Elemental + Society of the Snow

 

Elemental

Gillipedia Official Rating: Where does this take place? Element City. Wonder how they thought of that one

Score: 6/10

 

            And the mid-Pixar phase continues. I think Elemental could be a franchise in the making, or at least have some really fun theming at Disney World, but as a film on its own, the forest is a bit trimmed of layers. The incredible animation can’t save a lackluster story, underbaked characters, and analogies and themes that are too on the nose for Pixar standards. This is a good film, maybe even a triumph, for any other studio, but when you say this is Pixar—we don’t hit that standard.

            The world of Elemental is centered around 4 elements: water, earth, wind, and fire. Element City was built by the water people, and earth and wind integrated quite well late on. Pushed outside of the city, the fire people have to live on their own due to their fiery tendencies. Such is the tale of Bernie and Cinder, and the film centers around their fire shop and a young Ember trying to prove she can one day take over her parents’ shop. The stage is set when some pipes burst, and pop goes the Wade—a water person city inspector. Emotional, clumsy, and trying to do his job, Wade puts the fire shop on notice and ultimately, it will be shut down in a week without improvements. When Wade learns more about Ember and her story, he does what he can to help save the shop that he first doomed. And the unlikely love story is off to the races in Pixar’s first romcom.

            I like the venture into a new genre—although I can’t tell you how hard I cringed when they said “hanky panky” near the end of the film. But we hit every trope in the book: date montages, nighttime settings with real talks, meeting the families, breaking up for no good reason, and trying to piece things back together in an action-packed climax. And clocking in roughly at 100 minutes, I didn’t feel like Ember and Wade’s bond felt fully earned. Ember is both dominant and reserved while Wade is submissive and emotional, and the film has a few scenes to find overlaps and the two balancing their differences, but again, the jump to love was a river too wide in my books.

            So where the film tries to earn its boy scout badges is Ember’s family’s clear immigration story juxtaposed with Wade’s affluent background. I’m not saying there isn’t an interesting story in there, but as an adult, they spelled everything out clearly in the dialogue. There’s enough interesting ideas already conveyed through the visuals that they could’ve trusted the audience even more. And before you start sharpening the pitch forks over my “as an adult” remark because this is a kid’s movie, I’ll refer back to my Across the Spider-Verse review where that film conveys so much storytelling solely through visuals.

            Speaking of the visuals, this is one of Pixar’s finest films conceptually. How blimps deflate and inflate to pick up the cloud people for their morning commutes, how Bernie’s age is reflected by him coughing smoke, and all the light refractions through water are just a few of the many examples of where the filmmakers had fun with their setting. There’s even a version of basketball with cloud people, and I think they could’ve made the sport look more unique, but I did love when Wade started a literal wave with the crowd.

            The music is their biggest departure from other films, and to me it was going for like the streets of India kind of vibes as Ember even drove around on a version of a moped. I’m using this word a lot, but there were some interesting choices made, not all fully successful. This film also fulfilled enough of the rom part, but I’m sorry to say it lacked in the com. I laughed out loud a few times with some other chuckles sprinkled in—better than most comedies I’ve watched in the past year to be fair—but it wasn’t consistent enough.

            There’s ingredients here—including one of Pixar’s strongest concepts with world-building—but they don’t escape any romcom tropes and are heavy-handed in their delivery. The characters are a mixed bag, the visuals are fantastic, and the story is there to hand enough convenient conflicts for our characters to overcome. Covid and Disney+ has not been kind to this studio financially, and while I’m very excited for Inside Out 2, Pixar has to turn over some new leaves to regain the magic of the 2000s.

 

Society of the Snow

Gillipedia Official Rating: Elemental’s unofficial 5^th element

Score: 8/10

 

            Available on Netflix dubbed or subbed (how I watched and would recommend), Society of the Snow was one of the best international film nominees this year. This is based on the true story of the Uruguayan rugby team in the 70s and the plane they’re on going down in the mountains on the way to Chile. The film uses the first 15 minutes to build up a jovial, energetic camaraderie only to have a stark contrast for the rest of the film as this survival film hits all the notes of freezing cold, illness, surviving the elements, and the inevitable hunger that leads to the dreaded questions of what am I willing to do in order to survive?

            I liken this film to All Quiet on the Western Front. That film’s first act depicted most of its themes really well, but then the film kept on for another 2 hours in successful, if slightly bloated, fashion. Now if this is the first survival film you’ve ever watched, it may seem revolutionary. Our narrator takes the side early on that he won’t be nibbling on the dead. That debate is repeated throughout the film (slightly too much actually), but it’s not the only debate that happens. Is the suffering through hunger and the cold even worth it when it seems like there’s no more chance of a rescue? Do we venture out further to try to find more supplies?

            So if this film doesn’t really tread too much new ground in a winter survival film, how does it become well-regarded, and why do I give it an 8? It’s because it makes lots of smart choices all centered around one thought: this is a real story. And because of that, yes, there are outspoken and reserved characters and debates on how to proceed and what to do, but these are very real people that want to do the right thing. This film finds the humanity in people in a dire situation. Instead of fighting over resources, people tearfully proclaim that they volunteer their bodies to be eaten if they die. There’s never anyone that goes on a crazy rampage killing everyone because producers felt the film needed to be more thrilling; no, any time the characters get any small win, mother nature punches everyone in the stomach. And one of the hardest hitting choices is that with every death, that character’s name and age appears on screen. Because that isn’t a character. That is a person that died.

