A Reel Review - AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

Here is an unbreakable axiom; the final chapter of a story needs to be a culmination of all preceding chapters…where every character, threat, and situation is justified in having a purpose and effect on the ending. Marvel’s unprecedented 19^th film, AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, is the beginning of the final chapter, and has the massive task of making a decade’s worth of films count.

Thanos (Josh Brolin), and his gang of murderers (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Terry Notary, Carrie Coon, Michael James Shaw), begin collecting the powerful Infinity Stones, which will give him the power to wipe out half the life in the universe. The Avengers, Earth’s mightiest heroes, have been broken up, but encounter the threats in all different locations. Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), and Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) travel to the far reaches of the galaxy, while Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Vision (Paul Bettany), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) fight off the threat on Earth. Meanwhile, Thor (Chris Hemsworth), encounters the Guardians of the Galaxy (Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Bradley Cooper), and search for the only weapon to kill Thanos.

The structure of INFINTY WAR is built like a WWII film of old; where a large-scale war is fought out on several different fronts. The effects of the preceding chapter, CIVIL WAR, are still being felt…as the Avengers are fractured, broken up, and barely on speaking terms. The threat of Thanos, his army, and his evil thugs doesn’t quite bring Earth’s Mightiest back together, but instead has them dealing with the bad guys on their own in different parts of the planet and in space.

There is a lot of ground to cover here, and directors Joe and Anthony Russo are up to the task. The film blazes from location to location, fighting battle after battle, picking up more information and characters as it goes along. The separate “teams” that the Avengers find themselves in drives the film, and the distinct personalities we’ve come to know and love over the years have plenty of room to collide, clash, and fight together in fascinating ways. There isn’t a lot of time to dig in and explore characters, but the rest is so strong it’s not really a problem.

While digging in isn’t on the menu, letting heroes be heroes is. The Russo’s let these characters do what they do best in their punching, flying, kicking, blasting, and swinging…and every scene is a joy. There is a lot of reliance on the characters’ past histories, and while anyone who comes into this cold may be confused (why would you begin with final chapter?), there is a tremendous payoff to be had as nearly every Marvel film comes into play here. It’s an astounding achievement.

Once the fighting kicks in there is a lot to enjoy. The battles are a thrill, and the might of Thanos gets stronger as he collects the stones…and even after a decade of Marvel superhero movies, it’s difficult to imagine just how our heroes will come out on top here. Thanos, who has been hinted at and peeked at several times over the years, arrives with a bang and takes his rightful place as the villain we’ve been waiting for. He’s powerful and ruthless, but most importantly, his motivations are clear and interesting, and one could make the argument that his reasons for wiping out half the life in the universe are actually on the side of the right.  

With such a large cast, the Russo’s have their work cut out in giving the actors space to express their characters. Robert Downey Jr. has great chemistry with Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, and eventually Chris Pratt, and gets some heavy lifting to do. Also getting an emotional arc is Zoe Saldana and she handles it very well. Chris Evans as Captain America is different from the Cap we’ve seen in previous films, and time-wise he feels a little short-changed here. Josh Brolin rules the film as Thanos, and expresses an incredible character despite the CGI covering. There are also a ton of small cameos, along with one whopper that is sure to stop some hearts.

And speaking of heart-stopping, the finale of INFINITY WAR offers a cardiac-arrest moment which will leave fans staggering out of the theatre and re-define the genre of superhero films. It’s a bold and ambitious decision which leaves only a few standing…and while Thanos believes the selection of who lives and who dies is random, the film gives hints here and there that it may not be; there is something even bigger at work yet to come. With that, this final chapter begins as an astounding piece of entertainment and storytelling. It’s vast stage, and ability to go from pulse-pounding action to tears to laughs to holy-shit-did-that-just-happen moments elevate it from its superhero genre. And we still have one more to go.

BOTTOM LINE: See it  

A Reel Preview - Everything You Need to Know About AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

This week, the biggest film of the year arrives when Marvel Studios unleashes AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. In this spoiler-free preview is everything you need to know about this super-sized epic.

