May 31, 2024
As much as I like the convenience of having endless options at our fingertips to watch at home, I still prefer losing myself to a story in a movie theater. Granted, there are some films that you can appreciate regardless of where you see them, but there are others that grab you in a different way when you see them on the big screen. There’s a reason I went to see Dune Part Two in an IMAX theater more than once. And there’s also a reason I continue to see older classics when they come around to my local theater.
In late April, I noticed that my local Cinemark was screening Alien, the Ridley Scott sci-fi horror masterpiece celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. I tried convincing my sister to join me, as we’ve had a great time seeing some classics together in the theater recently, including Jaws, E.T. and La La Land. Alas, I wasn’t surprised that I heard “No, thanks” before I couldn’t finish the question, as I know she is not a horror fan. Now, I’ve seen Alien a few times before, but this was my first time seeing it on the big screen. Even though I knew what was coming, it was still thrilling and exciting to experience such a great film with a crowd in a theater. When I got home that night, my wife asked how the movie was. My response – “Oh, you know…it was terrifying. And fantastic.” That’s Alien for you. Speaking of which, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the career of Ridley Scott later this year, in conjunction with the release of his sequel to Gladiator in November.
I was able to convince my sister to join me for the 65th anniversary screening of North by Northwest, the classic Alfred Hitchcock suspense thriller starring Cary Grant. I wrote about this movie two years ago as part of my comfort film series, so you know I am a huge fan of it, but this was my first chance to see it on the big screen. Of course it delivered, especially the big action sequences like the crop duster scene and the finale on Mount Rushmore. I also love the blooper where the little kid in the background puts his fingers in his ears right before Eva Marie Saint fires the gun at Grant in the Mount Rushmore cafeteria. I guess Hitch missed that in the final edit. Hitchcock is one of my favorite directors and I have been making my way through his filmography over the last few years. Next up is Psycho, which I haven’t seen in a very long time. That’s the thing about movies – there are so many brilliant films out there, you never run out of options. Let’s get to this month’s main event.
Charming Movie Stars + Action + Comedy = A Winner – The Fall Guy
While the box office has been softer in 2024 compared to 2023 (not a surprise given the dual actor and writer strikes last year impacting movie productions), there have still been some excellent options to see. First up is The Fall Guy, a movie that made headlines (I think unfairly) for all of the wrong reasons earlier this month. With the disruption in film production, it meant that a number of pictures saw their release dates pushed back. One of the more anticipated titles of 2024, Deadpool & Wolverine, moved from the first weekend in May (where Marvel traditionally kicks off the summer movie season) to late July. Spoiler alert: You won’t be reading my thoughts on that one. Besides not having seen the first two installments of the franchise, I think I’m done watching Ryan Reynolds play his smarmy self in every single movie. With Marvel out of the way, Universal Pictures jumped into that date with their action-romantic-comedy The Fall Guy, loosely based on a 1980s television series. The Hollywood press loves to write about negative stories (like, um, every media outlet?), so when The Fall Guy failed to earn a robust (i.e. Marvel-sized) return at the box office in its opening weekend, there was yet another story about the death of movie theaters. And yes, we got the same round of stories earlier this week after the worst Memorial Day box-office result in decades. But let’s not confuse box-office money earned with quality. And that’s what I care about – quality. Guess what? The Fall Guy is a fun summer movie!
Ryan Gosling, fresh off an Oscar nomination for Barbie, and bringing the house down (even if he didn’t bring home an award) at the Oscar ceremony, plays Hollywood stuntman Colt Seavers. After an on-set accident, he leaves the industry, only to be coaxed back to help his former love interest Jody (played by Emily Blunt), who is directing her first feature film. It turns out that he is needed to help find the leading man of the film, who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. What follows are some fun action sequences, a lot of Hollywood inside jokes, outstanding needle drops (including a chef’s kiss use of a Taylor Swift song), and some winning moments between the two leads. And let’s be honest – there’s no way this movie is half as good without Gosling and Blunt, who have excellent chemistry together. Is it a groundbreaking film that will be in contention for awards? No, and that’s perfectly fine. Sometimes you need to kick back on the couch and enjoy a fun popcorn movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The Fall Guy is still playing in theaters and also available to rent on demand.
