Review: 'Straight Outta Compton'
Arguably, the film of the moment is F. Gary Gray’s Straight Outta Compton. Propelled by an excellent marketing campaign (because, y’know, Dr. Dre was involved) and reverence for the film’s subject, the film has stood out in the August box office doldrums. There’s always a lot said about American audiences being stupid, but if a 2.5-hour music drama can be the biggest hit of late summer, then we’re probably doing just fine. Especially when it’s one as fiery, comprehensive, and entertaining as this one, millions of fans aren’t wrong.
The film spans about a decade of time, from the latter days of the Reagan era right into the median of Clinton’s, and chronicles the origins of hip hop group N.W.A. as well as the rise to stardom that follows. One appeal of the film is how it manages to convey the story from the perspectives of the collective’s members. The ones most prevalently featured are Eric Wright, O’Shea Jackson, and Andre Young (a.k.a. Easy-E, Ice Cube, and Dr. Dre, respectively). The narrative admirably keeps up with the individuals as it moves along, which gives the film an intimate quality to it.
The film feels incredibly detailed and honest; it offers insight rather than hagiography
It’s also inevitably self-referential for not only its producers (Ice Cube, Dre, and Easy-E’s widow Tomica Woods-Wright) but also for F. Gary Gray, since the production of Friday is included here - he directed that too. This is probably why the film feels incredibly detailed and honest; it offers insight rather than hagiography. There’s a real love for hip hop demonstrated, and Gray especially highlights the creativity and energy of the medium in the recording sequences. Equally impressive are the N.W.A. concert scenes in the first half, which recapture a couple of the group’s performances – including an infamous Detroit show that provoked a riot.
Straight Outta Compton is strongly acted across the board. Jason Mitchell and Corey Hawkins shine as E and Dre, as does O’Shea Jackson Jr. in portraying the ferocious talent of his father Ice Cube. Also excellent is the always-reliable Paul Giamatti as N.W.A. manager Jerry Heller (playing the snooty musician’s manager for the second time this summer). And for the aforementioned run time, it zips along surprisingly well. It's absolutely one film that deserves the hype.
Straight Outta Compton is now playing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F5WcFPDzko
Review: 'Shaun the Sheep Movie'
It’s August. If summer was just a weekend, this month would obviously be Sunday – everybody was working for the weekend, but now they’re scrambling back for the weekdays. The cinema's release slate is merely a reaction to this; the freshness of the summer movie season is becoming stale, and fall awards season that follows is hotly anticipated. August is the in-between that sometimes produces modest hits but also a lot of releases that are forgotten since audiences are preoccupied with societal transitions such as a new school year. While much of the film discussion this past week has been pointing and laughing and opining at what went wrong with Fantastic Four, a worthy film has fallen through the cracks at the U.S. box office despite a wide release. It’s a treat from the UK, who are seriously on a roll when it comes to family films recently between this and Paddington.
Shaun the Sheep reminds me of a film school application, namely the one at the establishment I studied at. In it, an applicant must contain a short film that adequately conveys him or her, but without any words whatsoever. Sounds hard, but every student application I saw just made it look easy. So does the cartoon in question, which exists in the absence of any formal spoken language.
The plot involves the titular character and his flock planning a great escape from their farm lifestyle – one they actually enjoy, but nonetheless grow fatigued of. However, while their escape is ultimately successful, it comes as a catch-22: their farmer… and just go with this… is accidentally flung into town, develops amnesia, and becomes a hipster barber. The flock of sheep then adapt to urban life while attempting to recover their old master – all while evading the vicious animal control specialist.
Aardman’s signature stop-motion animation has never looked better or more detailed.
Shaun himself is a classic cartoon character. He originally appeared in the 1995 Wallace and Gromit short A Close Shave, but the film is actually more directly related to the TV series of the same name. The danger of a spinoff is that certain characters sometimes don’t make for compelling solo stories, but not the case with Shaun. He’s dastardly, fun, and above all lovable in the vein of Bugs Bunny or Rocky & Bullwinkle. The rest of the flock doesn’t really have the same level of personality, except for the adorable youngling.
The new film is a short but sweet delight, and the key to its charm is its absolute simplicity. That’s not to say the film is minimalist, per se; Aardman’s signature stop-motion animation has never looked better or more detailed. But one example of the skillful straightforwardness is the taciturn sound design, in which the characters only speak gibberish. A bizarre creative choice that somehow works - demonstrating how unnecessary words are in such a medium as inherently visual and ornate as the animated feature. Furthermore, the humor and jokes are quick and ruthlessly funny - but always good-natured. It's about as hilarious as Trainwreck is, but without resorting to the ribald. It’s refreshing to laugh so hearty. So much of what works in Shaun the Sheep could adequately be regressed to “less is more”, but that wouldn’t do justice to how clever the gags are here.
