Elvis

Elvis Presley has been an indelible icon for decades even since his death on August 16, 1977. There have been a number of films he starred in as well as films created as biopics on the legendary singer, "Elvis" '79, a TV movie and "Elvis" '05. So it was certainly a pleasure to see another biopic appropriately titled, yes you guessed it, "Elvis" whereas it truly digs even deeper than its predecessors in dissecting the man, the singer and the icon. 

This film explores the life and music of Elvis Aaron Presley (Austin Butler), seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley's rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving culture landscape--both Bobby Kennedy's and Martin Luther King's assassinations, and the growing loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis's life, his wife Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge). 

Others to round out the cast are Helen Thomson as Gladys, Richard Roxburgh as Vernon, Kelvin Harrison Jr, as B.B. King, David Wenham as Hank Snow, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Jimmie Rodgers Snow, Luke Bracey as Jerry Schilling, Dacre Montgomery as Steve Binder, Leon Ford as Tom Diskin, Natasha Bassett as Dixie Locke and Gary Clark Jr. as Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup. 

This was delineated with expertise by director Baz Luhrmann ("Strictly Ballroom" '92, "Romeo + Juliet" '96, "Moulin Rouge!" '01, "Australia" '08, "The Great Gatsby" '13) plus TV, shorts and a video short. What this filmmaker was able to extract from his actors, specifically Butler and Hanks was simply genius. Surely Hanks is a consummate actor, however Butler is certainly newer to feature films and Luhrmann was incredible with guiding this actor to 'own' the character of Elvis. Considering how long Luhrmann has been directing, he doesn't have quite the lengthy resume, however, where he is limited in number of films, he more than makes up for quality. It was effectively written by Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce and Jeremy Doner, based on the story by Luhrmann and Doner. Luhrmann clearly has the lion's share of the experience here and, although the other writers have feature film experience, it is still somewhat limited, and that aspect does come out in this film. It was conveyed as a series of flashbacks by Parker, however, there were places where Presley was also interjecting situations that obviously pertained to him. Considering how often the flashbacks were going back and forth, the script was still able to allow the audience to understand the characters involved, especially Presley. However, there were a couple of places where the story seemed a bit confusing in the connection of scenes, but they were minimal. The story certainly obtained issues that is your basic common knowledge, but there were clearly places that I didn't realize nor most other people probably didn't know. Tom Hanks was his usual consummate (just look at his resume), but where did they find this Austin Butler. He encapsulated the very essence of the the icon of Presley in spades!. Could he see a nomination come Oscar time? Not sure, but it wouldn't surprise me. 

If you're an Elvis fan, you'll love this, and even if you're not, this has so much more that just seeing Elvis sing. The acting and directing of this was amazing and even though it was about 2 hours and 40 minutes, it sped right along. I can't believe that this would necessarily be needed to be seen in IMAX, but if you want that up, close and personal feeling, you'll be able to feel like you're right there with Elvis.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                             Rated: PG-13                                         159mins.

Lightyear

With Pixar Animation Studios' inception of "Toy Story" back in 1995, we have all seen a new way to view animated films. However, because the computer generated films have been so aplenty, we have that tendency to not be as awed by them, hence their newest "Lightyear". Based on Toy Story's birthday gift for Andy, Buzz Lightyear, we see in this the background of this space commander. 

Legendary space ranger Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) embarks on an intergalactic adventure alongside ambitious recruits Izzy Hawthorne (Keke Palmer), Mo Morrison (Taika Waititi), Darby Steel (Dale Soules) and a feline robot SOX Peter Sohn). As this motley crew tackles their toughest mission yet, they must learn to work together as a team to escape the evil Zurg (James Brolin) and his dutiful robot army that are after a fuel source that Buzz has. It seems that every time Buzz and the crew attempt to conquer Zurg and escape, Zurg and company are never far behind. 

