Film reviews

Drive-Away Dolls Review

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Drive-Away Dolls, a film by Ethan Coen in his solo directorial debut, has a bizarre setup with tons of weird moving parts and, unfortunately, a plot that is not executed properly. It tries to be funny and clever, but neither element comes through in the film’s writing or structure. It’s also supposed to be suspenseful with laughter, but it devolves into turmoil, and the dynamics among the characters is simply a mess.

Drive-Away Dolls focuses on a girl named Jamie, played by Margaret Qualley. Jamie is lesbian and she is getting over a break-up with a girlfriend. She feels the need for an escape, and she gets together with her friend Marian, played by Geraldine Viswanathan, to make that happen. Jamie is more of the party-type and is into voyeurism, while Marian is a lot more introverted. Jamie is about finding sex parties with other women, and she wants Marian to join her. They sign up for a “drive-away” car service to take a client’s car to Tallahassee, but they get the wrong car. Unbeknownst to Jamie and Marian the car they’re driving has a briefcase in the trunk containing some “valuable” items, and this mistake puts them in the path of many criminals, including Arliss (played by Joey Slotnick) and Flint (played by C.J. Wilson), and a criminal boss known as “The Chief” (played by Colman Domingo). There is also a character named Gary Channel (played by Matt Damon), who is a United States senator.

There actually are many suspenseful moments in Drive-Away Dolls, and many that have the potential to be hysterical if done properly, but the film is just dreadfully written. Like other Coen films, its pacing is dark and narrative has cues for laughter. But this one is a blur, and the laughs never come. 

The film is set in 1999, a year when I was a young man, and it did have me thinking about good times back in the day. I felt that the film was spot on in picking up the social vibes of that time. But not much else was executed well. The film attempts to be funny with its explicit sexual moments. These scenes are not necessarily offensive, but the context of the film is undefined and much of the premise made no sense, including the road trip, the ridiculous items that were supposed to be of such value, and criminals who seemed to not have a clue what they are doing. Although I’ll admit that the many absent-minded characters may be the only mildly entertaining aspect of the film.

Drive-Away Dolls is a suspense film with no thrills, and it has a foundation and dynamics that are pure confusion. There were a number of what I would call “Coen moments”, but the writing on this one is completely out of focus. The setting of 1999 adds some interest, but not much class, and at times seems to actually add to the confusion. Is Drive-Away Dolls supposed to be a love story, or an escape story? I couldn’t tell. There may have been times to laugh in the film, but it was too disorganized to know when those times were. I did find many moments, however, where I was wondering whether the film was worthy of my time. Two out four stars for Drive-Away Dolls.

Film reviews

Spaceman Review

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This is a space adventure that is not a normal space movie. Spaceman dives into the world of lost connection. Directed by John Renck, Spaceman explores the unsettling notion of loneliness and boredom while an astronaut is solo in space and deep in thought. Spaceman causes its audience to think deeply about how that individual is feeling. I was mesmerized by the film’s stunning cinematography that heightened the emotions that flow through the film’s narrative.

Spaceman focuses on an astronaut, Jakob Prochazka (played by Adam Sandler). Jakob is alone in space, but famous back home on Earth. His fame comes from the fact that he is from the Czech countryside and is the country’s first astronaut. He is on his way to do research on a mission in Venus. Back home, however, there is conflict with his wife Lenka (played by Carrey Mulligan). Jakob has not made his wife a priority, because he was focused on his life as an astronaut. Based upon Jakob’s background which involves a tainted relationship with his father,a Communist informer, he feels he needs to prioritize his mission…no matter the costs.

Jakob is in space to research ancient dust. His assistant Peter (played by Kunal Navyar) communicates with Jakob about anything aboard the spacecraft. Jakob’s knowledgeable colleague is Commissioner Tuma (played by Isabella Rossellini). Lenka, Peter, and Commissioner Tuma are all back on Earth. Jakob’s solitude causes him to have deep and dramatic thoughts. All his thinking begins to shift when a giant alien spider comes aboard with him. Jakob names the creature Hanus (voiced by Paul Dano). Once Jakob is with Hanus, Hanus helps guide his thinking and helps him realize how he can be a better person. The bond between Jakob and Hanus is one of empathy and compassion—two friends alone in space examining life far away.

Hanus becomes Jakob’s savior and allows him to be fulfilled. As Hanus says, “Perhaps my presence can lessen your solitude,” Spaceman transitions into a world of revelations as Jakob discovers truths which help bring him happiness once the mission in space is accomplished. As The film alternates between life on Earth and life in space with details that are in-depth and compelling.

The thorough exploration of feelings in Spaceman and their impact left me breathless. The performances of both Sandler and Mulligan are knockouts. Dano delivers the voice of wisdom as the creature companion in the film. The dynamic of mixed relationships with mentorship from Hanus creates a space odyssey in which sadness find a purpose. Will Jakob make things right with Lenka when he returns home? Do Jakob’s accomplishments make him feel important? Is Hanus there to encourage Jakob? There is the saying in the film that goes, “I have lived a life for all the wrong reasons.” From the film’s point-of-view seen through auteur direction, those reasons should not mean giving up.

With all the doubts, trials, and errors, Spaceman is a poetic deliverance. The friendship of Jakob and Hanus is like the Wilson connection from Cast Away. The astronaut loves the creature as much as Tom Hanks loved the Wilson ball. Spaceman beautifully portrays solitude and the desperation to have friendship and company. With the scenes of hardship and sadness so amazingly directed, Spaceman hit close to home for me. It made reflect upon how the past cannot be undone but there is still hope for things to be better in the present and the future. Will Jakob truly find love with Lenka after his mission? Find out in Spaceman. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

The Peasants Review

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This animated film is set during a harsh era, yet it brings the viewer into a beautiful world of pure artistry. The Peasants is magnificent in its art-form direction. The whole movie is like viewing one massive painting taking the viewer through a story of desire and conflict. In The Peasants, all the moments were captured on a camera. The film is compiled of eighty-thousand paintings and many gallons of paint. It is all combined to build an experience where the audience will feel the vibrant feelings in the essence of the film’s historical setting with its central point of view. Directed by Dk and Hugh Welchman, The Peasants is one of the most prolific achievements I have seen in a highly creative film that crafts its story to be strong and meaningful. It all feels very real as the visuals around the film crank up the volume of the emotions that weave throughout this extraordinary and unique spectacle.

The imagery grasps the art truthfully. It does so right in the beginning of the plot. The film takes place in a Polish-village in the late 19th century. The village is a town filled with tons of rumors amongst its people. There is also a great disparity between the rich and the poor. Many of the inhabitants live by tradition and patriarchy. Patriarchy is the most dominating factor of conflict in The Peasants. Jagna Paczesiowna (played by Kamila Urzedowska), is a beautiful girl living her life in the belittling village of The Peasants and she finds herself in a situation where is forced to marry Maciaj Boryna (played by Miroslaw Baka). Maciaj is a wealthy older man and a landowner who only dwells on his wealth and his desires. Maciaj’s children question his judgment and despise him for it. His son is Antek Boryna (played by Robert Galaczyk), and he falls in love with Jagna. Despite his love and feelings for Jagna, he also has that attitude of thinking that he wants what his father has…Jagna (the woman he loves) and the land (which partially belongs to him). A journey of love and deceit begins that must travelthrough many barriers. This is experimental film of magnificence in dramatics with many layers of painted visuals adding to the richness of the tale.

I loved the astounding visuals of moving colors of wonder that is consistent in The Peasants. The depths and determination of Jagna’s detrimental lifestyle is where The Peasants adds fuel to its fire. It is a film where the flaws of corruption and love boil down truthfully and faithfully. Does Jagna truly love Maciaj? Does Maciaj truly love Jagna? Is Antek truly in love with Jagna or just want his father’s land? Everyone fights for their desires in The Peasants.

The father and son hatred between Maciaj and Antek is what keeps the conflicts growing among the villagers and for Jagna.  The different classes have different points of view as a war wages for the acres amongst political corruption when it comes to Antek and Maciaj. Jagan is both a pawn and a target because of her beauty. The dynamics of the film have its characters constantly having serious thoughts of what their future holds.

There is that sense of pervasive sadness in The Peasants. It is continuously poetic to make each moment count in its exploration of truth and love and family dynamics. The film goes through the seasons of autumn, winter, spring, and summer—the shifts of the many seasons are a landscape of challenging journeys fighting to find light in. As Jagna is the center of hatred for the villagers, will she find a way out of the lifestyle her life has fallen into? Is there truly love between Antek and her? Will the Polish village find piece? How frequently do the colors shift to create a reminiscence of amazing wonders and suspense? The Peasants is a most thrilling and colorful experience with a breathtaking story. Four stars for The Peasants.

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