Film Review: "Bumblebee" (2018).

"Every Hero Has a Beginning." This is Bumblebee. This science fiction action film directed by Travis Knight, written by Christina Hodson, based on the Transformers character of the same name. It is the sixth installment of the live-action Transformers film series, and is the first live-action Transformers film not to be directed by Michael Bay. On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie, on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.

In mid February 2016, it was announced that the sixth film in the Transformers series would be released on June 8, 2018, which was later revealed to be an untitled spin-off, featuring Bumblebee. However the release date was moved to December 21, 2018. In mid November, Deadline reported that Paramount Pictures was moving forward with the project with a script penned by Christina Hodson, one of the female writers Paramount and Michael Bay hired in the "writers room". In early March 2017, Deadline reported that Travis Knight would be making his live-action directorial debut. Beating out Chris McKay, Seth Gordon, Jaume Collet-Serra, Rick Famuyiwa and the Nee Brothers for the director's chair. In May, it was announced that it would be titled as Transformers Universe: Bumblebee, and it would be set in the 1980s. By late July, Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., John Ortiz, Jason Drucker, and Pamela Adlon, with Dylan O'Brien, Angela Bassett, Justin Theroux, and Peter Cullen had rounded out the cast. In the same month, with a budget of $128 million, principal photography on the film began. Filming took place in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, under the working title Brighton Falls. In early November, filming wrapped 6 days ahead of schedule. In the same month, the film was revealed to have changed its title to Bumblebee: The Movie.

The film stars Steinfeld, Cena, Lendeborg Jr., Ortiz, Drucker, and Adlon, with O'Brien, Bassett, Theroux, and Cullen in voice roles. The cast proved to be a refreshing and major improvement over the cast in previous installments in the series.

While a perfect Transformers film is hard to come by, Bumblebee proves to be a refreshing and exhilarating addition to the Transformers series. It is the best film in the series so far, mostly because, unlike the previous films, it's undeniably a whole lot of fun. Unlike Bay, director Knight gives the robots a believably rendered scale and intimacy. It has a real sense of wonder, one of the things that's missing from so much of the big CGI lightshows released these days. It's a big, cool, non-stop action powerhouse that's a lot of fun. It's also shorter by an hour and it left my ears unaffected. The film gives you pretty much exactly what you always wanted from a Transformers movie. Finally! It's about time!

Simon says Bumblebee receives:

Also, see my review for Kubo and the Two Strings and Transformers: The Last Knight.

Film Review: "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (2018).

"Enter a universe where more than one wears the mask" with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. This computer-animated superhero film directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, written by Phil Lord and Rothman, based on the Marvel Comics character Miles Morales / Spider-Man. It is the first animated feature film in the Spider-Man franchise, and is set in a shared multiverse called the "Spider-Verse", which has alternate universes. The film centres on Brooklyn teen Miles Morales, and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask.

During the 2014 Sony hack, emails between Sony Pictures Entertainment co-chairman Amy Pascal and president Doug Belgrad revealed plans for an animated Spider-Man film to be developed by Lord and Christopher Miller. In April 2015, it was officially announced, by new Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman, with a July 20, 2018 release date. In December, Sony moved the film's release date to December 21, 2018. In June 2016, Lord had completed the script, and Bob Persichetti and Peter Ramsey were chosen to direct. Lord and Miller wanted the film to have its own unique style, combining Sony Pictures Imageworks' computer animation pipeline with traditional hand-drawn comic book techniques inspired by the work of Sara Pichelli. In April 2017, the film's release date was pushed up one week from December 21, 2018, to December 14, 2018. In December, Lord and Miller announced that the film was titled Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and revealed that multiple Spider-Men would appear in the film, with the character of Miles Morales at the centre. It was also revealed that Rodney Rothman became co-director. In July 2018, Daniel Pemberton was announced as the film's composer. By November, it was revealed that Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Luna Lauren Velez, John Mulaney, Nicolas Cage, and Liev Schreiber had rounded out the cast. This film is dedicated in memory of Spider-Man co-creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, who died on November 12, 2018 and July 6, 2018. It was revealed that Lee had recorded a cameo for the film and that it would be his final voice-acting role.

