Vice

Vice is the Dick Cheney biography directed by Adam McKay who also directed The Big Short. It shows Cheney's ascension from expelled college drunk to Vice President of the United States. 

The storytelling was pretty powerful. There were things unveiled that I had no idea about. I never realized how much control Cheney had during the Bush presidency nor how much he was involved in orchestrating the Iraq war and all of its humanitarian crimes. This movie did a great job of portraying the former VP in a way where you could see all of his conniving and manipulating tactics to the point where you almost feel bad for former President Bush.

The acting from Christian Bale, as the central character, was quite impressive. I would not have been mad if he won the Best Actor Oscar. His mannerisms, the makeup, hair and costumes were all on point. Amy Adams, who portrayed Cheney’s wife, was also great. She was unrecognizable and did a masterful job of portraying a king maker of sorts. Additionally, Steve Carell was a surprising yet very entertaining Donald Rumsfeld. I thought he did a really great job bringing the humor to this dark satirical dramity (dramatic comedy). On the more disappointing end of the casting, I was confused as to why Sam Rockwell was cast as George W. Bush. He didn’t look anything like him, he was too small and couldn’t capture his voice or his essence. The way he portrayed him was generic, I felt like his acting could have been any random person. Perhaps it was partially the makeup departments’ fault, who focused so much on Bale & Adams that he was just swept him under the rug.

The cinematography and specifically the editing were weird and didn’t make much sense at times. As a joke, the director randomly added end credits in the middle of the movie, but it went a little too long and in the end wasn't very funny. Additionally, I wasn’t a huge fan of the choice to include a narrator throughout the film. I think the film would have been better if it was more of a straight forward story telling.

With all that said, I still felt like the movie was good. Not Best Picture at the Oscars good nor good enough to catch in theaters but good enough to watch from home. I found it to be quite eye opening and informative. It just needed better editing and a couple of re-casts.

Mary Queen of Scotts

Mary Queen of Scotts is a historical drama starring Saoirse Ronan as Mary Stuart and Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth I.

It was an interesting plot. I’ve seen a lot of movies and TV shows focused on the Tutor era, from the perspective of the English monarchs, so it was refreshing to see a version from the Scottish perspective. The story itself was slow moving at first and it was hard to catch on. However, once the script picked up, it was much more engaging.

I thought that the costume design, set design and makeup were all put together perfectly for the time period. It was proper transportation to the post-middle ages 16th century.

It was great to see another strong female driven story, with Robbie and especially Ronan portraying their characters in a very believable way. The movie focused more on Ronan’s character, and she was able to deliver in taking that lead and really anchoring this movie. I thought that the character development for the two female leads was also done also well. You were able to connect to the characters and see how smart they were.  I also liked seeing the chess moves they had to make to keep their respective roles in their male driven worlds.

In the end, I thought that the movie was good but wasn’t great. It wasn’t one that made a lasting impact therefore, for those that enjoy historical dramas, I’d say wait for this one on video.

Widows

Widows is a crime drama about four women who have to make life changing decisions after their husbands are murdered during a robbery gone bad. 

The movie stars Viola Davis as one of the widows. I thought that this was a role unlike anything else she has done before. The background and the character development primarily focused on her which was thought out pretty well. I would have liked it if they had expanded on the other characters, especially that of her husband, played by Liam Neeson, and the other widows.

I liked the amount of diversity within the cast. I also found it pretty interesting that there were so many Hollywood stars in this film. I don't recall this movie getting a lot of press so to see people like Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell and Black Panthers, Daniel Kaluuya, in this movie was pretty surprising. They were all in unexpected roles but they portrayed their parts well.

Additionally, I appreciated how this story just jumps right into it. There wasn’t a lot of buildup needed as it was clear what the story was about. The writers were able to give the viewer a unique plot twist on the typical bank robbery story. There were some surprises within the movie that were pretty good and even though the ending was a little predictable, I still enjoyed it.

Overall I thought that the movie was an interesting Set It Off kind of movie, full of suspense and drama. If you are into this type of genera then I would recommend checking this one out.

The Favourite

The Favourite is a historical period drama set in early 1700's England. Based roughly on a true story of a love triangle between Queen Ann and two of her servants.