Also, a special mention goes to Tim Wheeler of the band Ash. His original song “Feels Like Summer” is a much better song than most that get nominated for Globes and Oscars. Not like it will help its chances, but it’s an irresistible power pop tune that serves a sweetly diegetic purpose within the story. Just wait until you hear it performed by “The Baa Baa Shop Quintet”.
This is a welcome return to form for Aardman Studios, even if the creative visionaries behind the studio’s greatest achievements, Peter Lord and Nick Park, are only executive producer here. Co-directors Richard Starzak and Mark Burton have crafted a vivid ride that holds its own against the company’s best animated features, Chicken Run and The Curse of the Were Rabbit. Just like with Pixar, Aardman made 2015 a time to put themselves back on the map and make their best contribution to the world in years.
Shaun the Sheep is now playing in theaters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQvwiOWpj7o
Review: 'One & Two'
IFC Midnight presents the new film, One & Two. This begs the question: how, exactly, is this low fantasy a “midnight movie”? Having seen the film myself, this writer honestly couldn’t tell you. It is, for the vast majority of its runtime, more subdued and laconic than a film you picture in your head when you hear “midnight movie”. If there’s anywhere out there indeed programming this at the stroke of 12, it might behoove them to offer the audiences free caffeine.
That aside, the debut feature from Andrew Droz Palermo is not without merit; it’s just more of a late afternoon movie. The story centers on two siblings, Zac and Eva (played by Timothee Chalamet and Mad Men’s Kiernan Shipka), who live in a secluded area and have the ability to teleport anywhere in sight – not unlike Nightcrawler from X-Men 2, if you follow. This has ramifications in their family life, as it is a source of superstition for their father (Grant Bowler), who takes care of the ailing matriarch of the family (Elizabeth Reaser).
The movie has neither the suspense nor spook that could have elevated the dark fairy tale vibe Palermo brings
One & Two is impeccably shot, for one thing. The pastoral setting of the film lends itself to moments of eerie beauty as we see Zac and Eva teleport around their scenic home. At one point they lay on grass and watch an aircraft trail in the sky – it’s no secret that there’s more out there than what they know, unlike in a certain M. Night film. Comparisons could also be drawn to the recent documentary The Wolfpack in that both are films featuring overly sheltered individuals who are aching to be.
The actors here are capable as well. Though the brother-sister chemistry is never particularly convincing, Kiernan Shipka is the stand out as she delivers a committed performance. Eventually her character finds the outside world, and the actress sells the bewilderment and disenfranchisement she feels as a result of her refugee life. “You look just like my daughter does when the TV’s on,” a bystander recalls as Eva observes a folky street performer for the first time. At one point, someone is corrected that her name sounds more like “Ava”, but the cast listing officially states her character is indeed “Eva”. I wouldn’t want to make anyone in this movie angry.
While One & Two has an illusive air to it, especially when we learn more about the capabilities of Zack and Ava, the movie has neither the suspense nor spook that could have elevated the dark fairy tale vibe Palermo brings. It’s flat when it should be thrilling and insipid instead of truly mystifying. But One & Two is a film that may resonate with certain other audiences; I’m thinking siblings of dysfunctional families, young people looking to escape from small towns, people such as those. Maybe this is a movie for them.
One & Two is available on demand this Friday with a Los Angeles theatrical release on August 21st.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5eKwzKkkIc
Review: 'Two Step'
Opening today in Los Angeles is Two Step, a confident debut feature by writer and director Alex R. Johnson. It’s a crime story set in Austin, Texas – and that’s exactly where the indie thriller made a splash earlier this year at the SXSW festival. The film is a promising showcase for Johnson, a filmmaker who can effectively startle and surprise with his sense of how to blend a southern drama into a shocking crime thriller.
As the film opens, we follow the tribulations of James (Skyy Moore), a would-be orphan and recent Baylor dropout who lives with his grandmother. It’s not long before she succumbs to illness, leaving James even more lost. James resembles Ellar Coltrane during the last few or so years in Boyhood’s anthology; he has a similar appearance and distraught demeanor, and even lives a close drive away. Much of the film’s first act follows James attempting to pick up the pieces by starting up a bank account and making the acquaintance of Dot (Beth Broderick). They share a chemistry that, for the slightest of moments, suggests the two may become entangled in a Harold and Maude or Mrs. Robinson type scenario, but this soon disperses when a subplot involving Dot and a former lover unfolds.
The other main character we follow is Webb (James Landry Hebert), a con artist whose crimes seem petty and paltry initially. His first moment has him calling a long list of people, pretending to be a relative in hopes for some favors. But as the story progresses so does witness to the depraved lows this criminal will go to. Hebert distills convincing menace here into such a reprehensible character, but not without a shade of something empathetic. Maybe it’s because he owes a hefty sum to Duane (Jason Douglas). Webb eventually turns to the vulnerable Jason as a potential target for fraud and extortion.
