rileyshingler

[rileyshingler]

It’s become common in contemporary film criticism to, when defending a film that has received a generally poor critical reaction, to speculate that the film in question might someday become a cult classic. Any superhero film is marketed to an already existing cult, just like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was. The only problem is that the legions of Superhero fans who helped this film make nearly 1 Billion dollars at the box office have no idea what the fuck this movie is. Zack Snyder is often referred to as a director who prides himself on emphasizing style over substance- his detractors refer to him as a “great visual director,” and not much else. These people do not understand Mr. Snyder or his films. Not only is BvS Zack Snyder’s best film to date, but it is one of the best superhero films ever made- if not THE very best. Snyder takes the thematic groundwork he laid down in 2013’s Man of Steel, challenges it, reshapes it and elevates it to even greater heights. Superman is our most perfect hero, and after seeing him do battle with the gods in his first film, he is confronted with his greatest challenges here. Perhaps truth, justice and the American way are outdated ideals in the modern world, but Henry Cavill’s Clark Kent represents that perfect man just as much as the comic book hero did in 1938. Batman has always been the antithesis to Superman, but Snyder takes this to new heights. Not only is Batman a dark and brooding vigilante who deals with crime on his own terms, in Snyder’s world, he is a, “one-man reign of terror.” Due to some unknown events, Ben Affleck’s Batman has given up trying stop the criminals and has in fact become one himself. While Superman struggles with guilt over the lives he has taken or simply could not save, Batman has become judge, jury and executioner, inflicting his own brand of justice, no matter how high the body count. The physical blows these characters come to is nothing compared to the ideological conflict they represent. The ideologies of these two men drive them to go to war over the things they believe in, but their egos allow them to be manipulated. The man pulling those strings is the superb Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. Luthor knows that Superman’s loved ones are his weakness, just as he knows that Batman’s guilt and shame over his parents’ death are what drive him, and he uses this knowledge to bend the gods to his will. In the end of this film, when hope seems lost, all accounts are settled by Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. After 2.5 hours of battling male egos and deep rooted ideologies, Wonder Woman steps in (literally) and puts an end to the fighting, uniting both sides against the true evil and by being totally bad-ass. Superman represents the old world, rooted in religion, tradition and all things wholesome. Batman represents the modern age, dominated by technology, cynical and brutal. However, despite the men’s best efforts, the message at the end of the conflict is clear: the future is female. In a time when there seems to be a new superhero adaptation at the multiplex each month, Zack Snyder has created a film that will stand the test of time. While most of these films adhere to closely to their source material or focus heavily on set-pieces, the films of the DCEU have managed to break that cycle and find their home outside of the formula that is all to quickly becoming stale. This is not a “cult classic.” This is not a “popcorn movie.” This film is a genuine masterpiece and the wildest, weirdest and best blockbuster of the modern era. The vision of Snyder and his writers (Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer) is something a mainstream audience is not ready for in 2016. First with Man of Steel, which planted the seeds of his universe, and now with BvS, Snyder has given us two of the most unique and interesting visions ever seen in big-budget filmmaking. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Zack Snyder has given us something perfect. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice 10/10

[rileyshingler]

The Best Films of 2015

What a year it was!! I’ve debated and deliberated the placement of each film on his list for weeks and I’m fairly comfortable with the “final” ranking. On to 2016!

1) Mistress America 2) Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3) The Assassin 4) Creed 5) Ex Machina 6) The Revenant 7) Irrational Man 8) Bridge of Spies 9) Anomalisa 10) Sicario 11) Junun 12) Inside Out 13) While We’re Young 14) Mad Max: Fury Road 15) Youth

[rileyshingler]

I’ve seen this movie four times in four days.

I obviously love this franchise with a passion, but after just four viewings, it’s become apparent to me just how special Star Wars: The Force Awakens is. This, simultaneously, is the 7th entry in a Sci-Fi franchise, the best studio release of 2015, and one of the most beautiful franchise films I have ever seen.

That beauty is not just in the return of classic characters or the sound of the Millennium Falcon jumping to light speed, but in every single frame of this labor of love. Ever since Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm, I have been cautiously optimistic about this film, and not a day has gone by in those three years that I haven’t thought about this film. So much could and should have gone wrong in the development of this film. As any Star Wars fan knows, it doesn’t take much to make one of these films fail, but like Poe Dameron piloting his X-Wing over Starkiller base, Abrams and his team bypassed each pitfall with ease.

