"Licorice Pizza" is the most fun I've had in a theater all year, and another masterwork added to Paul Thomas Anderson's filmography

December 25, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“Licorice Pizza” Film Review

By Quinn Marcus

This will likely be my last full-length review of the year, and wow, what a year for movies it has been. Alright, maybe it’s because everything that was supposed to come out last year came out this year, but I’ve reviewed three movies that I’ve given a perfect score, and I’m happy to say that Licorice Pizza will be my fourth. Ever since the trailer premiered earlier this year, PTAs Licorice Pizza (such a fittingly weird name) has been one of my most anticipated of 2021, and back in November when I discovered it didn’t open nationwide until late December, I got so mad, but we finally made it, and the film did not disappoint. We got tickets last week to watch it in gorgeous 70mm film, and we (my dad, brother, and I) had a whole plan for it: we’d show up, and buy licorice and pizza to eat during the movie. Unfortunately, reality doesn’t always work out the way you want it to. We arrived 10 minutes before the movie was to begin, and there was a massive line, not just to get food, but almost around the block. Yes, we had to cut the food and head straight to our seats. Dang it, I was going to post on my Insta story: “who else can say they ate licorice and pizza at Licorice Pizza?” Welp, one thing led to another, and I had to sacrifice the chance of posting a quirky one-liner as the start of this review. Oh well. Anyway, I’ll try not to get sidetracked anymore. Here are my thoughts on PTAs latest masterpiece.

Let me start by saying that there is no, and there never will be another director as incredible as PTA. His legacy as one of the greatest and most versatile filmmakers working today continues to remain unmatched. I’ve seen five of his movies now and have equally adored all of them, but Licorice Pizza was definitely a change of pace for the filmmaker, shifting from the intense, daring romantic drama from a few years back, Phantom Thread, to a surprisingly comforting film propelled by feeling rather than story. Imagine Almost Famous meets Punch Drunk Love, and you get Licorice Pizza. It's easily PTAs funniest film to date, boasting a magnificent screenplay and a series of hilarious characters. Seriously, every single person in this movie has a story, a personality, or some little characteristic about them that makes them stand out, and yet, despite the monumental commitment needed to satisfyingly culminate all of this ambition into PTAs elated, surreal, but ultimately mature exploration of love and rejection, it manages to flow seamlessly, nothing felt like extra baggage.

There’s so much going on within Licorice Pizza’s narrative, a lot of which may come across as utter nonsense to some. At one point, Gary, a 15-year-old teen actor starts a water bed business, but I wouldn’t go into this movie or any PTA film frankly looking for a linear, streamlined plot. This isn’t a typically structured film, and I could see that as being a problem for some. For me, I saw how much more the film relies on emotion than conventional storytelling, but I just wanted to let you know what to expect. One thing I found interesting was how PTA handles the central romance, establishing it as something that can never be, but through certain imagery and editing used, it's as if they can't be kept apart. PTA often returns to Gary and Alana running towards each other, occasionally in the same frame, but often in different locations, and it’s breathtaking to witness, especially since the editing and visuals were so immaculate. The instant connection these two characters undergo isn't explicit or cliched, their dialogue was naturalism at its finest, they’re never really considered to be boyfriend and girlfriend throughout the film, but the moments where their love for each other does break free feel earned and cathartic. Yes, their age gap was a risk, but one PTA managed to handle, flawlessly, vividly depicting an awkward moment of affection between these two in an innocent, dreamlike manner.

Everyone in the cast does an excellent job (Bradley Cooper better get a damn Oscar nom for his perfect, insane 10mins of screen time), Cooper Hoffman is a joy in his feature debut, but Alana Haim was a force of nature in this movie, and the chemistry between the two was wonderful. Both performances were just so real, comedically, and emotionally resonant without a single moment that doesn't click. Jonny Greenwood is on fire, after composing the soundtracks for both Spencer (my fav of the year), and The Power of the Dog. He’s been having a great year, and the musical score in Licorice Pizza was just another aspect of this movie to love. It’s accompanied by hit songs from the 70s that are just constant enough to not become too much of a crutch for the film’s tonality, something I always worry about when a film features an abundance of songs in its soundtrack. May I also mention that PTA has shown himself to be an extremely talented cinematographer as well, having also filmed the beautiful-looking Phantom Thread, and Licorice Pizza's colorful, brightly lit aesthetic was completely reminiscent of Punch Drunk Love and added to the film’s rather uplifting, yet slightly mysterious atmosphere.

Furthermore, this might be the best theater experience I’ve ever had, the audience was having a blast, and it almost felt like we were all going on an adventure together. Ever since COVID began, I’ve forgotten what the cinematic experience has the potential to be, everything from finding your seats to hearing other people's laughs, cheers, and reactions outside the theater door, it's magical, and this screening of Licorice Pizza brought back that to my heart. This film is a reminder for me that cinema is still pushing for greatness and has reaffirmed PTAs position as one of my fav directors of all time, I'm so grateful that this movie got made, and I hope to see it again. Well, I think that just about concludes this year for reviewing movies, if you are reading this, thank you for taking the time, and I’ll be back for the next one.

"The Matrix Resurrections" breathes new life into a long-dormant franchise with visual style and superb directing

December 23, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“The Matrix Resurrections” Review

By Quinn Marcus

Oh god, here it comes, the ultimate confession: alright, I’d never seen The Matrix until a few nights ago. I know, I know, it’s an absolute disgrace, but thank god I watched it in an attempt to have some sort of preparation for Resurrections because I have a feeling my reaction would have been very different had I not seen the original. Anyway, I thought that The Matrix was a masterpiece, a maximalist, grandeur film that dares to question reality and what we perceive as being inherently real under universal criteria. It was thought-provoking, thrilling, and so genuinely brilliant, I’d never seen anything like it in my life, and similar to films such as Inception, I could tell why it revolutionized what blockbuster filmmaking could be. So, I’ve been seeing lots of mixed reactions to The Matrix Resurrections lately from fans, critics, audiences, you name it. The film has a love it or hate it thing going on at the moment, and although I haven’t seen the sequels that came before this, I had a blast with The Matrix Resurrections.

Conceptually, the film is quite fascinating, making fun of nostalgia as much as it relies upon it, and boasting a commentary on how the growth of the digital age has affected humanity over time, whilst also leaning further into the concept of free will as explored by the original film. All of this is very interesting stuff, unfortunately, it does lead me to the biggest gripe I have with this film, and that is the script. Where The Matrix had so many quotable, poetic lines intertwined into a highly allegorical story, Ressurections’ screenplay was not nearly as ambitious nor as streamlined. At times, the script almost felt like an MCU script, packed with quirky, witty humor, and inspirational lines we’ve heard a million times before. Dialogue such as “she believed in me, but now it’s my turn to believe in her” is nice, but where hasn’t that line been spoken before? It does lack a significant amount of the original’s magnificence, and the pacing was a little off and on for me, especially during a relatively slow second act, but the fact that a big, large budget blockbuster is even remotely expressing themes and ideas such as those I mentioned is amazing.

Frankly, at the end of the day, The Matrix Resurrections is still bolder than the majority of action flicks released onto the big screen today. No, it isn’t Blade Runner 2049 or Interstellar, but I’d still place it among the few action films that dare to be truly epic. My biggest worry walking in was that the film was going to have a hard time being original, as it is essentially a return journey for Neo, rediscovering old memories and people, but the storyline was surprisingly clever in avoiding feeling too familiar whilst provoking a soft sense of deja vu for the viewer, something I greatly appreciated. It does rely on flashbacks to the original trilogy often, and I think they were largely unnecessary, not an issue, just kind of tagged on, especially if Lana Wachowski was going for poking at the back of the audiences’ memories. I felt as though she made her point, and constantly showing us footage we’ve seen before wasn’t trusting enough of the audience, but it didn’t take away from the experience for me, and that’s the most important thing.

I thought I was going to have a rough time getting past the removal of the classic look of the original Matrix movies, the awesome greenish-black tint, but the modern look of Resurrections impressed me. The cinematography by John Toll and Daniele Massaccesi was often gorgeous, and seeing the visual effects from the original through a modern-day lens was dope to witness. There’s this sequence at the very beginning which was easily a standout, where the opening scene from The Matrix was recreated for our new characters to interact with, and some of the action in there was mind-boggling, trippy, and intense, I loved it so much. One thing that was on par with the original was the soundtrack composed by Tom Tykwer and Johnny Klimek, the musical score was phenomenal, and contributed to the greatest scenes of the film. The action sequences are once again directed excellently, not as memorable or spellbinding as the original, but Lana Wachowski did a damn good job with these scenes, and the unique visual style just enhanced it even more.

The cast was simply solid, none of the performances particularly wowed me, and Keanu's character doesn't have a large variety of things to say, all of his dialogue was usually one-word responses or a question, but I could tell actors like Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Morpheus) and Jonathan Groff (Agent Smith) were having a great time with their roles, both of these guys were perfect choices for this movie. Hell, even Neil Patrick Harris was fantastic as Neo’s therapist and has this beautifully crafted section with Keanu involving slow-motion that worked flawlessly, I didn’t see that coming. Carrie-Anne Moss returns as Trinity and was not given quite as much screen time as I expected her to have, but the chemistry between her and Keanu brought out the best of their performances. I loved how the film explores this idea that Trinity and Neo’s bond is a force of its own, and it leads to a fittingly badass final battle that had some terrific moments shared between the two. Look, everything about this movie (mostly) works. It’s a step down from the film that started it all, and it’s not going to please everyone, but don’t take this review as a guarantee that you’ll like it, I can’t promise that; what I can say is that for the fourth sequel in a franchise, The Matrix Resurrections surprised me on a number of levels, and I hope that you find some level of enjoyment out of it.

“House of Gucci” is a somewhat entertaining if extremely campy new entry from Ridley Scott undermined by its confused silliness

November 25, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“House of Gucci” Film review

By Quinn Marcus

Ridley Scott has produced not one but two ambitious movies in the same year. The man’s a rockstar. First, if you saw it, a medieval epic called The Last Duel, a surprisingly excellent study of toxic masculinity, and a film that ended up being one of Scott’s best in my opinion. And now, House of Gucci, inspired by the true story of one of Earth’s most famous fashion brands. A masterful depiction of greed and power that dares to ask the question: what if The Godfather or Succession were poorly written, campy soap operas? Let’s just say, immense appreciation for what Scott was trying to accomplish doesn’t make up for how little this film accomplishes. It’s funny, because for such a long movie, running at nearly 2hrs 40mins, the film really is just an extended version of the trailers we got, if you’ve seen them, you’ve practically seen the movie in its entirety, there are few moments of surprise. Now, before we get off on the wrong foot, I didn’t despise this movie, it’s not completely awful, but, to put it simply, I was hoping for a little more of an intelligently crafted experience than what I got.

House of Gucci is one of the messiest and most self-indulgent features we’ve gotten all year. It’s everything I was worried it was going to be from the trailers. The more I think about it, the more flaws I find. I’m not gonna lie, when I walked out of the theater, I thought I enjoyed myself, and then I started to look at the bigger, very Oscar-baity picture. However, I want to be fair, so let’s start with what I legitimately liked, shall we? The first half, or, to be more specific, the opening hour of the film was highly entertaining. I loved how the central romance in the film was introduced, I dug the soundtrack, and the performances weren’t all too bad. For a while, the film remained admittedly cheesy, but fun nevertheless. The supporting cast was easily the best aspect of the film for me, Jeremy Irons and Adam Driver were great, but the true standout was a shockingly hilarious Jared Leto. His character was awesome, and he’s pretty much the only one who undergoes a substantial arc in the film, so that was nice. I honestly wouldn’t mind Leto being considered for some awards recognition next year, he carries this film from start to finish, every time he was on screen, I burst out laughing, he made his scenes from House of Gucci a joy to watch. Then again, if your movie is so meh to the point where Jared Leto becomes the main redeemable aspect, you’re in a bit of trouble.

