I'm Thinking of Ending Things [Netflix]

 

The best film of the year...thus far. A surreal fantasy masquerading as a tense psychological thriller, this was a quintessential and unabashed Charlie Kaufman film. It was bitingly smart and uncompromisingly intelligent (unlike, say, Tenet) but yet darkly funny, oppressingly tense/creepy and peppered with unexpected poignancy. But most of all, it was anchored by terrific performances from its two leads - Jessie Buckley and Jesse Plemons - and the scene-stealing Toni Collette and David Thewlis. If Wild Rose did not convince you that Buckley is a star, her superb, chameleonic performance here will; and Plemons has been underrated long enough! This was not a film for the casual viewer. It demands attention and it will reward you at the end, and stays with you even longer.

It is always a privilege to be able to glimpse into the mind of Kaufman, and no one else would have been able to translate his screenplay (from the book by Iain Reid) as well as he could. Kaufman's directing and writing was in sync and so capably transported the audience into this world. 

Similarly, kudos to the production design team, the cinematographer, Łukasz Żal, who also worked on the equally sumptuous Cold War, and the music composer Jay Wedley. The whole team had created a brilliant visual landscape and aural soundscape that enveloped the viewer. The confusion, the unease, the sense of dread, the fear, the longing, the sadness, the lost, the happiness, the acceptance, all these and more were heightened and enriched by Kaufman and team. 

Saying anything more about the plot will ruin the film, but safe to say, it was similar yet different from its source material, and really only something that Kaufman could have imagined. This was truly Kaufman's best work since Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless mind sixteen years ago (and Being John Malkovich was 21 years ago!).

Buckley remained astounding and it was a crime she was not nominated for an Oscar for Wild Rose last year (at least she got a BAFTA nomination; her Oscar nom likely went to Cynthia Erivo and perhaps either Saoirse Ronan or Charlize Theron should have given up their spot...just saying). Nonetheless, Buckley turned in a fearless performance here all while spouting Kaufman's long monologues that ranged a multitude of topic. Her face was a canvas for the myriad emotions that her character had to go through and never once did it ring false. As ostensibly the audience surrogate, we tracked her journey through this one surreal evening and we felt what she felt. We were seldom ahead of her and that feeling could be very confusing. 

Plemons needs to be recognised by the mainstream audience and be rewarded for his consistently good performances in all mediums. In television, he broke out in Breaking Bad and was great in the second season of Fargo and the USS Callister episode of Black Mirror; and in films, he had multiple small yet pivotal roles in Vice, The Irishman, Bridge of Spies, The Post, amongst many other award-winning films. He is such an underrated actor and perhaps that is his charm. His character appeared unassuming but yet we see flickers of a multi-faceted, complex human being. The layers of complexity that Plemons brought to this role was amazing.

Collette and Thewlis made a perfect pair. They seemed to be having so much fun in their scenes especially Collette. They are fascinating to watch, and the dinner scene with all four of them was easily one of the best scene in the film. The effortless transition showed all of their mastery in the craft.

This was easily, hands down, one of the best films in a long time. A smart, uncompromising film that delivered. An Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and Cinematography will be likely, but given its high brow nature and esoteric storytelling, anything more will be a surprise, albeit a very welcomed one.

This film absolutely deserved repeat viewing - like all good Kaufman's films - and what else is there to do under lockdown in these unprecedented times? Stay through the credits and read them for some nuggets and easter eggs.

Tenet [IMAX]

 

Expectations were high for this film given the immense success that was Dunkirk and how it was the first major blockbuster to hit the cinema since COVID struck. But Christopher Nolan's time-travelling, heist-flick, action-thriller failed to lived up to those expectations. 

Granted, the timey-wimey concept was interesting. However, the execution was tedious and predictable, and for fans familiar with the sci-fi genre or time-travel trope, it felt unexciting and rote. Nolan never delivered upon the promise of the first act and the film never got more exciting than the prologue. The clunky dialogue and heavy-handed monologuing did not help. 

And to add salt to the wound, this was perhaps Nolan's most emotionally hollow and contrived film. There was absolutely no emotional weight or purpose in this whole 150 minutes. Perhaps he should have leaned more into the bromance and banter between John David Washington and Robert Pattinson who had good chemistry together, and ditch the saviour-complex, with a hint of romance, between Washington and Elizabeth Debicki. 