The cast, new and old, fit into this film seamlessly. Each actor brings their A-game and Abrams allows those performances to be the focus, rather than the larger moments. Small moments, like those shared by Oscar Isaac and Max Von Sydow or Daisy Ridley and Harrison Ford speak volumes to this world and to its grip on each generation of filmgoers that has fallen in love with this galaxy. Star Wars is at its best in these moments, likewhen Luke gazes upon Tattoine’s twin suns or falls to his (near) death on Bespin rather than turn to the dark side. Abrams, Kasdan and Kennedy understand this and so much more about this galaxy.

The magic of The Force Awakens isn’t in the planets it blows up or the mysteries it solves, but rather in the questions it poses to its audience and the imaginations it inspires.

With the original Star Wars and The Empire Strikes back, George Lucas and co. created two practically perfect films that revolutionized cinema and changed the world forever. The Force Awakens couldn’t possibly be as revolutionary as those two films, but it is damn near just as perfect.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) 10/10

[rileyshingler]

When I started rileyshingler.com in 2012, my first series of posts were an extensive James Bond retrospective where I rewatched, reviewed and ranked all 23 007 adventures. Watching all 23 films in the span of less than a month is not something I'm likely to ever repeat, but it certainly gave me a unique perspective on the most successful and prolific franchise in cinematic history. Fifty-three years after the release of Dr. No, that same franchise has given us Spectre, it's 24th entry. Simply by name, this film promises to be a throwback to the early days of 007, something that Sam Mendes and Daniel Craig hinted towards in 2012's Skyfall. Where Skyfall first introduced classic elements into a modern Bond film, Spectre introduces a modern Bond into a classic Bond film, and the result isn't nearly as successful. Comparing Spectre to its immediate predecessor is perhaps the film's biggest downfall. In fact, as far as Bond films go, Spectre is definitely one of the best we've ever seen. It just happens that Skyfall is one of the best films of this decade, and crafting a worthy sequel to something like that is a nearly impossible task. Once I realized that this film is not Skyfall part two, I was able to truly appreciate it. Spectre opens with one of the best scenes in the entire franchise, following a masked 007 through the streets of Mexico City in a long-take that pays homage to the great directors of that country and sets Bond on a mission to track down his past and complete one last mission for Judi Dench's iteration of M. The film doesn't waste any time thrusting our hero into one of his most elaborate and exciting adventures ever. Spectre also features what is most likely the best cast this franchise has ever had. In addition to the returning Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Naomi Harris and Ben Wishaw the film gives us Lea Seydoux and Dave Bautista, who are sure to become iconic to the franchise in years to come. The biggest draw in terms of casting of course is Christoph Waltz as the mysterious leader of the terrorist organization from which the film takes its name. Although...for anyone who is even slightly familiar with the history of the franchise, there is no mystery; Waltz is Blofeld, and he is perfect for the role. The fact that we see so little of Waltz is one of the best decisions of the film in my opinion. Just as surely as James Bond will return, so too will Blofeld, and Waltz as well. Spectre is not a groundbreaking entry in the franchise like Casino Royale or Skyfall. Rather, this film represents Sam Mendes, Daniel Craig and the folks at EON setting out to prove that not only can they make a Bond film in the classic mold, but they can do it better than some of those old films ever did. Thank god they were right. SPECTRE (2015) 8/10

[rileyshingler]

The Force Awakens

[rileyshingler]

Kanye West

[rileyshingler]

Barack Obama

[rileyshingler]

My jaw dropped immediately after this film started, and three days later, my blood pressure still hasn’t gone down.

It’s hard to imagine a film where the level of craftsmanship is much higher than it is in this tale of lawmen and outlaws in the midst of Mexico’s drug trade. The direction, the acting, the photography, score and virtually every aspect of Sicario is top notch.

This is Denis Villeneuve’s third film since Incendies was nominated for Best Foreign Language Oscar and effectively ascended to the ranks of big name directors, and he has taken full advantage of the benefits that come along with it. Chief among those perks is the seemingly endless line of talented actors waiting to work with him.

