Movies
Christopher Robin
Rating: 4/5 Stars
As a whole, I have not enjoyed the Disney remakes. The best ones have been mediocre at best ("Jungle Book" only slightly rises above mediocre due to the good child lead performance and eye popping CGI) and the bad ones have been very painful ("Beauty and the Beast" has become one of my least favorite movies in recent memory. I was WAY too generous to it in my original review). So, I didn't put my hopes up too high for "Christopher Robin". But, I was relatively more optimistic towards it. I was happy to see Ewan McGregor getting a lead role, as I've always found him to be a charming and very underrated actor. Plus, the trailers seemed to not be trying to nostalgia bait (the same definitely couldn't be said for something like "Cinderella", whose trailer had several obvious visual callbacks to the original film). I decided that I did want to see this film, but I would go into it with low expectations. It turns out that my caution for this film was almost entirely unfounded. "Christopher Robin" is an excellent movie, and it's easily the best Disney remake to date. Director Marc Forster does an excellent job at recapturing the essence of Winnie the Pooh and friends, as well as Christopher himself. Something that surprised me about this film is that it's not really meant for children. Sure, children will have fun seeing a stuffed Pooh on screen. But the thematic through line of the need for us to regain a childlike sense of self in the face of the harsh world is not something kids are going to get. That doesn't mean all kids won't get this movie; in fact I'm sure some clever ones will see what the film is going for. I just appreciate that this movie isn't talking down to anyone. Ewan McGregor as the titular character is even better than I thought he would be. I loved following him; even in the midst of his flaws, McGregor made the audience entirely understand and sympathize with what his character was going through. It was a delight to hear Jim Cummings coming back to voice both Pooh and Tigger. I got emotional hearing both of their voices again, because they were such a big part of my childhood. Brad Garrett can often be gut-wrenchingly hilarious as Eeyore. He has some of the most memorable moments in the film. I think some might complain that Mark Gatiss is almost too over the top as the corrupt businessman Giles. However, I could tell that he was enjoying himself, and he makes for a cleverly satirical take on business CEOs. If there were any issues with this film, for me it might actually be the beginning montage scene that shows Christopher Robin growing up. I understand that the film would've been much too long if they had shown every part of him becoming an adult. But it all still felt a little quick. I feel like focusing on an event like him being involved in the war would've been good enough to show the audience how Robin lost his innocence. Also, there is a mid-point in this movie where things slow down maybe a little too much. But, that's not a big deal to me, as I like that this movie takes its time, much like Winnie the Pooh. I can't believe I'm recommending a Disney remake, but compared to the others, this one is in a tier of its own. You need to see this.
Unsane
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
I appreciate that we are living in an age of horror where many directors are actually taking risks in the way they approach this genre. Steven Soderbergh definitely had something unique in mind with "Unsane"- he decided to film the movie entirely on the iPhone. It's crazy to think that a phone could actually have the same quality as professional cameras. And I will say this: you can tell that Soderbergh filmed with a phone. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it creates a unique, cramped atmosphere that works excellently for protagonist Sawyer's descent into "insanity". There are a lot of close up shots, weird angles, cramped spaces, etc. It works quite well. It doesn't ever feel like the camera quality is that of a phone, just that the camera has different capabilities. Having so much unique cinematography makes the horror in this film very much so a viscerally visual experience. It almost feels like found footage, and yet not found footage at the same time. The film boasts several great performances. Claire Foy is excellent as Sawyer. She puts on a surprisingly believable New York accent. She is British in real life, but there weren't really any points in this film where her actual accent prominently came out. I like how she subtly reveals the insecurities and fears this character has, and how Sawyer eventually uses those fears to her advantage. Foy plays her character as someone who is always intensely looking for a way out of her situation. There are many horror films out there where the main characters are passive in the situations they're placed into, but not her. I also enjoyed Jay Pharaoh as Nate. He brought some much needed comedic relief. However, I feel as though Josh Leonard as Sawyer's sexual abuser David is laughably bad in his performance. I didn't feel a whole lot of fear once his character actually began to talk (he was more frightening when he was just giving disconcerting looks towards Sawyer). I also think the ending of this film is just way too abrupt. It just sort of ends randomly. Still, there's interesting innovation and a great lead performance here, so that makes this movie worth at least one watch. Go check it out!
