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Movie Reviews

Alita: Battle Angel- A Gorgeous Journey Through an Ugly Future

Welcome back to another episode of Extremely Late Film Reviews, a show that leaves you questioning “Is this movie even relevant anymore?” and the answer is almost always “Probably not.” This week, we’re going to be talking about “Alita: Battle Angel,” an action flick based on the manga “Battle Angel Alita” that was produced by James Cameron and directed by Robert Rodriguez. The story in both the movie and the manga takes us to a distant future where most humans are half robot, and the rich live in a luxurious, floating city (Zalem), while the rest of society ekes out a meager existence in the blasted out wasteland of Iron City, which exists in the shadow of Zalem, living off the waste of the rich.

alita battle angel movie film rose salazar robert rodriguez james cameron 2019 manga anime
Alita in the manga “Battle Angel Alita,” the source material of the film.

Our story opens when Dr. Ido, who helps cyborgs maintain their robot bodies, finds an armless and legless full-replacement cyborg (meaning only the brain is human) in the garbage heap under Zalem. When he fixes her up, he dubs her “Alita” and our adventure begins. Not only does Alita have no recollection of who she is, or where she came from, she also has immense strength and fighting prowess of unknown origin. Throughout the movie, we learn more about who she is and where she came from. But honestly, all of that meant astonishingly little to the overall plot.

I’ll be the first to say that I am in no way a fan of action films, but I conceded that I would see this movie almost solely because I read the manga a few years back and was interested to see how the story would play out on screen. While they pretty much stuck with the same storyline, which follows Alita as she fights villains as a bounty hunter, falls in love with a human boy, and attempts to bring down Zalem, the plot was in no way the best part of the movie. It was predictable and focused too much energy on elements that weren’t even resolved in this film (leaving room for a series of sequels, I’m assuming). It was the visuals that had me absolutely entranced. I mean, the film was gorgeous. The city was alive and breathing, and Rose Salazar’s computer-generated face and body looked so natural and real, I almost forgot that she wasn’t. Honestly, y’all. I would see it just for the well-choreographed fight sequences and the motorball scenes (their most popular sport.)

alita battle angel movie film rose salazar robert rodriguez james cameron 2019 manga anime
Rose Salazar as Alita in “Alita: Battle Angel.”

“The fight scenes were very well done, though there were not nearly enough of them,” Jaden, who saw the film with me, recalls.

“It was over the top, but not so much so that it warranted an eye roll. Every time Alita figured out something new about her hidden combat expertise looked like something straight out of my favorite anime, which I suppose is appropriate given the source material for the movie.”

One of the worst aspects of the film was definitely the dialogue. Jaden and I had to roll our eyes on several occasions after a particularly bad line, they were just that cheesy.

“Here’s the thing though: I don’t think the lines would have been perceived as being as cheesy if they were in a Japanese production or had they come from the manga,” said Jaden.

“As we have seen many, many times before, the type of over the top, dramatic, trope-filled dialogue seen in Japanese media just does not fit the live action genre on the big screen most of the time. This glaring problem really sticks out in Battle Angel. “

But, where the film blundered in the character development arena and dialogue arenas, it certainly made up for in immersiveness and pure fun. In fact, Cameron and Rodriguez have created such an immersive world, they even put together the Alita Experience- Passport to Iron City, an interactive, in-person game that takes participants through a miniature version of Iron City to play games and earn credits. After learning that one of these experiences was located in Austin, Jaden and I decided to go on a whim after seeing the film and enjoying it, and we had a blast! It really did a lot to make you feel like you were a part of their world, and offered a ton of challenging puzzles and feats of teamwork to keep your heart pounding for the entire 45 minutes.

The Cybernetics Lab activity from the Alita Experience event that immersed you in the rich world of Iron City. The event was held in New York, Los Angeles and Austin.

“It should be noted that my opinion of the movie was bolstered significantly with my attendance of this event, so take some of my opinions with a grain of salt,” Jaden adds.

Overall, the film was generally fun, easy to follow, and visually stunning- definitely worth checking out if you like action films or anime adaptions. And if you happen to live in New York, Los Angeles, or Austin and the Passport to Iron City event is still happening, go! The experience is almost better than the film itself. Here’s to hoping that James Cameron doesn’t take 10 years to make the next film in this series.

