Category Archives: Drama

11.24.17
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Lady Bird

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Saoirse Ronan stars in actress Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut exploring the senior high school year of a girl living in Sacramento. Lady Bird is without a doubt a sweet and very entertaining coming-of-age film that’s especially impressive for a debut. I’ve always considered Greta Gerwig a great actress, with her touching and quirky performances in Frances Ha and 20th Century Women demonstrating her rare and impressive talent, and here she proves she can create a great story behind the camera as well. Ronan brings out her best performance since Brooklyn as an interesting lead role with a lovable personality. Her character is often self-centered and foolish but her emotion, charisma, aspirations, and love for her family makes her a unique protagonist. The way her relationship with her mother is depicted is very heartwarming and definitely the core of the film, offering another great performance from Laurie Metcalf. The supporting cast including Manchester by the Sea’s Lucas Hedges as one of the protagonist’s boyfriends and Tracy Letts as her father also give it their all and they bring a nice approach that make their characters feel like people involved in this world built around Ronan’s character. The plot and emotions from each character feel very human and aren’t exaggerated too often, and although there are some plenty of hilarious moments, it also known when to be more serious and the comedy and drama elements are balanced really well. Every scene flows from one to the other as if it was real life, and the realistic character personalities, emotions, and actions are reminiscent of films Gerwig has starred in herself. Although it doesn’t have any surprises in the story as it is another coming-of-age film, and some of the events at the end feel a little familiar, but Gerwig brings lots of humor and heart to create an affecting and human story about family, adolescence, and life.

Lady Bird is a great debut from Greta Gerwig with a fantastic performance from the talented Saiorse Ronan. Its mature content makes it one to be viewed by teens and older viewers, but its touching emotion, cast, and writing make it a recommended watch for those who are interested in a grounded and human story that will not fail to entertain you.

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11.11.17
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Murder on the Orient Express

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In the latest adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel, Kenneth Branagh directs and plays Hercule Poirot, who must solve a murder on a train and bring the killer to justice. The large ensemble cast also includes Josh Gad, Michelle Pfieffer, Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Leslie Odom Jr., Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, and Judi Dench as the other passengers on the train whose guilt or innocence must be discovered by Poirot. Although the classic murder mystery style is entertaining and the cast is great, there isn’t much to offer other than an interesting mystery that is only sometimes inviting. Some of the cinematography feels out of place and some of the green screen effects and CGI feel obvious, but what matters in this kind of movie is the story, which isn’t perfect either. The opening scene set in Jerusalem is very entertaining and sets up a light tone for the rest of the movie, but later some darker elements are kicked in and it feels unbalanced. The titular murder only takes place about 30 minutes into the movie, and there is too much that’s unnecessarily built up before the inciting incident, and this could have easily been shortened. Some of the supporting cast, including Pfieffer, Gad, Ridley, Depp, and Odom, get their moments to shine, and it works really well for them, but lots of the other cast members do nothing and don’t get much significance. However, Branagh is definitely the standout of the cast and the film with his charming and great performance as the famous detective who’s been loved by many generations for nearly a century. He is able to bring his character to life very well and his presence is always fun and exciting. However, he may have not been the best person to direct the film, and although the sets and costume design are outstanding, the pacing and writing are uneven, and while some of the mystery is intriguing, a lot of the runtime feels rather slow and the movie could have been easily been cut down to a shorter runtime of maybe 10 minutes less, which would make it feel more like a nonstop thrill ride mystery like it should have been. Although I liked the big reveal and the solution to the murder, the way the very end was handled was heavy-handed and betrayed the way the character of Poirot was being established throughout the film.

While Murder on the Orient Express is surely not a bad film, it’s a remake that doesn’t offer anything new if you already know the story other than a great cast and some nice production design. The execution is uneven and could have used more balanced runtime and pacing, and it’s somewhat forgettable but will interest those who like the classic murder mystery style.

