Tag: Identity

Spoiler-Free Review: “Barbie” (2023) starring Margot Robbie & Ryan Gosling

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Barbie suffers a crisis that leads her to question her world and her existence. -Synopsis

She’s everything. He’s just Ken. -Tagline

Summer has (traditionally) been the season for family-friendly/crowd-pleasing movies. As you may know, both Barbie and Oppenheimer were released on the same day (July 21) of this yr. I went to see Barbie w/ a big group of (mostly) women during its 2nd wknd at AMC (Ballston Quarter). One of my friends was esp. excited; she purchased 10 tickets (limit per person) several wks. ahead of our screening. I was somewhat curious, b/c I really liked the work of director/co-writer Greta Gerwig (who turned 40 y.o. last wk) and Noah Baumbach (co-writer); they’re also partners IRL and have a baby together. Gerwig and Baumbach are also close friends/collaborators w/ Adam Driver. Some skeptical critics wondered: “Who is the audience for this movie?” As I expected, my theater was full w/ (mostly) women in their 20s-40s; many were wearing pink (in various shades).

The production design is V cool; you feel immersed in the material/colorful world of Mattell toys where “Stereotypical Barbie” (Robbie), her love interest, Ken (Gosling), and all their friends live. As we saw in the trailers/ads, there are Barbies and Kens of diverse backgrounds (Issa Rae, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Kate McKinnon. etc.) Alan (Michael Cera), Midge, and a few other (NOT so well-known) dolls are also there. Women are the ones who hold ALL the important jobs in this (make-believe) world! Of course, there are several human characters (played by America Ferrera, Ariana Greenblatt, Will Ferrell, etc. ) A much younger Greenblatt (now 15 y.o.) was Driver’s co-star in the action movie 65 (2023). The eclectic music suits the story well; I was NOT familiar w/ all the songs. Yes, this movie has a feminist take (as I’m sure many are aware). It also includes singing and dancing (which reminded me of technicolor musicals). There are many LOL moments, yet there are emotional/touching ones also. I hadn’t seen much of Gosling’s acting; I was surprised by how funny he could be! I do think this movie was a BIT too long; this is a common problem today. There are also a few speeches; they are NOT all effective IMO. I think a wide audience (IF they keep an open mind) can enjoy this movie; it already passed the $1B mark worldwide – wow! Two of my (mid-20s; male and female) co-workers really liked the movie; they went on opening wknd.

“Black Widow” (1987) starring Debra Winger & Theresa Russell

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She mates and she kills. No man can resist her. Only one woman can stop her. -Tagline

A tall/blonde/early 30s woman, Catharine Petersen (Theresa Russell), marries older (50-something) millionaires, waits until they’ve changed their wills (to leave all of their money to her), and murders them using clever methods. With each relationship, Catharine changes her appearance (hair/makeup/clothes) and personality to suit the man. Alexandra Barnes (Debra Winger) is a DOJ data analyst who finds links btwn several mysterious deaths. The more she learns of this woman, the more Alex becomes fascinated; she does field work on her own time (her co-workers and supervisor are V skeptical). Taking a wild chance, Alex flies to Hawaii to track the “black widow” (on her own)!

This (lesser known) neo noir was released about 6 mos. prior to the hit Fatal Attraction (1987). The director (Bob Rafelson) hadn’t worked on a movie since The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981); I’m NOT a fan of that remake (see the original B&W ver. instead). This movie could be a BIT shorter; there are also odd editing choices (some critics called it “choppy”). The dialogue is pretty good; the screenplay is by Ron Bass (Rain Man; My Best Friend’s Wedding). Winger (who had prior success w/ An Officer and a Gentleman and Terms of Endearment) was given the choice of the 2 co-leads; she chose Alex, b/c she didn’t understand why Catharine kills. One of the men in the poker game is David Mamet (in his 1st film); he’s best known as a director. Dennis Hopper has a small role (5 mins.) in the 1st act. We also see theater/movie veterans (Lois Smith and James Hong) in supporting roles.

