Birds of Prey - Cheap Thoughts

Every DC Film is a risk, not in the sense that the franchise lives or dies on the success on each film, but in the sense that regardless of quality they do something different from the last one. From Man of Steel onwards even the worst of the DC Films for nothing else at least it can be said they were trying to do something different from the last one. Birds of Prey is no exception to this, creating a world of such vibrant colours, over the top action and larger than life personality driven characters, Cathy Yan has brought us a fun experiment to be added to the DCEU Library.

Many have already pointed out that the title is somewhat misleading as its more accurate to describe this as a Harley Quinn movie but it at least brings everyone together through a common theme, the idea of surviving trauma. Our movie opens with Harley (Margot Robbie) announcing to the world the end of her relationship with the Joker and her trying to rebuild her life from someone who tormented her so, likewise with all of the other members, Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) losing her mother to the world of heroism, Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) being the victim of organised crime and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) being held back by a corrupt system. The group end up coming together for the common goal of protecting teenager Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco) from becoming yet another victim of this cycle. From this perspective it could be argued that this is one of the strongest team-up movies to come out of the genre, these aren’t the most powerful fighters trying to save the world, or even a group of losers who join up through circumstance, but a group of people with similar ideologies that feel they can help at least one person by working together.

It also shouldn’t be forgotten that Harley Quinn is not a good person, she’s certainly better than the Joker and the film has her admit to her own faults and attempt to improve herself, but from beginning to end she never truly finds redemption. What she does find however is a place to belong and people who she can connect with, and at least be somewhat of a better person than she was before, even though never let it be forgotten she is still a wanted criminal who steals, assaults and vandalizes at her own will. There are certainly those out there who would critique this portrayal and say it makes her a flawed from a writing perspective but then there are plenty others who would view it as unique and an interesting choice in protagonist for a superhero film.

The other members of the titular Birds of Prey are entertaining in their own right, specifically Huntress as the stand out, a character written and portrayed so hard to be dark & edgy and always be taken seriously that when she's thrown into a movie that is completely not that tone it allows for some of the best humour of the film. The characters work best as an ensemble, which makes it all the bigger shame that they rarely share the screen together as they're entertaining enough that they make getting breakfast at a dinner one of the highlights of the film.

More so to make the film stand out is that it is popping with personality from both the characters and the directing. Incorporating some of the more neo-punk aspects of Suicide Squad with a more comedic & consistent tone, the film is bouncy, vibrant and sacrifices most forms of realism for the sake of style which is a choice always greatly appreciated around these parts. It’s another point in favour of the DC Films that every single one feels like a completely different film and gives you a new experience, there is plenty of the film that will bring detractors along in terms of both the film’s own components as well as discussed as an adaptation, but it’s unlikely anyone could claim the film is boring, and likewise it could be argued the style enhances the substance rather than overshadow it, bringing the audience into Harley’s perspective to make her more empathetic to the audience, which again considering her actions it doesn’t hurt to give the audience what they need.

On a final note, not to turn this into a DC vs Marvel debacle because at this point it doesn’t really matter, both properties have decided on their identities and you can either roll with it or get out of the way. That being said, something that can never be argued is that DC is much better at it’s inclusions of LGBT+ characters, this film being no exception acknowledging both Harley’s bisexuality and Montoya’s homosexuality. The inclusion of them alone is only worth a certain degree of merit, what’s more interesting is the none-confirmed queer characters and the coding that signifies their sexuality to begin with. Black Mask (Ewan McGregor) is heavily coded to be queer, from his flamboyant personality to his interest in make-up and stylized clothing. Queer Coding in villains is nothing new and has been discussed, criticized and praised in a variety of ways. It’s just interesting that in a film with several openly queer characters, the one who behaves the most stereotypically gay is also the only one not confirmed, which could lean more into common criticisms of this trope as the implication of behaving more stereotypically queer is associated with villainy comes with its own negative connotations. That being said McGregor is an absolute blast in the film and makes for a highly entertaining villain and combine with the inclusion of queer protagonists it could simply be an oversight on the part of the filmmakers, but still a subject matter worth discussing.

