10. Richard Jewell

Clint Eastwood has made one of the most important films of 2019 that emphasizes the importance of being innocent until proven guilty. He directs the film beautifully and  sensitively, honoring Richard Jewell and his friends and family, a man who was a hero, but was made to look like a villain by the media. Paul Walter Hauser delivers an emotionally raw and sympathetic performance as Richard Jewell, and is immediately someone you want to root for. Kathy Bates also gives an emotionally charged performance as Richard Jewell’s mother, Bobbi Jewell. This is an important film and one of the more underrated ones of 2019, proving that Eastwood is still a fantastic filmmaker.

9. Uncut Gems

Directors, Benny and Josh Safdie have created a riveting and visceral look into a gambler who works in New York’s Diamond District. Adam Sandler proves here that when he wants to, he is an actor to watch out for, giving such an engaging performance, as a very unlikable guy, but makes him still somewhat likable. This film heightens your senses thanks to stellar direction from the Safdie Brothers who keep you on the edge of your seat, along with fantastic, disorienting editing by Benny Safdie and Ronald Bronstein. It is a wild ride that peeks behind the curtain of New York’s Diamond District in an exciting, and also very funny way.

8. Rocketman

Taron Egerton delivers a nuanced and beautiful performance as Elton John, and is easily one of the best performances by a lead actor in 2019. Bryce Dallas Howard and Jamie Bell also give two wonderful performances. Director, Dexter Fletcher and screenwriter, Lee Hall took an interesting approach for this film by making it a musical fantasy, and it paid off. This a refreshing biopic that brings its subjects’ story to vivid and engaging life.

7. JoJo Rabbit 

JoJo Rabbit is a remarkable anti-hate satire. Writer and Director Taika Waititi, who also plays Adolf Hitler successfully balances so many different tones, such as, comedy, despair, real-life tragedy, and hope, all while showing the horrors of war and fascism, and spreading the message of love. It is a hilarious and beautiful film that is one of its kind. It also features one of the best child performances I have seen by Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo.

6. The Lighthouse

Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse is a mesmerizing nightmare with thought-provoking themes of redemption, forgiveness, regret, and identity that are all explored in the most unique and bold ways. Eggers and cinematographer, Jarin Blaschke masterfully shot the film in black and white to evoke its time period and create more of a nightmarish atmosphere and successfully immerse you into its claustrophobic environment through its square aspect ratio. Robert Pattison and Willem Dafoe deliver two ferocious performances, and Louisa Ford’s editing is hard-hitting and powerful.

5. Little Women

This movie is absolutely wonderful! It is written and directed by Greta Gerwig with so much love and passion for the source material and the characters. Every single performance and character stands out. Saoirse Ronan gives one of the best performances by a lead actress in 2019 and Florence Pugh is a massive standout delivering my favorite performance by a supporting actress in 2019. Gerwig successfully balances between multiple tones and infuses the film with such sweetness and warmth, and writes such poetic dialogue. I loved spending time with these characters in the period in which it is set. The cinematography is gorgeous as well, and the production design and costume design are exquisite. It is a beautiful film about sisterhood, love, and finding your voice and telling your story.

4. Doctor Sleep

Doctor Sleep is easily the most underrated film of 2019. Writer and director, Mike Flanagan had the impossible task of pleasing both Stephen King fans and fans, like myself, of Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, The Shining (1980), and he hit it out of the park. This a terrifying and thought-provoking movie that honors both King and Kubrick. Flanagan understands that great horror is psychological and must be supported by rich characters and themes. Rebecca Ferguson also delivers probably the most underrated performance of 2019 as Rose The Hat. This is a worthy sequel to The Shining (1980), while successfully standing on its own.

3. Marriage Story

Noah Baumbach has crafted a film that is both heartbreaking and hopeful. This is a movie that left an impact on me with two perfect performances from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson playing a married couple in the middle of a divorce. Baumbach masterfully does not pick sides in the film, but instead chooses to show the perspective of both Charlie (Driver) and Nicole (Johansson). Laura Dern, Ray Liotta, and Alan Alda also give stellar performances. Baumbach’s dialogue is realistic and powerful, where you are constantly engrossed by what the characters have to say. He also achieves revealing that their is always light at the end of the tunnel, and he skillfully infuses comedy even amidst the heartbreak. This is an emotionally raw and beautiful film with some of the best acting of 2019 and sensitive, soulful direction from Baumbach.

2. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood

Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece is his love letter to old Hollywood and cinema as a whole, and his him at his most contemplative, while still infusing a strong sense of energy. I love this film!! It is a beautiful love letter to 1960’s Hollywood and cinema with amazing characters that I loved spending time with, speaking Tarantino’s phenomenal dialogue. Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie are all excellent in the film, and the chemistry between DiCaprio and Pitt is perfect and fun to watch. Tarantino masterfully balances the multiple characters and situations in the movie, making it all into a coherent whole, where he also infuses multiple genres. Every performance stands out, no matter how small, from Al Pacino to Bruce Dern. It also features stunning cinematography from the master, Robert Richardson that brings 1969 Hollywood to life, as well as detailed production design from Barbra Ling that recreates modern day Hollywood into 1969 Hollywood. This is Tarantino contemplating on the film industry and cinema as a whole and the films that shaped him. It is a masterpiece, and features one of the best endings in all of cinema.

1. The Irishman

My number one favorite film of 2019 is none other than Martin Scorsese’s epic masterpiece, The Irishman. Not only is this my favorite film of 2019, it is my favorite film of the entire decade. Scorsese has crafted a film that explores and meditates on the consequences of violence, regret, time, history, and mortality. It is powerful! Robert De Niro delivers an extraordinary performance as Frank Sheeran that is so subdued hiding such pain and regret. Joe Pesci and Al Pacino also deliver two performances of a lifetime. It is phenomenal to see these three legends together in a Martin Scorsese picture. This is a 3 hour and 29 minute movie, and I loved every minute of it. Scorsese’s direction, Steven Zaillian’s screenplay, Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography, the performances, Thelma Schoonmaker’s editing, and much more come together creating a work of art and one of Scorsese’s best films.

The Irishman is directed by the genius, Martin Scorsese (my favorite filmmaker of all time), and stars Robert De Niro (my favorite actor of all time), Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. If those four names listed does not cause excitement, I do not know what else would. The film is based on a true story and follows the life of Frank Sheeran (De Niro) and his involvement with the Bufalino Crime Family. As stated before, Martin Scorsese is my favorite director of all time, and a huge inspiration to me. He has made some of my favorite films and some of the greatest films of all time, such as Taxi Driver (1976), Goodfellas (1990), Raging Bull (1980), and Mean Streets (1973). The Irishman is no different. Not only is it the best film of the year, but it is also one of Martin Scorsese’s best films with him at his most reflective.

