La La Land

Right from the long tracking shot opening scene song and dance number, this film is unabashedly replicating and honoring the Hollywood movie musicals of the past. It's got the dancing, the singing, the whimsy, the spontaneity that comes with musicals, and they are very much a joy to watch here. The songs are simply fantastic, and the soundtrack is a joy to listen to. This movie is also a nice presentation showcasing the city of Los Angeles, from the sights, sounds, and it's residents. In many ways, it's also a satire, since it shows us pretentious struggling artists, iphones, late night social gatherings, the Toyota Prius, and many LA stereotypes you can think of. 

If there is one word to describe this movie, it's "charming." Besides the songs and dances, the two leading characters Mia and Sebastian, as respectively played by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, are your flawed by very charming protagonists for this story. The chemistry they have together on screen will definitely pull at your romantic heartstrings. While not technically the best singers or dancers in the cast, they are still really really good in this. There is this song and dance scene that both of them do together for the first time in the movie that was just excellent! Ryan Gosling is impressively amazing on the keyboard, and Emma Stone has this solo song number that is simply mesmerizing. 

Now the story itself isn't exactly something you've never seen before and you might fault it for that, however it is still wonderfully told. There is also admittedly a simplicity to the premise about Los Angeles dreamers wanting to succeed in their passion works, but there is also a strong underlying theme regarding that and on the couple's relationship that you can have deep thoughts about. I myself personally had issues with how the movie ended in the final act, but at the same time I was still deeply moved by the resolution. 

While it can be easily questioned if "La La Land" is truly strong enough to stand next to the movie musical greats or the classic romantic dramas of old, I can't deny that it's heart is completely in the right place. A huge thank you to director writer Damien Chazelle and to musical orchestrator Justin Hurwitz for making this movie. 

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The Infiltrator

I suppose it isn't a surprise to anybody that Bryan Cranston is great in this. He is likely the main reason for people to see this movie. They will then discover a decently good movie that covers the war on drugs in the 1980s. It may be based in actual history, but the narrative is admittedly a bit derivative anyway. It's an interesting story, but it may just not stand out enough in this genre of films. Enter the performances and the characters to save the day. 

What grounds this movie; besides the exciting tension that comes with stories about undercover work, are the characters who are in the thick of things here. We are forced to feel the deathly danger of being discovered as an undercover agent, by having to believe the emotional strength and fortitude of pretending to be somebody else. Add in the whole trope about struggling to balance the dual identities within the real and fabricated lives, and you can see why this movie relies a lot on the character work by the actors. Some plot turns may threaten to ruin your suspension of disbelief, but the acting work will keep you watching. 

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Captain Fantastic

This movie has a fascinating topic about comparing what it's like to be living with all the modern luxuries, or living in a minimal fashion within nature. There is a bit of bias evident in this, with some emphasis showing the negatives about modern living, however the movie does go both ways. This comparison is actually the more superficial aspect of the story, because it has a lot more to offer. 

The dynamics between the Father; played fantastically by Viggo Mortensen, and the numerous children he has is the main crux of this story. There's a lot of back and forth with philosophical point of views about life and how they should live it. Add in the road trip aspect, and it goes further into the thematic ideas, as well as humorous situations of culture clashes. Going through the movie, you'll want to see how it ends. 

It's a simple enough movie with big ideas, and it's worth checking out. 

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Rogue One : A Star Wars Story

As the first anthology story that's part of an already established universe and history, was this installment worthy of the "Star Wars" name? The answer is a resounding yes yes and yes! There is a lot of positive things that Director Gareth Edwards, with writers Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy, added to the mythology of the Star Wars saga. For some people, they would say that they actually improved on it, by making some necessary additions to some lingering questions about certain plot devices introduced in past installments. 

The movie is filled with a smorgasbord of interesting ideas, wonderful new locations, fantastic visuals, memorable scenes, and plot set-pieces, that will only feed into the strong fanbase that Star Wars already has. The premise of the story is also pretty strong, filled with adventure, intrigue, and tragedy. There are also a good amount of fun easter eggs in the movie that pays tribute to the other installments that fans will get a kick out of.

My only real selfish complaint with the story is that I wished it showed us more. Even though there are already a lot of exposition explaining the plot, there is at the same time also a lack of exposition in some regards that would have made the story even tighter. At times the plot is moving too fast, and then at times it's moving too slow. There are also several plot conveniences that we all just need to suspend our disbelief for too. I should also point out that even though this is technically a prequel story, it has this assumption that you've already seen the other movies as well. 

Out of all the new characters introduced with this movie, Jyn Erso as played by Felicity Jones is an obvious highlight that anchors the whole thing. However for many people, it's likely that Security Droid K-2S0 as played by Alan Tudyk is the character that steals every scene. I also thought that Chirrut Imwe as played by Donnie Yen, Bodhi Rook as played by Riz Ahmed, and Orson Krennic as played by Ben Mendelsohn, were all also really strong in this. Unfortunately, the other characters didn't really leave as big of a impression on me as I hoped they would, especially co-main star Cassian Andor as played by Diego Luna, or even Saw Gerrera as played by Forest Whitaker. There is also some CG character work that I thought were just absolutely cringe-worthy. 

If there's one thing that the Star Wars fans will likely appreciate about Rogue One, is that it's able to really relay a strong sense of danger for the characters. While there are some light hearted moments in the movie, there isn't a lot of it. That sense of wonder to this fantastical universe is downplayed a little bit, in exchange for dread and the conflicts of war. The film just seems to cater to teenagers or adults more so than children, which I suppose is a huge plus for the older fans. Either way, if you're an older or younger fan, I know you'll be watching this anyway. 

