The Gray Man
I wasn’t entirely sure why this film was criticized so deeply when it’s pretty much on brand with what the Russo brother’s have been making the past decade. It’s a superhero film without the capes. This action spy thriller has all the signature marks of a Marvel movie and it’s entertaining enough to pass the time with friends. I’m not entirely sure if this will spawn a franchise of films based on the reception that it received, but I enjoy seeing Ryan Gosling and Ana de Armas being cool in action movies. There isn’t anything particularly remarkable about this film, and the $200 million dollar budget is incredibly baffling to me, but Netflix is willing to dump money on big projects nowadays so I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing future films with this cast. The only thing that really bugged me about this film was that everyone just had really gross haircuts. Obviously Chris Evans had the nasty ‘stache, but why did they choose to go with those haircuts for Ana de Armas and Jessica Henwick? Why did Wagner Moura look like an absolute trainwreck of a human being? It’s a very small complaint, but I found it kinda strange when Ryan Gosling looked normal but everyone else could’ve used a better barber.
Grade: C+/66
Hit the Road
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not familiar with the history of director Panah Panahi’s father and his works, along with the overall cinema scene in Iran. Perhaps a lot of my potential appreciation for this film may have been lost in translation with the current events of Iran and what this film is saying about border control and the political climate of the nation. However, I was still able to enjoy the beautiful cinematography, the great acting and the funny writing. Rayan Sarlak who plays the child is obviously the scene stealer, but both the mother and father, played by Pantea Panahiha and Hassan Madjooni are also excellent here. There are many long takes in this film that just focus on the characters talking to each other, and most of the time it works. Throughout the film you’re trying to piece together what’s going on and how each of the characters feel about what lies ahead, but I would actually say that this film would have benefitted me had I known what the film was about prior to watching. Generally with most films, I go into it without knowing anything and watch it because of the buzz it’s receiving or because I’m familiar with the director/writers, but for this one I probably should have known a bit more beforehand. Some of the subtle implications in this film were a bit too subtle for me, and a more educated man probably would have appreciated it. Regardless, it was still a fascinating watch and I’m glad I saw it.
Grade: B/77
RRR
RRR is one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. I am incredibly intimidated by Bollywood films. When I heard that RRR was a good mix of incredibly over-the-top action but not too insane by Bollywood standards, I felt like it was a good opportunity for me to watch a more accessible Indian movie.
This movie was freakin’ awesome. There was singing, dancing, well filmed action, and a number of really serious and hilarious moments. I loved that the film goes head first into taking all of its insane action incredibly seriously, because it just makes your investment in the characters have such a greater payoff. Clocking in at over three hours, this film really takes you on a journey. I would argue that there are some sequences that could be shortened or taken out entirely, but this film did not feel very long to me. The performances from the two main leads were great, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were cast in American films (assuming that they want to be in one). This film is the embodiment of spectacle and I had a blast watching this with my friend. I can see how some people would be put off by this genre of film, but if you are open minded and don’t mind being taken on an insane ride, I would highly recommend this. This is coming from someone who was very much on the fence about this film prior to watching.
Grade: B+/84
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris
As good of an actor the now-retired Daniel Day Lewis was, my favorite part of the film Phantom Thread was Lesley Manville. I loved the presence of her character and how she could go back and forth with DDL. As much as I fell in love with Manville’s performance, I had not seen anything else with her in it until Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. Funnily enough, this film is very much in the same vein as Phantom Thread, except if it had a child with Paddington. Manville plays the polar opposite character in Paris, and is a very happy-go-lucky woman who sparks joy in everyone that she meets. There are a lot of things that happen in this film that I would normally be bothered by, such as silly character motivations or pacing issues, but I couldn’t help being charmed by this movie throughout. At the end of the day, this is just a solid feel-good movie propelled by a fantastic lead performance in Manville. Side note, I’m incredibly excited to see her play Princess Margaret in season 5 of The Crown. She is going to absolutely kill it.
Grade: B+/81
Nope
Jordan Peele is a fantastic comedian and actor. He also happens to be a fantastic director as well. Unfortunately, he hasn’t made a film that I thoroughly love yet, and Nope is no exception. Throughout the film I really admired Peele’s direction and clear mastery of his craft. There is a sense that everything Peele makes has complete intention behind it, and not even the smallest details are spared. Everything has meaning behind it. Nope very much felt like a director’s showcase of how Peele is capable of creating a gripping thriller that generates a sense of awe. Seeing as how the film is very much about spectacle and the exploitation of spectacle, Peele is more than qualified in directing a film about just that. However, some of the message behind the film gave me pause and I wasn’t sure how I felt about what the movie was trying to say. In a way, the film wants us to root for one group of people and not the other, even though I felt like their motivations were the same. I also was very much put off by Daniel Kaluuya’s sedated and wooden performance, because his reaction to all the spectacle that was happening was very jarring. It was especially jarring in comparison to the wonderful Keke Palmer, who carries this film with her performance. I feel like Kaluuya is slowly becoming typecast as this guy who just plays the stoic hero in the face of insanity, and many times I don’t find it to work at all. I’m very much intrigued by Peele’s future career because he’s one of the few directors who is able to make what he wants to make and is completely untethered from the industry, so he has a lot more creative control than others. Even though this film did not completely hit its mark with me, I will continue to look forward to what he does next.
Grade: B/76
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