Incredibles 2 (2018)

What do you do in Bangkok? Go see a 4D movie! The 4D is super unnecessary, but it was kind of novel. During the Bao short and the first thirty minutes of the movie, there are 4D effects that are unexpected because they are mundane, but that kind of makes it fun and funny. It did make me smile. The latter half of the movie did not have as many effects. They and we maybe forgot about it.

The movie is brilliant. It is a modern day superhero movie. We needed to wait over a decade for this movie and it was well worth the wait to see our contemporary debates featured prominently. There is a dining table argument the family has over civil disobedience. A main theme of the movie is body cameras, a contemporary policing/vigilante proposal. And of course, you can't ignore the working mom and stay-at-home dad narrative. To top it off, the movie is hilarious. Brad Bird is an excellent director. But this film doesn't feel like a Pixar movie (nothing wrong with that) because it never reaches that emotional climax (nothing wrong with that either). The movie does throw a curveball by casting Bob Odenkirk, whose most famous role leads us to believe he was typecast. Spoiler alert, he's not. Michael Giacchino's music is lots of fun, kind of jazzy.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Maybe it's a generational thing, but I think I'll always be partial to Tobey Maguire. He was just the kind of nerdy awkward that Spider-man should be. Tom Holland is maybe more age appropriate for the character, but he's not the right kind of awkward. He's just being a charming kid that strangely calls Aunt May just May. And we see a good portion of his high school life. I really like his Filipino friend Ned. The two of them are believable best friends. The casting diversity is praiseworthy. Spider-man is from Queens after all, the most diverse place on the planet. I appreciate that Peter's love interest (and future love interest?) is African American. And there's a great twist/reveal that screams this-is-a-modern-spider-man.

I don't really appreciate all the Marvel tie-ins. I think it cheapens Spider-Man, who is a standalone character that can pull his own weight without the help of Ironman and the Avengers. I understand that they're playing up the whole kid thing, but I don't see the Avengers taking a backseat in the inevitable sequel. Captain America pulled a cheap trick on us after the credits, with a fake scene. There's also the placement of big enough names in deceptively small roles that I just have this sinking feeling we'll see returning. For example, Donald Glover has only a few lines, but we know he'll be back even though his character is seemingly unimportant.

Doctor Strange (2016)

The plot is a little convoluted. If you're not in on the whole Marvel universe and on Doctor Strange in particular, it is a little difficult to follow. His origin story is not an easy one. I wish they didn't keep tying all these movies in together. This would've been perfectly fine as a standalone movie. I'm getting really sick of the MCU.

The visual effects in the movie are super cool. They literally bend reality visually. It's not just cheap tricks. It's mesmerizing and imaginative. Benedict Cumberbatch's American accent is kind of funny. It sounds so strange coming out of his very British mouth. It sounds a little unnatural, like when Emma Watson does an American accent. And on Tilda Swinton, she's fine. She's not Asian. But she is the kind of weird that the Ancient One calls for. Should the actor have been Asian? Well, yes. Would that have actually been a kind of stereotypical character for an Asian actor playing an old, wise, kung fu specialist? Yeah, kind of. 

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. 

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Did we need this Star Wars movie? No, not really. It comes between Episodes III and IV. The question it answers is "Where did the so-called New Hope come from?" It tries to distinguish itself from the Star Wars films, establishing itself without the trademark Star Wars opening crawl, iconic music, and even without light sabers. Here's my question though: is it really still Star Wars without these things? I say no. Disney is taking advantage of us, passing this off as a Star Wars movie while denying that very thing. There is no emotional investment in these characters that we know will only be around for this one film within the Star Wars universe. And consequentially, there isn't too much character development. I like Diego Luna. I like Felicity Jones. But the rest of the characters seemed rather pointless to the story. 

Jurassic World (2015)

The newest installment in the Jurassic Park series is a lot like the original. It is a solid movie, but lacks originality. It understandably introduces Jurassic Park to a younger generation unfamiliar with the original. But having seen Jurassic Park, this seemed a little too safe. Even the dinosaurs were not very imaginative. The whole premise of the movie is that the dinosaurs are genetically engineered. But they still look like dinosaurs the way we know them. Where's the creativity? I guess the Mosasaurus is kind of cool. The new, terrifying Indominus Rex looked almost indistinguishable from the T Rex to me. Spielberg's dinosaurs were so lifelike to begin with that the advancements in computer technology and special effects did not produce anything that really impressed me. The original animatronics were perhaps even scarier.

That being said, it is still a fun movie, if a little predictable. There is lots of action. I particularly liked the gyrosphere ride, that lets the park attendees roam among the dinosaurs in the safety of a hamster ball. It would make for an enjoyable real ride, and it is really cool. Chris Pratt is a very likable hero  even if just two years ago I would've never picked him for a hero-type. Michael Giacchino does a good job with the score, integrating John Williams's memorable themes into his own original music.

Inside Out (2015)

Much like emotions themselves, this movie is quite complex. Perhaps a little too complex for children, but if you think the target audience is children, then you don't know Pixar, which has consistently made high quality animated films that resonate best with adults who might accompany children to the theater.  Pixar adds to its canon of masterpieces, and perhaps outdoes itself once and for all with this brilliant return to form after a year off.  As always, Pixar finds the right balance between comedy, drama and pure emotion, never failing to illicit a tearful response or two or .several from the audience.

The premise is so novel and creative and clever. It is pure genius.  It is at once a story about growing up, about memories and dreams, and about learning to grapple with our feelings, our emotions and personalities.  And it does so literally from the inside out, telling stories from inside Riley's mind.  It is a story that only the world of animation could bring to life.  It is very beautifully animated.  It uses imagination to envision what imagination looks like.  It envisions an expansive library of memories sitting in storage.

The characters are extreme caricatures, all cast perfectly.  Amy Poehler plays Joy, a hyped up version of Leslie Knope.  Likewise, Lewis Black plays Anger, an extreme version of his own persona.  But it is the character of Sadness voiced by Phyllis Smith that shares the spotlight with Joy, or stands in the shadow of Joy's aura.  I really appreciated Pete Docter's attention to sadness, an emotion for which the child-minded Joy sees no use; but our emotions are complex and sadness is not an inherently bad thing, and the real heart of the film is this interplay between these two characters learning what it means to be sad and learning to embrace it.

I also think that it is great that the main character is a little girl (a la Brave).  Perhaps girls are a little more in touch with their emotions at a young age. But in any case, it is important for girls to see themselves portrayed on screen, and in Pixar's fifteen productions, this is only the second to feature a female protagonist.  And she plays hockey!  Take that, gender stereotypes.

PS. Did you catch the reference to Chinatown? "Forget it, Jake. It's Cloudtown"
PPS. Did you see the film poster at Dream Productions referencing Vertigo?