Film Review: "Finestkind" (2023).

From the writer and director of L.A. Confidential and 42 comes Finestkind. This crime thriller drama film written and directed by Brian Helgeland. The film tells the story of two brothers, raised in different worlds, who are reunited as adults over a fateful summer. Set against the backdrop of commercial fishing, the story takes on primal stakes when desperate circumstances force the brothers to strike a deal with a violent Boston crime gang. Along the way, a young woman finds herself caught perilously in the middle. Sacrifices must be made and bonds between brothers, friends, lovers, and a father and his son are put to the ultimate test.

In 2018, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ansel Elgort and Zendaya were attached to star in the film with Helgeland as writer and director. However, all dropped out after the project was stuck in development for several years. Helgeland first wrote the script in 1995 and Heath Ledger was originally attached at one point. By late April 2022, it was announced that Paramount+ had acquired the rights to the film. In addition, Ben Foster, Toby Wallace and Jenna Ortega replaced Gyllenhaal, Elgort and Zendaya, with Tommy Lee Jones, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Aaron Stanford, and Tim Daly rounding out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in early June. Filming took place in Boston, Fairhaven and New Bedford, Massachusetts. During filming, some of the crew have made claims of not getting paid, and injury while on set.

The cast's individual performances are excellent, quite predictably, though their characters are two-dimensional at best. Lesser characters are caricatures - the cast as morally-ambiguous are particularly ill-used - and the film as a whole is all over the place, tonally and narratively. It's as if no one's sure whether it's a comedy, farce or tragedy.

For all its good looks, the film is a let-down, hampered by the vanity of its star and by what, for audiences, at least, feels like a Krays-lite version of a very familiar story. The film really does waste the majority of its potential, Helgeland never tapping into the story of two brothers in a way that is essential or lasting. The cast's excellent performance is sadly not enough to pick up the work of Helgeland, who is better suited writing great stories behind cameras. Even though the efforts to make the brothers likeable and endearing characters are there, we can't really empathize with them and the film feels just like another glorification of violence for violence sake. Helgeland revels in the violence and depravity, setting a dubious tone that, in that final act, has as much of a struggle as Foster's character in going straight. How you start with an epic crime tale and Forster at his most Forster and end up with something this tepid might even be a more interesting story than the movie itself. Writer-director Brian Helgeland gives us violence without felt menace, doomed romance without felt desperation, and decadence without felt pleasure.

Simon says Finestkind receives:

Also, see my review for Legend.

Film Review: "Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget" (2023).

"This time, they're breaking in!" This is Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. This British stop-motion animated comedy film directed by Sam Fell, written by Karey Kirkpatrick, John O'Farrell and Rachel Tunnard, and produced by Aardman Animations. It is a sequel to Chicken Run (2000). Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger has finally found her dream – a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world. When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk – this time, they’re breaking in!

In April 2018, a sequel was reported with Aardman Animations, StudioCanal and Pathé set to produce. DreamWorks had no involvement due to ending their partnership with Aardman after the release of Flushed Away in 2006. Fell was approached by Peter Lord in 2016 and was convinced to return to Aardman to direct the sequel. Kirkpatrick and O'Farrell returned to pen the sequel. In mid October 2019, the film officially began pre-production. Because very few props and models from the original film survived after being destroyed in a warehouse fire in 2005, Fell and his team resorted to use reference photos from original film's "making of" book. In June 2020, Fell released more details about the sequel, which would follow from the ending of the first film, where the chickens have settled into their new safe area. Molly, the chick of Ginger and Rocky, begins to outgrow the area, just as word of a new threat to the chickens arrives. By early 2021, Zachary Levi, Thandiwe Newton, David Bradley, Romesh Ranganathan and Daniel Mays replaced Mel Gibson, Julia Sawalha, Benjamin Whitrow, Timothy Spall and Phil Daniels. While Jane Horrocks, Imelda Staunton, Lynn Ferguson and Miranda Richardson reprised their roles. Bella Ramsey, Nick Mohammed, Josie Sedgwick-Davies and Peter Serafinowicz rounded out the film's cast. Aardman said that Gibson was not asked to return as Rocky. In July 2020, Sawalha, the voice of Ginger in the first film, revealed Aardman's intention to recast her role, saying her voice now sounded too old. The decision was met with widespread criticism with some finding the decision ageist. At the same time, principal photography commenced. According to visual effects supervisor and executive producer Nick Park, the stop-motion animation used throughout the film was more complex than anything Aardman had done before.

The film stars the voice talents of Newton, Levi, Ramsey, Staunton, Ferguson, Bradley, Horrocks, Ranganathan, Mays, Serafinowicz and Richardson. The film is brilliantly voiced across the board, with special notice to Levi as Rocky, Newton as Ginger, and Ramsey as Molly. With a scene-stealing ensemble, the characters shine for their charisma and are led by three protagonists with hilarious chemistry. 

The film is not just a solid follow-up to Chicken Run, it’s an outstanding achievement in claymation: dazzling in its technical supremacy, wholesome storytelling, and universal humor.

Simon says Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget receives:

Also, see my reviews for ParaNorman and A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon.

Film Review: "Wonka" (2023).

"Every Good Thing in this World Started With a Dream" in Wonka. This musical fantasy film directed by Paul King, written by King and Simon Farnaby, and based on the characters created by Roald Dahl. The film tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today. This irresistibly vivid and inventive big screen spectacle will introduce audiences to a young Willy Wonka, chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time—proving that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.

In October 2016, Warner Bros. Pictures reacquired the rights to Willy Wonka from Roald Dahl's estate, with a film in development from producers David Heyman and Michael Siegel. In February 2018, it was announced King was in negotiations to direct. In addition, it was reported the studio's shortlist of actors to star as Willy Wonka included Donald Glover, Ryan Gosling, and Ezra Miller, and it was revealed the film would serve as a prequel to the events of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In January 2021, it was confirmed King would direct the film, now titled Wonka, and it was reported that Timothée Chalamet and Tom Holland were the frontrunners for the title role. In May, Chalamet was cast, and it was announced the film would include several musical numbers. He was the director's only choice for the role, with King stating that he offered the actor the part with no audition after seeing his high school performances on YouTube, which proved his vocal and dancing skills. It was also revealed the script would be penned by Farnaby with Jeff Nathanson, Simon Rich, and Simon Stephenson provided additional literary material. By September, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Olivia Colman, and Hugh Grant rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place at the Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, Watford, Hertfordshire. Filming also took place in Bath, Somerset; Lyme Regis, Dorset; Mapledurham, Berkshire; St Albans, Hertfordshire; and London, as well as throughout Oxfordshire. The film was originally set for a March 17, 2023 release date before its December 15, 2023 release date.

The film stars Chalamet, Lane, Key, Joseph, Lucas, Baynton, Hawkins, Atkinson, Carter, Colman, and Grant. The cast's roles are the true hidden treasures in the film. However, these actors all yield the floor to Chalamet's delightful performance as Roald Dahl's eponymous character.

This was incredibly entertaining and surprised me at every turn. All of the actors committed, the story was very sweet and I laughed several times. In the hands of the wrong director and/or actor, any script, even one this fine, might have been a disaster. Luckily, all involved were up to the task, and have delivered to us a warm, hilarious, joy-filled film. It's just what we all need right now.

Simon says Wonka receives:

Also, see my review for Paddington 2.

Film Review: "Silent Night" (2023).

"Action Speaks Louder Than Words" in Silent Night. This action thriller film directed by John Woo and written by Robert Archer Lynn. This gritty revenge tale follows a tormented father who witnesses his young son die when caught in a gang’s crossfire on Christmas Eve. While recovering from a wound that costs him his voice, he makes vengeance his life’s mission and embarks on a punishing training regimen in order to avenge his son’s death.

In October 2021, the film was first announced as an action film without spoken dialogue, with Woo attached as director and Joel Kinnaman attached as lead star. The film would mark Woo's American directorial comeback, making it the first American film he directed since Paycheck (2003). In March 2022, a special effects assistant was injured during pre-production in a stunt trial run in Mexico City. The crew member was hit by a car, breaking his femur and dislocating his shoulder. By April, Scott Mescudi, Harold Torres, and Catalina Sandino Moreno rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late May. Filming took place in Mexico City, Mexico. Woo decided to film the action in a more realistic manner that supports the emotional drama instead of having the action itself being the entertaining aspect, which was signature of his previous films. For the film, Kinnaman decided to try method acting for the first time and stop speaking for the entirety of the shoot. The lack of communication left the actor feeling lonely, and after multiple start attempts, he decided that the silent car ride to his first day on set was long enough to get him excited for the film.

The film stars Kinnaman, Mescudi, Torres, and Moreno. Thanks to the performances, especially from Kinnaman, the film generally holds together rather well and is bound to keep Woo's most faithful fans happy. 

Has the familiar manic energy and sincere commitment to the weirdness of Woo's original Hollywood output, but it's not quite the return to the glory days some might have been hoping for. One of the central pleasures of genre cinema is running your fingers along well-worn grooves, but while the film trots out a lot of chestnuts, it's the film's tendency to burn through them with bemusing haste. The chases and gunfights in the film are impressive and brisk, containing just as much panache as you remember from John Woo films of twenty years ago. It's got the white doves, gratuitous slo-mo and operatic gunplay that fans of Woo's earlier films would expect, but the whole thing is as slackly executed as an "Expendables" movie. It's the kind of cartoonish film where, no matter what the odds and how many bullets are flying at our heroes, they never get seriously injured. Familiar and perhaps even retro though it is, the film is a thoroughly enjoyable full-tilt action lark, which should introduce a new generation to Woo's patented style.

Simon says Silent Night receives:

Also, see my review for Manhunt (追捕).

Film Review: "Next Goal Wins" (2023).

"Inspired by a true story" comes Next Goal Wins. This sports comedy-drama film directed by Taika Waititi, written by Waititi and Iain Morris, and based on the 2014 documentary of the same title by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison. The film follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around.

In August 2019, it was announced that Fox Searchlight Pictures had set up an initially unspecified project with Waititi attached to pen the script and direct prior to his obligations to Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). It was later revealed as being a feature film adaptation of Brett and Jamison's 2014 documentary. In September, Michael Fassbender entered final negotiations to star in the film. In October, he would be confirmed to star. By November, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Armie Hammer, Elisabeth Moss, Uli Latukefu, Rhys Darby, Angus Sampson, Luke Hemsworth, Kaitlyn Dever, Frankie Adams and Waititi rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, with a budget of $14 million, principal photography commenced and wrapped in January 2020. Filing took place in Honolulu, Hawaii. In December 2021, it was announced that Will Arnett replaced Hammer, due to the latter being accused of sexual assault by multiple women. The part, initially intended as a cameo, was expanded when Arnett joined. The film was originally set for an April 21, 2023 release date, before being postponed to September 22, 2023, and then to its November 17, 2023 release date.

It's worth seeing, however-particularly for Fassbender, who adds to his gallery of great performances with a turn as a down-on-his-luck, maverick coach that nearly steals the film whole.

The pace is a little leisurely, and it doesn't demand to be seen on a big screen, but much like the characters it portrays the film is an unassuming winner. Much of the comedy is too broad to truly satirise the subject matter, unable to nail the emotional beats when it finally confronts the true reality and horror of the situation. I suspect the strangely good-natured feel of the film will win the hearts of many viewers, but my own head remained too muddled by its uneven and oddly indecisive approach to embrace whatever quirky virtues it may possess. There is a gentleness here present in all Waititi films, but that soft touch does not quite work in a story dealing with the humanist idea of underdogs defying all odds, a theme diluted by the excess of supporting characters and secondary ideas. Many filmmakers have made excellent comedies about football - Waititi is the rare one to be out of his depth in finding humour in the material, and offering anything meaningful to say about the mob mentality of underdogs. The film lingers rather too long towards the end on drawing out its message, but it is a thoroughly engaging exploration of sport, culture, community and the nature of achievement.

Simon says Next Goal Wins receives:

Also, see my review for Thor: Love and Thunder.

Film Review: "12.12: The Day" ("서울의 봄") (2023).

"1979. Seoul. Everything changed that night." This is 12.12: The Day (서울의 봄). This South Korean historical action drama film written and directed by Kim Sung-su. After the assassination of President Park, martial law has been declared. A coup d’état bursts out by Defense Security Commander Chun Doo-gwang and a private band of officers following him. Capital Defense Commander Lee Tae-shin, an obstinate soldier who believes the military should not take political actions, fights against Chun Doo-gwang to stop him. The conflict between the two grows while military leaders are holding their decision and Defense Minister is gone. In the midst of chaos, the spring of Seoul that everyone longed for heads to unexpected direction.

