'American Animals' A Review

American Animals is a heist docu-drama about two angsty college students in Lexington, KY who hatch a plan to steal rare books from a collegiate library. The film cuts back and forth from real life interviews from those involved to a fictional depictions of the events. Spencer(Barry Keoghan) is an aspiring artist in search of a real world experience to help propel his creativity. His best friend Warren(Evan Peters) is the Dean Moriarty stand in, energetic and impulsive. The two loop in Eric(Jared Abrahamson) an accounting student and Chas(Blake Jenner) an entrepreneurial rich kid to round out their crew.

The casting is pitch perfect and brings a weight and emotional resonance to the somewhat immature existential crisis which seemingly propels the various burgeoning adults motivations. Keoghan proves again(in the wake of Dunkirk and his incredible turn in The Killing Of A Sacred Deer) that he is one of the most talented dynamic actors of his generation, providing subtlety and depth of pathos surprising for his age. Peters who has demonstrated massive ability in his television work and in his scene stealing turns in the X-Men series is finally given a realistic dynamic character to play. Abrahamson(from the underrated TV series Travelers), in a smaller role, gives the quartet a much needed stolidness and morality. Jenner in the least developed role provides a frenetic aggression which balances out the foursome. The performances from the four leads are all surprisingly assured, they have a wonderful chemistry, and they impart a gentle dignity to a situation that could(with a different angle) lurch into the territory of broad comedy.

The one fault of the film is its pacing, it's probably fifteen minutes too long with a false finish about three quarters of the way into the run time. The cinematography is innovative and vital cutting between the real life participants, the actors, sometimes having them interact with each other, and the recurring motif of birds and wildlife with a thumping dread-inducing score.

Significant craft paired with confident performances make for an unexpected treat.

See It.

Ghost Town

All that's left

is flaking paint,

rotting timber,

and the echo
of laughter

from long ago

'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' A Review

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is an action/adventure movie. a sequel to 2015's Jurassic World and the fifth in the Jurassic Park series. The story picks up three years after its predecessor and the volcano on the dino-island is about to erupt. In a hard-to-believe animal rights effort Claire(Bryce Dallas Howard) and Owen(Chris Pratt) return on a mission to save various dinosaurs and get them to an animal sanctuary. The team is organized by the blatantly suspect Lockwood foundation and the turn, which is spoiled heavily in the trailers, is that the mission is not a rescue effort but a money making mercenary scheme. The fact that the "rescue mission" is made up of a force of 100 paramilitary is something the lead characters seem not to question. Our leads barely survive the volcanic eruption and the black market dino auction and final showdown take place at the Lockwood estate.

Howard and Pratt, both solid performances, fail again to rise above the lazy writing and convoluted illogical plot in which their characters appear. There are a handful of decent performances- Jeff Goldblum reprising his role as Dr. Malcolm, Daniella Pineda as Dr. Rodriguez, Geraldine Chaplin as Iris, and Isabella Sermon as Maisie- but they are all supporting even bit players with slivers of screen time. The bulk of the movie is carried and dropped by Howard and Pratt. They are competent actors but this new trilogy operates under the false impression that it was the dinosaurs alone that made the original film rocket towards the front of the cultural zeitgeist when in fact it was the fully flushed out compelling characters that allowed us to experience the wonder and danger of the dinosaurs.

Overly CGI'ed and apathetically plotted this installment is marginally better than it's predecessor perhaps because it abandons the lip service to characterization the first Jurassic World attempted and so disgustingly failed at.

In a world where dinosaurs are genetically re-engineered it may seem odd to question the internal logic of the movie however genre films work doubly hard to maintain narrative credibility. The whole concept of worldbuilding exists for this reason- to have fictitious sometimes fantastic worlds that operate by other-wordly means in consistent ways. I can buy that these dinosaurs exist but I can't buy the inconsistency and vagueness of Claire's character, job, and skills. I don't buy that Dr. Rodriguez and Owen are ostensibly veterans but don't recognize a clearly military force. The characters half-assedly debate the "rights" of the dinosaurs yet the movie is book ended with an excellent monologue by Dr. Malcolm explicitly refuting the idea we should care about them. Not to mention the ENTIRE SERIES has been about human hubris and the inevitable violent reaction of the dinosaurs. How could this "animal rights" angle possible exist after the sweeping and substantial loss of life over the course of three decades. It makes no sense.

