Ambulance
When I saw the trailer for this film in theaters, I wanted to throw up. Michael Bay seems to have discovered that you can attach a camera to drones, so it was a nauseating three minutes. However, I was surprisingly disappointed by how little drone footage there was in the actual film. Most of the shots last about no more than 5 seconds each time they appear in the movie, and most of them don’t really have any purpose other than to make you dizzy. I will say that some of them were pretty cool though.
Overall, this film was fine. Jake Gyllenhaal reminds everyone that he’s great at playing a psychopath, channeling about 30% of the greatness from his best performance as Lou Bloom in Nightcrawler. You can tell he’s clearly having fun, and Eiza Gonzales and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II round out the competent cast. It’s a typical Michael Bay film, so if you’re a fan of his movies, this will be no different from anything he’s made in the past. The action is there, the humor is there, it’s everything you want in one of his projects. I will say that because this movie is akin to the likes of thrillers such as Speed where the main characters are constantly on the run, this film felt about 20 minutes too long. There were some pacing issues that did not keep me engaged throughout. If you want to throw something on in the background, this film probably wouldn’t hurt.
Grade: C+/70
Petite Maman
I was really surprised by this film, really did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. Directed by Portrait of a Lady on Fire‘s Celine Sciamma, this French film is a very brisk but emotionally dense film about two kids who bond over a brief period of time in a small and quaint countryside. This is one of those films that work best if you don’t know anything about it. The children’s performances are sweet, and the film is surprisingly short. This may be the shortest film I’ve seen in a long time, not including animated films. Clocking in at 1 hour 12 minutes, this film carries the emotional depth and weight of a 2 and a half hour film. I loved the themes that they explore in this film, and I loved the beautiful and simplistic direction and cinematography. The best way I could describe this film is cinematic ASMR.
Grade: B+/83
Downton Abbey: A New Era
Look, I’m never NOT going to watch another Downton Abbey movie. But these have got to stop! No, this movie isn’t bad by any means. It was wonderful revisiting this world and its wonderful characters. It gave me chills hearing that beautiful music again. But I LOVE Downton Abbey, and the films do not match the quality of the show. The show ended perfectly, and these past two movies are just good, not great. Creator Julian Fellowes clearly wants to make this film a trilogy, and possibly even more after that. I really hope that Fellowes knows when to call it quits, because a lot of the character-arcs in the show have been wrapped up beautifully and don’t need anything else added. If you’re a huge fan of the show like me, you’ll most likely enjoy this. Some of the pacing in the first half is too quick and they try to cover a lot of ground, but the second half feels more like a solid episode of the show, which is a good thing. I prefer things that are great to go out on top, as opposed to overstaying their welcome.
Grade: B/78
Navalny
This was a really eye-opening documentary that reminded me that reality is sometimes more fascinating than fiction. There is one scene in this film regarding a phone call that is so unbelievable that you’d think it was straight out of a spy movie or something. As interesting as the film is, ultimately it highlights the unfortunate cost of being a true patriot of your country. In this case, it’s about Alexei Navalny standing up to the corrupt leaders of Russia. It’s always a sobering reminder of how in America I’m able to enjoy numerous freedoms that I take for granted every single day, and others all over the world are fighting for rights that I subconsciously assume everyone has. At the end of the day, this film is pretty straightforward and does not try to “cinematize” Navalny’s story, which I appreciated. I may not agree with everything Navalny stands for, but he is a truly admirable man.
Grade: B+/81
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