Tag: Ryan Gosling

‘Barbie’ is hot pink-splashed post-modern meta romp | review and analysis
Barbie leads a perfect life, until something goes horribly wrong. To save herself, she needs to leave her pink utopia Barbieland and venture into the real world. Ken’s there too.

Barbie looks camp right in the eye and turns it into a hot pink-splashed post-modern meta exploration of existentialism, feminism, the patriarchy and masculinity packaged in a satirical surreal musical comedy homage to classic. It isn’t just a movie of our time. It is the movie of our time.

Barbie is in theaters now.

Before I begin: I want to vocalize by full support of the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild as they fight for a fair deal.

I’m so happy I live in a world where a major studio gave a female filmmaker a $145 million dollar budget to make a post-modern meta-exploration of existentialism, feminism, the patriarchy and masculinity packaged as a satirical surreal musical comedy homage to classic cinema based on a children’s toy. They’d probably faint if I tried to explain this to a Victorian child. Barbie is a movie of today. Or, more aptly, Barbie is *the* movie of today.

Writer-director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Little Women)—she co-wrote the movie with her husband Noah Baumbach—captures our current societal, political, and cultural moment with confident hot pink-splashed ease as she double winks at the audience with the surreal absurdity of Barbieland. That is the most remarkable achievement of the movie. Barbie knows that we know that they know that we know exactly what they’re doing. It’s like a movie of a dream sequence in a movie in a dream. Things don’t quite make sense, but it adds up. In the case of Barbie, it adds up to a sharp, incisive, and profound reflection of our world—that also happens to be a hilarious summer romp that we’ve been craving.

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We begin in Barbieland, a picturesque bright idealistic world made of plastic. It’s basically the “how society would look if” meme if it was pink. Every morning the “Barbies” wake up, brush their teeth with comically-sized toothbrushes, “shower” with no water, and float down from their roofs to begin their day of… well, being perfect. Barbie is president (Issa Rae in a charming supporting role). She also holds every seat on the Supreme Court. She’s a doctor. A lawyer. Barbie is everything. As narrator Helen Mirren puts it in a cheeky voiceover, “all problems of feminism and equal rights have been solved” in the real world because of Barbie… or so the Barbies in Barbieland are led to believe—more on that later.

All the visual gags and well-publicized hyper-stylized quirks are as delightful as you’d imagined (Her heels don’t hit the ground! They drink from cups with nothing in them! Gravity is more of a concept than reality!). The specificity and absolute absurdity of the world-building is joyous, as is the “giant blowout party with all the Barbies, and planned choreography, and a bespoke song.” Margot Robbie as our protagonist Stereotypical Barbie (her words not mine)—aka the Barbie you think of when someone tells you to think of a Barbie—is perhaps the most charismatic and perfect of them all (if that’s even possible).

But then at the end of their perfect Disco-inspired musical number to Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” a though creeps into Barbie’s head: “Do you guys ever think about dying?” Cue the record scratch.

The next day, Barbie’s perfect morning isn’t quite perfect. Her “shower” is cold, waffles burnt, and, most alarmingly, her feet are flat (*gay gasp*)! She laments, “I would never wear heels if my feet were shaped this way.” There are countless of those precise observational quips. This leads her to Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon)—a Barbie who was played with too hard and can’t seem to keep herself out of the splits—who explains that someone playing with her in the real world is making her this way (she even starts to get *gulps* cellulite on her thigh). Weird Barbie offers her a red pill and a blue pill. Well, in the world of Barbie it’s a pink sparkly pump and a Birkenstock. Go to the real world and fix the problem or stay here and suffer—she chooses the pump. Weird Barbie makes clear it wasn’t an option to begin with. So Barbie takes a car to a bike to a rocket to an RV to a boat into the real world… oh, and Ken (Ryan Gosling) is there too.

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Like Singin’ in the Rain—a clear inspiration for the movie—delightfully wrestled with the change from silent movies to sound, Barbie wrestles with the change from Barbie’s ignorant utopic existence in Barbieland to the bleak reality of the real world where she’s ogled on by men in a world ruled by them. Ken, on the other hand, is like a teenage boy discovering the Joe Rogan podcast. His eyes are “opened” to the possibilities of being a man and a world ruled by the patriarchy—and learns its limits. His world shifts from only have a good day if Barbie looks at him to seeing he can have that power all to himself—what could possibly go wrong?

Gerwig bakes the themes of the movie into the world and story seamlessly. She makes the concept of Barbie inseparable from gender and gender roles—her very existence is rooted in the experience of being a woman. In a climactic scene, Gloria (America Ferrara), a Mattel employee in the real world, lists the all the reasons why being a woman is so frustrating (you have to be skinny, but you can’t say you’re skinny you have to say you’re “healthy”; you have to strive to be successful, but you can’t be mean). It calls into question Barbie’s place in the real world—is she there to just make women feel bad that they can never achieve that level of success? Though Mattel is directly involved in the movie, they are just as much of a target of the movie’s dismantling of the paradoxes that make up our society—represented here by a bumbling CEO played by Will Ferrell and low-level intern Aaron (Connor Swindells).

Like any hero’s journey, Barbie’s adventure leads her back to Barbieland where things are looking different—and with more horses. From there, Barbie evolves to a battle of philosophies that call into question the foundations of our society.

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While Robbie’s performance is pitch-perfect playing up the plastic perfection (and realistic ignorance) of Barbie as she discovers what it is to be human (it’s giving Tyra Banks in Life Size), it’s Ryan Gosling’s performance as Ken that perhaps best encapsulates the high wire act that Gerwig accomplishes between the energetic larger-than-life tone and complex societal themes. In a scene that is destined to be his Oscar clip, Gosling portrays a devastated Ken experiencing real emotion for the first time while throwing himself around the Barbie dream house in what can only be described as a slapstick tantrum over the nearly impossible balancing act of existing not for something but yourself.

