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.

The Flash

 

Gillipedia Official Rating: Slowing down with superhero fatigue

Score: 7/10

Ezra Miller Adjusted Score: 4/10

 

          I always pride myself in separating outside factors and judging a film on its merits; however, there is simply so much noise that led up to The Flash that it was impossible not for it to factor into my viewing experience. This includes the current state of DC and how James Gunn is pressing restart on the universe, and there’s the incredible controversy of star Ezra Miller’s problematic arrests and misbehavior leading up to release. If you want to research more into this yourself, you have the internet at your fingertips. So with all that being said, how was The Flash? Honestly, it’s an entertaining experience. Cameos galore of current and former superheroes fill up yet another multiverse movie. The shine that films like Spider-Man: No Way Home brought with the possibilities of bringing past actors back from dormant franchises has diminishing returns a few years later. Even still, The Flash fully warrants a 7/10 with a great supporting cast of characters, some fun action, and—and this is where I think people refused to give the film its props—an honestly pretty great and funny duo performance by star Ezra Miller.

          We start off quick with Ezra’s Barry Allen trying to keep his protein intake to par with the amount of running his superhero duties require, and that gets interrupted by a hospital on the verge of collapse. Batman’s Alfred calls him into action while explaining how the rest of the Justice League heroes are off elsewhere—and, well, at this rate, won’t ever be back… Ben Affleck’s Batman is chasing down some baddies, leaving some literal cleanup duty to Flash. I saw some articles about the director having to defend the visuals while Flash is in his superspeed mode and how if the audience thought it looked off that it was intentional. Well, that’s for sure some bs. Many aspects of the superspeed look fine, but when we get to a maternity ward with a dozen babies falling stories to their death, boy oh boy are those some ugly babies. Uglier than the unseen Seinfeld baby. Worse than the American Sniper fake baby. These are some creepy extraterrestrial little poopers. But there’s also some really funny ideas implemented on how Flash can save them—like transporting one baby in a microwave only to hear that “Ding!” when Flash saves them and signifies it’s safe to take the baby out the microwave.

I won’t say too much about the different characters that appear, but Affleck is only here for the opening, and he honestly has some super solid fatherly advice to give Barry. They bond over tragic parental stories, and while Bruce Wayne has come to terms on how that grief formed for better and worse who he is today, Barry remains fixated on the idea that his dad doesn’t have to be in jail for falsely being accused of murdering his mom if Barry could simply change one aspect of the past of that formative day. Very similar to say Peter Parker, the nerdy Barry struggles with human interaction, is funny in a very dorky way, and closes himself off to the issues that faces Barry because the issues Flash deals with feel more important. So it doesn’t take much self-convincing for Flash to speed up fast enough to travel into the past. He goes back to the day his mom died, catalyzing the self-referenced butterfly effect, and then when he tries to return to present day, something happens and Barry finds himself back in time by about 12 years.

Needless to say, in this time period, there’s another Barry Allen that grew up significantly differently. And it’s not just Barry that is different, this of course, is a whole new multiverse where characters like Batman exist but are different from what present-day Barry knows. So a couple things to discuss. One, the way Ezra Miller plays both present and younger Barry is so much fun to watch, and he truly encapsulates who the character of The Flash is supposed to be. Younger Barry brings plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to this much lighter DC franchise. What we also take for granted is simply how they filmed this. This is not the first time an actor has played multiple characters that appear on-screen at the same time, but this is seamless. Yes, they do themselves favors by having plenty of shots where the two Barry’s are on opposite sides of the frame and don’t cross to make it easy to simply shoot things twice, or they have the backside of one so Ezra can play Barry while looking at a stunt double or a stand-in. And this big budget film also uses plenty of full CGI replacements for the action scenes. But there’s also a lot of quick dialogue and interactions that the two Barry’s have with each other that is executed flawlessly. There is lots of issues with the visuals including the multiverse realm that Flash uses to travel through time that weirdly decides to use CGI for all of the characters and truly looks plastic/claylike. There’s plenty of other rubber-looking movements in small chunks noticeable throughout, but the way they have two Flash characters is a highlight. A couple years back there was a middling Seth Rogen film called An American Pickle that took the two characters-one actor concept to a new level, and this rivals what they achieved there.

