Monday, December 24, 2018

Catch up Capsules: CRAZY RICH ASIANS, MAMMA MIA HERE WE GO AGAIN, FIRST MAN and BLACKKKLANSMAN

CRAZY RICH ASIANS
Super rich man from Singapore brings his college professor girlfriend home for a wedding and causes all sorts of ripples as his mother doesn’t think she is good enough for him. Big bold and brassy romance among the super-rich is exactly the sort of film that doesn’t normally float my boat - a romance so perfectly constructed as to be artificial. Never mind reservations the end of the film had me getting weepy as it all worked out- I was connected to the basic story and not the super-rich world. Yea it’s a kick ass romance. Is it a good film? Oh hell yea. As I said the end made me cry.
Worth a look.



MAMMA MIA HERE WE GO AGAIN
Even allowing that I wasn’t a fan of the first film (despite being a huge fan of the play) this sequel is nothing special. After the death of Donna (Meryl Streep who cameos as a ghost) Sophie prepares for the birth of her first baby and the reopening of the hotel. Of course all the fathers show up as does her Grandmother (Cher) and a few new characters. At the same time we get flash back to the events of that resulted in the three dads situation. Using a few new songs (Waterloo is now part of the narrative) and a lot of retreads the film clunks along at a good clip. The plot isn’t much beyond an excuse to hang some really good musical numbers on. As to whether it’s enough is going to be up to you- for me it was kind of waste of two hours and I’m going to stick to the London cast recording of the original show.

FIRST MAN
Well-made but cold and distant telling of the life of Neil Armstrong in the run up to his walking on the moon. I’m a space guy and love this sort thing but I really didn’t care much. Yes the space stuff has a "you are there" quality to it but the rest of it just never worked for me. I’m not sure if it’s my general dislike for Ryan Gosling who I find to have no personality nor screen presence or if the trouble is in the script which just never builds any excitement. Frankly I’m at a loss as to why this got so much Oscar buzz earlier this year when it’s as dull as it is. Actually what I’m shocked at is the controversy the film has generated concerning our not seeing the flag planted when truth be told it brings attention to a film that will be forgotten with in a year

BLACKCKkKLANSMAN
Spike Lee’s latest is director working at the top of his game. The true story of a black police officer who managed to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan with the help of a Jewish police officer is deeply moving film. A portrait of the state of America then and now the film is a stunning reminder at how little has changed despite the fact that we’ve moved a small distance from the early 1970’s.The film's reminder of how far we've traveled in the form of video of the events in Charlottesville that that closes the film have some people complaining. They feel it has no place, but they are dead wrong because the ending is the point, we have not moved forward far enough. I was left devastated. This is one of Spike Lee’s best films and is highly recommended.

No comments:

Post a Comment