Sam Mendes's 1917 Is A Heart-Pounding And Moving War Drama That Will Excite And Blow Away Audiences

      Making a war film is no easy task as the film must differentiate itself from other films within the genre, along with capturing the raw emotions and horrors of battle. Every film with the theme of war that's been made in today's era of filmmaking strives to be the Saving Private Ryan of their respective stories whether its a film set in World War ll or Vietnam. In the case of 1917, the film aims to dethrone the classic 1930 World War l tale titled All Quiet On The Western Front with its intentions of becoming the definitive first World War film, that not only manages to be extremely well-crafted and thrilling to watch, but is filmed in a way that separates it from most war films in general. Produced, co-written, and directed by Sam Mendes who previously helmed Skyfall, he presents a thrilling and suspenseful tale that's based on an account told to Mendes by his paternal grandfather, Alfred Mendes. It's a tale that's been made with the sparring of no expense, as well as a unique attention to detail paid to it's story. Filmed as two long continuous shots, the film turned out to be a huge critical success garnering a total of 10 Oscar nominations including Best Picture with the film blasting its way to the top of the box office charts with an impressive 30 million opening, dethroning Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker from the box office crown. Watching 1917, it's no surprise that the film has garnered the acclaim it's received thus far. The film is slick, impressively shot, engaging from start to finish with characters the audience grow to care about, and carries a story that remains grounded in reality while making the war a personal experience for audiences. The end result is an impressive technological achievement, that presents the first World War to audiences in a way that's bold, unique, hard-hitting, immersive, and captures the thrill that audiences garnered watching the iconic No Mans Land scene from Patty Jenkins Wonder Woman. 1917 stands as being one of the definitive movies of the first World War, as well as being one of 2019's crowning achievements (With a strong possibility that it ends up winning the Academy Award for Best Picture).

     The plot for 1917 centers around two young British corporals (Both played by George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman) being given a suicide mission while fighting against the German army in the trenches during World War I. Their mission includes running across enemy lines, through open fields, additional trenches, abandoned villages, rivers and forests in order to deliver an urgent message to the commanding officer of a forward unit, whose preparing for an ill-advised attack. The story narrative for 1917 is straight-forward, keeping the film moving at a quick pace that delivers non-stop action with the films dramatic moments hitting the audience hard. What Sam Mendes and the team behind 1917 do admirably well is putting the audience in the trenches and having them experience the first World War through the eyes of the main characters. While the story is a rather easy one to follow, it's the intensity of the situation combined with the way the movie is filmed that makes it compelling. The film masterfully sets up its action set-pieces to be utilized to maximum potential with the scenes in between being used to develop the relationship between the two soldiers. From the moment 1917 begins until its final shot, the movie instantly draws the audience into the story and doesn't let them go until the end with the suspense being slowly built up to the point where the audience is barely left with any room to breathe. The film serves as a wonderful combination of solid storytelling mixed with both creative and brilliant filmmaking.

      One of the key elements that makes the story of 1917 work is the powerful performances of the films main actors. George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman deliver brilliant performances with their character arcs being the heart of the film as well as the glue that holds it together. Both actors share strong chemistry together with their characters being presented from the start as likable soldiers, who engage in a race against time to save other fellow soldiers from being killed. Given that the film is filmed as being a continuous take, the performances of the main actors look even more impressive given the lack of takes forces them to give nothing short of pure devotion to their roles. Out of the two main actors, George MacKay delivers the strongest performance with a role that demanded large doses of emotion for him to pull off with MacKay meeting the necessary role requirements. Despite MacKay delivering the stronger performance, Dean- Charles Chapman still manages to hold his own and showcases pure dedication to paying his character. Both actors bring a natural form of realism to their roles, making the audience care about their well-being. The rest of the supporting cast does well with their minimal parts that includes the likes of Kingsman's Colin Firth as General Erinmore, who sends the young boys on a mission to deliver the message to the commanding officer, Mark Strong also from Kingsman as Captain Smith, and Benedict Cumberbatch in a surprise role as General Mackenzie, the commanding officer unknowingly walking into a trap with his men. With a production as challenging as this one, there was always going to be the demand for an ensemble group of professionally trained actors who could not only deliver strong performances, but do so with minimal takes. With the professional actors selected for the film, they manage to rise to the occasion with Mackay and Chapman giving the best performances of the entire cast with the older (And more well-known) actors guiding them through the story.

