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Film reviews

Kill the Jockey Review

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Directed by Luis Ortega, this is a dark comedy where exploration ends up in a bind. Kill the Jockey presents conflicts up front and hurdles along the way after a detrimental disaster. Vivid and thought-provoking, Ortega knows how to create a film that feels two-sided—with conflict and identity. The setup uses impairment to its advantage, but when that tactic falls apart, a new journey begins with a desperate search for answers.

The film’s focus is Remo (Nahuel Perez Biscayart), a jockey under a wealthy businessman named Sirena. Sirena presents himself in a mob-typed fashion. He owns horses, and Remo is his top racer. Then there is Abril (Ursula Corbero). She islearning the ropes to be a jockey and is pregnant. The baby belongs to Remo. Life for these characters boils over with politics and anxiety playing a role. When Remo messes up, his life transitions and he becomes rebellious. The title speaks for itself as the story takes a turn. 

The film paints a portrait of Remo being desperate for success. From the outside, though, it doesn’t seem that he can own hisfeelings. There are moments when he finds himself wondering about his identity. He begins to experience feminine moments in his life after a particular disastrous race. While Sirena is trying to figure out what to do with Remo, Remo continues down the path of provoked and erratic behavior. He appears to be coming out of his cage with a vengeance and a classic hint of uncertainty. 

The dynamic of entrapment is what I found to be extraordinarily compelling in Kill the Jockey. When Remo comes out of his shell, his vindictiveness displays a form of humanistic emotions that are just surreal. It is a portrait of fame, love, and loss looking to be earned. The writing clearly focuses on the conflict and dynamics tied to Remo, Sirena, and Abril. Abril, however, is the lowest priority, but she serves as an important opener for Remo’s doors.

With the races being a blur, and with Remo finding himself going crazy, Kill the Jockey leaves audiences with a vibrant sense of curiosity about the eventual consequences. Remo’s impact is the main subject of the audacious dynamic and interruption of the criminal setup. The exploration in this film is vivid as it highlights how things for those who work in a livelihood which is out of their control encounter many unseen pressures. Ortega’s directing has an effective way of showcasingkarma containing many slaps in the face. Remo wants to fulfill his happiness and Abril’s happiness, but he also wants to find his own success instead of it being under Sirena. Given Sirena’ssacrifices for him in the past, escaping from the big boss sends Remo on a road of tough choices in Kill the Jockey.

This film is diverse and unique. Kill the Jockey has a realistic foundation that I was sold on. As Remo navigates life outside, his search for identity evolves. In a strange way, Remo’s journeymakes sense—because his life has been micro-managed for years. It is an unimaginable awakening with funny moments that grow darker. Ortega presents a life to be learned in a criminal context. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Kill the Jockey.

Film reviews

28 Years Later Review

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With many years in the making Danny Boyle still knows how to create even more to be wowed by. That is right! 28 Years Lateris a masterpiece. A lot of thrills, chills, and unimaginable realizations of what is on the outside of a detrimental territory throughout the franchise. Boyle is one that always has an eye for creating an environment at risk, assessing the measures, and selecting characterizations that fuel his many suspensefulmoments. His mind hits on a one-of-a-kind thriller with 28 Years Later. The apocalypse has transitioned, and the outside has more surprises, but survival is where the writing hits full throttle.

This film is the third in the 28 Days Later franchise. This time survivors find themselves on an island. The risk is in going to the mainland. That is where mutated creatures are still rising and society has adapted to quarantine hardcore. The inhabitants have created barriers around the perimeters of the island. There has also been an adaptation to living with little to nothing of creature comforts. All around though, the biggest task is getting into the mainland. The plague though, has been the focus of the entire franchise, and Boyle keeps realism afloat to maintain the filmpersistent in provoking curiosity. IS there a cure? What is the new trend of adapting? What is beyond the walls that may be able to help those who are in need?

