This Is a Movie Review: ‘Incredibles 2’ Uses Its Period Setting and the Responsibility of Superpowers to Show How to Be an Adult

June 13, 2018

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©2017 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

This review was originally published on News Cult in June 2018.

Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, Samuel L. Jackson, Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener, Brad Bird, Jonathan Banks, Sophia Bush, Phil LaMarr, Isabella Rossellini, John Ratzenberger, Bill Wise

Director: Brad Bird

Running Time: 118 Minutes

Rating: PG for Action Sequences Involving Dangerously Heavy Structures

Release Date: June 15, 2018

The Incredibles films stick out among Pixar’s oeuvre for how much more adult they are than the rest of the animation brand’s features. That is not to say that everything else is merely kids’ stuff. Indeed, there is plenty for audiences of all ages to appreciate in the likes of Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Wall-E, etc. The difference is that the typical Pixar offering features childlike wonder presented with unusually mature storytelling sophistication, whereas The Incredibles and Incredibles 2 are primarily concerned with the struggles of being a grown person: how to raise a family, how to earn a living, how to reconcile the way you live with the self-identity you perceive on the inside. With this focus along with its period trappings, Incredibles 2 continues asking its franchise’s fundamental question of whether or not we have shaped society as it ought to be.

Incredibles 2, like the original, is vague about its time period, but based on the outfits, manner of speaking, and predominant technology, it is easy to peg it as 1960s America. With that in mind, if The Incredibles were to exist as a TV series, it is not too hard to imagine it as the first animated example of AMC’s stable of period dramas. (The presence of two of the stars of Better Call Saul among the voice cast certainly bolsters this perception.) Incredibles 2 features more stable (though no less harried) domesticity than Mad Men, but the concerns of Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson) are not terribly different from those of Don Draper, while Helen Parr’s (Holly Hunter) career-minded focus in the face of skepticism is absolutely of a piece with that of Peggy Olson. Writer/director Brad Bird’s grounded approach to the existence of supers allows all viewers to consider that no matter what their own unique abilities are, they ought to make the best of them, for the world’s sake.

The reflectiveness and contextualization inherent to a period setting are key to getting the point across. This outing, in which Helen/Elastigirl is recruited for a PR campaign to make superpowers legal again while fighting a mysterious villain who uses screens to carry out mind control schemes, touches upon issues of media manipulation, trust (or lack thereof) in institutions, and the power and limits of basing a campaign around a single figurehead. Anyone paying attention to the political scene in 2018 will recognize similar disturbances in Incredibles 2. It is important to be reminded that these crises are not new and to know a big part of being an adult is responding to these challenges.

Bottom line: if you loved the kinetic action and family dynamics of the first Incredibles, you will probably love them all over again in Incredibles 2. If the prospect of a baby growing into his impressively wide-ranging superpowers has you excited, just wait until you see what Jack-Jack is up to. And rest assured, Edna Mode’s (Bird) scenes do not disappoint. This entry is not as mold-breaking as the original, but it is reliably entertaining and has plenty to say.

Incredibles 2 is Recommended If You Like: The Incredibles, AMC period dramas

Grade: 4 out of 5 Eye Lasers

Billboard Hot Rock Songs – Week of June 9, 2018

June 9, 2018

jmunney Billboard Charts, Billboard Hot Rock Songs, Music , , , Leave a comment

Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart, and then I rearrange the top 25 based on my estimation of their quality. I used to rank all of the top 25, now I just rank the cream of the crop.

