MOVIE REVIEW: A Quiet Place Part II

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A QUIET PLACE PART II-- 4 STARS

Treading down the homemade sound-muffling sandy paths of eastern New York again for A Quiet Place Part II roused a chin-rubbing line of inquiry for this very writer. Now that we’re into a second film of this creature feature scenario, can John Krasinski’s movie still get away with holding back basic details? In 2018, not entirely knowing what the threat was about to the Abbott family was a large portion of the heady and suspenseful appeal that made A Quiet Place a tremendously vivid film and successful box office winner.

LESSON #1: HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?-- Three years later and tip-toeing in the trajectory of becoming a successful trilogy or even a franchise, do you, the eager audience, need to know more stuff about all things A Quiet Place, like where the monsters came from, why they’re here, or even something trivial like how, when, and where do they sleep? Is there a mental inquest going on of random light bulb questions like those that nag your perturbed logic? Like a Christopher Nolan film, do you need some authority figure or power player presence to come in, take over the movie for a little while, and drop more definitive exposition? Is it time for that and, more importantly, is it necessary?

The resounding answer across the board is no. The counterpoint would be to ask why ruin what stands as a distinctive strength. While A Quiet Place Part II ventures outside of its original single setting into the open world of its neighboring countryside, any omniscient truth is still rightfully guarded and methodically uncloaked at its own speed. Simply put, to know any more than our invested characters in harm’s way would take away the whole fascinating mystique that draws us with its purposeful and rapt silence.

Admittedly, those looking for a little background into the ongoing cataclysm get a whiff of that in the first ten or so minutes of A Quiet Place Part II. The writer-director calls his own number to return as Lee Abbott in flashback to “Day 1,” when the unnamed, sightless leviathans first arrive in his quaint hamlet while the town is enjoying little league baseball. It’s a harrowing sequence of chaos that slyly passes the sound-editing baton of POV hearing between Lee and his deaf daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds) as their family narrowly escapes the introductory onslaught.

Fast-forward 474 days and this sequel takes over mere minutes after the culminating events of the first film. Through amplified feedback coming from Regan’s hearing aid that paralyzes the monsters’ primary sense and unravels their physical defenses, the Abbotts have miraculously found a means of fighting back. However in the ruins of this previous battle, Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and her children (Simmonds, Noah Jupe as Marcus, and the new infant) are now fatherless and homeless. They are forced to trek out to find resources and, hopefully, helpful survivors.

LESSON #2: HOW LOSS CHANGES PEOPLE-- Thanks to the prior lead of their departed patriarch, the Abbotts have harnessed resilience and fortitude through this ordeal. They stay calm, breathe, and protect each other. The same cannot be said for other people. This is typified greatest in A Quiet Place Part II by Cillian Murphy’s distrustful and sullen Emmett. As an old friend of Lee’s, he is the nearest help Evelyn finds, but his own family has been lost and it has changed him. He’s unwilling to shelter the Abbotts long-term. Gutted and fatalistic, Emmett is quick to outline what other people have become by declaring they are “not the kind of people worth saving.”

LESSON #3: PUSHING TO DO ENOUGH-- This is where the inverse best person in the movie takes over. Driven to help beyond her handicap, Regan leaves her mother and siblings on her own to reach a nearby working radio station where she can broadcast her special frequency to all who can receive the signal. She does so with the bravery to honor her father’s efforts and promises because, unlike others, he would alway push to do more. Sharing that trait is beyond special. 

Folks, if you never saw the brilliance, moxie, and courage of Millicent Simmonds way back in Wonderstruck or previously in A Quiet Place, you will swell with endless admiration now. She is the outright hero of this whole movie (Murphy is a moderate second), a fact to downright enunciate (you’ll see), cheer, and love.

Through this treacherous course of travel, A Quiet Place Part II expands the threats and objectives. Sharp editing from Michael P. Shawver (Black Panther, Creed) shimmies thrillingly between two and sometimes three apexes of concurrent subplots, multiplying the well-concocted peril happening in each place. Production designer Jess Gonchor (Little Women, No Country for Old Men), a two-time Oscar nominee created the intriguing indoor and outdoor obstacles laid before our characters. From a special effects standpoint, what was mostly unseen the first time around is now inescapable and given more observable detail and ferocity, thanks to ILM’s work supervised by Scott Farrar (World War Z) and coordinated by William V. Ross (Aquaman). 

Patient and savvy in its pacing and capacity, all of these areas of gradual intensification feel like a fitting natural progression. Yet, it’s still a tempered one, as evident by those resounding “no” answers from earlier. More is offered without excessiveness. Too often, cash-infused sequels to successful shoestring original movies get overindulgent in their intentions and magnitude. This movie’s budget grew from $17 million three years ago to $61 million now, and you would never know it other than the slightly expanded settings and extra beastial clashes.

Sure, A Quiet Place Part II chooses its spots to unfurl moments a little bigger or a little louder, but it hasn’t lost its core intimacy of sensory-based tension. It’s slowest and simplest moments remain the most affecting. Returning composer Marco Beltrami continues the Dolby ATMOS-rattling orchestral dread that quickens heart rates. If they wanted to, the special effects and the stunt departments could turn these characters into improbable action heroes for enlarged thrills and superhuman feats. They wouldn’t and they didn’t. 

Such would be out of line, and John Krasinski knows it. Chiefly of all, Krasinski hasn’t lost the importance of emotionality. It could have been quite easy, and tempting, to create humans as evil as the monsters in order to inject extra social commentary, but that would take away from the aforementioned resilience we’re attracted to so strongly which beats this movie’s heart. The family dynamics forge the difference between stock archetypes we can earmark for their impending demise normally found in this genre and the true flesh-and-blood characters that viewers care to not see lose their literal flesh and blood. This is horror and feels, without a hint of torturn porn or sadistic bloodlust in sight. What a visceral combination once again!

