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Coco (2017)
Viva Coco! (Despite it's flaws)
Coco (2017) is an animated film co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina. It is a story set in the fictitious Mexican town of Santa Cecilia, where young Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) embarks on a journey when his passion in life and dreams are called into question by his family. All Miguel wants from this life is emulating the great and famous singer Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt) but his abuela and relatives oppose. Miguel must come to terms with his family and return back home after he disrespects the "dia de los muertos" tradition and a curse falls upon him, trapping him with the dead. He finds help from the deceased Hector (Gael Garcia) and members of his family like Mama Imelda (Alana Ubach) as he finds a way to express his talents and learns family history.
At its core Coco is a story about passion, memory and family. Miguel follows a story arch where he must learn self value, bravery and the value of being true to one's self while remaining loyal to family, respecting tradition and remembering one's past in the form of family history. With a reputation for great storytelling, juggernauts Disney and Pixar have found a way to tell a story with such a worn arch with a new and authentic style. A lesson is learned by almost every main character as they grow and develop. Passion is pitted against tradition (and perhaps stubborn customs) and the outcome produces strong emotions on the viewer. At times the story felt carried itself with the drama and flair of a Mexican "Telenovela". These are some rich themes for what may be considered a "kid's film" but they develop organically and are never forced. However the film doesn't lack that slapstick humour or easy and quirky kid's comedy (Especially present in the playfulness of the dead characters' bones).
The production team made a respectable effort preparing for the production of this film, and the results were worthwhile and evident. The film is brilliantly set in Mexico, showcasing a wide range of customs and cultural icons that made the film feel authentic. Everything from Mexican cuisine (Like tacos, tamales or "pan de muerto") to celebrities (Like Frida Kahlo, El Santo, Pedro Infante or Cantinflas) make an appearance. Traditional "Mariachi" or "Charro" suits and elaborate woman hairstyles are accurately represented. Mexican family culture is accurately represented from the respect towards our loving, stern and kiss filling abuelas, to that spicy and sassy personality characteristic of Mexican and Latin women. Even the idolization of popular musical icons, similar to Ernesto de la Cruz in the film, resembles the decades old fascination with the likes of actual celebrities like Pedro Infante or Jose Alfredo Jimenez. I authentically felt the story was set in a real, picturesque Mexican pueblo. Every small detail felt in place and that enhanced the story. The film understands and respects the traditions of "dia de los muertos" while giving it a modern twist. Despite the difficulties, and risks, that come with portraying such a rich and complex culture the film makes a much appreciated effort in introducing a side of Mexican culture that is at times neglected in favour of easy-to-go stereotypes.
The film felt beautifully animated with intricate finger movements while playing a worn-out guitar or the miniscule pores and imperfections of the bones. Visually gorgeous and impressive the film makes use of a brightly coloured pallet, like with the rich orange used for the "cempazuchitl" flowers or the "papel picado" banners. The music fit perfectly with the tone used for the story and never stopped having a particularly Mexican flavour from the use of the guitar or trumpets to the "marimba". The score continued to set the story appropriately.
Coco is carried by memorable fun moments, like Miguel's encounter with exotic Frida Kahlo, and beautiful and emotionally filled ones, such as that of the last act which grounded the story's themes of love for music and family during a scene that is sure to invoke a tear or two. Despite a few moments where it felt that the plot was driven by the oversimplified and unexplained mechanics of the curse, the film in general doesn't stop being the memorable and enjoyable experience of a familiar story executed with fresh and authentic style.
Stranger Things (2016)
A Strangely Great Sequel
"Stranger Things 2" (2017) is the second season that serves as a sequel for "Stranger Things" (2016). The season continues the story of Eleven, actually named Jane, (Millie Bobby Brown) as she discovers the potential of her powers and her past. The gang is also back with Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Will (Noah Schnapp) trying to assimilate the strange events that took place last season and the arrival of newcomer Max (Sadie Sink). Mike's older sister, Nancy (Natalia Dyer), also struggles to cope with last season's traumatic events alongside Steve (Joe Keery) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Will's older brother.
