Tag Archives: Amazon MGM Studios

Film reviews

I Play Rocky Review

Leave a comment

There are a lot of poetic moments woven in from the early days of Sylvester Stallone. This film goes way back to his time as a struggling actor who became a rising celebrity and eventually a legend. I Play Rocky is a journey where audiences feel like they are a part of Sylvester’s world, following him on the streets where success didn’t come easily. His will to become an actor allowed him to slowly build a following. Directed by Peter Farrelly, this is I Play Rocky, a  true story that shows how making one of the best movie franchises in history was not an easy process. The challenging interactions with studios, producers, and directors all paint a portrait of the difficult obstacles Sylvester faced along the way. When audiences see young Sylvester skipping work to get acting gigs and then facing rejection, they will grow to understand the creative mind that was bound for a surreal destiny. Along the way, the film offers a bountiful ride through the streets of the east coast and along the roads of California.

Anthony Ippolito plays Sylvester Stallone/Rocky. He is trying to put a roof over his head. He works different jobs, goes on various auditions, and does not get the answer he wants. He meets a girl named Sasha, played by AnnaSophia Robb. She slowly gets Sylvester to put his mind to the task at hand.  Sylvester also receives some inspiration from his father Frank Stallone-Sr., played by Matt Dillon. Frank believes that his son should take whatever money comes his direction.

Ippolito plays the role of Sylvester well. His athleticism, persona, and hardships all combine in his pursuit of something bigger. I adore the movie because of the way it portrays his struggles.  Show business is not a walk in the park. It involves dealing with all types of people with complicated personalities. I Play Rocky is about conquering all of these clashing dynamics just for the main character to be in front of the camera.

Even the relationships Sylvester has with his peers are part of the boxing match required to win life. From his relationship with his love Sasha to complex issues with his father Frank, he battles through their tough love approaches towards him. The writing and characterizations display that being a star is what matters the most to him.

During segments of the film, the trials and errors he encounters are frustrating, yet inspiring. There is plenty of empathy and encouragement for Sylvester in the film. He builds a relationship with two producers, Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff (P.J. Byrne and Toby Kebbell). They are sold on the script written by Sylvester, called Rocky. They get a limited budget for the movie and offer all kinds of royalties, but Sylvester is determined to be the star of the film. That is where the tremendous hurdles really come in.  The film goes down a rabbit hole showing Sylvester in a real bind—not paying the bills, feeling lost, being dishonest with Sasha. What matters most to him is starring in the movie. Spoiler alert: his dream does come true. 

The film looks closely at a historic era in the movie industry. It was a time when competition between studios and directors was tight and there was very little diversity. The concept of boxing was viewed in a particular way by studios in those days. Interestingly, they talked about how films should feature more character analysis. What I admire most about I Play Rocky is not only about the importance of the plot, but what other elements it takes to sell a movie. Risking rejection through pure determination is a high point in I Play Rocky. There are times when Sylvester almost beats himself to death and there are moments when lucrative royalties are turned down, but deep-down his dream is to be the knockout champion in the ring and in the movie. The film is a dazzling story about the rise of the movie star, Sylvester Stallone, the world knows. It is a championship film that was written with Oscar-worthy intentions. Three out of four stars for I Play Rocky.

Film reviews

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother Review

Leave a comment

The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this year. The film also landed screenings at CineFest Sudbury International Film Festival, Calgary International Film Festival, and is coming to the BFI London Film Festival in October. The film is written and directed by Bassam Tariq. Six years after his title Mogul Mowgli, he presents a new form of artistic direction in Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. Vibrant aspects of sorrow are presented with empathetic wonder in a landscape where there is vengeance beneath the surface. The story is seen through the eyes of Mahershala Ali, an actor who chooses his projects carefully. His serious, faithful performance broadened my horizons because of the way he makes devotion light up the screen in Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother.

I researched the title of the film to understand the context. The term comes from a well-known Islamic Hadith. The Prophet Muhammad, PBUH (“Peace Be Upon Him”), would say “your mother” three times in a row to symbolize delicate hardships. These are hardships that a mother goes through and a father does not and include pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. This theme lingers through the performance and the circumstances in Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. Mahershala Ali’s character is the one who struggles, and he handles it in an immersive manner. He dives as deep as he did in previous performances such as Moonlight, Green Book, and True Detective. He delivers a powerful performance where his responsibilities are put to the test – bound by faith and violence.

The characters all have vital roles. Mahershala Ali plays Latif, a father who is religious, and a hitman. These two elements of his lifestyle and choices inhabit the screen. His wife dies. This sets him off on a journey with his children throughout the Houston area. His three children are Fatiha (Adia), Qadir (Jahleel Kamara), and an infant named Aziza. Latif is a devoted Muslim. The presence of faith matters to him and his family. At the same time, he has been able to hide his harsh actions. After his wife dies, the tone changes. His enemy is Pastor Hwan Yoon, played by John Cho in one of his most daring, artistic roles to date.. He plays a pastor who is a former veteran who is also driven to wrongful deeds. The negative criminality in the film involves  Pastor Hwan Yoon. 

With the fueling personalities with intriguing backgrounds, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is unbelievably astounding. The performance of Ali is surreal. He navigates the complex  dynamics of fatherhood, religion and criminality. On the outside he is more powerful than anyone can imagine. For self-defense, he has a sword with religious writing on it which has significance in Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. The film is a cinematic exercise in  endurance.

What I appreciate the most about this film is the portrayal of a hero-father. I say this because the director was supposed to make a Blade film with Ali. After many failures, that did not happen. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother happened instead. While it is not Blade, Ali still has the sword of vengeance and redemption. Will he survive as a single father? Will his faith save him? Will his kids find faith?  There are a myriad of hurdles and betrayals along the way which lead to a spellbinding experience. Four out of four stars for Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother.

 

 

 

Film reviews

Masters of the Universe Review

Leave a comment

This is a superhero adaptation with a surrounding of nostalgia and a presence of gold written all over it, as a sword becomes the symbol of the hero. I loved the superhero He-Man growing up, so I felt I was in for a ride that would be bumpy and adventurous. I had a feeling that I would not be able to take some of the characters seriously, primarily because the cheesiness of Masters of the Universe keeps the cheese shredding with moments of brilliance that can simply fade into blurs. This is one where the silliness gets topped off and it can be a little too much.

Masters of the Universe is not horrid, but its plot is seemingly lackluster. The film’s premise surrounds a kingdom called Eternia with the villain Skeletor dwelling in this land. He is played by Jared Leto. The man who must save the army of darkness is Adam, played by Nicholas Galitzine. However, in the beginning he feels no one will believe his path is to be a hero. That is until he grabs the sword and becomes He-Man. He must fight to save Eternia, before Skeletor takes over. Not only Skeletor rules, as he has an assistant named Evil-Lyn, played by Alison Brie. The life of Adam becoming a hero is not something he expected. He rises fast though when his childhood friend Teela, played by Camila Mendes, comes in to assist.

The kingdom in shambles and a man questioning his fate make the execution of Masters of the Universe to have more moments to laugh at than to take seriously. I could not take Jared Leto or Alison Brie very seriously at all, because the persona of evil within their characters flies below the radar. Leto is already sketchy with characteristics of strange acting methods, and Brie is just too sweet and innocent to present as evil.  The fighting, however, is what stands out the most, as it rises above all the plots.

The question that comes around in the film is, “Have you seen this sword?” The moment this question is asked is where the wheels fall off and things begin to feel disastrous. It creates so much CGI and too much predictability between good guys and bad guys. Disappointingly, the technology speak louder than the storyline of the film. The sword does not spin with cinematic wonders as much as I had expected.

Quirky and almost predictable, this is an average superhero adaptation with more to come. I do give this credit for forming somewhat of a franchise foundation, but I feel that I will just go back to cartoon series of He-Man for any sort of true fulfillment.The animation classic had more meaning than this presentation, as the cheesiness of the actors in this adaptation did not make the film feel like it was flowing well. Fun with all the action and extremely witty, but so predictable. Two out of four stars for Masters of the Universe.