MONTH OF ROMANTIC FILMS

Now, I am the person least likely to go out of my way to watch a romantic film or what I call a film that appeals mostly to the female audience but because I love all film genres in general, I wanted to dedicate a whole month to catching up with films in the genre.  Unfortunately, I decided that this would be my film watching theme halfway through April, so I decided to extend the theme to May.  So, April and May became my Month of Romantic Films!

I generally love a good film with strong female characters which is where most romantic films fall as they try to balance the story between the two love interests.  This is a very delicate balance when done right.  When done wrong the female or male character comes off as two dimensional and borderline boring or a cliché and that can ruin the effectiveness of the film.  The other bad thing about the genre is that the general hallmarks of the romantic film have now made itself known in pretty much every sub-genre of film.  As modern day film-makers and storytellers try to balance the relationships of the characters and fill out the supporting characters, creating romantic relationships is one of the easiest ways to do this.  Another caveat to this change is the fact that we are getting more films with strong female characters in which the male characters are supporting; this is where the second group of films come in.  These films do not necessarily have or are centered around a romantic storyline, but they present stories that cater to the female journey and/or experience.

These types of films were once labelled “chick flicks” but I’ve never liked that label, so I won’t be using it here.  Needless to say, these are the films that I decided to focus on.

 

TRADITIONAL ROMANTIC FILMS.

Traditional romantic films are what I rarely decide to watch even if they have an actor I like.  Some of the films I finally caught up with were What a Girl Wants (2003), Remember Me (2010), Lovesong (2016), My Week with Marilyn (2011), She’s Gotta Have It (1986), A Ghost Story (2017), The Danish Girl (2015), The Theory of Everything (2014), and The Promise (2016).  A Ghost Story is the closest you are going to get to a horror-romantic film while The Promise is a war-romantic film while The Theory of Everything and The Danish Girl are dramatic-romantic films.  The thing to remember at the center of all these films is a strong romantic relationship between two or more of the characters.

None of the films were bad and they each have their good and bad elements. The films I enjoyed the most were The Theory of Everything, The Promise, A Ghost Story, and Lovesong.  What a Girl Wants was cute but not a film with any new ideas and not one I will ever bother to watch again while Remember Me was decent and had some interesting ideas.  She’s Gotta Have It was more of a “I need to watch” film since it was Spike Lee’s first film.

 

STRONG FEMALE STORIES.

A more interesting list of films that I viewed during these months were those films that fit within this category.  This includes Julie & Julia (2009), Good Hair (2009), Jackie: A Tale of Two Sisters (2017), Betty White: First Lady of Television (2018), What Would Sophia Loren Do? (2021), 20^th Century Women (2016), Suffragette (2015), Radium Girls (2015), Philomena (2013), The Zookeeper’s Wife (2017), Like a Boss (2020), Venus in Fur (2013), and Profile (2018).

Everyone of these films presents some extremely strong women in some great stories about important women’s issues.  Radium Girls, Suffragette, Good Hair, and 20^th Century Women deal with some strong female stories and are headlined by some amazing performances.  Documentaries also featured heavily here especially in regard to presenting some amazing women in Jackie Kennedy, Betty White, and Sophia Loren.

My personal favorites of this group were Philomena, Venus in Fur, and Profile.  Profile was an exceptional film that dealt with a romantic relationship while also dealing with subterfuge and terrorism while being presented through modern day film-making techniques.

 

THE TELEVISION SERIES.

I only watched three series that could be included in this group which were I’m Not Okay with This (Season 1), Mortel (Season 1), and Downton Abbey (Season 1-4).  Mortel was the unusual series that strived to be a coming-of-age show that dealt with two teens given supernatural powers that only work when they are in close contact with one another.  This was a bold escapist show that also had at its core the romantic relationships of the main characters.  I’m Not Okay with This was similar that felt like what if Stephen King’s Carrie was expanded into a series in which you got to hear the thoughts of Carrie all the time.  Downton Abbey is the epidemy of the primetime soap opera with all the characters having some type of romantic relationship.  My wife and I watched four seasons of the show and thus was one of the key things in my romantic viewing for the two months.

 

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All in all, these two months I managed to catch up with a lot of films that were not originally on my watch list.  In fact, apart from The Danish Girl, She’s Gotta Have It, and The Theory of Everything, the rest of the films were a last minute or blind pick.

