During a Live Recording, Aretha Franklin Provides a Musical Experience for the Ages

Aretha Franklin in "Amazing Grace"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

In 1972, Aretha Franklin decided to record a live gospel album, “Amazing Grace,” at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, and it became the highest-selling gospel album of all time.  Although Warner Brothers had planned to release the footage of the recording in 1972, technical difficulties prevented director Sydney Pollack from completing the documentary.

Prior to Pollack’s death in 2008, the filmmaker turned the footage over to producer Alan Elliot, who was able to finish the movie for Pollack.  How lucky we are to now have “Amazing Grace,” a thrilling and moving showcase to the legend that’s Aretha Franklin.  Despite her passing away in August 2018, this film displays how the power of her voice and soul will echo throughout the world forever.

Similar to what was done with Todd Douglas Miller’s documentary, “Apollo 11,” “Amazing Grace” doesn’t have any interviews or narrators, and is instead just the footage of the recording all of the way through.  You don’t need anything but that because the footage alone is enough to absorb you in these historical events of American music.  Without intercutting the footage with anything else, you’re given the feeling of being a part of an actual sermon, one that’s told through music and lyrics. You’re experiencing this momentous, artistic event as those in attendance experienced it, and you feel beyond grateful for such an opportunity.

This film offers a profound moviegoing experience, as well as a spiritual one, with Franklin belting out songs like, “Wholy Holy,” “What a Friend We Have In Jesus,” “Precious Memories,” and “Never Grow Old.”  As Franklin brings these songs to life, you can’t help but imagine what it must have been like to sit in that church and be just several feet away from this distinguished talent.

In a movie that’s loaded with memorable moments, even the beginning is a high note, with the choir singing “On Our Way” as they walk into the church auditorium.  This then leads into what the attendees of the recording have been waiting for: the entrance of Franklin.  As she enters the auditorium, shining in a white, sparkling gown, you feel as though you’re witnessing an angel descending onto the world to share her gift.  You feel humbled to be in her presence, to be near someone who chose to record an album with her fans beside her, to be there with her in the moment as she creates something that will help cement her as one of the most dynamic singers of our time. 

As you watch the pivotal segment of the film, where Franklin sings “Amazing Grace,” you see that it’s the testament of all testaments to her talent, with Franklin able to astound an audience with her otherworldly singing abilities.  At one point, she brings Reverend Dr. James Edward Cleveland to tears, to a point where he has to sit done and take a minute to bury his face in his hands as he lets his emotions flow.  It’s an emotional part of the film that affirms how much Franklin’s voice struck a chord with her listeners.

In the last 15 minutes of the film, Franklin delivers a performance that exemplifies how it was able to bring people to their feet, showing a couple of the individuals in attendance of the recording start dancing, being enthralled in the music and living through a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.  You get caught up in their involvement in the music, and you feel a desire to dance with them and let the music flow through you.

As you behold “Amazing Grace,” you’ll realize that it’s more than amazing, it’s heavenly.

Grade: A

A Trio of Outsiders Goes on a Journey in Search of Belonging

Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman) and Mr. Link (Zach Galifianakis)
in "Missing Link"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Over the past 10 years, Laika has given moviegoers several gorgeously animated films that have offered a great deal of wonder with how meticulous their craft is in making these works of art.  Between “Coraline” (2009), “ParaNorman” (2012), “The Boxtrolls” (2014), and “Kubo and the Two Strings” (2016), I wish that we could have a movie from Laika every year.  However, once they come out with another film, there’s a good chance that it will have been worth the wait.

That’s the case with their latest film, “Missing Link,” where writer-director Chris Butler brings us a heartfelt and humorous globe-trotting adventure on which you should embark.

Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman) is an explorer from England who travels to America and encounters a Bigfoot-type creature (Zach Galifianakis), who he names “Mr. Link.”  Mr. Link tells Lionel that he’s the only one left of his kind and asks Lionel to bring him to the Himalayas, which he says is the home to his Yeti relatives.  Accompanied by fellow adventurer and Lionel’s former girlfriend, Adelina Fortnight (Zoe Saldana), the three of them soon begin their travels to help Mr. Link find his new home.

