Puss In Boots: The Last Wish - Lands on its Feet Like a Boss

 

Streaming on Peacock 

For Rent on Apple TV, Google Play, Amazon, and YouTube 

    It's unsurprising that Puss In Boots would be the one character from the Shrek series to receive his own spin-off. A dashing adventurer with an uncertain past who just happens to be a Cat with a penchant for fine Cream. Not to mention being voiced by one of Hollywood's coolest-sounding performers, Antonio Banderas. What is somewhat surprising is that the folks over at Dreamworks would use this character to tell a compelling, thoughtful, and mature story exploring themes of mortality and Death, often ignored in works aimed at younger audiences. Puss In Boots: The Last Wish may not be the best-animated film aimed at kids exploring these themes, but it is a wonderfully crafted and well-told story that delivers more nuance than one might have expected. Despite a few tired and unnecessary hiccups here and there, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is a delight in every way. This is one fairy-tale adventure worthy of your excitement. 

    The story follows the legendary fearless hero Puss In Boots (Antonio Banderas) enjoying his life of adventure and laughing in the face of Death. But when he finds himself on the last of his nine lives and literally faces Death himself (Wagner Moura), the fear of his own mortality finally catches up to him. After hiding for a while, he learns of a magical star in the dark forest with the power to grant one wish. Puss In Boots decides to seek out the star to wish for more lives. Along the way, he runs into his old fling Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) and makes a new friend Perrito (Harvey Guillén), an orphan puppy with ambitions of becoming a therapy dog. Together, they will journey to find the wishing star and, along the way, make some unexpected & profound discoveries about the many wonders right before them. 

    This movie is astonishing! It's the kind of film that makes you think it's going to be one thing and then pulls the rug out from under you, making you think, "oh, you're really going there, aren't you?" If there was ever an animated feature to come out of the Hollywood system in recent years that showcased the possibilities of animation as a medium, this would be one of them. 

    Speaking of the animation, it is absolutely stellar! Everything from the character designs to the various motion styles offers an incredible presentation. One particular style to note is the change in framerate during the action scenes, properly lifted from Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse. The visuals also make beautiful use of colors and unconventional animation styles. While it may come off as occasionally fast-paced, it's never to the point of annoyance. The film maintains a decent pace throughout. 

    The script is sharp and surprisingly nuanced. It is on par with the likes of Mad Max: Fury Road in terms of quality. With everything fine-tuned well enough to be perfectly utilized with nothing wasted. 

    The voice acting is stellar. Antonio Banderas delivers his expected romantic charm to his performance while also delivering a strong sense of vulnerability. His talents do not go to waste here. Salma Hayek also provides much of the film's wittiest moments and maintains her presence as a beautiful force of nature. 

    The MVP Awards go to two characters: Death and Perrito the Dog. 

    Death is, hands down, one of the best villains in recent memory. This is the kind of villain we don't see too often anymore, and it's always a treat when they make their return. Wagner Moura provides a vocal performance teaming with a gleeful yet ominous presence. The character design alone is a beautiful demonstration of visual storytelling. 

    Perrito is the heart of the film! Everything from his backstory, design, goals, and personality, all the way to Marvey Guillén's performance, makes for a beloved character that I initially thought I would despise. Most of the time, side dog characters in animated movies are relegated to the annoying comic relief that is neither comedic nor relieving. Perrito provides the proper amount of comedic relief (well delivered) while retaining a sympathetic presence throughout the story.

    Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is a fantastic watch with great characters, stunning visuals, and superb storytelling, which are incredibly hard to come by from the broken Hollywood system. If you haven't already, give this one a watch. It is unquestionably worthy of your time. 

    Now I can't wait to see how many Death cosplayers will appear at conventions this year. 

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

Meow! 

What Makes a "Real" Movie?

 

    Some time ago, I was asked by a good friend of mine why I had sour feelings toward the film Manchester by the Sea but unrelenting praise for the film Ordinary People. Both are incredibly similar in genre, narrative, quality of performance & execution. This question caused me to take more time to examine and evaluate what made me have this seemingly conflicting opinion about two different yet undeniably similar films. Then, after careful deliberation with myself, I think I finally found the reason for my position regarding these two films: 

    One film takes advantage of the fact that it's a movie; the other does not. 

    What do I mean by that? Both films portray a realistic and human story about loss, guilt, and self-loathing. I admit it is hardly an uplifting subject, but it is worthy of a compelling narrative. Especially if the storytellers have something important to say about it all. While that is the case with both films, one unspoken element sets these two stories apart and renders one of them (at least, in my opinion) a better presentation overall. And it can all be summarized in a single word: style. 

