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.

My Thoughts on Booksmart

Coming of age movies are really, really interesting. When they're done right they can be fantastic, but I think there's more pressure to be fresh than in any other genre. Thankfully, Booksmart more than lives up to the hype. It's essentially another take on the high school party film, but this time told from the perspective of Molly and Amy, two girls who've focused so much on doing well in school that all the fun has passed them by. And so, on the last day before graduation, they decide that they're going to cram years of partying into a single night. The result is a wild, heartfelt and incredibly funny journey that's just an absolute blast to watch.

One thing I think makes it work is that you really believe the friendship between Molly and Amy. Beanie Feldstien and Kaitlyn Dever have such great chemistry onscreen. They're both hilarious on their own, but the film's at it's best when they're just bouncing off of each other, especially as their night gets crazier and crazier. But through all of this, it's more than just comedy. Usually when a comedy like this tries to be emotional, it comes off as forced, or unearned, because it has spent more time on crass humour than actually developing the characters, but this film has you believe in their friendship early on, and has the bulk of the comedy stem from that, so when the film does slow down for the emotional story beats, it feels genuine. No spoilers here, but when their friendship is tested, it's a legitimately impactful moment that works because it's easy to invest in these two. It's easy to root for them, but the film never makes them out to be infallible. They screw up, make mistakes, and ultimately, learn a lot about each other and themselves. The film really is the story of their friendship, and the way that's it's so celebratory and positive makes this film such a satisfying watch. That's maybe my favourite thing here. These two feel like actual friends, and that's something that drives both the comedy and the drama, and, because of that, you always believe it

Another thing I love here is how non-judgemental the whole thing is. This is a film that isn't interested in putting it's characters in easily defined boxes. Nobody's a stereotype, and the movie revels in revealing the hidden depths of characters that seem like basic archetypes. By the end, everyone gets a moment to shine, and no character feels wasted. When they stumble or make mistakes, the film understands that that's all a part of being young. The film never feels like it's laughing at anyone, instead finding humour in the absurdity of it all and letting the comedy come from the characters. Because of this, it never feels cheap when it's raunchy, or when it uses gross-out humour, because these people feel like people, and the awkward situations they find themselves in never feel like they come out of nowhere

Of course, you can't have a wild night without whacky setpieces, and the things, and people they encounter during the night definitely make for some serious laughs. There's an awkward boat party, a surreal murder mystery party, an encounter with a mysterious pizza delivery man, and an unbelievably awkward car journey with the school's principal (no, that is NOT Cardi B). One thing I love about this movie is how unafraid it is to be unconventional, and approach things from different stylistic angles. It's Olivia Wilde's first film as a director, and one thing that's cool to see is how strong her style is. The moments here that are memorably different feel like natural standouts as opposed to sore-thumb showiness, and it's these moments that elevate the film. The one take at the party is a really effective moment, but the highlight here is the pool scene, effortlessly and wordlessly telling its story, a story that has been going on long before this scene, brought crushingly to a halt with a heartbreaking realisation. The only scene that feels like a slight step too far is the stop motion drug trip. Yes it's creative and well animated, but it comes and goes too casually. This may sound weird for a film about partying, but it's almost too frivolous, especially for these two. Like it just happens and then everyone just goes on with their night. I don't know, it just doesn't feel like something these two characters would brush off so quickly.

But, by the end of the film, you'll be too satisfied with how perfect it all concludes that you won't even care about any minor issues. That graduation scene is fantastic, a culmination of everything this film is; funny, heartfelt, sharply written and really good natured. Booksmart, a lot like it's protagonists, defies expectations and proves that's it's smart AND fun. Sorry, you know I had to get a line like that in there, but honestly, this is one of the finest comedies that's come out in recent years, one that just put me in such a good mood on my way out of the cinema. It's the perfect blend of comedy and heart and an awesome, fresh feeling celebration of female friendship. Booksmart is one of the best films out now about this generation, and although it's the latest in a line of ace coming of age films, there really is something special about this one, and I think I'll be coming back to it again and again