It’s difficult to watch Barbie and not be enamored by the sheer audacity of it all. It looks camp right in the eye and turns it into an artful, wildly entertaining, sharply funny deconstruction of the very fabric of our existence and the existence of our society. That isn’t even a hyperbolic statement. The intro parody of 2001: A Space Odyssey isn’t only brilliantly hilarious, it’s the perfect cinematic comparison. Barbie exists in a different meta-plane than other movies. By the time an Avengers: Endgame-level battle is levied between Gosling’s Ken and Simu Liu‘s Ken using sports equipment that eventually devolves into a “Greased Lightning”-inspired musical number it feels like you’ve seen the bounds of cinema expanded. As Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” underscores and an emotional montage on screen you can help but be moved by this movie about a doll.

So take the sparkly pink pump and step into Barbieland.

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Hey! I’m Karl. You can find me on Twitter and Letterboxd. I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic.

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July 18, 2023
‘La La Land’ review: Singing through dreams and disappointments
La La Land heartbreakingly portrays the highs and lows of chasing dreams. Though packaged as a high-energy feel-good musical, it contains poignant notes that make it great.

I didn’t like La La Land when I watched it. Frankly, I was disappointed. I was even shining off a spot in my top ten movies of the year for it. I love musicals and grew going to see Broadway shows. Singin’ In the Rain is one of my favorite movies of all time. Needless to say, I wanted to love this movie. So, when I walked out of the theater less than enthralled I was confused. I couldn’t bring myself to give it a score because I was so sure I missed something. As the week trudged on, I told people how disappointed I was in the movie. I couldn’t understand how it missed my expectations by so much.

However, then I realized that the tune stuck in my head all week were the opening notes from “Another Day of Sun,” the movie’s opening number. So, I went on Spotify and played the soundtrack. I quickly realized how much I really loved the musical’s first half. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that the second half was a narrative misstep, even though the ending stuck with me. I gave the movie a score — I won’t tell you it, but it’s low — and carried on with my post-La La Land week. Then, I saw a tweet that had the Merriam-Webster definition of the term “La La Land”:

“A euphoric dreamlike state detached from the harsher realities of life.”

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I smacked myself on the head for my stupidity. I realized that I, in fact, missed something. Finally, I was able to give La La Land a proper score (spoiler: it’s a lot higher than my initial one). But let’s backtrack for a second. Damian Chazelle, who directed Whiplash, my favorite movie of 2014, set out to make a movie-musical that transported audiences back to the genre’s heyday in the 40s and 50s. Though, he was careful to balance its timeless plot with the modern issues that face the artists of our generation.

La La Land tells the story of aspiring actress Mia (Emma Stone). She, like so many people, followed her dreams of stardom to Los Angeles. However, she finds that success isn’t as easy to obtain as the movies say they are. We see her spend her time working at the Starbucks on the Warner Brothers’ studio lot between auditions that often don’t go well — the casting directors couldn’t care less, she’s just one of many of her “type”, someone walks in the room. However, her love for movies is what keeps her going.

On the other side of things, Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) has dreams of his own. He hopes to own a jazz club one day. His love of jazz runs deep. When someone tells him that they don’t love jazz, like Mia, he sets out to make them appreciate it. However, he has his own problems. Mainly, as a character later in the movie says, jazz is dying… and he has no money. He spends his nights playing Christmas carols in a restaurant under the watchful eye of the owner (J.K. Simmons).

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The movie begins with an absolutely enthralling opening number that takes place on a freeway in the middle of Los Angeles. Yes, an actual freeway. The song, “Another Day of Sun,” perfectly sums up both the disappointment and allure of chasing dreams in a town where everyone is doing the exact same. In one magnificent take, which may possibly one of the best of all time, Chazelle sets the time and place in LA with free runners, salsa dancers, and even a trick bicycle rider in this tightly choreographed number. I don’t know how he was able to pull it off, but it is one of the most magnificent scenes committed to film this year.

As the film unfolds, we realize that Mia is still in the Honeymoon phase of living in LA. Every day is just another step towards her eventual ascension to the top. Sebastian, alternatively, believes that his true artistry is already there, but yet to be appreciated. When the two bump into each other — at first literally and then coincidentally throughout the movie — they are sure they’re not falling for each other. This is told through “A Lovely Night,” a classic Rogers-Astaire tap dance routine. However, slowly they realize that they are, in fact, falling for each other.

The first half of the movie plays out like the musicals it’s based on. However, key decisions elevate it to an even higher level. A bright primary color motif is used in the costuming throughout, which gives it a whimsical quality. That coupled with the cinematography that makes strong use of lighting and color, shows us this city where anything is possible that Mia sees. It almost feels like the movie has a rhythm all its own apart from what’s happening on screen. Thanks to editor Tom Cross, who also cut Whiplash, La La Land moves at a lighting pace. That is until we get to Summer — the movie is split up into the four seasons.

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Slowly encouraging each other, Mia and Sebastian start to make moves towards their dreams. Mia, tired of waiting for her perfect part to come, starts to write a one-woman show. Sebastian, looking to raise money for his club, joins a band fronted by former classmate Keith (John Legend). By the time we get to this point the musical scenes start to become few. The bright colors that flooded the costumes and sets fade away. On my first viewing, this is where the movie lost me. I was confused as to why this bright and romantic musical faded away before my eyes. However, this is why the definition of “La La Land” snapped me back to reality. This was completely by design.

