Top 10 Films of 2018

Toni Collette in "Hereditary"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

10) Hereditary - I’ve seen countless horror movies, but I can’t remember any of them having the anxiety-producing impact on me that I felt while watching writer-director Ari Aster’s “Hereditary.”  The story follows a family that devolves into madness when long-kept secrets are revealed after the death of a grandmother.  Toni Collette, who plays the mother of the family, gives a heated performance that drags you down into the grief and fear that falls upon her household, resulting in something that's as petrifying as it is unforgettable.  Astor shows himself to be a filmmaker of immense promise, taking horror elements that we've seen before and giving them an invigorated and terrifying power.  The movie is scary as a whole, but the final 15 minutes placed me in a state of immobility.  If this is what Astor can accomplish with his feature directorial debut, I can't imagine what we'll see from him in the future.

Joaquin Phoenix in "You Were Never Really Here"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

9) You Were Never Really Here - In this crime drama, writer-director Lynne Ramsay brings us into some of New York City's darkest corners to tell a story about a veteran, Joe (Joaquin Phoenix), working as a hired hitman, whose next job is to rescue a senator’s abducted daughter.  Phoenix creates a character that intimidates you with his viciousness, but disheartens you over the loneliness that he experiences on a day-to-day basis.  While the story has some likenesses to that of Martin Scorsese’s "Taxi Driver," the visual styles and some of the narrative beats are different enough to make Ramsay's film a different cinematic experience.  What's admirable about the movie is that it doesn't focus on much of the violence that Joe inflicts, but instead cuts away most of the time, just as he's about to strike.  This restraint allows us to focus on the inner trauma that Joe's feeling, instead of thinking about the brutal acts that he has to commit in order to save people, making Joe’s story one with a psychological depth that offers a lot to ponder once the film's over.

Adam Driver (left) and John David
Washington in "BlacKkKlansman"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

8) BlacKkKlansman - Movies can be at their most effective when they're timely, and director Spike Lee's latest film is a strong jolt of relevancy, telling the true story of a newly recruited African-American police officer (John David Washington) and his partner (Adam Driver) who infiltrate a chapter of the Ku Klux Klan in 1970s Colorado.  Washington gives a blistering performance as the ambitious cop who works to expose the local KKK, as does Driver, whose character has as much of a personal stake in the matter as Washington's.  The screenplay delivers an incendiary look at the racism that plagued America back then and how it can still be seen in today's society, all of which leads to an ending that both saddens and infuriates.  Lee goes all in with the themes that he wants to convey, and you experience the full impact of his intentions in every scene.

Thomasin McKenzie and Ben Foster
in "Leave No Trace"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

7) Leave No Trace - Just as director Debra Granik explored an isolated population of America within the Ozarks in "Winter's Bone," she does so once again when focusing on the physical and emotional isolation of veterans. The story follows a PTSD-stricken veteran (Ben Foster) and his 13-year-old daughter (Thomasin McKenzie) who, after living in the deep forest of a public park for some time, are discovered and brought to live in society, where they must learn to adapt.  Foster gives one of the best performances of the year as a man who keeps trying to outrun the darkness that his illness places on him, providing a character who says as much through facial expressions as he does through words.  McKenzie is just as stunning in her breakout role as a teenager who has an easier time than her father in adjusting to her new way of life.  This is a loving and poignant examination into the quiet, yet turbulent lives of these two characters, resulting in a movie that leaves a deep impression on your mind and soul.

Viola Davis in "Widows"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

6) Widows - Director Steve McQueen isn't one to shy away from heavy subject matter, and although his latest film might not seem deep on the surface, that’s not the case.  The narrative follows a group of women who, after their criminal husbands are killed during a heist, prepare to do their spouses' next job.  Viola Davis, who plays the group’s leader, delivers a ferocious performance as someone who's not looking to make friends with her partners, but is instead just determined to get the job done, and the supporting players all have enough of a chance to showcase their abilities, with two standouts being Elizabeth Debicki as one of Davis' accomplices, and Daniel Kaluuya as a ruthless mob enforcer.  While the heist scenes that bookend the film get your blood pumping, there's so much more within the story, as it focuses on topical themes that deepen the characters' journey, giving us a film that isn't just about the thrills.

Emma Stone (left) and Olivia Colman
in "The Favourite"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

5) The Favourite - Director Yorgos Lanthimos' last few movies thrived on taking different genres, such as sci-fi and horror, and injecting them with a great deal of intriguing weirdness.  He now tackles costume-dramas with a dark comedy that tells the true story of the friendship between Great Britain's Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) and Duchess Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz).  When a young woman named Abigail Hill (Emma Stone) shows up to the queen's castle looking for employment, Sarah feels her friendship with Anne facing a threat when Abigail begins to work her way into Anne's social circle.  The trio of leads brings some of the most well-matched performances of the year, with all three of them having enough screen time during which to intensify their interactions, bringing us in several directions as Abigail and Sarah concoct various schemes to get what they want, with both fortune and misfortune befalling them.  This is regal entertainment that you can't miss.

Tessa Thompson and Lakeith Stanfield
in "Sorry to Bother You"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

4) Sorry to Bother You - In his filmmaking debut, writer-director Boots Riley’s doesn’t give us a movie that’s one thing, but several, and it succeeds at all of them.  Riley tells the story of Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield), a young man who’s given a job as a telemarketer.  When Cassius meets unprecedented success, he ascends within the company's ranks and is gifted with riches, but at some personal costs.  Stanfield provides a humorous performance that shows his character's intense conflict in reaching for prosperity and staying true to the workers’-rights ideals to which his friends are committed.  And, backing up Stanfield is a terrific supporting cast, including Armie Hammer as a coked-up, hard-partying CEO.  This is the kind of movie where you can never guess where it's heading, as the strangeness increases little by little, and then goes at a breakneck speed when the bonkers third act begins.  I won't say anything more because "Sorry to Bother You" is a movie that you have to see to believe.

Ryan Gosling in "First Man"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

3) First Man - It seems as though director Damien Chazelle's career has been a series of steps that become bigger with each one that he takes, and that trend continues with his biographical drama about Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) and the first moon landing.  Gosling provides some of the finest work of his career as the idealistic astronaut who doesn't have his eyes geared towards anywhere but the sky.  And, Claire Foy is captivating in the role of Armstrong's wife, Janet, a performance that helps create one of the film's best scenes, in which she tells Neil to let their sons know that he might not return home from his mission.  “First Man” doesn't set out to be your typical, inspirational biopic, but is instead a character study of Armstrong and the tolls that preparing for such a historic undertaking has on him.  Despite that, Chazelle doesn't let the tension of the moon landing go unacknowledged, having that sequence capture the thrill of NASA’s towering achievement.  This is a movie that's not only about accomplishing great things, but also the sacrifices that we have to make as we strive for that greatness.

From left: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Natalie Portman,
Tuva Novatny, Tessa Thompson,
and Gina Rodriguez in "Annihilation"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

2) Annihilation - After making his directorial debut with the sci-fi thriller "Ex Machina," Alex Garland gives us another chilling and thought-provoking entry in the genre.  The story follows five scientists who enter a quarantined zone called "The Shimmer," which causes mutations in any animal and plant life that's caught within its borders.  Natalie Portman, who plays Lena, the team's biologist, gives a performance that elicits her character's expertise in her field and displays Lena’s understated, emotional strain as she tries to find out the effects that this scientific anomaly has had on her husband, who returns from "The Shimmer" earlier in the film and seems to be a different person.  Garland provides plenty of visuals that are equal parts strange, haunting, and beautiful, all of which immerse you in the weirdness of "The Shimmer."  In the end, the story will have your mind racing to try to figure out the bigger meaning behind the film's events, making you want to dive into the movie once again to further decipher the story's mysteriousness.

