Tag: movies

Week in Review (Dec 19 – 25, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

Succession (2018) – Season 3 Ep 9

After a busy week out in the wilderness, I’ve finally returned to see the season finale of Succession; and what an episode it was! After several long months of being poked, prodded, goaded and generally mistreated by Logan (Brian Cox), the Roy siblings finally put up a united front and stood up against him.

In what was my favorite scene this season, Kendall (Jeremy Strong) has a breakdown after his near drowning (which he insists wasn’t an attempt at suicide) and admits to what happened at Shiv’s (Sarah Snook) wedding with the waiter. His siblings comfort him in whatever way they know how, Shiv saying it isn’t his fault and Roman (Kieran Culkin) resorting to his usual dark humor. The framing, the writing and the performances – especially Strong’s – were flawlessly executed, and this moment felt like a long time coming.

It’s unfortunate that they hardly have any time to process before they have to gather their wits for their most difficult challenge yet: stopping Logan from letting GoJo take over Waystar. They make every effort they can think of from trying to get information from Gerri (J. Smith-Cameron) on Logan to finding the ideal company structure in a post-Logan era, with Shiv pushing for Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) front and center.

The one thing that really bothered me is how much they exclude Connor (Alan Ruck) from their group. He finally expressed his opinion on how ignored he feels by his younger siblings, the first real interest or emotion he’s shown in family affairs.While he ultimately has the be the bigger person and let it go, I was glad to see him take a stand. Despite this, they still don’t consult with him in the slightest with regard to the takeover.

However, in the end it probably wouldn’t have made any difference. The dark horse turned out to be Tom, who tipped Logan off, and even recruited his favourite lackey Greg (Nicholas Braun) in the process. Though it is unsurprising that Tom would turn against Shiv, since he has been becoming more and more disillusioned by her over the course of the season, it still hurt to see him side with Logan of all people.

The repercussions of this promise to be severe, and Season 4 should be rife territory for the Roy clan’s civil war to continue, albeit with a few of the players moved around and loyalties changed. The show continues to be as strong as ever, in the writing, performances and directing and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for them to come.

Movies

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is back, however it seems that the world is rather divided on whether he’s friend or foe in this third installment of the series. After Quentin Beck’s “confession” at the end of the last film, and Peter’s (Tom Holland) identity being revealed, he and his inner circle have been having a tough time living their lives normally.

Rather than deal with things within the confines of his reality, he turns instead to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and magic to fix his problems. Except that magic is very complicated and Peter wants a bunch of caveats added in, and somehow he even manages to fracture the spell that Strange is casting.

This results in a number of villains from other universes to bleed through to Peter’s world, these universes of course being those of the previous two Spider-Man film franchises. Peter encounters the likes of Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and Electro (Jamie Foxx). However, rather than fight them as instinct initially tells him to, he follows his Aunt May’s (Marisa Tomei) advice to instead help them be better. Through technology, they find ways to to stop whatever causes their mental imbalances, but that also largely means removing their abilities for a number of them, which doesn’t sit well with Electro especially.

Eventually Peter gets overpowered by the multitude of villains, which results in the unfortunate death of his aunt, and sends him spiraling into grief and murderous rage. Ned (Jacob Batalon) and MJ (Zendaya) are at a loss on how to even find him let alone help him, but with his newfound magic and Strange’s ring Ned manages to find two people who might be able to help them out: the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield Spider-Men.

After a lot of meta jokes and banter, the team work together to help the villains out, and send them back home, but in order for it to happen, Peter tells Doctor Strange to cast a spell that will make the world forget who he is, or that he’s Spider-Man. Naturally, this does not sit well with Ned and MJ, but they agree, telling him to find them when this is all over.

He does, but at the last minute, decides not to introduce himself when he realizes that they may be better off without him. The film end with Peter adjusting to life after visiting May’s grave, the world having forgotten him and with no one to really lean on for support.

I absolutely loved the film, the cameos (especially Charlie Cox‘s Daredevil) and the nostalgia that the film drew on to give us a larger universe. However, I couldn’t help feeling a sense of sadness for Peter, seeing him alone in the world, his friends moving on to bigger and better, while he takes the brunt of the punishment. I do hope we revisit Peter in a future film where he is thriving and living life much more happily than how we left him here.

