'Uncut Gems' A Review

Uncut Gems is crime drama about Howard Ratner(Adam Sandler) a NYC jeweler with a gambling problem and outstanding debts who attempts to turn his life around with the sale of a rare black opal.

Unquestionably Sandler is better than he has been since Punch Drunk Love conveying humor and pathos along with his innate likability which brings this complicated morally precarious character into a compelling emphatic(if not necessarily sympathetic) focus. The cast is absolutely stacked with incredible talent from well known New Yorkers like Eric Bogosian and Idina Menzel, a surprisingly assured Kevin Garnet, Lakeith Stanfield, and a host of normal-looking intriguing characters that look like actual NYC residents. Not only are the performances across the board great but they look and feel authentic, conveying a New York City that actually exists and has some depth and character rather than the sanitized, wealthy, blandly attractive version we so often get in film(Marriage Story).

The film has the Safdie brothers signature neon and gloom color pallet and thrumming, hypnotic electronic score. The technical elements elevate and complement the journey and mindset of the lead evoking this frenetic, frantic, hubristic feeling the Sandler character kind of surfs throughout.

A gritty, honest, at times funny look at a flawed man trying to succeed.

See It.

'1917' A Reveiw

1917 is a war epic set in WWI which takes place over the course of a day in one (mostly) continuous shot. In Northern France two British soldiers Schofield(George MacKay) and Blake(Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a mission to deliver a message to stop a British assault by a different Battalion of which Blake's brother is a part.

Chapman and MacKay have good chemistry and give good physical performances as the story is essentially an actual race, and there are moments the two hit some real emotion but because of the ceaseless narrative momentum no time is particularly taken to really flesh out either character, which isn't necessarily a criticism especially given their youth. There is a parade of cameos from British stars, who all exciting to see but none who really distinguish themselves primarily because no one outside the two leads has anything greater than around 60 seconds of screen time.

Visually the film is superb, majestic landscapes both picturesque and ghastly. The fluid continuous camera movement provides a propulsive and thrilling pace and the story itself, set within one of histories great wars that has not been immortalized countless times on celluloid it is not only an animated dynamic war story but one that sheds light on a conflict we know little about.

An exciting, effective, if not altogether singular war movie.

See It.

'Marriage Story' A Review

Marriage Story is a dramedy about a divorce, clever title huh? The latest in writer/directors Noah Baumbach's ouvre about affluent neurotic narcissistic pseudo-artistic New Yorkers/Angelenos. The film opens with narration- Nicole(Scarlett Johansson) and Charlie(Adam Driver) reading an exercise their separation therapist had them write, things they like about each other, queue NYC montage, maximum twee! We're then taken into their lives as their divorce proceedings begin and Nicole relocates to LA.

Both Johansson and Driver are wonderful actors, unfortunately the characters they play are so vapid and insulated by their privilege they are unrelatable if not downright unreal. The lawyers played by Laura Dern, Ray Liotta, and Alan Alda are the only real rational humans in the film and we are seemingly suppose to view them as coldly pragmatic and mercenary. Their performances are the most compelling because they behave in a way that actually reflects reality. The other characters veer from farcically thin to an attempt, in the case of Charlie's theater company, at a woefully halfhearted Greek chorus. The cast does their best but they are within a hodgepodge of tone and a narrative that assumes engagement solely because it exists.

The cinematic craft on display is masterful, Baumbach is a beautiful conductor of the technical aspect of the production, but his screenwriting ability is self-indulgent and banal to the extreme and as such the story is myopic and absurd to the point it has little to no credibility.

Examples: both Nicole and Charlie act as if they have no understanding whatsoever of the process of divorce in general, the legalities involved, nor fundamental concepts as they pertain to marriage, custody, etc. As the movie has a contemporary setting this is baffling. Either the characters have consumed no media past 1960 and no one they know has been through a divorce and/or they are so blinded by their own terminal uniqueness they somehow believe they are outside the system. Either way their plaintive and aghast posturing to their attorneys rings incredibly false and even if it were believable what is relatable or particularly interesting about characters flailing in their own entitlement?

The issue of finances is given lip service to but one look at Charlie's NYC apartment and Nicole's beautiful LA property, hell even Charlie's "crummy" LA apartment, clearly renders this point moot. And even though Charlie complains about money once or twice neither Charlie nor Nicole are seen to have any financial repercussions what so ever. So clearly they are protected by their upper-middle class security but this is never acknowledged and the filmmaker seems clueless that it exists at all. Which, perhaps, would be fine if the characters were at all interesting.

Early on Nicole basically says the relationship was doomed. We never see them in love nor at a time when their relationship is particularly healthy or really functioning beyond the baseline. As such there is no reason to care about their marriage or their divorce. Yes, Charlie is kind of domineering and Nicole is vaguely sympathetic but there is nothing in particular that defines either of them. There are numerous emotional crescendos but it is clear all this is a result of the couples inability to communicate and their fundamental incompatibility. Their bombastic, scenery chewing arguments in the latter half of the film play out more akin to 20-somethings drunkenly screeching outside a bar than the dynamic emotional epiphanies they are clearly going for.

