2020-2029, Film Review

Turning Red (2022)

Posted on April 25, 2022 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Disney and Pixar Animation Studios**

Turning Red – Film Review

Cast: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Hyein Park, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, James Hong

Director: Domee Shi

Synopsis: The life of 13-year-old girl life is turned upside down when she discovers that whenever she experiences increased levels of emotion, she turns into a giant red panda…

Review: No matter who you are, growing up is tough. Making that transition from childhood to those teenage years, there is an awful lot to contend with. There are changes to your body that you’ve got to contend with, but also changes to your life as you take on increased responsibilities and gradually gain more and more independence from your parents as the years go by. Pixar Animation Studios have often enjoyed phenomenal success in exploring some of the many changes that life throws at us, such as moving house, the loss of a loved one or the massive existential question of what we were put on this Earth to do. The studio’s 25th feature film doesn’t quite go that existential, but it explores a beast that we all have to contend with at some point in our lives.

The year is 2002 and Meilin “Mei” Lee (Chang) is a bright and determined 13-year-old living in Toronto. She excels in school, gets top grades and has a great group of friends. As it is the early 2000s, the boyband craze is thriving as Mei and her friends share a deep and passionate adoration for popular boyband 4*Town. Despite being a very confident and outgoing person, Mei is experiencing a substantial internal conflict, in that she wants to be herself, but her mother Ming’s (Sandra Oh) expectations of her to be the perfect daughter give her considerable anxiety, to the extent that she has to hide certain aspects of her personality. On the cusp of those chaotic teenage years, Meilin realises that whenever she experiences a heightened state of emotion, be it positive or negative, she turns into a giant, fluffy red panda.

Coming-of-age stories have often explored the concept of puberty, but it is so often from the perspective of male characters. Therefore, it is extremely refreshing to see this topic approached entirely from the perspective of a female character, particularly because there’s still a bizarre stigma when it comes to the topics of periods and menstruation, which is completely absurd. However, this isn’t to say that the film is exclusively aimed at women and girls, because as they so often do, Pixar give their films a universal appeal. What makes Domee Shi and Julia Chao’s screenplay so effective to appeal to a universal audience, irrespective of gender, is the thorough examination of the changes that go on in your life when puberty strikes, and we make that transition from childhood into your utterly mental teenage years.

These are years which can be completely chaotic and full of awkward interactions, as you begin to potentially form the friendships you hope to make for life. It’s the time in your life when you find yourself wanting to rebel more and more against your parents. Whether you begin to develop feelings for someone or take up a new hobby, above all, these are the years where your life really begins to take shape as you become your own person. Rosalie Chiang’s brilliant voice performance encapsulates this perfectly. She thinks knows herself and her personality (at least until the transformation into the red panda enters the picture) and that puts her on a direct collision course with her mother. Ming struggles to accept that Mei is not the perfect daughter that Ming wants her to be.

Having won an Oscar for the adorable short film Bao, becoming the first woman to direct a short for Pixar in the process, Domee Shi continues her trailblazing legacy by becoming the first woman to solely direct a feature-length film for the studio. The quality of the animation never disappoints when it comes to Pixar, with the scenes involving the red panda transformations being particular standouts. However, the visuals have an unmistakable anime inspiration to them, which in turn helps give them a certain visual uniqueness that’s unlike anything else in the studio’s catalogue. Pixar films can so often reduce the audience to blubbering messes. Their latest doesn’t have that emotional gut-punching moment, but it took a risk by tackling subject matter that’s still weirdly taboo in the hope of eliminating that stigma, which deserves to be celebrated.

A hilarious and heartfelt tribute to those chaotic pre-teenage years. Breaking new ground in its approach with its approach to its subject matter ensures that Turning Red is a furry triumph for Domee Shi and Pixar.

2020-2029, Film Review

The Northman (2022)

Posted on April 21, 2022 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Universal Pictures, Regency Enterprises and Perfect World Pictures**

The Northman – Film Review

Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, Willem Dafoe

Director: Robert Eggers

Synopsis: A Viking Prince swears brutal revenge after witnessing his father’s death at the hands of his traitorous uncle…

Review: Over the last few years, there have been several up-and-coming directors who have made a significant impact with their careers, establishing their reputations as sought after talent, with every film they make becoming event-worthy. One such director would be Robert Eggers. His first two films, The Witch and The Lighthouse, with a combined budget of $15million, became indie darlings that were both released to critical acclaim. With that success to his name, it has given Eggers the platform to go all out, backed by a studio’s considerably larger budget (between $70 and 90 million), and make his biggest and most visually striking film to date.

Prince Amleth is a happy young Viking boy living with his father King Aurvandill (Ethan Hawke) and his mother, Queen Gudrún (Nicole Kidman). Aurvandill is aware that the time will come for Amleth to one day assume the responsibilities of King in his stead. However, before Aurvandill can properly prepare him for his role as King, Auravandill is betrayed and murdered by his brother Fjölnir (Claes Bang). Faced with the prospect of certain death at his uncle’s hands, Amleth is forced to flee but vows brutal revenge against his Uncle for his crimes. Several decades later, the now-adult Amleth (Skarsgård) has transformed into a fierce and brutal Viking warrior. Having lost sight of his original mission for vengeance, a chance meeting with a seeress (a brilliant cameo by Icelandic singer Björk), reminds him of the promise he made to himself all those years ago.

Based on the legend of Amleth, which served as the inspiration for the character of Hamlet in the famous play by Shakespeare, Eggers and the Icelandic poet and novelist Sjón, have crafted a screenplay that is so steeped in the richness of Norse mythology, that there probably could be a whole short film devoted to the extensive research that undoubtedly went into the making of the film. While it is first and foremost a tale of one man’s mission for revenge, Eggers takes a lot of time in the first act to establish the culture and the mythology that was central to the civilisation at the time, while simultaneously incorporating the visually striking aesthetics he’s renowned for. By taking his time to explore the complexities of Norse mythology, Eggers is able to immerse his audiences with scenes of wild rituals, songs and spells and sacrifices. While it is true that at its heart, the plot is very much one man’s quest for bloody revenge against the man who committed a terrible atrocity against him many years ago. However, that does the plot a disservice, as there’s so much more meat on the bones to this story.

Such a physical and brutal film requires a committed leading performance, and in Alexander Skarsgård’s leading turn as Amleth, you have that and then some. His physical transformation for this role is extremely impressive, practically at times having transformed himself into a terrifying feral creature that’s more animal than man. He’s an absolute behemoth of a warrior that you would categorically not want to find yourself in battle with. While his physical prowess cannot be denied, there’s unfortunately not a lot of room for character development, beyond his desire for revenge. The character of Fjölnir could have been a very cliched villain who commits an act of betrayal against his family out of jealousy towards his brother. But as a terrifying and ruthless antagonist, Claes Bang imbues him with nuances and motivations that flesh him out.

Re-teaming with Eggers, after The Witch, Anya Taylor-Joy’s Olga is perhaps the character who is given the most development as the sorceress Olga. A witch who’s resourceful and with a cunning intellect, she works closely with Amleth to help him achieve his goal. A further reunion comes in the form of Willem Dafoe, who is clearly having a riot in his small but significant role of Helmir the Fool. Given she’s reduced to a cameo appearance in the first two acts, you’d have been forgiven for forgetting Kidman was even in the film at all. However, this all dramatically changes as she really stamps her authority onto the scene during the climactic third act.

As this is a tale about vengeance, some violence was inevitable, but this time around, Eggers holds nothing back. The violence is uncompromisingly brutal that will test even the strongest of stomachs. The thrum of the booming drums that make up a considerable chunk of the score is the perfect complement to the sweeping visual majesty of the rip-roaring spectacle. Even with one or two pacing issues in and around the middle, it’s not enough to drag down the sheer epicness of what Eggers brings to this tale. Into the halls of Valhalla, we go!

Bloody, ferocious and wildly entertaining, with an exceptional cast and an extraordinarily committed leading performance from Skarsgård, an ascension into the halls of the greatest revenge films of all time awaits.

