May 2023 – MOVIESMARKUS

The Little Mermaid

Posted on May 31, 2023May 31, 2023 by Markus Robinson

The story is pretty much the same as it’s animated source material. A curious teenage mermaid named Ariel (Halle Bailey) ventures to the surface world and falls for a prince. She then trades her voice to a sea witch in exchange for legs, all for some man.

These Disney live-action remakes have always been set up for box-office success, having a fanbase which miraculously doesn’t seem to care if these films are simply shot for shot remakes, as long as the songs are there and the vibes are right. And while “The Little Mermaid” is not a shot for shot remake whatsoever, all the most memorable visual aspects of this remake are the shots that keep true to the 1989 animated original.

For a remake which is almost an hour longer than the original, director Rob Marshall does a good job of keeping this two hour plus film moving at a pace which accounts for a child’s attention span. And his interpretations of some of the most beloved musical numbers in the Disney canon, will be received well by audiences.

To account for this extended runtime, we get new songs with music from Alan Menken and lyrics from Lin-Manuel Miranda. Some of which are catchier than others, but all fit the atmosphere of a more modern retelling of this classic tale. In addition to the new songs, more backstory is added to many of the characters in an attempt to give enhanced motivations. Truthfully, this aspect neither harms nor helps with actual story engagement.

Most importantly, the live-action CGI talking crab, fish and seagull are done well enough to not be a distraction. I’m being facetious, but also, I understand this is a worry which sits in the back of the minds of non-child viewers who become fixated on these very things. The only issue I have with the visuals is somewhat of a bad timing thing, as the underwater CGI is made underwhelming due to the recent release of “Avatar: The Way of Water” and the technical comparisons these scenes are sure to garner. I must restate that the direction here (while the weakest aspect of this film) is fine and will only be picked apart by critics. My criticism of Marshall’s vision is that he doesn’t seem to have one that wishes to step out of its predecessor’s shadow. This is not a sleepwalking directorial effort, as it’s all quite entertaining. It just doesn’t rock the boat in any capacity. Which isn’t a bad thing, if that is what you came to see.

All of that said, this version does stand out from the original due to the enjoyment many will get from these performances. Melissa McCarthy as Ursula and Javier Bardem as King Triton are great casting choices and very much filled the shoes of these supporting characters quite well. The same goes for Jonah Hauer-King who plays Prince Eric, very much giving dark-haired Ryan Gosling. Awkwafina is the voice of Scuttle the gannet (not seagull) and Daveed Diggs is the voice of Sebastian the crab, both doing much of the comedic heavy lifting, adding comedic touches which differ from the straight-forward whimsy of the original. The fact is, there are no bad performances. Jacob Trembley who voices Flounder is a complete afterthought, but even his voice work isn’t what I’d call “bad”. Anyway, Halle Bailey’s performance is the main reason to see this movie. She is such star quality, capturing the essence of her character (Ariel) better than any other character in any Disney live-action remake thus far.

Final Thought: The 1989 “The Little Mermaid” was my favorite animated film as a child and so I did go into this ready to enjoy myself, but also ready to be all sorts of unforgiving at the slightest hint of an attempt to ruin my childhood. Thankfully, this version of “The Little Mermaid” was an overall enjoyable watch. And due to the nostalgia evoking musical sequences and Bailey’s performance, “The Little Mermaid” is quite rewatchable.

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Movie Review

Monica

Posted on May 28, 2023 by Markus Robinson

When a Hollywood movie focuses on a marginalized group, more often than not there are large aspects of the story which are sensationalized and exploitative. But thankfully this story was not made for the cisgender gaze.

Synopsis: Monica (Trace Lysette) is a trans woman who after years of being away, apprehensively travels back to her hometown to visit her estranged dying mother (Patricia Clarkson).

