In the picture - Wonder Park and Isn't It Romantic

movie reviews

Wonder Park is wonderless; Isn’t It Romantic loses itself in the genre it’s trying to lampoon

Wonder Park

Starring (voices): Brianna Denski, Ken Hudson Campbell, Kenan Thompson, Ken Jeong, Mila Kunis, John Oliver, Jennifer Garner, and Matthew Broderick 

Directed by: Dylan Brown (uncredited)

Tagline: Take a ride on the wild side.

Wonder Park is the story of a magical amusement park, a park that you’d reasonably assume would be called “Wonder Park” but which is instead, for no discernible reason, called “Wonderland”. And that should give you a fairly accurate idea of the level of care and precision that has gone into the creation of this damp squib of a movie.

The animated episode – which is set to spawn a television series on Nickelodeon – tells the story of a girl, June Bailey (voiced by Brianna Denski), who is meant to be characterised by her imaginativeness but can more accurately be described as reckless. With the help of her mother (Jennifer Garner), she creates an imaginary amusement park, but gives up on the project when her sick mom leaves for medical treatment.

After ditching math camp so that she can return home and take care of her father (Matthew Broderick), June wanders into the woods where she finds out that Wonderland has come to life and is now broken down because of her neglect. She must then figure out how to conquer the Darkness that has caused the dilapidation and save the park and all its animal inhabitants.

What could have been a fun movie is instead a joyless, chaotic mess. There isn’t a single element of this production that truly impresses. The film seems to use commotion to distract you from the fact that it doesn’t have much of a storyline. The visuals are colourful but the character designs are subpar. The voice acting is unexciting; the only standout is the vivacious John Oliver who voices a porcupine, but then again he just sounds like John Oliver and makes you wish animated projects would hire proper voice actors instead of celebrities.

Seemingly helmed by no one – the uncredited Dylan Brown was fired from what would have been his directorial debut because of complaints of inappropriate behaviour – this unfortunate production has ended up disjointed and hectic, trying to deliver an emotional punch but losing itself along the way. Wonder Park wants to leave viewers with a positive message, but the journey that gets us there is just an unexciting, frenetic, predictable slog. 

Rating: 2 out of 5

*****

Isn’t It Romantic

Starring: Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, Adam DeVine, Priyanka Chopra, Betty Gilpin, and Brandon Scott Jones

Directed by: Todd Strauss-Schulson

Tagline: None of the feels.

A woman finds herself stuck in a universe filled with romantic comedy clichés in Isn’t It Romantic, a film that supposedly aims to lampoon the rom-com genre but doesn’t quite hit the mark.

The movie tells the story of Natalie, played by Rebel Wilson, an architect who lacks self-confidence and assertiveness, and is oblivious to the romantic advances of her friend, Josh (Adam DeVine). While fighting off a mugger, Natalie hits her head and is knocked unconscious. Upon waking up, she soon realizes that she is stuck in a PG-13 romantic comedy. Her tiny apartment is transformed into a perfect penthouse. A client who was previously rude and dismissive towards her, Blake (Liam Hemsworth), is now enamoured with her, while her friend and assistant, Whitney (Betty Gilpin), is now her foe. And Josh is now in a relationship with a swimsuit model and “yoga ambassador”, Isabella (Priyanka Chopra).

As she tries to figure out what she has to do to return to her own reality, she is led towards an important lesson. But it’s a lesson that you, the viewer, will be able to see coming from the very beginning. Isn’t It Romantic is as predictable as the genre it is trying to parody. It basically feels like the film can’t decide whether it wants to criticise rom-coms or just be one. Instead of making fun of the tropes, the movie simply gives in to them, pretty much defeating the whole point of its very existence.

The film – which appears to follow in the footsteps of 2018’s disappointing I Feel Pretty – takes what could have been an interesting idea and then squanders it with a very underwhelming execution. A good satire requires the smarts that this movie lacks. For a film like this to work, it has to be brave enough to subvert clichés, not just list them, roll its proverbial eyes, and then obediently follow them.