The difference between the two parts is stark. However, it’s essential for Chazelle to suggest that the dreamlike stupor that both Mia and Sebastian were in is gone. Reality sets in, and you know what they say about reality. As they attempt to be together and follow their respective dreams, they learn how trying balancing both is. It all comes to a head in an incredibly emotional scene that is done completely in close-up, which pushes the actors to the edge of their abilities.

It’s the distinction that I missed. Until I read the definition of the term “La La Land” I thought that the movie just made a tonal misstep. In reality, it was a genius shift from a movie about a couple’s passion for their crafts to one about alienation brought on by our generation’s attitude of never truly doing enough. La La Land is a brilliant study of an entire generation that wants to do it all. We want to be happy and successful and doing what we love. However, La La Land portrays the sad realities.

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As phenomenal as the craft is — nearly every shot, beat, and set is perfect — La La Land would be a lesser movie without Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. Gosling, who I loved in The Nice Guys earlier this year, again proves his comedic ability. However, it’s his interplay with Stone that makes him great here. He’s there to support her. After all, at a certain point, this becomes her movie. But who is Ginger Rogers without Fred Astaire? Stone, on the other hand, gives one of the best performances of the year and makes it look easy. From perfect comedic timing to crushing the film’s 11 o’clock number, she is an emotional powerhouse. She proves that she is one of the best actresses of our generation. Their partnership and chemistry makes you swoon and then breaks your heart.

La La Land isn’t going to be for everyone. Some are going to be expecting a straight musical like I did or not completely buy the walk and talk sequences. However, the magic of the on-screen musical will hook you from the beginning. At its core, it’s a romance for our generation. Passion, love, dreams, disappointments, and alienation are its themes. But it never tries to be bigger than it is. Like all the great romances, it starts with the central couple. Mia and Sebastian’s love is one that they need at that time and place. However, like so many modern lovers, the timing never seems right. While La La Land is escapist entertainment for a good chunk, its greatest parts lie in the realities, while not harsh, that plague our dreams. But hey, here’s to the fools who dream.

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Hey! I’m Karl. You can find me on Twitter and Letterboxd. I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic.

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January 4, 2017
‘First Man’ review — Claire Foy steals this Neil Armstrong biopic

First Man is a de-glamourized version of Neil Armstrong’s reluctant journey to becoming the first man on the moon.

What’s remarkable about Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) is how unremarkable he is. He’s quiet. Almost shy. Sometimes he’ll crack a joke or offer a closed mouth smile, but he internalizes most of his emotions. There are a few moments where we see them break through. Early on he breaks into tears over the death of his daughter. Later, his anger shows for a flash after he finds out some of his friends were killed in a shuttle accident. Gosling does incredibly well portraying Armstrong’s steely resolve in the wake of such adversity in First Man. But the movie is careful not to sanctify him. Armstrong was a normal man doing an extraordinary thing. But he himself didn’t think it that extraordinary. He was truly a reluctant American hero, as he’s often billed.

First Man is a change of pace for Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle. After directing and writing three musicals—Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench and the Oscar-winning Whiplash and La La Land—he tackles this biopic from a script by Josh Singer, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Spotlight and The Post, with a lot more restraint than his other projects. Though he is known for impressive Steadicam shots, kinetic editing, and hyperrealism in his films, First Man almost does the exact opposite. Much of the movie is shot handheld, which comes specifically in handy during the breathtaking flight sequences. Aided by the superb sound mixing and Chazelle’s knack for visual storytelling, the sequences feel dangerous and nightmarish. It truly makes you think who in their right mind would try to go to space.

It’s something that Janet (Claire Foy), Armstrong’s wife, struggles with and ultimately understands. She knows why he’s obsessed with space and getting there, even if it’s heartbreaking for her. Foy owns this movie. So many biopics about famous men always have the doting wife archetype that often is relegated to sitting in the background and worrying about her husband. In First Man, Foy doesn’t just support him. She challenges him. She makes him take responsibility for his obsession with space. In the best scene of the movie—surely to be her Oscar scene—she confronts him for not explaining to their sons that he might not return from the trip. It’s fiery, focused, and, most importantly, realistic.

Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy in Damien Chazelle’s First Man.

Unlike Hidden Figures in 2016, which portrayed the women of color behind another NASA accomplishment—it was nominated against Chazelle’s La La Land that year—First Man isn’t a Hollywood-ized version of the story. That’s not to say that makes Hidden Figures a lesser movie—I quite liked it. But in Hidden Figures, you want to see Taraji P. Henson be the hero and succeed and beat racism. First Man almost does the opposite and tries to portray Neil Armstrong the way that many people have described him. That stripped down version doesn’t make him the most compelling protagonist, but it matches the gritty realism of the rest of the film.

That realism is what makes every flight sequence phenomenal to witness. It’s no wonder that Chazelle loves portraying obsessed men because he is clearly obsessed with the details. He pays attention to everything. From the smallest bolt holding a ship together to the tempo of Justin Hurwitz’s fabulous score. It’s all to communicate that space—and space travel, specifically—is terrifying and insane. The reason Foy is so successful in this film is that she is the audience surrogate. She questions why anyone would be crazy enough to attempt what Armstrong and the rest of NASA are attempting. That is until the moon landing sequence.

The vastness and nothingness of space swallow up Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll) as they finally make their approach on the surface of the moon. Linus Sandgren’s cinematography brilliantly uses the negative space of, well, space, to emphasize the emptiness of it all while Hurwitz’s score makes us feel the intensity and danger of the task. However, when the sequence comes to a head in its climactic moment, it’s not about winning the space race—the flag planting being omitted was a point of controversy for some reason—or patriotism. It’s about Neil’s grieving process. That sequence and the film’s final moments alone are worth the price of admission.

