Recently Watched - 2022, Part Three!

Yup, I finally got around to enough movies to pull together one final collection of movie reviews.  Perhaps some of these are not the most timely, but I admit I just haven't been watching movies as much as I used to.  There's definitely a pretty bizarre mix of films, this time, but I suppose that's going to happen if I continue to review them as I see them.  In any case, here's the latest batch.

Bullet Train (2022)

I have to admit that 2022 hasn't been a great year for movies.  While I've seen a few decent ones, nothing really blew me away as being a solid experience, until I saw Bullet Train.  This is a very dark comedy kind of action film that proceeds to be quite excellent at both, without bogging down or losing its tone.  Simply a blast from start to finish.

The story starts out with Brad Pitt playing a former assassin named Ladybug who is trying to turn himself around and do more tame jobs.  However, when tasked with picking up a case on a train, things go sideways in a hurry, especially as the train seems populated by all kinds of criminals eager to get their hands on that same case.  From there, the movie essentially jams about six different exploitation films at once, mixing in everything from the Mexicans to the Japanese to the British to the Russians.  At first, it almost feels like it's going to be too dense to really follow, but the comedic tone (and the nature of Ladybug's desire to not get involved despite all that's going on around him) ensures that the pace doesn't slow down or get too caught up in its own worldbuilding.  It also helps that the entire cast is completely game for this brand of nonsense, and they all play it to the hilt, with just enough camp to carry its tongue-in-cheek nature.

The result is a hilarious ride (no pun intended) that pulls no punches.  The action is top-notch and well-choreographed (not surprising with David Leitch in the director's chair), and while the dark humor and comical gore might not be for everyone, it nails the jokes well without wallowing in them.  If you thought the pacing and humor of Deadpool was good, but didn't care for the fourth-wall breaking shenanigans or infantile nature of the hero, then this movie is for you, because I think this outdoes either Deadpool movie, in my opinion.  This is a movie that knows exactly what it wants to be and does so with style.  The best movie of the year, without a doubt.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)

Let me first of all say that I am a big Weird Al fan, since my friend Kason got me hooked on them in middle school.  He's always had fun, inventive lyrics, and while he's been rather quiet in the songwriting department, when I heard he was doing a biopic parody based on himself, I was pretty excited.

So it's with some trepidation that I say I found the film to be just okay.  While a good chunk of his humor is in here, there's also a pretty heavy dose of the awkwardness style of humor that I just don't care for.  (For example, I have never enjoyed The Office tv show; it's just too painful for me.)  A lot of it has to do with the film's dedication to matching the beats of the typical musical biography film, starting with parents that don't understand, and accordions being a symbol of hedonism and debauchery (I'm not kidding), making Weird Al this rebellious icon of music stardom.  At first, it gets pretty entertaining, especially when Dr. Demento shows up and the references start rolling in.  But it eventually starts going off the rails, especially when Weird Al starts killing a bunch of mercenaries in order to save his girlfriend Madonna from Pablo Escobar in the jungles of South America (I am not making that up).

Of course, taste in humor is subjective, and most folks may think this style of anxiety-based theatrics is the height of hilarity (Nacho Libre certainly comes to mind), though they may feel they're missing some of the deeper jokes.  There's also a chance that, when I watch this again (because I probably will), I'll find it funnier despite knowing what's coming.  Still, I kinda wish it did more than just the stuff of the 80s (aside from a handful of references and one major song), but there are plenty of easter eggs for fans to pick out.  As for me, it was generally entertaining but otherwise, rather underwhelming.

Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003)

When I had heard that Kevin Conroy had passed away, I was rather surprised.  Apparently he had been fighting cancer for a while, but I had no idea.  I generally consider him to be the best version of Batman across all mediums, as his voice was perfect for the role.  Not only could he handle the flamboyant playboy Bruce Wayne, but his tone as the Caped Crusader was iconic, and yet, never farcical or overly gritty.  As they continue to make cartoons of the character, his voice is going to loom over any voice actor to takes on the role for the next several generations (though I do think a few have done alright here and there already).

