Trev's Movie Dump: February 2017

John Wick: Chapter 2

John Wick is shaping up to be Harry Potter... only instead of wizards, we've got assassins. John Wick: Chapter 2 expands the Wick-universe by showing how assassins are everywhere, hiding in plain sight with "fun" disguises. And I love that idea -- a world of merciless contract-killers surrounding us non-assassin muggles. Bound by strict ethics and rules that bring some sense of order to an otherwise chaotic career choice, this Wick-universe is a fascinating place to explore.

All that said... this movie is fun. Just plain fun. It's everything I want from a gut-busting action film. If you're even somewhat into action films, the Wick series is completely worth a watch. Catch up on them before the teased third installment comes out.

Jason Bourne

Did I hear anyone clamoring for another Bourne film? Didn't we say all that there had to be say with the last three movies? Bourne traces his scattered memories all the way back to Project Treadstone, gets back to America, meets his maker, and confronts his demons. We're done, right?

Wrong. Bourne is still a deeply troubled soul, apparently battling more troubled memories.  (How convenient it is for another memory to pop-up with every new film?) This time a memory of his deceased father from a life before Bourne is enrolled in Treadstone emerges. 

Now, if what you're looking for is Bourne running around, staying one step ahead of the enemy, while the CIA (or whatever) shouts orders from a command room surrounded with satellite images of the world... then maybe you'll get behind this. 

I didn't. It's basically a visual rip-off of the rest of the movies with one half-way decent car chase at the end. The only good thing I can say is that I didn't have to endure Julia Style's shitty acting for long. (That's a bit of a spoiler that might actually help you get into the movie.)

Manchester by the Sea

This is a beautiful movie that my love for has only grown with time (albeit, it's only been a few weeks). Within two weeks, I watched it twice... and I think I like this film more than I want to admit. Just watching this guy struggling with an impossible guilt and grief that's forced him away from home, finds that another tragedy will give him another chance to return home.

I'm curious how others view the ending of this film? For me, I thought it was a very happy ending. Just the right amount of optimism for me to hope (maybe even know) that things are going to work out for the best in due time. And that lasting image just makes me feel all mushy inside -- a big accomplishment considering there are points in the film where I feel like I couldn't be any sadder at such tragic events.

While this wasn't my top pick for the best film of 2016, it was our group's collective #1 film of the year... and I'm fine with that. 

Alice Through the Looking Glass

I think if I had been stoned and watching this on IMAX... I might have enjoyed it purely for all the CGI visual effects. Instead I watched it sober on my tiny bedroom TV. Needless to say, it was painful to sit through loaded with many eye rolls at Johnny Depp's Mad-Hatter performance. This franchise must be dead by now. 

Moonlight

Sometimes I wish I was more on top of my movie-game so I could enter into films without any preconceived notion on whether this is an amazing film or not. I didn't have that luxury with this movie. I came into Moonlight hearing nothing but positive things -- listening to it by constantly praised by film-buff podcasts, seeing it ranked consistently at the top on Internet polls, etc. This is a movie I expected the world from... And it delivered.

The story about a boy who's an outcast in a community that doesn't accept him in a world that doesn't accept his community. And then that boy growing up and figuring out who he really is. It's some powerful stuff.

The one aspect I applaud the most are the performances. Three different actors playing the same character at three different points in his life. I totally bought this was the character growing up. Not because all three actors looked similar, but because they embodied the character just so perfectly. 

Oscar post-mortem: I would have hands-down given director Barry Jenkins best director instead of Damien Chazelle -- who's other film Whiplash is arguably better than La La Land. Instead it got best picture (which I believe is the alt-category for best director... because, really, what's the difference between praising a movie, or praising the main person who's vision was responsible for making the movie what it is?).

Hacksaw Ridge

Confession time: This is the first Mel Gibson movie I've seen from beginning to end. Sure, I've "seen" Braveheart as much as I've seen most of the scenes of the film over the years that I can essentially piece together the movie in my mind. But Passion of the Christ... fell asleep in the first 10 minutes, and Apaclypto... never saw it. 

That said, this was an OK movie. It's a movie I liked, but never loved. I think it's biggest praise was the second-half of the film that was nothing but war scenes. Those action shots were so intense, it's probably the most horrific war scenes captured on film since Saving Private Ryan. It literally felt as though these soldiers were wandering into Hell, which is quite an appropriate analogy considering there was such a heavy emphasis on Christ/redemption/ascension in this film. 

Speaking of the heavy-handed Christ metaphors peppered all throughout this film, was that an interesting subject choice for Gibson's return to the limelight? I'm not saying yes or no... just connecting the preverbal dots here. 

High-Rise

Stan praised this. I loathed it. This was pretentious piece of bullshit. I arguably felt less for these characters then they felt for themselves as they lost their self-identities in favor for their need to be apart of the caste system contained in a... High-rise. 

Some compare this to Snowpiercer, a movie I also disliked. However, I think I hated Snowpiercer more just because it was loved by so many (something I still can't understand). This film, however, looks to have fairly lukewarm reviews. And that makes sense. While I can see some people really liking it -- like Stan -- I couldn't see everyone liking it -- such as myself. And that brings me comfort that I'm not some weird outlying who feels like they're taking crazy pills!

O.J.: Made in America

First off... this is not a documentary. It's a mini-series. Albeit, a documentary mini-series, but not a fucking movie! However, the fine folks over at ESPN figured out how to cut through all the red tape the Academy Awards puts up to distinguish what films are worthy of their consideration. And their effort was not in vain as this "film" won an Oscar for best documentary.

All that aside, it's truly deserving of the accolade. This is a fucking engrossing documentary that explores the life of O.J. Simpson. How he started out as a football all-star, then transitioned into an actor and L.A. celebrity, then, of course... his tragic relationship with Nicole Brown. While the trial of O.J. does fill up a significant part of the documentary -- a 7-fucking-hours-long documentary -- there's plenty of footage that explores his life after the trial. After he loses millions in civil court. After he's forced to move away from L.A. After he establishes a different identity and life in Miami. And then, after he gets caught for trying to steal back his own sports memorabilia in Las Vegas -- which ultimately sends him back to the clinker for 30-something years.

Now, while O.J.'s story is fascinating/horrifying... that's not where this documentary really shines. What it does best is giving you context for where society was at the time this whole things was going down. How mistreated the black-minorities of L.A. were going back to the Watt's Riots up till Rodney King. Time and time again, losing their day at court. Then when you had one of black communities most prominent celebrities get under fire, you begin to see why there was a such a strong support for O.J.'s defense. I don't think this documentary seeks to definitively state whether or not O.J. did murder Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman (although I certainly believe he did), but I does lend understanding to why things happened the way they did. Why he won the trial. Why the people loved him. Then why he was later shunned away from the aristocratic community he fought so hard to be a part of.

I heard there was something like 80 hours of interview footage they had to cut down to a "lean" 467 minute final runtime. But some of those subjects they got... impressive. No, O.J. doesn't have a direct interview here, but there are people who serve on the LAPD during the trail, the prosecution, the defense, Mark Furhman (the guy accused of planting the infamous glove), two jurors, the helicopter pilot who filmed the L.A. riots and O.J.'s car chase, and a slew of O.J.'s friends/colleagues from each stage of his life.

The documentary paints a really interesting tapestry of where America was leading into the early 90's and helps add context to a story that was way over my 8-year-old head at the time when it was occurring. 

There's a lot of great films I managed to squeeze in this month. Many worth seeing. This one, while the runtime can be intimidating, is definitely something that's worth a watch. Right now I know it's on Hulu in three-parts. Give it a go!