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Birds of Prey: An Over-Glorified Break-Up Film

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By Calgary Maez


DC has had some highs and lows with the DC Extended Universe; with 2019 including some of their highest highs. So how does Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) rank among its predecessors? Like the film’s title: an over-the-top mess. 

Birds of Prey stars Margot Robbie as anti-heroine Harley Quinn, who goes through a dramatic breakup with The Joker and now has a target painted on her back by Roman Sionis, A.K.A. Black Mask, who is played by Ewan McGregor. 

The lead actor and actress definitely have fun within their roles and have a decent supporting cast, such as Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress and Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary. However, their supporting roles fall short with Huntress’ very limited screen time and Black Canary’s very limited abilities.

Director Cathy Yan tries to take a unique approach by telling the film from Quinn’s point of view, and portrays her overly jumbled thought process. However, this technique doesn’t pay off. The film takes about an hour to introduce all of its characters through heavy flashback scenes and heavy exposition dialogue.

At one point, you forget what the overall plot is because the film juggles all of the characters’ backstories so much. It’s also worth pointing out that it seems as though it’s more of a Harley Quinn spin-off than it is a Birds of Prey film.

The film does have some scenes with great action and funny dialogue mixed within, especially in the third act. 

Overall, Birds of Prey feels like a glorified breakup film through the eyes of the psychotic Harley Quinn with members of the actual Birds of Prey mixed in. Although it does have some moments of cool action and funny dialogue, it’s not worth the price of admission because of its poorly written story and messy set-up of characters, accompanied by their poor overall development.

Photos Courtesy of IMDB.

Check out great films at Icon Cinema today!

Albuquerque comes together to improve children’s lives

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By Nichole Harwood 

Albuquerque locals are coming together to change the lives of the city’s most impressionable youth. Kingdom Builders Daycare is located in the International District, in Albuquerque’s Southeast side of town. Over the years it has had severe damage to their fences surrounding the playground. Local members of the community have risen up, hoping to change the conditions for children of the daycare. 

Photo Courtesy of Alec Fergeson

Partnering with Last Ditch Effort’s owner, Alec “Cam” Fergeson, the management of Kingdom Builders Daycare is working hard to build a better environment for their children. This spring, the daycare will be adding several music classes, gardening, a nutrition program, and a pottery course to the existing daycare curriculum. The final addition to the project will be a brand new playground for all the children to enjoy!

James Landry of Kingdom Builders Daycare said the goal is to not only improve the daycare playground but also enrich the curriculum for their students. Many of the children who attend the daycare are CYFD funded, Landry said, pulling from many cultural backgrounds, including the African refugee community that is growing in Albuquerque. Kingdom Builders Daycare is one of the only daycares that has hired Swahili speakers to help communicate with the new students. 

Photo Courtesy of Alec Fergeson

“We have this amazing eclectic group of kids that are being raised together,” Landry said. “We have this opportunity to work with these kids at the youngest level to break some of the cycles of poverty, of the drug abuse and physical abuse that are rampant in this neighborhood.”  

Landry hopes to improve local Albuquerque children’s lives and also bring the children of refugees into a positive environment by improving the conditions for the children at the daycare. They wish to honor their culture while introducing them to Albuquerque’s own. 

Pastor Pete Myers will be joining the project, spearheading a free music program to enrich the environment further for the children. 

“We’re trying to recognize the needs the community has and the kids have and adapt our program to make sure we’re meeting the needs of the families,” Myers said.

The gardening program, Myers said, will help show the children the importance of nutritional value and agriculture, while letting them interact in a fun, safe environment. Alongside this program, Myers hopes the music program will help to improve the lives of the children in the long run, as schools with music programs have a higher graduation rate regardless of income, he said.

“The truth is a lot of the families in this neighborhood do not have the money for what it costs for quality music education—they don’t have the money to buy instruments to even teach themselves to play,” Myers said. “So that is something that we have the people around who are gifted in those areas that can help. Our hope is to use those people, and make connections in the community, to make this program even bigger and better.” 

In addition to helping the children through this program, Myers said Kingdom Builders Daycare has also reached out to the adults within the community by hiring them to work at the daycare while pursuing a degree. Myers said this way they can invest in their own future, becoming an example for the youth they are surrounded by.  

Myers said it’s fulfilling to see lives change and lives turn around; he hopes to see people’s situations improve by first not being in need and then being able to help others in need. 

Landry agreed with Myers, explaining many of the adults within the community they hired do not always have the mindset or innate hope, drive, or belief in themselves. Landry said by helping both children and adults grow they are teaching their staff their work is more than just a job, but a mission as well. 

“They’re starting to see that their investment in the community actually pays back in dividends,” Landry said. “We get to see these adults developing and the children developing at the same time.”

Photo Courtesy of Alec Fergeson: Local Business Owner Alec Fergeson

Fergeson said his company is honored to be a part of the ongoing effort to improve Kingdom Builders Daycare. When he was first shown the playground, Fergeson said he was sad it was surrounded by a bullet-riddled fence. After seeing that he became determined to make the daycare a beacon of hope. 

“My biggest thing is being the change they want to see,” Fergeson said. “If you don’t like something, do something to change it. You can’t just sit there and complain about it and expect things to change. You have to get out there and do it. And I think starting with this program is beautiful

He said this is a long-term project starting with the younger generation and molding them into positive, productive members of society. 

