When Lightyear was announced, I remember thinking – what? Who is this movie for, exactly? I understand that the Toy Story franchise is still popular, but I had a bad feeling about this. Hey, that sounds good, somebody should use it in a film or something… 😉 Anyway, when the first trailers came out, I thought: “Ok, maybe there is something there, but I won’t be seeing this in the cinema.” And that is nothing that bad against this film. My reasoning was I am an adult who doesn’t have the connection others adults (and kids) have with Toy Story. I grew up while the first two came out, yes. But for one reason or another, I have not watched the first two movies until I was around 15/16 years old, so I liked them, but those films were never “part of my childhood”. And now, since Lightyear is available on Disney+, I thought to myself, why not? Even after hearing most of the reviews that were either very middling or downright saying this movie isn’t great, I wanted to see it for myself. And boy, was I surprised.

I honestly believe most of the criticism of this film stems from one “simple” fact that almost has nothing to do with this film – it’s not as good as any Toy Story film. Not only that, but the animation style is different; everything feels “off”. But it only feels off if you compare it with those films, and I don’t think you should. Because this is the movie that Andy (from the original Toy Story (1995)) saw when he was little and therefore fell in love with Buzz. So yeah, even though it’s technically part of this universe in that sense, we can’t compare those films with Lightyear, at least not in good faith.

And this is coming from someone who didn’t believe this film had to be made in the first place! Don’t get me wrong; Lightyear isn’t a perfect film by any means. It’s more “kids friendly” than your usual Pixar, so some emotional beats (like Uzo Aduba‘s character dying) don’t hit you as hard compared to other Pixar films. But here’s the thing, that is fine, it’s more kids friendly. Sure, adults won’t get much from this film as they are used to from Pixar, but I don’t mind them doing something like Lightyear. Because this is a film where we still have some deeper themes to explore (what does it mean to live your fullest/best life is the obvious one), but for most of the film, it’s just a well-animated fun ride.

The more I think back and more I think about this film, I believe my lack of any emotional connection to the Toy Story (in a sense that many people grew up with those films, not that those films didn’t hit me emotionally) franchise helped me to enjoy this film much more. Because I didn’t go into this film thinking anything, I was ready to have fun and hoped to be proven wrong about a movie I wasn’t sure needed to exist. Now, I am still not 100% convinced this had to have been made, but for what it’s worth, I thought Lightyear was a pretty fun ride.

Except for the lack of deeper themes, my only major criticism was the missed opportunity, specifically regarding the casting department. I don’t consider it a spoiler because it’s been discussed quite heavily, but just a heads up, I am about to write about an actor people really wanted to be here, and he wasn’t. Yes, I am talking about Tim Allen not reprising his role as the original Buzz. It even seemed to be set up for him (kind of)! Without going into actual spoilers, towards the end, when everything gets revealed, it seemed like the last 30 minutes or so were written with Allen in mind. I am trying really hard to stay vague, but if you have seen the film, you know what I am talking about. And unlike other “let’s pander to the fans a bit” decisions, this would have been cool to see (or to hear) him back.

One thing I appreciated, was the lesbian couple raising a girl who turns out to be Keke Palmer‘s character. And the reason I appreciated that element was that the film didn’t stop in its tracks. We get to learn that, and we move along. The movie could have “pat itself” on the back for way longer about making that decision, but no. Lightyear simply stated: “LGBTQ+ people exist, deal with it, let’s go.” and went ahead with the story. Well done.