Lord and Miller wanted the film to feel like "you walked inside a comic book", and were excited to tell the story in a way that the live-action films could not. Persichetti concurred, feeling that animation was the best medium with which to honor the style of the comics, allowing the production team to adapt 70-year-old techniques seen in comic artwork into the film's visual language. One of the many ways the animation team has paid tribute to old comic books through the visual style is to imitate the imperfections of offset printing. Completing the animation for the film required up to 140 animators, the largest crew ever used by Sony Pictures Animation for a film.

Boasting spectacular animation, an amazing voice cast, laugh-a-minute gags, and a surprisingly thoughtful story, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is fun for all Spider-Man fans, old and new.

Simon says Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse receives:

Also, see my reviews for Rise of the Guardians and Venom.

Series Review: "Murder Mountain" (2018).

From the director of The Killing Season comes Murder Mountain. This true crime documentary series directed by Joshua Zeman. In Humboldt County, California, the big business of legal marijuana brings in visitors from around the world. Some are never seen again.

Since 1996, Cannabis in California has been legal for medical use and for recreational use since late 2016. The state of California has been at the forefront of efforts to liberalize cannabis laws in the United States, beginning in 1972 with the nation's first ballot initiative attempting to legalize cannabis (Proposition 19). Although it was unsuccessful, California would later become the first state to legalize medical cannabis with the passage of the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 (Proposition 215). In November 2016, California voters approved the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (Proposition 64) to legalize the recreational use of cannabis. As a result of recreational legalization, local governments (city and county) may not prohibit adults from growing, using, or transporting marijuana for personal use. Commercial activities can be regulated or prohibited by local governments although deliveries cannot be prohibited. Following recreational legalization, existing growers and suppliers of medical cannabis were required to register, comply with regulations, and apply for permits. Over half of the nonprofit dispensaries legally providing medical marijuana closed. Local agencies have been slow to approve retail stores selling cannabis for recreational purposes with most cities and counties banning retail with a wait and see approach. Many existing growers have been slow to apply for permits as it has been estimated that sixty percent or more of all cannabis consumed in the United States comes from northern California. The export of marijuana to other states remains illegal since the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration considers it a Schedule 1 drug. Reducing illegal activity is considered essential for the success of legal operations who pay the considerable taxes assessed by state and local authorities. Many people do not have nearby retail stores selling cannabis and continue to buy from unlicensed sellers. Illegal growing continues in remote rural areas. Raids and confiscation by law enforcement of illegal retail and grow operations has continued and in some cases stepped up after legalization. California's main regulatory agencies are the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC), Department of Food and Agriculture, and Department of Public Health.

If a weed farm and several unexplained missing persons doesn't add up to a compelling binge-watch, then nothing does. The series does not force a conclusion, and rather it attempts to relay to the viewer what the area feels like to those who live in it. As a window into a reclusive world from which many Americans who smoke pot benefit, The series is an eye-opening watch. The series has the elements of an insightful documentary, but a strong finished product remains out of reach. Settles into the nitty-gritty of the ins and outs of the marijuana trade, tosses in a few op-ed assertions, a handful of whopper statistics and some fascinating firsthand accounts.

Simon says Murder Mountain receives:

Film Review: "If Beale Street Could Talk" (2018).

"Trust Love All the Way" This is If Beale Street Could Talk. This romantic drama film adapted directed by Barry Jenkins, based on James Baldwin's novel of the same name. The film follows Tish, a newly engaged Harlem woman who races against the clock to prove her lover's innocence while carrying their first born child. It's a celebration of love told through the story of a young couple, their families, and their lives.

In early July 2017, it was announced that Barry Jenkins would direct an adaptation of the James Baldwin novel If Beale Street Could Talk. Jenkins wrote the screenplay during the summer of 2013, writing in conjunction with Moonlight. By September, Stephan James, KiKi Layne, and Teyonah Parris had joined the cast. In mid October 2017, it was reported that principal photography on the film began in New York City. By December, Regina King, Colman Domingo, Brian Tyree Henry, Dave Franco, Ed Skrein, Michael Beach, Finn Wittrock, Aunjanue Ellis, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal and Emily Rios had rounded out the film's cast.