Laika’s films always assemble talented voice casts, and “Missing Link” isn’t any exception.  Jackman is dynamic as the enthusiastic explorer, giving his character a charm and confidence that gets you caught up in his passion for discovery.  And, Saldana is superb as a resolute adventurer.  The love of exploration that these two characters share lead to some memorable dialogue between them, which doesn’t just involve comical bickering, but also some genuine moments that deepen their understanding of one another.

Of course, Galifianakis is the highlight of the voice cast.  It’s a humorous performance because of how literal his character takes certain things, leading to some amusing misunderstandings that make Galifianakis’ character so funny.  The way that Mr. Link traverses his fish-out-of-water arc allows for some entertaining scenes in which he tries to adjust to life outside of the forest where he lived, as well as a couple of emotional scenes where he expresses his desire to be with others like him so he doesn’t continue living a lonely existence.  This character has laughs and heart aplenty, and Galifianakis conveys both as he invites us on Mr. Link’s life-changing quest.

The cast also has some terrific supporting vocal performances from Stephen Fry as Lord Piggot-Dunceby, the elitist head of the explorer’s society in which Lionel tries to gain acceptance; Timothy Olyphant as Willard Stenk, a merciless bounty hunter tracking Lionel’s group; and Emma Thompson as the leader of the Yetis.

The screenplay by Butler crafts a story that builds on the growing connection between Mr. Link, Lionel, and Adelina, where we see how the theme of needing to belong impacts all of them, with Mr. Link wishing to be among others of his own kind, Mr. Lionel desiring to be part of a posh society of adventurers, and Adelina wanting to be seen as equal to her male counterparts in the field of exploration.  This all shows how they overcome their lack of commonality with others by displaying a commonality among themselves, a commonality of being different and having a need to triumph over the limitations that people impose on them.

On occasion, a bit of the humor can be a tad juvenile by Laika’s standards, but most it is guaranteed to make you laugh.  The witty interactions between the characters create an enjoyable time for audiences as they take part in the adventure, traveling the world with Mr. Link, Lionel, and Adelina and sharing in their camaraderie.

Butler has an extensive history with Laika’s productions, having worked as a storyboard supervisor for “Coraline,” written and co-directed “ParaNorman,” and co-written “Kubo and the Two Strings,” so his work on “Missing Link” couldn’t be anymore welcome, making sure that this latest offering from the studio upholds the finest quality of animation that they’ve displayed with their previous films (he also has credit on the movie as a character designer).  As with Laika’s other movies, “Missing Link” comes with an endless supply of striking animation.  The locations that it brings to life, such as London, the Pacific Northwest, and the Yeti temple in the Himalayas, immerse you in the story because of how detailed everything looks.  This is animation at which you can stare all day, and the immaculate artistry in each frame is something to be cherished and goes hand in hand with the endearing narrative and delightful characters.

“Missing Link” has much to offer moviegoers, and between its laughs, tender storytelling, accomplished voice cast, and visual beauty, this movie isn’t missing anything.

Grade: A- 

While Locked Away, a Horse Allows a Prisoner to Set Himself Free

Matthias Schoenaerts in "The Mustang"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

A tale of redemption is a pivotal type of narrative in storytelling.  Even if we’ve seen it many times before, we can’t help but become absorbed in them because of how they instill a sense of hope in us as we see the main character overcome obstacles in order to turn their life around.

Writer-director Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre brings us a profound view into a prisoner’s journey for absolution in her drama, “The Mustang.”  The story deals with the bond between humans and animals that’s not hard to find in movies, but it does so in a deep way that makes this film more than your typical heartstring tugger.

Roman Coleman (Matthias Schoenaerts) has been incarcerated for 12 years in a correctional facility in rural Nevada.  After a meeting with a psychologist (Connie Britton), Roman begins participating in a rehabilitation program that focuses on inmates training wild horses.  After some time, Roman becomes attached to his horse, who he names Marcus, and the two of them soon find the healing power of each other’s company.

