Author: Sebastien Kraft

https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/la-la-land/id1179249419

Following Wednesday’s release of the teaser trailer for Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, which returns to the classic Hollywood of yesteryear, I thought I would review a more modern take on Los Angeles, the “City of Stars”: 2016’s La La Land.

Directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, La La Land was essentially the Oscar Best Picture runner-up behind Moonlight, and by mistake!

Suffice it to say this is a great film, in addition to being a musical. Everything from the music to the cast – which even includes renowned singer-songwriter John Legend – flows seamlessly. Boasting a costume and color scheme that closely resembles Les parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, a 1964 French classic) – intentionally, as Chazelle has indicated in many interviews), the film is both nostalgic and modern. One particular juxtaposition, among the best in the film, involves Stone’s character, Mia, dancing in classic multicolored Hollywood attire with her friends before jumping into…wait for it, a Prius!

 

https://itunes.apple.com/ch/movie/the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg-les-parapluies-de-cherbourg/id782204354?l=en

Chazelle’s knowledge of his profession is innate; after his smash-hit Whiplash (2014), he returned to his French roots and crafted an intimate portrayal of lovers, dreamers, and the true essence of Hollywood. His sense of viewer engagement and cinematic rhythm – foreshadowing, buildup to the ending, character development, etc. – are perfect.

From an acting standpoint, Stone and Gosling are quite well-cast. Gosling is a bit wooden at times, and Stone can be a little too contemplative, but they each fit perfectly into their respective roles. Gosling already demonstrated his acting chops as an eccentric business executive in The Big Short (2015), and he remains a stalwart this time around. His more timid, reserved nature fit well into the role of Sebastian, a slightly extroverted but overall modest jazz musician.

The sentimentality that the trio of Chazelle, Stone, and Gosling add to the film is undeniable, but the film is not without flaw. The film’s ending (spoiler alert!), albeit extremely revolutionary – quite French in its lack of a traditional happy ending – is poorly introduced. Though handsome, Tom Everett Scott, best known as Guy, the young, ambitious drummer in the Tom Hanks-directed That Thing You Do (1996), is portrayed as overly condescending. For example, Scott’s character, Mia’s husband, and Mia employ a Hispanic housekeeper in their home, while in their flashbacks, Mia and Sebastian employ a white nanny. This sort of racial subtext exaggerates the disparity between Mia’s husband and her ideal life with Sebastian, but I do not believe that Scott is effectively utilized as an actor.

These are just minor criticisms, but overall, La La Land is a masterpiece!

Final rating: 3 out of 4 stars

ixora.pro/4-3-out-of-5-stars

 

Image Credit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154664/

Captain Marvel, released on March 8, 2019, is the newest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). With a runtime of 125 minutes, (two hours and five minutes), it packs more than a punch in terms of storytelling. However, while it may be a very entertaining and enjoyable film, it is not memorable.

As evidenced by its lower-than-average (for MCU films) Rotten Tomatoes score of 79 percent “fresh”—as of 3/14/2019—the film was not a complete critical success. Nevertheless, I wholeheartedly believe it is worth seeing, and as a fan, I was entirely captivated.

Image Credit: https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/5/8/15559410/marvel-movies-ranked-avengers-captain-marvel-black-panther

Unfortunately, though I am quite fond of all the MCU flicks, for the purpose of this blog, my role is that of a critic, in which I must evaluate a film’s performance in various domains other than fan service. Thus, from a critical standpoint, I believe Captain Marvel checked several boxes without checking the most important one: originality.

In the film, the dynamic interplay between Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers (played by Brie Larson) and the younger version of SHIELD agent Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson for the ) propels the plot – and the characters’ application to the present-day MCU – forward quite humorously and eloquently. Where the film thrives is its intertwining of humor and emotion, with the necessary action set pieces thrown into the mix. British actress Lashana Lynch is among the film’s brightest stars as Maria Rambeau, Danvers’ best friend in the Air Force. Scenes filmed in Louisiana are perfectly filmed, with pristine shot composition offering Danvers—and viewers—a break from the high-flying (indeed, as Danvers does indeed unlock her flying ability by the film’s third act, as advertised in the trailer) superhero action. Rambeau’s 11-year-old daughter, portrayed by Akira Akbar, is perfectly-cast and a welcome addition to the cast of characters.

