Independence Day: Resurgence 3D

First Hit:  Could not buy into the story let alone the characters.

Leaving well enough alone is appropriate more often than not. The first film was far more interesting and entertaining.

Here we have a rehash of the same old story embellished with stale lines of bravery being spit out left and right. Jeff Goldblum (as David Levinson) is a key character and has become the headmaster of tongue in cheek dialogue. then there is the rebellious hero, Liam Hemsworth (as a risk taking reckless pilot named Jake Morrison), who makes good on his bad-boy image.

We also have the previous film's hero, Dylan Hiller (Jessie T. Usher) who has to figure out how to forgive Jake so they can work together again. The basic story is that the alien invaders, who were defeated by earthlings years ago, didn’t like it so they came back to suck earth’s molten core thereby destroying it.

Because their weapons are far superior to ours we stand no chance. However, our willingness to fight and will to survive, gives us a way to figure out how to defend our planet. This is an old boring story and, as I said earlier, the producers needed to leave well enough alone and not destroy and create distaste about the brand.

I will not comment on individual performances – it isn’t worth the time. Nicolas Wright and James A. Woods wrote a very tired, uninteresting, and a retread of a story. Roland Emmerich directed this the best he could – it just was more about creating big scenes of bravery and little about people.

Overall:  This film was clearly done to capitalize on the first film and the Fourth of July date the USA celebrates their independence.

The Lobster

First Hit:  A strange, different and odd film about forced coupledom.

This film is set in the near future and everyone in society must be coupled or face going to an oddly sterile hotel where they have 45 days to find a mate. If they don’t find a mate they will be turned into the animal of their choice. They can extend their time by hunting down and shooting and tranquilizing others who are escaping. If they are lucky enough to find a mate they can live in a couple’s room, then a yacht for a couple weeks, and if successful they can return to the city as a couple.

Upon entering the hotel, they are given a strict protocol to live by, including no masturbation, along with deciding the animal they want to be turned into if they don’t find a mate; hence the film’s title “The Lobster”. This is the type of animal David (Colin Farrell) selects.

There are some macabre scenes (like the punishment for masturbating), amazingly darkly funny scenes (shooting range practice scene), and simply weird scenes (how do the loners survive in the forest day after day). One of the traits in choosing their possible partner is the sharing physical or mental aspects like; shortsightedness, or limps, or lisps, or cold-heartedness, or the love of biscuits.

Another odd part about this film is that it portrays everyone being so subservient to people who’ve placed themselves in authority. How everyone minds the hotel managers (Olivia Colman and Garry Mountaine) is really bizarre because I would have probably rebelled.

Even more perplexing was how the escapees (“Loners”) minded the direction and instructions of Loner Leader (Lea Seydoux). I kept wondering who empowered these people in this way? Why did others follow their instructions?

The cast of characters in this story were really oddly interesting as well:  Nosebleed Woman (Jessica Barden), Biscuit Woman (Ashely Jensen), Lisping Man (John C. Reilly), Short Sighted Woman (Rachel Weisz), Limping Man (Ben Whishaw), and Heartless Woman (Angeliki Papoulia) among others.

Farrell did a terrific job with his character. He gained so much weight for this role which seemed to also affect his natural intensity. Seydoux was clearly strong as the leader of the Loners. She was very commanding. Reilly was funny as the lisping man who got caught masturbating. Weisz was wonderful as the Short Sighted Loner who loved to eat rabbits and was the narrator of this film. Papoulia was very good as the Heartless person. Barden was amazingly sweet as the Nosebleed person. Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippu wrote this strangely effective script even though it was filled with obvious logical holes. Lanthimos did a great job of getting the actors and scenes to coalesce and wonderfully execute this story and idea.

Overall:  The film was very entertaining most of the time, yet the holes in the story kept my mind wandering and asking questions while the celluloid rolled.

The Neon Demon

First Hit:  Odd, visually striking, with great electronic music but the direct story was way too twisted.

However, there are depths in this story that are poignant and were interesting. Directly, Jesse (Elle Fanning), is a young girl without parents who comes to LA seeking to be a model. As she states: “I can’t dance, sing, or have any skills, all I have is my looks.” At 16 she’s young, she’s beautiful and everyone who meets her is taken by her presence, innocence, inner strength and beauty.

She quickly rises up in the LA fashion modeling scene, and the other models are jealous. There is a lot of gossipy discussion among the other girls about what work they have had done on their bodies to make themselves look better: Nose jobs, breast augmentation, eye lifts, body augmentations and lots of other things so that they can be the “it” girl and continue to work.

Jesse is naturally beautiful and mesmerizes every clothing designer and photographer she meets. She has become the "it girl". Her innocence and surety of her beauty is profound.

The depth of the film comes with what people will do to be seen as beautiful and how much physical beauty matters. I’m not sure I liked the way it was presented as I was bored at times but it also had a power of drawing me into the main character.

Fanning was very good as the young mid-western girl wanting to live her dream of being a model. Her ethereal beauty and strength were evident and why she was chosen for this part - she was perfect for it. Karl Glusman as Dean a photographer and friend of Jesse was OK, but didn’t bring out a strong dynamic. Jena Malone was very interesting as Jesse’s friend and make-up artist. Her twists are edgy. Bella Heathcote as Gigi the model who will do anything surgically to be the “it” model. Abby Lee was interestingly strong as another model who has some odd eating habits (at the end of the film). Keanu Reeves as the intense somewhat twisted motel manager was a nice turn. Nicolas Winding Refn wrote and directed this oddly twisted film.

Overall:  This film was more odd and interesting than engaging.

Free State of Jones

First Hit:  Ambitious telling of a few southern men who really wanted to be free of the South’s prejudicial way of life.

The film begins with Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey) carrying a wounded soldier into a field hospital. Showing intelligence and compassion, he strips off the soldier’s uniform and replaces it with an officer’s and announces that he’s got a captain that needs assistance.

Because he’s an officer the wounded soldier gets help. In this simple scene we are shown the compassionate leadership qualities in Knight. When his son Daniel (Jacob Lofland), by his wife Serena (Keri Russell), gets killed, he loads him up on a mule and deserts the Confederate Army, a corporal offense, and returns the body to his home.

Serena, distraught, packs up their youngest child and leaves the area. Because he’s now a wanted deserter, Knight has to hide out in the swamp with escaped slaves. One day, while protecting a poor farmer's wife and daughters from Lt. Barbour's (Bill Tangradi) pillaging their corn, hogs, and supplies, he's discovered by the Confederate Army raiders which now want to chase him down and prosecute him.

Of course the rich landowners were not pillaged and were also protected from losing any of their property. Knight ends creating a small society of other deserters and former slaves whose goal is to live free with equality among all men. Moses (Mahershala Ali) is one of the slaves who becomes a strong leader in the movement to rid the South of their prejudicial ways.

Newton falls in love with Rachel (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who is another slave who fled their owner and they have a child together. This story becomes very complex because this growing group of freedom fighters, fight the Confederate Army and the Klu Klux Klan to earn freedom from oppressive citizen attitudes and a government learning how to enforce the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.

To re-enforce the difficulty of these changes, Rachel and Newt’s son is shown in court as an adult because he’s partially black and wasn’t allowed to marry a white woman.

McConaughey was well suited to this role. His down home nature and natural leadership qualities are well represented here. Russell is strong as the first wife who leaves and comes back to be very supportive of the movement. Trangradi is very good and brings the right attitude to his character. Ali is powerful as the former slave who embraces his freedom in all ways. Mbatha-Raw is sublime as the movement’s supporter and eventual wife of Newt. Gary Ross wrote and directed this ambitious effort. Although I think he bit more off than could be chewed in this film, his representation of the changes the South went through was excellent.

Overall:  This film sheds light on a man whose tombstone accurately states: “He lived for others.”

Golden Kingdom

First Hit:  Very sweet film about four young monks left alone to fend for themselves.

Filmed in Myanmar (Burma), the beautiful countryside taking an impressive second seat to the beautiful spirits embodied in the novice (Ko Yin) priests; Witazara (Shine Htet Saw), Wezananda (Saw Ri), Thiridema (Than Maung), and Awadadema (Maung Sein).

Their Abbot Sayadaw has to leave the remote monastery going through a treacherous mountain pass, leaving the oldest Witazara in charge. The young monks learn that Sayadaw may be killed going through the pass which makes them more nervous about their plight.

However, left alone they practice their prayers, meditate and do their chores as always. There food has been provided by an old man who is a local villager each morning. Shortly after the Abbot leaves, the old man stops showing up with their food.

Because they eat only once a day, they become hungry quickly and begin searching the area around them to find food. However, there is a war going on in Myanmar (Burma) villages are being vacated and they become more and more desperate. Witazara ventures out committed to find food for his fellow young monks. He fights his fears and demons and finds a willing helper.

The sweetness of the monks doing their practice was amazing. The countryside of Burma, beautiful.

Saw was wonderful as the one appointed to guide his fellow young monks. Ri, Maung, and Sein were amazing. The beauty in their spirits came through their eyes and actions. Brian Perkins wrote and directed this wonderfully beautiful film.

Overall:  A great look at the devotion and beauty of young Burmese monks.