Despite it's best intentions, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising can't help but feel like a quickly thrown together sequel to follow-up the successful 2014 comedy starring Seth Rogen and Zac Efron. The first film was a fairly funny look at what its like to suddenly realize you are not the cool kids anymore, instead the cantankerous neighbor that calls the cops for noise complaints.
Neighbors 2 fits the bill of repeating the same thing but this time with a sorority next store rather than a fraternity, to shake things up. There are a few beat-for-beat repeats of gags from the first film, but surprisingly, the movie stands alone as its on entity, and even has a different message to spin.
Shelby (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young college freshman, is looking to enter a sorority, but soon discovers that sororities are not allowed to throw parties, it is only fraternities that can do that. So she sets out to a fraternity party to find the whole thing nothing more than a fairly rapey set-up, a cattle call of beautiful women for these bros to have sex with.
So Shelby, along with her two new friends Beth (Kiersey Clemons) and Nora (Beanie Feldstein), set out to start their own sorority and throw their kind of parties. And, naturally, they end up next door to Mac (Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne), who have their home in escrow and don't want the new buyers to be scared away by the unexpected presence of a loud sorority.
So enter a lot of the same shenanigans as last time, as Mac and Kelly try to civilly quiet their neighbors, before resorting to war. Teddy (Zac Efron) returns, first to help the sorority get established, then when he is kicked out to join Mac and Kelly's side of the war. Plenty of funny and unfunny gags ensue.
One refreshing spin is checking in on the bros of the first film, who all have filled into adulthood, save Teddy whose peak was when he ran the fraternity. It's a nice reminder that not everyone stays on top forever, and that those who seemed like jerks can grow to be good people.
And the film seems to be trying to be fairly feminist, as Teddy's character comes to the realization that frat parties are, essentially, cattle calls for bros to have sex with beautiful women, the rape culture they inspire. The film is rated R for nudity, but you won't find female nudity here; instead it is the men who are exploited, particularly Efron in one of the film's better moments when he puts on a Magic Mike-lite show at a tail gate party. And there is a frank, true conversation about how a dad feels when his son has sex vs. his daughter. It doesn't all feel honest, but it feels like the right step.
But the problem with the film is the pacing. Set, more or less, during the 30 days Mac's house is in escrow, the film hurdles through events at a breakneck pace and barely allows anything to develop. For all of Shelby's good intentions with the new sorority, she comes off as a self-entitled brat that I wanted to see lose. She is the antagonist, but at the same time, her anger and reason for doing what she is doing is well-founded. You might argue it's the movie being morally complex, but I say it's the script and the characters being rushed due to the 2-year turnaround for this movie.
Neighbors 2 is a slight sequel with a big message. What it is trying to do is fairly positive, but unfortunately it hangs it all on a rather mediocre film.
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Keanu (2016)
Keanu was cooked-up with a simple premise in mind; gangsters and hard thugs will melt in the presence of an adorable kitten. That's the joke that runs through most of Keanu, the first big screen film from the comedy duo Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. And while that doesn't sound like enough to sustain a 90-minute movie, thankfully Key and Peele's charisma carry most of the film
Opening with a drug shoot-out, two assassins known as the Allentown Boys (Key and Peele) halt the massacre when a drug dealer's kitten approaches him. The silent duo adopt him as their own, but soon the kitten escapes into the home of Rell Williams (Peele), a recently dumped homebody who uses the kitten to get over his break-up. His best friend Clarence (Key) is an obsessive George Michael fan (his love of Faith is the movie's long-running gag that loses steam), and when Rell's kitten escapes, dubbed Keanu, Clarence joins him in infiltrating a gang that has taken possession of the kitten.
Key and Peele always traded off playing comic foil to one another on their sketch comedy show, and here they are reigned in to playing only three characters apiece. To watch them shift from normal, everyday guys to hard thugs is hilarious, and they carry out the task admirably. But they are limited to those two sides (the Allentown characters don't give them much room to exercise their chops), and one almost wishes they had gone full Monty Python and peppered themselves in various roles throughout the movie.
The transition from sketch comedy to full narrative can be tricky, and more often then not doesn't fly. Peele co-wrote the screenplay with Alex Rubens (a Key & Peele veteran), and it more or less holds up a three-act structure and hits the necessary dramatic beats to tell a story. But some of it is tiresome, specifically the violence, and I found myself getting a little weary of the film's repeated beats.
