Top 20 Best Films of 2020

Top 20 Best Films of 2020

1.        The Father

2.        Soul

3.        Promising Young Woman

4.        Sound of Metal

5.        Nomadland

6.        The Trial of the Chicago 7

7.        Da 5 Bloods

8.        Minari

9.        The Invisible Man

10.     Justice League Dark: Apokolips War

11.     News of the World

12.     Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

13.     The Gentlemen

14.     Judas and the Black Messiah

15.     Mank

16.     Hamilton

17.     The Personal History of David Copperfield

18.     Dolphin Reef

19.     Emma

20.     The Vast of Night

 

Honorable Mentions: Bad Education, Enola Holmes, First Cow, On the Rocks, One Night in Miami…, The Way Back

Monster Hunter review

MONSTER HUNTER: 

ANOTHER CAPCOM VIDEO GAME FRANCHISE FALLS INTO THE HANDS OF PAUL W.S. ANDERSON AND MILLA JOVOVICH…YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GETTING INTO WITH THIS! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: ** out of 4

SCREEN GEMS

Milla Jovovich in Monster Hunter

 

            Here we go again! After the financially successful Resident Evil film series came to a close in 2017 with Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, Milla Jovovich (The Fifth Element, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, Resident Evil franchise) and director Paul W.S. Anderson (Mortal Kombat, Event Horizon, Resident Evil franchise) return to bring another popular Capcom video game series to the big screen with Monster Hunter. Unlike, Resident EvilI have never played any of the Monster Hunter games before so I have no idea whether or not this film is a faithful representation of its source material, so I will be judging it as a movie instead. 

            Most of Paul W.S. Anderson’s movies are at best, mindless but entertaining junk food for the brain with Mortal Kombat, Event Horizon, Alien VS Predator, and the first Resident Evil movie being perfect examples of it. Objectively no, none of these are good movies but if you enjoy turning your brain off and watching something stupid and ridiculous, they’re all fun watches. 

            However, after the releases of other recent video game-based movies like Pokémon: Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog, both of which were critical and commercial hits I wondered if Paul W.S. Anderson’s video game movies would finally start following the trend of well-received film adaptations of games. That is not the case with Monster Hunter, although as a dumb Paul W.S. Anderson film there is still some mindless fun to be had with it. 

            The film’s plot is very thinly written that often rehashes plots and scenes from other, better movies (There is a sandstorm sequence almost exactly like the one from Mad Max: Fury Road early on in the film!) with poorly developed side characters that are just there to die at the beginning (With some exceptions, mind you!), obnoxious editing especially during the action sequences, and both creative and recycled monster designs (Tolkien should sue Sony over one of them!). But, if you don’t care about any of that and just want to see some dumb action and bad dialogue or if you’re a fan of the Resident Evil films, you’ll probably enjoy this movie. 

            The film follows United States Army Captain Natalie Artemis (Jovovich) who mysteriously ends up in a strange world populated by a wide variety of large and savage monsters that possess incredible powers and unstoppable, terrifying attacks with no way to return to the real world. In a desperate battle for survival against these monsters, Artemis teams up with a shady hunter (Tony Jaa-Ong-Bak trilogy, Furious 7, Detective Chinatown 3) who has found a way to fight back. 

            The film also stars Ron Perlman (Blade II, Hellboy 1 and 2, Pacific Rim) as The Admiral, Tip T.I. Harris (American Gangster, Takers, Ant-Man 1 and 2) as Lincoln, Meagan Good (Think Like a Man, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Shazam!) as Dash, Diego Boneta (Rock of Ages, Scream Queens, Terminator: Dark Fate) as Marshall, Josh Helman (X-Men: Days of Future Past/X-Men: Apocalypse, Mad Max: Fury Road, Wayward Pines) as Steeler, and Jin Au-Yeung AKA MC Jin (2 Fast 2 Furious, The Man with the Iron Fists, Revenge of the Green Dragons) as Axe. 

