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What Makes a Character? Ft. Encanto

2/25/2022

by Aaron Argot

The cornerstone of every story - film, television show, book, has to be its characters. They are the instruments that move the story along. One of my favorite things to do is ask people who their favorite characters are in a movie or tv show. Not surprisingly, a lot of the time we have different answers. People are going to have different preferences, and how good a character is can be subjective. But how much of it is subjectivity? There are clear ways to tell if a character is stronger than another. The most basic example is that the main character is likely to be preferred to that bartender that doesn’t even have a name in the script. There are a number of “categories” that can be looked at to see how some characters might be preferred over others. Each of these categories are more objective by themselves and it is the blending of them in a character is what can make characters stand out. Encanto (Byron Howard, Jared Bush, 2021), with its large and diverse cast makes it the perfect example.

The first category, and also the one which holds the most weight, is depth. This is basically all of the information about a character that impacts the story. Character elements that this includes are things like a character’s backstory, and important details about that character, such as Mirabel’s exclusion of a magical gift, that proves itself a hardship for her to deal with, or Bruno’s reputation of making bad things happen. Oftentimes, the more screen time (or word count) a character has, the more fleshed out they will become and are more likely to stand out as a character than those with less, although this is in no way a fixed rule. The depth of a character changes as the media goes along, and is why we can go from hating a character to loving them. This is shown chiefly through Abuela and Isabella, who are generally disliked by the audience and grow to become liked by the audience. That change that was able to happen through the use of development and revelation is what made them stronger characters. However, that is just one example, villain characters and other characters that the story has us dislike can be stronger characters than most. Character depth is the most objective aspect when looking at whether a character is notable. Characters in Encanto who have lots of depth include Mirabel, Abuela, Bruno, and Isabella.

The next category which might be equally as important for people when choosing who their favorite character is as depth, is personality. A character having a strong personality does hold a lot of merit for the likeability of that character. And there is something to say about strong personalities and the objectivity of a character's importance and presence in a story. Someone’s personality affects how they act,and character’s decisions often correlate to their depth. But even if a character just has a strong personality or just one that is likable, then that character can be called good. This varies from person to person and is less concrete and measurable, but from person to person, a character’s personality can be worth more than the depth of other characters and propel them to the rank of that person’s favorite. Even though personality is mostly subjective, I think that Pepa’s side of the family has a lot of personality. Pepa herself is vulnerable to mood swings, Félix is affectionate and uplifting, Dolores is more mellow and makes little squeaks when she’s talking, Camilo is funny and passionate, and Antonio is understanding and sometimes sarcastic. Personality can add to the atmosphere of a story and ultimately make it better, so it does play an objective role.

The last category is likely the most subjective, and that is the aesthetic of a character. This includes different aspects about their identity and their appearance. This is one of the reasons it is good to have a diverse cast, so that the story does not end up being stale, and there ends up being a variety of characters people can prefer or identify with. In Encanto, there is a diverse range of ages, skin colors, and other aspects of their appearance. But there is another thing that is similar to aesthetics that is mostly not linked with appearance, and that is abilities. Some people like Batman over Superman for no greater reason than the skill set. Of course, oftentimes there is greater meaning connected to it, like sometimes someone will like Luisa because she is strong and that’s cool. But some might like Luisa because she is strong and helps her community and due to that has an overwhelming sense of pressure put on her. So while there definitely is a surface level of preference, there are also underlying reasons for liking some abilities over others.
Every good story has good characters. Most people have different preferences in which characters they like. The different aspects of a character, such as their depth, personality, and overall aesthetics, are what guide people to those preferences. When there are usually general similarities in which characters most people like, there is a case to be made for certain characters to be objectively better in the story. And while popularity is not the strongest or most objective metric, examining those character aspects helps to uncover why someone might like one character over another.

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Death on the Nile: A Review

2/18/2022

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by Emma Zeller

Due to the constant push back caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, along with certain controversies that involved some of the cast, Death on the Nile (2022) was not as highly anticipated as some may have hoped. The murder mystery is a sequel to the 2017 film The Murder on the Orient Express, both directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh. The 2017 film was lackluster and forgettable which clouded my view going into this film, but after seeing it I was pleasantly surprised.

Gal Gadot and Armie Hammer character’s wedding scene

Death on the Nile is based on a novel by the same name written by Agatha Christie and has been adapted to screen a few times before. The film follows detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) as he investigates the death of Linnet Ridgeway, (Gal Gadot) After she is murdered while on her honeymoon with her new husband Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer). Other family and friends join them during their celebrations. The actual murder does not happen until later into the film, giving the audience time to connect with Linnet and the other characters. However, while time is given to connect with some characters many just appear in the movie to fill empty space. At times it seems like we are supposed to care about these filler characters and believe they serve a bigger purpose than they actually end up serving. The film’s ending was pleasantly predictable. From the beginning I was able to figure out who was going to get murdered and hwo had done it. Even though I predicted it, I was able to enjoy the process of Poirot piecing the story together. My only compliant was how long it took for the murder to actually occur. It seemed like they were just trying to drag out the run time for this film.