Also highlighted heavily in the trailer is Michael Keaton reprising his role as Batman to fulfill the funky multiversal element of this film. There’s easy callouts to his iconic lines, costumes, and gadgets, but there’s also clever Easter eggs too. For example, they convince this older, retired Bruce Wayne to help them find who they think will be Clark Kent/Superman to take care of Zod (the villain from Man of Steel once again played my Michael Shannon). And as Batman glides down through the night, his outline takes the classic bat shape against a full moon background as Danny Elfman’s iconic score plays; even though I’m tiring from multiverse movies and bringing back older actors, I’m not cold-hearted enough not to feel the joy this brings, like thinking back to wearing light-up Velcro sneakers.

Sasha Calle plays Supergirl here, and I would definitely be interested in seeing her in future DC projects. This film is filled with lots of action, some good, some that feels more of the same, CGI action that has dulled the genre over roughly the last 5 years. And part of me is happy to see the integration of so many other superheroes making this like a Justice League Lite kind of film because it allows Flash to shine but doesn’t force his character to carry the film. But it’s impossible to see the other heroes and the cameos of other characters without feeling a little annoyed inside knowing that this could very well be the last time we see some actors portray these characters. There’s even the thought of what could’ve been if Cyborg could’ve been in the film if not for the behind-the-scenes drama between DC executives and the Cyborg star. By the time we reach the end, we haven’t broken ground on new ideas or themes. And unlike how Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 put bows on its characters so well knowing that this was their last adventure as a crew, you get nothing of the sort here. It’s like taking a shot of ranch after eating a decent dinner. The bad ick of too much stays with you, and there’s no dessert to look forward to, leaving ranch dripping down the side of your lips. I really believe this film received the mixed reception that it did because people didn’t separate art and artist and were determined to hate on this film no matter what. The state of DC, the visuals, and not finishing the story are all valid issues of The Flash. But if you want some fun callbacks to DC of days ago and a light superhero film bolstered by the very funny Ezra Miller pulling double duty, this is still an entertaining film and actually one of the better DC installments. Flash was one of my favorite heroes growing up, and coming from that somewhat biased perspective, I left happy that this movie entertained me.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Gillipedia Official Rating: Can’t speak for this film in the other versions of the Gillverse

Score: 10/10

          I am in awe of this film. Genuinely, I would describe this as the most beautifully animated film I have ever seen. There is so much the first film did incredibly well, and this film cranked up its ambitions and succeeds on every single level. I will describe in spoiler-free detail all the aspects that I enjoyed as well as my justification for giving it a 10, but take this first paragraph to understand that I want you to see this film in theaters to fully appreciate its achievement as a medium of art.

          When Into the Spider-Verse came out, Sony was still trying to salvage its own Spidey brand while everyone felt like we’ve had enough iterations over the last two decades. But then the film came out and showed just how beautiful you can make an animated film while respecting the look of the comics, AND it kept Spidey’s signature brand of humor and a heartfelt story to boot along with an incredibly colorful cast of characters. With Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs both being two of my other favorite animated films) in writing and producing capacities for both of these films, the quality of these films don’t come as a surprise; however, after the booming success of the first film, there’s nothing to hide behind for this sequel.

          The first film was already a bit revolutionary in how it combined the modern techniques and programs used for what we now consider the “Disney” or “Pixar” look of animated films while messing around with hand animation, framerates, and other aspects that go beyond my comprehension for its unique style and look. For Across the Spider-Verse, they go all out in showcasing how much they want the art and animation to be another storyteller in addition to the dialogue. Remember, this is a superhero film where these Spiders all have masks that they wear frequently, and the expressiveness that is conveyed just by lines under the eyes, widening and narrowing pupils, lingering stares, or other filmmaking techniques is so much fun.

