A Reel Review: UNCUT GEMS

The “morality tale” has been, as always shall be, one of the best forms of storytelling. Movies that can push a moral about right and wrong are easy ways to go for children’s films, and can be toughened up to work for mature fare. For UNCUT GEMS, the newest film from Josh and Benny Safdie, the shady underworld of gambling and the dealing of imported gems is the background for their troubled main character who can’t tell that difference from right and wrong. 

Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler), is a low-profile jewelry dealer in New York who has a massive amount of gambling debt. He acquires a rare, uncut opal which he looks to auction off for millions. When NBA superstar Kevin Garnett (played by himself), borrows the rock as a good luck charm in his upcoming playoff series, Howard takes Garnett’s championship ring as collateral. 

UNCUT GEMS does not have much by way of plot, and instead follows Howard as he makes one increasingly bad decision after another over the span of less than a week. Immediately after acquiring Garnett’s valuable championship ring for collateral, he pawns it for cash to place a bet on Garnett’s Celtic team. This of course goes south which leaves Garnett keeping Howard’s valuable rock and Howard with no way to get the ring out of the pawn shop. This is just the beginning, as Howard must also duck and run from thuggish collectors, hide his problems from his wife and kid, and figure out how to pay back money and favors he owes to his family and in-laws. 

Howard is asshole, and he knows it, and the film knows it too. UNCUT GEMS is a throwback to the nihilistic movies of the 1970’s, where godless, anti-heroes such as Travis Bickle and Michael Corleone owned the big screens. Unfortunately, this script doesn’t give any backstory or context to Howard’s behavior, which makes it impossible for us to hope that he comes out on top despite his shady dealings and dumb decisions. Why is he an asshole? Was he born that way, or did he have to work at it…and why? It’s all a mystery. He’s a paper-thin, one-dimensional jerk that we don’t mind seeing getting beat up or worse. 

Despite the annoying attributes of Howard, there is still a lot to appreciate in UNCUT GEMS. Editing is sharp, and the building of tension in simple scenes like a stuck door and Howard watching a game on TV is excellent. The film is shot in a dark and gritty style that makes us want to shower after viewing, and some amazing-looking, mystical sequences involving the opal and a medical procedure are fascinating. The film still makes its share of blunders; several characters talk all at once which makes for a huge headache, and when Howard gets stripped naked by collectors and thrown into a car trunk…he is allowed to keep his cell phone so he could easily call for help. Yeah, that’ll teach him a lesson. The script also does the lazy method of using F-bombs, MF-bombs, and N-words every five seconds to try and sound tough…when all it does is seem juvenile. 

Adam Sandler, who has played juvenile his entire career, turns in the performance of his life. He doesn’t look, sound, or act like his old self, and his emotional moments are a shock. Kevin Garnett does very well in front of the camera. Idina Menzel of Broadway and Let It Go fame plays Howard’s wife and is superb, as is Julia Fox as Howard’s on-again, off-again girlfriend. The rest of the cast, including Judd Hirsch, Mike Francesa, Eric Bogosian, and Pom Klementieff are all very good. 

Howard’s string of bad choices eventually catch up with him, despite a light at the end of his self-imposed dark tunnel, and the Safdie Brothers build an incredible climax with a shock of a conclusion. UNCUT GEMS definitely works as a morality tale, and that’s good…but it fails in providing a character we want to see win…and that’s bad. 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it 

A Reel Review: LITTLE WOMEN

A good movie can be found anywhere, even in remakes and re-adaptations. Unfortunately, taking a

nother shot at old material hasn’t worked out well for Hollywood in the last decade or so. Most of them are crappy, shameless cash-grabs (GHOSTBUSTERS, POLTERGEIST) that bank on the name alone, while others (A STAR IS BORN, TRUE GRIT), can be excellent yet ignored by the awards circuit. Finding a fresh angle to make a remake work is key, and that is the challenge for director Greta Gerwig, who is behind yet another shot at LITTLE WOMEN. 

The March sisters; Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Met (Emma Watson), Amy (Florence Pugh), and Beth (Eliza Scanlen), grow up during the Civil War and experience hard times, family drama, love triangles, and battle with each other on their way to adulthood. 

Not looking to retread old territory, this version of LITTLE WOMEN swiftly and effectively sets itself apart from previous adaptations by employing a non-linear style of storytelling. The film begins where it ends (and eventually ends where it begins), by introducing us to the March sisters at a point in their lives where they are living apart; leading different lives and nearly estranged. How they got there is the real story, and the film uses flashbacks and then flash-forwards to unfold their journeys. It’s unexpected, different, and bold. 

The film settles itself into a series of vignettes, and through them the characteristics of the March sisters are fleshed out nicely. We have Jo the independent one with aspirations to be a paid writer, Amy the brat, Beth the shy yet talented piano player, and Beth the traditionalist. Together they bond to survive the War while their father (Bob Odenkirk) is away fighting, and their mother (Laura Dern), is left to care for them. During all this a love triangle develops between their well-to-do neighbor Laurie (Timothee Chalamet), which eventually causes drama between the sisters. Gerwig is playing with many themes of love, loss, family, and self-sacrifice, and weaves them well through every flashback and flash-forward.

