Purpose

In City Slickers
Curly, played by Jack Palance

tells Billy Crystal's character Mitch

that the secret to life is "one thing"

and what Mitch discovers

is that one thing 

is different for everyone

you just have to find it

for Mitch it was his family

for Curly it was herding cattle

and what they're talking about

is Purpose

with Purpose

your life has meaning

direction, motivation, focus

mine

if you cut away all the fat

simplify and reduce

is to stay sober and live sober

full stop

everything else trickles down from there

what's yours?

'The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent' A Review

The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent is a buddy action/comedy about a once prominent now struggling actor Nic Cage(Nicolas Cage) who is plagued by his former glory personified by a younger version of himself Nicky(also Cage). After not getting a prestigious part and alienating his daughter at her birthday party he takes a one-off appearance offer from an eccentric business man in Spain, Javi(Pedro Pascal), the two hit it off but there may be nefarious deeds behind the scenes.

Cage, as always, gives the role all of his focus, all of his commitment and fully embraces the meta weirdness of the conceit. This is especially delicious in the scenes with his younger self and for the most part really works, a lot of classic Cage movies are referenced and revered and overall there is a sense, not that he is being lampooned, but celebrated. Pascal is also wonderful and clearly having a ball, relishing the opportunity to share the screen with Cage and throw himself into comedy. The middle section where it is mostly the two of their characters becoming friends and working on a movie idea is really perfect, there's a delicious LSD sequence between the two which is really joyful. The supporting cast doesn't have as much to do and the set up and action/spy third act isn't as successful but overall its good, simple, fun.

Visually the movie is servicable if not particularly inventive, the soundtrack is solid, all around the production design works but doesn't really distinguish itself. There was, perhaps to its detriment, quite a bit of hype around this movie "Cage plays Cage!" the reality is the meta element is integral and provides the context for some of the humor and Cage's performance but isn't where the real meat is. The focus and interest is in the Cage/Pascal relationship, almost harkening back to a 90's style buddy comedy. With proper expectation it has a lot to offer.

Great lead performances, solid humor, and enough Cage mythology to satisfy the superfans but Being John Malkovich it is not.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

Rent It.

'The Northman' A Review

The Northman is a historical action/drama set in the late 9th century that opens on the return of King Aurvandill(Ethan Hawk) to his holdings after raiding where he is reunited with his wife Queen Gudrún(Nicole Kidman) and young heir Prince Amleth. That evening the King takes Amleth to participate in a spiritual adulthood ceremony overseen by jester Heimir(Willem Dafoe). The next day the King is betrayed and slain by his brother Fjölnir(Claes Bang), Gudrún is taken, and Amleth flees for his life vowing revenge. Years later Amleth(Alexander Skarsgård) is among a berserker band raiding the continent when he is reminded of his vow, he disguises himself as a slave and returns to Iceland connecting with Olga(Anya Taylor-Joy) along the way.

Skarsgård gives his best performance to date- relentless yet emotional, physical, almost primordial, yet nuanced- it's really stunning. There is a brutality to the culture but a poetry too and Skarsgård(along with the whole cast really) are able to convey both equally, to embody that duality/ambiguity in a way that doesn't soft soap the harshness while tapping into a beautiful, mythic resonance. The supporting cast, down the line, are stellar. Kidman particularly gives an incredibly dynamic performance(with a scene of the year contender) with somewhat limited screentime. Dafoe also, although in the film briefly, makes a huge impact and sets the tone perfectly early on. Down the line- Hawk, Bang, Taylor-Joy, cameos from Björk and Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson- all truly great.

Visually the film is stunning, bleakness and beauty in equal measure with an attention to historical accuracy that not only makes it feel real but the spiritual lives of the people are given the same kind of consideration making the whole thing feel both authentic and mystic. There is, albeit limited, some clunky CGI but given everything else it is forgivable. The score is absolutely transportive- drums, chanting, throat singing- it all works together to communicate the vast spiritual scope. 

There are many excellent scenes in the film- action sequences, meetings with witches, an ancient version of lacrosse- but more description would ruin the surprise. It is an intense film and a complicated one, like the sagas and myths it takes inspiration from there is a lot of ambiguity, not a lot of clean answers, but there is incredible richness, moving poetry, as well as blood aplenty. Given a chance the film has much to offer.

Savage and spiritual.

Currently in theaters coming soon to VOD.

Don't Miss It.

Stress

Change
and the unknown

that creeping question

what next

'Sonic The Hedgehog 2' A Review

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is an action/comedy based on the video game series, a sequel to the 2020 movie. Sonic(Ben Schwartz) is living with his adopted parents sneaking out to fight crime when Dr. Robotnik(Jim Carrey) along with Knuckles(Idris Elba) come to earth to seize the hidden Master Emerald with Sonic is tasked with protecting.

Carrey brings the same Ace Ventura energy but is not utilized as much or as effectively as in the first installment. The voice cast are all decent but Schwartz's wise-cracking is paired down a bit, a result of the script not the performance, either way it makes the character a bit less interesting. The best parts, oddly, are the sections at a destination wedding with the IRL actors, with the best sequence revolving around Natasha Rothwell going full on woman scorned.

