Bill and Ted Face the Music

 

It's been 29 years since we last saw Bill and Ted but we finally catch up with them after all this time as our titular heroes finally face having to write the song that is supposed to unite all of existence. With a return of a very game Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves, how does this belated sequel stack up? I'm happy to report that is was most excellent.

Bill S. Preston, Esquire (played by Alex Winter) and Ted "Theodore" Logan (played by Keanu Reeves) have spent the time since we last saw them exhaustively trying to create the song that will unite the world with no apparent success. As a result, their fame as Wyld Stallyns has waned significantly from when we saw them last at the end of Bogus Journey. They have now basically been reduced to playing weddings and open mic nights. Just as they reach their lowest point as Ted is about to quit the band, they are visited by Kelly (played by Kristen Schaal), Rufus's daughter. She transports them to the distant future where they are informed by Kelly's mother, The Great Leader (played by Holland Taylor), that the duo that the time has come to create the song that will unite all of existence or else all of time and space will unravel in less than 7 hours. Facing the biggest case of writer's block ever, Bill and Ted make the inspired choice to steal the old time booth time machine and travel into their future when they've already written the song and just steal it from themselves. Meanwhile, The Great Leader is not convinced that Bill and Ted are destined to save the universe and sends a robot sentry to go after them and assassinate them, in accordance with an alternative interpretation of their historical documents. When Kelly returns to the past to warn them, she instead finds Bill and Ted's daughters, Thea (played by Samara Weaving) and Billie (played by Brigette Lundy-Paine). Billie and Thea decide to borrow Kelly's time machine to travel back in time to gather some of the greatest musicians of all time, including Jimi Hendrix (played by Dazmann Still) and Louis Armstrong (played by Jeremiah Craft), to assist their fathers when they get back with the song. 

Dean Parisot directed the film from a script from series mainstays Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon. Despite it being 29 years later, they do an impressive job of recapturing the same good-natured sweetness and innocence of the characters Bill and Ted, as well as the tone of the first two films. This does feel like a genuine progression of these two characters that we have followed all these years. Yet, Bill and Ted are older now and you get a sense they are tired, wearing out under the pressure knowing they are destined to create this great song that is supposed to unite the universe. The film does come up with plenty of unique and fun set pieces to keep things fresh without retreading too much familiar material, especially as Bill and Ted meet their various future selves throughout time that seem to be worse and worse off with each meeting. For a movie that has several plot lines in motion, it keeps a brisk pace which lends a certain energy to the film. The film also manages to work in a brief but touching tribute to the late George Carlin that was a nice touch.

Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves do an excellent job recapturing their characters, while also adding additional layers as they are now at middle age. Their characters have been such close friends for much of their lives and it becomes clear just how close they are. They even attend couples therapy with their wives at one point...together. There has always been a sweetness and innocence to these characters beyond everything else that continues on wonderfully with them again in these films. No matter what else, these two mean well, which is a big part of what continues to make them such endearing characters. Added to the mix this time are their daughters, played wonderfully by Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine. Lundy-Paine in particular really feels like a chip off the old block as Ted's daughter as she captures so much of Ted's persona as well. Samara Weaving is wonderful as Thea and makes a great pair with Brigette Lundy-Paine much in the same way Alex and Keanu have been a great pair. Kristen Schaal pops up to stand in for the late George Carlin as Rufus's daughter and does a great job with the role in that hilarious Kristen Schaal way. It was great that they were able to work in William Sadler as the Grim Reaper again in a very natural and funny way as the two different plot lines converge in hell.   

Bill and Ted Face the Music is the rare belated sequel that really manages to recapture what made the first two movies great fun and brings things to a satisfying conclusion in a most non-heinous way. The film does leave things open for more adventures should the opportunity present itself, but if they left it as it is this would be a most excellent way to end the trilogy of films.  

Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey

It has taken me some time to really warm up to Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. As a follow-up, it's a film that diverts dramatically from what the first film was. However, as I revisited it again for this review, I have to admit I was really taken with what a creative and bold follow-up it actually is. It's a sequel that definitely blazes it's own path and never settles to just rehash the original film and I can't help but respect it for that. 

