One Movie Punch

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to the podcast. This will be one of two episodes today as we’re in the final stretch of getting caught up, both on episodes and what was happening while the podcast was offline. I’ll be continuing my story in a minute, but if you haven’t heard the earlier segments, hit pause, then go back to my review for “Outlaw King” (Episode #314) for the first segment, then listen every episode after that for another installment. Let me know you’re listening by sharing this episode with #WelcomeBackOMP.

Last segment, I was struggling with restarting the podcast, wondering if it would be possible to catchup, and still having a house to get back in order. My spouse and daughter had their last day of school on the Friday before break, with early dismissals, and I was feeling well enough to run errands, with an early dismissal lunch with my daughter to boot. It wasn’t until Saturday, after dropping my daughter off at her weekend activities that I sat down at a diner and really began planning. Not just to restart the podcast, but looking at the many other projects I wanted to work on, and the time commitments for each project. Especially the novel I had finished writing, but never started editing, and the other two novels that were mostly finished, and an anthology series I wanted to continue writing with a friend. Before the wildfire, I wouldn’t have given any of that a second thought. After the second wildfire evacuation in five years, where I loaded up a lot of those projects into boxes, well, it made me reconsider everything. And by the time I had to leave to pick up my daughter, I had figured out how to get caught up, and how to change the podcast to make room for other projects while also providing daily reviews. 

More on the upcoming changes to the podcast later this week. Stay tuned for the next episode to hear about another project I will be working on in the new year, and tune in for tomorrow’s catchup episodes about what happens when after everything else, a pipe begins leaking within your garage wall.

Today’s movie is “Nothing to Hide” (2018), the Netflix Original French comedy adapted and directed by Fred Cavayé, based on the Italian film “Perfetti Sconosciuti” (2016). The film follows a group of friends who have gathered for a dinner, where one attendee suggests that they should read aloud every text message they receive throughout the night. Now with each text message, the attendees learn more and more about each other, and in some cases, about themselves.

Spoilers ahead.

This is one of five remakes or adaptations of “Perfetti Sconosciuti” (2016), the third for 2018 alone. I’ve spoken a lot about adaptations in my review of “The Kindergarten Teacher” (Episode #293), but to summarize, adaptations of films from other countries seem pointless unless the culture or society itself has something new to offer to the premise. But every now and again, an incredible premise comes along that offers endless possibilities, like the premise for all six of these films. Seven friends get together and agree to share whatever messages come up on their phone throughout the night. And each message has the potential to create or resolve conflict, depending on the situation, and as the title maintains, end up feeling like perfect strangers to one another. The genius of this premise is that you can fill in the conflicts and resolutions however you want, really. And each remake has done just that, because each society has a different relationship with their mobile phone usage, even as each individual’s relationship is also unique. I don’t think it would be too much to suggest that the original film will also be a subject of study as well.

“Nothing to Hide” is also an incredible remake, moving the location to France, and switching up a few of the personalities and characters. We have seven people once again, three couples. A therapist and a plastic surgeon with an older child. A couple with younger children who lives with the husband’s mother. A taxi driver and his recent wife. And one man whose date was unable to make it to dinner. Right away, as each member arrives, we get to see their interactions, generally speaking ill of others not in the room, half-jokingly, half passive aggressive. And that radically escalates, especially as everyone is bullied into playing the game at first. The party slowly falls apart, then as everyone begins to leave, an incredible twist brings everything home. One which I won’t spoil for the viewer, but well worth seeing.

Overall, Fred Cavayé’s adaptation keeps great pace, and uses the apartment setting well to carry the story, realistically translating the dialogue into French and for French society. Each actor turns in a great performance, reacting to each revelation and conflict well, shifting and morphing our perceptions in the process. I would suddenly become suspicious of characters I was rooting for, and vice versa. I would also identify with nearly every character at least once, as someone who is old enough to have been at nearly every stage in the lives of each person, although never in that socioeconomic class. I am quite motivated to seek out the other adaptations, to see how they compare. I also hope that the fallout surrounding The Weinstein Company doesn’t prevent the optioned United States version to move forward, as long as you know who doesn’t get a fucking dime.

“Nothing to Hide” (2018) is a great French adaptation of the landmark Italian comedy, where long-time friends play a game that disrupts their lives. Fred Cavayé and the entire cast are brilliant, recreating and morphing the story into both new and familiar terrain. Fans of the original film, or any of the remakes, or folks looking for one of the smartest film premises in recent history, should definitely check out this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 8.2/10

“Nothing to Hide” (2018) is rated TV-MA and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to the podcast. Only one episode today so we can give the spotlight to Garrett from the Two Views Movies podcast. I’ll be continuing my story from the wildfire evacuation in a minute, but if you haven’t heard the earlier segments, hit pause, then go back to my review for “Outlaw King” (Episode #314) for the first segment, then listen every episode after that for another installment. Let me know you’re listening by sharing this episode with #WelcomeBackOMP.

Last segment, I was trying to figure out how to restart the podcast, having gotten my thoughts from the fire out in my journal. I was pretty exhausted after that, though, as I was recovering from whatever illness I had caught. It was still too much to get started on the podcast, but I was doing a lot of thinking that day, especially about the goals I had set for myself this year, and the different paths I had traveled down with the podcast. I had started out with a watch list cobbled together from the Best of 2017 lists, a desire to watch all the Netflix Original movies, and to eventually evolve the podcast to feature guests. I was on track to finish a few of those, but I had also abandoned a few others. MoviePass was a bust, as I couldn’t see a single movie due to limited showings or disappearing times. And I still had a house to get back in order, and another project I had begun working on that felt like it had to be abandoned.

