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Podcast: Greta / Top 3 Titular Movie Characters – Episode 315

JD Duran
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Podcast: Greta / Top 3 Titular Movie Characters – Episode 315

This week’s episode is brought to you by the short film, Falsified. See the film today by clicking here!

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, Vince Leo from Qwipster joins us to discuss the stalker-mystery-thriller Greta and our Top 3 titular movie characters in film. The guys also give their reaction to the 91st Academy Awards and JD gives his thoughts on the Mads Mikkelsen starring film Arctic.

Our thanks to Vince for joining us on the show this week. He is one of our favorite people, and it was a pleasure to hear his voice once again. Greta may not have been the most in-depth film to talk about, but it led to some interesting conversation that we quite enjoyed. The Top 3 this week was especially fun.

That said, check out this week’s show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!

– Movie Review: Greta (3:48)
Director: Neil Jordan
Writers: Ray Wright, Neil Jordan
Stars: Isabelle Huppert, Chloë Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe

– Notes / Arctic / Oscars (46:53)
As mentioned above, JD was able to catch up with the Mads Mikkelsen film, Arctic, that was discussed at length on our latest Extra Film. He gave his thoughts on the film and surprisingly they aligned with Jay Ledbetter’s, an historic day here at InSession Film. JD and Brendan also talked briefly about the 91st Academy Awards and what they thought about this year’s ceremony.

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RELATED: Listen to Episode 308 of the InSession Film Podcast where we discussed our Top 10 Movies of 2018!

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– Top 3 Titular Movie Characters (1:06:05)
Of all of the Top 3 lists we’ve done over the last six years, this is arguably the most challenging we’ve done yet. Or, ironically, it’s in the Top 3. There are so many films that are titled after their respective main characters, and it was quite difficult to just try and recall all of them, let alone narrow them to three for the list. In the end, we are proud of the characters that we ended up talking about, but this is an exercise we may re-visit in the future. That said, what would be your Top 3?

Top 3 Sponsor: First Time Watchers Podcast

– Music

Where Are You – Julie London
Fare Thee Well (Dink’s Song) – Oscar Isaac, Marcus Mumford
Carol – Carter Burwell
The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

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InSession Film Podcast – Episode 315

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Next week on the show:

Main Review: Captain Marvel
Top 3: TBD

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Movie Review: ‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’ is an impressive debut from Chiwetel Ejiofor

Aaron Charles
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Movie Review: ‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’ is an impressive debut from Chiwetel Ejiofor

Director: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Writers: Chiwetel Ejiofor (adaptation), William Kamkwamba (based on the book by)
Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Maxwell Simba, Felix Lemburo

Synopsis: A boy in Malawi helps his village by building a wind turbine after reading about them in a library book.

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“Ngati mphepo yofika konse – God is as the wind, which touches everything.”

“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8

The wind takes on spiritual connotations in many different cultures. It is fleeting, ethereal, and unknowable. It is that spiritual presence that moves throughout the newly-released Netflix film The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

This is the feature film directorial debut for Chiwetel Ejiofor, an actor who has given us a litany of powerful roles throughout his career. He brings the same combination of gravitas and tenderness to his work as writer, director, and actor in this film as he has in all those great previous roles.

The film is adapted from the book of the same name by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. William Kamkwamba is the real-life “boy who harnessed the wind” and he is played by Maxwell Simba in the film. Ejiofor plays his father, Trywell. Trywell is married to Agnes (Aissa Maiga) and they also have a daughter, Annie (Lily Banda). The family lives in Malawi, and we meet them in the throes of familial tragedy. Trywell’s father, John (Felix Lemburo), has just died. He leaves behind an inheritance of farming land that has been in their family for years. However, he decides to leave the land to Trywell’s brother, Jeremiah (Robert Agengo).

Ejiofor does a masterful job of merging multiple storylines into a cohesive narrative. While the story of the Kamkwamba family is always the foundation of the narrative, themes of the importance of education, the corruption of government, and the transcendence of nature all play their part as well. For a first-time director, Ejiofor displays great deft at juggling all these narrative elements at once.

The basic point of tension comes from the fact that the Kamkwamba land is rendered nearly worthless by governmental overreach. Jeremiah decides to sell his portion of their father’s land to cash in and get needed food. Trywell feels that the government’s price is still too low, but the decision is basically rendered moot by the fact that Jeremiah’s land held trees that kept the floods of Mozambique at bay. With the trees ripped down, nothing stops the flood waters from decimating the Kamkwamba’s farmland. After the rains are done, the dry season ensues. With their farmland ruined, the family is left without food. This is when William must step up.

The familial interplay is maybe the most fascinating aspect of the film. There’s the drama that comes from John’s decision to give the land to Jeremiah and the influence that has on Trywell. That father/son dynamic is given even more dramatic power as we learn more about the relationship between Trywell and William. It was Trywell who spent more than most fathers around him on the education of his children. He provided a way for William to learn and develop his unique mind. But as the food begins to run out, so does the money. William is left to his own devices to learn the skills he must, and it is fascinating to see how that affects his relationship to his father.

This is a feel-good film, yes, but it is also much more than that. There are painful moments along with the joyful ones. As I said before, there are many themes present here for the viewer to process. This film has layers, and each one is worthwile.

One scene that affected me personally was one where Trywell, Agnes, and William are speaking with the school headmaster after the dry season has decimated the food stores across the community. Agnes talked about how she and Trywell had vowed not to be like their ancestors who prayed for rain. She and her husband wanted to face their problems with a modern approach. But now, after all their striving, their approach had brought them to their lowest point. And this is where the film’s spiritual elements kick into high gear.

At the beginning of the film, a strange group of masked figures appear. Some of them make other appearances throughout the film. I was never quite sure of who they were, although it is clear that they are of some cultural and spiritual significance to the local community. In my research, I found this interview with Ejiofor from NPR.org where he explains the importance of the group and the lengths to which he had to go to film them. Here’s an excerpt:

“They’re called the Gule Wamkulu, and they are the kind of spiritual center of Malawian cultural life. They’re a secret society of dancers, and they turn up at different cultural events, which can be funerals, which can be weddings, a chief’s inauguration…when I went to Malawi, I was really trying to find the Gule…they were very difficult to find, to pin down — I mean, they’re a secret society after all. And so that became a kind of frustrating process for me, because I did want them to be in the film, but I didn’t want to put people in costume, you know, sort of as dancers pretending to be the Gule Wamkulu kind of thing. I wanted the actual Gule to be in the film…it was only kind of late in our pre-production period that we were sort of finally invited to a village to see the Gule perform. And it was one of the most magical afternoons of my life. And so, you know, the Gule agreed to be in the film.”

Even without knowing their full significance, you feel the film going for a spiritual tone. Just by the film’s title, you get a small hint of the ethereal nature of the film. That is why I opened this review the way I did. The first quote I reference is the final typography that appears on screen at the end of the film. As much as Trywell and Agnes might have wanted, the spiritual realm cannot be fully disregarded. They live off the land and the wind and weather. There are things outside their control. Yet, it is William who realizes that engaging with and using that great power is their way to salvation.

While the film’s real-life story and even the title may give you a sense of how the film ends, this is one film where knowing the ending doesn’t detract from the experience. That, again, is a testament to the way Ejiofor is able to infuse more than just a feel-good narrative out of this story. This is easily the best 2019 release I’ve seen so far, and it is definitely worth streaming on Netflix.

Overall Grade: A-

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Hear our podcast review on Extra Film, coming soon!

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Podcast: Arctic / Fighting with My Family – Extra Film

Jay Ledbetter
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Podcast: Arctic / Fighting with My Family – Extra Film

This week on the InSession Film Podcast: Extra Film show, Ryan and Jay review a couple of very different films: the quiet, patient survival drama, Arctic and the big, broad comedy, Fighting with My Family.

Director Joe Penna had his hands full with Arctic, a film that could easily be a slog. It is incredibly tough to keep a movie with only one speaking character engaging throughout. Did Penna and star Mads Mikkelson pull it off? The first half of the episode finds Ryan and Jay in relative agreement on Arctic‘s quality, but you have to listen to find out if that quality is high or low! It’s also worth nothing that Stephen Merchant’s Fighting with My Family, the WWE-produced comedy, stars future household name Florence Pugh and doesn’t, despite what the marketing tells you, star The Rock.

Let us know what you thought of these films on social media and enjoy the show! Thanks for listening!