As for the acting, Wilson is charming in the lead role, but overall, the unexceptional cast can’t elevate the mediocre material they’re working with. The attempts at humour mostly fall flat.

Isn’t It Romantic fails to make the most of what could have been a fun premise. The movie is likely to best please fans of rom-coms who want a simple, feel-good tale, while those looking for something more interesting will find this dull, familiar, forgettable tale quite disappointing.

Rating: 2 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 30th April, 2019 *

Our Planet - dazzling, mesmerizing ... traumatizing

documentary series review

Our Planet

Directed by: Alastair Fothergill

Narrated by: David Attenborough

Majestic views, dazzling imagery, mesmerizing natural spectacles … Our Planet is absolutely gorgeous.

It is also very traumatizing.

The nature documentary that arrived on Netflix earlier this month aims to take a look at the impact of the changing world on various life forms, but along the way it takes a few questionable turns.

Clearly years of work have gone into the creation of this visual masterpiece. Over the course of 8 episodes, the series takes you from frozen worlds to lush jungles to stunning waters, showing how animals live in these diverse habitats and revealing the effect that climate change is having on their lives. And it’s a rewarding journey well worth taking.

Seabirds carpet-bombing the ocean; hundreds of flamingo chicks walking across a saltpan; parent penguins making their way back to feed their babies; narwhals trying to find a passage in the ice to swim through … there is no shortage of amazing footage of wildlife in its natural habitat.

But just as you are mesmerized by the fascinating natural imagery and the comfort of David Attenborough’s familiar voice, something absolutely heart-wrenching invariably happens.

It’s brutal. It’s uncomfortable. It’s also unnecessary.

The fact that nature is cruel isn’t a revelation; we don't need to see a documentary to learn that.

And the fact that we have caused so much damage to this planet which is in turn causing harm to animals is an important but familiar message. 

The documentary is most likely to be watched by nature lovers, who already know how tough things are for animals and who are already trying to make a difference. So many of us have seen more than enough of harrowing footage. Those who are empathetic enough to care and find such images distressing don’t need to be traumatized further.

People who couldn’t care less about nature, on the other hand, won’t be interested in this documentary anyway. And it’s not like watching or experiencing animal pain and brutality has an impact on people anyway. Watching animals being slaughtered hasn’t turned us into a planet of vegetarians. Watching stray dogs being shot in our neighbourhoods hasn’t caused any outrage.

Plus, it doesn’t help that some of the claims the documentary makes are being scientifically disputed. The by-now-infamous walrus scene, attributed to climate change in the documentary, is instead being linked to polar bears by zoologists.

Whether the filmmakers were misguiding us intentionally or not, they were clearly trying to emotionally manipulate us, which is a tactic that upsets the softhearted and simply doesn’t work on the hardhearted.

Following the uproar about the inclusion of some of the upsetting scenes in Our Planet, Netflix has issued a content advisory so that viewers aren’t blindsided, which is a move in the right direction. If you do think you gain something by watching nature at its harshest, then you can watch Our Planet in its entirety. If you don’t think you have to see this suffering to know or care about it, then you might want to skip those parts. This should ultimately be the viewer’s choice.

As you make your way through @OurPlanet, here are some moments animal lovers may want to skip:

One Planet: 16:04 - 16:43
Frozen World: 16:29 - 17:47, 32:50 - 33:45, 48:45 - 51:00
Fresh Water: 26:10 - 27:09
Deserts and Grasslands: 28:45-29:10
High Seas: 37:42-37:52

— Netflix US (@netflix) April 10, 2019

Our Planet does get the point across regarding climate change and the human impact on nature, but it’s a point that most of us already know and the rest of us will still not care about it no matter how many walruses plummet to their deaths on screen. Instead of going for shocking images of tragedy, the documentary could have made even more impact by tugging at our heartstrings with more tact.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blog - 25th April, 2019 *

Homecoming will make you marvel at Beyonce’s talent and leave you exhausted by her resilience

concert film review

HΘMΣCΘMING: A Film by Beyoncé

Starring: Beyoncé, Destiny's Child, Jay-Z, Kelly Rowland, Les Twins, Michelle Williams, and Solange

Written and directed by: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, 

Beyoncé made Coachella history last year when she became the first female African American artist to headline the popular music festival. Now the singer has marked the anniversary of her performance by looking back at her triumphant show in Homecoming, a concert film that captures the spectacle onstage as well as sheds light on how it shaped up offstage.

