Last Seen Blogs
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Lola
[3 stars]
I’m not usually a found-footage fan for movies. They can be fun and entertaining, but they always end up a little contrived and breaking their rules to get scenes or angles that just wouldn’t exist in real life.
So why am I suggesting this odd little indie? Basically, this funky bit of scifi is a nice play on some old tropes. Also the story is well thought through, as much as these…
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Lola
[3 stars]
I’m not usually a found-footage fan for movies. They can be fun and entertaining, but they always end up a little contrived and breaking their rules to get scenes or angles that just wouldn’t exist in real life.
So why am I suggesting this odd little indie? Basically, this funky bit of scifi is a nice play on some old tropes. Also the story is well thought through, as much as these kinds of stories can be. And some of the reworked historical video is very clever.
In addition, director and co-writer Andrew Legge worked hard to avoid the forced footage conundrum. In doing so, the film is also a bit hard to watch if you can’t handle a lot of abrupt cuts, shaky cam, and light flashes. But there is a cohesive story that forms as it goes along, and a solid conceit for the existence of it at all. Even the rushed ending, while frustrating in some ways is fair and, frankly, I think you get the info you need to understand how it gets resolved.
The two sisters at the center, Stefanie Martini (Prime Suspect (1973)) and Emma Appleton (The Witcher) build a great tension and sense of family together. Appleton also gets to inhabit a rather different kind of woman for the 1940s, and she does so with gusto. There is more to the cast, all with nice credits, and all deliver. But it is better to experience them as they come.
It is clear you’re going to be dealing with alternate history and such in this tale from the beginning. But how that relates to our world and theirs is the fun of watching. And at about an hour and a quarter, it isn’t a huge risk to take.
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Strange Way of Life
[3 stars]
Much like short stories I love short films because, when done well, they are perfect little gems to appreciate. Pedro Almodóvar’s (The Human Voice) latest 30 minute flick is a good example, if not quite as flamboyant as Wes Anderson’s deliveries last year.
But I also understand why having such prominent directors entering the short market is worrisome. Short films are often the purview…
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Strange Way of Life
[3 stars]
Much like short stories I love short films because, when done well, they are perfect little gems to appreciate. Pedro Almodóvar’s (The Human Voice) latest 30 minute flick is a good example, if not quite as flamboyant as Wes Anderson’s deliveries last year.
But I also understand why having such prominent directors entering the short market is worrisome. Short films are often the purview of new talent. It’s their calling card and exemplar of what they could do with the right funding and backing. But if known directors follow the streaming world into this realm, it could squeeze down that pathway to success much as the closing of Broadway theatres in the 80s forced top tier actors into off-Broadway, off-Broadway into off-off-Broadway, and the rest to whatever they could find. It was not a good time to be a new actor in NYC.
But it isn’t just the skill and budget known directors bring to their shorts. They also have access to talent that new directors and writers wouldn’t. In this case: Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) and Ethan Hawke (Leave the World Behind). The two play off of one another wonderfully and with complete commitment. And there is a lot of story packed into the movie, much simply inferred.
Politics of the short film market aside, I’m thrilled to see more high-quality offerings. It doesn’t have to be a problem and, in fact, could open up the market if more people start watching these delightful diamonds of cinema.
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Argylle
[3 stars]
Matthew Vaughn (The King’s Man) films are never quite what you expect. Argylle is no exception…but they also so blew the PR on this movie that I didn’t even know I would want to watch it, so I’m only getting to it now. It was sold, at least based on the few ads and interviews I saw, as a satire of spy films. The sense I got was something in the orbit of Austin Powers. As sacrilegious as…
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Argylle
[3 stars]
Matthew Vaughn (The King’s Man) films are never quite what you expect. Argylle is no exception…but they also so blew the PR on this movie that I didn’t even know I would want to watch it, so I’m only getting to it now. It was sold, at least based on the few ads and interviews I saw, as a satire of spy films. The sense I got was something in the orbit of Austin Powers. As sacrilegious as this is, that is not a selling point for me.
