2021 Blindspot Pick #12: The Apartment (1960)

Tags

Classics, Comedy, Drama, Romance

If the world has left you no control
Of life or love, of plan or goal,
And made you think there’s no escape
From reality in its present shape,
Then I would say it’s worth reminding
You that inertia can be blinding,
Magnifying common stress
Into a mirage of helplessness.

You are still the one who chooses
All of your actions and excuses.
They can change and so can you
With simple thought and follow-through.
____________________________

MPA rating: Approved (nothing explicit but a definite PG-13 for subject matter)

Ah ha! I’ve done it. After school and life got me so behind, I have finally caught up and completed my 2021 Blindspot series before the end of the year! And I’m capping things off with the Best Picture winner of 1960, which fittingly happens to end on New Year’s Eve as well. I’d always heard about how The Apartment was such a classic and decided it was finally time to see why, and it gave me a rare shift of opinion.

When I reviewed Strictly Ballroom years ago, I was flabbergasted at how it started as a movie I couldn’t stand and yet ended up being sweet and romantic in the second half. I had a similar experience here. The apartment of the title belongs to insurance clerk Bud Baxter (Jack Lemmon), though he rarely gets to enjoy it. Based on promises of promotions from his superiors in the company, he agrees to let them use his apartment for their frequent affairs, leaving them a key while he goes out. Even his own manager Mr. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray) expects his cooperation, and Baxter is pliant enough to just look the other way, at least until he learns of the involvement of his elevator-operator crush Ms. Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine).

Once I was knee-deep into the film, both my VC and I realized we didn’t like the premise one bit, even if we might sound like the fuddy-duddy critics of the ‘60s. There’s hardly anyone worth liking. Baxter’s boss is a proven womanizer, Ms. Kubelik is too weak and besotted to put an end to being used, and Baxter himself, despite Lemmon’s natural genteel charisma, is a spineless enabler to all this adultery, repeatedly taking the blame to cover up his managers’ infidelity. Perhaps Billy Wilder’s direction and witty script are supposed to make up for the moral vacancy of a plot that is probably (and sadly) all too accurate in its depiction of extramarital dalliances, but it wasn’t endearing to me.

And then… it turned a corner. One reckless move to put an end to the whole situation leads to a sudden surge of character growth and accompanying sympathy. Baxter and Ms. Kubelik get a chance to actually talk and bond outside of their passings in the elevator, and the story becomes not just an exposé of the characters’ moral failings but a chance for them to improve themselves. As Baxter’s doctor neighbor (Jack Kruschen) encourages him, “Be a mensch.” The ending left me smiling and satisfied in a way I never would have expected based on the first half of the film.

I still fail to see why it’s lauded as one of the greatest films of all time, but The Apartment proved its worth as a classic, eventually anyway. Lemmon and MacLaine make a perfect pair, and their Oscar-nominated performances run the gamut from screwball comedy to some surprisingly dark moments. The premise still doesn’t appeal to me, but I liked how it is used by the end to further Baxter’s self-confidence and give him something worth caring about more than his job. Like Strictly Ballroom, it’s proof that you should withhold judgment not just from a story’s cover but should probably wait all the way to the end, appraisal-wise.

Best line: (Baxter, referring to her compact) “The mirror… it’s broken.”  (Ms. Kubelik) “Yes, I know. I like it that way. Makes me look the way I feel.”

Rank:  Honorable Mention

© 2021 S.G. Liput
748 Followers and Counting

A very Happy New Year to everyone, and here’s hoping for a much better 2022!

2021 Blindspot Pick #11: A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

Tags

Classics, Drama, Fantasy, Romance

If I should die before I wed,
I pray the Lord won’t keep me dead,
But let me live a longer life
So I can find and woo a wife,
For this film shows there is a chance,
Depending on the circumstance.
_________________________

MPA rating: PG

If it wasn’t obvious, yes, I am in full-on catch-up mode to finish my 2021 Blindspots before the end of the year. I wasn’t sure what to expect from A Matter of Life and Death (released as Stairway to Heaven in the U.S.), the oldest film on my Blindspot list and one that I had heard was as beloved in Britain as It’s a Wonderful Life is here in America. That’s not a bad comparison since they were both released in 1946, in the wake of World War II, and deal with a fantasy scenario of heavenly players appraising a man’s life.