What is this about? – INFINITY WAR is the conclusion of the story that Marvel Studios began telling way back in 2008 with IRON MAN. Since then there have been 18 films (grossing $14.8 billion!), covering Marvel Comics most popular heroes; including Iron Man, Hulk, Spider-Man, Thor, Captain America, Ant-Man, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Dr. Strange, Black Panther, the Winter Soldier, and many more. The primary storyline over these films has been the mysterious Infinity Stones, which have appeared here and there in the series. In INFINITY WAR, the super-villain Thanos (motion captured and voiced by Josh Brolin), who has been seeking the Stones, arrives to collect…only to be rivaled by the Avengers and their super-friends.

Who is in this? – The massive cast gets everyone together from the series; Josh Brolin, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, (the voice of) Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, Tom Hiddleston, Tom Holland, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Karen Gillan, (the voice of) Vin Diesel, Benedict Wong, Pom Klementieff, Benicio del Toro, Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chadwick Boseman…and a few more surprises.

Who is behind this? – INFINITY WAR is directed by the sibling team of Joe and Anthony Russo, who are veterans of the Marvel universe; having helmed the critical hits CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014) and CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (2016).

Random Facts – This is the first time the primary Avengers lineup has been together since AGE OF ULTRON in 2015 * According to Marvel studios, there are around 65 main characters in the film * INFINITY WAR was originally sub-titled Part 1, with Part 2 releasing in 2019. Since then, the sub-titles have been dropped, and the next film is as yet untitled * INFINITY WAR takes place four years after the events of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and its sequel. Both films/stories took place in the same year * The Infinity Stones shown on film so far appeared in AVENGERS (2012), AGE OF ULTRON (2015), GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2014), DR. STRANGE (2016), and THOR: THE DARK WORLD (2015). There is one remaining stone yet to be uncovered * This is Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans’ ninth time playing Iron Man and Captain America, respectively. This ties them with Hugh Jackman (Wolverine in the unrelated X-MEN films), for the actor with the most appearances as the same superhero. * This is the first time the Guardians of the Galaxy will meet the Avengers * This is the longest Marvel film to date at 156 minutes * The film’s cast includes two Oscar winners and eight Oscar nominees.

What to expect – From day one, Marvel has done an impressive and unprecedented job in building their universe and setting up this ultimate showdown...but anyone who has been following the series is well aware that INFINITY WAR has a lot of ground to cover. After all, the Stones are spread out all over the universe with one un-accounted for, and the last we saw the Avengers…they all hated each other’s guts. All that has to be resolved, along with integrating the Guardians and other characters into the mix. So we can expect plenty of galaxy-hopping, and with all major players on the field we can certainly expect one hell of a WAR to be fought on the big screen. Characters are key in a big-budget spectacle like this, and Marvel has always made sure that their adventures are character-driven. The Russo’s have done great work in their last two Marvel outings, and with this being the crown jewel (stone) of the series, we can expect the brothers to step up. Getting here has been a massive undertaking, and the payoff should, and has to be equally massive. This is as large as it gets.

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AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR arrives on April 27^th, in 2D, 3D, and IMAX formats.

A Reel Review: Films of my Father

This Blogger’s dad passed away a year ago this week. Dad loved the movies, and it was a passion that obviously rubbed off on me. Not long after he passed, I had planned on writing a blog to explore the films that he loved; as a way of discovering, reflecting, and most of all, healing…but a year ago I wasn’t ready. Time is a test of all things, and after a year of thinking about it, the moment to journey back feels right. These memories are my own; unspooling like a film projector of old.

Dad was in born in 1942. In that year, the average price of a movie ticket was $0.27. MRS. MINIVER would win Best Picture, James Cagney would win Best Actor for his portrayal of George M. Cohan in YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, and a little film called CASABLANCA would be released. Dad came from a family who liked to tinker, dabble, and experiment with photography and home movies, so cinema was a natural curiosity. According to family legend, dad was literally scared out of his seat during a screening of THE WIZARD OF OZ when the Wicked Witch made one of her surprise appearances.

As a child of the 1950’s, he was surrounded by the most popular genre in film, the Old West…and there was no bigger cowboy in the world than John Wayne. The Duke became a hero to dad for the rest of his life, and his favorite films by the American icon ranged from THE COWBOYS (1972), and TRUE GRIT (1969). He was an avid reader of the classics, especially Sherlock Holmes, and became a fan of Basil Rathbone’s excellent portrayal of the famous detective during his run of 14 movies from 1939 to 1946. Dad’s time in the army, and a family connection to Vietnam would make him a fan of war films, especially PATTON (1970), and another John Wayne film, THE GREEN BERETS (1968). He was a music lover, and his favorites such as Al Jolson and Mario Lanza were happily viewed and revisited in classics such as THE JAZZ SINGER (1927), and THE GREAT CARUSO (1951).