The film stars Layne, James, Domingo, Parris, Beach, Franco, Wittrock, Ellis, Luna, Pascal, Skrein, Tyree Henry, Rios, and King. All the performances given by the entire cast throughout the film were true and quietly heart-rending.

If Beale Street Could Talk uses multiple point-of-views to tell a woman's story that offers a remarkable and brilliantly crafted look at lives too rarely seen in cinema. It's without a doubt, the reason we go to the movies: to understand, to come closer, to ache, hopefully with another. It is an intimate and haunting drama that is achingly romantic and uncommonly wise. Although Jenkins' film is indeed about the struggles and difficulties of a person of colour struggling against the system for the sake of love, the story is universal in scope and intent. The film is both a disarmingly, at times almost unbearably personal film and an urgent social document, a hard look at American reality and a poem written in light, music and vivid human faces. Jenkin's exceptional romantic drama stays firmly planted in your mind by challenging the stilted ways of the past, causing you to look inward and reflect. It's a moving, unshakable piece of cinema that is not to be missed. Never think of the film as a Black story, just a human one. Jenkins still fuels his small, yet piercing exposition, with a cemented conviction that fortifies the serene rage and manages to instill a convincing dose of sympathy for the troubled players in New York's hidden haven of a hellhole. The film could never fully live up to the widespread acclaim and hype of Moonlight - but the fact it manages to get close to cinematic perfection is a true testament to how strong the film is. Even though so much of the film feels old-hat, what does make it to the screen is unforgettable. Basking in this, If Beale Street Could Talk is one of the cinematic joys of the year.

Simon says If Beale Street Could Talk receives:

Also, see my review for Moonlight.

Film Review: "Aquaman" (2018).

"Home is calling" in Aquaman. This superhero film directed by James Wan, written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall, and based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is the sixth installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). It is the third live-action theatrical film featuring Aquaman, following Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017), and the first full-length feature film centered around the character. Once home to the most advanced civilization on Earth, the city of Atlantis is now an underwater kingdom ruled by the power-hungry King Orm. With a vast army at his disposal, Orm plans to conquer the surface world. Standing in his way is Aquaman, Orm's half-human, half-Atlantean brother and true heir to the throne. With help from Mera and Vulko, Aquaman must retrieve the legendary Trident of Atlan and embrace his destiny as protector of the deep.

Since 2004, the project fell into development hell, with several producers onboard including Sunrise Entertainment and Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way. Until, in August 2014, Beall and Kurt Johnstad were hired to write the script after the release of Man of Steel (2013). Beall and Johnstad based the script on Geoff Johns's 2011 rendition of Aquaman. In October, the film was officially announced. Jeff Nichols and Noam Murro were considered to direct the film. Jason Momoa publicly expressed interest in wanting Zack Snyder to direct. In June 2015, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Wan signed on as director. In November, Johnson-McGoldrick was hired to rewrite Beall and Johnstad's script. Wan cited the adventure films Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and Romancing the Stone (1984) as an influence on the film. With Momoa cast in October 2014. Between mid January 2016 and early May 2017, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Temuera Morrison, and Nicole Kidman were confirmed to have rounded the film's cast. In early May, principal photography began, and wrapped in late October. Filming took place at the Village Roadshow Studios in Gold Coast, Queensland, as well as New South Wales, Newfoundland, Canada, Sicily, Italy and Morocco. Shortly thereafter, post-production began. Charles Gibson and Kelvin McIlwain would serve as visual effects supervisors, with Rodeo FX, Scanline VFX, Moving Picture Company (MPC), Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Weta Digital, Method Studios, and Digital Domain providing the visual effects for the film. In early November 2018, post-production was completed. In early March 2018, Rupert Gregson-Williams was announced to compose the film's score.

The film stars Momoa as the title character, with Heard, Dafoe, Wilson, Lundgren, Abdul-Mateen II, Morrison, and Kidman. The cast gave spectacularly charismatic performances, particularly that of Momoa. Who has proven, like Chris Hemsworth with Thor, he is Aquaman. Both Momoa and Heard enlivened the film with their well-matched chemistry.

