I've always felt that the biggest appeal of the "How To Train Your Dragon" franchise has been its breathtaking animation and visuals, perfectly capturing the awe of flying on the back of a dragon in all of its amazing and horrifying splendor. The quieter moments where those rides through the clouds are some of the best animation Dreamworks has ever done. Beyond that, the story is your basic "a boy and his dog" tale with fantasy elements. But the newest entry in the franchise, "The Hidden World" pulls a reversal of all this and makes the story interesting and the visuals take a backseat.
In the final installment of this trilogy, the Viking land of Berk has become a safe haven for all dragons. But the chief, Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), fears that Berk may not be safe from the outside world for much longer, as a infamous dragon bounty hunter (F. Murray Abraham) sets his sights on Hiccup's dragon, Toothless, since he was sure that he had killed all of his kind and plans to wipe out every Nightfury. Hiccup is second-guessed by nearly everyone in the tribe when he says that they need to find a new home, except by Astrid (America Ferrera), while they all push for the two to get married.
While the characters were never that strong or relatable in the previous movies, they finally start to grow on me in this movie, as they start to develop their own personalities outside of their Viking heritage. The side characters especially feel like fleshed-out individuals, with one trying and failing to always be the tough guy, another is obsessed with the study of all dragons, and the twins finally feel distinct aside from their constant bickering. Each of them gets an opportunity to shine and show that they're no longer children.
In fact, that's the biggest strength of "The Hidden World," that we finally see these characters grow up and accept new roles in society, as well as the difficulties and challenges that come with that. Hiccup's journey is more of learning his self-worth and how that's very necessary for a chief and his people. Even Toothless has to learn to grow up and be self-reliant, which is all accomplished without him saying a word.
I also credit "The Hidden World" with the best villain in the franchise, mostly because of F. Murray Abraham's calm and calculated voice making Grimmel the most intimidating and personal villain so far. He takes offense to everything Hiccup stands for and treats all of this like a chase, laughing the whole time at Hiccup's wide-eyed innocence. He is a ton of fun to watch, especially the way he interacts with our heroes.
However, the visuals are less the stellar this time around. There are a few standout moments when Toothless chases around his girlfriend and when the Hidden World is finally discovered, but beyond this it is very basic by this point. There are very few quiet moments where the visuals alone tell the story, but I guess that'll happen when you focus so much on making these children into adults.
This makes "The Hidden World" feel less epic than its predecessors and more personal and small. That doesn't necessarily make it worse, just quite different from what you'd expect. If you like the characters in this series, then you'll love what Dreamworks does with them. But if you're here for the visuals, you might be a bit disappointed. Overall, "How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" is a good movie, certainly worth your time.
Final Grade: B
Number 5 - "Fight Club" (1999)
"Fight Club" has grown on me in recent years, starting out as a film that put me to sleep into one that I admire from both a narrative and visual perspective. But the best thing about this is that both of these are all its own. I can't think of another film that moves and looks like "Fight Club," and even though others may try, none can quite replicate its confused punk rock aesthetic.
Number 4 - "The Social Network" (2010)
Another film that has an unbelievable narrative. This film came out when I was studying film in college, and I glanced over it, thinking that it was just another bland-looking biography of a man whose story isn't finished yet. But like "Fight Club," that time has allowed me to truly appreciate the turmoil and struggle for power that these characters embody. It certainly helps that the screenplay was written by Aaron Sorkin, whose dialogue is just as crisp and still hits as hard as freight train as ever, but the directing and cinematography are all Fincher, and that elevates this film to even greater heights.
Number 3 - "Zodiac" (2007)
Like the previous two entires, "Zodiac" didn't leave a big impression on me after my initial viewing. It isn't until I thought about some of the quieter moments and what every character was thinking about that I realized "Zodiac" was one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. It is unnerving in its mystery, heartbreaking in its struggle for the truth, and stunning in its unpredictability, leading to some of the most horrific scenes about a serial killer. The film puts you in the middle of this crazy time where facts, suspicions and myths are wound up over years of development, only made even scarier that all of this actually happened.
Link to original "Zodiac" review: http://gotengoxgodzilla.blogspot.com/2015/02/mini-reviews-4.html
Number 2 - "Gone Girl" (2014)
Typically, when I think of David Fincher, "Gone Girl" is the first film that come to mind. A mindbender of a thriller that has you not just second guessing the characters, but also yourself. Fincher's use of unreliable narrators is put to full use in "Gone Girl" and it has never been better, each scene building off of the last like a roller coaster that can't slow down as we watch a marriage get murdered. This is one of the most exciting, intense and thought-provoking thrillers since Hitchcock and one of Fincher's best.
Link to original "Gone Girl" review: http://gotengoxgodzilla.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-rise-of-hopper.html
Number 1 - "Seven" (1995)
As much as I wanted to give this spot to "Gone Girl," I just can't think of another film where Fincher outdid his first original production, one of the best police thrillers of all time. Strangely enough, out of all his film, "Seven" is both his darkest and brightest movie, giving us a serial killer that simply holds up a mirror to the audience, while offering a fascinating struggle between that darkness and the our own morality. Even though many of Fincher's films have stunning acting, Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey are at their best here, making this whole disturbing thiller worthwhile.
Link to original "Seven" review: http://gotengoxgodzilla.blogspot.com/2015/06/pauls-favorite-films-number-23.html
What? Can't a guy be a softy and go see a Valentine's Day romantic comedy? Especially one that preaches self love above all else?
To be honest, I find the concept of "Isn't It Romantic" to be interesting - a cynic and hater of romantic comedies is forced to live in an a cheesy 1980s or 1990s rom-com with no idea of how to get out other than to play the whole thing out. Maybe it's because of the lack of romantic comedies in the last few years, but I'm usually down for any film that pokes fun of a genre's stereotypes.
However, while there are many great moments, jokes and characters, I can't help but feel that the presentation of "Isn't It Romantic" falls a bit short due to not being specific enough. While the aim of the film was to deconstruct the romantic comedy, it never gives the audience exact details of which films it wants to point a finger at. While they show a young Rebel Wilson watching "Pretty Woman" in the beginning, that's about all we get. Tropes and clichés are addressed, but where these same tropes came from is never mentioned. Rather than picking a standout scene from a classic rom-com like "Love Actually" or "When Harry Met Sally...", the film just glances over things that frustrate Rebel Wilson with how unrealistic and contrived they are.
It almost feels like the screenwriters didn't actually watch any romantic comedies to write this film, and instead got all of their information off of Wikipedia.
However, the film never takes itself quite so seriously. Many of the jokes about trying to be R-rated in a PG-13 movie hit the nail on the head, and Liam Hemsworth is hilarious in nearly every scene. And for a film that wants to ridicule cliché rom-coms from the 1990s, the film does have a very relevant message that I applaud it for. In many ways, it has a message that so many rom-coms from the 2000s emphasized, but in a much more overt and honest way, which brings it all full circle and makes "Isn't It Romantic" a tribute to those films as much as it is a parody. And in an age with a lack of romantic comedies, that's probably the best thing the genre needs right now.
Final Grade: C+
I can't remember a movie phenomenon quite like "Bird Box." When I first saw the previews and premise, I thought it was just "A Quiet Place" but instead of focusing on the lack of sound, it was a lack of sight, which sounded like a terrible idea for a visual medium. I can't think of many other films that clearly rip off another successful product, and yet is more successful than what they're ripping off. I put off watching the film for a while, especially since it came out in the middle of Oscar season and was so low on my radar. And after finally watching the movie, I can see why it would be talked about, but not understand why it's a good movie. "Bird Box" is a rip off of many other things than just "A Quiet Place," but especially zombie movies like "Night of the Living Dead." The difference between "Bird Box" and those films is that you actually get to see the monsters in those films, but we never get a hint here. The beauty of what these monsters do is talked up like it's a big deal, but we don't get to see any of it. It goes against the "show, don't tell" rule of cinema. The film very rarely takes advantage of the fact that these characters can't see, only covering basic elements that someone with no imagination would think about. Still, the image of Sandra Bullock stumbling through the woods blindfolded is iconic enough to warrant discovering just what "Bird Box" is about, but I feel like most people have already learned that.
Final Grade: C-
I don't think the audience I saw "Cold Pursuit" got the movie. During most of the strange, over the top moments that only a Norwegian filmmaker could bring to the screen, this audience was dead silent, like I was attending a funeral. And yet, "Cold Pursuit" is utterly absurd, with acting that would make William Shatner and Tim Curry do a double take, and a ludicrious plot that has a dozen things going on at once. But the film embraces that absurdity, making for a black comedy unlike anything I've ever seen. I think most of the audience expected another Liam Nesson revenge action flick, like the "Taken" franchise, and that's not what "Cold Pursuit" is really about at its core. Sure, Nesson avenging his son is one of the driving forces, but there are so many moving parts and characters that it's just a cog in the machine of never ending violence. Tom Bateman's character, a filthy rich drug lord that lives his life to the fullest, while Bateman takes every opportunity to chew up the scenary, plays a bigger part in the movie than Nesson, to the point that it feels like his story. I can see why this would throw many people off, and why some wouldn't "get" this movie. But for those that rolled with it got a unique black comedy with an even more unique setting and sense of humor.
Final Grade: B-
It's difficult to put my finger on what makes an Ernst Lubitsch film so endearing, charming and memorable than most other films from their era, but if I had to guess it would probably be their overwhelming sense of freedom in the face of tyranny. Films like "To Be or Not to Be" and "The Shop Around the Corner" best exemplify this, but Lubtisch's "Ninotchka" is a good example as well. The film is filled with witty dialogue, exaggerated characters and a grand view of the world that is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. This is certainly best shown through the titular character, played by Greta Garbo, as a Russian sergeant focused soley on efficiency for the sake of her country, while she slowly but surely falls in love with Paris. Given her strict, no nonsense demeanor, I thought this would be an unlikable character, but the way she bounces off the other characters and Garbo's authentic performance, she is the best part of the movie. As far as Lubitsch films go, this isn't his best, but it still has that same charm that only he could supply.
Final Grade: B-
"Velvet Buzzsaw" has a lot to say about the art world and the constant battle between making something people want to see and making a profit. Sometimes the film can be a little muddled and inconsistent, but it is always thrilling and surprisingly engaging considering how unlikable most of the characters are. Like Dan Gilroy's other film, "Nightcrawler," it is about despicable people doing despicable things for the right reasons, which makes for a great cautionary tale about the modern day poisons that we inflict upon ourselves. In this case, Gilroy leans more towards horror with a supernatural twist, making this whole film feel like a feature-length episode of "The Twilight Zone," and a very good one at that. If you don't care for the art world, then this probably won't engage you. But if you know a little bit about the world of art or have been an artist, then "Velvet Buzzsaw" will speak to you on some level.
Final Grade: A-
