Backward Compatible (Bumblebee, 2018)

It is Charlie’s 18th birthday. And Charlie feels out of sync with the entire world. It seems her mother and brother were able to move past the death of her father. She had no friends. The rich snobs mock and bully her. All Charlie has is her car. Which does not work. A project she had been working on with her father. And she cannot even make it work.

But on her birthday, in her Uncle Hank’s junk storage she finds an old VW Bug. She tries to bargain with Hank, but he simply lets her have it as a Birthday gift. After getting it home, She makes a discovery about her car.

Bumblebee has always been one of the big favorites of the Transformers for the audience. He is easily one of the most likable parts of the live action franchise (in spite of some rather “ug” moments) and so, it makes sense to put him front and center.

This seems like it should have been destroyed by fatigue of a franchise that has never been particularly good. But against the odds, the trailers actually got even jaded fans kind of hopeful.

What we have gotten is a movie about a robot that transforms into a yellow VW Bug who is befriended by a heart broken young woman. And…

It works. It works really well. Charlie is sympathetic in her sullenness. She does not simply lash out angrily. She just cannot understand why it seems like the rest of the world has found it so easy to move on, when the death of her father seems so insurmountable. Her family is not terrible. Really…they are painfully awkward. But they are trying. Memo, the young man who is crushing on her is actually a real welcome change of pace for this franchise. It is not that he is super competent. But he is brave, funny and kind. Cena’s military man is a balanced take. He is a good guy trying to make the right decisions(and the lone voice of reason when the Government considers working with the Decepticons).

The friendship of Hailee Steinfeld’s Charlie and Bumblebee is really sweet and charming. There is just a goofy wholesomeness there that is really endearing.

I think this film has the best designs of the franchise. The Bay films have been painfully busy and confusing. Here, they have opted for looks more in line with the 80’s cartoon and toys and the result is beautiful and clean. The film makers commit to their late eighties setting by including a nearly constant barrage of 80’s classics.

Along with heart, the film has real humor.

I used to say that the first Michael Bay Transformers film was probably about as good as you could hope for when it comes to a movie about giant robots that turn into cars. Turns out, I was wrong. Six movies later, we get the best Transformers movie.

December 23, 2018 0

You Can Never Have Too Much Spider-Man (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, 2018)

A few years ago, after the big Sony hack, Sony and Marvel resumed the failed talks about Spider-Man films. It resulted in the very fun Spider-Man: Homecoming, pretty much run by Marvel. But Sony still holds the rights to do with the Spider-Man characters what they want. And so…that gives us this animated feature.

Miles Morales lives with his mom and dad, but is starting life at a new school. After a frustrating week, he goes to see his uncle Aaron, who takes him to a hidden place where he can do some street art. Miles gets bit by a Spider-Man. When he witnesses a tragedy and finds himself having to make a promise to Spider-Man moments before he is killed…with no idea how to do it. Until he stumbles across Peter Parker…Spider-Man???

They discover that whatever the Spider-Man of Mile’s Morales’ world was trying to thwart has actually brought several Spider People into Miles’ world. But the world may end and so they have to team up to send everyone home and stop the destruction of the Spider-Verse.

And you know what? This only sounds confusing. Because the movie manages to make everything pretty darn simple. Our focus is on Miles, and even the Spider-Man we meet in the beginning is a celebrity. We don’t get to know him. We just get glimpses, enough to know he was a real hero.

The film also gives us intros to each character that are a whole lot of fun. Each Spider-Man has a unique look and artistic style. And it even impacts how they interact with the world they are in. Spider-Man Noir speaks in dark pulpy fashion and is always in black and white. And he is perplexed by color.

Jake Johnson’s Spider-Man is one whose life went a bit off track compared to the Spider-Man of Mile’s world. Spider-Gwen is keeping the world at bay, avoiding really connecting to people. And Spider-Ham is just hilarious.

This movie has a lot of heart, there are genuinely touching moments. Moments between Miles and his father, Peter and the life he has left in his universe (wondering if it is even worth going back to). Miles and Gwen, Miles and Peter….

But the film is also ridiculously funny. I mean, seriously funny. And part of that is in how the movie makes use of its medium. I cannot recall another animated film that took such grand opportunity to put it’s possibilities on full display.

In my book? This has been the best of all the Spider-Man movies. I want more with these characters. I want more movies with this version of Miles and his family and all the other Spider-People. This was a genuinely fun movie and I recommend checking it out. Sony raised the bar here…And I did not expect that. But Marvel better pay attention.

December 13, 2018 0

Fear of Growing Up (The Edge of Seventeen, 2016)

The Edge of Seventeen opens…well, over-dramatically. Nadine sits before her teacher, telling him she plans to kill herself. She simply felt an adult should know. The response is…unexpected. This leads to a recounting of Nadine’s life. She has always felt in the shadow of her brother. Kids in school were mean to her. She met her best and only friend in second grade. And then, one night her family is ripped apart.

The film has a slew of cliches. The seemingly indifferent teacher who secretly cares about his student. Nadine is misunderstood by her cold and distant brother and her flaky mother. She swoons for an over romanticized boy. She has a good friend who is totally into her, yet she is uninterested in. And yet…

This movie does it all so very, very well. Nadine is, at times, absolutely insufferable. She is traumatized by the idea of her best friend Krista dating her brother that she cuts Krista off. She shares with her brother a moment after their father died she saw him weeping…and turns it into a knife to stab him with.

But Nadine is also painfully sympathetic. Her heartache is real. She is self absorbed not because she is a narcissist who thinks she is special. Maybe I am a sap. Maybe it is because these characters connect for me on an emotional level. I have walked in friend Erwin’s shows. A cartoonist longing for the attention of someone who does not seem interested. And one of the things I like about the character is, he never whines about the “Friendzone”. The idea of just being friends does not repulse him. He still wants to be her friend. There is one scene where he is embarrassed and hurt, yet it is understandable. And he takes being mocked in stride. I also understand the feelings Nadine expresses about herself. Looking and the mirror and hating yourself. Nadine and Erwin actually embody my early years quite well.

The performances are fully engaging. The snarky interplay between Nadine and Mr. Bruner is nicely played. All the performances fit exactly what the story needs. The story does not justify Nadine’s negative traits, but rather bring her towards expanding her world. This is the directorial debut of Kelly Fremon Craig, who has a whopping previous two credits. She also wrote the film and has woven a heartfelt exploration of growing up and facing the seemingly insurmountable hammer blows life can throw at you.

November 22, 2016 0