Ethan Hawke in "First Reformed"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

1) First Reformed - Here’s another movie that’s similar to “Taxi Driver” in its themes, but has huge differences to the story.  Just as Paul Schrader did for that film’s screenplay, he has written another film (which he has also directed) where the main character bears us his soul.  The movie follows a military champlain-turned-reverend (Ethan Hawke), who starts experiencing a crisis of faith after a young woman in his parish asks him to counsel her husband, a radical environmentalist, who she believes is a danger to himself and others.  Hawke provides what may be the best performance of his career, portraying someone who's faith crumbles bit by bit as he begins to feel disillusioned about his beliefs.  The movie delivers plenty of hard-hitting drama that gives us insight into the reverend's state of mind, such as occasional narrations as the reverend writes melancholic entries in his journal.  But, once the third act hits, the story brings an intensity that will put you on the razor's edge of suspense.  This film is nerve-racking and shocking, and you won't be able to stop thinking about it once you see it.

Looking to Recover, a Young Man Returns Home

Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges in "Ben Is Back"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

A couple of months ago, director Felix Van Groeningen gave movie audiences a view into drug addiction with his biographical drama, “Beautiful Boy.”  While the film had terrific performances from its two leads, it sometimes fell under the weight of its melodrama.

Now, writer-director Peter Hedges brings us “Ben Is Back,” a story about drug addiction that thrives on a stronger authenticity and whose performances and story will rattle you.

On Christmas Eve, Ben Burns (Lucas Hedges, son of Peter), a recovering drug addict, takes some time out of rehab for a surprise visit to his family.  Despite working towards a better life, he becomes caught up with troublesome acquaintances, and his mother, Holly (Julia Roberts), will do whatever she can to make sure Ben doesn’t relapse.

Hedges delivers phenomenal work as a young man who’s trying to dispel the addictions that have harmed him, his family, and others.  As Ben attempts to readjust to his home life, Hedges shows the difficulty that his character faces when trying to resist going back to his substance abuse.  At times, it’s painful to watch because we want Ben to remain on his path of rehabilitation, but there’s always that risk of him slipping back into his life-threatening habit, and Hedges couldn’t be better when showing the tug-of-war that seems to consume his mind every minute.

Roberts provides a shattering performance that exhibits her tough love for Ben.  It’s powerful work in that Roberts’ character exhibits a boundless parental caring for her son.  Roberts goes the deepest that one could go with such a role, having he character show a determination to stay at Ben’s side as he tries to fix his problems, while also displaying heartbreaking bouts of emotion when hope of Ben’s recovery seems to be slipping away from her.  It’s a role that’s a searing example of a parent wanting to keep their child out of harm, and Roberts puts everything that she can into her performance in order to make us feel her urgency.

The mother-son connection between Hedges and Roberts’ characters has such an intense believability that your emotions remain tethered to the movie from beginning to end.  Hedges and Roberts are together for a great deal of the film, and when they share the screen, the genuineness that they display in their relationship creates something devastating, but not without a glimmer of hope here and there. 

Kathryn Newton has a memorable supporting performance as Ben’s sister, Ivy.  While Newton’s character doesn’t have much trust in the notion that Ben is getting better, we see how much she cares for him when he gets himself into trouble, and Newton has us feel Ivy’s helplessness when events arise where it seems like her mom is the only one who can get through to Ben.

The screenplay by Peter Hedges has dialogue once in a while that’s a little heavy-handed, but the narrative is nevertheless an effective portrayal of the toll that drug addiction can have on a family.  What’s intriguing about this story is how, instead of focusing on Ben’s life in the early stages of his addiction, it instead sheds light on the aftermath of it all, not just showing how his family views him, but also how some members of the community view him.

I won’t give anything away, but this movie isn’t your typical story about an addict trying to get better, as there’s much more that happens besides Ben returning home.  But, even though this movie isn’t just Ben trying to reconnect with his family, the narrative still gives us enough scenes with Ben and his home life within the first half of the movie.  Then, when it becomes more focused on him and his mom, we’re provided with some information about Ben’s past as he comes face to face with people whom he’s been hoping to forget.

As a director, Hedges is able to take a raw approach to the subject matter without it becoming over-the-top.  Through Stuart Dryburgh’s cinematography, which uses an abundance of closeups for his cast, Hedges has us experience the intensity between the characters as they try to get their family back to normal.  With the faultless realism that’s exhibited in the performances and story, this movie earns every emotion that you feel during its events.

Similar to “Beautiful Boy,” “Ben Is Back” has come out during the time of a national opioid crisis, giving Hedges’ film an impactful relevancy.  You’re brought along on a family’s attempt to heal, and although you might feel apprehensive about taking such a heartrending journey, it’s one that you should.

Grade: A-

A Rock Climber Prepares for a Mountain's Irresistible Challenge

Alex Honnold in "Free Solo"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

In 2015, directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin brought us the inspiring and thrilling documentary, "Meru," which followed Chin and two of his friends as they traveled to the Indian Himalayas to climb the treacherous terrain of the “Shark’s Fin” route on Meru Peak.  It’s a film that places you in a state of anxiousness the whole way through with the dangerous heights that the trio encounters.  Afterwards, seeing them reach the summit results in a sigh of relief and cheers for them overcoming the harsh elements and achieving their goal.

Now, Vasarhelyi and Chin return with “Free Solo,” a documentary that focuses on a similar subject.  It’s every bit as engaging as "Meru," and, just like that film, it's a reminder of what people can do when they're willing to push themselves physically and mentally.

The story follows professional rock climber Alex Honnold who, in June 2017, sets out to become the first person to scale the approximately 3,000-foot-high mountain, El Capitan, in California’s Yosemite National Park.  However, he attempts to do so by free soloing, meaning he won’t use any safety gear.  This task will soon have him come face-to-face with a danger and arduousness the likes of which he's never experienced.

Throughout the film, we’re given interviews with Honnold, his girlfriend, his mother, and his rock-climbing friends, as they provide us with an idea of what influences Honnold to be the thrill-seeker that he is, all of which provides a considerable amount of dramatic heft and gives a deeper meaning to his goal as we watch him climb.  We understand the determination that's going through his mind as he continues to look upward towards the summit, not thinking about anything else but reaching the top.  Honnold makes us feel the passion that he has for this climb, showing us that if he doesn't attempt this, he'll regret it.  It's an enthralling example of what it's like to test your limits as you pursue a life-threatening task.

The film also shows the intense preparation that goes into Honnold's climb, following him as he scales the mountain (with safety gear) in order to figure out the best way to get through the hardest obstacles.  In these scenes, we're given an idea of the amount of perfection that has to be achieved in order to have a safe climb, as just one small mistake could spell disaster, which is an aspect that makes the film all of the more nerve-racking. 

The cinematography by Chin, Clair Popkin, and Mikey Schaefer provides gorgeous and intimidating shots of El Capitan, exhibiting the beauty and danger of the mountain.  Right from the opening shot, Chin, Popkin, and Schaefer bring us into the peril of Honnold’s task, as we're invited into the film with an overhead shot of him in the middle of his ascent of El Capitan.  With this shot, my palms became sweaty and stayed that way for the duration of the film, and you'll almost be swaying in your seat from the dizziness that such heights create.

This is a movie of pure adrenaline, made even more so because this is real footage.  Seeing this on a big screen will be of great help in experiencing Honnold’s journey, and it will have you in awe of the stunning vistas that you can see from the mountain.  It'll encourage you to venture out and search for a new endeavor, making you realize the things of which you're capable of doing, but didn't know it.

