#another masterpiece by Christopher Nolan my beloved | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

moviemagistrate · 4 years

Text

ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD review

ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD is my favorite movie of the 2010’s.

I’ll give you a minute to put your recently-blown mind back together.

So why do I love this movie so much? The overall response to Quentin Tarantino’s supposedly penultimate opus has been very positive if not rapturous, but I’ve seen some surprisingly lukewarm and even negative reviews, with people criticizing it for being slow, meandering, lacking in depth or *shudder* boring. Obviously the quality of any movie is subjective, as I’m quick to remind anyone who hates Michael Bay movies, but I honestly don’t understand people who dislike OUATIH. Maybe it’s a matter of expectations, because I didn’t know how to feel about the film for much of the first time I watched it either.

The year is 1969, a time of great political and cultural change in the country and in the entertainment industry. The star-driven films of yesteryear are giving way to grittier, artsier, more auteur-driven works as we primarily follow Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), former star of a popular cowboy show whose failed attempt to start an A-list movie career has left him relying on guest spots as TV villains-of-the-week to stay afloat. This is wonderfully laid out in the opening scene where he meets casting director Marvin Schwarz (Al Pacino, easily his best role since JACK & JILL), who lays out Rick’s lowering hierarchical status (“Who’s gonna kick the shit out of you next week? How about Batman & Robin? PING. POW”), while offering him an opportunity to be a leading-man again in Italian pictures.

Tagging along is Rick’s best, and maybe only, friend Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), Rick’s go-with-the-flow stunt-double who in the slowdown of Rick’s career has effectively become his driver and gofer, as well as Rick’s sole source of emotional support. Rick is also neighbors with Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), the beautiful young actress and wife of then-superstar director Roman Polanski (whose inclusion in the film is minimal and handled tastefully), as she lives out her idyllic life, beloved by those around her like the ray of sunshine she was in real life. Her gated, hillside home looms over Rick’s, as he ponders aloud about how even meeting her the right way could resurrect his career.

For almost two-and-a-half hours, we follow these three characters as they just live out their lives, Rick nursing hangovers and having emotional breakdowns in front of his 8-year-old co-star on set while contemplating his future, Cliff going where the wind blows him while taking care of his adorable and highly-trained dog, and Sharon as she drives around Old Hollywood, spends time with her friends, and sneaks into a matinee showing of one of her movies, her eyes and infectious smile beaming with pride when the audience laughs at her comedic timing and cheers her martial-arts prowess.

I think it’s safe to say it’s not the film any of us were expecting from Quentin Tarantino. Having only made loud, gory, over-the-top genre pastiches for the last 15 years, you’d expect from the trailers for this to be about an actor and his sexy stunt-double getting mixed up with the Manson family before teaming up with Bruce Lee to save Sharon Tate from her horrific real-life fate, mixed with the filmmaker’s usual self-indulgent homages to films of yesteryear. While some of this is true to some extent, it’s surprisingly a much more relaxed, easygoing dramedy that follows a trio of funny, charismatic people as they just…exist, as people living in the moment instead of relics.

OUATIH is much more concerned with atmosphere, character, and capturing the feeling of a bygone era than the traditional narrative structure. It’s more effective than pretty much every nostalgia trip movie I've ever seen because you can feel Tarantino's affection for this era of his childhood bleed through every character, car, song, radio advertisement, TV show, background poster, etc. It’s through this meticulous level of detail and willingness to just hang out with these characters and take in this world that he reconstructed, Tarantino successfully resurrects the era in all its 35mm glory, but with the knowing twinge of real-world melancholy.

I guess the reason I love it so much is because the love that Tarantino has for everything and everyone in it is so tangible that it’s infectious. Watching OUATIH I honestly felt like I understood him better as both a filmmaker and as a person. He shows a level of restraint and maturity I haven’t seen since JACKIE BROWN. Even most of his trademark foot fetishizing is tasteful and subdued (I say “most” because I recall at least three close-ups of actresses’ feet that definitely made him a bit sweaty behind the camera). He’s a weird, shameless nerd with a big ego, but he’s 100% sincere about expressing his love for film and its rich history. And it’s this love, and the skill and style with which it’s expressed, that just put a big smile on my face each of the 6 (SIX) times that I’ve seen it since it came out.

Tarantino offers a tantalizing contrast between reality and fantasy. Throughout the film, as the characters of Hollywood live in their own idyllic world, relaxing in pools or driving around in bitchin’ cars, we also see the disquieting eeriness and griminess of the Manson family. The soundtrack and accompanying old-timey commercials for tanning butter or Mug Root Beer that plays through a lot of the film is a joy to listen to, but we also hear news bulletins of the war in Vietnam or the aftermath of the Bobby Kennedy assassination. You could argue this is just to set the scene for the era, but it feels too deliberate, because even after that joyously fantastical ending, we remember that it was just a fairy tale and real life didn’t turn out as pleasantly. Tarantino’s ability to make his world and characters so meticulously detailed and lived-in works to great effect in instilling a bittersweet melancholy to this film in a way I was really taken aback by. It feels like a window into his soul, someone who yearns for the fantasy of the world he grew up in but remembering that not all good things last and not everything in your nostalgic past was good to begin with.

One beautiful, spellbinding scene is Rick and Cliff coming back from their excursion into the world of Italian filmmaking. In this montage, we see Rick, Cliff and Rick’s new Italian wife arriving at the airport and driving home before unpacking their baggage, interspersed with Sharon Tate welcoming a guest at her home and having lunch, before cutting to a series of shots of famous LA landmarks like Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Taco Bell, and Der Wienerschnitzel all meticulously resurrected in their retro glory as they light up the night. “Baby, baby, baby you’re out of time”, sings Mick Jagger as we’re watching multiple stories about people who are each embodying those words: Rick’s career, his friendship with Cliff, Sharon Tate, and Hollywood itself.

Tarantino himself feels like one of the last mainstream auteur filmmakers, as well as one of the last and biggest proponents of shooting large-budget movies on film (even Scorsese’s embraced digital now, the fantastically-talented traitor). And with the rise of streaming services, one can’t help but feel like the movie-going experience itself is also becoming obsolete, especially recently, what with theaters going to war with distributors over fucking TROLLS: WORLD TOUR, not to mention that global pandemic we’ve been having lately all but killing general audiences’ enthusiasm for the movie theater experience (Christopher Nolan’s TENET certainly didn’t help). If all these things, both real and fictional, are indeed out of time, then at least with Tarantino’s penultimate film they get one hell of a bittersweet sendoff, a great time that’s more of an Irish wake than a funeral, and it’s a film I have no issue calling a truly introspective, late-career masterpiece.

And that’s without mentioning uniformly incredible cast. Leo DiCaprio, an actor I normally don’t care too much for, gives the best and funniest performance of his career as a dependent prima donna actor clinging to his remaining fame. Brad Pitt earns the hell out of his Oscar as an embodiment of old-school masculinity and charisma with an amazing set of abs (and everything else) whose outward coolness masks his mysterious past and complete badass-ness. Margot Robbie shines in her depiction of Tate, a beacon of warmth and likability who in many ways symbolized the love and carefree attitudes of the swingin’ 60’s. I’ve heard people criticize her character for not having a lot of dialogue, but to me it feels like they’re ignoring the visual storytelling, which just gives way to them assuming the film is sexist just because the female lead isn’t constantly monologuing. Every member of the supporting cast is memorable with their own quirks and great lines, no matter their screentime.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a Tarantino joint without some truly hilarious and shocking violence, and without going into spoiler territory, the last 20 minutes delivers on this promise to such a degree that I feel comfortable calling it the best thing he’s ever done. Some may decry the climax as unnecessary or over-the-top, but the way it leads to an alternate world while subtly acknowledging what happened in the real one is cathartic beyond belief. And if you’re paying attention, every scene in the movie has been quietly building towards this finale, which to me takes away any potential of feeling meandering in the story. If you saw the movie and didn’t much care for it, I recommend giving it another watch. Having the context ahead of time makes it feel so much more rewarding, and even on the fifth watch I’m noticing clever, subtle set-ups I missed beforehand.

It’s also just super cozy and really easy to watch. The two hours and 45 minutes fly by. I could watch a 4-hour version of this.

Quentin, if you’re reading this, please don’t let your last movie be Star Trek.

#tarantino #feet #hippies #brad pitt

2 notes · View notes

hubskitchen · 6 years

Text

Hub’s Kitchen Episode 4: Why the DC Extended Universe Failed (DCEU Retrospective)

DISCLAIMER: This is a continuation of the previous installment of Hub’s Kitchen. Please read that episode before reading this one. Or not, it’s your choice. Also, spoilers for: Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Wonder Woman, and Justice League.

What’s up guys, my name’s Hub, and welcome to another installment of Hub’s Kitchen. Episode, installment, same difference, this isn’t an academic essay now. In the last episode, I talked about some cinematic universes and what problems they faced or are going to face. At the end, I said I was saving one particular cinematic universe for this episode, and that it needed its own episode dedicated to it. Well, I’m gonna talk about that universe today. Prepare yourselves, as I dive into the horror that is known as: The DC Extended Universe.

If there’s one cinematic universe that can rival the Marvel Cinematic Universe in terms of popularity and success besides Star Wars, it’d be DC’s cinematic universe. The Marvel/DC rivalry has been going on since the 1960’s, when a good chunk of Marvel’s heroes were introduced during the Silver Age of comic books. Throughout the past 5+ decades, both have had their major successes and major blunders. DC has always had the advantage in the animation side of things compared to Marvel, but that doesn’t mean Marvel hasn’t had good shows. The Spectacular Spider-Man and Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes series are some of my favorite animated shows of all time. I prefer Marvel because of the heroes and how more human they are compared to DC’s catalog, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like DC. My first exposure to superheroes was the Justice League animated series from the widely beloved DC Animated Universe, and I’ve been a superhero fan since. In a perfect world, the Marvel/DC rivalry on film would be a monumental and huge war, both sides unleashing their various heroes onto the screen for audiences to love, and giving more fans more room for debate in the long-fabled who’s better debate: Marvel or DC? Instead, it’s more like Marvel is curb stomping DC into the fucking dirt. I feel a brief history lesson is necessary to really bring this whole thing into context.

