Three Identical Strangers (2018)

Yes, it is an unbelievable story. But what makes this documentary so special is the storytelling. The story unfolds piece by piece very deliberately, revealing left turn after left turn while giving hints along the way if you were paying close enough attention. I often do not pay close enough attention, and so the filmmakers replay key foreshadowing moments. And then it clicks and you go "oh, of course".

Shirkers (2018)

Shirkers is a very personal documentary. Sandi Tan is an honest and open storyteller. The strange music coupled with the grainy film images without sound make for a mesmerizing and mysterious tone. Sandi, Jasmine and Sophie are actually really funny, and as students of the cinema there are abundant references to film history. Today, they have separated but they all work in film in one way or another. Tan and her two friends and her teacher set out to make an indie road movie in 1990s Singapore, a first for the island whose film industry has now further developed but was nascent at the time. Shirkers, the movie that could-have-been, is a poetic take on Catcher in the Rye (and dare I say there is a tinge of Donnie Darko too). Now that she has the footage, she theoretically could start post-production and fulfill her dream, but instead with this documentary, she ended up with a more interesting and meditative movie on dreams, power, time and the movies.

Ellen Degeneres: Relatable (2018)

Ellen is back doing stand-up after fifteen years. The premise of her special is that after becoming so successful, she is still a relatable person. The most relatable thing she says is her explanation for returning to stand-up. She obviously doesn't need the money. It is simply that she loves it and misses it. You can see how much fun she's having. Stylistically, her set reminded me of Seinfeld, with simple observations made funny. She pauses quite a bit with good comedic timing. She's not particularly cutting edge, but she's silly and funny as always.

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

I don't often give hearts to a movie I rate 4 stars, but this movie tugged all the right strings for me, even if it didn't quite hit all the right notes. The movie is packaged in such a whimsically charming way that gives me joy. The visuals are exciting (the animation and live action mix is even more seamless with 2018 visual effects), the pace is leisurely, and the plot is perfectly sentimental. I do believe in the power of nostalgia and the enduring magic of Mary Poppins. Derivative isn't an accurate description when the movie is done well to nostalgic effect. After fifty years, I don't think anyone was really asking for a sequel, but I'm so glad it's here.

The biggest fault of the movie (and it's a big one) is the music. It is...just fine. In most situations, it would be sufficient. But this is Mary Poppins. The music from the original is iconic. The new music simply is not that catchy. Musicals have to have memorable music, moreover Disney musicals have to have singable music.

But I can overlook that because the rest of the movie is so much fun. Emily Blunt is amazing, really making the quintessentially British nanny her own. She is the epitome of elegance. Special call-outs for Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ben Whishaw too. Meryl Streep makes a cameo appearance that does not really advance the plot. And I didn't even see her in the end in the balloon scene. They probably should have cut out that scene.One last note on Rob Marshall. He can't resist the Chicago-esque scene when Lin and Emily dance and sing on stage about book covers. Mary Poppins even wears a Catherine Zeta Jones-esque hairpiece. Don't get me wrong, it's a great scene but the wig looks so out of place for her that you can't help thinking it.

Springsteen on Broadway (2018)

No one else could do what Bruce Springsteen has achieved in his Broadway show. Forget the jukebox musicals, this is storytelling at its finest. The show is ostensibly an adaptation of his memoir but the truth is that Bruce has been building up to this show for his entire career. The consummate lyricist, yes, but always a storyteller. He sings acoustic versions of his hit songs with piano or guitar/harmonica as well as some of his lesser known ones, all introduced by a story, told rhythmically, somberly and with tons of heart. He mines his childhood, adolescence, early career and success for emotional stories that really hit home. There are lots of highlights but I think My Hometown is the most poignant and moving, and the simple piano introduction really works for me.

And Bruce is not just a musician.  In this show, he is truly an actor. Telling these stories, he is purely acting, memorizing lines, delivering them in a particular style, with dramatic timing and emotion. Bruce has always spanned different genres, but I admit all the songs sounds very similar with just an acoustic guitar. Because of this, you can really hone in on the lyrics. They are intricate stories, told with some high level vocabulary without basic repetition. I want to draw a brief comparison to Bob Dylan. It's an obvious comparison, but I recently saw Girl from the North Country, the new play adapted from Dylan's music.  It is a stage production that gives Dylan's songs new context and re-imagined melodies. It is a braver task to reinvent your own music, especially because the stories are so personal for Bruce. This is an intimate experience that must be seen. I'm very glad Netflix could share this with everyone that couldn't come by a ticket to the show in person. This will surely be Bruce's EGOT (a special Tony, yes, and an Emmy for the Netflix adaptation, and probably a Grammy too for the recording).

Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse (2018)

The critics have been saying that this movie totally reinvigorates the superhero genre. They're not wrong. But moreover, this movie takes the broader genre of animation to places it has never been before. Perhaps more than any other movie, it makes innovative use of its medium to depict a moving comic book in a way that only animation can. I want to say this is the first western-style anime in the sense that anime animates manga. And it pays homage to anime in a very obvious way. The style is so refreshing and invigorating, I hope it gets recognized for production design.

Don't let the cheesy title deter you, this is an excellent Spiderman movie .Spiderman is an iconic character, you didn't think they had anything new to say. He's you friendly neighborhood Spiderman, hailing from Queens. Queens is such an essential part of who Peter Parker is. But our Spiderman in this film is not Peter Parker, but Miles Morales, who hails from Brooklyn. This movie makes a clear distinction between Peter and Spiderman. It sends the message that Spiderman is a persona; that anyone can be Spiderman, that we're all Spiderman. It is an empowering message that we needed to hear.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

The Coen Brothers' latest movie is a Western anthology. Comprised of six stories of varying length and depth. They are all humorous in one way or another. Some end happily, some don't. But all are entertaining. The stories have little to do with each other, sharing only the wild west theme. There is quite a decent amount of singing too--you never quite know what to expect. I must admit I did not understand the last story, but after reading more about it online, I realized juts how creepily dark and brilliant it is. Even if you're not into Westerns, it is worthwhile viewing.