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Tickets to Paradise Review

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George Clooney and Julia Roberts are always a joyful pair when they do movies together. Whether their flick is comedic, suspenseful, or serious, they always have perfect chemistry. In Tickets to Paradise Clooney and Roberts both play sarcastic and opinionated characters. The combination of their attitudes is where the joy is in the movie. Both are involved in crazy disagreements and have challenging egos which clash in an unexpected scenario in Tickets to Paradise.

Before seeing this movie, I kept thinking about Clooney’s previous film The Descendants (2011). Since Tickets to Paradise is also set in a tropical location like The Descendants, I thought the films might have more in common.  However, Clooney’s character in the former film has many more underlying personal issues. Tickets to Paradise, on the other hand, is filled with humorous moments and a risky scheme involving the main characters that results in lots of laughs. 

In Tickets to Paradise, Clooney is David and Roberts is Georgia. They are a divorced couple with a daughter, Lily, played by Kaitlyn Dever. Lily has just graduated from college and is on her way to pursue additional education in Law School. Before Lily’s days of tough schoolwork begin, she decides to go on a vacation to Bali with her friend Wren. Wren is played by Billie Lourd. With David and Georgia having lingering resentment towards each other, they both encounter a major problem when their daughter informs them that she is getting married in Bali.  Her fiancé is named Gede, played by Maxime Bouttier.  Filled with frustration and annoyance with their daughter, David and Georgia fly over to Bali in hopes of putting a stop to their daughter’s wedding. It is not that easy especially given with how much David and Georgia despise each other. Another crazy aspect to the situation is that Georgia’s pilot boyfriend Sean tags along. Sean is played by Rob Lynch. Tickets to Paradise is a wild ride of this divorced couple having to go through the crazy obstacles to stop their daughter’s fantasy.  With Clooney and Roberts in the lead roles, it is stellar fun with many twists as well as dialogue that is witty and heartfelt. I had a fun time with Tickets to Paradise.

The culture and rituals in Bali are a key element in the film and have an impact on stalling or stopping the wedding. From cursed islands and religious beliefs to egotistical and hysterical behavior, there are plenty of obstacles along the way. Tickets to Paradise will provide fans with good fun and they will get a kick out of the performances by Clooney, Roberts, Dever, and Lynch. The scenery is tropical and extravagant. Although the film is silly in certain moments, it is intended for positive entertainment.

Will the wedding go forward for Lily? Will it be altered? Can Robert and Georgia deal with each other? Find out in Tickets to Paradise. Three and a half stars.

58th Chicago International Film Festival, Film reviews

58th Chicago International Film Festival: Piaffe Review

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Piaffe opens with cutting frames, projection tools, and the tools to make audio for a production. This introduction is an invigorating one, especially for me since I have worked in cinemas. I have seen the transition of projection technologies over the years. Piaffe blends the elements of filmmaking and foley artist work to serious levels. As its main character pushes herself (as a foley artist), her own body has strange transformations. Piaffe knows no limits as the transformations gets more graphic.

The odyssey in Piaffe is just the beginning of the weirdness that surrounds the film. The film is surrounded with pressure, disconnect, sex, night clubs, and creating art. Piaffe is like an imagination on acid. The disturbing content is unexplained. The film is visually bothersome.

In Piaffe, the film focuses on Eva, and she is played by Simone Bucio. Eva’s sibling Zara (played by Simon Jaikiriuma Paetau) bails on an assignment. Eva takes Zara’s job as a foley artist. Eva pushes herself to the limits. She collaborates sounds ranging from clicks, sand noises, and horse noises to the best of her ability. As Eva thrives for success, a horsetail grows out of her body. With Eva’s strange feelings, she becomes more submissive. She starts to want deeper connection. Eva’s feelings and choices are all over the place. As Eva goes deeper into figuring out what she desires, Piaffe becomes bizarre.

Piaffe is a clever film, but it its too much to handle. The foley artist task is where the film had my attention. When Eva goes crazy is where I started to get overwhelmed. Piaffe takes a creative aspect and spoils it with eroticism. Eva’s tail is the center of the bizarre activities she takes part in. Piaffe starts out with having nostalgic fun of cinematic traits but is over-ruled with weird sexual scenarios.

Piaffe is not one that to be watched on a full stomach. The film is repulsive as Eva goes deeper with her transformations. Piaffe is one to watch with an open mind. I found the film to be much for me.

I had faith in Piaffe. That is because of being a cinema enthusiast and loving the opening introductions of cutting films and reels. My captivation was there with the foley artist fun. However, when Eva realized that she has a tail, my attention was deteriorated. Went from being invigorative and involving to overwhelming sexual horror. Two stars for Piaffe.

Film reviews

TAR Review

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The tempo is strong, there is non-stop excitement, and Cate Blanchett’s performance in TAR will blow her audience out of the water. TAR is a work of art that displays brilliance on many levels.

In TAR, Blanchett is Lydia TAR, a composer-conductor and first-ever female director of an important German Orchestra. With a focus on Western classical music, she has a ton of projects and new evolving talent to be shown to the world. She has an assistant named Francesca (played by Noemie Merlant), and a partner Sharon Goodnow (played by Nina Hoss), and she feels her successful life is never going away. Slowly though, issues begin to arise as her ego takes over her. She begins to reject evolving talent among the musicians. The social media about her begins to show some red flags, and she feels Francesca is going behind her back. Regardless, TAR, the accomplished composer and musician, does not stop to deal with her problems. She keeps going, and Blanchett’s performance takes the film to new levels.

The tensions in TAR are harsh, and the problems are realistic. TAR always needs be the hero. She never lets anyone in to discuss her errors or the other talents around her. It is all about her. And her self-absorbed mindset carries irreparable consequences, including an emerging musician committing suicide.

I was astounded by the writing of TAR. Blanchett’s character is honest, if flawed. The film shows how cutthroat many artists can become, and how those who are accomplished become more into their own accomplishments than supporting others. The question of the film is whether TAR’s career is on the line and, sadly, it may be. Her defense to being fired centers on her background, her fan base, her awards, and her tenure track. But will this be enough?

Director Todd Field knows his approach to TAR, displaying the actors’ knowledge, craft, and their egos. Blanchett’s role has a massive ego. Her performance is enthralling and she is amazingly concise with her tone of voice and speech in the film. TAR is directed with marvelous vision and, again, Blanchett’s performance is astonishing. TAR may be the best film of the year. It is visionary and daring, and I loved it. Four stars for TAR.