Asteroid City

9/10

During the 1950's or 60's, a group of people assemble at the titular Asteroid City, a very small desert tourist trap with a motel out in the middle of nowhere, for the Junior Stargazer convention. Soon everyone is affected by a strange change in events.

Wes Anderson is known for utilizing the same distinct style in all his films. (This movie in particular recycles his "precocious kids" dialogue from Moonrise Kingdom.) But, he's never gotten old for me, because the plots for his story are always different enough. This is no exception. Asteroid City is a very interesting film complete with a wide cast of striking characters , solid jokes (i laughed thrice, which doesn't sound a lot for some but for me it's a lot), and an intelligent script that hides beneath the humorous moments drama and an analysis of the human condition. 

The trailer for this is surprisingly deceptive. There's a lot more to the movie than meets the eye. Asteroid City is probably Anderson's most artsy and philosophical film and that's saying something. A person in the theater said "I don't know what it means, but I loved it." That's a pretty good summation. I wouldn't say you won't understand any of it, but it is a movie that requires interpretation, and there's enough witty dialogue that you won't be drowning in it anyway. The movie's weird but in a fun way.  

Like the majority of Anderson's movies, this is a visual smorgasboard. The cinematography and color scheme is made to make this look like a technicolor movie, maybe one of the best uses of color in film this year. I loved the orange-ish look of the desert. The sets have that unique retro feel Anderson brings. I also loved the look of the desert rocks. Asteroid City takes place in the U.S.A., but the location feels a little alien.

Anderson has a wonderful cast that's a who's who of acting including some of his regular players. Some of the new faces who he's never used before are Scarlett Johanson, Tom Hanks, and Steve Carrel, all of whom are obvious choices for this type of movie. Carrel in particular does a great job as the always civil and courteous motel owner. A face I wouldn't expect in this is Liev Schreiber as a parent of one of the Junior Stargazers. He doesn't usually get cast in stuff like this, making this a nice change of pace. Crash's Matt Dillon is also in this. He's only got one important scene, but he has such excellent delivery. 

Highly recommend. The story may frustrate some, but it's such an enjoyable ride. This may be my favorite of Anderson's works after Grand Budapest Hotel.

Blood & Gold

8.5/10

This German film now out on Netflix is about a Waffe-SS troop searching for hidden gold in a German village near the end of War World II. Caught in the middle of it all is a deserter from the unit Heinrich (played by Robert Maaser) and local woman Elsa (Marie Hacke).   

Between this and Sisu, it's has been quite the year for foreign-made WWII movies. This is a Tarantino-esque pic but unlike most of its kind it stands out. This is one of those movies where I can't say the entire story is unpredictable, but there are moments you can't see coming. The history of the gold is rather well thought out. I especially appreciate how natural a lot of the exposition about the gold and the village and characters in this is laid out without too much being shoved in at once or becoming boring and taking up screentime. 

The movie doesn't skimp on violence. Maybe not quite on the level of Sisu, but doesn't miss by that much either with a big Nazi body count. Going back to my previous comment about moments of unpredictability, there are a couple of inventive or surprise kills that'll get your attention. This includes probably one of the most unique assassinations I've seen in an admittedly macabre but clever scene that you definitely won't forget.

The movie's packed with well-defined characters in this movie of survival. Heinrich makes for a relatable protagonist and Maaser definitely has the build for an action hero. The two main Nazis in this, the determined and unsettling commander von Starnfeld (Alexander Scheer, the psychotic hijacker in vampires on a plane movie Blood Red Sky) and his nasty but capable second-in-command (whose name and actor I had trouble pinpointing afterwards, sorry) make for effective, albeit not original, Nazi bad guys.

Be forewarned that there is an attempted sex crime in this. If you don't want to see this sort of thing, then you'd best avoid. Also to the movie's credit, it seemed to be trying to be at least fairly accurate to history. However, we international viewers could be confused about more specific references without much context given in regards to the history of the Nazi reign in Germany. They don't happen often, though.

Highly recommended. Not for you naturally if you're not big on violent movies, but if you like this sort of thing it's a very entertaining film.

The Simpsons- Season 34

7/10

This is the thirty-fourth, 34th!, round of the misadventures of the Simpsons family and the other residents of Springfield.

