Movie Reviews: Catching up on 2019...
Titles covered: The Mandalorian, Rise of Skywalker, A Hidden Life, Dr. Sleep, Frozen 2, Richard Jewell, Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, The Lighthouse, Jumanji: The Next Level, Ad Astra
VS.
Disney Star Wars:
The Mandalorian (*** and a half) vs Rise of Skywalker (* and a half)
SPOILER WARNING, for a movie that you've probably already seen... and frankly deserves to be spoiled, because the plot is just that terrible.
The end of 2019 saw the release of two Disney Star Wars properties: a streaming series called “The Mandalorian,” and Episode IX of the main movie series. As someone who's spent way too much time obsessing over Star Wars, to the point that I made a few fan films, it may surprise you that I didn't watch these until July 2020.
But... I had about a month of vacation time before the start of the Fall semester, and decided to get caught up. My conclusion: Mandalorian mostly lives up to the hype, and Rise of Skywalker is the worst live-action Star Wars movie to date.
To its credit, Rise of Skywalker made me laugh several times, though never at parts that were supposed to be funny. The whole movie is a joke. The dialogue is terrible, the characters are thin and inconsistent, the action scenes are mostly stupid (though the final battle has a few good moments), and several cringey scenes involve non-comedic actors trying to do comedy in a movie that isn't a comedy.
Beyond all that, plot is a glorified videogame fetch quest. The opening is especially senseless: Kylo Ren fights some random guys to get a magic green pyramid that leads him to Palpatine, who has a pre-built and staffed fleet of roughly one thousand star destroyers that magically appear out of the ocean. None of this gets any build-up or explanation, and not one damn thing has any emotional resonance. The next hour and a half features the heroes following a series of ludicrous clues and flashbacks revolving around some guy who apparently killed Rey's Parents and had the central McGuffin... but he barely appears onscreen and also never gets any explanation. At no point during any of this was I invested in the story. I didn't really care how it ended; I was just curious as to how badly this incoherent mess would finally end.
On top of all of that, the spy twist is stupid, the Knights of Ren are stupid, and the random hero fleet of a million ships is stupid.
But lo and behold... Disney Star Wars finally got something right with The Mandalorian. It's a solid adventure series that pays proper respect to the source material while simultaneously carving out its own unique voice. It's a series that avoids recycling the same-old characters, and instead plays in the margins of the Star Wars universe. We get to see the powerful IG droids in action and also understand their learning capabilities. We get to see what happened to races indentured to the Empire, as well as the lingering true believers. We explore the Mandalorian diaspora, which has also been portrayed in the KOTOR games and the Clone Wars TV show.
The plots of the individual episodes are relatively simple and slightly formulaic, which probably would have gotten tired in a traditional TV series format (i.e. 22+ episode seasons), but it works well for an 8-episode run. There's actually a 3-act structure to the overall series: the first 3 episodes to establish the premise, the next 3 develop the characters, and the final 2 bring everything to an explosive conclusion. There's only one mediocre episode (#5). The rest are pretty good, with well-paced plots and great fight scenes. The plots are very straightforward, but that's fine. The show is unpretentious and doesn't try to take on more than it can.
On top of all that, The Mandalorian has endearing practical effects, a breakout puppet character, and and a solid cast (special nods to Werner Herzog, Nick Nolte, and Gina Carano). It doesn't approach the emotional and intellectual complexity of the best TV shows, but it's a very solid show through and through.
When the Prequel trilogy ended, I wondered if it would be better for Star Wars to continue as TV shows and video games. The movies carried impossible expectations and too much fanboy drama. Smaller scale projects can easily be forgotten when they're bad, and celebrated when they're surprisingly good. Thus, we can celebrate the Mandalorian for being pretty good and actually respecting the canon. But Episode IX? I'm not sure I can recommend seeing it at all.
In summary, I hope we're done with the pointless journey of Rey, Finn, and Poe, characters who somehow managed to get worse with each movie. But I'll watch more of Mando and the Child.
