The Oscar Project Reviews
In a world where everyone is just like you, is it possible to believe in people who are different? Trolls World Your attempts to answer that question albeit with plenty of bright colors and glitter. Following up on 2016's widely successful film Trolls, World Tour brings back all your favorites from the cast including Anna Kendrick's Poppy, Justin Timberlake's Branch, and James Corden's Biggie. Just like the first film, there are plenty of sing-a-long moments, many of which are pulled from the hits of the 70s and 80s and will bring a smile to the faces of adults, even though they'll be unrecognizable to younger audiences. That said, the music is arguably the best part of the film since the story itself is a bit flimsy. Poppy has taken over as queen of the trolls, but receives a note from Barb (Rachel Bloom) who leads the Hard Rock Trolls. It turns out the trolls once live in harmony, but eventually split off into rival factions, each liking a different kind of music. Each tribe has their own story of what happened to cause the breakup, some claiming the Pop Trolls were to blame, while others claim it was a mutual parting for all tribes. What can't be mistaken is the crystal clear message the film is sending. It doesn't matter what music you like, or what you look like, you can still all be friends and get along. And while it may be a message that we need to hear in the world a bit more these days, the film constantly bashes you over the head with it and it gets a bit tiresome. I understand trying to make a film with a message, but this is one that may fly over the heads of younger viewers. While it's a fun film and does have some great tunes, if you're going to watch a Trolls film, stick with the original. Trolls World Tour is available on Bluray, DVD, and on demand. 6 out of 10
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For people who love film, getting to hear from some of the biggest names in the business from the last 40-50 years comes with a special thrill. Usually those names include people like Spielberg, Lucas, Lynch, Redford, Nolan, or Coppola. While some of those names appear here, the real stars of the show are Burtt, Murch, and Rydstrom, with some help from Zimmer and Göransson. Put simply, Making Waves is your 90-minute primer on sound in film. If you watch films today in a Dolby surround sound theater, you might not think of all the various steps it too to get from the few minutes of synchronized sound in 1927's The Jazz Singer to the multitrack feast for your ears in an Avengers or Star Wars film. Perhaps you don't even think about the sound at all, just letting the entire experience wash over you. Enter Making Waves. (For more on The Jazz Singer, check out my podcast episode about it.) The film does an excellent job of setting the stage for why sound is important in film before diving into a detailed history of sound (or lack there of) in film, going all the way back to the 1870s. The three key players mentioned above (Ben Burtt, Walter Murch, and Gary Rydstrom) relate their experiences first hand from working with directors Francis Ford Coppola (Murch), George Lucas (Burtt), and John Lasseter (Rydstrom) on some of the biggest films of the last 50 years, some of which were highly underestimated. Once the film completes a 30-minute history lesson on sound in film, it jumps back into what the interviewees dub the "circle of sound." This includes the dialogue, sound effects, and music, which, when mixed together form the soundtrack of the film. As a lover of films and many of the directors mentioned and interviewed for the film, I was enthralled with the depth provided here. I also have to admit to being a bit surprised at the relative level of diversity displayed throughout with nearly as many women interviewed for the film as men, and a number of individuals from different ethnic backgrounds. Granted the three kingpins are all white men, but since Burtt was the only really well known name for me, I was pleased to see a variety of people working on some of my favorite films. My only real critique with the film is that I wish it had been longer! I never missed an episode of the 90s Discovery Channel show Movie Magic which mainly dealt with visual effects, and I would gladly sit through a 25 minute weekly episode about sound in films. One could easily teach an entire 100-level university class on the subject of this film, and probably not even scratch the surface. The film is a must-watch for anyone who considers themselves a true film buff and at just over an hour and a half, it won't eat too much into your list of other things to watch. Making Waves is available on Amazon Prime. 9 out of 10 Once in a while, a story comes along that makes you take a step back and try to figure out what is wrong with humanity. Athlete A is one of those stories and while you might know some of the big names, you surely don't know the whole story. Anyone who has watched the Summer Olympic games in the last 30 years probably knows about the success of the American women's gymnastic teams. Longtime coaches Bela and Marta Karolyi have produced countless gold medals in the event starting with Marylou Retton winning the individual all around in 1984 to the most recent games in 2016 with the self-appointed "Final Five." If you've been paying attention to the news of the last several years, you know the name of Larry Nassar, the man convicted on child pornography charges in 2017, but perhaps better known for his role as an athletic trainer with USA gymnastics. What this film covers is the systemic abuse and cover up that has been going on in this organization for decades. Just as with any other organization where people gain more and more power and influence, they want to keep that power and will do whatever it takes to do so. If that comes at the cost of young people, specifically young girls, so be it. The documentary covers the fear that these girls felt at being a part of the Karolyi training team and how Nassar was the only "nice" one at Karolyi Ranch in Texas, gaining their trust by talking to them like a normal person and even sneaking them candy when the Karolyi's weren't watching. My hat goes off to the reports of The Indianapolis Star who first broke the story in 2016. They were willing to tell the story based on the facts they had at the time, and ultimately their reporting encouraged several women to speak out publicly, asserting that they had been victims of Nassar as well. Ultimately, more than 250 women and girls have accused Nassar of some form of sexual assault, including some of the biggest names in the sport from the last several Olympic Games. Films in general should make you think, and documentaries are no exception. Athlete A will reshape the way you think about elite gymnastics in this country and perhaps change the way you think about these young Olympic heroes, all the more powerful after learning what they had to endure to get to the top of the podium. Athlete A is streaming now on Netflix. 9 out of 10 |
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