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Film reviews

Wicked Review

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The film’s introduction is enchanting and succeeds in preparing viewers for a musical adventure making its way to The Emerald City. By utilizing an opening logo like The Wizard of Oz and then topping it off with flying monkeys, Wicked gets off to a positive start. However, the foundation is not strong enough to sustain the entire film. Wicked is a Broadway musical adaptation that needs improvement. While the presentation of musical numbers abounds, there are not as many as audiences anticipate. The backstory is tolerable as is the scenery and settings that are visually stunning. The continuity is where Wicked tends to fall flat.

The story is about two witches, Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (played by Ariana Grande). Elphaba is green and that makes her a turn-off to the world. Glinda on the other hand is pink, cute, and glamorous. They are assigned to be roommates, and soon their friendship blossoms as they find connection in their fantasy environment at Shiz University. The witches’ experiences involving miracles, munchkins, and musical fun is where Wicked attempts to build upon the fundamentals of the storyline more than it does on finding musical connections.

The most interesting part of the story is the opportunity to meet the Wizard (played by Jeff Goldblum). This is definitely the most monumental segment of the film. The green train making its way to the Emerald City dazzles with amazement. The songs are joyful, but do not have frequent transitions the way they do in the musical version. This is why the chance to visit the Wizard offers audiences more to look forward to.

Because I have seen the Broadway musical, I felt the film fell off track more than it should have.  Some of the interconnectedness in the movie version simply does not make sense. Overall, the performances of Erivo and Grande are magnificent, but the pacing of the movie is lacking.  There is going to be a Part Two, so perhaps there will be several improvements made to this grand introduction before continuingwith the story. Despite all the frustration and shortcomings I’ve noted, the film still a gem-like quality which lead to feel-good moments for people of all ages, in particular, fans of the musical.  

My appreciation for Wicked remains tied to the theme of friendship. The performances of Erivo and Grande showcase their magical touch at displaying joyfulness in Wicked. With Erivo playing the witch who is trying to overcome her ugly side, and Grande thriving on her good looks, Wicked is like a duo between beauties trying to compare their best elements. The era before Dorothy still has a positive connection before all the events in The Wizard of Oz. Unfortunately, the backstory of Wicked struggles to portray these positive connections. Given that there is a second film in the making, I still have faith in thechance for a continuation with some much-neededimprovements. Despite the film’s shortcomings, Wicked has that touch which is sure to enlighten many. Two-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

Monkey Man Review

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This is an experience which will make audiences’ blood rush. A new hero is born due to revenge that has been endured for so long. Monkey Man just keeps giving with angry vibes of classic destruction. The film is directed by and stars Dev Patel in a role that is like Slumdog Millionaire meets John Wick. The streets of India are full of dark allies and Patel’s direction and performance are wickedly rapid. With all the jumps and craziness in Monkey Man, I felt like there was an army of monkeys getting into fights all around me. Patel, however, is the strongest and most ruthless of them all.

In Monkey Man, the film introduces us to Kid (Patel), a young man living in a world of anger and destruction. At night he is astreet fighter at a club run by a man named Tiger (played by Sharlto Copley). Kid wears a gorilla mask when he is a street fighter and fights to help ease his anger. He feels rage from his childhood days when his mother was murdered. Kid has tried for much of his life to let go and take his fears elsewhere, but without success. Due to his continuous fights and earning little money, fighting has not helped him grow as an individual. Kidtakes a job at a high-end club and puts together the pieces of the wealthy men involved. With the help of a colleague named Alphonso (played by Pitobash), Kid’s anger eventually leads him to a connection with the man who killed his mother. This is where the rage really sets in.

Once Kid finds out who was involved in the killing of his mother, the true ape side of Patel’s character explodes. He goes on a tirade of destruction in which he destroys criminal operations, destroys bad people, and destroys businesses. Soon the authorities are on to him. But Kid won’t stop until he feels there is true justice for his mother. India’s landscape is theplayground for Kid’s destruction and the bad guys keep appearing out of many different corners. Patel’s angry side shines vividly in Monkey Man. How bad do things get? How violent does the film get? The answers to these questions are part of this film’s bonkers adventure.

As part of this massive display of revenge and destruction, I found the film to be very effective at tying in culture. The death of Kid’s mother had to do with land and poverty. The concept of unnecessary suffering fueled additional anger which causedrapid damage throughout the film and led to one of Patel’s finest performances.

With fighting and violence on the streets, Patel plays onedangerous man who is a winner as both an actor and as a director. This movie is a vivid heart-pumping rollercoaster rideand truly one of the top films of the year so far. I found this film full of clashes and explosions to be an insane and triumphant experience. Four out of four stars for Monkey Man.

Film reviews

Argylle Review

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This film by Matthew Vaughn is close but no cigar. The premise of Argylle appears to involve a captivating sense of an adventure. Somehow the movie falls off topic and does not deliver to the extent that its audience expects. The film opens with an author imagining her book franchise’s main character like a movie. The author is Elly Conway, and she is played by Bryce Dallas Howard. The character she creates, Argylle is played by Henry Cavill. The story is about an accomplished author who cannot figure out a cliffhanger. The writing about the adventure she embarks upon is inconsistent throughout Argylle.

The plot focuses on Elly wanting her next Argylle novel to have a perfect conclusion. She is struggling with ideas, so her mother Ruth, played by Catherine O’Hara, encourages her to take a trip. Elly gets on a train, and then realizes that there are henchmen after her. The man who saves her is Aidan, played by Sam Rockwell. Elly’s experience makes her feel like she is in her own story, a perilous adventure that she created is nowhappening right in front of her. Aidan must guide Elly on her journey and protect her from the many underground enemies that are after her. It is a film full of misdirection where the concept and the title both cause some confusion about the author and the target. Is what is happening around Elly real? Is Argyllereal? The movie creates a world where the cliffhangers lead to many tangents and colorful espionage abounds. Overall, it is a true Vaughn adventure.

Argylle is two-sided adventure in which the blurred lines do not fade as the story progresses. The suspense takes its audience to France, London, Chicago, and Colorado in an unconventional thriller with a healthy blend of diversity. Despite its strange misdirection, the movie remains exhilarating. Argylle goes into the shadowy depths with interesting discoveries. The enemy is Ritter, played by Bryan Cranston. His role causes the espionage tends to grow. The film then jumps to yet another questionable character, Alfred Solomon, played by Samuel L. Jackson. As these dangerous characters impact Elly’s safety, her writer’s block seems to unfold in mysterious ways. There are more realizations about her personal life and more background revealed about the various theories surrounding her Argylle novels.

Even though the film tends to jump around all over the place, the performances of Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell made watching this film a real blast. Argylle is a unique experience from the creative mind of Matthew Vaughn. The story of an author having to deal with suspenseful scenarios is where the curiosities unfold in Argylle. While the film’s writing shifts gears too frequently for my taste, the storyline and overall experience still sells.

In the end, Argylle is a bumpy ride of misconception and deceit. It is also full of weird tendencies and strange behaviors duringtense moments. Argylle is not that great overall, but its creative direction is still invigorating. Two-and-a-half out of four stars for Argylle.