In Sicario, we see Villeneuve with his best cast yet. Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro play a one-two punch of mysterious government agents who recruit Emily Blunt, an FBI agent who is perpetually out of loop, to take down a Mexican Drug cartel. As Blunt’s character slips into the depths of this underworld, she takes us with her.

This underworld is brought to life by one man- Roger Deakins. The film never really gives us a ‘big bad’- there is no literal face of evil in this film- but presence of evil, and feeling of dread that permeates the film is provided the cinematographer. This might just be the best work Deakins has ever done. Amid the chaos and the intensity of Vileneuve’s film, Deakins finds new ways to use the camera.

If any other crew set out to make this film, it’s seemingly impossible that it would be anywhere near as good as Sicario. Villeneuve and company have created a film that is better than it has any right to be. Not only has the material been elevated, it’s been sent into the stratosphere.

Sicario (2015) 9/10

[rileyshingler]

The fact that Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig met and formed a working relationship must be one of the great miracles of modern American cinema. Undeniably, both have done very good work independent of the other, but the work they do together is, to quote Frances Halladay, "kinda magic." Mistress America marks their third collaboration, but only their second as writing partners. When Baumbach made The Squid and the Whale, it was a major change from his earlier works. Similarly, Frances Ha felt like a fantastic evolution for him as an artist. There's something really wonderful about Frances Ha; it feels like all of my favorite movies while simultaneously feeling like something I've never seen before. The same magic that existed in Frances Ha has evolved into Mistress America. It's a coming of age story that feels both young and old at the same time. It recalls Sturges and Wilder, but uses the existential crises of an adventurous 30 year-old and a college freshman as the basis for its own brand of screwball comedy. Gerwig is at the absolute height of her powers, firing off lines at a rapid pace and doing some of the best work of the year alongside the wonderful Lola Kirke. Mistress America is a minor miracle of a film, and hopefully one that is indicative of the great things to come for this creative team. The film manages to cut deep emotionally thanks to the depth of its characters and talent of its stars. This is quite possibly Noah Baumbach's best film and one of the funniest in recent years; its an absolute delight. Mistress America (2015) 10/10

[rileyshingler]

It's sort of shocking, even to some of the biggest fans of the genre, just how big the impact of N.W.A. was on American pop culture when their album dropped in 1988. Their contributions to the genre have been somewhat overshadowed by flashier groups like the Wu Tang Clan and the martyrs of the genre, Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. but without question, this collective from Southern California were the ones who brought Gangsta Rap to the masses. I suppose it's somewhat fitting then, that Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, DJ Yella and MC Ren would become the subjects of the first truly great Rap biopic. Straight Outta Compton is by all accounts a film that has no right being as good as it is. It's full of myriad genre cliches and the meddling hands of two of the film's subjects should never bode well for a film like this, but against all odds, the film manages to be great in spite of itself. From the opening scene, centered on a drug deal gone bad, the film turns everything up to the highest level and burns through it's intimidating 147 minute runtime. Perhaps the most impressive thing about this film is the fact that it manages to sustain itself long after most films of its genre have fizzled out. The success of the characters and the stakes of the film continue to rise and rise, long after a similar film might have felt content to rest on its laurels in the "dark period" of its subjects' lives. Certainly, the death of Eazy-E is the emotional core of the film and it's presented as such, but there's never really a moment where the film slows down. The film flourishes when it pits the members of NWA against one another, and it uses this one-upsmanship to build the tension and develop every one of its main character's more than I would've thought possible. The fact that the film allows its audience to alternatively identify with Dre as he tries to keep the group together, cheer when be debuts 'No Vaseline', and be utterly heartbroken at the slow decline of E's health is an accomplishment in it's own right but the fact that F. Gary Gray handles these different modes so deftly within the dizzying atmosphere of West Coast Hip Hop is what makes this film so astoundingly special. By all accounts, N.W.A. never should have made it off the streets of Compton. But this film, and its demographic-defying success are proof that this group, with their inimitable swagger and their desperately important message are timeless. Perhaps, N.W.A. are more relevant almost 30 years after break-up than they were when they were making Gangsta Rap famous, and putting Compton on the map. Straight Outta Compton (2015) 8/10

[rileyshingler]

I couldn’t remember the reason for living, and when I did it wasn’t convincing.

In the summer of 2014 I saw Magic in the Moonlight, and I overlooked it as simply being a lesser film by an overrated director.  At the time I had seen less ten films by that director and I had convinced myself that the rest of his work wasn’t worth my time.  

One year on, and I have seen all 46 films that the great Woody Allen has directed, and I count him among my favorite filmmakers.  It’s incredible the change that a year can bring.  

Irrational Man, a film released almost forty years after Allen won the Oscar for Best Director, is just as interesting and well crafted as the greatest films of the auteur’s oeuvre.  However, the goal when viewing a new film by a lauded artist should not be to compare the new work against the high points of the man’s 50 year career.  So, the negative reaction that has met this film since its premiere at Cannes comes not from the faults of the film itself, but from an audience hoping to see another Annie Hall or Midnight in Paris.

I happen to believe that a “bad” Woody Allen film would be a scientific anomaly of catastrophic proportions;  the man doesn’t make bad films, and his latest is no exception.  Irrational Man serves as the Allen debut of Joaquin Phoenix, and his work here is absolutely incredible.  Rather than imitating Allen in his performance, Phoenix subverts the typical leading man that Woody typically writes, turning philosophy professor Abe Lucas into a masculine, sometimes brooding figure.  

Lucas is an anti-hero of the highest order, who shares as much in common with other of Allen’s leads as he does with some of Alfred Hitchcock’s most notorious villains.  While many critics have pointed to films like Match Point and Cassandra’s Dream as proof that Allen has nothing new to add with his 46th film, it is in his exploration of similar themes that the director not only finds his greatest successes, but truly flourishes as an artist and adds new dimensions to his already accomplished career.  Every facet of this film in fact, seems indicative of the ever-changing work of an artist at the height of his powers.  Even with the score, which moves away from the big band sounds of Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw to the cool jazz of Ramsey Lewis is indicative of the way that Woody continues to break new ground.

In December 2015 Woody Allen will turn 80 years old, but rather than riding off into the sunset, Allen himself claims he will “die in the saddle”, content to make films until he simply no longer can.  It would be a shame if that death came any time soon;  this man has quite a lot left to teach us.  

Irrational Man (2015)

8/10

[rileyshingler]

The Best Films of 2015 (so far)

1. Ex Machina (Alex Garland)

2. Inside Out (Pete Docter)

3. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Alfonso Gomez-Rejon)

4. Avengers: Age of Ultron (Joss Whedon)

5. While We’re Young (Noah Baumbach)

[rileyshingler]

Christopher Lee

1922-2015

[rileyshingler]

Trouble always comes around.

Since the release of Iron Man in 2008, Marvel has given eleven overstuffed, action-packed superhero spectacles, and with a few notable exceptions, every one of those films has been pretty fantastic. Avengers: Age of Ultron is no exception.  Joss Whedon delivers the most overstuffed, action-packed superhero spectacle...ever.  

It’s far from perfect, and it never reaches the heights of Guardians of the Galaxy or the Captain America films, but as the sequel to one of the biggest films of all-time, it manages to feel different and in some ways, better than its predecessor-no small feat.  

Every single film in this never-ending franchise is the extension past stories and the set-up for future films.  Of course, more than any film we’ve seen so far, this Avengers sequel is exactly that.  We see the direct effects of the first Avengers film, and of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and we are being fed clues and hints about Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther and Infinity Wars.  With all the teasers and easter eggs that he had to fit in, perhaps the fact that Age of Ultron manages to feel like an actual film is Joss Whedon’s biggest accomplishment.  

In between the doomsday mayhem, we actually get to see the characters doing things other than fighting.  Seeing Thor at a party, Iron Man in an isolated cabin and even a bit of romance between some of the principle characters is not only refreshing, but it gives the film its heart.  Theres more character development here than I would have imagined possible.  Black Widow, Bruce Banner and even Hawkeye, the series’ red headed stepchild, are given some of the best character moments of the entire series.  

