Movie Review: Once Upon a Time in ... Hollywood 

I went into this film for all intents and purposes, blindly.  Knowing nothing more than it’s Quentin Tarantino’s 9th film and a period piece, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio,  Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie (my man Kurt Russell also has a role), and Charles Manson figures into it somehow.  Not a lot to go on, but being a Tarantino fan, I was all in to see what his brilliant/freakish mind came up with this go around.

Hmmm, not really sure where to start with this one.

I love me some Tarantino, but after sitting through this epic 2 hour 41 minute whatever, I’m still not really sure what the hell the movie is about and therein lies the problem.  I’m not sure Tarantino really knows what the film was about either.

Clearly Once... is a love letter to Hollywood.  According to Tarantino the Golden Age of Hollywood (inaccurate as that era is widely agreed upon as ending in the 1950s, but, whatever).  Once... takes place in 1969 and as a period piece it’s spectacular.  The attention to detail in the recreation of branding, signage, interiors/exteriors, costuming, films and television shows within the movie, etc. is second to none.

Unfortunately, the actual “letter” part is a long, meandering affair with many great character/story moments, that don’t gel into a cohesive whole.  I had way to many instances of pondering, “where’s this going?”, “what’s the point?”.  I got restless numerous times and I wasn’t alone.  In a near sold out theater, numerous people got up (several multiple times) to get more snacks and drinks.  And at least two couples left and never came back around the halfway mark.

The cinematography is gorgeous, the acting strong, the characters/character development/story, not so much.  Even the dialogue and soundtrack, two cornerstones of a Tarantino film, were very hit and miss.  I was into it one moment and not the next throughout the film.  There's just too much waiting for something to happen. Making for extremely uneven pacing and an off kilter viewing experience.

The casting is a veritable smorgasbord of who’s who in addition to the before mentioned DiCaprio, Pitt, Russell and Robbie.  We’re treated to the likes of Al Pacino, Dakota Fanning, Timothy Olyphant, Luke Perry, and “Brandy” (love the dog) to varying degrees, in addition to many other “hey, that’s whatshis/whatsher name from...” plus many from “The Gang” of Tarantino regulars.  No doubt this helps contribute to the bloated run time and sadly not for any great benefit for the overall experience.

It pains me to say, but Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood is by and large a self-indulgent, bloated, snorefest and has officially taken over as my least favorite Tarantino film.  I expected more.  I wanted more.  Alas, I’m mostly just disappointed..

While not complete trash, the ending is classic Tarantino and an extremist violent delight with an Inglorious Basterds bent that makes the entire film, it’s certainly not something I can recommend taking the time or spending the money to see in the theater.

It’s with a heavy heart and a prayer to the movie gods Tarantino doesn’t f#@! up the untitled Star Trek film he’s working on.  Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood gets a 4 from me.

FYI, if and or when you do see this one, be advised there is a mid credit scene to see so look for it.

Movie Review: Stuber 

It’s hot and I was in the mood for a good laugh.  A trip to the movies to see Stuber sounded like a good way to cool off, relax, and be entertained.  Starring the likeable and unlikely pairing of Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani, previews for Stuber look like a modern day take on buddy cop/action/comedies. The premise suggests  48 Hrs meets Collateral.

To say that Stuber failed to meet my expectations/hopes is something of an understatement.

The film largely gets the polar opposites and action parts right and by in large that’s where the entertainment comes from.  However, the comedy aspect falls woefully short.  Most of the jokes range from  dated to unfunny and “land” (proverbially speaking) like a lead balloon.  Sprinkled sparsely among those are a few and far between “ha, that’s amusing,” bits.  With the rare, “oh, that’s funny” to laugh-out-loud punch line.

Bautista and Nanjiani’s characters, Vic and Stu, ( respectively) isn’t anything too taxing to the imagination or intellect and play toward standard 2 dimensional stereotypes.  The film and their interaction consist of the two shouting at each other and arguing about what constitutes a “real” man.  Loud, but boring.

Speaking of boring, with a run time of a mere 1 hr 33 minutes, sitting through this disappointment
should’ve been relatively painless, but it wasn’t.  The pacing of the film, like much of the tone, is off and it drags feeling like it’s much longer.  I was shocked when I looked at my watch afterwards and saw how much time had actually elapsed compared to how it felt.  Never a good sign.

