The Incredibles 2 (2018)

Ah, I sure do love a reunion!

But do you know what I love even more? A reunion, in which you are happy and anticipating to see every living soul there, everyone has retained their spirit, but have improved on themselves since you last saw them, every lull or activity is immaculately timed and manages to be invigorating whatever it is, everybody has a splendid time, leaves with a grin on their faces, and you accept that whether or not it occurs again on a later date, you were immensely satiated for the time being.

I know. Sounds like wishful thinking, but tonight, PIXAR reunited me with my annual PIXAR short film; this time, being Bao, a bizarre, avant-gardely humorous, and heartwarming story about the disconnect and reconnection of a mother and son.

And then came the Parr family reunion. It was...

Quite incredible, to say the least. Everything I expected, everything I craved, and then some.

The film picks up exactly and perfectly where the first film ended. The Underminer is causing chaos in the city and while the Incredibles spring into action, it isn't a complete success, with the Underminer robbing a bank and some substantial damage caused to the city. Authorities' apprehensions for superheroes soon spring again and the family, shamed and homeless, are forced to stay at a motel. 

However, they are soon approached by a gentleman named Winston Deaver, owner of Devtech. He idolized the heroes as a child and now as an adult, he plans to get superheroes back on the public's side. Elastigirl is named to be the at the vanguard of this movement, as she's off on a mission to protect the city from the Screenslaver, while Bob, a.k.a. Mr. Incredible, takes over duties as a parent. However, things being complicated when the Screenslaver has a vastly different identity than expected, as well as Jack Jack developing his superpower.

Oh, did I say one? I meant seventeen.

When this film was finalized and it was made official, I had very low expectations, but in a reasonable, excited way. I expected it to (a) show me the Parr family after the events of the first film and (b) do something new and interesting with them. As much as I enjoyed the first film, I'm not the fiercest fanatic of that film, so as long as it followed and obeyed my expectations, it was due for a rave review from me.

What's remarkable about this film is that the film continues the legacy of the first film via one aspect: spirit. This film rarely and sparingly utilizes callbacks or references to the first film, but by merely capturing such an exact tonal replica of the first film, it manages to be more evocative of the first film, rather than nudging the audience every ten minutes. It balances the action, comedy, heart, and conflict practically identically to the first film. During the action and chase scenes, there are still arguments about who's going to watch the baby. Before FroZone leaves for a mission, he can't escape being nagged at by Honey.

How this film stands alone, however, is through another aspect: progression. We already developed the characters and powers. It is now time to let everything be taken full advantage of. The story is more than just a simple mission-to-fight-a-villain story. It uses the impetus of the villain and the idiosyncrasies and flaws of its characters to reveal commentary about the media, television, entitled contentment, and even about parents playing equal roles in raising their children. 

Also, what Coco did for racial tolerance, The Incredibles 2 is continuing for feminism. The film's basic premise is that Elastigirl is the hero that's not only the choice because of wisdom, but also because she's the most marketable, the boldest face for this advocacy. In 2018, this couldn't have been any more of a perfect time to release a sequel that takes the approach of having a female front-and-center. There's even a little nuanced moment where Evelyn, the sister of Winston, talks about being an inventor and how adroit and advanced she is at it and Helen subtly gives her an impressed look. The girl-power themes strike not just an audacious note, but a gracious note, as in lead, support, and pay it forward. It goes further when Mr. Incredible struggles with the idea of not being in the forefront of this pro-superhero movement, despite being genuinely excited and supportive of her, connoting and articulating the belief that in order for women to move forward in our society, it may require men, the gender possessing the higher quantities of power and clout, may need to be humbled once in a while.

On a technical level, this both simmers in the same field, yet surpasses the original, as well. The animation has the same buoyancy and juvenile ecstasy of the original, yet it is so much more ambitious and multifarious in style, drawing influences of neo-noir, action film-style visuals, and even architecture in Palm Springs. This leads to some of the most gorgeous, captivating imagery I've seen from the Parrs' rental house, to seeing those familiar, innocent, wide blue eyes on the Parrs, to a mere scene of a moon-lit pool, as Helen and Bob have a discussion. 