“Favorite Films of 2018…So Far”

It’s been a strange yet exciting year at the Box Office after the dismal year that was 2017 where both the Box Office was at its lowest in sixteen years and the quality of films was eclectic at best.  This year is a different story altogether as there has been a great sampling of films from across all genres.  I’d like to tell you my favorite films of the year…so far and I hope if you’ve not seen some of them that you give them a watch.

15. THE FIRST PURGE – A very interesting sequel to one of the most polarizing film franchises out right now.  A dystopian near-future that showcases the very First Purge.  Although, at first, I thought that the franchise didn’t need a prequel, but this film is both exciting and relevant and opens new possibilities for future films (and TV series).  This racially and politically charged film is a great indicator of the possibilities of this franchise as it continues to branch out and expand.

14. HOTEL ARTEMIS – Jodie Foster leads and impeccable cast in a film that’s reminiscent of John Wick and The Raid: Redemption but is something all its own.  Sterling K. Brown, Sofia Boutella, and Dave Bautista also add tremendously to this off-beat film that has character.  It may not be as action oriented as one might expect but it has a sharp script and great wit.

13. ARMED – I was completely shocked when I learned that writer/director Mario Van Peeples had another film coming out this year (in fact, I only learned about this the week it was released).  Without any advance notice or fanfare this film about a former US Marshall suffering from a form of PTSD in a world overtaken by gun control and mental disorder surprised me because of just how hard or a film it is to categorize and much like the film-maker’s best films – i.e. Panther, New Jack City, and Posse, this film is just as contemporary and controversial.  Peeples has matured as a film-maker (as he’s spent most of the last couple decades directing episodes of acclaimed TV shows).  Also, a film inspired by a true story.

12. BLACK PANTHER – Was a film I tremendously enjoyed for the first two-thirds as it shaped some great characters (and supporting characters) but by the third act was too reliant on over-blown CGI that took me out of the film.  The third act felt too much like most of the other MCU films and was lost in the over excess of trying to appease too many “masters” (especially since it was essentially an origin story).  This being said, there is great individuality in that first two-thirds of the film that shows immense promise for future films.

11. TAG – Inspired by actual events, this film actually is quite a very good film about long lasting friendship and competition amongst friends/family.  This has a great cast that never goes too far in the absurd territory despite the crazy premise.  There is not a weak spot in this cast and that is most of the fun in this slapstick comedy.

10. DEADPOOL 2 – Most people like the original better than this film but I think both films are equally good for different reasons.  The original is one of the best origin stories ever crafted that breathes fresh life in the format whereas this film is one of the best sequels (to a super hero film) ever crafted as it takes all of audience’s expectations about super hero films and throws them out the window.  The film is fresh and never feels repetitive or predictable mostly because the character is anything but predictable.  The film has tragedy in equal parts of comedy and the character of Deadpool goes through many different stages despite how absurd most of what is presented in the film actually is.  My choice for best comic book film of the year.

9. ALONG WITH THE GODS: THE LAST 49 DAYS – The original 2017 film was one of my favorite films of that year and this film is equally as good as the original but this one focuses on the characters and goes a long way of establishing their origins.  The film is at times a bit long because the Purgatory doesn’t come off as fresh as it did in the original but there is one amazing sequence that’s an homage to Jurassic World that has to be seen to be believed.

8. THE DEATH OF STALIN – took a great graphic novel and made it better!  This is an amazing adaptation that has a great cast that is equally funny as much as it is a satire.  There hasn’t been a satire like this (or that is as equally as good) since Dr. Strangelove.

7. GAME NIGHT – This comedy gets high marks not only because of the amazing cast but the cinematography, editing, and musical score to name but a few of the great elements that make up this film.  Many may have looked at this film as a simple comedy, but directors John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein have crafted a modern day comedy masterpiece in film-making that’s equally funny as it is entertaining.

6. UPGRADE – The very fresh and surprisingly excellent science fiction-horror hybrid that has a whip-smart script that’s expertly executed by writer/direct Leigh Whannel and star Logan Marshall-Green.  A low budget sci-fi gen like Ex Machina.

5. A QUIET PLACE – One of the most poignant and psychologically perfect horror films of the year which also happened to be a huge audience pleaser.  One of my favorite horror films of the year (in a year filled with a lot of mediocre films).

