'Three Thousand Years Of Longing' A Review

Three Thousand Years Of Longing is a fantasy about British narratologist Alithea(Tilda Swinton) who purchases a lamp while in Istanbul at a conference. The lamp contains a Djinn(Idris Elba) which must grant her three wishes in order to be released. The two trade stories while she decides what she will do. Much of the action takes place in Alithea's hotel room and the stories are presented by flashback.

Swinton is a singular talent and here she has all her usual magmatism but there's a turn at the beginning of the third act that she can't quite sell, not because of her ability but because the script is clunky and even incongruous with what has gone before in regards to her character's change. Elba is electric, clearly relishing the opportunity of playing this otherworldly being, he's got humor, sensuality, sincerity, irony, it's chock full. The two have wonderful chemistry and until the turn it really works. The supporting cast are mostly secondary, no dimensional characters other than the two leads, which is fine, they serve mostly as objects within the stories told.

Visually a bit uneven, there are some wonderful scenes and sets but there is an over reliance on CGI(one would assume it was a necessity as it was shot during COVID) but even that doesn't really detract from its transportive magical quality. The move really soars until it doesn't. It has all these ideas and themes some of which come to fruition but most of which are abandoned for a romantic turn that is unearned and comes out of nowhere. What feels, for the most part, so fresh and interesting and imaginative is rendered somewhat cliché by the machinations of the plot.

What would be a great 90 minute movie is a decent but flawed two hour one.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

See It.

'Samaritan' A Review

Samaritan is a superhero movie about Sam(Javon "Wanna" Walton) a kid in a crime ridden city(straight out of the original Robocop in it's absurdity) who discovers his elderly neighbor Joe(Stallone) is superpowered.

There isn't much acting to be done here but it's nice to see Walton get some work after The Umbrella Academy and just generally to see Dascha Polanco. Stallone looks pretty bad, face lifts, cheek implants, Botox whatever it may be, can barley move his face. He still has presence but can't do much beyond stoic.

Once the story gets going the action is fun and it's clear the fight choreography is done to allow for Stallone to do some(if not most) of his own stunts. And the production is competent if not really inspired, other than the overwrought set design. 

An odd, underbaked, quasi-entertaining throwback.

Currently streaming on Prime.

Stream It.

'Cow' A Review

Cow is a documentary about a diary cow in the UK. With no dialog or narration the film simply follows the titular cow up-close-and-personal with hand held footage(with a couple brief aerial shots) over an unspecified amount of time.

The film is stylistically specific and requires a certain amount of patience but offers a gentle unobtrusive look at the life of this animal on which humans so rely. There is virtually no judgement or indication as to what to feel about the film so it is very open to whatever the viewer sees in the unknowable eyes of it's subject. It is easy to project human emotion onto the 'narrative' but also just as easy to see nature's alien indifference(to quote Herzog). Either way it's compelling.

The camera work is immersive and there's some beautiful pasture shots as well as an attention to the mundane life in the barn which has it's own kind of magnetism. No score other than diegetic music played for the cows while they are milked, it all comes together to impart a view of the life of an animal, it's effective, and other than an ending which feels a bit cheap(if not dishonest), a rewarding experience.

Intriguing, hypnotic, almost meditative. Refreshing in it's lack of overt intent.

Currently streaming on AMC+ and available to rent on most VOD platforms.

See It.

Sound Advice

In Athens
on a school trip
I stood in the buffet line
befuddled, frightened
perhaps even scoffing
at the Grecian feast on display

so foreign and inscrutable to me

to my cohorts I proclaimed 

"I won't try that!"

like the ignorant American I was

sitting down to eat

with a child pallet's plate

Joel, a friend

his meal stuffed with every offering

calm, determined, said

"My parents didn't pay all that money

for me to come here and not try everything I can."

like a luke warm splash of water - shame

shame for my entitlement

like a heady prickling of pepper - anger

anger at the oblique rebuke

but then an electric bolt - epiphany

he was right, this was the experience

we had traveled so far to have

and looking inside myself

it was not preference but fear

returning to the line I piled high.

And then O' Reader did I gorge

grilled meads and honeyed fillo 

unctuous sauces and fluffy pita

dishes I could not describe or name

seconds, thirds, fourths

overcome by the deliciousness

the wonderous variety

I was converted. Reborn.

'Bullet Train' A Review

Bullet Train is an action/comedy about Ladybug(Brad Pitt) a recovering assassin who is on a job to retrieve a briefcase on the titular bullet train. On the train are other criminal contractors on different assignments connected in various ways that are discovered as the train rolls on.

Pitt delivers one of his rare misses here, the aw-shucks humor doesn't really land, the characters professional crisis doesn't really read, and just overall there's not a lot of interest to be had from the defacto lead. The supporting cast is stacked with talent but ultimately they just don't have much to do. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry have the most presence in the cast, seem the most comfortable, are the most watchable, but they don't have enough screentime or omph to bring the movie out of it's malaise. Hiroyuki Sanada is always wonderful as is Zazie Beetz but they're both barely in it. There are some fun cameos but even then they serve very little purpose.

