"Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn" (film review)

Haven’t been to a theater in a few months, and I haven’t finished a book in longer than that. Covid-19 - wow! But, I finally had the time to watch “Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn,” and I must say the wait was SO worth it! I’m a Batman fan, so I see/collect pretty much anything in that universe, but I have found Harley Quinn a delightfully deep character since her introduction nearly 30 years ago. It’s great to see her finally get her own movie.

From the beginning, this movie embraces its irreverent, violent tendencies, but in a delightful way that so many other action movies (cough - looking at you, 6 Underground) just can’t get right no matter how hard they try. It takes place after “Suicide Squad,” and it even uses a bit of that film’s unused footage, which was nice to see. Harley’s out of jail, but she and Joker broke up, and she’s trying to figure out who she is on her own. Turns out that she’s perfectly capable of taking care of herself and living her own life when she’s not codependently following in Joker’s wake. She helps a girl who’s in trouble, makes friends with a police officer, and helps a couple other women get out from under the thumb of the Black Mask - played by Ewan McGregor, who is obviously having the time of his life in this role. (It reminded me of the fun he had in “A Life Less Ordinary,” one of my favorites with him.)

“Birds of Prey: Harley Quinn” is a very fun popcorn flick, certainly one of the best DC has released in a while (although that bar has been set pretty low most of this decade). Regarding the film’s Bechdel’s, it does well: 1) There are many women in this film, 2) They all speak to each other frequently, 3) And even though the film starts with Harley & Joker breaking up and includes quite a bit of Joker-related content early on, the women quickly move on to other things unrelated to their relationship statuses. Overall, I heartily recommend it.

"6 Underground" (film review)

The trailers for “6 Underground” made it look like a fun action-comedy romp with Ryan Reynolds’ quick-fire humor paired against Michael Bay’s over-the-top action. What could go wrong? Plenty. First, Reynolds is basically regurgitating his Deadpool act – but without the costume and without the fantasy world of superheroes. We’re supposed to believe that this crude, rich man who leaves his team members behind to die can receive loyalty from former assassins and special-ops soldiers because he’s paying them buckets of money. It doesn’t work without the red and black spandex. Second, regarding Michael Bay’s directing style: I enjoyed a couple of the Transformers movies, “Pearl Harbor,” “The Rock” – and “The Island” is one of my favorite SF/action movies. This one, however, is so sloppily strung together with flashbacks and flash-forwards and maybe even a flash-sideways as to make the story almost incomprehensible – not that it matters much because we’re too busy watching bullets fly and intestines fly and eyeballs fly to really not care much what the plot might be. All of those bodies and body parts, however, get to a real problem with the overall tone of the entire film: Life is treated as something incredibly cheap by everyone in the movie. Not just by the bad guys, but by the good guys too. People are shot, run over, thrown off buildings, drowned, squashed, and maimed – all in glorious slow-mo so we can absorb every last moment of their fear and panic before they go SPLAT. (Although a few puppies at the very beginning of the movie are miraculously spared any of that – leaving me to understand from this film’s perspective that animals’ lives are worth more than people’s lives. Thanks for that.) Regarding Bechdels, it hardly matters because every woman on screen, from the main characters to the extras, is dressed in the tightest, most revealing outfit and shot from whatever camera angle will most highlight her chest, legs, or butt. Overall it’s a confusing mess of a film that cheapens the value of life, lets us know that the sexiest women are those that shoot us between the eyes, and propagates the worst stereotypes about life in the Middle East - but don’t worry, because a team of six US mercenaries is perfectly capable of toppling any foreign government with a smile, a wink, and a quip.

"Little Women" (film review)

Before I give my review of this (wonderful) movie, I need to clarify a couple things: First, I have never read the book, and second I have never seen any other film version of the story. As such, I have little idea (beyond what my wife has told me) of the script’s fidelity to either the original novel or to the other films. Having said all that, I loved it. The ensemble cast is dynamic and lively, and the actors did an excellent job portraying both their younger and older characters. At various points I was moved to tears of either joy or sadness - and once I became so angry at one character (Amy, for everyone who knows the story) that I was ready to throw something at the screen. This was a delightful film that our entire family enjoyed, I heartily recommend it. Regarding Bechdels, the film comes through with flying colors: 1) There are many women in this film; 2) they speak with each other all the time; 3) and they discuss absolutely everything about their lives.

