My Thoughts on Shaft

Some things should be left alone. Case in point, Shaft. I'll admit, I'm not particularly well up on Shaft, and I've got pretty much zero connection to the character in any incarnation. So yeah, it's entirely possible that this is something that could affect my opinion on Shaft 2019, because my knowledge of any of the other Shafts is very, very limited. That said, this film is pretty damn bad, and proves what I said at the start there: some things need to be left alone. I think that Shaft should have been untouched for a number of reasons, like the fact that I don't think that anyone was crying out for another take on the character, or the fact that, far as I can tell, the whole ethos of this character really only works in the context of 1970s society. I think dated is the word to use here, because everything about this feels awfully old fashioned, and not in a good way

The plot revolves around FBI analyst JJ, the son of Samuel L Shaft, who is called in to investigate when JJ's friend is found dead. From there, the plot kind of goes all over the place, with random, nonsensical twists and frequent breaks for painfully unfunny gags. You see, JJ is a (gasp!) millennial, something that the film makes so many bizarre jokes about. Actually, you know those articles that say that millennials are ruining X and killing Y? This is the film equivalent of them, because Samuel L Shaft is a good old fashioned detective who rejects these new-fangled ideas like men talking about their feelings, or respecting women. The fact that the film laughs at these ideas rather than see how they're healthy and productive, and then make jokes about them is a particularly ill-judged decision. There's a sneering mean-spiritedness to Shaft that makes it such an unpleasant watch, and the comedy is a definite contributer to that. The constant millennial bashing (and it is constant) is broken up with such wonderous interludes as Samuel L Shaft doing a Trump impression and a weird joke about Lawrence Fishbourne. I'm not saying that these things shouldn't be laughed at, but with a script as stale and a tone as muddled as this, these jokes feel so half baked, and reek of a desperate want to be relevent. I get that the writers wanted to be sly and satirical, and as awesome as that should be, the film is already so unpleasant and messy that any attempt to pass any meaningful comment gets lost in a painfully dated haze of toxic attitudes and woefully repetitive action. When the film tries to be funny, there's rarely anything behind it, and I think that good comedy should always have some sort of a foundation, whether it come from a place of emotion or as some sort of social comment. The relationships are too thinly developed for it to be the former, and the film's attitude towards modern society is too dated for it to be the latter, so all of the comedy feels uncomfortable, ingenuine, and ultimately hollow

Not that the plot gives us much refuge. Nothing makes sense here. The film goes from being a pretty weak murder plot to something much larger and so much messier. The film has these constant, inexplicable twists that introduce crazy escalation into the story without really tying into the plot in any way, and so by the end, it's really anyone's guess what's going on. To be honest, the end of the plot is more concerned with (actually pretty dull) action and, as the tagline so elegantly puts it, "more Shaft than you can handle", because this is where Richard RoundShaft is introduced, which brings the total number of Shafts in this film to 3. Roundtree is actually quite good fun here, being the only character that's really likeable. It's obvious he's enjoying himself, and watching him in action is the best thing about the climax, and yeah, the film as a whole

The plot also goes for some misjudged father-son drama with JJ and Samuel L Shaft, with this bizarre "tender" moment in the middle of the film that feels so weird and unearned. These characters have absolutely zero chemistry onscreen, and their relationship is absolutely hollow. When the film does this, it feels at odds with the crass, violent madness that it obviously wants to focus on. It's a far too one dimensional film for any of these moments to resonate and feel like they're actually happening.

