A Trio of Reviews ā Catching up on Bumblebots, Peppy Maries, and the (Oscar) Favourite
I donāt go out to the cinema much in late December. I donāt drive, and I always visit family in a part of the country where a cinema isnāt exactly in walking distance. This hasnāt been much of a problem over the last few years, as thereās usually only one film out that Iām aching to see, and thatās often the one movie we all go out to see together. This most recent December though? It was nuts! All four of the big blockbusters that were playing were films I was interested in and excited to check out. Once the holidays were over, I had a lot of catching up to do. Iāve since seen all but one of the December releases (ironically enough the one I didnāt see was the one that, judging from its box office, everyone else went to go see ā Aquaman), plus one other film that was weird, fascinating, and has been well received as a critical darling. So, hereās this weekās trio of reviews for The Favourite, Mary Poppins Returns, and Bumblebee, in the order I saw them in.
Artistically impressive but deliberately unpleasant.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā The Favourite caught my attention when I first saw the trailer because it was a period drama that revelled in the fashion, the art, and the general finery of the early 18th Century, and yet the camera angles were strikingly different from what Iāve seen in other period dramas. The genre can be hit-of-miss for me, but every shot I saw in that trailer was doing something that interested me.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Thereās a lot to chew on when it comes to the visual presentation of the film. Characters are often shot from low angles, and while this can make some characters seem confident and of noble stature, it also creates an uneasy feeling when we see people showing their vulnerability and flaws. Shooting people from this angle frames them as if theyāre towering over the camera, and when you combine this with the magnificent attire on display, the visuals should, in theory, present the subject in their best light. But Queen Anne, played by the immeasurably skilled Olivia Colman, is often shown to be feeble and susceptible to manipulation from such angles, and we see many others be vulgar, cruel, and inhuman in ugly ways. The film shows a familiarity with the beautiful elegance of the filmās setting and other examples of the period drama, and it subverts your expectations time and time again by gradually turning your sympathies around on the characters you expect to like and expect to hate. It points the camera directly at the most horrible aspects of this world and its people, and thereās a strangely captivating quality to that. Itās ugly, but itās magnetic as well.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā The three performances at the heart of the film are what sustain your interest throughout The Favourite, because all three of the actresses are on top form. Emma Stone plays Abigail in a way that has her act very differently depending on who sheās talking with, showing just how hard sheās working to stay afloat in this world of politics where sheās at a disadvantage, giving a performance that keeps you guessing what her true nature is for much of the runtime. Rachel Weisz evokes such commanding authority and confidence as Lady Sarah, wearing each of her impressive outfits better than anyone else in the film because you believe that she deserves the station sheās acquired for herself, even if she is ruthless. Olivia Colman has taken a lot of the focus as Queen Anne, being the one to snag the āBest Actress in a Leading Roleā category while Stone and Weisz have been relegated to āSupporting Roleā nominations. All three of them equally deserve to be called leads, and to tell the truth, Iām pretty sure Queen Anne has less screen time than either of the other two protagonists. Nevertheless, all three of these actresses deserve praise for their performances in these leading roles, and Colman is no different; she expresses a wide range of emotions with sharp sincerity, always making her scenes uncomfortable to watch because you really feel like youāre in the room with someone having an emotional breakdown and you have no idea how to help them. These actresses are excellent and make The Favourite worth watching even without all the other impressive features the film has to offer on top of this.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā The flipside of The Favourite doing so much to emphasise the rotten nature of this world and its characters is that, while the visuals and all the formal features of the film are praiseworthy, the final shape of the narrative has so little warmth to it that it leaves me feeling a little cold towards it. The film is a hundred percent committed to its vision of unflinchingly showing you the harsh ugliness underneath the elegant surface of this point in history, but because of this I felt disengaged with many of the characterās journeys because they would do awful things to other people for selfish reasons, and they did so with such little humanity that I simply didnāt want to see them succeed, nor were any of them appealing enough to make seeing them succeed feel satisfying. The only character I had any sympathy for by the end was Queen Anne, as sheās a woman in desperate need of help surrounded by people whoāre only interested in her as a means of furthering themselves. There is some dramatic meat to that, and the bleakness of it is presented with enough purpose to make me think about the film for a long time after I was finished watching it. After all, history isnāt always satisfying, and itās filled with people who did terrible things to get ahead, so this film would probably be compromised in its vision if it did try to make this unflinching look at this particular point in history and then deliver a narrative where good people are rewarded and bad people are punished. But thereās only so far that a film with as little compassion in it as this can go before my spirit gets tired of seeing mistreatment and hopelessness. The Favouriteās technical qualities are a treat for the mind, but its general outlook is draining on my soul.