The reason Jurassic Park was so successful and stands the test of time was because it had heart and conveyed a certain wonder and mystery about life. It wasn't because it featured multiple violent dinos. It seems the Jurassic World creators have no idea why the original was a success and continue to flounder pathetically.

Stream It.

Mackinac Bridge

There are few examples
of human ingenuity
and nature's splendor
in perfect harmony
but crossing Lake Michigan
on a five mile stretch
of steel and concrete
gliding above glimmering waves
with Gaia's beauty all around
and man's stolid effort beneath
the possibility of a lasting acord
need not be so far out of reach.

Final Leg

Headed out of Green Bay kind of late, didn't have that much ground to cover today. We stopped off at the Horicon Marsh which was amazing- lush and green and huge.

Had dinner in Madison with my sister Marta and her family and had a wonderful visit before heading back to Rockford and completing the trip. I'll have one more hop tomorrow to get back to Chicago but I'll do that solo.

We rode about 1100 miles over the course of four days and did about 7/8 of the coast of Lake Michigan before cutting inland. It has been a bit of a whirlwind. My dad and I have taken a couple rides together but only for the afternoon and once he accompanied me half way on my trip to Richmond but this was the first time we rode together on a multi-day trip solely for us. It was a wonderful experience. Not only all the gorgeous scenery and oddities on the road, the varied and interesting people we met, but to share it all. To have the time, father and son, that was ours alone doing something that we both loved. This adventure that was very immediate and physically taxing at times but was ultimately joyous. I took care of him a bit, he took care of me a bit, we rode a lot, we saw a lot, and we did it all together. I'll need more time to unpack the experience but overall I'd say it was a real triumph. I'm supremely grateful to be able to share such a cool, fun, challenging journey with my dad.

Long Hall

Went from Ludington to Petoskey yesterday along the coast. Valleys and lakes and cliffs and coastline, really beautiful. Today went from Petoskey to Green Bay. Through the Tunnel of Trees, across the Mackinac Bridge(pictured above) which was really breathtaking, across the UP with a stop for pasties, and finally, exhausted, into Green Bay.

We did make a brief stop at the Kitch-iti-kipi spring which was cool but kind of a bust for half an hour out of our way.

Today was the biggest riding day we had. We saw some incredible stuff but it was quite the trek. Final push tomorrow.

Resort Towns

A series of near identical
picturesque cookie-cutter
truncated municipalities
some puritanical architect's
wet dream from 1955
brick and white-wash
post-colonial consturction
for miles on end
comforting, perhaps
for those aging affluents
with little sense of adventure.

There's nothing wrong
with fudge shoppes
and general stores
but taken in sucession
it smacks of Steppford
of sameness
of control.

Lake Michigan Road Trip

Me and my dad are riding around Lake Michigan the next couple days. He got his motorcycle license about fifteen years back and encouraged me to get mine about ten years ago. We've both been avid riders ever since. This is the first real trip we managed to get on. Very exciting.

Started off in the rain this morning which was a bit of a bummer but it cleared up in the afternoon. We made it to Ludington, MI and watched the sunrise over the lake. A little wet but a good day overall.

'Hereditary' A Review

Hereditary is a supernatural horror movie about a family dismantled by the death of an estranged grandmother. The film opens on the funeral of Ellen the mother of Annie(Toni Collette) and a bizarre, cryptic, somewhat negative eulogy. Odd things start happening to Annie's kids Charlie(Milly Shapiro) and Peter(Alex Wolff). Disturbing, abusive back story is revealed about Ellen and her relationship with Annie and her grandkids. In her grief Annie is approached by Joan(Ann Dowd) who forcibly manipulates her into performing a seance and an already bad situation gets worse.