Others to round out the cast are Uzo Aduba as Alisha Hawthorne, Mary McDonald-Lewis as I.V.A.N., Isiah Whitlock, Jr. as Commander Burnside, Angus MacLane as Eric, Bill Hader as Featheringhamstan, Efren Ramirez as Airman Diaz and Keira Hairston as young Izzy.

This was effectively directed by Angus MacLane ("Finding Dory" (co-dir.) '16) plus shorts. Certainly this filmmaker has very limited experience in the director's chair, however, what he lacks there, he more than makes up for with working in the animation departments on many films for many years. He clearly honed his talent working with so many directors being in the animation side of films. He will surely receive more work because of this. It was paced and staged in its writing by writers Jason Headley ("A Bad Idea Gone Wrong" '17, "Onward" '20) plus shorts and MacLane (shorts), based on a story by MacLane, Matthew Aldrich and Headley, which is based on characters created by John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton and Joe Ranft. It would've been wise for Pixar to hire some of their past writers who were able to create such inventive plot stories, but with the writers used, the screenplays weren't bad, but not expressly inventive or original. Plus, there were a couple of places where the storyline was a bit slow. And, I'm not sure why they decided to make Alisha Hawthorne a lesbian with a partner, and, of course, had the controversial kiss, but whether she was gay or straight, it didn't seem to matter. I guess since the film was rated PG and it was obviously geared to ward young children, I guess I just had a bit of a problem. If it was rated PG-13 and garnered a target audience of a somewhat old demographic, I probably wouldn't have nearly an issue with it. Even without the infamous kiss, this was definitely not one of Pixar's best efforts. The animation by Presto was its usual consummate, but the writing wasn't their usual spot on. 

If you like Pixar, and more importantly Buzz Lightyear, you'll love this. It does leave its audience with the possibility of a sequel, but I'm sure that has everything to do with how much profit this film pulls in. Remember, Disney, who owns Pixar, are the marketers of the planet. If you like that up, close and personal feeling, it's also presented in an IMAX format as well. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                               Rated: PG                                                     105mins.

Crimes of the Future

We've seen many films that have surrounded us with the premise of 'in the near or distant future', and what we receive is typically a dark inside look at what the future will bring. Maybe it's to teach us a lesson of how we can live today so as to have a brighter future--not sure. But, suffice it to say, this is the way they're portrayed, and this is how "Crimes of the Future" is laid out.

As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. With his partner Caprice (Lea Seydoux), Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), celebrity performance artist, publicity showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed through Lang Dotrice (Scott Speedman)... Their mission--to use Saul's notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution. 

Others to round out the cast are Don McKellar as Wippet, Welket Bungue as Detective Cope, Tanaya Beatty as Berst, Nadia Latz as Router and Denise Capezza as Odile. 

This was directed with the precision one would expect from veteran, David Cronenberg ("Crimes of the Future" '70, "Shivers" '75, "Rabid" '77, "Fast Company" '79, "Scanners" '81, "Videodrome" '83, "The Fly" '86, "Dead Ringers" '88, "M. Butterfly" '93, "Crash" '96, "Spider" '02, "A History of Violence" '05, "Eastern Promises" '07, "Cosmopolis" '12) plus others, TV, TV movies and shorts. Although Cronenberg's directing is typically riveting, his expertise in this film lacked to a degree. The performances seemed a bit stiff and forced, even though having fine actors like Mortensen and Stewart. It wasn't awful directing, just a bit stiff in some places. It was also written by Cronenberg (see above resume, except "Spider", "A History of Violence" and "Eastern Promises"). This is where the brunt of the issues with this film lies. First of all, this premise, although had promise, simply put the 'B' in bizarre. What started as a somewhat interesting story basically ended up being about a society whereas people evolved enjoying sex through certain surgical procedures including blood-letting. Certain people were inadvertently growing unnatural body parts, and in attempting to rid of them, the procedure was performed in front of people and certain people were finding the act exhilarating. How the different parts were able to be created in the first place, the story ultimately explains--be patient. Secondly, the script does have a tendency to meander and seems a bit disjointed. This really surprised me considering Cronenberg is quite the veteran whether in the writing or directing realm. Bad day at the laptop-- not sure, but suffice it to say, this was very tough to sit through. Was it a total wash. No, both Mortensen and Stewart gave their, as usual, riveting performances--ones' most people come to expect. This wasn't the first film collaboration between Cronenberg and Mortensen--the others being "A History of Violence" and "Eastern Promises", but with that, I guess I expected more. Usually Cronenberg's work is odd, but usually executed well, and with that, if you like his work, his "Shrouds"is in pre production. 

