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.

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.