“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” stars Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo, and Michael Potts. Released on Netflix on December 18, 2020, the film is about a singer who battles race discrimination in the music world. The film is directed by George C. Wolfe, who also directed “Lackawanna Blues”, “Nights in Rodanthe”, “You’re Not You”, and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”. It is based on the play of the same name by August Wilson. Another week means another reason to get up on our feet and dance to the music. This latest Netflix film takes us to the 1920s, a time when the music industry clashed with racial tension. There were plenty of reasons why I was looking forward to this film, such as its concept and the cast, most notably Chadwick Boseman in his final film role before he tragically passed away back in August. Why does 2020 hate us? After finding success with adapting August Wilson’s “Fences” into an award-worthy film, Hollywood decided to adapt another one of his plays in hopes of capturing lightning in the bottle for the second time. Why? Because we all need a reminder that race discrimination is still a big no-no. Was it as spectacular as Ma Rainey’s music? Let’s find out. The story takes place over the course of a single afternoon in a Chicago recording studio. A blues band, which consists of Cutler (Domingo), Toledo (Turman), Slow Drag (Potts), and trumpeter Levee (Boseman), is waiting for their lead singer Ma Rainey (Davis) to show up so they can record their songs for their album. When Ma arrives late to the party, several issues begin to surface between her, the band, and their white producers Sturdyvant (Jonny Coyne) and Irvin (Jeremy Shamos). One of which was Levee’s dream to start his own band. Not only is the film inspired by the life of Rainey and her song of the same name, but it also explores issues of race, art, religion, and the exploitation of black recording artists by white producers through dialogue. When you have a film that deals with these types of themes, especially the ones involving Black culture, you have to make sure that it pays absolute respect to the culture and offers a story that’s inspiring, emotional, and thought-provoking. Fortunately, for us viewers, this is exactly what this film did. Although it came extremely close to being one of my favorite films of the year, George C. Wolfe was able to represent the situation of black musicians in a white man’s world in an honest, energetic, and sometimes emotional way. The film was well-paced, the script from Ruben Santiago-Hudson was filled with superb monologues, and it showcased its jazzy liveliness through Branford Marsalis’s score and the cast themselves. This was the second time that Viola Davis had starred in a film adaptation of August Wilson’s play, the first being “Fences”, and unsurprisingly, she’s two for two. She was a marvel to behold as she captured the fiery and demanding attitude of the famous blues singer through her acting range. The only issue was that despite the title being “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”, she didn’t get as much screen time as her band. I would like to see more of this character as well as how she came up with the song, but what can you do? Another real show-stopper is the brilliant Chadwick Boseman, who is now a surefire pick to earn a posthumous Oscar win. His stellar and raw performance as Levee showed how incredibly talented and capable Boseman was in terms of acting, especially during a scene where he’s screaming towards God. Whether it’s Jackie Robinson or Black Panther, he can flawlessly transform himself into a role that he’s given and give his audience one heck of a show. He was indeed one of the greats, and he will surely be missed. Turman, Domingo, and Potts were also entertaining enough to play catch up with the film’s main stars. The set pieces and the costume designs also played a big part of the film’s success. They respectively represent the vibrant, blues-like aesthetics of 1920s Chicago, especially the costumes, which looked magnificent in my eyes. So, you might be wondering why I didn’t think it was a perfect movie. Well, it would have something to do with the story and how much of an impact it had compared to its topic. Now, before you raise your torches and pitchforks, let me explain. I thought the story was highly enjoyable, its themes were noble, and the characters were wonderfully developed through dialogue. My personal problem was the third act and how it wrapped things up which, from my personal perspective, wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. Compared to the first two acts, the finale didn’t quite reach the impact it was going for emotionally. I can understand why they ended it like that, but they could’ve at least expand on a few things, such as Ma Rainey’s character and the race-related topics, in order for the film to earn the impact of its commentary. I also believe