This fantastic all-woman leading cast starred Olivia Colman as Queen Anne, an emotional, easily manipulated, insecure woman, longing of love and admiration. Rachel Weisz as Lady Sarah, the confident, controlling, smart politically savvy cousin to Abigail played by Emma Stone. A lady who had fallen from grace who was ambitious and cutthroat. Doing whatever she could to advance her position and be in the queen’s favor. All three women brought very diverse and strong performances. All worthy of their Oscar nominations.

I thought that plot was interesting but moved kind of slow. The soundtrack was very heavily classical, lots of organ use, it felt like church music. It wasn’t my favorite but it was appropriate for the movie

The cinematography and editing were pretty good, additionally the costumes and sets were beautifully authentic. Overall this was an interesting movie but I don’t think it was worthy of an Oscar Best Picture nomination. This would be one that I would have only wanted to watch at home.

Ant-Man and The Wasp

Ant-Man and The Wasp is the sequel to 2015's Ant-Man. Picking up after Captain American Civil War, it follows Scott Lang, Ant-Man, as he has to deal with the consequences of working with Captain America and how it will impact a decision he has to make on if he will participate in an urgent mission.

I thought that the plot was simple and easy to follow. The script was well written and at times quite funny. I liked getting the backstories on some of the other characters that weren't brought up in the original movie. All of the cast was put together well. I thought that the villain had an interesting story-line and was more of an antagonist, which was a nice twist. Additionally, I really enjoyed Michelle Pfeiffer’s contribution to the team. She hasn't been in something like this since 1989's Batman so I really liked her role.

The fight scenes and action sequences were entertaining. The ending was pretty predicable but the director gave the desired outcome. In the end, I don’t think that this movie was a good as the original but I did still think it was a well-made Marvel movie. If you are looking for something lighthearted and fun, this could be the one for you. Just make sure to watch the original Ant-Man and Captain American Civil War first.

The Wife

The Wife is a drama starring Glenn Close as Joan Castleman, the spouse and support system to writer, Joe Castleman, played by Jonathan Pryce. When Joe is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, it triggers something in Joan, as she starts to reflect on her life and the sacrifices that she has had to make to help her husband become a success.

I thought that the plot was interesting and felt very realistic. It was an honest depiction of unhealthy relationships. The character development of the main characters, Joan, Joe and their son, David, were well done. It showed Joe as the charismatic, untrustworthy dependent, Joan as the introverted mother, protector, and someone who was always trying to please in the relationship and David as the young man desperate for his father’s approval. I appreciated seeing the complexity in all of their relationships. For me Glenn Close stole the show. She did such an amazing job portraying the lead role. It was emotionally powerful throughout, even in the quite moments, you could see in her face, the conflicted feelings that she was having toward her husband and her strong desire to be supportive to her children. It was so well done there was no dialogue needed. She is definitely deserving of all of the Best Actress nominations that she has been receiving as of late.

The only issue that I had with this movie was that it was very slow moving. I didn’t provide any type of climax until the last 20 minutes of the movie. It ended up delivering something completely surprising and not quite gratifying, for the viewer, in its close. But that felt like an honest reflection of life, you don’t always get you want or what you deserve in the end.

For those looking for strong dramatic performances, this could be the one for you. Just know that the movie is a bit dry.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody is the Queen biography. If focuses on their formation and more specifically Freddie Mercury's addition to the band, up until the Live Aid concert.

The living members of Queen were heavily involved in his bio-pic so it was a fairly accurate adaptation. Some artistic liberties were taken to make the movie more dramatic but if you didn’t do the research after the fact, like I did, you would never have known. The plot still transitioned naturally, was very interesting and realistic.

I thought that the script was well written and the casting was impeccable. They were basically doppelgangers of the original band members. They all did a great job playing off of one another but  Rami Malek was the star of the show. He embodied Mercury in such a way that you really felt transported to the time. The costumes were also practically replicas of the original outfits.

Additionally the soundtrack was fantastic. As a fan of Queen’s music it was cool to see how some of their songs were created. I would have loved to have had Under Pressure and/or Bicycled Race added to the playlist but overall there was a very large amount of the bands catalogue that made it to the film.

The only issue I had was a desire for more in the backstory of Mercury and the rest of the band. Because of that the character development was lacking for the cast. I know that the director had a specific time frame in mind that he wanted to capture for the movie, but I would have liked some additional context to feel more connected to the characters.