Actually, the comedic parts of the film were the ones that worked the most for me, there are a few solid laughs here and there, and when the film treads into farcical territory, it significantly improves from the cliched “oh, it's such a scandal!” vibes the rest of the film gives off. Alright, that’s unfortunately where my positives come to a halt. Let's discuss what House of Gucci does wrong. Characterization, structure, tonality, drama, and interesting cinematography are a few essential aspects of any film that House of Gucci lacks almost completely. For starters, the cinematography was totally flat, too clean, and colorless to be eye-catching, and for a film based around this subject, I expected there to be more work put into making the aesthetic of this film pop. The color-grading is so bland, that when the film makes these awkward switches to black and white, I originally didn’t notice; that’s how drained of life the visuals are. Secondly, there’s this cool thing called character development which the screenplay of House of Gucci makes a lazy and nonsensical attempt at. It’s almost as if halfway through writing the script, the writers just forgot what the motivations of these characters were and began to randomly jot down plot points.

Seriously, the big “change” our leads go through was so abrupt and rushed. One minute they’re likable, the next: annoying assholes that are impossible to care about. This brings me back to the importance of tonality and how House of Gucci couldn't decide whether or not to be a campy satire or a financial family drama. These conflicting sides of the script ultimately deprive the film of a substantial flow, thus ridding the characters of consistency. I struggled to find reasons to remotely sympathize with these horrible human beings, and the screenplay doesn’t make things much easier. Salma Hayek shows up in a few scenes to be exclusively used as a plot device setting up this eventual assassination that once again; felt so quick and out of place. Lady Gaga and Al Pacino were the most forgettable performances for me, they were overacting so hard during this film, and it occasionally got painful to watch. Lady Gaga was terrific in A Star is Born, and Al Pacino is one of the greats of all time, but they didn’t work here at all. The film is such a desperate imitation of similar tv shows and movies of the same genre, succumbing to every trope imaginable. There are a few great things about it, but the experience was such a mixed bag overall, and there was part’s I could barely stand. I don’t think it’s irritating beyond comprehension, and it was a relatively amusing watch, but at the end of the day, House of Gucci is too forgettable to love.

Dune: Film Review

November 13, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

By: Keaton Marcus

Denis Villeneuve, a favorite director of mine, seems reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick. His ability to craft half a dozen masterpieces in several genres proves such a versatility that moviegoers rarely witness these days. Paul Thomas Anderson, Alfonso Cuaron, and Richard Linklater are names that come to mind when pondering the masters at filmmaking craft. The one aspect to their success that tethers them together happens to be multi-skilled, challenging directing. Each one of them leaves audiences in awe in unique respects, but these directors have all found their footing in many types of movies. In this case, Villeneuve has touched on tragic, twisty familial stories such as Prisoners and Incendies (both very different from each other) while making a surreal, mindfucking allegory to adultery with Enemy. Take Sicario, a movie that prides itself in blurring the lines of morality in the backdrop of drug cartels, and compare it to his recent string of science fiction opuses like Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and the subject of this essay, Dune: Part One. His scope varies just as much as the genres in his filmography, ranging from small-scale movies to massive, sprawling epics filled with dazzling and expensive visual effects. This man is the rare type of filmmaker who doesn't stick to one lane, varying his portfolio to manifold passages. Each installment to his filmography is gorgeously brought to screen, pondering many themes and dropping many jaws. One of the most important people in the industry today, and one who still has a long road ahead of him.

There is this biblical grandiosity to Dune that I hugely welcomed in the theaters. Going into it, as a huge fan of Villeneuve, I knew what to expect in terms of storytelling and visuals. Slow, methodical world-building and an emphasis on careful set-up, laying down the platforms of different characters and planets before getting into any real action sequences. Villeneuve's slow-burn style of moviemaking that is prevalent throughout his career may turn fans of more fast-paced, entertaining spectacle directors such as JJ Abrams, off. He never rushes, deliberately pacing his movies without catering too much to the mainstream, commercialized setting Hollywood is at the moment. When watching a Villeneuve film, one can see the meticulous perfectionism and planning that goes behind it, especially visible in the stunning imagery. Even in the slower, calmer moments of Dune, Villeneuve and cinematographer Greg Fraiser pride themselves in creating sufficient eye candy to make all the talking worthwhile. Massive, wide shots of epic settings and long, smooth takes fill the frame. Expertly composed and full of contrast and beautifully subdued color pallettes, this was the ultimate audiovisual treat to witness on the big screen. The sandworms and Ornithropters are huge technical achievements by themselves, fully immersing viewers in the experience.

Immersion is a key facet in creating a successful action blockbuster, especially one with fantastical elements infused within it. In terms of both sound design, musical score, and cinematography, all must be impeccable to create even a fraction of this orgasmic absorption that Dune did. To fully immerse someone in a movie is in essence, transcending everything a film represents. Instead of watching something, you are in that something and that is exactly what I felt during this absolute masterpiece. In the waves of quantity-over-quality, for-profit blockbusters Hollywood is mass-producing these days, this is a rare experience to cherish. 200 million budgets often feel wasted as excuses for lazy filmmaking, but every cent feels worthwhile here, used to produce effects that look authentic. Michael Bay's Transformers movies or the neverending streak of Roland Emmerich's popcorn disaster flicks are primary examples of so much money going to such pathetic trash. Even multi-billion dollar superhero franchises like the MCU or the DCEU generally take for granted the amount of financial support received. In contrast, Villeneuve and his talented, visionary team are so grateful for each opportunity to create cinematic magic they get. Between the masterful mesh of practical effects and computer-generated imagery, Hans Zimmer's percussive and stifling soundtrack, and the perfect collaboration between Fraser and Villeneuve, this adaptation of the seemingly unfilmable is something special.

Common criticisms of both Blade Runner 2049 and Dune are the lack of emotional connection audiences feel with the film's respective protagonists, and the stories themselves. Besides the fact that this statement blissfully ignores anything but the most surface-level, tear-jerking sensibilities that these two films "lack", it's a decently valid statement. I can understand not being fully entranced by the two cold, almost inhuman men that Officer K and Paul Atreides seem to be, but honestly, that's one of the aspects that I most appreciate about those movies, Dune in particular. Timothee Chalamet, one of the finest actors working today, was flawless in casting for the role. Atreides, both in the novel and film adaptation, is not exactly an emotionally versatile character. He broods in silence for the majority of the running time, enveloped by political and familial turmoil. This, I believe, lets audiences fully experience the worlds around the characters instead of the characters themselves, which is just what I dig in a sci-fi movie like this one. Paul is simply an intellectual chess piece lost in a desolate, sand-laden planet, and although many find that to be detrimental to a film, I embrace it as a strength. This aspect of the movie reminded me of Christopher Nolan's Tenet, where spectacle and concept are valued over any real substance to its heroes. In a film that's both intentionally and fully focused on stylistic features and creating a grand theatrical experience, where is the need for a "charismatic" lead performance? Chalamet's intentional lack of emotion is a planned, thought-out idea perfectly executed, and beneficial to what Dune truly aspires to achieve.

On a final note, I did want to address one facet of controversy that has been circling in cinematic discourse about the film. So, in essence, what is a "white savior story?" To me, at least, it's when a privileged, perhaps even wealthy caucasian character is portrayed as the only path to success to another main character of color. It reinforces this undoubtedly racist ideology that only a white person can save you from any pressing issues you're facing in life. Good examples of this include The Blind Side or The Help. Throwing critiques that Paul's arc in this film is one of these stories seems incredibly superficial and ignorant to what Villeneuve and Frank Herbert intended. The main pressure point is that the House of Atreides, led by white men and women, journey to Arakis for the sole purpose of helping the natives of that land, known as the Fremen. But this "commentary" completely misses the point in the sense that the Fremen are never portrayed as inferior or savage compared to the House of Atreides. In a way, the Fremen are described as superior, a race that has fiercely defended themselves against the evil Harkonnen and prospered on a seemingly impenetrable planet. The relationship between the House of Atreides and the Fremen is a complete alliance, balanced perfectly. Please, before forming big opinions, watch the film and ponder what you're about to say in full before, you know, saying it.

"Spencer" defies the traditional structure of the biopic genre, delivering a heartbreaking masterpiece featuring an Oscar-worthy Kristen Stewart

November 11, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“Spencer” Film Review

By Quinn Marcus

Have you ever been so completely and utterly mesmerized by a film that you just sat through the credits, blown away and rendered speechless by such an experience? Spencer was one of my most anticipated films of the year by just the gorgeous-looking poster alone, the trailer showed promise, and not being the biggest Kristen Stewart fan, I was excited to see what she could do with such a heavy role. Everything about Spencer exceeded my expectations entirely, it’s easily my favorite of the year thus far (and we’ve had a few amazing ones), and might just work its way up my favorites of all time. It’s so breathtaking, that I’m honestly worried my review and analysis won’t even be able to do it justice for how much artistic brilliance is presented on screen. I watched like a hawk for a single fault in this movie, just one scene that faltered a little, or a line of dialogue that didn’t quite land, none of that came. Instead, I found myself absorbed by the filmmaking, acting, and atmosphere of such a powerful film.

I couldn’t ask for more out of a biopic, Diana Spencer’s story has fascinated me ever since I started watching The Crown, and it’s so beautifully done here, that I didn’t hesitate to give it a perfect score. Let’s start with a bit of a deep dive into the themes, shall we? (don’t worry, no spoilers) Crooked perfection. Clothing masking personality. Order and tradition as a replacement for individuality. Spencer doesn't just depict the trapped life of Diana Spencer like a conventional biopic, it puts you in it. I felt everything about this movie, from the claustrophobic, tension-filled atmosphere of the palace grounds, to the despair and loneliness Diana went through. In this place, people and words are currency, freedom is restrained to the absolute minimum, you're told what to do, and when to do it, you have a set path, there's no escape, and in that way, Spencer almost becomes a horror film. It’s a deconstruction of the biopic genre and an exploration of humanity in such a suppressed setting where independence becomes nearly impossible.

Diana Spencer is an example of the melancholic state of depression we as people are put through when we’re unable to express ourselves, or emotionally connect to anybody. However, Larraín smartly incorporates her releases from that pain, people to latch onto, lifeboats sustaining Diana’s happiness, her children, or her best friend Maggie. The royal family only enhances her sense of isolation, making for some greatly disturbing scenes, but the small moments of peace Diana get’s were the times when I teared up or cried the most, and I think my response was triggered by the film’s immersive balance of intimacy, heart, and darkness. Okay, now on to the review. Kristen Stewart. That’s it, that’s the review. Just kidding, but seriously, Stewart is a force of nature as Diana, she disappears into her role in such a phenomenal way that I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen, too engrossed by the groundbreaking piece of acting I was witnessing. I’m still in awe by the emotional intensity she showcases here compared to her previous performances, not all of which I liked. I’ve never loved her as an actress, but I think Spencer has changed that, and she deserves Oscar recognition, all you’ve heard about her work here is true, she’s spectacular.

By the way, it’s not just her, other standouts included Sally Hawkins, Sean Harris, and Timothy Spall, all of which were fantastic and so believable. Not a single cast member breaks character, even the smaller roles feel layered and complete, just like the film itself. The cinematography by Claire Mathon, who also shot the immaculate-looking Portrait of a Lady on Fire back in 2019, returns to create one of the best visual aesthetics I’ve ever seen captured on film. It’s shot on film, and it shows, each frame reminded me of movies I’ve seen from the time period Spencer is set in. There’s this incredible sequence where Diana remembers moments from her childhood that’s filmed so marvelously and made for one of the best scenes of the past decade in terms of craft and visual style.

Speaking of craft, Pablo Larraín directs this movie masterfully. What I loved so much about Spencer was that everything is always building to something, whether it be Diana reminiscing about times of joy, or a commentary on publicity, every aspect of Spencer reaches this crescendo of music, acting, writing, and when it really goes for it, the film explodes and suddenly becomes better than I ever thought it could be. All I was thinking whilst watching this cinematic achievement unfold was ‘this is why I watch movies, this is art.’ I’m sitting here trying to find the proper way to conclude this hopefully coherent review, but I’m suddenly at a loss for words, and yet, I still feel as though I haven’t said all that needs to be said to summarize the experience of Spencer. I guess, in an attempt to do so, I’d say that I forgot I was watching a film during Spencer, and that usually doesn’t happen. From start to finish, this movie, in a way, changed my view of cinema, just a little.