Shaft is an awkward film. I don't think that this story really works in 2019, and so what could have been a fun, retro throwback ends up feeling horribly dated and absolutely all over the place. I think where it goes wrong is in its refusal to adjust itself to 2019. Nostalgia is everywhere, but the best stories that use it now have modern sensibilities. Yeah, Shaft is set in the present day, but it mistakes a fondness for the good old days as a use of nostalgia and retro storytelling. Add to that it's constant criticism of millennials and you have something that just feels so out of place. It wears this on its sleeve of course, proud of its unwokeness, but that doesn't make it look edgy, it just makes it awkward. Samuel L Jackson is genuinely trying his best here, but his Shaft is so abrasive and unlikeable, so his natural charm is overshadowed by how shit of a person his character is. Shaft is a bad film made worse by how much it doesn't fit in 2019's cultural landscape. This just accentuates everything that was already bad, and it's just so tone deaf. Did we need another Shaft? No we did not

My Thoughts on Toy Story 4

When Toy Story 4 was announced, I thought it sounded like a pretty bad idea, and I don't think I'm alone on that. I mean, with how perfect the Toy Story trilogy was (3 in particular was just incredible), it definitely seemed like something that should have been left alone. Yet the closer we got to Toy Story 4, the better it seemed to sound. I mean, the trailers did at least convince me that it could be good, and I'd definitely have been up for one more adventure with Woody and the gang, even if there are a few new faces in there. So, yeah, it actually started to sound like a Pixar sequel that actually feels justified

And you know what? I don't know how, but those alchemists at Pixar have done it again. I should say this right off the bat, Toy Story 4 is not as emotional as the others, not for me anyway. That's actually not a bad thing though, because it actually explores a lot of ideas and settings that the others haven't, which kind of compensates for the general lack of an emotional punch. I'd actually say it's the most idea-heavy film in the series, and the sheer amount of them on display is worth the price of admission alone. Toy Story will always be a milestone of cinema, Toy Story 2 tells the best story with these characters, and Toy Story 3 is the most emotional, and what makes 4 work is that it never tries to replicate these things. It really succeeds on its own merits, and actually feels like the most adventurous of the quadrilogy

It's definitely the busiest one yet, with so much going on and most of it really working, and what I love is how all of these ideas are tied to the new characters and locations. Forky alone is a fascinating character, a spork-turned-toy who now lives an existential nightmare. Not only is that absolutely hilarious, it's also something that really plays with the logic of this world, which is pretty cool to see. The other new introductions are similarly welcome. Gabby Gabby is also a pretty good character, one who kind of plays with the idea of villains in this series, and this allows the movie to explore the idea of validation, which has been in these films from the very beginning, from a different perspective, one which goes someplace surprising, but also pretty satisfying. The antique shop setting reflects this too, essentially being a hub for lost toys, and apart from being one of the most visually interesting parts of the film, it also asks questions about ownership and purpose that, yeah the series has done before, but like with Gabby, does this in a way that we've not quite seen before, not on this scale anyway.

The film's ideas also feed directly into the comedy, and this is probably the funniest Toy Story yet, something that's definitely seen with some of the characters. There's Ducky and Bunny, two fairground plush toys who are desperate to be owned, and who come up with these incredibly intricate, surprisingly violent schemes. But the funniest, and best new addition is undoubtedly Canada's Greatest Stuntman, Duke Caboom. This. Guy. Is. Freaking. Hilarious. I mean, obviously he benefits from having Keanu Reeves voicing him, but his insecurity caused by an impossibly awesome advertisement, as well as his general Canada-ness, make him just such a fun character, one who just absolutely steals every scene he's in

The jokes here are some of the series' funniest yet, and there were so many standout moments. The laughs come fast in Toy Story 4, from an elaborate plan to get a key from an old woman, to Buzz literally listening to his inner voice, a montage of Forky trying to bin himself, and boatloads more that I'm loathed to spoil. The comedy comes from both really funny dialogue and ace physical comedy, which, as always, has so much fun with the idea of toys, and gets so many sight gags in based on that idea alone.