A film with the non-linear style of this LITTLE WOMEN requires precise editing, and for the most part it works beautifully. The style of cinematography marks the past and present (the past is colorful, the present is not), and other visual clues such as hairstyles help to re-orient the viewer. The first flash-forward is a bit jarring, as we’re not quite aware that the story jumped ahead, but once the film finds its groove it works and works well. The transitions from past to present are timed just right, and two extended sequences featuring a family tragedy and a lovely memory are edited together in a way that takes us through an emotional roller-coaster. The movie looks great, and the score by Alexandre Desplat is excellent. 

Also excellent is the acting, as Gerwig gets top-notch performances from the entire cast. Saoirse Ronan gets most of the screentime, and carries her character as well as she ever did. Emma Watson and Eliza Scanlen are also very good, and Florence Pugh steals the show. The great Meryl Streep comes in as the sister’s aunt and has some very funny scenes, but feels a little under-utilized. Timothee Chalamet plays a love-sick puppy-dog and is as annoying as he his charming. 

Time will tell if this version of LITTLE WOMEN will stand as the definitive version of the story, which has now seen the big screen seven times and the little TV screen six times…but it is by far the most unique and daring, and the performances by all make it a tear-jerker more than once. Despite having its share of tragedy and the sad transition from childhood to adult, it’s a feel-good film that would be right at home on a holiday watch-list, and that makes it timeless. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it

A Reel Review: CATS

In the last decade, director Tom Hooper has made excellent, award-winning, elegant character-driven pieces such THE KING’S SPEECH (2010), and THE DANISH GIRL (2015). But he has also ventured into experimentation, with his adaptation of the musical LES MISERABLES (2012), capturing songs live on set as they were sung. Here in 2019, he ventures out even further with another musical adaptation, CATS. 

A cat named Victoria (Francesca Hayward), is abandoned in a London alley, where she is welcomed by a group of felines calling themselves Jellicle cats. She learns that on this night, one cat will be chosen to ascend to the Heaviside Layer (some sort of cat heaven), which is decided by Old Deuteronomy (Judi Dench). Their plans are disrupted by a group of evil cats, led by Macavity (Idris Elba), who kid(cat)naps his rivals in a way of eliminating his competition and become the chosen one. 

CATS does not have much of a plot. In fact, it has no plot at all. Story is replaced by songs, and somewhere in all of the endless lyrics is an explanation of the supposed narrative, where one cat on this night will be chosen to leave this world. CATS lacks the basic structure that any film is required to have, and is a redundancy of songs where new cats/characters are introduced over and over. There is no depth of character and world-building, and with a complete lack of fundamentals, it is impossible to invest in any character or what they are trying to do. 

The musical numbers are well-composed and performed, and the choreography excellent, but CATS gets butchered in the editing. No shot stays on the screen for more than five seconds, and it makes for a choppy and headache-inducing movie. The production design is gorgeous with its high colors and neon lights, but its impossible to take it in when the shots cut away so quickly, and that also takes away from the choreography. It’s not clear if this was done on purpose or if Hooper and his team ran into issues in the editing room, but CATS certainly lacks any breathing room.  

The visual effects team has created some bizarre and nearly grotesque half-person, half-cat creatures. No fur-suits are used, and instead we are treated to actor’s faces imposed on digital cat-bodies, which oddly retain their human hands and feet. It simply doesn’t work, as it not only looks fake but their fur does not flow or move with all the dancing around. The rules at work (if there are any) are all over the place; some cats wear clothes and shoes while others don’t, some walk on two feet, others all fours. Some of the close-ups look all right, but CATS cheats by having most of the film take place at night, and the closing daylight shots really expose the shitty CGI. Worst of all, we have horrific mice with children’s faces imposed on them and dancing cockroaches with human faces which look awful in style and execution. There are also issues with scale, as the cats seem way too tiny for their oversized surroundings. 

Acting is a mixed bag. Francesca Hayward as a trained ballerina gets to show off her moves, and her singing sounds very good, but her acting amounts to staring at other cats with her mouth hanging open. Other actors are completely mistreated; the great Ian McKellen gets embarrassed by having to lap milk out of a saucepan, and the two heavy-set actors, James Corden and Rebel Wilson, are reduced to fat-jokes as they fall and go boom. Jennifer Hudson comes off relatively unscathed, as she belts out a powerful rendition of the iconic Memory. Taylor Swift amounts to a cameo, and her Macavity: The Mystery Cat number is a rare highlight of the film. 

There is a philosophy in art and movies called the Uncanny Valley, which suggests that humanoid objects which imperfectly resemble human beings provoke uncanny, eeriness, or revulsion in viewers. Tom Hooper’s CATS is a perfect example of that, and if the film had any sort of structure, character, or ANYTHING to latch onto, that Valley could have been overcome. Instead we are left with a movie that has all the characteristics of a hairball; shapeless, repugnant, unwanted, and destined for the sewer. 

BOTTOM LINE: Fuck it 

A Reel Review - STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER is a film with a lot to do. As a trilogy finale, it has to wrap up storylines which began in THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015), and THE LAST JEDI (2017), along with the heavy burden of ending the Skywalker Saga, which began with the original STAR WARS in 1977. There are literally several generations spanned out over decades to take care of, both in the film and in audiences…a behemoth task for any filmmaker. 