Overall, Lightyear is an enjoyably fun film that knows what it is. It’s not trying to be “the next Toy Story“, and because of it, I won’t judge it harshly for not being what those films are. If you “forget” about those films while watching this movie and accept it on its own, you might actually enjoy it. There are decent jokes, and the animation is more “animated” and less “life-like”, but again, this is skewed towards the kids, so I also liked that choice. For a movie I didn’t think we needed, I would say that was a pretty well-done job, and yes, I am basic; therefore, I also want my own SOX too.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

I think I speak for almost everyone born in the 1990s that Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers (1988 – 1990) was the shit. I still remember waking up early on Saturdays and Sundays just to catch two episodes of this show, back to back (at least that is how they aired it in the Czech Republic). You need to understand that back then, there was no Internet, no instant recording/replay, and definitely no smart TVs. If you missed it, you would have to wait possibly months before the TV would repeat those episodes. Anyway, the point is, I, like many, have grown up watching Chip and Dale. And therefore I was quite nervous when I saw this film coming out, as these live-action films of known properties from the past don’t turn out that great. To my surprise, almost all early reviews were somehow positive…? And after watching it, I can confirm that I understand why, as this movie is delightfully funny.

Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers is definitely more than a nostalgia-based film. It is a movie that, in 20 years, might just define this era of comedies and this “meta”, fast-paced humour we all still like…? Well, at least, that is what studios think, so we get movies jammed with meta humour. And some of it works, and some do not. Luckily for this film, it balances everything well enough. And I think that is this movie’s biggest strength.

The movie never goes overboard with anything, and it “dips its toes” in nostalgia, meta humour, and current pop culture, but smartly, it never goes “too deep” in one direction. There was never too much nostalgia, so you don’t have to watch the original TV show to get it. There was never too much meta humour, so if you don’t get some jokes, it’s fine; because the movie quickly moves along to something else. And I hate to compare or mention other films while talking about this film, but this is what Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) was going for and failed horribly.

If you saw Space Jam: A New Legacy, first of all, I feel you. I saw it too, and it is, without any shadow of a doubt, one of the worst films of 2021. But more importantly, it was crowded with so many pop-culture references and IP jokes (aka look at what we own and therefore can put into our movie) that they forgot to tell any story. And sure, even the first Space Jam (1996) wasn’t a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but that movie knew how to own itself and not take itself too seriously. This one felt like it drank its kool-aid a bit too much. And this is where we need to leave this horrible sequel and go back to Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.

You could tell everybody behind that film loved the TV show and possibly would have made this film for free. Because no matter how crazy some jokes got, the movie was always focused on the story first, any jokes, meta humour or pop-culture references second. And this is the reason A New Legacy failed, and this movie, no matter how similar it might look on paper, succeeded. It’s all about the execution, reigning your film in, and making sure it never derails from its tracks.

Is Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers a flawless film? No. At times, the film manages to feel a bit long, and I think some jokes will age badly. Not that there would be something inappropriate, but some meta humour came from “what’s hip right now”, so how relevant will “Ugly Sonic” be in 20 years and will kids or even adults watching it in 2042 understand what that joke means? I don’t think so, but who knows? Maybe they will because of this film. That would be my only negative against this film; if you delve into meta humour and pop culture, chances are some jokes will be dated sooner than you think.

Overall, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers surprised me, and that might be an understatement of the year. What could have been another “soulless cash grab using nostalgia to milk more money out of us” turned into a decent detective story with characters we knew and loved. It also (hopefully) re-introduced this awesome TV show to today’s kids. And that might be the biggest win for this film. If you used to watch the show as a kid, you might enjoy it going back into this world, even though it’s changed. And if you have never seen the show at all, it might tempt you to check it out. There are worse ways to kill 99 minutes of your time.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

On the surface, Ron’s Gone Wrong isn’t anything new. It is another movie where the technology becomes sentient, and either it is great and is trying to protect us (like Ron protects Barney), or it causes some mayhem. To a certain extent, this film reminded me of Short Circuit (1986), except it is animated, and Ron has never been a weapon, more like a live microphone with a camera inside of it… so kind of like half of Alexa…?