Schoenaerts delivers a heartrending performance as someone who seems to be numb to prison life, becoming used to the idea of living behind bars and being detached from others.  It’s this detachment that encourages us to gaze into his soul and try to figure out the type of person he is while locked away, and the person he was before the events of the movie.  When his character starts to train Marcus, Schoenaerts shows Roman’s renewed sense of purpose and dedication as he connects with his horse.  His finest scene in the film comes in the third act when he breaks down to his daughter (Gideon Adlon) and asks her for forgiveness for the pain that he caused his family.  It’s a moving scene where he allows us to see his feelings at their most raw and shows the sincere connections that he’s capable of having with other people.

The film has a terrific supporting cast, including Britton, Adlon, Bruce Dern as the prison’s rancher; and Jason Mitchell as the prison’s top trainer.  They each bring their acting strengths to these roles, with their characters being lifelines for Roman as they try to help him get back in touch with his humanity that seems to have been lost during his time in prison.

The screenplay by Clermont-Tonnerre, Mona Fastvold, and Brock Norman Brock, which is based on a rehabilitation program in Carson City, Nevada, constructs a story that makes emotional parallels between Roman’s prison life and Marcus’ life in the holding pen.  Through these connections, we’re drawn into their friendship as they begin to trust each other and become inseparable.  However, the narrative is about more than the bond between Roman and Marcus because it also takes a look at the importance of rehabilitation programs for prisoners that could help them begin their path to being reintegrated into society.

The cinematography by Ruben Impens captures the beauty that can be seen in the wilderness that surrounds the prison.  He brings us many sun-drenched shots of Roman and his fellow inmates working outside with the horses, letting us experience what the temporary freedom feels like to the inmates as they tend to their horses, and the closeup shots of Roman and Marcus provide a deep sense of the unbreakable bond that has formed between them.

Clermont-Tonnerre doesn’t approach the subject in a saccharine way, but instead shows some of the difficult realities that the prisoners experience.  From the claustrophobia of the cells to the violence that can erupt amongst the prisoners to the strains of the visits between the inmates and their loved ones, Clermont-Tonnerre has this movie go above any emotional trappings that could have befallen this type of story.  The film’s avoidance of being overdramatic is what makes Roman’s arc so impactful, and this helps make his and Marcus’ connection more beautiful against the film’s prison backdrop.

The surprising amount of depth in “The Mustang” makes it one of the best movies of the year, so far.  It transports you to a place that may seem steeped in hopelessness, but enables you to see the goodness that can be reached within others and the unexpected turns that someone’s damaged life can take that may lead them to something better.

Grade: A

A Family’s New Beginning Threatens to Become Their End

Jason Clarke (left) and John Lithgow in "Pet Sematary"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

In 1983, Stephen King’s horror novel, “Pet Sematary,” was published.  Six years later, a film adaptation was released that was sunk by a bland lead performance and a severe lack of frights.

Now, King’s book is given a second chance to scare audiences with the help of directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer, and with committed performances and a superior grasp on the story’s creepiness, we have an adaptation that lives up to King’s spine-chilling book.

Louis Creed (Jason Clarke) moves from Boston to Maine with his wife, Rachel (Amy Seimetz), their daughter, Ellie (Jeté Laurence), and their son, Gage (Hugo Lavoie and Lucas Lavoie).  Not long after being in their new home, they discover a mysterious pet cemetery in the woods nearby that holds dark secrets, and they soon become victims of its power.

Clarke and Seimetz offer well-matched performances that show their characters’ conflicted views on issues that they face in the story, such as how to approach the subject of death.  They provide strong, emotional reactions to the life-altering events that they experience, exhibiting the terror and grief that they feel during what was supposed to be a fresh start for their family.  Thanks to their compelling bond on screen, Clarke and Seimetz succeed in making us feel the agony of having their idyllic lives take a shattering turn into something unspeakable.

