In the Heights + Luca - Movie Reviews - The summer movie season in full swing

I have seen not one but two new releases this week, and because I don't have a lot of time on my hands or too much to say about either, I thought I'd discuss the pair of them in one go.

First of all, In the Heights, the film adaptation of the stage musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the man behind Hamilton. I have no connection to this musical whatsoever, I purely went to see this because I'm a fan of musical films, and also a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda's work, especially Hamilton and Moana. Additionally, it did look pretty amazing anyway. The story centres on the Latin American community in the New York neighbourhood of Washington Heights, including Usnavi, who owns a shop and is debating whether he should return to the Dominican Republic and fulfil his father's dream, Nina, who has been struggling at college and wishes to dropout to her father's dismay, Vanessa, who works at a salon but dreams to be a fashion designer, and Benny, who may be losing his job, all of which raise concerns that the community as they know it may be changing forever.

Despite my lack of connection to the film's origins, I really really really enjoyed it. The best part for me was definitely the musical numbers, and they were truly excellent. While the songs are obviously the product of the source material, with all the energy and lyrical genius we've come to expect from Miranda, they were brilliantly executed in such lively and upbeat ways, with some great choreography and cinematography, as well as some wonderful visuals. Even the weaker ones of the bunch were still really solid, and the best of them were simply amazing. My favourites were the opening, 96,000, Blackout, and Carnaval Del Barrio, with Blackout probably being my favourite as it's the one that's been stuck in my head the most since seeing the film. 

But, beyond that, I think the story is also really engaging, and the characters are so loveable, portrayed by some great actors and actresses. There is some social commentary in the story and some very grounded aspects amid the fantastical nature of the musical numbers, but what's so good about this is the fact that the film doesn't feel preachy, but just genuine. The characters feel like genuine people going through genuine struggles, and that is what conveys the social ideas so effectively. On top of that, it isn't drab as a result of its grounded themes, as the fact that it's such an upbeat musical makes the film feel like a celebration of the culture and community at the heart of it, which only strengthens what it's trying to say and also makes it far more enjoyable. I can safely say that, after watching this film, I've fallen in love with this community and all the people within. 

As far as negatives go, I really don't have too many. I'm usually one to complain about a long runtime, but I didn't take issue with this film being 143 minutes as I was so wrapped up in what was happening that it just kinda flew by, similar to La La Land. In fact, when it finished, I was kind of sad as I could've easily continued watching it for a bit longer! I suppose some scenes could've been shortened and, as I somewhat hinted at earlier, not every musical number worked for me. I also got the sense that the plot was often repeating itself and going in circles at points, which made some parts a little uninteresting. But, other than that, I can't really pinpoint much that didn't work for me. Because of my distance from the source material, I obviously can't comment on any changes made and how they might weaken the story / musical numbers, which is where a lot of criticism tends to come from with adaptations, so I might be more positive in my outlook than fans of the original show. That being said, the general reception seems to be very positive, so maybe there isn't any negative discussion to be had in terms of changes made. Again, I wouldn't know. 

Overall, I was very satisfied with In the Heights. It has a great story with some great characters as well as a delightfully celebratory tone that is elevated by some spectacular musical numbers. I'd absolutely love to see this again as I just had such a good time with it, and I'd also like to familiarise myself with the source material at some point to see if the film improved or weakened anything. But, until then, know that I thought this was splendid. 

I'm going to give In the Heights an 8.5/10

Now, let's move onto Luca, the latest offering from Pixar. As of late, I've kind of given up hoping for Pixar to make another film on par with the amazing stuff they put out during the late 90s and 2000s. I don't really think they have much left to prove as a studio, and unlike studios such as Laika, Cartoon Saloon, and Netflix, I'm not really eager to see what they do next anymore. So, I'm more open to the idea of them just continuing to make films that don't aim particularly high. So, Luca seemed like a very fitting place for them to go next, as it looked like something that would just be plainly good instead of anything special. The story follows a sea monster named Luca, who is told by his parents to never go to the surface. But, after meeting a fellow sea monster named Alberto, who is obsessed with the surface, he begins to learn more and more about the world beyond his own. 

As I'm sure you can probably tell from that brief summary, Luca has many plot beats that we've seen time and time again, even from Pixar themselves. The central idea of an initial reluctance to become acquainted with the human world being overcome is straight out of Ratatouille, the underwater aesthetic is very reminiscent of Finding Nemo, and the plot also goes to places that seem derivative of films such as Coco, Cars, and Monsters University. This made the film kind of predictable and it often felt like it was going through the motions which made it a little tiring. 

However, Luca still has enough going for it. One of the best things about it in my eyes is the animation. This is something we often take for granted in a Pixar production, but what I really admired about the animation in this film was how perfectly it aligned with the tone of the film. I usually complain about animated movies being cartoony and more comedic as it adds to the idea that it's just a medium to appeal to children, but because the film is very light-hearted, it was all very appropriate and not ill-fitting, unlike some other recent animated films *cough* Raya and the Last Dragon *cough*. I also very much like how nicely stylised it was, giving it a very unique appearance compared to other animated films. Additionally, it's quite difficult to dislike as the film definitely has its heart in the right place. Luca and Alberto are both very amiable, and the other characters they encounter are also very fun. Plus, the story and themes of the film are very sweet, even if they are kind of unremarkable. 