Thrilling, earnest, and buoyed by Momoa's charismatic performance, Aquaman succeeds in spectacular fashion. The film is one of the most consummately entertaining superhero / adventure movies in recent years, reaching back to the classic Saturday morning serials of old with an action-filled adventure.

Simon says Aquaman receives:

Also, see my review for The Conjuring 2 and Justice League.

Film Review: "On the Basis of Sex" (2018).

"Inspired by an incredible true story, of a woman who changed everything." This is On the Basis of Sex. This biographical legal drama film directed by Mimi Leder, and written by Daniel Stiepleman. The film tells an inspiring and spirited true story that follows young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she teams with her husband Marty to bring a groundbreaking case before the U.S. Court of Appeals and overturn a century of gender discrimination.

By late July 2017, Deadline reported that Leder and Felicity Jones were attached to direct and star in a film based on the life and early cases of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, penned by Stiepleman, Ginsburg's nephew. In early September, Hammer was cast to play Ruth's husband Martin. By October, Justin Theroux, Kathy Bates, Sam Waterston, Cailee Spaeny, Jack Reynor, Stephen Root, and Francis X. McCarthy rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and took place in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Focus Features scheduled the film for a November 9, 2018 release date, but was pushed back to a December 25, 2018 limited release, with a January 11, 2019 wide release.

The film stars Jones, Hammer, Theroux, Bates, Waterston, Spaeny, Reynor, Root, and McCarthy. It has a reverence for its subjects that is so vital. Part of that is thanks to the incredible performances from the cast. Watching Jones bringing her all is the definitive element of the film. Jones is fun, expressive, endearing and turns her character's naive enthusiasm into a spontaneous emotional grip.

The film presented a brilliant woman who just wanted to do what was right. Overall, the film is an inspiring, empowering feature with stellar performances and a strong social message at its core. It is the subtlety and universality of the film which makes this a cinematic journey that stands apart from the pack. The film flows nicely and tells a heartwarming story about perseverance and triumph in the face of adversity. By and large, the film keeps the focus on the bold, brave, brilliant heroines at its core, even going so far as to have a nuanced rebuke of typical modern naïve sexism. You'll find nothing stylistically groundbreaking here, but Leder guides this feel-good drama with class and confidence. The film tells the fascinating story of a woman who has been undermined by history with great performances and an easy going confidence that their material is worth it. Of all the movies I've seen in 2018, the film is one of the most watchable and it is one I am eager for friends and family to go and see. It's an important film to be sure, but also a well-written and well-acted piece that's as inspiring as it is entertaining. It made me laugh and cry, with an ending that made me want to get up and cheer. Go watch it not just for the story, but also the excellent performances by the cast. Do yourself a favor and see the film. It's that good.

Simon says On the Basis of Sex receives:

Film Review: "Mirai" ("未来のミライ") (2018).

"A story of a family and life, that connect past and future." This is Mirai (未来のミライ). This Japanese animated adventure fantasy film written and directed by Mamoru Hosoda, and produced by Studio Chizu. The movie follows a four-year old boy who is struggling to cope with the arrival of a little sister in the family, until things turn magical. A mysterious garden in the backyard of the boy's home becomes a gateway allowing the child to travel back in time and encounter his mother as a little girl and his great-grandfather as a young man. These fantasy-filled adventures allow the child to change his perspective and help him become the big brother he was meant to be.

According to Hosoda, the film and the characters of Mirai and Kun draws from his own children, and was partially inspired to write the script after seeing his then-three-year-old son's first reactions to having a baby sister in his life. Hosoda had no siblings, so it was a new experience for him to see the jealousy that an older child feels when a baby arrives. While initially only cautious of the newborn when meeting her for the first time, Hosoda's son threw a tantrum one day, jealous of the attention that his parents were giving his sister. Hosoda's curiosity with how his son reacted, and how he would adapt to being a big brother, prompted him to make the protagonist of Mirai four years old. By making the protagonist so young, Hosoda wanted to capture how life would be like at such a young age. The title of character is the name of Hosoda's own daughter. Hosoda brought his children to the Studio Chizu office and had them be the model for the animators, giving them plenty of reference material to sketch and animate from. Hosoda also wanted to use the fantasy elements to propel inner character development.

