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Film reviews

The Devil Wears Prada 2 Review

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Twenty years later, and the competitive fashion world is still bringing the heat. The Devil Wears Prada 2 has class. It is an enticing sequel in which themes from the first film are woven into something bigger. The dynamics between the mean boss, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), and awesome assistant, Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), are a knockout. I was compelled by The Devil Wears Prada 2 because the direction is original and the message has a purpose. The A-team of actors still glimmer with  glamour and success.

Andy has been working in the journalism industry and chasing stories. She finds her way back to a job with the fictional high-fashion magazine, Runway, under the supervision of Miranda. The compelling aspect to this storyline is that Andy is focused on finding stories. However, her stories may get ugly due to the rivalry with Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt). The two women were competitive co-workers under Miranda back in the original Devil Wears Prada. The fashion industry may be in shambles, and the luxurious world they live in may be inturmoil. Overall, the new film maintains its unique glory by creating a sequel based on many of the same accomplishmentsthat made the first film so popular.

From stylized dresses to clingy egos, The Devil Wears Prada 2 pours like an expensive bottle of champagne full of delights. Watching Andy navigate the complicated game of fashion and journalism under Miranda again is a treat. Thankfully she still has Nigel (Stanley Tucci) by her side. The amazing clothing and last-minute travels still speak to audiences. When the conflict between Andy and Emily gets going, the heat is on. The two characters continue to struggle with a love/hate relationship that viewers enjoyed from the first film. At the same time though, there are several reminders throughout the movie of how industries have changed channels over the past twenty years. This natural evolution was handled creatively in the narrative. Still, there are scenes that feel overwritten, yet the setup is still stellar. I was fascinated throughout The Devil Wears Prada 2because the film has so much to offer. I was sold on many fronts.

Audiences will find themselves curious about Andy primarily because her new priorities put her in places to pitch more stories. In the first film, she was dealing with Miranda and her wardrobe, this time she is trying to play a major role in the story about wardrobes. While Andy deals with her writing, she also must deal with Miranda (as her boss) and Emily (as her rival). The film is a glorious sequel. The personal connections and incredible fashion still manage to rise and shine. Three out of four stars for The Devil Wears Prada 2.

 

Film reviews

Mother Mary Review

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This film is like a fantasy where the lines between talent and reality are blurred. The artistic side seems universally magnificent. However, the pacing and characterizations are out of tune. Directed by David Lowery, he creates places of power and love and adds layers of a Kingsman era. Only Mother Mary is strictly female. There are moments of openness which express artistic talent, yet the meaning behind it is tainted. The film combines a mixture of various moments in which nothing gets accomplished. Cinematically wonderful, but the writing side…a flop!

The main characters are Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) and Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel). The film follows suffering iconic pop star, Mother Mary. She finds herself getting together with her costume designer Sam. Mother Mary is on the verge of regaining her fame by performing. Her costumes and her appearance have elements that she questions. The film becomes an odd and bizarre journey of self-discovery. Unfortunately, I found continuity and creativity lacking.

The film has some imaginative dynamics. In Hathaway’s performance, she portrays a character who is pursuing her destiny by pushing above and beyond. In Coel’s performance, she demonstrates a persistent desire to compete. At the same time, they are both females with interesting creative narratives, and they adequately fit their roles. The dynamics of the film have potential which are not fully harnessed. Specifically, the cinematography and choreography are impressive in parts. The rest of the film…trash! It starts by using wonderful elements and then throws them down the drain.

I am trying to be positive about this film, but it is not easy. I thought the pop and dance stuff would lead to a Black Swan or Moulin Rouge type of experience, but it didn’t. What I got was a film where imagination and a comeback fail to see eye-to-eye. Hathaway’s performance of struggle speaks, but the rest of the film fails to comply. Mother Mary is a pop concert filled with confusion, silliness, and wasted creativity which never delivers. The film does have some scenes with very cool red lighting. In the end, they’re also a waste since this rest is so lacking.

Mother Mary should have built on the cinematography. But the artistry in the characterizations is some of the worst I have seen. I came prepared to appreciate the performances. It is a pity that they fall apart. Two out of four stars for Mother Mary.

Film reviews

Mothers’ Instinct Review

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The title of this film comes to mind as concerning in that it implies a parent senses wrongful or disconcerting matters. Thestoryline vibes with housewives’ scenarios going awry discreetly. Mothers’ Instinct tackles the subject matter on an eerie path. It follows the personalities of two friends who are neighbors. In the wake of a devastating event, a series of detrimental consequences are unleashed. Directed by Benoit Delhomme, Mothers’ Instinct is written with an underlying layer of mistrust guided by red flag patterns.

The plot is centered around the 1950’s time frame. It is set in a time when the husbands are the ones making the dough to provide for families, and the wives are staying home to do the many home duties including taking care of the children. The film focuses on two friends who are also mothers, housewives, and neighbors, and they are Alice (played by Jessica Chastain) and Celine (played by Anne Hathaway). Both are stay-at-home moms with husbands on successful career paths. The happy life of one is disrupted by an upsetting tragedy. That tragic event opens a can of worms with unforeseen consequences in Mothers’ Instinct.

With the term “unforeseen” there is a blur between the film’s line of friendship and trust. This is all in the performances of Chastain and Hathaway and under the direction of Delhomme. The  tragedy has occurred in the life of Celine, and Alice is the one who senses what may have gone wrong in the told scenario is not the full truth. She suspects Celine is detrimental and insane. The characterizations are faithful to the context of knowing little leading to major consequences. Its execution though, not so exhilarating.

In all, a clear context, yet the storyline is a setup around discomfort that does not have value. It only finds itself to create peril through characterizations created by stressful moments. The pattern begins with a fatality, moves on to another detrimental situation, and then continues with even more weird moving parts. A lot of it has to do with the thoughts of a mother wanting to protect her child. The dangerous one is Celine, and the protective one is Alice.  There is a scene that creates a tone for Celine to be unstable, however, the film in and of itself is all “unstable.” It boils down to melancholy with layers of tension and revenge that is not fulfilling or unique.

It soon descends into boredom despite the deception of these two daring mothers. The inner thought of concern is where the line of the film does not get crossed vigorously. Those “inner thoughts” are through the eyes of Alice and Celine. A bipolar disorder that spirals to compete, as both parties go insane on drastic levels of absurdity. It feels meaningless.

I did find that the background of the film’s characterization generates an emphasis on the personalities of its two main characters. The fact that they are the ones at home with their children and have utmost concerns. Overall, though, the motherly side of them is where Mothers’ Instinct is a drag in its mode of creating psychological suspense. The jealousy side and controversial side lacks context. Instead of building a foundation, it flows with a bizarre layout of over-assumptions.Two out of four stars for Mothers’ Instinct.