Before British airman Peter Carter (David Niven) jumps without a parachute from his damaged plane, he shares a brief but sincere conversation with an American radio operator named June (Kim Hunter). Somehow, he survives and wakes uninjured on the English shore the next day, quickly seeking out June to begin a relationship with this unexpected chance at life. However, the “Other World” realizes Carter should have died if not for the thick fog that kept his Conductor (Marius Goring, playing extremely French) from collecting him. While a doctor (Roger Livesey) investigates the survivor for brain damage, Carter must appeal to have his life extended, citing his newfound love of June and eventually appearing before a celestial courtroom to plead his case.

Considering I had never heard of it before last year, A Matter of Life and Death was actually a fascinating watch, one whose influence was present even when I didn’t recognize it. For example, the early conversation between Peter and June over the radio before his expected demise was definitely echoed at the end of Captain America: The First Avenger, and Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey featured a suspiciously similar staircase lined with statues of famous people. However, the biggest inspiration borrower goes to last year’s Soul. Just like Inside Out was not without precedent (Herman’s Head, anyone?), Soul undoubtedly borrowed some of this film’s imagery, from the escalator slowly ascending to “another world” that is never explicitly called heaven to the large round portals that celestial workers look down through to view Earth below, not to mention the repeated name-dropping of famous historical figures. That’s not a slight, of course; I still love Soul, more than this film to be honest, but I enjoy being able to recognize cinematic influences. If anything, it helps me appreciate both the borrower and the original source even more.

That being said, A Matter of Life and Death struggles at times to make the pacing as engaging as its script and imaginative imagery. I know it’s not uncommon in these old movies, but I found it a little hard to swallow that Peter and June would be all lovey-dovey, calling each other “darling,” immediately after meeting in person for the first time, a stretch that comes up in the trial too. Plus, the middle section loses some steam as the plot switches between Goring’s French aristocrat explaining things to Carter and the minutiae of the doctor’s theory about Carter’s medical condition. Similar to yesterday’s Blindspot Anthem of the Heart, there’s intentional doubt as to whether Carter’s celestial deadline and trial are actually real or all in his head, the result of a deteriorating brain injury. The ambiguity is handled better here, allowing enough room for either theory to be true or both even.

When the film really gets intriguing is during the trial of the last third, when a host of thought-provoking themes parade throughout the legal arguments. The prosecutor is an American killed during the Revolutionary War, whose belief in American exceptionalism is matched only by his prejudice against the British, Carter included. While I feel like the film spent more time than needed on the prejudice angle, it was a fascinating debate, with discussions of Britain’s checkered colonial history, America’s melting pot population, and the role of racism in deciding on one’s character. On top of that, the film is rife with poetry, inventive camerawork, and a rare mixture of black-and-white and color, leaving the Other World in pearly whites and shadows while Earth enjoys Technicolor, sort of a reversal of The Wizard of Oz.

There’s quite a bit to appreciate about A Matter of Life and Death, and I feel that further viewings could make me admire it even more. Yet despite its dewy-eyed romance, it’s more cerebral than the sentimentality of It’s a Wonderful Life, which has also benefited from my watching it every year as both a Christmas favorite and my dad’s favorite film ever. One viewing didn’t make this an instant favorite for me personally (which could change in the future), but A Matter of Life and Death deserves its reputation and even greater exposure to American audiences.

Best line: (Abraham Farlan, the prosecutor) “You claim you love her.”
(Peter Carter) “I do love her!”
(Farlan) “Can you prove it?”
(Carter) “Well, give me time, sir. Fifty years will do.”
(Farlan) “But can you prove it?”
(Carter) “Well, can a starving man prove he’s hungry except by eating?”
(Farlan) “Would you die for her?”
(Carter) “I would, but, er, I’d rather live.”

Rank:  List Runner-Up

© 2021 S.G. Liput
748 Followers and Counting

2021 Blindspot Pick #10: The Anthem of the Heart (2015)

Tags

Animation, Anime, Drama, Romance

If pens are mightier than swords,
Then speaking what they write is too.
And words no pen or page records
Can leave impressions deep and true
While those who spoke them have no clue.

Invisible, words plant their seeds,
Perhaps to not mature for years.
The flowers can be choked by weeds,
From tactless slurs to whispered fears
That did not settle on deaf ears.

We cannot know their full result
And may not live to see them grow,
But whether child or adult,
Our words outlive us here below.
Beware the seeds that you bestow.
___________________________

MPA rating:  Not Rated (a safe PG for light innuendo)

I always like to include at least one anime in my Blindspots, and this is one that I had just never gotten around to watching. The Anthem of the Heart has a strong pedigree with scintillating animation from A-1 Pictures and a screenplay from the queen of emotions herself Mari Okada (who would go on to direct the heart-shattering Maquia). It’s a sweet and sad story that ends up being much more of a teenage romance than a fantasy, and there’s something endearing about its simplicity.

