May 2018 - Cinematic Insights

Solo: A Star Wars Story Review

(3 / 4)

Solo is a fun intergalactic adventure fueled by an energetic performance from Alden Ehrenrich, even if the story doesn’t cover much new ground and adds very little to the Star Wars mythos.

Ron Howard’s Solo: A Star Wars Story is the latest in what seems like an endless string of spinoffs and prequels to longstanding franchises that have essentially finished their core stories. Between Harry Potter continuing to exist through The Fantastic Beasts series, as well as news of a Boba Fett centered Star Wars story being in the works, it’s hard not to become cynical about this practice and to wonder if this is tainting the great stories that have already been told. In comparison with every other Star Wars film that has preceded, it feels as though there has been a tepid anticipation towards Solo thanks in no part to bad press around December of 2017. During this time there were reports of extensive reshoots, the lead actor requiring an acting coach, and an endless delay for a theatrical trailer. With Solo being only the second Star Wars story not directly linked to the main narrative, the question of whether the film would merely coast on the Star Wars name without providing anything new was a viable concern. Despite all of these seemingly negative omens, Solo manages to prove that in spite of an abundance of prequels and spinoffs, this practice can still be conducive to creating a thrilling story, even if it pales in comparison to the source material.

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Tully Review

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(3.5 / 4)

Tully is a deceptively simple tale bursting with profound insights into motherhood due to Diablo Cody’s witty screenplay and a transformative performance from Charlize Theron.

Tully is the first film to reunite screenwriter Diablo Cody with director Jason Reitman and actress Charlize Theron since the 2011 dramedy Young Adult. Young Adult was one of my favorite films of that year as I was fascinated by the darkly humorous portrait of the protagonist and the film’s ability to portray this delusional woman in a complex and sympathetic manner. Tully can be thought of as a spiritual successor to Young Adult, as the team applies the same technique of balancing bluntly honest dark humor with emotionally profound messages, this time tackling the intricacies of being a mother in today’s society.

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Deadpool 2 Review

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(2.5 / 4)

With solid additions to the cast and exhilarating action sequences, Deadpool 2 is an improvement to its predecessor, even if the relentless meta-humor grows tiresome.

The Deadpool franchise has become the alternative for fans of the superhero genre who prefer their action spectacle to be paired with crude and profanity-laced humor instead of the family friendly quipping variant of the MCU. Upon seeing the original Deadpool film in 2016 I recall being extremely impressed by the film’s willingness to embrace its R-rating and the revolutionary self-awareness of the film’s place in the real world. After watching Deadpool a second time at home, I found that much of the novelty had worn off and it was apparent that the film’s ceaseless emphasis on being as R-rated as possible made the story feel monotonous over time and dampened my enjoyment. While Deadpool 2 manages to improve upon the formula of the original that will no doubt provide an enjoyable experience for fans of its predecessor, the same issues of the first cause the film to falter as it progresses.

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Spoilers in Movie Trailers: Financially Savvy or Box Office Disaster?

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Movie trailers have long been an essential component of cinema and have been evolving for some time now. A movie trailer’s purpose is to motivate the viewer to see the film when it is released in theaters, typically by showcasing the most exciting moments that will occur in a film. Trailers will often abbreviate or manipulate the order of events shown as a means of avoiding spoilers, which could obviously ruin a viewer’s enjoyment of a film. In recent years, however, it seems as though this wariness of spoiling crucial events is no longer as valued by movie studios.

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Avengers: Infinity War Review

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(3.5 / 4)

After 10 years and nearly 20 films that have been building to this particular story, Avengers: Infinity War has finally arrived in theaters. With the built-up anticipation from the years of waiting as well as the film’s ambitions to interweave nearly every featured MCU protagonist while also introducing new locations and a new antagonist, there are colossal expectations attached to this film. Despite the Marvel series being no stranger to defying conventional wisdom regarding the number of characters that can successfully be included in a new story, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I had doubts about whether directors Anthony and Joe Russo would be able live up to the insurmountable hype and pull off their most ambitious feat to date. I am elated to say that Infinity War not only met, but exceeded my expectations by producing an epic spectacle that manages to be one of the most thrilling and emotionally resonant chapters of the entire MCU series.

