Tick Tick Boom

Tick Tick Boom (Netflix)

I am not the right person to review a musical film. I though an octave was something you bought at  the farmer’s market. This film has energy, warmth and pathos. It is about Jonathon Larson and his artistic challenges to write a Broadway musical. In case you do not know who Larson is, he wrote and composed Rent (which my wife reminded me we saw). The film has musical numbers but also dramatic scenes depicting Larson’s struggles to write a  musical. The creative process is a mix of failures, emotional turmoil and success-even if only brief.  

Andrew Garfield gives a bravo performance. On the “Late Show” Garfield said he never sang before, but Lin-Manuel Miranda, the director, wanted him for the part. Garfield took singing lessons. When I made the remark that Garfield was just mouthing songs my son corrected me saying I knew nothing about melody, range and hitting the notes. According to Wikipedia there are loads of cameos from famous theatrical composers and musical actors. I have no idea who the are but they were  great.

Besides Garfield’s outstanding energetic performance the film has a strong supporting cast. His girlfriend played by Alexandra Shipp, presents Larson with the pivotal question; when do you stop striving for the impossible? Of course they break into song. His boyhood friend Michael, who gave up on acting, went to the dark side and got a job in advertising. It is a dear friendship and Michael is there even when he is pushed away.  I am not sure if they broke out in song but probably they did. A poignant scene is when an actor portraying Steven Sondheim gives Larson positive feedback. As you may know Sondheim recently passed.

The film is not about his famous play Rent, but rather a play he labored over for many years, Superbia, which was never produced. Tragically Larson died of  aortic dissection at age 35. He posthumously won a Tony and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. He died on the first day of Rent’s off Broadway preview performance.

 

  

Silence

Silence

This is an epic movie. It is a clash of religions and cultures and the horrible consequences of ensuing conflict. It also has an epic run time of about three hours; this is a two-bathroom movie.

The film takes place in feudal Japan in the 16^th hundreds. The two main protagonists played by Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield are Jesuit priests on a mission to Japan to find a renowned priest, Fr. Ferreira, played by Liam Neeson. They encounter hostile resistance from the Japanese feudal lords. The two Jesuits are in peril from the day they arrive in Japan. As in Roman times the Japanese Christens conceal their faith fearing retribution. When discovered they are subjected to horrible torture reminiscent to the martyrdom of the saints. To escape punishment, they are forced to apostatize their faith.

This is Martin Scorsese’s latest film which was ten years in the making. Scorsese had considered attending the seminary and if had this film would have been his dissertation. The Japanese see Catholicism as a threat to their society and will crush it. In Japan, the Emperor is a deity and deities do not like competition.  

Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield are the new breed of stars. Driver has had a range of roles from the narcissistic lover in the HBO series Girls to Kylo Ren in Rogue One. Here he is a tormented priest agonizing between keeping his faith and saving local Christians from gruesome torture.  He delivers a complex performance of terror and devotion.

Andrew Garfield’s character plays the pivotal role. He is Driver’s companion and is subjected to the same trials and torments. His conundrum is if he does not apostatize his devoted flock would be tortured to death or if he gives up his fate he will be dammed. The later part of the film give him full range of emotions. He is most compelling in these moments.

Liam Neeson comes in at the end of the movie. His character is the catalyst for the two Jesuits’ journey. His role is important and he delivers what is needed.

One wonderful things about this movie is the Japanese cast.  Although I am not familiar with them their acting was superb. One character, Kichijiro, unintentionally provided comic relief by asking for confession for sins he keeps repeating.   He thinks confession is his get out of jail card (I certainly hope so!). The Inquisitor is played by a grandfatherly type character who dispassionately dispenses torture like someone ordering tea. His banality portends future barbarity.  

The costumes and cinematography are outstanding. Scorsese uses an effective overhead shot.  An interviewer asked him what inspired him. Scorsese said when he lived in a tenement on the Lower East Side, he looked out the window that is how he saw the city. Yeah, been there.

This movie weights heavy on your shoulders. Jesuits are God’s storm troops and are the harbingers of colonialism. The movie is a feast for the eyes and all-round the acting is superb. But it is not a date movie.

Hacksaw Ridge

Hacksaw Ridge

This is more than a war movie. It is about love, faith, the human spirt and yes the horrors of war. Andrew Garfield gives a tour de force in his portrayal of Desmond Doss the Medal of Honor recipient. This is a true story of Doss who during WWII signal handedly as a medic saved several wounded soldiers. As a Seventh Day Advantest, he could not carry a gun and wanted to serve as a conscientious objector. His soldiers labeled him a coward.

Garfield’s performance in impassioned. It ranges from a smittened farm boy, to a wrongly persecuted coward to a war hero dedicated to saving the lives of his comrades. His execution of these phases anchors the film. Commitment to his religion is the source of his denigration by military commanders and the foundation of his courage. Garfield maneuvers these transitions with aplomb.

Vince Vaughn played his role as Sargent Howell with modified swagger (that must have been very hard). His repartee was front and center assigning tender humiliating name to the troops. This was a new level of acting for him which he executed well.

Hugo Weaver is Desmond’s tortured father a veteran of the first world war suffering from survivor’s guilt and is an abusive alcoholic. His convincing performance as a broken man who knows the horrors that will confront his son. Sam Worthington plays Captain Glover. Not much to say his performance, but it was nice seeing him again.

This movie has been compared to Saving Private Ryan. Hacksaw Ridge is more nuanced. Desmond’s back story of falling in love at first sight with his wife and remaining true to his faith give the movie more dimensions than a straight forward war movie. One thing in common with Saving Private Ryan is the horrific portrayal of war. You are no less a man or woman for closing your eyes.

Mel Gibson is many things. He is an Uber Catholic, an anti-Semite and a drunk. He is also an Academy Award winner director (Brave Heart). This film is a bravo performance and unless there is movie magic in the next two months the film may get an academy nomination.

In the end of the film there is footage of the real Desmond Doss. He was a slight man but he carried the Medal of Honor with same valor he rescued his commands. He saved an estimated 75 men. He died in 2006, he was 87 years old. God bless.

The Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014)

Often sequels do not deliver, this one does but not all the way. Spiderman still swings from building to building and is dishing out a continuous banter of wise cracks and anemic jokes. He still lives in Astoria Queens with Aunt May, who is still a darling but with a few more wrinkles but boundless charm. Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy has those sparkling eyes and brings a lightness to the film.

Luckily we have a new villain in the person of Electro played by Jamie Foxx. Guess what his super power is? Jamie’s portrayal is part Jerry Lewis and part Von Doom. Before his transformation he has this nutty professor look with a bad comb over and a sad loner manic depressive personality. After his transformation he is wearing a hoody and so much make up that anyone could play him even Kevin Hart (scratch that, Hart is too short). The ultimate battle scene seems to short, it’s like a first date that goes nowhere.

Then there is Harry Osborn, again. The same cycle is resurrected; friend then enemy. You would think Peter Parker would catch on. Harry menacingly comes towards the end of movie and battles Spiderman on the Goblin sledge. Instead of resurrecting Harry in every film they should have a fight to the death and get over with it.

What was enjoyable in the film was the non-Spiderman scenes with Peter and Gwen. The sub story works here. Maybe this worked well because they are a couple in real life. Many of the super hero movies have a love interests but this should be secondary to the action (see Man of Steel).

This movie is for the Spiderman fanboys, for the rest, you may want to wait for Time Warner on demand.