Washington was a standout in his breakout film BlacKkKlansman, but here, although he managed to hold his own, he seemed overwhelmed by the story and never really shone through as an individual. He was charismatic at times but dull more often. He really did not appear like he was having fun.

Pattinson, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying his role. Pattinson is a much better actor than most people give him credit for and his performance here proved that his Batman could be something worth anticipating. 

As for Debicki she deserved so much more. She tried her best but the script and the directing failed her. Her character was so shallowly written and her motivations so contrived that she was essentially nothing more than a pretty face face masquerading as a plot device. At least she and Kenneth Branagh played well opposite each other. More than what we can say for her chemistry withWashington. Ever since she broke out in The Night Manager and The Kettering Incident, she seemed to have been typecast, i.e. the tall, fragile-looking blonde that had inner strength that was yet to be discovered. Hopefully, as the next Princess Diana she can once again shin. 

Nolan really has no idea how to write for women. Which could explain why his films always have so little women in them. And if they are there, they are either tropes or used to subvert expectations, e.g. Dimple Kapadia in this film. There really was no reason why Washington's or Pattinson's characters could not have been female.

Tenet absolutely failed the Bechdel Test. Also, other than Washington, there was also no other BIPOC character of note throughout the film.

Nolan might have to learn a few things from his brother and sister-in-law, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the duo behind the HBO series Westworld, or even James Cameron, and consider allowing his ideas to be turned into a mini-series or a multi-part film franchise. With more time and breathing space, and better writing, Tenet could have been so much better. The concept could have been more richly explored and the characters deepened and their complexities fleshed out. Look at the Netflix series Dark. Similar concept, so much more better executed over three seasons.

And Nolan should also consider having a co-writer to help write better dialogue rather than the clunky and clanky pesudo-science, pop-philosophy and oblique references that peppered throughout the film.

Having said all that, there were things to like about the film. The cinematography by Hoyte van Hoytema was excellent. The IMAX-shot sequences were great and the final climax - for all its messiness - was amazingly shot. The editing by Jennifer Lame who did Hereditary was top notch. And of course the score by Ludwig Goransson really helped to drive the film forward and through the dull patches. There is a chance that they could get some awards recognition in these three categories and also for Special Effects and Sound Design. 

Watching this film in IMAX was great, especially for the prologue and some of the action sequences like the final climax. And the sound system in an IMAX theatre really helped with the bass-heavy score. However, given the 2.5 hours film length and mediocrity of the film, that extra cost may not have been so worth it. But at least it was fun to be back in a cinema, only wished it had been better.

The Old Guard [Netflix]

A fairly engaging film by Gina Prince-Bythewood that mildly subverted the superhero film genre. It had great action, hand-on-hand sequences and a good performance by lead actress Charlize Theron. But at just over 2-hours long, the screenplay by Greg Rucka, who also wrote the original comic book this was based on, did tend to dawdle and the plotting and writing was inconsistent and occasionally clunky with many logic lapses and contrivances in the service of plot momentum and twists. The rest of the cast was also a mixed bag, with Luca Marinelli and Marwan Kenzari as standouts (even their characters tend to the steal the show), together with the brooding Matthias Schoenearts. Unfortunately, the two Black characters played by KiKi Layne and Chiwetel Ejiofor were uninteresting and underused respectively. 

Prince-Bythewood's directing was assured and for a first-time action and genre director, she competently executed the terrific open sequence that hooked the audience in and also the climatic big finale fight. Even the hand-on-hand fights, mainly showcasing Theron, were beautifully choreographed, kinetically energetic and believably deadly without the showy slow-mos that was all pretty but usually ridiculous.

On the dramatic front, Theron again shone with her authentic portrayal of an old immortal who has grown world weary and jaded. Similarly, the relationship between Marinelli and Kenzari was a highlight - it was highly refreshing to see queer superheroes in a relationship but not having that queerness highlighted. However, the origin story of Layne's newbie immortal lacked character depth and a sense of urgency. Layne was so good in If Beale Street Could Talk but her talents are kind of wasted here. 

As for the bad guys. they really were of the cupboard-variety, one-dimensional villainy with no ounce of redemption (at least Henry Melling seemed to be having fun, whereas Ejiofor appeared to struggle to give his character a believable purpose).

