"You look like a nice boy, I bet you have a lot of friends..." The terror of It.

It’s no secret this was Hollywood’s weakest summer at the box office in more than a decade – down almost 15% from last year. Yeah, that’s pretty scary, alright. But not nearly as scary as the welcome arrival of director Andy Muschietti’s adaptation of Stephen King’s It, which slammed the door on summer with a colossal $123 million opening weekend – the 3^rd biggest opening of the year, trailing only Beauty and the Beast and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – yep,it even walloped Spider-Man: Homecoming. It’s a terrific horror picture – which I’ll get to in a moment – and while it’s devouring the box office, It’s also delivering some very potent lessons: the horror genre is incredibly profitable – and so are R-rated films. It is rated R and earned a 51% female audience opening weekend – chew on that. Also, It features a cast of unknowns – the marquee value here is Stephen King, who still carries massive appeal, when a movie bearing his name delivers the goods, which The Dark Tower didn’t. Despite that picture tanking, it didn’t taint King’s name value in the slightest. What audiences care about is if the movie is a good experience or not – and oh, baby, is It an experience.

First filmed as a miniseries in 1990, It planted itself into the pop culture firmament thanks in large part to Tim Curry’s unhinged portrayal of Pennywise the Clown, which freaked out more than a couple of generations thanks to home video, and left a Mt. Everest-like challenge for any actor who’d dare to try and fill that character’s clown shoes – how do you top that?! 

The good news is that Muschietti (with screenwriters Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga and Gary Dauberman) have stayed pretty faithful to King’s source material while keeping things feeling fresh and new. Where the original miniseries followed the novel by jumping back and forth between the characters as adolescents and adults (27 years later), It focuses solely on the kids of the story as they first discover what an evil, messed up place the town of Derry is. And that’s not just because of Pennywise. All the kids (who dub themselves “The Losers Club”) have it pretty rough: Stuttering, chronic health problems, being the only minority – being the fat kid. Like The Goonies or the kids in
King’s own Stand By Me, these characters are just trying to get through their early teens – but in addition to being badgered by a truly despicable gang of older kids, it’s the adults in their world that are some of the most terrifying parts of their lives. A key presence in the Losers Club is Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), a disruptive presence in their world, both alien and hypnotic – she’s a girl. Beverly’s been tagged with an undeserved bad reputation at school, while trying to avoid the skin-crawling advances of her own father – she’s an outcast, so a perfect candidate to join the other young Derry misfits. It’s unsettling that Beverly’s the target of an incestuous pedophile while the filmmakers

deliberately make her a sexualized presence. But thanks to Lillis’ performance, it’s never cheap or sensational – despite walking right up to that line. It’s a star-making performance, and Beverly is practically the main character in this version of the story.

The film stunningly depicts the iconic opening of little Georgie Denbrough losing his paper boat into a sewer opening, where we first meet Pennywise, in a sequence that’s even more upsetting than I was prepared for, and unforgettably sets the tone for where we’re going. Georgie’s disappearance haunts his grief (and guilt)-stricken older brother Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) with incredible sadness. All the young actors in It are fantastic, but Lieberher deserves special notice, as his depiction of someone trying to build courage out of shattered heartache is really compelling.

Muschietti updates the original’s late 1950’s setting to the 1980’s (the novel was published in 1986), which gives the story a crazy, serendipitous kinship with Stranger Things, which itself felt wildly inspired by It (they share one cast member, Finn Wolfhard). It’s as if there were suddenly a Stranger Things feature film in theaters, but that’s just good timing, because the filmmaking and sense of place and character in It is entirely unique – as is this new version of Pennywise, performed by Bill Skarsgård. We learn that this isn’t the first era that this evil presence has haunted the town of Derry, and Pennywise is dressed here in turn-of-the-century clown garb, with aging lace and frills. Skarsgård makes the character entirely his own, which looks like it was incredibly painful to inhabit. Pennywise is beyond disturbing, and what visual effects there are in no way upstage the dark insanity that comes from the craft of acting. Skarsgård’s a real original, and hard to shake.

Muschietti (Mama), abetted by Oldboy DP Chung-hoon Chung’s stunning cinematography, puts together a ravishingly dark and involving series of sequences that engage the audience so deftly, I was reminded of Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist. You’re in the grip of a master manipulator (that’s a compliment) who knows that scares work best when you’ve come to powerfully care for the characters. It’s easy to see why It is doing so well at the box office.

