The Eyes of Tammy Faye

While the subject of The Eyes of Tammy Faye is certainly captivating, the rough rehashing of tried-and-true biopic tropes and story structure make for a rather predictable film.

This year’s Oscars marks a very special year in which none of the Best Actress nominees is derived from any of the ten Best Picture picks by the Academy. And after watching The Eyes of Tammy Faye, it’s not hard to understand why this particular film is recognized solely for the sensational performance from its lead and completely overlooked in most other categories. A big portion of the story beats is reminiscent of its recent predecessors along the likes of Judy (2019) and Rocketman (2019). Even without such comparisons, the script lacks much depth regarding the film’s subject and the company she surrounds herself with. The plot and characterization mostly serve as a checklist of requirements of a biopic that wants to be taken seriously in the sphere of awards conversations, without any organic development. With that being said, a Best Actress win for its lead Jessica Chastain would not come as a surprise and would very much be well-deserved, given that her performance is the beating heart of this film and is more than able to hold the audience’s attention throughout the entire runtime.

The Oscars have always been known, and perhaps infamous, for favoring safe and formulaic dramas, so one could only hope that the lack of recognition for this film save for the acting indicates that a certain step towards some vaguely new, if not the right, direction.

Emma.

Music videographer turned filmmaker Autumn de Wilde dusts the Jane Austen Classic, Emma, with a sprinkle of sugar.

“I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like,” Jane Austen said of the film’s titular heroine. True to her words, Taylor-Joy’s misguided yet well-meaning Emma is both hard to love and hard to resist. Accompanying her on this journey to self-awareness is a cast of eclectic supporting characters, including Bill Nighy’s pitch-perfect portrayal of the hypochondriacal Mr. Woodhouse.

In this confection-like period comedy, production designer Kave Quinn and set decorator Stella Fox enliven the charming Highbury with pastel hues and a creamy elegance that serve as the ideal backdrop for our heroine to indulge in romantic reveries. The bright-coloured and joyfully decorated locales make for an inviting and tangible quality that is reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s trademark twee. Music video veteran de Wilde makes great use of her expertise in the blocking of the film. The scene-stealing ensemble flits across the screen like an exquisitely choreographed dance. Coupled with the off-beat humour, this new spin on the classic exudes much charm and glee.

The enticing puffs of whimsical air in this 2020 version of Emma is a much-welcomed relief in these arduous times. This is guaranteed to satiate the appetite of many devoted Austen fans.

(Originally posted on 25 July 2020 @projectunwrapped)

Da 5 Bloods

Spike Lee’s potent new “joint” Da 5 Bloods is a powerful negotiation of American history on behalf of the downtrodden. The story traces a band of Black Vietnam war veterans who return to the battlefield to uncover buried treasures and come face to face with their perpetual psychological trauma.

Lee has always been bold when diving into the insidious chapters of our history. The director does not veer far from the recurring themes from his previous works here. Intermittent with authentic images from ongoing racial equality movements and the Vietnam war, the often violent film tactfully forces audiences to confront the corroded and uncomely side of these lived realities.

At any rate, in these times of anger and confusion, Lee’s passionate sentiments will surely be echoed in the chamber of many battered hearts. Be that as it may, you can trust that the auteur would not resign himself to tautology and sweeping statements. He delicately weaves the perception of Blackness, masculinity and patriotism into the tapestry of the narrative.

Lee’s passion may come on strong but they are always judiciously executed. The towering passion of the film culminates in a Shakespearean, fourth-wall breaking soliloquy in the last act delivered by the deeply troubled, MAGA hat-wearing Paul (Delroy Lindo). This moment exemplifies best the convergence of judgment, sympathy and resoluteness which makes Lee’s works worth seeing.

(Originally posted on 24 July 2020 @projectunwrapped)

Little Women

“Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for. I’m so sick of it! But I’m so lonely.”

Greta Gerwig has done it again.

In both Gerwig's directorial efforts, there seems to be an indescribable sense of motion that is brimming in every frame and every dialogue. Gerwig’s sensibility breathes an enveloping sense of warmth into this thoughtful and modern adaptation.