Spirited Away: The Value of Journeys

Way back when I started this blog, I did a post of my favourite Studio Ghibli films, and I mentioned that I hadn't seen Spirited Away. I said that when I did see it, I'd review it. And I finally saw it.... two years ago. Yeah, sorry about that. Since then, I've seen it multiple times, and each time it just gets more striking, more poignant, and more masterful. Watching it again recently has really made me realise what it is that keeps drawing me back to this film. I love Spirited Away because it's one of the most satisfying journeys I've ever seen. Chihiro's arc is at the centre of this film, and watching her essentially come of age during her time in the spirit world is one of the most moving experiences I've had with cinema. So today, I want to finally talk about Spirited Away. I want to look at how this film portrays journeys, and how much they matter, in film, and kind of in general too

Chihiro's journey is almost an incidental one. Like a lot of life changing experiences, it's not something she chooses as much as something that just kind of happens. It all begins when her parents stop to inspect this mysterious arch, which of course leads them into the spirit world, where they're then turned into pigs. I think what makes this film work early on is how quickly our hero finds herself in trouble. Everything happens incredibly quickly, maybe too quick for her to realise exactly what's going on at first. Before she knows it, she's alone, in an unfamiliar world, and potentially a dangerous one. Something that I think is particularly important is that the family is moving house when they find this world, so they're already in a period of transition. Again, we don't choose the things that change our lives, we adjust and make decisions as we go, and this is something that I think is at the heart of Spirited Away. Studio Ghibli excel at putting really human issues at the heart of their films, no matter how far-fetched they might seem. When Chihiro ends up alone in a world of witches, beasts and giant ducks, she's already at a confusing time, but it's this overwhelming oddness that really gets her arc going

Pretty soon, she quite literally has her identity taken away from her, and again, this is what makes her journey work. You can read this film in a lot of ways, but I always see it as a film about growing up and choosing the person you want to be. After she becomes Sen, the person she was is gone, and whether she realises it or not, every decision she makes after that is going to determine who she's going to become. There's something quite sad about the things we leave behind. Sen doesn't just let go of her name, but everything that's attached to that too. Every memory, every experience, everything that she used to be is cleared away to make way for something else, something potentially even greater than what she was before

This is scary, but it's also exciting, and that's a balance that this film really knows how to strike. Sen encounters so many things that are unusual or dangerous, but the more she navigates this world, the more assertive she becomes, until, ultimately, she comes out of her journey a stronger person. I think Sen herself is a fascinating character, because, although she's completely out of her depth, her ability to persevere with such kindness and patience ultimately makes her a hero. The generosity she extends to No-Face is what leads him to eventually join her on her quest, and the fact that she can do so much with simple perseverance and kindness is just so powerful in itself. As I said before, I think this film is really good at emulating a life changing experience, portraying it as something that we often have no say in and have to navigate as we go. I think this helps her journey resonate as much as it does, because we understand that not only is she making sense of this world, she's growing too. She doesn't become strong by magic or through some wish. She learns how the world works, before gradually working her way through it, earning the respect of the people around her and eventually growing up in the process

I think that's why journeys mean so much, in films and in general. Onscreen, watching a character move from point to point, growing all the while is such a satisfying thing, and it resonates more because we've all been through something similar offscreen. I think this movie matters because even though it's crazy, uber specific and intricately detailed, it's also hugely universal. Anyone can watch it and recognise it. Yes it's largely a coming of age film, but like any good cinematic journey, there's real world overlap too, enough for anyone to feel exactly what the character is feeling. For all of its wild visuals and surreal antics, the most powerful scene in the film is where Sen, No-Face and their companions sit on the train in complete silence. I think this scene works because without a single word, Miyazaki conveys exactly how she's feeling. Because we've all been there. It's a quiet moment to reflect in a busy, confusing time, and it's where everything that Sen's feeling is processed, discussed and resolved, and I think it's so powerful because it doesn't have dialogue. It's the moment she meditates on everything that's happened and how it's changed her, and I'd even argue that it's the moment she comes of age, realising what's important and becoming aware that she's on a journey. She doesn't quite know the exact destination, but for the first time maybe ever, she's ready to face whatever comes her way, with little fear. The film suggests that when we're ready for something, we just know. It's not a process, it's all in the moment. Over the course of her journey, she loses a lot, and leaves a lot behind, but in the end, she's gained even more. I think Spirited Away matters so much because it understands why the journeys we take matter, and how they're structured. Miyazaki knows how quickly life changing experiences can happen, and he knows how to strike that perfect balance of fear and wonder. And you know what? That's such a special thing

"A new home and a new school? It's a bit scary"

"I think I can handle it"