A Hidden Life (****)
“I paint their comfortable Christ, with a halo over his head. How can I show what I haven't lived? Someday I might have the courage to venture... not yet. Someday I'll... I'll paint the true Christ.“
Damn, this movie really hit home for me.
Apparently the 2010's were a prolific time for director Terrance Malick, who previously released about one movie per decade. He made five movies in the 2010's, including The Tree of Life, a career highlight. His latest movie is a beautiful and atmospheric period piece called A Hidden Life. It's more scripted and structured than other Malick movies (he's admitted to shooting without a script), telling the story of a rural Austrian farmer who quietly stands up to the Nazis.
The main character starts out as a soldier in Hitler's army, but suspects that he might be on the wrong side. He notices suffering in the margins of propaganda films, and coaxes horror stories out of locals who have been the warfront. The realization is slow, subtle, and convincing. Nazi propaganda is loud and overwhelming, while quiet private conversations gradually reveal the truth. The parallels between this situation and the current state of the nation are... unsettling.
Based on the title of the movie, I assumed that the main character would go into hiding. However, it carries a deeper meaning. Throughout the film, Nazi officers attempt to break the protagonist's will be pointing out his own insignificance. They insist that his rebellion will accomplish nothing, because no one of importance will even know that it happened. He will be quietly executed along with other dissenters, and never spoken of again. The point of this story is to show that life and life decisions have meaning even if they are not broadcast in the media or witnessed by those deemed to have power. The hidden lives of the humble virtuous citizens will make a difference. Again, this hit home.
Terrance Mallick isn't for everyone. You might not like the film's slow pace, limited dialogue, and long running time. But if you're looking for a film that's deeper and more thought-provoking than the movies we usually watch, A Hidden Life is a great choice.
Dr. Sleep (***)
Anyone else notice that the “shining” power is possibly the least consequential aspect of Steven King's The Shining. Maybe I'm missing something, but it seemed that the novel was about a struggling alcoholic haunted by ghosts that represent his personal failures. The psychic son was sort of besides the point.
Anyway, Dr. Sleep delves more into the actual “shining” part of The Shining. Grown-up Danny Torrence has inherited his father's drinking habit, and uses his shine powers to lock up angry ghosts and help the dead pass on peacefully. Meanwhile, a cult of evil semi-immortal psychics is on the hunt for people with shine powers.
All of this results in a movie that's consistently entertaining, but doesn't get much deeper than “good psychics fight bad psychics.” It's exciting and interesting, but not exactly deep or scary. Also, the power levels of the characters are unclear, making the fight scenes a little confusing.
On the other hand, I did appreciate that Dr. Sleep reconciled the plot differences between Stephen King's original novel and the Stanley Kubrick adaptation in a clever way.
Dr. Sleep isn't great, but it's definitely worth seeing. The strong performances and interesting plot make it enjoyable, and the villains have some interesting wrinkles to them.
Frozen II (**)
I wasn't a huge fan of Frozen, but I'll acknowledge that it mostly worked as a story and had a few great aspects. By contrast, Frozen II is pretty bad. Heck, it almost makes the first movie worst by demonstrating the limited depth of the main characters.
Before I fully turn on the hate-valve, I'll acknowledge a few good aspects. The scenery is really beautiful. The animation on the rock monsters is really good. The song are OK, with special mention to Kristoff's 80's power ballad. That's pretty much it.
Story-wise, this movie sucks! The whole story is driven by capricious nature spirits with no discernible motivations or limits to their powers. Why did the enchanted forest get sealed off? Because the spirits say so. The 1st-act disaster? Spirits. The motivation for characters to go “into the unknown”? Spirits. And so on. As a result, the actual characters in the movie are totally irrelevant. Their motivations and actions don't mean anything, because they're just going to be pushed around by these erratic and mysterious spirits. Imagine if a Star Wars movie was entirely driven by “the Force” instead of the characters who use the Force. That's what Frozen II is like.
