Everything Everywhere All at Once

Plot: [imdb] [photos] Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeah) with her teen daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) and husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) are having tax troubles. At the IRS, Waymond suddenly changes into a dynamic secret-agent hero from a parallel universe. Soon Evelyn travels to the other universe and where she has talents & abilities that she doesn't have on earth. 

Joy's alt-universe counterpart is just as jaded and alienated as earth-bound Joy, but with radically more power and fearsome fighting skills. Evelyn and Waymond try to stay alive while making up with Joy and trying to get out their IRS audit on earth. 

Review: I liked Everything Everywhere All at Once. It ping-pongs from one family's sad life running a laundromat to super-power people trying to save each other and the world. 

It has a fast-paced exciting energy that is just fun. 

Naturally none of this makes sense, but then does our post-pandemic war-torn world actually make sense? Some universes are scary, and some are silly. In one universe Joy and Evelyn are just rocks, wordlessly communicating while sitting on seaside cliff. 

In the end, the movie is about seeing the world from other people's point of view; letting go and trying something new.

Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis

Directed by: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (known collectively as The Daniels)

Written by: The Daniels

The Music: Cool and innovative modern electronic music by Son Lux. Son Lux is primarily a solo project of Ryan Lott. The sound track includes contributions from David Byrne, Andre 3000 and Randy Newman. 

The Visuals: Wild. A roller-coaster. As fantastic as the story is, so are the visuals.  

Rating: 3.5 stars: I wanna see it again. 

More: Critic Clint Worthington writes: "the living contradiction that is the everything bagel: if you put everything on a bagel, what more is left? And if you've experienced everything that the multiverse can offer, what's the point of any of it?"

Even More: One Daniel (Kwan) said the everything bagel "called us to talk about nihilism without being too eye roll-y. First people think the bagel will destroy the world, but later "you realize it's a depressed person trying to destroy themselves. It just takes everything about action movies, and turns it into something more personal."  

Yet More: Jackie Chan was the original choice for the main character. The Daniels re-wrote it for a woman and cast Michelle Yeoh. Awkwafina was originally cast as Joy. 

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Joker

Plot: Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a down-and-out clown living with his mom in 1960's era Gotham City. He works a comedy clubs, events at stores, and at children's hospitals. He gets beaten up, robbed, and loses his gigs at store events, then at the comedy club, and then at the hospital. He seems to make friends with a girl (Zazie Beetz) in his apartment, and he talks to his mom (Frances Conroy) too. He gets beat up on the subway, and then lashes back. He believes the world is against him, and forces his anger on rich people like Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen). A clip of his gets picked up by a national talk show host, and he appears on the show. This leads to the final scenes.    [imdb]    [photos]

Review: Always interesting, sometimes gripping, and jarring: this is the most serious, comic book movie every. It is a character study of a larger-than-life personality getting shit on and then unravelling. Joaquin Phoenix.

Joker is not fun to watch, but it is highly evocative. One can emote while watching, and feel have compassion with Arthur.

I liked it a lot. 

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Frances Conroy, Zazie Beetz, Robert De Niro

Directed by: Todd Phillips

Written by: Todd Phillips and Scott Silver

The Music: Dark and brooding tracks by Hildur Guonadottir with some muted rock classics during the final riot scenes. 

The Visuals: Consistently carefully crafted and moody shots. 

Rating: 4.0 stars: .

More: .

Even More: .

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Star Wars IX -- Rise of Skywalker

Plot: Emperor Palpatine returns and revels to Kylo Sen that he is the 'force' behind the departed leader Snoke. He tells Kylo to go kill Rey. Meanwhile Rey learns that Palpatine is alive and has a hidden armada for ships. Rey and the boys go look for him, leading to the final final battle. 

Review: I had to see this movie. Watching the nine Star Wars movies is/was a life task for me. I started watching these movies in the 42 years ago. Whoever thought they would finish the movies?

