Knives Out

Allow me to preface this review with the following statement: I am not a fan of the mystery or whodunit genre in films and literature. That is not to say I dislike such material, but rather that I am woefully unfamiliar with it. When people refer to movies like Clue or Agatha Christie’s work, I admit that I am out of my element. I am a stranger in a mostly foreign land. Know then that my judgment of Knives Out is perhaps uninformed; but, my hope is that I can take a look at this film with less bias and analyze it more precisely on its own terms.

 

Written and directed by Rian Johnson, Knives Out excels in every way and leaves one on the edge of his seat from beginning to end. Its tremendous cast, its quick and witty dialogue, and its gripping aesthetic make this one of the year’s best films.

Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer)—novelist, tycoon, and patriarch—has just died after the celebration of his 85th birthday. His family and all other guests fall under the suspicion of the police, headed by Lt. Elliott (Lakeith Stanfeld) and Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan), most especially after notorious gentleman sleuth Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), under curious conditions, joins them. At the heart of this investigation is Mr. Thrombey’s nurse and confidant, Martha Cabrera (Ana de Armas). While the family sorts through their affairs post-mortem, a spider-web of mystery unfolds and it seems that anyone may be caught in its web.

Narratively, Knives Out is nothing short of superb. For brevity’s sake, I mention only two points. First, Rian Johnson makes it clear to the audience immediately that nearly every member of the family has both motivation and opportunity to have murdered Harlan. Then, he undercuts this at the end of the first act, and exposes the “culprit.” That is, we know before almost anyone else how Harlan really dies. Yet, Knives Out never lacks intrigue nor does it bore the viewer. This brings me to my second point. The cast of characters present themselves paradoxically. Each one of the Thrombey family is despicable (albeit to varying degrees). But, they are supremely entertaining. The sense of humor in Knives Out is top-notch, because all of them are despicable but have distinct personalities, and their being repugnant make them hilarious. The movie is meta, tight, and self-contained simultaneously.

As far as performances go, the movie does not have a bad one. Most notable is Craig’s work as the gentleman with a southern drawl and a mind for detail. Ana de Armas portrays a loveable and loving nurse with a heart of gold, in sentimental and sympathetic manner. Jamie Lee Curtis, who plays Harlan’s eldest Linda, delivers each time she is on screen. And finally, particularly impressive is Chris Evans as Ransom. For those who have not seen his work outside of Marvel Studios, they may not know. But he has some real range, especially with antagonism. And Evans demonstrates this through subtlety of both tone and facial expression. I especially find one exchange between Ranson and Martha at a cottage cafe quite compelling.

Aesthetically, Knives Out excites in a variety of unique and interesting ways. In its modesty, it is quite impressive. Everyone and everything in the film is beautiful and yet, neither large nor imposing. The lone exception to this is the clutter of Thrombey’s mansion. The suits are plain but sharp, the leads’ outfits are warm, comfortable and attractive, and the scenery is simply gorgeous. Furthermore, the music, orchestrated by Nathan Johnson, is acute and appropriate. I particularly like the piece of the score during the film’s lone chase scene, as it strikes me as quite facetious, but quietly so.

Attention to detail is arguably the greatest strength of Knives Out, and it attests to Johnson’s abilities both as a filmmaker and storyteller. Like a good novel, he presents us with a vision of the whole from the beginning and to the close reader, all the clues are present from the start. Furthermore, the little things add to the humor as well as the narrative of this work. Jokes that land during the opening sequence show up for an even bigger pay-off near the end. Political and social media satire abound both in the background and in the fore. For these reasons alone, his film is certainly worthy of at least a second viewing.

My favorite element of the movie has to be its message. I do not ordinarily like the term, but the message is a good one. The way to win the game is to have a kind heart. Blanc knows this, but in a fit of irony, he acts and speaks as if truth stands alone, untouched by moral concern. All the while he follows the lead of the movie’s most morally righteous person. Those who are kind and caring inevitably make their way to the truth. And in the end, beauty and dignity (most especially of the human person) trump the intellectual pursuits—or, if you prefer, the skills of the mind. It is a cheesy, albeit apt and welcome commentary in this landscape.

An entertaining, heartwarming, and hilarious motion picture, Knives Out stands out among the rest. The ensemble cast enlivens the experience, the New England countryside captures the soul, and the creator’s mind make this a fantastic revival of the whodunit genre. Its pace, charm, and witty repartee provide for a wonderful time at the movie theater. Rating: 10/10

P.S. The use of “Sweet Virginia” by the Rolling Stones during the film’s conclusion is just delightful.