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Movie Reviews

Guadagnino’s Suspiria: 2.5 Hours of Femininity Unhinged

It seems, to society, that there are few things more simultaneously fascinating and terrifying than a witch. As a woman with unmatched power and strength to protect herself and her sisters, the witch has become a powerful symbol of the mysteries of womanhood and female empowerment, a theme that is entangled at the core of Luca Guadagnino’s 2018 remake of the 1977 Dario Argento cult classic, Suspiria. 

If you haven’t seen the film, and want to, I would not read any further, as this article will contain spoilers!

In both versions of the film, the story follows a naive American dancer, Susie Bannion, as she joins a prestigious dance school/company (depending on what version you are watching), where there are mysterious forces at work- namely, a coven of covert witches working under the watchful eye of matriarch Helena Markos. This general plot framework, along with a memorable soundtrack, is just about where the shared aspects of the two films stop. While both offer a lush, visceral experience to cause absolute dread, the original accomplishes this through a string of gloriously gory kills, frantic music and garish lighting that transforms the dance academy into a nightmarish rave. Guadagnino’s update, however, is the definition of slow burn.

Dakota Johnson as the innocent, Mennonite runaway, Susie Bannion, that we meet at the beginning of the film, complete with a harmless braid. (Photo: Amazon Studios)

Our hero, Susie (Dakota Johnson), arrives at the dance company as a repressed Mennonite runaway, a virginal beauty with a wicked talent for dance- the perfect formula to fit the archetype of the pure and innocent final girl. While I fully expected our childish Susie, who arrived at the company with a long, wholesome, ginger braid, to be subjected to the horrors that lie within the company, then work to dismantle it with her goodness and charm, this movie delightfully subverts the tropes in exchange for something much more impactful.

As we wind throughout Guadagnino’s generous 2.5 hours of film, we witness a radical transformation in Susie’s identity, as she leaves behind her life as a sweet farm girl and blooms into a fiercely free and indescribably powerful woman. In one scene, she dances maniacally, each move of her body gruesomely crumpling a woman to death in another room of the company. Later, to her director, Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton), she quietly describes the experience of dancing as “what it feels like to f**k”- but not a man, something more primal and animal.

In the end, it seems like she dutifully accepts her submissive role in the coven as the vessel for the ancient, omnipresent and ailing Mother Markos, who claims to be one of the original three mothers, a trio of powerful witches that represent pain, darkness and sadness. But in a subversive twist in the dizzying, and surreal final act, Susie herself claims the ultimate power, revealing herself to be one of the true mothers, while simultaneously killing any member of the coven that stood with Markos. And when I say surreal, I mean insane- like heads exploding while Dakota Johnson rips her own chest open insane- all to the haunting vocals of Thom Yorke. To put it simply, this film sticks with you, crawls under your skin and insists on staying the night. 

A new, more powerful and free Susie dances the lead in the company’s show, Volk, which doubles as an occult ritual. (Photo: Amazon Studios)

When I returned from my 10:20pm viewing of the film, I crawled into bed and thought endlessly about it- the intoxicating dance scenes, the overwhelming themes of guilt and shame and motherhood, the impeccable costuming and rich setting. It all culminated into a work that tasks us with considering what it all means together. The film ends with a surprisingly tender scene in which the newly-revealed Mother Suspiriorum in the form of Susie visits an ailing, old psychiatrist plagued by the guilt of losing his wife to the holocaust- that the coven had been tormenting throughout the film- to rid him of all of the memories of any woman that had caused him pain, including his missing wife. I couldn’t help but think this scene showed the magical quality of female power- a power that can be vicious but is ultimately, at its core, maternal and empathetic. 

Although the film is long and slow at times, and although I struggled to grasp the meaning of it in the end, it is a story so entirely female that even the one important male character (the old psychiatrist) is played by Tilda Swinton in a crazy amount of prosthetics. And in a media landscape entirely tailored to men and the male perspective, it was refreshing, to say the least.

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Movie Reviews

Walking the Line with “Bad Times at the El Royal”

“Bad Times at the El Royale” is a newly-released mystery thriller written and directed by Drew Goddard (who also wrote and directed “Cabin in the Woods,” and wrote the screenplay for “The Martian”). This noir-esque film takes place in the late 1960s at a peculiar and once-bustling hotel, called the El Royale, that is affixed directly on the California-Nevada border. We are introduced immediately to the five protagonists of the film: a priest, a vacuum salesman, a singer, a bellboy (who is simultaneously the head of hospitality, the bartender, and every other job in the hotel), and a young angry woman. After their introduction the story unfolds in a classic “several strangers meet at a mysterious place and their stories slowly intertwine” kind of tale, which some may find trope-y, but I personally almost always find charming.

