stevencsmovies

Director Ari Astor enjoys making movies that people talk about, sometimes years after their theatrical release. His movies are also depressing, pessimistic, thought-provoking, and wild. So far, he has made HEREDITARY, MIDSOMMAR, and BEAU IS AFRAID. His fourth movie under the A24 banner is called EDDINGTON, his most thought-provoking and divisive movie yet. This dark comedy tells the story of a fictional town called Eddington, New Mexico during the pandemic, the summer of 2020. Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) has asthma and is in an uncomfortable marriage with Louise (Emma Stone), who makes strange sculptures. They also live with her mother Dawn (Deirdre O'Connell), who is glued to social media. Joe finds contention in being forced to wear a mask, which leads to him running for mayor, against current mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal). This movie says a LOT, but after everything that happens, I failed to see the point of it. I understand that Astor very obviously wants the audience to feel the same feelings that were already felt by everybody back then, but why would we want to feel anxious, possibly hypocritical, and extremely divisive again? I don't think the message of this movie needed to be told so blatantly, especially at almost 150 minutes. EDDINGTON is about so many things: COVID, Black Lives Matter, social media, A. I, religious cults, and conspiracy theories. Quite a few of these things feel tacked on, not contributing to the main plot at all. This movie makes fun of the crazies on the right and the left side of the political spectrum. The first half is a little tedious, but it's a slow burn that really escalates. It has flawed characters and a messy script. The first half is a little tedious, but it builds up to something at least interesting. The cast does a phenomenal job with what they've been given, even though some of them needed more to do. I like movies that make you feel something, whether that's good or bad or mad. A24 might need to pull the reigns a little bit on Aster, but I can't deny his intriguing talent. He's able to capture the atmosphere and overwhelming uncertainty of 2020. I don't want to think about "the COVID era", much less watch a movie about it, but if anybody can take a crazy time and somehow amp up the crazy, it would be Ari. EDDINGTON is a divisive movie about a divisive society in a divisive time, and I know people are going to talk about this one, divisively.

The character of Superman is one of the most iconic and known superheroes, spanning generations. James Gunn, now co-CEO of DC Studios, has written and directed a new SUPERMAN movie. This is the first of a new DC Universe, which has many people apprehensive and worried. Do we really need another superhero universe? I understand that most people these days are burnt out on this particular genre. It really hasn't been the same since AVENGERS: ENDGAME. I am a huge fan of Gunn and what he has done for Marvel, so I was super excited to see what he could do for DC. SUPERMAN is a movie that takes place three years after Superman became known to the world. This world that Gunn has created feels like a comic book come to life. It's a much brighter, more colorful and lighthearted world than we are used to, which might throw some people off. It also has an entirely new cast of many, many characters, which also might throw some people off. I appreciate how the movie gives you all the information about this world in the very first minute, through text on the screen. Most people have already seen a version of the origin story, so it wasn't necessary here. I'll just cut to the chase. This is one of my favourite superhero movies, period. It's unconventional in ways that really worked for me. Clark Kent AKA Superman (David Corenswet) and Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) have been together long enough for her to know who he really is. He gets swept up in a political controversy, with him believing he did the right thing. This theme is great because it makes you think about how simply he thinks, bordering on naïve. Tech billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicolas Hoult) has a grand plan involving his utter hatred for Superman and everything he stands for. I could say Superman stands for "Truth, justice, and the American way", but these days it's just easier to say "hope". Hope for a better world. The movie has surprising modern-day parallels, especially when you think about how Superman came from another planet. I see some people complaining about this movie having too many characters, being overstuffed, and undercutting some emotional moments with humour. They have a right to feel that way, but I disagree. Every character, no matter how small, fits in like a puzzle piece. Yes, the movie has a lot going on, but it's never boring and the over 2 hours absolutely flies by. Yes, James Gunn tends to add humour where it might not fit, but that's just his style, and it worked for me. I laughed so much. Oh, and Superman has a superdog named Krypto, who is actually a very bad boy, but he's too cute so we can forgive him. It was hilarious how he actually acted like a dog, giving us some funny scenes. Every actor is fantastic in this. Including the three I've mentioned, the standouts were Nathan Fillion, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Skyler Gisondo, and Pruitt Taylor Vince. Much like Superman's abs, this movie is perfectly toned. It's heartfelt, funny, corny, and action-packed. The score blends in the John Williams classic, which gave me goosebumps every time I heard it. DC fans will enjoy the cameos. Everything worked for me in this movie, which is something I know not everybody will say. In some ways, SUPERMAN is an immigrant story, with him being an actual alien. This is probably why certain people are throwing the word "woke" around. In the paraphrased words of James Gunn himself, "Superman is an immigrant. This is a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost." I think more people should be as "woke" as Superman. This is a movie for today, about a hero who symbolizes hope for tomorrow. SUPERMAN gives me hope for the future of DC, and a bit of healthy competition for Marvel can't hurt.

I've been waiting to see a great dinosaur movie since JURASSIC PARK, but I might be giving up on that dream, unless I make it myself. JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH is the seventh(?!) in a franchise that just won't go extinct. I guess this is a sequel to the last one, in the sense that the world has now grown tired of seeing dinosaurs and has now moved on (much like in my world). Shady millionaire Martin (Rupert Friend), a pharmaceutical representative, needs three unique samples of dino DNA for a groundbreaking new heart medication. He convinces Zora (Scarlett Johansson) the covert operation specialist, Duncan (Mahershala Ali) the smuggler, and Henry (Jonathan Bailey) the paleontologist, to go to a forbidden island where the most dangerous dinosaurs are. Simple. Meanwhile in another script, you have a family on a random boat ride near the area that nobody is supposed to go near! Well, they get capsized and saved by "Group gold-diggers" and are now forced to tag along their supposed suicide mission. I bet the studio head said they require a kid to be in the movie to relate to the kids in the audience. That's just part of the reason why I'm done with this franchise. It has become too family friendly and too much like a theme park ride, absolutely no pun intended. The family literally does not need to be here. Also, I'm done with genetically designed dinosaurs. Give me something new. Give me a violent, bloody, scary, not for kids dino movie. To be fair, they got David Koepp, screenwriter of the original JURASSIC PARK. He doesn't really have a good track record these days, and this definitely didn't help. There are some scenes that were great, but the poor, stuffed script overshadows everything. Director Gareth Edwards is the main reason I actually don't hate this movie. He is great at imposing scope and scale to keep the tension high. He knows how to create exciting action sequences. I started having fun when people started getting eaten, eventually. It took a literal slog through the jungle to get to the fun stuff though. In some ways, this is a return to form for the franchise. If only the writing was better. This movie needed a bit more time in the oven, but if you're in the mood for re-heated leftovers, then you might have a good time with JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH. Life, uh, keeps finding a way.