As a whole, this absolutely falls short of many other Pixar films, but on its own, Luca is very charming. It's visually and tonally sound with some endearing ideas at its core. Even if it isn't anything special it's still a pleasant watch and an adequate outing for this studio.

I'm going to give Luca a 7.5/10

A Quiet Place Part II - Movie Review - Worth the extended wait

A Quiet Place from 2018 is one of the best films of the last decade, especially one of the best original films. It's such an exceptional exploration of a simple but terrific concept with some impeccable acting, strong direction, remarkable craft, all in a very concise ninety-minute runtime. So, news of a sequel was obviously very exciting for me. At the start of 2020, the movie line-up wasn't a particularly strong one, but A Quiet Place Part II was by far my most anticipated movie, so it was ever so annoying to be forced to wait an additional year and a bit for it to finally be released because of COVID. However, it's here now, and I've seen it, so let's talk about it.

Following the events of the original, the Abbott family leave the relative safety of their home and search for help in continuing the navigate their world overrun by aliens that kill you if you make a sound. That's basically all that needs to be said in terms of plot. 

The first thing I want to talk about is the opening sequence - a prologue depicting a flashback to the first day that these sound-sensitive aliens arrived on Earth. Oh my goodness this was an extraordinary opening. The best way to describe it is to think of the opening to Endgame, with Hawkeye and his family, except it's 5-10 minutes instead of 2. Seeing the Abbott family happily living a normal day but with the knowledge that it's not going to last is profoundly disturbing. Once the aliens do arrive, the action is terrific. It's gripping, tense and has some excellent cinematography that captures a lot of it in single, continuous takes. As a whole, I'd say it's better than any individual scene in the first film, it's truly spectacular. It's a little shame it was the opening as it meant the film peaked before it really got going, but that's not a big issue. The rest of the action in the film is really solid, always exciting and edge-of-your-seat.

What I really liked about A Quiet Place Part II is how naturally it continued on from the first film. It expertly continues the familial themes as the two children of the family take centre stage this time - they can't rely on their parents anymore, especially after their father sacrificed himself to keep them safe, so they have to become more independent and take responsibility, which they do during the film, and that feels like such an organic route to take after the first film mostly had their parents trying to keep them safe. I also like how the film expands on the world of the original in ways that are also natural, especially with the character played by Cillian Murphy. While the Abbott family represent those trying to make the best of the apocalyptic situation they live in, he embodies the pessimistic attitude in which there's no hope for survival or things getting better, serving as a direct contrast, which is such a fitting aspect to explore. It also introduces us to other societies which was interesting too. So, narratively and thematically, everything the film does feels so in line with what the original set up, to the point where it seems reasonable to believe that this was the plan all along, even though it wasn't. It makes sense why it's titled "A Quiet Place Part II" instead of just "A Quiet Place 2", as it feels like this is the logical next part in the story.

Aside from that, most of the merits of the first film are apparent here too. All the acting is strong and really sells the situations that these characters are put in, especially from the two children who are both outstanding, as well as established talents Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, and Djimon Hounsou, briefly. The craft behind it all is also great, with some beautiful cinematography, amazing production design, and some genius sound mixing / editing, all of which immerses the audience in the film so masterfully. One of the most remarkable things about both of these films is the involvement of John Krasinski - I find it really awesome that the guy who started off as just Jim from The Office, comedy on the small screen, has now not just starred in but directed and written two magnificent horror / thriller movies. He's such a versatile talent and I cannot wait to see what he does next.

One last thing I really liked about the film was the runtime - it's only ninety-seven minutes. If you saw my recent Top 10 films I watched for the first time during COVID, you'll know that I think the ninety-minute film has become somewhat of a dying art as of late. More often than not, films feel a need to be long and epic when they really don't need to be and end up outstaying their welcome, especially blockbusters. I like how this movie, like it's predecessor, is extremely concise, managing to do so much in a short amount of time. That's not to say I wouldn't have liked this if it was longer, I mean, when it ended, I'd have happily continued watching another thirty minutes or so, but I'm glad that for once a film accomplished all that it needed to as quick as possible.

Are there problems? Well, a few. The original only has a couple of issues in the form of the ocassional plot hole as well as some contrived plot points, both of which are less apparent here. However, because the first film has a very insular scope, focusing on a few characters over a short space of time, the greater breadth to what is going on here makes it feel slightly baggier from a narrative perspective. Still solid for sure and definitely what it had to be as a sequel that expands the world, but seemingly lacking what made the original as great as it was. The film also partially suffers from feeling a little repetitive after some time, as a lot of the action and encounters with the aliens are the same as what we'd seen in the first film with little variation. While this is obviously consistent, it made certain points less interesting even if they were tense.

Well, I have to say, it was worth waiting that extra year and a bit. A Quiet Place Part II didn't disappoint. It keeps up the momentum of the first film with a lot of the same greatness and builds on the foundations it set from a narrative and thematic viewpoint in very organic and satisfying ways. I wouldn't say it quite matches the brilliance of the first film, as the broader scope hinders it from replicating that wonderfully tight and concise nature, but I would definitely say it's a worthy follow-up that does everything a sequel ought to do, and it also has an entire sequence better than any individual scene in the original. 

