Review: "Avatar: The Way of Water"

On December 18th, 2009, James Cameron’s blockbuster film Avatar was released to theaters. The film became the biggest movie in the world, grossing a total of $2.9 billion dollars at the box office and winning three Oscars: Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, and Best Art Direction. This week—13 years later—James Cameron released the long-awaited sequel to the film Avatar: The Way of Water (2022). Here’s my review:

Jake Sully has happily adjusted to life on Pandora with his Na’vi mate, Neytiri and their children. They have three biological children: Neteyam, Lo’ak, and Tuk and one adopted daughter, Kiri. Life is bliss, until suddenly Jake Sully’s enemy, Colonel Miles Quaritch comes back into the picture. He, too, has been reincarnated as a Recombinant, “an avatar who has a memory of being human,” and he is out to exact revenge on Jake and his family along with the same gang of Marines from the first film. Hence, Jake and his family must team up with the rest of the Na’vi to protect their home planet, and in doing so, they befriend a new tribe of Na’vi called they Metkayinas who live on Pandora's eastern seaboard.

Jake Sully has a line in this movie “Sullys stick together!” His family is everything to him, and while it may be complicated, he believes sticking together is the only way to win. Family is the main message of this movie, which is different from the first film because that was about how Jake started as a marine, but then decided to join the Na’vi in favor of protecting them over serving under the corrupt Colonel Quaritch (not to mention his and Neytiri’s love story).

The movie is 3 hours and 12 minutes long, totaling at 192 minutes, 30 minutes longer than the first film’s 162 minutes. While that may require a snack and/or bathroom break for some people it all becomes worth-it in the end! (It makes you wonder how long the the third, fourth, and fifth Avatars will be!)

  “The Way of Water,” reunites the superb cast of Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, Zoe Saldana as Neytiri and Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch, along with original film cast members: Sigourney Weaver, CCH Pounder, and Giovanni Ribisi. The film also inducts Kate Winslet into the Pandora World as Ronal, the wife of Chief of the Matkayinas, marking Winslet’s first time under James Cameron’s direction since Titanic (1997). Once again James Cameron directs, co-writes, and co-produces with Jon Landau, and he is also is one of four credited editors for the film along with Stephen E. Rivkin, David Brenner, and John Refoua. The film’s Cinematography was done by Russell Carpenter who won the Best Cinematography for “Titanic,” though the first “Avatar’s,” Cinematography was done by Mauro Fiore. The film’s music was composed by Simon Franglen, and while James Horner composed the first “Avatar” score, Franglen received a Best Original Song Golden Globe Nomination for writing the song “I See You,” for the first “Avatar” along with Horner and Kuk Harrell. 

All in all, “The Way of Water,” is a beautiful film. One could say it doesn’t quite equal the awesomeness of the first film, but its beauty can entertain whether you were a fan of the first film or not. It underscores the visionary that is James Cameron and it is another one of 2022’s best films. “The Way of Water’s” predecessor didn’t win the Best Picture Oscar, but this one might!

Review: "Spirited"

The very first film version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was released in 1938, in which the leading role of Ebenezer Scrooge was portrayed by Reginald Owen. Since then, the beloved Christmas story has been readapted numerous times in movies and television: Oscar-Winner George C. Scott played Scrooge in the television movie A Christmas Carol released in 1984, Emmy Winner Guy Pearce played Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (2019) miniseries, and Oscar Nominee Bill Murray played a modernized version of Scrooge named Frank Cross in Scrooged (1988), a film that told a comedic, modernized version of the story. On November 11th, 2022, AppleTV+ released a Spirited, a musical-comedy film that makes fun of every version of A Christmas Carol throughout the last century—but has a lot of fun doing it. Here’s my review: 

In “Spirited,” the Ghost of Christmas Present (played by Will Ferrell) has been at his job for almost 200 years and is seriously considering retirement. But, he wants to help one last “unredeemable” soul before he does. That “unredeemable” soul is arrogant, greedy media consultant Clint Briggs (played by Ryan Reynolds). When “Present” and Clint first meet, they instantly become enemies, but a unique friendship develops, as they both help each other improve their own faults and even find true love in the process.

Like “Scrooged,” “Spirited,” sets the story of A Christmas Carol in modern times, but it also pokes fun at it. It shows that the world is really full of “Scrooges” at Christmas and that some people are hard to get through to. But on occasion they might be able to see the “errors of their ways.” 

The musical-comedy features songs written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Pasek & Paul wrote the songs for the movie versions of La La Land (2016) and The Greatest Showman (2017), both which earned them Oscar Nominations for Best Original Song. (They won for the song “City of Stars,” from “La La Land.”) They also wrote the Broadway Musical Versions of A Christmas Story: The Musical (2013) and Dear Evan Hansen (2017), which won them the Tony for Best Original Score. Looking at that body of work, one could easily say that Pasek & Paul have become the new Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and “Spirited,” is no exception. Pasek & Paul also wrote songs for Columbia Pictures’ Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022) released October 7th.

