Aquaman (2018)

There are some really good things about this superhero movie at a time when we're all sick of the genre. James Wan's direction is notable. I saw tinges of Furious 7 in the action sequences (and the final battle is Tolkien-esque). I love the zooms, in and out, in the Sicily scene, giving us a sense of scale and continuity between the separate chases. The underwater visuals are spectacular. The production design for Atlantis and the other underwater realms is visually stunning. And I also liked some of the music. There are some interesting choices (Pitbull singing Africa?). But every now and then, you hear music reminiscent of Vangelis's score for Blade Runner. I thought I might have caught a reference in the beginning too, when Nicole Kidman's character says the sea washes away tears in Atlantis, like teardrops in the rain (from the monologue at the end of Blade Runner). That's the best line in the movie. The rest of the dialogue is really cheesy. And it's a shame because there are some real nuggets of inspiration in the writing. The central conflict between Aquaman and his brother is quite interesting. We are engaged in the war between land and sea over pollution and warships because these are genuine problems in our world. Much less consequential is the conflict with Black Manta. It's obviously setting something up for a future movie, but he is totally insignificant and uninteresting  in this movie. Finally, I have to mention the acting because Amber Heard and Jason Momoa are just terrible. They can only do so much with bad writing...

The Danish Girl (2015)

The Danish Girl is very similar to last year's The Theory of Everything.  Eddie Redmayne underwent a complete transformation for both roles and he is likely to be a contender for the Oscars this year too (though I think his likelihood of winning is pretty low having already won last year).  Both films featured strong female characters (arguably co-leads) to complement Redmayne's--both were played by excellent newcomers to Hollywood.  And both are variants on a traditional romance.

There are stages to Gerda and Lili/Einar's relationship.  It didn't feel like the stages followed a natural progression.  Until the last third or so, it was not clear that Gerda's love for Einar would persevere.  I was expecting Gerda to love Einar unconditionally, but for a large chunk in the middle she does not seem to understand Einar or Lili.  And I don't expect her to get it right away, but I did not find a turning point where it clicked for her.  It appears to the viewer that she uses Lili for financial gain and it is not clear where her feelings and her work separate paths. Where it all changed was the conversation with Dr. Warnerkos. All of a sudden, Gerda became ultra supportive. Maybe it was that she felt guilty for triggering Einar, and finally understood that it was not Gerda's doing, but that is not clear.  And when things turn around, it is Lili that pushes Gerda away.  Lili/Elbe are presented as dual personalities--two people who inhabit the same body with one who loves Gerda and one who pushes Gerda away. Perhaps that is how transgender people were understood in the 1920s, but as far as I understand that is not quite the case.  For example, Lili claimed that she could not paint because Einar was the painter.  But if this was an activity that Einar enjoyed and had success in, then Lili could have done the same.  She should be allowed to live her life normally as a transitioned woman.

I appreciate Danny Cohen's cinematography. He also worked with Hooper on The King's Speech. He centers certain shots, and lets others sit uncomfortably off-center. But I love the artistic choice.  And Alexandre Desplat's score is very fitting. He always composes great works.  The acting is superb. Eddie Redmayne is extraordinary and makes a full transformation into character both into Einar and then into Lili.  His makeup and costumes are very well done and very convincing.  There has been some controversy over the casting of a cis man as Lili Elbe, but I would contend that Redmayne is properly cast as Einar, and then he makes the transformation successfully to play Lili.  Alicia Vikander has had a standout year following her breakout role in Ex Machina.  She is astounding, too, and she does not allow Redmayne to upstage her--after all she is titular Danish Girl, too.