          Outside of essentially a recap of the first film, the opening of this movie is dedicated to showing Gwen Stacy’s/Spider-Woman’s (voiced by the unbelievably impressive Hailee Steinfeld) universe and her family. This opening easily features my favorite art style from the whole film, where backgrounds are draped in blues and pinks and fade away in that watercolor brush stroke style. Not only is it gorgeous where if you paused the film you could -ahem- marvel at its glory, but there’s an emotional scene where Gwen talks with her dad, and how the use of color is used to convey the changing emotions of the scene is nothing short of brilliant. And every universe shown is given its own art style and there’s countless animation styles depicted. It’s staggering the level of detail that goes into every frame of this film, and it is well worth it. Rather than the quotas of Dreamwork’s two films per year and even Pixar now joining with those quantities, it makes me so happy that the studio took the years needed between the two films to craft the final product. Truthfully, I feel like any animated film I watch next will simply feel lazy in comparison to what this film does. And I’m not just talking about it not looking like a beautiful 3D animated film—I mean that there must have been carefully planned out storyboarding because how each shot looks, the decisions of extra pieces of information being shown, or how some shots fade into others feels meticulously and purposefully designed.

          So far this review has focused on the animation and art style—and for good reason. That is a standout of this film. But that in itself does not earn this movie a 10/10. One comparison that comes to mind actually is How to Train Your Dragon 2. That animated sequel I have held for awhile has the best conversation-focused scenes ever in an animated film—non-action scenes that aren’t playing for laughs. Across the Spider-Verse contains incredible action and laugh out loud moments, but there’s also conversations between parents and their kids that feels so authentic and real. Animated films tend to dumb down dialogue to appear kid-friendly, but this film allows the emotions of the characters carry through and allows both kids and adults alike to understand complex emotions and the situations these families deal with.

          I was bopping along to the soundtrack, and almost like how The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly has variations of the same theme song for each of its main characters, the score for this film appropriately changes for every character and universe. It’s truly too long a list to even begin to name here, but the cast is stacked full of talent and they give it their all for this movie. The characters are so varied and interesting, the movie is super funny, and the story carries through with enough depth to stay engaging all the way through this over 2 hour movie. The editing choices, particularly whenever splitting into panes like comics, all work. This movie truly excels on every front.

          With that said, there were still some considerations I had to bring this movie down to a 9:

1)    The ending

2)    The animation being overwhelming

3)    The story isn’t the best ever/contain deep themes of Oscar films

4)    It’s hard to hear the dialogue

Again, no spoilers here, but your best argument to knock this film down a peg is the ending. I had my own initials frustrations, but after discussing with some friends, I agreed with the opinion that there was so much already accomplished during this film that if it continued, the film could start to drag and feel overwhelming. The film lives off its merits and in a lesser film would be a frustrating ending, but its quality warrants what it does. For the second point, I was a little worried. The opening logos glitch out in multiverse style, and there is a lot that happens on the screen throughout the film. To me the choices are all intentional and focused enough that my eyes weren’t wandering, so I loved everything they did with the art direction. And for the third point, the film holds together incredibly well considering the Avengers level of characters that make appearances, and there was never a moment that I felt was lacking with the story. The themes presented aren’t life changing, but not every single film needs to hold such deep themes. For the fourth point, I definitely did miss a couple lines of dialogue, particularly from Daniel Kaluuya and his accent, but unlike Nolan’s Tenet, I never felt like I was missing out on key pieces of information.

     My four points listed above I find to be pretty comprehensive on what people might complain about, but this is also the simple ramblings of Earth-696 Gill. And even if you factor in those four possible critiques, to me, those points don’t detract enough anyways from the feat of filmmaking for this movie. My 10/10 score is not to say this is by definition a “perfect” film; the pedestal it puts itself upon that every film will now have to look up to is enough to warrant this decision. I don’t think it’s even a decision to say this movie deserves the Oscar for Best Animated Film this year. If this movie isn’t nominated for Best Picture, that will be an absolute crime because this is the best movie I’ve seen this year, and I don’t think it’s close.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

 

Gillipedia Official Rating: Don’t know what it says about our society that I’m worried about crying over a raccoon

Score: 8/10

          What a breath of fresh air. Essentially, all of the issues that I’ve had with the last 3-4 Marvel films are non-existent here. I’m a bit surprised how little press there has been surrounding the fact that James Gunn was initially fired from this film for his old tweets, and it wasn’t until the whole Guardians cast came to his defense and attested to his character on and off set that Disney made the surprising (and in my opinion correct) move to rehire him. Possibly even more surprisingly, they basically said, “Let Gunn cook.” And boy did he ever. Vol. 3 isn’t worried about being an MCU film; its only concern is to be the trilogy capper to one of the best Marvel franchises, and it absolutely succeeds. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is an honestly great film.

