TheNorm's Top 5 Most Rewatchable Movies

 

    Timeless; a word used to describe some of the movies that endure and revive themselves for generations. Everyone has at least one film in their collection to put on and enjoy any time of the year. Rather it's a childhood classic or recently discovered treasure, some movies will never lose their audience. While some people's criteria for what constitutes a rewatchable movie will likely differ from others, I think the one universal trait they all share is a sense of wonder you don't see in many other places. 

    Recently, I've been looking over my own collection of movies I've watched over and over again for as long as I can remember. After careful deliberation, I think I've found the ones that I can enjoy the most, either on my own or with family and friends. 

    It's TheNorm's top 5 most rewatchable movies. 

#5 

Star Wars (1977) 

    Before becoming a pop culture icon, the original Star Wars from 1977 was nothing more than a small passion project made by some bearded nerd with a camera. No one believed it would amount to anything, let alone becoming the catalyst for an entire aspect of nerd culture. Yet, here we are, almost forty-five years later, and it has remained one of the most inspirational stories of all time: both for narrative storytelling and for following your dreams as a creative. 

    Inspired by the works of renowned Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa, writer/director George Lucas poured his heart and spirit into every aspect of this story despite all of the obstacles thrown his way: he left the DGA (Directors Guild of America), paid for most of the special effects out of his own pocket, and the film itself was practically saved in the editing bay by his then-wife, Marcia Lucas. "The little film that could" made it across the finish line and has touched countless hearts and minds ever since. 

#4 

The Mask of Zorro (1998)

    I consider the year 1998 to be the last year for spectacular cinema. Since then, very few films have retained the necessary balance between visual flare and competent writing seen in The Mask of Zorro. Far too often nowadays, the writing of a film is overlooked in favor of massive spectacle with no substance, causing many to believe (falsely) that one must be traded for the other and cannot coexist. The Mask of Zorro, and many other films like it, prove otherwise! 

    The writing is clever, witty, structurally strong, and provides a satisfying tale of justice and growth with three-dimensional characters and iconic dialogue. Accompanied by amazing action scenes with masterful set-piece swordfights, not to mention the right amount of sexiness without coming off as sleazy, The Mask of Zorro is a film for just about everyone. 

    If you need a visual example of how awesome this film is, look no further than this brief moment taken from the final battle, using no CGI, special effects, or trick photography. What you see is what was captured on camera. 

#3 

Black Panther (2018) 

    In addition to becoming a household name in superhero cinema, Marvel Studios has earned a reputation for successfully taking risks with their projects, the kind that most other Hollywood executives wouldn't even consider for any reason. Despite being owned by Disney, arguably the biggest @$$#013 in the cinema business, Marvel reached a new level of cultural importance with Black Panther. 

    While it may not be the first nor only successful superhero film to star a black hero (that distinction goes to Blade respectfully), nor one of the first superhero films created by black artists with a story commentating on the black condition (that distinction goes to The Meteor Man respectfully), Black Panther earns its place as one of the most important and inspiring works of cinema. 

    Not only that, it's the most rewatchable film of Marvel's entire lineup! 

    Poetically written, masterfully directed, superbly performed (especially by Michael B. Jordon and the late Chadwick Boseman), visually gorgeous, and stunningly action-packed, all in service to a message about people and society that must not be ignored. Of all the films produced by Marvel Studios, Black Panther remains one of my closest favorites and one of the few in their roster I could rewatch forever. 

#2 

Back to the Future (1985) 

    Director Robert Zemeckis has built his career on creating wonderful achievements in special effects and storytelling. However, none of his achievements have ever matched the incredible and entertaining spectacle known as Back to the Future. 

    Of the many things Zemeckis has accomplished over the years: combining hand-drawn animation with live-action photography in Who Framed Roger Rabit, inserting Tom Hanks into various moments of American history in Forest Gump, and piquing our curiosity about the possibility of life outside our solar system with Contact, the ever-enduring story of a boy trying to save his family and find his way back home, all while driving a nuclear powered Delorean, will always remain his most endearing and treasured achievements. 

    Everything from the stunning performances (especially Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown), the iconic lines of dialogue, the hand-made special effects, and especially the time machine itself, are all capable of leaving a lasting impression on filmmakers, storytellers, and audiences alike. Walk into a crowded place and yell out the phrase "Great Scott!" aloud, and I guarantee you at least one person in the crowd will know what you're talking about and will likely become your new friend. 

