Baby Driver (2017)

I'm a fan of Edgar Wright's work, but Baby Driver was a movie that caught me by surprise.  Judging from the advertising alone, I was convinced it was a generic heist movie, and thought nothing more of it.  After a while, I kept hearing more and more about how great it was, and finally decided to see for myself.  I was pleasantly rewarded for taking that chance, and will never doubt Edgar Wright again.
Baby Driver centers itself around the tale of a young, yet gifted getaway driver (played by Ansel Elgort) who calls himself Baby, appropriately enough.  While he enjoys driving, Baby wants to escape his secret life of crime after one last job, but his boss Doc (Kevin Spacey) is intent on keeping him under his thumb.  As the story progresses, Baby falls for Deborah, a local waitress (Lily James), which causes trouble for just about everyone.
I make no exaggeration when I say that this film will likely be studied by future film students.  There are some incredible stunt driving sequences, whip smart dialogue, a delightful attention to colour, and some of the best editing I've seen on screen in a long time.
These elements alone are enough to make Baby Driver a classic, but the soundtrack is what will solidify it into your memory.  Baby is a character with a deep connection to music, and as such, there is barely a moment that goes by that isn't punctuated with some sort of music.  This isn't simply music for music's sake, either.  It's clear that this soundtrack was very carefully curated, and has enough variety to suit any taste in music.  The songs featured range from The Beach Boys to Young MC to Simon and Garfunkel, and not one feels out of place.  The songs serve to enhance the action as well as add some extra emotional context for the characters.
Speaking of character, Baby Driver has a wealth of talent from start to finish.  Ansel Elgort's acting is reserved, but perfectly attuned to the other personalities in this film.  It helps that this rising star has some excellent backup in the supporting cast.  Lily James plays a perfect girl next door, with Eiza Gonzalez as Darling, her criminal opposite.  Jon Hamm plays the mercurial Buddy, who steals a fair number of scenes with his simmering performance.  Finally, Kevin Spacey ties everything together as the fatherly and tyrannical crime boss.
With Baby Driver, Edgar Wright has combined eye-popping action, an impressive soundtrack and an extremely memorable cast to make a film that will be remembered long after it's gone from the big screen.   

Read This! - Symmetry (Vol. 1)

In today's age of technology, we all like to be connected to our devices, whether it's at work, at home, or even in our cars.  But what if this connectivity was something we had from birth?  This is the starting point of Symmetry, written by Matt Hawkins and illustrated by Raffaele Ienco.
Symmetry tells a story very similar to Brave New World, in which the world's population is kept heavily medicated and connected to their AI system at all times.  The people are also a homogenous society, even to the point that all races are kept completely separate.  When disaster strikes and disconnects a small segment of people from their AI system, a man named Michael discovers Maricela, the first black woman he's ever seen.  The two fall in love while working together to survive the new terrors of life without AI assistance.  Meanwhile, the administrators of this 'utopia' race to rebuild their society under the guidance of a mysterious AI whose ultimate aims are unknown.
Co-creator Raffaele Ienco illustrates this book with clean lines and sharp colours, but the main attraction here is the storytelling of Matt Hawkins.  While it starts out simple enough, there are a lot of complex ideas under the surface here.  Symmetry deals with ideas of segregation, morality, and our relationship with technology.  While I personally was hoping for something a little more complex, it appears that Symmetry's story does unfold further in following chapters.  Hawkins and Ienco have mixed elements from sources like Brave New World, The Matrix, and the long-term thinking of Frank Herbert's Dune novels to deliver an interesting take on the sci-fi dystopia genre.  Go check it out for yourself today at The Gauntlet Comics and Games!

Alien: Covenant (2017)

Alien: Covenant, the follow-up to Prometheus (2012) begins with a disaster on board the colony ship Covenant, bound for a new and distant planet.  Many of the colonists and crew are killed, but there is a glimmer of hope in the discovery of a much closer Earth-like planet.  The crew decide to examine the planet closer, and make some startling discoveries.  After some horrifically disastrous contact with a dangerous alien spore, the Covenant's crew are taken in by the android David (Michael Fassbender), last survivor of the Prometheus.  The crew discovers that in his time on the planet, David has become something of a Dr. Moreau type, experimenting with the title creatures and refining them into the fearsome killing machines we see in later films.  After this point, the movie follows some familiar patterns, as the crew on the planet fight to survive while the others still aboard the Covenant desperately try to make contact with them.
As befits Ridley Scott's return to the Alien franchise, Alien: Covenant contains a good helping of thrills and tension, as well as a few gruesome shock scenes.  While the crew of the Covenant don't have the deepest characters in cinema, there is enough detail to make them distinctive and memorable.  In particular, I enjoyed watching Daniels (Katherine Waterston), who seems built for a crisis situation, and shares many personality traits with the more famous Ellen Ripley.  Also notable is acting-captain Tennessee (Danny McBride), who goes through a range of emotions over the course of the movie.  Finally, Michael Fassbender gives a very impressive performance, playing both David and the Covenant's android crew member Walter.  Although the two characters are essentially the same, Fassbender plays them with enough variation that they appear different in subtle ways.
The visual effects are about what's to be expected for an Alien film, although it does seem to lean a little more on the side of CGI effects over the physical element.  That being said, it makes the scary moments no less scary for it.  This atmosphere is helped along by the moody, synthetic sounding score of Jed Kurzel.
There are some philosophical and religious undertones to Covenant, but they seem to serve as a framework that the film is built on rather than communicating any sort of deeper message. (apart from the obvious 'don't play God' themes)  This is a welcome relief and contrast from the uproar Prometheus caused in some political/religious groups back in 2012.
If you were to ask me if Alien: Covenant is a good movie, I'd say yes.  However, if you were to ask me if it's better than Alien, I would question the reasoning of your comparison.  The fact is, there is never going to be another movie that matches the tone and style that Alien created, as much as some fans might want that.  Alien: Covenant is a good piece of sci-fi horror, and an interesting addition to the Alien canon.  Of course, if you'd rather just see Alien again, I suggest you stay home and let other people enjoy the movie.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

