Pedro Almodóvar is one of the most acclaimed Spanish filmmakers of the modern era. An Academy Award winning screenwriter and a nominee for best director, Almodóvar worked from the bottom-up, starting out poor and making independent films reflective of Spain’s counter-culture.
Now, Almodóvar may be more established, but he still implements his signature indie style and personal narratives into his project. This is more apparent than ever before in his latest film “Pain & Glory,” which tells the story of a fictional movie director reflecting on his long life and prosperous career.
The autobiographical inferences are countless in “Pain & Glory,” as the film is not only about Spanish cinema, but also deals with family, friendship, and a middle-aged perspective on life—the last of which may especially hit home for Almodóvar, who just turned seventy this past week.
Photo / Sony Pictures Classics
Penelope Crúz joins Banderas for possible renaissance accolades
Leading the film’s strong Latinx cast featuring Penelope Crúz, Asier Etxeandia, and Leonardo Sbaraglia, it is Antonio Banderas, who might be on the verge a mini-renaissance due to his starring role in Netflix’s much anticipated “The Laundromat.”
Banderas’ performance in “Pain & Glory” has already received praise, winning him Best Actor at this year’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival. At the Festival, “Pain & Glory” also won the Cannes Soundtrack Award for composer Alberto Iglesias’ score and Almodóvar received nominations for the Palme d’Or and Queer Palm Awards.
Coming from Spain, “Pain & Glory” is of course entirely in Spanish—its original title is “Dolor y Gloria.” An English subtitled version will debut in the U.S. this Friday. Although foreign language films do not always prosper in American theaters, perhaps the star power and hype around “Pain & Glory” will make it stand out. It is an exciting film that could even get some Oscar recognition, but at the very least, it is a fascinating form of self-expression from one of Spain’s most celebrated filmmakers alive today.
Daring Satire? Or Comic Relief during not-so-funny times?
It seems pretty reliable that Taika Waititi’s Nazi-themed “Jojo Rabbit” will go down as the most daring satire to come out in 2019. With relatively heavy marketing and a recognizable name attached to it, it is also likely that “Jojo Rabbit” will draw in a large audience and become quite popular. After all, the movie has already earned a lot of buzz due to its success at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this month.
However, the film market is happily large enough to accommodate more than just one socially telling film per year, and because of that, there are more movies than just “Jojo Rabbit” coming out that attempt to provide social-commentary through humor.
Photo / IFC Films
One of these movies is “The Day Shall Come” from “Four Lions” director and writer Christopher Morris, starring the familiar Anna Kendrick and the virtually unknown Marchánt Davis. Shot in the Dominican Republic over the past couple years, this satirical film was kept under the radar through most of its production, but it had its premiere at the South By Southwest film festival earlier this year, and is now getting a wide release under IFC Films’ distribution.
“The Day Shall Come” is a hard film to summarize. Like Boots Riley’s “Sorry To Bother You” or Joe Talbot’s “The Last Black Man In San Francisco,” the movie communicates messages about many systemic issues in our society by using a wacky, borderline surreal narrative.
Marchánt Davis plays Moses, the poor black religious leader of an Israelite commune in south Florida. His eccentric and radical teachings eventually get attention from the FBI, who, instead of properly investigating or trying Moses for whatever crimes he may have committed, devise a plan to prey on his lack of privilege and secretly get him involved in actual crime. Under this plan, the bureau can justify bringing Moses down.
Little known flick tries to break through with humor
Anna Kendrick plays the young FBI agent that the bureau puts in control of this project. While Kendrick’s character is somewhat a voice of reason within the bureau, she is but a rookie, and thus is subject to the outrageous demands of her superior agents, a bunch of old white men that the film makes out to be oafish and incompetent.
So far, there have not been many ads for “The Day Shall Come.” Unfortunately, that may translate to not many people going to see it. However, the little amount of marketing that has gone around for the film sells it as, “a weaponized comedy about homeland security” that is “based on a hundred true stories.”
Going off of these taglines, “The Day Shall Come” evidently hits a number of timely subjects. No, Davis’ Moses is not a real person and the story of the FBI deceiving an Israelite commune in Miami is nothing but fiction. Nevertheless, the narrative is true in the sense that people in power actually do carry out some pretty outrageous acts in order to maintain control. In that sense, one may assume that movie may dabbles too far into the realm of ungrounded conspiracy theories, but rest assured, it does so only as a conscious allegorical hyperbole, a narrative technique meant to be taken symbolically and not literally.
Photo / IFC Films
Likewise, by calling the film “weaponized” and directly pointing out that the comedy comes at the expense of national security, it is clear that “The Day Shall Come” is an intentional protest movie. The film is rife with jabs against government officials and it is not subtle in the political message it is trying to send regarding the dangers of certain entities holding too much authority.
