How She Became FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA

 

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, is director George Miller’s (The Road Warrior, Babe) latest in the post-apocalyptic world that serves as a prequel to his classic, Mad Max: Fury Road.  More epic in scope with a focused character study on one protagonist, it is a highly engaging, entertaining adventure that ties together both films.

Civilization has fallen and only scavengers and hidden enclaves remain in The Wasteland.  A child, Furiosa, is captured away from her home by marauders led by the cunning, ruthless Dr. Dementus (Chris Hemsworth).  Resourceful and determined, Furiosa must learn to survive, and she watches and learns, waiting for a chance to return home.  As a young adult, Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) blends in with the work crews and becomes expert and proficient with weapons and machinery.  When Dementus attacks The Citadel, it results in an uneasy, protracted deal between warring factions who control a limited number of fortresses.  As Furiosa waits for her opportunity to escape, help comes from an unlikely source. Can she finally break free of her captors, and will she exact revenge on Dementus? 

This film is epic in scope and very similar to Fury Road except this one provides more background and intimate perspective of Furiosa.  Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne (as a younger Furiosa) are affecting and seamless in their portrayals while Hemsworth is outstanding playing against type. 

Miller has an eye for visual imagery and creates a totally convincing, brutal world where survival is paramount.  A significant portion of the film features a couple of elaborate chase sequences showcasing his outstanding, heart-stopping action that, even after several Mad Max films, is still riveting and stunning in execution, often without any dialogue for long stretches. Fans of this series especially Fury Road should be thoroughly entertained.  

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

A First Documentary

This documentary by Therese Bailey is a short series of interviews of students at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. The theme concerns OCD which is an affliction that affects the general population. These students discuss their struggles and how they cope. The doc is well paced with quick cuts often between its subjects accompanied by a variety of inserts to keep things humming along. While an 11 minute time frame can contain only so much material, one wishes there were more interviews including expert points of view. Perhaps a simple graphic or narration on the pervasiveness of OCD would be helpful.  There is an occasional close caption to accompany dialogue which is helpful. When one person mentions thoughts of suicide, it begs followup or more detailed expansion. Although a lot of information can be packed into a few minutes, perhaps an expanded version or followup is warranted given this spark of creativity with the promise of more engrossinh work to come.
 

A Singer from the Soul in BACK TO BLACK

Back to Black, a biopic of the supremely talented vocalist, Amy Winehouse, is a decent rendition of her ascent to stardom and her life struggles. 

In London, Amy Winehouse (Marisa Abela) is playing in local clubs and displaying her gifted songwriting and singing to adoring crowds, and eventually record company execs.  Being close to her grandmother (Leslie Manville) and her father, she yearns for love and motherhood and thinks she finds it with Blake. The couple have a rocky relationship amid her alcohol dependence and personal demons. As the world discovers her music borne out of pain, she begins to win major acclaim and award recognition. Despite her efforts to rehab and have a semblance of a normal life, her past catches up to her.

A major theme of the film concerns personal loss and how Winehouse finds refuge through her addiction or solace on the stage.    Writer Matt Greenhalgh and director Sam Taylor-Johnson attempt to explore her family life, but it still feels like a superficial story. Abela is fine and does her best to mimic the great Winehouse vocals, and Manville is the best thing here as the supportive Nan.

It almost feels like a sanitized story and demands a more detailed exploration of her life and creativity. In this regard, the film seems bland and uninspired.  We don’t learn too much more about her life than we already did, and as such, it would probably play best for general audiences rather than loyal fans.  Despite some thick British accents, this feels like a respectable film that misses its opportunity. There is a film to be made of Amy WInehouse that gets to her soul and talent. This isn’t it. 

*** of ***** stars (not for hardcore fans)

 

The Master of Pop Saxophone

Musician David Sanborn has passed at 78. This saxophonist has been creating and performing jazz music for over a half century and won 6 Granmy Awards. He has played with a who's who of musical artists and was a sought after session musician on some of the greatest albums in pop music history like Born To Run with Bruce Springsteen, Gaucho with Steely Dan, Young Americans with David Bowie, The Long Run with The Eagles, An Innocent Man with Billy Joel, and so many others. One of his very best albums for me was the collaboration with Bob James, Double Vision, a sublime beauty of pop jazz. 

Producer Spawned Generations of Filmmakers

 

Producer/Director Roger Corman has passed at 98. Beginning in the 1950s and for decades, 'This King of the B Movies' produced (and frequently directed) hundreds of low budget films (including The Little Shop of Horrors, Attack of the Crab Monsters, and Dementia 13, mostly through American International Pictures specializing in scifi and horror (including a series of Edgar Allen Poe adaptations especially The Fall of the House of Usher). Later with New World Pictures, he helped import prestige foreign films like Cries and Whispers, Amacord, and The Tin Drum as well as action films like Death Race 2000. He hired and mentored some of the greatest Hollywood talent including Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, James Cameron, Francis Ford Coppola, Jonathan Demme, John Sayles, and so many more. He was boastful that virtually all his films made a profit despite tight budgets. He received an honorary Oscar in 2009.

Bridging a Gap in THE IDEA OF YOU

 

The Idea of You is an entertaining tale of chance encounters and a love story that features winning performances by its lead stars. As directed and co-written (from a novel) by co-writer Michael Showalter (The Eyes of Tammy Faye), it’s a winning story that should please its intended audience.

Solène (Anne Hathaway), soon to be 40 years old, is a single mom finding her own identity after splitting with her husband.  She unexpectedly accompanies her teen daughter to a rock concert featuring a boy band and its lead singer, Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine). When Solène has a random brush with Hayes, the two become attracted to one another, and soon a bond forms and develops into a relationship that defies age barriers and convention. Despite her being old enough to be his mother, Hayes invites her to his world tour and jet setting lifestyle. This creates an array of problems with privacy and having a normal, personal life amid social media wildfire and paparazzi. Will Solène and Hayes find happiness, or is this whirlwind romance doomed to fail before it gets going? Can true love win out?

The film’s simple premise about life’s lessons and experience, depends on the strength of its leads and their chemistry. Rest assured, sparks fly, and part of the fun is watching these appealing characters play off each other.  This is Hathaway’s show, and she is quite good, while Galitzine is appealing whether being a convincing rock star or heartthrob. 

The film is filled with pop tunes and is well-paced. Viewers who are true romantics will likely respond to this sweet, at times amusing drama that does have a heart. This is a must for Hathaway fans!

***1/2 of *****stars (add ½* for Hathaway)

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