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10.09.17
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Blade Runner 2049

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In the highly anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi classic Blade Runner, LAPD officer K (Ryan Gosling) discovers a secret that leads him to former blade runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who disappeared 30 years earlier.

Blade Runner is a film that’s influenced many sci-fi films and blockbusters to come, and is definitely a very visually beautiful film, although not one of my favorites. I was very excited for this film because Denis Villeneuve has never disappointed with his previous films, including Prisoners, Enemy, Sicario, and especially Arrival, and I could even call him one of the greatest directors of our time. Although the trailer may mislead you to think that this one’s more of an action movie than before, it’s actually as slow-paced and short on action as the previous film, so don’t be fooled. Thankfully, there’s a very intriguing story, impeccable directing, cinematography and visuals, and great acting. Ryan Gosling plays a leading role who acts more than he speaks, and knowing anything about his character beforehand would spoil the story. His movements, expressions, and interactions with every character make this one of his best performances in recent memory. Although it takes a while for Harrison Ford to make his grand entrance into the movie, it’s gladly pleasing to see him kick ass on screen once again, and it’s great to see that he’s still as good as Deckard as he was back in the ’80s. The rest of the cast, most notably Ana de Armas (who you may remember in a big role from last year’s War Dogs, and here she’s in a brilliant and very impressive role), is terrific as well, also including Robin Wright and Dave Bautista in great supporting roles. However, one performance really bothered me, which was that of Jared Leto. I think he’s a great actor but his acting here was too eccentric and over-the-top, and it felt very annoying, so I’m glad that his character had minimal screen-time in the movie.

I’m surprised that a movie like this was released in 2017, and it’s as big of a deal as it was when Blade Runner came out in 1982, because nowadays every film with so much CGI and hugely billed actors has constant action scenes and familiar cliches, so it’s refreshing to see that this one, like its predecessor, is rather a mystery drama than an action film. Ridley Scott did not have to worry when the sequel to his film is in the hands of Villeneuve, because if you’re familiar with his filmography, you know that nothing can go wrong when he’s in the director’s chair. Every shot is one that can be framed and Roger Deakins, who has already been nominated for 13 Oscars in his career, delivers possibly his best work here. The CGI is Oscar-worthy as well, and it blends in perfectly with the realistic effects in the movie. The music takes plenty of inspiration from the last film, and is done very beautifully thanks to the master Hans Zimmer, and his score for this movie is probably his best since Interstellar. All the technical elements blend in to make every scene intense and unpredictable. The story is more complex than the original and the movie feels like a puzzle as the runtime goes by. The movie is very long, running at almost three hours, but it grips onto your attention in every scene from the very first shot until the last. Some plot points are introduced and then later things are said or implied to contradict what you learned earlier, and then later it’s unanswered what is true or how exactly it worked, but I bet some of these plot points were left open-ended purposely. If you liked the first Blade Runner, you’ll definitely have a great time with this spellbinding, daring, extraordinary sci-fi movie, but if you didn’t, then you might not enjoy this one, as it’s longer and more complicated, but in my opinion, even better than the original. There is not a lot of action, so if you want an action-packed movie I’d recommend you see Kingsman: The Golden Circle, but this is the rare sci-fi feature we get every year that aspires for more, and leaves you thinking a lot, like Interstellar, Ex Machina, and Villeneuve’s own Arrival. He has made another magnificent feature that’s definitely one of the best of the year. There is occasional violence, language, and nudity, so I don’t recommend it for audiences under 15, but older and more patient viewers should definitely see this fulfilling sequel on the big screen.