"Last Night in Soho" is a beautiful-looking and undeniably bizarre blast of a film from Edgar Wright

November 07, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“Last Night in Soho” film review

By Quinn Marcus

When we walked out of our theater, some random guy yelled “Edgar Wright’s the man!” I don’t know why, but that made my day. I wasn’t expecting to go see this one at all, but my dad surprised my brother and me by taking us a couple of nights ago, and I left feeling, for the most part, completely energized and fulfilled by what I’d just seen, but also a little angry. Now, I haven’t seen all of Wright’s films, I absolutely adore Baby Driver, and still really like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and I’d say his latest, Last Night in Soho falls somewhere in between. I thought this movie was great, flawed, without a doubt, and not nearly as streamlined as Baby Driver, but the unconventionally weird and trippy atmosphere got to me quite a bit. Also, the theater had such a positive vibe that day which enhanced the experience a lot, people cheered when the opening title popped on-screen, laughed during the Licorice Pizza trailer (we’ll be back PTA), and overall, it was a really fun crowd for a blast of a film and cinematic experience like this.

Seriously, I enjoyed the hell out of this movie, it’s certainly some of the most excitement I’ve had in a theater, 2021 is ending on a strong note, let’s just say that. Okay, about the movie, let’s start with our positives, shall we? The first 30-40mins of Last Night in Soho were kind of perfect in my opinion, and it’s all topped by this breathtaking one-shot dance sequence that blew me away and left me wondering how they managed to accomplish this. It’s energetic, all of the immersive, catchy songs, gorgeous visuals, and terrific cast members I’ve come to expect from Wright were there, and I was honestly trending to give it a very high score, but then, it seems as though Wright began to lose control over the unapologetic madness this movie had in store, but more of that later. This is Thomasin McKenzie’s show, she’s phenomenal in this film, I loved her performance in Jojo Rabbit a couple of years ago, and Last Night in Soho only continues to showcase her emotional range as an actress. Anya Taylor-Joy is pretty good as the mirror version of McKenzie we’ve seen so much of in the trailers, and wow, the mirror effect delivered entirely, it looks incredible. It was so original and visually creative, and just when you think it’s about to get old, some other clever way of using it is thrown at you, and it works every single time.

Now, speaking of time, Last Night in Soho is about time-traveling to London in the 1960s, and in many ways, especially in how it was directed/shot, this film feels very retro, and I appreciated that about it. The film sounds and looks like a classic mystery movie at times, but still has the Edgar Wright stylistic quality to it unmatched by many directors working today. Last Night in Soho is drenched in neon lighting, it’s colorful and visually stimulating, Wright knew what he was doing with his visuals, that much is perfectly clear, but I found the story to be a little shaky from a writing standpoint. As I said before, the first act of this movie is awesome, and there were parts of the 2nd and 3rd that I still loved, but as a whole, the film is pretty messy. The lack of nuance was perhaps my biggest issue with Last Night in Soho, nothing is subtle about this movie, and as a mystery, you need the mystery. Unfortunately, the film peaks with its biggest flaw during the last 10mins, a finale that felt over-the-top, rushed, and to an extent, disappointing. It’s a gradual shift, Wright slowly loses his grip on the story, but the change is apparent after such a confident opening act.

I wish Wright had better control of how many ideas and reveals were at play, it almost forces you to go see it a second time because there’s so much to digest about this film, and a few plot points are left feeling unresolved. Last Night in Soho is a horror film, and Wright’s attempt at frightening the audience in any way was serviceable, I guess, but it’s too ridiculous and fun to truly be scary. There’s a use of these ghost creatures which relate to the big, but slightly convoluted theme of the movie that I won’t say to not spoil, and once again, they look really dope, and some of the shots gave me chills, but in the end, the movie is fast-paced, and it’s not as thought-provoking as it could have been with a little more work done on the screenplay. There’s a spectacular, much more groundbreaking movie inside Last Night in Soho, and while the craft presented on screen was immaculate, and it was a sensational big-screen experience, the plot needed to be polished enough to make more sense. I respect that Wright is trying something original and bold, and I’d still highly recommend seeing it in theaters, but I’m just a tad frustrated because there is a masterwork somewhere in here, but I, at the very least, appreciate that it was made, and I was entertained.

"Dune" is finally here, and well, it's more glorious than I ever thought it could be and more

October 24, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“Dune” Film Review

By Quinn Marcus

Okay, wow, it’s finally happening, I’m reviewing Dune, holy crap, I’ve waited forever for this. Ever since that first trailer dropped, OVER A YEAR AGO, Dune has been my most anticipated movie of 2021. Last year it was Tenet, the new film by my favorite filmmaker Christopher Nolan, but now, a close second, Denis Villeneuve threatens to take the crown. Seriously Villeneuve is probably one of the most consistent filmmakers out there, besides Incendies, which I thought was still pretty good albeit a bit pretentious, each of his movies, from Arrival to Sicario have all been unique and honestly flawless, I haven’t disliked any of his films, they’re all, for the most part, pretty equal to me. He has this immersive quality to his films that have you sucked up in the fascinating characters, enlivened by amazing performances, and the plots which are expertly constructed and deep. Well, I am here to tell you that Dune doesn’t disappoint, it’s another spellbinding masterpiece from Villeneuve that left me banging my fist on the side of my theater seat, nearly yelling “give me part 2 dammit, you can’t leave me hanging like this!”

I hope that Dune rakes in enough money this weekend to fund a sequel, this is what an arthouse blockbuster should strive to be, and I want a franchise now! Alright, about the film, people have been discussing how the (hopefully) approaching Dune trilogy is set to be the next Star Wars/ Lord of the Rings, all of that is true, but I felt, in the process of making this film, Dune evolved into something more beautiful. As per usual with Villeneuve’s films, the cinematography, this time by Greig Fraser (Rogue One) was breathtaking, the art department outdid themselves here, the sense of scale, and just how grand and epic everything felt was enough to keep my jaw-dropped throughout. Not a single shot looks wasted or fake, the CGI is some of the best I’ve ever seen, the sandworms, as an example, looked incredible, and their sequences made for a few of the most thrilling action scenes of Dune. Hans Zimmer was, to quote my dad “on fire” during this film, this is easily a top soundtrack from the legendary composer, keeping the tension levels at a high when there wasn’t action, and greatly elevating it when there was, creating this perfectly matched atmosphere surrounding chilling visuals.

Timothée Chalamet has proven himself to be an extremely promising younger actor time and time again, I loved him in Beautiful Boy, Little Women, Call Me By Your Name, the only time I’ve ever disliked him was in Hot Summer Night’s, but we don’t talk about that one. Chalamet, once again, rocks it out of the park in Dune, he embodies the role of conflicted prince Paul Atreides amazingly well, a character who has one or two parallels to Hamlet that I noticed and pulled off a few powerhouse emotional moments. The rest of the ensemble cast was fantastic, the other standouts being Rebecca Ferguson and Jason Mamoa, I thought they were absolutely phenomenal in this film. The world-building might be the best aspect of Dune, the first half smartly takes its time to introduce you to the many different elements of the story, and as the film progressed, I only became more and more invested in the complexity of Dune. There’s so much to digest in this film, that I needed a little bit of time to process what I had just witnessed, a sci-fi epic with the thematic depth that’s been missing from so many films of the same genre.

Overcoming fear is the main idea at play here, the “what’s in the box” scene, no, not the one from Se7en is so mesmerizing in its writing and directing, establishing key parts of Paul’s character. It’s also about being called to leadership, there’s this great moment between Paul and his father, the Duke of House Atreides who explains that “a great man doesn’t seek to lead, he’s called to it. And he answers.” now that’s a motivational line to have hung up in your room, thanks, Oscar Issac. As an extra note, maybe this was in the novel as well, but I noticed, that thousands of years from now, humanity is still using swords for combat, compasses for finding directions, and wood boxes for packing furniture, I don’t know why this stuck out to me, but I think it keeps a grounded, more human side to this film, reminding us that this is still our species, just more advanced and developed. It’s mind-blowing how ambitious this movie was, I only read half of the book, but now I’m thinking that I should probably read the rest, largely because I can’t get enough of the gargantuan fantasy world of Dune. I feel like I should be saying thank you to Villeneuve for this entertaining and marvelous cinematic experience, and I see it as a sin to watch this on your couch when a film like Dune is in the theaters, we don’t get movies like this every day, go see it on the biggest screen possible, it deserves your attention.

"The Last Duel" is an epic, gorgeously crafted new entry from legendary director Ridley Scott

October 21, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“The Last Duel” Film Review

By Quinn Marcus

If there’s any director that I absolutely need to see more of, it’s Ridley Scott, I’m completely in awe by the fact that at age 83, he’s still making badass movies like The Last Duel, what a legend. I went into this movie almost completely blind, I’d only heard about the film a few days before seeing it, it surprisingly flew completely off of my radar, but I’m glad I managed to find it, because holy crap, this was an epic experience. I was introduced to Scott with The Martian and Gladiator, both of which I think are absolutely amazing films, and yes, unpopular opinion here, much better than the original Blade Runner, a film I believe is just fine. Those are the only ones I’ve seen of his, so sorry if I can’t make too many comparisons to his other filmography, don’t worry, I’ll watch his other work as soon as I can. Anyway, back to the film, there’s so much to talk about here, and quite a bit I’d like to analyze as well, so yeah, please enjoy, I guess (god, my openers are getting sloppy).

In a time when women were considered property, men fought for their name and pride, and God served as the final judgment, what chance is there for justice in a situation like this? Answering with an uncertain maybe, The Last Duel makes the point that one battle won won’t give you the war against misogyny, a relevant, and painful thought that sticks with you long after the credits close. We’ve come far since this time, but not nearly far enough, and The Last Duel doesn’t pull any punches in showing us that. Told smartly from three different perspectives, and for the most part, shrouded in a thin, but relatively clear blanket of mystery, The Last Duel shows hints of the film’s brutal finale early on, but patiently waits until the third chapter, told from the perspective of the victim, to really hit you in the gut, depicting the horror this woman experienced, and being a true story, it just makes it ever more hard-to-watch. Occasionally, the film’s structure does lead to some issues of its own, there is a lack of surprise, changes made between each act are too subtle to mask a tiny sense of repetition and blockiness, but the craft put into The Last Duel is something to behold.

It’s bold, ambitious, and overwhelmingly gorgeous, the cinematography, set design, and costumes alone are Oscar-worthy. Yes, while perhaps a tad flawed structurally, The Last Duel is a beautifully shot filmmaking achievement that’s emotionally impactful, and despite not being extremely shocking, get’s its point across flawlessly, all while being a technical marvel. Jodie Comer, who was also in Free Guy earlier this year gets her chance to truly shine, especially towards the end of the film, making her mark amongst a group of equally terrific actors including Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Ben Affleck, just a tremendously stacked cast. Everyone has their moment of greatness, it takes gut’s to play some of these characters, many of which are evil human beings, but they pulled it off. The soundtrack by Harry Gregson-Williams fits the Medieval setting and served as just another notch in the film’s belt of qualities. Now, in regards to THE duel scene, well, let’s just say, I don’t think there’s another director who does this stuff better than Ridley Scott, seriously, this fight was breathtaking. It’s probably the tensest battle I’ve ever witnessed, similar to Gladiator, it’s violent, gritty, bloody, and is done so well, the shifts of who has the upper hand are handled perfectly, and the performers were just as committed as those behind the camera.