Week in Review (Nov 28 – Dec 4, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

House of Gucci (2021)

Ridley Scott is having an eventful year, having directed two historical films based on real-life events, The Last Duel released in October and now House of Gucci (2021). He also seems to have gained an affinity for Adam Driver, who has been featured in both. I have most definitely been anticipating this film more, not just for its cast but also for its story and the world it’s set in.

Taking us on a journey of the rise – and eventual fall – of Patrizia (Lady Gaga) and Maurizio Gucci, House of Gucci tells the intricate tale of the inner workings of the illustrious fashion house. The family-owned company was largely controlled by Maurizio’s uncle Aldo (Al Pacino), since his absentee father wanted nothing to do with the running of the business. Even when Rodolfo (Jeremy Irons) did get involved, it was largely to limit them, whether that meant stopping his brother from spreading the business too far and wide or to keep his incompetent nephew, Paolo (Jared Leto) in check. When Patrizia finally gets her hooks in the business, however, there’s no stopping her from getting what she wants, egging her husband on in taking an interest in the business.

More often than not, we see her plotting to oust Aldo and Paolo when she isn’t being paranoid about those around the business or getting tarot card readings from her psychic. While we get very clear insight into her line of thinking, we don’t however get much into Maurizio’s. It is unclear whether he truly wanted control of the business in his later years, if he cared for his wife in their time together, if he regretted the turn his company and his life ended up taking after he drove his family out.

While I did largely enjoy the film, it definitely had some glaring issues. The pacing was off, with the first half moving at a snail’s pace, and the second leaving a lot of gaps in the story. The performances were overall good; however, the accents seemed to go in and out as the actors pleased. The only person who seemed to commit to the Italian-ness of his character was Leto, and he came off as cartoonish and extremely stereotypical.

However, even though the film wasn’t perfect, I definitely learned a lot about the Italian fashion house, and it has inspired me to do some research of my own on the people behind the eccentric characters. I felt genuinely upset to learn about Maurizio’s untimely demise at his ex-wife’s hands, and wanted to know more about the structure of the company and its shareholders today.

Week in Review (Nov 7 – 13, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ 2 Comments

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

TV

The Red Sleeve Cuff (2021) – Ep 1-2

He’s baaaack!!! I’ve missed seeing Lee Junho play assholish characters (see: Good Manager, Just Between Lovers), and his portrayal of Yi San is nothing short of punchable in that department (not that I would dare hurt that face). The show is off to a great – if slightly typical for a sageuk – start with the first episode focused largely on the younger versions of our main characters, and the second one delves immediately into life at the palace for the young prince and his court ladies. Lee Se-young is killing it as the smart and rebellious court lady Seong Deok-im. Lee has one of the most expressive faces I’ve ever seen, and when she isn’t cracking me up with her scowls at the prince, she’s making me fall for her with her beatific smiles.

I love that Deok-im is so wholly uninterested in palace life, and is just there to read some good books and collect her pay (girl, I can relate). When Yi San, who’s identity she is completely unaware of, comes by to annoy her on a daily basis in the library, she’s practically ready to murder him, but slowly forms a bond with him over her continued distress at the prince’s hand. Said prince, who is of course the same man, but who she’s only seen behind a screen, makes her write apology letter after apology letter for a minor incident because she can never quite get it up to his standards. While it is wearing on her soul, unfortunately she can only really stare daggers at the floor in front of him. I like that there is currently not even a hint of romance on the horizon (obviously I know it will eventually come) and that they are getting to know each other’s personalities before they have any other advancement to their relationships.

I’m surprised that the show is considerably more lighthearted and camp than I originally expected. I like that there is such a strong emphasis on building the characters rather than introducing 15 political subplots all at once as sageuks are wont to do (The King’s Affection, below, is guilty of this); although, I hope this won’t mean they’ll cram it all into the end. Overall, I’m liking the tone that the show has set up, subverting my expectations largely and making me want to come back for more.

The King’s Affection (2021) – Ep 1-10

I currently have not one, but two historical dramas on my plate, but the style of them seem so largely different that they seem like two different universes altogether. TKA largely fits in with most sageuks that have come out recently: scheming councilmen, murderous family members, hidden secrets, the list is long. The show is largely being carried on the charm of Park Eun-bin, and Dam-i is definitely the largest draw of the show for me.

