In the picture: Birds of Prey and P.S. I Still Love You

movie reviews

The uneven Birds of Prey is a mediocre DC adventure; P.S. I Still Love You is an unnecessary, bland sequel

Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

Starring: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco, and Ewan McGregor

Directed by: Cathy Yan

Tagline: Mind over mayhem.

The anti-heroines of Gotham come together (eventually) in Birds of Prey, the latest flick in DC’s Extended Universe.

The film takes crazed criminal Harley Quinn (a terrific Margot Robbie, reprising her Suicide Squad role) out from under the Joker’s shadow and puts her at the forefront.

After breaking up with Mr. J, Harley deals with her heartache by giving herself a new hairdo, adopting a hyena, and blowing up the chemical plant where she pledged herself to the Clown Prince of Crime. But with her ties to the Joker now severed, Harley lacks the protection her former relationship afforded her and faces danger from adversaries, including gangster Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor, suitably creepy in the part) who wants her dead.

Roman has acquired a diamond that is embedded with the account numbers to a fortune, but when he sends his henchman, Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina), to fetch it, things go awry and the precious gem is stolen.

After Roman captures Harely and orders to have her killed, she, in a bid to save her life, offers to recover the diamond for him.

Her story, along the scattered way, intersects with that of various fierce women of Gotham, including Dinah Lance (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), a singer at Roman’s nightclub; Helena Bertinelli (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a vigilante avenging her gangster family’s deaths; Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez, very miscast), an undervalued cop; and Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco), a teenage pickpocket who steals the aforementioned diamond.

The various threads, however, don’t come together as seamlessly as you’d hope; a better script and more focused direction would have significantly helped. By the end you are left wishing that the anti-heroines had either come together sooner and received more screen time (both as individuals and as a group) or the project had just chosen to focus solely on Harley and done away with the Birds of Prey angle. 

The tale at the movie’s core is fairly simple and straightforward although the choppy structure and editing tries to pass it off as something more inventive. The film’s vibe and humour, at times, feel a little try-hard, especially when Harley starts to come off as a female Deadpool. Harley here is vibrant and intriguing, but ultimately hard to sympathize with.

Still, there are some compelling moments in this film, as well as a few entertaining performances (Robbie and McGregor in particular). A couple of interestingly staged and choreographed fighting scenes also add an element of fun to the proceedings, even though the adventure is never terribly exciting.

All in all, this is neither the best nor the worst DC offering, but in the hands of a more capable team, it could have been a lot more entertaining and coherent.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

*****

To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You

Starring: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Jordan Fisher, Anna Cathcart, Madeleine Arthur, Trezzo Mahoro, Emilija Baranac, Sarayu Blue, John Corbett and Holland Taylor

Directed by: Michael Fimognari

Tagline: First love. Last letter.

Lara Jean returns in P.S. I Still Love You, the dull follow-up to the middling rom-com To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.

After the events of the previous film, Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) are now an item. But just as their love is blossoming, a contrivance enters the story in the form of a letter from John Ambrose (Jordan Fisher), one of Lara Jean’s previous crushes and the recipient of one of her love letters. John Ambrose then ends up volunteering at the same retirement home as Lara Jean; the two hit it off, leaving the latter conflicted. Should she be with Peter, even though she is perpetually insecure about his relationship with his ex-girlfriend (and her ex-best friend) Gen (Emilija Baranac)? Or should she choose John Ambrose with whom things feel a lot more effortless?

The character’s vapid dilemma leads to snooze-inducing drama. Instead of putting its heroine in a compelling predicament, P.S. I Still Love You chooses instead to randomly borrow clichés from the rom-com playbook, and is further let down by its amateurish structure (brief scene, then sappy song snippet, and repeat). 

Perhaps you will enjoy the movie more if you liked the young adult romance book series the film is based on, or if you, for some reason, have a strong opinion about who Lara Jean should date. For its part though, the movie doesn’t exactly inspire the viewer to care about what’s going on. You aren’t given the chance to be invested in the fate of characters like the underdeveloped John Ambrose, or even given a reason to root for the protagonist, seeing how Lara Jean’s behaviour just makes it seems like it is Peter who could do better. Condor may be a charming presence onscreen but the flimsy storyline keeps her from transferring her charisma onto her character. 

P.S. I Still Love You is just a bland teen rom-com (albeit very light on the com) that is even less interesting than its predecessor. Lara Jean could have made a more appealing protagonist had the writers chosen to make the most of her character’s potential and put her in a more memorable tale.

Rating: 2 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 23rd February, 2020 *

In the picture: Uncut Gems

movie review

The suspenseful, chaotic Uncut Gems offers a uniquely intense viewing experience

Uncut Gems

Starring: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Idina Menzel, Lakeith Stanfield, Kevin Garnett, and Eric Bogosian

Directed by: Josh and Benny Safdie

A self-destructive gambling addict who is swiftly spiralling out of control is the subject of the Safdie brothers’ latest film, Uncut Gems, an intense crime thriller driven by a terrific performance by Adam Sandler.

