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.   

The First Three - Luke Cage (2016)

Statistics have shown that it takes a few episodes for a viewer to get hooked on any given series.  On average, the number of episodes is three. (thus my title) With this in mind, I welcome you to the first in a series in which I will review shows based on the first three episodes.  In this first edition, I'll be looking at the new Netflix original, Luke Cage.
To those unfamiliar with the character, Luke Cage (sometimes known as Power Man) is a Marvel Comics character who has been around since the 1970s.  The new Netflix series, produced by Marvel and ABC Studios, brings Luke Cage into the here and now, sharing the TV universe of other heroes like Daredevil and Jessica Jones.  Although Luke Cage's powers include super-strength and unbreakable skin, he tends to keep a low profile in the first episodes of this series.  This is in large part to the fact that Cage (Mike Colter) is a man who is running from his troubled past.  Luke does his best to live a quiet, trouble free life in Harlem while people like the gangster 'Cottonmouth' Stokes (Mahershala Ali) and his cousin Mariah (Alfre Woodard), a misguided, if not crooked politician, cause problems that end up affecting the whole neighbourhood.  When a violent tragedy strikes Pop's barber shop, the local social hub, (and one of Cage's workplaces) Luke realizes the impact crime is having on Harlem, and sets out to use his powers to make a lasting change for the city.
One of the most striking elements of Luke Cage is just how steeped in black culture the show truly is.  From background jazz or rap music to discussions of basketball and even black poets and writers, the show covers just about everything.  There were several references that I didn't understand, but this is one of the things that excites me about the show.  It gives me the feeling that the writers know what they're talking about, and that there is true authenticity in the dialogue.
Much of the black community has voiced their support of the show and its cast, though there is some divisiveness over the show's more political elements, such as the use of certain racial language, or Luke Cage's hoodie, a possible reminder of the Trayvon Martin case.  While these things may be uncomfortable for some, I feel that it's all done in the name of authenticity, and the shows writers and producers should be applauded for it.  The show acknowledges the daily issues I'm certain many black people face, while at the same time, not going the route of stereotyping.  From a writing standpoint, this is a difficult balancing act, but it has been done to perfection here, and the show deserves recognition for that alone.  
Another reason the show is so successful is the performance of Mike Colter in the iconic title role.  Colter's Luke Cage is soft spoken, yet powerful.  He will defend himself physically, but doesn't go out looking for trouble.  Throughout the series, we also get glimpses of Cage as a man conflicted by his past, and dealing with feelings of guilt.  Mike Colter brings great depth and seriousness to the character, and he's helped by an outstanding supporting cast.  The women of the series are especially compelling characters for me.  Simone Missick plays the street-smart detective Misty Knight with just the right balance of sharp wit and sex appeal.  Alfre Woodard's portrayal of Mariah is wonderfully complex.  It's clear from Woodard's performance that Mariah believes she is doing the right thing, even though she is doing it in the most unethical of ways.  In my opinion, she may be the most interesting character on the show after Luke Cage himself.
To sum up, Luke Cage is a show that will appeal to not only long time comic fans, but to people who are entirely new to the character.  It contains fantastic action sequences, as well as real human drama.  Luke Cage is great not only for its entertainment value, but is equally valuable for its social commentary.  If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend you try watching at least the pilot episode.  Even if it's not to your taste, it will certainly leave you with a few things to think about.

Read This! - Thief of Thieves (Vol. 1)

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

Thief of Thieves, published by Image Comics, tells the story of one Conrad Paulson, aka Redmond, a master thief on the FBI's most wanted list.  Interestingly enough, Redmond has decided to get out of the game.  While we see various flashbacks of his old life, we discover that Redmond's son Augustus is in prison.  In order to get him free, Redmond works out a deal with Elizabeth Cohen, one of the FBI agents assigned to track him down.  He agrees to do one last job, and assembles a team to rob one of the biggest players in his business.  Things don't go quite as planned on either side, and Redmond is left to make some serious decisions about his future.
Creator Robert Kirkman, best known for The Walking Dead, shows with this book that he can do more than capes and zombies.  Thief of Thieves contains a number of familiar character types and situations, but there are enough surprises to keep things interesting.  Writer Nick Spencer delivers appropriately hard-boiled dialogue and narration, along with some memorable action scenes.  The art style of Shawn Martinbrough matches the tone of the book very well.  The thick ink lines bring to mind newspaper detective comics of old.  One of the things I found most interesting about this book was the panel structure, which one could say is the cinematography of comics.  The majority of panels are full-page width (widescreen for comics, in other words), mixed with a handful of full-page splash panels that enhance the dramatic effect of key story moments.
Thief of Thieves seems tailor-made for an episodic medium like television, which is likely why it's currently in development with AMC.  If the success of The Walking Dead is any indication, Thief of Thieves could be the next big thing, so now's a great time to discover the original material for yourself!

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.