Born as the female twin to her brother, her birth largely compromises her brother’s chances for becoming the future king since twins were seen as a bad omen. Rather than have the girl killed before she was discovered as she was advised, her mother has her snuck out of the palace and deposited at a monastery where she grows up as an orphan before eventually ending up as a palace maid. There she encounters the future king of Joseon, who happens to look exactly like her (I’m going to ignore that boy-girl twins cannot be identical, show!), and the two exchange places so that he can see the world outside of the palace. This is of course the worst thing that they could have possibly done, because when someone who knew of their existence see a girl with the princes face walking around, they end up killing the wrong child and Dam-i is forced to take her brother’s place and only a few trustworthy people are aware of her circumstances.

Naturally, Dam-i – or Lee Hwi – keeps people at arm’s length and becomes known as the Ice Prince. I love it when there are massive power dynamic shifts that favour women, and The King’s Affection is firing on all cylinders when it comes to our Crown Prince(ss). Dam-i is intelligent, mature and confident in her abilities, having grown up with the advantages of a palace education. However, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have fears and doubts as the future ruler, especially when there are so many discerning eyes on her waiting for her to fail.

Of her core group, Court Lady Kim (Baek Hyun-joo) is by far my favourite. Her advice and support is always well-intentioned, and you can tell that she tries to fit into the role of Dam-i’s mother as best she can when there’s nobody else for her to lean on. My heart was in my throat when she had her hair chopped off, and I will throw hands if she’s hurt in any way. Eunuch Hong (Go Gyu-pil) is similarly protective of Dam-i, but more so in a brotherly way, willing to tease her and scold her where he feels it necessary.

I suppose I should say something about Rowoon since he is the male lead of the show, but there really is a lot of flip-flopping when it comes to his character. My main observation is probably this: Has he gotten better at acting since I last saw him? He seems to have more of a naturalness in the comedic scenes, but there’s still a ways to go when it comes to being earnest. Jung Ji-un really is put in a difficult situation, where he has to serve in a position he never wanted, but finds that he actually really enjoys being a scholar and spending time with the crown prince. However, because he’s developed feelings for him, but doesn’t know that he is really a she who is also his first love from his childhood (who he believes to be dead), he’s choosing to leave the palace rather than suffer through unrequited feelings everyday. Phew, that’s a lot of stuff happening to one guy!

Honestly, I’m not really sure where the show is going at this point, but the separation feels like an excuse to set up more complications. The King’s Affection just reached its halfway point and it seems like there is going to be a tough road ahead for our crew. I hope there’s a bit more cohesiveness to the show moving forward, because I really am enjoying watching Park’s performance as our prince thaws out.

Movies

Eternals (2021)

I’ve been anticipating Eternals’s release for quite a while now, as it seemed so different from what Marvel usually do, and I was quite pleased with it. Could they have made some better choices in casting? Yes. Was the humor a bit strange? At times. But overall, I came away from the film having enjoyed it.

My main doubts about the film were in the casting of Richard Madden and Gemma Chan. Neither really has the gravitas to play such characters, and I’ve never been a fan of either. These doubts turned out to not be unfounded, since they were by far the weakest actors in the film. I thoroughly enjoyed all the other cast members. I particularly enjoyed the pairing between Druig (Barry Keoghan) and Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), as limited as their interactions were. I also appreciated that the cast mostly kept their accents and looked quite normal, especially in a universe where they could have so easily looked alien and exotic.

Eternals also feels different in that it has a contemplative, almost existential mood to it. The themes are much more grounded in morality and the nature of good and evil. The Eternals don’t forgive themselves for their behaviour, but they do actively strive to correct their mistakes even while mourning the loss of one choice as they make another.

Week in Review (Oct 24- 30, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ 1 Comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

The Last Duel (2021)

Happy Halloween! What’s scarier than the systematic oppression and abuse of women? According to The Last Duel, very little. This film was supposed to be featured alongside Dune last week as the second in my double feature viewing. However, the country I live in has strong censorship laws, and I was only able to get a full copy of this to watch recently, hence the late review.

The split timeline of events leading up to the trial of one Jacques le Gris (Adam Driver) for the rape of Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Comer), and the duel that takes place as a result of the trial between le Gris and Marguerite’s husband, Sir Jean (Matt Damon). The film explores the events from each of the three’s point of view –  with the not so subtle implication that Marguerite’s version of events is the truth.