      Besides the films terrific performances, the film truly shines due to the masterful directing of it's filmmaker. Director Sam Mandes takes what's essentially a personal war story and turns it into a unique and powerful experience for the audience. Whereas the Germans are mentioned and briefly shown to be the enemy in the story, Mendes makes the real enemy of the main characters to be time given how little of it MacKay and Chapman's characters have to complete their mission. The decision to film the movie as one endless shot is an interesting approach to the story, one that works as a brilliant gimmick because the movie instantly draws the audience into the story and keeps them engaged, while ultimately making it hard for them to take their eyes off the screen. Mendes also creates moments that are both suspenseful and disturbing, making the audience greatly concerned for the safety of the main characters as well as wanting them to succeed in delivering their message. The films cinematography by Roger Deakens is breathtaking with the film having a visually stunning look on the big screen. One would be hard-pressed to find a better shot film to take home the Oscar for Best cinematography over this one. The films score by Thomas Newman is also another noteworthy aspect of the film with it bringing the right amounts of emotion and suspense to the story. Like the visual look of the film, the design of the battlefields, trenches, and costume design for the films time period all appear to be spot on, bringing the story to life on the big screen while making it feel real. Mendes does a fantastic job of putting the audience in the trenches with the troops while creating a mood and atmosphere that's intense and frightening with the audience as well as the main characters being uncertain about the future. On a technical aspect, the films visual and sound effects are top notch with both going a long way in regards to enhancing the experience of being on the battlefront. One of the films key sequences involves MacKays character running across a battlefield full of explosions and gunfire, that's spectacularly well-done and manages to be a moment that's hard-hitting and powerful. If one thought Mendes did a phenomenal job with Skyfall, they'll be even more impressed with his ability to craft a tight and well-executed war drama that has all the right feels to it in terms of being both exciting and genuinely gripping.

      The films screenplay also written by Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns is handled just right with the film giving the appropriate amount of character development and exposition the story requires considering it all unfolds simultaneously. The film is a story about courage under fire with time being the true enemy of the plot as the clock ticks for the main characters. The themes that are most prevalent to the story are those pertaining to family, seeking honor, PTSD, courage, and hope. With the films story, Mendes and Cairns drive home the message that heroism is a noble trait that's not entirely pointless in war, though the latter is both senseless and horrific. The writers also make it a point to show that regardless of the consequences of war, there are those who just want to fight. Given that the films story plays on limited time, the screenplay utilizes that time well with every moment serving a purpose in the story along with further advancing the characters as well as the plot. Though some may complain about the lack of exposition or plot details, the script gets it down just right in terms of showing a moment of true heroism in the face of war without it ever feeling forced or contrived. The film aims to put the audience at the center of the story on the battlefield, and does so with utter brilliance and passion for telling it's story.

      Given that most filmmakers focus on the second World War out of the two major ones for obvious reasons that it was a larger one in scope, it's still notable and gratifying to see a filmmaker as skillful and talented as Sam Mendes give audiences a timely reminder of what the first World War was like along with showing that heroism comes in many different forms. The team behind 1917 deserve major applauds for bringing this story to life on the big screen, making it feel larger than life along with messages within the story that still remain relevant today. The films action is as loud and impressive as the amount of heart and dedication that went into telling the story through the films writing, directing, and terrific performances from it's main cast. As far as War films go, 1917 is one of the best ones to come out in recent times as it's hard-hitting and manages to show the horrors of War through a new lense. It may not be the most developed and detailed War flick in terms of story, but it delivers on it's intent to bring the War to audiences in a way that makes it feel relatable and personal to them. On that level, Sam Mendes and the remarkable team behind 1917 succeed in creating a powerful story about going against the odds with glimmers of hope sprinkled throughout the story. In an era where Cinema is becoming more increasingly reliant on franchise-driven and comic book oriented films to cover the tentpole of new releases theaters, it's exceptionally satisfying to see a well-told and original story that shows how one can be selfless when it comes to saving the lives of others, have it's moment to shine on the big screen with the acclaim its received thus far. One hopes that the success of this film will encourage other studio and talented filmmakers to pursue more risks with bringing stories like this to the big screen with them achieving similar levels of success. As 1917 shows, war is hell and moments of pure bravery and true heroism should always be celebrated.