            Oftentimes I commend films with longer takes that lingers on emotions, and this film is an example of super quick shots that give the precise info you need. There’s both a plane crash (duh) and an avalanche that consumes the group, and you get a rapid fire mix of reaction shots and snapping body parts with absolutely grueling sound effects. The prosthetics earn a worthy Oscar nomination here. I won’t say much more, but again, there’s some good choices made in terms of characters we focus on and how that impacts how we believe the story will play out. Also, the mix of claustrophobia combined with the incredible shots of the Andes mountains works so well.

            The fact that all the forms of trouble and the themes that play out have been seen in one way or another in other films is an unfortunate consequence to this film. To me it makes the film play out a little too long, but wherever there is overlap, Society of the Snow makes smart choices in how it displays its story and information to the audience. You’ll need a bit of a stomach for this one, but this is one of the more entertaining nominated films of the year.

2023 Year in Review

Superhero fatigue, Barbenheimer, and strong blockbuster hits are a few of the highlights in a year that provided highs and lows. I proudly went to the theaters roughly 20 times and indulged in streaming services. I will continue to watch some of the awards darlings over the next couple months and have my fair share of films I need to get around to. So as always, I can only award the films I’ve already seen. We’ll discuss my 5 personal favorite films of the year and award a few other categories. This could’ve easily expanded to a Top 10 list, so make sure to rent out a panic room to scream to your heart’s content over disagreeing with my list (spoiler, Killers of the Flower Moon and The Holdovers are two of my noticeable admissions of what I watched and just missed the cut).

 

Best Live Action Superhero Film

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3

Score: 8/10

Full Review

 

If I had called this best comic book adaptation, then Netflix’s The Killer would’ve been a contender with some of the grittiest fights of the year and a … apologies here… killer of a first 20 minutes. And you’ll likely see the foreshadowing here with the intentional decision to categorize this for live action.

But with the caveats out of the way, despite most Marvel and DC entries ranging from bottom to run of the mill (still haven’t watched The Marvels but wouldn’t expect that to make it anyways), the trilogy capper for now DC king James Gunn is a genuinely great film. I felt like Ant-Man, Shazam 2, and even Blue Beetle were more focused on character exposure than actually focusing on delivering on every aspect of filmmaking. Whenever the Marvel logo crawls by with its greatest hits collection of heroes and shots, it truly does encapsulate a lot of the standout moments from the past decade and a half; whereas every single action scene from the 3 movies listed above are all a blur of mostly subpar green screen action. Guardians 3 not only delivered on thoughtful action scenes, but it also kept its signature humor intact and gave each hero a meaningful arc with Rocket of course having the biggest. This film made me feel the emotions at its conclusions. I do not always feel the emotions.

 

Best Horror Film

Scream 6

Score: 7/10

Full Review

 

Yes, I watched the Youtubers turned directors’ film Talk to Me. That film had spirit and a brisk pace, but I have entered a grumpy age of not enjoying watching dumb youths make dumb decisions. Still an enjoyable film, but I don’t think it’s often that the sixth installment in a franchise has this much steam remaining. Keeping the same core characters from the previous film (minus a salary dispute with the long franchise star Neve Campbell), the Scream films almost all deliver a fun time of horror, trying to figure out who the killer is, and the references to older slasher films. This was the most horror films I’ve ever watched in a year, and Scream 6 is what I think back on the most.

 

Disappointment of the Year

The Creator

Score: 6/10

 

I always like to clarify this “award” because this isn’t a bad film. In fact, it has some of the best visuals of the year. But an original sci-fi film from the Rogue One director starring John David Washington could offer so much more. It hits all the familiar beats whenever humans interact with androids, and there could’ve been more style infused with the pretty shots.

This is also a difficult category because I will typically research a film a bit before handing my cash over to watch it in theaters. Movies are a time commitment too, so I’m sure there’s plenty worse films that people have watched that are more of a disappointment than this film, but I just likely haven’t seen them yet. Don’t call me Blackbeard because I don’t shiver me timbers whenever someone says hey, watch this film, it wasn’t great.

 

Honorable Mentions

 

The Boy and the Heron

Score: 8/10

 

Switching up my format just slightly by getting all my honorable mentions out of the way before flowing into the top 5. From Studio Ghibli The Boy and the Heron is as beautiful and well scored as you always expect. There’s a real sense of wonder and the standard mature themes present, but it does come at a small cost of not feeling totally fulfilled after a first viewing. You can almost take that as a positive to return for repeat viewings, but that’s for another time. The voice acting is top notch, and I still find it hard to comprehend how Robert Pattinson made his voice sound the way it does here.

 

John Wick: Chapter 4

Score: 8/10

Full Review

 

This film continues to deliver what fans of this series have loved from the previous films while still finding new depth. To me it inches just a bit too close to the sun on feeling like a video game, but it still further cemented the place in my heart as one of the best action franchises in the 21^st century.

 

Barbie

Score: 8/10

Full Review

 

Not in the top 5? How dare I. Sure, it’s plenty fun and is actually very well made despite its silliness, but it’s not a perfect film. It feels like it took all the emotional elements from The Lego Movie and hoped we wouldn’t notice after a pink coat. And again, this is just my personal list. I fully intend to watch it again in the near future, but it didn’t quite crack my top 5.

