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See-through spookiness – ‘The Invisible Man’ (2020) Review

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By Hector Valverde

@hpvalverde

Courtesy of universalpictures.com

Ah, the Dark Universe. Universal Pictures’ disastrous attempts to launch a modern interconnected horror franchise with Dracula Untold and The Mummy (2017) will forever go down as one of the most dunkable failures in recent movie history. Well, the third time’s the charm, I guess, because Leigh Whannell and Blumhouse Productions may have just paved another way forward with their inspired reimagining of The Invisible Man. 

Ditching the material of H.G. Wells’ novel and its classic (?) 1933 adaption, this new tale of transparent terror opens to a panicked woman, Cecilia (Elizabeth Moss), running away from her billionaire boyfriend, Adrian, after years of psychological manipulation and abuse. Just as she’s beginning to recover from their traumatic relationship, Cecilia receives news of Adrian’s suicide, along with a $5 million parting gift from him. Though initially eager to move on with her life free from his controlling grasp, uncomfortable bumps in the night leave Cecilia convinced that Adrian’s not only still alive but tormenting her in a newly invisible form. 

Along with a riveting score from Benjamin Wallfisch, Whannell breathes new life into this reboot with clever writing and directing that always keeps you at edge. Elizabeth Moss’ raw, all-in performance would be enough to carry the film’s spooky conceit in its own right (Aldis Hodge also kills it in a warm, charismatic supporting role). Still, Whannell takes it a step further by wickedly manipulating his audience’s perception of the events onscreen. 

Excessive empty space envelops each frame as if to taunt you, filling the screen with an unnerving presence that extends the film’s thrills into a personally-involving nightmare. Turning The Invisible Man into a story about gaslighting was a genius move on Whannell’s part. Though a little modern horror rote at times, his directing worked so well on me I was frequently questioning my and Cecilia’s sanity as the film progressed. 

That being said, the narrative lacks that extra insightful thematic touch in the screenplay to push the film beyond a surface level reading. Nothing about gaslighting, abuse, or their toll on the victim and assailant’s psyches is really said beyond the obvious, which is a shame given how openly the material lends itself to be thoughtfully expanded upon. As a simple horror movie, it more than works, but you can’t help but think about how much more The Invisible Man could have been with a little more substance put in.

Additionally, the film slightly screws itself over with an unneeded fourth act/epilogue that carries on well after it reaches its satisfying and logical conclusion. The ending felt like it undid the one bit of narrative substance it earned with a supporting character in the back and, to say the least, left a bad taste in my mouth in how it treated Cecilia.

Inventively written and directed by Leigh Whannell, the high quality of The Invisible Man makes for a solid standalone monster movie with a promising future ahead of it. With bated breath, we’ll see.

Grade: B

70%

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.

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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.

Rhett and Link Entertain the Duke City

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By Nichole Harwood 

Self-proclaimed “Internetainers” Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal delivered their unique style of comedy to Albuquerque Wednesday, November 20th at the Kiva Auditorium. 

The dynamic comedy duo found their start as the creators and hosts of Good Mythical Morning, a popular YouTube series, before expanding and taking on other notable projects; including giving a home to the popular YouTube channel Smosh. The day after their performance in Albuquerque the comedians reached another milestone with the channel that started it all: Good Mythical Morning reached 16 million subscribers.  

The duo’s performance was opened by Neal’s cousin Britton Buchanan and runner-up of season 14 of the American talent competition The Voice. He performed an active and energetic musical segment before McLaughlin and Neal took to the stage. 

Once the two arrived on the stage the crowd cheered as they jumped into a popular song regarding the fragility of internet fame, even cracking jokes at their own expense. 

At the beginning of their performance, the two comedians introduced a plethora of new material covering Albuquerque, or rather “Albuquirky” as the duo referred to the Duke City. 

“There should be a t-shirt,” said Neal, with McLaughlin quickly agreeing stating the shirt should say, “Keep it Albuquirky.” 