            Overall, Monster Hunter may satisfy those looking for dumb, entertaining trash but if you’re expecting a strong story, compelling characters, and things outside of the Milla Jovovich/Paul W.S. Anderson formula (Which has gotten stale the seventh time around, by the way!) then you will be greatly disappointed. Parts of it did feel like I was watching Resident Evil 7 but with monsters instead of zombies and more likable main characters in the form of Artemis and the Hunter, I actually was getting into the moments of them just sitting around, talking to each other, and teaching one another about different things (Including a running joke with one of them reacting to a certain confectionary, SpongeBob style…I’m not kidding!) which was a shock to me because I was expecting all the character development to fall flat. 

            The action sequences however, I’m split on because while there are some fun and exciting monster battles, many of them are either shot or edited horribly to the point where they’re difficult to make out. Flashing lights, shaky-cam, and an overabundance of slow-motion to name a few, not quite Michael Bay or Angel Has Fallen level bad but they often ruin what could have been some pretty exciting and intense action scenes.

            To me, Monster Hunter is a very mixed bag, for those who just want to see mindless but enjoyable garbage with some legitimately good performances by Milla Jovovich, Tony Jaa, and Ron Perlman tucked inside it, you’ll probably have a fun time. However, for those looking for something more than that, don’t even bother because this film is stupid and ridiculous all the way through. 

            Fans of Milla Jovovich, Paul W.S. Anderson, and/or the Resident Evil film series, go see it! Everyone else, watch something else instead. 

WandaVision (TV series) review

WANDAVISION:

RETRO-STYLE SUPERHERO SITCOM EMBRACES THE SILLY SIDE OF THE MCU! 

By Nico Beland

Show Review: *** out of 4

DISNEY+/MARVEL STUDIOS

Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany in WandaVision

 

            Due to the lack of a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie release in 2020, I’ll be doing something a little different that will hopefully help fill the void, a review of the new television series set in the MCU, WandaVision which premiered recently on Disney+. Unlike other Marvel shows like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, or even the Netflix Daredevil series, WandaVision gives a more retro look inside the MCU in the same vain as classic sitcoms like Bewitched, The Honeymooners, and even the 1998 film Pleasantville which revolves around two people who mysteriously end up in the world of a 1950s sitcom, WandaVision kind of does the same sort of thing with a little bit of a Truman Show vibe as well. 

            At the time of this review, the series is only 3 episodes in, and I have to say this is probably one of the most original and unique things to ever come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe whether we’re talking movies or TV shows. It doesn’t try to cram in as many Avengers references as possible nor does it rely that much on franchise or cinematic universe building, or even action focused for that matter, it’s just a fun, lighthearted love letter to 1950s television with a few Marvel twists and surprises stitched in there and it’s done very well. 

            The series follows Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen-Oldboy, Godzilla (2014), Ingrid Goes West) and Vision (Paul Bettany-A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code, Margin Call) happily married and living a suburban life in the town of Westview and trying to conceal their powers from the world. However, when the superpowered couple begin to notice strange occurrences in their neighborhood such as entering new decades, becoming aware of television tropes, and the most shocking experience since Thanos’ snap…PREGNANCY! They start to realize that things are not as they seem. 

            The series also stars Debra Jo Rupp (Big, That ‘70s Show, Friends) as Mrs. Hart, Fred Melamed (A Serious Man, In a World…, Get On Up) as Arthur Hart, Kathryn Hahn (Crossing Jordan, Step Brothers, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) as Agnes, Teyonah Parris (Mad Men, Chi-Raq, Captain Marvel 2) as Monica Rambeau, and also features Kat Dennings (2 Broke Girls, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Defendor) reprising her role from Thor and Thor: The Dark World as Darcy Lewis and Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat, The Interview, Aquaman) reprising his role from Ant-Man and the Wasp as Jimmy Woo. 

            Overall, WandaVision is a very interesting extension to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and definitely one of the strangest things in their catalog. The first two episodes while extremely funny in their satire of 1950s sitcom tropes are a bit of a slow burn as the plot doesn’t really take off until around the halfway point of episode 2 and the majority of episode 3, but by the end of the third episode I was completely onboard for this series. 