Scorsese directs this film with creativity, contemplation, and passion. His ability to show Frank Sheeran’s life in a 3 and a half hour runtime where no minute is wasted, and make it the most riveting and compelling film of the year is nothing short of impressive. Scorsese brilliantly directs epic crane shots with exciting movement and utilizes wide-angle lenses to create the epic scope of the film and to you immerse you that much deeper into Frank Sheeran’s world. He also shoots tight close-ups where the camera is still to bring you into the intimacy of Sheeran’s world. This a movie where you are enthralled being in the world of these characters because Scorsese skillfully and masterfully knows how tell a riveting story and create an authentic world that those characters inhabit. Every camera move, cut, and shot is a work of art.

This movie easily has the best cast of the year with three of some of the greatest actors of all time, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. This is Scorsese and De Niro’s first collaboration since Casino (1995). It was well worth the wait with De Niro delivering an incredible performance filled with subdued power. De Niro is my favorite actor of all time, and this performance fulfills that. He is so subdued as Frank, becoming the man while skillfully hiding what is underneath the surface to powerful effect. Through De Niro’s eyes, Sheeran comes across as a broken man with a lot of pain who has darkness inside of him. Pesci has come out of retirement with this film, and that is cause for a lot of joy. This might be my favorite performance from him, showing us a side you rarely see from him. His performance is quiet, calm, and calculating as Russell Bufalino. Through that calmness, he expresses menace and terrifying authority.

It is hard to say any actor stole this film with the remarkable performances from De Niro and Pesci, but if that had to be said for one actor in this film, then that would be Al Pacino as Jimmy Hoffa. He is mesmerizing as Hoffa and fires up the frame when he is in it. Every time he speaks or moves, you are just excited because of the energy he brings to the picture. Pacino masterfully balances humor and intensity as Hoffa, and it was the perfect first-time collaboration between him and Scorsese. It’s hard to even put into the words the acting excellence when Pacino and De Niro, Pesci and De Niro, and Pesci and Pacino are on screen together. It is acting at its finest. The brilliant performances do not stop at these three masters. This film is filled with amazing supporting performances from Harvey Keitel, Ray Romano, Stephen Graham, Anna Paquin, and so much more. Scorsese brilliantly allows every single actor to shine in this film, and brings the uniqueness and best out of each and every one of them.

Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography is rich and pristine with his genius lighting that helps to immerse you in the story and world even more, and evoke the different time periods in the film. Him and Scorsese effectively utilize color to give each decade in the film its own signature look and feel, as well as to visually express the psychology of the characters. The cinematography by Prieto is an achievement that helps to make this film a masterpiece. Again, Scorsese’s incredible attention to detail is evident in this movie in bringing us into these time period’s and the life of the character’s. Bob Shaw’s production design is perfect in bringing the setting and time periods in the film to vivid life, aided by Christopher Peterson and Sandy Powell’s detailed and magnificent costume design. 

The screenplay by Steven Zaillian, who also penned Ridley Scott’s fantastic American Gangster (2007), is intelligent and compelling that perfectly balances the multiple decades and many characters. He also writes exciting and rich dialogue that enhance the already perfect performances. It is so refreshing that Scorsese and Zaillian took their time to tell this story. They want you to spend time and live with Frank and these characters, feeling the lifetime that is being shown. Scorsese and Zaillian taking their time to tell this story and to slowly develop the characters made the film that much more of a rewarding viewing experience. The film is so perfectly paced, where no amount of screen time what’s so ever feels as though it should be cut out. This is because of immaculate editing from longtime Scorsese collaborator, Thelma Schoonmaker, who is one of the best editors that cinemas has to offer. Her and Scorsese strike a perfect balance of vivaciousness and tranquility.

The Irishman is one of Scorsese’s most thematically rich and reflective films of his career. He and Zaillian reflect on life, and the choices we make, as well as the consequences of violence that lead to regret and destruction in our souls and to the people we hold most dear. They ask us to really experience the life of Frank Sheeran and the violent acts he commits and how he pays for them. It is powerful, beautiful and haunting, and that is because of Scorsese’s perfect direction, and Zaillian’s rich screenwriting. Scorsese wants us to think and to respond to the violence on screen and how that leads to regret and heartbreak, and the “gangster genre” is the perfect place for Scorsese to explore life and the consequences of violence, as well as many other themes.

Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman is an epic masterpiece of cinema, and not only the best film of the year so far, but also my personal favorite film of the year so. Fueled by Scorsese’s passionate and masterful direction, powerful performances, intelligent writing, beautiful cinematography, immaculate editing, and detailed production and costume design, The Irishman is a work of art. Scorsese proves once again that he is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, and that their is no one like him. This is his most reflective film, where he reflects on life, time, family, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of violence. He takes you into a world with three-dimensional characters that makes you ponder important themes and one you never want to leave. This is cinema at its most powerful, emotional, thought-provoking, riveting, and reflective. It is not to be missed.

GRADE: A+

 

John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum continues the excitement of the successful and impressive action franchise with groundbreaking action sequences and compelling world building with a fun cast of characters. The film once again is directed by Chad Stahelski and stars Keanu Reeves as the title character. For those who have not seen John Wick: Chapter 2, spoilers follow. The film follows the events right after the second entry, where John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is on the run with a $14 million bounty on his head for killing a member of The High Table, an international assassin’s guild. The first two John Wick movies are astonishing examples of the way action movies should be made. It is filmed in long takes with creative choreography where the action is clearly shown. The incredible action that this franchise is known for is once again evident in John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum, with it having the most visceral and exhilarating action of the entire franchise.

A John Wick movie would be nothing without over-the-top well choreographed action, and the action sequences in this third entry were the best of all three films. Stahelski once again brings his experience of being a stunt coordinator, stunt double and second unit director in Hollywood for years, to this film by creating brutal, bare-knuckle action sequences that are astonishingly well filmed with outstanding choreography. The action in this film is the most ambitious it has ever been in terms of its choreography, stunt-work and camerawork. Stahelski, the stunt team, and everyone else involved definitely deserve a lot of praise for the groundbreaking action that is on display. The action, as mentioned before is shot in long takes which provides a lot more excitement to the action because what is happening on screen is actually visible and comprehendible, rather than it being presented through shaky cam and quick cuts. Stahelski and company actually put a lot of time and energy to create action that is exciting and fun to watch where you feel the intensity from every action that a character makes, and their hard work shows and pays off.  It being shot in long takes is also proof that Keanu Reeves and all the other actors are performing many of their own stunts, which makes the action all the more authentic. It would be very hard to believe that anyone would be disappointed by the action in this movie. Just as you think one action sequence is the most insane, brutal and creative it could be, the next tops it, and the same goes for the one after that. My favorite action sequence in the movie was one in which John Wick is involved in a motorcycle chase with ninjas. Without giving too much away, the sheer creativity, unbelievable choreography and amazing camerawork in this sequence brought me much excitement, and is everything I want from a John Wick film.