Stuber is one of those films that on paper has the potential to be so much more.  Unfortunately, on the big screen it’s a waste of time, money, and gas.  You’d probably have a better time paying surge pricing for a trip to the dentist for a root canal.  Wait until it’s on cable, you’re sick at home, realize you left the remote on the other side of the room, and feel too crappy to get up to get it to change the channel to see this one.

Because there is a good soundtrack, decent action, and I do like the two leads, I’m giving Stuber and overly generous 3.

Movie Review: Yesterday

In this rom-com director Danny Boyle (Slum Dog Millionaire) follows the trials and tribulations of a struggling artist through the “what if” alternate timeline where The Beatles and their iconic music don’t exist.  An interesting, original, and refreshing premise that should bring a pleasant and needed counter to all the sequels, super heroes, and franchises that traditionally glut the summer movie market.

Needless to say, the soundtrack for this film goes beyond exceptional (I’m sure the rights to the songs alone cost a fortune). Sure to delight and bring a smile to the face of any Beatles’ fan.

The casting of actor Himesh Patel is spot on.  Patel flaunts his singing and playing chops (yes, he really does sing and play throughout the film) in addition to acting to great effect.  Becoming one to keep an eye out for in the process.  More than holding his own with/against Ed Sheeran along the way.  Lily James is sweet, cute, and adorable.  The chemistry with Patel is believable and sells the whole “girl next door” setup between the two and completely unobjectionable.

For me, that’s where Yesterday falls short of its potential.

The premise is there, the questions are presented, but the film plays it safe and doesn’t explore much beyond the traditional rom/com trope of bff’s that are into each other and never say anything, yadda, yadda, yadda.  Even the exploration of the world missing Beatles’ songs (and a number of other things that has disappeared) isn’t delved into too deeply.  Is it the songs themselves, the shared experience against the historical era they sprang from that the world is missing?  Good questions, ones Yesterday doesn’t attempt to answer and so many more.

The story is overall enjoyable, but flat and uninspired.  It also gets long in the tooth.  The last 15 to 20 minutes or so, I was more than ready for the film to come to its inevitable nice, sweet, and predictable ending. 

There’s plenty to like/enjoy about Yesterday and what works really works.  Kate McKinnon and Joel Fry bring the funny in their respective if not stereotypical roles.  I just wanted a little more substance to sink my teeth into on this one.  Middle-of-the-road fare for sure.  Not great, but far from bad.  If you need to get out of the heat for a few hours, check this one out in the theater.  Otherwise, waiting to watch it at home isn’t a bad choice. 

I’m giving this one a 6.

Movie Review: The Lion King (2019)

Twenty-five years after the original animated family classic took the world by storm, Disney under the tutelage of Jon Favreau has released a new “Live-action” animated version.  A polarizing decision without a doubt (I’ve had numerous friends and coworkers ask why? What’s the point? And poo poos the idea of eschewing traditional cartoon animation for realistic animation).  I’m not sure how to respond to all that and I don’t really want to, so I’m not.  For me, loved the original, curious to see what they did this time around and how I’d respond to it.

First and foremost, the cinematography and CGI work in The Lion King (2019) is stunning.  An absolutely amazing job has been done to painstakingly bring the cartoon animated world of The Lion King (1994) to “real” life.  This not only includes the overall look of the film but also frame by frame recreations of key scenes.  Simply amazing.  Th packed audience, both kids and adults (I, included) were all smiling and nodding with approval.

That brings me to the second point, yes, The Lion King (2019) does largely follow the original tale exactly.  However, as noted from the expanded running time of just under two hours, it also expands upon the story.  The film does a wonderful job fleshing out additional character beats, themes, and messaging beyond the original.  Enriching the story with the added layers. 

Thirdly, the music is just as powerful and moving and then some.  With Tim Rice, Elton John, Hans Zimmer, and Pharrell Williams all involved that’s to be expected.  What is an unexpected bonus is the new takes on some of the original along with the new music taking the original soundtrack to the next level.  Yes, you can still sing along and annoy your seat mates in the process, but updated versions of Be Prepared and The Lion Sleeps Tonight also add an entertaining and biting freshness to the soundtrack.

Speaking of bite, The Lion King (2019) certainly contains more than its G-rated predecessor.  The photorealism of the film also brings with it a starker/darker/grittier less kid friendly reality of the story that packs a punch.   The hyenas this time around aren’t cute in anyway, shape, or form.  They’re menacing, vicious, and can be a bit intense/scary for younger/sensitive kids.  I won’t lie, a few times during the initial hyena encounter as well as during the battle for Pride Rock, I was pushing back in my seat and uttering a few “damns” at the intensity of the violence.  While not gory, there’s also a little blood in a scene as Scar happily chomps on an antelope. 

