Vice (2018)

"What do we believe?" -Dick Cheney

In sort of a strange tribute to nihilism, Adam McKay created a bracing portrait of Dick Cheney.  And its utter garbage.  And that's the point. So, well done......? But, also....No, No, No, No, No, This absurdist farce is like gum from one's shoe on the wall at the MET. And thus, as a film, I think it fails utterly.  As a bold faced critique of current American reality, I expect film schools in 20 years (if those will even exist...) will consider VICE iconic.

I especially hated the Shakespeare bit. I think audiences members like me were supposed to.

Christian Bale is ridiculous as Dick Cheney. But so much so that I forget to laud him...which makes the transformation more complete.  Unfortunately,  he also submerges the performance to the goals of the film, it is ultimately forgettable.

1.6 out 5 stars.

What will future historians think of us?

The Imitation Game (2014)

Alan Turing: Do you know why people like violence? It is because it feels good. Humans find violence deeply satisfying. but remove the satisfaction, and the act becomes... hollow.

It's not often that I compliment a film on its theatrical choices when attempting to adapt a (generally perceived) boring subject. My standard is that if one sacrifices the true essence of the technical elements, the challenges, the math, the fundamental forces that must be overcome by our heroes for the sake of a stupid audience, then the adapted script is a failure. In that, I would prefer subject matter expertise and in depth points motivations over easily digestible visuals.  I understand this makes me a minority.

But, The Imitation Game succeeds where many many films fall flat. Yes, the story is ahistorical for the purposes of drive, emotion, conflict, simplicity, watchability, etc. (and if you are one of those people who delight in pointing out historical inaccuracies; I don't. Here is the wiki page with a complete section for all you completionists. It's a drama, feel free to watch a documentary or read.)

What I loved was the attention to the details that matter. 

1. Charles Dance plays perfectly the beuqacratic/military insistence on results, progress, order, time-tables, always always risk adverse. This has always been a critique of government, military, and business thinking in times of crisis. The Imitation Game never looses a moment to remind the audience that results are expected.
2. That scene where they realize they can't tell anyone.  What a horrifying position to be in where you know all, but if you tell or act like you do, everything changes? It changes every encounter from random interaction in the fog of war, to a known sacrifice. 
3. The characters breakdown of the scale. It's on the order of 150.7 trillion combinations to break ENIGMA.  So...how would you solve it each day? As fast as possible? And it changes at 5am daily.

4.0 out of 5 stars.

The Accountant (2016)

Dana Cummings: What do you have to hit to dent a steel thermos?

Ummmmm what...? Too many concepts man.  and then the reveal at the end. Just way too much going on. Oh and the motivations of everyone are unclear. 

Each idea could have been a serviceable movie....but together it's just a jumble of blerghhh

Movie 1: The FBI is on the hunt for an accountant to the world's villains.  -Just that. Works.

Movie 2: Two brothers are brutalized by their father into viscous mercenaries. One has an ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). They are separated and then face off years later in Spy vs Spy scenario.  -again works. 

Movie 3: New Accountant at a firm unearths financial shenanigans in prep for public offering. The management responds with deadly force.

Movie 4: Accountant to the world's villains has had enough and turns the table since he/she knows their secrets and sins. 

So yeah...The Accountant fails to accomplish any of the above, and thus isn't really worth watching in comparison to innumerable shoot em ups, action films, and thrillers. 

2.1 out of 5 stars. 

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

*Spoilers*

"What's a Leerie?!" -Jack

"The cover is not the book." -Mary Poppins

As an unnatural optimist, I obviously enjoy the original Mary Poppins quite a bit. I can sing many of the songs verbatim, and to borrow Kondo-san's phrase..it sparks joy for me.

"And you'll receive that sense of stature -as your affluence expands.  To that high financial strata -that established credit now commands." 

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Mary Poppins Returns. I merely made me happy for a little over an hour. That's not bad. Many movies just make me upset at humanity. But, MPR's ignition of joy simply failed to conflagrate.

-The formulaic, glue-like adherence to the structure of the original made the whole worse.
-The songs were mostly asymmetric and thus not as high quality ear worms.
-I kept thinking the leeries were doing a pole dance.....which they were.
-If you are a fan of true and authentic accents...close your ears.
-I totally get that Lin Manuel CAN rap. I just don't think he had to in a Mary Poppins.
-Jack and Jane was completely forced and devoid of love.
-I just think it was written by committee to try and have something for everyone...which meant it fully satisfied no one.

On the positive
-Dick Van Dyke can still tap dance.
-Angela Lansbury can still sing.
-Ben Whishaw made me cry with the song "A conversation"
-If you appreciate the truly authentically made up accent...then Lin Manuel continues the tradition.
-I like Emily Blunt's curt portrayal of Mary Poppins.  Meaner is better.

3.5 out of 5

If you are need of a pick-me-up.  I suggest it.

Our Brand is Crisis (2015)

Jane: If you should feel emotion, could you just turn towards the camera?

Pat Candy:
You know, when Adlai Stevenson was running for president A woman came into him on a rally one night and said, "Every thinking person will be voting for you." Stevenson said "Ma'am, that's not enough. I need a majority."

If you are already jaded towards politics, or have been paying attention politically in the last 5 years, I don't recommend Our Brand is Crisis. If you are still capable of belief in the system, I recommend that you stay that way and don't watch Our Brand is Crisis.

As a jaded individual, I learned nothing new and achieved no epiphany of conviction or status from OBiC.  It was a nothing. Perhaps that was the point? If that was the point, why was the movie made? It had capable stars, a reasonable script, quick dialogue, a charlatan message, and I laughed at maybe 1-2 points. So why did I feel so...blergh about it?

My answer came in the realization that I watched OBiC in the fall of 2018.  It came out in 2015. In 3 years the shelf-life and meaning of OBiC has been rendered moot by actual national and global politics.

My advice is watch the news. You will both laugh and cry a lot more.

2.9 out of 5 stars. 

Quincy (2018)

"Melody is king, and don't you ever forget it. Lyrics appear to be out front, but they're not; they're just an accompanying factor. If they're good, you're really in good shape. Lyrics are written to be rewritten." -Quincy Jones

What a strange meta-documentary?  Half is self-serving subjectivism of the subject. Quincy Jones is in control of Quincy Jones's bio-documentary. The other half is under the control of Rashida Jones, his daughter. My read was that she wanted to capture her father on tape for posterity and as a sort of living mirror.  Quincy is slowing down, and here is her chance to have him comes to terms with that. 

So I am unsure what to believe as truth in Quincy. Q likes Q to be positive. Rashida is reticent to unvarnish his reputation, -in terms of the music. The only thing I take as truth is the timeline. If you were looking for a biographic documentary that is overwhelmed by the near Ceaser-esque productivity of its subject, look no further.  I firmly believe that Quincy Jones was/is a tremendous musician, composer, and performer. It's like 2 hours of hearing "ohhhh he wrote that, too!" from everyone  watching.   Hats off to Q and his ridiculous quantity of successes. 

The one part of the film that seemed wildly, if not stagedly, honest were the sections on the family regrets of Quincy.  It's difficult not too feel that somethings are left unsaid, but that to give so much time to his failings as a husband and how his need to work overwhelmed his children is a rather wrenching decision. 

On the whole I recommend Quincy. Enjoy the music and the history lesson. Be changed by his life lessons. 

3.6 out of 5 stars.