I have 3 films for home release to note this week. All three are not great...just okay.
CARS 3
Directed by Brian Fee
Screenplay by Keil Murray; Bob Peterson; and Mike Richardson
Voice work by Owen Wilson: Cristela Olonzo; and Chris Cooper
Being a huuuuge PIXAR fan you would think that this review would have come a couple weeks ago.
Well..............if you follow my blog....then you know in my PIXAR post...Cars 1 and Cars 2 are at the bottom of my list of PIXAR films.
So Cars n3... I was pleasantly surprised. Lightning McQueen is fighting a new generation of racers. He has to prove, even though he is old school...he is still able to compete.
The Positives:
-This movie is beautiful!!! Every scene is flat out gorgeous. Coming off Finding Dory and The Good Dinosaur....it leaves those two film in the dust. You can just turn the sound off and just watch this beautiful film.
-The plot is strong. New vs old. Remembering who your friends are. Remember where you came from. How to behave in competitions. The funny thing is that one of the focus points is....how old school can be better than modern technology.......aaahhhh....PIXAR took out modern cartoon art lol.
-Voice work is pretty good, highlighted by Chris Cooper and using voice work from the late Paul Newman from the original Cars.
Negatives:
-The plot is strong, however the script has some problems:
1- Slow in many place, which may make the younger viewers rammy.
2-The ending...will make adults watching go..REALLY??? Switching places??? Kids will not question that I am sure, but what made PIXAR work the stories were for kids as well as adults.
Well.....pushing negatives aside, I think this is the best of the Cars films...I would give it a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. I was pleasantly surprised.
INGRID GOES WEST
Directed by Matt Spicer
Screenplay by David Branson Smith and Matt Spicer
Starring Aubrey Plaza; Elizabeth Olsen; and O'Shea Jackson jr
Ingrid (Plaza) is a Facebook stalker. Not just a Facebook stalker, Facebook is where she starts, then she moves on to being a real life stalker. Ingrid kind of tries to steal the lives of her Facebook friends or push herself into their lives.
It is an interesting film, because it plays on the way society is today. Differentiating between internet chat room friends and friend in life. Also the film touches on a little bit on loneliness and the feeling of being wanted or liked. Does it work? Sort of.
Positives:
-Aubrey Plaza gives a wonderful performance as Ingrid. She is a stalker. A flat out stalker..I mean she packs up and moves west to be in someone's life who does not know her.. Yet, with all the uncomfortable situations she puts herself in, and you know she is wrong, you feel for her. Which is all Plaza, it is a difficult part, she is unlikable but you care about her.
-O'Shea Jackson Jr.as Dan Pinto Ingrid's landlord, but almost becomes her best friend and caretaker. I only have seen him once as Ice Cube in Straight Outta Compton, then he disappeared for awhile, here he took a nice, sweet role and you really fall in love with him. He pulls it off...which is tough because at times he has to be tough on Ingrid
Negatives:
-It is a big negative. Yes there are some funny moments...however the film is a hard watch. Watching someone who clearly has some mental illness...is very awkward. Then throw in the treatment to her... Is the only option of the people around her to be mean? Again hard watch.
Yes, this is very well acted by Plaza and Jackson Jr., however that awkwardness has me giving Ingrid Goes West 2 out of 5 stars. It is uncomfortable, throughout much of the film. I understand the point but.....just too awkward.
THE GLASS CASTLE
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
Screenplay by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Lanham
Based on the book by Jeannette Walls
Starring Brie Larson; Woody Harrelson; Naomi Watts; and Ella Anderson
The Glass Castle follows The Walls family...mainly the children growing up in with eccentric parents Rex (Harrelson) and Rose Mary (Watts).
We see the film through the eyes of Jeanette (Larson), as she looks back at her strange childhood.
Now, I know a lot of people who read the Walls book were upset because this film took some heart of the story. I did not read the book so luckily I have no basis ...soooo.... I really liked this film.
Positives:
-The screenplay is really good. The film runs over two hours and it flies by. There are so many dynamics to this family, it is a train wreck you cannot stop watching. There is some joy, but it has an umbrella of sadness. There is clearly mental illness here and alcohol disease at play. Also mental abuse and physical. It sounds like it would be hard to watch and sometimes it is....but what make it work is....
-The Acting!! Larson with another fine performance. You see her acting often without talking. She is carrying years of hurt and embarrassment with her into her adult life.
Harrelson as Rex is relentless. I can't tell if this is good acting or good casting. Come to think about it with Woody, it may be the same thought for all his parts lol!!!!!!!
Lets not forget Ella Anderson and Chandler Head as the young Jeanette at different ages. These young girls are playing roles that are really mature roles. They pull it off (note they were both in the film The Boss)!!
Are there any negatives?
Yes.
-As noted before, this is a difficult watch. Rex is abusive!! Then things get wrapped up in a nice neat ball of string; I heard in the book...maybe not so much. It did seem a little odd. It is nice at the end to see the family smile..if that is something.
Well...a true story...about a family with secrets, and the weight of your past that you carry with you. 4 out of 5 stars. This shocked me. I got a pass and thought...well I will go watch I have nothing better to do...and I really liked it. An interesting story and well acted.
From the shadows as always thanks for your time.
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