Soul

SOUL
2020 | Dir. Pete Docter | 100 Minutes

"I heard this story about a fish. He swims up to this older fish and says, 'I'm trying to find this thing they call the ocean.' 'The ocean?' says the older fish, 'That's what you're in right now.' 'This?' says the young fish, 'This is water. What I want is the ocean.'"

Middle school band teacher Joe Gardner, who has dreamed of being a career Jazz pianist his entire life, meets an untimely end moments after landing his dream job. In the crossroads between life and death, Joe refuses to move on and is tasked with mentoring 22, a soul who conversely refuses to participate in life on Earth. In an attempt to cheat the system gone awry, the pair plummet to Earth, Joe returns to life taking on an unexpected form, while 22 begins to understand the joy of living.

Inside Out director Pete Docter does it again with Soul, taking a conceptually "out there" premise and spinning it into an entertaining and captivating narrative that should please children and adults alike. The core story is pleasant and optimistic without going full saccharine, ultimately imparting the often subtle but vital distinction between passion for living and purpose in life. Simple joys such as a tasty slice of pizza, quality time with friends and family, and the sight of maple tree seeds fluttering in the breeze are captured in the picture with earnest, beautiful appreciation. The manner in which various spiritual states of being are presented in a simple-yet-quirky theoretical construct populated by comically professional anthropomorphic representations of the universe is patently brilliant and inventive. The visual depiction of being "in the zone" is particularly wonderful. The second act of the film in which Joe returns to Earth in the body of a fat therapy cat and 22 clumsily inhabits Joe's physical body is comedy gold, while the struggle a "lost soul" faces against self-doubt and depression coming to the fore in the last act is incredibly moving.

On a technical level, Soul is visually spectacular. The artistry behind Pixar's character animation is top-notch as always, with astounding attention to detail. The designs for the human characters are nuanced and appealing while the designs for the souls and their metaphysical caretakers are simple but inspired and highly versatile. The digital fully-realized recreation of New York City looks vibrant and bustling with life, from the crowded Manhattan streets to the dingy MTA subway cars. The starkness of the Great Beyond is elegant and stunning, contrasting with the gentle cloud-like rounded designs of the Great Before. It is a trippy visual and auditory feast whenever characters make the transition between the various planes of existence. The wonderful jazz music contributed by Jon Batiste blends with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' slick, ethereal film score, sounding unlike any of their previous work, to create a unique and striking soundscape.

Jamie Foxx delivers a natural and affecting performance as Joe, and Tina Fey brings her A-game as the cynical and amusingly irritating 22. Foxx and Fey share excellent comedic chemistry that settles into a believable friendship that becomes truly touching by the end of the film. Playing personifications of the universe, Alice Braga, Zenobia Shroff, Fortune Feimster, Wes Studi, and Richard Ayoade all demonstrate excellent comedic timing as the absurdly laid-back soul counselors all named Jerry, while Rachel House makes for an excellent cranky stickler playing the soul accountant Terry. The cast also features Phylicia Rashad as Joe's stern realist mother, Graham Norton as delightfully zany mystic Moonwind, Angela Bassett as no-nonsense jazz saxophonist Dorothea Williams, and Daveed Diggs and Questlove in small but memorable roles.

Sweet, hilarious, and emotionally resonant, Soul is a perfect animated film, carrying an endearingly hopeful outlook on life. It ranks among the best pictures produced by Pixar in recent years, a delightful and beautifully crafted tale, skillfully presenting deep existential concepts in a manner that's impressively accessible for children while offering an engaging, heartfelt story to viewers of all ages.


POST-CREDITS STINGER
At the bottom of the credits, after the studio logos, Terry appears ordering the audience to go home.


A113
A street sign in the distance displaying A113 appears in the Hall of Everything 


PIXAR INTERCONNECTIVITY
- The Hall of Everything contains a Pizza Planet truck

- A soul interacts with Luxo Jr. in the Hall of Everything

- The ball from 1986 Pixar animated short Luxo, Jr. appears in 22's secret hideout

- Joe and 22 pass by a travel poster for PortoRosso advertising Luca Airlines

- An ad for Brang, Riley's dad's startup company from Inside Out, appears on a subway train 


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Rachel House (Topaz in Thor: Ragnarok)

- Angela Bassett (Ramonda in Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame)

- Jamie Foxx (Max Dillon in Spider-Man: No Way Home)

Onward

ONWARD
2020 | Dir. Dan Scanlon | 103 Minutes

"On a quest, the clear path is never the right one."