My point is that Ron’s Gone Wrong isn’t “original” by any means. We have seen a variation of this story done before. And yet, I didn’t mind watching this film at all as I had a good time with it. The movie is funny, and it understands how it feels to be the outcast, the only one who doesn’t have something the others have (in this case, this B-Bot), especially in this day and age. I still remember being the last one in my class (back in the high school days); not to have Facebook (this was back in 2009/10). It was blowing up at the time, and I was resisting, thinking the entire thing was just dumb, putting the entirety of your life online. The only reason I “cracked” and finally signed up was simple – everything was happening on Facebook, and any social activities (like parties) were dealt with via Facebook and their invites. I was told quite often: “I forgot you don’t have Facebook yet; you should get it!”

This film briefly took me back to those days and made me remember those times. I am not saying I was laughed at or mocked because of it like Barney in this film; no. My classmates found other reasons for that :-D. I just thought it was worth mentioning that the people behind this film get it and understand how kids are when somebody in their closest circle hasn’t got that one thing.

The main reason I liked Ron’s Gone Wrong is simple. It’s just so adorable. And I am not just talking about Ron (brilliantly voiced by Zach Galifianakis), no. It’s a slightly different type of animation, where it seems “normal” (by today’s standards of giants like Pixar or DreamWorks), but try to focus on the characters you notice imperfections we don’t usually get with those giants, mainly around their ears. But instead of hating on it, I actually liked it. Those little imperfections made this film more unique in my eyes as they weren’t so big they would stand out or bother me, yet there were big enough for me to notice this isn’t “the standard”.

Another big reason I liked this movie more than your average viewer was Donka (Barney’s grandma, voiced by Olivia Colman). Her character starts as “everything goes”, and those characters can be a hit or miss, depending on a variety of factors. Well, in this case, it worked, and I enjoyed all her scenes; I especially loved her “can do/fix” attitude. Also, because of her Bulgarian (?) accent, she is almost unrecognizable. I was surprised to see her name there, but I am so happy for her and the career she is having.

The only criticism of this film is the most obvious one, as I have already addressed it before. It’s not original. Sure, the concept is re-done to work in the 2020s, but you can safely predict most of the story and the beats it follows. And I get it this is an animated movie for kids, so I wasn’t expecting a mind-bending film that would make me re-think technology or consciousness, but… That is where I have to compare Ron’s Gone Wrong against the “big dogs” and say Pixar can do it, so why not them? Pixar’s almost trademark at this point is taking complex ideas and distilling them into animated movies both kids and adults can enjoy for different reasons. So, we know it can be done. But as the first effort from a new animation studio (Locksmith Animation), this is a well-done job.

Overall, Ron’s Gone Wrong is a fun, adorable and simplistic movie for you to enjoy with your kids if you have any. If you go into this film expecting nothing more than a decent animated comedy about the dangers of technology, you shouldn’t be disappointed. The only downside is the predictable story, and of course, kids will absolutely want to have Ron (or the B-bot) for themselves once the film is over. And good luck explaining to them that this technology doesn’t exist… yet. Just give it a couple of years.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

I will be honest; I didn’t think I would like this film. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some good murder mysteries, but the previous film Poirot film, Murder on the Orient Express (2017), left me cold. I am not saying it was a bad movie, no. It is more about the fact I only remember the stellar cast, the ending that I didn’t care for that much, and that was it. Therefore, I thought Death on the Nile might be similar enough for me. To my surprise, I’ve enjoyed myself, and I still don’t know why.

First things first – we need to acknowledge that the CGI is terrible, especially at the beginning of this film; it looks rough. Everything (well, mainly the scenes in Egypt) looked too polished to be realistic. But from the moment all our main characters got on the boat, and the ‘A’ story kicked in, I had fun with this film. Kenneth Branagh seems more than in the previous film to be stretching his director’s muscles and framing certain shots in a very intriguing way. And after a while, I don’t know whether I got used to the CGI or whether it got slightly better; I didn’t mind it as much.

The one thing I liked about this film, it tried to give Hercule Poirot more backstory. Now, I understand that might be a bone of contention if you are a fan of the books or the old TV show with David Suchet, as I was watching this movie with my girlfriend, who (unlike me) is a massive fan of the old TV show and didn’t like how they were going about his character. I found that interesting since I had no previous notions about that character; I thought and liked they flashed him out a bit more. Plus, I would argue this is a new retelling of Poirot, so why not make him slightly different from his previous reiteration?

