In Retrospect: Cruella

Oh honey, you knew I couldn't stay away for long.

What the hell was I thinking giving this an 8.5/10? F*** off, it's better than that! God I took too long to see this again. So big spoiler alert incoming, I still love this movie and I appreciate it even more now. Emma Stone, heaven help me I will crush on you forever in this movie, I cherish you, you are unbelievably good, and because of that performance people will choose sides on who's best. I was too busy revelling just like her in this performance but on a somewhat deeper analysis the second go around she gets a lot of emotion and such creativity and drama too in her performance. I genuinely got some goosebumps when she has the big confession scene and she says, "I am not like her. I am better." and the movie still gets a rise out of me (you filthy bastards shut it) where even though I know what's going to happen I'm still like, oh-ho you go girl punch the f*** out of her! I still get so invested in the story, and a tremendous deal of that goes to Emma Thompson. I mean my God, it's been a minute since I've seen a movie villain so heavily narcissistic and so easily hateable but in the most enjoyable way, just how flippant and yet so mean she is just wows me everytime. Now we got to talk about the stuffs I couldn't talk about before, because of the twists. I wasn't hating the fact Cruella was the Baroness' daughter, bit soap opera but I can roll with it. I really and truly have no issue at all what they do with classic Disney characters as long as they are interesting, fun, and memorable characters despite their own unique spins. My God people get so up in arms over the silliest things. Oh she can't like dogs, oh they softened her up for the kids, blah blah shut the hell up blah, I have no patience for closed mindedness. Yeah, it's pretty screwed up to want to skin dogs for a coat but I didn't hear people get so up in arms over Glenn who people adore in this role and I know it's a younger Cruella and the Cruella we have always seen is a bitter, old, terrible woman so she has time to grow into that. So it's different. Different and good! Huzzah, rejoice for it is not a shot for shot remake of 101 Dalmatians. Innovation, it's grrreat! This tangent will never die but it will be placed back in the box...for now. Okay so the Reichenbach Fall, I loved the idea, totally thought she was gonna either push the Baroness off or pull her off arm in arm, I mean we already had one murder onscreen, onward to two warp factor 1! My only issue is we see how she survived the fall, I didn't like it in the theater and I sorta don't like it now, I would have kept it a mystery because it can be symbolic that Disney villains never die because they are so amazing or something. But I mean those are two brief small problems I have with a movie I love unconditionally. It's great, it's fun, it has it's own style and identity, the story is entertaining and not too out there, the performances are top notch, the design of...everything is class, the music is so much of what I love. We are bumping this baby up and I...may put it at number 1 for the top 10 list. Just saying. I'm not backing down, it's a contender. 4 stars, 9.5/10, I could feel the collective disgust and hate of Disney purists out there and it just gave me a little bit of a thrill, mm that felt nice. Kind of a good buzz going here so let's keep it going with one more before the month of nightmares begins.

Cruella

Not at all a bad film to review for the 800th mark.

Yes, we got that far. And sweet lord did I love this movie, I mean if you asked me before what live action Disney movie was my favorite I'd say The Jungle Book, and after this movie I do not think Cruella can be topped. I had precisely zero idea what on earth they would do with this story, and I was grabbed, intrigued, made incredibly happy, and even kinda wanted a continuation as credits rolled. A lot of people were pointing and crying Joker at the trailer and I strongly disagreed, knowing they would do their own thing entirely and make something good which they did. Shock of all shocks, I'm right. Again. They tipped their hat to that film in their own way but the way the story progresses, shifts and molds to show how Cruella came to be was handled very well I thought. Now I know some people would shriek contrivances abound in this movie, but it could have been handled a lot more hamfisted and it could have fell flat hard. Like dropping a sack of puppies falls hard. But seeing Estella as a young girl (and yes that is future daughter goals to me) who after suffering a tragedy meets up with two thiefs Jasper and Horace and pretty much finds her own identity, oh and plots revenge which might be the most worthless of causes but there's something different when she does it. Am I being too shameless? Yes. Terribly. Hell I could almost argue the whole point of the picture is a take on finding your true persona and characteristics, no compromises. And it is a gradual shift from Estella to Cruella, it's not just one bad day and then bam there she is in all her splendor and fashion, in fact the film just has good pacing and knows when to linger on a shot and when to cut. I caught myself many a time catching on the long takes, and sort of intricate camera movements, I see you Birdman long take you cheeky bastard I see you, so the cinematography is very good. The sets are very well done, each having a personality, and since the film has a great emphasis on fashion you get a lot of that 70s style to it which I was digging quite a lot. The soundtrack, holy great balls of fire, this soundtrack is excellent. You get like 2 points just for playing The Doors, I swear half the movie I was foot tapping and lip syncing, it was made for me. And Emma...my God! I never knew I needed Emma Stone with red hair, almost exclusively and exquisite black outfits, and a british accent. Where has this been my whole life and how have I lived without it? She was outstanding in this role and while I feel you can't compare Glenn and Emma because they are so different in their potrayals, she was excellent. I just had such a great time with it, even when it treaded close to silly or ridiculous it never inhibited my enjoyment or love for it, I've seen many a ludicrous thing in my time so I can roll with all of this. The comedy I felt wasn't busting your gut laughing but it got me often, and I appreciate a more slight giggle and brief guffaw than laugh out loud personally. The plot albeit gets a bit soap opera but the life of Cruella DeVil has to be heavily dramatic to some extent, so hey you just be you movie I can't hold a grudge. If she flat out murdered a dog though it would have gotten a 10/10, I don't hate dogs or anything but come on, though this movie gets a touch dark and doesn't really dumb it down for kids in a way where adults could not take it seriously. It commits to it and bless them for that alone. 4 stars, 8.5/10, yes I meant that, and another month gone. I'll be taking my usual break but I'll be back in time for Scarlett don't you worry, I've been waiting for that day for a long time so I will see you then.