 

5. Past Lives

Score: 8/10

 

I like quintuple-guessed myself on where to place this film. If you pay any attention to the Golden Globes or Oscars, you will be hearing this film’s name multiple times, and even though you can throw the critical darling label on it, I think people sometimes forget that just because it wasn’t a big blockbuster hit doesn’t mean this is a boring film. There’s really only 3 characters at play, and the balance of where our emotional stakes lie with all 3 is so delicately delivered. We start in South Korea where childhood crushes are separate after one’s family moves to the US. We follow two more time periods where these characters start to reconnect.

The best comparisons in tone I’d say are Before Dawn and Lost in Translation where our characters don’t talk about convenient plot points—they just talk to each other and form naturalistic bonds we care about. Lost in Translation is always a talking point of mine of one of my favorite films, and while that film allows Bill Murray a little breathing room for comedic moments, don’t expect that same quality from here. Not saying that’s a bad thing, but Past Lives keeps a very muted tone. And while I repeatedly talk about “show, don’t tell” in films with good vs bad writing, I do wish there was a few more big moments to land some punches. With all that being said, there was no chance this film wasn’t going to make my list. Not only is it a strong film through and through, I personally related to the long distance aspects of making connections. This film will stick with you.

 

4. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Score: 9/10

Full Review

 

This film was technically a big blockbuster, but it had to compete with some other juggernauts and was considered to underperform due to its staggering budget. It’s also not without a couple of flaws, but after I watched a BTS on the filmmaking, I happily paid for that IMAX ticket (even if the seat didn’t recline—in this day and age??) to yes, watch Tom Cruise drive a motorcycle off a cliff. Is this film on this list solely for that stunt?

Wellllllllllll

No, actually, as I was thinking back on it, sure it’s part of the trend of ballooning run times and not completing a story in a single film, but it also is an entertaining film all the way through. Cruise knows how to engage with an audience, and the film’s score really enhances the tension in all of its sequences as our heroes struggle with technology again ChatGPT.

 

3. Godzilla Minus One

Score: Ten Minus One

 

I did intend to give a full-fledged review for this one, so I’ll keep my thoughts brief if I ever return to it. This is not associated with Legendary’s Godzilla and Kong blockbuster franchise. This is a Japanese film with a budget under $15 million. The best way I can describe why this film is so good is because it’s a great film if you take Godzilla out of it. That’s how good the post-WW2 love story is. But then you tie the protagonist’s PTSD to an early encounter with Godzilla and how the monster lingers over years of rebuilding, and boy oh boy does it work so well. And to top it off, the Godzilla action is still really sweet.

Let me put this PSA out there for all the producers reading: When you care about the characters, the stakes in your action are automatically higher. Go watch this film. Preferably subbed over dub if possible.

 

2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Score: 10/10

Full Review

 

I wanted to initially hand out superhero and animated films of the year awards, but then I realized I’d have to give each to this film which isn’t any fun. I can’t stress enough on how many levels I think this film works. The dialogue is incredible and it’s transcendent in its animation, but then you throw in thematic elements in the visuals and it’s a reminder to me of how you can use film as a medium in ways that books and theater can’t do. This could easily rise to the top spot if not for my pick that won’t shock many.

Film of the Year 

        Oppenheimer

Score: 10/10

Full Review

 

One of the best biopics ever made. This actually wasn’t a shoe-in for first place because one of the criteria I was considering was rewatchability. This is something that Christopher Nolan’s films has always excelled in with non-linear storytelling, but it’s not as present here due to the heavy material. I do want to rewatch this movie at some point, but I’m also not chomping at bits to do so anytime soon. It’s a tough movie. But it keeps blockbuster elements and Nolan putting in all his effort into thematic storytelling. I have long been a Cillian Murphy fan, and after seeing more films from this year, I still firmly believe he should win the Oscar—as should RDJ for supporting actor.

Let's Talk About Anime... Including Creed?

 

My Neighbor Totoro

Gillipedia Official Rating: Pure bliss

Score: 9/10

          I’m still working my way through Studio Ghibli movies, and recently I watched My Neighbor Totoro for the first time. For those that aren’t aware or only think they know, the term anime refers to Japanese animation. These are often shows you’ve likely heard of adapted from manga, like Naruto, Attack on Titan, One Piece, etc. Headed by the possibly retiring Hayao Miyazaki, his Studio Ghibli anime films are often family friendly, but they tend to depict more realistic depictions of relationships and don’t dumb down the humor just to try to appeal to the youngest demographics. Instead of spelling out their themes, fantastical and supernatural elements fill up these imaginative worlds with beautiful 2D hand animation. Originally released in 1988, this review is based off the 2006 dubbed release—instead of listening to the Japanese cast with English subtitles, I watched the dubbed release with an English-speaking cast. And even if you haven’t heard of this studio, they get stacked casts to dub their films.

          In terms of story, My Neighbor Totoro’s plot is pretty simplistic overall. A Japanese professor moves his two young daughters to a creaky rural home. Although the biggest moving parts are the two girls adapting to a new life and discovering fantastical creatures in the nearby forest, there’s an emotional aura that hovers over every scene once it’s revealed early on that the mother is sick with an undisclosed illness. And that’s part of the brilliance of how the story plays out. We don’t know what the illness, and it doesn’t matter. As the girls try to make life work and hope for the best for their mom and interact with the forest creatures, there’s this wonderful blend of the real-life elements that suggest the girls’ imaginations and the family’s way of coping with this difficult time is the easy explanation—but there’s just enough tangible elements to wonder how real the Totoro creatures are and how they interact with the world.

