SAVAGE CINEMA TIME CAPSULE: TOP 50 FAVORITE FILMS 2010-2019-FILMS 40-31

I am so happy to present to you the second installment of my Time Capsule series detailing my top 50 favorite films from the decade of 2010-2019.

As before, the location of full reviews for each film are indicated at the end of each section should you wish to find and read them.

40. "THIS IS THE END"  DIRECTED BY SETH ROGEN & EVAN GOLDBERG (2013)
This "hanging around" movie, one copiously filled with an endless stream of proudly executed profanities and narcotically and scatologically filled vulgarities, was also one of the decade's most inventively raucous and hedonistic comedies.

Seth Rogen and Evan Golberg's ultra-meta film during which Rogen and his merry band of collaborators from the Judd Apatow universe and more, all play wildly exaggerated versions of themselves as they all confront the end of existence itself due to nothing less than The Rapture while holed up inside of James Franco's house is the brilliant brick launched through the stagnant motion picture window. It is a film that constantly surprises and defies expectations while constantly keeping you off guard through fall down on the theater floor comedy as well as legitimate terror and sharp theological debates, especially as Rogen and his friends all wonder why they did not ascend to Heaven and were left on Earth, which is engulfed in Armageddon.

Voluminously nasty, peppered with graphic violence and an honest existential crisis, "This Is The End" was a rarity indeed. It is rare to find a mainstream Hollywood film that is this riotously gleeful to subvert and downright break every possible convention, while also taking their film's concept all the way to the wall and beyond without blinking.
(Originally reviewed July 4, 2013)

39. "ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL"  DIRECTED BY ALFONSO GOMEZ-REJON (2015)
Fully circumventing all of the cliches and standard rhythms of a "disease tearjerker" film with deeply perceptive characters, a heaping amount of unsentimental wit and an emotional rawness that cut straight to the bone, this film let me shattered to the point where I could not move.

The story of an introverted, laconic, emotionally guarded high school Senior (played by Thomas Mann) and his friendships with the titular Earl (RJ Cyler) and his neighbor Rachel (Olivia Cooke), who is dying from Stage 4 Leukemia may seem like a well intentioned but overwrought teen soap  opera but on the contrary, is a scruffier, more acerbic and cinematically inventive affair complete with a non-linear narrative, movie parodies, stop-motion animation and a healthy amount of Brian Eno songs to augment the lives and times of this trio of intelligent, verbose teenagers all faced with a life altering and life ending event.

Yet for all of the razzle dazzle aesthetics, Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon also knows precisely when to strip any sense of artifice away and just allow the characters and story to breathe and subject itself to silences that are piercing, all the while presenting the painful act of wishing to disengage with life just at the moment life is desperately trying to engage with you.
(Originally reviewed July 3, 2015)

38. "CHI-RAQ"  DIRECTED BY SPIKE LEE (2015)
Tackling our nation's gun violence epidemic with a force and fury he hadn't displayed in ages, Spike Lee's audacious satire, which updates the Greek play Lysistrata to 2015 Chicago, was rightfully and righteously explosive.

With a concoction that was equal parts Stanley Kubrick, Milos Forman, Baz Lurhmann and even the 1970's output from Funkadelic, as well as dialogue that is told almost exclusively in verse no less, Lee utilizes his Lysistrata (an excellent Teyonah Parris) and her band of female army to enact a sex strike to hopefully end the gun violence, which at the film's start, has claimed the life of an 11 year old.

Overflowing with raw anger, a cinematic inventiveness that defied easy categorization, wildly bawdy humor and a wrenching mid-film extended monologue from the crusading neighborhood anti-gun activist, Roman Catholic priest, played by a towering John Cusack (who speaks himself nearly hoarse and does the soul of Chicago proud), Spike Lee's "Chi-Raq" is an over-the top film for our over-the top times and it is also thunderously essential viewing.
(Originally reviewed December 9, 2015)

37. "LIFE OF PI" DIRECTED BY ANG LEE (2012)
Magical, magnificent and majestic for the eyes, heart and soul, Ang Lee's metaphysical masterpiece (I love alliteration), adapted from Yann Martel's reportedly unfilmmable novel, is a timeless spiritual odyssey designed to be re-visited and re-experienced over and again.

Yes, the central survival story of young Pi (sensationally played by Suraj Sharma), lost at sea alongside an orangutan, a zebra, a hyena and a tiger named "Richard Parker" is a visual astonishment, where the CGI technology is utilized at its most artistic, as the wonderment we witness is fully representative of Pi's shifting states of sanity and spiritual crisis. But, Lee never allows the technology to overshadow the emotional reach of his film which delves deeply into themes of inter-connectivity, the symbiotic nature between humans, animals and the environment and most importantly, especially as we now all exist in a world where nuance is discouraged, the inter-locked relationship between spirituality and science, for they exist inside of each other while also inspiring both ends of the spectrum.

Beyond even all of those accomplishments, Ang Lee has fashioned a story which is entirely about the art of storytelling itself, and how stories are designed to being essential forms of connective tissue binding us to each other, all living things as well as to our deepest inner selves. Absolutely remarkable, thrilling work that dazzles the eyes, invigorates the mind and satiates the soul
(Originally reviewed November 25, 2012)

36. "LOVE AND MERCY"  DIRECTED BY BILL POHLAD (2015)
A brilliant, multi-layered film housed with a tremendous empathy, Director Bill Pohlad's biopic of The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson fully transcends music as it celebrates Wilson's iconic songs and flies divinely into the heights and depths of the human spirit.

Completely eschewing with the standard "rise, fall and rise" narrative structure, we are given a cross-cutting exploration into Brian Wilson during two crucial periods of his life: the mid to late 1960's creative and chart topping heights and eventual mental breakdown (played in these sections by Paul Dano) and the late 1980's where an over medicated, depressed, psychologically damaged Wilson (played in these sections by John Cusack) is under the full control of of his duplicitous therapist (Paul Giamatti) and hopes to rebuild his life and sanity through the love of a car saleswoman (played by Elizabeth Banks).

The idea of having both Dano and Cusack portray Brian Wilson at different life stages was a masterstroke as each of them not only delivered two of the finest performances of their respective careers, it was truly eerie to see how well they played off of each other while never sharing a scene, completely merging two performances into one man. Even further, these two masterful performances are contained within Pohlad's masterful filmmaking, via stunning Cinematography by Robert Yeoman and Composer Atticus Ross' outstanding sound collage which creates the sensation of living inside of a Beach Boys soundscape, which flows effortlessly through time itself and throughout themes of imprisonment to empowerment, selfishness to selflessness, clarity to madness, the long ranging damages of physical and psychological abuse and the healing powers of love and acceptance.
(Originally reviewed June 12, 2015)

35. "CREED"  DIRECTED BY RYAN COOGLER (2015)
Believe me, I was of the mind that the world never needed another "Rocky" anything ever again, and so who knew that Director Ryan Coogler would enter Sylvester Stallone's conceptual arena and create what is nothing less than the finest installment since "Rocky II" (1979).

What a feat is was for Coogler, to step into the ring, so to speak, and then continue and re-invent the Rocky Balboa chronicles via the character of Adonis Creed (Michael B Jordan), the illegitimate son of the long deceased Apollo Creed, who is wrestling with issues of self-discovery, identity, determining his place in the world and building a legacy while trying to understand the legacy he was born from and lives within the shadow of. Jordan, visibly hungry in this star-making role, turns in a ferocious performance, while Stallone, returning as Rocky, emits a wonderful piece of work as he had not been this natural, loose and honestly affecting in decades--his Oscar nomination was more than deserved.

But "Creed" in its entirety, is truly one of the most unlikely films to succeed so highly with me. As entertaining as it is, it is the honesty and authenticity of the proceedings that makes this film soar. There is not one moment of contrivance as Coogler ensures all of the emotions are as raw and as lived in to the point of being primal. Therefore, we re-connect to why we fell in love with Rocky Balboa in the first place while we simultaneously and instantly become invested in Adonis' journey as "Creed" pays homage and forges ahead with superior class and passion. 
(Originally reviewed December 13, 2015)

34. "CALL ME BY YOUR NAME"  DIRECTED BY LUCA  GUADAGNINO (2017)
This stunning, exquisite coming-of-age romance drama set "somewhere in Northern Italy" during the summer of 1983 is as lush and as languid as a warm, humid, lazy, long summer's day where possibilities seem endless and yet, time itself feels as if it has all but ceased entirely. It is also a film of transformative sexual awakening, fueled by all manner of emotional and existential ideas and ideals that clash, confound and congeal.