Not to mention that the screenplay ends with a fairly convenient outcome, including a gang member who was undercover the whole time, and Clarence finally learning to be a man and stand-up for himself. There is nothing innovative here, and the script likes a satirical edge that makes many of their sketches from their show great. There's a sly social commentary that is sorely missed here.
But what does work, works. The George Michael Faith gag, though long running, still provides laughs and culminates in a fairly ridiculous payoff. There is an extended cameo from a famous actress that is one of the films' more inspired scenes. And Key and Peele are great together on screen. But the biggest complaint anyone walking into this movie will have was there was not enough of the kitten. That little guy almost steals the show.
Opening with a drug shoot-out, two assassins known as the Allentown Boys (Key and Peele) halt the massacre when a drug dealer's kitten approaches him. The silent duo adopt him as their own, but soon the kitten escapes into the home of Rell Williams (Peele), a recently dumped homebody who uses the kitten to get over his break-up. His best friend Clarence (Key) is an obsessive George Michael fan (his love of Faith is the movie's long-running gag that loses steam), and when Rell's kitten escapes, dubbed Keanu, Clarence joins him in infiltrating a gang that has taken possession of the kitten.
Key and Peele always traded off playing comic foil to one another on their sketch comedy show, and here they are reigned in to playing only three characters apiece. To watch them shift from normal, everyday guys to hard thugs is hilarious, and they carry out the task admirably. But they are limited to those two sides (the Allentown characters don't give them much room to exercise their chops), and one almost wishes they had gone full Monty Python and peppered themselves in various roles throughout the movie.
The transition from sketch comedy to full narrative can be tricky, and more often then not doesn't fly. Peele co-wrote the screenplay with Alex Rubens (a Key & Peele veteran), and it more or less holds up a three-act structure and hits the necessary dramatic beats to tell a story. But some of it is tiresome, specifically the violence, and I found myself getting a little weary of the film's repeated beats.
Not to mention that the screenplay ends with a fairly convenient outcome, including a gang member who was undercover the whole time, and Clarence finally learning to be a man and stand-up for himself. There is nothing innovative here, and the script likes a satirical edge that makes many of their sketches from their show great. There's a sly social commentary that is sorely missed here.
But what does work, works. The George Michael Faith gag, though long running, still provides laughs and culminates in a fairly ridiculous payoff. There is an extended cameo from a famous actress that is one of the films' more inspired scenes. And Key and Peele are great together on screen. But the biggest complaint anyone walking into this movie will have was there was not enough of the kitten. That little guy almost steals the show.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Captain America: Civil War, the 13th entry in the never-ending Marvel Cinematic Universe, has the distinct honor in kicking off what is being dubbed Phase Three, which will include more sequels to Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Avengers, as well as standalone movies for Black Panther and Spider-Man (introduced in this film), as well as Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel. It's a golden age for comic book movies, as they have never been more lucrative and the fanbase never more rabid.
Civil War, the third and presumably final Captain America film, stars little of Cap (Chris Evans), as this movie functions more as an Avengers 2.5, reeling in all the Avengers characters save Hulk and Thor (who will pal up in Thor's third installment). At this point it's kind of hard to make one of these movies without bringing in the whole gang, as the most prevalent question throughout Marvel's Phase 2 movies was "Why don't they just bring in The Avengers?" (see: Iron Man 3 and Winter Soldier, although in Ant-Man they address this head-on).
Politics bog down the first hour or so of this film, as the Avengers divide over the issue of whether or not they should cede power to the U.N., in what is being known as the Sokovia Accords, named after the city lifted into the sky in Age of Ultron. Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) can't live with the guilt of what their actions have wrought on innocents, and Steve Rogers maintains the Avengers should have autonomy. Meanwhile, Rogers' old pal Bucky Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) resurfaces as a suspect in a U.N. bombing, but Rogers believes he is innocent and goes on the lam.