I'm going to give A Quiet Place Part II an 8.5/10

Cruella - Movie Review - A Disney redo worth watching

I'm not particularly a fan of the original One Hundred and One Dalmatians from 1961; I've seen it a couple of times and I remember liking it enough, but that's kind of where it ends for me. I also haven't seen the remake of it starring Glenn Close, as well as the sequel to that remake, so I'm really not attached to this property in any way. Based on that, what would be drawing point for another interpretation of this for me? It wasn't nostalgia or personal fondness that brought me to see Cruella. Instead, it was because I thought it simply looked intriguing. Emma Stone is one of my favourite actresses and this looked like it was actually doing something interesting and unique, quite rare of modern Disney. Additionally, I'll eat up any big new release now that cinemas are back up and running in the UK - this was my second trip back after they've reopened. 

The film follows Estella, a girl who has had a rough childhood and dreams to become a fashion designer. After managing to make her way into the industry, a series of revelations prompts her twisted alter ego, known as Cruella, to come out more often and cause mayhem. 

Right away, I really enjoyed this movie, and I enjoyed it for a number of reasons.

First of all, the performances, all excellent. Emma Stone continues to prove that she is just an exceptional performer. While she has definitely appeared in better films, this is probably one of the best examples of her becoming the character that she's playing beyond just acting as them. She gives off the coniving, maniacal energy you want to see from the character of Cruella ever so well, and was just a joy to watch from start to finish. Also, like in The Favourite, her English accent is genuinely flawless, to the point where I wouldn't be surprised if you told me she simply was English. On top of that, she just has the most amazing eyes in all of Hollywood at the moment. The supporting roles, especially from Emma Thompson and Mark Strong, were very solid and enjoyable too. 

The craft behind the film is also very commendable. The production design, costume design, hair and makeup and so on are all really impressive - I know very little about these fields of the filmmaking process but what I can say is that they all certainly made the film visually stunning and sumptuous. The cinematography also stood out to me as exciting and inventive; it always added a brisk pace to many scenes.

But I think the best thing about Cruella is the fact that, as a reimaginging of an existing property, it doesn't rely on what has been established by previous versions. Why do you think people regard remakes such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King as bland and forgettable? Because they are simply doing exactly what their original counterparts did with few changes. Because we've already made a connection with these elements, there's little to no reason for us to experience something that's only going to offer them again. Sure, there may be some differences between the two, such as the aesthetic, but more often than not, the remakes are simply worse in the differences they make. To me at least, the beauty of animation is rarely matched by anything in live action. So, after that is factored in, the remakes are really just inferior versions of the same story, and if we like that original version, which more often than not we do, we'll always want to go back to that, and thus we forget about the remakes while we always revisit the originals.

So, doing something different immediately gives it an advantage. Think about the better Disney remakes, such as The Jungle Book, Cinderella, and even Dumbo, they all offer something different to what the originals did, thus giving us something worthwhile. This is also the case for Cruella, but to the greatest extent. I like how this film delves into an aspect of a story that wasn't previously given any attention, it gives it a lot of value right away. This can happily co-exist with previous iterations of this story / character because it's adding something to it and not just repeating what's been done already.

Additionally, the film doesn't capitalise on the audience's nostalgia. Almost every Disney remake so far is guilty of this in some way, and I expected this to do so as well because it so easily could have. I mean, Cruella de Vil's theme song is extremely iconic and so closely associated with the character, even in my eyes as someone who is quite distant from the original One Hundred and One Dalmatians. But it only turns up in this movie briefly at the very end! It definitely could've been used a lot more to win over the audience by reminding them of how this character has been presented before, maybe by having the tune implemented into the score in some way, but it isn't, at least to my awareness. This just solidifies to me how the movie has confidence in its own aspirations and didn't feel a need to appeal to the audience via cheap means.

There are some flaws with Cruella, but not really anything that is typical of other Disney remakes. One thing that consistently bugged me was the excessive use of pop songs in the soundtrack. I honestly lost count of how many were used in the film, and half of them are ones that've been used to death in a plethora of other movies. It's kind of a shame because the fragments of original score that were in the film were actually quite good and somewhat unique, so I'd definitely have preferred it if that was mostly used instead. Also, there is some CGI used in the film, and some of it was quite noticeable, which isn't a major issue but it still ticked me off a bit.

I've seem some comments about the tone of the film and how dark it is - I won't elaborate on these elements as that'd be going into spoiler territory, but I personally didn't have a problem with it. Some may see that 12A certificate instead of a PG and be a little worried but, honestly, this film is kind of tame compared to a lot of Disney's back catalogue. Come on, this is the company that made movies like Bambi and The Lion King, both of which are really dark when you stop to think about it, and both have U certificates. I've also seen some concerns about making such a morally questionable character the protagonist of a film, similar to Joker from a few years ago, but I don't think that's an issue either as the film doesn't want the audience to sympathise with Cruella per se; it acknowledges her wickedness but makes it fun to watch, which I believe it succeeded at because of how enjoyable Emma Stone was in the role. It also avoids the actual issue of making clothes out of dog skin, so it doesn't show a stance on that.

As a whole, I thought Cruella was rather fabulous. It's visually engaging, has an impeccable level of craft behind it, features some magnificent performances, and differentiates itself from previous iterations of this story / character to make it feel worthwhile as a remake. I recommend you check this out if you can - it might not be £20 on Disney+ levels of worth it but if you do get the chance to catch it then do, especially if you're tired of remakes that don't try at all.

