Film Review: "Pelé" (2021).

From Netflix comes the remarkable journey of the 'King of Football' - Pelé. This documentary directed by Ben Nicholas and David Tryhorn. Against the backdrop of a turbulent era in Brazil, this documentary captures Pelé’s extraordinary path from breakthrough talent to national hero.

On 23 October 1940, the Brazilian former professional footballer, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, also known as Pelé, was born. At age fifteen, Pelé began playing for Santos and the Brazilian National Team at sixteen. During his international career, he won three FIFA World Cups: 1958, 1962 and 1970, the only player to do so. Pelé is the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil with seventy-seven goals in ninety-two games. At club level he is Santos' all-time top goalscorer with six hundred and forty-three goals from six hundred and fifty-nine games. In a golden era for Santos, he led the club to the 1962 and 1963 Copa Libertadores, and to the 1962 and 1963 Intercontinental Cup. Credited with connecting the phrase "The Beautiful Game" with football, Pelé's "electrifying play and penchant for spectacular goals" made him a star around the world, and his teams toured internationally in order to take full advantage of his popularity. Since retiring in 1977, Pelé has been a worldwide ambassador for football and has made many acting and commercial ventures. In 2010, he was named the Honorary President of the New York Cosmos. Regarded and labeled by FIFA as one of the greatest, if not "the greatest" player, he was among the most successful and popular sports figures of the twentieth century. During his playing days, Pelé was for a period of time the best-paid athlete in the world. In 1999, Pelé was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics, and was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the Century. That same year, Pelé was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and was included in the Time list of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th century. According to the IFFHS, Pelé is the most successful top division scorer in the sport with five hundred and forty-one goals in five hundred and sixty games. His total of one thousand, two hundred and seventy-nine goals in one thousand, three hundred and sixty-three games, which included friendlies, is a Guinness World Record.

The film completely captures the power of the story the man inspired and the fickle nature of mythmaking itself, even if the myth is all we are left with. As an engrossing documentation of the price of fame, the ups and downs of a player who took a major gamble in Brazil, during the 1964-1985 military dictatorship, and went from hero to zero in the nation's eyes, the film succeeds. It's all here: the great games, goals and great scandals. It teems with life and is unlike most biopics about a sports legend. That is, it actually delivers a pungent sense of the atmosphere surrounding him.

Simon says Pelé receives:

Film Review: "Ammonite" (2020).

From the director of God's Own Country comes Ammonite. This romantic drama film written and directed by Francis Lee. In 1800s England, acclaimed but unrecognized fossil hunter Mary Anning works alone on the rugged Southern coastline. With the days of her famed discoveries behind her, she now searches for common fossils to sell to tourists to support herself and her ailing mother. When a wealthy visitor entrusts Mary with the care of his wife Charlotte Murchison, she cannot afford to turn his offer down. Proud and relentlessly passionate about her work, Mary initially clashes with her unwelcome guest, but despite the distance between their social class and personalities, an intense bond begins to develop, compelling the two women to determine the true nature of their relationship.

In December 2018, it was announced Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan were cast in a romantic drama film, loosely inspired by the life of British palaeontologist Mary Anning, penned and to be directed by Lee. By early March 2019, Fiona Shaw, Gemma Jones and James McArdle rounded out the cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place in Lyme Regis, Dorset, England, , where Anning actually worked and collected fossils in the early 1800s. The film shot chronologically in order to deepen the immersion in the characters' psychological trajectory. David Tucker, director of the Lyme Regis Museum, consulted on the film's scientific accuracy. Winslet meticulously transformed herself to portray Mary, especially altering her manner of walking, that when she arrived on set out of character, Lee failed to recognise her. Lizzie Wiscombe, a volunteer at the Lyme Regis Museum, was asked to record her voice for Winslet to base her Dorset dialect on. Winslet listened to the recording for three weeks, including when taking her children to school. When Winslet read out a scene to her, Wiscombe was in tears.

The film stars Winslet, Ronan, Shaw, Jones and McArdle. Lee shapes the story so tenderly and poetically, but it is Winslet and Ronan generate huge pathos with two exceptionally well-judged performances.

Lee creates a more credible rural milieu, anchored in the grubby details of raising livestock and the furious emotional repression of his female characters. The film is a one where every frame is full of light and texture specifically designed to convey the subtle nuances of this relationship, and to give it a specificity anchored in this place and time. This is a love story, a truly great one, showing the transformative and healing powers of loving and being loved. It's moving, beautiful and will be one of the best films of 2020. Lee has made an astonishing sophomore effort. It is a love story of rare power and depth, whose effects are felt not through words the characters say but through the words they don't. It is a film that exceeds the expectations of just a lesbian romance in a windswept, ruggedly romantic location, by offering fine performances and a touching tale of self-discovery.