This is another of the recent Simpsons quality revival seasons. (To lay out the timeline, there was the first two or three seasons where the show was finding itself, the next five or six seasons that was the golden age, the Jerka** Homer era where the show lost its magic and focused on celebrity appearances and shenanigans happening, plus Homer'd gotten too dislikable, then we got the reform seasons where Homer (voiced by Dan Castalenetta) was made nicer than he has ever been, and remains that to today, and focused more on character-based storylines which started strong but then felt at a loss for new emotional situations to put the characters in, and finally now.) No, this season isn't as good as the classic years, but it has better stories than it has had in a long time. There's a bigger emphasis on trying new stuff and not doing the same-old, same-old and giving other characters than the Simpsons more of the spotlight. There's also a lot more satirical episodes with solid targets. 

We even get one of the strongest Treehouse of Horror episodes in a long time (it's been a string of diminishing returns up until now), plus a bonus Halloween episode that's pretty good. I also highly recommend Lisa the Boy Scout, one of the funniest things they've done in a while. Even a lot of the less stand-out episodes aren't too shabby.

There are a few things I disagree with. I found Lisa's storyline in One Angy Lisa to be a terribly one-note to the extreme Lisa-can't-catch-a-break story. There are two Fat Tony (voice by Joe Mantegna) episodes that feel too similar to each other. Flanders is still too, well, "flanderised" with him being a religious conservative and less of the nice guy he'd been, and Skinner is too much of a mama's boy and the complete opposite of where the character started.

Animation remains strong. There's nothing complex about the look of the Simpsons, but I love the color usage in recent seasons. There's an anime style sequence in the Treehouse of Horror episode that is pretty sleek looking.

Recommended. Show's still no longer the king of comedy, but this is a solid and fairly entertaining season.

The Blackening

7.5

In this horror comedy based on a Comedy Central digital short, a bunch of African American friends from college are having a reunion at a nice cabin in the woods. Soon, a masked killer forces them into a deadly game that requires them to prove their blackness.

This was a pretty funny film. The trailers really don't do it justice. Sometimes with social issues comedies they can be like Velma in that they might go with the broadest, most obvious jokes. (And I stress sometimes. I'm not trying to be anti-woke. I just think there are writers out in there in the world that just don't do a great job of addressing the content in a humorous narrative.) I'm happy to say that the lines are often clever or silly and land.

Great cast in this all around. Apparently, a lot of this was adlibbed and everyone pulled it off. Standout is Jermaine Fowler (from Coming 2 America and Sorry to Bother You) as the nerdy and awkward Clifton. Admittedly, I felt his affectations, a twisted mouth and stereotypically nerdy voice, were trying a little too hard, but the guy has a way with his delivery. We also get the prolific Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show/American Housewife) as a park ranger and the guy's always funny and lively in whatever he does.

I liked the set/location they filmed at. It looks like a pretty sweet cabin.

Some may find the first act and the setup for the characters to be slow at points. There's nothing downright wrong with any of the dialogue, but parts could've been cut short or restructured. There is conflict between a trio of the friends that while providing personality and drama just isn't really that interesting.

Recommended, this is smartly written and adlibbed and makes for a good time.

Ted Lasso- Season 3 (Final)

8.5/10

Sadly after only three seasons, Ted Lasso is coming to an end. (I see the merit of quitting while you're ahead and not having a show run out of steam. I've also read that filming in England for a part of the year is naturally a big demand of the Americans involved.) This final season has positive coach Ted Lasso (played by SNL alumni Jason Sudeikis) and his football/soccer team AFC Richmond trying to win and dealing with life.

This season isn't quite as tightly thought out as the first two. Too many characters' plots happen separately from each other, and for the first half at least, we don't get as many of the great character reactions or see actors have time to shine. But, it's still Ted Lasso and remains a hilarious show with heart and a wonderful array of characters. 

There are some overall excellent episodes and moments in this. With the second season taking many people by surprise with a darker tone that dealt more with the characters' personal struggles, this season is about overcoming them and ultimately delivers the final part of the show's message about the importance of mental health and healthy relationships. (You know, this show has a mild similarity to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend in that regards.) 

There is one plot element in this that is pretty frustrating and doesn't feel like something that would go down the way it would in real life. Yeah, it's just a show and there's suspension of belief, but it reeks of writers really wanting something to happen without caring about anything else.

A lot of people are complaining about Keely's subplot about her running her own PR firm. Admittedly it's really separate from the rest of the gang and perhaps it could've been told more precisely, but I liked it. Had some decent jokes and I liked the characters in that storyline. Nate's subplot on the other hand is the weak point. He's separated from everyone even more so and the writers didn't seem quite sure of how to handle it. Not a lot of jokes on that end. The story definitely has its reasons for being less humorous, but if you do skimp on the jokes in a comedy, you've got make sure the story is engrossing, which it isn't. Plus, antagonistic millionaire Rupert Mannion (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Head) appears a lot. He can be delightfully awful, and Head does a great job at being slimy, but he becomes a bit much when he's overexposed and there's no one around to poke holes in his ego. (Plus, they're trying too hard to show him as the bad guy. The look of his clothes and office feel like overkill.)

Again, the entire cast is wonderful. There just isn't time to address all of them. MVP would probably be Phil Dunster as scampish player Jamie Tartt. It's impressive to see a character that started off as the team's jerk become one of it's funniest and most likable characters. 

Highly recommended. For a final season, structurally it could've been better organized, but it's still Ted Lasso and a better watch than most shows out right now. The finale is the ending the show deserves.

The Snoopy Show- Season 3

 

8/10

The third season brings more short adventures of Snoopy the dog (animal noises by Terry McGurrin), his best friend and bird Woodstock (animal noises by Rob Tinkler), his owner Charlie Brown (voiced this season by Ettienne Kellici), and the rest of the Peanuts gang.

Not much has changed from the previous seasons. This continues to be a funny show for kids. I'm again impressed with all the visual gags involving Snoopy and Woodstock. It can't be easy to write for characters who can't talk, but they pull it off really well. Snoopy's reactions are so enjoyable and the animators make it so you get so much from him without saying a word. 

Again, Snoopy and Woodstock remain one of the best duos in animation history. There is just something about the way the two fight a lot but are also so in sync that works. (Unfortunately, you don't get as much of Woodstock as previous seasons.) Again, although this is modern, watered-down Charlie Brown, he's still such a likable kid and brings a lot of heart to his relation with Snoopy.

I feel that the showrunners might have heard the complaints that the show is a diluted version of that ol' Peanuts feel. Although The Snoopy Show still plays it safer than the rougher original where the kids could be a lot meaner to each other and there was more depth, it felt like the writers were trying a little harder to evoke the ol' Peanuts feel.

Animation remains great. It's clean and colorful and really matches the design style of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz.

Recommended. This does appear to be aimed toward younger children, but has a lot of clever humor and heart to it.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

6.5/10 

In this new Transformers movie that takes place after the events of Bumblebee (in what is either a prequel or reboot of the original films; the whole thing's rather murky), the Transformers and their new human allies (familiar, right?) must stop the forces of the planet devourer Unicron (voiced by Colman Domingo) from bringing him to Earth.

On the plus side, this ditches all the weaknesses and questionable choices of the Bay films. However, what we get is a very average big blockbuster that doesn't differentiate itself from previous Transformers stories or other blockbusters. There is nothing particularly wrong about this film, but there is nothing that particularly stands out, either. There are definitely funny and solid character moments in this, but they don't happen consistently. If the movie wasn't two hours long, it probably would've been more robust. The first fifteen or so minutes really feel like they drag because the two human leads' setups and backstories are so by-the-numbers. (There's a bad boss in this that is so frustratingly simplistic.)  The entire story is too by-the-numbers. It's yet another Transformers movie where it's a race against time against a new robotic menace in a search quest. 

The best part of this is the Transformer Mirage (voiced by SNL's Peter Davidson). Admittedly, he's basically Bumblebee 2.0 in that he's a new car Transformer that befriends a human and gets more screentime, but he's a refreshingly different cup of tea than the other Transformers. He seems like a fun dude, is the most personable of the group, and gets the best lines. Human lead, down-on-his-luck, unemployed vet, Noah Diaz (played by In the Heights' Anthony Ramos), may not have the most original personal storyline, but the guy is likable, and Diaz makes him work better than you'd think with the basics of what he's given. This takes place in the early years of the Transformers, and we get a very different Optimus Prime (voiced by original voice actor Peter Cullen). He doesn't trust humans and is more bossy. Some might be annoyed with the change in character, but I thought it worked. You always understand where Optimus, who has the weight of leadership on his shoulders, is coming from, and it's about Optimus' growth into what he would become.

Computer animation and design is alright. The Transformers look decent and are less unnecessarily complicated as the Bay films, and the battles aren't too shabby andeasier to make out than the Bay films. However, the Bay films did have a weight to them, and you don't find that here in what is your regular CGI fest.  

I particularly liked the design of Unicron's right hand Scourge (voiced by Peter Dinklage). He's an average villain, but I liked his rusted appearance. By the way, if you're a big Transformers fan and were hoping to see Unicrons' humongous humanoid form, prepare to be disappointed. He's strictly in planet form here.