– Movie Review: Arctic (11:44)
Director: Joe Penna
Writer: Joe Penna and Ryan Morrison
Stars: Mads Mikkelson

– Movie Review: Fighting with My Family (39:10)
Director: Stephen Merchant
Writer: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Florence Pugh, Lena Headey, Nick Frost, Jack Lowden, and Vince Vaughn

– Music

Arctic – Joseph Trapanese
Born To Raise Hell – Motorhead
The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

We try to make this the best movie podcast we possibly can and we hope you enjoy them. Subscribe today on iTunes, Spotfiy or Stitcher, and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud, PlayerFM and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast.

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Arctic / Fighting with My Family – Extra Film

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Movie Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World’ crystallizes a fantastic animated trilogy

JD Duran
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Movie Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World’ crystallizes a fantastic animated trilogy

Director: Dean DeBlois
Writers: Dean DeBlois, Cressida Cowell (based upon the “How to Train Your Dragon” book series by)
Stars: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, F. Murray Abraham, Gerard Butler

Synopsis: When Hiccup discovers Toothless isn’t the only Night Fury, he must seek “The Hidden World”, a secret Dragon Utopia before a hired tyrant named Grimmel finds it first.

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How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is the latest from Dreamworks and it caps off one of the best trilogies we’ve seen in recent years, animated or not. It’s arguably the lesser of the three films, but it’s still great in progressing the relationship of Hiccup and Toothless, and of course the striking emotion that comes with that, which is as stirring as ever.

The Hidden World picks up some time after the events of How to Train Your Dragon 2 where Hiccup and his gang have continued to rescue dragons and bring them back to Berk. The problem, though, is that Berk is now on the verge of being overrun with too many people and the dragons they care about. Hiccup now has to find them a new home that has enough space for everyone, and he remembers of a secret place that his father told him about when he was a young boy; a hidden world where all Dragons originated. While this is happening, Toothless finds and becomes entranced by a Light Fury (a white-scaled Night Fury) whom he tries to court. In the process, those two narrative throughlines collide in ways that provoke some of the more robust emotional moments in the series.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, like its predecessors, is first and foremost about the central relationship of Hiccup and Toothless. They both endeavor on parallel romantic arcs that advances their individual characterization while simultaneously tapping into notions regarding the nature of human and non-human relationships. Hiccup and Astrid talk about possibly getting married while Toothless goes off on his own, really for the first time since meeting Hiccup, to romantically pursue the Light Fury. It’s quite funny and endearing to see how Toothless goes about doing that, demonstrating an innocence and exuberance that continues to make him a fascinating character. At the same time, however, the romanticism that comes about is arresting, graceful and beautiful. In particular, the moment where Toothless and the Light Fury engage in a gorgeous aerial ballet that cements their bond is one of the most breathtaking scenes in all of animation. The visual imagery is incredibly evocative and rivals the space dance scene in Wall-E. The moment is also vital because it forms this interesting dichotomy where Hiccup realizes how/why Toothless needs the Light Fury for his own growth, but it’s going to come at the cost of something deeply personal for himself.

The Hidden World, much like Ralph Breaks the Internet last year, is about place and why it’s important for us to be exactly where we are meant to be. Ralph Breaks the Internet filters that idea (profoundly I might add) though the lens of co-dependency and insecurity, something that Hiccup veers dangerously close to himself. It’s not verbatim, but in a similar way to Ralph being lost without Vanellope, Hiccup finds himself identity-less as Toothless goes on his romantic quest. This makes him vulnerable and it puts Berk in danger as it severely effects his decision making. Things get even more complicated for Hiccup once he realizes that finding The Hidden World will not give him the answers he’s seeking, but rather change his relationship with Toothless forever. This beautifully ties back to the first How to Train Your Dragon which depicts dragons and humans’ inability to co-exist, an idea that becomes deconstructed throughout the trilogy. The Hidden World suggests that co-existence is possible, but perhaps Stoic was right in the sense that humans have their place, and dragons have their own as well. Those themes are not only sophisticated and nuanced, but they crystallize in gut wrenching fashion.

There will be a lot said about the final ten minutes of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, and for good reason. It sticks the landing impeccably. The resolution between Hiccup and Toothless is extremely poignant, elegant and thematically perfect. It says a lot about co-existence and place, and how sometimes those things aren’t exactly what we wanted them to be.

The Hidden World isn’t without its faults. Some of the film’s humor is awkward and tacky, especially in the utilization of Ruffnut and Tuffnut, who are a bit overly used. The main antagonist of Grimmel is effective in driving the main story, its emotion and themes, but as a character on the page he’s somewhat thin and underdeveloped. A great vocal performance from F. Murray Abraham helps make up for that though. Other performances, such as Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett and Gerard Butler also help band-aid any blemishes that come with this film.

Overall, the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy will, and should, go down as one of the best we’ve seen over the years. The duo of Hiccup and Toothless is unforgettable and their journey is endlessly engaging. The emotion of this series is affecting for both children and adults alike. John Powell’s scores for these films are all-timers. Easily some of the best composition ever made for an animated film. Dreamworks may be best known for its Shrek series, but it’s How to Train Your Dragon that aligns them next to Pixar and Disney as creating some of the best animation to date.

Overall Grade: A-

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Hear our podcast review on Episode 314:

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Movie Review: ‘Cold Pursuit’ flips the script on what a Liam Neeson film is supposed to be

Jay Ledbetter
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Movie Review: ‘Cold Pursuit’ flips the script on what a Liam Neeson film is supposed to be

Director: Hans Petter Moland
Writers: Frank Baldwin (screenplay by), Kim Fupz Aakeson (based on the movie ‘Kraftidioten’ written by)
Stars: Liam Neeson, Laura Dern, Micheál Richardson

Synopsis: A snowplow driver seeks revenge against the drug dealers he thinks killed his son. Based on the 2014 Norwegian film In Order of Disappearance.

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Maybe the biggest compliment I can pay Cold Pursuit is that the film wasn’t what I expected. In 2019, it is hard to imagine anything beyond a cookie cutter construction of a film that includes both the words “revenge” and “Neeson” in the synopsis. Comparisons to the Taken franchise, which have come define Neeson’s on-screen persona for the last decade (despite great, meditative performances in more ambitious films like Silence and The Grey), are inevitable, but the pleasant surprise of Cold Pursuit is how different it is than the traditional early-year action releases we are used to from Neeson. Cold Pursuit is a unique creature (once you get past the fact that it is a direct remake of the Norwegian film, In Order Appearance– which was also directed by Hans Petter Moland), in that it aims far higher than most of its Dump-uary counterparts, and certainly far higher than the film’s marketing implies. It is a very funny, very violent film that challenges the ethos of the films Neeson usually stars in, builds a surprisingly realized world, and packs a good amount of heart amidst its black comedy.

Cold Pursuit is the story of Nelson Coxman (whose name immediately goes into the Reynolds Woodcock Memorial Names That Immediately Make You Laugh Hall of Fame), played by Liam Neeson, a snowplow driver and newly anointed “Citizen of the Year” in the resort town of Kehoe, Colorado. When Nels’ son (Micheál Richardson) is murdered by a local gang, Neeson must do the thing that Neeson does- get revenge. The conceit of the film is truly that simple, which is part of the beauty. Making the film narratively straightforward allows Moland to work on the other, more interesting elements of the film. If the film was hamstrung by twists and turns, we wouldn’t be able to have as many funny exchanges, great visual humor, over-the-top moments of violence, or alarmingly sincere moments of contemplation.

The approach of Cold Pursuit, perhaps because it was made by a filmmaker with no prior experience in the Hollywood system, operates in a different sphere than the action films we are used to. It takes its protagonist seriously, but the world built around him is wildly heightened. We feel the weight of Nels’ son’s death, but he also carries around a badass, sawed-off rifle (a great choice that illustrates the little choices of this film that separate it from the pack; most films would use the classic sawed-off shotgun, but Moland knows better) and uses his snowplow like the truck driver in Steven Spielberg’s Duel. Cold Pursuit takes familiar images and plot construction and gives it a twist in sensibility to create a unique experience. The car (or plow) looks the same, but it is what’s under the hood that gives it its power. Despite its indulgence and bombast, it is the subtlety of the filmmaking that really makes it all click.

It’s not all perfect, though. The film’s main antagonist, Viking, is thin on the page and is played accordingly by Tom Bateman. This may have been a play on the typically weak villains of the genre, but in a film that transcends the tropes, it works against the film. His tone and attitude rarely, if ever, change and the dialogue doesn’t crackle like it does out of the mouths of other characters. Additionally, the great Laura Dern is completely wasted as Nels’ wife. The character would hardly be noticeable if it were played by a less interesting actress, but the fact that we are deprived of more of Dern’s services is very disappointing. I can’t help but wonder what this movie would have been like if Neeson teamed up with Dern, in some capacity, in his quest for revenge. We know Dern can elevate her energy and work in a darkly comedic world like this one (just watch Twin Peaks: The Return), I just wish Hans Petter Moland had given her the opportunity.

