion.

Before going to see the film, I had my own reservations. I wasn’t a 100 percent on board with the casting choices. The behind-the-scenes drama and the changing directors also shook up my already weak confidence in this movie. And yet, I tried going in with an open mind and I’m glad to say that I did have fun with this movie, despite its flaws. Let’s discuss!

Writing

Solo was written by a father and son duo, Lawrence Kasdan (writer of Episodes 5,6, and 7) and Jonathan Kasdan (TV writer and actor). I have mixed feelings about the script that they penned for this movie. Solo was truly an origin film that showcased the origins of every single aspect relating to Han Solo. I wasn’t really sure whether we needed to see everything: how he got his name, blaster, costume, sidekick, favorite supporting character, taste in women, and a cynical attitude. And yet, every time the references came up, I geeked out internally. The Chewie and Lando meetings were some of the best scenes and I really loved seeing the beginning of those relationships. The taste in women part annoyed me a bit, mainly because I felt like Han’s relationship to Qi’ra undermined his later relationship with Leia and made it less special (there wasn’t a lot of difference between Qi’ra and Leia).

The cynical attitude of Han’s mostly formed during the 3rd act of this film. He did seem way more hopeful and sincere in the first two acts than I expected him to be. However, the multiple twists and turns and betrayals in the 3rd act, while not really working that well for the actual narrative of the film, did work well as steps of Han’s character development. Also, I did like how, despite all the hardships that he went through, the script underscored that he was a good guy, as that goes well with his choice of a side in the original trilogy.

Solo not only referenced the original trilogy but also tied itself to the prequels and the animated TV shows. That was quite an unexpected choice. Does that mean that they are gonna bring back some of the characters from this movie in the later projects? I feel like I preferred Rogue One’s type of an ending better – more standalone-ish rather than with a promise of a continuation.

Directing

Ron Howard (Inferno, In The Heart of The Sea) directed the film, while the original Solo’s directors – Philip A. Lord and Christopher Miller (of The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street) got executive producer credits. I thought that Howard did a good job. The picture was certainly competently made and looked and felt appropriately grim, dirty and grounded. And yet, the Star Wars space opera feeling was also there, especially in the choice of locations and background characters (the movie was grounded but cosmic too). The pacing worked for me too – the movie was quite action-packed, so I don’t understand how the critics are saying that they had pacing issues. The movie also had an opening crawl but not in the typical style of Star Wars which seemed like an odd choice. If you have an opening crawl, why not make it like the rest?

Acting

Solo’s cast’s acting started off a bit shaky and wooden but got better as the movie progresses. Alden Ehrenreich (Hail, Caesar!) was my biggest question mark going into the film and he impressed me a lot. The character of Han had such an infectious excitement about just being Han and I feel like that was Alden’s own excitement about playing this role. Woody Harrelson (War of Apes, Three Billboards, The Glass Castle, Now You See Me, THG), Emilia Clarke (Terminator 5, Me Before You), and Donald Glover (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Martian) especially were all also really good in the film. It was fun to see Westworld’s Thandie Newton (Gringo) and Paul Bettany (Infinity War) too. Phoebe Waller-Bridge was an absolute scene stealer as Lando’s droid. Joonas Suotamo did a fine job as Chewbacca too.

In short, Solo: A Star Wars Story was a good space adventure that wasn’t necessary for the Star Wars Universe but did no damage to it either (well, except financially, probably).

Rate: 4/5

Trailer: Solo: A Star Wars Story trailer 

5 ideas about a movie: Beast

Hello!

The only movie that is daring to play as counterprogramming to Avengers: Infinity War in the UK cinemas is a small British movie Beast. As it will certainly be overlooked by a lot of people, I decided to give it a chance.

IMDb summary: A troubled woman living in an isolated community finds herself pulled between the control of her oppressive family and the allure of a secretive outsider suspected of a series of brutal murders.