Perhaps the most interesting part of “Bad Times…” is the way that it transforms every single character. We are introduced to five not-so-interesting people at the beginning, and as the true nature of the El Royale is revealed, so too are the true natures of our main characters until we are left with five completely different people (with the addition of a couple more, but I’m going to avoid spoilers in this review) by the end. Everyone’s backstory is fleshed out just enough so that you think you have a good idea as to what type of people they are, save the singer, which leads me to my first gripe about this film: the singers’ story is criminally underdeveloped, and her evolution as a whole throughout the film is lackluster.

bad times at the el royal neo noir film movie
In the beginning, we meet a singer, a priest and a southern vacuum salesman who are all vying for a room at the El Royal.

The theme of the entire film is that of “choosing a side” in the moral landscape. Everyone in the film deals with challenges that push them to one side or the other, with a few landing right in the middle. I urge anyone planning to see this movie to watch for “choose a side or walk the line between good and evil” symbolism that the film is laden with. Even the hotel, evenly split by a literal state border, represents this theme well, just watch how every character interacts with this line drawn on the ground, and you will have an entirely new appreciation for the attention to detail that Goddard has. The way this theme is expressed, to me, is the best thing about this film. Even one character’s means of selecting a song at a jukebox hint at this theme. Goddard’s subtle hints at this throughout are nothing short of genius, and he has created a universe that truly has no mercy on those who choose “good” or “evil” too early on. The viewers’ perception of every character shifts wildly throughout this movie, and it really feeds into the air of mystery surrounding everything.

Overall, “Bad Times at the El Royale” is a fun film that really makes you care about five strangers meeting in a dusty desert hotel, and blows you away with how easily it can manipulate your perception of said strangers. My only complaint, as I’ve previously stated, is the underdevelopment of one of the protagonists. Aside from this, I would recommend this film to anyone who loves a good mystery/thriller/noir/sorryidontknowwhatgenrethisfilmreallyisandneitherwillyou. My numerical rating for the film, as well as my reasoning is provided below.

dakota johnson bad times at the el toyal emily shotgun movie film neo noir thriller
Dakota Johnson’s character faces some tough times at the seedy El Royal motel.

Setting: 10/10

The setting portrays the theme of the film excellently. And who doesn’t love a good noir set in the dusty 1960/70s American West?

Plot: 8/10

The plot is simple, but not really the point of the movie. It’s more like five plots that become one, and it’s really well done.

Characters: 8/10

Two points for every character, save one singer, who is unfortunately not very well developed.

Theme: 10/10

Read my second-to-last paragraph. The theme is great, one that is very difficult to execute properly, and Goddard nailed it.

Ending: 9/10

I won’t go into detail here to avoid spoilers, but I almost cried when we had to say goodbye to the character I was initially least interested in, so it’s got that going for it.

Soundtrack: 10/10

From the singer’s performances to the music played from the jukebox, the songs really immerse the viewer in the setting, and work perfectly within the film.

Overall: 9/10

Great acting supports some very well-written characters in an intriguing story in Goddard’s newest film. Excellent film, go see it and support original screenplays. Hollywood desperately needs them.

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The Gut-Wrenching & Emotional Journey of Love and Fame in “A Star Is Born”

I was an “A Star Is Born” virgin, meaning I had never seen any of the previous three versions of the film that have been circulating through our culture since the 1930s. While this means I got to experience the film with fresh perspective, it also means I was entirely unprepared for the emotional warfare that this movie thrusts you right into the middle of. It was fantastic. It was ugly. It was incredible. It was despicable. And the music was pretty good, too. This is a review of the Bradly Cooper-directed “A Star Is Born.”

If you live under a rock, and have no idea what this movie is about, it is essentially the story of how a famous musician, whose career is on the outs, meets and falls in love with a nobody that was gifted vocal cords from the gods. He takes her on tour and her talent gets her noticed, launching her into a music career of her own. As she gains popularity, his continues to wane and he spirals into destructive habits, putting a lot of strain on their budding relationship. Now that you know what it’s all about, let me tell you what I think.

lady gaga as ally in a star is born 2018
Lady Gaga lends her incredible musical talent to the film, contributing to a dynamite soundtrack.