    But probably not as much as this one will. 

#1 

The Princess Bride (1987) 

    What can I say about this film that hasn't already been said a million times over by fans, critics, cinephiles, filmmakers, and those involved with the production? 

    The Princess Bride is, quite literally, the only film in existence that has reached a level of immortality that no other movie could ever dream of obtaining. It may very well be the only film in existence to have total universal appeal. The witty writing, the convicted performances, the well-timed jokes, the dazzling swordfights, the iconic production design, and, of course, the quotable lines of dialogue any human being worth their salt will remember. 

    If somehow you still haven't seen this film, you need to rectify that immediately. As in, stop reading this and go watch it right now! Stream it on Disney+, rent it from Amazon, buy the 4K BluRay from Germany, or borrow a copy from a friend. In whatever way you can get this film in front of your eyeballs within the next ten minutes, do so post-haste! Then, if you feel so inclined, check out the book As You Wish by the film's star Cary Elwes; it's an inconceivable read! 

    

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Sweet Girl - Admerible But A Bit Too Flawed

 

Stream it on Netflix. 

    Sweet Girl is the kind of film you want so much to like but ultimately have too many problems with, making it impossible to enjoy entirely. While the action, some of the performances, and the well-intended message of the need for universal health care in America are all appreciated and decently presented, the film gets bogged down by a few creative decisions that didn’t make much sense to me. Not because I didn’t understand them; they didn’t feel as clever as the filmmakers thought they’d be. 

    The story follows Ray Cooper (Jason Momoa), who lost his wife to cancer that might have been treated with an experimental drug, had the giant pharmaceutical company not pulled it from final testing for profit reasons. Sometime later, Ray, along with his young daughter Rachel (Isabela Merced), are living their lives as best they can despite their tragic loss. However, sometime later, they discover a terrible conspiracy huge enough to warrant sending contract killers after Ray and Rachel. Now, the father/daughter team must solve the mystery and expose the conspiracy before it’s too late. 

    The film presents itself as a standard revenge-driven thriller with a bit of social commentary for good measure, and that is the aptest description of the movie. However, about halfway through the film, there is a significant plot twist (which I will not spoil here) that suddenly and unintentionally feels like it invalidates most of the story. It’s the kind of twist that seems clever at first until you stop to think about some of the non-narrative-related implications it raises. Let me put it this way: if they felt as though they needed Jason Momoa’s star power to make the movie work, they should have utilized him differently. 

    Despite this nearly show-stopping issue, the film still retains some entertaining and relevant aspects. Jason Momoa brings on his usual entertaining charisma, which is always fun to enjoy. The action scenes, when they’re photographed and edited well, are thoughtfully choreographed and executed with precision. And, of course, the much-appreciated message about the necessity for single-payer healthcare in the USA is a message that cannot be said often and loud enough. 

    I cannot say that Sweet Girl is a great film, nor can I proclaim it Jason Momoa’s best work, but it’s a reasonably decent middle-of-the-road kind of movie that seems right at home on Netflix. Check it out only if you’re curious, and there’s nothing else interesting to watch just yet. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Retro Review - Six-String Samurai (1998) or Mellow Mad Max Makes Music and Mayhem in the Matrix

 

    "So imagine if David Lynch had the flu, and he had a really wacked-out fever dream, and when he woke up before he could write it out as a screenplay, he had a stroke. So he explained his idea to John Waters, who then produced and shot the film frame-for-frame as stroke-addled Lynch described it. And then it was edited by a middle-schooler on meth."

-Dana Morgan 

    The quote you just read is word-for-word how my good friend, Dana Morgan, described this strange and surreal film after we witnessed it together for the first time, and it's more or less the best way to describe Six-String Samurai; a film that is so unbelievably strange, seemingly random, and yet so bafflingly well put together, that I can't help but wonder if this is the first film in existence that only makes sense if you're under the influence. Many people claim that David Lynch's or Terry Gilliam's films are "better when watched drunk or high." However, I'd argue that even their films still have an enjoyable amount of entertainment value when viewed sober. 

    Director Lance Mungia's Six-String Samurai, on the other hand, is a completely different situation entirely! 