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GUEST CRITIC #65: Judas and the Black Messiah

As busy I get from time to time, I find that I can't see every movie under the sun, leaving my friends and colleagues to fill in the blanks for me.  As poetically as I think I wax about movies on this website as a wannabe critic, there are other experts out there.  Sometimes, it inspires me to see the movie too and get back to being my circle's go-to movie guy.  Sometimes, they save me $9 and you 800+ words of blathering.  In a new review series, I'm opening my site to friend submissions for guest movie reviews.

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TODAY’S CRITIC: Lafronda Stumn

Lafronda Stumn is a student at Madisonville Community College and intends to graduate with an Associate's degree in Associate of the Arts. She plans on earning a Bachelors Degree in Motion Picture Studies and English at Wright State University. Her favorite Directors are Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Spike Lee, and her favorite actors are Al Pacino, Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, and Halle Berry. Lafronda contacted this page looking for a place to get published and I enjoy giving people that very kind of opportunity. This is her 32nd guest review for Every Movie Has a Lesson. Welcome as always, Lafronda!

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HER REVIEW: Judas and the Black Messiah

Fred Hampton was only 21 years old when he was gunned down by the FBI, led by the racist, latently gay FBI honcho J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover was terrified of Fred Hampton’s dominance as a civil rights activist as a Black Panther leader, not only in Chicago where Hampton lived, but becoming a world leader following in the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

Director Shaka King in only his second film, directs the film Judas and the Black Messiah. King directs a story about the life of Fred Hampton and the Black Panther who betrayed his trust, Bill O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield). O’Neal blackmailed to be an infiltrator for the FBI second in command Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons). O’Neal arrested for stealing a car from a federal agent.

Fred Hampton, played to impressive effect by Daniel Kaluuya, was a great union organizer who not only wanted to recruit rival Black civil rights workers. Hampton also wanted the Latino and poor white communities to come together for social justice and economic empowerment for a government that makes the white middle-class and upper-class people richer and more spoiled than they already are. Hampton falls in love with a worker for the movement named Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback). Deborah becomes more entrenched in the movement. Bill O’Neal becomes a trusted confidant to Hampton, and, at one point, Hampton gets arrested and sent to prison orchestrated by the FBI and the police. Several of Hampton Black Panther workers get arrested, one while still in the Hospital.

Accordingly, there are many brilliant scenes in this impeccable film including Hampton meeting with Green Beret members and where he asks for his flyers to be seen around their headquarters. Memorably, there is a fabulously directed and edited sequence in which a lady and a male panther fires machine gun against the police and they execute the scene at a fever pitch. Another masterful sense is when Black Panther Hampton is giving an electrifying speech to a local member with O’Neal looking on to scare and intimidate. 

There is an engrossing scene when a racist white pastor. Hampton visits calling the pastor for having a confederate flag behind him while giving his sermon. Urgently, J Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen) talks to Mitchell for the real reason he’s after Hampton and his organization. Out of desperation, O’Neal tries to convince Hampton to blow up the FBI headquarters and begs Hampton to consider the option for getting of the FBI off their backs.

Perfectly, the performance of Daniel Kaluuya is superb and is riveting in a portrayal of a man who is on a mission to make the world a better place of all races, creeds, and class to great emotional power a precision. LaKeith Stansfield is equally strong as the black sheep of the Panther Party. Stanfield’s character is very selfish but also terrified of what he feels he needs to do to save his own skin. With great confidence and steely-eyed resolve, Dominque Fishback as Deborah gives quiet authority and inner strength with her life at risk and a surprise development in Hampton and Johnson relationship. Plemmons’ performance is eerie in how cold and calm he is in his bigotry and Martin Sheen is barely recognizable as J. Edgar Hoover, whose vendettas against Hampton show his hatred and his insecurities as the most dangerous man in United States.

Judas and the Black Messiah is a brilliant docudrama about our own government in taking down a Panther and how us an Americans lost a great man who truly would have been on par of great civil rights leaders of all time whose life is cut abruptly.

RATING: ****

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CONCLUSION

Thank you again, Lafronda! You are welcome anytime. Friends, if you see a movie that I don't see and want to be featured on my website, hit up my website's Facebook page and you can be my next GUEST CRITIC!

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GUEST EDITORIAL: The "Escape Room" Movie

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The Escape Room Movie

by Kevin Gardner

Escape rooms are like an adventure game brought to life. When you play them, you and a team of people are placed in a themed room and have to complete a mission to "escape." It has become a popular activity for team building, family outings and friendly competition among friends. The Escape Room movie took that concept and turned it into a horror film. 

Escape Room Overview

In real life, popular escape room themes include prison escapes, detective stories, popular films, historical sets and even adult themes. These games can be played in the real world or in an online escape room. 

The 2019 movie turned the concept into a psychological horror film, reminiscent of the Saw series. Adam Robitel directs and Maria Melnik and Bragi F. Schut share writing duties. The film's stars include Deborah Ann Woll, Taylor Russell, Yorick van Wageningen, Tyler Labine, Jay Ellis, Logan Miller and Nik Dodani. The movie was filmed in South Africa in 2017 and 2018.

Escape Room Plot

Six people, who range from a physics student to a wealthy day trader and an Iraq War veteran, are presented with a puzzle cube. Solving the puzzle gets them an invite to solve an escape room for a $10,000 prize. However, the rooms are not what they expected. Rather than the safe, family fun, you'll find in most real-world escape rooms, these rooms are deadly. The group makes it through the first two rooms, but the cast starts getting picked off after that. 

Some of the rooms feature themes that remind the players of disasters they have survived in real life. Eventually, one of the cast figures out that the purpose of the game is to determine which of them is the luckiest. One of the characters makes it through the final room and finds the Gamemaster who has been controlling the puzzles, which were designed by the Puzzle Maker. The Gamemaster tells this character that they lure in players who have something in common to play the game every year. The Gamemaster then tries to kill the surviving player but is thwarted when a second survivor shows up and helps kill the Gamemaster.

