Rambling Review: Kiki’s Delivery Service

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

Warning: Not an overly complex plot to spoil but there will be some spoilers.

I haven’t done a film review in a while, and I was so…confused by the overwhelming response to Kiki’s Delivery Service, a 1989 animated film from Studio Ghibli, that I was compelled to write about it.

Maybe some of it has to do with age. As an adult versus being a preteen, which is when this film should be watched, it spoke to me differently. My introduction to the work of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki was Howl’s Moving Castle, a dark and strange film but intriguing and beautifully drawn. The studio has a glowing reputation, so much so a theme park dedicated to their films is planned for 2022, and after Howl’s I wanted to watch more. With the disappearance of video rental brick and mortars, finding these imports via streaming services was difficult until HBO Max finally brought them stateside.

Kiki’s Delivery Service is the story of 13 year old Kiki, who according to tradition, must spend a year away from home to train to become a witch. With her friend-cat, Jiji, Kiki finds herself in a seaside town reminiscent of various European towns set in the 1950s. Kiki’s story is a coming of age tale, the desire for independence and social acceptance while learning to embrace what makes you special. While all of this is well and good, the glaring problems overshadowed the simple plot, and I couldn’t get over them the entire movie.

The film is based on a novel, so maybe some of the issues I have with the story are better explained in the book but this is a film review, so we’ll work with said material.

Kiki is preparing for her yearlong study abroad when the film opens. Her mother remarks that she hasn’t had time to train her and her father asks her to write to them, if she can. This led me to believe that wherever Kiki was going, she would most likely be busy and ill prepared. What we learn is that there is no real preparation for Kiki’s training. There is no guardian awaiting her arrival, no school to attend, not even a mentor or senior witch waiting to teach her their knowledge or skills. She doesn’t have a place to stay lined up, nor even an inkling of an idea as to where she’s going. She is just sent out into the world under the guise that she will teach herself what she needs to know wherever she ends up.

What?!

Her only witch talent is flying, and initially she isn’t even very good at that. The only other indication of any special ability is that she can communicate with her cat.

Fate clearly plays a part in her journey as it allows her to find herself in a nice place with kind people who look after her, but I couldn’t get over the fact that her parents sent her away without knowing if she would be okay, for a year, with a sandwich, a bit of pocket money, and the promise that she would write when she could. This was problem number one for me.

Problem number two – how do you train to become a witch without someone to advise you? How do you discover your talents or abilities without someone challenging you to explore what you’re capable of? She has no teacher, not even a book to use as a reference, and apparently her mother ignored the lessons she was supposed to impart, but sure, go out into the world and be a witch.

Problem number three – she isn’t given any challenges where she might learn another ability, or at least attempt to discover some hidden talent, she just flies on a broom, which is fine, but given the premise of the film, she should be learning more. I understand that this is probably a metaphor for finding your place in the world, just as you are, but I just think that with a character defined as a witch, she should have been more inclined to magic.

She creates her “delivery service”, a business delivering goods around town using her flying in order to survive in this new place. She meets new people who challenge her and introduce her to new things, and as she comes of age, struggling to maintain her confidence and her desire to fit in, which are universal themes, she stumbles and has to ask herself a question that often plagues us – are we good enough?

While I appreciated the themes, I think they could have been executed differently. As a writer, I often wonder how a story could have better approached a topic because it’s a world I want to be a part of. I could not get past the problems which I found to be irresponsible, bordering on dangerous. At one point, Kiki hitchhikes with a woman who lives alone in the woods. What sort of message is that?

Now, I understand this is an animated tale, and fantasy at that, but the audience for which it is intended is impressionable. I may be overly sensitive. While I didn’t hashtag the MeToo movement, I do have a number of my own stories, and sending a child out into the world without any protections, under some misguided pretenses, is just not a story I can get on board with.

Well, that’s a whole lot of ramble and I didn’t even get to a couple of the things I had initially planned on.

Have you watched Kiki’s Delivery Service? How old were you when you watched it? Do you think that makes a difference? Share your thoughts.

9Jan2021

The 2020 “One Movie a Week” Challenge (Nearly) Completed

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I nearly made it.

But at what cost?