Although stacked with incredible talent the cast od hamstrung by the innate emotional irrationality of the script. Even before the supernatural elements of the film ramp up the characters behavior strains credulity. Collette's Annie acts like a petulant teenager, crippled by co-dependence and mental illness to the point that its unbelievable she could even function. Shapiro and Wolff are a bit more well rounded but one of the major situations the plot hinges on features the two of them in a preposterous series of events. So much so it deflates the narrative momentum as its attempting to ramp up. The lines Dowd is forced to speak are so over-the-top her scenes are out of a different movie. Gabriel Byrne is the only character that resembles normalcy but because he doesn't react to any of the insane behavior going on around him his character also comes across as virtually non-human.

Visually the film has style, that it's one major achievement, Annie is a miniatures artist and this motif is used repeatedly to good effect. Virtually every other aspect of the film is a failure. The script and corresponding performances are the most glaring but the pacing is plodding to the point of drudgery. By the time things start to happen and we discover what is really going on the discoveries are irrelevant because the incomprehensible characters haven't garnered any interest. Even if there are magic and ghosts people still need to act like people.

Baffling behavior and a languishing plot make this one of the most frustrating and disappointing films of the year.

Don't See It.

'Incredibles 2' A Review

Incredibles 2 is an animated superhero sequel from Pixar. The film picks up right where the first film left off with the Underminer's(John Ratzenberger) bank robbery. The Incredibles fam along with Frozone(Samuel L. Jackson) aren't quite successful in stopping the crime and cause a significant amount of damage in the process. As a result the government shuts down its Super Relocation program forcing them to live their secret identities as normies. Brother and sister team Eveyln(Catherine Keener) and Winston(Bob Odenkirk) owners of DEVTECH step in to help out and attempt to turn public opinion around on superheros.

The vocal performances pair seamlessly with the animation and this time around the family is a bit more dynamic. Mr. Incredible(Craig T. Nelson) is solo parenting, Elastigirl(Holly Hunter) is the sole breadwinner and spends the majority of the film fighting crime alone. This inversion of conventional domestic roles provides a broader base for the characters and the actors to explore along with making subtle commentary. Sarah Vowell returns as Violet in even deeper throws of teenage angst and Eli Fucile as Jack-Jack and Huck Milner as Dash are given more to do and carry a good portion of the comedy. The cast was flawless the first time around and flawless they remain.

The story is relatively predictable with an underwhelming villain and elements that mirror Captain American: Civil War but it is revisiting the Incredibles family again and that is the real pleasure. The somewhat plodding superhero plot doesn't have the freshness of it's 2004 predecessor, a major reason being the glut of superhero content over the past decade. But even so it distinguishes itself with it's family focus.

Enjoyable and entertaining if lacking some of the original wonder.

Rent It.

'Ocean's 8' A Review

Ocean's 8 is a heist movie, a quasi continuation of the Ocean's 11 series with an all female core cast. The movie opens on Debbie Ocean(Sandra Bullock) in prison shortly before her parole. Debbie is released and meets her partner Lou(Cate Blanchett) and immediately begins assembling a team to pull of a jewel heist at the Met Gala. In a flashback we learn Debbie was set up by her former paramour Claude(Richard Armitage) who fortuitously ends up attending the gala.

Bullock is commanding as always, Blanchett isn't given much of a character but skates through on her natural magnetism. The other members of the team are all well cast and give good performances- Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Helena Bonham Carter, Awkwafina, and especially Rihanna- however there is a substantial amount of exposition and planning to get through and what is sacrificed is the clearly electric chemistry between the team. There's no scene of them hanging out in the safe house which would, from the brief interactions we get, be more compelling than the machinations of the job. Anne Hathaway as the defacto patsy distinguishes herself because she's given a good amount of attention and screen time.

The movie doesn't have the visual flare of its Soderbergh predecessors but it is a competent and interesting heist story some what restricted by the necessities of the form. There are a couple moments of explicit messaging that are much appreciated as a movie like this is unique if not in plotting than in representation. Enjoyable and in its Hollywood conventionality important.The more diverse mainstream blockbusters become the better and this is a great step forward.

Rent It.

Platform Drama

Across the tracks

we saw a man

huddled and mincing

clearly drunk

unaware, on a different plane

almost writhing

within his skin.

Next to him

at the exit-only

another man

was attempting

to surreptitiously enter

and for a time

there was silence.

The two lost
in their silent struggles.