            Without giving away any spoilers, it seems like WandaVision will be going a similar route as the 1998 Jim Carrey film, The Truman Show where at some point in the show Wanda and Vision will realize they’re stuck inside a TV show and have to find a way to get out, the stingers at the end of episode 1 and especially episode 3 make it perfectly clear that something is definitely up with this happy-go-lucky town they live in and I can’t wait to see it explored in later episodes. 

            Plot and possible theories aside, what really impressed me about this show was how funny Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany are. In the previous films, they felt more like very secondary members of the Avengers that just exist and are frequently pushed to the side for Captain America or Iron Man and for the most part Olsen and Bettany portrayed their characters seriously, with occasional goofy moments like Vision lifting Thor’s hammer in Avengers: Age of Ultron. 

            Here on the other hand, because of its cheesy 1950s comedic tone, Olsen and Bettany are allowed to show off their funny sides and found myself laughing hard many times during the three episodes. The humor sort of adds a new layer to Wanda and Vision as characters, despite it mostly revolving around cheap sitcom hijinks. 

            Aside from the minor pacing issues I had between the first two episodes, I found WandaVision to be a very enjoyable watch and one of the most unique projects in the entire MCU history, I’m definitely looking forward to watching more. It sets the stage for an interesting and bright future for the franchise in both television and film, swoop on in and see for yourself.  

2020 Mini-Review Compilation

2020 MINI-REVIEW COMPILATION! 

By Nico Beland

DOLPHIN REEF: 

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

DISNEYNATURE (DISNEY+)

Dolphin Reef boasts breathtaking ocean sequences that immerse the viewer with up-close encounters of dolphins and other sea creatures with a heartfelt story about parenting, growing up, and gaining independence; another worthy entry in the Disneynature catalog!

The film is narrated by Natalie Portman (Black Swan, Thor 1 and 2, Jackie).

 

ELEPHANT: 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

DISNEYNATURE (DISNEY+)

Elephant adds another beautifully filmed, heartfelt, and downright adorable entry to the Disneynature library!

The film is narrated by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. 

STARGIRL: 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

DISNEY+

Stargirl hits a lot of familiar beats as other coming-of-age stories; but it has enough charm between its talented leads as well as some genuine sweet moments to elevate it above sappy teen romance!

The film stars singer-songwriter, Grace VanderWaal and Graham Verchere (Fargo (TV series), The Good Doctor, Summer of 84). 

 

TIMMY FAILURE: MISTAKES WERE MADE: 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

DISNEY+

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made offers a fun, all-ages mystery and a surprisingly thought-provoking coming-of-age story with plenty of imagination, hijinks, and a bold message about growing up to boot!

The film stars newcomer, Winslow Fegley, Ophelia Lovibond (Nowhere Boy, Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocketman), Wallace Shawn (The Princess Bride, Toy Story franchise, Marriage Story), and Craig Robinson (The Office, Pineapple Express, This is the End). 

 

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN: 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

DISNEY+

The One and Only Ivan may not be the film the real-life titular gorilla deserves, but it has enough heart and genuine emotion to elevate it above disposable talking animal kids’ movie fare!

The film stars Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Godzilla (2014), Trumbo), Ramón Rodríguez (The Wire, The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), and the voices of Sam Rockwell (Moon, Iron Man 2, Vice), Angelina Jolie (Girl, Interrupted, Maleficent 1 and 2, Eternals), Danny DeVito (Batman Returns, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Jumanji: The Next Level), and Helen Mirren (Excalibur, The Queen, RED 1 and 2). 

 

HAMILTON: 

Movie Review: **** out of 4

DISNEY+

Phenomenal songs and musical numbers, incredible set design, terrific acting, amazing choreography and an ingenious blend of comedy and drama, Hamilton is masterfully brought to both the stage and screen by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Mary Poppins Returns, In the Heights)!

 

THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD: 

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

The Personal History of David Copperfield offers a clever and funny take on the classic Charles Dickens story made even better thanks to the charm of its leads!

