MOVIE REVIEW: LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND

 

A family vacation on Long Island is interrupted by two strangers bearing news of a blackout. As the threat grows, both families must decide how best to survive the potential crisis, all while grappling with their own place in this collapsing world.

Director: Sam Esmail

Cast: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha'la, Kevin Bacon, Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evans

Release Date: November 22, 2023

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Rated R for language, some sexual content, drug use and brief bloody images.

Runtime: 2h 21m

Sam Esmail's adaptation of the 2020 novel of the same name, Leave the World Behind, is perfectly suited to his particular brand of unsettling and unnerving style.  Anyone familiar with Esmail's Mr. Robot will feel a certain air of familiarity with the approach to this material which traffics in similar themes and subject matters as his signature show.  His ability to frame shots and sequences in off kilter ways gives the entire film an unbalanced feel from the start with even mundane moments giving off a sense that something is off.  There's a methodical approach to the action and reveals which may test some viewer's patience but those willing to go with the flow he establishes will get wrapped up in the general air of confusion and unease that the characters experience.  This approach gives the film's more kinetic moments, particularly a sequence in the woods that makes great use of sound design to create an unnerving moment.  It all works because the director and cast are perfectly in tune from the opening sequence through its finale which is sure to upset more than a handful of viewers.  Julia Roberts leads the cast, clearly relishing the chance to play against type as a cynical and vaguely racist wife who sets up the initial trip.  Ethan Hawke is solid as her aloof, easy going husband.  The pair have believable chemistry together as a couple who've been together for a long time with power structures clearly established.  Mahershala Ali is just as good with a more understated, measured approach as someone who's trying to keep everything even keeled in the face of impending doom.  Roberts and Ali share some wonderful moments together which allow each performer to show off their talents.  Myha'la steals a handful of a scenes during the film as Ali's acerbic daughter.  Farrah Mackenzie and Charlie Evans end up on the other end with unwritten characters who never register on the same level as everyone else mainly due to being underwritten and mostly uninteresting archetypes.  Kevin Bacon has a small but memorable scene, but you get the sense that the film could have made better use of him throughout.  It’s a minor issue which is easy to overlook because of the level of craftmanship that Sam Esmail delivers paired with strong performances from his A list cast makes Leave the World Behind a fascinating, apocalyptic mystery thriller.

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL

Set several centuries in the future, the abandoned Alita is found in the scrapyard of Iron City by Ido, a compassionate cyber-doctor who takes the unconscious cyborg Alita to his clinic. When Alita awakens, she has no memory of who she is, nor does she have any recognition of the world she finds herself in. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious past.

Director: Robert Rodriguez

Cast: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley, Keean Johnson

Release Date: February 14, 2019

Genres: Fantasy/Science Fiction

Rating: PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language

Runtime: 2h 22min

Review:

Alita: Battle Angel is a movie I've been hearing about for round about 20 years now, if that's not completely accurate it's pretty close.  James Cameron's passion project has been gestating in one shape or form for a long while.  Originally he'd intended to direct the script he'd co-written but he'd become engulfed in Avatar and its subsequent sequels.  He finally handed off the film to Robert Rodriguez to finally bring the whole thing to life.  So simply put, is it worth the wait?  I believe so and that's coming at this Manga adaptation completed unfamiliar with the source material, like say Ghost in The Shell.  

The film is a surprisingly cynical free, cyberpunk adventure that has a lot to offer.  First and foremost, the world building and CGI visuals are all top notch with only a few hiccups here and there.  Alita, herself, is a fully realized motion capture CGI creation, after getting used to her large Anime inspired eyes, that's a true testament to the technical prowess of the people behind the film.  Rose Salazar's motion capture performance is endearing as she plays a nice balance between naive and lethal.  The world feels lived in and diverse even if it doesn't feel as fresh as most post-apocalyptic cyber punk landscapes did back in the 90s.  Still, it's well done and populated with a large variety of different characters to keep things fresh and interesting.  

The story itself feels familiar, which is a common issue with Mangas from the 90's or even William Gibson novels, but there are enough disparate story threads to keep you engaged in what's going on.  There are issues that pop up throughout, mostly due the script which has its fair share of clunky dialogue.  There's also the massive misstep of casting top line actors like Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly and Mahershala Ali to support Salazar and the story but never taking full advantage of their talents.  Instead the film opts to give Keean Johnson a spotlight even though he and Salazar don't share much chemistry.  Alita: Battle Angel's issues and how they affect your enjoyment of the film is totally dependent on whether you buy in early on.  The film throws a lot at you, everything from Motorball (a sort of Nascar meets cyborg roller derby), cyborg bounty hunters, cities in the sky and some sort of cataclysmic war that occurred 300 years before the start of film.  Does it resolve all plot points, not even close and a reveal at the end shows that Rodriguez and Cameron have more entries in mind, but I believe the film will either leave you wanting more or hating it with a passion.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Dearest Blog: After rather a long hiatus, yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Spoiler level here will be...uh...you know what, we're five weeks in and I never did see a trailer for this, so let's just say read on and take your chances.

Many Spideys from many dimensions join forces to fight a common threat.

Dear reader(s), the week Spider-Verse was released, we had five new movies opening locally. As the busy holiday season left me time for only two and I am prone to poor life choices, I opted for The Mule and Mortal Engines. Yesterday was my first opportunity to catch up with Spider-Verse, and, while I normally wouldn't bother reviewing a movie this late in its run*, Spider-Verse is so extraordinary that if I can convince even one person to get out and see it while it's still on the big screen, it's my civic duty to do that.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a terrific film, sans genre qualifier. The story is clever and layered without being muddled, and it explains itself well enough that even those not well-versed  in the multi-verse should have no trouble keeping up. Glorious visuals could pass for pages pulled directly from a comic; in fact, there's more than one panel I'm pretty sure *was* pulled directly from a comic. Your enjoyment may ebb and flow depending on the amount of time "your" Spidey spends on screen (I'm a Peter Parker girl myself), but the movie is at its best when all the Spideys share scenes together. A familiar stable of villains lends a comfortable feel to the proceedings, but a great sense of humor and multiple focal points keep the picture moving at pretty frantic pace. Daniel Pemberton's fantastic score and a positive, empowering message wrap up the heroic proceedings with a neat little bow.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse clocks in at 117 minutes and is rated PG for "frenetic scenes of animated action violence, thematic elements, and mild language."

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an exceptional movie that stands out among a glut of super-hero movies and sets a new standard for animation.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse gets nine.

Until next time...

*Feel free to laugh at this remark when my next review is of a movie that turns 15 years old this summer.

MOVIE REVIEW: SPIDERMAN INTO THE SPIDERVERSE

Bitten by a radioactive spider in the subway, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into the one and only Spider-Man. When he meets Peter Parker, he soon realizes that there are many others who share his special, high-flying talents. Miles must now use his newfound skills to battle the evil Kingpin, a hulking madman who can open portals to other universes and pull different versions of Spider-Man into our world.

Director: Peter Ramsey, Robert Persichetti Jr., Rodney Rothman

Cast: Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Luna 

Lauren Velez, John Mulaney, Nicolas Cage, Liev Schreiber

Rated PG for frenetic sequences of animated action violence, thematic elements, and mild 

language

Genres: Animation, Action, Adventure

Runtime: 1h 57min

Review:

Spiderman into the Spiderverse is one of those animated films that is instantly striking due to it’s visual style and energy.  The visual style is so striking that it takes a little while to adjust to it in action.  Once you settle into it it’s a cornucopia of visual delights.  The character designs and lush backgrounds make for a beautifully vivid film.  Thankfully the story is just as strong as the visual.  The story is a fun superhero tome filled with great messages for kids and adults alike.  The voice cast all fit their characters perfectly with Shameik Moore and Jake Johnson sharing great chemistry.  Hailee Steinfeld as a SpiderGwen has spinoff written all over it but it’s not nearly as fun as John Mulany as Spider Ham and Nicholas Cage as Spiderman Noir.  Ultimately, Spiderman into the Spiderverse is a fun film which offers a fresh version of animation which makes it pop.

B

Cindy Prascik's Review of Green Book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for recent Golden Globe Best Picture nominee (and National Board of Review winner) Green Book.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

 

In the early 1960s, a white bouncer from the Bronx accepts a job as driver/security for a brilliant black pianist embarking on a tour of the deep south.

 

Dear reader(s), this review will be sorta short (for me, anyway), because all I can really do is embellish on the sentiment: GO SEE THIS MOVIE NOW.

 

Green Book addresses the very serious subject of racism with humor and heart. The larger theme is obvious, but--without smashing anyone over the head--the movie also smartly tackles those little ways people convince themselves they aren't part of the problem. If it is ungracious to expect accolades, well, Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali should be extremely ungracious right about now. Terrific performances all 'round, led by two of the year's best. Though it exceeds two hours and it's hardly action packed, Green Book engages fully, earning every minute of its runtime. I laughed far more than I expected to, and I'm not sure I'll ever stop crying.

 

Green Book clocks in at 130 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic content, language including racial epithets, smoking, some violence, and suggestive material."

 

A timely reminder of how far we've come and why even a small slip backwards is unacceptable, Green Book is warm and funny enough that people might get the message without even realizing it. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Green Book gets nine.

 

Until next time...