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09.12.17
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The 2017 FilmToppings Summer Movie Awards

This summer was a great couple of months, as we received lots of great movies in the last few months. I held these awards ceremony for the fourth time, and this year was quite a success! I had lots of votes and more categories this year! Thanks to everyone who helped determine the winners by voting on my Instagram posts! Without further ado, here are the winners:

Best Visual Effects: War for the Planet of the Apes

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Best Cinematography: Dunkirk

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Best Score/Soundtrack: Baby Driver

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Best Supporting Actor: Michael Rooker – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

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Best Supporting Actress: Eiza Gonzalez – Baby Driver

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Best Screenplay: The Big Sick

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Best Director: Christopher Nolan – Dunkirk

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Best Actor: Andy Serkis – War for the Planet of the Apes

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Best Actress: Gal Gadot – Wonder Woman

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Worst Movie: The Emoji Movie

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Best Movie: Baby Driver

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Those are this summer’s award winners! Once again, I’d like to thank all my followers who participated by voting on my Instagram posts, as well as all those amazing filmmakers who helped us all have awesome times at the movies this summer! Other great films that were nominated but didn’t win any awards include It Comes at Night, Okja, Wind River, Detroit, Logan Lucky, Spider-Man Homecoming, and more! I agree with most of my followers’ picks this year, including the Best Movie! This summer was awesome and I hope this awards season has many more great movies to offer! What were your favorite films this summer and which most deserved to win?

08.15.17
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Detroit

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In Kathryn Bieglow’s latest film, she takes on the 1967 Detroit riot that shook the city forever. Bigelow has done a great job taking on true stories before, like the Iraq War in The Hurt Locker and the assassination of bin Laden in Zero Dark Thirty, both of which are great films that had me excited for this one. Here, Bigelow’s directing does not fail to stand out. She’s the most successful female director in Hollywood and it’s not hard to see why. The story is depicted mostly in the events of one night, in which the police raid of a motel generates horrible results. Although the setting is mostly small, these scenes are powerful and have lots of meaning in them. The cast is great, including Star Wars‘ John Boyega and especially Will Poulter as a ruthlessly racist white cop, but the real star is newcomer Algee Smith, who plays a musician who is emotionally scarred after the horrifying events of the film. He demonstrates lots of talent through his expression of fear and humanity in the movie. The first 45 minutes are slow and messy, as the historical concept is first introduced, and then we are given many characters to follow without any plot being brought forward until after this long first act. The directing was always great, but the writing in this first part could have been improved, and Barry Ackroyd’s style of quick cuts and handheld cam doesn’t quite work here. However, once the intensity kicked in, the writing became much more interesting and I was on the edge of my seat. The depiction of the excessive violence that the police unnecessarily used on the blacks in this time is painful to watch, and not just because you know it really happened, but because these situations still happen today and nothing his really changed since those violent and awful times. The scariest thing about Detroit is that the theme in the movie not only stands for the time period and the city it takes place in, but what is happening all over the country even today, and that change must be made. The ending is frustratingly realistic but has a point to prove and a state to make, one that will stay with you and hopefully inspire us all to move toward peace.

Kathryn Bigelow has made another great true story with Detroit, a difficult and realistic but moving feature that although not one of the best films of the year, it’s one of the most necessary. It takes on important themes like racism and violence, and is a moving history lesson that has a relevant message to both the past and the present.

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08.03.17
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The Big Sick

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The Big Sick is the true story of actor and comedian Kumail Nanjiani, playing himself in the main role. He wrote the film with his wife Emily V. Gordon (played by Zoe Kazan in the film), and this tells the story of their relationship and how it was complicated by Emily’s sickness, as well as Kumail’s Pakistani culture.