-Danny

One Piece: Stampede - Cheap Thoughts

Let’s not stand on formal ground here, this is a review very much being done from a fan’s perspective because that’s all that matters here, because they’re the only people who would go out to see this film. Stampede is aware of this fact because they made a film filled with fanservice moments that exist only to get cheers, laughter and all other forms of glee out of audiences who have been fans of One Piece for many years now, in a lot of ways, this works very well, in others the film feels as though it’s having its cake and eating it too. So let’s delve a little deeper, and if in case it hasn’t been made clear yet, if you have never seen/read One Piece then turn away now because there is nothing that this film or review can do to appeal to you or make you a fan.

Regardless of said fanservice, there still needs to be some deeper substance here to make the film more than just flash & bang filler and…they nearly got it. There is a clear theme here, that being the reliance on other people is not a weakness but a strength. Our antagonist Douglas Bullet (Tsutomu Isobe) believes that relying on other people only holds individuals back, naturally a character like Monkey D Luffy (Mayumi Tanaka) has always been open about his reliance his crew to fill in his own shortcomings, and also for the fun company. It’s not a new angle to come to One Piece about, but it is always an effective one, which makes it all the more disappointing that they don’t follow through with it by having the Straw Hat Pirates contribute nothing of value for the entire film. That is for the exception of Usopp, who does contribute to the plot and becomes the emotional centre of the story, creating a contrast between himself and Bullet, as Bullet is objectively the strongest character in the film and Usopp is one of the weakest, and yet he shows what he contributes that makes him a valuable piece of a greater set.

Back to the fanservice however because the film has sold this aspect as its main appeal, as if it’s the Smash Bros Ultimate of One Piece movies. Everyone and anyone is here, and yes, it can be quite cool at times, it’s fun to see the Supernovas all fighting together, it’s fun to see all the Warlords make an appearance, heck, it’s even fun to see the Foxy Pirates cameo and get a good laugh. Combine that with some of the greatest animation this franchise has ever seen and it can’t be denied on a pure spectacle level this film guarantees an enjoyable experience for any One Piece fan. Where it sometimes goes too far however is when it breaks its own boundaries, not within the greater plot of the franchise, those rules have to be broken to make this story happen, and the fact that it’s non-canon gives it the allowance to make it work. Where it fails is with characters being able to achieve great feats that they were never able to before, such as Boa Hancock running faster than The Flash and somehow being able to kick a mountain. More egregiously is the overuse of Luffy’s Gear Four, his ultimate attack that comes with strict limitations otherwise it loses all sense of tension and weight behind it. Characters being portrayed as more powerful than they reasonably should be, especially when it contradicts even the internal narrative of the film (Luffy’s first fight with Bullet vs his last fight for example) it drains the film of any genuine tension when the film begins to look more like a Dragon Ball Z fight than a One Piece fight.

There’s always going to be a limit to how deep a One Piece film’s plot can go before it oversteps its boundaries and conflicts with the main story, in reality they’re best off being compares more to a fireworks show, loud, colourful and has you going “oooooh ahhhh” over and over again.

-Danny

A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood - Cheap Thoughts

The idea of forgiving an abuser is not an easy one…yes we’re jumping right into the meat here. A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood wants these discussions to be had so there’s no point avoiding them. Our protagonist Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) is a journalist tasked with writing a profile on legendary children’s presenter Mr Rogers (Tom Hanks). Lloyd himself is not a fan of Mr Rogers and could be described as somewhat cynical of a person. To the film’s credit they strike a healthy balance between sceptical pessimist and open-minded friend. He’s not dismissive of Roger’s ways, though he does question both the honesty behind it and results, the film certainly falls on Rogers side, but does so by presenting us the information through Lloyds perspective, particularly due to his personal history which made him what he is today.

We’re told very early on about said history, that his father was an absent alcoholic who left them when he was young and when his mother was suffering a very painful death. Years later his father has now come back into his life in attempts to make amends. Whenever this subject matter is brought up and discussed in the presents or Mr Rogers it’s incredibly powerful, and greatly reflects the type of man he was and how he would respond to an issue like this, to treat it with the intelligence, kindness and dignity needed to actually help someone. This doesn’t just come to the film’s benefit of making it a faithful adaptation but also an intelligent film in helping not only the protagonist but the audience understand their own pain. There’s a particularly powerful sequence where the film comes to a complete halt for a whole 60 seconds to let its characters reflect, and in turn the audience. That type of quite composure is not something often found in most films, where its said its message and now it forces the audience to reflect on it while the film is still engaging them.