We re-join Bill S. Preston (played by Alex Winter) and Ted "Theodore" Logan (played by Keanu Reeves) still trying to get their band Wyld Stallyns off the ground. They are disrupted when they meet their evil robot counterparts (played by Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves), who they mistake for themselves from the future. The evil robot Bill and Ted were sent into the past by the most heinous De Nomolos (played by Joss Acklund), who is scheming to assassinate Bill and Ted in the past to reform the future as he'd like it to be. The evil robots succeed in killing Bill and Ted, who find themselves in the depths of hell. With no other option, Bill and Ted have to figure out a way out of hell, face off with the Grim Reaper (played by William Sadler), and find a way back to life so they can stop their evil robot selves from destroying their lives and, oh, also win Battle of the Bands so they can finally get their band going. 

The film was directed by Pete Hewitt from a script by Ed Solomon and Chris Matheson. Soloman and Matheson went wild with throwing every crazy idea they had on the page and amazingly it works. Have Bill and Ted face off with the Grim Reaper from Bergman's The Seventh Seal in a series of board games in an attempt to regain their lives, as death loses one game after another, be it Battleship, Clue, Electric Football, or Twister? Sure, why not? Evil robot Bill and Ted causing havoc all over San Dimas? Of course, why wouldn't that be in the movie? Bill and Ted venturing into their own personal versions of hell that look like Dr. Suess' nightmares? That's gotta be in here! This movie is a bit more scattershot than the original film, but it also feels a bit more unique. Pete Hewitt directs the action well, giving the film it's own unique visual flair, especially as the action moves through Heaven, Hell, the Future, and everywhere in between. For a film that has such dark themes, they really give it a light touch so it never quite stops being fun, even as Bill and Ted are fighting their way out of Hell.  

Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves reprise their roles as the titular heroes well, more or less picking up right where they left off in the first film. There is such a good-natured quality to these two characters that make them hard not to love, in spite of their more air head tendencies. It's clear that both Winter and Reeves are having a lot of fun playing the characters too. There is something amusing about them encountering all these crazy things with an almost affable indifference, such as them meeting the Grim Reaper and Ted responding by saying, "How's it hanging, Death?" Then on the other hand, Reeves and Winter are clearly having a ball playing the robot counterparts of Bill and Ted, who are every bit the lunkheads but only evil too. But the person who absolutely steals the show is William Sadler as the Grim Reaper. Whether it's his growing frustration at being bested at a series of board games by Bill and Ted or trying rather badly to sneak into Heaven with Bill and Ted, or even remarking to a smoker, "See you real soon" as he walks by (as said smoker immediately stamps out the cigarette and quickly walks away), Sadler had me laughing all the way through. Joss Acklund really doesn't get much to work with as the villain, De Nomolos, but makes it the best he can (although the fact that his name is co-writer Ed Solomon's name backwards is pretty clever).

Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey is certainly a bold and original sequel and is carves plenty of new ground for the world of these two lovable numbskulls. It did result in a rather polarizing sequel that has taken some time for audiences to really warm up to, although it has gained a sizable cult following in it's own right. It's certainly one took a few viewings for me to fully appreciate. If nothing else, it's a sequel that never settled for rehashing the original while also being very funny, very unique and very entertaining.  

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure

 

I've always been a sucker for a good time travel movie and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure is one of the more fun ones. There's a certain charm to the film as we watch the titular characters stumble through time to study for a crucial history report they have due the next day. It doesn't burden itself with time travel theory or even perhaps historical accuracy, rather preferring to just be a good and frequently funny. It certainly made it's mark with audiences over the years, with a belated third movie finally hitting screens this weekend. In honor of this occasion, I take a look back at the movie that started it all.

