asoapboxopera Reviews

Lady Bird (2017)

Review of Lady Bird

[3/10 · 17 June 2018]

Lady Bird is an awful movie. If you think Juno has contrived dialogue, imagine the opposite: it seems that while Juno put too much thought into the writing, the writer/director of Ladybird put too little. It's so pointless and there's no hearty nostalgia to back it up. Everyone feels one dimensional, even when they change their minds. Everything feels flat and you see coming a mile away. There's nothing I can think of that makes the eventful moments of high school feel so uneventful, so I suppose that's an accomplishment. Saoirse Ronan's accent feels deliberately imitative of Lindsay Lohan, which isn't bad but isn't in any way natural. It feels contrived and like she's trying to be petulant when she doesn't have to be; even the character's flatlining doesn't make it worth her portrayal's brattiness. The bizarre, one-note reference to the Bay area slang "hella" is so off that it feels like no one, including the director/writer, is from the area, even though it seems she is.

The father, portrayed by Tracy Letts, is so lovable, and probably the most well-rounded character of all. I feel Laurie Metcalf was underutilized here, and could have delivered so much more than a struggling, emotionally repressed and still aggressive character. The scene in which she "emerges" as being emotional is so contrived you want to roll your eyes.

There's only so much to stomach, and I can say that within 30 minutes I thought it was almost over; it drags that much. As I said, where Juno is contrived, Lady Bird is lazy, and droning, and drowns out the growth and aging of adolescence.

Fierce Creatures (1997)

Half as fun as a Fish Called Wanda

[4 April 2018]

There are plenty of tie-ins, and of course, the cast remains relatively intact, but the film itself, despite its few good surprises, is tremendously predictable and contrived. This is not to say there aren't good jokes; there are. And almost all of them come from or are at the expense of Vince, played by the marvelously funny Kevin Kline. A pet peeve of mine (and that truly was not a pun) is poorly done vulgarity; this is not a glowing endorsement of all vulgarity, but if you do it, do it correctly. The moments between Rollo (John Cleese) and Willa (Wanda- I mean Jamie Lee Curtis) are even more forced than in A Fish Called Wanda, which was at least part deliberate. The disbelief felt by Vince was so spectacular and of course intentional, but the unbelievability of it remained unmitigated. The strange thing is it almost seems they have less chemistry here than they do in "Wanda".

It really is fully half as fun as A Fish Called Wanda, though, and since that one was an 8/10, technically this would be 4/10, especially due to the contrived and predictable moments, both of plot and reaction thereto. But those fun parts really do shine, as do the good quotes, almost entirely written for Vince, and perfectly portrayed by Kevin Kline.

The Only Living Boy in New York (2017)

An Interesting Take on Life in New York (or France, or a Novel)

[22 March 2018]

Writing about writers usually goes well, because they (we?) know each other. But it also tends to reveal the same styles for the same grandiose thoughts, as with Jeff Bridges' character's thoughts and those of the also drunk, and also wise, uncle at the title character's friend's wedding. The writing in this movie is beautiful at times, but when the plot falls flat, it makes the writing feel weaker than it is. However: that is not to say it isn't very enjoyable. It is. It is far more heartwarming than its plot would suggest. And while it seems almost French in nonchalance, intermingling, and malaise, it also is delightfully American in the portrayals of/by Jeff Bridges, the artists, and the simple comedy amid silence. Those are difficult to pull off, and the credit goes to Jeff Bridges and to the writer, Allan Loeb, for bringing it all to fruition. The story may feel a touch coincidental, but the way it reverses (almost literally) towards a happy ending is so inspiring and uplifting and centering that I can easily ignore the disinterest both I and the movie appeared to have for those lesser points in the movie.

Thank you!

Snatched (2017)

Amazing little jokes and big surprises!

[8/10 · 11 May 2017]

I loved this movie and went into it expecting to dislike it, because the trailer seemed so-so. Instead, the move delivered some excellent insights into family dynamics, funny commentary on Americans traveling abroad to superficially see the world, and true fear, all juxtaposed with great surprises and funny turns.

I really, truly enjoyed this movie, and I think you will too.

The Way We Were (1973)

Hubbell is no Telescope

[1/10 · 31 January 2016]

Hubbell Gardner in The Way We Were is an abominable man. He has no passion, and tries to stifle that in Katie-- from the beginning, when he references her love of knowledge and politics as "You never stop, do you?".

Hubbell Gardner is an awful, awful man. All the while she's propping him up, and singing his praises, he's openly treating her coldly. She treated him far too well: from the beginning, remember how he was heading out the door to leave her apartment, and couldn't get out fast enough? He was cold and uncaring, and she sought him out with care anyway.

He has no backbone, as when he willingly lets his book be mangled into a film-- the act to which she fully objects, thinking he deserves better. Instead, he tries to silence her again, and then weakly let his film be mangled.

Hubbell wants Katie to stop challenging him to do better for himself, to want nothing more for him that he actually can work towards. She has more faith in him than he does, but he wants her quiet so he can take the easy way out. Multiple times, he tries to silence her- he frequently tells her to be quiet, and he actually puts his hand over her mouth at the party (granted, she's supposed to be Harpo- on a side note, how is putting on thick eyebrows enough for some of the guests to pretend they're in any swing of things as far as Marx brothers costumes go? It's as bad and dull as the jokes Hubbell's friends make- commentary forthcoming). He wanted her to accept his friends' horrible, dull environs and crass in the horrible, tasteless, unfunny way of humor, and was upset when she didn't want to partake of it.

The only mistake Katie made was in thinking Hubbell was worth her time or efforts. She put her own life on hold to go with him to Hollywood to make his dull film. But while she was there, she still managed to make an impact, heading to Washington, D.C., to protest the House Un-American Activities Committee's blacklist. Thankfully at that point he didn't try to silence her, and actually came to her defense briefly to punch a guy who insulted her. Aside from that momentary gleam, Hubbell has no potential. And even then, he followed it with their core differences- he has no hope for the future, and doesn't mind the melancholy, drab, mediocrity he dwells in, whereas she seeks better and tries to implement it.

Hubbell simply doesn't care for Katie, or for himself. He is perfectly content to live his vapid and pointless life, and doesn't mind hurting Katie along the way. Even his friend, J.J., who made those tasteless jokes, told Hubbell Katie was "really somebody" and somebody you "don't want to lose". Hubbell of course doesn't get it, and cheats on her with the very person J.J. considered no one special. Plus, Hubbell knows Katie is pregnant at the time.

She finally ends it with him, and her giving birth is as sad as it should be happy- the baby is fine, but the relationship that could be- the potential she hoped for in him- is all gone.

When they meet later, he is still incredulous at her ambition, or his inability to put a damper on it. Despite his attempts to make her dull, or lose hope, or become boring like him, Katie is still seeking change and a better future. He has no concept of trying, when he is so emphatic about stagnation and giving up. After she's left him standing with his new lady, she is done with him, and goes back across the street to protest the bomb. As she's focused on her demonstration, he follows her, crossing the street, just to say, "You never give up, do you?"

When they were in college, Hubbell wrote a story feigning ambition, to have things not be easy- but it was all words. Sadly, even that story's recognition in their short story writing class led to real action by Katie, to stop pursuing her own writing, and tear up her work.

She buys him a typewriter. He doesn't get one for himself- she gives him the tool. Still, as Hubbell, it was all a farce. Like the lies of the short story, Hubbell puts up a front, writing 8 chapters of a second novel, which later does not come to fruition. Katie asks if he ever intended to publish it: "No." If he ever wanted to move to France: "No." The closest thing Hubbell ever comes to ambition is his proximity to Katie. And even then, he tries to corrupt her into stagnating and giving up, and giving in to society, as he does.

She thinks his writing style is absolutely gorgeous. This is a clear reference to her fondness for him, and his own attractiveness.

Let this be a lesson to all-- no matter how pretty the words, or the man, it is the action that counts.

Without action, there is nothing, and Hubbell has no idea about action, whereas Katie is action, and drive, and spirit, and motivation. Hubbell is stagnation embodied. He is attractive enough, has the "right" friends, the "right" place in society. He has and is nothing. Especially compared to Katie. Without action, there is no potential.

So unlike the Hubble telescope is he. He has no perspective, no forward-thinking, and no ambition whatsoever. Katie tried to see in him, but there isn't anything to see.

In no way is this a "romance for the ages", but in every way is it a delightful, cautionary tale against giving your life and soul to someone who doesn't deserve it.

Peter and Vandy (2009)

Emotionally Abusive Peter and the Abused Vandy

[1/10 · 6 January 2016]

On a scale of 1 to 10 for movies, with 10 being great, this is a 0.

As a movie about emotional abuse, however, this movie is an 8. Peter is emotionally abusive, and a perfect example of emotional abuse. Here are the warning signs, in order (chronologically, not the movie order, because the movie order jumps around).

The tell-tale signs of emotional abuse are usually an inability to articulate exactly what's wrong, but you know you're feeling bad about yourself. The emotional abuser will often make snide comments, and then follow them up with something "nice" to balance it, and then go back to snide right after. It's a confusing cycle of emotions. In the movie Peter and Vandy, this started initially, when he insinuated she needed to avoid fatty foods, without her asking.

Then, when they met again, he pretended he wasn't trying to date her, and then made her feel guilty about how he felt about her, and that she'd throw away the crossword he gave her. So she says she'll date him. She might even want to date him. But that's not without manipulation and guilt on his part, which are also key characteristics of emotional abusers.

There are little red flags to watch out for, because they're usually "minor" things that are hard to call big, but all together are huge-- they're significant because they are constant character assassinations by the abuser, and chip away the abused person's self esteem.

One such red flag is later in the story, when Peter said he was "angry" that she would ask him what he was thinking about. If he is angry about a very normal question, a harmless question, how in the world do you think he'll react to actual issues? I assure you, it's a huge red flag. It's a warning sign for the other behavioral problems they have, and which the person they're around will sadly have to deal with if they stay with them.

In a later scene, Peter is a full-blown, without a doubt, emotional abuser to Vandy. He very cruelly berates her over a quirk she has while making a sandwich. And on top of that, it was a sandwich she made for him. He repeatedly calls her stupid and crazy. Anyone who has witnessed or gone through emotionally abusive situations will recognize this immediately. You're trying to take care of them, and you really do nothing wrong-- they just take out their emotions on you, and intentionally inflict that harm on you. They do know what they're doing. They're manipulative. And they'll come back and apologize.

Another thing to remember is the emotional abuser will sometimes say exactly how bad they are: they say they're evil, or they're a bad person--- trust them on this and leave. They will use this as an excuse for how they'll treat you later. Trust me, this is the truth. Leave now. Save yourself. You might try to fix them, but being with them doesn't fix them. It only breaks you. Please believe me.

Near the end of the movie, Peter decides he's not happy with Vandy--- note: Peter, and most other emotional abusers, are cynical, angry, and unhappy people, and bring that negativity to everything and everyone they deal with. So don't ever believe it's you--- it's entirely them. He's unhappy--- no surprise, because he's always unhappy. He then says he wants to leave her. This is a classic threat with emotional abusers: they threaten to leave you, so you'll beg them to stay. Treat it like a blessing and let them go. Sadly, in the movie, Vandy pleads that he never leave her. Then, discovering he is interested in someone else, Vandy thankfully leaves him. He wants her back later, and she even acknowledges he's not good with her, but sadly also takes blame that isn't hers to borrow- she thinks she's not good to him. But the truth is, entirely, that he's emotionally abusive, and stringing her along, and upset that he doesn't have anyone to berate anymore. Period.

Unfortunately she goes back to him, and unfortunately it will take time to realize how horrible he really is, for herself, and to leave on her own accord again. But, thankfully, some women leave early. But sadly, a lot of women have to reach rock bottom before they get out, and have to rebuild their self esteem. Emotional abusers rarely stop at verbal abuse; it can lead to physical abuse.

Another movie that captures emotional abuse (and physical abuse) very very well is "Reviving Ophelia" with Jane Kaczmarek. It is shockingly realistic in terms of the mindset of both the abused and the abuser.

This movie, Peter and Vandy, represents emotional abuse very well, and I want everyone who sees it to recognize the signs for both themselves and anyone else they see suffering through it. Please help them see the way out, because when they're being abused they don't realize they deserve better. They deserve better. You deserve better.

That's why I'm making a strong point of this to remind people that there's no need to stand for this emotional abuse.

Here are very good links about emotional abuse that I hope will benefit people reading this:

Please call 1-800-792-7233 , especially if you feel uncomfortable using your computer (I recommend going to the library if you need a safer computer); or if you can't talk, they have an online chat option.)

http://www.compassionpower.com/walking-on-eggshells/

http://www.thehotline.org/

http://www.thehotline.org/is-this-abuse/

http://www.thehotline.org/is-this-abuse/abuse-defined/

Good luck and please know that you and your loved ones are worth so much more than this emotional abuse. You will survive and you will thrive. Believe me, it will all be okay.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)

Three (3) Stars Out Of Ten (10) Stars for Star Wars: The Force Awakens

[3/10 · 18 December 2015]

Just be prepared for it to be predictable. I was disappointed and I hated that. But 1/3 of it was Star Wars as we want it- what we remember and what we want from it- so it is worth it from that standpoint. Extra and Important Note for Safety in the Theater- there are some crazy things and people out there, so keep an eye out. There was a guy who stood up in the middle of the movie, otherwise unmoving in one spot on the aisle, for a full 15 minutes, in one spot. It worried me but he was close enough to see me call for help and big enough to block my path out. I later tried to call the theater but to no answer. The police said if I could call they would send an officer over right away.

Just be safe. Please.

Crimson Peak (2015)

Somewhat predictable, somewhat upsetting, altogether disappointing but not the worst thing ever.

[5/10 · 18 October 2015]

It had potential with the ghosts. It had potential with the sister and brother. But why was it all squandered on gore and a loose, watered-down interpretation, if not plagiarism, of significant parts of all of the following: Misery, The Shining, The Others, and even the Woman in Black (strictly for the isolation, to me)? I feel there's too much character action without any character depth or development, especially in the case of Edith's friend, played by Charlie Hunham, except for Thomas. All the character development that does happen is shut out till the end, but not for a plot twist- just affirmation. There was more character development in the side characters than amongst the main, all put together.

The gore was unnecessary not for the genre but for what they made you expect from the trailer. There is no hint of it except for the hilariously brightly red clay everywhere. By the way, as a metaphor, that would have been such a funny departure if they explained in depth what the clay was to represent.

But on the whole, it was too contrived, and all the good and great acting in the world, and all the cute dogs in the world, and all the pretty imagery in the film, could not further a story that is 1) being retold and a) poorly so. Please let us either invert the genre or completely be true; else it is just a confused mishmash of style and hollow action.

Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015)

Reflections on Reflections on Refractions (with spoilers maybe!)

[1/10 · 30 April 2015]

I title this "Reflections on Reflections on Refractions" This title is in terms of how the director has edited the movie to show his reflections on the reflections people around Kurt had of him and on the refractions from Kurt's work from which the director and Kurt's people are deriving their reflections. It makes sense to me (the title).

{Spoilers randomly throughout but nothing I would think would disrupt the film-watching experience} The interviews with his mom are amazing and seem truer than the interviews with his Dad and even step-mom, although she seemed closer to the truth than he did. The images of Kurt painted the picture for his descriptions and his drawings were literally animated (to life) with renditions moving around. The work was seamlessly done and I am tremendously impressed with Kurt's own talent as well as that of those artists bringing it to moving picture (literally). The best parts, though, are the times he's speaking, his mom is speaking, and the home videos. There are a few great moments when Krist interjects something about Kurt's personality that feels more like observation than conjecture, and it's a nice departure from some of the editing the film seems to take liberties with.

For example, in interviews the director promotes that it doesn't have anything to do with the death angle, but the movie very clearly emphasizes several writings (with jarring music, no less!) and parts to suggest otherwise. There are more than a few written mentions that could be taken out of context, for example, one writing that was zoomed in on, said "KILL YOURSELF KILL YOURSELF" at least four lines repeated, all caps-- but then right below that, "RAPE IS GOOD RAPE IS GOOD" which is obviously something Kurt didn't believe. So I am very much inclined to say that emphasis, on the "KILL YOURSELF KILL YOURSELF" portion, is beyond out of context, to the extent of being misleading. They half-cut-off the "RAPE IS GOOD" part but you can still see it.

Furthermore, they took a few things out of context in terms of timing. While there are general themes of youth to adolescence to growing up to being a father, there are anachronisms throughout, mostly stemming from the aforementioned death theme. Referenced far later in the film, "I hate myself and want to die. Leave me alone" as signed by Kurdt, a name he went by early-mid in his career (as noted in the Bleach release). Let alone that this might have been satirical; even if it was literal, this was far earlier than when he died. With the misplacement at the end of the film, this forges (in every sense) the connection that Kurt felt that way then, when in fact not only do we not know if he did, but when. The film then assumes a sense of forced examples, for the writing to be accompanied by visuals via home video or slowed-down concert footage, as if to prove something. But it's completely out of context and it's bothersome.

One thing I genuinely could not stand was the slowed-down images of him, as if to express how he's really feeling deep down, or to say he's sad. It was a series of slowed down glances to the crowd, where we see him looking. I feel for him if he really did feel bad, but the emphasis on it, with slowed down glances, just seems not only fabricated but like grasping for straws.

And the sound modulation problems. The film has normal audio for the interviews but everything else, especially the connecting songs, is blasting. Not in the sense of the music Kurt made, with softness alternating with raging, but instead normal volume alternating with covering your eardrums with your ears and fingers until it stops, and still being able to hear everything through them. The difference was that the songs were at least double (2x) the decibels of the interviews. On the plus side, since you can anticipate the transitions, you could cover your ears and still hear and enjoy the music. In fact I'm pretty sure listening through your covered ears is the only way you can both hear and enjoy the music.

The movie was fantastic in whole for his mom's interviews and the private moments with Courtney and Frances. They were priceless and so sweet, but also so personal.

So on the whole, absolutely go see it if you feel you need to get closer to the home video aspect. And his mom's perspective. But for Kurt's own, I suggest sticking to what he says. I also note that if you're way deep into the stuff on Kurt, you'll have seen a lot of the footage, but the personal things and the interviews are new to this film.

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

Delightful

[8/10 · 25 December 2013]

"Saving Mr. Banks" is an exquisite film. It draws you in with the delightful reality of Disney as well as the triumphantly stark reality (inasmuch as it is reality; I do lack her background) of Mrs. Travers. I purposely leave out parts of the film for the sake of the movie-goer, but let me say how delightful the songs are, the people are, the displays of emotion-- my part as well, as I nearly cried and fully laughed at certain points throughout. The film speaks to me and it feels complete in its currency-- tuppence, if you will-- in taking Mrs. Travers' story and embellishing it with the truth of the creators' (both Travers and Disney, for the part he has in the creation of the film) lives. The lives of the characters-- and I do mean most people seen on screen, in particular the driver and Mrs. Travers' mother-- are well-told and well-lived, and spark a certain comfort and warmth, even in the cold of their realities and harsher backstories. I believe the film has done its job beautifully, and I wouldn't change it for the world. Even the animated penguins, although for me there is still my deep and abiding love for their real counterparts.