renzywenzy

[renzywenzy]

Joker Review

*Disclaimer* I held off posting this review until Phoenix won the Oscar. I promised myself that if he hadn’t won, I would have just left this in the drafts forever. That’s how much faith I had in this man and now here is my critique of my favorite film of 2019. 

I have a tattoo on my right arm. The tattoo is actually the Batman logo but altered. One half of the logo is normal but the other half is made up of red “HAHAHAHA���s” all over. There’s a reason why the dynamic between these two is my favorite of all-time. It’s two different interpretations of insanity colliding in an eternal battle. It’s two iconic, well-written, captivating characters having epic confrontations. 

Needless to say, I love the characters of Batman and The Joker. I grew up on them and they have played a huge part of my life. My ideologies, my way of thinking, my perception of the world, my behavior in private and in public have been directly and/or indirectly impacted by these two characters.

Any film or any form of media that have these two, separate or together, is already met with my high expectations. So obviously, my expectations for this film were through the roof. If this film was nothing short of great, I would have been really angry. 

I would have been the first to say how disappointed I was, I would have been the first to say that Joaquin Phoenix should never play The Joker again, I would have been the first to say that Todd Philips should stick to raunchy comedies and stay away from the character as far as possible....but that’s not the case here. 

I’m singing a different tune. A tune that I’m gonna be letting everyone hear with every chance I get. A tune that I’m gonna be playing in my head whenever I dance on the street. 

Ladies and gentlemen... please welcome Joker.

The Tragedy

First of all, I’ll begin with some faults that I found in the film. Not a whole lot but I have to get these out of the way so that I can end the review with high points. 

1.) The origin story we didn’t want but the one we got anyway

Now when I talk about origin story, I don’t mean Joker’s. I mean Batman’s. I’m really sorry to say but I am getting absolutely sick of seeing THAT scene. 

I have to point out that it felt like this scene was rushed. It wasn’t shot as well as the other scenes. Every other scene in Joker felt like there was a beautiful story behind it. As if there was a creative progress going through the minds of the people in the scene and off the camera but this scene felt rushed and was treated like an afterthought. 

I must admit, of all the films that showed Bruce’s parents in the alley, this one might be one of the weakest I’ve seen in a while. Even that piece of garbage Batman V. Superman had a slightly better way of showing that scene. If you’re going to show us a scene that’s been overly done since the beginning of Batman films, you gotta add a little more flavor and cinematic flair to it. Sad to say that for a film that was shot so well, this scene stuck out like a sore thumb. 

2.) A little too much dancing and a few too many ribs

As it says in the point, there’s a little too much there.  Don’t get me wrong, I love most of his dance scenes but there’s maybe 1 or 2 too many. I personally would have kept the first dance scene when accidentally shoots a gun, the one after his first kill, the one with his mother, and all the dance scenes once he completely transforms. These particular dance scenes were showing us a slow evolution and allowed to see how his mind was slowly changing. But there were a few dance scenes that didn’t really do that and instead was just kind of there. For example, the few dance scenes where he’s half-naked can be taken out completely and it wouldn’t make a difference. 

And speaking of him being half-naked. I understand the film wants us to see how weak he his and in some scenes, it wants to show you the literal scars he got from society. However in some of these scenes, it gets a little distracting. The first scene where he’s half naked and trying to adjust his shoe is just perfect because for one, you don’t know really know what he’s doing at first so it leaves you wondering for a few seconds and two, you get to see how much his frail body struggles with something so simple. 

But then you have a few scenes where he’s unnecessary shirtless like the one where he’s smoking and watching TV. It seemed needless for him to be shirtless for this scene because the main point of it was his reaction towards what was being shown on TV. Again, it’s no problem to show us how skinny and weak he looks but it has to be the point or a point of a scene or else it’s just distracting.

Small gripes but I had to find some criticisms for the film. But now that that’s out of the way, let’s put a smile on that face (I know they’re not the same. Just be like Joe and Chill).

The Comedy 

1.) Romero, Nicholson, Ledger, Hamill, and now...

 ...Phoenix

There have been numerous people who have played the Joker with each actor adding their own twist to the Clown Prince of Crime. Romero embodied the camp and goofiness of the Silver Age iteration, Nicholson provided a more laid-back and mafia-esque performance, Ledger portrayed him as a true anarchist who “wants to watch the world burn”, and the legendary Hamill basically performed multiple layers of Joker’s persona for his 20+ years as the character and is THE definitive voice (and laugh) of The Joker. 

Joaquin Phoenix joins this hall of fame (or infamy) by giving us a closer, more in-depth look at the mentally ill, physically battered, and emotionally abandoned man behind the smile. 

I honestly can’t give this guy the praise he really deserves but I’ll do my best. My lord...this man blew me away like I was a talk-show host. Powerhouse performance doesn’t even begin to describe his acting. 

This film, as well-made as it was, wouldn’t have worked nearly as well had it not been for its main star. This film hinged on how well Mr. Phoenix played the titular character and he absolutely delivered.

The film had a tough job in its hands: portray how a man was slowly dissenting into madness to the point that he lets the madness in and indulges in it. It was going to be a deliberately slow process that required an actor who can be significantly subtle enough to convey to the audience how a character is evolving but taking small steps to do so. Phoenix did that with flying colors. 

If you look at the first scene where we’re introduced to Arthur, it’s clearly not the same Arthur when the film reaches its ending. We went from a man who walks with a slouch and a noticeable stiffness to a man who vigorously dances in the streets without a care in the world. 

Don’t get it twisted, though. Phoenix didn’t play two different people nor did he play a man who takes a sudden huge leap in his personality. He played a person who displays slight changes to his psyche in each scene and these small changes eventually pile up. Arthur was meant to be a man who was layered like an onion and Phoenix’s performance mirrored that perfectly. 

Is he the best Joker? I can’t say that. Each Joker I’ve been introduced to, while having a different spin, is ultimately the Joker at his peak or even at the twilight of his criminal life. This is the first time where I’ve witnessed a Joker who is still truly staring out. And no, Nicholson doesn’t count because Jack Napier was an established criminal way before he became the Joker. So I’m not too sure yet where to rank Phoenix’s actual full-blown Joker as it doesn’t last long however excellent it was AND a huge factor for me when it comes to ranking Jokers is the interactions with Batman. There was no Joker and Batman clash here. Only Arthur and Bruce. As it stands, Phoenix’s spot on the all-time Joker list may not be the highest but in terms of pure acting, he may very well be #1. 

I know this sentiment has been repeated multiple times but I do honestly believe Phoenix deserved the Oscar here or at least a nod. 

2.) Familiar punchline, fresh set-up 

For any Batman/Joker fan, you’ve probably heard of this following quote:

“If I’m going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice.” 

It’s an iconic quote and one that you will hear in almost any review of this film but there is a good reason for it. The line encapsulates one of the best things about The Joker: the mystery of his origins. 

As mysterious as the character is, it’s hard to keep The Joker interesting these days. He is the most over-exposed Batman villain of all time and quite possibly the most over-exposed villain in fiction period. Comic books, video games, tv shows, live-action movies. The Joker has been in EVERYTHING. Like his heroic counterpart, the Joker has been exposed too much to the point that there’s really not a lot of fresh things you can do with him.  

The last time any media brought something refreshing to The Joker was in Telltale’s Batman video game where you meet a man named “John Doe” who’s still looking for himself and finding out which path in life he wants to take. In the game, whatever John becomes is based on your actions. That was in 2017. 

The last time before that was in 2011′s Flashpoint where Martha Wayne became The Joker in an alternate timeline where Bruce dies in the alley. Even though this version of the Joker had a clear backstory and no mysterious origin, it was still fresh because of the sheer novelty of seeing Bruce Wayne’s mother as The Joker and his father as Batman.

So there are stretches of time where there’s nothing new and exciting for The Joker character but I’m happy to say that this film does breathe new life into the character. 

The filmmakers understood how this specific character should be handled and they did it in ways that are plausible. His abusive but vague childhood and his delusions help in keeping the film from being straightforward. 

Let me give some examples. In the scene where Arthur steals his mother’s files in the Asylum, it’s said that he was adopted by Penny and that he was abused by one of her boyfriends. 

Some people I’ve talked to believe that it was Thomas Wayne who put Penny in the Asylum and forged adoption papers. Some people even say that it was Thomas Wayne who abused them when Arthur was a child. Some people say that it’s true and Arthur really was adopted. 

We don’t know these things definitively and that’s the best part. It’s whatever you want it to be. Multiple choice. 

I personally want to believe that Arthur really was adopted because that just adds another air of mystery to him. If he was then we don’t know his actual birth name or who is real parents are.  

All in all, even though the evolution of Arthur into The Joker remains the ultimate goal, the film lets you make up your own path into how he got there. It’s handled beautifully and the script is clearly made with a lot of knowledge of and love for the character. 

3. A problem tackled with grace

I just wanted to point how well this film handles the issue of mental health and illness. This topic will forever be relevant and is an issue that’s been tackled in media before. Some handled it terribly, some handled it bad, some handled it ok, some handled it well. And then there’s Joker that handles it amazingly. 

As someone who sees mental illness on a regular basis, it was so sublime how accurate this film was. The image of a decaying mind and one that descends further and further down is so powerful in this film and it just never half-asses it and I loved that. 

My girlfriend is a nurse and she interacts with mentally ill people far more than I ever will and she praised it more because everything she saw from Arthur is something that she has personally had to deal with in her patients. I asked her if there was even one inaccurate and she said “No” because everything was completely plausible and has actually happened in real life on multiple occasions. Delusions of grandeur, uncontrollable ticks (like a laugh), murderous tendency, self-harm, stalking, hallucinating, you name it and most likely, this film shows it. 

Not only is Arthur’s mental illness accurate but what makes it better and why I praise it is how others deal with him. It’s scary how much it mirrors reality. Some people may know how to interact with him while others just get annoyed with him. Even those who are accepting of mentally ill people can still have be irritated with them when they come in contact with them. 

Arthur is beaten not just because he’s mentally ill but because he just looks like a weak man who can be pushed around. People don’t care if he’s sick, they’ll kick his ass or make fun of him regardless and in some cases, they’ll have even more incentive when they learn he has mental problems which is sadly similar to the world we live in today.

Joker is arguably the best adaption of mental illness for this decade (I say arguably because Bojack Horseman is up there) and I can’t believe that the director of the Hangover films got it right and speaking of which...

4. He directed what??

Todd Philips, the man behind the Hangover trilogy, Starsky and Hutch (2004), and Old School directed this film. Imagine late 2018 and you just heard who the director was and you search for the films he directed prior. Did you honestly believe, in your heart of hearts, he was going to pull this off?

Don’t get me wrong, comedic talents have proven to excel in other genres. Jordan Peele is a great example of that but that doesn’t necessarily apply to every comedian...However, it applied to Mr. Philips. 

His direction, his vision, his execution was top-notch and I have to apologize to this man because I honestly doubted him when I initially heard about it. I knew Phoenix was going to do well and I thought that the film would just rely solely on his performance but no. Todd Philips deserves a lot of credit here. Yes, he takes some ideas and cues from Scorsese (not a bad inspiration by the way) but he handles the psychological aspect in his own style.

In terms of performers, this was close to a one-man show as you can get but Philips’ contributions behind-the-scenes should to be given as much appreciation. Phoenix was the master painter and Philips gave him the tools.

Honestly, if Philips wants to direct more dramatic and heavier films akin to this, I’m all for it. If he wants to stick around and maybe direct some more DC films, I am definitely on board. In this time of uncertainty towards DC films, Philips gave me hope. Yes, I know this film isn’t part of the DCEU but if they want to create more films in the Elseworld universe, Philips should still be part of it in some way. 

5. The sound of laughter

I’m not going to lie. I rarely appreciate film scores. While I do believe they enhance a film’s quality, I’m not actively seeking it out unless it truly stands out. The only scores I truly remember and appreciate is the opening score for Star Wars, the Superman score, the main score for Indiana Jones, the Back to The Future action sequence score, Danny Elfman’s Batman score, and all of the scores from The Godfather films. 

By the way I realized the first three examples I gave all sound similar but it makes sense since John Williams made them all.

So out of the hundreds (possibly thousands) of films I’ve seen, these are the only scores I can truly remember and now we add one more to the list: the dark and beautiful score by Hildur Guðnadóttir. 

She absolutely gave me a much better understanding of how music can not only enhance a scene but be worked around it. Apparently, the music was made first and Todd Philips would shoot scenes with the score playing in the background so that he can craft scenes based on which part of the score he was listening to. This is the first time something like this has ever happened in the filmmaking process and it absolutely worked wonders. No wonder why each scene tied in so beautifully to a specific part of the score.

Hildur has made it and I hope to hear more of her work in future projects. 

6. To a bright future (hopefully)...

This section is more of a call to action than a positive point for the film. That being said, Joker’s success has opened up many possibilities for DC films moving forward. 

Let’s be honest here. The recent attempt of DC keeping up with Marvel in terms of films has not been great. DC is Marvel’s biggest competitor but when you just look purely at movie success, you wouldn’t think that.

That’s because Marvel started something solid over a decade ago and is currently having the biggest and most epic film franchise today and, quite possible, of all time. 

DC tried (and is still trying) to do the same but it has been a roller-coaster with some enjoyable ups (Man of Steel, Wonder Woman, Shazam) and terrible downs (Batman V. Superman, Justice League, Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey). 

Now with the huge commercial and critical success of this film, Warner Bros. need to take advantage of this while they have the chance. Joker is a film that is set in its own universe and not a part of the bigger DCEU and this could be DC’s way of being as successful as Marvel. Elseworld stories. Detective Comics was the first to put huge emphasis on a multiverse in their comics and I believe it’s time to bring that to the films. 

They’ve already implemented a multiverse with the television shows but now is the time to let the silver screen experience this. 

Unlike Disney, Warner Bros. has the movie rights to ALL of the DC characters. All of them. From heavyweights like Superman and Batman to less popular characters like Question and Red Tornado. They need to make use of that advantage because there are plenty of characters who have not had successful film ventures yet. Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Batgirl, Constantine (sorry Keanu) Lobo, Zatanna, Static Shock, Booster Gold (a personal favorite) and so many more. Give these characters a chance. They can shine in their own standalone movie that doesn’t have to do with the DCEU. However, if you want to put all of them in the same universe, you’ll need visionary writers capable of that. 

Consider this my call to action for Warner Bros. because I’m admittedly more of a DC fan than a Marvel. Don’t get me wrong, I love both franchises but DC was my first so I am biased towards them. I’m happy that Marvel has continuous success but it also makes me melancholic because it makes me question why DC can’t experience the same. 

Only time will tell if DC can keep this up because right now, they’re doing well overall but even if they ultimately never catch up, they can be proud of this one. 

Overall...

I love this film and its portrayal of an iconic character. They took an overused and overexposed character and somehow made him fresh again without taking away what made him so popular in the first place.

Todd Philips had a vision and he took it to a level that I didn’t think he was capable of. Joaquin Phoenix just absolutely killed with a performance that’s going to be remembered forever. 

As I write this review, talks of a sequel have already begun. I’m honestly not sure if they can do outdo themselves. My expectations will be even higher but they are most certainly welcome to exceed them again. 

[renzywenzy]

This is dedicated to a woman I hold dear. A woman who I cherish. A woman who I love.

Life hasn’t been easy for either of us. I’ve seen what this part of our story has done to you and you’ve seen what it’s done to me.

As I write this, another huge roadblock has presented itself to us and right now we’re both feeling the same way: blank. 

I feel anger and sorrow but mostly numbness. Life reminds us how cruel it can be and how we just have to deal with it. As of now, I’m not writing this to provide a solution; rather, I’m writing this for my own sanity and hopefully for yours as well. 

I still truly believe that we will achieve the goals we set for ourselves but now, we’re starting to see which paths aren’t made for us or at least which paths require more from us. Usually, I refrain from wallowing in sadness and I typically advise against it but today, we deserve to feel however we want to feel. 

This is definitely one of the worst times our life and I know that you don’t feel like you’re capable or adequate. But know that I still believe in you. You’ve heard me say this a thousand times but I’m going to keep saying it: I believe in you. I believe in you. I believe in you. 

I’m going to keep saying that even after you get sick of it because you always say that to me even when I don’t want to hear it. 

I’ll always be here for you through all the ups and downs. Through the smiles and frowns. Through the laughter and tears. Through all your success and especially through all your failures. 

I love you and I believe in you. Always.

[renzywenzy]

Yes, I am a bit upset that you used THIS screenshot of all things...but I love you too so very much and that’s why I’ll let it slide. I’ll always be here for you, my dearest. Don’t forget that.

He may not realize how amazed I am that 3 years ago, I was satisfied of admiring him from afar. Or prolly more of loving him from a distance.

There was even a time that before I took a bath going to work,(we were still not talking to each other back then) I decided to stop and stare at his face while he is sleeping. Memorizing the structures. Those intimidating chinky eyes always got me rattling and nervous. That pointed nose. How can a nose be that pointed and small at the same time??! His flawless cheeks that I wished to caress. Those pink pouty lips that I dreamt of kissing all the days of my life.

He knows and in fact I never denied, that I loved him first before he did love me. But when I look at him, who did first and second doesnt matter to me anymore. He’s there for me every single time more than I am for him. He encourages me and lifts me up everytime I tend to lose my self-esteem. He supports my passion more than anyone does. He makes me laugh by just simply flexing his arms and I pretend not to care.

And now as I watch him sleep, in which I have the liberty to do now as I please, I am just humbled and thankful that Renz loves me. More than how I can imagine. More than what I can ask for.

[renzywenzy]

Avengers: Infinity War Review

So after what felt like an eternity, I was able to finally watch "the most ambitious crossover” in film history; albeit, I had to watch it for homework.

I am most likely the last person to ever review this film so I feel as if some significant weight is off my shoulders but that doesn’t mean I’ll resort to lazy critiquing as a movie of this grandeur deserves in-depth analysis.

So with that being said, let’s take a closer look at the initial half of the culmination of a decade’s worth of films and build-up.

*Spoiler Warning*

Pros

1. The Protagonist Perspective

For years, the weakest part of most Marvel Cinematic Universe films have been the villains. Underdeveloped, forgettable, or just plain lame. Go ahead, tell me with a straight face that Ronan was a credible threat. Try to convince me that Yellowjacket was a compelling antagonist. Do you even remember the name of the villain from Thor 2?

The villains didn’t really become interesting until after Civil War in 2016 with people like Killmonger, Egon, and Hela seemingly breaking that curse; but, that meant we had to deal with nearly 8 years of uninspired baddies.

Thanos, however, is the biggest example of the MCU finally getting their main villains right. He’s credible, his character develops throughout the film, he has believable motivations that come from a place of personal experience. And I think what really makes Thanos’ character work is simply this: HE is the true protagonist of the film. Yes, he is still the villain, yes, he is the still the “bad guy” yes, the movie is called “AVENGERS: Infinity War” but if you really think about it, his is the main perspective of the film. He’s the protagonist of this movie just as much as Tony Stark was for his 3 Iron Man movies.

I mean Thanos gets the most character development, he has the most screentime, he makes significant sacrifices, it’s his origins that are explored more, and it’s his journey to getting the Infinity Stones -- not about the Avengers protecting the universe -- that’s front and center. It’s his emotions that matter most in the film. That’s not to say that everybody else’s feelings mean little, it just means that it’s that of Thanos that mean the most.

Let me give you an example. When Thanos, with Gamora, was about to retrieve the Soul Stone, the condition was that he had to sacrifice someone he loved. As Gamora taunted him at the idea that he never loved anyone but himself, Thanos sheds a tear as she comes to the realization that he did love at least one person. The Mad Titan, with visible pain in his face, grabs Gamora as she struggles to break free and then tosses her as sacrifice to finally obtain the Stone.

Now, this scene was emotional and painful. However, to me, it wasn’t so because of Gamora’s death, it wasn’t because the Guardians lost a member, it wasn’t even because Star-Lord lost a loved one. It was emotional and painful because Thanos lost someone he loved and the movie, itself, makes that a point. At that moment as well other moments throughout the film, it’s framed in a way that you aren’t meant to feel for anybody else other than Thanos.

That’s partly the reason why the ending worked but I’ll get to that later on.

2. Maintaining the Balance

There’s a flashback scene early in the film that shows a young Gamora meeting Thanos for the first time as the Mad Titan conquers her planet. He’s impressed by the little one’s grit so he takes her in and their first significant interaction is when he gives her a dual bladed knife and teaches her to balance the knife on her finger. This scene showed two things (1 from a character perspective and 2 from a film perspective): #1 Thanos has an obsession with keeping the balance of the universe  and #2 This is how the filmmakers balance the large cast they have.

There are a LOT of characters in this film. Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Panther, the Guardians, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange and so on and so on and so on all the way to so forth. So I can only imagine how difficult it is, from a filmmakers’ perspective, to give the proper amount of screen time for everybody here.

What really helped was how previous movies developed the characters we see on-screen. These characters such as Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America have been given enough time to grow and now, their individual arcs have each reached their full potentials so that means we don’t need to see more development from them. We just want to see them kick some names and take ass (I had to).

I said in my previous point that Thanos had the most screentime of all the main characters. He clocks in at just a little over 29 minutes. In comparison, Iron Man and Thor both have less than 20 minutes with 18 min. and 15. respectively. Cap. America has less than 7 minutes. That’s how little time they actually got in a film that’s over 150 minutes long and yet somehow, some way, the Russo Bros. were able to give each character more than enough to do to make every single second of their screentime count. Not a moment wasted whenever characters showed up and that was key seeing as how huge this cast was.

I applaud the Russo’s for taking on this hefty task and I don’t think anyone (apart from maybe Joss Whedon, director of the first Avengers film) could’ve handled this cast as well as they did.

3. “Strange Alchemy” 

The Russo’s have a phrase called “Strange Alchemy” and they use it to describe the first meetings of certain characters. This is basically how fundamentally different personalities but equally big egos interact with one another for the first time.

I must say that this was one of the aspects I was worried about going into the movie. How do you make the initial interactions entertaining while at the same time, making sure each person stays true to their character?

The answer was actually a simple yet effective formula. (Keep in mind that this isn’t exactly the formula of “Strange Alchemy.” This is what I think they meant.)

The formula is basically this: Meet up in a undesired manner, do some back and forth bantering, mix in just a little bit of conflict of interests, and then top it off with a shared end goal.

Look at the interaction between Iron Man and The Guardians; specifically, Quill. They meet by instantly fighting each other thinking that the other works for Thanos. After their fight is settled by the realization that neither serve Thanos, they eventually start talking, wisecracking, some insults are thrown, and then they butt heads on how to reach their end goal. Both want to defeat Thanos but in their own ways.

Simply put, this formula works for all the initial main character interactions because it’s just how we wanted to see these first meetings play out. You see this same formula repeated with Dr. Strange and Iron Man then Thor and the Guardians. Their first meetings are not only incredibly entertaining but all were appropriate to their characters and most importantly, it’s this “Strange Alchemy” formula that helps establish chemistry right off the bat.

4. Russos + James Young + Action = Gold 

One thing I’ve lauded the Russos for is their style of directing action. The choreography itself is amazing (Thank you, James Young) but the way the Russos present each fight frame by frame is astonishing.

It began with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. I noticed how the hand-to-hand combat became much more complex and it felt like I was watching a tribute to Bruce Lee films while also mixing it in with the over-the-top nature of a typical comic book movie. It all flowed so well to the point that it became distinct. If a Marvel film didn’t have the combination of the Russos directing and Young choreographing, you could notice the decline in quality in terms of stunt coordination. Age of Ultron, for example, didn’t have this combination and the fights were nowhere near as good as The Winter Soldier or Civil War.

What worried me initially was how the Russos and Young were going to choreograph this film in particular. Before this film, the Russos were primarily directing Marvel films wherein the fights were still pretty contained. I mean the biggest fight in Civil War was in an airport with no people (suspiciously). Here, the battles HAD TO BE much larger in scale so it worried me that the Russos and Young wouldn’t be able to capture the same choreographic magic that they had previously. Thankfully, I was wrong. Every film they directed and choreographed before was practice for this film. It all flowed so beautifully and almost every character had their own spot in terms of action.

You can still tell though when the Russos and Young are a little out of their comfort zone. By that I mean they’ve poured so much of their flair into Captain America that it feels like he’s their best source of pure choreography. It’s no wonder Cap has more action scenes than Thor despite having less screen time and that’s because between Cap’s fighting style and Thor’s fighting style, the former is more synonymous with the Russos and Young by now. But Thor still makes an impact even with just a handful of fight scenes.

My only worry is that they won’t be able to top the fights here  with the next film Endgame...but maybe from a tonal perspective, it’s not meant to.

5. Oh..

That ending. That was honestly one of the most shocking endings to a Marvel film (or any film for that matter) that I’ve ever witnessed.

I honestly can’t do justice to this scene but let me just say that it was shocking in the best way possible. It was amazing how the entire film was setting up for that moment so in a way, you can see it happening but it was still so unpredictable on how it would turn out. Will all the Avengers disappear? Will only 2 or 3 of them remain? Will the new guys be around? Will the older Avenger disappear for the newer ones to take their place? Will only the Avengers remain and 90% of Earth gone. Anything could have happened with the Snap and it was certainly a jaw dropping moment seeing them disappear into thin air. Bucky, T’Challa, Peter Parker, Quill, Fury, Wanda, Vision, Strange. All of them and more gone and not just people from Earth. It was half the the entire  universe at stake so even non-Earthlings were in jeopardy. Drax is gone, Groot is gone. It was an appropriate silent moment of just reflecting on what just happened.

And...it was honestly satisfying. Like if the entire film franchise just ended here, I honestly would have been fine with it and that’s largely because of point #1 above. It was so masterfully set up and executed that in my opinion, there’s almost no way that Marvel can satisfyingly bring back all the characters. You know that Endgame will reverse these effects but the problem is that they’ve ended so beautifully that I don’t think the scene where they all come back will ever top this final scene.

Props to Marvel Studios for being mature and having the balls to do this even if they will eventually undo it.

All their Marvel films have had these happy and triumphant endings so it’s just a nice change of pace to see the antagonistic good guys lose and the villainous protagonist win.

Cons

Alright I’ve talked about positives enough so now let’s get into some of the things the movie doesn’t do quite as well. It’s a near 3 hour film with a decade’s build-up so obviously not everything is gonna hit so here are just a few misses. Some of these are just my own little nitpicks but they still bother me a bit so I might as well put them in. Also, I’m gonna do something a bit different for these points where I put in a small sub point after each one.

1. Too Many Chefs in the Kitchen

There were over 15 films leading up to Infinity War and among those films, you had 14 different directors. These directors included the Russos, Kenneth Branagh, Jon Favreau, Taika Waititi, Shane Black, and many more. Each director brought their own style and handled the characters in different ways.

Now, imagine this. You’re the director of Infinity War and you just finished directing Captain America: Civil War, a movie where you further established how gritty you can get with these Marvel films. You’re about to direct Infinity War and now you have to direct the character of Thor who just came from Ragnarok, a complete genre reboot wherein the director made comedy a much more prominent aspect than almost anything else. Ragnarok favored the “ba dum chhh” category jokes rather than the natural flow of jokes found in the Avengers. Remember, you just came from a gritty film and now you have to direct a potential darker film but now you have to insert this sitcom-style character into your grittier style. Easy, right?

You see the Russo Bros. know how to handle sitcom-like characters. They directed episodes of Arrested Development which is one of the greatest sitcoms ever. BUT, they just didn’t know how mix these tones together in one package.

For example, you had the scene with Iron Man and Dr. Strange. They’re scene was much more natural in terms of joking wherein a joke just happened to be there because it was an appropriate moment but it got serious when it needed to be. But then all of a  sudden, you cut to the Guardians where the jokes are more obviously set up and comedy becomes the priority and seriousness comes much much later on. It’s a bit of a jarring shift in tone. However, the biggest elephant in the room is how Ragnarok’s tone was never in this film. Guardians and Ragnarok have two different types of comedy.

Guardians is more like How I Met Your Mother wherein comedy is important and abundant but the rare quiet scenes are put into focus when they pop up and they don’t throw a joke to cheapen the moment.

Ragnarok is more like a Comedy Central Roast show where it’s jokes, jokes, jokes, jokes and almost no ounce of seriousness and anything that should be incredibly serious is made into a set up for a punchline (just watch the ending of Ragnarok where the FUCKING DESTRUCTION OF ASGARD, THE HOME WHERE THEY HAD THEIR MOST PRECIOUS MEMORIES, is reduced to a set up for a joke that’s not even that funny). No significant scene in this film consistently has Ragnarok’s style of comedy which is kind of a good thing in isolation but overall a negative because of how inconsistent the tone has been as a whole.

Sub Point for 1.

Actually, Thor’s films have always been an anomaly. You had the Shakespearean-like tale of redemption with Thor (2011) which was a solid introduction, then you had the utterly forgettable unintended B-movie tribute Thor:The Dark World which nobody will ever ever talk about when it comes to the best Marvel Studio films, and then you had the genre reboot that is Ragnarok which is everything I described in the previous paragraph. Not only that but the endings of each of his films (which all serve as important plot points for future films) are just negated nonchalantly in the next Thor appearance. Don’t believe me? Well...

..2011′s Thor sees the character not being to able to return the Earth because the rainbow road (yes, I’m calling it that) has been shattered but then bam! there he is in Earth in the Avengers like nothing happened. Then The Dark World has Loki faking his death and pretending to be Odin. Sounds like it’s gonna become so important in the next film, right? Ughh no that’s solved in the first fucking act of Ragnarok. But wait, Ragnarok ends with Asgard destroyed but its people are flying in space searching to establish a new home. All the adventures they could possibly have...never happen because they’re killed off-screen in the first 2 minutes of Infinity War (don’t get me wrong, as an opener for the film, that scene was great but as a follow-up to Ragnarok’s ending, not so much).

I know it sounds like I’ve ragged on Thor too much but it’s only because I want his films to have the same quality as his billionaire teammate and his shield bearing friend. As of right now, he’s in the right track so let’s hope the Russos and the future directors of Thor-centered films can keep this up.

2. Signed and Sealed by Quill 

Now, there are quite a bit of out-of-character moments in this film. Like Loki, the man smart enough to fake his own death, suddenly forgetting he had a brain when he tried to go toe-to-toe with Thanos, the guy who took about 15 seconds to destroy Hulk who himself demolished Loki in 5 seconds (still a great scene). Then there’s the Hulk who’s being a bit of a drama king which is very weird and there’s no good explanation other than he just doesn’t want to.

But the biggest blot is one Peter Quill and I believe everyone knows what scene I’m talking about. Quill, Quill, Quill you fucking moron. There was 100% absolutely no good reason for him to just punch Thanos and disrupt the process of taking out the Gauntlet. None whatsoever.

Some tried to argue for him and said “Well, you wouldn’t know until you were in his position” and basically I said that empathizing didn’t matter one bit when he threatens literally half the universe with his stupidity. If someone hits a button that suddenly releases a nuke that blows up half a country, nobody would come to his defense and say “well, we didn’t know what he was going through.” That doesn’t matter. You know what’s at stake. You know what would happen if you fail. You know damn well just how dangerous Thanos is and yet you let stupidity cloud your judgment. The worst part is that all he had to was wait. Spider-Man was maybe a few seconds and one good tug away from getting that Gauntlet off and once that was done, you may punch away. Hell, I’ll punch Thanos with you but not yet.

Some may even say that this action was actually in line with Quill’s character and I agree. It’s in line with Quill’s old character. He was reckless, he was roguish, he looked out only for himself, and he cared more about what he would get out of a situation. And in typical Han Solo fashion, in 3 movies, he matured before our very eyes. He was still reckless but he understood that sacrifices needed to be made even if he has to lose something. He cared about people but knew what needed to be done for the much greater number. Remember when he accepted killing Gamora? That was a huge moment for him. It would have absolutely been cathartic to see him just watch Thanos as his Gauntlet is taken away and then just punch him in the name of the woman they both loved and then finally letting go of Gamora for good. But that triumphant character moment was stolen from Quill and his character was absolutely squandered in mere seconds. In one scene, they destroyed all of Quill’s development and put him back into his primal underdeveloped state.

It’s important to keep in mind that even Drax, the person who’s not knowledgeable of social norms, the person who doesn’t understand the concept of a joke, the person who lost more to Thanos than Quill ever did, was smart enough to understand the importance of maintaining the plan.

By the way, I understand that they needed this to continue the conflict but you can’t convince me that they couldn’t find a different way for Thanos to maintain the Gauntlet. He could’ve simply overpowered them to the point that they couldn’t even get a chance to get the Gauntlet or have him break the trance by himself through sheer willpower. You can even have Spider-Man, the youngest and most inexperienced member of the group, make a fatal mistake. If we had the Time Stone, we’d see 14 million possible drafts of that script wherein Thanos keeps the Gauntlet without making anyone look unbelievably stupid.

Sub Point for 2

What’s even more problematic was that I just never bought Quill and Gamora’s romance. It always felt like Gamora was manipulating him. It’s not the kind of romance you root for and this has been an underlying weakness in Marvel films: the romance. Other than the relationships of Tony Stark/Pepper Potts and Steve Rogers/Peggy Carter, no other romance was believable or just plain good enough to root for. Thor and Jane? Yeah right. Steve and Sharon? No thank you. Hulk and Black Widow? get the fuck outta here. I admire Marvel’s attempts but they rarely stick the landing.

Overall

I’d say that this film mostly lives up to the hype. If you’re a fan who, like me, has followed this large franchise since the beginning then I believe you’ll get your money’s worth. It’s weird that I’m recommending a party that I’ve been late to by almost a year but it doesn’t change the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and will say that it is an absolute must-watch. If you’re looking for the climactic penultimate chapter of the “Avengers vs Thanos” arc, you most certainly won’t find a film that better captures the epic feeling that comes with a decade’s worth of build-up.

[renzywenzy]

Happy Birthday, my dear!

And many more ;*

[renzywenzy]

I almost gave up. We were almost at the edge of that steep mountain but we both realized that if we decide to turn away from what we have, it’ll be the greatest mistake of our lives.

It’s still a long way to go before I become a USRN, but im glad I was approved for a placement with a great agency. And yes! Renz is coming home to me after 2 ½ years 💚💚💚

[renzywenzy]

All giddy and perky because finally, today, I get to wear the official scrubsuit! No matter how confident I am in battling with the struggles of life, in the hospital, I still fear. Im happy that I still do because it only means to say that I have something to lose, and that there is room for improvement. 9 months of combined training and probation, and wouldn’t have made it if it wasn’t for my supportive Charge nurse and unit preceptors. Next up: Certified Nephrology Nurse and USRN ☝🏻

[renzywenzy]

You know what else I see? A future that we will continuously build together. Whether we’re in the same place or thousands of miles away, we’re still building it brick by brick, layer by layer. 

Our doubts make us afraid to lose each other. Our strengths give us what we need to stay together. Most importantly, our determination brings us closer everyday. 

I’ve seen the best and the worst of what our imperfect relationship can be and I’m still here ready for what comes next. 

I love you so much, Clariz. 

Doubts and strengths

Our relationship is not perfect. Almost everything about us took place over Skype calls and Messenger chats. Our holidays and celebrations were merely social media greetings and courier deliveries. Our fights, they sometimes lead to indifference. It both makes us feel empty but then we get a chance to proceed with our daily lives.

I always cant help but ponder, what right in the world do I have, to think I can make him stay in this relationship? It’s difficult, inconvenient in so many levels. I mean why not be with someone who is closer to him? Prolly someone from the land with a maple leaf on their flag whom he shared a past with. Or basically someone from the land of coffee beans who he can be with 24/7.

So I remind myself how I was this little girl praying for the man of my dreams. That in due time, when he comes into my life, I hope that Im ready. Ready to conquer the difficulties and pursuits.

Im looking at him right now, as he sleeps. It’s crystal clear, I love Renz. He is my present and future.

I see us waking up in the morning next to each other, him bragging about his dry weight and flexing his biceps. I see him asking me what’s for breakfast and I’ll tell him it’s Sisig from scratch and laugh hardly. I see me rushing in the kitchen to prep everyone’s food and him kissing me goodbye before he goes off to work and me reminding about the last day of the audition for the winter play. I see him being subtly mad, asking me to cut down on the expenses and pay the bills. I see myself shouting all over the house because I just got home from a toxic duty and he left our room messy. I see us pointing at each other who will clean up our Chow-chow’s poop. I see us having lunch with his parents and me and his mom will end up go on a shopping spree. I see him and my son talking on the couch, giving him advices on how to deal with his adolescence. I see him growing wrinkles when I make him laugh at one of my jokes that he actually said before me. I see us discussing about life, our plans and our next out of the country trip.

I had been doubtful a lot of times, but whenever I visualize the promise of our lives being together, I hold on. And just the thought of him not being in it makes me weak, wither and helpless. So no, I will put up a fight until the last drop of my blood, just to be with him and keep him. I wont let him go.

[renzywenzy]

Lady Bird (2017) Review

SPOILER ALERT

I had never actually heard of this movie nor saw any of the trailers leading up to the release of the film and I only found about the movie when the movie theater I work at showed it. But when I saw the premise of the film and saw tidbits here and there, I was intrigued. I was finally able to watch it and I must say that this coming-of-age comedy/drama is one of the most resonant movies I’ve ever seen. It was a funny, sad, joyful, and painful view of the world through the eyes of a teenager trying to find value in herself. So, I’m gonna take a more in-depth look at this film and talk about its merits and faults.

The Good

1. The Mother-Daughter Dynamic (Duo). 

I usually preface my “Good” section by praising the performances of the actors. However, for this particular film, I chose to go with the aspect that I enjoyed the most which was the interactions between Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson and her mother, Marion. Their relationship was complex and realistic. It was clear that they loved each other but it was also clear that there was tension. Ladybird is a teenager who strives to “fit in” with the popular crew. This is a trope that’s been done over and over again but Lady Bird’s journey is one that’s more grounded in reality rather than just typical teenage angst. She loves her family especially her mother but she also just wants to be her own person. Her most notable trait is how she always wants to be the center of attention and sometimes, it’s at the cost of being away from her family. The mere fact that, for the majority of the film, she profusely demands to be called “Lady Bird” instead of her given name not only shows her desire to be different from other people but also to distance herself from her family. And that does not sit well with the matriarch. 

Marion is a strict, headstrong, no-nonsense mother who is does not shy away from telling it like it is. She wants the best for her daughter but at the same time, she wants her daughter to act more like how she envisions her to be. She’s conflicted because she ultimately does let Lady Bird live her own life but she just wishes to be a part of it. A significant part of it for that matter. Marion is a strong personality but the problem is that Lady Bird has inherited that strong personality. Because of this, they butt heads and argue almost as much as they hug and smile to each other. Every scene with both characters interacting is meaningful and pushes both of their respective character arcs forward. 

To get an inkling of how their interactions can fluctuate, let me show you an example in the form of very first scene. Picture this. They're in a car driving to their home and enjoying an audio book. They’re genuinely happy together and they talk about how good that audio book was but then as the narration ends, Lady Bird wants to listen to music while Marion just wants to have silence so that they can absorb what they had just listened to. Lady Bird disapproves of her mother’s refusal to play music and that’s when the tension begins. The tension only gets worse as they argue over Lady Bird’s future and her determination to not be called by her birthname. The mother just wants her daughter to stay in their hometown of Sacramento after she graduates but the latter wants to move to New York. The argument gets so bad that Lady Bird jumps out of the car while they’re still driving on the road and she breaks her arm. This all happens in less than 5 minutes. That is how intense their relationship can be and that was just the opening scene. Well established, I must say. 

I loved their dynamic because of how relatable it was. I think every person at, some point in their teenage years, thought that having individuality was more important to the growing up process than being a family member. And as parents, they don’t want to cage their children to keep them from finding their sense of independence but they also don’t want their kids to stray too far from the nest. Both of their respective intentions aren’t necessarily wrong (although, their approaches leave much to be desired) and this film substantially represents each of their perspectives without necessarily siding with either. 

I am glad too that they resolution and it stayed true to the film’s tone. Lady Bird’s and Marion’s personal arcs did not end cleanly and was not wrapped up with a nice pretty bow on top. Their respective arcs, objectively speaking, did not end with a “Happily Ever After.”

It ended with Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson in New York as she seemingly continues to distance herself from her roots but finally shows genuine gratitude to the mother she loved but resented.

It ended with Marion furious at Lady Bird for planning to move away without her knowledge but at the same time, accepting her daughter’s wish to be someone somewhere else. 

The relationship between these two head-strong individuals was always conflicted and was always complicated. Their relationship was built on love, hate, happiness, bitterness, appreciation, and irritation. Their resolution doesn’t come from them erasing all the negative aspects from their relationship. Their resolution comes from them accepting one another despite all of that. 

They’re both memorable characters played by talented actresses and I hope more parent-child dynamics are cinematically represented as high-quality as it was here.

2. Themes and how they were handled 

If there’s anything that can kill a film’s momentum, it’s how they can mishandle their themes and issues. Yes, many (and I mean MANY) films share themes that they become cliched so it all boils down to how each film can present it in an entertaining and meaningful way. Thankfully, for the most part, this movie succeeds in presenting what it wants to talk about and tackling them head-on. As I stated in my previous point, the relationship between an adolescence and their parents is one of the major themes of the film and that is represented through Lady Bird and Marion. 

Another major theme that the film deals with is acceptance. Acceptance from others and self-acceptance. Each character has their own issues with acceptance. If you want an example, look no further than Lady Bird. She tries to deal with self-validation by seeking validation from others. She stands out from the crowd with her red hair, rebellious demeanor, and explosive personality (oh and let’s not forget her her pink arm cast). She loves being unique and she accepts herself as a person but the problem is that her own acceptance isn’t enough for her. She is introduced as someone who doesn’t seem to have a problem with her own skin but as the film progress and she meets people who she admires, she becomes more uncomfortable with who she is. She starts to lie and create distance with her friends so she can fit in with the “cool kids”. It’s consistently compelling to see her character arc because even as she develops, some of that need for validation from others is still there and she continuously struggles even till the very end. 

Other examples of acceptance come from Lady Bird’s family and even some of her friends. Marion goes through her own issues with acceptance. She doesn’t seem to have any problem accepting herself but her real problem comes from accepting who her daughter is becoming. Like Lady Bird, her resolution does come but some form of conflict is still there which remains consistent with the film’s tone. 

Then there was Lady Bird’s first on-screen boyfriend. The genuinely nice and seemingly perfect boy who respected her. He turned out to be gay and, keeping in mind that the setting is in 2002, the issue of homosexuality was sensitive in that being gay was even less accepted during this time believe it or not. I am glad that they treated his character with the utmost respect and not as a throw-away joke. Though he was wrong for cheating, the movie refrains from vilifying him because he was just someone who was struggling to accept who he really was. In the scene where he tearfully apologizes to Lady Bird for his actions followed by the latter forgiving and hugging him to give comfort -- it was one of the most well-handled coming out scenes I’ve ever seen in a movie. I want to further praise this particular scene for well it did to garner sympathy and empathy without emotionally manipulating the audience. 

3. Comically-fast pace

Keep in mind that this film is a COMEDY-drama and I emphasized the comedy part because you feel its tropes throughout the film. Most notably in its pacing. The editing is so quick and punchy that virtually no scene ever overstays its welcome. 

One scene happens and once it ends, it smoothly transitions to another scene. A problem that could arise from this is that it can leave little room for the audience to breathe and take in what just happened but thankfully, the film addresses this. Usually whenever a huge moment happens, the scene lingers on for just a little bit more which signals the reaction from the audience before moving on to a difference scene. In this movie, however, the following scene is the breather. 

Take for example the scene I mention in my first positive point wherein Lady Bird jumps from the car. As she jumps from the car, her mother yells out of shock and fear (also, I don’t consider her mother’s reaction to be the breather because it happens so quickly and it’s not relaxing). Usually, what could have happened next is we would get a shot of Lady Bird clutching on her arm while her mother tends to her and this would be the breather. But the film doesn’t do that. Right after her mother yells, the film instantly moves to a scene where Lady Bird (now with an arm cast) is in her school going about her daily activities while the background intro music is playing. Because no dialogue is being spoken and her school routine is represented as tedious, this is the signal for the audience to take that visual break and absorb what just happened while also being set up for a new scene. 

You see this type of fast-paced editing throughout the film and it helps in weeding out any unnecessary scenes. With a run-time of only 93 minutes, this pacing worked in the film’s favor. 

4. Screenplay

No bullshit, the writing of this film was just awesome. There was hardly a wasted word in the film and there were lots of meaty dialogue here particularly from the conversations between Lady Bird and Marion. 

The dramatic scenes really hit and the comedic timing was on-point. What was difficult too was interjecting comedy in some of those dramatic scenes but it worked well here. 

Here’s an example. As Lady Bird is arguing with her brother and her mother, she ends the argument by yelling. Oh, and I don’t mean yelling words, I mean yelling “Ahhhhhhh” in the angriest way possible. Now, that was hilarious. She had been arguing so much with her family throughout the movie that it just gets to her so much that she finally snaps and she runs out of actual words to say. It was moments like this that create comedic yet realistic moments that ease some the tension to keep this film from getting "soap opera” dramatic. 

Another example of how great the writing is comes from some of the inconsequential side characters. The one who stood out in particular was the basketball coach turned musical teacher. To watch him direct a play and talk to the performers as if they were basketball players produced some of the best jokes in the film. 

Don’t get me wrong, though. The film, as a whole, is not as quotable as, say, a Jerry Maguire or any Godfather film. But the brilliance of the screenplay comes from the grounded conversations and exchanges rather than isolated quotes.  

One of the best scenes also come in the film’s quiet moments. I wanted to single out the last scene wherein Marion is driving Lady Bird to the airport so that the latter can catch her flight to New York. Marion barely says a word and then drives off. For a film that is dialogue-heavy, a quiet scene like this stood out for all the good reasons. It showed Marion’s inner struggle to accept what was going on. It showcased the actress’ ability to convey messages through sheer facial expressions and above all, it showed the writer’s capability in handling the “less is more” mentality.

The Bad (with some Good underneath)

 1. Half-circle

Honestly, I didn’t have too much problems with the film but I still need to point out at least one negative point that bothered me. No matter how miniscule of an issue it may be so here it goes. 

When it comes to the ingredients of film-making, one of the most important factors is resolution. Whatever the initial struggle was for a character arc, it has to be resolved. It doesn’t have to be a happy resolution nor a satisfying one but it has to be substantial and earned. 

A lot of the (seemingly) important side characters’ are given personal journeys but they never come to a full circle. I get it, not everyone needs to have a resolution because that’s how life works and the film does rely heavily on its realistic portrayals of characters. However, when almost NOBODY gets a resolution, that becomes unrealistic. 

Let’s start with the priest that originally was part of the play. In the middle of the movie, he (presumably) leaves the school out of depression; apparently, a family tragedy happened to him that cause him to have depression. Now that was a big deal and he even had a scene with Marion (who is a nurse) wherein he talks about his problems and that’s it. That’s the last you see of that person. They set him up enough but is never mentioned nor heard from again which was a disappointment. You can’t present a character with a problem that profound and then just never mention him again. To be honest, I didn’t really care for him that much in the first place but this could have been a chance to make him a significant minor character. 

Upon watching the film again, I felt that it would have been better had they taken out his issue altogether as it ultimately leads nowhere.

Then there was Lady Bird’s ex-boyfriend who turned out to be gay. He struggled with his identity and he just didn’t know how to tell his family. One can argue that his emotional scene with Lady Bird was his resolution but I felt it would have been more powerful had we seen him actually tell his family. How his family would have reacted wouldn’t have even mattered. The important thing would be that he tells them face-to-face. Well, at least he told Lady Bird which was a solid consolation. 

The only side character I though got a resolution was Lady Bird’s brother Miguel. The film made it a point that his image and personality overshadowed his intelligence and capabilities. His hair was long and unkempt, he had piercings in his face, and his attitude was almost Addams Family-ish in that he gave off a morbid vibe that made people uncomfortable. 

By the end of the film, Miguel tried to apply for a job. He looked almost unrecognizable as he looks cleaner and ready for work. His personality had changed subtly as well and he felt more approachable. Did he get the job? The film didn’t show and honestly, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that he changed and his initial problem was resolved. That is the sort of resolution that I had hoped for the other side characters. 

Verdict

Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut is worth watching. It’s a comedy-drama in every sense of the genre. It’s not so heavy-handed that it stops being fun yet it’s not too comedic that it forgets to have heartfelt moments. The pacing and editing help the film move quickly and sharply so it hardly ever feels that the film drags on. They handle the themes well enough even though some of the characters who represent those themes aren’t given substantial pay-offs. 

And even if you don’t particularly care about themes and inferences, there’s still enough here to keep you entertained.  The film’s writing shows that the script has heart but its sharp wit shows that it also has brains. And if you’re looking for a film with strong acting from its lead and supporting characters while also portraying realistic and relatable perspectives from both children and parents, this is most certainly the film for you. 

[renzywenzy]

You are the gift. The best one I could ask for. 

Let’s hope someday that the US and the Philippines can geographically come closer. 

Heartfelt

Me (while crying): “Im sorry Love, I dont think I have sufficient funds to send a gift for your birthday.” =‘(

Renz: “It’s fine Love. You’re all I want. As long as we can Skype on my birthday, it’s fine.”

Can I hug you so tight and kiss you so deep right now? You just made me miss you more. I’ve never heard such a heartfelt way of saying those words, except yours.

[renzywenzy]

Can you spell “proud” haha Good luck on this next chapter of your nursing career <3 

Split second

Woke up exhausted today because of that unwanted travel I had to do yesterday. So as soon as I hit the bed by 8 am today, Im fast asleep right away.

Then HR guy from the hospital I have applied for suddenly sent me a message saying I need to be there by 1 pm. I checked the time and it’s effin 10 AM. ano ko Kuya, Diyos? Cavite to QC ho kaya ang byahe.

Anyway, negative Nancy aside, I rushed and arrived there at 1 pm instead.

As soon as I came, he welcomed me and told me to wait since my appointment is at 1:30. So Im like sure, no biggie.

Then when we started talking, he blurted instantly, “I was never wrong for strongly recommending you to the nurse managers. They have decided to make you a probation staff nurse right away.” And I was completely blank and asked “Po?” Bangag lang si ate girl haha

So he continued. “I even saw the notes on your interview sheets. It was noted that you have high analytical skills and have "positively” embarassed one member of the panel for calculating medications without relying to a formula. Split second pa nilagay ni Sir “Pogi” dito oh. Hahaha! Another one noted, outstanding keen"clinical eye" and performs thorough assessment.“

I honestly can’t believe how impressed they were with that interview. But the best part of it all was being straight away employed without necessity of being still in training (w/c means no allowance). And they want me to get onboard on August 1!!! Shiyettttt!! These info were laid to me in less than a minute. I still can’t believe it!

[renzywenzy]

A year in.

June 18, 2016. The day that we officially declared “You and I”. 

A few months before that, we had just started dating and how glorious were those days even though they were controversial to a certain aunt of mine but let’s leave that behind. I can still remember vividly what our dates looked like. An all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet where we both barely ate because of how nervous we were, dinner at Chowking followed by laying down in the grass, mall exploring, house visiting and of course, my favorite of them all, cooking delicious food. How amazing was it all? And there we were, still not sure where this (not technically a relationship yet) was going but we knew we had each other and that’s all that mattered. 

Then, you went to the Philippines not too long after and ironically enough, we officially became a couple the same way we’re going through the relationship now: Through long distance. Funny, isn’t it? 3 months physically together and it wasn’t until you went somewhere else did we decide to be official. Even then, we still weren’t sure what we were doing and where we were heading but we started something on that day, June 18th, and we have built on it everyday since then. 

We went through a few rough patches here and there during the initial months but somehow, we were able to get through them hanging on and staying together.  To be perfectly honest with you, I wouldn’t change a thing about what happened because, as cheesy it may sound, it made us stronger for it. Our conversations got deeper each day and I opened up to you more than I have to almost anybody else and as for you, I am thankful that you were able to trust me in telling me what goes on in your head. Rest assured, I never get tired of listening to them. From all the times that you came home tired from all the shit that you had to go through at work to the times that you had issues at home, I’m glad that you were able to tell me all of it and that I was able to help you get through them as best I can. I promise to be your ears whenever you need them and hopefully, I’ve done well so far.

It has been over 360 days. That is still awe-inspiring to me. We both hoped to last at least longer than a few months and now here we are hoping and working to make it last for far, far longer than a few years. As sappy as it may sound, I am incredibly happy to be with you and to be yours so let’s both keep working and by next year, we can mark yet another 365 days of awesome memories together. 

Happy Anniversary, my dear Clariz. Through thick and thin, I do love you very much. 

From 7000 miles away but always beside you <3 

[renzywenzy]

Thank you so much. You are amazing and I can’t wait till we get to look up at the stars together again <3 

It’s 8 days until that very special moment. You have already seen this video but I just wanted to show the world how happy and proud I am of what we have despite the 6600 miles.

Bear this in your heart and mind, we are never that far from each other. Why? Because, see those stars and the moon? Yes, I see that too.

So guess what, we’ve always been under the same sky ❤️💚

[renzywenzy]

No matter how busy and preoccupied we are with our own lives, nothing beats the feeling of being able to talk to you, even just in video calls. You’re still my favorite person ❤️

[renzywenzy]

Logan Review

*Spoiler Alert*

“One Last Time”, said Hugh Jackman back in 2015. It was at that moment that I started to feel the pain. The pain of knowing we were going to lose someone who not only has been a huge part of the character that he played but has become the character. James Howlett. Weapon X. Logan. Wolverine. For over 15 years and for one role, he’s dedicated every facet of himself. His body. His mind. His heart. And now it has all culminated into this. With one last mission, we have finally arrived to his curtain call. 

I was thinking not to let my emotions get the better of me for this review but then I thought that doing so would result in the best and most honest critique I can possible give. To dissect this film properly, I had to be a nostalgic nerd as much as a film critic because this is 17 years and 7 movies (9 if you include cameos) we’re talking about here. Whether those movies were great (Days of Future Past) or shit (Origins), he would never turn in a bad performance as the feral mutant. So with that being said, let’s delve deeper into the beloved hero’s final adventure. 

The Good

1.) I just have to say this first. Hugh Jackman just fucking destroys it as Wolverine!! I always thought that his performance in the 2003 “X2″ was his best outing as the comic book icon and that his later performances, though fantastic, weren’t quite up to par…but this one is and actually surpasses it. For a role like this, he had to step his game up and he did so flawlessly. Wolverine is just a broken down mess of a man. He has been through hell and has the unhealed scars to prove it. What the writers did for Wolverine here is instill in the audience a sense of fear. Fear that he may actually die at any given moment. His healing powers are just not the same in his old age and the adamantium’s poison is finally catching up to him. I feel like I should tell some of you who may still be wondering what’s causing him to die what exactly is wrong with him. Well, to put it simply, Wolverine was the perfect test subject for the adamantium project because not only would his natural healing abilities help him survive the injection of adamantium but it would keep the metal from poisoning his blood after. However, now that he’s growing older (he’s not immortal, he just ages a LOT slower) his healing factor isn’t the same and because of that, his blood is finally feeling the effects of the poison. So now, he’s exponentially weaker and that’s what I love about it. We finally get rid of that feeling of “Oh well he’ll just heal in a few seconds. This is nothing to him”. No, that’s just not the case anymore. He’s relatively vulnerable now and that’s what makes Wolverine more engaging than ever before. He can feel the lasting results and not just from physical pain. Now, alcohol can make him drunk, his body can’t even heal enough to give him perfect vision and hell, maybe even a fucking snake bite can kill him for all we know. However, his physical deterioration is the least of his worries. 

No longer the sharp, agile, and feral weapon that he once was, he is now a rusty, old, and mentally exhausted man running on whatever precious fumes he has left. A recurring motif is how tired he constantly is. Literally and figuratively. A far cry from the battle-ready and ever vigilant soldier that he once was. It takes a special kind of actor to pull this off but thankfully, Wolverine is played by a very talented man. Hugh Jackman, for all the positive adjectives I can give him, is just downright believable. You just believe every emotion he shows whether it’s anger (and there’s a lot of that), sorrow (even more of that), or happiness (so few that they have to be cherished). For example, that one scene at the barn where he, Laura (X-23), and Charles were having dinner with the nice family. Wolverine cracks a smile and it just feels genuinely warm. The fact that one smirk meant so much captures just how heavy-handed this film was and how convincingly depressed Wolverine was throughout. Another scene was when he was yelling at X-23 (I’m sorry but I’m just gonna call her that for the rest of this review since that's how I called her growing up) at how he and his friends “never asked for this”. You see the sadness and rage in his eyes at the same time. You see the decades of torment in his face and the toll it has taken on his body and mind. A body and mind that has been impaled, brainwashed, shot at, nuked, telekinetically thrown around, physically thrown around, and has even travelled through time. The perfect portrait of a man that has been through centuries of anguish. 

A role like this requires a 100% from a physical and emotional standpoint and Hugh gives more than just 100. Maybe it’s experience, maybe it’s the fact that he has lot of hype to live up to knowing that this is his final outing, maybe it’s the love and the respect that he has for Wolverine. Maybe it’s all of the above. Whatever it is, I’m glad that he saved the best for last. I know that somewhere along the line, 20th Century Fox (or even Marvel Studios if they somehow get the movie rights) will just find a new actor to play Wolverine but this performance alone shows how it’s damn near impossible to fill Hugh Jackman’s shoes. I feel sorry for whoever has to replace Hugh because you would not just be replacing an actor. You’ll be replacing The Wolverine. Thank you, Mr. Jackman, for this bravura performance and thank you for 17 fucking years of unadulterated brilliance. 

2.) This girl…holy fucking shit. This girl steals her scenes, man. Dafne Keen, in her first ever film role, absolutely amazing. She holds her own with Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart (who we’ll get to in a while). Honestly, I was genuinely surprised how solid this kid was. It was actually one of my initial worries that she wouldn’t pull it off because, if I’m being completely honest, we’re in a generation where good kid actors are a rarity these days. So it’s just refreshing to see this little child show off her visible acting chops and her potential to be an even better actress. What really makes her stand out is how so much of her emotions can be felt through her eyes alone and her eyes are fucking daggers that pierce right through you. When the camera closes in on her stare, you feel the coldness and the intensity. You feel that at any minute, if she’s pushed too much, she’ll unleash her fury on the poor soul she sets her eyes on. I was completely sold on her abilities in that final scene where Wolverine dies and she was required to cry. That scene right there was almost a litmus test to see if she can dial up the drama. It’s a scene that would make or break an actor and she made it. 

The character of X-23 is properly developed (thank Jesus). She is handled just as well, if not better than her cartoon counterpart in X-Men: Evolution. Her life story is accompanied by such tragedy that doesn’t feel too manipulative. In fact, it garners a lot of sympathy. That’s why when the claws start flying, it feels extremely satisfying but I’ll talk more about the fight scenes later. Her tragic background, her attempts to become closer with her father, and her engaging search for a purpose make her a strong and compelling character who, if given the right direction, can replace Wolverine’s presence in future installments. I look forward to seeing more of Ms. Keen as X-23 and hopefully, her next adventures become as memorable as this one. 

3.) Damn. Has Patrick Stewart ever given a bad performance? He’s just one of those dudes where acting just feels natural to him. Every line is delivered excellently and every emotion displayed perfectly. I will definitely miss Hugh Jackman as Wolverine but damned if I say nobody will miss Patrick Stewart once he leaves Professor X for good (I know he said that this will be his last outing but he expressed interest in appearing in future Deadpool films so there you go). He has proven time and time again that he is the perfect Professor Charles Xavier. McAvoy’s great too but this is the definitive Professor. In this film, every aspect of his personality is on full display. Whatever comedic potential he had was reached here. His vulgar cussing at Wolverine from time to time is just funny and is timed perfectly. His warm nature is still there but is mixed in with some bitterness and surliness which is appropriate given all the shit that he has been through directly and/or indirectly caused by Wolverine. The slight animosity that he has for Wolverine is earned because he is a man who believes in the idea of helping others while Logan seems to have forgotten that. Even with his sense of honor, more so than ever before, he is vulnerable. The most vulnerable that he can possibly get and it is dangerous for everybody around him. The greatest and most powerful mind in this cinematic universe suffers from seizures. Fatal seizures at that. 

In X2, we’ve seen just how lethal his powers can truly be when he loses control. Imagine a powerful bomb that can potentially wipe out the entire world in a slow and very painful manner. Now imagine that bomb retains its level of destruction but now it has faulty wiring. That is how deadly Professor X has become in his ancient and deteriorating age. During his seizures, you see that his mind is eating away at the lives of those around him. I’m not sure what the fuck is happening to them but I sure as hell do not want to find out. All I can say for sure is that it’s not pretty and if left unchecked, it can kill people within a few minutes. How do we know? Well, apparently he has killed others already. It’s never explicitly said how (which is good) but the way I pieced it together was during his first seizure, he injured 600 people (some mutants and probably some humans) and killed 7. Those 7 were X-Men. 

It’s really sad the more I think about it. The one person who gave Wolverine a home was the same person who destroyed it. You feel his guilt towards the end of his life and how he thought he doesn’t deserve to be happy. I’ll admit that I cried with him as he recalled that dark moment of his life and when he died, it was just horrible. Honestly, I thought that the way his death played was great. Not necessarily the way he was killed but what came after it. When Wolverine had him in his arms and he kept telling Chuck “It wasn’t me”. That was great and how Xavier was stroking the car and saying “Sun Seeker” as if he thought that he was on the boat that Wolverine promised to buy. It was shot beautifully. In the end, he died feeling both happiness and sorrow. If we ever get to see Professor X again, he may never top this performance but this newfound comedic timing would work wonders in a possible appearance in Deadpool. I enjoyed all the dynamics that were laid out among its 3 central figures. Whether it was the father-daughter relationship between Logan and X-23 or the friends/mentor-protector relationship between Wolverine and Professor X or the collective dynamic of all three characters together, the on-screen chemistry was just perfect and it really sums up the main vibe of the film.

4.) I think now it’s appropriate that I talk about the tone and pacing of the film. If anything else, this is probably the darkest,grittiest, and most down-to-earth movie in the X-Men Cinematic Universe. For Wolverine’s character, that tone fits perfectly. I think being an R-rated film really helped out here because not only does the R-rating show itself in the action sequences but it shows in the maturity of its storytelling. It takes a less fast-paced approach and becomes more methodical. There are plenty of stretches where there’s really no action happening and all you’re given is interesting character arcs that are handled with care and respect. It takes its time with these people and rightfully so. These moments could have easily been boring but because you care about these people, because the dialogue is so well-written, and because the chemistry between Wolverine, X-23, and Professor is so damn strong, you don’t really notice the slower pacing. The film is heavy handed and it wants you to feel the pain of these people through these character-driven moments. 

It’s not all gloomy, though. The film balances drama with some humor and neither aspect ever makes the other an afterthought. There are also those bittersweet scenes of some subtle happiness sprinkled throughout. In fact, we needed some of these lighter moments to balance out all the depression surrounding their adventure. The sweet little barn scene, in particular, fleshed out X-23 more. With X-23 discovering music, it reminds the audience that she is still a child even with all that adamantium-filled rage within her. Scenes like her laying down on the floor and looking at her picture of friends reminds how this weapon created through test tubes and collected DNA is just someone who wants to have a normal childhood and have a family. That’s why seeing her have her momentary sense of sanctuary made me both happy and sad. Happy because at least gets to be a normal person for a few hours but sad because I know, right around the corner, the painful reality is slowly tracking them down. 

5.) I just need to talk about the kick-ass action scenes. They are fucking bloody and gory as hell. Blood here, blood there, claws through the throat, through the eyes, through the chest, you got them all here. It’s superficially satisfying but awesome nonetheless and thankfully, there is a lot more of that in this film. Initially, I wondered how far would this movie go in terms of violence and within the first 5 minutes, they showed me just how. Wolverine is being messed around with by a few thugs and he just wastes them. One dude’s arm is just gone and I was like “Oh shit, that actually happened” and just from there, you get the sense that this is different from previous X-Men films. Also, there’s this one scene that takes it even a little further than. So X-23 is in a building eating cereal and this one massive dude comes in and attempts to apprehend her. The massive dude’s team is with him and the rest of his buddies are outside. You hear noise but you don’t see anything. X-23 comes out and is holding something and yes, that something is the guy’s severed head. This little girl established her bad-assery and didn’t even do anything on-screen yet but when she finally does unleash the claws for the first time, everyone just gets murdered and mutilated. I would like to thank Deadpool for being such a success because if it hadn’t, we probably would not get any of this. This is by far some of the best and most appropriate action sequences involving Wolverine and it’s just fucking awesome. I figured that maybe it might too gratuitous at times but then I said “Fuck it. This Hugh’s last outing so go out with all the bloodshed and severed limbs you want.” And just went you thought they would run out of ideas for these action scenes, they even use Professor X’s seizures cleverly. I don’t usually do this but I want to give massive props to the choreographers of these stunts because they did justice to the character here and hopefully, if X-23 gets her own films, we get to see plenty more of these.

6.) Finally, I have to talk about Wolverine’s death and I’m a little bit on the mixed side. The second part of this point will be #2 in my negative section. However, let’s first talk about why this death worked. He finally died and not as a punk. He died fighting like the rabid warrior that he is. It was an extremely sad point in the movie but what came after was even more melancholy. His final conversation with X-23 and how he tells her to not be the weapon that they her created to be was fantastic. Not only because of what he said to her but the fact that, out of all the people in the world, Wolverine knows that feeling better than anybody else. My favorite part was definitely when he said “So this is what it feels like”. There was something darkly funny about that moment because keep in mind: this is a man who, for centuries, has avoided death. He feels all the pain that he goes through but it’s never enough to kill him. Whatever gets thrown at him, he’ll just heal and come back stronger than ever. Yet, here he is. In the middle of the forest. Dying as both the wild animal they made him to be and as the honorable man that he thought he never was. It’s an emotionally powerful moment indeed. 

Now that we’ve talked about the good parts of the film, here comes the less attractive job when talking about great movies: what didn’t work well. 

The Bad

1.) This point is more of a two-parter, maybe even a three-parter because I will be talking about the main villains and their wasted potential. Seeing as how this is my biggest gripe, I felt it was appropriate to talk extensively about it.

The weak, vanilla villains. These dudes were generic as fuuuuck. You had the “relentless asshole soldier type” and “the evil doctor”. Oh joy. Thing is it’s sad because the two actors who played Zander Rice and Donald Pierce (above) gave solid performances but it’s just the development or lack there-of that was the movie’s biggest misstep. There was no real motivation behind these bad guys and nothing interesting about them. More importantly, there was really not enough character in there for me to hate. There was so little weight to their misdeeds and they were just not convincing enough. They were so over-the-top bad for no good reason that they just felt static and robotic so that’s why when they finally died, I didn’t feel any sort of satisfaction or hell, even that bare minimum “That asshole finally died. YES!” feeling. It’s not like Gaston from the animated Beauty and The Beast or Commodus from Gladiator or even Sebastian Shaw from X-Men: First Class where you let out an inner scream of triumph when you finally see the main villain die after a grueling adventure. I really wanted that triumphant feeling but sadly, it just wasn’t there. Hell, if they couldn’t make them convincingly villainous then at least make them insufferable and annoying like fucking Jesse Eisenberg from BvS. God, now that will be a death that I will cherish forever. For all who don’t know, I hate Jesse Eisenberg as “LEX” “LUTHOR” for reasons you can find in my BvS review. 

But I digress. One thing that they could have done with these villains is build on those small character moments that they already showed. For example, that scene where Donald is talking to Wolverine and tells him that he looked up to Wolverine growing up as a kid. They could have made so much more out of that particular aspect but they didn’t and it would have made this cat-and-mouse chase all the more emotionally charged. 

The biggest waste, however, is the character of Dr. Rice. The man who was apparently the reason for the extinction of the majority of mutants. He just comes in halfway into the film and I’m like “Woah, alright , that’s a bit sudden for a new villain.” and he does nothing to make the film any better. I really can’t talk too much about this guy because there’s really nothing too much to talk about anyways. He’s just there. He is, however, the creator of X-24. 

X-24 is the younger, more feral, and more evil clone of Wolverine. Although, his healing abilites are limited and not quite up to par with the healing factor of Wolverine in his prime. He doesn’t have that much going for him but he’s not completely wasted as he does give Wolverine some pretty cool fight scenes. Again, though, they could have done so much more with this character and here’s why I say that. In his introduction scene where he kills Xavier, the nice family who owns the barn, and the family’s hostile neighbors, he gets a little too crazy and the doctor has to stop him by yelling at him. Now, that particular aspect of “Frankenstein trying to control his monster” felt unnecessary because they never went past that one scene. Then, there’s a scene where X-24 gets impaled and Doctor Rice is injecting this serum in him so that he can heal properly and he speaks to him in a way like a father does to his son. That right there showed a more human side of Dr. Rice that we sadly don’t get more of. Had the writer given more emphasis on this “father/son, evil genius/unstable creation” dynamic, it would have made this movie a lot better and it would have given Dr. Rice and X-24 a hell of a lot more development. 

If maybe they would give us 15 to 20 more minutes of scenes like that, I would have been perfectly fine with it. They could given Logan the “Dark Knight Rises” treatment and make it 2 hours and 45 minutes. If Christian Bale’s Batman gets that much time than so can Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. I mean, honestly, it didn’t feel like it was dragging too much and extra scenes like the Dr. Rice/X-24 development would have kept things fresh. It’s a huge opportunity wasted. 

2.) Here comes the continuation of positive point #6. This next point is a little complicated. You see, this point is about the fact that Wolverine didn’t go out in that grand and epic way that he deserves BUT the reason that it’s here in the negative section is only because of negative point #1. Had he been killed by a villain that actually mattered more and meant more then I would have been completely fine with the manner in which he died. As it stands, however, because he was killed by a rather bland villain, it doesn’t feel as grand as it should have. Don’t get me wrong though. It’s weird because I’m not necessarily talking about his final moments while he was dying but I’m talking more about the actual cause of his death. It’s not a huge problem in the grand scheme of things but still, for a character like Wolverine, we needed a little more. Guess it’s kind of appropriate, really, seeing as how his comic book counterpart canonically died rather anti-climatically. (Props to Marvel, by the way, for keeping Wolverine dead for 3 years and counting. None of this cheesy comic book resurrection bullshit).

BUT, and here’s a massive but, it still has some clever symbolism that makes it less negative. Remember throughout the entire film, Wolverine kept contemplating on whether or not he should kill himself. Also, remember when he was keeping that adamantium bullet for himself. Well, technically speaking, HE did kill himself just not in the conventional way and that bullet was used on HIM again not in the conventional way. I’m not sure if the writers meant that or if it was accident but the symbolism worked well as a whole. 

Now that we have the major positives and negatives out of the way, here’s a new section that’s unique to Logan. It’s not really bad nor is it good but I feel like I have to mention it.

The Confusing

Where the fuck does this fit in with the X-Men movie timeline? It honestly does not make any sense and here’s why. After Days of Future Past (DoFP), the timeline of the films have changed. Basically, X-Men 1,2,3, Origins, and The Wolverine never happened. The timeline followed First Class, DoFP, and Apocalypse and James Mangold, the director, told people that this follows the timeline after DoFP BUT they make references to what happened in X-Men 1 and technically Wolverine got that adamantium bullet from Origins. It might not be the same bullet but I don’t see why it can’t be. There aren’t exactly any adamantium bullets lying around. So either they completely fucked with the timeline OR it’s an else-world story. Mangold, himself, did say that one of the main reasons the film is set in the future is to avoid following plot points from previous films. I get that. He wanted to tell a story and he felt that staying too much on the path of the previous films would limit the tale. I get it but it’s just so damn confusing. In the middle of it all, I accepted it because of how good the film is so that’s why it’s not good nor bad. It just is.

Quick Bullet Points

So because I can’t make paragraphs about everything, here are some quick positives and negatives for you

+ Cinematography is top notch. 

+The settings they chose were beautiful.

- Caliban is a wasted character. More of a plot device than anything else and…

-….that’s why his death was just meh.

+ Soundtrack was pretty good.

+ Thank God they don’t use that fucking shaky cam

- They don’t really explain how they kept X-24 in control. 

+ Some of Wolverine Uber-esque drives were pretty funny.

+ That Deadpool teaser at the beginning got me excited for the sequel.

- No Deadpool/Wolverine crossover 

+ I’m glad there was no post-credits scene like previous X-Men films. That showed real closure. 

Overall, this was a fantastic film. What Logan is to Marvel movies is what The Dark Knight is for DC. It goes beyond the comic book genre and instead becomes a gritty, dark, and dramatic tale of an old veteran looking for peace in this world. I am so glad that they made this movie and that it was every bit as good as it possibly could have and more. It’s the appropriate send-off to a beloved role that has become a part of people’s lives for 17 long years. Years from now when a new X-Men movie come out, something will feel different and you’ll realize it’s because a huge part of what made these movies so great has left this hole that may never be completely filled. For all the people who love and will miss Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, cherish this movie as much as you can. It’s funny when you think about how Hugh wasn’t even the first choice for Wolverine. Imagine what it would have been like had he never been chosen. They will find someone to replace him sooner or later (Tom Hardy is rumored while Hugh believes Scott Eastwood should do it) but deep down, we’ll all know nobody can really replace him. It won’t be because other dudes aren’t good enough actors. It’s because, like I said, this is 17 dedicated years and 7 full movies. That’s not easy to replicate or even add to so to the actor who’ll eventually play Wolverine, best of luck to you. You’re gonna need it. 

And as for Hugh..

…goodbye and thank you. 

[renzywenzy]

So here it is. Your 26th birthday. What a year you’ve had, huh? What a year we’ve had. We can finally say that we grew older together haha. I’m glad to be part of some of the best times in your life and I don’t regret being there in the worst of times. All I know is that your off to start a new chapter in your life and I hope to still be a part of it no matter what. 

I love this picture of you not only because you were wearing that awesome dress but also because that’s one of my favorite restaurants ;P Oh and of course because that was the day it all started and now look at us. 

Once again, Happy Birthday and here’s to many more. 

[renzywenzy]

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Review

*Spoiler Warning*

Holy shit. That was a damn good movie and a fine addition to Lucas Arts Disney’s Star Wars film series. Allow me to preface my review by saying that I have started writing this just a few short hours after watching the film but who knows when I’ll finish? I’ve digested it as much as I can and I’ve taken down notes of all the important things I wanted to talk about and now I believe I’m ready to start this review. That out of the way, here is my review of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

So to start with this movie, I’d actually like to point out all the stuff that I did not enjoy first and then go to the positives. I don’t have much criticism so I wanted to get that out of my plate first. So here are the negatives.

Cons:

1.) The lack of compelling characters. This is probably my biggest gripe with the film. I was never able to fully invest in these characters emotionally. That’s not to say that these people have bad characterizations or that their dull. It’s just that they lack the emotional depth of other main characters before them. This is most likely because the movie itself doesn’t give them enough time to fully develop. Let’s take a look at some of these characters.

Felicity Jones plays the main protagonist, Jyn Erso. Jyn is the daughter of the former Imperial scientist and now kidnapped farmer Galen Erso (the mastermind of the Death Star) and her initial actions are motivated by the chance to meet her father again. Problem is I didn’t really care and that’s because the plot didn’t give enough time (or any time at all) to strengthen that father-daughter bond. That’s why when they finally meet each other again and Galen is killed, it unfortunately doesn’t evoke any emotion and it actually felt a bit flat. I really really wanted to care about her journey on being with her father again but I realized if I had to try so hard then the movie isn’t executing that aspect right. One of the main issues with Jyn is that her problems with the Rebellion aren’t explored enough. It’s just one of those aspects about her that’s mentioned in one or 2 scenes but not expanded upon in any sort of meaningful way. She reminded me a lot of Han Solo. Like Han in his initial scenes in A New Hope, Jyn is someone with a criminal background who does not side with anybody and only does things for her own benefit. That is until she becomes part of much bigger cause. This was an awesome aspect of her. However, even though she is bad ass (really bad ass by the way), she just lacks the charm of Han Solo and she doesn’t go through the same carefully handled character progression that Han goes through which is a huge shame. 

And then there’s Cassian Andor played by Diego Luna. Now with Cassian, I liked his inner struggle a bit more. His problem was that he kept doing bad things for the Rebellion and that he felt as if these actions are not justified. This could have made for some really good character progression but it’s just that his inner problems were solved just as quickly as they were introduced. Again, if the film had highlighted this aspect of him more than it did then Cassian would be a better character overall. 

Honestly, I would’ve given these issues a pass IF we would see more of these 2 in future films but seeing as how they died in the end (like I said, spoilers) then their characters’ potential growth is pretty much over and done with. 

2.) The story is nothing to talk about. Or at least nothing really exciting to talk about. After watching this film, all I could really say about it was that it was about finding the plans to the Death Star. That particular aspect of the narrative is strong but nearly (key word) everything around it feels pretty flat. There was just not enough life or any of that “wow” moment in the story. Any scene where I’m supposed to show emotion just does not work. It’s never given any weight so sadly it’s never earned. For example:

In that scene where Jyn is listening to a holocommunicator message from her father and she starts breaking down. Yeah that scene. I didn’t really care, it didn’t emotionally affect me in any sort of way, it didn’t make me want to see her reunite with her father and I found that scene pretty manipulative. Before you say I’m some sort of insensitive asshole, I have genuinely cried in films before but for those emotional scenes that had a lot of build-up and where the emotional payoff was earned. Same can not be said for most of the “sad” scenes in this film. Yes, there were characters here who I did like (and even love) but I still didn’t care for their deaths and we’ll get to those characters in a little while.

3.) The first act of the film is choppy. This is more or less piggy-backing off of what I just said about the characters not being given enough time to develop. 30 minutes into the film and I felt like it was all over the place. Introduce a character, skip, introduce another character, skip, sprinkles of exposition here, skip, introduce another character, and skip. There was a lack of focus that hurts the pacing. With issues #1 and #2 mixing together, I found myself asking “Are we supposed to give a shit?” a bunch of times at least in the preceding half. Thankfully, the focus is finally set and established by the latter part of the 2nd act and nearly, if not all of the 3rd act. Which bring us to the positives.

Pros:

1.) Now, going into a Star Wars film means that I had certain expectations. After watching the great Force Awakens, there was a certain magic that I was looking for that’s very hard to explain. What I will say is this: Rogue One offers the same kind of magic but presented differently. What I mean by that it has a darker and rougher tone than previous films. Probably the darkest that it has ever been. There was an image in the beginning that I’ll never forget that I wish I could show. I hope my description can suffice. The main character, Jyn, was being escorted (to prison, most likely) and the Stormtroopers escorting her had dirty armor. If memory serves me correctly, I don’t remember any Clone trooper or Stormtrooper from the originals, prequels, and even Force Awakens look so untidy. They’re usually in mint condition even during battle. But in here, they look like they’ve been through a lot of shit and are just tired. This was an image that showed me that this is going to be a Star Wars film with a dash of grit and for this film, it worked overall. The best part of the story is how the Rebellion/Republic aren’t presented as the heroic bunch of do-gooders that have an unwavering sense of morality. No no no in here they are willing to get their hands dirty and kill people who may not even deserve it. The character of Forest Whitaker, Saw Gerrera (Nice job in tying in this story with Rebels), represents what a radical extremist in the side of the Republic looks like. He’s not necessarily a good person. In fact, the people Jyn associates with aren’t clean cut themselves. They just happen to be a side that’s the lesser of two evils. 

2.) Speaking of the other evil, the Empire subplot that focused on the tension between main villain the Orson Krennic (who is a solid bad guy) and the CGI-laden Moff Tarkin (we’ll get to the CGI eventually) was pretty cool. The confrontations between the two men of the Empire were honestly some of the best scenes and it made me care about the villain a bit more. Yeah, Orson is an asshole who throws hissy fits and unfairly kills scientists who did nothing wrong and but seeing him be bullied and taken out by an even bigger asshole - who also takes Krennic’s credit - made me root for him a little bit (at least against Tarkin). Oh and that final scene where Krennic looked at the Death Star as it was about to obliterate the planet along with him was marvelous.

3.) That brings me to my next positive point: The action-packed and thrilling third act of the film. There really is not much to say here except that it’s where shit hits the fan and the glorious blasting and dogfighting begins. The action sequences in these final minutes are so well-done. The rebel wings taking out the 2 Star Destroyers was a thing of beauty and the Darth Vader fight scene (if you can even call it a fight because it was extremely one-sided) was just plain bad-ass. One tiny negative I can point out is the continuity issue with the AT-T walkers. I thought Empire Strikes Back has taught us that tying them up was the only way of taking them down. I first thought that maybe the Empire upgraded their AT-T walkers because of how they were taken out in this battle BUT I remembered since everyone was destroyed by the Death Star, who’d be alive to tell them about the walker weakness? Just a small gripe in an otherwise massive positive.

4.) Donnie Yen as Chirrut Imwe and Aland Tudyk as the voice of K2SO. These two were the highlights of the supporting cast. Yen provides his usual martial-arts badassery as the blind but force-sensitive monk. In fact, his character adds more to the idea of the “Force”. It’s honestly refreshing to see (no pun intended) that this intangible power is present even with someone without the ability to see. This means that there is much more to learn and hopefully, Chirrut Imwe marks the beginning of more characters like him to appear in future movies. Maybe we’ll get a character with no arms at all and yet, still can kick ass just with his/her mastery of the Force. That would be a little silly at first but I believe it will work. 

Tudyk delivers a sarcastic brand of comedy that adds layers to droid characters. Although his jokes can sometimes be unnecessary, when they do hit, they hit hard. What I loved most about his character is that he really didn’t have that much character development. Now, I know development is important but the reason I didn’t need it from K2SO is that he is basically an expendable, comedy-relief character. Besides, because Jyn didn’t go through much character progression herself, I’d find it improbable for K2SO to become completely open and warm to her so his ongoing mild surliness was appropriate and consistently entertaining. 

5.) The fan service. Now there’s not a whole lot of fan service here like in the Force Awakens but there are just enough to put a smile on anyone’s face if they get the references. Some of them may have felt more forced than others (*cough* R2-D2 and C-3PO *cough*) but at the end of the day, I’d rather have them in than not at all. My personal favorite reference was seeing Cornelius Evazan and his buddy again. For those who don’t remember him, he’s the dude who has the death sentence in 12 systems. It was just awesome seeing him and his deformed face again and with his arm still intact. The biggest fan service here is arguably seeing Darth Vader and his daughter, Princess Leia, again. Speaking of which. 

5.)  I was a bit iffy about the CGI in this film. Particularly Moff and Leia but after thinking about it and after looking at their digitized selves again, I honestly didn’t mind it. It’s nowhere near as bad as the work done on Han’s head when Greedo shot first and it’s much better than I had initially expected. I honestly didn’t care if it was CGI, it was nice seeing Princess Leia again.

Ok, this part’s gonna get a bit serious. There was something a bit poetic about all this. About me watching this film on the precise day that I did. I had seen Rogue One just a few days after Carrie Fisher’s death (God rest her soul) and seeing Princess Leia at the time of watching meant much more than ever. When I saw her, it hit me and it really dawned on me that she was gone. She was a huge part of my childhood because I had the biggest crush on her when I first watched her in “A New Hope”. There was just an air of magnetism in her eyes and in her voice that attracted me. Not only that, she was really the first badass heroine that I had ever seen in movies. She was a strong woman who spoke to and for generations and for that, I’ll miss her badly. Damn, can you imagine how people will feel watching her in Episode 8? 

Overall, Rogue One is a strong entry in the Star Wars mythos. Solid performance from the cast even if the film doesn’t have the engaging characters like a Luke, Han, Leia, Rey, or Finn. It falters somewhat in the beginning but quickly picks itself up and goes all out in most of the 2nd act and in the entirety of the 3rd. While it may lack some of the personality and magic of previous films, it has its own unique depth by adding some grit to its more grounded tone.