It all culminates into an explosive finale that satisfied me entirely, closing off a unique, remarkable cinematic experience. Reviewing this late did give me the chance to see its opening numbers in the Box Office, and if you’re into that sort of thing, you’ll know that it flopped, big time. It’s been overshadowed by blockbusters such as Venom: Let There Be Carnage, No Time to Die, and most recently, Halloween Kills, and I doubt it’s going to do much better with Dune coming out this weekend, but it deserves more recognition for the amount of talent and commitment presented on screen. I won’t deny that, in the end, The Last Duel is an extremely difficult film to watch, I mean, seriously, you really need to be feeling up to watch this one, but if you are, I’d support it, one of the best of the year, and another triumph amongst Ridley Scott’s filmography, and maybe even the movie industry as a whole.

"No Time to Die" is a fitting, badass, emotionally satisfying farewell to Daniel Craig's run as 007

October 09, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“No Time to die” film review

By Quinn Marcus

I’ve only recently been introduced to this character with Casino Royale and Skyfall, both of which I loved, and slowly, James Bond started to become my favorite movie agent with just two films. Admittedly, before I begin this review, I don’t have the lifelong connection to this franchise as many have, I’ve just begun to repeat his awesome catchphrases to myself in the mirror, but after this, I’m definitely willing to continue a run through Ian Fleming’s badass character’s films. Is No Time to Die the best one yet, no, not quite, but it’s a film that closes Daniel Craig’s time in this role with a complete focus on this franchise’s central character. At 2hrs 45mins, there’s a lot to be said about this one, but I’ll try to keep things as brief as possible. Let’s start with the obvious, Daniel Craig embodies this part to perfection, he’s still physically capable for the action and is as charming and likable as ever. It’s probably his most layered performance as the role that I’ve seen, maybe that’s because the film covers A LOT of plot points, but honestly, he’s just really damn good as James Bond.

What about the rest of the cast? Everybody in this film is phenomenal, even Rami Malek, despite his weak character (we’ll get to that later) did a terrific job. Ana De Armas, even with a mere 15mins or so of screen time, was an easy standout, Léa Seydoux is great, her connection with Bond was believable, the discussions about what the number 007 means between Craig and Lashana Lynch were well-acted and written, I had no problems with the performances whatsoever, each member brought their a-game, and clearly understood that they had to go out with style. The action sequences are breathtaking, usually, in average action flicks, you’ll have a couple that stand out, but every single one in No Time to Die was gorgeous, my favorite likely being this amazing chase through a foggy forest that just looked so dope. The bridge jump scene we’ve seen a lot of in the trailers didn’t disappoint, the car with guns for headlights was the coolest thing on Earth, and overall, the action was brilliantly done. Hans Zimmer’s musical score was exciting, exhilarating, and complemented the film’s action so perfectly, of course, Bond’s theme is iconic, but this soundtrack truly was something special, but that’s to be expected from the legend himself. I also thought Billie Eilish’s song was fantastic, and the opening credits fit the tone of the rest of the film with ease.

While not quite as good looking as Skyfall, the cinematography by Linus Sandgren (La La Land) didn’t disappoint, it was colorful, not too shaky, and once again, just made the fight scenes look flawless. Okay, now to get onto the not-so-great stuff. There were five writers for this film, and you can tell because it seemed as though it was trying to be a few different movies all at once. There’s a message of leaving a legacy that will outlive you somewhere in there, and I liked how it explored Bond in a slightly more subdued light, showing an aging man unable to escape his haunted past, but the rest of the script is, unfortunately, too messy to really get all of its ideas across. There are one or two plot holes that feel glossed over, there for the sake of making certain events fall into place, and I feel as though with a touch more polishing of the final draft, and perhaps 15-20mins taken off the runtime, it would have been tighter because the film does occasionally become exhausting at such a huge length.

There’s this scene in the snow at the beginning which serves as a chilling introduction to Malek’s villain, it’s one of my favorite opening’s to an action film ever, I found it to be riveting and compelling, it’s too bad that Malek’s character eventually turns into the weakest aspect of the film. In contrast to Skyfall and Casino Royale’s villains, Bond’s adversary in No Time to Die’s motivations are obscured in an extremely dense plot, and by the way, he’s not in the film that much, which I found to be surprising. The whole evil plot of the movie is so clichéd and rushed, this film clearly wanted to place the majority of its attention on Bond, and that’s respectable, but in the process, it forgot to create a much better and more interesting villain. The film is, however, redeemed by an emotionally impactful ending that caught me off guard quite a bit, I even teared up a little. No Time to Die may be a tad muddled and bloated as a whole, but I felt as if the true goal of the film, which is to say a poignant farewell to Craig was fulfilled with such commitment and love for this character, it’s a beautiful finale that hit me in the heart. Overall, even with the film’s faults, I have to commemorate the effort put into making the proper sendoff to this legend, and how from a technical standpoint, it’s flawless.

"Dear Evan Hansen" is an affectionate, sincere musical adaptation lead by a phenomenal Ben Platt

September 25, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“Dear Evan Hansen” Film Review

MV5BYTI0NzBiMzMtYTc4MS00ZGNhLTljYTEtYjQ1ZTMzNjhkOWY5XkEyXkFqcGdeQWRvb2xpbmhk._V1_.jpg — 80/100 “sweet”

Dear Quinn Marcus,

These past 24 hours have been extremely bizarre, and here’s why: The episode of Ted Lasso I watched last night rickrolled me THREE times, I'm not kidding, I didn't see that coming. Bradley Cooper got the big "wow!" moment in an Owen Wilson film which feels a little unholy, to be honest. I woke up this morning with a major ache in my neck, and…I can sense you probably want me to get on with the review. However, the final weird thing that happened today was this film, if you can believe it. It’s become increasingly difficult to find a generally positive review from a critic about Dear Evan Hansen, it’s been getting so much hate lately, so naturally, I was genuinely curious to form my own opinion about the film, one of my most anticipated of the year, and while it is flawed, I still find most of the film’s undeserved criticisms to be pretty childish.

Based upon the hit Broadway musical of the same name, Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of socially awkward senior, Evan Hansen, who unintentionally gets dragged into a string of lies involving two parents confusing Evan’s personal therapy letter for their son’s suicide note.

Let’s start with the biggest one of all, and work our way down, shall we, Ben Platt is being bombed by virtually every critic, and many audience members who have seen it because apparently, he’s too old for the role of a high school senior at age 27, but I thought his acting really worked here. It’s absurd, the level of heat Platt is taking for his age, this idea of needing to literally be the character you’re playing is ridiculous, Ben Platt is remarkable in this film, over-the-top at times, but his voice and most of his acting got to me completely, and made me care about the lead character even more. In regards to those calling it “manipulative,” yes, I’ll admit it, I cried FOUR TIMES, let me rephrase that, I SOBBED four times, but I can honestly say it largely wasn’t because of manipulation, rather, this was one of the most heart-wrenching, beautifully human experiences I’ve had in a theater. Evan’s redemption arc was affectionately told, and above all, felt earned.

Conceptually, this film is almost made for polarization, but I couldn’t help but fall in love with how sincere and heartfelt it was, gradually bringing me closer and closer to its beating heart, a tender, if slightly overblown gaze upon loneliness, teen depression, and anxiety. In its greatest moments, Dear Evan Hansen is quite nearly masterful, Stephen Chbosky has crafted one of the least flashy, more drama-focused musicals I’ve seen, and overall, I really enjoyed it. Granted, I haven’t seen the broadway show, so I can’t compare the two, but I kind of dug how lowkey and down to Earth Dear Evan Hansen felt, it’s more of a straightforward emotional rollercoaster that tugs at the heartstrings during practically every scene, a somewhat messy albeit delicate balance of complex story elements that, in the wrong hands, could have been offensive as so many describe it to be. Evan’s deception isn’t disgraceful or horrific, he wants to give a gift to this family who just lost a son, it obviously backfires, but I found that there was just enough conflict between the characters to keep it from becoming too morally iffy.

Now, about the music from the songwriter’s of The Greatest Showman and La La Land, holy crap, each song is nearly flawless and done so well, the standouts being the vividly beautiful “For Forever,” the hilarious “Sincerely, Me,” and the powerhouse of the whole thing “You Will Be Found.” Although, I did find that the opener of the film, “Waving Through a Window” to be pretty disappointing from an editing and emotional standpoint. “Anonymous Ones,” a new addition to the show highlight’s the clear talent of Amandla Stenberg, and “A Little Closer,” sung by Colton Ryan makes for a surprisingly effective reveal that hit me pretty hard. Heck, even Julianne Moore gets a poignant song about motherhood that she absolutely rocked. The entire supporting cast is great, Amy Adams and Kaitlyn Dever give especially good performances and had solid chemistry with Platt.

There are these really cool visual callbacks to this forest scene interlaced into the film that enhanced Dear Evan Hansen from a cinematography aspect, yes, it’s not the best-looking movie of all time, but it doesn’t need to be, none of Chbosky’s film’s have been visually astounding, they’re all very character-focused. Okay, as for the issues, nearly everything about Dear Evan Hansen falters a little bit at some point, mainly Chbosky’s uncertain directing. I believe he was the right director for the job, all of his films have been adaptations and touch upon similar issues, but you could tell that the musical genre was a challenge for him. Several scenes occasionally collapsed into melodrama, as each character continuously belts their heart’s out through song, pointing out bits that felt a tad artificial. Also, compared to Chbosky’s absolute masterpiece that is The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the film can seem a little too clean at points, perhaps because he didn’t write the script like he usually does, but I didn’t despise anything about Dear Evan Hansen, or at least, it’s not the monstrous crime against humanity as some claim it to be, I’d recommend seeing it and if you like it, please support it, okay, I’m finished.

Sincerely, me.

"The Suicide Squad" is ultra-violent, badass, and mostly entertaining mayhem from the mind of James Gunn

August 08, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“The Suicide Squad” Film Review

By Quinn Marcus

Ah, the DCEU, what a complicated relationship we’ve had over the years. From the absolute piece of garbage that was Joss Whedon’s Justice League, to the surprisingly impactful Wonder Woman, your universe has had a series of many ups-and-downs, each film conflicting with the tones and ideas of previous movies. They’ve never quite found their balance between darkness and the light, sometimes leaning to more MARVEL territory with their PG-13 films, and more to the opposite side of the spectrum with film’s like Birds of Prey. Over 10 movies in, and they still haven’t figured out what audience they want to impress, or what style they wish to continue with. To be perfectly clear, I haven’t seen Ayer’s Suicide Squad, and I don’t think I ever will, but Gunn’s version is definitely one of the DCEU’s best efforts to date. It’s off the rails insane, features a ridiculous plot, and has a surprising amount of heart beating at its core, whilst not forgetting to remind us how R-rated this movie actually is, and if you ask me, this is exactly the kind of DC movie we need, a little late, but better than never.

The Suicide Squad tells the story of a group of villains who are forced to band together as a task force run by Amanda Waller to destroy any trace of something known only as “Project Starfish.” Armed with weird powers, and high-tech weaponry, the team must take a journey through the island of Corto Maltese in hopes of completing their mission and losing 10 years off their prison sentence.

If I were to describe The Suicide Squad in one word, I’d say “bonkers” is pretty fitting, this movie is a trip into madness, honoring the spirit of the classic comic-book characters that now inhabit the screen. The villain in this film, as my dad liked to describe him as a “giant pinata,” is literally a massive Starfish, you don’t get much crazier than that. As you’re watching, you can feel that James Gunn was allowed to create without restraining himself, it’s so satisfyingly absurd and chaotic that while it can get exhausting, it was almost refreshing to see a superhero film go this far, and trust me, it pays off big-time. I had a blast with this film, the opening 15mins alone might be my favorite introduction to a superhero movie ever, I couldn’t stop laughing, the action was over-the-top, big, loud, and exciting, while also remaining extremely self-aware. In total, there’s a good 45-50mins of The Suicide Squad that’s actually pretty incredible, and downright brilliant. Unfortunately, my issues lie with the whole middle section, and I’ll tell you why.

When you open with such a marvelously insane hook, it’s inevitably going to be tricky to keep up that same electric momentum for the remainder of the film, thankfully, this does give way to some pleasantly heartfelt scenes, but it does drag, the jokes get old, and before long, I started to lose interest. Little did I know that the finale of this film would be as magnificent as it was. The final battle is badass, action-packed, and full of epic character moments, it’s exactly what I want out of a comic-book movie for a conclusion, and it didn’t disappoint. The effects, both practical, and CGI, the cinematography, and stunt-work operate at 100% throughout the film, each technical aspect was used creatively, colorfully, and occasionally beautifully. Especially a scene where Harley breaks out of prison and instead of blood coming out of the soldier’s wounds, it’s flowers. Gunn managed to make this one of the most aesthetically pleasing comic-book flicks out there, and that’s pretty huge.

A lot of the film’s gory, laugh-out-loud action sequences were reminiscent of Prime Video’s series The Boys, and even a few Tarantino films, something the director was clearly inspired by. Every member of the cast brings their A-game, Margot Robbie is fantastic in her role as always, Elba as Bloodsport, and Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2 both made for great additions to this universe that I want to see more of. Although I thought Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag did a solid job as an actor, his character was the most uninteresting of the bunch in my opinion and ended up being the most forgettable for me. Otherwise, King Shark is gonna be a new fav, Polka Dot man is awesome, and the whole team dynamic was done very well. While The Suicide Squad is far from perfect, I’m so glad to see a director like Gunn able to go as off-the-rails with this film as he did, he obviously felt passion for this project, and you can tell, every part of this movie screams fun, there’s no question of that. Overall, I don’t think it’s better than Gunn’s Guardians film’s, it simply doesn’t fully carry the same entertainment value, and it isn’t quite my favorite DCEU movie, but for what it is, anybody can have a good time with The Suicide Squad, it’s a crowd-pleaser, and does it’s job to the max.

The Green Knight: Film Review

August 07, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

By: Keaton Marcus

I have been silently intrigued by David Lowery's Arthurian epic The Green Knight since its mysteriously stunning teaser trailer came out months ago. Marking his second collaboration with A24 after the polarizing A Ghost Story, this director continues to let the world of cinema know that he will not head the conventional route. Instead, particularly here, Lowery throws audiences on a hellish, haunting, and surreal journey with simple hints of horror, making sure of a divisive response. This filmmaker and this studio together are bound to break viewers in half, into two sections even. Plenty will adore this undeniably ambitious work of art, and a whole lot is going to chuck it off as self-indulgent nonsense thinly veiled by striking imagery. For me, I would completely understand both opposing perspectives, but being absolutely honest, this was a masterpiece, plain and simple. An achievement and future classic of cinema only for the most patient of viewers to fully appreciate. Those willing to see Lowery's vision through and through are in for a treat, and those without the stomach for it are going to be left in the dust with utter confusion.

King Arthur's headstrong nephew embarks on a daring quest to confront the Green Knight, a mysterious giant who appears at Camelot. Risking his head, he sets off on an epic adventure to prove himself before his family and court.

I love when a director has a passion for their work. Whether or not I enjoy or remotely like the film, I can always tell when they want to see their vision enacted to the fullest. It's apparent when they've got that creative spark. It's infused within their art, invigorating it, perhaps. However, that does come with tricky arguments about the concept of pretentiousness. When does passion go too far? When does it cross the thin line of self-indulgence? It isn't easy to pinpoint, but I fully encourage every director out there to be just a little ostentatious. I am not referring to torturing the audience, which has happened several times before, but create what you want to watch. I feel that Lowery entirely understands this idea and embraces it to the right amount, reminiscent of filmmakers like Terrence Malick, among others who are constantly accused of being up to their rear. There's such a feeling of enthusiasm emanating from the screen while viewing, which will always be something that puts a big smile on my face. In a more fundamental sense, the director made the film for himself, and I love that.

Now more on the actual film itself, it's undoubtedly one of the most exciting things I have ever witnessed. A24 is constantly challenging the unfortunately dull and commercialist way of filmmaking that generally populates our theaters. At the moment, most Hollywood has an infatuation with quantity over quality, more focused on profits than producing good cinema. Especially in the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic. Among a few others, this studio has been shifting the floor of the last decade in cinematic history, releasing large amounts of acclaimed movies in various genres. The Green Knight is yet another example of the complex and thought-provoking filmmaking A24 has to offer, and the film is one of its finest. For starters, no amount of praise will equate to how gorgeous the cinematography is. Sweeping, grand, and masterful in its use of hue and shadow, natural light has never looked this incredible, save for The Revenant, perhaps. Cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo and the many talented visual effects artists have created a mystically sumptuous, hauntingly angelic fictional world that demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Thematically this was also a feast, but we'll get to that later. Acting-wise, the performances were all perfectly believable, but it's safe to say that this was a more visually driven project.

For my actual interpretation. I do not think I have seen an A24 film without an ambiguous ending utterly open to different opinions. Generally, the last ten minutes of these movies are complete mindfucks with an enigmatic final shot. Now, spoilers ahead.

I view this entire movie as a simple test of humanity. Dev Patel's Sir Gawain is an embodiment of the entirety of mankind, set on a journey to overcome our greatest fear, death. It's a universally ominous feeling knowing that we will all meet our end someday, and that is represented by the quest the Green Knight puts him on. It's a challenge that suggests Gawain is to push all of this way only to get his head chopped off, and ultimately, that is the pinnacle of courage. There is so much possible existentialism and thematic complexity that I did not understand, but this was, at its odd core, a very emotionally affecting tale. Still unsure of himself before the movie's closing credits, Gawain is forced to witness his entire future ahead of him if he does not complete the test of death. With age, he turns into a crippled, corrupt and remorseful man, even a shell of a human being. Instead, the movie so brilliantly makes him willing after the vision, and it's up to audiences to decide whether he was decapitated or not. Yeah, what a conclusion.

"The Green Knight" is perhaps one of the finest films of the past decade, and further establishes David Lowery as a director to watch

August 07, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“The Green Knight” Film Review

By Quinn Marcus

The dictionary describes the word “masterpiece” as “a work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship,” I’d say The Green Knight covers just about every one of those. I haven’t reviewed too many perfect films on this website, hundreds of reviews, and off the top of my head, I can maybe think of a few. A24 has consistently surprised me with amazing films such as Moonlight, Room, and even David Lowery’s other film, A Ghost Story. They’ve encouraged indie director’s to push the boundaries of filmmaking, whether it be in the form of a contained horror movie set in a 19th-century lighthouse, or a critique on the American dream, this studio might be single-handedly saving cinema as we know it. I’ve seen 15 of their movies now, and have only disliked one, if that’s not indicative of a fantastic production company, I don’t know what is. Their league of outstanding new talent has made some of the most heart-wrenching, hilarious, and thought-provoking movies I’ve ever seen, and The Green Knight is no exception, in fact, it might be their best.

The Green Knight tells the story of King Arthur’s nephew, Sir Gawain, a drunk, and not even close to what comes to mind when hearing the word “knight.” On Christmas, a knight made of wood, wielding a massive ax comes to play a game, he calls upon one of Arthur’s knights to try and land a blow against him, and in one year’s time, he will return that same hit. Gawain is the only one who volunteers, and after decapitating the visitor, he locks himself into an epic quest to find the Green Knight and complete this game that will put everything about him to the test.

Courage. The foolish belief that we can be braver, greater, and stronger than we are to overcome what darkness may lie ahead, or in Sir Gawain’s case, what truth about himself. The Green Knight isn’t just another tale about a Knight taking down this big, supernatural being, but a test of what makes us human, and how it affects us in times of danger. The character of the Green Knight is known as a tester of men, and who better a person to test than an empty husk of a man, a coward who’s hard to like in the beginning, but perhaps becomes relatable towards the end. We say “we can do this!” to ourselves, we feel confident, we want to fulfill the wishes of those we love, we envision completing the task at hand, but when faced with that which we must defeat, solving the problem becomes a whole lot trickier than we originally imagined. Yes, this is a fantasy about a knight slaying a beast, but deep down, it’s a profoundly told story of cowardice to courage and the journey that was taken to get there.

Okay, don’t worry, that’s about as far as I’ll go with my analysis, just wanted to put it out there. What I think I’m getting at is that Sir Gawain, can, at first, seem like a vessel to drive the plot forward, but he’s really a reflection upon ourselves, and that final hurdle we must cross and fear, death. Through his interactions with others he meets on his journey, he’s forced to prove himself to be able to push ahead against these challenges of the mind and heart until he must decide to make the ultimate sacrifice or live the rest of his life as a guilt-ridden, pitiful old man. His arc in the film is one of the most brilliantly handled character arcs in film history, and by the end, I left the theater speechless, thinking about nothing but how remarkable an artwork this was. This is an experience not to be missed and meant to be seen on the biggest screen possible.

Every shot looks like a painting, the colors are dark, murky, and occasionally mystifying to the point of becoming nearly dreamlike. There’s a sequence with these gray giants that reminded me of the scene in Blade Runner 2049 with all of the massive statues, only, even weirder. I was constantly entranced by what I was seeing on screen, and what Lowery was able to accomplish with his visuals, but I was also just so invested and riveted by the dramatic, strange dialogue and plot that’s truly unlike any film I’ve ever witnessed. I’m not going to say that this film will be for everyone, that simply isn’t true, if you’re a patient viewer like myself, and have seen films as intellectually complex, I’d say you’re gonna have a blast, otherwise, I’d hold back a little longer, this film is obviously polarizing audiences, holding a mixed audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and now, I can see why. The Green Knight is some weird-shit alright, and I know A24 doesn’t make generic films, but, this is beyond anything that I’ve seen from them.

Dev Patel is fantastic as always, not his best performance in my opinion, but just another notch in his belt and the supporting cast including Alicia Vikander, Sean Harris, and Joel Edgerton were all absolutely superb. There was one character who stuck out to me in particular, played by Barry Keoghan, and he was the best, and most entertaining character in my opinion, lively, and fun to watch. The production design and costume work are Oscar-worthy, unfortunately, I doubt it will get too much recognition this awards season, but who knows, we could get lucky. In fact, every technical aspect of this movie has enough imagination thrown into it to be at least considered for a nomination. I loved Lowery’s A Ghost Story, it was the most I’d ever cried during a film in a long time, but this is some next-level stuff, and Mr. Lowery, if you’re reading (probably not, but here we go anyways), please keep making movies, I beg of you, you even made a solid live-action Disney film, not many directors can say that. Overall, in an increasingly less-original market of film, leaving this movie felt refreshing in a way, and I’ll definitely be watching it again when it comes out on Amazon, but it’s still in theaters, and if I were you, I’d support it, it’s one of the best films of the decade and may become an all-time fav for me.

"F9" is the most absurd installment to date, for better or for worse? Definitely for worse

June 28, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“F9” Film Review

By Quinn Marcus

There have been nine of these movies now…nine! Let that sink in for a moment, these films literally devour money like it’s nothing, and we’ll keep watching them forever and ever. Why do I keep seeing them? Why? I guess it’s because every once in a while, I like to take a break from existential crisis-inducing masterpieces that give me depression for a couple of weeks and see fast cars ram into each other. To be very clear, I haven’t seen the first four films, only the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th installments, as well as Hobbs and Shaw. I’ve found a weird amount of enjoyment in most of the ones I’ve seen, all of which I don’t consider bad, or great, this franchise has consistently remained…okay. The most recent film, The Fate of the Furious was a clear step down from the Furious 7, my favorite film in the franchise thus far, it was big, loud, and reasonably well-cast, but came across as just another generic blockbuster with not too much on its mind.

F9 tells the story of Dom, and his “family” who once again need to stop a super evil evildoer from taking over the world’s weapon systems or something, look, Cardi B shows up at one point in the film, I had no idea what was going on. Fancy cars, explosions, partying, and other stuff, that’s about all you need to know.

