Cinemablography@gmail.com
Cinemablography
  • Home
  • About
  • Journal
    • Existentialism in Film >
      • The Existential Philosophy of Melancholia
      • The Philosophy of Camus in The Dead Don't Die
      • The Existentialist Subtext of Dear Evan Hansen
      • An Existentialist Reading of "The Turin Horse"
    • A Woman's Perspective: Gender, and Identity in the Romanian New Wave
    • Film Theory Issue 1
    • Film Theory Issue 2
    • Science Fiction
    • Science Fiction Issue 2
    • Pan's Labyrinth
    • Kathryn Bigelow >
      • Opening Scene
      • Supermarket Scene
      • Round Table Discussion
  • Blog
  • Articles by Category
  • Contributors
  • Videographic Essays
  • Our Work
    • Links

Licorice Pizza: A Review

1/28/2022

1 Comment

 
by Mason Leaver
Picture
In the constant delays and release date push-backs caused by the pandemic, there were few movies I was more saddened to see delayed than Paul Thomas Anderson’s highly anticipated Licorice Pizza (2021). On top of this, the film was released in a limited capacity, and wasn’t available in all theaters for some time. However, having seen the film, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, Licorice Pizza is one of my favorite films of the year. On the other hand, the film feels underwhelming, when one considers the titanic career of Paul Thomas Anderson (PTA). While Licorice Pizza is not PTA’s best work, it still makes for a highly entertaining and lighthearted film, introducing two new, promising actors. 
    Licorice Pizza focuses on the story of Alana Kaine (Alana Haim) and Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) growing up in the 1970’s. Gary is an entrepreneurial 15 year old, determined to be a successful actor and businessman. Gary develops a crush on 25 year old Alana after they meet at his high school picture day. The two slowly develop a friendship, and we witness their complicated relationship progress through a series of misadventures. Over the course of the film the pair create several money-making plots, and interact with a host of wild characters played by a variety of celebrity cameos. Indeed, one of the more entertaining aspects of the film are these strange characters that the pair interact with - some dangerous, some downright bizarre. The central tension of the film is this will-they-won’t-they as the pair argue and come together repeatedly. There is not a single narrative through-line; the film features a more episodic structure. All of these elements come together to give the film a sense of adventure, along the lines of a bildungsroman. 

Picture
Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim
One of the most impressive aspects of Licorice Pizza is how PTA has pulled such high quality performances out of two actors who are new to the silver screen. The film features the debut performances of both Haim and Hoffman, and both show great promise for future roles. PTA previously worked with Alana Haim and her sisters in their band, Haim, on several of their music videos. Allana’s sisters, Este and Danielle, also make appearances in the film, as do their parents. Haim’s ability to capture the feeling of being simultaneously frustrated with and charmed by someone is convincing and human. Additionally, Hoffman manages to walk a fine line as he portrays a character who could easily come across as annoying or unlikeable. Indeed, Gary does at times come across as rude, annoying, and chauvinistic, but Hoffman’s portrayal also offers moments of levity and emotional honesty which allow us to relate with the character. Despite the flaws of both characters, the actors portray the couple in such a way that by the end of the film, we are rooting for them. 
    Paul Thomas Anderson is a well known name in the world of film. His films (There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread, Magnolia, among others)  have won countless awards over the years, and he has directed some of my personal favorite films. Across his filmography, Anderson has consistently created films which have deep symbolic meanings and which raise difficult questions. Licorice Pizza feels like a much lighter film by comparison. It does not feature the same provocative symbolism of his previous films, and it does not drive its audiences towards any weighty truths. Instead, the film offers a much lighter approach, favoring a general nostalgic aesthetic and emphasis on themes surrounding the importance of family, friendships, and romance. These themes are explored through Gary, following his journey in a coming of age story. The film never gets too heavy or highbrow, instead taking an approach which favors creating a mood over establishing any deep concepts. Licorice Pizza feels like PTA’s least intellectually stimulating film, yet it is also one of, if not his most, charming film. For these reasons, it seems unlikely that Licorice Pizza will have the same staying power that the rest of PTA’s filmography has enjoyed. 
Picture
Tom Waits makes a cameo in the film
That said, it is not as if Licorice Pizza is a weak film. All of its various aspects - performances, jokes, plot - shine through spectacularly, and it is certainly worth seeing, as it makes for an entertaining two hours. Strangely enough, this film feels almost more in line with some of the work of Wes Anderson, director of films like The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) or the recent The French Dispatch (2021). Some of Wes Anderson’s weaker films have similarly featured heavy use of celebrity cameos, lighthearted romance and adventure, and have ultimately proven to be less memorable and thought provoking than his strongest work. In some parallel world, I could see Licorice Pizza directed by Wes Anderson rather than Paul Thomas Anderson. My hope is that Licorice Pizza proves to be a short detour from Anderson’s usual work, rather than a hint of what is to come. It may be that this film is more of a personal project rather than a defining film for PTA’s career. Despite my concerns over the director’s trajectory, Licorice Pizza still manages to be a highly entertaining film, and its strong performances and endearing characters make it a film worth seeing.
1 Comment