Simon says Ammonite receives:

Also, see my review for God's Own Country.

Series Review: "Amend: The Fight for America" (2021).

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." This is Amend: The Fight for America. This documentary series created by Robe Imbriano and Tom Yellin and directed by Kenny Leon. Will Smith hosts this look at the evolving, often lethal, fight for equal rights in America through the lens of the US Constitution's 14th Amendment.

On July 9 1868, The Fourteenth Amendment (Amendment XIV) to the U.S. Constitution was adopted as one of the Reconstruction Amendments. Often considered one of the most consequential amendments, it addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the law and was proposed in response to issues related to former slaves following the American Civil War. The amendment was bitterly contested, particularly by the states of the defeated Confederacy, which were forced to ratify it in order to regain representation in Congress. Its first section, is one of the most litigated parts of the Constitution, forming the basis for landmark Supreme Court decisions regarding racial segregation, abortion, the 2000 presidential election, and same-sex marriage. The amendment limits the actions of all state and local officials, as well as those acting on behalf of such officials. The first section includes several clauses: the Citizenship Clause, Privileges or Immunities Clause, Due Process Clause, and Equal Protection Clause. The Citizenship Clause nullified the Supreme Court's decision, which held that Americans descended from African slaves could not be citizens. The Due Process Clause prohibits state and local governments from depriving persons of life, liberty, or property without a fair procedure. The Equal Protection Clause requires each state to provide equal protection under the law to all people, including all non-citizens, within its jurisdiction. This clause has been the basis for many decisions rejecting irrational or unnecessary discrimination against people belonging to various groups. The second, third, and fourth sections of the amendment are seldom litigated. However, the second section's reference to "rebellion, or other crime" has been invoked as a constitutional ground for felony disenfranchisement. The fourth section was held to prohibit a current Congress from abrogating a contract of debt incurred by a prior Congress. The fifth section gives Congress the power to enforce the amendment's provisions by "appropriate legislation"; however, this power may not be used to contradict a Supreme Court decision interpreting the amendment.

This documentary series about the importance of the neglected 14th Amendment, and other little known facts of the U.S. Constitution, are given new reasons to exist, now more than ever, thanks to a charismatic Will Smith and co. throughout the uplifting six episodes. It's an unforgettable reminder that securing the protections granted by the 14th Amendment -- like America itself -- remains very much a work in progress.

Simon says Amend: The Fight for America receives:

Also, see my review for American Son.

Film Review: "A Palace for Putin. The Story of the Biggest Bribe" ("Дворец для Путина. История самой большой взятки") (2021).

"This film was recorded by Navalny before his return to Russia, but it was decided to publish it afterward: Alexei didn’t want the main character of this investigation — Vladimir Putin — to think that they are afraid of him and that they can uncover his biggest secret only while being abroad. Today you will see, what is believed to be impossible to see. We will visit places, that are forbidden for everyone. We will be Putin’s guests. We will see with our own eyes that this man in his craving for luxury and for wealth, became completely mad. We will uncover who and how financed this luxurious property. And we’ll witness, how the largest bribe in history is being given over the past fifteen years, as well as how the most luxurious palace is being built. Alexei was detained immediately upon his arrival after his five-month treatment in Germany. He ended up there in a German hospital after Putin’s attempt to murder him. Alexei has always fought for our rights. Now it’s our turn to fight for his. Putin has to be accounted for his crimes." This is A Palace for Putin. The Story of the Biggest Bribe (Дворец для Путина. История самой большой взятки). This Russian documentary film written and directed by Alexei Navalny and produced by the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK).

The film investigates on the Residence at Cape Idokopas, the residence commonly known as "Putin's Palace", a dacha located near the town of Gelendzhik in Krasnodar Krai, which Navalny calls "the largest private house in Russia". Navalny claims it was constructed for Putin and details a corruption scheme allegedly headed by Putin involving the construction of the palace. The film estimates that the residence cost over ₽100 billion (approximately $1.35 billion) with what it says was "the largest bribe in history". According to The Straits Times, documents about the residence included itemised lists of purchased furniture and samples of the building's floor patterns, which were handed over to the Anti-Corruption Foundation by a subcontractor involved with its construction. Besides the complex itself, the restricted area also includes an underground ice palace and two helipads, an arboretum and greenhouse measuring twenty-five-hundred square metres, a church, an amphitheatre, a teahouse and an eighty-metre bridge leading to the compound, which crosses a ravine. Due to its location on a steep bank, a special tunnel was dug to provide access to the nearby beach, which contains a tasting room overlooking the Black Sea. The area of the palace complex is sixty-eight hectares, with seven-thousand hectares of land surrounding the palace being designated as a closed territory under the jurisdiction of the Federal Security Service. According to the film, all fishing activities within a radius of two kilometres from the Residence is banned and the airspace over the palace complex is closed to all aircraft. The film goes on to focus on the businesses located within the complex, a luxury winery, vineyards and an oyster farm, showing inconsistencies between their estimated values and reported productions and revenues. It establishes how the (changing) ownerships conceal an interconnected network of managers as well as "donors" that supply money. The network includes former associates such as Vladimir Kolbin, son of a childhood friend of Putin, and relatives of Putin such as Mikhail Shelomov of JSC Accept, but also state-owned companies such as Transneft through shady "leasing" services. Huge sums are funneled into the compound and Putin's "slush fund". Putin has denied that he or his family ever owned the palace and dismissed the investigation. The oligarch Arkady Rotenberg, who has close links to Putin, claimed ownership of the palace.