HOW THIS ALL FELL INTO PLACE

Several years ago, from the 70’s to the 90’s, DC had the upper hand on film, especially with classics like Superman: The Movie, and Tim Burton’s Batman ‘89. Meanwhile, Marvel struggled to get anything onto the screen, with failures like the 1989 Punisher, the 1990 Captain America, and the cancelled, but only viewable through bootleg 1994 Fantastic Four movie. Then, Marvel went bankrupt in 1996, and to keep them afloat, they sold all the movie rights to all their characters to various movie studios. Sony got Spider-Man, FOX got the X-Men and Fantastic Four, etc. During this period, Superman already fell from grace with the 1987 bomb Superman 4: The Quest for Peace, and Batman would soon follow with 1997’s Batman and Robin, one of the most infamous comic book movies of all time. The genre would see a new beginning with 1998’s Blade. In 2000, FOX launched their first X-Men movie, and in 2002, Spider-Man came out, which is the movie that I believe is what started the comic book movie boom that’s still going on, and would be the template that the Marvel Cinematic Universe would follow. DC, meanwhile, rebooted Batman with 2005’s Batman Begins, which would later follow up with 2008’s The Dark Knight, which is often considered to be the greatest comic book movie of all time. Unfortunately, not everything was working out for both Marvel and DC. Superman Returns, the first Superman movie since Quest For Peace, while a modest hit, wasn’t the hit Warner Bros were expecting it to be, and today, Superman Returns isn’t looked at very fondly. While FOX successfully launched the X-Men onto the world of film, the Fantastic Four wouldn’t get the same level of success with both the 2005 film and it’s 2007 sequel, Rise of the Silver Surfer. Sony was also in a pickle with 2007’s Spider-Man 3, which disappointed audiences. Pile that on with Hulk, Daredevil, and Ghost Rider, and Marvel was having some pretty notable failures in their catalog. However, while Universal, FOX, and Sony failed with the aforementioned films, something huge was coming from Marvel Studios when Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk released in 2008. The first Iron Man had the famous end credits sequence with Nick Fury telling Tony Stark that he was a “part of a bigger universe,” and in The Incredible Hulk, we see Tony Stark in a scene of the movie, leading fans to believe that something was coming. 2010 and 2011 marked the releases of Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger, and in 2012, the culmination of all 5 movies released: The Avengers. The Avengers was a massive success, being that it was the first movie to make over $200 million in its opening weekend in the United States. The movies from Iron Man to The Avengers would later be known as Phase 1 of the MCU. Knowing where Marvel Studios is today, it’s amazing how huge they’ve become, making Marvel into a global phenomenon, at least in the realm of movies. This left Warner Bros pressured to make a cinematic universe of their own DC superheroes and get a Justice League movie out as soon as possible. However, this wasn’t actually the first time WB tried to set up a DC cinematic universe.

GREEN LANTERN

In 2011, Green Lantern was released in theaters. On the surface level, Green Lantern was following the footsteps of the first Iron Man: Taking a B-list character and making a movie that would set up the foundation of what would later be a cinematic universe. However, that didn’t work out for Warner Bros. Green Lantern was released to mediocre to terrible reviews, and was a flop at the box office, grossing $219 million on a $200 million dollar budget. Thus, all plans for sequels to Green Lantern were cancelled. The movie is often considered to be one of the worst comic book movies of all time, and was subject of a joke in Deadpool, with “Please don’t make the super suit green, or animated!” Good thing Ryan Reynolds got his big break with that movie. In 2013, WB released Man of Steel in theaters. Man of Steel was directed by Zack Snyder, who directed 300 and the live action adaptation of Watchmen in 2009. The head writer was David Goyer, who wrote for the Dark Knight trilogy, and one of the producers was Christopher Nolan, the director of the Dark Knight trilogy. *In Bubsy voice* How could any of this possibly go wrong?

MAN OF STEEL

It could go wrong, but not horribly wrong. Instead of releasing to rave reviews, and making over a billion dollars at the box office, Man of Steel released to mixed reviews, and in WB’s eyes, underperformed at $668 million dollars. To this day, Man of Steel is one of the most divisive comic book movies of all time, with some seeing it as a great reinvention of Superman, and others seeing it as a betrayal at who Superman is. Not exactly the foundation you want to build your cinematic universe on, huh? As for me, I side with the more negative reactions to Man of Steel, but not as much as I did back in 2013. With the benefit of hindsight, I see Man of Steel as a movie that could have been great, but it wasn't. The issue with Man of Steel, and the thing that kills the movie for me, is that they changed Superman to accommodate the world the DC Extended Universe built up, rather than have Superman be the character he’s always been. I’d be fine with a less experienced, more doubtful Superman, if after this movie, he slowly, but gradually becomes the Superman people expect. We’ll talk about that in a bit, but it didn’t help that the movie spent so much time telling us that Superman will be great, instead of just showing us. Given what we see, Supes destroying shit in Smallville and Metropolis, I don’t think he’s going to be great at all. It also didn’t help that the movie was slow as shit. I can take slow-paced stuff, but you need to really have me engrossed in order to deal with it, ‘cause a slow-pace can kill something for me. I could go on further, but we need to move this along. Overall, I think Man of Steel is mediocre, but not terrible. So, given how this movie underperformed, what do you think Warner Bros’ would do for the future? Hit the Batman Emergency button, of course! Because Batman did wonders for Warner Bros with the Dark Knight trilogy, they decided to put Batman in the follow-up to Man of Steel. But they couldn’t stop at just putting a Batman and Superman conflict into this movie. They also needed to add Wonder Woman, ‘cause the DC Trinity needs to be on screen now that The Avengers got their movie. That still wasn’t enough, however. Let’s take elements of The Dark Knight Returns and Death of Superman storylines and adapt them. Okay, this could still work. Hold on! We need to let the audience know that Justice League is coming, so let’s put in Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg into a scene that literally advertises their films and the Justice League movie. Now we need to double down on the dark and gritty tone people were divided with on Man of Steel, and let’s try to be even more profound and deep, unlike that stupid kiddy Marvel crap that’s successful for some reason. This is for the intellectually elite, motherfuckers! This movie will be a masterpiece! It’ll mop the floor with that stupid Marvel movie, Captain America: Civil War! People will love our movie, right?!

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE

Haha, ha, WB executives are fucking hilarious. Batman v Superman, which I’m just going to refer to as BvS from now on for simplicity’s sake, released to negative reviews and was even more divisive than Man of Steel with audiences and fans. WB wanted this movie to make $1.1 billion, which is what Captain America: Civil War would end up making. Instead, despite a strong opening weekend, BvS had the second largest opening weekend drop off, with 2003’s Hulk still retaining that record. BvS would only end up making $872 million at the box office, which WB labeled as another underperformer. In my humble opinion, BvS is the worst comic book movie I’ve ever seen, and is a good contender for the worst of its genre. “But Hub,” I hear some of you say, “Wasn’t Age of Ultron accused of the same issues BvS had? Why did that film still end up being successful?” A few reasons. Age of Ultron, despite it not receiving rave reviews like the first Avengers movie did, still received fairly positive reviews and word of mouth, and still made $1.4 billion at the box office, which is less than the $1.5 billion the first Avengers made. That’s diminishing returns, but not by a lot. Second, while I’ll agree that AoU isn’t one of Marvel Studios’ best films, as it suffered from studio interference, I can at least say that the movie wasn’t broken at the seams. It got derailed a few times (Hi, Thor pond scene and Hulk X Black Widow relationship), but it the characters still felt like themselves, there were some legitimately great moments (Vision and Ultron in the woods is a good example), and wasn’t trying to be profound and deep. It tried to tell a more grand story than the first Avengers, but it was never pretentious, even if the movie bit off more than it could chew. AoU had to do a lot, too much in fact, and the movie came out as a mess, but not a terrible mess, or even irredeemable one. It’s honestly a miracle that AoU ended up as good as it was, given the circumstances. Heavily flawed, but I can admire what it set out to do. Had to get that unnecessary, but also necessary “Marvel isn’t perfect” thing so I don’t get accused of being a Marvel or Disney shill. Christ.

Back onto the actual subject, BvS is a fucking trainwreck on every possible level if you ask me. Okay, maybe not so much the music, but even then, Wonder Woman’s theme is the only song that I can remember. Then again, I don’t pay attention to music when I watch movies, as I listen to those on my own time. The story was so badly told, and the stand out moments were so horrible, I’m shocked that this movie was approved with the script that it was given. This is one of the few times I think of my theater experience when watching a movie. Man of Steel’s theater experience made me sick with the shitty shaky-cam, but this movie made me angry while watching it, and I never get angry when watching movies, so you have to be really bad in order to make me angry when watching. Two moments in particular, the infamous Martha scene and Superman’s death made me want to walk out on the movie. I’ve never wanted to walk out of a movie before, so that was a first for me. I think the biggest sin BvS makes that isn’t destroying famous comic book stories and having some of the worst versions of Batman AND Superman, is that not only is BvS slow to the point of boring, with very little of actual importance happening, but the movie tries to be so profound in its messages and imagery, like this is some fucking college arthouse film. A lot of people say the worst thing a movie can be is be boring. I respectfully disagree. For me, the worst thing a movie can be is be boring and trying to act like it’s so smart with its themes. The whole god amongst humans thing has been done to death, quite literally in the case of this movie, and the way it’s presented and written, comes off as overly pretentious. I can’t wait for someone to tell me that this movie is for the intellectually elite, while also saying that I need a high IQ in order to understand this movie. It’s why I prefer a movie to be rushed and have little actual meaning, than a movie that’s slow paced and try to be profound. This applies to bad movies only, of course.