As his first born, I spent many Sunday afternoons with dad in the family room…with him in his recliner and me on the floor, watching the WPIX-TV movie of the week. These classics leaned towards fantasy and sci-fi; FANTASTIC VOYAGE (1966), KING KONG (1933 and 1976), and THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951). This time also included watching the original STAR TREK series, which would eventually lead us to seeing the first three TREK films in the theatre together. HBO would become a big hit in our house, making JAWS (1975) a family favorite, and dad would love to watch THE EXORCIST (1974), while mom would immediately send me to bed. And as a motorcycle enthusiast he loved Bruce Brown’s definitive documentary ON ANY SUNDAY (1971).

In 1977 STAR WARS exploded into our family and stayed there. Dad took the family to see all three films, and was on board with the hordes of toys I would collect…along with using the threat of Darth Vader to send me to bed on time. Later, Indiana Jones would come swinging into our lives, and the third film, THE LAST CRUSADE (1989), which was a father-son story, became another family favorite. To this day, that is the film that I consider to be the perfect Father’s Day movie. When home video arrived, movies were recorded off HBO and carefully cataloged…ready for reference and viewing at a moment’s notice.

Sean Connery was one of his favorite actors, and in 1990 he took my brother and I to see the excellent THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, and he never missed one of Connery’s 007 movies on TV. Many of the films he picked were because of his favorite actors; John Wayne, James Cagney, James Caan, Steve McQueen, Orson Welles, Marlon Brando, Michael Caine, Jodie Foster, and Angelina Jolie.

He enjoyed sci-fi and fantasy and we often watched EXCALIBUR (1981) together. In his later years, he almost never missed a new superhero movie in the theatre, especially the new run of Marvel films. I always found that curious as he was never a comic-book reader, but now I think maybe it was a way of connecting with me. He laughed like a nut over HOME ALONE (1990), and had CAPTAIN AMERICA (2011) and NATIONAL TREASURE (2004) on constant re-watch. Dad also seemed to love a good bad movie; the wacky stuff on the SyFy channel appealed to him, along with THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN (2003), and the two SHERLOCK HOLMES abominations in 2009 and 2011.

No matter what the critics (or I) would write or say about a movie, he still found joy in those bad films, along with the good ones. A movie can be a Rorschach test into someone’s personality, and from my memories I see dad as leaning towards stories of adventure, action, fun, tough-guys, and thinkers…and the conclusions I draw from those memories are my own. Today, his recliner sits empty, and although that is a sad thought, I smile knowing that he would have loved the reclining seats in today’s theatres. Time is indeed the true test of all things, and in the coming years I am sure to reflect, discover, and remember more about the films of my father, and that is a story I am ready to see unspool.

A Reel 50 - 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

“I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever do.”

This month marks the 50^th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, 2001 follows a voyage to Jupiter after the discovery of a black monolith which mysteriously effects human evolution. It is a journey of discovery and a statement on what it is to be human…while exploring technology, artificial intelligence, and the possible existence of extraterrestrial life. The story is told with minimal dialogue, and uses startling visuals and ambiguous images to trigger thought and emotion, and raises questions that may never be answered.

After completing his comedy DR. STRANGELOVE in 1964, director Stanley Kubrick became fascinated with the possibility of extraterrestrial life, and set out to make “the proverbial good science fiction movie”. Kubrick met up with sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke, and the two began a journey that would take up the next four years of their lives. Clarke offered two of his stories to Kubrick, with one evolving into the sentient computer HAL, and the other inspiring the Dawn of Man sequence, set in the stone ages, which opens the film. Kubrick and Clarke originally wanted to develop a novel for 2001 first, and then streamline it into the screenplay, but eventually wound up working on both simultaneously.