The film stars Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire, Lion, Hotel Mumbai), Hugh Laurie (Stuart Little 1 and 2, House, Arthur Christmas), Tilda Swinton (The Chronicles of Narnia franchise, Burn After Reading, Marvel Cinematic Universe), Ben Whishaw (James Bond franchise, Paddington 1 and 2, Mary Poppins Returns), Benedict Wong (Marco Polo, The Martian, Marvel Cinematic Universe), and Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part 2, Star Wars franchise).

 

BLACK BEAUTY: 

Movie Review: ** ½ out of 4

DISNEY+

While it features strong performances by Mackenzie Foy (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Parts 1 and 2, Interstellar, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms) and the voice of Kate Winslet (Titanic, Revolutionary Road, Steve Jobs), and has some genuinely heartfelt and poignant moments, this recent adaptation of Black Beauty plays it too safe compared to other, better retellings of the beloved story!

 

LOVE AND MONSTERS: 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

While a comedic take on a monster apocalypse is nothing new, Love and Monsters makes the most of its delightfully kooky premise!

The film stars Dylan O’Brien (Maze Runner trilogy, Deepwater Horizon, American Assassin), Jessica Henwick (Game of Thrones, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Marvel Cinematic Universe Television), and Michael Rooker (The Walking Dead, Super, Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 2). 

 

SAFETY: 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

DISNEY+

Uplifting and inspiring, Safety doesn't quite do much new with the inspirational sports movie genre, but its compelling, fact-based story and performances by its leads will likely have fans of the genre cheering!

The film stars newcomers Jay Reeves and Thaddeus J. Mixson, Corinne Foxx (David Blaine: Real or Magic, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged, All-Star Weekend), Matthew Glave (The Wedding Singer, Argo, First Man), James Badge Dale (The Grey, Iron Man 3, Only the Brave), and Amanda Warren (The Adjustment Bureau, Seven Psychopaths, Roman J. Israel, Esq.). 

 

GODMOTHERED: 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

DISNEY+

While the whole "Mystical Character Interacting with Modern Society" premise has been done before in other, better movies, Godmothered has just enough creativity, laughs, and heart to make for a familiar but enjoyable family film with likable performances by Jillian Bell (Goosebumps, The Night Before, Brittany Runs a Marathon) and Isla Fisher (I Heart Huckabees, Wedding Crashers, Rise of the Guardians) to boot!

THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7: 

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

NETFLIX, PARAMOUNT PICTURES, AND DREAMWORKS PICTURES

Boasted by a star-studded cast and a topical and timely fact-based story, The Trial of the Chicago 7 brings a powerful and compelling legal drama to the screen with writer-director Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network, Moneyball, Molly’s Game) at the top of his game!

The film stars Sacha Baron Cohen (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Borat, The Spy), Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything, The Danish Girl, Fantastic Beasts franchise), Alex Sharp (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time), Jeremy Strong (Molly’s Game, Succession, The Gentlemen), John Carroll Lynch (Fargo, American Horror Story, The Founder), Noah Robbins (Indignation, Miss Sloane, The Assistant), Daniel Flaherty (Skins, Goat, November Criminals), Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman, Us, Watchmen (TV series)), Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies, The BFG, Dunkirk), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Looper), Ben Shenkman (Angels in America, Blue Valentine, Royal Pains), J.C. MacKenzie (The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Irishman), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon, Robot & Frank, Captain Fantastic), Kevin Harrison Jr. (Ender’s Game, 12 Years a Slave, It Comes at Night), Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice, Batman 1 and 2, Birdman), John Doman (Oz, ER, Gotham), Caitlin FitzGerald (Masters of Sex, Sweetbitter, Damsels in Distress), Max Adler (Glee, Switched at Birth, Sully), C.J. Wilson (Demolition, The Intern, Manchester by the Sea), and Damien Young (The Comeback, House of Cards, Birdman). 

CLOUDS: 

Movie Review: *** out of 4

DISNEY+

 

Clouds hits a lot of familiar notes, but it has plenty of genuinely sweet and heartfelt moments with a talented cast to boot that elevate it above disposable young-adult melodrama!

