Toy Story 4 - Review

Toy Story 4

Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and the rest of the gang embark on a road trip with Bonnie and a new toy named Forky (Tom Hale). The adventurous journey turns into an unexpected reunion as Woody's slight detour leads him to his long-lost friend Bo Peep (Annie Potts). As Woody and Bo discuss the old days, they soon start to realize that they're worlds apart when it comes to what they want from life as a toy.

REVIEW: I have seen all three previous “Toy Story” films. Believe it or not this franchise started in November 1995. I damn sure would have screwed up at that Jeopardy Game show response in question form.  No way would I have guessed its almost 25 years old. Even still, it has grossed with its original and two sequels a worldwide box office total of $1,970 Billion in revenues…………………….it is an animation phenomenon.

Over almost a quarter of a century this franchise film has been able to appeal to a newer generation of children again and again while undoubtedly still remained appealing to people like me and younger – people who are now adults with children and grandchildren of their own. So, with such an imaginative rich legacy of critical and financial success it’s only natural over time the quality should have subsided a bit over the years. If for no other reason the initial creative minds at PIXAR who created this animated magic should have longed moved on professionally to other more stimulating projects. So just practically speaking there should be some diminishment in its quality over time………..  RIGHT? Clearly not in this case.

“Toy Story 4” (again) is cleverly masterful with lots of humanity, grace and an abundance of endearing heart that will indeed touch your heart, even better than most well intentioned live action films with humans.

The geniuses at PIXAR could have easily been satisfied with their previous work and retired these odd assortments of 1950’ stylized but equally charismatic toys. But what this current and its previous films all have in common is their unique ability to get inside you – to touch you with a basic and yet meaningful story of how these cartoon characters truly care for one another with an added virtuous dynamic bonus of them caring with real displays of deep personal reflection. And if that was not enough they also earnestly seem to care about their own lives, their own futures, their own fears and their own place in the world that viscerally connects the viewing audiences that coincides to their own goals, concerns, fears and aspirations. Toy Story’s legacy has been to connect all of these emotional dots and then pitch perfectly create a story that resonates with all people regardless of their ages.

Now, I will not be offering any plot details with “Toy Story 4” today. However, I will say it appears to be the last of this film saga. But nevertheless, this last one is exciting, enchanting, touching, surprising, funny, poignant, heartfelt, sweet, innocent and creative. It is a reaffirming homage to their 25 plus years journey together wrapped in singular universal belief, that we all had at some period happiness in our childhood. Happiness largely due to the many early years we had someone who cared for us and in turn we learned to care for them and others. And whether in fact it was a member of own family or just from the randomness coincidence of meeting a stranger who became a new dear friend. Either way caring for others still adds a fantastically spark to all lives that can be rewarding and reflectively enduring.

Toy Story 4“is an absolute must see with a huge timeless life’s lesson to experience inside. But in the process of watching and leaving the theater, if this film doesn’t touch or you don’t see the lesson in. Or you don’t feel the lessons in it; then you maybe, just maybe you might want to seriously reconsider feeling your pulse to determine who in fact was the real human in that theater you just left and who was up on the screen made out of plastic.

4.00 Stars

The Mustang - Review

The Mustang

Matthias Schoenaerts a Belgian actor, film producer, and graffiti artist star in the partly true story of a man of few words in a rural Nevada prison named “Roman Coleman”. A convict who clearly is unable to keep his temper in check in Director Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre’s sober and humanistic character study “The Mustang.”

Early, it is clear Roman has a severe lack of anger management which is the reason he is incarcerated going on nearly a decade ago from a domestic violence incident with his ex-wife. We see in the opening scene he is getting counseling and rehabilitation help from the prison therapist (Connie Britton) but he is not having any of it. Deliberately he remains isolated and withdrawn; a framed poster of what a tortured man looks like who is now thoroughly broken completely. And though on some occasions he is a tad remorseful he easily goes back to being even angrier than before because of the deep seeded helplessness he feels from the isolation of the prison. With only his daughter coming to visit him, its clear their relationship is totally broken as well. He is just not good with people including his daughter.

One day Roman while on the yard doing clean up duty he notices an angry mustang corralled up in the prison grounds. The prison has a program where wild mustangs are wrangled up in the desert and then housed on the prison grounds to be trained by the inmates as part of a rehabilitation program for a select few inmates for their eventual auction to the federal government for border patrol. Roman is observed showing a keen interest in the wild horse named “Marcus” and is quickly encouraged by the horseman in charge “Myles” (Bruce Dern) to get into the training program.