Released on Netflix last week – right when Coachella was rolling in for its annual visit – the film basically shows just how Beyoncé transformed Coachella into Beychella.

The piece features her nearly two hour long set, seamlessly splicing together her performances from the first and second weekends, each distinguished by the differing colour schemes of the costumes.

Homecoming showcases the splendour of what clearly isn’t a mere concert but a whole euphoric production. Accompanied by nearly 200 dancers, singers, and performers, Beyoncé sings and dances her way through some of her biggest hits while celebrating her rich heritage. Deemed her homecoming performance, the show also pays homage to historically black colleges and universities and brings the ethos of her culture to the world stage. She is joined, on occasion, by some of the people closest to her, including her husband Jay-Z who lends his vocals to ‘Déjà Vu’; sister Solange who teams up with Queen Bey for a joyous dance segment; and her best friends Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams who stop by for a three-song Destiny’s Child reunion.

The musical festivities are paused a few times to reveal all the hard work that went into the preparations for the event. Through behind the scenes footage and accompanying voice overs, viewers get a glimpse at the months of dance, band, and vocal rehearsals that led to the immaculate production. We see that Beyoncé was in charge of all the various aspects and elements of her set, and was very particular about her vision for the performance.

The singer also reveals how hard she pushed her body to get ready for Coachella following a difficult pregnancy and the birth of her twins. Her candid discussions highlight the pressure that women face while managing multiple identities as they work to maintain their careers while raising families. Any mothers who have struggled with the expectation to lose weight after having children or have had to return to physically taxing jobs after giving birth will relate to Beyoncé’s situation and respect her strength and fortitude.

The focus, though, primarily remains on her stunning performance which is something that ardent fans will have already experienced – and re-experienced – over the last year. The backstage footage and commentary isn’t very in depth. As a documentary, this piece is quite measured. You might wish, at some points, that you could have learned more about the artist and how she created and moulded her show into perfection. But there is enough material here to both highlight the singer’s work ethic and keep the Beyhive happy.

The first of three projects that Beyoncé is planning to release with Netflix – part of a whopping $60 million deal, as per rumours – Homecoming gives us the chance to relive Beychella while impressing us with the singer’s hard work and charming us with candid footage of her family. The film will make you marvel at Beyoncé’s vocal skills and physical stamina – just watching her fierce performance will leave you exhausted while empowering you with inspiration to strive to achieve your dreams. Her plethora of fans will certainly cherish the experience.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blogs - 23rd April, 2019 *

In the Picture - Shazam! and Unicorn Store

movie reviews

DCEU finally gets one right with Shazam!; Unicorn Store fails to make the most of its whimsical premise

Shazam!

Starring: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Mark Strong, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Djimon Hounsou

Directed by: David F. Sandberg

Tagline: Just say the word.

The DC Extended Universe has finally embraced the inherent joy at the heart of superhero capers with Shazam!, an entertaining fantasy adventure that never loses its spirit of fun even when it otherwise falters.

The story revolves around teenager Billy Batson (Asher Angel), a troubled foster child who is searching for his birth parents, hoping to reunite with his real mother (Caroline Palmer). When Billy is taken in by foster parents Victor (Cooper Andrews) and Rosa Vazquez (Marta Milans) and placed in a group home with five other kids – superhero enthusiast Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer); gaming nerd Eugene (Ian Chen); shy kid Pedro (Jovan Armand); endearing youngest sister Darla (Faithe Herman); and eldest sister Mary (Grace Fulton) who is heading to college – he refuses to accept them as his family.