Realism was vital for Kubrick and his vision of a thinking-man’s space opera, and wanted to avoid the more sensational designs of spacecraft in popular science-fiction at the time. Kubrick sought out educational films for details and inspiration, and heavy research was done on the mechanics and physics of space. Filmed nearly two years before man walked on the moon, the film would be heralded for its accurate depiction of spaceflight.

The cast was rounded out with Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, and Douglas Rain as the voice of HAL. Filming began in December of 1965, with live-action and the many special effects shots being overseen by Kubrick and visual effects artist Douglas Trumbull. Kubrick demanded that all effects shots to be done “in camera”, without the use of green-screen and matte techniques for sharper images. Professional mimes were used to play the apes in the Dawn of Man sequence, and a giant rotating set was constructed as an interior of the Discovery spacecraft to mimic zero gravity. Classical music was chosen as the score. Trumbull pioneered the technique of front projection and retroreflective matting…which was a huge step forward for sci-fi and filmmaking overall.

Upon release, it received polarized critical opinion, but has gained massive favor over the years. In that first year, it would win the Hugo Award for best dramatic presentation, as voted by sci-fi fans and published writers. It would earn Kubrick an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, as well as nominations for Best Director and Original Screenplay (shared with Clarke). Over time, it would be the ultimate source of inspiration for filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and many others…and would be ground zero for eventual space franchises such as STAR WARS and the STAR TREK films. The American Film Institute (AFI) ranks it 15^th on their Top 100 list, and in 1991 was preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

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Long-time readers of Reel Speak are well aware that this Blogger got his introduction to space adventure through STAR WARS in 1977. Although creator George Lucas took influence from Kubrick’s work on 2001, his romp through the galaxy bordered on fantasy; taking cues from mythology and infusing a great sense of fun. Over time I would be re-introduced to the galaxies beyond by watching STAR TREK on TV with dad and that was my first clue that space was not limited to just blasters and lightsabers. TREK took a lot from 2001, and over time the influences could be seen more and more. As a wee-lad, A SPACE ODYSSEY was too mysterious, too scary (actually, it still is), and for a kid…too slow. It took me years to fully appreciate the film, and as time goes on…its influence can be seen in the works of filmmakers such as Paul Thomas Anderson, Christopher Nolan, and Alfonso Cuaron. Before 1968, sci-films were low-budget affairs in the B-movie status, but 2001 made the genre legit cinema, and Kubrick's eye for detail eventually predicted future technology that we use today. Much of the film is undefined, but that works in its favor as it opens itself to interpretation by both believers and non-believers; almost a cinematic personality test. Film is certainly meant to educate, inspire, and provoke discussion…but a truly great film can and will enter our minds and stay there, because just like the universe it is fascinating and endless.

 “Its origin and purpose are still a total mystery.”

Milos Forman (1932-2018), and R. Lee Ermey (1944-2018)

Two cinematic legends have passed away.

Director Milos Forman, who helmed two films to the Oscar for Best Picture, has passed at age 86. A native of the former Czechoslovakia who came to the United States in the 1960’s, Forman was a rebellious young filmmaker who brought the odd-man-out in his films, and rose to Oscar glory in 1975 when he directed the adaptation of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOOS NEST to five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. A few years later in 1984, his adaptation of the stage play AMADEUS would again earn him Best Picture and Best Director along with many other honors. Over a decade later he was nominated for THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLINT in 1996.

His other notable film credits include HAIR (1979), RAGTIME (1981), the Andy Kaufman biopic MAN ON THE MOON (1999), and GOYA’S GHOSTS (2006).

Also passing away was actor R. Lee Ermey at 74.

A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and the Vietnam War, Ermey got his first break in Hollywood when he was working as a consultant in Francis Ford Coppola’s APOCALPYSE NOW in 1979, and was cast as First Air Calvary chopper pilot. That same year he was cast as a drill instructor in THE BOYS IN COMPANY C.

In 1987 he would have a second try at playing a drill instructor when he was cast as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick’s Vietnam war film, FULL METAL JACKET. The role would immortalize him in cinema, and provide cinephiles with endless quotes to pull from. The iconic role and performance would earn him a Golden Globe nomination.

His other notable roles, which included voiceover acting, included MISSISSIPPI BURNING (1988), FLETCH LIVES (1989), TOY SOLDIERS (1991), SE7EN (1995), LEAVING LAS VEGAS (1995), TOY STORY (and its sequels), THE FRIGHTENERS (1996), THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (2003), WILLARD (2003), and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING (2006).