This straightforwardness does not take away from the movie’s overall complexity, though. After all, Moses and his commune come off just as crazy as the FBI does in the film. Therefore, despite the explicit satire, the final message remains ambiguous. Perhaps Morris is trying to champion the idea of giving power to the people, while also recognizing the complicatedness that comes with preserving some kind of order in a place as vastly populated and diverse as the United States.
So far, the movie has received mixed reactions from critics and audiences. Most everyone agrees that the movie is hilarious, but some may find it too overt or experimental. Overall, this is not actually too surprising. “The Day Shall Come” seems like a movie that was made for ambivalent reception, for it is not really meant to please everyone—it is meant to humor and inspire, and perhaps even teach the audience something between the lines and behind the laughs.
Natural Magic of the Unseen and Wonders beneath our feet
Louie
Schwartzberg’s documentaries have always had to do with
seeing the world through different lenses. From his independent shorts
“Mysteries of the Unseen World” and “Moving Art: Forests”
to his Disney-backed butterfly doc “Wings of Life,” Schwartzberg has been
opening audience’s eyes to visual beauties hidden in plain sight.
His latest film, “Fantastic Fungi” takes this motif to the next
level, as Schwartzberg not only uses his distinct visual style deliver a
message, but that message itself is actually about our world beneath the
surface and our minds beyond our senses.
The topic, of course, is mushrooms, or rather fungi of all sorts,
the plantlike organisms that sprout from the earth and extend beneath our feet
in all different directions. As Schwartzberg documents, fungi are of unparalleled
importance to the natural world, and if used correctly, they could also help
people improve their perception of life on the inside and out.
The movie starts out standard enough, with Schwartzberg’s signature
time-lapses, landscape shots, and animations illustrating the awesome lives of
mushrooms in the wild. Over interviews with ecologists, journalists,
nutritionists, and more, the film shows how fungi’s roots are all connected beneath
the surface, creating an enormous active network of billion-year-old ecological
information that humans only understand the very beginning of.
Fungi’s potential is thus unpredictable. The natural sophistication
of mushrooms could make them an inherent resource for health, sustainability,
medicine, nutrition, and more. Their relationship with people is a beautiful
example of humans not just learning about, but learning from a different form
of life in its untouched place on earth.
Despite the intriguing topic, though, this first part of the movie
still feels kind of like a simple National Geographic special or something cut
out of a “Planet Earth” episode. “Fantastic Fungi” really distinguishes itself
in its second and third acts. After Schwartzberg introduces us to fungi in the
wild, he then delves into the ways humans use the organism for their own
advantage.
Here, the film obviously looks at the ways mushrooms can be used as
food and medicine, but it also talks about the ways that fungi preserve water
and adapt efficiently, making them potentially valuable resources in creating
revolutionary environmental progress.
Additionally, the film digs into the psychedelic
aspects of mushroom consumption, interviewing mental health councilors and
patients who use fungi as therapeutic tools. This is where the film becomes
meta, as the experience of taking psychedelic mushrooms is meant to play with
perception and ultimately make people feel extra clam or enlightened.
Maybe there’s more to Fungi if we Become One with them?
Perhaps gratuitously, this raises the question of what it would be
like to watch “Fantastic Fungi” under the influence of these mushrooms. Certain
films, particularly movies with intricate colors or visuals, are known for
being extra interesting when watched on psychedelics. Because “Fantastic Fungi”
has some very cool, high-resolution visuals as well as an illuminating message,
one could expect that watching the film with a mushroom-tinted consciousness might
be a transcendent existential experience. Given the subject matter, we cannot
help but wonder whether or not this was aesthetically intentional all along.
The film was featured at the Maui Film Festival’s Celestial Cinema
screenings. Along with Louie Schwartzberg as the movie’s director, Brie
Larson narrates the film and Mark
Monroe of “Before the Flood” and “The Cove” wrote the screenplay.
Monroe has written many documentaries that have to do with environmentalism and
the human body, most notably perhaps the Oscar-winning “Icarus,” which started
as a film about athletic doping in Russia, but eventually escaladed into a political
thriller.
“Fantastic Fungi” looks like it will be leaving politics at the
doorstep, though. Except for maybe a brief conversations regarding the legality
of psychedelics, the film looks will probably be a happy and hopeful movie, one
that not only teaches us an interesting lesson in ecology, but like a mushroom
trip itself, will open up our minds to possibilities we never considered
before.
For the past eighty years, generations of Americans have grown up knowing the face of Judy Garland as the young Dorothy Gale in Victor Flemmings’ classic fantasy film “The Wizard of Oz.” Few, however, know the story of the actress after the cameras went off, after she tapped those ruby slippers together, returned home, and the credits rolled on her happy Kansas prairie ending.