Neither comedy nor romance are up there on the list of my favorite genres, although I’m not saying I don’t like those genres, because I really do. However, most films in those genres nowadays tend to feel recycled and often the same. However, movies like The Big Sick that try to reinvent the rom-com genre (or one of the genres alone) and stay way from the usual tropes, but still remain a film for the mainstream audience, really intrigue me. The rave reviews have gotten me interested and I sure wasn’t let down considering what this film had to offer.  The story is touching and I was interested with the fact that Kumail starred in a film about himself and a story that was personally important to him. It’s not a groundbreaking true story in any way, but it’s not supposed to be. It’s just a smart story about love and relations between cultures. Its modern relevance and terrific humor make it a treat to watch from smart to finish. There was hardly a dull moment, and although a subplot involving Kumail’s stand-up career and his friends could have been developed slightly more and wasn’t as engaging as the rest of the film, I wasn’t really ever pulled out of the film during its 2-hour runtime. Kumail is hilarious and heartwarming and carries the film wonderfully. Of course someone can deliver a great performance as themselves, but he was able to bring something from himself that audiences can connect to and enjoy about his own personality. The way he tells his story is so much fun, and the script from him and his wife is sincere, humorous, and emotionally effective although light-hearted. Zoe Kazan is well-casted as Emily, Kumail’s wife, and she had great chemistry with him as well. An important scene with her character didn’t completely convince me like I hoped in terms of her acting, but most of the time she was able to bring some heart to the screen. There’s also some big names in the film: Ray Romano and Holly Hunter as Emily’s parents. Both of those actors are great, especially Romano, who is hilarious and a fun character to watch and connect with. Hunter is also impressive and the chemistry both the actors have with Kumail on screen is very well done, considering it’s a huge part of the film. By the end of the movie, I was left thinking about the small yet important story that managed to bring a smile on my face, even though the story doesn’t quite wrap up like expected, and this movie proved that you don’t need a huge budget or plot to have a great film that people can connect and have a good time with.

I overall loved the culturally relevant autobiographical true story The Big Sick had to offer, as well as the acting, humor, and terrific writing. This has something in store for all audiences, and one of the more touching films in theaters right now, if you’re looking for a great comedy that has something that will stick with you beyond the laughs.

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07.22.17
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Wind River

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In Wind River, the directorial debut of Taylor Sheridan, writer of Sicario and Hell or High Water, an FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) teams with a town’s veteran game tracker (Jeremy Renner) to investigate a murder that occurred on a Native American reservation. Both the past films written by Sheridan did not fail to impress me, as both were masterfully written and very engaging.  Wind River sees Sheridan in the director’s chair and he delivers yet another excellent screenplay, this time set in a snowy reservation in Wyoming. Sheridan develops his settings and main characters very well in all three of his scripts, and here it doesn’t fail as well. Jeremy Renner delivers one of his best performances as the main character, who has a tragic past and an estranged family, and you feel for the emotion Renner provides in every scene, and his character is superbly written. As much as I love him as Hawkeye in the Marvel universe, his best roles are the ones in smaller films, those that go into emotional depth, even like in last year’s Arrival. This is definitely up there with his performances in Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar winner The Hurt Locker and Ben Affleck’s heist thriller The Town as one of his greatest roles. Elizabeth Olsen has a few good moments in the film, but it mostly felt like she was just reading lines off a script and barely brought much depth into her character, and it was ultimately hard to care for her role.

Wind River has a Coen brothers vibe to it, as it feels like it drew great inspiration from Fargo, not just the development of the cold, isolated setting but also the way tension is built so well through small scenes. For those looking for a thrilling and interesting mystery thriller to watch, you’ll definitely be entertained, although I never felt like it brought anything new to the genre. The overall structure is entertaining but also feels very familiar and it didn’t offer much that was new or ground-breaking. Although the script is overall great, I was sometimes concerned by the directing before watching the movie, as this is Sheridan’s first time directing a film. I was mostly impressed by the directing, especially for a debut, but the use of handheld cam is often too shaky and sometimes distracting. Some shots are captured very well, but during the smaller, more conversational scenes, the camerawork could have used some improvement. There wasn’t the energy to it that Sicario and Hell or High Water had, as those films had more richness in their cinematography and directing, part of what made them both better films. This film could have used some more interesting and longer shots, as well as less noticeable handheld camera to make some scenes even stronger, but I overall was very pleased by what Sheridan was able to do as a director for the first time. He didn’t offer the incredible style brought by the directors of his previous scripts, but his work is still solid and appreciable, and I was still able to really enjoy the film. I hope to see Sheridan write and direct many more films in the future.

Wind River is a violent, engaging, and smart thriller with a great script and lead performance, and although the story is still somewhat familiar and the directing isn’t perfect, this is the type of film cinema should have more of to offer, and I’d definitely recommend this as a film to go watch when it’s released this August.

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07.20.17
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Dunkirk

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Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to Interstellar is a WWII epic focusing on the week-long evacuation of hundreds of thousands of soldiers off the beach of Dunkirk, France. The movie focuses on the battle from three different perspectives – the land, the sea, and the air. The cast includes Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh, and Harry Styles (you know your film is good when you get a good performance out of a pop star). With non-stop intensity, violence, and loud sound effects, Nolan once again proves that he’s arguably one of, if not the best modern filmmaker working in Hollywood today. With his previous films, including The Dark Knight trilogy and Inception, Nolan has been able to execute incredible action sequences with minimal CGI. His use of practical effects here is no less breathtaking. The scenes of planes shooting at each other, soldiers swimming away from sinking ships that are being bombed from above, and soldiers fighting for their lives are beautifully shot by Hoyte van Hoytema, who returns from having shot Nolan’s previous film with some more Oscar-worthy work that is majestic and engaging. The 70mm format makes the quality of the picture extraordinary and different. Hans Zimmer once again composes a magnificent score, and I sure hope he never stops composing for Nolan films, or for films in general. His score is thrilling and never stops playing throughout the film. No sound or shot failed to impress me and keep my eyes glued to the screen. As the loud noises of firing, explosions, and screaming encompass your ears and the auditorium, you feel immersed in the terror and fear experienced by the soldiers. The practicality of this movie is one of the most impressive parts of the film, as none of the sequences seemed unrealistic in any way. The movie doesn’t feel too carried by dialogue or character development, as each actor is treated as a bigger part of an ensemble cast. Don’t expect there to be one star of the movie you’ll be cheering for, because everyone in this movie is terrific. Like most movies of his, as I’ve said before, Nolan is the true star of this film. He brings so much realism and tension to each moment in this exciting and potent war epic that may just be one of the best war films since Spielberg’s masterpiece Saving Private Ryan. Most of this movie doesn’t quite feel like an action war film like most war movies, this one is more of a survival story, one that is masterfully put to screen and unbelievably masterful work of film that should not be missed.

Whenever Nolan settles on a topic to make a film out of, you know he’ll give it his all, because here you can feel all the passion Nolan had in this topic and how specifically he wanted everything edited and put together. The expensive $150 million budget is well worth it in this ambitious and nearly flawless summer blockbuster that is still able to feel like an Oscar contender type of film. This intense non-stop ride never has a dull moment and will always keep your heart pounding and push you to the very edge of your seat. One minor problem is that the film is about to end on a beautiful final shot but then briefly cuts to another shot and then ends there, but this may not bother me in future watches of this movie. I don’t see any of the characters or performances becoming some of my favorites anytime soon, but this film is truly about what each soldier experienced and how the battle played out. Christopher Nolan is one of the most dedicated and ambitious filmmakers of our time, and every film of his, from his low-budget thriller Memento to his Batman superhero blockbusters, demonstrates his love of cinema and his passion of everything he puts his heart into, and I sure hope we don’t have to wait much longer to see his next film.

If you want a powerful, marvelous, engaging, and thrilling movie to watch on the big screen, then Dunkirk is one that you’ll love. Definitely one of the best movies of the year and another excellent feature film that’s fantastic to look at on the big screen. A war film about humanity, survival, and resilience, this movie definitely won’t disappoint anyone seeking another profound and jaw-dropping Nolan movie, or an exciting and brilliant war movie like no other.

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02.20.17
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Lion

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Lion is the powerful true story of a five-year-old Indian boy named Saroo, who gets lost from his family and adopted by an Australian couple. Twenty-five years later, Saroo sets out to find his real family.