Between "Meru" and "Free Solo," we can see that Vasarhelyi and Chin have a love for capturing the endurance that's within all of us when we go against the challenges that nature presents.  Even though we know that Honnold's task is successful, Vasarhelyi and Chin still offer enough tension to have us gripping our armrests for support as we ascend higher and higher with Honnold and the space between us and the ground grows bigger.  Similar to “Meru,” what we see in “Free Solo” provides us with an idea of the thrills that are awaiting us right outside our homes.

Once Honnold reaches the top of El Capitan, one of the members of his crew says that he can’t believe what he just witnessed.  At the end of this movie, you’ll feel the same way.

Grade: A

Needing Work, a Man Gets Behind the Wheel for a Cartel

Clint Eastwood in "The Mule"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Over the last several decades, Clint Eastwood has proven himself to be one of the hardest-working individuals in cinema.  Between directing and acting, he’s made a career for himself that has helped him become a legend.  As he’s grown older, it seems like his work ethic has reached new heights because in 2006, 2008, 2014, and this year, we saw him release two movies in each of those years.  While the quality of these movies has been a little inconsistent during that time, Eastwood still shows that he’s in a league of his own when it comes to filmmaking.

With his latest movie, “The Mule,” a true-story crime drama, Eastwood isn’t just the director, but he also returns in front of the camera for his first performance since his work in Robert Lorenz’s 2012 sports drama, “Trouble with the Curve.”  Despite the movie’s flaws, “The Mule” is nevertheless a testament to Eastwood’s enduring talents as an actor and filmmaker.

In 2017, Earl Stone (Eastwood, whose character is based on Leo Sharp) is an out-of-work horticulturist and veteran.  Broke and estranged from his family, Earl’s at a loss at what to do.  Desperate for money, he decides to become a mule for a Mexican drug cartel, transporting cocaine throughout Illinois.  While he’s successful at first, the DEA begins to catch onto his activity.

While Eastwood’s character is pretty much the same as his Walt Kowalski character in “Gran Torino,” it’s still an endearing performance of a man driven to do something dangerous as a way to get by, a role that has a little more dramatic depth than Eastwood’s role as Walt.  While his role in “The Mule” is the typical man-puts-work-in-front-of-his-family individual, he brings both a ruggedness and a grace to the part that draws you into Earl’s dilemmas and shows the regret and emotional strain with which Earl is burdened after having his family shun him.  Despite all of this, Eastwood also has several comical moments with his character’s no-filter persona.  And, although a lot of his humorous moments of Earl being cantankerous is something that we’ve seen before, the delivery of his dialogue makes for a wittily unapologetic figure.

While the supporting cast is stacked with talented actors and actresses, such as Bradley Cooper, Michael Peña, and Laurence Fishburne as DEA agents, Dianne Wiest as Earl’s ex-wife, Andy García as a cartel boss, and Taissa Farmiga as Earl’s granddaughter, they’re not given much material with which to work, but they do their best with what they have.  However, Wiest is given a chance to exemplify her established talents in a pivotal scene in the film's last half hour.

The screenplay by Nick Schenk (who wrote “Gran Torino”), which is based on Sam Dolnick’s “The New York Times” article, “The Sinaloa Cartel’s 90-Year-Old Drug Mule,” takes a bit of time to pick up, as the first half of the movie is a little repetitive with Earl going on his runs and the DEA agents having frequent meetings with an informer, and it doesn’t as much apprehension as a scenario like this should offer.  But, the story picks up in the second half once the DEA gets closer to catching Earl and some shifts occur within the cartel.  Between Earl’s numerous drug runs and the issues with his family, Schenk dedicates enough time to both aspects, and this keeps us gripped in Earl’s journey and the tough decisions that he has to make.

Similar to some of Eastwood’s other movies, the direction doesn’t have much that’s memorable in terms of a visual style.  But, at the same time, this seems to harmonize with Eastwood’s rough-and-tough personality, as he takes an approach that’s more grounded and to-the-point, a method in which he seems to be focused on just telling the story in a straightforward way, knowing that the events of the narrative themselves are enough to create tension.  All of this shows a confidence in his directing abilities that has grown out of decades of working in film.

While "The Mule" doesn't rank among Eastwood's better movies, it's still a worthy entry in his filmography and shows that, even at 88 years old, he still has a lot to offer.

Grade: B

A Lady-In-Waiting and a Duchess Fight for a Queen's Friendship

Emma Stone (left) and Olivia Colman in
"The Favourite"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Director Yorgos Lanthimos is a filmmaker who has made some of the strangest and most intriguing films of the last 10 years.  There's his 2009 family-drama, "Dogtooth"; his 2016 sci-fi film, "The Lobster"; and his 2017 psychological-thriller, "The Killing of a Sacred Deer."  Each of these films is an enigmatic entry into their genres, and they're perfect remedies for people who are looking for a film that will leave them as puzzled as much as fascinated.

He now tries his hand at a costume-film with his dark comedy, "The Favourite," an examination of a royal friendship triangle, and at each of its points is a wonderful performance, all of which help in making this film one of the year’s best.

In the early eighteenth century, Great Britain’s Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) has lived a life of luxury, but one that's also been burdened by hardships.  Throughout her life, she has had the aid of her righthand woman and best friend, Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz).  However, tensions begin to brew when a young woman named Abigail Hill (Emma Stone) arrives at the queen's estate to seek employment.  As she begins to rise among the ranks of the castle and becomes friends with the queen, jealousy soon gets a hold of Sarah, leading to her and Abigail competing for the monarch's attention.

Colman delivers a performance that's as funny as it is tragic.  Her comical regality, with how she screams in frustration and makes demands of her subjects, add up to work that has huge entertainment value.  While she can draw out many laughs from her work, her portrayal of a crazed ruler doesn't go too over-the-top with her lunacy, as it's just enough to be funny, but doesn't dilute how some of these comical moments have subtle, emotional connections to how her character feels inside.

Despite Colman's work being humorous during certain sequences, the way in which she brings to light the melancholic factors of her role offers an astounding view of her versatility as an actress.  There are moments when Colman brings out Anne's softer side that are hidden behind her bow-before-me exterior, with one such scene involving Anne opening up to Abigail as the former reveals the tragedies that have plagued her life.

However, one of the strongest examples of this is a scene that takes place during a party.  In this segment, Anne, who experiences pain in her legs and has trouble walking, sits in her wheelchair as she watches Sarah dancing with one of the guests.  As this occurs, the camera remains on Anne as it pans closer to her.  Her eyes begin to tear up as she watches the two dancers, and seeing people dance across the floor reminds her of what she's unable to do, which results in one of the film’s most emotional scenes.

Stone provides superb work as we watch her character go from a polite maid to friend of the queen.  She expresses her character's wit and intelligence in ways that makes her transformation believable when she becomes an individual who can be as conniving as Sarah.  The innocence that Stone brings to Abigail makes her an intriguing character in that, even though we know she’s going to fire back at Sarah, she doesn’t seem like the type of person who would scheme against others, but Stone brings this side of her character out in full force as Abigail begins to learn the ins and outs of the queen’s day-to-day routines and finds herself in a favorable light with Anne.

Weisz's performance is icy in the best possible way.  She imbues her role with a quiet viciousness that leaves us guessing what kind of plans her character has for keeping her place alongside the queen.  Weisz brings the sinister nature of Sarah's persona with just a simple glance, letting us know that she has an abundance of mischievous thoughts circulating in her head.  Although Sarah is antagonistic towards Abigail when the latter arrives at the castle, Weisz has us experience the vulnerability of her character because of Sarah feeling threatened by the possibility of a severed connection with the queen, and we know that there's a strong sense of concern under her hostility.