While those supporting players left a lot to be desired, most of the bit players are fantastic. Outside of having to worry about Nels hunting him down, Viking is now involved in a turf war (and eventually something far more complicated than that) with the Native American gang in Kehoe. Some critics have posited that the film’s presentation of the Native American characters is thin, but I thought they teemed with life and personality. They provide some of the best humor of the film and the depictions of their spirituality in relation to the rest of characters was a fascinating element that came out of nowhere. Tom Jackson plays White Bull, the stoic but dangerous leader of the Ute gang. He is the cool, calm yin to Viking’s over-the-top yang. The dichotomy established between Viking’s gang and that of White Bull adds another piece of food for thought as it relates to the traditional revenge thriller. I appreciated that the Utes were able to act in many of the same ways that the other characters are, not simply being shown as some sort of mystical presence (although that element is certainly present).

The C-plot of the film involves two police officers, played by John Dolan and Emmy Rossum (who desperately needs to be in more movies). The small-town cops seem out of their depth as they try to track down Nels on his violent spree in search of Viking, but Emmy Rossum’s character, Kim, is young and naive enough to believe that she can solve the case that Doman’s “Gip” has already put out of his mind, resigned to the idea that they will hand it off to the authorities in Denver. Their dynamic keeps the film afloat when the focus shifts. Kim’s arc is almost as fascinating as anyone else’s and Rossum brings a confidence and enthusiasm to the role that few others would have been able to.

With Cold Pursuit, Hans Petter Molland was able to take down the type of film we expected it to be and build up one that we truly wanted. He makes some stylish choices that make his vision more and more unique over time. The decision to break the film up using the deaths of characters as transitions by showing the now-dead character’s name (or, late in the film, about 20 names) along with the religious place of rest of their choosing as white text on a black screen works as both a way to make the deaths more impactful and a unique humor tactic.

But underneath all of the violence and dark humor is a story about fatherhood, and what fatherhood truly entails. The film is about a 3 fathers at war in the name of their sons. Each one of the men parents differently and each one has different rules when it comes to what merits sufficient revenge. Through Nels, we feel the heartache of losing a child, even as he bashes someone’s head into a snowplow. Neeson is one of our finest silent actors, which is something that both Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers have latched onto in recent years. In both of those films and in this one, that tool is used very differently, a testament to Neeson’s versatility. There is much more of a punch and more introspection than a film like Taken or The Commuter. Add to that a biting sense of humor and a singularity of vision, and Cold Pursuit might end up being one of the highlights of Dump-uary.

Overall Grade: B+

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Podcast: Reaction to the 91st Academy Awards – Chasing the Gold Ep. 10

JD Duran
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Podcast: Reaction to the 91st Academy Awards – Chasing the Gold Ep. 10

On Episode 10 of Chasing the Gold, Ryan is joined by Amanda Spears of Gold Derby and Karen Peterson of Awards Circuit to recap the 91st Academy Awards – all of the good and bad!

It’s finally over. A long and arduous journey, but it’s done. The 2018 awards season will go down as one of the most notorious in recent years, and for good reason. However, there were lots of great films and performances to celebrate, and The Academy did do some great things on that front, even if some others were left to be desired. That is to say, there was a lot to talk about on this episode.

On that note, have fun with this week’s Chasing the Gold and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Thanks for listening!

– Final Oscar Predictions (3:08)

– Music

Shallow – Lady Gaga
The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

We try to make this the best movie podcast we possibly can and we hope you enjoy them. Subscribe today on iTunes, Spotfiy or Stitcher, and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud, PlayerFM and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast.

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Final Oscar Predictions (for Winners) – Chasing the Gold

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Poll: What is the best directorial debut by an actor from the last five years?

JD Duran
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0
Poll: What is the best directorial debut by an actor from the last five years?

For our poll this week, inspired by Chiwetel Ejiofor’s directorial debut The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind hitting Netflix this weekend, we are talking about directorial debuts from actors who decided to step behind the camera. From Jordan Peele, to Greta Gerwig, to Bo Burnham, to Paul Dano, we’ve seen some stellar debut’s from actors who flipped the switch and took the mantle as director in the last five years. This is not at easy one to narrow down, which should make for an interesting conversation.

Vote now!


Podcast: Medicine for Melancholy – Ep. 314 Bonus Content

JD Duran
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Podcast: Medicine for Melancholy – Ep. 314 Bonus Content

Listen!

For our Episode 314 Bonus Content, we finally started our Patreon Series catching up with films that we owe our patrons for signing up. First up, per Brian B., we discuss Barry Jenkins’ Medicine for Melancholy from 2008!

*Note: While this review originates from a Patreon subscriber, it is available to the public on our main show feeds.

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HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW

To hear our bonus content episodes early, subscribe now on Patreon. In many cases, though, we offer our bonus content for free after a certain period of time and we do encourage (and very much appreciate) a small donation of $0.99 as a way to help support the show if signing up on Patreon isn’t for you. Click on the PayPal button below to donate and thanks so much for your support. You can also hear much of our Bonus Content via our mobile apps. See the information at the bottom of the post for more details.


One-Time Donation



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List: Top 3 Scenes from Trilogy Closers

JD Duran
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List: Top 3 Scenes from Trilogy Closers

This week on Episode 314 of the InSession Film Podcast, inspired by How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, we thought it would be interesting to talk about the best scenes/moments from trilogy closer films. This was one of the more challenging and complicated Top 3 lists we’ve perhaps ever done on the show. For one, there is a gray area as to what defines a “trilogy” these days, as many franchises have surpassed the 3-film mark, which in theory could undermine the third film as being a “closer.” However, depending on how you look at it, having more than three films isn’t necessarily undermining the first three acting as a trilogy. That is to say, we had some lengthy criteria this week to help decipher how this topic operated within our lists. Once that was done, because there are so many great trilogies out there, the amount of scenes to choose from was endless, making this exercise all the more difficult. But it was really fun too! That said, here are our lists:

(Note: Please keep in mind that we each had different criteria for our selections)

JD

1) Luke Saves His Father – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
2) Apes Together Strong – War for the Planet of the Apes
3) “You bow to no one” – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Brendan

1) Grave / Final Showdown – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
2) Apes Together Strong – War for the Planet of the Apes
3) Opening – Three Colours: Red

Justin

1) Ending – L’Eclisse
2) Grave / Final Showdown – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
3) 107 Steps Sequence – Dancer in the Dark

Honorable Mentions (Combined)

Ending Argument – Before Midnight
Dinner Scene – Before Midnight
“I am no man” – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Lighting of the Beacons – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
“I can’t carry it, but I can carry you” – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Luke tells Leia the Truth – Return of the Jedi
Opening Battle – Revenge of the Sith
Final Duel – Revenge of the Sith
Ending – How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Dance Sequence – How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Incinerator – Toy Story 3
Ending – Toy Story 3
Luca’s Death – War for the Planet of the Apes
Donkey’s Sacrifice – War for the Planet of the Apes
Opening – War for the Planet of the Apes
Caesar’s Death – War for the Planet of the Apes
Waterloo Scene – The Bourne Ultimatum
“Look at us, look at what they make us give” – The Bourne Ultimatum
Jason Breaks into Office – The Bourne Ultimatum
Ripley Sacrifice – Alien 3
Final Showdown – Matrix Revolutions
The Motorcycle Chase – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Henry finally calls his son Indiana – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Ending Reveal – MIB3
Highway Chase – Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Ending Reveals – Terminator 3
Final Sequence – Spider-Man 3
Car Chase – The Dark Knight Rises
Apu’s Final Scene with Son – Apur Sansar

Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists and if you agree or disagree with us, let us know in the comment section below. As mentioned above, there is a lot of criteria that goes into this list and many, many scenes to consider, so there’s a good chance your list is different than ours. That being said, what would be your Top 3? Leave a comment in the comment section or email us at [email protected].

For the entire podcast, click here or listen below.

For more lists done by the InSession Film crew and other guests, be sure see our Top 3 Movie Lists page.

Podcast: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World / Top 3 Scenes from Trilogy Closers – Episode 314

JD Duran
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Podcast: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World / Top 3 Scenes from Trilogy Closers – Episode 314

This week’s episode is brought to you by the Patreon. Sign up today and get some cool rewards!

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, Justin Herring from the Casual Cinecast joins us to discuss How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and our top 3 scenes from trilogy closer films. We also talk about Justin’s new feature film, Camino, now out on VOD.

Big thanks to Justin for joining us on the show this week. We are big fans of his show, but as you’ll hear on the episode this week, his film was quite enjoyable as well. So, it was a pleasure to have him on this week to talk about it and what the process was like for him. Finally, it can’t be overstated as to how excited we were to talk about Dragons once again! We love this series and were happy to talk about its conclusion.

