Film Review: A Star Is Born (2018)

Screened at Regal Kaufman in Astoria, 10:15pm showtime. Movie Theater Snacks: Snickers Ice Cream Bar. Words of advice, don’t eat ice cream at the movie theater. Toooo messy.

A Star Is Born, but is it really Lady Gaga?

Two weeks before the movie came out, I had bought my tickets for A Star is Born. I was ready. Beyond excited. Although I was unfamiliar with the many adaptions of A Star Is Born: the 1937 original, and the 1954 and 1976 remakes, I was stoked to see Lady Gaga on the big screen. Who doesn’t love Lady Gaga? If you don’t, you’re lying to yourself. Admit it.

Although I haven’t seen the remake from the 50’s or the 70’s, I did wonder, how could Lady Gaga compare to Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand? I know she’s massively successful with her phenomenal voice, but she’s following in the footsteps of two of music’s greatest legends. Boy was I wrong.

DSC_2077.dng — Bradley Cooper & Lady Gaga, in the infamous scene, singing *Shallow*

A Star Is Born is a Star of a film. It’s extraordinary. It’s fantastic. It’s stellar. It’s perfect. I was wrapped up from the moment it started, following Jackson Maine walking from backstage out into a roaring crowd, cheering him on as he picked up his guitar and started rocking. It doesn’t take very long until we meet Lady Gaga’s character, Allison, who is the only female singing onstage at a drag bar. Jackson Main, looking for a drink, stumbles into the right bar at the right time. They meet, and thus begins our incredible journey.

The music slaps. Cooper and Gaga’s song Shallow was stuck in my head for days after I left the theater. The first time we hear the song is in a parking lot at 4am. Ally belts the tune out acapella, but it’s just as powerful. Soon after, we get to hear the song played by a full band and sung by Ally and Jackson both. It’s a great moment in the film that fills your body with chills.

Lady Gaga was already a star following her music career, obviously, but now we know she’s a star on the big screen. Bradley Cooper’s direction is precise and fluid. (Even though, admittedly, you can tell he’s a first time filmmaker.) A Star Is Born should be seen by everyone. It’s going to be a hot movie at next years Academy Awards.

Film Review: Invasion of The Body Snatchers (1978)

Screened in the comfort of my own apartment, somewhere around a 10pm showtime. Movie Theater Snacks: None. I was still full from dinner. Crazy.

I had recently watched the original Invasion of The Body Snatchers from 1956. I got to build a 35mm print at work and quality test it before the official audience screening. I loved it. It was atmospheric, wonderfully shot, and very well written. I immediately became interested in watching the 70’s remake.

Slowly, day by day, people across San Francisco are changing. Not physically, but their loved ones can just sense that something is off about them. More and more people are being taken over by this unseen force, becoming emotionless beings, and nobody knows why or what is going on.

From the moment the film starts, I quickly realized it was scene-for-scene, moment-for-moment a direct remake of the original. I was taken aback by how closely it resembled the first, wondering why it didn’t try to live on it’s own. But I was quickly proven wrong. The film may be extremely similar to it’s source material, but it showed me how individualistic it really is. The movie isn’t just a carbon replica of the original film, ya know, like the alien creatures in the story, but it stands on it’s own as an incredible exercise in terror.

The movie hits the ground running, wasting no time getting into the story. And even faster than that, the horror begins creeping under your skin. The person you love the most may no longer be themselves… Honestly, I don’t know what’s more terrifying than that. This remake took me by complete surprise. I wasn’t expecting this film to be as good as it was, but it’s a truly captivating movie. And, crazy enough, I’d say it justifies remakes.

Film Review: Lake Mungo (2008)

Screened in the comfort of my own apartment via a good ‘ol Amazon rental for $2.99, somewhere around an 11:20pm showtime. Movie Theater Snacks: a bowl of cereal. Vanilla Frosted Chex, I think it was.

I had not heard of Lake Mungo until a few days before this; it came recommended from a friend of mine. The synopsis he gave me was very vague, “a girl drowns in a river and her family experiences some weird shit after it.” He then insisted I not look up a single thing and to watch the movie blind. He’s always been good when it came to recommendations. He hasn’t failed me yet. So I took his advice.

lake mungo mom

The film begins with some police footage. Then a thick Australian accent begins speaking over the video. Then, to my surprise, a talking head appears in the traditional documentary style, with the words appearing on the bottom of the screen: June Palmer, Alice’s Mother. I was taken completely by surprise. I had no idea this was a documentary and I became completely intrigued.

A family takes a weekend away and visits a beach, where their daughter Alice disappears into thin air. After a week and a half of searching, her body is found further down the beach; soaked, bloated, and decomposing. From this point forward, strange things begin happening in their home, and they soon believe Alice is coming back.

lake mungo photo

The biggest compliment I can give to the movie, is the adherence and loyalty it has to it’s faux documentary style. There were moments when I truly began believing in what the film was telling me. I knew it wasn’t real, but that didn’t stop me from sharing in the terror the Palmer’s were going through. Every piece of video footage was crackly and blurry enough to trick me into thinking “maybe this did happen?” It does such a tremendous job following through on the documentary style that it surpassed every cliche attributed to found footage, and flew passed the moniker of mockumentary.

Is it scary? Hell yeah it definitely is. It’s so subtle and minute in it’s horror that it creeps under your skin without you even realizing. There are no jump scares, no loud obnoxious bangs or growls, just pure terror. The scariest moments of the film are when you’re viewing blurry camera footage of a ghost standing completely still, staring right back at you. Without any outward horror, the film may give you a heart attack.

Lake Mungo took me by surprise. I was truly captivated from beginning to end. It does so much with so little, that you can’t help but have so much respect for it. I highly recommend.

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Film Review: Happiness (1998)

Screened at Museum of The Moving Image on 35mm, 3pm showtime. Movie Theater Snacks: nothing, because the Moving Image doesn’t allow snacks in their theater. I respect it.

Directed by Todd Solondz, Happiness is a dark comedy film that follows a family and all the people they interact with in their lives, and then follows those people and who they interact with, and then follows them… and how each individual is searching for happiness. It touches on nearly every social topic you can think of, and does so with controversial grace. The film is two and half hours, and never feels slow or overcrowded.

happiness elevator

There are 21 named characters in the movie. A beautiful housewife with the perfect home and perfect family. A lonely perverted office worker with a drinking problem. A famous novelist who feels fake on the outside. A well-to-do therapist who is a secret pedophile. An old couple who doesn’t love each other anymore. Their lonely daughter who just wants to fall in love. A young, pubescent boy who wants to orgasm. Even with all these characters in the film, you have a genuine interest in every single person and cannot wait to get back to their story. It’s never dull, never boring, and completely captivating.

The film touches on some extremely dark and controversial topics, but does so with extreme respect. I mean, there is no respectful way to discuss pedophilia. Just by having a character in the film with these desires and treating him like a human is already going to bring some controversy. The film talks about pedophilia, rape, murder, and mass shootings (which is far more difficult to stomach 20 years later). The film does not use these themes to shock or cause distress, but instead uses them in the story to make a point and bring about change. The least suspecting people are the ones who may have these negative qualities. Sometimes it’s better to talk about things than it is to ignore them.

Todd Solondz direction is subtle and simple. It’s never showy, and because of that, it allows the audience to focus in on the story. No fancy camera moves or quick edits to influence your thoughts. Just the characters and their decisions. And that alone makes it a beautiful movie to see. It’s also a time capsule of mid-90’s New Jersey, which offers some great laughs.

happiness dad son

Speaking of laughs; despite the films dark nature, it is absolutely hilarious. If you’re not laughing at a genuinely funny moment, you’re probably laughing with nerves during it’s awkward moments. It balances perfectly on a fine tight-rope between trashy and respectful, and each moment that is meant to be funny, will definitely put a smile on your face.

Happiness is a masterpiece of storytelling. A simple movie that can be picked apart and analyzed, teaching dozens of lessons to those struggling with the day-to-day grind. Not only the best of Todd Solondz entire filmography, but one of the best films of the 90’s.

happiness title

Film Review: The Predator (2018)

Screened at Village East Cinema, 2:05pm showtime. Movie Theater Snacks: Smoked salmon sandwich and a banana/peach smoothie. Bougie, I know.

Where to begin on the latest entry in the Predator franchise? Let’s keep it simple. I hated it. This film is so far removed form what the original films used to be. The series began with Predator in 1987. Followed by numerous sequels: Predator 2 in 1990, Predators in 2010, and the alien movie cross-over garbage, the two Alien vs. Predator movies in 2004 and in 2007.

I don’t really care about keeping things original. As cinema grows it’s totally cool to keep enhancing and growing and changing franchises. To piss and moan saying this isn’t like the original films because it “changes the canon” is a lousy complaint. But what I will say is this movie is a terribly made movie.

The first two films (in my opinion the only good movies in the series) we’re slow and steady, chilling, thrillers. The later films have become loud, explosive action films. Everything about this latest movie is necessary. My biggest annoyance is the movie moves so quickly, you as the audience and even the characters have no time to breath. Every single scene in the film lasts no longer than 90 seconds, before we are whisked away to the next location to fire more guns and blow things up. This doesn’t even give us time to meet all the characters, and there are way too many of them. This movie has a total of 17 named characters, and you couldn’t pay me to remember a single name of any of these people. We never get to learn about them because they are never on-screen for longer than a few seconds, and if they are, they are smashed together with numerous other characters.

A major problem this movie has is butchering an underlying commentary it’s trying to discuss: respect towards American soldiers. On one end, it’s talking about the physical and mental trauma that soldiers have to endure, and gives a great amount of respect towards those who have fought for this country. But at the same time, it’s bringing light to the fact that soldiers are murders (which, letsbereal, they are). There are six American soldiers in the film that are painted as the American heroes. The main character himself even gives a talk to his son where he says, “The difference between soldiers and murderers, is murderers enjoy killing.” Then, no later than ten minutes after that, the same “American Hero” says “You made me lie to my son… because I’m going to enjoy this” right before putting numerous bullets into two different men. The film wants to bring attention to what soldiers do (i.e. murder), but at the same time enthusiastically glorifies guns and murder, all in the hands of the characters playing American soldiers.

The Predator does not do well for itself. It’s a bad entry in the series, both in terms of fan service and in terms of genuine filmmaking. It’s not a good movie and should absolutely be avoided. Even for fans of the series, go with caution.

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