The New Mutants (2020)

More and more lately discourse about movies has little to do with the actual movie and much more to do with how we expect the movie to be, then confirmation bias takes over, and everyone piles on. No one wants to be the outlier and disagree with the preordained opinion about a film. It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. That appears to be what happened to The New Mutants, and interesting, atmospheric movie that is gripping, yet everyone decided was bad before they even saw it.

When 20th Century Fox was still around and still making X-men movies, they wanted to take the series in a new direction and start following new characters. The New Mutants, with a horror bent, was a route to do that. Director Josh Boone came up with a very different approach to the superhero genre, specifically the X-verse subgenre, and attempted to unleash it on the world. But studio politics, toxic online fans, and damn COVID, doomed the film to lengthy delays and the perception that it wasn't any good.

Which is all to bad cause it's actually not bad. I enjoyed The New Mutants. I felt it's exploration of trauma and healing was not only insightful but effecting. I also felt it was successfully scary, especially in light of the way the horror comes from within and overcoming it comes from learning to face our pasts, our mistakes, the ways we've been abused, and move through it together. New Mutants is queer and asks us to question what it is we are told to believe. Perhaps that's why so many react negatively to it.

Not The New Mutants is not perfect. The ending is a bit anti-climactic and sometimes the film is a bit more straight forward and predictable than it needs to be. But its flaws are minor. I think one of the biggest disappointments is the way the film sets up interesting interpretations of characters that we won't get to see return in follow up stories. There is a lot more to say here and now we won't get that.

The New Mutants
Starring: Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga, Blu Hunt, Henry Zaga
Director: Josh Boone
Writers: Knate Lee, Josh Boone

The Personal History of David Copperfield (2020)

Delightful is the best way to describe director Armando Iannucci's adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel David Copperfield. The story, windy and twisty and I imagine challenging to adapt, is captured by Iannucci by telling it in a fanciful, whimsical way. As the novel itself is modeled after "personal histories" which naturally are remembered differently than probably what really happened, the license is there for Iannucci to have his protagonist tell the story in a way that doesn't need to necessarily adhere to reality. This allows the film to be joyous, fantastic, and find lovely ways through the messy life history of the famous Copperfield.

Iannucci is bold in his reimagining of this world. His film is colourful and jumps through time and space quickly. But it is all grounded in a very compelling and rich characterization of Copperfield played with exuberance and mirth by Patel who owns the role. Patel is supported by a wonderful cast who completely embrace the esthetic and lean into its madness.

If there are any faults with the film it is in how it simply isn't quite successful in containing its entire story. Especially near the end, the film rushes through to get to where it needs to get. Sometimes Iannucci finds marvelous ways to skip ahead such as in having Dora ask David to writer her out of the story as she "doesn't fit." It is melancholy and sweet while avoiding the need to work through that plot complication. Other times the film feels rushed such as David finally realizing what we've all seen all along, that Agnes is the perfect fit for him. However it is easy to forgive the film as it just remains such a pleasure to watch.

The film is damn funny. I laughed out loud throughout. This is a talented cast of comedians and they pull it off. But it is also just the richness of this story of personal triumph. Dickens often focuses on the injustices of the British caste system and Copperfield is no exception as our main character careens from through wealth, poverty, powerlessness, and riches. The film's whimsical approach softens this but still holds true to the mission.

Far less cynical than Iannucci's last film The Death of Stalin, in many ways The Personal History of David Copperfield is an about face. It is a celebration of life and it's lovely.

The Personal History of David Copperfield
Starring: Dev Patel, Aneurin Barnard, Peter Capaldi, Morfydd Clark, Daisy May Cooper, Rosalind Eleazer, Hugh Laurie, Tilda Swinton, Ben Wishaw, Benedict Wong, Gwendoline Christie
Director: Armando Iannucci
Writers: Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci

Tenet (2020)

The word Tenet is a palindrome. The movie Tenet is structured as a palindrome. Writer/director Nolan who has made a name for himself with "puzzle movies" like Memento, The Prestige and Inception has returned to this genre with his latest and it is as fun a puzzle as any he has laid out before us.

