The Matrix: Resurrections - Cheap Thoughts

It’s not often a director is cornered and forced to make a movie that it comes out well. The studio was set on making a 4^th Matrix film despite the definitive ending of the last one, and Lana Wachowski coming onboard to try and make something of it is hardly the ideal circumstances you’d want, and yet…

Lana Wachowski has yet again proven her talents for visually enchanting films and the stubbornly anti-subtle messaging all her prior films are known for, and no that second point is not an insult, subtlety is optional, not necessary to telling a good story. The Matrix Resurrections is at times a bitter film, a film that wishes it did not exist and is very adamant that you-the audience-know that. It is critical of the production, the fanbase and even its own creators. It stares into the abyss of “content creation” and just before it falls into it, the film is saved, much like how Neo is saved, by reminding them what they stand for. Wachowski refuses to fall into that pit, she loves these characters, and she loves this franchise, she would never corrode them with the cynicism of Hollywood.

While the prior films became obsessed with their own mythology, the wisdom that comes with age and separation reminds you of what’s important. Neo & Trinity, not just symbols, not just roles, but two people who love each other, who fight for each other above all else. Yes, true love does in fact save the day, and if you find that too corny or on the nose then good god what franchise were you watching? This is a series that has embraced sincerity and style since day one, in the past that may have been aimed towards philosophy, these days they’ve changed direction to be entirely about love. The romance of Neo & Trinity was never the strongest element of the original trilogy, it was mostly side-lined to allow the world-building to take over, but looking back, a decent portion of Reloaded and Revolutions was showing that these two view each other as more important than any war, any philosophy or any duty, this film just allows that element to take centre-stage, and with the beauty that is Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann-Moss – Two people who have aged like the finest of wines – we have the most emotionally expressive film in the series.

All of this is with barely touching upon the visual component, and that’s what Wachowski is best known for. At this point in her career making stylish & comprehensive action scenes are her bread and butter, she makes it look easy. One of the best living directors to put their money to good use in making gorgeous blockbusters where everyone has unique looks under gorgeous lighting with badass action, making everyone look like the coolest person on the planet.

Resurrections is not a subtle movie, nor does it want to be, it refuses to compromise, to withdraw or to change itself for your sake. It is a visual delight and earnest down to its bones. It is aware of its past and what is has to prove and yet it does not care, it would throw all that away for the two people it loves and will not apologise for it.

-Danny

Spider-Man: No Way Home - Cheap Thoughts

Spider-Man is important to me. Let’s clear that up straight away, because to discuss this film without knowing my connection to the character feels like leaving out important context. I love Spider-Man, he might be the first fictional character I ever loved, all the way back to the 90s animated series and the original Raimi films. Heck, I’m a big defender of the Webb films, always have been, always will be, and yet I am one of the spoilsports who has to say I have never enjoyed the MCU Spider-Man films, on almost any level, they are poorly produced, bland looking and bad adaptations. So now we’ve reached a point where all these adaptations are clashing together and to break it down is still somewhat a behemoth of a task, let alone avoiding spoilers, but these are the cards we are dealt.

Spider-Man No Way Home is the first time I have ever truly seen Tom Holland as Spider-Man, as a person who puts others before himself, who has to make great sacrifices expecting nothing in return, who certainly stumbles and faulters but always gets back up and always does the right thing. This is no longer Iron Man Jr who inherits wealth, technology and prosperity from others, but one who has to fight and save others using only what he has to offer. He is put through the emotional ringer, but this is a story of Spider-Man trying to save everyone, and do the right thing, to understand the moral with great power must also come great responsibility.

If you’re aware of the returning characters from other films then you’ll be happy to know they are all wonderfully handled, it never feels like pure fanservice, but instead to offer a chance of closure to those who never had it before. Both the Raimi films and Webb films ended on disappointing notes but they also weren’t meant to be where those stories ended, this is where those characters get to finally have the proper goodbyes they always deserved. Even as I attempt to be a cynical critic, I can’t help but feel joy from what this film offers me.

Course that still won’t stop me from being said cynical critic, because boy does this film still look bad! Watts as a director has certainly improved his visual sense with each passing film, and there are certainly big special effects moments where the pre-vis team developed some entertaining and creative choreography mixing characters with different powers fighting each other, the conveyor belt release schedule of these films means the CGI just becomes worse and worse, no effect looking complete, everyone is rubbery and weightless, they move as fast or as slow as a computer tells them to with no consistency. It’s amazing that it’s reached a point where they achieve an uncanny valley effect on basic backgrounds because it’s all shot on greenscreens and never real locations. Even worse when it comes to the more intimate fight scenes Watts has no sense of editing or where to place the camera. When it’s real, you can’t get a good view of it and when it’s not real, it’s never felt hollower.

