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RACHEL'S REVIEWS


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BLIND SPOT 70: FRANKENSTEIN 1931


October 18, 2021October 18, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

I think because I have never been a big horror movie person I have a ton of
blind spots in that genre including the Universal monster movies. This is why I
really wanted to include Frankenstein 1931 in my blind spot this year. Strangely
I have seen Young Frankenstein which is a parody of this film but not seen the
original. I have also read the book several times and seen the Kenneth Branagh
version from 1994 (and I’ve seen Frankenweenie!). Now I have seen the1931 film
and I loved it! It’s an extremely well made film with several scenes that really
got to me.

Frankenstein 1931 is directed by James Whale and stars Colin Clive as Henry
Frankenstein and Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s monster. It’s a simple story
and at 71 minutes it doesn’t waste much time. Dr Frankenstein creates a monster
and that monster is misunderstood and mayhem results.

The film starts off with the iconic image of lightning bringing the monster to
life. We of course get the doctor calling out ‘It’s alive! It’s alive’. I love
the black and white in these scenes and the way director Whale uses light and
shadow to create mood.  They are scenes so often parodied they lose some of
their impact but if you think about what it must have been like to see for the
first time it is very exciting.

Karloff is great as the monster. He plays it almost like a zombie unaware of
what he is doing but with just enough alertness to be cognizant of his actions.
The most tragic scene is when he is playing with a girl named Maria and in the
game he drowns the girl. That scene combined with the farmer bringing his dead
little girl into the town is so sad. Devastating.



Like I said, Frankenstein 1931 is not a long movie so its elements are simple.
However, I found it effective and very well made. It’s violent, tragic and
exciting all at the same time and it has something to say about playing God and
how we treat things we don’t understand. Is it a monster just because we are
unfamiliar with it? Maybe? Maybe not?

I did think the film ended rather abruptly and I wanted a little bit more. I
suppose I will need to watch the sequels one of these days.

8 out of 10

 




CURRENT MINI REVIEWS (MLP: A NEW GENERATION, LAMB, DIANA: THE MUSICAL AND MORE)


October 13, 2021October 13, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

So it’s that time again where I catch up on all the films I’ve been watching
with a bunch of mini-reviews! Sorry I couldn’t do longer reviews but if you have
any questions or would like more of my thoughts just ask in the comments
section!


MY LITTLE PONY: A NEW GENERATION



I was actually a fan of the MLP: Friendship is Magic and enjoyed the MLP movie
based on that series. Now we have a new series with an introductory movie, My
Little Pony: A New Generation. This is technically a sequel to Friendship is
Magic (and we get a little intro from the FIM characters) but it is new
characters with a new style and it is thoroughly charming.

In this story, Equestria has been divided into 3 lands with 3 different pony
kinds- earth, pegasi and unicorns. One day a new unicorn named Izzy comes into
town and they have to work to overcome prejudice and restore the unicorn magic.
I love the bright and cheerful animation and the message is important and
perfect for the whole family. It’s a great start to the new series

8 out of 10

Smile Worthy


LAMB



Whenever I see a movie from A24 I know I’m in for something different. The
distributor prides itself on procuring strange eclectic films. Most of their
films I enjoy like The Farewell, Minari and more. Others like The Souvenir or
The Last Black Man in Francisco I did not care for. (or C’mon C’mon reviewed
below is A24)

Now there is the movie Lamb, and I was actually looking forward to the film
because the trailer looked like a fun horror movie. Unfortunately it didn’t
deliver and was instead a pretentious dull marriage in crisis drama.

The trailer is one of the most deceptive I’ve seen in a long time because Lamb
is not scary in the slightest. In fact, every time they showed the human lamb
baby it looked so ridiculous it took me out of the movie. It was too goofy, and
I honestly thought it was plain stupid.

4 out of 10

Frown Worthy


DIANA: THE MUSICAL



You all know I am a sucker when it comes to musicals. I famously went fresh on
much maligned recent film adaptations of Cats and Dear Evan Hansen. So when I
say a musical is terrible it’s really bad. Such is the case with the recent
Diana: the Musical.



Everything about this filming of the new Broadway show about Princess Diana’s
life is a complete mess. Maybe the costumes can be praised but the lyrics,
music, book, casting, staging is all laughably bad. It’s almost worth
recommending for the ‘so bad it’s good’ elements, but I can’t do that to you. I
feel bad for whomever invested in the Broadway show starting in December because
this thing is going to tank badly. I can’t imagine it lasting outside the
previews…It’s so bad.

