West Side Story

WEST SIDE STORY
2021 | Dir. Steven Spielberg | 156 Minutes

"I saw you and the world went away."


A young Puerto Rican woman and a Polish ex-gangster fall in love in the midst of a tense turf war between gangs led by her brother and his best friend. Inevitably, tragedy stemming from the hatred between their communities tears the couple apart.

While Robert Wise's 1961 West Side Story is rightfully a beloved Oscar-winning all-time classic, Steven Spielberg's 2021 adaptation of the celebrated musical belongs on the extremely short list of cinematic reiterations that improve upon their predecessors on virtually every level. From the quality of the performances to the authenticity of the sets and the social commentary, the picture is an exemplary work of art, featuring more thoughtful and accurate representation in its thematic content and in its cast. This film particularly places heavy emphasis on the fact that all of the lead characters are victims of institutional failure, the Jets products of poverty-stricken broken households without hope for better lives, the Sharks immigrants struggling to make it in an often unduly hostile country.

The extremely impoverished west side of Manhattan as it was in 1957 is realized in gritty, lived-in detail, stripped of any artificial glitz or glamour. The elaborate set pieces feel all the more natural due to the picture's exemplary production design. Choreographed with dazzling precision, the musical numbers are exciting, brimming with infectious energy, delivering arguably definitive versions of time-honored musical theater standards.

In the lead role of Maria, Rachel Zegler is soulful and magnetic, her sensational voice put to excellent use. Ansel Elgort is fine but unexceptional as Tony, capably filling the part of a square-jawed singing and dancing leading man without bringing anything too memorable to the table. Ariana DeBose as Anita is a force to be reckoned with, so naturally playing the part of a woman full of life until she transforms into a grief-stricken casualty of profound misfortune. As Riff, Mike Faist gives a revelatory performance, simultaneously rough-around-the-edges and astonishingly charismatic, pulling off a laid back demeanor that hardly hides the street punk's nothing-to-lose outlook on life. Riff's foil Bernardo is played with amazing physicality by David Alvarez who imbues the character with an authentic air of pride and dignity. Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the 1961 film, brings appropriate gravitas and immediate cinematic respectability to the picture playing Doc's widow Valentina, essentially replacing the classic Doc role, still looking and still sounding fantastic. Josh Andrés Rivera exudes pure sympathy as Chino, a tough role that he plays remarkably well, foil to Tony who never stood a realistic chance as a rival love interest for Maria. Non-binary performer iris menas makes a big impression as the recontextualized Anybodys, giving genuine humanity to the role of a marginalized character who has always been a stand-in for the marginalized people in society. The picture also features Brian d'Arcy James as the hapless Officer Krupke and Corey Stoll as the insufferable Lieutenant Schrank.

Steven Spielberg's take on West Side Story is a rich feast of sight and sound telling a uniquely American tale that grows more relevant every day. The picture is sure to impress those who love the timeless original stage production, challenge devotees of the 1961 film version, as well as delight brand new audiences.


FRAGMENTS
- The film is dedicated to director Steven Spielberg's father Arnold Spielberg

- Impressively, all of the actors in this version did their own singing

- It's difficult not to draw comparisons between this and the 1961 film



MCU CONNECTIONS
- Corey Stoll (Darren Cross in Ant-Man and Ant-Man: Quantumania)
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The Power of the Dog

THE POWER OF THE DOG
2021 | Dir. Jane Campion | 126 Minutes

"For what kind of man would I be if I did not help my mother? If I did not save her?"


Abrasive rancher Phil Burbank subjects his brother and business partner George's new bride Rose and adopted effeminate teenage son Peter to a constant barrage of verbal and psychological abuse. To his suffering mother's dismay, Phil seems to suddenly take an interest in Peter after the boy discovers Phil's most guarded secret. However, the true nature of their new bond is not as it seems.

Adapting of Western novelist Thomas Savage's 1967 book of the same name, Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog is an engaging drama that is gradually revealed to be a clever, darkly satisfying tale of vengeance. Diving deep into the twisted psychology of a bully who belligerently projects his insecurities onto others, the picture is a comprehensive character study on the frailty of the male ego and toxic masculinity stemming from sexual repression, envy, and self-denial. Its central character's arrogance and antagonism are so complete and overwhelming, so beyond redemption, that they inevitably lead to his total destruction at the very moment he allows himself to be vulnerable. When the tables turn, when Peter finds a way to put an end to Phil on behalf of his mother before the audience even realizes what has transpired, the film earns a twist that is simply sublime. It's a compelling story that Campion tells through technical excellence and powerful performances.

The cinematography featured in The Power of the Dog is absolutely stunning. Ari Wegner shoots New Zealand for Montana with great success, capturing the dusty desolate majesty of vast empty plains, perfectly complementing Phil Burbank's unbearable corrosive loneliness. The only moment in which he can be his true self is when he bathes nude in a lush forest pond, the only sequence in the picture featuring a landscape that feels alive. Jonny Greenwood's haunting atonal musical score is only too appropriate accompaniment to this film.

Benedict Cumberbatch gives his best performance to date as the mean-spirited fundamentally broken Phil Burbank, convincingly brutal and relentless. Perhaps superficially, but nonetheless notable, Cumberbatch's American accent has never been better. Keeping up with Cumberbatch's masterful performance, Kodi Smit-McPhee is excellent as sensitive boy Peter, subtle but truly amazing work particularly during the picture's final act. As Rose, Kirsten Dunst is in turns lovely and heartbreaking, deftly portraying with care and compassion a victim of abuse that turns to the bottle to self-medicate. Jesse Plemons is also low-key brilliant as Phil's pushover of a brother George, fitting very well into the role of a put upon man with barely any agency of his own. The supporting cast also features Keith Carradine, Frances Conroy, and Thomasin McKenzie in brief but notable roles.

The Power of the Dog chronicles from beginning to end the story of a despicable man, a film that unravels the origins of an exceptionally human villain and traces the misanthrope's path to its inevitable conclusion. Discomforting, tragic, and even triumphant, Jane Campion constructs a visually appealing, complex, and compelling vision that is elevated further by the picture's spectacular cast.


FRAGMENTS
- Though Jesse Plemons was approached for the role first and initially turned it down, Paul Dano was at one point cast in the role of George but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts

- Elisabeth Moss was originally cast in the role of Rose but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts


MCU CONNECTIONS
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Nightmare Alley

NIGHTMARE ALLEY
2021 | Dir. Guillermo del Toro | 150 Minutes

"It's not much, but it's a job, right? Of course, it's only temporary, just until we get a real geek."


A charismatic phony psychic with a shady past and a beautiful amoral big city psychiatrist hatch a scheme to scam an incredibly wealthy but also incredibly dangerous man.

The second film adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham's pulpy 1946 novel of the same name, Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley examines the fine line between swindlers and the swindled. Thematically rich, the film can be neatly divided into two parts: its first half is focused on the morally questionable lives of carnival workers both born from and sustaining off of desperation as the dodgy protagonist learns the ins and outs of the profession, its second half a thriller that tracks the depraved lengths the conman would go to fool others and, more tragically, to fool himself. The feature essentially presents two worlds, a grimy filthy existence and a life of glamorous luxury, but demonstrates that both can be just as rotten and corrupt when manipulated by self-serving people.

A mesmerizing spectacle throughout, Guillermo del Toro's customary meticulous attention to detail and admiration for the misfits of society serves his distinctive cinematic take on Nightmare Alley particularly well. The various carnival sets are designed with as much thought and craftsmanship as the aesthetically pleasing art deco skyscrapers and stately manors featured in the film. The shadowy cinematography is stunning, evocative of the very best film noirs of the past without lifting the iconography wholesale.