In a world of wizards, warriors, and fantastical creatures, where modern technology and conveniences have completely replaced magic, two brothers embark on a quest to locate an enchanted artifact for a chance to spend one day with their deceased father.

While Pixar's Onward organically and entertainingly utilizes creatures and magic either inspired by or outright borrowed from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Dungeons and Dragons, the picture never quite develops these elements in innovative or meaningful ways. The magic staves, mystical gems, dragons, and gelatinous cubes only serve as simple plot devices or throwaway sight gags. The narrative cleverly establishes specific quirks and limitations behind the casting of each magic spell to teach its young protagonist the value of honesty and having faith in oneself, but the core idea of bringing magic back into a world that's been rendered mundane by contemporary technological advances is strictly, disappointingly surface-level only. In a quasi-metatextual way, the film is consistently visually lovely but there isn't a single moment that is technically breathtaking or particularly iconic, though it's nothing short of brilliant how much character Pixar's animators can imbue upon a set of disembodied legs with a floppy makeshift hoody-and-sunglasses torso clearly inspired by Weekend at Bernie's.

At its core, and at its best, Onward is a road movie about two comically mismatched brothers strengthening their bond through a series of increasingly dangerous trials with a bizarre companion in toll. There are plenty of laughs to be had along the way and, for better or worse, the peril they encounter never feels too threatening save for one set piece featuring a bottomless chasm, but the best moments of the film are the quieter more contemplative moments. Ian listening to an audio recording of his father and attempting to carry a conversation with it is heartbreaking, as is the revelation of the one memory of their father that Barley hesitates to share. The secondary plot involving the boys' mother and a fearsome-warrior-turned-family-restaurant-owner racing to save them from certain doom, while amusing in its own right, is decidedly less engaging.

Tom Holland and Chris Pratt share excellent chemistry as Ian and Barley, playing to their respective strengths as timid teenager and as lovable loser. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is believable as the boys' loving and courageous mother Laurel. As the manic manticore restaurant owner Corey, Octavia Spencer is a lot of fun but slightly inconsistent due to how the part was written. Mel Rodriguez is a great fit for the domineering, slightly obnoxious mother dating centaur cop Colt Bronco. The film also features Lena Waithe and Ali Wong cyclops and faun cops Specter and Gore, Grey Griffin as pixie biker gang leader Dewdrop, and Tracey Ullman as reptilian pawn shop owner Grecklin.

Onward is a standard Pixar movie, which is to say it's a clever, charming, and serviceably heartwarming experience. The picture plays with tropes of the fantasy genre in a fun way without leaning too heavily on them, but it doesn't do anything groundbreaking with them either. Considering how the studio's best works tend to push the envelope for animated films in terms of technical achievement or high-concept storytelling, this one comes off as a bit of an underachiever.


JOHN RATZENBERGER AS...
- Construction Worker Felix


PIXAR INTERCONNECTIVITY
- Packs of TripleDent Gum can be seen in Ian's room and at the gas station where the brothers encounter the Pixie Dusters

- A Pizza Planet truck makes an appearance when the brothers stop at a highway toll booth staffed by a troll

- The road map the brothers use show the locations Brave Wilderness and Lock Lake referencing Brave and the Pixar short The Ballad of Nessie


FRAGMENTS
- Onward premiered in theaters with a Simpsons short film Maggie Simpson in Play Date with Destiny playing before it instead of a Pixar short film as 20th Century Fox was purchased by Pixar parent company Disney months prior to Onward's release

- Julia Louis-Dreyfus previously played Princess Atta in Pixar's second feature A Bug's Life


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Chris Pratt (Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3)

- Tom Holland (Peter Parker in Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home)

- Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in Black Widow and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

Parasite

PARASITE
2019 | Dir. Bong Joon Ho | 132 Minutes

"Hell, if I had all this money, I'd be nice too."

An impoverished family craftily cons their way into a wealthy household. Their scheme irrevocably unravels in the aftermath of one dark and stormy night.

Written and directed by eclectic auteur Bong Joon Ho, Parasite is a tale of desperate have-nots taking the old "fake-it-till-you-make-it" maxim to the extreme. Best described as a black comedy, the film plays with genre conventions and alternates smoothly from amusing unconventional caper to intense thriller. It's a funny, dark, and suspenseful picture with a plot that constantly escalates in thrilling and unpredictable ways, grounded by well-defined characters who behave authentically when facing extraordinary situations.