Gal Gadot and Armie Hammer’s scene

Kenneth Branagh’s performance was memorable and took my focus the whole film. Gal Gadot is very talented and was not given a lot to work with, but I believe she did the best she could with what she was given. The framing was the best part of the whole film. It was able to turn a simple shot of the newlyweds talking into a beautiful sequence. The editing and special effects did take away from the suspense of the film. A major factor was the location of the Nile and Egypt, it felt cheap and like they took the easy way out. The CGI was used frequently to provide wide shots that were unnecessary. Granted, there were points in the film that it was helpful to distinguish the location, but it soon became rather redundant.

Kenneth Branagh starring sequence

The film was predictable and could have had better editing. The CGI took my attention away from the story. The excellent camera work and framing could not make up for the poor ending. For as long as it took for the murder to actually occur, we deserved a better constructed ending. Besides all the technical aspects and the poor ending, the writing was enjoyable and I do recommend if you enjoy mysteries with a good heart to the story.

Gal Gadot's Entrance

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The Mitchells vs. The Machines - A Review

2/18/2022

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by Joel Cowart

“We all want to be the perfect family, but who’s perfect, right? Every family has its challenges, from picture day to picky eaters. For my family, our greatest challenge is… probably the machine apocalypse.”
The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021) is an sci-fi action comedy animated film about family, mending relationships, and the consequences of relying too much on technology. Katie Mitchell (voiced by Abbi Jacobson) is ready to leave her family and finally meet “her people” across the country at film school. While she loves her family, in recent years they seem to have lost touch. Desperate to repair the rift that has grown between them before Katie leaves home, her father, Rick (voiced by Danny McBride), takes drastic measures, canceling all of Katie’s travel plans and devising a family cross country road trip to take her to school in their burnt orange 1993 station wagon. Katie is outraged by this, but has no choice but to go along with it.

The Mitchell family and their dog Monchi

Although their journey has a very rocky start, Katie begins to have a fun time with her family, making a film of their adventures along the way. During their trip, however, unbeknownst to the Mitchells, trouble is brewing. New AI robots created by big tech CEO Mark Bowman begin taking over the world, led by a sentient smartphone who feels betrayed at being replaced by said robots. Their objective: Capture all humans and send them into space where they can no longer ruin each other’s lives. Left as the sole survivors of the AI apocalypse by chance, the Mitchells hatch a plan to destroy the robots and save humanity with two good “humanized” robots they were able to save. However, Plan A doesn’t work out and saving the world is much harder than they could ever have imagined.

The Mitchells and Co stare at a menacing object

The Mitchells vs The Machines blends together the plots of family drama and the AI apocalypse surprisingly well. The goal of the robots is to remove relationships from the world, as they are hard, hurtful, and prevent people from reaching their full potential. Contrasting this ideal is the Mitchell family: full of flaws and seemingly broken beyond repair. Amidst the AI apocalypse, the Mitchells grow as a family. As the film progresses, more is revealed about Rick and why he is so averse towards Katie going to film school. Every character (including some of the robots) is inspired and changed along with the Mitchells. Although they are a quirky, fragmented family, the Mitchells begin to accept each other for who they are amidst their flaws. This is one of the most heartfelt films I have ever watched as well as one of the most comical.

The Mitchells exit an exploding mall complex Kill Bill style

The comedy in this film is on point. At first, I didn’t think I would like the occasionally awkward, early 2010s type of comedy, however, it was executed so well that I couldn’t help but continually laugh out loud. The comedic timing is near perfect, not to mention the thought that went into the editing that enhanced it. Its satire of modern tech culture is relatable and ridiculous, highlighting the habits and flaws that have arisen from using or relying on technology. Overall, this is one of the funniest films I have ever seen, and although it was occasionally a bit awkward, I loved it all the same.