But as much fun as it was to try to work through what was happening, with so much being left to interpretation so much re-examining of what we thought we saw to be done on future viewings, Tenet also works strictly as an action movie. Nolan knows how to make pulse pounding action and keep his audience on the edge of our seats and for the most part, even if the more complicated elements of the film escape you, Tenet is exciting just for it's thrills and chills.

I say for the most part because in the climax "battle" there is a certain amount of energy which might be lost if the plot threads are lost. But still it's something to see.

Nolan's mixes this with his character work. His cast is strong and he gives them a lot to work with. Most of the main characters are neither cliches nor 2 dimensional, especially as we learn more about them. He has crafted a pulse pounding thriller, filled with his fascinating rich characters, and woven a complex story that demands to be rewatched, contemplated, and debated. It is the whole package. It is just what one wants from cinema when one wants more than escapism. I say more because there is plenty of escapism here. There is also just so much more.

Tenet
Starring: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Writer/Director: Christopher Nolan

The Tempest (2010) REVISIT

At the time of writing this director Julie Taymor has directed two filmed adaptations of Shakespeare's plays. While her Tempest isn't as shocking and audacious as her Titus, the film remains as visually striking and as subversive. Her trick here is to switch genders on the main character, Prospero (Prospera here), and casting Mirren as the wizard seeking revenge. It allows the play to examine patriarchy as well as colonialism.

Taymor once again pulls a rabbit out of a hat by taking a rather small budget and making out of it something visually striking. From her costumes, to the art direction, to her cinematography The Tempest is a memorably unique and lush film. The Tempest must make us believe in magic and Taymor is right up to that task. The reaction to this film at the time of release was not positive but for me, over time, it has grown on me as a fascinating adaptation.

The cast is remarkable and a big part of the what works for me in this adaptation is Taymor's casting. Cooper is wonderful as the villainous Antonio, reveling in his ursurping his sister's reign. And with him Cumming is strong as his duplicitous ally the Prince. Here he is less over the top than she had him be in Titus yet still eccentric enough. Together they are both just the right amoutn of evil without exploiting it. Hounsou wonderfully embodies the full complex humanity of Caliban, treated at every turn as a creature. Brand and Molina play off each other hilariously as the comedic relief. And Winshaw does just what he always does well, playing otherworldly elegance as the fairy Ariel. For me the only weaker parts are Jones and Carney as the young lovers but perhaps it's because their parts are the least interesting and not due to their performances, Jones especially brings all she can to what is a dull role. Yet still there is a difference in the way her character relates to her mother which feels different, perhaps deeper than when the role has a father instead. There is a desire in Mirren to give her daughter a better world than she faced that is palpable.

Sometimes Taymor lets the story drag a bit. There are times I wish she had been a bit more judicious in her editing and in her adaptation of the story.  But what she does I enjoy. As I said I like the way she uses the story to explore gendered access to office in society. Also, I like her post-modern treatment of Caliban which critiques colonialism in ways Shakespeare himself only hinted at.

But in the end her talent most expressly reveals itself in her visual style, that gives this magical tale a true feeling of magic.

The Tempest
Starring: Helen Mirren, Ben Whishaw, Djimon Hounsou, Felicity Jones, David Strathairn, Chris Cooper, Alan Cumming, Alfred Molina, Russell Brand, Reeve Carney
Director: Julie Taymor
Writers: William Shakespeare, Julie Taymor

Fuego Negro/Dark Forces (2020)

Fuego Negro has a great premise. Renegade criminal searching for his lost sister finds himself at a mysterious, atmospheric hotel, filled with strange, ominous guests. Writer/director Arellano has gone full David Lynch here and made an enticingly enigmatic movie. What's real and what's a dream are the sorts of questions you'll be asking yourself as you watch this visually stunning and audacious film.

Arellano uses a gorgeous art direction and surreal cinematography to create a world just outside of reality. Clearly his film is on the lower end of the budget scale but he shows us just what you can do with a lot of artistic license and ingenuity. Fuego Negro is sumptuous and lush as it weaves its way through its teasing story, a story that flirts with just the right amount of intrigue and melodrama. He balances the sex and violence well too, leaning more into the sex appeal and leaving the violence more suggested.

Not that Fuego Negro is always easy to watch. There are some Cronenberg-esque moments that are haunting to say the least. This film is likely not for the feint of heart. But it's all done with an air of artistic flair that focuses on aesthetics, colour, and texture which is riveting.