In addition to Ferrell and Reynolds, “Spirited’s” supporting cast includes Oscar-Winner Octavia Spencer is Kimberly, Briggs’s assistant who later becomes Present’s love interest and Tony Nominee Patrick Page as the Ghost of Jacob Marley. The film was directed by Sean Anders who directed Will Ferrell in Daddy’s Home (2015) and Daddy’s Home 2 (2017). Anders also co-wrote “Spirited” and both the “Daddy’s Home” films with John Morris, and even cast his sister, Andrea, as Carrie, Briggs’s sister in the movie. The role of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is shared by two actors: NBA player Loren G. Woods wears the costume while Tracy Morgan supplies the voice. The film also features two celebrity cameos by Jimmy Fallon and Oscar Winner Dame Judi Dench.

Overall, “Sprited,” is, very surprisingly quite an entertaining movie! If you’re looking for a new, more modernized Christmas movie to enjoy multiple amounts of times throughout December, this is perfect! Especially if you’re a Pasek & Paul fan, there’s no way you wouldn’t be entertained. This film will totally put you in Christmas Spirit!

 

 

     

Review: "A Christmas Story Christmas"

Jean Shepherd first published the books In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash in 1966 and Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories And Other Disasters in 1971. Both books were the inspiration for the beloved holiday classic film A Christmas Story, released on November 18th, 1983. The film was a moderate success when released, but continues to grow in cult status today, having been readapted as a stage play in 2000 and a Broadway musical version in 2012. A direct-to-video sequel, A Christmas Story 2, was also released in 2012. Throughout the last 39 years, however, fans of the original have begged for a continuation of the story, featuring the original film’s cast members. Finally, after all this time, they received it on HBO Max. A Christmas Story Christmas was released on November 17th, 2022. Here’s my review:

Set 33 years after the original, in 1973 Chicago, Illinois, Ralph Parker is now a husband and dad struggling to build his career as a writer. When he suddenly receives the news that his father has passed away, he brings his family to his hometown of Hohman, Indiana where he is faced with two very difficult burdens: making his own children’s Christmas special and writing his father’s obituary. In doing so, he takes a hilarious trip down memory lane as he rekindles fond—and not so fond—memories of his past. 

This movie is an emotional tribute to the late-great Darren McGavin who passed away on February 25th, 2006. It’s very touching, but also very hilarious. McGavin had a career spanning 63 years, and had many beloved roles on Broadway, television, and film. While the role of Old Man Parker is one of his best-known, he received an Emmy Nomination for his guest role on the series Murphy Brown (1988-2018), starred in the original Broadway productions of My Three Angels in 1953 and The Rainmaker in 1954, and he appeared in Billy Madison (1995), which ignited the film career of Adam Sandler. Despite his absence, the film beautifully carries on his legacy.   

Although the film takes place in 1973, the story is relatable to modern standards. One certainly could feel that they relate to the sequel more than they relate to the original as the original took place in 1940. There’s wittier humor, and it’s remarkable to watch Ralphie Parker be a responsible, conscientious adult instead of continuing to be a kid obsessed with getting a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

This film reunites the original “Christmas Story,” cast: Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker, Ian Petrella as Ralphie’s brother Randy, R.D. Robb and Scott Schwartz respectively as Ralphie’s best friends Schwartz and Flick, and Zack Ward as “Officer” Scut Farkus. Melinda Dillon, who played Mrs. Parker in the original, was offered to reprise her role in the sequel, but declined as she was content with her retirement. Julie Hagerty was cast in the role of Mrs. Parker, and she portrays the role beautifully. Billingsley also co-wrote with Clay Kaytis who directed the film. Vince Vaughn, Marc Toberoff, and Irwin Zwilling all co-produced with Billingsley.

Overall, “A Christmas Story Christmas,” is a great movie, period! It has an emotional effect similar to “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” as that film paid tribute to former “Ghostbusters,” cast member Harold Ramis who passed away in 2014. Even if you weren’t a fan of the original “A Christmas Story,” I would highly recommend this film as you’ll appreciate its emotionally moving message. I unashamedly rank it as my new favorite Christmas movie!  

 

Review: "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"

On August 28th, 2020, Chadwick Boseman passed away less than two months shy of his 44th birthday, as a result of colon cancer. His most beloved role was King T’Challa/Black Panther in a series of MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) movies (2016-2021). He was also known for portraying Baseball Superstar Jackie Robinson in 42 (2013) as well as his Oscar-Nominated performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020). After his tragic passing, Marvel continued Black Panther’s story with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). This is my review.

As the nation of Wakanda mourns the death of their king, his beloved sister, Shuri faces a great deal of pressure. She grieves her brother’s death, but is also on the verge of succeeding him as Wakanda’s new Queen. Meanwhile, Wakanda itself faces a new enemy in the underwater kingdom of Talokan, led by King Namor, who is determined to throw Wakanda underwater due to a misunderstanding regarding a vibranium detector invented by the CIA. Shuri therefore has to team up with Okoye, leader of the Dora Milaje (Wakanda’s female forces), as well as a new friend, Riri Williams/Ironheart to not only fight Namor and his kingdom, but prove him wrong, all the while relying on the consistent guidance of her mother, Queen Ramonda.

