A Reel Opinion: Oscar Nominations: The Good, The Bad, & The Glorious

The nominees for the 91^stAcademy Awards were announced today. ROMA and THE FAVOURITE lead the pack with 10 nominations each, followed by eight for VICE and A STAR IS BORN, seven for BLACK PANTHER, six for BLAKKKLANSMAN, and five for BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY and GREEN BOOK. Here’s how the rest landed in the Good, Bad, and Glorious. 

THE GOOD

-Last year’s announcements were done in a huge production with pre-produced intros and a large backdrop. This year things were scaled down, and hosts Kumail Nanjiani and Tracee Ellis Ross looked like they were in the lobby of the Academy. It worked, and both hosts got the job done, although it was odd to have Ross, mostly known as a TV actress, hosting an event that celebrates the movies. 

-For the first time since 1976, two foreign language films made the cut for Best Director; Alfonso Cuaron for ROMA, and Pawel Pawlikowski for COLD WAR. It’s good to see the Academy look beyond their borders. 

-Earlier this year, the Academy toyed with, and then shelved the idea of adding a Most Popular Film category to honor box office hits that weren’t Best Picture material. Three of this year’s nominees; A STAR IS BORN, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, and BLACK PANTHER…were all big money makers and shows that the category is not needed. 

-Speaking of BLACK PANTHER; the box office smash, critical hit, and cultural impact-maker became the first superhero film to be nominated for Best Picture. 

-A nomination for Best Visual Effects for SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, gives the long-running STAR WARS franchise a total of 37 nominations over nine films. The record belongs to the Middle-Earth franchise (THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS), which has 38 nominations over six films. 

THE BAD

-No nomination for Bradley Cooper for Best Director for his outstanding A STAR IS BORN. Could it be because he spent too much time in front of the camera? Also noteworthy is no nomination for Best Editing for A STAR IS BORN, which is usually a pre-requisite for a Best Picture winner. 

-As stated in Reel Speak’s review of BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (HERE), that film had editing issues, which makes its nomination for Best Editing an odd one. 

-Also odd is BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY earning so many nominations including Best Picture, despite receiving mixed to awful reviews. The film is flawed, but there is something to be said about a film that can get people roused out of their seats, and despite having a tragic ending, can send us home on a high note. 

-Even more oddness is the overwhelming love for VICE, which also did not earn a lot of great reviews. But there is something to be said about a film that is brutally honest about American history; it deserves that credit no matter how hard it is to watch or preferable to ignore. 

-FIRST MAN snubs: no nominations for composer Justin Hurwitz, no Best Picture, or Best Supporting Actress for Claire Foy. Also, no nominations for Emily Blunt who owned two of the best performances of the year in MARY POPPINS RETURNS and A QUIET PLACE. 

-One of the most accomplished technical films of the year, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FALLOUT, was shut out. 

THE GLORIOUS

-Spike Lee gets his first nomination for Best Director (BLACKKKLANSMAN). 

-Sam Elliot earning his first nomination for Best Supporting Actor (A STAR IS BORN). 

-Lady Gaga earning her first nomination for Best Actress (A STAR IS BORN). 

-Overall the nominations are very spread out, and it’s hard to see a clear-cut winner. That points to a competitive year where anything can happen, and that’s not a bad thing. 

*

The Oscars will be awarded on February 24^th. 

A Reel Review: GLASS

Twelve years before cinema saw the Avengers assemble, and eight years before a Joker won an Oscar, writer and director M. Night Shyamalan made one of the grandest, if not the grandest statements on superheroes and their villains with his 2000 film UNBREAKABLE. It was a grounded superhero film that wasn’t really a superhero film as we expect them today, as the story spent more time deconstructing heroes and villains than having them slug it out over world-wide stakes. M. Night’s 2016 film SPLIT served as a sneaky, back-door sequel, and here in 2019, he caps off his sudden trilogy with GLASS. 

Nineteen years after the events of UNBREAKABLE, strongman David Dunn (Bruce Willis), gets locked into a mental hospital with his rival, mastermind Elijah (Samuel L. Jackson), and Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), who is also known as The Horde because of his 23 different personalities…with a terrifying 24^th known as The Beast. In the hospital, the three are poked and prodded by Dr. Staple (Sarah Paulson), who tries to convince the three that they don’t really have super abilities. 