But I also had fans and collaborators out there that I wanted to see through, including today’s guest, Garrett from the Two Views Movies podcast. Funny story. When he first contacted me to do Takeover Tuesday, I made a big deal of asking if he had enough time to see the movie and get the review done during the Thanksgiving Break. And here I ended up having to suspend the podcast because of the wildfire. Still, Garrett delivered, and I didn’t want to disappoint him, or the other collaborators from last month, so here we are, and I couldn’t be happier. Thanks for your patience, Garrett!

Here’s a quick promo, and the review will follow.

Hey Everybody!

My name is Garrett Wright and I co-host Two Views Movies podcast along with my friend Carson Graff. We are a spoiler-filled podcast by two guys who love watching movies almost as much as we love arguing about them. Our weekly podcast features reviews of new releases, retro reviews of older favorites, obscure top 5 lists, and our two views of all things movies. You can find our podcast on all major platforms and at TwoViewsMovies.com where you can also find spoiler-free written reviews of the movies we watch. I’m thrilled to be the guest for today’s episode. You can follow me on Twitter at @TwoViewsGarrett ( that’s G-A-R-R-E-T-T) or you can follow the podcast on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at the username @TwoViewsMovies

Today’s movie is “Creed II” (2018), the MGM and Warner Bros. drama directed by Steven Caple Jr. and written for the screen by Sylvester Stallone and Juel Taylor, based on a story by Cheo Hodari Coker and Sascha Penn, and the characters developed by Ryan Coogler. Creed II follows Adonis Creed’s life inside and outside of the ring as he deals with newfound fame, issues with his family, and his continuing quest to become a champion. Under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa, Adonis Creed faces off against Viktor Drago, son of Ivan Drago.

We’re keeping it spoiler-FREE today, so keep on listening…

When Creed was released in 2015, it faced a myriad of obstacles. How would it successfully reinvigorate a beloved 40-year-old franchise that had been sitting idle for almost a decade? What should it do with the main character defined by boxing, that can no longer box? And how would it introduce brand new characters and stories but still honor the legacy of everything that came before it? The combination of Ryan Coogler, Sylvester Stallone, and Michael B. Jordan came together flawlessly to resoundingly answer all of these questions and knock down all of the obstacles that stood in their way. 

With Creed II, director Steven Caple, Jr. was staring at arguably greater challenges. As with any sequel, this film needed to build upon the newly-established characters in meaningful ways that would continue to resonate with audiences. The element of surprise was going to be harder to come by in the sequel. It could not turn the Rocky franchise on its head in ways the first Creed did. And the biggest challenge of all arose from the decision to steer the story directly into the heart of Rocky nostalgia for many fans — Rocky IV — by revisiting Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). Thankfully, Caple, Jr. has crafted a sequel that continues the journey for our beloved characters while honoring the franchise in a way that hasn’t quite been seen before - even from Coogler’s Creed.

Fans of the Rocky saga will immediately recognize the thematic parallels between Creed II and previous movies. There is the pacing of Rocky II which focuses more on the main character’s development outside of the ring through self-exploration and family relationships. The journey of Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) as it relates to boxing is more akin to the hero’s quest archetype Rocky experiences in Rocky III. And then there are the obvious connections to Rocky IV that serve as the foundation for the story and is explored throughout the entire film. But for those that aren’t as well versed in Rocky lore, these themes are still very relatable since part of what makes the franchise so successful is its ability to connect with audiences on core emotional levels that are familiar to everyone.

In a refreshing shakeup to the Rocky formula, the writers of Creed II opted to move away from the one-dimensional bad guys of previous films and instead delivered multi-faceted villains that border on anti-heroes. Ivan Drago is infamously (and intentionally) shallow in Rocky IV, but in Creed II, both he and his son Viktor (Florian Munteanu) are fleshed out as characters with true emotional depth. This gives them significance to the story that matches their counterparts, Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) and Adonis. In turn, the audience finds itself in a situation where for the first time in the entire series, they may not be entirely sure what outcome they want in the inevitable final clash between Viktor and Adonis.

Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone continue to develop an on-screen relationship that feels like the most poignant of the entire series. Jordan’s raw, non-verbal emotional moments hit hard at just the right times. Stallone’s take on the aged Rocky filled with sage advice seems to be the most perfect form of the character that is approaching its natural, inevitable conclusion. Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad reprise their roles as Bianca and MaryAnne Creed respectively and each rise to the occasion as a melded Adrian 2.0. The two combine to be the modern embodiment of the phrase “behind every great man, there is a great woman” — a staple of the Rocky films. And while Dolph Lundgren and Florian Munteanu aren’t given a lot of dialogue, they deliver it poignantly and support it with interactions that add weight to the strained family dynamic of the Dragos.

Though the film feels like it is missing a bit of Ryan Coogler’s Midas touch in some areas (filming of boxing scenes, emotional resonance, and dialog strength), Steven Caple, Jr. has delivered a very worthy sequel that can be enjoyed equally by fans of Creed, Rocky, and newcomers alike. Creed 2 may not be the knockout punch the first film was, but it is a successful title defense for a franchise that it is the undisputed champion of sports movies.

Rotten Tomatoes: 83%

Metacritic: 67

One Movie Punch: 8.0/10

“Creed II” (2018) is rated PG-13 and is currently playing in theaters!