I watched quite a few subpar movies throughout the year, at least that’s how I found many of them, and as you may recall from Part I, I was rather behind in my viewing schedule, by about 3 months = 13 movies. I made up a little bit of the difference by finishing out the year with a string of holiday themed movies…some were better than expected.

I’m sticking to the ABC rating system. And as you’ll see, I fell short by 4 films. Surprising, I know, given it was 2020.

34. Pleasantville – B+
35. Emma (2019) – C
36. Logan Lucky – C
37. The Dead Don’t Die – D
38. Pride (2014) – A
39. Happiest Season – B+
40. Lego Star Wars Holiday Special – B-
41. The Christmas Chronicles – B
42. The Christmas Chronicles 2 – C
43. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey – A
44. A Bad Moms Christmas – B-
45. Wonder Woman 1984 – C-
46. Holidate – B
47. Last Christmas – B
48. Wonder Woman (2009 Animated) – C

I think my favorite movie of 2020 was Jojo Rabbit by Taika Waititi. It was one of those movies that stuck with me for a few days.

For 2021’s challenge, I plan on being a bit more discerning in my viewing choices. Some of these were just filler, something to put on, but there are so many wonderful movies waiting to be watched, and I shouldn’t waste my limited time on frivolous, add-nothing-to-my-education-of-filmmaking-and-screenwriting type of movies. Well, maybe just one or two, just because.

What was your favorite movie you watched this year? Have any recommendations for my 2021 watch list?

25Oct2020

The 2020 “One Movie a Week” Challenge Part I

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I’m a little behind this year. By nearly 3 months = 12 movies. Eek! We’ve been watching more television and a lot of home renovation/home buying shows because we’re ready to settle down and call a place home.

Sometimes I’ve thrown on something mindless…because it’s 2020. Don’t judge me. We didn’t start out avoiding drama and the like, but too much seriousness left us feeling emotional in an already emotionally strung out existence, so we tried to find more casual, fun type fare on occasion, but that means we’ve watched a lot of subpar movies.

I’m going to use a simple ABC rating system and not review them individually this time. The letter grade should offer enough insight as to my feelings.

Alita: Battle Angel – A
Moana – A
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – B
Kissing Booth – D
Falling Inn Love – C
Toy Story 4 – B
Inside Out – A
Frozen II – C
Into the Spiderverse – A
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before 2 – C
Hobbs and Shaw – C
Anna – B
Prospect – B
Mission: Impossible – Fallout – C
Tron: Legacy – C–
Bird Box – D
Midnight Special – B–
The Platform – C
Aniara – D
The Old Guard – B
Bumblebee – C
The Big Sick – C
The Half of It – B
Knives Out – B
Jojo Rabbit – A
Venom – C
Enola Holmes – B
Us – C
Men in Black: International – C
The Amazing Spiderman – C
Lovebirds – B
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – C–
Hocus Pocus – C (This one is sort of a cheat as I have seen it before but not since its release. I barely remembered any of it, and it does not hold up.)

As it’s now the end of October, and the last few months have felt like an eternity, some of these viewings are a little blurry at this point but I’m fairly secure in these ratings.

I would love some suggestions for the remainder of the year. What movies have you enjoyed?

16Jan2020

The 2019 “One Movie A Week” Challenge Completed

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

MovieReel I did it! I accomplished my goal of one new movie a week! I actually slightly exceeded it with 53 movies, the last just narrowly sneaking in on New Year’s Eve.

I’m sticking with the “ABC” grading scale and will give just a simple overview as many of my posts recently have been rather long and involved. Looking back on all I’ve watched this year, it’s rather sad to find how few of them were stellar endeavors.

31. What Happened to Monday: An interesting premise of septuplets born when overpopulation has mandated a one child per regulation. Noomi Rapace plays all the siblings who must discover what happened when one goes missing. My rating: B-

32. Ralph Breaks the Internet: When Vanellope’s vintage game is broken, she and Ralph must find the part to keep her racing. A cute follow-up to the original, with some clever references to keep all ages entertained; I just didn’t think it had as much heart as the first. My rating: B

33. Crazy Rich Asians: The clichéd story of a woman marrying a wealthy man and concerns about the family not accepting her is exactly that. While everyone was thrilled with the representation, that shouldn’t overshadow the lack of a well rounded story. It’s also a bit too long, and feels it. My rating: C