This sequel offers a new perspective on the kingdom of Wakanda. It is female-dominated, whereas the first Black Panther (2018) was not. It is very easy to root for Shuri and Okoye because we admire them for their bravery and tenacity, but we also feel compassion for them as they mourn King T’Challa’s death. As they struggle to move on with their lives, along with the help of their new friend, Ironheart, we are quickly rooting for them. It is likely that most fans will miss Boseman’s reappearance, but the film pays a tribute to him in its opening and closing scenes, which provides closure as well as a nice transition to the new story.

I was disappointed by the film’s lack of humor, as well as the fact that its tribute to Boseman was only in the opening and closing scenes instead of all throughout the movie. But despite that, it was still entertaining. There was exceptional acting, a decent story, and of course, stunning visual effects. 

“Wakanda Forever,” reunites the cast of Letitia Wright as Shuri, also known as the new “Black Panther,” Danai Gurira as Okoye, and Oscar-nominee Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda. The film also brings back Martin Freeman as CIA Agent Everett K. Ross. While both Freeman and Boseman appeared in the first “Black Panther,” both made their first official MCU appearances in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. Julia Louis-Dreyfuss also appears as CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, Ross’s former wife, and though de Fontaine appeared in the mini-series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021), as well as the post-credits scene of Black Widow (2021), “Wakanda Forever,” marks de Fontaine’s first feature-length appearance. The film was directed by Ryan Coogler who directed the first “Black Panther,” and was co-written by Coogler and Joe Robert Cole. It features a new score composed by Ludwig Goransson who won the Best Original Score Oscar for scoring the first “Black Panther,” and was produced by Kevin Feige who has produced every MCU film since Iron Man (2008).

Overall, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” is a good movie. It might not be a personal favorite for any fan, but they will appreciate how the new main characters carry on Chadwick Boseman’s legacy, even though they know he can never be replaced. More than anything, this new film leaves fans echoing the cry of this new “world”: “WAKANDA FOREVER!”

Review: "Black Adam"

The DC Comics character Black Adam made his first appearance in the first edition of The Marvel Family Comic Book, published in December, 1945. Since then, he has made numerous animated appearances on television and in video games: The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam (1981-1982), Justice League Unlimited (2004-2006), and Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes (2012). He finally made his live-action debut in Black Adam (2022), released on October 21st, in a movie produced by and starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Here are my thoughts:

After an imprisonment in 2600 BC for trying to avenge his murdered son, Black Adam, initially known as “Teth Adam,” is suddenly awakened by an archaeologist named Adrianna Tomaz, (who has a son named Amon). Tomaz and son are wowed by Adam’s remarkable levels of strength and speed, but ultimately they learn a complicated truth about Adam and his desire to avenge his son. When they discover that there are other heroes out to get him, (Justice Society members Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher), the film turns into an epic chase story and you don’t really know who you rooting for.

This is a very clever movie because first of all, it’s about a human anti-hero rather than a superhero. He’s very high-strung, slightly irascible, and can become violent within a nano-second. And yet we can’t help but feel for him given the death of his child. One ends up hoping that he’ll learn to do the right thing as difficult as it may be. It’s just more complex than what is normally seen in a superhero movie before.

I was also surprised by the movie’s very fun wit. It’s always a bonus for superhero movie to have clever humor written into it, and this one certainly did. Although it did have some spooky fight scenes within the last half hour, the plot never ceased to be entertaining. Up till this point I had only seen Dwayne Johnson’s roles in light-hearted comedies: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017), Jungle Cruise (2021) and Red Notice (2021). He played this serious role brilliantly, showing off his dry sense of humor.

The movie was co-produced Johnson, along with Jennifer Conroy, Beau Flynn, and Dany and Hiram Garcia (Johnson’s former wife and brother-in-law). The supporting cast includes Sarah Shahi as Adrianna Tomaz, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, and Bodhi Sabongui as Amon Tomaz. The film was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, who also directed Dwayne Johnson in “Jungle Cruise.” One of these film’s writers, Adam Sztykiel wrote 2018’s Rampage, which also starred Johnson. Cinematography was handled by Lawrence Sher, who received a Best Cinematography Oscar Nomination for Joker (2019). The film also featured a surprise cameo by Henry Winkler who portrays Atom Smasher’s uncle.

All in all, “Black Adam,” is a great movie! It’s definitely a different take on the typical superhero movie. The plot is somewhat complex, and some of the humor doesn’t flow quite as easily, but the “Black Adam” story makes perfect sense. And it will certainly make you appreciate Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as an actor.      

Paul J. Smith Tribute

Today is the birthday of a Disney Legend. While not particularly well-known, he is one of the very few people who had big contributions to both animated and live-action Disney films. Paul J. Smith was born on October 30th, 1906, so I thought we should celebrate some of his accomplishments! 

Smith was born in Calumet, Michigan to Joseph J. And Anna M. Smith. The family relocated to Caldwell, Idaho where his dad worked as the Band Director of the College of Idaho. Joseph was talented enough to be nicknamed by Idaho’s then-governor, Robert Smylie as “The Father of Music,” in the Boise Valley because he taught every musical instrument. The father’s talents rubbed off on all four of his sons and each went on to have careers in the music industry, including Paul, the second oldest.