While fleeing an encounter with bullies, Billy is unexpectedly summoned by the ancient Shazam (Djimon Hounsou), a wizard who fights the forces of evil, keeping the Seven Deadly Sins in check. The wizard has been searching for someone to take his powers but has been unable to find anyone who is pure of heart. After a candidate that Shazam had previously rejected as his successor, Dr. Sivana (Mark Strong), figures out how to return to the ancient temple, free the Sins, and become their vessel, the defeated Shazam decides to pass his powers on to a reluctant Billy, who transforms into an adult superhero (Zachary Levi) upon saying the wizard’s name.

It is then up to Billy, with a little help from Freddy, to master his newfound abilities and defeat the villain before he takes over the world.

Like a superhero version of 1988’s Big, Shazam! is a light adventure that is pleasant and engaging. The movie seems content with delivering a fairly standard story of good versus evil, but luckily this underdog tales comes with a satisfying helping of humour, heart, and warmth. The terrific cast – especially Levi – is one of the film’s biggest strengths. 

It may not be the most deep, weighty entry in the superhero annals, but this silly adventure is downright charming, so charming in fact that it makes you want to forgive its various shortcomings. Shazam! is one of those films where you can easily point out the obvious flaws – it’s overlong, dwells too much on the various backstories, has pacing issues, its screenplay could have used some polish, and the character design of the Sins could have individually been more distinctive – but you really don’t want to because you’re too busy enjoying yourself.

A filmmaker more experienced than Swedish director David Sandberg could have refined the project and created a more seamless movie, but this superhero adventure still counts as a triumph, especially for DC, who seem to have finally discovered what it’s like to just have some fun.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

*****

Unicorn Store

Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Joan Cusack, Bradley Whitford, Karan Soni, Mamoudou Athie, Mary Holland, and Hamish Linklater.

Directed by: Brie Larson

Tagline: Everyone needs a little magic. Even if they’re all grown up.

Even though it predates Captain Marvel by nearly two years, Unicorn Store was only just released by Netflix, almost a month after Carol Danvers’ adventure hit the big screen, seemingly in a bid to capitalize on the interest generated by the superhero blockbuster. It’s a strategy that almost pays off – the timing does succeed in getting the project attention, but the film itself struggles to maintain the viewers’ interest.

Kit (Brie Larson), a failed artist struggling with the concept of growing up, drops out of college and returns to her parents’ (Joan Cusack and Bradley Whitford, both terrific in their roles) home. But just when she tries to embrace adulthood by taking up an office job at a temp agency, she receives a mysterious letter from The Salesman (Samuel L. Jackson), who offers her the chance to fulfil her childhood fantasy of owning a unicorn.

It’s an odd premise that struggles between staying rooted in reality and embracing its fantastical premise. 

The primary responsibility for this misfire lies on Larson’s shoulders, as she both stars in and helms the movie, making her directorial debut with this offbeat project. As an actress, Larson is charming, but she doesn’t exactly exude childlike joy and wonder that the role requires. As a filmmaker, her style is too static to complement the whimsical story she is trying to tell. 

The script isn’t stellar either, and the quotable lines it offers – like “the most grownup thing you can do is fail at things you really care about” – seem specially engineered for millennial memes.

Unicorn Store does get points for being unique, but this slow, twee fantasy doesn’t have enough interesting ideas to offset its many dull moments. And while some will enjoy this film more than others, this quirky tale definitely isn’t for everyone

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 14th April, 2019 *

Stuber - not very likely to get a five-star rating

trailer review

Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani have teamed up for Stuber, an action comedy that seems to be built around a very familiar premise.

When Uber driver, Stu (Kumail Nanjiani), picks up a passenger, Vic (Dave Bautista), he unwittingly becomes part of a dangerous chase. Vic, it turns out, is a cop who is going after a brutal killer, and Stu has to go along for the ride. Anything for a five-star rating, right?