Let’s talk about the casting. And wow… almost every main star has been in some hot water lately. You can pick your poison and see whether you want to focus on Letitia Wright and her stance on vaccines, Armie Hammer and his… taste for blood (among other things) or Gal Gadot and her views on Israel/Palestine. Oh boy… or, and hear me out here, we can try to put all these aside just for a second and focus only on their performances…? Because to me, that sounds simpler than trying to establish who stands where and whether they are right or wrong. I thought the cast, for the most part, worked.

I would argue the highlight of this film was Emma Mackey alongside Sophie Okonedo, who were both amazing. Gal Gadot, when she wasn’t being her sexy self, was serviceable. Armie, I thought, was a bit off at times; Letitia did pretty great with what she had available. I also need to mention Annette Bening, who might have been the funniest character in this film. And as I’ve alluded to before, Kenneth Branagh, as Hercule himself, seemed much more comfortable in this character. He portrayed Hercule with some flaws that made the character human, and that was a decision I appreciated, even though I understand not everybody will be on board with that.

The mystery at the heart of this story was pretty straightforward. I actually guessed it all when it started. I am not even joking when I say I knew what happened and who was behind it; from the moment the murder occurred. Surprisingly, it didn’t take anything away from this film or my enjoyment of it because I liked the journey Death on the Nile took me on. And I can’t help but think it’s due to Kenneth’s directing I was entertained enough even if I knew how this would play out. Or maybe I was just in an extraordinarily great mood the evening I watched this film? Also, my weakness for Egypt and movies set in there might have something to do with the fact I have enjoyed myself more than I thought.

I remember thinking to myself after the Murder on the Orient Express that these films might not be for me, despite the impressive cast. But Death on the Nile made me appreciate this detective much more, and if Kenneth would get the chance to give us at least one more film, where he would again be the main star and behind the camera (maybe with less CGI this time), I would be on board. Well, not literally on board because that’s where people get murdered, but you get me. 😉

Overall, Death on the Nile is a film I would mildly recommend. Is it something that will rock your world? No, probably not. Is the movie perfect? Again, no, the CGI was awful, mainly in the first half of this movie. And yet, because of this vast cast of talented (yet somehow troublesome) individuals, the story setting and Kenneth’s directing takes this film slightly higher than I thought it would go. I went into this movie expecting a decent enough murder mystery. But I got more than that, and I left the film in a mostly good mood, even if the film wasn’t 100% perfect. I didn’t think I would say something like this, but I would like to see where Kenneth would take this character next.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

It would seem we might have a new “power couple” on our hands. We used to have Martin Scorsese working a few times with Robert De Niro and, later on, with Leonardo DiCaprio. Or Ridley Scott, making a few movies with Russell Crowe. Well, now, we have Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds in their second collaboration (the first being Free Guy (2021, my review here)) and the third one is coming up, as Levy was announced as the director for Deadpool 3 (no date yet). And for what it is worth, I think this collaboration works well even if The Adam Project didn’t break any new ground. What it did, though, was one fun movie.

The first surprise for me was the casting of young Ryan. Yes, I am talking about Walker Scobell, whose name you should probably remember, as I believe he might be the next big star. He nailed the way Ryan talks without it sounding forced or awkward. Also, he got cast as Percy Jackson in the new Disney+ show Percy Jackson and the Olympians (2023), and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he got the part of Percy for his performance in this film because he was great. He was, in fact, so great I might check out that TV show and I wasn’t that interested in it. Especially considering he had to go up “against” megastars like Ryan, Jennifer Garner, Zoe Saldana, Catherine Keener or Mark Ruffalo. Yep, as you can see, just from these names, the casting here is full of talented performers who all done well. But I would like to focus on Jennifer and Zoe.