Paul Smith first studied music at the College of Idaho from 1923 to 1925, and was later accepted into the Bush Conservatory in Chicago, Illinois. It was after his time there he was hired by the Walt Disney Studios as a composer for short cartoons. Smith made his Disney debut composing the score for the Mickey Mouse cartoon Thru the Mirror (1936). He composed the score for the Donald Duck cartoon Don Donald (1937) the following year, which was the debut of Donald Duck’s girlfriend, Daisy Duck (though at the time she was called Donna Duck!).

When Walt Disney officially got Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) off the ground, he knew that music would be just as crucial to the storytelling as the animation. Given Smith’s performance to date, Disney naturally he hired Smith to compose the film’s score, along with Frank Churchill and Leigh Harline to write the film’s songs, and Edward H. Plumb to provide orchestrations. “Snow White” grossed $184.9 million and Smith, Churchill, and Harline received an Oscar nomination for Best Music, Score— the film’s only nomination. Though the trio lost the award to Charles Previn for One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937), Smith and Harline collaborated together with Ned Washington on the score for Pinocchio (1940) three years later and for that film, they won the Best Original Score Oscar, an award they shared with Ned Washington. (Harline and Washington also won the Best Original Song Oscar for “When You Wish Upon a Star.”)

Throughout the ‘40s, Smith continued composing scores for shorts and features from The Fire Chief (1940) and Pluto’s Playmate (1941) to Bambi (1942) and Saludos Amigos (1943). Smith even appeared in a cameo as the violinist in the orchestra in Fantasia (1940). 1950 was a very busy year for him. It was the year he composed the scores for the beloved classic Cinderella as well as Disney’s True-Live Adventure documentary Beaver Valley, which won the Oscar for Best Short Subject, Two-Reel. Outside Disney, Smith was also known for scoring the films Glamour Girl (1948), Pecos River (1951), About Face (1952) and he scored the background music for the 6th and final season of Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963). 

Smith continued to receive Oscar Nominations for the Scores he wrote for “Amigos,” The Three Caballeros (1944) and “Cinderella.” His last nomination was for the True-Life Adventure, Perri (1957), which is about an adventurous female squirrel named Perri and her life throughout the four seasons. The following year, Smith co-wrote the title song for Disney’s The Light in the Forrest (1958) with Hazel “Gil” George and Lawrence Edward Watkin. George was known as Smith’s main collaborator as well as the Disney Studio Nurse.

Whenever she wasn’t treating anyone in her nursing role, George was working on films, collaborating with the likes of Paul Smith, George Bruns and Jimmie Dodd. With Smith, she wrote song lyrics for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Westward Ho, the Wagons (1956) as well as The Shaggy Dog (1959), and Pollyanna (1960). Smith and George’s collaborations helped make “20,000 Leagues,” and “Pollyanna,” beloved classics as they both won Oscars: “20,000 Leagues” for Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects and “Pollyanna” for Best Juvenile by an Actor for Hayley Mills in the title role. (Mills was the last recipient of the award!) 

Paul J. Smith died due to Alzheimer’s Disease on January 25th, 1985, at the age of 78. Nine years after his death, in 1994, he was honored as a Disney Legend. It is unfortunate that Paul J. Smith didn’t quite get all the attention he deserved throughout his career, let alone all the awards he deserved. But looking back at his music contributions, one could easily say his career was remarkable and his work set the stage for future composers to win Oscars for scoring Disney movies, i.e.: Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991)), Hans Zimmer (The Lion King (1994)), Michael Giacchino (Up (2009)), and Jon Batiste (Soul (2020)).

Disney's 99th

October 16th is a very important date in the Walt Disney Company’s history. On that date, in 1923, the Disney Bros. Cartoon Studio was formed, which is what grew into the Walt Disney Company. That means today, October 16th, 2022, is the Disney Company’s 99th anniversary and their 100th anniversary will be next year. In the last century, since its founding, Disney has come a long way. Let’s explore how it grew from being called the Disney Bros. Cartoon Studio to the Walt Disney Company…

At 22 years of age, Walt Disney created Alice’s Wonderland, a short film featuring a live-action Alice (played by Virginia Davis) interacting with animated characters. He showed it to distributor Margaret Winkler, who began negotiating plans with Walt to distribute a series of “Alice Comedies.” When the deal was signed, Walt and Roy, along with a team of animators relocated to Los Angeles where they formed the Disney Bros. Cartoon Studio, set up in their uncle, Robert Disney’s garage.

The success of the “Alice Comedies” led the team to move to another location on Hyperion Avenue in the Silver Lake District of Los Angeles. It was there that Walt renamed the studio Walt Disney Studio and began work on cartoons featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. When Disney lost Oswald to Universal Studios due to a contract infraction, he came up with the idea for Mickey Mouse and released Mickey’s first short, Plane Crazy in 1928. He also began work on his Silly Symphonies series in 1929 and that same year, he changed the studio’s name to Walt Disney Productions Ltd., and created subsidiaries Walt Disney Enterprising (for merchandising), Disney Film Recording Company Ltd. (for music) and Liled Realty and Investment Company (for real estate).