That being said, this is where the more difficult aspects of the film come from. Whenever anyone else tries to “help” Lloyd with his issues, its incredibly poor. Near the beginning Lloyd is packing for his sister’s wedding, and its only now when its too late to backout does his wife Andrea (Susan Kelechi Watson) admit that his father Jerry (Chris Cooper) is going to be there, at said wedding his father gets drunk and the two get in a fight. Very soon after than Lloyd’s dad then ambushes him outside of his own apartment and waits out there for several days, only eventually again for Andrea to go behind Lloyd’s back and invite him up, again ambushing him, trying to force this recollection, and when Lloyd refuses to partake they treat him like he’s the bad guy. None of this is healthy or helpful, they force Lloyd into this situation, our first scene with Jerry establishes that he hasn’t changed his behaviour or fixed his issues, yet they constantly treat Lloyd like he is at fault for not giving him a chance, when it is not his responsibility to make things better.

*Minor Spoilers Ahead*

Jerry has shown no evidence that he is improved, and everyone’s treatment of Lloyd for not putting the effort in is victim blaming. An element that’s established early on is that Lloyd doesn’t drink alcohol, presumably due to his father’s history of substance abuse, and yet later on in the film after this forced catharsis is taking place, the two of them share a drink as if this is supposed to be an endearing moment? That Lloyd partaking in one of his father’s vices is a sign that their relationship is healing? This entire plot is tone deaf of the highest order, especially in a film that has such a heavy focus on smart conversations and understandings of ones own emotions and conflicts, and is able to handle these issues so incredibly well in certain scenes that it’s hard to believe these are from the same film.

Not everyone can be a Mr Rogers, and if this was some attempt to highlight him as a person not by exclusively representing his qualities but by making every other person appear emotionally inane in contrast then it did more to harm the film than help it.

-Danny

Weathing With You - Cheap Thoughts

Makoto Shinkai didn’t exactly have an easy job making this film, and I don’t necessarily mean with the production, but with audience expectations. Shinkai’s previous 2016 film Your Name stormed the anime community and became a box-office success in Japan and helped make a name for himself in Western markets and another prolific director with a beautiful style, good use of pop music and emotionally fragile protagonists. All of which is present here. In some ways this could be argued that it makes this film a disappointment, if you’ve seen plenty of Shinkai’s filmography then I’d argue there’s very little in this film to surprise you, the majority of conventions that carry out throughout his films are here so if that’s somehow something you’re tired of then this film might night impress you.

That being said it would be difficult to find someone who would find beautifully details and vibrant animation and catchy music to be a negative. If that were all there were to his films then that’d be a different subject matter, but these films are never hollow. Our protagonists Hodaka Morishima and Hina Amano are both strong yet brittle, they struggle constantly yet their connection to each other and to their supporting cast shows what they struggle for, what matters to them, empathising with these characters is never difficult. These all sound like rather basic elements and yet somehow finding them all together is somewhat rare, it’s such an obvious concoction that Shinkai makes it look as easy as it should be.

This is all there is to say about Weathering With You, it’s not reinventing the wheel, but it’s a film made with such passion behind every aspect and it works in almost every regard, the characters are identifiable in their struggles, the soundtrack is boppy, upbeat and catchy, yet above all else the animation is gorgeous, the detail in the background of every shot, the fluidity of character movements, the lighting and reflections during the rain scenes, it’s simply beautiful. A film that can be strongly recommended to the majority of audiences and it can be expected that the majority would be satisfied with their viewing.

-Danny

Bad Boys For Life - Cheap Thoughts

There’s something engrossing about the Bad Boys franchise despite the grossness of their own existence. Bad Boys was considered a dated formula in a flashy body with young hot talent trying to carry a dull script. Bad Boys II is vehemently cynical in its DNA and tries to be more violent, ostentatious and all round unlikable, but it doesn’t care. Yet somehow they made it work, granted that’s not a universally agreed statement but it’s a franchise that has its fans because it embraces those ghastly elements.

Now we have entered Bad Boys For Life when our stars and crew are past their prime and can no longer be as showboaty or aggressive as they liked in the past and we’ve entered an age where that behaviour doesn’t appeal to audiences. Naturally the film does incorporate this perspective within the text as Detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett team up with a younger and higher tech police squad and rather than pick a side on who’s method is better the film somehow comes out viewing both as effective, especially when forced to team up? Which is an unusually progressive perspective than one would expect.