Although the film's central relationship between teenager Timothee Chalamet and older graduate student Armie Hammer is homosexual, "Call Me By Your Name" is not necessarily a "coming out coming of age" film. But it is one that will unearth deeply internalized desire(s) that may prove to be as revealing and as painful as they are for the characters. Guadagnino's story delves meticulously into intimate themes of sexuality from repression, confusion, concealment, exuberance, acceptance, anxiety and self-denial, which even then forces the characters, as well as ourselves, to ask the following: What is the truth of myself and what does it mean to deny myself that truth?

"Call Me By Your Name" is an aching, purposefully meandering film, one that invites you to luxuriate in memory and its resplendent sense of timelessness where self-discovery arrives like a puzzle finally completed, which each piece is a mental breadcrumb meant to be re-discovered, leading you to a newfound sense of home.
(Originally reviewed January 26, 2018)

33. "HUGO"  DIRECTED BY MARTIN SCORSESE (2011)
This film might seem to be an unlikely choice to place upon this list but as I remember it and the emotions it stirred, it felt more than natural that it should be included. Yes, indeed, none other than Martin Scorsese made this PG rated children's film but that being said, it is a film that never once plays to the lowest common denominator regarding entertainment directed at our youngest viewers. On the contrary, Scorsese, as would be expected from a filmmaker of his caliber and rightful legend, has created a film experience that is unapologetically artful, demanding and truthfully, a film that could conceivably grow with a young audience...that is, if given the chance to see it.

Based upon the novel by Brian Selznick, the 1930's set "Hugo" finds our titular hero (Asa Butterfield), orphaned, alone and secretly living within the walls of a massive Parisian train station who soon forges crucial relationships with Georges (Ben Kingsley), the mercurial proprietor of the station's toy shop, and the smart, voracious reader Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz), who is also Georges' goddaughter.

Again, Scorsese has constructed an experience that informs audiences that even our smallest viewers deserve nothing less than the best we can provide for them and in terms of movies, he has delivered a sumptuous masterpiece that is superbly child friendly with a simple plot, gorgeously bold colors, stunning motifs of heart shaped keys and all manner of gears and lustrous moving parts, a child hero and heroine to root for and deeply emotional messages of community, friendship and family. Visually immersive and enchanting for certain but also profound in its love for art, literature, inspiration and dreams, to the point where this film also exists as Scorsese's voice to us as to why he became a filmmaker, "Hugo" is distinctly clean, pure of heart and spirit and elicits the spark to provide endless creativity. It is nothing less than Martin Scorsese's gift to us should we choose to open it.
(Originally reviewed November 25, 2011)

32. "YOUNG ADULT"  DIRECTED BY JASON REITMAN (2011)
This unrepentantly bitter comedy from Jason Reitman, scripted by Diablo Cody and starring Charlize Theron in a bruising performance as an unrepentantly unlikable character, a former high school mean girl and now a 37-year-old mean woman ghostwriter for a fading teen book series caught in the downward spiral of her life, who attends her school's class reunion, is a grim unforgiving effort that never strikes a false note.

In his very best work, Reitman has more than proven himself to being a masterful chronicler of modern 21st century American life, and "Young Adult" is no exception as his storytelling hand remains consistent, unforced and unafraid to reveal dark, uncomfortable truths and behaviors, which are indeed universal. Charlize Theron, in a decade of terrific performances, delivers one of her strongest as she acts from the inside out and with a complete lack of vanity. For as attractive as we know Theron clearly is, her performance perfectly reveals an ugliness which ultimately reflects her character's damaged inner being combined with her rampant alcoholism. It is a portrait of a raw arrested development of a woman attempting to still live her adult life through the prism of her cherished 1990's teen years, terrified to admit to herself that she is failing and therefore, unleashes her rage at the world. 

"Young Adult" is a painful ode to the realization of how middle age does not always mean that one has ascended to a newfound state of maturity. This is a film about adult adolescence and emotional paralysis.
(Originally reviewed  December 19, 2011)

31. "BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST"
DIRECTED BY MICHAEL RAPAPORT (2011)
One of the decade's best music documentaries arrived with this joyous, illuminating effort and filmmaking debut from actor Michael Rapaport, whose tribute to one of hip-hop's most influential, innovative and downright greatest groups richly enhanced and enlivened their untouchable artistic legacy.

Rapaport succinctly and lovingly performs the requisite duty of presenting the story of A Tribe Called Quest from formation to disbandment in vivid detail and featuring interviews with all four members, Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Jarobi and the late Phife Dawg (who passed away years after the completion due to complications from diabetes), all of whom are loquacious, individualistic, fascinating men, each of whom are deserving of their own documentaries. Beyond that, the film scales tremendous heights as it details the band's intensely personal connections to the world that inspired them, from the neighborhoods in which they grew up and first met, to the local DJs and radio heroes and most certainly, to each other and like minded artists from the collectives of De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers and more.

Yet, the beating heart of the film is the then fractured, yin-yang relationship between Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, and how these two men, these fluidly lyrical wordsmiths and magnetically compelling individuals and interview subjects were unable to simply speak their hearts to each other during this period and Rapaport presents this dichotomy with truth and eloquence.
(Originally reviewed September 17, 2011) 

COMING SOON...#30-21!!!

SAVAGE CINEMA TIME CAPSULE: TOP 50 FAVORITE FILMS 2010-2019-FILMS 50-41

I never thought that in my lifetime there would be a time when there were no more movie theaters.

Technically, there are still movie theaters but yes, due to this global pandemic, the theaters have all gone dark and as of this writing, there is no telling of when they will return or when it will be safe to venture out publicly again, without adhering to social distancing concerns. So while we are all ensconced in our homes, it felt like the perfect time to dive into something I had been meaning to begin but simply did not have the ample time to do so.

When I began Savage Cinema, it was the year 2009 and at that time, I had been seeing film critics and film magazine compiling their favorite films of the decade between 2000-2009. And so, I followed suit. Now that ten years has elapsed, it is time to do it again and unlike last time, when I did venture quite broadly, I am going to limit myself to 50 films that I would place into my personal time capsule celebrating the very best of what the movies gave to me.

Additionally, and during this time of social distancing, it is obvious that we are watching a lot of material these days, from television shows to movies. Perhaps this list/series can offer suggestions of things to either introduce yourselves to or to see again.

If you wish to read a review in full, I have indicated exactly where you will find it at the end of each entry. So...let's get started, shall we?

50. "SOUND CITY"  DIRECTED BY DAVE GROHL (2013)
Dave Grohl, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/former member of Nirvana and current leader of Foo Fighters delivered an exhilarating and supremely accomplished filmmaking debut with this outstanding documentary which chronicles the rise and fall of the titular recording studio which gave birth to now iconic albums by Fleetwood Mac, Cheap Trick, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against The Machine, as well as Nirvana's "Nevermind" (released September 24, 1991).

That story all by itself would make for riveting filmmaking due to all of the archival footage and interviews Grohl has amassed throughout from the artists themselves, to the actual Sound City staff, showcasing how it was always a sense of community behind the now beloved works we cherish and finally, a sensational final third during which we witness Grohl and a variety of musicians, including Sir Paul McCartney himself collaborating and creating together. Yet what made this film soar was how Grohl extended his narrative far beyond past the studio and music itself to create an impassioned statement about our need for continued collective humanity and to not allow that to erode due to increasing technological advances. And to that end, it is also an ode to the diligence, discipline and determination of work itself in our instant gratification society.

Dave Grohl's "Sound City" is a testament to boyhood fantasies realized, valiant torch carrying and the warm, urgent need to keep the human touch alive and kicking.
(Originally reviewed March 22, 2013)

49. "UNDER THE SKIN"  DIRECTED BY JONATHAN GLAZER (2014)
One of the strangest, more uncompromising, deeply unsettling films I saw during this past decade was this nightmarishly atmospheric, largely plot-less, mostly dialogue free science fiction thriller which starred Scarlett Johansson as a nameless alien who prowls the night time streets of Scotland to lure unsuspecting men with the promise of sex to her secret lair where she tricks them into being submerged into a dark pool, and finally, harvests their skins.

Director Jonathan Glazer, working brilliantly alongside Cinematographer Daniel Landin, Composer Mica Levi and an unforgettable performance from Johansson, who completely strips away any sense of her natural warmth, has created an extremely frigid film that more than effectively functions as a visual experience. Additionally, the film also contains the subtext of a cultural critique concerning the sexual attitudes of men and women, which then turns "Under The Skin" into a meditation about seduction, lust and possibly female driven revenge against male subjugation.