John Lithgow has a welcome supporting role as Jud Crandall, a friendly neighbor of the Creeds who knows more about the pet cemetery than he lets on.  Fred Gwynne portrayed the character in the 1989 film and was the best part about it.  Gwynne made a strong impression in the role, and it all worked because he had to make up for the staleness that permeated the rest of the movie.  In the case of the remake, Lithgow goes for a more restrained approach, which is fine because he’s sharing the movie with other talented actors and actresses, so there isn’t any need for him to go as far with the backcountry, salt-of-the-earth mannerisms that were achieved by Gwynne.

While King’s novel is so detailed in constructing his characters and the nightmarish situations in which they find themselves, the screenplay by Jeff Buhler still does a fine job in capturing the essentials of the source material.  With a running time of a little over an hour and a half, the movie manages to hit many of the important events that are found in the book.  However, the movie can feel a bit rushed at times, given that, in the novel, King provides Louis with enough time to sort through the logistics of his significant decisions, which makes us feel the weight of those choices as Louis tries to figure out if the actions that he’s about to take are right or wrong.

Aside from that, Buhler includes a few big changes to the movie that work in its favor.  If you’ve read the book and/or seen the 1989 film, you’re in for a couple of surprises as the narrative goes in an unsettling new direction, adding some shocks to a story that you think you know.   

Laurie Rose’s cinematography captures the beautiful greenery of the woods near the Creed’s home in the daytime sequences, while displaying the mistiness and deep shadows of those woods in the nighttime sequences.  These scenes provide you with the eerie feeling that King delivers in his novel, and they absorb you into the dark history of this terrain.

Although there are some unnecessary jump scares, Kölsch and Widmyer don’t overload the movie with too many of them and instead focus more on the sense of dread and disquieting atmospherics.  They exhibit the picture-perfectness that the Creeds feel as they arrive at their new home, and then succeed in bringing us into the terror that begins to tear away at the characters’ lives.

Between the acting, writing, and directing, all of which deliver a fine translation of King’s novel from the page to the screen, Kölsch and Widmyer bring life to this cemetery.

Grade: B+

As a Divorcee, a Woman Embraces What Life Has to Offer

Julianne Moore and John Turturro in "Gloria Bell"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

When someone says that you’re as young as you feel, it’s a sentiment that a person should always try to welcome.  Any stage in your life when you’re given a chance to rediscover who they are can be an eyeopening experience, leading you to new adventures and finding out the surprises that life can bring.  This is something on which writer-director Sebastián Lelio focused in his 2013 drama, “Gloria,” a story that followed the titular character as she attempts to bring a spark back into her life.

Lelio now helms an English-language remake titled “Gloria Bell.”  With this, I was curious to see if Lelio would approach the story with something a little different.  Although there’s not much that’s added to the narrative to distinguish it from the 2013 original, it’s held together by some fine direction and a terrific lead performance.

In Los Angeles, Gloria Bell (Julianne Moore) is a divorcee who enjoys her free time in night clubs.  When she meets Arnold (John Turturro), the two begin a relationship, while also trying to handle problems within their families.   

Similar to Paulina García’s transcendent performance in Lelio’s original film, Moore elicits an I-don’t-have-a-care-in-the-world attitude that gives her the confidence to have fun with her life.  Moore’s character has a smile and a laugh that can brighten anyone’s day, and her optimistic persona makes it difficult to not share Gloria’s view when she says, “When the world blows up, I hope I go down dancing.”  There’s a lot of warmth to Moore’s work in this film, with her character showing the deep love that she has for her family and trying to connect with them, despite how tenuous those connections may be. 

The chemistry between Moore and Turturro expresses the happiness of finding love at an unexpected time, and the naturalism and sense of love between the two performers make this a relationship where it’s never difficult to believe that these two are falling for each other right before your eyes. 

The supporting cast includes Michael Cera as Gloria’s son, Brad Garrett as her ex-husband, and Caren Pistorius as her daughter.  The interactions between them and Gloria have a detached quality that’s effective because of how much they emphasize the strain that’s felt between these characters.

The screenplay by Lelio and Alice Johnson Boher doesn’t offer much that’s new to the story, and, for the most part, it plays out like the original, scene for scene.  Seeing as this is a remake, one would think that Lelio would have a purpose for revisiting this story and approach it from a fresh angle.  With a new cast and different setting, Lelio and Boher could have used those changes to make this film different from the original, but still be able to maintain the essence of the original.  To this movie’s credit, it accomplishes the latter.