After the excruciating process of producing Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), each of those subsidiaries were combined to make Walt Disney Productions. The profits they received from “Snow White” ($184.9 million), provided the studio with enough money to build a new studio complex in Burbank, California, where it is located today. While at this location, they continued producing animated films: Fantasia (1940), Cinderella (1950), Peter Pan (1953), and began producing live-action films: Treasure Island (1950), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954). They also began constructing Disneyland, which opened on July 17th, 1955. The same year that they produced “Peter Pan,” they ended their distribution contract with RKO Radio Pictures, who had distributed all the animated films to that point, and formed their own distribution company, Buena Vista Film Distribution, which is now known as Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. 

When Walt Disney passed away on December 15th, 1966, Disney films (both animated and live-action) began losing their touch with audiences. Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) and Freaky Friday (1976) were box-office failures and though Robin Hood (1973) and The Rescuers (1977) were successful, they didn’t quite equal the success of the studio’s earlier animated hits. When Disney’s son-in-law Ron W. Miller took over as President and CEO of Walt Disney Productions, he was able to revive the studio, creating Touchstone Pictures, which gave the studio opportunities to produce more adult-oriented movies, beginning with Splash in 1984. Miller is also known for establishing the Disney Channel, as well financing the short films Vincent (1982) and Frankenweenie (1984), both of which were written and directed by Tim Burton and beginning early development on Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). Each of the three aforementioned films were the studio’s first uses of computer and stop-motion animation. (Fun Fact: Miller also funded Disney’s very first Broadway show, Total Abandon, which starred Richard Dreyfuss.)

On February 6th, 1986, when Frank Wells became President, the studio was split into the Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney Feature Animation. The latter oversees production on animated films, and was later renamed Walt Disney Animation Studios (when Pixar was acquired in 2006), while the former oversees production on everything else (Disney Parks, Disney Television, Disney Cruise Line, etc.)

All in all, the Disney companies have a fascinating history. The many iterations, names, combinations and re-combinations are confusing. Walt Disney always said “It was all started by a mouse,” but the literal truth is that it started before then, and was all started by a missionary men. It’s been a remarkable ride, with many achievements along the ways. And it makes sense to start celebrating that century of accomplishments now. 

     

Review: "Amsterdam"

David O. Russell is a fan favorite. From writing and directing his first feature film (Spanking the Monkey (1994) and receiving the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award) to his later films, fans love his work. He received Best Directing Oscar Nominations for The Fighter (2010), Silver Linings Playbook (2012), American Hustle (2013), as well as Screenplay Nominations for “Playbook,” and “Hustle.” It was also thanks to Russell’s guidance that Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, and Jennifer Lawrence all won Oscars (Bale and Leo won Best Supporting Actor and Actress in “Fighter,” and Lawrence won Best Actress in “Playbook.”) Russell’s highly anticipated return to movies, Amsterdam was released to theaters on October 7th, 2022. “Amsterdam,” is Russell’s first full-length movie since Joy (2015). Here’s my review:

In 1930s New York, two former war veterans, Dr. Burt Berendsen (Christian Bale) and Lawyer Harold Woodsman (John David Washington) are framed for murdering the daughter of a United States Senator. Becoming fugitives, they reunite with their female nurse friend Valerie Voze (Margot Robbie), whom they befriended while serving together in World War 1. Although the three maintain a friendship throughout the movie, it’s also clear that both men possess romantic feelings toward Valerie, though she only reciprocates feelings for Harold. As both men work at proving their innocence and uncovering the mystery behind the senator’s daughter’s murder, the mystery becomes more complicated than they ever could have imagined.

This movie is a brilliantly written murder-mystery and though it is a period piece, it acknowledges issues that are still prominent in today’s society, i.e. interracial romances and fascist-minded dictators. In a sense “Amsterdam” essentially pokes fun of people who are power-hungry or close-minded about race, showing how many of our modern difficulties are not unique or different than those from nearly 100 years ago. 

Although the film is slow-paced, 134 minutes to be specific, I sincerely enjoyed its fun wit. Despite some rather gory scenes, the plot was interesting and at times, rollicking. The trio of principal actors all shared great chemistry, and I especially liked John David Washington and Margot Robbie as a couple. Christian Bale almost certainly gives an Oscar-worthy performance. A lifelong fan of Robert De Niro, I was disappointed to not see him until a little more than halfway into the movie instead of from beginning to end. But as always, he delivers on his role. 

This movie was co-produced by Russell, Bale, Tracey Landon, and Matthew Budman. In addition to Bale, Washington, and Robbie, the film supporting cast includes Chris Rock, Zoe Saldana, Mike Meyers, Michael Shannon, Taylor Swift, and Robert De Niro (who received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar Nod for “Silver Linings Playbook”). The film was edited by Jay Cassidy who received Editing Oscar Nods for “Playbook,” and “American Hustle,” and its Production Design was designed by Judy Becker who also did the Production Designing for “Hustle.” Its Cinematography was done by Emmanuel Lubezki who won three Oscars for doing the Cinematography on Gravity (2013), Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014), and The Revenant (2015). 

Overall, “Amsterdam,” is an exceptional movie. Compared to the other murder mysteries released earlier this year: Death on the Nile (2022) and See How They Run (2022), “Amsterdam,” is the best and that’s primarily due to David O. Russell’s skills as a writer/director. Though let’s not forget that when Russell makes a movie, he always assembles a multi-talented cast as well.    