The dead speak! The galaxy is receiving transmissions from the long-thought-dead Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), who has been building an army in secret for decades. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), the new Supreme Leader of the First Order, seeks out the source of the transmission to preserve his power. Meanwhile, Rey (Daisy Ridley), continues her training in the ways of the Force under the guidance of General Leia (Carrie Fisher), before heading out on a mission with her friends Poe (Oscar Isaac), and Finn (John Boyega), to end the new threat and the war. 

 Similar to the Original Trilogy of STAR WARS, the first film in this Sequel Trilogy, THE FORCE AWAKENS, was a hot-rod of a movie that zipped from place to place. The second film, THE LAST JEDI, slowed things down and dug into its characters. Director J.J. Abrams, returning to the director’s chair for the first time since AWAKENS, embraces the style of that first film…as SKYWALKER opens with a blistering pace. The early goings of the film have Rey, Finn, and Poe…along with loyal comrades Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), C-3P0 (Anthony Daniels), and the never-to-be-underestimated droid BB-8 on a mission to find clues to the location of the planet Exogol, the assumed location of Palpatine and the home to an ancient Sith temple. During the first hour or so, the film blasts along from planet to planet, while our characters are chased down by the First Order and go from one chase scene to a fight to another at light-speed pace. It’s almost too fast, as we can barely register what just happened before the film moves on to another. 

Eventually things settle down and SKYWALKER finds time to dig in. Long-awaited revelations of secrets and mysteries arrive through the course of the film, including Rey’s birthright, the origin of Kylo’s dead master Snoke, along with a few more surprises. There are twists and turns and a few shocks, with established characters saying goodbye and others switching allegiances. There’s a lot going on, but Abrams finds balance through it all and lets the main characters have their moments. 

The main characters of Rey, Finn, and Poe spend most of the film together, and the chemistry and banter between the trio drives the film. There is a lot of spectacle going on, but it becomes character-driven which is welcome. The spectacle of space battles, lightsaber duels, desert chases, and rescue attempts is breathtakingly fun, and the film embraces a lot of what made STAR WARS so endearing in the first place. The visual effects are stunning, and John Williams’ score once again excellent. 

Acting is superb. Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver get the most heavy-lifting and both are a joy to watch. Carrie Fisher, who passed away before filming began, is brought back through un-used FORCE AWAKENS footage, and her scenes are flawless as we get a proper goodbye to her character. Billy Dee Williams returns as the beloved Lando, and he takes on a mentor role that anchors many of the characters. Ian McDiarmid is creepy as ever. 

The final battle is done on a massive scale, with fights in the air and on the ground as Rey faces final temptation from the ultimate evil. By the time the final explosion happens our heads are certainly swimming, but Abrams then goes for a quiet ending by bringing things back to where it all began for an emotional wrap…a wrap that effectively ends this new trilogy and the Skywalker Saga in a satisfying way. There are a lot of themes at work here; loyalty and lineage for starters, but the most powerful element is that of love. Years ago, it was Darth Vader’s love for his children that brought him back from the Dark Side, and here it is Rey’s love for her friends that helps her to resist. Fitting, because there is a lot to love in SKYWALKER. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel Review: PARASITE

In recent years, the films of South Korean director Bong Joon-ho have made the rare trek across borders and reaching American audiences…beginning with his 2006 monster film THE HOST, and again with his 2013 hit SNOWPIERCER. This year he returns with PARASITE, one of his most socially relevant films. 

A struggling family (played by Song Kang-ho, Chang Hyae-jin, Choi Woo-shik, and Park So-dam), weasel their way into the service of a rich family (Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong), where they discover a secret buried in the house. 

The early goings of PARASITE establish the family’s struggles to survive; not quite below the poverty line but darn close. They live in a basement (possibly squatting, not clear on that), steal wi-fi, and make meager cash by folding pizza boxes. When the son takes on a job with the rich family as a tutor, he and his family ursurp the current housekeeper and chauffer through dishonest ways. The family members aren’t portrayed as evil people, but instead just normal ones who have had a few bad breaks and are just trying to eat every day. 

Joon-ho is exploring class division here, and while the family is more than happy to take advantage of those who have more cash then they know what to do with, they become annoyed at that very thing that is servicing them. Later in the film, a whopper of a twist introduces another family that is up to the same thing, and their presence threatens their new jobs and healthy cash-flow. It starts to become a bloodbath at first, but in a clever, and quite brilliant late twist, the family eventually realizes just how alike they are with the newcomers. 

Joon-ho films a beautiful looking movie, even making the slum-like conditions in Korea nice to look at. He finds ways to ramp up the tension often, with an extended sequence of the entire family hiding in the house from their employers a highlight. The entire cast is excellent as Joon-ho gets great performances from everyone. 

The finale is a minor bloodbath with everything coming together in an avalanche. The film then offers one final twist for good measure, which is great as it happens but is then lessened by an un-necessary 10-minute epilogue. It’s a minor blemish on a monumental film, one that thrills, scares, and makes a hard statement on the state of the have’s and the have-nots. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel Preview: Everything You Need to Know About STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

There isn’t much else to talk about when a new STAR WARS film is on its way to theatres, and this week all the headlines will once again be pointed towards that far, far away galaxy when the 9^th episode, and 11^th STAR WARS film, titled THE RISE OF SKYWALKER arrives. Here now in this spoiler-free preview, is everything you need to know about this highly anticipated film. 