There are rarely times when I am emotionally moved by films based on true stories, but surprisingly, Lion was able to grab hold of my heart through its beautiful performances, writing, and emotion. Dev Patel delivers one of his best performances, as well as one of the greatest performances of 2016. He steals every scene that he’s in with his quiet and deep emotion that he so exquisitely displays in his character. Not to mention newcomer Sunny Pawar, who blew me away in his performance as Saroo at a much younger age. It is rare to see such strong work being delivered by such young actors, and I’ve only seen such realistic work like what Pawar beings to the screen being delivered by younger actors this year in Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea. Puwar is the anchor of a large portion of the film, and with his great dialogue and soul, he carries his part of the film extremely well. Rooney Mara and Nicole Kidman are both wonderful, as they dig into their roles and bring lots of life into their characters.

What makes Lion so potent and affecting definitely comes from its writing. Screenwriter Luke Davies writes a script that keeps the film well-paced, focuses on the important aspects of Saroo and the people around him, and makes you emotionally attached to the characters of the film through thoughtful themes and humanly characters. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, focusing on wide shots of the film’s marvelous locations, which include India and Australia. The movie’s score is also dazzling and definitely deserving of its Oscar nomination. Some people may not enjoy parts of the film as much as others, but I felt immersed in this true adventure that never gives up on speaking to its audiences. Every tear you may shed will be worth it, and every emotion leading up to a stunning climax will never fail to reach out to you. Lion is a brilliant biopic that will be emotionally challenging for many, but the journey is definitely worth experiencing.

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02.04.17
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Manchester by the Sea

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Manchester by the Sea focuses on Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck), who is asked to take care of his teenage nephew after the boy’s father suddenly dies, and must come to terms his past upon returning to his hometown. This plot and the marketing for the film make it seem very simple and somewhat familiar, but this movie is actually one of the most complex, heartbreaking, and exceptional films to be released in the last few years. I’ve seen performances in which actors feel like people instead of actors, but it’s hard to think of another time when a film doesn’t feel like it’s a film, because of how realistic the experience is. Every line and scene feels very authentic and almost like it wasn’t even written. The performances are also terrific, without a doubt. The hype for Casey Affleck’s performance, including a Golden Globe win and an Oscar nomination, is well deserved, as he delivers the most affecting performance I’ve seen this year. He doesn’t deliver a big scene that you can tell will be screened at the Oscars when his name is read, but the melancholy and soul he fills his character with is so real and moving that you go from hating Lee in the first minutes to empathizing with him by the end. Lucas Hedges delivers one of the greatest performances by a younger actor in recent years, and I felt so pulled into his role that I barely felt like he was acting, either. Michelle Williams is also exquisite and heart-wrenching as Lee’s ex-wife, who only has a few scenes but none of which aren’t memorable.

What audiences are sure to remember the most after seeing Manchester by the Sea is its gut-punching emotion, as a large portion of the film is very depressing and tough to experience. The emotional connection established between the audience and the main character is so strong that some events in the film feel much more effective and powerful than they would if the writing was any less spectacular than it was. Writer-director Kenneth Lonergan makes us not only care about the characters but he goes as far as making us experience these events with them. Whenever something out-of-the-ordinary happened, something as small as the shatter of a glass, the reaction the audience in my theater had, as well as myself, was much stronger than it would be in films such as blockbusters, because we were made to feel like we were going through these events as well. One thing that surprised me is that, even in all the sadness that’s being thrown at you, Lonergan was able to sneak in a few moments of great humor, and it’s not there to distract or turn the story upside down. The themes the movie will leave you thinking about can be connected to by everyone, as the film focuses on the strength of family, brotherhood, and parenthood. Manchester by the Sea is a riveting achievement that is able to leave a huge impact on you after watching it, even without beautiful cinematography and visuals like others among the year’s best films such as La La Land and Arrival. It has an authentic sense of humanity rather than of a film, and the performances are by far the best of the year. This movie is guaranteed to break your heart and impact you unlike many films this decade, as it’s a mature, brilliant, and flawless experience that must be viewed before this year’s Oscars.

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