Thanks for listening to my guest review. If you like what you heard, reach out to me on social media and subscribe to my podcast. And I will catch you (hopefully) next time!

Hi everyone! 

Welcome back to the podcast. This will be the second of two episodes today as we’re working to get caught up from the fire. I’ll be continuing my story from the wildfire evacuation in a minute, but if you haven’t heard the earlier segments, hit pause, then go back to my review for “Outlaw King” (Episode #314) for the first segment, then listen every episode after that for another installment. Let me know you’re listening by sharing this episode with #WelcomeBackOMP.

Last segment, I was taking care of business, and wondering if restarting the podcast was going to be worth it. It wasn’t the top priority at the moment, though, not with the house needing to be put back in order, and to get my body back in order as well. I woke up in a sweat, with a slight fever, and that put some things back into perspective. I watched a few television shows, then needed to do something else, besides being ill. And the first thing to do was to unpack everything, because I wasn’t going to sit around waiting to flee anymore. The authorities had said that there was no more danger to our area, from fire anyway, and I needed to clear my head, so I started catching up on my daily journal, and starting to come up with an idea to relaunch the podcast. You’ve been listening to it before every review, and it was the start of a lot of reconsideration for the podcast.

More on the story from the fire tomorrow.

Today’s movie is “The Shape of Water” (2017), the Fox Searchlight Pictures drama directed by Guillermo del Toro and written in collaboration with Vanessa Taylor. The film follows Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins), a mute custodian at a top secret research facility, who develops a relationship with an amphibian man (Doug Jones), whose held in captivity. The film was nominated for thirteen Oscars, winning four for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design. 

Spoilers ahead.

My spouse asked me what I thought about “The Shape of Water”, finally seeing it after winning four Oscars, and the first thought I had was how happy I was to see the film without the words “Grinding Nemo” being the first thing I thought about. Folks were relentless about the sexual aspects of the film, which were really just one part of the larger relationship between Elisa and the amphibian man, even if it was the most discussed. I didn’t really hear about the amazing set design, the great supporting performances, the incredible direction, the wonderful green and blue and brown tones saturating the film, or any of the other parts of it. The second thought was that while I still believe that “Get Out” was the best film of 2017, I also understand why this film, along with “La La Land”, captured the Academy’s fascination, both being homages to the industry, then and now. And I also wish I had seen it in the theaters, just to hear everyone’s reactions to Elisa’s daily routine. 

“The Shape of Water” somehow ends up being an example of every classic film from the 1960s, a simultaneous monster, romance, espionage, noir, heist, escape, and fantasy film, with every single line between those genres blurred beyond recognition, and injecting a healthy dose of what was once considered taboo in film-making from the time. Water, as you would expect, saturates the film, used for transitions, backgrounds, practical effects, and any other way water can be used. As Bruce Lee once said, water takes on the form of whatever contains it. When water enters a cup, it becomes the cup, and if there’s nothing containing it, will always seek out the lowest relative position from itself, thanks to gravity. And before our modern understandings of science, water was considered a foundational element by itself. Del Toro shapes the water, bringing together all the elements, and crafting something with his distinct style and juxtapositions. It’s beautiful, from start to finish, despite, or maybe because of, its darker elements.

It also touches on a classic theme from monster films, asking who is the real monster, and in this case, asking if humans are really that different from other animals, or if our cruelty is part of what makes us human. It is as visually beautiful as it is thematically beautiful. Creature design and all the other practical effects were excellent. Sets, costumes, vehicles and props were all period perfect. It has very little downtime, and unfolds surprise after surprise with great pacing and tone, making its two hour running time feel like far less, and manages to tell a complete story even with the ambiguous ending. After gushing all of that to my spouse, she gave me this blank look in her eyes, and then asked what it was about again. And I laughed, because there’s really no way to explain it better than I tried. I told her to just watch it, and enjoy it, because it is truly an exquisite film from an exquisite director.

“The Shape of Water” (2017) is a masterpiece homage to classic movie making, melding every popular genre film into one story, based elementally around water and thematically around humans and monsters. Del Toro has created something incredible, with an engaging cast and an army of special and practical effects artists. Fans of classic movies, or really any movie in general, should definitely check out this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 87 (MUST SEE)

One Movie Punch: 10/10

“The Shape of Water” (2017) is rated R and is currently streaming on HBO.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to the podcast. This will be the first of two episodes today as we’re working to get caught up from the fire. I’ll be continuing my story from the wildfire evacuation in a minute, but if you haven’t heard the earlier segments, hit pause, then go back to my review for “Outlaw King” (Episode #314) for the first segment, then listen every episode after that for another installment. Let me know you’re listening by sharing this episode with #WelcomeBackOMP.

Last segment, I was fighting ants, and looking at the growing list of chores that needed to get done. I was definitely sick, but was now full of adrenaline, and figured no time like the present. And honestly, it was just what I needed, despite being under the weather. I got the kitchen cleaned up, then got the shower drain snaked upstairs, then got laundry going as well. Every bit of tidying up was helping to push away the anxiety, even as I was physically losing steam. I had fantasies earlier that morning about getting the podcast completely caught up, but after all the chores and tasks, I realized I had overdone it, and my anxiety was rising as the podcast got further and further behind. Eventually I had a minor panic attack, called my spouse a bit about it, then crashed out for a nap. I was definitely sick.

More on the story from the fire tomorrow.

