Christopher Robin (2018) - 8 stars out of 10

Christopher Robin (2018) - 8 stars out of 10

“Christopher Robin” is another triumph in Disney’s series of films that bring our favorite animated characters to life.  Many generations have had the opportunity to grow up with Pooh which gives this film a nostalgic tone that reaches children, parents, and young grandparents alike!  The plot of the story revolves around something to which every parent can relate: letting work and life get in the way of spending time with your family.  The post-WWII setting enhances this theme as military men returned to a world where economies were shattered and jobs were scarce.  Ewan McGregor embodies the pressure that fathers faced in providing for their families and Bronte Carmichael is the perfect precocious child that just needs her father to pay attention to her.  I loved Mark Gattis as the weasely boss and the voice acting of the Pooh characters (including perennial Pooh/Tigger voice Jim Cummins and Brad Garrett as Eeyore).  The character design of these classic characters and their integration into the real world was great but, oddly enough, I think that they were revealed too soon.  By the time that Pooh meets Christopher Robin, we are already well acquainted with their appearance and their presence in the real world isn’t very surprising to us.  I would have loved it if the opening sequence with Christopher Robin in the Hundred Acre Wood would have been told in a hand-drawn, storybook form (which would have perfectly connected the classic animation to their real world designs).  Then, use the first 20 minutes of the film to build anticipation of seeing the characters until Pooh starts to search for his friends.  It’s easy to criticize from the outside looking in, but this seems like an obvious way to give Pooh a “big reveal” instead of feeling like we’ve seen too much of him by the end of the film.  That being said, the script does a great job of playing up the personality traits of each character and acknowledging the strangeness of a grown man carrying a stuffed bear through 1940’s England.  The animation of the characters is so impressive that I was 10 minutes into the drive home before I said “Wait, those characters were animated and not actually interacting with the actors!”  Disney has mastered the art of integrating CGI into live action.  The story also has a great “Toy Story 3 effect” of reminding adults how special it was to be a child and creating a longing to return to that innocence.  The writers even found a way to incorporate Richard Sherman playing and singing an original song into the film - that was truly heartwarming.  The film also includes another original song by Sherman, as well as classics like "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers."  There is so much nostalgia packed into this 100-minute film!  “Christopher Robin” doesn’t contain the deepest story of Disney’s recent live-action releases but it will touch your heart as you laugh, cry, and remember how much you love Winnie the Pooh.

[Pictured: You'll get a little tear of happiness in your eye every time that Christopher utters "Silly old bear."]

The Babadook - 9 stars out of 10

The Babadook - 9 stars out of 10

“The Babadook” is an exercise in restraint.  We live in a shock-value society that delivers thrills and emotions through grotesque imagery: the more extreme, the better.  But “The Babadook” is a breath of fresh air.  We don’t need to see a literal version of what is happening to be afraid of it and it helps to maintain the mystery of whether this monster actually exists.  The special effects are intentionally simplistic, shunning CGI to foster the “real” sensation that everything we see was also seen by the actors during filming.  The story is fresh and unique but utilizes classic horror elements to create a sense that it is based on a generations-old legend.  It is a series of well-executed horror thrills that do not need extra frills to accent them.  The details lie in the progression, like introducing the creepy book and then adding several terrifying pages, or placing the Babadook into the background of a camera shot where we least expect him.  The actual physical manifestation isn’t that scary. It is everything that he represents, both literally and metaphorically.  In a literal sense, he is an unseen presence that gains power over us the more that we think about him.  Metaphorically, he is grief, pain, and loss.  The strong emotional impact of the film comes from the performances of Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman.  You will forget that Davis is acting because her emotions are so raw that she embodies every ounce of her character’s pain.  Meanwhile, Wiseman gives a performance far beyond the ability of most 6-year-olds.  The strained relationship between this grieving mother and her out-of-control, emotionally distraught son brings out the worst fears of every parent before we even hear a mention of Mr. Babadook.  The film creates a sense of helplessness toward both the monster and the lack of a support system that keeps us wondering what we would do in their situation.  It seems impossible to find a solution, thus heightening our emotions even more when their situation turns dangerous.  The story’s resolution is awesome and is the one aspect of the film that breaks the mold of classic horror movies.  You think that it can only end one of two ways but there is an amazing third option that you’d never expect.  This underrated film thrills over and over again.  “The Babadook” isn’t the scariest movie that you’ll ever see but it manipulates your emotions in a way that will stick with you for the rest of your life.

