Monday, February 27, 2017

Get Out (2017) Movie Review

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I was watching the Oscars last night with a group of people as I do every year. One of the women there, a white woman, couldn't stop talking about how horrible Halle Berry's hair was. It bothered me and became increasingly difficult for me to let it go as the night wore on. Sitting here a day later after the smoke has cleared, I can't help but wonder how differently my reaction would have been to that comment if I too was white. Or better yet, if the woman was black.

To those of you that think we live in this melting pot of a society where every race and sex thinks exactly the same way, I have a secret to tell you: You're delusional. Get Out puts that myth to bed choosing rather to tackle this concept head on in a way that's extremely creative in scope. The film isn't just about a black man getting introduced to his white girlfriend's family only to find they are secretly enslaving black people, although it is that too. It's more, layers more. What you see on the surface and the subtext make this an important film for our current generation.

Rotten Tomatoes lists the movie as both comedy and horror which I think is a fair assessment. Director/Writer Jordan Peele walks the tightrope seamlessly between funny and suspenseful, much like Shyamalan did in Split. The film's realness is what makes it hilarious and scary at the same time. It's a realistic portrayal of what someone might do when put in these uncomfortable situations. Main character Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) can sense there's something wrong with this situation and, deep down, he knows he's right. He just doesn't want to be. He ignores how strangely the other black people in the community act and turns a blind ear when his girlfriend's father mentions voting for Obama for a third term as he tries to relate. He can tell by their actions and words that something is going on, but he's a guest and doesn't want to be the conspiracy theorist. 

Some of the most uncomfortable moments come during a community gathering where people in the neighborhood are meeting Chris for the first time. One woman defies boundaries and feels Chris' biceps, not in an endearing way but rather in the same way one might inspect an animal. Another man remarks on Chris' predisposition to being stronger because of his genetic makeup. I imagine that Chris has probably heard about these type of people before but never experienced it in such close proximity, and all at once for that matter. It has to be overwhelming and unsettling for him and Daniel does an excellent job of expressing those sentiments.

The social commentary doesn't fall flat and it makes you put on your thinking cap. It plays with your mind as you start to look for little subtext, which is not unusual in real life either. When the father tells Chris not to go down in the basement because there's black mold, I'm thinking, "Why does it have to be black mold? All mold is dangerous!" Was it meant to be racist? I don't know. Does it matter? Another great question.

My only gripe was that the resolution came extremely quick, almost jarring to a certain extent. It doesn't destroy an otherwise great movie however. It's a movie that ultimately says, "You ARE different. And that's ok." We aren't meant to think the same things or act the same way. At the end of the day, coexistence and tolerance will help us unify.

I consider Get Out a must-see. I give it a 95.

P,S.--She was right, by the way. Halle Berry's hair was atrocious. I'll never tell her, though.

Monday, February 13, 2017

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) Movie Review

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John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is back, but not because he wants to be. When a fellow assassin calls in a favor, Wick finds himself in a heap of trouble after he turns the task down. If the movie stumbles, it's only slightly as a result of questionable pacing in the beginning. Once it puts its foot back on the gas John Wick: Chapter 2 never lets up.

I have to begin with the man of the hour himself, Mr. John Wick. He has a way of dominating the screen by being seemingly everywhere at once. He embodies what a true contract killer looks like with his ruthless precision and attention to detail. You watch him and you can tell as he guns down enemy after enemy that he is thinking three steps ahead which is probably what I appreciate most about his character. For example, instead of gunning down an enemy that would be at point blank range, he wraps them up and puts them in a hold they can't get out of. Why does he opt to do that? Because there are more enemies coming and he has to make sure he has enough bullets to take them all down. Wick knows he can take out the guy he has in a hold with his bare hands if he needs to. Like I said: Ruthless precision.

Amidst some of the most amazing action I've seen in a movie without CGI, there are a few funny moments sprinkled in that I don't want to ruin (and thankfully the trailers didn't either). The level of fear that this seedy underworld has towards Wick is comical in and of itself. His stories follow him everywhere he goes, yet the bad guys still expect to get a piece of him.

Along with the action and the funny, I appreciate what the film did from a stylistic standpoint. Whereas the first film has darker tones, the scenes in the sequel offer vibrant colors that pop and add flare even while the blood is spraying everywhere. There are some cool scenes here (one in particular that really stands out) that feel fresh in a genre that seems to suffer from unoriginality.

I'm happy to say that John Wick: Chapter 2 is a movie where the trailer doesn't do nearly as much justice as the movie deserves. As a viewer, you will embrace that detail that went into this work about an underworld of assassins. I give it a well-deserved 95.

Saturday, February 11, 2017

The Lego Batman Movie (2017) Movie Review

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In The Lego Batman Movie, we see a different take on the DC character. Typically an introspective detective, Lego's Batman is more of an in-your-face cocky superhero full of comedic quips. He does share one thing in common with his predecessors: His desire to be a loner. With the Joker carrying out his best plan yet to destroy Gotham, Batman will have to do something he has never done before: Call for help.

As funny as the movie could be at times, there were a surprising amount of lag moments. There were times where things were kind of blah and, as the viewer, I was sitting there waiting for the next punchline. It happened more than I expected and it definitely tripped the movie up in places.