Bong Joon Ho's witty script and the inspired production design speak volumes on the differences between the destitute and the affluent. The struggling Kim family lives in a dingy basement apartment where even their toilet is situated elevated above their living space, while the Park family resides in a lavish modern hilltop mansion designed by an acclaimed architect. The way the Kims gradually insert themselves into the Parks' lives and their household is extraordinarily amusing during the first half of the film. At the midway point, the already memorable film reaches the level of essential cinema when the Kims discover an even more desperate form of existence hidden within the lavish mansion and come to the poignant realization, at the same time as the audience, that they have not escaped their low station in life and likely never will.

The ensemble cast of Parasite is phenomenal from top to bottom. Playing the Kim family, Choi Woo-shik as the sly son Ki-woo "Kevin" turns in a charismatic and thoughtful performance, the magnetic Park So-dam as the calculating daughter Ki-jeong "Jessica" runs away with all of her scenes, Song Kang-ho embodying slightly aloof father Ki-taek feels genuinely warm and kind with an underlying darkness, and Chang Hyae-jin portraying mean-spirited mother and former Olympic hammer throwing medalist Chung-sook is hysterically matter-of-fact in her demeanor and line delivery. Filling the roles of the Park family, Cho Yeo-jeong as gullible mother Yeon-gyo is terribly convincing, Jeong Ji-so as teenage daughter Da-hye is great at being just slightly insufferable, Lee Sun-kyun as the presumptuous Mr. Park is appropriately detestable, and Jung Hyeon-jun as the bratty son Da-song makes for a great unpredictable obstacle. Additionally, the film features startling performances from Lee Jung-eun as the unfortunate housekeeper Gook Moon-gwang and Park Myung-hoon as her psychologically unhinged husband.

Hilarious and exquisitely suspenseful, Parasite is an exemplary exhibition of filmmaker Bong Joon Ho's signature talent for blending sharp social commentary, quirky characters, grim humor, and nerve-racking tension. The film's amusing take on the symbiotic relationship between the rich and the poor is both clever and topical.

SUPPLEMENTAL STUFF

- Video: Learn the Jessica Jingle with Park So Dam

1917

1917
2019 | Dir. Sam Mendes | 119 Minutes

"I hoped today would be a good day. Hope is a dangerous thing."

A pair of British soldiers serving in First World War embark on a perilous journey, racing against the clock and braving through enemy territory to prevent 1,600 men from falling into a trap set by German forces.

Director Sam Mendes and living legend cinematographer Roger Deakins deliver a breathtaking, fully immersive, and extraordinarily suspenseful masterpiece. Crafted to resemble extended uninterrupted takes filmed almost exclusively in natural light, 1917 is an astonishing technical achievement even before taking into consideration the logistical hurdles that go into making an action-packed war film. Seamlessly blending epic crane shots, exciting tracking shots, intimate handheld shots, and everything in between, the mind-blowing filmmaking on display produces an immersive experience with an unshakable urgent momentum. Despite the lingering sense of dread, the picture is expertly paced with ample breathing room between pulse-pounding action sequences to take in the breathtaking cinematography, to process the terror of war as experienced by its young heroes, and even to sit in on a heartrending diegetic rendition of a folk song.

The picture would not be as engaging as it is without a captivating narrative at its heart. The friendship between the two young men and their varying motivations is depicted with real authenticity, portrayed realistically as courageous but always vulnerable. The unyielding linear nature of the film doesn't allow for elaborate backstories, but the lead characters are skillfully written to be defined through the amusing anecdotes they share and, more importantly, through their actions. Traversing through booby trapped trench, abandoned farm, burning city, and the hell of no man's land, the young men are shown to be driven to complete their mission at any cost not simply by their commander's orders, but primarily by their loyalty to each other.

George MacKay plays Lance Corporal Will Schofield with a look in his eyes that suggests deep-seated suffering, giving much more soul to the role than what the relatively sparse writing would suggest. Dean-Charles Chapman conveys an almost innocent optimism as Lance Corporal Tom Blake despite the dire stakes of the quest at hand, leveraging his youth to heartbreaking effect. The film also features fleeting but noteworthy appearances by Colin Firth, Andrew Scott, Mark Strong, Claire Duburcq, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Richard Madden.

1917 is a true work of cinematic art. The illusion of maintaining impossibly long unedited takes could have been nothing more than a distracting extravagant gimmick in the hands of less capable storytellers. Thankfully the epic narrative driving the picture is remarkably personal and absolutely engrossing for the entire feature length journey.