First Man is now playing in wide release.

Karl’s rating:

October 15, 2018
Blade Runner 2049 review — An instant classic worthy of the original

Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 is a visually stunning and emotionally rich sequel that stands equally with the 1982 original

Blade Runner 2049 is an all-out assault on your senses. Famed cinematographer Roger Deakins does some of his best work to date in the film — a statement that could be applied to each one of his films. He douses the familiar grey landscapes of the 1982 original with sweeping amber tones and bright neons that contrast the movie’s darker tone. More importantly, the dazzling visuals coupled with stunning CGI help totally immerse you in the Blade Runner universe. It’s almost overwhelming but also begs to be seen on the biggest screen possible.

With the world already set up beautifully in the 1982 original, Director Denis Villeneuve doesn’t have to do anything but apply a new story to explore the existential themes that Ridley Scott started. However, refreshingly, the movie doesn’t lean on the original. The nods to the original will be enough to stave the appetite of the Blade Runner-purists. But it surely stands on its own similar to the way Aliens and Terminator II build on the original rather than become bogged down by it.

The last four films by Villeneuve have made my best-of-the-year list for their respective years and more likely than not, he’ll be making a return this year as well. As a filmmaker, he’s refined, stylish, and cerebral much like Christopher Nolan. However, unlike early Nolan films, Villeneuve has always been a humanist. So, a story about the meaning of humanity — similar to the story about parenthood and morality in Arrival — is a perfect canvas for him to paint with.

Taking place 30 years after the original, Blade Runner 2049 portrays the world as one that has progressed from the point we last saw it — or better or worse. The oceans have risen, Los Angeles has somehow become even more overpopulated, and San Diego has turned into a literal garbage dump. More importantly, though, Androids have made a return to the planet. The new Nexus 9 model replicants, which are designed by the Wallace Corporation to obey like never before, are legal on the planet due to a limited-lifespan determined by their owner. Some are used to retire older models. They’re still called blade runners. K (Ryan Gosling) is a replicant blade runner — this is not a spoiler, it’s revealed almost immediately — who works for the LAPD under Luitenent Joshi (Robin Wright — perfectly cast here).

Though much of K’s storyline has to do with a plot point that I won’t discuss — the spoiler prevention on this movie was marvelous — a huge interest is placed on his relationship with Joi (Ana de Armas), his holographic girlfriend. Through her, the movie explores a lot of the character motivations that drove the replicants in the original: the desire to be human. As real as she may seem and intimate as their interactions become, there’s always that slight transparency — literally and figuratively — that reminds K that it isn’t all real. But what if it is? That’s the question that this film — and the original — always pondered: do android dream of electric sheep?

That question — it’s also the title of the Phillip K. Dick novel the original was based on — is what makes Blade Runner 2049 a great movie. All great sci-fi ponders some existential question. However, Blade Runner 2049 is hypnotic in its exploration. Some scenes — like one where K has sex with Joi via a hired prostitute similarly to the scene in Her. That Spike Jonze movie is actually an adept comparison to some parts of the movie. Specifically with the scenes between Joi and K. de Armas, like Scarlett Johansson in Her, gives her non-human character the most humanity out anyone else in the movie, mostly with her voice. There is warmth and depth that emulates genuine care for K. It’s a breakout performance.

Like the original, Blade Runner 2049 explores the company that creates the replicants. Niander Wallace (Jared Leto — he gives quite an impressive performance), though, unlike Eldon Tyrell, his aspirations are terrifying. He functions almost like a Frankenstein-like mad scientist with a God-complex that has never been put in check. In two pivotal scenes, Leto essentially gives an extended “evil plan monologue” that would give any Bond villain a run for his money. More terrifying is his replicant assistant Luv (Sylvia Hoeks — her performance harkens back to Rutger Hauer’s in the original) who is tasked with carrying out that plan. But even though the Wallace Corporation is the big villain of the story, the more emotional and human elements are the real foundation of success for the film.

Every year, more and more sequels and reboots have popped up with aspirations for easy money with huge opening weekends. So, it’s incredibly refreshing to see a sequel that is actually trying to challenge its audience. With a nearly three-hour running time, it certainly puts up a fight. However, leaving the theater following the final shots is a euphoric experience. To call Blade Runner 2049 a satisfying experience would be an understatement. It’s the reason we go to movies, to feel something — whether its the rumble of Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch’s score or the soaring emotions when we finally see Harrison Ford‘s Decker back on the screen. It’s an experience from beginning to end. And the end feels like a beginning in the best way possible.

★★★★½ out of 5

Watch Blade Runner 2049 on Amazon!

October 10, 2017
The 10 Best Movies of 2017

This year has been one of the best movie years in recent memories with films that pushed the boundaries of filmmaking. Here are the best movies of 2017!

2017 is a year that started strong and ended even stronger, which is refreshing considering the end of the year always has an influx of awards-friendly prestige movies. But what is even more refreshing is the variety of movies this year that were successful commercially and critically. Horror had a huge year, as did comedy. Action made a comeback and romance became original again. But these genres don’t totally cover the movies on this list. If movies in 2017 could be summed up, you could say it was a genre-bending year. More and more movies have escaped classification, which is the right direction for the industry. However, more importantly. It seems that movies that had something real to say about our current political and societal moment are being seen.

The more movies that stray away from the typical movie formula and become successful, the more original movies we will start seeing. This list, I believe, is a testament to those new original directions and voices. Here are what I consider the best movies of 2017.

Note: See every 2017 movie I watched ranked on Letterboxd!