The movie that got us all 'hooked on a feeling' in 2014 is back!  This time around Peter 'Star Lord' Quill (Chris Pratt) and friends find themselves on the run from a golden-skinned race known as the Sovereigns after they discover a small theft by Rocket (Bradley Cooper).  During the chase, they are rescued by a mysterious man known as Ego (Kurt Russell) who reveals himself to be Peter's father.  The Guardians are invited to his home planet, where we discover his surprising motivations for searching out his son.  Meanwhile, Yondu (Michael Rooker) and his space-pirate crew the Ravagers have fallen on hard times, resulting in an internal power struggle.  Eventually Yondu's crew catches up with the Guardians, but by this time, their situation has changed dramatically.  Banding together for the greater good, the Guardians, along with Yondu and Nebula (Karen Gillan) face off against an unexpected villain in a fight that will determine the safety of the entire galaxy!
As is expected with any Marvel film, Guardians Vol 2 is full of eye candy, from the excellent makeup to the outstanding visual effects.  Thankfully, the quality of writing is just as good as the effects.  Every character gets a good amount of screen time.  Peter and Gamora (Zoe Saldana) continue their indecisive attempts at romance, Rocket and baby Groot (Vin Diesel) get numerous chances to explode people, and Drax (Dave Bautista) begins to understand the nature of love, as well as having some of the funniest moments in the movie.  I also appreciate that this sequel put a spotlight on the 'villains' from the first instalment, giving them some very complex new depth of character.
It would be irresponsible of me to talk about a Guardians film without discussing the soundtrack.  Once again, the music is made up of various hits and one-hit-wonders of the disco era, but something about this soundtrack doesn't feel quite the same.  It still has some very well chosen songs for the big moments, but overall, it doesn't seem nearly as vibrant or memorable as the first movie.  After some reflection, I think this has something to do with the context of the first film.  Guardians of the Galaxy started from a deep emotional place, which imprints itself on an audience very strongly.  As well, the first film was our introduction to these characters we now love, so those musical moments become even more ingrained in our unconscious, much in the same way we associate John Williams's Imperial March with Darth Vader, for instance.
As is the case with any Marvel movie, there is a small collection of post-credit sequences.  A few of them are chuckle-worthy, but unless you're well-versed in Marvel comics lore, there's not much worth sticking around for.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is full of action, laughs and adventure.  But more than this, it has a serious emotional story to tell.  Ultimately, it's a story about family.  We don't get to choose our relatives, but we do get to choose who we call our family.  Guardians explains this to us in a very clear and poetic way, and is a big reason I think it improves on the original.  If you're a fan of the original, or just like Marvel movies in general, I highly recommend you see this while it's still in theatres!

The First Three - Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (2016)

Produced by Netflix and BBC America, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency chronicles the strange investigations of the title character (Samuel Barnett), and his unwilling assistant Todd (Elijah Wood).  The disarmingly friendly Dirk Gently differs from most detectives in that he uses a 'holistic' method of investigations.  In practice, this means that he doesn't interview witnesses or look for clues.  He simply goes about his business until he inevitably stumbles onto whatever clue unlocks the entire mystery.  He meets Todd under some very bizarre circumstances, and decides Todd will be his new assistant; the Watson to his Holmes, as it were.  Todd wants nothing to do with Dirk initially, but circumstances keep causing the two to cross paths, so Todd eventually resigns to his sidekick role.  At the same time, another pair of real detectives, Zimmerfield and Estevez (Richard Schiff and Neil Brown Jr.) are trailing Dirk and Todd, since the pair seem to be connected to some very bizarre cold cases.   Meanwhile, across the country, electrician/part time hacker Ken (Mpho Koaho) is abducted by 'holistic' killer Bart Curlish (Fiona Dourif).  Her life's mission is to kill Dirk Gently, even though the two have never crossed paths.  Dirk and Todd spend their time solving bizarre mysteries and avoiding death/capture, while the rest follow the trail they've left, in an exciting and strangely funny series.
For a series this unusual, the writing has to be spot on to keep the tone consistent, and it doesn't disappoint.  The writers have a clear appreciation for the original Douglas Adams novels.  The dialogue and plotting has all the earmarks of Adams's work, from silly arguments over semantics to odd speech patterns and out-of-the-blue weirdness.  The mysteries themselves are densely layered, but manage to have surprisingly coherent solutions in spite of their outlandish nature.  The production design goes a long way to helping the audience accept the strangeness of Dirk Gently's world.  Everything feels just a bit off-centre from regular life, and eventually, we're drawn into the strangeness and we begin to think like Dirk Gently would.  For instance, the idea of a shark attack on dry land becomes more of a brain teaser than a flat-out impossibility.
The pure strangeness of this show is brought to life by Samuel Barnett's portrayal of Dirk Gently.  While the show is set in America, Dirk is English through and through, which is a nice nod to the original books.  As mentioned above, Dirk is almost always cheerful and friendly to everyone, even in the middle of a grisly crime scene.  It's amusing to see other characters trying to decide how to respond to his friendliness.  Elijah Wood's character is very similar to the one he played in Wilfred: Todd is constantly frustrated with Dirk's actions, yet consistently winds up advancing the action whatever decision he makes.  The rest of the cast are excellent as well and provide good contrast with the main players.  Detectives Zimmerfield and Estevez don't have as much screen time, but they share some of the most amusing moments in the series with their hard-boiled dialogue and deadpan reactions to all the weirdness around them.  For me, the standout performances belong to Mpho Koaho and Fiona Dourif as Ken and Bart.  Ken seems to be a nice guy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  His fear of Bart feels very real, and it's very interesting to watch that fear fade away as the two become uneasy friends, of a sort.  Despite first appearances, Bart is a fascinatingly complex character.  Fiona Dourif manages to make Bart scary, yet shows a certain sensitive side at times.  Even though Bart is ostensibly the villain of this story, she becomes likeable in the strangest way.
If you like a good mystery, but are tired of the same old predictable stories, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency is the right show for you.  Dirk Gently combines sci-fi elements with solid mystery structure and comedic punctuation to create a very entertaining show that defies expectations.  If you haven't seen it yet, it's worth a look!

