Film Review - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

Perhaps the most unique of the Coen Brothers filmography, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is unlike anything else the beloved writing and directing duo have made before while still retaining what makes them great. It makes new territory for them, not just in that it's a Netflix film and, to the dismay of Quentin Tarantino, their first film shot digitally rather than on film, but it's also an anthology film, taking six different stories set in the west in which people die, a lot.

Being an anthology film is both the high and low point of the film. It's to its advantage since it has multiple stories as it creates for a great sense of rewatchability, but also makes for a gap of dissatisfaction. Not that any of the stories are bad, but as with films of this nature, some just aren't as good as the others for one reason or another, and just leaves a bit of a desire to see more be done with it. However, that rewatchability prevails here, as each story is still quite good.

It opens and ends with the two best stories of the bunch, with Tim Blake Nelson giving a hilarious and quotable performance that is easily his best in the first namesake story, and Mortal Remains featuring some of the best writing the Coens have ever put to screen. But this isn't to discredit the other four, with Tom Waits absolutely killing as a prospector in All Gold Canyon, The Gal Who Got Rattled offering a slow-paced but rather compelling look at social-discomfort, and the bizarre but truly fascinating Meal Ticket giving a limbless Dudley Dursley his time to shine (no, seriously). Even Near Algodones, maybe the weakest of the bunch, gives an enjoyable perspective on fairness, and who can ever forget a line like "PAN SHOT"?

And throughout each, the western aesthetic shines, with great sets and costumes to boot and a simply wonderful score from Carter Burwell to suit the mood. And although the digital cinematography as previously mentioned does show a bit too much at times, for the most part it beautifully captures the nature of each segment.

But the handling of each message behind the stories is what makes The Ballad of Buster Scruggs shine. Each one is has its own theme relating in some way to death and it tells of it in humorous, endearing, and heartfelt ways that makes it effective and endearing. It helps make it as memorable as it is, and gives for more to reflect on as any film from the Coens does.

This may not be the most consistent Coen Brothers film, but it is easily one of their most memorable for the characters and storytelling that it presents. It's by far one the best films Netflix has distributed, and it left me 99% satisfied... give me John Goodman and we'll discuss that other 1%.

Final Grade: A-

Film Review - Boys State (2020)

States from across the country gather up a multitude of 17-year-old boys to participate in Boys State, in which they work to form two separate political parties and work against each other to create a government similar to what's seen in the United States, if not better (which isn't difficult).

This documentary, simply titled Boys State, records just that, teenage boys from Texas acting as politicians to help their new party reach the top. It serves as not only a compelling look at some of the boys' efforts, but also as an interesting examination of political appeal.

From its opening moments, the film does a great job at getting the viewer to be compelled by these boys. It's quick with showing who the main ones it follows are, and tells you everything you need to know about them, while also giving off hints of the challenges they'll face along the way. It does a great job of developing their personalities so they can give the audience a reason to root for them on their election journey.

And the energy seen in these boys is wholly entertaining. The ways they gain their credibility among their piers can be a treat; from using joke issues to keep those they need to impress most engaged, to having memes be their primary source of campaigning, it's hard not to find enjoyment in their efforts to make it big and their various interactions with one another.

Those interactions are grounded firmly in advancing their own political agenda. Much of this even involves covering up what they really believe, as the majority of the boys are conservative, meaning that some are forced into pushing for causes they dislike, effectively illustrating the complications of appealing to others. And, fortunately, it never becomes preachy, finding a nice middle-ground making it clear that these boys all have their own beliefs that they still respect while trying to still make it big.

The way they treat each other shows the power of this more so, with attacks each side throws at the other finding mixed results, with some succeeding with how their party finds justice in the decision, and others failing with ones that seem purely like moves to advance it. But in the end, it all goes back to how the boys connect to each other, showing how they grow to appreciate one another despite their disagreements and how to respect them also.

Boys State in the end makes for a great watch as both a coming of age and politically insightful experience that knows what it is and has a fun time with it. I understand that not everyone will find young men talking about politics to be particularly enjoyable, but it stills makes for a strong look at a program that's gotten people politically involved for years.

Final Grade: A-

Film Review - A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)

What's advertised as a standard look at Mr. Rogers' life is actually an in-depth look at what he valued and how he changed lives. This is because A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is one of the boldest and most inventive biopics in years.