An average dinner at the Mitchell household

The aspect of The Mitchells vs The Machines that really sells both its sincere profundity and its hilarious comedy is its unique animation. The animation was done by the same studio and some of the same staff members as Spiderman: Into the Spider-verse, a film known for its groundbreaking animation. The animation of The Mitchells vs The Machines goes beyond its predecessor with perhaps less visually stunning animation, but much more technically impressive and thematically intentional animation. Whereas Into the Spiderverse based its animation off of the pages of comic books, the animation of The Mitchells vs the Machines was built to emphasize human imperfections in an artistic way. The entire film was made to look hand drawn, using organic shapes, hand drawn lines, and watercolor textures. Much of this was done by overlaying paintings and drawings over the base 3DCG layer of the film. Adding 2D artistic flares that emphasize Katie’s emotions on top of every other layer emphasized this theme ever more, as well as created additional comedic moments. Every part of this film intentionally supports its theme so beautifully that one can not help but be in awe.
(More on the Animation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ42ruf2WQE)

Katie Mitchell’s explosive imagination

While most “family movies” have the somewhat negative connotation of being a “children’s movie,” The Mitchells vs the Machines is truly a film for the whole family. No matter who you are, you can relate to what at least one of the characters are going through. Although the film can be understood by and entertain children and teens, this film truly shines in its sophisticated themes and mature subtexts. Add this to some great classic film references, and this film becomes the perfect film for any person of any age. With the 2022 Oscars coming up, I was excited to see The Mitchells vs the Machines nominated for best animated picture. Due to its entertaining yet mature nature, as well as being one of my favorite films of all time, I truly hope it wins this year.

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No Time to Die: A Review

2/4/2022

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by Reed Milliken

Cary Joji Fukunaga’s No Time to Die is the perfect bookend to the Daniel Craig James Bond era. I wouldn’t have labeled myself as a fan of the James Bond character before seeing No Time to Die, but despite that, I was still interested in seeing the new release. I rewatched all of the prior Daniel Craig installments in preparation, and I’m glad I did. I was instantly made aware as to why this franchise had such a following, and No Time to Die only fueled my newfound love for the films. The film not only served as a proper end to Daniel Craig’s take on the character, but it was also just a high-octane thriller that is just as exhilarating as it is poignant. If you’re a fan of action movies, the Daniel Craig James Bond movies, or any of the James Bond movies for that matter, you’re going to love No Time to Die.

The following review contains spoilers for No Time to Die (Cary Joji Fukunaga, 2021), as well as the other films from Daniel Craig’s run as James Bond; Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006), Quantum of Solace (Marc Forster, 2008), Skyfall (Sam Mendes, 2012), and Spectre (Sam Mendes, 2015). Reader discretion is advised.
Stepping out of the theater, I was a little overwhelmed. With a runtime of over two and a half hours, there was a lot to unpack. I can confidently say that rewatching all of the Daniel Craig James Bond movies prior to your viewing is the best way to go into this movie. The plot of each movie heavily references the ones before it and the people who accompanied me to the theater who hadn't seen the prior four found themselves lost.
One of my favorite hidden details of the movie is that I could tell that director Cary Joji Fukunaga was clearly a fan of some of the older Bond movies. The main villain of No Time to Die, Safin, owns an elaborate secret base set on a private island and employs a bunch of henchmen that wear matching clothes. I originally criticized the film for being too cartoony, but I soon realized that these features make the film very reminiscent of two of the more iconic James Bond films Dr. No (1962) and You Only Live Twice (1967), starring Sean Connery. Furthermore, a majority of the characters in No Time to Die are prone to quippy one-liners, one of the more iconic and memorable features found in the Connery era of James Bond. These features did admittedly feel a little out of place considering none of the other Daniel Craig movies used these tropes, but they were too much fun to feel negative towards.

Director Cary Joji Fukunaga behind the scenes with Daniel Craig

After looking through others’ reviews of No Time to Die, my biggest complaint of the movie seems to be a common one; not enough Ana De Armas. Her character, Paloma, was a charming and entertaining way to kick off the movie and was easily my favorite character apart from Bond. The two’s chemistry together was phenomenal, something I wasn’t exactly surprised to see after Daniel Craig and Ana De Armas’ work together in Knives Out (2019), therefore I would have loved to see her stick around as a main character throughout the film, rather than just the 10 minutes she got. Her absence in the remainder of the runtime was a letdown, but considering this is my biggest critique of the movie, I’m very happy with what we got.

Daniel Craig and Ana De Armas during Armas' first scene

Ana De Armas’ character was not the only one I enjoyed. Felix Leiter, a repeating character from throughout the franchise who was mainly business-oriented, is now featured as a fun-loving, quirky companion to Bond. I enjoyed seeing this side of Felix, as it finally felt like Felix’s character was done justice, and I don’t think his death would have hit me as hard as it did if it weren’t for these minor changes. As for the other characters, M worked for me all but once where his macho came off more comedic than stern, Moneypenny had a fun line about shooting Bond, Nomi did exactly what her character was supposed to and frustrated me from start to finish, and Q came out as gay which was a nice way to show inclusion without feeling too forced.
Lyutsifer Safin, Rami Malek’s villain character, worked well for me too. Having Safin be the man that invaded Madeline Swann’s house as a child, a backstory that was given one movie prior in Spectre (2015), was not only a neat tie-in to a prior installment but also just worked really well from a plot standpoint. However, Safin as a character began to crumble as the movie continued. There is a scene in the third act where Bond's daughter bites Safin's finger and Safin just lets her run away. It didn’t make sense for Safin to do this, as he was, up until this point, shown to be ruthless towards all things James Bond, so it just came off as lazy writing. Safin was by no means my favorite Bond villain (looking at you Javiar Bardem), but I do like that he got his revenge on Madeline by killing Bond. Bond’s death gave Safin a happier ending than he did which was an odd choice but not one that I entirely disagree with.