Furthermore what wouldn’t have been expected is actual emotional honesty between the two characters, 17 years on from the last film this latest instalment seems much more inline with Martin Lawrence’s character of wanting to retire, live a quiet life as the two are past the days of loud fast violence. Will Smith on the other hand still trying to desperately cling to the good old days and claim he’s just as cool & relevant as he has been in the past is portrayed as ignorant and the film is rather critical of him. Whether this is meant to work as a meta-narrative or not is difficult to say, it would be rather obnoxious to claim that level of commentary is above this film but then again the film is already splitting off in several directions that was unexpected.

None of this is to say the film is ashamed of it’s origins or doesn’t fulfil the exaggerated and bombastic shoot outs and car chases fans of the franchise would want or expect, the film is chocked full of them and is sure to please hardcore fans and casual viewers alike. It’s simply more surprising and noteworthy of when then the film does play its hand at something softer and isn’t afraid to show the fragility of these characters, after all they are still two middle-aged men acting half their age. Which is not to say this is going to bring the franchise in an entirely new direction with the inevitable Bad Boys 4, but it certainly breathes a breath of fresh air in an aging franchise by blending together the old and the new to create an entertaining flick that most people will thoroughly enjoy. Unless of course you were one of those people that understandable hated the prior films for their over the top, overbearing and somewhat detestable nature, then this film probably won’t be as detestable to you as the prior ones, but certainly won’t be an enjoyable experience. For everyone else, it’s a guaranteed fun time.

-Danny

1917 – Cheap Thoughts

It’s easy for a film’s USP to be seen as a gimmick because more often than not they’re…well, gimmicky, and don’t tend to serve a greater purpose than conventional storytelling methods. 1917 is not one of those films. For anyone unaware, 1917 takes place during World War 1 as two soldiers Lance Corporals Schofield & Blake are tasked with travelling across No Man’s Land and into enemy territory in order to deliver a message to call off an attack that would result in the deaths of hundreds of soldiers.

The “gimmick” in this case being that the entire film is shot to appear as one continuous take, and as I stated it’s easy for this sort of thing to come across as just a marketing ploy to impress people with vague spectacle lacking in purpose. Instead what Director Sam Mendes and DoP Roger Deakins have achieved is a great example of consistent tension and identifiable characters. Never breaking away means there are no breaks in the action, no stylistic signals to indicate a change in tone between the character’s downtime and an action scene. As an audience member you are always on alert, that constant sense of dread present throughout the entirety of the film, very much like the main characters who serve to fulfil the secondary purpose of the style.

Never leaving the characters and experiencing this story in real time along with them strengthens the connection between character and viewer, every break, every struggle, every fight, every emotion that’s felt by them is felt by us, it’s one of the better examples of empathetic storytelling of the past several years, and it carries on all the way throughout the climax when they are just so exhausted and so desperate to achieve their goals with the clock ticking down and with Thomas Newman’s excellent score emphasising the moment you are in the heart and mind of the character, the person who has already risked everything and now nothing is going to stop them, no matter the cost.

None of this is to disregard the technical achievement that is 1917, it is incredibly impressive that this was ever pulled off, even if half the time you are distracted by trying to find the cheats, where the clever cuts are that made this all possible, and I’m sure that alone would be enough to make it impressive, but it would also be hollow. The more impressive part is that they used this technique to emphasize the characters and the drama, to put us in their point of view and combining it with a simple enough premise that this concoction of basic plot, engrossing characters and complex technique makes this film stand out as one of the better war films out there when it’s a genre stuffed to the brim with competition and filmmakers have to challenge themselves to make something that stands out.

-Danny

My Favourite Films 2019 – Top 10

Alita: Battle Angel
I surprisingly didn’t know a whole lot about this film prior to watching it. I was aware that it was a manga, that James Cameron was producing and that people were weirded out by the eyes. I literally watched the trailer once and thought “That looks fun” and by gosh was it. I’m not here to pretend the criticisms aren’t valid, many people complain that the plot is too crowded, which it is, it definitely feels like they shoved 3-4 arcs in the manga into one film but that never bothered me when each one comes together to help tell a greater story. Alita as a character acts as the audience pov, the more of the world she explores, the better understanding she has, of the culture, of the law, of the people. The stories are segmented, but all fill in different aspects of our protagonist, she learns of these new elements and throws herself in 100%.

