American Fiction

As a writer, I always have a soft spot for stories about writers. Writing is hard - and I don't mean to be a whiny bitch about it but it is. To put your full heart and soul into making something which you believe to be great and have it receive little or no attention, well that can be tough. I'm white as Canadian snow. There is no such thing as an authentic white voice - at least not that I'm aware of. There is language used in literary circles of "authentic" black voices - this is problematic for  Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) who is the lead protagonist in "American Fiction." Monk, who has a doctorate in English Lit, wants to be just a writer, not a black writer, but recognized as a great writer for the writing alone. His latest novel is languishing with his literary agent; multiple publishing houses have passed on his new manuscript. Monk, with an ailing mother, medical bills piling up, gets drunk and turns out joke manuscript, his version of an "authentic" black novel. He gives it to his agent and it is immediately picked up and hailed as a masterpiece. Writer, director, Cord Jefferson has created a wickedly smart and touching film. It's "Tootsie" meets "Sideways," the Spike Lee version. I loved it and it's one of the year's brightest, funniest, and moving movies of the year. Catch this in theatres or on streaming when available. Or grab a copy from your local video store. In Ottawa that would be Movies 'N' Stuff. 

Poor Things

A feminist version of Frankenstein. I think yes. And the dialogue, so very pleasing - a kind of Yoda like Shakespearean seesaw. Yes, yes. No ordinary film at all, this was. A wonderous wowing. Emma Stone plays Bella Baxter, a woman brought back from the dead with an infant brain by her mad scientist father, God (Willem Dafoe). Bella is a child in an adult body (Think "Big," "Edward Scissorhands," "13 Going on 30," etc.) and grows exponentially smarter, learning fine motor skills, language, and human anatomy. Bella soon discovers her vagina and the pleasures it can bestow. Before Bella marries God's assistant, she goes off to explore the world with scallywag Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), to discover, sex, food, the injustices of the world, and the cruelty of many men. "Poor Things" is a raunchy and wild comedic ride and I loved every minute of it. From the opening and closing credits, the sets, the costumes, the music, this film is overflowing in artistry. The costumes are something of a hybrid from "The Hungry Games," "Moulin Rouge!" and "Brazil" - shoulder pads from the 80s, on steroids. The set pieces are art nouveau architecture soaked in pastel colouring out of the Florida Keys. Then the MUSIC! Oh wow. Not since last year's "All Quiet on the Western Front" have I heard something so original. Director Yorgos Lanthimos has sewn these pieces together to give us a monstrously great film, one of the year's best. Catch it now in theatres.     

How to Have Sex

Molly Manning Walker has written and directed her first feature length film, "How to Have Sex" and it's brilliant (as the British like to say). "How to Have Sex" is a candid slice of contemporary adolescence, about three young girls who have gone on vacation to Greece for a week of drinking, drugs, and sex. Mia McKenna-Bruce, who plays Tara, is determined to lose her virginity. What a performance - it's Oscar worthy but the film is too small and sadly Mia McKenna-Bruce will be overlooked. Mia McKenna-Bruce is a name to watch out for. "How to Have Sex" reminded me of "Aftersun," "Sundown," and "American Honey," to name a few recent films which share a gritty realism, an almost documentary style of candor. The authenticity of these characters speaks to the excellence of the writing and the wonderful performances of the entire cast. This is a modern snapshot of British youth. These kids felt real to me. Their choices and behaviours might, at times, make you uncomfortable. This is life. I look forward to seeing what Molly Manning Walker does next. Catch this one on streaming services or at a rep cinema near you. Or grab a copy from your local video store. In Ottawa that would be Movies 'N' Stuff.   

Cat Person

“Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them.” - Margaret Atwood

This quote is at the start of "Cat Person," a film directed by Susanna Fogel. It stars Emilia Jones as Margot, a college sophomore who works the popcorn stand at the local rep cinema. She meets older man Robert (Nicholas Braun - you may know him a cousin Greg from TV's "Succession") and they start a texting relationship followed by, well, something more. This movie is straight up smart. It's uncomfortably realistic at times. I'm sure it will open up all kinds of conversations about male/female power dynamics, social norms, and a shift in perception about romantic male movie leads, in particularly, Harrison Ford. Last year I showed my twenty something niece, "Blade Runner" for the first time. When Harrison Ford gets all aggressively kissy face with Sean Young, my niece was somewhat horrified. I wasn't expecting her reaction. I had never given a whole lot of thought about that scene before until I watched it with her (and I have seen "Blade Runner" over thirty times). This very scene is brought up in "Cat Person." The movie isn't just about male/female power relations - it plays with movie thriller tropes. I just loved everything about it. Catch this feminist thriller movie now on streaming platforms. 

Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis

I'm a Gen-Xer. I grew up in the 80s but I loved the music of the 60s and 70s. In my day, we had records. Album cover art was just that, it was ART. The album covers were part of the reason you bought the record. "Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis" is the fascinating documentary about Hipgnosis, a record design company and its two founders, Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey "Po" Powel. They are the creative geniuses behind the covers of some of the world's most iconic rock albums of all time: Pink Floyd, Wings, Led Zeppelin, Peter Gabriel and many, many more. There are interviews with Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher, and many others. If you every wanted to know how these album covers came to be, this documentary is the answer and boy did I find it captivating. It's also the story of the relationship between Po and Strom and how these two would work together. Their story is one of artists, visionaries, and collaborators as they worked with these legendary musical artists. At the end, I found myself rather emotional about their partnership - always a good sign for me. Catch this absolutely wonderful documentary on streaming platforms. 

Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire

Merry Christmas! As I look at Rotten Tomatoes today, December 25th, 2023, "Rebel Moon: Part One" has as 23% fresh rating from critics. It also has a 66% fresh audience score. My opinion is my own and I take pride in sometimes disagreeing with the masses. However, I do like to see how my opinion stakes up to others. Movie critics have this in common, they all love movies. I personally don't care for superhero films and I haven't been a fan of any of the "Star Wars" films except the last one "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." It baffles me that a good chunk of Marvel Universe has received high praise from the majority of critics and yet they have dumped on this film. Why is that? Maybe because Zach Snyder is associated with D.C.? Maybe. There seems to be a hate-on for this super stylized director ("300," ""Army of the Dead"). Snyder is the new master of the slow-motion action sequence. I would say the pioneer is John Woo, whose 1989 action masterpiece "The Killer" is the template for such visual work. As Brian De Palma is to Hitchcock, Zach Snyder is to Woo. So let's get to it, what's "Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire" all about? Snyder has given us a "Star Wars" rip-off version of "The Magnificent Seven"/"Seven Samurai" where Sofia Boutella plays Kora, a bad-ass warrior who’s hiding out amongst a farming community. Galactic baddies show up and threaten its existence, Kora goes on a quest to assemble a team of fighters to protect the humble villagers. Yes, Snyder has recycled from all kinds of films and TV here, including "The Matrix," "Doctor Who," "Star Wars," and many others. He seems to have grabbed the Nazi like villain from "Inglorious Bastards." Is this great cinema? No. Did I enjoy myself way more than I should have? Yes I did. Looking to turn off your brain and be entertained, then slow-mo dive onto your couch while pointing the remote at the TV and find the trash masterpiece streaming on Netflix.  

A Murder at the End of the World

"A Murder at the End of the World" is a new series streaming on Disney+. Emma Corrin plays Darby, an anxiety filled millennial as a kind of Nancy Drew type character who is usually the smartest person in the room. Darby grew up the daughter of her autopsy performing dad who liked to drag his little girl along to crime scenes - it's a little messed up for sure. As a young adult, Darby filled her days tracking down serial killers, one in particular. Along the way she meets love interest Bill (Harris Dickinson), another brilliant kid whose skin is marbled in tattoos like blue cheese is freckled with mould. They go serial killer hunting together - aww, sweet. All this is told in parallel with their present day situation about eight years later. The present day story is about a Jeff Bezos type character (Clive Own) who brings the world's smartest people together to help fight climate change at a remote hotel/billionaire-bunker in Iceland. There is an Agatha Christie style murder and one of the the guests or host or staff is the killer. Set in the near future, AI has taken a believable step forward and it's part of the fun of the series. The flashback serial killer bit gives off a David Fincher Lite vibe and it's pretty darn good. The two leads, Emma Corrin and Harris Dickinson have great chemistry and their performances are the reason to watch. I loved it all. Found it to be smart, timely, and captivating. Catch this killer, now streaming on Disney+.