Final Verdict: For fans of the war film genre as well as Cinema lovers ad those looking for a powerful story that's well told, 1917 is a must see

For Fans Of The Series, Bad Boys For Life Proves To Be Worth The Wait

      The 2020 cinematic year gets off to a surprisingly strong start with a critically acclaimed box office smash hit, that doesn't happen to be a comic book-oriented film. Instead the film happens to be a sequel 17 years in the making to a popular buddy cop franchise, that was essentially thought of to be fun films yet throwaway entertainment ultimately. The first Bad Boys film didn't exactly blow away the box office when it was first released in 1995, but it was significant due to it launching the careers of both Will Smith, who at the time was best known for starring in The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air, as well as the film marking the directorial debut of action filmmaker Michael Bay. The latter became a name that most film scholars as well as film historians looked upon with disdain towards. While the first Bad Boys was an enjoyable action flick which played off the popular Lethal Weapon style formula that was successful at the time, Bad Boys ll despite achieving greater box office success, didn't quite get the same kind of acclaim that the first Bad Boys got. In order to bring audiences back to the Bad Boys franchise and make it successful, the new pair of directors as well as the reteaming of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, had to bring back the chemistry which made the first two films so successful, while adding a new style to the series that involved a story that fans can get behind. Whereas Bay previously helmed the first two Bad Boys films, the blockbuster director stepped away from the series allowing newcomers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah the opportunity to step in and breathe new life into the franchise, that's span the course of nearly three decades. The end result is a film that not only entertains audiences by delivering solid popcorn entertainment, but also manages to be surprising in terms of it's overall quality. Bad Boys For Life is not only a superior film to Bad Boys ll, it manages to be the most well-made and satisfying installment in the popular series thus far with the absence of Michael Bay in the directors chair playing a significant role in the franchises upgrade in quality.

      The story for Bad Boys For Life takes place years after the events of Bad Boys ll with Detective Marcus Burnett (Played by Martin Lawrence) now a grandfather, being in the early stages of retirement with his life friend and partner Mike Lawrey (Played by Will Smith) being targeted on a hit list by a mother and son run criminal team. After surviving a drive by motorcycle shooting that nearly killed Lawrey, he begins a pursuit with the help of Marcus in both tracking down the people who tried to take him out. With the making of a third Bad Boys film, the filmmakers as well as the main stars knew that they could only return to the popular franchise if they had a proper story which evolved the characters from the events of the previous film. One of the main common criticisms the previous films got outside of them being extremely fun to watch, is that their respective stories lacked enough substance to make them hit home with their respective themes pertaining to friendship, loyalty, and brotherhood. The first Bad Boys was essentially Lethal Weapon with the two main cops being forced to protect a witness while swapping identities. While it didn't carry the greatest nor most innovative plot for an action movie at the time, it played on a well-established and already successful buddy cop formula that was booming during the 1990's era, which was later preceeded by the Rush Hour series. The first Bad Boys worked because of the outstanding chemistry between Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, and Tea Leoni with Smith being a fresh face on the cusp of becoming a movie star. Their chemistry along with Bay's fast-cut and kinetic action style of directing, proved to be a dynamic teaming that paid off resulting in a film that's now become a cult classic. Bad Boys ll took everything that audiences loved about the first Bad Boys and gave them more in excessive amounts. The action went from being well-executed to insanely-styled with adrenaline fueled sequences which included freeway chases and car crashes, that gave instant flashbacks to The Blues Brothers. The story was paper thin but the film had enough action and the strong chemistry of it's main leads to make up for it's shortcomings. With Bad Boys For Life, the film feels like it was made with the utmost love for the franchise while adding more substance to the story. Although the series high-octane action sequences remain, the film takes a deeper and more emotional approach with it's story regarding themes that pertain to aging, friendship, love, and finding ones true path in life. Bad Boys For Life may be the third film in the series, but it genuinely fits as being a much better version of Bad Boys ll then it's predecessor. Everything about the new film feels like an upgrade from the previous film with the story staying true to the characters with the overall look of the franchise getting a makeover with a style that mixes Bad Boys with doses of the Fast And Furious, and Mission Impossible franchises. It wasn't the makeover for the franchise that fans asked for, but it was the one that was needed in order to successfully bring it into today's generation.