    So, the basic plot (for lack of a better term) is an alternate future where nuclear war happened in the 1950s, creating a total wasteland worldwide. Fast forward forty years later, those who survived have resorted to a Mad-Max style of living with eccentric characters and over-the-top themed gangs coupled with various flavors of insanity, including but not limited to dangerous levels of denial. Our "hero" is a man named Buddy (likely a reference to Buddy Holly) who is on his way to "Lost Vegas," where (and this is where things get even stranger) the city needs a new king and can only be crowned if they can prove themselves in the ways of Rock & Roll. Along the way, Buddy reluctantly picks up an annoying kid sidekick simply known as The Kid (more on him later) and encounters other would-be rockers trying to reach Lost Vegas for their shot at the throne. Not to mention one rocker in particular on everyone's tail known as Death. 

    Oh, and everyone's instrument has a sword or some kind of bladed weapon, and everyone knows martial arts, and no one gets sunburned despite being outside all day. 

    Six-String Samurai feels like the kind of movie that relies on symbolism and dream logic for the best possible entertainment value. That's not to say that the film is bad; it's just that it's a sudden surprise from what you might have expected. On the surface, the film sounds like a fun and imaginative martial arts action film with a decent amount of legal insanity for good measure (which it is in some ways). It's not until you actually sit down to watch the film do you realize its genuine nature, a strange and seemingly incomprehensible art house picture that becomes increasingly absurd as it progresses. It's like watching a Loony Toons cartoon while you unknowingly sip your drink that your friend laced with a mild dose of LSD. 

    I can speculate that the best possible explanation for the film's nature is that it's possibly intended as an art-house tribute to Rock & Roll. Many of the characters and locations feel reminiscent of various subgenres of rock music. There's classic rock, heavy metal, alternative, punk, and so on. This might also explain why the film's score never seems to stop. Seriously, the music in this film is perpetually playing and at a constant high energy level. Even in moments that might typically call for a slower & quieter soundtrack, the music never lets up. This can get a little annoying at times, but not as much as the little kid (again, more on him in a moment). 

    While I can't say that this film was bad, I don't deny that I certainly didn't quite understand it entirely. Even so, there are at least a few aspects of the film I wholeheartedly enjoyed. 

The Cinematography

    Photographed by Kristian Bernier, Six-String Samurai boasts some of the most gorgeous shots and lighting styles I have seen in a film. His use of natural un-stylized color adds realism to the images making everything feel a bit more plausible than it otherwise might have been. Because the film was likely predominantly lit by the sun, the film retains a deep focus style which I tend to prefer. There are also some beautiful shots involving water and shadows that genuinely blew me away. Visually, the film is a winner in my book. 

The Fight Scenes

    You can't reference some kind of fighting style in the title of your film and not feature at least one decent fight scene showcasing it. It's worth noting that Jeffery Falcon (who played Buddy and co-wrote the film) did all of his own stunts and fight scenes. No wires or special effects of any kind were used in the staging or creation of the fights. 

The Production Design

    The sets, the costumes, and the props all look gorgeously detailed and meticulously crafted. Everything in the film looks exactly how it likely should for the world of the story. There are so many fascinating pieces of craftsmanship in this film; many of them deserve a place in a movie museum, especially Buddy's Gibson guitar & sword combo. That's the kind of prop that legends are made of. 

    While the film is fascinating to observe and, in some ways, enjoy, at least one aspect of it constantly drove me nuts: the kid. 

    Imagine my surprise and disappointment when it became apparent that the kid would remain by Buddy's side throughout the entire film. Probably the most annoying aspect of this kid is this terrible grunting yell he makes every five minutes. It's not as awful as nails on a chalkboard, but it's damn close! This child character is so annoying, useless, and aggravating that I was constantly waiting for the little bugger to leave the story entirely. But alas, he never does. I'm not sure what purpose this character is meant to serve outside of a reference to the classic Japanese story, Lonewolf & Cub. The story of a Samurai traveling with a child, likely the primary inspiration for the film. 

    Six-String Samurai is an unusual film in most of the right ways. I can't say that I was expecting it to be this strange and surreal, but I am glad to own a copy of it in glorious 4K. Perhaps I'll have to revisit the film after a few cocktails for a brand new experience. Don't worry, I'll do so responsibly. I encourage you to do the same should you decide to check this one out. It just might enhance the experience. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Reminiscence - The Phillip K. Dick Story That Never Was

 

If you can do so safely, see it in theaters. Though I don't recommend it for this one.  

or 

Stream it on HBO Max through September 19.