Substantially more egregious than Little Women it must be asked why this story, why now, why should I care. The appeal of the self-involved artistic inexplicably affluent New Yorker is waning if not diminished completely. We have seen this before not once but countless times. This tale of a relatively emotionally stunted and inept well-to-do couple going through an absurd divorce has no universal appeal. It does not teach us anything about the human condition, it does not inspire, it is a spotlight on a sub-set of a sub-set of society that already has a glut of stories.

Don't See It.

'Little Women' A Review

Little Women is a period drama based on the classic novel of the same name. The film primarily follows Jo March(Saoirse Ronan) and her four sisters to a lesser degree as they come-of-age in Civil War era America. The story begins with Jo in New York as a struggling writer and then cuts back and forth in time showing the Marsh sisters as they grow up and apart.

The cast is stacked with some incredible talent however some actors are more suited to their roles than others. Ronan is a decent Jo although the pacing is so fast she doesn't have quite enough time to hook us with the characters ineffable charm and coming off the tail of 2017's Lady Bird this characterization isn't quite different enough from that recent Oscar darling. Timothée Chalamet as March neighbor Laurie may be the current tween heartthrob but his prepubescent look and his emo posturing make for a baffling and ineffective casting choice. Florence Pugh plays a empathetic Amy but at times the time jumps don't properly convey her age and so her behavior comes across as a cruel adolescent rather than a petulant child. Significantly more successful is Eliza Scanlen as Beth, one of the first portrayals that turns her from a two dimensional martyr to a reserved yet soulful human being. The supporting cast- Laura Dern as Marmee, Chris Cooper as Mr. Laurence, Tracey Letts as Jo's editor- fair better in giving more authenticity and balance to their respective characters. The fault though isn't on the actors it is the bold but ineffective structure.

The biggest issue with the film is it's biggest choice, it's non-linear structure. Since the success of 1994's Pulp Fiction the non-linear timeline became mainstream and oft repeated. Which is great, it's a different and often compelling way to tell a story but it can also be perfunctory or a crutch. In this case the timeline as well as the fever-paced editing zip around the March sisters lives with such veracity big moments are raced by and through and because the cast remains constant there is no clear sense of time passing or what time we are in at any given time. Part of the pleasure of the story is it's pastoral and sweeping pace and scope. This iteration is editing with the speed of a Tony Scott picture and the rare times it actually holds for an entire scene or conversation it is such a relief you wish they would have scrapped the entire time jumping conceit.

The 1994 Little Women is a near perfect movie but the novel is the kind of property that inevitably gets remade every generation. This most recent update is serviceable, pulls the necessary heartstrings, and has some moments of real inspiration but ultimately cannot overcome it's structural weight to really soar. It is also fair to wonder why now, why in 2019 do we need this relatively faithful adaptation complete with virtually no diversity and with only cursory attempts to upend the more regressive marriage messaging from the book. That's not a condemnation just a question, with a film that is receiving as much ecstatic praise as this one it's fair to wonder if it's totally appropriate.

Rent It.

Home for the Holidays

There is nothing loud
no Hallmark sentiment
nor cinematic clash
that culminates in catharsis.

There is simple company
that sustains and comforts,
the easy sharing of
food, time, and conversation.

There is little excitement
but a deep contentment
celebrating long winter's night
and our own familial light.

'Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker' A Review

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is a SFF epic and the conclusion of the Star Wars saga begun in 1977. After the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi the Resistance is on the run and the Emperor has emerged from hiding after he was resurrected by a death cult. The first half of the movie is taken up with a search for a MacGuffin which leads to both an intimate and large confrontation with the Emperor and his forces on a hidden Sith planet.

Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver as Rey and Ren respectively maintain the wonderful tension and chemistry from the previous installments and their narrative comes to a satisfying conclusion. Thankfully John Boyega and Oscar Issac as Finn and Poe respectively are more central to the story and have more screentime than they did in TLJ and do well and clearly relish their arcs. Given this is a genre spectacle not a bedroom drama the acting is broad(but effective) rather than deep and other than the four essential leads not much is asked of the supporting cast.

Visually the movie is thrilling and breathtaking and rich. The lightsaber battles are impeccable and the dogfights fun. The worldbuilding continues to be immaculate but although entertaining and fun, and for most probably delivers considerably in the nostalgia department, the movie suffers from all the plotting and work it has to do to get to a conclusion because of the poor planning of the entire trilogy.

The original trilogy captured hearts and imaginations not only because it was transportive but because it had soul and allowed it's three core characters to breathe and transform. The prequels failed because George Lucas had become to rich and privileged to write a decent story and became too obsessed with moviemaking technology. This trilogy succeeds in narrative proficiency and visual mastery but fails in delivering the requisite soul.

Maybe that's too much to ask, it's virtually impossible to catch lightening in a bottle especially if attempting to do it deliberately. And it's not the fault of any of the cast or crew but with it's very conception. The Force Awakens went into production without scripts or even an outline of where the trilogy would go as a whole and the projects were dolled out piecemeal and with severe time constraints. As such this modern trilogy feels like what it is, a hodgepodge of wonderful moments and scenes with only the most broad boundary to connect all three. Is it worth watching? Definitely! But genre and particularly Star Wars allows stories that can both thrill and inspire, unfortunately only one of those benchmarks was met.

