Review: Emma.

Release date: February 21, 2020
Running time: 122 minutes
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Bill Nighy 

What a wonderful winter we have had.  First we had the phenomenal adaptation of Little Women and now we have this stunning film version of the Jane Austin tale Emma.  For those who have not read the book (myself included), Emma is the story of a good-natured but meddling young woman who plays matchmaker in her small English town.  She befriends another young lady, and attempts to find her a suitable husband to disastrous results.  All the while, she tries to weather the various social dynamics of aristocratic England.  

As the namesake of the movie, Emma is the main character and star.  And thankfully, Anya Taylor-Joy is absolutely enchanting as Emma, with a strong-willed modern take on the literary character.  She speaks her mind and freely communicates her thoughts, does not let herself be influenced by anyone, and runs both her father's estate and the entire town's social calendar.  Taylor-Joy bring the character to life with her perfect dialog and facial expressions.  Much of the fun and drama in the movie comes from Emma's interaction with various characters in the town, and thankfully they are equally enchanting and add to the wonderful life that this film has.  Bill Nighy is absurdly delightful as Emma's father, and his antics are fun to watch.  Johnny Flynn is perfect as Mr. Knightley, Emma's blunt friend who is above the social schemes of the protagonist.  Each character is perfectly cast and delivers a stellar performance.  

The film adaptation of Emma retains much from the Jane Austin novel, including plenty of dialogue, key plot points, and several scenes that are expertly recreated for the big screen.  What the film version adds to the story are some amazing sets, costumes, and phenomenal acting.  The sets and costumes are really something to behold.  The filmmakers went all out when bringing this story to the big screen.  The colors pop off the screen and contribute to the beauty of this film.  The costumes are equally wonderful, with a mix of colors and flashy accessories that express so much about the characters and their circumstances.  On top of this visual aspect, the film tells so much without resorting to dialogue.  The writing is wonderful, don't get me wrong, but there is so much that is conveyed from character's facial expressions or the shots that they use.  Some of my favorite scenes didn't have any speaking at all, which is a testament to the filmmakers.  Altogether, I went in not knowing what to expect and left this movie with a massive smile on my face.  

Emma brings the Jane Austin classic to life with a colorful style, a stellar cast, and an absolute charm that will capture you from the first scene.  

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Review: Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan

Release date: February 21, 2020
Running time: 117 minutes
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Jitendra Kumar, Gajraj Rao

Ayushmann Khurrana seems to always be pushing the boundaries of Bollywood.  He recently played a man whose feminine voice led him to a career as a phone companion.  And now he is headlining the first Gay Rom-Com Bollywood film.  And I wouldn't have it any other way.  In Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, two gay men Kartik (Khurrana) and Aman (Kumar) go to Aman's sister's wedding.  The two have been living together in the city but are forced to face Aman's traditional and conservative family.  Early on, some bad timing revels their relationship and how the family and the two men react to this and the subsequent conflicts form the basis of the movie.
  

One thing I have learned from Khurrana is that he throws himself into his roles, with this film being no exception.  Khurrana fully embraces his role as a gay man and really drives this film.  Although the conflict is with Aman's family, Kartik is the main provoker and really pushes all involved to confront their discomfort with homosexuality.  But since this is also a Rom-Com, Khurrana's comic chops are put on display as well.  And although this isn't a constantly funny film, there are plenty of laugh out loud moments in the movie.  The film has a nice balance of seriousness and comedy to keep the story going but also to release the tension if it builds up.    

One thing I appreciated about this film is that it does not shy away from the gay relationship of the two main characters.  The two's relationship is clear from the beginning, and despite Aman's fear of sharing who he is with his family, his homosexuality is brought to the family's attention early in the film.  And despite this, the film still approaches the subject of homosexuality with enough care and humor to make an entertaining story.  There are several moments where Kartik or Aman are explaining to their older parents and relatives how they cannot change who they are, and questions whether they ever had to make a "choice" to be heterosexual.  And the film attacks the age divide well, touching upon the issue of societal expectations versus doing what makes you happy.  And despite tackling all these issues, the film itself is focused for a Bollywood movie.  The runtime is short and the situation is not dragged out like in some Hindi films. 

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is both an important milestone for Bollywood and an enjoyable Rom-Com with great performances, laugh out loud moments, and a strong message that should not be missed. 

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Deal: Amazon Prime Members, Get the Mummy or Mummy Returns Digital HD For $1.99

Edit: Deal is now expired! Price showing $14.99.

Right now, Amazon Prime members can purchase the Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz classics the Mummy or the Mummy Returns in Digital HD for $1.99.