The early goings of GLASS are spent catching us up with our characters from UNBREAKABLE and SPLIT. Dunn is now a widow but has a successful home-security business he runs with his son Joseph (reprised by Spencer Treat Clark), and he has spent the last 19 years using his abilities to clean up the streets of Philadelphia. Kevin/The Horde in the meantime is still kidnapping and terrifying girls, while the lone survivor from SPLIT (reprised by Ana Taylor-Joy), is still dealing with the trauma of her encounter with The Beast. Meanwhile, Elijah, calling himself Mr. Glass, is in a near catatonic state in the hospital. 

Once the catching up is done and the three find themselves together in close quarters, GLASS slips back into the shoes of UNBREAKABLE. That film was a breakdown and examination of the elements of superheroes, and GLASS picks up that idea and runs with it. Only this time, Dr. Staple is out to convince them (and us), that super-abilities really don’t exist, and her methods are very convincing to all and has everyone second-guessing what we thought we knew about every character and what they can do. 

Similar to UNBREAKABLE, GLASS isn’t really a superhero movie as much as it is a story about superheroes. M. Night takes the familiar tropes from comic book storytelling and presents them in a grounded fashion that makes it familiar, but fresh. Familiar character archetypes such as the moral leader, the anarchist, and the mastermind are explored in real-world ways, and just for good measure a new, larger element is introduced as one of the three (!) twists near the end. For comic book fans and for those of us who have never stepped foot in a comic-con, there’s a lot to digest, learn, and enjoy. 

There’s a fair amount of action and tension, and the eventual fight scenes are very well done. The script has a bit of clumsiness here and there, as the momentum is often stopped dead in its tracks for a character to literally explain to the audience what part of a comic book tale we’re now seeing. There’s a lot of telling instead of showing and a lot of exposition and explanations feel overdone. 

Acting is quite good. Bruce Willis plays David as a little stoic but there’s something about seeing him back in his green poncho defying the strength of steel that is a joy. Samuel L. Jackson steps back into the chair of Mr. Glass with ease, and Sarah Paulson is chilling from start to finish. Ana Taylor-Joy is a wonderful actress, but her character is an odd one as she feels extraneous until the end, and her motivations for wanting to be involved with The Beast again aren’t very clear. The film is owned by James McAvoy, who literally plays 23 different characters in the film, some of them within seconds of each other, and his physical performance is stunning. 

Since this is an M. Night film, we expect a twist, and we get that and more with a lot of surprises coming in the last half hour. The film feels a bit anti-climactic, as the final showdown is followed-up by several different endings to wrap things up…and again it feels like over-explaining. But by the closing minutes, a wonderful loop-back to UNBREAKABLE happens which closes out one character’s goal in spectacular fashion, and M. Night delivers a wrap that is proper and satisfying. GLASS has its cracks, but it’s strong enough to not break. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel Preview: Everything You Need To Know About GLASS

This week, the most anticipated film in the career of writer and director M. Night Shyamalan arrives in the form of GLASS. In this Reel Preview, here is everything you need to know about it before heading to the theatre.

What is this all about? – GLASS is a sequel to UNBREAKABLE (2000), and SPLIT (2016). UNBREAKABLE was a story of real-life superheroes among us, and SPLIT served as a back-door sequel/spinoff. GLASS follows up the exploits of steel-bending strongman David Dunn, criminal mastermind Elijah Price, and the mysterious creature known as The Horde; a young man who has 23 different personalities, including a 24^thknown as The Beast. 

Who is behind this? –GLASS is written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, who directed UNBREAKABLE and SPLIT. M. Night’s career got off to a tremendous start with his ghost story THE SIXTH SENSE (1999), the phenomenal UNBREAKABLE, and SIGNS (2002). He then brought us the so-so THE VILLAGE (2004), the weird THE LADY IN THE WATER (2006), followed by the shitty THE HAPPENING (2008), the shittier THE LAST AIRBENDER (2010), and the shittiest AFTER EARTH (2013). He then straightened out with THE VISIT in 2015 and then SPLIT in 2016. 

Who is in this? – Reprising their roles from UNBREAKABLE are Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson, who played David and Elijah, respectively. James McAvoy returns as The Horde. The film also stars Sarah Paulson, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Spencer Treat Clark. 