FRAGMENTS
- It took a while for me to realize that I recognized Dean-Charles Chapman from his role as Tommen Baratheon on Game of Thrones

- Conversely, I immediately recognized Richard Madden who had played Robb Stark


007 CONNECTIONS
- Andrew Scott (C in Spectre)


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Benedict Cumberbatch (Stephen Strange in Doctor Strange, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)

- Richard Madden (Ikaris in Eternals)

Marriage Story

MARRIAGE STORY
2019 | Dir. Noah Baumbach | 136 Minutes

"Criminal lawyers see bad people at their best, divorce lawyers see good people at their worst."

As the marriage between an actress and a director ends, they struggle to remain civil while clashing over legal custody of their son.

Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story is a sobering film about the difficult work that goes into processing a broken relationship. Both of its lead characters are presented as likable, relatable, flawed individuals and the narrative is masterfully written to avoid demonizing either one of them. The film methodically demonstrates how both are making their way through varying stages of grief, both are better off separated from each other, and both are at fault for their failed marriage. The picture also does a fair job of presenting the differing legal challenges men and women face during a divorce, providing adequate screen time to both leads to better shed light on financial and social gender-based disparities. Things swiftly become downright brutal and even alarming as soon as lawyers enter the picture, giving voice to grievances that perhaps should never be said out loud between two people who still care about each other despite their irreconcilable differences.

Scarlett Johansson plays Nicole with a striking blend of vulnerability and incredible strength, best demonstrated in Nicole's deeply moving monologue when she first meets her lawyer. As Charlie, Adam Driver perfectly personifies all of the pain and frustration a man goes through during a catastrophic breakup, keeping his sorrow and anger under wraps as his composure steadily erodes, most amusing during the sequence in which Charlie hosts a humorless evaluator tasked to monitor his home life with his son. Both of their performances culminate in an explosive verbal confrontation in Charlie's apartment, an intense, agonizing, and harrowing scene that is sure to leave an indelible mark on the audience.

Azhy Robertson delivers a natural performance as Nicole and Charlie's son Henry, who realistically is allowed to be a bit of an asshole, both a major motivation for the two leads and an antagonist of sorts. Laura Dern is flashy and fun as Nicole's lawyer Nora, so good playing sweet and caring as well as unpredictably cunning and vicious. Ray Liotta and Alan Alda respectively play Charlie's over-aggressive first lawyer Jay and his mild-mannered and understanding second lawyer Bert, both excellent representing two vastly different approaches to resolving an ostensibly unwinnable conflict. Julie Hagerty is pretty great in the role of Nicole's naive and overbearing mother Sandra, as is Merritt Wever playing Nicole's jittery sister Cassie. Wallace Shawn makes a brief but fun appearance as one of the actors in Charlie's theater group.

Driven by truly excellent performances from its two leads and a sharp and painfully honest script, Marriage Story is an emotionally challenging film that takes a hard look at the soul-crushing ordeals and institutionalized double standards of divorce. It's a rough, heartbreaking, and profoundly cathartic experience.


FRAGMENTS
- The narrative is loosely based on Noah Baumbach's personal experience of divorcing Jennifer Jason Leigh

- This film is Adam Driver's fourth collaboration with Noah Baumbach following Frances Ha, While We're Young, and The Meyerowitz Stories

- Scarlett Johansson and Laura Dern appeared in The Horse Whisperer

- Adam Driver and Laura Dern appeared in Star Wars: The Last Jedi

- Scarlett Johansson also appears in 2020 Best Picture Nominee Jojo Rabbit, nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in that film

- Laura Dern also appears in 2020 Best Picture Nominee Little Women

- Noah Baumbach and Adam Driver are fans of Stephen Sondheim's 1970 Broadway musical Company; the film features Nicole singing "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" and Charlie singing "Being Alive" which Adam Driver performed in one uninterrupted take

- Mark O'Brien who appears briefly as Nicole's boyfriend in the epilogue has an extensive history of playing troubled men most notably in Arrival, Ready or Not, and on the acclaimed television series Halt and Catch Fire


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff in Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, and Black Widow)

Little Women

LITTLE WOMEN

2019 | Dir. Greta Gerwig | 135 Minutes

"Life is too short to be angry at one's sisters."

In mid-nineteenth Massachusetts, the March sisters learn to love and grow together and on their own as the years bring unique opportunities and challenges to each of them.