It wasn’t long before the crowd’s laughter could be heard filling the auditorium as both McLaughlin and Neal launched into some of their experiences with Albuquerque, including a photo with one of Albuquerque’s statues. 

With the stage set after introductions McLaughlin and Neal began with familiar songs such as the “Nilla Wafer Top Hat Time Song” and “It’s My Belly Button,” performing them with several different props. 

Throughout the performance, both comedians engaged with a highly energetic crowd, even bringing a member of the audience on stage after scouring the crowd for an individual named Kyle. 

The audience responded enthusiastically to the engagement with the chosen audience member proving his authenticity as a man named Kyle by referring to his Monster Drink hat as the only proof he needed, earning an unexpected chuckle from the comedians themselves. 

The night’s performance reflected the popular duo’s roots from their YouTube channel well ranging from over-the-top to silly, as well as dabbling in adult and childish humor alike. 

As the end of their performance neared the two ended the night by thanking the crowd and reiterating what they love about live performances as opposed to their online YouTube presence. 

“There is sort of a different level of mythicality that we are able to experience when we are in the same physical space with a bunch of mythical beasts,” McLaughlin said. “The internet is awesome and we wouldn’t be here without that but there is just something about being together as a family and as a herd. We’re just humbled by you guys supporting us and the stupid things that we try. From eating testicles to writing novels.”

The crowd responded with cheers to McLaughlin; members of the crowd screaming their love for the duo. Neal followed up from his comedy partner’s words expressing his appreciation for all of their fan base. 

“We’re a part of your lives and it’s really an honor to hear that when life throws difficult circumstances and trials your way — we’re floored to hear that we’re part of your strength that helps to give you laughs and bring you through things,” Neal said. “We’re humbled by that. We always tell you to be your mythical best but we do want you to know that you inspire us to be our mythical best.” 
To learn more about the comedy duo Rhett and Link you can check them out on the YouTube channel that started it all: Good Mythical Morning or find them on Facebook or Instagram.

Jokes On You: A Review into DC’s The Joker

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By Calgary Maez

Since the summer blockbuster movies have now come to a close, films during the fall and winter months start to spread thin, leaving room for some Oscar-worthy films. Joker, directed by Todd Philips and starring Joaquin Phoenix as the clown-prince-of-crime, has entered the atmosphere as one of the most uncomfortable, well-shot masterpieces to hit the silver screen.

The film centers around Arthur Fleck; a starting up comedian that tries to find some sort of happiness in the dark, crime-ridden, decaying city that is Gotham. Even though it is a comic book origin film of one of the most popular DC villains, the film absolutely does not feel like one. 

Joaquin Phoenix has put his own unique twist on the famed villain and gives one of the best performances of his entire career. Todd Philips decided to go in a direction that is more of a case study of the character and shows his slow decent into madness. 

The film is definitely a slow burn. It’s not your typical action-packed, fast-paced action flick. The film wants you to take a journey through Arthur Fleck’s deranged mind and the pay-off towards the end is worth the journey. 

The cinematography of the film stands out spectacularly and is great with visual storytelling. It is also part of the reason why the film can also make you feel uncomfortable because it’s not afraid to shy away from those graphic images. 

Even though the film may be uncomfortable to watch, it leaves you with more burning questions after you walk out of the theater. You become engrossed with the realities that Arthur faces and are left questioning certain scenarios of the film. The incredible writing of the film keeps you on your toes and always guessing Arthur’s next move. 

Joker is a tremendous masterpiece in the art of filmmaking. Joaquin Phoenix delivers an outstanding performance and is one of the best Jokers to ever hit the big screen. The overall writing, directing, cinematography, and score leaves you feeling uncomfortable, yet hungry for more as you take a deep, psychological dive into the mind of Arthur Fleck who is born into Joker. 

Photo Courtesy of Indiewire.com

It Chapter Two Terrifies Audiences A Second Time

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By Calgary Maez

As if it wasn’t terrifying enough to watch a killer clown terrorize a group of kids in a small town, you can now watch them be terrorized as adults and deal with that trauma all over again. “IT Chapter Two” is the climactic film to Stephen King’s novel “IT” and pits the Loser’s club against Pennywise. 

The one challenge that presented itself was to find actors that could successfully portray the kids as adults. This is the films strongest piece because not only do the adults act exactly like their younger counterparts, but some even look like them! It’s impressive how well the actors perform in their roles, especially Bill Hader. The only one that felt slightly off was Jessica Chastain as Beverly Marsh. It’s not that she does a bad job — she is a phenomenal actress — but refer back to the first installment, Bev was a carefree, rebellious girl, which wasn’t translated to her adult character. This is especially true when you see the kids in certain flashback scenes. 

If you loved the first film, you’ll likely leave the theater satisfied once again. 

What makes “IT Chapter Two” unique as a horror film is the comedic relief that is sprinkled among the horror and scares. There are several hilarious moments throughout the film that were done very well. Even though it’s meant to be a horror film, the comedy lets you connect with the characters more and makes you root for them. 

It’s a breath of fresh air for the horror genre because the film doesn’t rely on the cliché horror tropes that are present in most blockbuster films. But when those horrific scenes play, they leave you on the edge of your seat. The film does a better job with its horror elements than the first film and makes you fear Pennywise even more. 

Without getting too much into spoiler territory, there are some decisions made by the filmmakers that didn’t work in the film. There were a couple of twists that didn’t pay off well, and even some that probably would have been best left out. While there are some minor gripes about the film, it makes you scratch your head a bit when really thinking about it and trying to make sense of it. Not only that, but the film feels too long with the run time coming in at 2 hours and 50 minutes. The first installment is one of those films where you can just pop it in and enjoy, but this one feels like you have to set some time aside and really be in the mood to watch. 

Overall, “It Chapter Two” is a solid sequel and good conclusion to the franchise. The film has amazing acting performances, hilarious comedic and horrific scenes, good visual effects and an overall decent conclusion. Some of the lackluster twists and the long run time holds the film back a bit, but if you were to watch both the first film and this one back to back, it would be a solid story to experience. 

Poster Courtesy of @ItChapterT_wo

Toy Story 4 a New Beginning for a New Generation

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By Calgary Maez

One of the most beloved Pixar franchises has returned this summer to bring a new adventure for the beloved band of toys. However, the ending of Toy Story 3 raises the question: Was a sequel really necessary?

In many ways, Toy Story 4 feels like a new beginning in the franchise. In the newest installment, Bonnie, the child from the third movie, has the toys she received from Andy, but ultimately she cares the most for the toy she made in school, named Forky. Woody sets out to protect the plastic cutlery so that he can continue to serve his purpose to make Bonnie happy. And that’s really what Toy Story 4 focuses: What is one’s purpose throughout life?

Characters, new and old, come together with empowering, positive messages for children, resonating with parents who grew up watching the original Toy Story.

Pixar is one of the best innovators when it comes to animation. The fabric on the toys have immaculate attention to detail, and there are scenes that look as if they were shot with real cameras and animation added in later. We’ve come a long way with technology and Toy Story 4 is a great achievement in the animated film genre.

However, the film doesn’t really stand out much as a Toy Story film. Yes, the original characters are there and Woody is the obvious star of the film, but they ultimately get left on the back burner with their screen time extremely limited. It was disappointing to see Buzz Lightyear getting that same treatment when him and Woody were such an iconic duo. In previous films, the original toys had a larger role to play by adding more to the story. 
The messages and overall plot of Toy Story 4 is great for all families to enjoy. The incredible animation is stunning to look at and the voice acting is spectacular. It would have been nice to see the original toys get more screen time, or even a scene like the first three films where they were getting played with like an over-the-top action movie. While it is a good Toy Story movie, it’s not particularly the most stand out film in the franchise as it feels a little more separated from the rest.