The film stars Moka Kamishiraishi, Haru Kuroki, Kaede Hondo, Gen Hoshino, Kumiko Aso, Mitsuo Yoshihara, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Koji Yakusho, and Masaharu Fukuyama. The characters are entirely credible and likable thanks to the efforts of the talent voice cast.

This charming, visually fertile film captures the conflicted emotions and reality of family with real sensitivity. It's not quite up there with the best of Miyazaki's coming-of-age dramas, but Hosada has proved himself after his Ghibli debacle. Great stuff. It has few fireworks, but still sticks in the mind, and is a definite upgrade from Digimon: The Movie for Hosoda. This is one of the most thoughtfully engaging anime features to reach these shores, and a perfect place to start for anyone, of any age, who's been resistant to anime (and manga) as a popular Japanese import. While the animation is only so-so, Mamoru is a good storyteller with a firm grasp on both the story and characters. It's basically the equivalent of a sensitively wrought read from the Young Adult shelf, and there's naught wrong with that.

Simon says Mirai (未来のミライ) receives:

Also, see my review for The Boy and the Beast (バケモノの子).

Film Review: "Welcome to Marwen" (2018).

"The director of Forrest Gump invites you to a most unexpected place" with Welcome to Marwen. This drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Caroline Thompson, inspired by Jeff Malmberg's 2010 documentary Marwencol. When a devastating attack shatters Mark Hogancamp and wipes away all memories, no one expected recovery. Putting together pieces from his old and new life, Mark meticulously creates a wondrous town where he can heal and be heroic. As he builds an astonishing art installation - a testament to the most powerful women he knows - through his fantasy world, he draws strength to triumph in the real one.

In late April 2017, it was announced that Robert Zemeckis would next direct a fantasy drama film entitled The Women of Marwen that would star Steve Carell. By late August, Leslie Mann, Janelle Monáe, Eiza González, Diane Kruger, Gwendoline Christie, Merritt Wever, and Leslie Zemeckis had rounded the film's cast. In mid August, with a budget of $40 million, principal photography on the film began, and wrapped in mid October. Filming took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Like Zemeckis' previous efforts, The Polar Express (2004), Beowulf (2007), and A Christmas Carol (2009), The film utilized motion capture techniques. The dolls were portrayed via motion capture by their respective actors and actresses. In June 2018, the film was officially titled Welcome to Marwen. The real-life doll village is actually named Marwencol, a combination of Mark, Wendy, and Colleen. The real Colleen became the character Nicol, so the "col" was dropped from the name.

The film stars Carell, Mann, Kruger, Wever, Monáe, González, Christie, and Zemeckis. Despite excellent performances from the cast, they ultimately serviced a film that lacked substance and real character depth.

The gimmick behind Welcome to Marwen is the fact that you actually see the world created by Hogancamp; the brilliance of the film is that you experience it. The technical ability with which the experienced Zemeckis shows off is positively dazzling. However, what might have looked like a great idea on paper has been tackled by filmmakers who haven’t expanded it much beyond the one gimmick inherent in the premise. The film's early development is too slow and the humour initially too broad. But it develops into a lively entertainment with its visually impressive world of Marwen. The film's biggest problem, the fact that Marwen is shown too much, is turned into its greatest failure through Zemeckis' creativity. Its humour and technically impressive visuals don't break any new ground. The film rushes so desperately from one joke to the next that it never has more to offer than occasional moments of somewhat underwhelming charm. Zemeckis still has undeniable energy, vigour and flair, but it's being misspent on pretexts and situations that seem inexcusably gratuitous and snide with insufficient control and discipline. The film is filled with too many ideas, relationships, and situations with plot overkill. It attempts a tricky balancing act between thrilling visuals and fact-based drama – and like its protagonist, pulls it off with disjointed élan.

Simon says Welcome to Marwen receives:

Also, see my review for Allied.

Film Review: "Bird Box" (2018).