They try to bring in the police, but the police do not believe them and all evidence of the escape rooms has vanished. One of the players spots the phrase, "No Way Out" and determines it is an anagram for "Wootan Yu," which indicates the game may not be over. 

The film concludes with a meeting between the two surviving players, where they look at news stories that paint the deaths of the other players as accidents. They follow clues to an unlisted building in Manhattan, where the Puzzle Maker is preparing to create a new game for them, presumably in the sequel. 

Escape Room Reception

The film raked in $57 million in the United States and Canada and an additional $98.7 million worldwide, for a total of $155.7 million. With the production budget only being $9 million, the film was a financial success, with the net profit being estimated at $46.6 million.

Critics were not as receptive to the film, giving it an average rating of 5.3 out of 10 and a 51% approval rating on the review site Rotten Tomatoes. Many critics felt the film failed to realize its potential, but did offer some thrills for fans of the genre. 

Escape Room Sequel

A sequel titled, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions, was announced in 2019. Robitel will once again be directing, Schut writing and Moritz producing. Taylor Russell and Logan Miller will return as the two surviving cast members of the first film. The film is currently scheduled to be released on July 16, 2021.

Fans of the first film and the horror movie genre have something to look forward to in the soon-to-be-released sequel. Those looking for something a bit more wholesome and family-friendly might want to try out a real-life or virtual escape room instead. 

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PODCAST: Episode 10 of "The Cinephile Hissy Fit" Podcast

For our tenth episode, our hosts go head-to-head on Todd Phillip's wildly divisive and Oscar-winning film Joker from 2019. 25YL film critics, celebrated dads, and calendar-counting school teachers Will Johnson and Don Shanahan saw this movie's intentions in surprisingly the same way yet come away with shockingly different reactions. They have chosen their Joker hills to die on. Come for the shared challenge and tirade and stay for the mutual love and respect for the fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!

My full review of "Joker"

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Ruminations Radio Network website Spotify iTunes Transistor

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Don Shanahan on Letterboxd Will Johnson on Letterboxd Don Shanahan on 25YL Will Johnson on 25YL

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "You'll Probably Agree" YouTube channel talking about the Snyder Cut

(Image: Facebook.com)

Recenty, I joined Mike Crowley’s You’ll Probably Agree YouTube show to talk about our lingering impressions from Zack Snyder’s Justice League from HBO Max. He and I were both fans of the lengthened and improved movie the director was granted to complete. We haven’t been able to let it go. Moreso, we’ve been weighing its impact on the matter of creator say, director’s cuts, and where that battle lies between filmmaker and studios. Enjoy this spirited conversation and be sure to follow Mike’s work on 25YL.

Mike's Review of Zack Snyder's Justice League My Review of Zack Snyder's Justice League

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GUEST EDITORIAL: Little Women: The Veracity of Description

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Little Women Review: The Veracity of Description

by Jessica Chapman

Many readers would admit that they have either not read or aren't fond of Little Women's novel. However, it is hard to believe that this is the opinion of most readers. It is even less believable given the number of women writers such as Patti Smith, JK Rowling, and Simone de Beauvoir, publicly claiming that this 19th century novel by Louisa May Alcott has inspired them. One character from the most inspiring story is Jo because of her strong will and how much of a heroine she is.

For a novel that has inspired some of the most prominent personalities in the literary world, it comes as no surprise that there’s an adaptation. The adaptation, which is a beautiful piece of work by Greta Gerwig, cuts through the moralistic surface of the novel into the underlying themes and picks out the main messages of feminism, individuality, independence, and creativity. She did this in her adaptation without reducing the authenticity and charm which the original story showed. Gerwig even made the adaptation more appealing to both critics and devoted fans of the novel by adding a contemporary feeling to it. 

There were also dynamic performances by the casts, which made it even more enjoyable. Most notable of these are Saoirse Ronan, Laura Dern, and Florence Pugh, who played the role of fiery Jo, the wise mother Marmee, and Amy. This movie is a triumph seeing as it captures the deep emotions and even more from the novel. 

The self-confident screenplay of Gerwig has her restructuring the novel in her adaptation such that Jo and the other ladies started as adults. The movie went on with a back and forth between their childhood and their present situations. According to a college-paper.org review, the change made by Gergwin highlights the three of them as adult women rather than small girls-in-training, and each of them had their well-defined character. 

In this adaptation, Jo is an Alcott amalgam. The character is an aspiring writer from New York who takes her works to a publisher that is stern and encouraging, Mr. Dashwood (played by Tracy Letts). Dashwood tells Jo that she won't make much sales being morel, asking her to be more sensational in her writing. Although this sounds very modern, it is something that was picked directly from the 19th-century novel. It also shows how Gergwig refused to moralize the story and as well sets the tone for Dashwood’s scenes.

The adaptation has Amy in Paris in the company of their aunt March. Meg is in New England being a wife and mother while sickly Beth is playing piano at home.

The memories of the sisters take us in time to seven years ago, just as Jo and Meg were approaching adulthood, but they were still playing games and staging theatrics in the attic. Gerwig is in the cozy house creating fireside warmth and candlelight with Yorick Le Saux. The countryside of New England outside is a landscape that’s enticing, clear, full of vivid colors, bright light, snowy paths, and green lawns.

Jo, as a young girl, becomes friends with the next-door neighbor, Laurie. She then goes on a streak of anger that causes Dern and Ronan to hold an intense conversation about about how to control their tempers. 

According to a research paper writing, each of these major characters has one set-piece within the movie at least, but Jo had several. One of such set-pieces shows adult Jo kneeling over a dozen pages of manuscripts that she spread on the floor of the attic, while intense and tired. Although this was a 19th-century set, this scene is typically an accurate depiction of writers at work. The character which Ronan creates had much more depth than her profession. Sometimes she’s torn between the lonely situation that she’s in and her desire to be independent.