The Favourite is coarse, and the emphasis of selfish people being terrible does wear on me and get in the way of me engaging with the motivations of several characters. But the technical skill on display in the cinematography, the lighting and colour coordination, and the three central performances come together to make an impressive piece that, even with my reservations about the story, results in a fascinating and distinct film.
Mary Poppins Returns is a sequel to a classic film that follows the framework of its predecessor so closely itās almost beat-for-beat. And yet even with this deliberate mimicking of Mary Poppins, it also somehow tells a different story and doesnāt come across as if itās resting on its laurels. At the point in the film where the original would be playing āA Spoonful of Sugarā, Returns has a song about putting an imaginative and fun spin on everyday activities. When youāre thinking that itās time for a trip to an idyllic 2D animated landscape, Returns obliges. If youāre realising that weāre scheduled for a āStep in Timeā music number, Returns gives you one with lamp-lighters instead of chimney sweeps.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā But if you think that reprises of āSupercalifragilisticexpialidociousā or āFeed the Birdsā would be an easy slam-dunk of nostalgic ecstasy that the film would be foolish not to go for, youād be surprised. Apart from the odd line of music here or there thatās snuck in at just the right moment to make you remember the original film, none of the original songs are to be found, and that works immensely well in Returns favour. The movie is already lifting the structure of the original film wholesale; if it took anything else from it weād be approaching live-action remake levels of similarity. Instead, the new songs are there to stand on their own, and they mimic the sound of the Sherman Brothersā music closely enough that you feel elated when the film wants you to be having a good time, and deeply moved when it wants you to sob your eyes out. But theyāre also different enough and of unique enough subject matter that the new songs by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman (whose previous song writing work includes the Hairspray musical) feel totally distinct, even if they do have a familiar sound to them. Some of my favourites include Emily Bluntās playful performance of āCan You Imagine Thatā, the amazing choreography of āTrip a Little Light Fantasticā, and of course the tender bittersweetness of āThe Place Where Lost Things Goā.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā The casting also holds up across the board. Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, and Joel Dawson play Annabel, John, and Georgie, the three children of the now adult Michael Banks. They strike the right tone for the central child characters in a Mary Poppins story, demonstrating a decent balance between being impossibly sweet-natured but also strong-headed enough to say what they feel as they feel it and sometimes cause trouble because of that. Itās difficult for me to think of many distinguishing characteristics which mark each of them out, but in all honesty I could say the same about the original Banks children, even after all those viewings. Plus, having three children rather than two does shift the dynamic enough to make the experience feel different. Ben Whishaw plays the adult Michael Banks, who grew up to be an artist whoās struggling to make endās meet through his work at the bank, so while he did pursue a creative life that marks him out as a different man to his father, he also resembles him in many ways, and clearly risks making the same mistakes that he did. But the thing that resonates the most about his character is the set-up that his wife passed away not too long ago, and the whole family is still coming to terms with the hole this has left in their lives. Whishawās performance stabs at your heart, conveying how helpless Michael feels without her, but also how hard heās trying to not show this to the rest of the family. His resolve to soldier on reminds me of the long walk Mr. Banks takes at the end of the original, knowing he is most likely going to be fired, but moving on anyway. The connection between the two characters is well thought out, and