    Film Noir is at its best when the story is deliberately paced and the audience is contentedly patient. The former can be easy to accomplish with the right people at the helm, while the latter is often challenging, especially in the age of the internet. With modern expectations of quick gratification coupled with narrative handholding, modern audiences find it difficult to justify enjoying works of art that demand patience. It's rare these days to see new media works that understand the importance of patience and the know-how to keep you engaged. 

    Today's subject, Reminiscence, is a modern Film Noir that mostly accomplishes its necessary goals and still comes out as a fascinating piece, despite a few flaws that might have otherwise caused me to disregard the film entirely. However, its redeeming factors are enough to make it worthy of your attention, if only for once.  

    Set in a future where the world is flooded, turning most (if not all) coastal cities into Venice, the story follows Nick Bannister (Hugh Jackman), a former military interrogator now turned private detective. In this future, memories can be digitally observed, recorded, and relived through an advanced Matrix-like computer system known as The Reminiscence. Nick and his partner Emily (Thandiwe Newton) make a living selling time inside the machine to those who want to relive some of their better memories. Things seem stable until a mysterious woman named Mae (Rebecca Ferguson) enters Nick's life, becoming his new client, and eventually, his lover. After a few months of dating, Mae suddenly vanishes without a trace. Now, desperate to find her, Nick starts using The Reminiscence on himself, something he usually knows better to do for fear of addiction to nostalgia. As Nick searches his memories for answers, he soon discovers a greater mystery at hand, one that will lead him back to Mae but also to something he may not want to learn. 

    Right off the bat, there are tons of reminders and callbacks to similar stories. Blade Runner, The Matrix, Inception, and nearly every pulp novel starring a grizzled detective, to name a few. This likely caused many audiences and other critics to dismiss the film as unoriginal or plagiarist. However, in my experience, not only is "originality" incredibly overrated, it's not really possible. The hard & fast truth about fiction is that everything is, in some way, a remix of what came before. Genuine originality doesn't come from doing something entirely new; it comes from taking something familiar and presenting it in a different style or interpretation. It's like reupholstering a piece of furniture: it's still the same piece, but it's got a fresh covering, thereby changing things up a bit. Reminiscence is the same situation. It may not be entirely original, but it wears its influences on its sleeve with pride. 

    The cast is remarkable. Hugh Jackman delivers his usual emotionally driven performance that continues to make you wonder why he hasn't received an Oscar yet. Rebecca Ferguson not only shines as the classic Fem Fatale but also gets to showcase her remarkable singing talents. She's got pipes! Also, Thandiwe Newton gets an opportunity to shine as a total bad-ass. It feels as if part of the movie's goal was to give everyone in the cast the opportunity to play with their genuine talents, and they all shine through. 

    The production design is where the film shines brightest. Everything from the sets to the special effects succeeds in creating what a flooded world (likely due to climate change) might actually be like. Any production working with tons of water in any way is often a challenge, and Reminiscence earns many bonus points for pulling it off. 

    While I will gladly continue to sing the praises of this film when given the opportunity, I don't deny that it's not without its flaws. 

    There are moments when the writing can feel a bit unpolished: some of the dialogue comes off as a bit childish, certain plot points don't seem to make much sense, and the protagonist could have done with a few more sympathetic qualities. While these elements might have otherwise caused me to dismiss the film entirely, they are in keeping with the Film Noir tradition, thus are easier to overlook and, in some areas, forgive. By nature, Film Noir is dark, moody, and difficult to swallow at times. It's not a genre where conventional narrative expectations can survive. 

    Reminiscence is likely destined to become the most underrated film of 2021. It may not be what people might have expected or wanted, but it is a genuinely better film than I've seen most other critics and audiences have proclaimed thus far. While I agree that it may not be worth the price of theater admission, it is still worthy of your time and patience. This is a brand new example of the phrase "they don't make 'em like they used to." 

    Check it out. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Out of Time - Admirable if Flawed Home-Made Cinema

 

Stream it or rent it on Amazon Prime. 

    Amazon has proven time and time again how little they seem to care about the quality of their entertainment content, which can be both a benefit and a problem. On the one hand, they allow terrible & vapid works like The Green Misty Sky, labeled by some as the worst animated film ever made that is nowhere near worthy of the five dollars they charge for the purchase. But on the other hand, you also get genuine gems like Cosmos, a wonderful and inspiring (albeit slightly flawed) work of art that is absolutely worthy of your time and money. The truth is that Amazon (among a few other platforms) has become the modern-day equivalent of the tiny hole-in-the-wall independently owned movie theater where anyone with a story to tell can have an outlet to show off their work. Again, it's a benefit or a problem depending on the movie itself. 