This is a story not bogged down by exposition, and we are asked to gather information through nuanced interactions Monica has with the world around her, her sister-in-law, her brother, their children and her mother who may recognize Monica but refuse to acknowledge Monica for who she truly is. Amidst the reality we live in of a violent and ever-present nationwide (worldwide) anti-trans movement, co-writer/director Andrea Pallaoro and writer Orlando Tirado make a conscious decision to present this trans story as a piece of slice of life realism. It’s a decision which pays off.

Trace Lysette, who is on screen for every second of this film, intimately portrays a woman who carries with her the trauma of a tragic situation that is all too common in regards to LGBTQ+ youth. A queer child who is kicked out of the house at a young age; rejected by their own family and loved ones. Now grown and asked to interact with those who’ve ostracized her, Lysette is tasked with giving a performance that is not only personal, but also representative of so many who share very similar stories. And Lysette more than comes through with a powerhouse and award worthy performance.

This performance is paired up with Pallaoro coming through with some of the best direction I’ve seen all year. Initially filming (framing) Monica in a way that felt distant, but not detached, as we move forward in the story we are allowed more and more into Monica’s existence; into her routine, her mannerisms, her body, her job, her anxiety, her motivations, her hopes and dreams, her joy and pain, and the isolation felt by someone alienated from family.

Final Thought: “Monica” is a triumph of trans storytelling. It’s a somber movie about attempted reconciliation and forgiveness in a situation where neither of those things may be an option. It’s a movie which shows the results of parental abandonment. And above all things, it’s a movie dedicated to spending time with a woman who is trans, as she moves through this world. “Monica” is a quiet film that is sure to speak volumes to those who take the opportunity see it.

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Movie Review

How to Blow Up a Pipeline

Posted on May 28, 2023 by Markus Robinson

Adapted from Andreas Malm’s nonfiction book, “How to Blow Up a Pipeline: Learning to Fight in a World on Fire”, in which it is argued that sabotage (property damage) is the most effective form of “local climate activism”, this movie continues in the spirit of its source material, presenting an unapologetic call to direct action.

Synopsis: A small group of young people (some self-proclaimed climate activists, some not) from all across the United States, come together in West Texas with the goal of blowing up an oil pipeline.

Director Daniel Goldhaber drops us right into the action giving his film immediate momentum. Within the first twenty minutes we watch these characters build homemade explosives (Note: no actual bomb making instructions are given in this film) and discuss their plans for the hours ahead. As we witness them prepping for an act which some may call terrorism while others would call self-defense, we are given flashbacks showing how everyone arrived at this point.

Goldhaber along with co-writers Ariela Barer (who also plays the lead character) and Jordan Sjol’s choice to construct this story as a heist-thriller was a stylized stroke of genius, adding an additional layer of tension onto a story containing sky-high stakes from inception.

Very much coming across as a collective passion project, the filmmakers as well as a cast which includes some very engaging performances from the likes of Lukas Gage (The White Lotus), Sasha Lane (American Honey), Jayme Lawson (The Woman King) and Barer herself, take careful consideration in continuously highlighting the revolutionary, communal and anarchist culture and reasoning at the heart of this feature. In the midst of what is a fast-paced film, we are asked to sit with beautiful shots of desert landscape, if only to reaffirm what it’s all for. We get flashbacks that accurately portray how an entire generation could be pushed to these lengths. We even get a pre-title land acknowledgment honoring the native peoples and land that this movie was filmed on. On arrival the collective voice of this film is felt, culminating into something visually and emotionally powerful and creating a sense of solidarity with even the most skeptical viewer.

Final Thought: During said flashback sequences we witness an entire disenfranchised generation surrounded by posters, pop-up social media ads as well as authority figures all suggesting that the only forms of activism that are deemed correct are voting and peaceful protests. And still the characters in this film choose to go the route of non-passive action. “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” asks only one question. What constitutes true and effective activism during a time of immediate crisis? And this question is asked in the most edge-of-your-seat way possible, without sacrificing its “by any means necessary” message. “How To Blow Up a Pipeline” is definitely my kind of heist movie.

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