Adaptation

 Adaptation.  This is a wild one.  I think you need a degree in mutlistradated extra-space science or something to describe it.  Look, I'll try it…

Adaptation follows the screenwriting struggles of Charlie Kaufman as he tries to adapt “The Orchid Thief”, a real book about flowers into a screenplay.  As he delves further in the book and the life of its author, Kaufman becomes more and more obsessed with both and the lines of reality and fiction become blurred.  The movie follows him trying to write the book as a movie which then becomes the movie we are watching.  It is unbelievably meta and four wall breaking as it is basically autobiographical but also flips to fiction when it feels like it?  See it turns out that some things are factual and some things are not but which is which.  I didn't really know while watching it until the last act when things really went wild.  I found it so difficult to put into words that I asked an AI to do it for me.  This is what it spat out…

“The movie Adaptation (2002) is a wild ride through the mind of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman as he struggles to adapt a book into a screenplay. Charlie, played by Nicolas Cage, is tasked with adapting a book about orchids, but finds himself completely blocked and unable to come up with a good story.

As Charlie tries to figure out how to approach the project, he becomes obsessed with the book's author, Susan Orlean (played by Meryl Streep), and starts to imagine himself as a character in her book. Meanwhile, Charlie's twin brother, Donald (also played by Nicolas Cage), decides to become a screenwriter as well and comes up with a ridiculous thriller screenplay.

As Charlie's mental state deteriorates, he becomes increasingly erratic and unpredictable. He starts seeing visions of his brother, who seems to be more successful than him in every way. Meanwhile, Susan Orlean's story takes a bizarre turn as she becomes involved with a drug dealer named John Laroche (played by Chris Cooper) who is obsessed with finding a rare orchid.

As the movie builds to a climax, the lines between reality and fiction become increasingly blurred. Charlie, Donald, Susan, and John all find themselves caught up in a crazy, surreal adventure that defies explanation. In the end, the only thing that is clear is that Adaptation is a one-of-a-kind movie that defies easy categorization.”

Not bad Artificial Intelligence, just don’t become Skynet and build T-800s.

So here's the thing about this movie.  It's tricksy.  It opens with real behind the scenes footage of real movie Being John Malkovich.  Which so happens to Director Spike Jonze and screenwriter Charlie Kaufmans’ previous movie together.  There are a couple of shots where the real John Cusack appears and is about to start shooting the real movie Being John Malkovich.  Meanwhile Charlie Kaufman struggles with his writer's block and talks with his not real brother Donald, who is really credited as co-screenwriter with Charlie Kaufman.  The line of reality is baffling.  Still I went along for the ride and had a good time.

Once I got over the existential crisis of what is reality in this movie I found it very enjoyable.  I really like the struggles of Charlie as he couldn’t make the book work as a movie.  I loved the cast.  Their performances were great across the board, and got a bunch of award accolades.  I like how they dealt with the strange and ridiculous situations they found themselves in.  I like that the movie made fun of itself, like when Brain Cox (a screenwriting lecturer) calls out the laziness of using voice over to interrupt Charlie's voice over.  These are well written jokes that tickle the (tiny) intellectual part of my movie loving soul.  

Overall I really enjoyed this movie.  It's smarter than most films, smarter than me and is something completely different.  Reading the IMDb trivia is a must after watching and it gives a whole other level of “wait, what?” moments.  

The Whale

Hot off the heels of mother! I checked out Darren Aronofsky’s latest motion picture, The Whale. 

Now, it is heavy, no pun intended.  Last time out I talked/wrote/blogcasted about how Araonofsky doesn’t make the most complex choices in his movies and I like that.  My simpleton brain enjoys being pointed in the rough direction.  And guest what people?  He’s only gone and done it again.  Aronofsky has made a movie circulating around emotion and leans hard on that.  I realised the emotional beats were coming just by the score.  Oh, the music is playing, the dialogue is starting to reach its emotional peak.  I still got suckered in by it.  Especially at the end.

So a big deal (still not a pun) has been made around Brendan Fraser’s performance.  He had a standing ovation at Cannes he won a Critics Choice Award and a Golden Globe for it and he was nominated for an Academy Award.  I felt early on that he was doing a good job but, was it really worth the accolades?  Welp.  This changed in the third act.  He was great in it.  Now I do think that the writing was the significant element and not the delivery.  It's easy for a good actor to make good writing great.  Was he better than the part?  I think the movie limits me in thinking that he was not better than the part.  The obvious emotional manipulation(?) could take away from the performance a bit.  Maybe.  I think it's tough.  Fraser still did his best ever work.