Not only do these films have incredible action, they also have very interesting world building revolving around the High Table and its whole society of assassins that John Wick is a part of. The second film in the franchise really started to expand on the world introduced in the first film. This film continues that expansion where you learn even more interesting details about the High Table, as well as John Wick as a character. The world that co-writer of the film and creator of the franchise, Derek Kolstad has created is one that is engaging to spend time in and learn more about in this entry.  An aspect of these movies that I believe is not discussed enough and not given enough credit is its exceptional cinematography. Director of Photography, Dan Laustsen’s genius lighting techniques and use of color in this movie brilliantly establishes its tone and narrative. While Manhattan is a real place, the visual aesthetic that Stahelski and Laustsen create makes Manhattan feel very much only part of the world of John Wick, and provides a visually splendid presentation of the historic city. Every shot in this film is beautifully lit with a variety of different colors in neon that makes the film much more immersive and adds more to the already amazing action sequences.

While having the best action in the franchise, as well as excellent world building, this movie does suffer from some story issues. The character of Sofia (Halle Berry) felt as though she was in the film more as a set-up for future films where she will be featured more prevalent in the story. Berry was fantastic as this character (as she always is), especially in the action sequences, and her character was a nice addition to the world of John Wick, but Stahelski and the screenwriters did not do a good enough job in establishing why she needed to be in this movie. Their was reasoning for it, but I do not think it justified her character being in the movie, rather than for the sake of setting up future movies. Their was another new character added in this film, the Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon), who was not very compelling. This is not Dillon’s fault by any means: she is good in the movie, but just does not have the best character to work with. Whenever the film has scenes that focus on her character, the pacing suffers because of it, due to her character being forced into the story, with nothing all that interesting about her to be engaged in.

Overall, John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum is a worthy addition to the amazing action franchise with some of the best action in all of the movies, and once again proves why Keanu Reeves is one of the best action stars working today. It does have some story and character issues, but still has compelling world building much like the previous two movies. Despite some story and character issues here and there, this is everything we want from an action film. It has epic action sequences that are expertly directed and choreographed, and that are filmed in long takes with amazing stunt-work, and a likable character that is played by a likable actor giving a great performance. The John Wick franchise continues to be one of the best, if not the best, action franchise in cinema currently.

Marvel’s Infinity Saga finally reaches its conclusion with Avengers: Endgame, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. This has been what Kevin Feige and everybody at Marvel has been planning since Jon Favreau’s Iron Man (2008). Avengers: Endgame is a satisfying conclusion to the Infinity Saga, that is exciting, epic and emotionally rich, as well as a perfect sendoff for the original Avengers. Directors, Joe and Anthony Russo and screenwriters, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely did something unprecedented with Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in having our heroes lose, with Thanos (Josh Brolin) succeeding in killing off half the universe by the snap of his fingers with the Infinity Stones. Everybody, including myself were excited to see the aftermath of the snap and the conclusion to Marvel’s epic Infinity Saga in Avengers: Endgame, and now it is time to discuss it, SPOILERS galore. So, if you have not seen Avengers: Endgame yet, come back and read this review after you see the movie, unless you do not care about spoilers whatsoever. All that being said, Avengers Assemble!!!

This is by far the most emotionally rich Marvel Cinematic Universe film, where the stakes are at their highest. The emotional depth that is at the center of this film is evident right in the opening sequence. It was genius to open the movie with Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and his family. Much like Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), the relationship between Hakweye and his family is really beautifully handled, but this time around, it does not end happily for Clint. Clint, one second enjoying teaching his daughter how to shoot a bow and arrow while his sons are playing catch, and his wife making lunch to them all vanishing from Thanos’ snap was the perfect way to open the movie because it made it evident right away that this was going to be a very different MCU movie in terms of its emotional depth. Another scene early on in the film that revealed the emotional core that is at the center of this film was when Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) was brought back from Earth and is livid with Steve (Chris Evans), mentioning Ultron and the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016). Robert Downey Jr. was incredible in this scene, and this film is the best he has ever been as Tony Stark/ Iron Man. This scene really highlighted how broken Tony feels from failing to defeat Thanos, as well as his and Steve’s broken relationship.

Speaking of Thanos, I did not expect for him to be killed off that soon in the film. I thought maybe, like many people, that he would be killed off before the second act, but not as soon as he did. It was quite a shock sitting in the theater seeing Thor chop off Thanos’ head with Stormbreaker. At the time it happened, I was disappointed that it happened so soon, since Thanos is the MCU’s best villain, one of the reasons being Josh Brolin’s layered and menacing performance, but the disappointment faded once past Thanos came into the fold. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) was also the perfect character to kill Thanos, considering all that he had already lost before the snap, and because he had failed to do so in Avengers: Infinity War. I also did not expect there to be a five year gap, right after Thor killed Thanos, but it made sense, especially in regard to Tony having a daughter, Morgan (Lexi Rabe) that provided so much rich storytelling and humanity to the film. The surprises of Thanos being killed off so soon and the five year gap reveal how the Russo Brothers and Markus and McFeely really work hard to surprise the audience.

What I really appreciate about what the Russo brothers did with this movie was that they took their time in the first act, and paced it slowly for us to really feel the post-apocalyptic world that our favorite characters now inhabit. Before the story really unfolds, we are able witness how the Avengers are trying to move on from Thanos’ snap and how the world has changed because of it. Cap is leading a self-help group, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is leading the heroes who have survived on missions and Hawkeye is going above the law killing criminals because of anger that they lived and his family didn’t, all while trying to accept the fact that the world they once knew is gone forever. Hawkeye becoming a murdering vigilante, basically like The Punisher was very intelligent on the Russo Brothers and Markus and McFeely’s part because it added more darkness and complexity to the MCU with Hawkeye committing immoral actions by killing criminals, as a way of avenging his family, since he cannot kill Thanos. I thought that was a very dark and interesting character choice, and this is the best Hawkeye has ever been in the MCU because of it. Jeremy Renner has not been given enough credit for his performance in this movie. The pain and heartbreak he expresses in the film, as well as the darkness that has consumed his character, all while still having a sense of humor at times is not a simple task, and yet Renner made it appear simple with his complex and natural performance. While all of our favorite characters are trying to move on from half of the world being gone, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) shows up after being trapped in the Quantum Realm, and it is revealed how they are going to reverse the snap, which is by going back in time, to previous films in fact, to retrieve the Infinity Stones and reverse Thanos’ snap.