What is this all about? – THE RISE OF SKYWALKER is the 9^th episode in the Skywalker Saga, which began in 1977 with STAR WARS, and continued with THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), and RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983). The Saga was then explored further in the Prequel Trilogy, which included THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999), ATTACK OF THE CLONES (2002), and REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005). SKYWALKER is the third of the Sequel Trilogy, which started in 2015 with THE FORCE AWAKENS, and continued with THE LAST JEDI (2017). In this trilogy and Saga capper, the Resistance continues their fight against the evil First Order, while an old enemy begins to stir. 

Who is behind this? – THE RISE OF SKYWALKER is directed by J.J. Abrams, who directed THE FORCE AWAKENS. His other directing credits include STAR TREK (2009), SUPER 8 (2011), and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III (2006). The script is co-written by Abrams and Chris Terrio, whose writing credits include the Oscar-winning ARGO (2012), and the troubled BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE (2016). 

Who is in front of this? – Returning cast members include Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, Kelly Marie Tran, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Lupita Nyong’o, and Domhnall Gleeson. Newcomers to the franchise are Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell, and Naomi Ackie. Reprising their legacy-roles are Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams, and Ian McDiarmid. 

Random Facts – Carrie Fisher, who passed away in 2016, will return in the film as General/Princess Leia by way of unused footage from the last two films, which were re-structured to fit into the story * J. J. Abrams is the second director to helm more than one STAR WARS film, with the first being series creator George Lucas * Anthony Daniels, as the worrisome droid C-3PO, is the only actor to appear in all nine episodes * Actress Billie Lourd, the daughter of Carrie Fisher, was 26 during filming, which was the same age Fisher was when she filmed RETURN OF THE JEDI * Actor Dominic Monaghan becomes the fourth LORD OF THE RINGS actor to appear in a STAR WARS film, joining the ranks of Sir Christopher Lee, Andy Serkis, and Bruce Spence * This is the first STAR WARS film since the passing of Peter Mayhew, who played the mighty Chewbacca * This will be the final STAR WARS score by John Williams * Disney has warned that the film contains scenes with flashing strobe lights which can induce seizures for people who are photosensitive * This is the first STAR WARS movie since RETURN OF THE JEDI to be shot entirely on celluloid * The running time is 142 minutes *

What to Expect – In 2017, THE LAST JEDI, as the middle-chapter in the trilogy, left a lot of mystery to be resolved…as any middle-chapter is supposed to do. It will be the burden of SKYWALKER to tie things up, with the additional burden of wrapping up the entire Saga. After all, after RETURN OF THE JEDI we were certain that the Skywalker story was over, so Abrams and SKYWALKER have to justify the Sequel Trilogy with a proper and satisfying conclusion. Abrams has a great knack for action and amazing-looking films, so we can certainly expect a lot of fun backed by stunning visuals. The cast members have proven their talent, and it will be a joy to see them one last time, along with the emotional goodbye we will inevitably have to cry through for the legacy characters. THE RISE OF SKYWALKER has a lot to do, so we can expect a galaxy-sized story to come our way…which is what STAR WARS deserves. 

*

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER opens in full December 20^th, with limited engagements on December 19^th.

A Reel Review: RICHARD JEWELL

One of the most difficult movies to make are ones based on historical events. If the audience already knows the beginning and the end, then the challenge to the filmmaker is to make all the in-between stuff worthwhile, and in doing so…make that already-known ending mean something. Meet Clint Eastwood’s RICHARD JEWELL. 

At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, security guard Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser), finds a planted bomb just before it goes off. Having evacuated bystanders, Jewell is at first hailed as a hero, but as the FBI treats him as a suspect, led by Agent Shaw (Jon Hamm), local reporter Kathy Scruggs (Olivia Wilde), breaks the story and paints Jewell as the one who planted the bomb. 

More of a character study than a point-by-point Wikipedia movie, JEWELL follows its main character closely as he goes from perceived hero to villain in a blink. The immediate attention from the FBI and the massive media circus changes his life drastically, including his mother (Kathy Bates). Along the way he hires an old lawyer friend to represent him (Sam Rockwell), and works to clear his name. 

What makes it all tick is the strong character work done right from the start. Richard Jewell is portrayed as a big lug with a big heart, with dreams of becoming a police officer. His love and appreciation for law enforcement is taken advantage of by the FBI, and his aw-shucks demeanor is too good to be true for the press. He is an endearing character, and we care about what happens to him even if the story is known. 

Behind the camera, Clint Eastwood films and edits one of his best efforts in years. The re-creation of the bombing is very well done, and great work is done to bring us back to the Nineties. Pacing is brisk, the humor well-timed, and he gets tremendous performances from his cast. 

Those tremendous performances carry the film and carry it well. Paul Walter Hauser is amazing, capturing that good ol’ boy demeanor perfectly and his dramatic bits excellent. Kathy Bates steals the show with another great performance, and Olivia Wilde, Jon Hamm, and Sam Rockwell all great. 