Tusk (2014)

Tusk, the second horror feature for director Kevin Smith, follows the story of Wallace Bryton (Justin Long), a shock/lowbrow podcast host.  When a lead for an interview in Canada unexpectedly falls through, Wallace investigates a mysterious flyer he comes upon by chance.  The advertisement leads him to one Howard Howe (Michael Parks), who has a strange, yet fascinating life story.  Soon enough, it becomes clear that Howe is not the man he seems, and is using Wallace as his latest test subject to create some sort of human/walrus hybrid.  Meanwhile, Wallace's partner Teddy (Haley Joel Osment) and his girlfriend Ally (Genesis Rodriguez) realize something is very wrong.  They team up with detective Guy Lapointe (Johnny Depp) to track down Wallace and find out the horrific truth.
Initially, I was drawn in by Tusk's expertly crafted trailer.  Unfortunately, the film itself is not nearly as serious as the trailer makes it out to be.  Tusk is one of those peculiar films that is hard to classify in terms of genre.  It's not quite scary enough to be a true horror film, but not quite funny enough to be a comedy.
For me, I think a lot of the emotional disconnect comes from the characters themselves.  Although one does feel some amount of sympathy for Wallace in his situation, it never really goes beyond a surface level.  Ultimately, Wallace is not a very likeable guy.  It's also difficult to piece together his personal feelings, since he spends the final half of the film shrieking incoherently.  This further complicates the intended audience reaction when we come to the revelation that Ally is cheating on Wallace with his podcast partner Teddy.  There is some initial shock, but it wears off quickly.  Even though the two are obviously doing wrong, Teddy seems to be a genuinely nice guy (perhaps even a better man than Wallace), so it becomes a bit of a mental exercise to imagine him being the villain.
Speaking of villains, the greatest performance in Tusk absolutely belongs to Michael Parks, who also appeared in Smith's previous horror film Red State.  Much of his screen time is taken up with storytelling, and it's here that Parks shines.  His words cast a kind of dreadful hypnosis on the audience, and then, in the blink of an eye, the kindly old Howard Howe has transformed into a raving lunatic.  It's a change that's all the more terrifying because we realize that we were fooled as much as Wallace was.
Johnny Depp's part in Tusk highlights all of my issues with the film.  Depp chews the scenery as the almost cartoonish Quebecois detective Guy Lapointe.  It's funny for a few moments, but then we're subjected to a very long, almost pointless story of how Lapointe unknowingly encountered Howard Howe some time earlier.  It's a long time to wait for exposition that isn't truly needed, and really drags down the pacing of the film.  Guy Lapointe is really nothing more than a plot device, and not a very good one at that.
Another issue the film has is with the effects makeup/prosthetics.  While the suit is well crafted, it's so outlandish and grotesque that it's nearly impossible to take seriously.  But, perhaps it was never meant to be serious in the first place.  
While I didn't have the luxury of research going in, it does help to understand that Smith made this film more or less for a laugh.  Tusk was the product of a bizarre conversation from Smith's SModcast program, which he ultimately decided to make into a film, just because he could.  Knowing and understanding this is key to the enjoyment of a film like Tusk.  Tusk doesn't work as a true horror film, but if you put it into the same category as, say, Creepshow, or the Tales From The Crypt series, it becomes quite obvious the tone Kevin Smith was aiming for, and you'll be able to enjoy it without focusing on the flaws.  

Moana (2016)

Disney takes a trip to the South Pacific in their latest animated feature, Moana.  The film tells the story of a young woman named Moana (voiced by newcomer Auli'i Cravalho), who serves as chieftain of her small island.  When problems begin appearing in the local plant life, Moana sets off on a dangerous journey to find the exiled demigod Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), who holds the power to restore the island to its natural state.  After a rocky introduction, the two eventually join forces, and return home to set things right.
Moana is delightful visually, filled with vibrant colours and interesting character designs.  The animators make great use of the iconic images of Hawaii, and have outdone themselves with the level of detail presented.  Everything you see on screen, from flowers to rope fibres, to the ocean spray itself, feels authentic and draws you further in to Moana's world.
Moana is not only visually pleasing, but it's a treat for the ears as well.  This is in part due to the contribution of Broadway darling Lin-Manuel Miranda, writer of the Oscar nominated song 'How Far I'll Go'.  The songs are very well written and composed, and are as memorable as any Disney film that came before it.  Thankfully, Miranda has a great support for his music with the voice talents of young Auli'i Cravalho.  Even Dwayne Johnson gets his own moment in the spotlight, and it turns out he's a decent singer as well!
The story of Moana, based in Hawaiian legend, reminded me somewhat of Disney's Hercules.  Considering directors John Musker and Ron Clements worked on Hercules back in the 90s, this doesn't come as too big a surprise.  It's clearly the kind of story they love to tell, with lots of action, a few laughs, and a big heart.  While some may say it's not as complex as a movie like Zootopia, I think Moana still has a lot of value.  Moana is a great movie for kids and adults alike.  It has great music and visuals, a wonderfully strong female lead, (with not a prince in sight) and it has some important lessons to teach us about courage and reconciliation.

Sample This (2012)

Sample This is a documentary about The Incredible Bongo Band, the group who created Apache, a song which had a great influence on hip-hop music years later.  Unfortunately, this documentary suffers from a lack of focus.
Let's begin with the presence of Gene Simmons.  While he has a great voice for narration, Gene Simmons has very little (if any) business being in a documentary about hip-hop.  While his appearance is eventually explained, it still doesn't bear enough of a connection to the subject to satisfy me.  Thankfully, there is a good deal of interview footage with people like Questlove and Grand Wizzard Theodore, which does give this doc some element of credibility.
The documentary covers a range of topics through interviews and some archival footage.  It looks at the cultural background of the 1970s, provides profiles of the band members and their producer, and finally gets into the influence of Apache on hip-hop culture via artists such as DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash.  For me, this wide view of the subject makes this documentary suffer.  While the stories of things like political assassinations and music production are somewhat interesting, many of them have very little connection to hip-hop culture, which is supposedly what this documentary is all about.  I was left feeling frustrated to find that the parts I wanted to see only made up the last half hour or so of the film.
Sample This is an interesting documentary that examines some interesting people who unknowingly changed the culture of music.  However, if you're most interested in the song itself and its influence, there's a lot of irrelevant material you'll have to sit through.  There are many better films and documentaries on the subject available, and they won't make you wait for the payoff.