On December 12, 1979, the military mutiny known as The Coup d'état of December Twelfth (12.12 군사반란), or the "12.12 Military Insurrection", took place. Republic of Korea Army Major General Chun Doo-hwan, commander of the Defence Security Command, acting without authorization from Acting President Choi Kyu-hah, ordered the arrest of General Jeong Seung-hwa, ROK Army Chief of Staff, on allegations of involvement in the assassination of former. After Jeong's capture, 29th Regiment of the 9th Division, along with the 1st Special Forces Brigade and 3rd Special Forces Brigade, invaded downtown Seoul to support the 30th and 33rd Capital Security Group loyal to Chun, then a series of conflicts broke out in the capital. Two of Jeong's allies, Major General Jang Tae-wan (Commander of Army Capital Security Command) and Major General Jeong Byeong-ju (Commander of Army Special Warfare Command), were also arrested by the rebel troops. Major Kim Oh-rang, aide-de-camp of Jeong Byeong-ju, was killed during the gunfight. By the next morning, the Ministry of Defense and Army HQ were all occupied. Chun and his fellow 11th class of Korea Military Academy graduates, such as Major General Roh Tae-woo, commanding general of 9th Infantry Division, and Major General Jeong Ho-yong, were in charge of the Korean military. Chun was supported in the coup and the subsequent consolidation of power by the powerful private club of military officials called Hanahoe. The Coup d'état of December Twelfth and the Coup d'état of May Seventeenth ended the Fourth Republic of South Korea and led to the establishment of the Fifth Republic of South Korea. The coup, alongside the Gwangju Uprising, is the primary justification of Chun's 1995 arrest by the Kim Young-sam administration.

By February 2022, Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Sung-min, Park Hae-joon, Kim Sung-kyun, Kim Eui-sung, Jung Dong-hwan, Ahn Nae-sang, Choi Byung-mo, Park Hoon, Kim Sung-oh, Park Won-sang, Jeon Su-ji, Jung Man-sik, Jung Hae-in, and Lee Joon-hyuk were cast in a historical action drama about the Coup d'état of December Twelfth, with Kim Sung-su attached as writer and director. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in July. Director Kim Sung-su revealed at the press conference that he was a senior in high school at the time of the Coup d'état of December Twelfth and was living in Hannam-dong, Seoul, where the incident occurred. He left his house and was walking around the neighborhood, and when he heard a gunshot from the Army Chief of Staff's official residence, he went there, but the soldiers controlled it. He was scared because he heard gunshots all night and he couldn't get close, but he was full of curiosity and questions at the time because he couldn't figure out what was going on, which led him to make this film.

The film stars Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Sung-min, Park Hae-joon, Kim Sung-kyun, Kim Eui-sung, Jung Dong-hwan, Ahn Nae-sang, Choi Byung-mo, Park Hoon, Kim Sung-oh, Park Won-sang, Jeon Su-ji, Jung Man-sik, Jung Hae-in, and Lee Joon-hyuk. A top cast deliver excellent performances all-round but it's Hwang Jung-min and Jung Woo-sung who really shined. Jung Woo-sung's portrayal of Lee is excellent as it fully encapsulates the woes of any person bounded by circumstances such as his.

Throughout the film we mostly see Defense Security Commander Chun Doo-gwang through the eyes of his cronies and victims- as a crazed psychopath who cannot be stopped and cannot be negotiated with...a fitting metaphor for the South Korean dictatorship as a whole. The film shys away from the bullet points that historians have recorded in favor of the unremembered individuals whose actions contributed to free elections in South Korea. Slick and accomplished, the film is also single-minded and forthright in its intentions, propelled by an exasperated nation which demanded more of its public officials. South Korea's fraught transition from one dictatorship to another on December 12, 1979, is shaped with fictional detail and sometimes excessive melodrama, but as a political thriller Kim Sung-su's film has a tense urgency as the resistance slowly turns the tide. The filmmakers turn these historical events into a satisfying, fast-paced, gripping and smart thriller, focusing on a myriad of characters all united by their activism and disgust for the men in charge. Heartbreaking and inspiring, dark and illuminating, the film shows us how the power and beauty of cinema can capture a moment in time, and its ability to frame and glorify the human spirit. The power struggles between all the above characters, along with the constant shifting of both loyalties and the upper hand, are the backbone of an intricate script, which is concluded, in the most spectacular fashion. The film may be painstaking in the way that he reconstructs Korea's past, but the story that he tells is also a parable of power and its abuses that resonates beyond the specificities of the Fifth Republic to any and every era. Kim Sung-su's screenplay is clever in the way it uses a straightforward premise as a hook for the deeper and more troubling elements of this story. The film is an exceptional mainstream film that uses the true-story setting to present a captivating political thriller whose atmosphere, acting and direction will satisfy all viewers. Overall, the film's involving period detail and simmering intrigue allow it to stand alongside those classic American political thrillers of the 1970s.

Simon says 12.12: The Day (서울의 봄) receives:

Also, see my review for Asura: The City of Madness (아수라).

Film Review: "The Boy And The Heron" ("君たちはどう生きるか") (2023).