Now, you might be wondering, dear reader: what about Brie Larson?

Well, I didn’t find any real substantive problem with her performance. Given the script and Captain Marvel’s rebellious nature in the film, Larson is the easy choice for the character. She corresponds quite well. Some of her lines felt a little scripted in her delivery, but otherwise, everything was absolutely fine. I can’t wait to see her in the upcoming Avengers: Endgame—in theaters April 26!

Ultimately, Captain Marvel utilized the Marvel formula very successfully. Its incorporation of the alien Skrulls, a race from Marvel comic books, was nuanced and unexpectedly profound. Its “retro” look and style from the 1990s worked wonders. Its stellar cast, which included Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, and Gemma Chan, fit very well into all the roles. In the end, Captain Marvel was by all means a good movie, and that’s about all she wrote!

Final rating: 2.5 out of 4 stars

In recent years, when people would ask me, “Hey Sebastien, what’s your favorite film?” either I wouldn’t have a concrete answer or I would hesitate between a plethora of Marvel Studios – or Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) – films. However, beyond the contemporary Avengers and superhero-genre films – which, mind you, I find thoroughly captivating and innately rewatchable – lies another, old-fashioned type of movie: the epic.

Thus, I have decided that I actually possess two favorite films: The Right Stuff (1983) – reviewed in an earlier blog post – and Dances with Wolves (1990).

Clocking in at a massive runtime of 236 minutes (three hours and 56 minutes), Dances with Wolves is not the traditional, walk-in-the-park style of movie. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1990, this film is a classic because of its outstanding acting, as well as its excellent directing – for which Kevin Costner also won the 1990 Best Director Oscar – and breathtaking cinematography.

Boasting a superb 82 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film proves to be a life-affirming tale of the beauty of life and the human spirit. The only reason it did not receive the full 10o percent is likely because it is often implicit in its portrayal of Native American struggle. Costner was dealing with a different market back in 1990, and the acceptance with which his film was received was not a foregone conclusion. Personally, I believe that the main critical issue with the film is not an issue at all. Costner deals with his topic in an entertaining, cinematically subtle narrative style.

Lieutenant John T. Dunbar (played by Costner) is an inherently flawed character, and his imperfections render him the perfect subject of a rise to renewal and existential worth. His love interest, Stands With a Fist, a white woman raised among the Lakota Sioux, stays true to her name, as Mary McDonnell delivers what I deem one of the premiere female performances of all time. With her hallmark wind-blown hair, McDonnell allows her character to retain her armor – a sort of unbreakable façade – that goes hand-in-hand with Dunbar’s solitary, albeit free and open-minded, character as a self-exiled civil war veteran. Additional noteworthy supporting performances that are quite noteworthy include Graham Greene as native elder Kicking Bird and Rodney A. Grant as the youthful Wind In His Hair.

There is something timeless about Dances with Wolves. I can’t exactly explain it here, but the deep solemnity and personal darkness that the film’s characters endure and subsequently transform into powerful conviction. The tangible angles from which the film was shot – i.e., on location in the Western Plains – only solidifies the film’s prevalence as not only an American classic, but an American work of art. Complete with a gorgeous soundtrack by the iconic John Barry and his orchestra, the film satisfies the heart in ways viewers could not have imagined.

If I could criticize it further, I would. In this case, however, I simply can’t; a masterpiece – with an accompanying $425 million box office tally!

Image Credit:

https://www.amazon.com/Dances-Wolves-Kevin-Costner/dp/B004AOECXI

https://www.pastposters.com/details.php?prodId=8342

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099348/mediaindex

https://docublogger.typepad.com/barn_movie/2017/01/film-critic-linda-cook-gives-4-out-of-4-stars-to-the-barn-raisers.html

In light of Sunday’s new Super Bowl trailer for the highly – nay, universally 🙂 – anticipated fourth Avengers film – Avengers: Endgame, in theaters April 26 of this year – I have decided to review one of my favorite films of all time. This is Marvel’s The Avengers, the highly-anticipated team-up that first united the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk, Nick Fury, et al. – also known as “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.”

