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, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day)

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

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, Thunderbolts*, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day)