When Jun Naruse was a young girl, she caught sight of her father exiting a love hotel with another woman, and he outright blames her when her big mouth leads to her parents’ divorce. Overcome with guilt, she encounters an egg-like prince who offers to curse her and prevent her from ever hurting others with her words. Years later in high school, Naruse is known in her class and neighborhood for never speaking. When a teacher encourages her and three other classmates to collaborate on a community outreach event, they end up putting on a musical, and Naruse learns that the curse does not limit her when she tries singing her feelings, which include a growing crush on one of her new friends.

Like Sunshine on Leith, I feel like this is a film I ought to love more than I did, what with the lovely animation and the plotline of putting on a musical, which includes original lyrics added to familiar tunes like “Greensleeves” and “Over the Rainbow.” There’s a half-hearted effort at planting doubt as to whether Naruse’s condition is truly fantastical or simply a psychosomatic result of her childhood guilt, and the result is underwhelming albeit more realistic. Likewise, the love triangle/square between Naruse and some of her classmates indulges in dramatic clichés while also trying to buck them in a way that does satisfy but not in the expected way, accentuating the theme that the real world is messier than fairy tales.

Nevertheless, The Anthem of the Heart had its fair share of strong and sincere emotions, with the climax giving me chills the way good musical drama does. Naruse’s concern about words hurting others affects more than just her story, and I liked the way it influences the supporting characters and helps her come out of her shell. The film ends up feeling like a small-scale story worth telling, one that probably would not have gotten as much love and detail put into it outside of the world of anime. It may not be a new favorite of mine, but I certainly hope to see more like it.

Best line: (Naruse) “Don’t tell people to disappear like it’s nothing. Words can hurt people. You can’t ever… You can’t ever take them back! Even if you regret, you can never take them back.”

Rank:  List Runner-Up

© 2021 S.G. Liput
748 Followers and Counting

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Tags

Action, Comedy, Drama, Sci-fi, Superhero, Thriller

Two worlds diverged in a multiverse,
And neither could know a single choice
Had split their fates to so disperse,
One to grieve, the other rejoice,
But which was better, which was worse?

The first was practical and straight,
Made sense for me and claimed its spoils.
My life it did not complicate
But ruined others’ mortal coils,
Which one could easily blame on fate.

The second took a rougher course,
With heartache sighing “them’s the breaks.”
Others prospered, while remorse
Reminded me of those mistakes
That all accept but none endorse.

If I could see the consequence
From some perspective few attain,
The world that thrived at my expense
Is the only choice I’d entertain,
If I could make all the difference.
_________________________________

MPA rating: PG-13

I think it’s safe to say that Spider-Man: No Way Home is the biggest movie since Avengers: Endgame, in both box office totals and audience enthusiasm. After months of speculation and leaks (which I did my best to avoid), the third entry in Tom Holland’s MCU trilogy promised the franchise’s first real exploration of the multiverse and its infinite possibilities, and it thankfully delivered on the Christmas hopes and dreams of countless fans, me included.

Picking up right where Far from Home left off, with Mysterio posthumously revealing Spider-Man’s true identity, Peter Parker’s life is turned upside down with haters, fans, and consequences ruining his and his friends’ chances at a normal future. When he seeks the help of Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), their attempt to overwrite the collective memory of Spider-Man’s identity instead tears a hole in the multiverse, allowing in familiar characters from past Spider-Man films. It becomes apparent to Peter that the interloping baddies, including Doc Ock (Alfred Molina), Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), and Electro (Jamie Foxx) among others, are equally in need of saving as the people they threaten, and he must make some hard decisions to help everyone he can.

With the walls of the multiverse being punched through, Spider-Man: No Way Home is also the biggest all-out geek-fest since Endgame while also being similarly engrossing but easier to absorb than the multiversal mashup of Into the Spider-Verse. I’ve read critical complaints over the rowdiness of audience members, but I thoroughly enjoyed my theater experience, with fanboys periodically whooping or cheering when awaited characters appeared or knowing references were dropped. Huge credit is due to the cast members returning from past movies, particularly Molina and Dafoe, who effortlessly channel their villainous personas as if it hasn’t been over fifteen years. And while I won’t outright spoil what is perhaps Hollywood’s best-kept open secret, I’ll just say that the film manages to grant closure to the two prior Spider-Man series in a satisfying way that only made me want even more.