Whishaw impresses immensely. Thereās not as much time dedicated to the grown-up Jane Banks played by Emily Mortimer, which is a shame, but it does feel right to see her be inspired by her motherās activism as a suffragette and campaign for workerās rights. Lin-Manuel Miranda fills in the Bert role of the lovable guide whoās savvy to Maryās unknowable nature as Jack, an apprentice that Bert seems to have more-or-less raised himself. Miranda sings his songs with such cheery charm that they instantly transport you back to the world of Mary Poppins, demonstrating his golden touch when it comes to musicals, surprising none of the fans of his previous work, including Hamilton and the songs from Moana. Finally, Emily Blunt is another transcendent Mary Poppins. Yes, we now have two cinematic portrayals of the same character which are different, but both stunning. She accentuates some of the aspects I most enjoy about the character, namely the prim, immaculate composure that oozes authoritative control, but can instantly, effortlessly transform into cheeky playfulness before your eyes. She nails it, and as far as Iām concerned, we now have two Mary Poppins performances that are practically perfect in every way.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā This review is already running long, so Iāll get through this quickly, butā¦ my God, did seeing traditional 2D animation in the style of Disneyās original hand-drawn pictures on the big screen again in 2019 move me beyond words. Thereās plenty of quality 2D, non-CGI animation out there in different forms, whether its in television, short films, the labour of love that animators are putting out there on the internet, or anime, but we really do need more of this mode of animation out there. There have been some truly beautiful 2D animated films over the last decade, but I want to see more of this kind of genuine effort from Disney, the company that put this cinematic hand-drawn animation on the map for western audiences. This beautiful artform needs to be preserved and cultivated, and I hope this is a step towards Disney doing more to help with that.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I will admit that Returns following Mary Poppinsā structure so closely did take me out of the film to a degree, as it makes me more aware that Iām watching a sequel thatās very deliberately aping the film that came before it, which makes it feel less organic than it could have been. To be fair, Iām not sure what else you could have done to make it have as strong a connection as it does to the first film. Thereās also an unnecessary sequence here or there which are intended to be thrilling but I never felt like there was much tension to them, such as the race against the clock at the end. It doesnāt reach the heights of the original, but wasnāt that always going to be the case? In every other respect, this film is a delight and a satisfying emotional journey.
You canāt watch Mary Poppins for the first time again. But this film nevertheless gives you a taste of what you felt, whether itās that joyous exuberance of having a jolly holiday with Mary, or the bittersweet reflection of an adult acknowledging that time keeps pressing on, the seasons change, but you can still find the magic in today.
The director of Kubo and the Two Strings directed a Transformers movie.
Iām currently doing academic research into the history of American stop-motion animation. I plan for one of my chapters to be on Laika and their four (five by the time I finish, though I hope thereāll be even more than that) excellently crafted films, including Kubo. Watching Bumblebee, I noted a few similarities between it and Kubo, such as a young main character going on an emotional journey as they struggle to come to terms with the death of one or more of their parents, and a celebration of the emotive powers of music that enable us to express our inner feelings, as well as Travis Knightās general appreciation for certain specific older songs in general. So yes, watching Bumblebee did make me reflect on the approach to filmmaking of a director Iām deeply invested in for my work at the moment. What Iām saying is that watching a Transformers movie was a productive part of my ongoing academic research, and that is a bizarre place to find myself in.
