Tuesday, April 7, 2020

The Way Back

I actually had a ticket to see The Way Back but then the quarantine ended my plans. I love the theme of redemption and I love a good underdog sports movie (Gavin O'Connor also directed Miracle which is a favorite of mine) so I was really looking forward to this and was a little sad that I would miss it. Luckily it is already available on Amazon Prime Video and I had the chance to see it last night.  Construction worker Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck) is an absolute mess who can't even make it through a shower without drinking and frequently needs the proprietor of his favorite bar to carry him home at night.  Not only is he fighting many inner demons but he has also never recovered from the death of his son and is hurt when his estranged wife (Janina Gavankar) moves on with another relationship.  He is asked by his former high school, where he was once the star player, to coach the basketball team.  They haven't made the playoffs since he was on the team and, at first he just goes through the motions, but he eventually takes the job seriously and mentors a player who reminds him of himself (Brandon Wilson).  The team begins winning against all odds but the only way Jack can help them is by helping himself recover.  I loved this movie so much!  Affleck, who is very hit or miss with me, gives one of the best performances of his career in a role that is pretty unsympathetic (there is none of his usual charm or charisma on display here).  His ultimate redemption is not at all what I was expecting but it still made me want to stand up and cheer.  The basketball sequences are thrilling because O'Connor puts us in the middle of the action (just like he did with Miracle) and the score adds to the intensity.  The young actors do a really good job as players looking for a reason to win, especially Wilson.  There is a lot of profanity (which precipitates a hilarious scene involving the school's chaplain) but I would definitely recommend this movie.

Note:  There are quite a few recent releases now available on Amazon Prime Video such as The Call of the Wild, The Invisible Man, Onward (which is also streaming on Disney+), and Emma.  I recommend all of these movies.

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Dolphin Reef

This year there are two Disneynature documentaries to celebrate Earth Day in April and, as someone who loves these documentaries, I am here for it!  In addition to Elephant, Disney+ is also streaming Dolphin Reef which I really enjoyed!  The underwater cinematography featuring a beautiful and dynamic coral reef in Polynesia and all of the fascinating animals who live there is simply stunning.  The main narrative revolves around a young and easily distracted bottlenose dolphin named Echo as he is weaned from his mother Kumu.  He has a few adventures, such as swimming with a humpback whale who has migrated from the north to give birth to her calf in the warm water, and a few close calls, such as an incident with some tiger sharks and getting lost with a turtle in a deep underwater cavern, as he learns to survive on his own.  We are also introduced to many of the other animals who are vital to the symbiotic relationship in the reef ecosystem and my favorite is the peacock mantis crab who is portrayed as an OCD neat freak (this, like most Disneynature documentaries, features narration that is very anthropomorphic).  I feel you, mantis crab!  There is a message about doing our part to protect the delicate balance in nature to keep the coral reefs around the world thriving but I didn't find it to be heavy handed.  What I liked most about this documentary, aside from the breathtaking visuals, is that I actually learned quite a bit about dolphins that I didn't know, such as synchronized sleeping and the unique ways they catch fish.  I enjoyed Natalie Portman's lighthearted narration and I also really liked the score.  If you are a fan of the Disneynature documentaries, this is a spectacular entry in the canon that I would definitely recommend!

Note:  In addition to the premiere of Elephant, Disney+ is also steaming the 2019 Disneynature documentary Penguins which is a lot of fun.

Saturday, April 4, 2020

Elephant

I am a huge fan of Disneynature documentaries and, since elephants are my favorite animal, I have been looking forward to Elephant for months.  Is there anything cuter than watching a baby elephant frolic in a watering hole?  I submit that there is not so I thoroughly enjoyed all of the spectacular footage of one herd's epic migration across the Kalahari Desert from the Okavango Delta to the Zambezi River when their watering hole dries up.  The narrative focuses on an elephant name Shani, her boisterous calf Jomo, and the matriarch of the herd Gaia.  Shani must protect her calf and learn from her mentor how to lead the herd as they face brutal temperatures, dwindling food sources, and dangerous predators.  What I really love about elephants is how tender they are towards their calves and how protective they are of each elephant in the herd.  There is a powerful scene of a mother trying desperately to free a calf from the mud, a dramatic scene as the elephants circle to protect a calf from a group of lions, and an incredibly poignant scene of the herd's reaction to a death (I may or may not have had a tear in my eye).  I loved the time-lapse photography showing the changing seasons in the Okavango Delta and the Zambezi River, particularly when a waterfall slows from a torrent to a trickle.  As with many Disneynature documentaries, the narration is very anthropomorphic and I thought it was adorable when Jomo wanted to go and play with a baby cheetah and when he was jealous of the attention paid to a new calf in the herd.  The narration is by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and many have been critical of her performance.  While I don't care for her personally, I think she does a pretty good job balancing the emotional and playful tones of the narrative (aside from an inconsistency in her pronunciation of Shani).  This is a compelling look at some of the most intelligent and majestic creatures on Earth and I highly recommend it.  Elephant is now streaming on Disney+.

Note:  One of the greatest experiences of my life was being able to see elephants on safari in Kenya and Tanzania.  I got to see two baby elephants frolicking in a watering hole and it was exactly like what was depicted in this documentary.  It brought back many wonderful memories!
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