One thing that No Way Home has in common with its Spider-predecessors is how its superhero must grapple with the weight of his own mistakes, and this film easily has the biggest stakes of Holland’s solo tenure in the MCU. Over the years, Spider-Man has had his fair share of tragedy, and I feel like the way he responds to it is a key part of what makes him such a universally appealing character. Here, Holland proves his selflessness in trying to assist villains who seemed beyond help in their prior appearances, his belief in second chances being tested to its limit. And through it all, Holland continues to be a wholly endearing Peter Parker with Zendaya’s MJ and Jacob Batalon’s Ned forming a tight group that I hope to see again in future movies. And anyone who wanted to see a Spider-Man/Dr. Strange fight will undoubtedly be satisfied.

If I had to come up with a negative or two, I suppose my expectations were so high that I perhaps wish there had been even more multiverse-enabled cameos, like a glimpse into the aftermath of the other universes. Plus, as much as the film is concerned with handing out happy endings, it was a shame that one character ended up with the short end of the stick, for now at least. Even so, Spider-Man: No Way Home is a comic book movie nerd’s fantasy-come-true. It clearly depends on knowledge of the previous five Spider-Man films for full appreciation (and the mid-credits scene feels a bit shoehorned in), but No Way Home ranks among the best installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, an enjoyable ride twenty years in the making.

Best line: (classic in every way) “With great power, there must also come great responsibility.”

Rank:  List-Worthy (joining the previous Holland Spidey films)

© 2021 S.G. Liput
748 Followers and Counting

2021 Blindspot Pick #9: Sunshine on Leith (2013)

Tags

Drama, Musical, Romance

(Best sung to the tune of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by the Proclaimers)

If you watch this,
You should know they’re gonna sing,
They’re gonna sing their lines as lyrics and a tune.
If you hate this,
You should know it’s gonna sting,
It’s gonna sting ‘cause even cynics aren’t immune.

But I like this,
I like musicals galore,
And by galore, I mean there’s plenty to embrace.
If you don’t like this,
Then it’s better to ignore,
But you ignore what puts a smile on my face.

And I would watch this musical
And I would watch 500 more
If it means they’ll make more musicals,
No matter how the haters roar.
_______________________________

MPA rating:  PG (mainly some innuendo)

When I choose my Blindspots at the beginning of each year, I usually don’t give any thought to how exactly I’ll watch them. With so many streaming options nowadays, there must be some way, right? When I decided to watch Sunshine on Leith, I realized that might be difficult, considering the Scottish musical was not on any streaming subscription and apparently had never been released on DVD in the U.S., meaning anything I bought would not be playable on my U.S. player. I was on the verge of having to change my Blindspot choice entirely, but thankfully I checked YouTube, where it happened to have been uploaded by some overseas saint. So note to self, maybe I ought to verify that I can actually find the movies on my Blindspot list before I announce them.

Anyway, I had a strong feeling that Sunshine on Leith would be my kind of movie. A feel-good romantic musical set in Scotland? Yes please! The closest analogue to this film would have to be Mamma Mia!, the jukebox musical that incorporated ABBA’s diverse discography into a mostly coherent storyline. This time, the featured music is that of the Proclaimers, a Scottish duo known for songs that tend to tow the line between rock and barroom folk anthems. Admittedly, I was only familiar with two of their songs, “I’m on My Way” and most famously “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles),” both of which debuted on the 1988 album Sunshine on Leith, from which the film gets its name.

So, unlike Scottish audiences, I had little internalized fondness for these songs since they were mostly new to me. Yet I still enjoyed the songs quite a bit, even if the performances often lack the wow factor of other musicals. It’s very much in the vein of Mamma Mia!, with characters sometimes breaking into goofy theatrics for an impromptu musical number, and the final rendition of “I’m Gonna Be” is undoubtedly the best, combining the romantic climax with the most fun choreography.

However, in combining songs that were not necessarily written to fit into a narrative, the plot is unfortunately thin. It chugs along in feel-good mode with hardly any conflict before suddenly dropping three different conflicts all at once and resolving one in the space of a single song that didn’t seem to actually address the problem. I’m genuinely impressed by the way musicals like this and Mamma Mia can combine unrelated songs into a cohesive plot; I’ve wished I or someone could do the same for some of my favorite artists, like TWRP, Autoheart, or Coldplay. It can’t be easy, but this is one case where the songs often don’t quite fit naturally, instead making the plot feel overly rushed at times, despite the good performances of actors like Peter Mullan, Jane Horrocks, and George McKay (years before 1917). And yet the songs are also the best parts, causing the non-musical sections to suffer by comparison.