I mentioned that this was the least emotional of the series, and yeah, I really think that it is. No spoilers, but when the film comes to an end, it's deeply satisfying for sure, and definitely a logical point for the overall story of this series to reach, but I just didn't find it all that emotional. Honestly, I don't think that's a bad thing though, because I think that I felt that way because it felt so earned. This honestly feels like the best direction that they could have taken it in, and I'm glad that they did this instead of trying to usurp 3's almighty tearjerker of an ending. Yeah, maybe after the other three, it would have been nice to have another film with a really powerful emotional payoff, but I think that this one works without one, because it's higher joke rate and fascinating existential streak kind of make up for it. I love how this movie explores what it means to be a toy, and the purpose that they have, and what happens when they're not needed anymore. Yeah, the series has played with this before, but the fact that 4 doubles down on this makes it its own, absolutely fascinating thing that's not necessarily better than the trilogy, but does feel like a logical, satisfying installment

It doesn't even bother me that the characters that we've come to know and love are largely absent. I can see that being a real issue for some, because if you're expecting another story with the whole gang, then you're probably going to be let down. I think that this is definitely Woody's story, and the investment that we have in his character is definitely enough to propel the story. Obviously, the new characters aren't as well developed as the ones we knew before, but they all feel like fun and necessary additions to this chapter of Woody's life. But make no mistake, it completely revolves around him and Bo Peep. It's definitely an interesting approach, especially because we kind of said goodbye to the gang at the end of the third one. On the whole, the approach to this films plot is a pretty good one

So, The Most Unnecessary Sequel In The World™ actually turned out to be pretty freaking good. It compensates for its general lack of tear-jerking moments and time spent with fan favourite characters for a strangely philosophical and absolutely hilarious story about Woody and his place in the world. Have to say, not the direction that I would have expected this series to go in, but if there's one thing I love about Pixar, it's their ability to keep things fresh and continue to surprise and delight. The fact that the latest chapter in their most beloved series is as good as it is is a testament to their unique storytelling abilities. I'm just so happy to be living in these guys' time. It's not their best film, or even the best Toy Story, but it's such a fun, smartly written film, and yeah, that's enough for me to recommend it

Caboom!

My Thoughts on Rocketman

I haven't seen Bohemian Rhapsody. I meant to see it when it came out, but never did, and honestly, given the backlash, maybe that was the right call. So honestly, in the realms of Dexter Fletcher helmed musical biopics, I only really have an opinion on this one. And wow, Rocketman is really something quite special. It's interesting, because, while I liked Elton John before I saw it, I think this film converted me to a fan. And you know what? I'm completely okay with that. I think after all.of the stuff surrounding Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman seemed like a strange concept, but trust me when I say, this is no mere biopic. It's a full blown musical that takes the life and music if Elton John and crafts a larger than life fantasy rooted in aching tragedy. This is immediately set up by the film's opening, which sees The Bespectacled One burst into a rehab in full, fabulous stage gear.

The rehab is really the film's setting, with Elton recounting his life story and how he ended up there. And I'm just gonna get this out now, because it'll take up the whole review if I don't, but Taron Edgerton is absolutely stunning here. I think his career as a whole has been so exciting to follow, and this is definitely his best role so far. He perfectly captures the larger than life persona of such a glamorous rockstar, but also nails the deep, deep sadness behind the glitter, the loneliness that lies beneath the bravado, the pain of addiction and the wounds that are rooted so deeply into his being. The scenes where he literally has to put on a happy face are indicative of this film's incredibly honest approach, an honesty which Edgerton matches perfectly, never shying away from the film's tougher scenes. The crucial thing here is that you're always with him. The film never feels like it's just about Elton John, instead taking you on a guided tour of his world, which is as fabulous as it is achingly lonley

So yeah, this isn't a conventional biopic, instead illustrating his life with these crazy musical numbers set to his songs. And these sequences are. Absolutely. Bonkers. From the whirlwind boy-to-man transition of Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) to the gravity defying revelation of Crocodile Rock, the trippy, blurry rotation of Pinball Wizard, and the pure triumph of I'm Still Standing, all of these sequences absolutely stun. They're pure spectacle, but they work because they find his life story in his music, and represent that visually, instead of just having him play the songs. This full on musical approach really works, with the absolute standout being the titular number, which is just such a powerful scene, bringing everything in the film to a glorious crescendo that explodes from Elton being at his absolute lowest point. The film is never style over substance, and as stunning as these sequences are, they work because they're anchored to something deeply visceral within him. This is why Rocketman works, because it's able to meld musical fantasia and gut wrenching emotion, and it's really powerful stuff. Dexter Fletcher is a really good director, fearless and passionate, and unafraid to experiment, or go to unusual places, and for someone like Elton John, that's exactly what you need.

