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LIKES: The Production Quality The Setting The Costumes The Acting The Emotion The Showmanship The Ending The Music Summary: Song Sung Blue is a music biopic that is bringing its best voice forward to help make a strong recreation of the times these two thrived. The production quality is top-notch, as sound and visuals combine into this work of art that is explosive in the movie theater when the big numbers arise. In between performances, the camera finds ways to tell the story, with solid cinema guidance helping to elevate the emotions to levels I didn't think would be possible. It's crisp, sharp, and utilizes the film elements like light, filters, and dynamic angles to find the most engaging shots for bringing this story to life. What further helps bring the movie to higher elements for me is the other physical aspects of the film in terms of costumes, setting, and makeup to bring the decade back from the dead. While there are a lot of common clothing choices from the past, the details are solid in all the outfits, especially the amazing show suits/dresses that match the personality of the stars with glittery shimmers, flowing necklines, and edgy pants that feel like a solid choice for Diamond's work. And the settings hold the ambience of the times as we feel crammed into the houses, bars, and clubs that were so famous venues in the days before the Internet. I like that level of immersion, and always find myself captivated by the ability to get lost in such a world when it is done well.

Past the setting and camera work, the movie is all about the hearts of these characters in both singing and personality. Song Sung Blue is an emotional tale, one that follows the typical formula of musical biopics, as both good and bad hit you with the powerful punches that only life can bring. Such emotion is conveyed beautifully by the acting, all members, including the lead, finding this balance that conveys the joys and dismays of life, and seldom falls into the overacting level as some films stumble into. Jackman's command of his emotions is startling, one part campy, cheesy, fun of a man in the midst of a life turnaround, and the other part this more somber role that feels on the caliber of Les Misérables. Hudson, on the other hand, doesn't quite have the amount of emotional range as her male counterpart, instead having to act more on the extremes with the story, and accomplishes things with a surprising level of class that doesn't become irritating. The supporting cast is there to pick up the slack in between, each person having a bit more of a one-dimensional role, but that one role is done very well to make this dysfunctional group into the functional legends they would be known as. All the emotions are so authentic, punching with unrelentless force as they try to recapture the emotional battlefield that these people had to face. The music, as well, feels endowed with such emotion, the numbers holding the studio-level prowess in terms of quality, thanks to the cinematic magic that Hollywood brings, but still is contained at levels that feel more local shindig than mind-blowing concert. We get plenty of those performing vibes in the montage, even going out of their way to add these sorts of mock behind-the-scenes video elements that add a bit of that VH1/MTV vibe I loved watching. To have such showmanship bring the numbers to life, but hold to the principles Lightning and Thunder held dear to keep Neil's work as compelling and artistic as possible. And all of that emotion hits the hardest during the ending, where the story gets a wrap-up that rivals my favorite music movies of Betterman and Bohemian Rhapsody. Why? I can't tell you much, but Song Sung Blues manages to integrate story, drama, and music into the end package that ends the movie on that satisfying spectacle I always hope they will end on.

DISLIKES: The Pacing At Times The Middle Part Is Rough Several Elements Are skirted More Song Variety Predictable If You Know About This Band Summary: Alas, the movie still finds ways to lose some of its spectacle when you get lost in the personal lives of the stars being idolized. The pacing loses its momentum about midway through the film when some major elements fall upon the family. While realistic, the film loses the pace consistency I liked, now having to slog through a rather hard time that is rough for various reasons, some of which may be triggering and traumatic to those who have such sensitivities. A personal frustration comes from several elements being skirted, as those secondary characters all had these paradigms and relationships that seemed deep, meaningful, and potentially worthy of sequences that would be a sensational number to see unfold. Alas, despite the timeline being narrower than other biopics, there was still too much to cover, leading to many things being very fundamental or absent for most of the film. It's not the worst by any means, but I would have just liked more time to get to know members if I could have. I also wished they would have played some of my favorite songs, but whether due to rights, timing, or significance, I didn't get some of Diamond's variety that the artist is famous for. A minor detail with the emotional storytelling in this movie, but had they just given a little more variety, I feel I would have enjoyed it more. Finally, there is predictability. Any movie based on real-life events (without too many liberties) already has the ending told. Without an emotional connection, or if you don't get riled up by Dramas, this could lead to you not being entertained without the surprise. However, the primary audience group isn't going to care, as those coming are going to be invested in the characters or drama to push that aside and still get the full majesty of this duo's story.

The VERDICT: Song Sung Blue is the most Oscar-like movie I've seen this week. It's stylish, fun, and emotionally big as you take this journey with a run-of-the-mill couple who found a way to bring stardom and real life together into a hard, but amazing journey. A theater-worthy endeavor, this film has brilliant production quality that makes the songs burst to life with stunning studio quality and movie numbers that were so full of life. The acting conveys the emotions with the visual quality, a top-tier duo to unleash it all, with writing and planning that keep the pace mostly moving and intriguing to watch. Yes, it gets lost in the sadder elements in the middle that throw a wrench in the gears, but it bounces back at the end to give one of the better finales I've seen in a while. Yes, I wanted some of my favorite songs to mix things up, and I wanted some more storylines, or performing elements to take the plot to deeper levels. In the end, I can't say I was disappointed with this film, and it will be very fulfilling to the target audience, despite the predictable story you'll know if you have studied them. My scores for this film are: Docudrama/Biography/Drama/History/Music/Musical: 8.0 Movie Overall: 7.5.