"Never Lose Sight of Survival" in Bird Box. This post-apocalyptic thriller film directed by Susanne Bier, adapted by Eric Heisserer, and based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Josh Malerman. In the wake of an unknown global terror, a mother must find the strength to flee with her children down a treacherous river in search of safety. Due to unseen deadly forces, the perilous journey must be made blindly.

In 2013, the film rights to Malerman's novel were optioned by Universal Pictures prior to its publication. Andy Muschietti and Heisserer were hired to direct and pen the script. In July 2017, it was announced that Netflix had acquired the rights and would develop the film, with Bier and Sandra Bullock were attached to direct and star. The film marked Bullock's first horror film since The Vanishing (1993). Bullock dislikes horror movies, and has been very reluctant to appear in one. When offered the film, both Bullock and Bier originally passed on it. By mid September 2017, Trevante Rhodes, Jacki Weaver, John Malkovich, Sarah Paulson, Rosa Salazar, Tom Hollander, BD Wong, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Parminder Nagra, Amy Gumenick, and Happy Anderson were cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and wrapped in late November. Filming took place throughout California. According to Bullock, she said she was blindfolded for about fifty percent of the shooting schedule. The production used live birds during filming as much as possible, replacing them digitally for sequences when they became "agitated". The film uses footage of the Lac-Mégantic rail disaster. The stock footage was purchased from a vendor and Netflix stated it would stay in the movie even after a request to remove it from survivors of the disaster. Netflix later removed the footage and replaced with an outtake from a canceled U.S. TV series. The same footage was also used in another Netflix production, Travelers, but has since been removed. Industrial Light & Magic provided the film's visual effects, under the supervision of visual effects supervisor Marcus Taormina.

The film stars Bullock, Rhodes, Weaver, Malkovich, Paulson, Salazar, Hollander, Wong, Vince, Nagra, Gumenick, and Anderson. The cast goes close to carrying the whole thing over the line, but it never feels as taut or kinetic as it needs to be. Bullock and the rest of the cast do their best to keep the tension high, but the film ultimately doesn't end up being much more than a garden-variety creature feature.

Whether you're a horror fan who enjoys jump scares, gore, monsters, or a sharp social commentary, Netflix movie Bird Box will satisfy none. The film doesn't manage to captivate its audience like it should, and it certainly doesn't bring anything new to its genre. Ultimately, the greatest thing it achieves is that it makes the viewer appreciate A Quiet Place even more. Not a knockoff of that other quiet horror flick, though this familiar monster movie works hard to convince otherwise. But the terrific cast makes it worth a look, at least for Netflix subscribers.

Simon says Bird Box receives:

Also, see my review for Serena.

Series Review: "Perfume" ("Parfum") (2018).

From the director of Comeback (So viel Zeit) comes Perfume (Parfum). This German television series directed by Philipp Kadelbach, adapted by Eva Kranenburg and based on the novel of the same name by Patrick Süskind and the 2006 film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Tom Tykwer. Based on Süskind’s best-selling novel about smell, passion and serial killing gets a shocking contemporary spin. While in boarding school, a group of six become friends through their intense passion for scent. When one is brutally murdered years later, disturbing secrets about the group are revealed when the police investigates each as a suspect.

Süskind's 1985 literary historical fantasy novel, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (Das Parfum: Die Geschichte eines Mörders) explores the sense of smell and its relationship with the emotional meanings that scents may have. The story follows Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, an unloved orphan in 18th-century France who is born with an exceptional sense of smell, capable of distinguishing a vast range of scents in the world around him. Grenouille becomes a perfumer but later becomes involved in murder when he encounters a young girl with an unsurpassed wondrous scent. With translations into forty-nine languages and more than twenty million copies sold worldwide to date, the novel is one of the best-selling German novels of the 20th century. The title remained in bestseller lists for about nine years and received almost unanimously positive national and international critical acclaim. It was translated into English by John E. Woods and won both the World Fantasy Award and the PEN Translation Prize in 1987. In one of his last interviews, Kurt Cobain cited this book as his favorite, noting he had read it about ten times.