Bill S. Preston (played by Alex Winter) and Ted "Theodore" Logan (played by Keanu Reeves) are two best friends living in the California suburb of San Dimas, California. They have aspirations to being rock stars with their garage band Wyld Stallyns, of which they are the only two members and it occupies much of their free time. As a result, their schoolwork has suffered. If they fail their history exam, Ted's dad (played by Hal Landon, Jr.) is threatening to send Ted to Oates Military Academy. Realizing they have to buckle down, the two hit the books when they are visited by a man from the future, Rufus (played by George Carlin). He was sent back to present Bill and Ted with a time machine in the form of a telephone booth that they can use to travel through time to prepare for their presentation the next day. After their first trip accidentally brings Napoleon (played by Terry Camilleri) into present day California, Bill and Ted decide to travel through time to bring other important historical figures to present day to help with their report too, including Billy the Kid (played by Dan Shor), Socrates (played by Tony Steedman) and Abraham Lincoln (played by Robert V. Barron), among others.

The film was directed by Stephen Herek from a script by Ed Soloman and Chris Matheson. There is a certain simplicity to this film's story that really works for me. It's basically two numbskulls misadventures as they travel through time, with their reactions to various things providing much of the humor of the film. But there is a lot of cleverness behind all the silliness that really worked for me with Soloman and Matheson's script. There is also a lot of heart in the movie too, especially towards the main characters, who despite it all have a sort of sweet innocence about them and it's clear no matter what, they mean well. They may not be the brightest bulbs, but there is a certain charm to them that makes them rather likable. They are a pair that you can't help but root for and don't want to see split up. The movie also does set up plausible stakes to explain why Rufus brings them the time machine in the first place. It turns out that Bill and Ted, with their band Wyld Stallyns, ultimately create music that helps unite the world and create the future as they know it. With Ted being threatened with being shipped off to Military School puts that future in dire jeopardy.     

Keanu Reeves' turn as Ted was the first role to really make him famous, so much so that he struggled to escape it initially and feared his epitaph would read Here Lies Keanu Reeves. He Played Ted. Still, he infuses Ted with a certain likability and charm that is hard to resist and it's easy to see why he became the beloved star he is today. Alex Winter matches Keanu beat for beat throughout the film as Bill. Both actors do a great job depicting how close of friends the two of them are and that they have been friends for a long time. George Carlin has a small but memorable role as Rufus, who initially sends Bill and Ted off on their adventure. It's so memorable in fact, that when the third movie was announced, fans were wondering how a Bill and Ted movie could work without Rufus, since Carlin passed away in 2008. Of course, I also have to make note of the actors playing the various historical figures, especially Terry Camilleri as Napoleon, who is cut loose on modern day San Dimas as we see him interact with such things as bowling and a water park, ultimately finding delight in both. In fact, the actors are clearly having a ball playing their historical characters interacting with modern day, whether it's Beethoven (played by Clifford Davis) discovering electric keyboards, Joan of Arc (played by Jane Wiedlin) taking to aerobics, or Genghis Khan (played by Al Leong) laying waste to a sporting good store after trading his club in for an aluminum baseball bat. 

This film certainly made it's mark not only in pop culture history, spawning both an animated series, a ill-fated live action series, two sequels and a breakfast cereal, but also in the pantheon of time travel movies. There is even a knowing nod to the Bill and Ted films in the cult favorite time travel series Timeless, with the three lead characters Lucy Preston, Wyatt Logan and Rufus Carlin named after the characters in this movie. Still, none of it would matter if the first film wasn't as fun and memorable as it was. It's not going to be confused with high art, but it was never meant to be. This movie is just plain fun from beginning to end, and frequently more clever than one might initially expect, not unlike it's two titular characters.

Artemis Fowl

The Covid-19 pandemic raised hell on the movie business as theaters were forced to close the world over. This meant massive delays in releases. One of the more curious surprises was that one of Disney's big tent-pole movies would move to Disney+ rather than premiere in theaters. However, after viewing the newly released movie, it's easier to see why they made that decision. To put it mildly, this movie is a massive mess.  

Artemis Fowl (played by Ferdia Shaw), lives on a secluded estate with his father, Artemis Fowl, Sr. (played by Colin Farrell). When his father goes missing, Artemis discovers his father is a master thief and is being held ransom by a mysterious figure in exchange for a artifact known as the Aculos, that Artemis Sr. had stolen and hidden. Turns out the Aculos was a prized resource for a hidden city of fairies and Commander Julius Root (played by Judi Dench) charges young fairy Holly Short (played by Lara McDonnell) with retrieving it from Artemis Fowl. Initially kidnapping Holly, Artemis asks for her help in searching for the Aculos to rescue his father. With the help of an oversized dwarf named Mulch (played by Josh Gad) and the Fowls butler, Domovoi Butler (played by Nonso Anozie), they work together to get the Aculos and rescue Artemis' father.

The film is directed by Kenneth Branagh from a script by Conor McPherson and Hamish McColl and is based on the book of the same name by Eoin Colfer. Now, I never read any of the Artemis Fowl books but I am familiar enough with what they are supposed to be about and this movie does not resemble that in the slightest. Artemis Fowl was always supposed to be the bad boy of YA literature, a clever pre-teen thief turned anti-hero. But this movie has been subjected to the usual Disney sterilization of anything remotely objectionable and therefore scrubbed clean anything that could have possibly have been entertaining or interesting about him. The plot of the film is just a recycled mess of YA cliches. The kidnapped parent, the secret underworld of fantastical beings hidden from human eyes. The clever kid is charged to save the day and rescue their imperiled parental figure. None of it is done with any sort of originality or wit. The world building needed for a story like this is muddled and uninspiring. At least the film looks good, with decent special effects and some cool production design, especially with the Fowl family home. But if my eyes are wandering and taking in the sets rather than focusing on the story, that's probably not a good sign. The actual plotting of the film is the biggest piece of this mess. The film is all set-up without any sort of genuinely satisfying payoff. It commits the same cardinal sin so many movies like this has: it is so committed to setting up a franchise of films (no doubt hoping to be the next Harry Potter), it utterly fails to create a satisfying single film. The film is only entertaining in small bursts, with the biggest standout being Artemis and company having to fight off a large troll that has infiltrated Fowl manor that only left me making Harry Potter referencing cracks at the movie's expense throughout. 

Without a good script, the actors are left adrift with little to nothing to work with. Ferdia Shaw comes across as bland and uninteresting, which is deadly in a movie where he his the main character. Lara McDonnell likewise has little that is interesting or new to bring to her character as well. Judi Dench, decked out in a pair of large foam rubber pointy ears comes across as a mix of bored and embarrassed. Josh Gad is the film's saving throw as Mulch, a dwarf thief who can unhinge his jaw in a rather grotesque way and swallow any number of things to hide them. He plays his role so big he does everything but literally chew the scenery. Oh wait, actually he does a bit of that too. He's entertaining any time he's on screen, but one fun character does not make for a good movie.  

I watched this movie this morning largely in a stupor of disbelief. I struggled to reconcile that a film directed by a man who made Shakespeare accessible to my generation through films such as Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, and Hamlet had fumbled this movie so badly. The film suffers with no passion behind it for the material from the filmmakers, no wit or heart nor any sense of magic or wonder one would expect from a fantasy film. It is an utterly lifeless slog, even at a comparatively brief 96 minutes. It's not even so bad it's good that would be a fun watch with friends to make fun of. It's just an aimless, confusing film that leaves the door open for more. I, for one, am closing the door and saying thanks, but no. Just another failed YA adaptation to throw on the pile with the likes of The Golden Compass, The Mortal Instruments and many others I have no doubt already forgotten about. 

  

Favorite Movies of 2019

It is once again that time of year when I look back over the films that came out last year and highlight my favorites. I deliberately use the word favorite and not "best" because best can be such a subjective term. Besides, I feel favorite is just a more honest term anyway. These are the movies that I loved the most in 2019. Either they were highly entertaining, surprised me, or genuinely moved me, sometimes a combination of all three. With this, I approach the ranking a bit differently, going in chronological order rather than in any sort of more formal ranking system, starting at the beginning of the year and going in order of when the film was first released. With that, let's get to the list. 

The Kid Who Would Be King

This utterly charming and woefully underappreciated family film from filmmaker Joe Cornish was a real treat. An imaginative and fun contemporary take on the Arthurian legend has a young boy named Alex (played by Louis Serkis) finding Excalibur while trying to dodge a couple of school bullies. Able to pull the sword from the fabled stone, Alex finds himself thrust into an adventure against Morgana (played by Rebecca Ferguson), along with his best friend Bedders (played by Dean Chaumoo) and the aforementioned school bullies Lance (played by Tom Taylor) and Kaye (played by Rhianna Dorris), with assistance from Merlin himself (played at varying points by Angus Imrie and Patrick Stewart). I thoroughly enjoyed this film and was disappointed when it didn't do as well as it should have at the box office. 



Shazam

I waited a long time for this movie to come out. Oft rumored, but kept getting delayed until finally arriving this Spring. It proved to be well worth the wait. A wonderful and very fun Superhero movie with a great turn by Zachary Levi in the titular role as the Superhero version of young teenage Billy Batson (played by Asher Angel). With Jack Dylan Glaser as his new friend Freddy Freeman and a strong villainous turn by Mark Strong, this one was a lot of fun. 



Captain Marvel

After the emotionally taxing Avengers: Infinity War and the underwhelming Ant-Man & The Wasp, this was a fun return to form for Marvel with Brie Larson in the title role. The film takes us back to the 90s, predating most of the MCU up to that point to show her origins as she teams up with a younger Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) as they find themselves in the middle of a galactic war between two different alien races, while also dealing with her conflicting memories and amnesia while dealing with assorted villains (something Samuel L. Jackson seems to specialize in *cough*LongKissGoodnight*cough*). This one was a lot of fun and whoever had the idea to set the climactic battle to No Doubt's "Just a Girl", that was an inspired touch. 



Avengers: Endgame

The previous 22 films come to a natural conclusion in this sprawling epic of a Superhero movie in an emotional and satisfying way. Of course, there will be many more Marvel movies after this, but this feels like a genuine conclusion to the many previous films with a feeling a number of heroes are hanging it up for good after this, a couple certainly are. Joe and Anthony Russo knock it out of the park as they juggle a number of story lines but keep it all coherent as the film's three hour run time breezes by. It's a huge film that really works as it builds and pays off all the Marvel films we've seen for the last decade. No small feat, there. 



Long Shot

Easily the best Romantic Comedy of the year with some genuine chemistry between Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen. Rogen portrays freelance journalist Fred Flarsky, who is hired to be a speechwriter for Theron's Charlotte Field, current Secretary of State starting an election campaign to become the next President of the United States and also, in a quirk of fate, Fred's former babysitter when they were kids. Naturally, sparks begin to fly between the two and hilarity ensues as well. If nothing else, it's worth seeing for the scene where Charlotte is called away from a night of cutting loose with Fred to negotiate a hostage release while trying (and failing) to hide that she's high as a kite. 



Detective Pikachu

Trust me, no one is more surprised than I am that I have a Pokemon movie on my list of favorite movies of 2019, but damn did I ever love the hell out of this movie. A lot of that has to do with Ryan Reynolds voicing Pikachu. He is clearly all in on the part and just nails it spouting off one hilarious line after another. Justice Smith plays the straight man, as a young man trying to find his P.I father who went missing and teams up with Pikachu to solve the mystery. A fun and thrilling romp of a movie that also manages to be accessible for the non-Pokemon superfans, which I can attest because I know very little about the fandom and was still able to enjoy the film plenty. 



Booksmart

Smartly written and wickedly funny film about two friends, Amy and Molly (played by Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein), who realize on the eve of their high school graduation that they were so focused on their academic pursuits they never spent any time actually being teenagers. Determined to make up for it by attending a classmate's rager by any means necessary sends them on a hilarious night of misadventures as they try to get to the party. Director Olivia Wilde and screenwriters Emily Halpern and Sarah Haskins take the story in some unexpected and insightful places, including a stop motion animated sequence when our two heroines hallucinate that they have been turned into dolls. I also appreciated that Amy is an out lesbian, yet the movie is beyond the sort of coming out story narrative as Amy just wants a to try and get with a girl she has a crush on as her prime motivator to get to the party. It's a refreshing change of pace.   