The character Amy, which is very maligned in the novel, was redefined in this adaptation by Gerwig. It shows her sympathetic nature and how passionate she is about being an artist. She went from being the petulant child into a sophisticated and thoughtful woman struggling with the fact that she is talented but lacks genius. 

The style and attitude of the film define its modern and feministic theme. This includes the male-inspired costumes such as neck scarves and waistcoats, which Jo donned. On some occasions, the theme felt overt. 

While in Paris, Laurie starts to fall for Amy, but this comes after his marriage proposal to Jo was rejected. He then warns her not to settle for a marriage without love because of money, but Amy insists that it’s an option for women when they can’t earn a good living. Gerwig added a scene that every Alcott reader would have loved to see, and this was another example of the screenplay picking up cues that were not strongly highlighted in the novel and making them bloom. After Laurie declared his love for Amy, her initial reaction to it was that of hurt. She went on to say that she has been the second fiddle to Jo all her life, and she is not going to settle with Laurie simply because he could not have Jo. 

In the end, Jo goes back to meet Dashwood after she finished writing the story that we now read as Little Women. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica Chapman is a writing editor at essaymama.com. She is from Chicago and provides essay writing service reviews. She is into sport and politics and enjoys traveling. 

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MOVIE REVIEW: Cruella

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CRUELLA-- 3 STARS

Strutting through much of Cruella as the true villainess of the picture, Emma Thompson’s callously evil Baroness declares at one point that “gorgeous and vicious” is her “favorite combination” of character traits. That great line and pairing is also a fitting description for the movie and its turbulent pendulum. Much of Cruella’s ambitions arrive at spiteful and malicious, wholly suitable given the title character’s historical mystique and the 49 listed synonyms for “evil” on Thesaurus.com, of which “cruel,” curiously, does not make the list.

Jointly so, “gorgeous” is the proper baseline for descriptors necessary to commend the many lavish accoutrements created and enjoyed by Craig Gillespie’s crime comedy (the studio’s category label, not mine). Yet, the real deceit of the movie is how coyly it melds the Baroness’s two choice words to edify each other. Making anything vicious look gorgeous and vice versa is a slick little ruse of entertainment Cruella fulfills. So what’s vicious, what’s gorgeous, and what’s both? Plenty.

Let’s start with the fiendish. A series of tragic circumstances, par for the tried-and-true Disney course, turn the young Estella de Vil (Tipper Seifert-Cleveland), with her signature two-toned hair, first, into a troublemaking delinquent at school befriended by the kindly Anita Darling (re-appearing later as a helpful adult played by Kirby Howell-Baptiste of Killing Eve) and, second, into a runaway orphan loose on the streets of London. Two fellow ragamuffin teens, brothers Jasper and Horace, take Estella into their condemned home and groom her as a member of their grifting racket and act as calming compasses to her simmering rancor.

LESSON #1: PRESENT THE ANGLES-- Chummy as they age and become, with the trio now played by La La Land Oscar winner Emma Stone, Yesterday’s Joel Fry, and Paul Walter Hauser of Richard Jewell, there’s nothing they won’t lift and no one they won’t exploit. Hauser’s Bob Hoskins emulation loves to plot and declare “the angle” to each ploy. Part survivors and part enterprisers, these three count as smarter dreamers more than cheap vandals. Still, good luck endorsing that kind of career arc to Disney audiences (still they try).

Pivoting to the opulent amid the digressing criminality, Estella aspires to be a fashion designer and has long emulated the celebrated work of the Baroness von Hellman (Thompson). A planted application from her two buddies lands Estella a lowly job at Hellman’s high-end fashion house, but it counts as a foot in the door. Sure enough, her boots kick their way to get her creative talent seen enough to score a promotion to the Baroness’s inner circle of designers alongside sniveling underlings and kiss-up assistants.

The entire ensemble of characters, large and small, wealthy and destitute, are dressed to the nines in sumptuous outfits designed by two-time Academy Award-winning costume designer Jenny Beavan (Mad Max: Fury Road, A Room With a View) and flushed just right with the rouge-and-mousse work of hair and makeup designer Nadia Stacey (Captain America: The First Avenger). Cinematographer Nicolas Karakatsanis (I, Tonya) poses the two Emmas every chance he gets to show them off against the sizable settings of period interiors crafted by the team commanded by production designer Fiona Crombie (The Favourite). Not a hem or wall of construed glamour is undercut.

It’s around that saturation point that Cruella splashes the decadent and diabolical together. That burst comes from Emma Thompson sensationally commanding every inch of her haughty and icy screen presence. Step for step, Emma Stone does her damndest to ruffle frocked feathers with a crass edge that shows a glint of the extreme side that defines the dalmatian-hunting classic. Galavanting to a soundtrack of hard rock of the film’s chosen 1970s era, all are strutting their stuff and look spectacular doing so.

Once personal histories between the two females come to light and those realizations push Estella towards the personality schism she shelved long ago, Cruella becomes, as they would say in professional wrestling, an elaborate heel vs. heel feud. Those bouts are difficult to pull off in terms of rooting interest and crowd interaction. Folks tend to wave their pennant for the lesser evil to win, but not with the gusto they would cheering on a true hero. Therein lies the challenge, yet it’s one I, Tonya director Craig Gillespie has faced before and with harder film subjects. 

LESSON #2: THE CHARGE OF UPSTAGING A RIVAL-- The Baroness’s trial to her emerging protege is to make a statement and challenge the world. Estella is indeed born better than her origins and madly brilliant beyond mere competence. When Estella flips the switch to become Cruella and steps to The Baroness, the senior maven doubles-down against the notion of possible competition with her comeback of “people who talk of power don’t have it.” That’s all the more reason to upstage your rival and absorb your enemy's power by taking what they love, which is, in this case, attention and notoriety.

There are levels of superfluousness in Cruella, undoubtedly. The selections from music supervisor Susan Jacobs (Promising Young Woman), in total, bring a great deal of energy to the film and help compensate for a Nicholas Britell score that veers too jazzy and clashes with the rest of the vibe. A few inspired tracks are present, but too many of the songs regrettably bludgeon cues that signal overly-obvious statements and happenings.