One of the best parts of the movie is how all three lead performances are given a near equal amount of screen time.  This allows us to see how they all interact with each other, whether it be all three of them or just two of them sharing a scene.  These three performances are some of the most well-matched of the year, bringing a chemistry to the screen that offers as much humor as it does drama.  2018 has been filled with top-tier film performances, and to finish the year watching this trio traverse the trickiest of friendships is a moviegoing experience that you won't forget anytime soon.

Aside from the three leads, there's also a terrific supporting performance from Nicholas Hoult, who makes a tremendous impression as Robert Harley, a member of Parliament.  He's the type of character who you'll love to hate, a snake-like individual who’s always ready to strike whenever he sets out to obtain something that he wants.

The screenplay by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara does well in juggling the story arcs of its three leads, as we’re given enough of a background for each of their characters so we know who they are and what motivates their actions.  Despite the film having an abundance of humor, the things that we learn about these characters provides the film with a lot of its dramatic depth, so while it's fun to see these characters share the screen, we're reminded that Anne, Abigail, and Sarah have a lot more to their characters than the animosity between them.

Aside from the film's friendship triangle, the narrative also provides some views of the time period's political landscape.  We're given scenes within the Parliament as two opposing sides quarrel over how to handle a war with the French, as well as characters engaging in deception to achieve their political goals.  These are compelling scenes to watch, as they fit in with the larger picture of the story and manage to not bog down the rest of the movie.

The cinematography by Robbie Ryan offers gorgeous views of the castle grounds, absorbing us in the setting of the film and offering stunning details of the interior and exterior of the castle.  With Ryan's camerawork, the use of wide-angle lens and candle-lit scenes are some of the film's technical highlights.  With the wide-angle lens, their utilization emphasizes the off-kilter nature of this costume film, pretty much throwing us off balance as to what we should be expecting from this film.  For the candle-lit scenes, they evoke a sense of intrigue and unease whenever characters are walking through dark hallways or concealing themselves in the shadows.

Lanthimos didn't shy away from bringing unconventionality to different genres for his previous films, and "The Favourite" isn’t any exception, and to what we've become accustomed in costume-dramas is tossed away and replaced with something that brings the genre in an unexpected direction.  Although the story sets itself apart from all other costume films, the technical craft that goes into it emphasizes that this is still a movie within that genre, as it never loses the visual style and grandness to which we've become familiar in costume films. 

"The Favourite" is a skillful blend of heartbreak and royal debauchery where every attempt to evade the familiar pays off, making Lanthimos’ latest film a crowning achievement in moviemaking.

Grade: A

As Two Countries Face Uncertainty, Unity is Needed

Saoirse Ronan in "Mary Queen of Scots"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

With the countless centuries of global history, we have a yearning to learn all of the details of every major occurrence that has taken place.  While movies aren't the best way for us to be given insight into factual events, they can nevertheless do well in providing us with a glimpse into world-changing affairs.

Forty-seven years after Charles Jarrott brought “Mary, Queen of Scots” to screens, director Josie Rourke tackles this fascinating chapter in European history in her remake of the same name, a drama with an abundance of political intrigue and two regal performances from its two leads.

The story follows Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan) and her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), during the Rising of the North, a failed endeavor by Catholic nobles from Northern England to take the English throne for Mary, which could be claimed by her unless Elizabeth produced an heir.

Ronan delivers a passionate, authoritative performance.  She shows the love and respect that Mary has for her subjects, while also digging deep into Mary's unwillingness to back down when several of her own people turn against her.  As she portrays someone who was so young when she became a queen, Ronan brings across Mary's bravery and ability to make painful decisions, allowing us to see the burden that comes with being royalty.

Although Robbie's screen time is somewhat limited, she's still given the opportunity to give a performance that’s as commanding as Ronan.  Robbie has an intensity within her character as she shows Elizabeth trying to hold onto her power, but she also evokes the vulnerability of Elizabeth as she continues to fear that power being taken away from her.  It’s a gripping performance that makes a lot out of a few scenes, such is the stateliness of Robbie’s portrayal of her character.       

Ronan and Robbie share just one scene, which occurs within the last 10 minutes of the film, but it's one of the most impactful.  In this sequence, we witness the reverence that both queens have for each other, while also seeing a clash between Mary’s want of her and Elizabeth to be allies, and Elizabeth’s refusal.  Despite this being a rather short scene, it’s an emotional segment of the movie that provides quite a bit of depth into how these two characters view each other.

The screenplay comes from John Guy’s 2005 biography, “Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart,” and is written by Beau Willimon.  It’s appropriate that the screenplay comes from him, as he's had success when dealing with political stories over the years, like he did as the creator of the Netflix series "House of Cards," and as a co-writer for the 2011 film "The Ides of March."  Although the screenplay gets a little repetitive at times in regard to some of the issues that Mary and Elizabeth encounter, the narrative still provides an intriguing, detailed look at the conflict between the two queens, as well as the disputes between each of them and their subjects, where they have to keep proving themselves to those who have different ideas as to how they should rule.

While most of the story is focused on the in-depth look at the struggles that Mary must face in order to maintain Scotland and keep her throne, the scenes that focus on Elizabeth are just as memorable.  In these sequences, the narrative provides enough insight into Elizabeth's endeavors, and this helps flesh out her character, despite having much less screen time than Mary.

The film treats audiences to many breathtaking shots of the English and Scottish lands.  The cinematography by John Mathieson frames these landscapes in a way that presents them as being as majestic as the queens who preside over them.  Given how the geography is framed, there are many times where we feel like we can see miles away into the distance, and the expansiveness of these views emphasizes the immense responsibility that Mary and Elizabeth have in governing entire countries.

Rourke does well in immersing the audience within the film's time period, gifting the eyes with vivid artistry when it comes to the set design, costumes, and make-up.  There’s a grandness that Rourke brings to the movie, but she doesn’t let the film’s accomplishments in these aspects overpower the story.  We’re able to get caught up in the beauty of the filmmaking, while still being enthralled in the intricacies of this piece of history.

Rourke captivates us right from the beginning.  The film opens with Mary walking through Fotheringhay Castle to be executed, while Elizabeth walks throughout her own castle.  Here, both characters have the camera to their backs as they walk, and through Mathieson’s cinematography, Max Richter’s score, and Chris Dickens’ editing, we have chill-inducing transitions between Mary and Elizabeth that help prepare us for a significant historical story that’s about to be told.

Between its performances, direction, and technical accomplishments, “Mary, Queen of Scots” is a thrilling story of two monarchs who go against what’s believed possible of them.

Grade: A-

When Their Husbands are Gone, the Wives Step In

Viola Davis in "Widows"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

A good filmmaker takes a movie in a certain genre and deliver what’s expected for that type of film.  A great filmmaker takes a movie from a genre and gives audiences an experience outside of the conventions that we’ve come to know within that genre, thriving on the desire to challenge viewers with something that reinvigorates a story that may have some familiar elements.

Steve McQueen is one such filmmaker with his latest project, “Widows,” a heist film that has a lot to say and doesn’t sacrifice character development and storytelling for endless thrills.

The story follows a group of women, led by Veronica Rawlings (Viola Davis), who are tasked with a heist in order to reimburse a crime boss after their husbands are killed during a robbery.

