Colossal - Surrounded by endless sequels and pointless remakes, Colossal stands tall as a truly unique film. A slow start and some stark tonal shifts not withstanding, this was a pleasant surprise.
Anne Hathaway can be hit or miss for me, but she was excellent here. She plays a blackout-prone alcoholic that for some reason can conjure a giant monster that destroys parts of Korea. Remember when I said this was a unique film? She presents great range with her character, easily juggling between being quirky, powerful, funny, and completely vulnerable. Oscars might be pushing it, but I'd say she would be almost a lock for a Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy.
That's the other thing; this movie was almost entirely advertised as a comedy. There are definitely comedic elements throughout, but it marches headstrong through some pretty heavy territory. There were times where I felt downright uncomfortable with actions taken by certain characters.
Jason Sudeikis plays opposite of Anne Hathaway and really brings it with his performance. I haven't had a big sample size of his work, only catching him in bit parts or in a few sketches on SNL years ago, but I was impressed. His character arc seemed a little rushed, however. I didn't feel like he had a chance to portray a natural progression.
As stated previously, this movie takes a while to find its footing. The first 20 minutes or so is just one long introduction of Hathaway's character that seemed far too drawn out. There is a side character that is basically just a fly on the wall and makes zero impact to the story as a whole. They are put in situations where any rational human being would do, or at the very least say, something to help, but it's like they aren't even present. There were two major moments in the film that were almost illogical due to their inaction.
Stories like this deserve an audience. We clamor for originality at the theater, but when we're offered a title that isn't a popular IP or doesn't include a cinematic universe, the empty seats speak far louder. This isn't a perfect film, but it's definitely worth your time. Is it a little on the nose that it's a story about an alcoholic destroying the world around her? Sure. But it's all in the execution.
Anne Hathaway can be hit or miss for me, but she was excellent here. She plays a blackout-prone alcoholic that for some reason can conjure a giant monster that destroys parts of Korea. Remember when I said this was a unique film? She presents great range with her character, easily juggling between being quirky, powerful, funny, and completely vulnerable. Oscars might be pushing it, but I'd say she would be almost a lock for a Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy.
That's the other thing; this movie was almost entirely advertised as a comedy. There are definitely comedic elements throughout, but it marches headstrong through some pretty heavy territory. There were times where I felt downright uncomfortable with actions taken by certain characters.
Jason Sudeikis plays opposite of Anne Hathaway and really brings it with his performance. I haven't had a big sample size of his work, only catching him in bit parts or in a few sketches on SNL years ago, but I was impressed. His character arc seemed a little rushed, however. I didn't feel like he had a chance to portray a natural progression.
As stated previously, this movie takes a while to find its footing. The first 20 minutes or so is just one long introduction of Hathaway's character that seemed far too drawn out. There is a side character that is basically just a fly on the wall and makes zero impact to the story as a whole. They are put in situations where any rational human being would do, or at the very least say, something to help, but it's like they aren't even present. There were two major moments in the film that were almost illogical due to their inaction.
Stories like this deserve an audience. We clamor for originality at the theater, but when we're offered a title that isn't a popular IP or doesn't include a cinematic universe, the empty seats speak far louder. This isn't a perfect film, but it's definitely worth your time. Is it a little on the nose that it's a story about an alcoholic destroying the world around her? Sure. But it's all in the execution.