I love musicals, and I liked this one, but I hate to admit that I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to. It has the feel-good romance aspect, paired with elements that try to make it less like a predictable Hallmark movie, and it introduced me to some great Scottish tunes. And while I was concerned that the accents may be hard to understand, I was able to follow along without missing too much. I’d gladly watch it again, so perhaps it will grow on me like Mamma Mia! has. If they’ll actually release the darn thing in the U.S.!

Rank:  List Runner-Up

© 2021 S.G. Liput
748 Followers and Counting

A very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Eternals (2021)

Tags

Action, Drama, Sci-fi, Superhero

Did you ever get the feeling
That your world was being watched,
Like immortal super-beings
Had been charged with overseeing
All the quandaries and travesties humanity had botched?

Not to worry, for we humans
Can be lovable at times.
Those alien surveyors
Should see man in all his layers,
And our aptitude for love and hope should balance out our crimes.
Right?
______________________________

MPA rating:  PG-13

It was obvious long before it hit theaters that Eternals was going to be a gamble for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, just like Guardians of the Galaxy was back in 2014. A movie about a whole team of superheroes that only hardcore comic book fans had even heard of? And then they announced that it would be helmed by critical darling Chloe Zhao, the most Oscar-caliber director since Kenneth Branagh introduced Thor a decade ago (and fresh off her Best Director win for Nomadland earlier this year). With ten diverse but unfamiliar heroes to introduce, I knew Eternals would be a tricky balancing act, so I’m not surprised that it has become one of the most divisive Marvel films. I, for one, enjoyed Eternals quite a bit and disagree with most of the mixed reviews, yet I have my own misgivings that few critics seem to share.

Eternals has the unique standalone feel of early Marvel, with relatively little crossover with the MCU and no cameos of established characters, just picking up the idea of enormously powerful Celestials mentioned in passing back in Guardians of the Galaxy. The Eternals were alien immortals created by the Celestial Arishem to defend Earth against the mysterious animal-like Deviants, which the ten supers battle across centuries with their unique powers. The cast is as diverse as they come, from Sersi (the lovely Gemma Chan, recast from her supporting role as a Kree in Captain Marvel), who can transform whatever matter she touches and takes a liking to our planet, to Sprite (Lia McHugh), who can create illusions and has the body of a child. Plus, there are the leader Ajak (Salma Hayek), the Superman stand-in Ikaris (Richard Madden), the comic relief Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), the bad boy Druig (Barry Keoghan), the tech wizard Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry), the haunted warrior Thena (Angelina Jolie), the muscle Gilgamesh (Don Lee of Train to Busan), and the speedster Makkari (deaf actress Lauren Ridloff), all of whom like to periodically pose in a line. Setting aside subplots like the mysterious illness afflicting Thena, the plot is largely a get-the-band-back-together journey after the Deviants return to threaten the world, eventually veering off into larger implications as their true mission is revealed.

So yeah, there’s a lot going on, with plenty of exposition and flashbacks to help viewers absorb it all. And honestly, I’m surprised at how skillfully the film handles all of it. The characters are many yet manage to carve out memorable moments for them all, aided by their unique powers and the mythical origins of many of their names, which are indicated to have actually inspired those age-old myths. Some like Makkari don’t fare as well in standing out, but McHugh as Sprite earns some real pathos as she struggles with her inability to age. Other characters are distinguished by the moral debates of how best to use their powers; they may have been instructed not to interfere with human affairs, but it’s understandably hard watching human history play out in all its horrors when they know they have the power to change it. It’s a lot to take in across a long runtime, but I disagree with the criticisms over the pacing and character development simply because of how comparatively well it holds up under its own weight, which could easily have made it a mess. It probably would have been better as a Disney+ series, though.

There’s plenty to admire, from Chloe Zhao’s trademark “golden hour” lighting and artful cinematography to the ever-impressive visual effects when the fists start flying. So what then is the problem? It took a while for me to decide what exactly bothered me about the film’s twist and climax, and it boils down to the fact that it shoots for cosmic answers to questions far above its pay grade. Eternals basically addresses the question “What is the meaning of life?” And I did not like its answer.

