Hey everyone. It's been a while since I've posted. I've been in sort of a funk and haven't been feeling up to writing anything lately but I thought it would do me some good to put some words down. Although I haven't written much in a while, that doesn't mean I haven't seen anything. On the contrary, I've seen quite a lot recently. Instead of doing individual reviews I thought I would just combine them all onto one blog post... think of it as a mega-post (it sounds much cooler). Today I will be reviewing the following: Welcome to Marwen, Vice, Mary Queen of Scots, and If Beale Street Could Talk. Again this post will look slightly different from my usual posts so we'll see how this goes. LET'S GET STARTED.
So I'm going to skip the plot section of the movies to save us all some time and just get down to business (the review).
1. Welcome to Marwen
So I was looking forward to this film. I love Robert Zemeckis as a director. He directed the Back to the Future franchise, Forrest Gump, Cast Away... so the guy has a pretty great reputation. This film didn't quite meet my expectations, that's not to say it was bad, it just wasn't what I was expecting. I thought Steve Carell gave a great, heartbreaking performance and I'm really starting to love him as a dramatic actor. He was very vulnerable and open. He really carried the story and kept me engaged.
The story, however, is where I had some problems. The concept for this film is really neat. A guy who went through a very traumatic experience where he lost all of his memories, creates this world of dolls to cope and communicate. The animation for the doll sequences was really cool and creative. However, the story focused so much on this aspect of the story and didn't spend enough time on Steve's character in the real world. I wanted to know how this event affected him in his real life. We got a glimpse here and there but it was often overshadowed by the doll parts. Don't get me wrong the doll parts were cool, I just didn't expect to spend so much time with them.
One thing I really liked about this film was that the women were the heroes. Steve's character is surrounded by strong, caring women who play a big part in his life. This is reflected in the world he has created in Marwen. All the women from the real world are these soldiers and comrades in the doll world and he sees them as an equal. He really relies on them and you can tell he respects them.
Overall I liked this film but I didn't love it. I would have liked to have spent more time in the real world and the effects of the event play out there. There were also a couple of things that didn't really get explained or felt open-ended.
Overall rating: 5/10
2. Vice
I'm going to be honest with you, this review is going to be short. I did not like this movie at all. It could be because I really have little to no knowledge about politics but I really thought this movie was boring. I was disappointed because this film has some great actors in it such as Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Sam Rockwell. Adam McKay can be a fun director who likes to take risks but the style of this film felt odd for the subject matter. It tried too hard to be a satire and witty that I think the point of the story got lost. I also had no idea what was going on because again I'm a noob when it comes to politics. Also I was only just a kid when all of this was going down.
The one thing I could take away from this film was that Dick Cheney wasn't the kindest man and he was very coercive and secretive. I could also take away that there was not nearly enough Amy Adams but that's my own biased opinion because I just adore her. When she was on screen she was fantastic. I thought Christian Bale did a good job playing Dick Cheney. Honestly, you wouldn't know it was him from just looking at him. He really seemed to disappear into the role, but that's how Bale is as an actor.
If you like politics or have more knowledge than me on the subject (which isn't hard to do) you may enjoy this film. Overall I wasn't a fan and probably won't be watching this it again.
Overall rating: 1/10
3. Mary Queen of Scots
On a different note, I loved this movie. I'm a sucker for anything that has to do with the British monarchy, specifically with Queen Elizabeth I. I knew a bit about this part of history from some light research and watching other films on the topic but this film really dived into the history and this specific story of Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart.
The performances were fantastic in this film especially from the two main actors, Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie. I'll start with Saoirse because she was really the main focus of this story and I just adore her. I'll admit it, I have a huge girl crush on this lady. She's just such a great actress in everything she does and yes I'm still bitter that she didn't win the Oscar for her performance in Lady Bird. This performance is no different. In interviews she said that she has been cast in this role for years and that she is very passionate about this story. That comes through in her performance. I could tell she really loves this story and this part of history and wanted to get it right. She plays this strong, kind-hearted character who often gets wronged but continues to hold her head high. She has these great moments of strength but she also has such a vulnerability to her character.
Queen Elizabeth I has been covered so much and there are so many iterations of her that you don't really quite know what to expect when another actor inhabits this role. One of my favorite performances of this role is Cate Blanchett's in Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Margot Robbie's performance is right up there with Cate's. I thought Margot did such a great job and really captured her persona. Her interactions with the other characters were great but when she was alone was where I though she really shined. She showed the frustration and loneliness that comes with this job. Sure she's surrounded by people at all times but she doesn't always feel that way and that really shined in Margot's performance. You could see her hidden strength and determination shine through in her interactions with others and when she was alone.
Now this movie may not be for everyone. It can be slow-paced at times but if you're a history lover (specifically of this topic and era) like me than I think you'll really enjoy this film. It has two stellar performances from two of our great younger actors. I didn't know about everything in this film but I really enjoyed learning about it and seeing how it affected both Mary and Elizabeth and their relationship with one another.
Overall rating: 8/10
4. If Beale Street Could Talk
I really enjoyed this film. Although its pacing was slow at times the performances in this film were really great. They carried the movie. The two main performances from Stephan James and KiKi Layne were honestly so great and I hope to see them in more things. This film was very character driven as in not much action happened, the dialogue moved the film along. I personally really like character driven stories because I think it allows actors to shine and really dive deep into their characters. This film and these actors did just that and I thought they told a powerful, interesting story.
The cinematography for this film really stood out to me. It was beautifully shot and I could tell a lot of time and thought went into each and every shot which made me appreciate the film even more. I also really enjoyed the music they chose for this film. I thought it really captured the time they were in and the story they were trying to tell. This film felt small and intimate which can be a refreshing change to the big budget superhero flicks. My thoughts are if you have a great story to tell, you don't need all the flash and lights, you just need good actors, a good director, and a good script. This film had all those components and utilized them well.
Again this movie could be slow-paced at times but overall I thought it was a very interesting and compelling story about two young people in love who were going through a hardship. The two main actors both felt genuine and real which is what is needed for a story like this. It has to feel real and lived in to work. I think Barry Jenkins is a really thoughtful director and I look forward to his future films.
Overall rating: 7/10
Well there ya have it folks! My mega-post of four reviews in one. I hope you enjoyed this blog even though it was different from my others. I'll get back to my regularly styled blog soon. Keep your eyes peeled for my top movies of 2018 list. I'm trying to get caught up on all the great films that came out this year before I finalize the list so be patient with me! I hope you venture out of your comfort zone and see some of these films you may have overlooked before. Sometimes it's a hit, sometimes it's a miss but I always enjoy myself on the journey.
As always thanks so much for taking the time to read this. Please leave me a comment or suggestion and tell your friends! Until next time!
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