Rami Malek's villain character Lyutsifer Safin

Speaking of, I love Daniel Craig's Bond, he really is the perfect cast. He can play the stern and intimidating, but switch it up to playful and flirtatious at the flip of a switch. I felt like his character changed a little bit with each movie, but at least he ended on a high note. I'm still a little unsure how I feel about the nature of his death, but despite that, it still hit me like a ton of bricks. It is probably the most emotional I've gotten in a movie theater, especially after watching the other four so soon before my viewing. My only issue is how long those missiles took to reach the island. There were at least 10 minutes of runtime between the launch and the impact, giving Bond plenty of time to die which is funny considering the title.
I liked the story. It wasn't perfect, for example killing off Spectre and Blofield, the big overarching villains from the entire franchise so unceremoniously was frustrating, but besides that, it was all pretty decent. I wish the main disease used in the movie didn't parallel so much with COVID, but the movie was filmed before the pandemic so I won't be too harsh about that. It is, however, very interesting how that not only happened to line up but that the studio decided to keep it in too. I know that parallels to COVID have scared movie studios in the past, I think Locked Down (2021) set a good example moving forward for how audiences want Hollywood to treat the pandemic. Locked Down is a movie about a heist that takes place during COVID that performed poorly at the box office presumably because people wanted to escape from the virus, not consume more content about it. One instance of a studio changing their work to avoid parallels to COVID was Marvel Studios’ The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021). The show had a subplot involving a viral disease and was reshot to work around it. I respect No Time to Die for not trying to rush and change the plot last minute, as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier didn’t exactly turn out amazing. However, parallels or not, I just wish they hadn't included the prefix "nano-" in the virus description. It’s such a cliché name for a MacGuffin and felt very out of place here.

One of the more memorable shots of Daniel Craig's James Bond

In the end, No Time to Die was a fitting end to the Craig era. Moving forward, I am excited to both go back and rewatch the old ones, as well as see who Eon has in store for us next. If you have followed the Daniel Craig movies thus far, and enjoy movies like the Mission: Impossible franchise or the Jason Bourne franchise, this movie is a must-see. It’s an amazing action movie even on its own, I just suggest you watch it with someone who’s a little more knowledgeable on the franchise so you’re not completely lost.

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Licorice Pizza: A Review

1/28/2022

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by Mason Leaver

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.

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.

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.

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A Leap From Expectations- Spiderman: No Way Home

1/21/2022

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by Samantha Shuma

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.

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.

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.

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.

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The Editing Style of Edgar Wright

12/30/2021

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by Joel Cowart

Up until watching the film Hot Fuzz (2007), I believed that the editing style and techniques used in a film were largely determined by the editor of the film. However, upon watching this particular film, directed by Edgar Wright, I realized that the director has a profound impact on the editing of a film. When a director has a clear vision for how they want the editing to affect the mood of a film, the film is greatly enhanced. Wright is one example of such a director, which is evident in the numerous films he has written and directed in the past 20 years, including Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010), The World’s End (2013), Baby Driver (2017), and most recently Last Night in Soho (2021).
The main editing techniques that define Wright’s genre-breaking films are dramatic, jarring, often comedic cuts as well as interesting and unique transitions between shots. In addition to this, he is also meticulous in editing pre-production, that is, in storyboarding everything. This style of editing developed from his early days of filmmaking. At the start of his career, Wright didn’t have enough coverage for his film Dead Right (1993), and, as a consequence he didn’t have many choices when it came to editing (Edgar). In order to combat this problem and keep his films interesting, he had to use quick cuts and creative transitions, techniques that he continues to use and have become a defining characteristic of his films today.

Wright’s animated storyboard compared to the shot used in The World’s End (2013)

In addition to his initial filmmaking blunders leading to one of his greatest trademarks, Wright also learned the importance of pre-production editing, more commonly known as storyboarding. Wright uses his storyboards to jump start the editing process, animating them before shooting, which is not unique to him as a director, but is necessary for his vision of how he wants the editing to impact the film. In order for all his cuts and transitions to hit at the right time, he edits these animations, which includes dynamic shots and effects, to plan out the timing of each shot as well as the major movements in the shot, which is important, as almost everything, both performances and cuts, is in time with music. This is nowhere more apparent than in his film Baby Driver.