REVIEW: Running a brief 96 minutes, “The Mustang” overall is decent enough to watch. It is solid and pretty consistent in its pacing throughout. But early on you sense while the movie is obviously taking you down a path for that mutual moment where both the wild caged man and the wild caged horse would heal each from the repetitive exercises of training, mutual trust and discipline; the overall effect of their journey to get to their healing was way too slow, tedious and pedestrian to experience. The fact is instead of me having an empathetic moment of joy for their mutual redemption, it felt like the full measure of their new emotional bond wasn’t completely told. As if something else (not explored) was still simmering underneath the surface and not fully realized.

“The Mustang” is well intentioned by wanting to boldly examine the realities of incarceration, animal captivity and healing, but for me the film only managed to remind that being in prison in general is simply not a place to be period……. under any circumstances………..whether one is training horses, cats, dogs or not.

2.75 Stars

Late Night - Review

Late Night

Academy Award winner Emma Thompson (“Howards End”) and Mindy Kaling (“The Office”) together star in an American comedy-drama film directed by Nisha Ganatra and written screenplay by Mindy Kaling called “Late Night”.

Legendary talk-show host Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson) is a pioneer in her field. The only woman ever to have a long-running program on late night, she keeps her writers’ room on a short leash and they all male. But when her ratings plummet and she is accused of being a “woman who hates women,” Katherine puts gender equality on her to-do list and impulsively hires Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling), a chemical plant efficiency expert from suburban Pennsylvania, as the first and only female on her writing staff.

With rumors swirling that Katherine is being replaced by a younger, hipper male host, she demands that the writers make her funny and relevant again. A lifelong fan, Molly is determined to prove she’s not just a diversity hire, but the one person who can turn her idol’s career around.

REVIEW: There is much to like about “Late Night”. It’s relentlessly charming, witty and very much in the modern world as it adroitly touches on all the “isms and or “ists ” that are common in most work place environments without ever being political or maudlin. Specifically, with loads of clever panache throughout its 1:40 minute running time we watch these two women who are at the opposite ends of their career spectrum fight for their professional survival. The have to fight back when its both their day to day colleagues and their senior work place management who are making broad unfounded assumptions justified by only their deep personal bias someone new, different or old is always automatically unqualified for their jobs for reasons having nothing to do with capability or character. “Late Night” tackles all of these issues with just the right balance of humor and appointed seriousness to make this (for me), a very, very surprising entertaining movie going experience.

As the acting goes, Mindy Kaling is going to be a star, maybe even an Academy Award winning star one day. While she is culturally of Indian decent, she seems through her acting ability here to be able to project the emotional embodiment of all women who have one time or another have dealt with misogyny. And without it being exclusively encapsulated in one specific nationality, Kaling navigates this specific woman's struggle as global women's struggles with disarming humor, realism and dignity.

But the real reason to see this film is Emma Thompson, who with profound displays of intelligence, sexiness and authenticity, you can actually begin to see her as a late night host as she brings to life her Katherine Newbury” with real and full instincts with moments of authenticity as a take charge “my way or the highway” hosts. And while her Katherine is seen as someone who is always direct and honest, there are other times she is believably brutal, condescending and abrasive to again being someone who is appropriately emotional, emphatic and caring. This is an impressive performance from Thompson and easily reminded me why I have been a big (smitten) fan of hers since 1992 in “Howard's End” and the equally impressive 1993 follow up in “Remains of the Day”, which both were respectfully nominated for as Best Pictures. 

In the end “Late Night” is not a rush out to see film, but it definitely should be a priority to see film on your fall red box or on demand rental viewing list.

3.25 Stars

Always Be My Maybe - Netflix Original - Review

Always Be My Maybe

Netflix Original

Childhood sweethearts have a falling out and don't speak for 15 years. They reconnect as adults when Sasha, now a celebrity chef opening a restaurant in San Francisco, runs into Marcus, a happily struggling musician still living at home working for his dad as an electrician.

One might think that sparks would naturally fly again between the two, but they don’t. Marcus has regressed in terms of his achieving his goals and aspirations and Sasha successful in her own right is engaged to a highly successful entrepreneur chef who seemingly adores her. But with everyone making a full effort in their intentions to be civil to one another, the old memories of why they were close as kids keeps coming to the surface making it very difficult for both to admit they still may have deep feelings for each other after all this time.

REVIEW:  Structured as a light Korean romantic comedy, “Always Be My Maybe” is not going to take you or its overall story to any new places. You can pretty much surmise from the onset how this quirky topsy-turvy tale of love is actually going to end. But what is its strength is just how fully realized these two lovers (now adults) are executed with its smart writing and perfectly executed acting. And showcasing a solid cast that are all highly intelligent and mature, with one minor exception, this rom-com keeps delivering good entertaining stuff to thoroughly enjoy throughout its lightly dramatic story . 

It is also equally effective even when the writing settles for some momentary well timed adolescent behavior and humor. Director Nahnatchka Khan makes sure her Marcus and Sasha whether in the dramatic or comical moments, always keeps their conversational exchanges between the two (and others) crisp, nifty  and in the moment very real that for me was a huge pleasure to see and listen to.

