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Film reviews

Saturday Night Review

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There is always organized chaos surrounding any production whether it’s a play, a musical, a sketch show or a movie set, but the show must go on. Writer and director Jason Reitman shines the light on the creative process in Saturday Night which is a satirical gem of historic value. It is a true story filled with many moving parts. As a fan of Saturday Night Live, all the history came back to me during Saturday Night even though some of it happened before my time. This movie took me to back to memories of old skits involving George Carlin, Chevy Chase, and others. The story highlights how since the early days of the show the essential direction of Saturday Night was fueled by the pressure for laughs.

The film takes place in October of 1975. Many writers and comedians are together to put on a live performance a half-an-hour before midnight. The man running the show is Lorne Michaels (played by Gabriel LaBelle), and his co-workers are Dick Ebersol (played by Cooper Hoffman) and Neil Levy (played by Andrew Barth Feldman). The studio is in chaos. The show has loads of potential with many running skit ideas. The ultimate question is, “Will it work?” The budget and structure are still all over the place, and time is of the essence. 

As the chaos behind the scenes move swiftly, a unique array of writers and comedians come into the mix. From Jim Henson (played by Nicholas Braun), Gilda Radner (played by Ella Hunt), Chevy Chase (played by Cory Michael Smith), Dan Aykroyd (played by Dylan O’Brien), John Belushi (played by Matt Wood), Garrett Morris (played by Lamorne Morris), and so many more. An image is painted of where many of these artists were standing before they took the stage on Saturday Night Live. The picture that emerges makes it clear that this show was not easy, but the energy and the political atmosphere made Saturday Night a masterpiece.

As these characters evolve, the show does a stellar job managing egos and personalities. This is particularly true with big characterizations of Belushi, Aykroyd, and Chase. They give off a vibe that they feel the show they are about to do has the potential of being below them. Show business is a tough business today and Saturday Night showcases how it was much more complicated back then.

At times, Lorne is practically losing his mind. He keeps thinking about everything that could go wrong and what will be said. There are many layers of real and potential complications. Saturday Night is bonkers! The quirkiness of the actors adds to the craziness. Braun as Henson brings creativity to the character as well as a dose of well-written absurdity. The recurring question is, “Which sketches fit best for the upcoming show?”The big dogs of the business are Dave Tebet (played by Willem Dafoe) and Milton Berle (played by J.K. Simmons). They know the business and how ugly it gets. Their desire for success is portrayed vividly in Saturday Night. It’s a mad world of trying to “nail it” from the beginning.

Reitman’s direction makes the audience feel the sense of urgency in Saturday Night. The lighting is perfect for the nostalgia of the era and the studio in Radio City Music Hall shines with 70s jams that are mesmerizing. The night is young, but can Lorne and Dick pull this off as they hit plateaus with writers, business people, and comedians? The writing offers athought-provoking look back at the early days of Saturday Night Live that is not to be missed. Four out of four stars.

Film reviews

Joker: Folie a Deux Review

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Five years later, Joaquin Phoenix is back as Arthur Fleck/Jokerand Todd Phillips is back as the director. I found this much-anticipated continuation lacking. Not in a completely negative way, but more because it is totally opposite from what many might expect. It is like the evil and terror from the first Jokeralmost never happened. Joker: Folie a Deux feels like a circus…in a prison cell and legal suits.

In this film, Arthur is amid legal proceedings for his violent crimes from the previous film. This time, however, he has made his prison environment feel like home. Nothing has really changed in his characterizations of an absurd mental illness. Despite all his troubles, he has become quite famous due to his criminal behaviors. His attorney is Maryanne Stewart (played by Catherine Keener). She tries to convince Arthur that he should not present himself as the Joker which is difficult for him because he believes he is so special. This does not help his case nor does taunting a police guard, Jackie Sullivan (played by Brendan Gleeson).  He despises Arthur’s presence with passion. With all the hatred, fame, and bizarre attention that Arthur loves, there is one special person who has a bad influence that comes into the picture. That lady is Lee Quinzel, and her stage name is Harley Quinn (played by Lady Gaga).

The criminalities abound for Arthur, and he cannot dismiss his Joker persona. He finds happiness when he falls in love with Lee Quinzel (when she uses her stage name Harley Quinn). Together, they create a world of boiling evil and catastrophe. Their vengeance is daring, but the presentation is flat. Too many moments they share on screen transition to them singing so don’t expect a lot of action or suspenseful violence in Joker: Folie a Deux.  

With performances from Phoenix and Gaga, I was expecting some real eye-openers during the movie.  Although the writing is not too bad, there seems to be misdirection which causes thestory to not vibe all that well in Joker: Folie a Deux. With Arthur’s new love and his various trial dates, the film does not have a clear path to balance out its stressors.  Instead, Phoenix’s character creates a circus of wonders, but is unsuccessful in finding meaning or presenting the big picture. The halting point is that Arthur/Joker is in prison. Therefore, the story relies too much on the fascination of the ridiculous love between Arthur and Lee/Joker and Harley Quinn. Their bizarre tangos fueled by their unique brands of crazy make for a weird ride.

In the end, this sequel relies too much on Arthur finding ways to feel powerful. While he has some success, the film is a sub-par continuation in a theatrical setting. Joker: Folie a Deux does manage to hit the bar of mediocrity. It isn’t terrible but is simply lacking in far too many areas and is not nearly as compelling as the first one. Two out of four stars. 

Film reviews

Megalopolis Review

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Many years in the making, Megalopolis is about a director who spends his own funds to create his project. From director Francis Ford Coppola comes a saga where artists and egos collide in a futuristic universe filled with deceit and power. For fans of Coppola’s previous projects, this film has layers of amazement. While it’s all over the place, it still works.

The film focuses on Cesar Catilina (played by Adam Driver). He is an artist that challenges time, reality, and art through his self-absorbed way of thinking. He has the power to stop and move time and reality. A utopian future in New York city spirals as Cesar’s ego always keeps him on the lookout for the most growth potential possible. The mayor is Franklyn Cicero (played by Giancarlo Esposito), and he is not fond of Cesar’s approaches. Right in the middle, there is Julia Cicero (played by Nathalie Emmanuel). Julia is the daughter of Franklyn and is working for Cesar. Characters in this film come together to create their own narrative. Cesar’s reputation and universe begins to go awry due to his questionable involvement with others, including a young stud named Clodio Pulcher (played by Shia LaBeouf). Clodio looks down on Cesar and wants to acquire the kind of power Cesar has.

The film is over-done, but Coppola is strong as usual with his storylines in Megalopolis. Unfortunately, the characters frequently go down cheesy paths. The seriousness of this film comes through the narration. Fundi Romaine (played by Laurence Fishbourne) is both a character and the narrator. The film explores the idea of maturity and the center of authority in Coppola’s world of the rich and wealthy. Even the family dynamic is curious, especially with Cesar’s uncle Hamilton Crassus II (played by Jon Voight). He is not always on the same page as Cesar but stands loyally by the throne. Megalopolis is like the philanthropic approach to what Coppola tries to accomplish with his artistry in filmmaking. The utopian future in this setting gives viewers a lot to think about.

There is a quote in the film, “Artists can never lose the control of time.”  The ability to control time toys with the audience’s mind during the entirety of Megalopolis as do themes related to hatred, power, enemies, and deceit. The film also has many suspenseful factors which elicit a sense of overwhelm.

Despite some setbacks, Megalopolis is a continuum of all kinds of dreams hoping to develop into something bigger. The dramatics thrive faithfully in way that is expected from Coppola after long ago establishing respect with the now famous saying, “I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse,” from The Godfather. There are plenty of “can’t refuse” offers in Megalopolis. The creative forms of corruption make Megalopolis visually audacious. The IMAX version will loop in more depth and layers to help audiences understand the narrative in the 10X immersive experience. Three out of four stars for Megalopolis.