Greta Gerwig's adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's literary classic is a beautifully crafted work of art. The film is an aesthetic treat, featuring beautiful production design, gorgeous costumes, and appealing sets shot on location in Massachusetts. Utilizing a non-linear story structure, the film accentuates the story's emotional beats in an engaging and remarkably creative way while subtly accentuating the novel's timeliness themes. It's an extraordinarily pleasant picture and yet it's never dull thanks to Gerwig's talent for presenting characters with genuine quirks, powerful motivations, and engaging interpersonal dynamics. Despite each harboring different artistic passions, the March sisters lead vastly different lives, and the film authentically and organically presents their respective struggles as they either shrink from, conform to, or rebel against the expectations of society.

Struggling writer Jo and aspiring painter Amy share the spotlight equally, fully illustrating the varying challenges faced by the two sisters. Clever Jo, with her unyielding determination and her vocal frustration with the limitations society imposes upon women, is a natural protagonist to follow. Her platonic friendship with Laurie and her reluctance to accept Friedrich Bhaer as a romantic prospect is presented ambiguously enough in this adaptation for contemporary audiences to plausibly view Jo as a strong queer character. More impressively, the picture does a brilliant job of making Amy a completely sympathetic character, exploring the motivations behind her occasional petulance, emphasizing the difficulty of being the youngest child. The picture also depicts Meg's courtship and marriage to John Brooke with a light touch, illustrating her low-key frustration with poverty as she learns to value love over luxury. However, perhaps fittingly, poor Beth's tragic story is relatively brief in this adaptation.

The ensemble cast of Little Women is wonderful through and through. The perfect chemistry shared among the principal cast truly warms the heart. Saoirse Ronan was born to play the headstrong wildly intelligent Jo while Florence Pugh brings a wealth of depth to the sensitive Amy. Ronan and Pugh's respective passionate performances really make this adaptation special, particularly Pugh's Amy. Emma Watson is a natural fit for eldest sister Meg, displaying a tangible weary maturity in comparison to her co-stars. Though her role is brief, Eliza Scanlen is simply heartbreaking as shy pianist Beth. Timothée Chalamet is brilliant as always in the role of the lovelorn Laurie, Laura Dern is enchanting as the even-tempered Marmee, Meryl Streep is absolutely entertaining as cynical Aunt March, Chris Cooper is charming as the kindly Mr. Laurence, Louis Garrel is a convincing heartthrob as Friedrich Bhaer, and Tracy Letts is appropriately insufferable as the shrewd editor Mr. Dashwood.

Greta Gerwig's Little Women is a lovely, soulful, and genuinely heartwarming picture, delivering the novel's timeless themes of family, romance, and pursuing one's dreams with earnestness, humor, and grace. While it's debatable whether or not this latest adaptation is the definitive film version of Louisa May Alcott's beloved novel, it's indisputably a bonafide cinematic masterpiece.

FRAGMENTS

- Laura Dern also appears in 2020 Best Picture Nominee Marriage Story

- Tracey Letts also appears in 2020 Best Picture Nominee Ford v Ferrari

- It was a genuine wonderful surprise for me to see Bob Odenkirk as Father March

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova in Black Widow)

Joker

JOKER
2019 | Dir. Todd Phillips | 122 Minutes

"You just ask the same questions every week. 'How's your job?' 'Are you having any negative thoughts?' All I have are negative thoughts."

During a contentious Gotham City garbage strike in 1981, mentally ill aspiring stand-up comedian Arthur Fleck works as a clown for hire. One fateful day, Fleck loses his job and is subsequently harassed and beaten by three young businessmen on a subway train. Fleck murders the trio and flees the scene. As the resulting media coverage of the incident inadvertently galvanizes Gotham's disenfranchised, Fleck begins to suspect his absent father may be billionaire mayoral candidate Thomas Wayne.

Todd Phillips' Joker is an engaging, casually nihilistic, performance-driven character study that touches upon themes surrounding mental health and class warfare but ultimately fails to make a coherent statement. Centered on the struggles of a disturbed individual amidst a city on the brink of societal collapse, the picture presents a rather shallow story of a man coming to terms and embracing his madness while unintentionally jump starting a revolution. However, despite lacking depth, the film is presented with an abundance of style, adapted from intellectual property already ingrained in the collective pop culture consciousness, and benefiting immensely from an indisputably masterful performance delivered by its indispensable lead actor.

Though Joker utilizes a handful of characters from DC Comics, it best functions as a stand-alone work, owing more to Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver than anything in established comic book canon. For longtime fans of Batman's quintessential nemesis, the story of Arthur Fleck subverts expectations in fascinating ways, often making more interesting narrative choices than obvious ones. The plot twists are inconsistent in quality, but the way the character is portrayed invariably remains faithful to what his iconic comic book counterpart represents: a manifestation of senseless illogical violence and chaos.