Random Facts – The character of The Horde was originally planned for UNBREAKABLE but was cut due to balance reasons. The character was brought back for SPLIT * Spencer Treat Clark is reprising his role as David’s son, and Charlayne Woodard reprises her role as Elijah’s mother * Anya Taylor-Joy reprises her role from SPLIT * The film was shot over a period of 39 days * M. Night and James McAvoy worked to define every one of The Horde’s 24 different personalities * McAvoy based one of his personalities on actress Saoirse Ronan, whom he worked with on ATONEMENT (2007) * This is the fifth time Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson have appeared in a movie together; LOADED WEAPON 1 (1993), PULP FICTION (1994), DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE (1995), and UNBREAKABLE * 

What to Expect – Despite the many ups and downs that M. Night has given us on the big screen, there can be no taking away from the craftmanship of his films. His works are always very well shot and edited, acted, and his uses of color to help tell the story or convey an idea or theme are always top-notch. At the very least we can expect a well-made film thick with atmosphere and tension. The acting trio of Willis, Jackson, and McAvoy are certain to bring great performances, and Sarah Paulson always delivers. As a sequel to UNBREAKABLE, GLASS certainly has its work cut out for it. UNBREAKABLE was a superhero movie that wasn’t really a superhero movie and was instead an examination of how comic book tropes and characters work. Now that the cat is out of the bag, GLASS will have new territory to explore. The real question here is which M. Night will show up; the one that brought us the outstanding UNBREAKABLE or the one that made shitty films for nearly a decade? For this Blogger, UNBREAKABLE is M. Night’s best work, so the bar of steel is set very high.

* 

GLASS opens January 18^th. 

A Reel Opinion: The Best & Worst Films of 2018 - Part 2

More than any other year, 2018 was dominated by superhero movies. With offerings from Marvel, DC Comics, and Pixar…seven of the top 11 domestic box office earners were all of the caped and masked crusading type. Those superheroes led the way for a very healthy overall box office; attendance was up 7% from 2017 thanks to not only comic book movies but a very diverse slate of films. The numbers dispel two persistent myths: superhero fatigue is setting in, and that the theatre business is dying because of home streaming. 

This Blogger screened nearly 40 films in 2018, and whittling the list down to just 10 was, as it is every year, a challenge. Some honorable mention needs to be given to THE FAVOURITE, Wes Anderson’s ISLE OF DOGS, Alfonso Cuaron’s ROMA, Adam McKay’s VICE, Disney and Ron Howard’s SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, Alex Garland’s ANNIHILATION, Ari Aster’s HEREDITARY, and Marvel’s BLACK PANTHER…all excellent experiences at the theatre. 

Now this is where the fun begins. The absolute Best of 2018.

10. AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

No movie sent audiences staggering out of the theatre in shock, disbelief, and emotional bludgeoning like Marvel’s first part of their conclusion to their 10-year series. The directing team of Joe and Anthony Russo brought Earth’s mightiest heroes together on an epic scale spanning galaxies and harked back to the WWII films of old where one war is fought on several fronts. The idea to make super-villain Thanos the central, tragic character was brilliant, and most importantly, our heroes were shown as characters firstand heroes second…just like creator Stan Lee would have wanted. 

9. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT

In an age where CGI dominates action films, the 6^thentry in this 20-year-old film series was a breath of fresh air with its stunning and breathtaking practical effects; with star Tom Cruise doing things that no human should be doing. Possibly the best film in the franchise, FALLOUT was a clever maze of deception, misdirection, and big twists and surprises which left audiences breathless more than once. 

8. A QUIET PLACE

Director John Krasinski not only brought us a clever and scary horror film, but also one of the best performances of the year belonging to Emily Blunt. Blunt’s performance in which she goes into labor while needing to keep absolutely silent for fear of attracting killer creatures was astounding to see…and added to the tension-filled film which was as smart as it was scary. 

7. BLACKKKLANSMAN

The unbelievable true story of an African-American undercover detective who somehow manages to infiltrate a KKK chapter could have easily leaned towards a zany comedy or intended for laughs, but director Spike Lee took the material and turned it into one of the most profound statements on race relations in America we’ve ever seen on the big screen. 

6. THE OLD MAN & THE GUN

If the legend known as Robert Redford does indeed make good on his promise to retire, then he could not have picked a better film to go out with. David Lowery’s combo of cops-and-robbers and a love story gave Redford the chance to revisit the rascally-rabbit type characters he had played in the past, and the result was a charming and timeless tale that felt like the type of story told around a campfire. 