To start off this review, let me give you all a little context for my opinions. I am a HUGE Lady Gaga fan- and that’s an understatement. I recently dropped $330 on a ticket to see her at her upcoming residency in Las Vegas, and that doesn’t even include the cost of travel and living accommodations. So, in short, I was really excited to see this movie, if not to see Lady Gaga star in a major motion picture, then to at least hear her sing. I was impressed on both fronts.

Without spoiling any of the details of the plot, here is my brief review:

Wow! I was honestly blown away by how effective the storytelling was. Going into it, I thought it was going to be a super cliche storyline, one we’ve all seen before. Famous guy meets not famous girl, pulls him into his famous lifestyle and it turns out fame isn’t as great as everyone thinks and the couple ends up going their separate ways after drinking a lot and doing a lot of drugs. THAT IS NOT THIS STORY. I know I’m late to the party for this, so many of you probably already know how it goes, but I thought the story went somewhere totally unexpected. I honestly couldn’t stop thinking about it for the rest of the day, which I think is one of the true marks of a compelling story.

To speak on the acting: I was pleasantly surprised by Gaga. I know she can sing, and her soaring vocals were a pleasure to listen to, but I wasn’t sure how good she would be, despite the fact that she previously won a Golden Globe for her performance in American Horror Story. That being said, her acting paled in comparison to Bradley Cooper’s excellent performance, and there were a few scenes where I thought her performance lacked authenticity. Bradley Cooper was incredible. If he didn’t look like Bradley Cooper, I wouldn’t have even known it was him. His voice and mannerisms were completely transformed, which was refreshing, because I feel like he is often cast in similar roles. He also directed this film, which is a true testament to his passion and talent because it was a tumultuous journey that made an emotional impact. I really cared about Ally and Jackson, so much that they almost felt real.

bradley cooper as jackson maine in a star is born 2018
The moment Jackson meets (and falls for) the movie’s ingenue, Ally, as she sings “La Vie En Rose” at a drag bar.

To get into the nitty gritty (which means if you haven’t seen the movie- STOP READING NOW!), there are a few details of the story that I particularly appreciated that I feel differentiated this movie from a lot of others with similar storylines:

  1. Jackson Maine is an alcoholic. This often means there will be some kind of abuse or emotional neglect on his part, but that never happens in this film. Both of them continue to love each other through the depths of his illness, which is both heartwarming and unexpected.

  2. Ally still loves Jackson through it all. The main crux of this story is that while Ally continues to accumulate more fame and recognition, Jackson’s life falls apart. His drug problems get out of control and he becomes a washed-up nobody in a matter of months (or it seems that way- time progression in this film wasn’t too clear). Yet, despite the fact that Jackson makes a complete fool of Ally while she accepts her Grammy award, he was always her priority. She was even willing to cancel her tour to stay home and help him recover. 

  3. Fame isn’t glamorized. The story is told from a perspective that stays very close to the main characters, so we never really see how much fame and recognition Ally or Jackson really have, save for a few fan interactions with Jackson at the start of the film. This makes it so that we can continue to see the main characters in the same light, despite the fact that their fame fluctuates wildly throughout the plot. I even came away with the impression that Ally probably would have been happier if she had never been discovered, as her rise to fame and relationship with Jackson brought her a lot of strife and emotional pain.

  4. Ally’s story mirrors Gaga’s own rise to fame. When we meet Ally, she works as a waitress and performs at bars in her free time. Gaga began her career playing shows in bars all over New York City. We also see Ally abandon her more soulful, meaningful singing and songwriting for a career as a pop star with backup dancers and songs that talk about how good someone’s ass looks in their jeans. A producer even recommends that she bleach her hair for a more distinctive look. These are all things Gaga, too, had to do to begin her successful musical career, and now that she’s made it big, she can actually create the kind of art that she wants (hello Joanne). 

Overall, I LOVED this movie because of how unique and emotional the story was, how authentic the characters were, and how much passion everyone had for the project. You could really tell that Gaga and Bradley Cooper put so much love and energy into the film, which definitely translates on screen, and I think it deserves all of the praise that it’s getting. If you haven’t already seen this version of “A Star Is Born,” I would highly recommend it. The music alone makes it all worth it. 

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