Davis emerges with full force for her blazing work.  Although the grief behind her character is visible from time to time, this is a role where Davis presents a tough and unflinching individual who will do whatever she can to complete the group’s job.  This is an intense performance that shows a don’t-mess-with-me mentality as she takes charge of her newfound partners to ensure that they don't run out of time for their task.  There’s a scene early in the film where, while preparing to attend her husband’s funeral, she lets out an extended cry of distress.  However, this is all that we see of that side of her character because after that, Davis shows that Veronica means business and can’t afford to let emotions get in the way of what she has to do, creating an understated intensity that wows you.

The rest of the actresses who play the women who are involved with the planned heist provide superb work throughout the film.  Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, and Cynthia Erivo all have a commanding chemistry with Davis and help make up a courageous quartet of characters who are pushed to the brink in order to survive, putting their lives in danger so they can avoid a worse fate.  Even when they’re each in their separate scenes, every one of them has the talent to keep the emotions and thrills of the story alive.

Outside of those four performances, there are other supporting players who also stand out, such as Colin Farrell as an idealistic, yet questionable politician; Robert Duvall as his overbearing father; Brian Tyree Henry as a fearful crime boss; and Daniel Kaluuya as his sadistic enforcer, a character of such menace that you’re put on edge whenever he appears.  It’s a terrific feat to bring together a cast this big and with this much talent, but to also have all of the cast members provide top-tier performances that don’t overshadow each other is a testament to the actors and actresses that assemble for this film.

The screenplay by McQueen and Gillian Flynn, which is based on the ‘80s British television crime-drama of the same name, shows an abundance of focus on each of the four women, allowing us to spend enough time with them as we get to learn about their lives.  Besides the overall motive to pay back the crime boss, the movie also gives us insights into more personal motives that the women have, adding a considerable about of emotional depth that helps us become absorbed in their characters as they prepare for a life-threatening task.  

Aside from the deep look at the four main characters, the story is also accomplished in giving enough attention to the other narratives that take place, which helps build depth for the additional supporting roles.  The film moves between each set of characters and has them meet in nail-biting ways, thereby creating tension amongst them that leads to a blood-pumping finale.  Between these various narratives, McQueen and Flynn also interweave a few relevant themes that enrich the story and make the movie so much more than the heist.

McQueen re-teams with editor Joe Walker (who worked with the former on “12 Years a Slave,” “Shame,” and “Hunger”), and Walker manages to capture the abrupt change of the women’s lifestyles right from the opening scene.  His editing has this sequence cut back and forth from Veronica and her husband's (Liam Neeson) tranquil life at home and the heist that claims the lives of him and his partners.  The quick transitions between the two scenes let us experience how fast the lives of the four main characters are altered, being thrust into a life of crime without much of a warning.

With Walker's editing, Sean Bobbit's cinematography (who also worked with McQueen on “12 Years a Slave,” “Shame,” and “Hunger”), and Hans Zimmer's music (who worked with McQueen on “12 Years a Slave”), McQueen is able to bring a thrill to any scene in the film.  Whether it be the initial meeting between Veronica and the crime boss, or the scenes in which Kaluuya's character shows his ruthlessness, McQueen succeeds in making us just as apprehensive with the lightning-charged, character-focused scenes, as he can with the gripping heist sequences in the film’s opening scene and third act.

"Widows" fascinates right from the start, unraveling itself bit by bit as it goes on to bring us engaging characters and wide-eyed moments of suspense and surprise.  It’s a movie that enlightens as much as it entertains.

Grade: A

Through Painting, an Artist Makes His World Come Alive

Willem Dafoe in "At Eternity's Gate"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Whenever you visit a museum, it's impossible not to be overwhelmed by the wealth of artistic achievements that have become immortal.  To stand and analyze a painting or sculpture can offer a rich experience for anyone who's lucky enough to be surrounded by such works.  The ideas that these artists put to realization allow us to wonder what sparked such bursts of imagination.

Director Julian Schnabel gifts us with this opportunity in his latest film, "At Eternity's Gate," a striking drama that lets us see the world through the eyes of one of the world's most renowned painters.

The story follows Vincent van Gogh (Willem Dafoe) during his time living in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise, France, where he tries to create works of art that will ensure his legacy.

Dafoe gives one of his finest performances as the tortured artist.  It's an impassioned portrayal of an individual who can't imagine doing anything else other than painting, and to see the concentration that Dafoe exhibits for his character as Vincent paints gives us a look at one of the greatest creative minds at work.  He conveys van Gogh's love for making his ideas come alive, having us feel the passion that he feels whenever he turns a blank canvas into something beautiful.  As the film goes on, Dafoe invites us into van Gogh's mental anguish that causes him to be viewed as an outsider in his community, making us see the coexistence of his artistry and inner troubles, with the latter never preventing him from doing what he loves, but instead acting as somewhat of an inspiration for what he should paint next.

Within the first hour of the film, there are a couple of occasions where there's a segment that lasts for a few minutes and doesn't contain any dialogue.  In these scenes, it's just van Gogh immersing himself in the outdoors and looking for his next idea, and Dafoe shows the intense gratification of being in the open with the wind his face and the ground beneath him and letting the beauty of the natural world be his guide.  Van Gogh mentions a couple of times how he sees reality in a different way from others, and in these scenes, Dafoe shows that his character is in his own world, experiencing the tranquility that surrounds him and influences his art.   

The screenplay by Schnabel, Jean-Claude Carrière, and Louise Kugelberg offers a detailed view of van Gogh that places us right into his life and how he lives it.  Aside from the aforementioned segments of van Gogh painting and exploring the outside for ideas, the film also has many intimate conversations between van Gogh and other characters, such as artist Paul Gauguin (Oscar Isaac); his brother ,Theo (Rupert Friends); a priest (Mads Mikkelsen); his physician, Paul Gachet (Mathieu Amalric), and Madame Ginoux (Emmanuelle Seigner), the latter two of whom became subjects for van Gogh’s paintings.  Through these exchanges, the narrative provides us with an abundance of insight in regard to van Gogh, such as from where his ideas come, what's going on inside his head, and his desire to be remembered.  Each of these conversations is several minutes long, allowing for the characters to make an impact, even if a couple of them only appear for a scene or two. 

By Schanbel teaming with cinematographer Benoît Delhomme, the two offer some of the best camerawork that I'm seen all year, bringing us a fascinating look into van Gogh's existence with a mix of point-of-view shots, handheld camera movements, and intimate closeups.  The point-of-view shots provide us with an opportunity to see the beauty of the world as van Gogh sees it, making you feel as though you're living a different life as you're watching these images.  With the movie having been shot on location in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise, you’re able to experience the gorgeous wonder of those lands as van Gogh takes them in.  It's because of these images that you must see this movie on a big screen.

The handheld photography allows for the camera to move with a freeness as van Gogh explores the outside world and all of the inspirations that it holds for an artist.  It also serves the purpose of giving us an idea of what it's like within the mental turbulence of van Gogh's mind, making us feel the disorientation that always seems to follow him.

The use of closeups, such as the ones on van Gogh, let us see the thoughts that are racing through his mind as he loses himself in his work.  When it comes to his paintings, the closeups of his portraits bring us into the colors that he's placing on his canvas, showing us the texture of the paintings and the closer details of van Gogh’s subjects.

Schnabel, who's also a painter, not only presents the film as a tribute to van Gogh, but also as a celebration of the world of painting and what it holds for anyone who feels compelled to pick up a brush, exemplifying the therapeutic nature of sitting in front of a canvas and letting your ideas run free.

Just like eternity itself, the beauty of "At Eternity's Gate" is boundless.