The film is a promising showcase for Johnson, a filmmaker who can effectively startle and surprise with his sense of how to blend a southern drama into a shocking crime thriller.
At one point, while Webb is beating around the bush with Duane, the latter explains, “I don’t live in a world of maybe, I live in Texas”. And as the film expands to an audience outside the lone star state today, it may cause nostalgia to those who have lived deep in the heart of Texas, and maybe even wanderlust for those who haven’t. The story comes complete with details such as country-dance clubs, a decaying gas-n-go, and Whataburger cups. In other words, it has exactly the kind of humid, rustic ambience one might expect from a Texan tale; the kind that makes you wonder why James wears that flannel. Maybe it’s just not August yet.
But James, Dot, and Webb are the characters that we ultimately spend the most time with. The first act sets up the characters, their thematic connection to one another, and the world they live in exquisitely. When this simmering turns into a boil for the next hour, the results are shocking and impactful. The best example of this is that James and Webb never meet face-to-face until halfway through the film. When they do, it’s a moment of unbearable tension. The music is another strong point of the film, alternating between an authentic country soundtrack that contributes to its ambience as a southern drama, and Andrew Kenny’s moody score surrounding the moments of grit and dirt.
The best thing Two Step has going for it is that characters matter even more as the suspense builds. The palpability of James’ isolation grows as he deals with being Webb’s prey. The elevating consequences of Webb’s actions are believable since the character is so id-driven to begin with. The subplot about the public exposure of Dot’s affair in the second half keeps the film from becoming too heavy on violence - yet it still raises the stakes. Alex R. Johnson is a filmmaker who understands the cinematic crescendo, and for that reason his movie should find favor with Californian audiences today.
Two Step opens in Los Angeles at Arena Cinemas today.
https://vimeo.com/93220155
Review: 'Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation'
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation opens with the plane-jacking heavily advertised in the... advertisements. It's a sequence that really serves no point except to one-up the daredevil stunt work in the last impossible mission– and to upstage The Dark Knight Rises for best plane monologue. And the rest of Rogue Nation neither works nor tries to exceed this moment. It's a deliberate front-loading as a 5th installment going that takes the series on a slight reroute.
It's not long after our reintroduction to the IMF crew when one of its members, William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) is summoned by the court to call for his agency's actions in the last installment, Ghost Protocol. A word is thrown around to describe the events in that mission: Wanton. It's a criticism that the film and its characters alike take to heart; this time around, the action is stealthier and the damage less collateral. Rogue Nation progresses with a stronger taste for espionage than any of its predecessors next to the 1996 original.
Mission: Impossible has always been a weird one as far as film series go. Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt has had adventures for nearly two decades now, but his adventures have a degree of stylistic variance– Brian DePalma's intrigue, followed by John Woo's (badly-dated) post-Matrix action, and then the Bad Robot era of the franchise that has arguably produced the sharpest films so far, meanwhile subtly transforming them into something with the spirit of a TV show. Which makes sense, since this was a TV show once. Take the opening credits, for instance– a nice touch to see each of the actors as their names appear, just like in a show's opening reel. Each film has a different director, too; this time Jack Reacher's Christopher McQuarrie goes into the field.
Cruise shows unreal acrobatic grace despite being over 50, and with the same determined demeanor he's offered the screen since the 80's.
This chronological phenomenon contributes to the episodic feel of the M:I series thus far. But Rogue Nation, while not necessarily the best of them all, is absolutely the most coalesced film thus far. It is the most comfortable in its own shoes as a sequel, and carries with it a real sense of continuity and confidence.
A lot of this, you might guess, revolves around Tom Cruise himself. Despite whatever you've read or thought of the man, whenever Cruise has appeared in a film lately, be it within this franchise or outside of it as in last year's overlooked Edge of Tomorrow / Live, Die, Repeat, he's there to put aside differences with you and show you what a movie star is supposed to be like. Cruise shows unreal acrobatic grace despite being over 50, and with the same determined demeanor he's offered the screen since the 80's. It probably helps that Chris McQuarrie is a natural confidant of Cruise, both having worked on Reacher together.
The supporting cast is game as well, especially their newest member played by Rebecca Ferguson. She's a multiple agent that projects the face of a classic actress by the way of Black Widow. While Ghost Protocol's Paula Patton is missed, Ferguson's mysterious and sometimes ruthless character nullifies the somewhat chauvinistic edge of the last Cruise-McQuarrie collaboration. Returning cast Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Jeremy Renner also acquit themselves admirably. Alec Baldwin plays a CIA head honcho-dummy that will have audiences feeling like Kim-Jong Il at the end of Team America.
The Mission: Impossible series shows no signs of decay or even stagnation. It is rivaled only by the Fast & Furious franchise as the ultimate Hollywood series in terms of longevity and endurance with critics and audiences alike.
Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation is now playing in theaters everywhere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOW_azQbOjw