English director Rupert Goold is finally shedding light on the actress’ career after “The Wizard of Oz” in his new biopic, “Judy.” Goold is best known for his work in theater—for which he has many more directorial credits than he does in film—and therefore, “Judy” is employing a certain theatricality to it, focusing on Garland’s life less as an actress, but more as an singer at London’s famous Talk of the Town nightclub.
The movie will be a period piece just as much as it will be a biopic, taking place in the late sixties, a flashy, spectacle of a time for London’s entertainment industry. Thematically, the movie looks like it will spend lots of time dealing with nostalgia, being a retro-story in its own right about the sixties while also focusing on Garland a full generation after “Oz” put her in the spotlight.
Helping create this nostalgic energy is production designer Kave Quinn of “Trainspotting” and “Woman in Black,” and costume designer Jany Temime of “Skyfall” and the Harry Potter franchise. Evidently, the movie’s aesthetics are in good hands.
In front of the camera, Academy Award winning actress Renèe Zellweger is playing the title character. The aged version of Garland featured in the movie is long past her prime. At the film’s point in her life, she has been married four times and she is trying to re-enter the spotlight for the sake of making enough money to stay with her children. The film’s 1968 setting also corresponds with the year before the actress died of a drug overdose. It is unclear whether or not the narrative will actually include the main character’s death, but regardless, it seems promising that given the timeline, it will not offer the most innocent portrait of Judy Garland.
Thankfully, Zellweger’s life and career is not as dark or intense as Garland’s was towards the end. Nevertheless, there is something fitting about this casting decision. It would be unfair to say that Zellweger’s career has gone downhill in recent years, but she certainly had a youthful peak in the late nineties and early two-thousands. The actress made a name for herself in 1996’s “Jerry McGuire” and in 2002 and 2003 respectively, the Academy nominated her for Best Actress for her performances in “Brigit Jones’ Diary” and “Chicago.” She then won Best Supporting Actress in 2004 for “Cold Mountain.”
Since then, she has done respectable and consistent work. But while her public image has successfully avoided any pitfalls, Zellweger has not really been talked about all that much in the present decade. She went from an up-and-coming star to just another working actress in the business. Maybe “Judy” will offer her a comeback. Either way, her current situation kind of makes her a perfect fit for playing an older Garland trying to bounce back after the height of her career.
In a current market where Freddy Mercury, Elton John, and Mötley Crüe are getting their own movies, Judy Garland is perhaps not the most expected subject for the next musical-themed biopic. However, it follows suit to a decent degree, and for fans of classical-era Hollywood or the bygone genre of show tune music, “Judy” may be a more appealing picture than any of these rock-and-roll flicks.
The movie may not exactly draw in young people at first, but audiences will naturally follow quality, so if the film is up to snuff, then it may introduce Garland to a whole new generation as more than just the blue-dressed girl from Kansas, but as a star who truly went over the rainbow, and crash-landed just south of the pot of gold.
Paolo Sorrentino is no stranger to creating stories about the culture of wealth in his country. Several of the Itlaian director’s movies, including the Oscar winning “The Great Beauty” (2013), focus on aristocratic men and the lavish lives they lead. However, Sorrentino’s latest movie, “Loro” seems to up the ante in this regard and deliver an in-depth look at the wild and crazy, yet true life of Silvio Berlusconi at the height of his unbelievable career.
Silvio Berlusconi is a billionaire businessman who, in the mid-2000s, served as Prime Minister of Italy. As a businessman and as a politician, he was egocentric, extravagant, and above all, rich. And he wasn’t afraid to show it either. As Sorrentino’s film will show, he filled his life with parties, women, and luxuries beyond the scope of most mortal men.
“Loro” aims to capture Berlusconi’s excessive lifestyle not only though narrative, but also through form and style. From the marketing alone, one can already tell that ornate set designs, infectious music, and loud energy fill this movie to the gills. Sorrentino is also reuniting with his signature cinematographer, Luca Bigazzi, who for “Loro,” seems to employ a technique of broken symmetry and jarring light, perhaps representing the zaniness that was Berlusconi.
Almost reliably, though, behind every story of wealth and rambunctiousness is a deeper layer of corruption, investigation, and deceit. Berlusconi’s story is no exception. The Loro, after all, refers to a group of fellow Italian businessmen and politicians who surrounded Berlusconi, aiding the man while also trying to get closer to the seat of power.
The movie will focus in particular on Sergio Morra, a sex-trafficker who manipulated and took advantage of Berlusconi as a client. It is but one example of the way lies and exploitation crept into Berlusconi’s eccentric little circle and those closest to him turned against him.
Trump Comparisons Inevitable?
Don’t paint Berlusconi as the victim just yet, though. Of course, the same also occurred the other way around. While Berlusconi served as the Prime Minister, he constantly—weather in material or symbolic ways—acted hedonistically, using his power and influence for jobs and treats that were not always in the country’s best interest. He acted similarly as a businessman, having huge control over Italian media to shape the ways people saw the country while he was in office.