Look, the bar for western adaptations of manga is very low, so this film didn’t exactly have much competition in claiming the title of “best manga adaptation” but that doesn’t mean it came easy. As soon as the credits hit and I saw the name “Robert Rodriguez” all of a sudden everything made sense. Over the top segmented plot with heavy focus on entertaining characters, action and original spectacle?  Yep, that sounds like him. Then just after that you include “Bill Pope” my personal favourite DoP who has shot some of the most beautiful & lively action films of the 21st century. This film was made for me. There’s such talent and passion put behind this film, it was definitely a risk amongst blockbuster audiences and depending on who you ask people might debate if it was a success or not (I certainly know which side the producers would take). In terms of pure adrenaline filled, creative & entertaining blockbusters, Alita takes home the prize as the best of the year.

Booksmart
This happens every time. Every couple of years a new coming of age film will come out and I’ll see the marketing and think “I can’t tell if that looks great or garbage” and they end up being on my favourites list (Previous examples include: Edge of Seventeen, Perks of Being A Wallflower, etc). Booksmart gets to take home two prizes today, one for being the best coming of age film of the year, certainly the most insightful and modern, it does a great job of capturing the attitudes and relationships of today’s youth…I assume, I started this decade being the perfect demographic and now I guess I’m old enough to be nostalgic for my high school years. Whether it’s accurate or not, for nothing else the characters are still fleshed out enough to appear realistic, that mostly comes down to an incredibly talented cast, Beanie Feldstein & Kaitlyn Dever in particular have great chemistry, I believe these two have been friends for most of their lives and develop corny inside jokes.

Then there is the second award which is this being the funniest film of the year, which there isn’t as much to analyse there, it’s a very well put together script that I can only fault for a forced 2nd act emotional break, but apart from that it made me laugh a fair amount and it’s as solid as can be. Along with – again – an incredibly talented cast to pull this off. If I took one lesson away from this movie it’s this: Put Billie Lourd in everything.

Cats
No. I’m not kidding. I’m not even sure if I’m putting this on here ironically or not. Most of the discourse surrounding this film is people debating if it’s simply one of the worst movies of the year or even one of the worst movies of the decade, and this is easily the most contrarian I’m going to get on this list. At the time of writing I have seen Cats a total of 4 times and will see it as many times with as many people as I possibly can. I have seen well over a thousand movies in my lifetime of a variety of genres, time periods and filmmakers, and I have never seen a movie like Cats, it’s incomparable, hell I don’t even think you could compare it to the stage show, that’s how alternate this movie is. I’m at a point in my film loving career where the main thing I seek out is simply something different, just any movie that can offer me something I haven’t already seen, and I don’t think anyone can argue against that for Cats. This movie haunts me, it confuses me, it entertains me, and I am obsessed with it.

Let’s try and discuss some of the more acceptable qualities of the film, for one thing the CG is very impressive, minus the odd…cockroach here or there, but the blending of character faces with *sigh* Cats it impressive technology. The cast are incredibly talented, they’re all wonderful singers & dancers, and even those that aren’t great singers definitely commit to behaving like a *sigh* Cat. The music is really nice, that’s not so much an achievement in the film seeing as it was all written for the stage 30 years ago. That is except for Beautiful Ghosts, which is a genuinely good song and while most musical adaptations half-arse the original song just so they can score an easy Oscar Nom this song does actually hold weight as a good listen and the only development Victoria gets.

Apart from that I got nothing. Look, Cats wasn’t meant to be analysed, it wasn’t meant to be reviewed or critiqued, or even witnessed, because the terms “good” and “bad” do not apply to this film. Cats lives in its own universe by it’s own rules, it is that separated from everything we know as film viewers on how a film should function. It is baffling, it is intimidating, it is uncomfortable, it’s definitely the horniest movie to be rated U I’ve ever seen. Cats is going to become the next Rocky Horror I assure you, I can see people going to midnight screenings, dressing up, singing along and having the time of their lives during this film. I have not stopped thinking about it, it is haunting me like the addiction it is.