See It.

'Jumanji: The Next Level' A Review

Jumanji: The Next Level is the latest installment in the Jumanji series a direct sequel to the 2017's soft reboot. Three years after their first adventure the four friends Spencer, Fridge, Martha, and Bethany return from college and plan to meet up. Spencer has had a difficult time adjusting to life at NYU and returns to the game alone, when the others discover this they go in after him but Spencer's grandpa Eddie(Danny DeVito) and his estranged friend Milo(Danny Glover) are also sucked in.

The core cast return as the game characters- The Rock, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, and Kevin Hart- and all have some fun with their performances as the people "playing" them are swapped. Although The Rock's "accent" is nothing short of atrocious and is easily the biggest distraction and sour note of the entire endeavor. But despite this the core remain fun, funny, and their able to maintain their excellent chemistry and interplay from the previous installment. The biggest addition is Awkwafina who effortlessly integrates into the dynamic and helps to keep it fresh.

The plot has to work a little harder to get the same characters back into the game and the machinations between them seem a bit saccharine. The real heart is the relationship between Eddie and Milo which the script can't seem to decide to play as the A story or the B story and as such the emotional focus is unfortunately split. The CGI, whether because of familiarity or time constraint, isn't as effective but is passable.

A fun piece of family entertainment that fails to reach the surprisingly delightful heights of it's predecessor.

Rent It.

Winter

Hello old friend
I can't say I missed you
but there is some comfort
in your familiarity,
the necessity of slowing
preparing, layering
when venturing out
into your cold embrace
brings intention
to the present,
in the temperate months
the season may be pleasant
but can be ignored, forgotten
in its soothing restraint,
but your presence is always felt
your chilly lick
your frosty grip
your unrelenting freeze
accompany a fragile camaraderie
for you are here
and I appreciate the amity.

'Honey Boy' A Review

Honey Boy is a autobiographical drama about a child star Otis(Noah Jupe) and his relationship with his co-dependent father James who struggles with addiction, based on the life of Shia LaBeouf who plays his defacto father. The film is told through a series of flashbacks and flashforwards with Lucas Hedges playing an older Otis struggling with his own addictions and mental health issues.

Although Otis is the presumptive lead LaBeouf is the real star, he gives an incredibly nuanced and compassionate performance for a deeply flawed character, doubly impressive given this is a version of his real life father. It's a real triumph to portray someone struggling with addiction and behaving badly with such fairness and a sense of reserved justice. Is he a terrible person? No. Is he a good person? No. But he is a human being and it is his humanity which LaBeouf is able to translate. Jupe is pretty astonishing given his age, navigating some very heartbreaking and complicated scenes with not only authenticity but a real emotional deftness. Particularly there's an evocative layered scene with with FKA Twigs as Shy Girl a local prostitute. Hedges is serviceable but isn't able to reach the same heights or truth as his temporal counterparts. He seems somewhat out of his depth with the size of the performance as he typically plays characters with lower volume. This doesn't really detract but his sequences become kind of rote and you just want to return to Lupe and LaBeouf.

The film is shot mostly handheld but the shakey work is more immersive than distracting and there are a number of very effective magical realism sequences that are integrated seamlessly and delightfully. The only fault of the film is that its too short or at least feels incomplete. Perhaps this is a reflection of LaBeouf's actual experience, he is still coming to grips with his father and his past, but as a story the dreamlike interaction the older Otis has with his father at the end is OK but lacks the clarity and assuredness of what went before it.

A deep truthful look at a difficult relationship, an effective surprising piece of wonder from the once promising then presumptuous now promising again LaBeouf.

See It.

H.A.L.T.

When I am disturbed
I must ask
what is wrong with me
because I find
most often
I merely need a snack
a nap
a pause
or the soothing balm of company.

I do not actually want
to stab the man
on the train
in the neck
who doesn't remove
his backpack
although I am
momentarily filled
with a vengeful righteousness.

Seeing some vague acquaintance
flying in a private plane
via Instagram
while spending a Saturday night
at home
alone
does not transform
my overall contentment
with my life and circumstance
to acidic envy
although I may feel the bite
of solitude.

I may become short
with my loving partner
because our cat
tracks litter through our home
or because she innocuously
rearranged some furniture
while I was out
when the reality is
I simply need
to go to bed.

All to say
yes, certainly
there are irritants
some even justifiable
but external forces
only effect
internal courses
to the degree
allowed.

'Waves' A Review

Waves is a family drama about a suburban family in southern Florida navigating the pressures and pains of modern life. The first half of the film focuses on the prodigal son Tyler(Kelvin Harrison Jr.) as he attempts to deal with his well meaning but overbearing father Ronald(Sterling K. Brown), a serious injury that derails his burgeoning wrestling career, and an unexpected pregnancy with his girlfriend Alexis(Alexa Demie). In the second half of the film the focus shifts to Ronald and stepmother Catherine's(Renée Elise Goldsberry) daughter Emily(Taylor Russell) as she attempts to carve out a life and identity outside the shadow of her brother.