Brigsby Bear

When I heard that Saturday Night Live’s Kyle Mooney — one of my favorite repertory players — was co-writing and starring in a movie I was expecting something hilarious, awkward, and downright weird. Brigsby Bear was all those things, but what surprised me is that it had a surprising amount of heart. Mooney brings his usual endearingly awkward persona to his character, but the story makes it both charming and a bit devastating. It’s actually a rational exploration of trauma and how we deal with it. That doesn’t stop it from being a hilarious “fish out of water” comedy with the sensibilities as Mooney’s sketches on SNL. Still, its weird exterior is just a way to take the audience off guard and hit them with the kind of warmth and hope we need today.

Brigsby Bear is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Get Out

2017 was a great year for first-time filmmakers. However, no first film quite made an impact as large as Jordan Peele’s Get Out. Not only did it make an impact critically and commercially, it sparked a national conversation about race while also being eminently entertaining. It has the sharp wit that Peele has become known for along with his collaborator Keegan Michael Key (who didn’t work on him for this film) that drive big laughs, but also a really smart take on racism, particular that of the liberal elites. However, what makes Get Out one of the best movies of 2017 is the incredible attention to detail. It’s the type of movie that is more rewarding on multiple viewings. Every line and image serves a purpose in the grand scheme of the movie. Not only that, it makes a star out of Daniel Kaluuya. To which, I say, it’s about time.

Get Out is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

The Florida Project

Director Sean Baker specializes in making films about people on the fringes of society. In The Florida Project, he tells a story about the invisible homeless on the outskirts of the family resorts of Orlando. But what makes this movie truly great and one of the best movies of 2017 is that he tells it firmly in a child’s perspective. To the protagonist Moonee (Brooklynn Prince), everything is magical. However, she doesn’t understand that some of the things her young mother Halley (Bria Vinaite) are less than normal and sometimes even illegal. But Baker never judges his characters. He has sympathy for their experiences, much like Willem Dafoe‘s character, who manages the hotel where Moonee and Halley live. In the end, audiences will view it with the same childlike wonder that Moonee has. It’s heartfelt, a bit dark, but also a delight to watch.

The Florida Project is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Phantom Thread

To say that Paul Thomas Anderson created a romantic comedy with Phantom Thread might be overreaching, but he came close. In what is apparently his last performance, Daniel Day-Lewis continues his streak of playing complicated and difficult men. However, this time he has a complicated woman (Vicky Krieps) to go up against. And that battle of the Titans is one of the most thrilling relationships to see play out on screen. Reynolds Woodcock is a character for the ages and is certainly fitting to be Day-Lewis’ march into movie history, but more importantly, we have been introduced to an exciting new star in the making in Vicky Krieps. While this is a movie about a tortured artist, it’s also very much about the women — the other being his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) behind that tortured artist who have to find new ways to both support him and keep him grounded. Phantom Thread is a meditation on marriage. And if I was Maya Rudolph, Anderson’s wife, then I might be a bit worried.

Blade Runner 2049

Creating a follow-up to a film as technically dazzling and thematically rich as Ridley Scott’s 1982 classic Blade Runner seemed like a fool’s errand. That is until Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) stepped into the director’s chair. Along with Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch, who composed the score, and Roger Deakins, who shot the film, Villeneuve created one of the dazzling worlds seen on film this year. Splashed with neon tones that contrast to the industrial infrastructure that has befallen Earth, Blade Runner 2049 is a visual feast. But what made the film one of the best movies of 2017 is it continued to explore the themes of humanity, while also delving into new directions, most interestingly involving Ryan Gosling‘s K. Though it has a nearly 3-hour running time, it’s endlessly engrossing as its mysterious plot reveals itself. What differentiates it from the original, though, is it has a strong emotional center that catches you off guard and brings warmth to an otherwise cold world.

Blade Runner 2049 is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Next Page: The Top Five

My top five favorite movies of the year are an eclectic group of films that I believe balanced beautiful filmmaking with profound storytelling. These filmmakers have certainly earned their place as the best movies of 2017!

Columbus

What made Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy such an amazing achievement is its ability to make conversation so compelling. The same could be said for Kogonada’s film debut Columbus. Although this conversation isn’t as contained as Jess and Celine’s in terms of time, Casey (Haley Lu Richardson, who gives one of the best performances of the year) and Jin (John Cho) help each other come to terms with their pasts and plan for the future. All of this happens in the shadow of the modern architecture of Columbus, Indiana, which is captured beautifully by Elisha Christian. However, what makes this film great and one of the best movies of 2017 is that Columbus is the third lead of this film. Its existence is a juxtaposition much like Casey and Jin are to each other, and it’s exactly what they need.

Columbus is available on Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Personal Shopper

I’ve tried to describe Personal Shopper to people and it always comes out sounding like an overzealous student film. But masterful director Olivier Assayas takes the seemingly disparate elements and competing genres to create a profound meditation on grief — with a detour towards the supernatural. The ghostly elements of the film are legitimately terrifying mostly because there is so much mystery behind them. Assayas doesn’t give audiences the answers, which makes the film into a puzzle that we have to solve. And that’s thrilling enough, but he then instills Hitchcockian tension that turns it into a psychological thriller. While all these genre elements are happening, Maureen, played by a masterful Kristen Stewart, has to come to terms with her own mortality and her grief. It’s an emotional powerhouse of a movie disguised as a psychological thriller, which makes it one of the best movies of 2017.