If there’s one bit of mysterious disservice, it’s to the character of Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jacobs), who becomes the bookish town librarian in the novel, and who I remember being the one who did all the research into Derry’s past. Here, he’s less the intellectual and is forced to work in a slaughterhouse, which feels a lot more dated and stereotypical. But Jacobs is awesome, and you’re with him every inch of the way – it just feels like a shame and a step backward.

We’ll be returning to Derry in the “adult” version, 27 years later, with new actors bringing us the sequel. For the life of me, I hope they cast unknowns, because it’s already a tall order to make a film as enthralling as this one, where you’ve got the vulnerability of children being such a potent driver for the audience. But Muschietti and Skarsgård have more than proven their chops at overcoming
difficult challenges, so it’s going to be fascinating to see how they tackle it. It is one of the strongest horror movies of the last few years, and easily one of  the best Stephen King adaptations. Given
its current domination of the box office, Pennywise and his red balloons aren’t going anywhere but up.

Spider-Man: Homecoming - Peter Parker Comes of Age

As a card-carrying Marvel Universe enthusiast, there’s no way I’m missing any new Marvel flick in the theater, so after a hectic couple of weeks, I finally got a chance to check out Spider-Man: Homecoming, the latest crowd-pleaser from Marvel’s cinematic domination of the box office universe. By my count this is Marvel’s 16^th feature, since Iron Man debuted back in 2008. These days, we get 2-3 Marvel films each year, which is really something, with audience appetite showing no signs of slowing down – this latest outing coming between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and this November’s Thor: Ragnarok.

Now old Spidey’s had his fair share of movies since Sam Raimi first debuted him back in 2002, and you’d have to be crazy not to be a little daunted at the prospect of the fan community skeptically sighing, “Again, with another reboot?!?” But this is Marvel Studios, and they don’t leave much to chance – and director Jon Watts (Cop Car) has served up a terrific new iteration of the trials of Peter Parker that manages to feel modern, fresh and new, while maintaining a satisfyingly old-fashioned comic book vibe, all at the same time.

Homecoming picks up right after the events of Captain America: Civil War (feels like that was a lot longer than 14 months ago!), so Pete’s already fought side by side with The Avengers, but he’s still barely 15, and still in high school, fer cryin’ out loud. He’s got twin obsessions, Liz (Laura Harrier), the willowy girl on his academic decathlon team (in this high school, it’s way refreshingly cooler to be a brain than a jock), and his desire to prove to mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) that he’s ready to be a full-time Avenger. How you gonna keep the boy down in the borough of Queens, after he’s seen Black Widow?!

So, he’s the lovable Peter Parker of the comics – a young kid who’s got a whopper of a secret to hide from his peers. One of the reasons Spider-Man: Homecoming is so entertaining is Tom Holland, who is just self-effacingly, awkwardly, unabashedly, enthusiastically awesome, as young Pete. He’s terrific here, and he instantly brings the audience along with him every step of the way. You want him to impress the girl and prove he’s worthy and he’s hilarious when he screws things up – and when he hurts, man – you hurt right there with him.

We’ve seen New York smashed to bits in The Avengers, and have you ever wondered who cleans up that gigantic mess after the dust settles? A bunch of roughneck construction guys, that’s who. When one of these subcontractors realizes they’re about to get squeezed out of business, Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) pockets some damaged alien technology, and a black-market weapons business is born. Before long, Keaton’s devised a massive winged attack suit that lets him swoop down – like a…Vulture! – and plunder whatever he desires. I ask you: who’s crazy enough to try and stop a guy like this?!?

Holland and director Watts work incredibly well together, and let you feel Peter’s angst, but never let you get mired in it. Spider-Man: Homecoming never forgets to be fun, perhaps best personified by Peter’s best pal Ned (Jacob Batalon), a delightfully enthusiastic one-man fan club, a loveable sidekick role similar to Michael Peña’s in Ant-Man, but very much his own guy, and a good friend who helps give Peter all kinds of perspective – and encouragement – on his choices. 

Pitting Holland’s affable adolescent against Keaton’s threatening talons makes for great popcorn. Keaton’s got such great chops, and he brings a menacing, yet relatable quality to a guy who’s not out to conquer the world, but who’s just turned criminal – and who likes it. I’m happy to say this Spider-Man is a fantastic fit in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and you can swing by our neighborhood anytime, web-head.  

Dunkirk: Christopher Nolan's Miracle of Deliverance

There are plenty of good movies being made these days, great films; strong stories. But it's few and far between that something comes along that knocks the wind out of you - that's both steeped in the craft of classic filmmaking, but that also feels fresh and immersive and new. A release that's not just a movie - but that reminds you that Cinema still exists. With Dunkirk, director Christopher Nolan not only does all that, he's made his strongest film to date, and delivered what's more than likely to be the best motion picture of the year.