The music by Hauschka and Dustin O'Halloran was perhaps a bit too on the nose, with lots of #SadPiano and #PlaintiveCello, but otherwise it did help to move the story along. Although perhaps the soundtrack was more apt and memorable than the score. 

The powers-that-be clearly wants this to be a new franchise, and with Rucka already releasing a comic sequel to the first series and the mid-credits easter egg, it is highly likely and inevitable that we will get a franchise soon. Although hopefully the creative team will all be back and maybe hire a co-writer to help Rucka fine tune his screenplay.

Palm Springs [Hulu]

This was a genuinely funny (some great laugh out loud moments), light and frothy rom-com that would have been an excellent Summer escapist film. But now, as we are all more or less stuck in quarantine, this film has added a layer of ironic realism to its existentialism leanings. Thankfully, philosophy and quantum physics were not its priority, instead its focus was on the fantastic chemistry between its two lead - Andy Samberg (who was the right amount of cringiness here) and Cristin Milioti (she of the wide-eyed, not-so manic-pixie foil). 

Written by Andy Siara and Directed by Max Barbakow, this was a trim and unfussy 90 minutes film that held your attention from the beginning to the end. But to me, I wished it ended 2 minutes earlier, that would have been perfect. The epilogue and the mid-credits scene kinda lost a bit of the magic spelled by the preceding 88. Nonetheless, kudos to Barbakow for daftly balancing comedy, romance and existentialism without nary missing a beat. The tonal shifts from fun to dread to wonder to drama to contemplative to hopeful and back to fun again were done very well.

Samberg - reminiscence of Jesse Eisenberg from Zombieland - was a great casting choice. He has the earnesty and sincerity that made him relatable, and also a great timing for comedy (see Brooklyn Nine-Nine). Although, thankfully, Barbakow managed to rein him  an we barely had much slapstick schtick or cringey expressions of frat-humour.

Milioti was a great foil for Samberg, and her journey was a delight to follow. Her transformation through the stages of grief was extremely fun especially as she worked through her denial and anger before arriving at acceptance.

J.K. Simmons played a small but pivotal role and it is hard to see any other actor inhabit this role. Maybe Christopher Walken? Or Sir Ian McKellen? You get the type. 

My only real gripe was the ending. I wonder if the studios had anything to do with it or was it Siara's, or Barbakow's, plan all along. 

Another gripe will be the lack of representation in the film. We have the one token Black actor and the one token Asian guy. It was also a definite fail on the Bechdel Test. And the LGBTQ angle was played for laughs. Gotta work harder, Hollywood.

Nonetheless, this was a great 90 minutes escapism. It brought the laughs and the awwww-shucks, and could be a long shot for an Original Screenplay nomination.

An Affair to Remember [AppleTV]

This 1957 rom-com starred two great leads who had fantastic chemistry that helped to sell the slightly implausible, but utterly fairy-tale romantic, plot. The banter between Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr was excellent, especially in the first half when they were on the cruise. However, once they landed in NYC, the film felt a bit more maudlin and less interesting with the two stars apart. Individually, they were good actors but together, they were more electrifying and fun to watch. It was a pity that the film did not try to give them more individualism as we explored their private life. Nonetheless, this film remained a classic and the blueprint for many a modern rom-coms. It was funny and touching, a romantic fantasy escape for all generations. Simpler times with simpler stories.

Da 5 Bloods [Netflix]

This film is possibly the year's first clear major Oscar contender. I see it already vying for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Score and Best Original Screenplay. 

Spike Lee's latest film was a lot of everything. It was topical as it was entertaining; educational and yet thrilling. It had dramatic beats with worthy emotional payoffs, and also comedic moments that did not seem cheap. It had twists and turns and gunfights and bombs and laughs and tears. It was about brotherhood, and familial bonds; it was about secrets and guilt; it was about Black Lives Matter and the horrors of war. Perhaps the only thing that did not work was the shoehorning of a quasi-romance.

It was a long film, at 154 minutes, and with so many things on its plate, there were a number of discourses and the film definitely could have been more streamlined if Lee only stuck to the A-plot. But, the film was much richer because he did not and was much more interesting. The acting was also great all across the board with Delroy Lindo and Clarke Peters both being standouts, with Lindo being a potential Best Actor nominee. 