But it seems highly unlikely that the film itself will merit five stars.

This rideshare adventure seems to be built on worn-out buddy comedy beats, and its basic premise is nothing new either. Deadpool successfully used the gimmick of an action hero teaming up with a taxi driver for a considerable amount of humour only recently. Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon also gave us something similar in Taxi (which was itself a remake of a French action comedy), while Michael Mann’s Collateral took a more sombre approach to the premise..

From the looks of it, Stuber doesn’t seem to be doing anything particularly inventive. But there is still hope though that the movie will at least be funny. A sequence revolving around a tossed gun does merit a laugh. It’s not highbrow comedy, but it could certainly generate a few chuckles on a lazy summer evening. Plus the lead performers have chemistry, and their fans are likely to enjoy watching the actors’ comedic high jinks. It helps that Bautista has proved his acting talents in the terrific Guardians of the Galaxy series. And we know that Nanjiani can, umm, play an Uber driver because he also portrayed one in The Big Sick, so make of that what you will.

Also, the trailer is vague about the actual storyline. We don't even know what has prompted this cop to use an Uber. Maybe something more interesting will unfold in the film, and we’ll be more invested in the tale once we’ve seen the actual adventure.

Stuber comes out on 12 July 2019.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blog - 13th April, 2019 *

The Lion King 2.0 - because we can't resist Disney's evil sorcery

trailer review

Me: These live-action adaptations of animated classics are such a racket. Disney is basically reselling us the same story with these pointless remakes, because why would they spend time and energy on creativity and new ideas when they can just use the powers of nostalgia to manipulate us into giving them all our hard earned money? Shame on you, Disney!

Also me: OMG! THE TRAILER FOR THE LION KING LIVE-ACTION ADAPTATION IS STUNNING! AND LOOK AT HOW ADORABLE SIMBA IS! AND TIMON AND PUMBAA! AND MUFASA! OH THE NOSTALGIA! HERE, TAKE ALL MY MONEY, DISNEY!

So clearly my mind is now at war with itself. Thanks a bunch, Disney!

Really though, as easy as it may be to fall for the nostalgic draw of re-experiencing a beloved adventure so many of us grew up with, it’s still hard to deny that the critique the clip has been receiving is very valid.

What exactly will we gain with this live-action revisit … which technically isn’t “live-action” anyway, because unless Disney actually managed to train a whole jungle-full of animals to perform complex on-demand acting, everything is basically still animated, only more realistically.

And granted that Disney’s artists have clearly done an incredible job with the CGI, how are they going to translate the personality of vivid, vibrant cartoon characters into hyper-realistic animals? Are we heading for a clash between design and substance?

Watch one of the shot-for-shot comparison videos that nifty users have created – there is no shortage of said clips on Twitter – and you’ll see that the 1994 version is brighter, more colourful, with more expressive characters, while the 2019 version looks darker, more subdued.

Here’s how the new ‘Lion King’ trailer syncs up with the original film pic.twitter.com/sCXLwY3DFg

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) April 12, 2019

The look and feel would have seemed remarkable if this were an original movie. Plus seeing how lifelike the animals are, it might have been even more compelling – albeit significantly less marketable – if the animals didn’t have celebrity voices and rather didn’t talk altogether. Instead the studio has assembled a star studded voice cast, including Donald Glover (Simba), Seth Rogen (Pumbaa), Billy Eichner (Timon), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Scar), and Beyoncé (Nala), because these big names will surely get the film more attention.

And let’s be real – this project wasn’t greenlit with the intention of creating art but with the hopes of making a ton of money, which it will, because we can’t resist Disney’s evil sorcery.

Yes it seems inessential, and yes we still can’t wait to see it.