 

Lion King (2019)

Disney has now officially formed a habit of producing live action remakes of their animated classics. This year’s entry is The Lion King, a (mostly) by-the-numbers imitation of the beloved 1994 animated musical of the same name. While the live action take lacks the charm and some of the wit of its predecessor, this new vision nevertheless makes for a captivating and entertaining time at the theater—buoyed by its stunning visuals, compelling dialogue, and excellent voice actors.

Mufasa (James Earl Jones) is the king of Pride Rock and his wife Sarabi (Alfre Woodard) have just welcomed their first son, Simba, into the world. As a cub, Simba (JD McCrary/Donald Glover) stays close to his father and tries to learn what it will take to be a wise king when his time comes. But he likes adventure and unfortunately is prone to be gullible. His uncle Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is keenly aware of this and hatches an evil plot to undo the pride rock family. Simba, now exiled from his home, must find himself in a new land and decide who he is and what that means for him going forward.

Let’s begin by addressing the film’s greatest achievement. The world of The Lion King is unbelievably photo-realistic and simply stunning. Words cannot relate just how impressive technology like this has become, and in such a short span of time. All of the details are perfectly constructed—from footprints in the sand, to the threads of fur, and more. Give credit to the animators, cinematographers, editors, and the rest of the crew for some great work. Live-action, while partially true (because there is some motion capture work and in-studio filming) is not the most accurate descriptor. The word that makes its way around articles is photo-natural realism: a term that takes its substance from many pieces of virtual and augmented reality technology. Check out this interview with director Jon Favreau for more insight.

The stand out voice actors for me are certainly the ones I expected would impress me the most. First, give it up to the king of kings, the man among men—James Earl Jones. At 88 years young, he commands the audience’s attention every moment we hear his voice through the speakers. His cadence, his enunciation, and his power strike through the ears and hearts of the viewers. Not really to my surprise, but certainly still pleasant are the performances of Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner as Pumbaa and Timon, respectively. Their dynamic makes for some boisterous laughter whenever their characters are on screen.

Ejiofor’s voice-over is extraordinary as well. His villainy compels and frightens the viewer, especially with some of the added footage. He comes across as this wicked, conniving, and jealous younger brother. From the start, as a fan and as a human being, one wants to see him lose, especially because he is so petty.

The tone of this film, as with 2016’s Jungle Book, is noticeably darker—both in terms of visuals and character work. The feel of the world is more real, raw, and mature than the animated version, which certainly seems appropriate. This makes for both pros and cons in my estimation. On the one hand it makes sense that this live action story tries to separate itself from the cartoon—e.g., there are no goofy animations of Timon and Pumbaa dressing for a luau. But where this story begins to take hold, it often slips away without taking the time to investigate. Take for example the death of Mufasa. The Lion King establishes this as a truly traumatic event in Simba’s life. Clearly, director Jon Favreau wants us to take this idea seriously. And yet, we spend little time with Simba’s initial pain (Scar shows up seconds afterward), we do not explore his coping mechanisms in any meaningful way, and the conquering of his fears seems remarkably abrupt. I like that we might introduce such a mature theme, but if you really want this remake to stand out, spend more time developing this and things like it.

I will raise a small point of order in storytelling. Given that we spend more time with Nala (Beyoncé) in this film—which I consider a plus—it would have made more sense for Rafiki (John Kani) to discover that Simba is still alive before Nala leaves Pride Rock. The scene where she escapes is a good touch (riveting, tense, and dramatic), but she says she is leaving to find help. Where on earth are you going? But if Nala knows that Simba is alive, she has a goal in mind from the start and it does not come across as some haphazard plan.

I must admit. I appreciate the emotional stakes and the drama of this movie. Two things that impress in terms of moving my soul are the score and the soundtrack. Hans Zimmer’s music plays all the right chords at all the right moments. Rogen and Eichner perform a playful and remarkably skilled rendition of “Hakuna Matata”, and Glover seems to have good chemistry with Beyoncé when they sing together. All that being said, some of the audio did interfere with my experience of the movie. Perhaps this is because I was in a Dolby theater, but the sounds of the music often overpowered the voices and often enough the voices interrupted one another simply by being louder. It may be in order to check this perceived flaw with other reports.
All in all, Lion King offers a family friendly, albeit somewhat grimmer presentation of one of Disney’s best 90s-era films. Its virtues are strong, its weaknesses noted, and its shortcomings I have addressed. I recommend it, if perhaps only for a single viewing. Rating: 7/10

Spider-Man: Far from Home

Marvel Studios has proven yet again that when given the chance to treat their heroes well, they do not let us down. In Captain America: Civil War (2016), the MCU reintroduced audiences to the beloved Spider-Man with style. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) set the bar incredibly high. Now, this year’s followup—Far from Home—may just be the greatest Spider-Man movie ever made. I do not say this lightly. This movie does practically everything right. It is a high-octane comic adventure with a compelling and downright vicious villain, an endearing love story (propelled by the chemistry of Zendaya and Holland), and just makes for one hell of a good time.

