Writing to Expose Secrets and Lies

Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep in "The Post"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Over the years, we’ve had terrific films dealing with how the press handles breaking stories, be it with broadcast journalism in films like “Frost/Nixon” and “Good Night, and Good Luck,” or print journalism with “Spotlight” and “All the President’s Men.”  These movies dive deep into their characters’ missions to bring the truth to light, even if doing so might cause damage to themselves.

Director Steven Spielberg now makes his contribution to journalism cinema with “The Post,” an engaging look at the role that the news played during one of the nation’s toughest periods of national uncertainty.

In the early 1970s, military analyst Daniel Ellsberg (Matthew Rhys) releases the “Pentagon Papers” to “The New York Times,” documents that contain details about the Vietnam War that have been covered up for over 20 years.  After the “Times” is barred by a court injunction from publishing any more stories about the documents, Ben Bagdikian (Bob Odenkirk), assistant editor of “The Washington Post,” discovers Ellsberg as the source of the leak, who then provides Bagdikian with additional copies of the “Pentagon Papers.”  Soon, Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep), owner of the “Post,” must decide whether or not to publish stories about the documents, knowing that she and her team can face criminal charges from the Nixon administration if they do so.

Meryl Streep delivers a low-key, yet strong and empowering performance as Graham.  As someone who must make a decision that could impact many, Streep displays the carefulness that Graham must utilize when trying to contemplate the future of her newspaper and staff, while also showing Graham’s tremendous resilience as a titan in the media industry who must work as hard as she can to prove herself to her male colleagues.  Through one of the best shots in the movie, which is a shot that zooms in to a close-up of Streep, her character is in her final seconds of making a decision about whether to not to publish the story, and she does a superb job at showing the conflict running through her mind, making us feel every bit of tension as she does.  It’s a testament to her unrivaled strength as an actress that she can do all of that in just a few seconds of time.

While Tom Hanks delivers an adequate performance as the “Post”’s editor-in-chief, Ben Bradlee, you can’t help but think that’s he’s just coasting through in “Tom Hanks” mode.  Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great actor, but he needs material that can get him to do something different, such as what he accomplished in 2013 with “Captain Phillips.”  With Hanks being one of out most-celebrated actors working today, he has the ability to turn out wonderful performances when tackling roles like that, and I’m eager to see him tap into those corners of his talent once again.

Backing up Streep and Hanks is a stellar supporting cast, which includes standout performances from Rhys, Odenkirk, and Bruce Greenwood as Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara.

Although the narrative lacks subtly in some spots, the screenplay by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, the latter of whom co-wrote “Spotlight” with Tom McCarthy, does well in exploring the many facets that went into the exposure of the “Pentagon Papers.”  Besides the core issue with Graham trying to figure out the best course of action for her publication, we’re also given in-depth views of other problems she faces, such as her strained, professional relationship with McNamara, a past tragedy in her family, and her battles with overcoming underestimation.  The narrative spends enough time with each of these plot points and makes us able to feel the weight that Graham is carrying throughout the movie, a weight that she refuses to let bring her down. 

One of the best aspects of the movie is how Spielberg plays up the political-thriller atmospherics of the film.  Between the staff attempting to obtain the documents, going through the legal issues, and trying to publish on time, you’re in suspense for a great deal of the movie, even though you know what’s going to happen, such is the power of Spielberg as a top filmmaker.  Between this and his 2015 historical-thriller, “Bridge of Spies,” Spielberg proves that he can provide terrific suspense in his more-dramatic movies just as well with his classic blockbusters, like “Jurassic Park” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”  He’s able to achieve this by working with composer John Williams, cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, and editors Michael Kahn and Sarah Broshar, all of whom are longtime collaborators of Spielberg’s.

While “The Post” doesn’t quite reach the heights of “Spotlight” and “All the President’s Men,” its relevancy to our current political climate makes the film an effective viewing experience, reinvigorating your hope that there will always be those out there who will fight to bring us the truth.  

Final grade: B+

A Business Built on a House of Cards

Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba in "Molly's Game"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Aaron Sorkin’s a screenwriter whose narratives thrive on the power of his words, immersing audiences in their dialogues and letting us experience his passion for the craft.  He’s proven himself to be one of the best in the business with such films as “Steve Jobs,” “Moneyball” (which he cowrote with Steve Zaillian), “The Social Network,” “The American President,” and “A Few Good Men.”  With these films, it’s impossible not to get swept up in his scripts, such is their intoxicating impact.