Directors Anthony and Joe Russo do a more capable job of juggling the many characters established in this universe. One of Age of Ultron's biggest downfalls was how overstuffed it felt, and how no one character stood out as the lead. Here, Rogers and Stark are the clear protagonists, and the movie benefits from several films establishing these characters' ideological backgrounds, so it's clear when they divide why they do. Their conflict makes sense, although why several other members rally to Cap's side is a bit of a mystery (probably so they can evenly match the two sides with 6 apiece).
The film does double duty of introducing a character never before seen on the big screen, Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), as well as bringing in fan favorite Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who both enliven the proceedings. Spider-Man's presence is a bit pointless, his function no more then to have the character in the film because Sony finally relinquished the rights after those awful Amazing Spider-Man films. Regardless, his moments are some of the best in the film, and Holland is an able Spider-Man and shows promise for the upcoming standalone film.
Two of the best fight scenes in all of Marvel exist here: one is a showdown at an abandoned airport between the super friends that is both exciting, alive, and endlessly inventive. It works because we are invested in each character on different levels and they all bring unique powers and abilities to the fold. Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) is a particularly delightful addition, adding some humor to the proceedings.
The other is a final showdown that I won't spoil, but carried surprising emotional heft and was a fight where I genuinely didn't know which side to root for. Both sides were wrong and right for different reasons, and to see that kind of moral complexity in these films is encouraging for later installments. Let's just say it's a more emotional battle than the gladiator match of the century promised us in March.
But alas, despite all this film does right, it still just fails to connect overall. The opening hour or so, while effectively staging the conflict, drags on and I felt rather sleepy during it. The villain, a regular dude named Zemo (Daniel Brühl), is a bore, his intricate plan so elaborate that it could only work in the movies where characters act exactly as he wants them too. And at this point, there are too many damn characters to follow or care about. Side plots include Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) meditating on their powers, as well as Black Panther's hunt for justice.
Not that Captain America: Civil War isn't a good time; it's a blast. But I fear this may be the last, cohesive film starring the Avengers. The films have already gone full comic book (the existence of a character like Vision is still something I don't quite comprehend), and I can't imagine the upcoming Infinity Wars, for all their good intentions, to not be overblown mega-blockbusters that will ultimately exist to service whatever is next for Marvel. Civil War's biggest shortcoming is in it's ending; after all the events that have transpired have split our heroes, an olive branch is offered to assure reunification in the sequel. These films can't stand alone anymore because they have to set-up the next billion dollar entry, and while that is exciting from an overall, big picture perspective, it takes its toll on the individual experience.
Civil War, the third and presumably final Captain America film, stars little of Cap (Chris Evans), as this movie functions more as an Avengers 2.5, reeling in all the Avengers characters save Hulk and Thor (who will pal up in Thor's third installment). At this point it's kind of hard to make one of these movies without bringing in the whole gang, as the most prevalent question throughout Marvel's Phase 2 movies was "Why don't they just bring in The Avengers?" (see: Iron Man 3 and Winter Soldier, although in Ant-Man they address this head-on).
Politics bog down the first hour or so of this film, as the Avengers divide over the issue of whether or not they should cede power to the U.N., in what is being known as the Sokovia Accords, named after the city lifted into the sky in Age of Ultron. Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) can't live with the guilt of what their actions have wrought on innocents, and Steve Rogers maintains the Avengers should have autonomy. Meanwhile, Rogers' old pal Bucky Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) resurfaces as a suspect in a U.N. bombing, but Rogers believes he is innocent and goes on the lam.
Directors Anthony and Joe Russo do a more capable job of juggling the many characters established in this universe. One of Age of Ultron's biggest downfalls was how overstuffed it felt, and how no one character stood out as the lead. Here, Rogers and Stark are the clear protagonists, and the movie benefits from several films establishing these characters' ideological backgrounds, so it's clear when they divide why they do. Their conflict makes sense, although why several other members rally to Cap's side is a bit of a mystery (probably so they can evenly match the two sides with 6 apiece).
The film does double duty of introducing a character never before seen on the big screen, Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), as well as bringing in fan favorite Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who both enliven the proceedings. Spider-Man's presence is a bit pointless, his function no more then to have the character in the film because Sony finally relinquished the rights after those awful Amazing Spider-Man films. Regardless, his moments are some of the best in the film, and Holland is an able Spider-Man and shows promise for the upcoming standalone film.
