Written by: Kevin Berge
It's the end of the year where I desperately try to catch up on all the 2018 movies I missed, so I know what were the best films of the year. This year, I'm much more clearly caught up just from the sheer volume of movies I got to see in theaters.
Still, there are so many movies that come out every year. It's almost impossible to keep up. I am trying my best, but I still have so many on my list for the year. These next few movies are a few that fascinated me enough that I took time out of my day in this important part of the year to check them out in theaters.
The four movies I will be covering this time around are the zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse, Clint Eastwood's latest drama The Mule, the conversion therapy drama Boy Erased, and the depressing drama about tragedy The Party's Just Beginning.
For all four movies, I will only go into broad critique of the films and not dive into spoilers. Those who have not seen them can read ahead without fear.
Still, there are so many movies that come out every year. It's almost impossible to keep up. I am trying my best, but I still have so many on my list for the year. These next few movies are a few that fascinated me enough that I took time out of my day in this important part of the year to check them out in theaters.
The four movies I will be covering this time around are the zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse, Clint Eastwood's latest drama The Mule, the conversion therapy drama Boy Erased, and the depressing drama about tragedy The Party's Just Beginning.
For all four movies, I will only go into broad critique of the films and not dive into spoilers. Those who have not seen them can read ahead without fear.
It's like the Shaun of the Dead first day scene but with less visual parallels and more generic pop music. (Image Courtesy of: slashfilm.com)
Anna and the Apocalypse
Anna and the Apocalypse is basically Shaun of the Dead the Musical, but Edgar Wright isn't attached to at all. The combination is a funny enough, entertaining enough, but ultimately limited attempt to create a British cult classic. It just doesn't quite go far enough.
Granted comparing any movie to Shaun of the Dead is a little unfair. Few movies are as good as Wright's breakout hit, and they don't need to be. Plus this movie has a whole original soundtrack. That too though is more than a big hit and miss.
This film has a pop-heavy soundtrack with several catch tunes and multiple that just feel like they drag on. It doesn't help that the cast themselves are inconsistent performers with the lead Ella Hunt (Les Misérables) great but several of her co-stars especially Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones) just not able to carry a tune.
Their acting is similarly limited. This is a fairly fresh cast of actors, and no one really seems completely ready for the spotlight. Mark Benton (Career Girls) comes off as the strongest natural actor, and Hunt shows promise. It's just that this can sometimes feel like a high-budget high-school production.
The storytelling side is a bit of a mess. This movie doesn't really feel like it has a focus. It's fun to watch the kids bash through zombies in any way possible and learn to survive, but there's not a real strong focus. It just feels like the movie is pushing through every character arc without conclusion.
I didn't mind the movie, and I would likely watch it again if it were on TV. However, I just wanted this to be so much more. There's not a lot of heart in a story that has so many moments that should have felt truly emotional.
Granted comparing any movie to Shaun of the Dead is a little unfair. Few movies are as good as Wright's breakout hit, and they don't need to be. Plus this movie has a whole original soundtrack. That too though is more than a big hit and miss.
This film has a pop-heavy soundtrack with several catch tunes and multiple that just feel like they drag on. It doesn't help that the cast themselves are inconsistent performers with the lead Ella Hunt (Les Misérables) great but several of her co-stars especially Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones) just not able to carry a tune.
Their acting is similarly limited. This is a fairly fresh cast of actors, and no one really seems completely ready for the spotlight. Mark Benton (Career Girls) comes off as the strongest natural actor, and Hunt shows promise. It's just that this can sometimes feel like a high-budget high-school production.
The storytelling side is a bit of a mess. This movie doesn't really feel like it has a focus. It's fun to watch the kids bash through zombies in any way possible and learn to survive, but there's not a real strong focus. It just feels like the movie is pushing through every character arc without conclusion.
I didn't mind the movie, and I would likely watch it again if it were on TV. However, I just wanted this to be so much more. There's not a lot of heart in a story that has so many moments that should have felt truly emotional.
Grade: C+
Clint Eastwood still making bank even as he looks like he can barely walk. (Image Courtesy of: youtube.com)
The Mule
A good trailer can only mean so much, but The Mule has a spectacular trailer. It sets up the film as a tragic thriller, showcasing a man stuck in a loop that has destroyed him and his family. While I've never been all that interested in Clint Eastwood's (Million Dollar Baby) filmography, that trailer got me invested.
Within 20 minutes, it's clear that the engaging ride of the trailer is not what this movie is giving. This is far more of a slow burn drama, driven by a singular thematic message: figure out your priorities early or you may not be able to come back.
On paper, The Mule has a lot going for it. If I were to give a complete synopsis of the film, it come off as brilliant. There's so much potential here and some impressively deep writing behind the story. It's all just bogged down by awkwardly Eastwood himself.
As the main actor of the film, he never seems comfortable. One of the most enduring actors of any generation, he's about 50 years past his prime, and it shows in the way he sometimes delivers his line, ranging from engaging to bland.
As the director though, he seems even less confident. This movie's pacing is janky and unfocused. It never quite finds a natural balance. The three-act structure has no sense of momentum. It's all stuck on the same bland wavelength the entire film.
I left the theater feeling fine about the experience. I really do like the story behind it all, but the more I think about it, the more it falls in standing. This is just such a wasted opportunity that will likely be ignored entirely in Eastwood's filmography in a few years.
Within 20 minutes, it's clear that the engaging ride of the trailer is not what this movie is giving. This is far more of a slow burn drama, driven by a singular thematic message: figure out your priorities early or you may not be able to come back.
On paper, The Mule has a lot going for it. If I were to give a complete synopsis of the film, it come off as brilliant. There's so much potential here and some impressively deep writing behind the story. It's all just bogged down by awkwardly Eastwood himself.