It was nothing short of awesome seeing The Avengers go back in time to past MCU films, such as The Avengers (2012) and Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). It gave us the chance to once again experience in a different way our favorite MCU films, and it was exhilarating to watch. It showed how far the MCU has come and how rich the world and the characters inhabiting it are. I cannot deny how much I loved seeing some of my favorite characters from the MCU go back in time to other previous MCU films I loved, especially The Avengers (2012). That being said, my absolute favorite moments in the second act of the film were not when the characters traveled back in time to other MCU Movies, but rather when they traveled back in time to other periods of that time that were not correlated to a specific MCU movie. Personally, the time travel sequence I loved the most was when Steve and Tony went back to the 1970’s to retrieve the Tesseract after failing to do so in New York, where Steve sees young Peggy again and Tony has one last conversation with his father. Tony’s broken relationship with his father and not having closure with him before he died has always been important to the character of Tony in these movies, and it was extremely satisfying to see Tony finally have that closure with his father, even if his father does not know that it is him. Also, right before Steve and Tony travel back to the 70’s, it was extremely emotionally satisfying witnessing Tony asking Steve “Do you trust me?” and Steve replying simply “I do”. It made me full of joy seeing my two favorite characters in the MCU restore their friendship and trust one another once again with their lives.

The most emotionally impactful scene during the second act of the movie with the time travel is when Black Widow and Hawkeye travel to Vormir to retrieve the Soul Stone. As we all know, to retrieve the Soul Stone, “a soul must be given up for a soul”, and Black Widow sacrificed her life for the stone, which really means, she did it for the world. It was a heartbreaking scene seeing Natasha and Clint argue and physically fight one another over who was going to be the one to sacrifice his or her life. Natasha and Clint’s friendship has always been one of the best of the MCU, which makes this scene all the more heartbreaking. Just as it appears that Clint is going to be the one who is going to sacrifice his life, Natasha saves him at the last minute and sacrifices her own. Out of all the character deaths that I though may have happened in this movie, this was the least expected. Again, it reveals how the Russo Brothers and Markus and McFeely really put a lot of effort in telling stories that surprise us. While a somber farewell, it was also beautiful because Natasha sacrificed her life so that The Avengers could reverse Thanos’ snap, and she has been a character that has been trying to redeem her past wrongs since she was introduced in the MCU. While it was a heartbreaking conclusion, it was also a satisfying one because it shows how far she has come, and that she finally redeemed herself of her past wrongs by selflessly giving up her life for the world to be saved. Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner also played these scenes beautifully, where their friendship and love one for one another was felt more than ever.

While the second act of the film where The Avengers are going back in time to previous films and different time periods was very well done, it did feel a little unfocused with some uneven pacing. I was always entertained watching the second act, and it is nothing short of awesome, but simultaneously, it sometimes felt that there was too much going on with the pacing feeling very choppy with not a solid fluidity to it. We see this group of characters go here, then this other group of characters go there, and so on, and at times, it felt like many great scenes and moments that the Russo Brothers did not always connect coherently. The film as a whole, while for the most part well paced and constructed did not feel as seamlessly paced and constructed as Avengers: Infinity War because of some of the time travel moments and a couple of scenes in the first act. As I mentioned, I really admired that the Russo Brothers took their time slowly building the first act of the film, but their are a couple of scenes that could have been trimmed down in editing to make the film flow better, such as the diner scene with Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Scott and the kids not wanting to take the picture with Scott. Personally, I felt that scene went on too long and the joke lost its steam early on, but the scene kept going. Little moments like those do hurt the pacing overall. By far, the biggest problem with Avengers: Endgame is what they did with Thor. I really liked the idea that Thor has stopped taking care of himself because he regrets not killing Thanos before the snap, but  making it comedic dishonored Thor as a character and felt tonally inconsistent with the rest of the film.  Yes, of course their is humor in the movie that works exceptionally well, but the whole Thor being a slob bit overstayed its welcome and took away from scenes that were supposed to be an emotional moment for Thor. One scene in particular is when Thor wants to reverse the snap, and asks Tony what he thinks is running through his veins, and Rhodes replies “Cheese Whiz”. This was a very emotional scene and turning point for Thor in this film and the joke of him not taking care of himself took away from that. This by no means Chris Hemsworth’s fault. He is once again, amazing as Thor, and his performance makes what the filmmakers did with Thor a little bit more bearable.

While Endgame was great the first two hours, despite a few problems, nothing could have prepared us for the beauty of the last hour! The last hour of this film has the greatest moments out of any comic book film, and can never be replicated. It is simply epic! After the Avengers retrieve all of the Infinity Stones from past films and different time periods, Hulk reverses the snap right before past Thanos destroys the Avengers base. The beauty of the last act of this film starts right when Captain America picks up Mjolnir, revealing what Thor has known since Avengers Age of Ultron, that Captain America is worthy! Seeing a close-up shot of Mjolnir shaking, then having it cut to a shot of Captain America wielding it with a camera push-in was absolutely glorious, and it only got better from there! Just as Thanos unleashes his whole army on just Cap, Iron Man and Thor, all of our favorite characters that make up the entire MCU, including all those that were killed by the snap in Avengers: Infinity War appear from Doctor Strange’s portals to defeat Thanos once and for all, and establishing comic book cinematic brilliance along the way with beautiful visual effects, the Russo Brothers’ kinetic camerawork and Alan Silvestri’s magnificent score! Seeing this on the silver screen, especially in IMAX, hearing Captain America finally say “Avengers Assemble” and witnessing pure comic book cinematic exuberance was quite an epic experience!

Then, the moment finally comes, after amazingly filmed action with so many amazing characters involved, it finally comes to a conclusion with Iron Man retrieving all of the Infinity Stones, and then snapping his fingers to defeat Thanos and his entire army, and save the world. He does all this sacrificing his own life! The character that started it all, and easily the character with the best arc in the entire MCU saves the entire world while responding to Thanos “I am Iron Man” after Thanos tells him “I am inevitable”, thinking he has the Infinity Stones and that he has won. Hearing Tony say “I am Iron Man” as he is about to snap his fingers to save the world was emotionally satisfying and perfection.  After I watched Avengers: Endgame, I rewatched Iron Man, and a scene that hit me especially hard was when Yinsen, right after he is shot in the cave where him and Tony are trapped tells Tony to not waste his life. Tony could not have made Yinsen more proud by sacrificing his life for the entire world. Tony’s death was powerful and poignant to say the least, but also beautiful because he ended his wonderful arc in a satisfying way by dying a heroes death. It was a beautiful and noble goodbye that this incredible character deserved, and I applaud and would like to thank Robert Downey Jr. for bringing joy to us all by playing this character all these years!

Finally, after this film has emotionally drained us, who have been fans of this franchise from the beginning, it ends on a more bittersweet note that perfectly concludes another major character’s story and arc. That character is Captain America! The two best characters in the entire MCU, Iron Man and Captain America, in my opinion, both have their journeys concluded in a satisfying way, with Tony dying a hero’s death, and Steve finally living the life he has always deserved. Steve takes the Infinity Stones back to the other timelines, but does not return from the time machine as expected. It is then revealed that he has come back, but not from the time machine, but instead as an old man sitting on a bench looking happier than he ever has before. It was brilliant that they decided to end Cap’s story by him deciding to go and live his life back in time with the love of his life, Peggy Carter! The film ends with Steve and Peggy dancing together in their home in the past, which is the dance that Steve missed when he went into the ice back in the 40s, and one he has waited for, for too long. Steve finally got the happy ending he deserved, and I could have not thought of any better way to end this wonderful film that concluded the epic Infinity Saga!

