Double Feature Review: A Star Is Born (2018) and First Man (2018)

In this double feature review, we take a look at two major awards contenders. One is the fourth version of a classic story, the other is the story of one of America's greatest heroes. 

A Star Is Born (2018)

D: Bradley Cooper

W: Eric Roth, Cooper, Will Fetters

Based on screenplays by Moss Hart, John Gregory Dunne, Joan Didion, Frank Pierson, William A. Wellman, and Robert Carson

C: Cooper, Lady Gaga, Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chapelle, Sam Elliott

PLOT: "Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers—and falls in love with—struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer—until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally’s career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons." (From Letteboxd.com)

I was originally thinking of holding off writing a review for this until I watched all three of the previous films but I thought I might as well go ahead and review it. Also, there's no shortage of comparison articles and videos. 

One of the best I've seen was by the Youtube channel Be Kind Rewind. 

Also, this film should stand on its own. So, let's just look at this film as it is. 

First I have to acknowledge this film apparently a victim of production hell. 

Talks of it going as far back as 2011, Clint Eastwood was attached as the director with Beyonce playing the lead - and that's a sentence I never thought I'd say. 

They also went through leads including Christian Bale, Will Smith, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Tom Cruise. 

But now, after seven years of talks, we have this film with Bradley Cooper in the role previously held by Frederic March, James Mason, and Kris Kristofferson, and Lady Gaga filling the big shoes previously worn by Janet Gaynor, Judy Garland, and Barbara Streisand. 

This film is spectacular. 

As I indicated in a previous post I was at first a bit unsure about the film due to it being a remake and starring Lady Gaga. Of course, I overcame that because I remembered I don't have as much hatred for remakes and I do actually like Lady Gaga.

Both Gaga and Bradley Cooper have really good chemistry in this film which kind of makes up for scenes that come off as a bit rushed, to me. 

I'm still amazed at how well Gaga pulls off playing an average girl before becoming the mega-pop star. I say that because... well... have you seen Lady Gaga? This is a woman whose music contains some of the most lyrics and the videos consist of bizarre imagery. Then, of course, there are the dresses she's worn at red carpet events and such. Like, this is stuff she had to plan in advance to becoming a mega-star. 

But she does a great with the performance in playing both the pre-fame version of Ally and the superstar version. 

Cooper, also does a great job with playing the weary rockstar and with the directing. There are a few moments where the pacing seems a bit off, but there are some brilliantly directed scenes. Including one scene that will probably be the subject of a Little Moment, Big Meaning. 

I think Cooper has a good future as a director. 

The film also features some spectacular supporting performances with Sam Elliott, Dave Chapelle, and Andrew Dice Clay - seriously!

Then there's the music! Shallows, Always Remember Us This Way, and the rest are great! Even the "sellout" songs are enjoyable at least. 

Any problems I have with the movie are relatively minor and don't really take away from the whole experience. 

I'm sure I'll get around to watching the other films. I definitely see this getting nominated for several awards, especially for the music. 

SCORE: 4/5

First Man (2018)

D: Damien Chazelle

W: Josh Singer, based on First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen

C: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Ciarán Hinds, Christopher Abbott, Patrick Fugit, Lukas Haas

PLOT: "A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong (Gosling), and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969." (From Letterboxd.com)

Oscar winner Damien Chazelle continues his streak of directing top-notch films by going out of the realm of jazz centered films. 

I'm a bit surprised it took this long to get a movie made about Neil Armstrong and the moon landing ... that aren't based around stupid conspiracy theories. 

I f**king love this shot!

I guess what's kept it from happening is the idea of whether or not the filmmakers who do the event any justice. Thankfully, I think Chazelle and write Josh Singer did a great job with this. 

Now, apparently, this movie is "controversial" to some - mainly people like Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio - in that they don't show the American flag being planted on the moon. These people deemed it "unpatriotic." 

Fellow film lover Jake Hamilton thoroughly rips this claim to shreds in his review for Fox 32 News in Chicago. Link can be found here. By the way, Jake is definitely a film critic you should follow. 

But what about the movie itself? Chazelle does a great job with showing the moments of self-doubt that Armstrong may have had while training and taking parts in this space flights.

One of my favorite things about the film is how they decided to keep Armstrong a sort of blank slate with his emotions. I think this is tied around with the fact that Armstrong himself was a very quiet and humble man. This is in stark contrast to his co-astronaut Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll) who is blunter with his thoughts and feelings. At one point in the movie, he says, "I'm just saying what everyone is thinking" to which Armstrong says, "Maybe you shouldn't." That pretty much summarizes it. 

This is more of a character drama about Armstrong and his family. Earlier on in the movie, we see Armstrong care for his younger daughter Karen who is dying of cancer. During that we see him try to find the best way to treat her even looking at traveling to Canada to treat her. Ultimately, his daughter dies and it definitely broke him but keeps his emotions bottled up and only cries after secluding himself in his office. 

