"It's interesting how you can't kick someone out of your Family, because they'll always be your Family" The Big Sick Review

The Big Sick

3/5

Directed by: Michael Showalter

Written by: Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani

Rated: R

           In the year 2007 Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon were bonded together in matrimony, and they had a Pakistani themed wedding. Approximately seven years later Kumail and Emily decided to write out the story of how they met each other as a movie screenplay. After three years of writing and rewriting, Kumail and Emily had a script they were proud of, and Amazon studios had the means to make their script a reality (well, a fictitious cinematic reality). This is the awkward but true story of how Kumail and Emily fell in love in the windy city. This is The Big Sick.
           The Big Sick is led by a well constructed cast of endearing and realistic performances. Kumail Nanjiani stars as himself in this real to life story about how he met his wife Emily, who is played by the hilarious and charming Zoe Kazan. The romantic chemistry between these two is appealing and it is enjoyable watching how their relationship develops through all of its twists and turns. Along with these two performers are long time comedy geniuses Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, playing Emily's parents. These two portray a loving, if imperfect, couple that offer an air of heart and hospitality that will make audiences feel welcomed into this movie's world. Besides these four performers, there is a cast of unique and unpredictable characters. Each one has their own sense of humor and different way of illustrating this movie's drama. From Kumail's parents to the new employee at a drive through every performer in this movie does a good job illustrating this story about comedy, conundrums and catharsis.
           The weakest aspect of The Big Sick is its pacing and handling of its first act. The first half hour of The Big Sick is riddled with clichés, and this could be more than enough to provoke some viewers to turn off this movie immediately without giving it a second chance. The Big Sick, however, is worth watching until the end, because the second and third acts of this movie are far superior and more comedic than the lackluster first act. In addition to this movie's off-putting pacing, there are also some edits in this movie that range from bad to downright atrocious. It is clear the filmmakers were experimenting with some new editing tricks they wanted to try, but these tricks do not add depth or heighten this movie's experience. These tricks are just distracting.

           By far the best aspect of this pseudo biographical romantic comedy is its unique and endearing screenplay. The comedy in this film is a splendid blend of tasteful light humor and uncomfortable jokes meant to stir up controversy and awkward laughter. Everything is fair game for humor in this movie. From taking jabs at Uber drivers and stand up comedians to bringing up issues of ethnicity and culture clashes every topic of comedy addressed in Gordon and Najiani's screenplay is treated with a level of mature respect. These topics are also often addressed with an air of light heartedness that keeps the story from feeling too bogged down in tragedy or being controversial for the sake of being controversial. It's a story about culture, family, tragedy, love, life and how to laugh all the way through it. Kumail and Emily's writing is so uniquely endearing and classically iconic, it is no wonder why this screenplay is nominated for an Academy Award.

Verdict: Though it can be cliché and it has awkward pacing, The Big Sick offers some splendid moments of comedy and real to life drama making it worth seeking out for a movie night with friends and family.

"I don't want an Intricate, Beautiful thing Destroyed!" The Shape of Water Review

The Shape of Water

4/5

Written and Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Rated: R

           Within every human being is a desire for love. The common undercurrent of humanity is to embrace passion, and today it can feel like hatred and destruction are drowning out dreams and hope. In this time stories, film and art are necessary for reminding people what is most important in our lives. Guillermo del Toro describes The Shape of Water as "a fairy tale for troubled times." It is essentially a romance; a depiction of love beyond humanity and outward appearance. The film takes place in early 1960's Boston, where a top secret government facility has just acquired a new living and inexplicable creature, unlike anything they have ever encountered before.
          Three actors play Toro's main character, the marginalized and the outcast. Sally Hawkins stars as the delightful and intrepid Elisa, a mute janitor and lovely bachelorette. Richard Jenkins plays the earnest and impeccable Giles, Elisa's neighbor and local ad painter. Octavia Spencer rounds off the group as the boisterous and big hearted Zelda, Elisa's fellow janitor at the top secret government facility and Elisa's good friend. These three are on a mission to set free the mysterious amphibious creature from their top secret workplace. Doug Jones brings this volatile and beautiful creature to life, by wearing a detailed and attractive full body suit covered in makeup and aided by animatronic mechanisms and later added digital enhancements. This creature is so encapsulating and wondrous, watching it suffer in the facility is torturous, which makes watching it be tortured by Michael Shannon's character, Strickland, more compelling. Playing a role comprised of sinister intent and power plays, Shannon is an antagonist worthy of hate and a villain audiences will feel the rest of cast needs to outsmart in order to rescue the creature and embrace their own self worth. Aside from this casts brilliant performances, Toro's direction and knack for casting is so exquisite, each of these characters is able to tell their whole story through just their eyes. It is enchanting.
           Though The Shape of Water is an original film, it is not an original story. The songs and verses this screenplay echoes have been done before, and in some cases better than Toro's film. The beginning act of The Shape of Water could have been handled better, by screenwriters deciding whether to begin the story with detailed exposition or to throw audiences into the deep end of the film. Instead of choosing either option, the film has an off-putting balance between the two, and it can make viewers skeptical of this film's possible impact. The film's story is able to gain and retain an audience's attention and interest around the 25 minute mark. This does not mean the rest of the film's screenplay is fantastic, as there are moments where The Shape of Water can become overbearingly predictable. Though it treads similar ground, the film does go deeper into certain areas of this familiar story than past films have dared explore.
           Even if some viewers may not find themselves fully wrapped in The Shape of Water's screenplay, they are sure to become enamored with Toro's fascinating world. The Shape of Water's design is immaculate. Production designer Paul D. Austerberry uses his film set as something beyond a location for action. The use of teal, green and deep blue hues seen throughout the film make for rich and vivid imagery. This alluring and oceanic atmosphere is highlighted, through The Shape of Water's mesmerizing score. Composer Alexandre Desplat's music is transportive, surrounding listener's in an undersea city of mystery and beauty. It is both foreign and welcoming. When all of these elements combine, watching The Shape of Water feels less like a cinematic experience, as much as it feels like being consumed by a gallery painting.