Two of the best fight scenes in all of Marvel exist here: one is a showdown at an abandoned airport between the super friends that is both exciting, alive, and endlessly inventive. It works because we are invested in each character on different levels and they all bring unique powers and abilities to the fold. Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) is a particularly delightful addition, adding some humor to the proceedings.
The other is a final showdown that I won't spoil, but carried surprising emotional heft and was a fight where I genuinely didn't know which side to root for. Both sides were wrong and right for different reasons, and to see that kind of moral complexity in these films is encouraging for later installments. Let's just say it's a more emotional battle than the gladiator match of the century promised us in March.
But alas, despite all this film does right, it still just fails to connect overall. The opening hour or so, while effectively staging the conflict, drags on and I felt rather sleepy during it. The villain, a regular dude named Zemo (Daniel Brühl), is a bore, his intricate plan so elaborate that it could only work in the movies where characters act exactly as he wants them too. And at this point, there are too many damn characters to follow or care about. Side plots include Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) meditating on their powers, as well as Black Panther's hunt for justice.
Not that Captain America: Civil War isn't a good time; it's a blast. But I fear this may be the last, cohesive film starring the Avengers. The films have already gone full comic book (the existence of a character like Vision is still something I don't quite comprehend), and I can't imagine the upcoming Infinity Wars, for all their good intentions, to not be overblown mega-blockbusters that will ultimately exist to service whatever is next for Marvel. Civil War's biggest shortcoming is in it's ending; after all the events that have transpired have split our heroes, an olive branch is offered to assure reunification in the sequel. These films can't stand alone anymore because they have to set-up the next billion dollar entry, and while that is exciting from an overall, big picture perspective, it takes its toll on the individual experience.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Green Room (2015)
Very few films are effectively unsettling, creating a sense of dread that permeates an entire film's aura and leaves the audience in a state of almost unending suspense. Green Room, the latest writer/director Jeremy Saulnier (whose breakout film Blue Ruin was a modest success a few years ago), is such a film, and whether or not you are the type of audience for that will influence how you feel about the film.
A 4-piece punk rock band, who are so broke they siphon gas just to make it to their next gig, end up at a skinhead bar in Southern Oregon for a scheduled gig. There, one of the members, Pat (Anton Yelchin), witnesses a brutal murder and the group ends up stuck in the venue's green room, fighting against the owner Darcy (Patrick Stewart) and his gang of Neo-Nazis.
It's an effectively simple set-up to a 90-minute thrill ride that increases the stakes ever more as our characters are locked away, scrambling to figure a way out of their situation. Set almost entirely within the same bar, the film makes great use of limited space, and finds fun ways to expand on the claustrophobic environment as the victims find a way to escape.
The cast is all fantastic, including Imogen Poots as a fellow prisoner, Alia Shawkat, Joe Cole, and Callum Turner as the other members of the band. Yelchin is fine as the lead, and Stewart is fantastic as always as the main villain, the man who has a shrewd plan for covering up the crime and framing the unwitting band in the process.
Like Saulnier's previous film, Blue Ruin, the film is a fine example of suspense ratcheted up. Only the director's third feature, this is the sign of an assured hand, one who knows how to slowly move the pieces along and keep an audience engaged. There is not much wasted time in this film, as it propels along with an urgent dread.
And while I admire Saulnier's talents, I didn't necessarily enjoy the film all that much. There are a few brutal moments that made my entire audience let out groans and shouts of horror, and while the moments are few and far between, they certainly make an impression. The movie itself is a rather depressing affair, and if you were hoping for any element of fun, there is none to be found here.
And plenty of people will flock to see this movie and enjoy it for those reasons. And I applaud any director that can effect my mood and create that sense of dread that never lets up. But this is a movie I would recommend cautiously. If you like suspense, and don't mind brutal violence, then you'll love this movie. For everyone else, they'll wonder if the director is this intense in real life, and who did what to cause him to want to make such dark, brutal tales.
A 4-piece punk rock band, who are so broke they siphon gas just to make it to their next gig, end up at a skinhead bar in Southern Oregon for a scheduled gig. There, one of the members, Pat (Anton Yelchin), witnesses a brutal murder and the group ends up stuck in the venue's green room, fighting against the owner Darcy (Patrick Stewart) and his gang of Neo-Nazis.