This stuff and moments of self-doubt about science especially after the multiple failed NASA flights really gives us a compelling drama about a man who wants to go forth but is worried it'll go wrong. 

There's also a great scene where his wife Janet (Claire Foy) at first tries to just be the supportive wife and mother but eventually can't contain her frustrations over Neil keeping things to himself and not talking to his sons about the dangers he faces. When she confronts him about the likelihood of him dying he starts to give statistics to which she replies with, "I don't want a f**king number!"

It's a powerful moment and Foy delivers a spectacular performance here. 

But it shows that in those moments of doubt and worry that these men at NASA are incredibly dedicated they were to this task that was seen as impossible and worthless. 

One of my favorite scenes of the movie is when Armstrong boards and launches Gemini 8 mission. For a lot of it, we see it from his point of view, and this was one of the most effective uses of it. Combining that with the sound design and editing, it truly is the closest I'll get to space travel. 

Much like A Star Is Born, any complaints about the film are minor. 

This is totally a film worth checking out, especially if you can see it in RPX or IMAX.

SCORE: 4.5/5

What were thoughts on the movies? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Share the review, like the blog on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter @DocJohn90. 

All images and videos belong to their respective sources. 

Thoughts on Upcoming Releases: Week of Oct. 19, 2018

In this installment, we take a look at the return of The Shape, three directorial debuts from actors, another film directed by an actress who has directed before, a literary forger, and foreign thriller.

Before I go on, I want to clarify something. The movies I feature in these posts are based on what is listed as coming out this weekend according to Rotten Tomatoes. Now, a lot of times it shifts around and they'll include films that were already released in a limited capacity but then got a wider release. For example, this coming weekend they're including the wider release of The Hate U Give which I already discussed. I am including another one listed that had a previous limited release because I hadn't talked about it before.

There are also two other films coming to my area that had previously been released limitedly but to keep this short I'll just say I hope to see The Sister Brothers and Colette if not because they're awards contenders.

Speaking of which, since it's awards season I'm including a * next to titles that have some awards buzz. When I say awards buzz I don't mean every one of these is up for Best Picture or whatever. I mean they could possibly get a major award. 

Halloween - dir. David Gordon Green

"Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago. This being the 11th film in the “Halloween” series, will ignore the events of all previous sequels, picking up 40 years after the events of the original film."

John Carpenter's original 1978 film was my first taste of a slasher film - and traumatized me for a while but that's a topic for another post - and I love it. The sequels and remakes.... ehhhh. They range from "Okay" to "WHAT?!" But this film seems to be ignoring all those films and is a direct sequel to the original. THANK GOODNESS! Also, I'm always up for more Jamie Lee Curtis.

The Old Man & The Gun* - dir. David Lowery

"The true story of Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford), from his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 to an unprecedented string of heists that confounded authorities and enchanted the public. Wrapped up in the pursuit are a detective (Casey Affleck), who becomes captivated with Forrest’s commitment to his craft, and a woman (Sissy Spacek), who loves him in spite of his chosen profession."

This is a film I've been looking forward to seeing for a while for three reasons: 1. It's a cool sounding story. 2. Redford has said this would be his last acting role which I can't miss. 3. A part of it was filmed in my home state of Ohio in Dayton. 

Wildlife* - dir. Paul Dano

"14-year-old Joe (Ed Oxenbould) is the only child of Jeanette (Carey Mulligan) and Jerry (Jake Gyllenhaal)—a housewife and a golf pro—in a small town in 1960s Montana. Nearby, an uncontrolled forest fire rages close to the Canadian border, and when Jerry loses his job—and his sense of purpose—he decides to join the cause of fighting the fire, leaving his wife and son to fend for themselves. Suddenly forced into the role of an adult, Joe witnesses his mother’s struggle as she tries to keep her head above water."

The first of the three actor directorial debuts I referenced above, in this case it's from Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood, 12 Years a Slave, Little Miss Sunshine, etc.). I'm more than certain the fire is a big symbol of something involving the domestic lifestyle or things "they shouldn't be drawn to." Also I'm always up for more Gyllenhaal and Mulligan.

Mid90s* - dir. Jonah Hill

"Stevie (Sunny Suljic) is a sweet 13-year-old about to explode. His mom (Katherine Waterson) is loving and attentive, but a little too forthcoming about her romantic life. His big brother (Lucas Hedges) is a taciturn and violent bully. So Stevie searches his working-class Los Angeles suburb for somewhere to belong. He finds it at the Motor Avenue skate shop."

The second of three acting directorial debuts I mentioned and I won't lie, I never saw Jonah Hill going behind the camera. I don't know why. It's nothing against Hill. But whatever this film still looks solid.

Can You Ever Forgive Me?* - dir. Marielle Heller

"When bestselling celebrity biographer Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) is no longer able to get published because she has fallen out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception, abetted by her loyal friend Jack (Richard E. Grant)."

I don't know much about this story involving Israel and the controversy surrounding her but it'll be interesting to see. Especially since they're basing this on her memoirs. So, it'll be interesting to see how they handle it. Also, I like seeing Melissa McCarthy do more serious acting roles.

The Guilty - dir. Gustav Möller

"Alarm dispatcher and former police officer, Asger Holm (Jakob Cedergren), answers an emergency call from a kidnapped woman. When the call is suddenly disconnected, the search for the woman and her kidnapper begins. With the phone as his only tool, Asger enters a race against time to save the endangered woman. But soon he realizes that he is dealing with a crime that is far bigger than he first thought."

I kept seeing the poster for this film but just now looked into it and it sounds awesome!

What They Had* - dir. Elizabeth Chomko

"A woman (Hilary Swank) must fly back to her hometown when her Alzheimer’s-stricken mother, wanders into a blizzard. The return home forces her to confront her past."

This is the third actor-directorial debut, though I'll be honest I hadn't heard of her until this point, sadly. But anyway this looks a solid film and it's probably going to be one of those movies where I'll want to call my parents afterward. That or I'll find it really schmaltzy. But I'm sure this will be someone's go-to tearjerker.

Galveston - dir. Mélanie Laurent

"After a violent encounter with his boss’ men, Roy (Ben Foster) finds a prostitute (Elle Fanning) and sees something in her frightened, defiant eyes that prompts a fateful decision. He takes her with him as he flees to Galveston, an action as ill-advised as it is inescapable."

When I saw French-actress Mélanie Laurent was attached I thought "wow this is the fourth movie this week with an actor making their directorial debut!" But looking into a bit more she's actually directed a few other films, though I haven't heard/seen them, sadly. But it sounds like a solid film and I like Ben Foster. Also, I won't lie, as soon as I read the title I instantly started humming the Glen Campbell song. 

Those are my thoughts? What are your thoughts on these films or others coming out this weekend?

Thanks for reading. 

Thoughts on Upcoming Releases: Week of Oct. 12, 2018

First Man - dir. Damian Chazelle

"A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong, and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969."

Oh yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!

*clears throat*

I'm looking forward to this. 

The Happy Prince - dir. Rupert Everett

"THE HAPPY PRINCE tells the story of the last days of Oscar Wilde. This great man of letters, once one of the most famous authors in England, is now a superstar on the skids. As Oscar lies on his death bed, the past comes flooding back to him, transporting him to other times and places."

A film about Oscar Wilde. Yep, I'm sold.

22 July - dir. Paul Greengrass

"In Norway on 22 July 2011, right-wing terrorist Anders Behring Breivik murdered 77 young people attending a Labour Party Youth Camp on Utöya Island outside of Oslo. This three-part story will focus on the survivors of the attacks, the political leadership of Norway, and the lawyers involved."

Oh boy. This is going to be a hard sit through. If this anything like Greengrass's other film United 93 (2006), it'll be an emotional punch in the gut but an important film.

Bad Times at the El Royale - dir. Drew Goddard

"Seven strangers, each with a secret to bury, meet at Lake Tahoe’s El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past in 1969. Over the course of one fateful night, everyone will have a last shot at redemption."

Oh yes! This looks like an absolute blast!

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween - dir. Ari Sandel

"Two boys face an onslaught from witches, monsters, ghouls and a talking dummy after they discover a mysterious book by author R. L. Stine."

I liked the first film. It was a pretty fun film that was perfect for a family Halloween party. It's kind of like a family-friendly version of Monster Squad (1987, dir. Fred Dekker).

This film? Eh, it looks okay. I don't think I'll be rushing out to watch it. But I'm sure it'll be fine for the kids. 

Beautiful Boy - dir. Felix Van Groeningen

"After he and his first wife separate, journalist David Sheff struggles to help their son Nic, who goes from experimenting with drugs to becoming devastatingly addicted to methamphetamine."

Oh dear... oh dear... this is going to be an emotional punch in the gut. This is the kind of movie that'll make me want to call my Dad after watching it.

B&B - dir. Joe Ahearne

"Gay Londoners Marc and Fred plan for a weekend of mischief, baiting the Christian owner of a remote Christian B&B. Events take a deadly turn when another guest arrives, who they think might have something more sinister in mind."

Not gonna lie, the main reason why I want to watch this movie is because Paul McGann is in it. He was the 8th Doctor, and I'm a massive Doctor Who nerd, duh. 

So those are my thoughts on this week's upcoming releases

  What are your thoughts on these films?

Favorite Tom Petty Songs

R.I.P.
Image: Andy Tennille @LinerNoteJukie

It's been a year since we lost Tom Petty.

With his death, the music and the world is a lesser place without him. He was one of the purest examples of a rock musician. He never let himself be defined by a title. He was never a punk rocker, a blue-collar man, or anything like that. He was Tom Petty!

He was a musician through and through.

I saw him live at Riverbend in Cincinnati in 2008 and it was an amazing concert! I almost saw him again in Cincinnati last year when was on his 40th-anniversary tour but for one reason or another I didn't go. I said to myself, "Eh, whatever. There'll be another tour."

The lesson here: if you have the chance to see someone in concert, SEE THEM!

In memory of Tom's passing, I'm going to share my favorite songs of his in chronological order because there's no way I can properly rank them. I'm including his solo work, Mudcrutch, and Traveling Wilburys music.

Tom, we still miss you and we'll never forget your music. My prayers and well-wishes still go out to your family and your friends, especially to your bandmates - Benmont, Ron, Scott, Steve, and, of course, Mike.

American Girl - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1976)

I Need to Know - You're Gonna Get It (1978)

Refugee - Damn the Torpedoes (1979)

Even the Losers - Damn the Torpedoes (1979)

The Waiting - Hard Promises (1981)

Insider ft. Stevie Nicks - Hard Promises (1981)

Deliver Me - Long After Dark (1982)

Change of Heart - Long After Dark (1982

Straight Into Darkness - Long After Dark (1982)

Southern Accents - Southern Accents (1985)

It'll All Work Out - Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) (1987)

A Self Made Man - Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) (1987)

End of the Line - The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1 (1988)

I Won't Back Down - Full Moon Fever (1989)

Yer So Bad - Full Moon Fever (1989)

Learning to Fly - Into the Great Wide Open (1991)

All the Wrong Reasons - Into the Great Wide Open (1991)

Wildflowers - Wildflowers (1994)

You Wreck Me - Wildflowers (1994)

To Find a Friend - Wildflowers (1994)

Angel Dream (No. 2) - Songs and Music from "She's the One" (1996)

Accused of Love - Echo (1999)

Echo - Echo (1999)

The Last DJ - The Last DJ (2002)

Saving Grace - Highway Companion (2006)

Big Weekend - Highway Companion (2006)

Scare Easy - Mudcrutch (2008)

No Reason to Cry - Mojo (2010)

Something Good Coming - Mojo (2010)

Red River  - Hypnotic Eyes (2014)

I Forgive It All - 2 (2016)

You and Me (clubhouse version, 2007) - An American Treasure (2018)

Thoughts on Upcoming Releases: Week of Oct. 5

I decided to try something a bit different with the upcoming releases post. Since I want to try and get more stuff out I'm going to try and do it by week instead of a huge monthly one.

I'm also including plot summaries from Letterboxd.com.

Let's go ahead and get started with the first week of October.

A Star Is Born - Dir. Bradley Cooper

"Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers—and falls in love with—struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer—until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally’s career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons."

I remember when I first heard of this I was skeptical. I don't know what it is, maybe it was the cynical part of my mind going, "ugh! A remake and with Lady Gaga, and Bradley Cooper is going to sing? Ugh!" But even then, I can't image that being the big reason. 

I've grown to like Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper is one of my favorite actors working today. Also, I've grown less cynical about remakes. And this isn't the first time the story has been retold. This is the third version A Star Is Born with previous versions being made in 1937, 1954 and 1976. 

Sadly, I have not seen any of those but I plan to fix that. 

But back to this film, watching the trailer and listening to the song "Shallow" from the soundtrack, I'm excited about the film.

Venom - dir. Ruben Fleischer

"When Eddie Brock acquires the powers of a symbiote, he will have to release his alter-ego 'Venom' to save his life."

Oooooohhhhh.... boy. 

Now, a part of me is hopeful about this film, but I'm still very "meh" about this film. Mainly, because this comes off Sony Pictures trying to be like, "See! Our Spider-Man movies are better than Marvel's!" 

It comes off as a case of them trying too hard to look "edgy" and "cool." But it's hard to look like that when you have the line, "like a turd in the wind."

I like Tom Hardy, I like Michelle Williams, and I like Fleischer - and I like apparently this was one of Williams' best experiences on a set. But it's still a "meh" looking film, at best. 

The Hate U Give - Dir. George Tillman Jr. 

"Raised in a poverty-stricken slum, a 16-year-old girl named Starr now attends a suburban prep school. After she witnesses a police officer shoot her unarmed best friend, she’s torn between her two very different worlds as she tries to speak her truth." 

I sadly haven't read the book by Angie Thomas - which I've heard is amazing - so I can't say to how if this book is loyal or not. But I can say this film looks powerful. 

This looks like one of the most relevant films for today. And if you don't see how, then... man, how on Earth have you been able to avoid the news?

So, yeah, this looks like a pretty impactful film and worth a watch.