Verdict: Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water is a masterfully directed film, if a little predictable, with passionate performances, impactful story aspects and an encapsulating visual and musical design.

"People come to my Show for the Pleasure of being Hoodwinked." The Greatest Showman Review

The Greatest Showman

2.5/5

Directed by: Michael Gracey

Rated: PG

           In New York City in the year 1841 American showman Phineas Taylor Barnum created the most extravagant form of live theatre the world had ever seen, Barnum's Circus. Full of acrobats, oddities and animals, no one before Barnum had attempted to create such a show, and few have since been able to capture Barnum's display of magic and wonder. Over 100 years later, up and coming director Michael Gracey decided he would direct his first film and dare to capture the thrills and fantasies behind the creation of Barnum's circus and the feeling of witnessing Barnum's original productions. The culmination of his efforts and his cast and crew's have brought audiences the fun and enjoyable musical The Greatest Showman.
           According to 20th Century Fox, The Greatest Showman director Gracey and lead performer Hugh Jackman have been developing this film for seven years. Gracey's debut film is best described as a musical spectacular. The main headline singers are Jackman, playing the overly positive day dreaming family man wearing the greatest jacket and top hat combo P.T. Barnum, Michelle Williams, as his ever loving and always graceful wife Charity Barnum, and Keala Settle, as the big voiced bearded woman Lettie Lutz. With these remarkable performances also come a few weaker performances, such as Zac Efron, Zendaya, and Rebecca Ferguson (who had a voice double provided by Loren Allred), but these performers' lack of showmanship is not due to their lack of trying.
           Every member of The Greatest Showman's cast puts their feet forward to show off some nifty choreography aided by the help of digital trickery. It is just that there are certain cast members who either could not get a hang of the dances or could not dance much to begin with, and so they are carefully kept at the edge of the frame or just off screen. Though the film may at times feel like an ensemble piece, the complete cast is rarely seen one frame, and it seems cast members compete against each other to prove which one of them is the greatest showman. Unfortunately there are often clear cut winners and losers.
           This tightrope act between winners and losers is most present in The Greatest Showman's screenplay. The film has a strong start, introducing its characters, illustrating the film's atmosphere and literally reaching out and pulling audiences into its parade of color and music. Somewhere after the 30 minute mark, the film introduces a few subplots that demand screen time over the film's main story. These subplots eventually win out as the protagonists become relatively passive, and spend the majority of the film's second act singing and talking about what they will do or should be doing, instead of doing it. In the film's favor, though, the lessons and dreams that the protagonists are pondering are wholesome, worthwhile and important virtues that family audiences will appreciate, such as the importance of self acceptance, the pursuit of good will and how to live a greater life than what the people of the world say is good. By the time it seems the film will continue for another half hour, it abruptly concludes with everyone learning a valuable lesson and singing a big finale. Though this is corny and a bit surprising, this feel good ending allows viewers the ability to leave the film feeling uplifted and happy.
          It is important noting that this film is intended to be an entertaining musical and not a factual biographical retelling of the life of P.T. Barnum. Since this film's goal is not accuracy but enjoyment, whether The Greatest Showman is a good retelling of historical events is irrelevant. For my readers who are curious how accurate this film is, feel free to click this link to historyvhollywood.com's article on The Greatest Showman.
           As The Greatest Showman is a musical, audiences should expect this film to consist mostly of song and dance numbers. There are 11 songs and reprises in The Greatest Showman, and all of the lyrics were written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, acclaimed lyricists of La la Land. The songs are well done, but they tend to overlap, as they are all about chasing a dream, whether it be making a family, creating a production, discovering yourself, owning the riches of the world or falling in love. A standout from the rest of The Greatest Showman's soundtrack is the self embracing and heart rallying chorus number "This is Me." Featuring a powerful solo performance from Keala Settle and strong resound from the rest of the cast, it is no wonder this song is a Golden Globe winner.
           Though the music in this film is well done, its integration in the film's story can at times feel jarring and could become irritating to some audience members. As these songs fit into the pop genre, the verses tend to repeat themselves quite often and all the songs are either unreasonably catchy or somewhat forgettable. This film's soundtrack could lead to one of two audience reactions; audience members leave the film spreading their arms wide open and singing along loud and proud, or they leave the film halfway through after telling it "shut up" over and over again. For fans of musicals and show tunes, The Greatest Showman is here to whisk them away to a world of sights, sounds and wonder. For audiences who do not like or are indifferent towards this angle of theatre, it would be best for them to either wait and see this film on home release or skip this one entirely.