For modern American viewers, this begs the question of weather or not “Loro” is meant to be a Trump analogy. The film is not American-made, but it will be getting an American release on September 20th. It will be a challenge for contemporary audiences to watch the story of Berlusconi, a businessman turned politician, and not think of the current man in the oval office. The Trump administration and American politics may not be as blatantly scandalous or sexy as the Italian scene, but intension aside, perhaps the movie will still be able to resonate on multiple levels.
Silvio Berlusconi has been the subject of several documentaries and feature films over the years, but never in such a forward fashion or from such an established director. With a two-and-a-half-hour runtime, “Loro” is bound to be an exciting and enlightening experience. Let’s hope that the audiences can keep up.
It may not be clear on the surface, but the Rambo franchise has traditionally been one of the most politically timely franchises in American movies. Behind all of the action, violence, and testosterone, the four Slyvester Stallone-starring movies all have narratives that match senses of American morale at the time of their respective releases.
The series’ original trilogy came out during the Reagan administration and their depiction of American heroism very much fit the kind of national mythos that the country pined for at the time. 1982’s “First Blood” showed Rambo returning from Vietnam. While it showcased the vulnerabilities of Vietnam veterans in America, it more potently reaffirmed these vets as tough, hard-bodied war heroes.
The 1985 sequel then gave Rambo the chance to go back to Vietnam and rescue stranded POWs, rewriting America’s military failures as victories. Once again, it fit in with Reagan’s hyper-nationalistic vision of the country. “Rambo III” then took the character to Afghanistan and showed him as more of an aggressor. Nonetheless, the film depicted this aggression in a positive light, once again paralleling Reagan’s sense of America’s purpose in the world, and specifically its actions during the Soviet-Afghan War.
Then, the late 2008 sequel, simply titled “Rambo,” again showed Rambo rescuing Americans from foreign enemies. While a long way off from the Reagan administration, Rambo’s 2008 return was still timely, as it was fit for a post-9/11 America that perhaps yearned for 1980s-style Hollywood protagonists to come back and depict uncompromising, triumphant heroics on the screen. After all, this was the same decade that also saw the return of Indiana Jones, “Die Hard’s” John McClane, and Rocky.
The character’s history and its alignment with American politics then raises the question—why is Rambo coming back in 2019?
It has been over eleven years since Stallone last played Rambo. Now he is saddling up the guns, knives, bows, and arrows for what seems like the last time in “Rambo: Last Blood.” Rumors of a fifth installment to the franchise date back to 2010, when Millennium Films hinted at a sequel to their 2008 movie. Setbacks and wrong turns, however, have delayed the project until now.
So far, every Rambo movie in the franchise has had a new director—Stallone himself directed the 2008 installment. For “Last Blood,” those reigns have been handed off to Adrian Grunberg, an up-and-coming filmmaker who has far more assisting credits to his name than his three directorial titles. However, he likely has good source material to guide him, for Stallone and Matthew Cirulnick wrote the screenplay.
Plot-wise, “Last Blood” will focus on the aged John Rambo (even more aged than he was in 2008) rescuing his niece, who has been kidnapped by Mexican Cartel. It sounds quite similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1985 “Commando” and Liam Neeson’s Taken movies, employing the father-daughter (or in this case uncle-niece) kidnap and rescue trope. This convention is not a negative one necessarily. In fact it has produced some very good movies. Nevertheless, it has been done many times before.
At the same time, Last Blood also looks like it will mix up expectations a little by adding a dash of Western influence into its action narrative. Most of the movie is likely to take place in Mexico and the trailer shows Rambo living on a desert ranch, riding horses to the tune of a country remix of Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road.”
After all, Rambo has always been a bit of a cowboy hero for a newer generation. Like Henry Fonda’s Wyatt Earp or John Wayne’s Ethan Edwards, Stallone’s Rambo is a loner, deadest on justice in an unjust society. Perhaps the version of Rambo we will see in “Last Blood” will be closer to Wayne’s Rooster Cogburn, though, the old cowboy who resurfaces for one final job in 1969’s “True Grit.”
Still, the original question remains—why is Rambo coming back now? And what kind of America will he be fighting for this time around?
Hitting a Nerve or Missing the Mark?
Despite how platitudinous of a statement it may be, America is very divisive at the moment, likely more so than when Rambo debuted during the Reagan administration or even than when he returned in the Bush years. What exactly is worth fighting for is not agreed upon across the country. Therefore, the larger socio-political interpretations of Rambo’s contemporary motivations will be harder to place.
Among the “Last Blood’s” themes will probably be revenge and redemption, as well as service, family, and pride. In today’s America, though, none of these terms are one-track, uniform signifiers. They have different definitions based on who you are talking to and what you are talking about. American mythos comes in many different forms, and Hollywood may be left-leaning when it comes to the stories it produces, but Rambo has traditionally been a red-blooded hero.