that the filmmakers could’ve developed Dussie Mae (played by Taylour Paige), Ma’s girlfriend, a bit more. It felt like they wasted that character’s potential to play a key role in the struggling partnership between Rainey and Levee. The film is at least an hour and a half long, which is a suitable runtime for something like this due to its pacing, but I don’t think that’s long enough for it to further explore this type of situation and earn a complete emotional connection to its thematic core. Overall, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” is a vibrant and thoughtful depiction of racial tensions in the music industry. Led by an incredible cast, a well-written screenplay, and an aesthetic production design, the film mostly succeeds in paying tribute to Black culture and jazz music in general, although it could’ve used more of that Ma Rainey pizazz. You know, since the film is called “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”. Personally, I thought “Fences” was a better movie in terms of August Wilson film adaptations, but I still enjoyed what George C. Wolfe brought to the table. It’s worth watching on Netflix if you’re familiar with the play it’s based on or if you really want to see the late Boseman onscreen one last time. Rest in peace, good sir, and thank you for sharing your gifted talent with the world. B+
0 Comments
“Safety” stars Jay Reeves, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Corinne Foxx, Luke Tennie, Matthew Glave, Hunter Sansone, Alex A.J. Gardner, Amanda Warren, and James Badge Dale. Released on Disney+ on December 11, 2020, the film chronicles a college student’s attempt to play football while taking care of his younger brother. The film was directed by Reginald Hudlin, who also directed films such as “House Party”, “Boomerang”, “The Ladies Man”, “Marshall”, and “The Black Godfather”. Life is equivalent to a person’s sports career. It has its ups and downs, but with enough support and determination, it can lead to some satisfying rewards. Once again, we had another original film that premiered on Disney+, and it’s based on a football player that I’m unfamiliar with. Oh joy. The folks at Disney are no strangers to fact-based sports dramas, especially the ones that involve football, as they have made plenty of them during the 2000s. Those include “Remember the Titans”, “Miracle”, “Glory Road”, and “Invincible”, just to name a few, all of which are available to watch on Disney+ as of this writing. Who knew Mickey Mouse is into sports? This film sees the Mouse House returning to its usual roots and attempting to provide another dose of family-friendly sports action and sentimental drama. Was it able to score a touchdown or two? Let’s head on down to the field and find out. Based on a true story, the film centers on a young man named Ray McElrathbey (Reeves), who attends Clemson University to play college football. Things get complicated when his mother Tonya (Warren) has been sent to rehab to deal with her drug addiction, resulting in Ray deciding to take care of his younger brother Fahmarr (Mixson). Ray is now put to the ultimate test as he struggles to keep his dream alive while secretly taking care of his brother on campus. I’m familiar with a few famous football players, such as Brett Farve, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and even Vince Papale, who was portrayed by Mark Wahlberg in the 2006 film “Invincible”. However, there are also a lot of football players that left me with a huge question mark, and Ray McElrathbey, who played for the Clemson Tigers, is one of them. I had absolutely no idea who Ray was until I watched the film myself, mostly due to the fact that I haven’t watched college football at all. Heck, I didn’t even know his whole story that took place outside of the football field. I guess that’s why I was so interested in the film to begin with. To see that story unfold and learn more about that person despite some of the changes it made for dramatic purposes. You might be thinking that this is yet another underdog story, but truth be told, it’s actually not. This is the film that deals with family adversity, including drug addiction and the struggles of balancing college life with the responsibility of taking care of someone, especially a family member. Keep in mind that this came from the same studio that made your favorite animated classics like “The Lion King” and “The Little Mermaid”. While the film didn’t exactly delve deep into those topics due to its PG-rated restrictions (gotta make it accessible for the kids somehow), it was still able to deliver the dramatic chops and the charm that the other Disney sports dramas have been known for. It’s easy to admit that it checked off every box on the studio’s “Hollywood Sports Film” list, such as the sports action and the main character overcoming obstacles on and off the field. However, it did it in a way that’s more tolerable and thoughtful than overly corny like a Hallmark television film. It had its cheesy moments, yes, but they’re suitably overshadowed by its sense of charm and inspiration thanks to Reginald Hudlin’s direction. Not only was Hudlin able to make the dramatic sequences highly watchable, but he also balanced them well with the humorous moments and the football moments. Sadly, there was only one scene involving an actual football game, which may disappoint plenty of people who wanted to watch a bunch of football sequences. On the plus side, that scene was well-executed due to its sound editing and its energetic flair. Jay Reeves, who is known for his supporting role in the CW series “All American”, took center stage as he was given the challenge to portray Ray McElrathbey in a respectable light, and for the most part, he delivered. He had a good amount of charisma and chemistry with the other actors to fit into the shoes of a likable, yet vulnerable, character. Thaddeus J. Mixson also did pretty well in his acting debut as Fahmarr, while James Badge Dale offered some solid acting chops as Coach Brad Simmons. What I also liked about the film was that it wasn’t afraid to showcase a freshman’s experience with time management in a university in terms of balancing school work with taking part in a sport and their personal life. It’s far from a perfect representation, but I think it works well as a learning tool for kids to learn about life as a college student…if they’re into that type of stuff, of course. Overall, it may not have taken its themes even further, but “Safety” was able to tackle its way to the winner’s circle by providing an inspiring and well-told story about the importance of family and teamwork. Despite its formulaic elements and a couple of corny moments, the film is another enjoyable addition to the Disney sports collection thanks to its likable cast, Hudlin’s respectable direction, and its old-fashioned sense of charm. It’s actually quite amazing to see someone like Ray do the impossible in order to keep his family together. I honestly didn’t think that his story was going to be that important, but it was able to prove me wrong, and I’m glad that it did. I really hope that Ray’s story continues to inspire a lot of people to do the same for their own families, and I hope that Ray and his family, wherever they are, continue to have a brighter future. If you’re a fan of feel-good sports dramas, especially the ones from Disney, this film is worth checking out on Disney+. B“The Prom” stars Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Keegan-Michael Key, Andrew Rannells, Ariana DeBose, Kerry Washington, and Jo Ellen Pellman. Released on Netflix on December 11, 2020, the film has a group of actors helping a lesbian teenager attend the high school prom. The film is directed by Ryan Murphy, who also directed “Running with Scissors”, “Eat Pray Love”, and “The Normal Heart”. It is based on the 2018 Broadway musical of the same name by Chad Beguelin, Bob Martin, and Matthew Sklar. Looks like we got ourselves another feel-good musical on our hands, so let’s get ready to shake our booties and sing our hearts out. This latest film continues the trend of releasing musical extravaganzas during the month of December that started in 2017. We had musicals like “The Greatest Showman” and “Mary Poppins Returns” that turn out to be successes, both critically and financially, while “Cats” wound up in the litter box. No one ever wants to talk about “Cats”. While I haven’t actually heard of the Broadway musical until now, I was interested in seeing it regardless due to its all-star cast, its plot, which showcases the importance of inclusion, and the music. The music is pretty much one of the many cures for depression as far as I can tell, especially during a year that’s full of nothing but bad luck. With that in mind, let’s see if this prom is truly a night to remember. Similar to the Broadway musical it’s based on, the film tells the story of Dee Dee Allen (Streep) and Barry Glickman (Corden), two Broadway stars whose careers have been heavily affected by their latest flop. They later discover that a high school teenager named Emma Nolan (Pellman) wants to attend the prom with her girlfriend (DeBose). Unfortunately, the head of the PTA, Mrs. Greene (Washington), canceled the event in order to prevent Emma from doing so. Seeing this as an opportunity to reignite their careers, Dee Dee and Barry travel to a small town in Indiana with another pair of actors, Angie Dickinson (Kidman) and Trent Oliver (Rannells), to help her out. The major thing about the story in general is that it deals with discrimination against LGBT relationships. The film is set during a time when people aren’t used to a person dating someone from the same sex and they do what they can to prevent them from attending normal activities. Even though what they’re doing is pretty despicable, they wind up doing it anyway because they fear change. Like the musical, the film was intended to be a celebration of self-love and equality, to show the world that love has no boundaries, regardless of sex, age, and color. This heartfelt message was displayed in a way that colorful musicals can offer, through song and dance, and it’s something that I honestly couldn’t get enough of. While it did suffer from a couple of flaws in terms of storytelling, that doesn’t stop it from being a highly enjoyable and vibrant adaptation of the Broadway musical. Part of the enjoyment came from the cast, ranging from Meryl Streep to newcomer Jo Ellen Pellman. Meryl Streep was once again dazzling as both an actress and a darn good singer as she respectively portrays Allen as a narcissistic Broadway actress who learns the importance of putting other people’s needs ahead of hers. James Corden, Nicole Kidman, and Andrew Rannells also did very well with their performances as Barry, Angie, and Trent respectively. There were plenty of people that didn’t like Corden’s performance, but personally, I thought he did fine. I would also have to give credit to Jo Ellen Pellman for her heartwarming portrayal as Emma. Not only was her acting believable, but her singing was just as beautiful as an angel’s voice from heaven. In fact, I thought the entire cast did a phenomenal job with their singing, which helped made the musical numbers endearing, upbeat, and radiant. The musical numbers were some of the best parts of the film in my opinion, mostly because of the choreography, its stage-like set designs, and its energetic flair. There were at least 19 songs in the film, including the last two during the end credits, and they were a pleasure to listen to. The only downside to this, however, is that they can break up the pace a bit in terms of how they placed the songs, which would explain the two-hour-plus runtime. The story worked well in honoring its message about inclusion and providing some decent characters despite a couple of familiar cliches that were seen in the other musical films. It can be a bit corny at times when it comes to the film’s emotional core, but hey, isn’t that the point of light-hearted musicals? It may not win over a lot of people who aren’t huge musical fans, but for those who don’t mind its corniness, it can be a pleasant time-waster. I guess you can say that this is somewhat reminiscent to “The Greatest Showman”, which is another light-hearted musical that celebrates the importance of equality. They may not have been able to take their themes even further, but their intentions were pretty noble thanks to their feel-good tones and their upbeat songs. Overall, while far from a perfect adaptation, “The Prom” works as both an entertaining and colorful musical and a worthy celebration of self-love and respecting people’s differences. Despite a few tropes and its corniness, the film wasn’t afraid to appreciate its own good intentions by displaying a fun cast, a decent story, and a bunch of musical eye candy. Like I mentioned before, it’s not going to impress everybody because there are several people out there who would rather prefer a much more serious take on the LGBT relationship. However, I would say that it might impress those who are big fans of light-hearted musicals and big supporters of LGBT representation. B“Godmothered” stars Jillian Bell, Isla Fisher, Jane Curtin, and Mary Elizabeth Ellis. Released on Disney+ on December 4, 2020, the film is about a fairy-in-training who attempts to help a young girl, who turns out to be an unhappy TV news reporter. The film was directed by Sharon Maguire, who also directed “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, “Incendiary”, and “Bridget Jones’s Baby”. The term “happily ever after” only exists in fairy tales for many years, but in some cases, it can also exist in real life. You just have to believe that it exists. Disney+ is at it again this weekend with a film that flips the “fairy godmother” scenario on its head, and no, it’s not a spin-off to the live-action “Cinderella” remake in case you’re wondering. Though it would be interesting if that’s actually the case. I already noticed that this film was coming out while I was doing some research on the upcoming programs for the streaming service. There were definitely some interesting stuff that we’ll be getting pretty soon such as the new “Home Alone” film, but this one, in particular, managed to catch my attention, mostly because of its intriguing take on the “fairy godmother” concept. What can I say? I’m a sucker for things that go “Bippity Boppity Boo”. It took me a while to get to this film due to my mother wanting to see it as well, so for those who wanted me to talk about it, I apologize for the long wait and I hope this review is worth the wait for you. With all that said, let’s get our magic on. The story takes place in a magical land called the Motherland, where a race of fairy godmothers train to make all of people’s wishes come true. Among them is Eleanor Fay Bloomingbottom (Bell), the youngest of the godmothers who, despite her lack of skills, is very committed to be the best fairy godmother she can be. The Motherland’s school is in danger of being shut down due to people not believing in “happily ever afters” anymore. Determined to show the world that fairy godmothers are still needed, Eleanor travels to the modern world to help Mackenzie Walsh (Fisher), a single mother whose dreams have been shattered. When it comes to its concept, the story is somehow reminiscent to “Enchanted”, another Disney film that offers a modern twist to the fairy tale formula. The only difference is that “Godmothered” is completely live-action. Well, except for the ending. Other than that, both of these films have the main character from a storybook land visiting the real world and discovering its own version of “happily ever after”, along with some self-aware humor to boot. While it didn’t quite capture a hefty amount of magical appeal like “Enchanted” did more than a decade ago, that doesn’t make it a magical disaster. This is another film that relies heavily on the charm of its cast and its message to deliver a cheerful good time for its viewers, even though the plot and the humor were both pretty underwhelming, and that’s okay. Sometimes, we all need to watch something that’s joyful and harmless in order to get away from life’s miserable moments, and “Godmothered” managed to fit into that category fairly well. Jillian Bell is put into the spotlight as Eleanor, and she was quite entertaining. It’s not the best performance I’ve seen from her, but I thought she did wonders in providing some tolerable amounts of charm into her character without overdoing her comedic slapstick route. The only problem I had with Eleanor was how the story developed her. I think there could’ve been plenty of ways to make her into a strong and relatable character, such as focusing a bit more of her training in the Motherland, which sadly also didn’t get a lot of screen time in terms of world building, and showcasing more of her desire to be a fairy godmother. That would’ve make the story and the character a bit better in my eyes, but that’s just me. Isla Fisher was also fine in her role as Mackenzie Walsh, and June Squibb had some decent moments as Agnes, an elderly fairy godmother who assists Eleanor, although her performance was a bit forced at times. The film’s humor had plenty of moments that made me smile a bit, such as the self-awareness of the fairy tale tropes, but they’re not as hilariously fun as the humor in “Enchanted”. I haven’t seen “Enchanted” in a while, but I did remember laughing at that film's self-aware humor a lot. Here, it didn’t do a whole lot to capture that same feeling due to its limited storytelling, but again, its charming attempt was able to prevent it from being a grouchy old non-believer. Overall, “Godmothered” was delightful enough to cast a heartwarming spell on its viewers, even though its story wasn’t as magical as it could’ve been. From my eyes, it felt like Disney was trying to make this the next “Enchanted”. You know, since the studio is developing a follow-up for that film as of this writing. Unfortunately, it failed to accomplish this tough assignment. However, it did accomplish its goal of being another watchable addition to the Disney+ family, and to me, that’s all that matters. It’s not a fantastic film from Disney+, but it’s definitely not a misfire either. If you and your family are in a mood for a feel-good treat, especially after a stressful day, this film should keep you guys covered. C+“Freaky” stars Kathryn Newton, Vince Vaughn, Uriah Shelton, Alan Ruck, Katie Finneran, Celeste O’Connor, and Misha Osherovich. Released on November 13, 2020, the film is about a high school student who switches bodies with a serial killer. The film was directed by Christopher Landon, who also directed films such as “Burning Palms”, “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones”, “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse”, and “Happy Death Day”. You know what a high school student’s worst nightmare is, aside from figuring out what to wear for prom or attempting to get a good grade from your least favorite class? Being trapped in a murderer’s body. Now that’s something that’ll put a dent on your school record. You all might be wondering why it took me this long to review this film. Let’s just say that I’m more focused on surviving the pandemic. I was hoping to see it in the theater on opening weekend, but due to some unexpected plans outside of reviewing movies, I decided to wait until it’s available on demand so that I can watch it safely at the comfort of my own home. It’s been a long wait, so let’s see if it’s worth it. After finding success with the “Happy Death Day” films, Christopher Landon is now seeking to maintain his new-found reputation with the latest slasher comedy that is loosely inspired by Mary Rodger’s 1972 children’s novel, Freaky Friday. So, if someone asks you what would happen if they make a horror version of Freaky Friday, you