Since 2012, Russian politician and former intelligence officer, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, has been serving as the current president. After graduating in Law from Leningrad State University in 1975, Putin worked as a KGB Foreign Intelligence Officer for sixteen years, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, before resigning in 1991 to begin a political career in his hometown of Saint Petersburg. After moving to Moscow, he briefly served as Director of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and Secretary of the Security Council, before being appointed as Prime Minister in August 1999. After the resignation of Boris Yeltsin, Putin became acting President, and less than four months later was elected outright to his first term as President and was reelected in 2004. As he was then constitutionally limited to two consecutive terms as President, Putin chose to become the Prime Minister again from 2008 to 2012, and was reelected as President in 2012, and again in 2018. Under Putin's leadership, Russia has experienced severe democratic backsliding and societal decay. Major political and social figures such as Masha Gessen, Julia Ioffe, Vladimir Kara-Murza and Luke Harding, consider Russia to be an autocratic/mafia state, due to the frequent jailing of political opponents, curtailed press freedom and the lack of free and fair elections. Moreover, Russia has scored poorly on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index and Freedom House's Freedom in the World index. Human Rights organizations and activists accuse Putin of persecuting political critics and activists as well as ordering them to be tortured or assassinated. Examples of the latter include the revered journalist Anna Politkovskaya and former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Boris Nemtsov, who were assassinated under mysterious circumstances. Politkovskaya was assassinated in the elevator of her apartment building on Putin's birthday in 2006 and Nemtsov was gunned down on a bridge near the Kremlin in 2015 before he could put out a press release of the Russian Military intervention in the Donbass, East Ukraine. In 2019, Zona Prava NGO released a report highlighting the disproportionately large number of acquittals and dropped cases against law enforcement officers when compared to overall rate of acquittals. The latter is 0.43%, whereas the Police and Military have an acquittal rate of 4% with disproportionately lenient convictions - almost half of them were suspended sentences or fines.

Despite constant moments of information overload throughout, the film is an absorbing lesson with a universal message for all countries. It's an indictment on political mendacity but also a testament to the life-saving value of investigative journalism.

Simon says A Palace for Putin. The Story of the Biggest Bribe (Дворец для Путина. История самой большой взятки) receives:

Also, you can see the full film here.

Series Review: "Tribes of Europa" (2021).

"The future is not what you expected" in Tribes of Europa. This German sci-fi television series created by Philip Koch. 2074. In the wake of a mysterious global disaster, war rages between the Tribes that have emerged from the wreckage of Europe. Three siblings from the peaceful Origines tribe - Kiano, Liv and Elja - are separated and forced to forge their own paths in an action-packed fight for the future of this new Europa.

By early September 2019, it was announced that Henriette Confurius, Emilio Sakraya, David Ali Rashed, Melika Foroutan, Oliver Masucci, Benjamin Sadler, Ana Ularu, Jeanette Hain, James Faulkner, Sebastian Blomberg, and Jannik Schümann were cast in a German science fiction series with Koch as creator, showrunner, co-writer and co-director. Koch was inspired to create the series after the January 31st 2020 Brexit announcement, which saw the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late December. Filming took place throughout Croatia and at Barrandov Studios, Prague, Czech Republic.

The series stars Confurius, Sakraya, Rashed, Foroutan, Masucci, Sadler, Ularu, Hain, Faulkner, Blomberg, and Schümann. Despite the cast's best efforts, I'm still struggling to find a single character whose fate I'm even vaguely invested in, but my outright antipathy towards some of the characters ha[s] begun to fade.

What is disappointing is that the series, not an adaptation of any Young Adult, Sci Fi, Apocalyptic novel, is poorly conceived, plotted, and not quite exciting. The series raises potentially interesting questions, and though the beginning of the episode may have been dragging because of informational purposes, towards the end I really did feel intrigued to find out what will happen next. The show has a lot of interesting things to play with in terms of its narrative and world-building, but it chooses to gloss over them. There's a reason why Netflix's new sci-fi drama is called Tribes of Europa - because it rips off about as many sources, from Lord of the Flies to The Hunger Games, for this messy young adult sci-fi stew. It's more like another CW teen drama in different clothes with hot girls and boys, cliched talk and staged fights. Though that it's not based on any series of books gives it more heft than most such CW dramas, but it's almost drowning in backstory. There are, to be sure, some suspenseful moments and effective sequences. (Homemade knives occasionally give it the air of a 2000s juvenile delinquent film.) There are luminous butterflies to marvel at and strange beasts to contend with. The show won't make any must-see lists, but with some tweaks here and there, it could at least have been harmless fun for an underserved demographic. Our attraction to Apocalyptic TV runs deep, as our culture plays out different futuristic possibilities. That's still no reason to clone material, nor is it a reason to deliver characters who are little more than stereotypes.

Simon says Tribes of Europa receives:

Film Review: "The Little Things" (2020).

"Some things never let us go" in The Little Things. This neo-noir crime film written and directed by John Lee Hancock. Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon is sent to Los Angeles for what should have been a quick evidence-gathering assignment. Instead, he becomes embroiled in the search for a killer who is terrorizing the city. Leading the hunt, L.A. Sheriff Department Sergeant Jim Baxter, impressed with Deke’s cop instincts, unofficially engages his help. But as they track the killer, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke’s past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case.

In 1993, Hancock penned the script for Steven Spielberg to direct, but Spielberg passed because he felt the story was too dark. Clint Eastwood, Warren Beatty, and Danny DeVito were all separately attached to direct before Hancock finally to helm the film himself. In March 2019, Denzel Washington was cast. In May, Rami Malek was cast. In August, Jared Leto was cast. By early September, Chris Bauer, Michael Hyatt, Natalie Morales, Glenn Morshower, Sofia Vassilieva, Jason James Richter and Maya Kazan rounded out the cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in December. Filming took place Lancaster, Los Angeles, Palmdale, Santa Clarita and Ventura, California.

The film stars Washington, Malek, Leto, Bauer, Hyatt, Morales, Morshower, Vassilieva, Richter and Kazan. The two actors misfire here: Washington is so low-key he's almost drowsy, and Malek jumps around like a chihuahua to no effect.

The seriousness is dull, the comic relief non-existent, and the tension low, aided poorly by Thomas Newman's non-stimulating score and a cliched opening title sequence.  Hancock's filmmaking downplayed each scene in such a way that the movie felt exploitative especially when it came to the, supposedly, horrific plotlines. Unfortunately, most of the scenes in the film are unlikely, which means that by the end of the film the duo is battling not just an insane killer but an off-the-wall writer/director. There's none of the humor that takes the sting out of slasher movies, and certainly none of the psychology and depth that made The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Seven (1995) such intellectual thrillers. Were it not for the gravity and thoughtfulness of Washington's performance as a veteran policeman, and the third-act appearance of its bizarre villain, the film would be unendurable. Unfortunately, the movie's clammy design, glum cinematography, and lugubrious pace try to persuade us that what we're watching isn't an ingenious, silly piece of pulp but a serious meditation on the nature of evil. It is very tiresome peering through the gloom trying to catch a glimpse of something interesting, then having to avert one's eyes when it turns out to be just another brutally tormented body. Unfortunately, writer/director Hancock's finale, in addition to its grossness, feels like an act of treachery against the viewer. The trouble with the film is that while the premise is intriguing, the movie is gluey, bumbling and singularly un-thrilling.

Simon says The Little Things receives:

Also, see my review for The Highwaymen.

Film Review: "Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar" (2021).

"The Friendship We All Want. The Vacation We All Need." This is Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. This comedy film directed by Josh Greenbaum, and written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo. Lifelong friends Barb and Star embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they decide to leave their small Midwestern town for the first time…ever. Romance, friendship and a villain’s evil plot.

In April 2019, after having been in development hell for a number of years, the film was officially announced with Wiig and Mumolo penning the script, as well as to star in the title roles, and Greenbaum hired to direct. By July, Jamie Dornan, Damon Wayans Jr., Wendi McLendon-Covey, Vanessa Bayer, Fortune Feimster, Rose Abdoo, Phyllis Smith, Tom Lenk, Andy García and Reba McEntire rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in September. Filming took place in Cancun, Mexico; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and Albuquerque, New Mexico. The film was originally supposed to be shot in Atlanta, Georgia. The film was originally scheduled for a July 31, 2020 release date. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film was pushed back to July 16, 2021. In early January 2021, Lionsgate announced that it was cancelling the film's theatrical release, and instead debut the film via premium VOD on February 12, 2021.

The film stars Wiig, Mumolo, Dornan, Wayans Jr., McLendon-Covey, Bayer, Feimster, Abdoo, Smith, Lenk, García and McEntire. Wiig and Mumolo's work as the neurotic but mostly well meaning characters are a breakthrough, proving that being funny and having feelings are not mutually exclusive. They have written lead roles for themselves with some great awkward moments usually regulated for fools of the male variety. It's nice to see women can be just as boneheaded when the situation calls for it.

A tale of female anxiety deliriously and freakishly off the leash, it's as close to a perfect multiplex comedy as they come. The director is documentary vet Greenbaum but the auteur are stars and co-writers Wiig and Mumolo, who take center stage after displaying flashes of fuzzy brilliance. Women are complex creatures, and the film presents the reality of female friendship with a level of seriousness and due care that is all the more affecting for being so rare. However, once the dilemmas hit and the lead characters begin their crazy adventure, the joke-a-minute pacing from the introduction is lost. The film is probably about twenty minutes too long and not every gag plays as well as it should have. Still, I found myself laughing a lot during the film. I'm going to finish with a time saver, with a two-word litmus test of whether or not the film is for you. If you giggle, go see this. If you make a face like you smell something rancid, sit this one out. And these two words are... sink diarrhea. Through a combination of smart performances and scurrilous gags Bridesmaids yanks the buddy comedy from the hands of its traditional owners.

Simon says Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar receives:

Film Review: "To All the Boys: Always and Forever" (2021).

"You never know where love will lead you." This is To All the Boys: Always and Forever. This teen romantic comedy film directed by Michael Fimognari, adapted by Katie Lovejoy and based on Jenny Han's 2017 novel Always and Forever, Lara Jean. It is the sequel to To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (2020), and the third and final installment in the To All the Boys I've Loved Before film series. Senior year of high school takes center stage as Lara Jean returns from a family trip to Korea and considers her college plans — with and without Peter.

Development on the film began while its predecessor was still in production. Lovejoy was hired to pen the adaptation and Fimognari hired to direct the third and final installment, on top of its predecessor. By mid July, Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Jordan Fisher, Anna Cathcart, Janel Parrish, Ross Butler, Madeleine Arthur, Emilija Baranac, Holland Taylor, Sarayu Blue and John Corbett returned to reprise their roles. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late August. Filming took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The film stars Condor, Centineo, Fisher, Cathcart, Parrish, Butler, Arthur, Baranac, Taylor, Blue and Corbett, who reprise their roles. Whatever the movie's numerous faults, it's nice to see Condor again. She transforms a fuzzy, somewhat uneven, script into something that's seemingly effortless. She's the reason the movie works. Condor can still make viewers sympathetic toward Lara-Jean's trials and tribulations in part because Lara-Jean has some traces of the woman searching for true love in all of us. The film is at its best when it brings its two leading actors together, Condor and Centineo. Their light-hearted triumphs and pitfalls provide more than enough laughs and tears to make this an entertaining experience.

Funny, modern, intelligent, and good-willed, the film proves that sequels aren't always a bad idea. This film I really quite enjoyed - more than a couple of good belly laughs and some pleasingly grown-up humor. The film is a hilariously satisfying finale to franchise that pays equal parts homage and satire to the rom com genre. The film is pretty much in keeping with the content and tone of its predecessors. Those who liked the first two films should like this installment. I wouldn't say that it's a great movie or even much of a step forward for Asian-American representation. But, I have to confess that I can't remember smiling quite so much at a movie lately, and even laughing out loud. Even though a lengthy two hours, the narrative skips along rather nicely. Fans of the series are sure to like it. The film is a rather lovable and funny one, and it will give everyone a good chuckle and a nice warm feeling inside regardless of sex, age or ethnicity. A film that succeeds due to the creative formula behind cameras that worked perfectly with the first film and for being hilarious enough that it fulfills its own pretensions.

Simon says To All the Boys: Always and Forever receives:

Also, see my review for To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You.

Series Review: "Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel" (2021).

From the Emmy Award winning director of Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile comes Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel. This crime documentary series directed by Joe Berlinger. From housing serial killers to untimely deaths, the Cecil Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles is known to many as LA's deadliest hotel. The latest chapter in the Cecil's dark history involves the mysterious disappearance of college student Elisa Lam.