In closing, this certainly is not for the mass audience appeal, as with most other Cronenberg vehicles, but if you're into totally bizarre, weird stories from independent companies, you'll like this. The gratuitousness with this--name the category, was simply incredible. It almost appeared as though Cronenberg was attempting to create a premise that was purposely as gratuitous as he could. Not sure, but if you're curious about this, it would certainly be cheaper to Netflix or rent this when available. 

Out of 4 Stars: 1                                     Rated: R                                                 98mins.

Jurassic World: Dominion

Ever since the 'Jurassic' franchise started with "Jurassic Park" back in 1993, I felt it was an awesome film, but certainly one that wouldn't have lasted 29 years. Each films' dinosaurs only got bigger and badder than its predecessor, which kept its audiences coming back time and again. With its supposed conclusion, we have "Jurassic World: Dominion", which could be its conclusion depending on how much money it pulls in. 

This summer, experience the epic conclusion to the Jurassic era as two generations unite for the first time. Chris Pratt as Owen Grady and Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire Dearing are joined by Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler, Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm and Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant in "Jurassic World: Dominion", a bold, timely and breathtaking new adventure that spans the globe, this story takes place 4 years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed by a volcano. Dinosaurs now live--and hunt--alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history's most fearsome creatures. 

Others to round out the cast are DeWanda Wise as Kayla Watts, Mamoudou Athie as Ramsay Cole, Isabella Sermon as Maisie Lockwood, Campbell Scott as Lewis Dodgson, BD Wong as Dr. Henry Wu, Omar Sy as Barry Sembeme, Justice Smith as Franklin Webb, Daniella Pineda as Dr. Zia Rodriguez and Scott Haze as Rainn Delacourt.

This was directed with a one two punch in an action-packed premise by Colin Trevorrow ("Reality Show" (documentary) '04, "Safety Not Guaranteed" '12, "Jurassic World" '15, "The Book of Henry" '17) plus shorts and a TV short. Trevorrow has certainly been an amazing addition to the 'Jurassic' franchise--considering that he also directed "Jurassic World" '15 and this installment. It should be no surprise that while "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" wasn't as effective as the other two 'world' films, it was also not directed by Trevorrow. It was written skillfully by Emily Carmichael ("Pacific Rim: Uprising" '18) plus TV and a plethora of shorts, and Trevorrow(" Making Revolution" '03, "Reality Show" (documentary) '04, "Jurassic World" '15, "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" '18, "Star Wars: Episode IX--The Rise of Skywalker" (story) '19) plus TV and shorts, based on a story by Derek Connolly and Trevorrow, which is based on characters created by Michael Crichton. This was a nice addition to the franchise which they say is the conclusion of the franchise, but as I stated prior, it will be unless it rakes in the bucks, then I'm sure Universal will change their mind. So, my guess, look out for another one since this will make tons of profit. It was left open-ended so it could go either way, so we'll see. Other than a couple of small places where the story seemed to meander just a bit, this story and premise simply was enjoyable and ties up the story nicely if it ends up going that route. It ran for just shy of two and a half hours, and it moved right along, so certainly it is worthy of the price of admission. The visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) and Double Negative were effective as they also enhanced the story. Not only was it a hoot to see the original cast from "Jurassic Park" in this to add to the nostalgia, but there were also certain scenes that were reminiscent of the original film that was a homage and was clever to insert them in. 

If you're a Jurassic aficionado, like I am, you'll love this next, and maybe last installment. It simply pulls out all the stops in dinosaur overload. I had to see this in IMAX to get that experience of being in the midst of all these dinosaurs and it was awesome! In this day and age of how many issues this country has, this, being pure escapism, is the perfect vehicle to just go to the theater and go to another place with different people on that screen and be able to escape into it. Grab the popcorn and enjoy. I sure did! 

Out of 4 stars: 3.5                                         Rated: PG-13                                              148mins.

Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story

Documentaries are probably one of my favorite genres that Hollywood produces, and therefore I revel with most of them that I see. From "Fed Up" to "The Corporation", from "Murderball" to "Won't You Be My Neighbor", from "Life Itself" to "The Jesus Music", we've seen many films that document a vast array of topics typically in the vein of teaching us something worthwhile. Well, now we have in the offing "Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story" to sink our teeth into.

This documentary weaves together live performances and interviews from the 50th anniversary of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, George Wein's brainchild back in 1971. This is the signature annual music and cultural event of the city with hundreds of thousands of attendees each year. The N.O. "Jazz Fest" celebrates the music, food, people, arts & crafts, and culture of all of Louisiana since 1970, and is an essential showcase of the rich heritage of the region. The film, shot at the 2019 Fest, features local music heroes joined on 14 stages by some of the biggest names in the music industry, and a wealth of archival documentary footage from the past half century. Among the 50 plus featured performers are Jimmy Buffett, Pitbull, Bruce Springsteen, Katy Perry, Aaron Neville, The Marsalis Family, Earth, Wind & Fire, Irma Thomas, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Samantha Fish, Herbie Hancock, Al Green, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Mardi Gras Indians, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Tom Jones, Gary Clark Jr, and many others. This film not only captures the Festival in all of its beauty and glory, but also delves deep into the rich culture of The Big Easy. 

This was delineated superbly by directors Frank Marshal ("The Making of 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' (TV movie, documentary)" '85, "Arachnophobia" '90, "Alive" '93, "Congo" '95, "Eight Below" '06, "The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" (documentary) '20, Carole King & James Taylor: Just Call Out My Name" (documentary) plus TV and shorts, and Ryan Suffern ("Out & Around" (documentary) '15, "Finding Oscar" (documentary) '16) plus TV and documentary shorts. With the plethora of archival footage and interviews in which this 90 minute plus film held, it truly was imperative to have two directors behind the camera. It was simply sequenced well and flowed like water in its cohesiveness and exhaustive research. For the same reason that two directors were needed, the same goes for the need for three cinematographers: Mike Parry, Justin Kane and Boyd Hobbs. Again, with all the interviews and the setting up for them, it had to be a logistic nightmare. And the real star here is the amazing editor, Martin Singer ace. The backbreaking effort of editing all the interviews in the strategical places with the archival footage must've been exhaustive at best, and this editor pulled it off in spades. This story covered not only the Fest, but so many events that occurred during this 50 year period, such as 2005's Katrina hurricane, history of the city, about the swamp people, and so much about the culture of the people and how, in spite of trials, they band together and help each other as a people. One thing I learned was that there is two distinct bayou music: cajun music, which is mostly comprised of white people, and zydeco music, which is mostly comprised of black people, whereas it is definitely an over-the-top version of the cajun music. This is a film that all should see, whether documentaries are your liking or not, because once you leave the theater, the power of the film simply stays with you.

This documentary is, like so many other documentaries, an exhaustive expose of not only the history of the Jazz Fest, but how it is such a need to bring people together which music can and has done. And in a world where we seem to live in the divided states of America instead of the united states of America, we can use a film like this more than ever. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                          Rated: PG-13                                        95mins.