'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2: The Crimes of Grindelwald'

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a fantasy adventure movie the first sequel to the 2016 franchise starter. Set in the Potterverse in the first half of the 20th century the dark wizard Grindelwald(Johnny Depp) escapes his captivity in New York and sets out to woo powerful unstable magical force Credence(Ezra Miller). Dumbledore(Jude Law) sets our friendly neighborhood creature charmer Newt(Eddie Redmayne) on the task to find Credence and thwart Grindelwald.

None of the performances are particularly notable because no individual character is given any time to do much of anything other than puppet-like jerk through the convoluted, incredulity inducing, ultimately banal plotting. The one clear and present eye sore is Johnny Depp who puts in a thin, lazy, fleshy turn and begs the question why his casting was maintained from the first movie to this. His domestic abuse, bad behavior, willful substance abuse problems are all well documented which is reason enough to recast but even if you are a die hard separatist of the art and the artist it is unarguable that Depp hasn't given a more than adequate(at best) performance in 15 years. Whatever charisma or ability he once had is faded to nothing. Johnny Depp's casting is the most egregious error in a movie filled with them.

The narrative suffers from the worst habits of modern franchise filmmaking. It is all filler, the characters are moved like chess pieces around a board but nothing actually happens. With a two hour plus running time the only thing of significance that happens comes at the very end and ultimately its a MacGuffin we weren't even aware of. The successful aspect of the first installment was the chemistry of the core four leads especially the charm and humor of Dan Fogler as Jacob and Allison Sudol as Queenie. Grindelwald and the machinations of his rise are not terribly interesting especially since the performance and the story are but a pale approximation of something we've already seen ie Voldemort. The filmmakers seem not to be aware of why Harry Potter was a success, why the first film was a moderate success, or how to tell(or have forgotten) a competent engaging story. It's the people. Interesting people and compelling relationships make for good stories. Full stop.

The characters we are familiar with are given little screen time, are underdeveloped, and are separated in a ham-fisted way that goes against what we know about them as characters. A myriad of new characters are introduced but there are so many, needlessly, they are given no real context, backstory or development. The result is a bunch of two dimensional cut outs wobbling through the motions of an unbelievable piece of glittering CGI artistry.

Reminiscent of the failed 21st century Narnia series this franchise will derail if some serious adjustments aren't made.

Don't See It.

'The Favourite' A Review

The Favourite is part historical drama, part dark comedy loosely based on the brief reign of English monarch Queen Anne in the early 18th century. The film opens on the frail, volatile queen(Olivia Coleman) and her closest adviser, friend, and defacto head of state Sarah Chruchill(Rachel Weisz). Enter an estranged cousin fallen on hard times Abigail Hill(Emma Stone) who seeks to insinuate herself between the two in order to survive. Struggles of political, sexual, and emotional power simmer and erupt as the three combat for position, prestige, and favor.

Coleman is a revelation, rapidly cycling through kaleidoscopic emotions with such elegance and sincerity this seemingly pathetic character is fascinating and easily the strongest and most complex of the three leads. Her Anne is so raw but also so guileless, a fascinating portrait of a tragic life paired with the singular royal burdens of state. Weisz is captivating as the capable and commanding Churchill, a consummate politician, proficient with horses and guns, as well as etiquette. She is physical solid, almost imposing, and she moves through the film with an unflinching certainty which elevates her already inherent magnetism. Stone is the lone false step in casting. She is serviceable but is simply out classed by Colman and Weisz and as the narrative progresses and Stone is given more and more screen time this becomes more and more apparent. She doesn't have the range, or at least doesn't display it here, to captivate to the level that the film requires as it rounds into its third act. Her low key charm and wide eyes only go so far especially in comparison to Coleman's contagious effervescence and Weisz's emphatic confidence. The supporting cast are mostly men and all well cast and well played but they are mostly, and deliberately, window dressing in heavy makeup, involved outfits, and foppish wigs.