Verdict: The Greatest Showman is an entertaining film that families can enjoy together, featuring a bright eyed cast, well written pop songs and important life lessons, but this film may suit some viewers better if they wait to see it on home release.

       Film Review Recommendations For fans of...

                                                     Hugh Jackman:                       Modern Musicals:  

"Here's Your Killer Track" Baby Driver Review

Baby Driver

4/5

Written and Directed by Edgar Wright

Rated: R

           Edgar Wright's body of directorial work is a collection of creatively clever comedies, including the zombie thriller Shaun of the Dead, the video game based love story Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World and the pub crawl to end all pub crawls The World's End. After 13 years of writing and directing, it would be expected that Wright's recent film would be less creative or humorous than his other films. Good thing Wright continues to defy expectations. His recent film brings audiences a rare pulp piece full of gripping action, high octane romance and...musical chase scenes. Ladies and gentlemen strap yourselves in for Edgar wright's latest film, the fabulous Baby Driver.
           Wright's story is about the greatest getaway driver in all of Atlanta, Baby. More uncommon than his name are his driving skills. This kid can tear up tarmac with a surgeon's precision and a tap dancer's finesse. He tends to keep himself, though, as Baby is a quiet mouthed introvert who spends most of his time listening to his iPod. It's partly for relaxation and partly therapeutic, as Baby has Tinnitus, the hearing of a sound when no sound is present, and he drowns out the hum on his drum with his favorite killer tracks. There's no one on the streets quite like Baby, so once he puts his life of crime behind him, it's no wonder a local waitress falls in love with him, his foster father wants him to make an honest living with his driving talents and his old crime boss calls him back in for one more ride.
           Baby Driver's cast of characters is a remarkable mix of good guys, bad guys, friends and foes. Baby is played excellently by Ansel Elgort who spent his time preparing for the role driving stunt cars and practicing his well timed choreography. All of his work pays off, as Elgort is on beat with his line delivery, easy moving on his feet, free driving behind the wheel and soul searching enough that he's earned a Golden Globe nomination. Playing along side Elgort is his love interests Debora, played captivatingly well by the starry eyed Lilly James, and his no funny games boss Doc, played earnestly well by a straight faced Kevin Spacey. Two of the biggest criminals on Doc's team are Darling, played by a sultry and sinister Eiza Gonzalez, and her husband Buddy, played by a composed and carnivorous Jon Hamm. The weakest cast member and most annoying character in Baby Driver is Bats, a madcap mouth breather played by an offbeat and tumultuous Jamie Foxx. Whether his performance was intended to break up this film's rhythm or Foxx chose not to say his lines on beat, it does not change the fact that scenes featuring him seem to either unnecessarily slow down or speed up Baby Driver's pacing. As Baby Driver's rhythm is integral to the film, it is important for every character to be on the beat.
           Baby Driver's most unique and engaging element is its connection with music and rhythm. From coffee runs to car chases every scene is meticulously synced to the current track playing on Baby's iPod. Scenes are cut according to a song's metre, their speed and intensity are determined by the music's tempo and a scene's light footed air or heavy hearted thunder is dependent on the music's feeling and mood. Surprisingly the music's genre does not determine a scene's feel. A Latin beat marks the tempo for a shoot out, a slow building piano riff signifies oncoming chaos and a 70's soul love song leads into an unavoidable confrontation and impendent death. Baby Driver's soundtrack consists of over 30 different songs from various artists. Each track was hand picked by Wright. While Wright was working on Baby Driver he asked his crew to think of the film as less of an action film and more of a musical. This is illustrated through his character's choreography. Bad guy's walk in 4/4 time, good guys flow across the floor and cars pirouette in perfect time. It's more than enough to make some audiences' jaws drop, others to sing along if they know the words and still others to stand up and applaud for Wright's maestroly constructed and cleverly written action comedy romance, Baby Driver.