It's an effectively simple set-up to a 90-minute thrill ride that increases the stakes ever more as our characters are locked away, scrambling to figure a way out of their situation. Set almost entirely within the same bar, the film makes great use of limited space, and finds fun ways to expand on the claustrophobic environment as the victims find a way to escape.
The cast is all fantastic, including Imogen Poots as a fellow prisoner, Alia Shawkat, Joe Cole, and Callum Turner as the other members of the band. Yelchin is fine as the lead, and Stewart is fantastic as always as the main villain, the man who has a shrewd plan for covering up the crime and framing the unwitting band in the process.
Like Saulnier's previous film, Blue Ruin, the film is a fine example of suspense ratcheted up. Only the director's third feature, this is the sign of an assured hand, one who knows how to slowly move the pieces along and keep an audience engaged. There is not much wasted time in this film, as it propels along with an urgent dread.
And while I admire Saulnier's talents, I didn't necessarily enjoy the film all that much. There are a few brutal moments that made my entire audience let out groans and shouts of horror, and while the moments are few and far between, they certainly make an impression. The movie itself is a rather depressing affair, and if you were hoping for any element of fun, there is none to be found here.
And plenty of people will flock to see this movie and enjoy it for those reasons. And I applaud any director that can effect my mood and create that sense of dread that never lets up. But this is a movie I would recommend cautiously. If you like suspense, and don't mind brutal violence, then you'll love this movie. For everyone else, they'll wonder if the director is this intense in real life, and who did what to cause him to want to make such dark, brutal tales.
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)
Richard Linklater has become the modern master of the laidback, casual hangout film. His films often feature a few characters talking for the majority of the runtime and philosophizing about life and our greater place in the grand scheme of things. Sometimes his movie has conflict; Boyhood (2014), his 12-years-in-the-making odyssey, had an ill-advised subplot involving an alcoholic father; the Before series (1995 - 2013) mostly featured 2 people talking; and Waking Life (2001) has a weird, abstract animated film about weird, abstract ideas.
Everybody Wants Some!!, his latest film, has been billed as a spiritual sequel to Dazed and Confused (1993). Having not seen that film I cannot comment on how closely it mirrors that films style, but considering Dazed and Confused is set on the final day of High School, and Everybody Wants Some!! concerns the weekend leading up to the beginning of college classes, I have a pretty good idea of what lies in store.
And Everybody Wants Some!! is essentially a fairly laid back, enjoyable hangout film. Set in 1980, when disco reigned supreme and punk was being born, the film follows incoming Freshman Jake (Blake Jenner) as he arrives at college and the frat-style house he will reside in with his fellow baseball teammates. Over the course of the weekend Jake bonds with his new friends, gets laid, and generally has a pretty good time.
And that's pretty much it. In terms of drama and plot, its a thin movie. But that is what Linklater excels at, making films about characters hanging out and having a good time. His goal is for you to enjoy being with the characters, and leaving the movie feeling like you just had a good time at a party meeting some fun people and having interesting conversations. And he achieves that remarkably well.
The movie doesn't contain any cynicism, which is a nice, refreshing change of pace from most movies about college. The characters are at that point in their lives where seemingly anything is possible, and they face the future with the same glowing optimism that many of us contained back when we were entering college. These people are fairly carefree; life is not stressing them out yet, no bills or kids or mortgages. It's nice to remember that there was a time we were all like that, possibly, and it is fun to see that spirit recaptured. The title is taken directly from a Van Halen song, and according to Linklater means wanting to get laid, while also meaning wanting more out of life and what it holds in store.
Ultimately, I think Linklater succeeded very well at making a movie where you enjoy hanging out with the characters. He played College Baseball in the 80s himself, so the movie has a lot of personal elements he drew from, and many of the characters represent different facets of his personality. It's that personal touch that sells the film. Linklater has assembled a fun cast that has a great chemistry together, replicating the machismo nature of male competition (one-upsmanship is a constant game at their house) while staying true to the things that bring people together. It's a pleasant 2-hour visit with characters that remind you that at one time, life was full of promise. It's nice to reminded of that sometimes.