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These two men leave us after making a long-lasting impression on the silver screen, and they both did so in unconventional ways. Milos Forman, as an immigrant, must have been drawing on his experiences in coming to a new country, for his focus on the odd-man-out, the reject, and the outsider fueled his best works and managed to speak to the outsider in all of us. R. Lee Ermey was a soldier at heart, and he was such a good one he managed to extend his military career long after he received his Honorable Discharge. His performance in FULL METAL JACKET cemented the image of the military drill instructor forever, and when this Blogger entered boot camp in 1991…that was the exact persona I expected, and that’s exactly what I got. Ermey, and Forman drew on personal experience to create, and the roots of all creation are what matters the most.

A Reel Review: A QUIET PLACE

John Krasinski’s A QUIET PLACE is a film that crosses many genres. It is a horror flick, action movie, and family drama…sprinkled with a dash of old-school monster movies and a pinch of science fiction. It’s a lot to juggle for a seasoned filmmaker, and even more for someone making his only his third feature film.  

The year is 2020, and humanity has been nearly wiped out by blind aliens with super-hearing. Lee Abbot (Krasinksi), and his pregnant wife Evelyn (Emily Blunt), scratch out a silent life of survival with their deaf daughter Regan (Millicent), and son Marcus (Noah Jupe).

A QUIET PLACE takes place just over a year, and in the early goings does great work in setting up the scenario. There are three creatures in the immediate area, and the family has to go through great lengths to keep quiet…for any sort of noise will draw the hungry and bloodthirsty monsters out of hiding; lengths such as always speaking in a whisper or sign language, always walking barefoot, pouring sand on pathways, and even cooking food under the floorboards to suppress the sound. Krasinski shows the hard life that the family is enduring, and the payoff comes in great doses when things go wrong and draws the creatures to dinner.

Once the monsters do show (they are in quick glimpses early, before going full reveal), it becomes a game of hide-and-seek with a blind creature and a terrified human who shouldn’t make a sound. The predicaments that Krasinski puts his characters in are a terrific build-up of tension; Evelyn going into labor with a creature in the room makes for one of the most terrifying scenes ever constructed, and the resolutions the characters find are clever and never come out of left field.

There’s not a lot of plot to the film, as most of its business is spent as a survival tale. With so little dialogue present and sub-titled sign language, there’s not much opportunity to dig deep into the characters. The idea seems to be that family love is all that matters here, and it works, but it does seem that things could have gone a little deeper in places.

Krasinski directs a great looking film, and the editing is sharp as a monster-claw; jump-scares are plenty and well-timed. The sound-editing and mixing is tremendous; from the shrieks of the aliens to the lightest footstep. For a film that is all about sound, it captures every creak perfectly. The creatures come to life via some effective CGI, and their design is grotesque and horrifying.

Acting is tremendous. Krasinski has a lot of heavy lifting to do in front of and behind the camera, and he handles the pressure very well. Emily Blunt winds up stealing the show; her labor scene while hiding from a creature is tremendously acted and more proof of how great she really is. The younger cast all handle their roles very well.

The bulk of A QUIET PLACE involves only the Abbot family, and only gives slight hints to what has been happening in other parts of the world. The resolution against the invaders is clever and makes sense, and although it doesn’t quite save the world right away, it does give humanity hope. Krasinski has delivered a gem of a film here, one that thrills and scares but also impresses with the amount of thought that has gone into the script and on the set. For a movie with so little dialogue, A QUIET PLACE gives us a lot to talk about.

BOTTOM LINE: See it

A Reel Review: ISLE OF DOGS

Of all the quirks and trademarks that writer and director Wes Anderson has invented and clung to over the years, perhaps his most important are his pairing of fantasy and reality. His films mostly take place in alternate worlds with fictional settings, but they are also saturated in the nostalgia of times long-past. Perhaps no other film in his catalog embraces that delicate balance as much as ISLE OF DOGS.

