'Quiet', Terrifying and Masterful

Emily Blunt & Millicent Simmonds

A QUIET PLACE

dir. John Krasinski 

       Sometimes the best thing a movie can do is not over-explain the what and when of it's own cinematic setup and the setup of "A QUIET PLACE" is fairly straightforward. But within that straightforwardness, the filmmakers and actors manage to make an emotional and terrifying piece of cinema that is a welcome addition to the plethora of excellent horror films that have been coming out in recent years. 

     Set two years from now, most of the world has been wiped out due to mysterious creatures that hunt and kill by sound and we follow a family as they try to live and thrive in this near silent dystopia. The relationship of the parents (Emily Blunt & John Krasinski) and their children, one of whom is deaf, (Millicent Simmonds & Noah Jupe) and how they survive and prosper in this environment against the unknown and disturbing force that threatens them is front and center here. That universal core allows the scares and horror to grow organically from the story and characters rather than just having jump scares or disturbing moments for the sake of maintaining or fulfilling a juvenile quota. 

    The film's use of silence and subtitles are among what make this story so universal and groundbreaking in terms of genre filmmaking as the first act is composed entirely of Silence, Marco Beltrami's score, and Subtitles for important conversations that are entirely ASL (American Sign Language). Those elements along with the amazing central performances are what set "QUIET" apart from other horror films or rather any kind of modern genre films. It is the best example of being loud with less and one of the best films you'll see this or any year. 

Woken Up and Scared 'OUT' of The Sunken Place

GET OUT
dir. Jordan Peele 

     I missed GET OUT when it first came out in theaters last February as I was patiently awaiting the releases of LOGAN and The Shack. Upon seeing it this past week, I can still feel the spinning emotional spectrum that was experienced while watching this film. There are just so many words to describe the feelings one feels while sitting through every frame. 

    The core plot of the film follows Chris, a photographer whom goes to meet the parents of his girlfriend, Rose and while the both of them stay up there for the weekend, Chris starts to notice the oddly nostalgic behavior that the groundskeeper and housekeeper exhibit among others he meets as the film goes on. As he stays the weekend in the idyllic abode, he is hypnotized by Rose's mother and from there he journeys and descends into a dark labyrinth involving his past, societal contradictions, and oppression and tyranny.

   To explain the plot anymore would be a disservice to those who have yet to see and discover the memorable surprises, shocks and intense scares that Jordan Peele's screenwriting and directorial debut cauterizes into your brain after watching it. It's much more than just another scary movie with underlying universal themes of race issues and classism. It's a film that keeps your eyes glued even when they want to look away and keeps your brain thinking long after you have watched it. Director Adrian Lyne once stated: "I like movies that create discussion; I love it when they haven't forgotten about your movie by dinnertime and they're still arguing about it the next day - that's what a movie should do, it should create discussion."

This movie does that and so much more. GET OUT doesn't just create discussion, IT IS THE DISCUSSION. The story, style, characters and themes pool themselves together to create the cinematic form of waking up and taking the blinders off. This isn't just another one of Blumhouse Productions low-budget quick money-makers but it's a masterful showcase of what you can do with a modest budget, a talented cast and an universal and impactful story that makes you reflect inwards and dig a little deeper than what is on the surface.

THE REEL CINEVIEWS 2017 YEAR-END REVIEW SPECIAL

2017 was an amazing and surprising year for movies and while I couldn't make it to every excellent movie that came out during the year either due to missing them in the cinema or certain films not getting a full wide-release until January, I did manage to see and experience a lot of great films so here is my annual yearly round-up of honorable mentions, my favorite films of the year and movies which I hope get left behind in the dust as we venture forth into the new year. 

Most Surprising Movie of 2017

HAPPY DEATH DAY

Initially, after seeing the trailer in the theater about a million times, I had doubts and a very condescending attitude towards Christopher Landon's genre-blending slasher film but I was pleasantly surprised as Happy Death Day is a fun, thrilling and, at times, terrifying roller coaster of a film that is smarter than it looks and let's us the audience not only care about the story and characters but also have fun with it's insane premise at the same time. One of the most underrated films from last year and is one of the best to come out of

Blumhouse Productions. 

Best Theatrical Film Experience of 2017

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND 

40th Anniversary Re-Release

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND is one of my favorite Spielberg films (and one of my favorites in general) and to be able to see the director's cut of this science-fiction masterwork on the biggest screen possible was an awe-inducing and jaw dropping experience. Movies like this were made to be seen with the best screen picture and sound possible and here's hoping that more studios put out more theatrical re-releases like this in 2018. 