          The first 20 minutes or so are the two girls, Satsuki and Mei, playing around in their new spooky house and interacting with some dust bunny creatures. Again, not the most thrilling sounding stuff. And while the cute charm of it all should be harmless entertainment for kids of any age, as a mostly functioning adult, I adored every aspect of this film. The way the characters speak to each other and the facial and body expressions will evoke everyone’s childhood. It feels like such a perfect representation of kids using their imagination and scarce resources to still have fun while the dad keeps the struggles of real life all at bay and out of sight. And you couldn’t have two better actresses representing these girls than real life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning. The film places so much on them, and they bring such a joyful cuteness to their characters.

          My Neighbor Totoro is such an unassuming film. The girls meet a family of Totoros that could be imposing based on the biggest one’s size, but they never failed to make me laugh or make me feel at ease with how they interact with the girls. For example, there’s a scene dedicated to the girls waiting at a raining bus stop for their dad to come home, and they hand Totoro an umbrella. Having fun with how the raindrops fall off leaves and using the umbrella, there’s very little plot that happens. But that doesn’t mean the story doesn’t advance. Scenes like this are such a warm hug that don’t need twists or antagonists. But there’s also enough substance about how the Totoros lend enough of a hand to help out the family while avoiding any interaction with adults. With the combination of great animation, an incredible soundtrack, and more than enough joy to spread around, My Neighbor Totoro is a simplistic film with an incredible heart—that anyone of any age can enjoy.

 

Creed 3

Gillipedia Official Rating: Jonathan Majors did a bit too much method acting in his personal life...

Score: 7/10

          In his directorial debut, Michael B. Jordan takes over the reins of his boxing franchise in such a refreshing manner. I have admittedly not watched all the Rocky movies, but the resurgence of Creed with the incredibly talented Jordan teaming up with an older Sylvester Stallone kept the streak of boxing films proving they are the undisputed champs of sports movies. Even without Stallone, Creed 2 proved that this is a worthy franchise to build on its own merits. Ryan Coogler sticks around for this third installment as a writer and producer after having directed Creed—you may know that name from the two Black Panther movies, but he broke onto the scene alongside Jordan with their critically acclaimed Fruitvale Station (a tough-to-watch but well made film). All this to say that alongside stars Tessa Thompson and Jonathan Majors, all signs point to a sequel crafted with care and passion instead of just being driven by money.

          We start off with a young Adonis Creed following his athletic friend around to some shady places, but his friend Damian also helps show him the world of boxing. We cut to a present day Creed clearly before that full backstory was told, but we watch as Creed finishes his career in winning fashion using Robert Downey Jr’s Sherlock Holmes techniques of finding an enemy’s weakpoints. Creed goes through the process of finding himself post-retirement while trying to be a loving husband and father to a deaf daughter, but of course this is also a movie. Which is why childhood friend Damian shows up after being released from prison and asks Creed to help give him a shot at the title. If you’re thinking you can see where the story is headed, you’re most likely right. The story hits all the plot points and emotional elements that you’d expect, and it’s the definite reason why I scored the movie the way I did. But subtracting a few points for a by-the-books story doesn’t mean this isn’t an entertaining film worth checking out. Because I’m mostly proud of how Jordan puts himself into this film.

          Majors’ MCU future may still be in jeopardy, I don’t know, but he plays an excellent foil to Jordan. He is a large presence with undertones of violence, but he has enough of a quiet demeanor to believably show the sides of prison simultaneously as a humbling figure deserving of a second shot. Thompson doesn’t have overly too much to do, but she still carves out her own persona and personality which is so nice to see. But I do have one other critique. Michael B. Jordan is one of the most talented actors right now, but he does overact every scene just a bit, and I can’t help but think that’s a symptom of him double dutying with directing.

          But the shining light is Jordan’s directing. He is outspokenly an anime fan, and he includes references both obvious and subtle to many scenes—but gloriously so to the boxing scenes. The climactic showdown is some of the best boxing ever put to film. It blends the physical showcase that Jordan and Majors possess, but it takes the most risk ever put to a boxing match with its imagery. Since every frame of anime takes so much time to craft, it’s vital to get as much storytelling as possible out of its images, and it’s this inspiration that fills the final battle.

          Creed 3 is a very entertaining movie, and although watching the previous films help, it’s not necessary for the viewing experience. If you looked at nothing but one-sentence descriptions for My Neighbor Totoro and Creed 3, they couldn’t be further away from each other in terms of story. While the actual anime is so delicate and subtle in its delivery, the boxing film sometimes bides its time before packing its punches with imagery. If you’re someone that only ever saw 3-second clips of anime and thought it looked like stupid cartoons, just like with so many artforms, you don’t know the full picture. You don’t have to watch or even like anime, but you can still appreciate the influences it has and how it has done nothing but grow in recent years, and I humbly applaud Jordan for continuing that trend. Creed 3 is not a perfect movie, but you don’t need to know its predecessors or its influences to still enjoy yourself.

Am I Now A Barbie Girl?

 

Gillipedia Official Rating: Not quite fantastic, but there is plenty of plastic

Score: 8/10

          Am I weeks late? I’d like to think this is me being fashionably late, but I’m finally ready to say let’s go party. And for those wondering how to properly perform Barbenheimer, Oppenheimer first is in fact the correct answer. Yes, it’s the better movie, but that’s not the reason why. You need to fully focus for 3 hours for that film and then hours more to process. And with that drained energy, the perfect pick-me-up is this ridiculous, low brain power, and really, really funny movie in Barbie.

          I was able to shut off my mind for this one, and it felt great. But don’t take it being a dumb movie to be the same thing as being made by dumb people because that’s not the case at all. First, you have writer/director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird and Little Women) and even a writing credit for Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story) too. Headlining in the starring role and producing the film is the extremely talented Margot Robbie, and you have quite the cast with Ryan Gosling putting in an incredible Ken performance and the likes of Kate McKinnon, Simu Liu, Michael Cera, America Ferrera, and Will Ferrell.

          Almost shot-for-shot does this film start off with a hilarious spoofing of 2001: A Space Odyssey. There’s sprinklings of many other films throughout as well like The Matrix and the inevitable similarities of The Lego Movie. What I’m getting at is even though this movie has grossed over $1 billion, it didn’t do so by being put together with leftover toy parts just to scrape some coins. Talented people put together an end product with some of the best production design this year, a funny script, and a clear directorial vision assembled by the cast that is all too willing to make themselves look like fools in the name of entertainment.

          I think one reason I really enjoyed this movie is it has the same brand of humor as The Lego Movie. It’s both really dumb in a witty way (like Barbie’s morning routine includes breakfast that she only pretends to eat… hmm... almost like someone playing with a doll hmmm), and there aren’t any real lulls in the humor either. Although I can’t personally verify all the Barbie toy references throughout, I luckily had a couple friends with me that could attest to owning different sets that were shown. The film is brisk enough coming in under 2 hours, but one of my critiques is that it still could’ve been 10 minutes shorter. There’s a few monologues that creep just a bit too far into preachy territory, and by the end of them I was ready to go back to the irreverent humor that brought me to the theater in the first place.

          The other aspect of what the film does so right with the humor is play with stereotypes. And that was actually quite refreshing. What we most frequently laugh at is what we can relate to, and the satirical nature of the film is certainly over the top, but in order for the humor to land there still needs to be enough of a truth that people understand and accept. This is highlighted quite well when boy toy Gosling joins Barbie in the real world and starts discovering the patriarchy. Did this film say patriarchy too often? Sure, but that doesn’t discredit how funny it still is to see Gosling get all macho over trucks, beers, and playing sports.

          Gosling gets two musical numbers, both being my favorite parts of the film to watch, and I do fully expect “I’m Just Ken” to be nominated as best original song. It also brought me endless joy to see the likes of Gosling and Simu Liu perform such silly choreography knowing that Gosling comes from a dancing background and Liu performed some terrific stunts for Marvel. Again, I think the film tried just a bit hard with its emotional moments, but underlying it all is the aspect that life is in fact tough and not perfect, but everyone has worth—and playing with Barbie can be a suitable outlet for some people. Some people not including me of course… right, right?!?

          This is a very light PG-13 movie, but there is still a couple jokes that justify the rating. I’m not here to say what movies are suitable for your kids, but this movie is suitable for the Gillipedia. I got lost in the pink sauce and had a really enjoyable time.

The Bear Season 2

 

Gillipedia Official Rating: Oh hey, TV shows are a thing too

Score: 10/10

          I tend to watch shows slower without binging nearly as much as other people because it allows me to enjoy the show longer. And with that mindset it’s tougher to gather thoughts for a whole seasons which is partly why I’ve never reviewed a show before. But I just finished up season 2 of The Bear, and it does so many things right that I couldn’t help but talk about it here.

          Season 2 of The Bear is one of the greatest seasons of television I have ever watched. From the food itself to the cinematography, editing, acting, progression of episodes, character development, and the emotional ride you take, on its own this season is impeccable on so many levels. I thoroughly enjoyed the first season, and this natural progression to the new season is the true epitome of what a follow-up season to hit show should produce.

          If you’re not aware, many people regard the first season as the most realistic depiction of what the food service industry looks like. We follow an Italian beef sandwich family restaurant in Chicago, and the end product of what is delivered to the customer is virtually never the focal point. Instead it’s the bickering, yelling, real talks, and behind-the-counter mess that we get to savor more than a French onion soup. Because as some of the line cooks cut corners when no one is watching or the sous chef is a bit of a try-hard or Cousin Richie yells about whatever, naturally, we as the audience place our judgment. We see Richie complain about something so minute and we write him off as a failure that won’t achieve more in life. We see breakout star Jeremy Allen White’s Michelin-star Carmen work at this restaurant and assume there’s some breaking point he has that he’ll never overcome. The first season sets up the characters so well by yes, occasionally talking through their story, but we get so much from their actions. The beauty of television is the progression of characters. Every stranger you walk past has so much more of a story than the instant judgments we make, and that rings no truer than our misfit cast of characters working at The Original Beef. All of the characters’ struggles trying to save a failing restaurant over the tragedy of a brother is certainly entertaining, but it also feels real too. Which brings us to season 2. If you haven’t watched the first season, I’ll do my best to avoid spoilers of what happened, but that’s inevitably not totally possible to review season 2. Essentially, the family gets the opportunity to close down The Original Beef and reopen as a fine-dining restaurant that the employees collectively build together. The overarching plot of season 2 is progressing toward opening day with, as you may guess, many struggles along the way.

          But the show takes its time reaching this penultimate goal in a not always linear way. The leadup to opening day, including all the electrical work, equipment, passing inspections, funding, and everything in-between adds continuous stress through many episodes, but that storyline takes a backseat for the majority of the episodes. The Bear introduced our characters in the first season, but we get to understand these people in season 2. And the beauty of it all is that we’re not taking the established character and then reheating their traits as leftovers in the microwave. No no. We take the existing ingredients and discover the new possibilities of what entrees can be created. Instead of simple origin story episodes, each character takes a journey somewhere to hone their skills to prepare for opening day. And in this time away from their kitchen, from their comfort zone, how they adapt to a new situation and interact with the people around them is how we understand where they come from. Richie is abrasively charming, and it’s this mix of the style of life he’s always lived while there’s underlying tones of feeling like he hasn’t lived up to other members of his family. Sous chef Sydney puts all of her focus into making this new restaurant perfect because of how she cracked under pressure in a previous kitchen. And just as things start looking up for Carmen, he struggles to balance work as he starts a good relationship and wonders if he’s worthy of enjoying something like a semblance of life outside the kitchen. These aren’t conversations of characters saying, “Wow, I feel sad.” It’s Richie watching front-of-house workers put in hard work and see the joy it puts on customers’ faces. It’s Sydney tasting other chefs’ menus and exploring a world that felt so far away before. It’s Carmen jolting between the extreme cooker-pressure of a kitchen versus the warm, tender embrace of his new girlfriend. The show didn’t tell me to think of these descriptions of the characters, it showed them to me.

          And with the follow-up of a success comes an increase in budget and scope. The cameos of big-name actors lending their talents for a single episode is insane. Who they get feels so impressive that I refuse to name a single one in case it means enough to you to feel the same pleasant surprise I did to see an actor I know; their roles by the way don’t feel out of place in the slightest either. Carmen sends the employees to the most impressive places so they can learn from the best.

          The food also looks exquisite. The pastry chef Marcus is sent to a Scandinavian country to learn advanced techniques. The food both looks and sounds the part, and most impressively, I believe these chefs. The squirt bottles to put little drops of colored oil as a finishing touch, or using tiny tweezers to place microgreens—you can trust me, I’ve watched enough Top Chef in my days to know what looks legit.

          The food goes hand-in-hand with the editing and cinematography. There’s quick cuts for the chaos of the kitchen, and there’s beautiful, extended shots when two characters talk life. There’s closeups of the divine food, and characters are bathed in different lighting techniques and the camera knows when to focus on key elements. This season was also simply gorgeous to look at from the restaurants, the food, and even simple dialogue-heavy scenes. And as the season comes together and the menu starts to form, let me just say I received some absolute chills with hugely emotional moments that perfectly balanced callbacks to conversations and letting characters’ emotions lead the scene.

          I would be doing a disservice if I didn’t mention the Christmas episode. This is a true flashback episode where the main family gathers for a Christmas meal prepared by the alcoholic mother. It’s an extended, hour-long episode, it’s stock full of impressive actors, and every single character gets to shine in one conversation or another. There’s some highs during the season, but this episode serves as quite the reminder that although people may look fine on the surface, there may be more going on that we wish we were aware of. It’s a very relevant topic and the episode is able to explore all the themes it wants because of the groundwork we’re already aware of because of season 1 and the prior episodes.

          This show is certainly also brass with its foul-mouthed characters, and just like with taste buds, its dramedy, heavy subject genre without a constantly progressing storyline won’t be to everyone’s liking. Restaurants are well-known as the toughest type of business to keep successful, but if you’re willing to invest in 18 episodes of mostly 30-minute episodes, well, you may just find this show worthy of a Michelin star.

Oppenheimer

 

Gillipedia Official Rating: The moral qualms of enjoying a movie with such a heavy subject

Score: 10/10

          Why Christopher Nolan is my favorite director is that he’s always pushing himself with each new film that he does. He tackled the superhero genre, played with our minds and time, went to outer space, did a war film, and then messed with time traveling. This film is let’s do a biopic, but do it the Nolan way. So that means out of order scenes and incomplete scenes that finish later, a slew of practical effects, a giant ensemble cast, and a booming score and sound design that occasionally drowns out the dialogue. I’m not here to say that you will love Oppenheimer. This is a 3-hour movie that tackles the incredibly difficult conundrum that was building a bomb during WW2 before the Nazis could—the idea of killing thousands if not millions in order to end the war and stop the potential deaths of even more. There’s a few reasons why you wouldn’t agree with my scoring, and I’ll address those. I’ll also say that this isn’t my favorite Nolan film. But just like what you may have previously seen in my last review and love letter to Tom Cruise is a similar love for what Christopher Nolan does, and I think he just created one of the best biopics of all time.

          The first 15 minutes are marvelous. It’s a quick way to get through the early history of our main character, real life physicist Robert Oppenheimer, and it sets the stage for all the future conflicts of the film. This includes the building of the atomic bomb, government hearings afterward that I wasn’t at all familiar with, and the internal struggles Oppenheimer had to grapple with for creating the most destructive weapon of all time. And it’s not just within the first 15 minutes, but within the first moments that I got my IMAX money’s worth with Oppenheimer’s vision of what capabilities they had for a bomb as well as the insane audio of explosions and surrounding outside noise that also pressured him during those decisive years.

          If you’re worried I’m giving too many details already, fair enough, but I promise to keep things vague from here and spoiler free (spoiler, there is an atomic bomb that makes a presence). As we explore how Oppenheimer became the project director for Trinity (the bomb diggity project), Nolan also sprinkles in other timelines including a closed-door hearing regarding… something. I’m not the biggest history buff, and although it’s explained brilliantly later in the film, if you’re not familiar with the real subject matter, I won’t expose it here. But there’s actual testimonies taken and used, and many characters bring in their opinions and continue to interact with Oppenheimer throughout the film—particularly with the Trinity Project. So yes, the lead up to Nolan creating an actual explosion is the big selling point of the film, and it is obviously glorious. But there’s a few other plotlines in here and an overwhelming amount of characters that all have their own purposes for the story. It’s not the most incredible storyline you’ll ever see with themes that transcend time or anything, but it is a truly engaging film the entire time—yes, all 3 hours of it.

          I sincerely believe Oppenheimer will not only make an appearance at the Oscars next year, but I think it will also be taking home multiple awards. What is too early to call as a win but should absolutely be a nomination is the star of this film, Cillian Murphy. Early on, I had always found it interesting that he auditioned for Batman, lost out to Christian Bale, but Nolan liked him so much that he gave him the Scarecrow role and told him to take off his glasses any chance he could with those dreamy blue eyes. And Murphy has been a staple of Nolan films since, even more than any other actor outside of Michael Caine. He did the whole Dark Knight trilogy, was in Inception as well as Dunkirk. And if people weren’t aware of him from any of those films, I’m sure there’s more than a few Tom Shelby fans for his starring work in the Peaky Blinders show. Yes, this Irish actor is often playing an American for Nolan films. And as much as I take films simply as they are, I love to see how the supporting character not only steps into the starring role for Nolan, but he absolutely shines. This is not an easy feat. This is a long film spanning decades of time with real people and morally grey subject matter. One thing that particularly stood out to me was all the scenes where Oppenheimer is interacting with someone else and just how much the editor chose to use Murphy’s reaction shots. If I’ve lost anyone, basically, if two people are talking, the editor has 3 choices: show the person speaking, the person listening, or a wide shot of the 2. So not only is Murphy in the bulk of all these scenes, he’s front and center and we’re constantly watching his sunken in face to find the minute reactions and gauge the thoughts of a complex, brilliant man. There’s too much time left in the year to declare him the winner, but I will protest if Murphy is not nominated for Best Actor.

          As I was saying before, this film has a mind-boggling ensemble. It felt like a Wes Anderson film where A-list actors readily sign up knowing full well they may not have more than 10 lines of dialogue. We have some Nolan returners like Matt Damon who does a fantastic job, the creepy guy from Dark Knight that hilariously played Polka-Dot Man in The Suicide Squad, and a surprise cameo that I won’t reveal. And there’s too many recognizable actors to list here, but some notable ones off the top of my head include the always great Florence Pugh, an intricate performance from Emily Blunt, a great role from Benny Safdie (of the Safdie brothers who famously directed Uncut Gems), and a very large supporting role for Robert Downey, Jr. not playing Tony Stark.

          Let me reiterate one more time: this is a 3-hour film and is dialogue-heavy. However. Nolan uses many tricks in the book to never feel like a scene is in there unnecessarily or that it slows down anywhere. Whether it’s the IMAX camera subtly moving or if it’s actors crossing through the sets and interacting with objects, there’s always something dynamic happening that draws the eyes. To the point that yes, there were times where I lost focus momentarily and was trying to catch up on what the characters were talking about. And I did not leave with 100% clarity, but did you watch a Nolan film if you did? He has always had a knack for some punchey lines, but the story is always more important than the dialogue, and that’s still the case here. There’s also the aspect of color versus black and white. Nolan’s first film (which I haven’t seen) I believe was in black and white more due to the limited budget, and he sparingly used it for scene transitions in Memento. But this is easily the biggest scale he’s included black and white. If you’re not aware of why it’s in there, I think it’s one of the fun puzzles to try to solve, and I’d encourage you not to look into it before watching the film. The third aspect is the sound and score. True for any Nolan film, the score is fantastic. Nolan has also stated with films like Interstellar, he had an increased focus on sound design and how that enhanced the theater experience. Here, it’s actually incorporated into the themes and metaphors presented. There’s a scene probably about two-thirds in that I think is a masterpiece of a scene that includes great visuals, the perfect juxtaposition of Oppenheimer’s mindset, and how it all connects through sound. Another aspect that I think plays beautifully is the makeup. There are historical figures that people will easily recognize, and they’re incorporated seamlessly. But like I have already said, this film spans decades, and one of the best ways to keep the storylines straight is how they age Oppenheimer throughout, and I give large credit to makeup and hair for what they achieve here. Sound design is a shoe in for the win, cinematography undoubtedly is nominated, and I’d love to see Nolan finally recognized for directing (possibly even writing here), score, makeup, production design, and a win for editing. I’m not asking for too much, am I?

          For all the hoopla around Nolan creating practical effects and explosions, that’s not how this film lives and died. I avoided most press before watching the film, but there was a commercial for the film that cracked me up because it flashed the names of RDJ, Matt Damon, and Emily Blunt, and then it gave the last name credit for Cillian Murphy. Without a doubt in my mind, this movie doesn’t succeed without Murphy. He fully embodies this complex scientist who isn’t a role model or anything but undoubtedly impacted the world tremendously. Safdie’s character questions how Oppenheimer truly feels about their work, and it’s in this ambiguity of advancing science and trying to justify ending the war where the emotions of Oppenheimer live. There’s no dumb dialogue of Oppenheimer ever saying, “Frankly, my dear, building this bomb in fact makes me a little sad. No cap.” We get great visual and audio representations from Nolan, but oftentimes it’s Murphy briefly looking into the distance only to snap back into reality to make quick decisions because that’s what their deadline demands, and it’s all these little moments that add up over 3 hours that carries this film. Nolan and Murphy have long collaborated on some of my favorite movies of all time, and along the way each one has grown in their careers. They put all that experience together in crafting what I believe is a near-perfect biopic. It’s a long, daunting film that requires your attention, and a palette cleanser will be necessary afterward, but it’s a journey well worth taking. In IMAX if possible.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

 

Gillipedia Official Rating: Don’t worry, this is both Part One and Part Two of this review

Score: 9/10

          Let’s start out by making sure we all understand each other. If you told Tom Cruise to run across the street to pick up some milk from the store, not only would I watch, I would still probably give it a 9/10 because I’m absolutely biased and love watching this man perform his own stunts. With that being said, unbiasedly, MI7 is over-the-top, thrilling, a little cheesy, and I ate it all up. If you’re a fan of any of the previous entries or are looking for something a bit like James Bond, this is a film for you. Some of the stunts are insane, the locales are beautiful, and this genuinely has one of the best scores in an action film of recent memory. Let’s discuss.

          Instead of something like an inconsequential action scene, this entry starts with a more plot-driven tense scene with a Russian submarine. Yes, this does kick off the whole plot about an AI that has become sentient enough to organize an international threat and scale beyond what has been seen in any prior film, but I do slightly miss starting off with some quick action showcasing a crazy Tom Cruise stunt. Even so, the way our actors emphasize the threat of our villain is a bit silly, but it is timely enough still to actually be reasonable in its threat as well. And just like how previous entries like Mission: Impossible 3 had the mysterious “rabbit’s foot” that drove our characters and villains into action, there’s a mysterious 2-part key that is -ahem- the key to stopping the AI. And when Cruise, excuse me, Ethan Hunt, learns that previous associate Ilsa played by Rebecca Ferguson has one of the 2 keys, this propels our hero into action to help her from hired mercenaries sent to steal the key and kill her in the process.

          I’m slightly mixed on Ferguson’s involvement. She’s been one of the best additions since her introduction back in Rogue Nation, but her character has taken more of a backseat to professional thief Grace played by Marvel’s Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames return as well to round out the shortlist of IMF (Impossible Mission Force) agents. And both Pegg and Rhames get to have tons of fun with this film since they’re more the coders that hack into systems, and the villain this time is an AI that operates exclusively through code, and I think they handled how they have to combat the AI pretty well.

          Thematically, this is a classic Mission: Impossible experience. I’m talking characters using full face masks, characters that sometimes work in their own interest and sometimes help Ethan out, and of course, Tom Cruise doing stunts. Cinematically, this is one of the best in the series and takes slightly from the neon and candlelight vibes of the John Wick series. There’s an extensive car chase sequence with, again, great practical stunts. It’s a joy to watch, but I do wish shots lingered just a hair longer to really highlight Cruise driving around.

          All of this leads up to a climactic sequence on a train involving all of our characters. Grace is pretending to be someone else to make a deal to try to discover what our 2-part key unlocks, and Ethan has to find a different way onto the train to assist Grace. If you haven’t guessed already, Ethan trying to find a way onto the train is the catalyst for Cruise driving a motorcycle off a cliff in Norway into a base jump. It’s the big selling point of the film, and it indeed is quite nuts. I had watched some behind-the-scenes footage before watching the film, and Cruise not only actually did that stunt, he did it 6 times to get the shot… and probably because he simply enjoyed it too. I won’t say too much, but even after that stunt is a whole sequence that was basically taken straight out of the Uncharted 2 videogame—people who have played will know exactly what I’m referring to immediately.

Even if you inserted that exact same motorcycle/base jump stunt in let’s say the live action Mulan film, that doesn’t make that film great. You still have to build around the stunt with a meaningful story and characters to root for, and that’s where this series has always succeeded and where this film really triumphs. The way they go into an action scene with a plan only to have to improvise every time something goes wrong is exquisite, and it is exhilarating. This Part One film is on the longer side, but it moves fast thanks to the rhythmic drums that keeps you on the edge of your seat desperately trying to figure out how our heroes get out of these -ahem- impossible situations. The way the score instills suspense and the story beats lead up to the stunts is how this film earns the laurels of a 9/10. I saw this film in IMAX, and as cool as it was to see the stunts on a larger screen, it was the insane audio quality that really enhanced the experience. Tom Cruise repeatedly talks about how he approaches films with the audience in mind—which is not always a successful strategy or one that directors recommend. But teaming up with writer/director Christopher McQuarrie for a third time now shows how this series can continue to improve with age with its death-defying stunts, fun characters, and an admittedly cheesy but thoroughly enjoyable action story. I don’t know how much longer Cruise can possibly continue to put his life on the line, but cinema will not be the same after him.