For Jennifer, I will say she has done an amazing job. You understand her pain; you believe she is just a single mum trying to do the best she can with a son who can be “a bit” of a pain in her ass. Her scenes with Ryan, where he is older now and realising how he wasn’t making anything easy for her, were surprisingly touching. But for me, the real heart of the story was Ryan’s relationship with Zoe. From the moment they reunite until they have to go their separate ways, you can tell how much they care for each other. You can also see why Ryan’s character would risk everything for her. Also, on an unrelated point, it was nice to see Zoe Saldana in her “original” skin colour as she seems to be Hollywood’s top pick for “Hey, who do we cast to play this blue/green/purple alien? Oh yeah, Zoe Saldana exists; let me speed dial her real quick.” Anyway, even though her role wasn’t as big as others and she didn’t have plenty of screen time, she made an impact, and she was one of the reasons I enjoyed this film.

The Adam Project is a sneaky movie. Because yeah, it’s a sci-fi story. But it utilises that element to tell a pretty compelling drama about past mistakes and complicated relationships (whether it is between family or romantic relationships), and the film blends those two genres really well. Again, is it breaking any new ground? No, to be honest. But you will have a good time with this film as it is a well-blended cocktail of fun and seriousness, the jokes work, and the emotional scenes land.

Also, let’s talk about the main star of this film, Ryan Reynolds. If you look at his performance here from far, you could say he’s just being his typical self, kind of Deadpool character. But look at it more closely, and you might see that he’s got more earnest moments/scenes, and he is nailing them all. It would be easy to write: “Ryan Reynolds is being another version of him, again.” And sure, there is some element of that; I don’t think that will ever go away. But not because he’s playing one character; no, it might be because that is who he is. And in this film, he showcased much more than his snappy, quick-witted side, and I appreciated that. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins an Oscar in about ten years, as I think he is getting better and better, and he can make these characters work in his favour.

The only real “issue” I had with this film was its predictability. You knew where the story was going; you could see every twist and turn coming from a mile away. But I honestly don’t think it takes much away, at least in this case. Because the film has a reasonable length, it never overstays its welcome, and again, the casting makes all moments work. The comedic ones and dramatic ones land, and you walk away smiling.

Overall, The Adam Project is a fun half sci-fi, half drama that mixes those genres surprisingly well. The script is decent, the performances were superb across the board, and it seems the new Hollywood duo Levy & Reynolds is having fun. And as longest they can transport that fun onto the screens, I will be rooting for both. This film won’t shake your world, but here’s the thing, it’s perfectly fine for a movie to be “just” fun and not “life-changing”. The Adam Project is the prime example of a fun family movie you put on one Saturday afternoon, and it doesn’t matter how big your family is; there is something for everyone in here. And I love we still get these family films with “higher” concepts. I would definitely recommend you to watch it.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

At the height of his power, his most “Clooneyness”, George Clooney teamed up with his mate Steven Soderbergh (who arguable was also at the height of his career) to… remake Solaris (1972), the Tarkovsky‘s classic that was almost three hours long? Yep, that’s what you do. Well, that is what you do when you are these two guys. And they’ve managed to do it… pretty well?

I have seen the original Solaris, but that was a long time ago when I was too young to understand what was happening. So I didn’t appreciate it enough, and that film is definitely in my “have seen it, need to re-watch it” pile. But I remembered the basic gist and the fact I was bored. Again, please don’t judge me too harshly; I was around 13/14 years old when I watched it. I can see now that was a dumb thing to do, but hey, I was starting my cinephile life. What can I tell you; I wanted to see the best films, but I was too young to understand some of them.

It might be why I rate this remake a bit higher than others? Or it might be the fact we don’t get these “quiet” sci-fi films anymore? As Solaris is a sci-fi drama, meaning the drama comes from the personal lives of our protagonists rather than them being in space. Nowadays, if we get sci-fi films, we get epics, like Dune (2021, my review here) or the latest Star Wars films. And they are (mostly) great for what they are. But they aren’t quiet, meditative dramas that focus on people as much. Those films focus more on showcasing how breathtaking CGI can look, whereas Solaris makes the space the background for our characters to ponder about life, death and everything in between.