Paul Machliss at his editing cart on set of Baby Driver (2017)

Baby Driver follows a young getaway driver named Baby (played by Ansel Elgort) with tinnitus who constantly plays music to drown out the ringing in his ears. It is this music that drives the film. Everything, from characters walking to camera movements to car chases to gunshots, every detail, no matter how small, is timed to Baby’s soundtrack. This was achieved through editing on site as production was going on. After each shot, Wright would check with Paul Machliss, the editor of the film, to make sure it fit with the music as seen in the animated storyboards. Machliss, who brought with him a mobile editing cart to be able to keep up with the quick pace of the production, would immediately put the shot into the edit to make sure all the visual beats matched with the music. This mesh of music and visuals brings the viewer into the film and gives them a sense of awe. Through his precise style of storyboarding and editing, Wright works with the editors and crew of his films to create beautiful, driven pieces of art.

Edgar Wright (Left) working with Ansel Elgort (Right)

In addition to making his films more visually stunning and compelling, Wright’s editing style is also versatile. Whether the genre of a film is a rom-com set during a zombie apocalypse, a satirical mystery thriller, or a time-travelling horror commentary, Wright’s use of editing accentuates the strong points of that genre. For instance, Hot Fuzz follows a serious London beat cop sent to a small town where almost nothing goes wrong. At first, Wright’s signature jarring cuts seem almost out of place, as there is no notable action in the first half of the film. However, upon re-watching the film, I realized the brilliance of this choice. Hot Fuzz is a satire, not of some problem in society, as one would expect from a satire, but of the modern action film genre itself. As small town cops are chasing down petty criminals down small town roads, Wright uses his quick cuts and transitions, similar to those seen in almost all action films today, to parody the fictitious nature of action films which makes the film all the more hilarious.

Nicholas Angel (played by Simon Pegg) and Danny Butterman (played by Nick Frost) track down a criminal with a goose in tow in Hot Fuzz (2007)

This is the main reason the works of Edgar Wright are so brilliant. Film is a form of art, not just a means of telling a story or sharing a message, and Wright understands that. He uses film to tell a story, instead of simply telling that story through film. All of his edits and shots have a purpose. In many of his films, comedy fills that purpose, as he uses the full extent of cinematography and editing to create comedic content. Instead of simply putting characters in comedic situations or relying on witty banter to make his films comedic as many modern comedy films do, he chooses the look and feel of each shot and cut to make those choices in and of themselves as funny as they can be. The framing or focus of a shot, jump cuts, and camera pans can be hilarious when used to their full advantage, something Wright does magnificently.
In today’s filmmaking world, many filmmakers do not have a specific vision for how they want the editing of their film to add to the feel or mood of the film as a whole. In contrast, Edgar Wright takes the time to plan out every cut and transition in his film in order that each one adds to a theme or a mood he wants the film to portray. Wright uses the medium of film to its full advantage, creating some of the most innovative, entertaining, and beautiful films in modern cinema, something I hope to see more filmmakers utilize in the future.

Works Cited
“Edgar Wright on How He Writes and Directs His Movies | The Director's Chair.” YouTube, uploaded by StudioBinder, 7 December 2020, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fa_lP82gAZY

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I'm Thinking of Ending Things: Analysis

12/17/2021

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by Sebastian Tow

Director Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a film that will leave some viewers feeling like they experienced a bad acid trip. Others may be unsatisfied, even angry after sitting through two hours of confusing pseudo-thriller cinematography and countless plot derailments. Others may try to theorize about what it all meant, but the unifying feeling among every viewer will be one of perplexment.

The film begins with a long ride through a snowstorm. In the car is a young woman named Lucy (Jessie Buckley) riding with her boyfriend Jake (Jesse Plemons) on their way to meet his parents. The film mainly follows Lucy and Jake’s narrative, but it cuts back and forth between seemingly unrelated scenes of an old janitor. First he is in his home, eating breakfast, watching TV, and getting ready, but for the majority of the film his scenes take place in the highschool where he works. The film’s structure continues in four discernable parts, each part descending further into plotlessness and consequent confusion. After arriving at the parents house, an uncomfortable dinner occurs between the couple and the parents, constituting the second part. After the couple leaves, they stop for ice cream, even though they are in a blizzard. After driving further, they stop to dispose of the ice cream in the parking lot of a highschool. The couple shares a moment outside of the car in the snow, and when Jake sees a man inside the building spying on them - the janitor - he goes in to confront him. This is the bridge to the fourth part of the film, the denouement, when Lucy goes in after him, and the plot following her breaks down completely, ending in a series of surrealist scenes centered around Jake and the janitor. This is a vastly simplified summary, since the complexity of signs and metaphors contained within the movie is immense.