LIKES: Fast-Paced Fun Jokes Simple Entertainment Cameos Are Fun The Music Is Enjoyable It's Just Funny Summary: Anaconda is not here to tell a complex story, and therefore, the pace is not working to be this balanced, story masterpiece. It's a brisk pace for the fleeting attention span with loads of flash in the pan elements to give this adventure film that adventurous pace. The simplistic story is supported heavily with comedy and seems to be a jungle of jokes that take the form of many styles. Meta humor is a big card they played, making fun of Hollywood tactics by mirroring those tactics and poking fun at them. Slapstick humor is prominent, often leading to more banter as the cast of middle-aged movie makers pursues various interests in their impromptu trip to the most dangerous jungle in the world. One-liners, clever puns, and nods to nostalgia are all ready and waiting for you in this film, alongside some cameos that may be short-lived, but add their own charm and humor, which I enjoyed the most. Musically, I'm a sucker for a killer track list, and Anaconda is ready to hit you with a lot of styles that are matched with the scenes to levels that again synergize to enhance each other. What's the verdict of the likes... the movie is stupid fun, and in a movie... that works sometimes for just escaping the cruelties in the world. Anaconda is that escape, and with the cast bringing their acting strengths of silliness to full swing, I think you'll have a blast so long as you come in with the expectation of dumb fun and laughs.

DISLIKES: The Plot Is Meh The CGI Needs Work Character Development Needs Work It's Not Scary Lacks A Lot Of Snake Time/Terror Too Silly?

Summary: Just because you might expect a silly film, doesn't mean it doesn't come with limitations for a movie overall. Anaconda's plot is very limited. It's trying to put this new approach to the film, which sort of works, but then tries to integrate a few more serious plot points in the movie that are a distraction, extra, and feel somewhat hastily developed. Character development feels too caught up in the meta humor, and so many of the lines are drenched in the exaggerated presentation and sitcom-level enunciation that it feels even less necessary. It leads to characters that are somewhat one-dimensional, boring, and not so much worthy of investing in outside of the laughs. The CGI needs work, too. Don't get me wrong, they are crafting something I couldn't begin to make, but it also has that cheesy SyFy channel look in animation, textures, and comical anthropomorphic elements. I didn't hate it, and there is a good chance this was the goal, but in this day of technical prowess, not the direction I would go. If you are hoping that you were going to get that horror, adventure, and creature film, then lower the expectations now. This Anaconda tries to bring that hunted element, but it's minimal, drowned out by the comedic delivery element as we get bombarded with joke after joke. Not having that scare/danger element makes this movie boring, and the terror I wanted in some parts felt very minimal. The snake doesn't even get that much time, and the kill count is surprisingly low for a movie of this caliber. Those elements were very much needed, but given the trailers promising such a silly film, I can't say I'm surprised this big snake is more of a comedic guest star to the live-action cast. Thus, was the film too silly that it hurt the movie? I have to say yes.

The VERDICT: Anaconda is a film that promises an escape, and you are getting that escape. It's simple fun, unapologetic in the jokes it unleashes in this barrage of humorous vaudeville of movie-making in the Amazon Rainforest. The songs are fun, the humor is just mind candy, and it moves at a pace that should be very rewarding to a lot of people who don't want to think too hard for a movie. And despite the fun I had, the movie did need to rein in the comedy a bit and try to develop a little more depth to its plots and characters. Anaconda's remake has too many odd attempts at plots, and lacking that hunter element took the excitement out of this series that SyFy had mastered for so many years. Without that thrilling element, so many of the new directions got either stale or felt out of place, leading to a film that feels chaotic, contrived, and diluted to be a holiday release. Would I recommend a theater visit? No, I can't say it is, sadly, unless you just need that escapism. My scores for this film are:

Action/Adventure/Comedy: 6.5-7.0 Movie Overall: 5.5-6.0.

LIKES: The Cinema Direction The Aesthetic/Look The Acting The Use of Music The Dark Comedy Elements The Messages The Ping Pong Scenes Summary: Once again, we have A24 putting their best work forward. The masters of "elevated" works have recruited a cast to bring the past to life, as the 1950s had some of the most vivid, vibrant times in recovering world relations after the Second Great War. Marty Supreme has a direction that brings all the emotions to life with solid direction, as Safdie's satire, realism, and sardonic viewpoints paint the world in a less "inspirational" picture. Marty's world starts off a bit rough and tumble, but it is a bit more direct, which soon diverges into an adventure of chaos to reach what most would consider a simpler journey in modern times. It's eye-opening, and the emotional investment is a large one with the cinematography directions they chose. Grainy visuals, expert use of lighting to paint the scene, and incredible movement are all elements that will convey the emotions of the scene, but seldom get in the way of the movie. It's a strong storytelling element, bringing the look of the world to life as our costumes and set pieces have recreated the world in those decades. Such authenticity goes a long way to helping bring the world to life, and I'll once again sing the praises of Hollywood's bloated budget. And this is definitely true during the Ping-Pong scenes. I've said it before, but A24 always manages to bring sports scenes to life as they have great choreography, sound editing, and those visual elements to capitalize on the full experience of these clashes of champions. And in the few times we get these moments, that style amazed me by how much of an experience they created.