Either way the movie is about the characters and they are written very well.  Brendan Fraser plays Charlie, an overweight recluse who tries to reconnect with his daughter, Ellie, played by Sadie Sink.  I’ve only seen Sadie Sink in Stranger Things and felt he was just one of the ensemble in that show.  Here I got to see that she is actually a talented actor.  Her diabolical daughter role had me tricked a number of times as she tricked and manipulated Thomas in the movie.  I thought she was going to have the redeeming character arc and she kind of did, but not in a clean cut type of way, but more of an ugly almost accidental type of way.  She tries to take down Thomas but the opposite occurs.

Early in the movie Charlie meets Thomas, a Christian missionary who actually saves Charlie from a heart attack right at the start of the movie.  This is where Aronofsky gets to explore his love of religious themes.  He loves a discussion of religion and there are plenty to get into here.

The movie does revolve around Charlie and his apartment.  Characters like Thomas and Ellie come and go.  His friend Liz, played by Hong Chau, comes and goes dishing out tough love and showing her love for Charlie.  Hong Chau does an excellent performance in this part showing disappointment and real distress when he won't get help even though he is able.

The only other characters are Mary, played by Samantha Morton, who is Ellie’s mother and only has one scene in the movie that kind of serves as the breaking point for Charlie.  He is such a nice and loving person that he only sees the best in others and will neglect himself to that end.  And the last character is actually my favourite… The pizza delivery man Dan.  He is off screen the entire movie and only interacts through a closed door.  But he shows real concern for Charlie .  I think he, somehow, understands Charlie's struggle and like Liz is worried.  We only see him once when Charlie comes out to collect his pizzas.

There is a discussion about whether or not this movie is fat shaming.  Now there are clear and deliberate acts of fat shaming from the likes of Ellie but as a whole I don’t think the movie is trying to do that.  I think The Whale is similar to Aronofsky’s other movie about addiction, Requiem For A Dream, especially the Ellen Burstyn story.  The movie does a lot of good things to show how Charlie is trying to fill an emptiness in his life regarding loved ones.  

Now the title, The Whale. It's easy to think that this is part of the fat shaming but I think it's different than that.  See, throughout the movie Charlie calms his heart rate by reading an essay about Moby Dick.  In the olden times books had multiple titles and when Herman Melville released it as “Moby Dick or The Whale”.  The essay is an interesting take on the book but i think the parallel of Captain Ahab and Charlie is the interesting thing.  See i think the movie is called The Whale because, like Ahab, Charlie has his white whale.  In his case, I think, it is his view of himself.  He sees everyone else’s qualities and good aspects.  He even sees them in his daughter who is, her mother says, evil.  But he does not see them in himself.  At the emotional peak he says “I need to know that I have done one thing right in my life!”  This is his white whale and like Ahab it does eventually take his life.

This movie is a good exploration of themes like family, love and the human condition.  It is very well written and acted.  The gloomily lit set reflects the solemn nature of the movie.  It's a rough watch but ultimately it is a good watch.

Deadpool 3 :: Pitches Be Crazy

It's Deadpool meets Jet Li's The One

My opinions of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are well documented.  But, I have a great idea for Deadpool.

The Deadpool movies never did it for me.  I can take them or leave them and on this occasion I leave them.  However a billion dollar idea doesn't come that often.  This one could cure the awkwardness of how Disney can use Fox's movies for their benefit.  Why am I even doing this?  Disney doesn't need more money.  Still, enough front loading.

My memory of the 2nd Deadpool movie is that it ends with Deadpool jumping between dimensions for comedic effect.  We continue this, only this time we do it for like 90 to 100 minutes.

So Deadpool has shot Wolverine Origins Deadpool and Ryan Reynolds, so two dead Deadpools.  He realises he's become stronger, smarter, funnier and more aware.  Why?  He sits down with the old woman he lives with and on the TV Jet Li's The One is playing.  That's it.  It's almost like the moviemakers are so lazy that have stolen the plot of another movie and put Deadpool in it...

He uses Josh Brolin's dimensional jumping device (it probably has a name but I cant even remember if it was his robot arm thing or some sort of gun) and goes on a journey to "Clean up the lines!"

He jumps to different universes; including but not limited to...

Blue and Black Deadpool (is costume is one colour different and our Deadpool blames the terrible writers for that).

Australian Deadpool; the camera is upside down.

Mormon Deadpool; Deadpool in a shirt and tie.

Smokey and The Bandit Deadpool; Deadpool driving a Trans Am with a Burt Reynolds moustache.  Deadpool makes a joke about him being the greatest Reynolds to ever act that isn't named Debbie.

Any generic national stereotype that can have a cheap joke is a Deadpool and our Deadpool is embarrassed for his movie.  "This is meant to be the Return of the Jedi of Deadpool movies."

Jedi Deadpool.  "Well Disney does own our soul."

