THE FRENCH DISPATCH

 Benecio del Toro     Adrien Brody     Tilda Swinton     Lea Seydoux     Frances McDormand     Timothee Chalamet

Jeffrey Wright     Bill Murray     Owen Wilson     Bob Balaban     Henry Winkler

            Wes Anderson’s stamp (wry humor, meaningful free association, characters in caricature, intrigue/mystery, curiosity, folksy drama, to name a few) is all over The French Dispatch, a group of stories about a Frenchified newspaper in Lawrence Kansas with that name owned by Arthur Howitzer, Jr., after his father, the founder of the publication died.  The first scenes of what look like a painting of a French village are captivating for both their artistry and the action figures that move within them.  The pictures represent the town of Ennui (pun intended), which has endured all kinds of crises during its existence.  We get to hear about some of those in this fanciful production.

            Another Anderson stamp is his continuing to engage actors and crew from his previous movies.  It gets to be another fun part of watching one of his films—identifying all the scores of actors who have appeared in his previous works.  Anderson puts them in completely different roles from what you would expect.  For instance, Tilda Swinton as an art curator is made up to look strikingly like Sofia Loren.  Well-known artists like cinematographer Robert D. Young and musician Alexandre Desplat are likewise regulars, playing essential roles in conveying the experiences Anderson wants you to have when viewing his films.

            The French Dispatch will not be to everyone’s taste, even for those who are fans.  Unlike his previous films, there seems to be no overarching point to this one.  It’s more like one where you just sit back and enjoy hundreds of moments in time with interesting people and situations that will somehow be recognizable to everyone.  The dialog is so sharp and fast-moving, I wished I had had a script in front of me or already read one where I could stop and savor the import of every scene.  It all goes by very fast.

            It’s curious at times to observe the dominance of women in this production.  Lea Seydoux does an exquisite rendition of a model/guard/dominatrix of an artist named Moses Rosenthal (Benecio del Toro), who is in prison for murder.  (Think of all the associations it took to come up with that image.)  Moreover, older women like Upshur ‘Maw’ Champette (Lois Smith) appear in decision-making scenes, and Lucinda Krementa (McDormand), a middle-aged writer for the Dispatch is shown in bed with young student activist Zeffirelli (Chalamet).  These encounters—like all others—are presented as droll pictures of a normal world.

            When Anderson seems to be spoofing or even criticizing things is not always clear.  For instance, he often shows characters smoking.  Now, Anderson does not smoke and thinks it’s bad for people, but he says, “It looks good on film.”  That is frequently seen in this movie, and, true, it often looks good; but there are also instances where he seems to be making some kind of point, say, about student protests or government agencies.  Maybe he’s leaving it up to the viewer to make up his/her own mind.

            As much as I love Wed Anderson films, I doubt this one will be a blockbuster.  I certainly enjoyed it and would like to see it again—maybe even read the script—but it is likely not to appeal to all Anderson fans, and certainly not to the general public.  

 

A quirky Wes Anderson film with a collection of stories that will only be savored by some.

 

Grade:  B                              By Donna R. Copeland

SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO

Benecio Del Toro     Josh Brolin     Isabela Moner     Jeffrey Donovan    Catherine Keener

Elijah Rodriguez     Manuel Garcia     Matthew Modine     Bruno Bichir

     Taylor Sheridan is a writer whose fascination with the western ethos has prompted him to write screenplays highlighting the cultural (and cross-cultural) tugs and binds for people living in the spirit of the American West (Sicario, Hell or High Water, Wind River).  And now comes Sicario:  Day of the Soldado, where he picks up on the Mexican-American border and cartel issues seen in the first Sicario.  Our familiar protagonists, Alejandro (Del Toro) and Matt Graver (Brolin) are charged with pitting two Mexican cartels against each other to stem the tide of human trafficking to the U.S., which has now become the most valuable commodity for them.  

     The immediate plan is to kidnap the daughter of the Reyes cartel “king”, Isabel (Moner), and use her as leverage with the Matamoros cartel.  Things don’t go as planned, of course, and when Isabel escapes amidst gunfire and strikes out on her own, Alejandro goes after her, telling Matt to meet him at the border.  It will not be an easy task.  In the interim will be an encounter with a deaf-mute (fortunately, Alejandro knows sign language), identification of Alejandro and his charge by a sharp young trafficker at the border (Rodriguez), and no communication with the American agents.

     The film purposefully leaves us hanging in its last scenes, and sets us up for the inevitable sequel, which we all get tired of, but which will nevertheless be foisted upon us anyway.  Word on the street is that Emily Blunt will be featured in the third edition, but I hope that Sheridan will figure out how to write a role for her that will show strength and resourcefulness without the stereotypical “female” characteristics, which he seems to be stuck on.  

     One of the things that bothered me most in this film was to see Isabel portrayed in the beginning as a bully-female, beating up a fellow student and showing a narcissistic kind of entitlement when confronted by her school principal.  This scene kept me from sympathizing with her when she got kidnapped.  Yes, a privileged child might behave that way, but how much more inspiring and creative it would be to show her evolving as experience and time transpire.  The film shows a bit of this when she takes up for her captor at one point, but in this case, like with many of Sheridan’s female characters, it’s not a full-blown effect. It would have been better to give her more charisma and feistiness, making her someone the audience could delight in.

     Another underwritten character is Cynthia Foards (Keener), the supervisor of Graver.  She seems to follow her upper-level consultants mindlessly, without any creativity or assertiveness.

     Del Toro and Brolin play their roles as written with expert finesse, being the talented actors they are, but Del Toro can show much more frightening intimidation in his character and Brolin much more calculating bravado than they are given a chance to show here.  

      This is a good film, but seems to be another one in which the filmmakers are so focused on sequels they slight the film they are making.

Border patrol intrigue with twists.

Grade:  B                                                By Donna R. Copeland

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

Daisy Ridley     Domhnall Gleeson     Adam Driver     Oscar Isaac

Mark Hamill     Carrie Fisher     John Boyega     Kelly Marie Tran      

Benecio Del Toro     Andy Serkis     Laura Dern     Justin Theroux

     Not many films and filmmakers can keep up the momentum that the two space fantasies Star Wars and Star Trek have, and in this eighth sequence of Star Wars, writer/director Rion Johnson proves that this franchise is still good to go.  He does a good job in preserving and renewing beloved themes and images while introducing new ones that point toward the future.  We see two of the original characters, Luke Skywalker (Hamill) and Princess Leia (Fisher); and new interactions between Rey (Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Driver)—both introduced in the last episode, The Force Awakens—set up so that we know they will meet again.

   The Last Jedi opens with an attack on the Jedi resistance forces, which now consist of only 400 fighters on three ships.  The story will shift back and forth between attacks from the Jedi’s arch enemy, the First Order, commanded by General Hux (Gleason) and their own attacks, commanded by General Leia Organa, upon the First Order.  General Hux must answer to the supreme leader, Snoke (Serkis), who initially denigrates him for his failure to stop the destruction of some major artillery.

   Meanwhile, Rey, who finally located Luke Skywalker on the planet Ahch-To in the last picture, revisits him with the message that his presence in the battle is critical for the survival of the Jedi.  He has been coming to the philosophical conclusion that the survival of the Jedi is not that important, so her job will involve many hurdles, meditations, and encounters.  Will she convince him to go? 

   There are additional scenarios and encounters to keep the story intriguing, like the relationship between Finn (Boyega), Rey’s missing co-pilot, and Rose (Tran) a mechanic with impressive knowledge and skills; Poe (Isaac) and whoever is in charge of the Jedi at the time; and the triangle of Snoke (Serkis), General Hux, and Kylo Ren. 

     It’s not all drama; there are many scenes that make the audience laugh out loud, like that with Chewbaca and the bird-like creatures, the Porgs; the trip through the casino planet and recruitment of the code-breaker DJ (Del Toro); and Poe’s hacking into the First Order’s communication system.  

    This episode in the Star Wars saga boasts a huge cast of talented, actors already famous for other roles and for previous Star Wars productions:  Mark Hamill (still packing a punch of the rebel Luke Skywalker; Adam Driver (writhing under the struggle within himself about identifying with the dark side); Domhnall Gleeson [reveling in his shaky command of the First Order, which is threatened by Kylo Ren (Driver) and, ultimately by Snoke himself (Serkis)]; Oscar Isaac, the “trigger-happy” Poe trying to influence the Jedi leadership of General Leia and Vice Admiral Holdo (Dern); Benecio Del Toro emerging in the casino to volunteer his hacking skills as DJ; and, finally, the funny, flirting, techno skilled interactions between Finn (Boyega) and Rose (Tran). 

     The star, Daisy Ridley, has held onto her success in capturing the previous role of Luke Skywalker in the Jedi forces as Rey, a fearless, persistent, cheeky young woman who is relentless in pursuing her goals.  This involves her own personal exploration (who she is, where she came from) as well as perfecting the art of The Force. 

     Star Wars fans are likely to be jubilant over this production that seems to have preserved much of the character of the previous films and ventured into new territory, all while keeping the elements of surprise and humor.

Rion Johnson’s production appears to cover all the bases for fans in its preservation of the beloved, surprising twists and turns, and comedic bursts.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

ESCOBAR: PARADISE LOST

Josh Hutcherson     Benecio Del Toro     Claudia Traisac     Brady Corbet

The “Paradise Lost” in Escobar:  Paradise Lost is paradise lost times two.  Pablo Escobar was living in a mansion surrounded by family (which he adored), and with enough power to make or destroy anyone in the vicinity.   When this story takes place, he is head of the Medellin Cartel in Colombia and incredibly wealthy; but eventually, he is forced to make a deal for his life and be incarcerated.  So his paradise is lost to him (some religions might say for his sin of selling an addictive substance all over the world). 

           This story centers as much around young Nick (Hutcherson) meeting a native woman named Maria (Traisac) as it does Escobar.  Maria is standoffish at first, complaining about northerners coming to Colombia and thinking it is paradise where they simply want to come and have fun without investing in the people or the culture.  Nick and his brother Dylan (Corbet) are Canadians who have come to set up a shack on the beach to sell snacks and for Nick to give surfing lessons.  Maria soon gives in to Nick’s charm, and they become a couple.  It turns out she is Escobar’s niece, and before he knows it Nick is employed at their hacienda and welcomed like a member of the family.  Pablo is thrilled and tells Nick he is like a son to him. 

           Well, one of the morals of this story is never to get involved with criminals, and Dylan strongly advises his younger brother not to get drawn in.  But Nick is naïve and Pablo and the family so warm and welcoming, he doesn’t heed the advice.  Little does he know that his own paradise may be snatched away.

           Andrea Di Stefano, the director making his debut with this film, has been an actor for years, and clearly shows he has directorial talent.  With co-writer Francesca Marciano, he has brought an absorbing, riveting drama to the screen, based at least partly on the real story of Pablo Escobar’s life.  (I presume the part about Nick and Dylan was created for the film.)  The film is greatly enhanced by Max Richter’s music.  He is well known for the music in The Lunchbox, Wadjda, and the recent Testament of Youth. 

           The gifted Del Toro, with a long string of credits to his name, is in his element playing Escobar, showing his devotion to family, his status as hero of the common people (donating everything from soccer stadia to hospitals and clinics for the poor), contrasting with his cold ruthlessness when he orders a death.  Josh Hutcherson of Hunger Games fame, gives one of his best performances, especially when his life is endangered and he is on the run.  He and Claudia Traisac (Maria), who is optimally expressive, have good chemistry and look like a “real” couple together. 

           In my opinion the insertion of a romantic/thriller drama within a dramatized version of the Pablo Escobar story is remarkably successful.

A riveting dramatization within a brief look at the real Pablo Escobar’s life.

Grade:  B                                                                       By Donna R. Copeland