MY FAVORITE MOVIES OF 2017

BABY DRIVER

This is easily one of the best genre films of recent memory with intense and heart-pumping action sequences, a soundtrack that almost puts Guardians Of The Galaxy to shame, and fantastic and memorable performances from all involved especially Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx and Ansel Elgort who steal their scenes and run. If you haven't seen Baby Driver yet, give yourself a treat and see it immediately.  

DESPICABLE ME 3

While some may think that this series is now "tiring" itself out, This installment is the most funny since the original with the inclusion of Gru's Twin Brother Dru, having some more antics from the cute and lovable Minions and basing it's plot around a villain (voiced by Trey Parker of South Park) that is both a loving tribute and also pokes fun at 80s nostalgia. 

THE DISASTER ARTIST 

THE DISASTER ARTIST is a hilariously inspiring film that gives a voice to the artistic outsiders who make art their own way despite what others may think and it also gives a balanced portrait to Greg Sestero and Tommy Wiseau without iconizing them or turning them into villains/antagonists. It's this generation's version of Tim Burton's ED WOOD and considering ED WOOD is one of my favorite movies of all time, that is high praise for a film based around one of the "worst" films ever made

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, VOL. 2

2017 was an fantastically amazing year for superhero films and this second volume in this sci-fi franchise was one of the best. MARVEL's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY film franchise continues to keep me emotionally glued and tuned in to the further adventures of Star-Lord and the rest of the GUARDIANS crew and isn't also afraid to go into new territories and story arcs with it's characters.

IT

It's not only one of the best Stephen King adaptations in recent memory, it's also one of the scariest as Director Andy Muschietti perfectly shapes this classic tale of fear and horror for new audiences to "float" and connect with. 

LOGAN

While it's safe to say that we will all miss Hugh Jackman's iconic presence as the X-Men warrior, he finished his turn as Wolverine on the highest of notes giving myself and audiences one of the most well-written, brilliantly acted and emotionally charged superhero films of all time. 

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of Agatha Christie's murder mystery is a excellent example of how to adapt great and classic literature for today's audiences by including an all-star cast and keeping who did it and where close to it's chest without revealing its highly charged revelation in the finale. Hopefully, this will be the start of a great film series and it wont be the last time we see Mr. Branagh's vision and portrayal of Hercule Poirot.

THE SHACK

THE SHACK is one of those rare films that touches your heart and soul with it's elegant cinematic poetry. Some may consider it preachy or too emotional, but for me, this adaptation of the best selling novel by W.M. Paul Young is a perfect example of faith-based cinema at it's finest with excellent story-telling and performances.

SPLIT

M. Night Shyamalan returns to his thrilling roots by giving us something truly original, frightening and mind-bending and also may have given birth to a new sub-genre entirely as by the film's end you'll realize what this movie truly is:

A Villain's Origin Story 

WONDER WOMAN

Wonder Woman finally gets her long overdue blockbuster origin story and it shows that while DC Comics have made some missteps into their big cinematic universe, they made a great decision to make this film it's own story and in the process made a superhero film that treats its audience with respect and gives them what they deserve. 

Most Disappointing Film of 2017

ALIEN: COVENANT

I was one of the few who actually like Ridley Scott's Alien-Universe set prequel, PROMETHEUS, when it was released back in 2012 and I wanted this to not only satisfy what was set up in that film along with bringing back some more of the traditional Alien franchise staples. Instead, we get a confused and wandering film that doesn't please either audience and feels like it was only pieced together to try and keep this franchise in motion and in the public eye.  

Dumbest Movie Idea of 2017

SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT'S "CLEAN VERSION"

Who at SONY really thought that this was a good idea? The concept of offering "clean versions" of films isn't anything new (I highly recommend the documentary "Cleanflix" to see why this is such a bone-headed action) but having a studio like SONY PICTURES offering these sanitized versions along with purchasing the original is like something out of the Twilight Zone. Luckily, this was phased out of existence faster than you can say

"We Came, We Saw, We Kicked Its Ass"

THE WORST FILMS OF 2017

LBJ

With the right team, a film like this, which tells the story of the political career of Lyndon B. Johnson, could be great and intriguing. Unfortunately, This isn't that film as Rob Reiner and Woody Harrelson phone it in with bad direction and writing that treats it's audience as if they have never read, seen, or even heard of LBJ, Kennedy and his Assassination or Government Politics in general. It's like a boring 10-hour miniseries crammed into 90 minutes but it feels just as long and tedious as if you decided to binge watch that same series.

Such a disappointment from talent that can

and should do much better than this tripe

THE MUMMY

The first (and most likely, Last) installment in Universal's "Dark Universe" is the best example of how NOT to start a Universal Monsters based series of films. Between the shifts in tone and style, you get bland heroes and villains, no "monsters", no "scares" and so much franchise teasing that it feels more like an overlong trailer than an actual movie. Do audiences a favor, Universal Pictures, and either take a cue from Warner Bros. and their "CONJURING" Universe of films or just give the creative reigns over to Blumhouse Productions. Either way, your "Dark Universe" deserves so much better than this idiotic patchwork of a franchise launcher. 

WISH UPON

While LBJ and THE MUMMY were really bad, WISH UPON is the Cherry on the Top of the Cinematic Trash Sundae. Between the horrible writing, poor acting, and bland premise, it makes me wonder why this was even greenlit and released in the summer of a landmark year for horror cinema. The characters are stupid, the "scares" are non-existent, and everything else about it just makes you question why you're wasting your time watching this.

However, this movie did grant me one wish: It ended quickly. 

'Tonya' Delicately Balances Hybrid Genre

I, Tonya
dir. Craig Gillespie 

   Growing up as a youngling in the 1990s, you couldn't go very far without hearing something about either OJ Simpson or Tonya Harding. You'd hear a joke on a sketch show or another development on their constant rotations on the nightly news. When I first heard that a film based on her life, skating career, and "the incident" was announced, I only assumed that it would either be a Lifetime-like over the top campfest or a by-the-numbers biopic with the ups and downs and skimming everything in-between. We get neither though and instead get dark comedy/mockumentary/sports/crime caper genre hybrid that pulls no punches and doesn't sugarcoat anything or anyone.
     Margot Robbie gives a commanding (and awards worthy) performance as Tonya Harding. She portrays her with a balance which keeps the story from diving her character into a parody or martyr figure. The rest of the cast do so as well with Sebastian Stan and Allison Janney giving humanistic balance to the portrayals of Jeff Gillooly and Tonya's Mother respectively. One of the great and maybe maddening qualities of the film is it's constant tonal shifting as the film makes you laugh and giggle one moment, shocked and appalled the next, and then being sympathetic, and then randomizing between all those feelings like a pulsing Simon game machine.
   Underneath all of the insane and inane antics that make the film feel like The Coen Brothers' Fargo, there is an underlying theme of fleeting fame and acceptance and what societal standards of fame and behavior due to its subject matter. It makes you look at the darker side of news media and what they do or don't cover at times especially when news and gossip is available on a twenty-four seven basis. That may be reading a bit too deep into it but how else do you cinematically tell a crazy pop art true life story like this without morphing it into a nostalgic caricature. Luckily for the audience, this film doesn't do that in the slightest.

I, Tonya is Rated R for Pervasive Language, Violence,
and Some Sexual Content/Nudity

A Beautiful and Haunting 'Shape'

The Shape Of Water
dir. Guillermo del Toro 

    One of the many joys of watching a Guillermo del Toro film is that you never know what tone, style or feel that his visionary eye will show you. He has a penchant for taking the genres he grew up on and making it even more relevant for today's audiences but with his latest masterwork he has certainly outdone himself as he's managed to make a romantic fable about a mute woman who falls for a mysterious amphibian creature into a universal cinematic masterwork about tolerance, societal norms, and most important of all, acceptance. 

    Set during the early 60s, we follow Elisa (Sally Hawkins), a mute woman who lives her life above a movie theater and goes about her mundane routine working at governmental facility. She has her two best friends (Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer) and her usual day to day activities which bring her peace but her heart still longs for more. She encounters a mysterious creature (Doug Jones) whom she connects with and has to protect from the government agent (Michael Shannon) who only sees the creature as an "asset".

   If the story sounds a bit familiar, that is because it draws a lot from fairy-tale fables like Beauty And The Beast and Cinderella albeit on a more graphic and adult level than a certain mouse house. Del Toro also uses a lot of other genre and filmic stylings but that has always been his strength as he doesn't directly copy or pastiche like some other filmmakers have done recently and in the past.It's almost as if he took the mold of a Universal Monsters movie and crossed it with French New Wave and Old School Hollywood genres. His directing also manages to bring some amazing performances from not only the leads but also the supporting characters as well and all of whom get equal screen time and have their own motivations and stories.

   From the screenplay to the cinematography to Alexandre Desplat's orchestral score, everything flows and nothing feels like it doesn't fit with the characters or story. The Shape Of Water is a fantastically beautiful and haunting cinematic celebration of fantasy, romance, fables and the stuff that we dream when we are younger. It has a lot of graphic moments but in the end, it's a grown up fairy tale that speaks to us all.

The Shape of Water is Rated R for Sexual Content, Graphic Nudity,
Violence and Language  

Sweet and Satisfying 'Justice'

JUSTICE LEAGUE
dir. Zack Synder

This Review is SPOILER FREE

     Justice League presents a very interesting cinematic conundrum. It's a superhero film that on one hand is one of the most entertaining films of the year with enough action, humor and comic book antics that one expects from the superhero genre but on the other hand is a confusing and somewhat patched together piece that either subtracts too much or adds too much in some of its sequences. But either way, it is certainly a fun and exhilarating ride from start to finish and is most certainly memorable when compared to some other superhero films.

Picking up post Batman V Superman and Suicide Squad, Batman is looking to form a special team to protect the earth from Steppenwolf who wants to turn the earth into a suitable home for an even bigger entity. Most of the core of the film is centered on Batman trying to band the league together despite their differences in both abilities and personality. All the heroes give excellent performances with Ezra Miller (The Flash) and Jason Momoa (Aquaman) standing out and alongside Ben Affleck's (better than awesome characterization of) Batman and Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman. The tone is much lighter than Dawn of Justice without veering into camp or self-awareness and still connecting to the previous entry in the overall universe. The special effects within action scenes and some more emotional pieces range from average to mediocre but with the brisk frequency of the film, you'll hardly notice unless you're really looking out for that and any other flaws with a fine toothed comb.

That aspect is definitely where this movie earns some higher marks than say Thor: Ragnarok or Spider-Man: Homecoming. It keeps going and chugging along it's own track without having entire sequences, character arcs, "Next Time on..." segments or dropped plotlines clog up or slow down the film. Now, granted, there are still some of those elements scattered along the film but like The Flash, they arrive and then dissipate within seconds.

Where some of the film trips in on itself is when its trying to connect itself to the other films in the DCEU, fix things that were set up previously, and make every audience member happy, all at the same time which makes it feel a tad disorienting and loose like someone who is happy with their final project but is still fixing it all the way up until it is presented.

The strong points (which also include Danny Elfman's score and the insane and blood-pumping action-sequences) mostly outweigh the weaker ones to make for a super-fun, entertainingly brisk and satisfying end of the year blockbuster.

A Mighty Good Film

POWER RANGERS
dir. Dean Israelite

   One of my first movie-going experiences that I remember was seeing the first "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" film in my town at the Glen Drive-In with "Casper" back in the summer of 1995 and while that film has a nostalgic place in my movie-going history, it has some flaws and dated clichés. As for this version for the new generation, it's an exceptional teen superhero film and a step in the right direction for a future franchise.
   Our main heroes meet in detention (ala "The Breakfast Club") and afterwards, they all meet up again by chance and discover special power coins that give them superpowers and they eventually learn that they are destined to be earth-defending warriors known as the "Power Rangers" and have to stop the evil Rita Repulsa from destroying the world. Each one of the rangers are very well-written and fleshed out teenagers that are not only believable for this generation but for any generation for that matter. It never feels like their actions or attitudes are superfluous or just there to meet a millennial diversity quota. They are a good compliment to the supporting celebrity performances of Bryan Cranston, Bill Hader and Elizabeth Banks who just relishes and shamelessly (in a good way) flaunts her evilness as Rita.
  The biggest thing that almost derails the film as a whole is the less than average level of action for a modern superhero blockbuster but what action sequences are there (and most of them are in the final act of the film) feel fun and vibrant without being too darkly light or filmed Bayhem-style.
    It isn't as deep and character based like "Logan" or pointless and hollow like "Max Steel" but it fits and settles nicely in that middle ground that can entertain fans of the original run of the franchise but also attract the new YA blockbuster audience that looks for characters that speak to them and their generation.

Rating: 4/5 Reels