Similar to last year, the releases of January and February are slightly underwhelming. But the usually accounts to the fact that most films come out in the summer. But this film caught my attention.

I Care a Lot is a film written and directed by J Blakeson, of whom I am not familiar with. What struck my attention was the lead Rosamund Pike, who I am very much a fan of. The story follows Marla Grayson, a court appointed legal guardian who scams her older clients, and traps them under her care. But conflict arises when her newest client comes with some unexpected baggage.

You might remember Rosamund Pike as Amy Dunne from Gone Girl, which remains her finest work as an actor to date. She channels that same energy into her character in this film, which might be a problem for some, but when an actor is this good at it, I don’t mind. To clear the air, she is wonderful here. Her performance is very engaging, and she devours the screen time she has.

J Blakeson has made a film that is viciously entertaining. The editing and pacing are swift and go by so fast, there is barely any fat to trim. The supporting cast is also great with Peter Dinklage chipping in, as well as Dianne Wiest. This isn’t a particularly memorable film, but the best thing I can say about it, is that I was very entertaining.

One notable criticism I have is the characters themselves. As I said before, Pike is great, Dinklage too. But the characters they play are just deplorable, with no redeeming qualities. I get that that’s the point, and it contributes to this being a black comedy. But there was no reason for me to side with any of these people, least of all care for them. The third and final act attempts to make you care about the protagonist, but that feels very much like a cop out.

Overall, I Care a Lot is very arresting watch, visually and narratively, boasting in a terrific lead performance. But it lacks emotional sustainability, and a lack luster ending.

Last night I watched a film for the first time that was from a director I was not familiar with. After seeing the picture, I subsequently researched the film, only to find out that this was Herk Harvey’s only feature length film. The rest of the work is his filmography is just a series of short films.

As I mentioned previously, this is the only feature length film from Harvey. It was shot on a shoestring budget of $30,000, and it was very much an independent project. The film was shot in Salt Lake City, Utah and Lawerence, Kansas. So the technical flaws are evident, and the film also suffers from different aspects. But I think most of the problems are because there wasn’t a whole lot of money in this film to begin with.

The plot is pretty simple and straightforward, it follows a young woman and church organist named Mary Henry who was involved in a serious car accident. Afterwards, when she was the sole survivor, she finds herself drawn to a mysterious, and alluring carnival.

One could make that argument that this is more of a style over substance, and that would be valid. However the entirety of the film isn’t completely devoid of dialogue. I am someone who usually prefers dialogue over anything else, but in this case it works to the films style and atmosphere.

This is Candace Hilligoss’ first acting debut. Before she went to the Barbizon Modeling and Acting school in New York. Graduated in 1956. When people discuss this film, some of them criticize her performance in the picture, or say it’s lackluster. I believe I’m in the minority, in saying that she delivered a very entrancing and unorthodox performance.

This is a film about trauma, and anxiety. How it effects someone for the rest of their life. Fear, Death, and Anguish are manifested in the form of dead people dancing, and following the victim. The sounds of carnival music echo through out the mind of Mary, beckoning her to come home.

The first few releases of 2021, in terms of films, have been underwhelming. There haven’t been that many that have come out on streaming services, but the ones that have, are simply mediocre. This has prompted to start a new series, or one that I’ve never seen before. I have kept my eye on a series called Succession, and this week I wrapped up the first season.

Succession follows the Roy family, who own media conglomerate Waystar Royco. It is a multi billion dollar firm that invests in Media, Parks, Cruises, Movie Production Studios, and others. The oldest and patriarch Logan Roy(Brian Cox) has been experiencing a decline in his health, while his power hungry son Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) attempts to take control of the firm as CEO. The season also chronicles the rest of the family’s relationship and involvement, with the company and family.

So at its core, this is a brutal, yet utterly engrossing family drama, that also acts as a black comedy and satire. The first episode takes place on Logan Roy’s birthday, on within the first 10 minutes we get a feel of who Logan is as a person. As the runtime for the first episode continues, we are introduced to the family members, as well as friends and colleagues, and the conflict is quickly arisen.

The whole season, for the most part in shot in New York. We get beautiful shots of corporate skyscrapers, and ridiculously expensive houses and apartments. Given that Waystar Royco is a multi billion dollar family business, the whole family is loaded. Some might find the series pretentious, with how blatantly ignorant these characters are, and that they aren’t exactly, likable individuals. However everyone in the show is very well developed, and each represent a certain theme that is conveyed to the viewer.

The performances across the board are terrific, with highlights such as Strong, Cox, Culkin, Snook, and Braun. Even the ones I have mentioned pitch on. I cannot recall a bad apple in terms of the cast. The score is beautiful, and is executed at the right moment, to achieve an emotional punch.