RICHARD JEWELL finishes as a cautionary tale; a story of what can happen when the press and government rush to judgement. Eastwood is definitely preaching something here, and it’s up to the viewer to decide what…but it no way derails what is a finely crafted film about one of the darkest days and months in American history. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Films of the Eighties

We are now at the tail end of 2019, which means it will be 30 years since one of the most beloved, hated, forgotten, and laughed-at eras came to an end; the era known as The Eighties (1980-1989). With three decades now passed between now and New Year’s Eve 1989, the time is right to take a look back at the Best Films of the era. 

The Eighties was an era defined by its fashion and music. Many of those fashions such as big hair and rolled-up jeans did not make it out of the decade…and the same can be said for the overly-synthesized music. A lot of that made its way into cinema, and for that reason many films from the era did not age very well. But there was still room for some most-excellent movies, with the best ones being made so well that they transcended the era and are still popular today. The best criteria to work with in judging the films of The Eighties are the ones that aged well; the ones that still feel relevant and transcend the era from which they came. 

So buckle up, because this blog doesn’t need roads…

10. STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (1982)

After the 1979 feature film debut for the famed space-trekking franchise (read more about that HERE), it was decided that the next STAR TREK film needed a strong villain, and a strong villain they did find. Reaching back into TREK’s TV past, the mighty Khan was selected and then reprised by the late great Ricardo Montalban. The result was a thrilling revenge story with the classical sensibilities of Moby Dick, and yet it was a surprisingly introspective exploration of old age, youth, and life and death. TREK II not only stands as the best film of the franchise, but also as a model of how sci-fi should be; exciting and thoughtful. 

9. STAND BY ME (1986)

Films of The Eighties were known for adventures with teens and pre-teens, and Rob Reiner’s adaptation of the Stephen King novel is a standout. Four boys (Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell), head out on a late summer journey to see a dead body; leaving as boys and returning changed forever. It’s Heart of Darkness for young teens, and unlike most kid-adventures of The Eighties, ends on a somber note…with that sad melancholy of passing youth. 

8. THE GOONIES (1985)

Similar to STAND BY ME, this Richard Donner-directed, Steven Spielberg-produced adventure had a group of pre-teens searching for pirate’s treasure so they could save their hometown. With a wonderful cast of Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, Joe Pantoliano, Anne Ramsey, and Robert Davi…the film is a laugh-a-minute, and to this day still speaks to the kid in all of us who took off with friends into the unknown. 

7. BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985)

In this Robert Zemeckis film, Michael J. Fox plays Marty McFly, a high school student who gets whisked back to 1955 and interferes with his parent’s courtship…which threatens his own existence. Christopher Lloyd plays Doc, the scientist who builds a time machine out of a DeLorean, and the chemistry between he and Fox helps to create one of the most-quoted films of the last 30 years. Everyone today can quote BACK TO THE FUTURE. 

6. GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)

Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis star as the founders of a ghost-busting business. Directed by Ivan Reitman, GHOSTBUSTERS is another one of those films that is endlessly quotable and re-watchable. Elements such as the proton packs, Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, Slimer, and Ecto-1 are instantly recognizable 30 years later, as it stands as a significant entry into pop culture. 

5. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)

Steven Spielberg may have had his magnificent debut in The Seventies with JAWS, but he made his biggest mark in The Eighties. His 1982 film about a young boy (Henry Thomas) who befriends a stranded alien not only showcases Spielberg’s ability to capture childhood whimsey, but also his knack for bringing on the emotion. Anyone who doesn’t bawl at the end of E.T. simply has no soul. 

4. THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985)

Five high school students (Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy) get detention and spend a Saturday afternoon battling it out before bonding. During that, they come to terms with themselves and discover who they are. Director John Hughes spent a lot of The Eighties exploring youth, and he did it the best in THE BREAKFAST CLUB, which took the high school cliques of jocks, rebels, geeks, loners, and princesses…and defined high school movies right into the present day. 

3. PLATOON (1986)

Charlie Sheen’s character in Oliver Stone’s Best Picture winner says that hell is the impossibility of reason, and the impossibility of reason is exactly how the Vietnam War unfolds in this powerful war drama. Based on Stone’s own experiences in the war, PLATOON not only had harrowing and terrifying battle scenes, but also had an existential element that makes it transcendent over most war films. Sheen, along with his castmates Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe, center the film about an embattled platoon who battles each other just as much as the enemy. 

2. STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)

The second episode in the STAR WARS franchise not only wowed audiences with breathtaking action sequences, it also sent everyone staggering out of the theatre after one of the greatest twists in cinema followed by a galactic-sized cliffhanger of an ending. Directed by Irvin Kershner and produced by series creator George Lucas, EMPIRE set the standard for blockbuster sequels; where the first film set the stage and had fun, the second dug-in with its characters while expanding its universe. Today, major franchises such as X-MEN, AVENGERS, PIRATES, and the DC films have modeled their sequels after EMPIRE, which gives this STAR WARS movie, considered to be the best in the franchise…an endless legacy. 

1. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)

There is no question that Steven Spielberg owned The Eighties, so it should come as no surprise that he would own the top spot. Indiana Jones, a creation of George Lucas, was a globe-trotting archeologist who could dig up a mummy just as easily as he could throw a bare-knuckled punch, and he swung into our hearts in the early part of the decade and stayed there. Harrison Ford adds a perfect balance of toughness and charm, and his chemistry with Karen Allen lights up the screen.  Standout scenes such as the truck chase, the Well of Souls, and a thrilling opening temple-raid and jungle chase sequence are iconic, and John Williams’ score is one of his greatest in his massive catalog of greatness. RAIDERS is made with classic cinema in mind, and its period setting of the 1930’s makes it timeless. Quotable, beloved, re-watchable, and memorable in every way, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK transcends its era the best.  

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST FILMS OF THE EIGHTIES

1. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
2. THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
3. PLATOON
4. THE BREAKFAST CLUB
5. E.T. 
6. GHOSTBUSTERS
7. BACK TO THE FUTURE
8. THE GOONIES
9. STAND BY ME
10. STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN 

A Reel 40 - STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE

“Take us out…”

This month marks the 40^th anniversary of STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE. 

In the early 1970’s, the STAR TREK franchise was neither living or prospering. Originating as a TV series which ran from 1967-1969, creator Gene Roddenberry had been struggling for years to revitalize it. After a lot of lobbying from Roddenberry, Paramount Pictures finally gave in and decided to give TREK another voyage on TV, titled STAR TREK: PHASE II. Then in 1977, STAR WARS exploded onto screens, and with the public hungry for adventures in space, it was decided to send STAR TREK to the big screen for the first time. 

Brought on to the project would be young executive Jeffrey Katzenberg, who would later go on to found Dreamworks with Steven Spielberg. Katzenberg’s first challenge would be to sign series favorite Leonard Nimoy, who had played the Vulcan science officer Mr. Spock on the original TV series but had turned down PHASE II. After Katzenberg opened his checkbook, Nimoy would sign on, as would the rest of the original cast; William Shatner (Captain Kirk), DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy), Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura), George Takei (Sulu), Walter Keoing (Checkov), and James Doohan (Scotty). Newcomers to the crew would include Stephen Collins (Decker), and Indian supermodel Persis Khambatta as Ilia. As for the director, 64-year-old Robert Wise was chosen. Wise was beamed aboard despite never having seen a TREK episode, but he had a strong resume of films including THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965), WEST SIDE STORY (1961), and the sci-fi classic THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951). 

The film was announced in a March 1978 press conference, which was the largest Paramount had hosted since Cecil B. DeMille revealed he was making THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956). Paramount was desperate to get the film, titled STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (or TMP) into theatres as soon as possible. This led to beginning production with an unfinished script, and a rush on an unprecedented amount of visual effects.  Roddenberry’s treatment for the pilot episode of the now cancelled PHASE II was bumped up to a full-feature screenplay, and was brought together on-set by the deep knowledge Shatner and Nimoy had of their respective characters. 

The plot was simple; some years after the conclusion of the TV series’ five-year mission, the crew of the USS Enterprise is called into action to fend off a mysterious and destructive alien probe that is approaching Earth. The script called for what was at the time a massive amount of visual effects. Graphic imaging was tried, but failed. Brought on to save the ship was special effects pioneer Douglas Trumball, who had taken us across the stars in 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968). 

The results on screen were breathtaking, as audiences were whisked across the galaxy in stunning colors…and the interiors of the probe (called V’ger), brought to the screen in ways audiences had never seen before. Famed composer Jerry Goldsmith provided the score. Despite mixed reviews from critics, TMP set a new record for a first December weekend at the box office, and even though it was released at the end of the year, it would finish as the fifth highest-grossing film in America in 1979. It would earn three Oscar nominations for Best Original Score, Visual Effects, and Art Direction. 

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This Blogger’s first experience with TMP came after its theatrical run. Having being bitten by the STAR WARS bug, TREK was the next logical thing. This Blogger and his dad watched the film many times on our new streaming service called HBO, and the mystery of V’ger scared me as a wee-lad. Today, TMP remains just as divisive among fans and critics as it did 40 years ago. It is indeed a slow-burner with a faceless villain/adversary, but it has the maturity, patience, and deep-thinking that TREK had always been known for. It is beautifully composed; scenes such as the drydock flyby and departure unfold like an orchestral performance, and the finale sees the discovery of a new life-form, which is exactly what the theme of the show has always been. While the plot is simple and familiar, it is a technical masterpiece; with visual effects that hold up against any modern CGI, and the Enterprise comes to life in a gorgeous presentation…so gorgeous that the famed starship is an actual character in the movie. To top it off, Jerry Goldsmith’s score is magnificent and iconic, and would be recycled years later for TREK’s eventual return to TV with THE NEXT GENERATION. While TMP still gets a fair amount of pounding, its legacy as the stepping stone for TREK to live and long and prosper for future generations is secure. It is a true trek into the unknown, which was the core of the franchise from the beginning. 

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“Is this all that I am, is there nothing more?”

A Reel Review: LAST CHRISTMAS

In 1984, the pop-group Wham! released their hit holiday song, Last Christmas. Destined to become a contemporary holiday classic, it’s memorable opening line of “last Christmas I gave you my heart” is known by nearly everyone on the street. That opening line alone is the basis for Paul Feig’s newest film, LAST CHRISTMAS. 