In addition to the Direction there are several on going jokes that left me laughing throughout its 1:40 minute running time ranging from a matter of tipping for services rendered, Vienna sausages, an elaborate restaurant meal, a kind of truth or dare game, a car door that won’t open and buying a suit for a big event.

From the very beginning, “Always Be My Maybe” knows its true purpose in its ability to making you smile about 2 really decent and kind people finding love a second time around. It’s clever, with an irresistible wit and charm that is appropriately punctuated with some hilarious moments and verbal quips to keep the story fresh and refreshingly unpredictable.

3.50 Stars

The Souvenir - Review

The Souvenir

Part drama, part mystery and part love story, “The Souvenir” stars Honor Swinton Byrne, (daughter of Academy Award Winner Tilda Swinton) as “Julie” a shy film student who is just starting to find her voice and place in the world as an artist. Then unexpectedly she meets an older man named “Anthony”. Soon thereafter Julie begins to navigate a turbulent courtship with Anthony where she see's both his charismatic and his untrustworthy side. Defying her protective mother advice Tilda Swinton) and her many concerned friends, she still slips deeper and deeper into an intense, emotionally fraught relationship which comes dangerously close to destroying her dreams as a film maker.

REVIEW: In short, ………………"The Souvenir” got a 92% on Rotten Tomato. And by me seeing these types of small slices of life independent films, it illustrates a broad, generous and magnanimous example of why you don’t have too.

I have never had more of a tortuous, emotionally vacant, excruciating and agonizing boring 2-hour film going experience.

My score?................ I am being generous.

1.00 Star

Rocketman - Review

Rocketman

“ROCKETMAN” is part Broadway epic, part lavish musical choreographed production, part fantasy and part personal drama about the incredible human story of rock singer Elton John's breakthrough years. The film follows mostly the transformative early journey of then Reginald Dwight into his eventual twenty something days as the international superstar we all know as Elton John. Less a hard critical examination and more of an inspirational and nostalgic story all set to the incredible library of music created by Elton John and his collaborative lifelong writer lyricist partner Bernie Taupin. Running just slight over 2 hours the film is a wonderful reminder of the most beloved John’s songs.

REVIEW: “Rocketman” in the first 60 seconds we see Elton checking himself into rehab in full over the top costume in bright orange adorned with peacock flowery plumage. You realize then that this film may not tell everything in dark dramatic terms about the singer’s past it definitely was not going to wiz by glossing over the basic facts that he was both a great performer to fans on the surface and also had a dark addiction to multiple chemical drugs and on and off sexual excesses that together almost nearly killed him. And while the film overall feels overly safe with its light whimsical tone (apparently not wanting to really to offend anyone), it still managed to entertain being rooted in that old relatable small-town boy becoming an iconic music legion formula. It also is the classic and perpetually self-destructive rock star story of a man who had the world at his fingertips, never wanting for anything, adored around the world and yet was obviously shaped early by having a very lonely child hood from his parent’s lack of parental attention. A burden all through his early adulthood seemingly to have left him emotionally broken and terminally feeling being always alone in the world.

Directed by Dexter Fletcher who last year took over at the last minute to finished underwhelming Best Picture Winner “Bohemian Rhapsody”, this time out we see Fletcher manages to put some real substance into the full breath of this effort. This musical outing is filled with far more creativity, more authentic energy and more human value .And while the story moves along briskly it feels a bit too rushed moving for example past Elton’s suicide attempt as no really big deal. Maybe so, after all we know he is still alive today.

But the real standout to this film is the phenomenal work by actor Taron Egerton as Elton. Singing every song with his own voice, we believe its Elton for every wonderful song. For every painfully moment as the shy prodigy Reginald Dwight. For every young teen to adult moment desperately insecure; longing for his parent’s approval. As the clearly musical savant genius who would casually sit at a piano to then spiritually and instantly begin to feel the music come into him making the perfect notes that would breathe lasting life into unforgettable melodies from Bernie Taupin’s brilliant words. As the superb commanding master showman on the global stage. Yes, actor Edgeton pulls this all off without a single missed note and while the film falls a tad short of Oscar perfection Edgerton’s inhabiting of Elton John in body, soul and music deserves him some serious Oscar Nomination consideration.

On a side note some special praise go to the films editor and makeup costume specialist  as there were several scenes that were so vivid of previous Elton John’s past performances I could not tell for several seconds whether it was it old film footage or a screen reenactment (which is was the later).

The film is enjoyable to watch with tons of great songs to reminisce for………………as “it’s a little bit funny”, a bit campy, a bit heartwarming, at times silly and sometimes soaring……………..In the end it’s all about “Sir Elton John”…………..a genius singer and performer……………who after all he went through can say ‘He’s still standing and “How wonderful our life is with him in the world”.

3.75 Stars