I'm going to give Cruella an 8.0/10

Yet Another Top 10 Films I watched for the first time during COVID

It is an exciting time here in the UK, as those magical places you go to watch films on a big screen among many other audience members are reopening tomorrow! Wait a minute, haven't we done this already?

Last Summer, we were in a very similar position when the first lockdown began to ease, and to mark the occasion, I listed off the 10 best pre-existing films I'd come across while in lockdown. Well, here we are at the easing of another lockdown, but this case is slightly different. Last year, my last trip to the cinema prior to lockdown was in the middle of March, and my first trip back afterwards was at the end of July, amounting to around four and a half months of no cinemas. Now, the last time I went to the cinema was at the end of October, so it has been over half a year of no cinemas, which is very sad indeed.

But, all that time of no new things and no cinemas meant I could whizz through a bunch of pre-existing things I'd never seen before, and in this lockdown in particular, I finally got round to watching a bunch of things I'd been desperate to watch for ages, more so than the previous ones. So, I thought I'd deliver another list of some of the best. If you have a Letterboxd account, I highly recommend you follow me (Jack W) as I have an extensive list with all films I watched for the first time during COVID, with many things I haven't talked about on this blog as well as the things I have discussed in an ever-changing order. If you don't have an account, get one! It's a great app for film lovers.

10. Mulan (1998) 

With the live-action remake of Mulan coming out, I thought it'd be good to catch the original version, as I had never seen it before. So, when getting Disney+, it was one of the first things I decided to watch. Fortunately, although I wouldn't say it was amazing, it was about as good as I hoped. I'm not such a big fan of the comedy in the movie but I thought the main character was really likeable, the oriental aesthetic was nicely distinct from many other animated movies, the songs weren't the strongest bunch but Reflection and I'll Make a Man out of You were both bangers, and overall it was exciting and visually appealing. I have also seen the remake and, yeah, it wasn't great. Just another inferior retelling to add to the pile, though not as bad as some of the others.

9. Game Night (2018) 

You know, it's great when you stick on a random flick on Netflix and it turns out to actually be pretty damn great. Game Night is a really good movie for two main reasons - firstly, it's conceptually great, with a really hilarious set up, and secondly, the execution is terrific, as it is ever so funny. It does feel kind of frothy and not like the sort of thing I'd come back to immediately, but if I do ever catch it again, I know I'll be in for a good time. Not much else to be said about this one, but I definitely suggest you give it a watch.

8. Arrietty (2010) & When Marnie Was There (2014)

These are both movies that I actually watched for the first time during the first lockdown in 2020, but in 2021 I've decided to watch at least one Studio Ghibli movie for every month of the year, so I revisited them both, and because I have similar things to say about each, I thought I'd put them together here. Arrietty and When Marnie Was There are such bafflingly overlooked and underrated movies in the Ghibli library for me; the former is a really charming and visually inventive albeit simple adventure, and the latter is a really heartfelt and resonant story (especially for introverts like myself) with some of the best animation in any of these movies. Honestly, these are both very high on my Ghibli ranking, only behind what I consider the three movies that will always be their best - Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro, and Princess Mononoke. I get that they are comparatively more recent thus aren't regarded as classics yet, but I really think you're missing out if you love this company, or simply just love animation or movies in general, and haven't checked these out.

7. Cast Away (2000) 

One of two Robert Zemeckis films on this list, both of which are funnily enough some of the films I'd been wanting to watch for ages. Cast Away has a simple story but executes it very well. I'm not so keen on the length and just how much it takes its time, as certain scenes definitely go on for longer than necessary, but that doesn't matter when you have Tom Hanks being his expectedly fabulous self and in a really engaging survival situation. It kind of reminded me of The Martian, which is one of the my favourite films of all time, with how it puts the main character in a situation where they have to solve problems and work out what to do and such in order to survive, and that's the sort of thing I always enjoy. The set-up is actually really scary if you think about it, and kind of makes me happy that I haven't flown on a plane for over a year now!

6. Eighth Grade (2018) 

For any Americans who may be reading this, the title of this film translates to 'Year Eight' over here in the UK. I really liked this film, and not because it really resonated with me personally with its themes / messages, as they are generally quite standard coming-of-age fare that has been explored before, but because I admired how well it managed to capture the stress and awkwardness of this stage of all our lives in a way that is so genuine, honest and, as a result, really funny. I'm also really glad that it managed to be so contemporary without ever feeling out of touch; I have no idea what actual 12/13 year-olds would say to this 3 year-old movie in 2021, but to me as a 17 year-old it didn't feel behind the curve or as if it was trying to pander to the youth in really cringeworthy ways, as it easily could have. So, as a whole, just a really solid movie on the whole, and something I'd happily revisit.

5. Midnight in Paris (2011) 

Midnight in Paris is also a simple concept executed really well. Not only is it really funny and clever with how it intertwines the story of the protagonist with all these famous figures of art and literature, as well as being very well shot with some great production design too, but it has such wonderful themes of nostalgia and materialism, making it a very thoughtful watch as well as an entertaining one. The performances are great too, Owen Wilson is just such a naturally likeable screen presence, and I can't really think of someone who'd fit this role better than him. What I also love about the film is the runtime - it's only 90 minutes. Honestly, the 90 minute film feels like a dying art, why? Don't get me wrong, I love an epic story that takes it's time and has a lot going on, but so many films nowadays end up overstaying their welcome in trying to be a grand picture when they'd be much better off as a nice, breezy watch like this, being able to do a lot in a short amount of time. So, there's much to love here.