This one surprised me on a negative level, with the director, Justin Lin, who helmed two of the best films (5,6), as well as two earlier installments, returning to make, um, whatever this was. F9, okay, first of all, what is it with the title inconsistency with these movies, can’t each one just be titled Fast and Furious insert number here. We’ve had Fast 5, The Fast and the Furious, Fast and Furious, like, stick to one fucking template, please! I guess the reason may be related to the fact that all of these films are pretty much the same movie, to summarize…ahem: family is cool, cars go vroom and boom, bad guy and good guy want McGuffin, I mean dope piece of tech that controls some shit, and, did I mention cars go very fast? Also, they all drink beer and party at the end, but we don’t need to talk about that. The point is, maybe they just wanted to spice things up with all these annoying title changes, and somehow, it worked! Every movie absorbs cash, and they’ll be made again and again, and when the main actors get too old, they’ll make more spinoffs, or recast it, I don’t know.

Anyway, we’re getting off-topic a little bit, let’s return to the subject of today, the film that honors everything cinema was meant to be, the greatest blockbuster of all time, F9, yay! For starters, the screenplay is one of the bestest pieces of writing my ears have ever had the pleasure of going numb while listening to. It’s truly remarkable how much missing information the screenplay has, and how noticeable it is, with these broad strokes of brilliance, the filmmaker develops a sense of mystery. Examine the moment when Dom and Letty are called to go on another life-threatening mission, and they have to say goodbye to their child, they tuck him in and simply leave for a couple of months. These parents may die, and they don’t even think to call a sitter, masterful writing, someone clearly understands parenting. Anyway, another incredible thing this film attempts (and fails miserably at) is trying to be self-aware. At least one million bullets are fired at our merry band of heroes, they take punches, ride flying cars, crash cars, get pulled through buildings by magnetic cars, and yet they emerged unscathed.

Tyrese Gibson addresses this with extreme subtlety, observe: “What if we’re invincible?” Roman literally has bullet holes in his shirt, and yet, this is played as a joke for the entire movie, with almost no payoff whatsoever, brilliant if you ask me. If you’ve seen the trailers, you know they go up to space with candy, and minion outfits, but as Roman and Tej are flying, Tej says: “If we just obey the laws of physics, we’ll be fine.” I’d pay good money to watch a physics teacher analyze this movie, and potentially consider murdering hims-, I mean complimenting the film’s perfectly logical scenes. Seriously though, this is the most insane film in the franchise yet, at this point, just call it science fiction, the things they do in this film are close to magic, and I think they’ve officially lost me on this one.

Okay, back to being ultra critic, did I have any positives? Well, the cast is fine as always, and I found the first 20mins or so to be relatively fun, also the soundtrack was kinda cool, I guess. That’s about it, this film is horrendously made, the action scenes are exhausting, the villains have no other purpose in the film but to say evil stuff, and the dialogue is so cringeworthy. There was a scene where they referenced Star Wars for a few minutes, and my uncle turned to me and sighed so hard that it was hilarious. The flashbacks of Dom’s life as a teen with his brother were fascinating at first but became too ridiculous at some point to be taken seriously. The cinematography is bland and uninteresting, reminding me of bad action commercials that could have been made with iMovie. Justin Lin’s directing is fast-paced for a little bit, but at 2hrs and 20mins, I couldn’t help but find most of it boring, I wish I could get that time back. The previous films were fun, slick, thoroughly engaging heist flicks that weren’t perfect, but understood what it takes to be an entertaining film. They didn’t try to take themselves seriously, instead, they let you accept what was going on, pure madness, but not the over-the-top BS this film had in store. I am worried for the future of this franchise, especially with Lin returning to make the 10th film, they better “finish” (if they ever do) strong, or else I don’t know if I’ll make it through the next one. Unless the fastest family on Earth decides to time travel, cause let’s face it, that would be the coolest thing to ever come out of the movie industry.

"The Devil Made Me Do It" is an embarrassment for the horror genre and the two superior films that came before

June 14, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“The Devil Made Me Do It” Film Review

By Quinn Marcus

There’s a nice word I like to use often, not too complex, but at the same time, grammatically intriguing, mainly used to describe things I simply dislike… “no.” You see, it’s the use of the word “no” that automatically grasps the reader’s attention, makes them question the world around them. What if dogs are fake? What if the sun is an illusion? The possibilities are endless. The dictionary describes the word “no” as a phrase used to give a negative response, and…I’m bored. You may be wondering why I decided to open with such a tedious piece of writing, well, at first I thought I was writing something quirky and unique, but realized I was in fact explaining my exact thoughts of the third Conjuring installment, only, not quite in the typical way. Let’s just say, if I wasn’t at a friend’s house, laughing my ass off, I would have fallen asleep within minutes of beginning this monstrosity of a film.

The Devil Made Me Do It once again tells the story of real-life paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, as they try to solve the infamous case that brought the devil into the courtroom. Oh my god, I can’t take writing about this plot seriously, let’s just wrap it up by saying: bad shit happens, alright, that’s about all you need to know.

I highly enjoyed the first two films, especially part one, they both had me sleeping with the lights on, and the first even got me to sleep in my parent’s bedroom. Sure, it could get ridiculous at times, and the second film did feel pretty familiar, but they were both thoroughly entertaining. Certain shots were burned into my mind, and while there were jump scares, they were crafted with bone-chilling work from James Wan. Michael Chaves is obviously not nearly as skilled, often resorting to generic horror tropes for shock value. A few scares made me jump a little bit, but once you figure out that every single scare involves a hand scraping something, or some gimmick used in every horror film, the tension quickly goes away. The biggest mistake of the film was deciding to surround the film’s plot around a murder case rather than a haunting. The difference is that while the first two films exaggerated the true story, it was terrifying to think that something similar happened. However, when you take a story about someone who pled not guilty because they were “possessed by a demon,” that doesn’t leave a whole lot of opportunity to get creative.

There were a couple of cool sequences, particularly one in the forest, but besides the once again fantastic Patrick Wilson/Vera Farmiga, there wasn’t much to keep me engaged. The story felt extremely formulaic and simplistic: shocking realization, scare and finding something useful or satanic on repeat. The moment I heard that a Conjuring film was going to be a courtroom drama, I legitimately couldn’t stop laughing, in my opinion, it wasn’t the right way to go. If you want to make a film about a certain topic, stick to it, don’t go all over the place, don’t make your characters continuously run into dark corners only to be scared by some dead fat guy from the Morgue. One thing that also struck me as a surprise was how bland the cinematography was, a lot of it looked really plain and uninteresting, whereas the previous films produced haunting and engaging imagery. There were even a handful of shots I’d go as far as to call fake, nothing looked natural, there was a clear dependency on gore for shock-value, but even the disgusting parts of the film were visually hilarious.

The villain of the film, this devil worshipper, had some of the corniest dialogue I’ve ever seen. There’s a scene in the film when Farmiga’s character has a vision of where this satanist does her rituals or whatever, and the satanist turns to Farmiga and says in the most ridiculous voice: “how are you doing this.” There was honestly nothing menacing about the villain of the story, what made the villains in the previous films so great was that we didn’t quite know what our heroes were up against, James Wan kept us asking what our detectives could be facing, leading up to a horrifying reveal by the finish. These far more frightening villains made me feel as if they knew every move our protagonists were going to make, doubling the intensity. Chaves almost immediately tells us who our villain is, what she does, what her goal is, another mistake ultimately sacrificing any tension the film could have had. The final thing I want to discuss was how unbelievably boring the film turned out to be, two of my friends literally dozed off during the second half, and honestly, I wish I had too. The Devil Made Me Do It features some of the most repetitive, contrived, and downright confused storytelling I’ve seen from a horror film, the script had no idea what it wanted to be. To summarize: another large issue this film has is the lack of a consistent plotline. The main story was often strayed from, making it less and less interesting, and in the end, it all just collapsed into one giant mess.

“A Quiet Place Part II” shows John Krasinski in near-total command of his craft and proves that there's a reason to save theaters

May 29, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“A Quiet Place Part II” Film Review

By Quinn Marcus

Let me start by saying that I haven’t been to a movie theater in a year, it used to be like a second home to me. The annoying commercials, the smell of the fresh popcorn as we stepped inside those sacred doors, every time I went, there was a comforting sense of familiarity, and beyond all of the chaos in the world, I always had a happy place to visit weekly. Well, we’re fucking back in business baby, I haven’t wanted a movie to succeed this much in a long time, and honestly, A Quiet Place Part II is one of the best theater experiences I’ve had in my life. I’m not saying this simply because it’s been a long time, I wholeheartedly consider this film to be a terrific ride that begs to be seen in the cinema. John Krasinski has given us a reason for film buffs, and regular people alike to return to the movies, and to me, that’s an absolute win. I was one of the unlucky people who didn’t get to witness Krasinski’s directorial debut in theaters, but after watching this film, and seeing how much more confident his directorial style has grown, I’m not as sorry anymore.

A Quiet Place Part II takes place moments after Lee’s death, and the killing of the monster. The remaining members of the Abbott family decide to embark on a perilous journey outside of their sand trail to find some sort of help, only to discover that these creatures aren’t the only dangers they’ll have to face in order to achieve salvation.

Is it a perfect movie, no, it is not a masterpiece, nor do I consider it to be flawless, but it’s a remarkable improvement over the first, and a fantastic acting showcase for everyone involved. John Krasinski’s tension-building tactics have come a long way since his predecessor, he’s adopted this unique style of crosscutting his scenes, letting each moment build more fear upon the last one, reminiscent of Nolan’s “no time for caution” scene from Interstellar. Granted, the first half does take its time to get moving, and there were a couple of instances when I thought certain character decisions were pretty stupid, simply there to make the plot move forward, but overall, the film is tightly paced, full of action, and features a surprising amount of emotional depth. Cillian Murphy is a criminally underrated actor, if you’ve seen him in movies like Dunkirk, or Inception, you’ll know what I’m talking about, and this might be his best work to date. You can feel the absolute desperation, horror, and fear, and how crippled his mind has become. The entire cast, especially Millicent Simmonds did an incredible job, the chemistry was on point just as much as before, and everyone gets a moment of sheer badassery, there were times when I almost cheered, but didn’t, afraid of disturbing the audience’s transfixed looks of awe.

I know the original got a nomination for sound design at the Oscars, but if this one doesn’t, I swear, all hell will break loose. A Quiet Place Part II features some of the best sound work I’ve ever seen, the brilliantly handled switches between Simmonds’ muted world, and the destruction surrounding her was truly breathtaking to witness. The cinematography has also been enhanced greatly, some of the shots had me shocked, the first film looked fine, but Krasinski clearly has figured out a better way to meticulously layout his frames. Marco Beltrami’s eerie, haunting score once again returns, and somehow becomes a much more prominent aspect this time around, it felt more exhilarating. To add, the editing is a true triumph for the genre and contributed to the nail-biting tension immensely. The opening sequence (don't worry, no spoilers) may be one of the most efficient first scenes I've had the pleasure of witnessing, it was truly riveting and depicted the mass hysteria of day one masterfully. If I could name the best aspect of the film, though there are many, I’d say just how well Krasinski has expanded upon his original world. This is not your typical dystopian horror movie, people don’t run back and forth into dark corners, only to get jump scared cheaply. Most of the time, the script is really clever, which is extremely difficult to do when writing a sequel, proving that a plan for a movie is the most important thing you can have, and Krasinski shows just how creative he can be.

The length is roughly the same as the first, running at around 90mins, but it flew by like that, in fact, I found this one to be even more exciting than the original, and strangely shorter. Now, I can see a lot of people criticizing the ending, and yes, it is a little jarring, and maybe even a tad unfulfilling, but I thought it was a perfect way to leave the audience hanging, hungry for more, and if there’s anything I want from Krasinski, it’s more of the Abbott family. Okay, before you kill me, I will admit, there are jumpscares, and while I still do think of them as a cheap trick to frighten your audience, plus the fact it was largely avoided in the original, I thought the scares were bone-chillingly crafted this time around. My entire theater was completely silent, besides the occasional gasp or whisper, it seemed as though everyone was too afraid to speak, including me, I was clawing my seat, nearly horrified, and that’s what I believe John Krasinski was going for. Guys, I cannot stress this enough, if you have the opportunity to head to your local theater, GO SEE THIS MOVIE, it really is something special, and I can guarantee that you’ll have a terrific time.