Overall, Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame is an emotionally satisfying conclusion to the Infinity Saga, and one of the best films in the entire MCU. It does have some pacing problems, and a poorly written version of Thor, but other than that, it is an exciting and emotionally rich comic book superhero film. Not only is it a satisfying conclusion to the Infinity Saga, but it also has the best final act in a superhero movie with for the most part, every character from the MCU uniting together to defeat Thanos. It is an epic superhero event film that I am happy I got to witness on the big screen!

Glass is written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, and stars Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, James McAvoy and Sarah Paulson. It is the final film in Shyamalan’s superhero trilogy, being a sequel to both Unbreakable (2000) and Split (2016). The film follows David Dunn (Willis), Elijah Price, also known as Mr. Glass (Jackson) and Kevin Wendell Crumb (McAvoy) in a mental hospital being told by psychiatrist, Dr. Ellie Staple (Paulson), that they are not superheroes. Glass is an intelligently written and directed film that is engaging and ambitious, and a great way to start the year of film in 2019.

Much like Unbreakable and Split, Shyamalan uses color in Glass brilliantly. Each of the three main characters have their own unique color. Dunn’s is green, Price’s is purple, and Crumb’s is yellow. This use of color in embodying characters allows Shyamalan to deepen his characterization and convey meaning visually. The cinematography by Mike Gioulakis who shot Split as well, is exceptional once again here. Shyamalan and Gioulakis work brilliantly together. Every shot is meticullaly composed and beautifully lit with stunning use of color.

What really impressed me about this film is how different of a superhero film Shyamalan made. It is very ambitious in its storytelling and raises many insightful questions, and is a refreshing take on the superhero film genre. Even amidst some of its problems, which will be addressed here soon, I felt Shymalan’s passion in every frame of this film. The way he blocks his actors and moves the camera is done with so much care and precision and is an absolute treat to watch. His passion is felt throughout this film, not only as a director, but also as a writer. He is excellent at characterization and character interaction, and here it is fantastic to see three of his most iconic characters in all the same film together interacting with one another. The dialogue is fantastic, and he also structured the film beautifully.

Glass is also filled with top-notch performances from the entire cast. This is the best Bruce Willis has been in quite some time as David Dunn. Watching the film, I really got a sense that Willis really admires Dunn as a character and the world that Shyamalan has created. His performance is subdued, but hidden with much raw depth. Of course, Samuel L. Jackson is fantastic. “When is he not?” He fully embodies and embraces Elijah Price/Mr. Glass as a character, and it is an exciting performance to watch. It is so enthralling to watch him play a maniacal and destructive man, who by appearance does not come across that way, which is a difficult balance that Jackson nails magnificently. Sarah Paulson is also wonderful in this movie as Dr. Ellie Staple. She is the newcomer in this franchise and becomes just as memorable as the three main characters because her performance is extremely captivating. Through her performance and Shyamalan’s excellent writing, I was intrigued by her character throughout the picture. The real star of the show in Glass though is James McAvoy as Kevin Wendell Crumb and his 24-personalites. He was astonishing in Split, and is once again astonishing here. His ability to play multiple characters and switch from one to the other in the same scene is mind-boggling. Every one of Kevin’s personalities is fully realistic and believable because McAvoy apples the same level of commitment to each single one of them to create the most compelling character in this trilogy.

This film really stands out from a production standpoint as well. The production design from Chris Trujillo is exquisite, with the mental hospital being visually interesting and a character in and of itself. One scene that really stood out from a production design stand point was a scene where all three main characters and Ellie Staple are in a large room with pink walls and a pink floor, which is another example of Shyamalan expertly using color for much more effective storytelling. I just thought that scene in particular was simple, but nonetheless effective and visually interesting production design. Props must also be given to Paco Delgado for his amazing costume design, in particular Elijah Price/Mr. Glass’s purple costume that is so unique and detailed, and that perfectly embodies Glass as a character. West Dylan Thordson’s score is outstanding as well, and gives the movie a fantastic atmosphere, as well as emotional depth. Shyamalan is a fantastic filmmaker that collaborates with great talents, so together through his creative and imaginative vision, he can create a one-of-a-kind world with unique and bold characters, as proven by Glass.

This is not a perfect film however. While the film strives because of its ambition, it also at times can be overindulgent and quite bloated. I very much admire what Shyamalan accomplished with Glass, but their is far too much happening where it can feel overwhelming and even a little unfocused. Their were moments in the film that I felt could have been better if Shyamalan had just restrained himself a little bit from a screenwriting perspective.

Overall, Glass is a great conclusion to Shyamalan’s superhero trilogy with exceptional cinematography, excellent performances and brilliantly detailed world building and characterizations. While sometimes its ambition can get the better of itself, it nonetheless is impressive and admirable what Shyamalan did with this film, and was a truly unique cinematic experience.

 

Happy New Year everyone! Now that it is 2019, it is time for me to list my top 10 favorite movies of 2018. 2018 was a fantastic year for cinema! Before my list of my 10 favorite movies of the year, I have listed two honorable mentions of movies that missed the list, but I still wanted to mention. After my honorable mentions, I have my top 10 personal favorite movies of 2018 listed from 10 to 1.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Upgrade

This film was one this year that really surprised me, and I could not believe how much I enjoyed it. Leigh Whannell as the director and screenwriter of the film took a story of revenge that has been done time and again, but added something unique and fresh too it.  I thought Whannell created such an immersive world, and the film had excellent production design. Logan Marshall-Green also delivered a great performance as the lead, and Whannell created excellent action sequences that were intense and brutal.

Bumblebee

It took quite a while, but their is finally a great Transformers film, and that is Bumblebee. This was the last film I saw in 2018, and it was a great one to end the year. It is just a fun and entertaining film with a great friendship at the center of it, between Bumblebee and Hailee Steinfeld’s character, Charlie. The director Travis Night, also directed the action beautifully as he shot the action in mostly wides with minimal cuts. Bumblebee was just a great way to reboot the Transformers franchise, and one that finally made me excited to see more Transformers movies. Hailee Steinfeld also gives an amazing performance in the film as Charlie, who I found a very relatable character.

Now without further ado, here are my top 10 favorite films of 2018!