Speaking of blatancy, Stone’s narration is a tad excessive and Mark Strong’s supporting clout seemed to be reserved solely for the final denouement dump of expositional surprises. For a visual movie like Cruella, this is a place for “show” over “tell.” The increasing number of schemes and the indulgent need to explain feigned faults and broken promises lengthen this movie needlessly beyond two hours, excesses that fall upon the screenwriting partners of Tony McNamara (The Favourite) and Dana Fox (The Wedding Date) picking from the story pieces first conceived by Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada, We Bought a Zoo), Kelly Marcel (Fifty Shades of Grey, Venom), and actor Steve Zissis (TV’s Togetherness). 

Moreover, Cruella tosses that “psycho” term and label around flippantly, even with its successful motivation to be interesting and darker than the usual live-action works from the Mouse House. It offers a villainess to believe in, but what does that say to audiences? Swinging for sympathy towards the amoral could have amounted to the same mistake as Maleficent seven years ago. Luckily, the conniptions and confrontations of “Emma vs. Emma” are damn fun. There’s a welcome place to relish in their wickedness, while some will echo the Baroness afterward to define the movie with her line of “I think you’re… something.”

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GUEST EDITORIAL: A Review of "The Proposal"

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A Review of The Proposal

by Kevin Gardner

The Proposal is a romantic comedy from 2009 starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. On the surface, it is cute in a formulaic way. Two people with no real attraction or fondness for each other are forced into a situation in which they have to get married to one another, and it is only after the engagement that they fall in love. It is a predictable plot based on a well-worn trope. The movie is a lot like cotton candy: Insubstantial, but sweet and enjoyable for the moment. 

Plot

Sandra Bullock plays Margaret, a high-powered executive at a publishing company. She is so busy being successful and important that she has no time to show concern or compassion for her underlings. Ryan Reynolds plays her assistant, Andrew, who looks about ready to snap under the strain of the unreasonable demands that Margaret makes of him.

It transpires that Margaret is an immigrant from Canada who has let her visa expire. She has to find a quick way to stay in the country or she will lose her job. Andrew happens to enter a room at the right moment, although he probably thinks it's the wrong moment at the time. Much to his surprise and chagrin, Margaret grabs him by the arm and tells the immigration official that they are engaged to be married.

There is no romantic exchange of engagement rings. The titular proposal is played for laughs, with Margaret kneeling on the sidewalk as a condition of Andrew's acceptance of her terms, which is that he can keep his job if he agrees to participate in her charade. He then insists that the two of them take a weekend trip to Alaska to spend time with his quirky but lovable family as his grandmother celebrates her 90th birthday. They must keep up the artifice the whole time because the immigration official assigned to Margaret's case follows them to Alaska to test the authenticity of their relationship. Wacky hijinks ensue, and the two eventually fall in love.

Reception

Newspaper and magazine critics had lukewarm feelings about The Proposal. It maintains a rating of 44% on Rotten Tomatoes. It does a little better with audiences. Out of 250,000 user-submitted reviews, 67% expressed positive feelings. Many reviews, both from professionals and amateurs, acknowledge the weakness of the predictable plot but praise the chemistry of the two leads. The supporting cast, including Betty White as Grandma Annie and Mary Steenburgen as Andrew's mother, gets a lot of praise as well. They are responsible for some genuine laughs, but beneath it all is an endearing warmth as their characters show an ingenuous willingness to embrace a new member of the family and make her feel at home. In his review, the venerable Roger Ebert said that, much like the characters in the film, he started out hating it and ended up liking it because of the cheerfulness with which it was executed.

Implications

The script was written by a man, and the film was directed by a woman. Feminist critics took issue with the sexist implications of a powerful woman having to humble herself before a man by proposing to him and ultimately subject herself to him by marrying him. 

There is also a valid argument that Margaret's threat to terminate Andrew's job if he refuses to go along with her scheme is an example of quid pro quo sexual harassment, in which an employee has to do a favor for an employer or face adverse employment action. It would be interesting to know how audiences would have reacted if the genders had been reversed and it was a male employer persuading a female employee to marry him. Nevertheless, because the female character is the powerful one, it plays against the audience's expectations in the interest of producing a comedic effect.

Of course, a movie like The Proposal is not supposed to be a documentary or serious critique but a form of escapism. However, it might be interesting to take a deeper look and examine what the implications behind The Proposal’s  premise say about society as a whole.

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GUEST EDITORIAL: 6 Aspects of Movies That Are Affected by Data

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6 Aspects of Movies That Are Affected by Data

by Kevin Gardner

The process of making movies is highly complex, to say the least. Decisions need to be made at every turn. Since these decisions are so important, studios tend to use data to make informed decisions. This data can come in many forms, from movie scores to box office ratings. If you'd like to know more, here are six aspects of movies that are affected by data.

1. Premises

Data can have a substantial effect on even the premise of a movie. After all, changing times and trending topics tend to affect what audiences want to see. Therefore, producers often use data, sometimes through a data wrangling cheat sheet, to determine what premises to utilize. In some cases, this is influenced by taboo subjects. For instance, studios may be hesitant to discuss intense historical events or religion. In other cases, certain genres or storylines can become highly popular. For example, Twilight's success created an increase in vampire and werewolf movies. Whatever the reason, studios are more likely to approve popular and appropriate premises.

2. Directors

Choosing a director is a highly important task. No matter how detailed a script is, directors have the ability to completely shape a movie. Therefore, studios need to look at data to get the best director possible. One factor that's often considered is popularity. While actors are usually the main selling point for films, well-known directors can bring in large audiences. For instance, Stephen Spielberg movies rarely fail to be blockbusters. Studios may also consider the general demeanor and likeability of directors. Regardless of talent, the societal opinion of a director needs to be considered.