Both men are, of course, delusional in their thinking, one with a higher degree than the other. Carrouges believes that he and his wife are madly in love, missing the misery that she feels in his company and in his bed. He is also completely under the impression that every single bad thing that has happened to him over the course of his life is as a direct result of le Gris. Le Gris believes that Marguerite is flirting with him despite being a married woman, and barges into her home when she is alone and sexually assaults her. Surprisingly, le Gris is the honest with himself of the two, but is convinced by Pierre d’Alençon (Ben Affleck), his benefactor, that what he did could be absolved with prayer and penance in the Church.

The remainder of the film hinges on Carrouges perceived insult to himself and his property, namely his wife, and he visits the king (played brilliantly by the incredible Alex Lawther) to allow him to fight a duel to the death against le Gris. Not only does the trial disregard and opinion that Marguerite may have on the matter, but it also calls into question whether or not she derived any pleasure from the act since that was thought to be the only way that she could have gotten pregnant. The winner of the duel, of course, would only win because he is telling the truth as judged by God himself, and should Carrouges lose, his wife will be put to death with him, leaving her child an orphan as soon as it is born.

While the film has a lot to say, it never truly has any followthrough on any specific ideology. I think I might be in the minority as one of the few people that didn’t enjoy Damon and Affleck’s last foray into writing, Good Will Hunting, which had similar issues of grand ideas with a lack of clear message. Comer and Driver’s performances were great, but I came out of the film unsatisfied with the lack of resolution by the end. Was Marguerite free of her husband? Did she like the life she ended up leading? How was her social status affected by the public nature of the trial and did she care about it? How did her son fare during his life? Overall, the film left me with more questions than answers, and I think that took a lot away from my enjoyment of it.

Week in Review (Oct 17- 23, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ 1 Comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

Dune (2021)

It was an interesting start to my first ever double feature viewing experience with Dune. I was a bit apprehensive going into the film having not been a big fan of Denis Villeneuve’s last directing venture, Blade Runner 2049. My expectations were low for the plot, but I knew that he would deliver on the visuals. However, I came out pleasantly surprised at having thoroughly enjoyed the film.

In general, I enjoy high concept sci-fi. Dark City is possibly one of my favourites, and Dune shared a lot of elements with that film in its extensive world building and building mystery. While the dialogue was very expositional, with Timothée Chalamet having to do a lot of the heavy lifting, knowing that this was the first in a series of films excuses a portion of that. If they get most of the wordy explanations out of the way early, then they can get on with the story in future films.

The film also has a wonderfully eclectic costume and set design, which, while futuristic, clearly has roots in real societies that exist. Vast deserts, pyramidal architecture and Islamic-inspired robes are very reminiscent of the Middle East and North African region, but on a scale that most people would rarely get to see living in current society.

The cast of the film was also particularly impressive. Chalamet had a naturalness to him that made him fascinating to watch, and he paired well with both his parents. The Duke (Oscar Isaac) was shown as a firm but kind leader, and was respected by his people. Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) had an air of mystery to her as a wise women, but as the mother-son duo faced more hardships, we saw just how sharp and capable she could be. It is of course no wonder that their son is lauded as some messiah figure, combining the best of both of them.

While I have issues with how they portrayed the casual colonization of planets in the film, I do hope that any subsequent films will show more of the resistance and co-existence that can occur between two culture when they depend on one another, rather than idolizing Paul and holding him up to standards he couldn’t possibly live up to

I thoroughly enjoyed the universe that this film set up and am looking forward to see how it progresses.

Week in Review (Sep 26 – Oct 2, 2021)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

No Time To Die (2021)

In Daniel Craig’s final contribution to the series, he reprises his role as James Bond. The film starts off with a look at Madeline Swann (Léa Seydoux) and her childhood as well as introducing us to the villain, Safin (Rami Malek). From there we see Bond and Swann leading their idyllic lives before we see their separation and the events that finally lead to Bond’s retirement. While life in Jamaica might suit Bond, it doesn’t take much to pull him back into the world of espionage once he realizes SPECTRE is still a threat, and that there is a biological weapon in the hands of the wrong people.

As fitting as the film seem to the current times, and as ripe as it is for both action and emotionally packed scenes, something about the pacing felt slow in the film. At a nearly 3-hour runtime, there were a fair few scenes that felt gratuitous, and could have done with some trimming. I also found Bond and Swann’s reconciliation far too easy and forced. Ultimately, I didn’t understand his willingness to sacrifice his life for the sake of two people who he could very easily avoid.