Overall, this was a well-made bio-pic, Rami Malek deserves all of the accolades that he is currently receiving for his acting and the film also deserves its Best Picture nominations. Even if you aren’t a fan of Queen, I still think that this is a great movie to see.

A Star Is Born

A Star Is Born is the 3rd remake of the 1937 original. It stars Bradley Cooper, in his directorial debut, and Lady Gaga in her first feature film. Cooper plays Jack, a famous country singer-songwriter who is struggling with addiction and Gaga plays Ally, a singer-songwriter who hasn’t been given a shot until she meets Jack, by chance, at a bar. 

I thought that the editing was powerful. Not only during the on stage performances, but also the subtleties that were added though out, really make a strong impact on the movie. Additionally, the script was well written and the original soundtrack was really good. It was more diverse than I had anticipated. And even though I’m not a huge fan of country music, I still enjoyed those particular tracks.

The acting for me was by far the most impressive. Cooper and Gaga had amazing chemistry, they were both complicated and flawed. He the controlling, aggressive, functioning addict. And she the more reserved, insecure singer who evolves into a independent, strong-willed, star. I thought that Cooper did a really great job in this role. He brought the struggles, pain and tragedy to Jack. He also had a very impressive singing voice. Gaga for me though, stole the show. In her first movie, she did a fabulous job. In a lot of interviews she talks about how she wanted to portray something different than her real-life, on stage persona and I think she captured that with Ally. I also think that she does deserve all of the accolades that she is currently receiving.

I had some problems with the plot, it felt like, especially in the beginning, it romanticized an unhealthy relationship. The characters had a very fast romance, which in normal circumstances I would not have an issue with, but with this film I was able to pick up pretty easily how Jack was kind-of stalker-ish. However, in this romantic bubble the director tries to make it seem okay how he aggressively peruses Ally. I think if there was some more context and time spent in the earlier moments between the two of them, it wouldn’t have felt as uncomfortable. As the movie went on though, and you see how their relationship evolves, and it did feel more authentic.

Overall, I thought that the movie was full of passion and emotion. It addresses so many real issues of today including addiction, abuse and suicide. It also shows what perseverance though those hurdles looks like. It’s one that, in the end, really pulls at those heart strings, so get your tissues ready. This is a good one.

Green Book

Green Book is the Academy Award nominated comedy-drama based on the true story of an unlikely friendship during the racially contentious 1960s. It stars Mahershala Ali as African-American pianist Don Shirley and Viggo Mortensen as Tony Vallelonga, an Italian-American bouncer who served as Shirley's driver and bodyguard during his concert tour of the Deep South. 

The story was one that I hadn’t heard before, so I found the plot to be very interesting. The script was honest, smart and funny. The character development was done so well that you are really able to understand these characters. Mortensen and Ali had great chemistry and worked well off of each other. I really connected to Ali's character. He played something so different than what I have seen of him in the past. He was emotionally conflicted, brave, intelligent, and carried himself with poise and class. I thought that it was incredibly well done. He definitely deserves all of the accolades that he is receiving right now.

Additionally, the material was intense but laid out in a tasteful way. There were great themes all throughout the film, one in particular that I thought was powerful was when one of members of Shirley’s trio band said, “it takes courage to change people’s hearts”. What Dr. Shirley was doing by playing piano in the Deep South was bigger than him and he knew it.

This movie had it all, great acting, plot and script. It’s a true, heartwarming, American story that all should see.

Robin Hood

Robin Hood is a new spin on the classic, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, staring Taron Egerton and Jamie Foxx. The action adventure follows Robin of Loxley, a Lord drafted to become a Crusader and later a vigilante.

The plot was interesting but incredibly predictable. The script was corny and poorly written.

The costumes, locations and weapons were all modernized but I couldn’t tell what era we were even in. It was confusing and didn’t make sense. It also had more of an Assassins Creed vibe than a traditional Robin Hood feel.

The character development was weak and the acting was terrible. There were two actors in particular, Jamie Foxx and Eve Hewson, who couldn’t even keep their accents the entire time. It was a huge disappointment to see Foxx in this role. For someone with his caliber of talent it felt like he wasn’t even trying.

One of the only good things about this movie was that the fight scenes were high action and fun. That alone, however, was not enough to save this move. Save two hours of your life and avoid this movie at all costs.