Nevertheless, when I heard the news, I thought I would take the time to watch some of Kevin Conroy's work, and then I remembered that I had gotten Mystery of the Batwoman on Blu-Ray, but had never watched it.  Released at the height of the Justice League cartoon, the movie takes us back to the perpetual noir twilight of Gotham and it's vigilantes.  While the movie generally plays like an extended episode of the 90s Batman cartoons with a much bigger budget, that's certainly not a bad thing, as the show was generally high quality stuff.  Here, we see our caped crusader wrangling with the appearance of a new costumed hero very heavily inspired on his motif, only to have a handful of potential femme fatales enter his life that qualify for the role.  As Batman works his way around the ladies, the Batwoman seems obsessed with stopping the Penguin and Rupert Thorne's plan of selling high-powered weapons to foreign powers, and they even bring in Bane to deal with their multiplying Bat problem.

For fans of the original cartoon, there really aren't many surprises, though there are a few continuity nods here and there.  The story seems to drift from plot point to plot point, and while the mystery is mostly interesting, once it's revealed, the movie basically becomes an action-driven explosion fest.  If there is a problem, it's that the Batwoman character feels kind of shallow, once all the cards are on the table.  She has an interesting gimmick, but I feel like more could have been done with it other than to complicate the story more than necessary. Nevertheless, it's all fairly well done, with the excellent B:TAS cast coming back to fill many of the roles.  While I do think both Mask of the Phantasm and Sub-Zero are probably better, it still serves as decent extension to the DCAU legacy.

Violent Night (2022)

When I first saw the trailer for this, I was expecting some pretty tacky, over-the-top violent nonsense.  Given that David Leitch was involved, I was looking forward to a Christmas-themed John Wick experience.  Unfortunately, what's out in theaters is quite the mess of a movie.

The plot is relatively straight-forward.  The wealthy but dysfunctional Lightstone family is getting together for the holidays, when a group of robbers, led by John Leguizamo, decide to invade their house as caterers in an effort to steal a ton of money from a highly secure vault on Christmas Eve.  Just at that moment, a very disgruntled Santa Claus (played by David Harbour), disenchanted by how much greed has taken over the Christmas season, sees the scared grand-daughter of the Lightstone family still believes in Santa, and then notices how all the bad guys are on his "naughty list," he decides to take matters into his hands and give them their just desserts.

Right off, the action is actually pretty solid, albeit quite gory (though that wasn't a surprise).  You wouldn't think Santa wielding a sledgehammer would go so well together, but this movie makes it work.  However, the problems happen when the movie decides to deviate from the action.  First, we end up spending a little too much time with the Lightstone and their bargain-bin soap opera melodramatics.  There's maybe one neat little twist towards the end, but it doesn't really change things much.  Second, a subplot revolving around whether or not Santa still believes in Christmas drags things down.  Sure, it's cute that he gets inspired by the hopes of a little girl, but it does feel like a low-rent Miracle on 34th Street knockoff.  Even a potential interesting section that teases Santa's past gets cut short.

It's almost as if the creators didn't have enough conviction in their central idea and felt like they had to squeeze in all these other ideas.  Maybe they're meant to be a parody of other Christmas films, but it's all played so straight, it just comes across as cheesy, and not in a good way.  Harbour is definitely having fun, and Leguizamo hams it up pretty well, explaining how Christmas ruined his life.  However, overall, it just ends up being rather unsatisfying.  Maybe rent it for a lark, but otherwise, if the main gimmick didn't sell you, then you can safely pass on it.

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As we're getting to the end of the year, you can expect a few more articles from me.  While I don't think I'll be doing any kind of Top 5 or recap for movies (though Bullet Train really was the best of the year), I do plan on doing my regular recap of books I had read, as well as my Anticipated Films list for next year.  I also have one other article that's close to being done that should come out before the end of the month.  Otherwise, I hope you're all staying safe this holiday season, and if you're nice, then maybe you won't get a violent Kris Kringle showing up at your door!

Recently Watched - 2022, Part Two!

Well, four months have gone by since I've added anything to this site, so I guess it's time for some more movie reviews!  While I haven't been watching as many as I used to, I have been getting to some of the bigger ones so far this year.  I don't know if any of these are necessarily great, but they certainly have been interesting to consider and discuss.

The Batman (2022)

Certainly the biggest movie of the first part of the year, I was rather hesitant about this latest version of the Caped Crusader.  Early trailers seem to focus on a lot of darkness and violence, and I was afraid it was just going to be a bunch of broody, angsty action.  However, I couldn't deny the appeal of its aesthetic, and while the angst was certainly there, the movie had a surprisingly solid approach to the classic character.

The first thing that really makes a difference is an emphasis on detective work.  This isn't a vigilante out to beat up thugs in the streets, but one looking to stop a strange serial killer and his riddles.  From there, the movie takes it time to really soak in the nature of this Batman and his city.  While he is pretty angsty, it is kind of fascinating to see him largely ignore his Bruce Wayne half in favor of being a stressed out problem solver struggling to prevent the next disaster to slake his thirst for vengeance.  From there, it builds into a climax, focusing on themes rather than stakes, and while Gotham does get lost in the waves of the Riddler's plans, you get the impression that his movie is more interested in helping our hero grow out of his angst and become a proper hero.

However, this certainly isn't a perfect pitch.  While the movie has great visuals and atmosphere, at 3 hours long, it can feel like a bit of a slog at times, and it's sense of self-importance can be pretty tedious at times.  The plot is a little janky as well, especially where Catwoman is involved, as she doesn't seem to gel too well with everything else going on.  It felt like she was just there to mouth off and check the "girl character" box on the checklist.

Still, it's certainly a movie that had ambitions and a desire to not just be another superhero blockbuster action film.  And if the anticipated sequels show the Batman growing out of his brooding dark disposition into something more heroic in nature, this movie's quality could improve in some ways, Fellowship of the Ring style.  In any case, it's a pretty bold movie that may be divisive for a lot of people, but I found that I liked what it tried to do, and shows some potential for where the Batman as a character can go from here.

The Northman (2022)

When I saw a Viking epic was coming up in my Anticipated Films list, I was certainly interested, but as the trailers came out, I wasn't sure what to expect, as it seemed quite cold and grim.  As it would turn out, it would be the grimmest film I had seen in quite some time.  While The Green Knight from last year sought to deconstruction a classic tale, the Northman almost seems to revel in its ancient and archaic storytelling, eshewing the fanciful and heroic in favor of a very stark revenge story with some Norse mysticism for good measure.

Based on the legend of Amleth, the plot is classic: a young prince sees his father killed and his mother taken by his uncle, Fjölnir, forcing the youngling into exile.  Spending many years learning the ways of war from berserkers, he discovers to learn that his uncle had lost their homeland to another king, forcing his people to move to Iceland.  After being prodded by strange seeress that insists on Amleth pursuing his fate, he pretends to be a slave to be sold to Iceland to fulfill his childhood oath of revenge.  Along the way, he befriends, and eventually falls in love with, a witch named Olga, also sold as a slave to Fjölnir, and together they tear his uncle's kingdom and legacy apart.  (And of course, there's a side quest to go get a magic sword, because why not.)

This is definitely one of those films where there isn't much in the way of subplots or character depth, allowing the actors fill their admittedly shallow roles decently well.  Between the harsh but subdued violence, the straight-forward storytelling, and the occasional, dreamlike dips into mythology, it really does feel like you're being told a classic story like Beowulf by a time-travelling 10th century Dane, with all the subtleties and nuance of a brick to the face.  However, it doesn't revel in the gore or violence (much), instead going for a deliberately paced narrative that doesn't shy away from the ugliness or rustic nature of the time period it's portraying.  I did kind of wish the cinematography was a little better, as some of the shots seem a little close, and characters spend a lot of time talking to or even staring just beyond the camera, but I suppose that helps keep the focus on the story's bluntness instead of allowing the viewer to escape into some kind of fantasy.  There is no pretense or deeper meanings or apologies, or even any sense of heroism; it's just a classic, down-and-dirty Viking tale.

While I did enjoy a lot of what I saw, this movie really isn't for everyone.  Don't expect any kind of warmy and fuzzy fairy tale, or even much in the way of "good vs. evil," so much as a single man's devotion to a task, getting the tools and helpers for that task, and sacrificing as much of himself as necessary to complete that task.  However, for those willing to endure it's near emotionless style, it really is an engrossing movie that is allowed to be exactly what it wants to be, without compromise, and that's always refreshing compared to the sometimes cookie-cutter blockbusters it stands up against.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

After Spider-Man: No Way Home broke open the Marvel multiverse, it was easy to imagine the shenanigans that the MCU could get up to, especially now with the pieces that Fox once held are back under control of Mastermind Feige.  And what better way to explore those possibilities than with Dr. Strange, a character built for the bizarre side of Marvel.  While the movie certainly set out to throw everything at the screen, it's kind of a shame that there wasn't much of a story to go with it.

The premise is surprisingly simple: a girl capable of traversing the multiverse pretty much falls into Dr. Strange's lap along with a strange octopus creature that takes a bit to defeat.  In an effort to get to the bottom of it, he reaches out to the other major spellcaster he knows: Wanda.  Unfortunately, because of events in WandaVision, she's gotten her hands on an evil spell book called the Dark Hold and is trying to use it and the girl to finally get the happily ever after she's always wanted.  This causes quite the universe-hopping adventure that certainly allows for quite the visual spectacle, including a brief dip into one where everyone is paint.

However, that's pretty much it.  Sure, there are some themes about trying to make the best of rough circumstances (Dr. Strange's love interest from the first film has chosen someone else to marry due to Strange's own five-year disappearance), but they fall flat at providing any kind of depth.  Even the cameos they pull up feel kind of token, especially when they really don't provide much to the story.  Sam Raimi certainly gets to do some fun, campy horror things, but otherwise is just a superhero trying to solve a problem, but solution gets pretty complicated because it's Dr. Strange and things are never straight-forward for him.  To be clear, this isn't a bad movie; those looking for multiverse fun will find it, but despite all the fervor, I think this will end up being one of the more forgettable MCU films.

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Let me first preface my thoughts on Love and Thunder by explaining that, while I was bummed that Ragnarok left the serious tone of the first two Thor movies behind, I did think that Ragnarok was a good movie with a lot of fun moments.  However, in their attempt to try and make the Ragnarok lightning strike twice, they ended up making a downright mess of things!

After Endgame, Thor joined the Guardians of the Galaxy, but when a god-killing madman named Gorr wrecks his revenge across the galaxy, Thor separates to tackle him head on, only to discover that his former girlfriend Jane Foster has somehow become Thor herself.  From there, the two awkwardly reconnect as they work out how to take on their latest challenge.  I think the main goal was to make a kind of romantic comedy about former lovers that just happens to take place in the MCU's cosmic side.

Unfortunately, the result is a mess of tone and pacing.  While they do have some really great ideas going on here (Thor trying to rediscover himself, Valkyrie getting over her warrior angst, Jane Foster finding new meaning in a fading life), they all get sidelined for some very strange gimmicks and humor based on awkwardness (which is probably my least favorite kind).  Seriously, I was cringing through most of this movie, and even the action scenes seemed kind of perfunctory.  And it didn't help that they busted out a Guns 'n' Roses song every time an action scene, making the musical cue come across as tedious rather than thrilling.

It's such a shame because I can see a good movie trying to happen here.  Christian Bale gives an incredible performance as the tortured and relatable villain, struggling to reconcile the loss of his daughter in the face of Gods who seem to have abandoned their subjects.  However, as if in fear of ever letting things getting too serious, it's quickly undercut by some random gag or screaming goats.  So when the ending tries to be emotional and meaningful, it just comes across as flat because the tone was never properly set up for that to really pay off.  While I'd have to really think if this is the worst MCU film now, it certainly was a critical disappointment.