          Through 2 films and a holiday special, the crew has consisted of Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana’s Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Vin Diesel saying, “I am Groot,” for, well, Groot, and Bradley Cooper voicing Rocket Raccoon as the originals; they also added Mantis, Karen Gillan’s Nebula, a telepathic Russian dog named Cosmo, and James Gunn’s brother Sean as Kraglin. There’s been plenty of arcs and great moments through the aforementioned films and specials, plus the more recent events from Endgame. This may not appear too sprawling for a regular MCU fan, but for anyone not familiar, I wouldn’t blame you for thinking that keeping track of all the characters and their storylines feels too daunting. I’m here to say that not only is this a surprisingly accessible film whether you know Marvel or the Guardians at all, but also that Gunn thoroughly impressed me by each character’s arc and how it concludes in this film. This film is full of content, but Gunn manages to keep this film to 2 ½ hours which is starting to feel tame now with some blockbuster films.

          We start off the film by introducing Rocket’s backstory as a test subject of the High Evolutionary (the whole evil genius type, you get it) and a few other animals including a seal, bunny, and otter. And already I’m impressed by the visuals. Just the way Rocket runs across the room is satisfying; we truly get spoiled by an excess of riches when it comes modern visual effects and what we’re able to accomplish, and the visuals are really good and never take you out of the story. We will keep returning to see more of Rocket’s backstory throughout the film, but the plot is kicked into gear when in present day the crew is settled into their headquarters on Knowhere when Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock blazes in, wreaks some havoc, and escapes, but not before mortally wounding Rocket. This drives the Guardians to frantically journey on a fetch quest to gather what they need to save Rocket before he dies. It’s not a crazy plot, and there’s not any real twists or turns to expect which contributes to this film only receiving an 8, but it’s enough to create a juxtaposition between present day and Rocket’s backstory, and allows more time for the whole cast to thrive.

          Per usual, I do want to put the PSA out here that I’ll avoid any more plot points so everything else can remain a surprise for anyone looking to watch the film. What I will once again say is that each character has their own inner conflict they’re working through (Star-Lord in love with the old, dead Gamora instead of the alternate timeline Gamora that has teamed up with Sylvester Stallone’s Ravagers crew, Nebula trying to embrace the idea that connecting with others feels good, Drax still acting as protector/destroyer because without his daughter he has lost any other sense of purpose, etc), and Gunn brilliantly concludes their arcs by the end—whether that is through somewhat hammy and heavy-handed dialogue or genuinely emotional unspoken moments. And all of this is balanced through the signature Gunn/Guardians ultra-fun style, an impressive villain in the High Evolutionary, and a killer soundtrack.