In the near future, a mysterious dog flu spreads throughout the canine population of Japan, and the mayor (voiced by Kunichi Nomura), banishes all dogs from the country to a remote island where trash is dumped. The mayor’s orphaned nephew Atari (Koyu Rankin), travels to the island to find his dog Spots (Liev Schreiber), and earns help from a pack of dogs (Edward Norton, Bab Balaban, Bill Murray, and Jeff Goldblum), who are led by Chief (Bryan Cranston).

The basic plot of ISLE OF DOGS is very straightforward; just a boy-and-his-dog tale (or tail, haha), in a journey across a treacherous island…driven by love and affection and the power of man’s best friend. The journey takes Atari and his new friends across the remote island of trash and abandoned structures, avoiding perils and slowly uncovering a possible plot by the mayor (a cat lover), to manufacture the dog flu and ignore the facts by prominent scientists. Things are also beefed up by diving into the characters of the dogs, with each one having his or her own unique story before they were exiled away from their masters.

There is a lot of sadness that hangs over the film, as we see first-hand how these poor pooches are affected from being ripped away from their homes and cast out to a place where they scrap for maggot-infested food to survive. But Anderson infuses his film with a lot of joy. The laughs are plenty, and the tone remarkably light. The dialogue is sharp and witty, and the earnestness of the characters is something to love. There are also a few surprises and twists, keeping us on our paws at all times.

All of Anderson’s trademarks are present here, and it matches the odd nature of the film perfectly. His usual long camera pans and movements, superimpositions to identify characters and places, and well-placed pieces of pop music keep things fresh and interesting. The island is fictional, yet the film is set in and around Japan to offer grounding and familiarity. ISLE OF DOGS also feels like a story that we’ve seen before with classical film themes, but the surroundings make it seem fresh and new. The old-school, stop-animation puppetry and set construction/design is stunning, and the craft perhaps has never been done better. Alexandre Desplat’s score is greatness, using traditional orchestration and Japanese culture to great effect. Anderson also makes the brave stylistic choice of using no sub-titles over the Japanese language, relying on expression and the occasional translator.

The voice-over cast is impressive; Koyu Rankin, Kunichi Nomura, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Bob Balaban, Ken Watanabe, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Fisher Stevens, Harvey Keitel, Live Schreiber, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, F. Murray Abraham, Courtney B. Vance, and Yoko Ono (!). All perfectly cast and the film often becomes a game of picking out who is voicing what character.

For the first time in his career, Anderson takes a stand and delivers some messaging; mostly about those in power abusing that power and how they can never truly get away with it. It never distracts from the main story of the film about a boy and his beloved dog, and it is impressive how Anderson restrains himself in places where he easily could have gone further. ISLE OF DOGS is a sweet and charming film with a unique style that makes it timeless, and an absolute joy to behold.

BOTTOM LINE: See it

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2018 - Episode IV

This year, movie discussions for the month of April will be dominated by Marvel Studios’ upcoming grand finale to their decade-long series of superhero films. But if saving the galaxy isn’t your cup of tea, there are plenty of noteworthy comedies and smaller films arriving in April; the last full month before the Summer Movie Season kicks off.

The notables are…

A QUIET PLACE – John Krasinski (TV’s THE OFFICE), stars and directs this horror film in which a family of four must live in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt by sound. Co-stars Emily Blunt (SICARIO).

CHAPPAQUIDDICK – Jason Clarke (ZERO DARK THIRTY) plays the late Senator Ted Kennedy in this drama which documents the 1969 incident where the Senator drove his car off the road and killed his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne…played here by Kate Mara (FANTASTIC FOUR). Co-stars Ed Helms, Bruce Dern, and Clancy Brown.

BEIRUT – In this political thriller, Jon Hamm (TV’S MAD MEN), plays an American diplomat trying to save a colleague from the group responsible for the death of his family. Rosamund Pike (GONE GIRL) co-stars. It is directed by Brad Anderson (THE MACHINIST).

RAMPAGE – Dwayne The Rock Johnson stars in his second video-game adaptation this year. This time he teams up with a gorilla who grows to enormous size and battles an invasion of monsters. Naomie Harris (MOONLIGHT), and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (WATCHMEN) co-star.

BORG VS. McENROE – This biographical sports drama focuses on the famous rivalry between tennis stars Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe at Wimbledon in 1980. Shia LaBeouf (TRANSFORMERS) plays McEnroe, and Sverrir Gudnason plays Borg.