The general verdict on the meaning of the film is that it is only a portrait of the inner workings of Jake’s mind, that all the symbols of the film are merely extensions of a distorted and lonely male psyche. But I think that this interpretation leaves out a secondary orientation at work in the film, the orientation of Lucy. We see the film through Lucy's eyes, and as she realizes that she is really just a projection of Jake's mental space, we do as well. I’m Thinking of Ending Things could be read as a more elaborate version of the standard Hitchcockian story of a woman who intrudes into the psychological world of the male protagonist, as in Psycho and The Birds. Lucy enters into the psychic space of Jake as it were, materialized by the parent’s house.

The basement symbolizes his subconscious, or his Id, just as the format of Norman Bates house in Psycho. At a closer examination, Jake’s parents house is akin to the Bates’ house as the representation of the three Freudian levels of the psyche often portrayed implicitly in films: the Superego, the Ego, and the Id. The Superego being the upstairs where the parents reside, their presence acting as a force detached from Jake, and the Ego being the middle floor of (somewhat) normal appearances. The parallel is clear when Jake attempts to stop Lucy from going into the basement. Like in Psycho, when Marion finds Norman’s mother’s corpse in the fruit cellar, once Lucy finally goes down to the basement she finds janitor uniforms in the washing machine. This symbolic object is what Jake tries to hide from her, tries to stop her from finding. It is the traumatic object that holds the key link between Jake and the janitor, who are two sides of the same coin. The basement, a mix of Jake’s Id and subconscious drives, is the reservoir of repressed symbols.

There are constant binary symbols that connect along the timeline of film, symbols that act as the central metaphors for Jake and the janitor’s subjectivity. For example, Lucy recites a poem of her own composition for Jake during the car ride at the beginning of the film. Later on, she finds a book of poetry in Jake’s childhood bedroom that contains the same poem, making her, and the viewer, unsure of whether she is just a figment of Jake’s mental space. Jake’s parents seem to age during the dinner, and at the end of the film Jake stands on stage in front of an audience of everyone he knows, all wearing highschool level production age makeup. This bears reference to the highschool production of Oklahoma that is referenced throughout the film. One of Oklahoma’s central characters is Jud, the dumb, disliked outsider who fails to win the affection of the heroine. The janitor has consistent fantasies about the musical, and Jake sings Jud’s depressing solo about failed dreams in the last sequence of the film, when he’s up on stage caked in age makeup. In the janitor’s last scene, he walks naked down the highschool halls following an animated pig filled with maggots, making reference to the earlier scene when Jake explains to Lucy that maggots ate his parent’s pigs alive. All these connected signifiers point to Jake and the janitor's feeling of being the lonely outsider, and this is the central concept aimed at by the film.

What if we are to invert this and orient towards the meaning of the film through Lucy’s eyes? The obvious question of what is reality and what is not is not so important. Once it is understood that all the events of the film take place in the fantasy space of (Jake and) the janitor, what is interesting is to see how this is symbolized. Despite the whole landscape of the film residing in the mind of Jake/the janitor, it is nonetheless explored through our gaze via Lucy. Lucy is both a symptom of Jake/the janitor’s psyche, and the intruder in it. She is the object cause of Jake/the janitor’s desire, and yet she is autonomous of them, and the schizophrenic finale represents this deadlock in Jake/the janitor’s relation to Lucy as the signifier of a lack of love. From Lucy’s point of view, Jake and the janitor’s inadequacy and loneliness is a projection of Lucy’s low opinion of her boyfriend, and doubt about his personality. In this way, Jake’s attempts to cover up his inadequacies and Lucy’s persistence at finding them constitute the psychoanalytic notion of ‘the abyss of the other’, the unbridgeable gap between the psyches of two people. So while ‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things’ signifies the janitor’s breakdown towards death in the end, and ultimately his and Jake’s despairing loneliness, ‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things’ to Lucy signifies her doubt about her relationship, and ultimately the irreparable gap between the desires of two people. Lucy is the perspective central to our experience of the film, but external to the meaning of it. She is the ex-timate core of the film, both within and without the central semantics of the film’s structure; this can be seen clearly by reading the cinematography closely. The disorienting form of the film is paradoxically reliant on the oscillation between Jake/the janitor’s and Lucy’s perspectives, leaving I’m Thinking of Ending Things open for a plethora of interpretations.

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Demon Slayer Movie Review

12/10/2021

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by Aaron Argot

Spoiler Warning for Demon Slayer: Kimestu no Yaiba: The Movie: Mugen Train.
Trigger Warning: Depictions of suicide.

Demon Slayer: Kimestu no Yaiba: The Movie: Mugen Train (Haruo Sotozaki, 2020), which will be shortened to Mugen Train for all intents and purposes, is a film filled with action and emotion, great story elements and themes, and beautiful animation and sound direction. This Japanese film, at least visually, supports my belief that animated films carry the most freedom and potential to be the best that they can be. The story is set in Japan at the turn of the 20th century, in a fantasy world with a population of demons lurking in the shadows. Demons are former humans who feast on humans to get stronger. They all have the power to regenerate, and some possess a wide array of supernatural abilities. It is the job of the Demon Slayer Corp to ensure the safety of humanity by destroying demons through the use of decapitation or sunlight.
Mugen Train follows the main cast of Tanjiro, his sister Nezuko (who has turned into a demon, but is docile), Zenitsu, and Inosuke, as they join the Flame Hashira (one of the most powerful Demon Slayers) Kyojuro Rengoku on the Mugen train to investigate and hopefully stop demon attacks that leave people missing. Despite following mainly Tanjiro, this film is about Rengoku. If you had seen the series beforehand, which is definitely recommended, you actually do not know that much about Rengoku, and his character is explored in the film. Also if you have not seen the series and go into the film blind, the first 15 minutes of the film give audiences a pretty clear view of each major character as well as the world they live in, and is done in a way not to make the viewer who has done their homework bored. As the film progresses you do get to learn deeper aspects of characters.

One of the things that I appreciate about this film is that it takes place almost entirely on the train. But, it still manages to have diverse locations so it doesn’t get stale. There is a long sequence at the end of the film that takes place off of the train and right next to it. The train also shifts halfway through the film to where it looks completely different. The main villain of the film, ends up putting the protagonists to sleep early on in the film, so a major part of the film are the dream sequences. Speaking of the dream sequences, they serve as great insights into various characters through backstory elements and/or symbolism. In Rengoku’s dream he relives a memory that gives important information into how he is as a character. We also get to see everyone’s “Realm of the Subconscious”, which is like a window into a person’s soul. Rengoku’s realm is filled with essentially fire and brimstone, while Tanjiro’s is filled with water which one can walk on and a bright blue sky with puffy clouds. I love the subtle and stylized nature of things like this, as it takes “a picture is worth a thousand words” to the next step.
A lot of emotion comes out in Tanjiro’s actual dream sequence, where he gets to be reunited with his family, who all had died at the beginning of the series. While this is another great way to fill in first time viewers of the main character’s past, it also serves as a great character moment as Tanjiro starts to come to his senses. The internal struggle he faces when he eventually realizes he is in a dream and has to leave his family behind again is a highlight of the film. Another interesting and particularly heavy note, which also highlights Tanjiro’s character is the way to forcefully exit the dream, which is to die or essentially commit suicide. Tanjiro slices his neck to get out, and then does it more than once as he has to fight Enmu, the demon that put everyone to sleep. He does it so many times that he has to be saved from accidentally doing it in the real world. Even Enmu admits that it takes incredible mental fortitude and says that Tanjiro is “out of his mind.” Despite what it may look like to some, I do not think that it glorifies suicide and instead does the opposite. To make someone have to kill themselves in order to leave the dream is cruel and incredibly hard, which is why Enmu looks so surprised and exemplifies how motivated Tanjiro can be.

Mugen Train is filled with a lot of spectacular action sequences, and it all ends up being satisfying. Every sword swing or punch is fixated upon and holds weight. This is due to the direction, animation, and sound design. Animation as a genre lends itself really well to having near perfect direction, as you aren’t framing and filming the shots in the real world, which makes it way easier to do what you want to do. The animation of the action is a major part of what makes this film a true work of art. Everything is so beautifully crafted and really takes you into the story and into the world. Even the 3D CGI elements blend well with the 2D elements. The sound design of every hit also makes each impact feel, well, impactful. Paired with the background music that plays throughout the film, this film is an aesthetic masterpiece. During the fight against Enmu is where a lot of the action of the film is. It is where each of the main characters can shine with their attacks and it is also where the animators can shine. However, I feel like every aspect of the film is exemplified in the last and best sequence, the final fight between a new demon who shows up, Akaza, and Rengoku.

