Going Across the Universe with Beatles Songs

Jude and Prudence show up to town to allow some more songs from the Beatles to be played. Yes sir, Across the Universe is a musical throwing it back to the 60s for a love story of sorts torn away with war and strife and LSD. If this isn't making too much sense, you're not alone. Despite a couple 5 minute naps, I will attempt to review the film as a whole.

I think the movie took the easy route right from the start, and it never recovered from the decision. What I'm talking about is story structure. Obviously, all the songs are already there. So how did they make the movie? They took the songs, and they attempted to branch a story out of them to fill in the gaps. The result is high-quality music videos with small periods of “story” in between.

“Well, Mr. Smarty Pants, do you have any better ideas?” I do, but it's harder to pull off which is why I said they went easy. There are two types of musicals: Those that have the songs in mind and try creating a story around them (like Across the Universe), and those that have a story already in place that will be propelled forward by the songs. Personally, I feel the latter is almost always the better formula to work with, but even then it's not a perfect system. I'm just saying that it could have been a huge turn-around for this film. I mean, there might be a decent story in there somewhere, but I didn't really find it nor have the patience to put effort into searching for it.

As this is a musical, we should definitely talk about the songs. Give credit to the film for trying to give modern updates to the songs with flashy graphics to help, but the characters don't add anything because nobody cares about them through the story. I will say, however, one of my biggest issues is that I think most of the songs are worse versions than the originals. Maybe that's a personal bias, who knows. My prime example is “I Want to Hold Your Hand;” the film version slows it down. That ruins the entire beat, and the lyrics aren't powerful enough to carry the weight of a slower song. The vocals of the majority of characters is great, but not everyone hits the right notes, and vocals alone aren't worth an update of these songs.

Despite my inner Scrooge to humbug at these modern folks and their attempts to reminisce on previous times, I still found myself singing along with such classics as “Come Together,” “Revolution,” and “Hey Jude.” I wouldn't even call myself the biggest Beatles fan, but those that claim to hate the band probably just haven't heard the right songs.

This 2 hour + movie is not worth it for the few notable songs featured. The story drags on, and it ends up giving you the feeling of “Oh, is this the last song? Nope, here's another scene.” And thus it goes on and on. Maybe I should just let it be. I don't know.

Not sure where it would have fit in, but not seeing “Yesterday” featured was a big bummer. There are a couple other songs I would have preferred, but I honestly am not sure if this was album-based or what and I don't care enough to research it.

Just did a little research, and I'm still unsure of how each song was chosen to appear in the film. Oh well.

I have some movies on my mind that I may review, but comment any suggestion for next week. I'll probably feature at least one summer flick for next week. It won't be long before I figure it out, and I'm sure to get it done with a little help from my friends.

Kung Fury and a Little Special Project as Well

 What are you going to do? My job. Today, I have decided to tackle Youtube! And what better than to talk about Kung Fury. It was funded through Kickstarter, and it's an action comedy that perfectly mocks 80s action films.

If you're really curious about the story, it's a rogue cop who has to travel back in time to kill Hitler, aka. Kung Fuhrer. I should probably stop giving away some of the jokes, but there's plenty of great ones and I can't resist.

I'd love to talk about some of the aspects that truly make it an impressive 30 minute Youtube movie, but you should find time to check it out yourself. If it means anything to try establishing what this film is like, Kung Fury is assigned a new partner, Triceracop. I mean, not only is the ridiculousness level great, but there was enough funding to also make it look good. And that is what I am probably most proud of with this video.

I also have to credit Amir Kaskas for showing me the video. And speaking of which, I didn't feel it would be right to give it an actual review, but I still have to give a shoutout to the other Youtube video The Sand-Wich Project. This is a 24 minute short film that I and others assisted Amir with as a project. The result is a horror comedy about friends going into the forest where they're slowly cut down by a mysterious man in an iconic suit. We made it a goal to make fun of all the horror genre cliches, and I can honestly say that I am proud of the result. And if nothing else, Grant Upton is sure to crack you up. Not to mention there's even a special cameo appearance. And if you're worried about quality, we actually kinda had a film crew with camera and audio and everything, and Cody Strong and Nick Hobbs dedicated hours upon hours for editing. 

If you're in the mood to waste an hour of your life and laugh while you do it, here are the links to both videos. It's still a little hard to simply search Youtube to try finding The Sand-Wich Project, so it's probably easiest to simply follow the link. I do recommend watching both, and I hope you will be entertained.