Nevertheless, it is not as if Rambo was walking around in the previous four movies with Reagan-Bush stickers pinned on his chest and anti-democrat slogans stitched on his sleeves. Politics were rarely made explicit in the films, and such interpretations, naturally, are voiced after the movie is finished and released to the general public.
Realistically, it is more likely that Rambo is coming back in 2019 because he is a valuable piece of intellectual property and studios want to capitalize on the retro-hero turned badass old-timer fad popularized by Hugh Jackman in “Logan” and Jamie Lee Curtis in “Halloween”.
Likewise, Stallone made a splashing comeback when he reprised Rocky in the Creed franchise, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. If he can still play Rocky to perfection after forty years, then why shouldn’t he be able to play Rambo?
Of course, no movie will ever be free from ideology, but “Last Blood” was, no doubt, made more with entertainment and marketability in mind than social commentary. After all, most people remember the Rambo movies not for their theoretical significance, but for their characterization, action, and excitement. In the end, there will be many ways to read “Rambo: Last Blood,” and they should be explored within the context of the franchise’s legacy.
For now, though, choosing to close the film theory and history books and simply enjoy the movie as good old, popcorn entertainment is viable, and quite possibly, the most appealing option.
On September 13th, director John Crowley releases his sixth feature film, a Warner Brothers and Amazon Studios adaptation of Donna Tartt’s 2014 Pulitzer Prize winning novel, “The Goldfinch”. The film, which goes by the same title as the book, will be Crowley’s first film since his 2015 indie hit “Brooklyn” and it will star an impressive cast including Ansel Elgort, Nicole Kidman, Finn Wolfhard, and Luke Wilson.
In addition to all of this talent on screen, there is a lot to be excited about behind the camera as well. The film’s two trailers show off a uniquely warm aesthetic through production design and costumes.
It is therefore no surprise that the film has some very exceptional individuals working in those departments. K.K. Barret, who received an Oscar nomination for creating the intricate world of Spike Jonez’s “Her”, is spearheading production design on “The Goldfinch”, and Kasia Walicka-Maimone, whose wardrobe work appeared prevalently in “Moonrise Kingdom” and “Ready Player One”, is leading costume design.
On top of these two astounding professionals creating the look of “The Goldfinch”, their work will be captured on camera by none other than Roger Deakins, the Oscar winning cinematographer behind “Blade Runner 2049”, “Skyfall”, and “No Country For Old Men”. All narrative aside, it is safe to assume that “The Goldfinch” will be a spectacular visual experience.
However, narrative cannot go un-noted when it comes to cinema, especially when the film in question is an adaptation of a renowned book. The two trailers seem to offer different versions of the same story about a boy who loses his mother in a museum explosion and grows up in the grieving shadow of this event.
The first trailer depicts the story as a straightforward coming-of-age family-drama, but the second trailer throws in hints of suspense, with scenes of the main character being questioned by authorities and withholding secrets about what is presumably a stolen piece of art.
Obviously, the movie is not trying to be any particular drama, and given that the screenplay comes from “Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy”, “The Snowman”, and “Frank” screenwriter Peter Straughan, “The Goldfinch” is bound to be narratively distinctive.
It thus feels like no risk to preemptively label “The Goldfinch” an art film. Although it was made on a somewhat lofty $40 million budget and has had more marketing than most indie flicks, it is far from a guaranteed blockbuster. If anything, it could be deemed Oscar-bait, but let’s not jump to Academy-anchored conclusions just yet.
Just because the film is based off of a revered novel and has emotionally charged trailers does not mean that it will find immense critical acclaim. It runs the risk of not living up to its source material, and also must beware of becoming emotionally overcharged or sappy. Consider films such as “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” or “Cloud Atlas”, both of which seemed like promising adaptations of acclaimed books with stellar casts and crew.
The outcomes, however, were somewhat underwhelming for a number of reasons—emotional and artistic over-saturation being just a couple of them. In total, Warner Brothers and Amazon Studios are taking in a big, juicy, tender bite by adapting “The Goldfinch”, hopefully they have the teeth to chew it and the stomach to handle it in a satisfying way.
New Trailer is a hit on YouTube and Twitter: Fans are Talking Oscars…
Joaquin Phoenix's performance in #JokerMovie is nothing short of Oscar-worthy. He fully commits to the role mentally and physically. Todd Phillips delivered a game-changing comic book film, and I cannot wait to see it again. #Jokerpic.twitter.com/cnrL9bsdR2
First, there was a Standing Ovation that clocked-in, reportedly, at over eight minutes. Now, tweets and reviews are gushing out with nothing but raves for the film, it’s director and star. It appears that the promise that could clearly be seen in the two trailers released so far (see above and below) has carried over, with a big bang, into the reaction to the full length film.