Poetic, impressionistic and designed to keep you at an arm's length, this film is a cinematic universe so foreign that returning to reality is deeply jarring.
(Originally reviewed April 18, 2014)

48. "THIS IS 40"  DIRECTED BY JUDD APATOW (2012)
No, this film is nowhere near as riotously funny as either "The 40 Year Old Virgin" (2005) or "Knocked Up" (2007), but the difficult, uncomfortable honestly that is a crucial quality to all of Judd Apatow's films, as well as quite a number of his productions, plunges deeply within this perceptive film which nails the turbulent and ever shifting physical and psychological landscape of middle age.

Serving as a spin off to "Knocked Up," "This Is 40" follows that film's supporting characters Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann), as we regard their often volatile marriage, which ebbs more than it flows, especially as each of them reach the age of 40. Apatow weaves a sprawling, episodic narrative during which he uses his main characters to explore the stress of mounting adult responsibilities, the quandary of experiencing fading youth and therefore, fading dreams and oncoming mortality plus the shocking realizations that they quite possibly are not terribly good parents or adult children to their own parents, most likely because they were badly parented themselves.

While Apatow clearly possesses great affection for his characters, he is highly and rightfully critical of them as he does not shy away from their often intense self-centeredness. Yet, he displays tremendous empathy as their journey is obviously his own, which also makes it our journey, thus making the experience more melancholy and thought provoking that the light romp at the movies audiences may have wanted. But, "This Is 40" afforded Judd Apatow to inject a greater sense of poeticism and existential pain into his work and the effect resulted in a bittersweet, truthful tapestry. 
(Originally reviewed December 25, 2012)

47. "THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT"  DIRECTED BY LISA CHOLODENKO (2010)

An enormously entertaining comedy-drama where all of the family dynamics presented are executed richly, succinctly and in the raw and real rhythms of life as it is lived, Lisa Cholodenko's story of an upper middle class married couple (perfectly played by Annette Bening and Julianne Moore) with two teenaged children (played by Mia Wasiowska and Josh Hutcherson), whose lives are upended by the surprising arrival of the children's sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo). 

Blissfully blending the aesthetics of the standard Hollywood film and independent films, "The Kids Are All Right" never becomes a film that falls into anything prefabricated or inauthentic as it is indeed a film about behavior and the dance of intimacy, whether between married partners, siblings or parents and children. It is also a terrific love story that depicts the tribulations of staying in love, especially once the passage of time and unexpected catalysts unearth past desires, long resentments, and entrenched disappointments. 

Bening and Moore make for a wonderful pairing, completely presenting a relationship that feels lived in, firmly suggesting its history and particular credit belongs to them and Cholodenko for not making the central relationship in the film serve as a a poster board for LGBTQ issues, because the presentation of these people as people first and foremost is the grand statement to be made.     

(Originally reviewed July 26, 2010)

46. "HANNA"  DIRECTED BY JOE WRIGHT (2011)

Kinetic, hallucinogenic, brutal, surreal, scary and spectacular, Joe Wright's "Hanna" was a spectacular experience to witness early in this decade. 

Where his tale of an isolated 16 year old (played by Saoirse Ronan) trained to be an assassin by her Father (Eric Bana), a former CIA operative, as is relentlessly pursued by a treacherous, maniacal CIA analyst (Cate Blanchett) more than delivered the good with breathless, gorgeously filmed action sequences and set pieces, and propelled ferociously by a propulsive score from The Chemical Brothers, what gave this film an extra edge was Wright merging of the action thriller with nothing less than the aesthetics and touchstones of fairy tales, making "Hanna" often feel like Jason Bourne falling into a Grimm Brothers acid trip.

I know it sounds crazy but if you haven't seen the film, and if you haven't not for an extended period, trust me. Ronan's Hanna is essentially the Sleeping Beauty/Alice/Goldilocks ingenue born and raised in the woods only to enter a dark, violent world that threatens to unearth her inner resolve where Bana is the Woodsman or The Big Bad Wolf, leaving the fiery haired Blanchett as, of course, The Wicked Witch. Somehow, through this twisted lens, it all feels so perfectly fitting...that is, for a film about a teenaged psychopath.

One of the very best action films of the decade. 

(Originally reviewed April 10, 2011)

45. "THE PERKS OF BEING A WALFLOWER"  DIRECTED BY STEPHEN CHBOSKY (2012)

While the teen film genre is all but non-existent these days, the promise of what the late John Hughes began during the 1980's with his affectionate, sensitive, and honest depiction of teenagers played out during this past decade with quite a number of excellent, artful films aimed at a teenage audience. This film was one of the very best.

Stephen Chbosky's film adaptation of his own novel was a fragile, aching portrait of the titular "wallflower,"(played by Logan Lerman) an aspiring writer, recovering from a personal tragedy as he enters high school and gradually finds himself accepted into a small band of classmate outcasts, including Emma Watson, with whom he falls in love. Utilizing a "year in the life" structure, the film is a moodier, darker, more serious affair than most teen films as it honestly and tenderly tackles issues from child/parent/romantic relationship abuses, closet homosexuality, bullying, debilitating depression, potential suicide, and crippling bouts of grief, guilt and mourning.

Yet, first and foremost, the core of Chbosky's film is the nature of friendship itself, from its artfulness to its precariousness, and how for some, the act and need for connection is nothing less than a lifeline. This is a sad, autumnal film tailor made for a quiet rainy day for certain. It is unquestionably an exceedingly lovely ad heartfelt film.

(Originally reviewed October 15, 2012)

44. "EASY A"  DIRECTED BY WILL GLUCK (2010)
To that end, Will Gluck's high spirited comedy feels like a complete tribute to John Hughes, Cameron Crowe and all of the other filmmakers who created the movies which made up what I like to think of as "The Golden Age Of Teen Films," during the 1980's, and frankly, for me, this film was completely of the exact same class.

Emma Stone delivers a star making performance as Olive Penderghast, the intelligent, empathetic, wonderfully witty, charmingly loquacious, raven haired, feline eyed, smoky voiced high school student who finds herself unfortunately caught within the deeply tangled web of insinuation, hallway rumor and a simultaneously soaring and crushing campus reputation as the school sexpot.

Armed with a sensationally sharp, insightful and downright funny screenplay by Bert V. Royal, which is filled end to end with the type and style of crackling, verbose and literate dialogue that was a John Hughes trademark, Gluck's film is an unabashed joyride. Brisk and breezy certainly but at its core "Easy A" is an honest exploration and upending/satire of a teenage girl's emerging sexuality and the frenzy it causes a community (and how a girl's emerging sexuality is presented in films in general).

And watching Olive discover and recover her identity, which, and always, was hers to begin with and forever more, made me smile wider and brighter than most films I saw this past decade.
(Originally reviewed September 23, 2010)

43. "RUBY SPARKS"  DIRECTED BY JONATHAN DAYTON & VALERIE FARIS (2012)
It was one of the rare films released during this past decade that felt to arrive from the ether completely untainted by any sense of hackneyed screenwriting cliches and therefore, soared highly and freely upon its own creative wings.

Scripted wondrously by actress Zoe Kazan, Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris' "Ruby Sparks" weaves the tale of a supremely introverted 29-year-old writer (the excellent Paul Dano), who experienced major literary success with his debut novel at the age of 19, but is now drowning in writer's block. He eventually finds inspiration after waking from a dream in which he meets a young woman in a park (played by Kazan). He begins to write feverishly but is surprised when the woman from his dream literally arrives inside of his apartment...in the flesh and as real as life, thus confounding him further as he falls in love with his creation.

Not only does this film succeed as an ode to the creative process itself, "Ruby Sparks" miraculously combines whimsy and uncomfortable emotional honestly regarding hard fought relationship issues, the crumbling male ego, and the intense pressures to create something new when the shadow of past achievements only grows more impenetrable, making what begins as a flight of fantasy slowly becomes a psychological thriller about a writer's mental breakdown.

Superbly acted, written and directed, "Ruby Sparks" was a true original.
(Originally reviewed August 12 2012)

42. "THE LUNCHBOX"  DIRECTED BY RITESH BATRA (2014)
Do not allow the presence of subtitles and the lack of CGI pyrotechnics keep you away from this cinematic wonder, which will reward you handsomely with enveloping charm, perceptive insights into human nature and inter-connectivity, healthy amounts of sincere, honest romance and melancholy and it is undoubtedly enliven your taste buds!

