Awards Season. In addition to all the holiday madness, lets put awards season smack in the middle of it just to turn up the heat. I personally love it. Movies are a great distraction from stress of holiday plans. So for any WIW post in the future, you'll find my reviews of films, tv and whatever else I've been watching. Maybe this will be a regular post, who knows? It's all an experiment, right? Right.
Without further ado... here's what I've been watching and what I thought.
ARRIVAL
Where I watched: in the theater and worth it.
Producer's take: Contact (1997) + Close Encounters of a Third Kind (1977), but it's more about us, as a species than the aliens.
This film surprised me in more ways than one. Fantastic soundtrack that matched and elevated the emotion on screen; the hesitancy, the anticipation and the depth of chaos. (Shame it won't be considered for the Best Score Oscar.) The director made bold choices for the camera and art departments especially regarding the spacecraft and how it functions. The script, adapted from a short story by Ted Chiang, my partner's favorite sci-fi author, I thought left some lingering unnecessary mush at the end that I didn't need to understand what had transpired. (Trying really hard not to give anything away here.) BUT, a friend said those few minutes is when he understood the meaning of the film. While I felt hit over the head with it, it was a time of revelation for him. So maybe it was necessary for some audiences.
Our minds are so mechanized to understand story tropes that are overused, for example, the flashback, that we no longer question time. Watch this film, preferably in a theater with proper sound. Question everything and enjoy Amy Adams' smart performance. And if you're like me, you'll want to watch it again immediately afterward.
Miss Sloan
Where I watched: at home
Producer's take: House of Cards (2013 --) + Thank You For Smoking (2005), but it's about the gun lobby, and the plot is nearly unpredictable.
Admittedly, I don't know much about lobbying and what that world looks and acts like, but Jessica Chastain absolutely ruled this film with her acting. She does not play the most likable character (understatement), and there's not really any clarity about what lobbyists do lawfully, (you know, for the layperson, as seen in movies like The Big Short,) but in the process of trying to keep up, I completely did not see the end coming. It was a pleasant surprise. It changed my mind about Jessica Chastain's character and even though she's not likable at least she made clear the lengths she was willing to go for her cause. Perhaps this is what lead to Oscar nom fodder online, not just for Best Actress but also possibly Best Film.
There are many questions that are left unanswered; mostly about her past, why she is the way she is and her motivations throughout the film. None of these things are necessary to the story, but they would make her more relatable. Nevertheless, the audience is never played down to, never spoon-fed information. Perhaps this is why I liked it. It's not flashy. There is something to be said for making a film with multiple goals in mind, it take some balls. 1. Providing a platform for the gun control awareness. 2. Applying mis-direction in the script so skillfully that I didn't see it coming.
Worth watching. Too bad it bombed at the box office.
Sing Street
Where I watched: Netflix
Producer's take: Billy Elliott (2000) + Perks of Being a Wallflower, the novel, rolled into one magnificent musical that you don't realize is a musical and it's set in Dublin.
This may have been my favorite thing I've seen this season. With John Carney going back to his Dublin roots, this film is one of the most authentic and full-hearted movies. For a teenage boy who uses music as an escape route to get the girl, to stick it to the man and to fulfill a brotherly pact, he really has no obstacles. I couldn't find a conflict in the whole film besides bullies, both adults and kids, family strife, and the usual, "the girl I like likes someone else." It's not really about those things. It's about the main character, Conor Lawler finding himself, developing and growing through the use of music and making music videos, and taking risks with ridiculous confidence. He learns to express things with music that he can't with just words. The other part of this film that just ruined me was his relationship with his older brother which allows Conor's confidence to be as high as it appears. His brother, Brendan lays out all the ways he has paved the road for him, musically and otherwise. He challenges Conor to think big, to take risks and to make art with courage. THIS is why I love this film. Good reminders.
This coming-of-age film has a huge heart and the original music has been stuck in my head for days. Worthy of Best Musical/Comedy nom for the Golden Globes and I sincerely hope it gets nominated for many Oscars. Totally deserving and one that I will watch again, joyfully.