Then exit-man
called to drunk-man
and an incoherent
verbal altercation
rapidly escalated
through the bars
of the stairwell cage.

And the inebriated one
swayed and almost tumbled
onto the tracks,
and the dexterous one
began to climb
and attempted to squeeze
through a gap.

Eventually, impotent, they left.
Off, certainly, into future troubles.

'Hotel Artemis' A Review

Hotel Artemis is a scifi crime film set in a not-to-distant dystopian LA where a massive riot is brewing after the privatization of water. The film opens on a botched bank heist where Sherman(Sterling K. Brown) and his brother(Brian Tyree Henry) are injured. They retreat to the members-only underground hospital called Hotel Artemis to get patched up. Overseen and operated by The Nurse(Jodie Foster) and her orderly Everest(Dave Bautista) the establishment begins to fill up, tensions rise, and the riot outside bubbles.

It is an ensemble film but Foster is the clear and striking stand out, delivering a eccentric, layered, and emotional performance. She hasn't been in front of the camera since 2013's Elysim and this is such a powerhouse portrayal it can't help but elicit yearning for more Foster. Even after a fiv year hiatus from acting she's more dynamic than ever. Bautista is the other stand out, with incredible chemistry with Foster the two anchor the film in a necessary way- the main character of the film is, essentially, the hotel and Foster's and Bautista's characters are its avatars. The rest of the stacked ensemble are all good- Brown, Jeff Goldblum, Sofia Boutella- with moments of humor and flashes of character but Foster is the main and most persuasive reason to watch.

The production design is an odd and interesting mix of of retro and futurism. The visuals dark and saturated with bursts of neon. The score thrums and the script, well, the script is enough of a platform for the very talented and eclectic cast to shine. Clearly the main focus of the film is the location itself, the machinations of the plot or secondary to it and the world building of 2028 LA. And that's fine. The film is fresh in most of its aspects namely casting and production design but fails to do much of anything new with plotting. Which doesn't particularly matter, in this age of reboots and sequels and franchises even this somewhat derivative thriller feels original if not altogether coherent.

Rent It.

To the moth-

Why
were you hiding
in my headlight?
tan tissue-paper wings
sputtering
as I zoomed off
lost
in the dirty gold
of dusk.

'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' A Review

Won't You Be My Neighbor? is a documentary about TV icon Fred Rogers. Through first person interviews, animated sequences, and archival footage the film delves into the life, career, and philosophy of the loving and lovable host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

In our devisive times the reminder of who Mr. Rogers was and what he represented is a balm in and of itself. But learning about the man and explicitly getting a sense of his perspective and worldview, implicit in the show but never direct, is heartening and affirming. There are multiple generations that appreciated and spent time with Mr. Rogers as children but now, as adults, we are old enough and aware enough to really absorb his message of positivity and equality. He promoted the idea of human dignity and that every individual has value. He explicitly directed this towards children as they are the most fragile and vulnerable but this ideology of kindness extended to everyone.

The most striking elements of the film are simply clips from old interviews and excerpts from the show. Mr. Rogers piercing, unwavering, and utterly compassionate blue eyes convey more and mean more than all the accounts from family, friends, and co-workers. The film is compelling, no question, and utterly necessary given the staggering modern propensity for ennui, irony, and reactionism. However the film spends time on more conventional historical and academic information which could, perhaps, be better spent delving further into the graciousness of spirit that made Mr. Rogers unique.

Although messier and amateur the 2010 doc Mister Rogers & Me is better at conveying the essence of the man and providing actionable behaviors that promote the graciousness and gratitude of his mindset.

Lovely and moving but in some ways the man himself remains a mystery.

See It.

'Upgrade' A Review

Upgrade is a scifi action thriller about the near future where most everything is automated to some degree. Grey(Logan Marshall-Green) is a house husband who moonlights as one of the last conventional auto mechanics. His wife Asha(Melanie Vallejo) a computers executive, go to drop off an vintage car to recluse genius Eron Keen(Harrison Gilbertson) where he shows them his newest piece of tech STEM which is set to connect to anything and improve on it. On their way home their automated car malfunctions, they crash, and Grey is left paraplegic. He agrees to surgically implant STEM to regain his motor functions but the results are way beyond mobility.