Ritesh Batra's debut feature about a young wife and Mother (Nimrat Kaur), feeling lonely and ignored by her husband, who decides to prepare intricate and specialized lunch meals which will then be delivered to him via Mumbai's lunch delivery system. One day, the lunch intended for her husband, mistakenly arrives at the desk of Saajan (the excellent Irrfan Khan), a lonely government accountant, who eats the meal after being quizzically tempted by the delicious scents emanating from the lunchbox. After realizing that her husband did not receive the lunch, she begins to continue creating special lunches, now augmented with written notes, and sends them back to Saajan, thus beginning a life altering correspondence.

Taking what could've existed as a contrived romantic comedy plot, Batra uses "The Lunchbox" to create an intimate drama about two lost souls who miraculously find each other and forge a connection--yet where the emotions are conveyed in words and, most importantly the emotions placed inside of the food. The film is a celebration of that tactile experience in an increasingly virtual world as the human touch that constitutes handwritten notes and food preparation are the means in which we bind ourselves to one another, and with each note and meal both participants are forced to ask of themselves difficult questions concerning life, love, mortality, failure, disappointment and marriage. And even then, the film affords us a view of modern day middle class and working class life in Mumbai, where both classes often travel within the same circles and yet are never truly together.

"The Lunchbox" is a sumptuous, delicious film.
(Originally reviewed April 13, 2014)

 41. "THE ARTIST"  DIRECTED BY MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS (2011) 
It amazes me that this film, which indeed (and as far as I am concerned, rightfully) won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, has been all but forgotten. Which is a shame as Michel Hazanavicius' elegantly filmed, black and white silent movie was, and remains, a luscious love letter to the art and artistry of the movies themselves!

Our story, which begins in 1927, details the rise and fall and rise again silent movie actor George  Valetin (a sensational Jean Dujardin), his love affair with rising star actress Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) and his travails with the advent of sound technology to the movies. As promised, the film is advanced through the performances, visual cues, title cards and the terrific score by Composer Ludovic Bource, and presented with no audible dialogue or sound effects,...and trust me, you will not miss them whatsoever.  In fact, Hazanavicius's film is so effective that he nearly tricks you into thinking that you are hearing sounds when there are actually none to be found.

"The Artist" is by no means a twee film experiment or stodgy film school lesson. The storytelling and execution is top of the line, emotionally resonant and absolutely euphoric in its enormously invigorating, thrilling, elegantly filmed vision. It is a tribute to the innocence and rapture that is found when making an unexpected and amazing discovery.

Precisely the reason why we go to the movies.
(Originally reviewed December 23, 2011)

COMING SOON...#40-31!!!

FOR THE FANS: a review of "Jay And Silent Bob Reboot"

"JAY AND SILENT BOB REBOOT"
Written and Directed by Kevin Smith
** (two stars)
RATED R

Did the world really need another Jay and Silent Bob movie?

Now, dear readers, if you have been frequent visitors of this site over its 10 year duration, you will already know that I have been an adoring fan of Writer/Director Kevin Smith ever since "Clerks" (1994), his audacious, spectacularly foul mouthed and brilliantly written debut feature film entered the world. My affection only grew throughout his ever expanding self-described cinematic "View Askewniverse" starring his legion of inter-connected characters, stories, subplots and films overall, including his finest film to date, "Chasing Amy" (1997), his outstanding religious satire "Dogma" (1999) and the even more spectacularly foul mouthed yet surprisingly poignant "Clerks II" (2006).

Additionally, I have been a most enthusiastic supporter of his equally audacious forays into horror films, featuring his stark, brutal "Red State" (2011) and his unapologetically grotesque yet unexpectedly profound (yes, profound--I said it!) "Tusk" (2014).

Essentially, for my personal tastes and preferences, I have been enthralled with Smith the most when he operates at his most fearless, when he dives deeply into his own idiosyncratic skills and talents and doesn't undercut himself by allowing his sophomoric and overly scatological tendencies overtake his storytelling, a quality that has torpedoed several of his films, including "Zack And Miri Make A Porno" (2008) and honestly, the less said about the rightfully titles "Cop Out" (2010), the better.

When it comes to his signature drug dealing characters of the motor mouthed Jay and the aptly named Silent Bob,  it can really go either way for me because I do appreciate them more in small doses. That being said, Kevin Smith's "Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back" (2001) was a multi-layered, ingeniously written knockout.

Functioning precisely as the live-action cartoon a Jay and Silent Bob movie would actually be, Smith's road trip odyssey, during which our titular stoners make a cross-country trek to Hollywood to stop production of a feature film based upon the independent comic book that was in turn based upon themselves, served as an almost kaleidoscopic travelogue through the View Askeniverse's cavalcade of characters, as well as a sharp Hollywood satire, a vortex of vehemently profane humor and a healthy, heaping level of self-reflexive metatextuality that made the entire experience critic-proof as all of the bad reviews were weaved into the narrative and  the audience was not let off of the hook for even seeing it either. Loaded end to end with the very type of bodily function humor I typically cannot stand, I laughed myself sick the entire time while marveling that he even had the ability to put it all together at all.

Now, we arrive with Kevin Smith's "Jay And Silent Bob Reboot," his latest return to his cherished Salinger-esque cinematic playground as well as his take upon our rampant reboot culture that has overtaken Hollywood. While being a subject that feels more than ripe and ready for Smith to satirize, as well as to re-visit with old friends, unfortunately, the film is not as inspired as it should or could be or even as much as Smith might think that it actually is.

"Jay and Silent Bob Reboot" again stars Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith as their trademark "hetero-life mate" characters as they are arrested outside of the Quick Stop convenience store, taken to court and subsequently lose a case to Saban Films (who actually distributed this film throughout the United States), the studio that is making "Bluntman V. Chronic," itself a reboot of the now nearly 20 year old film "Bluntman and Chronic." And to make matters worse, the twosome have also lost their naming right meaning that they are no longer allowed to self-identify as "Jay" or "Silent Bob."

Confused despondent, our heroes visit their friend from "Mallrats" (1995) comic book store owner Brodie Bruce (Jason Lee), who informs them of the reboot, which is being directed by Kevin Smith, and will be filming a climatic sequence at the annual fan convent ion of "Chronic-Con" in Los Angeles in a mere three days. Feeling determined once more, Jay and Silent Bob decide to take another cross country trek to stop the movie once again.

Yes, it's deja vu all over a gain save for one surprising and life-altering element. Arriving in Chicago top pay a visit to Jay's long lost love, former diamond thief Justice (Shannon Elizabeth) who informs Jay that unbeknownst to him, for all of these years, she has been raising...their daughter!

Yup, Jay is a Father and his daughter Millennium "Milly" Faulken (played by Smith's own daughter Harley Quinn Smith), is a hot-tempered, stupendously foul mouthed pot head (mmmm...hmmmm) who hijacks her way to Hollywood alongside our twosome, while Jay, as a promise to Justice, refuses to tell Milly who he really is.

Truth be told, this is all well and good as Kevin Smith's "Jay And Silent Bob Reboot" has certainly enough material to serve effectively as a live-action cartoon, a send-up of the reboot genre while also advancing the continuing narratives and lives of his core characters as they are now, like Smith himself, all deep into their 40's and even knocking on 50.

That being said, Kevin Smith does have this tendency, as previously mentioned, to sell himself and his work short. a quality which I think may be endearing to much of his fan base, as he does present himself as being a most loquacious everyman who just got lucky, signalling to us that we can achieve our dreams, whatever they may be, just as he has. As much as I do find that approach admirable, it also, frankly, irritates me because when Kevin Smith operates at is best, he demonstrates that he is a uniquely talented filmmaker and an often ingeniously gifted writer who possesses a storytelling voice unlike anyone else.

That is indeed what makes "Jay And Silent Bob Reboot" such a disappointment overall, ad one that inspired me to ask the question that began this review in the first place. Unlike "Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back," which had a go-for-broke velocity akin to the best of say John Landis' anarchic classics "National Lampoon's Animal House" (1978) and "The Blues Brothers" (1980), "Jay And Silent Bob Reboot" is a downright lazy affair by comparison. The film carries (and barely at that) a sloppy, tossed off quality, as if Smith woke up, smoked a bowl, and impulsively decided to have a party at his house and then..filmed it.

There is a line of dialogue in the film that references Hal Needham's "The Cannonball Run" (1981), the Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise starring road race comedy that was a box office smash but notoriously pummeled by critics and is notable for being a barely scripted comedy that served as an excuse for the all star cast to hang out together and cajole each other...while making a fortune at the audience's expense.