Although the pace of the film may seem slow, it makes sense for Lelio to have the narrative unfold like that because this story isn’t meant to be fast and upbeat, but rather a contemplative view of someone who takes life day by day and remains patient to see what might happen next.  Using this steady pace, Lelio lets scenes play out for a while so that we can grasp the emotions that are occurring within characters and between them. 

“Gloria Bell” might not be a necessary remake, but with a wonderful performance that takes you through part of the main character’s life, you wouldn’t mind hitting the dance floor with her.

Grade: B

While on Vacation, a Family Confronts Itself

Lupita Nyong'o in "Us"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Two years ago, writer-director Jordan Peele exploded onto the horror scene with his filmmaking debut, “Get Out.”  It served up chills and social commentary in equal doses, becoming a breakout hit and one of the best movies of 2017.  Afterwards, Peele became a thrilling and innovative voice in the genre, and I was eager to see what other ideas he had on his mind for new projects.

The time has come to see his latest contribution to horror, which is “Us.”  Through this film, we see that Peele continues to his imaginativeness as a filmmaker, and just like with “Get Out,” he brings, chills, laughs, and something to say.

Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong’o), her husband, Gabriel (Winston Duke), and their children, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex) decide to spend some time at a beach house.  One night, their getaway turns into something deadly when their home is invaded by another family, and the Wilsons discover that this family looks just like them.

We’re just a quarter of the way into 2019, but Nyong’o delivers what I’m sure will go down as one of the most unforgettable performances of the year as both Adelaide and her doppelgänger.  While portraying Adelaide, Nyong’o presents her character with an air of mystery, someone who has suffered something traumatic as a child, and we see how it has impacted her character for years.  As the film goes on, we watch her transform into a horror-movie heroine for whom to clap and cheer as she fights back in satisfying nature, showing a ferociousness and unwillingness to back down, despite coming face to face with an inconceivable nightmare.  When portraying her double, Nyong’o employs a deep, unsettling voice that puts you on edge, as well as a persona that’s disquieting to the point where you’ll want to put as much distance as possible between yourself and her.  It’s a remarkable feat of acting as you watch these two alike characters square off in a match between good and evil, resulting in a performance that exemplifies the superb range within Nyong’o’s acting abilities.

Duke, Joseph, and Alex not only deliver fine performances as Adelaide’s family, but also as their doppelgängers, where, just like Nyong’o, their unnerving facial expressions and creepy movements make you tense up.  Elisabeth Moss and Tim Heidecker also have memorable roles as friends of the Wilson family.

Although Peele’s screenplay can become a tad heavy-handed at times, it’s loaded with both big ideas and small details that not only make this film terrific viewing, but something that you might wish to see a second time in order to absorb everything.  It’s these aspects of the narrative that have you always looking for things that could provide scenes with more significant meanings.  This is the type of story that will have you thinking about it for hours after you see it, trying to piece every detail together and come up with theories to your questions; and, trust me, you’ll have several.  Peele imbues the film with both social and biblical thoughts, and there’s boundless fascination into how he manages to bring forth these concepts in the scenario at hand.  Between “Get Out” and “Us,” Peele proves to be a master at constructing unpredictable stories, bringing us along on twisty, layered journeys as each startling discovery takes us on the next path to whatever reveal Peele has in store for us next.

Peele’s direction shows his prowess for adding amped-up intensity during the violent confrontations in certain scenes without it becoming gratuitous, just like he did within the last 15 minutes of “Get Out.”  However, Peele still uses the effective, scaled-back approach he utilized for most of that film, such as in the opening scene, where he employs an atmosphere that draws us into the world of the movie with commendable precision, and you realize that you’re about to watch a horror movie that’s different from what you’ve seen before.

