THE CALL OF THE WILD

Harrison Ford     Omar Sy     Cara Gee     Bradley Whitford

Karen Gillan     Dan Stevens     Colin Woodell

     In giving children a dose of nature without so much of the cruelty and violence to dogs that are in the novel, this movie succeeds.  The dogs and wolves are beautiful and the Alaskan scenery is gorgeous. (Kudos to cinematographer Janusz Kaminski for the photographic beauty as well as filming maneuvers.)  The dog Buck’s experiences are models of behavior that can be beneficial to kids, such as the kindness he shows even to strangers, and a logical separation towards the end of the story.  Adults may not take to the film as much as children because of the overly human-like appearance and behaviors of the animals, especially Buck, and the lack of suspense in figuring out what will happen.

     In the beginning, Buck is shown to be rambunctious, not suitable for the genteel life of his owner on plantation-sized property.  This is patient Judge Miller (Whitford) who gently chides him for charging through the house and town and knocking things over—including the mailman.  After one hectic day, the judge makes him sleep on the porch at night “to think over” what he has done.  This gives a local thief the opportunity to dog-nap Buck and sell him. 

     From there, Buck’s adventures are with various masters, the first one cruel and Buck manages to run away, then he is bought by a couple with a dog sled delivering mail, then by another couple with an outsized hunger for gold (this is during 19^thcentury gold rush times) the husband (Stevens) being not only selfish and cruel but stupid as well.  Harrison Ford as John Thornton narrates the story and appears from time to time in Buck’s life as someone with normal sympathies for the oppressed.  Thornton and Buck end up together and prove to be good pals, despite Thornton’s reluctance in the beginning, and each must rescue the other on critical occasions.

     Based on Jack London’s continuing successful novel of the same name, The Call of the Wild movie in 2020 is the seventh film rendition of the story, not including a TV series.  Complaints about it center mostly around the computer-generated dog Buck, which the viewer may find a little creepy, especially when he reacts and communicates so much like a human figure and very un-dog-like. Another criticism is about this being simply another repeat of the story on film.  How filmmakers can justify it is beyond me.  How much better it would be for them to use their resources to create something new.  After all, the film industry is replete with talented people.

A coming-of-age story for the dog Buck who travels from a genteel southern plantation to the snow covered Alaskan Yukon with life-changing events along the way.

Grade:  C                                    By Donna R. Copeland

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2

Voices of:  Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Harrison Ford, Patton Oswalt, Eric Stonestreet

Jenny Slate, Lake Bell, Hannibal Buress, Nick Kroll, Dana Carvey, Ellie Kemper

      Whereas in the first rendition of The Secret Life of Pets, a relatively simple story with lots of excitement is told, in Secret Life 2, the filmmakers opted to have three loosely related story plots alternating with one another.  One story is about the main character Max having to adjust to his owner’s new baby and going for a visit to a farm where he encounters an intimidating bigger dog named “Rooster” (Ford), although Rooster isa dog.  Another is about Max’s friend Gidget (Slate) trying to retrieve Max’s favorite toy, “busy bee”—which he entrusts her with while he is out of town—when it bounces away and ends up in a cat-filled apartment.  The third story is about Snowball (Hart) feeling like a super hero when his owner dresses him up in an action figure costume, and his friend Daisy (Haddish) asks him for help in rescuing a circus tiger from its abusive trainer Sergei (Kroll).  

     In my opinion, this structure becomes a near fatal flaw, because it fragments the plot and literally lurches through three very different settings and intrigues. Max is trying to brave it up on the farm; Gidget and her friend Chloe (Bell) are frantically trying to wrest “busy bee” from one huge snarling cat in a house full of cats, and Snowball and Daisy become action figures in outwitting and outfighting the evil Sergei for the tiger. Try as the filmmakers might, the three stories don’t really come together in the end; we just get a sample of endless chases modeled after adult action movies.  Bravery seems to be the element tying all this together, but by the end, we feel like we’ve seen three different movie shorts.

     The actors voicing the animals do a great job highlighting their characters’ personalities (Harrison Ford, Tiffany Haddish, and Nick Kroll are welcome additions to the first team), the animation and special effects are entertaining, and Alexandre Desplat’s music is an apt accompaniment.  

     Children in the screening I attended giggled and laughed at expected times and seemed to enjoy the film overall; I just wonder how well the younger ones especially followed and kept track of the three plots.

Another peek into the pet world, where challenges and intrigues are aplenty.

Grade:  C                                    By Donna R. Copeland

BLADE RUNNER 2049

Ryan Gosling     Harrison Ford     Robin Wright     Ana de Armas     Jared Leto     Sylvia Hoeks     Mackenzie Davis

   The cinematography (Roger Deakins), special effects and other-world atmosphere (production design by Dennis Gassner) give this film’s story the mystery and spookiness it deserves.  The 1982 Blade Runner film, based on Philip K. Dick’s graphic novel, has been updated by screenwriters Hampton Fancher (who also worked on the earlier film) and Michael Green under the excellent direction of Denis Villeneuve.  It’s fast-moving and suspenseful, leading the viewer down garden paths that make it seem predictable, but ultimately is not.

     ‘K’ (Gosling) is a blade runner charged by his supervisor Lt. Joshi (Wright) to track down out-moded replicants made by the Tyrell Corporation and retire them.  The new ones, manufactured by Niander Wallace (Leto), who bought the Tyrell Corporation, are considered to be so human-like a special test has been devised to distinguish between replicant and human.  ‘K’ must be tested each time he returns to base to be sure that he has not been tampered with.