Visually a little bland, there is one pretty cool slow-mo CGI action sequence and the wedding sequence mentioned above, but in total for a two hour movie not nearly enough action or fun or comedy. One of the things that made the first movie fun and interesting was how odd it was, how eccentric, here all the weirdness is smoothed out and the result is relatively flat.

Low grade, low impact, generic blockbuster.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

Stream It.

Vibe City

Author Neil Gaiman once wrote
"Chicago comes on slow, like a migraine"

which is not inaccurate

given the windy city's sprawl

but perhaps more apt would be

Chicago comes on slow, like a psychedelic

creeping then explosive

potentially transcendent or demoralizing

depending on the approach, the perspective

depending on the vibe

because it is a vibe city, an energy city, a feeling city

and you have to ride it, commune with it

pay Her the due respect, fealty

or be submerged, overwhelmed, digested

She is keen but capricious, caring but cold

a home with edges.

'Everything Everywhere All At Once' A Review

Everything Everywhere All At Once is a scifi dramedy about Evelyn(Michelle Yeoh) a wife and mother struggling under familial as well as professional pressures as her laundromat is being audited when a strange change comes over her husband Waymond(Ke Huy Quan) who then tells her he is actually a version of her husband from an alternate reality and that all the parallel worlds, including Evelyn's own, are under threat and she is the only one who can save them.

Yeoh puts in an award worthy, all-time career best, performance. She's able to deploy her, considerable, martial talents as well as display a wide range of both comedic and dramatic ability that she has previously, at least in Hollywood, not been given the opportunity to do, and she absolutely soars. It's a complicated, layered, absolutely dynamic portrayal full of laughs and pathos and crisp thrilling action. Utterly stunning. Quan, having mostly retired from on-screen acting, makes a titanic comeback, he is fluid and electric, masterful in his switches between versions of his character and adept at the bizarre and ever shifting tone as well as glorious in the fight sequences. Both Yeoh and Quan are transcendent in their multi-faceted exuberant roles. Stephanie Hsu as Joy, Evelyn and Waymond's daughter, is equally emotional and plays beautifully off Yeoh and Quan and she has equal facility with the changes of character and the roiling mix of genres. The other stand out, admist the truly delicious supporting cast, is Jamie Lee Curtis as the auditor who goes wonderfully big and broad.

Visually the film is kaleidoscopic, with impeccably crisp fight choreography, psychedelic editing, deeply rich production design and costuming, it is so assured and could so easily become messy yet it folds and ties together perfectly. And perhaps there is periodic confusion when the plot twists on itself, then twists again, but in those moments the humor and stunning and effecting emotion carry it through. Further description of the narrative would only serve to ruin its lavish surprises.

A triumph.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

Don't Miss It.

Osgood-Schlatter

In 7th Grade

my knee 

betrayed me

blighted

by my eruptive growth

'Apollo 10 1/2' A Review

Apollo 10 1/2 is an animated coming-of-age semi-autobiographical movie from writer/director Richard Linklater. The movie opens with the fantasy recruitment of the ten year old Stanley for the fictiously titular space mission. Vignettes of Stanely's childhood in 60's suburban Houston are juxtaposed with his fantasy sequences in space.

The voice cast and some of the live-action acting that was then rotoscoped are all serviceable none of the acting is particularly ambitious or demanding per-say. The tone is very light and nostalgic which is somewhat offset by the relatively casual(but brief) depictions of child beating and racism. Overall the feel is nice but not particularly insightful or intriguing.

Like many Netflix movies with higher profile talent behind them the effect is watchable, palatable, but ultimately forgettable. Like a Twinkie.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Stream It.

'The Lost City' A Review

The Lost City is a romcom/adventure about grieving romance novelist Loretta Sage(Sandra Bullock) who is forced to go on a book tour with her cover model Alan(Channing Tatum) by her publicist Beth(Da'Vine Joy Randolph) despite her reticence. After the first event goes poorly Loretta is escorted to a meeting with eccentric billionaire Abagail(Daniel Radcliffe) who has discerned her knowledge of antiquity from her latest book and wants her to translate directions to an ancient treasure.

Bullock brings her undeniable charm and comedic ability to the role and its nice to see her return to this type of part, which she hasn't done in about a decade, she's got great chemistry with Tatum and has a understated but confident acuity with the humor and action. Tatum is a pleasure to watch as usual and he takes evident pleasure playing opposite Bullock. But Radcliffe is the one who's really having a ball as the over the top, mustache twirling, villain, it's really delicious. Randolph is great if somewhat underutilized and Brad Pitt has a wonderful, frenetic supporting role. All in all a pretty flawless cast.

A serviceable production that doesn't have much flash or uniqueness but gets the job done, solid location shooting with some decent and judicious CGI, an engaging score with some effective needle drops, all taken together its fun and it works if not terribly different. The movie is in the laudable tradition of Romancing The Stone and its great to get a movie like that now particularly that isn't a reboot or sequel. If there is a fault it's that the runtime is a bit long, the first act is absolutely propulsive and things roll in the third but the middle is bogged down by tonal confusion and stagnated momentum, it doesn't ruin it but it brings it down a bit. It would really cook at 100 minutes.

A great cast, compelling romance, and fun action if lacking some umph.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

Rent It.