Visually the film is lush and stark in equal measure. Almost exclusively shot with wide-angel and fisheye lenses and confined to the palace a cavernous yet claustrophobic mood is evoked. Trance like and despite the period trappings seemingly out of time. The costumes feel appropriate but not period beholden. They serve to elevate, and evoke the moods and themes of the piece rather than a specific time. The ominous and repetitious score also serves to extenuate the mercurial genres and relationships the film encapsulates. The narrative is tight, fluctuating from absurd comedy to brutal drama on a dime without losing its way, however it does slow down considerably towards the end and concludes with more of an ellipses rather than a thrilling baffling crescendo which fans of director Yorgos Lanthimos may be accustomed to given his two previous films The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer.

Lanthimos always delivers something different, something unexpected, and always gets singular performances from actors. The script and Stone however fail somewhat to live up to the potential of the film. Not a deal breaker more a disappointment for those who are familiar with Lanthimos work. However it is his most approachable and accessible film while still maintaining his singular eye and bizarre(gratifying) sensibilities.

See It.

Roads

As I travel
this thread of asphalt
I wonder
at its convenience
and simplistic beauty
in a pocket out of time
I traverse the distance
to my destination.

And beyond
this small track
between Chicago Illinois
and Madison Wisconsin
I think of all the miles and roads
that continue
stretching to other cities
and forgotten towns
and sleepy nooks,
of this continent
and the one below
all connected
by lines of pavement
carved out
by ingenuity and sweat.

The complaint of traffic
seems myopic
given the freedom
accorded by the Road.

'Ralph Breaks The Internet' A Review

Ralph Breaks The Internet is an animated family film the sequel to 2012's Wreck-It Ralph. The retro arcade that is the home to Ralph(John C. Reilly) and Vanellope(Sarah Silverman) finally gets wifi and as such the video games characters have access to the monolithic internet. After the steering wheel of Vanellope's game is broken her and Ralph travel into it to search for eBay the mysterious place that has the only replacement wheel needed to fix her game. Through the journey their friendship is tested and Ralph's clingy behavior may cause an unmendable riff between them.

Both Reilly and Silverman bring there considerable talents to bear and in this installment are given richer emotional subtext in which to play in. There overt conflict relatable to anyone in a relationship or friendship as well as the implication of it an extended metaphor for our reliance on social media and our devices in general. Both the emotional text and the social commentary in the subtext are played with balance and honesty without sacrificing the mostly light tone of the film or its humor. The supporting cast is a parade of celebrity cameos and just solid character work. Most notably the scene with Vanellope and the Disney princesses is particularly fun. And on a more personal note Alex Moffat's turn as gamer kid Jimmy was delightful.

Visually packed almost to the point of clutter, the film juggles a series of allusions and references while still maintaing a streamlined and relatively pointed narrative. The soundtrack may not be as good as the first film but giving Vanellope "Slaughter Race" is particularly effective and pleasing. As depicted the internet is incongruously clean and positive but that is to be expected in a film aimed at grade schoolers and it throws enough issues and imparts enough applicable lessons that it gives this incarnation of the internet if not "truth" at least a version that can teach and is digestible by children.

Entertaining and emotionally satisfying with, at its heart, an important lesson- how to let go. A must for families with children, perhaps an evening in for those without.

Rent It.

Train Tides

Each route a line
each line a color
each color the cornucopia
of neighborhoods it touches
at the center,
Chicago's pulsing uroboros
the Loop
with trains
like tendrils
reliably crawling
(rarely running)
out and out and out
to the city's
ever dilating boarders
and back again.

We, the passengers
make up
the shifting personality
of each mercurial car
at times affluent or raucous
subdued or supportive
for some
the crowd, the press, the hassle
is but inconvenience
the stalwart CTA
merely function
but we are all citizens
of this City of Broad Shoulders
from the cackling homeless
to the loquacious elderly
to the misanthropic teens
covertly smoking between cars
and to all those more calm
and better mannered.

We are
the roiling mass
the humanity
that populate our
undersung metropolis
and the L
the Petri dish
in which we congregate
what could be more worthy
of participation.