1 out of 10

Frown Worthy


C’MON C’MON



I saw C’mon C’mon as part of this year’s NYFF59 and director Mike Mills was
there to present it to the crowd. The film is thin on plot but its characters
are endearing enough to make it all work.

It tells the story of a man named Johnny who is asked to take care of his nephew
Jesse while the child’s parents are dealing with medical care. At first he
doesn’t know how to parent but over time he and Jesse become very close. As an
aunt I can relate to the bond between Johnny and Jesse and the beautiful black
and white photography gives the film a grounded, authentic feel.

It is slow moving and the interruptions with documentary subjects waxing
philosophical didn’t always work but still a sweet movie worth a few hours of
your time.

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy


RETURNING TO REIMS



My second movie at NYFF59 is a very unusual documentary called Returning to
Reims. This film takes clips from movies, interviews, and selections from
director Didier Eribon’s memoir to tell a history of labor struggles in France.
Normally such a subject would be dry but the approach was unique enough to keep
me engaged. I think it would have worked better as a documentary short but still
I’m glad I saw it.

6 out of 10

Smile Worthy


MUPPETS HAUNTED MANSION



I don’t know if I mention it enough on this blog but I love The Muppets. I even
have Muppet May every year over on my youtube channel. That said, the franchise
has had a rocky road the last few years. I did not enjoy Muppets Most Wanted and
the various TV series have not been good.



Now we have a new film for Disney Plus with Muppets Haunted Mansion. Fortunately
it is the best project the franchise has made in a long time. I really enjoyed
all the homages to the attraction (which is my favorite at Disneyland). Will
Arnett is a lot of fun as the host to a great party Gonzo and Pepe are
attending. We also get the adorable image of Piggy and Kermit dressed up as each
other.

The only thing I didn’t like was a plot-line with Taraji P. Henson and Pepe
getting married. It’s not that funny and took up a lot of the runtime I wish had
been given to the rest of the Muppets.

Still, it’s definitely worth a watch especially for Disney parks and Muppets
fans. It’s a gift from the Muppets for this Halloween season.

6 out of 10

Smile Worthy


THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB SEASON 2



I loved the first season of The Baby-Sitters Club on Netflix. It was so well
written and cast and felt like an authentic portrayal of teens today.

Now we have season 2 and I loved it all over again. I loved the books growing up
and even had my own babysitting club as a tween with my friends. This show so
captures the experience of being a teen girl with the insecurities, joys and
struggles. But you don’t need to be a teen girl to enjoy the series. If you like
good writing and authentic storytelling you will like this show. It’s fantastic.

Particularly great this season is the story for Claudia who faces a great loss.
It honestly made me quite emotional. Trust me on this one- you should watch it!

10 out of 10

Smile Worthy

Have you seen any of these films/shows? What have you been watching? Share in
the comment sections.


[REVIEW] ‘DUNE: PART ONE’ OR IT’S DUNE. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT


October 13, 2021October 16, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

A couple of years ago my book club chose to read Frank Herbert’s 1965 scifi
novel Dune for one of our summer selections. The whole point of book club is to
get me out of my reading comfort zone so I dove in hoping to enjoy it…and I did
not. It was a beast of exposition and ambling plot that went nowhere. None of us
but one enjoyed the book and I hoped to never hear about Dune again.

Then of course the movie was announced directed by auteur Denis Villeneuve and
of course it was delayed last year due to the pandemic. I feel like I have been
hearing about this movie for ages. First the endless casting announcements and
then trailers and other publicity as it became delayed. The hype for most was
building to a promise I knew the film would not be able to meet- ‘the next Lord
of the Rings‘ or ‘Star Wars‘ and I knew from the book that’s not what Dune is
unless they strayed far away from the source material.



Today we finally arrived at the big screening day and I had moderated
expectations, which is what I recommend for each of you. Don’t go in expecting
to hate it- that’s idiotic but expect a well made scifi movie and that’s what
you will get.

That’s right. I did actually enjoy Dune despite my dislike of the book. I don’t
love it and it has its issues but it’s about the best you could do in making a
Dune movie and what more can you ask of filmmakers?

The strengths are in the visual effects and production/sound design. The acting
is also all competent and they keep the story moving fairly well- far better
than the book or some of Villeneuve’s other scifi films.