These movies will be yours to own and are Movies Anywhere compatible, so will port over to your linked accounts.  Please make sure you are logged into an account with Amazon Prime and double check the purchase receipts to make sure you were only charged $1.99.  

The Mummy

The Mummy Returns

Thanks to Slickdeals for the original deal information!

What to Watch This Weekend: February 21, 2020

In Theaters: Parasite (IMAX)

Parasite comes back to IMAX for a one week special engagement.  If you haven't seen the Best Picture winner or haven't experienced it in IMAX, make sure to check it out.  Parasite is like having two films in one, and the combination of the two results in a suspenseful, methodical story that has some interesting characters and plenty of surprises.  For more information, check out our review!

At Redbox: Jojo Rabbit

Jojo Rabbit is a ridiculous, irreverent, lighthearted film that tackles some difficult issues with humor and a childlike innocence.  It is a film that is so unique and entertaining that it has to be seen to be believed.  For more information, check out our review!

At Redbox: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood shows that the ideas of kindness, friendship, and understanding are just as relevant now as they have ever been.  Tom Hanks's perfect portrayal of Mister Rogers is a treat to watch and will help the iconic man touch a new generation of people.  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Amazon): The Farewell

Check out the amazing movie that was snubbed by the Oscars.  It is 98% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and is a heartwarming and heart wrenching look at a family dealing with very terrible news.  It explores differences in cultures and generations and has some wonderful acting.

Streaming (HBO): Ma

Octavia Spencer as a deranged, emotionally manipulative mother?  Yes please.  Spencer is the highlight and main draw of this film, as she plays an older woman whose house becomes a popular high school hang out.  However, as her popularity grows, her nice persona begins to crack as her motivations become clear.

Streaming (HBO): First Man
The biopic about the first man to walk on the moon is leaving HBO at the end of this month.  The effects were amazing and the story was compelling, but I couldn't get over Gosling's portrayal of Neil Armstrong.  It was probably true to form, but he just didn't seem like a very interesting character with a shoehorned emotional hook to get you to care more.  However, it is definitely worth checking out if you have HBO.

Ride Your Wave Review: A Beautifully Animated Adventure About Finding Your Place In Life

Release date: February 19, 2020
Running time: 94 minutes
Starring: Ryôta Katayose, Rina Kawaei, Honoka Matsumoto 

Ride Your Wave is a new animated film from Science Saru, the same studio that brought you The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl.  This film focuses Hinako (Kawaei), a talented surfer that loves the ocean and wants to study oceanography, and Minato (Katayose), a hard working fireman who happens to meet Hinako one night fighting a fire.  The two quickly begin dating and fall in love, sharing each other's passions for life and adventure.  However, a nighttime surfing adventure causes a massive change in both of their lives.  

The first thing that will catch your attention with Ride You Wave is its beautiful animation.  It is an odd style, with plenty of detail of detail in the surrounding world, but less detail in the characters and the ocean.  However, it is definitely a noticeable look and one that makes some of the character's more outlandish actions look normal.  And the animation style itself is very vibrant, with a use of bright, noticeable colors to convey the beauty of the beach.  It makes any of the darker scenes with muted colors instantly noticeable and really contributes to the overall mood of the film.  

The animation is not the only thing contributing to the style as the music of Ride Your Wave also is perfectly adapted to fit the film.  There is a wide variety of music: there is a signature song that plays through a lot of the film, joined with classical pieces, jazz, and some acapela that is perfectly placed to convey the wonder and love that these two have.  It really is a perfect combination and one that contributes to the overall story of the film.  And that story tells a sweet message of perseverance and finding your place in life despite what it throws at you.  Sure, the vehicle can at times be silly, but this is a film that will stick with you well after the credits roll.  

Ride Your Wave is a beautifully animated film, with a bright style, wonderfully-paired music, and a story that will catch your heart and take it for a ride.

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Update: For the digital release I watched the dubbed version of this movie.  GKids gathered a fantastic cast for a very good dub.  Stars include Joey Richter. as Minato, Merit Leighton. as Hinako, Sarah Anne Williams. as Yoko, and Michael Johnston, as Wasabi. The dub is overall very watchable, with a really good translation that keeps a lot of the references in the original.  The speech is mostly natural, though it can be forced at times as you would expect from a dub.  There are some things that just aren't as good in English, most notably the song that two of the characters sing just doesn't have the same effect, but overall you get a very watchable version of this beautiful film.  My preference would be to watch it in Japanese but if you prefer to watch in English, you won't be disappointed.