The film stars Fin Argus (The Gifted, Total Eclipse, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Madison Iseman (Still the King, Jumanji 2 and 3, Annabelle Comes Home), Sabrina Carpenter (Girl Meets World, Adventures in Babysitting (2016), The Hate U Give), Lil Rel Howery (The Carmichael Show, Get Out, Rel), Tom Everett Scott (That Thing You Do!, An American Werewolf in Paris, La La Land), Neve Campbell (The Craft, Scream franchise, Wild Things), Vivien Endicott-Douglas (Shoebox Zoo, Terry, The Line), and Dylan Everett (How To Be Indie, Wingin’ It, Degrassi).

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM: 

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

NETFLIX

 

Unmissable albeit bittersweet, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom pays a loving tribute to a legendary blues artist as well as Black culture as a whole with electrifying performances by Viola Davis (The Help, Fences, Widows) and Chadwick Boseman (42, Get on Up, Marvel Cinematic Universe) in his final film role taking center stage! 

The film also stars Glynn Turman (A Different World, The Wire, The Way Back), Colman Domingo (Euphoria, Fear the Walking Dead, Candyman (2021)), Michael Potts (The Wire, The Book of Mormon, True Detective), Jonny Coyne (Alcatraz, Once Upon a Time, Gangster Squad), Taylour Paige (Hit the Floor, White Boy Rick, Zola), and Jeremy Shamos (Birdman, The Big Sick, Bad Education). 

THE VAST OF NIGHT: 

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

AMAZON STUDIOS

 

Campy fun but also thought-provoking, The Vast of Night is a loving sendup to classic 1950s science-fiction that doesn't shy away from bold storytelling or compelling characters while continuing to prove that sometimes the best sci-fi stories are the ones that don't rely on flashy special-effects or overblown action sequences!

The film is the directorial debut of Andrew Patterson and stars Sierra McCormick (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Supernatural, A.N.T. Farm), newcomer Jake Horowitz, and Gail Cronauer (JFK, LAX, Beyond the Farthest Star). 

SOUND OF METAL: 

Movie Review: **** out of 4

AMAZON STUDIOS

 

Ambitious and daring without being the least bit forced in its execution, Sound of Metal offers an honest but quite moving look inside the Deaf community with a strong narrative, passionate direction from newcomer Darius Marder, and a tour de force performance by Riz Ahmed (Nightcrawler, Jason Bourne, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), this is one Metal show not to be missed!

The film also stars Olivia Cooke (Bates Motel, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Ready Player One), Paul Raci (Baskets, Parks and Recreation), Lauren Ridloff (The Walking Dead, Children of a Lesser God, Eternals), and Mathieu Amalric (Munich, Quantum of Solace, The Grand Budapest Hotel). 

MANK: 

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

NETFLIX

 

Thanks to slick writing and an excellent performance by Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight trilogy, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Darkest Hour), Mank offers a fascinating look inside the making of one of the greatest films of all time with director David Fincher (Fight Club, The Social Network, Gone Girl) affectionately making 1930s Hollywood come alive every step of the way!

The film also stars Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls, Jennifer’s Body, Les Miserables (2012)), Lily Collins (Rules Don’t Apply, Tolkien, Emily in Paris), Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket, Amistad, Moneyball), Tom Pelphrey (Guiding Light, As the World Turns, Ozark), Charles Dance (Game of Thrones, The Imitation Game, The Crown), Sam Troughton (Alien VS Predator, Vera Drake, Chernobyl), Ferdinand Kingsley (The Last Legion, Dracula Untold, Victoria), Tuppence Middleton (The Imitation Game, The Current War, Downton Abbey (film)), Tom Burke (War & Peace, Strike, The Souvenir), Joseph Cross (Running with Scissors, Flags of our Fathers, Lincoln), Jamie McShane (Sons of Anarchy, Southland, Bloodline), Toby Leonard Moore (John Wick, Daredevil (Netflix series), Billions), Leven Rambin (Grey’s Anatomy, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, The Hunger Games), Bill Nye (Bill Nye the Science Guy, The Big Bang Theory, Bill Nye Saves the World), and Jeff Harms (The Rise and Fall of the Brown Buffalo). 