Now, "Jay And Silent Bob Reboot" certainly doesn't feel remotely as mercenary but there is overall inside joke aesthetic that worked wonders for the prior film that just doesn't feel as inspired this time. Maybe since Smith, who had been working quite diligently with creating both a "Mallrats 2" and"Clerks III," both of which have hit road blocks, felt some sense of frustration or defeat with getting two passion projects off the ground, that he just funneled whatever residual energy into getting something...anything made that could just exist as a way to hang out and reunite with old friends, both real and invented, plus throw a bone to his fans. And since Jay and Silent Bob are his most recognizable creations...what the hell...

Yeah...it really didn't feel more impassioned that that.

It is not that he has seemingly lost any affection for his own cinematic universe or the fans that have supported him for over 25 years. It's also not that he possesses a lack of ideas either as he does throw quite a bit at Jay and Silent Bob during their latest adventure including the requisite character and celebrity cameos, a KKK cross burning, Russian spies, a multi-cultural quartet of pot smoking teenage girls who have formulated their own sub-culture of Fatherless .daughters, Kevin Smith in the dual role of Silent Bob and a wildly exaggerated version of himself, Fred Armisen's soft-spoken but beleaguered Uber-esque driver (named Ride Me Now--wink wink nudge nudge..yawn) and even more. But instead of being tightly woven together in the screenplay, it all feels like a drug addled stream of (barely) consciousness, making the entire film feel like a lengthy "and then this happened" escapade, which may be great for Smith and his friends. Yet, for the rest of us...

Now, not everything is wasteful within "Jay And Silent Bob Reboot." First of all, there is Jason Mewes' performance, which remains as full throttle and as committed as it has ever been. But, there are a couple of scenes that cut through the hazy noise and offered something surprisingly touching, poignant and regretful regarding his discovery of having a daughter. Perhaps he tapped into his own real life struggles with addiction, his longtime friendship with Kevin Smith and the birth of his real life daughter (a little one who makes an appearance in the film), but whatever it was, he went considerably deeper than he ever had or even needed to and arrived at some moments that were downright sincere and unquestionably moving.

Beyond that, as Brodie, Jason Lee has a pitch perfect monologue about the differences between remakes and reboots set within his comic book store, which has moved from its prior location to the site of a slowly dying mall, an especially sharp cultural critique which has the brilliance of  showcasing the struggles of a small business owner trying to stay alive in the 21st century. Additionally, his monologue also has the sly undercurrent of privileged White male animosity towards the more multi-cultural qualities that have emerged in the otherwise White male driven comic book and comic book film genres.

Finally, after all of these years, it was wonderful to witness a fine coda to "Chasing Amy" and both Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck) and Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams) both appear to give us an update on their lives, mostly arriving in a lengthy and again, touching, monologue delivered earnestly by Affleck.

These sequences showcase the level to which Kevin Smith's writing and filmmaking can rise when he wishes to do so and for that, this is why the film as a whole was such a disappointment for me. I was disappointed because I know Kevin Smith can do better. And I know he can do better because he has done better. And no matter how much he talks himself down, I know he IS better than that.

So, does the world need another Jay and Silent Bob anything? If Kevin Smith gets that fire in the belly, where he writes and directs to his very best, then certainly. But just making one for the fans and coasting on their affection to do so isn't gonna cut it next time.

SAVAGE CINEMA'S COMING ATTRACTIONS FOR APRIL 2020

 

And the theaters are now all closed. So...what now?

By now, to everyone who is able to read these postings or if you are frequent visitors to this blogsite, I am hoping that you are all safely ensconced at home, feeling as healthy as you are able, practicing social distancing and trying as best as possible to ride this wave for the duration.

As for myself, I am feeling as I would gather most to all of you are feeling to varying degrees. I am wavering between realms of calm and panic, truthfully. Being away from people has not been the difficult part for me. I am very much an introvert and in my real world career as a preschool teacher, I do recognize that being surrounded by people 40 hours a week is not a natural fit for me...and really, it never has been regardless of how fulfilling this life has been for me. So, the quiet of home has been good, in that respect and being forced to remain at home other than the necessity of strategically scheduled grocery shopping trips to curtail being around too many people (just stressful in its own right) has also allowed me to relax considerably.

Not rushing. Not being overwhelmed by the wants and needs of others constantly. The calm lives there. But, the anxiety...well, that rises and falls consistently as we are all facing the unknown and that is a place where I admittedly do not like to live. The aforementioned grocery store trips are anxiety inducing in and of themselves now, and in ways they have never existed before. More urgently there is my employment at a school that has now been forced to close its doors for this period, a stretch of time that is unknowable. Then, larger worries of how long this period will last and worrying over my own family and friends and just having a general sense of global empathy. 

It is draining. It is overwhelming. And I know you can understand.

Will there ever be a sense of normalcy again and what might that look like? This leads me to the movies, one of my life's greatest passions and now, they are gone..,hopefully, temporarily. And with  no movie theaters, what does this mean for activity upon Savage Cinema?

Well...I feel that my activities last month provides a window into this month's offerings. While at home, I have treated myself to free 30 day trials of  Hulu and Netflix, allowing me the time and opportunity to see shows and movies that I had previously been unable to see, including the surprisingly excellent re-invention of "High Fidelity" and Spike Lee's outstanding re-invention of his own "She's Gotta Have It," plus Noah Baumbach's "Marriage Story" (2019), which did not play in any theater in Madison, WI.

I plan to continue in the vein for the time being and furthermore, I think that I will finally be able to really dive in to my Time Capsule series, detailing the movies I loved most during the decade of 2010-2019. Perhaps, that series will inspire you to check out some titles while you are at home too.

For now, all I have is hope. I hope you all remain healthy. I hope that you all remain safe. I h ope that can all emerge from this unprecedented period with a greater sense of perspective about what is truly important in the world regarding how we treat ourselves, each other and the world we have been given.

And I hope our movie theaters return...and when they do, I will be there again. I hope you will be there with me.

SPIKE LEE'S BROOKLYN OPERA: THE GRAND RE-INVENTION OF "SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT"

"SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT"
Television series Created by Spike Lee based upon his 1986 film
Season 1 10 episodes released November 23, 2017 
Season 2  9 episodes released  May 24, 2019
Executive Producers Tonya Jackson Lee & Spike Lee
Directed by Spike Lee

"Now, women forget all those things they don't want to remember and remember everything they don't want to forget  The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly."
-Zora Neale Hurston
Their Eyes Were Watching God

That specific passage emerged as the opening image in Writer/Producer/Director Spike Lee's landmark debut feature film "She's Gotta Have It," an epigraph which fully served to inform and therefore introduce us to that film's starring protagonist, the formidable Nola Darling.

As portrayed by Tracy Camilla Johns, Nola was an embodiment of a revolution. Conceptually, she represented a sexually liberated woman who refused to adhere to anyone else's expectation other than her own, especially any of the men who wished to formulate relationships with her. Beyond the narrative, Nola Darling and the film itself represented a new wave in independent movie making, for Black filmmakers unquestionably and for the medium of cinema itself undeniably.

Returning to the epigraph by Zora Neale Hurston, as I look back to the film, in 1986, I think we could just take the quotation at face value and solely apply it to the film in which it is forever attached. Now, nearly 35 years after its release, we can now witness that the quotation was a most audacious opening shot in a most audacious film that represented the arrival of a most audacious filmmaker who has delivered a filmmaking career and legacy that has existed as nothing less than most audacious.

With a filmography that contains nothing less than the likes of "Do The Right Thing" (1989), "Jungle Fever" (1991),"Malcolm X" (1992), "Clockers" (1995), "Get On The Bus" (1996), "He Got Game" (1998), "Bamboozled" (2000), "25th Hour" (2002), "Inside Man" (2006), "BlacKKKlansman" (2018) and even more (phew...and dat's da truth Ruth!!) Lee turned his cinematic storytelling eye to television with a move that artistically brought him full circle, resulting in an experience that is purely, unapologetically, unrepentantly, and so beautifully SPIKE!!!

"She's Gotta Have It," the film and story that began it all for Spike Lee, has now been resurrected and transformed into a television series for Netflix. Running two full seasons with 19 episodes, Lee has far expanded the canvas of his 86 minute debut feature into a luxurious mosaic that unfolds over 10 hours.

The re-invention of "She's Gotta Have It" from film to television series is a wonderment to everything that has ever existed within Spike Lee's self-described "Joints." In fact, and even as its re-conceives the film's core characters and key events, the series crucially returns to everything that essentially built his filmography--from his singular characters, fair minded point of view and presentation, his delivery of a social/political Black activism while simultaneously displaying the breadth of the Black community and the Back experience overall, and of course, a lusciously artful love letter to Fort Greene, Brooklyn and an encapsulation of the filmography the city has thus inspired.