That said, check out this week’s show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!

– Movie Review: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (4:22)
Director: Dean DeBlois
Writers: Dean DeBlois, Cressida Cowell (based upon the “How to Train Your Dragon” book series by)
Stars: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, F. Murray Abraham

– Notes / Camino (52:06)
As mentioned above, it was really fun to talk about Justin’s new feature film, Camino, a dark comedy that is reminiscent of the early days of Richard Linklater or Kevin Smith. It’s quite good and we loved talking to Justin about the film. See the film on Amazon here.

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RELATED: Listen to Episode 308 of the InSession Film Podcast where we discussed our Top 10 Movies of 2018!

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– Top 3 Scenes from Trilogy Closers (1:08:32)
This was one of the more challenging and complicated Top 3 lists we’ve perhaps ever done on the show. For one, there is a gray area as to what defines a “trilogy” these days, as many franchises have surpassed the 3-film mark, which in theory could undermine the third film as being a “closer.” However, depending on how you look at it, having more than three films isn’t necessarily undermining the first three acting as a trilogy. That is to say, we had some lengthy criteria this week to help decipher how this topic operated within our lists. Once that was done, because there are so many great trilogies out there, the amount of scenes to choose from was endless, making this exercise all the more difficult. But it was really fun too! That said, what would be your Top 3?

Top 3 Sponsor: First Time Watchers Podcast

– Music

The Hidden World – John Powell
The Return of the King – Howard Shore
Apes Together Strong – Michael Giacchino
The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

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InSession Film Podcast – Episode 314

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Next week on the show:

Main Review: Greta
Top 3: TBD

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Featured: Predictions for 91st Academy Awards

JD Duran
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Featured: Predictions for 91st Academy Awards

Well, tonight is the night! It’s the Super Bowl of the movie season. It’s the Oscars and the final celebration of 2018 and everything it had to offer in film. The awards season this year has been bizarre, frustrating and somewhat regressive to what we’ve seen the last few years. That said, there are some great films and individuals nominated that are worth celebrating, so hopefully tonight’s ceremony does that justice. At any rate, here are our predictions for this year’s Oscars:

BEST PICTURE

  • Roma
  • The Favourite
  • Green Book
  • Bohemian Rhapsody
  • BlacKkKlansman
  • Black Panther
  • Vice
  • A Star is Born

Brendan
Will Win: Many films have a reason to win the coveted award; Spike Lee is due for his work on BlacKkKlansman, Roma is universally loved, Black Panther has the honor of being the first superhero film up for Best Picture, Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody have the audience support (God help us), and A Star Is Born is classic Hollywood and right up the Academy’s alley. After honoring such great progressive films over the past few years (The Shape of Water, Moonlight, and Spotlight for instance), can the Academy really stoop so low in honoring such pandering films like Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody? This year showed how little brains they have, but they still have ears, and I (optimistically) believe that they have heard the discourse and frustrations among film critics and audiences. Because of that, I think Best Picture is going to Roma, the safest bet of the bunch, and the one that is most consistently in line with the past years’ winners.

Should Win: At this point I’ll take anything that isn’t Bohemian Rhapsody, Vice, or Green Book. Out of the nominees though, The Favourite is my personal preference, but Roma is a close second.

JD
Will Win: This awards season has been quite chaotic with several of these films winning precursors, so it’s hard to say with full confidence, but I think it comes down to Roma, BlacKkKlansman and Green Book. Green Book has surprised many this awards season with some of its bigger wins, but with more nominations and likely wins from Roma and BlacKkKlansman, I’d say it’s a two horse race with those films. As I anticipate Roma to come away with a few wins, the fact that both actresses were nominated (and the Actors are the biggest voting branch), I am going with Roma to win Best Picture.

Should Win: Roma is an all-timer that will come to define 2018 in many respects, so it should win here. Although, if The Favourite or BlacKkKlansman steals it, I won’t lose sleep.

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BEST ACTOR

  • Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born
  • Willem Dafoe, At Eternity’s Gate
  • Viggo Mortensen, Green Book
  • Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
  • Christian Bale, Vice

Brendan
Will Win: This is ultimately a two-horse race between Rami Malek and Christian Bale, two performances I personally wouldn’t have even nominated. They both give good performances in bad movies, but I do think Malek does a finer job imbuing Bohemian Rhapsody with at least some pathos and nuance that did not exist anywhere in that film; in some ways, his performance improved that film. Because of that, and the fact that Bale already has an Oscar (winning for David O. Russell’s The Fighter), I think Rami Malek will take it home.

Should Win: Why we aren’t talking about Ethan Hawke in First Reformed or Ben Dickey in Blaze still continues to haunt my dreams; sorry Reverend Toller, but I do not think God will forgive the Academy. Of the nominees, my personal pick would actually be Bradley Cooper.

JD
Will Win: Rami Malek is perhaps one of the seemingly locks of the night. All of the evidence points toward another victory for him, although Christian Bale does have a solid chance. After giving the Oscar to Gary Oldman last year for essentially doing the same thing, you’d think Bale is the logical choice. Of the two, I’d argue he gives a better performance with slightly more nuance, but in the end it’s Malek that wins here.

Should Win: Bradley Cooper. Hands down. At least of these nominees anyway, I agree with Brendan that Ethan Hawke should win in an ideal world, but sadly he is missing. So, of the five nominated, Cooper is my pick. His performance is by far the most intricate, complex and emotionally stimulating. Oh, and he actually does the singing in his film.

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BEST ACTRESS

  • Yalitza Aparicio, Roma
  • Olivia Colman, The Favourite
  • Glenn Close, The Wife
  • Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
  • Lady Gaga, A Star is Born

Brendan
Will Win: We now at least transition to something worth celebrating. I love all these nominees, and was even ecstatic when the Academy went as far as to recognize Yalitza Aparicio (where were you when y’all forgot about Ethan Hawke?). It’s a tight race with regarding the quality of these performances, with all five of them crafting complex characters with effortless nuance, and any one of these women could be a frontrunner in any other year. But this year has a seven-time nominee anxiously awaiting her first win, and that is Glenn Close. We all know how much the Academy loves to reward an actor for their body of work, but Glenn Close’s performance in The Wife would still be a worthy win, and I think it’s going to her.

Should Win: Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? turned her usual comedic bite into something tragic, a tricky balancing act for someone (Lee Israel) we feel such sympathy for when she’s a character we should ultimately hate. She gave my favorite female performance of 2018, and gets my vote here.

JD
Will Win: This is my favorite category this year. All five of these nominees are worthy and I’ll be happy regardless of who wins. In the end though, I expect Glenn Close to win as Lady Gaga will win for Original Song. Some have argued that it’s a “career” victory, but I’d argue it’s a legitimately great performance that is more than deserving. Olivia Coleman does pose a threat, but I don’t think it’ll be quite strong enough.

Should Win: I’m all in on the Glenn Close train. As much as I love the other four nominees, this is Close’s award.

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

  • Sam Elliot, A Star is Born
  • Mahershala Ali, Green Book
  • Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman
  • Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
  • Sam Rockwell, Vice

Brendan
Will Win: Will Mahershala Ali win this award again, after having already won it only two years ago for Moonlight? Or could Richard E. Grant’s recent social media charms give him the edge? If Grant does pull through, it was either a great example of the optimism we needed this awards season, or simply a great marketing strategy. Either way, I think Richard E. Grant and his charming pathos in Can You Ever Forgive Me? will work in this favor. As long as it doesn’t go to Sam Rockwell, who is only nominated because of a chicken wing and the phrase, “Hot damn!”

Should Win: Sam Elliot didn’t just get nominated because of that one scene in A Star Is Born (you know the one), he got nominated because of a single facial expression. It takes a great actor to convey everything with a glance and a response, and for that he gets my personal vote here.

JD
Will Win: I’m not sold that Ali has this in the bag. As Brendan mentioned, Richard E. Grant has been lovable all awards season and it’s been reiterated in some of the anonymous voter ballots we’ve seen pop up online in the last week. He has a real shot to win this, and if he does win, it’s deserving. Perhaps it’s charming campaign helped overcome Ali’s strong performance in Green Book, but Grant is equally fantastic in Can You Ever Forgive Me?. For that, I’m going with the upset and picking Grant.

Should Win: As much as I love Ali, or that great facial expression by Sam Elliot, Grant gets my vote. He’s not only endearing in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, but he generates a pathos by the end that is striking.