It’s not easy to find a director whose work makes you feel heard. Little Women is of course a splendid adaptation of a novel that is perhaps targeted towards a younger audience, but Gerwig treats the thematic elements with such nuance that the film is bound to appeal to audiences of all ages. The film uplifts those who yearn for independence but also makes a point to show the plights that come with one’s choice of independence. What makes the message of empowerment more genuine is that this same level of respect and sympathy are also extended to characters who face very different choices across the board.

Little Women reconstructed the classic story beats into separate timelines which at first can be muddled but as their distance closes, the sprawling episodes came to echo one another beautifully, like strings of memories spontaneously called upon one’s thoughts. These memories are adorned by bright spots of colour and dashes of childhood naivete. Watching them play out feels like we are at once looking in from the outside of the March house’s misty windows as a passive observer of their lives, while feeling like the warmth that radiates from within is just within our hands’ reach. Whether it’s an unread letter, an unfinished piece of writing, an unrequited love or an unsaid truth, Little Women makes you feel that all these fragments are tangible.

Thanks for making me feel alive again.

(Originally posted on 2 Jan 2020 @projectunwrapped)

Good Boys

From the creative team of Superbad, comes another raunchy studio comedy. Good Boys follows the scandalous adventures of three sixth grade boys.

If you are already a fan of films in the same repertoire as Superbad, you will definitely get a kick out of this one. Even for those who find the profane humour in Superbad intolerable, Good Boys will be a slightly more digestible alternative thanks to the delivery of its much more likable young cast. Leading the charge of the Beanbag Boys is Jacob Tremblay, who starred opposite Brie Larson in the 2015 Room. While Tremblay continues to shine just as bright as he did in his breakout role, it is Keith L. Williams’ Lucas who indisputably steals the show here.

The over-reliance of vulgarity is almost an inescapable flaw of every comedy in the same vein as Good Boys. As the shock value provided by the juxtaposition of crude r-rated jokes and the innocence of sixth graders wanes, the film starts to feel like a prolonged and gimmicky comedy skit. Other than the trope of “kids acting like adults”, there really isn’t enough material to sustain an entire arc or to make the world of this story feels lived in. In this case, Good Boys leaves a lot to be desired because we know from this year’s Booksmart that it is absolutely possible to maintain the outrageousness of it all and still leave room for the more delicate storytelling moments. •
Good Boys is a solid fun time if you enjoy watching sweet and mischievous kids cussing and getting themselves involved in taboo scenarios. It just doesn’t quite reach its full potential to make a lasting impression.

(Originally 8 Sep 2019 @projectunwrapped)

Toy Story 4

Back when Toy Story 4 was first announced, it was met with a considerable amount of disappointment. Such skepticism is perhaps legitimate, given that the last time the studio revisited the world of a beloved classic resulted in the forgettable Incredibles 2. Yet, despite the hesitation that a new installment may tarnish the perfectly wrapped-up trilogy, Toy Story 4 turns out to be a worthy story to tell.

There is a big difference between family-friendly films and family films. The former refers to films that is functionable enough to pacify kids for 90 minutes or so, whereas the latter refers to films that universally appeal to, and often inspires, their audiences regardless of their age. Toy Story 4 clearly belongs to the latter repertoire where it pushes the boundaries of what so-called “kids animation” can be.

In Toy Story 4, Pixar has stayed true to its commitment to innovation, something that is imbued in the DNA of most of the studios’ films. On the surface, the Toy Story films work as a metaphor to teach kids to cherish their possessions but we know the series has never been just about that. It creates a space where old meets new and explores how the two clashes to challenge the very existential part of ourselves. It uses the characters’ journeys to pose difficult questions about abandonment and belonging — what are we when we become dispensable? How do we move on with our past trailing behind us?

While previous installments all share a laser focus on identity, Toy Story 4 provides the most profound answer by far. Toy Story 4 signifies a period of essential transition. As a continuation of story arcs spanning across two decades, Toy Story 4 is a reminder that we are always allowed to rediscover ourselves and find new purposes. One might even interpret this as Pixar’s answer to its own transition in creative and executive power after the disgraceful departure of John Lasseter. In that case, Toy Story 4 tells us that a newer and more promising era is to come.

Toy Story 4 is an ambitious film that will take its audience to infinity and beyond.

