AIR

 

Air

I originally went to see Dungeons and Dragons-Honor Among Thieves, a mistake. Now I know why I never became a gamer.

On my way out I snuck into theater 15 and watched Air which is an origin story about the creation of the Air Jordon sneaker and how Nike signed Michael Jordon to their brand. A fabulous movie with a stellar cast. Matt Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, Ben Affleck plays Phil Knight, Jason Bateman is Rob Strasser, Chris Tucker is Howard White, and the always wonderful Viola Davis plays Jordon’s mother. Besides the strong chemistry of the cast this is a great script. This is not a jock movie; it is a story of believing in some one and making a full commitment.

Over many years and movies, the relationship between Matt Damon and Ben Affleck is well established.  However, with good roles their collaboration remains fresh. Affleck is Phil Knight, CEO of Nike. Damon is pitching Michael Jordon and creating a line of sneakers on one player, which was very risky for the company. In 1984 Nike was not the juggernaut it is now; it was competing against and behind Adidas and Converse. Signing Jordon was the golden ring.

Matt Damon is a true believer and is willing to bet everything on signing Jordon. This is to the consternation of Affleck who as the CEO has to balance Damon’s passion with hard business calculus. Jason Bateman delivers his trademark understated performance. There are some funny exchanges between him and Damon. Chris Tucker was reserved but even the way he speaks is funny. Another character is David Falk played by Chris Messina. He is Jordon’s agent and some of the funniest scenes are between he and Damon. Viola Davis is the boss. She is the gate keeper to Michael Jordon. She does not negotiate she just demands. Davis plays his mother as confident and tough.  

The movie employed a gimmick. You never actually see Michael Jordon. They show the back of his head or a shoulder. I do not know if there was a copywrite issue, but it was a bit silly. The movie’s sound track is great with 80’s songs.

So, either Dungeons and Dragons or Air. Make your pick.

 

 

The Woman King

 

The Woman King

In Doubt Viola Davis was a tearful distraught mother pleading for help from a stone hearted mother superior played by Merial Streep; Davis was nominated for an Oscar. In The Help Davis plays a maid in the segregated 1950’s south; she won an Oscar. So, playing a Ajojie virgin amazon general is no stretch for her. This is a very muscular role. She was fierce and did not smile once in the film. The film is a historical epic based on a story written by Maria Bello. The Ajojie were all-female warriors who protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey (present day Benin) during the 17th to 19th centuries. 

The movie is action packed. Most of the combat is hand to hand fighting with swords and spears. I am not certain, but I hope Davis used a body double for the grueling battles. The film is more complex than a simple action movie, it has layers. A main theme is the slave trade. Benin was an incubator for deporting slaves. That is where the infamous Gates of No Return were located. In the film warring tribes supplied war captives as slaves. One epic battle was to free the slaves. Against her strong military discipline Davis forms a bond with a young recruit, Nawi. Nevertheless, training is brutal (there are no tears on Dahomey boot camp). There is also palace intrigue. Davis is at odds with king’s harem and a power play with the queen ensues.

Another subplot was a budding romantic entanglement with a Brazilian slaver and young Nawi. The slaver himself was part Brazilian and part Dahomey. He is conflicted about slavery and helps Nawi escape.

The supporting cast were wonderful. Theuso Mbedu plays Nawi the young recruit. She is fearless but does not follow orders. Davis has loyal lieutenants, Lashana Lynch and Shelia Atim  were outstanding. John Boyega plays a regal King Ghezo.

If you like action movies this one is unique. It also gives an historical depiction of the slave trade.

 

 

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

 

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)                                                                          December 20, 2020

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a multi-level film. It is about the blues of the 1920’s, about race, about ambition and defiance. It is an August Wilson play of the same name and the film has the intimacy of a play. The dialogue is powerful and  emotional. It reunites actors from another August Wilson play Fences. Viola Davis, who won an Academy Award for Fences, and Denzel Washington who is a producer in Ma Rainey.

Ma Rainey was a blues singer of the 1920’s. She was not a stereotypical black woman of her time; she was a force of nature. Viola Davis plays her with defiant energy. She knew the worth of her voce and that  white producers wanted to put it on their “race records”. Davis is absolutely amazing. She is in a fat suite and with grease paint make up sporting gold teeth making her look hideous. She is the definition of sass. If her demands are not met she did not sing; it is her arrangement or nothing.

Chadwick Bosemen is the other lead who is Levee, the trumpet player. This is his last performance. To think he was being treated for colon cancer and delivered this phenomenal energetic performance is mind boggling. If he wins the Oscar it will not be out of sympathy  but for his defining performance. Levee has ambitious plans to form his own band and clashes with Ma over and their artistic differences. His inner demons are rooted in the rape of his mother as a boy and his resentment of religion for failing him. His fury results in tragedy and he destroys him.

The supporting cast is outstanding. Whereas Bosemen is in constant revolt, the rest of the band just want their money and do what Ma says. They too have their tragedies and wounds but they internalize them maintaining the accepted stereotypes of the time. The two white actors represent the record company. They put up with Ma’s demands to get her voice recorded. They pay her $200 dollars for releasing the song to the record company without royalties and  pay Levee $5 for songs he wrote. Racism does not always need a cross.

Do not see this movie because it is Chadwick Bosemen’s last film. See it for the performances of Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 99.

Get On Up

For a movie with fancy choreography, there are some missteps. However, Chadwick Boseman was fabulous. To go from the stoic and reserved Jackie Robinson role to the extroverted James Brown is the ultimate definition acting range. Boseman’s embodiment of Brown was so complete his mimicked speech pattern made it difficult to understand him. His role is more than just an impression but is rather very challenging and encompasses the spectrum of Brown’s life from the back woods shack of his birth to the private jet of the Godfather of Soul. The hardest working man in show business had a very hard life and as a result was not the nicest person. James Brown constantly uses the first person to describe himself. In this a way he reaffirms his success and keeps the ghosts of his past at bay. James Brown was a force of nature and his signature showmanship defined him.

The movie benefited from other great actors. Viola Davies plays his mother and even in her brief appearance gives a touching and forceful performance. The movie would have been stronger with her character longer on screen. She is very influential in the development of Brown. Octavia Spencer played a warm comforting auntie type. She is a proxy mother, but she too is relegated to a brief appearance. Dan Aykroyd is a national treasure. He has the acting range of a pimple, but you gotta love him. Nelsan Ellis plays James Brown’s wingman, Bobbie Bryd. This is a classic love hate relationship engendering pity, arrogance and resolution. Ellis was perfect for the role.

The dancing is signature James Brown. I hope Boseman already has children, since those splits are lethal. Boseman lip syncs the songs but he does it with such bravado, sweat pours down his grimacing face. Boseman’s make up is dead on.

The movie has some problems; flash backs and asides. Flash backs are valuable if used sparingly. In this movie the flash backs give you motion sickness and are very distracting. They bounce back and forth in a non-liner manner. Asides are annoying. If the actor has to tell the audience what is going on followed with a big wink, something is lacking. If the script is written correctly the audience gets it. Another sore point is the use labels in the movie.  They looked like exit signs on a highway and were silly for a drama.

This movie is imperfect. Boseman’s chameleon performance of James Brown deserves at least an Oscar nomination. All round there are wonderful acting gems, but sometimes the settings are not quite good. Go see it, but bring Dramamine.