And if you are like me, you like films like that. You can say plenty about Soderbergh, but that guy knows how to build an atmosphere of isolation, doubts and paranoia. And he achieved it in this film really well where you understand what is happening, but also understand how confusing and painful the situation must be for everybody involved.

Without going into heavy spoiler territory, this is the official storyline from IMDb.com for Solaris.

Grieving psychologist Chris Kelvin is sent to investigate a lonely space station orbiting the mysterious planet Solaris, where terrified crewmembers are experiencing a host of strange phenomena, including impossibly halcyon visitors that seem all too human. Once aboard, he confronts an unfathomable power that could hold the key to mankind’s deepest dreams and darkest nightmares.

Source: IMDb.com

Yep, George arrives on the ship that stopped communicating a while ago, only to discover there might or might not be more people on board. I won’t say too much because I think it’s a cool idea to explore and would like you to experience it for yourself, if possible. What I also appreciated was this concept being a “polite” remake. The mere existence of this remake is not “hurting” the original Solaris. It’s such an intriguing concept about our existence, the meaning of life and all that good stuff that it might be one of those rare cases of filmmaking where just because you love the original film, it doesn’t mean you “have to” hate this remake. They can both exist and tell their stories.

Solaris is also one of those “before they became famous” films. There are young Jeremy Davies and John Cho, but the most notable appearance goes to Viola Davis. And even though she had acted before this film, it was mostly TV work and “side characters”, so I would go ahead and say this might have been her major breakthrough. And yes, this might be too obvious to write, but she is awesome in this film. I am so glad that I don’t have to write: “How come she didn’t become a bigger deal?” It was her scenes opposite George’s character I’ve enjoyed the most.

The only reason I can’t give this film a higher rating is simple. It didn’t stay with me for long. I’ve had a great time watching Solaris, but only about two months after I’ve seen it (showing my hand here, but some reviews take me a while to write), I only remember some scenes. I remember how I felt watching this film, but for me to rate it any higher, the film would have to leave a bigger impact on me. But as I always say, who knows? Maybe when I re-watch the original movie, I might re-watch the remake too to compare them against each other, to see how different directors with totally different backgrounds tackled one story…? Yeah, I can see myself doing that one day.

Overall, Solaris is 100% one of those “they sure don’t make movies like these anymore”. The space element here is crucial, but it is not the most important aspect of this film. It serves as a tool, a means to an end where our characters could have talked about life, death, what constitutes life… And if you enjoy movies like these, you might want to check this one out. Even though it’s a Hollywood remake, this one must be one of the better ones for sure. The fact it’s almost half the length of the original movie also helps.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

No matter how hard I try, I can’t imagine a movie that, on paper, looks less appealing to me than The Eyes of Tammy Faye. I am not religious, and to be perfectly honest with you, I despise televangelists. So I should hate this film, right? Well, that’s where I was so surprised. The Eyes of Tammy Faye is a film that understands the world it presents to you and looks at all the “players” involved… fairly. Of course, you never take your history from movies, so I would encourage looking up more information about the actual Tammy Faye. But, if I put that aside and focus solely on the story this film is trying to tell, it’s easy to see the rise and fall of not only Tammy but her husband. And (if the movie is to be believed) she was always trying to be her best.

As my title suggests, this is the part of my review where I will admire Jessica Chastain for a while. I had seen this film just a few hours before the Oscars, where she finally won her first one. Yeah, besides the slap, some people actually ended up getting awards; would you believe that? Anyway, it was between Jessica and Kristen Stewart, and it could have gone either way. And as much as I enjoyed Kristen’s performance in Spencer (2021), I was rooting for Jessica. And for two reasons – first of all, she carries the movie. In The Eyes of Tammy Faye, you have a stellar cast of actors such as Andrew Garfield or Vincent D’Onofrio, to name the biggest names. And Jessica somehow manages to overshadow them in the best way possible. Without appearing “screen-hungry”, she did it almost by default. To be clear, Andrew Garfield gives a superb performance also, but honestly? I don’t think anybody will mention his name after the credits start to roll, and there is a reason for that as Jessica is going off the chain, so to speak and gives one hell (or heaven in this case) performance.