Review: "Hocus Pocus 2"

1993 was the year that Disney produced two beloved Halloween-themed movies. The first was Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas—a hit and the second was Hocus Pocus—a box-office disaster! Receiving mixed-to-negative reviews and barely making money (only $8.1 million to be specific), the film was one of the Disney’s biggest catastrophes. Despite all that, the film gained cult status when released on VHS in 1994 and DVD in 2002. Blu-Ray in 2018, and Disney+ in 2019 have continued the trend. Its continuing popularity motivated Disney to create a sequel, Hocus Pocus 2, which premiered on Disney+ on September 30th, 2022. Here are my thoughts: 

The movie brings back the Sanderson sisters, explains their backstory and how it led them to be evil witches. In the process, this “second story” gives them a way to perhaps overcome the scars of living in an oppressive male-dominated society centuries before, while simultaneously passing the torch to a new generation.

This movie does a great job of showing how teenage girls can resist any paths chosen for them and to feel they have the power and self-esteem to make their own choices (spoiler alert: especially when it comes to marriage a la Winifred Sanderson). As the chorus from the Aretha Franklin/Eurythmics song says “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves” they should always value their own standards and never loose track of the bond they share with their sisters and/or best friends. Hocus Pocus also introduces us to a potential new generation.

“Hocus Pocus 2,” reunites original cast members Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, and Doug Jones; then pairs them with Emmy Winners Tony Hale (“Veep”) and Hannah Waddingham (“Ted Lasso”). The film also stars Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo and Lila Buckingham as the new generation of Salem teenagers. This new crew of actors is well-intentioned, but perhaps didn’t have quite the crowd-pleasing draw of the originals-maybe it will grow over time like the original.

The movie was directed by Anne Fletcher (dir. of 27 Dresses (2008) and The Proposal (2009)) and was co-written by Jen D’Angelo and original “Hocus Pocus” writer David Kirschner. The film was also executive produced by Adam Shankman who directed Hairspray (2007) of which Fletcher was associate choreographer. (Shankman is currently directing Disney’s sequel to Enchanted (2007), Disenchanted (2022) which will be released on Disney+ on November 24th).

Overall, “Hocus Pocus 2,” is an entertaining movie, though it might not necessarily be quite as good as the original. Personally, I’ve always found the first film to be entertaining but creepy, as the Sanderson sisters like to steal children’s souls and Mary Sanderson (Kathy Najimy) is known for saying the iconic line “I smell children,” but the sequel can be distinguished in the sense it makes each of the Sanderson Sisters seem more human. It acknowledges The Sandersons’ evil streak, but lets us feel compassion for them as well. They are more heroic than they are villain.

DuckTales Tribute

“DuckTales Wo-oo! Everyday they’re out there making DuckTales! Wo-oo! Tales of derring-do, bad and good Luck Tales!” This is the chorus of the theme song written for Disney’s DuckTales (1987-1990), featuring music and lyrics by Mark Mueller. The show originally began airing on the ABC Network on September 18th, 1987, 35 years ago today, and was rebooted on the Disney XD Network on August 12th, 2017. In honor of it’s milestone anniversary let’s explore how the show came about:

“DuckTales,” was the very first Disney-produced cartoon show for syndication. The show’s inspiration came from the Disney comic book series, Uncle Scrooge, written and designed by Carl Barks. (The first edition was published in March 1952). The series told stories of Donald Duck, his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and Donald’s uncle Scrooge McDuck. Their adventures in the fictional city of Duckburg, often involved foiling the schemes of Flintheart Glomgold, The Beagle Boys, and Magica de Spell. The comic book series caught the attention of television writer Jymn Magon, who began developing the idea for a show with Disney. With animation designed at Wang Film Productions, Cuckoo’s Nest Studio, TMS Entertainment and Burbank Films, the show’s first five episodes were looped together as a made-for-television movie that aired on ABC entitled “The Treasure of the Golden Sun.” 

The movie’s success lead to a run of 101 episodes over four seasons. It won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Film Sound Editing in its third year, 1990. That same year, there was another made-for-television film, DuckTales the Movie: The Treasure of the Lost Lamp. The show’s success set the stage for future Disney cartoon shows including Darkwing Duck a “DuckTales,” spin-off that included the “DuckTales” regular Launchpad McQuack as the sidekick of Darkwing Duck and Huey, Dewey and Louie made guest star appearances.

The show’s main voice cast included the lagreat Alan Young as Scrooge McDuck and the late-great Russi Taylor juggled the roles of Huey, Dewey and Louie. Tony Anselmo voiced Donald Duck and Launchpad McQuack was voiced by Terrence McGovern. (Fun Fact about Terence McGovern: He did voice-over work on George Lucas’s THX 1138 (1971), a pre-Star Wars project. At one point during voice recording McGovern messed up a line and said “I think I ran over a wookie back there.” Intrigued, Lucas asked McGovern what he meant by that and McGovern said that he just made it up, and Lucas never forgot that word, later using it as the species of one his most beloved characters, Chewbacca!) The series also featured Donald Duck’s other uncle, Professor Ludwig von Drake, Disney’s first ever television cartoon character, who was voiced by Corey Burton.

