(COMBO REVIEW) THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES (2017) | A GHOST STORY (2017)

As I saw both of this films on the small screen (Meyerowitz on Netflix and Ghost on a flight), I didn't think of reviewing it. But after I watched a recent video by Nerdwriter I was inspired to write a combo review because they share a common theme (besides having 'story' in their titles) and that is: Moving on in Life.

THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES

There are many films out there about the typical dysfunctional American family but there's just something endearing about this film that makes it sad but yet hopeful. And I reckon it's because of the compassion of Baumbach (the writer and director) for he is able to paint a story of redemption in a broken family. Although this movie is dialogue heavy, viewers will not find it difficult to follow as Baumbach has presented THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES in a light-hearted manner.

As pointed out by the Nerdwriter, although there are rapid conversations happening between two people in a scene, it doesn't mean they are communicating. The real intent in these conversations are found not in their spoken words but expressed in-between their sentences, thus making this film a realistic (and entertaining) watch.

  

As good as Ben Stiller is, it is Adam Sandler who is a revelation here. His performance as the obliging eldest son is moving and heartfelt especially when his character is around his overbearing father (Hoffman). 

What is it about the power of a father's approval that will drive his sons day after day for a lifetime to prove to their father that they are good enough to be considered a man? 

RATING: 7.5/10

A GHOST STORY

A GHOST STORY is a haunting movie, but not in a paranormal kinda way. The movie stays with you long after the credits because the narrative reminds you of the need for closure in order to move on. It causes you to think rather than giving you the answers. 

If you watch the trailer, it plays out like a meditative arty indie film. It informs you of a couple where the husband dies very suddenly, and comes back in a Halloween kind of ghost to 'haunt' his grieving wife. Sounds like a self-indulgent, boring and almost cheesy premise, doesn't it? Trust me, it's not. What you see in the trailer is just the surface to a very original film. And that's all I'm going to say because anything thereafter may just constitute as a spoiler.

Although there are many scenes which are dialogue free (most of it are just long takes of silence), there is actually a lot going on underneath. Aside from what I feel as an unnecessary monologue, A Ghost Story is almost a perfect film. The storytelling is simple, smart and just beautiful to look at.

RATING: 9.5/10 

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THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES

Genre: Drama / Comedy 

Running Length: 1:50

Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Grace Van Patten, Emma Thompson, Elizabeth Marvel, Judd Hirsch, Rebecca Miller

Director: Noah Baumbach 

Screenplay: Noah Baumbach 

A GHOST STORY

Genre: Drama / Fantasy

Running Length: 1:32

Cast: Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara

Director: David Lowery

Screenplay: David Lowery

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS (2016)

Genre: Animated
Running Length: 1:35
Cast (Voices): Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron, Ralph Fiennes, Matthew McConaughey, Rooney Mara, George Takei, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Brenda Vaccaro
Director: Travis Knight
Screenplay: Marc Haimes and Chris Butler, based on a story by Shannon Tindle and Marc Haimes

From the trailer, there seems to be a lot happening but KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS is ultimately the classic hero's journey story. The story is told in a surreal feudal Japan (think Samurai) setting where reality meets fantasy.

Let's get the downside out of the way first because there's way more upside going for me - so much so that this film will most likely end up in my top 10 of 2016. Firstly, there is indeed a lot happening in its 90 minutes it feels that the filmmakers are being overly ambitious. A "less is more" approach could have been more effective. Secondly, the resolution at the end seems a little anti-climatic and too neat.

But as for the rest of the film, it's a powerful story about the power of storytelling. It's a story about hope and love grounded in the gritty reality of death and loss. Eventhough it has enough humour and action to distract a child audience, this is no Minions. The villains are scary and the themes explored are dark; right from the start we are introduced to a baby Kubo (and his mother) escaping from his grandfather who wants to gouge his other eye out. Yep, this is just the beginning.

The choice of using stop motion at core + CGI to tell of such an epic fantasy seems like a limitation but I read somewhere that Travis Knight (the director, and CEO of Laika; the animation house that produced this movie) wanted to challenge his team and himself to see how far they can push the technology of this medium. As a result, not only it looks visually gorgeous but the medium of stop motion just gives it a very organic and human feel that pure CGI may not be able to pull off.

The voice cast is fitting especially McConaughey, who is surprising very goofy. The score is just perfect especially during the film's tender moments and there are some pleasant "hidden in plain sight" revelations throughout the course of Kubo's heroic journey that makes this a must-watch movie.

Rating: 9/10

HER (2014)

Genre: Science Fiction/Drama
Running Length: 2:00
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson (voice), Rooney Mara, Amy Adams, Matt Letscher, Chris Pratt, Olivia Wilde, Portia Doubleday
Director: Spike Jonze

Spike Jonze has a beautiful mind indeed. His latest film; HER, is an ambitious cinematic endeavour which explores the unconventional relationship between human and sentient machines.  Jonze's universe seems to suggest that technology brings us closer but yet it also drives us further apart. We yearn to connect but yet somehow technology has literary driven a wedge between us causing our inability to connect in a real intimate face-to-face way with other human beings. It's only when we are engaging behind a "screen", we are our true self. This is heavy stuff and causes viewers to reflect on their relationships. The technical aspects of the movie is brilliant. As the events in the movie transpire at an unspecified time in the near future,  much details have been put in to ensure realism throughout; from the beautiful city skyline to the fashion and choice of furniture (it has a 70s feel). Viewers actually do not question the plausibility of Joaquin Phoenix's character having an intimate relationship with an operating system (OS), voiced by Scarlett Johansson. Phoenix gives one of his best performance - his character is vulnerable, sympathetic and lost. But Johansson (or her voice) steals the show as even a simple ‘sigh' is done with so much sincerity and ache. Also, the film is visually pleasing to the eyes (the little moments are never lost) and Arcade Fire's score is beautiful. All these aside, I felt the film would have been more powerful if it was a shorter, perhaps a 1 hour feature. Nevertheless, for those who enjoy 'contemplative science fiction', you'll thoroughly enjoy the experience.

Rating: 8/10