SECRET SOCIETY OF SECOND-BORN ROYALS: 

Movie Review: * out of 4

DISNEY+

Aside from some mostly fine acting, Secret Society of Second-Born Royals wastes a potentially fun and interesting premise in favor of lazily ripping off superhero movie, young-adult fantasy, and Disney Princess tropes with nothing new or unique added to them, already tired Disney Channel-esque and "Not Your Average Fairy Tale" clichés that better films like Shrek and Enchanted made popular, an unoriginal plot that desperately tries to be like X-Men mixed with Harry Potter, The Avengers, and Disney Princesses, but with a complete lack of understanding of why we love those stories in the first place, resulting in one of the worst, cringiest things to ever have the Disney name that makes even the worst Disney Channel movies look credible by comparison!

The film stars Peyton Elizabeth Lee (Andi Mack, The Lion Guard, Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.), Niles Fitch (St. Vincent, This is Us, Roman J. Israel, Esq.), Isabella Blake-Thomas (Green Balloon Club, Once Upon a Time, Game Shakers), Olivia Deeble (Little Lunch, Home and Away), Noah Lomax (The Walking Dead, 99 Homes, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water), Ashley Liao (Fuller House, Always Be My Maybe, Spirit Riding Free), Samuel Page (Mad Men, Desperate Housewives, House of Cards), Skylar Astin (Hamlet 2, Taking Woodstock, Pitch Perfect 1 and 2), Élodie Yung (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Daredevil (Netflix series), The Defenders), Greg Bryk (A History of Violence, ReGenesis, Far Cry 5/Far Cry: New Dawn), and Sofia Pernas (Jane the Virgin, The Brave, Blood & Treasure). 

MAGIC CAMP: 

Movie Review: ** out of 4

DISNEY+

Magic Camp has its moments as well as some enjoyable performances by Adam DeVine (Pitch Perfect 1 and 2, Modern Family, Workaholics), Jeffrey Tambor (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Arrested Development, Hellboy 1 and 2), and Gillian Jacobs (Community, Girls, Life Partners), but it's a mostly standard and disposable kids’ movie that ironically isn't all that "Magical"!

The film also stars Cole Sand (Austin & Ally, Parenthood (TV series), Tales of Arcadia), Isabella Crovetti (The Neighbors, Colony, Vampirina), J.J. Totah (Jessie, Other People, Champions), Izabella Alvarez (Shameless, Westworld, The Loud House), Aldis Hodge (Straight Outta Compton, Hidden Figures, The Invisible Man (2020)), Rochelle Aytes (Trick ‘r Treat, The Forgotten (TV series), Mistresses), Krystal Joy Brown (Castle, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Sydney to the Max), Desmond Chiam (Reef Break, The Shannara Chronicles, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), and Michael Hitchcock (Glee, Bridesmaids, Super 8). 

HOWARD:

Movie Review: **** out of 4

DISNEY+

Bittersweet but also inspiring and poignant, Howard beautifully pays tribute to the legacy and life of the incredible artist behind the soundtracks to some of the most iconic Disney films of all time!

The film is directed by Don Hahn (Waking Sleeping Beauty) and documents the life of songwriter Howard Ashman who wrote the lyrics for the songs in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin as well as the stage musical, Little Shop of Horrors who tragically died in 1991 of complications from AIDS at the age of 40. 

Soul review

SOUL:

LATEST PIXAR FILM IS NOT ONLY A LOVE LETTER TO JAZZ MUSIC BUT ALSO A VERY CLEVER, FUNNY, AND DEEPLY MOVING STORY ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH!  

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

DISNEY/PIXAR

Joe Gardner (human), Joe Gardner (soul), and 22 in Soul

 

            A jazz pianist falls into a sewer hole and wakes up in a realm of souls in Soul, the new film from Pixar Animation Studios following in the tradition of emotional powerhouses such as the Toy Story franchise, Up, Inside Out, and Coco. At this point, Pixar has proven themselves countless times before that they are masters of conjuring up very imaginative and compelling stories with a lot of emotion and heart behind them and Soul is no exception. 