Succession is quite simply, very consistent. Consistent that is in characters, story, direction, acting, and the result is staggering. It’s one of the best pilot seasons I’ve seen in awhile, and well worth a watch.

A few weeks ago, I had seen a documentary with my family, recommended by my sister, titled Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things. The documentary focused on Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, two life long friends that share their life experiences and their slow conversion to minimalism. We get to know them, as they go on their book tour, discussing minimalism. While the documentary introduced some interesting ideas that could prompt some self-evaluation and reflection, it didn’t necessarily delve into the concept or philosophy of minimalism itself. It discussed the correlation between advertising and our way of living, and a little bit of social media is brought up.

This is another documentary following the duo, and Matt D’Avella is the returning director. Unfortunately, I am disappointed to report that this project doesn’t expand or educate the viewer all that much on minimalism, and it doesn’t seem like an improvement from the first documentary that was made. There is no sense of change from the first film, people are being interviewed, but they are saying pretty much the same thing. Joshua and Nick recall their life, and significant moments in their life, that are in some way related to minimalism, or at least how they interpret “stuff”. I’m not gonna sit here, and discredit the experiences these guys have had, in fact I actually believe some of it helps the cause. But it gets blatantly repetitive.

I think what would’ve made this better, is if there was more of a counter. Because it feels very one-sided, making it seem like having possessions and materials is an awful thing. It almost seems like the audience is bring indirectly guilt-tripped. If you want your message to be powerful, and have the result be strong, then you have to factor in the pro’s and con’s. What I got out of this documentary, is that we should declutter, or get rid of our “stuff”. First off, that point was already mentioned in the first film, and here they really hammer it in, as if we didn’t get it the first time. Second, that argument feels very surface-level and vague. Surely Minimalism isn’t just about getting rid of stuff, but this documentary doesn’t dive into other ideas.

The problem is, this documentary isn’t expounding on any new territory or ideas. It’s saying the same thing that the last one said. The Minimalists: Less Is Now isn’t the worst thing I’ve seen. Matt D’Avella has still made a moderately engaging film. I’m also glad he trimmed the runtime to under an hour, making it more succinct. But nothing about this seems like an improvement, and I feel like I have gained little to nothing about Minimalism.

As 2020 comes to a close, I thought it was only fitting to announce a couple of my favorites from this year. The year itself has been awful, but there have been enough good films that have come out this year, that have made it more endurable. I would like to note that I went to the theater only twice this year, to see the same movie(Tenet), and there are numerous films that I wanted to see, but weren’t able to. Every film I’ve seen thus far was one that I rented, or watched via streaming service. But before I reveal my top five, I would like to name a couple of honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions include:

• Possessor
• Shirley
• Palm Springs
• She Dies Tomorrow
• His House

5. Da 5 Bloods

One of the earliest Netflix Original releases, and certainly one of the better ones. Spike Lee has returned in stylish fashion with a film about 4 African American Vietnam veterans that have returned to Vietnam in search of their fallen squad leader and buried treasured. There a flashbacks interwoven with present day that are both harrowing and emotionally resonant. Spike Lee’s direction and the beautiful cinematography make for a very engaging, and memorable experience. Great performances all across the board, but Delroy Lindo is the real showstopper. This film is just another example of a veteran director who is in control of their craft.

4. Soul

This is Pixar’s newest feature, with returning director Pete Docter, and is one of Pixar’s best work to date. The story follows a passionate jazz musician who gets in an accident that separates his soul from his body and his transported to the You Seminar, a center in which souls develop and gain passions before being transported to a newborn child. Joe must get help from the other souls-in-training, like 22, a soul who has spent eons in the You Seminar, in order to get back to Earth. It is obviously beautifully animated, but the story reveals itself to be so much more. This is a thought-provoking, reflective, insightful, and powerful piece of work. The themes and ideas are not being spoon-fed to you. It very much relies on visual storytelling, and depicts the parts of life that we so often take for granted. This film is more geared towards adults than kids, however I believe kids will still get a kick out of it. Soul is still able to achieve the trademarks of a Pixar film with lovable characters, smart screenplay, and an emotional core.

3. Mangrove

Steve McQueen gave us the Small Axe series this year. An anthology social issue drama based on real life events from the late 1960s to the early 80s in London’s West Indian community. Mangrove follows the real life story of the Mangrove Nine, Frank Crichlow, and the trial that took place at the Old Bailey in 1970. It might seem like a regular genre film on the surface, but it is anchored by incredibly raw performances with a director of finely tuned precision. McQueen effortlessly immerses us in the culture and lifestyle of the immigrant community of Notting Hill. The Mangrove restaurant is a place of refuge and joy, that quickly becomes a nightmare of fear and anguish, when the police force arrive to harass the inhabitants. The last half is the court proceedings that happen after a riot takes place, and it continues to be thoroughly engaging and urgent. The last 10 minutes are some of the most moving minutes I’ve seen all year.