Logan Marshall-Green is decent as the lead, it takes a couple minutes to get past his resemblance and attempted channeling of Tom Hardy, his emotional performance is serviceable but his physical performance, which is ultimately what the movie is about, is what really shines. The supporting cast are all good, notably Benedict Hardie as creepy mustachioed villain Fisk, but most of the cast are all secondary to Marshall-Green and the vocal performance of Simon Maiden.

The propulsive plot and the sharp and gritty production design are what really engages in the film. The cinematography for the fight scenes employs a unique and exciting technique having Grey, essentially, be stationary during action sequences as the camera spins and whirls around him. It is deliciously effective. The film is delightfully grotesque, darkly comic, with a simple but fun story, and innovative low budget action. A throwback to 80's scifi with a modern message- digital terror.

See It.

Healing

I saw a woman
on the train
with scars
on her wrist
their placement
and robust relief
left little doubt
as to the foregone
intention.

She seemed,
if not happy
(for who is
during the sweaty
vexing
afternoon commute)
at least content
in her sharp
black-and-white
polka dot
summer dress.

'Filmworker' A Review

Filmworker is a documentary about Leon Vitali the long-time right-hand-man to director Stanely Kubrick. Through archieve footage and talking head interviews the film looks at his life, dedication, and work as a defacto personal assistant to Kubrick sacrificing his time, family, and health.

Although certainly interesting for any cinephile, detailing interesting behind-the-scenes minutia on now classic movies, the film fails to puncture the mystery that is Vitali. With a promising acting career blossoming he walked away from it completely to be Kubricks personal assistant. He did some really important work- location scouting, casting, editing, print development etc.- but also cleaned up pet hair and was frequently the whipping boy for Kubricks famous rages. He, monk like, dedicated his life in the service of one of the 20th century's greatest and mercurial auteurs. But the film only circles around his motivations for this and fails to really investigate how he feels about it.

For a film about filmmaking the visuals are relatively pedestrian following the serviceable if traditional format. Interesting but more appropriate for a lazy afternoon at home rather than the big screen.

Stream It.

Spitballin' At Quenchers Saloon

After 39 years beloved local watering hole and venue Quenchers Saloon will soon close it's doors. After 8 years of Mondays experimental variety show Spitballin' ended last night. As a frequent contributor I had the privilege of performing in the final show. Along with some poems I read this piece.

When I was six years old my grandfather, who I adored, passed away of esophageal cancer.
The experience was difficult to understand at such a young age, the concept of death hard to
grasp. Having to grapple with that when I was barely aware, only pseudo conscious shaped a
lot of the boy and man I became and am still becoming. We all come to a point where we realize
what death is and come to terms with it to varying degrees but I had to do that earlier, younger
than perhaps is typical. And as a result I realized, with some heartbreak and over time, that all
things end. It’s not only natural it’s correct. Couples break up, friendships fade away, jobs are
lost and left, people die. Everything is finite, so what can we do, we can take joy and satisfaction
in the time we have. We can find grace in the ephemeral. We can enjoy and celebrate and this evening we have together. The ending of something beautiful and rich, not to be forgotten and not to be lamented. This is the way things are. All things must end.

I’ve always had a passion for writing, an impulse to put words on paper but I never had much
direction or an outlet. I took a creative writing class in high school and another one in college but
the interest those classes cultivated never went much beyond that, interest. Some years later
after two successive girlfriends who were amateur poets reignited the interest in me I began to
write more. I started a blog, I set a goal for myself to write a poem a week. But after awhile it felt
a bit hollow, sending stuff out into the void, I wanted to share my stuff in a more direct way.
Summer of 2014 I knew about Spitballin’ but I had never been to the show, never performed at
it, I was afraid I wouldn’t be welcome, assumed it was insular or exclusive, so I never came or asked to be apart of the show. Out of the blue Mike Brunlieb, our benevolent curator, asked me to do a reading, anything I wanted. I was surprised and delighted. Me and a college friend Chloe read a scene from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and it was really fun and gratifying and different. The other acts were much more experimental and eclectic than I thought they’d be, the audience much more receptive and open and encouraging than my fearful judgement had assumed. After that I asked Mike if I could read some poems and he graciously let me. It went well and I’ve been reading poetry and prose here at Spitballin’ ever since.