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Miles Ahead

As a passion project by Don Cheadle, you can excuse this movie for being a bit indulgent. Clearly there's a lot of love for Miles Davis here, and this movie explores the history and life of the man. It does so in a very electric and unpredictable story telling way, that includes some nice visual touches as well. There's also a bit of that odd couple sense of humor of pairing up Cheadle with Ewan McGregor. Music courses through this film in a nice way too.

There are things to really like about this, but it can feel all over the place. I'd go as far and say that this might just feel like a chore to go through. Call it an artistic way of direction, but the movie can feel alienating to a general audience. Some might call it a bit pretentious as well. Then there are those who might just find this a bit boring. 

If you're a fan of Miles Davis or Don Cheadle or Ewan McGregor, you've got reasons to see this movie. For everybody else, you won't be forgiven for skipping this. 

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Indignation

Logan Lerman is a solid actor in this. In fact, I'd go so far and say that he is pretty great in this. However, his character of Marcus can be so unbearably arrogant, that watching this movie can be seen as a test of patience of putting up with him. There's a lot of ideas and themes thrown into this movie, and like the title suggests, somebody gets very indignant multiple times in this. I'm sure you can guess who. That defining characteristic of Marcus propels this movie into plot turns that only escalates to it's eventual conclusion. 

There are some good exposition of what it's like being a Jew in the 1950s that's attending a heavily Christian local college. The cultural and historical exploration is fascinating. There's some coming of age stuff that's nice. The character of Olivia as played by Sarah Gadon adds a good sense of unpredictability to the story. Plus all the amazing scenes between Lerman and Tracy Letts alone are worth the price of admission. 

This story may not be for everybody's taste, but it's definitely thought provoking enough for those curious to check it out. 

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Batman : The Killing Joke

If you've only read the graphic novel that this is based off from, you're probably better off just sticking with that. If you've never read the graphic novel that this is based off from, then this movie will only make you wonder why "The Killing Joke" is such a big deal to comic book fans. 

This animated film's problem is that it seems like it's two movies in one. A Batgirl story that isn't that great, and at best it's just an excuse to show more of her. Then there's a Joker story that's actually really compelling, but unfortunately that Batgirl story just gets in the way. The whole movie just feels all over the place, and most of the dramatic impact the movie does have just gets kinda diffused by what seems to just be an excuse for shock value. 

As a Batman themed movie, it's definitely not your typical superhero story, and it's more like a curious diversion to check out. Still the same, you're still better off just reading the graphic novel. 

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Jackie

There's exactly one reason to watch this movie, and it's to see the phenomenal performance of Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy. She completely carries this movie, is in practically 99% of the whole thing, arguably gave the best acting job of 2016, and it's probably the greatest work of Portman's entire career. It's a heavy dramatic role with a lot of nuances that she masterfully tackles, and you won't be able to take your eyes off her. If I were to judge this movie solely on Portman's work, then this might just be the best film of 2016, but unfortunately that's not the case. 

As directed by Pablo Larrain, the movie moves at a very deliberately slow and methodical pace, that jumps back and forth a lot between multiple time periods. It's also a little artistically indulgent in that it purposefully meanders around and feels aimless, as it tends to show us a lot of seemingly innocuous moments to emphasize Jackie's emotional state of mind. I get that the movie is giving us a very intimate and personal look into her life that surrounds the assassination of President John F Kennedy, but if you're looking for a straight drama that drives the narrative, this may just feel boring to you. 

I'll have to repeat myself by saying that Natalie Portman is truly great in this, and despite my problems with the direction, I likely can recommend seeing it anyway just for her. 

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Sword Master

Directed by Derek Yee, this movie is actually a remake of the old Shaw Brothers Studio swords and romance wuxia classic "Death Duel." Derek Yee happens to have been one of the lead actors of Death Duel, but has now decided to direct this reinvention of that movie that helped make him popular all those decades ago. Adding some CG effects and modern cinematic visuals to the equation, this movie is like a love letter and fan service to what we grew to love about those old classic wire-fu flicks. 

The premise is unashamedly familiar, and the characters are what you expect them to be, but that's besides the point for fans of this film genre. It actually would help to be a fan of wuxia films and the mythologies found in them, because there are some plot turns and reveals that just happen haphazardly, and aren't exactly built up in the typical story telling way. There's a lot that occur in this that just expects you to instinctively understand what's going on, which might be an issue to some. The story telling aside, most people will be in it for the action sequences, and there are definitely some exciting ones found here; especially during the last third of the movie. 

While this isn't exactly the best entry to the genre, it definitely has enough merit to check out. Especially for nostalgic cinephiles who grew up on these kinds of movies. Just consider this as a guilty pleasure. 

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Miss Sloane

Never mind the controversial subject matter about gun control that's found in this movie; although it does sway a bit in favor for it, because that's not the primary point of the story. Considering the name of the film, this is really about the title character of Miss Sloane, as excellently performed by Jessica Chastain. The supporting cast of Mark Strong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, to Jake Lacy, are all really good in this as well, but this is the Jessica Chastain show. Chastain absolutely carries the movie with ease, and she definitely has quite the presence on screen. 

As a political thriller that's 132 minutes long, and consist primarily of people conversing or arguing with each other, this is a thoroughly gripping story to watch. The chess game nature of the plot progression, and the political back and forth discussions are very entertaining here; if you are into that kind of story telling that is. Sure there are times when the political-speak and jargon might go over your head, but it's not exactly completely difficult to keep track of what's going on. Despite a few questionable plot turns and conveniences, the story was absolutely worthy of my time, from beginning until the end. 

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