In the lead role, Bradley Cooper turns in a masterful performance that is convincingly detestable and pathetic often at the same time. The final shot of the film is particularly emotionally disquieting and all of the credit for its effectiveness belongs to Cooper. Cate Blanchett is the perfect femme fatale playing the corrupt psychiatrist, exuding high confidence and questionable vulnerability. The stacked supporting cast also features Rooney Mara, Willem Dafoe, Toni Collette, David Strathairn, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, Richard Jenkins, and Tim Blake Nelson in memorable roles.

A tragedy that unfolds with a compelling sense of inevitability, Nightmare Alley is an unsettling but thoroughly captivating noir thriller. Known for telling stories of supernatural creatures, in fitting with the true monsters of all of his films, Guillermo del Toro's monsters in this picture are all too human. From start to finish, the feature shows its audience the complete origin of such a pitiful beast.


FRAGMENTS
- Bradley Cooper also has a brief but memorable supporting role in 2022 Best Picture Nominee Licorice Pizza

- Cate Blanchett and Ron Perlman also appear in 2022 Best Picture Oscar Nominee Don't Look Up

- According to Guillermo del Toro, though he expected to shoot as many takes as necessary to perfect the final shot of the film, Bradley Cooper's first take was perfect


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Tim Blake Nelson (Samuel Sterns in The Incredible Hulk)


- Cate Blanchett (Hela in Thor: Ragnarok)

- Willem Dafoe (Norman Osborn in Spider-Man: No Way Home)
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Licorice Pizza

LICORICE PIZZA
2021 | Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson | 133 Minutes

"I'm not gonna forget you, just like how you're never gonna forget me."


Precocious teenage actor Gary Valentine falls head over heels for twenty-something Alana Kane, a young woman searching for her calling in life. Gary embarks on one trendy business venture after another while he attempts to woo the woman of his dreams by including her in all of his questionable exploits.

Licorice Pizza is a quirky coming-of-age comedy featuring a cast of entertainingly off-beat characters that are undeniably Paul Thomas Anderson creations. The plot meanders quite a bit as its young protagonist crosses paths and occasionally runs afoul of show business elites, hatching various harebrained business schemes, but the film is consistently captivating thanks in no small part to its two talented lead performers. No matter how outlandish the situations become, Gary and Alana are always authentically presented as genuine, flawed young people that alternately demonstrate warm affection, deep jealousy, and youthful vulnerability throughout the narrative, knowing exactly which buttons to push to elicit a reaction from their suffering love interest.

Through exemplary production design, Anderson recreates the San Fernando Valley of his youth, immersing the audience in the bygone 1970s California setting. Licorice Pizza presents a warm, lived-in, somewhat dingy cinematic world, somehow dreamlike but not quite idealized. The gorgeous, nuanced lighting courtesy of industry veteran and frequent Anderson collaborator Director of Photography Michael Bauman truly gives the film its distinctive look.

As Alana and Gary, Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman prove to be engaging stars as they make their screen debuts, each bringing more than enough charisma to carry the film. Haim is a natural performer, exuding frustration and romantic longing with convincing grace and playfulness. The moment Hoffman appears on screen, he immediately carries himself like a veteran screen actor giving an exceptionally measured and nuanced performance. The supporting cast notably features Sean Penn as an arrogant aging film star, Tom Waits as an eccentric director Rex Blau, Benny Safdie as charismatic politician Joel Wachs, and Bradley Cooper in a memorable extended cameo as the wildly unpredictable and threatening Jon Peters.

Licorice Pizza is a technically masterful film that is at its core, like many Paul Thomas Anderson films, an unconventional love story that may seem delightfully quirky to some while uncomfortably off-putting to others. The film is nevertheless a fully-realized reflection of a time when the world wasn't exactly less complex but perhaps just complicated in different ways. How well the audience receives the picture essentially hinges upon its acceptance of Anderson's views on romance.