2. I’m Thinking of Ending Things

Charlie Kaufman’s newest feature that is adapted from Iain Reid’s novel, that is of the same name. The story is about a woman who begins to have misgivings when she goes to meet her boyfriend’s parents on their remote farm. It seems like a very comprehensible narrative on the surface, but as the film goes along it becomes very twisted. I saw this film the first time, and didn’t know what to make of it. I then watched it two more times, and gained a lot more of an appreciation for it, but I still ponder it to this day. I was very confused, but also intrigued. The dialogue and writing in this film, feels very intricate and methodical. Jesse Buckley and Jesse Plemon’s give very strange and often chaotic performances. But nothing nearly as bizarre as Toni Collette and David Thewlis’ presence. Kaufman’s manipulation of time, and the imagery on display feels very subtle to the point of being unnoticeable. I feel that if I were to describe the genre of this, if it even falls under one, it would be a dark comedy/drama. But really this is a existential horror film. Explaining this film to others is a hard task for me in itself, but if you haven’t seen it, I would recommend you go into it knowing nothing

1. David Byrne’s American Utopia

This is Spike Lee’s second film to come out this year, and is undoubtedly my favorite of the year. A filmed version of David Byrne’s Broadway show, a unifying musical celebration that inspires audiences to connect to each other and to the global community. David Byrne is such a interesting man, and this doesn’t just have great music and performances, but it also includes timely issues and is a contemplative discourse about us as humans and how we connect with each other. It is joyful and exuberant, with out being overly sappy. A true masterwork of music and film.

Soul is the latest feature from Pixar/Disney productions. There was another film that came out this year titled Onward, but I never found the time to watch it. After hearing the reception from both my peers and critics, it was clear that I was to check this out, and I’m so glad I did, because this was truly something special.

The IMDB synopsis for this film is as follows: “A musician who has lost his passion for music is transported out of his body and must find his way back with the help of an infant soul learning about herself.”

There are some elements of this that feel similar to Inside Out, and people have already made comparisons, however the narrative and emotional impact feels much different. Soul examines the human condition and existentialism in such a unique way. More conceptual than some of Pixar’s films as of yet. Instead of telling you, it shows you. It treats the audience like adults, and it respects our intelligence. Even though we don’t know much about Joe or 22, throughout this journey we begin to learn about them, and what they represent. The You Seminar is this strange, vast, and dream like dimension, that is a center for souls before they a transported into a newborn child.

Jamie Foxx voices Joe Gardner, and he does an excellent job at giving us someone we can get behind and support, while being charming and lovable in his own way. Tina Fey voices 22, and her character delivers a decent amount of the laughs and gags, and her relationship between Joe is very touching.

Soul is a beautiful celebration of music, life, passion, and purpose. A visually stunning piece of work, with memorable characters, assured direction, and a heartwarming message.

This new Netflix original is directed and starring the dashing George Clooney. As a director, it hasn’t been that long since the man has made a stand-alone feature. However as an actor, the last film he starred in was Money Monster.

“This post-apocalyptic tale follows Augustine, a lonely scientist in the Arctic, as he races to stop Sully and her fellow astronauts from returning home to a mysterious global catastrophe.” This is the IMDB plot description of the feature. But I regret to inform that this sci-fi flick isn’t all that interesting.

George Clooney is undeniably a fine actor, and a decent director. But here it really falls flat. The character he plays is somewhat different from his various roles, unfortunately he’s not showing much versatility here. It’s in no way, an awful performance. However there is nothing that is of any interest or intrigue. The traits of his character are very formulaic and basic, and so there’s no emotional attachment. I hate saying this, but the film is such a bore. There are countless moments where I felt like it was going nowhere, sequences became repetitive and uninteresting. The supporting cast seen to give more effort to their characters, but it is still lacking.

The Midnight Sky is a nice effort at the sci-fi genre, basking in some impressive visuals. But it is very lackluster in its characters, narrative, and emotional core.

“It is about trying to catch lightning in a bottle.”

Let Them All talk is the latest feature from auteur Steven Soderbergh. It follows our lead Alice Hughes(Meryl Streep) who is a celebrated author that decides to aboard a cruise along side some old friends and her nephew Tyler Hughes(Lucas Hedges) in an attempt to heal old wounds.

Steven Soderbergh has returned not only as director, but editor and cinematographer. This is a gorgeously shot and beautiful looking film. This film was actually shot on the Queen Mary 2 during its voyage. To say this cruise ship is luxurious would be an understatement. The furniture and decorations are very elegant and high class. The overall look of this environment is pristine and polished.

The actors onscreen do a very fine job, and the atmosphere feels very natural. I heard that the actors supposedly improvised which is very impressive, but not surprising considering we have a veteran actor present (Streep). There is sanguine jazz music prevalent through out the runtime which helps this tone of relaxation and tranquility.