Fractured Minds (videogame review)

I picked up the videogame “Fractured Minds,” and it is excellent in so many ways. Created by 18-year-old Emily Mitchell, the game won BAFTA’s Young Game Designer Award for her ability to transport us into the world of mental illness. It’s a short game, clocking in at only 6 levels, but those are powerful levels that use common gaming tropes to help the player experience emotions such as fear or despair through everyday frustrations of life that get augmented through mental illness.

For example, the first level is deceptively simple: Wake up and leave the bedroom. However, the door is locked, and the player must explore the room to find the correct key to unlock that door. As I said, a common enough videogame experience, something I’ve been doing since my Atari days. The first key did not work, and the words “Wrong key” appeared on the screen - and did not go away. When the second key did not work, another “Wrong key” appeared, and the words continued to fill the screen with each wrong key until I was feeling as if I was an idiot for not being able to leave a room - and that’s when the power of the game hit me. I realized some people feel that way all the time as they attempt seemingly simple daily activities while battling their own inner demons.

It’s a quick game that I finished in about 30-45 minutes, but it has stuck with me for a week since completing it. The next time someone says videogames have no depth or are not artistic, point them to this gem. It is a truly powerful experience.

Star Wars Ep. 9: The Rise of Skywalker (film review)

I am old enough to have seen every Star Wars movie in the theater on first run. However, I would not consider myself a “purist” in everything SW-related. I think Han is the kind of guy who would shoot first, but I also thought Jar Jar was amusing, and Starkiller Base was an entertaining (if derivative) set piece. Having said all that, I’m conflicted about “The Rise of Skywalker.” It’s great spectacle and pitch-perfect popcorn-fare, which is all George Lucas was ever really shooting for - well, that and money. However, as a satisfying cap to the entire franchise - and especially to the new trilogy - it comes up short. Granted, “The Last Jedi” set a really high bar that any film would have trouble topping, but it felt as if the filmmakers were playing more to nostalgia than to original (and cohesive) storytelling. Planet-killer weapons? Check. Fast and friendly banter? Check. Epic lightsaber battles? Check. But wait…. What about the Force rising in random kids around the galaxy? Dropped that. What about Rose and Finn’s awesome relationship? Dropped that too. (In fact, we pretty much dropped Rose off the map, likely due to whiny fanboys who harassed the actress after the last movie. Very sad.) And Palpatine - wait a second. Where did Palpatine come from? How was he shoehorned into this story? The whole thing felt very…safe. As for Rey, she kicks ass, which was great to see. However, this is far less a feminist film than “The Last Jedi.” This one scaled back the women (all minorities, actually) and their heroic roles, which was disappointing. Overall, the spectacle was certainly worth the Imax price, but the story was a letdown. It did not do justice to the power or character of Rey, and it played things too safe as a cap to 40+ years of great storytelling. As for Bechdels, well: 1) It had more than 2 women in it; 2) They spoke to each other (quite briefly); 3) and they discussed things other than the male protagonist (though again, it wasn’t of any real depth).

Beth Hart, "War in My Mind" (music review)

I’ve been a fan of Beth Hart’s music for years, and I own every one of her albums. If you don’t like that bias, stop reading now. Having said that, I don’t think it will surprise anyone that I love her new album, “War in My Mind.” As opposed to several of her latest solo albums that featured heavy jazz influences (such as “Bang Bang Boom Boom” or “Fire on the Floor”) and especially different from her projects with Joe Bonamassa (such as “Live in Amsterdam” or “Seesaw”), “War in My Mind” edges much closer to Hart’s blues/rock roots. The reverb’d guitars grind, the bass thunders along behind, and Hart’s own piano sets a driving tempo whether the tune is a slow, personal struggle (such as the title track, “War in My Mind”) or a flirtatious romp through sexual innuendo (such as “Bad Woman Blues” - which has a fun video). As always, Hart is at her best when she’s at her most personal, and “Without Words in the Way” and “Sister Dear” will tug the emotional heart strings. Overall, this is a strong album, hitting nearly as high as some of my personal favorites (“Bang Bang Boom Boom” and “Live at Paradiso”), and it’s been in heavy rotation on my daily commute since it released.

