This is part of my continuing series looking back on films from the years before I began this blog.
The ten films below are unranked and listed in no particular order. Enjoy.
Midnight Cowboy - The only rated-X Best Picture winner is emblematic of a new generation of filmmakers in ascension, embracing post-Code content freedoms and a new status quo in Hollywood. Of course, that rating would be changed years later, once standards shifted, but the remarkable thing was, in 1969 the taboo rating ultimately didn't matter. The film about New York lowlifes is that powerful, and its performances that resonant. Ratso Rizzo remains my favorite Dustin Hoffman role, for his pride and his despair, and for the greatest moment of improv ever caught camera.
Z - A chilling chronicle of a fictional European country that falls to Fascism, based on the Greek political clashes of the 1960s. Even if you know nothing about the background events, the film is a riveting watch, full of twists and turns with a bleak ending that is still far too relevant in today's political climate. Director Costa Gravas's use of jarring match cuts and Hollywood style suspense sequences keep the adrenaline pumping, but it's his commitment to dramatizing the relentless mechanisms of repression that make "Z" one of the most vital and timeless political dramas ever made.
Boy - Based on real events, "Boy" is a deeply troubling look at a family of grifters who involve their two young sons in a series of dangerous scams. While not as formally daring or politically charged as most of Nagisa Oshima's work, I appreciate its kid's eye view of the world and strong social critiques. The most disturbing scenes aren't the ones of criminal activity, but of our protagonist's home life and his deeply dysfunctional interactions with both parents. And then there's what's going on in the head of our young hero himself, which is often ambiguous even as his situation becomes more dire.
The Color of Pomegranates - One of the most visually striking films ever made, full of obscure symbols and abstract images. Its original title is "Sayat Nova," the name of the Armenian poet whose life is dramatized in the film. However, the narrative is totally unorthodox and largely impenetrable, with director Sergei Paradjanov preferring poetic impressions to literal representation. He uses the same actors to play multiple parts, repeats objects and compositions, and creates fantastical environments that never existed. As a result, the film is utterly unique, unknowable, and eternal.
The Cremator - One of the greats of the Czechoslovak New Wave, "The Cremator," is about a funeral director who is recruited and radicalized by the invading Nazis. It combines moments of surrealism, satire, horror, and melodrama in an extraordinarily affecting way to show the main character's mental and spiritual deterioration. The violence and the absurdity would be farcical if it weren't paired with a political extremism that is so frightfully real and familiar. The film finally resurfaced after being banned for years by the Soviets, but is still terribly obscure and unseen by the wider film community.
They Shoot Horses Don't They? - A marathon dance competition during the Great Depression turns into a hellish ordeal and existential crisis for its participants. This is one of the most absorbing, disturbing stories of greed and media exploitation I've ever seen, and I'm surprised that it has become so obscure in an era where it remains so relevant. Then again, watching the movie feels like a harrowing ordeal, one where there's little respite and the lack of a definitive ending is the point. The only real winner is the emcee, played by Gig Young, whose cries of "Yowza, yowza, yowza!" still echo in my ears.
Kes - Ken Loach has made a career out of examining the miseries of contemporary lower class Britons, and "Kes" is still his most famous and defining work. It plays out unlike most other films where a child forms a bond with an animal, and the story is primarily used to shed light on the bleakness of the protagonist's home life and the limited prospects he faces. Both the film and its source novel pointedly take place in a Yorkshire mining town, and are set against the crushing poverty of the times. And it's rendered with such touching realism, it can be difficult to remember the characters as fictional.
Last Summer - Four idle teenagers, left to their own devices on vacation, become friends. However, escalating social and sexual tensions result in cruelty and tragedy. As coming-of-age films go, "Last Summer" is very simple, very well-acted, and makes excellent use of loosening content restrictions and four excellent young actors. One of several high-profile X-rated films released in 1969, it's an unusually daring and sobering examination of adolescent peer pressure and sexuality. Perhaps it was a little too daring, as the film has almost completely disappeared from the public consciousness - a true cult classic.
Easy Rider - I can't hope to quantify the importance of "Easy Rider" to American cinema, or really to American culture. It's not so much the psychedelic filmmaking or the counterculture story or the performances - great as they all are. It's something about the underlying generational change of that era that Dennis Hopper and company managed to capture on film, that ineffable longing for the illusory freedom of the open road that became such a major touchstone of the '60s. Long before I saw the film, I knew the image of Fonda and Hopper riding to "Born to be Wild," and it's even more potent in context.
The Italian Job - It's the consummate British heist film, one with such style and such whimsy, but also a terribly cruel ending that delivers a delicious comeuppance. I adore Michael Caine as the amoral leader of the gang. I sat rapt through the overlong Mini Cooper chase sequence and wished it was longer. I loved all the planning and plotting and the rousing rendition of "Getta Bloomin' Move On! (The Self Preservation Society)." The rest of the films on this year's list are pretty miserable, so I'm happy to finish it off with a little fun.
Honorable Mention
The Wild Bunch
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Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Sunday, March 29, 2020
My Favorite Alain Resnais Film
This is the post I've been putting off the longest, because I've had the worst time trying to pick a film for Alain Resnais. He is without question one of the greats, in fact the last director on my list of personal favorites who I believe deserves the title without question. However, after watching every Resnais feature I could get my hands on, I came to the realization that my favorite movie of his was one I'd already written a post on in 2012. However, unlike other existing posts that I've incorporated into the Great Directors list, I wasn't satisfied with this one - I have more to say about the film, especially now in the context of seeing so much of Alain Resnais' other work.
So, the only solution I can see is revisiting the film, "Providence," and rewriting my review as a Great Directors post officially.
So let's talk about Alain Resnais, the New Wave adjacent French filmmaker who was playing with non-linear narratives and meta elements decades before Christopher Nolan and Charlie Kaufman. There are several distinct phases to the director's career, and "Providence" came toward the end of his most formally inventive period, when he was moving away from politically-minded subject matter to more existential themes. Time and memory are the subjects he returned to over and over again throughout his entire career, and are central to "Providence," his only film that was totally in English. The French loved it, the Americans hated it, and the Brits were very mixed.
An old man named Clive Langham played by John Gielgud spends a wakeful night alone, drunken and perhaps dying. He imagines scenes for a new novel he's writing, about a trio of people engaged in a bitter love triangle. There are suggestions that his characters are based on real people from his past, a past that he can't escape no matter how he manipulates and replays the scenes we see unfold. As the night goes on, he internally battles over the fates of his creations, and the writer's own memories and regrets intrude. The stellar cast includes Dirk Bogarde, Ellen Burstyn, David Warner, and Elaine Strich.
Resnais was always described as a very cerebral, rather cold director. Many of his most famous films involve these deeply personal reveries exploring an individual's fragmentary thoughts and perceptions, but there's a coolness and deliberateness to the narratives that makes them feel emotionally detached, held at a distance. This could be beneficial, especially in his early work like "Night and Fog," which catalogued the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. However, it made his features like "Last Year in Marienbad" and "Hiroshima Mon Amour" more difficult for me to connect with.
"Providence," on the other hand, is full of roiling emotions. We see the rage and vindictiveness of Langham directly reflected in his creations - a cuckolded husband, a traitorous wife, and a soldier with a monstrous side. We see his regrets and fears manifest in the way their stories unfold, and the inconsistency of their construction. Some have interpreted the film's seemingly happy, pastoral ending to be Langham's true reality, but I'm not convinced it isn't just another fantasy reflecting Langham's wishful thinking. However, what's vital is that even though it's never made clear what is real and what is not in "Providence," Clive Langham undergoes a very well delineated spiritual and emotional journey. And I found it a very moving one.
What also appeals to me are the meta elements - in this case Langham's struggle to produce a compelling story and characters, and the fascinating relationship that develops between the artist and his work. As the god of this universe, Langham has the power to make scenes repeat, dialogue to adjust, and the fundamental nature of his creations to change. However, what he's unable to control is the aspects of his personal experience and his own ego that keep slipping through - the ironic asides, the deep-seated resentments. His bitter commentary on the action reveals his frustration with the creative process, and the ease with which he's sidetracked by other preoccupations. And it makes the awful Langham so terribly human and sympathetic.
Alain Resnais' work fascinates me because it's so subjective and so interior, yet marvelously visual and dynamic. The films he made with editor Albert Jurgenson in the '70s, including "Providence," are my favorites for the way they capture the inner lives and impressions of their protagonists. There are so many, many filmmakers who owe those films a debt. And I sincerely hope that they'll be rediscovered by more viewers over time.
What I've Seen - Alain Resnais
Hiroshima mon amour (1959)
Last Year at Marienbad (1961)
Muriel (1963)
The War Is Over (1966)
Je t'aime, Je t'aime (1968)
Stavisky (1974)
Providence (1977)
My American Uncle (1980)
Mélo (1986)
Private Fears in Public Places (2006)
Wild Grass (2009)
You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet! (2012)
---
So, the only solution I can see is revisiting the film, "Providence," and rewriting my review as a Great Directors post officially.
So let's talk about Alain Resnais, the New Wave adjacent French filmmaker who was playing with non-linear narratives and meta elements decades before Christopher Nolan and Charlie Kaufman. There are several distinct phases to the director's career, and "Providence" came toward the end of his most formally inventive period, when he was moving away from politically-minded subject matter to more existential themes. Time and memory are the subjects he returned to over and over again throughout his entire career, and are central to "Providence," his only film that was totally in English. The French loved it, the Americans hated it, and the Brits were very mixed.
An old man named Clive Langham played by John Gielgud spends a wakeful night alone, drunken and perhaps dying. He imagines scenes for a new novel he's writing, about a trio of people engaged in a bitter love triangle. There are suggestions that his characters are based on real people from his past, a past that he can't escape no matter how he manipulates and replays the scenes we see unfold. As the night goes on, he internally battles over the fates of his creations, and the writer's own memories and regrets intrude. The stellar cast includes Dirk Bogarde, Ellen Burstyn, David Warner, and Elaine Strich.
Resnais was always described as a very cerebral, rather cold director. Many of his most famous films involve these deeply personal reveries exploring an individual's fragmentary thoughts and perceptions, but there's a coolness and deliberateness to the narratives that makes them feel emotionally detached, held at a distance. This could be beneficial, especially in his early work like "Night and Fog," which catalogued the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. However, it made his features like "Last Year in Marienbad" and "Hiroshima Mon Amour" more difficult for me to connect with.
"Providence," on the other hand, is full of roiling emotions. We see the rage and vindictiveness of Langham directly reflected in his creations - a cuckolded husband, a traitorous wife, and a soldier with a monstrous side. We see his regrets and fears manifest in the way their stories unfold, and the inconsistency of their construction. Some have interpreted the film's seemingly happy, pastoral ending to be Langham's true reality, but I'm not convinced it isn't just another fantasy reflecting Langham's wishful thinking. However, what's vital is that even though it's never made clear what is real and what is not in "Providence," Clive Langham undergoes a very well delineated spiritual and emotional journey. And I found it a very moving one.
What also appeals to me are the meta elements - in this case Langham's struggle to produce a compelling story and characters, and the fascinating relationship that develops between the artist and his work. As the god of this universe, Langham has the power to make scenes repeat, dialogue to adjust, and the fundamental nature of his creations to change. However, what he's unable to control is the aspects of his personal experience and his own ego that keep slipping through - the ironic asides, the deep-seated resentments. His bitter commentary on the action reveals his frustration with the creative process, and the ease with which he's sidetracked by other preoccupations. And it makes the awful Langham so terribly human and sympathetic.
Alain Resnais' work fascinates me because it's so subjective and so interior, yet marvelously visual and dynamic. The films he made with editor Albert Jurgenson in the '70s, including "Providence," are my favorites for the way they capture the inner lives and impressions of their protagonists. There are so many, many filmmakers who owe those films a debt. And I sincerely hope that they'll be rediscovered by more viewers over time.
What I've Seen - Alain Resnais
Hiroshima mon amour (1959)
Last Year at Marienbad (1961)
Muriel (1963)
The War Is Over (1966)
Je t'aime, Je t'aime (1968)
Stavisky (1974)
Providence (1977)
My American Uncle (1980)
Mélo (1986)
Private Fears in Public Places (2006)
Wild Grass (2009)
You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet! (2012)
---
Friday, March 27, 2020
Late Night Under Quarantine
With New York and Los Angeles under quarantine, and live audiences strictly forbidden, American late night talk shows have either shuttered or made drastic format changes. A few shows have either gone on break or closed down completely, but there have been several holdouts. Steven Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, Conan O'Brien, and Trevor Noah are all doing segments or even entire shows filmed from home. The results have been illuminating, if not always entertaining.