"Godzilla Vs. Kong" is a monster flick that finally understands who it's true winners are...us

April 01, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“Godzilla Vs. Kong” Film Review

By Quinn Marcus

So, we’re finally here, after what’s felt like years of delays, we actually got to see the film that promised to be the showdown of the century. It all started with Godzilla (2014), a film that gave us a whole lot of human drama, but only 10 minutes of Godzilla, in his own movie! Then, in 2017, we got Kong: Skull Island, a brainless, visually pleasing Kong update that didn’t give a damn about building a compelling story. And just two years ago, Legendary dropped Godzilla: King of The Monsters, a film that sacrificed characters and plot, and ended up losing perceptible fight scenes as well. The truth is, the newly formed MonsterVerse hasn’t quite figured out how to manage their titans while throwing in a serviceable story. Well, I am highly pleased to say that Godzilla Vs. Kong has done just that. Everything about this movie, besides the fights, of course, was simply…fine. I love that word…fine, it sounds like a movie that’s good, but not great, it has flaws, but an outweighing number of positives. I am so happy that one of these movies was actually pretty good, I thought Godzilla (2014) was okay, as many people did, but it’s so boring. Nobody cares about humans saying exposition for over 2hrs, something Godzilla Vs. Kong mercifully gets. So, without further ado, let’s begin the review.

Let’s start with some issues I have with this titan extravaganza. Firstly, the story sucks, it’s messy, dumb, fun, but I expected that and the film ends on the 1hr 45min mark, 30 mins shorter than its predecessor, so it flies by like that. Secondly, it’s really predictable, if you’ve seen any of the trailers, there are not too many surprises in store, it gives you all it’s got, and that was enough for me. A big complaint I’ve always had with these movies is the human characters, but I didn’t find them too annoying this time around. I didn’t care if they died, but there was some serviceable emotional heft in there, mostly carried by that little girl with the connection to Kong. As I said, the film flies by quickly, and I forgot it within an instant of finishing, you won’t remember much besides how damn cool Kong and Zilla look throwing each other into buildings. Seriously, I barely remember what the villain’s motivation was, oh wait, he didn’t have one, just a generic diabolical plot to laugh at. Kyle Chandler has a line in this movie, I think…so that’s pretty damn cool. Millie Bobby Brown goes on a side-quest with conspiracy dude, and Julian Dennison and the rest are trying to get Kong somewhere while Godzilla goes on a rampage. That’s literally the entire movie, of course, I won’t spoil anything, but that’s the gist of it. You’ll watch it, have a blast, and won’t remember much in the morning, and honestly…I’m okay with that.

As I said before, the film is less than two hours, and thank god for that. This movie was so entertaining, the whole thing was some good old undemanding fun, a rare thing nowadays. I was never bored despite not really having a plot to latch onto, in contrast to King of the Monsters which tried to be this grand, epic drama that I almost fell asleep to. That’s the thing I appreciated most about Godzilla Vs. Kong, it didn’t try to be any more than what it is, a technical marvel filled with Kong rocket punching Godzilla. It gave up character development, a great story, and it somehow worked for me. In my heart, I wanted to see Zilla destroy that monkey (Zilla fan all the way), but I still won in the end, Adam Wingard knew who the true victor of this movie would be: the audience. I cheered when Kong landed the first punch and gasped as Godzilla let out his atomic breath, the fight scenes were incredible. The colors popped from the screen, the VFX were as my dad said “crazy,” and that still doesn’t do them justice. It amazed me how good this movie looked, and it’s not just the CGI, the cinematography was pretty damn good as well, my dad even pointed out several shots that he loved. The level our CGI has reached today is truly something to behold, every part of the titans we know and love looked immaculate.

The cast was fine, Rebecca Hall, Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, all of them did a solid job. I was never angry at any of the performances, and some of them, particularly Brian Tyree Henry, made me laugh quite a bit with his conspiracy podcast. There wasn’t really a standout amongst the cast because, in truth, they aren’t given too much to do, they don’t even have cut-to reactions in the middle of giant fights! You hear that, it’s absolutely outrageous, blasphemous…it’s…it’s…refreshing. What else can I say about this movie, don’t go in expecting to be enlightened, to find the hidden symbolism behind Kong’s face or whatever, go in expecting what you know will happen. If you don’t, I highly doubt you’ll find much enjoyment out of this movie. Whether you’re a Kong fan (cringe), or a Zilla fan (for the cool kids), you’re going to leave happy with what you got, I can promise you that.

The final verdict is…Godzilla Vs. Kong is an undemanding visual masterpiece that didn’t falter when delivering what its title claims to be…$TREAM IT!

Godzilla Vs. Kong: An Undemanding Visual Treat of Mindless Monster Fun

April 01, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

By: Keaton Marcus

It’s here. We live in an age where a film titled Godzilla vs. Kong can stream on HBO Max and in theaters at the same time. I don’t know if that’s a compliment to the last couple of years, but who cares? In all seriousness, this was an absolute blast from start to finish. The complaints from the two previous Godzilla films have been wiped off the face of the earth and transformed into an all-out monster extravaganza with miraculous digital effects and non-stop action sequences. They have replaced much of the exposition-laden boredom of King of the Monsters with some of the most gorgeous-looking large-scale action I have ever witnessed. The roles of the humans have been diminished substantially, but to an extent, I still cared for them far more than I did during this film’s immediate predecessor despite not finding them interesting. But who needs complex characters in such a monstrosity as this? I certainly don’t, and for an experience that allows you to turn your brain off for a refreshingly quick 1 hour and 45 minutes, it kicked some absolute ass.

Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home, and with them is Jia, a young orphaned girl with whom he has formed a unique and powerful bond. But they unexpectedly find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla, cutting a swath of destruction across the globe.

There are not enough times in this review that one can explain the fact that this is the flawless trick to forget about everything around you. Director Adam Wingard immerses the viewer into this world so effectively. School? Homework? Any personal problems? Forget it while watching this, as your eyes shall be glued to the screen, shoving snacks in faces while witnessing the greatest gladiator fight in cinematic history. It feels utterly cathartic to see all the mindless destruction as these two titans have an old-fashioned smack down, and the euphoric visuals only aid this absolute feast for the eyes. With that said, words cannot describe how clean, beautiful, bright, and bewitching the cinematography is. Each city (and world) we are dropped into has its own distinct style, and the decoratively colorful palettes make it easy to crack one fat, cheesy grin while watching. Since Godzilla released in 2014, these creatures have all been technical marvels no matter the actual quality of the movie, so to see them fight it out in a no-brain stylistic spectacle of monster madness is so satisfying.

While the creature design and camera work was certainly the standout for me, there were surprisingly other aspects that worked. These definitely separated it from other installments. I would commend how fast this thing moves. One hundred minutes went by like a little snap after the rather mediocre first 20 minutes, and the pacing is absolutely impeccable. I never found myself bored like in King of the Monsters. Its considerably shortened running time and increased emphasis on action sequences are two halves that work in tandem to make this successful. The movie was also propelled by some strong humor throughout, and above-average chemistry between its cast. This is what audiences want from a movie about two giant creatures fighting, some good entertainment value. It certainly delivers in this respect, and that was what I was primarily looking for from the very start. If a director has been lecturing the audience and giving them power point presentations over and over again without any actual fun, the movie has failed. If it has me shouting on the couch and cheering, oh goddamn it has succeeded.

Now…the performances. Something that has basically been criticized universally throughout these movies. I am not here to tell you that these actors deliver game-changing work, and with such a script as this, they weren’t necessarily given a whole lot to experiment with. However, I will write that each one delivered in terms of rock solid, serviceable jobs. Millie Bobby Brown, Julian Dennison, and Brian Tyree Henry were perfect together. They sufficiently brought comedic relief and a rather interesting side quest into the mix they although had little purpose until the end, was still extremely entertaining. The remainder of the cast was similar, giving functional and mostly competent performances. The main thing is, it’s not essential to focus on these actors when you have a massive Kaiju fight going on, especially when it includes something like Mechagodzilla.

The big underlying point is…Do not go into this expecting cinematic greatness. In fact, go in with low expectations and get ready to be surprised at how swift and neat everything is. How incredibly stunning and cool each setting is. The detail in the CG effects, the peppering of comforting jokes here and there, and the absolute therapeutic effect monsters destroying cities has on you. Sometimes, it isn’t a bad thing to just sit down, relax and enjoy a theme park ride. Considerable visual artistry is brought in here for sure, but this is a film to simply let the insanity wash over you. Not to think about anything other than how Godzilla is going to wipe the floor with Kong. Without too much overly pretentious messages and human drama, Wingard has crafted the perfect “dumb but fun” flick that so many in the genre have been trying to strive for.

What else can be said? It’s preposterous, dense in the head and completely out of its mind. That is what I happen to absolutely fall down and worship to, however. Is that really such an awful thing? To chill out for a couple hours and watch a giant lizard take out an oversized monkey. I certainly think that this is the perfect watch during these stressful times when everything is unpredictable. Godzilla vs. Kong is the flawless movie to turn on when one wants to unwind from a tough day, and isn’t that all the time right now? Look, it is forgettable after a few days, but it has such re-watchability factor that it will likely suck a viewer in for multiple watches. Maybe it will make for a good old comfort viewing. Overall, go have a blast and that is where I will leave this at.

$PLURGE IT

"Zack Snyder's Justice League" is a huge win for the fans who willed Snyder's passion project into existence, and a damn good win at that

March 21, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

“Zack Snyder’s Justice League” FIlm Review

By Quinn Marcus

Okay, wow, this is a big one (that’s what she said). This should be considered an achievement, I got through four hours of Zack Snyder’s CGI-filled nonsense, and emerged…awake! I had an absolute blast with this film, it truly surprised me on a number of levels, and was infinitely better than Whedon’s 2017 shit-storm that shouldn’t be considered a film. Of course, Zack Snyder’s Justice League has plenty of issues, I didn’t expect it to be absolute perfection, some holy creation that no eye has ever laid their eyes upon. I wasn’t expecting much from this film, however, I was freaking hyped for this movie. I wanted explosions, boom, boom, blockbuster tropes, BS character motivations, AND MORE EXPLOSIONS! In short, I just wanted a big, badass superhero flick that was entertaining if a little dumb at points. I almost forgot about WW84 while watching this film, it was almost like Snyder wanted you to forget it, in terms of quality and story. And yes, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is bigger, badasser-er (is that a word?), and a tad dumb at times, but in the end, it was so much more than just another blockbuster. My dad was even “mildly impressed” with this movie, and for him, that’s pretty high praise.

I remember watching Whedon’s cataclysmic failure back in the winter of 2017. Oh, those were the days, the two-dollar tv-special looking VFX were truly top-notch stuff. Steppenwolf looking as if Voldemort fell down the stairs, and the hospital, y’know, did their best was something to behold! Whedon’s unconventional masterpiece was not only audacious, but brilliant, highly enjoyable, experimental, and supremely acted! THANK GOD for fans, that’s all I can say. Without them, the DCEU might have dug a hole too deep to get themselves out of, but with the help of a bunch of Snyder fanboys, Zack Snyder got to make his cut in dedication to his daughter, Autumn. I hadn’t heard about the tragedy that befell Snyder’s family until very recently, and I gotta say, I began rooting for Zack Snyder’s vision like I never thought I would. Not because I thought it was going to be Snyder’s magnum opus, but because I loved the idea that fans can come together to get an entire movie made, that’s what made me appreciate The Snyder Cut so much. We saw signs of it when the VFX artists of Sonic the Hedgehog heard our cries to make Sonic look less demonic, and they fixed him. But we’re talking about a four-hour superhero film now, this is big stuff, and I adore the thought that mainstream directors can now release their full visions without studio supervision. Seriously, imagine what would happen if a director like Christopher Nolan started doing this. In a way, Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a milestone for filmmaking, even it it’s not perfect.