I was very happy with the cameos from Jeffery Wright, Ana de Armas, Billy Magnussen and Christoph Waltz – although it was rather disappointing that 3 out of 4 of those ended in deaths. De Armas’s Paloma in particular was a breath of fresh air, and she played well against Craig as the rookie agent.

While the film did have it’s good moments, I didn’t find the film to be very cohesive. It felt like several elements were just thrown together, and while they might have worked individually, the sum felt lesser than its parts. In a way, it was fitting for Bond to die to make room for a reset to the universe, at the same time, Craig deserved a better send-off to his 15-year long tenure as the iconic character.

Week in Review (Aug 29 – Sep 4, 2021)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

We’re finally starting to see more diversity in the Marvel universe, as Shang-Chi kicks off the introduction to East Asian culture (yes, there was Wakanda before this film, but it is was a fictional country). Approximately the first 20 minutes of the film were entirely in Mandarin, something that I found an interesting choice for Marvel Studios, since they usually tend to avoid large chunks of subtitling.

By far my favourite performance in the film was delivered by Tony Leung, who brought a much needed realism and emotional heart to the film. While the other characters can all fit into neat boxes, Leung’s Wenwu was a layered and nuanced character, and he was engaging to watch throughout the film. By contrast, Shang-chi (Simu Liu) felt a bit flat, and was much harder to connect with, perhaps because he himself was a bit aimless.

Although the film does have a tendency to sensationalize Chinese culture to some degree, I liked that the film didn’t rely too heavily on showing highly advanced civilizations using futuristic technology in Ta Lo, but rather had them incorporate the available resources into their clothing and weaponry. The dragon in particular was a cool addition to the MCU as it opens up more avenues for magic to co-exist with science.

The directing of the film was a good balance to the style of the film, and I particularly liked the way the fight sequences on the bus and in Macau. They felt reminiscent of the martial arts films that come out of China, where the camera is set up, and the actors are allowed to show off their skills without the need for multiple cuts and edits. The visual style of the film was overall very fitting.

That being said, this film does feel very different from the other MCU films, and I’m not sure that there is much potential for Shang-Chi to fit into the bigger picture. While the film did hint at the rings having greater significance, I’m not sure what this entails for the character other than merely being a vehicle for other superheroes’ plot progression. I’m hoping they can tie him in well, but I’m not holding my breath, and am happy with this film just being a standalone entity.

Week in Review (Aug 22 – 28, 2021)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)

The last time I watched a Bollywood film was around this time last year, and this film has been on my watchlist since it came out nearly a decade ago. As a general rule, I tend to avoid melodramatic Indian cinema (the irony of course being that I almost exclusively watch musicals and k-dramas). However, this film had always been recommended to me as one of those movies that breaks the typical mold of Bollywood blockbusters, so I had high expectations.

Perhaps because the film was released in 2011, I found the character types quite conventional. ZNMD deals largely with people who don’t do what makes them happy, but rather only do what is expected of them. Arjun (Hrithik Roshan) is stuck in to his work life to the extent that he doesn’t know how to enjoy the lifestyle he’s earned as a result. Kabir (Abhay Deol) is so caught up in how others perceive him that he’s afraid to speak his mind. Finally, Imraan (Farhan Akhtar) doesn’t know when a joke stops being a joke and even hurts his own friend when he takes his free-spirit attitude too far.

None of them were particularly sympathetic in my eyes for a large part of the film, and I found myself questioning why I should care enough to keep watching. Although they did develop them over the course of the film, it felt rather artificial, almost as though the writer were given a template for character growth and followed the steps in that order.

The visuals of the film, on the other hand, were breathtaking. This is where the film shines, and Zoya Akhtar clearly took full advantage of the landscapes she had to work with. With the current limitations in travel, it felt like I got to take a trip, living vicariously through the film. The films lighting and coloring in particular really set the tone and the mood of the film, lending an air of warmth to the scenery.

While I know what the film was trying to achieve in showing that it’s okay to live life to the fullest for yourself, and not for others, it was in the execution that found the film lacking. Akhtar’s more recent films are definitely more subtle and natural in their messaging, but perhaps this is just from having more experience over the years. The climax of the film fell flat for me, despite the grand epiphanies of the main characters.

