F9 The Fast Saga (2021)

I have to give this disclaimer every time I discuss one of the Fast & Furious movies; they aren't my jam. I don't like the aesthetic, the cast, the themes, or the unending commitment to asinine plotting and ridiculous stunts. I get that for many those are exactly the reasons they like the films. So for fans of the FF films. For me, once again the film left me cold. I came close to liking one with Hobbs & Shaw spinoff but it still isn't the sort of film I could get into rewatching for enjoyment. Now that we're back to the main story again, I am once again on the outs with popular opinion. 

For me watching absurdly over the top car chases, explosions, and stunts just isn't enough to entertain. I'm willing to give films a lot of leeway if they are fun but none of these films is quite fun enough for me to get invested. And the stories are just so filled with unreasonable coincidences, melodrama that would make the casts of any Real Housewives show blush, and questionable moral-to-the-stories that I just spend most of the run time frustrated instead of entertained. 

I am going to point out the yes the characters of colour remain sidelined compared to the light skinned cast, serving mostly as comic relief. And yes the women in the film still fill in the support roles there to ensure the men's arcs are completed. And yes, so much of this cast should stop pretending and come out of the fucking closet. I mean, they even when with a Pride Flag poster for this one. But hey! They go to space in this one! Yes, space. Seriously. 

But more power to those who love these films and seeing them on the big screen. I do know what it means to sit in a cinema in the dark and watch spectacle unfold with glee. I hope the audiences who keep consuming these films have that experience with this latest instalment and the endless. 

I do enjoy just how the films keep one upping themselves in the stupid name department. They make James Bond films seem like they have reasonable names. In this case I find it confusing. This one appears to be named "The Fast Saga" but to me the term "saga" implies the entire series. Yet this one is the "saga?"  Okay. 

F9 The Fast Saga

Starring: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, John Cena, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron, Michael Rooker, Kurt Russell, Sung Kang, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Lucas Black, Bow Wow, Jason Tobin, Gal Gadot, Jason Statham

Director: Justin Lin

Writers: Daniel Casey, Justin Lin

 

The Sparks Brothers (2021)

Most of us aren't going to be familiar with Sparks. Some may have never heard of them. Others may have some recollections of one of their songs. They are one of those institutions that has flown just under the radar for 50 years. Film maker Edger Wright has made a love letter to them celebrating all that makes them who they are to their fans. 

The Sparks Brothers presents Sparks as an enigma, celebrating their uniqueness but then, most incredibly, explores just how normal and human they are. The movie doesn't attempt to create and sustain any arms-length inaccessibility. Instead it allows Ron and Russell Mael to be tremendously relatable. Their talent is celebrated for sure, but so is their boy-next-doorness which is perhaps the most radical thing you can do in a film about a band like Sparks. 

The film is a love letter. The music of the band is showcased in such a way that you can't help but become a fan, even if you've never hummed along to them before. You'll want to run out and buy their greatest hits after seeing the film. From live performances to their undeniably incredible music videos the film glories in Sparks music. 

Wright is one of my favourite film makers, always up for showing me some new way to telling stories on the screen and The Sparks Brothers is no different. His effort here is clearly as a fan and that love for the band, and all they've inspired, including his own work, shows through beautifully. The Sparks Brothers is a gorgeous film in its own right. 

And you'll be singing My Baby's Taking Me Home all the way home from the cinema...

The Sparks Brothers

Starring: Sparks, Weird Al Yankovic, Flea, Beck, Patton Oswalt, Mike Myers, Neil Gaiman, Bjork, Andy Bell

Director: Edger Wright

 

Fatherhood (2021)

I'm not a fan of Kevin Hart but I have to give him credit. He's upped his game with Fatherhood, giving the sort of performance that takes a comic and grows him into a real actor. The film may be on the inspiration porn side of things (think Hart's recent remake of Intouchables, The Upside) but it is elevated by a great cast centred around Hart's strong performance where he balances the humour with the pathos. 

Fatherhood had a lot to overcome for me to embrace it. First Hart himself as I find his style of humour rather... uninspiring. But then there is the premise of the film itself. I struggle to embrace thinking it's funny and or inspiring for fathers to actually parent. I'm of the uncommon belief that fathers can parent and it's not funny to watch them try, and it's not sweet or adorable when they do. It's just as average and a part of life as anyone else parenting. So a movie centred around such a story is a little on the insulting side.

However the film pulls off a minor miracle. Fatherhood finds just the right balance between the funny and the moving in this story about a widowed father raising his daughter despite everyone around him having no faith in him. The film doesn't go overboard on the silliness (no Mr. Mom antics here) instead focusing on a more realistic isn't-parenting-hard kind of commiserating. The film actually explores the pain of his loss and the overwhelming aspects of single parenthood with a finesse and respect I found refreshing. 