4. Se7en (1995) 

Definitely the best David Fincher movie I've seen aside from The Social Network. Se7en had me on the edge of my seat in ways that few other movies have, with such a tense and brilliantly constructed story as well as some excellently thrilling moments, especially that chase through the apartment block as well as basically everything in the last 20 minutes. It's also thematically a lot more intriguing as well as more distinct overall than most crime / cop movies. To top it off, Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are both terrific as usual. I don't know how keen I am to rewatch it; at times it was a bit dull and I don't know if it'll have the same wow factor when I know the outcome, but I am so pleased that I enjoyed it as much as I did because I was ready for it to really test my patience.

3. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) 

Like Cast Away, of all the films I watched for the first time during COVID, this is one I'd been dying to watch for the longest time, so imagine how elated I was when I saw that it was on Disney+. Thankfully, it did not disappoint at all. This movie was basically tailor-made for me, I'm not the hugest fan of 'golden age' animation, but I do love 2D animation, and seeing cartoony characters whizzing around and interacting with the real world was just so delightful. It's also very surreal at times with how all these characters from different companies share the screen, seeing Daffy Duck and Donald Duck performing on stage together was such a peculiar but hilarious sight. It makes me wonder how a film like this would ever happen nowadays based on how distributors have become so strict about who owns the rights to what. On top of that, a murder mystery is always fun, and putting a ridiculous twist on many elements was very enjoyable. I do think the climax is a little drawn out, and it is certainly all over the place at times, but I just couldn't help but love this movie for the most part. I really wish I'd grown up watching this as I'd probably love it more.

2. Booksmart (2019) 

I had basically no excuse for missing Booksmart when it was in cinemas. It came out around the time I was finishing my GCSEs as well as secondary school overall, everyone was going on about how good it was, and it's about the nerdy kids going on a crazy night out, how could I pass such a genius concept??? So, when it came to Netflix, it was an instant watch, and such a delight. I laughed while watching Booksmart in ways I have not laughed at any film in a while, it's such a hilarious series of events that I just couldn't help but giggle at almost every turn. In addition, both of the protagonists are awesome, they're so likeable and made for such an enjoyable duo, and when their friendship does get tested at points, it feels so genuine. The way the third act plays out felt a little odd, and the ending didn't make a great deal of sense, but I just had such a good time with this, and unlike something like Game Night, this has that extra zing factor that makes me really keen to come back soon.

1. Whiplash (2014) 

Wow. I mean WOW. This was absolutely astonishing. Whiplash is simultaneously the most stressful film I've ever watched and the most satisfying film I've ever watched. The depiction of someone going borderline insane and irrational as they try to achieve perfection is almost horrifying. So many scenes were really painful to watch, in the best possible way. But, it isn't completely dark and depressing from start to end, as there is a great energy to the film that keeps it feeling upbeat all throughout, and the outcome also feels so earned and well built up to. J.K. Simmons is phenomenal in this film, all because he somehow manages to portray the most evil human being I have ever seen in such a naturalistic film, while also being so charismatic and fun to watch. Seriously, how did he do that? He's just a treasure, and any time he appears in a film it makes my day. He should just be in every movie that is ever made from now on. In terms of Damien Chazelle's films, I personally prefer La La Land over this, but that's purely because I tend to gravitate towards anything that's joyful and lifts my spirits, so I can definitely understand if you hold this in higher regard. I like how both of them are ultimately just tonally different takes on similiar themes of sacrifice in the pursuit of success, in fact, even Chazelle's weakest film, First Man, can somewhat be applied to this too. On top of all this, Whiplash is another great example of a film that's the perfect length - it's just shy of 100 minutes but does everything it needs to do in that time while also feeling like it goes by in an instant. On the whole, I don't know what else can be said that countless others have said already, just watch Whiplash, even if you've watched it already, watch it again, it's just sensational. One of the very best things I discovered during COVID.

Hopefully, based on how things are looking in the world, I won't have to add to my list of things I watched for the first time during COVID for much longer. That being said, should all this bother continue, so will I in sharing the news of the good things I've encountered, as I've had much fun doing so. But, as of now, I'm off to get ready for a triumphant return to the pictures, and since I'll be 18 years old very soon, I'll be able to see literally anything that's released! I might just start off by seeing whatever 18 rated films are on because I can now.

Top 5 Most Disappointing Films I watched for the first time during COVID

If you're familiar with the stuff I waffle on about on this blog, you'd know that, during this silly old pandemic, I've managed to discover and finally get around to watching many films that were around beforehand. I've seen over 110 now, and many of them have been fabulous. But, you can't watch that many movies without at least a few bad apples, can you?

When looking at the weaker pre-existing films I watched for the first time during COVID, not many of them have been bad per se. A lot of them are, at worst, just a bit bland / boring. So, I couldn't really make a 'Top 10 Worst Films I watched for the first time during COVID list' without it feeling somewhat misleading a label. However, I have seen a fair amount of movies that I can safely say were disappointments - films I'd wanted to be one thing that ended up not being such. 

So, this list will honour those, the most disappointing films I watched for the first time during COVID. These will be in no particular order, as I can't really pinpoint which was the most disappointing, second most disappointing, and so on. Also, don't let this deter you from checking any of these out, as you may see something in them that I wasn't able to. Of all my lists, this one is probably the most subjective. So, let's get on with it!

5. Sausage Party (2016)

This is by far the worst film I watched for the first time during COVID, worse than all the other entries on this list. But, remember, this isn't about the worst, but the most disappointing. I didn't have amazingly high hopes for Sausage Party, but I was still intrigued to see it. I love animation and a more adult animated film is always something I appreciate, as I don't like the stereotype that it's a medium for children. Unfortunately, this film is only adult in the most childish ways. It's the sort of thing I'd associate with adult movies as a 12 or 13 year-old; swearing, sex, drugs, etc. It's not adult in any clever ways but just in the most crass ways. Additionally, the themes of the movie to do with unity in spite of cultural differences aren't as clever as the film thinks they are, nor are they particularly mature. I mean, Trolls World Tour from last year basically had the same message and that is a film that directly appeals to youngsters. On top of that, the animation is really ugly, so this wasn't even pleasant for the eyes like many weak animated films end up being. Some of the voice acting is good, I did chuckle every once in a while (I mean, swearing will always make me laugh) and I am glad that a mainstream adult animated film exists, but I was so disappointed by just how uninspired this was. Bleh.

4. Tales from Earthsea (2006) 

I've really come to love Studio Ghibli during this pandemic, and one of the best things about them is that they really don't have any bad movies; the worst they generally get is just okay. That being said, they've had a couple of disappointing outings, and this sure is one of them. I'm not familiar with the source material that Tales from Earthsea is based on, but I was drawn in by the genre. I love fantasy stuff; as in knights, kingdoms, dragons, magic, and such - that stuff is my jam. So, to see Studio Ghibli doing a film containing those elements with some of their own special touches was an exciting prospect. It's such a shame that the end result is a film so tragically boring and unengaging. I wasn't swept into this world in the same way that I was with Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke. I can't even vaguely remember the characters or the plot, and I only watched it a few months ago, that just shows how utterly detached I was from this. Worst of all, despite having a dragon on the poster, there's only like two minutes of dragons in the movie. Dragons are literally the most awesome thing ever, and they were so underused here. If that's how the source material is and Ghibli were adapting it faithfully, then I guess that's not their problem, but I don't know so I'm just going to pin it on them. Of course, it's beautiful to watch, but even the most gorgeous visuals can't salvage a movie when it's so narratively dull. This isn't the worst Ghibli movie for me, I personally think Porco Rosso is a little worse as this has a slightly more interesting set-up, but it was still so weak. I may give it another chance one day, but I don't think that day is in the forseeable future. Fortunately, Gorō Miyazaki showed he can make a decent movie with From Up on Poppy Hill, a formulaic but still amiable watch. Although, I haven't seen Earwig and the Witch yet...

3. Alpha (2018) 

This is another film that drew me in with the premise. Another thing I love is prehistoric stuff, so Alpha didn't have to do much to convince me to watch it when it arrived on Netflix. I hoping for this to be a simple and dramatic yet enjoyable adventure through the prehistoric wilderness, like a more serious take on the environment of the Ice Age films, if that makes sense. While this definitely was simple and dramatic, it was anything but enjoyable. This is such a ridiculously slow mover, it takes ages to get going and doesn't do anything remotely interesting or exciting when it does. I honestly could not tell you a single plot beat if you asked me to. The visuals and cinematography are occasionally striking and impressive, but the baffling slow pace made this really uninteresting and, once again, boring, a feeling I hate to feel. In the end, it just felt like a waste - a waste of some competent filmmaking, a waste of an intriguing premise, and definitely a waste of my time. There's nothing particularly offensive here, it was generally a fine watch, but I don't think I'll ever come back to this, which is a real shame because I imagined this would be one of those films I'd end up really liking and even adding to my list of underrated / overlooked movies. If you're one of the two people that's thinking about watching this, may I recommend you instead watch the recent adaptation of The Call of the Wild with Harrison Ford? It got a similar critical reception and also has similar thematic elements, but I personally enjoyed it so much more. It's not one of the best films I watched in this time, but it's one that I do think was wrongfully overlooked by many as there's some really solid stuff on display, definitely more so than with Alpha.

2. Brüno (2009) 

I hoped for this to be another funny outing with one of Sacha Baron Cohen's characters, whom I have very much become more familiar with during COVID. But, forgive me for sounding like a broken record, it was ever so boring. The main problem with this film is that it does hardly anything interesting with its main character. Borat is funny because he's a guy exploring a country that is culturally very different from where he is from in extreme ways, Ali G is funny because he's an informal guy put into government, and even the guy from The Dictator is funny for similar reasons to Borat but also because he's stripped of his status and struggles to adjust. Brüno is a very flamboyantly homosexual guy, which in itself definitely has the potential for some funny moments, and while there are fragments of such here and there, I honestly cannot remember a single thing that happened nor can I recall a single thing that made me laugh, except that gag near the start where he gets stuck to that curtain or whatever it was (I can only just about remember). As a result, the barely eighty-minute runtime felt so long, and I switched it off faster than I've ever switched off anything as soon as the credits began rolling. It wasn't terrible, Sacha Baron Cohen is still a great actor giving his all, but I just didn't find this clever or funny at all, which is the worst reaction you could possibly want from a comedy.