(Originally posted on 9 July 2019 @projectunwrapped)

Spider-Man: Far From Home

The web-slinging hero returns after the MCU milestone Avengers: Endgame, putting the final puzzle piece of the 23-film Infinity Saga into place.

The release strategy is pretty much in the same vein as how the first Ant-man was released after Avengers: Age of Ultron as a palette cleanser. As expected, Watts followed closely the blueprint of meta-humour that was established in Spider-Man’s last solo endeavour. As far as the story goes though, the results are a mixed bag. The much anticipated antagonist Mysterio is captivating the moment he arrived but falls short due to an awkwardly handled twist. Through his character, the film offers insights into the MCU post-Endgame and ties his motivations with moral issues brought on by technology. The MCU has done so brilliantly before (à la Captain America: The Winter Soldier), and we see a glimmer of that happening in Far From Home. Sadly, the philosophical discourse here often has to make way for flashy action sequences. And because of a muddled second act, we aren’t really sure how Peter learn his lesson, we should simply be satisfied with knowing that he did.

The most glaring problem with this iteration of the Spider-Man/Peter Parker character in the MCU is that even as a top tier character of all comic book history, he is still playing second fiddle to Iron Man who was at best a B-list superhero prior to the MCU. With Far From Home, I was ready to see MCU Spidey be free from the crutch of Tony Stark. Instead, with him wearing Tony’s glasses, playing around with Stark technology, and even picking up Tony’s mannerisms, it only intensifies the concerns that this Spider-Man is simply Iron Man Jr. To retain his pseudo-family dynamics with the Iron Man characters, they even squeezed in an inconsequential romance between Happy and Aunt May. Having said that, Holland’s impeccable portrayal of the character is admirable. Plus, we get to watch Holland’s Peter and Zendaya’s MJ fall in love with each other.

As a fan of the character and Holland’s portrayal, I don’t want to see him as the shadow of a ghost, I would much rather see Peter Parker stand on his own like he has many times before.

(Originally posted on 29 June 2019 @projectunwrapped)

Parasite

With a series of drab blockbusters underperforming in critics’ and audience’s word of mouth, Director Boon Joon-ho has come to our rescue with a near-perfect masterpiece in Parasite.

The Palme d’Or winning film centers on a poverty-stricken family of four living in a basement. The four trick their ways into working for an obscenely rich family. Their sly get-rich-quick schemes soon fall apart as they unlock an unforeseeable danger which threatens to consume their lives.

Boon Joon-ho is no rookie in dealing with matters concerning class inequality and the grotesque greed of the upper class, as seen in his Dystopian thriller Snowpiercer. Despite the similar themes, Parasite manages to be so much more than just “Snowpiercer without the sci-fi elements”. Even with a grounded reality built into Parasite, it still feels like a massive undertaking in terms of its tone shifts, emotional resonance and social engagement. Boon’s sensibility and skillfulness in melding all the tones here is nothing less than a stroke of genius. Parasite begins like any other dramedy with an ironic and comedic touch. With the help of the likeable ensemble of characters, audiences are immediately lured into a false sense of security right from the start. In revealing the twists and turns, Boon borrowed classic techniques seen in horror and action films that enhance the immersive experience. As it draws to an end, the rightful anger that is seeping through the shots will take you apart like a gut-wrenching punch to the heart. But Boon, being as ambitious as he is, seems to think that even marrying humour and anger together flawlessly runs the risk of trivializing the issues at hand. As the family muses drunkenly about their future plans, their hopes of overcoming their disadvantage are devastatingly materialises into a sense of wistfulness and a longing that, we know, will never be fulfilled. This is exactly where Boon’s gentle and contemplative touch comes through and shines.

As the half-year mark approaches, it might indeed be too early to give out the title of “best film of the year” but Boon’s Parasite might just be the film for us to break the rule.

(Originally posted on 25 June 2019 @projectunwrapped)

Rocketman

After their initial collaboration in the sports biopic Eddie the Eagle, Director Dexter Fletcher forges his cinematic partnership with actor Taron Egerton ahead to capture yet another extraordinary figure of the world, Elton John.

The resurgence of the musical genre over the last few years has introduced an array of real and fictional music personalities to the big screen treatment — some remarkable and some less. Critics and audiences have surely made their complaints of the genre’s garden-variety entries — “if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all” — known. In the case of Rocketman, audiences can rest assure that Fletcher and Egerton have wasted no time to put their own mark on the genre.