The Apes Still Got It – Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
A few months ago, I saw the trailer for this film in a theater and barely paid attention to it. Usually I try to avoid learning too much about a movie, but I kind of ignored this one because I had no plans to see Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes as I assumed “this isn’t for me.” Then a funny thing happened. I started seeing good reviews about the film, along with plenty of comparisons to the widely-acclaimed trilogy of movies in the franchise released in the 2010s. Ah, the lost decade. You see, I was so immersed in my career during the 2010s, I barely saw any movies, and I have been making up for lost time since I started this blog. After some quick research on Wikipedia, I learned that in 2011, a “reboot” trilogy began, which means that it’s not connected to the original Planet of the Apes films of the 1960s and 1970s. So, I decided to give the first movie (2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes) a try (loved it) and quickly plowed through 2014’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and 2017’s War for the Planet of Apes, becoming more intrigued in the world-building through each film. I’m happy to report that this franchise is excellent, and the new installment is a very good addition to the 2010s trilogy.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes place about 300 years after the events of the previous films, when a virus was unleashed on humanity, giving apes significantly increased intelligence, and killing off a significant portion of the human population. The new installment (the first of a planned new trilogy) is focused on a clan of apes who are attacked and left for dead by a rival group of apes, who have assumed a totalitarian grip on members of their society. There are a few humans around, but they have been pushed to the background as the apes have taken over the world. The cast here is pretty good, mostly actors that you haven’t heard of, portraying the apes using “motion-capture” special effects that are so brilliant you quickly forget you are watching “movie magic.” There are some good action sequences in these films, but I’m always impressed with the storylines that have broad themes about family, politics, religion and tribalism that don’t go away by the passage of time, and are still effective even if we’ve seen similar themes in movies for decades. I am also fascinated how the filmmakers show what happened to human society after years of neglect. In one sequence, you wonder where the apes are, and then realize it’s an abandoned airport, complete with an airplane graveyard. The new installment is a little too long, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, and while the last act is a little bloated, the gripping ending left me excited to see the next film in this new trilogy. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is now playing in theaters.
Documentary Corner – Girls State and The Blue Angels
One of my favorite documentaries of 2020 was Boys State, a look at the leadership program for young boys to learn how government works. The film showcased the students attending the program in Austin, Texas and was a fascinating look at how political ideologies are formed and shaped by families and peer pressure. Parts of it were downright scary in the vein of “I weep for the future of the country.” But, let’s worry about getting past November 5th and then we can worry about the “long-term” future of the country.
Anyway, the filmmakers of Boys State are back with Girls State, this time focused on a group of students attending the program in Missouri. Once again, we get to know a wonderful group of characters, as they pursue government positions in the program, debate their beliefs with their fellow students, and deal with a different kind of peer pressure than the boys faced. The Girls State program featured in the film happened to occur during the time when we learned the Supreme Court was preparing to overturn Roe v. Wade, setting in motion a number of interesting conversations among the students. There is also a great sequence when one of the students does some investigative journalism to learn why the Boys State program in Missouri has higher funding (and thus more benefits) than the Girls State program. Alas, some (shitty) things never change. Both Boys State (in case you missed it) and Girls State are now streaming on Apple TV+.
Sometimes you want to watch a hard-hitting documentary that explores the complicated issues of our time. And sometimes you just want to watch cool footage of fighter jets. I was fortunate to catch The Blue Angels in an IMAX theater during its limited release earlier this month. The film was produced by Glenn Powell, who became enamored with the naval aviator profession after he portrayed Hangman in Top Gun: Maverick. The Blue Angels is a behind-the-scenes look at the Navy flying squadron that shows off their skills at airshows across the country. We meet the members of the team, including the veterans and rookies, and learn how they train to be a cohesive unit, where even the slightest mistake can result in tragedy. There are also some nice sequences where we see the recruiting process for the next class. But the real star here is the footage of the maneuvers these skilled pilots make while training and putting on the airshow. It’s a true feat in filmmaking, even if the storytelling is not overly compelling. To be honest, this is a commercial for The Blue Angels and a cynic would argue it’s United States military propaganda. But, I was impressed by what these skilled aviators did and had a fun time for ninety minutes. The Blue Angels is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Greatness Gone Too Soon – Back to Black
I’ve been very vocal about my struggle with musician biopics, even devoting an entire post to the genre three years ago. Some of them work very well (Walk the Line) and others are too formulaic for my taste. In my 2024 movie preview, I noted the Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black was one I was considering seeing, even though I didn’t listen to her music. I recently checked out her iconic 2006 album Back to Black and loved it, but I knew very little about her life, except that she struggled with addiction and died at the age of 27, like many famous musicians. If you don’t know that strange coincidence, Google it – quite the crazy list.
So, I was intrigued about Back to Black, until the early reviews came in, which were very critical about the storyline chosen by the filmmakers. Chief among the complaints was the lack of emphasis on the behavior of Winehouse’s abusive husband and domineering father, and the impact they had on her life and addiction. Some called the film a “victim-blaming” portrait of Winehouse, with other critics expressing downright hatred for the movie. So, my guard was up going into the movie, and I have to say that it exceeded my (admittedly lowered) expectations.
Marisa Abela is excellent in the leading role, as we see Amy growing up with her family, her quick rise to fame, and her troubled relationship and addiction that led to her writing the album Back to Black. Abela performed her own singing in the film, which features a number of Winehouse’s songs. I was very impressed with her performance, considering the challenge of playing such an iconic singer, with a unique sound to her music. The film is a little sloppy in that I think it places too much emphasis on the drinking and drugs and not enough on Winehouse’s songwriting. I get it – she won multiple Grammys for a song named Rehab and to the average moviegoer, you might need to focus more on the addiction storyline to make the end of the movie work. But, I wanted more of the person and how she created the album that the film is named after, and not just the addiction that plagued her.
As the film wrapped, I was conflicted because Abela was so damn good, but I can’t help thinking there is more to Winehouse’s story that I need to learn. At some point, I am going to check out Amy, the Oscar-winning 2015 documentary about her life. I want to give it some space after seeing the biopic, but it’s funny that my opinion about Back to Black may change after I see Amy, which isn’t fair, because a biopic is not a documentary. Such is the nature of true-life stories. I do wonder if my current opinion is colored by the fact that I knew virtually nothing about Winehouse’s life before I saw Back to Black. If I was a big fan of her music, would I judge it differently? Will I be overly critical of Deliver Me from Nowhere, the upcoming film about Bruce Springsteen writing and recording Nebraska, starring Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) as Springsteen? Maybe. Will I be able to tolerate the eventual Taylor Swift biopic? Oh, please don’t let that happen until after I shuffle off this mortal coil. Back to Black is now playing in theaters and will be available to rent on demand on June 4th.
“Not As Great” Can Still Be “Great” – Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
When I first saw 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road three years ago, my pithy review on Letterboxd was, “What a rush. I need a cigarette.” Hyperbole aside, that film is a freaking masterpiece and I was fortunate to see it again a few months ago, this time in the theater, ahead of the Fury Road prequel that opened last weekend. Anya Taylor-Joy plays the title character in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga in the origin story of the iconic character Charlize Theron brilliantly portrayed in Fury Road. The first natural question – Is it as good as Fury Road? Well, no. But that doesn’t mean it’s not great and worth your time if you are into these kinds of stories. And that’s a big “If”, because George Miller, who created this crazy dystopian Mad Max world over forty years ago, has a pretty strange imagination. So, this science-fiction action adventure might not be for everyone.
The film covers about fifteen years in the life of Furiosa as we see her kidnapped and raised by the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth in a fantastic performance) before she eventually lands at the Citadel, led by the tyrant leaders we saw in Fury Road. As the film progresses, we see the dynamics of the world unfold where precious commodities (food, drink, bullets, gasoline) are traded among rival gangs. Furiosa becomes part of the Citadel’s working crew and plots her revenge against Dementus for kidnapping her as a child and killing her mother.
While Taylor-Joy is very good in the film, she doesn’t have much dialogue, so her actions and facial expressions are doing the majority of the work. Hemsworth brings some comic relief in the absurdity of his role as the clueless leader of his disciples. Tom Burke plays a supporting role as a rig leader who collaborates with Furiosa on one of the missions. He’s kind of a stand-in for the Mad Max character we saw Tom Hardy play in Fury Road. I give high marks for all of the leading performances, but they are secondary to the world that Miller has brought to life. It’s a replica of what we saw in Fury Road, so the new film has a similar look and feel, which will bring the natural comparisons. Furiosa features a few breathtaking action sequences, which is when the film is at its best. The production design, visual effects, sound design and musical score are incredible, which is why it’s best seen in a theater.
So, most of the movie works really well, but it is a little long (2 ½ hours) and you can feel the slow pacing at times. Also, Taylor-Joy doesn’t appear until almost an hour into the movie, which was kind of surprising to me. I expected a shorter prologue, even though the actress who plays the younger Furiosa is very good. I think this is where the unfair comparisons to Fury Road, which was a lean two hour nonstop action movie, come into play. It’s hard not to compare the two films since one is literally a prequel to the other and they are set in the same unique dystopian world. Not to spoil the ending, but it leads right up to the opening events of Fury Road, and we even see highlights of Fury Road as the credits roll, a filmmaking decision I found a little strange. All that being said, Furiosa is still an impressive movie. Four stars out of five in my book. Maybe it’s not as magnificent as Fury Road, but it’s still a fun time at the movies. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is now playing in theaters.
That’s all for this month’s post. I’ll be back next month for more thoughts on the world of movies and I’m working on a special post for early July – a look at the incredible 1994 year in film. Thanks for reading and if you’d like to be notified of future posts, you can subscribe below.
Great post, and thanks for the heads up on the Blue Angels documentary. I wasn’t aware of it and Kim will love it.
Thanks Chris – hope you both like it!