Personal Shopper is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Lady Bird

The same way movies like Clueless and Never Been Kissed so accurately portrayed the painful awkwardness of growing up in the 90s, Lady Bird is almost a near perfect coming-of-age dramedy about adolescence in the post-9/11 era. Though the movie is based on writer and director Greta Gerwig‘s teenage years growing up in Sacramento, California, Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) is the kind of character that nearly anyone can see themselves in. In particular, she’s a teen that is trying out different versions of herself, and Gerwig captures that in a quick-paced, hilarious romp that hits emotional beats that will make you want to give your parents a call and tell them that you love them. Lady Bird reminds us that even though we may see ourselves as the star of our own story, we may be a supporting character in someone else’s.

Lady Bird is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Dunkirk

No studio filmmaker is pushing the boundaries of cinema quite like Christopher Nolan. But he may have launched us into a new frontier with his World War II movie Dunkirk. I so often use the word epic when describing Nolan’s films. Interstellar was a nearly 3-hour journey through space and time. Epic is really the only word you can use to describe it. However, Dunkirk is almost the antithesis of that. It deconstructs the war movie and only leaves the action, which makes it an unrelenting and tense experience that makes a fantastic argument as to why movies have to be seen in the theater. With the sweeping cinematography by Hoyte Van Hoytema and dissonant score by Hans Zimmer, Nolan was able to achieve full immersion into the world. By the end, you’ll feel like you went through war. It’s a cinematic experience of the highest caliber. Read by

Dunkirk is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Call Me By Your Name

For all the movies giving commentary on our current political moment, commenting on the injustices of our society, or simply bringing stories forward that are no often told, the one that stands out and tops this list as the best movie of 2017 is largely unpolitical. Call Me By Your Name is at its heart a romance. Specifically, a first love. And it captures that feeling brilliantly under the direction of Luca Guadagnino who, along with cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, present the movie with the feeling of a fleeting summer’s glow. And like Moonlight, my number one film last year, Call Me By Your Name recalls feelings that nearly everyone has felt — love, hate, jealousy, fear, hope, helplessness — without doing much to force those feelings on you. Movies are emotionally manipulative. However, the best movies are the ones that are getting you to feel something without you even noticing. And Call Me By Your Name achieves this flawlessly.

James Ivory’s screenplay and Guadagnino’s sensitive direction gave the cast the room to play with their characters, which gives every conversation an authentic quality. But, much credit must be given to the cast. Michael Stuhlbarg‘s intellectual father character is bubbling with excitement over the prospect of discovered artifacts or sparring over the origin of words. But by the time we get to his closing speech, we understand that his character is more sensitive than we’re initially led to believe and the love for his son knows no bounds. With the enigmatic Oliver, Armie Hammer constantly keeps us guessing about his motives, his thoughts, and his feelings. However, at the center of it all is Timothée Chalamet. He’s effortless in his portrayal of youthful energy, but when the emotions that come with the exploration of sexuality hit him, it’s like a floodgate is opened.

Call Me By Your Name is the rare film where really nothing is happening on screen, yet everything is at the same time. It’s beautiful and bold and sexy and sensitive. It’s a film about love that is impossible not to love.

Honorable Mentions

Looking back, it has been an incredible year for movies. So, parring this list down to a top ten was nearly impossible, and I’m still not completely confident in my rankings or inclusions. Although, that’s just a testament to the quality of films this year. So before I get to the “best movies” — if there’s really such a thing in this crop — I want to take a moment to highlight some of the high points of cinema this year.

It’s safe to say that this year included some of the most original and best superheroes movies in the past few year. Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman, in addition to being the highest-grossing film to be directed by a woman, did something that no film in the DC universe of films has done. Be good. Not only that, though, the film has some of the best action scenes of the year and a strong heart at its center with Gal Gadot. Marvel also had a great year with Spider-Man: Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarok, both of which felt like departures from the usual Marvel formula with the former being a John Hughes-inspired high school movie and the latter being a broad comedy.

However, action also had other great entries. In particular, David Leitch (co-director of John Wick) brought us one of the greatest female action heroes with Atomic Blonde. Even though the Cold War plot gets convoluted, it boasts the single best action scene even made with the now famous stairwell scene.

There were two fantastic ghost stories this year. One of them made this list, the other, A Ghost Story, just missed out. However, its melancholic journey through time is beautifully captured in a way that feels wholly unique. Another ghostly film with a more family-friendly approach also proved to be one of the emotionally satisfying experiences of the year. Pixar hits it out of the park again with Coco, an entertaining, funny, and sentimental take on processing loss.

Two real-life stories also made a strong impression this year. The first was one of the most surprising revelations of the year. Stronger on the surface looked like another “based on a true story” movie about a man overcoming incredible odds. But with sensational performances by Jake Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany and a smart directorial style, it turns into a real story of triumph in the face of adversity. The other, The Big Sick, tells a story that seems too crazy to be true. But Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon adapted their real-life love story with enough of a witty realistic punch to make it a charming reinvention of the romantic comedy genre.

Lastly, the film that just barely misses out on my top ten best movies of the year is Bong Joon-Ho’s Okja. More than any film this year, it takes creative swings that test both genre and filmmaking conventions and ends up being a sweet and profound tale of friendship and without a doubt the best original Netflix film to date.

December 21, 2017
The Nice Guys Movie Review — An Incredibly Fun 70s Buddy Cop Romp

Anchored by its leads, The Nice Guys is a hilarious take on the buddy cop movie that is sharp and smart

If 2016 has been lacking in anything, it’s comedy. There have been few hits, critically and commercially, and seemed that more comedies bombed than anything. However, there has been one gem from this year that should stand at the end of this year as the best comedy. I use the word “romp” in reviews a lot, but no movie this year fits the definition of the word more perfectly than The Nice Guys. The film is a no holds homage to the buddy cop movies of the 70s complete with mustaches, lingo, clothes (the costume design is spot on), and topsy-turvy plot. All these factors and two leads whose chemistry will make any other buddy cop duo jealous leaves us with a film that is not only entertaining, but downright hilarious.