The protagonist is Howard Ratner (Sandler), a jeweller who is addicted to sports gambling and owes money to his loan shark brother-in-law, Arno (Eric Bogosian). His personal life isn’t faring any better than his financial situation. His estranged wife, Dinah (Idina Menzel), wants a divorce, although the couple are keeping up appearances for the sake of their children, and he is shacking up with his mistress and jewellery store employee, Julia (Julia Fox).

Howard hopes his luck with turn with the auction and sale of a rare gemstone he has acquired and that Basketball player Kevin Garnett (playing himself) has taken a shine to. But things, as you would expect, don’t go quite according to plan. With each misstep, he falls deeper into trouble. Every time the debt collectors come calling, he finds himself in hot water.

You spend nearly two hours squirming at Howard’s actions, choices, and dishonesties, wondering if he will manage to redeem himself or will instead fall prey to his own vices. But even though he is a thoroughly unlikable character, you eventually get to the point where you still find yourself hoping he wins, if for no other reason than to give the viewer a respite from the constant stress of the situation.

Between the frenetic pacing, non-stop chattering and yelling, and chaotic predicament, the tension rarely lets up. That might be why watching Uncut Gems isn’t exactly an enjoyable experience – it’s stressful and hectic and anxiety-provoking – but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the Safdies have created a drama that is downright fascinating. The setting, too, is interesting, although perhaps delving a little deeper into the harsh backdrop might have made it even more intriguing. A slight misstep also emerges in the form of the intrusive soundtrack which, it’s fairly obvious, was meant to be visceral, but is instead often jarring, especially in the initial sequence.

The credit for carrying the film goes entirely to Sandler who is surprisingly terrific in his role as a hustling sleazeball. It really is a shame that the actor didn’t get an Oscar nod, and whether you have liked his previous work or not, chances are you will walk out of Uncut Gems impressed by his performance (while simultaneously dreading and looking forward to the terrible movie he promised to make if he was snubbed by the Academy).

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 16 February, 2020 *

Memorable moments from the 2020 Oscars

award season

The award season came to an exuberant crescendo on Sunday night when the stars of the big screen gathered in Hollywood for the 92nd Academy Awards.

The evening belonged very vehemently to Parasite, the black comedy that has been gathering accolades throughout the season. The South Korean film walked away with four trophies, winning not just the Best Picture honour but also earning the coveted golden statuettes in the Director (Bong Joon-ho), Original Screenplay, and International Feature Film categories. Sam Mendes’s critically acclaimed 1917 also enjoyed some success, but mostly in the technical departments (Sound Mixing, Cinematography, and Visual Effects).

There were no surprises in the acting categories. The four victors – Joaquin Phoenix (Best Actor), Renée Zellweger (Best Actress), Brad Pitt (Best Supporting Actor), and Laura Dern (Best Supporting Actress) – were all widely predicted to win.

The ceremony – conducted sans a host for the second year in a row – featured many memorable moments. Here’s a look at what went down.

Janelle Monáe’s opening performance

The show began with a gloriously bizarre number by the wonderful Janelle Monáe, who “celebrated the art of storytelling” with a performance that featured references to several movies. Beginning with a tune inspired by A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood before transitioning to ‘Come Alive’ with Billy Porter, the singer celebrated the world of cinema, applauded female directors, gave a mention to Black History Month, and invited her famous cohorts to sing along. It was an energetic, if weird, start to the show, and by the end of the outlandish piece, it did feel a bit like the Oscars were interrupting a Monáe gig.

Steve Martin and Chris Rock’s monologue

In the absence of a host, the duties to deliver the opening (non-)monologue fell on the legendary Steve Martin and Chris Rock, who took shots at everything from Hollywood’s diversity issues to Jeff Bezos’ wealth. The comedians, both of whom have hosted the ceremony in the past, also lamented their demotion to presenters this year. Seeing how good they were, maybe having a host next time wouldn’t be a bad idea after all.

Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig’s witty display of dramatic chops

If the Academy Awards are indeed in search of a host for the next ceremony, then they might want to consider the delightful Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig, who humorously used their presenting gig as a platform to audition in front of the many directors present at the gathering, showing off their dramatic skills by pretending to storm off in a rage, tearing up, and singing. In a bid to prove they do “more than comedy”, the actresses showed us just how terrific they are at their comedic craft.

Eminem’s surprise appearance 

No one may be entirely certain why Eminem showed up at this year’s Oscars, but his surprise appearance did turn out to be a treat and also earned him a standing O. The rapper came onstage after a montage celebrating the music in films, and performed ‘Lose Yourself’, his Oscar-winning song from the 2002 film 8 Mile.