Truly the cast is what elevates Fatherhood into being a such an entertaining film. Alfre Woodard is (unsurprisingly) wonderful as his mother-in-law. Melody Hurd joins the pantheon of adorable child actors who steal the show. And Lil Rel Howery and Anthony Carrigan add just the right amount of comic relief allowing Hart to do more of the dramatic heavy lifting which, as I have indicated, he is pretty much up for. 

So while Fatherhood still manages to be a little on the Chicken Soup for the Soul side of things and resolves its central conflicts a bit too easily, it still manages to win you over with just how right it all comes together. Kudos to director Weitz for finding the right mix and pulling it all off. 

Fatherhood

Starring: Kevin Hart, Alfre Woodard, Melody Hurd, Lil Rel Howery, Anthony Carrigan, DeWanda Wise, Paul Reiser

Director: Paul Weitz

Writers: Dana Stevens, Paul Weitz

 

Luca (2021)

With Luca Pixar animation studios has taken a bit of a change in tone and style. Visually quite different from the studio's traditional approach and narratively lighter in tone, Luca is delightful and refreshing although someone overly simplistic while still being delightfully charming. 

First I loved the look of the film. The film makers have been quoted as saying the look of the characters was based on Hayao Miyazaki's style and there is definitely an Aardman animation look to them too. This is a big shift for Pixar which has honed its own identifiable style for decades, but it is a welcome shake up. Luca doesn't attempt to try to look "real" instead creating a structurally animated looking world which breaks free from the need to be seen as realistic. I enjoy animation that embraces the freedom to create its own world. Its a very different approach from sister studio Disney's recent hyperrealistic Raya and the Last Dragon and it is just joyous to watch. 

Pixar is the master of underwater animation from its ground breaking Nemo films and the way this film captures the transition from the sea worlds to the surface is gorgeous and powerful. But it isn't just that achievement. The film is also a loving tribute to Cinema Italiano and the works of the master Federico Fellini. The way the film uses light, tone, and its Italian coastline settings evokes the spirt of that genre of film that cinemaphiles will adore. 

The film makers have stated the film's narrative is about that feeling of being different and how we all feel like outsiders at times. Luca truly grapples with this on a universal basis to be inclusive of the generalized feeling of not belonging and while that theme is important the film often feels so generalized that it never quite hits on a deeper level. The film kind of goes out of its way to ensure it isn't being a strict metaphor for anyone in particular and tries to be everything to everyone and that waters down (no pun intended) the power of the message somewhat. Still the story and its message are a beautiful story about being yourself and there is nothing wrong with that. 

Pixar has in the past been able to take us through its stories to emotional levels of resonance that transcend the average film watching experience and I'm just not sure Luca ever quite breaks out. However what it lacks in depth (again no pun intended) it makes up for in pure visual artistry and charm. I love that the studio is attempting new things and not getting stuck in a rut. I love that they appear to be moving on from just making more Toy Story sequels, and I love that they can release something like this, a little delightful love letter to a number of different film styles that is just so damn joyous it will make you smile. 

Luca

Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Maya Rudolph, Jim Gaffigan, Sandy Martin, Saverio Raimondo, Marco Barricelli, Sacha Baron Cohen

Director: Enrico Casarosa

Writers: Jesse Andrews, Mike Jones 

Demon Slayer: Mugen Train (2020)

From the opening shots of Mugen Train, the film is visually incredible. The film fades in on a forest scene and the moment is a remarkable example of hand drawn animation. The film will mix CGI into the work but is often a revolving blend of different animations styles, from the heavily stylized reactions featured in anime, to stunning CGI, to beautiful hand drawn traditional animation. It all comes together to produce a film that is stunning to watch on the big screen. 

Continuing the story from the first TV series, this film manages to be both a satisfying continuation of the plot and a stand alone story enjoyable for anyone new coming into the story. It is dark, with references to violence and loss which are powerful, but it is also handled with a sensitivity and maturity which make it all the more impactful. The plot is gripping and more than fills its run time with a story that will engage you fully along the way. 

Interestingly the story is encapsulated all in one setting, this infinity train, yet the film remains entirely cinematic. The main plot follows a dream demon's attack on the train passengers allowing for an entire world to come to life while staying firmly on the train. 

The film is firmly in the tradition of popular Japanese anime meaning that for western audiences who aren't as familiar some of the tropes and conventions of the genre may feel remote. But I believe the storytelling is strong enough that even those with little appreciation for the genre will get sucked into the story's power. 

And as the film reaches its tragic conclusion it just makes me want more of the story. 