      One of the key elements that makes Bad Boys For Life work is the outstanding chemistry that both Smith and Lawrence bring to the big screen. The main performers work so well together, that they genuinely feel like their characters friendship never skipped a beat in between the films. Smith and Lawrence are on top form here adding more depth to their characters, which can be largely contributed to a much stronger script this time around. They bring with them the same chemistry that they introduced 24 years prior with no indication that its fading away anytime soon. The two leads clearly enjoy being on screen together and genuinely care about their characters, ultimately making the experience more fun. The returning supporting characters from the previous two films also shine with Joe Pantoliano reprising his role as Mike and Marcus chief Capt. Harris. Pantoliano's character has a more developed and pivotal role in this film compared to the previous two movies with his character being both funny, as well as serving as a mentor/father figure to the two detectives. The filmmakers did a really good job of showing the relationship between the three main characters in terms of growth with Harris character shown to clearly be fond of Mike and Marcus despite being tough on them when necessary. Theresa Randle returns as Marcus wife Theresa Burnett. Although her character doesn't have as much to do development wise as the rest of the main cast, her return is a welcomed addition to the cast. As far as the new entries go with the Bad Boys For Life ensemble, Smith and Lawrence team shines with Vanessa Hudgens impressing as Kelly, Alexander Ludwig as Dorn with his role having a fun character arc, Charles Melton as Rafe, and Paola Nunez as both the teams leader and Mike's love interest Rita. As for the films main antagonists, Kate del Castillo shines as Isabel with Jacob Scipio delivering one of the films standout performances as Isabel's son Armando. Not only is his character well-skilled and effective as an antagonist to the main characters along with Isabel, his character arc remains one of the films strongest points. One of the main appealing aspects of the Bad Boys franchise has always been its collection of impressive yet diverse actors and actresses, that surround the characters of Mike and Marcus. Bad Boys For Life proves to be no exception as the main ensemble cast not only work together as a whole but are fun, exciting, and appealing to watch (Particularly Mike and Marcus team for example). The addition of the younger actors definitely gives the story a SWAT feel to it mixed with a style similar of Fast And Furious with the actors adding more flavor to the story.

      The films directing by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah proves to be a dynamic team up, that works in terms of effectively reinvigorating the franchise. The young filmmakers manage to keep the style consistent with the previous two Bad Boys films in regards to the films exotic Miami settings and lighting with them delivering their own form of kinetic action and energy to the plot. The way the film is shot almost makes one think that Michael Bay is still in the directors chair with the main difference being the level of emotion that's brought to the story. Directors Arbi and Fallah do an impressive job of balancing the films moments of humor with the action and dramatic scenes. The latter doesn't come in short supply as the filmmakers present enough action to keep the story moving despite it's steady pace with the film clocking in at 124 minutes. The film never feels like it stalls, but takes enough time to develop the story and introduce the new team whom become attached to Mike and Marcus. Having Bay step back as director and allowing younger filmmakers with a new vision take control of the franchise, was a gamble that ultimately pays off as the new film is not only well-crafted but brings a fresh and energetic feel to the series, that was needed in order for it to continue to be successful. The new filmmakers are clearly fans of the franchise as they work the previous two films into the narrative with numerous callbacks to them, most notably the return of the first films main theme music which was originally composed by Mark Mancina. With Bad Boys For Life,
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah bring the characters and action back to the big screen in a way that feels brand new with action that's loud, exciting, and hard to take ones eyes off the screen with a narrative that keeps everything grounded in reality.

      One of the films greatest strengths that proves to be most surprising is the amount of substance and depth the screenplay carried in comparison to the first two Bad Boys films. The script for Bad Boys For Life written by Chris Bremner, Peter Craig, and Joe Carnahan does a notable job of placing heavy emphasis on the fact that the main characters have aged since the previous film, with them facing that reality while questioning whether they continue to be Bad Boys or hang it up. Another aspect of the script that differentiates it from the other films is the enhancement of the character growth between Smith and Lawrence's characters with Captain Harris getting a key role in the story, that makes him feel like a father type figure to Mike. Out of the three Bad Boys films, this one carries the most drama out of all the films with certain scenes and moments that will not only shock the audience, but make them feel emotional at times. The writers do a very good job of moving the legacy of the franchise forward while making audiences get really invested with both the story and characters in this film. Giving the film a revenge type plot along with the targeting of Smith's character by the films antagonists, was a clever way to strengthen the roles of the two main characters in terms of being best friends along with raising the stakes this time around. The films big plot twist in the third act is handled in a way that's believable and doesn't feel forced on the audience. The third Bad Boys is essentially what Mission Impossible 3 was to that series or what Fast Five was to The Fast And Furious franchise, it continues the story while giving the franchise a proper makeover both in terms of action and story that makes it evolve while feeling brand new. The biggest surprise with the new film is the fact that underneath the bullets, the explosions, and jokes, the story has a heart. The jokes between Smith and Lawrence land for the most part with the humor being raw and edgy like the first Bad Boys with the film avoiding some of the forced humor from Bad Boys ll such as the scene involving the two mices having sex, or the truck carrying dead bodies being opened with bodies being tossed on windshields and later driven over on the freeway. The writers manage to incorporate all the ingredients that made the first two films successful while emphasizing the themes of friendship, family, teamwork, revenge, and driving home the realization that age catches up to everyone.