With the help of cinematography by Mike Gioulakis, Peele conjures up some chilling imagery, such as in the sequence where the Wilsons first meet their doppelgängers.  Having the intruders concealed in darkness is a simple move, but when it’s mixed with a sinister score by Michael Abels (who collaborated with Peele on “Get Out”), it makes for a bone-rattling introduction to the terror that’s about to be unleashed.

Peele’s choice of camerawork, editing, and music make a superb blend of unconventionality that tends to be rare in mainstream horror films, showing that it’s possible to be artistic in horror films that come from the bigger studios.  With his first two directorial efforts being horror movies that both scare and offer probing looks into modern society, Peele has become a filmmaker that can make us feel major anticipation for whatever he might have in mind for his next movie.

It’s fitting that Peele’s second film is about doubles because with “Get Out” and “Us,” he’s achieved double cinematic successes.

Grade: A-

Through a Freezing Wilderness, Two Stranded Individuals Fight to Stay Alive

Mads Mikkelsen in "Arctic"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

When it comes to movies about survival, there are many different directions in which a filmmaker can go.  They can either have their story take place in the uninhabited countryside, like in “The Revenant”; on a distant planet, like in “The Martian”; the vastness of outer space, like in “Gravity”; in the middle of the ocean, like in “Life of Pi”; in a series of canyons, like in “127 Hours”; on a secluded island, like in “Cast Away”; or in the desert, like in “The Flight of the Phoenix.”  This type of story remains gripping because they hook us with their attempts to have us rigid in our seats as we wait for the outcome of the characters who are trapped in these perilous situations.

Joe Penna uses the survival genre for his directorial debut feature film, “Arctic,” and in the process, he proves himself to be one of 2019’s exciting new visions behind the camera.

Overgård (Mads Mikkelsen) is stranded in the Arctic Circle and trying to endure the harsh conditions until rescue comes.  When a helicopter crashes near his site, the only survivor is a critically injured young woman (María Thelma Smáradóttir), whom Overgård brings back to his camp.  Not wanting to wait around any longer, Overgård decides to pull her on a sled and ventures out into life-threatening conditions to try to find help.

Mikkelsen, in a performance that’s pretty much wordless for 90 percent of his screen time, does well in bringing forth the hopelessness and hopefulness of his character’s predicament.  We see the intense focus that Mikkelsen’s character puts into his daily tasks as he works hard to survive, making us feel confident that Overgård will make it out okay, even if things remain uncertain.  When Overgård interacts with the young woman, you can sense how much he cares for her, despite communication being limited between them and them knowing each other for just a short while, which helps to add a stronger emotional angle to the story. 

The screenplay by Penna and Ryan Morrison plays out like your typical survival story, but it adds some subtle details in certain scenes that give the story more meaning than what’s on the surface.  You don’t learn a lot about Mikkelsen’s character as to who he was before the events of the movie, but that’s understandable because the movie is instead focused on showing you Overgård’s ingenuity as he keeps formulating methods of how to survive.  We learn about the aspects of his character that are important to the story, and in this case, it’s his resourcefulness, and it’s what keeps us in the story’s grip as we watch how far his survival skills will take him.

Tómas Örn Tómasson’s cinematography captures the disquieting feeling of being in a place that’s devoid of civilization and having to fend for yourself.  The vastness of the terrain that’s depicted has you experience the crushing isolation of the two characters, making it seem like the freezing temperature is wrapping itself around you and chilling you to the bone.

As a director, Penna knows how to utilize the surroundings within the environment of the film, making us realize that the emptiness around Overgård and the young woman in said environment is enough to put us in an anxious state as we wait to see what will become of them.  Penna delivers the intensity of this man vs. nature story and keeps the clock ticking faster and faster as the characters’ chances of being rescued seem to dwindle minute by minute.

Even if you’ve seen several movies about survival, “Arctic” still offers enough to draw you into the narrative, thanks to its commanding lead performance and Penna showing an ability to keep the tension flowing as Overgård and the young woman’s journey through a snowy and icy barrenness becomes more dangerous as the film goes on. 

With “Arctic” being part of the timeless story of what someone must do to battle the elements and live to see another day, Penna assures us that there’s still enough to do with the survival genre to keep us coming back.

Grade: A-