What happens when you have these talented comedians, take away their live audiences, their crews, their sets, their lighting, their graphics, their music, their suits, and sometimes even their professional camera and sound operators? Well, you end up with output that is awfully reminiscent of videos made by Youtube content creators. Stephen Colbert went from delivering his nightly monologue to a roaring New York audience, to a mostly empty theater in the first days of the quarantine, to a lone camera from his empty back patio. The jokes didn't change, and Colbert is as charismatic a presence as ever, but the effectiveness of the material went south immediately. The monologues, structured to account for applause breaks, fall flat when there's no one to play off of. Jimmy Fallon tried to account for this in one of his home monologues by playing pre-recorded audience cheers and jeers from an iPad.
Other familiar segments work better - the lo-fi interviews conducted with celebrities over Skype or Facetime, Seth Meyers' "A Closer Look" investigative segments, and Trevor Noah's news rundowns have all come across just fine. I doubt John Oliver will run into much trouble when he starts delivering new episodes of "Last Week Tonight" from home next week. And being stuck in quarantine presents new opportunities for comedy, like watching Colbert change a bicycle tire or cosplay as Tony Stark. I have to admit that there's a voyeuristic part of me that's intrigued with the glimpses we're getting of these celebrities' home lives. Jimmy Fallon's kids have popped up in segments and intruded on interviews. We've gotten to see some very nice back yards, front porches, play rooms, garages, and offices. It's also very humanizing to see the late night hosts out of their suits and ties, often with little or no makeup.
We have to keep in mind that this situation is unprecedented, and the bare bones production values represent a very different situation than any we've seen afflict the entertainment industry before. In the past there have been blackouts, writers' strikes, and national emergencies that have resulted in wildly unorthodox late night installments. Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno memorably delivered episodes of their shows during the 2003 Northeast Blackout with only a couple of flashlights and candles for lighting. During the writers' strikes, host fell back on improv, stunts, and more emphasis on audience interaction and interviews. The quarantine, however, requires that everyone stay in social isolation, severely limiting the scope of what these shows can do. What we're currently seeing is mainstream entertainers trying to learn the ropes of online content creators, who have always worked out of bedrooms and basements on shoestring budgets, and it's often kinda bizarre.
On the other hand, the quarantine shows are yielding some good things. Interviews feel warmer and less stagey. Hosts are forced to be more inventive and roll with the unexpected. The performer I now have much more respect for is Stephen Colbert's band leader, Jon Batiste. He may not be much of a banter partner, but on several episodes he's provided musical accompaniment on an upright piano from home, playing the show's intro theme and other pieces via what appears to be camera phone footage. And he's fabulous at it. Jimmy Fallon is also suddenly much more watchable and relatable, his persona more suited to a domestic setting than some of his fellow hosts. I also appreciate the various shows' appeals to quarantine solidarity and willingness to promote various charities during the crisis.
And, frankly, in a bad situation it's very comforting to know that these guys are around, going through some of the same cabin fever and drastic lifestyle changes that everyone else is. I'll be very happy to see everyone back in their suits and ties eventually, but for now I'll take what I can get. Even if it's just watching Jimmy Fallon setting up a tent in his backyard, or scoping out Trevor Noah's living room setup.
--
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
"The Expanse," Year Four
I'm glad that Amazon Prime brought back "The Expanse," which is in the running for the most ambitious series still in production. The fourth season takes some big steps, sending the crew of the Rocinante out of the solar system, and introducing a new, shaky status quo for humanity. However, the show insists on maintaining multiple storylines, including for characters who don't have much to do this season, and is a little less narratively adventurous.
Avasarala sends Holden and the Roci through one of the Ring Gates to Ilus, an alien world that Holden suspects may hold answers about the protomolecule's creators. They find trouble brewing between the Belter refugees who have taken up residence there, and an expedition team from Earth, working for a mining corporation. The expedition is lead by new villain Chief Murtry (Burn Gorman) and his second, Chandra Wei (Jess Salgueiro), who Amos takes a liking to. There's also exobiologist Elvi Okoye (Lyndie Greenwood), who befriends Holden. On the Belters' side there's Lucia Mazur (Rosa Gilmore) and her daughter Felcia (Kyla Madeira). Meanwhile, Avasarala is battling a new challenger, Nancy Gao (Lily Gao) for leadership of the UN, Bobbie Draper is navigating a bunch of bad options on an economically depressed Mars, and Drummer and Ashford struggle to keep the peace while wrangling a terrorist instigator, Marco Inaros (Keon Alexander) - Naomi's ex.
Ilus is obviously the big story this season, and handled very well. We see the conflict from all sides, the action moves quickly, and the situation is constantly changing, putting our characters in the middle of a series of harrowing situations. I appreciate that the show addresses many of the concerns of colonizing a new frontier - mystery organisms, challenging terrain, illnesses, extreme weather, vehicle breakdowns, general chaos, and a variety of competing interests. The show's budget keeps up with all of this wonderfully, providing tsunamis, spaceships, swarms of alien pests, and ominous glowy artifacts as needed. None of the new characters are particularly deep, but they're a very watchable lot, with Burn Gorman in prime, scenery chewing, officious baddie mode. The Ilus narrative is itself frequently divided up among multiple characters, so we're watching different groups battling different problems at the same time - a ship falling out of orbit, a mystery ailment attacking the setters, a hunt for a saboteurs, etc.
The other storylines are comparatively much simpler and character focused, and clearly being used to set up bigger conflicts later down the road. Shohreh Adghdashloo has no trouble keeping Avasarala's political battles interesting, as there are clear ties to all the other storylines playing out. Drummer and Ashford acquit themselves pretty well too. Bobbie Draper's troubled civilian life, however, sticks out as an oddity. There doesn't seem to be much justification for her taking up as much of the narrative as she does, and Frankie Adams seems adrift with Bobbie largely denied her ability to be a badass. It's also easily a story the show could have skipped over with few consequences. I hope "The Expanse" is renewed for another season or two so we can see if all this buildup is worthwhile.
If I had my druthers, we'd be getting a little more character drama with the Rocinante crew. Aside from Amos's ill-fated romance, there hasn't been much progression on that front. Naomi and Holden's relationship has been at a virtual standstill for ages. Ditto Drummer and Ashford, who were too often stuck in the role of exposition delivery, despite being some of the most charismatic personalities in the show. At least this season did right by Avasarala, who I've felt was too often sidelined in the past. The role of her husband Arjun was recast this year, bringing more focus to her private life. And getting a glimpse into her dressing room was a treat.
Still, nothing beats "The Expanse" for the sheer scale of its worldbuilding. This is a show where I find it perfectly expected that we'll see multi-year timejumps, major new characters (and new species, and new planets) being introduced constantly. You have a political drama, an action adventure, and a crime story all happening simultaneously, with a clear sense of momentum and purpose propelling everything forward. The Ring Gates appearing in the third season opened up new avenues for storytelling, and so far they've been handled with the same systemic care and consideration and scientific rigor as everything else in the show.
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Avasarala sends Holden and the Roci through one of the Ring Gates to Ilus, an alien world that Holden suspects may hold answers about the protomolecule's creators. They find trouble brewing between the Belter refugees who have taken up residence there, and an expedition team from Earth, working for a mining corporation. The expedition is lead by new villain Chief Murtry (Burn Gorman) and his second, Chandra Wei (Jess Salgueiro), who Amos takes a liking to. There's also exobiologist Elvi Okoye (Lyndie Greenwood), who befriends Holden. On the Belters' side there's Lucia Mazur (Rosa Gilmore) and her daughter Felcia (Kyla Madeira). Meanwhile, Avasarala is battling a new challenger, Nancy Gao (Lily Gao) for leadership of the UN, Bobbie Draper is navigating a bunch of bad options on an economically depressed Mars, and Drummer and Ashford struggle to keep the peace while wrangling a terrorist instigator, Marco Inaros (Keon Alexander) - Naomi's ex.
Ilus is obviously the big story this season, and handled very well. We see the conflict from all sides, the action moves quickly, and the situation is constantly changing, putting our characters in the middle of a series of harrowing situations. I appreciate that the show addresses many of the concerns of colonizing a new frontier - mystery organisms, challenging terrain, illnesses, extreme weather, vehicle breakdowns, general chaos, and a variety of competing interests. The show's budget keeps up with all of this wonderfully, providing tsunamis, spaceships, swarms of alien pests, and ominous glowy artifacts as needed. None of the new characters are particularly deep, but they're a very watchable lot, with Burn Gorman in prime, scenery chewing, officious baddie mode. The Ilus narrative is itself frequently divided up among multiple characters, so we're watching different groups battling different problems at the same time - a ship falling out of orbit, a mystery ailment attacking the setters, a hunt for a saboteurs, etc.
The other storylines are comparatively much simpler and character focused, and clearly being used to set up bigger conflicts later down the road. Shohreh Adghdashloo has no trouble keeping Avasarala's political battles interesting, as there are clear ties to all the other storylines playing out. Drummer and Ashford acquit themselves pretty well too. Bobbie Draper's troubled civilian life, however, sticks out as an oddity. There doesn't seem to be much justification for her taking up as much of the narrative as she does, and Frankie Adams seems adrift with Bobbie largely denied her ability to be a badass. It's also easily a story the show could have skipped over with few consequences. I hope "The Expanse" is renewed for another season or two so we can see if all this buildup is worthwhile.
If I had my druthers, we'd be getting a little more character drama with the Rocinante crew. Aside from Amos's ill-fated romance, there hasn't been much progression on that front. Naomi and Holden's relationship has been at a virtual standstill for ages. Ditto Drummer and Ashford, who were too often stuck in the role of exposition delivery, despite being some of the most charismatic personalities in the show. At least this season did right by Avasarala, who I've felt was too often sidelined in the past. The role of her husband Arjun was recast this year, bringing more focus to her private life. And getting a glimpse into her dressing room was a treat.
Still, nothing beats "The Expanse" for the sheer scale of its worldbuilding. This is a show where I find it perfectly expected that we'll see multi-year timejumps, major new characters (and new species, and new planets) being introduced constantly. You have a political drama, an action adventure, and a crime story all happening simultaneously, with a clear sense of momentum and purpose propelling everything forward. The Ring Gates appearing in the third season opened up new avenues for storytelling, and so far they've been handled with the same systemic care and consideration and scientific rigor as everything else in the show.
---
Monday, March 23, 2020
"Watchmen" is Worth the Watch (With Spoilers)
The main criticism of Damon Lindelof's "Watchmen" is one that I agree with. This nine-episode series was sold to us as a story about Fascist cops in masks being pitted against a group of white supremacists that had co-opted Rohrschach's ideology, with no side really being totally in the right. And the "Watchmen" series dealt with that for all of three episodes before turning its attentions elsewhere, especially when Dr. Manhattan comes into play. Oh, and the white supremacists turn out to be the totally villainous ones in the end, and we get to see them blowed up real good in the last episode. This is very disappointing, considering the heavily political nature of the original "Watchmen" comic.
In the end, "Watchmen" is more of a typical Lindelof show, about solving mysteries and getting to know a bunch of interesting characters along the way. The character spotlight episodes are easily the best ones. Also, while the politics get backgrounded, the series does a decent job of handling the themes of racial injustice and legacies of hatred. Easily the most daring and admirable choice they made was retconning the character of Hooded Justice, the first superhero in the "Watchmen" universe, to be an African-American man played by Lou Gossett Jr. and Jovan Adepo. That episode, chronicling the creation of Hooded Justice and his eventual co-option by white superheroes, was a fantastic commentary on race relations done through a typical superhero origin story.
Similarly, I found episodes centering around Agent Blake, Looking Glass, and Doctor Manhattan very strong, and loved the little weekly check-ins with Adrian Veidt (though I wish they would have made it more explicit that his story was mirroring Lady Trieu's). I like that there was room for all these different performances and facets of this universe. The show had just the right amount of bizarreness and humor (Hi Lubeman!), and enough fanservice to satisfy the old die-hard fans like me, but was never so impenetrable that a newbie couldn't enjoy it. I have to marvel at all the little details and all the little devices that the show kept from the comic - all the alternate history worldbuilding, the "Peteypedia" supplemental materials, the "American Hero Story" segments, the "Fearful Symmetry" structure, and they actually showed the goddamned squid!