A Leap From Expectations- Spiderman: No Way Home

1/21/2022

1 Comment

 
by Samantha Shuma
Picture
Spiderman: No Way Home (NWH) (Jon Watts, 2021) took the movie industry by storm by being the highest grossing solo superhero movie. Being the newest addition to the ever growing list of superhero movies, it is beating out previous films not only financially, but artistically as well. So many different creative minds have joined together to make a once in a lifetime film, and their talent comes through in every element of the production. The acting, pacing and music tie the film together into an endearing, action packed adventure.  

The review contains spoilers for Spiderman: No Way Home, reader discretion advised.

The film starts as eerie music plays, revealing the disaster left from the previous film, Spiderman: Far From Home (Jon Watts, 2019). For Peter Parker (Tom Holland), his world is turned upside down as his identity as Spiderman becomes public knowledge. Seeing how any association with him has cost his friends their futures, he seeks the help of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to reverse the damage of the world knowing Peter Parker is Spiderman. The spell Strange performs goes awry, propelling those from every universe who know Peter Parker is Spiderman into their own. When these uninvited quests start pouring in from other universes, we can think of who, across infinite universes, knows Spiderman to be Peter Parker. This does come with the later discovery of Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spiderman 1 & 2) and Tobey Maguire (the original Spiderman trilogy), we also get to experience the villains their Spiderman have faced with their own franchises respectively.
Picture
Doc Ock (Alfred Molina) is the first character to appear. His character changes dramatically throughout the film, showing that Doc Ock isn’t evil at heart but rather under the control of a damage chip attaching his robots arms to his brain. There is a dramatic shift between how he acts before and after the chip is fixed. Molina portrays this contrays well, giving the audience hope that a villain can change for the better. Becoming a friend of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, Doc Ock is the first and most well explored redemption arc in the film. Molina’s acting is believable and likable, making his character’s arc satisfying by the film’s end. His performance is one of many that amazed me during the film, others being Willem Dafoe (Green Goblin) and Marisa Tomie (Aunt May).

Strong actors are what make and break a good story. Of course, stellar acting cannot make up for a poorly written script. When it comes to NWH, the story and the pacing works in the actors’ favor and both the acting and story work to create a film that is character focused. By the end of the film, their universe is about to implode as an infinite number of people flood in. With stakes so large, it can be hard for audiences to grasp and relate to the scope of the situation. In many superhero movies, those kinds of stakes remove any emotional tension to be had for its story. NWH manages to show the ‘saving the universe’ plot on a smaller, more relatable scale by focusing more on the relationships and goals between characters.

​
Picture
This is one of the few superhero films in recent memory where the soundtrack plays an integral role. The music in NWH sets the tone and maintains this motif of danger and excitement. As this film does draw from the other live action Spiderman franchises, it is interesting to listen to where the previous Spiderman themes have been tied into this new trilogy. This reincorperation doesn’t overshadow the original music or feel out of place when it is played. This doesn’t only come through composition but also through style. When Electro (Jamie Foxx) is introduced, the techno style music of the film he was previously in (Amazing Spiderman 2) comes forth through some new music. The music choices in Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014, Marc Webb) were generally seen as questionable by fans. This music continued to feel true to the character while also remedying fan concerns.
​
A lot of smart choices have been made when it comes to how previous Spiderman properties would be referenced throughout NWH. This story could have easily been oversaturated with reference humor or exposition dumps in order for old Spiderman fans to enjoy the film while also making the film understandable for those who haven’t watched the other Spiderman trilogies. The balance between appealing to old fans while adapting to new ones is one of this film's unique challenges. Since Tom Holland’s Spiderman has never met these villains before, viewers who haven’t been introduced to these characters will be in the same situation as the film’s main character. While older fans can have a deeper appreciation for these characters and their background, there is no vital information that is missing for those who are watching a Spiderman movie for the first time. From beginning to end, each moment of the film is introduced just enough to be enjoyed by any viewer.

Picture
Seeing how each aspect of the filmmaking process comes together, it is understandable why NWH has become one of the highest grossing superhero movies ever made. Its character focused story brings in characters from different universes as Tom Holland’s Peter Parker helps to redeem old villains who would have died otherwise. His caring heart forces a broken spell to turn into a new beginning for everyone involved. While we are left with what will happen in future films, there is also a great amount of satisfaction for how the villains of this film have been dealt with. This is all underlined with excellent music, making the film immersive and fulfilling as an audience member. NWH hits the mark as a fun action movie and as an artistic endeavor for all the creative minds involved. Whether it’s the music, acting, or story, each element of the production shows their ability to make an exciting, character driven film.
1 Comment

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.