The other reason I was rooting for her at the 2022 Oscars is simple – she has been steadily excellent for the past 11 years now. She is shaping to be the female equivalent of Denzel Washington. What I mean by that is Denzel is one (if not THE) of the best working actors we have and has been for a while. He might star in mediocre movies from time to time, sure, but he is always the best part of those films. He never “just” takes a paycheck, phones his performance and calls it a day. And Jessica has been the same. I saw her in many films now, some better than others, but I have yet to see her miss or be terrible. Yes, occasionally, she might only be as good as the film/role allows her to be but lately, I have been looking up her name in movies because she is my constant same as Denzel. If the film isn’t great, I know I can rely on her to deliver.

Now, let’s take Jessica’s stellar performance, Andrew’s superb performance and make-up and hairstyles (Stephanie Ingram, Linda Dowds and Justin Raleigh also deserved those Oscars) aside for a second. This film is your average “cradle to grave” biopic about somebody who is “controversial”, to put it mildly. I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say Tammy is no longer with us, as she passed away in 2007. But you might remember Jim Bakker (her husband, portrayed by Andrew Garfield) from not that long ago, as he was the televangelist who tried selling silver supplements against COVID-19. I have heard about that story, not knowing his history or who he was, as to be perfectly honest, I don’t care to know who’s the “new and hip televangelist some people love to send their money to”. And that would be my other point against this film (besides it being quite a stereotypical biopic as mentioned above) – showcase these people for who they are/were. The film managed to do it well enough, where every time we saw their better side, we would quickly be reminded that their actions had consequences, especially regarding Jim Bakker, still have. And we shouldn’t forget who they were, and again, we shouldn’t take our historical facts from a movie.

Overall, The Eyes of Tammy Faye was a surprise for me. Sure, I “knew” Jessica would deliver, but I didn’t know how well. I knew Andrew was a great actor but didn’t know he was that great (what a year he had, this film and his nomination for tick, tick…BOOM! (2021, my review here), talk about firing at all cylinders). And I knew I (probably) would not like this film, and I had ended up liking it despite my views about the topic. I have managed to put those aside and try to enjoy this film, and I did. Would I recommend it? For Jessica and Jessica alone, 100%. The rest of the film? I don’t think you will regret your time, but don’t expect anything mind-blowing story-wise; it is your cradle to the grave biopic. And once you see one of them, you’ve seen them all. This film is lucky to have Jessica and the make-up crew behind it, and they are giving it their all and then some.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

I have an almost love/hate relationship with this film. Because I absolutely loved it until it started to go up against itself with the story presentation. If you have seen the movie, you know we effectively see what I would call a stand-up routine, which is pretty much narration but dressed differently. And that is the element of this film where it either works for you or doesn’t. And for me, that was the key part of this film, where it worked about 70%, and for the remaining 30%, I felt we as audience members would have been much better not seeing/cutting back to it. As sometimes, it broke the tension of some scenes. But, this is a great feature debut for Lin-Manuel Miranda.

tick, tick… BOOM! wears its heart on its sleeve, and that’s 100% a good thing. I appreciate it when movies not only know what they are but also announce themselves from the first minute. And this one lets you know instantly; what you are in for. But, at the same time, you might not realize how much of that stand-up/narrating you have signed up for. I am saying that I understand that this stand-up element would be one of the biggest reasons why this film worked for so many people; and all power to you. My issue with such a persistent narrative device (which this stand-up routine was to let us know how Andrew Garfield‘s character is feeling at all times) is that it gets used too often. And that, in turn, made me think, on occasion, like Lin-Manuel doesn’t trust his audience to almost feel for themselves.