Rocketman

Well, here it is. My obsession from the Summer of 2019. I saw this movie in the theater three times! I've had "I'm Still Standing" stuck in my head since May. This fantastical musical biopic of Elton John just completely captured my imagination and would not let me go. I just adore every minute of this film that tells the story of the life of Elton John, focusing primarily on the musical partnership and platonic friendship of Elton (played by Taron Egerton) and Bernie Taupin (played by Jamie Bell), as well as John's troubled relationship with John Reid (played by Richard Madden). Director Dexter Fletcher and screenwriter Lee Hall have crafted a genuinely moving and visually spectacular rendition of the life of Elton John, anchored by a fantastic performance by Taron Egerton as Elton.  



Yesterday

This was an intriguing fantasy from director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Richard Curtis. After a freak incident that causes the entire world to go dark, struggling musician Jack Malick (played by Himesh Patel), awakes to find out that he is the only person in the world that remembers The Beatles. Of course, Jack starts passing off the songs as his own setting off a sudden and meteoric rise to stardom that he finds is pulling him away from the life he knows, especially his friend and former manager Ellie (played by Lily James), who he may have feelings for. It was the little touches that made this film work for me, including a climatic scene I won't dare spoil for those that haven't scene it. This one is well worth a watch, especially if you're a fan of The Beatles (which I am). 



Spider-Man: Far From Home

After the epic and emotional Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man Far From Home was by and large a far more lighter adventure romp as Peter Parker (played by Tom Holland) looks forward to a reprieve from superheroics during a school trip abroad with his friends Ned (played by Jacob Batalon) and MJ (played by Zendaya). Of course, the peace doesn't last long as he comes face to face with a new threat known as the Elementals as well as a mysterious new hero known as Mysterio (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), who claims to be from an alternate dimension. Filled with a number of fun surprises and plenty of humor, this was a fun summer romp that is very much in the same vein as Holland's first solo outing in Spider-Man: Homecoming. 



Midsommar

After terrifying audiences with Hereditary, I was excited for Ari Aster's follow-up film and I can confidently say it did not disappoint. Telling the story of four college students invited to a remote Swedish village to take part in their Midsommar celebration, they find more than they ever could have imagined. Filmed almost entirely in bright, warm sunlight, the film has a disarming quality that makes the scares all the more effective when they do occur. Genuinely frightening with a fantastic cast, especially Florence Pugh, make this a memorably scary movie. 



Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Quentin Tarantino wrote and directed this look back to 1969 Hollywood, a time when the film industry was in transition, focusing his story on actor Rick Dalton (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt man best friend Cliff Booth (played by Brad Pitt) as Rick deals with a career downturn and tries to figure out what to do next, while Cliff is content with life as it is. Throughout their story, their paths cross with various other figures of the time, including Sharon Tate (played by Margot Robie), who lives next door to Dalton and the Manson Family as well. Told with Tarantino's signature wit with some surprising plot twists along the way made this one of the most memorable films of 2019.   



Love, Antosha

This was a lovingly made documentary detailing the life of late actor Anton Yelchin, using Anton's own writings and videos to tell his story, supported by interviews with family, friends and the people he worked with. It's an intimate look into his short life and remarkable career, highlighting what a creative, bold, talented and thoughtful person he was. It's a film that rightfully keeps the focus on his life and both what he accomplished and his creative ambitions rather than dwell on the tragic, "cataclysmically unfair" as Simon Pegg rightfully puts it, circumstances of his death. Anton was one of my favorite actors and I loved this documentary as it shines a light on his personal life and some of his more creative pursuits that I was completely unaware of. It's a deeply moving and inspirational tribute to a uniquely talented actor that was taken from us far too soon. 



The Farewell

Lulu Wang has crafted a tender and moving story about family and Chinese culture that rings true in many ways, probably because it's based on something she and her family actually went through. Billi (played by Awkwafina) finds herself in a precarious position when she learns that her beloved Grandmother (played by Shuzhen Zhao) has been diagnosed with advanced cancer - a fact that has been concealed from their Grandmother. Of course, the American raised Billi has a hard time with this decision, but her parents explain in Chinese culture the belief is that if a person knows they are dying, the fear of dying would cause more harm than the illness itself. So, to explain the family gathering, they are staging a wedding for a cousin to explain everyone reuniting. Awkwafina, who had previously been known for far more comedic roles, gives a great performance in the lead role. She expresses so much of her character and her discomfort with her family's choices while still remaining silent. Shuzhen Zhao is absolutely endearing as Billi's grandmother and the relationship the two share makes the film. It's a wonderfully made, touching and at times surprisingly funny movie 