The duo at the center of this film has quirks that make them perfect for each other and a terrible mismatch at the same time. Ryan Gosling’s Holland March is a semi-successful alcoholic private investigator who isn’t above taking a job to just make an extra buck — he agrees to help a confused willow search for her dead husband whose urn is perched on her mantel. However, when his job gets crossed with Russell Crowe’s Jackson Healey — whose goodbye after their first meeting is “give me your left arm, and when you talk to your doctor, tell him you have a spiral fracture of the left radius” and then sipping on a yoohoo — he doesn’t realize that he’s going to be his unlikely partner in an even bigger investigation.

Crowe plays the straight man to Gosling’s clumsy, sloppy, high-pitched shrieking March as they come together to investigate the disappearance of Amelia (Margaret Qualley) who is being pursued by a cast of villains (including Matt Bomer in a refreshingly mischievous turn as John Boy). With the help of March’s too-smart-for-her-age daughter Holly (Angourie Rice), the duo finds out that the true subject of the chase is a porn film that reveals a government conspiracy involving air pollution and Volkswagens.

As the plot thickens, the clear star of this film is the dynamic between Crowe and Gosling. They play off each other’s energies so perfectly. When March does something idiotic like falling off a balcony, rolling down a hill, and uncovering a dead body, Healey is there to stand in disbelief of his idiocy. But between the two, Gosling proves himself to be a more than capable comedic actor. He goes from pitch-perfect zingers like “so you’re telling me you made a porno where the plot is the point?” to no-bar physical comedy seamlessly — his character doesn’t seem to stop falling. If anything, watch the movie for one of the best performances of Goslings career.

But another reason to watch is the production value. The movie firmly drops you into the 70s. It even begins with the Warner Bros. logo from the decade. For me, the clear standout is the costume design by Kim Barrett (best known for The Matrix). Her costumes from Healey’s various ridiculously patterned shirts to the gorgeous romper Yaya DeCosta as Tally wears in the final act not only drop us further into the time period, they also keep up the fun attitude the film takes.

In the end, The Nice Guys is nowhere near a perfect movie. It could certainly use a lot of trimming, especially towards the drawn-out third act. The laughs become a bit thinner and the plot a bit of a drag. However, the journey to get there is a delightful — wait for it — romp. Though the crime it focuses on can get serious at times, the characters never take themselves seriously…

March: Look on the bright side. Nobody got hurt.
Healy: People got hurt.
March: I’m saying, I think they died quickly. So, I don’t think they got hurt.

…and you wouldn’t want it any other way. 8/10

The Nice Guys is available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and digital on Amazon!

October 26, 2016
Final 2017 Oscar Nominations Predictions

And the nominees are… We take our best guess at who will be nominated at the 2017 Oscars

The nominations for the 89th Academy Awards are next Tuesday and we’ll finally know where this wacky awards season leads to. This year has been one of the most confusing awards seasons in recent memories. However, we do know one thing: La La Land will dominate the awards. If my predictions hold, La La Land will lead with thirteen nominations followed by Arrival with twelve. The two other films best positioned to win the top prize, Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea, should reap eight and six nominations each.

This year, I tried to make more bold choices. Among the boldest are Ryan Reynolds being nominated for Deadpool, The Handmaiden showing up in a couple technical categories, and a near shut-out for Silence.

Check out my final 2017 Oscar nominations predictions below!

Best Picture
Arrival
Fences
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Lion
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight

I think this category more than any should go as planned. I don’t foresee any surprises except for maybe a nomination for Deadpool. While the last two years there have been eight nominations, Hidden Figures will probably sneak in and make it nine.

Best Director
Denis Villeneuve, Arrival
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Garth Davis, Lion
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight

While a lot of people think that the DGA nomination for Garth Davis (Lion) was a fluke. I was predicting him to get in even before that. He’ll be the Ben Zeitlan or Lenny Abrahamson of this year.

Best Actor
Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool
Denzel Washington, Fences
Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

Yes, you read that right. I think Ryan Reynolds will be nominated for Deadpool. Even then, it’s probably a long shot and Viggo Mortensen will be nominated for Captain Fantastic. But, no guts no glory, right?

Best Actress
Amy Adams, Arrival
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Emma Stone, La La Land

This category should go as planned. Meryl Streep cemented her place with her incredible Golden Globes speech.

Best Supporting Actor
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Other than Lucas Hedges, I think this category is locked. I can see him being snubbed for Aaron Taylor-Johnson after his shocking nomination at the Golden Globes.

Best Supporting Actress
Viola Davis, Fences
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
Naomie Harris, Moonlight

This category has been consistent throughout the season. I don’t see why that would end with the Oscars.

Best Original Screenplay
20th Century Women
Hell or High Water
La La Land
The Lobster
Manchester by the Sea

My big prediction for this category is 20th Century Women. It just feels like the type of movie to be nominated in this category. I’m also going out on a limp – a more sturdy one – for The Lobster.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Arrival
Fences
Hidden Figures
Moonlight
Lion

This was one of the harder categories to predict. Nocturnal Animals is the wild card here.

Best Film Editing
Arrival
Hell or High Water
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Moonlight

I think Manchester by the Sea is going to take a hit by missing this Best Picture requirement.

Best Cinematography
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Moonlight
Silence

My big prediction here is Hacksaw Ridge. However, war movies do well in this category so I felt like it would be a missed opportunity to leave it out.

Best Production Design
Arrival
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
The Handmaiden
Jackie
La La Land

Much like The Grandmaster a couple of years ago, The Handmaiden could be that foreign film ineligible for Best Foreign Language that makes up for it in the tech categories.