Verdict: Edgar Wright's Baby Driver is a unique and well orchestrated action film, comedic musical and romantic thrill ride that will impress and engage Wright's fans and newcomers.

"I told you not to go in that House." Get Out Review

Get Out

2.5/5

Written and Directed by Jordan Peele

Rated: R

           In February 2017 comedy writer and actor Jordan Peele made his directorial debut with his culturally relevant comedic horror movie, Get Out. The story is about a young African American named Chris Washington, played with a genuine performance by Daniel Kaluuya, and his Caucasian girlfriend Rose Armitage, played charmingly well by Allison Williams. Chris is spending the weekend at Rose's house where he meets her family, but once Chris' stay starts, weird stuff begins happening (and it's not the usual kind of "oh, that was spooky" weird. This is some messed up everything is telling me "run, it is absolutely not safe here" kind of weird). In typical horror film fashion, by the time our protagonist realizes that everything is not what it seems, it is too late. Caught in a deceptive trap with no foreseeable escape, our hero has one goal, get out. Peele's movie has been nominated for two Golden Globes, including best motion picture that is a musical or comedy and Kaluuya has been nominated for best performance by an actor in a motion picture that is a musical or comedy.
           The best aspect of Peele's debut movie is its cast. Kaluuya does a terrific job playing Get Out's lead. Since the primary goal of Peele's screenplay is placing audiences in Chris' proverbial shoes, Kaluuya's genuine reactions to the bizarre events happening around him and his real sense of dread and fear are a great benefit for audiences. Accompanying Kalyuua are Williams as Rose, Chris' girlfriend, and LilRel Howery as Chris' best friend, Rod Williams. Between these two supporting performers they bring more than enough substantial realism and intriguing line delivery to match Kaluuya's performance. Bringing an alluring and creepy atmosphere to Get Out's cast are Catherine Keener, playing a motherly and ruthless hypnotist, and Bradley Whitford, playing a maniacal and executive leader of all that is creepy. Along with a complete cast of eerie performances, two highlights being Lakeith Stanfield's almost robotic persona and Stephen Root's dark and foreboding undertones, Get Out's cast of characters make the movie an engaging and startling experience, at least upon initial viewing.
           Though this movie's cast is superb, the rest of Get Out ranges between well done and below average. For instance, Peele's screenplay does a good job using a series of dinner conversations as a way of addressing the effects of implicit racism, the act of making ignorant assumptions based on someone's skin color, or deliberately making comments just to show you are not racist without realizing your comments are uncomfortably singling out an individual. These scenes are handled in an honest manner that promotes empathy for the movie's protagonist and anyone audience members may know who would be in a situation similar to Chris'. Peele's story also does a good job delving into the realm of weird, using minimalistic horror oddities and the occasional jump scare. Unfortunately, though, Peele's screenplay is not able to maintain an above average level throughout the majority of the movie's scenes, as most of Peele's dialogue is straight forward exposition or simply characters saying inconsequential weird things.
           The greatest detraction from Get Out is its off-putting pacing. The balance between scenes featuring conversations on honest implicit racism and scenes showcasing the most bizarre neighborhood antics is jarring. The movie's editing is just shy of efficiently connecting scenes, and it can make parts of Get Out feel either too quick or too slow. There is a sweet spot that this movie occasionally hits, but it is seldom. Even if this movie's inconsistent pacing is intentional, it does not justify Get Out's bombastic ending. In a complete turn from the movie's slow building suspense horror genre, Get Out concludes as a high speed action thriller. This sudden and unwarranted change in genre is more than enough to remove audiences from the movie and make them question and doubt Get Out's narrative. Though there are parts of this movie that are engaging and intriguing, Get Out's ending lacks payoff and is bound to leave some viewers laughing at the movie instead of laughing with it.

Verdict: Though it features realistic performances, sincere dialogue addressing implicit racism and worthwhile moments of minimalist horror, Get Out's off-putting pacing and bombastic conclusion reduce this movie's impact and are more than enough to deter this movie's less than casual viewers.