Spoilers in this paragraph: According to the movie, Arishem actually created the galaxy and thus life on earth, and the way he is revered by the Eternals clearly paints him as a God-like figure. While he sends the Eternals to fight against the Deviants, the reason for defending humanity is not because he values human life for its own sake. Instead, one could point to the famous battery scene in The Matrix, but instead of that being humanity’s futuristic fate, the MCU has now explained that it was always humanity’s purpose, with the earth’s destruction as the end state. Ignoring the fact that the conflict sounds suspiciously like one of the storylines from Steven Universe, this revelation cheapens life more than I think the film intends. As a Christian, I believe that God created man in His image with a love for every individual, a sharp contrast to Arishem’s temporary benevolence. For viewers who don’t believe in a Creator, perhaps Eternals’ twist is simply a typical sci-fi revelation, one that admittedly does make for an interesting ethical debate as the various Eternals question whether to oppose not just a typical supervillain but the creative process itself. For me, though, it imbues the MCU itself with an uncomfortable nihilism, suggesting that all of mankind’s efforts are worthless in the eyes of “god” and making me question by what standard any right or wrong, love or hatred in this universe can be judged, even at Arishem’s level. Questions like this don’t seem to bother mainstream critics, only being broached by Christian film websites, but I do feel like this subversive trend is an unfortunate departure from the MCU up to this point.

The sheer amount of plot and characters is both a blessing and a curse for Eternals. One could argue there’s too much going on for the film to juggle, but that also means the things it does well can overshadow its thematic or pacing flaws, regardless of what one considers a flaw. The characters are as well-developed as they can be with so many on hand, the often serious tone is still livened by some well-timed humor, and the visuals have an epic scale that rivals the biggest Marvel movies. Despite my qualms over the film’s worldview, I can’t help but admire Zhao’s managing of a film that is clearly intended to set up much of the Marvel universe to come. I just hope those future installments can make up for this one’s missteps.

Best line:  (Thena) “We have loved these people since the day we arrived. When you love something, you protect it.”

Rank:  List Runner-Up

© 2021 S.G. Liput
747 Followers and Counting

2021 Blindspot Pick #8: Coming to America (1988)

Tags

Comedy, Romance

The grass is always greener
If you have the right demeanor
To view negatives as novel
And see good in every hovel,
If you welcome every nuisance
And embrace the sad but true, since
You can meet the world sincerely
If you understand it clearly,
For “greener” is subjective
And dependent on perspective.
____________________

MPA rating:  R (mainly for language)

With the end of the year fast approaching and my backlog continuing to grow, I’m thinking I’ll need to shorten my reviews to churn them out a bit faster. And my Blindspots are especially in need of catching up. I had hoped to see Coming to America before its long-awaited sequel came out earlier this year, but life had other plans, as life so often does. Silly life…. Anyway, this is one of those ‘80s comedy classics that I’m somewhat surprised that I never watched sooner, simply because of a vague recollection that my mom once said it wasn’t that funny. While I can agree it’s not quite Eddie Murphy’s finest hour, I still found it to be a winning star vehicle for him.

Murphy plays Prince Akeem Joffer, the heir of the fictional African nation of Zamunda, who is tired of having his every need supplied by overly attentive servants. After meeting his yes-woman of a bride-to-be (Vanessa Bell), Akeem decides to go on a trip with his friend Semmi (Arsenio Hall) to find a bride of his own in New York City, whether his traditional parents (James Earl Jones, Madge Sinclair) approve or not. Murphy gets comedic mileage out of the fish-out-of-water scenario, especially because he isn’t offended by NYC’s seedier aspects but embraces them wholeheartedly as a wonderful contrast to his life back home. Even so, several scenes go on too long, such as a tribal dance that would probably be labeled racist if Eddie Murphy wasn’t behind it. Plus, Murphy and Hall both relish in playing multiple colorful side characters, who aren’t particularly funny beyond the impressive makeup and the realization of who’s playing them.

Yet I found myself sold more on the romance than the comedy, as Akeem begins courting Lisa (Shari Headly), the daughter of his boss (John Amos) at a local fast-food restaurant. Their chemistry works especially well, and the humor of his trying to keep his true identity a secret gives way to a heart-meltingly sweet confession of love. I might have liked a little more context around a climactic “reveal,” but Coming to America was a satisfying and fun rom com and a who’s who of African American actors, from the early roles of Samuel L. Jackson and Cuba Gooding, Jr. to the reunion of Roots veterans Amos and Sinclair (not to mention an entirely unexpected cameo from another Murphy film that was worth the price of admission). I also love how Jones and Sinclair were later cast as another African royal couple in The Lion King. As with other Blindspots from that era, I feel like I might have a greater fondness for this film if I’d seen it years ago, but I’m still looking forward to revisiting the characters in the sequel now.