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw (film review)

I’ll start with full disclosure: I’m not a fan of the Fast & Furious franchise. I saw the first one (maybe 2?), and that was enough for me. So when the Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw trailer came out, I was surprised by how interesting it looked. It did not disappoint. Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham have great chemistry, and their scenes together are gut-splittingly funny. They alternately punch, insult, and attempt to out-swagger each other at every turn, and it’s a joy to watch. Idris Elba’s Brixton is intense and powerful, and he’s obviously enjoying himself immensely chewing up the scenery at every turn with his “black Superman” villain. I was also mighty impressed by Vanessa Kirby as Statham’s sister. She had some exceptional fight scenes, and though she was a damsel-in-distress a couple times in the movie, she also had opportunities to rescue Hobbs and Shaw at various, significant moments. Her fight scene against Dwayne Johnson’s Hobbs, however, was a brilliantly choreographed and delightfully amusing few minutes that I can’t wait to watch again on video. All of this beautiful fighting and moments of female-empowerment seems to be a theme for director David Leitch of John Wick, Deadpool 2, and Atomic Blonde credits. It’s a tough film to rate on Bechdels, however. 1) There are several women in the film – but the majority of them seemed to disappear for significant portions of group fight scenes and car chases. 2) A couple women speak with each other, but only for the briefest of moments. 3) And those women do not discuss their romantic interest in the male protagonists, so…I’ll go with three Bechdels, though those three could certainly have been stronger.

Spider-Man: Far From Home (film review)

Had a chance to see “Spider-Man: Far From Home” a second time - this time in a theater with a better sound system, so I was able to catch much more of the dialogue. The superhero action is fun, the writing is tight, and the dialogue is snappy. Jake Gyllenhaal is a vibrant Mysterio, but I enjoy his performances in pretty much everything he does, so I expected as much. They did a fine job tying together the threads from the entire Marvel universe so that even those who haven’t seen many (or even any) of the other films could string together the plot - but it resonates better emotionally if you’ve seen those other films, especially the Iron Man and Avengers films. Unfortunately, I can only give it 1 out of 3 Bechdels: 1) There is more than one woman in the movie - in fact, there are several women throughout the entire film, which is good to see. 2) However, those women never speak directly with each other, though they do speak up during group interactions, and therefore 3) never talk about anything of substance with each other. Overall, it’s a fun superhero movie that ticks all the Marvel check boxes: funny, witty, save-the-day action.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters (film review)

It’s been too long since I posted last, but I actually haven’t seen a new movie for a while.  “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” on Imax did it for me. Let’s start with the obvious: This film is not deep. If you go to a Godzilla movie expecting depth of plot/writing/acting, you’re obviously in the wrong theater. This one’s no exception. There are some good actors in here – Ken Watanabe, Vera Farmiga, Milly Bobby Brown (“11” from “Stranger Things”!) – but they are given very little to work with in terms of scintillating dialogue. The plot barely hangs together by duct tape – I mean, for some reason the bad guys think releasing giant monsters to roam freely on Earth will improve humans’ lives. The monster fights, however, do not disappoint, especially on that massive Imax screen.  Godzilla fights several monsters on land and sea, and even on the ice. Most of the CGI effects look really good, and even a couple mediocre moments pass so quickly you might not notice. As a bonus surprise, this movie gets 3/3 on a Bechdel scale: There are several women in both major and minor roles, they talk to each other frequently, and they most often discuss plot points unrelated to the man.  Overall, a fun movie.

Avengers: Endgame (film review)

No spoilers here. Saw “Avengers: Endgame” on a preview show with a very excited audience. Preview shows with devoted fans are always the most fun. Everyone laughs at the inside jokes and cheers at the appropriate moments - and this film had many of each. In fact, this film had several moments showcasing each Avenger and dozens of minor characters. It really was a treat to watch. My biggest complaint with “Avengers: Infinity War” was the lack of emotional heart to the film. What I mean by that is that the action and set pieces were so prominent and the cast so large that there was almost no way to connect with the tragedy if you weren’t already invested in the characters from the previous 10 years of films. “Endgame” worked hard to overcome that, letting us know from the opening scene just how emotionally devastating things had become. Again, this film’s biggest weakness is that it stands on the shoulders of a couple dozen other films, but that also becomes this films strength as it winds up several of those stories. I found myself crying tears of sadness and joy by the closing credits because of how lovingly they had resolved many of the characters. Overall, an excellent film that wraps up many stories and begins several new ones. I’ll definitely see it again in the theater.

“Crown of Midnight” by Sarah J. Moss (book review)

This fantasy sequel to “Throne of Glass” picks up almost immediately after that first book. Royal assassin Celaena is conflicted about working with the king vs. supporting the rebellion, starting a relationship when every relationship has ended badly for her, and how to control and keep silent about the newfound magical powers erupting from within. It’s a fast-paced read, full of twists and turns, excellent action, and more bloody fights. Other than a plot twist that seemed a tad contrived, I loved the book, and I didn’t want to stop when it finished.