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

The months of September and October were a little quiet, but cinema is making up for it in the last two months of 2019, starting with a packed month of November and a very diverse slate of films as Oscar Season really gets underway. Here now is a preview for the notable releases for the month…

It all gets dark with…

TERMINATOR: DARK FATE – This sixth installment in the 35-year-old, time-travelling sci-fi franchise serves as a direct sequel to TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY (1991), and ignores all the movies and TV series that have come after that. James Cameron, who directed the first two films, returns as a producer, and Tim Miller (DEADPOOL), directs. Linda Hamilton reprises her role of Sarah Connor for the first time since T2. Arnold Schwarzenegger is also back. 

HARRIET – Historical legend Harriet Tubman, a slave turned abolitionist, gets her big-screen biopic. Cynthia Erivo (WIDOWS), plays Harriet. 

MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN – Ed Norton directs and stars in this neo-noir crime film taking place in 1957 New York City. He is joined on-screen by Bruce Willis, Bobby Cannavale, Cherry Jones, Alec Baldwin, and Willem Dafoe. 

THE IRISHMAN – Everyone’s favorite superhero Martin Scorsese (GOODFELLAS, THE DEPARTED), returns to the gangster genre with this long-awaited drama about real-life hitman Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran. Scorsese re-unites with GOODFELLAS stars Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci, and for the first time, Al Pacino. 

MARRIAGE STORY – Adam Driver (THE FORCE AWAKENS), and Avenger Scarlett Johansson star as a married couple going through a coast-to-coast divorce. It is directed by Noah Baumbach (FRANCES HA).

DOCTOR SLEEP – This horror film is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King, and is a sequel to King’s THE SHINING. Ewan McGregor plays a grown-up Danny Torrance. It is directed by Mike Flanagan (GERALD’S GAME). 

LAST CHRISTMAS – Paul Feig (GHOSTBUSTERS 2016), directs this romantic comedy in which an unlucky young woman accepts a job as a department store elf and meets a man who changes her life. It stars Emilia Clarke (TV’S GAME OF THRONES), Emma Thompson, and Henry Golding. 

MIDWAY – Roland Emmerich (INDEPENDENCE DAY), directs this epic WWII film based on the Pearl Harbor attack and the landmark Battle of Midway. It stars Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Luke Evans, Aaron Eckhart, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Dennis Quaid, and Woody Harrelson. 

CHARLIE’S ANGELS – The 1970’s TV series gets another lease on life with its second cinematic reboot, with the Angels being played by Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska. It is directed by Elizabeth Banks. 

FORD V. FERRARI – James Mangold (LOGAN), directs this true-story adaptation about the team tasked with building a race car to compete with Ferrari at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. It stars Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Jon Bernthal. 

THE GOOD LIAR – Ian McKellen (THE LORD OF THE RINGS), plays a career con-artist who meets a wealthy widow, played by Helen Mirren. It is directed by Bill Condon, who directed McKellen in the most-excellent MR. HOLMES in 2015. 

THE REPORT – In this true-story adaptation, Adam Driver plays the lead investigator into the controversial CIA usage of torture after 9/11. It stars Annette Bening, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Morrison, Tim Blake Nelson, Ben McKenzie, and Ted Levine. 

21 BRIDGES – Chadwick Boseman (BLACK PANTHER), plays a NYPD detective who shuts down the city in order to find two suspects. 

A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NIEGHBORHOOD – Tom Hanks plays the legendary Mr. Rogers in this biopic. 

FROZEN 2 – The sequel to the 2013 smash, with the directors, producers, and song-writing team returning…along with the voice cast of Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, and Josh Gad. 

KNIVES OUT – Rian Johnson (THE LAST JEDI), writes and directs this murder mystery, where a family patriarch is murdered and the entire family is suspected. The ensemble cast includes Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Frank Oz, and Christopher Plummer. 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the final month of the year. 

A Reel Opinion: No Fun for Old Men

In the past couple of weeks, two of cinema’s most celebrated filmmakers caused a dustup with their comments over the popular Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU); the now decade-old franchise that has spanned over 20 connected films based on Marvel Comics. 

The first shot came from Martin Scorsese (GOODFELLAS, GANGS OF NEW YORK, THE DEPARTED). Speaking with Empire, Scorsese was asked his opinion on the MCU, and called them theme parks, while adding: 

“But that’s not cinema.”

“It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”

A week later, Francis Ford Coppola (THE GODFATHER 1 & 2, APOCALYPSE NOW) chimed in. Speaking in France where he was accepting the Prix Lumiere award for contributions to cinema, Coppola was asked about Scorsese’s comments, to which he said: 

“When martin Scorsese says that the Marvel pictures are not cinema, he’s right because we expect to learn something from cinema, we expect to gain something, some enlightenment, some knowledge, some inspiration.”

“Martin was kind when he said it’s not cinema. He didn’t say it’s despicable, which I just say it is”

The comments immediately drew praise and criticism. Acclaimed British director Ken Loach, and Brazilian filmmaker Fernando Meirelles rushed to Coppola and Scorsese’s defense, while Marvel director James Gunn (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY) defended the MCU, and IRON MAN director Jon Favreau took the high road. Marvel fans immediately went on the offensive, and even fans of the up-and-down movies based on DC Comics came to defend their genre. 

Ultimately this is a question of what is cinema and what isn’t. If it plays in theatres, then yes of course it’s cinema. The MCU however has done something new in the last decade; they’ve taken a page out of TV and serialized their movies…with each film acting as an episode or chapter in a larger story. Old-school filmmakers don’t get it, but it offers an opportunity for long-form storytelling. It was big and bold then, and it’s big and bold now. To say that superhero movies don’t inspire is ignorant, because just as Coppola’s work inspired this generation, Marvel will do so for the next. And in the last year, this Blogger has witnessed grown adults emotionally devastated after Marvel’s INFINITY WAR and then again after ENDGAME. True tears were shed. If that isn’t cinema, then nothing is. 

Scorsese and Coppola would be well-served to look beyond the colorful capes and armor that superhero movies are chock full of. Stay through the credits and look at the thousands of people it took to make one film. The MCU has employed tens of thousands of people, and that is healthy for Hollywood. It is also an axiom in the industry that blockbuster movies are the ones that keep the lights on in the theatres. The idea that movie theatres would have survived with only arthouse fare, or the non-despicable stuff, is absurd. This year alone, the top six box office earners account for more income than 7 through 40 combined. Sorry Francis and Marty, but your industry lives and breathes off movies that are fun; like theme parks are fun. And no, box office does not equal quality (not all the time), but without box office, there are no movie theatres. 

Francis and Marty could also learn something from looking at their own past. In the 1970’s, they, along with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, were a group of young filmmakers who were expected to revolutionize the film industry. Well, revolutionize it they did, but now that revolution isn’t working for them so they lash out against it. And in doing so, they have become the stubborn old men that they originally were rebelling against. This Blogger would also love to know what their old buddy George Lucas would have to say about all this; after all, he’s the one who got us into blockbuster land with his (ahem) serialized movies called STAR WARS. 

This is a question of not only what is cinema and what isn’t, but also what is art and who gets to say if it is or not. Coppola and Scorsese have made some of the greatest films of all time, so they’ve certainly earned the right to give an opinion, but their comments suffer from tunnel-vision, and they sound like old men bitter about the world passing them by. The two of them have made careers out of the philosophy that cinema should never be limited, but limitations are exactly what they are now demanding. If we’ve learned anything from Coppola and Scorsese over the years, it’s that a great story can be found anywhere, and that’s what cinema is all about. 

A Reel Review: The Final Trailer for STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

The STAR WARS franchise, now in its 42^nd year, recently unleashed the third and “final” trailer for THE RISE OF SKYWALKER; the 9^th and final episode in the Skywalker Saga which began with A NEW HOPE in 1977. Here is a breakdown of the highlights and what they could mean…

Rey through the Jungle

The opening shots are of our new hero Rey (Daisy Ridley), running through a jungle with her re-built lightsaber; dropping a blast-shield helmet and deflecting a laser blast. This is followed by her jumping over a chasm…propelled by the Force. When we last saw Rey, she had a broken saber but was in possession of the sacred Jedi texts, so in the time that has passed between THE LAST JEDI (2017) and this film, she’s apparently been busy. 

Darth Voiceovers

It’s a trailer of intriguing voiceovers from the cast. The first comes from former Stormtrooper and new Resistance fighter Finn (John Boyega), saying that the Force brought them together. The second is Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), talking about how good people will join the fight with the right leadership. Other voiceovers belong to Rey, once again exploring her lineage, the now departed Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), talking about fear and the role it plays with Jedi, and finally…the return of Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), who mirrors Finn’s line about the Force bringing them together, only with his own evil twist. 

Cinematography Strikes Back

STAR WARS has always had fantastic visuals, and THE RISE OF SKYWALKER seems to promise more. Some interesting shots: 

TIE Fighters heading towards an ice structure; perhaps the frigid mountainous planet Kijimi. There is also a shot of a classic Star Destroyer bursting out of the ice. 