    Today's subject, Out of Time, is an admirable (albeit flawed in some areas) micro-budget piece of sci-fi cinema that is indeed my jam. Had certain elements been polished just a little bit, I might have enjoyed it significantly more than I did. Even so, as it stands, It's a worthy piece of curiosity that clearly had a better deal of passion and love put into it than most other films of its caliber. 

    The story follows Special Agent Cooper (Blake Boyd), part of the security team for a secret research base outside of Los Angeles in the 1950s. They are studying a group of extra-terrestrials who intend to invade and conquer, if not destroy, the Earth. As part of the Aliens' escape plan, they open an experimental time portal and find themselves in modern-day LA. Cooper follows them and enlists a local detective named Lisa (Nadège August) to help him find them before they call for reinforcements. On top of that, Cooper begins to feel the repercussions of prolonged-time travel and must find the Aliens soon before his molecules go bananas, or worse. 

    This film is commendable in many ways and for good reasons. Aside from the general challenges faced when making a movie of any kind (mostly money), the makers of this film succeed in creating a whole lot with very little. It has a fun, and interesting story, two main characters who feel real & sympathetic, and just the right amount of quality put into the special effects. Even the overall visual style retains a kind of "home-made" feel that I genuinely love and would like to see more of. It is a film that mostly knows its strengths and succeeds in placing most of its eggs in the right basket. 

    Now, I say "most" because, as much as I want to give this film a complete passing grade, it's not without its flaws that I can't help but feel could have been ironed out a bit better. 

    There are times when the acting is too wooden and stiff, either due to poor direction or lack of range. Large chunks of the script feel rushed and improperly polished, and the lighting is often too bright (at least for my taste) and seems to lack texture. None of these things are dealbreakers; they're just areas I feel could have benefited from a bit more time and work. 

    Out of Time is a pleasant reminder of why independent cinema is more important now than it ever has been before. With the inevitable implosion of the Hollywood system inching closer every day, it will fall onto people like writer/director Matt Handy to pick up the pieces and provide better quality entertainment for us all. Independent cinema is far from dead; it's just been relocated and needs our help if it's ever going to survive and improve.

    Check this one out. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

TheNorm's Top 5 James Bond Theme Songs/Opening Sequences

 

    The James Bond series had enjoyed many ups and downs over its nearly sixty-year run on the big screen. With films ranging from classic to not-so-classic to "what the hell were you thinking?", 007 will always have a special place in the cinema. While I have determined my favorites over the years (mostly the ones starring the late Sir Sean Connery and Daniel Craig), one universal aspect to a Bond film that deserves just as much attention: the opening title sequence and its song. 

    Even when a Bond film is less-than-stellar (to put it mildly), it might get some redeeming value with an awesome title sequence and a kick-ass song to boot. I have for several years contemplated this aspect of Bond films from many perspectives and have determined the ones I find best suited for a good martini, shaken, not stirred. 

    This is TheNorm's Top 5 James Bond Title Sequences & Theme Songs. 

#5 

The World is Not Enough

Performed by Garbage 

    Yes, your eyes do not deceive you; a James Bond theme song is performed by a band named Garbage. The most ironic aspect of this strange paring is the song, at least to me, is pretty good. 

    I enjoy the overall sound and attitude of the song. It's arguably from the perspective of the twist villain in the film, which I find fairly clever, and it makes wonderful use of orchestral instruments to create a classical yet modern feel. The lyrics might not be the best, but they're fine enough for this kind of song. 

    The opening sequence that accompanies the song is pretty clever. It has a fun use of 60s era tye-dye colors along with some clever oil-based tableaus. 

    The song may be in service to one of Bond's less memorable adventures, but at least it's a decent intro that performs its job adequately. Plus, it's nice to listen to on its own. 

#4 

Thunderball 

Performed by Tom Jones 

    While Goldfinger and From Russia with Love will remain some of the highlights of Sir Sean Connery's run as Agent 007, Thunderball remains my favorite of them; both the film itself and its theme song. Admittedly, the opening sequence that accompanies the song is not quite as visually striking or as memorable as others, mostly due to how repetitive it is. However, at least it still pertains to what can be expected from the film. 

