I don't think anyone was as surprised about how amazing "The Lego Movie" was more than me, especially by its plot, animation, imagination and its twist that makes the film timeless. And while its sequel "The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part," picks up right where it left off, something about it didn't feel quite right that I couldn't put my finger on. The film is certainly just as bright and colorful as its predecessor, still taking full advantage of everything being made of those tiny bricks, and it's even more self-aware than the first film, especially when it comes to Batman and Chris Pratt's career. The plot is more of what you'd expect, trying to emmulate the creativity that the first film started, while the expected twist does add another family friendly layer that seems a bit biased against the narrator. But I think what was missing is the "wow" factor that the first film had in abundance. No one expected a movie trying to sell legos would be any good, let alone one of the best animated movies in the last ten years, but "The Lego Movie" had a scale and scope that no would could have expected, all while remaining humble and self-aware. Now that there have been three other lego movies, the punch and flavor are still there but has worn out. This is far from a bad movie, but it's just what you'd expect from a sequel - more of the same.
Final Grade: B
Some comedies never sink their teeth into the vast well of creativity, while others dip their toes in it and do what they feel is safe with their premise. But every once in a while, a comedy will dive into it like an olympic gold medalist, not only trying everything it can with its unique premise but excelling at it every step of the way. "My Favorite Wife" is one of these screwball comedies, made by the same team that brought us "The Awful Truth," only this time it's even more ludicrious and even more hilarious. Irene Dunne plays someone who has been shipwrecked on a deserted island for seven years and just so happens to come back to society on the same day her husband (Cary Grant) is getting remarried. The film takes full advantage of this idea for both comedic and dramatic effect, as Grant bounces back and forth between his two wives and trying to break the news to his bride that his wife is actually alive, while Dunne tries to tell her children that she's their long-lost mother (while also keeping her own secrets from Grant). The result is a masterful comedy that only gets better as everything reaches its tipping point and a classic in the screwball comedy genre.
Final Grade: A-
"Wuthering Heights" is like that one baseball player that just rubs you the wrong way coming up to bat, hoping and praying that he'll strikeout and look like a fool, only for him to get a hit and surprise everyone. I went in to this movie not expecting anything, similar to films like "Jezebel" or "The Pirate" - just a period piece that people still like to talk about today. But I was pleasantly surprised by the passionate acting of Laurence Olivierand Merle Oberon and their devotion for one another, to the point that they'll ruin the others life if they can't be with each other, all while remaining authentic and powerful. It didn't it hit out of the park or do anything spectacularly, especially when Oberon's character changes her mind more frequently than her dresses and for the dumbest of reasons, but this was still an impressive picture. If you love period pieces or tales of lovers that cannot be, then I highly recommend "Wuthering Heights."
Final Grade: B
"Shoplifters" is far more fascinating to me since it came out the same year as "Roma" since both so alike and yet so different in many ways. While both films are essentially about children and raising them under less than ideal circumstances, while being raised by adults that must fight their own adversities, they take drastically different paths, resulting in contrasting atmospheres and messages. While "Roma" is one of uncertainty and the fear that comes with that, "Shoplifters" embraces its adversities, almost laughing in the face of these character's problems. They act like they don't have a care in the world, despite scrounging around just to make ends meet, and yet they make the most out of what they have. The bond between this hard-working, strange family is mesmerizing and unbelievably charming, watching them pull each other together like watching a broken teapot magically put itself back together again. This not only makes "Shoplifters" the most uplifting, heartfelt film of the year, but a testament to how great foreign cinema has been this year.
Final Grade: A
While there is some impressive technical feats in "They Shall Not Grow Old," that's really the only thing this documentary has going for it. It is stunning to see footage from the 1910s in HD and color, but there's a certain Hollywood quality to it, namely the addition of new sound effects and dialogue to fill in the silence, as the filmmakers make their best guesses as to what these soliders were talking about. After a while, this starts to grow tiresome and makes even the redone footage repetitive and boring, making it seem more like a gimmick instead of an advancement. I was honestly starting to doze off halfway through the movie, mostly because this film has no story, it's just a collection of interviews with World War I veterans recounting their war stories with some matching images. The film is about as exciting as watching a introduction film to a world war museum...only that introductory film goes on for two hours.
Final Grade: C
Most people probably aren't aware that there was a "Westworld" movie directed by Michael Crichton, long before the recent HBO series. The movie has the same concepts as the show, an amusement park that simulates the old west and is filled with androids that are simply there for the guests amusement and something goes horribly wrong in the park. And while the show went into more detail about the park's creation and the psychology of the androids, as well as whether or not they're alive, the movie goes for a simple, bare-bones approach, told mostly through a visitor's perspective (Richard Benjamin) as things start to get worse. Why the androids break down is barely touched on, how the park was created is never mentioned, and the idea that the visitors might be harming sentient creatures is ignored. And while there is so much more that the movie doesn't touch on, for a tale about a vacation to the old west gone horribly wrong, the acting and atmosphere really sell the whole experience. I'd certainly recommend the show over the movie, but this is still servicable.
Final Grade: C+
While some while deem "Watchmen" as an important superhero film, mostly due to its alternate take on American history and being the dark, neo-noir answer to Marvel movies, I see it as the catalyst that began Zack Snyder down his path of bloated, unnecessarily dark superhero movies that is still effecting the DC movies to this day. Based off of the legendary graphic novel, some even saying it is the "Citizen Kane" of comic books, "Watchmen" was seen as unfilmable for nearly 30 years until Snyder brought it to life, but put his fingerprints all over it in the process. Snyder's product is a moody, bleak picture that practically hates superheroes and goes into graphic detail about the violence they cause. "Watchmen" pulls this off much better than Snyder's later films, due to this brutal take on alternate America, but that doesn't stop this film from coming across as arrogant and brutish. While this isn't for the typical movie-goer, it should be praised for its "Forrest Gump"-like soundtrack, capturing the essence of America with its perfect music.
Final Grade: B-