As with the film, "She's Gotta Have It" chronicles the life and times of Nola Darling (now played by a sensational DeWanda Wise), a young aspiring artist, self-professed cinephile and resident of Brooklyn, who is exploring not only her own sense of sexual freedom as she juggles three relationships--with wealthy and married businessman Jamie Overstreet (Lyriq Bent), vain model and photographer Greer Childs (Cleo Anthony) and over-the-top, streetwise, Air Jordan devotee Mars Blackmon (Anthony Ramos in the role iconically originated by Lee himself)--but her own sense of artistic purpose and self discovery.

Spike Lee's "She's Gotta Have It" series is a ravishing production overflowing with vitality and vibrancy to the point where it practically leaps from the screen. Gorgeously filmed and edited, beautifully accented with still photos and album covers, and adorned with glorious costume design and a brilliantly eclectic soundtrack which features both Composer Bruce Hornsby's sweeping expansion of Composer Bill Lee's original film score and a wall-to-wall song score curated by Spike Lee himself, it is a series that is wholly idiosyncratic to the vision Lee has cultivated from his debut as it looks and sounds like nothing else other than himself.

Now that Lee has an exceedingly larger palate to paint upon, this new version allows him to alter and expand considerably upon characters and themes familiar to the original film plus increase his vision even further to make considerable inclusions.

All three of Nola's suitors have been given expansive backstories and additions. This time, we meet Jaime Overstreet's wife Cheryl (Sydney Morton) and son Virgil (young electric guitarist phenom Brandon Neiderauer), learn of Greer's biracial heritage and of his European upbringing and we also have the major alteration of the Mars Blackmon character to also now being biracial (African-American and Puerto Rican), a touch plays heavily into the character, as he lives with his sister Lulu (Santana Caress Benitez) as well as the entire series as it grows and deepens over its 19 episodes.

Also returning with expanded characterizations are Nora's former roommate and now art dealer, the brittle, pragmatic Clorinda Bradford (Margot Bingham), former lover Opal Gilstrap (an excellent Ilfenesh Hadera), who herself is now a single Mother to daughter Skylar (Indigo Hubbard-Salk) as well as Nora's therapist Dr. Jamison (Heather Hedley).

All of these characters are now joined by more family, friends and citizens of Fort Greene including Nola's Mother, Septima (Joie Lee) and her musician Father, Stokley (Thomas Jefferson Byrd). We also meet Nola's maternal yet frustrated landlady Miss Ella Chisholm (Pauletta Washington), Nola's friend Shemmeka Epps (Chyna Layne), a dancer who works at the local burlesque club owned and  operated by Winny Win Winford (Fat Joe) and who struggles with body image issues, Papo (Elvis Nolasco), Fort Greene native, an artist and now homeless war veteran who often clashes with new brownstone owner Bianca Tate (Kim Doctor), and also the formidable Raqueletta Moss (De'Adre Aziza), who nearly always addresses herself in the third person...and don't even think of questioning her about that!

As for Nola Darling herself, she remains the captivating front and center of this new series and with all due respect to the character's originator in Tracy Camilla Johns, DeWanda Wise is spectacular as she has re-created the role with a fearlessness and unstoppable passion and depth to the degree that actress and character become inseparable. She is game for anything and is equal to every solitary curve ball Spike Lee throws at her, making this character exist as possibly Lee's greatest, most singular creation as she firmly represents the filmmaker at his best and purest--when he is at his most artistically fearless and uncompromising.

Yes indeed, Nola Darling makes some tremendous errors in judgement, is often financially irresponsible and often falls into a level of self-absorption that can alienate those closest to her.  That being said, "She's Gotta Have It" deeply asks of her and for us in the audience to question what is the "It" that Nola just has to have as the series chronicles her inner journey towards a sexual freedom then an artistic freedom which even then, leads to a potentially professional, personal and existential freedom. Nola Darling is committed to following her life path whatever it may be and wherever it may take her and her utmost refusal to compromise, to appease the herd or follow the norm is inspiring to the point of existing as nothing less than uplifting. Her level of integrity is unshakable and observing her spiritual ascension throughout the series is resplendent.

There has always existed a certain through line within Spike Lee's filmography of females who call back to Nola Darling as they exist somewhere in between being free spirits and social/political feminists (although Nola herself would vehemently reject any sense of labels outright). We see pieces of Nola in the nameless titular would-be actress turned phone sex operator played by Theresa Randle in "Girl 6" (1996) as well as the conspiratorial, conniving Fatima (Kerry Washington) in "She Hate Me" (2004), for instance.

Yet, over the years, Spike Lee has indeed taken some criticism for the conception and presentation of his female characters so to assist with Nola Darling's resurrection, Lee has wisely invited a team of women writers to script and therefore, shape the bulk of the series ensuring that the imperative female perspective, energy and soul is as inherent to the narrative as possible. While Lee has directed every episode himself, we more than gather a greater honesty and validity to the character than we would have if Lee had written the series solo, which also gives the series a deeper gravity and stronger sense of uplift.

One criticism of the original film, and even long noted as a source of regret to the point he now feels it to have been an outright mistake on his part as a writer and storyteller was to have Nola Darling raped by Jaime Overstreet in the final third of the film. For the series, the ways in which women exist in an unsafe world is firmly weaved into the narrative as a whole, for both satirical and dramatic effect and always honestly presented.

For Nola specifically, that very source of violation returns but within a completely different framework and set of circumstances presented in the series' debut episode, which does set up the course for Nola's evolution for the remainder of both seasons. Again, this was a crucial touch that elevated the purpose, dimension and cumulative effect when regarding the odyssey upon which Nola Darling embarks. And to that end, as the series progresses, we also witness how her odyssey inspires and mirrors deep transformations for several of the characters as well, projecting them far from where they began.

Often, Spike Lee has also been criticized for creating films that are conceptually over-stuffed, a criticism that I have always eschewed because I feel his films to be distinctively layered. With "She's Gotta Have It," there truly is a tremendous amount of material and themes to unpack, so much so, that it is a series that demands to be explored more than once.

Love and sexuality, female friendships, family histories, art vs. commerce, and issues of race and class are all surrounded by the re-gentrification of Brooklyn. And even then, we are also presented with Black history and how it affects the Black present. For me, this is not over-stuffed and frankly, even describing it as multi-layered doesn't seem fitting enough. Spike Lee's "She's Gotta Have It" series is a sprawling mosaic, making the experience function as an opera that works as connective tissue to and through much of Lee's filmography, simultaneously wrapping everything together while still charting forwards paths.

The themes of Black self-degradation as presented in "Bamboozled" make a disturbing, satirical return with the existence of a horrific show within the show called "She ASSED For That?!," a program devoted to the exhibition and exploitation of the stereotypical Black female figure, a feature that takes Shemekka down a dark, surreal tunnel. The majesty of the Aaron Copeland Americana from "He Got Game" resurfaces as Nola enjoys a day at her "happy place" in Coney Island.

Speaking of Americana, the series continues what has been oneof Spike Lee's greatest arguments: Black history IS American history, and so, the Black experience is indeed the story of America itself. Just being in the Brooklyn neighborhoods and seeing various sights and landmarks over and again firmly link the characters and the series to "Do The Right Thing," "Mo' Better Blues" (1990), "Jungle Fever," "Crooklyn" (1994), "Clockers," "Girl 6," "He Got Game," "25th Hour," "She Hate Me" and "Red Hook Summer" (2012). And in doing so, we can see how Lee has been crafting an on-going cinematic representation of the history of Brooklyn all along as his filmography has charted this location the 1970's to present day.

Black history and Black excellence is paramount to the series and the characters that populate it. Again, Lee's uncanny skill with delivering a cinematic world that does not acknowledge the imaginary White audience yet speaks directly to the Black community remains as audacious in the 21st century as it was in 1986.

Lee proudly presents cameo appearances and works from Black artists throughout, most notably during one episode where Nola travels to an artist retreat in Martha's Vineyard. One episode is devoted to a block party celebrating the life and artistry of Prince (whose intro to his own "Raspberry Beret" opens every episode). And within the series' own dialogue, the characters often engage in all manner of social/political digressions, asides, soliloquies, monologues, diatribes (Mars' evisceration of Christopher Columbus made me jump out of my seat) and feverish debates (including an extremely intense discussion between Nola and Shemekka during the series climax, regarding a controversial painting Nola has created).