            Originally intended for a June 2020 theatrical release, the film was constantly pushed back due to COVID-19 and Disney reassuring that it will be in theaters in November of that year. But they ultimately decided to cancel the theatrical release and put the film on Disney+ instead which is exactly what they did with other 2020 releases that were originally planned for theaters like Artemis Fowl and Mulan. 

            So, can Pixar give everyone an emotional roller coaster ride in the same vein as Inside Out or Coco and especially after the disappointing results of Onward which was released several months prior? The answer is a very loud and enthusiastic *deep breath* YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

            Soul is an absolutely wonderful film with gorgeous animation, charming characters, and a deeply moving and enriching story. It’s a love letter to jazz music with an emotional kick which makes perfect sense because this film is from the same director as Inside Out, frequent Pixar film director Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc., Up, Inside Out) and just like that movie, it hits your feels in all the right places. 

            The film follows school band teacher Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx-Collateral, Django Unchained, Just Mercy) whose real passion is jazz music and he’s good at it. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he falls into a sewer hole and ends up in a mysterious realm of souls where he befriends a soul known simply as 22 (voiced by Tina Fey-Mean Girls, 30 Rock, Muppets Most Wanted) and agrees to help her find her passion or “spark” as they call it so she can live on Earth while she helps him return to his body while both of them learn what it really means to have a soul along the way. 

            The film also features the voices of Questlove as Curley, Phylicia Rashad (Creed 1 and 2, Black Box, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey) as Libba Gardner, Daveed Diggs (Ferdinand, Blindspotting, Hamilton) as Paul, Angela Bassett (What’s Love Got to Do with It, Malcolm X, Marvel Cinematic Universe) as Dorothea Williams, Graham Norton (The Graham Norton Show, Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) as Moonwind, Rachel House (Whale Rider, Moana, Thor: Ragnarok) as Terry, Richard Ayoade (Submarine, The Double, The Boxtrolls), Alice Braga (I Am Legend, Repo Men, Predators), Wes Studi (Dances with Wolves, The Last of the Mohicans, Avatar), Fortune Feimster (The Mindy Project, The L Word: Generation Q, Office Christmas Party), and Zenobia Shroff as Jerry, Donnell Rawlings (Chappelle’s Show, The Wire, Black Dynamite) as Dez, June Squibb (Nebraska, Toy Story 4, Godmothered) as Gerel, and Esther Chae (24, ER, The West Wing) as Miho. 

            Overall, Soul is one of the most vibrant and emotionally driven films in Pixar’s catalog that easily ranks among some of the studio’s best work. It embraces jazz music and African American culture in a similar way Disney embraced African American culture with The Princess and the Frog (Also, much like what that movie did for Disney, Soul marks Pixar’s first animated feature film with a black protagonist) on top of brilliant storytelling, strong characters, and a thoughtful and very timely message about living life and enjoying the simple pleasures it offers. 

            The plot can best be described as a more intellectual and mature version of what films like Inside Out and Coco did and feels a little more geared towards older audiences compared to other Pixar films given the subject matter and themes it tackles. It’s an animated family film where the main plot revolves around life and death and Pixar nails the concept beautifully and leaves much of the resolution up to the viewers. 

            Where the film really shines is with the characters and music, Joe is an extremely passionate musician who just wants to live his life to the fullest and become a successful jazz performer and while at times he can be a little self-obsessed it’s never to the point where he becomes unlikable, 22 is a cynical soul who doesn’t see the point in living on Earth but slowly discovers all of Earth’s offerings and finds her spark. However, there is one other co-star in this film aside from Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey and that is the music, OH MY GOD! Never before have I ever wanted a soundtrack to a Pixar movie this much, from the jazz music composed to set the tone of Earth to the psychedelic, otherworldly sounding music for the souls’ world, the choices of music fit each scene perfectly and if this doesn’t get at least an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score I’m going to be very mad. 

            Guys, I can’t recommend this movie enough, Soul has everything I want in a Pixar film and brings to the screen a beautifully animated, funny, and deeply moving and thought-provoking story about making the best out of one’s life and a loving tribute to jazz music to boot. Whether you’re a kid, adult, or have an entire family, Soul is an absolute must-watch that once again proves that Pixar’s magic isn’t going away anytime soon.