          I have to take more time to gush on Gunn because if he brings his craft to DC, then Marvel will have some serious competition over the next decade. This is easily one of the funniest Marvel films of recent memory, and it also fits the whole tone of this franchise rather than the MCU trying to force every franchise to “be funny.” There's even lines that basically rehash a character's history that work well as joke lines, but they also succeed in catching up newcomers to the franchise. But it’s not just the writing and the colorful cast, it’s that Vol. 3 feels like a carefully constructed film that received the love it needed from every area. The visuals are top-notch, there’s an insane amount of makeup, costumes, and set design, the score and soundtrack are terrific, and Gunn took the necessary time to actually direct this film. Yes, there's some very obvious dialogue that does what it needs to bring its point across, but there's also lots of character moments that are introduced and come back into play without the use of dialogue. Without spoiling anything, the way they're able to show emotions from Rocket and the other animals is exactly what Disney has been missing from their uncanny valley "live-action" remakes-- Bautista's acting for Drax is also a standout. Outside of Ryan Coogler directing Wakanda Forever, this is the best MCU direction of recent memory, and it’s not even close. Some of the recent films like Waititi’s Love and Thunder or Quantumania felt by and large like we received a whole bunch of green screen with exceptionally bland action scenes. Like plain baked potato bland. Outside of that black and white action scene from Love and Thunder, can you even recall a particular moment? Because I struggle to. As we watch the Marvel logo scroll by at the beginning of the movie with iconic shots of Iron Man walking away from an explosion, Cap throwing his shield, or varying shots from the Avengers films, recently, the MCU has been resting on its laurels. All this to say the cinematography here in Vol. 3 is amazing. You can’t pause the film in the theater, but if you were able to, I think you’d be impressed by just how many shots are artfully crafted—almost like Gunn took a small page out of DC director Zac Snyder’s playbook (say what you will about his films, but you have to admit they’re filled with a bunch of simply “cool” shots). And there is a glorious climactic action scene that is almost like the “one-ers” from the Kingsman films where the camera quickly pans by each character and showcases all their different fighting styles and how dominant they can be when acting as a team. This movie is such a breath of fresh air because I care about the characters and the outcomes, and I stay completely engaged from start to end.

          I did notice 2 specific moments from the latter half of the film where the editing was just a touch off. And I already know it’s a symptom of wanting to cutback on the run time, and it isn’t very noticeable, BUT I NOTICED. Outside of that along with the fact that the story isn’t mind-blowing, I really don’t have any complaints. The villain is great, there’s still a bunch of cameos including a hilarious role from Nathan Fillion, and the movie is simply a load of fun. Although Chris Pratt has been cashing it in the last few years, he returned to form a bit in last year’s Prime show The Terminal List where he briefly interacted with Sean Gunn too, and he’s back to form here as well. Drax was the best part of Vol. 2, and although it was impossible to live up to that performance, he’s still a joy here—especially how his arc completes at the end. Putting Rocket front and center for this film worked surprisingly well, and it just makes me happy that Marvel let Gunn do exactly what he needed to for this film. This summer might be a little light on films and this was easily the Marvel film I was looking forward to the most of recent memory, and it lives up to and surpasses expectations. Truly a rare feat, I think you could ask 3 people and receive 3 different answers on which film from the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy is the best. What about me? I’m not ready to answer that yet and need to go back to the first 2 for a rewatch, but for now, just trust me when I say this film is worth it in theaters.

Babylon + Far Too Late Oscars' Thoughts

 

Gillipedia Official Rating: A $100 million dollar review

Score: 8/10

          Despite 3 Oscar nominations, Babylon was the butt of many jokes for absolutely bombing at the box office with middling critic reviews. After the desperate persistence from a friend, I finally relented and sat down for 3 hours to watch Damien Chazelle’s latest film. And I’m so glad I did. I only watched after the Oscars were already over, and it made me frustrated for the lack of love this film was shown. There’s a whole lot of everything going on, but it’s extremely entertaining and takes chances. This is Singin’ in the Rain meets The Wolf of Wall Street.

          First, we have to address the shitting elephant in the room. Of all the insane hysteria from the first 30 minutes of this film, Dumbo’s brown release is what I would cut out first. Number 2 is not the only number we witness either. This opening behemoth was largely what the poster and trailers focused on—the house party of a Hollywood elite where all sorts of antics involving human bodies and drugs tirelessly perform through the night. It’s like the climax of Eyes Wide Shut with again, the energy of The Wolf of Wall Street. I wouldn’t be surprised if this level of vulgarity caused what few moviegoers there were to walk out; I don’t want to undercut that it’s a lot. But in the same breath, it’s also not tasteless. The excess in crassness, scenery, and costumes sets up the wild difference of stars on the screen versus their escapism and nepotistic pursuits without the film rolling. And it’s shot meticulously well. I was in awe of how much happens within the lens, and how Chazelle perfectly guides the viewer’s eye. He sets your focus on a single character when he wants you to slow down, and he zooms out to allow you to envelop the whole room with your gaze in total command; there’s sweeping shots of the party and closeups of trumpet players because you can’t have a Chazelle film if he’s not highlighting the jazz. There’s a lot of surprising nuance to hook us through the story’s narrative, but it’s also a great introduction to our 3 main players. The free-spirited Margot Robbie doing precisely whatever she wants while still holding hope that one role can break her through; but until then, she will blow you away with her moves in her small red dress. Brad Pitt oversees more of the operation—the biggest, and most expensive, name around, and he knows his influence. His morals and own lifestyle is nothing to uphold, but there’s still heart and compassion enough to make us root for his character. And the unsung hero is Manny, played by Diego Calva. He will do anything and everything required of his employer if it means the slightest chance of seeing the wonders of a movie set in person.