Best Costume Design
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Florence Foster Jenkins
The Handmaiden
Jackie
La La Land

Again, The Handmaiden.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Deadpool
Florence Foster Jenkins
A Man Called Ove

A lot of people are going with Hail, Caesar or Star Trek Beyond. However, I think this is the perfect place for Deadpool to get some love.

Best Score
Jackie
La La Land
Lion
Moonlight
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

No surprises here!

Best Original Song
“Runnin’” – Hidden Figures
“City of Stars” – La La Land
“Audition” – La La Land
“How Far I’ll Go” – Moana
“Can’t Stop the Feeling” – Trolls

After “City of Stars” making a romp of the early awards, I think the Academy will include “Audition,” which could pave the way for Lin Manuel Miranda to EGOT.

Best Sound Editing
13 Hours
Arrival
Deepwater Horizon
Hacksaw Ridge
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

The sound categories are notoriously hard to predict. While I’m confident about most of it, I’m taking a huge guess in including 13 Hours.

Best Sound Mixing
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
The Jungle Book
La La Land
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Damien Chazelle’s last movie Whiplash won in this category. He should easily do it again with La La Land.

Best Visual Effects
Arrival
Doctor Strange
The Jungle Book
Kubo and the Two Strings
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

I think (and really hope) Kubo and the Two Strings makes history as the first animated movie to be nominated in this category.

Best Animated Film
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life As A Zucchini
The Red Turtle
Zootopia

Pixar is probably sitting this year out.

Best Foreign Language Film
A Man Called Ove
Land of Mine
My Life As A Zucchini
The Salesman
Toni Erdmann

This category is pretty much set. Land of Mine could be bumped out for Tanna, though.

Best Documentary
13th
Cameraperson
I Am Not Your Negro
OJ: Made In America
Tower

This is a stacked category this year. While Weiner or The Eagle Huntress or Gleason is the smart choice. My gut says it’s gonna be Tower.

Best Animated Short Film
The Head Vanishes
Inner Workings
Pear and Cider Cigarettes
Pearl
Piper

Best Live Action Short Film
Graffiti
Nocturne in Black
Silent Nights
Timecode
The Way of Tea

Best Documentary Short Subject
4.1 Miles
Extremis
Frame 394
Joe’s Violin
The White Helmets

What do you think of my nominations? Where am I completely wrong? Let me know in the comments!

January 19, 2017
2017 Oscar Predictions: Can Denzel Washington Win Oscar #3 in Best Actor?

Denzel Washington (Fences) could win his 3rd Oscar while Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea) is in the hunt for his first Oscar for Best Actor.

For the longest time, it looked like Best Actor was going to be one of the sure-bets of the night. Until it didn’t. After Denzel Washington (Fences) shockingly upset frontrunner Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea) at the SAG Awards, the momentum shifted. The SAGs are probably the best predictor when it comes to the acting categories. However, they don’t match up sometimes. One of those times was Washington winning for Training Day over Russell Crowe for A Beautiful Mind. Funny enough, part of the reason Washington won was because of a controversy involving his main opponent. More on that later.

However, that’s not the only reason Washington could win. Let’s start with who probably won’t win first.

Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic) made an unlikely awards season run that resulted in a Best Ensemble nomination at the SAGs, and, of course, an Oscar nomination for him. However, every year there is always the odd man out and this year he is it. His film has no other nominations and is probably not widely seen from the Academy. He’s a popular actor, but there’s no chance he’s beating the frontrunners.

Another nominee that made an unlikely awards season run is Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge). His film, which was also an unlikely contender, nabbed six nominations, including a surprising Best Director nomination for Mel Gibson. While that could signal more widespread support, I don’t think he has enough in his corner to overcome the next three nominees.

In a stronger year, Ryan Gosling (La La Land) probably wouldn’t even be in the conversation. But with the lack of competition and the strength of his film in other categories, he will actually be a strong contender. Plus, the Oscars are suckers for a good musical and La La Land is a great one. While Emma Stone is getting most of the praise – she’s probably winning at this point too – Gosling holds his own. The one thing going for him is that it’s a very charming role. When was the last time a charming role in a movie about Hollywood won? Just a few years ago when Jean Dujardin won for The Artist. He could also be taken along on a sweep if La La Land ends up on a roll come Oscars night.

Then there is Casey Affleck. His deeply emotional performance made him a frontrunner from the beginning of the season. He cruised through the critic’s awards. Snagged the Golden Globe. But then he was stopped dead in his tracks at SAG. Now there are a couple theories. It could be because Washington has never won a SAG Award or the sexual assault allegations are taking their toll on his campaign. While the records from the case were sealed, his refusal to talk about has significantly hurt his chances.

However, there are other reasons for Washington winning other than Affleck’s stumble. The film, which he directed, won him a Tony for Outstanding Performance by An Actor In A Play. The role is pretty much the perfect Oscar role. From long emotional monologues to strong emotional complexity, Washington pretty much has everything he needs to win. He’s also at the perfect point in his career to win his third statue. It’s been 14 years since his win for Best Actor for Training Day. While it’s not quite as long of a wait as Meryl Streep had (29 years), it’s certainly a long enough time to get away from the “it’s too soon” talk. Daniel Day-Lewis only had to wait six years between wins.

I’m going to go with Washington. It feels right and just. However, I won’t be surprised to see Affleck win Oscars night.

Check Out More 2017 Oscar Predictions!

Will Win: Denzel Washington, Fences
Could Win: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Dark Horse: Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Should Win: Denzel Washington, Fences

October 18, 2016