The backstory and resolution is complete nonsense. Without spoiling anything, there's a particular monument that is supposedly bad and must be destroyed. However, the movie never actually shows why it's bad. We get a quick line about how “the forest is weakening,” with no explanation or illustration of this. The forest looks totally fine, with no apparent ill effects of the monument having been around for decades. So why is destroying it the right thing to do? You guessed it: because the freaking spirits say so.
(Yes, I know that it's “so metaphorical” of reparations and other political talking points. It's also a badly-illustrated plot.)
The sad thing is... there are some pieces of the story that are interesting, such as a lost regiment of soldiers, a revised backstory for Elsa's mom, and the discovery of a shipwreck. Yet... somehow none of these things seem to actually matter. Speaking of things that don't matter, the isolated tribe that had some conflict with Arrendelle manage to accomplish nothing in the entire movie.
Aside from the terrible plot, there's a lame running gag with Kristoff, a forgettable song by Olaf, and... some pretty scenery.
Frozen II is the worst entry in the Disney animated canon since Home on the Range. Skip it.
Richard Jewell (*** and a half)
The controversy around the movie Richard Jewel is interesting. Long story short: the movie got a lot of flak for suggesting that reporter Kathy Scruggs used sex (or at least heavy flirtation) to obtain confidential information regarding an FBI investigation. It is unknown how Scruggs got her information. Maybe she didn't sleep with any FBI agents in real life, and I honestly wouldn't care if she did. I'm more concerned that she obtained confidential information and used it to ruin an innocent man's life.
Anyway, this is a story you might know: in 1996, a far-right terrorist planted a bomb that killed 2 people during celebrations connected with the Atlanta Olympics. However, the initial suspect was Richard Jewell, a security guard who found the bomb. Jewel underwent a “trial by media” and was presumed to have planted the bomb so that he could pose as a hero by finding it. I actually remember hearing this story in my driver's ed class. Jewell's guilt was considered truth by many in the public. But it wasn't true. There was no real evidence implicating Jewell, and the real bomber (Eric Rudolph) got away and committed more bombings in 1997 and 1998.
The movie rises above historical regurgitation with its portrayal of the two lead characters. Jewell is portrayed sympathetically as an honest man, but he's also made out to be something of a fool. His idealism and poor judgment cause him to make many foolish decisions. In a way, the emotional center of the movie is Jewell's childlike view of law enforcement. When he finally realizes that officers of the law can be dishonest or incompetent, it's like a kid finding out that Santa isn't real. However the real show-stealer is Sam Rockwell, as Jewell's attorney. Rockwell finds the perfect balance of sincerity and humor, confidently portraying a lawyer who's intelligent but also completely out of his depth.
Richard Jewel is good. It doesn't quite have that zing factor to make it a great movie, but it's another well-directed piece by Clint Eastwood, and a reminder that the powerful institutions of news media and law enforcement are ultimately run by flawed people.
Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (****)
As explained before, I never liked Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. As a kid, it just didn't appeal to me. I preferred Sesame Street. I probably would have liked meeting the real Mr. Rogers, though.
Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is also about someone who didn't like Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. To my surprise, the movie isn't a biopic about Fred Rogers, and is only loosely inspired by true events. It's actually a bit of modern-day myth-making, imagining how Fred Rogers would minister to a broken, cynical adult. The result is something wonderful.
The quasi-fictional story follows a bitter magazine writer who is assigned to write a simple biography of Fred Rogers. The writer tries to expose the flaws of Mr. Rogers, but instead ends up sparking a weird friendship. Thus, Mr. Rogers ends up taking on the role of a friend and counselor, using the lessons from his show in an adult context.
The star, as expected, is Tom Hanks as the late Fred Rogers. Tom Hanks perfectly replicates the slow, deliberate cadence of Mr. Rogers, and makes him simultaneously very real but also a bit surreal. The film uses a few surreal storytelling devices: placing scenes in the context of the TV show, using models from the Land of Make Believe, and including a trippy dream sequence. But the most effective scene is one in which the characters sit in uncomfortable silence for about a minute. Hell, it might be my favorite single scene from any 2019 movie.
Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood has some pacing and flow issues, but it should not be missed. It's much more complex and and creative than I expected, and packs an emotional punch.
The Lighthouse (* and a half)
A few years ago, Robert Eggers entered the world of film with The Witch, an inventive and memorable horror film. The Witch was not universally loved, as many horror fans were put off by its slow pace and lack of traditional scares. Regardless of whether you liked it, I think we could all agree that it was at least an interesting movie that blended horror, history, and religious commentary in a very complex manner. It was a true indie film: great for those seeking something different, but not for everyone.
If The Witch was an indie film, The Lighthouse is a student film.
There's a place for student films, and a time for student film-makers to try their hand at weird shots, unsatisfying narratives, incomplete endings, and symbolism so deep that it buries the actual story (all of which applies to this movie). These practices can help develop new styles and ways to make more challenging art. Ultimately, a good artist eventually learns how to challenge the audience without alienating them. And that's where The Lighthouse falls flat on its face. It's alienating, dull, and lacks a compelling narrative.
I haven't mentioned the plot yet, because there's really nothing to say. Two guys are stuck on a remote island managing a lighthouse, one has a dark secret, and they fight a lot. Oh, and there's a mermaid, and a lot of random spooky imagery that I guess is symbolic of “toxic masculinity” or whatever.
Aside from the intriguing and desolate setting, I can't recommend anything about The Lighthouse. It's a pretentious mess of a movie that constantly feels like it's going out of its way to offend or disgust the audience.
Jumanji: The Next Level (*** and a half)
Jumanji is great series of adventure movies!
The original Jumanji movie is an under-appreciated classic. It took the concept of Chris Van Alsburg's simple picture book, and fleshed it into an exciting and scary adventure with legitimate character arcs and emotional depth. The sequel made lightning strike twice, paying respect to the concepts of the original movie while completely renovating the setting as a crazy videogame. The third entry isn't quite as revolutionary (it uses the videogame format from “Welcome to the Jungle”), but still finds fresh new ground and is easily the funniest entry in the series.
It would have been simple enough to recycle the “kid in a videogame” story with new enemies and levels. But “The Next Level” finds an appealing hook by including two old men who have never played videogames and thus struggle to understand the world of Jumanji. Surprisingly, this simple idea ends up being a hilarious gag that never gets old, largely thanks to the talent and charm of the actors who play the videogame avatars. The Rock impersonating Danny Devito is absolutely hilarious!
There's not tons of depth to this movie, but it does have a decent amount of heart. Again, much of this comes from the new character additions, as the two old men wrestle with bitterness, lost friendships, and even the looming inevitability of death itself.
Jumanji: The Next Level is really fun and incredibly well done. The action scenes and jokes are all extremely entertaining, and the cast hits it out of the park. More Jumanji, please!
Judy (***)
I'm not a big fan of musician/actor bio-pics. Such people generally don't have very interesting stories behind their rise to fame, which is usually a combination of talent and luck. Judy works better than the average musician bio-pic because it doesn't tell the story of how she was a good singer who got picked for big movie. Instead, it tells the story of how Hollywood exploits and destroys children.
In fact, hardly any of the movie is about Judy Garland's famous role in The Wizard of Oz. After an opening prologue, we're quickly introduced to a middle-aged Garland who's divorced, low on funds, and struggling to keep her sanity. She's talented but unreliable, and everyone's tired of her showing up late to her own performances.
This angle ends up working quite well, especially since most people today really only remember Judy Garland as the little girl from Wizard of Oz (and maybe also Meet Me in Saint Louis). Thus, the movie Judy provides a sad but sobering ending to the girl who played Dorthy Gale, pointing out that fame and fortune doesn't actually equate to happiness and security.
Judy is a pretty simple movie driven by a nearly unrecognizable Renee Zellweger. It's not the most exciting movie of 2019, but it's definitely good enough to be worth a watch.
Ad Astra (** and a half)
I know I saw this movie several weeks ago, but am struggling to remember it. I guess the visuals were pretty good? And there was something about space pirates and mutant baboons and Tommy Lee Jones going crazy?