Kate (Emilia Clarke), works a dead-end job as a Christmas elf in an ornament shop, and spends her nights drinking, sleeping around, and either battling with or avoiding her family. She meets Tom (Henry Golding), whose whimsical approach to life catches her off guard. 

LAST CHRISTMAS follows Kate and her hot-mess of a life. She’s a few years removed from a life-threatening illness; an illness that she never quite recovered from in that she has never felt like herself again. She has no home of her own and carries everything she owns with her all the time, burns bridges with friends that she crashes with, avoids her mother (Emma Thompson), and wars with her sister (Lydia Leonard). When she meets Tom, she is reluctant to buy into his optimism, but at the same time is attracted to it. As the two begin a romance, Kate begins to heal and get her life straightened out. 

The plot is standard fare for a holiday film, taking many cues from anything by Hallmark or the latest Dickens adaptation. Towards the back half, the film introduces a mighty twist that changes the entire perspective of the story. It’s a two-part surprise, with one fairly clever and the other making no sense when looking back at the movie. It may have been better to split the two and introduce one earlier, because together they are jarring enough to knock any viewer out of the movie. It takes that opening line from the Last Christmas song quite literally. It’s heavy-handed, divisive, and it either works for a viewer or it doesn’t. 

As a holiday movie, LAST CHRISTMAS dashes along just fine. Director Paul Feig, working from a script co-written by Emma Thompson, is playing with familiar themes of family, kindness, helping others, and the spirit of the holiday season. There are probably one too-may sub-plots at work; including Kate’s mother’s heritage and odd relationship with her father, and a budding romance for her boss (wonderfully played by Michelle Yeoh). Still, the film has a lot of energy, light but effective comedy, and the dramatic parts not too heavy. The script could have been a bit tighter, as by movie’s end a few loose threads are still hanging out there. 

Emilia Clarke carries the film and is the best part about it. A delight on screen, she goes through a box full of emotions and handles it perfectly, and her musical bits are very well done. Henry Golding is a bit of a plank and has a one-dimensional character to work with. Emma Thompson is quite wonderful. 

The success or failure of any movie can often rest upon how it makes us feel when its over; happy, sad, depressed, enlightened…it really doesn’t matter which emotion we feel at the curtain, as long as it works to the point that any flaws can be forgiven. This is especially true of any holiday movie, because as long as the ending has our characters singing Joy to the World (or Last Christmas), we can go home with bright spirits. LAST CHRISTMAS does indeed end on a high note, and it’s just enough to overlook that clumsily-handled, sink-or-swim twist. 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2019 - Episode XII

The final month of 2019 is here. For many of us, the next few weeks will bring the last few Oscar contenders, and for many others…one more venture into that far, far away galaxy. Here are the notable releases for the month of December. 

It all takes off with…

THE AERONAUTS – Tom Harper (TV’s PEAKY BLINDERS), directs this biographical adventure film about a daredevil pilot and an early weather scientist making discoveries in a gas balloon. It stars Felicity Jones (ROGUE ONE), and Eddie Redmayne (THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING). 

BLACK CHRISTMAS – The third remake of the 1974 horror classic, in which a group of sorority sisters become targeted by a killer during the holiday. It stars Imogen Poots (V FOR VENDETTA), Aleyse Shannon, Lily Donoghue, and Brittany O’Grady. 

BOMBSHELL – Charlize Theron plays Megyn Kelly and Nicole Kidman plays Gretchen Carlson in this true-story drama about the allegations against Fox News founder Roger Ailes, played by John Lithgow. Margot Robbie (I, TONYA), and Kate McKinnon (GHOSTBUSTERS 2016) co-star. It is directed by Jay Roach (AUSTIN POWERS). 

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL – The second sequel to the 1995 classic and a follow-up to the 2017 hit. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan reprise their roles as video game avatars who this time get trapped in a broken game. 

RICHARD JEWELL – Clint Eastwood directs this true-life drama about security guard Richard Jewell, who found the bomb at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and was then accused of planting it. It stars Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde, and Paul Walter Hauser (I, TONYA). 

UNCUT GEMS – Adam Sandler makes a rare turn into dramatic territory, playing a jewelry store owner who is running up his gambling debts. 

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER – J.J. Abrams (THE FORCE AWAKENS), returns to the STAR WARS franchise to direct the 9^th and final episode in the Skywalker Saga which began in 1977. Reprising their roles are Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Domhnall Gleeson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Anthony Daniels…with STAR WARS alum Ian McDiarmid and Billy Dee Williams returning for the first time since 1983. 

CATS – Oscar winning director Tom Hooper (THE KING’S SPEECH), directs this adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical. The packed cast includes James Corden, Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson, and Francesca Hayward. 

1917 – Oscar winning director Sam Mendes (AMERICAN BEAUTY), directs this WWI drama about two British soldiers who must deliver a warning to another unit across enemy lines. The film, shot by the legendary Roger Deakins, is done in long takes to give the effect of one continuous shot. It stars Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, and Benedict Cumberbatch. 

