David Lee Films

Ad Astra – Movie Review

Ad Astra (2019)

The Odyssey

The greatest stories all take from the same elements. The same motifs, the same themes. Only they seek to elevate them. To aim higher.

In Ad Astra, we continue on a journey. A cinematic journey, one that we’ve taken over the last 50 years, as an audience, through 2001, Gravity, Interstellar, and countless others. Each itself a bold endeavor to go farther than we’ve gone before.

The Star

Brad Pitt is a supernova, a star beyond stars. One whose very name seems impervious to the sands of our time.

He does, with little or no words, more than what most actors could do with 5 minutes of screen-time. A simple look, a subtle nod. His presence and his poise have made him infinitely rewatchable over the years.

Yet it all feels at a distance. There’s an internalization. You sense that there’s more going on inside.

And so the film’s use of voice-over heightens it’s star. It allows us to slip into his mind. A cool, calm, calculated man, whose accolades and achievements should give him all the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment in the world.

They don’t. And so we dive deeper, further, to unravel the threads. In a world where bravado and masculinity are commonplace for leading men, it’s pain and vulnerability that Pitt balances so brilliantly.

I believe that science-fiction is one of our last bastions of modern art. When done well, I find little narrative work to be as admirable, because while each film will have their own monumental set-pieces and unending scale, they will ultimately be reflections of ourselves. Of man persisting in the face of failure. And of himself. We only go, as far as we aim to go.

I find few better allegories when it comes to that persistence, than Ad Astra.

Review Score: A-

2019: Top 10 Films to Watch For

Us – The first great film of 2019, Us is another bold, enigmatic, and thrilling entry in Jordan Peele’s career.

His imagery is iconic: the teacup and tears in Get Out, the sunken place, the scissors and maroon jumpsuits in Us. You can see that singular vision, the level of control that he has over every frame.

Like Hitchcock, Peele’s influence tends to bleed over into every aspect of the film: the writing, the performances, the cinematography, the score. You get a glimpse into his subconscious, and what he has to say about modern-day America.

High Life – More people know of Edward Cullen than they do of Robert Pattinson, and that’s quite the shame. Because outside of that fanged and frenzied franchise, he’s quietly put together an impressive resume of great performances, oftentimes from dark, isolated, manic characters. Showing a desire to push the envelope, sometimes recklessly, though always fearlessly. Films like Good Time, Cosmopolis, and The Lost City of Z are a testament to that.

The upcoming film High Life has him starring alongside the always illuminating Juliette Binoche, in a Science-Fiction space indie, about a man and his daughter struggling to survive in deep space where they live in isolation. Though the film’s plot sounds rather conventional, it will be anything but, as it is a Claire Denis film, cerebral, and visceral. On a slightly different level of subconscious.

Godzilla – Streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, all have their place in the grand-scheme of television and movies. Their inclusion has led to some great new films and television series, many that would have never seen the light of day under traditional circumstances. But one of those things that will always be reserved for the theater and the big screen is the monster epic.

Not only is it extremely unpractical and unlikely for a streaming studio to take on a large-scale and expensive project, they just couldn’t give the film it’s proper due diligence unless they also distributed it for a theatrical run. So I’m going to embrace any decent monster epic that we get, because when done right, it can be one of the highest forms of popcorn entertainment that exists. Gojira…

Avengers: Endgame – The culmination of 12 years, 20 films, and 17 billion dollars at the box office, it would be foolish and a bit pretentious not to include Endgame on your radar, even if you’re not a fan of superhero or comic-book movies. A well-crafted summer blockbuster is rare and not to be dismissed.

There are few movies that can walk the line between fan service and tastefulness. Few movies able to weave excitement, humor, sincerity, and meaning like ingredients in a well-cooked dish.

And just when you think that they can’t keep topping themselves, you’re left in a bit of wonder, knowing that they somehow did it again.

Joker – Joaquin Phoenix is a wildcard, a true Joker in the sense, and quite possibly the most enigmatic and talented actor of his generation, fully submersing himself into a depraved and maniacal character, one of the most iconic of all-time. If the writing and directing are up to par, reaching the heights of Heath Ledger wouldn’t be a stretch for Phoenix.

