Long Shot (2019)

I'm embarrassed to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I thought it was really funny. It only brushes the surface of its political ambitions but it's just enough to be interesting. Seth Rogen's Fred has principles. Yes, who would've thought that Seth Rogen would be the moral compass? Charlize Theron is oddly good at this wacky comedy. She should be given more comedic roles. And the very best part of the movie is O'Shea Jackson Jr, who makes a great comedic sidekick.

Black Panther (2018)

This is a monumental movie. There are so many things this movie did right thanks to a phenomenal who's who cast, Kendrick Lamar on the soundtrack, amazing production and costume and makeup design, and a brilliant Ryan Coogler at the helm (his signature long take, one shot is the ultra kinetic fight scene in Busan).

Hollywood finally did something right. A black superhero is not insignificant. Representation on screen is so important. It's not just a black superhero, it's strong and fierce black women warriors, it's a black scientist, a black sovereign, proud and successful black people. You need to be able to see yourself on screen in positions of respect to learn to respect yourself. And Black Panther has proved again that people of all colors are willing to pay big bucks for diversity. Hollywood has never known what the people wanted. Let this be a lesson.

This is the best Marvel movie, by far--it plays more cool 007 than Marvel. It is certainly helped by the lack of Avengers. Black Panther can hold his own. The content of the movie is much heavier, more morally complex, and more relevant (maybe only matched by X-Men, but certainly not the other Avengers). The central tension in the film is Wakanda's longstanding policy of isolationism. Wakanda is a fictional black Utopia. The way I see it, it's not just a black version of Utopia, rather Utopia is black. Utopia is a land untouched by the white colonizer. Could you blame Wakanda for not wanting any part of the ills the rest of the world has wrought? Well, if Wakanda was to open up, what form would that take? How would Wakanda react to the plight of black people around the world? There is the more militant Malcolm-ish path and the more peaceful Martin-ish path. Though Ta-Nehisi Coates had no part in the movie, I can't help but think his comic had influence on this central theme of the movie. The morally complex Killmonger (played by an excellent Michael B. Jordan), is a somewhat sympathetic villain. He is a fully developed character. His rough childhood influences his motivations to support the oppressed. But his experience in the US military influences his motivations to conquer.

My lone criticism is I think there was an opportunity for the female characters to take center stage. Yes, they are in prominent roles, but there is an opportunity towards the end that the lead females deny themselves. It is ostensibly for other reasons, but there is an underlying gender implication. There was a particularly viable path given Shuri's legitimate blood claim to the throne.

I know there is more I wanted to say. I wish I had went straight to writing after I saw the movie but...life gets in the way. #wakandaforever

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

It's good to see an Asian in a leading role! And she's a cool character. Admittedly, Rose and Finn's (two minorities owning the screen!) plot on the casino planet of Canto Bight is kind of irrelevant to the grand scheme of the plot. It's a beautifully designed planet and the chase scene on the streets of Dubrovnik is incredible. There is an anti-war, anti-weapons (slash class warfare) message that is a little on the nose, but I think it's a necessary and welcome addition to the Star Wars galaxy.

They really talk a lot about the Force in this one. It's a good refresher on what the Force actually is. And this one really stretches the limits of the Force. We see new the Force do new things we've never seen before. I can see why the fans might be complaining about this. But I don't think these new powers are too out there.

The movie is quite long. There were a few times I thought the movie was going to end. That has to do with the many subplots having to be contrived together. But they do come together and then culminate in a battle--it is war after all. The final hour of the movie is very exciting. Laura Dern's character gets a brilliant plot that terminates in the most stunning shot of the film, a silent and still frame.

The direction is a clear departure from the previous films, it's artsier. The solid colors stand out: Laura Dern's hair and garb, and the deep red of Snoke's lair, and the red soil against the white dust. Though the movie is clearly a call back to The Empire Strikes Back. It's a little darker, more pessimistic for the Resistance. I won't spoil it all, but what was supposed to be fan service, catering to the fans by recalling the greatest Star Wars movie and then they didn't like it... You know it's a strange world when the critics praise Star Wars and the super fans are the critical ones. I, for one, enjoyed it. 

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

The Planet of the Apes trilogy has actually been surprisingly strong. This film has continued the streak of good visual effects, the best motion capture technology and acting in Andy Serkis, and a morally complex and emotional story. The moral dilemma is always slightly different. But always interesting. There are some really brilliant moments in this movie. However, I don't think the last death in the movie was really necessary. There was a very satisfying end that they then messed up. The power of the story comes from the perspective of the apes. We are put in their point of view. We come to root against the humans. The soundtrack by Michael Giacchino is also spot on. 

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)

Star Wars will become the biggest movie of the year, without a doubt, maybe even the biggest movie of the decade.  This seriously has Avatar potential.  What the two movies share in common are fun and visually thrilling action movies in galaxies far, far away.  JJ Abrams made a movie that is exactly what the fans have asked for. It is a movie that lives up to the fans' expectations, and as we all know, Star Wars fans care very much.  And it shows that Abrams put care into this movie too so as not to disappoint. The movie has gotten some criticism  for copying the original too much, but I see it more as an homage to the source material. It opens on a desert planet Jakku, not unlike Tatooine.  The key to the Resistance (no longer Rebellion) movement is tucked away in a droid that is found by the protagonist.  And without revealing too much more of the movie, rest assured there are a lot more parallels to A New Hope--the most glaringly obvious of which is the new and improved Deathstar-like weapon.  I personally loved the hiding underneath the floor of the Millennium Falcon, a throwback to Han Solo and Chewbacca.

The movie brings the same type of drama that the original trilogy did that is simultaneously exhilarating and emotion.  Reliable John Williams returns and wrote a rousing score that echoes the familiar themes.  And at the end of the massive credits, the chimes play the theme one final glorious time at a slowed down pace.  2015 brought with it modern special effects that show how far Star Wars has come since 1977.   This is a Star Wars for a new generation creating a new young following.

The characters from the original trilogy are back. They're a lot older but we are all so glad to see them. The audience at the IMAX theater literally applauded Han Solo and Chewbacca. And the returning characters all have plausible story lines that make sense for their characters following the close of the original trilogy. But this is about the new characters. Daisy Ridley plays Rey and it is refreshing to have a strong female lead. John Boyega is a reformed Storm Trooper, finally putting a (likable) face to the foot soldiers of the Dark Side.  And the new face of evil is Kylo Ren with his newly designed light saber.  He makes a formidable foe for a formidable sequel to America's cinematic treasure.

    

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes really stepped up the storytelling in this latest installment of the classic franchise.  It is thoughtful and intelligent and it sustains this level of brilliance throughout the two hours. The apes are complex in their emotions and their rationales. The human element of these apes is actually quite moving.  The audience really comes to care about these characters.  This all leads to a wholly satisfying ending that is perhaps not the happy one that you want, but the rational one that makes sense for the warring tribes of humans and apes.  This is a summer blockbuster that was not just pure action (though the culminating battle sequence is excellent).

The visual effects are stunning as usual.  Andy Serkis as Caesar is simply captivating.  It is a joy to just watch his expressions, which is an impressive feat itself.  He gives some brilliant speeches with genuine ideas about leadership that may apply to humans or apes.  That is what is so great about the genre of science fiction.  The premise may be so impossible, but the application to our own world is apparent and striking.