34. Aquaman: What can be said about the origin story of one of the least liked DC characters nobody asked for? The movie is too long, too convoluted, and an assault of CGI “magic”. The only reason anyone even bothered is Jason Momoa. My rating: D

35. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society: Every once in a while you just need a sweet movie without a lot of substance, which is surprising given its setting. Set after the German occupation of Guernsey, a Channel Island during WWII, a young writer befriends villagers who started a book club and of course, finds love. My rating: B

36. Bad Times at the El Royale: I didn’t know what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t what I got. Desperate to follow in Tarantino’s footsteps, this film about strangers converging at a strange motel that straddles state lines is a bit of mess that doesn’t tie up all its loose ends. My rating: C-

37. Bohemian Rhapsody: There is no dismissing Rami Malek’s performance as the charismatic lead of the band Queen, but it felt like the filmmakers played it safe. Not wanting to, possibly, turn people off from any negativity associated with Freddie’s life, they jump cut around instead, showcasing the music, without a lot of substance. My rating: B

38. Fighting with My Family: I grew up watching the WWF, now WWE, with my grandfather. I still tune in every now and then, and Paige, for whom the film is based on, is among one of my “newer” favorites. As the youngest wrestler to be signed, it was touching to see how it all began. My rating: B

39. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum: Not my favorite in the franchise, but still a pretty entertaining shoot ’em up movie with a few new twists to keep it interesting. Since the films continue in sequence, it’s hard not to appreciate Wick’s skill as the formidable hit man on the run. My rating: B-

40. Tall Girl: I, myself, am a tall girl. I’m 6′ and have been since I was 16 years old. I’ve heard all the same jokes, and had to deal with feeling like the jolly Green Giant among pretty much everyone I know while wearing men’s jeans because they had an inseam measurement. While I appreciate the message of accepting who you are, because you really can’t do anything about your height, the movie is just…blah. My rating: C-

41. The Favourite: Courts are notorious for their backstabbing and conniving, but I was hoping for more from this film than just that. Women have a reputation where other women are concerned, and in a time when we need to be more supportive, on the whole, this film about taking advantage of an already fragile person, was uncomfortable to watch at times. Olivia Colman is an amazing actress, and fully deserving of the accolades. My rating: B

42. Spider-Man: Far From Home: First off, I want to put Tom Holland in my pocket. In the wake of Avengers: Endgame, poor Peter is struggling to find his place and just wants to spend some time with his friends, but where superheroes travel, chaos is soon to follow. An entertaining follow-up in the MCU and development for a beloved character as he comes into his own. My rating: B+

43. Mary Queen of Scots: If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know I’m fascinated with Queen Elizabeth I. This film takes a look at the relationship between the queen and one of her biggest rivals, Queen Mary of Scotland, played by two wonderful actresses, Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie. I’ll watch anything where the Queen is concerned, in spite of uneven storytelling. My rating: B-

44. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part: Another sequel that lacked the heart of the first. The Lego citizens face a new threat and must find a way of coexisting with their “enemy”. While still a cute movie with a sweet message, it was fun to watch, if not sort of forgettable. My rating: B

45. Glass: Having not seen the original in this strange trilogy, Unbreakable, I don’t have all the information to grade this film as part of a whole. I found some aspects entertaining, a film with a variation on the comic book figure, and I appreciate some of the risks taken, but overall there felt like there was something missing. My rating: B-

46. Fallen: I knew this was going to be a bad movie, and it was. I’ve always enjoyed the tale of the star crossed lovers, but this story, based on a YA series of novels was unmoving, the actors were dull, and just when it started to move in a slightly interesting direction, it was over. My rating: D

47. Shazam: I was unfamiliar with this superhero character prior to the film. My only reference was from the TV show Archer on a few occasions. The story of a young boy who gains powers which transform him into a fully grown, muscle bound man was more interesting than I would have guessed. There’s also a sweet message about family. My rating: B

48. It Chapter 2: The story of the child eating clown continues as the Losers, now grown up, must return to the beginning to finish what they started as a new cycle begins. Casting did a great job with the grown versions of the children, but this movie failed to recapture the fun of the first one. My rating: B-