I can't recommend paying a lot to see this, but it makes for a decent time-waster if you catch it on streaming or such. It's predictable, but competent enough. I'd rate this below Bumblebee and the first live-action Transformers, on the same level as the animated film, and above films two and three (haven't seen four and five, yet).

100 Years of Warner

8/10

This new documentary mini-series on Max (formerly HBO Max), traces the history of Warner Bros. through four episodes that divvy up the time periods. 

I felt this was a well put-together mini-series. It flows well with solid choices in film and interview clips. 100 Years really serves as an ode to film-making itself. It's interesting to see how the film-making process changes over these episodes.

Of course, they don't have time to go over everything, and they don't cover everything one would want to see. Though, they do plug in a ton of clips, even ever so brief, from the Warners catalog.

100 Years does well in covering the change in racial and gender coverage over the years, including firsts in representation. The mini-series doesn't hide from less savory parts of Warner's earlier years. (Jack Warner, not a great guy.) However, it's clear that Warner isn't in the mood to discuss more recent issues, such as the fallout of the DC Snyderverse or AT&T's acquisition of the company and then letting it go after it realized HBO Max wasn't working out. Current Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is one of the interviewees, so 100 years definitely doesn't discuss the controversy of his shelving completed films. For all the mini-series' talk about the times Warner took chances, it doesn't want to address its more recent focus on the bottom line.

Recommended. If you're a film buff, I think you'll be pleased with this.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

9.5/10

In this sequel to Into the Spider-Verse, Miles Morales/Spider-Man (voiced by Shameik Moore) reunites with Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) and becomes involved with a trans-dimensional task force populated to the gills with various Spider-Men and -Women from across the multiverse.

This really carries the ball passed on from the first film: being a combination of heart, humor, and story. The interpersonal relations are so excellently done here. Whereas the last movie focused on Miles' father Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry), this film gives more screen time to Miles' mother Rio (Luna Lauren Velez) and her relationship with her son. We also get a lot more screentime with Gwen Stacy than I expected. She's really as much the lead of this film as Miles, and we really get to see more about her life and what makes her tick.

The movie manages to balance the heavier aspects with a lot of fun jokes, more per capita than the last film. This movie lets the writers play as fast and loose with the Spider world as they want due to endless dimensions. They truly have an immense sandbox to play in. There are fair amount of Spider meta jokes to be found; this was clearly made by fans.

The story is pretty ambitious and you probably won't be able to guess where it goes; really, a very creative and well written script. This is darker than the last movie and manages to mine the Spider-Man history of personal drama and tragedy really well. This is one of those two-parter movies, so don't expect everything to be wrapped up here. But, man oh man, does this end on an enticing note.

It may have surprised a lot of people that the main villain in this is The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), a mid/lower ranking Spidey villain. He was considered as a bit of a joke by fans when he first appeared in the 80's due to his silly name and appearance, but he's made more appearances in recent years with writers realizing how powerful his skill set is (he can create multiple small portals) and have been making him more of a threat. This movie runs with the characters' history in the fandom and comics and portrays the character as both humorous and threatening.

Miguel O'Hara/Spider-Man 2099 is one of the primary characters in this and the only Spider-Man who's super serious and never throws around quips. His goals don't align with Miles' and serves as as a pretty solid anti-hero in this.

If you liked the other Spider-People in the last film, don't expect to see a lot of them here. The story just didn't seem to have room.

'Course what everyone remembers the most about the first one was the distinct and quality animation. This movie really manages to surpass that. The animation again is so vibrant and visually creative. Besides, having the world look like it was in the comic book pages, some of the characters from various worlds may have very different animation styles based on said worlds. If you had headaches and eye strain from the fact that the last film was a little like looking at a blue/red 3D image without the glasses, they cut down on that. It's still there somewhat, but it's not as distracting.

I'm impressed with the sheer amount of detail in this. All the worlds feel so lived in. This is the sort of animation a college instructor will use as an example in class.

If there are any weak spots to this, it's its length, running at 2 hours and 20 minutes. There are so many reveals and plot points that the whole thing might get a little exhausting by the end. Also, this movie carries the Spider-Man tradition of struggling with life's setbacks and hardships and the weight of being a hero as often demonstrated by broad quasi-philosophical monologues. It's part of the Spidey routine by now, but there's so much of it that it may weigh the film down for some.

Highly recommended. This is one of the most engaging and creative movies of the year and one of the best looking animated films ever. I think the first film was a little better mostly due to it being a more compact story. But the difference isn't by too much.