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

  • Marina de Tavira, Roma
  • Emma Stone, The Favourite
  • Rachel Weisz, The Favourite
  • Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk
  • Amy Adams, Vice

Brendan
Will Win: I have to first express my joy seeing Marina de Tavira’s name here, which I honestly did not expect. That aside, it would seem foolish to bet against Regina King at the moment, who has all the statistics behind her. Don’t count out Emma Stone or Rachel Weisz’s respective comedic chops in The Favourite, but I firmly believe Regina King has this one in the bag.

Should Win: I guess the Academy can get a few things right once in a while, as Regina King is a very clear standout among these nominees for me; nuanced, self-reflective, and explosive all at once.

JD
Will Win: It’s really wonderful to see Marina de Tavira, and her partner in crime Yalitza Aparicio, get nominations for Roma. They were big and wonderful surprises. However, this is Regina King’s award to lose.

Should Win: It’s hard to argue against King’s performance. She’s not as heavily utilized as Rachel Weisz or Emma Stone, but when she’s on screen she’s a magnetic presence that you can’t ignore. For my money, I’d go with Stone personally. But I won’t be upset over King winning.

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BEST DIRECTOR

  • Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
  • Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite
  • Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman
  • Paweł Pawlikowski, Cold War
  • Adam McKay, Vice

Brendan
Will Win: Alfonso Cuarón is a technical and storytelling master, all rolled into one. He may have already one this award for Gravity, but the Academy knows a thing or two about technical proficiency behind the camera, and Roma just screams it. However, do not count out Spike Lee’s work in BlacKkKlansman, who has been overdue for a nomination since he missed out for Do the Right Thing.

Should Win: Spike Lee should win just for his facial expression every time Peter Farrelly speaks. But for his sheer craftsmanship in bringing us back to 1970s Mexico, Alfonso Cuarón is the clear choice for me, though I do want to quickly shout out Yorgos Lanthimos for his dark wit in The Favourite, as well as Pawel Pawlikowski’s stark beauty in Cold War, both of whom are not far behind for me.

JD
Will Win: Alfonso Cuarón. Alfonso Cuarón. Alfonso Cuarón. I do think Spike Lee poses a threat here though, and could upset if BlacKkKlansman does go on to win Best Picture.

Should Win: As I mentioned on our own InSession Film Awards, Alfonso Cuarón was my pick for Best Director, so I do think he should win here as well.

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BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

  • Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
  • Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite
  • Paul Schrader, First Reformed
  • Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, and Peter Farrelly, Green Book
  • Adam McKay, Vice

Brendan
Will Win: Out of all the nominees, The Favourite is arguably the “most” written film of the bunch, which normally favors well with the Academy. For those reasons, I expect this award to go to Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara.

Should Win: In some ways, I would like to see Green Book win just to catch a glimpse at Spike Lee’s face when it does. But as for the films themselves, despite it being the most heavily written of the bunch, The Favourite emulated such an insultingly comedic snark with dialogue so endlessly quotable; I personally couldn’t see myself giving this award to anything else. But a win for Paul Schrader would at least prove that the Academy has in fact seen First Reformed, and realizes their mistake in not nominating Ethan Hawke.

JD
Will Win: I think this comes down to three films in The Favourite, Green Book and First Reformed. Paul Schrader hasn’t won much this awards season, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he somehow wins this as a “career prize” sort of thing. That said, I expect The Favourite to walk away with the award here as Green Book has found itself in some controversy in recent weeks.

Should Win: The Favourite or First Reformed. It wouldn’t just be a “career” win if you ask me, the script for First Reformed is genuenly terrific and deserving to win. But so is The Favourite. I can go either way.

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BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

  • Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott and Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman
  • Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
  • Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty, Can You Ever forgive Me?
  • Bradley Cooper and Will Fetters, A Star is Born
  • Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk

Brendan
Will Win: I see this as a two-horse race between BlacKkKlansman and If Beale Street Could Talk, and could honestly see it going either way (nor would I have any issues with that). But because Barry Jenkins has already won this award for Moonlight, and Spike Lee has been overdue for almost 30 years, my money is on BlacKkKlansman.

Should Win: Most of these nominees are very fine scripts, but there is something about the dialogue in Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty’s script for Can You Ever forgive Me? that just so effortlessly balances comedy and pain simultaneously. For those reasons, their work may be my favorite of the bunch.

JD
Will Win: It’s going to be great to finally see Spike Lee win a competitive Oscar.

Should Win: It’s going to be great to finally see Spike Lee win a competitive Oscar.

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BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

  • Lukasz Zal, Cold War
  • Robbie Ryan, The Favourite
  • Caleb Deschanel, Never Look Away
  • Matthew Libatique, A Star is Born
  • Alfonso Cuarón, Roma

Brendan
Will Win: Black and white films go over well in this category, and this year sees a battle of visual beauty between Roma and Cold War. Alfonso Cuarón acted as his own cinematographer on Roma, which leaves me wondering if that will work for or against his favor. On one hand, being such a jack of all trades is no easy task, but on the other hand, if Cuarón were to win Best Director, will that indirectly count as a win in this category too? At this point I tend to think no, and I believe Cuarón will win here for Roma.

Should Win: You cannot argue against the epic smoothness of Roma, but I slightly prefer the simplicity of Lukasz Zal’s work in Cold War; with its boxed-in ratio and grainy filter, the whole film comes off like a lost WWII photo album come to life.

JD
Will Win: While I do think that Alfonso Cuarón is the heavy favorite for this category, I do think that Lukasz Zal has a small chance to upset. Cold War is obviously a liked film since it’s nominated in three different categories and the cinematography is hard to deny. Perhaps it’s closer than the experts think, but Roma still wins here.

Should Win: I echo Brendan above, I may ever so slightly prefer Cold War, but Alfonso Cuarón is very deserving for his camerawork on Roma.

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BEST ANIMATED FILM

  • Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
  • Ralph Breaks the Internet
  • Incredibles 2
  • Isle of Dogs
  • Mirai

Brendan
Will Win: It may be shocker, but this is the toughest category to predict for me. It comes down to three; Incredibles 2, Isle of Dogs, or Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse. Let’s not forget that The Oscars is an ABC production, owned by Disney, meaning Incredibles 2 could be a lock. But we all know the Academy loves Wes Anderson, meaning Isle of Dogs could sneak in too. But Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse has the accolades to support it, plus it’s both innovative and incredibly popular among audiences. For sheer statistics, I’ll go with Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, but don’t count out the other two.

Should Win: Isle of Dogs was not only my favorite animated film of 2018, but I actually think it’s one of Wes Anderson’s best. Therefore, it gets my personal vote.

JD
Will Win: A lot of pundits seem to think this is a lock. And you can’t blame them, Into the Spiderverse has destroyed all season long. But so did How to Train Your Dragon 2 in 2014. The Academy typically doesn’t go for sequels, but there’s a clear Disney/Pixar bias, and both have films competing in this category. Ralph Breaks the Internet I think is equally as deserving too and should be honored for losing to Brave (::throws up thinking about that loss::). I’m still going with Spidey, but I’m not confident like most pundits. Until I see it, I’m dubious, too much of a bias for this category.

Should Win: Ralph Breaks the Internet could win here and I’d love that. But at the same time, Into the Spiderverse was the true best animated film of 2018 and should win.

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BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

  • Cold War
  • Roma
  • Shoplifters
  • Never Look Away
  • Capernaum

Brendan
Will Win: If Roma is in fact the predicted winner for Best Motion Picture of the Year, does it have a chance to win this award too? Or will the Academy attempt to split up their wins as much as possible, which is something they like to do? Given that Cold War is also up for Best Director and Cinematography (and even has the Best Director award from Cannes to boot), I believe the Academy will do their best to spread the wealth and give the award to Pawlikowski’s Cold War. Plus, Pawlikowski has already won this award for Ida five years ago, and familiarity goes a long way.

Should Win: I am all for Roma or Cold War winning, but my heart and soul continues to cry over Hirokazu Korreda’s Palme d’Or winning Shoplifters; easily my personal pick here, and one of the very best films of 2018.

JD
Will Win: Roma.

Should Win: Roma is one of the best foreign films of the decade, let alone from 2018. That said, if Roma does go on to win Best Picture, I’d love to see The Academy awards Shoplifters or Cold War here. The math doesn’t add up, but it’d be cool to reward two different films.

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BEST DOCUMENTARY

  • Free Solo
  • Minding the Gap
  • Hale County This Morning, This Evening
  • RBG
  • Of Fathers and Sons

Brendan
Will Win: 2018 was one of the greatest years for documentaries, and some of the best ones didn’t even make this shortlist of nominees (looking at you Won’t You Be My Neighbor?). But among the best here are Minding the Gap, Free Solo, and Hale County This Morning, This Evening, all of which carry some weight of relevance. Bing Liu’s phenomenal Minding the Gap could strike a more unanimous chord with the Academy, for its depiction of youth, parenthood, and race that is just all too relatable these days. However, Free Solo just feels more top of mind at the moment, given its recent IMAX release and the celebrity status of Alex Honnold.