We rock through a bunch of Deadpools until we meet Lady Deadpool and Deadpool Dog (it think these guys are in the comics).  Deadpool dog is too cutie so he doesn't kill him and Lady Deadpool allows for a bunch of sex jokes for a good cheap laugh.  Of course Deadpool finds a female version of himself super hot and she has joined us for the rest of the adventure.

Lady Deadpool talks up a big bad a British Deadpool.  "Not another British Invasion".  This is where we get an ove rthe shoulder shot of an ultra gritty, dark Deadpool slumping down in a chair in front of a mirror.  Blood everywhere, out of breath he removes his Deadpool mask revealing...

Jason Statham

Statham Deadpool is on a mission to right the wrongs caused by the Disney-faction of comic book movies.  He out to kill Disney Deadpool.  Jump Cut to cutesy Disney Deadpool at Disneyland.

Our Deadpool hears about this and says " he must be one of those Snyder Cut fans".

Deadpool, Lady Deadpool and Deadpool Dog all go to stop Statham Deadpool. (That's a lot of Deadpools for one sentence).

They finally meet after asking around even more Deadpools from different universes.  Our Deadpool has stopped killing them off the back of Lady Deadpool explaining that every Deadpool that dies gives their power to the other Deadpools, so Statham Deadpool is becoming more powerful as the we jump dimensions.

Late act 2 we have the big show down between our 3 and Statham Deadpool.  Its a will fight with body parts flying off and, ultimately Lady Deadpool is executed Count Dooku style from Revenge of the Sith.  Two crossed swords and one removed head.  Statham Deadpool throws the head into a fiery oil barrel.  She's dead.

Deadpool and Deadpool Dog are visually destroyed as we see Statham Deadpool jump to another dimension.

Act 3 is the revenge story with our Deadpool in a blind rage. He is so angry he points down the camera lens and says "**its getting real MF-ers".

Statham Deadpool has arrived in Disney Dimension. Its full of diversity and strong female empowerment.  He doesn't care.  He hacks throw women, children and minorities with no regard.(Maybe there's some subtext here?)  If there is a Deadpool cosplay or costume there is a dead body inside it.

Woof! Woof!  Two angry barks come off screen.  Deadpool Dog! and Our Deadpool super heroic in slow motion coming out of a portal.

The two Deadpools proceed to go on a Disneyland skirmish.  Fighting on every icon ride.

The Log Flume

Space Mountain

The other big named rides and areas, I don't know I was at Euro Disney once when I was about 13.

The fight naturally builds to the Castle and they fight amongst the parades and into the back with all the fire works.

Our Deadpool beats down Statham Deadpool and we Have Statham Deadpool giving his final bad guy speech.  Its all about the dangers of a massive company building and unstoppable empire.  Our Deadpool tells him to Shut up and unloads clips upon clips of bullets from hundreds of different guns just as the fireworks kick off and explode Statham sky high.

Epilogue.

A miserable Deadpool is sitting on the sofa with the old blind woman stroking Deadpool dog recounting the story.  She speakes up saying that if there is an infinite number of universes then surely there is another Lady Deadpool.  Deadpool makes a joke that are no other female superheroes, just... an he lists all the Marvel female heroes.  But wait maybe there is a universe where she is a natural blonde.  Hard cut to Deadpool dimension hopping again to find an other Lady Deadpool.  He eventually does and they kiss romantically.  "See women superheroes are totally replaceable". 

Then End.

Post Credits scene

Deadpool sits down with the three live action Spider-men.  "See I'm just like you guys.  Thats definately you under that mask Garfield, is it?"

BOOM! portal opens.  "Why so many portals?"  Out steps Liam Hemsworth.  "Holy **** its Superman!"

End. 

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On is an unexpectedly lovely movie.  This movie drips with charm.  I had a great time watching this movie.

The movie is basically a mockumentary following Marcel (the shell with shoes on) and how he goes about his everyday life. As the movie goes on we learn more about him and his family and we join him in his quest for his family.  It blends stop motion animation into live action, not unlike Ray Harryhausen did.  

I felt throughout this movie the innocence of Marcel (why does this sentence sound like it's got a German grammar structure?). He has a childish innocence which brings some beautifully inspired wisdom. He says that someone once said his head was too big for his body, and his response… ‘Compared to what?’  I love it.  Now Marcel, being a shell (with shoes on), has a different outlook on life.  He interacts with the documentary’s director and learns more about the world around him.  As the director uploads videos to YouTube Marcel becomes a viral sensation and here we get the movie’s commentary on social media.  It's done so well.  He asks for help to find his family and, whilst he has 30 million hits, he doesn't find any real community to help.

The movie is funny.  Marcel’s innocence makes some of the silly things so funny.  He says a worm looks like he has no pants on or when he quotes Wayne Gretzky and keeps calling him the wrong name, like Wade Jet ski.  Brilliant.

But… And this is big but.  

I felt really sad for him at times.  Yep that's right, i felt sad for a stop motion shell (with shoes on).  The wonders of cinema.  See, I see Marcel as a lonely person with only his grandmother to exist with.  And he was to ‘stay alive and not just survive but have a good life’, it really hits.  I see a young shell (with shoes on) who has a life ahead of him but the opportunities are limited because he’ll always be lonely.  And it doesn’t be any better when (spoilers) his grandmother dies.  In what could be the saddest stop motion scene ever committed to screen, he buries her and I am in pieces.  It comes after he returns from a trip out of the house to look for the family who used to live in those, and he returns to find his grandmother has fallen and hurt herself.  An all too real event in many people’s lives.  

The good news is  there is a happy ending, like only celluloid can deliver.  Marcel finds his family and they have this beautiful montage of the family visiting the grandmother’s grave with Marcel singing The Eagles.  It is wonderful.

For a movie that is barely 90 minutes it manages to make me laugh, cry and feel real things.  That's something I will always love about movies.  Sound and light on a screen can give great emotions.  The movie is somewhat bittersweet.  It reminds me of the video game Unravelled; quaint, easy going and heartfelt.

mother!

I've just watched Darren Aronofsky’s Mother!

It was wild.  From the off I knew it was going to be a weird movie.  I’ve seen all of Aronofsky’s films (until The Whale) and I have found them very interesting, even the ones I didn’t like (looking at you Noah).  I think he made this movie off the back of Noah because there… a few religious undertones and with Noah not being received very well I think Aronofsky was keen to set out of the PG-13 world and back to the freedom of a higher age rating.  I don’t check age ratings (I'm a grown ass man you can't spot me BBFC) but when searching the posters I noticed the red circled 18.  This always perks my interest because we live in a society where this is difficult.  And this movie definitely deserved it.  To be honest it really becomes a hard 18 over a wild couple of scenes.  But that comes later…

The movie starts with a weird horror feel about it.  It’s like the house could be a monster and we (the main characters and the audience) are living in that monster.  But it didn't go the way I thought. I thought Aronofsky was going to make the haunted house movie a monster movie. He didn't Instead he made a movie about humanity (and a religious allegory).  Look, the movie is surreal and that is to convey the directors ideas across.  I have to think that Aronofsky put a large part of himself in the movie.  I mean other than his interest in religion and the environment, which are the obvious parts of the movie.  But he definitely put himself as the male character, Him.  Does that mean Aronofsky thinks he is god?  Probably not but more so that Javier Bardem’s character is a poet, a creative who is trying to produce his next masterpiece.  I mean isn't that what every creative does?  Don’t all creative people want to create a masterpiece that is loved by the masses?  This is clear as day when the end of the movie comes round.  Of course spoilers are coming here…

So Jennifer Lawrence’s mother! Ends up giving her heart to the poet to remake the house, the world, and start the cycle all over.  I think this tries to say that to create the perfect product, a masterpiece, you need to give (and/or take) everything.  Destroy your world, to achieve this goal.  That's the first reading I got from this movie.  And I like that.  I like that idea.  Only through great sacrifice do we become masters of our work?

Obviously the religious meaning is less subtle.  Much less subtle.  Javier Bardem plays God, Jennifer Lawrence plays Mother Earth, Ed Harris (who is in this movie) plays Adam, Michelle Pfeiffer plays Eve and so on and so forth.  The movie basically plays through Biblical events, mostly Old Testament stories like the great flood, Cain and Abel, until Jennifer Lawrence gives birth to a son, basically Jesus.  The build up to the birth is total madness.  Cults have formed, wars have broken out and a mass invasion of the house has taken place.  Oh yea, all this takes place in one house with Lawrence movie from one room to more carnage in the next then to even more chaos in the following room. This cacophony of crazy relaxes just in time for Lawrence to give birth. 

And here we get serious.  I don’t really want to stray too far from casual entertainment in this blogcast, but…  I do think this movie goes too far in what happens next.  Which is weird to write because I do think this movie is great even with this scene.  I understand its purpose but I don't like seeing it.  I can justify its existence in the movie because the whole movie is an allegory but I did make it easy to watch.

So, what happens is grim, and it will be too much for a lot of people (like me).  But… fair warning…

The new born baby gets passed around the crowd who, of course, don't treat it with care.  The baby is killed and the crowd eat the baby.  It’s, yeah.

So enough of that.  It’s still uncomfortable thinking and writing about it.

mother! is a movie you will either love or hate but I liked the ideas, obvious allegory and despite the gross scene at the end thought it was interesting enough and different enough to the mass released films to intrigue and get me thinking.  Which is more than your average movie nowadays.