I'm lucky enough to live near one of the few theaters that's showing Dunkirk on actual 70mm film, and like Hateful Eight a couple of years back, seeing it with an audience on a massive screen is a rare experience indeed. Christopher Nolan's a purist, in this case foregoing digital for actual large format film, and sharpness of the resolution and depth is just overwhelming - probably the best word to use to describe what Dunkirk feels like.

Based on the actual events of May 1940, when over 300,000 Allied soldiers were cut-off and trapped on all sides by the German army. It could have been one of the worst bloodbaths in history. It's a situation that's almost a reversal of the typical war movie dynamic. There's no objective for the soldiers - no bridge to be captured or siege to perform. The objective here is to somehow just avoid being killed - by some miracle, to just survive.


Nolan depicts three different overlapping storylines, each with its own timeline. On land, Fionn Whitehead is one of several young soldiers trying to figure out how to avoid death. At sea, Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) is one of the hundreds of civilian British boat captains who cross the Channel in an effort to help bring home their stranded countrymen. In the air, Tom Hardy is a Spitfire pilot who's low on gas amidst a sky that's full of enemies. All the while the propulsive score by Hans Zimmer keeps escalating, the steady tick-tick-tick tempo getting into our bloodstream, taking us from anxiety to all-out dread.

Dunkirk is an epic, but it's lean and efficient, clocking in at just 106 minutes. Thanks to the large-frame format, the near documentary feel at times, the use of sound and editing, it's one of the most immersive film experiences I can recall. Nolan avoids digital effects in favor of the real thing. Actual Spitfire aircraft flying over the English Channel. Actual ships. You feel like you're right there in that cockpit with Hardy, shuddering and hanging on while you're trying to down another plane. There are some simply staggering set pieces in Dunkirk that I'm dying to learn how they achieved. They don't look or feel even remotely like special effects, but I mean, they must be...? Nolan and his Interstellar cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema plunge their cameras right into the middle of every scene.

The cast is fantastic, all delivering performances that emphasize immediacy and emotion over grandstanding. Mark Rylance is a wonder here, as is Tom Hardy - you almost feel like you're watching Spencer Tracy and Steve McQueen in a film co-directed by David Lean and Stanley Kubrick. Kudos also to Kenneth Branagh, as the Naval officer trying to hold the coast together and save as many lives as possible, against crushingly overwhelming odds.

If you see one picture in a theater this year, make no mistake, this is mandatory. Seek out the largest screen you can find (and 70mm if at all possible), and see one of the great war films of all time. Dunkirk is an absolute classic, and will restore your faith that they truly do make them like they used to - and then some. An incredible achievement on every level.

Ape-ocalypse Now: War for the Planet of the Apes!

“Apes together, strong!” You better believe it! After two wildly successful chapters (Rise and Dawn), the rebooted Apes trilogy comes to a resoundingly Old School and satisfying conclusion (at least, for now), with director Matt Reeves’ War for the Planet of the Apes. Reeves previously directed the last Apes outing, and along with screenwriter Mark Bomback, has emphasized two crucial imperatives – maintaining the focus on depicting Caesar (Andy Serkis) and the apes as rich relatable characters, while pushing the motion-capture visual effects to simply astonishing new heights.

Caesar and his simian stronghold just want to be left alone to live in peace, but a lingering band of human soldiers is determined to wipe them out. After a particularly devastating raid on the ape community – led by Woody Harrelson’s ruthlessly determined Colonel – Caesar gets his Josie Wales on, and aims to settle the score once and for all. War has a really refreshing old fashioned vibe, at times often feeling like a classic western, or John Sturges picture, with Caesar and his mounted band heading into the snowy Sierras in search of the Colonel’s base. There are some great little surprises in the script, with Steve Zahn doing terrific work as a new character Caesar meets on his quest. Newcomer Amiah Miller is also outstanding and effective as a young human girl the apes are compelled to look after. But make no mistake, Andy Serkis is an absolute marvel. You completely forget that effects are at work to depict these characters. Caesar’s ability to speak has markedly improved, but it’s his face that emotes and captivates, from poignant empathy to unchecked fury. He's a hirsute Henry V  –  a natural leader –  but he’s also a Charles Bronson vigilante out for vengeance.

Which all serves to make Harrelson’s self-righteous Colonel that much more one-dimensional in comparison. He’s much better at opining exposition than he is at running his base camp. The Apes films have always had social commentary on their mind, and this Colonel is a leader determined to build a great wall – an effort others see as “madness” – which gives War a rather timely context.

War for the Planet of the Apes is another example of what happens when filmmakers are given the freedom to tell a strong story and stick to the basics of entertaining the audience. This Caesar has plenty to say about the human condition, and audiences will have a rip-roaring good time, and still leave hungry for more.

#SDCC 2017: Day One at Comic-Con: NECA does del Toro!

Color me blown away. NECA is never predictable, and this year, it seemed a little surprising that they made so many big announcements and reveals before Comic-Con: Blade Runner 2049, Valerian, Aliens Burke and James Cameron figures – were they showing all their cards before the Con even began? Then Preview Night was heavily dominated by lots of Ninja Turtles and arcade-style renditions of Aliens and Predator. Not really my thing, as I focus on figures as depicted in their actual screen incarnations.


Then today happened. NECA revealed the Guillermo del Toro Signature Collection, with 2-Up prototypes of The Pale Man and Faun from Pan’s Labyrinth as well as Santi from The Devil’s Backbone.
 
These are works of art, and a fantastic tribute to the films of one of the most unique and visionary voices in cinema. Coming right on the heels of the new trailer for del Toro’s The Shape of Water, this was truly a jaw-dropping reveal, and beautifully timed. NECA continues to show us that with patience, anything is possible.
We also saw MacFarlane’s new Stranger Things figures, with Eleven and Hopper.
 

The day’s not over yet, so stay tuned!

#SDCC 2017: Preview Night at Comic-Con!

It's Christmas in July! Preview Night at San Diego's International Comic-Con! So far, not too much that's really jaw-dropping, but the night is young.

Hasbro has new The Last Jedi figures of Jedi Master Luke and Rey. The face sculpt for Luke is looking pretty decent here:

Then a nice posed look at Grand Moff Tarkin. 

Hasbro's Rathtar from The Force Awakens. Way, way too small, scale-wise...

NECA Blade Runner 2049, with what looks to be a Spinner from their Cinemachines line...

From Dark Horse, Game of Thrones "Battle of the Bastards" Jon Snow and Season 1 Daenerys...

A good look at Mezco's One:12 Dr. McCoy...

...and "casual" James Kirk with display chair:

This is just the first taste, so expect more updates and breaking news through Sunday! 

Despicable Me 3's Sibling Rivalry

"Face it, Gru - Villainy is in your blood!" It's amazing how much Illumination Entertainment becomes a part of your life when you're a parent. You've likely been Despicable Me'd and Minion'd and Secret Life of Pets'd so frequently that you're dizzy at the very mention of it. But part of the massive appeal of Chris Meledandri's pixelated empire is that these films always have a boatload of content that's just as appealing to adults - and for the most part, Despicable Me 3 is no exception.

Reformed super-villain Gru (Steve Carell) is now a family man, and anti-villain special agent. Who better to track down and apprehend super-villains, I ask you?! But Gru finds out he has a long-lost twin brother - Dru - a twin brother who's more successful and infinitely better coiffed than he is. When Gru loses his job after letting a major bad guy get away, reunited sib Dru enthuses that they take up the family business again - super-villainy - and team up!

Carell - voicing both parts - continues to be deliriously entertaining in this franchise. One foot in domestic travails, the other in larger than life Bondian mayhem. But he wants to be a good father and husband (to Kristen Wiig), and he doesn't want to disappoint anyone. Directed by Kyle Balda (Minions) and Pierre Coffin (also Minions plus Despicable Me and DM2), Despicable Me 3 has a pleasing family-meets-Bond vibe that strongly evokes The Incredibles. All the scenes with Gru and Dru sorting out their relationship are terrific and very funny. Dru's family estate is in the country of Freedonia (!) and the pig and cheese-occupied villagers and daughter Agnes' (Nev Scharrel) obsession to find an actual unicorn in the local forest create some of the funnier moments.

But DM3 is lacking the incessant spark and unexpected hilarity that made other Illuminations films like Minions and Secret Life of Pets such smash, repeatable hits. Yeah, the Minions are pretty hilarious, but nowhere near as novel or inventively employed as they were in their titular film. Plus, a big problem with the film is the antagonist - a parachute-pants-wearing former child star of the 1980s who's still living that decade. Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker) wears thin right out of the gate, and becomes painfully annoying by act 3. He may have sounded funny on paper, but falls flat in execution. That makes for some rough sledding, make no mistake.

Still, Carell's dual roles carry most of the picture, and parents looking to enjoy a kid-friendly summer outing could do soooooooo much worse. It's not classic Illumination, by any means, but it's a lot of fun, has a good heart, and your family will laugh pretty hard - though pretty forgetfully.