However, the movie is much more interesting than that. It is satire, but with a clever structure and a real base of emotions. Without giving anything away, it is about a writer of spy stories, given delightful life by Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World: Dominion), who gets pulled into a complex web of spy agencies at war.
Sam Rockwell (See How They Run) is Howard’s main touchpoint as the two make their way from adventure to adventure trying to solve the issues. And Henry Cavill (Enola Holmes 2) pops in regularly as Howard’s inner voice on how to make it through her travails.
This isn’t a subtle film. It is loaded with many of Vaughn’s trademark moments, a bunch of fun actor surprises, and plenty of his twisted humor. Jason Fuchs’ (Pan) script is also highly predictable if you’re paying attention. But the payoffs still work.
Basically, this is a fun ride, but not a brilliant genre-buster like many of Vaughn’s earlier films. However, it’s worth the time for at least a single watch… and watch through the tag in the credits for a bit more fun and a gift.
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The Greatest Hits
[3.5 stars]
Writer/director Ned Benson (Black Widow) delivers an utterly delightful twist on some old tropes in this slightly-dark romance version of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (without the singing). More importantly, Benson thinks through the implications of his choices and tries to keep it all grounded and fair. Even if (or when) you get ahead of the results, they’re delivered…
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The Greatest Hits
[3.5 stars]
Writer/director Ned Benson (Black Widow) delivers an utterly delightful twist on some old tropes in this slightly-dark romance version of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (without the singing). More importantly, Benson thinks through the implications of his choices and tries to keep it all grounded and fair. Even if (or when) you get ahead of the results, they’re delivered wonderfully.
This is Lucy Boynton’s (Bohemian Rhapsody) movie from start to finish. While she and Justin H. Min (Shortcomings) work well together at the center of it all, everyone is there in support of her touching journey. This is especially true of Austin Crute (They/Them) and David Corenswet (Pearl). Both are perfect for their purpose, but with broader lives that are only hinted at rather than explored.
I have to admit, the fact that the story reflects Sliding Doors in some ways certainly helped my opinion. Both films have outrageous premises, but are done with intelligence and humanity. Both allow life to be messy and choices to be difficult, even if headed to the best answer. Grab someone you care about and watch it together. It’ll leave you smiling.
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#4stars#datenight#Fantasy#indie#Musical#popcorn#Romance#Science Fiction#SeeIt#Movie Review#Streamed only
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True Detective: Night Country
[3.5 stars]
For better or worse, and for various reasons, Alaska and the far northern regions attract extreme personalities. Put another way, as a young female tour guide explained to our group when visiting the glaciers (and asked about the male/female ratio of the state): The odds are good, but the goods are odd.
Fabulists take advantage of this reality for stories as diverse as 30 Days of…
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True Detective: Night Country
[3.5 stars]
For better or worse, and for various reasons, Alaska and the far northern regions attract extreme personalities. Put another way, as a young female tour guide explained to our group when visiting the glaciers (and asked about the male/female ratio of the state): The odds are good, but the goods are odd.
Fabulists take advantage of this reality for stories as diverse as 30 Days of Night and Insomnia. And now, for the fourth season of True Detective, new showrunner and writer Issa López has created an intriguing and odd bit of detective fare. It will keep you guessing at least into the final episode as to where it will go and who will survive.
This is not a pretty or even just a gritty tale. It’s a brutal one in a harsh environment and with high stakes. Fortunately it’s taken on by some serious talent as well. Lead by Jodie Foster (Nyad) and Kali Reis, we are pulled into the long night of the far north that’s as much metaphor as it is reality. And much like the ear in Lynch’s Blue Velvet, we are pulled down a rabbit hole of the past and present.