I know that wasn’t his intention and that he (probably) trusts them, but there were multiple scenes where you knew what was happening/what was about to happen because, you know, you are watching the film, only for the movie to cut back to Andrew’s character that will spell it out for you. Again, I understand so some people, this approach worked. For me, it was, as mentioned before, a 70/30 split. I would say in the majority of the film the stand-up enhances it. But mainly with dramatic scenes (him arguing with his girlfriend portrayed brilliantly by Alexandra Shipp), it didn’t work. Because we see him hurting, and we know why they are fighting. We didn’t (or at least I didn’t) need the “let’s cut back to the stand-up, to make sure even the slowest ones understand what is happening in this scene” crutch. I get why it’s there; it’s theatrical. It also honours Jonathan Larson’s play, and it’s cool and all, however… I can’t help but think that Lin-Manuel has managed to fall into one of the most “obvious” traps when adapting some existing material (video games, books, musicals, theatre etc.) into a movie form. He was trying to force everything to fit that “original” form.

I firmly believe that is why we have never had a truly spectacular movie based on a video game. Because often enough, filmmakers tried to copy most video games elements “just because that’s what the source material is” without accounting for how would those elements look/feel on the silver screen. And same goes for theatre/musical – just because something works on Broadway doesn’t make it an automatic winner for film adaptation because movie and theatre are two different beasts. Now, more than ever, filmmakers do realize. But tick, tick… BOOM! still somehow managed to fall into this. Funnily enough, what this film should have done to succeed was pull back from that, ever so slightly, don’t disturb the flow of those dramatic scenes where the audience should be invested in the fight between our main characters. And trust your audience that they get what is happening without “Andrew unplugged” showing up every five minutes.

Since I’ve already mentioned both, let’s talk about our main duo. Andrew was rightfully nominated for an Oscar for this role, as he gave everything to this role. I can’t imagine what else he could have done because his performance felt truly raw and vulnerable, and that’s not an easy thing to do, considering Jonathan Larson is portrayed as “a bit” of a dick in this film. Maybe it’s just me, but I liked that about this film where what I got from it was he was a musical genius who obviously was a few decades ahead of his time. But the film didn’t shy away from showcasing him as “dickish”, for lack of a better term, to people around him. And sometimes, it was clearly portrayed intentionally rather than “well, that’s just who he is/was”. But I didn’t mind that no person is a monolith, we all have some good and some bad in us, and Andrew Garfield managed to make me root for him. As to Alexandra Shipp, I knew she was a stunning and talented actress, so that isn’t news. But what I didn’t know; was how well she could sing! There is a song where Andrew, Alexandra and Vanessa Hudgens sing all together (probably a highlight of the film for me), and I had to pause the movie to double-check whether it was Alexandra singing that part. I knew Andrew had singing lessons beforehand, and Vanessa is a singer but Alexandra… damn. Talk about a triple threat, a stunning, talented actress and an incredible singer. Hollywood, please get her to star in… everything?

This film will be fascinating to re-watch as it definitely has moments you think to yourself: “Yep, this is a 5/5 movie.” Only for the film to lose some steam in the second act. And again, the stand-up schticks could have been used much more sparingly. But part of me wonders whether, after multiple re-watches, these “problems” might disappear, as I have enjoyed this film and felt the energy coming through the screen for the most part. tick, tick… BOOM! is 100% one of those rare films I immediately wanted to re-watch to see how much I would (or not) enjoy myself, knowing everything I know now.

Overall, tick, tick… BOOM! is worth your time. You have one stellar performance by Andrew followed closely by one superb performance by Alexandra (and that’s only because she doesn’t have as much screen time as Andrew’s character, for the simple reason that this film is about him). The movie is charming, energetic and has phenomenal music throughout it. The only things I could hold against it would be the over usage of the stand-up routine that, at times, would disturb the flow of the film and the second act loses some steam before the third act picks it up again. But I would still recommend this film. And for a directing debut, Lin-Manual did a fantastic job; I can’t wait for what he will direct next.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke