2015: The Year in Film: "Selma" Review

Yep. This one is REALLY late.

Martin Luther King, Jr., is, obviously, one of the great figures in American history. His dignity and steadfast stewardship of the Civil Rights movement led to, in just over a decade, the complete demolition of the legal structures of American apartheid and the realization of much of the (on paper, at least) ambitions of the drafters of the 14th and 15th Amendments. Obviously, the battle for equal treatment under the law remains an ongoing one, but it goes without saying that MLK, Jr. was one of the truly inspiring and monumental figures of the last century. Dealing with such a giant of history in film or any work of art can be a tricky proposition, so bringing MLK and the Civil Rights movement to the screen is a decision fraught with risk. The wrong touch or wrong decisions could result in a disaster as likely to offend as to inspire.

Directed and written by relative newcomer Ava DuVernay and starring British actor David Oyelowo (who first caught my eye as the human villain in Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Selma makes the (in my estimation), wise decision to focus on one small period in MLK Jr's life. Rather than a sweeping biopic covering the entirety of his life, we focus on the push by King and the SCLC for voting rights in Selma, Alabama in 1965.

The Good: Oyelowo's performance is simply tremendous. It's hard to imagine anyone ever doing a better job of portraying MLK on film. His portrayal is touching, believable, powerful and rousing. Equal parts inspiring and believably human, the film paints King as a somewhat reluctant figure, run ragged by the what must have seemed endless struggle for dignity and equal treatment under the law he personified. The rest of the cast is mixed, but Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Ejowo (as LBJ and Coretta Scott King), Stephan James and Oprah were bright spots. James' depiction of John Lewis, a young SNCC volunteer, stood out among the crowded ensemble. I really liked the film's decision to focus on a particular struggle and a snapshot of a particular time, as it made the film's narrative concise and focused on the human beings involved. The tension and violence of the time is palpable, painting a picture of a time at once recognizable and yet incredibly foreign.



The Bad: at a certain point, someone involved in the production of this film made the decision that the systemic, violent apartheid racism of Governor Wallace's Alabama and the Jim Crow-era deep south wasn't enough of an obstacle for King and his movement to overcome, and that President Johnson needed to be brought into things as a cartoon villain as well. I find this unfortunate, because it's incredibly distracting, and I believe not at all true to history. This film paints LBJ as, at best, slightly hostile to the Civil Rights movement and at worst, openly opposed to King. I don't believe that's reflective of history, and I'm not sure why the film felt the need to escalate the momentousness of King's achievements. Additionally, there are parts of the film that feel cheaply done and like they'd be at home in a Lifetime "Movie of the Week".

In all, this is a powerful, well-made film with a brilliant performance and depiction of an all-time great American at its core. Its flaws hold it back from true greatness, but it's an inspiring story of one of the great figures and great triumphs of American history. High school students should be shown this film, and I'm sure they will be.

8/10.

2015: The Year in Film: "Furious 7" Review

The evolution of the "Fast and Furious" franchise from "throwaway 90's schlock" to "best non-superhero action series" is legitimately one of the more preposterous developments in the history of film. It may be THE most preposterous moment outside of when people let Birth of a Nation happen and rekindle the worst elements of neo-confederacy. Read more about my journey of discovery of the joys of this series here: Two Fast, Two Curious. Whatever the series was a decade ago, 5 and 6 were legitimately good, and a hell of a lot of fun, so Furious 7 immediately became one of my most anticipated movies of the year, especially in light of 6's post-credits sequence. The death of Paul Walker mid-shoot immediately cast a pall over the film, but it did lend an air of finality to the proceedings. It's safe to say that Furious 7 will be the end of the road for our heroes.

Furious 6 saw our heroes working on the side of the angels, working with Hobbs (The Rock) and the government to bring down a former British special forces soldier turned mercenary and his crew. After winning the day in ridiculous fashion, it's revealed after the credits that Tokyo Drift TAKES PLACE AFTER FURIOUS 6 and Shaw's brother (Jason Statham) is on the warpath for revenge. Down Han and Gisele, Torretto and co. find themselves hunted by a very, very bad man. They'll need to join forces for "one last ride" to stop the bad guy and win the day.

The Good: Vin Diesel's performance in 5, 6 and 7 is one of the great movie star turns of our time. I truly mean this. His Dominic Torretto barely speaks, and is the epitome of the "strong and silent" type. Brad Pitt in the Ocean's series and Vin Diesel in the F&F series put on a clinic of how to do more with less. The rest of the cast settles into their established roles, (newcomer Kurt Russell, especially, just chews up scenery) and they are clearly so comfortable riffing with one another that their chemistry and clear affection for one another is magnetic. It doesn't even matter that Paul Walker (RIP) was flat and boring, because everyone clearly likes each other. At its best points, these films are about close friends hanging out, and that's just fun to watch when it's accompanied by some of the more absurd action sequences ever put on film. Ludacris is enjoyable and Tyrese's character is ridiculous as always. The flick continues the trend established in 5 and 6 where our heroes, once small-time criminals, are now basically elite special forces, able to take on military and international terrorists without much of a problem, and I'm strangely comfortable with that. There's been a change behind the camera, with James Wan taking over for Justin Lin (who directed 3-6), and his action choreography is nearly as impressive. There's a sense of grand scale behind the action scenes in these films that's unlike nearly anything else that's being done today. The film embraces its absurdity and runs with it, encouraging the audience to laugh along with its ridiculousness. Plus, I won't spoil anything, but the film does a hell of a send-off for Paul Walker that's legitimately heart-wrenching.



The Bad: whether this is because Furious 6 was so good or because this film is relatively lacking, but it feels like a step down from 5 and 6. It's still big, and crazy, and a lot of fun, but the film misses Han and Gisele a lot, and we aren't given anyone to replace them really.  This flick also suffers from showing so many awesome moments in the trailer. Look at that trailer. Those scenes are ridiculous... and completely spoiled. Since we already know that's happening, it takes away from the "wow" factor in the movie itself. I mean, cars parachuting from a plane? Paul Walker running up a bus? Those are awesome and I wish I didn't already know they were coming. This film also suffers from a lack of the Rock compared to 5 and 6. The Rock is sidelined for most of the flick, which makes sense from a plot standpoint, it's hard for anyone to be outgunned when The Rock is on your side, but we need more Rock, guys. Also, this flick suffers from the absence of Lin's steadying hand. It feels juvenile in comparison to 5 and 6 in parts, and there are some gratuitous shots that honestly made me feel like a creep. WAY too many lingering shots on sexy ladies, which feels jarring in a series that legitimately had strong and well-rounded female characters in 5 and 6.

So, in all, if you like 5 and 6, you're going to like this one, even if it's not QUITE as good. The film really does a great job sending off Paul Walker, and honestly was a bit of a tear-jerker. I hope that his family appreciates the gesture, because I'm not quite sure that anyone has ever gotten as great of a send-off as the one this film gives him. He did legitimately seem like a good dude, so I'm glad that the flick saw fit to honor him in that way. A good, really fun, but not great conclusion to the most ridiculous series of all time.

7/10.