Grade: A

While on the Road, a Friendship is Formed

Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali in "Green Book"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Peter Farrelly is a writer-director who has made a name for himself making comedies with his brother, Bobby, throughout the ‘90s and early 2000s, with two of their most notable films being 1994’s “Dumb and Dumber” and 1998s “There’s Something About Mary.”  With credits like these, you wouldn’t expect either of the Farrelly brothers to tackle heartwarming subject matter. 

For Peter's newest movie, which is a solo outing, he does.  In the biographical comedy-drama, “Green Book,” he delivers a heartfelt and surprisingly funny road movie that’s made memorable by a spirited on-screen bond between its two leads.

In the early 1960s, Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) is a bouncer at a New York nightclub.  When the club closes for renovations and Tony is out of a job, he picks up work as a chauffeur for pianist Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali).  Frank is tasked with driving Don on a tour of performances throughout the Deep South with the help of a Green Book, a segregation-era travel guide that helps African-Americans avoid the hostility of whites-only establishments.

Mortensen gives a terrific performance as a tough-as-nails, street-smart individual who knows how to handle any person or situation that he encounters.  It’s a comedic performance where Mortensen’s finest moments come from his character trying to learn about Don and establish a friendship with him.  From his New York accent to the way that he walks, Mortensen comes across as a true Bronx native.  This role allows us to see a different side of Mortensen's acting abilities, and his emotional and humorous transition from a man who's just doing his job to a man who begins to understand Don's plight makes for a compelling transformation of his character.  Mortensen couldn't be more enjoyable to watch, and with his grasp on the character, you see him sink into Frank’s New York persona as Mortensen creates one of the most entertaining movie characters of the year.

Ali provides his character with an aura of stateliness, exemplifying someone who approaches his craft with the utmost seriousness.  Ali shows how Don won't let anyone or anything get in the way of him doing what he loves, and Ali displays Don’s passion for music as the character becomes lost in his performances, making it seem like there isn't anything else in the world besides him and his piano during those moments.

One of the most poignant factors of Ali's role is how Don is faced with being shunned from both whites and African-Americans.  The latter shun him because of his education and talents and thinking that Don thinks that he’s better than them, and the former shun him because of his race.  Ali shows the pain of someone who thinks that he doesn’t belong anywhere, only seeming to feel comfortable whenever he's on stage.  Because of this, you feel elated when he begins to open up to Tony and confide in his new friend. 

An intriguing aspect of Ali's character is how his music helps him deal with his encounters with racism.  This is exemplified in a scene where, after he's denied the chance to try on a suit at a shop in Georgia, the film then cuts right to his next performance.  The camera zooms in on Don’s face as he plays on the piano with an extra vigor this time around  Here, it doesn't seem like any of the other concert performances that we saw from Don because at this moment, he shows the anger within his facial expressions and we see that Don’s using his music as an outlet to express that frustration. 

Although the narrative unfolds like a typical crowd-pleaser for the most part, the screenplay by Farrelly, Brian Hayes Currie, and Nick Vallelonga (Frank’s son) gives us an in-depth view of Frank and Don’s friendship and provides an abundance of laughs and drama.  The story takes its time in developing the bond between the two lead characters, giving us humorous interactions and then leading into more dramatic territory as the two begin to understand each other.  Despite the drama of the film, the story still manages to make us laugh when the time is right.  The connection that Frank and Don build is something special because, once the two hit the road, the narrative is all about them, and nobody else, allowing us to see every stop along their journey.  With the witty, emotional, and insightful conversations that the two of them share, we're given a full look into these characters' minds as they embark on this life-changing journey.

Given the subject matter with which Farrelly has worked in the past, its remarkable how well he handles such tug-at-the-heartstrings material.  This is a movie with a lot of tenderness and laughs, but Farrelly knows that the story he's telling still has to show the hardships that Don faces for being an African-American during the film's time period.  Through all of this, Farrelly's able to balance the drama and humor, with the latter feeling organic and never overstaying its welcome when it comes time to shift the focus to the hostility that Tony and Don face when they’re in the South.  This could have proven difficult for Farrelly, due to his extensive work in comedies, but he's able to pull off the tonal shifts with an impressive dexterity.

"Green Book" is a charmer of a movie that delights as much as it moves.  It treats you to the story of a friendship that overcomes the harsh realities in which it finds itself and results in a film with a road you won't be able to resist traveling.

Grade: A-

In a Conversion Program, a Young Man Tries to Hold Onto His True Self

Lucas Hedges (left) and Troye Sivan in "Boy Erased"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Three years ago, Joel Edgerton became another actor to step behind the camera and made an impressive filmmaking debut with the psychological thriller, "The Gift," in which he starred and also wrote.  After he exemplified his exciting new talents as a director, I was eager to see what kind of story he would bring to the screen next.  Now, he brings us a film that's different in all respects.

For his second go-around, Edgerton presents us with "Boy Erased,” a timely and heart-rending biographical drama that brings its urgency to life with an important story and superb performances.

Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges) lives with his mother, Nancy (Nicole Kidman) and father, Marshall (Russell Crowe), in Arkansas.  When Jared's parents find out that he's gay, they sign him up for conversion therapy program, with the hopes of making him straight.  While he's there, he will have to decide whether to make his parents happy by changing, or be true to himself and risk being an outcast in his community.

Hedges, who gave a career-making supporting performance in 2016's "Manchester by the Sea," as well as other memorable supporting performances in last years's "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" and "Lady Bird,” is given the chance to show his talents in a lead role, and it's a performance that continues the promise of a long career.  Although it can become a tad distracting from time to time that Hedges doesn't use a southern accent like all of the other characters, the strength of his work is enough to make up for it.  Throughout the movie, the uncertainty of himself that Jared shows is heartbreaking to watch, as you know that he has a tough decision to make regarding whether or not to be who he wants to be.  Hedges elicits the confusion that's overtaking his life, and watching his frustration break out in a pivotal scene with the program’s head therapist (Edgerton) is an empowering scene to watch and makes you feel the relief of Jared letting his feelings out.

Kidman offers a loving performance as Jared's mother.  In this role, Kidman shows a parent who thinks that what she's doing for her son is best, but then, bit by bit, starts seeing the light that what she and her husband got Jared into is wrong.  While it's a wonderful performance to watch for the duration of the film, it's in the movie's third act where the story calls for Kidman to bring out the unconditional love and that Jared needs in his life, and the tenderness that Kidman offers the role makes us experience the warmth and support that any child deserves when facing uncertainty in their life.

Crowe gives a remarkable performance where, just like with Kidman, a lot of the substance from his role comes in the third act as he’s faced with choosing to stand by his son, or lose him.  It's a role where Crowe shows the strain of the choice with which his character is faced, making the drama between Jared and his father one of the most poignant parts of the story because of how it all comes down to both of them having to choose a route to take.

The screenplay by Edgerton, which is based on the 2016 book “Boy Erased: A Memoir,” by Garrard Conley (off of whom the character of Jared is based), goes in depth with how the conversion-therapy programs operate.  We’re shown unsettling details of the methods that are used that try to convert these youths, and it's shattering to watch the counselors try to peel away at the campers' true identities, made even more by the fact that there are still programs like this that are out there.

The story follows a non-linear narrative, which works for the story because of how Jared is given assignments that cause him to have to think back to the events that brought him to the program.  Through these scenes, we're given a view of the life that Jared was living beforehand, which shows him acknowledging the person who he is, but not knowing if he should continue being that person.

One of the most effective elements of the screenplay is how, within the last half hour, the narrative focuses on the aftermath of Jared being in the program and the triumph, as well as the heartbreak, that occurs once he's out of it.  Here, we're able to see what Jared does in order to adjust back into his life at home and how the events that happened at the camp shape his life moving forward.

Edgerton shows a wonderful transition from the thrills of "The Gift" to the hard-hitting relevancy of "Boy Erased.”  He captures the anxiety that Jared experiences as his secret begins to unravel in front of his parents, as well as the hopelessness that he feels when being forced into a place that wants him to be something that he’s not.  Afterwards, Edgerton delivers a joyous sense of liberation when Jared is set free from the camp.  With this, Edgerton provides us with an emotional look at a young man's life-changing journey about not needing to change a thing about who you are.

Grade: A-

At a Prestigious Dance Academy, Students Suffer for Their Art

Dakota Johnson in "Suspiria"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

In 1977, director Dario Argento gave us the horror film, "Suspiria," which told the story of a school of dance that harbors dark secrets.  Although it was rather thin with the story, you can't deny that it has some of the most gorgeous visuals of any horror movie, which were made possible by the stunning set design and haunting cinematography, both of which made the colors pop off of the screen and invited you into the film’s sinister world of dance.

Director Luca Guadagnino now brings us a remake that captures the strangeness and visual gorgeousness of Argento's original.  However, Guadagnino has made a movie that's so different from the original that it’s unpredictable where the story will go, and it's one of the most unsettling and intoxicating viewings that you'll have at the movies this year.

In 1977, Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson) is a young woman who moves from Ohio to West Berlin to study dance under the tutelage of Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton) and her staff at a distinguished academy.  After spending some time there, Susie soon finds out that there are disturbing secrets that are hidden within the walls of the school.  Meanwhile, psychotherapist Dr. Josef Klemperer (also Swinton, but in heavy makeup and billed as Lutz Ebersdorf) begins investigating the disappearance of one of his patients, Patricia Hingle (Chloë Grace Moretz), who was a student at the academy.

Johnson, who takes up the role that was originated by Jessica Harper, shows an individual who's experiencing the world for the first time.  She calls forth a persona of someone who's more than confident in herself, despite being in a foreign land and having somewhat of a shy persona, and what makes her character so appealing is how Johnson shows how Susie is up for any challenge.  However, this isn't her only trait draws us in; Johnson also captivates in showing how there might be more to Susie than her character lets on, and the way in which Susie establishes an easy connection with Madame Blanc hints at unexpected possibilities for her character.  There’s determination in Susie to be the best, and Johnson let's that strength blaze through in her performance.

Swinton couldn't be more fascinating as the academy’s mysterious lead choreographer, who was played by Joan Bennett in the original.  Throughout the movie, you keep trying to figure out where her character is going to go, making her an enigma for which you can't end your speculation.  Even if we think that we’re aware of her intentions, we can't help but wonder what will become of her character, and we're left on edge as we try to decipher what ideas Madame Blanc has waiting in the wings of her mind.  Swinton has so much to give to her character, which emphasizes her ability to command an audience's attention and unsettle them, no matter how subdued her character might seem.

Although the remake has the same core story as the original a few scenes that are brought over from that film, the screenplay by David Kajganich offers a story that diverts so much from the source material that, at times, it seems like a remake in name only, which isn't a bad thing.  This provides us with a remake where you see that it's not trying to replicate what came before, but is instead determined to be its own entity, while still maintaining the spirit of the original.

At two and half hours, the remake is almost an hour longer than Argento’s film.  This allows for there to be much more to the story than the original, providing the opportunity for the narrative to explore certain aspects of Argento’s film in greater detail.  Two examples include having a deeper examination into the academy and how it operates, as well as a look at Susie's background and how it plays into her current situation. 

However, what contributes the most to this remake steering away from the original is how it explores the political upheaval in Berlin during the '70s.  This part of the story adds a considerable deal to the storyline involving the psychotherapist, with his storyline connecting with the narrative of the academy later in the film.  Within the political aspect of the narrative, the film explores two sets of divisions, that of east and west Berlin, and that of the academy staff trying to vote on their next leader, all of which is incapsulated in Susie's eerie lines, "It's all a mess.  The one out there…The one in here…The one that's coming.  Why is everyone so ready to think the worst is over?”  The change in location for the academy provides the film with an opportunity to have a more intriguing story of what’s happening outside of the school, whereas the academy in the original film seemed disconnected from everything else, taking place in Munich in the middle of the woods.

The cinematography by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (who worked on Guadagnino's "Call Me by Your Name" last year) has haunting imagery in abundance.  But, what's most notable about his camerawork is how he makes the most out of the story's foreign setting.  While most of the original was confined to the school, Mukdeeprom’s cinematography explores the academy's surroundings and its insides in equal measure.  We go through the streets of Berlin and the frightening corners of the academy, often following the characters in medium shots that allow us to see the fullness of the space around them and how they interact with their environments.

As a director, Guadagnino does spectacular work in bringing us into the disturbing backdrop of the academy, resulting in some of the most unsettling images and scenes that you'll see this year, all thanks to some frightening dream sequences; a scene involving a lone dancer in a mirror room that's painful to watch, to say the least; and a final half hour that puts you through a gauntlet of grotesquery.

However, one of his biggest accomplishments in the film is a climactic dance sequence that occurs within the final half hour.  The dance moves are so intricate and the visuals are so impressive that I almost didn't want the scene to end.  This is a scene that exemplifies, to the fullest extent, Guadagnino's ability to display the artistry of which the horror genre is capable, making you not want to miss one frame of his offerings, no matter how unsettling that they may be.

Although Argento's version is wonderful in its own way, Guadagnino's interpretation is a rare occurrence where the remake is superior to the original.  There's so much to unpack once the movie concludes, and it proves to be a film that could become richer upon a few re-watches.  Despite being a remake, Guadagnino's "Suspiria" offers a horror-movie experience that feels one of a kind.

Grade: A

Upon a Father's Departure, a Mother and Son Must Learn to Adapt

Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal in "Wildlife"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Movies that deal with drama within families can seem repetitive, as they might tend to focus on a lot of the same issues that could occur within those stories.  However, talented filmmakers are able to take familiarities like these and show them from a new perspective to make us look at them a different way.

Actor Paul Dano accomplishes this with his directorial debut, “Wildlife,” a drama that simmers with tension, thanks to his newfound filmmaking talents and powerful performances from its three leads.

In 1960, Jeanette Brinson (Carey Mulligan), her husband Jerry (Jake Gyllenhaal), and their son Joe (Ed Oxenbould) are living in Great Falls, Montana, having moved several times.  When Jerry is fired from his job at a country club, he’s lost at what to do for work.  Soon, he's given a low-paying job to fight a forest fire in the nearby mountains.  As Jerry’s away, Joe and his mother try to look for jobs of their own, while Joe also takes up some of his father's housework.  Although things are fine at first, Jeanette and Joe’s lives will go through changes that will alter their family forever.

Mulligan portrays her character as someone who seems to have everything together at first.  She shows her character bringing out a more self-assured side to herself once she's faced with having to take care of the household with only her son, as she’s someone who’s now aware of the once-unknown possibilities that her life has for her.  Once Jeanette begins making decisions that could damage her family's lifestyle, Mulligan shows Jeannette's awareness of the potential harm of her actions.  It's a performance where Mulligan displays her character's apparent happiness towards what she chooses to do, but could also be questioning herself behind that happiness, resulting in a performance that never fails to compel.

Gyllenhaal always seems like he has an intense power to him that remains underneath his calm exterior until it's called to come out, and his latest performance isn't any different.  As a father who takes pride in his work, Gyllenhaal brings to life a middle-class, salt-of-the-earth type of figure who does what he can to make sure that his family is taken care of.  Gyllenhaal brings across Jerry's admirable work ethic, which makes us feel a more potent emptiness within him as he remains at a loss of what to do with himself until he's provided with his new job.  When it gets to the point of whether Jerry's determination to work is all for his family or for himself, Gyllenhaal succeeds in having that aspect of his character stick in our minds for the duration of the film.

Oxenbould exhibits unwavering confidence when acting alongside talents like Mulligan and Gyllenhaal.  Throughout the film, Oxenbould shows how much his character’s trying to hold his family together before and after his father leaves, showing both the strength and the burden that comes with having to become an adult at such a young age.  Oxenbould shows a naturalism in handling the film's dramatic material, and his ability to sink into his character makes it easy for us to experience the sense of Joe's home life shifting around him and see him try to keep it in balance.

The screenplay by Dano and actress Zoe Kazan (also Dano’s partner), which is based on Richard’s Ford’s 1990 novel of the same name, shows how this family that seems to be happy hasn’t been so for a while.  We’re given small details into what this family has dealt with in the past and see how all of this influences the events of the film.  We learn about how the Brinsons have moved several times and restart their lives, and this all ties into theme of the film, which is the necessity of knowing how to adapt to significant changes in one’s life.  Just like the fire that's making it's way towards Great Falls a little bit each day, such is the case with the significant changes that get closer and closer to the Brinsons.

The narrative also has you ponder the decisions that are made by the three main characters, as there are multiple reasonings behind them.  We look at the events taking place that are reshaping their lives, and the routes that the characters take from scene to scene shows us choices from the characters that make us wonder if the current circumstances leave them making these decisions because they need to, or because they want to.  This again ties back into the story's theme of having to do what's best, or what you think is best in order to adapt.

A lot of the story is told from Joe’s point of view, and by doing this, Dano and Kazan succeed in placing the audience in the difficult experiences that Joe faces, solidifying this as a superb coming-of-age story.  We're left to feel the impact of what Joe's witnessing as the peaceful life that he knows reveals sides to his parents that he didn't know were there, and to have the narrative's events be shown through his eyes gives us a better sense of how his family's instability effects his innocence.

The cinematography by Diego García offers several beautiful shots of Montana from high in the sky as we see the small town below and the fields and towering mountains in the distance, the images of which emphasize Dano and Kazan’s metaphorical approach to the familial drama.  There’s one shot that stand outs which occurs when, in order to show the danger that Jerry is facing, Jeanette takes Joe for a drive and has him step out of the car to witness the intensity of the fire, which he can see in great detail, but from a safe distance.  As Joe gets back into the car, the camera stays on the woods and pans up, showing more and more of the fire’s incendiary power.

Throughout the film, Dano constructs scenes that capture all of the pressure that occurs within the family.  While there's a noteworthy scene here and there where the characters’ emotions have to be more forceful and we're more focused on what they're saying, Dano excels in drawing us into the scenes that require the actors to be more reserved.  Although we can still pay attention to what the characters have to say in these scenes, their subdued nature allows us to take in the smaller details of what's happening between them as we wait to see how they will recover, if at all, from what's occurring.

"Wildlife" provides an enthralling and poignant view of small-town America that exposes the hardships behind what looks like a typical family's existence, and as the movie progresses, you'll be anxious to see what remains in the ashes. 

Grade: A

Wanting to Write Again, a Biographer Finds Her Voice Within Those of Others

Melissa McCarthy in "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

When it comes to biographies and autobiographies, the thing that draws us to them is the prospect of learning about a well-known figure that has made an impact on the world in one way or another.  And, even if we're familiar with someone's story, there's always the possibility of getting to know other aspects about their lives once you begin reading.

Director Marielle Heller has us see biographies in a new light with her comedy-drama, "Can You Ever Forgive Me?," which is based on biographer Lee Israel's memoir of the same name and is brought to life by terrific performances and endless intrigue of its subject matter.

In 1991, Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) has hit a low point in her career.  Looking to continue writing, she begins forging letters from deceased authors and playwrights, and then sells them as authentic.  Although she gets away with it at first, the FBI soon begins to close in on her.

McCarthy provides a career-best performance as the cunning author.  While she's done a lot of comedic film roles over the last few years, this one allows her to bring out a more dramatic side to her acting abilities.  This makes for the latest case of an actor/actress accomplishing a smooth transition from one form of acting to the other.  Although McCarthy is given a chance to show her humorous side (she’s given a lot of funny dialogue), she does superb work in mixing it with the hardships and loneliness through which Lee traverses.  This results in her character displaying a bitterness that can make us laugh, but also make us feel for her. 

Throughout the film, McCarthy shows how Lee is conflicted in the crime that she’s committing.  Lee knows that she has to do what she's doing in order to get by, but she also shows traces of guilt when she's with her dealers.  This helps in adding complexity to her character as she's doing what she loves, which is writing, but is doing so in such a way that could land her in trouble. 

Richard E. Grant gives a vibrant performance as Lee's friend, Jack Hock.  While Grant's work in the film is comical for the most part, there are subtleties to him that give his character hints of heartbreak, which offer more to him than what's seen on first impression.  Despite the more poignant elements of his character, Grant does well in providing Jack with a spirit of someone who lives life to the best of their ability.  He delivers jolts of energy that have you feel the excitement that he feels with being involved in Lee's crime, and this makes him a joy to watch whenever he appears.

There are also a couple of other memorable supporting performances in the film.  There’s Jane Curtain as Lee's literary agent, who, even though she only has a couple of scenes, exemplifies well-tuned wit that's shared between her and McCarthy. 

Then, there’s Dolly Wells as a kindhearted bookshop owner who takes a romantic liking to Lee.  It's a quiet, yet emotional performance that builds a compelling character who tries to open herself to Lee, despite the latter not looking for a relationship.  This occurs during their dinner scene later in the film, which is a pivotal moment between them because of how Wells’ character shows small signs that she’s as lonely as Lee and looking for companionship, and Wells expresses a muted sense of longing that makes her few scenes impactful.

The screenplay by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty gives you a deep look into this period of Lee's life and what influences her to go about writing the letters.  Holofcener and Whitty bring us through the troubles of Lee's life, showing a writer who's desperate to write.  Whether it be a heated exchange between Lee and her agent, or Lee sitting down at a typewriter and not having any ideas of what to put on the paper, we see how difficult Lee’s career has become, and we're therefore sympathetic towards her reasoning as to why she chooses to create these forged letters.

Between the characters of Lee and Jack, Holofcener and Whitty build a relationship around these two individuals who have become outcasts in their own way.  Through these two characters' humorous and emotional interactions, the screenwriters provide us with insights of the problems that Lee and Jack are facing and show how much these two people need each other. 

The narrative also gives us a view into the world of the dealers who collect these valuable letters.  We see how these dealers operate and how knowledgable that they can be about whether these letters are real or fake, and this gives you an even greater sense of the threat that Lee feels of being exposed for forging the letters.

As a director, Heller crafts an intimate view of Lee, and despite her character using her writing abilities for fraudulent means, we still see the fullness of her character's talents.  In a movie about an individual who has had people lose interest in her work, Heller’s passionate approach to Lee’s story captures your interest throughout the film, having us remain invested in the events of the narrative as Lee digs herself deeper and deeper into her ploy.

Heller also gives the movie occasional, minor thrills, such as in a scene where Lee pretends to be doing research in a library, steals an authentic letter, and replaces it with a word-for-word replica.

With a true story that builds fascination from one scene to the next, "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" is an absorbing look at the life of a writer and how her talents led her to a stranger-than-fiction success in the literary world.

Grade: A