Original Version
1. Imagine Dragons – “Whatever It Takes”
2. Imagine Dragons – “Thunder”
3. Imagine Dragons – “Believer”
4. Portugal. The Man – “Feel It Still”
5. Foster the People – “Sit Next to Me”
6. Bad Wolves – “Zombie”
7. Panic! at the Disco – “High Hopes”
8. Panic! at the Disco – “Say Amen (Saturday Night)”
9. Weezer – “Africa”
10. John Mayer – “New Light”
11. lovelytheband – “Broken”
12. Godsmack – “Bulletproof”
13. Muse – “Thought Contagion”
14. Florence + the Machine – “Hunger”
15. Five Finger Death Punch – “Gone Away”
16. Two Feet – “I Feel Like I’m Drowning”
17. Vance Joy – “Saturday Sun”
18. Five Finger Death Punch – “Sham Pain”
19. Shinedown – “Devil”
20. Sir Sly – “&Run”
21. James Bay and Alicia Keys – “Us”
22. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – “You Worry Me”
23. Bastille – “Quarter Past Midnight”
24. 30 Seconds to Mars – “Dangerous Night”
25. Lord Huron ft. Phoebe Bridgers – “The Night We Met”

Jmunney’s Revision
1. Feel It Still
2. You Worry Me
3. I Feel Like I’m Drowning
4. &Run
5. New Light
6. Hunger
7. Africa
8. Thought Contagion

Billboard Hot 20 – Week of June 9, 2018

June 9, 2018

jmunney Billboard Charts, Billboard Hot 100, Music , , , Leave a comment

Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality. I used to rank all 20, now I just rank the cream of the crop.

Original Version
1. Drake – “Nice for What”
2. Post Malone ft. Ty Dolla $ign – “Psycho”
3. Drake – “God’s Plan”
4. Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
5. Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey – “The Middle”
6. Lil Baby and Drake – “Yes Indeed”
7. Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin – “I Like It”
8. Ella Mai – “Boo’d Up”
9. Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line – “Meant to Be”
10. Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry”
11. Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood”
12. BlocBoy ft. Drake – “Look Alive”
13. Marshmello and Anne-Marie – “Friends”
14. Migos ft. Drake – “Walk It Talk It”
15. Juice WRLD – “Lucid Dreams”
16. Camila Cabello – “Never Be the Same”
17. Ed Sheeran – “Perfect”
18. Imagine Dragons – “Whatever It Takes”
19. Drake – “I’m Upset”
20. Bazzi – “Mine”

Jmunney’s Revision
1. No Tears Left to Cry
2. This Is America
3. Boo’d Up
4. Never Be the Same

This Is a Movie Review: Meet the ‘Ocean’s 8’ Heist, Same as the Old Heist

June 9, 2018

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CREDIT: Barry Wetcher/Warner Bros. Pictures/Village Roadshow Pictures

This review was originally posted on News Cult in June 2018.

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna, Richard Armitage, James Corden

Director: Gary Ross

Running Time: 110 Minutes

Rating: PG-13 for Indulgent Behavior That Might Be Incriminating

Release Date: June 8, 2018

I am always wary of crime flicks in which the criminals are the protagonists and get away with it. Sure, cinema can be escapist fantasy, and I trust that most audiences understand that the glorification of illegal behavior does not make it okay in real life. But there is a moral component to movies, so this genre needs to be careful about the messages it sends out. That is what most concerns me about Ocean’s 8, much more so than whether or not it is a good idea to have all-female spinoffs or if these ladies would be better off assembling for some original concept (it is at least theoretically possible to have both, after all). We can rest assured that Debbie Ocean’s (Sandra Bullock) heist is mostly a victimless crime, although maybe a few millionaires take a hit. There is no sense, though, that this is a matter of acting on behalf of the little guy to stick it to the 1%. The underlying message is basically that you do what you do because you’re good at it, and that cavalier attitude is not exactly ruinous, but it can be mighty discomforting if you think about it.

But if we can allow ourselves to revel in the fantasy for two hours, does Ocean’s 8 deliver the entertainment that it is designed to? It takes a while to get going, with a rather sluggish pace as Debbie assembles her crew. And it does not help that we have seen these character types before: the tech expert, the street scam artist, the suburbanite trying to hide her criminal past. But once the plan gets going, the pace clicks along nicely. The heist itself – get celebrity Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway) to wear a famous necklace worth millions at the Met Gala, swipe it off her and replace it with a convincing facsimile – is adequately innovative. As everyone carries out their jobs, the cast comes alive, with Hathaway in particular having a blast. And it pulls off the third act moments that make you go, “They did it. Those magnificent bastards pulled it off!” There are the moments when we learn what really went down that we didn’t see at the time, and then here comes a new major character who helps the ladies wrap it all up in a bow. Nothing is getting reinvented, but the gears are still turning smoothly.