Fuego Negro is a fugue fever dream that is both terrifying and lovely. It shouldn't be explained but experienced and interpreted for yourself.

Fuego Negro/Dark Forces
Starring: Mauricio Aspe, Johana Fragoso Blendl, Dale Carley
Writer/Director: Bernardo Arellano

The Tax Collector (2020)

Writer/director Ayers' work for me is a pretty mixed bag. The Tax Collector is a good example of that. Some of it works for me, a lot of it doesn't. Unfortunately is the sort of movie that's more cliches than story or character, and uses a a rather tired story to justify a violent climax for entertainment purposes.

This is the story of a guy who gets involved in the gang scene and ends up paying the price. He's a good man but gets involved with bad people. Its the same old morality tale we've seen a million times. It's all really predictable and, as I said, cliche. And all of it, the saintly wife (who doesn't deserve what his "career" brings her) to the kidnapping of his children, is all set up as a justification for a sadistically violent ending which goes over the top. While I can see the cathartic value in the revenge genre, this one feels like it is missing authenticity. That it is tired and a little lazy.

The film does try to make something here with LaBeouf's character, The Creeper, a lovable monster, but that sort of plays into the same problems the rest of the film has.  He's more a cliche than something original. He is good in the role and the actor brings something to it which is very watchable. But the way he's written there is only so much he can do with it.

Soto shows some real potential for a leading man future. Again he does well with what he is given and has the sort of charisma that makes us want to follow him into an adventure. He is up to the task of giving us a real feeling performance.

But in the end The Tax Collector feels too brief to truly build to what it is trying to do. The Tax Collector isn't a complete failure but it really should be more.

The Tax Collector 
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Bobby Soto, George Lopez, Cinthya Carmona, Jimmy Smitts
Writer/Director: David Ayer

Project Power (2020)

Relative newcomer Dominique Fishback has star potential. She steals this movie from big names like Foxx and Gordon-Levitt. Her student/drug dealer/rapper/super hero (yes really) is a compelling character that just makes you want to see more. If this movie gets some traction, expect to see more of her soon.

Project Power is the story of a drug (Power) which gives those who take is unpredictable super powers for 5 minutes. It follows Robin (Fishback) a teen dealer, Frank (a Power addicted cop who buys from Robin), and Art (on of the original test subjects of the drug trials) who all get tangled up in the chaos created by the drug. The film has an exciting if rather shallow story and is filled with thrilling action scenes.

Project Power has a good idea behind it but only takes it so far. It feels like there is a lot of potential here that could be explored but so far hasn't. Despite the truly exciting set pieces, the story keeps it simple and straight forward, not quite cliche but getting pretty close. I understand Netflix is looking for a franchise and this one holds some potential to tell more fascinating stories in the future. I might personally prefer to see The Old Guard get a sequel as I felt it got me hooked faster than this. But this story and Fishback both have a lot of promise.

Project Power
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominque Fishback, Rodrigo Santoro, Amy Landecker, Courtney B. Vance, Colson Baker
Directors: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Writer: Mattson Tomlin

The SpongBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020)

SpongeBob humour is either for you or it isn't. Its chaotic absurdity, rapidly jumping from one bit of silliness to another, often with a "gross" esthetic, either makes you laugh or it doesn't. If you aren't into SpongeBob, Sponge on the Run isn't for you. But as I watched it I wondered if it was even for SpongeBob fans.

Set up as an extended episode of the show, Sponge on the Run does little to differentiate itself from a TV experience. Some celebrity cameos, especially Snoop Dog or Keanu Reeves as a spiritual tumbleweed, are the only thing that feels "big screen." The rest of the story is as forgettable and bland as any episode of the show. It's disposable. One leaves Sponge on the Run wondering why they sat through that. 