FRAGMENTS
- To hilarious effect, Alana Haim's bandmate sisters Danielle and Este, and her parents play her character's family

- Cooper Hoffman is so much like his late father, frequent Paul Thomas Anderson collaborator Philip Seymour Hoffman

- It's great to see Mary Elizabeth Ellis, perhaps best known for playing the waitress on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

- Bradley Cooper also delivers a harrowing lead performance in 2022 Best Picture Oscar Nominee Nightmare Alley


MCU CONNECTIONS

- John C. Reilly (Rhomann Dey in Guardians of the Galaxy)
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King Richard

KING RICHARD
2021 | Dir. Reinaldo Marcus Green | 145 Minutes

"You just went toe to toe for two hours with the best player in the world and you made her knees shake and you did it with grace."


Struggling to provide for his family, Richard Williams is an ambitious, fiercely protective father who faces true adversity while cultivating the world-class talent of his young daughters, Venus and Serena Williams. With stubborn determination to maximize the success of his daughters but without compromising their well-being, Williams faces off against street gangs, racist promotors, the ambition of his daughters, and his own ego.

Reinaldo Marcus Green's King Richard is centered on the formative years for tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams before the sisters became champions, the film credits the origins of their success to the struggles of the outspoken Richard Williams. Williams is portrayed as a man with an uncompromising plan for his daughters, a plan that courts controversy and often runs counter to the expectations of his daughters' coaches, sports analysts, and his family, most stirringly including the Williams sisters themselves. The picture delicately balances portraying Williams' sometimes psychologically cruel training methods and his controlling nature with the genuine love and affection he has for his family. He is unquestionably portrayed as the hero of this story, protecting his daughters from the negative influences of the street gangs in their Compton neighborhood, from the inherent racism of potential financial backers, from the pitfalls of early stardom, and from their own ambition. Perhaps King Richard's most significant flaw is in how it chooses not to address Richard Williams' other flaws as a person in more meaningful ways, most tellingly how his family from a previous marriage is only mentioned in brief in one scene.

Green balances dramatic moments and thrilling tennis match sequences to create a thoroughly engaging experience. There a persistent looming tension in the early moments of the film when Williams runs tennis drills with his daughters at the park as street gang members constantly threaten the family with violence. A scene in which Williams is viciously beaten by the gang leader is particularly difficult to watch. Conversely, watching the Williams Sisters triumph on the tennis court is extremely gratifying. The tennis action is captured and presented with a sense of immediacy, and the emotional tension in the film's climatic match is palpable.

Will Smith adds another powerful nuanced performance to his filmography portraying eccentric father and tennis coach Richard Williams. Smith has never been better, carrying the entire film with his trademark charisma and versatility. As Brandy Price, Aunjanue Ellis is convincing as the loving and frustrated wife and mother, playing the complex role naturally. Saniyya Sidney is captivating as young Venus Williams, exceptionally believable as the bright and fiercely competitive future tennis star, while Demi Singleton also gives a stand out performance as Serena Williams, conveying well how she channels her feelings of being seemingly neglected into becoming a powerful competitor in her own right. The film also features fantastic work from Tony Goldwyn as wary veteran coach Paul Cohen, and Jon Bernthal essentially playing a human positive reinforcement machine as coach Rick Macci.

King Richard is properly inspirational if somewhat repetitive at points. The film and its headlining star are at their best when addressing racism and classism head-on. While it is as flawed as most biopics, the film is a genuinely crowd-pleasing family drama that doubles as a rousing sports film.


FRAGMENTS
- The screenplay for King Richard written by Zach Baylin was featured in the 2018 Black List

- Will Smith divided his $40 million earnings from the film amongst his co-stars as bonuses for them

- It's incredibly entertaining to see Jon Bernthal, perhaps known best for portraying morally conflicted tough guys, take on such a positive and cuddly role and do it so well


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Jon Bernthal (Frank Castle in Spider-Man: Brand New Day)
 
- Eman Esfandi (The Boyfriend in Spider-Man: Brand New Day)
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