In Rocketman, every swirl and sweep of the camera, every uproarious dance move and every melodic tune come together splendidly make a bona fide of a film to respectfully honour its inspiration. Even with Elton John’s personal stamp of approval and producing role, the film does not feel like a watered down version of the real story which serves as a testament to Fletcher’s directorial instincts. Fletcher makes no attempt to shy away from the singer’s sexuality and addiction struggles. Still, the triumphant moments roar just as intensely to dazzle its audience and to counteract the darkness. In this character-centric piece, the centerpiece of the film is rightfully the inspired casting of Egerton who not only oozes charisma and talent every second he is on screen but also in the recording studio belting out every note. Egerton is clearly aware of the responsibilities in delivering a career-defining performance in this career-defining role.

Rocketman firmly stands as one of the more noteworthy efforts among its peers within the genre. It’s a must-see for all Elton John fans and even casual filmgoers, and if Fletcher and Egerton want to team up again in the future, you will hear no complaints from me.

(Originally posted on 24 June 2019 @projectunwrapped)

A Star is Born

Hollywood has always been tirelessly obsessed with telling stories about itself and this particular one just beckons to be told and retold, time and again. This fourth rendition of A Star is Born, brings us the respective directorial and acting debut from Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.

As perhaps the biggest intrigue of the film, Gaga’s first official outing on the big screen fares way better than most might imagine, owing to her natural charisma as a performer and a phenomenal musical talent. As expected, the film does feature some vivacious and thrilling musical numbers, resembling the energy of a live stadium.

Undeniably, Cooper and Gaga have palpable on-screen chemistry together. Disappointingly though, the film pretty much just coasts on this easy rapport to convince us that this is a be-all and end-all love story. The emotional disconnect becomes more apparent as the film progresses, when the focus of the story shifts from the discovery of Ally as an up-and-coming star to Jack’s inner demons. The story offers many opportunities to deal with the dark side of the music industry that Ally faces but were brushed over to make way for Jack’s character arch. The development of Ally is then stalled and molded around her association with Jack but never through her own identity as an artist or person. She barely shows any sense of agency towards her own career which is antithetical to the film’s message about the authenticity of an artist. The lopsided perspective of this romance and the film’s abandonment of Ally as a character are frustrating to say the least. So by the time we get to the closing number of the film, which is supposed to be the emotional crescendo of their relationship (and the entire film), the drama sadly dissolves into overripe melodrama.

A Star is Born is a proficiently made film which many will enjoy. But its inability to practice what it preaches and its treatment to its pivotal female character, considering that this is the fourth remake of the story, makes the film fall victim to its own hype.

(Originally posted on 22 Oct 2018 @projectunwrapped)

First Man

La La Land alumnus Ryan Gosling teams up with director Damien Chazelle once again, this time, for a journey to the moon.

The cinematography in First Man is absolutely top-notch which makes the film pleasurable to watch all around. Audience will no doubt be pleased with this clear, relentless thoughtfulness that is consistently shown in Chazelle’s films.

In First Man, Chazelle chapters the years in Armstrong’s life circling his giant leap to the moon. There are family and marital drama in the midst of the space missions to flesh out Armstrong’s motivation and sacrifices. But even with the aggrandization of a magnificent score, it just wasn’t enough to keep the tension afloat. When the film goes through its story beats, déja vu is unavoidable by avid fans of the space genre. The characters are all there, the ambitious but tortured spaceman, the worried wife, the tight-lipped NASA employees. The leads, Gosling and Foy did the best with how little they were given. All that aside, the curiosity to witness Chazelle’s unfaltering execution of this time-tested story is somewhat enough to make this experience worthwhile.

With each feature-length addition to his résumé, Chazelle shows that he is clearly unafraid to tread into unexplored territory, demonstrating his razor-sharp vision each and every time. The technical achievement of First Man should make Chazelle proud in that respect. But as someone who has once been thoroughly impressed by Chazelle’s talent as a storyteller, one can only wish that First Man contains a stronger story.

(Originally posted on 17 Oct 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Peter Rabbit

Following the success of the Paddington films, the latest British children’s literature character to get the live-action/CGI hybrid treatment is Peter Rabbit.