First off, this film is brilliantly acted and directed. Joss Whedon directed both the first Avengers movie and its sequel, Avengers: Age of Ultron – which I half-bash in a prior post – and his use of practical stunts and effects (save for the final battle against the Chitauri alien army, inevitably) is quite enthralling in terms of audience engagement. Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. return from their solo films as  Steve Rogers/Captain America and Tony Stark/Iron Man respectively, and their on-screen chemistry is evident. Scarlett Johansson is nuanced and focused as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow and Jeremy Renner is stoic yet committed as Clint Barton/Hawkeye, and Mark Ruffalo turns in an excellent performance as Bruce Banner/the Hulk, replacing Edward Norton with ease and charisma.

Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. in a scene from The Avengers.

In addition, this film contains two of my favorite movie scenes of all time: first, the Iron Man Mark VII suit-up scene. To this day, I have not felt as many glorious chills or as much incredible, uncontainable excitement in a movie theater as when the villainous Loki sends Stark tumbling out of the top floor of Stark Tower, and his personal AI, J.A.R.V.I.S., sends his new suit to save him through wristwatch scanning technology.

The second scene is Hulk’s “I’m always angry” scene in which Bruce Banner transforms just in time to stop an alien ship. This is the culmination of the film’s second act – the moment at which the Avengers finally assemble – and it is full of pure awesomeness and self-motivation.

Overall, I believe The Avengers thrives in its buildup of suspense and its steady introduction of individual characters.

In the film, while Iron Man and Captain America clearly lead the squad, there are no supporting characters. Marvel succeeds in presenting its viewers with an array of equally adept actors and characters that are strong on their own. Further, the film flows seamlessly, and its clearly-delineated battle sequences feature a degree of character interaction so significant that it goes hand in hand with the special effects. In other words, this is not a Transformers movie by Michael Bay…

Armed with a superb and epic Alan Silvestri soundtrack, the film does not disappoint. It may be a tad imperfect story-wise given the superhero genre, but the flaws are few and far between.

Final rating: Image Credit:

http://eventingnation.com/how-would-you-have-fared-in-rolex-trivia/

http://www.stoutbot.com/cinema-excelsior/episode-33-the-avengers

http://sciencefiction.com/2014/10/14/robert-downey-jr-joining-captain-america-3-civil-war-storyline/

Numerous World War Two-era films have thrived in years past, both among audiences and at the box office. However, recent World War II art mysteries, most notably The Monuments Men, a 2014 film starring and directed by George Clooney, garnered dismal critical reception.

As both a critic and moviegoer, I truly enjoyed The Monuments Men. Save for Cate Blanchett’s slightly forced French accent and a somewhat tonally-inconsistent screenplay, Clooney’s film was both entertaining and aesthetically accurate.

In April 2015, Woman In Gold, starring Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl and Katie Holmes, was released to a 57 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. However, one might notice the 22 percent disparity between the film’s critics score and its 79 percent audience rating.

This difference exists primarily due to one reason: Woman In Gold, at least according to this critic, is by all means a great film.

Unabashedly emotional and at times even gut-wrenching, the film centers on themes of family strength and survival in spite of dire circumstances. Mirren delivers a spectacular performance as Maria Altmann, a reminiscent Austrian elder and Los Angles resident who escaped the Nazis during the war. Throughout the film, Altmann valiantly pursues what is rightfully hers, a Gustav Klimt portrait of her beautiful aunt, Adele Bloch-Bauer – played by Antje Traue, whom some eagle-eyed viewers may recognize as the villainous Faora from the 2013 Superman flick, Man of Steel – who died at a young age. The painting hung in the Austrian Belvedere Gallery before (spoiler alert!) Altmann won her case and sold it to the Neue Galerie in New York City.