3. Actors

Actors are the faces of films, so choosing the right ones necessitates data. Similar to directors, actors may be chosen due to audience popularity. If the actor's movies tend to bring in large crowds, that person is more likely to be chosen. In this day and age, it's also important to consider societal status. If an actor is seen as problematic or even criminal, a studio is unlikely to become involved with that individual. Another factor that's considered is diversity. Films that have diverse actors, as well as creative teams, often enjoy appreciative crowds. 

4. Tone

The tone of a movie can be highly important, especially when a film covers difficult subjects. If the tone is just a bit off, it has the ability to alienate audience members. Oftentimes, this is an issue with comedies. Many comedies try to tackle intense subjects. For instance, comedian Mel Brooks is partly known for poking fun at Hitler. While this can be hilarious when done with the right tone, the wrong one can seriously affect ticket sales. Studios may use data to determine the success of various tones, specifically when these tones are combined with certain subjects.

5. Content

The actual content of movies is another factor that relies on data. Depending on the genre and intended rating of a film, along with the corresponding data, the content studios are willing to include may vary. For instance, a children's movie might only have a certain number of curse words or violent scenes. Even R or NC-17 rated movies may have limits, such as a specific amount of sexual content. This is why blockbusters, which cater to a wide array of audiences, rarely have a lot of offensive material. 

6. Effects

The effects in a movie can be a huge selling point, especially in films with large budgets. However, not all effects are received well. Therefore, a studio may look at the success various tech companies, some of which use service mesh, have achieved. Part of this concerns the exact type of effects. For example, many businesses create practical effects instead of CGI (computer-generated imagery). As long as it's done well, practical effects are often better received. However, a large-scale action film is generally expected to have impressive CGI.

Creating a well-received movie is often difficult. By using data, filmmakers can make informed decisions and avoid any costly mistakes.

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GUEST EDITORIAL: 4 Ways To Make Movie Nights Special For Your Kids

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4 Ways To Make Movie Nights Special For Your Kids

by Kevin Gardner

Family movie nights can be the highlight of your child's week. Formal movie theaters are always fun, but sometimes the cost or inconvenience of finding the right time for your family can make it more challenging. Here are a few ways that you can make movie nights extra special for your kids.

1. Keep It Cozy

Nothing makes you want to hunker down and enjoy a movie more than a comfy spot on the couch with your favorite pillows and blankets. Movie nights should be more fun than any casual television watching for your kids, and getting your sitting area comfortable is part of the fun. With a little planning, you can make it seem extra cozy and special for your kids.

You can make them their own movie-night custom blankets by using fleece fabric that has their favorite colors or characters on it. Don't just stop with the blankets, you can use the same materials to put together some matching pillows as well. Also, be sure to bring in some extra fluffy friends in the form of their favorite stuffed animals. Kids love to feel snug and secure surrounded by their favorite stuffies while settling in to enjoy a film.

2. Set the Mood

Once you have a plan for how everyone will watch comfortably you can focus on the atmosphere of the whole room. Adding in some extra fun lights can change the whole feel of the movie showing. You can string white or colored lights around various parts of the room to add a touch more illumination to the room without it being too much light.

Another option is finding a special ambient light that you can put behind the TV to really bump up the fun. If your children are smaller and feel more comfortable with a little more light rather than just ambient lights, consider acquiring a special lamp or light fixture that you are able to dim to suit their comfort level. Your kids will think it is so fun to have a fancy and unique atmosphere for their movie night.

3. Supply Special Snacks

Movie time isn't as fun without the snacks. There are plenty of potential options, you just want to cater to your children's tastes but also keep it special. Whatever you decide on for the snack just make sure you only prepare it on movie nights. That way it will always be special for them.

Don't limit the ideas to just mundane popcorn. A fun combo could be adding in mini marshmallows and M&M'S with the popcorn. Everyone has a mixture of textures as well as sweet and salty for a unique combination. You could also make it feel more like a movie theater by getting the theater-sized candy boxes. The possibilities are endless, so just take the time to prepare some great ideas that suit your family.

4. Ramp up the Excitement

It's smart to plan in advance what film you want to feature on your movie nights. To make it more interactive and build excitement you can do some simple research to get the whole family ready for the watch party. The kids will have a chance to learn something that will pique their interest in the film they will watch later.

Plan some activities during the week that help everyone learn some fun facts about the setting or background of the characters in the movie. If it's a sports movie you might take the time to play that sport in the week leading up to watching the film. If you picked a piece that focuses on cooking you could try to make some of the dishes featured in the movie.

If you make everything extra cozy, set up a cool atmosphere, make super fun snacks, and build excitement for watching the movie throughout the week you are sure to make movie nights extremely memorable for kids. With these four fun ideas, they will look forward to that special event every week. Your family is sure to bond even more with your effort to make movie nights memorable.

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GUEST EDITORIAL: 7 Entertaining Movies To Play at a Party

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7 Entertaining Movies To Play at a Party

by Kevin Gardner

If you're having a party, you might be thinking about what movies to play. It's a hard decision! What genre should you choose? How long will the movie be? What film will everyone like? If you're at a loss about what to choose, here are seven entertaining movies to play at a party.

1. Evil Dead 2

Evil Dead 2 is a cult movie that's almost certain to please any crowd! It has everything: campy acting, demons, hilarious comedy and chainsaw hands. While the movie is technically a sequel, it goes out of its way to sum up what happened in the first one. The plot involves Bruce Campbell battling demons once again, this time with different companions. Since the movie is so delightfully crazy, it's great to watch during a sleepover. It's a perfect addition to alcohol and sleep!

2. The Princess Diaries

The Princess Diaries is a classic, to say the least. Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews deliver hilarious and infinitely memorable performances, not to mention that it has an enjoyable rags-to-riches storyline. Therefore, this movie is perfect for any romantic comedy movie night. If you're feeling up to it, you can also play the beloved sequel. Since it has mattress surfing and Chris Pine, it's definitely worth a watch!