1. Beast was written and directed by Michael Pearce, who has mostly directed short films before, making this movie his feature debut. Beast was certainly a peculiar story but in the best way possible. I have seen some describing it as a modern fairytale. I guess that’s the case if we are replacing princes and princesses with criminals and psychopaths?
2. Beast’s writing was really great. The set-up of an oppressive, damaging, and not very loving family was very clear and made the viewers instantly feel for the character. The will they/won’t they romance (more like is he the killer or isn’t he?) mystery also worked. I wasn’t entirely sure about the ending, whether the blind love was in any way a good message or whether that finale was a celebration of female empowerment or a celebration of a psychopath as bad as the initial murderer? Is she the titular Beast or was he? Or was it both of them? Or is it all humans, as we are, in one way or the other, deeply flawed creatures?
3. The closed off island and a tight-knit privileged community made for a great setting for this mystery thriller (recently, another English Channel island got spotlighted – Guernsey – but in a completely different type of a film). Just the views of the island itself were really pretty and calming in contrast to the story. It was also interesting to see movie constructing the class difference as a defining factor in how one is going to be perceived a.k.a. painted as the villain. But as it turned out to be the truth, doesn’t that make the movie’s message that lower class individuals more likely to be criminals?
4. From the directing point of view, the movie was slowish but suspenseful and I did like very real and raw visuals. The diegetic noises – the breathing sounds or the sound of crunching grass/dirt – added a lot of ambiance to the movie. The camera work was neat too.
5. The two leads were played by Jessie Buckley (British TV and theatre actress) and Johnny Flynn (TV actor and musician). I was completely unfamiliar with both of the actors but I thought that they did a spectacular job. The performances were believable, relatable, but also slightly off to always keep the viewer on edge.

In short, Beast was a great psychological thriller that left me with a lot of questions to ponder over.

Rate: 4/5

Trailer: Beast trailer

 

 

5 ideas about a movie: Every Day

Hello!

Before watching Avengers: Infinity War, I checked out a smaller YA movie, so that my series of recent YA reviews could continue. This is Every Day!

IMDb summary: A shy teenager falls for someone who transforms into another person every day.

Previous recent YA movies I’ve discussed are linked here: Status Update, Love, Simon, Midnight Sun, Blockers.

1. After watching a fair few of YA movies recently, I’ve sort of realized that they don’t deserve all of the bad-ish rap that they are getting. Not all YA movies are created equal, similarly to how all other films, which aren’t overtly targeted to a specific demographic, are not all good. And while Every Day isn’t the best picture out there, it is certainly not bad and has some new and modern concepts to offer.
2. Every Day was written by Jesse Andrews (the author of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), based on the book of the same name by a well known YA writer David Levithan, and directed by Michael Sucsy (who did 2012’s Rachel McAdams romantic drama The Vow). Its premise was either stupid or genius: stupid in that one needed a lot of suspension of disbelief to take the movie seriously but genius because it led to some neat and very 21st-century topics.
3. I adored Every Day’s take on the trope of the romantic lead and how they could be literally anyone in this movie. Flipped the genre on its head (do any of my readers listen to The Weekly Planet? If yes, I sincerely hope you got that reference). Anyways, I loved how the movie portrayed both identity and sexuality as fluid and asked whether one falls in love with the inner or outer identity.
4. From the directing standpoint, the movie was fine. It was slow like the majority of romantic dramas and had some neat pop songs like a lot of young adult teen movies do.
5. The lead of the film was played by Angourie Rice, who some of you may know from an underappreciated comedy The Nice Guys or Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled. The different romantic interests were played by a whole bunch of actors, some better known than others, like Spider-Man Homecoming’s Jacob Batalon and Paper Towns’ Justice Smith. Debby Ryan also appeared as a sister of the main character – haven’t seen that actress in a project since forever.

In short, Every Day is a very contemporary YA picture that should be given at least a chance.

Rate: 3.5/5

Trailer: Every Day trailer