International Elsas

Idina Menzel and singer Aurora were joined by nine of the world’s Elsas – that is, nine women who have voiced the character of Elsa in different countries/languages – for a rendition of ‘Into the Unknown’ from the Frozen II soundtrack. It wasn’t the most seamless performance, but it did stand out for its concept, and the nod to both the international artists and viewers was surely admirable.

Billie Eilish’s performance

Fresh off her conquest of the Grammys, teen singer Billie Eilish took to the Oscars stage to perform a cover of the Beatles’ ‘Yesterday’ for the In Memoriam segment. Accompanied by her brother Finneas on piano, the singer delivered a touching, sombre rendition of the Fab Four classic, as the film fraternity took a moment to remember all the men and women that the industry lost during the last year.

Kobe Bryant featured prominently in the segment, which opened with his picture alongside his quote, “Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged. You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile and just keep on rolling.”

Joaquin Phoenix’s acceptance speech

After receiving his Best Actor trophy, living legend Joaquin Phoenix took the opportunity to talk about injustice, highlighting in particular the plight of animals and humanity’s disconnect from the natural world, imploring the audience to reconsider our egocentric world view in the process. It was raw and heartfelt, and ended with a tip of the hat to his late brother, River. A well-deserved standing ovation followed.

Also notable was the acceptance speech of Best Supporting Actor Brad Pitt who was as witty and charming as he has been throughout the award season. Best Actress award winner Renée Zellweger’s rambling speech, on the other hand, was memorable for a whole other reason, and a gloomy reminder that the legendary entertainer she portrayed for her winning role never won an Academy Award in her own right.

Parasite’s victory

In what feels like much-needed course correction following the Green Book controversy last year, the Academy bestowed its highest honour on a non-English language film for the first time in Oscar history. South Korean dark comedy Parasite was the night’s biggest winner, which might be seen as an upset given the momentum with which 1917 entered the race, but which wasn’t exactly a surprise to anyone who was following the predictions; those in the know (including Rotten Tomatoes) had been forecasting a Parasite triumph all along. The victory of Bong Joon-ho and his team was nothing short of historic, and what it represents for inclusion and diversity is, in itself, a reason to celebrate.

- Sameen Amer

Instep Today, The News International - 5th February, 2020 

In the picture: Dolittle and Spies in Disguise

movie reviews

Dolittle struggles in almost every department; Spies in Disguise is mediocre but occasionally fun

Dolittle

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Antonio Banderas, and Michael Sheen

(voices) Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Craig Robinson, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, and Marion Cotillard

Directed by: Stephen Gaghan

Tagline: He’s just not a people person.

The folks behind the new film, Dolittle, seem to have taken its title as a literal directive. Everyone involved in the movie appears to have done as little as they possibly could while making this project. The result, disappointingly, is a film that suffers because of the incompetence with which it was handled.

The live-action/CGI hybrid revolves around the famous eccentric doctor, created by Hugh Lofting almost a century ago, who can talk to animals.

After the death of his wife, Dr. John Dolittle (Robert Downey Jr.) has become a recluse. He lives with animals (a whole menagerie in fact, voiced mostly by miscast celebrities) and refuses to interact with other people. But when two youngsters – a boy (Harry Collett) seeking aid for an injured squirrel (voiced by Craig Robinson) and Queen Victoria’s (Jessie Buckley) maid (Carmel Laniado) summoning him to cure the sick monarch – arrive simultaneously at his home, he very reluctantly agrees to help them. Eventually, upon realizing that the Queen has been poisoned and must be given a fruit from a faraway land as an antidote, Dolittle and his friends set off on an adventure wherein he must outsmart his foe (Michael Sheen) and face an old rival (Antonio Banderas).

But what could have been a charming kids’ movie – and you do get the sense that somewhere in there really is the potential for a sweet children’s adventure – quickly turns instead into a disjointed, chaotic mess. Between the poor script, dodgy accents, underdeveloped characters, weird editing, and some truly bizarre plot points, especially one towards the end (spoiler: dragon proctology), Dolittle falters in so many areas.

A fairly nice animated sequence at the start of the movie, however, leaves you with the sense that a fully animated style (instead of live action drenched in poor CGI) would have been better suited for the tale. (And a director who had the faintest clue of how to put together a joyous fantasy comedy would also have helped considerably. Projects like the lovely Paddington movies have shown us that talking animal films can indeed be delightful, so there’s really no excuse for the mess Stephen Gaghan has made instead.)

Amidst all the chaos, there are hints of a potentially pleasant, emotional story here, but ultimately it’s just a shame that Dolittle doesn’t make the most of both its acting talent and a mindbogglingly high budget. 