There’s two cuts that exist for BvS: The one that was released in theaters, and the 3 hour, rated R extended cut, dubbed the “Ultimate Cut.” Yes, because the first movie about Batman and FUCKING Superman TOTALLY needed a rated R cut. I’ve watched the Ultimate cut, or more like I was forced to watch it because my brother made me sit with him and watch it. There’s a reason why I never trust the man with movies. But, how is the Ultimate cut? Well… it’s better… *sigh* Okay, it’s more complete this time around. It doesn’t feel like a huge chunk was cut out for no reason, and there’s more context surrounding the events of the movie, but does that actually fix the movie? Judging by my statement, no, no it doesn’t. Many of the problems that were in the theatrical cut are still present in this version: Batman and Superman hate each other for their own reasons but do the things they say they hate about the other, making them hypocrites, Lex Luthor’s plan makes no sense and is overly convoluted, Lois Lane is still useless, the action is still poor overall, Wonder Woman is still an afterthought, the title fight that the movie has its entire purpose riding on is still lackluster at best, the Martha scene is still stupid, and the movie essentially destroyed all hopes of a great Superman story by wasting the Death of Superman storyline. What else can I say? I fucking hate this movie, the end. Holy shit, that was a long section. How’s about something shorter?

SUICIDE SQUAD

This is gonna be a very short segment compared to the BvS one, but that’s because in a shocking twist, I haven’t actually sat down and watched Suicide Squad. I’ll still talk about how the movie ended up the way it did and how it was received, but I can’t actually comment on the movie itself. I’m also putting Suicide Squad’s history here because the BvS segment is long enough. Anyway, after BvS underperformed, Warner Bros panicked and decided to make a course correction with Suicide Squad. People liked the trailers, which made the movie appear to be DC’s answer to Guardians of the Galaxy. In fact, the people who made the trailers ended up editing the movie. Yes, really. The concept of the movie sounded awesome. A ragtag group of villains forced to do good things or they die is a really interesting concept and if executed well, could be seen as a new form of comic book movie. The anti-Avengers, you could say. However, that wasn’t meant to be. Suicide Squad was received about as well as BvS was, with some saying it was even worse than BvS. Seeing as how I haven’t seen the movie, I can’t comment on it, but given what I’ve heard, it sounds like a shitty version of Guardians of the Galaxy, both of them, and the sequel wasn’t out when Suicide Squad came out. At the very least, the movie was said to have been more profitable than BvS, even though it made $746 million at the box office on a $175 million budget. So, 3 misfires so far, and the best received one divided audiences and critics. The DCEU was in serious trouble, and there needed to be a miracle in order to save this franchise. Well, unbeknownst to Warner Bros, their savior, to a degree anyway, would come from an underestimated superhero, or should I say, superheroine!

WONDER WOMAN

Remember when I said that Wonder Woman was an afterthought in BvS? Well, she was, but she had a movie coming out. I find it funny that we live in a world where the Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Deadpool, the Suicide Squad, and Doctor Strange got their own movies before Wonder Woman, the third member of the DC Trinity. The world is weird. Diana’s movie came out, and it blew away expectations. Not that they were high to begin with, but let’s not be so cynical here. Wonder Woman released to great reviews and audiences loved it. The movie made over $412 million dollars at the U.S. box office, more than any of the Marvel Studios films at the same box office, and outperformed Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man for the highest grossing superhero origin movie, and Spidey held the record for 15 years. The movie would end up making $821 million dollars at the global box office, making it the second highest grossing movie in the DCEU, with BvS being the highest grossing, but unlike BvS, Wonder Woman didn’t underperform and was a huge hit. So, what did I think of Wonder Woman? Well, gotta give credit where credit is due, but the DCEU has an installment where I can confidently call good. Diana herself was better characterized than she was in BvS. My favorite scene in the movie is when she and Steve Trevor are about to go to No Man’s Land, but before they embark on the train ride there, Diana gets ice cream from an ice cream vendor, and tells the ice cream man that he’s wonderful. This is something that this franchise has been sorely lacking: Little touches. The movie also used the dark and gritty motif of the DCEU correctly. This is because the movie was set during World War 1, which was a shitty time, and we had Themyscira, a bright and colorful place to contrast with the shitty London and battlefields. The first two acts, minus the underwhelming action that relied too much on slow motion for my tastes, were well handled and even great. Despite what I said about the action, that No Man’s Land sequence was awesome. However, and this hurts me to say this, the third act happens. Ooooh, the third act. If there was one movie that was so close to greatness, only to have the ending nearly ruin it, it’s this movie. I know I’m going to be labeled sexist for not saying Wonder Woman is a great movie, but please, bare with me. So, throughout the movie, Diana wants to kill Ares, the god of war. The legend of Ares states that he’s the reason why mankind goes to war with each other. However, Diana kills General Stryker (I’m calling him that because it’s the same actor from X-Men 2), and she believed him to be Ares. I mean, to be fair, he was huffing up some magic powder or something, so I can believe that. After killing General Stryker, Diana sees that the humans are still preparing their assault. Diana is horrified to see this, and she asks Steve Trevor why the humans are still at war now that she killed Ares. Shortly after this, the real Ares comes and then the movie goes into the usual third act climax. Now, I don’t have a problem with third act climaxes. So, why do I have an issue with it here? Ares was mentioned being alive early in the movie, so what’s the big deal? I think it has to do with how the movie was written. The way the movie played out, it seemed like Diana realizing that humans are, in her words, “so much more,” than what they seem. This could have explained why she gave up the Wonder Woman mantle and stayed in the human world for a century. Not having a third act climax in order to develop a character, with the message that humans are much more, even at their worst, would have been amazing. Instead, the movie throws all of that away for a final fight with Ares and Steve Trevor sacrificing himself. It felt tacked on and cheapened the movie. It came off as rewarding Diana for being naive, which is something I hated about the movie. Her entire character arc was rendered meaningless because of that last act. There’s also some questions after the fight that are never answered. Now that Ares is dead, does that mean World War 2 and the Cold War never happened in this universe? If killing Ares ended all conflict in humanity, why is the world so grim when Man of Steel begins? This act single handedly derailed the movie. What could have been a potential masterpiece only ends up being decent in my opinion. I won’t go as far as to say the third act ruined the movie, but it does end up hurting the movie by quite a bit if you ask me. I should reiterate that Wonder Woman is overall, a solid movie, but the third act really holds it back. Now, let’s get to the fifth and final movie in this, I guess you could call it, DCEU Retrospective, the big JL.

JUSTICE LEAGUE

Fun fact: Did you know that there was going to be a Justice League movie long before The Avengers? The movie was called Justice League: Mortal, and was going to release sometime around 2007/2008, if not later than that. However, I guess WB decided “Naaah, we got our golden boyo Christopher Nolan here doing Batman movies for us. The audience will be confused if two live action Batmen were on screen.” Not giving the audience enough credit, I see? I mean, I’m not sure what happened, but I’m pretty sure you can look up a video Justice League: Mortal.

Justice League faced tons of behind the scenes problems. There were talks of Ben Affleck (aka, DCEU Bats) directing which never went through, the movie being completely reworked just mere weeks before shooting began because of BvS’s terrible reception, Joss Whedon (the guy who wrote and directed the first two Avengers movies) taking over as director and reworking the movie after Zack Snyder tragically lost his daughter from suicide, etc, etc, etc. Now, I’m not saying a movie that has behind the scenes problems is doomed to failure. After all, A New Hope had several behind the scenes problems, with George Lucas even writing the film off before it premiered, and look at how well that movie ended up turning out. Although I was livid after BvS and missed Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman gave me some hope that Justice League wouldn’t be that bad. Well… I was sort of right on that.

Let me get one thing straight: Justice League is a terrible movie. The story reeks of “Been there, done that, seen it before, seen it better, and will see it better in the future.” The characters were flat at best, and irritating at worst (looking at you, second-rate MCU Spider-Man aka Flash), and the villain is one of the worst I’ve ever seen (seriously, Steppenwolf is a fucking mid-boss, so why is he the big bad of 4 years?). To top it off, the film is a tonal and visual mess, and what I mean by the latter is that Joss Whedon’s Avengers-esc style clashes heavily with Zack Snyder’s supposed deep and dark vision. Justice League comes off as, to quote one of my favorite YouTube channels, Midnight’s Edge “A Frankensteinian abomination.” That being said, at least the film didn’t try to shove philosophical messages down my throat or try so fucking hard to be deep and meaningful, so JL’s already better than Man of Steel and BvS in that regard. I also liked that we finally got a Superman that actually felt like Superman should instead of what MoS and BvS tried to make him be. I left Justice League feeling… indifferent, I guess? I didn’t like it, but I didn’t hate it either. All I know is that I should have been feeling a lot more positive about this movie than I actually did. The Justice League animated series from the DC Animated Universe was my introduction to superheroes, and I still think holds up wonderfully today. I may have not been a fan of how Season 1 handled Superman in regards to the villains of that show, but I still think it’s a fantastic show. It’s a fucking shame that Warner Bros essentially failed to make a movie worthy of the name: Justice League. To make Justice League look even of a failure, we’re gonna have to talk about box office again.

Wanna know how much Justice League costed to make, including reshoots? $300 million. Justice League is the second most expensive movie ever made, with Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides being the most expensive. Want to know how much money it made, or has made so far? $655 million. Yes, only that much. On its opening weekend in America, it made $93 million. It couldn’t even make $100 million! It took the movie a fucking month to make the same amount The Avengers made in its opening weekend. If that’s not a “Get fucked, DC,” I don’t know what is. So, now that I spent this entire time going over each DCEU movie in detail (sorry that this has been so long to begin with), it’s now time to answer the question: Why did the DC Extended Universe fail?