Chain Reaction (1996)

This film was selected via Movie-O-Matic!

In Chain Reaction, a team of university students discover a revolutionary source of clean energy.  Unfortunately, the discovery is leaked, and the tech is stolen after the murder of the project's leader.  The murder is pinned on the gifted young student Eddie Kasalivich (Keanu Reeves) and his fellow scientist Dr. Lily Sinclair (Rachel Weisz).  The two fugitives soon uncover that the murder and theft came from within the project itself, orchestrated by Dr. Paul Shannon (Morgan Freeman) for personal corporate gain.  The two fight for their lives while trying to put the real criminals behind bars.
It's interesting that Chain Reaction still feels timely, even after twenty odd years.  While the technology used on screen is now dated, the themes of environmentalism and corporate greed are arguably even more relevant today.  Sadly, the ideas presented in this film are a little better than the product itself.
Rachel Weisz gives a decent performance, but not one that's particularly memorable.  Even the presence of renowned actor Morgan Freeman doesn't bring much to the table.  His Paul Shannon character delivers a few villainous monologues, and spends the remainder of the film chewing on a cigar.  This is an action filled movie, which works to the advantage of Keanu Reeves, who does best when he doesn't have to talk much.  Unfortunately, the action isn't all that satisfying.  One could argue that the apparent clumsiness of the lead characters is because they're just average, non-athletic science students, but it looks a lot more like sloppy film making to me.  This is especially disappointing considering this movie was directed by Andrew Davis, who is better known for films like The Fugitive and Under Siege, both of which are better than Chain Reaction.
Despite all of its flaws, I can't bring myself to say that Chain Reaction is bad movie.  Maybe it's my soft spot for the 90s, but I can see a certain appeal to this movie.  I also think it did reasonably well at the box office in its time, for what it's worth.  So, if you're a Keanu Reeves fan, or are just looking for a VHS era movie you might have missed, Chain Reaction is worth a look.      

Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Produced by the same team who brought us Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island is an interesting retelling of the Kong story that brings the iconic monster into a more contemporary setting.  Set during the end of the Vietnam war, alternative researchers Bill Randa (John Goodman) and Houston Brooks (Corey Hawkins) petition the government to fund an expedition to an uncharted island, which they believe contains a secret, primeval ecosystem, never seen by man.  To get there, they are granted a military escort, headed by Colonel Preston Packard (Samuel L. Jackson).  Together with a skilled tracker (Tom Hiddleston) and an outspoken political photojournalist (Brie Larson), they all set off into the mysterious unknown.  Upon their arrival, the group are faced with the dangerous wildlife of Skull Island (not including Kong himself) as well as Hank Marlow (John C. Reilly), who has befriended the natives since being stranded on the island since World War II.  While fighting to survive the destruction of Kong, the team desperately try to reach their arriving rescue team, and escape the dangers of Skull Island.
The thing I like most about Kong: Skull Island is how modern the story feels.  Even though it is set in the 1970s, this take on the story feels fresh in a way that Peter Jackson's version didn't.  There is no mention of New York City here, and many of the other typical Kong tropes are absent.  The film doesn't completely abandon all reference to its origins, however.  There are still a few subtle and not-so-subtle nods to the source material, which I thought were smartly used.  While we're on the subject of theming, this film borrows as much from classic Vietnam movies as much as it does the Kong franchise.  There are many notes from films like Apocalypse Now and Rambo, though but not so many that the movie feels derivative.
I also appreciate the way Skull Island gives the monsters plenty of room to play.  This is a huge contrast with 2014's Godzilla, which did a reasonably good job, but spent too much time with the dull human characters narrating the big monster action fans had paid to see.  The visuals of the film are top notch, with some very creative and memorable creature designs.
My only complaint about the cast is it was perhaps a little too large for everyone to get equal screen time.  There were a few characters I would have liked to see more of, but the various plot threads only allowed for a certain amount of storytelling.  For instance, while Tom Hiddleston may have top billing, I found his character ultimately forgettable.  Of the other players involved, I particularly enjoyed Samuel L. Jackson's intense performance as  Col. Packard.  Being a career military man, Packard has no problem with a new assignment, and decides to start his own personal war with Kong, which results in nothing but trouble for everyone else.  John Goodman is also excellent as Bill Randa, a man who knows for a fact monsters are real, and is eventually proven right.  My praises of the cast wouldn't be complete without the mention of John C. Reilly.  His performance as the grizzled, slightly crazed Hank Marlow steals the show, and is one of the most memorable of the whole movie.
Kong: Skull Island breathes some new life into the old bones of the Kong franchise, and is a great modern interpretation of a classic story.

*There is a small post-credits scene which hints at some possible future films, so make sure to stick around after the show!    

Read This! - East of West (Vol. 1)

Read This! is made possible by The Gauntlet Comics and Games

At first glance, sci-fi and western don't seem to be genres that would mix well.  However, the popularity of shows like Westworld proves that it can be done with the right concept.  East of West (published by Image Comics) is another of those unusual genre mixes that works surprisingly well, and is a refreshing departure from typical comics.
Written by Jonathan Hickman (best known for his work with Marvel, including the recent Secret Wars miniseries), East of West takes place in an alternate universe where the American Civil War never truly ended, along with Mao Zedong's China.  The story also deals with the possibly impending apocalypse.  That is, if the Four Horsemen can locate Death, who has gone off the reservation, so to speak.  With the help of a mysterious native couple, Death wanders the land in search of his former lover, Xiaoling.  The only issue is that Xiaoling is the daughter of Mao III, current leader of the heavily fortified city-state New Shanghai.
The internal mythology Hickman has created for this book is impressive and intriguing.  The supernatural elements of the story add another layer for fans to unravel in an already complex combination of genres.  East of West is true to its western influences, not shying away from violent scenes and adult situations.  If you're not the type for seeing blood splatter in your comics, this is probably not the book for you.  For the rest of you, East of West provides plenty of exploded heads and eye gouging, much of it courtesy of Death himself.  Nick Dragotta's artwork showcases more than just violence, however.  He has a knack for capturing subtleties of facial expression, which give the reader a glimpse into the motivations of the many mysterious characters.
If you're looking for something out of the ordinary, with action and a good story hook, East of West is a great book to add to your collection.  If the mystery of things interests you, there's plenty more to explore, with several more volumes available.