I’ve seen three of Snyder’s other film’s, including that creepy owl flick, and his previous DCEU films, they’ve all been consistently…meh, but I’m happy to report that Zack Snyder’s Justice League is not only the DCEUs best film but Snyder’s as well (at least from the ones I’ve seen). This is the focused, fast-paced, visually satisfying version we should’ve gotten back in 2017. So without further ado, let’s get my flaw’s out of the way. Themyscira has always fascinated me since the release of Wonder Woman, those scenes made for some of the best action sequences of the film. However, ever since WW84 was released, I’ve lost respect for the invisible island. It just became cheesy, ridiculous, and at times even hilariously bad. Zack Snyder’s Justice League’s Amazonian scenes were so poorly executed, and not to mention rendered terribly. Also, every time one of the Amazonian characters was on screen, this operatic music would play, there were quite a few song choices that felt out of place in the film. During moments that should have had a bigger impact, a random song would just start playing out of the blue, and it just didn’t resonate with me.

The CGI was a huge improvement over the 2017 version, but there were a few shots that stuck out like a sore thumb. I do recognize the fact that much of this film was done under reshoots, and therefore it must’ve been harder to make, but the CGI was a little iffy at times. That brings me to another issue I have, everything looked a little too fake, nothing felt natural, there is so much CGI in this movie, and there were rare moments when I thought a set looked real. The villains look awesome and have been given actual characters, but their motivations were still a little vague. I never felt the stakes because I had no clue what the bad guys were trying to accomplish besides conquering a planet. It was generic, obvious, and took some of the excitement out of an otherwise entertaining film. That’s what the MCU get’s right with their villains, we know exactly what our heroes are fighting for, but at least understand why the villains are doing what they’re doing.

The screenplay was, in many ways, better than the 2017 version, but it was just as full of pointless exposition as before. The characters are given compelling arcs, but the story was fun, if very messy. The massive length of 4hrs and 2mins went pretty fast if I’m being honest, but we still had to take plenty of breaks. I can see a cut of this film or even a mini-series that’s at least 30mins shorter than what we got. There are quite a few scenes, particularly Amy Adams’ scenes that the film didn’t need. My final flaw with the film is the ending, or “epilogue” if you will. After the huge final battle, we’re given an epilogue (don’t worry, no spoilers), and all I could think of while watching the finale was ‘damn, this has more endings than The Lord of the Rings.’ Seriously, this film did not know how to end, it was simply a collection of really good-looking scenes that potentially set up a future sequel, but there wasn’t a clear, satisfying conclusion in place.

Alright, time to get to the good stuff. Characterization, a concept that Joss Whedon kind of forgot about when he got the job, and the best thing about the four-hour runtime is that we get to know our heroes better. Especially Cyborg who quickly became my favorite character in the film, his origin story was human and stirred up some surprising emotions. The Flash has jokes that aren’t cringe-worthy, and his chemistry with Batman was amazing. Wonder Woman has restored her badassery, and Aquaman is actually cool. The dynamic between these characters was done brilliantly, I felt as if they were a team, that they cared about each other, something that the 2017 version got wrong. Secondly, the visuals were, for the most part, absolutely gorgeous. The aspect ratio took me by surprise at first, but I immediately got absorbed into it even more as some stunning shots graced the screen. The slow-mo was kind of weird, but it made for some really dope stills. Tom Holkenborg (Mad Max Fury Road), a.k.a. the man, the legend, JUNKIE XL, a.k.a. the next Hans Zimmer’s score was electrifying, besides some strange song choices, I couldn’t help but tap my foot to the hopeful soundtrack the film provides. The cast was also excellent. Gal Gadot still disappointed me, but she was mostly given action, so it was okay. Affleck and Miller’s humor was perfectly timed, Momoa was good as always, but the real star was Ray Fisher (Cyborg) who gave the best performance of the film.

SPOILER WARNING

Okay, I didn’t want to include spoilers in this review, but I fear that I must because there are a few things I want to discuss. So, if you haven’t seen the film, I suggest you skip to the final verdict towards the bottom. So Martian Manhunter, huh? I don’t know what I feel about this new character addition. I know fans are going to lose their minds, but I was just like ‘yay, I guess,’ but then dismissed it. It was a solid cameo, and he looks great by the way, but I felt like he was kind of just there for the sake of fan service. He didn’t do anything in the film besides have a frighteningly heartfelt conversation as Superman’s mom with Lois Lane. And then there’s Jared Leto’s Joker who appears in the epilogue. I thought he did a good job having his own, specific performance, he didn’t feel like a carbon-copy of Ledger or Phoenix, and no, he does not say “we live in a society” to my disappointment. We have another epic Nightmare sequence in the epilogue as well, and I gotta say, if the DCEU goes full dystopian, I’m f—ing in! Batman’s nightmare suit is so cool! (that’s not the only reason…okay, maybe it is). Black suit Superman isn’t a spoiler because he’s in the trailer, but I just wanted to say bravo to the costume designers, he looks incredible. His flight scene once again gave me goosebumps, and just hearing his theme was enough to make me feel something. Henry Cavill does a decent job with what he’s given, but in the end, he’s just there to destroy some monsters, and that’s all I needed to see. Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor comes back for a scene, so that’s nice, I guess. I don’t know, I never really was a fan of that character.

END OF SPOILERS

The final verdict is…Zack Snyder’s Justice League is an immersive, well-constructed tribute to Snyder’s committed fan base. This movie was made for us, but most importantly, it was made “for Autumn.”

Zack Snyder’s Justice League: an Epic Superhero Odyssey Complete

March 20, 2021 by Kipp Marcus

By: Keaton Marcus

PREFACE:

Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Let me leave that there for a moment. The film only a minority actually believed would happen. Something that a few of us hoped for after the horrendous 2017 version. Indeed we have it today on HBO Max for a limited time, and although flawed, it is an undeniably incredible achievement in filmmaking history. A passion project that will be remembered by its lovers, and at the very least the naysayers shall be glad that Snyder got his vision completed after all the trauma he’s been through.

PREMISE:

Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity, and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists newfound ally Diana Prince to face an even greater threat. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to recruit a team to stand against this newly-awakened enemy.

VISUALS:

Snyder knows how to make a spectacle, even if it’s sacrificing the majority of substance for it. With the constant use of slow-motion, big CGI action sequences, and an epic sense of scope and scenery, the aesthetic was absolutely beautiful. Because this is a product of re-shoots, a few of the visual effects do look more or less cheap at times, but overall, it was an incredibly visually impressive feat. The cinematography is stunning, dynamic, and the 4:3 aspect ratio gives the film a sense of life by giving audiences the entire picture. While his general style is controversial with critics calling it “too grainy”, I would argue that the slight darkness adds a sense of visual pleasure. Digital artificiality is vacant with this shot-on-film look. It almost seems like an independent film mashed in with all the big-budget visual effects of a comic-book me and I dug every second of it. It’s peppered with consistently strong and entertaining action sequences, and it ends a pulse-pounding visual experience. In terms of screenwriting, it just depends on what type of viewer one is. Will you be able to ignore substance so that style can thrive? I certainly did, eventually letting all the Snyder insanity wash over me.

EPIC STORYTELLING:

Additionally, it is difficult not to admire the sheer passion put into the scope and size of this story. There are many things happening at once, and Snyder flows scenes together perfectly, and the running time only helps, giving the characters time to flesh out, villains time to be set-up, and the team more time to meet. It also just feels extraordinarily satisfying to see each transition, always watching a new thing once the screen cuts to black. Whether it’s Steppenwolf’s conquest, Cyborg’s inner struggle, Batman and Wonder Woman attempting to form the league, and all the little intricacies within the overarching plot points. It almost feels like a Lord of the Rings film, with sprawling storytelling, with many unique settings and characters to meet. To be honest, it’s a die-hard fan’s dream, and although I wasn’t one myself before this cut, I can officially say I admire the man and his vision. Keep talking, Snyder.

OPENING THE DOOR:

One aspect about this entire thing even releasing is how it opens the door for new possibilities. Other filmmakers with passionate fan bases, such as Christopher Nolan, the Russo Brothers, and even Denis Villeneuve may be enabled to release their full vision. And it’s unbelievable that something like this could ever release on a streaming platform. Love it or hate it, it’s incredible that this is an actual movie. A four-hour director’s cut of a disastrous superhero movie. The new hope of more creativity and singular artistic vision is now out there, up for grabs, and I’m infinitely glad that HBO Max listened to the fans on this one.

THE DIFFERENCE:

Readers, admit it, please. This is a completely different movie. It follows the same basic framework, obviously, but all the best moments of the 2017 version were directed by Snyder, and it shows. Cyborg is given a sympathetic and emotional character arc, Steppenwolf has a motive and has a compelling story to prove himself to Darkseid. Bruce Wayne, dealing with the loss of Superman and having new faith resorted, confronts his inner demons. Even the seemingly one-dimensional characters have at the very least a tangible arc, and that is one of the many dissimilar ties in this edition. With this long of a running time, almost everything is given time to play out gradually. Nothing feels rushed or shoehorned in, and it’s glorious to watch its climactic end after hours of cathartic moments.

ISN’T THAT RIGHT, BATMAN?

Jared Leto’s Joker. Something that didn’t rub me the right way when I watched Suicide Squad. To be fair, however, that was an absolute train wreck of a movie. Leto’s five-minute sequence with Bruce Wayne in his premonition is masterful. Gorgeous, tensely-written, and above-all menacing, I believed every second of it. I’m interested in what they may do with this mysterious character next, and I could definitely see myself getting into his version of the character. It felt adult, realistic and mature, something that we haven’t seen much of in the superhero world lately. Cough Wandavision Cough. Anyway, it was a fantastically put-together encounter and was right what the fans needed at the end. An interaction between the most iconic hero and villain of the franchise.

BEN AFFLECK’S BATMAN

Sure, it’s another controversial opinion, but as much as I adore The Dark Knight trilogy, Affleck takes the cake for the best portrayal of Batman. People complain that he murders, and that’s against his moral code. While I understand the anger at this, I prefer it. His character development significantly grows over time. In Batman v Superman, he’s full of hate, remorse, depression, and just a general distaste for humanity. In Justice League, he has faith once again, becomes a true hero, and Affleck shows it flawlessly. His occasional quips don’t feel awkward anymore, his character moments are rightfully earned, and Snyder has crafted a magnificent character.

THE SCORE:

Hans Zimmer may not be gracing us this time, but the next best thing certainly is. Junkie XL sure knows how to compose a remarkable soundtrack. Each character had their own unique theme that fit them flawlessly, and it was true service for the fans when they played “Flight” in its full glory once Superman took off. Wonder Woman’s theme is still badass and accentuates the excitement whenever she enters. Lex Luthor’s theme was put in there, Batman, the Flash, Cyborg all had individual tracks. The underlying theme for the Justice League was subtle yet noticeable, something that’s irresistible, impossible not to nod your head to. Coupled with the impressive scale in the battle sequences, especially with the final showdown with Steppenwolf, it’s hard not to admire this work of actual art. Of course when we’re disregarding the operatic lamentation music that plays during every single Amazonian-related sequence.

RESPECT FOR THE DIRECTOR:

I completely understand all the hate for Snyder’s films. He’s got a style over substance relationship, and even his aesthetic has a required taste. I don’t love all of his movies, and all of them have a good amount of flaws, but the amount of respect this director has earned is immense. He lost his daughter to suicide after facing massive amounts of hate for his two DCEU installments, he had to witness his entire vision be taken down by a terrible original cut, and now he finally has made it. He’s directed his four-hour, batshit crazy magnum opus that’s bound to be remembered. A masterpiece in every respect despite also being immensely flawed. A bold, groundbreaking achievement that breaks the mold for filmmakers to come. He deserves this, and the fans got what they want. Let him rest.

CONCLUSION:

What else is there to add? I had an awesome time. I cheered, laughed, got emotional, and felt everything something like this should have made me feel. Right when the title card “For Autumn” came on at the end I knew I had just witnessed a product of passion and therapy. Some necessary cathartics for someone who had been through hell and back. The ultimate trilogy of God, man, and unity. Now complete.

$PLURGE IT