It’s a beautiful film with charming performances, dazzling cinematography, and a sweet tone.

The only critique I have is that for Soderbergh this isn’t really breaking any boundaries for him as an auteur. The film itself doesn’t have any staying quality.

It’s Christmas time, and what a lot of people are doing is spending time together with family, and possibly catching up on some Christmas classics. There is a variety of Christmas films out there, whose existence is to show the true spirit of Christmas and to spread holiday cheer. Gremlins came out in 1984, and it completely went against the typical formula for Christmas movies. It happens to be my favorite Christmas movie, and even if you believe it’s too over the top and crazy to be a Christmas movie, then I would understand. But Gremlins still makes a statement about Americans, especially during the holidays.

Take the character Randall Peltzer for example. He is the first character we see, and there is a little bit of narration on his part, as to why he is in Chinatown. One of his first utterances, is him making a pitch on one of his products to the owner of a antique store and his son. Randall is a struggling inventor. Every scene he has, when it’s not with his family, is him approaching strangers and enticing them to buy a product that he made himself. This man is a salesman, and a very convincing one at that. When he hears the sound of a Mogwai and then sees it, he is instantly attracted to it, so much to the point where he insists to the store owner that he’s gotta have it. There is a bit of back and forth between the store manager and Randall, where Randall offers him more, and the manger says Mogwai not for sale. Randall isn’t with his family a lot in Gremlins. He comes back to deliver the gift for his son Billy Peltzer, but later he leaves to go to this invention convention. I don’t believe there is anything inherently wrong with being an entrepreneur, or sharing your products. But this constant effort to make and sell these inventions is to no avail. The father doesn’t have a side job, and Billy works at the bank to help support his family. Also, when Billy inevitably breaks one of the rules and gets Gizmo wet, creating more Mogwai in the process, Randall doesn’t assess it as a problem. In fact he looks at it, as a sign of hope. He realizes that he can make more of these, and have them in every home in America. So instead of studying these creatures or being more careful with them, Randall thinks of how he can profit out of them, for his own personal gain.

The second character I want to examine is Kate Beringer. She works at the bank with Billy, and also serves as a bartender at the local bar. When Billy walks Kate home one night, the discuss for a little bit the Christmas season. Billy is happy and full of glee, while Kate doesn’t understand why everyone loves Christmas, or why people view the season as being so sacred. One might look at her character as being a Debby downer, but when you wait to hear what she went through, you’ll understand. In the conversation with her and Billy she said “You say you hate Washington’s Birthday or Thanksgiving and nobody cares, but you say you hate Christmas and people treat youlike you’re a leper.” Whether you are religious or not, there is this great expectation to being happy and full of joy during Christmas time, and if you are not, you apparently don’t have any Christmas spirit. Advertising, News, Social Media, shopping mall’s, and the world attempt to put an emphasis on unity, giving, and being grateful during the holidays. But the reality is, people only care about projecting the lies to their friends and peers. Christmas has turned into one giant pile of shiny, overly sappy, commercialized piece of garbage. Now obviously I’m over exaggerating a bit, but it is true to an extent that people care more about the image of Christmas than the true meaning of it.

Gremlins dares to push the boundaries for Christmas films, by being violent, nasty, and full of mischief. It may not be the quintessential Christmas movie in most people’s eyes, but it remains a staggering look at the American culture, especially during Christmas.

“No one gets away with sin. Eventually, everybody pays. Everybody suffers.”

The 3rd season in this anthology series deviates quite moderately from Asylum. The tone is different, going for a more black comedy type feel, and visually it is more gruesome and bloody. But it is still nonetheless, entertaining and exciting.

This season tells the story of Zoe Benson and how she travels to New Orleans to join a Coven for girls that share the same lineage and abilities. If you are a fan of the show Scream Queens, than you will love Coven. It blends both old folklore, and modern day stories of New Orleans. It has of course some returning actors from the previous seasons(i.e: Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, etc).

But my personal favorite new comers this time around are Madison Montgomery(Emma Roberts), Madame Delphine Lalaurie(Kathy Bates), and Marie Laveau(Angela Bassett).

Coven is certainly ambitious with a change in mood, one being more quirky and whimsical, but writers/creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, prove themselves to be a force to be reckoned with.

I also would like to add, that this season is not completely devoid of true scares and horrors. Some of the performances, especially by Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett, make episodes truly cynical and sadistic. A majority of the episodes, and more specifically that latter ones, have more of an emphasis on mortality and death. Themes of the past, prejudice, family, relationships, are all explored.

Coven might be distinctly different from what we’ve seen thus far, but it only establishes the creators of this show as experts of creating layered characters, great atmosphere, and spine-tingling horror.