Pirate Radio (2009)

Pirate Radio (known as The Boat That Rocked in the U.K.) is based on the true story of how a handful of renegade DJs influenced the future of music forever.  In the 1960s, rock and roll was incredibly popular in Britain, but it only got a fraction of airtime on the radio.  A few enterprising radio people sought to remedy this, and began broadcasting 24/7 rock and pop music from ships stationed in the North Sea.  The pirate station known as 'Radio Rock' was the most popular among them.
It's into this picture that we are introduced to young Carl (Tom Sturridge), who has recently been kicked out of school and is sent out to sea to visit with his godfather Quentin (Bill Nighy), the de facto manager of Radio Rock.  Dave (Nick Frost), one of the many DJs on board, takes a liking to Carl, and before long the rest of Radio Rock considers Carl to be one of their own.  While the DJs go through various exploits of debauchery and clashes of ego, Carl discovers one of the DJs on board may be his father, and he decides to seek him out before his return home.  Meanwhile, on the mainland, Sir Alistair Dormandy (Kenneth Branagh), and his new assistant, one Mr. Twatt (Jack Davenport) are determined to shut down the noise pollution of rock and roll for good, whether it's done by legal means or otherwise.  Carl eventually discovers the identity of his father, but only moments later, the entire crew are put into a life threatening situation at sea, and brought out of it in a most unexpected way.
The first thing I noticed about Pirate Radio was the amount of sexual content.  While I was a bit shocked at first, it was certainly true to the era, and it would hardly be fair to judge a movie for that.  The other major attribute of this Pirate Radio is that it's an ensemble film.  Thankfully director Richard Curtis has done very well with other ensemble films like Love Actually.  No one character ever truly feels left out of the story, even if they appear for a few brief moments.  In fact, one could argue that these brief moments are more impactful than the larger set pieces of the movie.  One of my favourite scenes in the film is an exchange between Carl and early morning DJ Bob (Ralph Brown).  It's a very short scene with very little dialogue, but there's a great deal of emotional information packed into that little scene.  I think this stands as both proof of my theory and proof of the great acting and direction of this movie.
As I mentioned above, just about everyone in this film gets their moment in the sun, and each character is memorable in their own way.  One of the most memorable characters is 'The Count' (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who bursts with the kind of rebellious spirit and bullish confidence that could only come from an American.  On the flipside of this, we have Kenneth Branagh's performance as the humourless, yet fiercely determined bureaucrat Dormandy.  He's a character you instantly hate, not only for his personality, but also for what he represents to the fun loving people of Radio Rock and their fans.  These are just a few small examples, of course.  Pirate Radio is so well cast, I could easily pick any given actor and have something good to say about them in this film.
It would be negligent to talk about Pirate Radio without mentioning the music.  What's most interesting is the sheer variety of music there is to hear.  It seems that not a scene goes by when we aren't hearing something play in the background.  The soundtrack is filled with all kinds of different music, from Smokey Robinson all the way to a novelty Christmas song by the Beach Boys.  At its heart, the love of music is the driving force of Pirate Radio, and it communicates this tremendously well.  
If you're fond of classic rock and roll, or have an interest in radio, Pirate Radio is a great movie for you.  It has a good mix of seriousness and comedy, and a brilliantly curated soundtrack to hold everything together.

Introducing the Movie-O-Matic!

Have you ever felt like watching a movie, but just can't decide what to watch?  Recently, I came up with a solution to this age-old problem for the film enthusiast.  I call it the Movie-O-Matic.

The assembly process

What I've done here is collected several scraps of paper and written various genres and themes on them (ie, horror, award-winners, etc.), which then go into a bag together.  When I can't decide on what to watch, I pull two slips of paper from the bag, and then find a film that fits that description.  I think it provides a little more variety to my watching habits, and exposes me to films I might have otherwise passed over entirely.  Any future reviews I write that have been selected via Movie-O-Matic will be tagged as such, for those interested.
I welcome you to try this for yourself at home and see what you discover!

La La Land (2016)

La La Land is one of the most talked about films to come out this year, with multiple Oscar nominations (as of this writing), as well as multiple Golden Globe wins.  The film begins its story with Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress who is currently making ends meet by working at a Hollywood coffee shop.  Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is in a similar life situation, forced to play uninspiring music for an unappreciative audience, instead of opening the jazz club he dreams of owning one day.  After a few chance meetings, the two fall in love, and begin to seek their dreams together.  However, both run into obstacles, and realize that the way to their dreams wasn't at all what they imagined.
La La Land is a wonderfully made film.  The cinematography, lighting and choreography are all excellent and deserving of all the awards attention this film has received.  The songs are memorable, and will stick in your head in the best way.  The acting is equally praiseworthy.  Not only do Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone have great onscreen chemistry and captivating performances, but they also sing, dance, and even play piano, in Gosling's case.  Of course, if you've read even the smallest media coverage of this movie, you already know all of this.  The real magic of La La Land is how it makes you feel when the credits are over.
I saw La La Land in a small town theater (thanks to the folks at the Norgan Theatre!).  To the best of my memory, I haven't seen a movie in this type of theatre since the late 90s.  Being able to briefly soak in those feelings of nostalgia certainly enhanced the experience for me, so I encourage you to see it somewhere small and local, if you can.   As I mentioned before, La La Land is much more than a simple song and dance movie.  The ending will feel different for everyone who sees it, but I'm confident it will make you think about your own life and the choices you've made in that time.  La La Land also explores the idea of personal dreams and relationships.  Sometimes dreams are not what they seem, or the process of achieving them is much different than we imagine.  In the same way, people can become different over time, in their ideals and personalities.  It's a surprising amount of emotional data to unpack, but it's well worth the price of admission.
In short, La La Land brings back the classical flair of old Hollywood, while at the same time challenging the emotional intellect of the audience.  It doesn't claim to have any answers to the questions it raises, but it dares to ask those questions all the same.  I think La La Land is a film with class and complexity that will stand the test of time for future generations.

Split (2017)

The more recent work of director M. Night Shyamalan (The Visit, Lady In The Water) has been very hit or miss.  Thankfully, Split is a well made movie that marks a return to form for Shyamalan.
The film begins with the abduction of three teenage girls (Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula, and Anya Taylor-Joy) by a mysterious individual named Kevin (James McAvoy).  We soon learn that Kevin suffers from DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder), a condition which has resulted in him exhibiting 23 distinct personalities.  While the girls try to escape their captivity, Kevin visits his therapist, Dr. Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley).  She does what she can to help Kevin, but it soon becomes clear that something isn't right when Kevin's 'others' begin to constantly contact her asking for help.  They are all worried about a mysterious 24th personality that is apparently much worse than any other, and is getting ready to emerge.
When I first saw the trailer for Split, it seemed too good to be true, from an acting standpoint.  As it turns out, I was right.  I wasn't counting, but there are roughly eight personalities we see portrayed onscreen by James McAvoy, rather than all 24, as we're led to believe.  This isn't to say that McAvoy delivers a bad performance, however.  His character ranges from coldly murderous to friendly, or even disarmingly funny, sometimes all within a few minutes of screen time.  Even a slight change in facial expression or posture alerts the audience to his changes in personality, which is extra impressive considering how often these changes happen over the course of the film.
McAvoy is helped immensely helped by a great supporting cast.  Betty Buckley is wonderful as Kevin's caring, but concerned therapist.  I appreciate that M. Night Shyamalan allowed this film to take its time in examining the psychological side of the story, rather than simply focusing on the teens in danger part of the story.  Anya Taylor-Joy is another standout as Casey, a quiet, but sharply intelligent young woman.  We receive much of her story in small flashbacks, and by the end of the film, we reach a fuller understanding of Casey's character, and what makes her the smartest one in the room.
Split is a well shot film with a perfect balance of mystery and tension.  While the story does dip into the fantastic for a moment or two, it never feels too unrealistic.  With some very strong acting to back it up, Split makes for a great piece of suspense with a few solid horror accents.

Machete Order, Special Editions, and the Decline of George Lucas

In which I talk at great length about all things Star Wars and weigh the pros and cons of the Special Editions.

Some time ago, in preparation for Rogue One, my wife and I decided to marathon the Star Wars films over a few days using the now popular Machete Order.  The following are a few thoughts that came to mind as we went through the Star Wars saga.

• I personally think Machete Order is best done in two-film chunks.  Following up The Empire Strikes Back (still the best Star Wars, in my opinion) with Attack of the Clones feels like an awful mistake
• I think Episode II could easily be removed from Machete Order entirely, and still make sense for a complete newcomer.  Revenge of the Sith contains all of the context clues necessary to understand the Anakin Skywalker story arc, and anyone who wants more detail can go back and watch Episode I or II later.
• The only reason anyone thinks Episode II is better than Episode I is that people felt a bit cheated by Episode I, and felt that Episode II redeemed things somewhat by having more action and drama.
• Out of all the prequels, Episode III feels the most like a real Star Wars movie.
• I think it's funny that when we first encounter Jabba the Hutt (I'm not counting Episode IV, see below) he's high as a kite.
• There's an interesting contrast that happens going from the darkness of Revenge of the Sith into the much more lighthearted Return of the Jedi.  Seeing the story in a different context is fun for an old time fan like myself.

Now, let's talk about the Special Editions.
For some of you younger readers, this may be the only version of Star Wars you know.  Being from an older generation, I remember a time when we had VHS copies of the original, unaltered cuts of the films.  In 1997, George Lucas decided he wanted to go back and change some things, since the technology had caught up to his ambitions in the late 1970s.  This event is very similar to Steven Spielberg's infamous 'walkie talkie' edit of E.T. on DVD in 2002, which he later admitted was a mistake.  The same, however, cannot be said for Lucas.  For many years now, the 'special edition' Star Wars films have been the only ones available on the market, and are now considered canonical.  I personally think this is a shame and insulting to all of the hard working effects people who made the original Star Wars films what they were.  Film fans should be offered at least the option of purchasing the original cut or the enhanced version, but it's just not something you can't find out there, except for a few ambitious internet fan projects.
So, what's so bad about the special editions, you say?  Well, let's start with Episode IV.  To begin with, the CGI effects are obviously inserted, and carry the stink of things we would later see in The Phantom Menace.  There are goofy background slapstick moments for no real reason, which I find messes with the tone of the film.  The Jabba the Hutt scene is completely unnecessary to the story, and in my opinion, out of character for Jabba.  I don't think it's reasonable that Jabba would take the time and resources to track down Han Solo just to remind him he owes him money, especially when he's clearly hired thugs to capture/kill him.  Speaking of Greedo, the decision to have him shoot first rather than Han, as in the original cut, is one of the biggest problems with the special edition cut of Episode IV.  Not only does it change the audience's perception of Han from a dangerous scoundrel to an okay guy with some money trouble, but it also makes Greedo look like a pathetic fool with worse aim than your average stormtrooper!  It's a huge disservice to both characters, and makes me all the more sad that for some, Greedo shooting first is the only version they've ever known.
The Empire Strikes Back, by contrast, seems to be the only film that actually benefited from the special edition treatment.  The additions to Empire include some extra footage for the wampa scene, and more detail in the Cloud City sequences.  The rest of the film is cleaned up, and for the most part, not altered significantly.
Then, we come to Return of the Jedi.  Like Empire, much of the film remains intact, but unfortunately, the film suffers badly for the new ending.  I'm willing to forgive the little song and dance in Jabba's palace, but the complete alteration of the ending of Return of the Jedi is inexcusable.  First of all, there's a conversation Luke and Leia have about their mother that, because of the prequels, now makes no sense at all.  Then, we are force-fed a different ending from the classic 'Yub-yub' song many of us grew up with.  Not only that, but Naboo is included in the celebration montage, seemingly for no reason other than to say "Hey, remember The Phantom Menace?  You really loved it when you saw it the first time, right?  Right??"  As if all that wasn't enough, just before the end credits roll, we see the smirking face of Hayden Christensen.  I find this an incredible insult to Sebastian Shaw, who performed the Darth Vader death scene so well.

So, considering all of this revisionist history, which (outside of films like Blade Runner) hasn't been done so dramatically since, what are we left to think?  My personal theory is that something happened to George Lucas along the line that changed his personality.  Somewhere between wrapping up on Return of the Jedi and the Special Edition era, I believe that Mr. Lucas began to want more money, and above all, more attention.  I think this is why, instead of making a new film, George Lucas decided to use his legacy to his advantage, dressing up his old films that really didn't need any kind of changes.  As the years passed, Lucas seems to have become more and more alienated from his fanbase,  He now seems to be the equivalent of the bitter, divorced dad, desperately trying to win his child's approval.  His comments after the recent Lucasfilm/Disney merger reflect this.
Before anyone gets the wrong idea, I am a big fan of Star Wars.  I fully respect George Lucas for bringing the modern mythology of Star Wars to the big screen.  My problem is with the man Lucas has become in the past few decades.  I'm not offended that Lucas decided to change his films.  As the director, that's entirely his right.  What bothers me is that I, as a film fan who grew up with Star Wars, have been denied any option to see the original cut.  The films I grew up seeing, in their original form, are now relics of the VHS era, in an age when some people don't even know what VHS is.  With the new Disney merger, it's my hope that the original cuts of Star Wars will one day be available in stores, but I'm still not holding my breath for it.
Outside of the courtroom, the concept of ownership of a film is somewhat debatable.  While it certainly belongs to the director, it also belongs to its audience.  The idea of changing a wildly popular film that has existed in one form for several decades is a bold one.  To further that, and systematically remove any trace of the previous version feels almost tyrannical.  George Lucas is one man, and there are millions of Star Wars fans across the globe.  How many people have to tell you the odds, George?

Entertainment (2015)

To begin to understand a film as strange as Entertainment, you first have to understand Neil Hamburger.  Neil Hamburger is the alt-comedian persona of Entertainment star Gregg Turkington.  The closest comparison one can find for his act would be Andy Kaufman's Tony Clifton character.  In short, Neil Hamburger is the most offensively hostile comedian on the planet.  His jokes are either insulting, infantile, or in horrifically bad taste.  When the crowd isn't receptive to his brand of humour, Neil patronizingly urges the audience to 'put a smile on your fool faces'.  If this approach doesn't work, he moves to level two hostility, viciously targeting specific members of the audience with insults until they either retaliate or leave.
Entertainment follows Neil as he tours the Mojave desert, performing at various prisons and dive bars with his opening act, a clown/mime (Tye Sheridan) who specializes in only the crudest jokes possible.  Between shows, Neil takes stops to examine the few interesting areas of the desert, such as an airplane graveyard, or an abandoned car wreck.  He also calls and leaves messages to his estranged daughter each night and keeps her up with how things are going, though it's uncertain if she actually listens to these messages.  John C. Reilly features as Cousin John, who does his best to book shows for Neil, although he has difficulty understanding why he doesn't make his comedy more accessible to people. (much like the viewers themselves)
The cinematography and style of Entertainment owes a lot to the work of Stanley Kubrick.  (The Shining, in particular)  There are a great many long, almost glacially paced scenes, packed with uncomfortable silences from the characters.  One of the defining traits of Neil's character is that he almost never speaks a word when he's not onstage.  This is somewhat frustrating for a viewer who might want to understand his motivations, but I feel that it was a conscious directorial choice.  Another interesting choice is the sound of this film.  Many moments are punctuated with eerie, harsh white noise, which increases the strange feeling of dread and tension this film creates.
All of these stylistic choices add up to Entertainment's ultimate mystery:  why does he do it?  What good reason would a comedian have for sticking to such a controversial act, touring dead-end venues, and aimlessly wandering the desert?  Furthermore, is Neil suffering from a crippling depression, losing his mind, or is he simply bored to death?  Unfortunately, the film provides no true answers to any of these questions.  The film, much like its main character, simply exists.
Entertainment was nothing like what I expected it to be, but I think that's a good thing.  Certain scenes are very uncomfortable to watch, and the main character is barely likeable at all.  That being said, it is still well shot, and demonstrates good technique when it comes to filmmaking.

The First Three - Galavant (2015)

For an introduction to my First Three series, click the link!
ABC's Galavant is a musical comedy that follows the adventures of Galavant (Joshua Sasse), a washed up knight whose present exploits include heavy drinking and being kicked out of inns when he can't pay the tab.  This changes when he meets Princess Isabella (Karen David), and tagalong squire Sid (Luke Youngblood), who reignite his better nature as they begin a quest to liberate Madalena (Mallory Jansen), Galavant's lady love, from the clutches of the evil King Richard (Timothy Omundson).  What Galavant doesn't know is that Isabella is actually working for King Richard, and the quest is an elaborate double cross.    
The first thing you will notice about Galavant is the music.  Every episode contains at least a few songs, and this is where the show works best.  I initially dismissed the music as a bit too simple, but I guarantee the theme music will stick in your head even if you just watch the pilot.  As well, there are some very clever lyrics used in the songs, which give a good sense of the show's general style.
On the acting side of things, Joshua Sasse plays the arrogant, overconfident Galavant quite well.  He's not exactly likable, but the enthusiasm of his companions helps to make him look good.  I found the foppish King Richard to be the standout performance of the show.  His cruel, yet childishly sensitive character is consistently funny, especially when it comes to musical numbers.  One particular number involves him detailing how he'd execute his rivals in song, and is a perfect example of the style Galavant aims for.
Galavant's sense of humour ranges wildly, from Monty Python style silliness, to the self-aware modernism of the Shrek films.  As such, it's very difficult to pin down exactly who the target audience of this show is.  There are some dashes of adult humour, so it's not exactly for kids, but other than that, it reads as a family friendly comedy.  It feels as if the writers took an 'anything goes' approach, which is a bit problematic, as many of the jokes are hit and miss affairs.  In particular, I'm reminded of a joke from episode 2:  the king's henchman Gareth (Vinnie Jones) makes an off-colour comment involving his unusual taste in women.  At first, I found it funny enough to laugh at, but then the writers draw the joke out a few beats too long.  At this point, the joke fails and becomes uncomfortable, or even offensive to some.  This lack of consistency is my main issue with Galavant.  Perhaps these issues are resolved in future episodes, but as it stands, I can't recommend Galavant on the basis of its comedic style.  If you're looking for a medieval musical comedy, this will certainly fit the bill.  For me personally, it's not nearly as smart or funny as it wants to be.