Both Harrison and Russell give nuanced, complicated, and emotionally thrilling performances. Harrison is the more frenetic and mercurial, his character's story the more panicked and anxiety inducing. Russell is the more subdued and measured, the more melancholic and reflective. Yet both are able to effortlessly hold the camera and convey some powerful honesty. And their performance together really center the film, even though they really only have one scene together- and incredibly brutal by honest scene in their shared bathroom. The rest of the cast is less consistent but to be fair they have less to work with. For the most part Brown an Goldsberry do well as the parents but they never really reach the mark of fully flushed out characters, perhaps this is deliberate because we are viewing them from their children's perspective. Demie and later Lucas Hedges(as Emily's love interest) also do well enough but the focus is primarily on Harrison and Russell and the ambitious production design.

The camera work and color in the film are gorgeous and transportive. With 360 degree pans, tight close ups, and a lot of hand-held sequences we effectively feel we are inside the heads of Tyler and Emily, we feel what they feel, at times the film is more tone poem than narrative. Which can be disconcerting and probably isn't for everyone. But it is unique and it works to convey feeling and story above and beyond pages and pages of dialogue. Which, again, may not be for everyone but is incredibly effective. The pulsing, at times cacophonous score can be overwhelming but pairs beautifully with the cinematography to create a mood and feeling in world that the characters live in and are confined by.

Beautifully shot and emotionally electric. Full of heartbreak and hope. A startling ambition that fails big but succeeds big too.

See It.

A Meditation On Cleaning

First consider the why
what is the benefit
health, certainly
as germs and dust can gather
but more fruitful
is the satisfaction
of action being taken
with tangible result
and the feeling of ease
provided by an ordered environment.
Once considered
there is the scarcity of time
and perhaps the absence of motivation
do not be discouraged.
Set aside time each week or each month
to give to this task
then follow through
to whatever degree possible
and there will be satisfaction
in any accomplishment
regardless of size or scale.
Repeat.
Over time this will become routine
a discipline, and will no longer be a chore.
Once established
there will be an increased sense of peace
when entering and existing in
the ordered space.
Cleaning may never become a pleasure
but it need not be a perpetual concern.

'Frozen II' A Review

Frozen II is an animated musical fantasy, a sequel to the 2013 Disney hit. The movie opens with Elsa and Anna as children being told a story by their father and sung a song by their mother which go into their kingdom's past dealing with a neighboring tribe. Flash forward back to the "present" and Elsa as queen leads a celebration of the autumnal harvest. The celebration is interrupted by rogue magical elements and the city is evacuated. Elsa sets off north to find the cause and Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven soon follow. As they unravel the current mystery a dark past comes to light.

The returning voice cast are all charming and grapple with some darker material this go around, and there is the addition of some fun celebs to spice things up but that functions more as a guess-that-voice game for adults rather than actual roles that really pop. The music is playful and fun for the most part with the occasional emotional crescendo but none of the songs manages to hit the "Let It Go" resonance to propel it to a #1 hit.

Certainly charming, with some breathtaking animation and action, but the plot itself is too convoluted with attempts(maybe?) at historical/political commentary which are too vague to really land(or make much sense) and seem mostly out of place in a family(read kids) movie. The characters retain their previous infectious joy and inspiration but this is despite the story not because of it.

In the tradition of Aladdin 2: The Return of Jafar and The Lion King II: Simba's Pride this may have been more appropriate as a direct-to-video release.

Stream It.

When You're Gone

I like it when you're gone
for an afternoon or evening
I vacuum and consolidate the garbage,
cook and listen to my
books on tape,
watch my shows
maybe even pee
with the door open
luxuriating in the privacy.

For a day
I stay busy
more cleaning-
wiping counters, scrubbing sinks,
sweeping stairs-
perhaps reorganizing drawers
or mopping floors
maybe I'll try a new dish
something ambitious
to impress on your return.

A weekend
I can tolerate
but the tasks begin to reach
color coding DVDs
cleaning baseboards
reading entire books
journaling then ordering dozens
of prints on Shutterfly
to augment said journaling.

I enjoy it mostly
but there's only so much
solitary fussing that can be done
before the reality sets in.

After days
I notice a dulling
yes, I miss you
your laugh
your comforting embrace
your conversation
and encouragement
your simple companionship
but I realize more acutely
the absence of our partnership
which over years has become
just as vital a part of me
my identity
as my love of movies
my compulsive cleaning
my hometown Rockford
my motorcycle
as defining
as anything that makes me me
and in your protracted absence
I feel a startling weakness
and I am reminded
how much strength you give me
how enlivening is our love
and though I know I can endure
I'd rather not
so please come home.