What Spitballin’ gave me was opportunity. It’s a space where I could come share my poetry and
prose with a degree of acceptance. Seeing others experiment and bravely do weird things made
me comfortable to try. After it didn’t go over poorly I was inspired to write more, to share more.
What Mike, Thomas, and Scott gave me was permission. Permission to share who I am and
what I was working on in an environment totally unique in this city as it was not only devoid of
judgement but also of expectation. Anyone can do anything at Spitballin’ it may not go well, a
couple people might dip into the bar to grab a drink, they may have to compete with whatever
game is on TV, but whatever performance piece, sketch, reading, song, stand up set,
what-have-you had a place at Quenchers Saloon.

This place, this show, over time, made me a poet. I wrote poetry before but there was a self
consciousness about it, a fear, a duplicity, because I thought people would think it was lame or
stupid. But being allowed to come here and read my work, seeing people react on the spectrum
from indifference to enthusiasm but never contempt, put to rest all that stuff, helped clarify and
solidify my desire to write, gave me confidence in my identity. I’m a poet and there’s no shame
in that.

In Norse mythology there is an event, the end of the world, called Ragnarok and it is inevitable.
Reading the stories it is unclear if it has already happened, if it will happen, or if it is
continually happening. Regardless after it, after the end, the story continues. Something new and green is born. A major and repeated theme in Norse mythology is the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. The cycle of nature itself. This wonderful, fruitful, delicious, grotesque, torturous, transcendent show will come to an end shortly. But the people and the energy and spirit will live on. Dissipate and reform in other divisions and permutations and grow and evolve and move forward, move on. The cycle will continue. This is not something to grieve but to rejoice.

I want to say thank you to Mike, Thomas, and Scott who encouraged me. This place which
welcomed me. And this show which inspired me to be more the person I want to be.

'Deadpool 2' A Review

Deadpool 2 is a superhero horror comedy, a sequel to the 2016 original. The film opens on Wade Wilson(Ryan Reynolds) aka Deadpool as he attempts to commit suicide followed by a flashback to the events leading up to that moment. In the future Cable(Josh Brolin) is in a burned out room, picks up a scortched teddy bear, and travels back in time to the present. In the wake of his attempted suicide Deadpool half-heartedly joins the X-Men and on his first mission, to talk down rogue teen Russell Collins(Julian Dennison) aka Firefist, he fails miserably. Cable begins hunting Russell and Deadpool suspects he may have more importance than he initially thought.

Reynolds puts in a great performance, showing not only substantial comedic chops but incredible range and versatility. The confines of the original's origin-story are relaxed and Reynolds flourishes in the simpler more streamlined narrative. Milking not only all the varied opportunities for comedy(physical, wit, reference etc.) but manages to give the character a compelling emotional arc. Lampooning and undermining cliche while also delivering successfully what amounts to a relatively tried-and-true sincere message. Brolin is a decent straight man but isn't given too much to do. Dennison is fun and both him and Brolin do well, and the film benefits, from roles as not-quite-villains further differentiating Deadpool 2 from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The major stand out though is Zazie Beetz as Domino who's super power is luck. She exudes an effortlessness and confidence that is magnetic and it pairs perfectly with her odd hard to determine ability. Delightful physical sequences and random coincidences result in the exercise of her "luck". Her energy is so electric she steals every scene she is in.

The action in the film is great, bordering frequently on the hilariously grotesque, but the real star is the script. In an age of ever expanding worlds and backstory and franchises and multiplying characters the story is relatively intimate. It provides all the thrills of a superhero film but with little to none of the drawbacks. The characters are all fully formed, they're all dimensional, the film is both irreverent and has heart, and it is diverse(featuring the first openly and explicitly gay superhero) without ever calling attention to it.

With the glut of superhero movies and certainly in the wake of the all-flash-no-bang Infinity War Deadpool 2 is a surprising balm.

See It.

Throttle

I ride west
into the sunset
on I-90
green farm land
on either side
not as romantic
as it sounds
but pretty close.

At least
for a moment.