Kung Fury: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS5P_LAqiVg

The Sand-Wich Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z9VSH4F7qs&feature=share

Captain Avengers

Which side do you take in this star-studded cast? Before I answer that question, let's establish the ground rules. For those of you who read last week's review, I referenced this title using Batman v Superman. And for good reason. The political intrigue is very similar, and you can't really fault Civil War for coming out just a couple months later. Basically, after the opening action scene causes much destruction, the government wants to take over the wheel and pin some accountability and control over these meta humans. After montages of previous Avengers moments and some sob stories for personal reference, Tony Stark thinks for somebody besides himself and signs with the government. This is supposed to put a band-aid over the rift and still allow for safety; Steve Rogers disagrees. If they have to obey a superior officer to give the green light, it may be too late, he argues. And both have valid points and the rest of the superheroes take their sides.

That's the gist of it. And I mentioned the opening action sequence. Well, I kinda lied because first a flashback to how Bucky became the Winter Soldier was needed to create another divide in the heroes. I'm not sure if a simple flip-flop would work, you would probably need an additional scene before the transition, but to have a flashback and then an opening action scene is like you wanted to open the movie with one of them but needed both scenes and decided to simply put them back-to-back.

Now, the biggest flaw of the film is staring down all of us. Captain America: Civil War... Wait, so what point am I making? There's a dozen heroes or so in this film, but the title is still technically a Captain America movie. What this does is try balancing two aspects: a personal focus on Captain America, but also providing a broad stroke with all the Avengers. The result is slightly muddied and not as crisp as it should be. And the reason I may be being a little tough could be contributed to The Dark Knight Rises. I love that film; one aspect it couldn't control (although I thought Nolan handled it so well) was the fact that it had to follow The Dark Knight. Similarly, the previous installment The Winter Soldier is easily in my top 5 superhero films, possibly and probably top 3. It's smart, crisp, and full of terrific action. And Civil War hits most of the marks-- just not as many as the previous film and that's okay and understandable.

What the Captain America movies have always succeeded at the most in the hand-to-hand combat. This movie continues with those great fighting scenes. Before we get to the obvious showdown, I do still have stuff to complain about. With the Winter Soldier acting as a fugitive for large portions of the film, there's a couple chase scenes. And the movement of jumping from a building into a cartwheel to avoid impact doesn't look smooth; this continues when Black Panther is introduced and there's a big chase with cars in a tunnel. The movement isn't fluid-- this hearkens back to the sub-par CGI from the first Captain America movie.

Okay, okay, my heart isn't completely spattered with black ink spots. The showdown excels on every mark. This isn't nearly as dark and fatal as Batman v Superman, so the dialogue that ensues is full of pep and hilarity-- and yes, Spider-Man is one of the funniest along with Ant-Man. Of the newest additions to make their appearance, my favorite goes to Black Panther. His motivation is pretty typical, but I think he was handled really well and with an overall air of coolness and royalty. Additionally, Captain America's suit looks really good, and the way all the different superpowers clash is a blast to watch.

Behind the back-and-forth between our heroes, there's a story that keeps itself going, but again not to the same power and tenacity as Winter Soldier. And after the initial action, there was too much exposition afterward that lulled on. As I described the more light-hearted aspect of the fighting, I said that it helped that there wasn't really a fatality aspect involved. And this is absolutely true, but it also affects the climax briefly seen from the trailer. The grittiness of Dawn of Justice had more tension in wondering how far these characters might go, but with this film no matter how bloody a face might get, there wasn't really a concern that a major death would take place.

All in all, there's a couple scenes in the film that make the entire film more than worthy to watch. And it's a solid piece in its entirety, but there's still cracks in its framework that prevents it from being one of the best. It's been awhile since I've seen Age of Ultron, but if I were to compare it to that, I'd easily recommend this film more. It doesn't surpass Winter Soldier, but there's enough to hold its own-- and setup future installments for that matter.  

Malick, Philosophy, and a Tree of Life

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Job 38:4, 7

This is how Terrence Malick begins The Tree of Life. This may seem like a somewhat ordinary occurrence, but for those who haven’t seen his films, he is also the director of Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line, and most recently Knight of Cups. He is a philosopher who disregards conventionality in favor of non-linear, visual storytelling infused with natural light and beautiful nature. And The Tree of Life probably is the most evident example.

At its most base form, this film chronicles the beginning of the cosmos up to the 50s era of a Texan family with 3 boys (one is Mud star Tye Sheridan) led patriarchally with Brad Pitt and a quiet, loving Jessica Chastain. So far so good, I guess. Also throw in Sean Penn as the future adult of one of the kids, and already you can tell how the non-linearness will unfold. But you can’t tell. The first 10 minutes are a grieving mother, the next 10 are of a contemplative and questioning Penn, then you get about 45 minutes that literally goes from the beginning to present day with a couple of dinosaurs mixed in. And it’s not there for eye-candy, but it all means something-- this includes all the shots of trees and the metaphors represented (similar to some of the graduation speeches I listened to yesterday). And I truly believe none of this works without Emmanuel Lubezki. Wait, who? Lubezki is probably the best cinematographer, at least of this generation, and is responsible for being director of photography for Gravity, Birdman, Children of Men, and my darling The Revenant. All I can say is this film is beautiful.

Is it worth watching? Well I think everyone should see at least one Malick film, and Days of Heaven is a good choice, but this film is better along with The Thin Red Line which I would argue is the equal to Saving Private Ryan for war films. With that said, dialogue is sparse and this can be frightening. But what it is is one of the greatest stories told, er rather watched, and right up there with Boyhood on the depiction of boyhood. There is so much I understood and learned and awed at, and there’s definitely even more for me to understand and connect with.

You will not want to see the film again the following week after watching because of the hidden details you missed on the first viewing; no, you’ll be thinking and thinking and in a year or two will absolutely have the urge to rewatch it.

Words don’t describe this film. Neither does dialogue. You watch and feel the love, the sternness, the intertwining emotions of the family.

There isn’t trivia to learn and gain by watching, but there is knowledge to gain and perspective to behold. I’m not saying you will love it, but you will come away with something old, something new; memories of your life and an appreciation of the known and unknown.

Tomorrow is a big review. After a lot of focus on DC and their effort to lead, we return to Marvel and see how they answered with the beginning of Phase Three.

The Bare Necessities and More

I think I saw the original back in 1^st grade and didn't care about it at all except for “The Bare Necessities.” So flash forward to present day when we have already had Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, and even Snow White redone. I had zero excitement about the update of The Jungle Book.

Then I started to become curious. I read articles about how newcomer Neel Sethi did pretend basketball for his audition tape because of how much green screen and nothingness he would be working with. And I will start with Mowgli because he is fantastic. Think of Life of Pi as a reference point. But then think of a kid's imagination and why people might have fallen in love with the original in the first place. This kid brings the movie to life, and there wasn't a moment I wasn't impressed by him.

Now for the jungle. It is beautiful. I have no idea how they were able to accomplish it, but it's so stunning. In an extended compliment, I tip my hat to Iron Man and Elf director Jon Favreau. Whether it's the placement of the animals or the way the camera moves with the jungle, the man knew exactly what he was looking for and he got it.

Mowgli isn't quite on his own; you have an all-star cast lending their voices with Bill Murray, Idris Elba, and Christopher Walken being the highlights. Not only do they add with their voices, but the animals they represent are such a feat to behold. I loved how the camera would trail Mowgli talking to Bagheera the panther and the way the shoulder blades moved in stride with the walk. The look is there, the behavior is there, and the characters are there.

The next thing is both a compliment and also one of the complaints I hold. The story arc follows Mowgli as he has all these different encounters with the creatures of the jungle-- whether for better or for worse. For the most part, the encounters are brief, for this movie had to be under 2 hours while still having scenes with all these different animals. And while segments with Kaa (Scarlet Johansson) or King Louie are welcomed, the main character isn't given much time to spend with Bagheera or Baloo; this is a problem becomes we're supposed to feel this bond grown that even though Mowgli is a man cub, he will instead choose the life with the animals he loves. And his interactions with Bagheera and Baloo are fantastic, but they don't provide the depth and framework that animated and kids movies often fall prey to. Furthermore, the two songs played are a great relief of pace, but they can't help that some scenes I described as brief still feel stretched. The pacing isn't quite there, and the development of the story suffers for it.

There are moments that will probably scare some children, especially when the red flower is introduced, but the animals presented and the diverse characters they represent are fresh and needed. And there's no doubt that Bill Murray fits the bill as Baloo the bear. Top it off with the beautiful jungle and some borrowed elements of The Lion King, and well, you have one of the most exciting Disney films of recent years. You will enjoy it in the theaters, but perhaps not as much as you would hope to.

Next week I plan to tackle Terence Malick and Iron Man v Captain America: Dawn of Avengers.

Wes Anderson's Royal Tenenbaums

There are many directors that become famous for trademarks or gimmicks inserted into their films. Whether it be Hitchcock appearing in his own films or M. Night Shyamalan (attempting to) having a plot twist ending, some work and some are cheap.

What we have with Wes Anderson is an off-beat tone that has drawn people to either love or hate him. Before I talk about the tone and mood of his films, what is further key is his visual style. Never before have I seen such attentiveness and perfectionism put into symmetry and bursting colors. You'll have a dinner table with equal amount of characters with one lamp on either side of the room and a bright red wall. The camera is then placed (movement is used more for pans-- and even with these the pans are symmetrical) specifically to draw the audience to the center of the screen while noticing that on either side will be similarities. The messages may be more subtle in what they represent, but the popping sets are exquisitely memorable and truly some eye-candy.

I think that when some people will watch an Anderson movie, there could be an uneasiness or tenseness by not knowing if what you should do is laugh or walk out of the room before it's too late. And there are the dissenters that are perhaps expecting more traditionalist filming. If you don't know what you're getting into with one of these films, then I would recommend being a little hesitant. It's not for everybody.

With that said, The Royal Tenenbaums begins with one of the best montages I have ever seen. It's Wes Anderson being himself while setting up the characters that truly need an introduction because they belong in this mad wonderland. You have Gene Hackman, the Wilson brothers, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, and of course Bill Murray. I'm not even sure where I would begin to describe these characters that are associated in one way or the other with the Tenenbaum family-- but as a start, Hackman is the father that has mainly neglected his family and attempts to have everyone reconnect and have more bonding time in a once blooming family.

The middle of the film may be bogged down slightly with less exciting scenes, but from Anderson and Owen Wilson's writing, these otherwise mundanely watchable scenes are elevated by the captivating, dysfunctional characters (Gwyneth Paltrow's deadbeat Margot Tenenbaum may be my favorite) that provide unconventional unpredictability. I'm not even sure if unconventional unpredictability is a term that even makes sense, but all the more does it describe Wes Anderson.

If you're still not sure what type of film this is, imagine a more modern setting with characters that don't belong but are trying to make it all work; the familial conflict is there, but boy did I have some laughs while watching it unfold. I have also seen Rushmore and Moonrise Kingdom, but The Royal Tenenbaums is both better as a film and as a starting point to understand whether you should watch more of these films. I was won over and enjoyed the movie thoroughly, but I still caution that the style may be off-putting for some.

Featuring the voice of Bill Murray, tomorrow's review is a much-anticipated live-adaptation Disney film that I honestly gave no expectations for at the time of the release of the trailer. Does this opinion still hold true, or did I show a soft spot for the update? Find out on tomorrow's episode.

Jacob Gill's Day Off

I think we all know Ferris Bueller is more of an embodiment of the envies of high school, and his best friend Cameron whom he manipulates is the outsider looking in. And perhaps there are other deep studies that could be made about many of the characters-- including the hilarious bit-role from Charlie Sheen-- but let's face it, that's not why we watch Ferris Bueller's Day Off. However, it is worth mentioning that the profiles made of all the characters work so well in the flow of the day and the interactions that take place.

For those who haven't seen this movie that's considered a classic, you will not get laughs-a-minute where you consistently give small chuckles to clever lines. And those types of movies can be great (look at Airplane! and The Lego Movie), but that's not what this is. And that's okay. Instead, you have a fleshed out adventure in one day from John Hughes that gives situation after situation where he knows exactly what he wants. The slightly off-kilter vibe separates the movie from others like it, and the result is many genuine laughs. I'm not here to say it's a classic, but it is hard to deny that there are many elements that have worked their way into classic pop references.

There's a lot that happens in this single day. And when I make statement like that, that is usually a very scary thing for a comedy, for everyone knows that the longer a comedy drags on, the worse it becomes. To its credit, this film is consistent in its type of humor while creating scenes that feel fresh-- even with subsequent viewings. From the Ferrari to the parade to the baseball game, some sequences are big and some are really only for a couple of seconds. It's this combination of build-up scenes for a great laugh or clever visual gags that keep the pace going; to sum it up, it works.

I won't say this is one of my favorite movies or even one that everybody has to watch, but it is something that almost everybody will enjoy. Not to mention one thing I always appreciate is that films would copy the formula (obviously with less success in most cases), a sentiment to the status of this film.

If nothing else, the recreation in Deadpool is enough to put a smile on your face.

Bueller...

Bueller...

…

Well, to make up for my two-week absence, I have 2 more reviews planned this week! Expect my first Wes Anderson review and a recent live-adaptation of a Disney film. It will be exciting and we'll see how I rate these films.

You're still here? It's over. Go home! Go!