In addition to Mirren, Reynolds also displays his charisma and acting chops in the primary supporting role of Los Angeles attorney E. Randal Schoenberg. Schoenberg took Altmann’s case to the Supreme Court in 2004, and Reynolds’ young and naïve – albeit quite intelligent – portrayal of him strays from the traditional legal drama. Indeed, the attorney’s inexperience partly mirrors the audience’s unfamiliarity with legal procedures, rendering the film all the more grounded and engaging.

Ultimately, the film thrives in its strong minor roles. These include Allan Corduner as Maria’s palpably loving father, Gustav Bloch-Bauer, and Max Irons as Maria’s husband, Fritz. The film’s costume and makeup design is also superb, as Tatiana Maslany’s Young Maria Altmann resembles Mirren’s older counterpart almost exactly.

While Rotten Tomatoes may disagree with my positive assessment of the film, I wholeheartedly endorse it and encourage my readers to watch it. Bring some tissues along for the ride as the film’s ending transcends time periods – literally – through its unique lighting, set design, and character mashup.

This scene, as well as the film as a whole, are stylistic and cinematic…

Gold.

Image Credit

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2404425/

Art Movies: Woman in Gold

At The Continental, the shadowy New York hotel that serves as the headquarters for John Wick’s international league of assassins, there are no rules of conduct except that no “business” – i.e., assassinations – may be conducted on hotel grounds. Similarly, for this “Tricolored Reviews” blog, there are no set rules for the films that I can critique save for the notion that they must possess a story arc that is at least remotely identifiable. Their ratings, whether G, PG, PG-13, or R (I don’t really venture past that, thank you) are essentially irrelevant for reviewing purposes.

As a moviegoer, I often stray from R-rated movies. I simply have trouble watching egregious violence or gore for entertainment. In addition, there is no volume switch in a theater; whatever strafing or loud action sequences may take place in a film, there is no method of tuning it down.

That being said, as a movie critic, R-rated films are a must. Just consider Saving Private Ryan: sometimes, for better or worse the cinematic content that has the most lasting effect on its audience is that which is the least filtered.

If there were one word to describe John Wick – released in October 2014 and co-directed by Chad Stahelski and David Leitch -“unfiltered” would indeed be the most appropriate. However, while streaming the film and its 2017 sequel, John Wick: Chapter 2, on my laptop recently, I did not feel particularly compelled to lower the sound as the story was quite engaging.

The best part of the John Wick franchise is its sophistication. Its original concoction of Bond-esque film noir visuals – except with all PG-13 and traditional plot or saga studio limits vehemently stripped away – coupled with stylish costumes is sensational.

Who needs a fancy tuxedo? The film’s minimalist yet classy costume design is fitting for hitman’s clandestine world.

Keanu Reeves is a stellar actor and the perfect choice for Wick. His blend of unabashed stoicism and internalized emotion is incredibly convincing. As violent and gratuitous and John Wick’s world may seem, Reeves helps ground it and make it feel real.

Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist, fresh off his successful appearance as the villain in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011), portrays Viggo Tarasov, the main antagonist to Reeves’ Wick. Nyqvist is head of the Russian mob in New York, for whom Wick used to work. One of the film’s most surprising yet altogether commendable traits is its use of foreign languages. Upon frequent occasion, Reeves and various Russian henchmen interact in Russian, oftentimes with sarcasm.

Ultimately, John Wick is simply well shot, and it is a cinematic gem. This is what renders its over-the-top, uber-violent action sequences worth the price of admission. Not only are these sequences well set and lit, they are also part of a broader story. When Wick loses his wife and subsequently his dog to Russian gangsters, Reeves’ emotion is raw and his thirst for revenge is palpable. The film may be an ill fit for younger viewers, but its script and its acting are superb, which is a shame for young, aspiring filmmakers.

Elegant lighting, elegant wardrobes, and a little action in between.