'Ford v Ferrari' A Review

Ford v Ferrari is a sports drama about the Ford team competing at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans headed by Carroll Shelby(Matt Damon) and Ken Miles(Christian Bale). The film opens with Shelby's own victory at Le Mans and the implication of his subsequent illness preventing him from continuing to race. Scenes of Shelby as a struggling sports car salesman and scruffy racing manager, with Miles as his virtuoso driver, are cut with scenes of Henry Ford II(Tracey Letts) and his underlyings deciding to create a car to unseat Ferrari's dominance at Le Mans. Shelby is tapped to enact this victory.

Damon and Bale are a great two-hander as the inspired innovator and the hot-headed maverick respectively, both totally comfortable, effortless but totally engaging, in their roles and show again that they both deserve their moviestar status. Damon however is outclassed by Bale, which is not a big surprise, Bale is one of the greatest actors of his generations, deploying here his skinny look, and his magnetism is off the charts. The roles are fun and compelling but not particularly challenging and there's nothing wrong with that, it's a pleasure to see Damon and Bale with good material. The supporting cast is stacked with talent, who are all comfortably good but the only real character that has some dimension, or even really any particularly flaws, is Lett's Ford who plays with some interesting contradictions with the limited time he has.

Visually the film is deliciously clean, all the racing and action, all the mechanics and procedures, are conveyed with a restraint and clarity that is unusual for sports movies or really action movies of any kind. It's incredibly refreshing, and all the more exciting, to see and experience everything without the confusion of dark/rainy/shaky camera work. The driving itself is a real triumph which is thrilling but also has a certain grace and beauty.

There is nothing particularly big about the film, ultimately it's relatively simple and straightforward but it is good and inspiring and lovingly crafted. Not splashy fine dining but reliable comfort food.

See It.

'Knives Out' A Review

Knives Out is a murder mystery about the suspicious death of wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey(Christopher Plummer) and the ensuing investigation by D/Lt. Elliott(Lakeith Stanfield) and private detective Benoit Blanc(Daniel Craig) into the large family all of whom are suspects.

The film boasts a true ensemble and though Craig and unwilling protagonist Ana de Armas as Marta are the defacto leads(at which they excel especially Craig who clearly relishes not being Bond, having fun, and having a sense of humor) it is truly the cast at large that pulls off a remarkable stable alchemy. Each character get's there on section of spotlight, each actor clearly defining their character with vivid personality but believable depth, none of whom overwhelm but all of whom totally enrich this already propulsive and thrilling who-dun-it.

Set mostly in the palatial estate of the Thrombey's visually the film has a subtle style but it is primarily the soundtrack and editing that build and sustain the infectious and delightful pace. A throwback to and wry comment on Agatha Christie stories and in the vein of Clue and Murder By Death this murder mystery delights in revitalizing some conventions and up ending others all while striking the perfect balance to deliver what, in some ways, is a genre classic.

A wonderful engaging mystery with delightful personalities and humor to spare, easily one of the most solid and original pieces of entertainment in 2019. A happy return to form for writer/directer Rian Johnson.

Don't Miss It.

Alone Time

Unless undertaken
in spiritual obligation
solitude can be acidic
for humans are social creatures
with genetic need for interaction
interpersonal benefaction
not to mention the debt
to society
call it duty or tribal need
we belong in harmony
not protracted conversation
nor the extinction of confrontation
but simple civic connection
loose but never severed
to sustain in times of weather.

'Doctor Sleep' A Review

Doctor Sleep is a horror/thriller based on the Stephen King novel, a sequel to The Shining. The film opens shortly after the events of the Kubrick adaptation of the original. Young Danny Torrence is still being plagued by ghosts from the Overlook and is taught by the apparition of Dick Hallorann how to trap them. Fast forward Danny is now Dan(Ewan McGregor) and has a drinking problem, he hits bottom and winds up in a small New Hampshire town where he begins to build a life and telepathically befriends a young girl Abra(Kyliegh Curran). Concurrently psychic vampires in caravans lead by Rose The Hat(Rebecca Ferguson) criss-cross the country in search of kids with the Shining to consume. A confrontation is inevitable.

McGregor is excellently cast and gives his patented blend of leading man panache with pathos and vulnerability but he's unable to transcend the inexplicably fever-paced plotting and sheer volume of exposition that's packed into the script. Likewise Curran is exceedingly effective, layered and at times startlingly savage, but left with little to no arch given how quickly the story speeds along. Ferguson as the languid heavy is delightfully off putting but is also hamstrung by the material. The supporting cast are all pitch perfect in their roles, Cliff Curtis and Zahn McClarnon especially, but dimension to any and all of the characters is sacrificed in the service of bloated narrative.

The biggest problem is the writer/director Mike Flanagan endeavors to do too much and is to beholden to both the book Doctor Sleep and Kubrick's version of The Shining. And in trying to fit in virtually the entire plot of the book Doctor Sleep as well as bridge the discrepancies in the endings to the book and the movie The Shining it seems there is little left that is actually Flanagan's. In order to fit in all the story of the book and all the visual nods(ie exact replicas) to the movie the film rockets through the first two hours of it's protracted run time at such a speed that the characters at its center are neglected. The film only slows down its pacing in the final half hour when, of course, we inevitably return to the Overlook Hotel but by that time it is so predictable it loses its impact and any interest in its characters is mostly squandered.