5. MARY POPPINS RETURNS

This sequel to the beloved MARY POPPINS was so faithful to the spirit of that classic it could have been made in the 1960’s. The storyline actually improved on the original in many ways, and Emily Blunt’s performance was every bit of the charm and mystery that the world loves about Mary Poppins. A grand achievement for Disney…and for Emily Blunt, who owns two of the best performances of the year. 

4. GREEN BOOK

Another true-life story which was stranger than fiction was not only another look at race in America, but an opportunity for class actors Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali to turn in career-best performances. It’s the odd couple on a road trip, and the isolation offered some unique storytelling for director Peter Farrelly of the famed Farrelly Brothers. It was character-strong and provided the best laughs of the year without getting dumb or ridiculous. 

3. WIDOWS

In his first film since he took home Oscars for 12 YEARS A SLAVE in 2013, director Steve McQueen returned with a powerful thriller which saw the widows of high-profile criminals taking on a high-stakes job to pay off a debt. The technical achievements the film displayed were very impressive, and the performances were equally great; especially from Viola Davis and Liam Neeson. It was a simple story beefed up with great character moments, a weaving plot, and plenty of shocking twists. 

2. FIRST MAN

Director Damien Chazelle literally drops us right into the helmet of astronaut Neil Armstrong in this gritty and grounded look at the first men who walked on the moon. Space travel is a dangerous and scary business, and that’s an element Hollywood has often traded in for bravado and spectacle. FIRST MAN keeps it human and real, and the flight scenes shown here are terrifying, just as they really were. And the moon landing sequence was one of the best edited and scored sequences of the year. 

1. A STAR IS BORN 

In the last 10 years, Bradley Cooper has acted in front of the camera for big-name directors such as Clint Eastwood, David O. Russell, Derek Cianfrance, and Joe Carnahan…and looking at his directorial debut, it’s clear he’s been paying attention. A STAR IS BORN, the fifth film to carry that title since 1937, was a human story with the elements that speak to us all; dreaming, wanting, achieving, and holding on to it for better or for worse. There is a subtle power behind Cooper’s steady direction, one that sneaks up on us by the powerful ending. Cooper acted his best, and the acting performance by Lady Gaga was one of the most pleasant surprises of 2018. Marvel’s INFINITY WAR may have sent audiences staggering out of the theatre, but A STAR IS BORN sent us home weeping, and struck that strong emotional chord that the great films always play. 

THE BEST FILMS OF 2018

1. A STAR IS BORN
2. FIRST MAN
3. WIDOWS
4. GREEN BOOK
5. MARY POPPINS RETURNS
6. THE OLD MAN & THE GUN
7. BLACKKKLANSMAN
8. A QUIET PLACE
9. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FALLOUT
10. AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

*

Read Reel Speaks' Worst of 2018 HERE 

A Reel Opinion: The Best & Worst Films of 2018 - Part 1

Filmmaking is a hard job. The massive efforts undertaken every year by writers, directors, producers, actors and actresses…along with thousands of effects artists, costume designers, makeup people and the hands that build the sets; all the people behind the scenes and in front making a living at what they love, the movies. Their efforts tower over film critics and bloggers, but sometimes giving an “A” for effort isn’t enough. The product on the screen needs to pay off, and in 2018, as in every year, not every effort does. Every year produces greatness on the silver screen, and it also produces films that missed the mark and fell short of expectations and quality. This first part of Reel Speak’s annual Best and Worst lists takes a look at the Worst of 2018. 

The worst of 2018 happened behind the silver screen, as we said goodbye to many popular and successful actors, actresses, and filmmakers. In the past year we said farewell and adieu to Jerry Van Dyke, Penny Marshall, Milos Forman, R. Lee Ermey, Verne Troyer, William Goldman, Donald Moffat, Burt Reynolds, Margot Kidder, and Stan Lee; all notable names and legends of the screen. 

Back on the screen, this Blogger screened nearly 40 films in 2018, and of those 40, only five were deemed downright bad. Reel Speak avoided critically drubbed movies and obvious stinkbombs such as HOLMES AND WATSON, GOTTI, ROBIN HOOD, and LIFE ITSELF. These are the movies that could have and should have been better than what we got. 