Gemini Man – Everyone gets to have one guilty pleasure pick, and this one’s mine. As an unapologetic Ang Lee superfan, I’ve held my faith when many have doubted him, or counted him out, and he’s shown himself over the years to be one of the most versatile and sincere filmmakers that we have. Gemini Man was shot, and will be projected in 120FPS, another one of Lee’s efforts into the realm of hyper-realism.

His previous film Billy Flynn’s Long Halftime Walk was a sobering, real-life look at PTSD and a soldier’s life after war, though I’m not sure that 120FPS did him any favors. Whether it pays off for Gemini Man, only time will tell, though I’m sure we will see some bold strokes from Lee regardless.

Midsommar – With Ari Aster’s follow-up on the heels of his brilliant debut, Hereditary, we get a glimpse into the rarely seen: the day-time horror movie.

Instead of living in a nocturnal world where night seems to be eternal, we’re instead stripped of all those things. To be terrifying in broad daylight, that’s a skill beyond measure, and given Aster’s debut, we’re in for quite the treat.

The Irishman – A living legend, returning to the director’s chair, reunited with the likes of De Niro, Pacino, Keitel, Pesci.

Scorcese’s last film, Silence, is a film that remains to this day, grossly underseen, difficult to watch, and even harder to market. But it’s a true test of faith. Few films can fundamentally show you the limits of that faith, while asking you to question your own.

With a much more palatable and mainstream storyline at hand: gangsters, guns, mobsters, house-painters, and an endless supply of resources from mega-giant Netflix, the masses will once again be attending a Scorcese sermon. Quiet, obedient, ready to listen.

Once Upon a Time In Hollywood – Watching a Tarantino film is oftentimes like watching an old-school Hollywood mashup. So what happens when a Tarantino film, is set in old-school Hollywood, ripe for imitation, with infinite potential for homage, and all the stars under the sky?

You get a Tarantino fantasy film, with blondes, bullets, and feet. Expect lots of them.

Star Wars: Episode IX – This is that part of the movie where the hero is knocked down, and out. The audience is divided, and many have even given up entirely, cue the fanboi rage. There seems to be no sign of hope for our hero. No second-chances.

But I think that is where this story begins. Where J.J. Abrams has something up his sleeve. Something we have not foreseen. Why? Because as a director, he’s always come through.

Even if you criticize The Force Awakens for not taking more risks, Abrams still brought the magic, something you could connect to, with Rey, Kylo, and Finn. But most importantly he embraced the spirit of the films and why people love Star Wars.

And no matter what potential criticism can be thrown his way, Abrams is probably the best shot we have at a great Star Wars film outside of Denis Villeneuve, who is himself in the midst of one of the greatest runs a director has ever seen (Hitchcock 60’s, Spielberg 90’s).

Help us J.J. Abrams, you’re our only hope.

2019 Oscars Breakdown

Best Picture:  

When it comes to movies about race, Hollywood is once again showing it’s true color.

Like Crash in 2004, Green Book is a tame and aged perspective of racial tension in America, how it’s being “solved”, and how we should look to carry ourselves in our everyday lives moving forward. It’s not so much that the movie is bad or terribly misleading, Green Book means well and is an enjoyable film to a degree.

But in a time where forward-thinking movies like Blindspotting and Sorry To Bother You are pushing the envelope on what it’s like to be a colored or marginalized person living in modern-day America, Green Book feels like an out-of-touch lecture, like a Wonder Bread sandwich with a bit of skim milk.

It ultimately dilutes and attempts to compartmentalize racism, much like Crash did before, simplifying the matter: “This is what racism or prejudice is. This is how to fix it”.

Time will absolutely be the judge of both films, like it has been so cruelly of the former.

Films like Black Panther and Bohemian Rhapsody are entertaining, never let their fan base down, and each have their own undeniable appeal. But they lack the depth and the intimacy that other films like Roma, The Favourite, Shoplifters, Into the Spiderverse, and First Reformed, so innately possess.

I think for a lot of people, a movie like Roma might not work. It’s a slow-burn, it’s a slice-of-life, it’s in Spanish, it’s subtitled, it’s in black-and-white. For some, that’s already 3 or 4 red flags too many.