Rocketman is an absolute rollercoaster of a movie. It's fantastically made, hugely enjoyable, and electrifyingly emotional. I felt so many things so deeply for the whole thing. I laughed, cried and just felt so elated leaving it. I may not have been the most excited for it going in, but it turned out to be a wild, thoroughly enjoyable ride. Thrillingly, it operates on a massively emotional level, almost like Fletcher is directing with his heart instead of his head. It's nice to have a film that so unashamedly emotionally involved, especially because that's a hard thing to do without feeling cloying or overly sentimental, which, thankfully, Rocketman never does. Admittedly, it's definitely more emotionally charged than thematically complex, but since when was that a bad thing? This is one of the highlights of the year so far, and it really didn't have a false note in it. And I think the absolute best thing about it is that it's a love story, but not a romantic one. It's about loving yourself, forgiving yourself, and accepting yourself, and honestly? That's the exact kind of story we need more of

My Thoughts on Always Be My Maybe

Romantic comedies have been in pretty good shape over the last while, gradually being brought back into the mainstream. And you know what? That's a really good thing to see, especially because most of them have been good, and a lot of them have been more diverse and progressive. Pleasingly, Always Be My Maybe continues that standard of quality rom-coms, even if it's not as strong as some of the others we've been getting. It stars Ali Wong and Randall Park as two people who've always belonged together but haven't seen each other in years, until they're finally, surprisingly, reunited. The movie really benefits from their performances, Wong bringing both great snark and great heart to her celebrity chef, and Park making his sarcastic everyman funny and loveable. Their chemistry together is fantastic, and always believable. It's the best thing here, because even though the plot really isn't that great (just guess if they end up together or not), it kind of doesn't matter when you're following leads this charming. Yeah, it's as predictable as you can get in a romantic comedy, but it's definitely an enjoyable time, so that's kind of alright

Always Be My Maybe is decent, but there's a sequence in the middle of the film that's just.... breathtaking. That's right, I'm talking about Keanu. God damn. Reeves. Generally it's a little cringe worthy when people play themselves, but seeing him just completely send himself up is just a delight. He makes every word count, and his brief appearance definitely makes the film stand out. He gets some gloriously over the top dialogue ("a residual cheque from my hit movie Speed"), and he's clearly having a blast, and as a result, I had one too

Overall, Always Be My Maybe is alright. It's cute, occasionally quite funny, but not fantastic. The story is pretty predictable, with the inevitable third act fight before they get together again, and we haven't really seen anything here that we haven't already, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. The chemistry between the leads is fantastic, and the sweet moments are genuinely quite heartwarming, and the ending with the new restaurant is really, really sweet. It's not revolutionary, but it's a solid rom-com, and a pretty pleasant watch 

Movies I Haven't Seen- Rashomon

I've seen a lot of films, but obviously I haven't seen everything. So I thought it'd be fun to start reviewing acclaimed/popular movies that I've never seen. Because there's a fair few. This'll probably just be initial thoughts rather than any kind of detailed analysis, but I still think it's a fun way to work my way down the watchlist. The other night, I watched Rashomon for the first time, often called one of the greatest movies ever, and it was after that when I decided to start doing this. So, let's do it!

I'm a huge Akira Kurosawa fan. Seven Samurai is arguably my favourite movie of all time, and I always love when I can dive into his catalogue a little further. I'd always heard that Rashomon was one of his best, and so I was really curious going in. I knew the general plot, with an awful crime viewed from multiple perspectives. I knew that the film had a non-linear narrative, but that's kind of it

So what did I think of it? Yeah, it was pretty good. I wouldn't say it's as good as some of his other stuff, but it's definitely a really interesting film. I'm writing this a couple of days after I watched it, because I really did need to sit on it for a while, but I was really impressed with this one. Watching it made me realise that I prefer Kurosawa's epics, like Ran or Seven Samurai, because although I liked the film's more focused narrative, sometimes the ideas seemed a little drawn out. Rashomon looks at some really complex ideas like truth, morality and corruption, and while I really liked how these ideas were handled, I thought that the examination of them was almost too thorough for the film's own good. Each of the stories were maybe a touch longer than they needed to be, and the end segment with the baby was a little bit odd, like the movie was introducing new ideas and then just.... ending