Prepare to watch Mufasa die all over again in excruciatingly realistic 3D CGI when The Lion King remake arrive in cinemas this summer. The film is slated for a July 19 release.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blog - 12th April, 2019 *

In the Picture - Ben Is Back and Can You Ever Forgive Me?

movie reviews

A recovering drug addict unexpectedly comes home for Christmas in the affecting drama Ben Is Back; Can You Ever Forgive Me? uses a disgraced American writer, Lee Israel’s confessional autobiography as its source material, shedding light on how the struggling author turned to fraud to make a living

Ben Is Back

Starring: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, Courtney B. Vance, and Kathryn Newton

Directed by: Peter Hedges

A recovering drug addict unexpectedly comes home for Christmas in the affecting drama Ben Is Back, a look at the struggles faced by a family with a member battling addiction.

The titular Ben (portrayed by the ubiquitous Lucas Hedges, who also happens to be the son of the film’s director Peter Hedges) decides to leave rehab for the holidays and shows up at his family’s house on Christmas Eve. His mother, Holly (Julia Roberts), is happy to see him, but the rest of the family – including his sister, Ivy (Kathryn Newton), and stepfather, Neal (Courtney B. Vance) – is significantly less enthusiastic about his sudden arrival. 

His appearance causes disruption, first subtly and then more dramatically as things begin to spiral out of control over the course of a whirlwind day.

The movie navigates the complexities of addiction and the toll it takes on everyone involved.

The focus primarily lies on the relationship of the troubled son and his supportive mother, as the film creates a touching but harrowing scenario and how it impacts the family dynamic.

Ben Is Back successfully skirts clichés and subverts addiction drama conventions, but it eventually veers into quasi-thriller territory built around the search for a stolen dog, a decision that doesn’t quite pay off since the detour doesn’t exactly go in the most convincing direction.

But even when it takes a few wrong turns, the movie remains powerful, thanks in no small part to the terrific performances by the ever-reliable Julia Roberts, who is outstanding here, and Lucas Hedges, who shows us just why he is one of Hollywood’s most rapidly rising stars. Also impressive is Courtney B. Vance who makes an impact even though his character remains more or less on the periphery for much of the film.

It may lose its way for a bit towards the end, but Ben is Back is a touching look at the effect of drug addiction from multiple perspectives, powered by some fine performances. Peter Hedges employs enough nuance here to make this project different and (for the most part) realistic, ultimately offering a moving take on a difficult topic.

Rating: 3 out of 5

*****

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells, Jane Curtin, Anna Deavere Smith, Stephen Spinella, and Ben Falcone

Directed by: Marielle Heller

Based on her criminal actions, you might be inclined to think that Lee Israel didn’t cut a very likable figure. Yet, in the hands of director Marielle Heller and actress Melissa McCarthy, the author-turned-literary-forger makes a very compelling subject.

The biographical drama Can You Ever Forgive Me? uses the disgraced American writer’s 2008 confessional autobiography as its source material, shedding light on how the struggling author turned to fraud to make a living.

When her biography of Estée Lauder fails to strike a chord with both readers and critics, the misanthropic cat lover (played by McCarthy) faces financial difficulties amidst her failing writing career. While researching for a potential Fanny Brice project, Israel chances upon two letters written by Brice, which she then steals and proceeds to sell. Upon discovering that more interesting letters fetch a higher price, she augments one of the Brice letters before embarking on a lucrative career forging further letters by celebrities.

Melissa McCarthy is riveting as the protagonist and it’s because of her charm and wit that a person with Israel’s rap sheet comes off as someone who is worthy of sympathy instead of derision. The film serves as a wonderful showcase for her dramatic talent and reveals how good the actress can be when she is working with an interesting story and well-written script. Supporting her with an equally terrific performance is Richard E. Grant as Jack, her flamboyant partner in crime. It is fascinating to watch these two peculiar individuals gravitate towards each other and forge a friendship.

It may not take any surprising turns, but Can You Ever Forgive Me? offers a captivating character study, and along the way, delves into an examination of misfortune and loneliness, driven by heartfelt emotions and deadpan humour, an exploration that will help you understand – if not forgive – a desperate woman’s bid for survival.

Rating: 4 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 7th April, 2019 *