From the Academy Award-winning director of Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し), Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城) and Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) comes The Boy And The Heron (君たちはどう生きるか). This Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and produced by Studio Ghibli. After losing his mother during the war, young Mahito moves to his family’s estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events lead him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito’s new stepmother disappears, he follows the gray heron into the tower, and enters a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey with the heron as his guide, Mahito must uncover the secrets of this world, and the truth about himself. 

In September 2013, following the release of The Wind Rises, Miyazaki held a press conference in Venice announcing his retirement from feature animation. However, Miyazaki later changed his mind after concluding work on the short film Boro the Caterpillar (毛虫のボロ) (2018) and decided to come out of retirement to direct another full-length film, a decision. In July 2016, he commenced storyboarding for the film and presented a project proposal for it in August. This proposal included a children's novel The Book of Lost Things by Irish author John Connolly, which formed "a loose framework" for the project. Edogawa Ranpo's Ghost Tower (幽霊塔), which Miyazaki loved as a child, inspired the tower in the film. Producer Toshio Suzuki later approved the project, taking into account Miyazaki's commitment and storyboard work. In February 2017, after Suzuki publicly announced the start of work on Miyazaki's new film, the studio's official website posted a call for staff for the new project on May 19, 2017, and production began in earnest. With Miyazaki coming out of retirement, Studio Ghibli reopened with many of its past collaborators working on the project. In October, Studio Ghibli announced the film would be titled How Do You Live?, after the 1937 novel of the same name by Genzaburo Yoshino. The release date was not determined, but Miyazaki voiced his desire to release the film around the time of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan. In August 2018, Suzuki stated that the film was expected to be completed in 2021 or 2022. In late October 2019, the film was confirmed to be 15% complete. In December, Suzuki confirmed that the film is not to be expected anytime soon; Miyazaki in his younger age used to produce ten minutes of animation every month, but now his speed was reduced to one minute per month. Unlike his previous films, Miyazaki did not oversee every single frame and focused solely on creating the film's blueprint through storyboarding, while the animation director Takeshi Honda took charge of the animation process. In March 2020, Suzuki disclosed that since the new film required a significant amount of time and money, the studio planned to finance the production by showcasing their previously released films on streaming platforms like Netflix. In May, Suzuki recounted that the film was a "big fantastical" film. He said that sixty animators were working on the film and that an estimated thirty-six minutes had been completed after three years of production. In December, Suzuki stated that the production was working with no deadlines, similarly to The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語) (2013), which took eight years to make. He said that the animation was half-finished, that production was running faster due to COVID-19 restrictions requiring them to work at home, and that the film would be one-hundred and twenty-five minutes long. He also revealed that Miyazaki wanted to adapt Earwig and the Witch (アーヤと魔女) (2020) during development, but his son Goro ultimately directed the adaptation instead. Cinematographer Atsushi Okui introduced the idea of utilizing Dolby Cinema to Miyazaki during the production of Earwig and the Witch, which received the director's approval. In October 2022, Executive Producer Koji Hoshino mentioned during a press conference that the production of the film had progressed quite smoothly, even during the pandemic, and was nearing completion. Hoshino did not specify the exact release date for the film. Suzuki considered the film to be the most expensive ever produced in Japan. The production timeline spanned approximately seven years, comprising two and a half years dedicated to pre-production activities and about five years for the production phase. In June 2023, Suzuki clarified that the novel is not related to the film beyond inspiring the title.

The film stars the voice talents of Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Ko Shibasaki, Aimyon, Yoshino Kimura, Takuya Kimura, Kaoru Kobayashi, and Shinobu Otake. It is the perfect combination, wildly creative animation with warm and subtle performances at its core. It's easy to get lost amid the flow, as characters transform and magical powers emerge and disappear without warning.

The film undoubtedly stands out as a film with an incredible amount of passion and inspiration behind it, bringing to life a story that stays with audiences and engages them on a deeply personal level. A fascinating last film for Miyazaki and a swan song that seems to encapsulate the animator’s recurrent autobiographical strains in largely real-world terms. Miyazaki's swansong is every bit as masterful as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, tempered only by a bittersweet sadness which runs throughout. A celebration of craft, graft and inspiration, the film is a final masterpiece from an industry legend - and a ballsy statement that animated wonder needn't be confined to genre ghettos. Impossibly gorgeous, with especially painterly backgrounds and detailed attention to not only everyday sounds but the alien noises during and after a temblor.

Simon says The Boy And The Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) receives:

Also, see my review for The Wind Rises (風立ちぬ).