It’s almost impossible to talk about about this movie without using the word “cute”. But, yes, this was indeed very, very cute. The character designs and CGI work in Peter Rabbit are really well-done, capturing the likeness of the animals without bordering on creepiness. The film is supported by a cast of actors with great comedic timing which supplies the film with plenty of delightfulness.

What prevents it from achieving the greatness of Paddington though is that it simply lacks the ambition to be anything more than a good “kids movie”. The message about responsibility is delivered in a pretty clean-cut way but any moral depth is deemed too sentimental here. What you will find though is elaborate sequences of hijinks, sarcastic quips and slapstick humour. Still, it’s hard to fault the film for something it wasn’t designed to be.

Peter Rabbit will probably not go down in history as one of the best family films but it is a bright and vivacious adventure that many will be happy to go on.

(Originally posted on 2 Apr 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Unsane

Steven Soderbergh’s Unsane, tells the story of a woman who is wrongly admitted into in a mental institution, and discovers that she is trapped in the same facility as her stalker.

Shot entirely on iPhone, simplicity is key in Soderbergh’s psychological thriller. The iPhone cinematography really works in the film’s favour and accentuates it with a layer of intimate and high-strung tension. The harsh and grainy visuals lend the film a low-budget aesthetics and make the horror feels particularly grounded. Through the voyeuristic and shadowy gaze of the camera, Soderbergh turns the location of horror into a labyrinth of frustration and paranoia. The film also touches on themes about the corruption of American corporations, but the true genius of the film lies in its take on the complex psyche — the violence, invasiveness and manipulation — of assault. Claire Foy’s central performance in the film grippingly conveys the many levels of trauma, anger, self-doubt and despair of assault victims. The inevitable confrontation between Foy’s Sawyer and her stalker will induce unease in the most satisfying manners.

(Originally posted on 1 Apr 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Ready Player One

“Does it look like I’m trying too hard?”
“Yes, listen to yourself.”

Perspective is everything and Ready Player One is just a sad sight. If you’re wondering what trying too hard looks like, Spielberg’s long-awaited return to the sci-fi genre, Ready Player One, is the cinematic equivalent of exactly that. Ready Player One is a celebration of pop culture and human imagination that lacks any imagination in itself.

It would almost be funny, if it wasn’t so infuriating, that Steven Spielberg managed to combine possibly every annoying thing about male-centric nerd culture into two and a half hours of lifeless dialogue and mind-numbing action sequences. The narrative unfolds in the blandest fashion possible — white nerdy male hero saves the world and gets the girl.

The sense of adventure we have come to expect from Spielberg movies is nowhere to be found. The world-building is so carelessly done that it’s hard to buy into any of the drama due to lack of tension between the real world and the Oasis. Spielberg never told us whether activities in the Oasis have any impacts on the real world. When the point of view switches back to the real world and you see people on the streets wobbling back and forth with their headsets on, you’ll realize how pointless it all is. It’s the absurdity of every online argument ever, epitomized. And if he can’t tell us why the Oasis is so important to the real world, why not destroy it altogether?

The writers made sure to cram in easter eggs of almost all of 80s pop culture, but they have little to do with the context. It feels more like a parade of knowledge, bloated with self-aggrandisement, rather than an expression of genuine passion. The film’s strange notion that somehow we are supposed to take the hero’s extensive pop culture knowledge as a emblem of honour is just laughable.

If Ready Player One is intended to be a cautionary tale, then it certainly did its job. Because if that’s a glimpse into the future ahead of us, it’s a future I want no part of. I get it, seeing your favourite robots and monsters fight each other on the big screen is cool, but to call that a good story? No, thank you.

(Originally posted on 1 Apr 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Goodbye Christopher Robin

Before Winnie the Pooh became a Disney favourite, there was A. A. Milne. Inspired by the relationship with his own son, the author created the beloved children’s books series, Winnie the Pooh, whilst dealing with PTSD from World War I.

In this adaptation of Milne’s life, Director Simon Curtis combines contrasting themes about war, family and childhood fame together, and it all sounds reasonably interesting. However, the disjointed points of view show that the film clearly has a difficult time meshing these elements together into the same narrative flow. The characters’ demeanors and moods shift so abruptly, it’s as if we’re introduced to an entirely different being each turn. When it comes to moments of excessive sentimentality, it’s intentions are more obvious than anything else but the overall indecisiveness of the film makes even those moments seem forced and artificial.

There may be a good story somewhere on the page but the end product is unremarkable at best, it makes you wonder why they bothered with this in the first place. It’s just one of those movies that i will gladly forget.

(Originally posted on 25 Mar 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Game Night

The crime comedy Game Night, starring Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman, follows the story of a group of board games enthusiasts who find themselves trapped in a murder mystery game gone wrong.

The film itself is a literal mixbag and full of wild cards. The directors borrow much influences from the comedy, rom-com, crime and horror genres. Throw in a couple of pop culture and film references, the film successfully channels the broad appeal of most contemporary comedies. The establishing shots are thoughtfully crafted through the use of miniatures to mimic the look of board game pieces.

Like any comedy, the jokes are hit-and-miss but when necessary it can still ride on the charm of its lead, Rachel McAdams. Jesse Plemons, who plays the newly divorced next door neighbour, is a definite standout in the cast of supporting characters with his deadpan delivery. As for the story, there are enough twists and turns to throw unsuspecting audience off. But by the time it reaches the third act, it becomes quite noticeable that the runtime is only prolonged by retracing the same steps and beats they have already hit before.

Though hardly a game changer for the genre, the goofiness of Game Night is nonetheless hard to resist and a blast to laugh with.

(Originally posted on 19 Mar 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Lady Bird

“Hey Mom, did you feel emotional the first time that you drove in Sacramento?”

It’s incredibly difficult to capture life.

There is no sensationalized drama in Lady Bird, but the searing pain of disconnection hits so dangerously close to home I feel like I’m watching a stream of memory. Gerwig who both wrote and directed the film is so observant and eloquent about the nuances in mother-daughter relationships. It’s personal without being self-absorbed, honest without being judgemental, sentimental without being contrived.

Lady Bird captures perfectly the many heartbreaking contradictions, whimsy melancholy, and awkwardness, in the life of a girl on the cusp of womanhood. We want a better future but we are not skillful enough to achieve it. We reject our identities even though we don’t know who else to be. We feel connected to home but we also long for a future elsewhere. We get excited about new beginnings, yet all we want to do is look back. We want to be anywhere but here, be anything but this. And we know we are supposed to feel grateful for our parents but it’s impossible to not feel frustrated with their antics. We treat one another with unnecessary cruelty even when what we feel is the complete opposite. Our affection are expressed in the form of stubbornness, impatience, gruelling demands and brutal silence.

The prospects of seeing your life mimicked on screen, hearing arguments you’ve rehearsed in your brain, or words that have scarred you, can be both exhilarating and daunting. For anyone who feels like they are always on the run, Lady Bird will feel like a memory and a mirror at the same time. I’ve never had pink hair. I’ve never been to Sacramento. I’ve never even driven. But, when I see Christine drives through Sacramento, I think about my life, my regrets, those chances I didn’t take, those times I said words I didn’t mean, those mistakes I made that were easily avoidable. It makes me think of all the bends and corners in my neighbourhood that I know by heart. For that, I feel alive.

(Originally posted on 26 Feb 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Call Me by Your Name

Call Me by Your Name works adequately to make you ponder on the relationship between physicality and intimacy, but the effect is ultimately underwhelming because of how disconnected it all feels.

In terms of the visuals, Guadagnino takes full advantage of the natural beauty already embedded in the film’s locations. But, the way that it is captured through the cinematography never clicks with the story beyond being a pretty backdrop.

There is a lot more in this film that feels misdirected. It’s odd that so much of the narrative is centred on the passion between the two protagonists, yet so little of it is felt. The main problem comes from the screenplay, as it never elevates to the level that leads us to believe that they have ever moved past the initial stages of infatuation. It feels like there are scenes that are missing where we would be given more insights into how they connect with each other. Instead, the two hour runtime is filled up by shots that are mostly empty and awkward. Perhaps Guadagnino is trying to break down the narrative into pieces instead of painting the big picture for us, but it is so fractured, it feels so unnecessarily effortful that we have to cling to the smallest scraps to be on board with it. When the titular line, “call my by your name”, is uttered, the impact is all but lost. What follows is a sense of disappointment that the moment that is essentially the emotional climax of their relationship, came so inorganically.