Joaquin Phoenix brings to life the troublingly broken clown with terrifying dedication to the role. His gangly, nearly skeletal physical appearance is truly disturbing. His delivery of Fleck's involuntarily fits of laughter is sad and chilling. Phoenix manages to make it easy to empathize with this pitiful man as he transforms into a deranged remorseless murderer.

The film also features standout performances from Frances Conroy as Fleck's delusional mother, Zazie Beetz in a rather thankless role as Fleck's neighbor and object of his affection, Robert De Niro as beloved mean-spirited talk show host Murray Franklin, and Brett Cullen playing a despicable version of the doomed Thomas Wayne. Glenn Fleshler, Leigh Gill, Bill Camp, Shea Whigham, Brian Tyree Henry, and Marc Maron also appear in minor but memorable parts.

Profoundly upsetting, deeply uncomfortable, but engrossing through and through, Joker is a complete showcase of Joaquin Phoenix's seemingly unlimited talent. His performance is so exceptionally mesmerizing that it may be easy to overlook some of the picture's glaring flaws. While the film offers a grounded, horrifically unhinged, and uniquely captivating take on the classic Batman villain, it doesn't have anything meaningful to say about the societal issues exploited by its narrative.


FRAGMENTS

- Martin Scorcese was initially attached to the picture as a producer but left the project to commit his undivided attention to The Irishman

- Robert De Niro also appears in 2020 Best Picture Nominee The Irishman

- Frances Conroy previously appeared in another film loosely adapted from a Batman villain, 2004's critically panned Catwoman starring Halle Berry

- The scene in which Fleck walks into the refrigerator and closes the door was unscripted, completely improvised by Joaquin Phoenix

- It's rather delightful to see Marc Maron play a crotchety talk show producer

- After countless depictions across seemingly all media, I was hoping against hope that the film would not revisit the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne, but the way the sequence is handled honestly works

MCU CONNECTIONS

- Brian Tyree Henry (Phastos in Eternals)

Jojo Rabbit

JOJO RABBIT
2019 | Dir. Taika Waititi | 108 Minutes

"You're not a Nazi, Jojo. You're a ten year-old kid who likes dressing up in a funny uniform and wants to be part of a club, but you are not one of them."

In the final days of World War II, an insecure Hitler Youth member named Jojo is bullied by other Nazi boys but receives constant reassurance from his imaginary friend Adolf. Jojo's world is turned upside down when he discovers his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic.

Featuring bright and colorful sets and costumes, and German versions of anachronistic pop songs permeating its soundtrack, Jojo Rabbit is as broad and funny as director Taika Waititi's supporting performance in the role of the off-the-wall imaginary Adolf. The way the illusory dictator plants both silly and hateful ideas in the young Jojo's head encapsulates Waititi's view on the absurd and childish nature of fascist rhetoric. However, the social commentary perhaps doesn't quite cut deep enough.

Jojo Rabbit works best as a delightfully off-beat coming-of-age story, less effectively as satire. It's a great story, Jojo's adorable reluctant adolescent crush on his new housemate and his love for his progressive free-thinking mother drive him away from fascism. However, it may be slightly naive to suggest love will always conquer ignorance and senseless hatred. The sentiment is more difficult to accept when the film doesn't afford nearly as much character depth to the mindless adult sycophants surrounding Jojo. The one exception comes in the form of the jaded Captain Klenzendorf, so disillusioned with the war that he seems to have retained his moral compass in a slightly vague way.

The decidedly grimmer, more dramatic, less comedic second half of Jojo Rabbit is significantly stronger. Waititi's talent for ramping up emotionally resonant moments after establishing his characters through comedy bolsters the impact of the picture's most heartbreaking scenes, elevating the film and imbuing it with a unique tone. Jojo's maturation into a conscientious person is accelerated by tragedy, and his struggle to be less selfish and more empathetic is the most authentic aspect of the narrative.

As Jojo, Roman Griffin Davis is extraordinarily impressive, showing genuine spirit in the role while keeping pace with Waititi's wacky Adolf and playing exceptionally well against Scarlett Johansson who turns in a radiant and delightful performance as Jojo's headstrong and ever-optimistic mother Rosie. While Waititi's Adolf represents the proverbial devil on Jojo's shoulders - one that feasts on unicorn - Johansson's Rosie is very much the angel at war with their dangerous influences that are poisoning her son's world view. Thomasin McKenzie exudes a weariness beyond her years as the tough and feisty Elsa. Sam Rockwell stands out as the weary Klenzendorf, some of his more amusing scenes hint at an off-screen romance between the captain and his second-in-command Finkel played by a gleeful Alfie Allen. The film also features hilarious performances from Rebel Wilson as blunt Hitler Youth instructor Fräulein Rahm and Stephen Merchant jovial Gestapo Agent Deertz while Archie Yates steals every one of his scenes as Jojo's innocent best friend Yorki.