But what Roma really is, is Alfonso Cuarón’s love letter to cinema. It’s his Bicycle Thieves, his neo-realistic portrayal of Mexico City, his hometown and childhood. A glimpse into a privileged, and a marginalized group of people and society that many people have never heard of. He shows us what privilege can be, and what a cruel and unjust life some are forced to live.

Much like life, Roma can reveal it’s beauty in quiet and subtle ways, if you allow it to.

Best Actor:

Rami Malek was the clear favorite from the get-go. He embodied Freddie Mercury to his very essence, a truly magnificent transformation, and one that I think Freddie himself, would be proud of.

Christian Bale as Dick Cheney in Vice was phenomenal, with Bale having to actually improvise a majority of Cheney’s dialogue throughout the film, as Director Adam McKay often has his actors do on his films (ala The Big Short). In the process, Bale himself become an aficionado, a master on all-things-Cheney, and the physical, living embodiment of him too. Bale would be a clear candidate to win in almost any other year, but this year was always different. This year was always Malek’s to lose.

Bradley Cooper should get a lot of credit for A Star is Born.  I just wonder if the safeness of the role and re-hashing of it’s story hurt his chances at greater Oscar accolades.

Best Actress:

A raunchy, savage, scene-stealer, Elizabeth Colman was brilliant in The Favourite, winning in a category that may have contained the strongest nominated class out of any.

Yalitza Aparicio in Roma, Lady Gaga, Glenn Close, and Melissa McCarthy were all truly great in their own right, but Colman was seamless in her portrayal. Her Oscar acceptance speech was one of the highlights of the night, but also a true glimpse into that seamlessness that carried over to her character in The Favourite. One that is altogether, aloof, innocent, cunning, self-aware, brutal, flawed, and flirty, Colman’s duality and complexity was a theatrical treat in every regard.

Best Supporting Actor:  Mahershala Ali brings a bit of heart and soul to every role that he plays, and it’s this depth that allows him to slip seamlessly into the truth and into your psyche. He’s got an edge like Snipes, but the compassion and humanity of Denzel.

Best Supporting Actress:  What a fitting moment of recognition for Regina King, James Baldwin, and the story of Beale Street, an overlooked story, over 50 years in the making.

Best Director:  The auteur theory exists only for a few modern film-makers. With Alfonso Cuarón, he himself has never tested that theory further, acting not only as his own writer, director, and producer on Roma, but also as cinematographer, creating every frame with his own sensibilities and vision. A true singular vision.

Best Original Screenplay:  The Favourite, First Reformed, and Roma are all a notch-above Green Book, but Green Book winning Best Picture only reinforces that those same voters likely swung in a similar direction when it came to voting for Best Screenplay, though those two voting parties don’t completely overlap.

Best Adapted Screenplay:  While BlacKkKlansman was an entertaining movie made with a positive premise, I’ve got problems with it’s sincerity and it’s historical accuracy considering it’s “based on a true story”.

It takes several liberties throughout the film: the real undercover cop who was white wasn’t actually Jewish, though he is in the movie for dramatic effect. COINTELPRO actually infiltrated and disrupted many pro African-American organizations with the intent to cause disarray, they weren’t just White Knights, crucially remind yourself of the FBI’s relationship with MLK at the time, they wanted to make a martyr out of him. There also wasn’t a bomb that was prevented, which subsequently blew up in the bad guy’s face. And there wasn’t ever a racist cop who finally got his comeuppance in the end while being caught on tape. All of those elements in the movie were fictionalized, to drive up-the-stakes and add suspense.

So in the end, I’m left wondering how much of the movie was actually real, and how much of it was dramatized. And though some of those events may have actually occurred in other instances throughout history, it just cheapens the idea of a “true story”.

If more people had seen it, or if BlackKklansman wasn’t so bolstered by it’s undeniably amazing one-liner: “Black cop infiltrates KKK”, then If Only Beale Street Could Talk would be the obvious favorite in terms of literary quality and historical significance.

Best Cinematography:  Watching Roma was like going back to college foreign film class. Transportive, strange, unfamiliar, yet nostalgic.

Cuarón shot the film himself because only he knew what his childhood had looked like. Long, winding takes through a bustling home, along the beach, in the hospital, Cuarón’s signature is all over the film, deepening our understanding of what it means to love, and what it means to sacrifice.