4. THE SPY GONE NORTH – This is an excellent film from beginning to end and one of the best examples of an espionage film (far superior to Red Sparrow).  An excellent cast with an equally suspenseful script and assured direction from Jong-bin Yoon.  Not a film to be missed.

3. SEARCHING – An edge of your seat thriller that uses modern day technology to tell a conventional tale in a not so conventual way.  John Cho proves he’s an amazing actor with a lot of range in this film of a father searching for his missing daughter with the help of a dedicated police detective using computer screens as the style of the film.  This film shows that there are still new tools to tell old stories in new and exciting ways.

2. BLACKKKLANSMAN – One of director Spike Lee’s absolute best films and one of the year’s best films!  Lee is at top form with this controversial and polarizing film which is also funny and entertaining from beginning to end.  Lee is kind of a hit or miss director but this film everything lines up perfectly for the veteran film-maker.  One of the absolute best films of the year.

1. HEREDITARY – Is my favorite film of the year for the simple reason that it is a powerful and uncompromising film that’s polarizing and anything but predictable.  Anchored by an amazing performance by Toni Collette that has to be seen to be believed, this is a film that leaves an impression long after the credits roll.  Every year there are good films, but few leave an impression with you like this film does.  There is not one person I know of who hasn’t seen this film and thus been changed by it in some way.

There are plenty of films that didn’t make the list for various reasons.  A film can be entertaining (i.e. The Meg, Skyscrapper, Tomb Raider, Ocean’s Eight) and it can satisfy yet predictable (i.e. Avengers: Infinity War, Blood Fest, Solo: A Star Wars Story), and then in there are those that just needed a little something more (i.e. Kin, Unsane, The Nun, Winchester. The Maze Runner: The Death Cure).  Then there are the films I just thought weren’t worth the time – i.e. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Den of Thieves, Red Sparrow, and Slender Man, to name a few.

I saw more than these films at the Box Office this year (thank you Movie Pass and AMC’s A-List) but some of the films I didn’t see (but wished I had) includes – 12 Strong, Annihilation, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Chappaquiddick, RBG, Eight Grade, Beirut, Blindspotting, The Wife, A Fantastic Woman, Mary Shelley, and Sicario: Day of the Soldado, just to name a few. 

My opinions of the above mentioned films is nothing but that, “my opinion” and I hope you all decide for yourself which films to take a chance on.  Film-makers and artists put a lot of work into all the films and regardless of what I think they are all worth a look, if for no other reason than to say “I’ve seen it and therefore my opinion means something.”

I’ll make sure to get back with you at the beginning of next year so you know what I thought of the rest of 2018s releases but until then, enjoy your film watching!

Book Review: A SEPARATE CINEMA: FIFTY YEARS OF BLACK CAST POSTERS by John Kisch and Edward Mapp

 I know a little about African American cinema but I never had a clue about the amount of films that had been produced since the early days of cinema until I opened the pages of John Kisch and Edward Mapp’s book A Separate Cinema: Fifty Years of Black Cast Posters.  Being a poster book its aim is to showcase posters and artwork from long forgotten films (both shorts and features) from the ‘20s to present day (although mostly focusing on the early days of cinema) and well as present a glimpse into the evolution of African American cinema. 

The book is not only a document of history but also a look into the evolution of popular film with audiences.  The posters are broken up into sections based on these popular genres such as “Harlem Goes West,” “Comic, Coon, or Buffoon,” “Bronze Femmes Fatales,” “African Atrocity,” and “Pint-Sized Jesters,’ to name but a few.  The book also offers alternative posters from the more popular films as well as alternate posters from other countries.  It’s a treasure trove of artwork from different styles and different eras.

To add to the enjoyment of the book is a preface from Spike Lee – a hug advocate for African American cinema and its preservation.  Also Donald Bogle provides the introduction to the book which is a history lesson and background for African American cinema and its effect on a culture and the film industry as a whole.  Bogle’s introduction puts the whole book in perspective and adds to the enjoyment of the book.

With over a 150 pages of posters and artwork collecting all of this in one place was a massive undertaking and add to that that many of the early films have been lost and you have one of the best books of this kind.  This is not just a book for lovers of African American films and studies but for film historians and artist alike (as the posters represent some of the most interesting early African American artwork).