The worst films of 2018 are…

5. THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB

All filmmakers deserve credit, but this film which continues the DRAGON TATTOO series was the absolute laziest of the year. The plot to stop the world being wiped out by a nuclear strike was nothing new, our hero Lisbeth Sandler gets out of fixes thanks to dumb luck and having a million safe-houses fully stocked with gear all over the world, and the lazy-ass script repeats itself over and over. Worst of all, they wasted a great talent in Claire Foy. 

4. THE PREDATOR

Director Shane Black, who had a supporting role in front of the camera in the original PREDATOR from 1987, seemed like the perfect director to finally deliver a proper sequel for our favorite skull-collecting alien. But what we got was a bloody mess; scenes started in odd places, sections of the film felt like they were missing, and characters did idiotic things for no reason. Worse, the movie tried to explain too much into the backgrounds of the Predator creatures, even to the point that the classic 1987 film gets ruined. 

3. JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM

Every sequel made to Steven Spielberg’s classic dinosaur romp JURASSIC PARK (1993) always ends up the same way; dinosaurs chasing and eating people. This fourth sequel is much of the same but tried to change things up by throwing in a million other plots. First we’re rescuing dinos, then we’re into a corporate takeover, then we’re creating new dinosaurs, then we’re cloning humans, then it’s a soap opera, and then we’re dealing with Russian mobsters and terrorists. It felt like 50 movies crammed into one and it never made any sense. JURASSIC WORLD? More like JURASSIC TURD. 

2. VENOM

One of the dumbest trends in Hollywood right now is the wave of solo super-villain films where the villain is the main character and the superhero is left out of the picture. Filmmakers are left with the insurmountable task of filling in the gap, and for VENOM, one of Spider-Man’s most vicious and worthy opponents, that gap was filled by making the alien creature who bites off heads a goddamn romantic comedy. The great Tom Hardy was left to crack painfully un-funny jokes with a CGI blob and the entire film came off as stupid. Add on terrible editing where scenes started in mid-conversation, and we’re left with the absolute worst comic-book adaptation of 2018 and one of the worst ever made. Flawed in concept and execution. 

1. THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS

This box-office bomb in which muppets interact with humans was first announced in 2008, and it’s mind-boggling that something that was in development for a decade could turn out so rotten. Directed by Brian Henson (son of Jim), this stinker was a dull re-hash of every single cliché the world has seen in a detective film noir, leading to a plot so predictable a three-year old could have figured it out. The attempts at humor ranging from dick jokes to puppet sex would only be laughed at by a 13-year old boy, and lead actress Melissa McCarthy is blander than the muppets she’s trying to act against. The most frustrating thing is that the puppetry work is outstanding and takes the old craft to places that the senior Henson would have been proud of…if he wasn’t rolling over in his grave. 

THE WORST FILMS OF 2018

1. THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS
2. VENOM
3. JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM
4. THE PREDATOR
5. THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER'S WEB

*

Read Reel Speak's Best of 2018 HERE  

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

Happy New Year! January is here and that means we’re into the first of the two “dump months”; as they say in the industry. It’s a Siberia of sorts, where films deemed not good enough for Oscar season and un-capable of pulling in Summer dollars go to die. This first month of 2019 is exactly that, with one or two hidden gems hoping to surprise us. Here are the notable releases for January...

It all escapes with…

ESCAPE ROOM – This psychological horror film has six strangers trapped in one of those “escape rooms”, which has deadly traps. It is directed by Adam Robitel, who helmed the INSIDIOUS sequel, THE LAST KEY. 

A DOG’S WAY HOME – This family film follows a lost dog who travels over 400 miles to find his way home. Directed by Charles Martin Smith (DOLPHIN TALE). 

REPLICAS – In this sci-fi thriller, Keanu Reeves plays a neuroscientist who tries to bring his family back from the dead. It co-stars Alice Eve (STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS). 

THE UPSIDE – Neil Burger (DIVERGENT), brings us this comedy-drama in which a wealthy quadriplegic (Bryan Cranston) hires an unemployed man from the criminal world (Kevin Hart), to assist him in his day-to-day life. Nicole Kidman co-stars. 

GLASS – M. Night Shyamalan returns to direct this sequel to his mind-bending thrillers UNBREAKABLE (2000), and SPLIT (2016). Reprising their roles for the first time since the first film are Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson, with James McAvoy reprising his many characters from SPLIT. Sarah Poulson co-stars. 

THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING – In this modern day fantasy, a young boy stumbles upon King Arthur’s legendary sword Excalibur and forms a round table to fend off an evil force. Patrick Stewart (X-MEN) stars as Merlin. 

SERENITY – This thriller tells the story of a fishing boat captain who is approached by his ex-wife to murder her new husband. The impressive cast includes Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Diane Lane, Jason Clarke, Dijimon Hounsou, and Jeremy Strong. It is directed by Steven Knight, who brought us the outstanding LOCKE in 2014. 

*

Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of February. 

A Reel Review: MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS

Even though the real-life story of Mary, the Queen of Scots played out on one of the biggest stages and conflicts in the 16^thcentury, her name has often landed underneath her more famous cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. Over the years Hollywood has treated her the same, almost as a footnote while the name Elizabeth earned the attention of Oscar winning actresses. Here in 2018, director Josie Rourke changes things up by bringing Mary up front and center. 

Mary (Saoirse Ronan), is a cousin of the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), and with the Queen unable to produce an heir, Mary has an opportunity to stake a claim to the throne. 

In today’s parlance, Queen Elizabeth and Mary would be dubbed “frenemies”; two rivals with great respect for each other but both wanting the same thing. In this adaptation, the two only share the screen once, and the rest of that time we see the plotting, executing, and regrouping that the two women do to try and beat the other. Director Josie Rourke, helming her first feature film, takes us through the dense politics of the time, sprinkled with mystery as every character seems to have their own agendas. 

MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS is a talkie of a picture; lots and lots of dialogue with the occasional battle scene or outburst. There is a lot going in the plot, and a road map is nearly required to keep up with who is doing what to whom and why. The film feels like a statement on our times; both women are lied to and betrayed by the men around them, and a preacher (wonderfully played by David Tennant), leads a campaign of misinformation which costs Mary her followers. It’s a thinly veiled look at the state of things today, even though within the movie it works. 

Rourke films a beautiful looking movie and it is awesome to see on the big screen; from the vast Scottish and British landscapes to the darkness of bed-chambers and dungeons…she has a great eye for filling her frames. Editing is a little all over the place; odd cutaways happen at the wrong times, and for a dialogue-heavy film, it could have used a bit more energy and momentum. In the third act, the film has a time-jump of about 20 years, and they don’t bother to age-up Mary at all; an odd choice that is misleading for viewers. Max Richter’s score is excellent. 

Acting is very good. Saoirse Ronan goes through a lot as Mary, dealing with two marriages that end badly, staying strong in battle, and watching those that she loves die before her eyes. Margot Robbie is buried under a little too much prosthetics and makeup, as this is probably the most realistic version of Queen Elizabeth I we’ve ever seen, but she acts her way through it just fine. The rest of the cast, which includes David Tennant and Guy Pearce…all very good. 

At 125 minutes and not much action, MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS can be a grind to get through. Those familiar with the story of the real-life Mary will know how it all ends, but for the first time we get to see the person behind that name. It’s a very political and dry film, but a worthwhile look at an often-forgotten figure in history. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel Review: VICE

Writer and director Adam McKay first made a name for himself by directing Will Ferrell in hit comedies such as ANCHORMAN (2004), TALLADEGA NIGHTS (2006), and STEP BROTHERS (2008). In 2015 he stepped away from Ferrell and his comedy routine to bring us THE BIG SHORT, which examined the housing financial crisis of 2007 and took home an Oscar for it. That film used a lot of unconventional techniques to explain an extremely complex issue, and for his new film VICE, McKay gives complexity another shot as it takes a look at one of history’s most controversial and least-popular politicians. 

Dick Cheney (Christian Bale), rises through Washington D.C. with his wife Lynne (Amy Adams), forming an alliance with Donald Rumsfeld (Steve Carell) as he works his way through the Nixon and Ford administrations. After retiring from politics, he is brought back to the game by George W. Bush (Sam Rockwell) who recruits him into the nothing-job of Vice President. Hungry and ambitious for power, Cheney finds ways to elevate the job of VP before and after the events of 9/11. 

Using a non-linear, time-hopping approach, VICE follows Cheney through his life, starting with his troubled hard-partying days, and into his start as a politician. Early seeds are planted to explain his lust for power; the love of his life Lynne threatening to leave him if he doesn’t change. It’s a simple scene and a simple plot device to get the main character going, and it becomes clear that McKay isn’t out to skewer the man but to be a responsible filmmaker and flesh out his character. 