As cinema is moving in a new direction at this particular moment in time, a TV film adaptation might change too. Perhaps just telling a longer version of what we're used to on TV might be a good fit for the streaming age or it might just make it less interesting to spend time on. In this case it felt more like the latter for me. And I'm not sure it offers much even to those who might be big fans of the characters. I guess time will tell if a series of these rather nondescript movies for characters like this attract an audience or not. My bet isn't on it having much impact.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run
Starring: Tom Kerry, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass, Clancy Brown, Carolyn Lawrence, Snoop Dog, Keanu Reeves, Awkwafina, Tiffany Haddish
Director: Tim Hil
Writers: Michael Kvamme, Tim Hill

Boy State (2020)

Boy State is a bit of a terrifying look at the future of American Politics. It's The War Room meets Lord of the Flies. The film follows a number of young men attending Texas' Boy State event, a mock exercise in democracy, that shows us just how much the system skews towards the corrupt and the subversion of democracy.

The film follows select boys attending the event and how they succumb to the pressures of a system where you must win over the hearts and minds of polarized, partizan inductees. While it feels like the film wants to inspire a certain amount of hope by focusing on at least one candidate who lives close to the kinds of principles we (as a nation) say we want in our political system, the vast majority of the boys quickly fall into the games, cheating, and deceit which is pretty much required to be successful in the American democratic experiment.

Perhaps the film isn't trying to give us hope, but show us that despite the way we are inspired by one honorable boy in particular, Boy State shows us he can't win with his values. The justifications for the back stabbing are just too great. Also the film's focus on masculinity and the ways that subverts a fair system is disheartening. There are moments that are excruciating to watch, as we are dreading what it means to see these young men grow up and become the next political class.

In many ways Boys State is an indictment of American democracy as a whole. The way the structure is set up almost prevents us reaching the goals we state we have for our political process. Perhaps we know that this is a lie we tell ourselves, or perhaps we just can't see past our own noses. I wish the film had dealt more with underlying themes of racism and homophobia which are just under the surface but never quite exposed. But the film's central conceit is just how doomed this system it to the exploitation of the powerful.

Perhaps the most haunting moments are when it shows us pictures of many of the men who currently hold power in Washington and in right wing media, pictures from their youth in Boys States around the country. Are we training our future politicians, like we did the ones in the past, to cheat, lie, and steal?

Boy State
Directors: Jesse Moss, Amanda McBaine

Unhinged (2020)

I'm not sure I can say Unhinged is a good movie. It is filled with cliched story arcs and plays up the worst impulses for thrills. Yet despite what I know watching it I couldn't help but feel my heart race, my pulse pound. I was once pursued by a stranger in a car during a road rage incident. It was terrifying. And despite how many times the film felt like it was cheating, it still brought back a lot of that real life terror I felt.

Pistorius does a great job of making her character feel real even in the film's rather preposterous scenarios. Her emotions and the ride she goes on are very well played out. There were times I felt she transcended the movie and the situations it puts her in.

Crowe is put in the hard position of taking his villain character and not taking him as over the top as he is written. He manages this as best he can. His character is the film's main problem. He is unredeemable. He starts the film as a brutal killer and decides that being publicly slighted by a stranger is enough to justify further violence. The film doesn't give him more motivation than just straight white male rage. Crowe embodies that.

And to be honest he is terrifying. He is unrepentant. He is entitled. His beef is that he is disrespected and his belief is that entitles him to rampage, to cause harm. Pistorius explains to him that she has nothing to apologize for and he rejects that outright. No matter where the film falls down in its simplistic, unrealistic story telling, this is where it finds truth.

Unhinged in its attempt to be a scary thriller manages to find a piece of honestly scary reality in the way it shows white male rage as being a real threat to the safety and security of the rest of us. In that it works. It does touch a nerve. I still imagine how much better a movie it could have been if it did this without all the games it plays with story and character.

Unhinged
Starring: Russel Crowe, Caren Pistorius, Gabriel Bateman, Jimmi Simpson
Director: Derrick Borte
Writer: Carl Ellsworth

Howard (2020)

Songwriter Howard Ashman was an unparalleled talent. His lyrics have a naturalness to them that makes them seem like they just flow out of the singer's mouth, and are filled with the most ingenious word plays and illusions. Often it's filled with meanings far beyond what the literal meaning of his words are. His work is as clever as Cole Porter, the rhythms, the rhymes, the pictures he paints, the allegories, but it never feels pretentious or out of reach. His work is simply beautiful and lovely. When I first discovered his work I was a child yet I still knew I had found something special. From the daring audacity of Little Shop of Horrors to the magical perfection of The Little Mermaid, his work was one of first times I found something that was heads and shoulders above most of what else I was hearing.