     Something comes up in one of his investigations that arouses his curiosity, and he begins to pursue it, against the orders of Joshi.  This search constitutes the main part of the story with all its complexity, assortment of figures, and dangerous encounters.  He does eventually find Deckard (Ford), the original Blade Runner, who has become a recluse, and who is not very happy to see him, but K has burning questions Deckard can answer—or so he thinks.

     The picture of the future that Blade Runner 2049 constructs is alarming as well as fascinating.  Identities merge and transform with ease, paranoia about who is who is rampant, sophisticated space ships for rapid travel seem to appear out of nowhere any time, and most of the buildings look like tool shops inside.  Digitized figures (many especially in the form of sexy women) tower over the city, which is teeming with multitudes.  At one point, a character says, “We’re all just looking out for something real”, which is like the viewer’s experience throughout the story.

     2049 continues with the existential questions of the first Blade Runner, having a lot to do with issues about what it means to be human.  Yet, although it is enlightening to be familiar with the previous film, 2049 stands on its own; it’s not necessary to have seen the first film to grasp the import of the current rendition.

With robotics in our near future, it behooves us to consider what it is to be human.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Daisy Ridley   John Boyega   Carrie Fisher   Harrison Ford   Oscar Isaac   Adam Driver   Domhnall Gleeson   Simon Pegg   Lupita Nyong’o   Andy Serkis   Max von Sydow

          The Force comes on strong in this seventh episode of Star Wars directed by J. J. Abrams.  Expectations are high among hard-core fans, and they’re not likely to be disappointed.  Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher reprise their roles (with Leia now a general), grieving for their son who may have gone to the Dark Side.    Also reappearing are Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), and, briefly, R2-D2 and C-3PO.  The special effects are just as spectacular as always, and although bits of story are inserted here and there, the battle scenes constitute most of the picture. 

          New characters include Rey (Ridley) and Finn (Boyega) who meet for the first time when he rescues her from a dire situation.  She is a scavenger with powers she is unaware of so far and he is a former First Order Stormtrooper who abandons his post out of conscience; he regards the First Order (Dark Side) as immoral.  Another new character is Poe (Isaac) who works for the resistance and has been trusted with part of the map that will lead to the missing Luke Skywalker.  Captain Phasma (Christie) is a female on the dark side.  This version of Star Wars has tried to incorporate more strong female roles, e.g., Rey and Phasma, and these two show their strengths appealingly.  Dombnall Gleeson as General Hux (for the dark side) is appropriately unlikeable and efficient. Andy Serkis as the Supreme Leader Snoke is appropriately terrifying and ominous.  A refreshing new robot, BB-8, originally sketched out by Abrams, is a light-humored, tender addition to the cast.

      The spirit and excitement hearkening back to the previous Star Wars has been preserved by Abrams with his writer Lawrence Kasden and composer John Williams; and just enough new material and characters have been added to sustain interest in the series.  So it appeals to both ends of the spectrum, nostalgia for the past and suspense for what will come next in the continuing saga.  This is the first of a concluding trilogy. 

          The intriguing ending is enough to keep viewers engaged for the next episode.

         Disney Pictures, which bought LucasFilms, has achieved production values equal to the original series.  The technical and visual effects are as breathtaking as we would expect in terms of production and art design, set, and costumes. 

Rely on The Force.

Grade:  A                                                By Donna R. Copeland

THE AGE OF ADALINE

Blake Lively     Michiel Huisman     Harrison Ford     Ellen Burstyn     Kathy Baker

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            The Age of Adaline ties in with the fantasies of most adults to stay young forever.  There is an amusing “scientific” explanation for how this happens in the movie that will make you smile.  Although most of the film is predictable, it is fun to play with the idea of the kinds of repercussions a person would have to deal with should it happen, and the choices one might make.

            Without going into the details, let’s just say that Adaline (Lively) does not age, and she makes the choice to keep it a secret, stay on the move to avoid detection, and avoid long-term relationships.  This means she can only see her daughter Flemming (Burstyn) occasionally, and as the years go by Flemming looks more like her grandmother than her daughter.  But also through the years, Adaline becomes more depressed and lonely, and when her path crosses that of a persistent Ellis (Huisman), she is sorely tempted to change her course, especially when Flemming urges her to indulge herself and grab onto some happiness.

            I could have done without two major coincidences toward the end of the story that the writers J. Mills Goodloe and Salvadore Paskowitz inserted, which made me think it was merely a way to have the story end on a good note.  A more interesting conclusion would have been to simply follow Adaline and Ellis continuing on the journey as it was set up in the beginning.

            Blake Lively captures well evasiveness and sidestepping the truth when Adaline is confronted with the curiosity of new and old acquaintances.  Her own beauty makes it plausible when others seem to be awestruck by Adaline’s appearance.  At the same time, Adaline can’t resist showing off her memory and intelligence when she gets a chance, and Lively does this just as well.  Huisman’s natural charm and attractiveness make him an ideal love interest for the main character, and he maintains a good balance between genuine caring and playful flirting.  Ford and Burstyn as his parents are up to their usual standards of quality.

            Director Lee Toland Krieger keeps the film moving in a light-hearted, entertaining manner, and although the film might not appeal to everyone, it certainly will to those who enjoy romantic fancies.  A major strong point is musician Rob Simonson’s soundtrack, which gives us a sampling of music from early 20^th Century (Ella Fitzgerald) through the ‘60’s and ‘70’s (Bob Dylan, Jefferson Airplane) to 2010 (Stephen Lu). 

An interesting romantic fantasy.

Grade:  C+                        By Donna R. Copeland