show them this. Landon was able to find his footing after starting off rough in terms of his ingenious ideas, most notably in horror films. He came up with the idea of a “Groundhog Day”-themed slasher comedy in the form of “Happy Death Day”, which I thought was pretty entertaining and surprisingly effective when it comes to the story. He was then able to take things even further with the 2019 follow-up by adding sci-fi elements into the mix, resulting in a worthy successor that’s very close to being as good as its predecessor. This film sees Landon returning to the slasher comedy route, this time with a body-swap twist. Yep, instead of a victim reliving the same day over and over again every time they get murdered, the victim will be switching bodies with the killer. I guess you can say that it’s a killer new look. Does it work well enough to continue Landon’s winning streak? Let’s find out. The story is best described as an adult-rated version of Disney’s “Freaky Friday”, minus the Disney magic. The victims of the body switch scenario are Millie Kessler (Newton), a bullied high school student, and the Blissfield Butcher (Vaughn), a middle-aged serial killer who has a taste for murder. The Butcher uses an ancient dagger known as La Dola to kill her, but it turns out that it switches their bodies instead. Now trapped in the Butcher’s body, Millie must find a way to get back into her own body and stop the Butcher before the spell becomes permanent. For a film like this to work, it needs to accomplish a few things. It needs to have a fun plot, a good amount of laughs, tolerable characters, some frights, and heart. Those things alone are what made the “Happy Death Day” films enjoyable in my eyes, and after finally watching it for myself, I can easily say that they also work well for “Freaky”. Although its blend of horror, comedy, and heart faltered a bit due to its genre cliches and its lack of strong scares, Chris Landon managed to make this twisty concept work by providing an entertaining and hilarious take on the body-swap situation. This is because of the main leads, the enjoyable characters, and its well-executed brand of humor. Vince Vaughn was an absolute blast from start to finish. When he’s a teen-killing machine, he’s pretty good, but when he’s a teenage girl who’s trapped in the body of a middle-aged man, that’s when he got the chance to show his stuff, and boy, does he deliver! In terms of his comedic roles, I would say that this was one of his best roles of his career so far. As for Kathryn Newton, I thought she did a nice job as well as both Millie and the Blissfield Butcher (in Millie’s body, of course). Similar to Vaughn’s performance, Newton’s performance was quite effective in mastering two different roles in the same body. That sounded a lot better in my head. What’s also nice about Newton’s role was Millie herself as she struggles to find the strength within herself, especially with her being bullied in high school and dealing with the loss of her father. While the execution on this character didn’t match the potency that Jessica Rothe’s Tree brought to the table in “Happy Death Day”, Newton still made a good effort in making her character likable. Celeste O’Connor and Misha Osherovich were also quite enjoyable in their roles as Nyla and Josh respectively, especially the latter. When I first saw Josh, I was concerned that he might become an unbearable nuisance due to his rude humor, but after a while, he started to grow on me. I honestly thought that he had some very amusing moments, although he couldn’t quite top Vaughn’s brilliant moments in my opinion. Speaking of which, I was not disappointed with how they handled the comedy aspect. It’s downright hilarious, but it’s also balanced well with its fun, creepy, and sometimes heartfelt story. Even though I found the horror aspect to be quite average at best, the film was able to make up for this issue by providing some nifty kills. There were a couple of them that were a bit over-the-top, but man, Landon sure did know how to make them fun to watch. Wow, just saying that made me feel like a psycho as well. If you’re not a fan of R-rated horror films that have people getting killed off in gory fashion, “Freaky” might not be able to win you over. Overall, while far from Landon’s best film, “Freaky” is a non-stop bloody joy ride that’s just as crazy as spending Friday the 13th skydiving with Jason Voorhees. The performances from the main leads were top-notch (especially Vaughn), the comedy was hysterical, and the story was enjoyable enough to compensate for its cliches and some weak scares. In other words, I had a really fun time watching it despite the fact that I still believe that “Happy Death Day” is the director’s best film. It’s available on demand as of this writing, so if you’re in a mood for some frights and laughs, try giving this one a shot. It’s to die for. B- |
Home of the most friendly movie reviews on the planet.
Categories
All
Follow Me |