[Pictured: The storybook is one of the most clever (and horrifying) mediums ever used to introduce a villainous entity]

It (2017) - 8 stars out of 10

It (2017) - 8 stars out of 10

Ever since the 1990 miniseries, horror film fans have been clamoring for a big-screen adaptation of “It.”  Tim Curry was brilliant as Pennywise but the story, dialogue, and visual terror had to be toned down significantly for broadcast television.  A new film adaptation of the story has been in the works for many years and an eerily symbolic 27-year wait has produced the “It” that we have always craved.  “Scary” is not the correct term to describe this film; rather, it needs to be categorized as “disturbing.”  The story is intense and the imagery is horrific but I believe that any moviegoer could enjoy this film, even if they don’t like scary movies.  The key is the film’s tone, which is more intense than it is scary.  The film focuses on using storytelling to reveal the mystery of Pennywise instead of trying to terrorize us with jump scares.  A strong opening sequence introduces us to the clown and associates him with a gruesome image that sticks with us every time that he appears.  Throughout the film, the various forms of Pennywise are created with a brilliant visual style (particularly, the blood in Beverly’s bathroom and the realized version of Edvard Munch‘s “The Scream”).  Director Andy Muschietti paces the film to give us short breaks that makes the tension even more unbearable.  The sequence in the abandoned house had my heart pounding!  However, the key to this film is the amazing performances by these teen actors.  I was blown away by Sophia Lillis’ powerful performance and Jeremy Ray Taylor was very endearing as Ben.  It is only natural that they would include one of today’s most popular child actors in the cast (Finn Wolfhard of “Stranger Things” fame) and his presence really enhances the updated 80’s setting for this story since we are so used to seeing him in this time period.  It is amazing that these teens can match the intensity of Bill Skarsgard’s terrifying Pennywise.  I appreciate that Skarsgard knew that nobody could ever match Tim Curry and instead reimagined the personality of the clown.  My only issue with the film is the overabundance of profanity.  The child actors give refined performances that don’t necessitate the use of profanity to get their emotions across.  If anything, the script cheapens the efforts of the actors.  Still, I’m glad that the writers chose to eliminate a few infamous pieces of the story that would have left a sour taste in the audience’s mouth.  After a 27-year wait, we finally have a big-screen adaption of “It” that delivers a terrorizing experience beyond what I could have anticipated.

[Pictured: "It" just got a lot more sinister]

The Lego Batman Movie - 7 stars out of 10

The Lego Batman Movie - 7 stars out of 10

Nothing was going to live up to “The Lego Movie,” but “Lego Batman” was a logical next step in the series.  Will Arnett’s dimwitted voicing of Batman made it easy to choose his memorable character for an expanded story, especially since superheroes are in vogue.  References to Adam West, obscure DC villains with silly M.O.’s, and a bashing of Robin’s emotions (perfectly written for Michael Cera) keep us laughing from start to finish.  All of the Robin jokes are so much funnier to “Arrested Development” fans because their interactions often parallel Gob and George Michael.  You do need to be prepared for this film to be “silly” instead of “funny,” but I think that this is what makes the movie so entertaining to kids and adults alike.  Unlike the humor, I find the story to have one of the most sophisticated themes that I have ever seen in a Batman film, questioning whether Batman would have any value without a villain to battle.  I like the writers’ treatment of Joker that makes him into a truly dynamic character and he becomes the perfect piece in this thematic puzzle.  The exiling of Joker to The Phantom Zone gives the writers a perfect excuse to incorporate Voldemort, The Wicked Witch, Sauron, Agent Smith, and many other famous bad guys (in Lego form) into the equation.  Naturally, these villains all converge in an anachronistic battle that is unlike anything that we’ve seen in a superhero film (with the exception of “Avengers: Infinity War” which has more characters than the writers knew what to do with…)  Ironically, the cast may actually have more star power than “Infinity War.”  Literally every character is a big name and it becomes a game to try and identify the voice behind the villain.  They even brought in Seth Green to voice King Kong…  All of these actors and story elements are cleverly brought to life through impeccable animation with disjointed Lego movements.  I think that it is easy to forget how impressive the animation is because it intentionally looks choppy, but it is amazing how the crew captures those Lego movements.  “The Lego Batman Movie” subscribes to the philosophy of go big or go home and, despite the small stature of the Legos, this film is HUGE!