Lee co-wrote the screenplay and his influences and activism showed especially in the first act of the film. Although, undoubtedly, some Republicans and "President Bone Spurs"-supporters will be turned off by the political undertones. 

Lee's directing was superb and although the film was long, the pacing was great. It only lagged at a few moments, namely at the aforementioned romance (between Jonathan Majors and Melanie Thierry), which also highlighted Lee's weakness in writing female characters and authentic romances. This film definitely did not pass the Bechdel Test. And to be honest, the film did not require it, of if it did it should have been more all encompassing and included the females in all the characters' life which would have then made the movie even longer.

Lindo was fantastic in the lead role. From his first appearance as a MAGA-wearing, ex-GI to the film's closing moments, Lindo gave a captivating performance that felt rooted in plausibility. His was a complex character, holding on to so much emotional weight and trauma that it had begun to manifest itself outwardly and bled out into his physical behaviour. 

Peters was the other standout actor. He was the moral and emotional core of the story. A steady presence amidst the chaos, and a sympathetic audience surrogate. 

Other great supporting cast included Jean Reno in a great Trump-skewering role, Chadwick Boseman as the 5th Blood, and the always reliable Paul Walter Hauser in a bit role.

Newton Thomas Sigel's cinematography was outstanding. The different aspect ratios used for different parts of the films was innovative and clear. The shots were beautiful especially of the gorgeous Vietnamese landscapes and also the odes to Apocalypse Now and Good Morning, Vietnam.

The score was by Terence Blanchard who also scored Lee's previous film, BlacKkKlansman. It was a fittingly beautiful and resounding score that helped to underpin the dramatic and adventure beats of the film, On the other spectrum, Blanchard's score, together with the soulful voice of Marvin Gaye, also helped to weave a lovely emotional tapestry that lifted and supported when the film got serious and honest.

This film would have been fantastic on a large screen, but Netflix would surely allow Lee's film to reach a wider audience. And in this climate, the film's message deserved to reach as big an audience as possible. Da 5 Bloods is a serious contender - more so than Lee's previous BlacKkKsman - and hopefully it can keep its momentum all the way to April 2021. #BLM

The Vast of Night [Amazon]

A fun, thrilling, little indie sci-fi film from first time film director and writer Andrew Patterson. It is always amazing what some talented film makers can do and come up with on a small budget, and that really gives you a sense of what kind of talent they are and what they can possibly achieve. In this case, Patterson direction and storytelling were his stronger suits than his actual writing.

This was a talky, 50s-era film set like an episode on Twilight Zone, and although there was a lot of bantering and rapid-fire cross-talking between the two leads - played by Sierra McCormick and Jake Horowitz - the quality of the banter lacked the energy, adrenaline, punchiness and zing of the likes of Joss Whedon or Amy Sherman-Palladino. 

However, Patterson really shone with the directing. The tension was ratcheted up appropriately and maintained, and the mystery unfolded slowly and with enough creepiness and dread to be engaging. The limited budget possibly forced him to limit the number of shoots and edits so there were lots of one takes and long, tracking shots which were used effectively rather than gimmicky. Although, somewhere between Act 1 and Act 2, there was an exhilarating, long, racing, tracking shot that was superbly done and sure to be Patterson's calling card for the big leagues. 

Similarly, his cinematographer, M. I. Littin-Menz will be a name to watch out for in the future. His lensing of the film was gorgeous and effectively fit the atmospheric mood of the film. 

It is quite exciting to spot talent early on in their career.

Acting wise, McCormick and Horowitz had chemistry together, but neither of them broke out. However, to give them credit, they did hold the film together in the opening minutes and before the film kicked into high-gear. And to be honest, the script itself was more narrative-based rather than character-based, therefore they had not much to work with. In addition, Patterson's direction to McCormick seemed to require her to be more reactive rather than being; and with Horowitz, it was more channel Dana Scully's sensibilities with Fox Mulder's dryness. It was the camera work that helped sell the story rather than the characters. 

At at breezy 89 minutes, this was an easy film to watch. It could even feel like, in this day and age, an extended episode of Black Mirror or Twilight Zone. But what Patterson and his team had achieved from their limited resources was incredible, and it will be very exciting to see what else he will come up with next.