This last part of the film takes place after an event that one might think would end the film, with the train getting derailed. But this takes you beyond your expectations by bringing you past the Mugen train so it feels as if it is almost a bonus sequence. However, this makes the whole film. As previously stated, the animation and direction teams can set up shots very precisely. This allows for some of the hardest closeups you can imagine to really get the emotion in a character’s face. This fight has every aspect of the film that I like, only elevated. The deeper battle Rengoku and Akaza are having also makes it that much better. Both combatants are very steadfast in their beliefs. Akaza believes demons to be superior due to their strength and regeneration, while Rengoku believes humanity as well as the fact of death are beautiful things and does not take Akaza up on his offer to become a demon. The fight ends with essentially both of them being proven right, as Akaza basically takes a net zero damage, and Rengoku ends up dying but holds him off long enough for him to have to escape, with zero casualties. The film ends along with Rengoku’s arc as he fulfilled his duty and inspires the next generation. This fight puts the nail in the coffin for why this is a film about Rengoku. With him being the first in the film to make an attack, having a dream sequence that was actually a memory, and seeing as how Mugen Train encapsulates almost all of what we see of Rengoku in the Demon Slayer series. You go into the film not knowing much about the character, to come out of it absolutely loving and missing him.

Mugen Train is a beautiful, fun film with themes of humanity, perseverance, responsibility, and death. It is a fantastic continuation of a great series as well as being incredible as a stand alone film. A lot of things happen that will satisfy both veterans and newcomers to the story. The story and characters are simple yet don’t feel one-note, and everything aesthetically is almost perfect. I would highly recommend watching all of Demon Slayer, but even if you just watch Mugen Train, you will not be disappointed.

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The Power of the Dog: A Review

12/3/2021

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by Mason Leaver

The Power of the Dog is a film that understands the importance of simplicity. The story is straightforward, the cast small, the performances understated - powerful, but not “flashy.” This emphasis on simplicity lends The Power of the Dog a “slow-burn” tone, allowing the drama and tension to build between the four main characters over the entire two hour runtime. It is an adaptation of a book by the same name, and director Jane Campion has delivered a film with a distinctly literary quality. The Power of the Dog is a western which takes its time to focus on the simple and intimate story of a handful of characters, and it’s intensity of focus leaves the audience with a deeply rewarding experience.

Power is the story of four individuals living on a cattle farm in 1920’s Montana. Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George (Jesse Plemons) are brothers, the owners of the cattle ranch. We are given a sense that the brothers were once close friends, but have drifted apart as George has grown more accustomed to a comfortable life and a desire for a family. Phil, meanwhile, is strictly dedicated to the ranching life, and is often very cruel towards others. The film frequently references the story of Remus and Romulus, the brothers from the ancient Roman myth. The brothers’ relationship is further strained when George falls in love with Rose (Kirsten Dunst), who runs a small inn that the brothers stop at. After marrying Rose, George invites her and her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) to stay at his and Phil’s home. Tensions rise as Phil seeks ways to make the lives of Rose and Peter miserable, and as Rose’s mental health begins to decline.

The four central characters of The Power of the Dog

Without much exciting spectacle or action to lean on, The Power of the Dog relies heavily on the performances of its main characters. Thankfully, each actor rises to the occasion. Cumberbatch has played villains in the past, such as his performances in Star Trek: Into Darkness or The Hobbit, but this is the first role I have seen him in where he feels genuinely frightening. The intensity with which Phil hates Rose is detailed subtly in Cumberbatch’s performance. In a similar film such as There Will be Blood, Cumberbatch would be given a scene in which he explodes dramatically in anger. However, in this film, Phil is much more reserved, only shouting occasionally to scare others off. Most of his time spent is subtly manipulating Rose and going out of his way to bully her. Plemons and Dunst (who are married in real life as well as the film) play off of each other remarkably well. Plemons manages to capture a certain kind of melancholy stemming from his utter devotion to Rose. Dunst, meanwhile, demonstrates a different sort of melancholy as she slowly slips into alcoholism and depression.

Besides its performances, the film also has a great deal of artistic merit in its visuals and music. The cinematography of the film is sprawling and vast, featuring beautiful landscapes filmed in New Zealand, passing as Montana. Cinematographer Ari Wegner has an excellent understanding of when to pull the camera wide to show the gorgeous vistas that the characters occupy, and when to punch in for a closeup on an actor’s face that communicates a great deal without ever speaking a word. Much of the interaction between the characters happens in silent gazes and stares, and Wegner captures these movements with precision. Another stand out aspect of the film is the score. Written by Jonny Greenwood (of Radiohead fame), the score builds an atmosphere of dread and tension throughout the film. The music is mainly composed of instrumentation that would be typical in a Western, but Greenwood spins these leitmotifs in such a way that the listener is always just slightly on edge, slightly unsure of what is next.

Benedict Cumberbatch stands in front of the vast New Zealand landscape

The Power of the Dog is a film which shines in every aspect. Beyond its technical mastery of the art form, the film’s pacing allows for a fresh tone not often seen in modern westerns. It’s slow and brooding pace creates a world which feels lived in and real, a sense that the characters that we see are complex individuals. Director Jane Campion has arranged a compelling drama that strikes a balance between visual beauty, nuanced performances, and an intriguing story.

The Power of the Dog is available now on Netflix

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