Still, the movie does pack an impressive punch, not excluding the film's overall message. It preaches the power of enlisting aid, especially in your darker moments. The world would be a brighter place if people were less afraid to rely on others.

The Lego Batman Movie succeeds in much the same way the first Lego movie did--With creativity and hilarity. In terms of jokes, when it's on, it's really on. My son leaned over to me at one point and asked me to stop laughing so much. Not a bad position to be in as a viewer. On the creativity side of things, Warner Bros. flexed its property muscles by utilizing not just Batman villains, but a number of creative bad guys that you will recognize and appreciate. No spoilers here, but it was a welcome surprise.

Good movie? Absolutely. Something that needs to be seen in theaters? Not necessarily. I give it a 78.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Split (2017) Movie Review (Spoiler-Free)

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Split makes you question the truth of reality and the reality of fiction. It's the story of a man named Kevin (James McAvoy), with twenty-three different personalities, who kidnaps three teenage girls. Kevin wants all three girls to bear witness to the emergence of his twenty-fourth personality--a carnivorous, monstrous beast. On paper, it sounds absolutely ludicrous, but it's definitely worth a watch.

On the downside, the film trudges at a slow pace through some parts, particularly some of the interview portions and early scenes where it's just Dr. Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley). While these scenes are necessary (pay attention during these scenes!), I wish they would have been slightly different in their pacing. Then again, it was nice to have a break from the more suspenseful moments.

I would be remiss if I didn't start my pros by bringing up the stellar performances of two people. James McAvoy was brilliant in his role as Kevin. And Hedwig. And Dennis. And Patricia. And and and...The way he was able to flip back and forth between roles down to the minutiae of facial expressions was incredible to watch. The pacing of the film was predicated on his reactions to things and his timing. Even when he was playing a nine-year-old boy, you felt the intensity. He BETTER get at least a sniff at an Oscar, seriously.

Anya Taylor-Joy, on the other hand, exhibited a powerful performance through defiance and the struggle of her inner turmoil. While McAvoy ignited every scene and created an explosion, Taylor-Joy was the welcome calm in the center of the storm. Her character Casey Cooke was a badass not because she wanted to be, but rather her circumstances left her with no choice.

Director M. Night Shyamalan has a talent for suspense and Split was no exception. I found my heart racing through multiple moments as I wondered what the fate of those three girls would be. In the midst of all the jumps and scares, Shyamalan succeeds in telling a powerful story as well, one that is funny, heartbreaking, and scary at the same time.

Finally, Split succeeds in introspection. It makes you think about all the people you've interacted with in the past and present and how you treated them. People usually are the way they are for a reason, but seldom times do we try and relate on their level. We judge because they're different, because they're not the norm.

But everyone has a story.

Solid movie. If you're jumpy like I am, wait and watch it in your home. But definitely watch it. I give Split a 79.

Saturday, February 4, 2017

Hidden Figures (2017) Movie Review

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Watching Hidden Figures through the first twenty-five minutes will tell you all you need to know about why it won Strongest Cast at the SAG Awards. The film is filled with extremely powerful moments that carried the movie at times. You can't pull that off or come close without a quality cast.

One scene in particular occurs between Taraji P. Henson (playing the role of math genius Katherine Johnson) and Kevin Costner (as Al Harrison). Without ruining the film for future viewers, it's a scene where Katherine has had enough of EVERYTHING and she finally decides to let the world have it. Henson's emotion behind her strong performance really has a way of stirring something up in the audience. That scene was a pivotal moment in the film and it wouldn't have been nearly as effective without the acting of Henson and Costner.

Katherine is one of the three women powering this film along with Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer) and the smart and sassy Mary Jackson played by Janelle Monae. Unbeknownst to me before viewing the movie, these three women were crucial to the launching of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. Hidden Figures is the story of these three womens' struggle to make a difference during an era where being black and being a woman meant two strikes in the at-bat of life.

Who are we kidding, though? Fifty-five years later and that's still the case.

While I didn't live in the '60's (nor would I have wanted to), I feel like Hidden Figures excelled at capturing the essence of the era. I'm not just referring to the style of dress, the cars, and the buildings although all of that set the stage as well. Rather I'm speaking to all of the issues that were going on at the time with race and segregation. In one scene, Dorothy is walking down the street with her children while a segregation protest is happening right across that same street. It's a race for equality and unity and everyone is doing their part. While the three main characters aren't on the front lines of the protests, they are fighting in their own way for blacks and women by not only doing their jobs to the best of their ability, but doing them better than everyone else.

While the movie brings the serious issues of race and inequality to the forefront, there are plenty of funny moments that enhance its entertainment value. My one minute gripe that I have with all movies that are based on a true story: You know how the story ends. The lack of mystery does little to detract from the overall effectiveness of the film, though.

On a final note, I was really impressed by the performance of Janelle Monae. I love her music, but we all know that being an incredible singer doesn't always translate to acting on the big screen. I definitely hope to see her in more roles in the future.

Hidden Figures is a must-see movie for 2017. I give it an 86.