Along with the main characters are some strong supporting ones. Fiona Shaw (Andor) is at the top of that list along with Finn Bennett (The Nevers). At the periphery is also a truly slimy John Hawkes (The Peanut Butter Falcon) and an oddly wonderful Joel Montgrand. There are more, but these six drive the whole thing forward, pulling all the others in their wake.
Definitely see this, but strap in for a dark and frigid ride. Reality is always suspect in this series, so that has stayed constant. However, this particular season is couched in nearly pure horror or science fiction/horror. You’ll have to watch till the end to know what’s what. For the right audience, it is a great ride.
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#4stars#craft#Dark#Drama#Fantasy#Horror#LGBT#Mystery#Science Fiction#SeeIt#sequel#Suspense#Streamed only#TV Review
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The Zone of Interest
[3.5 stars]
I admit that I was silently dreading the time I was going to spend with this film given its subject matter. As it turns out, the time spent wasn’t as intense or nightmare inducing as I’d feared. Don’t misunderstand, this is a quiet horror piece whose depiction and inferences will haunt you if you are remotely human. But it isn’t the overt, dark evil I was expecting given decades of…
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The Zone of Interest
[3.5 stars]
I admit that I was silently dreading the time I was going to spend with this film given its subject matter. As it turns out, the time spent wasn’t as intense or nightmare inducing as I’d feared. Don’t misunderstand, this is a quiet horror piece whose depiction and inferences will haunt you if you are remotely human. But it isn’t the overt, dark evil I was expecting given decades of stories about the holocaust generally and Auschwitz specifically.
What Jonathan Glazer (Under the Skin) delivers is actually one of the most twisted domestic dramas ever made. Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall) and Christian Friedel are any couple going through stressful times in their relationship and their wants. The horror is in understanding their daily lives, and what’s beyond the walls while this family works through its own issues.
All of the that is done through soundscape rather than screentime. If you don’t have a good sound system, much of that may fall flat and reduce the movie’s impact. But if you have a good system, it is immersive and disturbing in the extreme.
It is one of the most honest depictions of the holocaust I’ve seen, and it shows just how normalized such things can become for people.
Perhaps we were due for such a tale after the brilliant and bizarre Jojo Rabbit, which is at the other end of the spectrum and the reverse angle, slapped people awake again using humor rather than reality. Well, now it’s time to sober up and really look at what happened again. Not just because we’re in danger of forgetting, but because the specter of how it all occurred is happening again right in front of us. We need to remember the natural results of where these things lead.
However, this isn’t just a history lesson, nor a current political warning. Glazer, near the end, provides a sense of morality and reality that is, admittedly, somewhat hard to assess. But you are forced to think about many aspects before the final moments roll.
Zone of Interest is not an easy film, but it is put together with immense care and craft. It is easy to understand its multiple Oscar nominations and two wins. It’s a fresh approach to one of the most horrific events in human history, but it serves as a guidepost and warning to many others.
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Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces
[3 stars]
What makes this docu work isn’t so much the nostalgia nor being reminded about the outsized impact that Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building) had on culture. And, I have to admit, I had forgotten just how pervasive he was and how much comedy changed after he broke out. No, the real fascination and fun of this documentary is watching Martin hone and deliver his craft even as as he does the same for his life.
Veteran documentarian Morgan Neville came at Martin’s story in an expansive way. The nearly four hour total follows on the heels of similar efforts for the Beatles and others. The streaming universe allows for less bounded run-times and, at times, less focused efforts. To be fair, there isn’t much bloat in the results here. It takes a while to understand why all of it is on screen, but by the end it mostly justifies itself.
I’m not sure all the assertions and back-patting aren’t a bit myopic, but Martin definitely had an impact and can prove it through his box-office and stadium receipts. That he still comes off as an unassuming and genuine guy is amazing. But seeing his journey isn’t just about his career, it’s a story everyone can relate to in one way or another. His strength and resilience are impressive…and he still has much more to contribute to the universe beyond the marks he’s already left. If you have any affinity for Martin’s work or just want to see a seismic change (not just in comedy but across the country) documented well, this is an entertaining choice with plenty of archival footage.