Doctor Sleep

*Spoilers Ahead*
Mike Flanagan is the best contemporary Horror filmmaker out there, with every production he continues to improve his craft and this is his best film to date. I don’t consider myself to be a fan of The Shining, mostly because prior to watching it I had already consumed the entire film through cultural osmosis that by the time I watched the film, I had already seen it, it’s no one’s fault, but it means that movie never had a chance to leave an impact on me, certainly not the way Doctor Sleep did. If The Shining is a film about a man giving into temptation, Doctor Sleep is a film about recovery. There’s a seen early on in the film where Dan Torrence (Players brilliantly by Ewan McGregor) gives a speech about his alcohol addiction, and how he fights to get over it not just for himself but for his father-a fellow addict-and how he believes his dad was a good man corrupted by an addiction. Contrast that with Rose the Hat (Also brilliantly played by Rebecca Ferguson) and her crew who are so addicted to the Shine that they kill even children for a hit. Come the climax where the film only truly indulges itself in heavy Shinning references and repetition, Dan is finally tested on his own addiction by overcoming the powers of the Overlook Hotel and is able to win, meanwhile Rose who has always embraced her addiction is consumed by the Hotel with ease.

Despite not expecting anything from a sequel to a film I didn’t care for, Doctor Sleep was the most powerful horror film of 2019 for me. It told a story that was fragile, emotional and uplifting, with a stellar cast and a director who continues to impress me more and more.

Dragon Ball Super: Broly
Now we go straight back to the fanboy in me. Yes, Dragon Ball as a series I have discussed many times for its highs and its lows, and yes, this film does equate to one glorified action scene, and yet somehow this film proved to be some of the best character work the franchise has seen in a long time. Action for the sake of action is not interesting, the best fight scenes more often than not are explorations of characters, of personal conflicts, of flaws, of progression, take your pick. Goku is a protagonist who treats everything like a fight because that’s where he best understands people, it’s where he sees his own limits and where he learns about his opponent. Dragon Ball is also a franchise about redemption, often the villains will be shown mercy and it’ll be the start to their conversion to heroism, and it does it in such a variety of ways that no two villains have the same arc, it’s arguably Akira Toriyama’s greatest strength as a writer.

Broly is no exception, throughout the elongated fight there is a constant shift in power and motivation and leads to Goku understanding Broly as a character better than ever before. A character who infamously has a fantastic design but terrible character & backstory is given the complexity to match his popularity. Then there is also the work of the director’s Tatsuya Nagamine and Naohiro Shintani who have created inarguably the best looking Dragon Ball film ever with the most fluid, fast, expressive fighting animation the series has ever seen and it’s what holds this giant fight together. Like with all Dragon Ball movies, if you’re not a fan of the franchise, don’t even bother watching this film, it’s not meant for you, it’s meant for the fans and I for one am happy to indulge.

I Lost My Body
There’s not much to be said for this film, in a lot of ways, it’s a very simple story told in a fantastical way. A young man who has suffered nothing but tragedies and let downs his entire life loses his hand in an accident, we then see that hand travel all the way across town to try and reach its original owner. The film is gorgeous, the use of perspective to turn a regular city into a seemingly endless array of terrors and nightmares, taking you in from the view and size of a hand; a rat has never seemed scarier, a flickering fire from a lighter has never exploded with more power before, a pigeon pecking at you will be one of the most brutal life or death situations you’ll see.

That’s all part of the spectacle, the core of the film is Naoufel, the protagonist/original hand owner. Throughout the film we explore his tragic life and how everything goes from bad to worse, but what makes it truly depressing is the seemingly no escape for him. Naoufel is not special, he doesn’t have a secret talent or promising future, he is so incredibly ordinary as a person yet has experienced such disaster and that might honestly be the most depressing aspect of the film and is what gripped me, that fear of being normal yet a failure is a horrifying combination. The supernatural element of a living hand trying to reunite with its owner is the one saving grace, hoping they’ll be reunited and it’ll somehow be a sign of things to get better from here on out. Okay so there might have been more to say about this film than expected.

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
I’m assuming I don’t need to sell anyone on this, it’s John Wick, the most consistently entertaining, well produced, stylish, engaging action franchise of the past decade (Okay, tied with Mission: Impossible). Keanu Reeves works his ass off to keep this a quality series and hires the best talent out there to make it happen. The fight scenes are well choreographed, the stunts are super impressive, the sets/lighting are elegant, and this is all stuff you already know. I’m not sure what there is to be said, if somehow you haven’t jumped on the Keanu hype train and fallen in love with this series then there’s not much that can be said to convince you, as for those of you who have already experienced John Wick, you know exactly why it’s fantastic. Easily the most fun time I had in a theatre warmly chuckling at a dude getting 7000 knives thrown into his back. Never let it be unspoken that John Wick is the perfect franchise to balance class, world-building, tension & distinct characterisation, while also killing a dude by getting kicked in the head by a fucking horse.