10. Creed II

This movie is what a fantastic sequel should be. Director Steven Caple Jr. and screenwriters, Sylvester Stallone and Joel Taylor brilliantly progress Adonis Creed’s story in an enthralling way that honors Ryan Coogler’s Creed, but while still feeling as it’s very own thing. Caple Jr. was the perfect filmmaker to take the reins from Coogler, in that much like Coogler, he harnesses the raw emotional depth of this story, and delivers pulse-pounding boxing sequences. Once again, Adonis Creed and Rocky Balboa’s relationship is so moving to watch and experience, and one of the great things, among many in this movie. The performances are phenomenal as well from the entire cast, especially Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson, who bring such multi-faceted and well-fleshed out characters to life that feel as though they are real people. Creed II also has one phenomal montage sequence that was exhilarating to watch in the theater. This is a movie that I really liked when I first saw it, and the more I have thought about it, the more I have come to love it, and that is why it is my 10th favorite movie of 2018.

9. Bohemian Rhapsody

I found Bohemian Rhapsody to be such an epic celebration of Queen with outstanding performances, sharp dialogue, breathtaking cinematography and phenomenal costume and production design. Rami Malek delivers one of the most captivating performances of the year as Freddie Mercury. It is extremely impressive how he became Mercury and how much he lost himself in the role. Watching his performance in this film was such a treat because it really is a performance of a lifetime, and I cannot wait to see what he does next because he truly is an incredible actor. I adored watching the members of Queen interact with one another in this movie, and I felt as though I was watching the members of Queen themselves interact with one another because ever single actor delivers such believable performances and the dialogue is so well written. Bohemian Rhapsody’s concert sequences are brilliantly executed and crafted, and are so immersive to the point where I felt I was at a Queen concert, especially the Live Aid concert. I was left speechless at the level of skill present in the recreation of the Live Aid concert. It was an absolute amazing experience watching the recreation of the Live Aid concert in this film on the silver screen with its epic and genius camerawork that left me speechless and its attention to detail. Watching this movie with its amazing concert sequences, especially the Live Aid sequence gave me chills in the theater with the amazing filmmaking on display and the phenomenal Queen music being performed.

8. First Man

Damien Chazelle, the director of this film, blew me away with what he accomplished. First Man is a technically astounding film that is unbelievably realistic and immersive where I felt I was experiencing Neil Armstrong’s very long journey to get to the moon with him. Every camera angle and camera movement that Chazelle uses in the spacecraft sequences adds so much white-knuckle intensity to this film that was incredible to behold! Linus Sandren’s cinematography was phenomenal, with its documentary like aesthetic that adds to the realism of the film, and then the epic scope of the moon shot with IMAX cameras that will be the closest I will ever get to going to the moon. Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy also deliver excellent performances, and I was very moved by Armstrong dealing with the death of his daughter, and how that was his motivation to go to the moon. It is a technically brilliant film that also has an emotional core at the center of it with a compelling lead character, and honors the sacrifices that many Americans made to get to the moon. Justin Hurwitz musical score was also amazing and added so much to the awe-inspiring presence in the film.

7. Ready Player One

Steven Spielberg once again proves why he is one of the greatest filmmakers, if not the greatest of all time, in my opinion with Ready Player One. Spielberg is my favorite director of all time, and this movie is another great entry in his amazing filmography. This film is awesome! Throughout the entire 2 hour and 20 minute runtime of this movie, I had a smile on my face. Spielberg directs this movie with so much passion, and shows audiences he has the spirit of a young child with the level of imagination he brings in every frame of this movie, and it is infectious to watch. The action is flat out phenomenal and brilliantly choreographed that brought me so much excitement. It is visually breathtaking with amazing motion capture work. It was so exciting seeing all the amazing pop culture references in this film, while at the same time, them not being used just for the sake of being used in replacement of the story. The film had a very engaging story with fun characters, and a great message of remembering that while technology is beneficial, it should not be something we devote our entire lives too. Spielberg and screenwriters, Zak Penn and Ernest Cline remind us with this film that we need to remember that what we experience in technology is not real life, and that we need to  take a break from always consuming technology to experience real life with our friends and family.

6. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

With Spider-Man being my favorite fictional character of all time, and being very important to me in my life, I had a lot of anticipation for this film and it more than delivered. This movies, as a massive Spider-Man man was the Spider-Man movie I was waiting for since Marc Webb’s excellent The Amazing Spider-Man (2012). While I thought that Spider-Man: Homecoming was a good and entertaining movie and Tom Holland is great as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, I thought it was a mediocre Spider-Man movie. Spider-Man: Homecoming captured the humor of Spider-Man, but did not capture what it means to be Spider-Man and the sacrifice that it takes. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is what I wanted Spider-Man: Homecoming to be in that it masterfully captures the both the humor of Spider-Man and what it actually means to be Spider-Man. This film reinforced the idea that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created with Spider-Man, which is that anyone can wear the mask. Spider-Man represents the every man in that any human being can be Spider-Man because he is an everyday person with real human problems. I have always related to Spider-Man, and the directors and writers of this movie understood what Spider-Man means to so many people, including myself. Miles Morales was also an amazing lead character to follow with a fantastic character arc. He was also extremely relatable, and Shameik Moore really embodied Morales through his excellent voiceover performance. The movie is also hilarious with one of the best screenplays of the year, and the animation is astonishing, beautiful and incredible! I felt as though I was watching one of my favorite Spider-Man comic books come to life.

5. Avengers: Infinity War

Anthony and Joe Russo did it! The long awaited movie since Iron Man (2008) finally arrived in 2018 and did not disappoint. The Russo Brothers directed this film brilliantly in that they seamlessly told a story with so many characters in so many different locations, and made it coherent and focused. Jeffrey Ford and Matthew Schmidt, the editors of the movie also deserve credit in their collaboration with the Russo Brothers to have this film be as coherent and so well paced as it was. Thanos is also the best villain the MCU has ever had, and was multi-dimensional in that even though what he is doing is wrong, he thinks what he is doing is right. The complexity of Thanos made him an intimidating and interesting villain, along with Josh Brolin’s fantastic performance. The action sequences were epic as well, and so much fun to watch. This is by far one of my favorite MCU movies, and maybe even one of my favorite comic book movies of all time. Great job Anthony and Joe Russo and everyone involved in pulling this movie off!

4. Roma

Roma is one of the most hypnotic and beautiful films I have ever seen! Once the film ended, I was speechless on the emotional journey I had experienced and the masterful filmmaking that was on display. Alfonso Cuarón tells the most personal story of his career as the director, screenwriter, cinematographer and co-editor. The film is about a time in his life in Mexico City in the early 197O’s and the story is told through the perspective of the film’s family’s maid played by Yalitza Aparicio. This is about Cuarón’s family, and his personal experiences using Aparicio’s character as a representation of his own nanny who the audience is following this very personal journey with. This film is an absolute masterpiece with masterful direction by Cuarón with so much rich detail in every single frame and many metaphors to digest and analyze. This film being so personal made feel as though I was a part of Cuarón’s family, experiencing everything with them, and it is so intimate while also being so grand it how it depicts the wonderful Mexican culture and the people of Mexico city all around them. Alfonso Cuarón is also the cinematographer of this film, and it is the most visually beautiful and stunning film I have seen all year. I also have to mention Yalitza Aparicio’s performance as the maid character, Cleo. This was Aparicio’s first time acting, and she is an absolute revelation! I was so connected to her character and journey. Roma is so high on my list because it moved me emotionally and was such a beautiful story about love, family, friendship compassion, courage and so much more. If none of you have seen this film, watch it on Netflix immediately. You will not regret it. Alfonso Cuarón has delivered quite a cinematic experience!