Year In Review - 2016

Another year is in the books, so here are some of my standout picks for the films of 2016.  Since no two films are exactly alike, I'm listing these in no particular order.  Links to my own reviews are included in the headings.

The Jungle Book

Disney's new live action take on The Jungle Book was a welcome surprise for me.  The story paid great respect to Rudyard Kipling's original book, giving us an exciting, fresh look at the Disney classic.  The cast was well thought out, bringing the voices of such great talents as Bill Murray and Ben Kingsley.  It's a great adventure film for all ages.





Eddie the Eagle

Eddie the Eagle may have flown under some people's radar this year, but it's well worth a look.  This film is based on the true story of Eddie Edwards (Taron Egerton), the first British ski jumper who, against all odds, competes in the 1988 Winter Olympics.  It's both funny and heartwarming.  A refreshingly different sort of sports movie.




Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

A great new addition to the Star Wars franchise.  Lots of excitement, a well written story, and plenty of interesting reference points for hardcore fans.






10 Cloverfield Lane

This (sort of) sequel to Cloverfield takes some of the best tools of Alfred Hitchcock and uses them to great effect.  This film does for John Goodman what One Hour Photo did for Robin Williams.  Brilliantly frightening, and well shot.







Ghostbusters

This film was the subject of more controversy than any other this past year.  I myself was a little skeptical at the idea of an all-female team, but 2016's Ghostbusters turned out to be a very funny spiritual (pun intended) successor to the original films.





Stranger Things

Technically, this wasn't a movie, but I couldn't leave such a great show out of this list.  Stranger Things was by far my favourite thing to come out of Netflix this year.  It's both an great original horror/sci-fi story, and a love letter to the 80s.  It's also got one of the best young casts I've seen in a very long time.  I'm looking forward to seeing what new surprises we get with season two.



And the rest...

Deadpool

Deadpool is a strange animal of a film.  It was an incredible success in the box office, and proved to executives that an R-rated superhero movie can generate profit.  The production design and writing of the film got everything right for the rabid comics fans who lined up to see it.  For me personally, there were a few things about Deadpool that were very off-putting, however.  I had no issue with the violence, (which I actually thought was more toned down than it could have been) but my problem lies with the vulgar, and even sometimes flat-out offensive brand of humour this film made for itself.  For me, Deadpool is a wisecracking guy who shoots                                                                                          people for money, and not the sort to make raunchy sex jokes.  I really wanted to like Deadpool, but I

left feeling a bit disappointed by it.

Independence Day: Resurgence        

One of my wife's favourite movies of all time is Independence Day, so she cried tears of joy when we first saw the sequel's trailer in the theatre.  Unfortunately, the final product was a bit confusing.  It seems this film couldn't decided what it wanted to be.  The tone ranged from goofball action movie to serious sci-fi drama seemingly at random, which made it very difficult to take seriously.  This is a shame for a movie that had such great promise, and could have been executed far better than it was.  It                                                                                             wasn't necessarily a bad movie, we just expected                                                                                     more from it.  

Rogue One (2016)

Rogue One is the latest entry into the Star Wars canon.  It begins with the story of Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), daughter of Imperial scientist Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen).  Imperial forces appear at the Erso home to coerce Galen into continuing his work on the Death Star.  Jyn escapes and is sent into hiding, watched over by Galen's trusted friend, Saw Gererra (Forest Whitaker).   Years later, she is rescued from Imperial arrest by Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and K-2SO (voiced by Alan Tudyk), a reprogrammed Imperial droid.  Jyn is taken to meet the rest of the Rebellion soldiers, but doesn't want to get involved.  If she is able to find Saw Gererra, who is now a dangerous political extremist, the Rebellion will consider the debt repaid.  This leads Jyn to a fateful meeting with Saw, in which she discovers her father was, in fact, a Rebel sympathizer, and has built a flaw into the Death Star, the new super weapon of the Galactic Empire.  Banding together with a few other Imperial deserters and outcasts, the new team disobeys Rebellion orders and follows this trail to the planet Scarif, where they begin a guerilla operation to steal the Death Star plans and make sure the Rebellion has them before it's too late for the galaxy.  

One of the notable elements of Rogue One is that it doesn't begin with the standard Star Wars prologue text crawl.  I think this is appropriate, as Rogue One a different sort of movie.  It has much more in common with a classic war movie than any chapter of the Star Wars saga.  The presence of the Death Star throughout the movie reinforces the feeling that no one is safe, and that the Empire has the upper hand in the situation.  Even as a fan, knowing how things would eventually end up, watching Rogue One was an emotional experience.  The characters are all likable in different ways, and it's almost difficult to watch certain scenes, as you don't want to see any of them harmed. 

Each member of the cast brings their own interestingly distinct character to life on screen.  Felicity Jones does very well in the role of Jyn Erso, a woman struggling to trust others, as well as come to terms with her father's actions.  Forest Whitaker is also very memorable as the mercurial and dangerous Saw Gererra.  In addition the the great heroes Rogue One provides, there are also the classic villains of the Star Wars franchise.  James Earl Jones returns as Darth Vader, but I was most impressed with another returning character.  In an astounding feat of movie magic, effects team ILM brought Grand Moff Tarkin (the late Peter Cushing) back to the screen.  While some have complained about this use of effects, I initially thought it was an incredible makeup job rather than CGI effects.  Of course, Tarkin has always been one of my favourite minor Star Wars characters, so perhaps I'm biased.  The next down the Imperial chain of command is new character Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn).  I found his character a little puzzling.  While Krennic does show anger and a thirst for power, he doesn't really cut an impressive figure next to the likes of Darth Vader or even Tarkin.  At times, Krennic looks rather incompetent, although, perhaps that's the whole point.  In any case, it's a minor complaint and doesn't spoil the film for me.

Rogue One is big and exciting, like any Star Wars movie.  The difference is in the serious atmosphere the story creates.  The Jedi mysticism we've seen before is not visible here, replaced by the blood and smoke of warfare.  While it may not be for everyone, I found Rogue One to be a welcome departure from the familiar structure Star Wars has built.