49. Dumplin’: I love me a drag queen, and in the preview for this movie, a few help to inspire a teen girl overcome body image issues and compete in a beauty contest run by her once beauty queen mother. My rating: B+

50. Let it Snow: This teen holiday film about a group of friends finding love was a story that didn’t really do anything different and was actually fairly dull and forgettable. My rating: D

51. Knight Before Christmas: I followed one bad movie with another. A knight is sent forward in time on a quest and finds love with a modern day woman who’s been romance deprived. Meh. My rating: D

52. Star Wars Episode IX: Rise of the Skywalker: Oh, where to begin…if you’re not a fan, you’ve probably still seen some of the reviews, or heard the hubbub over how fans are disappointed. This fan included. The final episode in the latest trilogy initially seemed better than reviewed but as I continued to think on it, I realized how much was missing among so many other things. My rating: C

53. Love and Friendship: A Jane Austen story I wasn’t familiar with, Lady Susan – surprising, I know. Upon the viewing, I wish I did know more because the way it was filmed was a bit confusing. Lady Susan is conniving and manipulating. It appears as if she’s out for herself, which she is, but she also is looking out for her daughter, in a strange way. I’ll give it another watch after a read and see if it improves. My rating: B-

If you’d like to see what else I watched this year, here are parts One and Two of the series. Do you agree with my ratings? Would you like to offer any recommendations as I endeavor into the new year?

20Aug2019

The “One Movie A Week” Challenge Part 2

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

MovieReel Back in March I shared that I had started watching one new movie a week in order to catch up on all that I had missed. I’m a bad screenwriter. I wasn’t watching much.

I’m happy to report that I’ve maintained my momentum.

Now that we’re over half way through the year, I thought I’d share part two of my viewings. This time I’m trying a strict A, B, C rating. There may be the occasional + or – , but I’m doing my best to limit those half measures.

10. The Breaker Uppers – If you’ve seen Taika Waititi’s charming 2014 film, What We Do in the Shadows, you’ll recognize one of the leads of this film, Jackie van Beek. Waititi is also a producer of this film about two women who provide a service of helping people break up in elaborate ways, so I had high hopes. It failed to deliver. While the two leads obviously have chemistry, the story fell flat. My rating: C

11. Train to Busan – I had come across a number of positive comments about this zombie thriller, and it lived up to the hype. The story follows a father and his young daughter who have grown apart because of divorce on a train ride to return her to her mother. Over the course of a tense and dire train ride, human nature is put to the test, and we learn what’s most important. My rating: A

12. Outlaw King – Despite its historical inaccuracies, Braveheart is still one of my favorite films. So I was intrigued when this movie showed up on Netflix about the man who would be King of Scotland, Robert the Bruce. In Braveheart, his father made the alliance with England to secure his throne. While obviously not made on the same grand scale, this film was still enjoyable and insightful into the life of a man we saw very little of previously. My only major complaint, why cast an American actor to sell a movie people will most likely watch anyway? My rating: B

13. A Quiet Place – This was a film that was being referenced quite a bit in screenwriting circles when it was released so it had to be put on my list so I could see what all the hubbub was about. It opens up without any preamble and you quickly learn how vital silence is in this post-apocalyptic world where humans are under threat from vicious aliens who can hear the slightest sound. As we watch this family struggle to survive, we have to wonder how long can people live like this? Try moving around your house without making a sound and see how long you would survive. My rating: A

14. Kick Ass – This had been on my list for some time, but with streaming services, things come and go, and some times you just miss out. I miss Blockbuster. When it popped back up I took the opportunity to watch it. It’s entertaining, it has heart, and has plenty of action and violence. Watching a young superhero wannabe come into his own, and getting his ass handed to him repeatedly, is kind of inspiring. Also watching a small Chloë Grace Moretz be a total bad ass is just fun. My rating: B

15 & 16. Avengers: Endgame – This will get a proper post, especially now that it’s on DVD. The Sis missed the first viewing, so saw it twice in a week. There’s a lot to take in so watching it twice was like watching it again for the first time. 😉 My rating: A

17. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – I didn’t really plan on watching this, but when my little fur baby had some weird hive reaction all over her face in the middle of the night, I had to stay up and I figured the mindless action would do the trick. The first Jurassic Park is still amazing but the new franchise is just disappointing. No matter how endearing Chris Pratt is. The opening sequence of the island being destroyed by a volcano and the animals fleeing for their lives, no matter the CGI element, was unsettling, and set me off right away. There are some interesting moments, but overall the highlight of the film is Jeff Goldblum. My rating: C

18. The Darkest Minds – There are a slew of dystopian teen films out there, and every once in a while, there’a a good one. Maybe the book is better. A genetic mutation has occurred in teens that gives them powers. Now considered a threat, they are sent to camps where the most dangerous are eliminated, or used as weapons. This is another film that had a few good moments, but overall has nothing to distinguish itself against so many others of its kind. My rating: C

19. The Losers – One guess why I watched this movie. Chris Evans and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. I enjoy elite forces/spy films, and the trailer for this movie showcased its sense of humor, but again, this story had nothing to differentiate it from the horde of other similarly themed films – agents thought dead return for retribution. My rating: C

20. Their Finest – A period piece about screenwriting? Sure. I’m in. A movie about women making headway in a male dominated industry. Yeah, I’m in. Starring Gemma Arterton, who carries the film about creating a propaganda movie during WWII about the evacuation at Dunkirk, is charming and engaging. The film, overall, is well done and a peek into an aspect of filmmaking that encourages nationalism. My rating: B

21. Isle of Dogs – The first Wes Anderson I ever saw initially left me confused. I didn’t quite get his humor but now he’s one of my favorites and I look forward to seeing his name on a project. He has such style, and a strange sense of humor, and while this story about dogs being quarantined is not my favorite of his, it does highlight our relationship with our furry friends and the loyalty born from it. Like many of his films, it definitely requires a second viewing, and I’m sure it will grow on me. My (current) rating: B

22. Always Be My Maybe – A film about childhood friends finding love years later is not a new concept, and yet this romantic comedy hit the mark. So many of my friends were talking about it, so I gave it a watch. Surprisingly, it was just the right amount of cute and funny with two likable leads. Then there’s Keanu Reeves who steals the show. My rating: B+

23. Z for Zachariah – I like apocalyptic movies. I’m not sure why. Maybe because people are awful and it’s interesting to watch what they’re willing to do and wonder what I might do in the same situation. This film has an Adam and Eve aspect to it as two people are trying to survive in the only habitable place left, but even in the end times, a rivalry for the woman’s hand was the most pressing matter. My rating: C

24. Swiss Army Man – What a strange and unique film about the power of imagination and learning to accept yourself. Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe make a good team, even when the humor was a little off-color. The ending is open to interpretation and was the only part of the film that disappointed me. As we’ve all learned (looking at you, GoT), endings are difficult. My rating: B

25. IO: Last on Earth – Another apocalyptic movie in a sea of similarly themed tales that failed to deliver. The world has become toxic and people have fled to the stars, save one young woman, a scientist who is carrying on her father’s work to save the world. MCU’s Anthony Mackie is one of the only remaining humans left who, no matter how charming, has absolutely no chemistry with the last woman on Earth. My rating: C

26. Rim of the World – Maybe because I never went to summer camp, I’m drawn to movies about the possibilities that camp and the nostalgia of youth they offer. Of course, I’m not sure how I would have responded to aliens attacking when I was 13. This movie was inspired by a number of its sci-fi predecessors and is clearly meant for a younger audience. While not great, by any means, it was kind of fun, and at least gives the viewer hope that the younger generation will step up. My rating: C

27. The Spy Who Dumped Me – Well this one took me by surprise. A buddy/spy comedy starring two women that handle sh*t on their own? I’m a fan of Kate McKinnon, she steals the show at every turn, and this movie about two best friends who wind up in an international conspiracy is no different. There are some outlandish (pun intended for Sam Heughan?) moments, but the chemistry between the two leads keeps the movie afloat. My rating: B

28. Lady Bird – I don’t know what it feels like to be so fearless and opinionated. I grew up trying to keep the peace and always putting on a happy face. Maybe this is why I, personally, had a hard time relating to Saoirse Ronan’s Lady Bird. She’s an angsty teenager trying to figure herself out while dealing with her strong willed mother. My rating: B