    Tom Jones' voice is genuinely stunning and has a sense of power that matches the feeling of being a cool secret agent. Fun fact, apparently, when recording the song, Tom Jones had no idea what it was all about. Even so, you likely would not have even suspected upon hearing it. That's another surprise talent of Tom Jones; he can put conviction and presence into a song without even realizing it. 

#3 

The Man With The Golden Gun 

Performed by Lulu 

    While the movie has a stunning performance from the late Christopher Lee as the titular villain, there is no denying that the movie's theme song is the real star of the show. It's catchy, cleverly lyrical, and has some of the best sick guitar riffs in a Bond theme song. Not to mention Lulu's voice is clear, in tune, and unusually creative, especially whenever she mentions The Golden Gun itself. 

    The title sequence for this song may not be as versatile as others, but it still retains some clever visuals. It also gains some bonus points for a well-timed surprise in the middle. If you've seen the movie, you might know what I'm talking about. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out. It's one of the more "good cheese" Bond films. 

#2 

Goldeneye 

Performed by Tina Turner 

    Goldeneye has a reputation of being one of the best Bond films ever, and for many good reasons: it was the first (and arguably best) Bond film to star Pierce Brosnan in the lead role, it helped solidity Martin Campbell as a director who knows how to revitalize classic properties (most of the time), it spawned one of the best tie-in video games ever made, and it was the first "original" Bond film, as in not directly based on any of Ian Fleming's novels. Also, needless to say, it has one of the best theme songs and title sequences ever. 

    The song feels sleek, sexy, and mischievous. It cleverly hints at what the film's story is about with mentions of revenge and "superior cleverness." Tina Turner carries the song with a cool sense of attitude that only she can deliver. Listening to her hit some of the high notes makes the song all the more awesome. 

    Speaking of awesome, the title sequences perfectly accompanies the song. While it features the traditional exotic dancing women (a tradition of Bond title sequences), it takes everything a step further by providing vivid and highly symbolic imagery. Everything shown in the title sequence has some kind of double meaning or surprise perception. What starts out looking like skyscrapers suddenly reveals to be guns, or a seemingly innocent woman is revealed to be two-faced and has a darker side. All of the images succeed in providing clues as to the story without being too obvious. It's a fun and energetic opening worthy of a great Bond film. 

#1 

You Know My Name 

From Casino Royale (2006) 

Performed by Chris Cornell

    Not only is this my favorite Bond film with Daniel Craig in the lead role, not only is it the second time director Martain Campbell successfully revitalized the Bond franchise, and not only does this have some of the best writing ever utilized for a Bond film, but it may very well be my absolute favorite theme song and title sequence to boot. From the moment the song begins with a clever new spin on the iconic image of Bond firing down the barrel of his would-be killer's gun, and that unbelievably awesome guitar riff hits the speakers, I knew that I was in for a wild ride with this movie! 

    The title sequence looks amazing. It's a perfect blend of classic 60s style animation with modern techniques. The incorporation of playing cards aesthetics, such as flying bullets shaped like spades, is cleverly implemented. It's a title sequence that promises great action and cool storytelling all in one package. 

    As performed by Chris Cornell, the song is a wonderful capsulation of how this iteration of Bond will go down. A darker and somewhat grounded version that is conflicted with what kind of agent he will ultimately become, as evidenced by lyrics like: 

"If you take a life, do you know what you'll give? 

Odds are you won't like what it is." 

    This was the heavy dose of rock & roll that Bond needed at the time. It was a huge surge of enjoyable energy then, and it still holds up today. While I must admit that I am now a bit tired of the studio continuing to force Daniel Craig to remain in the role (especially when someone like Idris Elba has earned his fair shot at the role many times over), Casino Royale will forever remain my favorite of his Bond films. 

    In case you're wondering, Skyfall is my second favorite, primarily for Roger Deakins and his ever-gorgeous cinematography. 

    There you have it, my wonderful readers. If you'd like to hear these songs and see their title sequences, you can find links to their videos on YouTube below. 

Ladies & gentlemen, the name's Norm...TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

The World is Not Enough 

Thunderball 

The Man with The Golden Gun 

Goldeneye 

You Know My Name 

The Suicide Squad - Dark Done Diligently

 

If you can do so safely, see it in theaters. 

or 

Stream it on HBO Max through September 5th. 