     What could've easily ended up being another forgettable sequel in the franchise surprisingly turns out to be one that carries with it a sizable amount of substance to it largely thanks to its script and filmmakers, who successfully make the case for taking the franchise out in a broader direction with the main actors still intact. That's isn't to say that the new film is not without it's small share of flaws (Not all of the jokes land, moments that can come across as being surprise twists or meant to be can feel a tad cliched), but in terms of the craftsmanship of the new filmmakers being demonstrated along with expanding on the buddy cop aspect of the franchise, it does a very good job of bringing the characters as well as the series into today's world while paying homage to the previous films. As a Bad Boys film, the movie stays true to the formula that made the first two films work with audiences, but takes the main characters and establishes a new team that makes everything more fun and exiting. Every characters screentime in the film is properly utilized for that person to have his or her moment to shine in the story. The family and friendship themes feels stronger and more poignant as the drama is enhanced to go toe to toe with the films action. The end result is an entertaining experience that will genuinely surprise many fans of the series with the level of quality the new film carries, along with introducing newer fans to the series with how the story can work on its own without much requirement to see the previous two films. Bad Boys For Life is the sequel that fans of the series have been waiting for with it not only being vastly superior to the second film, but laying down a pretty serious claim of being the best installment in the series thus far. With plans to make a fourth Bad Boys film underway with the same directors expressing interest in returning, one looks to the future of the series with optimism as the strategy of giving the franchise an unwanted yet highly effective makeover proves to be a success both on and off the screen. Bad Boys For Life is a sequel that is much better than it has any right to be, serving as being the first satisfying moviegoing event of 2020 while opening the door to what looks to be a promising year of hugely satisfying tentpole releases.

Final Verdict: For fans of Bad Boys 1 and 2, Bad Boys For Life will please, entertain, and surprise them with it's quality while making them wait with anticipation for the next one. Just don't take another 17 years to make it.

Cats As A Film Is So Bad That It Demands To Be Seen To Be Believed

      With all the critical and box office smash hits of 2019, there also comes with them a fair share of misfires both critically and commercially. Examples are Hellboy, Men In Black: International, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, and Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker to a certain extent. In the case of Cats, the goal was always to make a faithful film adaptation of the classic Broadway hit that not only manages to become a commercial success but also strive for award season recognition. It came as a surprise to many when the film debuted to horrendous reviews with a critical score of just 20 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as debuting with an embarrassing IMDB score of 2.8 out of 10 . The films backlash was so embarrassing for the studio that the film was ultimately pulled from award season consideration this past December. The poor reception and box office underperformance of Cats may look devastating to fans of the Broadway show who were looking forward to it (It only grossed 6 million on it's opening weekend) but surprisingly, the overall film itself isn't a complete failure. While Cats cannot be classified as a good film nor anything close to being worthy of award season recognition due to the problems the film possesses in terms of storytelling, noticeably absent character development, and a visual appearance of the Cats that just looks plain ridiculous, it unintentionally holds entertainment value with the end result being a film that's terribly executed in the realm of acting, directing, and writing that's actually fun to watch because of how badly the film misfires. Like Joel Schumacher's critical misfire Batman and Robin, Cats fails at being a credible musical but it's undoing gives it pure entertainment value in being so terrible it's actually fun to watch.

      Based on the popular Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, the story of Cats focuses on a group of street cats called Jellicles, who come together once a year to determine which of them will have the honor of ascending to the Heaviside Layer and thus return with a new life. It's not a question of whether Cats has a strong enough story to make the transformation from play to movie (It does), it's the overall creative approach to the film that makes it a misfire with audiences. Cats looks like a film that has all the right elements to make it a hit with the film possessing a striking visual flare to it along with an appealing cast and strong source material to draw from, making the fact that the film ultimately fails be a genuine surprise. The film carries with it a narrative that can become often confusing at times along with having an outlandish and sexual nature to it. The visual look of the cats is strange, making them come across as appearing to be a confused mixture of animal meets human that looks both laughable and unnatural. The directors decision to film the main actors in motion capture bodysuits along with providing CGI hair and cat features onto them, later proved to be a huge misfire as the overall look of the actors comes across as looking ridiculous. On a storytelling front, the film becomes rather confusing at times with the story occasionally stalling to allow for one musical number to happen in between what's supposed to be a well-drawn out plot, that just ends up feeling flat. The films synopsis goes something like this: The main cat in the story ends up getting tossed onto the streets with her ultimately being taken in by a band of stray cats immediately after. The strays of cats are shown to be competing in a competition, that comes across as feeling extremely vague and not well elaborated on where the winner gets to ascend to a higher realm. On the surface, there isn't much elaboration with the plot as it's not very well-developed and just feels like it's there to get the main character from one musical set piece to the next with the musical aspect of the film being the primary focus. On a visual scale, Cats holds appeal as the crews attempt to bring this colorful and usual world to life doesn't completely result in total failure. However on a storytelling and cat design note, the film completely misfires despite it's talented cast.