For what John Wick lacks in secondary character exposition – most notably in regards to Willem Dafoe’s loyal ally, Marcus – it makes up in subtlety, story engagement, and overall aesthetic. A success both critically (87 percent on Rotten Tomatoes) and at the box office – albeit a bloody one, at that.

Image Credit:

https://www.allposters.com/-sp/John-Wick-Posters_i13085789_.htm

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/453034043756213431

Hold on to your seatbelts, dear readers! What follows is my harshest review to date:

Julie Andrews is irreplaceable. Emily Blunt is a fine actress. What distinguishes a good movie from a great one is everything in between, from the script to the set design to the directing and the supporting cast.

This, ultimately, is what Mary Poppins Returns (130 minutes, directed by Rob Marshall) lacks. Released on December 19, 2018, the film is evidently a holiday by default, for its well-timed release date essentially obliges audiences to go see it. Walt Disney Pictures certainly has a knack for maximizing its box 0ffice revenue. However, this time around, it fails to do what Andrews did for the original Poppins in 1964: make it memorable.

Don’t get me wrong – Emily Blunt is absolutely fine as the titular character. Her adoption of Andrews’ distinctly old-fashioned, ladylike voice is brilliant, and the affection she feels for the (new) Banks children (played by Joel Dawson, Nathanael Saleh, and Pixie Davies) shines through with utmost sincerity. The sequel’s themes are the same as its predecessor’s: the need to remain forever a child and believe in one’s imagination, rather than succumbing to the corrupt realm of adulthood.

These themes make for a heartwarming, universally-applicable tale, but the issue with them is that they are blatantly unoriginal. Save for a few memorable songs such as “A Cover Is Not the Book” and the ever-inspiring “The Places Where Lost Things Go,” the film is generally repetitive of the original and surprisingly disorganized. Notably, an animated sequence with an evil wolf (voiced by Colin Firth, who also plays William “Weatherall” Wilkins, the evil bank president, in live-action) is quite disjoint. Suffice it to say it is shocking that this sequence survived editing.

The film’s primary virtues lie in its two principal stars, Emily Blunt as Poppins and Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda as lamplighter, Jack. Blunt and Miranda’s chemistry is discernible right from the film’s onset, and Miranda adopts a Cockney accent in stride as though he were Michael Caine – alright, maybe not that accurate, but close. The film’s visual effects are quite creative(see the scene with an ocean inside a bathtub) and believable, and the general aesthetic – as observable in the film’s trailer – is more than fitting. The costumes, as well, are both colorful and delightful. The film, for all intents and purposes, looks good.

A good aesthetic…

I am sorry to say this, but my greatest disappointment with Mary Poppins Returns was the film’s portrayal of the grown-up Banks children from the original. Ben Whishaw, one of my favorite actors, plays Michael Banks and Emily Mortimer plays his sister, Jane. Mortimer is completely respectable in her role – pleasant, if you will. While I believe Whishaw was indeed the perfect choice for Michael, his performance is unexpectedly and inherently flawed. In my earlier review of Skyfall in which I praised Whishaw’s performance as James Bond’s Quartermaster, Q, I addressed his use of youthful wit and intelligence to lend relatability and personability to his character – quite a feat in front of Daniel Craig’s oft-stern Bond! Whishaw’s Michael is excessively introverted and narrow-minded. If he were able to sympathize with Mary Poppins’ ideals of creativity and imagination, the story would be solved! Sure, Michael lost his wife, but the only reason Mary Poppins must return, as the title states, is because Michael is turning into his father in forgetting the ways of his childhood – and, most importantly, losing joy and optimism.

Back home in Maryland, I read The Washington Post nearly every day. I will admit, I was fairly shocked upon reading Michael O’Sullivan’s initial review of the film for The Post prior to the holiday season. He gave the sequel 1.5 out of 4 stars, to my great bewilderment and dismay. After seeing the film, however, I now understand why it was poorly received – well, maybe not on Rotten Tomatoes.

I believe that a movie must be worth making for a reason other than merely financial gain. In Mary Poppins Returns, Blunt beautifully reincarnates the iconic character of Poppins. Indeed, Poppins reappears.

However, she left her spirit back in 1964.

Image Credit:

See the all-new #MaryPoppinsReturns character posters. pic.twitter.com/xnZbVSYaET

— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) November 15, 2018

https://movies.disney.com/mary-poppins-returns

Two star image: https://stream.org/review-13-hours-isnt-benghazi-movie-waited/

Hi everyone! Welcome back to Tricolored Reviews. This semester, I will be making one major change to my blog: I will be intertwining reviews of TV shows from both Netflix – as in this particular post with Daredevil -and live television with my traditional movie reviews from the Fall 2018 semester.

Seldom does a show surpass itself and improve upon its first season. The introduction of new characters, and their need to naturally complement the show’s existing central figures, can pose a great challenge to effective story development and audience engagement.

If the majority of shows fail to maintain consistent performance over time, Daredevil is the exception.

Following its brilliant and riveting first season in which a blind lawyer, Matthew Murdock/Daredevil (played by Charlie Cox), uses his superhuman senses to defeat the villainous Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (played by the bald and beautifully sinister Vincent D’Onofrio), Daredevil increases the stakes in its third chapter.

While Daredevil‘s second season was superb in its action and innate level of pure entertainment, it often lacked the gravitas of the first season. This was largely due to its emphasis on renowned comic book storylines – e.g., the introduction of Daredevil allies, Elektra (Elodie Yung) and The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), both excellently-portrayed characters – and its lack of a true, singular villain in the imprisoned Fisk’s absence. Season Two also sought to set up The Defenders, an Avengers-like miniseries of which Daredevil is an integral part. Thus, the show lacked its own true identity in its second season.

Following his (spoiler alert!) apparent demise at the end of The Defenders, Matt Murdock is resurrected at the opening of Season Three. The darkness and brutal realism with which he returns to life and regains his identity as Daredevil, “the man without fear,” is truly humbling and quite unique. At one point, Matt even completely loses faith in God, and he immerses himself in darkness. He also symbolically relinquishes his identity as Matt Murdock and trades in his flashy red suit for his original black outfit. Ultimately, the show’s willingness to return to the character’s roots – largely based in the Catholic church and the paradox between holiness and the devil –  is its greatest virtue.

Further, Matt’s relationship with Sister Maggie, who helps heal him, is one of the most emotionally heartfelt and well-acted character interactions I have ever seen put to screen. Around the middle of the season, the revelation that Maggie is in fact (spoiler alert!) Matt’s mother propels the show to new heights and dramatically raises the personal stakes. In addition, the visible toll that this secret and its revelation take on both Matt and especially Maggie lead viewers to more closely relate with the characters’ plight. This association renders the show all the more captivating.

Joanne Whalley as Sister Maggie and Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock.

In addition to character intimacy and weakness – i.e., no one in Daredevil is a perfect, all-powerful “Mary Sue” – the villains of Season Three are stellar. Kingpin returns, and he gains a news ally in FBI agent, Benjamin Poindexter/Bullseye (Wilson Bethel), a prominent villain from the comics with impeccable aim.

Loosely based on Frank Miller’s 1986 “Born Again” Daredevil comics storyline, this season sees Kingpin learn of Daredevil’s alter-ego. With Matt exposed and the FBI corrupt to the brim, the hero’s circumstances are dire. Elden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll also deliver solid performances as Matt’s allies, Foggy Nelson and Karen Page, respectively, in supporting the main struggle between truth and corruption.

The show’s realism is undeniable, and its willingness to blur the line between right and wrong to put its main characters in peril is among its greatest strengths.

Though Daredevil was recently cancelled by Netflix, along with several of its Defenders counterparts, Marvel will almost certainly renew it on the upcoming Disney streaming service, Disney+. In the end, the show’s third season was received with almost universal critical acclaim (a 96 percent, certified fresh rating on aggregate review site, Rotten Tomatoes).

I, for one, tend to agree.

Final rating:

No need to turn around fearfully, Matt; your third season has earned a perfect four out of four stars from this Penn State critic.

Image Credit:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3322312/episodes

http://collider.com/daredevil-season-3-interview-joanne-whalley/

https://docublogger.typepad.com/barn_movie/2017/01/film-critic-linda-cook-gives-4-out-of-4-stars-to-the-barn-raisers.html

https://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/daredevil/277236/daredevil-season-3-episode-7-review-aftermath

It is often said that a sequel is never better than the original. Though this notion holds true for Creed II, directed by Steven Caple Jr. and released just in time for Thanksgiving on November 21, it does not mean that a sequel cannot be successful and well-made.

Such is the case with this sequel to Creed, the 2015 reboot to the famed Rocky franchise. In Creed II, mainstays Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone return as Adonis Creed and Rocky Balboa, respectively, both delivering very sincere, convincing, and well-scripted performances.

On that note, the film’s screenplay, written by Stallone and Juel Taylor, effectively lays the foundation for a very worthy addition to the franchise. Various homages to previous Rocky films hit home and add to the gravity and personal resonance that each fight and punch hold both for Adonis and Rocky. For casual viewers, the Rocky franchise may have become overly redundant a long time ago. However, the character nuance and social implication with which the African-American led Creed franchise has resurrected the saga is masterful, modern, and tremendously engaging.

Ultimately, the film’s greatest strength is its emotional balance. Tessa Thompson returns as pop/hip-hop singer, Bianca, who, once again, is the perfect love interest and counterpart to Jordan’s Adonis. Thompson and Jordan embark on a more personal, revealing journey this time around. Without giving anything away, the connection between Adonis and Bianca is at the center of the film’s theme of unceasing perseverance in the face of life’s challenges.

The plot of Creed II is essentially a direct follow-up to Rocky IV, a 1985 film in which Russian boxer, Ivan Drago, kills Adonis’ father, Apollo, in a fight, but eventually loses to Rocky. In the end, even the harshest critic would admit that Creed II redeems the fourth Rocky standalone’s poor performance and “rotten” 38 percent score on aggregate review site, Rotten Tomatoes.

In this episode, Adonis fights Drago’s son, Viktor, and Caple Jr.’s willingness to humanize the villainous Drago duo from script to screen as more than the clichéd, agressive Russian antagonists is quite poignant.

An alternate poster pits Adonis and Rocky against the Dragos, previewing the intense showdown.

Though both Ivan and Viktor are tough, stern individuals, their familial bond becomes evident over the course of the story. This, in the end, is what Creed II is all about: family, and the willingness to fight and do whatever is necessary to protect and take care of loved ones. Throw in an epic, extremely raw training montage featuring Adonis in the desert, and a modern hip-hop soundtrack featuring Pharrell Williams, Kendrick Lamar, and even Thompson, who adds her own voice to the mix, and viewers will be greatly captivated.

Overall, the film is thoroughly entertaining, and its box office success is virtually assured given both its well-timed Thanksgiving release and the skilled production studios behind its conception: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner Brothers, and New Line Cinema.

Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) prepares for a bout with Viktor Drago in Creed II.

Excellent performances and a darker, more grounded feel propel Creed II beyond boxing and cinematic cliché right into the hearts of its audience. Though Ryan Coogler, who directed the original Creed – which elicited critical raves and a near-perfect 95 percent Rotten Tomatoes score – left for Black Panther, Caple Jr. fills his shoes more than adequately.

Creed II is an imperfect film. After all, it is a hybrid of the action, sports, and drama genres, and as a sequel, it sometimes lacks its own, true identity. However, it is a very emotionally well-crafted piece of cinema, and though it is not the knockout that its predecessor was, it takes the franchise’s baton seamlessly.

Final rating: 

Image Credits (in order of appearance):

1.) https://www.moviefone.com/2018/09/26/creed-ii-releases-intense-second-trailer-and-poster/

2.) https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Creed-II-Movie-Pictures-45311621

3.) http://collider.com/new-creed-2-poster/

4.) Image of three out of four stars rating taken from:

Review: Out of the Furnace (2013)

Entertainment for its own sake is one thing; however, as is the case with The Girl in the Spider’s Web, without a grounded, substantive story, a movie can feel incomplete.