On the morning of February 19, 2012, the body of Elisa Lam, a Canadian student from Vancouver, was recovered from a water tank atop the Cecil Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles – at which she had been staying preceding her death. She had been reported missing on February 1. Maintenance workers at the hotel discovered the body when investigating guest complaints of problems with the water supply and water pressure. Her disappearance had been widely reported; interest had increased five days prior to her body's discovery when the Los Angeles Police Department released a video of the last time she was known to have been seen, on the day of her disappearance, by an elevator security camera in the Cecil Hotel. The video went viral on the Internet, with many viewers reporting that they found it unsettling. Explanations ranged from claims of paranormal involvement to bipolar disorder, which Lam took medication for. It has also been argued that the video was altered prior to release. The circumstances of Lam's death, once she was found, also raised questions, especially in light of the hotel's history in relation to other notable deaths and murders. Her body was naked with most of her clothes and personal effects floating in the water near her. It took the Los Angeles County Coroner's office four months, after repeated delays, to release the autopsy report, which reports no evidence of physical trauma and states that the manner of death was accidental. Guests at the Cecil, now re-branded as Stay on Main, and Lam's parents sued the hotel over the incident; the latter was dismissed in 2015. Some of the early Internet interest noted what were considered to be unusual similarities between Lam's death and the 2002 horror film Dark Water.

The series draws its strength precisely from what many have misunderstood as an error that Elisa Lam was either murdered by a resident or a staff member of the hotel, or even by supernatural forces. The experience of watching the series is characterized by prurience, self-obsession, and, ultimately, a failure to hold to account the people who should have investigated these crimes properly. Berlinger handles the material with the significance it deserved. His use of archival footage, images, and interviews paint a full and complete picture of the events. However, the result is less satisfying than it is underwhelming. Ultimately, the series isn't primed to make a person find closure in the most satisfying way possible. If we are judging the series on just the merits of where it stands with its true crime brethren, the best thing to say is it's enjoyably familiar. And yes, that is a compliment.

Simon says Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel receives:

Also, see my review for Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.

Series Review: "The Stand" (2020).

"Choose your side. Take your stand" in The Stand. This dark fantasy/post-apocalypse miniseries developed by Josh Boone and Benjamin Cavell and based on the 1978 novel of the same name by Stephen King. The series shows an apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the a hundred and eight-year-old Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.

In January 2011, it was announced that Warner Bros. Pictures and CBS Films were developing a feature-length film adaptation of King's 1978 literary classic. In August, David Yates was hired to direct with Steve Kloves to pen the adaptation. However, they subsequently left the project due to creative differences. In October, Ben Affleck replaced Yates as director. In January 2012, David Kajganich replaced Kloves to pen a new draft. In November, Affleck admitted that he was having difficulty with the adaptation. According to Kajganich, when he was hired, the plan was to make a two-film adaptation, only for Warner Bros. to change their minds and change the project to a single film. In August 2013, Scott Cooper replaced Affleck. In November, Cooper left the project due to creative differences. In late February 2014, Boone replaced Cooper and Kajganich. By early September, the script had been completed and pre-production was underway. In November, Boone planned to split his adaptation into four full-length feature films in an effort to remain true to the breadth of King's sprawling novel. In June 2015, Warner Bros. proposed an eight-part Showtime miniseries to set up the story, which would culminate in Josh Boone's film. However, in February 2016, the project was put on hold and the rights reverted to CBS Films. In late March 2018, it was reported that CBS All Access were redeveloping the project into a ten-hour limited series with Boone still attached to direct. In January 2019, a ten-hour limited series was ordered by CBS Television Studios to be broadcast on CBS All Access. By mid September, James Marsden, Odessa Young, Owen Teague, Alexander Skarsgård, Whoopi Goldberg, Amber Heard, Jovan Adepo, Nat Wolff, Irene Bedard, Brad William Henke, Greg Kinnear, Katherine McNamara, Ezra Miller, Fiona Dourif, J. K. Simmons, Heather Graham and Clifton Collins Jr. were cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in early March 2020. Filming took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and Las Vegas, Nevada. The production completed filming a few days before it would have been shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It premiered on December 17, 2020.

The ensemble cast's strong performances give the series some punch. But not enough to provide focus, which is sorely lacking for three of the four episodes of the sprawling miniseries.

This isn't the best Stephen King adaptation ever, but for an adaptation of an unfilmable book, and a TV adaptation at that, it's pretty decent.

Simon says The Stand (2020) receives:

Also, see my review for The New Mutants.

Film Review: "News of the World" (2020).

"Find Where You Belong" in News of the World. This Western drama film directed by Paul Greengrass, written by Luke Davies and based on the 2016 novel of the same nameby Paulette Jiles. Five years after the end of the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, a veteran of three wars, now moves from town to town as a non-fiction storyteller, sharing the news of presidents and queens, glorious feuds, devastating catastrophes, and gripping adventures from the far reaches of the globe. On the plains of Texas, he crosses paths with Johanna, a ten-year-old taken in by the Kiowa people six years earlier and raised as one of their own. Johanna, hostile to a world she's never experienced, is being returned to her biological aunt and uncle against her will. Kidd agrees to deliver the child where the law says she belongs. As they travel hundreds of miles into the unforgiving wilderness, the two will face tremendous challenges of both human and natural forces as they search for a place that either can call home.