          After we hit the title card 30 minutes in, the next 20 minutes are a work of art and is the best editing from any film last year. We now follow the next day on an outdoor movie set with many projects concurrently taking place. Manny has found the favor of Pitt and runs whatever errands. When the last camera on set breaks, Manny speeds into town in search of a replacement before the day’s end. Robbie has gained the role of a seductive girl in a bar, and she showcases an uncanny ability to act whatever the director could possibly dream of for the perfect shot. And Pitt calls in favors to renegotiate budgets while prepping for his own leading role—despite non-stop alcohol consumption. And the way things break on set, fires start, and the unwavering pace juggles our 3 leads among the larger set of this entire production is gorgeous, frenetic, funny, and completely captivating. An hour passes, but you’re riding the adrenaline high right alongside the film.

          And it’s only after these 2 massive scenes that we settle into the larger narrative of Manny working his way up Hollywood, Robbie blossoming into the next big star, and Pitt trying to keep up with a world on the cusp of switching over to talking pictures. Starting to once again sound like Singin’ in the Rain? There’s a great homage as Robbie works a scene for a new talking picture, and every take gets squandered by actors missing marks, the new audio equipment not working, the crew interrupting, etc. And it’s hilarious. Chazelle brings some of the incredible insults from Whiplash here in a more comedic setting. Truly, this had me laughing harder than the entirety of far too many comedies I watched last year. But what I thought would be left as an homage became straight up Singin’ in the Rain… No, like, they literally perform that song later in the film.

          So for a 3 hour movie, is everything in there totally necessary? And the answer is no. But not by as large a margin as people may think. Really, from the first 30 minutes, I’d only cut out the elephant mudslide. There’s also one or two side characters that could either have reduced or completely eliminated roles without sacrificing the intention. There’s a tamer party that happens roughly in the middle of the film that ends with Robbie getting bit by a venomous snake. And this scene is the least successful with minimal story elements, the comedy feeling a bit drained, and no true compelling reason to leave it in except to balloon the runtime. Removing a bulk of that scene maybe shaves 15 minutes for you. Otherwise, I’m happy with the result. There’s even a late cameo from one of the producers of the film that is sure to get a reaction from audiences. It’s tonally out of the blue with the best spoiler-free comparison being that of Pulp Fiction. But even this scene is a great change of pace from the rest of the film and cements where the story is headed.

          I’m not only content but am in agreement that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever deserved the best costume design Oscar over this film, but I am fuming that All Quiet on the Western Front won production design and original score. Real life Hollywood may be a little sick of rewarding Chazelle’s collaborator Justin Hurwitz, but the score not only fits the time period of the film (unlike the winner), it’s just one of the best scores in a film in years. Let me repeat myself: the production design and score are incredible. I would even say the ensemble cast, led by the great unknown star Diego Calva is better than Everything Everywhere All at Once. I wouldn’t dare take Ke Huy Quan’s Oscar win away for best supporting actor, but I’d even give Brad Pitt a nomination. And not only did Margot Robbie deserve an acting nomination, she should’ve won the award. This film was also snubbed of an editing and best picture nomination. Again, this movie is A LOT. And it will drive people away, primarily from the first 30 minutes. But by the end of the film, Chazelle is practically yelling at the audience proclaiming, “See? I make this because I care about the artform of films!” The excess is in every regard of this movie, but from top to bottom, it actually works on almost every level. This doesn’t make it a perfect film, but it is one of the best films to have come out in 2022.