1. Cats (2019)

You might be a little confused when seeing that this is one of the most disappointing films I watched during COVID. Right away, let me clarify that I was not hoping Cats would be good. I rarely want a film to be bad, but sometimes watching a film so outrageously terrible and misguided can be an interesting experience, more so that something that's just a boring movie. The reaction to Cats led me to believe it would be one of these films, so I went in expecting something absolutely horrendous and preparing to be amazed by some sheer incompetence. Imagine how let down I was when I finished this movie and thought it was just kind of dull. There are some bad things in it, the 'story' doesn't translate well from stage to screen and despite being a musical I never smiled, tapped my feet, or wanted to sing along, which I always do! However, although I tried, I just could not bring myself to hate this. I think it might be down to the fact that I've seen Cats on stage and am thus used to the strangeness of it, unlike many uneducated others. The cats looked odd at first but after some time I got used to them, and the songs themselves aren't bad at all. All it amounted to in the end wasn't a horrendously shocking mess but really just a bland musical, and as weird as it is to say, I think I'd rather have sat through the former, because at least it would've been something. 

As much as I love to spread word of the positives during these tough times, I feel I should also touch on the negatives too, because it is the negatives that help us appreciate the positives in the ways that we do. While none of these were crushing disappointments, it is still a shame that a few movies I thought I'd get something out of weren't able to deliver. But, don't fear, I have another list of 10 great films I watched for the first time during COVID, and that'll be out very shortly.

Godzilla vs. Kong - Movie Review - Truly magnificent monster mayhem

Wow, it's been a while. I haven't been reviewing anything lately simply because cinemas haven't been open in the UK and thus I haven't had much to review. I have seen a few new things on Netflix, Apple TV, Disney+ and so on but will probably make another ranking of all of them later on. But, a notable new release starring two big fellas has dropped this weekend, and I have seen it, so discuss it I shall. 

Godzilla vs. Kong is the latest installment in Legendary's MonsterVerse, and it was meant to come out a while ago, but was pushed back because of the bother that is that ongoing pandemic. Anyway, it's here now even though cinemas aren't back just yet, which I am glad about. As much as I love going to the pictures and seeing films on a huge screen, I will admit that I haven't exactly felt a considerable cinema-shaped hole in my life in the last year when they've been mostly closed. I'm now at the point where I'd much rather see all the films we've been forced to wait ages for (such as No Time to Die, A Quiet Place 2, Black Widow, etc.) than wait for the cinemas to be open to show them. So, I'm happy that some films are coming straight to our homes for us to enjoy, even if we have to pay around £15 to rent them, and what better film to do so than this.

In the film, Kong is being used to transport a group of people to what's known as 'hollow earth' where they can find a power source capable of destroying Godzilla, now seen as an enemy to humanity. On the way, the two big guys cross paths and a series of crazy, destructive antics ensue. 

In all honesty, even though I love analysing films and picking apart all the little things that amount to such a great work of art, so much so that I'm actually going to take a degree in film studies at university next year, I have no problem with what people tend to regard as 'popcorn movies' - stuff that's all about the excitement and entertainment. The moviegoing experience is all about entertainment at its core, so I have no issue with things existing to entertain and just to entertain. 

Godzilla vs. Kong succeeds as a really enjoyable and well made popcorn movie. It has all the action and spectacle that one could ever ask for based on what the title promises. It's hard not to be even slightly excited by the sight of these two giants smashing each other, it's just so much fun. Additionally, some of it is executed really well. One battle takes place in Hong Kong, and watching the two clash with all the neon lights in the background was somewhat mesmerising. The 'hollow earth' is also a really well realised environment, with the journey to it being particularly enthralling and the landscape itself being really beautfiul, oddly reminiscent of Ice Age 3 if that means anything to you.

One of the complaints a lot have had about these movies is how the human characters involved are really boring and weigh down the movie. Obviously, you can't just have ninety minutes of non-stop monster fighting as that would just be a headache, so you need some humans to try and ground everything for the audience. The issue with this a lot of the time is that the humans are just forgettable and have no sense of character about them, so they can be quite dull, and made worse when they take the focus away from what the audience has come to see, monsters battling each other. Here, I think there was just the right amount of human characters; the filmmakers definitely know that the audience doesn't care for them, so they made few attempts to make actual characters, which is fine. Even though it would be nice to have compelling human drama alongside the monsters, it isn't a necessity. They fill their role sufficiently - navigating all the chaos in order to ground it for the audience. The focus is more on the monsters, so it was all good. 

Naturally, this isn't a perfect movie. One problem I have is that the movie doesn't have much of a wow factor. I haven't seen the Godzilla movie from 2014, but of the clips I have seen, such as the scene at the airport, the sheer scale of this creature is really well conveyed. You get the sense that he is just enormous, and it's kind of amazing. Here, although you're regularly reminded that these beasts are very big, you don't have that same sense of wonder at just how big they are. There aren't many civilian shots to help convey this so that aspect is lost, which is a shame because it does make the film more of a spectacle to behold. Another issue is that it does get a big tiring after some time; once you've been seeing these creatures punching each other and roaring for an hour or so it does feel quite fatiguing. There comes a point where they literally roar loudly at each other for a solid minute and it is a little head-banging. 

While Godzilla vs. Kong obviously isn't anything great, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a ton of fun with it. It does exactly what it says on the tin and is a perfectly enjoyable, albeit quite tiring, way to pass two hours. If you are lucky enough to be in a place where cinemas are open and are showing this, I think you ought to try and catch it there as it is certainly made for the big screen, but if you're like me and are limited to your TV at home, I'd still recommend to give it a watch anyway to take your mind off all the nonsense going on in the world at the moment. 

I'm going to give Godzilla vs. Kong a 7.5/10

I have seen some other films from 2021, but will get round to discussing them when cinemas come back in the UK, at which point I'll also list off some more great, pre-existing things that I watched for the first time during this whole COVID ordeal - I've seen over 100 now! If you want to keep up to speed with what I'm watching / ranking, follow me on Letterboxd (Jack W) where I log everything I see and update all my lists.

My Weird Experience with Frozen 2

I don't usually make posts about random experiences or viewings of movies that I've had, as it's usually only if it's about something new / noteworthy. However, I really want to share this experience and I couldn't think of a better place than here.

Everyone knows Frozen, it's kind of hard to believe there's anyone who doesn't. I remember going to see it as a 10 year-old and thinking it was just alright, a 6/10. But, I kind of grew a strong hatred towards it as, almost overnight, it became a cultural phenomenon. The songs were everywhere, the characters became iconic, it was unbelievable. So, for the following 2 or 3 years, I was really not a fan.

Unsurprisingly, a sequel was on the way. By the time Frozen 2 properly came to my awareness (around Spring 2019 when the initial trailers were released) I really didn't know what to think. I hadn't seen the original in a while and thus I'd kind of forgotten about it altogether. So, as the release drew closer, I slowly became more keen to give it a go, and reassess the original in the process. I ended up missing it during its theatrical run but finally got around to watching it in July of 2020, being one of the many films I watched for the first time during the whole COVID ordeal. 

Before I go into my thoughts on Frozen 2, I should mention that I did revisit the original Frozen in March last year. I was hoping for it to be better than I remembered but it was still just alright, though definitely not worthy of the hate I gave it. I like the characters, especially Anna, some of the twists on typical conventions are well done, the songs are a mostly weak bunch but Let it Go is a banger despite being extremely overly-played, and the animation is solid. It's a fine watch but there's nothing about it that particularly catches my attention.

Upon my first viewing, I thought Frozen 2 was mostly the same in terms of quality, it was ok. I found it to be very plot-heavy and convoluted, the songs were an even weaker selection than the first with nothing reaching the highs of Let it Go, and Olaf was far more annoying as a comic relief. But I thought Anna and Elsa were really well realised and had a nice bond, which gave the film a really solid emotional core. In the original they mostly spend the time trying to adapt to be with one another, but I prefer how they were here as they get more time to connect in a really genuine way. On top of that, the animation was far better, not just because Disney have perfected their craft with CGI since the original, but because it plays around with more than just ice, throwing elements such as fire and water into the mix and putting creative spins on all of them. So, because of that, I thought it was a marginal improvement.

Since then, I basically forgot the about the movie. However, it came back into my memory when I discovered a documentary series that went behind the scenes and showcased the production process. I thought I'd give it a try but was expecting to just watch the first episode and call it a day. How wrong I was. I thought this was a fascinating documentary, and for many reasons.

Even though I already knew how long and how much effort it takes to make an animated movie, I don't really think it can be emphasised enough. Anyone who has ever worked on one has worked harder than I'll likely ever work in my life. They are truly a product of anyone involved, beyond the directors. Every animator makes great contributions and implements their own ideas. Watching this series was really insightful into this process because, even though I have watched countless animated films, I really didn't realise just how much goes into making one. Honestly, I could not stop watching this. I planned to watch it over the course of a few days but got through it all in one go, I was so transfixed in everything that happened and was even kind of sad when it ended. I hope we can see more series like this for other animated movies. 

So, after seeing all this, all the hard work and passion from everyone involved, I felt kind of sad that it was all for something I didn't really care about. I know anyone can feel any way about anything but I genuinely felt bad for not really giving this film much attention. Honestly, I don't take any pride in disliking the things I dislike, or regarding things as just ok, I always try to look for the best in films. So, I saw it best to give Frozen 2 another chance.

Fortunately, I like it considerably more. I can't help but appreciate what I see after knowing what went into crafting it. That's not to say I think the film is perfect, I still think the story is a bit of a mess and Olaf is still annoying, but there are things I think I was simply wrong about before. Most notably, the songs were far better than I remember. Show Yourself and Into the Unknown (the showstoppers that seem to be this movie's Let it Go equivalents) are both terrific, but my favourite is All is Found, the tender and gentle lullaby from the very start, which has been stuck in my head for a week now. Additionally, the things I liked the first time around were still apparent here, Anna and Elsa being two great characters and the animation being so stunning and a massive step-up from before. 

So, I'm glad I like it more now because I really wanted to after seeing what a labour of love it was for the filmmakers. If every animated film had a behind the scenes documentary series like this did, maybe my appreciation for many others, even those that I like a lot less, would be increased too. As it stands, I have infinite respect for everyone who has contributed in some way to the medium. It may take a lot more time and patience that just sticking a camera in front of some actors, but it's so versatile and so wondrous that I believe it is completely worth it in the end. 

So, that's my quite weird experience with Frozen 2. Also, while I'm here, can I just take a moment to spread my excitement for Raya and the Last Dragon? I hope this movie is good, dragons in general are awesome and I love the oriental style this seems to have with its visuals and music. It looks so different and refreshing for Disney so I'll be sure to see that when it drops on Disney+, unless cinemas are back in which case I'll try and catch it there.