Project Hail Mary

Sweet baby jeezus, this was a lot better than anticipated.

Granted I kinda forgot this movie was coming out, knew diddly squat about the book, and was expecting a decent film but I'll be damned if this isn't Top 10 material for the year. Centering on a science teacher who gets roped into a government operation in an attempt to stop a previously unknown lifeform from dimming the sun quickly makes second contact with another alien as a shockingly endearing and lovely friendship blooms. Bare bones plot, fantastic fucking movie. I can't believe how well all this is balanced cause it is a heavy plot and takes as much time for the drama as well as the humor and it is easily one of the quirkiest, sweetest, most fascinating movies I have ever seen in my life. It grips you right off the hook with a fair bit of mystery but relatively quickly stars feeding you backstory throughout the picture, giving you the necessary backstory and information, which is impressive. It never gets boring and is a very artsy film in terms of cinematography, I'll be talking straight out of my ass if I said I was never invested. Like this is the movie that I desperately needed, some truly positive even dare I say life affirming sci-fi without even a shred of saccharine or pulled punches emotionally. Goddamn movie nearly made me cry seeing Ryan Gosling talk to a rock creature, and a surprisingly emotional karaoke scene that I have not seen the likes of since Lost In Translation. I'm kinda speechless honestly how this movie not only submerges you in the emotion but keeps you trailing along every story beat with baited breath. Ryan Gosling I continue apologizing for not knowing your game, as he delivers a great maybe even award winning performance in my estimation. Fantastic stuff. But the movie wouldn't be complete without James Ortiz as our resident alien affectionately named Rocky who effortlessly stole my heart and was really the part of the movie that grabbed my attention to even want to go see it. They spend a good bit of time hurdling the language gap but with sharp writing and good humor it never feels like a slog, and the bonding time is essential. The movie never forgets about the crisis but you almost kinda wish it did just so you could see these two hang out even more. Hell yeah I wanna see humans make galactic friends, and it's so strong I...almost kinda see them as a couple! Not anything as base as mates, but something far deeper and more caring. I'm still baffled how they pulled that off but I sure as shit ain't mad! I just wasn't prepared for how damn good this movie really was, and I know that probably influences expectations so don't take my word for it and just go see it for yourself. I love the relationship dynamics, I love the visuals, the score from the drums to the choir is perfect for the film, the creativity of the camera work is right up my alley, and it practically injects 50ccs of dopamine straight into my bloodstream. Especially the ending, God almighty that is an ending I have wanted to see done in a sci-fi movie for decades. I'll be stunned if there's a more feel-good movie of the year after this, I really will. I have no reservations when I say 4 stars across the board, 9/10, big thumbs up from me! It's really moments like these that have kept me going for almost 11 years come next week, I love when I get movies that look interesting and just blind side me with how great they are, but hey that's just my opinion. You gotta go see it for your own. But you may be surprised how much you dig it, and I'll see you next week come what may.

The Fall Guy

Thumbs up indeed.

Full upfront disclosure I was not even aware that this is based on a television show until a few days before seeing it, and I'm an old bastard I tune into MeTV regularly and for the most part is educated in television programmes of days gone by. So I can't speak on terms of adaptation or what have you, so let's just discuss the film. Set in a quite meta world from a filmmaking perspective we follow lovesick stunt guy Colt who after a terrible accident on set, has given up the profession but takes on one more job for the director Jody who he had previous ties to. Amidst all the car crashes, falls, and being set ablaze Colt gets wrapped up in trying to find the missing star when stuff starts getting very very real. It is by no means perfect, it's a tiny bit obvious who the baddie is, some meta elements didn't do it for me, and the metaphors are beat into your head...with a sledgehammer. But it has so much good stuff going for it, simultaneously crafting a love letter to stunt teams regardless of geography or time and making just a fun movie. Ryan and Emily are convincing and have solid chemistry together, they're such little shits but it's endearing and you get invested. The action clearly wears it's production on it's sleeve, very little is CGI and while not a technical marvel in choreography I'll be damned if I wasn't still impressed with those hits and falls. The comedy doesn't go non-stop but when a joke hits it hits like a brass knuckle, I was having a good time in that theater! The soundtrack I was a bit of a sucker for no lie. It certainly has no issue prodding the studio system on how movies are made and can be a eye opener for those not versed in how actual film productions go about their day. There was a clear vision to make this a popcorn movie with a good rind twist of substance, to which I feel they did very well. I can recommend it for a weekend watch at the cinemas or getting on video. I give it 3 stars, 7.5/10! And if all goes well tomorrow, new Star Wars show means new Star Wars review.

Barbie

I'll be damned, it was just the remedy I needed!