As one surveys the two trailers, so far released for the upcoming “Joker” origin-story from Warner Brothers, there is a sense that this is an epic not easily categorized within the Comic-Book movie genre.
Starring Joaquin Phoenix (Oscar nominee for “Walk the Line”, “The Master” and “Gladiator”), directed and co-written by Todd Phillips (“Borat” and “The Hangover Trilogy”) and with Robert De Niro (as TV host Murray Franklin), the focus on how Arthur Fleck becomes “Joker” screams a muted, uneasy tension, that’s oozing from every pixel revealed so far.
In “Joker”, Batman’s Gotham City is a cesspool of dirt and depravity where Arthur appears doomed to live and die encircled with nothing but depression and humiliation. Mentally Ill and mercilessly tortured by the “sane” members of society all around him, he finds some respite in his chosen career of clown-for-hire and hopeful comedian wannabe by night.
We are all Clowns, Echoes of Antifa and Guy Fawkes
The potential for the story to transcend the genre of Comic book heroes and villains is hinted at in the placard with the words “we are all clowns” scrawled on it, that can be seen in a flash, about halfway through the new trailer (above).
Followed by scenes showing mobs of clown-mask-wearing demonstrators / rioters (shades of anonymous, Guy Fawkes, Antifa and Hong Kong), there’s an implication that an anti-social movement is growing up around, and identifying with, the anger and twisted humor of the emerging “Joker” super-villain character.
Joker (2019)Reviews:
IGN: 10/10 Variety: 5/5 Hollywood Reporter (THR): 4.5/5 Empire Magazine: 10/10 Total Film Magazine: 10/10 Collider: 9/10 Forbes: 10/10 L.A Times: 4/5 Guardian: 5/5 Daily Telegraph (UK): 5/5#Joker#JokerMoviepic.twitter.com/YqWn2H1o4Z
The real life parallels in the fictional world of Gotham City and the way many could relate, after having suffered similar fates to those that produced the madness into which Arthur descends, are scary, already in previews, and could portend a film that is, not only horrifically entertaining, but thought provoking when seen in the shadows of current events and today’s zeitgeist.
In the wake of so many “uplifting” but heavily computer assisted films where Comic book superheroes battle cartoon villains (and each other) the emphasis on live action grit and human emotions and failings is, at first look, refreshing and terrifying (in an interesting way), an that seems to have hit a nerve with the general public, well before the first public screening of the film.
Once the reviews flood out this weekend, after the Venice Film Festival World Premiere, the question of, to what degree the full length feature will live up to the promise encapsulated in these first two trailers, will have at least a provisional answer.
There will be before Joker. And there will be after Joker. I don't know if the world is ready for this movie. Or maybe it is? It is GNARLY. It is crazy. It is audacious. It doesn't hold back. Wow. I can't believe it exists. But it does. And it's coming.
In the meantime we can just watch and re-watch these tender tidbits and prepare for October 4, 2019, when the film will see wide release across the USA.
New Trailer is a hit on YouTube and Fans are Talking Oscars…
First, there was a Standing Ovation that clocked-in, reportedly, at over eight minutes. Now, critics at the Venice Film Festival, where the world premiere took place last night, have had nothing but raves for the film, it’s director and star. It appears that the promise that could clearly be seen in the two trailers released so far (see above and below) has carried over, with a big bang, into the reaction to the full length film.
As one surveys the two trailers, so far released for the upcoming “Joker” origin-story from Warner Brothers, there is a sense that this is an epic not easily categorized within the Comic-Book movie genre.
Starring Joaquin Phoenix (Oscar nominee for “Walk the Line”, “The Master” and “Gladiator”), directed and co-written by Todd Phillips (“Borat” and “The Hangover Trilogy”) and with Robert De Niro (as TV host Murray Franklin), the focus on how Arthur Fleck becomes “Joker” screams a muted, uneasy tension, that’s oozing from every pixel revealed so far.
In “Joker”, Batman’s Gotham City is a cesspool of dirt and depravity where Arthur appears doomed to live and die encircled with nothing but depression and humiliation. Mentally Ill and mercilessly tortured by the “sane” members of society all around him, he finds some respite in his chosen career of clown-for-hire and hopeful comedian wannabe by night.
We are all Clowns, Echoes of Antifa and Guy Fawkes
The potential for the story to transcend the genre of Comic book heroes and villains is hinted at in the placard with the words “we are all clowns” scrawled on it, that can be seen in a flash, about halfway through the new trailer (above).
Followed by scenes showing mobs of clown-mask-wearing demonstrators / rioters (shades of anonymous, Guy Fawkes, Antifa and Hong Kong), there’s an implication that an anti-social movement is growing up around, and identifying with, the anger and twisted humor of the emerging “Joker” super-villain character.