29. BlacKkKlansman – By far the best movie I’ve seen all year. The premise was, of course, interesting – the first black officer in Colorado Springs in the 70s infiltrates the KKK by using a white counterpart – and completely deserving of its accolades. It’s an important movie, especially in these turbulent times, and the ending sequence is disturbing and thought provoking. And it’s true. My rating: A+

30. Early Man – As you may know, from reading a previous review, I’m a fan of Aardman Animations’ Wallace and Gromit. The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is a favorite. Early Man stars my future husband, Tom Hiddleston, so it was always going to be on my watch list. While the animation is still superb, the comedy just didn’t do it for me this time around, and especially since the entire movie basically revolves around a game of soccer/football, I sort of tuned out. Maybe I’ll give it another watch at some point and see if it grows on me. My rating: B

I started this post a couple of weeks ago, so there are more movies to add…for the next one. :). Any suggestions on what I should watch next?

20Mar2019

The “One Movie A Week” Challenge

Posted in Posts, Reviews by Rachael C Marek

MovieReel One thing I realized at the beginning of the year was my lack of actual movie watching. I want to be a professional screenwriter and yet I don’t watch movies?!

I have a number of excuses, but as with my growing list of things I failed to make time for last year, this falls among them.

So I put myself to the challenge of watching one new movie a week, and so far, I’ve been pretty good about it. I think I missed the week before Captain Marvel but I did watch The Umbrella Academy. It doesn’t technically count, I know. Below, in what I’m trying to remember as the viewing order, is what I’ve watched thus far with a short synopsis and a review.

Arrival: Cool premise – learning to communicate with aliens which results in a greater understanding. It also presents an interesting question, “If you know how the story ends, do you still take the journey?” My rating: B-
Ex Machina: Another cool premise – the development of A.I. and its consequences. It’s a slow moving film, and some of the dialogue is trying too hard to be clever, but in the end I appreciated the story. My rating: B-
Annihilation: The trailer left much to the imagination, so I was intrigued. “Alien” object lands on Earth and disrupts the natural world around it. In an attempt to be female empowering, which, I guess, thanks?, we follow an all woman team into the anomaly. I felt there was too much lead up to leave the ending so ambiguous. My rating: C
Ant-Man & The Wasp: There’s a lot to be said about why I almost passed on this movie, but as we’ve all learned, in the MCU, they’re all connected. With Avengers: Endgame on the horizon, and not wanting to miss any tidbit of information (the quantum realm will be important), I finally gave in, and I was pleasantly surprised, in part because of Wasp not playing sidekick. At least Marvel is giving the few women it does have both brains and brawn. My rating: B
Incredibles 2: You just gotta love Pixar. In a timely fashion, they release a film with a female superhero lead. And not just any female but a wife and mother of three. I love the original, and the sequel is nearly as good. Picking right up where we left off 10 years ago, we get a family film that deals with real issues of supposed gender specific roles and flips them. My rating: A+
Polar: I love Mads Mikkelsen. That is all. 🙂 Seriously, I would watch the man “insert mundane task”, so I was excited to see his face while scrolling through the new releases on Netflix. Based on a comic book, it’s dark, and it has its moments, but it’s not overly satisfying. Mikkelsen plays an assassin entering retirement in a world that wishes it were more like John Wick’s. My rating: C-
Ocean’s 8: In an era where films are being unnecessarily remade, despite an all star, all female cast, I wasn’t initially compelled to watch this film because, as I mentioned, it felt unnecessary. That being said, I adore Cate Blanchett, another actor I would watch “insert another mundane task”, and discovered a fairly clever heist film that desired to capture the magic of the original Oceans 11 and didn’t fall too short. My rating: B
Coco: Pixar is very good at what it does. It tells heartwarming (and heart tugging), magical stories that transport us to amazing places. Coco tells the story of a young boy who desires to be a musician despite his family’s strict anti-music rules, and finds himself in the Land of the Dead seeking validation. It is a beautiful film to watch, and the heart of the story is quite moving. My rating: A+
Captain Marvel: Where I failed Ocean’s 8, by not supporting it early on, because as a woman I need to support these movies so they will continue to get made, I couldn’t repeat with Captain Marvel, not after waiting over 10 years for Marvel to finally get it. Wonder Woman was a huge success and by far DC’s best film, and yet Marvel kept dragging its feet. And while yes, another piece of the puzzle for the MCU and the final piece before Avengers: Endgame, supporting this Captain was necessary. And it was a fun time. Brie Larson’s portrayal was enjoyable to watch, even if the story was not the MCU’s strongest. My rating: B+

I switched from my star rating system to the old school lettering system…not sure I’ll do that again. Do you agree with my ratings? Do you have any suggestions for my next movie? Do you want to join me in this challenge? Let’s chat!