All of this makes for a series that is as superbly thoughtful as it is enormously entertaining. Now, of course, not every single moment works. Some musical sequences go on perhaps a tad too long. Maybe some dialogue is a tad too didactic. Maybe the series has a few too many characters to juggle around at times. But even so, everything is purposeful and essential to the show's operatic nature and breadth. And I am telling you, there are so many instances when Lee diverges from the narrative entirely just to execute some visual poetry and the effect is often soul stirring, as evidenced by the downright astounding episode during which Nola, Mars, Shemekka, Winny Win visit to Puerto Rico to offer some aid after Hurricane Maria.

What I loved the most about the series is essentially what Spike Lee has accomplished for the entirety of his career, and it is the sheer joy I feel of just being able to regard Black people in the act of living life!!! Just the sight of contemporary, everyday Black people experiencing this thing called LIFE is a representative act and image whose continuing rarity in film and television makes what Spike Lee has created so monumental for me as a viewer.

Even now, when so many films feel to wish to present Black people either within a slave narrative or in situations where we are victims to be slaughtered (and even when the work is good to great), Lee has never really been interested in being one more filmmaker who wishes to present Black people suffering and dying. Even so, he has never been tentative about the harsh realities of  being Black in America either. Lee, in his dynamic aesthetic, gives us Black people rising every day to face a world that still happens to view us as less than human. And yet, we thrive, we survive, we build and cultivate friendships, relationships and communities while we all figure out our individualizes spaces and places with each other as well as within the world.

This is the greatness of Spike Lee's re-invention of "She's Gotta Have It." Nola Darling strives for independence, elevation, artistic fulfillment and spiritual deliverance in a cold, harsh world that would truly love for someone like her to just fall in line and silently play the part to which she has been assigned. Her refusal to dance to anyone else's tune is inspiring, making for a series that is unforgettable.

Very much like Spike Lee himself.

FAMILY PORTRAIT: a review of "Marriage Story"

"MARRIAGE STORY"
Written and Directed by Noah Baumbach
*** 1/2 (three and a half stars)
RATED R

I had all but given up on Noah Baumbach.

Over the past 25 years, the films of Noah Baumbach have alternately attracted me as well as kept me a bit at arms length. From his debut feature "Kicking And Screaming" (1995), a tale of post-collegiate ennui, I knew that what I was seeing was indeed idiosyncratic from its own artistic point of view and dealt with subject matter that held immediate interest (especially with that film, the characters were around the same age and experiencing some of the same issues as myself). However, there was something rather self-congratulatory about the execution. That somehow Baumbach was operating a tad above the material rather than operating from deeply within it. It almost contained an air of superiority and as much as I liked the film, it was also off-putting.

And so it has been between myself and Baumbach's films. Some of which reveled within their own honesty and wit, including the lovely romantic comedy "Mr. Jealousy" (1997) and the excellent, blisteringly perceptive "While We're Young" (2014). But quite a number of his films really rubbed me the wrong way, including the well meaning but over-rated "Greenberg" (2010) and especially, the odious, downright terribly self-congratulatory "Frances Ha" (2013) and "Mistress America" (2015), each of which foisted Greta Gerwig upon me in ways that have only made me reject her as I am absolutely confounded by whatever appeal she holds.

My problem with those films just stemmed from this nagging feeling that Noah Baumbach, while undeniably talented and skilled as a writer and filmmaker, knows how talented and skilled he is, therefore inserting that certain smug superiority that, for me, interferes with the honestly of the stories he is trying to tell. If he only allowed himself to let his guard down, to get messy, to deeply feel the heart and soul of his stories, then we'd really have something. With "Marriage Story," the film that I have been long waiting for from Baumbach has finally arrived.

Noah Baumbach's "Marriage Story" is his finest film in years and easily his best since his masterpiece, the divorce drama "The Squid And The Whale" (2005). Like that film, he returns to the world of divorce as this film was inspired by his own marital disillusion from actress Jennifer Jason Leigh as "The Squid And The Whale" was inspired by hi sown parents' divorce.  In returning to the benchmark events of his own life, Baumbach has more than allowed himself to perform some serious soul searching, which in this case, has made his art and fimmaking more bracing, urgent and heartbreaking than he typically allows himself. And for us, it is bracing, often aching cinema.

"Marriage Story" stars Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson as New York based married couple Charlie and Nicole Barber, where he is a prominent theater director and she is a former teen film actress who stars in his productions.

Having marital troubles and after attempting a stab at counseling, Nicole, who is offered a starring role in a new television pilot, decides to return to live with her Mother (Julie Hagerty) in West Hollywood...and takes their young son Henry (Azhy Robertson) with her while Charlie remains in New York to mount his next Broadway bound play. Despite agreeing to have an amicable split and resist lawyers, Nicole does meet, and eventually hires, family lawyer Nora Fanshaw (Laura Dern) and soon files divorce papers to a bewildered Charlie.

The remainder of the film chronicles, in a series of vignettes, the divorce of Charlie and Nicole as he is served papers at his Mother-In Law's home, obtains a small LA apartment, spends considerable time and money flying back and forth between New York and California, hiring one lawyer (Alan Alda) and then another (Ray Liotta) all the while trying to direct his Broadway play, be a nurturing Father to Henry and gain a greater understanding as to how his family came to fall apart and how Nicole fell out of love with him.

As a companion film to "The Squid And The Whale," Noah Baumbach's "Marriage Story" finds the filmmaker operating in an atmosphere where self-serving irony is not allowed and nerve endings are bravely exposed. It is an appropriately and emotionally messy film, one where abrupt tonal shifts from stark drama to near slapstick feel as risky and as real as life itself, as evidenced in a sequence where Charlie is given the divorce papers at his Mother-In-Law's home and another during which he and Henry endure an excruciating day and evening visit from an appointed family evaluator.

While "Marriage Story" does not equal the painful, intensely felt depths of the classic divorce drama in Writer/Director Robert Benton's "Kramer Vs. Kramer" (1979), what Baumbach does achieve akin to that film was to place the emphasis upon Charlie, as the artistically self-absorbed husband and Father forced to become entangled in a world he never imagined for himself and his family.

As Charlie, Adam Driver again proves himself to being a compulsively watchable and magnetically compelling actor, as he creates a character who profoundly earns our sympathy even when we wish to just shake him into reality. And that indeed is the engine to this character as Charlie feels to be a man who wishes his life could exist just as the plays he directs--where he is the ultimate world builder and overseer who can controls every solitary moment to his liking and perfection, which gives him emotional and psychological stability.

Yet, once Nicole leaves him and the divorce proceedings begin forcing him to navigate a cauldron of a legal system where every decision feels to fly out of his hands, Charlie is increasingly undone and therefore, forced to adapt to being out of control and powerless. All the while, he repeatedly announces, "But, were a New York family," as if saying the words over and again will force the world inside of his head to become reality, if only it were that easy. The theater director who has earned a MacArthur Fellowship grant and the brass ring to direct a full fledged Broadway play is now thrust into the unforgiving, unpredictable world where reality cannot be scripted and life itself cannot be directed. 

As Nicole, Scarlett Johansson is marvelous, and just as with her sparkling performance in Taika Waititi's "Jojo Rabbit" (2019), she appears joyously liberated from the Marvel Cinematic Universe as she is now allowed to have the freedom hit performance notes that are typically stifled.

It is indeed a prickly performance, one loaded with righteous (and even self-righteous) resentment and anger but again, it is a seriously liberated one. In an early scene with her lawyer, Nicole launches into an extended monologue during which she voices and charts the evolution of her life with Charlie. It is as if we are witnessing her self-revelations in real time as Nicole remembrances ignite a newfound sense of wanting to, at long last, reclaim the life she now feels she abandoned at the expense of building Charlie's life.

Leaving New York for California was the line in the sand and every decision thereafter is clearly Nicole growing sense of empowerment, self-reliance and self-confidence and now that she has begun to find herself, her uncompromising nature in returning to a past that she had no role in creating in now unthinkable. Johansson is equal to every moment, every shift, every growth spurt that Nicole experiences, as we see a character who is now unrepentantly ready to finally direct her own life. 

As Nicole rises, Charlie flounders but "Marriage Story" allows him to finally see outside of himself for once and for the betterment of whatever relationship he hopes to continue with his son. In a way, it is humorous to witness both characters operate and behave with each other as if within a play that Charlie may have originally written but was re-written by Nicole unbeknownst to him. Their language and body language is theatrical, all utilized as shields to protect themselves emotionally...that is until they are wholly unable and then, they explode as in a brilliant, blistering extended sequence late in the film where an amicable discussion turns to fury in whiplash rawness.