For additional information about the film and to rent / buy it, check it out at the links below.

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Review: Love Aaj Kal

Release date: February 14, 2020
Running time: 142 minutes
Starring: Kartik Aaryan, Sara Ali Khan, Randeep Hooda 

Love Aaj Kal is a strange love story.  It bills itself a journey of love and loss through the phases of reincarnation, but it was tough to tell which phases it is talking about.  The story mostly focuses on Veer (Aaryan) and Zoe (Khan), and their unlikely and slightly tumultuous relationship.  Veer is an odd character and really plays it cool emotionally.  He tries to be there when Zoe needs him, but he rejects her advances numerous times.  The story also heavily features the owner of the business center / cafe that the two hang out at (Hooda), who talks to Zoe about his own love experiences and mistakes.  There are several flashbacks to Hooda's courtship of another lady, and the mistakes that he made along the way.  

As I said, Love Aaj Kal is a strange love story.  Veer is always there for Zoe when she needs him, but he resists her advances constantly, saying that it is not the right time. It is tough to tell but it seems like he is waiting for an idealized situation, or for Zoe to give herself completely to him.  As a result, he can be cool and slightly cruel in many instances.  He clearly cares for her, but his attitude and demeanor send a mixed message.  He also starts off the movie by slightly stalking her, which was off putting to say the least.  I think it was supposed to be humorous but it sent a mixed message to start the movie.  I think the mixed message and offputting situations are a result of the film's story and not a fault of the actors; both Aaryan and Khan do a great job as their respective characters.  Aaryan could be very likable if his character was, and Khan is a fun to watch as a no holds barred Zoe.  Additionally, these characters are bolstered by some very good music to set the tone of the film.  The pieces of Love Aaj Kal seem to be there but they just don't come together well.  

I think the main flaw is that the central message here is lost.  The movie is less about romance and love and more about Veer waiting for Zoe to come to him fully.  It doesn't send a great message or really highlight a great or realistic love scenario, especially when Zoe seeks Veer's help only to have him say now is not the right time.  And there are also many weird instances with Veer, where he will ignore her during her times of need.  I do think that a movie focusing on the balance of love and career is an admirable one, and Love Aaj Kal tries to balance this, but for some reason the story just doesn't seem to work.  It also seems like for a movie with so much good writing and conversation, that a simple conversation between Veer and Zoe could have allayed much of the tension.  The movie's pacing is also off, which can be a problem for a 2+ hour movie.  The flashbacks are nice to segment the movie, but the film progresses at a very slow pace.  If this movie was in your Valentine's Day plans, you might want to try a different film and wait to see this at home.

Love Aaj Kal is an odd love story with leads that do a great job as their characters in a confusing, slowly paced story.   

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Review: Fantasy Island

Release date: February 14, 2020
Running time: 110 minutes
Starring: Lucy Hale, Maggie Q, Charlotte McKinney, Portia Doubleday

Fantasy Island is a remake of the 70s TV series of the same name.  As you would expect from a Blumhouse film, the 2020 remake has a strong horror aspect.  In the film, five strangers win a trip to Fantasy Island, where their deepest (and darkest) fantasies can come true.  However, they quickly realize that their fantasies are going farther than they thought, and many have a decidedly dark turn to them.  

I don't think anyone was clammoring for a Fantasy Island remake, but I appreciate what Blumhouse did.  They took a property that was not on many people's minds and remade it in their image.  It reminds me of Visceral Games and their attempt to make an action game centered on Dante's Inferno.  Fantasy Island is creative and different, and has some solid suspense for the first part of the movie.  The five strangers each have very different desires, and it is fun to see their different fantasies come to fruition.  The fantasies also begin to cross into each other, and seeing this chaos is enjoyable.  

And these fantasies are all beautifully shot.  The tropical scenes are gorgeous and the island scenes make you feel like you are on a tropical paradise.  Additionally, the fantasy scenes are imaginative and varied.  One fantasy is in a giant party, another is in a torture dungeon, and another is at a high end restaurant.  Each of these is different enough that it adds variety to what could have been a fairly homogeneous film.  However, as with many horror films, Fantasy Island takes an unexpected turn late in the movie.  It pivots very quickly and leads to an unsatisfying ending that seems rushed.  I understand the story, but some of the decisions don't seem to fit with earlier choices the characters make.  It is definitely a surprise ending, but it doesn't make much sense as a wrap up.  However, despite the generally poor reviews, it is still a fun journey and one that I would recommend you see at home.

Fantasy Island is a creative and different remake of the 70s TV series, one that takes the general idea and puts its own dark twist on it.  

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