Every episode of the original “DuckTales,” is available to stream on Disney+, along with the “Lost Lamp” movie as well as the reboot show. Despite being 35 years old, DuckTales remains a favorite among Disney fans.  since it initially aired. Alan Young passed away in May 2016 and Russi Taylor passed in July 2019. It is sad they are no longer with us, but with the rest of the talented voice cast and Jymn Magon’s writing skills and Mark Mueller’s music, they’ve left quite an animation legacy.

 

 

Steven Spielberg: A Director to Love

Movie Directors are considered exceptional when their story powerfully captures human emotion and the character’s journey through life is relatable to the audience. While there are many directors who have achieved great things, few have captured the hearts and minds of audiences like Steven Spielberg. I thought I would acknowledge today why Steven Spielberg is a director to love.

Steven Spielberg has played many roles, including producer, writer and director, but when me makes a movie, you can be sure the story will capture your imagination, bring the emotion of history to life, or take you on an adventure of a lifetime. Although 1977 is primarily remembered as the year that George Lucas released Star Wars, that was the same year for one of Steven Spielberg’s greatest adventures as he directed and co-wrote Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). (“Close Encounters,” won a Special Achievement Oscar for its Sound Effects Editing and it also won Best Cinematography, an award that “Star Wars,” wasn’t even nominated for!)

When Spielberg directs he always surrounds himself with other brilliant people: Composer John Williams, who’s won five Oscars, won three for scoring Spielberg movies, i.e. Jaws (1975), E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and Schindler’s List (1993).

Besides Williams, Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski won two Oscars for photographing “Schindler’s List,” and Saving Private Ryan (1998). Playwright Tony Kushner received two Adapted Screenplay Oscar Nominations for writing Spielberg’s Munich (2005), and Lincoln (2012). And Spielberg has directed 11 actors in Oscar-nominated performances, three of which have won: Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor in “Lincoln,” Mark Rylance won Best Supporting Actor in Bridge of Spies (2015) and Ariana DeBose won Best Supporting Actress in West Side Story (2021). 

Spielberg himself has also been an award winner. He won the Best Director Golden Globe, Oscar, and Directors Guild of America awards for “Schindler’s List,” and “Saving Private Ryan.” “Private Ryan,” also won his only Best Picture Oscar and he won a third Best Director DGA for The Color Purple (1985). He won the Irving G. Thalberg Award in 1987, and received the Cecil B. DeMille Golden Globe in 2008. He was also inducted as a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2006, where he was saluted by frequent collaborator Tom Hanks. (Spielberg later returned the favor for Hanks when Hanks was inducted in 2014). Hanks was directed by Spielberg in “Private Ryan,” Catch Me If You Can (2002), The Terminal (2004), “Bridge of Spies,” and The Post (2017) and the two co-produced the miniseries Band of Brothers (2001). 

No Spielberg tribute would be complete without referencing the Indiana Jones franchise (1981-2008). One could easily argue Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) is one of Spielberg’s best in the sense that it earned a Best Picture Oscar Nomination, gave us all an iconic hero role that has stood the test of time, and spawned three sequels: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). The fourth sequel is also on its way and while it will be directed by Oscar-nominee James Mangold, Spielberg will continue as producer.   

A director of 34 theatrical movies, at age 75 Spielberg’s clearly showing no signs of slowing down. He made his animation directorial debut in 2011 with The Adventures of Tintin and in 2016 directed The BFG, his very first film produced and distributed by the Walt Disney Company. That screenplay was authored by the late-great Melissa Mathison, who also wrote “E.T.” Spielberg has a brand new directorial project, The Fabelmans (2022), a film that will be a semi-autobiography of his childhood and what inspired him to go into movie-making. “Fabelmans,” will be released on November 23rd of this year, will star Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen, and will once again feature the Music of John Williams, the Cinematography of Janusz Kaminski, and a script that Spielberg co-wrote with Tony Kushner.

To say that Steven Spielberg takes the craft of movie-making seriously is an understatement. You can take one look at any of his movies and know instantly that it was produced by someone who loves movies because while it is make believe, it looks and feels unbelievably real. And he hires brilliant people to make his vision come to life. He must also be great to work with, since he’s worked so often with the same people. And in the end, thanks to his guidance, their efforts usually pay off with a movie hit!

    

Melissa Mathison: True to the Book

“We’re all going to die and they’re never going to give me my license!” “I’ll believe in you all my life everyday. E.T…I love you.” “Is he a pig? He sure eats like one.” “I’ll be right here.” 

These lines were written by Melissa Mathison for Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), which celebrated a 40th anniversary release on August 12th, 2022. Mathison had a career as a screenwriter that lasted for 36 years, writing screenplays based on children’s novels such as The Black Stallion (1979), as well as original screenplays like “E.T.,” which earned her a Best Original Screenplay Oscar Nomination. Though her career was relatively short, it was remarkable.

Mathison was born in Los Angeles, California on June 3rd, 1950. She was born into a family of writers: her father, Richard, was the Los Angeles Bureau Chief of Newsweek and her mother, was a food writer and convenience-foods entrepreneur, so she naturally developed the desire to write herself. She studied writing at the University of California, Berkeley, and her career officially took off when Francis Ford Coppola tapped her as his assistant on The Godfather part 2 (1974). (The Mathisons were family-friendly with the Coppolas and she even babysat his kids!)