This also makes way for some of the most rousing, full-bodied, visually astounding action sequences I've seen in an animated film, including one of the propulsive, white-knuckle monorail sequences in all of cinema. Also, the reverent joy to see the reprise of these characters' lives can clearly be empathized with via the voice actors because returning actors Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Powell, and Samuel "Mr. Motherfucker" Jackson adjust themselves squarely and comfortably back into their roles. Bob Odenkirk brings a looney fervor to the role of Winston and Catherine Keener, fresh out of Get Out, slithers and simmers in a Sharon Stone-esque emulation through the role of Evelyn, Winston's sister. On the subject of returns, it wouldn't be a badass PIXAR film without Michael Giacchino composing the score, providing a musical score with thematic continuity and singular ingenuity, all the while never depriving us of the grandiose notes we expect to hear from The Incredibles.

If I had to pick my favorite PIXAR film, I would give a three-way tie to the Toy Story films. If I had to determine the most meaningful PIXAR film, I'd easily chalk it up to Inside Out. If I had to select the most gorgeous PIXAR film, I'd say Coco. However, if I had to pick the most entertaining PIXAR film, I'd say The Incredibles 2. I feel that, internally, deep down, I knew what to expect when the Disney logo preceding the film was cloaked in the superhero motifs and bleeding, beautiful reds we've grown accustomed to from The Incredibles. That frilly, disconnected, narratively distant moment of build-up sums up the entire film: embracing current progression, while attuned with that old spirit. For a film of such high stakes, this is one of the easiest, instantly entertaining, effortlessly appealing films of the year. It feels less like a laborious effort to engage and more like a round-table read, where everyone is happy to be there. By simply having everyone back and enjoying themselves, it managed to both achieve its basic requirements and exceed them.

Also, there's a line in the film where agent Rick Dicker states, "Politicians don't like people who do good just because it's right." I think I'll just leave this here for y'all.

RATING: Four out of four stars!

Hereditary (2018)

You know, I stated previously that my main quibble with modern horror films is that, while the expression and feeling of fear is complex, multifarious, and unlimited, the template for these films are anything but. I've also previously provided much acclaim for those that go the extra mile and attempt to match that natural, veritable level of complexity and layered intensity. And that'll be the case with Hereditary. The film both outwardly and obliquely expresses the fear of loss, the fear of failing as a parent, and the fear of perpetuating a negative family legacy. All of this coming from a supernatural horror film.

A24, please don't show any signs of slowing down.

Hereditary opens with a family comprised of husband/father Steve, wife/mother Annie, who works as a miniaturist artist, son Peter, and daughter Charlie. Their grandmother, Ellen, has recently passed away and the family, particularly Annie, is struggling to cope with the loss. The family is put into further turmoil when Charlie dies in a car accident caused by Peter. She soon afterwards meets a lady named Joan, who lost her son and grandson. Joan convinces Annie to communicate with her deceased daughter via a séance. However, this soon produces dire consequences. Will the family be able to recover? And how much did Grandma Ellen know?

With such a distinct, original studio such as A24, it doesn't surprise me that the film has such a unique style of cinematography, thanks to cinematographer Pawel Porgozelski. She has a unique way of framing that is wide, afar, and observant. It focuses on the scene, but gives everything proper space, as if it's letting the mood of the moment be the star. It uses close-ups, but sagaciously and sparingly. When they are used, they are used to probe in on the character's feelings. There are even instances where the camera focuses on the niceties and details of the house, thus personifying the house in a way.

Sonically, the film manages to stand out. While the dialogue is not muted by any means, sound editor Alfred DeGrand amplifies several emotional or minute sounds. Crying, breathing, a clicking tongue, the tinkering of a fork; all are accentuated and given as equal an importance and strength as the actual dialogue. And when we aren't being treated to the brilliant, atmospheric sound design, we get to witness one of the most awe-inspiring, unorthodox horror scores I've ever heard, composed by Colin Stetson. It sounds synth-driven, yet he primarily used vocals and manipulated clarinets to produce a motley of sounds. I haven't been invigorated and transfixed by a horror score to this degree since Herrmann's score for Psycho.

There are a lot of keen narrative moves from director/writer Ari Aster. When I first saw the advertisements, I thought that it would be a subversive, original twist on scary-child horror films, such as Orphan or The Exorcist. However, Charlie's decapitation within the first half-hour struck down that expectation. What's surprising is that the real core of the film is Annie and her slow, neurotic, emotional breakdown, first driven by grief, then by guilt, and finally by obsession.