'Widows' A Review

Widows is a heist/thriller set in Chicago. The film opens on a team of criminals who are killed, and their score destroyed, during a failed robbery. Jamal(Brian Tyree Henry) the crime boss who was robbed is a prospective alderman facing off against longstanding alderman's son Jack(Colin Farrell). In order to make a final campaign push Jamal taps Veronica(Viola Davis), the widow of the criminal leader Harry(Liam Neeson) who was killed, to pay his $2,000,000 debt. Veronica plans a score with the other widows in order to pay that debt.

Davis brings her colossal emotive abilities to bear paired with an unflinching authority to give the relatively commercial story some incredible nuance. Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, and Cynthia Erivo round out the crew and all give solid performances. Debicki is given more to do, has more of an arc and transformation and as such shines a bit brighter, certainly showing some promising range above and beyond her previous turn as one of the villains in MI6. Erivo also stands out doing a lot with little, giving a commanding physical performances and conveying deep emotion and meaning with silence and looks. The remaining cast all give good performances Henry and Daniel Kaluuya as Jamal's brother and muscle especially but the titular leads are given virtually balanced screen time with their male supporting counter parts and as such it feels a bit uneven.

Visually the film is stunning, no surprise from co-writer/director Steve McQueen, the beginning heist sequence, an extended unbroken take care ride, the robbery the film culminates in all are breathtaking pieces of cinematography. McQueen bring his same impeccable casting, his clarity, and his sense of tension to this commercial tale as he does to his prestige dramas and indie films. As such this feels more like Michael Mann at his peak rather than standard action fare. And there is a point, a message, a theme greater than a cool heist. Its success varies but the attempt and incorporation into the genre is seamless.

The other thing he gets right is Chicago. Filming almost exclusively on the streets of Chicago neighborhoods and eschewing tourist landmarks he gets the feel of the city right. Any setting rendered truthfully elevates a narrative and any film not set in NYC or LA is a relief.

See It.

'Creed II' A Review

Creed II is a sports drama, a sequel to 2015's Creed, a continuation of the Rocky franchise. The film opens on a dingy apartment in the Ukraine. Ivan Drago(Dolph Lundgren) the Russian boxer who killed Apollo Creed in Rocky IV and was eventually defeated by Rocky has been ostracized by his homeland and has raised his son Viktor(Florian Munteanu) in exile hoping to one day retain his former boxing and social glory through his son. Adonis Creed(Michael B. Jordan) gets his title shot and wins but find the mantle of the champ uncomfortable. His relationship with Bianca(Tessa Thompson) grows as they make a life together. When Viktor surfaces in the US and challenges Adonis to a title bout his ambition, home life, and relationship with mentor and trainer Rocky(Sylvester Stallone) is put to the test.

Jordan gives a layered vulnerable performance, continuing to give Adonis emotional complexity belied by the typically straightforward genre. He balances that perfectly with his undeniably impressive physical look and performance. It's a delicate balance, one Stallone himself was only able to strike periodically, that of imposing and capable physical presence as well as accessible and varied feeling. His relationship with Thompson's character is more at the forefront in this installment and the two take full advantage of their excellent chemistry, Thompson continues to portray Bianca as a strong and caring partner who has her own ambitions and passions further complicating their dynamic which in turn makes it even more engaging. Stallone has played Rocky so often it is like a second skin, it is so natural and so familiar it cannot help but be a success. Rocky is a friend, father figure, and mentor for multiple generations. A true American hero who has ascended from fiction to myth. He isn't given as much to do as in the proceeding film but he is a comforting and inspiring presence as always. The big surprise is Lundgren and to a lesser extent Munteanu as the Drago father and son. A significant amount of time is given to their story and as such Ivan is no where near the paper-thin villain he once was. Lundgren gives all the hard edges we are use to but also surprising depth- failure, ambition, a twisted paternal pride. Their story runs in odd parallel to Adonis's own allowing the story to transcend boxing telling an almost operatic tale of fathers and sons.

There are some striking shots and sequences, the training montages especially, the boxing matches are engaging but the visual flair and innovation Coogler brought is somewhat lacking under the helm of director Stephen Caple Jr. which isn't necessary a bad thing. Caple's focus is much more on the familial aspect and tendrils of the Creed story. A breathtaking one take boxing match is lacking but what replaces it is an emotional roller coaster of love, legacy, discord, and ambition.

See It.