Years ago, Lucas said the final trilogy was about building a new better republic, that is the first trilogy was about the rise of the Empire, the second on the fall of the empire, and the third on the rise a new republic. This was like Asmov's Foundation Trilogy with the third book about the rise of galactic government run by psychologists not politicians.

I wonder if Lucas had notes on the plot for episode 9. He is not credited on the screenplay.

In my own mind, I wondered what would be the best government for a galaxy, and how would you make a story from that. Is it like Rome, or Athens, like the UN of Episode 1, or like the rebel alliance in Episode 7 or 8? Is there really no utopia?

The actual 9th movie leaves us with the fall of the empire in form of the long-delayed death of actual emperor from episode 1. I love the continuity closing the series with the original villain's death. In terms of politics, we see a new confederation of independent planets willing to support the battle against the empire.

More realistically, the story at the end of episode nine is where it was after episode six. The empire is dead, and the galactic order is in flux. A tabula rasa for more stories.

The creation of utopian government is probably not a commercial plot for a movie, and this is not the end. No, no, there is going be a well-spring of Star Wars media probably forever.

Anyway.

Did I like this movie? Yes. We got a group of likable heroes flying around, fighting against long odds, and defeating tyrannical bad guys. They used to say that Darth Vader was the ultimate villain, but really Ian McDiarmid is. He does a great job with the Emperor.

I could have used a bit more soap opera drama among the characters.

Cast: Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe, Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux, Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine

Directed by: JJ Abrams

Written by: JJ Abrams, Chris Terrio, Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly

The Music: I am tired of composer John Williams. I did appreciate the old themes dancing around once in a while. I don't need so much continuity. 

The Visuals: There are some well-composed and beautiful scenes. Of course, the special effects are superb. 

Rating: 3.0 stars: .

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Little Women

Plot: . [imdb]    [photos]

Review: Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Meg (Emma Watson) Amy (Florence Pugh) and Beth (Eliza Scanlen) are growing up in a small northern town during the Civil War period. They have family traumas, have romances, travel to Europe, plot to marry wealthy, and Jo writes stories. Jo is clearly based on author Alcott.

The characters are living the novel the Jo is writing, and the snake devours its tail at the end where the 1870's editor gives Jo advise on whether to get married.  I liked this whimsical twist.

The acting is good. The story is not too demanding. I might have appreciated a few more historical details, but generally this is a feel good movie about sisterhood. 

Cast: Sairse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Amy March, Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet, Florence Pugh

Directed by: Greta Gerwig

Written by: Greta Gerwig based on the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott

The Visuals: Great costumes. I loved the colorful and carefree beach scene.

Rating: 3.5 stars: I liked it. 

Minor spoiler: The real author Louisa May Alcott did not marry, and the character in the movie based on her did marry. I assume the character in the novel does too, but I have not checked the book.  Maybe I will.

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Ford v Ferrari

Plot: Ford enlists card designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) to build a car with Ford that could with the 24 hour race in LeMans. Shelby has to play politics with Ford executives, while somewhat anti-social Ken Miles needs to make-nice with Ford to keep his job as a driver.  [imdb]    [photos]

Review: Ford v Ferrari is not a racing story or even a US vs Europe story. It is about Shelby and Miles competing and winning. They struggle with each other, with Ford and with Ferrari's racing.

Christian Bale inhabits the character of Ken Miles and makes him a trouble and realist man. This is the heart of the movie. Shelby is more conventional, and well-acted, but it is not as flashy a performance.

I think the Ford executives were too cartoony, that is, they were simple-minded corporate bad guys to serve as minor villains. 

Cast: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Caitriona Balfe

Directed by: James Mangold

Written by: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, Jason Keller

The Music: OK

The Visuals: The racing scenes were believable and exciting. Some of the race cars themselves seemed cool and fun. 

Rating: 3.5 stars: Well made, but not touching on universal themes 

More: Here are the real Shelby and Miles

Even More: Director Mangold said in IndieWire that:

 On “Ford v Ferrari,” Mangold and his team worked hard in pre-production on figuring out how to stage and shoot racing scenes where the cars and camera reached near-racing speeds — never the 200mph that the real-life cars and drivers the film was based on reached, but getting up into the 140 to 170 mph range when necessary. The reason for this was as much about the performances, specifically Christian Bale’s, as it was about achieving the visceral practical action Mangold loves.

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Shazam!

Plot: 14 year old Billy Batson (Asher Angel) had an encounter with a wizard and became the superhero Shazam (Zachary Levi.) But he is still an immature 14 year old. When supervillian Dr Sivana (Mark Strong) comes after him, Shazam and his foster brother Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) don't know what to do. They keep their identities from their foster family for a while, but then everyone gets into the fight. [imdb]    [photos]

Review: The best part about Shazam is Zachary Levi playing an adult child with superpowers. His joy and discovery is fun to watch: clearly the best part of the movie.  Most of the story is corny, like the wizard and his liar, the smoke monsters, and the evil bad guy Dr Sivana.

The plot is simple enough to be a kid's movie, but it is a little too violent, some mild profanity, and a dark secret about Shazam's birth mom, that make me recommend that <13 year olds stay home. 

Cast: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Kylan Grazer, Mark Strong

Directed by: David F Sandberg

Written by: Henry Gayden based on a story with Darren Lemke

The Visuals: Serviceable special effects - but a little on the simple side.

Rating: 2.5 stars: Good acting from Zachary Levi, but kind of corny otherwise. It's got a kid's movie plot.

 

More: DC's Shazam was also known as Captain Marvel, which is the same name as a different Captain Marvel superhero owned by Disney's Marvel. Hard to understand why there are

Even More: Director Sandberg liked having the adult superhero with a kid's personality, as in the 1988 movie Big. He says: Every kid dreams about becoming a superhero and he actually gets to become that. I keep saying that most superheroes get their superpowers when their adults and when they are in a place where they have these responsibilities and they are sort of weighted down by that. But, with a kid, you get that joy of “Oh shit! I’m a superhero, I can do all these things!”

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Toy Story 4

Plot: It is little girl Bonnie's first day at kindergarten, and she makes a doll she calls Forky from a spork, pipecleaners, and a popsicle stick which she brings home. Bonnie is in love with Forky, but Woody can't convince Forky that Bonnie really needs her. Soon, Forky jumps out of the camper window during Bonnie's family vacation, and Woody goes after him. 

Forky and Woody end up at an antique store where they meets Gabby Gabby and several creepy ventriloquist dummies. After escaping, Woody ends up at a carnival where he meets Bo Peep, who was in one of the earlier movies. They team up to rescue Forky in a complex rescue plan that leads to the happy ending.

  [imdb]    [photos]

Review: I enjoyed Toy Story 4 as I have enjoyed the other three Toy Story Films. I liked it because of the story telling, and the way the toys care about each other.

Forky looks silly, but he becomes a likable childlike character. Reminding us the quality of the CGI is not what drives a movie. 

Woody is worried about becoming obsolete as Bonnie outgrows him. Bo Peep has come to grips with this, and has a developed Carpe Diem attitude. Bo Peep becomes the mastermind and action hero which provides a feminist vibe.

I got caught up in the story, and especially the ending. 

Directed by: Josh Cooley

Written by: 8 people, which is crazy. Still I liked the story.

The Music: Two pop songs by Randy Newman, who also wrote a regular orchestral score.

The Visuals: Exactly what you expected if you saw others in the series. The 3D imaging was good. I liked the scenes of the carnival, and I like the milky images during the closing credits.  

Rating: 3.0 stars: While it was good, I don't know that it was great. The carpe diem message is not so strong that it warrants another ½ star. 

More: Stay for the post-credit sequences.

Even More: I gave Toy Story 3 three and half stars back in 2010. The review is still online. I liked Toy Story Three the best.

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