The film is actually separated into two parts. The first half is a plaintive, meditative study on grief. The second half...is the consistently scary shit. Sometimes, you hear critics throw around superlatives, such as "non-stop," which are really rhetorical and superficial, at best. However, believe me when I say that the second half is nothing but non-stop scares.  The film manages to go beyond jump scares and actually utilizes some rather macabre, visceral methods in order to scare. And given how one adult male left the audience for two minutes at one point, I think it was effective. The fact that I can talk about indelible scares from the moribund, atrophying genre of the supernatural horror film, the genre that's still showing the rotten traces of Paranormal Activity and The Conjuring, is astounding, but nevertheless, exemplary. And it all culminates to one of the most artfully bizarre, perverse endings I've seen in quite some time.

The performances are all captivating. Milly Shapiro goes from buoyant, vibrant, shrewd Matilda from Matilda: The Musical to portraying a cold, detached, troubled Charlie in this film. With the paltry screen time she's given, she manages to make an impact and leave you invested 'til her bloody end. Former Naked Brother Alex Wolff portrays Peter as a typical pot-smoking teenager that, emotionally, is rather weak and nakedly vulnerable. He manages to make us feel his angst and malaise without his excessive crying being overkill. Gabriel Byrne as the husband primarily stays in his lane as the straight man to all of the chaos, but he himself gets a few effective moments as he begins to feel the effects of the madness. Ann Dowd is deceptively beguiling as the frighteningly genial friend, Joan.

However, the stand-out, expectedly, is Toni Collette as Annie, looking like Julianne Moore bereft of any rest. Right off the bat, she enters the film drained and exhausted, but fervently and valorously attempting to stay warm. By the end, she's raving mad, desperately trying to get the love back from her family, as well as regain her sanity. The fact that her character is revealed to be a sleepwalker and a miniaturist artist on a time clock to meet her deadline for an art exhibition add to her insecurities and paranoia and seem to merely prod at and exacerbate her mental descent. It's horrifying yet tragically hypnotic to watch, on the level of Jack Torrance from The Shining.

"Spellbinding" is the word I would use to describe this film. Watching this film and how it deftly and effectively balanced genuine emotion and genuine horror made me wonder if this is the wave of the future; if filmmakers and filmgoers, as well, have the same plight of wanting to feel more than just horror. I mean, this generation does seem to be the one giving the most credence and evidence that just because something looks good doesn't mean it is. Given all these demands for change, I don't know if horror films like these are a secondary demand for change or a caution that things are changing. Either way, it looks like these up-and-coming horror filmmakers have inherited some good techniques.

Good work, A24. See you at Oscar time!

RATING: Three-and-a-half stars out of four

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

You know, it's funny how life unfolds.

You start off creating these elaborate plans to keep yourself well-versed with the Star Wars canon, moreso polishing yourself and shaking off any rust. You plan to finish the half of the Star Wars films you haven't seen, or in the case of Attack of the Clones, haven't seen in a while, but then life overworks you, you get sidetracked, box office returns for the newest effort take a surprising turn for the negative, and then you just have to say...

Today, Solo will be judged solo.

The film centers on the lovable scoundrel himself, Han Solo, beginning as a child criminal from Corellia. As a member of a gang, he steals in exchange for food and shelter. However, he attempts to escape Corellia with his girlfriend, Qi'ra, and while he manages to escape, Qi'ra is stopped by officers and Solo vows for their reunion. After a failed stint in the Navy, he soon pairs up with a criminal, Tobias Beckett, and one Wookie, Chewbacca, and they all head off on an adventure to steal a fuel source, coaxium, all along the way encountering a smuggler, Lando Calrissian, and a reunion with Solo's girlfriend, Qi'ra, which may include some dark, awkward implications.

Honestly, the first quarter of this film left me feeling rather empty. I think, through it all, one of my main gripes was with Han Solo himself, Alden Ehrenreich. Now, this is definitely a make-it-or-break-it type of role for him. He's usually known for being a mere aspect in films directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Woody Allen, and the Coen Brothers. He clearly surrounds himself with good company, but it's another thing to be a blockbuster leading man.

Apparently, Lucasfilm hired an acting coach for Ehrenreich shortly after receiving the role and...yeah, it shows. His initial impact and vibe for the first thirty minutes strikes as frustratingly unctuous. Every beat, every emotional shift, his delivery; all of them feel too precisely studied and too tightly disciplined. It feels less like Han Solo and more like an actor praying to God that the audience buys him as Solo.