3. A Quiet Place

This was one of the most creative and intelligent movies I saw in 2018! John Krasinski directed a horror film that did not rely on cheap jump scares, but instead told a story about a family and parents doing anything to protect their children, and in this case, protecting them from terrifying creatures that attack based on sound. The film was scary because I cared about the family, and I wanted them to survive. Krasinski has stated that is what his goal was, and he more than achieved it. The performances from the entire cast of this film, from Krasinski to Emily Blunt, to the child actors Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe are all fantastic. Blunt’s performance might be my favorite performance given by an actress this year, especially with the bathtub scene which was revealed to be done in only one take. It takes quite an actress to pull off such a demanding scene like that in many takes, let alone only one, but Blunt more than pulled it off. I honestly believe this is one of the very best directed films I saw this year by Krasinski! He was able to make a film with basically no dialogue, no real explanation of what is going on, and had to make audiences feel for the characters with small intimate moments, and then have terrifying larger moments with impressive creature design all in a tight 90 minute runtime! That is no small feat, but Krasinski achieved it and it is a film I loved even more the second time I watched it! The sound design is also the best sound design in a movie this year, in my opinion. A Quiet Place is a beautiful film about family that also happens to be one terrifying and intense horror film as well, without being tonally inconsistent. It floored me and I cannot wait to see what Krasinski does next as a director!

2. Mission: Impossible- Fallout

Not only was Mission: Impossible- Fallout the best action movie of the year, I also think this is one of the greatest action movies ever made! No other film this year made me feel such exhilaration sitting in a theater as this film did. Every action sequence is so phenomenally directed by Christopher McQuarrie, filled with unbelievable and outstanding stunt work, and is shot in-camera with very little CGI. The action is so real and raw, and every single action sequence in the film tops the one before it! Tom Cruise is still at the top of his game at 56 years old. He is 56 years old and is skydiving, running from rooftops and operating a helicopter in insane ways. This what action films should strive for where the action is filmed in long takes with carefully planned out choreography that make audiences want to jump out of their seats with excitement. Watching this action in a theater was nothing short of exciting and I cannot believe the care and passion that went into the action of this film. When the action is not happening in this film, it is just as exciting because it has a compelling narrative with characters that I care about. Ethan Hunt, as a character was also given a lot of depth in this film that made it also a great character piece combined with an instant action classic!

1. A Star Is Born

My number 1 favorite film of 2018 is Bradley Cooper’s marvelous directorial debut, A Star Is Born! This movie affected me the most emotionally this year, and gave me a story and characters that I resonated with more than any other movie that came out in 2018. Cooper directs this film magnificently, creating such emotional depth, implementing wonderful camerawork, shooting Jackson and Ally from behind on stage so audiences experience the concert with them and capturing one of the best romances put to cinema in a long time with Jackson and Ally. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga have perfect chemistry with one another, and their relationship felt so real and raw, and I was so invested in it. The music is spectacular and adds even more depth to the plot and characters. Every single performance is exceptional. Cooper delivers, in my opinion, the best performance given by an actor this year and Gaga proves that not only is she an amazing singer, but also an amazing actress. It is a thematically rich film about fame, addiction, love, trauma and depression. The way in which Cooper told this story moved me so much and gave me an experience like no other movie this year, and that is why it is my favorite movie of 2018!

Thank you for reading my list of my top 10 favorite movies of 2018! It was quite a year of cinema, and I hope 2019 can be just as good. Their are many great looking films coming out in 2019 that I cannot wait to see. Thank you again and Happy New Year!

 

Creed II continues the story of Apollo Creed’s son from the Rocky franchise, Adonis Creed played by Michael B. Jordan with Rocky Balboa played by Sylvester Stallone as his mentor. This time around, Creed goes up against Viktor Drago, played by Florian Munteanu, son of Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren, who is the man responsible for killing his father, in Rocky IV. The film is directed by Steven Caple Jr., taking the reins from Ryan Coogler. Creed was one of my favorite films of 2015, so I was very excited to see the follow-up, but also a little worried. I was a little worried because Coogler was no longer directing, and I thought it had the chance of being just a generic sequel. I sure am ecstatic that I had nothing to worry about. I loved Creed II and what Steven Caple Jr. did as a director in further developing Adonis Creed’s story.

What Steven Caple Jr. and everybody involved in this movie continues to capture so well that was so greatly established in Creed is the compelling relationships between all the characters. By far one of my favorite aspects of the first film was the relationship between Adonis and Rocky, and that is no different here. They have a beautiful and moving father-son relationship that is an absolute treat to watch, as well as see it grow stronger. Jordan and Stallone’s chemistry is excellent. Whether it be a scene revolving around heavy emotions or witty humor, the way they work off each other is seamless, and feels like two real human beings who love each other. The same goes with Jordan and Tessa Thompson as Adonis’ significant other, Bianca. It was amazing to watch their relationship grow in this film, and Jordan and Thompson are enduring to watch. It is a cinematic relationship that evokes a grand sense of emotional richness, and one that is impossible to deny.

One of the most surprising aspects of this movie was how they presented the Drago’s. They are the villains in the movie, but the movie reveals who they are as people and what they struggle with rather than them just being treated as generic bad guys whose only character traits are to act like villains. I actually really cared for them as characters, and even though, I was still always rooting for Adonis, I still had sympathy for them. They were brilliantly written three-dimensional characters, which was very refreshing to see and added so much more depth to the film.

Whether someone likes this movie or dislikes it, their is no denying the stellar performances from the entire cast. Michael B. Jordan once again gives a layered and powerful performance as Creed. He commands the frame and once again made me connect to Creed and his wonderful arc as a character. When tears fill Jordan’s eyes as Creed, it feels so raw and one can’t help but be impressed by the emotional depth Jordan is able to harness as an actor. Stallone, by no surprise gives another excellent performance as Rocky Balboa, arguably his most iconic role. Watching the film, I never saw Sylvester Stallone, but only Rocky because he disappears into that character incredibly well. Stallone also provides some good laughs in his portrayal of Rocky. It would not feel right if I did not mention in this review the breathtaking performance by Thompson as Bianca. This is my favorite performance given by an actress this year. She lights up the screen every time she is in frame, and delivers such a beautiful and complex character that I adore. Lundgren also gives an outstanding performance as Ivan Drago that is subdued, but has such underlying depth, and should not be overlooked. Same goes for Florian Munteanu as Viktor Drago who gives an impressive first performance in a full-length feature film.