The series stars Friederike Becht, Wotan Wilke Möhring, August Diehl, Ken Duken, Christian Friedel, Susanne Wuest, Karl Markovics, Roxane Duran and Thomas Thieme. Becht is excellent in the central role, which demands an ambivalence akin to that of Jake Gettys in Chinatown. What works well on the page, however, does not always necessarily work onscreen.

Whimsical, disgusting, beautiful, disturbing, and evocative, the show conjures all manner of responses. For all the emotions it might evoke, only fans of edgy, deranged TV will find this singular fantasy palatable. It's a hard show to like, but it's even harder to dismiss, simply because it's never less than absolutely fascinating. While you might not come away from a viewing feeling entirely satisfied, you will almost certainly have lots to talk about. An intoxicating fable about a man whose phenomenal sense of smell sets him on an irrevocable course, the show is a captivating, if overlong adaptation. Unpleasant yet intriguing, the show isn't exactly a breath of fresh air -- it's more like having smelling salts applied to one's TV experience. Lush visuals and lusty, rhapsodic language bring the show as close as cinematically possible to capturing an elusive sense. It's rare I find myself so fascinated at the story and anxiously awaiting every next scene, but the show kept that edge-of-the-seat grasp.

Simon says Perfume (Parfum) receives:

Also, see my review for SS-GB.

'Once Upon a Time in Canada' Chapter 60.

I’m getting tired of the freezing cold. But I can’t really complain since it’s another Photography meetup. Maybe when we’re finished, we could go indoors to have nice, warm food and beverages. Things went generally alright. We spent hours and hours going around in circles at the Christmas Market at City Hall. It’s not exactly boring as you would think. The place was brightly lit and crowded, so it’s pretty much like every other photography meetup. Once we were done with the Christmas Market, it wasn’t over and we made our way to Eaton Centre.

The next location was what you would expect. Large, crowded, and uncomfortable. On this night, and every other night, people swarm and team around shops get their hands on things they don’t necessarily need. Typical capitalism as its best, or worst, depending on your point of view. It was fucking annoying. The group was there for a while, longer than the Christmas Market I thought. One of the worst subjects I’ve ever photographed. The time there didn’t last forever, thank fucking God! I don’t completely hate malls/shopping centres, but I’m not a fan of them either. Especially when it’s teaming with people. It’s the misanthrope in me. Once we were done, all of us then made our way across the street.

It wasn’t much. We just took photos of the window model displays. There wasn’t a lot of opportunity to experiment, thanks largely to people walking back and forth, as well as people blocking the view. I just took a couple of photos. For once, a quick shoot for me. After that, we made our way to Brookfield Place. But first, we took shots of multiple places in the financial district on our way to our final location for the night. Once we were made it, we pulled out our cameras before we called it a night. Then we ended the night with dinner and drinks at C’est What? This was probably the most crammed meetup I’ve had so far. Once we parted ways, I made my way home.

Also, see Chapters 59 and 61.

Film Review: "Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle" (2018).

"Witness the darkest telling of the beloved masterpiece." This is Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle. This adventure drama film directed by Andy Serkis, adapted by Callie Kloves, and based on stories collected in All the Mowgli Stories by Rudyard Kipling. The film centres on an orphaned boy raised by animals in the jungle, who seizes his destiny while confronting a dangerous enemy - and his own human origins.

In April 2012, Warner Bros. Pictures announced that it was developing the film with Steve Kloves in talks to write, direct, and produce it. However, in December 2013, Alejandro González Iñárritu would direct the film instead with Kloves producing and pen the script with his daughter Callie. However, in January 2014, Iñárritu left the project due to scheduling conflicts with Birdman (2014) and The Revenant (2015). In February, it was reported that Ron Howard was in talks to direct, with Brian Grazer to produce. However, in March, it was announced that Serkis would direct and produce the film with collaborator Jonathan Cavendish of The Imaginarium, and Serkis would also perform the role of Baloo. The film, originally titled Jungle Book: Origins, was set for an October 2016 release date. Serkis claimed the film to be his personal passion project when he said: "After creating Caesar and Gollum, this is what I was most drawn to." By early March 2015, Rohan Chand, Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Naomie Harris, Matthew Rhys, and Freida Pinto rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and wrapped in early October 2018. Filming took place in South Africa and at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in England. In December 2015, Warner Bros. shifted the release date to October 2017, allowing more time for further work on the visual effects. However, in April 2016, just before the wide release of Disney's The Jungle Book, the film's release date was moved to 19 October 2018. In October 2017, Andy Serkis revealed the working title of the film to be Mowgli: Tales from the Jungle Book. However, in December, the official title was changed to Mowgli. Serkis stated that the film would be "darker" and more "serious" in tone than previous Jungle Book adaptations, thus closer to that of Kipling's original works. In July 2018, it was announced that Netflix had purchased the worldwide distribution rights of the film from Warner Bros., with a 2019 release date. In early November 2018, a new title, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, was revealed with a new trailer, as well as a limited theatrical release on 29 November 2018, and its subsequent streaming release on 7 December 2018.