Sorkin now makes his directorial debut with the crime drama, “Molly’s Game,” which he’s also written.  While the film doesn’t quite reach the peaks of his previous films, this is nevertheless an absorbing, exciting, and detailed look into the world of underground poker.

Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) is a young woman who, upon moving to Los Angeles, begins hosting high-stakes poker games in a hotel suite and eventually brings her business to New York City.  For almost a decade, she makes a name for herself amongst her players, but is then arrested by the FBI.  She soon must work with her lawyer, Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba), as she faces federal charges.

Jessica Chastain delivers a commanding and ferocious performance as a businesswoman taking charge of her new calling.  She’s an individual who displays a refusal to back down and works hard to secure the prosperity of her empire.  Behind all of that, she has a fierce loyalty to her clients, refusing to let go of evidence that could ruin their lives.  Although she has an abundance of business savvy when it comes to reaching the top, none of that gets in the way of Molly protecting her players, and Chastain exemplifies her character’s unwavering ethics as she becomes a new top player in her industry.

Idris Elba is wonderful in his role as Molly’s lawyer.  His character shows a commitment to understanding Molly and why she takes certain courses of action in her poker ring, eventually constructing a bond of professionalism with her, and this is strengthened by his and Chastain’s effortless on-screen chemistry.

Sorkin’s screenplay, which is based on Bloom’s memoir, “Molly's Game: From Hollywood’s Elite to Wall Street’s Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker,” provides a vast amount of intrigue into the world of the game.  As someone who has never played poker in his life, I was fascinated by how these players dealt their hands and what their thought processes were as they decided what move they were going to make next. 

Despite the movie following a similar structure to that of “The Social Network,” where it transitions back and forth between the main character’s business endeavors in the past and her legal issues in the future, it still works because we’ll have one event taking place during Molly’s business venture, and then we’ll have the movie jump forward to Molly and Charlie discussing how that event will impact her court proceedings.

Although the film’s use of voiceover narration is useful in the scenes where Molly is explaining some of the intricacies of poker and the hands that her players deal, the use of it in many of the non-poker scenes could have been lessened.  Seeing as Sorkin’s previous screenplays don’t use any narration, I’m sure he could have found a way to avoid it for this film.

Sorkin’s direction is competent throughout, but he doesn’t make many creative choices with it.  Two of his latest screenplays, “Steve Jobs” and “The Social Network,” have distinct visual styles that make certain scenes memorable.  While there are many fascinating scenes in “Molly’s Game,” they would have been improved if the camerawork was a little more cinematic.

However, when it comes to Sorkin’s direction, I’ll say that he still manages to keep the exchanges between his characters rich and captivating.  It’s impossible to film a scene with a cast using Sorkin’s dialogue and make it boring, so at least the heart-pounding greatness of his words still comes through from scene to scene.

Despite “Molly’s Game” not quite being Sorkin’s top-tier screenplays, it still has that “Sorkin” feel to it, where you watch the movie and can detect how much dedication he put into learning about his subject and bringing her story to the screen.  And if he’s given the chance to direct another movie, I’m sure he will be able to develop his own unique style that’ll match the quality of his words.  Whatever his next project may be, whether as a writer, director, or both, I say deal me in. 

Final grade: B+

Finding Love and Heartache in the Beauty of Italy

Armie Hammer (left) and Timothée Chalamet in
"Call Me by Your Name"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

One of the great joys of cinema is seeing a film where, once it’s over, you have such a wonderful experience, that you want to watch the movie again right away.  It’s a feeling that I wish I could have every time I went to the movies; but, at the same time, when it happens only every so often, it makes the viewing much more special.

I’m thankful to have felt this after seeing Luca Guadagnino’s coming-of-age drama, “Call Me by Your Name.”  He crafts something that wraps you up in its emotional journey, and with stunning performances, an engaging screenplay, and passionate direction, Guadagnino gives us the best movie of 2017.

During the summer of 1983, Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet) is living abroad with his family in Italy as his father (Michael Stuhlbarg), a professor of archeology, focuses on his academic work.  When a grad student, Oliver (Armie Hammer), arrives at their house to stay for a while and assist him, he and Elio begin a relationship that will change their lives forever.

Timothée Chalamet delivers the breakout performance of the year.  As a young man who’s trying to understand the emotions that he’s experiencing, Chalamet is able to make us feel that sense of longing to have his love reciprocated by Oliver.  He has an ability to transcend words in his quieter moments, whether he shows us a hint of jealousy, rejection, or something else, and all of this gives us an idea of what he's experiencing in any moment.  This is a performance that grips you all of the way through and brings an unshakable dramatic power.

Although Armie Hammer is a talented actor, he hasn’t had a memorable role since he came onto the scene in 2010’s “The Social Network.”  However, he’s now given a part where he can better display his abilities.  He perfects the cavalier, laid-back attitude that helps put you in Elio’s position, with him feeling as if Oliver isn’t as interested in him as Elio is interested in Oliver.  However, when it comes time for Oliver to open up to Elio about his feelings for him, Hammer’s soft-spoken nature of his character creates a welcoming persona as we feel relieved that he’s expressing his love for Elio.

One of the best things about Chalamet and Hammer’s performances is that they aren’t showy or overdramatic.  Instead, they’re understated and subtle in their roles, creating a relationship that’s as gentle and warm as the sun-kissed landscapes over which their love unfolds.

While Michael Stuhlbarg’s character might not seem like he’s of much importance throughout the movie, that all changes within the last 10 minutes of the film.  In these few minutes, he delivers a powerful monologue to his son that makes this scene one of the best and most heartfelt scenes of cinema this year.

The screenplay by James Ivory, which is based on André Aciman’s 2007 novel of the same name, may feel like a series of vignettes at times, but that’s because this type of story doesn't really need to operate within the confines of a traditional plot structure.  It’s about a love evolving over the summer, with the two main characters going out on daily trips and spending time together to get to know each other and understand their relationship.

The Italian countryside, gorgeously photographed by cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, makes you feel as though you can feel the rays of the sun and the gentle summer breezes run across your skin.  The expansive views of the ocean, the mountains, the fields, and the towns transport you to this idyllic locale, providing a backdrop that’s as unforgettable as the central relationship will be to Elio and Oliver, a place to build lasting memories, whether they be joyous or painful.

With Guadagnino’s direction, he captures the deliberate unfolding of Elio and Oliver’s relationship, allowing for the slow pace to help us become immersed in their growing connection.  In each scene, he’s able to bring forth an abundance of romance and heartbreak, all of which creates a deep view of the connection between the two main characters.  This is done most memorably in the final shot, one that has you think about what has transpired between Elio and Oliver, as well us what could happen further down the road.  The shot lingers for a few minutes, and with all of the power held in this time, you’re unable to take your eyes off of it.

“Call Me by Your Name” is a film you can’t afford to miss.  There’s so much emotion pulsing through its frames, that being able to watch this on a big screen is one of the luckiest things that can happen to a moviegoer this season, making this an opportunity you must embrace.

Final grade: A

Guillermo del Toro Brings Us a Creature-Feature Love Story

Doug Jones and Sally Hawkins in "The Shape of Water"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

While there are many directors working these days that have exemplified movie magic, one such person who comes to mind right away in that respect is Guillermo del Toro.  He’s a filmmaker who revels in both the beautiful and the frightening, getting himself and us so caught up in the worlds that he brings to the screen and letting us sense his deep love for the medium.  Whether it be one of his best accomplishments, such as “Pan's Labyrinth” and “The Devil's Backbone,” or one of his somewhat lesser films, such as “Crimson Peak” and “Pacific Rim,” you can always find something special in a del Toro film.

His latest achievement is the fantasy-drama, “The Shape of Water.”  As usual, he soars in melding the ordinary with the extraordinary and crafting something that’s bold, exciting, and wondrous.

During the Cold War, a mute janitor, Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins), cleans the facilities of a secret laboratory.  One day, a humanoid, amphibious creature (Doug Jones) is brought from South America to the lab in a water tank, and Elisa establishes a connection with it.  When the creature’s in danger of being killed for research purposes, Elisa formulates a plan to help her new friend escape.

Sally Hawkins, in a nonverbal performance, is able to exemplify the love that her character has for the creature by relying on facial expressions and sign language.  Through all of this, we’re able to access her innermost thoughts and feelings, making us able to decipher a great deal of her loneliness, longing for companionship, and love she wants to give.

Doug Jones, a long-time collaborator with del Toro, once again becomes one with a fantastical role.  Having portrayed a number of nonhuman characters in del Toro’s film, such as Abe Sapien in the two “Hellboy” movies and The Faun and The Pale Man in “Pan’s Labyrinth,” Jones has shown himself to be a perfect channel for bringing the director’s stunning creations to life.  He becomes so in tune with his costumes and makeup that it’s almost as if he becomes possessed by his characters, which results in him delivering one memorable performance after another.

As for the supporting cast, it offers terrific work from Octavia Spencer as Elisa’s friend and co-worker, Richard Jenkins as Elisa’s kindhearted neighbor, Michael Shannon as a heartless colonel, and Michael Stuhlbarg as a scientist who holds a few secrets.

The screenplay by del Toro and Vanessa Taylor has a couple of obvious similarities to “Pan’s Labyrinth” and may seem like your typical misunderstood-human-befriends-a-mysterious-creature narrative, but the story is told with such passion, that you don’t mind that it shares some likenesses to a couple of other movies.  It has its own deeper ideas that it’s trying to convey, so even if the movie follows this familiar blueprint, the film goes in its own engaging direction. 

While the story remains committed to building the relationship between Elisa and the creature, it also dedicates a sufficient amount of time to many its supporting characters, with Jenkins, Shannon, and Stuhlbarg’s roles given detailed arcs.  But, in Spencer’s case, although she has some good scenes, her arc could have been a little more fleshed out.

The narrative also uses the creature as a catalyst for a broader narrative about the mistreatment of marginalized people, like African-Americans, gays, and the disabled.  These groups and the creature all share the same encounter with hostility from others, and del Toro and Taylor construct a powerful look at how these characters who are seen as different come together to help someone who’s experiencing the same lack of acceptance as them.

del Toro’s use of a clockwork/time motif throughout the film is used with great effect.  It’s first used to emphasize the daily, mundane routine of Elisa’s life.  Later on, however, it’s used to increase the tension of the situation as Elisa and her friends enact their plan to free the creature.  With the help of Sidney Wolinsky’s precise editing, del Toro shows his talent for timing his shots so that each one is in the right place and has the right length.  He makes sure that everything comes together and there isn’t a wasted or unnecessary shot.

“The Shape of Water” feels like a story that you would find in a fairytale book, as they both have a sense of enchantment that builds from frame to frame and page to page.  With this film, del Toro shows that you’re never too old for a fable that teaches you about life and how to be human.

Final grade: A-

Top 10 Films of 2017

"Marjorie Prime"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

10) Marjorie Prime - The rapid advancement of technology is something that’s been examined a few times in film over the last few years, and writer-director Michael Almereyda approaches it from a new angle in “Marjorie Prime.”  Based on the play by Jordan Harrison, the film tells the story of an elderly woman named Marjorie (Lois Smith) who has a hologram of her husband’s younger self (Jon Hamm) recount their life together back to her as her memory begins to fade.  The film offers a strong performance from stage and screen legend Smith, as well as some fine work from Hamm, Geena Davis, and Tim Robbins.  Almereyda’s screenplay explores the desire to preserve oneself through technology, but he doesn’t view this longing in an unfavorable light.  Rather, he expresses an understanding for this desire because of our natural need to hold onto our memories as we age.  Almereyda also uses clever ways to reveal the passage of time in such a way that it adds more potency to a moment where a character might be experiencing a loss.  All of this makes for a touching love story that deserves your time.

"The Florida Project"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

9) The Florida Project - In director Sean Baker’s latest drama, he brings us to a type of community in America that we know is there, but one that we may not always acknowledge.  The story takes place just outside of Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where Halley (Bria Vinaite) raises her six-year-old daughter, Moonee (Brooklynn Prince), in a motel run by a kind manager named Bobby (Willem Dafoe).  While Halley does what she can to keep her and her daughter’s lives afloat, Moonee goes around town with her friends to explore their surroundings.  Despite being the only established actor in the cast, Dafoe gives an understated, yet moving performance, while Vinaite and Prince provide stunning debut performances.  The film explores the power of a child’s sense of adventure, while also using Disney World as a device to juxtapose the enclosed park that vacationers love with the world right outside of it that they may overlook.  This movie is a tribute to childhood and how the optimism at such a stage in a person’s life can help them view the world as being a little brighter than it may be at the moment.

"Professor Marston and the Wonder Women"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

8) Professor Marston and the Wonder Women - A couple of months ago, I'll admit that I grew fatigued by the influx of superhero movies that have been released.  However, even if you may feel this way as well, or were never into comic-book movies to begin with, don’t let that stop you from checking out this fascinating film from writer-director Angela Robinson.  It tells the true story of Harvard psychology professor William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans), his wife and fellow teacher, Elizabeth (Rebecca Hall), and teaching assistant Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote), who conduct research on human interaction and soon become involved in a polygamous relationship.  This leads Marston to create one of the most famous superheroes off all time: Wonder Woman.  The film soars with the strong performances of the three leads, all of whom exhibit an unfaltering chemistry, and Robinson’s screenplay digs deep into the characters’ academics, the complexities of their relationship, and the process of creating Wonder Woman.  Robinson makes it effortless for the viewer to become absorbed in every scene because of the stakes that are at hand as the trio combat the norms of society.  Just like Wonder Woman jumping off of the page for readers, this film leaps off of the screen for viewers.

"Dunkirk"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

7) Dunkirk - Christopher Nolan is a filmmaker who’s excelled in several genres, such as psychological thrillers, comic-book films, and sci-fi epics.  This year, he brought us his most visceral big-screen experience and best movie to date with his World War II film, which follows the evacuation of Dunkirk from three perspectives: land, air, and sea.  Yes, you could argue that there isn’t much in terms of story or character development, but it works in this instance because the time-sensitive mission doesn’t offer the characters a chance to learn much about each other, as it’s all about survival and getting home.  Through Han Zimmer’s music, Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography, and Lee Smith’s editing between the three story lines, you feel the constant peril of the war as it closes around you, but there’s an underlying inspiration as people band together to bring the Allied forces back home.  Even after all of Nolan’s previous achievements, he still manages to wow us with his filmmaking ambitions.

"Blade Runner 2049"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

6) Blade Runner 2049 - Long-awaited sequels can be a gamble because there’s a possibility that the huge gap in time may result in a cash grab that’s low on quality.  However, with Denis Villeneuve’s sequel to Ridley Scott’s sci-fi masterpiece, that’s not the case.  The movie tells the story of K (Ryan Gosling), a Blade Runner who uncovers a secret about replicants (bioengineered humans) that could change the course of history.  What makes this sequel to Scott’s 1982 classic one of the best of the year is how it doesn't take the easy way out by making a sequel that follows the same beats as the original, but instead delivers a story that enriches the mythology of what came before.  One of many factors that helps the movie come alive is Roger Deakins’ blindingly gorgeous cinematography of the film’s futuristic setting, making this the most beautiful-looking movie of the year.  Much like the original, this is a film that makes you pay close attention to the narrative and prioritizes story over action, being one of several modern examples that show what big-budget sci-fi movies can be.

"The Lost City of Z"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

5) The Lost City of Z - Sometimes, even if a film is based on a true story, you may go into the movie knowing little about the subject, which can elevate the viewing experience more because you’re learning about said subject as you go along.  This is what happened to me when I saw writer-director James Gray’s latest film.  It follows the story of British officer Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam) who begins a search for a lost city in the Amazon after finding clues during a previous expedition.  Hunnam gives a surprisingly great and commanding performance, while Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, and Tom Holland round out a wonderful supporting cast.  Gray has the film unfold like an old-school Hollywood epic and shows both the wonder and danger of this part of the world as it’s explored in rich detail, and this is made possible through Darius Khondji's lush cinematography that revels in the beauty of the Amazonian jungle.  This film has the spirit of adventure coursing through every frame and basks in the thrill of geographical discovery, absorbing you on every step of Fawcett’s journey.

"Get Out"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

4) Get Out - A horror movie is at its best when it doesn't just rely on scares, but also has something to say.  This is the case with Jordan Peele’s directorial debut.  The story, written by Peele, follows Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya), a young African-American man who accompanies his girlfriend, Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) for a weekend getaway at her parents’ (Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford) home.  Chris soon realizes that he may not be as welcome as he thinks he is.  Kaluuya’s performance superbly displays a sense of isolation and discomfort, and Keener, despite being an A-lister, manages to keep her performance low-key, which makes her character much more unsettling.  Peele not only delivers a premise that keeps you hooked in wanting to unlock the mystery, but he imbues it with subtleties that you’ll find with multiple viewings, and this is all wrapped in an examination of racial tensions that are still prevalent today.  He develops an atmosphere that renders you on edge with how uncomfortable Chris’ situation is as he gets to know Rose’s family, with the party scene being as unnerving as it’s darkly funny.  Given how stale mainstream horror can sometimes seem these days, the genre could use more visions like Peele’s. 

"Good Time"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

3) Good Time - Some of the most memorable thrills of the year were felt in this crime drama from Ben and Josh Safdie.  The story takes place in Queens and follows a young man named Connie (Robert Pattinson) who must obtain bail money after his mentally handicapped brother, Nick (Ben Safdie), gets arrested during an escape from a bank robbery that they committed.  Pattinson delivers an explosive performance, and Safdie shows that he has just as much talent in front of the camera as he does behind it.  With most of the film taking over the course of one night, the Safdie brothers provide a strong sense of urgency all of the way through, beginning with the blood-pumping bank robbery in the first 10 minutes, bringing us from one nail-biting scene to another, and throwing us into the bleaker side of New York City.  This is an on-the-run odyssey you must experience.

"I, Tonya"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

2) I, Tonya - While there have been several biopics about famous athletes, I don’t think you’ve seen one quite like this comedy-drama from director Craig Gillespie.  This film takes the “based on a true story” concept and brings it to an exciting new level.  The narrative focuses on figure skater Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) and her fall from grace after getting involved in a plot to bring down the career of fellow figure skater, Nancy Kerrigan (Caitlin Carver).  What makes this biopic so unique is how it’s told through multiple perspectives, allowing the audience a chance to take in everyone’s account of the events and choose for themselves whom they think is the most truthful.  Robbie and Allison Janney do dynamic work as Harding and her hard-to-please mother, and Sebastian Stan is wonderful as Tonya’s ex-husband.  This film offers sympathetic reasons as to why Tonya got herself into this position, and it’s ultimately a condemnation on the audience about the long-term effects that their preconceived judgements can have on an individual, and it has as much humor as it does heartbreak.

"Call Me by Your Name"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

1) Call Me by Your Name - One of the great joys of cinema is seeing a film where, once it’s over, you have an experience that makes you want to watch the movie again right away.  The film to do that to me this year was Luca Guadagnino's coming-of-age story, which is adapted from André Aciman's novel.  The narrative takes place during the summer of 1983, when Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet) is living abroad with his family in Italy as his father (Michael Stuhlbarg), a professor of archeology, can focus on his academic work.  When a grad student, Oliver (Armie Hammer), arrives at their house to stay for a while and assist him, he and Elio begin a relationship that will change their lives forever.  Chalamet’s work results in the breakout performance of the year, exhibiting all of the emotions that comes with true love, while Hammer, who hasn’t had a memorable performance since he made his entrance in 2010 with “The Social Network,” finally gets another role that’s worthy of his talents.  Guadagnino captures the Italian countryside in such a loving way that you can almost feel the sunshine and whispers of the wind on your skin, with the film relishing its summer setting as the love between Elio and Oliver blossoms throughout the season.  This is a romantic and heartbreaking film that’s going to be etched in your mind after you see it, which is appropriate because this is a movie that you won’t want to forget.

A Figure Skater Goes from Champion to Tabloid Headliner

Margot Robbie in "I, Tonya"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Whenever a story breaks about an individual committing a questionable act, we can’t help but be glued to our news outlets to speculate what has happened and draw our own conclusions.  While there may be some instances where the truth is more clear-cut, there are others where you’re not sure what and whom to believe, making it difficult to dig through the mud and reach the exact truth.

As figure skater Tonya Harding says in director Craig Gillespie’s biographical comedy-drama, “I, Tonya,” “There’s no such thing as truth.  Everyone has their own truth.”  This is a sentiment that’s examined in the unusual true story about Harding's involvement in an attempt to sabotage rival figure-skater Nancy Kerrigan's (Caitlin Carver) career.

Ever since Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) was a young girl, her dream was to skate.  Through the “support” of her physically and verbally abusive mother, LaVona Fay Golden(Allison Janney), Tonya becomes one of the world’s best skaters in the early ‘90s, and eventually makes it to the Winter Olympics.  However, when her ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan), comes back into her life, Tonya’s career suffers a downfall that no one could have expected.

Margot Robbie provides a transformative performance that’s deeply sympathetic, as she’s torn between what people expect her to be as a figure skater and what she wants to be: herself.  She displays the frustration at not being judged the way her talent should be judged, all because of her lower-class upbringing, and we’re able to feel how unfair this is for her.  As the film cuts between her past and present self, we see the distinctions between Tonya as a hopeful figure-skating champion, and Tonya as an infamous former talent.  This allows us to see the person who she’ll become, even if we haven’t yet seen her full path to greatness unfold, and Robbie displays a complete mastery of her character.

While Allison Janney has provided many witty performances in film, what she does here is something deeper.  She uses a kind of verbal cruelty that can make us laugh, but a kind that also makes us wince at its ability to sting.  However, we understand she is the way she is because she wants to push Tonya to reach her highest potential and have her exceed the low expectations that others see in her because of her questionable upbringing.

Sebastian Stan’s performance is one that lets us to see two distinct sides of his character, one of which being Tonya’s abusive husband, and the other being a solemn, apologetic individual in the interviews.  When we see the latter, it’s almost difficult to believe that it’s the same person who used to hurt Tonya, and the transitions between these two timelines let’s us experience a jarring change in his personalty between then and now.  This is even more jarring when we see him go between both sides of his personality in the non-interview portions of the film, going from uncaring in one scene to loving in the next, showing how volatile his character is during his time with Tonya.

The screenplay by Steven Rogers takes the “based on a true story” approach and brings it to an exciting new level by having the narrative told through multiple and contradictory perspectives.  We mostly hear from Tonya and Jeff, but we’re also given viewpoints from Tonya’s mother, her skating coach (Julianne Nicholson), her bodyguard (Paul Walter Hauser), and a tabloid-news producer (Bobby Cannavale).  By having several people tell their sides of the story, this leads the audience to have to make up their minds to see who they’re going to believe.  

What Rogers does is use the interviews as a framing device and have the characters face the audience, putting us in the position of the interviewer.  This is a way to have the characters break the fourth wall and address us, as they do a few times in the non-interview scenes.  It makes it seem like that the characters are fighting to grab hold of the audience’s attention in order to get their side of the story out in the open.

With the help of Gillespie’s direction, the fourth-wall breaking has a startling effect in one scene where Tonya mentions how she had been abused her entire life, be it by her mother or her husband.  But, she then says that when the public wanted to bring her career down with their speculations of what happened in the Nancy Kerrigan incident, they became her abusers.  By having her face the audience when she says this, it puts them in an uncomfortable position, adding a deeper level to the viewing experience because it relates back to when Tonya says, “America, they want someone to love, but they want someone to hate,” meaning that people like to raise their idols up, only to see them plummet from grace.  All of this makes “I, Tonya” a darkly funny, yet condemning portrait about how our unjustified views of others can damage their lives.

Final grade: A

A Jedi-In-Training Seeks the Teachings of a Master

Daisy Ridley in "Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

*Spoiler-free review*

While any installment in a trilogy carries its own degree of importance, it’s the second film that acts as a turning point.  It expands upon what we saw in the first film and offers a few surprises, all of which propels events for the final installment.  I think we can all agree that the “Star Wars” franchise did this without flaw in their original trilogy for “The Empire Strikes Back,” as it followed “A New Hope” with a darker narrative, an enthralling expansion of its mythology, and one of the greatest plot twists in movie history.

Then, two years ago, “Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens” kicked off the sequel trilogy, and ever since, anticipation has been high as to where the story would go from there.  Now, director Rian Johnson brings us back to cinema’s cherished, far-far-away galaxy with “Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi,” which, despite a few flaws, is the best film in the franchise since “Empire.”

I don’t want to divulge too many details about the plot.  So, all I’ll say is that the story follows the Resistance as they continue their fight against the First Order, while Rey (Daisy Ridley) begins her Jedi training with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who has been living in isolation.

Seeing Mark Hamill return as Luke Skywalker is one of the great joys you’ll have at the movies this year.  To imagine that he was once a hopeful farm-boy and is now a cloistered Jedi shows how much his character has been through since we were first introduced to him.  It’s a performance that shows the wisdom that Luke holds and the pain he’s experienced, and Hamill uses the depths of this role to make Luke much more than a curmudgeonly Jedi master.

Carrie Fisher, in her final screen appearance before her passing in December 2016, delivers her best performance of the series in her iconic role of General Leia Organa.  She’s a headstrong authority figure who knows what must be done to keep the Resistance alive, while also holding out hope that her brother will come to their aid, displaying the sibling connection that serves as one of the strong dramatic aspects of the sequel trilogy.

Daisy Ridley made a powerful first impression for her breakout role in “The Force Awakens,” and she now continues to show the acting strength that her character of a Jedi-in-training requires.  As Rey grapples with trying to find her place in the universe, Ridley provides a terrific output of emotion as she moves forward with her live-changing journey. 

Adam Driver, who plays the villainous Kylo Ren, expands upon the conflicted emotions that he displayed in “The Force Awakens.”  It’s a little difficult to talk about his character without including spoilers, but I’ll say that it looks like his internal struggle will reach a fascinating apex in the next chapter. 

John Boyega and Oscar Isaac continue to prove that they’re fun additions to the “Star Wars” universe as Finn and Poe Dameron, respectively, but the story doesn't give their characters much of an opportunity to add emotional depth to their roles.  However, given that the film is primarily meant to advance the arcs of Rey and Kylo Ren, it’s understandable why it would unfold in this way.

In terms of some of the supporting characters that return from “The Force Awakens,” Andy Serkis returns as Supreme Leader Snoke and delivers another accomplished motion-capture performance.  And, while Domhnall Gleeson gave an adequate performance in “The Force Awakens” as General Hux, he tends to overact from time to time in this installment.

While “The Force Awakens” was derivative of “A New Hope,” Johnson's screenplay avoids being a nostalgic retread of “The Empire Strikes Back.”  Yes, “The Last Jedi” has some similarities to “Empire,” but it does enough to avoid repetition and makes this an unpredictable middle chapter.  

After an exciting opening sequence, the story builds itself around character moments, instead of just feeling like it has to give us one space battle after another.  Actually, most of the bigger action scenes come in the third act, which allows for the narrative to focus more on Rey and her arduous transition into becoming a Jedi.

One of the narrative’s blemishes is a sequence that lasts for about 15 minutes where Finn and one of the film’s new characters, Resistance member Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran), must travel to a distant planet to find special help for their cause.  It’s an unnecessary section of the film that could have been left out.

Johnson hasn’t directed a movie since his low-budget sci-fi film, “Looper,” but he displays an ability to change gears from the small-scale thrills of that movie to the galactic operatics of “Star Wars,” all while keeping us invested in Rey’s epic quest of self-discovery.  Johnson recognizes that what makes “Empire” a top-tier sequel is how its main focus is building the relationships between the characters to drive the story and add more dramatic weight to the mission of the rebellion, and this is what he achieves for the latest outing in the series.

Colin Trevorrow (“Jurassic World”), who was chosen to direct episode nine, left the project in September, leaving J.J. Abrams, who helmed “The Force Awakens,” to step in and direct.  Although “The Force Awakens” borrowed heavily from “A New Hope,” you can’t deny that Abrams brought new energy to the franchise after much of it was diminished in the prequel trilogy, and I’m sure that he will deliver a thrilling conclusion to this sequel trilogy, now that Johnson has put more of the pieces in place.  

You may not be able to contain your excitement for the concluding chapter after watching “The Last Jedi,” but as Luke says to Rey in the film, “Breathe.  Just breathe.”

Final grade: B+