3. The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the queen of all cult movies. In fact, it has an adoring fan base with a penchant for interacting with the show. Because of this, it's an excellent film to watch at a party, especially if you're with a lot of musical theatre fans. You can even go one step beyond and encourage dressing the part! 

4. The Avengers

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a huge presence in the movie industry. While many of its movies are similar, practically every entry has experienced massive success. Therefore, playing a Marvel movie is almost sure to be appreciated. But which one should you show? If you're looking for an option that's pure Marvel without massive spoilers, your best bet would be The Avengers. Not only does it have your favorite superheroes teaming up, but it can also be watched without prior knowledge.

5. Space Jam

Space Jam is a movie that's perfect for nostalgia nights! While it may not be the most critically acclaimed film ever, it's still iconic for many reasons. One of these reasons is the crazy plot. Michael Jordan plays high-stakes basketball with the Looney Toons! Not to mention that the soundtrack is fantastic. Even if your guests get confused, everyone will probably be entertained.

6. Star Wars: A New Hope

Star Wars is a well-known favorite of sci-fi fans everywhere. No matter what type of party you're having, from a sleepover to a birthday bash, Star Wars can fit in perfectly. However, you may have a similar issue to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There are three full series of Star Wars films to choose from, not to mention several side flicks! Ergo, it might be hard to decide on a movie. If you're at a loss, you can always start with A New Hope. While it's technically the fourth movie in the series, it was the first to be released.

7. It

If you're looking for the perfect party horror movie, It may be the way to go. Despite how beloved the original Tim Curry miniseries is, the new movies are extremely entertaining. The first film in particular is wildly frightening, so you'll probably get some good scares. Plus, there's a lot of humor as an added bonus! However, you'll definitely want to be sure that kids aren't in the room. This movie is terrifying!

Choosing a movie can be hard, especially if you're trying to please a lot of people. However, you shouldn't worry too much! If you're at a loss, you can always offer your guests a few options. Sit back, relax and enjoy watching a movie with your friends.

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GUEST EDITORIAL: 4 Tips For Planning an Outdoor Movie Party

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4 Tips For Planning an Outdoor Movie Party

by Kevin Gardner

If you and your friends love movies, summer is the perfect time to take your film-watching outside. Below are four tips for hosting outdoor movie parties your friends will be talking about all year.

1. Equipment

One of the first steps is making sure all your equipment is stocked and working properly. For example, get your movie screen and projector set up early in the day and test it out so you know there are no glitches come party time. Test all other electrics early in the day too. Whether you use traditional energy or have a handy solar power system, the last thing you want is something important not working when your guests are already there.

Additionally, make sure all your lounging equipment, such as chairs and lawn blankets, is ready and in good condition. To make it easier for you, ask everyone to bring their own seat for the showing. 

2. Films

At the heart of the party is the film collection. Whether you plan on having one or two parties over the summer or one every week, you need to have a good variety of films that most, if not all of your attendees, will enjoy. 

Depending on how many people are coming, it may be difficult to get 100% of your guests to love every film. However, do your best to ensure the majority of attendees approve the film. Just because you love gory horror movies does not mean everyone else will. Pick classic or widely popular films to show.

Another option is to take a poll before the party to see which movie everyone wants to watch. Pick three to five movies and send an email survey to your guests asking them to vote on which film they want to see. The movie with the most votes is the one you show.

3. Food and Drinks

Besides the movie, the grub is the next thing people look forward to. Decide about a week in advance what kind of food and drinks you want to have. You can offer a full meal, only snacks or only desserts. 

If your budget is tight, a potluck is a fantastic option. You provide a few dishes and everyone else brings a dish to share. If there is a long list of attendees, create a signup sheet to keep track of who is bringing what. Otherwise, if it is a smaller party, you can get away with sending a group text to track what everyone brings.

Determine if you want a dry party or not. As with the food, guests can bring their own beverage to make it easier on you. Otherwise, if you want to offer your guests alcohol, keep it simple, like beer and wine. If you include liquors, the party costs escalate quickly. 

4. Backup Plan

Even the beautiful summer weather is not without some dark and rainy days. Have a backup plan in case the weather does not cooperate. If you are hosting parties regularly throughout the summer, it might just be easier to cancel and wait until the next one. 

If you still want to have the party, the easiest option is to move the event inside your home. Have a space ready to go should you need to bring the guests inside. It will be a bit difficult to host a party in your living room if the couch is covered in laundry and stuff is scattered all over the floors. It does not have to be spotless but just be sure the room is picked up in case of bad weather. 

If you really want to keep the party outside, another option is utilizing a covered patio if you have one or putting a large tent in the backyard. This probably requires some reworking of your projector and screen but it is an alternative if you want to keep the party going outside.

While it takes some planning, outdoor movie parties are a fantastic way to socialize with loved ones this summer. Start with these four tips when planning your outdoor movie party.

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GUEST EDITORIAL: How Movies Portray Pilots

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How Movies Portray Pilots

by Adrian Johansen

As of 2019, there were over 127,000 airline and commercial pilots in the United States. That might not seem like many, but it also tends to prove the point that pilots have often been revered. Things look a bit different today. But, there was a time in which being a pilot was an extremely prestigious and classy job. 

So, it’s no surprise that pilots have been portrayed countless times on film. Some performances are more accurate than others, and some showcase exactly how the airline industry and piloting have changed over the years. 

Who has gotten it right? From movies like Red Tails focusing on WWII pilots to the cult classic Airplane! where an average Joe has to fly the plane, there is no shortage of movies focusing on air travel and those in the cockpit. Let’s look at how pilots have been portrayed in film over the years and how accurate those portrayals really are by today’s standards. 

The Past

One of the best portrayals of pilots of the past comes from Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me if You Can. Because the film is based on a true story, it allows the audience to step back in time, where DiCaprio’s character manages to deceive everyone into thinking he’s a licensed commercial airline pilot. 