LITTLE WOMEN – Greta Gerwig (LADY BIRD), directs this adaptation of the famed novel in the aftermath of the Civil War. It stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, and Timothee Chalamet. 

SPIES IN DISGUISE – If you need a break from the Oscar drama, Will Smith provides the voice of a super-secret spy in this animated film. 

A HIDDEN LIFE – Controversial director Terrence Malick returns to the big screen with this historical drama about a young man who unwillingly joins the Third Reich and must later face trial. 

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Next month, Episode I previews the first month of 2020. 

A Reel Review: KNIVES OUT

The Whodunit genre of film has been one of the most popular of all time. From Sherlock to Agatha Christie to Mr. Green with a candlestick…the Whodunit allows the viewers to follow the clues and perhaps try to solve the mystery themselves, which makes the genre one of the first forms of interactive entertainment. The Whodunit film was in abundance for a long time, but has faded in recent years. The newest film from Rian Johnson, KNIVES OUT, is a loving homage to those old mystery films, while carving its own name in the body of originality. 

Harlan Thromby (Christopher Plummer), is a famous mystery writer who is found dead under suspicious circumstances in his mansion. Mixed up in his demise is his nurse Marta (Ana de Armas), who unwillingly assists world famous detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) to solve the mystery…under the watchful eye of the Thromby family (Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, Erika Lindhome). 

The early goings of KNIVES OUT unfolds through a series of interviews conducted by Blanc of the Thromby family, who were all in attendance on the night of the murder. Each family member has different versions of the same story and sequence of events, and through a series of clever reveals, each is shown to have a motive. It’s familiar Whodunit territory for the first act, but KNIVES OUT takes its first of many turns when the murder is revealed early on. But just when the film seems like its done, even more layers of mystery unfold. 

Through a very strong script by Rian Johnson, the Thromby family is well developed and shown to us as a self-centered, lying, greedy bunch of assholes. Caught in the middle of it all is the young nurse Marta, who is a good person and the heart and soul of the story. Through her we experience the film, as opposed to the standard Whodunit of following the detective. It’s a clever and successful twist on the old genre, as Johnson continues to weave one surprise after another throughout the film. 

Pacing is brisk, the humor hilarious, and the dialogue razor-sharp. The mansion is gorgeous and Johnson’s camera explores every nook and cranny. The film looks great, and the score by Nathan Johnson perfect for the atmosphere. 

Acting is excellent. Ana de Armas gets the bulk of the heavy lifting and handles it all well. Chris Evans and Daniel Craig, who have made careers out of playing tough guys, prove their comedy chops and are a barrel of laughs. The rest of the cast is great, with Christopher Plummer showing a lot of energy for his age. 

KNIVES OUT has a finale that no one will see coming, and it doesn’t quite allow the viewer to play the interactive game. It’s not a demerit against the film, but armchair detectives may feel cheated out of their chance. It’s a minor thing, as Rian Johnson has created a blast of a film, one that pays homage to what was done before while cutting new territory. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel Review: FROZEN II

Even though it is only six years old, Disney’s FROZEN has become one of the famed studio’s classic animated films. With familiar and beloved elements such as princesses, castles, magic, funny animals and talking characters that shouldn’t be talking (and singing), the film has become a permanent fixture in our culture. FROZEN ended on a pitch-perfect note, but this is 2019 where everyone wants to build a franchise. So here comes our princesses and their friends again in FROZEN II. 

Elsa (Idina Menzel), begins to hear a mysterious call from the forest that no one else can. She journeys off to find its origin, and is joined by her sister Anna (Kristen Bell), Anna’s possible husband-to-be Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), and their snowman Olaf (Josh Gad). 

When FROZEN ended, Elsa and Anna came to terms with themselves; with Elsa learning to control her powers of ice and snow, and Anna re-discovering her sister. With such a perfect ending, the burden for FROZEN II is on returning directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee to justify a sequel. Their solution to evolve the FROZEN story is to take a look backwards, as the journey into the forest turns into a revelation of Elsa’s origin and their family history. 

The sisters’ journey is very much Heart of Darkness, with each stage of their trip leading to one pickle after another, including old missing soldiers, warring natives, and stone giants. During all this Elsa and Anna get their own arcs, with Elsa intent on finding her origin and Anna just wanting to be there for her sister. The plot has a lot going on, becomes complicated in places, and also takes a long time to establish. It feels like it could have been a lot simpler. 

FROZEN II goes into some dark places, with many close-calls and one significant character demise. The tone is heavier than the first film and it mostly feels like a very serious movie. Still, the movie is very funny with Olaf providing most of the side-splitting laughs. The animation is spectacular; the autumnal setting provides some stunning landscapes, and the eventual snowscapes equally breathtaking. The songs are excellent, with Idina Menzel’s Into the Unknown a spectacular highlight. As good as that song and the overall music is, FROZEN II lacks anything iconic like Let It Go or Do You Want to Build a Snowman.

Since this is Disney, we certainly get a happy ending, although the sisters wind up in places that isn’t quite satisfying; we’d much rather prefer the ending they had in the first film. FROZEN II is fun and worthwhile, even though it doesn’t fully re-capture the magic that made these characters and the world they inhabit so special the first time around. It’s not a disaster, but not a classic either. 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it