Less interesting, and much more perfunctory, are the connections to the Ocean’s franchise at large. A few vets of Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen pop in for cameos, which might spark thrills of recognition. Much is made of Debbie’s connection to her brother, the supposedly deceased Danny, that is meant to go beyond, “Hey, remember this character you already love?” There are some ideas about genetic destiny that are worth exploring more in depth, but Ocean’s 8 mostly plays these moments as just a toast to its forebears. Acknowledgement of one’s predecessors is generally a good idea, but you need to take it a step further if you want to truly slay.

Ocean’s 8 is Recommended If You Like: All the typical heist film beats, Suspending your moral compass for two hours

Grade: 3 out of 5 Blind Spots

This Is a Movie Review: Nick Offerman and Kiersey Clemons Make Fine Father-Daughter Music in ‘Hearts Beat Loud’

June 8, 2018

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CREDIT: Gunpowder & Sky

This review was originally posted on News Cult in June 2018.

Starring: Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Toni Collette, Ted Danson, Sasha Lane, Blythe Danner

Director: Brett Haley

Running Time: 97 Minutes

Rating: PG-13 for A Little Drinking Here, a Little Smooching There, and a Few Outbursts

Release Date: June 8, 2018 (Limited)

There is a certain strain of indie film of the past decade that has turned to stars of recent NBC comedies for its talent pool. I’m talking about flicks like The To Do List with Aubrey Plaza, or Sleeping With Other People with Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis, or The Skeleton Twins with Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader, or Friends With Kids with Kristen Wiig and Adam Scott, or Girl Most Likely with Kristen Wiig (a mini Kristen Wiig subgenre has kind of emerged, in case you hadn’t noticed). These tend to be more low-key than the zippy antics on the likes of Parks & Rec, Community, and SNL, but the stars are talented actors who definitely have it in themselves to stretch and show off. But there is still often a sitcom-y hangout vibe at play that makes these parts not that big of a departure. The latest example, Hearts Beat Loud, certainly has that low-key style as well, but it transcends it a bit by starring Nick Offerman, one of the more idiosyncratic of the NBC comedy vets.

Offerman plays Frank Fisher, a sometime musician and owner of the struggling Red Hook Records. The resolutely hirsute Offerman has established himself as the man’s man of comedy, both in his work and personal life. He is known for his woodworking, and his most famous character, Parks and Rec’s Ron Swanson, is a staunch libertarian who has codified his rules for proper living. But his gruffness is usually tempered by a mischievous silliness. In Hearts Beat Loud, that takes the form of Frank not being the most diligent with his responsibilities and holding onto a dream of being a rock star. He tries to convince his daughter Sam (Kiersey Clemons) to spend more time making music with him and less time obsessing over preparing for her pre-med college regimen, while she wants him to do a better job of keeping the family’s finances in order.

After a few blowouts, Frank and Sam eventually come to a compromise in which they are able to live and revel in the moment of what is a major transitional time for both of them. They get a little taste of success that might lead to something further, but there is also a sense of accepting and holding onto what is definitely real. The biggest charm of Hearts Beat Loud is perhaps its lived-in quality in Red Hook, an old shipping neighborhood in Brooklyn that is not so easily accessible available by public transport. As such, it has an out-in-the-boondocks feel even though it is not too far from away from more bustling areas. That there-but-not-there geographical situation is fitting for Frank and Sam’s life situation, and accordingly, Hearts Beat Loud, is a comfortingly empathetic viewing experience for anyone reckoning with major scholarly or professional transitions themselves.

Hearts Beat Loud is Recommended If You Like: Parks and Recreation, Record Stores

Grade: 3 out of 5 SoundClouds

This Is a Movie Review: Hotel Artemis

June 8, 2018

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CREDIT: Matt Kennedy/Global Road Entertainment

I give Hotel Artemis 2.5 out of 5 Rules: https://uinterview.com/reviews/movies/hotel-artemis-movie-review-an-intriguing-premise-can-only-carry-this-thriller-so-far/

This Is a Movie Review: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

June 8, 2018

jmunney Cinema, Movie Reviews , , , , , , 2 Comments

CREDIT: Jim Judkis/Focus Features

I give Won’t You Be My Neighbor? 3.5 out of 5 Casual Sweaters: https://uinterview.com/reviews/movies/wont-you-be-my-neighbor-movie-review-documentary-keeps-fred-rogers-legacy-of-love-alive/

This Is a Movie Review: Hereditary

June 8, 2018

jmunney Cinema, Movie Reviews , , , , , , 3 Comments

CREDIT: A24

I give Hereditary 4 out of 5 Decapitations: https://uinterview.com/reviews/movies/hereditary-movie-review-an-unforgettable-toni-collette-performance-is-one-of-many-disturbing-attractions/

This Is a Movie Review: Avengers: Infinity War

June 3, 2018

jmunney Cinema, Movie Reviews , , , , , , , 2 Comments

CREDIT: Marvel

Much more so than 2012’s Avengers, Avengers: Infinity War is the culmination of all that has come before in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After ten years and nearly twenty films, this has been THE destination. Sure, “saving the whole world and/or universe” is what so many previous superhero movies have been about, so Infinity War cannot fully be satisfying on that score. But as a narrative experiment, it works as a satisfying conclusion (or beginning to a conclusion).

Weirdly enough, I think Infinity Wars works whether or not you have seen all the preceding entries. I cannot say for sure, as I have seen every MCU flick, though I have only watched all of them once each and I am by no means the most devoted Easter egg hunter. But there is just something about how this massive teamup of heroes manages to avoid feeling busy and instead come off as electric. There is a lived-in feel to Tony Stark and Stephen Strange trading banter and then becoming fast friends or the Guardians of the Galaxy making sense of Thor on the fly. If you don’t know what these characters are all about ahead of time, you can pick it up along the way, just as they do with each other. As for Thanos and his plan, it’s fine for setting the plot in motion, but I’m mainly here for all the combinations and permutations.

I give Avengers: Infinity War 4 Infinity Stones out of 5 “Shocking” Deaths.

Billboard Hot Rock Songs – Week of June 2, 2018

June 2, 2018

jmunney Billboard Charts, Billboard Hot Rock Songs, Music , , , Leave a comment

Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart, and then I rearrange the top 25 based on my estimation of their quality. I used to rank all of the top 25, now I just rank the cream of the crop.

Original Version
1. Imagine Dragons – “Whatever It Takes”
2. Imagine Dragons – “Thunder”
3. Imagine Dragons – “Believer”
4. Portugal. The Man – “Feel It Still”
5. Foster the People – “Sit Next to Me”
6. Bad Wolves – “Zombie”
7. Panic! at the Disco – “Say Amen (Saturday Night)”
8. Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”
9. Alice Merton – “No Roots”
10. Britton Buchanan – “Where You Come From”
11. lovelytheband – “Broken”
12. Five Finger Death Punch – “Gone Away”
13. Queen – “Another One Bites the Dust”
14. Five Finger Death Punch – “Sham Pain”
15. John Mayer – “New Light”
16. Godsmack – “Bulletproof”
17. Queen – “We Will Rock You”
18. Florence + the Machine – “Hunger”
19. Five Finger Death Punch – “Blue on Black”
20. Muse – “Thought Contagion”
21. Two Feet – “I Feel Like I’m Drowning”
22. Vance Joy – “Saturday Sun”
23. Shinedown – “Devil”
24. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – “You Worry Me”
25. James Bay and Alicia Keys – “Us”

Jmunney’s Revision
1. Bohemian Rhapsody
2. We Will Rock You
3. Another One Bites the Dust
4. No Roots
5. Feel It Still
6. You Worry Me
7. I Feel Like I’m Drowning
8. New Light
9. Hunger
10. Thought Contagion

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