In May 2017, 20th Century Fox bought the film rights to Jiles' novel with Davies to pen the script and Tom Hanks set to star. In February 2019, Greengrass was announced as director. Fox was originally going to make this film through its Fox 2000 label. However, in March, as a result of the Disney/Fox merger, Fox 2000 was retired by Disney, and would only proceed with Fox-produced films already in production. Universal Studios subsequently bought the film rights to this project. By early September, Thomas Francis Murphy, Mare Winningham, Elizabeth Marvel, Bill Camp and newcomer Helena Zengel rounded out the cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It originally was going to be released by Universal Studios for both North American and international markets. However, in November 2020, it was announced that Netflix had acquired international distribution rights except for China and will release it digitally on its streaming service on February 9.

The film stars Hanks, Murphy, Winningham, Marvel, Camp and Zengel. The film features exceptional performances, led by veteran actor Tom Hanks. If, at the beginning, Hanks seems suitably cast as yet another ordinary guy thrown into extraordinary circumstances, by the end, it's become an emotionally riveting performance. Newcomer Helena Zengel, an actress with no previous acting experience who beautifully captures both a fierce and vulnerable nature.

The film is a stupendous thrill ride that should not be missed. Hanks' performance alone makes it worth the price of admission, but Zengel and Greengrass sweeten the deal. Greengrass is a masterful guide, delivering a taunt and exciting cinematic adventure while keeping the essence of the story intact. The film is a high-stakes, visceral drama that allows the audience to experience the myriad emotions at the same time as the characters. It captures what is truly remarkable about the human spirit in times of peril. Mainstream films this good deserve to be celebrated, because they don't come along nearly as often as they should.

Simon says News of the World receives:

Also, see my review for 22nd July.

Film Review: "Minari" ("미나리") (2020).

From the director of Munyurangabo and Abigail Harm comes Minari (미나리). This Korean-American comedy-drama film written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung. The film follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks.

In July 2019, it was announced Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Youn Yuh-Jung, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho, Will Patton, Scott Haze and Darryl Cox were cast in a comedy-drama film penned and to be directed by Chung. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The film stars Yeun, Han, Youn, Kim, Cho Patton, Haze and Cox. The film showcases surprisingly exemplary performances from the consistently underrated Steven Yuen and Alan Kim. Their highly emotive performances exudes more emotion in a wistful sideways glance than most actors do over their entire careers.

Minari is a small, quiet film with big implications. It's one of those movies where knowing the inspiration behind the film will give you more appreciation of the humble film on-screen. Chung's film feels 'organic.' Rather than giving Western viewers a guilt trip by exploring Koreaphobia in America, he makes a movie by a Korean-American for Korean-Americans. A searing and unforgettable portrait of a nation in transition as seen through the eyes of those who want to better their lives. Chung went and made a movie in the Ozarks because it was possible and because he cared, and that's as good a reason as you can find for making a movie. Chekhov's principle of drama is in full effect, but what's remarkable about the film is how it slowly steers its way from portent to poetry. Free of any mannerism or displays of bravura, the filmmaking is strongly informed with a sense of poetry, cinematic sophistication and a desire to allow scenes to play out fully, but no longer than they must. It may be a simple film with a straightforward message, but the details and conflicts Chung captures give it a reality that cannot be denied. If you can get past the mercurial changes in emotions and the slow pace you'll find a film that has a lot to say about family, love and reconciliation. The film is a simple, naturalistic parable about a journey to the Ozarks by a Korean-American family, reflects on the chances of achieving the American dream. It's raw and rough, but beautifully photographed and classically constructed, with an undercurrent of domestic tension and a lyrical sensibility. A compelling, provocative and well-nuanced drama that's also refreshingly unpretentious and quietly engrossing. The film uses the fine-grained techniques of cinematic neorealism to illuminate the psychological and emotional landscape of the American South. There's a patient attentiveness and inquisitiveness to the film that seemingly springs, at least in part, from the cultural divide between Chung, his cast, milieu, and language.

Simon says Minari (미나리) receives:

Film Review: "Shadow in the Cloud" (2020).