Avengers: Age of Ultron is exactly what it should be.  No one is really going to be surprised by this film- what you see is what you get.  But Whedon and co. are in top form, and even though I knew exactly what I was getting into, as a fanboy and cinephile, I had more fun than I could have possibly imagined.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

8/10

[rileyshingler]

I Have No Idea How to Tell This Story.

A popular novel about quirky teens and the inevitable tragedy that is staring them in the face being adapted for the screen is nothing new.  In fact it’s something we get in cinemas almost every other month.  The quirk of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl was the aspect that had me worried going in, but also the one that kept the film feeling so fresh.

Greg is a high school senior who would rather watch and recreate what he call ‘Classic Foreign Cinema’ than allow anyone to call themselves his friend.  He’s a passive protagonist who eventually comes of age, and probably the most boring character in the film.  The whole film is full of exceedingly interesting characters who Greg interacts with along the way.  Greg’s father, played by Nick Offerman pops up repeatedly to offer film recommendations and increasingly bizarre Asian snack foods provides the film with much needed levity amid the often heavy themes.  

The real emotional center of the film is Olivia Cooke’s Rachel, the titular dying girl.  Cooke plays the necessary roles of annoyed teen and sad cancer girl perfectly, but she really surpasses what the film requires of her so much to the point that I didn't mind when the camera held on her for five minute at a time.  Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon offers a perfect touch to elevate this film above its source material.  With a keen eye that makes suburban Pittsburgh look and feel like some sort of hipster heaven.  

Aside from the key performances and skilled direction that do service to a pretty great script, two elements really make this film special.  First, the performances of RJ Cyler as Earl.  This is the first performance by the actor, and his screen presence blows every member of this talented cast away.  He is by turns hilarious and heartbreaking and I believe this film would be a complete dud without him. 

The second, is the cinephilia and the recreated films that pop up throughout Me and Earl and the Dying Girl are handled in a way that never feels slight or cheesy.  Seeing parodies like ‘Vere’d He Go?’, ‘The Rad Shoes’, ‘2:48 p.m. Cowboy’ and ‘Sockwork Orange’ in between the drama that Greg becomes involved in, are the best part of the film.  It never feels manufactured like similar elements have in Garden State or (500) Days of Summer.  

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl will inevitably be a hit when it is released in cinemas this summer, and perhaps more than any of the films of its ilk that we’ve seen in the last few years, it will deserve its place among the classics of its genre.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)

8/10

[rileyshingler]

You Shouldn’t Trust Anything He Says

Once Alex Garland’s directorial debut had me in its grasp, I knew I was experiencing something extraordinary. Ex Machina is that special film that sneaks up on you.  I went in almost completely blind.  All I knew was that Oscar Isaac and Domhnall Gleeson shared billing in two 2015 Sci-Fi films and this was the first.

This film doesn't impose itself upon the viewer.  Rather, Ex Machina seems to be content as exactly what it is- a subtly brilliant and exceedingly enjoyable Science Fiction film that lives more in the category of science than it does the world of fiction.  Of course ‘Blue Book’ and AVA aren’t real, but it’s not hard to believe that they exist.  This is due of course, to the existence of golf and the fact that everything that Oscar Isaac’s Nathan tells us seems like real science.  In fact, a lot of it is.

In a film with only three characters, it’s unsurprising that one of its biggest strengths is the performances of the lead actors.  As the audience’s surrogate, Gleeson is much better than he has any right to be.  In what will almost certainly be known as her breakout role, Alicia Vikander plays the robot lead with a duality that would make good material for an actual Turing test.  However, it’s the performance of Oscar Isaac as the CEO of the biggest internet empire in the world, that propels this film to the next level.  Isaac’s Nathan is like Mark Zuckerberg on steroids- he’s brilliant and twisted, but hilarious and emotional in unexpected ways.  

Ex Machina is a film that is instantly destined to become a classic.  It’s a phenomenal film that puts Garland on the map as a director to watch.  Certainly it’s a film with a few flaws, but they are few and far between.  The film manages to blend sci-fi, horror and film noir tropes to create something wholly unique.  2015 has more high-profile releases than just about any year in history, and we’re incredibly lucky to see one of the best films of the year so early on.

Ex Machina (2015) 10/10

[rileyshingler]

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice