Isle of Dogs

This morning I saw Isle of Dogs, starring the voices of Bryan Cranston and Scarlett Johansson.

Wes Anderson's latest release is inventive, clever, heartwarming, funny, detailed and unique in his signature style. It's also slow-paced, underutilized and at times (sorry) just plain boring.

On the positive side, the voice actors are all brilliant and suited to the persons or canines they represent. Cranston's "Chief" is a dog who bites and doesn't take kindly to being told what to do. Johansson's "Nutmeg" is a sultry beauty, prone to performing tricks at will (and asking observers to imagine her missing props). Bill Murray's "Boss," is well ... very Bill Murray.

Hearing these actors interact with convincing dog dialog is delightful. Anyone who's ever had a pet develops ways of communicating with them, but here we get to imagine what their conversations would be like amongst one another. Where the film fell flat was when it focused on "The Little Pilot," an annoying student activist and the government characters who deport the dogs from Japan.

Perhaps their similarities to our modern-day political world hit too close to home, or maybe I'm just conditioned to see pets portrayed in simpler situations. Whatever the case, the film suffered for me when the focus was on the humans.

In addition, the animation is brilliant, but there are quite a few shots of the dogs walking across the screen in a line. Also several scenes of the trash island they've been deported to (that feels sadly like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch). There's also a hell of a lot of drumming throughout everything. And that gets old real fast.

Go for the gorgeous artistry and strong writing; just know you may need a cup of coffee to get through some of the duller stretches.

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Black Panther

Last night I saw Black Panther, starring Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan.

T'Challa (Boseman) is Wakanda's new King. He's peace-keeping, well-liked, intelligent and careful to guard the African nation's advanced technology (Vibranium, a super-metal that they develop into clothing, spacecrafts, etc.), so when he's challenged by a long-lost Californian cousin (Jordan) for the crown, things get tense.

It seems like a simple premise ... and it is, but the execution and the underlying meaning goes so much deeper.

Here we are in 2018, still talking about racism, still fighting police brutality toward people of color, still scratching our heads that oppression in any form can still exist. But it does, and the film is quick to point that out. Even the "bad guy" cousin has a reason for the anger that drives him, and for that we have a tough time completely hating him.

What I loved about this movie wasn't only the clear messages of social justice, but the fact it had a little bit of everything: Comedy? Check. Love story? Check. Family drama? Check. Cool sci-fi trickery? Check. Gorgeous cinematography? Check.

I make no secret of the fact I'm not a fan of most superhero flicks, but this is an exception. I was engaged from the moment I sat down to the moment the lights came up. I cared about the characters (thank you for the tears, Sterling K. Brown) immediately and grew tense when my favorites faced danger.

It was well-written, well-directed, well-acted and well-intentioned.

If you haven't seen it, do. I'll be going back, for sure.

~~~

Love, Simon

Today I saw Love, Simon, starring Nick Robinson and Logan Miller.

Simon (Robinson) is a closeted gay high school student, scared to come out to his friends and family. He begins a secret correspondence with another closeted gay student and all is well until their emails become intercepted.

Without knowing each other's identity, they can't meet in person—at least not yet—and it's a race to keep the one person in-the-know from spilling the beans on both of them.

Simon is incredibly likable—he's a sweet older brother to his only sister, respectful to his parents and teachers, and genuine with his close-knit group of friends. He's someone everyone wants to be around, which is why it's so painful to watch him grapple with this dilemma alone.

In fact, what's very refreshing about the film is that nearly everyone (save for the "interceptor" and a few childish a-holes at school) is likable. We aren't hit over the head with hate, though there are prominent race and LGBTQ themes throughout the movie. As a viewer, I very much appreciated that.

Also refreshing are lighthearted scenes (one involving a Whitney Houston song is especially lovely) that are peppered throughout to keep it from feeling like an After School Special™or heavy drama.

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll cheer—you'll very much enjoy this movie if you go see it!

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My 2018 Oscar Picks and Predictions

Here are my final picks for Sunday's ceremony:

WRITING: ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: LADY BIRD
My Pick: LADY BIRD

WRITING: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: CALL ME MY YOUR NAME
My Pick: MOLLY'S GAME

VISUAL EFFECTS
Who Will Win: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI
My Pick: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

SOUND MIXING
Who Will Win: DUNKIRK
My Pick: THE SHAPE OF WATER

SOUND EDITING
Who Will Win: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI
My Pick: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

SHORT FILM: LIVE ACTION
Who Will Win: MY NEPHEW EMMETT
My Pick: DEKALB ELEMENTARY

SHORT FILM: ANIMATED
Who Will Win: LOU
My Pick: GARDEN PARTY

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Who Will Win: THE SHAPE OF WATER
My Pick: THE SHAPE OF WATER

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Who Will Win: "Remember Me" from COCO
My Pick: "Mighty River" from MUDBOUND

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Who Will Win: DUNKIRK
My Pick: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Who Will Win: DARKEST HOUR
My Pick: VICTORIA & ABDUL

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Who Will Win: THE SQUARE
My Pick: THE SQUARE

FILM EDITING
Who Will Win: DUNKIRK
My Pick: I, TONYA

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
Who Will Win: EDITH+EDDIE
My Pick: HEROIN(E)

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
Who Will Win: ICARUS
My Pick: FACES PLACES

DIRECTING
Who Will Win: Guillermo del Toro for THE SHAPE OF WATER
My Pick: Guillermo del Toro for THE SHAPE OF WATER

COSTUME DESIGN
Who Will Win: PHANTOM THREAD
My Pick: PHANTOM THREAD

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Who Will Win: THE SHAPE OF WATER
My Pick: THE SHAPE OF WATER

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Who Will Win: COCO
My Pick: LOVING VINCENT

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Allison Janney for I, TONYA
My Pick: Allison Janney for I, TONYA

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Sam Rockwell for THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE OF EBBING, MISSOURI
My Pick: Christopher Plummer for ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Frances McDormand for THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE OF EBBING, MISSOURI
My Pick: Sally Hawkins for THE SHAPE OF WATER

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Gary Oldman for DARKEST HOUR
My Pick: Gary Oldman for DARKEST HOUR

BEST PICTURE
Who Will Win: GET OUT
My Pick: GET OUT

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