The work has just begun, but Fergeson, Landry, and Myers are looking to the future, determined to make a positive change on the community. This includes, according to Fergeson, changing how the area they’re working in is referred to. Fergeson believes that continuing to refer to the International District as the “War Zone” only continues to perpetuate the stigma and the mindset of the people who live there. Fergeson said changing the way the district is viewed, along with impacting the area with positive change, he hopes to see a brighter future for the district. 

“I can’t prevent crime. I’m not a superhero; however, I think by doing the things we’re discussing now would be a big deterrent,” he said. “I think by creating and instilling a sense of pride in this beautiful place is just going to change the culture and community around it.” 

For more information on the continuing effort here

Best of Film: 2019

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By Hector Valverde

The Oscars have spoken! But with so many weird selections and searing omissions, just how much can the Academy be trusted? What really were the finest movies, performances, and cinematic exploits of last year? I’ve got you covered with hand-picked selections of the best of the best in film of 2019.

Best Actress

Taylor Russell (Waves)

Halfway into the film’s runtime, Taylor Russell emerges from the sidelines to pick up the entire remaining narrative of Waves on her back. It’s a lot to ask, but she never skips a beat, completing the story about grief, tragedy, and healing with a somber presence full of soft, blossoming hope.

Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story)

Ringing with an arrestingly expressive timbre only matched this decade by her own work in Her, you’d be hard-pressed to find a performance as genuine, poignant, or ranged as Scarlett Johansson’s in Marriage Story. The tenderness of the film’s opening narration alone cements Johansson’s work as some of the best of 2019.

Cate Blanchett (Where’d You Go, Bernadette)

Firing on all cylinders with a manically hot and cold performance, Cate Blanchett is phenomenal in Where’d You Go, Bernadette. Blanchett chugs along at full blast as the film’s titular grouch, feverishly switching between sluggish sarcasm and endearingly maniacal rants at the flip or turn of a dime.

Saoirse Ronan (Little Women)

Little Women has been adapted across the stage and screens dozens of times, yet Saoirse Ronan makes Jo March all her own in her wonderfully vivacious take on the treasured character. Ronan leaves a trail of dazzling sparks as she zestfully inhabits seven eventful years of Jo’s life, impeccably capturing the tumultuous ups and downs of young adulthood with wit, spirit, and emotional depth to spare.

Ana de Armas (Knives Out)

In a film teeming with over-the-top performances from an all-star cast, Ana de Armas anchors everything back down with pure heart and soul. She gives the murder-mystery stakes that truly matter, communicating an investing sense of panic and remorse through the cutting stare of her super-expressive eyes.  

Best Supporting Actress

Imogen Poots (The Art of Self-Defense)

An intense, palpable fury seethes through every fiber of Imogen Poots’ being in The Art of Self-Defense. Beaten, resigned, but ready to savagely pounce at the tip of a hat, it’s a brooding portrait of a woman pushed well past her breaking point, as well as one of the finest performances of the year.

Florence Pugh (Little Women)

From her introduction as a bratty pre-teen all the way through her progression into an ambitious but embittered young woman, Florence Pugh goes all in portraying every step of Amy March’s coming-of-age. Against a crowded and very talented cast, it’s an excellent performance that closes out an impressive breakout year for the up-and-coming actress.

Rebecca Ferguson (Doctor Sleep)

Come for the hat, stay for Rebecca Ferguson’s delectably villainous performance. Seductive and menacing, Ferguson chews through the scenery of Doctor Sleep with a sumptuous crunchiness that only gets more interesting as the film goes on.

Laura Dern (Marriage Story)

Laura Dern’s character in Marriage Story doesn’t tell you anything you don’t already know about lawyers, but boy is she great in the role. She’s sleazy, but charming, selfish, yet captivating, and you can’t help but adore the fast-talking hotshot every minute she’s onscreen.

Scarlett Johansson (Jojo Rabbit)

Just a real saint all around, Scarlett Johansson’s Rosie Betzler exudes a loving maternal warmth full of patience and compassion for her confused Nazi aspirant son. Paired with Taika Waititi’s delightful script, Johansson rocks the screen with an effortlessly cool swagger you can’t take your eyes off of.

Best Actor

Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems)

Only one person could pull off the concentrated chaos the leading role of Uncut Gems demands, and that actor is Adam Sandler. A smarmily grinning conduit for the hysteria of the Safdie brothers’ panic attack-inducing film, the Sandman makes the impossible possible by making you root for the year’s most unlikeable protagonist. He also wears the heck out of those glasses, hot damn!

George MacKay (1917)

In a film with relatively little dialogue, George MacKay carries 1917 with a laboriously emotional and physical performance. MacKay brings the human element the war epic requires with devoted focus and nobility. additionally landing all the blocking marks demanded of the heavily technical production with thanklessly tight precision.

Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Luce)

Unsettlingly two-faced and chilling to the bone, Kelvin Harrison Jr. plays with a fire that maliciously burns through the scenery of Luce. Harrison Jr. is more than a match for Octavia Spencer as the disquieting half of their characters’ firecracker rivalry, perpetually toying with one’s perception of his person in the most fascinating, complex, and moving performance of the year.

Adam Driver (Marriage Story)

In addition to three other great performances in 2019, Adam Driver proves he’s a top-tier actor with his crowning achievement in Marriage Story. Driver chronicles a father’s divorce and ensuing custody battle with thoroughly gutting desperation, masterfully acting through the entire emotional spectrum in one of the truest, most sincere performances ever put on film.

Jonathan Majors (The Last Black Man in San Francisco)

Largely built on observation and a respectful rapport with his co-lead, Jimmie Fails, there’s a beautiful tranquility to this gentle performance from Jonathan Majors. He almost melts into the background of most scenes, subtly building towards a show-stopping conclusion that launches at you straight from his heart.