Blinded by the Light

I'm a sucker for a good coming of age story and this one from Gurinder Chadha is a fantastic one. Javed (played by Viveik Kalra) is a struggling teenage boy trying to find his place in the world. He takes solace in his writing, while trying to cope with an overbearing father. He finds unlikely inspiration and solace from an unlikely place when a classmate introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteen. Instantly taken by what he hears, Javed's life is turned upside down as he finds the inspiration he needs to pursue his own dreams and hone his own talents, despite is disapproving and recently unemployed father, who is trying to push Javed towards more practical goals. Wonderfully directed by Chadha, who co-wrote the film with Sarfraz Manzoor, which was based on Manzoor's memoir, this film has real heart and genuine understanding that some films in this genre lack. 



Ready or Not

On her wedding night, Grace (played by Samara Weaving), is told it is family tradition for them all to gather to play a game. Going along with the strange request, Grace pulls a card from a antique box that reveals the game they will all play: Hide and Seek. What she doesn't know until her new husband Alex (played by Mark O'Brien) explains it to her a short time later is that over a century ago his family made a deal with a mysterious stranger known as Mr. La Bail that he would fund their family business but any new member to the family has to play a game and if the game is Hide and Seek, the new spouse is to be hunted and offered up as sacrifice. If they fail, the family is doomed. Horrified, Grace finds herself fighting to survive the night and proves to be a far more formidable opponent than the family may have anticipated. Filled with dark comedy and biting satire made this film is one of the more entertaining surprises of the Summer of 2019.  



IT Chapter Two

This is the one that probably got the biggest mixed reaction, but I really loved this adaptation of the second half of the classic Stephen King novel. Picking up with our beloved members of the Losers Club 27 years after the events of the first film, now adults they find themselves in a final showdown with the evil shapeshifting monster known as Pennywise (played by Bill Skarsgard. Fantastically cast with the likes of James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Isaiah Mustafa, James Ransome and especially Bill Hader, this follow-up managed to be memorably frightening and surprisingly emotional in equal measure. I really dug this one a lot and found it to be a satisfying conclusion. 



Downton Abbey

As a fan of the television series, this was easily one of my most anticipated films of the year. Julian Fellows and director Michael Engler do a fantastic job of juggling assorted plot lines across the sprawling cast of characters making sure everyone gets their moment while keeping the proceedings largely light and fun throughout it's two hour run time. Among the standouts though is of course Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess as she steals every scene she's in with ease. I was also very happy to see that Fellows finally saw fit to give downstairs punching bag Thomas Barrow (played by Robert-James Collier) something of a happy ending with his romance with Richard Ellis (played by Max Brown).



Doctor Sleep

Director Mike Flanagan manages to do the impossible here with his adaptation of the Stephen King novel as his crafts a film that is at once both a worthy adaptation of the novel and a worthy sequel to the Stanley Kubrick film adaptation of The Shining. Catching up with Danny Torrence (played by Ewan McGregor) as an adult, struggling with the trauma of that winter at the Overlook Hotel and the same addiction issues that plagued his father. Getting sober, Dan finds himself coming into contact with a young girl named Abra (played by Kyliegh Curran) who shares his psychic talents known as Shining. Abra is being hunted by a group known as the True Knot, led by a vicious woman known as Rose the Hat (played by Rebecca Ferguson), a group of near immortal folks who feed on the Shine of children. With no other choice, he comes to her aid to help protect her and show her how to use her powers to keep her safe, leading to a final showdown between them and the True Knot at the one place Dan thinks might be as dangerous for them as it was for him...the ruins of The Overlook Hotel.     