After such a well, depressing end for Oppenheimer I was amazed at how Barbie was able to pull me out of this existential crisis by presenting an existential crisis on the screen. I am not telling you a thing about this plot, no way, I would be robbing you like taking candy away from a baby. The best way I can describe it is it takes bits of Toy Story 3, The Lego Movie, adds an awful lot of reality and a good dose of satire, and is precisely NOTHING like the movie you would expect. It keeps changing tracks, flipping and twisting ideas that would be incredibly predictable and cliche and makes something new. It is easily one of the most intelligent, introspective, and funny movies not of this year but just that I've ever seen in my time. It almost made me cry once with a scene right out of Pixar's Soul and then it absolutely made me shed a single tear at the end. Good God almighty no wonder the trailer barely shows anything cause how do you sell this movie? Cause on the surface there's a lot of poking at the patriarchy, how Barbieland functions, the identities of our characters but then....if you give just a little bit of thought to it you plunge deep under the surface and I mean deeeeep. Margot Robbie can you do no wrong? Flawless, heartfelt, a ray of hope and sunshine in my life. Ryan Gosling, man I'm almost jealous of you getting this part because what a wild ride it is this journey for Ken and even when he's kinda being an ass you can tell he's far from doing it intentionally which just makes it funny. This movie revels in the lavishly ludicrous and yet touches on life, identity, and changes in the most simplistic yet enlightened way. I'm not saying it's a film entirely for adults much akin to Soul, kids can watch and enjoy it but I feel we're more talking a teenage to adult range. It really just had no right being as good as it is, and I know people will howl "woke" (like it frigging means anything) but I did not find it pandering, insincere, or pushing for something. It kinda just lays it out like it is in reality without shouting for extremist change. I loved it, I thought it was amazing, buuuut do I give it a 10/10? Ohhh I don't know, I feel I need to watch it again and yeah we're gonna do a round two of this Barbinheimer phenomenon. So for now a 9/10, 4 golden stars, and two thumbs way way up! We shall see who truly wins this battle of wills and wits, and remember my friends future events such as these will affect you in the future.

In Retrospect: Blade Runner 2049

This is a great movie, I'm very excited to see it with several Academy Award nominations!

I'm telling you man, it all fits together when you understand better the original Blade Runner. Blade Runner 2049 is a extremely well done sequel, visuals are almost too good to be true, with outstanding use of color and it further imprints the fact that not only is this a parallel Earth where history went a tiny bit different, but that the technology jump in 30 years time makes logical sense. The film is gorgeous to look at, and it proves the fact that film is a visual medium. That is the point of movies, to show artistic and grand scale visuals while telling a story. This is a prime example if I ever saw one, but not just in environment. Harrison Ford returns, albeit briefly in this film and quite possibly the two best scenes is where he hardly speaks. You can tell everything he is feeling through just facial expressions, he is that good an actor, his body language says what words cannot for his character. Speaking of which, all the characters are fantastic and wonderful. By far my favorite characters besides Decker is Joi, and Ana for one simple reason: although their characters are extremely isolated from the world they show great humanity. Joi is such a loving, wonderful person and to know the story of Ana and how it all ends....I couldn't dare ask for anything better. Joe is a really dang good protagonist, and while I'm at it he makes this almost 3 hour movie very engaging. I never lost interest once, the story and world is just so engaging to the point where it doesn't feel like almost 3 hours. And really, I only had two issues, one of which I got over relatively quick. First, is Joi. Now there is nothing wrong with her character, but more the tech of her. Since she's a hologram she can't interact with physical matter. Except when she can. It's so bizarre, I can't figure out why she can touch and feel one minute then be a hologram once again. But I love her character so much I can look past it. What I can't look past is this whole revolution subplot that's really missing the whole "Chosen One" aspect to make it completely stupid, it doesn't go anywhere after that scene so why is it in the movie? I would rather have that introduction scene they had to Sapper which they used in that weird variety of preludes to build up to this movie. Remember that? They had all these directors do scenes both live action and animated to build up to this movie. Throw that scene in, it gave a lot of character and respect and sympathy to his character, I loved it. But no, we get a flaccid at best revolution subplot that dies as quickly as it began. Yet even through all that, the appeal this film holds for me cannot be fully explained, cause well film is something greater and better than words, it's a gorgeous movie, with great characters, and a compelling mystery. What more could anyone ask? You know what, screw it I'm watching it again! I'll see you guys next week. Great movie, see it, buy it, love it. I'm going in!

Blade Runner 2049

Alright, that was a pretty good movie!

So the follow up to the strange and yet enticing Blade Runner just hit theaters, and I have to say it really did not disappoint. So it's been about 30 years since the last movie and we follow a detective replicant who soon is put on a case to find a living miracle, a child birthed by a replicant. And through this we meet old friends, new enemies, and a damn impressive looking film. Now this is what a good sequel should do, take the elements of the original film and expand upon them to tell a good story and this movies does it very, very well. I almost would say this could be a standalone film, it doesn't even need to be a sequel to Blade Runner but there are important plot lines and elements from the first movie which are adressed here, but it does feel a touch self contained. Ryan Gosling, who I haven't seen in much was a competent lead, I really liked his potrayal of a replicant who just tries to live a normal life but also happens to kill his own kind. I don't think I'm spoiling anything by saying Harrison Ford is in this movie, but you might be surprised to know he doesn't show up until the last 45 minutes, or maybe even an hour before the credits roll, but for the time he is on screen he still does a great job, they don't bring up the whole is he a replicant thing so I still want to say he is human but regardless it was great seeing him in another reprising role. Also, thank you for not killing him off. I already saw that crap once, which is enough for a lifetime. And all the other elemnts of the film are excellent, the music is still very synth heavy like the first and I still love it, the film is rich in visual appeal but I have to say I'm of course more impressed by the original since it was all real but still the movie looks excellent, I like how it's more plot oriented so you don't get confused as to what is going on, and the ending was actually perfect for me! The ending was just what I wanted, it didn't give me more or less, it was just right, and I was very happy to see the movie. I thought it was a very good continuation of the original Blade Runner, it probably won't be looked back on with such high regard as the original but it's still a really good movie and if you feel up to having a double feature in the Blade Runner universe, I say go for it!

Alright, first week of October down. We need to snap to on this horror movie stuff, so be patient we'll have a lot to come very soon so until next time....