Three decades later the new characters of focus are Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), Isla (Jodie Comer), and Spike (Alfie Williams). Jamie and Isla are the parents of Spike. Isla is home in bed with an illness and Jamie keeps her in quarantine because she displays concerning signs of erratic behavior. For Spike though, he feels there is hope, and he takes a chance to try to get his mom help. This means he needs to get to the mainland, but with the island swarming with extremely dangerous and mutated creatures, the wrath of the wild and the pandemic meet a new maker.

What is so thrilling and enticing is the fact that Boyle knows how to make his audience think. 28 Years Later loops in a lot of moving parts that correlate to the conflict and premise itself. Overall, the pacing is rapid and wild. The film is written by Alex Garland, and after his project Warfare, I can tell his themes of continuity play into the pandemic mode to come back with a vengeance in 28 Years Later. Rapid and vivid with sensation, there are secrets to be found and new terrors that are unbelievable. Boyle and Garland are film makers intent on providing shock and awe with visually stunning brilliance.

Throughout the forests and in encountering the creatures is a world where Spike must be willing to risk death in order to find the help and resources that may or may not exist on the other side. There is that foundation for safety, because it contains brief moments of training before entering the dangerous lands. I do not want to spoil anything, because clearly there is much to be said.  So much of the film was a surprise delivered in the unexpected amazement which was in front of me. Through the eyes of Danny Boyle revelation in uncharted territory is a concept he has cultivated to successfully blow his audiences minds…even many years down the line. Four out of four stars for 28 Years Later.

 

 

Film reviews

Elio Review

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This is a space adventure that works to find meaning. Elio has a variety of hurdles which made me feel like I was continuously trying to establish connection. Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian, and Domee Shi are all directors of Elio. Their new approach to animation made for some Toy Story moments especially given the space focus. Overall, it is full of steady, family-friendly grandeur even though the pacing has components that are lacking in fulfillment.

The film is about a young boy named Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab), who is fascinated with space. He keeps thinking that he must go to space. However, he finds himself in a mode of disconnect. His aunt Olga Solis (voiced by Zoe Saldana) is trying her best to make life easier and joyful for him. Although he is prone to outbursts, Elio is creative at utilizing smart tactics to find his way into space. Unfortunately, reality throws many obstacles in his path which make it challenging to make his dreams come true.

On the positive side, there are space resources available to Elio, because his aunt works in NASA-type operations. Elio is just too young to take full advantage. The foundation of the story is about trying to fulfill a dream which keeps the love of family front and center in the film. Slowly, some fun things begin to evolve. For example, Elio sits on the beach and writes the wordsin the sand, “ALIENS ABDUCT ME!”  Negative thoughts aboutthe planet paint a clear portrait in Elio but deep down it is part of the adventure in this film.

The dream eventually comes true in Elio. Yet, he finds himself in a galaxy which is much more stressful than he expected. Still, at the same time he is captivated. Elio finds himself with new missions and an alien friend named Glordon (voiced by Remy Edgerly). The galaxies create a surreal landscape that keeps audiences feeling the fun in Elio.

There is an enemy in the story named Lord Grigon (voiced by Brad Garrett). This character is a major component in the Toy Story feel mentioned above. In Toy Story 2, the world of the franchise goes to new depths when Zurg the enemy of Buzz Lightyear comes in. In many ways, this addition felt more meaningful to the continuity of the story. There is well intendedmeaning in Elio, but the reality of what is happening between earth and the galaxies struggle to find common ground.

Overall, I felt the movie had many missed opportunities to feel different or mesmerizing. In some scenes it succeeds, but some of the background seems jaded. Often the animations looked rushed, and the writing seemed predictable. All around the galaxies, the film struggles to find its way to a massive homecoming which would have marked a significant achievement. This is one of those films where my star rating is a challenge. While I really wanted to be enthralled by this movie, it just didn’t deliver as expected. Two out of four stars for Elio.