As the main actor of the film, he never seems comfortable. One of the most enduring actors of any generation, he's about 50 years past his prime, and it shows in the way he sometimes delivers his line, ranging from engaging to bland.
As the director though, he seems even less confident. This movie's pacing is janky and unfocused. It never quite finds a natural balance. The three-act structure has no sense of momentum. It's all stuck on the same bland wavelength the entire film.
I left the theater feeling fine about the experience. I really do like the story behind it all, but the more I think about it, the more it falls in standing. This is just such a wasted opportunity that will likely be ignored entirely in Eastwood's filmography in a few years.
Grade: D+
Nothing is more appropriate for Christmas than pointing out just how limited and backwards some Christian teachings can be. (Image Courtesy of: upstatefilms.org)
Boy Erased
One of the problems with making a movie based on a true story is that there's only so much that be translated naturally to film. Boy Erased suffers from telling Garrard Conley's story with too broad and narrow a focus, relying on Lucas Hedges (Manchester By the Sea) in the lead role to carry the emotional weight.
This movie goes slow at first before revealing hints of true depth and conflict, but it ultimately cannot dive too deep without breaking from the reality of the story. It sets out to reveal the horrors of conversion therapy and feels like it would have done better as a documentary.
That's not the fault of the cast though as Hedges, Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge!), and Russell Crowe (Gladiator) are all excellent in complex roles and work well off of each other. They carry the movie through its limited story arcs right through to the end.
Joel Edgerton's (The Gift) second directorial effort is not quite the home run of his first, but he and his cinematographer Eduard Grau (Buried) clearly have a great eye for making a film stand out. They do what they can with the material, and it almost makes this feel like a standout.
Despite all its good intentions though, this is just not an interesting drama. It gives wide cursory looks at conversion therapy and relies too heavily on its cast to drive the action. There's not enough here to truly push the audience to care.
It is a movie with far greater intentions than its execution allows, which is a shame because it's still a solid drama. It just could have been one of the year's best if Edgerton took a few more chances in his adaptation of Conley's memoir.
This movie goes slow at first before revealing hints of true depth and conflict, but it ultimately cannot dive too deep without breaking from the reality of the story. It sets out to reveal the horrors of conversion therapy and feels like it would have done better as a documentary.
That's not the fault of the cast though as Hedges, Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge!), and Russell Crowe (Gladiator) are all excellent in complex roles and work well off of each other. They carry the movie through its limited story arcs right through to the end.
Joel Edgerton's (The Gift) second directorial effort is not quite the home run of his first, but he and his cinematographer Eduard Grau (Buried) clearly have a great eye for making a film stand out. They do what they can with the material, and it almost makes this feel like a standout.
Despite all its good intentions though, this is just not an interesting drama. It gives wide cursory looks at conversion therapy and relies too heavily on its cast to drive the action. There's not enough here to truly push the audience to care.
It is a movie with far greater intentions than its execution allows, which is a shame because it's still a solid drama. It just could have been one of the year's best if Edgerton took a few more chances in his adaptation of Conley's memoir.
Grade: C+
This whole movie is clearly built off a deep sense of depression that plagues Karen Gillan. I blame Disney firing James Gunn. (Image Courtesy of: ew.com)
The Party's Just Beginning
I hate good movies about depression. They force me to look to close into the mirror. However, that should not take away from the actual quality of the work. Much like my assessment of Neon Genesis Evangelion, I just cannot look at The Party's Just Beginning with completely open eyes.
Karen Gillan's (Guardians of the Galaxy) directorial debut is an intense look at the fallout of tragedy as she also stars as Liusaidh, a depressed 24-year-old woman who just cannot find her way anymore. The whole film follows her attempts to overcome these struggles.
It is a hard drama to watch. Gillan's work her in front and behind the camera gives the film a constant dread that cannot be shaken. There's not a clear end goal, but the ride is felt every step of the way. I felt a pit forming in my stomach as it progressed.
This is not a movie for those who actually struggle with depression but rather feels like a story made for those who cannot understand it. It shows how easy it can be to bottle up emotions and to isolate yourself with no one really seeing how much you are suffering.
In that respect, it is brilliant. It takes so few shortcuts in its portrayal that it feels like a truly honest expression. There's not a lot of joy or answers given by the end of the film, and that makes it a tough sell. How do you ask anyone to watch a movie like this?
I appreciate just what the film accomplishes, but I could never bring myself to watch it again. I do feel there is an audience that absolutely needs to see it, but it's hard to say who will be educated and who will just see themselves on screen if in a more extreme circumstance.
Karen Gillan's (Guardians of the Galaxy) directorial debut is an intense look at the fallout of tragedy as she also stars as Liusaidh, a depressed 24-year-old woman who just cannot find her way anymore. The whole film follows her attempts to overcome these struggles.
It is a hard drama to watch. Gillan's work her in front and behind the camera gives the film a constant dread that cannot be shaken. There's not a clear end goal, but the ride is felt every step of the way. I felt a pit forming in my stomach as it progressed.
This is not a movie for those who actually struggle with depression but rather feels like a story made for those who cannot understand it. It shows how easy it can be to bottle up emotions and to isolate yourself with no one really seeing how much you are suffering.
In that respect, it is brilliant. It takes so few shortcuts in its portrayal that it feels like a truly honest expression. There's not a lot of joy or answers given by the end of the film, and that makes it a tough sell. How do you ask anyone to watch a movie like this?
I appreciate just what the film accomplishes, but I could never bring myself to watch it again. I do feel there is an audience that absolutely needs to see it, but it's hard to say who will be educated and who will just see themselves on screen if in a more extreme circumstance.