Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Review

        Never thought this movie was going to be the last one I’ll be talking about for the year. Among everything that I’ve seen this year, this is probably the second film to be based on a book. I’ve been wanting to see it in theaters, but since I live in a small border city, films like these show in the bigger cities. And let me tell you, it’s a commitment to travel to another city to see a movie and to come back within the same day. So with that, let’s get started. 

1. A Thing About Margaret

        If you haven’t already figured it out, the film is based on the book of the same name by Judy Blume that came out in 1970. It was ground breaking for its time for how it had an unorthodox approach in the coming of age story. Hailed for its approach and been in the crosshairs of multiple parents groups for all the wrong reasons, the book is a touchstone of that decade. 

        The film is a one of those rare faithful adaptions where it gets right while also providing synergy to Margaret’s parents. Specifically on her mother Barbara which I’ll get to in a moment. In case you haven’t read the book, here’s the skinny. We follow Margaret as she moves from New York to New Jersey, she meets her new friends and begins to discover herself. Everything about the story is straightforward and all of it is in her perspective. 

        The actress does a good job portraying Margaret. She isn’t an outcast but is obviously the new girl when her neighbor Nancy introduces her to the other friends. The dynamic chemistry works when we see them together and when they tell say that they can’t wait for their periods. About that part, I think that section overshadows what the book is about. Obviously it’s one of the reasons why the book was threatened to be banned. Among that, we also see just how Margaret is conflicted with her religion. 

        The film presents these topics as just a natural thing for the character to go through. There isn’t any stance or anything to be for or against a religion denomination. The key thing is that Margaret tries to find what works for her but is completely let down by just how alien it all is. Her only connection is when we hear her sort of talking to God about her ups and downs. Those moments I like since she reminisce on what happened to her.

2. Innocence

        I feel that the big picture idea about both the movie and book is really about the loss of innocence. Not just for Margaret but for her mother. We learn that Barbara was an Art teacher but stopped when her husband found a better job. We see just how, like Margaret, is sort of like an outcast in a new environment. She joins the PTA but ultimately feels pigeon hole in terms of creativity.

        The way the theme is used is when we see Margaret and her friends are all ready to be young women. They do everything to increase their breast size and preparing to have their period. The best scene that represents that is when Margaret is with Nancy in New York. Nancy gets her period and is freaked out. That moment shatters what came before since Nancy lied to Margaret about already having one. More so that Nancy’s friends rip on a girl who already went through all of that. How I interpret it is that they’re jealous. Spreading rumors about how the girl is felt up and just doing that to feel better about their current predicament. 

        Lastly, religion I believe plays in hand with the theme of innocence. We learn that Margaret’s parents have different religious backgrounds. Aside from her conversation with God, she has a close relationship with her Dad’s mother. When she’s in the Jewish temple, couldn’t be more awkward for her since she doesn’t get it. And when she goes to a Christian church is the same deal. I'm glad we don't see which one she picks specifically since it's revealed why it's a touchy subject for her parents. 

        What makes it all work is that Margaret doesn’t understand it but tries to find what works for her. She goes against the norms that are represented with her new friends and doesn’t follow suit when things go the way she doesn’t like. For one thing it’s great, because it gives her urgency since she’s still figuring herself out. And in the end, she still celebrates herself without alienating others by how different she is. 

3. Overall

        The adaptation is another underrated hit of this year. It’s one of the best book adaptations that I’ve seen, and it makes an uncomfortable topic comfortable.

The Creator Review

        This sci-fi movie that I’m going to talk about is interesting. Aside from the fact that it has a humans vs robots or A.I. background. Or that the marketing doesn’t mention the director, only his billion-dollar hit that came out seven years ago. The Creator is a severely underrated film that came out just in the tail end of the writer and actor strike that happened during the middle of the year. 

1. Humans vs A.I.

        This convention of storytelling within sci-fi is nothing knew. It’s the equivalent of fantasy’s rescuing a princess or going through a quest. In film, it’s been given a lot of attention within pop-culture. Obviously it’s human nature to be afraid of something that isn’t us. A robot fits that role since it’s unfeeling and just uncanny of what it can do that no human could. You have films like the The Terminator franchise, Blade Runner that each have an angle that they play with when showcasing a robot.

        While some show robots as killing machines hellbent on eliminating humans. You have the sophisticated films that explore what it means to be human by having the robot have an intelligence where it offers a contrasting look at people who are acting more animalistic. The Creator is of course using the artificial intelligence angle to show more empathy towards the robots. 

        In terms of plot, it’s straightforward as you can get. We follow Joshua who is brought back into service when the military found the maker of the robots that are populating in Asia. Inevitably, he finds a child that is who Joshua assumes is the maker for the robot/human hybrids called Synths. In one way it’s a chase and war movie, with the action coming in when the invading American forces attack the robots. 

        If it isn’t obvious with the vibe of the whole picture, it takes it cues with Vietnam war films and those where the hero goes Native with the tribe. Some can take that approach as unoriginal but I see it as an homage since we don’t see obvious clues or references with the film is going for in terms of overall plot or direction. 

        Not to the detriment of John David Washington, but the movie never really gives him more to work with as a character. We learn that he was in a relationship with a synth, but he thought she was human. It’s one of those things where we see the flashbacks when they met and when they’re spending time with each other pop up within the film. I think how the film uses those moments sort of break the flow of the film since we transition from an action scene to something that is intimate. 

        It would’ve been more impactful had it been in the beginning where we can at least get an understanding of his hate towards robotics. What fixes that is when Joshua is with the young robotic synth named Alfie. The duo basically go from area to the next as a way to help Joshua find his wife. The chemistry could’ve been better sort of have it be like an unintentional father and daughter dynamic. I’ll give it this where it did go in that direction, and even hinting that Joshua is the father to Alfie. 

        One detail that I like is the ever so brief use of propaganda that the movie utilizes. Obviously, the U.S. has an anti-A.I. approach where it’s established that the country uses robots as just servants. Whereas in New Asia, it’s accepted as a norm. More so with the anime that Alfie watches before meeting Joshua, it’s the little details that enhances the world and at least shows us where things stand in the film. 

2. Gareth Edwards

        This is the second Gareth Edwards film that I’ve watched. The first one being Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and I haven’t had a chance to watch his Godzilla film from 2014. One thing that I commend him for doing is just making the film look great while working with a 7 grand prosumer video camera. It’s just crazy how the film works where to make it more cinematic than relying on an IMAX camera.

        The action scenes in the film also work since they have that grit angle towards it. It’s that style that I absolutely loved when I was watching Rogue One. The way he sets it up is by not having the camera spaz out to different angles, that would make the whole action be unreadable. But more so by having it be where the audience is caught in the crossfire. That is his directorial aesthetic and only a few filmmakers can make the action be that pop and impactful. 

        Special effects wise, everything looks top notch and grounded. Again, I use the term grounded since everything that Edwards has done makes everything believable within the context of the world in the movie. With the orbiting satellite named NOMAD looks formidable in the sky. It got confusing how it’s established that it orbits in space, but some shots indicate can be in the atmosphere. Even the robots don’t look to uncanny, it’s clear which is which in terms of robotics. The way the synths look like remind me of this one special effect shot in Steven Spielberg’s of all movies, A.I. Artificial Intelligence.

3. Overall

        The Creator is an underrated sci-fi hit of this year. It didn’t get the coverage due to the strikes in Hollywood, but I think it may be a cult-classic in a matter of time. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Review

        As far as animation is concerned, it’s been inconsistent this year. The heavy like Disney didn’t have any box office hits in their department. With their Pixar and main original film just not cutting it as far as getting people invested. Sony knocked it out with their Spider-Verse sequel that might win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. While I’ll probably review the Spider-Verse films at another time, mostly to wait for the third one and talk about them retrospectively. I decided to take a stab at another comic book animated film that some people missed.

1. Turtles in Film

        It’s surprising to even imagine that an independent comic book from the mid-80s has a massive imprint on both pop culture and in cinema. Created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the comic was supposed to be one issue with no continuation. That changed when the comic circulated, and the duo created more issues. Inevitably culminating with the release of their famous animated series and the plethora of merchandising. 

        In the early 90s  New Line Pictures decided to adapt the shelled heroes to the big screen. Their first hit drew a lot from their comic origins by sort being dark and comedic. While the sequels were more kid-oriented and progressively got worse, to the point that they didn’t even use their Ninja weapons. There wouldn’t be another film until the 2000s when Warner Bros. released TMNT. It mostly got mixed reviews and I haven’t had the chance to watch it. 

        Just recently we had the duology of Turtle films were the heroes weren’t animatronic and puppet but where digitized. They were not good, with heavy criticism being levied at Michael Bay. While he didn’t direct either, he was only a producer, but his fingerprints are apparent in those films. So I was on the fence with this new one. Just the teaser gave the sort of anxious and preparation of disappointment. But of course, I wouldn’t be talking about it if it wasn’t great. 

        With that heavy handed attempt to put everything in context out of the way, let’s talk turtles. One could say that this is sort of an origin story and it’s very simple. The Turtles are being sheltered by their father Master Splinter who has them mostly going out at night to get food and other materials. They yearn to be normal and venture out, inevitably meeting April O’Neill and getting embroiled with a seemingly evil mutant gang. Meanwhile, a secret organization is involved that will probably be elaborated more within the sequels and series that ties it all together. 

        What dawned on me when I watched the film is that the voice actors are teenagers instead of a bunch of 30-year-olds voicing what’s supposed to be Teenage Mutant Turtles. The chemistry sells the whole movie since they never stop vibing with each other and being witty. For one thing they’re brothers and they mostly joke and rag on each other. Specifically, all of them have personalities beyond their usual traits as teammates. 

        Just the moments of them wanting to be normal gives them their want that every hero goes through. Just seeing them watching Ferris Bueller and that one shot of Mikey looking out at the horizon and cutting to him where it looks like he’s in a jail cell is just the chef’s kiss of telling us of their predicament. Now, Master Splinter is a great character but he’s way too ignorant to let them out due to his bad experience. Going beyond to tell them to avoid anyone. 

        If there's one detail that I wasn't expecting it was their eyes. Now, you know I'm stretching when I'm talking about eyeballs. When we first see them at night, they have that Batman eyes to them when they don't have pupils. A callback to their comic roots, then transition to having regular cartoony eyes. In the context of the story, it makes sense to have their eyes big since they're inexperienced being heroes and not having to deal with anything beyond their strength and might. 

2. Freaks and Heroics

        So it’s obvious that in the first half we spend the movie in their comfort zone while in the second half we spend it with the bad guys. Since the movie has the subtitle Mutant Mayhem, it didn’t disappoint to have nearly all their mutant bad guys showing up. In comic book films, it’s a massive red flag to include multiple villains. Somehow, in this movie it works since the main baddie is Superfly. Voiced by Ice Cube, he’s mostly bad but can change to have a good personality. 

        It’s funny that mostly all of Seth Rogen’s connections voice all the mutated villains. He did produce the film for Paramount and Nickelodeon, so it makes sense to have his buddies be in the film. They aren’t inherently evil but are just going along with Superfly’s plan since they don’t know any better. All of it leads to the main film’s theme of acceptance. Specifically, being themselves. The turtles are mostly defined by their ninja masks and I think in a meta way more than that. Just how the film looks by literally being different than its contemporaries fully expands more on the theme. 

        Now, it’s not one of those things where you have to pay attention to notice, it beats you over the head that most of the characters in the film, mutated and just regular humans, want to be accepted among their peers. All of it leads to just how everyone wants to prove their worth. And in extreme cases, have a ruling class so they can be on top. I think the theme of the film matches the art style the film’s going for. 

        The animation is also the main highlight of the film. Now, it’s an impossible task to try and recreate or even have a worthy imitator when it comes to the Spider-Verse films. That one has an amazing art style that changed animation for the moment. With this film, all of it has that distinct pencil scratch style to it. Sort of independent looking, and it helps that it gives the human characters an odd-looking design. Intentional or not, it lines up with what the film is going for as far as acceptance being the theme. 

3. Overall

        Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is probably an underrated hit for animation and comic book films. It does it’s own thing without being too dated for the time in the present. I look forward to seeing how they’ll expand this interpretation. 

BlackBerry Review

This is probably the first year in a while that I have seen a record amount of movies. It helps to know that my city has a local film club, which helps me get exposed to different types of movies from elsewhere and here domestically. As I explained last week, I’ll be talking about a few select films that I really enjoyed in the theater. You may have heard of them or just not be completely aware of their existence since there was a strike and publicity was extremely limited. With that, let’s start. 

1. Changing the Phone

If there’s one reason why I wanted to watch Blackberry is because of one actor. Glenn Howerton has been made famous with the FX series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. That show is a topic for another day, but Howerton’s performance in the series is probably one of the best. When acting with a bunch of rejects, you’d expect him to be the sane one. Absolutely not, his untethered rage is a sight to see in that show and in this movie. 

I’m getting ahead of myself, at the very least the film is about the unexpected rise and fall of the Blackberry phone. Since the film is a bio-pic and the only real rule is to have the one defining moment representing what the main character or in this case thing be what it’s known for. Much like the film Steve Jobs, it spans from three different years to show the company’s significant moments. Both good and bad since it would be entirely biased or just wax poetic on a neat device. 

We follow Mike and his friend Doug as they develop a new device but are extremely bad at pitching it to an investor. Juxtapose with Jim, the one hearing about the device but joins them to turn the company around. From there we see just how the characters represent Mike. While he’s an inventor, he’s very shy and timid and usually lets his friend speak for him. There couldn’t be a better duality of men when we see Doug who’s very loose and constantly wearing a head band. Then you got Jim who’s strictly business but is completely ballistic. 

Obviously, what the film is going for is having this angel/devil on the shoulder dynamic since Mike is caught in the middle with wanting to create something but also be taken seriously. Not just in personality, but we see that whenever he’s with either of him. More so when Mike’s with Jim making meetings and with Doug just hanging out. The moment when Mike changes his personality that mirrors Jim is something else. 

Aside from that, the shots where we see the development of the device is also the main highlight. It’s almost hilarious when we think that they have the raw materials to create the device, but they just go to a store to buy various products. Only to open them up to get their chips and what nots to have a prototype that would be the Blackberry. 

2. Corporate Bio-Pics

For whatever reason, this year there was an odd influx of corporate bio-pic films. Famously, you had Ben Affleck’s Air that shows how Nike signed an unknown basketball player to a shoe deal that changed everything. Tetris from Apple Films that shows the odd story of how Nintendo got the Soviet game. And then we have Flamin’ Hot from Disney. Now, this type of sub-genre isn’t entirely new. 

One of the most beloved films of this century is The Social Network. While the whole idea is the creation of Facebook, it shows just how creating one site ruined a friendship. Not to dismiss the others that were named, mostly it’s about taking a chance in something where everybody wrote them off. It works for Air in the context that nobody thought Jordan would be successful. For Blackberry, it showcases that nobody won when the going got tough. 

Specifically, it focuses on Mike being the worst of himself in terms of playing catch up to his other competitors. He loses himself when he chooses profits over creating something that is too perfect to be fixed. The final shot of the film symbolizes that with him looking over boxes of unshipped phones and slowly replacing one after one. It’s tragic and cathartic where he sacrificed everything and it all lead to his friend leaving him.

3. Overall

Blackberry is one of the best Indie films of this year. And an unorthodox corporate bio-pic that shows a rise and fall like no other. 

American Movie Review

        Always good to be back to talk about my favorite visual medium in motion. This month will be different since I’ve tapped out on talking about some of the best holiday movies. So instead of digging through a subpar list of Christmas films, I’ll talk about the films that came out this year. Specifically, the under the radar ones that didn’t get people talking. While I’ll start that off next week, as of now I’ll be taking a dive with another documentary. 

1. Making a Film

        Like most things, I think my first exposure to this documentary was through a Family Guy visual gag. When Quagmire comes out to chastise Meg, two guys follow suit holding the camera and boom mic. It went over my head like lots of the jokes that have appeared in the show. Next was when I watched the YouTube series, The Angry Video Game Nerd. Within the episodes he would pepper in a reference, and I always thought that it was his own words. 

        Time passed and inevitably the same Youtuber put out a video about the documentary. At that time, it never drew me in and much like most things it wasn’t an interest. Earlier this year, I had a chance to watch the documentary in full and I can safely say that it’s probably the best documentary I’ve seen. Just the subject matter is interesting to see just how far we see this one prospective filmmaker try and film his movie. 

        With all that, we follow Mark Borchardt along with his friend Mike Schank trying to make the former’s film. Problems arise from the production where he pivots to making a short film to restart his feature film. I’ll get to the problems in the next tab, but I’ll say that the overall presentation certainly has that grit to it. Just seeing and spending time with Mark shows just what he goes through.

        I think the most important thing for a documentary to do is duh, shoot what’s happening and then make a story out of it. With this one, it’s making the seemingly boring task of filmmaking into an interesting topic to see. I think the caveat of personal life adds itself to just how much Mark tries to make his movie and juggling his responsibilities. It’s endearing and at the same time sad. 

        Not to say that the documentary is a depressing one, it is in some regards, but it shows just how much of a unilateral challenge it is just to make a film. And how much of an accomplishment it is to see it be realized. Mark’s not alone when it comes to help, his trusted friend Mike helps him power through with making his short horror film. Mike is the trusted humble friend who helps Mark with everything. And be someone to talk to when we have those moments where it’s seemingly Mark just by himself working on the shot footage.

2. The American Dream

        With the title like American Movie, it’s mostly about that ever-elusive phrase of The American Dream. What I mean by that is Mark’s dream is to make a movie and make a name for himself. Considering just how much of a crappy situation that we see him intersperse with him shooting his movie. As I mentioned earlier, aside from seeing him shoot his film, we see his personal life. Part of it in a narrative works since he juggles with being a Dad and making a movie. 

        I think the one scene where he helps bathe his own Uncle says a lot about Mark. He takes his own time to help his one family member where others are seemingly dissmissive of him. We see his other family including his parents and brothers but mostly all of them say that Mark is doing something where it’s not going to get him anywhere. It be one thing where they lie, but they’re honest seeing just how much he’s going through where that dream of his isn’t viable. 

        And I think that’s why the documentary works when seeing it play out from beginning to end. We see earlier snippets of Mark’s work and are told that he hasn’t finished them. And it’s one of those things where it’s alluded to that if he finished with one, then he has no purpose left. So just him doing this short film is a way to delay that nightmare that he has. It’s relatable on just how tough it is to sacrifice with what you want. Especially having loyal friends or family members help. 

        Lastly, as far as how it’s presented, it’s raw with nothing fake or inauthentic for the sake of making a good documentary. I just like the style where everything is happening, and the camera never stops recording for the any sense of break. Moments when Mark is frustrated or inebriated is real since we see just how frustrated he gets when nothing goes right. It manages to capture the hilarious and depressing moments so succinctly where no dramatization could ever recreate it. 

3. Overall

        American Movie is a relic of the late 90s, it shows just how one man and his friend go above and beyond to help and make an independent movie.