Should Win: Minding the Gap was one of the most moving film experiences I had all last year. It gets my vote.

JD
Will Win: Sadly (for me), I think this comes down to RBG or Free Solo. Neither film made my personal Top 5 for this category, so I do think there are better deserving docs, but the Oscar will go to one of them. I’m leaning more toward Free Solo.

Should Win: Don’t get me wrong, Free Solo is a very good film, but it’s no Minding the Gap, Hale County or Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (crazy to me that it wasn’t nominated).

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BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

  • Ludwig Göransson, Black Panther
  • Terence Blanchard, BlacKkKlansman
  • Nicholas Britell, If Beale Street Could Talk
  • Alexandre Desplat, Isle of Dogs
  • Marc Shaiman, Mary Poppins Returns

Brendan
Will Win: I feel like Nicholas Britell had this in the bag just from the second the trailer for If Beale Street Could Talk premiered. Out of all the nominee’s Britell’s work feels the most like its own character in its respective film; lush, cautiously symphonic, but never too grand, maintaining its own sense of intimacy just like the film’s two lead characters.

Should Win: See above. Nicholas Britell for If Beale Street Could Talk.

JD
Will Win: Nicholas Britell should win here with the exclusion of Justin Hurwitz (a notion that I cannot fathom at all), but I can’t escape the feeling that Terence Blanchard and Ludwig Göransson are in this fight. This could be closer than what the experts think, but I’m still betting on Britell.

Should Win: Justin Hurwitz for First Man. But since he’s not here (I will never let go of that), Britell should win.

Let us know how our picks stack up against yours! Do you agree or disagree? Let us know and enjoy this year’s Oscars ceremony!

Podcast: How to Train Your Dragon / Isn’t It Romantic – Extra Film

JD Duran
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Podcast: How to Train Your Dragon / Isn’t It Romantic – Extra Film

This week on the InSession Film Podcast: Extra Film show, Ryan and Jay discuss the first How to Train Your Dragon and the new rom-com Isn’t It Romantic!

Under the strict orders of JD, Ryan and Jay reviewed the first installment in the beloved adventures of Hiccup and Toothless in prep for the review of the final installment on episode 314. It was a very fun throwback review of a new animated classic, a review that would make JD proud in terms of how in-depth the conversation goes. Isn’t It Romantic ended up being a review that garnered one of the most surprising reactions to a movie from one of the guys in a long time.

On that note, let us know what you thought of these films on social media and enjoy the show! Thanks for listening!

– Movie Review: How to Train Your Dragon (11:03)
Director: Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois
Writer: Will Davies, Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
Stars: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera

– Movie Review: Isn’t It Romantic (43:28)
Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson
Writer: Erin Cardillo, Dana Fox, Katie Silberman
Stars: Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, Adam DeVine

– Music

Forbidden Friendship – John Powell
I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) – Whitney Houston
The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

We try to make this the best movie podcast we possibly can and we hope you enjoy them. Subscribe today on iTunes, Spotfiy or Stitcher, and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud, PlayerFM and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast.

Subscribe to our Podcasts RSS
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Listen on Spotify
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How to Train Your Dragon / Isn’t It Romantic – Extra Film

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Movie Review: ‘Happy Death Day 2U’ is different, but the same…but different

Nyle Coleman
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Movie Review: ‘Happy Death Day 2U’ is different, but the same…but different

Director: Christopher Landon
Writers: Christopher Landon, Scott Lobdell (characters)
Stars: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Phi Vu

Synopsis: Tree Gelbman discovers that dying over and over was surprisingly easier than the dangers that lie ahead.

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Here is the problem with sequels, 9 times out of 10 they won’t match the dynamic and magic of the original. Most sequels fall far from the tree, miles sometimes. Which eventually leads to another sequel, usually worse than the second, either purely as a cash grab or because some up and coming writer honestly thinks they can re-capture the brilliance of the first. Now and then though a sequel manages to outshine its predecessor. Happy Death Day 2U falls somewhere in the middle of these two extremes, it is a good film and a sequel that was worth making but not one that will spark any Twitter wars over which was best. It does do what most sequels fail to do: Keep it simple, take the basic formula that made the first smart and enjoyable, and add a dash of new.

Fans of the original will be pleased to see that the follow-up pretty much picks up where Happy Death Day left off. Tree (Jessica Rothe) and Carter (Isreal Broussard) are an item and seemed to have developed a deeper relationship. Of the supporting cast all the familiar faces are back, even Carter’s quirky roommate Ryan (Phi Vu) returns and this go-around he gets a lot more screen time. In fact, the first 10 or so minutes revolve purely around him. This is both good and bad, Ryan’s arc brings new energy to the story but Vu’s performance can be rough at times. There are also some new faces that bring their own comedic spark and help to keep the story from feeling recycled. Performance wise you can expect about the same caliber as the first film which is perfectly fine for this kind of popcorn flick.

As far as the quality of the writing and script go Happy Death Day 2U will surprise you. When I first saw the trailer I was worried that seeing more of the same would feel redundant and make for a dull film but it was actually quite the opposite. Christopher Landon, who both wrote and directed, managed to branch off the original script and keep the story going by providing us some background explaining exactly why Tree was caught in the original’s loop which, as you may have guessed, leads to Tree once again getting stuck but this time in a “new” loop. This ignites a whole new host of problems for Tree and crew. On paper, it may sound unimaginative but Landon’s execution is satisfying and quite clever. He even adds a twist that prompts some serious questions about Life and how each of our decisions can alter our trajectory. At times it can be a very sentimental film in this way.

But again like most sequels, overall it simply doesn’t stand up to the first. The film has some great comedic moments but it can feel forced at times. The explanation for what triggered Tree to start living the same day over and over is built around vague scientific technobabble which always feels like cheating and can ruin some climactic moments in addition to leaving the audience feeling somewhat left out. There are also some plot holes in the film that never really get filled or an explanation offered. It is not so much that these flaws are so awful, it is that they can be so glaring because we have another film to use as a baseline and constantly make comparisons to. On its own the film still isn’t exceptional in any way but because it is a sequel its shortcomings stand out more.

The first Happy Death Day was a fun film that brought a fresh take on the one-day time loop concept. It was a film that really caught me by surprise and came very close to making my top ten for 2017. The sequel was also surprising, I honestly wasn’t sure it would be able to deliver without relying on the same jokes as the first, but it does. It plays on our familiarity with the characters and story arc of the first film but takes its own twists and turns. Where the film harms itself is in trying too hard for laughs. It brings some unnecessary silliness that was not in the original, the scenes are funny but at times can feel cheap and lack that punch that usually comes with clever comedy. Also, Tree’s hysterical behavior which made her character so charming and comical this time around can wear on you and feel overdone. That is the one part of the film that did feel poorly recycled. Still, 2U offers some good laughs as well as some tender moments that kept things feeling new. This year it won’t make it anywhere near to my ten but I still recommend a watch, especially if you were a fan of the first.

Overall Grade: C+

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Featured: South Of The Border – Latin Americana Cinema

InSession Film Staff
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Featured: South Of The Border – Latin Americana Cinema

It isn’t just North of the border, Europe, or Asia that makes the high-quality films we love. It isn’t just Mexico that produces brilliant works and exports film directors to Hollywood. Others have quietly produced over the history of moviemaking stories of realism that reflected the times they have endured or magical works that make it an exotic land. It has been the quiet center of movie production as seen with the Oscar-winning The Secret In Their Eyes and A Fantastic Woman. But they have been from the past decade. In the last century, they all have a beginning, a growth, and are part of the influx of movies to infiltrate major festivals around the world.

Argentina

Way before The Secret In Their Eyes, Argentina had produced a golden age of moviemaking between the 1930s and 50s. Tango-based movies were the musical go-to thanks to the popular Carlos Gardel, who was killed in a plane crash in 1935, solidifying legendary status. Armando Bo Sr. would also break through early and years later; his son of the same name would win an Oscar co-writing Birdman. Thanks to the presence of role actress Eva Peron, her husband, General Juan Peron, movies that portrayed the damage done by greed became a springboard into being elected as President. Sexploitation films also became a box office draw thanks to the comic relief of Jorge Porcel and Alberto Olmedo.

After a dark period of silence due to the brutal junta in the 70s and early 80s, Argentine cinema opened itself up again with films directly relating to the painful recent past, most notably with the Oscar-winning, The Official Story (1985), which told the story of a woman who questions where her adopted daughter came from – the infamous practice of kidnapping infants from mothers arrested by the government and then forcing the mother to “disappear” – and seeks answers. Even with economic and political turmoil, the industry produced thrillers and comedies away from the touchy subjects with Son Of The Bride (2001), The Headless Woman (2008), and Wild Tales (2014).