A new (?) throne for the Emperor. This design matches early concept art of the Emperor’s throne room by famed STAR WARS artist Ralph McQuarrie from 1981. 

Rey and the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), in the wrecked Emperor’s throne room from RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983), and then Rey and Kylo slashing out their differences on the remains of Death Star II. 

Perhaps the most satisfying shot of the trailer: 

Also…

He’s Doomed! 

The emotional heart of the trailer came from C-3P0 (Anthony Daniels), the worrisome droid who appears with cabling attached to his opened head. He says ominously that he’s “taking one last look…at my friends”. Is Threepio sacrificing himself? It’s possible, but then again he’s been predicting his own death for 42 years. And look closely, and we can see a Battle Droid from the Prequel era behind him. 

Here they come! 

A fantastic shot of the famed Millennium Falcon leading a massive space battle. Eagle-eyed fans have also noticed the Ghost from the popular and outstanding TV series STAR WARS REBELS in the background. 

What the…

And two shots that raise more questions than answer…Rey and Kylo destroying some black thing, and Rey perhaps coming face-to-face with the Emperor. 

The Force will be with you…

The final shot is of Rey, with Luke’s voiceover saying that the Force will be with her…and the line is completed by General Leia (the late great Carrie Fisher), with always. Being that this trailer was released on what would have been Fisher’s 63^rd birthday, it was a perfect way to close things out. All this is backed by a new variations of John Williams’ magnificent music, and it ends as another fantastic trailer in the STAR WARS saga. 

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See the trailer HERE. 

THE RISE OF SKYWALKER arrives in theatres December 20, with limited showings on the 19^th. It is directed by J.J. Abrams, who helmed THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015). 

A Reel Review - ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP

In 2009, director Reuben Fleischer gave the tired old zombie-genre the shot to the head it needed with his action-comedy ZOMBIELAND. It was chock full of fun characters, witty dialogue, and all the blood and gore any zombie-craver could ask for. Ten years have passed since our first visit to that Earth where humans can hunt or be hunted by the walking dead. A lot has changed since then, but a lot hasn’t. Enter ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP. 

Some years after the events of the first film, Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), and her big sister Wichita (Emma Stone), take up residence in the abandoned White House while zombies continue to evolve and massacre surviving humans. 

Sequels can be tricky, as a follow-up needs to stay loyal to what came before while exploring new territory. Where the first ZOMBIELAND spent time with our foursome of strangers uniting together to battle and survive, DOUBLE TAP’s main plot involves them splitting apart and finding their way back together. Little Rock is antsy and eager to spend time with people her own age, while Wichita gets cold feet when Columbus starts talking marriage. In the meantime, Tallahassee is getting cabin fever and just wants to be out on the road again. Things get even more complicated when Columbus falls in with an air-headed blonde named Madison (Zoey Deutch), who falls for him instantly. 

Fleischer played with a family dynamic in the first film, and this time he takes it to the next level. The foursome are written as a dysfunctional, yet loyal family…and it really works. There’s a central theme of “attachment” at work; in this world, where food, transport, and weapons are scarce, not becoming attached can be key to survival, but as our characters learn, attachment can work to their advantage. To get there, all the characters go through their own arcs, and it moves the film along well. 

The pacing is brisk and fun, the humor as witty as it was in the first film, and the zombie kills a glorious splattering of crimson and guts. A few gag scenes feel like they drag on a little too long, but action sequences are a thrill, with a big dust-up in an Elvis-themed motel a major highlight. The film leans more towards action and comedy with the occasional splatter, and only in a few places does it dip into its horror roots. 

Acting is great as the cast really seems to buy into their characters and are having a blast. Woody Harrelson is a ton of fun and shows again just how fearless he can be, while Jesse Eisenberg and Emma Stone put together some effective, sentimental scenes together. Abigail Breslin gets more to do this time around and handles it well, and Zoey Deutch is hilarious. The supporting cast is great all-around; Rosario Dawson, Avan Jogia, Luke Wilson, Thomas Middleditch, and Bill Murray (!). 

After one hell of a final battle, DOUBLE TAP settles into a tight and nice ending, which feels like it could have used a bit more tragedy…but a happy ending is just fine in a film that is this much fun. It could have used a few more scares, but as a sequel it leans on what made the first film click so well while taking time to expand the world these characters inhabit. In ten years, the world has changed a-plenty, but ZOMBIELAND remains a place we just have to revisit. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel Review: 3 FROM HELL

In 2003, shock-rocker turned horror-director Rob Zombie introduced us to the twisted and evil Firefly Family in HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES, and then followed it up with the far-superior sequel, and his best overall film, THE DEVIL’S REJECTS in 2005. REJECTS had a perfect ending for the surviving members of the Family, and seemed to close the book on the series. But nothing ever stays dead in the horror genre, and Zombie has found a way to bring back his trio of murderers in 3 FROM HELL. 

A decade after the events of REJECTS, the surviving members of the Family are incarcerated and have become criminal celebrities. Otis (Bill Moseley) breaks out of prison with the help of his half-brother Winslow (Richard Brake), and hatch a plan to break his sister Baby (Sheri Moon Zombie) out of the same prison so they can continue their bloody rampage. 

THE DEVIL’S REJECTS ended with the Family being gunned down in a terrific closing scene by a barrage of police gunfire, and seemed to put an end to them. Zombie finds a simple way to bring them back (they survived, no big deal), so the question of 3 FROM HELL isn’t the “how” as much as the “why”, because if you’re going to negate a great ending…then the next ending needs to justify it. This time around, most of the film is spent with Otis and Winslow working their plan to break-out Baby, which involves kidnapping the warden (Jeff Daniel Phillips) and his friends and family to a gruesome end. 

Once Baby, who is slowly going insane due to her time in jail, is reunited with Otis and Winslow, the rest of the film is spent on the run, leading them to Mexico where even more trouble is awaiting them. Similar to REJECTS, the film is a road-trip movie where the characters go from place to place, killing at will, and then moving on. It’s a bit repetitive but it does keep the film moving. But also similar to REJECTS, there isn’t much time spent to dig into the characters and why they find spilling blood as easy as spilling coffee. Zombie does take a time-out for them to reflect here and there, but they come and go too quickly and are never explored. With this being the supposed end of the Firefly Family trilogy, it feels like a missed opportunity. The Family’s status as celebrities is also under-utilized. 

3 FROM HELL is very similar to its predecessor as a throwback to the gritty, 1970’s style of horror. The film does look like it could have been shot 30 years ago, and the period setting and music are used to great effect. As a horror film it does function perfectly; not quite scary but definitely unsettling and hard to watch in places. Humor is spot-on, and the film moves at a brisk pace. 

Acting is pretty good. Bill Moseley owns the film and does great work, while Sheri Moon Zombie seems to struggle a bit with her character who has lost her mind. She seems to be channeling Harley Quinn a lot and that’s not a bad thing. Richard Brake is fantastic. The rest of the cast including Dee Wallace, Danny Trejo, Emilo Rivera, and Clint Howard are all good. The late great Sid Haig appears in what amounts to a cameo and does a great job in his final screen appearance. 

The burning question is if the ending of 3 FROM HELL justifies negating the end of REJECTS, and the answer is…not really. It’s a shrug of an ending, and if the finales of the two films were swapped it would have worked better. It’s still a great ride to get there, and despite being a sequel has enough original elements to earn a trip back…there’s just no rush to do so. 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it 

A Reel Review: JUDY

Everyone’s lasting memory of entertainment icon Judy Garland is rooted in THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939), with her singing the melancholy yet hopeful song Somewhere Over the Rainbow. This is for the best, as the later years of her life were filled with financial troubles, alcoholism, and an over-reliance on pills. Her tale is a tragic one which began during her OZ days, and those later years, and how she got there is the subject matter for Rupert Goold’s biopic, JUDY. 

Thirty years after she shot to fame in OZ, Judy Garland (Renee Zellweger), is broke with nowhere for her and her kids to live. Desperate for income, she travels to London to perform in a series of concerts, where her addictions get in the way of her performances. 

There is a philosophy in storytelling, and filmmaking, that says an audience does not have to necessarily like a character, but they do have to feel empathy for them. This Judy Garland is far from the pig-tailed girl from Kansas that the world fell in love with, and is instead a pill-popping hot mess; always late for her shows and quick to snap at those who are trying to help her. But at the same time she is a loving mother who just wants to give her young kids a consistent place to sleep at night. Yes, she is a tragic character, but still portrayed as very human. 

It would be easy to blame Judy for her troubles, as she’s quick to grab a scotch glass or pill bottle, but director Rupert Goold, in his only his second feature film, takes us back to the past to show us where all the troubles began. Judy is shown as a young girl being manipulated by a morally bankrupt studio system, where she is starved to get thinner, fed pills to stay awake and sleep, and subject to unwelcome advances. It borders on child abuse, and the effects are seen in the Judy of the film’s present day. The flashbacks are timed nicely,  and a direct line can be seen from her past to present. 