Jojo Rabbit is a sweet and moving film even if its central premise of pure love being the key to weather hate and ignorance is generally over-simplistic. While its sense of satirical humor is a little too precious, the picture is at its strongest during its tensest and most emotionally powerful moments, presenting a heartfelt story about children growing up in troubling times.


FRAGMENTS
- The film is adapted from Christine Leunens's 2004 novel Caging Skies

- Scarlett Johansson also appears in 2020 Best Picture Nominee Marriage Story, nominated for Best Actress for her performance in that film


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff in Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, and Black Widow)

- Sam Rockwell (Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2)

- Taika Waititi (Korg in Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Endgame, and Thor: Love and Thunder)

The Irishman

THE IRISHMAN
2019 | Dir. Martin Scorsese | 209 Minutes

"You got a good friend here. You don't know how good a friend you got."

Truck driver Frank Sheeran becomes a hitman after he befriends mobster Russell Bufalino and eventually serves as right-hand man and confidant to brazen union leader Jimmy Hoffa. Sheeran's loyalties are tested when Hoffa falls out of favor with the mob.

Adapted from I Heard You Paint Houses, former investigator Charles Brandt's non-fiction chronicle of Frank Sheeran's life, Martin Scorsese's The Irishman is an intimate examination of a career criminal's life unfolding on an epic scale. Despite its considerable length, every minute of the picture is thoroughly engaging, delving into five decades of American history through the eyes of a killer for hire who allegedly played a part in the Bay of Pigs Invasion and pulled the trigger on Jimmy Hoffa. The picture spends as much time as needed to meticulously explore and demystify Sheeran's vicious work for the mob, to give layers of genuine nuance and texture to his respective friendships with Bufalino and Hoffa, and to unpack his thought process and his eventual existential anguish.

Scorsese presents the cold narrative of The Irishman with a resonant bluntness that is often darkly humorous. The film illustrates in a myriad of ways the relatively simple notion that crime ultimately does not pay, that no matter how powerful or organized they may be, criminals only ever meet violent or unceremonious ends. This is depicted most directly and hilariously in the freeze-frame captions describing the respective bloody deaths of various mobsters. The central principal of the picture plays out in long form for Hoffa, Bufalino, and Sheeran. Hoffa's mob connections pave the way for him to become the most powerful Teamster ever, but the same connections lead to his downfall when he runs afoul of their plans and adamantly refuses to back down. Bufalino runs his criminal operations with carefully measured intimidation and violence, but his illicit activities eventually land him in prison stripping him of all dignity in his twilight years. Though Sheeran consistently does as he is told and remains ever loyal to his mob allies, despite his best efforts to defuse the situation he has no choice but to murder one of his closest friends and forever destroy his relationship with his perceptive daughter Peggy - fully aware of his terrible actions, willfully distant, and eventually completely estranged from her father - leaving Sheeran with no one to care for him in the end.

While the digital de-aging implemented on Hollywood legends Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino isn't always perfect, it's never distracting. All three turn in some of the best work of their celebrated careers. De Niro's Sheeran is amusing and convincingly melancholic, skillfully portraying the extremely difficult role of a deeply conflicted, emotionally repressed man of violence. As Bufalino, Pesci is masterfully subtle and understated, in stark contrast to his standard acting style, believably portraying a man who knows the inevitability of the business but is driven by duty nevertheless. Conversely, Pacino as the prideful and ambitious Hoffa is full of restless energy but manages to stop just short of over-the-top, delivering his greatest and most controlled performance in years. The supporting cast notably features Bobby Cannavale as Felix "Skinny Razor" Ditullio, Ray Romano as Bill Bufalino, Harvey Keitel as mob boss Angelo Bruno, Stephen Graham as Tony Provenzano, Sebastian Maniscalco as "Crazy" Joe Gallo, Jesse Plemons as Chuckie O'Brien, and Anna Paquin and Peggy Sheeran.

The Irishman is an extensive meditation on loyalty, ego, regret, and mortality that is captivating all the way through. Alternately grim and funny, sentimental but unflatteringly candid, it is arguably the most complete mob picture in Martin Scorsese's accomplished filmography, simultaneously honoring and deconstructing the genre.