2Apr2018

Rambling Review: Valerian

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

Valerian

I have a soft spot for Luc Besson’s films. La Femme Nikita was my introduction to his work (thankfully, the intro was a good one), because there’s been the occasional let down, and yet I still get excited when I see his name attached. Which is why I had high hopes for his latest project, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, aka France’s most expensive movie ever made, by a lot.

There was a lot of press on this film surrounding its release, and I remember Luc being unhappy with the state of the film industry at the time. Other comic book stories translated to the screen had been dominating the scene, with some of them being overwhelmingly well received, while his comic book tale fell flat. He felt his movie didn’t get its rightful due, not taking into consideration that maybe his film just wasn’t that good.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful to watch, but that doesn’t (and shouldn’t) compensate for a lack of story and boring characters. I mean, when the lifeless portrayal of a shape shifting alien, played by Rihanna is one of the best performances, that’s saying something. Because the movie is based on a comic series, I’m sure there were other stories to choose from, so I have to wonder, why did he choose this one?

Valerian offered us a glimpse into an amazing world, but the lack of a compelling introduction and the lack of interesting lead characters had me contemplating turning it off within the first 15 minutes, but I believed, and hoped, that sticking it out would lead to a satisfying end. It did not.

Major Valerian played by Dane DeHaan and his partner Sergeant Laureline played by Cara Delevingne are basically special ops officers sent in to recover sensitive material in an illegal transaction. They later learn that their mission was part of a cover up of a shameful military commander’s actions from years earlier – the decimation of a planet and its inhabitants.

Pearls Known as Pearls, these beautiful, androgynous aliens, thought to be primitive because of their simple existence are nearly extinguished during a war they aren’t even a part of. I think they’re the best part of the entire film. We soon discover they’re basically geniuses, learning advanced math and science theories and practices in a matter of years not only to survive, but also because they wish to return to their way of life. But as clichéd villains go, the ol’ commander doesn’t want any reminders of the past.

That’s the plot in a nutshell.

The side story is the uninteresting love connection they’re trying to force on us between the Major and the Sergeant. There is absolutely no spark between the two leads. Their performances, for me, were flat and dull. Valerian, as we learn through a quick recap, is a womanizer, and most likely for sake of the film and in the hopes we’ll root for them, becomes fixated on his partner. There is absolutely no cause for this other than their close proximity to one another.

Suddenly, he’s proposing, and that dominates nearly every conversation between them the rest of the movie. Ugh. And this coming from a romantic.

I was bitter that such a beautiful, overachieving movie would fall so flat, especially in such capable hands – those same hands are responsible for The Professional. The advances in technology have allowed us unlimited potential in our imaginations in regards to translating that to the screen, and I think that Valerian relied too heavily upon this. Enamored with their visuals, they forgot that some of us were paying attention to why we were there in the first place – the story.

Ah well, not every time out can be a winner. Will I continue to support Luc and his visions? Of course. But whereas I was disappointed that I didn’t initially see this in theaters, I’ll probably weigh this endeavor against any future films and the feelings of immediacy at seeing it in theaters in way of support.

Twoandhalfstars

What I’ve learned recently is that when my expectations have been high, I’ve been disappointed, like 99% of the time. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by films I had low expectations of, and that’s a sad truth to face, especially in light of the fact that I want to be a part of said industry.

Do you agree or disagree with my take on Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets? Share your thoughts below.

