tbuchalski

The Good: Florence Pugh's performance really holds this film together. The men in the cast do okay to support her, but she is really the shining star of this film. The pain from her recent tragedy and how that pain makes her fear of loneliness and acceptance so much worse is made real by her stellar performance. Without Pugh the film would fall flat as most of its themes find their outlet directly through her. The alternative horror subplot provides suspense as Aster's reputation precedes him into this film, but the shock value of certain "unexpected" moments is unimpressive and forgettable. Pugh is the reason that this film has any real value, particularly for value in repeat viewings.

The Bad: Although Aster's work on Hereditary (2018) places him in a place of arguably refreshing critical praise among horror directors he does little in this sophomore feature outing that isn't predictable. Hereditary had a few surprising moments that grounded the film in the horror genre while still experimenting with the conventions. Midsommar does little to accomplish that feat again. Each "scary" or thrilling revelation is terribly banal as with each one's coming and going the audience is left thinking, "Yeah, that makes sense, rather than "I can't believe what I just saw!"

The Ugly: The appeal of Midsommar lies primarily in its revelations of the Other and what audiences might see as cult-like behavior. While Midsommar moves slowly and predictably almost entirely throughout - the first act tragedy being the exception - Martha Marcy May Marlene (Sean Durkin, 2011) explores the darker, and arguably scarier parts of those themes with more effect in a more unpredictable way. John Hawkes horrifies in limited screen time as the audience unexplainably knows exactly who he is and what he's capable of. The similar predictability of Aster's Swedish village is more expository than it is terrifying, and thus misses the mark.

The Good: This film presents a late 20th century critique of the Treaty of Paris, wherein Germany, among others, was required to demobilize and disarm, and take responsibility for the losses from World War I. In the film three suburban American families suspect their new neighbors, perhaps Slavic immigrants, of foul play. The three patriarchs of the American families played by Hanks, Dern, and Ducommun can be interpreted as the three major players from the Allied Powers in the peace negotiations - France, The UK, and the US. And, the Klopeks with the repeated references to their Slavic roots can be seen clearly in opposition as Germany and other Slavic nations that helped make up the Central Powers. Hanks & Company are intensely nervous about what their neighbors are up to pointing to Germany's militarization in the years between World Wars I and II. Furthermore the subtly Jewish surnames of Hanks & company point at an historic hindsight wherein global tragedy might have been avoided if the Allies had focused less on punishment, and more on a continued peace. After all, some of the greatest physical pains of the film are inflicted on Hanks, the tacit leader of the neighborhood, when the film is over. It's this new interpretation of the film that adds to the layers of its value after 30 years.

The Bad: There is little narratively to support the behavior of Hanks and his neighbors. And, there is more here to be explored in gender relations and equality that is left on the table as the wives in the film, played by Carrie Fisher and Wendy Schaal, try to insist that their husbands not let their paranoia get the best of them. So, even as their attitudes are more rational and cool-headed, they are still found to be incorrect. There is almost an insistence that the more illogical choice must be the right one, and that fear-driven paranoia is the best course regardless of the pain and suffering it will inevitably cause. This film is ultimately a fun romp and an 80's comedy classic, but outside of the obscure yet interesting interpretations related to xenophobia and The Treaty of Versailles that I've introduced above, there's little else that sets this film apart.

The Ugly: No other film presents the critiques of suburban American paranoia quite like this film, but there are a few that did it differently, and arguably better. Disturbia (D.J. Caruso, 2007) is a more exciting presentation of the subject matter because it ascribes to the tropes and conventions of a thriller genre film. With a little comic relief from LaBeouf as was trademark for his films of the time his suspicion turned to paranoia turned to fear and panic takes the driver's seat in this film as the stakes double down as each act comes and goes. Similar suspense is intentionally avoided given the comic nature of The 'Burbs, so greater and more exciting elements of the story are muted and opaque.

The Good: With a spate of jukebox musical tributes to 20th century masters coming to theaters in recent years Fletcher offers up Rocketman about the early life and career of Elton John. Rather than break up the drama with re-enacted performances, Rocketman infuses elements from classical Hollywood musicals. By telling the story through a series of flashbacks the film benefits from being seen through the creative and sometimes imaginative memory of John himself, so the presentation includes musical set pieces of song and dance and bits of fantasy. These deviations from strict realism remind us that John is perhaps an unreliable narrator and add vibrancy that's absent in contemporary musician biopics that are stale and generic by comparison.

The Bad: With a British actors cast in most of the British parts, Bryce Dallas Howard's casting to play Elton's mother, Sheila, is perplexing. Her star status is quite jarring from her first appearance on screen. While her performance is perfectly dastardly at times, her transformation is somehow incomplete. Because her role is less and less prominently featured as the film goes on, the overall effect of her presence is diminished and the film suffers less as a whole. To say the least of this film is this poorly cast, but well performed, role is a testament to the film's composition and the other performances.

The Ugly: Although it's not a biopic, Across the Universe (Julie Taymor, 2007) exemplifies the jukebox musical in its showcase of some of the Beatles most popular songs, and the inclusion of classical Hollywood's most successful musicals. The musical set pieces of Rocketman that lift it above other biopics, like Bohemian Rhapsody, are almost exclusively how the music of The Beatles was showcased in Taymor's film. Rocketman would have certainly benefited from taking a similar tack, but because Elton John and his real-life performances were so colorful and ostentatious, the set pieces used early in the film fade in favor of performances re-enacted.