Goold however still has some in-experience behind the camera. Many shots have odd framing, with some characters hanging off the edge of the screen. Editing lacks any sort of rhythm, and some scenes just drag with little drama. But JUDY still manages to soar when it needs to, with the musical performances staged beautifully, and the dramatic moments that do manage to stick really work well. 

Acting is excellent. Renee Zellweger turns in one of her best performances; looking and sounding just like the Judy of her final years. She plays it tragic but with heart, and does help us feel empathy for her. The rest of the cast, including Finn Wittrock, Rufus Sewell, and Jessie Buckley are all fine, although Michael Gambon is tragically under-used. The show is nearly stolen by Darci Shaw, who plays the OZ-era Judy Garland and nails her young look and mannerisms. 

JUDY plays it loose with factual history, which may be a turn-off for many, but as a story it does function well despite a few bumps. The film ends with only six months left in her life, and if there is one glaring problem, it does not find a way to send the audience out the door on a high note. It’s a cautionary tale to a fault; it’s a downer and doesn’t give the woman her credit for her role in history. But just like the real-life Judy Garland, JUDY is beautiful despite being flawed. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it

A Reel Opinion: The Top Five Best Performances from Joaquin Phoenix

At 44 years old, Joaquin Phoenix is today considered one of our best working actors. His ability to go deep and astonish audiences has become better and better with each film, and his latest, JOKER, cements that reputation. With his performance as The Joker earning critical praise and the film a box office success, film discussions have veered towards how JOKER ranks among all of his great roles…which leads us to Reel Speak’s first Top Five list of Phoenix’s Best Performances. The criteria at work is simple; how well he sells his character and longevity/cultural impact. 

Here’s how the Phoenix lands…

5. Theodore Twombly from HER (2013)

Sometimes the best roles are the ones that are most understated. In this sci-fi romantic drama, Phoenix plays a lonely, depressed, and introverted man who falls in love with the operating system of his virtual assistant. What could be a wacky concept is made serious by Phoenix’s commitment to making it work. The world that HER takes place in is a high-tech one, possibly only 10 years in our future, but the human nature of Theodore takes center-stage, and Phoenix creates for us raw emotions that we all have felt in one relationship or another. 

4. Arthur Fleck from JOKER (2019)

The only reason that this doesn’t rank higher is because JOKER is brand-new and hasn’t had the test of time put to it yet. There is also a legit criticism that he doesn’t really play The Joker until the very end, but that shouldn’t matter because prior to him putting on that famed make-up, we are treated to an un-nerving portrayal of the man destined to become the Clown Prince of Crime and blood-rival to the Bat. Phoenix sheds weight to the point of emaciation (amazing commitment), and his maniacal laugh sends shivers down the toughest of spines. 

3. Johnny Cash from WALK THE LINE (2005)

Phoenix and his late brother River are the only brothers ever nominated for Academy Awards in the acting category, and he earned his first Best Actor nod with his portrayal of music legend Johnny Cash. Playing a known celebrity is tough, as an actor is required to get a lot right in the eyes of fans and family members, and there is always the chance of being accused of imitating instead of acting. In WALK THE LINE, Phoenix brings the Man in Black back to life in stunning ways; mannerisms, dialect, and behind the microphone…and it doesn’t take long for us to believe that he is Cash. 

2. Commodus from GLADIATOR (2000)

Nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the new Emperor of Rome who gets his throne by murdering his father and betraying Rome’s greatest soldier. Phoenix plays this despicable man to the point that audiences were ready to reach through the screen and throttle him themselves. We hated him when he stabs Maximus before their fight in front of the crowd, and cheered when his body was left to rot on the Coliseum floor. Easily one of our greatest cinematic villains. 

1. Freddie Quell from THE MASTER (2012)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s brilliant film about a WWII veteran who comes home without a purpose elevated Phoenix into the upper-echelon of actors. The film is set up as a metaphor for the relationship between a master and his dog…and in the pivotal scene where Phoenix is broken-in by his new master (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), by being asked not to blink for long periods of time, we see just how great Phoenix can be. Here’s a challenge: try to refrain from blinking for as long as Joaquin Phoenix does in that scene, and it won’t take long to understand how hard he had to work and suffer to make that scene work. He plays Freddie as a lost soul that we empathize for, and by movie’s end it’s clear to see that he is a master at his craft.  

Reel Speak's Top Five Best Performances from Joaquin Phoenix

1. Freddie Quell from THE MASTER
2. Commodus from GLADIATOR
3. Johnny Cash from WALK THE LINE
4. Arthur Fleck from JOKER
5. Theodore Twombly from HER

A Reel Review: GEMINI MAN

From Kong to E.T., from Gollum to Rocket and Groot, artificial characters have been populating our screens for decades. GEMINI MAN, which calls for an aging assassin battling a younger clone of himself, has had its script floating around Hollywood for over 20 years, often held up due to no real way to make a younger version of a lead actor. But this is 2019, and CGI has now given us ways to generate artificial people on screen. It’s a Pandora’s Box for filmmakers, and a tricky new toy for lead actor Will Smith and director Ang Lee. 

Henry (Smith), is an international assassin who has decided to retire. When his own government decides to kill him, he goes on the run with Dani (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a spy who was hired to keep an eye on him. As they trot from country to country, Henry finds himself being hunted by a younger clone of himself called Junior (also Smith), who was created and raised by Clay (Clive Owen), the showrunner for a secret government lab. 

GEMINI MAN sets itself up as a chase film, with Henry, Dani, and their ever-resourceful friend Baron (Benedict Wong), bouncing all over the world while being hunted by Junior. During their flee, they are tasked with figuring out the identity of Junior and unraveling the mystery of why the government has suddenly decided to kill Henry…one of the country’s most loyal soldiers. 

But this international tale of betrayal and mystery falls apart in a hurry, with the biggest problem being way too many shortcuts; every dilemma and question is solved way too quickly in the most maddeningly convenient ways. Need a way to travel from Georgia, U.S.A. to Budapest? No problem, Baron just happens to know a guy who will let them borrow a Lear Jet. Need to solve the mystery of who Junior is? No problem, Dani just happens to have a friend in a DNA lab who can answer that in two minutes. Need to convince Junior where he really came from? No sweat, just tell him and watch him switch allegiances. The movie is loaded with more, and it makes everything go from point-to-point with no real drama or challenge for the characters. There is also a lame attempt at a twist which anyone with half a brain can see coming. 

The pacing is brisk, the humor spot-on, the locations look gorgeous, and the fight and chase scenes are very well staged, but for the most part this never feels like an Ang Lee film. Lee, who has solidified himself as a visual master, never gets to put his signature visuals of pure art on the screen; this entire thing could have been filmed by anybody. The CGI version of a young Will Smith looks astonishing, but eventually we begin to wonder why the character only has close-ups in dark rooms or at night. That is answered by the end of the film when he appears in broad daylight, and the effect doesn’t fool anyone. Darkness really does hide flaws. 

Acting is decent enough even though no character gets a lot of meant to chew on. Will Smith gets the most work and delivers as he always does, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead fits well into an action role. Clive Owen is just bland as he blurts out his lines minus his usual charm. 

It’s ironic that the film uses technology to “make a person”, when the plot does the exact same thing. There are, of course, moral and ethical implications to doing this in GEMINI MAN, none of which is explored or given a second thought. It’s a glaring omission that takes any depth or maturity away from the film. On top of that, exactly why Henry is targeted for termination is never clear or makes sense. This is one movie that could have used another 20 years to get right. 

BOTTOM LINE: Fuck it 

Robert Forster: 1941 - 2019

Actor Robert Forster has passed away at 78. 

Born Robert Wallace Foster Jr. in Rochester, New York in 1941, he perhaps was inspired at a young age by his father, was worked as an elephant trainer for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus. He went to the University of Rochester where he starred in a dramatic performance of Bye Bye Birdie, and decided to become an actor. 

After two acclaimed supporting performances in the Hollywood films REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE (1967), and THE STALKING MOON (1968), he landed a role in the critically acclaimed MEDIUM COOL (1969), and the TV series BANYON (1972). 

His blossoming career began to slip as he ended up in doomed productions such as Disney’s costly flop THE BLACK HOLE (1979), and B-movie junk such as ALLIGATOR (1980), VIGILANTE (1983), and THE DELTA FORCE (1986). 

In 1997, his career had a resurgence that he would never have to forfeit, when Quentin Tarantino cast him in his JACKIE BROWN. Forster was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and would then find consistent work for the next 20 years. He would appear in ME, MYSELF & IRENE (2000), MULHOLLAND DR. (2001), CONFIDENCE (2003), CHARLIE’S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE (2003), LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN (2006), THE DESCENDANTS (2011), OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (2013), and LONDON HAS FALLEN (2016). He also had a successful run on TV, appearing in HEROES, BREAKING BAD, and TWIN PEAKS. His final screen appearance is the Netflix production, EL CAMINO: A BREAKING BAD MOVIE. 

Forster was a member of the Triple Nine Society, an international high-IQ organization or adults whose IQ ranks at or above the 99.9^th percentile of the human population. 

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This Blogger’s first memory of Robert Forster was in 1979, when he played Captain Dan Holland in Disney’s now cult-favorite THE BLACK HOLE. Forster played the captain of a spaceship, fighting in a galaxy populated by robots and laser guns…and having been bitten by the sci-fi bug thanks to that other far, far away galaxy, his Blogger became an instant fan of the Captain. THE BLACK HOLE may have flopped and messed up Forster’s career, but over the years it has become a favorite among sci-fi fans, and that has elevated Forster in many eyes. Even in a bad-ish movie, he was still cool. When he appeared in JACKIE BROWN, he had his character’s office decorated with Ringling Bros. posters as a tribute to his father, which shows his deep commitment to family and his roots. Aside from his terrific acting, that is a quality that earns deep respect. Robert Forster was a presence on the screen that will be difficult to fill. Just like his character of a space explorer, his career and life has gone in, through, and beyond...

A Reel Journey: Skellig Michael and the Search for Luke Skywalker

For long-time fans of STAR WARS, visiting a filming location for any one of the movies can be a lifetime dream. From feeling the heat of the desert planet Tatooine, the chill of the ice planet Hoth, or the leafy air of Endor…visiting such locations can make that far, far away galaxy feel all the more real. This is a task easier said than done, as STAR WARS has utilized remote and hard-to-get-to places in Tunisia, Norway, and carefully guarded preservations. Recently, I, this Blogger, accompanied by his fiancée and three companions, were humbled to visit one of the most recent, yet popular STAR WARS locations of all; the island of Skellig Michael. 

The island of Skellig Michael is a World Heritage Site which lies just over seven miles off the southwestern coast of Ireland. Remote, beautiful, and dangerous…the island was set on the planet Ahch-To in THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015), and THE LAST JEDI (2017). It was the home of a Jedi Temple, which our legendary hero Luke Skywalker vanished looking for, and never returned. In the island’s magnificent debut in THE FORCE AWAKENS, our next-generation hero Rey arrives on Ahch-To in search of Luke, and backed by John Williams’ score The Jedi Steps, she climbs those Jedi Steps in search of a hero, for hope, and for her own destiny. As a lifelong STAR WARS fan, this was my journey; to climb the Jedi Steps and to find a piece of my life that had been missing by finally visiting a STAR WARS location. 

The journey to Skellig Michael is not an easy one. The island is only accessible for tourists by boat, and with over seven miles of choppy ocean, many lunches were lost. Upon arrival, the seas still don’t cooperate, and getting off the boat means one wrong step is the difference between rock and cold water. Once on land, the real climb begins. Extremely steep rock “stairs”, which are uneven and barely qualify as steps, are the path to go up. With over 600 of them with a stiff wind, the climb is exhausting. 

But exhaustion was a battle I was not going to lose. This was something I had been dreaming about since I was four years old; to walk where Jedi have walked, to see what my heroes have seen, and to feel what they had felt. Despite rubbery legs, empty lungs, and a lunch lost at sea…I found myself moving upwards with The Jedi Steps on repeat in my head. That score has a tremendous sense of ascension, and ascension was all I could think about. The reality of the climb burned and hurt, but it was reality that kept me climbing. This was not a film-set built out of wood or digital pixels. It was real; with every crunch of rock heard and every gust of cold wind felt. I was walking with one foot in reality and the other in that far, far away galaxy. 

Breaks were taken to catch my breath. At or near the top, the scenery was breathtaking. To see the magnificent blue water and the surrounding islands, the nests of the native Puffin birds (a direct inspiration for the Porgs), and the endless horizon. It became clear to me why Luke would choose this location for his exile and final days; it was teeming with life, and life is how the Force works. Every break I took involved a quiver of the lip and wiping of tears. It was surreal. I was there. I was where Luke lived.

At the top, the ancient monastery still stands after centuries of weather. Simple yet sophisticated, they were amazing to take in. In THE LAST JEDI we are introduced to the caretakers of the island, and by seeing the real-life huts, crosses, and cemetery which were built by monks a long, long time ago…one could really appreciate how the filmmakers were inspired by reality to bring this STAR WARS world to life. 