Jojo Rabbit

Taika Waikiki's WWII satire takes a big swipe at fanaticism and blind hatred through his main character, Jojo (played by Roman Griffin Davis), a 10 year old boy and member of the Hitler Youth. He has bought into Hitler's regime completely, yet is also a naive boy who even has an imaginary friend...Adolf Hitler (played by Taika Waikiki). He has his beliefs challenged when he meets a young Jewish girl, Elsa (played by Thomasin McKenzie), his mother (played by Scarlett Johansson) is secretly hiding in their home. Darkly hilarious and surprisingly poignant, this is a fantastic movie. And I applaud whoever cast Archie Yates as Jojo's best friend Yorki. That kid stole every scene he was in.    



Parasite

Bong Joon-ho's searing and engrossing look into class differences has had quite the year, including winning the Palme D'or at Cannes and four Oscars, including Best Picture. It's all completely deserved as this is a damn good movie too. The film focuses on two families, the struggling Kims and the affluent Parks. When Ki-woo (played by Choi Woo-shik) gets a job as English tutor for Da-hye (played by Jung Ji-so), he sees an opportunity to get his entire family jobs with the affluent family. First his sister Ki-jeong) (played by Park So-Dam) as an Art tutor for their son, and then followed by their father as chauffeur and mother as housekeeper, carefully manipulating the naive Parks to get each position, never letting on that they are all related. As the family becomes used to the comforts that the Parks' enjoy, the question becomes how far are they willing to go to maintain their ruse? The film is an incisive look at class conflict and social inequality, as well as a reflection of modern capitalism, it's impact on society, and the lengths people at the bottom have to go to survive. Despite being a specifically South Korean film, the film's themes make it truly universal. 




The Irishman

Martin Scorsese's epic length crime drama reunites Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, while also pulling Joe Pesci out of retirement is reason enough to see the film. Premiering in theaters ahead of a Netflix release gave viewers an option how they wanted to take in this unique look into the latter years of Jimmy Hoffa (played by Pacino) and his longtime friend Frank Sheeran (played by Robert DeNiro). It is an absorbing, if slow burn, film that covers a number of years as it follows DeNiro's character's interactions and relationships not only with Hoffa, but as a member of the Mob as well. It's a thrill to see Scorsese back in Goodfellas/Casino form here as well as seeing both Pacino and DeNiro acting together in something worthwhile and bringing Pesci back to acting as well. I recommend checking this one out on Netflix, where considering the 3 1/2 hour run time, viewers may be grateful for the option of a pause button. 



Ford v Ferrari

Telling the true story of Carroll Shelby (played by Matt Damon) and driver Ken Miles (played by Christian Bale) tasked with designing a car that can race in and beat Ferrari in the 24 hour Le Mans race, James Mangold and writers Jason Keller, Jaz Butterworth and John Henry Butterworth craft a film that is thrilling, exciting and at times quite funny in a exquisitely satisfying fashion. Both Damon and Bale are perfectly cast in their roles and play off one another perfectly with their character's differing personalities. This was a fantastic movie from beginning to end and one I throughly enjoyed. 



Knives Out

Writer/Director Rian Johnson crafts an old-fashioned whodunnit with a few unique twists. When family patriarch Harlan Thrombey (played by Christopher Plummer) dies under mysterious circumstances, detective Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig) is called in to investigate. With a dysfunctional family full of suspects that includes cast members Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Chris Evans, Toni Collette, and Don Johnson, the murderer could be anybody. With plenty of twists and turns and a healthy dose of dark humor, this was one mystery that kept me on my toes from beginning to end.  



1917

A stunning achievement of a film from director Sam Mendes is one of the absolute best movies of 2019. The film follows two men, Blake (played by Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (played by George Mackay) in the middle of World War I who are tasked with getting a message from their General to the front line calling off an attack that is in fact a trap by the Germans that will lead to an absolute slaughter. Mendes and Director of Photography Roger Deakins carefully crafted the film to appear to be all one shot leading to an unusually immersive filmgoing experience. Drawing inspiration from his own Grandfather's WWI stories, Mendes and co-screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns craft a suspensful and emotional tale of heroism and determination. Beyond the incredible technical precision, the acting in the film is top notch, especially from the two leads, as well as an impressive number of cameo appearances from some of the best contemporary British actors, such as Colin Firth, Andrew Scott, Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch all turn up at various points throughout the two men's journey.