Black Widow gives us a look into the (pre-internet) world of investigations; there was no facial recognition tech yet. Alex uses a slide projector to examine newspaper photos. Catharine borrows a VCR player (which is quite large) from the fancy Seattle hotel where she’s staying to watch a videotape. (I don’t think my family had a VCR then; we’d immigrated to the US in the Fall of 1986.) There is a LOT that is unsaid; there is “erotic tension” (as one astute reviewer said) btwn. the two women. Does Alex envy Catharine (who can get any man she wants)? Are the women attracted to each other? Early in the story, Alex shut down advances (gently) from her “right hand” (D.W. Moffett); there is also concern from her boss (Terry O’Quinn) who tells her (explicitly) to get a man. As Roger Ebert (who didn’t recommend it) said: “The acting is good. I expected more from this movie.” Gene Siskel liked it a LOT; he said: “Alex realized that Catharine could do something that she couldn’t- love!”

Park Chan-wook’s 1st American Movie: “Stoker” (2013) starring Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, & Matthew Goode

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India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) was not prepared to lose her father and best friend, Richard (Dermot Mulroney), in a tragic auto accident. The solitude of her woodsy family estate, the peace of her tranquil town, and the unspoken somberness of her home life are suddenly upended by not only this mysterious accident, but by the sudden arrival of her Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), who she never knew existed. When Charlie moves in with her and her emotionally unstable mother Evie (Nicole Kidman), India thinks the void left by her father’s death is finally being filled by his closest bloodline. Soon after his arrival, India comes to suspect that this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives. Yet instead of feeling outrage or horror, this friendless young woman becomes increasingly infatuated with him.

-Synopsis (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

India: You look like my father.

Charles: I am so sorry.

India: It’s your loss, too.

This is probably a film that most of you haven’t heard of before; I learned about it from the Fatal Attractions pod (which focuses on the erotic thriller genre). This is the 1st American movie helmed by South Korean director Park Chan-wook. The screenwriter is also a man of color, Wentworth Miller (best-known as the star of Prison Break); he graduated from Princeton w/ a degree in English Lit. Stoker is inspired by Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt (1943); there is a mysterious uncle who re-emerges into the life of a family after many yrs. of absence. It soon becomes obvious that this man could be dangerous.

India: He [her father] used to say, sometimes you need to do something bad to stop you from doing something worse.

This film (w/ a run time of 1 hr. 39 mins.) is a character-driven thriller which is moody, atmospheric, and tense (though NOT in an obvious way). The pacing may seem slow to some viewers, as it takes some time for the plot to get moving. The main location is an elegant/historic estate in Nashville, TN. Though they play Americans, Wasikowska and Kidman are Aussies and Goode is a Brit. Two of India’s classmates (Alden Ehrenreich and Lucas Till) would go on to their own movies and TV shows in a few yrs.

Mia’s posture: her stillness and her straightness speaks to the personality of a character who likes everything ordered around her. -Park Chan-wook, director

We know that life as a teen can be V tough, esp. when you don’t fit in w/ your family and/or peers. Evie laments the fact that she and India don’t have a close relationship; India was more of a “daddy’s girl” (we see them hunting/bonding in flashback). India is an outcast at her HS; she wears a sullen expression, doesn’t speak much, and dislikes being touched. After school, a few of the boys bully her w/ insults (yikes), though there is one boy who is sympathetic. India plays the piano, as does her Uncle Charlie; this brings them together in a (pivotal) scene. So far, I’ve seen Wasikowska in HBO’s In Treatment, Jane Eyre (2011), and Tracks (2013) co-starring Adam Driver. I think that (like Driver) she has intensity onscreen (even w/o speaking) and plays troubled/sensitive characters V well. If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, you can rent this movie (Amazon).

[1] The look and feel of Stoker is impressive. The atmosphere is well-sustained throughout. If I had a criticism, it would simply be that the story ultimately isn’t all that original and there aren’t really a lot of surprises. What it does do though is to take a fairly standard psychological thriller story and make it interesting by way of cinematic techniques.

[2] The film has a set of amazing talents. […] The violence is a bit tamed for a Chan-wook Park film, but here, he aims more at the fortitude. He fills them with an impressively energetic style which helps executing its eeriness. The gorgeous cinematography captures the melancholia of their world. Everything is just stunning.