Based on the Swedish crime novel series, Millennium, by Stieg Larsson, The Girl in the Spider’s Web is the adaptation of the series’ fourth novel by newcomer David Lagercrantz, released in 2015. Directed by Fede Álvarez and starring Claire Foy as Lisbeth Salander, the film acts as a sequel to 2011 hit, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Though it features the same main characters as its predecessor, Salander and journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, it recasts the actors, replacing Rooney Mara with Foy and Daniel Craig with Sverrir Gudnason. A thematic shift also accompanies this change in personnel, as the sequel adopts a more epic, large-scale plot structure that attempts to depict Salander as a savior-like, self-sacrificing superhero.

Before delving into the film’s many faults, it is important to note that The Girl in the Spider’s Web, released just a short week ago on November 9, is a generally entertaining and engaging film that possesses several virtues.

First, Álvarez’s cinematography is quite vivid, dark, and symbolic, notably a scene in which Salander’s villainous sister, Camilla – played by Sylvia Hoeks – traps her in a black latex suit (scroll down on page) with no breathing room. Another memorable moment takes place when Lisbeth and Mikael meet across two buildings in two separate elevators.

In addition, Foy’s performance is undeniably convincing, as she seamlessly transitions from Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix’s The Crown to Salander’s Russian-Swedish action heroine.

A behind-the-scenes still of Claire Foy as Lisbeth Salander.

Lakeith Stanfield also delivers an excellent showing as NSA agent and Salander ally Alona Casales. Casales complements Salander’s reserved, hacker personality as a committed soldier and fierce ally.

Stanfield serves as the occasional comic relief in a film that relies primarily on violence. Indeed, blood and killing are aplenty in this R-rated action flick, but what renders the film a thriller is Salander’s anti-heroine status, which becomes especially apparent when she is framed for the theft of an international nuclear launch device.

Ultimately, The Girl in the Spider’s Web raises the stakes of the series dramatically, and Álvarez ensures that his cinematic style — complete with countless panoramic and climactic establishing shots, as well as suspenseful close-ups — fits the entertainment-driven narrative.

The film’s inherent error is its lack of character development. Gudnason’s Blomkvist is remarkably underused as Salander’s journalistic ally and love interest.

Central characters are shot, wounded, and killed, and the action is incredibly tense and gritty, but the film’s general apathy for its protagonists is peculiar and quite disappointing.

Themes of burying one’s past are at the core of the story, but Salander lacks support from her fellow characters to fully captivate the audience.

If the film’s purpose was to establish Salander as a female, R-rated James Bond, then it largely succeeds in doing so. Thrills are numerous all throughout, including in a scene in which Salander rides her motorcycle across a frozen lake.

Though Salander is a hacker and justice-seeker, Foy’s rendition of her screams “secret agent,” and this tonal shift from Mara’s prior intimacy and reserved-ness does not correspond with the character-driven “Dragon Tattoo” series.
“Secret agent” Lisbeth Salander.

In the end, the film is thrilling but poorly structured. For casual viewers, it may be quite enjoyable. However, as its own, cinematic entity, The Girl in the Spider’s Web is too structurally flawed to warrant critical acclaim – as evidenced by its subpar 41 percent rating (as of 11/14/2018) on aggregate review site Rotten Tomatoes.

The film’s visual personality and aesthetics are unique and appealing. Nevertheless, one must always remember that, oftentimes, looks can be deceiving.

Image Credits (in order of appearance):

1.) https://freehdmoviee.com/category/english-movies/page/3/

2.) http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/fede-alvarez-on-why-he-wanted-a-new-lisbeth-for-the-girl-in-the-spider-s-web-570

3.) https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/the-girl-in-the-spiders-web-lisbeth-salander-gets-trapped-in-a-conventional-spy-thriller/

4.) https://www.codeproject.com/Questions/458976/How-can-I-apply-the-half-star-rating-control-with

Final rating (out of 4 stars):