 

Other Oscars Thoughts:

 

I first want to put it out there that I successfully predicted 16 out of the 23 winners. All Quiet on the Western Front won more than needed, I’m overall happy that Everything Everywhere All at Once won big, and there were a few snubs aside from the review above including the absolute snub of The Batman not in the running for best cinematography. Even Jimmy Kimmel impressed my low standards by not holding back a few punches with some jokes. Kimmel didn’t hold punches, but there also wasn’t any slaps to speak of. Marcel the Shell With Shoes On should’ve won best animated feature over Del Toro, and I was happy to see Top Gun: Maverick get some love. Honestly, one of the better Oscars in recent memory!

John Wick: Chapter 4

 

Gillipedia Official Rating: Yeah

Score: 8/10

          The fourth and possibly final installment in one of my favorite action franchises doubles down on everything. As a result more than even the heights of Chapter 3, this movie feels like it goes over the edge with videogame-like action for mostly better results. I think it’s really weak thematically and embraces cheesy dialogue a bit too much, but the action is thrilling and the cinematography is truly a standout.

          This almost 3-hour movie sees Keanu recovering from his wounds from the previous film, bent on killing all in his way of getting out of this international hitman organization run by the High Table. Keanu lets his co-stars do most of the talking, letting his stares and the occasional, “Yeah,” explain his emotions for him—truly, again, in fashion of a silent videogame protagonist. Heck, the two most impressive sequences are a 20-minute action scene at the Japanese Continental where baddies literally appear wave after wave, then one of the final action scenes has a top-down perspective like an MMORPG.

          Some action beats are longer, showing off all the choreography that Keanu and the stuntmen had to prepare for, and others show off simply cool ideas, like a whole scene dodging cars in a busy roundabout in France. This is mostly set to an electronic beat, but you can also expect a nighttime setting mixed with beautiful neon colors. Take that one scene from Skyfall at the top of that Shanghai building and just multiply that by 5 and that’s the results here. I’ve said this about John Wick films of past, but knowing the director’s stunt background and Keanu’s real preparation truly enhances these scenes where characters have to strategize around ammunition, cover, and each other’s fighting style. What became used incredibly from John Wick 3 that I feel is overused here is the bulletproof suits everyone wears, requiring headshots, or repeated fire to break the other character before going in for a kill—it starts to get a little cumbersome and too much by the end.

          A few characters, including the great inclusion of Rina Sawayama, remarks to Wick how everywhere he goes, death follows… And throughout this film, I was trying to disprove that statement and simply couldn’t. Keanu offers a simple, “I am sorry,” but many friends fall as a direct or indirect result of Wick’s actions. The ultimate goal is to clear his obligation and he always fights with respect for his opponents, but it’s also undeniable the destruction left behind, and I don’t think there was a great resolution here.

          You have heard about Donnie Yen appearing in this movie, and he is absolutely amazing. He plays a blind hitman, reluctantly following Bill Skarsgard’s orders to kill Wick in order to keep his own daughter safe. And where other films will use stuntmen and quick cuts to fool the audience that their star can believably wield a weapon, Yen moves with such impressive agility. And what is truly incredible is how every move he makes makes sense on how an elite hitman would act if they were blind. He crosses path Wick throughout the film, but we all know it’s no spoiler to say that they’re destined to fight each other at the end.

          I think I’d still put Chapter 3 as my favorite in the series, but there’s still plenty to love from this film. It’s very violent with an incredibly high body count, and some of the lines are truly cringe, but Keanu, Yen, Sawayama, and Hiroyuki Sanada (playing Wick’s friend and Sawayama’s father) all fight with distinct styles, and every single one of them is a joy to watch. I genuinely would consider this film for a Best Cinematography nomination too. The studio is considering another film after the great box office returns so far, but I’d be perfectly happy with simply spinoffs focused on other characters. This series has been one of my favorites of recent memory, but that doesn’t mean another film is a necessity. Also, Lance Reddick’s character returns here too after an incredible supporting role from the previous film, and it saddens me about his passing, so quick shout out to him. If you’re a fan of any of the previous films, this one is worth the watch in theaters.