Today’s movie is “Phantom Thread” (2017), the Focus Features drama written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The film follows Alma (Vicky Krieps), who enters the life of dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville), and disrupts the carefully constructed life of Reynolds. The film was nominated for six Oscars, winning, appropriately enough, for Costume Design.

Spoilers ahead.

As you can tell, I’m working through quite a few films from last year. One of the things we did over Thanksgiving break was to get a subscription to HBO Now, to continue our “Veep” binge, and to get access to the Oscar winners I missed last year, including today’s film. I wasn’t looking forward to this film, as it was a story about upper class and the nascent fashion industry in London. But I figured I should see what is purportedly Daniel Day-Lewis’ final performance, and especially one reunited with Paul Thomas Anderson after “There Will Be Blood”. The results, much like their previous work, are stunning.

Reynolds Woodcock is a really solid character, well-built in structure as a perfectionist needing constant praise and encouragement, a nice look at the weird pathologies the upper class can cause in people. But the character really fills out with Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance born from his intense method acting process, where he adopts the personality of the character during the entire production, even off-camera, a form of perfectionism in its own way. The two meld to become the character, and it’s really quite amazing to watch. And as someone who is a bit of a perfectionist himself, I found myself identifying with the way he saw the world as much as I cringed at his need for perfection in his own life. I also vowed to work on my own stupid outbursts when things aren’t perfect.

The script is not just a character study, though, even if Woodcock takes center stage most often. We also get great performances by Lesley Manville as his sister Cyril, and by Vicky Krieps as Alma, as his lover, muse, and something indescribable at the end. The story takes us through the 1950s upper class, never deviating from luxurious surroundings or stylish costumes throughout, with great musical choices, selling us first on the idealism of Woodcock’s vision and watching as he slowly falls out of fashion, and seeing what happens when someone finally pushes back on his perfectionist bullshit, in a very dark manner. And as someone who isn’t really a fan of high fashion, I think the clear meaning we can all take from this film is that high fashion is a poisonous fungus that will kill someone in large amounts. That’s right. A smart “Phantom Thread” joke.

“Phantom Thread” (2017) is a beautiful, stylish film that is a character study of a 1950s high fashion dressmaker, the exacting world he inhabits, and what happens as it is upset by one woman. Daniel Day-Lewis gives an incredible performance, and the costumes most definitely deserves the Oscar win last year. Fans of high society period dramas, or fans of either Paul Thomas Anderson or Daniel Day-Lewis will definitely enjoy this film, along with anyone who is a fan of the nascent fashion industry.

Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 90 (MUST SEE)

One Movie Punch: 8.6/10

“Phantom Thread” (2017) is rated R and is currently streaming on HBO.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to the podcast. This will be the second of two episodes today as we’re working to get caught up from the fire. I’ll be continuing my story from the wildfire evacuation in a minute, but if you haven’t heard the earlier segments, hit pause, then go back to my review for “Outlaw King” (Episode #314) for the first segment, then listen every episode after that for another installment. Let me know you’re listening by sharing this episode with #WelcomeBackOMP.

Last segment, our family was back together again, and things were getting back to normal, with school the following day. I was feeling awful when I woke up, definitely having caught whatever my spouse had, but there would be no rest for the wicked. The reason? Ants. Ants were fricking everywhere, making a trail down the stairs and swarming our garbage can. It tends to happen in areas affected by wildfires, as we found out five years ago, when ants start searching everywhere for food. The ladies were heading out the door, and I was running around spraying and wiping and trying to figure out where they were entering the house, like some modern-day Leiningen. Also, our daughter’s drain was clogged, and laundry had backed up, and dishes needed to get done, and, and, and... I guess it was getting back to normal, ready or not.

More on the story from the fire tomorrow.

Today’s movie is “Blade Runner 2049” (2017), the Warner Bros science fiction epic directed by Denis Villeneuve and written for the screen by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, based on a story by Hampton Francher, and sourced from the original work “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” by Philip K. Dick. The film is set thirty years after “Blade Runner” (1982), where investigator K (Ryan Gosling) uncovers a secret that requires him to track down the missing Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford). The film was nominated for five Oscars and won two for Cinematography and Visual Effects.

Spoilers ahead.

I’ve been excited about the many adaptations of Philip K. Dick’s work, both for the big screen and the small screen, and today’s franchise has a lot to do with the explosion in adaptations we’ve seen. Prior to “Blade Runner” (1982), the only adaptation of Dick’s work was a single episode of “Out of This World”, and Dick’s relationship with “Blade Runner” was contentious before he finally accepted it, and unfortunately died a few months before its theatrical release. After his death, and the success of “Blade Runner”, Hollywood became a feeding frenzy, turning Dick’s work into multiple adaptations, and one film, “Total Recall” has already seen itself rebooted. Add to that the extreme success and popularity of “The Man in the High Castle” and the new “Electric Dreams” anthology series, and it’s a great time to be a PKD fan. But is this film really a PKD adaptation?

The answer is no. It is, more correctly, an extension of Ridley Scott’s vision of “Blade Runner”, which was a much more philosophical look at the characters and ideas contained within “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, the source novella. As an aside, there’s an incredible limited comic book series using the entire novella text from Boom! Studios worth checking out. The source material is actually a very pedestrian look at the world he created, and not so much the science fiction noir film Scott created for the theaters, then re-issued for home release with multiple endings, where Rick Deckard either is or isn’t a replicant, among other details. I remember getting the whatever edition on VHS, and as much as I complain about it now, it was my first experience with Philip K. Dick, and while I prefer the novella to the movie now, I still admire Scott’s world, extended by today’s film into something larger and, based on its critical and financial success, self-sustaining.