      As far as the films performances go, the cast is one of the few bright spots of the picture with them trying to make the best of both the material and direction given to them. Francesca Hayward gives her all playing the main character Victoria. She makes for an appealing lead female character despite not having much backstory to go off. In terms of casting however, she's the perfect choice for the role and does the best she can with the material she's given. The same can be said about Jennifer Hudson as Grizabella The Glamour Cat. She does a decent job of playing a lonely and decrepit cat, who seeks acceptance from the other Jellicle cats when she's initially ostracized. Hayward and Hudson hold their own and bring the most they can to their characters, making their moments ones that help to make the movie appear less messy. Idris Elba is completely wasted as Macavity The Mystery Cat. His character is not only underdeveloped which renders him as being a poorly effective antagonist in the story, but his overall look is silly. Other great stage actors who are ultimately wasted here are Judi Dench as old Deuteronomy, a wise and respected elderly cat who serves as the Jellicle patriarch. Despite a rough monologue she delivers in the films third act with her character reinforcing everything the audience learned about the Jellicles, she takes the role she's given and becomes one of the films few elements that actually works without coming across as embarrassing. The same can't be said about Sir Ian McKellen, who not only looks like he doesn't belong here but is essentially useless as Gus The Theatre Cat. His character is given little to do with McKellen not given enough room to breathe life into his character nor have a clear arc that audiences can get behind. While his addition to the cast is welcomed here, one must ask what's the point if he's not given enough material to work with. Besides being effective as a genuine surprise moment in the film, Taylor Swift demonstrates with the character of Bombalurina that she's much better off sticking to being a singer than an actress. Other noteworthy supporting roles are Jason Derulo as the curious cat Rum Tum Tugger, with Rebel Wilson shining as Jennyanydots (Her singing mice though come off as being just plain weird). Whereas the rest of the film collapses around the main cast, the ensemble for the most part does a notable job of trying to make the film work while showing enthusiasm for the roles their playing. Whether they knew or not how the end product would turn out, the cast as a whole looks as if they gave their all in terms of acting along with the moments where the scene calls for them to sing and dance.

      In regards to the films directing, Tom Hooper who previously helmed the 2012 musical adaptation Les Miserables takes the directors chair and creates a flashy yet bizarre spectacle, that ultimately goes off the rails both narratively and structurally. Besides the films performances, the look of the film works as it's other strong point with the city appearing to have a dark and misty feel to it thats effective. Whereas the films costume design is a hard miss with the poor CGI work on the cat costumes, the film contains striking set pieces which include traverse graveyards, milk clubs, and back alleys. The films score by Andrew Lloyd Webber helps to make up for the lack of power the films narrative is devoid of, making it deserve commending for its noble attempts to improve on the films shortcomings which also extends to its questionable pacing. The films opening song feels overlong and drawn out with the intro's dance number coming across as being both over-the-top and forced. The film does contain likable songs in the film which help to make the audience bear the experience with examples such as Mr. Mistoffelees, The Jellicle Ball, and Gus: The Theatre Cat. The problem lies that despite the songs being interesting, they're overlong and drawn out. While Hooper fails at transporting the musical onto the big screen in an matter that works as being a strong piece of filmmaking, he manages to set up the appropriate atmosphere with locations that feel like environments which cats would gravitate to. The films singing, dancing, and visual design serve as a weird counterbalance to the films uneven and confusing narrative.

      The films screenplay by Tom Hooper, T.S Elliot, and Lee Hall is where the film completely falls apart, prohibiting any chance the film had of being an effective musical translated to the big screen. The characters lack the proper development and growth to make the audience invested in the overall story. The films plot comes across as feeling rather bland with the audience not feeling captivated by the concept of a cat being chosen out of the group to go onto living a new life. There isn't much more to the films story other than it being a contest with no real backstory regarding what a Jellicle cat actually is. The film also doesn't tell audiences exactly why being a Jellicle cat is a bad thing and why they all just can't follow suit with the main cat, whose ultimately chosen for a new life. With the exception of Jennifer Hudson's character, the Jellicle cats never seem like they have it rough. The film goes to extreme lengths to drive home its concept that feels just rather plain. All of the main characters get moments to shine in terms of delivering musical numbers, but the script doesn't give them much backstory besides those moments. With the films script, the writers missed a real opportunity to take the musicals concept and transform it into a story that could've been fully realized as a reintroduction to a new generation of audiences.