2020-2029, Film Review

Morbius (2022)

Posted on April 8, 2022 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Sony Pictures, Columbia Pictures and Marvel**

Morbius – Film Review

Cast: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal, Tyrese Gibson

Director: Daniel Espinosa

Synopsis: In search of a cure for his rare condition, a doctor inadvertently transforms himself into a super-human vampire…

Review: Vampires, creatures of the night that humanity has always had a fascination with. From the sparkly to the scary, there’s been no shortage of stories over the years that have depicted these mythical creatures. This is especially the case where comic book films are concerned. For Marvel, the Blade series is arguably the franchise that laid the groundwork for the explosion of popularity that comic book films have enjoyed in recent years. Yet, there’s another character in the Marvel realm who dwells among the world of vampires, Michael Morbius. His journey to the big screen is the latest film to emerge from Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. Blighted by numerous COVID release delays, while these have not always been a curse, in this instance, this is a truly cursed film that is pretty much dead on arrival.

Michael Morbius (Leto) is a brilliant but arrogant doctor whose work has helped save millions of lives. Despite his success, he’s never been able to cure either himself or his surrogate brother Milo (Smith), both of whom suffer from a rare blood disease that is slowly killing them. When Morbius attempts a very dangerous experiment in a bid to find a cure, he finds success, but at a cost. The experiment turns him into a vampire-like creature with enhanced speed and strength, but the drawback is he suddenly has a craving for human blood and must find a way to stop this before he starts feeding on the innocent people of New York City.

It’s not exactly news that comic book movies have come into their own in the last few years as they continue to enjoy almost unprecedented popularity. Given that there are so many films now in this genre, there’s an imperative need for any superhero film being released in today’s saturated market to stand out from the crowd. There needs to be a unique selling point and the script from Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless completely misses the mark as it is as bland and generic as they come. There is nothing we’ve not seen before, and above all else, it commits the biggest sin of being exceedingly boring. The stakes (pun absolutely intended) are non-existent, and nowhere near enough work is done to flesh out Morbius as a compelling and well-developed character that the audience should be invested in.

Jared Leto’s an actor that always seems to attract attention, particularly with his committed method-acting to prepare for roles. Whether he’s sending rats to his castmates to prep for a role as The Joker in Suicide Squad, or dialling up the camp factor to the maximum for House of Gucci, he certainly goes all in for the roles he chooses, but his performances, particularly where those two films are concerned left a lot to be desired. The same once again is applicable to his portrayal of the titular character here. Given Leto’s tendency to go all out, this is dialled back a bit, but like the film’s dull and uninspiring script, Leto does nothing to elevate the film. A vampiric anti-hero could, and really should have been a really interesting character, but he turns in such a dull and stoic performance, it’s almost as if his transition into a vampire drained the film out of every last drop of charisma it could have had.

This is even more doubly frustrating as the talents of the supporting crew are completely wasted on such poor material. Matt Smith is the only one who seems to have got the message to have some fun as he provides some sparks as Morbius’s brother Milo, who becomes jealous when Morbius gets his powers and wants to find the cure for himself, despite the downsides it may bring. The relationship between Morbius and his partner Martine Bancroft (Arjona), a fellow doctor, could have been an interesting plot point. However, like so many aspects of the film, it’s completely under-developed and the chemistry between the two of them is essentially non-existent. Jared Harris and Tyrese Gibson do what they can with their roles, but their talents also completely go to waste due to the poor material they’re given to work with.

The exploration of Morbius’s powers offers the opportunity to utilise some exciting visuals, but beyond that, there’s nothing that director Daniel Espinosa can do to elevate the action sequences. By and large, in spite of the film being released in 2022, everything about the film has the look and feel of a lesser comic book movie that would have been released in the 2000s as the CGI is shockingly sub-par in more than a few places. By the arrival of the third act, the film devolves into a messy, and unexciting CGI battle of two-similar powered beings squaring up to one another. While this is a very common trope of the genre, there’s an inclination to let it slide if the central hero is well developed, and the action is exciting to watch. Morbius ticks neither of these boxes. Like a vampire draining the blood of its victim, what fun could have been had here is completely drained out by this exceedingly dull affair.