Best line:  (Queen Aoleon, to Akeem) “When I first met your father, I was terrified.”
(King Jaffe) “I must admit, I was frightened too.”
(the Queen) “I was so nervous, I became nauseous. But over the years, I have grown to love your father very much.”
(the King) “So you see, my son, there is a very fine line between love and nausea.”

Rank:  List Runner-Up

© 2021 S.G. Liput
746 Followers and Counting

Dune (2021)

Tags

Action, Drama, Sci-fi

I see the desert’s shifting sands,
Imbued with that most priceless Spice,
A trap that only changes hands
When offered blood as sacrifice.

I see it’s home to Fremen rovers
And to undulating worms,
The former subject to takeovers
While the latter heeds no terms.

I see the cruel Harkonnen despots
Ripping riches from the land,
While the Fremen reap no respites
As they flee across the sand.

I see the eager House Atreides
Coming here to take control.
Though they look like lords and ladies,
Who can guess their final goal?

I see an upstart heir-messiah,
Barely out of boyhood’s thrall,
Soon a scion made pariah,
Desert sands to break his fall.

The desert claims what it consumes
And chooses whom it will anoint.
I see so much (and large it looms)
But cannot see beyond this point.
_______________________

MPA rating:  PG-13

I’ve never read Dune, but my VC has and is an ardent fan of David Lynch’s strange 1984 adaptation, for some reason. While she has yet to see Denis Villeneuve’s new incarnation of George Herbert’s massive sci-fi opus, I was glad for the multiple times she convinced me to see Lynch’s version, since I knew generally what to expect. Herbert’s novel is notoriously dense, with dozens of characters and unfamiliar terms in alien languages, so it was a benefit not going into the movie cold.

Villeneuve has already proven his talent for serious science fiction, from the cerebral but deeply touching Arrival to the lengthy but engrossing Blade Runner 2049, so Dune seemed like a natural next step for the director. The first question: Is it better than the 1984 film? A resounding yes! You can take your pick of what was the main problem with Lynch’s film: the constant internal monologuing, the ultra-compressed plotline, or (what I think) the introduction of so many strange elements of Dune’s world without enough time for them to come off as anything but bizarre. That’s a time issue too, I suppose, but it’s a problem that Villeneuve has countered by splitting his adaptation of the first Dune book into a two-parter, making this year’s installment only Part One.

This protraction of the runtime over two films allows the plot to breathe. That plot is still largely the same – the Atreides house taking control of the desert planet of Arrakis to harvest the hallucinogenic Spice only for things to go very, very poorly – but Villeneuve has carefully chosen what to show and what to leave for later, such as providing glimpses of the home planets of the Atreides and Harkonnen clans while leaving the Emperor and the giant-headed mutant Guild Navigators off-screen and only mentioned. There is also more room for character development, mainly for the young messianic heir Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), his noble father Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac), and skilled fighter Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa), the latter a major figure in the books who gets way more screen time here than in Lynch’s film.

Villeneuve’s Dune is rightfully being lauded not just for its improved adaptation and talented all-star cast (including Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgard, and Javier Bardem) but for just how immersive his on-screen world is. Like Gravity, this is a film that was made to be experienced in a theater, with that blaring Hans Zimmer score accentuating how massive the spaceships and architecture are as Shakespearean backstabbing plays out amidst quasi-religious drug reveries and space colonialism. While Chalamet didn’t impress me that much as Paul, he and the rest of the cast embrace their roles fully to sell how this strange future universe is their own. Likewise, the set design and special effects bring the explosive battles and gargantuan sand worms to startling life, making the film a shoo-in for technical Oscars next year.

But then there’s the second question:  Did I like this new version of Dune? Well, sort of. With Lynch’s film, I could still appreciate the underlying story that Herbert created, and here, there is even more to appreciate to bring that story to the big screen. I’m convinced that Villeneuve’s Dune is the best possible version of this story, but I’m still not sure if it’s a story I can say I enjoy. Even with the extra time to get to know the characters, I still didn’t really connect with any of them, which is perhaps unavoidable considering how far removed they are from the world we know. Plus, as with the Hobbit films and Infinity War, it’s hard to make a final appraisal of Part One when the full story is yet to come, though thankfully Part Two has been confirmed. Several characters just drop away without knowing their fates, while other clearly important characters, like Zendaya’s blue-eyed Chani of the native desert-dwelling Fremen, get little screen time except for slow-motion dreams.