This is one of the few shows where picking apart all the little minutiae was so much fun, and exactly what the creators intended for viewers to do in the first place. And sure, figuring out that Trieu was a Veidt, or that Cal was Manhattan early blunted the actual reveals a bit, but that didn't matter to the stories in the long run, because they were so well executed. And I loved seeing the "Watchmen" universe through a slightly different lens, from the viewpoint of African-American characters through their histories and their culture. Bass Reeves inspiring Will to become Hooded Justice, just as he inspired the creation of the Lone Ranger, fits so beautifully. And one little detail I can't get over is that the '70s blaxploitation version of Nite Owl in this universe is a fella called Batman.
On the other hand, I wonder if there was a little too much fanservice, a little too much game-playing. The first episode had a ton of explicit references to the comics, like the blood splatters and the smiley faces, and I'm glad those stopped quickly. However, there were replaced by the foreshadowing of future events. Did all the time spent on puns and Superman references get in the way of the writers really digging into the implications of vigilantism within the police force? Did having Blake tell a literal "brick joke" take attention from the wider implications of the government paying out racial violence reparations? I didn't want the show to solve racism, but I did feel cheated that we never got a closer look at a fascinating "what if?" situation that was outwardly the most intriguing aspect of the new series.
I think the show was a little too short, ultimately. The finale played out much too quick - we could have used another spotlight episode for Lady Trieu or Judd Crawford to address some lingering questions about their motives. Maybe I just want more of Hong Chau's understated megalomania and Don Johnson's genial ambiguity. Still, the ending saw just about every setup pay off, and I'm not about to argue that there's anything wrong with economical storytelling. The reveal about Cal initially had me skeptical, but the subsequent "A God Walks Into a Bar" was a very effective episode that told us all we need to know about Dr. Manhattan's role in this story and his relationship with Angela Abar.
And that leads us to the question, should there be a second season? I don't see why not, since Lindelof and company managed to pull off a very decent miniseries. And, as Dr. Manhattan himself put it, nothing ever ends…
Though if I had my druthers, they'd wait another thirty years to try.
---
In the end, "Watchmen" is more of a typical Lindelof show, about solving mysteries and getting to know a bunch of interesting characters along the way. The character spotlight episodes are easily the best ones. Also, while the politics get backgrounded, the series does a decent job of handling the themes of racial injustice and legacies of hatred. Easily the most daring and admirable choice they made was retconning the character of Hooded Justice, the first superhero in the "Watchmen" universe, to be an African-American man played by Lou Gossett Jr. and Jovan Adepo. That episode, chronicling the creation of Hooded Justice and his eventual co-option by white superheroes, was a fantastic commentary on race relations done through a typical superhero origin story.
Similarly, I found episodes centering around Agent Blake, Looking Glass, and Doctor Manhattan very strong, and loved the little weekly check-ins with Adrian Veidt (though I wish they would have made it more explicit that his story was mirroring Lady Trieu's). I like that there was room for all these different performances and facets of this universe. The show had just the right amount of bizarreness and humor (Hi Lubeman!), and enough fanservice to satisfy the old die-hard fans like me, but was never so impenetrable that a newbie couldn't enjoy it. I have to marvel at all the little details and all the little devices that the show kept from the comic - all the alternate history worldbuilding, the "Peteypedia" supplemental materials, the "American Hero Story" segments, the "Fearful Symmetry" structure, and they actually showed the goddamned squid!
This is one of the few shows where picking apart all the little minutiae was so much fun, and exactly what the creators intended for viewers to do in the first place. And sure, figuring out that Trieu was a Veidt, or that Cal was Manhattan early blunted the actual reveals a bit, but that didn't matter to the stories in the long run, because they were so well executed. And I loved seeing the "Watchmen" universe through a slightly different lens, from the viewpoint of African-American characters through their histories and their culture. Bass Reeves inspiring Will to become Hooded Justice, just as he inspired the creation of the Lone Ranger, fits so beautifully. And one little detail I can't get over is that the '70s blaxploitation version of Nite Owl in this universe is a fella called Batman.
On the other hand, I wonder if there was a little too much fanservice, a little too much game-playing. The first episode had a ton of explicit references to the comics, like the blood splatters and the smiley faces, and I'm glad those stopped quickly. However, there were replaced by the foreshadowing of future events. Did all the time spent on puns and Superman references get in the way of the writers really digging into the implications of vigilantism within the police force? Did having Blake tell a literal "brick joke" take attention from the wider implications of the government paying out racial violence reparations? I didn't want the show to solve racism, but I did feel cheated that we never got a closer look at a fascinating "what if?" situation that was outwardly the most intriguing aspect of the new series.
I think the show was a little too short, ultimately. The finale played out much too quick - we could have used another spotlight episode for Lady Trieu or Judd Crawford to address some lingering questions about their motives. Maybe I just want more of Hong Chau's understated megalomania and Don Johnson's genial ambiguity. Still, the ending saw just about every setup pay off, and I'm not about to argue that there's anything wrong with economical storytelling. The reveal about Cal initially had me skeptical, but the subsequent "A God Walks Into a Bar" was a very effective episode that told us all we need to know about Dr. Manhattan's role in this story and his relationship with Angela Abar.
And that leads us to the question, should there be a second season? I don't see why not, since Lindelof and company managed to pull off a very decent miniseries. And, as Dr. Manhattan himself put it, nothing ever ends…
Though if I had my druthers, they'd wait another thirty years to try.
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Thursday, March 19, 2020
"Watchmen" is Worth the Watch (Without Spoilers)
I'm a fan of the Alan Moore "Watchmen" comic-book miniseries from the 1980s, and didn't think very highly of the Zack Snyder adaptation. However, I was willing to give the new Damon Lindelof "Watchmen" project the benefit of the doubt. This wasn't another adaptation, but what was described in the marketing as a "remix" or "revamp." I found the coyness a little annoying. The new "Watchmen" series turned out to be a plain old sequel, bringing back many of the characters from the original. And despite there being a lot of hurdles in its path, the series is far better than I could have hoped for.
In the present day, well over thirty years after the events of the "Watchmen" comic book, life in the alternate version of America where superheroes exist is still rolling along. The action centers on Tulsa, where the police force wears masks, and some officers assume hero identities, in order to fight a group of masked white supremacists, the Seventh Cavalry. Detective Angela Abar (Regina King) adopts the persona of Sister Night, and her partner Wade (Tim Blake Nelson) uses a reflective mask and the name Looking Glass. After their chief, Judd Crawford (Don Johnson), is murdered, strange folks start turning up in town - an ancient man named Will (Lou Gossett Jr.), an FBI Agent (Jean Smart) with a past, and a Vietnamese tycoon, Lady Trieu (Hong Chau), who is building a strange clock. Meanwhile, somewhere entirely different, having no apparent connection to any of this, an elderly man (Jeremy Irons) and his servants (Tom Mison, Sarah Vickers) lead a seemingly idyllic life that soon goes terribly awry.
Can you watch the new "Watchmen" without any knowledge of the book or the movie? I think so, though the learning curve will be steeper, and newbies will obviously miss out on the tons and tons of easter eggs crammed into the show. Still, the series starts out with lots of mysteries for everyone to pick apart. Thirty-four years have passed, none of the old characters are in the same places where we left them, and there are all the new characters to get to know. There's a considerable effort put toward the alternate history worldbuilding - Vietnam now being the 51st American state, communication technology being no more advanced than pagers, and periodic storms of baby squids falling from the sky are just some of the headscratchers introduced in the first episode. But don't worry - the series was written to be self-contained, so nearly every mystery is wrapped up by the end.
It helps that while everyone involved in the show clearly loves Alan Moore's "Watchmen," the new "Watchmen" has its own agenda and its own ideas. Race relations and generational trauma are big themes, while anti-Fascism takes a back seat this time out. The writers aren't afraid to muck around with the established canon to suit their own purposes, and in many cases they bite off far more than they can chew. However, the outsized ambition is part of what makes the nine-episode series so exciting. It's seeing the combination of comic-book imagery with real-world racial prejudice, police overreach, and security state paranoia. It's the way it invokes real, painful incidents from American history, including the burning of Tulsa's Black Wall Street in the opening moments of the first episode. Many of these ideas are only superficial, and certain themes get sidelined awfully quick, alas, but they do raise the right questions.
This is also an exceptionally well cast show, making great use of Jean Smart's steeliness, Tim Blake Nelson's hounddog expressions, and Jeremy Irons' wonderful comic timing and inestimable camp value. However, the highest kudos go to Regina King as the foulmouthed, soft-hearted Angela, who is trying to balance her secret life as an angry avenger with a normal home life parenting three adopted kids alongside her husband Cal (Yahya Abdul Mateen II). The show revolves around Angela and the legacies foisted on her by a tangle of different relationships and obligations. She makes for a great POV character, and is vital to helping make sense of "Watchmen's" more convoluted bits of plotting. I think the show does right by her, if nothing else.
"Watchmen" isn't perfect, and probably a little overhyped, but it does manage to be about ideas and characters over action scenes and spectacle. Like "Legion," it's a difficult series, wrangling difficult themes with not always the greatest success. But of all the superhero media we've seen this year, it's easily the best thing we've gotten. And I'm going to expand on that more in the next post, where I'm going to get into all the spoilers.
---
In the present day, well over thirty years after the events of the "Watchmen" comic book, life in the alternate version of America where superheroes exist is still rolling along. The action centers on Tulsa, where the police force wears masks, and some officers assume hero identities, in order to fight a group of masked white supremacists, the Seventh Cavalry. Detective Angela Abar (Regina King) adopts the persona of Sister Night, and her partner Wade (Tim Blake Nelson) uses a reflective mask and the name Looking Glass. After their chief, Judd Crawford (Don Johnson), is murdered, strange folks start turning up in town - an ancient man named Will (Lou Gossett Jr.), an FBI Agent (Jean Smart) with a past, and a Vietnamese tycoon, Lady Trieu (Hong Chau), who is building a strange clock. Meanwhile, somewhere entirely different, having no apparent connection to any of this, an elderly man (Jeremy Irons) and his servants (Tom Mison, Sarah Vickers) lead a seemingly idyllic life that soon goes terribly awry.
Can you watch the new "Watchmen" without any knowledge of the book or the movie? I think so, though the learning curve will be steeper, and newbies will obviously miss out on the tons and tons of easter eggs crammed into the show. Still, the series starts out with lots of mysteries for everyone to pick apart. Thirty-four years have passed, none of the old characters are in the same places where we left them, and there are all the new characters to get to know. There's a considerable effort put toward the alternate history worldbuilding - Vietnam now being the 51st American state, communication technology being no more advanced than pagers, and periodic storms of baby squids falling from the sky are just some of the headscratchers introduced in the first episode. But don't worry - the series was written to be self-contained, so nearly every mystery is wrapped up by the end.
It helps that while everyone involved in the show clearly loves Alan Moore's "Watchmen," the new "Watchmen" has its own agenda and its own ideas. Race relations and generational trauma are big themes, while anti-Fascism takes a back seat this time out. The writers aren't afraid to muck around with the established canon to suit their own purposes, and in many cases they bite off far more than they can chew. However, the outsized ambition is part of what makes the nine-episode series so exciting. It's seeing the combination of comic-book imagery with real-world racial prejudice, police overreach, and security state paranoia. It's the way it invokes real, painful incidents from American history, including the burning of Tulsa's Black Wall Street in the opening moments of the first episode. Many of these ideas are only superficial, and certain themes get sidelined awfully quick, alas, but they do raise the right questions.
This is also an exceptionally well cast show, making great use of Jean Smart's steeliness, Tim Blake Nelson's hounddog expressions, and Jeremy Irons' wonderful comic timing and inestimable camp value. However, the highest kudos go to Regina King as the foulmouthed, soft-hearted Angela, who is trying to balance her secret life as an angry avenger with a normal home life parenting three adopted kids alongside her husband Cal (Yahya Abdul Mateen II). The show revolves around Angela and the legacies foisted on her by a tangle of different relationships and obligations. She makes for a great POV character, and is vital to helping make sense of "Watchmen's" more convoluted bits of plotting. I think the show does right by her, if nothing else.
"Watchmen" isn't perfect, and probably a little overhyped, but it does manage to be about ideas and characters over action scenes and spectacle. Like "Legion," it's a difficult series, wrangling difficult themes with not always the greatest success. But of all the superhero media we've seen this year, it's easily the best thing we've gotten. And I'm going to expand on that more in the next post, where I'm going to get into all the spoilers.