"Every mission has its demons" in Shadow in the Cloud. This action horror film directed by Roseanne Liang and written by Liang and Max Landis. In the throes of World War II, Captain Maude Garrett joins the all-male crew of a B-17 bomber with a top-secret package. Caught off guard by the presence of a woman on a military flight, the crew tests Maude's every move. Just as her quick wit is winning them over, strange happenings and holes in her backstory incite paranoia surrounding her true mission. But this crew has more to fear - lurking in the shadows, something sinister is tearing at the heart of the plane. Trapped between an oncoming air ambush and an evil lurking within, Maude must push beyond her limits to save the hapless crew and protect her mysterious cargo.

In January 2019, it was announced that Chloë Grace Moretz would star in the film, with Liang as director and penned by Landis and Liang. According to Moretz, Landis' original script was heavily rewritten during pre-production, and before filming began, by Liang, due to sexual harassment allegations made against Landis at the time. Landis was removed as a producer and was completely distanced from the production. However, due to Writers Guild of America rules, Landis receives credit for the script. After watching the film, Landis claims that about 90-95% of the script is still his. By June, Taylor John Smith, Beulah Koale, Nick Robinson, Callan Mulvey and Benedict Wall rounded out the cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place in Auckland, New Zealand.

The film stars Moretz, Smith, Koale, Robinson, Mulvey and Wall. The cast made the choice to treat this script as award-worthy material instead of the action thriller genre flick it is, and the performances are gorgeously over-the-top.

Even with an interesting premise, the film never fully capitalizes on its potential and we're left with nothing more than a decent flick. Even through its narrow plot and lack of inventiveness, the film still manages to be just entertaining and striking enough to stand on its own as a showy, harsh action romp. Expect no surprises, though. The film may not be perfect. It may be "just" one more blockbuster whose only vocation is to offer over eight minutes of pure and hard enjoyment. The film may be spare parts from different genres, but it manages to feel fresh and fun - well, at least as fun as it can get in a film with a seriously gritty edge. Somewhere amidst a jumble of fast images and unscripted shouts, I couldn't help but feel that this all would have been more effective in a movie that played the material with a more straightforward approach. The film has issues and does get mired in some narrative and pacing issues, but overall this is a film that is far more fun and enjoyable than half of the movies released in theaters in 2020. That alone makes it a success.

Simon says Shadow in the Cloud receives:

Film Review: "Let Them All Talk" (2020).

"Write your wrongs" in Let Them All Talk. This comedy-drama film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Deborah Eisenberg. The film tells the story of a celebrated author who takes a journey with some old friends to have some fun and heal old wounds. Her nephew comes along to wrangle the ladies and her literary agent also books herself on the trip.

In August 2019, it was announced Meryl Streep and Gemma Chan would star in a comedy-drama film with Soderbergh as director and penned by Eisenberg. Later that month, it was announced HBO Max had acquired the distribution rights to the film. Additionally, Candice Bergen, Dianne Wiest and Lucas Hedges rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place in New York City, New York and on the Cunard ocean liner RMS Queen Mary 2 as it crossed the Atlantic, lasting two weeks. For the most part paying Queen Mary 2 passengers were unaware of the film being shot. Signs were placed around live shooting locations. They were met with mostly indifference. Soderbergh only used the story outline written by Eisenberg, and allowed the actors to improvise much of their dialogue. Contrary to reports that all the dialogue was improvised, Soderbergh explained that there were many key scenes throughout the film which were completely scripted, while other scenes were written as prose by Eisenberg, grew from improv with the actors, and were then further revised by her. Soderbergh called it "highly structured improvisation" and estimated the ratio as seventy percent improvised vs. thirty percent scripted dialogue.

The film stars Streep, Bergen, Wiest, Chan and Hedges. Veterans and relative newcomers populate the talented cast, led by Streep in one of her best-rendered performances to date. Streep gives one of the best performances of her career in this screwball comedy about a writer who's pushed into maturity by forces beyond her control; a well-acted coming-of-age saga for adults. As Alice Hughes, Streep, looking hugely disheveled, does one of her best works; playing a real character after so many pictures in which she's glided by on an air of silken cynicism, she proves that he's still a true actor. This performance shows Streep aging gracefully and willingly, an accomplishment that only a couple of famous leading men have achieved in recent years.

Smart, charming, and funny, it's about finding the right inspiration and making the right choices. Soderbergh and Eisenberg, it's abundantly clear, made a lot of right choices. The film digresses so entertainingly, you forget how quickly Alice got into the mess she's in, and can't imagine where we might be headed. I've never quite seen a movie like this one. It is sometimes self-deprecating, often nostalgic and optimistic, but always slightly mysterious. It's very refreshing to see a movie that celebrates writing and intelligence without stooping to become a filmed record of a novel. Yes, the film is often hilarious and surprisingly exciting, but it's really an expertly crafted, intelligent character piece, a mature film about inspiration and choices.

Simon says Let Them All Talk receives:

Also, see my review for The Laundromat.