“Blade Runner 2049” is an absolutely beautifully rendered world, making use of all the advances in special effects while retaining the key style elements of the original film, and advanced a few decades further down the spiral of a decaying planet, and a tantalizing promise of seeing more of it and the rest of the solar system. It also manages to upgrade the idea of a replicant / human relationship with the idea of a replicant / replicant relationship, and even more as the mystery unfolds. Lots of great ideas for philosophy clubs around the world. And we finally get to know which ending was the intended ending of “Blade Runner”, a relief for me.

But it’s slow. So very, very slow, and very, very long. I have time to appreciate the grand views and amazing practical effects, and enough time leftover in most scenes to start getting sick of it. I love Denis Villeneuve’s entire cinematography, and believe it deserved the Oscars, but I also think thirty minutes could easily have been cut from the film, or that more needed to happen in those gaps to make the journey worthwhile.

“Blade Runner 2049” (2017) is a stunningly beautiful follow up to Ridley Scott’s original film, clarifying the first film and extending the universe for a second, and possibly more to come. While it is not a Philip K Dick story anymore, it does continuing to evolve and expand the universe created by his source material into something to be appreciated on its own terms. Science fiction fans, and definitely fans of the first film, have already seen this film, but anyone else who hasn’t should check out the first film, then caffeinate and make enough time to watch today’s film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 87% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 81 (MUST SEE)

One Movie Punch: 8.2/10

“Blade Runner 2049” (2017) is rated R and is currently streaming on HBO.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to the podcast. This will be the first of two episodes today as we’re working to get caught up from the fire. I’ll be continuing my story from the wildfire evacuation in a minute, but if you haven’t heard the earlier segments, hit pause, then go back to my review for “Outlaw King” (Episode #314) for the first segment, then listen every episode after that for another installment. Let me know you’re listening by sharing this episode with #WelcomeBackOMP.

Last segment, we had noticed the air quality was tanking outside, so we finished our brief lunch date and errands, then returned home to wait even more. Another television binge ensued, continuing when our daughter returned home. School was definitely back on, we had learned, and neither of them was really looking forward to it, especially because two days later, they would be on Thanksgiving break. We were watching television, but I was also watching both of them, the two most important people in my life, thankful that we could feel as bored as we did that evening. Another sign things were getting back to normal, despite the packed bags everywhere. We made a list this time, of things to pack in case of another evacuation, and I can’t recommend enough that everyone else should do the same. We’re heading for some turbulent times, so being prepared is important. I knew if I had the two of them, and the things packed in those bags, we would be okay.

More on the story from the fire tomorrow.

Today’s movie is “Dunkirk” (2017), the Oscar winning drama written and directed by Christopher Nolan. The film follows an ensemble cast of characters during the World War II evacuation of Dunkirk. The film was nominated for eight Oscars and won three for Film Editing, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing.

Spoilers ahead.

Christopher Nolan really knows how to make a film, and I’m not saying that because he made one of my favorite films of all time, “The Dark Knight”. At least not just because of that. I’ve been a fan since checking out “Memento” in college, having my mind melt as the story progressed backwards, knowing I had seen something that will be studied in a few decades. And sure enough, my daughter is studying that film in her high school TV & Film class, along with “Exit Through The Gift Shop” (Episode #060) and “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father” (Episode #095). We both kind of laughed that she was studying two films I had reviewed earlier this year. And while I haven’t yet seen “Inception” (I know, I know...), I was excited to see this, and now that I finally have, really regret not seeing it on the big screen. Because damn.

I was impressed by structure of the script, splitting the story into three separate stories with different timelines, converging at the end with the final rescues and aftermath. I was a little worried at the start, wondering if it would be too confusing, but Nolan does a great job using thematic storytelling for the film, keeping the right tension across the stories, even as they are converging. It is the same kind of scripting genius that drew me to “Memento”, and has brought me back ever since. The thematic storytelling only works with the right composition, though, and here again, Nolan weaves the sights, sounds, score, and performances to drive home the meaning of Dunkirk, both the reality of the day, and the inspiration later drawn from it to continue fighting the fascists. Top film, which definitely earned every Oscar for film and sound editing.

The cast is a great ensemble, including Aneurin Barnard, Barry Keoghan, Harry Styles, Mark Rylance, Cillian Murphy, James D’Arcy, Will Attenborough, and Kenneth Branagh. I don’t think anyone turned in a bad performance, and nearly all of them were in top form. War films that involve major battles almost require having large casts, to create the necessary realism, as opposed to the World War II films of yesteryear that relied heavily on small casts and large backdrops, like the film about Dunkirk being shot during World War II in last year’s “Our Finest”. We expect a lot more since “Saving Private Ryan”, and Nolan delivers.

“Dunkirk” (2017) is a sweeping tale of one of the greatest and most miraculous evacuations of all time. Nolan constructs an amazing script using thematic storytelling across converging timelines, showing three separate aspects of the event that inspired the United Kingdom to continue fighting, even in their darkest hour. Everyone has likely already seen this, but I would definitely recommend it to just about everyone, especially with the PG-13 rating. 

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% (CERTIFIED FRESH)

Metacritic: 94 (MUST SEE)

One Movie Punch: 9.2/10

“Dunkirk” (2017) is rated PG-13 and is currently streaming on HBO.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to the podcast. This will be the second of two episodes today as we’re working to get caught up from the fire. I’ll be continuing my story from the wildfire evacuation in a minute, but if you haven’t heard the earlier segments, hit pause, then go back to my review for “Outlaw King” (Episode #314) for the first segment, then listen every episode after that for another installment. Let me know you’re listening by sharing this episode with #WelcomeBackOMP.

Last segment, our daughter left with our neighbors to get out of the house, and after a bit of cajoling, so did my spouse and I. We had been putting off a few errands, and took care of as many of those as possible. Any reason, really, to be out of the house. Weird, isn’t it? We felt so displaced by the initial evacuation, and yet, three days after returning home, we just had to get out of there. It was day seven of the fires by us at that point, and we were checking about seven sites worth of information every thirty minutes, just in case we had to rush home and repack. Our daughter was having a blast, texting us every now and again. As we slurped our ramen in town, one of us began searching the sites again, and the air quality was quickly tanking outside, now that the wind was shifting the other way. You wouldn’t know if you were outside, but air quality isn’t always about what you can see. And with that, we paid our bill, then headed back home, to wait some more.

More on the story from the fire tomorrow.

Today’s movie is “The Christmas Chronicles” (2018), the Netflix Original holiday film directed by Clay Kaytis and written for the screen by Matt Lieberman and David Guggenheim. The film follows Kate Pierce (Darby Camp) and her older brother Teddy (Judah Lewis), who attempt to capture a picture of Santa Claus (Kurt Russell). Their plan leads to a larger adventure with the big man himself.

Spoilers ahead.

So many new holiday films on Netflix this year. I’ve reviewed two so far: one was a hit; the other a near-miss. I have at least a few more to go, including watching last year’s “A Christmas Prince” (Episode #338) in anticipation of the sequel. If you want my thoughts about holiday films in general, you can check out the previous reviews for “The Holiday Calendar” (Episode #313) and “The Princess Switch” (Episode #327). I’m still looking for this year’s best holiday movie, and unfortunately, I still haven’t found it yet, although today’s movie gets closer. 

“The Christmas Chronicles” reminds me a lot of “Home Alone”, “The Santa Clause”, and a string of other Christmas films from the 1990s, which kept the mood light, the story moving, and the magical holiday realism palpable everywhere. Kurt Russell stars as Santa Claus, who has crashed his sleigh on Christmas after being surprised by Teddy and Kate, and apparently has lost his magic hat, making Christmas nearly impossible to finish. Now, what follows from that? A red car chase. A stampede of reindeer. A magical trip to get assistance from animated elves. And a race to save Christmas, followed by a surprise appearance by Mrs. Claus. Everything is pretty well done, and it doesn’t take any risks it can’t handle. Kurt Russell is fun and worth seeing as Santa. Darby Camp and Judah Lewis are fine in their roles. Good pacing, great timing, and easy to digest, especially after a large Christmas dinner.

So, why not a higher score? Well, in my opinion, the film hamstrings itself at the end, when we learn that Santa had his magic the whole time, and that everything else which has happened was just a morality quest for the two kids. No real peril at that point, so no real investment, although we should probably be concerned by an old white man taking two children across state lines in general. Holiday films are known for their deus ex machina endings, so it’s not a surprise, but it immediately depressed my enjoyment, and I realized this would be a “one and done” holiday film. An enjoyable one, but not something that needs to be seen more than once.

“The Christmas Chronicles” (2018) is a fun and rollicking Christmas film, with Kurt Russell turning in a fun performance as the big man himself. Supported by Darby Camp and Judah Lewis, this film delivers a pretty standard holiday story with decent dialogue and strong messaging. Fans of holiday films, or Kurt Russell, should definitely check it out this season for some good laughs and fun for the whole family.

Rotten Tomatoes: 66%

Metacritic: 52

One Movie Punch: 7.0/10

“The Christmas Chronicles” (2018) is rated TV-PG and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to the podcast. This will be the first of two episodes today as we’re working to get caught up from the fire. I’ll be continuing my story from the wildfire evacuation in a minute, but if you haven’t heard the earlier segments, hit pause, then go back to my review for “Outlaw King” (Episode #314) for the first segment, then listen every episode after that for another installment. Let me know you’re listening by sharing this episode with #WelcomeBackOMP.

Last segment, our family had finished repacking and started binging content. You might ask why I wasn’t working on the podcast, and quite frankly, I was overwhelmed after repacking. The packing included putting all the technical equipment away. We hadn’t really gotten guidance on the flare up, but the wind had finally died down, so they were working furiously to contain everything. We woke up the next morning, less stressed, and falsely comforted by the clear skies. Our daughter was invited by our neighbors to head out to the mall and to grab some lunch. I worked on trying to catch up the chores, puttering around the house keeping busy, and always walking by our pre-packed bags. My spouse was feeling much better, physically anyway, and when the chores were done, we sat down to continue binging “Veep”. At least until my wife stood up and said, “Enough of this. Let’s go run the errands.” I protested, until she added, “And a big bowl of ramen.” Shoes were never put on so fast.

More on the story from the fire tomorrow. 

Today’s movie is “The Tribe” (2018), the Netflix Original Spanish comedy directed by Fernando Colomo and written for the screen in collaboration with Yolanda García Serrano and Joaquín Oristrell. The film follows Fidel (Paco León), an HR manager who loses everything after being hauled out of his office sexually connected to his intern, and becoming an Internet pariah. While working through everything, he decides to find his biological mother Virginia (Carmen Machi), who had given him up for adoption at birth. After the brief meeting, Fidel tries to commit suicide, but instead wakes up with transient amnesia, and Virginia uses this opportunity to make up for lost time.