However, it doesn't help that Solo as a character is hampered by a leaden, generic, appallingly rudimentary story in the movie's opening. This character, who has produced a legacy of being charmingly edgy, has his backstory curtailed to being an ambitious, loose cannon with a heart of gold, who is determined to be a pilot, despite him being an undisciplined ruffian. Oh, and his main pursuit is simply a girlfriend, because apparently, Star Wars films really like to take characters with ambiguous backgrounds and gargantuan spirits and dilute that package down to, "Sigh! I need my girlfriend back. Fuck power! Fuck the Force! I need love!"

The story begins so underwhelmingly that the most simple revelations of Solo's backstory feel contrived and forced. For example, it turns out Han Solo's name was given by a Naval officer because, fuck it, he has no family and he's there Solo. For a name with such gravity and such innumerable possibilities, it seems to be introduced, resolved, and brushed over rather abruptly. Or how about the fact that Solo's meeting of Chewbacca boiled down to Chewbacca was going to eat him and Solo managed to talk/roar his way out of it. Ignoring the fact that he doesn't speak Wookie to Chewbacca for the rest of the film, why couldn't there have been another monster trying to eat Solo and Chewbacca saves him from it? That would be more interesting than this humdrum, too-recycled-even-for-Disney route.

On that note, the first 30 minutes of the film showcases Tobias being happy with his lady and...well, I'm sure you can follow where I'm going with this. The story and the characters in the beginning are interpreted and realized so thinly and without any sort of pizzazz or vitality that it stultifies the action sequences. You just sit there watching movement...I guess...and speed...I guess, but there's nothing to engage or rile up the viewer. So yeah, the first half-hour or so is deadly dull.

And then, something happens.

The movie, specifically director Ron Howard (welcome to the galaxy, Mr. Cunningham) and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan (Luke, HE is your father), along with his son, Jonathan Kasdan, realize that Solo and all of the characters are physical beings, but work better as components. It dawned on me while I was watching this that this franchise is the most universal, cinema franchise for a reason. It's the superlative, most uniform example of the "greater sum of parts." The pacing, the visuals, the characters, the story, the motivations, the emotions, the philosophies, the logistics, the locations, the make-up; all of these factors need to be attuned with each other, in order to make a successful Star Wars film. If one aspect either lags or is too heavily punctuated and honed in on over another aspect, something's gonna feel off.

The solo reason (haha) why the first fourth of the film is so dull is because it focuses on the least interesting parts. We don't care about Solo's romance because it's a romance, but because of the alchemy and charm behind it. And that's what Ehrenreich, admittedly, does receive after a rocky start: charm. When he's allowed to stop trying to stand out on his own and instead is allowed to immerse himself in this world, that is when we see the dogged charisma that Harrison Ford laid the groundwork for. 

However, the other actors manage to stand out, as well. Woody Harrelson as Tobias Beckett supplies his idiosyncratic, delirious charm and furious, menacing spirit. Emilia Clarke, justifiably, goes from Game of Thrones to Star Wars, playing Qi'Ra. Much like Ehrenreich, she becomes much more intriguing as she grows out of a mere love-struck damsel and fleshes out into a torn, trapped, and vulnerable lady. And then, there's our universal black Everyman, Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian. While, admittedly, he does struggle in some of the emotional moments, he spotlights the screen with a self-content smile that never leaves and his devilishly mellifluous baritone. Apparently, Billy Dee Williams himself instructed Glover to just be charming when portraying Lando. Thanks for the lesson, Mr. Williams. Now, we can have Glover for life, yes?

In addition, once the film becomes more surefooted, the action sequences become much more exciting. Also, in a shocking turn of events, Williams has turned over primary musical composition duties to John Powell, with Williams only contributing the basic themes. However, I never would have known, because Powell's score is just as soaring and sweeping as William's.

I guess it's fitting that Ron Howard directed this. I would describe him as a competent director, but not a masterful one. In most of the films I've seen from him (Apollo 13, The Da Vinci Code, The Grinch), his ambition and energy are bar none, but his execution always seems too precisely quantitative. He knows just what action sequence goes here, what antidote goes here, what heartfelt moment goes here, but he never really seems to transcend beyond that. His movies are effective, but not necessarily masterpieces. However, while he may lack in a genteel, exquisite style, he makes up for in entertainment.

It definitely must've made for both an interesting and strenuous experience for Howard, what with it being his first Star Wars film to direct and one where he had to reshoot 70% of it, but Howard usually manages to do just enough. And here, he's done just enough. Donald Glover Beautifully Smiling for An Hour...er...I mean, Solo: A Star Wars Story is a solid place-holder in the Star Wars universe.

As a solo effort, it works just fine.

RATING: Three out of four stars