As the film progresses, things shift often. Cheney is shown as heartless (literally), backstabbing, and front-stabbing…while maintaining his role as a dedicated family man (a scene in which he embraces his daughter as she comes out to him is very well done). His drive for power, which he gains and gains in heaps, seems to reach back to his early scene with Lynne when she threatens to leave him if he doesn’t sober up, but how it went from ambition to lust is a bit of a mystery. McKay is very fair to Cheney; he lets the VP’s actions alone praise him or damn him, but VICE seems to be a spotlight on the man more than an examination.

McKay uses his tricks from THE BIG SHORT to get his point across; non-linear storytelling, narration, celebrity cameos, and heavy metaphors such as fishing for victims and ordering war-time strategies from a menu. Most of them work while others can be jarring. The film moves at a quick pace, and its 132-minute running time flies by. McKay seems to have a good eye for history, and the behind-the-scenes looks at 9/11 and the controversial 2000 election are very well done. 

Acting is outstanding and VICE stands tall as an ensemble piece. Christian Bale vanishes into Dick Cheney and is unrecognizable while nailing every tick and glance we remember from history. Amy Adams is equally great, and Sam Rockwell is a hoot as George W. Bush. Steve Carell seems to draw inspiration from Bale and does great work in morphing into Donald Rumsfeld, and Tyler Perry is surprisingly great as Colin Powell. A lot of figures from history appear and are well-cast, but the actor they hired to play Gerald Ford looks nothing like him; so bad it’s laughable. 

As great as the performances and the treatment of history is in VICE, the film often shifts tone so often that it feels like McKay couldn’t decide on a comedy or drama and he goes for both. It could have worked as either, but as both it can be jarring. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it gives VICE an oddness. But overall it is well-made, extremely well-acted, and gives a fair look at how things unfolded and how they led us to the current state of politics in 2018. Love or hate Cheney, VICE has a lot to offer. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

A Reel Review: AQUAMAN

The attempts by Warner Bros. to build a film series based on the DC Comics brand of superheroes has been embarrassing, with one good movie out of five since 2013 and a tidal wave of problems behind the scenes; ranging from controversial hires and casting, firings, re-shoots, re-edits, and oddball decisions with characters. For their sixth attempt, based on Aquaman, the super-powered hero who talks to the fishes, the odds were against them as the character is one of the weirdest and often the subject of jokes. But for director James Wan and his cast, the approach was simple; embrace the weirdness. 

Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa), is the son of an Atlantean princess (Nicole Kidman), and a lighthouse keeper (Tumuera Morrison), who reluctantly does heroic deeds at sea with his powers. He is brought back to the depths of the ocean by Mera (Amber Heard), and his old mentor Nuidis (Willem Dafoe), to stop the efforts of his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), who is uniting the underwater kingdoms to wage war against the Earth as revenge for their pollution of the oceans. Meanwhile, a former pirate (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), takes on the persona of the Black Manta to take revenge against Arthur. 

On the surface, AQUAMAN has a lot going on. Arthur and Mera need to unite the kingdoms under one king to stop war, and to do so they have to trot the globe following ancient clues to find a special trident that only the proper king can wield. In the meantime, Orm is using murder and threats to build his armies, Black Manta is plotting revenge, and Arthur is dealing with being in the role of a reluctant hero while unsure of his family and heritage. It all sets itself up to be a mess, but director James Wan keeps things organized well, and by embracing some classical story structure, the many plotlines work for a high-stakes adventure over land and sea. 

Despite already appearing in two films based on DC Comics, Aquaman has seemed to be a hard shell to crack. Wan doesn’t shy away from the quirkiness of the character’s abilities and instead goes for it all. Aquaman does indeed talk to the fishes, and he lives in a world where men ride sharks and big seahorses, an octopus plays the drums, and giant tentacled monsters rise from the depths. Some of it is ridiculous and eye-rolling, and the powers that Arthur and his companions have don’t get much explanation, but the film somehow clicks as a sci-fi tale; familiar but new. 

Once the fighting kicks in there’s a lot of big-wow to be had. The hand-to-hand combat scenes are brutally magnificent, and the large-scale battles are presented on a grand canvas that is stunning to see. The stakes are so large and the battles so massive that poor Black Manta often feels like an intrusion, and the film could have deleted him easily and there would be no gaping holes. Wan however does film a fantastic chase and fight with Manta taking place in Italy; weaving and swooping his camera around a village in fantastic fashion. Pacing is tight and energetic despite several stops in the momentum to provide exposition. Visual effects range from jawdropping to cartoon-like, but the design of the underwater worlds is lush and full of detail. There are attempts to de-age several actors; most of which work but some shots just look like they merely blurred out the wrinkles. The score by Rupert Gregson-Williams is very good, although some pop music choices are murder on the ears and feel way out of place. 

Jason Momoa carries the film with his charisma and bulk, and the physical work he does is most impressive. Amber Heard is a bit stiff, and Willem Dafoe is his usual self. Nicole Kidman and Tumuera Morrison are quite good together, Patrick Wilson feels like he could have worked a little harder, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta is fantastic. Julie Andrews (!) sneaks in providing the voice of a sea creature guarding the coveted trident and sounds very good. But the only issue with the overall acting has nothing to do with the actors and with the vocal effect they used on the underwater dialogue scenes; when speaking underwater the effect used makes some of it very hard to understand.

AQUAMAN does have a few spots of rough seas; occasional bad CGI, clunky dialogue, and some of the battle and fight scenes could have been trimmed tighter…but the overall adventure doesn’t sink. It would be easy to dismiss it as silly thanks to the nuttiness of the underwater creatures, and one’s enjoyment could easily rest upon how much they are willing to accept. It’s a successful voyage for DC Comics on film, and one that they can be proud of. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it

A Reel Review: SPIDER-MAN - INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE

The Amazing Spider-Man, one of Marvel Comics’ most popular characters (to say the least), has been all over the place on the big-screen in terms of quality and quantity. Since 2002 there have been six films carrying his name, and two more as a supporting character…played by three different actors. The world seems dangerously close to being burned out on our friendly neighborhood web-slinger, which is why an animated version that throws everything in and out is welcome. Enter the world of the SPIDER-VERSE. 

Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore), is a teen in NYC who is bitten by a radio-active spider and gains super-powers just like his idol, the amazing Spider-Man (Chris Pine). When Miles and Spidey try to stop a plan by Kingpin (Liev Schreiber) to collapse our universe with alternate dimensions, several alternate people from other universes with spider-powers arrive in our world; including an aging Spider-Man (Jake Johnson), Spider-Woman/Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), and Spider-Man Noir (Nic Cage). 

At its core, INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE has all the familiar elements of a Spider-origin story. Young Miles is trying to find his way in school and in life, while trying to figure out his relationship with his dad (Brian Tyree Henry), while bonding with his slacker uncle (Mahershala Ali). His inevitable spider-bite and discovery of his powers comes in like checkmarks in a build-a-superhero storybook kit, along with his training by the grown-up Spider-Man and eventual stumbles, falls, and rises. But keeping this story slinging are the added elements of the variations of Spider-people (and animals). Each one adds to the story in their own ways, and their backgrounds are similar, but different…and they all bring Miles to his destiny in great variety. 

There’s a lot of fun to be had once the team of Spider-people (and animals and robots) get together to fight Kingpin, who is still determined to bring in alternate dimensions to our world despite the possible Earth-ending consequences (Kingpin himself is given powerful reasons for doing so), and the battles, chases, and fights are spectacular. The 3D animation style is based on the comics of old, and it’s the closest we can come to seeing a comic moving before our eyes. The different Spider-people have animation styles that match the dimensions they come from; a cartoon pig looks like a cartoon and the Noir Spidey maintains his glorious black-and-white shading. The whole thing is a visual feast. The jokes are light but hit nicely, the pacing is brisk, and a few good twists and surprises here and there despite one surprise being predictable and telegraphed early. 

Acting is wonderful all around. Shameik Moore makes for a great Spidey and captures the essence of Miles nicely, and he is nicely paired with Jake Johnson as the older Peter Parker. Hailee Steinfeld is great as Gwen Stacy. Lily Tomlin pops in as Aunt May, and Kathryn Hahn is a surprise as an alternate version of Doctor Octopus. 

INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE has a lot of familiar pieces and parts in characters, heroes, villains, and situaitons, but it feels fresh and new and has a lot to offer long-time fans and newcomers. It’s the Spider-Man movie we really needed right now, and it shows that the superhero genre has a long way to go before running out of webs to sling. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it