      As an adaptation of the classic musical, Cats serves as a horrific misfire with it ultimately failing on what it originally sets out to do. Despite the film failing on that front, it manages to work as being a guilty pleasure. The film will be looked upon as being one that had all the right things going for it such as a capable director who had previous success within the musical genre, a talented cast who can act, sing, dance, and previously established material which should've made it extremely hard for the end product to turn out the way it did. One can't help but wonder why the filmmakers weren't as enthusiastic to work on this project as the main actors appeared to be. Besides some reasonably solid performances, strong art-set decoration, and music, the film as a whole collapses under its own weight though the audience can't help but laugh at the derailment of the train. Cats is unquestionably one of 2019's most shocking disappointments both critically and financially, but works great as a guilty pleasure. It's a shame that the filmmakers didn't believe in this story enough to give it the proper treatment it deserves cause this had potential to be great.

Final Verdict: Those looking for a great musical will be profoundly disappointed, those looking to become engulfed in the movies misfire will be thoroughly entertained and stunned by how badly Cats misses the mark.

The Lighthouse Ultimately Works Thanks To The Performances Willem Dafoe And Robert Pattinson Deliver

     

       While all movies are made with the sole purpose to entertain as well as churn out a profit for the studio, there are some films that aim to do so while also desiring to challenge the audiences patience and way of thinking with delivering a film that carries a unique cinematic approach to it's style of filmmaking. While these movies won't necessarily please a wide range of audiences and most cases end up leaving them either confused or divided, they're​ noteworthy for their attempts to bring something new to the table in regards to filmmaking, as well as challenging the audiences perspective with storytelling. In the case of The Lighthouse, the film aims to be different from most of the mainstream films that was released last year with terrific performances from it's main stars Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, while also carrying a narrative that can considered too bizarre for audiences to follow. Despite the movies off features, the effort is a noble one as The Lighthouse is well-filmed and brilliantly acted, making up for the lack of momentum with the films storyline. The film also contains some of the strongest acting from it's main performers with Dafoe doing an excellent job and Pattinson continuing to stretch his legs as a quality actor. Add to that the films impressive black and white cinematography, The Lighthouse is an odd feature but keeps audiences watching due to the main stars commanding presence on the screen.

    The plot for The Lighthouse focuses on two lighthouse keepers (Both played brilliantly by William Dafoe and Robert Pattinson) as they arrive on a remote New England station where they're​ assigned to remain stationed for a month. As they draw closer to the end of their time at their post, both the weather and their mental states become erratic, leading to rising tension between them with the lines between reality and false illusions becoming increasingly blurred. The Lighthouse is a film that makes no efforts in regards to playing it safe with audiences, and is pretty out there both story wise and structurally. What propels it to being an unusual yet appealing piece of filmmaking is the stylish black and white feel of the movie combined with the phenomenal performances of Dafoe and Pattinson. The film essentially feels like a quieter yet still creepy version of Shutter Island with the heart and soul of the film focusing on the interaction between Dafoe and Pattinson's characters. On both a visual and filmmaking scale, The Lighthouse is extremely well-crafted with the film showing director Robert Eggers to be a filmmaker of impressive talent despite it story never feeling like it goes anywhere ultimately. Despite that criticism, the film has enough pros to make it reasonably decent though clearly not a film for everyone.

      Besides the films appealing cinematography and slick direction, one of the films key assets that makes it work are the combined powerhouse performances of Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson. Both actors presented are perfectly casted and give their all to their roles, making the delivery of their performances appear to be bold and daring. Out of the two performances, William Dafoe steals the show as Thomas Wake. He ends up delivering one of the strongest performances of any actor this past year, making his recent Academy Award nomination snub for Best Actor baffling. He masterfully plays his role and has some of the best creepy and effective delivery of a monologue, that draws flashbacks to Quint from Jaws. He flawlessly manages his character in terms of being subtle and low-key at certain points then goes into beast mode when required, giving justice to the films strong dialogue in terms of delivery. Despite Dafoe's commanding performance, Pattinson manages to hold his own with playing Ephraim Winslow, a calmer yet still mysterious and tyrannical character like Dafoe. Both actors showcase tremendous on screen chemistry and carry the movie essentially with Pattinson continuing to develop his strengths as a serious actor. Anyone that has doubts about whether he can play the character of Batman in Matt Reeves recently announced trilogy will be instantly won over by his acting here. The two main actors make up for the dry aspects of the script and help solidify a genuinely bleak and disturbing atmosphere, that makes the movie feel almost like a low-key horror flick. While it can be argued that the movie struggles when it comes to the framing of it's story, it can also be said that the masterful performances of it's main actors comes to it's rescue.