An ambitious adaptation with incredible potential is hamstrung by the long shadow of both Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick and the lack of Flanagan's personal touch.

Stream It.

'Last Christmas' A Review

Last Christmas is a holiday dramedy about Kate(Emilia Clarke), an aspiring singer, who works as an elf at a Christmas shop for "Santa"(Michelle Yeoh) the proprietor. After contracting a life threatening illness and being saved by a heart transplant Kate is listless, irresponsible, and searching. Outside the shop she randomly encounters Tom(Henry Golding) and the two strike up a bizarre friendship. Through that friendship Kate gets her life back on track and repairs relationships with her estranged family.

Clarke has considerable charm but has yet to find a role that she can really run with. Here she is charismatic and clearly has a facility with humor but the character is relatively thin and the story so broad no clear arch is carved out for its supposed lead. Yeoh is the clear stand out of the cast, she has wonderful chemistry with Clarke, is funny and conveys an easy authenticity in the unfortunately limited screen time she's given. Golding, also charming, but again, through no real fault of his, he's given a mystifying premise within which to operate, and is sufficient but hardly intriguing. Emma Thompson(also one of the screenwriters) as Kate's mother is a baffling Eastern European stereotype, broad to the point of absurdity, which further exasperates the movie's biggest problem- it's tonal confusion.

Similar to director Paul Feig's most recent perplexing attempt at genre blending A Simple Favor, it is unclear what Last Christmas is actually aiming to be. Is it a romantic comedy, feel-good holiday fodder, adult coming-of-age drama, political satire? At various points the story lunges at each of these but never actually commits to any of them and what we are left with is a confusing mess of ideas tied together by decent actors who are simply willing themselves through a plot that is, if you stop to consider it, woefully underbaked.

A messy xmas movie with good intentions, fair execution, but with a DOA script.

Stream It.

Selfie Stick

It seems experience has been eclipsed
by the proving of experience
we are no longer concerned
with wonder or adventure
but only with the ability
to have others observe us
in wonder or adventuring
hundreds of visitors see the surrounding beauty
only through their screens
incessantly documenting
but neglecting to actually be
where they are
reveling not in the majestic canyons
but in the anticipation
of the coming praise and envy
they expect to elicit
via their preferred digital attention farm
if Gaia were to kill us all
in an ecstatic rockslide
I could not fault her
so obstinate are we
in capturing her image
not out of gentle joy or grateful pleasure
but out of a perverse desire to possess
for the sole purpose of proving
in this our corrupting modern age
there is nothing more hubritic than the selfie.

'The Irishman' A Review

The Irishman is a crime drama focused around real-world mafia hitman and labor union official Frank Sheeran(Robert De Niro). The film opens on Frank in a nursing home and through direct address and subsequent voiceover he tells the story of his life. Flashing back to his early post-war days as a truck driver, to a roadtrip in his later years, and back to the nursing home his life is patiently laid out with a clear if somewhat languid austerity.

Much has been made about reuniting De Niro, Joe Pesci, and director Martin Scorsese as well as their parring with Al Pacino and Harvey Keitel- all the Hollywood royalty in one film. However the only real standout is Pesci as Russell Bufalino Frank's mentor and defacto crime boss. Pesci provides a magnetic simplicity, an almost zen like calm, an economy of movement and emotion that is monumentally impactful. For being out of the mainstream for nearly two decades Pesci has not lost a step, he's even gained a startling poise. His is easily the most nuanced, the most interesting, and the most emotional performance in the film. Although it's nice to see Pacino he goes big as he is wont to do in his later career, it's appropriate here as he plays Jimmy Hoffa, but there is no particular freshness about it, he's good but he's not doing anything surprising. Keitel's role is so small it amounts to a cameo. De Niro is certainly better than he has been in some time but that's mostly a result of the material, it's not a half-baked comedy he's doing simply for a paycheck, but his performance, and perhaps you could argue the character, is so simple, so directly on the surface it has no depth. And as the lead character of a three and a half hour film that's a problem. Ultimately he's kind of boring.

The de-aging technology used is not effective, it's various levels distracting and it's at it's best when it's not so obvious that it can be overlooked. It's weirdness is compounded by the casting, as the film jumps around 50 years or so, there is no rhyme or reason to the actual ages of the actors. De Niro and Pesci are in their 70's, the actors that play their wives are in the 40's, Anna Paquin who is 37 plays Frank's daughter as a teenage and twenty something but never at her actual age. On and on. The de-age and use old age make up so much and because of the non-linear structure the year is never particularly clear and so on the whole all of it is a big confusion. It would have been better to simply leave the actors alone and let the audience use their imagination, we have to do it anyway to ignore the periodically glaringly bizarre "young" De Niro.

Visually the film is masterful, the pacing slow but effectively sweeping, but the portrait of this criminal and this time couldn't be more complete and compelling. There is a lot to like about the film and a couple things to love chief among them the patience and skill on display from Scorsese as well as the truly awe inspiring performance from Pesci.

See It.