The action is engaging and the banter is fun but for an action/comedy there is not enough action or comedy in the protracted run time. There are too many characters that are too underdeveloped to really care at any point what is going on. Simply put, it's boring. Reminiscent of Pulp Fiction knock-offs from the oughts Smokin' Aces and Lucky Number Slevin it has the right formula but the sum of its parts don't make a whole.

Disappointing.

Currently in theaters coming soon to VOD.

Don't See It.

'We Feed People' A Review

We Feed People is a documentary about José Andrés and his organization World Central Kitchen which goes to disaster areas to help feed and set up systems to continue feeding people in effected communities.

Part thriller, part biography, part educational video its not totally clear what the intent is. Even at it's conclusion there is no information/suggestions about organizations to donate/volunteer for. We follow Andrés as he goes to various natural disaster locations and how the World Central Kitchen operates and evolves over five years. It's really remarkable and it's work effective and necessary. 

However there is points where Andrés biography unfolds in a limited way to provide context and there is simply a ton of questions left on the table. He's clearly a hot head, somewhat self involved, he seems to perpetually neglect his family, but he's got huge vision, a huge heart, and gets things done. He's a complicated guy. It doesn't seem like he or director Ron Howard have much interest in self examination so a lot of the personal stuff seems irrelevant. There also seems to be no interest in explaining how the WCK actually functions, towards the beginning there's a scene where money seems to be a vital and pressing issue and then its inexplicably resolved and after that there is no information about how the WCK actually receives funding. It's bizarre.

The work, the people, the effort from the WCK is commendable and from what we see its truly incredible work but virtually every aspect of the story- Andrés himself, his motivations and feelings, how the WCK actually works in any comprehensive way, and the stories of the people involved, WCK workers as well as those people in the effected communities- is only glossed over.

A beautiful looking scratch in the surface of a potentially fascinating story.

Currently streaming on Hulu.

Stream It.

Culpability

Understanding the context
the reasons

for bad behavior
is not an excuse
to allow it to continue
we are not responsible
for our circumstances
but we are complicit if they endure.

'The Princess' A Review

The Princess is a documentary about Princess Diana constructed wholly from archival footage predominately from the paparazzi that hounded her. 

Although intriguing in it's construction, almost wholly through the lens of the media with which the Princess had a complicated/antagonistic relationship, the movie fails to offer little in the way of insight, instead simply conveying the information(unarguably in a clever visual way) that one could get from her wiki. 

Slickly constructed but ultimately incomplete. Perhaps only for Princess Di devotees.

Currently streaming on HBO Max.

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'Day Shift' A Review

 Day Shift is an action/horror movie about vampire hunter Bud(Jamie Foxx) who is trying to get enough money together to pay for his daughter's school to prevent his ex-wife from moving. He has to get back in with the union and then contend with a mega-vampire who's attempting to take over the city.

Foxx is charming and competent as he always is but there's not much here to do much of anything with. The rest of the cast is great- Dave Franco, Snoop Dogg, Peter Stormare- but if the comedy and emotions are tired and trite it doesn't really matter.

For an action movie there is simply not enough action, there is, in essence, three fights and a car chase, all of which are great but in a two hour run time it doesn't feel like much. On top of that a lot of time is taken up with the parallel plot of absentee-dad-trying-to-make-good which isn't done with any real freshness in particular and is, in general, rote. The movie looks crisp, its got a solid soundtrack, Foxx is unquestionably a star but it never quite ascends beyond tolerable.

Mildly diverting.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Don't See It.

An Insightful Observation

At some point during therapy
I brought up my grandfather

in a casual way, providing context

and I just started weeping

uncontrollably

I was totally caught off guard

told Maureen, through my sobs

"I don't know why this is happening,

it was a long time ago."

and she said

"I think we hit some scar tissue there."

Baseball

I don't love the game, never did

but going to the ballpark with my wife and dad

both of whom do, I can love the experience.

As my dad makes friends with the guy 

in front of us as they talk the Sox

as my wife cackles as the fans boo a former Cub

I don't love the game but I love what it can do.

'13 Lives' A Review

Thirteen Lives is a biographical drama/thriller about the Tham Luang cave rescue. The movie opens on the boys soccer team finishing their game and then heading to the cave prior to a party. When heavy rains trap them the difficult and protracted rescue mission begins. Through coordination(and gently cutting) between the Thai government, the Thai Navy, local volunteers, international volunteers, and a group of experienced cave divers the story unfolds. 

There are some big names in the cast, most notably the defacto "leads" played by Colin Farrell and Viggo Mortenson, but ultimately its an ensemble piece and to go even further it's not really about acting or a single performance in particular. Everyone does well but the focus, rightly, is on the events, the timeline, the trial-and-error, the various efforts. So, to talk about any "performance" specifically is a bit odd(as they, in essence, don't do much) and much of the movie takes place in a flooded cave.

Visually the look feels real and authentic, the diving scenes are extremely effective, the score is not particularly intrusive and works well to accent the ever building tension. The truth is the reality of the story is shocking, thrilling, and fascinating enough that a dramatization(extremely well done although it is) seems kind of redundant. Especially given the documentary The Rescue from late last year. 