One of the most interesting scenes in the movie occurs when he is walking through the airport in full uniform, with flight attendants in tow, following him as though he was a major celebrity. 

But, is that realistic? Yes!

In the early 1960s, the airline industry was considered glamorous and luxurious. It was considered the “golden age for air travel,” and certain expectations had to be met, including: 

• Pilots and attendants dressed in uniform or nice clothing

• Attendants having their hair/makeup done a specific way

• High costs for flights

• In-flight activities

• Smoking and drinking for entertainment

While the 2002 film didn’t capture every aspect of the industry at that moment in history, it did give us a glimpse of how glamorous it truly was. 

The Present

More recent films have shown some of the issues pilots face, and have taken a more serious tone. For starters, there is currently a pilot shortage affecting the country. Boeing estimates that over 700,000 commercial pilots will be needed to fulfill travel demands by 2039. Keep in mind that in 2019, there were only 127,000. That’s a lot of ground to cover in a very short time. 

Several factors play into the current pilot shortage, including: 

• The cost of training

• Wages

• Airlines reducing costs

The pandemic has also had an impact on pilots. Many were furloughed at the beginning of COVID-19 as air traffic all but completely shut down. While many pilots have/will return to work, others may pursue different career paths or make a big change. 

Pilots in recent years have also faced some scrutiny and stress. We can look at 2016’s Sully to learn more about that. Tom Hanks played respected airline pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who was touted by the media as a hero for safely landing a damaged plane on the Hudson River. The movie dives deeper into that story, showing what Sully went through after the fact, including going through a court process and nearly losing his piloting license. 

While the movie is only based on the story, pilots are questioned all of the time for the choices they make. That fear and uncertainty might keep the job numbers down. 

The Reality of Being a Pilot – Who Gets it Right? 

Many films get piloting right. They just aren’t always “pretty.” We mentioned above the fact that pilots have to be prepared to be questioned about their actions at any moment. There is a lot of stress that goes along with the job. People’s lives are in their hands every day.

One film that portrays how that stress can lead to anxiety and depression in a pilot is The Aviator. It’s another great performance by DiCaprio, depicting the legendary Howard Hughes and how he struggled with mental health issues as he rose to fame. The film also depicts Hughes’s relationship with Katharine Hepburn and how his struggles with depression affected it. Being in a relationship with someone with depression or anxiety is no easy task. There are regular challenges and communication can be an issue. 

Unfortunately, if a pilot is struggling with their mental health and they don’t get help, the cycle will continue to get work as stress and pressure keep mounting. 

There are dozens of great films about the airline industry, aviation, and the men and women in the cockpit. If you’re at all interested in flying, check out some of these films or do your own research whether you want something funny, dramatic, or realistic. The sky’s the limit!

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GUEST COLUMN: 7 Inspiring Movies That Make You Want to Study Hard

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7 inspiring movies that make you want to study hard

by Carrie Duncan

If you are currently at school or university and you lack the motivation to study, this article is for you. By the way, we all know that sometimes it’s hard to save some time for yourself. For that purpose, use help from the essay writer service. 

At the same time, these movies will suit those who miss writing diplomas and essays at night, discussions with teachers, and just new knowledge. 

Dead Poets Society

USA, 1989

A cult film with an excellent cast (Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard), based on an Academy Award-winning screenplay. The picture is about a private school for boys in which there is a new literature teacher. He will help his students not just learn to speak their minds, but, first and foremost, to respect themselves and gain confidence.

School Ties

USA, 1992

David Green, who could not even dream of getting into America's most prestigious college, is at the center of the story, but he got lucky and was accepted - thanks to his achievements in sports. But the young man has a secret that he cannot tell. As fate would have it, this secret has become known to everyone, and yesterday's friends become enemies. The film is remarkable not only for the plot but also for the opportunity to watch young Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck.

Dangerous Minds

USA, 1995

Another film on the subject of raising troubled teens, starring the charming Michelle Pfeiffer. The picture adaptation of the autobiographical book by LouAnn Johnson. After service in the Marines, this "iron lady" came to work in a school for troubled children, where the skills of the army service certainly came in handy.

The Emperor's Club

USA, 2002

William Hundert, Kevin Klein's character, is a seemingly ordinary college teacher who teaches the history of the ancient world and aims to raise young men to be real men. But one day a new student Sedgwick Bell, the son of a senator who does not recognize any authority and does not want to learn, comes to Mr. Hundert's class. Hundert tries to re-educate the arrogant youngster before it is too late, but he does not yet know what mistake he will make. They face an uphill battle, which will not be over until 25 years after the events highlighted in the film.

Teacher of the Year

Canada, USA, 2003

"Teacher of the Year" is a film about how the most boring things can be made into something interesting that will take your breath away and be a lot of fun. It is also the story of a new history teacher, Mr. D., who chooses the original path and treats his subject as the history of ordinary people, using unusual methods with a hands-on approach. On the other side is experienced teacher Matt Warner, who is a science teacher and chooses more conservative methods than Mr. D. At the end of the year, the school chooses the best teacher, and this is where the war between Mr. D and Matt Warner will erupt...

Mona Lisa Smile

USA, 2003

Catherine Anne Watson (played by Julia Roberts), a Berkeley graduate, gets a job teaching art history at Wellesley College for Women. She is ambitious and progressive, but patriarchal views prevail among the college's management and faculty. With passionate enthusiasm the new teacher throws herself into the fight for gender equality and has a huge impact on the female students, forcing them to take a new look at the role of women in this world.

The Professor's Favorite Equation

Japan, 2006

After this picture, the viewer will look at mathematics anew. The story is about a kind and generous professor who 10 years ago was involved in a car accident, after which his memory began to hold events no longer than 80 minutes. Two people come into his life: his housekeeper and her ten-year-old son, Ruth. Over time, they begin to understand the beauty hidden in the numbers, they are fascinated by the professor's love of mathematics, and gradually and they begin to explore the fantastic world of numbers and equations.

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