Glad I got that out of my system, but truth be told I enjoyed this movie, it’s the first of the MCU Spidey films that I enjoyed while watching it, and I am genuinely excited about where they’ll take this character in the future. I may be a cynic but even I couldn’t stop my heart growing three times while watching it. Tis the season.

-Danny

West Side Story - Cheap Thoughts

How does he do it? How does Spielberg make it look this easy? It’s hard to say West Side Story is doing much new - after all it is an adaptation of a 1961 movie based on a 1957 stage show based on a 16^th century play – And yet, somehow it feels like we now have the perfected version of that story, future versions can rest before they try, they’ll never make a version this visually beautiful, perfectly cast or tonally impeccable. It’s times like this where the obvious flaw of trying to discuss a visual medium via text is totally inept, as just saying every single frame is truly a painting is not something that can be easily backed up, you just have to take in on faith, but it’s true, this might be the best looking film of the year, each shot made to look as beautiful as can be, exploding with colour, depth and movement.

None of this is to say the original film was lacking in this, but it is hard to compliment this film without slightly feeling like a back-handed compliment to the original, so consider this review a glowing recommendation for both films, they’re great. Though that being said (Here we go) there are some areas of the original that had clear room for improvement, the main one being a predominately white cast in a film about the racial tensions between a white gang and a Puerto Rican gang, anyone who argues that’s not an issue with the original is being intentionally ignorant. Secondly is the tone the films strive for, it’s not an easy balance to hit, trying to be a story about violent gangs who metaphorically express themselves through ballet, it can come across as silly, and while your mileage may vary on the original, don’t be surprised if some find it tonally confused, this one strikes a much finer balance between the two. It never feels jarring when it goes from bloody assault in poverty drenched streets to colourful dance numbers is seamless, again, it’s baffling how easy Spielberg makes it happen.

Aside from that there’s not that much more to discuss, most of what was good in the original is still present here, the songs are wonderfully varied, catchy and poignant. The story is layered and one of social injustice, dealing with racial discrimination as well as the abandonment of the disenfranchised with two sides of victims being manipulated into viewing each other as the enemy rather than the system as a whole. It even carries over the same flaws of the original, though to be fair it’s more of a burden from the original Romeo & Juliet than it is the musical, that being the big climactic fight happens and then you realise there’s still 30-40 minutes left of the film and that third act can drag in contrast.

If there’s still some ambiguity from this review on whether or not you should see this film? Once more to make it clear: Go see this film!

-Danny

Encanto - Cheap Thoughts

Not to turn this into a recurring theme of Disney films being stifled under their corporate overlords, but between this and Eternals there is certainly a pattern forming across these reviews. Encanto’s heart is a story of people wanting to break the mould of what is expected of them. A family of people with unique super powers all with the purpose of helping the community around them. This leads to them all having certain roles to fulfil in that society and in a fun turn of events we now have a film of a lead protagonist wishing to change themselves to fit the mould while the supporting cast around them tries to break free. Two of the songs in this musical are about the protagonist’s sisters wishing to change their own narrative, Luisa the strong one who can carry any burden and Isabela, the perfect child who can do no wrong, and yet in secret the two are crumbling from the expectations of others and feel unallowed to live the lives they wish to.

This may be one of the most fleshed out supporting casts in a Disney film in recent years, and yet because it is a Disney film, there is only so far they are allowed to break free. The Mouse is the mould, and the characters can only break free as far as The Mouse is willing to let them. They still have to be appealing to audiences, marketable as toys and admirable to children. The fact the creators had to fight to have Luisa be muscular due to corporate fear that might make her less appealing says enough. It hollows out the film as while the characters may cheer about change, it’s all corporate approved change, there is no actual rebelling against the system, mere illusion. It’s not just with these examples, but in the film’s very DNA, everything is designed to be easy to understand, squeaky clean and unthreatening, with nothing too extreme in its subject matter that would alienate even a single audience member. Sometimes the film is able to move itself in favour of this, for example having Lin-Manuel Miranda write the music, naturally you can imagine he was chosen as he is a talented musician with a history of embedding his Hispanic heritage into his work – and it was very much the right choice because this music is the best part of the film - but at the same time there was someone in marketing who approved of him because he’s popular and could be used as a selling point. Sometimes you get the best of both world elements like this, but there are other times it shows how limited the film was in its options.

It’s hard to say where Encanto will land in the Disney legacy, it is definitely a big step in terms of representation and because the formula has been perfected there is certainly a level of quality storytelling to entertain general audiences, but will it fall into the category of modern classics like Moana or Frozen? Don’t bet the house (Watch as this ages like milk).

-Danny