    Some of my wonderful readers may recall my discussion on the overuse of dark & gritty tones and styles in cinema. More often than not, many blockbuster movies with superhero-oriented stories and themes (Marvel Studios productions notwithstanding) will shoehorn in a darker and more disturbing tone, along with disturbing thematic elements & characters, merely because they're cool, edgy, and in some circles "different" than what may be expected. While some films have successfully utilized this phenomenon to surprisingly stunning effects (Kick-Ass and James Gunn's earlier film Super come to mind), most modern superhero movies not produced by Marvel tend to suffer from the "I'm dark so I'm automatically cool & profitible" mentality of cinema. 

    Today's subject, The Suicide Squad, is a film that takes all the dark & gritty elements normally associated with a depressing & dreary storyline and turns it on its head! It is arguably just as dark and gritty as any issue of Image Comics from the 90s; however, it has two essential (and often overlooked) ingredients that make it better: moments of levity and an appreciation for the absurd. The Suicide Squad is a film that knows how ridiculous it is, but instead of hiding its silliness or being ashamed of it, the film embraces it all and has a blast! It may not be the kind of party everyone can enjoy, but it's still a party nonetheless. 

    Inspired by the DC comic book series popularized by John Ostrander, the story follows an elite team banded together by the C.I.A. known as The Suicide Squad: a group of supervillains and anti-heroes called into dangerous secret missions in exchange for reduced prison time. This motley crew of characters is sent to an isolated Latin-American nation recently taken over in a coup d'état lead by a psychopathic general. The C.I.A. wants the dictator taken down before any potential threats against the United States are raised. As The Suicide Squad makes their way into the city, they stumble upon a rebel group aiming to retake the government and restore democracy. With their goals somewhat aligned, they join forces. However, unbeknownst to any of them, a greater threat looms over them and will lead to a terrible secret. The only question is, what will they do after discovering the truth? 

    This movie is an absolute blast! While it may not be as enjoyable for those who are not as familiar with some of the obscure characters used in the film or are less enthusiastic about comic book movies than others, there is still a ton of super entertainment value in this modern gem. 

    The characters, despite being supervillains, retain a sense of relatable humanity and feature empathetic backgrounds that make them more interesting and sympathetic than they might be otherwise. While some characters become less likable than others as the story progresses, the vast majority of them are entertaining as hell and succeed in making you care. The film also provides satisfying character arcs for everyone in the cast, even the less sympathetic ones.

    The cast is remarkable all around! Everyone is performing their hearts out with incredible enthusiasm and conviction. Idris Elba and John Cena have surprisingly great chemistry, and their usual charm shines through in every scene. Although the MVP award must go to two performers in particular: Sylvester Stallone for playing the most adorable yet deadly Shark/Human hybrid and Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2 for making me find Rats cute; a feat previously and exclusively held by my favorite PIXAR film, Ratatouille.  

    The action is fantastic. While the violence is graphic, it rarely ever reaches Starship Troopers levels of gore. Despite having scenes that might not look out of place in a slasher film, there is a surprising and much-appreciated level of class and taste applied to it all. It's not graphic for the sake of being graphic; there is a justification for its choice of style, and it works quite well. One action scene that comes to mind involves Harley Quinn escaping from the bad guy's lair, complete with awesome choreography and unexpected flamboyant visuals. While it may not be on par with the incredibly entertaining glitter-gun scene from Birds of Prey, the scene succeeds in reminding us why Harley Quinn is worthy of becoming DC's official answer to Marvel's Deadpool. 

    Now, I feel that it's time for me to address the Elephant in the room. 

    Some of my wonderful readers may recall another DC comic book film from 2016 titled Suicide Squad (note the absence of the prefix "the"). Today's film is technically a sequel, but it's also what is referred to as a "soft reboot." This is when a studio basically wants to pretend their previous related projects never happened and encourage audiences to pay more attention to this new thing they have. Under most circumstances, this would be annoying. It is the cinematic equivalent of a retcon wherein the creators don't want to put in the effort to fix a problem and merely redo it all except for the one little thing that was actually good. It's like building a house only to discover that you don't like it, except for one small aspect, but rather than take the time to improve on what you already built, you take a wrecking ball to the whole thing save for that one part you like. 

    However, in this particular case, I am perfectly alright with this soft reboot. Because what came before was, in every possible way, totally insufferable, unbelievably vile, and grossly pretentious. 