...the film rather tests the anxiety of the audience in these strange haunting exteriors. The film is not trying to be innovative, but the reason why it’s interesting is because of its intense use of filmmaking styles.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Reviews of Two Modern Thrillers: “The Voyeurs” (2021) & “Sanctuary” (2022)

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The Voyeurs (2021) starring Sydney Sweeney, Justice Smith, Ben Hardy, & Natasha Liu Bordizzo

Pippa {Sydney Sweeney) and Thomas (Justice Smith) move into their dream apt [in Montreal, Quebec]. They notice that their windows look directly into the apt opposite- inviting them to witness the volatile relationship of the attractive couple across the street. But when they attempt to anonymously intercede in their lives, they unwittingly set in motion a chain of events that will lead to disaster.

Have y’all seen any of the Amazon original content? I recently saw one ep of the (V pricy) spy series Citadel; it was mainly mindless action. I have low tolerance for Priyanka Chopra (who was huge in Bollywood some yrs. ago). Richard Madden is wasted; maybe he needs a new agent (as he has been getting stuck in action/superhero roles). As for The Rings of Power, those are hrs. I’ll never get back; even the CGI and action looked unimpressive! However, I had (some) hopes for this erotic thriller after hearing an interview w/ the director (Michael Mohan) on the Fatal Attractions pod.

The setting is urban; the production design is sleek, clean, and modern. All of the actors are young, fit, and attractive; they dress, act, and speak like today. Pippa (an optometrist) and Thomas (a musician who now composes for commercials) have lost the spark in their relationship after a few yrs. together. They joke around a LOT and act more like besties than lovers. You’ll be reminded somewhat of Hitchcock’s Rear Window, as they get TOO interested in their (sexy/dramatic) neighbors- a hunky fashion photographer named Seb (Hardy) and his elegant wife- Julia (Liu Bordizzo). After some time, we see problematic elements in these strangers’ marriage. Spying on them is no longer fun for Thomas (who was the most sympathetic character), though Pippa gets more obsessed (after meeting Julia at her eyeglass store). In the last act, the movie goes off the rails (you can see for yourself)! There are explicit scenes and nudity; this could put off some sensitive viewers. Sadly, the plot drives the story, NOT the characters (who needed to be developed more). The running time (nearly 2 hrs) felt TOO long.

[1] The story gets preposterous at the end, I feel like it had one too many twists, literally just one less at the end and it’ll be fine by me. […]

As a whole, feels like it was stuck in-between two minds, whether to make it an erotica or not.

[2] I liked the overall tone, aesthetics, cast, acting, concept… But the ending was too much. The unreal twists have kind of broken the spell for me. I’d love to see this movie with a simpler more realistic third act.

[3] I really think that the twists and turns that come after were put in as an afterthought when the director realised nobody was going to buy what he had sold up to that point.

He should have just made an erotic thriller. […] The attempts at seriousness or social commentary come to nothing, and in the final act, are totally abandoned.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

Sanctuary (2022) starring Christopher Abbott & Margaret Qualley

Follows a dominatrix and Hal, her wealthy client, and the disaster that ensues when Hal tries to end their relationship. -Synopsis

This indie film is available for rent on Amazon Prime; I learned about it from TIFF vids on YT. I had high hopes here, BUT it failed to impress me. It’s hard to care about the two characters. We keep wondering IF Hal (Abbott) and Rebecca (Qualley- daughter of Andie McDowell) are just playing a game or if they could be in love. One reviewer commented that it looks like Film School 101. The movie was filmed over 18 days in one location (an elegant hotel room). The dialogue is (sadly) NOT strong and some of the directorial choices didn’t make sense. Hal’s daddy issues are V obvious. If you’ve seen HBO’s comedy Girls, you know that Abbott (who mainly works in theater and indies) is a pretty good actor (who can convey vulnerability). Both actors throw themselves into the story. There is no nudity here (and it lacked heat/sexual chemistry); there are strong words (insults) tossed about that may be offensive to some viewers. The ending was unexpected and ineffective!

I think the movie is about performance in so many ways. There are so many lines in the movie where characters say, “Say the words that I told you to say, the words don’t matter,” or, “I wrote the scenes, all you did was say the words, this is the question that you’re supposed to ask me next, I want you to stick to my script.” It’s funny because when I was developing the script with Micah Bloomberg, there was never any conversation where we were like, “Oh, this is about filmmaking or acting!” That never came up, but in retrospect, gosh, that is all over the story. -Zachary Wigon, director

[1] It’s an up and down ride of domination and submission, game or no game. Freedom or going with the narratives you’re assigned in life.

It’s also a love story of sorts, maybe not the healthiest, but that’s how it goes sometimes in life.

[2] Margaret Qualley is the indisputable show stealer here… […]

However, the film failed to create a similar impression.

And that’s mainly because the writing, the narration, it all felt too obtrusive, too pretentious.

[3] Two good performances by Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott weren’t enough to save me from this bloated talkfest that I felt just became more repetitive and unbelievable as it progressed. […]

It’s hard for me to surmise that all this photographed dialogue would be any more effective had the film have been shaped as a play; instead, I think “Sanctuary” would have had more impact as a twenty-minute short rather than increasingly struggling to stay on its feet for a full 96 minutes.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Ant-Man” (2015) & “Ant-Man & The Wasp” (2018)

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Ant-Man (2015) starring Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, & Corey Stoll, & Evangeline Lilly

Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, pull off a plan that will save the world.

I’m sure that some of y’all regular readers are surprised that I watch (a few) Marvel movies- LOL! In recent yrs, I’ve liked Doctor Strange and Black Panther (both of which I saw in theaters); I felt that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (watched on streaming) was uneven (will do a review later). I have to admit, I would NOT have checked this out if charming/likeable Paul Rudd (Scott Lang) and Corey Stoll (Darren Cross- the main baddie) weren’t in prominent roles. I wanted Darren to have a BIT more character development; he does a good job at being a villain. The OG Ant Man is Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas); I was a BIT surprised to see him (after many yrs). In the opening scene, VFX are used to make Douglas and Martin Donovan (who plays his rival) look younger. Scott’s trio of (diverse/formerly criminal) pals) add to the humor: Luis (Michael Pena), Kurt (David Dastmalchian), and Dave (rapper T.I. Harris). Scott’s young daughter, Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson), is cute, bright, and a natural actor; she has great chemistry w/ her on-screen dad. Scott wants to better himself for his child, which is V touching and something which many parents/caretakers can relate to. I liked the directing style, action scenes, and special effects (esp. when the shrinking tech was used). The (unnecessary) kiss btwn Scott and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) at the end didn’t work; I think they should’ve stayed (platonic) friends. Yeah, we see that Rudd looks FAB (in the shirtless scene), BUT Scott and Hope don’t have romantic chemistry. You can watch this movie w/ your fam and have fun!

Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018) starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, & Michael Pena

In the sequel, we get most of the cast back, and few more are added (incl. some surprises). However, it didn’t do anything much different w/ regards to style from the 1st movie. Scott (confined to house arrest at the opener) has a great relationship w/ Cassie, ex-wife Maggie (Judy Greer), and her cop bf- Paxton (Bobby Cannavale). The Wasp suit (worn by Hope) is even more advanced than the one we 1st saw on Scott; it was originally worn by her mom, Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer), who is thought to have died on a mission. I was glad to see that Pfeiffer is back on the big screen! As a protective dad, Hank is V reluctant to have Hope wear this suit; their relationship was complicated/strained over the yrs. Here we have new baddies (who aren’t as scary or interesting as Darren): a mysterious/disappearing woman- Ava (Hannah John-Kamen)- and a Southern criminal businessman- Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins)- w/ a crew of (diverse) henchmen. We also meet a prof- Dr. Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburne)- a former associate of Hank’s; I wanted to know more about him. I wasn’t as impressed here; this movie is NOT as memorable as the original and the baddies aren’t that intimidating. Also, there are a few slow scenes (which could’ve been cut) involving Scott’s pals (w/ whom he now runs a security business). Most of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) movies need better editing, from what I’ve seen and heard (from entertainment critics I follow).