Maybe my expectations were too high, maybe it’s been too long since the release for ZNMD to feel relatable anymore, but I found that I didn’t enjoy the film as much as I should have. I might revisit it in the future to see if my opinion has changed, but unfortunately it didn’t live up to the hype.

Week in Review (Aug 1 – 7, 2021)

~ colourfulgranny ~ Leave a comment

What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

Jungle Cruise (2021)

Disney continues to make films off the strangest concepts, and the newest one is based on another one of their theme park rides. Set during the turbulent First World War, the film starts by introducing us to the brother-sister duo of Lily and MacGregor Houghton (Emily Blunt and Jack Whitehall, respectively), the former of which is not treated very kindly by members of historic societies despite her intellect due to her gender, and the latter of which is not interested in following the family tradition of academia and is more concerned about having the right outfit for his dinner party.

Both, however, get caught up in the hunt for the mythical Tears of the Moon, a flower said to cure any illness. Being in the midst of a war, Lily is determined to help the war effort by finding said flower and harnessing its powers. Their search takes them to the Amazon, where they hire the enterprising skipper Frank (Dwayne Johnson). After several false starts, the three of them finally make their way along the Amazon River, and a series of adventures leads them directly to the tree they’ve been looking for.

During the trip, the trio gain a trust in one another, and they also learn about the curse that was cast on a group of conquistadors who had tried to steal the flowers abilities 400 years ago, which trapped their spirits to the Amazon river, as well as Frank being one of those very conquistadors. The climax of the film has Frank being trapped by the curse, and Lily sacrificing the only petal that she got from the tree to free him. Aside from a few other subplots to do with a German Prince wanting the powers of the tree for himself, and the reason for the conquistadors being curse, that’s the film in a nutshell.

Pretty standard fare, not anything new, but it was a fun watch nonetheless. I liked the three main cast members, who each brought their own sense of humor to the roles. Frank’s so-bad-they’re-funny jokes were taken exactly from the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland, one of my favourite things about the attraction. Blunt and Whitehall were similarly funny, playing with the contrast of their polished first impressions and the goofy personalities below the surface.

I think what enhanced the experience for me was getting to watch the film in IMAX. The visuals really work in the film, and theirs a rich backdrop presented here that we haven’t seen much of in Disney film much. The wildlife and the scenery were stunning, and while most of it might not have been really there, it really is amazing what can be done in graphics animation nowadays.

Overall, the film was fun, but it doesn’t have that re-watch factor that a lot of action/adventure films like the Mummy or Indianan Jones have. I came out the film satisfied, but not gripped by it, since it felt like they had played it safe for broad appeal, and in that, it ended up a little too generic, and was missing that essential component that makes you crave more.

Week in Review (Jun 27 – Jul 3, 2021)

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What have I been doing this week? I’m glad you asked! Here’s what’s been on my watchlist this week:

*Note: My reviews usually contain spoilers. You have been warned. Proceed at your own risk.*

Movies

Luca (2021)

The story of Luca is fairly simple and straightforward. Luca (Jacob Tremblay), a young sea monster, is sick of living his life underwater herding fish all the time, and wonders what’s above the surface. His parents have told him horror stories of humans who hunt and kill creatures like him, but much like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, he thinks they’re being paranoid. So he goes up and discovers a world of wonders. Not only does he meet another sea monster named Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) living up there, he also finds out that he can look like a human, so long as he’s completely dry. Alberto introduces him to a whole new world, and the two boys set out on a mission to get a Vespa and travel the world.

Of course, little do they know that this simple mission will get them tangled up in a whole mess of things. They make an enemy of Ercole (Saverio Raimondo), and find a friend in Giulia (Emma Berman), who have a long standing rivalry for the local triathlon and the esteemed Portorosso Cup. The boys get dragged into competing with Giulia in the hope of winning the prize money to buy a Vespa, and along the way get to learn about all sorts of things, like pasta, biking and astronomy.

Over the course of the film, the boys’ friendship is tested, Luca discovers a love of learning, and they realize just how scary people can be sometimes, but how most of the time they can be kind and caring. Yes, the story was simple, but that’s exactly what suited the style of the film. It reminded me of a bygone time, where people took joy just from being, and Luca took its time establishing the setting and the people of this idyllic town on the Italian Riviera.