Everybody Wants Some!!, his latest film, has been billed as a spiritual sequel to Dazed and Confused (1993). Having not seen that film I cannot comment on how closely it mirrors that films style, but considering Dazed and Confused is set on the final day of High School, and Everybody Wants Some!! concerns the weekend leading up to the beginning of college classes, I have a pretty good idea of what lies in store.
And Everybody Wants Some!! is essentially a fairly laid back, enjoyable hangout film. Set in 1980, when disco reigned supreme and punk was being born, the film follows incoming Freshman Jake (Blake Jenner) as he arrives at college and the frat-style house he will reside in with his fellow baseball teammates. Over the course of the weekend Jake bonds with his new friends, gets laid, and generally has a pretty good time.
And that's pretty much it. In terms of drama and plot, its a thin movie. But that is what Linklater excels at, making films about characters hanging out and having a good time. His goal is for you to enjoy being with the characters, and leaving the movie feeling like you just had a good time at a party meeting some fun people and having interesting conversations. And he achieves that remarkably well.
The movie doesn't contain any cynicism, which is a nice, refreshing change of pace from most movies about college. The characters are at that point in their lives where seemingly anything is possible, and they face the future with the same glowing optimism that many of us contained back when we were entering college. These people are fairly carefree; life is not stressing them out yet, no bills or kids or mortgages. It's nice to remember that there was a time we were all like that, possibly, and it is fun to see that spirit recaptured. The title is taken directly from a Van Halen song, and according to Linklater means wanting to get laid, while also meaning wanting more out of life and what it holds in store.
Ultimately, I think Linklater succeeded very well at making a movie where you enjoy hanging out with the characters. He played College Baseball in the 80s himself, so the movie has a lot of personal elements he drew from, and many of the characters represent different facets of his personality. It's that personal touch that sells the film. Linklater has assembled a fun cast that has a great chemistry together, replicating the machismo nature of male competition (one-upsmanship is a constant game at their house) while staying true to the things that bring people together. It's a pleasant 2-hour visit with characters that remind you that at one time, life was full of promise. It's nice to reminded of that sometimes.
The Jungle Book (2016)
Glorious, glorious remakes abound as Disney plumbs the depths of its animated film library to essentially remake everything they can in live-action, repurposing classic films for a new generation. Already done with Maleficent (which at least tried to see things from the villain's view) and Cinderella, now they remake the final film ol' Walt himself was alive for the production of, The Jungle Book.
By now the plot is fairly well-known; man-cub Mowgli (Neel Sethi) is found as a child by Bagheera the Panther (Ben Kingsley) and raised by wolves. Of course man cannot exist peacefully with the animals, as the fearsome man-killer Shere Khan (Idris Elba) has a vendetta against the man cub, and so Mowgli must venture back to the man village or else be killed.
To call this a "live-action" film is being fairly generous, since the only live-action thing in it is Mowgli, acting on green screen to animals that were placed in later. To be fair, the film is gorgeous, and the photorealistic jungle settings are sights to behold. The animals are, for the most part, fairly convincing. They are pretty clearly CGI creations, but the fact that they talk makes their artificiality forgivable.
The voice actors are all, for the most part, suitable to their roles. It's a little bit distracting at first, but you get used to Bill Murray as Baloo and Scarlett Johansson as Kaa. The only miscast is Christopher Walken as King Louie; he has such a distinct voice that I never really saw the massive orangutang, instead seeing the man behind the facade.
Neel Sethi, on the other hand, is not very good, and I hate saying that about child actors. He brings a great physicality to the role, jumping through trees and running through fields. But his line readings are terribly flat, although it's hard not to blame him. It must be pretty hard, being a kid and having your first big acting gig be entirely on a green screen stage, imagining all the creatures around you.
In terms of adaptation, the movie does a good job of hitting the familiar beats of the story as told by Disney (most audiences, myself included, are probably more familiar with the animated film rather than the book). There's enough that feels fresh here that makes the movie worth recommending. Not everything is exactly the same as the old one (no mop-top Beatles-lite Vultures), and the central conflict between Mowgli and Shere Khan is a little more interesting (although it is slightly boring that Shere Khan killed Mowgli's father and orphaned him).
My biggest gripe is with the songs; "Bare Necessities" and "I Wanna Be Like You" are redone, but none of the other songs are. It's fairly odd when Baloo and Louie break out into song for no reason other than "this song was in the original and we have to redo because it's what audiences remember." The moments don't entirely work and pull me out of the world the movie has built.