Rating: 2 out of 5

*****

Spies in Disguise

Starring (voices): Will Smith, Tom Holland, Rashida Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, Reba McEntire, Rachel Brosnahan, Karen Gillan, DJ Khaled, and Masi Oka

Directed by: Troy Quane and Nick Bruno

Tagline: Super spy. Super fly.

After suffering multiple delays (seemingly at the hands of the Fox-Disney fusion), Blue Sky Studios’ Spies in Disguise has finally made its way to cinemas, but while it may not exactly have been worth the wait, it’s still fun enough to keep younger viewers occupied for an hour and a half.

The titular spy is Lance Sterling (voiced by Will Smith), a cocky operative who, we are told, is the world’s most awesome secret agent. After returning from a mission to recover an attack drone before it falls in the hands of terrorist mastermind Killian (Ben Mendelsohn), Sterling confronts and fires Walter Beckett (Tom Holland), a young scientist with somewhat pacifistic ideals who has equipped Sterling’s suit with nonlethal weapons.

But when video footage suggests that everyone’s favourite secret agent might actually be a traitor, the beleaguered Sterling decides to seek Walter’s help, hoping a concealment invention will help him disappear. What happens instead though is that Sterling unknowingly drinks a concoction that inadvertently ends up transforming him into a pigeon. Stuck in the form of a bird until Walter can make an antidote, Sterling and his new sidekick must evade capture, chase down the villain, clear the spy’s name, and perhaps even turn him back into a human.

The film plays, in part, as a sort of James Bond knockoff – a conceit about as tired as can be – but it is neither sharp enough to be a satire nor exciting enough to work as an homage. The storyline is typical, the twists predictable. The script is in need of new ideas and more polish. The comedy is uneven; some attempts at humour work, while others, not so much. (Also, for a kids’ movie, there is probably more adult humour here than you would expect.)

The animation, too, isn’t particularly special, and the occasional odd character design – a pigeon with teeth and eyebrows, more disconcerting than cute – is a bit underwhelming. The characters are voiced by a supposedly star cast (because what better way to attract kids than the voice of DJ Khaled), most of whom sound distractingly like themselves.

Whereas the finest animated films by the likes of Pixar have been so impressive because of their creativity and originality, Spies in Disguise is just a transparently commercial endeavour that falls far short in comparison to the many better examples in its medium. The film does espouse a positive moral philosophy (using non-lethal force), which is commendable, even though it doesn’t seem very convincing in the context of the storyline. Still, it’s an admirable idea that will hopefully leave children with a positive message. All in all, this isn’t a deep or inventive adventure, but it still has enough moments of fun to entertain undemanding viewers.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 9th February, 2020 *

In the picture: 1917

movie review

With the Oscars just around the corner, Instep looks at one of the strongest contenders that could cause an upset

1917

Starring: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Claire Duburcq, Colin Firth, and Benedict Cumberbatch

Directed by: Sam Mendes

Tagline: Time is the enemy.

Interesting tales from the World Wars have inspired many big screen ventures, including some thoroughly remarkable cinematic offerings, and the new film 1917 now joins their ranks by impressing not only with its technical accomplishments but also its intensity and emotional impact.

Designed to give the effect of one continuous take, the film is based, in part, on an account told to director Sam Mendes by his paternal grandfather, Alfred Mendes, and takes us to the battlegrounds of World War I where two soldiers have to put their own lives at risk to save hundreds of their comrades.

Under the impression that the German army has pulled back from a sector, the British forces are planning an attack on their retreating foes. But when aerial reconnaissance reveals that the Germans’ withdrawal is only tactical and the Brits are actually set to walk into an ambush, Lance Corporals Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Will Schofield (George MacKay) are tasked with the challenging mission to deliver a message to the Colonel of the aforementioned battalion, calling off their planned attack. At stake are the lives of 1,600 men, including Blake’s older brother; if Blake and Schofield fail to warn them, the group will be decimated.

The intensity kicks up as the two young soldiers cross no man’s land and enter enemy territory, making their way through abandoned German outposts with the potential of running into peril at any step. 

The pressure builds as the clock ticks, the camera following the men in what is made to seem like real time. The effect of the continuous take is near-seamless, with beautifully choreographed camera shots and stunning cinematography. Viewers may initially find it hard to resist the urge to spot the places where the shots were spliced, but the whole scenario is so gripping that you’re soon fully immersed in the drama. There is the occasional detour – like the French woman sequence, for instance – that isn’t entirely convincing, but you’re too invested in the tale by that point to really chide Mendes for the occasional misstep. 

Gripping from the first frame to the last, 1917 is a powerful war drama that puts together a fairly straightforward but utterly fascinating story with masterful direction and cinematography, terrific acting (MacKay, especially, is outstanding), and a whole lot of emotional weight. The end result is poignant, affecting, and heart-breaking, a film that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best war movies while serving as a timely reminder of the horrific loss and utter devastation left behind by conflict.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 2nd February, 2020 *