My problems with the film is in the character development. Timothee Chalamet
does a good job with Paul but the character is flat and doesn’t grow in the way
we need for this type of Chosen One story. In addition, none of the side
characters stand out or are particularly memorable (no Samwise or Han Solo types
in the bunch). It also has no comic relief or lighthearted moments to allow the
audience to breathe away from the action.

As I said, the visual effects are strong but in the last third of the film there
are a lot of night scenes obfuscated with sand storms. I know this is partly
intentional as the story has become darker but it lost some of its visual flair
to a muddy sameness by the end.

I know many will disagree with me, but I also was underwhelmed by the Hans
Zimmer score. I thought it was bland and missing the dynamic theme we need in
such an epic story.

After I see a film I always ask ‘did it succeed in doing what it’s trying to
do?’ and I think with Dune the answer is yes. Sure I had some critiques but for
a very difficult novel to put on film they did a good job and certainly fans of
the source material will love it. When you get a chance to see it let me know
what you think!

6.5 out of 10

Smile Worthy




[REVIEW] THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 OR THE BLAND-DAMS FAMILY


October 2, 2021October 3, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

It’s always disappointing as a critic when you recommend a film and then the
sequels don’t live up to the original film. I feel like saying ‘I was pulling
for you!’. This year it happened with Bigfoot Family which was a lame follow-up
to the surprise The Son of Bigfoot.  Now it has happened again with The Addams
Family 2 which is a sequel to the first The Addams Family, which I actually
enjoyed back in 2019.



The reason I liked the original The Addams Family is it kept me laughing
throughout. I also felt the animation did a good job capturing the spirit of the
Addams characters with a tremendous voice cast.

Unfortunately this sequel does nothing to improve upon the original (which
wasn’t perfect despite my recommendation) and fails to provide the laughs needed
to enjoy the film. They try but most of the jokes feel repetitive and lacking in
any creativity. It all felt very bland.



We still have the great voice cast with Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloe
Grace Moretz, Bette Middler and more. The problem is they are trapped in a
boring road trip movie with the overprotective father Gomez fixating on his
rebellious daughter Wednesday. You have Bill Hader as Cyrus Strange who is a
decent villain but it all feels like the same movie we just saw in Hotel
Transylvania with Drac and Mavis or even Tim and Tabitha in the most recent The
Boss Baby 2.

There’s nothing harmful about The Addams Family 2 but there are so many better
animated films your kids will enjoy more and that you can watch as a family. I
would honestly recommend the recent Paw Patrol: The Movie more or My Little
Pony: A New Generation. Both of those films were much better as far as story,
heart, and creativity. If you want to watch an Addams Family movie watch the
films from the live action films from the 90s or the original from 2019. That
will give you a much better experience than this bland laugh-less sequel.

3 out of 10

Frown Worthy




[REVIEW] ‘VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE’ OR SUPERHEROES MEET THE ODD COUPLE IS A
HOOT


October 1, 2021October 1, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

When I saw the original Venom movie I had mixed feelings but my big takeaway was
the “humor worked for me” and then I added “I’d be open to a sequel where they
could iron out the bugs”. Now we have a sequel and in my opinion they have done
just that. The humor is still great and the problems with the supplementary
characters and the sluggish pacing have been addressed. I walked away from
Venom: Let There Be Carnage having been thoroughly entertained. Other people
seem to be having different responses and that’s fine. I can only share my
experience.



Sometimes I like a movie that’s just plain weird and both of the Venom movies
fit that description. The buddy relationship between Venom and Eddie is bizarre,
random and hilarious. I was laughing throughout- and so was most of the audience
in my critics screening. Eddie trying to keep Venom happy which usually means he
says funny, inappropriate and strange things. Tom Hardy is great as Eddie/Venom
and it’s fun to see an actor of his caliber arguing with himself over chickens
and what not. If my Grandma was alive she’d describe it as a hoot and I’d agree
with her.



The rest of the movie is fairly standard but well done with Woody Harrelson
playing Carnage. He always does a good job playing manic insane villains. Naomi
Harris plays his love interest Shriek and she’s fine. They aren’t especially
memorable but they do the job they need to do to get to the action and
Venom/Eddie plotline going.

Much has been talked about the 97 minute runtime. I loved it. I was never bored.
It never got bogged down in exposition. It was clean, concise and on its way. I
found the pacing very refreshing. It’s actually simple. If you want to watch a
weird movie about a very odd couple and have some laughs check out Venom: Let
There Be Carnage. I sure enjoyed it and I bet you will too. If you are expecting
a Shakespearean comicbook movie you probably won’t like it but if you want a
kooky good time you will or at least I sure did.