But, otherwise, this is worth checking out. The visuals are stunning, and though I did not see this in 3D, I did see a trailer for it in 3D a while back and was blown away by it. In terms of remakes and adaptations, this is a pretty solid one. I'm not sure we needed it, and will be interesting to see how audiences receive Andy Serkis' version in two years, but for now, this is a solid piece of entertainment.
By now the plot is fairly well-known; man-cub Mowgli (Neel Sethi) is found as a child by Bagheera the Panther (Ben Kingsley) and raised by wolves. Of course man cannot exist peacefully with the animals, as the fearsome man-killer Shere Khan (Idris Elba) has a vendetta against the man cub, and so Mowgli must venture back to the man village or else be killed.
To call this a "live-action" film is being fairly generous, since the only live-action thing in it is Mowgli, acting on green screen to animals that were placed in later. To be fair, the film is gorgeous, and the photorealistic jungle settings are sights to behold. The animals are, for the most part, fairly convincing. They are pretty clearly CGI creations, but the fact that they talk makes their artificiality forgivable.
The voice actors are all, for the most part, suitable to their roles. It's a little bit distracting at first, but you get used to Bill Murray as Baloo and Scarlett Johansson as Kaa. The only miscast is Christopher Walken as King Louie; he has such a distinct voice that I never really saw the massive orangutang, instead seeing the man behind the facade.
Neel Sethi, on the other hand, is not very good, and I hate saying that about child actors. He brings a great physicality to the role, jumping through trees and running through fields. But his line readings are terribly flat, although it's hard not to blame him. It must be pretty hard, being a kid and having your first big acting gig be entirely on a green screen stage, imagining all the creatures around you.
In terms of adaptation, the movie does a good job of hitting the familiar beats of the story as told by Disney (most audiences, myself included, are probably more familiar with the animated film rather than the book). There's enough that feels fresh here that makes the movie worth recommending. Not everything is exactly the same as the old one (no mop-top Beatles-lite Vultures), and the central conflict between Mowgli and Shere Khan is a little more interesting (although it is slightly boring that Shere Khan killed Mowgli's father and orphaned him).
My biggest gripe is with the songs; "Bare Necessities" and "I Wanna Be Like You" are redone, but none of the other songs are. It's fairly odd when Baloo and Louie break out into song for no reason other than "this song was in the original and we have to redo because it's what audiences remember." The moments don't entirely work and pull me out of the world the movie has built.
But, otherwise, this is worth checking out. The visuals are stunning, and though I did not see this in 3D, I did see a trailer for it in 3D a while back and was blown away by it. In terms of remakes and adaptations, this is a pretty solid one. I'm not sure we needed it, and will be interesting to see how audiences receive Andy Serkis' version in two years, but for now, this is a solid piece of entertainment.
Friday, April 8, 2016
Zootopia (2016)
Zootopia, the 55th official animated movie out of Disney Animation Studios, is a surprisingly relevant story with real world analogies that will get adults thinking and teach kids about tolerance. Disney has always been one to poke fun at its own formula as of late, and Zootopia continues this trend by featuring standard tropes with some nice twists.
Set in an anthropomorphic world where animals have evolved beyond their roles as predator and prey, the movie follows Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a bunny determined to be the first rabbit on the police force in the metropolis of Zootopia. Its the same "if you work hard, you can achieve your dreams" angle that is a favorite of the Disney stable, but rarely have they applied it to someone breaking the mold and tearing down stereotypes.
After she graduates as valedictorian and is assigned to ZPD (Zootopia Police Department), she moves to the big city from her humble small town and discovers that the urban environment is not very friendly, and that just because she was the best at her school, she will not get special treatment (her chief is a Ram played by Idris Elba, a great touch). Assigned to parking duty, she eventually snags a piece of a larger case involving missing animals, and sets out to solve the mystery or else lose her job.
The film plays draws interesting parallels to real world racial tensions; rabbits have preconceived notions about foxes as wily, sly, and untrustworthy, so naturally she teams up with a street urchin fox named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman). Nick calls her "cute," and an interesting line she retorts with is, "Other rabbits can call each other that, but you can't." And the dynamic of predator and prey is put in the foreground, as the weaker animals grow fearful of what their more powerful friends could be capable of doing.