Demon Slayer: Mugen Train

Director: Haruo Sotozaki

Writer: Ufotabe

 

In The Heights (2021)

John M. Chu has made an old fashioned musical that captures Lin-Manuel Miranda's unrelenting optimism, and this mix, especially when it's all centred around the adorably loveable Anthony Ramos, is probably the most joyous thing to hit the screens in a long time. In The Heights is a story that skirts the issues of poverty and discrimination but never succumbs to a hint of darkness. Instead it is absolutely about love, community, and inspiration. That might be hard for the cynics to take, but they will likely still lose the battle, especially in light of just how infectious the film is from the music to the spirited cinematography, to the loveable cast. In The Heights is a big huge shot of compassion and joy. 

I normally have a hard time with such stuff but Chu does such an amazing job of making it all feel honest and genuine. It isn't Chicken Soup for the Soul sap. He tells his story by paying homage to the classic screen musicals of the past and finds a modern techinicolour-ish aesthetic that harkens to the sort of stories that get in our heads and won't let go, like the music in it. The scenes of the city coming alive to dance in the streets are incredibly choreographed and both pay tribute to the past but also feel essentially modern and of the moment. The pool scene especially stands out as the kind of number one wants to just rewatch again and again. But it was the moment when Benny and Nina started dancing up the side of the building, riffing on the Fred Astaire's famous "ceiling" number from Royal Wedding, that sold me. In The Heights has classic written all over it and it's shooting for the stars. 

And it helps that Miranda's songs are so infectious endlessly singable. Less familiar and somewhat less dense than his Hamilton catalog, the songs here are all the kind that make you smile and hum along. Cause that's what this film is about. Hope. Inspiration. The film looks death in the face and stays positively optimistic. It faces racism down with love. The main criticism I would have is how easily it dismisses the evil all around it with an overly simple "love is all we need" sort of message. But the strength of the film is how well it sells it. You believe it, even if just for a moment. 

The film is beautifully performed by a talented cast of beautiful people who shine both as actors and singers (as well as dancers now that you mention it). The film is a warm hug that is practically impossible not to smile through and that smile will likely stick with you as you leave the cinema. Sure it's fantasy, never really digging deep into just how entrenched the barriers are which its characters are facing. But it also doesn't talk down to its audience and assume that these are not real problems. It just lets us set those problems aside for a long enough to rest and pick ourselves back up to get right back at it. And maybe that is worth smiling for. 

In The Heights

Starring: Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera, Olga Merediz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Jimmy Smitts, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Marc Anthony

Director: John M. Chu

Writer: Quiara Alegria Hudes

 

The Birds (1963) REWATCH

The Birds feels different from most of Hitchcock's films, more spectacle than puzzle, shot mostly in bright daylight, and no villain per se. But in some ways there are some recognizable signatures of the auteur. This might be the best example of his skill for building suspense over time as he crafts long moments of increasing tension out of very little. And the plot is a bit meandering and switches gears suddenly a la Psycho. But overall it stood out for me as I rewatch his catalogue as being an outlier in many ways. 

His story starts out in a way that did evoke Psycho for me. There is a rather oddball plot about Hedren's quite quirky character stalking a man she meets in a pet store. This goes on for quite some time, including a long drive she takes on her own which again mirrored Janet Leigh's fateful drive. Then we spend some time with her insinuating herself into the life of a small beach town. Although we know what we are here to see (attacking birds... I mean it's in the title) little happens in relation to that for a long time but Hitchcock keeps reminding us it's coming with his ominous shots of birds just hanging around, and his placement of the animals, just waiting. It was remarkable to me, as a post-modern watcher who should be cynical to these sorts of stories, just how tense I was with each passing reference. The first attack is minor and excusable, as these movies tend to go, which just adds to the vice tightening.  Regardless of whether this feels slightly silly or not, the film gets you in its grip quite completely and relentlessly. 

And once the attacks start and become more frequent the film gains a sense of hopelessness. The characters express a need to answers, which are never provided, a masterful choice in my opinion. I find some of the best horror doesn't explain why (A Quiet Place being a recent example) and just forces us to live with it. Our need for explanation is often powerful and not delivering that makes it all so much more upsetting. This is one of Hitchcock's gorier films and it sometimes feels like he's trying to mimic the success of Psycho here with the bloody moments. Yes the special effects don't hold up but the story, as thin as it is, is told so well modern audiences can forgive. 

I found The Birds to be a very thinly drawn movie that is crafted in a way that elevates it above the material. There isn't much here in characterization or story and the performances by the cast really aren't that good but Hitchcock so cleverly builds suspense and delivers on tapping into our fears that it becomes far more engrossing than it would normally be. This could have easily been a Them! style B movie but instead it becomes something you experience differently.  

It isn't one of my favourites of his work but it remains interesting for what it does manage to make out of its story and genre and how well it gets under your skin, including its subtle and ominous, almost anticlimactic ending which just makes you hold your breath. 

The Birds

Starring: Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, Veronica Cartwright Suzanne Pleshette

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Writer: Evan Hunter