There's a lot too like, though. The performances are obviously fantastic, especially Toshiro Mifune as a crazy bandit. This guy is really fun to watch, and is maybe my favourite part here. Yeah, I thought that the film's exploration of its ideas was a little long winded, but they're really, really interesting ideas, and the multiple stories themselves use perspective to make the audience consider the already established ideas in completely different ways. The film looked gorgeous, and the way it used light and darkness was really interesting, a visual representation of the shifting morality. Kurosawa's direction is obviously fantastic, using the limited amount of settings to create an almost stage-play like atmosphere. There's so much brilliant filmmaking on display here, which kind of brings me to my ultimate conclusion on it: I really admire Rashomon, but I don't particularly enjoy it

It's an exercise in masterful direction, but as a story, I did find it a little long winded and honestly a little repetitive. Every story explores a different perspective, but because they all use the same components, none of them feel especially new. I loved the acting and the direction, and there's no denying the depth of its ideas, but the complexity here feels very cold. It's definitely an admirable film, and technically I do think it's fantastic, and a definite must watch, but it doesn't have the emotional punch that something like Seven Samurai has. I really respected the artistry on display in Rashomon, but as a plot, it wasn't the most engaging watch. Objectively it's masterful, but it didn't click for me in the way that his other movies do. Rashomon is a fantastic film, and I really admire it, and think it's undoubtedly deserving of its status as an essential piece of cinema, but it's not particularly enjoyable. Not for me, anyway. Maybe I need to watch it again, or sit on it for another while, but as it stands, it's a brilliant film that didn't quite effect me. All in all, Rashomon was great, but I just wish I liked it a little bit more

My Thoughts on Piercing

Piercing is a very strange film. It's been on my radar for a while now, being on Netflix, then mysteriously disappearing, and then turning up again. And so, I watched it, and it's uh.... well it's different. But in a good way. Basically it's the story of a man, played by Christopher Abott (who's been in some cracking stuff lately), who plans to kill a prostitute, played by Mia Wasikowska (who's also been in some absolute gems). He's got the whole thing planned out, every meticulous detail, every word, every move, everything is perfect. Only problem is, she's not that keen on being killed, and the result is a batshit crazy horror comedy where the laughs are seriously dark. Piercing takes a lot of influence from Italian horror, with a lot of references to giallo here. One moment that uses the Profundo Rosso score is especially fantastic. I will admit that Italian horror isn't a part of cinema that I'm especially educated on, but hey, I'm working on it. The style of this movie is a big positive. Lots of split screen, plenty of trippy sequences and a score that always seems to spell doom. The dialogue is razor sharp, and the interaction between Abott and Wasikowska is absolutely fantastic, and their relationship is definitely the best thing here. It's fascinating to watch the interaction between these two, especially as the film descends into some particularly disturbing depths in its home stretch

Piercing isn't always the easiest watch, though. It's a messed up film, both in its intense violence and it's pitch black psychological horror. It's sadistic, but it's oddly playful, and although that's not gonna be for everyone, if you're a fan of Brian De Palma's thrillers (which I am), then you're probably going to have a good time with this. I guess my only issue is that there's not enough of it. It clocks in at around 80 minutes, and although it's really impressive, it seems to stop before it really gets going. Still, while it's on, it's a blast, albeit a very, very dark one, because this is slickly constructed and wicked in a way that's just really interesting. If you've got the stomach for it, then I can't recommend this enough. It's warped, pulpy fun

My Thoughts on John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum

"They call him Baba Yaga"

"The Boogeyman?"