1Jul2014

Movies That Inspired Me

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

I didn’t receive any Writing Prompt submissions this week, and I was playing around with an idea last night, but didn’t actually write anything. I know. Besides, my mind was complete rubbish by the time I wanted to write and I was misspelling words or leaving them out altogether. I decided it best to just write down a few notes about the idea so I wouldn’t lose it by morning. So for today, I thought I would talk about movies. I am a screenwriter, and I don’t think I really have as yet…

A friend and I were recently discussing movies, and how different our taste in film is. If she likes a movie, it’s a guarantee I won’t, so I usually don’t bother once she’s told me she really liked something, and vice versa. We met in film school, so the basis of our friendship is clearly not founded on our mutual love of the same films. The funny thing is, she likes my screenwriting, so what does that say?

It got me started thinking about film in general, and those that I like, and have been inspired by. I once tried to make a top ten list of my favorite films, and ended up with a list of seventeen and that was lumping Disney and Pixar films into two. I was heavily influenced by Disney princess films, still am. 🙂 And I think the people at Pixar are brilliant, and I sometimes muse at how impressed they are with themselves when I see the most amazing effects in their films; like Sully’s hair blowing in the breeze, or a puff of dust being stirred on one of Andy’s shelves. Amazing.

The following is a list of a few movies that changed my perception, my writing, or me in no particular order, except maybe when I watched them.

The Dark Crystal – Most children I know personally could never watch this film. I’m not even sure how I was able to. It’s dark (pun intended) and a little scary, but the cast is entirely made up of puppets. Most 80s kids are Jim Henson fans, but most of my friends preferred Labyrinth to the Crystal. Not me. This is still on my top ten list because of its impact on me when I was a kid. The idea of a magical world torn apart, the story of an unlikely hero, and the themes of good vs evil, immortality, and sacrifice were all highly effective on my young mind.

The Princess Bride – I don’t know anyone who does not like this movie. It’s wonderful. I would later grow to admire its writer, William Goldman, who also wrote Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, the screenplay for Misery, among many others. He has a great sense of humor and is one of my favorite writers. The Princess Bride impacted me in the sense of combining fantasy and reality, or the reality we create. It is clever, funny, romantic, and full of adventure and swashbuckling, and it is one of the films that would change my storytelling.

Braveheart – I saw Braveheart shortly after my first visit to England. This was the film that got me interested in Medieval times. The film was gritty and brutal, but it was also romantic, and highlighted the values of honor and loyalty. As I had already discovered I was an Anglophile, this just further developed my passion for learning its history, but also, that writers have the opportunity to sway perspective. As writers, we create empathy for our characters. Unlikeable characters can be given a reason for their traits, and become likeable in the eyes of the viewer depending on how the story is told. Current example: Malificent. *I’m not saying she’s unlikeable per say, as she has always been one of my favorite villains.

Sense and Sensibility – This film was my introduction to Jane Austen. Again, shortly after my first visit to England. I was immediately obsessed. I started watching all the film variants of Austen’s work, long before I decided to actually read any of them. Maybe that’s the difference in being a screenwriter vs an author…? I have watched this and Pride & Prejudice so many times, that if we are ever trapped on an island, or whatever, I could recite or reenact this for you. It was this film along with Braveheart that encouraged me to include facets of the time periods into my work.

Elizabeth – My continuing fascination with English history led me to Elizabeth, and my subsequent adoration of Cate Blanchett, one of my favorite actresses. I have become completely fascinated with the Tudors and their times because of this film. The country was torn apart by war, political, and religious issues, so maybe not the best of times, but Elizabeth, a woman (*gasp), became one of the country’s greatest monarchs. She should never have become queen, but it was her destiny, and even this influenced my writing. (I could write a great deal about Queen Elizabeth I.) It was while writing my screenplay entitled, 217, that I discovered my fascination with certain time periods were all separated by roughly 200 years…revelation. *You can read about it in the Excerpts section.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – I have long enjoyed foreign films and this is still one of the best I’ve ever watched. It combines so many elements I enjoy; unrequited love, history (I’m a sucker for a period piece – can you tell by the list?), fantasy, and women who are not relegated to side/nondescript characters. It also has beautifully choreographed fight sequences. All of this further influenced my writing in regards to combining different elements, which is probably why I enjoy writing “fantasy”. I was driven to watch any and all films that were even remotely related to this style, and I did find Hero with Jet Li, Tony Leung, and Maggie Cheung. They utilized a wonderful technique of telling the same story from different points of view and changing the color of their clothes and surroundings to highlight the difference. Lovely.