    In the interest of full disclosure, I have still not seen the 2016 Suicide Squad film as of this writing. I don't need to see it to know how bad it is! However, I have read plenty of spoiler-filled articles, watched many deconstructive videos, and had numerous conversations with friends who have seen the film and genuinely care for my well-being. Based on all of this, I have concluded that the 2016 Suicide Squad film is too terrible to watch and not at all worthy of a review from yours truly. Some may say that it isn't fair of me to say a film is terrible when I haven't watched it yet, which is (under most circumstances) totally understandable. But let me put it this way: do you really need to see someone trapped inside an overturned portajohn to know how terrible it is? I didn't think so! 

    In conclusion, The Suicide Squad is a remarkable film! Beneath all of the violence and obscure comic book lore is a well-crafted character piece about friendship, surrogate families, and what it actually means to be a hero. It's also a wonderful reminder of why we all still love writer/director James Gunn and why Marvel was so ill-advised to think letting him go was a good idea. However you may choose to do so, please see this film. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

NOM NOM!!! 

Here Today - All Heart

 

Rent it on Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and YouTube. 

    One of the reasons I chose to become an independent film critic was to serve as a counterweight for the tomato meter. For those who don't know, one of the many strange yet liberating things to spawn from the internet is the website Rotton Tomatoes, where anyone can rank a movie from good to bad. While I admire and appreciate this website for its democratic nature, I find myself annoyed with how unnecessarily dominant it has become in ranking the quality of seemingly all films. I cannot tell you how many genuinely great movies I have seen and reviewed with a less-than-encouraging rating on their website, not to mention how nearly every digital rental and streaming service has a tomato rating, rather necessary or not. Incidentally, this is why I tend to ignore the tomato rating because it is too arbitrary and ignores the subjective nature of art, at least in my opinion. 

    Rotten Tomatoes, you may have good intentions, but I find your overall execution and unnecessary dominance of the world of cinematic criticism disturbing, to put it mildly. I bring this to your attention because today's subject, Here Today, stands at a mere 46% on the Tomatometer, a less-than-stellar rating for any given film and unjustifiable for this movie in particular. While I do not deny that aspects of the film could have been done differently, the overall presentation is far too stellar and heartfelt to warrant such an unjustifiable low rating. 

    Despite what some may say on the Tomatometer, Here Today is a better film than you might expect and worthy of more nuanced criticism than Rotton Tomatoes can provide. 

    Inspired by the short story, The Prize, penned by Alan Zweibel (who also co-wrote the screenplay), the story follows an aging comedy writer named Charlie Burnz (Billy Crystal), who was recently diagnosed with a rare and difficult-to-treat version of dementia. For the most part, he has found ways to work with and around it. However, he finds himself haunted by terrible memories of a traumatic past event. He finds solace in writing his book based on his experiences with his late wife with the help of his new friend, Emma (Tiffany Haddish), who eventually becomes more important to him and his life than Charlie might ever realize. As things begin to take a turn for the worse and Charlie's memories begin to fade, will he get to make things right before he loses himself forever? 

    This is an incredibly relevant, funny, and heartfelt movie, the likes of which we don't see very often anymore. It often reminded me of the film 50/50, where a fairly serious matter was treated with just the right amount of humor and light-hearted execution to feel genuine and well-intended without coming off as arrogant or mean-spirited. Both films succeed in discussing an often difficult-to-sympathized condition (cancer and/or mental illness as a result of old age) and present some of the best means of perseverance possible. They don't demand your pity; they ask for your empathy, and they both deserve it! 

    Billy Crystal, a proud member of comedy/cinema royalty, retains his signature humor that still zings to this day, along with his relatable humanity only found within the likes of the late George Carlin and Robin Williams. Although, the MVP award of the film goes straight to Tiffany Haddish for her successful venture from comedic performer to serious actor. She has the opportunity to showcase her talents as a versatile actor, and she shines like nobody's business, showcasing a fairly wide range of emotional range and conviction. 

    On the other hand, it's also where the film shows its not-so-tight seams. There are moments when Tiffany Haddish's over-the-top humor clashes with Billy Crystal's more subdued & sarcastic style (and not in a good way). It almost feels as if the studio thought they needed to sample what audiences normally expect from Tiffany Haddish, despite how much it doesn't really match the film's overall style. Even so, these moments of non-matching styles are few and far between and do not detract from the overall experience. 

    Here Today is the kind of film we need more of right now. A funny and heartfelt reminder of the finer & most important things in life delivered an entertaining and worthwhile experience. However you are able, I encourage you to give this film a chance. It will make you laugh and cry for all the right reasons. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.