DAILY CALL SHEET: SEPTEMBER 3, 2018

Fantastic Planet (1973) Tiny Om named Terr gets educated and leads a violent slave revolt against the giant Draags. Outstanding, one-of-a-kind animated sci-fi. TIL: Scripture condemns slavery while recognizing that slaves are still responsible for the state of their own souls.

Your daily dose of culture courtesy of A Face in the Crowd (1957) - "It's the age-old struggle: the roar of the crowd on the one side, and the voice of your conscience on the other." - Douglas MacArthur

Hotel Chevalier (2007)

Months ago, I watched Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited for the first time and, as I was expecting, I loved it. Thanks to Steven from Surrender to the Void I learnt about Hotel Chevalier, a short film prologue to The Darjeeling Limited. 

In this short, Jack (Jason Schwartzman), one of the Whitman brothers, is lying on a bed, wearing a robe and ordering from room service. His peace is disrupted when he gets a call from his ex-girlfriend (Natalie Portman) who informs him she'll be there in 30 minutes. He tides the room, draws a bath, changes his clothes and puts on Peter Sarstedt's Where Do You Go to My Lovely.

She arrives, looks around, brushes her teeth and exchanges some awkward words with Jack. Someone knocks on the door; it's the waiter with room service. As soon as he leaves, passion takes over. Or does it?

Hotel Chevalier certainly is an important backstory for The Darjeeling Limited, as we get to know more about the relationship between Jack and his ex-girlfriend --we don't learn much but enough to develop a bit further Jack's character and know something about the ex-girlfriend who is only mentioned in the feature-- and there are several elements in here that also appear in the feature film that you won't catch if you haven't seen the short already.

Does it work as a stand-alone film? I'm not sure about that as it is a little confusing at first even though you have seen the film, and you will feel Natalie Portman's character when she asks, what the fuck is going on. Without The Darjeeling Limited, both past and future are left to interpretation/imagination. Also, because the story Anderson tells here is very limited, the drama comes off a little cold. It's that coldness, that lack of emotion that really stuck with me about Hotel Chevalier though.

Fox Searchlight Pictures

That, and the stunning visuals. There's a combination of yellow and dark colours that fits the story and characters to perfection as they portray how they feel around each other, comfortable and yet a little awkward. The background music is a little too loud and, at times, it makes it kinda hard to understand what the characters are saying, but is really beautiful.

Tully Movie Review

Tully (2018)

Rent Tully on Amazon Video
Written by: Diablo Cody
Directed by: Jason Reitman
Starring:  Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis, Ron Livingston, Mark Duplass
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Mother of three Marlo is gifted a night nanny by her brother. Hesitant at the extravagance at first, she forms a unique bond with the thoughtful, unpredictable nanny. 

Verdict
This is the other side of pregnancy and a newborn that isn't usually depicted in movies. It's a mom having a hard time coping. What this brings attention to is important, but I wanted it to say more. This never calls out postpartum depression, though that's what the movie is about.  Where most movies create an ideal utopia around a baby, this creates an ideal dystopia. Neither feel accurate. I figured out what would happen just because I've seen so many movies, that and there are a few clues. I appreciate the questions this makes you ask, but it's too subtle.
It depends.

Review
Charlize Theron's character Marlo looks tired. I'm sure she is. She's pregnant, with two kids. Her son seems to have special needs, though that's never directly addressed. She's tired of hearing how pregnancy is "such a blessing." We've seen Marlo's point of view, and I get whey she doesn't see those well wishes as sincere. She's carrying a baby while trying to run a house and it's just too much, ending up as chaos.

This has a few moments that are supposed to be awkward, but end up confusing. The counselor and Marlo talk about her son Jonah as if he doesn't have special needs. It seems clear he has at least some sensory issues. I don't know if this was to make the counselor look inept or that Marlo doesn't want to see it. While the point may be that Marlo just has so much on her, it feels like somebody should call it by name.
There's also an interaction Marlo has with an old friend that makes it seem like something happened between them in the past, but it's just weird.
This had a great scene when Marlo and family are visiting her brother. As they walk across the driveway, they actual felt like a real family, one of the only times that happened.
I also don't understand why Marlo does a double take and never realizes people are talking about the baby. Every time she double takes. Sure her mind is on other things, but what? The movie needs to let us in a little.

You can tell she's not right after the birth. She doesn't want to hold the baby and she's irritable. I knew what this movie was, so I caught the clues that it's depression. She's at the end of her rope.

Her husband does nothing to help her, he just plays video games. I found that difficult to relate to. I have a kid, granted I don't have three and we didn't go through anything as severe as Marlo did. As the husband I was up at night feeding, changing diapers, and rocking. I don't know if the husband doing nothing is typical, or a cliche the movie uses to drive its point home.

Having just watched The Omen (read my review), this felt like the start to a horror movie when a random nanny shows up and everyone assumes it's cool. It feels weird Marlo wasn't more protective or proactive, but the movie set it up that she's worn out and she'd take any help. Someone once told me that after you have the third kid you stop caring, so maybe it's that.

Marlo has a night nanny that not only helps her out, but provides adult interaction and conversation. As the nanny says she's there for the mom more than the baby. The nanny is weird, but it reaches a level of weird that makes you take a step back. I began to suspect something was happening or about to, and I was right. I will give the movie credit, I knew it was setting up something, but I wasn't sure what was going to be the outcome.

This is a bit of brain scrambler. I get what happened, but most movies explain a bit more where this doesn't. While Marlo has issues, you can't help but put a fair amount of blame on her husband. While Marlo's depression would have been hard to detect, he did nothing to help around the house.
It feels like the movie presents this idea of depression and wants the viewer to look into it further, but I'm not sure many people will. The movie never calls it out by name, skirting around it. I'm not sure why.

DAILY CALL SHEET: SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

Yor, the Hunter from the Future (1983) Caveman Reb Brown, sporting a wig, a loin cloth, and little else, is transported to the future to save the world. Ridiculous fun. TIL: Some psychologists speculate the human psyche has an inherent need for a "savior". Well, duh, you think?

Your daily dose of culture courtesy of Killer Party (1986) - "No evil dooms us hopelessly except the evil we love, and desire to continue in, and make no effort to escape from." - George Eliot

And finally, our old pal D. G. D. Davidson, who used to run the Sci-Fi Catholic blog and now hangs out at Deus ex Magical Girl, has announced the publication of his first book, Jake and the Dynamo. I’ve already grabbed my copy on Amazon. Stop by and check it out.

The Lion King (1994)

Of all of Disney's animated classics, The Lion King is hands down the most celebrated. I, on the other hand, was never so fond of it as a child. So today I decided to rewatch it and see how I'd feel about it and I still don't think this is Disney's greatest film. 

The Lion King tells the story of a lion cub named Simba (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas) who one day will become the king of the Pride Lands. However, his uncle Scar (voiced by Jeremy Irons) is desperate for the crown himself and would do anything to get it, even get Mufasa (voiced by James Earl Jones), his brother and king, killed and let Simba believed he is to be blamed for his father's death and Simba runs away from the kingdom. Years go by and, while Simba (now voiced by Matthew Broderick) has found new friends in meerkat Timon (voiced by Nathan Lane) and warthog Pumbaa (voiced by Ernie Sabella), the kingdom is falling apart under Scar's tyrannical leadership.

The story is very simple and not that original as many people say --I'm specifically talking about the Japanese manga series Kimba the White Lion as not only the name of the main character is very similar but the characters as well. Both have a sage baboon, a hornbill, despicable hyenas and an evil lion. Not to mention an iconic scene from The Lion King being identical to one from Kimba the White Lion-- and I truly struggle to see how it could appeal an adult audience as it is very little exciting. 

As for kids, it's a whole different story as the film deals with themes of family, love, friendship, loyalty, and betrayal. Also, it teaches what being brave means, that you can either run away from your past or learn from it, and that you gotta put your past behind. 

Buena Vista Pictures

The characters are pretty good and make up for the lack of a strong story. Timon and Pumbaa are so lovable and truly wonderful as they provide the film with some good humour probably only adults will appreciate. Scar is an excellent villain, both menacing and so fascinating that I've been rooting for his since I was a child. And Jeremy Irons' voice work is so spot-on! Simba, on the other hand, isn't that likeable and makes for a pretty boring hero.

Just like any other Disney flick, The Lion King is beautifully animated --the African savannah, in particular, is truly breathtaking-- and it has pretty catchy and fun songs.

DAILY CALL SHEET: SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

Crocodile Fury (1988) Honest Jack defends his village from angry spirits reincarnated as giant crocodiles and Monica the witch's hopping vampires. Incomprehensible Indonesian mash-up from Godfrey Ho. A must watch. TIL: Remind me again about how Christianity has weird beliefs?

Your daily dose of culture courtesy of The Long Goodbye (1973) - "He who can preserve gentleness amid pains, and peace amid worry multitude of affairs, is almost perfect." –St. Francis de Sales

And finally, over at his film and faith blog, Michael Piskai has discovered the Larry Cohen classic, God Told Me To. If that title sounds familiar, it’s because we took a look at it right here a while back. You can never get enough Cohen.

High School Musical 2 (2007)

I don't know why, but High School Musical 2 has always been my favourite of the three. I would watch it over and over, especially when I was in bed, sick. I guess it's because it was more colourful --there's a lot of bright pink though-- and it wasn't set in the school. 

In this second entry, summer has arrived and Sharpay (Ashely Tisdale) still hasn't given up the idea of having Troy (Zac Efron) all for herself so she has him hired at her parents' country club. Unfortunately for Sharpay, all the Wildcats get a job at the country club, Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) included. As if having to compete with Gabriella for Troy wasn't enough, Sharpay also has to fight to win the talent show hosted at the club like her brother Ryan (Lucas Grabeel) and she do every year. 

Plot-wise, the film is just like its predecessor. Silly, predictable, with more holes than Swiss cheese, and many stupid and pointless subplots. Not to mention how unconvincing the ending was. In order words, it shouldn't work. And yet, just like its predecessor, it kind of does. It isn't the most interesting of stories, but it's a tiny bit entertaining. 

The characters are still very idiotic, with very little characterization and no development whatsoever --and this time around even the adult characters get this poor treatment. However, some of the minor characters from the first film gain some importance, especially Sharpay's brother, Ryan, who is, finally, no longer just Sharpay's brother but a person of his own. Which I guess it's one of the reasons I always liked High School Musical 2 better as, unlike most if not all teenage girl, I didn't have a crush on Zac Efron but on Lucas Grabeel. 

As for the acting, it's still pretty bad, especially from Vanessa Hudgens --seriously, she is unwatchable--, but at least the cast seems more comfortable with each other and their characters. 

Disney-ABC Domestic Television

The songs are still lame and cheesy and don't move the plot a bit forward but, to be honest, I love them all. They are catchy and fun and make the film much more enjoyable. Also, the musical numbers feel more believable. The awful lip-syncing is still a no-no for me though.