SUPER TROOPERS 2 – The long-awaited sequel to the 2001 cult-hit comedy. This time out, five goofball state troopers set up a new highway patrol station near a disputed border of Canada.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR – The beginning of the end of Marvel Studios’ decade-long journey. It’s all-hands-on-deck for their large catalog of heroes to assemble and fight off the super-villain Thanos (Josh Brolin), who has finally arrived to make trouble. The massive cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johannson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastain Stan, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Chris Pratt, Tom Hiddleston…and much more. It is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, who delivered for Marvel the mighty WINTER SOLDIER and CIVIL WAR.

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of May.

A Reel Review: READY PLAYER ONE

The term “pop culture” is generally defined as a set of items that are dominant in a culture at any given point in time, with today’s modern version heavily influenced by the movies, books, music, and video games of the last 20 to 30 years. Ernest Cline’s novel Ready Player One is a loving homage to it all, as his characters journey through a virtual world populated by creatures, characters, places, and objects that have dominated popular films and other mass media. On paper, there was probably no other director to bring the story to the big screen better than the man who has influenced modern pop culture the most, the famed director Steven Spielberg.

The year is 2045, and with the Earth in disrepair, humans escape their misery and poverty through the OASIS, a massive virtual-reality program where anyone can be anything and go anywhere. Before dying, the program’s creator (Mark Rylance), obsessed with pop culture, placed hidden “Easter eggs” in the program with a standing challenge for anyone to find them, with the grand prize being complete control over the OASIS. Wade (Tye Sheridan) finds one of the clues, and earns the wrath of a corporate competitor, led by Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn).

Staying true to the spirit of the 1980’s, the era in which Spielberg made his most popular films, READY PLAYER ONE unspools as a loving homage (much like the novel) to the kids-on-a-quest adventure tale. Wade and his companions (wonderfully played by Olivia Cooke, Lena Waithe, Phillip Zhao, and Win Morisaki), journey through the OASIS discovering clues, avoiding perils, solving puzzles, and gaining upgrades to their abilities all while the corporate villains stalk their real-life bodies in the real world. The adventures through the OASIS are a joy to take in for anyone who has been paying attention to the last 30 years, as characters encounter (for starters), King Kong, Godzilla, Freddy Krueger…and race around in vehicles such as the Bigfoot truck, the 1960’s Batmobile, and a certain time-travelling DeLorean. Every item, creature, and music cue is used to perfection, as Spielberg, through masterful editing, knows exactly what belongs where.

With such a fantastical world at play, effort has to made to add some sort of grounding material to keep the human side alive. Everything that happens in the OASIS has little effect to everyone in the real world, and even though Spielberg does some brilliant cutting back and forth between the two, the stakes in the real world seem very small; just an effort to thwart off a corporate takeover. Wade himself seems to have very little of a personal story to fuel his desire to win it all, which makes it very difficult for the audience to care if characters survive an attack by a giant CGI gorilla.

READY PLAYER ONE still delivers a massive wallop of entertainment. The energy is extremely high without feeling frantic, and Spielberg hits all the right emotional beats where it counts. Action sequences ranging from racing to hand-to-hand combat to large-scale battles are a joy. Pop culture items are used to great effect, and a sequence involving a certain haunted hotel from a certain Stanley Kubrick masterpiece is simply breathtaking. Visual effects are very good, and the number of items from the last 30 years of movies that are crammed in here almost demand a second viewing; there’s no way anyone can see them all the first time out.

The goddam 3D is very good.

Tye Sheridan plays his part very well, and his chemistry with Olivia Cooke…both in and out of the virtual reality world, gives the film a lot of heart. Ben Mendelsohn is brilliant as always. The rest of the cast is equally wonderful.

Throughout the course of the film, Spielberg seems to have a little bit to say about today’s society; specifically, how much time we spend online, and the dangers of letting a person on the other end of the internet mess with us too much. These are great themes that are only lightly explored, and cheat the film out of a deeper message. Despite this and a few minor flaws, READY PLAYER ONE still lands as a blast of entertainment. Much like the book, it is made for those of us who have learned all they need to know about life from the movies, video games, music, and books…and any child of the 1980’s will find much to enjoy.

BOTTOM LINE: See it