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy




[REVIEW] ‘NO TIME TO DIE’ OR BOND MAKES US CRY IN 2021…


September 29, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

I must admit the James Bond franchise has never interested me much. Of the long
running franchise I have only seen the Brosnan and Daniel Craig entries and they
are a hit and miss bunch.



Now after seemingly endless delays we get the latest and final entry in the
Craig saga of Bond films: No Time to Die. It’s not a perfect movie but it should
more than satisfy Bond fans and I was happy with its emotional conclusion to a
normally silly franchise.

Some may lament the loss of the stupid women and over-the-top action of past
Bonds but I welcome the change. The franchise is finally making movies that
appeal to me and make Bond into an actual person I care about. Plus you still
get the pretty people and great stunts so win/win in my opinion.

If you want to get the full amount out of No Time To Die I recommend watching
the previous film Spectre first. I have seen it but it has been a while so some
of the plotpoints were lost on me and the film felt more than a little confused.
It also definitely drags at times with the audience feeling the 163 minute
runtime.



All that said, the action is well done. The movie is well shot with the style
and panache you want from a Bond movie. Rami Malek makes for an intimidating and
creepy villain. The little girl is cute. Léa Seydoux is fine as Madeleine
although her and Craig don’t have much chemistry due probably partly from their
large age gap (he’s 53, she’s 36).

My favorite part of No Time to Die is its humanity. It’s an emotional, gripping
end to this version of Bond. Craig gives a great performance and like I said we
actually care about the character this time around. That emotion is what makes
it worth watching even with its flaws.

No Time to Die releases Oct 8th around the world. When you get a chance to see
it let me know what you think  and how it compares to other Bond entries I might
not have seen.

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy




[REVIEW] ‘WE RISE UP’ OR SAVING THE WORLD ONE DOCUMENTARY AT A TIME

September 24, 2021September 26, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

Sometimes we all need a little pep talk. I remember as a child going into
assembly hall meetings and hearing speakers designed to encourage us to be kind,
not bully each other, not do drugs, be better friends etc. As adults we don’t
really get that experience and sometimes I miss it.



This is type of inspirational presentation is essentially what we get in the new
documentary We Rise Up. It is a slickly made film designed to help us put aside
our differences for the good of the planet. It is also loaded with talented
people “from all walks of life” sharing how they didn’t just become successful
but they did so in a way that helps the environment.We Rise Up’s message is we
can help save the world from pollution and global warming by moving from a
system of consumption to one of contribution. Blake Mycoskie from Tom’s Shoes is
given as an example. He made it part of his business model to give back and many
pairs of shoes have been donated as a result.



The number of interviewees the documentary has is very impressive with everyone
from the singer Moby, to the Dalai Lama, to Amina Mohammed (Deputy
Secretary-General of the United Nations). It’s hard not feel motivated and
inspired with so many remarkable people all encouraging change and growth. It’s
very effective.

On the downside We Rise Up does feel a bit too corporate at times. It seems like
something you’d watch at a corporate retreat rather than a real authentic
sharing of experiences. At times it doesn’t really feel like a movie but more a
sales pitch for a product- except in this case the product is the We Rise Up
movement. This is heightened by the way they do the graphics throughout that
feels like a power point presentation.

Nevertheless, this documentary would make a great addition to a family home
evening or homeschool lesson. It has so many interviews and the message is so
encouraging (as well as the cinematography can be beautiful) that it will be a
great jumping off point for discussions on how we can each do more to be a
contributor and not a consumer.

6 out of 10

Smile Worthy




[REVIEW] ‘DEAR EVAN HANSEN’ OR LONELINESS IS TOUGH


September 23, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

Anyone who knows me knows I love musicals and musical theater. In fact, this
year I have seen 27 local live shows since I have been vaccinated. You can read
my theater reviews on my other site here. Back in 2017 I did a podcast with my
friend Hayden on the Tony Awards. To prepare I listened to the original cast
recordings and watched as many clips as I could (I don’t live in NYC so first
run shows are hard for me to see). Instantly I was captivated by the recording
for the musical Dear Evan Hansen. The songs were so engaging with great hooks. I
loved them!



Now I have yet to actually see the musical on stage but I hope I get the chance
someday. Fortunately this week I got to see the filmed version of the musical
and it is not without its flaws but I still overall connected with its themes
and love the uplifting music.