WHY THE DCEU FAILED

If you ask me, the main reason the DC Extended Universe failed was because Warner Bros didn’t have a set plan or a person with a vision to keep the universe in tact. The reason Marvel Studios and the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been consistently successful is because of one man, and that man is Kevin Feige. Originally being a producer for the early X-Men and Spider-Man movies, along with other Marvel films, he was the brainchild behind the MCU, and has been an executive producer for each movie in the MCU so far. When a movie doesn’t measure up to the rest, which was the case with Thor: The Dark World, the MCU didn’t go into a panic and have the next few movies affected by Thor 2’s failings. Instead, the franchise carried on, and all the problems of The Dark World were addressed and mostly solved with Thor: Ragnorok. DC, meanwhile, doesn’t have a Kevin Feige. Warner Bros made the choice to make the DCEU director-driven, rather than producer-driven. The problem with making a mega-franchise with multiple franchises inside is that you need to have them be producer-driven to have a consistent vision. I know that a common complaint with the MCU is that it tends to revolve around a single formula, often referred to as the “Marvel Formula,” but a consistent vision needs to be in check to keep things in line. Having director-driven movies is good, but can lead to a clash of visions. Maybe I should do a Hub’s Kitchen episode on that. Hmm… Because of BvS’s failings, Suicide Squad and Justice League had to be radically altered during shooting and post-production, rather than before shooting and during pre-production, which was the case of Thor: Ragnorok going in a different direction than the previous Thor films.

I also feel that not sticking to what made the characters so beloved is another reason the DCEU failed. I’ve always been one to say that accuracy doesn’t make a movie good, but even so, I still believe that the main point of the character should be completely in tact. Marvel Studios has done a great job at this, even when they had to slightly rework characters like Spider-Man for example. Despite him having a tech suit made by Tony Stark, Peter still made his original suit, his web shooters, webbing, is still a smart kid, and relatable. Meanwhile, the DCEU decided “Hey, you know Superman? Yeah, let’s make him a complete brooding asshole and have him kill people for no reason other than its cool.” Or “Hey, you know Batman? Yeah, he’s a killer now and then suddenly he’s a third-rate Tony Stark wannabe.” Even better “Hey, you know Flash? Barry Allen Flash? We’re gonna make him Wally West and make him incredibly annoying, because COMEDY!” Thankfully, Wonder Woman got off pretty well. I know nerds like me are the only people who read comic books, but as far as an adaptation is concerned, we want the core basics of the characters to be intact. The DCEU didn’t do that, and a lot of fans jumped ship. Audiences were also alienated, mainly because for Man of Steel and BvS, the heroes weren’t acting like heroes, or people for that matter. I think that covers that whole dilemma, and now, it’s time to wrap everything up.

CONCLUSION

I’m sorry that this episode was as long as it was. I just feel that I needed to go in-depth as to why I felt the way I did and why the DCEU failed. I love superheroes. I’d go as far as to say superhero stories are my favorite kind of stories. I grew up with superheroes, okay, mostly Spider-Man, but still. So I hope you all can understand why I hated the DCEU as much as I did, and why it ultimately failed. I feel like whenever people generalize others who love the MCU and hate the DCEU as them saying “Marvel can do no wrong,” are missing the point. It’s not that we believe Marvel can do no wrong. It’s that we want good representations of the heroes we read and love, so maybe the average Joe can understand why we love these funny books so much. Whatever issues the MCU has can (mostly) be forgiven because the good stuff outweighs the bad. The DCEU, however, has only one good movie to its name and a few droppings of brilliance in an otherwise mediocre DC universe.

Wow, I got really emotional there. I’m sorry for that. It just annoys me when people generalize stuff. I don’t know what the next topic of Hub’s Kitchen will be on, but I can tell you all this: It’s gonna be a hell of a lot shorter than this, that’s for sure. My name’s Hub, and thank you for reading. *Checks Google Drive word count* Over 5,000 words. What the fu-

#hubskitchen

4 notes · View notes

bishreview · 6 years

Text

Top 20 Films of the Year

I think it’s about time I did something about films so here’s my list for the top 20 movies. This year has seen a rise in quality superhero films, some strong horror flicks, but I’ve felt genres like comedies and science fiction have really dropped. This list will include films that were released to Australian audiences in 2017 but will miss the Oscar nominated ones at the start of the year because they were classified as 2016 still. Enjoy.

20. Spider Man: Homecoming

Superhero films really did well this year, with Spider Man’s first lead film in the MCU a pleasure to watch from start to finish. Focusing on the high school aspect rather than the superhero aspect (like all previous movies of the hero have done), Holland brings the role to new levels of excitement, humour and reliability, making this maybe the best film incarnation of the hero.

19. Split

Split is a different sort of film. It’s a super-villain film, disguised as a psychological thriller, disguised as a horror. James McAvoy’s role as the character Kevin, a person who has multiple personalities, is incredible as he switches between different personalities, with their own characteristics, with ease. M. Night Shyamalan looks like he’s making a comeback, and it’s exciting to watch.

18. Raw

Have you ever watched a film so gross but so engaging that you can’t look away even though you’re disgusted by what you’re watching? Because that’s Raw. Julia Ducournau’s unique film about cannibalism is incredibly unique and brilliant, whilst also being one of the hardest to watch films I’ve ever seen. Big warning to those with weak stomachs.

17. Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

The Last Jedi will probably go down as the most decisive Star Wars film ever. Disney have made it clear that they are avoiding canon in their trilogy, turning away from the comics and focusing on the films. With The Last Jedi they took it further, taking risks throughout the whole movie. In doing so, they made the most unique Star Wars film yet, and maybe the strongest since the original trilogy, focusing on the balance of the force instead of the usual ‘good vs. evil’.

16. John Wick: Chapter Two

John Wick is such a brilliantly written character. Although the second instalment in the hit-man, revenge franchise looks more into his past and the organisation he was a part of, we still know little about the ‘Boogeyman’. Keeanu Reeves is brilliant as the titular character and Derek Kolstad has again written another amazing story, creating one of the most interesting and unique cinematic universes.

15. A Ghost Story

There are some movies which capture your imagination and place you in a story that you can escape in. A Ghost Story is a different story. It’s heartbreaking but makes you feel warm. Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara are brilliant as the two leads, holding a chemistry which is hard to create so naturally. Although it’s slow at times, there is a certain beauty throughout the movie, drawing you into the love story even at it’s slowest moments

14. Logan Lucky

Logan Lucky is a really fun film. With a great cast including Adam Driver, Channing Tatum, Riley Keough, and Daniel Craig, the heist film is an entertaining watch. Although heist films sometimes feel cliched, Logan Lucky utilises the American car racing competition NASCAR as its setting, allowing the film to explore a different range of characters, making it one of the most intriguing heist movies in years.

13. Wonder Woman

The DCEU is getting really hard to watch. Justic League, released late this year, was more of the same average flicks which has plagued the franchise since Man of Steel. Before that though was Wonder Woman, the cinematic universe’s saving grace. Gal Gadot is incredible as the iconic superhero, carrying the movie all the way through with her engaging performance. Mid-way through the year I stated this film was the saving grace of the franchise, and that could never be more true now.

12. The Big Sick

Rom-com’s have never really been my thing. I often feel their stories have been done over and over again and that the genre doesn’t try to be do anything different. The Big Sick though is a story which hasn’t even been attempted by the industry yet, a movie about religious and cultural traditions and progressing forward with them. Kumail Nanjiani explores his real life story in such a tongue in cheek way that you can’t help but love the story and the characters.

11. The Lost City of Z

I was remembering this film the other day (I’ve only watched it twice) and the feelings I got from it still gives me the chills. The exploration of the jungle in James Gray’s film about real life explorer Percy Fawcett is gorgeous. It’s a slow burning movie that depicts Fawcett’s addiction to the Amazon rainforest in such a mesmerising way that you often forget that he’s searching for gold, rather just wanting to live in the Amazon. Charlie Hunman is brilliant as the lead and it’s a movie that will stick in your mind for a long time.

10. Thor: Ragnarok

2017 was a great year for the MCU, and Thor: Ragnarok was the shining light. Although the previous Thor films have been some of the more weaker entries in the franchise, Ragnarok was able to give the titular character his best story yet, combining the comic with the Planet Hulk storyline. With incredible performances by Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Tessa Thompson and Jeff Goldblum, NZ director Taika Waititi created the best and most fun Thor that has ever hit the big screen.

9. The Beguilded

The Beguilded was a strange watch. Based on the 1971 novel of the same name, the film explores lust, forbidden love, obsession, fear and hate in a stable manner, balancing these themes effortlessly. Sofia Coppola has deservedly won awards for this film and will hopefully be nominated for a few more after being snubbed at the Golden Globes.

8. Silence

If I were to pick a film that I have seen this year that still disturbs me it would be Silence. Set in 17th century Japan, during the Tokugawa shogunate, Silence follows two Christian priests (Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield) trying to track down their mentor (Liam Neeson) whilst continuing to spread their outlawed religion. The movie is very graphic and doesn’t hold back on the Crucifixion techniques that were implemented during this period. Garfield also delivers the performance of his career, pulling you in emotionally to his character’s experience.

7. War On The Planet of the Apes

It was always going to be hard to complete the Apes trilogy, as the first two films of the franchise were both amazing. War though is best of the three. An incredibly emotional experience as we watch Caesar and his fellow apes fight for survival against humans. Andy Serkis is again incredible as Caesar, continuing to prove that he’s the best actor in a motion capture suit.