Ghost Town

Bare boards
above
bald bones,
old stones
and
gravel roads,
sheared herds
duet
singing birds
and
the ghost
moans
all alone.

'The Lighthouse' A Review

The Lighthouse is a black and white surreal horror film about two lighthouse keepers("wickies") off the coast of New England around the turn of the century. The film opens as Ephraim Winslow(Robert Pattinson) and Thomas Wake(Willem Dafoe) are dropped off for the four week shift. After the mundanity of their tasks sets in madness and/or supernatural forces intervene.

Dafoe gives an absolutely thrilling and totally authentic performance as the gravely voiced wickie spouting at times captivating, other times incomprehensible, archaic dialect. He's able to create a fully formed and compelling character with very little back story or context, he oscillates effortlessly from aggression to pathos to wry and gentle humor. His performance pairs well with the various design elements, almost impressionistic, musical rather than linear. One of the best performances of the year with a couple stand out almost Shakespearean monologues that crescendo beautifully. Pattinson doesn't skimp on effort(and maybe that's the problem) but is unable to match the mercurial grace of Dafoe, gasping and mincing and telegraphing choices to the point it is very clear that this is Robert Pattinson the actor Acting, the character is almost totally lost in all his stumbling exertions. The most egregious example of this is at the beginning while Ephraim is going about his work, shoveling coal and hauling supplies, on an island that can't be longer than 100 feet, he groans and grunts and gasps to a baffling degree. Makes you wonder if the director or Pattinson himself has ever really done any manual labor to speak of so over-wrought are these relatively simple and not terribly strenuous tasks.

Visually the film is rich, stark, and bleakly beautiful. The diagetic thrumming fog horn and the eerie score help create this desperate, otherworldly, claustrophobic mood which is effectively immersive if not necessarily pleasant. There are a series of abstract/surreal images, perhaps hallucinations or dreams or mystical visions, that are periodically intercut that also enhance the tone.

The narrative is full of ideas, there are references and implications to all kinds of explanations to the mostly vague sometimes intelligible things happening and being discussed on screen. There is certainly ambition and stunning craft at work but the film goes on for a little too long for it to totally pull-off it's bizarre tight-wire act of opaque plotting. By the time the climax occurs we know exactly what's coming and we don't wonder why, at that point we don't particularly care. Not a perfect movie but quite a wild ride.

See It.

Chill

Sitting on my parents couch
I wonder at the descriptor "bone-deep"
when ascribed to cold
because I have a light but persistent chill.

After riding my motorcycle on the highway
at 80 mph, the air 10 degrees above freezing
made cooler by the augmented wind
I contemplate, perhaps for the first time,
warnings about the cruciality of "core temp"

Discomfort turns to concern
as the warmth of my childhood home seems unable
to penetrate the lasting freeze
perhaps a hot shower
will pry wide the jaws
of potential hypothermia-
Yes.

Steaming water eradicates that tenacious chill.

'Terminator: Dark Fate' A Review

Terminator: Dark Fate is a scifi action movie, a continuation of the Terminator series and a direct sequel to 1991's Terminator 2: Judgement Day. After the events of T2 Sarah Connor(Linda Hamilton) and John Connor(CGI Edward Furlong) have successfully prevented Skynets prominence and Judgement Day however there are leftover Terminators criss-crossing the globe in search of John and one of them(CGI Arnold Schwarzenegger) kills him then disappears. That's just the prologue! Cut to present day Mexico City and Dani Ramos(Natalia Reyes) is going to work with her brother. A Rev-9 Terminator(Gabriel Luna) is sent back to kill Dani and Grace(Mackenzie Davis) a human cyborg is sent back to protect her. During the initial confrontation they are saved by a grizzled Sarah Connor who joins Grace in protecting Dani. Seem convoluted? That's just the beginning!

Hamilton is the clear star here, her entrance is electric and although she's had a steady but sedate career since T2 her movie-star magnetism is undiminished. She is a thrill to watch, her energy and gravitas unintentionally mostly eclipse the valiant if wanting efforts of Reyes and Davis. Both of whom do their best but are let down by the Gordian knot of a plot and the sheer inability to match the presence of Hamilton. Davis clearly leveraged significant effort and she is physically imposing but she lacks the razor edge the Hamilton has always had and maintains here. Schwarzenegger is able to recapture his old imposing stolidness and humor to a degree and his old school action hero watchability also overshadows the efforts of the newer cast members even though he doesn't enter the movie until about the half way point.

Visually the movie is overstuffed with over-the-top CGI, extensive action sequences with zero practical effects render them mostly flat and more reminiscent of a dated video game than cinema. A huge disappointment given that part of the success of Terminator, T2, and T3 for that matter is their use of real world action to create real stakes and real thrills and this installment purported to be a return to form for the series. The script is the other glaring issue, instead of trying to do something different it merely apes the already established formula only attempting to increase its speed and spectacle and in so doing story is sacrificed for simple kinetic momentum. And the hoops that have to be jumped through to justify this alternate timeline, to retcon in it into position is elaborate to the point of incoherence.

With the return of Hamilton this installment had incredible promise but she is the only one who really rises to the occasion.