The cast.  It pretty much goes without saying that having James Earl Jones back as the voice of Mufasa is pure awesomeness.  Once again, he doesn’t disappoint.  Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner did admirable jobs as Pumbaa and Timon truly making the characters their own to the extent I got lost in their performances not thinking about Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella.  Eichner really took me by surprised, I usually find him a bit much and can only take him in small doses, but here…nailed it!  John Kani’s Rafiki holds his own with the late, great Robert Guillamume.  Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Scar while lacking the punch of Jeremy Irons tone and sarcasm, more than makes up for it with his straight up obsessive, frustrated, rage.  The lack of subtly goes a long way. 

All told, I found The Lion King (2019) a well done, worthwhile, entertaining remake.  Yes, the original will always have a special place in my heart and memories, but this one certainly didn’t fall from the original’s tree.  In fact, I don’t know if it’s just my advancing age, the photorealistic CGI, the modernized music or what, but I found this version more emotionally impactful than the original.  A couple of times I was fighting back tears.  TLK(2019) is definitely made with a new audience in mind (I ended up next to a young girl that never saw the original and she was going crazy for this version), but also has plenty of appeal for us “older” original viewers as well.  Worth a trip to the theater.  Money and time well spent.  

Hakuna Matata. I’m giving this one a 9.

Movie Review: Spider-Man: Far From Home 

So far, the 2019 crop of movies has been very hit and miss. And the summer box office has sadly been continuing the trend.  I can’t say that I’m desperate, yet, but I certainly need one in the win column.  Spider-Man: Far From Home, In what concludes Marvel’s phase III, seemed like a good bet to turn things around.  While Peter Parker tries to cope in world that has been changed forever post snap or “blip”, I tagged along for the ride.

Going in, I admittedly was worried about Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio.  Something about the character in the trailers was off putting and cheesy, so it took me by surprise that within the first couple of minutes it was actually the soundtrack that had me rolling my eyes and groaning out loud.  No worries peeps, that was a pure kneejerk reaction from me for being exposed to Whitney Houston crooning I Will Always Love You.  I can’t begin to express how much I loathe that song.  Anywho, moving on, it didn’t last long, and I was able to settle in, get into the film, and enjoy myself.  No small feat given that I was feeling sick to the stomach and fighting the urge to spew the entire time.  Insert gripe here: Quick note on etiquette and/or common courtesy, when attending a public event like a movie where you will be in close proximity to others for extended periods of time: basic hygiene is greatly appreciated be it severe b.o.  and/or reeking of pot. I’m just saying.

After End Game there was real risk of the next Marvel film being a bit of a letdown, so while I expected good, I wasn’t necessarily expecting great.  Good thing too, because Far From Home is spectacular.  Marvel in general and Tom Holland in particular hit every chord perfectly in this film.  Having been through the $@#! And then some, the shine of being a superhero has faded, the longing to be a “normal” kid resonates, and the reality of responsibility and choices hits hard.

 

As far as Jake Gyllenhaal’s role, whew!  I’m beyond relieved that Mysterio is masterfully done/played as a fully three dimensional, complex, and more nuanced character than he came across in the trailers.  No spoilers, but damn!  While I did figure out what’s what prior to the “big reveal” it in no way detracted from the story or my enjoyment.

As for the usual suspects: Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Marisa Tomei, Jacob Batalon and Jon Favreau, etc. a pure delight having them reprise their roles.

 

Emotionally engaging, thrilling, action packed, humorous, thought provoking, killer CGI, great script, amazing cinematography, and entertaining from start to finish Spider-Man: Far From Home checks all the boxes and is the prefect shot in the arm to cure what ails the summer box office.  The interweaving of previous films/bits and characters is handled beautifully and seamlessly.

I could go on and on about what a great film Spider-Man: Far From Home is, but you’d be better off and happier for hauling yourself off to the movie theater and checking it out for yourself.  A must see in the theater film (the final battle alone is worth the price of admission, flaming Spidey anyone?) that’s not to be missed on the big screen.  A perfect ending for phase III and ooh the possibilities for phase IV.  Speaking of possibilities, once again, I must reiterate, don’t bolt when the credits roll.  You need to stay all the way through for there’s a mid-credit scene and an end credit scene to get the old juices flowing.

It's a 9.5 from me!