When Ashman passed away in 1991 I felt it deeply. His masterpiece, Beauty and the Beast, had just revolutionized animation as film in North America. Not only did I want more and more of this mans work, I loved seeing a queer man create this amazing music and be honoured for it. His death was a loss that just felt so overwhelming. He had invigorated in me (and so many others) a love for musical theatre and animation, and I wasn't sure I could find something like his work again. I never really did.

Life goes on for those of us left behind, but his work has always stayed with me. I can sing all of Gaston or Belle or Under the Sea without any prompting or reminders of the lyrics. And clearly I am not alone. Howard, a documentary about his career and life, is a loving tribute to him. The film celebrates his work and also shows him with his loving partner, and his suffering through AIDS which would eventually kill him. The film treats him as a hero and that is fitting, even if it shows his passion, especially at the end, where things became so hard. It captures the loss so many of us felt at the time of his death.

Howard is a lovely tribute to a beautiful artist and a reminder to all of us how lucky we are to have his work still here with us.

Howard
Writer/Director: Don Hawn

An American Pickle (2020)

Seth Rogan makes a lot of movies. Some good. Some not so much. An American Pickle feels more like a high concept that was fun to make up than a story truly worth telling in an actual motion picture. It's like some very funny people (Rogan and Rich) started riffing on a funny idea they had and then carried it all the way through to making it into a movie. But having seen the movie, one wonders if it was all worth it.

Even the jokes feel like that. They'll hit on something (early on there is a scene involving seltzer) and just keep going with it, long past it being that funny. So you start to smile a bit (few of the jokes illicit more than a smile) but then it drags on and you just wait for something else to come along which might be funny.

The humour probably works for others more than it did for me. It's mostly based on absurdist ideas, the whole thing is ridiculous actually, I get that's the point, and that's just something that doesn't work for me as much as it does for others. Still, I imagine the film's approach to just dragging things out will get tiring for even those who get a kick out of the preposterous.

On the plus side, Rogan is charming playing both the modern man and his great grandfather and if there is any enjoyment to be had it's in watching him clearly have a good time. But even he gets tired a bit. His historical character's accent is over the top and trying after a while.

This is one of those ideas that might have made a really fun SNL sketch, but stretched over (not quite even) 90 minutes it runs out of flavour fast.

An American Pickle
Starring: Seth Rogan, Sarah Snook, Jorma Taccone, Sean Whalen
Director: Brandon Trost
Writers: Simon Rich

Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula (2020)

Sometimes sequels regurgitate the same ideas as the first film, giving us what we saw before... but often bigger. Sometimes sequels will build on what was there before, enriching the story and taking it to new places. Peninsula, a follow up to Train to Busan, one of the best "Zombie movies" of the past few years, is in the latter category. Instead of continuing the story of the first film, Peninsula starts new threads, follows new characters, in the same story world, but explores bigger themes while still capturing what made Busan such a great film.

Peninsula has all the claustrophobic energy of the first film. The zombies here are of the running variety, vicious and terrifying, giving the film the fast paced and high energy vibe of the original. But like Busan, the story isn't just about horror, it's about the human reaction to such horror. Busan focused on characters, the humanity of the characters. Peninsula does the same. It is a very human story.

Without spoiling the story, Peninsula is the story of refugees. The very real world reality of those fleeing disaster are brought to life in this film. Peninsula doesn't bang us over the head with its metaphors, it fits it all nicely into a very compelling and exciting story. I found myself clenching my fists throughout, literally on the edge of my seat for most of the movie. The film sets up its multiple characters, each with their story threads, until they all run together into a high adrenalin climax. Does it flirt with being over the top? Perhaps. It is grandiose and emotional and but as I watched Peninsula, it earned all the ambition it took on.

Peninsula is part Mad Max, part Walking Dead, part Suicide Squad, part District 9, with a healthy helping of Train to Busan. And in many ways it is very much it's own story, a very thrilling, and often touching, story about humanity.

Peninsula 
Starring: Gang Dong-won, Lee Jung-hyun, Lee Re
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Writers: Park Joo-Suk, Yeon Sang-ho