After “Godfather 2,” Omni Productions was looking for a screenwriter to adapt the beloved children’s novel The Black Stallion written by Walter Farley. Coppola recommended Mathison, and she was hired, writing a script that stayed true to Farley’s novel. The film not only exceeded Farley’s expectations, but it even caught the attention of Steven Spielberg, who was looking for someone to write for his next film project “E.T.” Originally conceived as a “sort of” sequel to Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Spielberg became involved with “E.T.,” but he was not interested in making sequels. He agreed to produce it, but not direct, and originally had summoned screenwriter John Sayles to write the sequel, which was going to be called Night Skies. When Spielberg was displeased with Sayles’ draft, he read the story to Mathison, who re-wrote the screenplay, thus re-imagining it as “E.T.,” and became director again.    

In addition to a screenplay nomination, the film received a total of nine Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and won four. Spielberg and Mathison collaborated again two years later on Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), a film based on the television series of the same name, and in which Spielberg shared directing credits with Joe Dante, John Landis, and George Miller; Mathison shared writing credits with Landis, George Clayton Johnson, and Richard Matheson.

Besides her collaborations with Spielberg, Mathison also wrote the screenplays for The Escape Artist (1982), the television film Son of the Morning Star (1991), The Indian in the Cupboard (1995), and Kundun (1997), each of which were based on original books. While writing “Kundun,” she befriended the Dalai Lama and began a second career as an advocate for Tibetan freedom and was even on the board of the International Campaign for Tibet. In 1998, she and then-husband Harrison Ford lend their voices to the audiobook The Emperor’s New Clothes: An All-Star Illustrated Retelling of the Classic Fairy Tale, voicing the con artist husband-and-wife hired by the emperor’s seamstress to design the new clothes.

In 2008, Melissa Mathison was hired by Disney to write the English-translation for the Japanese Anime film Ponyo, produced at the Japanese Animation Film Co. Studio Ghibli and released under Disney’s label. The final film she wrote the screenplay for was Disney’s live-action adaptation of The BFG (2016) which was directed by Steven Spielberg (marking the first time ever Spielberg directed a film produced and distributed by Disney!) and starred Mark Rylance as the title character. Rylance had previously won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar under Spielberg’s direction in Bridge of Spies (2015) just the year before. Mathison was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer towards the end of the film’s production and died on November 4th, 2015, at the age of 65, eight months before the film’s July 1st release. The film was dedicated in her honor, reading “FOR OUR MELISSA” in the closing credits.

Melissa Mathison was a screenwriter who knew how to bring a book to life on film, but to stay true to the book, which is an exceptionally rare quality for writers. It’s unfortunate that she never won an Oscar for any of her screenplays and it’s also unfortunate that she is no longer with us. But she had an incredible career and every movie lover can agree that, had it not been for her skills as a screenwriter, “E.T.” wouldn’t be the beloved classic it still is today.

Review: "Luck"

Skydance Media is a film company officially founded on April 4th, 2006, by David Ellison, who continues  as the company’s CEO. Since its founding, Skydance has co-financed and co-produced films with Paramount Pictures, beginning with Flyboys (2006) starring James Franco, and the remake of True Grit (2010) which starred Jeff Bridges and garnered 10 Oscar nominations. Their most recent work Paramount was this summer’s blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick (2022). In March 2017, they teamed with Illion Animation Studios (based in Madrid, Spain) and Apple Original Films to begin producing CGI Animated movies. Their very first animated film, distributed by Apple TV+, is Luck. This is my review: 

Sam is the world’s clumsiest 18-year-old. She grew up in an orphanage, but is now too old to live there and has begun to live independently as a working adult. Her best friend is a five-year-old orphan named Hazel, who is desperate to be adopted. Sam wants to help her find a family. One day, Sam finds a penny in the street that she believes will bring good luck to both her and Hazel. She has difficulty keeping the penny on her person and magical adventures ensue, including a new friend: a loony, but soft-hearted cat named Bob.

The inspiring message of this movie is that no one is born with only good luck or bad luck. Life is all about enduring bad fortune whenever it happens, and one has to balance those two. It seems that bad times make you love the good times even more and it’s the bad times that help you tell when the good times are.

The film’s voice cast includes Tony-Nominee Eva Noblezada as Sam and Simon Pegg as Bob. Supporting voice cast Members include Oscar-Winners Whoopi Goldberg and Jane Fonda as well as veteran voice-over artists Grey DeLisle and John Ratzenberger. The film’s producing credits were shared by four people: David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, David Eisenmann, and John Lasseter. This is Lasseter’s first return to animation since his departure from being the Chief Creative Officer of Disney and Pixar Animation Studios. The film was directed by Peggy Holmes, who directed Disney’s Secret of the Wings (2012) and The Pirate Fairy (2014). It was written by Kiel Murray who wrote the screenplays for Disney/Pixar’s Cars (2006) and Cars 3 (2017). 

All in all, 2022 has proven to be a great year for animated movies from Turning Red to The Bad Guys to Minions: The Rise of Gru. Luck is part of what has been a really good run. Each film has been uniquely entertaining and told an inspiring message, but “Luck,” may be the best. Balancing bad luck, and knowing that good luck can still surprise us when we least expect it is a great message for kids and adults alike.