With Creed II, Caple Jr. shows audiences that he is one great director that can tell a moving story with excellent characterization. He has such a great command over the camera with creating such beautiful shots with excellent composition and camera movement, and also makes the film enthralling and visceral even when the boxing is not occuring. Caple Jr. also brilliantly utilizes parallel editing, where in one sequence, the film is cutting back and forth between two different events. His use of parallel editing gives the film a great energy. He also, with the help of amazing choreography and cinematography creates incredible boxing sequences. The boxing is exciting and brutal, and is beautifully filmed with a lot of medium-shots and wide-shots with great long takes. Caple Jr. made me feel as though I was at a real boxing match where I wanted to stand up and cheer.

If I had to point out one criticism of Creed II, it would be, while the screenplay is very good, it is not as lean as the first film’s in that it can feel as though their is too much going on at times. The movie never feels unfocused and is paced extremely well, but their is just a lot going on, and maybe a little bit too much. Since everything going on is enthralling to watch and the film is focused and very well paced, it is definitely more of a nitpick, but just something I felt I should address.

It is such a great feeling that Creed II lived up to the excellence of the first film. It may not be as good as the first film, but it certainly comes close. It develops Adonis Creed’s story in a compelling and satisfying way, and once again delivers amazing character relationships. I absolutely recommend going to see Creed II to experience the outstanding boxing sequences on the silver screen, as well as Steven Caple Jr.’s sure-handed, wonderful direction and the phenomenal performances from the entire cast.

GRADE: A-

First Man follows the years leading up to the very first moon landing from the perspective of Neil Armstrong, and takes a look into his personal life. It is directed by Damien Chazelle, the director of the wonderful La La Land as he works once again with Ryan Gosling, who plays the American icon, Neil Armstrong. This is a fantastic and exhilarating movie that is technically astounding and narratively rich.

This is by far one of the most immersive films I have seen in a while. Chazelle, as expected, directed this film exceptionally well, and utilized a lot of in-camera practical effects where he uses very little CGI to create a powerful sense of realism, and it pays off extremely well. His and the film’s production designer, Nathan Crowley’s attention to detail in presenting the technology that Armstrong and all the other astronauts used in the 60’s added so much in creating the realism. Chazelle shoots much of the space exploration sequences where Armstrong is in a spacecraft and rocket ship through his point of view, which made feel as though I was the one in that spacecraft and rocket ship going through space, and it gave me a better understanding of what Armstrong was experiencing. Every angle that Chazelle chooses in these sequences where Armstrong is in space are so meticulous and makes the film that much more visceral, as well as establish a feeling of claustrophobia where I was stuck with Armstrong in the spacecraft and rocket ship.

What I really admired about this movie is that Chazelle and the cinematographer, Linus Sandgren shot this film much like a documentary. The documentary style of shooting made the movie much more personal, and as though I was watching Armstrong, his fellow astronauts and his family live their lives, rather than watching a recreation of what their lives were like. To expand more on Sandgren, the cinematography in this film is marvelous. Every single shot in this movie is beautifully composed and lit, while perfectly capturing the time period. Sandgren and Chazelle in the spacecraft sequences shake the camera excessively to make us, the audience feel even more like we are in the spacecraft than already before. It was such a smart use of camera movement to create so much intensity and almost an uneasiness. While most of the film is shot in 16mm and 35mm film, Chazelle and Sandgren switch to 65mm IMAX when Armstrong finally lands on the moon in the film, and it is astounding to behold. Sandgren, like the rest of the film shoots this scene beautifully, and watching this entire sequence in an IMAX theatre was breathtaking and awe-inspiring. I felt as though I was on the moon with Armstrong.

Ryan Gosling is one of my favorite actors working today, and once again, with this movie delivers an outstanding performance as Neil Armstrong. I did not know much about Armstrong, other than him being the first man on the moon, but this film allowed me to get to know him a little better. Much of the film centers around Armstrong’s young daughter dying of cancer, and how her death was his motivation for going to the moon. In the film, Armstrong is a very reserved man who does not show a lot of emotion, and when he does, it is only when no one else is around. Gosling did a tremendous job  playing a man that seems to lack emotion while still presenting himself in a way that shows that he has a lot of pain internally. I imagine it must be very challenging to strike that perfect balance as an actor, but Gosling knocked it out of the park. Claire Foy also gives an amazing performance as Janet Armstrong, Neil Armstrong’s wife. Her performance is so layered, and she did just such a phenomenal job revealing Janet’s pain and struggle living life through the years leading up to the moon landing and when the moon landing actually occurs. Through her performance, I understood how much Janet sacrificed when Neil decided that he wanted to go to the moon.

I really loved that Chazelle and Josh Singer, the writer of the film revealed how much heartbreak and sacrifice occurred leading up to finally getting to the moon and it was great to see Armstrong’s perspective through it all. Honestly, it is nothing short of a miracle that Armstrong actually made it too the moon with all the failure NASA faced and the limited technology they were using. That uncertainty is what makes this movie very inspiring. When Armstrong finally makes it to the moon in the film, I felt that accomplishment since I followed his journey in the 8 years it took him to get to the moon through the 2 hours and 21 minutes of the film.

While I do believe this movie is incredible, I do have some criticisms, one of them being that I felt the movie was a little rushed in the beginning. It is 2 hours and 21 minutes, and honestly, I think Chazelle could have added at least ten more minutes to flesh out the beginning a little more. So much happens in the beginning in such a short period of time, and it felt a little jarring and took me out of the movie. If they would have just took a little more time in developing the story in the beginning, the pacing would have been a lot more coherent in that first half. Another negative aspect of this film is that while I do feel like I know who Neil Armstrong is a little more now, I do not think the film showed enough of Armstrong’s relationship with his two son’s, Mark and Rick Armstrong. I had a strong grasp on Neil and Janet’s relationship, but never grasped what his relationship with his son’s was like because they did not show enough scenes of them together in the movie, which I found disappointing. Those were my only negatives with the film. Other than that, this film is excellent.

First Man is a marvelously directed movie by Damien Chazelle that made me feel as though I was in the spacecraft and rocket ship with Neil Armstrong. It also has breathtaking cinematography by Linus Sandgren that was heightened in IMAX. Even though the film does suffer from rough pacing in the beginning and a lack of screen time with Amrstrong and his son’s, it is still narratively rich with a great script by Josh Singer and brilliant performances by Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy. By far the biggest compliment I can give to Chazelle in how he directed this film was that he made me feel anxiety for the entire runtime even though I obviously know that Armstrong makes it to the moon. This film is definitely one that needs to be watched in a theatre, especially IMAX. Watching First Man in IMAX was an awe-inspiring immersive experience that I am joyful I was a part of.

GRADE: A-