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Ant-Man Review

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(3 / 4)

In continued anticipation for The Avengers: Infinity War as well as the upcoming sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp, it seemed logical that Marvel’s Ant-Man was worth analyzing again. Although I hadn’t seen the film in several years, I remember enjoying the film a lot during its initial release and I’m happy to report that it holds up well upon a re-watch, however, I did come away with some new insights. With the slew of other films in the MCU portfolio, it would have been easy for Ant-Man to have been overshadowed by its more epic predecessors. Coming off the heels of the release of Age of Ultron during the Summer of 2015, Ant-Man was jarringly simple in scope as the stakes were nowhere near the grandiose peril demonstrated by its MCU predecessor. However, this simplicity is the film’s greatest strength and despite being less ambitious in some ways Ant-Man provides an oddly fresh experience that sets the film apart from the other MCU films.

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Thor: The Dark World Review

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(2 / 4)

With the release of Avengers: Infinity War nearing closer and Thor: Ragnarok being one of the most recent Marvel Cinematic Universe releases it seems appropriate to revisit Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World directed by Alan Taylor. As this movie was released several years ago now I will be discussing some light spoilers in this review. Although it’s been some time since I last saw The Dark World I recall enjoying the film, but even during that time being aware that this was far from the best the MCU had to offer. I see now that during the time of its release I was still desperately chasing a high to replicate an experience resembling the first time I saw The Avengers and examining the film now I see that The Dark World is the worst film in the MCU to date.

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A Quiet Place Review

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(3.5 / 4)

Upon initial glance, A Quiet Place seems mundanely familiar and it would be understandable why a viewer might relegate the film as a story they have seen countless times before. In the last few years alone films like The Witch, Don’t Breath, and last year’s It Comes at Night have had similar features to A Quiet Place, whether it be the familial struggle in the wilderness or being forced to remain quiet in order to evade a dangerous force. The horror genre is indeed a crowded category and it is understandable why many might believe it to be devoid of original ideas, but A Quiet Place demonstrates that this is not the case. The film, which marks John Krasinski’s first directorial picture with a major studio, maximizes its clever setting and well-acted characters to deliver a taut thriller that breaks many horror conventions leading the viewer to never be confident of where the film will go next.

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Ready Player One Review

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(3 / 4)

Ready Player One directed by Steven Spielberg is the long anticipated film adaptation of the well-received 2011 novel by Ernest Cline. The film, like the book, utilizes the setting of a not too distant future in which the world is plagued with disasters such as over population and a lack of sustainable energy, with the currency from the game being the most stable in the world. With current issues such as climate change, the increasing relevance of digital currencies like bitcoin, and concerns about the effects of video games on aggression, Ready Player One seems primed to make a bold statement about our society and whether these technological advancements are beneficial or not to humankind. Ready Player One is not this type of film.

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I, Tonya Review

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(3 / 4)

“There’s no such thing as truth. Everyone has their own truth.” This phrase is uttered by Margot Robbie’s Tonya Harding during one of the film’s most poignant scenes and if the central idea of the film had to be summed up this quote would suffice. While the scandal is salient in the minds of almost everyone who witnessed the Olympics in 1994, there has never been a story from Harding and her associates’ perspectives before. I, Tonya, directed by Craig Gillespie, provides a fresh examination of Harding’s early life as well as what transpired leading up to the infamous event and the fallout that ended Harding’s skating career. Although the film at times sacrifices nuance in an effort to make this story completely from Harding’s point of view, the film blends comedy and drama effectively to tell the story of an ice skater unlike any other. Whether Tonya’s unconventional approach to figure skating should be celebrated or vilified, much like the public during this time period, is up to the viewer to decide.

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