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) wants nothing more than to go on his summer vacation, confess his feelings to MJ (Zendaya), and take a break from his work as your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. But when powerful inter-dimensional creatures called Elementals arrive to destroy our Earth, it falls to him, Quentin Beck/Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), and SHIELD to defeat these monsters and save the planet. So much for the sight-seeing in Europe. Spider-Man, you have a job to do.

To begin my praises, writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers excel most especially in establishing Peter Parker as the teenager he is. They do a great job of bringing us into his world and shining a light on the ongoings of his life. He listens to his aunt and makes public appearances to raise money for charity. He runs to the store, packs his bag, and gets ready for his trip. Many of the movies in the MCU lack a concrete sense of the ordinary. And that’s not a knock on those films. But with Spider-Man, that would not quite fit. Far from Home—just as with Homecoming—reminds us why we call him a friendly neighborhood hero. Accordingly, we spend time with his classmates and friends, witness his concern firsthand and the emotional connections he shares with MJ and Ned (Jacob Batalon). We really believe that he cares deeply for them and wants to make sure they are safe. 

I admit. This next bit is a self-indulgent take, but Far from Home manages to fix some of the minor issues of the earlier projects. I mean specifically that it treats Peter as the boy-genius that he is. In Homecoming, much of what we get is Peter Parker in an Iron Man suit. Now that Iron Man is no longer with us, Parker shines as a witty kid who is quick on his feet, and remarkably agile both in body and in mind. He geeks out over the possibility of a multi-verse, and promptly apologizes “for being the smartest person in the room.” He builds his own high-tech suit (granted, using Stark’s equipment), and this allows us to see his mind at work. In a word, Far from Home does well to unfold Spider-Man’s independence as a hero and a protagonist. 

The performances of the film are excellent, as far as blockbusters go. Gyllenhaal—an already renowned actor—shines opposite Tom Holland and gives Michael Keaton a run for his money. As I mentioned above briefly, Holland and Zendaya do well both on-screen together as well as apart. Batalon once again provides entertaining comic relief and Ned’s brief relationship with Betty Brant (Angourie Rice) makes for some delightful and charming moments throughout. There is one particularly charged exchange between Peter and Happy (Jon Favreau). In this scene, Holland shows the audience that he has real potential, delivering his lines with a heavy heart.

There are precisely two things about this film that bother me. But they are minor. First, the flaw in Peter’s spider-sense comes up abruptly and then disappears until the third act. It is always intriguing to have Peter struggle with his powers, but it feels like Jon Watts and/or the screenwriters forgot about this challenge for more than half of the film. Second, how does Marvel expect me to believe that it has only been a year since the events of Civil War (that is, for those who were “blipped” away after Avengers: Infinity War)? Peter and his friends are only 16?! I grant the strangeness of the timeline, but I do hope we follow a more mature Parker in the sequel. I think we have spent enough time at Midtown High. 

The action sequences are some of the most fun I have ever had watching any superhero flick. I will give credit to the cinematographers who manage to capture some incredibly cool shots following Peter around the bridge and fighting with drones (cameras attached). The battles with the Elementals are rather CGI heavy, to be expected. The stunt work and fight choreography on the Tower Bridge in London are unbelievably stunning. These films continue to impress me with how they highlight Spider-Man’s abilities and how he seems to grow with each successive take.

Also, the Ramones track at the end is a real nice touch. Rating: 9/10

 

SPOILERS to FOLLOW

For fans of the comic books, Beck’s betrayal comes as no surprise. Still, the movie delivers it so exceptionally well, I for one was at a loss for words. After a piece of illusion tech goes missing and MJ finds it, Peter realizes he has made a mistake and rushes to find Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). But Mysterio has manipulated Peter’s boyish naivete even more than he first imagines. The fight scene which follows is simply breathtaking. Beck’s beat-down of Parker is astonishingly comic-book accurate, visually stunning, and emotionally shocking. The stakes of Far from Home are incredibly high and I applaud the filmmakers on this count.

Both of the end credits scenes are awesome. The mid-credits scene is one of the best from Marvel to date. So many times have fans of the books followed Parker with the whole city against him, blackmailed or set up and his back to the ropes. But we have never really seen it on the big screen. I eagerly await the chance to see this happen.