Movies
"The Favourite"
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
If I had seen this movie last year, I guarantee that it would have had a place in my top 10 of 2018. I just never found the time to see it, even though it was one of my highest anticipated films of the year. If you've seen any other Yorgos Lanthimos movies ("The Lobster", "The Killing of a Sacred Deer"), then you know that he has a distinctive style. For as much as I love "The Lobster", "The Favourite" is far and away Yorgos's best film to date. First of all, this is one of the most surprisingly funny movies of 2018. There is some absurd black comedy throughout, and it just works. The satirizing of British royalty cuts like a razor because it is so sharp and witty. The film has some clear commentary on how politics worked back in the day, and how that hasn't really changed much to how political maneuvering works now. This film is divided into chapters, which gives it a sense of satisfying cohesion. It's like you're literally watching a book unfold in front of your eyes. Even though there are some intricate layers to this story, the movie balances them all, making it deftly told. Cinematography wise, this movie is incredible to look at. There are so many shots that use natural candle lighting to illuminate characters' faces. The usage of natural lighting helped aid in the film's theme of all the characters literally and figuratively deceiving one another in the safety of darkness. What anchors this movie above anything else is the performances. Olivia Colman is absolutely jaw-dropping as Anne, melting into this character and becoming her. It's impossible not to lean forward when she's on screen, because you just have to wonder what type of reaction this character is going to be having next. She has some of the best lines in the movie, and Colman delivers them with delightful venom. Emma Stone once again proves she's one of the best actresses working today in the role of Abigail. I found her performance to be probably the best out of the three leads (though not by a large margin). Stone can play any type of character, and seeing her play a deceptively innocent type is intriguing to watch. Rachel Weisz also owns her role as Lady Sarah, giving this character a type of evil that is hard to turn your eyes away from. All these characters interacting with one another is awesome to see, because I loved seeing the different types of chemistry they had with each other. An honorable mention goes to Nicholas Hoult giving a hysterical turn as Harley. The one minor complaint about the movie I had was that the ending was a little underwhelming. I get what they were going for, but it wasn't presented in the most interesting way. Overall though, this is a fascinating film, and a lot of fun. Go see it!
"Ralph Breaks The Internet"
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
I'll admit, I was a little worried going into this movie based on the trailers. I try not to judge a movie based on previews, but this one just made the movie look like it was going to be outdated with the types of jokes it was going to be making. Thankfully, the film isn't really about what I thought it would be. In fact, the main theme of the movie- the importance of having non toxic friendships- really surprised me. You don't see many Disney movies tackling this type of arc, and it gives this film an interesting complexity that isn't in most of Disney's non-Pixar animated films ("Zootopia" being the obvious exception to this rule). The movie focuses on the central relationship between Ralph and Venellope, which is exactly what this film needed. These two characters are criminally likeable, thanks in big part to the awesome voice work by John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman. The animation, of course, is excellent. I wouldn't call it the most awe-inspiring work that Disney has done, but it's nothing to scoff at either. The new racing world as well as the Dark Web were easily the most creative parts of the film visually. It was also nice to see Fix-It-Felix and Calhoun back, even though they weren't in the film much. As far as new characters go, the best ones were definitely Lee and Double Dan. The commentary on the Internet was, thankfully, pretty solidly done and balanced. The film shows a lot of great aspects of being online (e.g. interacting with others, getting to find out about stuff you didn't know, getting recognized for your creativity) as well as some of the more negative aspects (deception, cyber-bullying, becoming obsessed with views). These are all admittedly basic truths about the online world, but I feel like this movie more than most Disney movies is geared more for a younger audience than it is for adults (there are a lot of Pixar movies and regular Disney films out there that are equally meant for both age groups). There are a couple unfortunate issues this movie has. For one, the product placements can get a little annoying at times. At least unlike something such as "The Emoji Movie", the products are there for a reason and they further the plot. But, it still is really in your face at times. Also, my suspicions about the Disney princess subplot being weak and unnecessary were confirmed. I really disliked this part of the movie (save for one really clever joke), as it felt totally out of sync with everything else going on. In fact, the parts where Disney tries to incorporate their other brands (like "Star Wars", "Marvel", etc.) felt very out of place and pandering. Thankfully, these parts of the movie are not there for long, so it isn't as significant of a detractor as it could've been. Overall, I enjoyed this sequel. It definitely doesn't hold a candle to the first in my opinion, but it is genuinely good for what it is. Check it out if you're interested.