Knives Out
Knives Out is like a warm hug. It’s comforting, pleasant & that soft sweater makes it all the better. Rian Johnson is a treasure we must appreciate while we have him, because every one of his movies are simply great and this is no exception to the rule, it also arguably has the best script of all of his films. Being a murder mystery it’s naturally a movie that expects multiple watches and it rewards you for that, not just with the main plot line but for filling itself with a variety of little details to relish over, such as Richard handing Marta his used plate like she’s “the help” or my favourite exchange over the phone “Hi Walt.” “Marta, it’s Walt”. Aesthetically it’s even more enjoyable film, capturing a warm Autumn period with a rustic colour scheme and soft sweaters to match.

The ensemble cast are all wildly entertaining in their roles, especially Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc, between this and Logan Lucky I say we make it the law that Craig has to give us at least one movie every couple of years were he adopts an over the top southern accent. However what brings it all home as one of the best is Ana De Armas as Marta, the literal heart of the movie because in a family of shitty people across the spectrum, she is as Benoit puts it “A good person with a good heart” and I’m always a sucker for a film that rewards people that are simply kind and do the right thing. Paddington would be proud.

Little Women
This is my favourite film of the year. I understand the reason why I listed them all alphabetically was so I didn’t have to rank them but it can’t be disputed, Little Women is my favourite film of 2019, I love it. What Greta Gerwig showed me with this film, was an actual family, siblings who love each other and know each other back to front but at the same time annoy the living daylights out of one another, and will sometimes use that love and knowledge to hurt one another, and all of it while feeling natural, fluid and personal.

A lot of that credit also has to go to the actors, everyone here is fantastic but the two of note I have to mention is Saoirse Ronan as Jo and Florence Pugh as Amy. Pugh arguably having the tougher of the roles because she is playing both a 13 year old and a 20 year old and you can not ask for a bigger separation of identity amongst an individual than you can of those ages, especially when Pugh does not look 13 but my god does she act it. She is whiney, and hyper and obsessive and irritable, and then contrast that with her later self who is mature, proper, pilot and intelligent, and Pugh bridges these two together perfectly. Florence Pugh arguably has the best year with 2019 combining this with Midsommar and Fighting With My Family she is absolutely the actor to watch for the upcoming years. Then there is Ronan, her performance is filled with such nuance and playfulness and pain, which all definitely sounds like great fluff terms to hype her up without giving any context but quite simply Jo March might be my favourite character of 2019. She is understandable through her relationships and her pain as life tears them away and forces her to compromise on her dream because of the world she lives in, and then she inspires me at the end by all she’s able to accomplish and love, yet never losing what brought her there both the joy and the tragedy.

The final shot is filled with such finite detail in Ronan’s face that the mixed bag of emotions she feels is something that is going to stick with me. It’s so good I’m scared to watch the other adaptations or read the book because I truly don’t believe they could be as good, and certainly won’t leave the same impact on me. I know that’s not what Gerwig wanted but that’s the sacrifice you have to make when you direct a film this phenomenal.

Shazam!
Sticking with the movies that make me feel a feel, Shazam! is a film that represents a few things, most notably the idea of the found family, which is definitely a theme many superhero stories share but rarely do they make it this foundational. It is in fact surprisingly rare to see a middle-class foster family be represented in Hollywood, let alone one that is happy, but even then acknowledging that they’re a family that came together due to broken circumstances and that’s going to cause some difficulties. That in short is the key to the film’s success, it’s earnestness, it’s an emotionally honest film that embraces more of the light-hearted family spectacle side of comic books that balanced it out with complex yet overall happy characters that make them appealing to the whole family. Obviously that’s not what all comic books or even all super hero comic books are but they are where the platform originates from and will always be my favourite understandings of these characters.

Speaking of comic book origins, despite the fact we live in a golden age of superhero films there will always be certain aspects that will make me surprised and gleeful when I go “Holy crap, they put that in a movie!?” and this film certainly has that, not something I expected, in retrospect not all that implausible that they featured but still a nice surprise that made this old cynics hard grow three times its size because it’s just that pleasant, and solidified Shazam! as my favourite comic book movie of the year.

-Danny