A heartwarming thrill ride but perhaps unnecessary.

Currently streaming on Prime.

Stream It.

'A Love Song' A Review

 A Love Song is an indie drama about Faye(Dale Dicky) who is waiting at a campsite near the Rocky Mountains for her childhood friend Lito(Wes Studi).

Dicky has always been one of the best actor's of her generation but for the most part has been somewhat confined by "character" roles. Here she is onscreen virtually the entire run time, she's the lead, and she gives an incredibly real, soulful, nuanced, precise performance. As small and quiet(and moving) as the film is Dicky seems to expand, unfold, in a cosmic kind of way. Frances McDormand in Nomadland wishes she could convey 1/10 of what Dicky's doing here. Studi as well, a veteran and incredible "character" actor is given a realism and a scope to truly soar in this reserved but complex and deeply effecting piece. The supporting cast is limited but delicious and taken together it is so assured, so clear, so beautiful.

Shot on what appears to be grainy film stock(16mm maybe?) along with Faye's camper decor and the beautiful sweeping panoramic views there's an out-of-time quality that's really magical. The soundtrack is gorgeous with almost(or all) of it being diegetic- from Faye's trusty radio- and there's an incredible song from Dicky and Studi, easily one of the best scenes of the year. It's all simple but so so rich.

Small but powerful, life at it's most potent and pure.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

Don't Miss It. 

Modes Of Motion

walk or ride

pedal or drive

each their own pitfalls

each their own promise

each with things to teach

each its singular leisure

whatever the mode

find the groove

because every pleasure

has its price

'Nope' A Review

Nope is a scifi thriller about an alien encounter in and around the Haywood Ranch which specializes in horse wrangling for the film industry. The film opens in 1998 with a chimp attack on a sticom set, flashforward and OJ(Daniel Kaluuya) is working with his father Otis(Keith David) on the ranch when Otis is inexplicably killed by falling debris. In the wake of his death the ranch struggles and after additional strange occurrences OJ and his sister Em(Keke Palmer) attempt to catch the alien on film.

Kaluuya gives a grounded, dynamic performance. Absolutely owning the screen whenever he's on it. He's always had an ease on camera but as he's gotten older there's an inexplicable restrained grace, like an old Hollywood throwback like Paul Newman. He seems just wholly himself, wholly the character, and it's really compelling, magnetic. You can't take your eyes off him. And he exudes this pervasive sense of competence and comfort. Palmer also gives a dimensional turn but the character as written is kind of bafflingly shallow and combative. The characters contradictions and conflict are unnecessary and seem to pile on in a story already overstuffed with ideas but short on clarity of purpose. The supporting cast is wonderful but underutilized- Michael Wincott, Wrenn Schmidt, and Keith David- all have little to do and Steven Yeun's sub-plot is underdeveloped and vague to the point of incomprehension.

Visually delicious, the wide skies and desert is absolutely beautiful and it paints a broad back drop for the alien entity to flit around. All the horse work is great, a solid soundtrack with some thrilling needle drops, the craft and the production are immaculate it's just the script that falters. There are simply too many ideas going on, none of which are given the time to really coalesce, there are no real conclusions to draw, no clear allegory. There are some great set pieces, some great sequences, but emotionally it's too thin, overly intellectualized. 

Stunning production and an excellent cast can't overcome the fact that narratively it's reach exceeds it's grasp.

Currently in theaters coming soon to VOD.

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'Prey' A Review

Prey is a period scifi action movie, a prequel to the Predator franchise. In the Comanche nation in 1719 Naru(Amber Midthunder) a young healer aspires to become a hunter like her brother Taabe(Dakota Beavers). Hunting a big cat Naru encounters traces of a mysterious entity in the woods which she sets off to confront with her dog Sarii.

Midthunder gives a commanding lead performance, a nice follow up to her excellent supporting turn in Leigon, she is able to inhabit the action sequences with alacrity and balance that with a compelling character arc. Beavers also is solid, with great chemistry with Midthunder, and has one of the great fights of the movie, basically a solo stand off with the Predator. The supporting cast are equally grounded and the approach is almost like plopping the Predator into a period drama, it just works. The cast doesn't sacrifice emotion or depth in service to the action and as a result the action is more compelling.  

A beautiful setting with relatively limited CGI, a focus on practical effects and fight choreography, a subtle but persistent score, it all comes together in a really refreshing entertaining way, especially when compared to some of the ever-more-complicated sequels in the franchise. This is a return to basics and it is just what was needed to keep the franchise alive. Here the story is about people not about broadening the Predator mythology and that's something all of the movies save for the original got wrong. Ultimately, we don't particularly care about the Predator, we are interested by the ingenuity and ability of those people that face it. The only disappointment is that this would, unquestionably, have been even better on the big screen. 

A streamlined prequel that captures the spirit of the original and moves it forward.

Currently streaming on Hulu.

See It.

The Wok

Objects with utility
we call tools

with frequent use

and a certain perspective

tools can be companions

of a sort

I have made a new friend

and like any good relationship

it is full of learning

and effort

deepening with time