I totally understand why some people are responding negatively to this film. It
definitely has some issues story-wise. To begin with Evan’s mental health issues
come and go. At times he can’t muster the confidence to order a pizza on the
phone and at other times he’s asking girls out and going to dances. It doesn’t
really make sense.

Also the character Connor we are told he is abusive to his sister and she holds
no remorse for his passing. She’s relieved and then another minute we see him
dancing around singing with Evan in a fantasy sequence. It’s very strange. Also,
I thought the portrayal of his mother by Julianne Moore was odd. Usually single
Moms are seen as strong and empowered but she was judged harshly by the script
for over-working and not being there for her son.

All that said…I still enjoyed the movie. I know it’s weird, but I was able to
put all the negatives aside and focus on the core idea of loneliness and how
once we matter and are loved it can make all the difference. Evan realizes he
can actually make a difference in the world and the more he speaks out the
happier he is. We all have those lonely moments, especially as teens, and maybe
we can help rescue each other? That’s the main point of the story.



Of course, he also lies so it’s a flawed story, but I was able to see the core
of what they are going for and enjoy it flaws and all. I also love the music by
La La Land‘s Pasek and Paul. I actually think the songs are far better than in
La La Land. I also appreciate the songs are all sung well with Ben Platt
reprising his Tony winning role. (I know some criticized his casting but it
personally didn’t bother me as all the teen characters are in their 20s so it
didn’t stick out. Plus every teen movie practically has 20 year olds).

Kaitlyn Dever is great as Zoe and Amandla Stenberg does a good job with a perky
character that is hiding her own demons. She also gets a new song called “The
Anonymous Ones”, which did a good job of underscoring the themes of loneliness
and fear.

If you don’t care for Dear Evan Hansen I totally get it, but I walked away
having thought about my lonely moments, and what I would write to myself. The
music soars, the singing is great and it is trying to share a positive message
to teens. I think you can watch it with your teen and have a great discussion
about how we can all love more, communicate better and try to notice those who
are ‘waving through a window’ crying out for help

5.5 out of 10

Smile Worthy




BLIND SPOT 69: PERFECT BLUE


September 21, 2021 | Rachel's Reviews

Originally my plan for this month’s blind spot pick was to cover the anime Her
Blue Sky. It was done by writer and animator Mari Okada who created Maquia: When
the Promised Flower Blooms and A Whisker Away. Both films I enjoyed a lot.
Unfortunately Her Blue Sky is not available anywhere I could find both streaming
or on US playable physical media. This forced me to find a different anime
selection and after some discussions with friends I decided to finally watch the
classic Perfect Blue by Satoshi Kon.

Satoshi Kon has been fresh on my mind lately because I just watched a
documentary on his life as part of Fantasia Fest 2021. Back in 2016 I reviewed
his masterpiece Millennium Actress for rotoscopers.  I also covered his film
Tokyo Godfathers in 2019 as part of this blind spot project. And finally my
friend Conrado and I recently covered Paprika as part of our Criterion Project
podcast.  So, it is appropriate I would finish this Satoshi Kon immersion
process with quite possibly his most famous film in Perfect Blue. Perfect Blue
tells the story of a woman named Mima who gives up her career as a popstar in
order to become a serious actress. Unfortunately she ends up getting a role in a
show called Double Blind where she has to perform in a rape scene (this is the
reason I had avoided this movie until now). At the same time she is asked to do
this she is being stalked and threatened (even letter bombs).

Mima starts to have conversations with her old popstar self and the line between
reality and dreams becomes more and more confusing (a theme of Satoshi Kon).

The animation for Perfect Blue is absolutely stunning. Satoshi Kon weaves layers
of backgrounds so multiple things are happening in each frame. You also feel for
Mima’s character and want her to be treated fairly.The movie also uses music
very well, which allows the viewer to become fully immersed in the story.



Perfect Blue also takes on deep themes of celebrity, fandom, identity, dreams,
mental health, suicide, sexual discrimination and more.

The downside to the film is with so much happening both in the animation and
story it can be confusing and difficult to follow. This is especially true when
you have Mima talking to her former self and another person who is delusional
thinking herself to be the “real Mima”. Even with the dub it’s still felt
overwhelming to watch and keep track of.

There are also disturbing elements but I wouldn’t say it is gratuitous. It’s all
part of the story and important to Mima’s progression.

What do you think about Perfect Blue? Is it a favorite of yours or is it not for
you? Let me know in the comments section. Also let me know what anime you’d like
me to review that I haven’t? I would love to know.

7 out of 10

Smile Worthy




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