Brazil

The 1931 film Limite (or “Limit”) was a silent experimental film by author Mário Peixoto, who never made a completed movie afterward and was thought to have been lost to history when the single print of it was found and underwent a painstaking restoration; you can now own it on Criterion’s World Cinema Project as selected by Martin Scorsese. The non-linear plotline of three people on a rowboat whose lives are looked at was ranked as the greatest Brazilian film in history in 2015. “The Brazilian Bombshell” Carman Miranda made a splash in the 1936 musical Alô, Alô, Carnaval, which got her a contract to perform in Hollywood afterward.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDYLLIK999w

Brazilian cinema was ignored by the imports of American and European films, but Brazilian cinema engaged in a Renaissance with the Cinema Novo movement of the 60s and 70s with movies that spoke in detail about the social inequality in the country, as well as protesting the military dictatorship that would last from 1964 to 1985. 1962’s Keeper of Promises became the first film from South America to be nominated for Best Foreign Language film. Maybe the most notable and the most brutal in this era came towards the back end in 1981 with Pixote, a stirring, graphic portrait of a group of underage kids from the city’s slums who struggle to survive in jail and on the streets. Post-dictatorship, Four Days In September, Central Station, and City of God has driven up production, especially for television movies that continue to reflect the social and political themes of the times.

Cuba

The island nation did not have a fully engaged industry until the Revolution that put Fidel Castro in power in 1959 and established the Culture Division of the Rebel Army to produce documentaries and fictional stories, namely social realism. Arguably the biggest director to come from Cuba was Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, who created a style that showed support to the regime while also revealing some of the continuous hardships the country faced years later. Death of a Bureaucrat was a political satire which was followed up with probably his most famous work, Memories of Underdevelopment.

The brilliant stroke of work followed a wealthy individual who stays in Cuba instead of fleeing to America and finds himself alienated from the rest with the dramatic changes of the Revolution. One of his final works before his death was the comedy Strawberries And Chocolate, the story about a flamboyantly gay artist and his relationship with a devoted Marxist who follows the line on gays as degenerates in the late 70s. This surprisingly warm, funny outlook of LGBT life in Cuba and bridging links between opposing views was the first Cuban film nominated for an Oscar.

Other Notables

While the film was a French production, director Marcel Camus captured the carnival life of Brazil’s favelas, the slums, in Black Orpheus, a contemporary and colorful retelling of the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice. The film, winner of the Palme d’Or, was key in showcasing bossa nova music to the rest of the world. In Columbia, their form of social realism was nicknamed “Pornomiseria,” or porno-misery, which depicted the terrible poverty and human misery in the sixties and seventies, a trend followed by other South American countries all affected by dictatorships and the lack of investment into their local industry. Venezuela has also been fairly successful; Edgar Ramirez (The Bourne Ultimatum, Joy, Hands of Stone), a native, made an acclaimed appearance in Punto Y Raya (2004) while Bad Hair (2013) and From Afar (2015) have won at major international film festivals. Probably, the most noted 21st century Latin film known in the United States is The Motorcycle Diaries (2004), a depiction of Che Guevara’s trip through South America with his best friend that would lay the foundations for his political radicalization in the years that came afterward.

Latin American cinema should not just be recognized through its nominations such as Nicaragua’s Alsino And The Condor (1982), Peru’s The Milk of Sorrow (2009), Chile’s No (2012), and Columbia’s Embrace Of The Serpent (2015). There are layers into all of these countries and more through fiction and documentary. They give us a new view to look through a see a setting we have never seen. All of these works are reflective of their status and are imaginative at times, daring to challenge the authorities and speak a truth.

Follow me on Twitter: @BrianSusbielles (Cine-A-Man)

Podcast: Final Oscar Predictions (Winners) – Chasing the Gold Ep. 9

JD Duran
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Podcast: Final Oscar Predictions (Winners) – Chasing the Gold Ep. 9

On Episode 8 of Chasing the Gold, Ryan is joined by Erik Anderson of Awards Watch and Amanda Spears of Gold Derby as they give their final predictions to the 91st Academy Awards, which will be airing live this Sunday!

With the Oscars only days away, so many of the categories are still up in the air including the biggest award of the night, Best Picture. With this being Amanda’s first time on the show and the second appearance for Erik, this episode led to some fun, interesting places and provided a real in-depth conversation on all the various scenarios in which the categories could play out. We couldn’t have been more thrilled to have them on because they are two of the most insightful people that cover the Oscar race and give so many compelling reasons as to why their predictions will come true.

On that note, have fun with this week’s Chasing the Gold and let us know what you think in the comment section below. Thanks for listening!

– Final Oscar Predictions (4:52)

– Music

Shallow – Lady Gaga
The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

We try to make this the best movie podcast we possibly can and we hope you enjoy them. Subscribe today on iTunes, Spotfiy or Stitcher, and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud, PlayerFM and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast.

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Final Oscar Predictions (for Winners) – Chasing the Gold

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Poll: What is your favorite Trilogy Closer?

JD Duran
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Poll: What is your favorite Trilogy Closer?

Happy How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World week everyone! This series has been an absolutely delight and we are sad to see it come to a close. But at the same time, we are very eager to celebrate it by reviewing the third installment this weekend on Episode 314. With that as our inspiration for our poll this week, we are asking for your favorite trilogy “closers” in film – aka the third film in a trilogy series.

There are a lot of great films eligible for this list, so choose wisely! Cast your vote now.


Movie Review: ‘Isn’t It Romantic’ is fun, ridiculous and a different kind of romantic comedy

Kate Boyle
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Movie Review: ‘Isn’t It Romantic’ is fun, ridiculous and a different kind of romantic comedy

Director: Todd Strauss-Schulson
Writers: Erin Cardillo, Dana Fox, Katie Silberman
Stars: Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, Adam Devine, Priyanka Chopra

Synopsis: A young woman disenchanted with love mysteriously finds herself trapped inside a romantic comedy.

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I’ve said before that I’m not a huge fan of romantic comedies, so normally I wouldn’t run to a theater to see one. I am however, a huge fan of Rebel Wilson so I couldn’t pass up seeing her star in a rom-com while making fun of other rom-coms. Isn’t It Romantic was super fun, hilarious, and just an overall enjoyable movie that lived up to the trailers.

Isn’t It Romantic is about Natalie (played by Rebel Wilson) and her head injury induced journey into the land of romantic comedies. She hates rom-coms, she’s oblivious to flirting or romantic gestures around her, and doesn’t have the best opinion of herself. After getting mugged and knocking herself unconscious, she wakes up in a suspiciously nice emergency room with a suspiciously attractive doctor (played by Lucifer’s Tom Ellis). She runs off to discover the world is better looking, better smelling, she can’t use certain swear words without being interrupted by loud noises, and everyone is weirdly nice to her. She realizes she’s stuck in a PG-13 romantic comedy and in true Rebel Wilson fashion, she isn’t having any of it, saying “it’s like the matrix for lonely women”. Natalie spends the rest of the movie trying to get back to her “normal” life while taking any chance she can get to point out that everything is ridiculous and that romantic comedy stereotypes are lame.

One of my favorite things about this movie was how relatable it is. While Rebel Wilson’s style of comedy may not be for everyone, I think she’s very funny. Wilson finally has a chance to shine in a leading role and I think she easily carries the film. This movie was a great first starring role for her to show off all her go-to humor- physical comedy, snarky comments, and self-deprecation. I spent most of the film laughing because I feel like I would be acting the same way if my life suddenly turned into a cliché rom-com. The supporting cast was also great. Adam Devine is the best friend and loveable coworker Josh. I love Rebel Wilson and Adam Levine together. They were funny as background characters in Pitch Perfect, and I think they are perfectly capable in starring roles. Liam Hemsworth was also funny, he plays Blake, the stereotypical rom-com male lead. Priyanka Chopra, Brandon Scott Jones and Betty Gilpin also give good supporting performances.

Isn’t It Romantic spends most of its 88 minutes poking fun at itself and other rom-coms. It’s filled with references to popular movies from the genre, even using some famous quotes and memorable scenes. There are many campy jokes that in any other movie (without Rebel Wilson to question them) would be too much. For example, a good-looking police officer’s last name is “Hansom”, and birds fly in heart-shaped formations. There are even a few musical numbers, a karaoke bar scene being my favorite.

The only negative comments I have about the film is it does suffer from “lots of the funny bits were in the trailers” but there were enough that were not in them that I didn’t mind. It was also a little predictable at times.

Isn’t It Romantic is a fun, ridiculous, and different kind of romantic comedy. It made me laugh almost the entire time, it has a great cast, and it didn’t have that cliché format that many movies in that genre gear towards. I highly recommend it to anyone that’s a fan of Rebel Wilson and/or is in need of a good laugh.

Overall Grade: B+

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Movie Review: ‘High Flying Bird’ is flashy fun with acute perception

Aaron Charles
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Movie Review: ‘High Flying Bird’ is flashy fun with acute perception

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writers: Tarell Alvin McCraney
Stars: André Holland, Melvin Gregg, Zazie Beetz, Bill Duke

Synopsis: A sports agent pitches a rookie basketball client on an intriguing and controversial business opportunity during a lockout.

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There are few relationships as paradoxical as that between star athletes and the fans that follow them. On the one hand, fans feel that they have an intense connection with these players they adore. On the other, fans have absolutely no idea what the real life of an athlete is like in the slightest.

One of the great triumphs of Steven Soderbergh’s Netflix film High Flying Bird is that it connects its story palpably to the real-life drama that is the life of an NBA star. Its perception into the inner workings of NBA contractual dealings unearths some healthy fodder for the investigative eye that is Tarell Alvin McCraney’s screenplay. Fresh off his Academy Award for penning Moonlight, McCraney stealthily unveils the darkness that resides in the board rooms of NBA offices.

To bring this story to life, Soderbergh utilizes his unique visual flair and active camerawork in support of the flashy characters that dash across the screen. Foremost among them is Ray Burke (Andre Holland), a star agent to some of the game’s best players. Holland also worked with McCraney on Moonlight, and his performance here continues his trend of fine work. As the agent to the most recent #1 draft pick, Erick Scott (Melvin Gregg), his life should be just fine. That is, except for the fact that the NBA is in the midst of a bitter lockout.

The entire cast is fantastic. There’s Zazie Beetz as Sam, Ray’s assistant and Erick’s love interest. Bill Duke brings gravitas to his role as Spence, a coach in a local youth league with his own history of dealings with the NBA. Sonja Sohn is fantastic as the representative for the Player’s Association, and Kyle Maclachlan gives a wonderful supporting turn as one of the team owners.

Even that term “owner” brings about some dark connotations. In fact, the film makes multiple references to slavery throughout its runtime, making those dark connotations impossible to miss. This film will force you to consider the validity in uber-talented players signing over their likenesses and skill sets and only having access to a fraction of the profits that come from them. Here again is where I’ll revert to that paradoxical relationship between fan and player. Most fans wouldn’t shed too many tears for players that are making such large sums of money. But, then again, not all the players are making what the well-known stars make. And, even so, compared to what they could make if the share of revenues were more equitable, it starts to seem much smaller.

Another fantastic choice is to intercut the film’s narrative with actual interviews of real-life NBA stars Karl Anthony-Towns, Reggie Jackson, and Donovan Mitchell. This gives weight to what the film is saying and never lets it feel too far removed from reality.

While the film may not be quite as fun as Soderbergh heist classics like Ocean’s Eleven, it utilizes similar flair to serve its story. It is flashy, stylish, and perceptive; it may also get you thinking far more than you ever have about the livelihood of budding NBA stars and the Machiavellian businessmen who use them to prop up their sport. Roger Ebert famously called movies “empathy machines” and Soderbergh and McCraney utilize that gift of cinema here to fantastic ends.

Overall Grade: B

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Hear our podcast review on Episode 313:

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List: Top 3 Non-Athlete Characters in Sports Movies

JD Duran
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List: Top 3 Non-Athlete Characters in Sports Movies

This week on Episode 313 of the InSession Film Podcast, inspired by High Flying Bird where a sports agent attempts to figure out how to solve an NBA lockout, we thought it would be fun to look at sports movies in a similar way by discussing the best non-athlete characters that make the genre as alluring. They are just as memorable as the players themselves despite less screen time. Anyone whose seen Major League will have no problem remembering “juuuuusssstt a bit out” from the great Harry Doyle. So, this was a really fun topic to explore, and hopefully that comes through in our discussion. That said, here are our lists:

(Note: Please keep in mind that we each had different criteria for our selections)

JD

1) Paddy Conlon – Warrior
2) Ray Kinsella – Field of Dreams
3) Coach Herman Boone / Coach Bill Yoast – Remember the Titans

Ryan

1) Billy Beane – Moneyball
2) Paddy Conlon – Warrior
3) Annie Savoy – Bull Durham

Vern

1) Rocky – Creed
2) Cassidy – The Wrestler
3) Brooke Cavendar – Whip It

Honorable Mentions (Combined)

Dickey Eklund – The Fighter
Ivan Drago – Creed II
Harry Doyle – Major League
Charlene Felming – The Fighter
Jimmy Dugan – A League of Their Own
Jerry Maguire – Jerry Maguire
Paulie / Mickey – Rocky
Sheryl Yoast – Remember the Titans
Gordon Bombay – The Mighty Ducks
LaVona – I, Tonya
Frankie Dunn – Million Dollar Baby
Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris – Million Dollar Baby
Bailey Pruitt – Mystery Alaska
Jack Lengyel – We are Marshall
Herb Brooks – Miracle
Jake Shuttleworth – He Got Game
Brian Clough – The Damned United
Chubbs – Happy Gilmore
Lou Brown – Major League
Leslie Wright – Just Right
Joe Gould – Cinderella Man
Tom Smith – Seabiscuit
Charles Howard – Seabiscuit
Tony D’Amato – Every Given Sunday
Gene Hackman – The Replacements
Gene Hackman – Hoosiers
Patches O’Houlihan – Dodgeball
Charles Bilingsley – Friday Night Lights
Billy Bob Thorton – Bad News Bears

Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists and if you agree or disagree with us, let us know in the comment section below. There are many, many non-athlete characters in these films and there’s a good chance that we missed out on a few selections that could make your list. That being said, what would be your Top 3? Leave a comment in the comment section or email us at [email protected].

For the entire podcast, click here or listen below.

For more lists done by the InSession Film crew and other guests, be sure see our Top 3 Movie Lists page.

Podcast: High Flying Bird / Top 3 Non-Athlete Characters in Sports Movies – Episode 313

JD Duran
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0
Podcast: High Flying Bird / Top 3 Non-Athlete Characters in Sports Movies – Episode 313

This week’s episode is brought to you by the InSession Film Store. Get your IF gear today!

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, The Vern from Cinema Recall joins us as we review Steven Soderbergh’s latest film High Flying Bird, which is available now on Netflix. We also discuss our Top 3 non-athlete characters in sports movies and JD gives a few predictions for the Oscars that will be airing this Sunday. Finally, we offer some brief thoughts on the James Cameron-produced Alita: Battle Angel that hit theaters over the weekend.

Big thanks to Vern for joining us once again, he’s always a pleasure to have on the show and this time was no different. We had a lot of fun talking Soderbergh, the Oscars, whatever Alita was supposed to be and sports movie characters. A full show, and because it’s JD and Ryan together, it was a long show – but hopefully one you enjoy as much as we did.

That said, check out this week’s show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!

– Movie Review: High Flying Bird (6:28)
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writers: Tarell Alvin McCraney
Stars: André Holland, Melvin Gregg, Zazie Beetz, Bill Duke

– Notes / Alita: Battle Angel / Oscar Predictions (49:44)
Originally Vern was scheduled to join us to discuss Alita, and while we thought High Flying Bird would garner a deeper discussion, we still wanted to honor Vern’s request to talk about Alita. So, we did offer a few thoughts on its potential and major flaws. JD also wanted to give a few Oscar predictions as we lead into the 91st Academy Awards coming this weekend.

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RELATED: Listen to Episode 308 of the InSession Film Podcast where we discussed our Top 10 Movies of 2018!

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– Top 3 Non-Athlete Characters in Sports Movies (1:23:12)
Inspired by High Flying Bird, which focuses mostly on a sports agent trying to figure out to solve an NBA lockout, we thought it would be fun to look at sports movies in a similar way by discussing the best non-athlete characters that make the genre as alluring. They are just as memorable as the players themselves despite less screen time. Anyone whose seen Major League will have no problem remembering “juuuuusssstt a bit out” from the great Harry Doyle. So, this was a really fun topic to explore, and hopefully that comes through in our discussion. That said, what would be your Top 3?

Top 3 Sponsor: First Time Watchers Podcast

– Music

Runnin’ – Mike WiLL Made-It, A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, Nicki Minaj
High Flyin’ Bird – Richie Havens
Love And Happiness – Al Green
The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

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InSession Film Podcast – Episode 313

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Next week on the show:

Main Review: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Top 3: TBD

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