Music
"Resist" by Within Temptation
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Finally, I can give a more positively leaning review to a 2019 album! January was a pretty disappointing release month, especially as some of my most anticipated albums of the year let me down. Thankfully, February is shaping up to be better, as this album and the other one I'm talking about for these short reviews are both good releases. I'd even characterize Within Temptation's as excellent. I won't lie, I was a little worried the quality might slip off with a 5-year wait in between album cycles. I was also a little disappointed in "Hydra" (although I'll always be happy the album gave us the incredible cut "Paradise") because of its confusing blends of different genres. Thankfully, "Resist" sees WI back in fine form, doing a logical update to their sound. Here they are incorporating electronics with their classic metal sound, and it almost always works. The listener can see immediate evidence of this with the opening track "The Reckoning". This has a surprising guest vocalist in Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach fame. Even though I'm not a big fan of the guy generally, he actually shows his vocal range off quite well in this cut. The booming electronics and the thunderous guitar do well to get you hyped for the album. "Endless War" is a solid follow-up, and "Raise Your Banner" is even better. This cut is classic WI, and one of the only songs on the album that significantly brings back the band's symphonic roots. I adore the chorus of this song, as well as the incredible screams from featured vocalist Anders Friden. If your favorite WI moments come on albums like "The Silent Force" and "Heart of Everything", then this song will put a smile on your face. I know it did for me. My favorite song comes in "Mad World", which I just can't stop listening to. The chorus is so much fun to sing along to; it hooks you in instantly. The epic "Trophy Hunter" ends the album out on the best note possible. There's not too much to complain about here. "Holy Ground" is a stark outlier on this release because of Sharon seeming to attempt rapping. I'm not quite sure why she does that, as it doesn't work. I also feel that "In Vain" suffers from an over compressed sound, as the guitars seem to drown out Sharon's vocal performance (which is very disappointing). This album is still very good despite these weaknesses, and it hasn't left my listening rotation yet.
Favorite Songs: "Mad World", "Raise Your Banner", "Trophy Hunter", "Mercy Mirror", "Supernova"
Least Favorite Songs: "Holy Ground", "In Vain"
"Midnight" by Set It Off
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
I'm really glad this album grew on me. When I first listened to it, I was a little thrown off. Based on the lead single "Killer in the Mirror", I thought we were getting more of a return to the sound the band is known for. But that single is a little deceptive, as this album is pretty heavily pop influenced. But, unlike the band's last album "The Upside", I came to see that the band was mainly doing the pop sound right. And it's not like they abandon their rock side entirely, far from it. The lead single is still undeniably one of the best tracks here, as Cody Carson sounds incredibly confident behind the mic. The stuttered vocal effect works well to create an unsettling yet fun atmosphere. "Different Songs" is actually my favorite cut on the album, as it is very clever lyrically. The song compares a couple breaking up like two people discovering they are different genres of music: "It keeps on getting harder to remember/The melodies or what the lyrics mean/'Cause now we're singing different songs/Forgetting how to sing along together". The driving guitar riff and drum beat only serve to make the song better. "Go To Bed Angry" is an undeniably cheesy song, but I just can't fault the sincerity behind it. Cody Carson and featured vocalist Katie Cecil both give impassioned performances here, especially in the song's very dynamic ending. The ending was what really sold me on the song and grew me on it. "Midnight Thoughts" is also a really good track, and I can see tracks like the touching "Stitch Me Up" or the burning "No Disrespect" becoming instant fan favorites. "Raise No Fool" is another favorite of mine because you can tell the whole band is having a fun time. It has an almost R&B feel to it that works quite well, and Cody's vocal patters are consistently engaging. "I Want You (Gone)" has a great saxophone solo, and a trumpet appears on the pretty solid closer "Happy All The Time". There are a couple negatives here. "For You Forever" and "Dancing With The Devil" both have really cliched subject matter and feel like they're just meant to have radio traction. The band is on automatic and isn't as interesting on either cuts. "Criminal Minds" is a pretty dumb and repetitive track that I just can't get into, and "Hourglass" sadly feels a bit forgettable. This album is still good though, and I'm thankful for that. I've always considered Set It Off to be a highly engaging band at their best, and this album proves they're back on that path once again!
Favorite Songs: "Different Songs", "Raise No Fool", "Killer in the Mirror", "No Disrespect", "Go To Bed Angry"
Least Favorite Songs: "Dancing With The Devil", "For You Forever", "Criminal Minds"
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