But whatās even weirder than that is that one of these Transformers movies turned out to be a legitimately great film that I kinda love.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Everything that muddied the waters of past Transformers films that Michael Bay was involved in has been stripped away, and the simple narrative framework that exists underneath all of that has been strengthened by a script and style of presentation that knows how to make the most with very little. The majority of the film can be summarised as āa girl and her pet carā, and while the sceptical might call that inane, the people involved in making Bumblebee work hard enough with that premise to make it work for a full film.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Charlie, a teenage girl and the human protagonist of the film, has lost her father and is upset that the rest of her family has moved on (her mother remarried). Her dad was very supportive of her, and now that heās no longer around, Charlie is deeply dissatisfied with the person sheās become since her father died, and she doesnāt believe she can complete certain tasks that mean a great deal to her without her father being there to help. Charlie feels she hasnāt turned out to be the amazing person her dad believed she could become, and itās possible that sheās afraid that sheās letting not only herself down, but the memory of her father as well. Meanwhile, Bumblebee is a Transformer that was tasked with going ahead of the rest of the Autobots to safeguard Earth and be ready for when the rest of his comrades arrive on the planet to continue the fight against the Decepticons. But soon after he lands, he gets involved in a fight to the death that he almost loses. Gravely wounded, he uses the last of his strength to disguise himself as a yellow 1967 Volkswagen Beetle. Some time later, Charlie finds him, and what she thinks is a broken-down abandoned car comes into her possession. Charlie fixes him up in the hopes of having a working car that she can use to get away from things, but in the process, Bumblebee instinctively transforms and reveals himself. Bumblebeeās injuries have destroyed his capacity to speak and have left him with no memories of his past. After cementing the connection between these two individuals who each need help in order to heal from the trauma theyāve gone through, the rest of the film takes its time to reinforce this bond, resulting in a touching family sci-fi film with a friendship that I believe will be just as enduring as its various sources of inspiration, from E.T. to The Iron Giant.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Without being overstuffed, the filmās pacing benefits immeasurably, putting all its energy into making this friendship as sweet and fun to watch as possible. Hailee Steinfeld is fully engaged as Charlie, putting 110% into her interactions with the digital creation of Bumblebee. The emotions she displays at the different points of her relationship with the adorable Autobot are charmingly heartfelt. Whether sheās anxious about Bumblebee being discovered, jubilant at this chance of newfound freedom and a friend to experience it with, or angry and defensive when parts of her past with her father get unearthed, Steinfeld is always putting everything into this, even when her main acting partner isnāt there on the set alongside her. Which brings us to why having a director with a history in animation can do wonders for a film centring on a digital creation, because the Bumblebee in this movie is precious, lovable, and so captivating to watch. The design is streamlined so that every moving part serves a purpose, and that purpose is always to convey the inner thoughts and feelings of this robot. His expressions are dripping with soulful looks of his timidness, compassion, or mischievous side that never veers too far away from his well-meaning nature. Ā He may be made of metal, but this CGI creature is so full of life. Both the arcs and the performances of these characters are relatively simple, but theyāre executed with such consideration that they hit home in a remarkable way for me.
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā I could go on about how much I enjoyed the measured action thatās presented through restrained camera movements that clearly frame the subjects of the shot, or how I engaged with the action as much as I did because it consistently featured characters I was invested in or interested by, or how the actions characters took within these sequences offer insight into their general outlook, but Iāll leave it at that barely veiled summary. Bumblebee draws inspiration from several well received family sci-fi films with a lot of heart to them, and some of the positive parts of the action and general aesthetic of this live-action Transformers world are owed to the groundwork provided by Michael Bayās films. But even if Bumblebee owes some credit to other films that have preceded it, it understands the deeper reasons for why the aspects that worked in these other properties were as successful as they were, and it weaves that informed technical prowess of storytelling and filmmaking with genuine love. Love for the idea of Transformers, love for coming of age classics with a fun twist to them, and a beautiful friendship between two characters who each heal from the love they show each other.
The film is a delight for its simplicity and earnestness, but that doesnāt mean thereās a lot of technical skill on display in the performances, the animation, or its use of colour and camerawork. It warms the soul, and my mind comes back to it more often than Iād ever expected. Itās got the touch.
