Black Widow [IMAX]

Finally after being delayed a whole year, the MCU's official Phase 4 film entry arrived in theatre. However, to be exact, the Disney+ shows started the ball rolling a couple of months earlier and they all do sort of tie-in together. There is a through line in what Kevin Feige and co seemed to want to achieve.

Directed by Australian Cate Shortland, with a story by Jac Shaeffer (recently of WandaVision fame) and Ned Benson (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby), and a screenplay by Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok), the behind the scenes pedigree gave Black Widow a certain level of expectations which it reached, but not necessarily exceed. 

From the opening sequence to the opening credits, Black Widow already felt different from all the preceding MCU films. After the high octane intensity that culminated in Endgame, this felt like a soft reboot of the entire franchise. A chance for the MCU to breathe and to re-calibrate itself. In that sense, it seemed either like an extended epilogue to the Infinity Saga, or a prologue to the next 20-odd films.

And again, in that vein, it made sense for this film to come out first, followed by WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki.

Shortland's direction was clean and precise, and with cinematographer Gabriel Beristain, the film had a warm, familial feel, albeit that of an oddly estranged - sometimes psychopathic - family. Familial ties was a strong, constant theme throughout but thankfully it was not too heavy-handed or relentlessly hammered in. 

The action sequences had their moments, but other than the big climatic, VFX-heavy finale, most of the others lacked visceral energy or tension. This was especially so since we know that Natasha Romanoff cannot possibly die in this film. But it remained disappointing since she was supposed to be a hand-to-hand combat expert.

Black Widow was a great star vehicle for Scarlett Johansson. She anchored the film and the story allowed the Oscar-nominated actress to simultaneously flex her acting and literal muscles. It even allowed Romanoff to have moments of levity, not last seen since the Joss Whedon days. 

It definitely helped that the core supporting cast were equally outstanding and propped Johansson up. Their on-screen chemistry was great, although all that faux (and so inconsistent!!) Russian accents were extremely grating. It occupied almost 75% of the whole film. Thankfully, Florence Pugh, David Harbour and Rachel Weisz had immense talent to power through it and created distinct characters that overcame their overbearing accents.

Pugh was a standout and is clearly lined-up for bigger things at the MCU. But in what way, who knows. The post-credits scene - definitely more impactful if it had came out before The Falcon and the Winter Soldier - seemed to suggest she would either play a role in a future Disney+ show or possibly a larger Avengers-esque mash-up. Nonetheless, Pugh continued her rise to stardom with a showcase that displayed both a strong physicality and emotional grit. But why couldn't she stick to her natural British accent like Johansson in her American? I guess her backstory was more an assassin than spy.

Harbour, surprisingly, brought the laughs. And they were genuinely good laughs. Almost veering on slapstick but thankfully based on some deranged form of honest sincerity. 

And Weisz too had a deadpanned humour oddly similar to her stint on The Favourite. She should do more black comedy.

Music was scored by the prolific Lorne Balfe and like most the MCU films, the score remained mostly technical and generic. It moved the narrative and bolstered the emotional resonance, but nothing beyond. Although towards the end, the Avengers theme reminded us that that was the only piece of iconic music throughout the MCU's history.

Black Widow was a fun watch. Although it was not necessary to watch on IMAX, the huge screen and terrific sound system was a bonus. With the post-credits scene, and the already announced upcoming Disney+/MCU shows, the MCU looks set to continue to dominate pop culture.

In The Heights

 

An exuberant and highly infectious celebration of life and a great return back to cinemas! Featuring a charismatic Anthony Ramos and a highly singalong-able soundtrack by Lin-Manual Miranda, In the Heights was a highly entertaining delight! By no means was it a perfect film - or musical - but it was a poignant reminder of the power of cinema to celebrate Life. 

Jon M. Chu did a great job injecting a visceral, kinetic energy to the big moments and these were delicious highlights! From the opening number to the catchy salon number, from the big pool sequence to the Carnivale del Barrio, these sequences were unbelievably infectious and simply made you want to jump up and dance (by the aisles!). These moments seemed destined for the big screen and they really transport you away from reality.

However, Chu may have lost sight in the smaller, more intimate moments. The quieter and more tender scenes did not really work. They just felt a lot duller. Partially it laid in the lack of emotional groundwork for the lead characters. The two romantic pairings felt superficial and unexplored. Their connection and their individual challenges were simply brushed through and not built upon. 

Not having seen the musical before, it was hard to know if it was an inherent problem of the stage production or a translation issue. The film, like the musical's book, was written by Quiara Algeria Hudes, and the central narrative just seemed a bit thin. And the songs by Miranda clearly showed the groundwork for his later smash hit Hamilton.

That being said, Olga Merediz's Abuela (a role she originated in the musical), was the heart and soul. Her story had the most significant emotional punch; I will not lie, but tears was shed. That was a sincerely powerful moment, and the film needed more of it. 

Ramos was a great lead actor and possessed a great voice. He practically oozed charisma and was a great character to follow and root for, but his chemistry with Melissa Barrera - as his love interest, Vanessa - was hit-and-miss. They have their moments but it never did culminate in fireworks.

On the other side we have Corey Hawkins with that silky, Broadway voice and Leslie Grace with her more contemporary pop vocals. Just like Ramos and Barrera, their chemistry was fleeting. 

Shout out to the salon ladies: Daphne Rubin-Vega (Mimi in the original Rent), Stephanie Beatriz (Rosa from Brooklyn-Nine-Nine) and Dascha Polanco (Daya from Orange is the New Black).

In the Heights was the ideal film to welcome back the post-pandemic cinema. A positive film that entertained and delighted. Cinema is not dead! Long, live the cinema!