      The directing by Robert Eggers is one of the films true standout elements next to its brilliant acting. This is a film that's both masterfully shot while showcasing Eggers pure craftsmanship as a filmmaker. Eggers creates the appropriate atmosphere for the film given the story and makes a bold decision to film the movie in black and white, leaving much of the mystery of the characters surroundings to the audiences imagination. It also works perfectly given the films 1890's setting. The films cinematography by Jarin Blasche is breathtaking with the look of the film giving the impression of a classic Alfred Hitchcock style story meshed with a teaspoon of Stanley Kubrick. This method helps to create mystery surrounding the main characters, particularly the films visuals which appear to be both chilling and haunting at times. Another powerful element the film has is its score by Mark Korven with the music giving the story a haunted movie feel despite appearing more as a psychological thriller. The film has vibes to it which make it similar to films such as Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island, and The Others, particularly the spooky nature regarding the story taking place in one location for most of the film combined with the main characters slowly losing their sanity as the stories progress. As far as the directing aspect of the film goes, Robert Eggers succeeds for the most part in taking a rather bland script and giving it a style which feels like a mixture of a semi horror movie combined with a creepy psychological thriller feel to it that's driven by stunning visuals and killer performances. Eggers takes the script he's given and makes the maximum best of the material he's given while demonstrating his talents as a filmmaker.

      Whereas the films acting and directing shine through, the screenplay written by Robert and Max Eggars leaves much to be desired in terms of story progression. The scripts greatest components are the establishing of the two main characters and the clever dialogue they're given with strong monologue on Dafoe's end. The problem is after the films strong start, the audience is left waiting for the story to take off in terms of something creepy happening but ultimately never get that wish. The script plays more on the psychological aspect of it's story with showing the two main characters slowly losing their minds as the story progresses with not much else happening in between. The film feels like it's building up it's suspense and tension to a payoff that never arrives. The climax is bound to either divide or leave audiences scratching their heads once the credits roll. The movie has moments where it commands the audience attention outside of the films strong acting such as a sequence involving Robert Pattinson's character beating a Seagull to death. Other compelling moments are ones where the actors fill the void that the script leaves in terms of the stories progression. The Lighthouse feels like it's a film that carries the right idea in terms of it's concept, but never fully takes off with it in terms of the overall script playing out it's synopsis. It's a film that's undoubtedly saved by it's stellar performances from it's leading men and the films creativity in terms of it's directing and beautiful cinematography.

      In the end, The Lighthouse is not a complete misfire of a film (It has more positives elements that outweigh the negative ones), however it's not as great nor as fleshed out as it could've been had more thought been put into it's story. The movie needed a stronger third act that justifies sitting through the first two where nothing much happens besides Dafoe and Pattinson demonstrating their acting capabilities. Their combined work along with Eggars ability to create a tense and mysterious atmosphere, ultimately works as the glue that holds the film together when its story stalls. On a stylish level, the film delivers and is enough justification along with the performances for audiences to give it a watch. On the level of substance, the film is no The Shining nor Doctor Sleep in terms of building up it's suspense while providing a thrilling payoff. Perhaps the lack of a major plot point occurring in the films climax is meant to keep in line with the bleak aspect of the films story, leaving the bulk of the film for the audience to unpack and decipher in terms of what's happening. There's enough visual appeal with the film along with it's chilling atmosphere and fantastic performances from Dafoe and Pattinson to make the film worthwhile to audiences, though it's clearly not a film for everyone. The Lighthouse is strange and confusing yet bold, impressive, and noble with it's attempt to challenge audiences perspective of the story. In an era where originality us becoming harder to find in the realm of cinema, The Lighthouses noble attempts at exercising creativity deserve commending. It's a shame the filmmakers didn't believe in it's script on the same level they believes in the films actors.

Final Verdict: For cinema lovers and fans of both Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, The Lighthouse has enough visual flare and compelling performances from it's main stars to make it a decent though not great viewing.