Spoilers ahead.

I feel like today’s film is what I was hoping to find watching “Jefe” (Episode #308). “Jefe” was a dark comedy that seemed mostly focused on revenge rather than redemption. “La Tribu”, however, is light-hearted, and focused on true redemption, even for a total asshole like Fidel. Because prior to his fall, Fidel laid off 300 folks from his former employer, and didn’t care about anything but himself. And after he loses his memory, he becomes moldable clay, able to be shaped, or rather reshaped, into a decent human being. It has all the makings of a great film, even if amnesia as a storytelling element is very much overused. However, then we get to see Virginia’s tribe, and everything becomes much more interesting.

We learn that Virginia has a group of older ladies that have formed an intense bond through urban dance while watching their children take classes, who call themselves Las Mamis, and are super fuera, and they have great pride in themselves, as their chant states throughout the film. Fidel ends up joining the same group, becoming their leader and guide, and when they are recorded doing their incredibly well-choreographed numbers in a club, get picked up for the national talent show. Not because of their talent, or certainly not primarily because of that talent, but because the scout recognizes Fidel as the Stickyman, and wants to exploit him for ratings on the show. And what’s worse, Virginia has figured out who Fidel really is, and is trying to hide his identity from him so he doesn’t try to commit suicide again. Now we’ve got a fun premise, and they take this campy premise all the way to its end.

The best part about this film? The dancing. I loved watching the ladies (and Fidel) do their numbers, full of confidence and style, showing with their numbers more than any of their characters could even communicate via dialogue. We also get Virginia’s other two sons, who are organizers against the corporation Fidel was fired from, which helps Fidel discover a path to redemption, if he’s willing to take it. And it all comes together at the end very well, with Fidel regaining his memory under hilarious circumstances, and deciding to humiliate himself for the sake of his newfound tribe. Fernando Colomo does an excellent job composing the film, working in the Stickyman track in fun ways, and ending with an awesome number.

“The Tribe” (2018) is a campy redemption story of a horrible person, using situational comedy and strong messaging, allowing the lead character to find redemption the same way the rest of his newfound tribe has done. It is a solid film with great dancing and choreography, and will be sure to make anyone laugh. Fans of campy comedies, or heartwarming redemption tales, will definitely enjoy this film, but it may not be everyone else’s cup of tea.

Rotten Tomatoes: 67%

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 8.2/10

“The Tribe” (2018) is rated TV-MA and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to the podcast. This will be the second of two episodes today as we’re working to get caught up from the fire. I’ll be continuing my story from the wildfire evacuation in a minute, but if you haven’t heard the earlier segments, hit pause, then go back to my review for “Outlaw King” (Episode #314) for the first segment, then listen every episode after that for another installment. Let me know you’re listening by sharing this episode with #WelcomeBackOMP.

Last segment, my spouse and I scrambled to repack in the face of a potential flare-up, then waited for more information about the flare up. We were binging “Veep”, and then eventually it was time to head out and pick up our daughter from school, having heard nothing much yet in terms of the flare up, other than “be ready just in case”. She was doing really well, all things considered, even as I figured that there were plenty of school districts reconsidering their decisions to have class today. They picked up some supplies on their way back home, and she repacked everything she thought she might need. It was weird walking through the house we had just put back together, and seeing everything packed up again, but I guess this is the new normal. After we were ready to leave, if needed, we sat together as a family, ate some dinner, then caught up on “Riverdale” and “The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”. No, not today’s film, but the show. And then we got the word from the school districts that school would be closed tomorrow as well.

More on the story from the fire tomorrow.

Today’s movie is “Sabrina” (2018), the Netflix Original horror film directed by Rocky Soraya and written for the screen by Fajar Umbara and Riheam Junianti. The film follows Maira (Luna Maya), who lives with Aiden (Christian Sugiono), with their adopted daughter (and niece) Vanya (Richelle Georgette Skornicki). When Vanya discovers a game that allows people to contact the dead, she attempts to summon the spirit of her birth mother, but instead summons another spirit who inhabits a doll named Sabrina, and is looking for revenge.

Spoilers ahead.

That’s it. I’m done with Rocky Soraya. Between this film and “The 3rd Eye” (Episode #276), I think I’ve seen all I need to. And what’s doubly worse is that today’s film is actually the third film in a series of supernatural doll possessions, itself a played out genre, but the plots for all three films are nearly identical. The sets are too well lit. The story somehow manages to have an obligatory twist. It actually made me wonder if this film, and the rest of the series, are just some elaborate effort to launder money, but then I realized I’ve been watching too much “Get Shorty”. Or maybe not enough?

“Sabrina”, in a word, is awful. Our story begins with an opening scene involving a possession that pulls from virtually every other possession film, with an angry spirit inhabiting a body, and a pair of spiritualists working to exorcise the demon. And then we’re at school with Vanya, struggling with the loss of her mother, and seeing a kid playing a Ouija like game that can answer yes or no questions. Vanya summons her mother, or so she thinks, and the spirit inhabits the Sabrina doll, a second edition of the doll featured in “The Doll 2”, the second film to feature the same doll, who looks like Weird Al Yankovic wearing a freaky-ass mask, a resemblance that only grows when the demon somehow manifests. The special effects are hit or miss, but mostly hit, when the lighting isn’t too bright for the tone. And speaking of tone, it can’t keep a standard tone throughout the film at all.

Oh, we’re not done yet. While I was watching this film, I felt it was about to wrap-up, so I started making notes, giving it a score, and then when it didn’t seem to end, I checked how much time was left. Another thirty minutes. Because I had forgotten we needed to get an obligatory twist, which flashes back to the original possession and expands the story, showing that one of the other characters actually summoned the demon originally, and we need to have this divergent path for the rest of the film, until everything is wrapped up. Or is it? Because, you know, movie three, and the second in a deal that Rocky Soraya apparently has with Netflix. If the film had as much self-awareness as, say, “Z Nation”, I might have been able to get into it. But it takes itself extremely seriously, and ends up being wholly unenjoyable. And long. Two hours long. Ugh.

“Sabrina” (2018) is the last Rocky Soraya film I will willingly watch, unless someone else tells me something has changed. I’m sure I will eat those words next year, but there it is. It is the third film in a doll possession series, with no signs of stopping, and no signs of creating anything new for the franchise or the genre. Fans of doll possession series or folks who love to hate watch, should definitely check out this film. Everyone else, take a hard pass.

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 4.8/10

“Sabrina” (2018) is rated TV-MA and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to the podcast. This will be the first of two episodes today as we’re working to get caught up from the fire. I’ll be continuing my story from the wildfire evacuation in a minute, but if you haven’t heard the earlier segments, hit pause, then go back to my review for “Outlaw King” (Episode #314) for the first segment, then listen every episode after that for another installment. Let me know you’re listening by sharing this episode with #WelcomeBackOMP.

Last segment, I was sitting in therapy watching a fresh plume of smoke rising in the distance. We finished up, and I headed back out to the car, where my spouse was waiting with the latest fire updates. The flare up wasn’t a threat yet, but our neighborhood was put back on evacuation alert. We drove home, watching the air quality steadily decline, and while our daughter was at school, and while my wife was still recovering, we packed everything up again... and just sat there. In silence. For about twenty minutes. And when that wasn’t helping our anxiety, we decided to do the only sensible thing: find a new television show to start binging, and we picked “Veep”, which would lead us to a new addition later on to our streaming services. I know, it wasn’t movies, but I wasn’t sure we could commit to anything longer than thirty minutes at that point, and even thinking about the podcast caused some anxiety, which was growing as the days passed. I was also coming down with something, perhaps the same respiratory illness as my wife, perhaps just another psychosomatic illness from all the stress. Either way, here we were again. Waiting.

More on the story from the fire tomorrow.

Today’s movie is “The Princess Switch” (2018), the Netflix Original holiday story directed by Michael Rohl and written for the screen by Robin Bernheim and Megan Metzger. The film follows Stacy De Novo (Vanessa Hudgens), who travels to Belgravia and runs into Lady Margaret Delacourt (Vanessa Hudgens), a doppelganger who proposes to switch lives for a time so Lady Belacourt can experience being normal before marrying for the Belgravian crown.

Spoilers ahead.

Confession time. I cried so much watching this film. I even posted to Twitter about it. I found myself fighting the tears, then just letting them go. I do that sometimes. Fight back the tears. Because I know I’m being manipulated by the movie for a film that should, for every other reason, be another holiday film with an overused premise. And it is. It’s the curse of holiday films, when nearly every major studio and quite a few smaller ones are churning them out every year, greenlighting what is going to sell, because each film triggers the generally good memories using standard holiday imagery and themes. Holiday films are people generally at their best, and if not, their most redemptive, and however unrealistic that may be, it’s also something I needed after the last few weeks of stress and anxiety and, outside of the heroic work being done by the firefighters, the lack of our best behavior in most of society. It was making that realization while watching this film that allowed me to let the tears flow, and to just enjoy the movie.

“The Princess Switch” is a life swap film, in the vein of two doppelgangers trading places, watching things become uncomfortable, then go horribly wrong, then ends with a happy ending, because this is a holiday film. Stacy De Novo and Lady Margaret, given their stations in life, get to also engage in a little class consciousness, by which I mean royalty and a downtown Chicago bakery business owner. We see Lady Margaret slumming it and Stacy bringing sensibility to the royalty, and along the way, each falls for the other man in their lives, ending with a baking competition that causes quite a stir. It is so unrealistic and unrelatable, and definitely a fairy tale, with a mysteriously omnipresent kindly man (Robin Soans) who has just the right nudging for all the players to find the true meaning of the holidays. Or whatever. Vanessa Hudgens is great playing both roles, and the supporting cast carries both characters to their happy endings. It’s heartwarming, and saccharine, and effective. 

It does have a few eyesores, though. Belgravia’s square looks too much like a set, complete with the fakest snow I’ve seen in a while. The story is predictable, telegraphing a lot of scenes. The characters, as written, and as expected for a holiday film, border on caricature. It breaks no new ground at all. But it’s not supposed to. It’s supposed to be a heartwarming film for the holidays, and that’s what it is. Which begs the question? What would a realistic holiday film look like for our modern age? I mean, besides “Die Hard”. 

“The Princess Switch” (2018) is a holiday film with an overused premise, but still manages to hit all the right notes. Heartwarming, funny, and charming, even if completely derivative. Holiday film fans will definitely enjoy this film, even if they may notice its flaws, and folks who just need a break from the reality of everything might find it therapeutic. I certainly did.

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 7.2/10 

“The Princess Switch” (2018) is rated TV-PG and is currently streaming on Netflix.