A Giant Among Giants

André Previn passed away at 89. With a career comparable to Leonard Bernstein, he was a composer and conductor of jazz, showtunes, and classical music. He won 10 Grammy Awards and 4 Oscars. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and his soundtracks and orchestrations included My Fair Lady, Gigi, Irma La Douce, and many other films. A giant among giants indeed.

Stanley Donen Is 'in Heaven'

Director Stanley Donen passed away at 94, and he was one of the last giants of Golden Age Hollywood. He started in MGM musicals and co-directed with Gene Kelly On the Town (Innovative for shooting partly on location) and Singin' in the Rain, perhaps the greatest musical ever. He branched off to make the wonderful musicals like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Damn Yankees, and Funny Face. Remember the animated /live action scene between Kelly and Tom and Jerry in Anchors Aweigh? Yup, that supposedly was Donen's idea. He did several movies with a rising dancer/choreographer named Bob Fosse.  He expanded in other genres to great success with Charade, possibly the greatest of Hitchcock inspired thrillers, Two for the Road, a non linear romance, and many more. One of his last films was a terrific homage to old films, Movie Movie with George C. Scott. He was given a lifetime achievement Oscar in 1998 and celebrated by singing Cheek to Cheek and doing a tap dance. There must be a place in 'heaven' for this gifted artist.

2019 OSCAR PREDICTIONS FOR 2018 FILMS

OK, I have seen all best picture nominees and a few other titles but not all.  There are very likely surprises in a couple major categories.  Enjoy

PICTURE-Tight race-my heart says The Green Book and my mind says Roma.

ACTOR-Rami Malek really nailed it in Bohemian Rhapsody even though Christian Bale completely transformed for Vice.

ACTRESS-Olivia Colman in The Favourite is so good and Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born was phenomenal, but Glenn Close has the stars aligned in her career moment for The Wife.

SUPPORTING ACTOR-Mahershala Ali in The Green Book hands down (It could have been a lead category.).

SUPPORTING ACTRESS-Regina King in If Beale Street Could Talk has a scene that defines this award.

DIRECTOR-Alfonso Cauron for Roma, period.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY-The Green Book could but The Favourite was too much fun, and deserves to win.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY-Spike Lee gets his first Oscar with BlacKkKlansman.

ANIMATED FEATURE-Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse knocked it out of the park.

FILM EDITING-Vice

CINEMATOGRAPHY-Roma 

PRODUCTION DESIGN-The Favourite

ORIGINAL SCORE-If Beale Street Could Talk

ORIGINAL SONG- ‘Shallow’ from A Star Is Born gives Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper their Oscars.

SOUND EDITING-Bohemian Rhapsody                                            

SOUND MIXING-Bohemian Rhapsody                                          

COSTUME DESIGN-The Favourite

MAKEUP& HAIRSTYLING- Vice                                              

VISUAL EFFECTS-Avengers: Infinity War Marvel gets an Oscar!

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM-Roma again   

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE-Free Solo by a hair over RBG

Animated Short-Bao

Documentary Short-Black Sheep

Live Action Short-Marguerite

Figure that the awards will be spreading the accolades led by Roma, The Favourite, and Bohemian Rhapsody. Ironically, Avengers: Infinity War could win an Oscar despite Black Panther’s multi nominations.

Love’s Life Struggles in IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

 Writer/director Barry Jenkins adapts If Beale Street Could Talk, based on James Baldwin’s novel, a tale of love and tragedy amid the turbulent sixties that is extremely well-acted. In some ways it is a more accomplished film than his previous Oscar winning Moonlight.  

Set in 1960s New York City, two young black lovers, Tish (KiKi Layne) and Alonzo (Stephan James) are on the brink of happiness and a life together, when a cruel turn of fate puts Alonzo in prison after Tish announces she is pregnant.  Her family closes ranks and faces a frustrating judicial system at a critical time in civil rights history.  Tish’s mom, Sharon (Regina King), tries to find justice for Alonzo and a new trial despite the cost and sacrifice.  Lives will be changed forever even as love remains.

The film conveys the often hopelessness of a black male in the 1960s and how precious lives are upended by racism.  Despite its dire overtones, it’s also a nostalgic film about hope, the strength of family, and a mother’s love. (King has a pivotal scene that is heartbreaking and poignant, the kind that Oscar loves.)   In addition to the racial disparity, the film is also a glimpse at the traditional, old fashioned roles of wives and mothers.