Past the visual and sound crafting, Marty Supreme has other elements that exceeded my expectations. The use of music is genius. While not from the same decades, the movie uses the soundtrack in comical ways, a bit of irony, or sarcastic tones to really convey the moment's emotion in one blow. I couldn't help but laugh at it, as I found it a wittier comedy style that was in theme with many elements of the movie. For those who love a movie with darker comedy, Marty Supreme accomplishes this aspect well. You've got to like characters who are jerks to really enjoy it, but I'll agree they did a wonderful job with timing and delivery to make the arrogant gestures and rude comments as funny as they could be. And like most of Safdie's work, he somehow manages to bury the works in the right state of mind and get strong messages in ways that aren't too preachy or cheesy in their delivery. While I didn't enjoy the full story of Marty Supreme, there are these hard-hitting messages that I think accomplish a lot and really bring a character's journey to life without going too direct. Finally, the acting. All characters get a nod for what they do, but this movie is like 80% Chalamet in terms of focus, and his ability to interact with everyone, play this very strong-willed role, and tax his voice with some very challenging elements. He oozes the energy of such an enticing character, and I have to say...I'm surprised at how well he accomplished these feats. Paltrow's sass and veneer are complicated and complex, adding these elements from her Marvel character to a more passionate and mature level that I had wanted more of. As for Odessa A'Zion is the next "main" character, and I enjoyed a lot of the layers she brought to the character with vigor, intelligence, and a shrewdness that matched Marty's own brand of extreme qualities. Every member felt like a great casting, and I was very happy with how well this cast worked together.

DISLIKES: The Language The Annoying Tones The Contrived Elements Not As Much Sports As I Would Like The Pacing/Run Time The Secondary Character Use Is Meh Summary: With artwork elevation comes a more limited niche to enjoy the film, and A24 is always a studio I struggle to recommend for everyone. Marty Supreme is a film that is loaded with cinematic quality, but also is heavily drenched in language that is going to be harsh, aggressive, and excessive to the point it got frustrating for me to pay attention. In addition, the personalities in this movie felt very annoying, with so much anger and idiocy running rampant that I personally found myself having to breathe slowly to handle the anxiety-inducing chaos. Some of the elements felt a bit contrived, errors in logic as this con-like game unfolded, and people with so much power even floated the opportunity to help this character. The ending of the film helps ground some of these sharper elements down to more manageable levels, but it took a while to understand the point when the character is the way he is. Even more frustrating is that the film isn't as much of a sports film as I had thought from the trailers. The Ping-Pong elements are good when I get them, but there are very few meaningful moments when a majority of the film is this frenzy of trying to get to the upper echelons of the tabletop sport. And with that expectation, the film felt a bit long-winded, with very slow pacing, inconsistent excitement, and the extreme drama dragging things out. Such inconsistent pacing, when combined with a 150-minute run time, made parts of this movie tedious when subjected to the angry energy, which further minimizes the audience who will enjoy this. Other disappointing elements are that the other characters feel underutilized outside of these clutch moments to tie the story together, with the worst being his mother, played by an epic actress. There were so many things to explore, but again, a film like this has enough of a runtime that any more investment might push this too long. Nevertheless, Marty Supreme has the elements of a mini-series that could have thrived more when given more time to flex its cultural muscles.

The VERDICT: Marty Supreme is another prime example of A24 bringing a cinematic experience that is complex, mature, realistic, and elevated to levels that make it feel more engaging than many Blockbusters. Attention to detail to recreate the past, marry well with a brilliant art direction, great cinematography, and a director who makes the messages sink into your mind without being too in your face. Fans of dark humor and a protagonist with less heroic qualities will find this darker drama very entertaining, perhaps relating to some of the modern themes that Marty addressed. The viewer should beware, because this film is another Uncut Gems level of language and material that some will find offensive to say the least. Marty Supreme's elevated story is much more about the journey than the sport itself, and such twisted tales can be less enjoyable with the gritty, angry aura radiating from the screen. With contrived plot elements that require time to straighten out, and a long run time that is magnified by uneven pacing, this film feels like a limited-run series would have gone a long way. Is it worthy of the theater? I think for the target audience, absolutely, because you'll find this odd adventure and realistic tale composed enough to pull you in. As for scores, I give Marty Supreme: Epic/Drama/Sport: 7.5-8.0 Movie Overall: 6.5-7.0.