---
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
About That Global Pandemic
So, how are you? Before I get into all the different ways that the spread of Coronavirus is currently wreaking havoc on the entertainment industry (because this is a media blog), I want to take a minute to acknowledge that we're in the middle of a human tragedy of unprecedented scale that is affecting billions of people around the globe, and writing about Hollywood's problems feels trivial and myopic. On the other hand, the spread of Coronavirus and resulting quarantine measures have managed to disrupt the entertainment and media industries like nothing else in human memory.
The most prominent sign of the disruption has been in theatrical film exhibition. A few weeks ago, studios were worried about their films not being able to get Chinese releases due to theater closures in China. Now, at the time of writing, the entire slate of spring films has been gutted. A dozen films have been delayed or stuck in limbo with no release date, including "No Time to Die," "Mulan," "New Mutants," and "A Quiet Place Part II." The ninth "Fast and Furious" film has been pushed back an entire year. With summer blockbuster season coming up fast, pricier films like "Black Widow" and "Wonder Woman 1984" may also see delays. Major conventions and festivals have been cancelled, most notably SXSW, Tribeca and CinemaCon, with everyone nervous about Cannes being next on the chopping block. We're going to be seeing the ripples from this for months and possibly years to come.
Movie theaters are closed in many states, and those that are remaining open are enforcing "social distancing" policies that cap attendance at one third or half capacity. All of Broadway is shut down, Las Vegas is getting awfully close, and the Disneyland and Disneyworld theme parks are down until at least the end of the month. The Late Night shows were the first to suspend production, but were quickly followed by a long list of others, including all the Netflix shows and multiple feature films around the world. The MCU is bearing the brunt of this, with production paused on "Loki," "WandaVision" and "Shang-Chi." After Tom Cruise and Rita Wilson tested positive for Coronavirus in Australia, nobody is taking any chances on other talent being put out of commission. Arena sports have also been paused, with the entire NBA season cancelled, the NHL on indefinite hiatus, and March Madness now #marchsadness.
Even the smallest segments of the industry are being affected. I've been following podcasters who usually cover current film releases strategizing about what they're going to talk about over the coming weeks, or if it's safer to just put their programs on pause too. Industries supporting film and television production worldwide are feeling the pinch as projects are delayed or outright cancelled. SXSW's cancellation alone is impacting a wide swath of Austin area small businesses who count on the influx of festivalgoers for a major chunk of their income every year. Restaurant, catering, and concession workers are especially hard hit right now. However, the entertainment industry stands out as one of the most impacted segments of the economy during the pandemic, as it's one of the most globally connected and time sensitive.
We're starting to see breakdowns in some of the traditional distribution models and schedules as a result of the crisis. After the war between distributors and exhibitors over theatrical film release windows a few years ago, the studios are suddenly willing to experiment more with VOD releases. Universal just announced that their currently playing films are all going to be available on VOD by the end of the week. This includes "The Hunt," which just opened on Friday. "Trolls World Tour" will be getting a simultaneous VOD and theatrical release on April 13th. It's the most high profile film to have tried this approach since "The Interview." There's speculation that if the Coronavirus crisis stretches on into the summer, this may become the norm, with smaller films making deals to premier on streaming services.
For some, however, the Coronavirus situation has some benefits. Netflix and the other streaming services are definitely getting more use as millions of people are stuck in quarantine at home. There's been a big push to put events online, from awards ceremonies to SXSW screenings to Upfront presentations. It'll be interesting to see if some of these become the normalized way of doing things in the years to come.
---
The most prominent sign of the disruption has been in theatrical film exhibition. A few weeks ago, studios were worried about their films not being able to get Chinese releases due to theater closures in China. Now, at the time of writing, the entire slate of spring films has been gutted. A dozen films have been delayed or stuck in limbo with no release date, including "No Time to Die," "Mulan," "New Mutants," and "A Quiet Place Part II." The ninth "Fast and Furious" film has been pushed back an entire year. With summer blockbuster season coming up fast, pricier films like "Black Widow" and "Wonder Woman 1984" may also see delays. Major conventions and festivals have been cancelled, most notably SXSW, Tribeca and CinemaCon, with everyone nervous about Cannes being next on the chopping block. We're going to be seeing the ripples from this for months and possibly years to come.
Movie theaters are closed in many states, and those that are remaining open are enforcing "social distancing" policies that cap attendance at one third or half capacity. All of Broadway is shut down, Las Vegas is getting awfully close, and the Disneyland and Disneyworld theme parks are down until at least the end of the month. The Late Night shows were the first to suspend production, but were quickly followed by a long list of others, including all the Netflix shows and multiple feature films around the world. The MCU is bearing the brunt of this, with production paused on "Loki," "WandaVision" and "Shang-Chi." After Tom Cruise and Rita Wilson tested positive for Coronavirus in Australia, nobody is taking any chances on other talent being put out of commission. Arena sports have also been paused, with the entire NBA season cancelled, the NHL on indefinite hiatus, and March Madness now #marchsadness.
Even the smallest segments of the industry are being affected. I've been following podcasters who usually cover current film releases strategizing about what they're going to talk about over the coming weeks, or if it's safer to just put their programs on pause too. Industries supporting film and television production worldwide are feeling the pinch as projects are delayed or outright cancelled. SXSW's cancellation alone is impacting a wide swath of Austin area small businesses who count on the influx of festivalgoers for a major chunk of their income every year. Restaurant, catering, and concession workers are especially hard hit right now. However, the entertainment industry stands out as one of the most impacted segments of the economy during the pandemic, as it's one of the most globally connected and time sensitive.
We're starting to see breakdowns in some of the traditional distribution models and schedules as a result of the crisis. After the war between distributors and exhibitors over theatrical film release windows a few years ago, the studios are suddenly willing to experiment more with VOD releases. Universal just announced that their currently playing films are all going to be available on VOD by the end of the week. This includes "The Hunt," which just opened on Friday. "Trolls World Tour" will be getting a simultaneous VOD and theatrical release on April 13th. It's the most high profile film to have tried this approach since "The Interview." There's speculation that if the Coronavirus crisis stretches on into the summer, this may become the norm, with smaller films making deals to premier on streaming services.
For some, however, the Coronavirus situation has some benefits. Netflix and the other streaming services are definitely getting more use as millions of people are stuck in quarantine at home. There's been a big push to put events online, from awards ceremonies to SXSW screenings to Upfront presentations. It'll be interesting to see if some of these become the normalized way of doing things in the years to come.
---
Sunday, March 15, 2020
"Doctor Sleep" is a Terrible Title (But the Movie's Pretty Swell)
So, a cinematic sequel to "The Shining" isn't as unthinkable as it once was, since Stephen King actually went and wrote a sequel to "The Shining" novel a few years back. Still, I was extremely reluctant to see the film version, since I was sure the whole thing would just be mining nostalgia from Kubrick's imagery for the whole running time. And I'm happy to say that "Doctor Sleep" doesn't do that. In fact, the first two acts of the film - really all but the last thirty minutes - stand perfectly well on their own as a creepy supernatural thriller without "The Shining" at all.
Danny Torrance (Ewan MacGregor) has grown up. A recovering alcoholic, working as a hospice orderly in New Hampshire, he's still pursued by the ghosts from the Overlook Hotel, but has some support from his friend and sobriety sponsor Billy (Cliff Curtis) and occasional visits from the spirit of Dick Halloran (Carl Lumbly). He's also become quasi-pen-pals with a little girl named Abra (Kyliegh Curran), who has the same "Shining" psychic powers that Danny has. Unfortunately, Abra attracts the attention of Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson), the leader of a powerful group of vampire-like creatures, the True Knot, who feed off the psychic energies of children with the Shining. She and other True Knot members like Crow Daddy (Zahn McClarnon) and Snakebite Andi (Emily Alyn Lind) have an array of their own powers, which they use to capture and torture their victims. They're intent on finding and feeding off Abra next.
Mike Flanagan, most recently of the "Haunting of Hill House" series, wrote and directed the film. It's mostly a direct adaptation of the "Doctor Sleep" novel. However, when it treads into more familiar territory, it does an admirable job of balancing elements from the film and novel versions of "The Shining," which diverge in many important respects. It's important to keep in mind that "Doctor Sleep" is a very different kind of story and film than "The Shining." It's a far more sprawling, episodic thing taking place over many years, following different strands of the story separately. We watch Danny hit rock bottom and work toward recovery before Abra really comes into the picture. We see how the True Knot operates, gathering victims and new members while constantly on the move. However, when all the pieces come together, the results are fantastic.
I haven't been this properly creeped out by a Stephen King movie in far too long. I love everything about the True Knot, their gypsy-like existence, the glowing eyes, the manifestations of their power, and their absolutely monstrous treatment of their victims. Easily the most upsetting sequence in the film is their attack on a boy played by Jacob Tremblay, which I'm only spoiling because I feel it needs the strongest trigger warnings I can possibly give. Also, kudos for Flanagan putting Rebecca Ferguson in a role where she finally gets to do something substantial. She makes for a very intimidating villain, and totally sells the psychic battles and her relationships to other Knot members.
By contrast, Danny and Abra are weaker in construction. Abra in particular is a little too overpowered and invulnerable, though the young actress is very strong. I really enjoy the way that the film shows psychic powers like astral projection and telepathy, and Abra is at the center of a lot of these sequences. Ewan MacGregor's Danny is very sympathetic, but in a fairly passive role for most of the movie, quietly struggling against his past traumas. It's not until we get to the Overlook Hotel that he really gets to confront his demons. And frankly, that section of the movie is the dodgiest part of the whole project.
I appreciate that Flanagan decided to recast famous roles instead of using digital doubles or digital manipulation. However, the final thirty minutes of "Doctor Sleep" are exactly what I was worried the whole movie was going to be - a Kubrick homage that takes way too many of its visual, aural, and tonal cues directly from the 1982 film. The preceding two hours of the film at least ensure that there are proper stakes and narrative weight to the final showdown, but I found so much of the Overlook sequences needlessly indulgent in the worst way. I love Kubrick's "The Shining" as much as anyone, but I got very little out of the recreations and references, and felt the story ultimately suffered.
Let's be honest though. Danny Torrance returning to the Overlook Hotel is what audiences are paying to see, and the movie would not have been made if he simply fought the True Knot back in New Hampshire. And Flanagan staged and executed the Overlook sequences about as well as I think anyone could have. So, I'm willing to take the bad with the good. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two hours of "Doctor Sleep," and it was worth rolling my eyes at the exasperating finale to see them.
And I'm all for Mike Flanagan adapting more Stephen King - preferably something no one else has adapted yet.
---
Danny Torrance (Ewan MacGregor) has grown up. A recovering alcoholic, working as a hospice orderly in New Hampshire, he's still pursued by the ghosts from the Overlook Hotel, but has some support from his friend and sobriety sponsor Billy (Cliff Curtis) and occasional visits from the spirit of Dick Halloran (Carl Lumbly). He's also become quasi-pen-pals with a little girl named Abra (Kyliegh Curran), who has the same "Shining" psychic powers that Danny has. Unfortunately, Abra attracts the attention of Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson), the leader of a powerful group of vampire-like creatures, the True Knot, who feed off the psychic energies of children with the Shining. She and other True Knot members like Crow Daddy (Zahn McClarnon) and Snakebite Andi (Emily Alyn Lind) have an array of their own powers, which they use to capture and torture their victims. They're intent on finding and feeding off Abra next.
Mike Flanagan, most recently of the "Haunting of Hill House" series, wrote and directed the film. It's mostly a direct adaptation of the "Doctor Sleep" novel. However, when it treads into more familiar territory, it does an admirable job of balancing elements from the film and novel versions of "The Shining," which diverge in many important respects. It's important to keep in mind that "Doctor Sleep" is a very different kind of story and film than "The Shining." It's a far more sprawling, episodic thing taking place over many years, following different strands of the story separately. We watch Danny hit rock bottom and work toward recovery before Abra really comes into the picture. We see how the True Knot operates, gathering victims and new members while constantly on the move. However, when all the pieces come together, the results are fantastic.
I haven't been this properly creeped out by a Stephen King movie in far too long. I love everything about the True Knot, their gypsy-like existence, the glowing eyes, the manifestations of their power, and their absolutely monstrous treatment of their victims. Easily the most upsetting sequence in the film is their attack on a boy played by Jacob Tremblay, which I'm only spoiling because I feel it needs the strongest trigger warnings I can possibly give. Also, kudos for Flanagan putting Rebecca Ferguson in a role where she finally gets to do something substantial. She makes for a very intimidating villain, and totally sells the psychic battles and her relationships to other Knot members.
By contrast, Danny and Abra are weaker in construction. Abra in particular is a little too overpowered and invulnerable, though the young actress is very strong. I really enjoy the way that the film shows psychic powers like astral projection and telepathy, and Abra is at the center of a lot of these sequences. Ewan MacGregor's Danny is very sympathetic, but in a fairly passive role for most of the movie, quietly struggling against his past traumas. It's not until we get to the Overlook Hotel that he really gets to confront his demons. And frankly, that section of the movie is the dodgiest part of the whole project.
I appreciate that Flanagan decided to recast famous roles instead of using digital doubles or digital manipulation. However, the final thirty minutes of "Doctor Sleep" are exactly what I was worried the whole movie was going to be - a Kubrick homage that takes way too many of its visual, aural, and tonal cues directly from the 1982 film. The preceding two hours of the film at least ensure that there are proper stakes and narrative weight to the final showdown, but I found so much of the Overlook sequences needlessly indulgent in the worst way. I love Kubrick's "The Shining" as much as anyone, but I got very little out of the recreations and references, and felt the story ultimately suffered.
Let's be honest though. Danny Torrance returning to the Overlook Hotel is what audiences are paying to see, and the movie would not have been made if he simply fought the True Knot back in New Hampshire. And Flanagan staged and executed the Overlook sequences about as well as I think anyone could have. So, I'm willing to take the bad with the good. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two hours of "Doctor Sleep," and it was worth rolling my eyes at the exasperating finale to see them.
And I'm all for Mike Flanagan adapting more Stephen King - preferably something no one else has adapted yet.
---
Friday, March 13, 2020
Noah Baumbach's "Marriage Story"
It was nearly ten years ago that I put Noah Bambach on my list of directors to avoid, having hated "Greenberg." I found his protagonist an insufferable, and thinly disguised version of himself, and the self-obsession was grating. It was only Greta Gerwig's involvement that got me to reluctantly watch "Frances Ha," and reevaluate. Now, here we are in 2019 with "Marriage Story," a film about a character I can't help but see as another thinly disguised version of Baumbach. And I'm pretty sure that this one is his masterpiece.
Theater director Charlie (Adam Driver) and actress Nicole (Scarlett Johanssen) are getting divorced after a ten year marriage. They intend to do things amicably, especially since they have an eight year-old son, Henry (Azhy Robertson), but after Nicole goes to Los Angeles to shoot a pilot, she contracts the services of a divorce lawyer, Nora (Laura Dern). This sparks an escalation of hostilities, and Charlie is forced to get his own lawyer, Bert (Alan Alda), and then establish a residence in Los Angeles while trying to juggle work commitments back in New York.
Initially, it seems like the movie will follow the divorce from the perspectives of the two leads equally. However, while a good chunk of the film is told from Nicole's point of view, the movie is ultimately about the transformation of Charlie. It's about how he deals with all the changes in lifestyle and expectations that the divorce requires, and how he finally confronts the problems in the relationship he ignored for too long. Likewise, while Scarlett Johanssen has some fantastic high points, it's Adam Driver's movie. The humor and the emotional intensity that he's able to bring to both the big clashes and the subtler, quieter moments are a major part of why the scenario plays out as well as it does. Charlie isn't the neurotic New Yorker archetype that most Baumbach characters are, but a different, more universal avatar of well-meaning, immature, male cluelessness. He's massively flawed, but so likeably and sympathetic regardless.
And I think the autobiographical component of Charlie is actually helpful in this case, because there's so much empathy here for both parties. "Marriage Story" could have easily turned irreparably nasty at many points, and audiences will no doubt argue about who is more at fault, but Baumbach is constantly taking pains to show that both Nicole and Charlie are fundamentally good and kind people whose relationship has simply run its course. If there's any villain in the film, it's the legal process, which "rewards bad behavior." While we get the usual fights over broken promises and bad communication, I think the film is at its best in the smaller, observational moments. Many of the most poignant episodes turn on little looks and glances, small changes in mood or behavior. Johannssen's best moment isn't her breakdown in her lawyer's office, but a simple reaction shot when she receives unexpected news.
Humor has always been Baumbach's strong point, and he's firing on all cylinders here. There's Nicole trying to enlist her family to help her serve divorce papers. There's the lawyers seamlessly transitioning from acrimonious negotiation into casually ordering lunch. There's Charlie accidentally turning a meeting with a court observer into a slasher movie scenario. It's a good distraction from how increasingly sad and emotionally fraught the situation becomes for Charlie. And what really killed me is that Baumabach makes it so clear that even though the relationship is over, Nicole and Charlie still care about each other, and are never going to be fully out of each other's lives. I so appreciated that the ending is a hopeful one too - pointing toward the possibility of friendly coexistence, even if heartache lingers.
I think "Marriage Story" is connecting with mainstream audience more than most Baumbach films because it puts aside a lot of the cynicism and satirical edge that have characterized his other work. The humor is just as cutting, but more visual and situational, less dependent on dialogue. At the same time, the movie is unashamedly heartfelt and sentimental. There's tears. There's impromptu Sondheim. You can compare "Marriage Story" to "Kramer v. Kramer" or "Scenes From a Marriage," but it's very much its own beast, and perfectly in line with Noah Baumbach's recent string of dysfunctional family comedies.
The irony is that "Greenberg" was the movie that Baumbach was working on during his divorce, and his experiences from from that project clearly informed this one. Who knows if "Marriage Story" would have happened without it?
---
Theater director Charlie (Adam Driver) and actress Nicole (Scarlett Johanssen) are getting divorced after a ten year marriage. They intend to do things amicably, especially since they have an eight year-old son, Henry (Azhy Robertson), but after Nicole goes to Los Angeles to shoot a pilot, she contracts the services of a divorce lawyer, Nora (Laura Dern). This sparks an escalation of hostilities, and Charlie is forced to get his own lawyer, Bert (Alan Alda), and then establish a residence in Los Angeles while trying to juggle work commitments back in New York.
Initially, it seems like the movie will follow the divorce from the perspectives of the two leads equally. However, while a good chunk of the film is told from Nicole's point of view, the movie is ultimately about the transformation of Charlie. It's about how he deals with all the changes in lifestyle and expectations that the divorce requires, and how he finally confronts the problems in the relationship he ignored for too long. Likewise, while Scarlett Johanssen has some fantastic high points, it's Adam Driver's movie. The humor and the emotional intensity that he's able to bring to both the big clashes and the subtler, quieter moments are a major part of why the scenario plays out as well as it does. Charlie isn't the neurotic New Yorker archetype that most Baumbach characters are, but a different, more universal avatar of well-meaning, immature, male cluelessness. He's massively flawed, but so likeably and sympathetic regardless.
And I think the autobiographical component of Charlie is actually helpful in this case, because there's so much empathy here for both parties. "Marriage Story" could have easily turned irreparably nasty at many points, and audiences will no doubt argue about who is more at fault, but Baumbach is constantly taking pains to show that both Nicole and Charlie are fundamentally good and kind people whose relationship has simply run its course. If there's any villain in the film, it's the legal process, which "rewards bad behavior." While we get the usual fights over broken promises and bad communication, I think the film is at its best in the smaller, observational moments. Many of the most poignant episodes turn on little looks and glances, small changes in mood or behavior. Johannssen's best moment isn't her breakdown in her lawyer's office, but a simple reaction shot when she receives unexpected news.
Humor has always been Baumbach's strong point, and he's firing on all cylinders here. There's Nicole trying to enlist her family to help her serve divorce papers. There's the lawyers seamlessly transitioning from acrimonious negotiation into casually ordering lunch. There's Charlie accidentally turning a meeting with a court observer into a slasher movie scenario. It's a good distraction from how increasingly sad and emotionally fraught the situation becomes for Charlie. And what really killed me is that Baumabach makes it so clear that even though the relationship is over, Nicole and Charlie still care about each other, and are never going to be fully out of each other's lives. I so appreciated that the ending is a hopeful one too - pointing toward the possibility of friendly coexistence, even if heartache lingers.
I think "Marriage Story" is connecting with mainstream audience more than most Baumbach films because it puts aside a lot of the cynicism and satirical edge that have characterized his other work. The humor is just as cutting, but more visual and situational, less dependent on dialogue. At the same time, the movie is unashamedly heartfelt and sentimental. There's tears. There's impromptu Sondheim. You can compare "Marriage Story" to "Kramer v. Kramer" or "Scenes From a Marriage," but it's very much its own beast, and perfectly in line with Noah Baumbach's recent string of dysfunctional family comedies.
The irony is that "Greenberg" was the movie that Baumbach was working on during his divorce, and his experiences from from that project clearly informed this one. Who knows if "Marriage Story" would have happened without it?
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Wednesday, March 11, 2020
"Ad Astra" and "I Lost My Body"
James Gray's space epic, "Ad Astra," is a curious film. At a distance, it looks like a big budget blockbuster, starring Brad Pitt and featuring plenty of gorgeous production design and expensive special effects to build an impressive vision of the spacefaring future. Up close, however, it turns out to be a very intimate examination of a troubled father-son relationship in the same vein as James Gray's previous work. More than any of the other recent films set in space, "Ad Astra" recalls "2001: A Space Odyssey" with its often contemplative tone, slow pace, few characters, and focus on exploration.
Some time in the indeterminate future, mankind has expanded its presence to the moon and Mars. Brad Pitt plays Roy McBride, son of famed astronaut Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones), who set out on a mission to find extraterrestrial life decades ago and never returned. Now destructive power surges are threatening Earth, and hae been traced to the previous mission. Roy is sent out to the far reaches of the solar system to investigate, and discover what happened to his father. We see each step of the eventful journey from Roy's POV, often with voice over narration providing his internal monologue. There are brief encounters with other characters, like a Martian administrator played by Ruth Negga and a fellow astronaut played by Donald Sutherland. Roy's wife Eve (Liv Tyler) is only glimpsed briefly in hallucinatory flashes.
I'm astounded that James Gray got this film made. It looks absolutely fantastic, thanks in no small part to cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, and provides a good number of thrills and chills. However, at its heart, "Ad Astra" is a minimalist, unconventional drama that isn't remotely concerned with things like a coherent plot or character development. It reminds me more of "Drive" than "Gravity," as its chief concerns are with sustaining moody sensory pleasures and an atmosphere of existential melancholy. I enjoyed the film very much for its commitment to a singular vision, but at the same time I expect that mainstream audiences will have little tolerance for its Malickian style and an ending that provides plenty of resolution, but no real explanations.
A movie that is completely different, but sits on a similar wavelength, is French animated feature "I Lost My Body." It's a great example of animation being able to do what live action cannot, in this case blurring the lines between fantasy and reality in such a way that a totally fantastical premise can be taken at face value. Here, we follow the adventures of a disembodied hand as it tries to get back to its body, one belonging to a young man named Naofel (Dev Patel in the English dub). The hand's harrowing journey is intercut with flashbacks to Naofel's life as a Paris delivery boy, his attempts to woo a girl named Gabrielle (Alia Shawkat), and the sequence of events that led to the tragic dismemberment.
The scenes featuring the hand are staged like an action adventure film, with some moments bordering on horror, as the lost appendage makes its way through the scummier parts of Paris and has run-ins with all manner of urban dangers. The flashbacks, however, tell a sad, delicate story of loss and grief with wonderful sensitivity. Jérémy Clapin directed and co-wrote with Guillaume Laurant, based on Laurant's novel. The style of animation combines hand-drawn, fairly realistic depictions of human beings and limbs with a few discreet CGI elements, downplaying the fantasy elements. The segments shown from the POV of the hand are especially impressive, taking in the little details of a seemingly mundane, everyday life.
"I Lost My Body" is very short, running a scant 81 minutes, but it isn't slight in the least. I love the way the narrative unfolds, the way Naofel and Gabrielle's first conversation plays out, and the use of the sound recording equipment as a recurring element. Parents should be warned that it tackles adult themes and is just violent enough to be disturbing, though it stops short of being really graphic. It also features , strangely, one of the most uplifting endings I've seen all year. Along with "Klaus," Netflix is really hitting the mark this season with its animated offerings. Let's hope this is the start of a trend.
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Some time in the indeterminate future, mankind has expanded its presence to the moon and Mars. Brad Pitt plays Roy McBride, son of famed astronaut Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones), who set out on a mission to find extraterrestrial life decades ago and never returned. Now destructive power surges are threatening Earth, and hae been traced to the previous mission. Roy is sent out to the far reaches of the solar system to investigate, and discover what happened to his father. We see each step of the eventful journey from Roy's POV, often with voice over narration providing his internal monologue. There are brief encounters with other characters, like a Martian administrator played by Ruth Negga and a fellow astronaut played by Donald Sutherland. Roy's wife Eve (Liv Tyler) is only glimpsed briefly in hallucinatory flashes.
I'm astounded that James Gray got this film made. It looks absolutely fantastic, thanks in no small part to cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, and provides a good number of thrills and chills. However, at its heart, "Ad Astra" is a minimalist, unconventional drama that isn't remotely concerned with things like a coherent plot or character development. It reminds me more of "Drive" than "Gravity," as its chief concerns are with sustaining moody sensory pleasures and an atmosphere of existential melancholy. I enjoyed the film very much for its commitment to a singular vision, but at the same time I expect that mainstream audiences will have little tolerance for its Malickian style and an ending that provides plenty of resolution, but no real explanations.
A movie that is completely different, but sits on a similar wavelength, is French animated feature "I Lost My Body." It's a great example of animation being able to do what live action cannot, in this case blurring the lines between fantasy and reality in such a way that a totally fantastical premise can be taken at face value. Here, we follow the adventures of a disembodied hand as it tries to get back to its body, one belonging to a young man named Naofel (Dev Patel in the English dub). The hand's harrowing journey is intercut with flashbacks to Naofel's life as a Paris delivery boy, his attempts to woo a girl named Gabrielle (Alia Shawkat), and the sequence of events that led to the tragic dismemberment.
The scenes featuring the hand are staged like an action adventure film, with some moments bordering on horror, as the lost appendage makes its way through the scummier parts of Paris and has run-ins with all manner of urban dangers. The flashbacks, however, tell a sad, delicate story of loss and grief with wonderful sensitivity. Jérémy Clapin directed and co-wrote with Guillaume Laurant, based on Laurant's novel. The style of animation combines hand-drawn, fairly realistic depictions of human beings and limbs with a few discreet CGI elements, downplaying the fantasy elements. The segments shown from the POV of the hand are especially impressive, taking in the little details of a seemingly mundane, everyday life.
"I Lost My Body" is very short, running a scant 81 minutes, but it isn't slight in the least. I love the way the narrative unfolds, the way Naofel and Gabrielle's first conversation plays out, and the use of the sound recording equipment as a recurring element. Parents should be warned that it tackles adult themes and is just violent enough to be disturbing, though it stops short of being really graphic. It also features , strangely, one of the most uplifting endings I've seen all year. Along with "Klaus," Netflix is really hitting the mark this season with its animated offerings. Let's hope this is the start of a trend.
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Monday, March 9, 2020
"Preacher," Year Four
I thought that the third season of "Preacher" was a notable improvement over the first two, because it started making better use of its ensemble, and departed from the source material in some interesting ways. The fourth and final year of the show mostly follows suit, but in much more haphazard fashion. Things get weird. Things get silly. It kind of turns into a whole big mess in the end, but a lot of it is pretty entertaining.
The season starts out pretty well, with Cassidy stuck in the Grail stronghold of Masada, and Jesse and Tulip itching to break him out. Herr Starr and Featherstone are still committed to bringing about the end of the world, backed up fully by God (Mark Harelik), Jesus (Tyson Ritter), and Hitler, who is now running Hell. Unfortunately, they've lost the Messiah (also Ritter). There are a handful of interesting new characters, including Cassidy's cell mate, an Archangel (David Field).
This is the season where the show takes the brakes off, cramming as much gore and perversion and blasphemy as it can into the narrative as it tackles some of the comic's final story arcs. And while it's nice to see some of the wilder material, like Starr's mutilations, making it to the screen, the adaptation is very slapdash. Things are frequently happening because the plot needs them to, not because it makes any kind of internal sense. Jesse going off on his own because of a vision is pretty lazy. The convenient team-ups, betrayals, and changing of sides by other characters are even worse.
Where the first two seasons kept dragging their heels, it feels like the fourth is often going way too fast, speeding through chaotic plot points and character developments without giving them time to make much of an impression. Part of this is just the nature of the storytelling this year. Jesse and Tulip bounce from one strange encounter to the next, being manipulated by God and the Grail, and it's only at the end that anyone bothers to address any of the larger questions or themes related to their journeys. Cassidy has a more defined arc, but not necessarily a more well executed one, leading up to a lovely ending that didn't feel earned. This leaves Herr Starr and Featherstone, weirdly, as the characters with the most coherent stories and development. And they're both great, but the show isn't about them.
It doesn't help that God and Jesus become much more prominent in this final season, with their actors being promoted to regular status. This version of God, an insecure narcissist who looks like a cartoon caricature of the Almighty, doesn't do much for me. As a villain, he's blustering and inconsistent, rarely as much of a threat as he should be. Jesus is a little more interesting, a neglected son overlooked by a perpetually distracted father, but really just a nice guy trying to do right by everyone. The show gets some good laughs out of the dysfunctional relationships, but the commentary and satire are rarely as biting as they should be. The show leans very hard on its freakshow aesthetics and action set pieces this year, often to the exclusion of everything else. To be fair, this contributes to this season of "Preacher" feeling the most like the comic book, but the grotesquerie often feels silly rather than edgy.
All in all, there were enough good things about this season that I'm glad I muddled through it, but as a whole the series doesn't deliver. Its anti-establishment messages are couched in too much gratuitous content to take seriously, and the good moments are often too little too late. Cassidy's storyline, for instance, had plenty of potential, but he often got lost in all the other mayhem and madness. His relationship with Tulip needed so much more attention. The Saint of Killers got a nice ending, but he was barely in this season. The rushed finale exemplified all of the biggest problems, spending endless, multiple scenes on a Hitler and Jesus brawl, while there were only a series of anticlimactic confrontations for the other characters.
Still, I'm glad that "Preacher" got made, if only because it helped to break down some barriers for other shows in this vein. "Preacher" sister show "The Boys" is already far more successful on every level, and nastier content-wise too.
---
The season starts out pretty well, with Cassidy stuck in the Grail stronghold of Masada, and Jesse and Tulip itching to break him out. Herr Starr and Featherstone are still committed to bringing about the end of the world, backed up fully by God (Mark Harelik), Jesus (Tyson Ritter), and Hitler, who is now running Hell. Unfortunately, they've lost the Messiah (also Ritter). There are a handful of interesting new characters, including Cassidy's cell mate, an Archangel (David Field).
This is the season where the show takes the brakes off, cramming as much gore and perversion and blasphemy as it can into the narrative as it tackles some of the comic's final story arcs. And while it's nice to see some of the wilder material, like Starr's mutilations, making it to the screen, the adaptation is very slapdash. Things are frequently happening because the plot needs them to, not because it makes any kind of internal sense. Jesse going off on his own because of a vision is pretty lazy. The convenient team-ups, betrayals, and changing of sides by other characters are even worse.
Where the first two seasons kept dragging their heels, it feels like the fourth is often going way too fast, speeding through chaotic plot points and character developments without giving them time to make much of an impression. Part of this is just the nature of the storytelling this year. Jesse and Tulip bounce from one strange encounter to the next, being manipulated by God and the Grail, and it's only at the end that anyone bothers to address any of the larger questions or themes related to their journeys. Cassidy has a more defined arc, but not necessarily a more well executed one, leading up to a lovely ending that didn't feel earned. This leaves Herr Starr and Featherstone, weirdly, as the characters with the most coherent stories and development. And they're both great, but the show isn't about them.
It doesn't help that God and Jesus become much more prominent in this final season, with their actors being promoted to regular status. This version of God, an insecure narcissist who looks like a cartoon caricature of the Almighty, doesn't do much for me. As a villain, he's blustering and inconsistent, rarely as much of a threat as he should be. Jesus is a little more interesting, a neglected son overlooked by a perpetually distracted father, but really just a nice guy trying to do right by everyone. The show gets some good laughs out of the dysfunctional relationships, but the commentary and satire are rarely as biting as they should be. The show leans very hard on its freakshow aesthetics and action set pieces this year, often to the exclusion of everything else. To be fair, this contributes to this season of "Preacher" feeling the most like the comic book, but the grotesquerie often feels silly rather than edgy.
All in all, there were enough good things about this season that I'm glad I muddled through it, but as a whole the series doesn't deliver. Its anti-establishment messages are couched in too much gratuitous content to take seriously, and the good moments are often too little too late. Cassidy's storyline, for instance, had plenty of potential, but he often got lost in all the other mayhem and madness. His relationship with Tulip needed so much more attention. The Saint of Killers got a nice ending, but he was barely in this season. The rushed finale exemplified all of the biggest problems, spending endless, multiple scenes on a Hitler and Jesus brawl, while there were only a series of anticlimactic confrontations for the other characters.
Still, I'm glad that "Preacher" got made, if only because it helped to break down some barriers for other shows in this vein. "Preacher" sister show "The Boys" is already far more successful on every level, and nastier content-wise too.
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Saturday, March 7, 2020
My Most Anticipated Films of 2020, Part 2
This is the second part of my list of the 2019 films I'm anticipating most this year. This post is for the smaller films, many of which don't have distribution or release dates yet. There's a good chance that a few won't be released in 2020 at all. However, I'm spotlighting them regardless. Films are listed in no particular order below.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye - Jessica Chastain stars as the notorious televangelist, Tammy Faye Bakker, in a film based on the beloved 2000 documentary of the same name. I expect that it probably won't be as good as the documentary, but I'm still keen on watching Chastain sink her teeth into this role. This will also be a significant departure for director Michael Showalter, best known for "The Big Sick." It's also one of several Fox Searchlight releases that I'll be nervously keeping an eye on.
The Glorias - Okay, so a Gloria Steinam biopic initially seems like a hard sell. However, Julie Taymor is directing, Alicia Vikander is starring, and Rodrigo Prieto has signed on as cinematographer. The last time Prieto and Taymor collaborated, we got "Frida," a biopic I adore. Also, as with far too many of the entries on this list, the director has gone far too long between pictures. Taymor's last picture was one that didn't even really get a proper theatrical release. It's high time she was back in the conversation.
Annette - Leos Carax's musical has been delayed a few times, resulting in casting changes and other troubles, and I'm glad to see production is finally rolling along a last. It'll be his English language debut, starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard as a stand-up comic and an opera singer who fall in love. The music will be written by the Mael brothers, best known for the cult band, The Sparks. It'll be a big year for them, as Edgar Wright is apparently making a documentary about them too.
Mank - Described as a chronicle of screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz's "tumultuous development of 'Citizen Kane,'" what I'm primarily interested in is that this is David Fincher's first feature in far too long. Moreover, it's a period drama that doesn't appear to involve any serial killers. However, the William Randolph Hearst angle is sure to provide plenty of fodder for conspiracy and intrigue. Gary Oldman will star as Mankiewicz, with Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins, and Tom Burke in supporting roles.
Wendy - Benh Zeitlin's follow-up to "Beasts of the Southern Wild" is currently in theaters. It's an adaptation of "Peter Pan," done in a style that is singularly Behn Zeitlin's. From the trailers, I know exactly what to expect, and yet also no idea whatsoever. I love that the diverse passel of kids are all unknowns, and there's no sign of any professional actors to speak of. I love that the whole thing was shot on the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean. I love that it's a modern update, but utterly timeless.
Nightmare Alley - We may or may not see this one this year, but anything from Guillermo Del Toro is automatically of interest to me, and his remake of the 1947 noir of the same name sounds right up my, ahem, alley. It's a con-man story with a supernatural element, a carnival as a major setting, and an ending that is downright horrific. My guess is that an updated vision will really be able to address some of the themes more directly. And this being Del Toro, it'll all look absolutely gorgeous.
Last Night in SoHo - This one's already on the schedule for a September release Stateside, as Edgar Wright's films are more commercial than most, and Edgar Wright horror films in particular. Most of the plot details are being kept under wraps, but we do know that it involves time travel and the 1960s. Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy will be heading up a promising cast, and I find it heartening that Wright is invoking "Don't Look Now" and "Repulsion" as major influences.
I'm Thinking of Ending Things - Speaking of filmmakers who have gone far too long between projects, Charlie Kaufman is finally directing another movie. This one is a psychological thriller for Netflix starring Jesse Plemmons and Jessie Buckley, and treads far closer to genre material than we've ever seen from Kaufman before. Depending on the state of the reshoots, we may also soon see the Liongate adaptation of "Chaos Walking" that Kaufman wrote for Doug Liman and Tom Holland. Fingers crossed.
Kajillionaire - Can beloved indie director and occasional actress Miranda July make a heist movie? Since this is Miranda July we're talking about, it can't be a traditional heist movie, right? Then again, the announced cast includes a surprising number of well-known actors, including Evan Rachel Wood, Richard Jenkins, and Debra Winger. Could it be she's trying her hand at making something with broader appeal? But would I be disappointed if she did? So many question marks! Aaah!
How Do You Live? - Will this be Hayao Miyazaki's final final film? It's been described in interviews as a personal piece, made for his grandson. It's expected to have some connection to Yoshino Genzaburo's 1937 children's novel "How Do You Live?" but knowing Miyazaki there will also be a few autobiographical elements in the mix. And flying machines. And environmentalist messages. I can't wait.
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The Eyes of Tammy Faye - Jessica Chastain stars as the notorious televangelist, Tammy Faye Bakker, in a film based on the beloved 2000 documentary of the same name. I expect that it probably won't be as good as the documentary, but I'm still keen on watching Chastain sink her teeth into this role. This will also be a significant departure for director Michael Showalter, best known for "The Big Sick." It's also one of several Fox Searchlight releases that I'll be nervously keeping an eye on.
The Glorias - Okay, so a Gloria Steinam biopic initially seems like a hard sell. However, Julie Taymor is directing, Alicia Vikander is starring, and Rodrigo Prieto has signed on as cinematographer. The last time Prieto and Taymor collaborated, we got "Frida," a biopic I adore. Also, as with far too many of the entries on this list, the director has gone far too long between pictures. Taymor's last picture was one that didn't even really get a proper theatrical release. It's high time she was back in the conversation.
Annette - Leos Carax's musical has been delayed a few times, resulting in casting changes and other troubles, and I'm glad to see production is finally rolling along a last. It'll be his English language debut, starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard as a stand-up comic and an opera singer who fall in love. The music will be written by the Mael brothers, best known for the cult band, The Sparks. It'll be a big year for them, as Edgar Wright is apparently making a documentary about them too.
Mank - Described as a chronicle of screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz's "tumultuous development of 'Citizen Kane,'" what I'm primarily interested in is that this is David Fincher's first feature in far too long. Moreover, it's a period drama that doesn't appear to involve any serial killers. However, the William Randolph Hearst angle is sure to provide plenty of fodder for conspiracy and intrigue. Gary Oldman will star as Mankiewicz, with Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins, and Tom Burke in supporting roles.
Wendy - Benh Zeitlin's follow-up to "Beasts of the Southern Wild" is currently in theaters. It's an adaptation of "Peter Pan," done in a style that is singularly Behn Zeitlin's. From the trailers, I know exactly what to expect, and yet also no idea whatsoever. I love that the diverse passel of kids are all unknowns, and there's no sign of any professional actors to speak of. I love that the whole thing was shot on the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean. I love that it's a modern update, but utterly timeless.
Nightmare Alley - We may or may not see this one this year, but anything from Guillermo Del Toro is automatically of interest to me, and his remake of the 1947 noir of the same name sounds right up my, ahem, alley. It's a con-man story with a supernatural element, a carnival as a major setting, and an ending that is downright horrific. My guess is that an updated vision will really be able to address some of the themes more directly. And this being Del Toro, it'll all look absolutely gorgeous.
Last Night in SoHo - This one's already on the schedule for a September release Stateside, as Edgar Wright's films are more commercial than most, and Edgar Wright horror films in particular. Most of the plot details are being kept under wraps, but we do know that it involves time travel and the 1960s. Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy will be heading up a promising cast, and I find it heartening that Wright is invoking "Don't Look Now" and "Repulsion" as major influences.
I'm Thinking of Ending Things - Speaking of filmmakers who have gone far too long between projects, Charlie Kaufman is finally directing another movie. This one is a psychological thriller for Netflix starring Jesse Plemmons and Jessie Buckley, and treads far closer to genre material than we've ever seen from Kaufman before. Depending on the state of the reshoots, we may also soon see the Liongate adaptation of "Chaos Walking" that Kaufman wrote for Doug Liman and Tom Holland. Fingers crossed.
Kajillionaire - Can beloved indie director and occasional actress Miranda July make a heist movie? Since this is Miranda July we're talking about, it can't be a traditional heist movie, right? Then again, the announced cast includes a surprising number of well-known actors, including Evan Rachel Wood, Richard Jenkins, and Debra Winger. Could it be she's trying her hand at making something with broader appeal? But would I be disappointed if she did? So many question marks! Aaah!
How Do You Live? - Will this be Hayao Miyazaki's final final film? It's been described in interviews as a personal piece, made for his grandson. It's expected to have some connection to Yoshino Genzaburo's 1937 children's novel "How Do You Live?" but knowing Miyazaki there will also be a few autobiographical elements in the mix. And flying machines. And environmentalist messages. I can't wait.
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Thursday, March 5, 2020
My Most Anticipated Films of 2020, Part 1
It's that time again! I write these posts every year in March, a little later than everyone else, in order to get a better sense of what the film landscape is going to look like. Still, keep in mind that there are never guarantees about what's going to make it to screens by December and what isn't.
As always, I'm splitting this feature into two posts, one for the mainstream studios film with bigger budgets, that everybody hears about, and one for the indie and art house fare that may break through to the mainstream eventually, but only the cinephiles anticipate this far in advance. Due to unorthodox distribution, Netflix releases are currently categorized as indies. Big releases go first. Films are ordered below by release date.
No Time To Die - After a five year gap and seemingly endless production troubles, Bond is back. He's got Cary Joji Fukunaga in the director's chair, Rami Malek playing the villain, and the wacky combination of Scott Z. Burns and Phoebe Waller-Bridge on the script. I have no idea what this movie is going to look like, but I'm glad that the franchise is taking some risks. The biggest risk, however, may be moving Bond from his usual November berth to the summer kickoff slot of mid-April.
The Woman in the Window - Boy is Joe Wright's work inconsistent. However, I liked "The Darkest Hour" better than most, and I'm curious to see how his style is going to work with a psychological thriller. Amy Adams is also a very dependable leading lady. The one thing that worries me is that this is a Fox title that was delayed from last year, and I don't know what Disney's thinking, sticking it in May as counterprogramming. Still, it looks like my kind of counterprogramming.
Soul - Of all the animated films coming next year, and the two original PIXAR ones, "Soul" is far and away the most promising. I've heard grumbles that it looks too derivative of "Inside Out" and there are some apt criticisms about having yet another black cartoon protagonist transmogrified into a different form for much of the running time, but I trust director Pete Doctor and PIXAR to get it right. And any break from the parade of sequels has my full support - though "Trolls World Tour" looks kinda awesome.
Free Guy - This one might be terrible. Shawn Levy has directed a lot of terrible movies, and his last one was the third "Night at the Museum" movie way back in 2014. On the other hand, the cast featuring Ryan Reynolds, Jodi Comer, Taika Waititi, Lil Rel Howery, and Joe Keery is pretty irresistible. I also really like the premise of a video game NPC becoming self-aware and running amok. Even if this is a trainwreck, I suspect it's going to be the kind of trainwreck that I'm going to enjoy watching anyway.
Tenet - Do I really need to say more than that "Tenet" is the new action movie directed and written by Christopher Nolan? And really, aside from the promising cast and crew announcements (John David Washington! Ludwig Göransson!), that's about all that's confirmed about the movie at this time. It's not even clear if there are science-fiction elements, or if this is strictly a spy movie. Oh, there are plenty of rumors about the plot, but as with "Inception," I suspect the less I know going in, the better.
Bill and Ted Face the Music - You can have your "Ghostbusters." This is the '80s franchise sequel that I've been waiting for. The original writers are back. Dean Parisot is directing. Stephen Soderbergh, somehow, has a producing credit. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are aboard, of course, but so is William Sadler as the Grim Reaper. Yes, I know that '80s nostalgia is getting a little long in the tooth, but it was such a hard road to get this one made, and everyone involved seems so pumped, why not?
The Trial of the Chicago 7 - Hey, it's a new Aaron Sorkin joint! Starring Sacha Baron Cohen as Abbie Hoffman! And Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in one of the supporting roles. Where has that guy been? This is one of those historical events that I don't know much about, but which is infamous enough that I'll be happy to get Sorkin's take on it. Another interesting wrinkle is that this started out as a Steven Spileberg picture ten years ago, with Will Smith being eyed to star. I think this version looks more promising.
BIOS - So what has Miguel Sapochnik been up to since "Game of Thrones" ended? Post-apocalyptic buddy picture with Tom Hanks and a robot and a dog? And Caleb Landry Jones is playing the robot? I'm there. This is a rare spec script that made it to screen after bouncing around town for a bit, and finally found a home. It will be a co-production between Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, and Robert Zemeckis's ImageMovers Digital. Let's hope it's the start of a trend toward more original sci-fi.
The Witches - Speaking of Robert Zemeckis, he's finally making another fantasy film. Initially I thought "The Witches" was an unlikely choice for a remake, but now I really want to see Anne Hathaway as the Grand High Witch and and Octavia Spencer as the grandmother. The action is being moved from Europe to 1960s Alabama, and Stanley Tucci and Chris Rock have undisclosed roles. Plus, Guillermo Del Toro co-wrote the script with Kenya Barris and Zemeckis, and Alfonso Cuaron is one of the producers.
Dune - Denis Villeneuve directs, Timothee Chalamet stars, and anticipation couldn't be any higher. I never much liked the David Lynch version, campy Sting performance notwithstanding, but I respect it. Frank Hebert's "Dune" is one of those books that is insanely difficult to adapt, but if there's anyone who could do it, it's probably Villeneuve. I'm a little worried about the release date shift and WB's plans for an HBO Now spinoff, but I'm trying to stay optimistic. I really, really want this one to kick ass.
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As always, I'm splitting this feature into two posts, one for the mainstream studios film with bigger budgets, that everybody hears about, and one for the indie and art house fare that may break through to the mainstream eventually, but only the cinephiles anticipate this far in advance. Due to unorthodox distribution, Netflix releases are currently categorized as indies. Big releases go first. Films are ordered below by release date.
No Time To Die - After a five year gap and seemingly endless production troubles, Bond is back. He's got Cary Joji Fukunaga in the director's chair, Rami Malek playing the villain, and the wacky combination of Scott Z. Burns and Phoebe Waller-Bridge on the script. I have no idea what this movie is going to look like, but I'm glad that the franchise is taking some risks. The biggest risk, however, may be moving Bond from his usual November berth to the summer kickoff slot of mid-April.
The Woman in the Window - Boy is Joe Wright's work inconsistent. However, I liked "The Darkest Hour" better than most, and I'm curious to see how his style is going to work with a psychological thriller. Amy Adams is also a very dependable leading lady. The one thing that worries me is that this is a Fox title that was delayed from last year, and I don't know what Disney's thinking, sticking it in May as counterprogramming. Still, it looks like my kind of counterprogramming.
Soul - Of all the animated films coming next year, and the two original PIXAR ones, "Soul" is far and away the most promising. I've heard grumbles that it looks too derivative of "Inside Out" and there are some apt criticisms about having yet another black cartoon protagonist transmogrified into a different form for much of the running time, but I trust director Pete Doctor and PIXAR to get it right. And any break from the parade of sequels has my full support - though "Trolls World Tour" looks kinda awesome.
Free Guy - This one might be terrible. Shawn Levy has directed a lot of terrible movies, and his last one was the third "Night at the Museum" movie way back in 2014. On the other hand, the cast featuring Ryan Reynolds, Jodi Comer, Taika Waititi, Lil Rel Howery, and Joe Keery is pretty irresistible. I also really like the premise of a video game NPC becoming self-aware and running amok. Even if this is a trainwreck, I suspect it's going to be the kind of trainwreck that I'm going to enjoy watching anyway.
Tenet - Do I really need to say more than that "Tenet" is the new action movie directed and written by Christopher Nolan? And really, aside from the promising cast and crew announcements (John David Washington! Ludwig Göransson!), that's about all that's confirmed about the movie at this time. It's not even clear if there are science-fiction elements, or if this is strictly a spy movie. Oh, there are plenty of rumors about the plot, but as with "Inception," I suspect the less I know going in, the better.
Bill and Ted Face the Music - You can have your "Ghostbusters." This is the '80s franchise sequel that I've been waiting for. The original writers are back. Dean Parisot is directing. Stephen Soderbergh, somehow, has a producing credit. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are aboard, of course, but so is William Sadler as the Grim Reaper. Yes, I know that '80s nostalgia is getting a little long in the tooth, but it was such a hard road to get this one made, and everyone involved seems so pumped, why not?
The Trial of the Chicago 7 - Hey, it's a new Aaron Sorkin joint! Starring Sacha Baron Cohen as Abbie Hoffman! And Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in one of the supporting roles. Where has that guy been? This is one of those historical events that I don't know much about, but which is infamous enough that I'll be happy to get Sorkin's take on it. Another interesting wrinkle is that this started out as a Steven Spileberg picture ten years ago, with Will Smith being eyed to star. I think this version looks more promising.
BIOS - So what has Miguel Sapochnik been up to since "Game of Thrones" ended? Post-apocalyptic buddy picture with Tom Hanks and a robot and a dog? And Caleb Landry Jones is playing the robot? I'm there. This is a rare spec script that made it to screen after bouncing around town for a bit, and finally found a home. It will be a co-production between Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, and Robert Zemeckis's ImageMovers Digital. Let's hope it's the start of a trend toward more original sci-fi.
The Witches - Speaking of Robert Zemeckis, he's finally making another fantasy film. Initially I thought "The Witches" was an unlikely choice for a remake, but now I really want to see Anne Hathaway as the Grand High Witch and and Octavia Spencer as the grandmother. The action is being moved from Europe to 1960s Alabama, and Stanley Tucci and Chris Rock have undisclosed roles. Plus, Guillermo Del Toro co-wrote the script with Kenya Barris and Zemeckis, and Alfonso Cuaron is one of the producers.
Dune - Denis Villeneuve directs, Timothee Chalamet stars, and anticipation couldn't be any higher. I never much liked the David Lynch version, campy Sting performance notwithstanding, but I respect it. Frank Hebert's "Dune" is one of those books that is insanely difficult to adapt, but if there's anyone who could do it, it's probably Villeneuve. I'm a little worried about the release date shift and WB's plans for an HBO Now spinoff, but I'm trying to stay optimistic. I really, really want this one to kick ass.
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Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Coming Late to Escape the Room Games
My misadventures in puzzle box gaming have lead me, perhaps inevitably, to the little niche world of point-and-click "escape the room" (ETR) games. They ticked all of my requirements for an enjoyable gaming experience - no time limits, puzzle based, casual gameplay, and low levels of commitment. Plus, there are plenty that have bright, stylized graphics and don't subscribe to the current trend of horror theming. It's been a lot of fun getting addicted to these over the past few weeks. Alas, I think I've come to the genre too late, as most of the best ETR games are from several years ago, and technological advances seem to be leaving them behind.
ETR games are built more or less like puzzle box games. You're stuck in a room and have to hunt for clues and objects by clicking around on elements of the room, then solve puzzles to make your escape. Mostly this involves getting codes to open locks, and occasionally gathering and combining objects. The mechanics are the same as the old point and click adventure games like "Myst," with an inventory and an emphasis on exploration, but usually ETR games are more limited. The basic ones give you the four walls of a single room to scour for clues and interact with. The more complicated ones involve multiple linked rooms. I've found ones where you need to escape from a dollhouse, a sinking car, or even play a cat trying to escape a pet carrier.
I've found myself gravitating to certain creators, mostly Japanese. Robamimi and Neutral Games are my favorites at the moment because of the ease of the gameplay and the pleasant graphics in their games. Robamimi's games mostly take place in domestic settings, and are great for relaxing with. Neutral Games has a series of Christmas themed games that are just adorable. There are some highly touted older ETR games like "The Crimson Room" and "Sagrario's Room" that I gave up on because the gameplay mechanics were too clunky and difficult. Occasionally enterprising game designers will also incorporate other kinds of games into the ETR game - having you beat a minigame to move on to the next puzzle, for instance. I'm not a fan of this, because it defeats the whole purpose of my playing an ETR game to begin with.
There's a certain rhythm to ETR games that you pick up on after playing for a while, which is very appealing. I like having a walkthrough or hint system available to avoid unnecessary frustration, because I usually get stymied by elements that have nothing to do with the puzzle solving, like objects being a little too well hidden (who hides batteries inside a screwdriver?) or the game wanting me to do something counterintuitive (use the telephone to smash a hole in the wall). I'm pretty good when it comes to ciphers or pattern recognition, but not great. For instance, I was smart enough to realize that the clue "EXILES" was actually a string of numbers upside down. I was not smart enough to realize it was actually the equation 5371 x 3, that I needed to solve to get the actual code I needed. I've heard some promising things about VR escape room games, but haven't had a chance to try them myself yet.
The point and click ETR games inspired the real world escape room games that have become so popular over the last few years. However, they don't seem to have translated so well to other platforms. I've been pretty underwhelmed by the mobile ETR games I've tried so far, probably because most of them have much more cluttered, grungier aesthetics. There seems to be a lot of influence from more typical adventure games and "find the object" games, and not for the better. Others seem to be trying to push more realistic graphics to simulate playing a real world escape room game, which I'm not interested in.
There are plenty of the old school, browser based ETR games around online, and I'm still happily working my way through several creators' back catalogues. However, as with everything online more than a few years old, they're being threatened by obsolescence. The biggest issue is that Adobe Flash, which most of the older ETR games were designed to run on, is becoming extinct. My Chrome browser recently started displaying warnings that Flash would no longer be supported after December 2020.
Sigh.
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Sunday, March 1, 2020
"Aniara" Will Keep You Awake
I don't think I would have watched the Swedish sci-fi film "Aniara" if I'd realized how nihilistic and emotionally punishing it is. The movie is likely the best existential space horror I've ever seen, one of the growing number of cinematic arguments for nobody ever entertaining the notion of space travel again.
Based on an epic poem about a lost spacecraft, written in the 1950s, "Aniara" is the directing debut of Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja. The city-sized spaceship Aniara sets out on a three week journey from a blighted planet Earth to Mars, ferrying colonists, but is soon knocked off course with no ability to stop itself or turn around. We watch events unfold from the point of view of a woman identified only by her profession, the Mimaroben (Emelie Jonssson). Stark chapter titles measure out time increments as the passengers and crew try adapt to continuously deteriorating circumstances aboard the drifting vessel, and the hope of rescue becomes increasingly remote.
I've seen several pieces of media with a similar narrative, including "HIgh LIfe" last year. None, however, have been as mercilessly bleak as "Aniara." Essentially, it wants to examine how people behave in the face of inevitable doom, about the cycles of hope and despair, and about the different approaches and philosophies that individuals deploy to try and persevere. The Mimaroben is the operator of a therapeutic service where a sentient alien organism, called the Mima, allows users to relive their past memories on Earth in a trance-like state. After the accident, the Mima becomes a hugely important coping tool. The Mimaroben, however, finds happiness in a relationship with Isagel (Bianca Cruzeiro), one of the ship's former pilots. Other characters include the ship's Captain, Chefone (Arvin Kananian), who often employs misinformation to improve morale and keep order, and the morosely cynical Astronomer (Anneli Martini), who remains the most stubbornly realistic about their plight.
All the characters are pretty thinly drawn, but considering that "Aniara" takes a macroscopic view of the plot, and is more concerned with cataloguing the larger, systemic changes that are happening to the ship, this isn't too serious a flaw. The Mimaroben's love story, with all of its dramatic ups and downs, is a perfectly fine focal point, and Emelie Jonssson delivers a sympathetic performance. Clearly, however, the filmmakers were more interested in exploring the tenuous world and society of the Aniara. The spaceship is designed to look like a hotel or cruise ship, and doesn't bother with most of the common Hollywood science-fiction flourishes. The most striking images all involve human elements - people using the Mima room, cult members engaging in a sex ritual, and scenes of mass mourning. So, a relatively small budget and strategic use of CGI are made to go a long way. With its shoestring aesthetics "Aniara" often feels like the indie film rebuke to the more flashy and expensive "Passengers."
I admire how efficient the storytelling is, the way it introduces or suggests all of these different facets to the strange little society that develops on Aniara. We get brisk exposition explaining where the oxygen, water, and food come from, and what's required to maintain them. There are brief encounters with cults, students, prisoners, and various workers. There could definitely be more material in this vein, and this is where the limited nature of the production is the most apparent, but there's enough to indicate that the writers meticulously thought through how these different elements would function, and how the scenarios would play out. And the filmmakers are very good at showing how the mood aboard the ship progresses from one period to the next, the way the environments change and people' behaviors change. Even the simple exterior shots of the Aniara in space grow more and more ominous over time.
I have to give the movie all due credit for going all in on the nihilism. On the other hand, it's plain to see why so few movies go this route. It's utterly crushing to watch the characters having their hopes destroyed over and over again. Similar social microcosm films like "High Rise" and "Snowpiercer" offer some hope in the end, but "Aniara" is totally uninterested in this. And so, I feel compelled to deliver a warning to other viewers who might be too prone to dark, existential thoughts. You might want to approach "Aniara" with caution. This one doesn't take any prisoners.
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Based on an epic poem about a lost spacecraft, written in the 1950s, "Aniara" is the directing debut of Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja. The city-sized spaceship Aniara sets out on a three week journey from a blighted planet Earth to Mars, ferrying colonists, but is soon knocked off course with no ability to stop itself or turn around. We watch events unfold from the point of view of a woman identified only by her profession, the Mimaroben (Emelie Jonssson). Stark chapter titles measure out time increments as the passengers and crew try adapt to continuously deteriorating circumstances aboard the drifting vessel, and the hope of rescue becomes increasingly remote.
I've seen several pieces of media with a similar narrative, including "HIgh LIfe" last year. None, however, have been as mercilessly bleak as "Aniara." Essentially, it wants to examine how people behave in the face of inevitable doom, about the cycles of hope and despair, and about the different approaches and philosophies that individuals deploy to try and persevere. The Mimaroben is the operator of a therapeutic service where a sentient alien organism, called the Mima, allows users to relive their past memories on Earth in a trance-like state. After the accident, the Mima becomes a hugely important coping tool. The Mimaroben, however, finds happiness in a relationship with Isagel (Bianca Cruzeiro), one of the ship's former pilots. Other characters include the ship's Captain, Chefone (Arvin Kananian), who often employs misinformation to improve morale and keep order, and the morosely cynical Astronomer (Anneli Martini), who remains the most stubbornly realistic about their plight.
All the characters are pretty thinly drawn, but considering that "Aniara" takes a macroscopic view of the plot, and is more concerned with cataloguing the larger, systemic changes that are happening to the ship, this isn't too serious a flaw. The Mimaroben's love story, with all of its dramatic ups and downs, is a perfectly fine focal point, and Emelie Jonssson delivers a sympathetic performance. Clearly, however, the filmmakers were more interested in exploring the tenuous world and society of the Aniara. The spaceship is designed to look like a hotel or cruise ship, and doesn't bother with most of the common Hollywood science-fiction flourishes. The most striking images all involve human elements - people using the Mima room, cult members engaging in a sex ritual, and scenes of mass mourning. So, a relatively small budget and strategic use of CGI are made to go a long way. With its shoestring aesthetics "Aniara" often feels like the indie film rebuke to the more flashy and expensive "Passengers."
I admire how efficient the storytelling is, the way it introduces or suggests all of these different facets to the strange little society that develops on Aniara. We get brisk exposition explaining where the oxygen, water, and food come from, and what's required to maintain them. There are brief encounters with cults, students, prisoners, and various workers. There could definitely be more material in this vein, and this is where the limited nature of the production is the most apparent, but there's enough to indicate that the writers meticulously thought through how these different elements would function, and how the scenarios would play out. And the filmmakers are very good at showing how the mood aboard the ship progresses from one period to the next, the way the environments change and people' behaviors change. Even the simple exterior shots of the Aniara in space grow more and more ominous over time.
I have to give the movie all due credit for going all in on the nihilism. On the other hand, it's plain to see why so few movies go this route. It's utterly crushing to watch the characters having their hopes destroyed over and over again. Similar social microcosm films like "High Rise" and "Snowpiercer" offer some hope in the end, but "Aniara" is totally uninterested in this. And so, I feel compelled to deliver a warning to other viewers who might be too prone to dark, existential thoughts. You might want to approach "Aniara" with caution. This one doesn't take any prisoners.
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