The real life parallels in the fictional world of Gotham City and the way many could relate, after having suffered similar fates to those that produced the madness into which Arthur descends, are scary, already in previews, and could portend a film that is, not only horrifically entertaining, but thought provoking when seen in the shadows of current events and today’s zeitgeist.
In the wake of so many “uplifting” but heavily computer assisted films where Comic book superheroes battle cartoon villains (and each other) the emphasis on live action grit and human emotions and failings is, at first look, refreshing and terrifying (in an interesting way), an that seems to have hit a nerve with the general public, well before the first public screening of the film.
Once the reviews flood out this weekend, after the Venice Film Festival World Premiere, the question of, to what degree the full length feature will live up to the promise encapsulated in these first two trailers, will have at least a provisional answer.
In the meantime we can just watch and re-watch these tender tidbits and prepare for October 4, 2019, when the film will see wide release across the USA.
New Trailer is a hit on YouTube and Fans are Talking Oscars…
As one surveys the two trailers so far released for the upcoming “Joker” origin story from Warner Brothers, there is a sense that this is an epic not easily categorized within the Comic-Book movie genre. Starring Joaquin Phoenix (Oscar nominee for “Walk the Line”, “The Master” and “Gladiator”) and directed and co-written by Todd Phillips (“Borat” and “The Hangover Trilogy”) with Robert De Niro, the focus on how Arthur Fleck becomes “Joker” screams a muted, uneasy tension, that’s oozing from every pixel revealed so far.
In “Joker”, Batman’s Gotham City is a cesspool of dirt and depravity where Arthur appears doomed to live and die encircled with nothing but depression and humiliation. Mentally Ill and mercilessly tortured by the “sane” members of society all around him, he finds some respite in his chosen career of clown-for-hire and hopeful comedian wannabe by night.
We are all Clowns, Echoes of Antifa and Guy Fawkes
The potential for the story to transcend the genre of Comic book heroes and villains is hinted at in the placard with the words “we are all clowns” scrawled on it, that can be seen in a flash, about halfway through the new trailer (above).
Followed by scenes showing mobs of clown-mask-wearing demonstrators / rioters (shades of anonymous, Guy Fawkes, Antifa and Hong Kong), there’s an implication that an anti-social movement is growing up around, and identifying with, the anger and twisted humor of the emerging “Joker” super-villain character.
The real life parallels in the fictional world of Gotham City and the way many could relate, after having suffered similar fates to those that produced the madness into which Arthur descends, are scary, already in previews, and could portend a film that is, not only horrifically entertaining, but thought provoking when seen in the shadows of current events and today’s zeitgeist.
In the wake of so many “uplifting” but heavily computer assisted films where Comic book superheroes battle cartoon villains (and each other) the emphasis on live action grit and human emotions and failings is, at first look, refreshing and terrifying (in an interesting way), an that seems to have hit a nerve with the general public, well before the first public screening of the film.
Once the reviews flood out this weekend, after the Venice Film Festival World Premiere, the question of, to what degree the full length feature will live up to the promise encapsulated in these first two trailers, will have at least a provisional answer.
In the meantime we can just watch and re-watch these tender tidbits and prepare for October 4, 2019, when the film will see wide release across the USA.
Based on a graphic novel, The Kitchen refers to the infamous Hell’s Kitchen on the West edge of Midtown in New York City, a perfect setting for an Irish working class mob story taking place during the 70’s.
Starring Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish and Elisabeth Moss, the cast and the 70s crime drama concept make for high expectations. It was written and directed by Andrea Berloff, who received an Oscar nomination for original screenplay for “Straight Outta Compton”.
Melissa McCarthy, also an Oscar nominee, although best known for her comedic roles, takes on the challenge of transcending her roots in a deep dive into more dramatic fare. Elisabeth Moss, after her success in both “Madmen” and “The Handmaids Tale” brings her resume to bear. Playing housewives who are married to mobster husbands, all languishing behind bars, they choose to take matters, literally, into their own hands in their absence.
Photo / Warner Brothers
The Verdict is…Wrong?
Reviewers have not been kind. The film has received any number of clever criticisms, from cooking metaphors to polyester put downs, most of which all fault the writer / director for not making the most of the cast and concept.
Our take is that this will do better than the reviews would indicate, although the phenomenon is hardly unique, even “The Lion King” was panned by many scribes before going on to break box office records across the globe.
The mob genre with a female twist, though not exactly unheard of, is thoughtfully explored, and the 70s look and feel are not miles off from “Taxi Driver” or “The French Connection” at least in capturing the era with superficial accuracy, if not the caliber of filmmaking.
The trailer above can give enough of a taste of what the film has to offer, for those considering a night out to see it in a theater, or want a preview to stream at a later date, can surely make an informed decision. I’d say yes on this one.
“Serious Journalist”, a phrase that, these days, almost seems like an oxymoron. “Investigative Reporter”, where have those all gone?