The film stars Chand, Bale, Blanchett, Cumberbatch, Harris, Rhys, Pinto, and Serkis. The film was bolstered thanks to stellar cast who brought exceptionally beautiful portrayals of Kipling's beloved characters.

As gritty to behold as it is engrossing to watch, the film is one of those rare adaptations that actually honours its source material amongst its predecessors - all while setting a new standard for CGI.

Simon says Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle receives:

Also, see my review for Breathe.

Series Review: "Dogs of Berlin" (2018).

From the creator of Ze Network comes Dogs of Berlin. This German series created by Christian Alvart. Two cops investigate the murder of a famous Turkish-German soccer player, but one of them has underworld connections that mire the case in controversy.

The series stars Fahri Yardım, Felix Kramer, Urs Rechn, Katharina Schüttler, Anna Maria Mühe, Kais Setti, Mohammed Issa, Deniz Orta, Katrin Sass, Sebastian Zimmler, Alina Stiegler, Hannah Herzsprung, Antonio Wannek, Mišel Matičević, Ivan Vrgoč, Jasna Fritzi Bauer, Constantin von Jascheroff, Imad Mardnli, Branko Tomović, Samy Abdel Fattah, Giannina Erfany-Far, Sinan Farhangmehr, Sebastian Achilles, Hauke Diekamp, Lena Schmidtke, Langston Uibel, Yasin El Harrouk, Robert Gallinowski, Renato Schuch, Paul Wollin, and Seyneb Saleh. Yardım captured the character perfectly. Kramer brilliantly captured the odious ambiguity of his character: a man who is part hero. They made an unlikely yet effective team. Its ever-rotating cast of characters has always been one of the show's greatest strengths, and within two short hours, Schüttler is already shaping up to be one of the most mad and memorable. The casting of Mühe is another masterstroke in a series that has never been short of them -- her performance is nothing short of sublime. I have hopes for Setti as the most intriguing villain yet. The acting, the facial hints of a double, if not triple, life, subtle, that ageless face able to morph from tender to slab-cold cruel within an eyebrow.

It's a complex world and there's a lot going on. That suggests that the show could even improve, as the audience gets to know the characters more. Either way, it is well worth watching. The characters have been memorable, sometimes indelibly so. The plotting has been meticulous, demanding our more than usual attention. Yet it has remained a work of social realism. The show takes the familiar police procedural drama and turns it on its head. There are layers upon layers at work. So when you think a line of inquiry is putting one individual in the frame, a different suspect emerges. The show came to a nail-bitingly exciting end, or rather to three nail-bitingly exciting ends, two of them unforeseeable by even the most imaginative of viewers. This show has no truck with delayed gratification. Its series openers are the storytelling equivalent of those multi-handled 'enforcers' the police use to bash down doors. The show can be totally over-the-top, but it's also compellingly watchable and often thrilling, a masterpiece of misdirection that keeps you guessing. The show is so dense and complicated and interlocking that you can be sure if something doesn't add up, it isn't your failure, which is a relief, as you can never blame the writing. You can't really call any of this formulaic, because the formula is its own, but the pattern of potential surprises feels as if it ought to be fairly well charted by now. As well as being gripping entertainment, the show has become an effective examination of the relationship between the state and the individual.

Simon says Dogs of Berlin receives: