Trumbo (2015)

Frank King: Wanna keep me from hiring union? I'll go downtown, hire a bunch of winos and hookers. It doesn't matter. I make garbage! You wanna call me a pinko in the papers? Do it! None of the people that go to my fucking movies can read!

Dalton Trumbo: [Presenting his new script to the producers] Oh, one problem though.
Hymie King: Expensive?
Dalton Trumbo: Worse. It's good.

Dalton Trumbo: He's threatening to put my name on it.

Dalton Trumbo: Many questions can be answered ‘yes’ or ‘no’ only by a moron or a slave.

I'm going to push aside that the actual plot of Trumbo is substandard. Bio-pics often lack narrative structure, it can be part of their charm. If we fall in love with the performance, the character, the writing, and their overarching struggles, holes in structure, time continuity, and dramatic tension can be forgiven. And in the case of Trumbo, I forgive most of them.

Trumbo is really about underappreciated genius getting its due.. and both Dalton Trumbo and Bryan Cranston deserve serious consideration amongst the greats. My first introduction to Bryan Cranston was as the zany goofy dad with incredible back hair on Malcom in the Middle. Comedy is one of the highest forms of genius and Bryan Cranston has chops. I actually didn't know too much about Dalton Trumbo before seeing the film.  I knew he looked a little like Dr. Seuss in old age, smoked constantly, was related to communism, and wrote Roman Holiday. Thanks to this bio pic, now and I and hopefully many others know a lot more. To repecting true giants.

I'll take a moment to to go over the little things that I thought made Bryan Cranston's Trumbo magic.

• The voice
• consistent husckieness from tar build up is hard to replicate
• The effortless whiticisms
•  Writing a witty line is easy. Delivering a witty line and not making the audience hate you as a snob is hard. 
• The way one drinks and smokes
• In the film, Trumbo has a beverage in his hand most of the time and tobacco all of the times (like The Dude), and it is impressive to watch him subconsciously use these vices as an extension of his character. 
• The controlled look he projects when dealing with morons
• I've been told I do a poor job of masking my emotions when necessary. Bryan Cranston is a master of it. 
• Sheer genius
• The smartest man in the room, and he knows it. 

On a scale of a cracked facade to foundation mold, I give Trumbo 3.6 stars out of 5 stars.  

Dean O'Gorman please be in more things. 

The Danish Girl (2015)

"I've only liked a handful of people in my life and you've been two of them." -Hans Axgil

A beautiful and movingly melancholic masterpiece. The Danish Girl does not blur the lines of traditional gender roles and sexuality, it obliterates them. I would defy anyone to not empathize (at least a little) with the struggles of those outside of gender norms and those that love them after watching this film.  I also consider it a triumph of sorrowful film making.  Lots of films aim and succeed at productive happiness. Few films succeed at productive sadness. The Danish Girl is film that will not be forgotten.

I think the genius of The Danish Girl, beyond remarkable performances from Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander, is the use of color, texture, and landscape to create a palpable connection between the audience and the physical changes on screen. The velvets are rich and soft, the brocades are delicate and intricate, the oil paintings have depth, and the stockings are smooth and silky. This attention to detail sets The Danish Girl apart. In particular, the paintings of Lili and the Danish landscape set the film's sad tone.

I recommend everyone see The Danish Girl.

On a scale of Hot New Thing to Venerable Master, I give The Danish Girl 4.185 out of 5 stars.

Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)

Crane: Wings of surveillance!
Mantis: Why do you do that?
Crane: Do what?
Mantis: Just 'cause you say "wings of" before something, it doesn't mean that you're doing a special move. It's like me saying "antenna of power!" or "thorax of... making sandwiches!"
Crane: Wings of disagreement.

Kung Fu Panda 3 does not live up to the lofty expectations of its forebears. It lacks good story structure, brings in too many characters, and all together presents a sloppy visual spectacle. This is to say that KFP3 is ok, but now the series is just another mindless trilogy.

On more grown-up topic, after watching KFP3 I expressed my dismay to a friend who rounded on me for not only bashing a kids movie, but for holding the first two films in such high regard. Perhaps,  he's right? I am too hard on KFP3. My review stands, but it turns out that 2-and-a-half decades of experience with children's movies and reviewing on this blog has left my soul juvenile, but with decidedly un-childlike tastes. I am no more fit to pass final judgement than to teach a high schooler how to use ''the Snapchat".

The most interesting comparison I can make is that of KFP3 to Return of the Jedi. In my comparison, Oogway is Obi-wan, Kai is Darth Vader, and the new panda villagers are Ewoks. The similarities are striking. With the final battle utilizing the inner skills of each panda to take down an overwhelming force. Couple this with the semi-confusing, but beautiful, battle between positive and negative chi forces in the spirit world and we have ourselves a reasonably solid reading between the two films.

I generally, don't delve into the morals that a particular film may try to impress on the audience, but in this case I will. I thought the moral take away for children was that each of you has the power to be great at anything by staying true to yourself and working hard. -pretty standard message. With practice, teamwork, and the application of selfless love, anything is possible.  However, upon deeper reflection, the entire KFP series has some pretty serious connections to Nietzsche's theories of the uber-man. Obey your master! There is but one Dragon Warrior who will lead us all to fulfillment. Should kid's movies really be touting a story where one flawed hero has innate skills and talents that make him a cut above the rest? The more I think about it, lots of films use this same structure.  Is it just easy storytelling or a conscious decision on the part the writers?

On a scale of mortal realm to the mortal coil, I give Kung Fu Panda 3 2.58 out of 5 stars.

The Big Short (2015)

Mark Baum: I don't get it. Why are they confessing?
Danny Moses: They aren't confessing.
Porter Collins: They're bragging.

It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so. -Mark Twain

In a very strange equal parted mix of self (loathing, pity, and assuredness) a brash movie was made with no discernible plot, catharsis, or entertainment value; ostensibly released in the name of education. I give you The Big Short.

I have a background in education. I consider myself well versed in the power and limits of edutainment. Convince people they are not learning, and magically they do. So, I am baffled by The Big Short. The goal of edutainment is the same as a great con. The student is the mark. The mark has to think the idea is theirs. If the mark senses that an outside force manipulated and originated the idea, they resist. They learn nothing (mostly on purpose) and feel great about putting one over on The Man.

The Big Short takes the opposite approach. It brazenly attempts to forcefully educate its marks with glitzy stars and bubble covered women that speak at them. There is no discovery. New thoughts all originate from the source material. Thus, in a reactionary stupor, I defiantly learned very little and felt great about it.

But, I don't think that was the point. I think I was supposed to go home having taken in new information and critically look at the systems in place around us.  If that was the goal, EPIC FAIL. If it wasn't the goal, why make The Big Short?

In conclusion, should you wish to wallow in post-modern self-glorifying decay, The Big Short is for you.

I await the 3 part Ken Burns special on the 2007-8 financial crisis that will come out in 2040.

On a scale of introductory rate to balloon payment, I give The Big Short 2.43 out of 5 stars.

*The acting across the board in the film is first rate.