So Dune: Part One is an immense achievement of filmmaking and a worthy adaptation of its famed source that may be more accessible than Lynch’s film but is still bound by the limitations of the same story. Perhaps that’s a matter of personal taste that might be solved by repeat viewings, but I’m still glad the long-awaited epic was worth the wait on a visual level alone.

Best line: (Jamis, in one of Paul’s visions) “The mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve, but a reality to experience. A process that cannot be understood by stopping it. We must move with the flow of the process. We must join it. We must flow with it.”

Rank:  List Runner-Up

© 2021 S.G. Liput
745 Followers and Counting

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

Tags

Action, Fantasy, Superhero, Thriller

“The first Asian hero!” the headlines declare,
A landmark of cinema, and you were there.
It’s representation I’m glad to endorse,
And long overdue as a matter of course.
Yet somewhere I feel Wong is crying a river
And can’t help but feel quite a bit like chopped liver.
And Hogun, Thor’s buddy so fleetingly brought in,
Somewhere in Valhalla is feeling forgotten.
And ol’ Jim Morita, a Howling Commando,
Had no superpowers but still made his stand, though.
So yes, it’s important, the first Asian lead,
But let’s not forget someone had to precede.
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MPA rating:  PG-13

In contrast to 2020, I’ve been lucky enough to see all of Marvel’s releases this year in the theater, but whereas I was alone for Black Widow in an empty theater, I got to see Shang-Chi with friends. It really felt like the movie theater experience was truly back. It also helped that it was a kick-butt blockbuster and one of the best origin movies of the recent MCU.

I consider myself at least somewhat hip to comic book lore, and I had never heard of Shang-Chi before his own solo film was announced. Although the character dates back to the ‘70s when he was introduced as the son of Fu Manchu and modeled off Bruce Lee, the public unfamiliarity with the character allowed Marvel Studios to craft their own synthesis of story elements, from the ten rings of the Mandarin (previously impersonated in Iron Man 3) to a cosmic monster that ranks as one of the more obscure villains in Marvel history. Here, Shang-Chi’s father is Wenwu (Chinese superstar Tony Leung), an ancient warlord granted immortality and great power by ten arm rings, or bracelets if you get right down to it. Trained from childhood to be a master of martial arts, Shang-Chi or “Sean” (Simu Liu) escapes to live a normal life as a valet in San Francisco, only to be dragged back into the world of lethal assassins and mystical secrets, along with his friend Katy (Awkwafina) and sister Xialing (Meng’er Zhang, in her mainstream film debut).

Just as Crazy Rich Asians revitalized the rom com with its all-Asian cast, Shang-Chi succeeds in satisfying Marvel’s efforts at diversity with a superhero film that is good in its own right (and reunites Awkwafina and Michelle Yeoh too; now I wonder if they’ll ever run into Gemma Chan of Eternals). I haven’t seen Simu Liu in the Canadian sitcom Kim’s Convenience, but Marvel once more excels at casting likable heroes, both on- and off-camera. His camaraderie with Katy and his tortured past with his father paint him as a would-be assassin just trying to live a normal life, and Liu’s charisma opposite Awkwafina and Leung really sells the character, even if the other two outshine him at times. Katy becomes one of the most endearing and actively involved Marvel love interests, and Wenwu is the best kind of villain, the type whose motivations are not only misguided but understandable and sympathetic even.

No Marvel movie is perfect, of course, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is no different. The final battle is both an awesome spectacle and a CGI mish-mash, and one training sequence results in some unrealistically fast skill growth. Perhaps there is an overreliance on flashbacks too. Yet Shang-Chi is also Marvel’s first big-screen foray into stunt-heavy martial arts, which never disappoint, from a thrilling free-for-all on the side of a skyscraper to an artful wuxia-style fight/dance reminiscent of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (hello, Michelle Yeoh again). Shang-Chi may not break any molds and may not be the funniest or most powerful of Marvel properties, but it’s still an outstanding debut for Marvel’s first Asian lead, with just a few welcome cameos to introduce him to the larger MCU. It’s my favorite Marvel release of the year so far, and I look forward to seeing how they’ll use this new corner of Marvel mythos.

Best line: (Shang-Chi’s aunt, played by Yeoh) “You are a product of all who came before you, the legacy of your family. You are your mother. And whether you like it or not, you are also your father.”

Rank: List-Worthy

© 2021 S.G. Liput
745 Followers and Counting