According to the New York Post, over 500 daily newspapers went out of business between 1970 and 2016. More recently, between January, 2017 and April 2018, one third of the largest newspapers in the US reported layoffs. Buzzfeed and Huffington Post among other “new media” outlets reported massive layoffs in 2017, 2018 and again in February of this year.
The Huffington Post, as just one example among many, paid most writers “nothing” for years and, although they had ad revenue of tens of millions of dollars in 2018, nevertheless, failed to show a profit.
For any of us in the current generation, all of this seems like old news. Yet, with all that is going on in the world, and facing down a, hopefully, longer future to endure within it, we should look to the past, even what seems like ancient history, to recapture a thread to what may have been lost, and to what a lone individual with “balls and a heart” can do. Mike Wallace was one such individual.
“We are, for the first time in modern history, facing the prospect of how societies would exist without reliable news”
Alan Rusbridger, The Guardian, editor-in-chief
In 2012 we lost a man who virtually defined both “serious journalist” and “investigative reporter” and all of us, in the media and the general public, would do well to look back at who Mike Wallace was, and what he did during his 93 years. Although rightfully revered, Woodward and Bernstein’s famous story of taking on the corrupt Nixon administration during the Watergate scandal was not the only blueprint for investigative storytelling that had the informative power to move the masses.
The truth hurts, as the saying goes. And it hurts more when you are a corrupt politician or a business mogul submersed in your own greed and lust for power.
Today’s world and future generations would be well served to view “Mike Wallace is Here” as a time-capsule showing what freedom of the press and the power of the Fourth Estate can produce in a country to attempts to practice democratic principles.
Could we see a Zuckerberg or a Bezos or a Trump or Trump supporter in Congress holding up well in an interview with Mike Wallace? Is there a modern equivalent of a interviewer or reporter who at once holds the power of his popularity, as a carrot to entice an interviewee to submit to an interview, and yet wields the stick of truth and is not afraid to use it? Or do we at least still comprehend the concept?
Sadly, no, and this points to how the release of this movie should really be seen: as a clarion call to current and future generations, to educate themselves on how it is possible to have the balls to stand up to greed, power and, yes, evil.
Spider-Man? Iron Man? This film should be seen and promoted as a Super Hero movie about the real world. Mike Wallace was not a perfect person. He was known to be a tough, cantankerous workaholic up to the very end. But his more than fifty years of standing up for principles of truth and the positive power of the press the affect change, amount to a legacy of which even Iron Man could be proud.
It was Wallace, who, at his peak, on 60 minutes in the 60s and 70s, could confront a scoundrel in an interview and change waves public perception in an instant, outing the evil and the corrupt.
Clash of Corporate Interests, and One Man Standing Up
The Oscar-winning movie “The Insider” has a sequence showing the last vestiges of this power as Wallace, played by Christopher Plummer in the film, clashes with the corporate heads of CBS who want to block his plan to air an interview with whistle blower Jeffrey Wigand, played by Russell Crowe, who gave an on-air interview where he exposed some of the tobacco industry’s darkest secrets.
Although Wallace said he hated the film, primarily as it depicted him as not standing up enough against the top brass at CBS regarding the story’s airing, it shows his unflinching, abrasive style when the truth was on the line. His career was a master class in taking risks in order to change opinions about injustices perpetrated by evil men and women, and as a result, changing minds and a small part of the world. The Wigand interview finally aired on February 4, 1996, after a protracted battle to prevent it from being shown.
The tobacco industry eventually had to pay for at least some of it’s misconduct, but in retrospect, the media was already losing it’s power to use investigation and information to affect change and expose corruption.
This all seems like ancient history, with Russian fake news hackers electing presidents, people thinking of facebook as a source of “real” information, and the idea of a journalist having the ability to fight evil, using little more than a well timed, provocative live interview, seems like science fiction.
This film “Mike Wallace is Here” may not win an Oscar, but should be seen by anyone wanting to observe a master at work, standing up to anyone and everyone that crossed his path. And how Wallace used nerve and cunning to expose the truth, often at the expense of the truly corrupt and pernicious.
“Mike Wallace is Here” is scheduled for US release on July, 26, 2019.
Summary from IMDB:
For over half a century, “60 Minutes” fearsome newsman Mike Wallace went head-to-head with the world’s most influential figures. Relying exclusively on archival footage, the film interrogates the interrogator, tracking Mike’s storied career and troubled personal life while unpacking how broadcast journalism evolved to today’s precarious tipping point.
With Buzz Building, Hits Theaters October 4th The teaser trailer starts with an aggressively contemporary drone shot of a city. Gotham City? The Batman / Joker origin story trailer propels us into a violent little world of classic cinema references. And then, the tide turns, and we see gritty, dirty streets and an isolated protagonist … Continue reading The Joker Trailer References Scorsese & Chaplin→
News: Climate Solutions, AI, Books, Entertainment and more