Poster Courtesy of movieweb.com


Spider-Man: Far From Home delivers a new twist to the Marvel Cinematic Universe

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By Calgary Maez

As the 23rd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Far From Home is one of the best films Marvel Studios has put out. It’s also one of the best Spider-Man films ever made with amazing storytelling, great acting from Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal, Samuel L. Jackson, and the rest of the cast.

Spider-Man: Far From Home picks up right where Avengers: Endgame left off. As Peter Parker has come home from helping to save the universe, a much-needed summer vacation with all of his friends is much needed. However, Nick Fury hijacks his vacation and has him team up with the mysterious Mysterio to help fight elemental beings.

Have you ever gone on vacation only to have the experience ruined by constant phone calls from work, pulling you away from your fun? Imagine being a high school teenager on summer vacation in Europe who happens to be The Amazing Spider-Man and has to save the world halfway across the globe.

What works so much in the film is the fantastic casting choice for the characters. Tom Holland is the perfect Spider-Man and gives the character so much heart that you can instantly relate to him. He tackles being a superhero while also wanting to be a normal teenager around his friends and trying to spend time with his high school crush, MJ. Spider-Man is one of those grounded superheroes who have this immense responsibility as a superhero but also want to lead a normal life. Tom Holland nails this perfectly and makes you really feel and sometimes relate with his character.

Jake Gyllenhaal also gives a phenomenal performance as Mysterio. This mysterious ally is one of the best newcomers to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and plays a fantastic role throughout the film. The costume designs for him and Spidey stand out the most as they make them look so much more comic book accurate on-screen. The visual effects for both characters stand out as well, especially for scenes with Mysterio. Visually, it’s one of the best looking Marvel films to date.

With action scenes and dynamic casting, the film is a beauty to view. Spider-Man: Far From Home is one summer blockbuster filled with twists and turns that you don’t want to miss.

Poster courtesy of IMDb.

John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum takes the Series to the Next Level

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By Calgary Maez

As the third film in the action-packed, gun slinging, over-the-top John Wick franchise, “John Wick 3: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” takes it up a notch and continues the story where “John Wick: Chapter 2” left off. The series is best known for its clever use of fighting, cinematography, and cast of characters that draw moviegoers in, begging for more. 


The premise of the first film was simple; one man takes his revenge on those who killed his dog and stole his car, killing anyone who got in his way. Now, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) has to fight for his life after he was pronounced “excomunicado” for killing his target on Continental grounds, which is one rule you cannot break within the assassins guild. A $14 million hit on his head forces him to fight for his life and seek help from an old ally, Sofia (Halle Berry). John travels the world in an attempt to clear his name and make peace with the High Table, the leaders of the assassins guild, as they wage war on him and all of his allies. 

What sets the John Wick films apart from other action flicks is the cinematography. Every location is usually dark, which works with John’s character as he is most commonly known as the Baba Yaga: The Boogeyman. He fights from the shadows and when he emerges, all of the action is presented right in front of you. No “shaky cam” or unnecessary jump cuts are used. The camera always focuses on John during his fight scenes with multiple uses of angles and movements to really make the action cinematic. The locations used also stand out, especially New York with its use of neon colors and vibrant lighting. 

What makes John Wick terrifying to his foes is that he never pulls his punches and shows no mercy. He uses an array of weaponry and mixed martial arts against his enemies and always goes for the kill shot. This is what sets him apart from other action heroes because he mows down groups of assassins and mercenaries and can take any hits they dish out. The dogs in the film also take part in the action this time around and are specifically trained to take down the bad guys so John can put them down for good. 

“John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum” is the perfect popcorn flick to be enjoyed with friends.  Reeves gives an amazing performance between his acting and doing most of his own stunts. He also works amazingly well with  Berry and together they bring a great new dynamic to the franchise. The film raises the bar with its great storytelling, amazing visuals, and cinematography, and of course, its outstanding action set pieces.

Poster courtesy of IMDb.


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