[Pictured: The range of emotions on these Lego characters is stunning]

Un Chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog) - 2 stars out of 10

Un Chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog) - 2 stars out of 10

“Un Chien Andalou” may be the most uncomfortable 21 minutes of my life.  This Surrealist short film by Luid Buñuel and Salvador Dali refines the term “bizarre.”  If you enjoy shocking imagery along the lines of a razor slicing through a woman’s eye, ants crawling out of a person’s hand, and a man pulling two pianos that contain rotting donkey corpses, The Ten Commandments, and two priests, this is a film for you!  Otherwise, you might prefer not to see a man attaching a woman’s armpit hair to his face as a mustache.  I should also mention that all of these images appear in a non sequitur fashion throughout a nonlinear timeline that makes no sense, all set to a soundtrack of tango music and Wagner.  Then there's the fact that the two lead actors committed suicide later in life, including Simone Mareuil who doused herself in gasoline and set herself on fire in public (we aren't talking about the movie anymore, this is real life).  Everything surrounding and within this film is bizarre.  The “plot” doesn’t make any sense and you have to approach the film as a series of surrealist images.  I certainly would use the words "cohesive" or "sensible" to describe it.  “Un Chien Andalou” is interesting but it would be hard to call it enjoyable.  I understand the historical importance of this film as well its popularity upon release in 1929, but I will stick with George Melies when I want to appreciate early film.

[Pictured: You don't want to see what happens next]

Can't Buy Me Love (1987) - 7 stars out of 10

Can't Buy Me Love (1987) - 7 stars out of 10

When we think of 80’s teen comedies, our minds always jump to “The Breakfast Club,” “Pretty in Pink,” and “Sixteen Candles.”  But there is one hidden gem that always seems to be left out of the conversation: “Can’t Buy Me Love.”  Long before Patrick Dempsey was “McDreamy,” he was the “McNerdy” Ronald Miller.  The premise of this story is quite clever – a nerd rescues a popular damsel in distress and asks her to repay him by pretending to date so that he can become popular.  In hindsight, the plot seems like it should have been completely predictable but I found myself surprised and intrigued as it developed onscreen.  Amanda Peterson steers the popular Cindy away from clichés and gives her a lot of depth.  She absolutely stole the screen.  Meanwhile, the rest of the cast is completely materialistic and happy to fit into their stereotypes, making the personalities of Ron and Cindy even more interesting to watch.  The film does have most of the aspects of a teen comedy that I find unnecessary – drugs, alcohol, adult themes, excessive profanity, Seth Green – but at least they are portrayed in an unglamorous way (including tween Seth Green).  It goes to show that even 30 years ago, writers incorporated unnecessary crude content to draw in larger audiences.  I wouldn’t call the film a masterpiece but it was extremely entertaining and had a nice moral (particularly the final cafeteria scene).  It isn’t often that the title song of a film can be such a poignant and appropriate punctuation mark at the end of a story.  “Can’t Buy Me Love” isn’t the greatest 80’s teen comedy but it is worth being thrown into the rotation.

[Pictured: Dempsey and Peterson are now one of my favorite onscreen teen couples]

Goodbye Christopher Robin - 3 stars out of 10

Goodbye Christopher Robin - 3 stars out of 10

“Goodbye Christopher Robin” rides the coattails of films like “Finding Neverland” and “Saving Mr. Banks,” but I was unimpressed.  This is one of the few instances where I would have rather not known the story behind a group of beloved childhood characters.  The film focuses on WWI and the unhappiness surrounding the creation of A.A. Milne’s Pooh characters instead of the joy that these characters brought into the lives of Christopher Robin and children around the world.  I can’t help wondering whether this story would have been better told by Disney and whether this intentionally dark tone was necessary.  I was excited when I saw that Domhnall Gleeson and Margot Robbie were attached to the film but their characters were so unlikable that I couldn’t connect with them.  Not to mention that Robbie was basically nonexistent throughout the film.  The saving grace is Kelly Macdonald who provides a nurturing atmosphere for Christopher in spite of the toxic environment created by his parents.  I tend to be an optimist and this film spent its entire runtime trying to destroy the legacy of the Pooh characters.  I cannot wait to see these characters redeemed through Disney’s new family film entitled “Christopher Robin” but I hope that nobody mistakenly sees “Goodbye Christopher Robin” instead.  Pooh’s legacy deserves to live on in a positive light.

[Pictured: It is magical to see the Pooh characters in their original form, but that magic is snuffed out by the negativity that fuels the story]