6. Logan

Superhero movies were truly a shining light in 2017. The fourth comic book movie on this list (and the highest), Logan (based on Old Man Logan comic) is an incredible experience. Allowing the movie to have a restricted rating was a risk but it paid of as it allowed the character to be at his brutal best. Hugh Jackman will always be Wolverine and Logan was a perfect way to send off nearly two decades of the character on the big screen.

5. A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls (can also be called How to Tear Someone’s Heart Out) is the saddest film of the year. It hits you deep in the feels, ensuring the audience cries their eyes out by the end of the film. Lewis MacDougall is incredible as the lead, and the supporting cast are brilliant, especially Liam Neeson as the voice of The Monster. The film blends a heartbreaking story about cancer with a beautiful fantasy world, utilising water-colour animations to bring the audience into the imaginary world.

4. T2: Trainspotting

T2 has been a long time coming. A sequel to the incredible original (Trainspotting) has been rumoured for a while, and Danny Boyle has finally delivered two decades on. Bringing back the beloved Scottish gang, led by Ewan McGregor, T2 doesn’t hold back on themes of getting old, reminiscing on youth, and trying to make up for the mistakes of youth. With all four of the characters being on a path which joins them back together, fans of the original will feel blessed with this sequel, whilst new fans will straight away connect with their stories.

3. The Disaster Artist

The Disaster Artist is a perfect homage to the greatest film of all time, The Room. Delving into the creation of the aforementioned masterpiece, The Disaster Artist is about more than having a laugh at the people who were involved in making it. Instead it allows a sympathetic view on the desire to be an actor, to create film as an art form. Both Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero are respectfully portrayed by the Franco brothers, allowing a look into the hardships they faced during the making of The Room. It’s a fantastic story, both hilarious and relatable, and could be the Franco brothers best performances.

2. Dunkirk

I’ve always felt like Christopher Nolan has an obsession with outdoing himself every movie. After the epic (albeit flawed epic) which was Interstellar, it looked like he was going to stick on the sci-fi route which had dominated so many of his previous films. Instead he made Dunkirk a history piece about the Allies biggest failure in World War II, the loss of France. The film is tiring to watch, moving slowly and feeling like it’s in a constant route, as every small victory is followed by the plan going wrong. Fionn Whitehead is terrific in his debut mainstream role, and Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy and Harry Styles also bring in strong performances, suggesting that Dunkirk may be Nolan’s best work.

1. Get Out

I watched Get Out again last night and it still hits me the same way as it did the first time I watched it. Jordan Peele’s directorial debut is incredible. The comedian jumps into a genre unfamiliar to him, in a horror/thriller, and he delivers. Get Out is a unsettling film, raising issues of racism (and anti-racism) without making it overbearing. Daniel Kaluuya is incredible as the lead and will hopefully get rewarded during award season, and the supporting cast of the film (notably Lakeith Stanfield and Betty Gabriel) help create a chilling atmosphere throughout the whole film. The twist ending also may be one of the most impactful non-events in film history, with the expectation of what is going to happen making more of a statement than what actually happens (it will make more sense once you see it). Get Out is an incredible film, close to the best for this decade so far, and my number one film for 2017.

That’s my film list. It came out later than I wanted it to but I’ve just been hammered with work at the moment. I’ve completed the Top 50 Singles of 2017 list and that will be released tomorrow so stay tuned for that. Thanks for the support and hopefully you’ve enjoyed this list.

4 notes · View notes

diaryofanangrynerd · 7 years

Text

Well, Hello 2017

Most Anticipated Films of 2017

Well, hello everyone. I know it has been a while since we have spoken, but the truth is I haven’t really had much to say. I was utterly disappointed with the way that 2016 turned out, film-wise, that I had to walk away from this for a bit. I took a look at my much anticipated list and realized that maybe two of those films were worth anyone’s time, those of course being Rogue One and The Nice Guys. So I figured that this being a new year and with that comes new beginnings, I want to look ahead to a year with so many films to look forward to. (P.S. I apologize for leaving you…it wasn’t you, it was me.)

Honorable Mentions:

John Wick—Chapter 2: In late 2014 an action film snuck into theaters and blew everyone’s mind. Now since then we have all been clamoring for a little more John Wick.

Kingsman-The Golden Circle: Kingsman: Secret Service is another film that took people by surprise and intrigued for more snooty British spy antics.

Justice League: Okay so Batman v. Superman or Suicide Squad didn’t go so well, now DC Comics fanboys everywhere are praying that 2017 will be a better year for their beloved characters.

Wonder Woman: Please see comments above. Wonder Woman’s theme from BvS gets me jazzed though!

Blade Runner 2049: Loved Ridley Scott’s sci-fi masterpiece, however I am just a little skeptical trying to do a sequel 35 years later.

8 Most Anticipated fro 2017

(Yes I understand this list gets bigger and bigger each year!)

#8—Logan

First and foremost, there are very few things in the upcoming cinematic world that is more exciting than seeing a rated R Wolverine movie with Hugh Jackman portraying the titular character. Sprinkle in some Old Man Logan storyline and the “passing of the torch” to X-23 and you have a recipe for a great movie. However, as much as I am excited by this film there are a couple things that worry me about the final product. First is the comparisons to Deadpool and the R rating. Deadpool was a nice addition to the comic book film genre, nevertheless people need to remember the difference in characters and the huge difference in tone Logan will be. Second is the X-Men continuity and where this film will actually fit in the grand scheme of the X-Franchise. If only 20th Century Fox and the producers of these films can get that under control, I believe that the X-Franchise could be as good, if not better, than the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

#7—Spider-Man: Homecoming

Speaking of the MCU, Spider-Man is finally coming home. Tom Holland was one of many bright spots of Captain America: Civil War and the recent Homecoming trailer just added to the eagerness that I have for this film. I strongly think that introducing new villains and not recycling old rogues that we have already seen on screen was a wise idea, but I’m not so sure about the amount of villains was as smart. Though easing Spider-Man into the already vast MCU is a major plus as well. If Holland can continue with the wit and enthusiasm he had in Civil War, then Spider-Man: Homecoming is going to do just fine.

#6—Alien: Covenant

Ridley Scott + Science Fiction + Alien Franchise = Awesomeness! Dare I say more? Now I think that we can all agree that Prometheus was hit or miss with a lot of film goers, but I dare say that Scott’s official return to the Alien Franchise looks as beautifully gruesome as his 1979 classic. The sense is that Scott is returning to the horror aspect of the franchise, but setting Covenant as a prequel, with hopes of other films to follow. I am hoping that Scott is able to capture the magic of the first film, all the while adding something new and fresh to a franchise that is in need of a jumpstart.

#5—War of the Planet of the Apes

Ironically, here is a threequel to a rebooted franchise that a lot of people didn’t think we needed. Rise and Dawn were films, which I feel, quietly good with a lot of film guru’s waiting for that inevitable bad turn. With the first two films surpassing low expectations, I just hope that this isn’t the film that this groundbreaking franchise falls off the high cliff they put themselves on. I love the technology that goes into these films and still holding on to hope that the Oscars finally come in the times and see that even though Andy Serkis plays CGI characters, he is amazing and deserves a little gold statue. I am also excited to see Woody Harrelson as a villain.

#4—Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

In 1997 a film was released that blew my mind. A great mixture of action, science fiction, and comedy; The Fifth Element was a hidden gem of that year. Ever since then I have been clamoring for the day that director Luc Besson makes a film of that quality and have been slightly disappointed since. But this year, Besson has made his way back to the world of Science Fiction and has brought with him a film that looks to be what I have been waiting for. Valerian, rumored to be a pet project of Besson, is about two operatives that try to keep the peace in the galaxy. Here’s hoping for a Multi-Pass!

3#-- Dunkirk

My favorite director is at it again, but this time he is taking on World War II. Christopher Nolan has taken audiences to vast, multilayered worlds that seem to suck us in and change us. I don’t think that following a group of Allied soldiers surrounded by Germans on the beaches of France during the early stages of the Second World War is going to be as mind blowing as Inception; however I know that Nolan is going to deliver a beautiful film with heart and soul. The trailer looks amazing and I can hold on to hope that my director won’t fail me now.

#2—Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Another surprise of 2014 was the comic book film about a ragtag group of misfits out to save the universe. James Gunn’s take on the Guardians of the Galaxy is probably the single best thing to happen to the MCU, with Civil War coming in a slight second. Guardians wasn’t supposed to do well and was only meant to fill the gap between Avenger films and yet it did much more than that. Now with all of the cast and crew back for another adventure in the cosmos, I am over the moon excited to see what these “Guardians of the Galaxy” are up to now. Crossing my fingers for another Howard the Duck sighting!

#1—Star Wars: Episode VIII

What did I tell you all last year? Star Wars will be ever in the top spot of these Most Anticipated lists for a long while. Furthering the adventures of Rey, Finn, and the rest of the new characters of this sequel trilogy, Rian Johnson (Looper) is tasked with expanding this franchise and making it good. Being a big fan of his earlier work, I am honestly not worried. Please just don’t copy the formula of Empire Strikes Back like J.J Abrams did with A New Hope.

Alright everyone let us all pray that 2017 will be a better year for movies so that I don’t have to stay away from you good people as long as I did before.