Best Supporting Actor

Jonathan Pryce (The Man Who Killed Don Quixote)

The word “bizarre” doesn’t even begin to describe the delirious meta narrative of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, and while not technically playing the titular mad knight, Jonathan Pryce does his part one better. Pryce plays a deranged man playing a deranged man with the crazed fervor only a deranged man could muster, subtly cracking peaks at the broken soul inside while nailing the essence of Cervantes’ classic character to a tee.

Willem Dafoe (The Lighthouse)

Willem Dafoe is a monologuing monster in The Lighthouse, a salt-beaten curmudgeon who delivers some of the year’s most memorable lines with gruff, unhinged madness. It’s a strange and difficult part to play, but Defoe sells every tricky bit of it; farts have never carried so much rotten gravitas.

Alessandro Nivola (The Art of Self-Defense)

Is he ridiculous? Is he intimidating? How is this man not more in the mainstream? Alessandro Nivola dishes out a wicked deadpan and some of the year’s best comedy in the The Art of Self-Defense, striking a corrosive balance of fraternal male affection and machismo as the film’s beguiling Sensei.

Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit)

In what could have been a cheap joke relying on controversy, Taika Waititi turns in a surprisingly brilliant performance playing—ahem—Adolf Hitler. More accurately, a ten-year-old boy’s projection of the Fuhrer as his imaginary friend. Waititi’s natural disposition for silliness is always a super fun time, but it’s his thoughtful meditation on hate and prejudice that makes this performance something really special.

Daniel Craig (Knives Out)

In a movie full of scene-stealers, Daniel Craig mugs the best and most for the camera as the jib-jabbering ace PI, Benoit Blanc. A fond tribute to Agatha Christie’s detectives of old, Craig galivants across the screen in pure, self-aware delight, relishing every word of his character’s meandering soliloquies in a mesmerizingly smooth southern drawl.

Best Cast

Parasite

Sly, dry, and ever so wry, the cast of Parasite oozes the mischievous energy of a fiendishly fun scam scheme. As push comes to shove, everyone embraces the darkness the film gradually casts with hungry performances that are as seductive as they are sadistic.

Little Women

What a cast! Not a single part is wasted in Little Women as the loveliest of leading and supporting performances light up the film in wholesome familial joy.  

Dolemite Is My Name

Bringing back a long-missed sense of optimism and glee, Eddie Murphy triumphantly returns to the silver screen as blaxploitation super-star Rudy Ray Moore. Alongside him is a fabulous troupe of first-rate entertainers that seldom leave a quiet moment to catch one’s breath. Look out for a prime comedic performance from a scene-stealing Wesley Snipes!

Knives Out

Rian Johnson’s sharply-written script is brought to life by a fantastic cast exuberantly leaning into the campier side of the murder mystery genre. No shortage of memorable moments from Ana de Armas, Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Chris Evans, and more make Knives Out a consistently entertaining pleasure.

Avengers: Endgame

The culmination of one of cinema’s most intricate projects of all time, Avengers: Endgame gives every one of its many, many (many) beloved heroes their due. Well worth its decade in the making, we’ll likely never see another cast as tremendously stacked, packed, or on its game as this one.

Best Animated Feature

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

Just as good as the original, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part is a sugary explosion of sweetness with bombardments of side-splitting humor at every turn. The painstakingly rendered LEGO world looks incredible, and the touching narrative about sibling relationships and growing up beautifully ties into the larger story at hand.  

Toy Story 4

We didn’t want it, we didn’t need it, but Toy Story 4 is superb all the same. Pixar’s epilogue to one of the greatest trilogies of all time is funny, thoughtful, and still genuinely surprising after more than twenty years, not to mention tear-jerking.

Missing Link

Stop-motion animation is a sadly dying art form, but thankfully, Laika won’t let it go down without a fight. Missing Link is an exotic visual treat that tickles your eyes alongside your heart, a charming, old-fashioned adventure with a special little something for audiences of all ages.  

Best Score

Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow (Luce)

Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow outdo themselves with this one-of-a-kind score. Led by the rattling “Skyhooker” theme, it’s a propulsive musical marvel that perfectly complements the sinister psychological drama in front of it.

Daniel Lopatin (Uncut Gems)

Disco disco, good good! Daniel Lopatin’s awesome synth score is a great musical composition on its own, but as the explosive pulse of Uncut Gems, additionally ramps the film’s frenetic energy up to a wildly beating eleven.

Alexandre Desplat (Little Women)

Rosy as a sunny spring afternoon, the sprightly strings of Little Women pluck through Alexandre Desplat’s score is pure, euphoric bliss. Desplat’s compositions are exquisite food for the soul, soothing to the core like a big, comforting hug.

Randy Newman (Marriage Story)

Marriage Story’s warm melodies are surgically crafted to split your heart in two. Randy Newman’s score trickles in like the tearful cries of a time long past, a bittersweet reminder of two people’s former love and all the memories it has wrought.

Thomas Newman (1917)

Thomas Newman’s score starts soft, tense, reflective, even, slowly building as our heroes’ mission drives the action forward. Though it comes to hit its powerful swells and crescendos, the score doesn’t push grandiose; it’s always respectful and aware of the solemn material it inhabits.