What adds to the apprehension is the age-inappropriate miscast of Armie Hammer who looks and acts nothing like a college student in his early twenties. When you see a tearful Elio at the end, you will sympathise with him. But, it’s not because he lost a great love, it’s because he was taken advantage of, by someone who is clearly much more, mentally and sexually, mature than he is.

There is not a lot of mainstream LGBTQ+ representation in films and certainly fewer that has garnered awards attention like Call Me by Your Name has. Often, we are told to settle for “quantity” over “quality” when we should strive for both. Sadly, Call Me by Your Name is the former rather than the latter.

(Originally posted on 23 Feb 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Black Panther

As the studios’ first official foray into the world of Wakanda, Black Panther assembles top talents across the board to bring it to fruition.

Make no mistake, Black Panther is T’Challa’s story. But, the light and heart of the film are the women of Wakanda. As someone who has always been more than frustrated with the limited, and often atrocious, representation of women in the MCU, it’s refreshing to see how comfortable Black Panther is to let its cast of female characters shine. The film showcases the different kinds of strength and beauty women possess, in manners we have never seen in other Marvel films before. Each of them is a fully realized character who has her own personality, motivation and ambitions. As individuals, the arguments and ideologies they represent bring real conflicts to the story. Together, they all tie beautifully into T’Challa’s journey to become the King he needs to be.

In the span of 10 years, Marvel has proven itself to be a force of its own in producing movies that are “fun” but given their success there is no reason they shouldn’t aspire to be more. Black Panther is “fun” but more importantly, it has something profound to say about the world we live in today. The film thoughtfully laces issues of historical and modern racism and racial tension into the narrative. Audience will without a doubt recognize some of the rhetoric that are ubiquitous in politics and our own social circles. The superhero fable offers its own graceful solution as to how we can move forward and the answer is always, to connect. “The wise build bridges...while the foolish build barriers”, as one character remarks.

When we talk about films that are “timely”, “important”, the words “it’s time” would inevitably come up in the conversation. For Marvel, a studios that has enjoyed a decade of success, it has been that time for many years. Black Panther feels like an important piece of puzzle in the Marvel mythology that’s been missing for too long.

(Originally posted on 20 Feb 2018 @projectunwrapped)

Phantom Thread

Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest, Phantom Thread, is a slow-burning, twisted love story between a creator and his muse.

At times melodramatic and at times sarcastically funny, the psychological unfolding of their tumultuous relationship is absolutely fascinating to watch. Daniel Day-Lewis plays Reynolds Woodcock, a top-tier, self-absorbed, petulant dressmaker. Known for his meticulous ways of preparing for his roles, Day-Lewis is the perfect choice to play this eccentric and fastidious genius.

In the house of Woodcock, Reynolds is surrounded by an assembly of wealthy female clientele, his team of seamstress and his icy yet domineering sister, Cyril. His muses stay at his house like mannequins waiting to be perfected, until they cease to be of use to him and are rendered disposable one after another. We see this pattern repeats itself in Reynolds’ relationship with Alma (Vicky Krieps). But, Anderson takes this trope further and subverts the usual dynamics of the old genius and his young muse. The arrival of Alma instigates a transfer of matronly power. Unlike the other mannequins who quietly accept their fate, Alma feels the need to assert her place. She soon takes over Cyril’s role as the surrogate mother figure and dominatrix of the house. Though Reynolds soon falls back into his disdainful demeanor, Alma, armed with her fierceness, is determined to make this relationship work on her own terms. The repetitive game of seduction, domination and submission between Reynolds and Alma gradually evolves into a whirling mass of codependency.

Mirroring the personality of the dressmaker himself, the film is repressed and moody, saved for several outbursts. Anderson layers the film with an elegant ambience. The quietness is alluring and captivating. But, the distance, created by Woodcock’s superciliousness also makes it emotionally cold and detached. Nevertheless, it doesn’t make the film any less engaging because when Anderson sets his heart to do something, he fully commits to it from start to finish. When the tension is finally built to the inevitable revelation towards the end, the sheer intensity will send chills down your spine.

(Originally posted on 13 Feb 2018 @projectunwrapped)