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Maestra
[3 stars]
I never expected that, after seeing The Conductor, that my movie paths would cross again with Marin Alsop. But she is one of the judges in this documentary about the only all-female conductor competition, La Maestra. Knowing her story adds a lot to this docu. First-time director Maggie Contreras follows several up-and-coming woman conductors as they vie for the top title and a chance…
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Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
[2.5 stars]
While the first Aquaman wasn’t a brilliant film, the quality of this movie is inversely proportional to the amount of money and effort that was spent on the effects. Which is to say, OMG is it awful. It starts off on a wrong foot at the top and only goes downhill from there.
There was potential in the story, but the clanking sense of humor that was forced into it and the wooden acting and dialogue just kept dragging it back to the depths. . It didn’t help that the logic of the script was abysmal too. James Wan (M3GAN) couldn’t even rescue it with gigantic action sequences.
You’d hope that, given the names in the cast, at least something could have been rescued in the viewing. But when Randall Park (Blue Eye Samurai) is one of the most believable and sympathetic in that list, you know something is off. Not that Park isn’t capable, but he was still doing one of his more broad performances.
I wouldn’t even say this is worth the single viewing. I watched out of pure surprise at how bad it was, thinking Wan might still pull it off in the end. But it just kept getting worse and worse as it went on. So if you haven’t wasted your time yet, don’t bother.
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The Taste of Things (La passion de Dodin Bouffant)
[3.5 stars]
Up front, this isn’t a film for everyone. But for the audience, it’s a true and wonderful treat. Writer/director Anh Hung Tran (Norwegian Wood) continues his examination of love in this romance wrapped in food porn. And I mean that in a good way. For those of us who are fascinated by watching food be created and enjoyed, and who embrace the sensuality and engineering of it all, it is…
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The Taste of Things (La passion de Dodin Bouffant)
[3.5 stars]
Up front, this isn’t a film for everyone. But for the audience, it’s a true and wonderful treat. Writer/director Anh Hung Tran (Norwegian Wood) continues his examination of love in this romance wrapped in food porn. And I mean that in a good way. For those of us who are fascinated by watching food be created and enjoyed, and who embrace the sensuality and engineering of it all, it is riveting.
The cast is small, led by Juliette Binoche (Let the Sunshine In) and Benoît Magimel (Revoir Paris). The two are a delightfully adult pairing with Binoche in the driver’s seat even in this 1890s setting. And while they’re supported by a small cache of admirers and friends on screen, it is the young Bonnie Chagneau-Ravoire in her first roll who truly stands out alongside them.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the movie is that, even at over 2 hours long it holds you with very little dialogue. Many minutes pass with only kitchen action or table eating going on. How do you keep the tension in a movie about cooking food and eating it? With care and genuine love for the gastronomic experience. But also with some clever camera work that is constantly moving and which keeps some of what you want to see just out of frame until Tran is ready for you to see it. Strain as you might to get a glimpse, you simply wait in anticipation like so many of the diners in the movie.
You may have noticed the original title of the movie is quite different from the English selection. I have to say, I really prefer the English version. While the original French is a little more accurate to the story spine in a way, the English choice is more evocative and inclusive of the overall intent and, you should excuse my word choice, flavor. In some ways, the story is the positive non-excessive, flip view of La Grande Bouffe, which is an entirely different approach to a food and sensuality obsession.
As I said, this isn’t a film for everyone, but if you enjoy stories that revolve around food and love, this is for you. And even if that isn’t your typical fare, the artistry of how it is all put together is worth watching at least the opening. If it grabs you, stay with it. If it doesn’t, appreciate the craft and move on. But I ended the film both hungry and sated, embracing the joy of the story on many levels.
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