Best Cinematography

Dan Lauststen (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum)

Every punch, gunshot, and swipe of the knife in Parabellum is shot in glorious clarity by Dan Lauststen and the film’s stunt team. The best action of the year demands some of the best camera work to truly shine, and Lauststen is more than up to the task with crystal-clear wide shots that up the bone-crunching ante in long, well-realized takes.

Drew Daniels (Waves)

Drew Daniels uses every cinematic technique in (and out of) the book to create a vivid sensory experience in Waves. Each brilliant shot tells a story on its own, all coming together to make the prettiest film of 2019, hands down.

Jarin Blaschke (The Lighthouse)

A dreadful wave of ambiguity pervades through the imagery of The Lighthouse, something mysterious, something vague. Jarin Blaschke’s hazy monochromatic visuals lull you into an entranced state of terror, depicting the eldritch abstract with bountiful cinematic creativity.

Hoyte van Hoytema (Ad Astra)

The expansive majesty of space is put through a bold new lens in Ad Astra. Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography is vast, frightening, prismatic, and wonderous, a daring venture into the unknown, an introspective, dreamy cruise through the stars.

Roger Deakins (1917)

The man, the myth, the legend, Roger Deakins, himself, has created another masterful feast for the eyes in 1917. Pressingly intimate, the stakes couldn’t be higher as Deakins places you smack in the middle of the battlefield, creating the illusion of two amazingly choreographed long takes by moving and operating the camera in ways that shouldn’t be possible.

Best Production Design

Henrik Svensson (Midsommar)

In an inspired turn for a horror film, the Swedish daymare of Midsommar is bathed in shimmering whites and pastels. Bright colors and flowers adorn every nook and cranny of Henrik Svensson’s lavish production design, a beautiful, but surreptitiously dark play on the idyllic folk countryside.

Nigel Phelps (Detective Pikachu)

The rainy, neon-lit Pokémon wonderland of Ryme City will leave any fan giddy with excitement, as well as anyone else with an appreciation for grimy neo-noir goodness. The film’s richly detailed city and lush, rural locales look fantastic, a chef’s kiss mix of modern Japanese architecture with a slick futuristic aesthetic.

Jan Roelfs (The Current War: Director’s Cut)

Jan Roelfs’ swanky production design captures the distinguished steampunk sweet spot of the late nineteenth century with a cool, captivating glow. The messy sets strewn with luminescent wires, bulbs, and prototypes look great, galvanizing the eyes in the leadup to the film’s dazzling recreation of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

Dennis Gassner (1917)

Against bombs, bruises, and blows, 1917 tells a good portion of its story through its ghostly periphery. Dennis Gassner’s ruinous sets haunt the screen in dilapidated magnitude, speaking the horrors and tragedies of war without even a whisper of a word.

Lee Ha-jun (Parasite)

A substantially different take on the traditional horror movie house, Lee Ha-jun’s luxurious modern architecture could be considered a character in its own right. The custom-built home is a ravishing work of art set in sharp blacks and whites, a piece that impresses all the more as shadows and sunlight creep in through the glass.

Best Costume Design/Makeup

Mike Elizalde (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark)

Makeup artist Mike Elizalde rips Stephen Gammell’s nightmarish charcoal illustrations right off the page and onto the screen with horrifying results. Only practical effects of this caliber could do justice to Gammell’s iconic designs, and the sheer attention, care, and craftsmanship going into every spooky creature never fail to impress.

Judianna Makovsky (Avengers: Endgame)

The contributions of countless costumes, makeup, and special effects designers have created modern mythological icons in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it’s Judianna Makovsky that gets to take the victory lap for the team in Avengers: Endgame. Marvel’s heroes have never looked more tastefully comic book-accurate, and it’s a testament to Makovsky’s vision that she’s able to cohesively weave the appearances of dozens of different characters and genres together so incredibly well.

Jacqueline Durran (Little Women)

The ladies and gentlemen of Little Women have never looked better. From its extravagant dresses down to its humbler attire, Jacqueline Durran’s assortment of period-era clothing handsomely pops with fetching colors and style.

Michael Wilkinson (Aladdin)

If there’s one thing Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin manages to outdo the original in, it’s in its eye-popping visual storm of gorgeous costumes and outfits. Gaudy and flavorful, there’s no shortage of breathtaking design going into every colorful ounce of Michael Wilkinson’s Asian and Middle Eastern-inspired work.

Ruth Carter (Dolemite Is My Name)

The only thing as vibrant as the cast of Dolemite Is My Name is the sweet, sweet costumes their performances are hemmed in. With dapper hats, fuzzy coats, and as many snazzy suits as you could ever ask for, Ruth Carter ensures there’s always at least one piece of wardrobe peacocking onscreen. 

Best Special Effects

Alita: Battle Angel

It wasn’t until well after my screening of Alita: Battle Angel that I realized the movie’s titular character was an entirely CGI creation. Whether it’s in action or dialogue, Alita lives and breathes as much as any real person onscreen, and the rest of the cyberpunk adventure’s robotic creations don’t look half bad either.

Avengers: Endgame

Few other films will ever match the sheer spectacle of Avengers: Endgame. Pushing the technical boundaries of what movies can do, often invisibly to the keenest of eyes, the finale to Marvel’s Infinity Saga goes for broke with bombastic, decade-defining action and effects at no expense spared.

1917

The behind-the-scenes framework of 1917 is a top-notch demonstration of cross-departmental synergy. It’s nearly impossible to differentiate between the film’s practical effects and its additional CGI enhancements; the VFX join together with the film’s cinematography, props, sets, and directed to form one seamless cinematic experience.

Detective Pikachu

It’s a small miracle the visual effects teams on Detective Pikachu were able to make the film’s creatures look this good. The huge collection of Pokémon is adapted into live-action with amazing results, each monster and locale bursting with personality, texture, and life.

The Lion King

The landscapes and animals of The Lion King look so convincingly photoreal that Disney couldn’t make its characters look like they could speak. Whether that’s an achievement or folly (or a folly achievement) is up to you.

Best Screenplay

Bong Joon-ho and Han Jin-won (Parasite)

“Father. Today I made a plan. A long-term plan. I’m going to make a lot of money.”

David Robert Mitchell (Under the Silver Lake)

“I’ve created so many of the things that you care about… the songs that give your life purpose and joy. When you were fifteen and rebelling… you did that to my music. It wasn’t written on a distorted guitar…I wrote it… on a piano…here… in between a blowjob and an omelette. There’s no rebellion. There’s only me… earning a paycheck.”

Anthony McCarten (The Two Popes)

“It’s here, in confession, where we are forced to look at the vastness of our failures, that we finally see the vastness of His mercy.”

Julius Onah and JC Lee (Luce)

“I don’t like tokenism. What’s the difference between punishing someone for being a stereotype and rewarding them if they’re not? One of the two comes with benefits. What you’d call a benefit, I’d call a responsibility I didn’t ask for.”

Greta Gerwig (Little Women)

“Women have minds and souls as well as hearts, ambition and talent as well as beauty and I’m sick of being told that love is all a woman is fit for.”

Best Director

Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood revels in the little things, making a sincere joy out of watching TV, emptying a can of dog food, or a late-night stroll through LA. Tarantino digs in and pulls back with fluid, poetic grace; nine movies and nearly thirty years into his filmmaking career, no one directs a scene like the big Q.T.

Greta Gerwig (Little Women)

In addition to squeezing a sublime set of performances out of her cast, Greta Gerwig’s zealous directing style infuses Little Women with a very special touch. Gerwig’s passion for the material radiates all throughout her film, a personal, cherishing celebration of young adulthood you can tell resonates with her deeply.

Sam Mendes (1917)

On top of maneuvering through an insane series of logistical and environmental challenges, Mendes’ grandstanding presentation tells a stirring tale of heroism and duty. The grueling production of 1917 is almost an afterthought with how smoothly Sam Mendes directs against it all, a testament not only to his vision but also his ambition and grit.

Joe and Anthony Russo (Avengers: Endgame)

Twenty-one movies and eleven eventful years in the making, the creation of Avengers: Endgame is a herculean effort that should by no means have been possible. It’s somehow pulled off by the Russo brothers, who don’t just shoot great action, don’t just juggle dozens of character arcs, and don’t just tell a cohesive narrative. No, Joe and Anthony Russo additionally create an entertaining, sentimental, and thoroughly satisfying finale that marvelously pays off the legacy of everything that came before it.

Bong Joon-ho (Parasite)

Director Bong has once again proven himself a commanding master of cinema with Parasite. Tightly paced and directed, meticulously drawing connections between even the most flitting of details across all departments, it’s the auteur at the top of his game, ‘nuff said.

Best Picture

Little Women

Reimagined in a fancy new non-linear narrative, Greta Gerwig has lovingly crafted the definitive edition of Little Women. Gerwig’s modern amendments elevate the best aspects of Louisa May Alcott’s novel to greater heights, capturing the jubilant spirit of youth and womanhood with electric performances and storytelling.

Under the Silver Lake

Only describable as the unholy lovechild of Blue Velvet and They Live, Under the Silver Lake is a hypnotic conspiratorial thriller with hair-raising surprises around every corner. David Robert Mitchell’s screenplay and directing are shocking in the best of ways, traversing through a delirious Lynchian underworld I couldn’t get enough of.

1917

Though it’s set during the First World War, 1917 tells a timeless tale of bravery that goes well beyond its genre roots. Sam Mendes and Roger Deakins’ two take epic is a stunning cinematic feat, one whose incredible technical achievements never overshadow the dire emotions of the story at hand.

The Art of Self-Defense

Atmospheric and unflinchingly straight-faced, The Art of Self-Defense is one eerie, offbeat hoot of a thriller. Riley Stearns’ darkly humorous study of masculinity scores the awkwardest of laughs alongside the awkwardest of drama, astutely commenting on what it means to be a man and the distorted, destructive measures one will take to prove it.

Marriage Story

Marriage Story features not one, but two masterclasses in acting from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. Expertly directed by Noah Baumbach, the thespian duo gives two of the greatest performances of the decade with a gut-wrenching, eye-watering, heart-shattering realism you won’t soon forget.  

Parasite

Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is, simply put, a perfect film. Very likely also the best of 2019. No creative choice passes by without a purpose, every single detail contributing to the film’s commentary on the class disparity in some form or other. With an impeccable cast, a smart screenplay, and a dastardly director at its helm, Parasite is filmmaking at its best: engrossing, entertaining, and cross-culturally artful.  

The Irishman                             

Aged like a fine wine, The Irishman brings Martin Scorsese and his muses back together to pensively mull over the fear, violence, and misdemeanors of their cinematic pasts. Scorsese, De Niro, Pesce, and Pacino give some of their best work ever, thoughtfully reflecting on their legacies by riffing on the gangster stories and archetypes that built their careers. It’s a hefty one at a whopping 209 minutes long, but you’d be hard-pressed to find anything to trim or cut out.

The Two Popes

You don’t have to be Catholic or even religious to appreciate the multilingual harmony of The Two Popes. While it does delve into riveting theological discussions concerning faith and the Church’s troubled history, Fernando Meirelles’ charming film is a universal, deeply human story about forgiveness and change anyone should be able to appreciate.

Luce

Julius Onah and JC Lee’s subversive exploration of race is also one of the most groundbreaking and impactful of the last decade. Luce fearlessly addresses the belittling effects of tokenism, of being a singled-out stand-in tool for someone else’s gain, with rage and nuance most other films would cower at. There are no easy answers to the film’s rousing narrative, but for the first time in a long time, I felt like my voice was finally being heard.

Uncut Gems

There’s nothing hidden about this gem. The Safdie brothers’ film is raw and in your face, a full-on, cacophonous assault on the senses charged forward by Adam Sandler at his best. It’s an uncomfortable ordeal well-worth sitting through, a frenzied rollercoaster ride of hard knocks that spectacularly crash into the most perfect ending of 2019.

Agree with these selections? Disagree? What were your favorite movie things last year? Leave your thoughts below! For more current film and television reviews, follow Hector Valverde on Twitter @hpvalverde.

Only okay – ‘Just Mercy’ Review

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By Hector Valverde

There’s always that one sad movie that gets left out or forgotten in the cascade of prestigious releases rushing to score Oscar nominations at the end of the year. Despite featuring a great cast and a compelling story, Just Mercy is only a mediocre film that gets left in the dust of other, much better movies.

Photo courtesy of IMDb

Just Mercy follows the real-life case of Walter McMillian, a black lumberjack put on death row after being wrongfully accused of killing a white woman. After moving to the Deep South to represent convicts without resources, newly graduated lawyer Bryan Stevenson fights to repeal McMillian’s sentence before his execution.

Michael B. Jordan (Stevenson) and Brie Larson (his assistant Eva) are wasted; they’re given the bare minimum amount of personality to pass as characters despite being billed as a big selling point for the film. Meanwhile, Jamie Foxx gives a halfway decent supporting performance as McMillian, but his solid work is mostly lost in a boring, uninspired, blatantly obvious piece of Oscar-bait that seldom bothers to differentiate itself from other similar work.

From its cookie-cutter characters down to its story and general narrative, everything about Just Mercy has already been told dozens of times in significantly more interesting and affecting films; there’s not a lot of moving substance or emotion in its storytelling to compensate. The end stinger paying tribute to the people behind the true story hits harder than anything else preceding it, mostly because the majority of the film goes for the easiest, most overused tropes and emotional appeals in the melodramatic-handbook.

Despite having good intentions and more than solid material to tell a moving, sadly timeless narrative about racial injustice, the film instead comes across as preachy with its forced and lame attempts at greater thematic depth. It’s a shame, too, because writer and director Destin Daniel Cretton has previously proven himself with great work in his two excellent collaborations with Larson, Short Term 12 and The Glass Castle.

Grade: C

For more current film and television reviews, follow Hector Valverde on Twitter @hpvalverde.

War-torn one-shot – ‘1917’ Review

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By Hector Valverde

There’s a brilliance to the simplicity with which Sam Mendes crafts his WWI epic, 1917. Mendes juggles some of the most impressive technical demands put into cinema in the last decade. The simple solemnity the story is told with batters the screen and soul with an affecting resonance that lingers long after the credits have rolled.

Photo Courtesy of IMDb

George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman lead as Lance Corporals Will Schofield and Tom Blake, two British soldiers tasked with delivering a critical message to another battalion across occupied northern France. Traversing through no man’s land at the mercy of enemy troops and the elements, Schofield and Blake race to call off an attack on German forces that would undoubtedly result in failure and over 1,600 allied deaths—Blake’s brother among them.

Everything in 1917 comes together to create an incredible cinematic experience that won’t be soon forgotten. MacKay and Chapman are excellent as young heroes; their sincere rapport and sense of friendship seamlessly extends onto the battlefield in a moving story about duty and purpose.

The legendary Roger Deakins’ cinematography—meant to look like two continuous long takes—is extraordinary. He moves the camera in ways and into places one would never think possible. The cinematography is graceful and flawless alongside Mendes’ urgent, high-octane direction and the huge, expansive practical outdoor sets. The film doesn’t even let you have a moment to think about how they pulled everything off—complete and total immersion fully take over. The clear-cut, single-minded simplicity makes the film’s narrative a thoroughly investing and engrossing watch, even more so as the creative team pushed cinematic limits to new heights. 

Additionally, it’s a testament to Mendes’ vision how impactful the film’s punches hit. 1917 is directed with tonal expertise, grounded by the weight of its characters’ mission. When the film goes big, its moments never feel grandiose or like spectacle, just unnerving and dire. As dozens of corpses quietly bob in the water and the empty presence of a long-destroyed town takes over the screen, Mendes neither glorifies nor brings showy attention to these grim remnants. Simultaneously telling a story about the horrors of war with a universal touch that transcends beyond its historical and genre roots masterfully.

2019 movies feature a packed crowd in the acting categories, but the two leads stand out as some of the best of the year. Particularly the ever-dynamic and furiously dedicated MacKay, who is forced to inhabit the sparsely populated wastelands on the screen by himself for the majority of the film.

Cold and level-headed, 1917 is the war movie to end all war movies. On top of returning a long-unprecedented technical scope to the big screen, Sam Mendes’ film is a powerful portrait of family, bravery, and duty in the face of all the casualties war reaps.

Grade: A

For more current film and television reviews, follow Hector Valverde on Twitter @hpvalverde.