Stream It.

Small Town Subway

There is some comfort to be had
in the uniformity of products
offered by the ubiquitous Franchise
especially in areas where population
doesn't warrant broad variety
but even more heartening
is the somewhat disheveled young employees
who continually pace behind the counter
perpetually nonplussed
proficient but never impassioned
resonant not only with their time and town
but with them all, pubescence preserved
in its static angst-riddled glory,
fast-food worker as the avatar of Youth.

The Bones Of Ymir

Before the beginning
there was the void,
the world of fire,
and the world of ice.
Where the three met
there formed the first being, Ymir.

Then came the gods, the Aesir.
Odin, their leader, and his brothers slew Ymir.

From Ymir's flesh they made the earth,
from the blood the sea,
from the hair the trees,
from the skull the sky,
and from the bones the mountains.
Thus the world was made.

Walking through this silent plain
I cannot help but give thanks
to that primordial giant
on whose flesh I tread
and on whose bones I gaze
in veneration.

'Motherless Brooklyn' A Review

Motherless Brooklyn is a neo-noir set in 1950's New York City based on the Jonathan Lethem novel of the same name. The film follows Lionel Essrog(writer/director Edward Norton) a private investigator with Tourettes as he unravels a convoluted plot his boss Frank Minna(Bruce Willis) disappears into.

Norton finds a good balance of heart, humor, and grit with the afflicted detective and it's bolstered by the parade of excellent actors that cameo and have supporting roles. Willis, although only briefly in the film, gives one of his most believable and nuanced performances in years. However Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bobby Cannavale, Leslie Mann, Ethan Suplee, and Dallas Roberts are mostly all woefully underutilized and Willem Dafoe functions more as a conduit for exposition than an actual character. Alec Baldwin as the corporate heavy is perfectly cast and has some strong scenes but is burdened by two extensive monologues which are used primarily as the films explicit thesis rather than words the character would actually speak.

The set is perfectly period but some of the cinematography is not so much noir inspired as direct lifts from noir classics like Out Of The Past. The jazz score is effective at points but at others serves only as a boring drone to elongate already insufferably long transitions. There is some diegetic jazz performed in a club that really works but the score is so saturated by the melodious discordant moans of the saxophone the live performances don't pop like they should.

The big issue is the adaption itself, the film veers away from the book in its focus, shifting from the compelling lead character of Lionel Essrog, his quirks, personality, and past into a preachy, transparent, relatively clumsy allegory in corporate power and greed. A message that certainly resonates but in this context is bludgeoning and naive in its simplicity. It's not in question that writer/director/star Edward Norton has a passion for the source material but it becomes abundantly clear he desperately needed an editor on virtually every level of the production in order to avoid having the film become what it turned out to be, a muddy, relatively ineffective vanity project.

On it's own a mediocre somewhat self-righteous passion project from a great actor(his writing and director abilities are still TBD) but as an adaptation of a wonderful and weird novel it's a tedious misfire.

Stream It.

Kolob Canyon

Golden grass

  red rocks

Bleached trunks

  whipping wind

Creeping creek

  canyon cliffs

Desert dunes

  and only us

  to share it.

Lance The Legend

The ropy cowboy
tells us he spent time
in Chicago in the 80's
working at Arlington,
tells us he once paid off
a cop with a twenty
to get out of a speeding ticket,
asks us about The Fridge
as if all Chicagoans know
the fate of our champion '85 Bears,
bizarre to feel so at home
riding horses along the Virgin river
as the painted cliffs of Zion surround us
in impassive solidarity.

Last Day At Zion

Last full day in Zion today, head out tomorrow morning for Vegas for the fly back. Went on a longer hike on the East Rim Trail for most of the morning, rolling desert surrounded by colorful crags, had the trail mostly to ourselves. In the afternoon we took one final spin around the park in the shuttle and walked around a bit saying our goodbyes. Capped it off with dinner at the tried and true Subway.

Coming into this I was somewhat apprehensive about how crowded the park would be because that's the warning in basically every review or write up. And it certainly was well attended even at the end of October but it seemed like most people were only there to do the two most well known hikes, Angel's Landing and The Narrows, and quite frankly most of the people weren't rude exactly but certainly weren't particularly friendly. A stark difference than most of the National Parks we've been to as far as the culture. It was more tourist destination than natural sanctuary. Which is fine, the park service needs the exposure, but the relief for me was that with a little research we could go off the beaten path, and be virtually alone. No matter where you are the park is breathtaking, vast, and stirring. There's an serene enormity to it, a graceful yet daunting beauty, that's really moving. Nicole and I had a wonderful time, we did a bit more planning this year and struck the perfect balance of activities and longer exertions. It's always nice to get away from work, get out of the city, but this was particularly needed and particularly special.

Ghost Town

After yesterday we took it pretty easy today, went to the Grafton ghost town which is a half hour or so outside the park. Pretty picturesque and eerie. We were the only visitors for most of the morning so that certainly enhanced the experience. In the afternoon we went on one of the more sedate hikes in the park, the paved trail that leads up to the Narrows.