Best Editing:  Vice should probably be the winner here, but I think people went with Bohemian Rhapsody because the music never lets you down. The editing is in-sync with it’s music, and the movie is truly guided by it. In a biopic about Queen, that’s all you really need to do.

Best Original Song:  It was always going to be Shallow, as A Star is Born lives and dies with it’s music. A great consolation though, that they at least walk away with the award they most deserve.

Best Original Score:  If Only Beale Street Could Talk had the deeper, more intimate score, but I think it once again suffered from lack of exposure, and moreso, a big wave of momentum from Black Panther.

Best Documentary Feature:  Free Solo is awe-inspiring, Alex Honnold’s achievement is pretty freakin’ incredible, and that team has made a great film before previously with Meru, but I still don’t think it moves people like Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Best Animated Feature Film:  Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse is a better movie than Green Book. ***Insert Change My Mind Meme***

Sorry to Bother You (2018)

Sorry to Bother You (2018)

Few movies have the boldness, the extra.

Sorry to Bother You is about capitalism, the corporate grind, social injustice, feeling stuck, and how to use your “White Voice” to succeed in America.

But it’s also the story about being an underdog, staying true to yourself when everything falls apart, how to rap when you’ve never rapped before, and really big crazy-ass earrings.

Few movies will entertain and commentate with such bold strokes.  Even fewer will push the envelope as far, and not apologize for it.

So…Sorry to Bother You, but you need to see this movie.

Review Score:  A

Standout Performances:
Lakeith Stanfield – Donald Glover was originally lined up for the starring role, but had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts with Solo.  And while Glover is charismatic and would have undoubtedly been interesting in the role, Lakeith has this humility, this level of vulnerability that makes you root for him instantly.  He feels like the underdog, and it feels like you’ve lived his story before.  That’s everything you need in a movie.
Tessa Thompson – A movie with this much extra can only be matched by a girl of the like.  An otherworldly personality, who carries with her, charm and boldness wherever she goes.  
Armie Hammer – Armie Hammer has really grown as an actor.  I myself have been a former skeptic, but he’s really starting to let loose and let the characters inhabit his own personality.  Call Me By Your Name and Sorry to Bother You are two undeniable examples of this ascension.
Steven Yeun – Yeah!  Go Team Asia!  We hot right now!  But in all seriousness, he’s proving himself as a strong, well-spoken actor without the cultural tropes that may have befell others like him in the past.  A real solid performance here with no stigma.

Thoroughbreds (2018)

Thoroughbreds (2018)

Smart, vicious, and altogether cool, Thoroughbreds is a pristine perspective of prestige and pretention.

The film is set in rich, suburban America, where private schools and weekend vacays are the norm, teenage rebellion runs rampant, and no problem exists that a little money can’t fix.

Anchored by two cosmic, starlets-to-be, Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke exude a sense of poise and calm well beyond their years.  The poster for the film describes it as “Heathers Meets American Psycho” and remains exceedingly accurate in the best and least sociopathic way possible.

The music is quiet.  Subtle, but brooding.  At times feeling ancient, and primordial.  Deep drums and wooden percussion give way to an undeniable Japanese influence, somewhat gothic, and tribal in a sense.  It works brilliantly.

And while some may be turned off by the packaging, Thoroughbreds is a delight for those who want peer through the gloss and the glamour to unravel what truly makes us tick.

Review Score:  A-

Feels Like:  American Psycho, Heathers, Ingrid Goes West.
Standout Performance:  Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke.

A Ghost Story

A Ghost Story (2017)

Quiet, ethereal, and all together a dream, A Ghost Story transcends time and space, to touch upon love, death, existence, and the meaning of it all.  To illuminate and magnify mankind’s ultimate insignificance, while altogether shedding that concept entirely: that the spirit may live on.

We all look for moments of brilliance.  For moments of transcendence.  We look for them in music, sports, television, film.  To see something we’ve never seen before.

And though this film is not for everyone, I believe it can show you just that, if you allow it to.

 

Review Score:  A

Feels Like:  Jauja.
Standout Performance:  Rooney Mara & Casey Affleck.

Ladybird (2017)

Ladybird (2017)

There are no heroes, heroines, damsels or villains in Ladybird.  Just people.  Kids and adults.

Few films show their characters in such an honest light.  Where people are flawed, selfish, average, and broken.  And for that, 28-year old writer/director Greta Gerwig has achieved something wonderful.  By creating something that is so uniquely her, something grounded and real.

“Sitting and waiting is such an awful way to live, but it’s a big part of being an actor. Creating projects is really what’s happening these days. The chance to participate in your own career is a lot more exciting than just hoping that it all works out.”

There are times in life, when we are the most cruel to the people we love.  Where we act before we think, and speak before we listen.  We aren’t always conscious of what we intend to do.  And while we’ve all experienced these moments, to see them played out in front of you, like your own life, on a giant silver screen surrounded by strangers: it’s cinema re-affirming to us all that we already know.

 

Review Score:  A

Feels Like:  Mistress America & The Edge of Seventeen.
Standout Performance: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf.

I, Tonya (2017)

I, Tonya (2017)

The Tonya Harding story is stuff of modern legend.

Most of us know it, or at least think we do.  The Nancy Kerrigan incident (whyyyy?), Jeff Gillooly and his band of 7-Eleven crooks and criminals, and a fiery 5′ 1″, self-proclaimed redneck, who happened to be one of the most talented and gifted skaters of her generation.

A girl who never really stood a chance: born into poverty, victim of a verbally and physically abusive mother, and an even more verbally and physically abusive boyfriend/husband, all while trying to do it her own way.  Become a champion, as a rebel, in the sterilized, clean-cut, perfect, and pristine world that is female figure skating.

The movie itself is fast, dynamic, and self-aware, much like it’s subject matter.  It tackles some more serious issues like domestic abuse with great effectiveness, oftentimes breaking the Fourth Wall into a interview and documentary format, addressing the audience directly, much like The Big Short.

Margot Robbie and Allison Janney are forces in their roles, unavoidable and unrelenting, with Janney herself being an absolute chameleon and going full Javier Bardem with that short bob haircut.  Her recent Golden Globe win for Best Supporting Actress in a field of seriously stacked nominees is a testament to that.

But what you’ll gain most out of the movie is a sense of clarity, and a bit of wonder.  To see the story from everyone’s perspective, from flawed and clear angles.  To see how a little girl can rise from lower class, trailer-park America, and disrupt the highbrow, upper-echelons of professional figure skating, for all the right and all the wrong reasons.

 

Review Score:  A-

Feels Like:  Black Swan, The Big Short, Logan Lucky.
Standout Performance:  Margot Robbie, Allison Janney.

The Disaster Artist (2017)

The Disaster Artist (2017)

The dreams of the fool-hearted are still dreams nonetheless.  The Disaster Artist examines what that means for most of us.  To have dreams, but not being able to achieve them.

Greg Sestero and Tommy Wiseau are two of many, who want nothing more than to make great movies.  Movies that people love and remember.  And while the two of them couldn’t be more different from one another, they’re brought together by those dreams.

The Disaster Artist, much like The Room, will make you howl.  The madness of it’s legend is on full-display and often times bested by it’s modern day adaptation.  Dave and James Franco are fully-committed and fearless in their performances, but Zac Efron as Chris R. will show you why you owe him lunch money.

But through the asscracks, the waterbottles, footballs, and personal toilets, do we manage to peer into the heart of the film.  The story of Greg and Tommy.  Two dreamers and fools, who together made a film that neither one could have made themselves, and now are forever tied to.  Perhaps it wasn’t the dream they were looking for, but it’s still a dream, nonetheless.

 

Review Score:  A-

Feels Like:  The Room, Ed Wood & The Master.
Standout Performance:  Dave & James Franco, Zac Efron, Denny.

Diego Valeri – 2017 MLS MVP

Diego Valeri has changed the way the Portland Timbers play, ever since he first put on the kit.   And in turn, he has helped to change the way Portland has taken to soccer and the Timbers.  From an unorganized, and erratic team, to a club with patience and poise.  A year-after-year contender.  An MLS Champion.  
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And look how far we have come.  Soccer City USA.  Rose City ’til I Die.
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The greatest accolade however, isn’t the MVP trophy itself, but the words of his peers, Kaká, Piatti, Morales.  Where we hear the phrase “great person” just as much, if not more often, than “great player”.
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Felicidades, El Maestro.