It's less about Mr. Rogers and more about the reporter interviewing him, Llyod Vogel, both of which are portrayed beautifully by Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys. Its exploration of Vogel's struggles and how his new friend approached it is encaptivating; it's understanding heartbreaking because of its relatability and how it invites the viewer to understand our own feelings.

The film's direction and writing is so fresh compared to what's been expected nowadays for its kind. It effortlessly recreates what Mr. Rogers' show told its audience and how it communicated with them. No one else could have captured his warmness like director Marielle Heller has, as it's easy to tell how well she realized his teachings. And the screenplay wonderfully compliments her vision, acting as if an episode of the show is being filmed, meaning that the film is filled with warmness and sincerity, moment by moment.

And when I say that it's like an episode of the show being filmed, I meant that to the very bone. Miniature cities fill much of it, beautiful piano music is frequent, and Mr. Rogers even dedicates about a minute of screentime to pure silence just so those watching it can sit and think. It's one of the most purely-made films of the year.

It may be pretty simple all things considered, but regardless even those looking for something more thought-provoking will find it's down to earth storytelling undeniably comforting. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood succeeds not only as a story of Mr. Rogers' impact, but also as a sincere message to moviegoers everywhere.

Final Grade: A-

Film Review - Knives Out (2019)

Murder mysteries are almost like a lost art nowadays. The genre is almost universally loved, yet for some reason they are hardly common in today's media. Fortunately for us, Rian Johnson loves a good mystery as well and, having just made himself better known in the industry (for better or for worse for himself), he's now crafted exactly the kind of whodunit we've wanted with Knives Out.

Knives Out is a revival of this genre, taking what's loved about it and adding even more to it to keep it fresh and original, making for a blast of a viewing experience.

Far away the biggest pro the film has going for is its brilliant screenplay. Johnson's writing is seamless, packed with spot-on comedy, brilliant clues and twist to add to the mystery, and relevance that hits home with current issues in fitting and completely necessary ways.

The big reveal can be considered questionable and even predictable (for reasons I won't go into in order to avoid spoilers), which admittedly does take away from some of the mystery aspect, but the rest is so well-tuned that I can't help but forgive it.

The cast and the characters they play also do a great job of leaving a lasting impression. I do feel that some of them are pretty underused, but even they are unforgettable because of how distinct they are from everyone else and have at least one one-liner that I guarantee will become frequently quoted as time goes by, because Chris Evans sure does wanna cookie.

But the two stand above the rest are Ana de Armas as Marta, the nurse of the victim, Harlan Thrombrey (Christopher Plummer, who's also great!) and Daniel Craig as the detective hired to investigate, Benoit Blanc. Armas gives easily one of the best performances of the year, offering an intriguing and heart-filled portrayal that effortless leads the film. Craig's work is then endlessly entertaining; you can tell that he had the time of his life while making this, with a priceless accent and scene-stealing dialogue, I can see why he wants to do more of these films with Johnson. (Seriously, please go forward with this Rian).

The Thrombrey family as a whole is fascinating, because even with some of them being underdeveloped, the more that's learned about them, the more the film's themes grow. The more each of their possible motives build and how they become increasingly more menacing to the viewer, satisfyingly making them like them less and less as the runtime continues. It makes you want to know everything about the family and their connections to Harlan, which is exactly what a film like this should do.

And why is the score for this film not being talked about more? It brilliantly sets the mode from the very beginning and onwards, fitting in with the mystery style effortlessly and leaving a nice tune to repeat in your head again, and again, and again, and..... oh dear...

So much of the production in this film is incredibly impressive. The Thrombrey house where most of the story is set is instantly iconic, sprawling with details that jump out and explain what this place is and who the person that owns it is like. And the cinematography couldn't fit the murder-mystery more than it does.

This is unquestionably one of the best edited films of the year as well. It makes the pacing feel so fast that you'll really question whether it really is 130 minutes. And the flashbacks that occur throughout (not spoiling anything here) are aided by quick transitions that coincide with the film's present time ever so smoothly.

Knives Out is such a cleverly made film all in all; even though some aspects of the story don't entirely live up to expectations, it's forgivable overall because of how great the rest of it is handled. This is one of the most memorable and well-characterized films of the year that I can certainly see myself liking even more in the hopefully-near future.

Final Grade: A-