The film’s structure flashes back and forth between the couple’s courtship and their desperate situation.  There are beautifully captured vignettes enhanced by a haunting music score.  At times the subjective camera pulls the audience into a more intimate point of view.

It’s a commentary and a time capsule of its period, but it is foremost a love story whose memorable, haunting sights and sounds will stay with you.  (This should have been nominated for Best Picture.)

***1/2 of **** stars

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDERVERSE Swings to New Heights

A variation on Marvel Comics’ traditional Spider-Man mythology, Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse is an imaginative, thoroughly fun adventure that steers the Spider universe in an exciting direction.

A high schooler, Miles, stumbles upon a deadly crime boss who creates a rip in the multiverse exposing the world to other Spider heroes.  With an origin story similar to the original Spider-Man, the film exploits Miles’ awkwardness with his new powers and sensory abilities with humorous results.  Mentored by unexpected allies, must summon the courage and use his unique abilities to fix the multiverse and save his friends.

The premise that Spider-Man is one of multiple versions of Spider-Heroes in the universe is a fascinating concept (that DC Comics has explored). This is about the maturation of Miles who has a good heart and what it means to be a hero and taking a leap of faith in believing in himself.

Ambitious in concept and execution, the film breathes comic book panels to life.  This alternate universe is a perfectly realized world with dark overtones; the animation is stunning with its vivid characters and detailed backgrounds. The villains are formidable and given backgrounds which humanize their characters.  Even with its remarkable thrills, the story never forgets to emphasize the importance of family and comaraderie while offering its message of hope and self sacrifice.

A reinvention of Spider-Man without violating the original canon, this film demonstrates the great potential for animation with its creative ideas, and it expands the Spiderverse to unlimited possibilities.  There are Easter eggs galore which should delight Marvel fans, a cool Stan Lee cameo, and an amusing post credits scene for Spidey purists.  (An Oscar for Best Animated Feature beckons.)

**** of **** stars (for Spider-Man purists)

A Worthy Companion in MARY POPPINS RETURNS

A visually impressive sequel to the 1964 classic, Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns is a welcome revisit to some of the original characters and features a top ‘flight’ performance by Emily Blunt and directed lovingly by Rob Marshall (Chicago).

In depression era England, the Banks children, Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane (Emily Mortimer) are now grown, and Michael and his children are dealing with personal loss and also the threat of losing their home.  Enter the ethereal nanny, Mary Poppins (Blunt), who arrives to care for the children and reunite with her grown charges. Aided by lamplighter pal Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), Mary accompanies the kids on adventures including a magical bowl (with some familiar penguins), a bathtub trip unlike any other, and a race literally against time to save their home.

Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) deserve credit for a marvelous score and songs that seem as if composed simultaneously as the original.  Blunt’s vocal range may not match the original’s Julie Andrews, but it is perfectly sublime. Excelling in virtually every film genre, she is perhaps the most versatile actress in movies today. 

While the novelty of the original’s groundbreaking live action/animation has worn off, the magic is still there (and some imaginative visual effects) with its themes about memories, family, and believing the impossible.   (“Trip the Light Fantastic” is a terrific sequence, an homage to the original’s “Step in Time”, but unnecessarily long, and Meryl Streep’s brief turn as a wacky cousin seems superfluous.) There are two wonderful cameos in the closing scenes that raise the film to euphoric heights.

This film will resonate particularly with adults (as much as children) who grew up with fond memories of the original especially in the rousing finale.  A gem.

**** of ****stars (for fans of the original)

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY and the Power of Freddie Mercury

Bohemian Rhapsody (directed mostly by Bryan Singer) is a surprisingly captivating biography of Freddie Mercury, the legendary singer of Queen, featuring a career making performance by Remi Malek. 

The story flashes back to the early 1970’s with the talented, rebellious Freddie Mercury (Malek) who joins a local band as lead singer with his phenomenal vocal abilities while befriending Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton), who will become a lifelong friend. As Mercury and the band, now called Queen, evolve their music and persona, their popularity grows with global tours and ambitious, groundbreaking albums.  In the era of AIDS, when his excessive living and fame threatens to disrupt the band and isolate him from the things that truly matter, a major music event, Live Aid, with a worldwide audience of over one billion viewers looms.

There are revealing moments of creativity (though slightly fictionalized) amid many, great Queen songs. It’s a study in contrast between Mercury’s lonely genius and his bandmates with their wives.  While his flamboyant tastes and style are on display throughout, the film touches on, perhaps too briefly, his sexuality and his family life especially the conflict between his father’s wishes and forging his own musical path. But this does not detract from the film’s overall impact.

Queen’s last hurrah at Live Aid is memorable, and what a finish it is with its recreation of Mercury galvanizing a capacity crowd at Wembley Stadium.  It is here that the story transcends its clichés and picks up the emotional threads for a powerful, moving payoff, a culmination with Malek, who is simply marvelous and convincing as the icon.  Sure, the film is old fashioned, but it’s a real crowd pleaser that lingers in the mind.  

**** of **** stars (for Queen fans and cat lovers)

A Rivalry Supreme in THE FAVOURITE

Merry old England is given a new slant in The Favourite, a wonderfully acted period drama with loads of wit and nasty venom amid a sumptuous period setting as directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.

In 18^th century England, Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) advises and watches over Queen Anne (Olivia Colman), a weak, frail monarch who is dependent on Sarah’s consort.  Sarah’s control over the throne involves policy including waging war and taxing the populace.  Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives claiming to be her cousin and seeking employment. The two women vie for the attention of their queen, and the competition begins with meanness and outright debauchery.  Strategic alliances are formed with treachery aplenty.  Who will triumph?

The screenplay (Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara) is deliciously subversive and playful as both Weisz and Stone are wonderful as rivals attempting to curry favor of their queen, and they have a field day with the dialogue. Even better, Colman excels as the childish, moody ruler. The dynamic interplay among the three is a joyous romp in maneuvering and betrayal.

Lavish period recreation has a bit of Tom Jones’ playful sensibility with the nastiness of a Ken Russell film. The sets and costume designs are gorgeous. The film has a forced perspective, almost a fish eye point of view in the way it is shot to bend reality.

This is the type of film that will not appeal to all, and don’t expect a tidy ending, but for those game for a challenging exercise in backroom maneuvering and seduction among three excellent actresses at the top of their game, you’ll have a grand time.  Lanthimos is a filmmaker to watch as he is mining the fringes of mainstream cinema with his offbeat vision.

***1/2* of ****stars

A Scathing Indictment in VICE

Similar in tone to his Oscar winner, The Big Short, and purportedly based on real incidents, Vice is director/writer Adam McKay’s version of the remarkable story of Dick Cheney, who, despite major health concerns and personal setbacks,  ascends to the highest levels of government and becomes perhaps the most powerful Vice President ever.

Opening in 1963, young Dick Cheney (Christian Bale) is a hard drinking, Yale reject who, with a good push from his wife Lynne (Amy Adams), reinvents himself first as an intern, through the turbulent 1970s to congressman, chief of staff, and, with a call from George W. Bush, becomes Vice President. Bypassing Congressional oversight, he has a direct influence in energy, military, foreign policy, and authority over the White House which has enormous consequences.  With the 9/11 terrorist attack, he becomes arguably the most powerful man in the world.  

If you buy McKay’s proposition, it’s a devastating history lesson of power wielded maliciously by a political insider whose use of conservative media, propaganda, and outrageous statements reverberates to this day.  McKay is not afraid to scramble the film’s narrative structure (with touches reminiscent of documentarian Michael Moore) or fooling the audience with an ‘ending’.

The great cast (with Steve Carell quite effective as key mentor Donald Rumsfeld and Sam Rockwell hamming it up as George W. Bush) portrays characters that are almost caricatures, but it is Bale’s dead on transformation (abetted by great makeup) that is remarkable and thoroughly convincing. (There are amusing cameos by Alfred Molina and Naomi Watts.) 

It’s a portrait of the American Dream corrupted by a politician whose rise to power was matched by his far reaching control. The postscript on Iraq is sobering, and there is a mid-credit scene!

***1/2 of ****stars (add ½* for Bale)

The British Rascal

 Albert Finney passed away at 82. He was at the forefront of the British film movement in the early sixties which peaked with the wonderful, Oscar winning classic, Tom Jones. He had five Oscar nominations and a variety of roles that ranged from turning down Lawrence of Arabia to being Detective Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express to Erin Brockovich's cantankerous boss to more recent roles in the Bourne series, Skyfall and Big Fish. He and Audrey Hepburn made a darling couple in Two for the Road, and he excelled as the husband in a tragic marriage in the great Shoot the Moon. There were so many more roles in a long and distinguished career.