There was something familiar about this place, which this Blogger's fiancée was happy to demonstrate: 

The trip back down was equally treacherous, as each step was a battle against gravity which wanted to pull my weakened legs down faster than I needed to. At the bottom waiting for our ride home, all we could do is gaze back up the mountain that we had just climbed. Somewhere up there, I really did find Luke Skywalker. Luke was drawn here by the Force, and as THE LAST JEDI taught us, the Force is composed of life, death, new life, warmth, cold, peace, violence…and between it all a balance of energy. All that is there and real on Skellig Michael. That is what I, this Blogger found by climbing the Jedi Steps. To search for our heroes is to search within ourselves, and a lifetime void has been filled. No one leaves this place unchanged, and it was a day to be long remembered. 

A Reel Review: JOKER

One of the more puzzling stories to break in today’s onslaught of comic book movies is the super-villain solo film; where a villain is given his or her own film without their hero-rival. Such a story can work to an extent, but most baddies are what they are because of their opposite; they see what they hate or are jealous of on the other side of the fence, and that completes the character. Figuring out a good story and movie with only half the recipe has been a challenge for studios and filmmakers, a challenge taken on this year by director Todd Phillips and Batman’s most famous villain, The Joker. 

In 1980’s Gotham City, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), is a struggling comedian working part-time as a clown, taking care of his ailing mother (Frances Conroy), and attending therapy sessions to deal with his mental illness and compulsion for laughing at all the wrong times. After one bad day, Arthur moves into madness as he discovers secrets about his past and begins to lash out at society. 

JOKER does not have much in plot, and follows Arthur during a week of his life where he is mugged, beaten, fired, and has his dreams of being a stand-up comedian stomped on. There are sub-plots including Arthur’s mother trying to earn back the attention of her former employer, billionaire Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen), a possible romance with his neighbor (Zazie Beetz), and his want to appear on a popular late-night TV show hosed by Murray Franklin (Robert DeNiro). All this is topped off with Arthur’s inability to separate reality from his own fantasies, and we are often treated to scenes that are happening in his head only. 

In this timeline, Gotham has a major class divide (with Arthur on the lower side), and director Todd Phillips is playing with the line between Haves and the Have-nots, and it is against the Haves that Arthur eventually unleashes his rage against. In a clever change-up, we are led to think that we are to feel sympathy for Arthur, but that is eventually smashed as he gains a taste for blood and embraces the Joker. The film takes its time to examine Arthur and what makes him tick, and there is enough meat on the bone to carry the film. 

Showing no shame, JOKER takes a lot of its influence from the 1970’s era of nihilistic films, where anti-heroes dominated the storylines. It’s fine to see a fresh take on an old story, but JOKER leans so heavily on those movies it loses a lot of its original identity. The film has no moral center; nothing for Arthur/Joker to contrast against. He instead attacks the society that has rejected him…a society that is portrayed as corrupt anyway. It becomes a case of the rotten vs. the rotting and it’s difficult to know who or what to root for; a blessing and a curse for JOKER. 

Mental illness is at front-and-center which is another good and bad point for JOKER. Phillips shows us just how difficult life can be for those who are different mentally, but at the same time he makes the troubling decision to use that mental illness as an excuse for violence. In a way it’s refreshing, as this gives us a super-villain coming from the gutters as opposed to power or privilege. But on the other hand it’s a little careless as it clings too tightly to its nihilistic roots. But the real fumbling happens with Arthur’s fantasies, which start off great, goes into a clever twist, but are then forgotten about for the entire last act of the film. 

Acting is very good with Phoenix deservingly dominating the film as he’s in every single scene. His laugh is disturbing, his distorted body movements un-nerving, and his turn from poor-man to evil-man is fascinating to see. Phoenix however does feel restrained in some areas, and we never really see him go totally bat-shit crazy. The rest of the cast is handled well, although many long-time comic fans may have issues with the portrayal of Thomas Wayne. Although the acting by Brett Cullen is very good, Mr. Wayne here treats the lower-class like dirt, which is a far cry from the good character that would one day inspire his son to save his city. 

JOKER may take the name of one of the greatest comic villains of all time, but it is such a departure from the large-scale battles we’re used to seeing that it barely registers as a comic-book movie. It isn’t until the very end that the Joker we’ve known and are expecting finally shows up, and in the meantime,  we are treated to a unique character study that just happens to take place in the famed Gotham City. The issues are many, but not deal-breaking, and most of the problems are up to the viewer to decide if they really are problems. Todd Phillips hasn’t solved the problem of the solo-villain movie, but it’s as close as we could hope for. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it