"He's not exactly the Boogeyman. He's the guy you get to review a movie about a guy they call the Boogeyman"

John Wick 2 was awesome, with an ending to die for, and one thing I love about the third one is how little time it wastes getting into its plot, so I'm not gonna waste any time setting this up. John Wick is still excommunicado after 2's ending, with half of New York trying to kill him. The frantic pace of Wick 3 is definitely something to be admired. No slow burns or gradual buildups here, and everyone's favourite dog loving angel of death is on the rampage in the first twenty minutes. A (deadly) trip to the library, a knife-stravaganza at the museum and a horse vs. motorbikes chase are literally all in the first act. Because that's just the kind of series John Wick is. And I wouldn't have it any other way. The film moves at a breakneck speed, but that's actually not a bad thing. The plot is still sense as ever, with this installment thickening the ever increasing mythology in a way that's logical and effective.

The new additions are definitely welcome, feeling like logical expansions of the Wonderful World of Wick ™. Anjelica Huston is awesome as John's mysterious mother-figure, one who's theatre gives us just enough of an insight into John's past without feeling like an exposition dump. And just like everything else, the lore introduced in these scenes feels genuinely organic and necessary. Halle Berry wows too as an old acquaintance of John's, and their raid of the Casablanca headquarters of a member of the High Table is undoubtedly a standout moment (also more dogs!). But without a doubt the best new introduction is Asia Kate Dillon, playing an adjudicator of the High Table who spells trouble for both the Continental and the Bowery King. Dillon is awesome here, and I cannot wait to see how they impact the series going forward, especially because the Adjudicator can pose a threat to the characters in a way that goes beyond the action. Weaponised administration is actually more awesome than it sounds

The series stalwarts are at their reliable best, too. Lawrence Fishbourne is having so much fun as the Bowery King, and it's so damn infectious. You thought he was hamming it up before? You have no idea my friend. His performance is indicative of what I love about these movies and their modern cult tone that works because it acknowledges its influences (more on that later). Ian McShane is again wonderful as Winston, John's closest ally, who this time gets a lot more to do, which turns out be pretty awesome. Speaking of getting more to do, Lance Reddick is awesome as Charon, who finally gets a chance to step out from behind the front desk of the continental to.... well, you'll see. And then of course there's the man himself, and well, it goes without saying that Keanu Reeves is pretty awesome, and if his career has been a touch up and down for the last.... all of it, then he's never let us down in these movies, and that continues here. Stoic as ever, with a steely nerve that's thrillingly punctuated by moments of dry humour and genuine pathos. As always, this movie finds the humanity in this superhuman killer, and, as a result, gains an extra dimension that I'd argue a fair few of its contemporaries don't have

As I said, the action here is gnarly, somehow always finding a way to escalate. I would argue that the climax is actually the weakest part of the film, though, an overlong brawl with some (admittedly quite likeable) assassins that completely stalls the plot in this section of the film. No spoilers, but the climax goes from being a really interesting sequence at the Continental that melds the rules of this world with crazy action, to one fight in the same setting that goes on way longer than it needs to. If this sounds like an odd complaint, it only bothered me because it feels like it drags compared to the scenes that came before it. Yeah, the action's awesome as always, and it looks GORGEOUS, but honestly, it gets a little tired after a while, proving that you can have too much of a good thing. It's really my only issue here, which I guess makes sense in a series where the storytelling always felt congruent with the action, and so when it's just fighting, it just kind of jars. At least it did for me, anyway.

But even that is saved by what has always been my favourite part of these movies, the style. As ever, the film wears it's influences on its sleeve, and it's thrillingly cine-literate. For me, it feels like a fusion of John Woo, Sergio Leone, Sam Peckinpah, Akira Kurosawa and Walter Hill, with a little bit of Keanu magic sprinkled in, and the result is something that fits in nicely with the traditions of action cinema, while still joyously feeling like its own thing, and that is, for me anyway, the right way to utilise your influences. The cinematography is also beautiful as ever, with so many shots here that I could just admire for hours. Every action scene looks great, being both beautiful and kinetic, proving that John Wick can thrill like few others. Overall, it's one of the strongest blockbusters of the year so far, with an ending that racks up some serious WTF points, setting up the fourth nicely. Minor issues aside, this was another solid installment to the John Wick story. This is how you follow up.