#most anticipated #2017 #Star Wars Episode VIII #Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #Dunkirk #Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets #War for the Planet of the Apes #Alien: Covenant #Spider-Man: Homecoming #Logan

4 notes · View notes

42inchtv · 5 years

Text

Some Thoughts On The Best Movies Of 2018

Honorable Mentions: “Aquaman” (dir. James Wan), “Avengers: Infinity War” (dirs. Anthony and Joe Russo), “BlacKkKlansman” (dir. Spike Lee), “Blockers” (dir. Kay Cannon), “Eighth Grade” (dir. Bo Burnham), “First Reformed” (dir. Paul Schrader), “Isle of Dogs” (dir. Wes Anderson), “Mary Poppins Returns” (dir. Rob Marshall), “mid90s” (dir. Jonah Hill), “Ocean’s Eight” (dir. Gary Ross), “On the Basis of Sex” (dir. Mimi Leder), “A Quiet Place” (dir. John Krasinski), “Roma” (dir. Alfonso Cuarón), “A Simple Favor” (dir. Paul Feig), “Venom” (dir. Ruben Fleischer)

10. “Vice” (dir. Adam McKay) A thing about “Vice” is Shea Whigham (49) plays Amy Adams’ (44) dad and Christian Bale’s (44) father-in-law — and the movie makes no attempt to hide the fact that they all look the same. It's a weird and imperfect film, but I'm oddly drawn to it -- despite the fact that many of the negative things people have said about this movie are very true. Perhaps that's why I keep coming back to Boots Riley's tweet-review: "Adam McKay makes movies that get me mad because he does several things that I wish I did first. In 'Vice,' he doesn't just break the 4th wall -- he breaks it and comes and sits in the seat next to you with popcorn and hot sauce. I don't think he makes film, he makes theater." There is something transfixing about "Vice." It's a trainwreck, a complete blank-check movie, the work of an auteur who was not told "no" once during the process. So this thing rattles off the rails early and often and features performances and tones so wildly divergent that it feels like something entirely different than regular movies. But put it this way: I'd rather watch a movie like “Vice” than “good” movies like “First Man.” McKay goes for it here in a way that seems reckless and irresponsible -- as if he'll never get the chance to make another movie so why not throw every idea he's ever had at the screen. There's something laudable to that kind of ego and arrogance. “Vice” condemns everyone, including the audience. After what we’ve done, it’s the movie we deserve.

9. “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” (dir. Susan Johnson) Did everyone who bought high on “Set It Up” watch “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” and feel slightly awkward? A winning coming-of-age romcom that should stand proudly next to “10 Things I Hate About You” on the list of awesome teen movies that people watch forever.

8. “If Beale Street Could Talk” (dir. Barry Jenkins) If there was a better scene this year than Brian Tyree Henry’s section of Barry Jenkins’ lush, wondrous, absolutely stunning “Moonlight” follow-up, "If Beale Street Could Talk,” I didn’t get around to seeing it.

7. “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” (dirs. Ethan and Joel Coen) The James Franco section feels incomplete and hurried — why wasn’t it axed completely after Franco’s sexual misconduct allegations? — and the Liam Neeson section is dark and slow. But the other four parts? Instant, rewatchable classics, some of the best things the Coen brothers have ever done. My fave at the moment is the Tom Waits one, but the Zoe Kazan segment is also not without its pleasures. For a movie exclusively about death and dying and the relative fleeting nature of life, “Buster Scruggs” is a delight. It’s an exception to the premise of the film: how could life be meaningless when this exists?

6. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (dirs. Peter Ramsey, Robert Persichetti Jr., Rodney Rothman) As we've gotten further away from 2018, it feels like few movies from that calendar year will stand the cultural test of time. In five years, will people still talk about even the year's best gems, "The Favourite" and "Widows"? Maybe? At this rate, "A Star Is Born" will live in infamy, an Oscar front-runner that was basically shut out in the final calculus; even a film like "Roma," a wonderful movie that deserves its many awards, feels somewhat diffuse. Alfonso Cuarón's intimate epic has barely made a dent now, at a time when even the worst Netflix movie becomes meme fodder for weeks on end. All of which is to say, if one movie from last year winds up being *the* movie from last year, allow me to submit for consideration "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." Its message is more powerful than the pablum of "Green Book" and it just seems so damn modern? Transformative? There's a reason "Spider-Verse" caught the attention of the zeitgeist. It's a now movie -- a dazzling, scattered, boisterous affair that's super funny and legitimately sweet. I slept on a lot of this the first time I saw "Spider-Verse" (literally, being a parent is tough sometimes!), but with clear eyes and full hearts, I watched it again and fell super in love. Time to re-do the 2018 top-10 list.

5. “Widows” (dir. Steve McQueen) How would “Heat” look if it were all about systemic white supremacy? A lot like “Widows,” apparently. What a blast of pulp fiction, with a stacked cast just knocking the crackling dialogue out of the park at every turn. Viola Davis was the headline story here, putting in a complex turn that feels comparable to Robert De Niro in “Ronin.” But the real star is Daniel Kaluuya, who delivers the best villain performance since Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh. Build a statue for him in lieu of his guaranteed Oscar snub.

4. Black Panther (dir. Ryan Coogler) Marvel's own version of “The Dark Knight,” “Black Panther” is the best MCU movie yet, a legitimate epic in league Christopher Nolan’s superhero classic but with a central conflict that feels like an extension of “Do the Right Thing.” Months later, Michael B. Jordan’s towering performance still rules: he’s every bit as impressive as Heath Ledger was as the Joker.

3. “A Star Is Born” (dir. Bradley Cooper) The closest thing to "Hamilton" released this year, Bradley Cooper's meme factory focuses on who lives, who dies, who tells their story. There’s a lot of Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical in “A Star Is Born" and the film is structured as such, up to a literal heart-clutch final moment that makes me cry just thinking about it (and rivals Eliza’s last gasp in “Hamilton”). Enough has been written about "A Star Is Born" that more isn't necessary, but let's just pause here to praise Cooper, the Actor, for a performance so great that it's easy to take him for granted.

2. “Mission: Impossible - Fallout” (dir. Christopher McQuarrie) What if “The Dark Knight” but Tom Cruise? What if “Skyfall” but “Mission Impossible”? That’s “Fallout,” the best action movie since “Mad Max: Fury Road” and the best blockbuster in a great year for blockbusters. To use overdone online parlance, this movie fucks. From the jump too, with a prologue that combines elements of the first “Mission: Impossible” with a hilarious cameo and the Wikipedia entry to “Rogue Nation” to set the tone for what’s to come. “Fallout” is a masterpiece of action cinema – to wit: the second act is basically one giant action sequence segmented into separate movements – and a tightly wound spy game that does just enough with Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt and his IMF team (Rebecca Ferguson remains a highlight) to make the characters worth caring about. A relentless, special movie – the best Cruise has done since “Edge of Tomorrow” – “Fallout” feels like the end of this beloved franchise. And why not? How do you top perfection? Why would you even bother to try?

1. “The Favourite” (dir. Yorgos Lanthimos) The funniest movie of the year, “Mean Girls” in corsets with Rachel Weisz absolutely effing owning in the Regina George role, “The Favourite” is maybe the only perfect movie of 2018. Weisz, Emma Stone, and Olivia Colman are all incredible, a trio of co-leads in the tradition of “Goodfellas,” “Zodiac,” or “The Social Network.” Yorgos Lanthimos’ film belongs in the same zip code as those classics from a quality standpoint as well, with a sharp-edged script that powers the proceedings to its downbeat, darkly comic conclusion. And while this is a movie all about those aforementioned women, don’t sleep on at least one man: Nicholas Hoult, who hams it up with an abandon reserved for Ryan Phillippe in “Cruel Intentions.” A true classic.

#some thoughts

0 notes

alexfryerproductions · 6 years

Text

My Top 10 Favourite films of 2017

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FILMS SELECTED ON THIS LIST ARE OF UK RELEASE DATES.

Since I won’t be able to see another new release before the end of the year, I thought it would be best to get my list of favourite films out of the way before I depart for France for the Christmas holidays with no internet connection to accompany me.

This year has seen quite a wide variety of memorable and outstanding films through blockbusters to independent works. While these films have entertained us, they have also provided quite thoughtful commentaries on the world we live in currently, whether it is on the treatment of women (Wonder Woman) or Trump’s America (The Florida Project) or the treatment of race (Get Out). Some well-known directors on this list have produced what could be their best works yet, to the point where they may have outdone themselves, while some rising directors have shown great development in their own craft.

Without further ado, let’s commence with the list. But before we get down to the top 10, here are some brief statements of honourable mentions and my most disappointing film of this year.

Honourable mentions

Thor Ragnarok (Directed by Taika Waititi)

Yet again, the Marvel Cinematic Film has delivered not only the best Thor film, but the best directed of this series. Having seen Hunt for the Wilderpeople from the same director, I was excited. Filled with style, colour, joy, eye popping visuals and hilarity from beginning to end, this is probably the most fun I’ve had in the cinema this year.

La La Land (Directed by Damien Chazelle)

Self confessedly, I am not a fan of musicals but given my love Chazelle’s Whiplash, I went to see what the huge fuss was about. Watching the film felt like staring at Edward Hopper paintings (which they are evidently inspired by) crossed with a stage play. On top of that, Chazelle inserts what he crafted from Whiplash while also incorporating techniques from other musicals to create a piece that’s a loving tribute to an otherwise forgotten genre.

My one dishonourable mention (or most disappointing film of this year)

Justice League (Directed by Zack Snyder/Joss Whedon)

Make no mistake, after seeing Wonder Woman, I really wanted to enjoy this film. Unfortunately though, this is just filled with an endless stream of problems. It is bland, dull, directionless and doesn’t even know what do with any of its characters. I would have put Alien Covenant here, but compared to this, that film had more ambitious film-making and desire to tell a story (even if it did fall short on the latter).

And now for my top 10...

10.) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Directed by Rian Johnson)

While I did enjoy the previous recent instalments of the Star Wars series, this is the latest I was most surprised by. The film is full of twists and unpredictability, which, quite frankly, we have not seen since Empire Strikes Back nearly 40 years ago. With a compelling set of characters, nostalgia that is occasional and playful, a loving tribute to our princess (Carrie Fisher), plenty of new and weird elements never seen previously and a thought provoking narrative, Rian Johnson delivers a great Star Wars film that expands the vastness of the beloved universe and is not afraid to take risks along the way.

9.) A Ghost Story (Directed by David Lowery)

For those who have not seen the film, don’t let the title fool you, this is not your average ghost story (no pun intended) nor a frightening horror film in anyway. It is however in one word: beautiful. It has the visual melody of a Andrei Tarkovsky picture accompanied by the apocalyptic mood of a Godfrey Reggio film and the surrealism of David Lynch. Lowery composes moving images that all make for a poignant film. It is upsetting, strange and truly a bold piece of work. However one interprets this wondrous picture, the message delivered by the of end of this film is very powerful. Be warned: this film is not for the faint of hearts.

8.) Logan Lucky (Directed by Steven Soderbergh)

In a another piece of confession, I have not witnessed any of the works of Steven Soderbergh prior to this film. But having heard nothing but praise and being fascinated by his rise as director, I went in with great anticipation and boy did I have a great time. Truthfully, I haven’t laughed this much at a comedy in quite a while. Whether it is the hilarious delivery from actors, the tension at play during heist scenes or Soderbergh’s independent applications, Logan Lucky is a tremendously different and clever breed of a crime caper and practically the feel-good film of the year.

7.) Wonder Woman (Directed by Patty Jenkins)

Given my huge disappointment with how DC films were being handled, I was very apprehensive in seeing this. However, after the first half an hour, all I could do was just breath a huge sigh of relief because of Jenkins fantastic direction with this superhero outing. Is it formulaic? Like all superhero films, yes it is. But this has more heart, substance, style, great film-making and a thoughtful message above all else. The film reminded me of Richard Donner’s Superman films in their charm, tone, sense of fun and wonder and Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy in their maturity and grittiness. Wonder Woman is ultimately a sight to behold.

6.) Logan (Directed by James Mangold)

This is probably the film to signal the beginning of the end for the superhero genre itself. Even though I have enjoyed quite a few outings this year, I have been starting to feel a sense of fatigue for the genre, which will inevitably come to an end sometime, much like how the western did decades ago. The X-Men series had its highs and lows but has, nevertheless, persevered. Thanks to Mangold’s film-making and his blending of the western, science fiction and neo-noir and the gut-wrenching performances from both Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart, this is not only the best X-Men film but the best comic book film since The Dark Knight.

5.) War for the Planet of the Apes (Directed by Matt Reeves)

It’s very rare for a final film in a trilogy to accomplish a task that provides a worthy conclusion. Thankfully, War for the Planet of the Apes, proves to be one of those rare occasions. Matt Reeves constructs a piece that not only stands well on its own but also provides a spectacular end to the story of our main ape, Caesar, and does so in a emotionally satisfying manner. On top of that, Reeves expertly blends spectacle with, character, narrative, jaw-dropping visuals and emotion to provide a blockbuster that will be remembered in years to come.

4.) The Florida Project (Directed by Sean Baker)

While I have not seen Baker’s previous works, I was completely blown away by The Florida Project. It is impossible to determine how much of this film was improvised (like other independent works of the past) or how much of the film was written, which makes it all the more a fascinating watch. Taking cues from Jim Jarmusch, Vittorio De Sica and David Lynch, it mixes the harsh realist settings with the colourful visual tone of the story. This is independent film-making at its most visually gorgeous.

3.) Baby Driver (Directed by Edgar Wright)

Even though one actor in this cast has lost my respect given the recent horrifying scandal going on in Hollywood right now, it doesn’t take away my enjoyment and love for Baby Driver. Edgar Wright is at his best as he crafts a spectacular piece of guilty pleasure with truly masterful film-making. Wright directs a film, which is practically ridiculous for the right reasons. All that ridiculousness serves the edge-of-your-seat action, characters and narrative, which is why Baby Driver is one of the most creative action movies I have seen in recent memory.

2.) Blade Runner 2049 (Directed by Denis Villeneuve)

When I first heard that they were making a sequel to one of my favourite films of all time, I was terrified...but Villeneuve has done the impossible and has made a worthy sequel that may even be cinematically better than the original Blade Runner. At first, I was not sure how to digest it, but then the more I thought about it, the more I loved it. The film wastes no time with nostalgia (although there are a few tidbits here and there) and tells a story in a way that is visually gratifying, and answers questions left from the first film while also leaving some new ones. Villeneuve makes every image in the film matter as he transports us into this authentic, apocalyptic, yet beautiful world Ridley Scott envisioned.

1.) Dunkirk (Directed by Christopher Nolan)

Truthfully, I am a huge suck-up when it comes Christopher Nolan. Nevertheless, (having seen it on 70mm IMAX) I just wasn’t prepared for the cinematic experience of Dunkirk through its grand-scale film-making. This was the most intense experience I have ever had in a cinema given its manipulation of both sound and images (thus giving it a feeling of virtual reality).This is the film where Nolan shows his true mastery in the art of film-making, whether it is through the script, genre-bending narrative, editing, practical effects, sound, score and so on. Nolan channels the ambition of David Lean, the precision of Steven Spielberg, the suspense of Alfred Hitchcock, and the craftsmanship of Stanley Kubrick. Dunkirk is a breathtaking masterpiece that is not to be missed.

0 notes

kcaruth · 7 years

Text

Most Anticipated Films of 2017

Can you believe that we are already in the second month of 2017? What better time is there to talk about my most anticipated films for this year? I thought I would take a break from the rankings on this one and simply go through the films in the order of their release dates. Let’s get started!

The LEGO Batman Movie

2014′s The LEGO Movie was a surprising hit, and Batman was a big part of that success. As a result, he now gets to star in his own LEGO movie. Is it sad that this has a higher chance of being the better Batman movie than DC’s Batman flick at this point?

Logan

If Oscars could be awarded for trailers alone, Logan would be a front-runner with that Johnny Cash masterpiece. Logan has a very distinctive feel to it that is quite separate from the X-Men film universe, which might turn out to be a really good thing. Let’s be honest: Who is actually able to keep track of that all over the place timeline from the main films anyway? This Last of Us inspired solo film looks like it will do justice to the character of Wolverine and be a fitting sendoff for actor Hugh Jackman.

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast was not one of my favorite Disney movies when I was growing up, but this live-action film looks gorgeous. Emma Watson, beautiful as always, is the perfect fit for Belle, and the voice acting for the servants sounds like it is going to be spot-on. The music sounds great too. All signs seem to point to Disney having another hit on its hands.

The Circle

Let’s follow up Beauty and the Beast with another Emma Watson film, The Circle. Based on Dave Eggers’ 2013 novel of the same name, The Circle imagines what the world would be like if a powerful and influential technology company like Google took control and created a surveillance society, leaving no room for privacy in the digital age. The book was written well enough that it was hard to put down, so I hope the film is just as good, if not better.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

The first Guardians of the Galaxy film was an overwhelming success for Marvel. With C-list characters that casual fans had never even heard of, the first Guardians paved the way for other characters like Ant-Man to have their own films. The chemistry between the actors looks even better than before, and the Soul Stone might make an appearance and be the connecting tissue between the Guardians and the Avengers. I doubt this Guardians sequel will buck the trend of Marvel’s less than memorable villains, but it should be a hilarious, entertaining ride with another stellar soundtrack nonetheless.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

In the fifth film of the series, Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow searches for the trident of Poseidon while Javier Bardem’s Captain Salazar hunts him down. Geoffrey Rush’s Captain Barbossa will also turn up again, and Orlando Bloom’s Will Turner will make his return after being absent from the fourth installment. Who knows? Kiera Knightley’s Elizabeth Swan may also make a surprise appearance. I will be the first to admit that I was not a fan of On Stranger Tides. It was so forgettable that the only details I remember were mermaids were in it and Penelope Cruz was a new addition to the cast. I wish the series would go back to what made it so enjoyable in the first film, but the trailer for Dead Men Tell No Tales indicates that it would prefer to spiral further into mysticism and supernatural ghost crews. To be honest, I am only anticipating this film because of three reasons: (1) I want to see if it turns out to be any better than On Stranger Tides, (2) I miss the character of Captain Jack Sparrow, and (3) I am interested to see how Will Turner is doing in his stint as captain of the Flying Dutchman.

Wonder Woman

DC desperately needs this film to do well. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad were both a mess. Wonder Woman gives DC the opportunity to scale things down a bit and focus on one single superhero. With Patty Jenkins at the helm as director, I am optimistic that Wonder Woman can follow in the footsteps of the first Captain America movie and turn out to be a fun blockbuster film with World War I as its setting. Now who else has Wonder Woman’s theme stuck in their head?

Spider-Man: Homecoming

One qualm before we move ahead: the above scene is a ripoff of the train scene in Spider-Man 2. Now that we have gotten that out of the way, it is nice to see Marvel gain control of Spider-Man again. Was I asking for yet another reboot of the classic comic book hero? No. Personally, I liked Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in the last series. There is no hiding the Amazing Spider-Man movies’ flaws, but they had their tremendously well executed moments too, most memorably this spoiler. However, this new reboot already has some good things going for it. Tom Holland killed it in Captain America: Civil War, and it is going to be great to see Robert Downey, Jr. come in as Tony Stark/ Iron Man as Peter Parker’s mentor. Let’s just hope that Michael Keaton’s Vulture is not Electro-level goofy as a villain.

Dunkirk

Slap Christopher Nolan’s name on a film, and tons of people are going to wait in line to see it. Nolan is the kind of director that can make the audience feel immersed in the world, and Dunkirk looks to be no different. The cinematography should be amazing, and Hans Zimmer should bring an epic score to the film. The fact that filming took place at the same location as the real historical evacuation during World War II only adds to the excitement for this war thriller.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Matthew Vaughn′s Kingsman: The Secret Service was one of my favorite films of 2015. The action was thrilling, the humor was hilarious, the soundtrack was amazing, and the acting was excellent but over the top when it needed to be to fit the film’s tone. Did I want a sequel? No, but I won’t be complaining so long as it does not tarnish the first film.

Blade Runner 2049

I did not see the original Blade Runner until my sophomore year of college. I did not come away loving it, but I appreciated it for what it was, especially for its notable moments like Roy Batty’s “Tears in Rain” monologue. Yet again, I have to ask: Did I want a sequel? No, but Denis Villeneuve, the masterful director of Prisoners, Sicario, and Arrival, has been turning everything he touches into gold lately. Plus, Roger Deakins is handling cinematography responsibilities, Harrison Ford is returning, and Johann Johannsson is teaming up with Villeneuve once again to compose the score.

Thor: Ragnarok

Thor’s films can be utterly dull at some points, but the addition of the Hulk and Doctor Strange should add a much needed kick to Thor’s third solo film.

Justice League

DC has been rushing toward this film, and its track record so far does not leave much room for optimism. Fans can only hope that Zack Snyder can pull it all together and do justice to the comic book characters we grew up loving. I am most interested to see how he will introduce franchise newbies Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg.

Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi

You didn’t think I would finish this list without mentioning Star Wars, did you? Disney and Lucasfilm recently revealed the title for Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. That sent off a wave of speculation. Why is the font red instead of the traditional yellow? Who is the last Jedi? Is it Luke? Will Luke die leaving Rey to be the last Jedi? Jedi can be singular or plural, so does that mean they will both survive? After the somewhat disappointing Rogue One, I am just ready to return to the main episodic storyline where we last left our beloved characters. Both the Resistance and the First Order will be scrambling, with Hosnian Prime decimated and Starkiller Base destroyed. Poe and Finn will probably go off on a mission together while Luke trains Rey, paralleling Snoke’s training of Kylo Ren. Hopefully, we will learn more about the mysterious Snoke and get to see some of the other Knights of Ren. I also hope we will get to see Luke in action as a central character of the film after we only got to see him for the last minute of The Force Awakens, and I have to wonder how they will handle Leia after the saddening, unexpected passing of Carrie Fisher. Tears will undoubtedly be shed when she first appears in the film. In the end, I trust that Disney and Lucasfilm will handle the character with respect for Fisher’s legacy. These 300-odd days will fly by before we know it, and we will all be back in that galaxy far, far away once again.

0 notes

writemarcus · 3 years

Text

NYPL Billy Rose Theatre Division Will Celebrate 90 Years with I'M STILL HERE Virtual Benefit

I'm Still Here will feature never before publicly shown archival content of Broadway productions from the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive,

by BWW News Desk

May. 27, 2021

I'm Still Here, a new virtual benefit for The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' Billy Rose Theatre Division, will stream on Broadway On Demand on June 23.

The evening is a celebration of the division's 90th Anniversary, and the 50th Anniversary of its beloved Theatre on Film and Tape Archive and will honor Harold Prince and George C. Wolfe.

Tickets to the fundraiser will be donate-what-you-can, with a recommendation of at least $19.31 in honor of the year the division was founded. To purchase tickets, visit stillhereat90.com

I'm Still Here will feature never before publicly shown archival content of Broadway productions from the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive, shown exclusively for this occasion, including Savion Glover, Jimmy Tate, Choclattjared and Raymond King in Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk, Meryl Streep, Marcia Gay Harden and Larry Pine in The Seagull, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Robin de Jesús, Christopher Jackson, Karen Olivo, Andréa Burns, Janet Dacal, Eliseo Román, Seth Stewart in In The Heights, Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard, and even more to be announced. The program will also feature interviews with Broadway legends and emerging creatives and reconceived performances of classic musical theatre songs, including "A Trip to the Library," "Wheels of a Dream," "Another Hundred People," "Love Will Find a Way," "I'm Still Here," and more.

I'm Still Here features artists and figures from the theatre community including Annaleigh Ashford (Sunday in the Park with George), Alexander Bello (Caroline, or Change), Laura Benanti (She Loves Me), Malik Bilbrew, Alexandra Billings (Wicked), Susan Birkenhead (Jelly's Last Jam), Shay Bland, Stephanie J. Block (The Cher Show), Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice), Matthew Broderick (Plaza Suite), Krystal Joy Brown (Hamilton), David Burtka ("A Series of Unfortunate Events"), Sammi Cannold (Endlings), Ayodele Casel (Chasing Magic), Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza), Max Clayton (Moulin Rouge!), Calvin L. Cooper (Mrs. Doubtfire), DeMarius Copes (Mean Girls), Trip Cullman (Choir Boy), Taeler Elyse Cyrus (Hello, Dolly!), Quentin Earl Darrington (Once on This Island), Robin de Jesús (In the Heights), André De Shields (Hadestown), Frank DiLella (NY1), Derek Ege, Amina Faye, Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles), Leslie Donna Flesner (Tootsie), Chelsea P. Freeman, Joel Grey (Cabaret), Ryan J. Haddad ("The Politician"), Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof), James Harkness (Ain't Too Proud), Marcy Harriell (Company), Neil Patrick Harris (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Mark Harris ("Mike Nichols: A Life"), David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly), Cassondra James (Once on This Island), Marcus Paul James (Rent), Taylor Iman Jones (Hamilton), Maya Kazzaz, Tom Kirdahy (The Inheritance), Hilary Knight, Michael John LaChiusa (The Wild Party), Norman Lear (Good Times), Baayork Lee (A Chorus Line), Sondra Lee (Hello, Dolly!), Telly Leung (Aladdin), Ashley Loren (Moulin Rouge!), Allen René Louis ("Jimmy Kimmel Live!"), Brittney Mack (Six), Taylor Mac (Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus), Morgan Marcell, Aaron Marcellus ("American Idol"), Joan Marcus, Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), Sarah Meahl, Joanna Merlin (Fiddler on the Roof), Ruthie Ann Miles (Sunday in the Park with George), Bonnie Milligan (Head Over Heels), Rita Moreno (West Side Story), Leilani Patao (Garden Girl), Nova Payton (Dreamgirls), Joel Perez (Kiss My Aztec), Bernadette Peters (Into the Woods), Tonya Pinkins (Jelly's Last Jam), Jacoby Pruitt, Sam Quinn, Phylicia Rashad (A Raisin in the Sun), Jelani Remy (Ain't Too Proud), Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (Beetlejuice), George Salazar (Be More Chill), Marilyn Saunders (Company), Marcus Scott (Fidelio), Rashidra Scott (Company), Rona Siddiqui (Tales of a Halfghan), Ahmad Simmons, Rebecca Taichman (Indecent), Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home), Bobby Conte Thornton (Company), Sergio Trujillo (On Your Feet), Kei Tsuruharatani (Jagged Little Pill), Ben Vereen (Pippin), Jack Viertel, Christopher Vo, Paula Vogel (Indecent), Nik Walker (Ain't Too Proud), Shannon Fiona Weir, Helen Marla White (Ain't Misbehavin'), NaTasha Yvette Williams ("Orange is the New Black") and Ricardo Zayas (Hamilton).

"From the Great Depression of the 1930s to the COVID crisis, the Billy Rose Theatre Division perseveres and preserves the greatest treasures of theatrical history," said Doug Reside, the Lewis and Dorothy Cullman Curator of the Billy Rose Theatre Division. "As I look back on the last 90 years of our history, I'm struck by how our division has managed to document almost every aspect of the creative process and the people who bring theatre to life. I am so grateful for the opportunity to celebrate our first 90 years in such spectacular fashion, and to the theatre community for its support. As we plan for the next 90 years and beyond, my hope is that the collection continues to grow and flourish and reflect the diversity of voices that have shaped the theatre as we know it and are shaping its future."

"The Billy Rose Theatre Division has served as the collective memory for our community by capturing the ephemeral nature of our unique art form. Until we can all experience the joy of live theater again, we are thrilled to look back into the archives to highlight theatrical masterpieces from their vast collection," said producers Julie Boardman and Nolan Doran. "Our hope is to raise funds to ensure the archives remain accessible to future theatre makers for generations to come."

The virtual benefit is produced and conceived by co-founder of the upcoming Museum of Broadway and four-time Tony nominee Julie Boardman (Company) and Co-Executive Producer of Broadway For Biden Nolan Doran (Head Over Heels), featuring direction by Steve Broadnax (Thoughts Of A Colored Man), Sammi Cannold (Endlings), Nick Corley (Plaza Suite), Grammy Award Winner Ty Defoe (Straight White Men), Drama Desk winner Lorin Latarro (Waitress), Mia Walker (Jagged Little Pill) and Tony Award winner Jason Michael Webb (Choir Boy), choreography by Ayodele Casel (Chasing Magic), Lorin Latarro and Ray Mercer (The Lion King), with new music arranged by ASCAP Award winner Rachel Dean (Medusa) and Annastasia Victory (A Wonderful World), with arrangements and orchestrations by Brian Usifer (Frozen). Casting is by Peter Van Dam at Tara Rubin Casting.

Tony Marx is the president of The New York Public Library, William Kelly is the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Research Libraries, Jennifer Schantz is the Barbara G. and Lawrence A. Fleischman Executive Director of the Library for the Performing Arts, and Doug Reside is the Lewis and Dorothy Cullman Curator of the Billy Rose Theatre Division. Patrick Hoffman is the curator of the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive. Henry Tisch serves as Associate Producer and Travis Waldschmidt is Associate Choreographer. Animation and Motion Graphics by Kate Freer, Graphic Design by Caitlin Whittington, Sean MacLaughlin is Director of Photography and Ian Johnston is B Camera Operator. Dylan Tashjian is Onsite Coordinator with COVID compliance by Lauren Class Schneider.

#Marcus Scott #MarcusScott #Lincoln Center #Theatre on Film and Tape Archive #NYPL #new york public library #George C Woolfe #Harold Prince

0 notes