    If I may use an analogy for a moment, consider Russel Crowe's unusual performance in the musical film adaptation of Les Misérables. Many critics and audiences felt his singing was out of place and terrible. I partially disagree with this sentiment, though I understand their origin. The problem wasn't that Russel Crowe couldn't sing; he was using the wrong style. Russel Crowe is trained in rock & folk style, which is subdued and naturalistic. Musical theater, on the other hand, is traditionally grand and heavily stylized. Musical theater typically demands a grandiose and extravagant style that most others don't possess or prefer. While audiences and critics were wrong in proclaiming Russel Crowe to be a terrible singer, they were not wrong about his talents feeling "misplaced." 

    Let's examine Manchester by the Sea from 2016, which earned writer/director Kenneth Lonergan his Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. 

    

    While I am not a fan of this film, I recognize and appreciate much of the quality that went into its conception and production. Technically, the film is beautifully performed and decently crafted. However, what makes it less enjoyable to me personally is its choice of style. The film tries incredibly hard to feel as "real" as possible, relying too heavily on performance and apparent improvisation to capture reality on film. It spends little to no time utilizing its other attributes (camera language and the like) to further sell its illusion. This reliance upon performance is better suited for live theater, where a dose of reality is constantly present and feels more tangible, purely because of the shared presence in the room. In other words, it's not a movie; it's an elaborate video recording of a theater performance. 

    Cinema, by its very nature, is entirely artificial! Even the most naturalistic and realistic looking & feeling scene can't ever be authentic because it's still nothing more than a captured moving image of a subject projected onto a screen. To sell the illusion, making cinema feel completely tangible and honest requires firing on all cylinders. In other words, good performances alone do not make a compelling film; utilizing every element at your disposal does. 

    Now consider the film Ordinary People from 1980, which earned Robert Redford his Oscar for Best Director and won Best Picture. 

    While the performances are one of the film's highlights, it's not the only aspect that succeeds in selling the illusion. Every aspect of the film gives the presentation a sense of life and agency. The lighting draws your eye, the editing creates a sense of motion, and the framing broadcasts the characters' emotional states. Not to mention the sharp and articulate writing, timed and planned precisely to deliver the story's progression and arc. While it may not be an entirely uplifting story, at the very least, it knows how to utilize all aspects of its presentation and does so with astonishing results. 

    Even though others like myself will likely have entirely different justifications for their tastes and preferences, the ultimate truth is that art does not exist in a vacuum. Any conflicting arguments one could have are just as valid as my own. Because art is, and always shall be, subjective. There can never be one correct answer to it all; only the answer that speaks to you the most. 

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

The Ritual Killer - No magic Spell Can Save This Atrocity

 

For Rent on Apple TV, Google Play, Amazon, and YouTube 

    There is an unofficial sub-genre of films I often refer to as "Tax Returns." Movies of inexcusable low quality with a high-profile talent who is likely accepting a quick paycheck to afford their taxes for the year. These movies are more often than not plagued by terrible writing, bonehead direction, and lackluster performances from the supporting cast. Some examples include Money Plane featuring Kelsey Grammer and Bloodrayne with Sir Ben Kingsley. 

    Today's subject, The Ritual Killer, is no exception. A terrible by-the-numbers cat & mouse style murder mystery attempting to skate by with the presence of the typically reliable Morgan Freeman. And while he does his usual powerhouse excellence despite the incompetent material, it's still not enough to save what may very well be, at this moment, the worst film of 2023. 

    The story follows Mississippi-based detective Lucas Boyd (Cole Houser) on the hunt for a vicious killer with a penchant for the elaborate and ceremonial. His investigation leads him to seek the guidance of Dr. Mackles (Morgan Freeman), a professor in African cultural studies. Dr. Mackles surmises that the killer is likely performing ancient black magic commissioned by wealthy clients seeking seemingly supernatural means of acquiring their deepest desires. With a better understanding of the killer's nature, they must now use their knowledge to find the killer before he strikes again. 

    Setting aside the potential racism of the plot, nothing about this film is competent, clever, or even creative. It's a colossal collection of clichés teamed with plot holes, nonsensical scenes, and middle-school-grade performances. 

    Five writers apparently penned the script, which is already a terrible sign. Too many writers often cause uneven tones, jarring character beats, and an extreme lack of narrative cohesion, all of which is present and accounted for in this movie! 

    I could go on for another few paragraphs about this film's terribleness, but I have already given this film too much of my time. Nothing is redeeming or unintentionally entertaining about this trainwreck. Save your time and money. 

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