While I would never wish misery upon anyone within their lives and I certainly do not believe that one needs to be miserable to create great art, in the case of "Marriage Story," I think that his real life pain truly invigorated the emotional reality of his cinematic storytelling, even possibly allowing us a window into his life and personality, making for a film that feels to be self-critical, apologetic and even hopeful.

Noah Baumbach's "Marriage Story" is strong, seriously presented slice-of-life, yet this time, there are no invisible quotation marks around the proceedings, no self-conscious irony or distance. Just a rightful sense of heart, soul and humanity.

SAVAGE CINEMA DEBUTS: "MONKEYBONE" (2001)

"MONKEYBONE"
Based upon the graphic novel Dark Town Kaja Blackley
Screenplay Written by Sam Hamm
Directed by Henry Selick
** (two stars)
RATED PG 13

What social distancing and a state mandated "Safer-At-Home" policy has wrought...

Dear readers, if you happen to be ensconced in your own homes due to a global health crisis as I am, I am undoubtedly certain in between moments of calm and panic, you are finding ample time to watch television shows and movies you otherwise may not have had time to view before. And to that end, you may even find yourselves watching material you never had any intention of seeing. In my case, over the last 24 hours or so, I watched a movie that I had never had any intention of watching...and I mean never. And for the love of Pete, I watched the thing twice!

The movie in question is the live action/animation hybrid known as "Monkeybone," starring Brendan Fraser and directed by Henry Selick, best known and regarded for the stop-motion animated features "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993) and "Coraline" (2009). 

For some background, I do vividly remember seeing the trailers for the film in theaters and immediately knowing that even the possibility of seeing it at all was less than zero. I mean--everything about it looked to be negligible at best! Juvenile toilet humor, puerile jokes designed for Middle Schoolers that actual Middle Schoolers could outdo creatively. And...well...Brendan Fraser. Nothing against him personally for I have never met the man but considering the bulk of his output during that period in time, an oeuvre that included "Encino Man" (1992), "George Of The Jungle" (1997) and "Bedazzled" (2000), there was truly nothing to convince me that I should give anything in which he starred half a chance whatsoever.

I remember the film being a box office bomb that faded from view rather quickly and I hadn't given it even one thought until just yesterday, when I was drowsy and flipping through channels and I spotted the movie on cable. In a fashion that was nothing more than "what-the-hell," I turned to the film, watched it all the way through and then, proceeded to find it within my On Demand feature and I watched it again!

Now...watching "Monkeybone" twice in a little over 24 hours is not meant for you to take it that I was just blown away by what I saw. Truthfully, there was much more to actually admire about the movie than I would have ever thought possible. But that being said, it is also a chaotic, tonal mess of a movie that I am still wondering precisely who was this experience designed for.

Too smutty for family audiences. Too surreal and grotesque for smaller children by a wide mile. Too infantile for adults. In its entirety, Henry Selick's "Monkeybone" is something that did spin my head around as it did feel to exist within its own broken kaleidoscope universe where Kafka-esque demons and Freud-ian themes fueled by rampant bodily function jokes and a level of special effects that have not aged well, making for a film that looks almost 10 years older than it is, all crash together in a blink-or-miss it, hellzapoppin', cartoonish head trip. For better or for worse, I haven't quite seen anything like it. 

"Monkeybone" stars the aforementioned Brendan Fraser as Stu Miley, an artist now cartoonist whose vulgar comic strip character Monkeybone, a more than randy and raunchy little monkey, has become widely popular and is now getting ready to star in his own animated series...much to Stu's reluctance and skepticism. Shying away from the spotlight, Stu exits a bash in honor of the upcoming series and potentially lucrative merchandising with his girlfriend, Dr. Julie McElroy (Bridget Fonda), a sleep institute researcher who cured Stu of his chronic nightmares by having him change his drawing hand from right to left, a move which changed his macabre artwork into the Monkeybone comic strip.

On the night Stu plans to propose to Julie, a car accident leaves Stu in a coma. While his body is connected to life support, and his heartless sister Kimmy (Megan Mullaly) is itching to pull the plug, Stu's soul descends to Down Town, a carnival-esque landscape populated by all manner of monsters who are entertained by watching people's nightmares in the Morpheum movie theater. While he is befriended by the kindly, cleavage baring waitress Miss Kitty (Rose McGowan), all Stu wishes for is to escape and wake up to his true love Julie, but he is forced to schlep around his Psychological Baggage in actual luggage, await life or death judgement by the Reapers and is constantly tormented by Monkeybone himself (voiced by John Turturro), obnoxiously, tastelessly sprung to life from his imagination.

Upon meeting the malicious Hypnos the God of Sleep (Giancarlo Esposito) and his laconic sister Death (Whoopi Goldberg), Stu plots to steal an Exit Pass to return to his body but is foiled by both Hypnos and Monkeybone, for Hypnos wishes for Monkeybone to steal Julie's chemical substance of "nightmare juice," which will give him increased power and Monkeybone...well, all he wants is to have Julie all to himself.

As you can witness from the plot description, there is actually a real story being told within "Monkeybone," a story more complicated than those aforementioned trailers ever suggested. Henry Selick does indeed carve out an evocative dark fable aesthetic with the stop-motion animation, costumes, set design and puppet effects, giving Down Town a real sense of creepy gravity as it is all so firmly connected to Stu's own subconsciousness.

The dream sequences, all black and white, shadowy and filled with one disturbing image after another, are especially effective as they feel like they could live in the neighborhood next to either Terry Gilliam psychological torments or David Lynch's body horror. And as the diminutive demon Hypnos, Giancarlo Esposito again proves that he is incapable of delivering a less than committed performance, even in a film this ridiculous, for when he informs Stu, whom he has trapped in a golf course made of quicksand, "When you dream, your monkey ass is MINE!"

Markedly less successful is the titular character himself, who, as it is so painfully obvious, is essentially named after an erection, making this film an endless stream of unimaginative double entendres ("I'm going to have to CHOKE MY MONKEY!!" yowls Stu as he chases after Monkeybone who has himself just taken a swan dive into Miss Kitty's cleavage and darted away) and scatological humor (watching a more than game Brendan Fraser, as the possessed Stu, gyrating his pajama clad nether regions directly into the camera in anticipation of finally bedding Julie is something I now cannot un-see).

Yes, this is all so Freud-ian as "Monkeybone" is indeed a movie about sexual repression and the fear of it being unleashed and therefore, uncontrollable as Stu's morally conscious Superego is at war with his own primal id, which is Monkeybone. And yet, somehow it is all mashed together with a corporate satire, some very nasty humor subversively placed underneath all of the relentless loudness (I really do think I heard a rape joke--not a good look), imaginative slapstick courtesy of Chris Kattan who plays a deceased gymnast possessed by Stu's soul (don't ask) who is chased by a team of surgeons as his vital organs fly out of his body without any sense of rhythm other than "FASTER!!! FASTER!!!!"

Composer Anne Dudley's rampant circus fairground film score barrels along as Bridget Fonda looks pretty and worried, Whoopi Goldberg's head explodes only to replaced by an identical one and the threat of nightmares being unleashed all over the world onto its victims from the flatulent anus of a Monkeybone plush toy gives you an idea of what sitting through this thing was like and why I just could not truly believe what I was seeing..and therefore, made me wonder just how in the hell did it even get made in the first place.

Clearly Tim Burton's "Beeltejuice" (1988) was the blueprint and certainly Robert Zemeckis' "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" (1988) and perhaps, Charles Russell's "The Mask" (1994) were thrown in for good measure as well. And yet, Henry Selick did not have as strong and as assured of a creative hand as those films whatsoever.  Truth be told, for a film that was released in 2001, it has not aged well at all--as it actually looks as if it was made the same year as "The Mask." Furthermore, it felt as if Selick possessed an ocean's worth of ideas, filmed every single one of them and never really thought about how they would eventually congeal together, which (again) made me question just who is this movie for.

Now, in fairness to Selick, I did indeed just discover as I was poking around the internet after watching this movie (again...I watched it twice!), that Rose McGowan revealed in recent years that Selick was fired from the film by the studio midway through the production, which makes me wonder if the clash between an honest, artistic expression and cold, commercially driven prospects was the cause for this calamity.

Even so, I watched and kept watching and kept watching, unable to really turn myself away as I knew that so much of what I was seeing was kind of regrettable. It is really quite the movie to be able to achieve a certain one-of-a-kind quality and yes, Henry Selick's "Monkeybone" is indeed quite the movie.

It is as if Henry Selick drank a vat of nightmare juice when he made it.