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.

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.

Home Alone (1990)

For those of us who grew up in the 90s, Home Alone needs no introduction.  It was the film that launched Macaulay Culkin to superstar status, and has since been shown on television every Christmas to this day.  Also, Home Alone was responsible for the brief fad of kids carrying around pocket tape recorders, but that's really neither here nor there.
Home Alone tells the story of Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), the youngest of his large family, often ignored and bullied.  When Kevin's family leaves for a Paris vacation for the holiday season, Kevin is left behind and is forced to look after himself.  At first, Kevin has fun doing everything he's not supposed to do, but soon loneliness makes things scary for the eight year old.  Meanwhile, Kevin's family, realizing they've forgotten him, make efforts to return home on Christmas Eve.  It's at this point that Harry and Marv (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern), a pair of two-bit burglars enter the picture.  When Kevin realizes they plan to break in and rob his house, he designs a set of elaborate traps to stop the bumbling thieves in their tracks.  The results are hilarious and heartwarming, making for an enduring Christmas classic.
Naturally, we all remember the crazy pranks and slapstick comedy of Home Alone.  What most don't remember is that it was written by John Hughes, the man responsible for such teen classics as Ferris Bueller's Day Off and The Breakfast Club.  This shows in the early scenes especially.  It's easy to imagine Kevin as a very young Ferris Bueller, even down to the creative mannequin usage.  As well, Kevin has a few amusingly grown up moments, such as buying groceries for himself and considering which toothbrush is right for him.  The John Hughes style is evident in the true story Home Alone tells.  When you strip away the comedy antics, Home Alone is a story about trust and kindness.  From almost the very beginning of the film, we are introduced to Kevin's salt shovelling neighbor Marley (Roberts Blossom), who he is irrationally terrified of.  As the film progresses, Kevin learns that he is actually friendly, and nobody to be afraid of, and is ultimately rewarded for taking that first step of trust.  This deftly handled emotional story is what sets Home Alone apart from other films like it, and it is because of the great writing of John Hughes.
Another thing many people forget about Home Alone is that its score was nominated for an Academy Award.  Composed by John Williams, the iconic music reminds the audience of Christmas, childhood fun, and even the fears of being alone as a young child.  If not for the impressive list of John Williams film scores, it's quite likely Home Alone would get more recognition for its music today.
The pure comedy that Stern and Pesci bring to the table added to the sharp performance of Macaulay Culkin make this film a winner from scene one.  The score and brilliant writing solidify these elements into one of the most memorable Christmas films of the past several decades.  

Chicago (2002)

"In this town, murder's a form of entertainment," says Matron 'Mama' Morton (Queen Latifah) early on in Chicago.  This is a very precise description of the story told in this film.
Set in 1920s Chicago, we are told the story of Roxie Hart (Renee Zelwegger), an aspiring vaudeville actress who accidentally kills a man who promised her fame and fortune.  She's sent to prison where she meets Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones).  Her story is similar, except she's a legitimate vaudeville star, and did the deed on purpose.  Realizing the she's on death row and time is short, Roxie enlists the help of lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), who will represent anyone for the right price.  As it turns out, Flynn is also defending Velma in court at the same time.  What follows is a dramatic, and often dishonest, battle for fame in the Chicago courtrooms told in the tradition of vaudeville song and dance.
Along with other films like Moulin Rouge, Chicago is responsible for reigniting an interest in musical films.  It also did remarkably well at the 2003 Academy Awards, winning best picture over more serious films like Gangs of New York.
Chicago has an interesting premise, in that the internal dialogue of the characters is told in song and dance.  Vaudeville is central to the plot, and the film uses all the facets of the prohibition-era entertainment to great effect.  Over the course of the film, we see everything from tap-dancing to comedy to ventriloquism.  There's seldom a moment without an accompanying song.
As well as the music, the film borrows some techniques from vaudeville as well.  In place of more high-tech methods, the film makes use of traditional theatrical effects like mirrors, well-placed lighting, and even the use of scarves to simulate blood in one number.  It all works very well together to give the audience the feeling that they're front-row center at a Broadway production.
The cast are all accomplished in acting as well as song and dance.  Some of the choreography Zelwegger and Zeta-Jones perform on top of the acting itself is very impressive.  This film is also enhanced by a top-notch supporting cast.  I particularly liked John C. Reilly as Roxie's husband Amos, a pathetically sad man who has no understanding of what's really happening with Roxie.
As well put together as the film is, I personally found a felt a little let down in the plot department.  There are several potentially interesting plot threads that were left completely unexplored in favour of more musical numbers.  In addition, I felt the ending of the film was essentially the lead-in to an elaborate closing song and dance number.  I was left wanting some more definitive answers about what happened next, but was left to imagine an ending while the credits rolled.
Despite its few shortcomings, I do think Chicago is a good film.  What it lacks in substance, it makes up for in spectacle.  While the musical style may not be for everyone, it has something for just about everyone else.  It's fun and exciting, and captures all the elements of the prohibition era.

Bridge of Spies (2015)

Imagine you're playing a game of chess.  Now, imagine all of the game pieces and all of the squares on the board are the same colour.  It's difficult, isn't it?  It's difficult to know whose pieces are whose, which moves are legal and which aren't.  Finally, imagine this is a high-stakes game, and the results determine life or death for someone else.  This is the world of Bridge of Spies.
Set during the Cold War, this Steven Spielberg film tells the true story of James Donovan (Tom Hanks), a New York insurance lawyer who is drafted to defend one Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) on multiple charges of Russian espionage.  Most people, including the judge, believe this is an open and shut case, and the trial is merely a show for the public.  Donovan doesn't see it that way, and is determined that Abel receives the fairest treatment possible, if only to demonstrate American values to the USSR.  Despite his best efforts, Abel is found guilty on all counts.
Meanwhile, Francis Powers, an American air force pilot, is shot down over Russia while flying a U2 spy plane.  He is captured and held in a Soviet prison, which offers an opportunity to Donovan.  An exchange of prisoners is offered between the USA and the USSR.  At the same time, in Germany, a young American student named Frederic Pryor is caught on the wrong side of the under-construction Berlin wall, and is held in prison.  Donovan then determines to negotiate with both parties in order to free both men in the exchange.
With the assistance of the CIA, James Donovan is sent to Berlin to perform the negotiations.  From here begins a strange game of misinformation, tricky negotiations, and secrecy.  Donovan succeeds against difficult odds, and the film concludes with an edge-of-your-seat exchange set on the Glienicke Bridge, where we discover if everyone is true to their word or not.
The script, by Matt Charman and the Coen Brothers, is superbly written.  Every line drips with hidden meaning, and the tension is consistent until the very end.  Unlike other films of its kind, Bridge of Spies chooses not to use any subtitles, despite numerous scenes with dialogue in German and Russian.  I find that not knowing the other languages serves to increase the mystery, as well as communicating Donovan's experience of being a stranger in foreign territory.  The audience never truly misses anything from the lack of subtitles, but I can't help but wonder if the film experience is different for people who are fluent in German or Russian.
The script is helped with an outstanding cast.  Tom Hanks gives a wonderfully convicted performance as James Donovan, a man who is well aware of the odds against him, but is determined to do whatever it takes to see justice done.  Equally good is Mark Rylance, as the always stoic Rudolf Abel, a performance which earned him an Academy Award.  Among the rest of the well-rounded cast, I especially enjoyed Mikhail Gorevoy as Ivan Schischkin.  His performance reminded me of the work of classic bad-guy actor Peter Lorre.
At its heart, Bridge of Spies is all about the concept of freedom.  It examines how we define freedom, as well as the effects of limiting freedom, or removing it outright.  To James Donovan, it was irrelevant whether Rudolf Abel was a spy or not.  What mattered was his being given a fair chance at living a life of freedom.  This film provides a very interesting look at history, and how extreme politics can affect a country's society.  Considering the political climate today, it's an important lesson to be reminded of.