Revenge
Rating: 2/5 Stars
I've been very interested to see this film ever since it got rather significant critical acclaim. Critics have said that this movie puts a powerful feminist spin within the exploitation genre, and that the violence only served to make this film more enjoyable. I am very picky when it comes to watching gore heavy films. I feel like the gore has to serve some sort of purpose. The first "Saw" is an example of a film that knew exactly how to utilize gore. This movie is not. It feels like it's being excessive just for the purpose of being excessive. Now, I won't deny that Matilda Lutz is really good in the lead role. She doesn't speak too much throughout the film, and yet you can feel the strength, power, and menace that slowly begins to overtake her. The three male performers are all a little too over the top for my taste, though. I get that they're all supposed to embody different forms of toxic masculinity. But this film doesn't really have a satirical edge to it, so them playing their characters so over the top doesn't feel fitting. This is especially true in comparison to the subtelty and nuance Lutz brings to the screen. The violence in this movie is just way too much. There are some moments in here that are unreasonably sickening, and feel like they're present just to be torture porn. Some of the violence in the film furthers the story, but most of it does not. It feels like too much is going on all the time. Director Coralie Fargeat is trying so many different ideas, and while I appreciate the riskiness in some of them, most of them don't hit. I generally don't like this movie, but maybe Fargeat will give us something better in the future.
Music
"Bloom" by Troye Sivan
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
YouTuber turned mainstream music star Troye Sivan is back with his sophomore effort. I've only been mildly familiar of Troye as a Youtuber. I never watched his videos, but I know that he has a dedicated fan base that have certainly followed him into his music career. Not many YouTube careers become super successful, but Troye is one of the most significant examples of the opposite case. He's exploded into public conversation. He's also known for being outspokenly gay and an advocate for the LGBT community. These are both factors that influence a lot of his relationship-based tracks on "Bloom". I have found myself being hooked on this release, especially with some individual tracks. "Seventeen" is the darkest yet most poignant moment in this album, as Troye is very honest about mistakes he made as a teenager. I like how he's warning his young fanbase to be careful to not make the same mistakes he did. Sivan's vocals throughout most of this album are really good, and they shine in this track. I also really enjoy lead single "My My My!", which is upbeat in a unique way. It doesn't have overbearing synth work; rather the electronic elements quietly meld together to make something that has a natural charm to it. I can see why this one has had such success on Billboard. My favorite track comes in "Dance To This", which I haven't been able to stop listening to. Sivan and Ariana Grande are great vocal matches for one another, as they have similar vocal styles. Their chemistry here creates a pretty much unmatched dance/pop masterpiece for 2018. This is easily my favorite pop song of the year so far, as the chorus refuses to get out of my head. I also enjoy the atmospheric cut "Animal", the heartbreaking "Postcard", and the rather beautiful cut "The Good Side". The second half of this release can suffer from being a bit too forgetful. While I wouldn't say any of the tracks on this album are bad, songs like "Plum", "What a Heavenly Way to Die", and "Lucky Strike" don't leave a lasting impression. Still, this is a great pop album, probably one of the best pop releases I've heard in 2018. I'd recommend it!
Favorite Songs: "Dance To This", "Seventeen", "My My My!", "Animal", "Postcard"
Least Favorite Songs: "Lucky Strike", "What a Heavenly Way to Die", "Plum"
"Neon" by Erra
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Whenever Erra announces that a new album is on the way, I'm always very excited. They are one of the most innovative and interesting bands within their genre. They could've very easily stuck with their sound on "Augment", as so many fans (including myself) thought they perfected their sound on that release. Much to the chagrin of many fans, the band went on to heavily experiment with "Drift". I actually liked the change, as it kept their unpredictability in tact. While that album wasn't as good as "Augment", it still had some of Erra's best individual songs on it. "Neon" is not a bad follow-up at all to "Drift", even if it isn't as strong. Erra keep some of the experimentation of the aforementioned release in tact, but also go somewhat back to their roots. This album opens excellently on "Breach", one of my favorite songs by Erra, and one of my favorite tracks of 2018. I got the biggest smile on my face when I heard Jesse Cash's iconic cleans, which as always, are pitch perfect. The guitar work in this song is so different for the band; in fact, this song is the most different sounding for Erra. The rest of the album is somewhat standard fare as it combines the sounds of "Drift" and "Augment", which is mostly not a bad thing. "Monolith" has become a quick fan favorite, and I can understand why. It has a raw intensity to it, and the chorus is criminally catchy. There's a great shredding guitar solo as well. "Signal Fire" and "Valhalla" should please fans who were wanting more of Erra's "White Noise" sound, as I feel both songs adhere back to that time. I particularly enjoy "Signal Fire" for some of its more rocking tendencies. The album ends out excellently with "Ultimata" and "Unify", two tracks that are epic in their own way ("Ultimata" in particular blew me away). As far as negatives go, the middle section of this album sees the band becoming a bit too comfortable with their sound. Lead single "Disarray" really went down for me in regards to my opinion of it. It's not a bad song, but it definitely doesn't pack the punch that something like "Luminesce" did. I also feel like "Ghost of Nothing" and "Hyperreality" don't do much to stand out. There is so much to enjoy on this album, though. Even when Erra are not at their strongest, they still crank out music that is better than a lot of their progressive metalcore peers.
Favorite Songs: "Breach", "Ultimata", "Monolith", "Signal Fire", "Valhalla"
Least Favorite Songs: "Disarray", "Ghost of Nothing", "Hyperreality"
"Kamikaze" by Eminem
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Well renowned rapper/emcee Eminem really saw himself falling from grace with the release of his album "Revival" last year. It was, for the most part, panned by critics and hated by his audience. I haven't been the biggest Eminem fan, but I have a respect for him. However, when I heard "Revival", my first reaction was "this is trash". I only listened through it two times, and haven't returned to it since. It would've made my worst albums of 2017 list if it hadn't been released so late in the year. Just last week, Em released the surprise album "Kamikaze", which is meant to be a sort of response to how people felt about "Revival". He also goes in on a lot of different modern-day rappers. There are certainly some good moments on this album. "Lucky You" is legitimately awesome. Featured rapper Joyner Lucas and Eminem both spit some absolutely ferocious bars over a great beat. Eminem raps incredibly fast in one section that just left my mouth hanging open. "The Ringer" and "Greatest" are both hype tracks as well, and they prove that Eminem is not going to be backing down any time soon. I don't always like it when rappers flex, but Eminem's confidence is so convincing that I can hardly fault him for doing so. "Normal" shows an honest side to Em that works. And "Kamikaze" is highly enjoyable, as Eminem pokes fun at himself. He even admits that "Revival" didn't turn out the way he wanted. There are some rather bad moments on here, though. "Not Alike" has Eminem replicating a beat from Blocboy JB. Just because he's parodying it doesn't make it any better. The song just comes across as annoying to listen to (although the MGK diss portion of the track is solid). "Stepping Stone" is a very half-hearted apology to Em's original rap group D12. Musically, it has a nearly insufferable hook. "Venom" is about as generic of a movie track as I've heard, so I guess it fits perfectly within the equally generic DC universe. "Nice Guy" and "Good Guy" both feel woefully misguided in their experimentation. The ending of this album is bad song after bad song. Overall, I feel like this release is sort of middling. Eminem does lay down some great raps, and there are moments of fleeting self-awareness. However, the lyrics often verge or trespass into cringe worthy territory. Some moments here don't work on any level. I'd check out the good moments of the album, but knowing my readers, you've probably already formulated your own thoughts on this release.
Favorite Songs: "Lucky You", "Greatest", "Normal", "Kamikaze"
Least Favorite Songs: "Venom", "Stepping Stone", "Nice Guy", "Good Guy"
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