It's all fascinating stuff, and the world of Zootopia itself is a wonder to behold. Laid out very much like a theme park, the city features "zones" where different animals of different climates live (a rainforest zone, a snow zone, etc.), surrounding a central city where animals go to work and live a regular 9 to 5 life. An early chase scene moves from the regular city to a mouse sized neighborhood where our heroes suddenly become Godzilla sized monsters.
But, like many films out of the Disney Animation Studio, the film doesn't fully commit to its bold premise. Wreck-it Ralph (2012) has a great moment where the eventual villain convinces our hero that if he helps his friend, it could mean her demise. That's a great, nuanced story, but unfortunately it squanders that storyline for a more traditional villain. The same goes for Zootopia, where the central mystery is a fascinating analogy for real world race relations, but takes a turn I suspected, but hoped it wouldn't.
But that's the price of family-friendly entertainment. Zootopia proves that Disney's output has been overall stronger than Pixar's (although none of their films can hold a candle to Inside Out). But I hope Disney can move past the need for a villain in their movie. Pixar usually employs villains as well, but their motivations make sense and their defeat is sometimes surprising and unique. Zootopia's villain is a lame cop-out that I saw coming a mile away, and was an ultimately unnecessary edition to the story.
Still, this is a fun, delightful, and mostly very smart movie. True to most Disney films, it is one adults can enjoy as well as their kids. I just wish the movie did even more with its bold premise. Disney has been mocking its own formula for quite some time now; its time they actually broke it.
Set in an anthropomorphic world where animals have evolved beyond their roles as predator and prey, the movie follows Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), a bunny determined to be the first rabbit on the police force in the metropolis of Zootopia. Its the same "if you work hard, you can achieve your dreams" angle that is a favorite of the Disney stable, but rarely have they applied it to someone breaking the mold and tearing down stereotypes.
After she graduates as valedictorian and is assigned to ZPD (Zootopia Police Department), she moves to the big city from her humble small town and discovers that the urban environment is not very friendly, and that just because she was the best at her school, she will not get special treatment (her chief is a Ram played by Idris Elba, a great touch). Assigned to parking duty, she eventually snags a piece of a larger case involving missing animals, and sets out to solve the mystery or else lose her job.
The film plays draws interesting parallels to real world racial tensions; rabbits have preconceived notions about foxes as wily, sly, and untrustworthy, so naturally she teams up with a street urchin fox named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman). Nick calls her "cute," and an interesting line she retorts with is, "Other rabbits can call each other that, but you can't." And the dynamic of predator and prey is put in the foreground, as the weaker animals grow fearful of what their more powerful friends could be capable of doing.
It's all fascinating stuff, and the world of Zootopia itself is a wonder to behold. Laid out very much like a theme park, the city features "zones" where different animals of different climates live (a rainforest zone, a snow zone, etc.), surrounding a central city where animals go to work and live a regular 9 to 5 life. An early chase scene moves from the regular city to a mouse sized neighborhood where our heroes suddenly become Godzilla sized monsters.
But, like many films out of the Disney Animation Studio, the film doesn't fully commit to its bold premise. Wreck-it Ralph (2012) has a great moment where the eventual villain convinces our hero that if he helps his friend, it could mean her demise. That's a great, nuanced story, but unfortunately it squanders that storyline for a more traditional villain. The same goes for Zootopia, where the central mystery is a fascinating analogy for real world race relations, but takes a turn I suspected, but hoped it wouldn't.
But that's the price of family-friendly entertainment. Zootopia proves that Disney's output has been overall stronger than Pixar's (although none of their films can hold a candle to Inside Out). But I hope Disney can move past the need for a villain in their movie. Pixar usually employs villains as well, but their motivations make sense and their defeat is sometimes surprising and unique. Zootopia's villain is a lame cop-out that I saw coming a mile away, and was an ultimately unnecessary edition to the story.
Still, this is a fun, delightful, and mostly very smart movie. True to most Disney films, it is one adults can enjoy as well as their kids. I just wish the movie did even more with its bold premise. Disney has been mocking its own formula for quite some time now; its time they actually broke it.
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