FRAGMENTS
- The factual nature of narrative of the film as it is adapted from Charles Brandt's book I Heard You Paint Houses has been widely disputed

- Robert De Niro also appears in 2020 Best Picture Nominee Joker

- Al Pacino also appears in 2020 Best Picture Nominee Once Upon a Time in Hollywood


SUPPLEMENTAL STUFF
- Podcast: Behind The Irishman


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Bobby Cannavale (Jim Paxton in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp)

Ford v Ferrari

FORD V FERRARI
2019 | Dir. James Mangold | 152 Minutes

"We're lighter, we're faster. And if that don't work, we're nastier."

In 1963, the Ford Motor Company attempts to purchase luxury Italian auto maker Ferrari aiming to reinvigorate their brand. Ferrari blatantly insults Ford and uses the negotiations to leverage a better deal with another manufacturer. Desperate to upstage Ferrari, Ford assembles a team led by brilliant car designer Carroll Shelby to beat Ferrari's accomplished racing team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France. Shelby enlists the help of talented ill-tempered driver Ken Miles who refuses to bend to the will of Ford executives.

Based on the real life exploits of Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles, Ford v Ferrari is first and foremost a thrilling car movie featuring spectacularly staged racing sequences that are so authentic they stop just short of placing the audience behind the wheel. While the film depicts Carroll Shelby as a true visionary and all-around stand up guy, the story focuses primarily on Ken Miles, building much of his character around his relationships with Shelby, Miles' wife Mollie, and their son Peter. Director James Mangold does a fantastic job of making Miles' triumphs and failures behind the wheel feel deeply personal. Riding beside Miles on his quest for the perfect lap, it's absolutely exhilarating whenever he passes the competition on the racetrack and it's just as mortifying in moments when he loses control of his vehicle. The physical intensity of sitting inside a race car is amusingly depicted in one sequence where Shelby drives on the test track with Henry Ford II riding along in the passenger seat, reducing the pompous CEO to tears. The picture also spends a significant amount of time detailing the nitty-gritty process of crafting a race car but it manages to remain engaging throughout, a testament to Mangold's talent as a director.

In a fascinating way, Ford v Ferrari also functions as a sincere treatise against the petty corporate egos at play in the world of racing and, by extension, in any profitable artistic line of work. Though the Shelby and Miles are financed by Ford, the corporate stooges are decidedly not portrayed as heroes in any way shape or form, and in fact serve more as antagonists than even the Ferrari racing team. With more depth than it would seem, the picture is a captivating watch through and through. Where the film falls short is in its inconsistent depiction of Mollie, alternating between unconditionally supportive of her husband's dreams and stubborn shrew, serving more as a superfluous addition to the plot than an actual character.

Matt Damon is a natural fit as the shrewd car designer Carroll Shelby but Christian Bale truly steals the film as racer/engineer Ken Miles. Playing charismatic difficult men is practically second nature to Bale and though it he may not be at his flashiest playing Miles, he brings a fun and affecting earnestness to the role. Caitriona Balfe turns in a fine performance as Mollie despite the script-level shortcomings of the role. The rest of the supporting roles are perfectly filled by Noah Jupe as young wide-eyed Peter Miles, Tracy Letts as curmudgeon Henry Ford II, Jon Bernthal as outspoken Ford vice president Lee Iacocca, and Josh Lucas as an amalgamation of seemingly every terrible corporate executive ever.

Ford v Ferrari is an extraordinarily entertaining crowd-pleaser, an inspirational sports film that should prove to be appealing even for those completely unfamiliar with the intricacies of motorsports. The visceral mind-blowing racing sequences are naturally the real highlight of the feature but the surprisingly anti-corporate human story at its heart is also rather affecting.


FRAGMENTS
- The film was released as Le Mans '66 outside of North America

- Formerly titled Go Like Hell with Joseph Kosinski attached to direct, Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt were considered for the roles of Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles

- To portray the lean Miles, within seven months Christian Bale lost 70 pounds, much of the weight he gained to play Dick Cheney in Vice

- Tracey Letts also appears in 2020 Best Picture Nominee Little Women


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Matt Damon (Asgardian Actor playing Loki in Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder)

- Christian Bale (Gorr in Thor: Love and Thunder)

The 92nd Academy Awards

My ranking of the Best Picture Oscar contenders of 2020:

1. Parasite *
2. 1917
3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
4. Little Women
5. The Irishman

6. Joker

7. Jojo Rabbit
8. Marriage Story
9. Ford v Ferrari

* Actual Winner