Interview with “The Incredible Hulk Actor” Lou Ferrigno

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By Nichole Harwood and Hector Valverde 

American actor Lou Ferrigno headed down to New Mexico for the January 2020 Albuquerque Comic Con. While in New Mexico Ferrigno was sworn in as a deputy for the Albuquerque Sheriff’s Department at a ceremony at the Albuquerque Convention Center by Socorro County Sheriff William Armijo. In an exclusive interview with ABQ-Live the Magazine in partnership with Z106.3, Ferrigno opened up about what he loved about Albuquerque. 

“I do Comic Cons all over the country, but what I like about Albuquerque is that it’s more like a second home to me,” Ferrigno said.

While in Albuquerque, Ferrigno enjoyed a bit of light-hearted fun, including judging a Baby Yoda competition popularized by the television series “The Mandalorian”. While the actor hasn’t seen the television series he said he was delighted to hear of the series success. In addition, Ferrigno said he is close friends with the lead actor from the series, Carl Weathers.

During the interview, Ferrigno opened up about his career, both past, and future. Ferrigno said his favorite role was starring in the hit movie “I Love You Man”. With a laugh, Ferrigno admitted that he is currently going through the process of moving into a new home, and sees the parallels from the movie to his current situation in dealing with realtors. As for Ferrigno’s future? Along with a few movies, he looks forward to starring in the comedy act “Guest House” with Billy Zane and his son.

Ferrigno said he has deep ties to Albuquerque. Ferrigno’s father Matty Ferrigno traveled to New Mexico 50 years ago to buy land. Upon returning home from the Land of Enchantment, Ferrigno said he remembered his father talk about Albuquerque’s unique fashion and people. 

“I remember he had this necklace,” Ferrigno said. “It looked like two pieces of shoelace and had traditional New Mexico decorations. So, growing up, I’d heard a lot about New Mexico. And now the fact is that I really just like the people here.”

As an adult, Ferrigno said he was honored to be deputized in the land he heard about as a child. After fifteen years of being a deputy sheriff, Ferrigno can now add New Mexico to his list of states he is deputized in.

“I want to show officers in a positive light. Being an officer is about protecting life and property – because once you’re in the uniform, it’s not how you think it is: it’s a very dangerous situation,” Ferrigno said. “That’s why I want to be a real-life hero like my father the NYPD lieutenant.”

From all of us here at ABQ-Live we would like to congratulate Ferrigno on being deputized here in New Mexico and thank him for interviewing with our local publication. We look forward to seeing more successes from him on and off the big screen!

Photos by ABQ-Live Photographer Joe Calderon

To learn more about Lou Ferrigno follow him on Instagram @theofficiallouferrigno!

Dave and Busters Makes One Child’s Wish Come True

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The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions in the United States and its territories. In collaboration with Dave and Buster’s located in Winrock Town Center, The Make-A-Wish Foundation made one young Albuquerque teenager’s wish come true on his 17th birthday! The Make-A-Wish reveal party was held on January 8th at 5:30 p.m. where Albuquerque youth Stev, received his wish to go to the all-star NBA game in Chicago in February.

Upon arriving at Dave and Buster’s the Albuquerque youth was surprised by the Make-A-Wish CEO and Program and Outreach Manager. In addition, Dave and Buster’s staff presented him with signs, a cake, presents, and the knowledge that his wish had been granted. ABQ-Live was there to capture all the joy and surprises!

Photos by ABQ-Live Photographer Mike Griego

A huge deal – ‘Little Women’ (2019) Review

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By Hector Valverde

I’ve never read Little Women or experienced any of its numerous adaptations across the stage and screens. I also never plan to now, because Greta Gerwig has made an almost, if not outright perfect film in her warm, emotional, masterfully moving update of Louisa May Alcott’s seminal coming-of-age novel.

Photo Courtesy of IMDB


With the one of the best collective cast I’ve seen in ages, Little Women chronicles the lives of Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Meg (Emma Watson), Amy (Florence Pugh), and Beth March (Eliza Scanlen), four young sisters keeping up their household while their father fights for the North in the American Civil War. When they befriend their wealthy neighbor, Laurie (Timothée Chalamet), their lives are changed forever, diverging across seven years as the girls reach adulthood and take their individual paths to fulfill their dreams and ambitions.


Expertly directed by Gerwig, everyone in the film is incredible. As Jo, Ronan rocks the piece with the lovely vibrance of young adulthood, impeccably measuring head-first spunk, drama, and heart in one of the best, most well-rounded performances of the year. Anchoring and tying together the film’s emotional conceits through her work, Ronan’s only ever better when paired with Chalamet’s Laurie in a sweeping rollercoaster of joyous vibrance and chemistry.


Pugh is additionally amazing as Amy, wrapping up her breakout year with her most polished and dynamic performance yet, and though they get a little less to do, Watson and Scanlen are also nothing short of great as the other two March sisters. That’s to say nothing of Laura Dern and Meryl Streep’s lovely supporting roles as the March’s two-generational matriarchs. It’s going to be rough singling out a single performance to push for come awards season.


If there’s one silly complaint to give to Little Women, it’s that the primarily non-American cast notably slips into their native accents on occasion. That and the fact that there’s some much-needed suspension of disbelief to buy that the full-grown actresses are playing blossoming teenagers—children, in essence—for much of the movie’s seven-year flashbacks.


Again, it’s less than a trifle of a criticism given just how phenomenal the craftsmanship everyone puts into the film is. There’s never not an array of beautiful costumes decorating the amazing performances on screen at any time, Alexandre Desplat’s score is warm and evocative, and the cinematography is lush at every turn.


And while the source material itself is gratifying food for the soul, it’s Gerwig that really makes the film something special in every single scene. The obvious love and passion the director feels for the material is tangible in every intimate minute, laugh, and heart-to-heart within the film, giving Little Women that extra cherry kiss on top that elevates the piece to pure, blissful perfection.


Grade: A

For more great movie reviews, follow Hector Valverde via Twitter @hpvalverde.

Dawn Schary: A Comedian who can Live Funny and Prosper

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By Thersa Montoya

Since Dawn Schary was young she has always loved to perform. At first, she originally wanted to be an actress but soon realized she didn’t want to pretend to be someone else. It wasn’t long after that she finally found her true calling in comedy.

Initially, as a young child, Schary felt limited in her ability to express herself growing up within a religious household. The atmosphere Schary said often felt restrictive, leading her to feel as if there were a lot of expectations for her to be respectable and well-mannered on a constant basis. There was no room to argue Schary said, so she bottled up her humor.

Eventually, Schary found inspiration to open up through the viewing of popular sitcoms that she would watch as a child. A special form of entertainment that her family would indulge in alongside her. The shows that inspired her included “I love Lucy,” “Roseanne,” and “The Cosby Show.”

“From there I always followed comedy,” Schary said. “I liked it growing up. Comic relief was a big thing in the 80’s and early 90’s.”

Watching the animated actors on-screen helped her learn to open up and now as an adult, Schary said her role as a comedian provides her a safe space to say whatever she wants on stage.

Schary’s comedic career has grown since she was inspired by funny actors on the television. Now as a seasoned comedian she has performed in several countries as well as within the United States. Schary has performed in Australia, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and even small towns such as Fort Collins. Despite all the different places she has traveled Schary still continues to perform locally in Albuquerque, New Mexico as well as performing recently at both The Kilt Check Brewing Company and The Aux Dog Theater Nob Hill.

Able to express herself more openly now, Schary said her family and friends are very supportive of her career. Despite this support, however, Schary admitted with a smile that she sometimes gets uncomfortable performing her more explicit material in front of them.

Regardless of these obstacles, Schary said she loves the authenticity of comedy.

According to Schary, comedy provides an outlet for honesty, creating a place where people can go for the truth. Comedy allows comedians to throw caution to the wind by not caring about what others shouldn’t say. This provides a platform for comedians to deliver both easy and harsh truths.

Because of this, Schary said she wants her messages to extend past her comedic routine causing a bigger impact on people in the long run.

To create these powerful messages, Schary works hard on getting great material for every show. In order to get her material, Schary is looking for stories that she knows she would not normally be able to talk about in a regular conversation.

Instead, she saves these conversation pieces for the stage. For Schary comedy is more than just a way to express herself it is also a way to open doors to honesty and other’s point of view.

“Comedy confronts, it asks questions, it gives other perspectives,” Schary said.

For more information on her upcoming shows follow her on Instagram @goofysunshine and Facebook or find her online at livefunnyandprosper.com

Debut Album Review: Stories by The Ordinary Things

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By August Edwards

Debut album Stories from indie rock trio The Ordinary Things is a finessed force, vast like the multiplicity of water.

Listening to Stories is similar to watching light refract like ice over a window, warped sparkles mesmerizing in the particular ways of delicacy. The stark song arrangements serve as a reminder that at its core, music is meant to arouse emotion through a sonic-rocket-ship-story. Jacqueline Chacon on drums and lead vocals is the cascading energy that moves Stories like waves. Justin McLaughlin slays on bass and vocals, and, almost mercifully, lays down the soul-satisfaction that only a synth can provide. Guitarist Andrew Chacon facilitates the inherent tension of the album with buoyancy and grace.

With their debut album, The Ordinary Things master subtlety, tender in their particular elicitations. Listening to the album Stories feels like brushing into someone standing near a show because of uncontrollable music-induced movement. At that moment, an electric current runs through the contact, elevating the experience. This sort of layered emotional treasure is exhibited in the track “Supposed To,” where the rhythm of guitar, bass, and vocals coincide with the intensity of an army marching in step.

The title track “Stories” ascends in a 90s-indie-rock mist. Chacon croons with Ramone’s vocal inflections. She twists vowels and adds consonants, effectively enticing the listener to join her in her own singing excursion. Through such nuances, she strikes with the rock-star balance of nerve and nonchalance.

“Let It Rain” is all one could want from a slow jam. It drives like water rushing down a sewer, pouring from a gutter; it is grunge and muddy leaves. If “Let it Rain” is glorious drainage, alternatively, “Swim in the Stars” is distilled, all about smoothness—a reflection stolen by a pool. “Swim in the Stars” is a David Bowie-like crusade.  

With a sudden tumultuous display of punk rock is the “American Dream.” The chorus, “On your knees for the American dream,” is an obnoxious sentiment that works because it alleviates some of the friction that is tacit in indie rock. Heavy downbeats count as fighting for autonomy. Similarly, in “I Am the Space,” Jacqueline Chacon sings, “my body is infinite,” a song for nobody but one’s self. McLauchlin’s synths blare like trumpets during the chorus in the act of resilience.

In conclusion, Stories is an ocean tide, an exhibition of the forms of water. Like music, like water, we are malleable; Stories takes advantage of that. Memorable riffs and jarring lyrics carry the listener, epitomizing the transcendence of music.

Contact us: info@abq-live.com

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