The story that was started last season evolves and grows organically during season 2. The protagonists grow as characters as they are faced with new challenges and old mysteries. With a number of different story arcs, most of the characters' range of emotions, aspirations and personalities are deepened in interesting new ways (Including a love triangle or two). During season 2 some characters enter new relationships and dynamics that were not seen during season 1, allowing for some tense, adorable, and funny memorable moments. Moreover the series' mythology is expanded, building on some aspects from the past, while bringing new demons to haunt Hawkins (Like the Big Bad). However some questions are left unanswered or unaddressed, perhaps to be dealt with during future seasons (Yes, the story allows itself to be built upon by the end). Also some issues that arise during the story are ignored completely (Especially Eleven's disdain for a specific character or the consequences of some of Dustin's decisions). Nevertheless these minor details do not detract from the experience of the story.
As with last season, season 2 continues to execute the story with undeniable style and 1980's groove. With a noticeable increase on budget, the results are clearly evident. The visual effects have improved, and allow for a complexity and richness that was not possible for a debuting series. That 1980's atmosphere was visible with a myriad references and easter eggs (From posters on the wall to E.T memorabilia) to electronics, clothing and hairstyles, the setting felt real and helped me immerse into the story. Also noteworthy is the score. Besides the expected popular 1980's music used (A bit of everything from Bon Jovi to Sting and the Police to Metallica) the soundtrack produced by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein sets a great tone and serves the story well. Overall nostalgia is served and those who appreciated that aesthetic last time around will not be disappointed.
Viewers from last season will know that great acting is not a stranger to the series, despite the so far short career of most of the protagonists. Eleven stands out as the character faces a wide range of struggles that demand a different set of emotions (From boredom to outrage to joy) Millie Bobby brown seems to always understand and be in command of her character with an expertise that would appear beyond her years. The character has grown and the actress with her. David Harbour as bad-ass Jim Hopper delivers another great performance as his character evolves into a somewhat different role from last season's (As he becomes close to a certain protagonist) and avoids a few devious traps his performance could have fallen into. In general the ensemble of quirky and nerdy kids delivers another stellar performance and sets the bar for future standards for child acting.
"Stranger Things 2" delivers some great enjoyable moments and proves to be a story with spirit and emotion that allows its characters to grow while expanding on the mythology without giving it all away. Unanswered questions and inconsequential characters do not detract from a well executed story and an entertaining and captivating experience. Stranger Things retains its superior place amongst Netflix and Television Royalty.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
Unsettling and interesting despite flaws.
"The Killing of a Sacred Deer" (2017) is a tense psychological thriller directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. Dr. Stephen Murphy (Colin Farrell) finds himself in an unsettling situation when an old patient of his, Martin (Barry Keoghan), intrudes into his life and tinges his seemingly idyllic family: his wife Anna (Nicole Kidman) and children Kim (Raffey Cassidy) and Bob (Sunny Suljic).
The story, written by Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou, builds up tension with a slow pace at first. The dialog felt edgy, sometimes preposterous and sometimes comical (Especially one scene with Steven ranting in the kitchen) but it served to fill the air with anxiety and unease. It's directness and pace felt somewhat surreal. As information is cautiously revealed I felt captivated and uncomfortable (A long scene that occurred inside a car comes to mind). The characters take an active role in the story, with consequential decisions (Dr. Murphy's in particular) However the ultimate choice, which came with the last act, seems to lack consequence and it's aftermath felt weak. Moreover certain aspects of the plot seem to be left without explanation, undermining the story (Specially regarding Martin). Some characters also felt underdeveloped, regardless of their impact on the plot.
Long intimate close-ups place you inside the characters minds and facilitate the ability to empathize. One shot, involving Anna and bob walking down the stairs was remarkable, as was the film's cinematography. Bleak, gray tones and an isolated atmosphere provoke a feeling of claustrophobia and lead you to think that there is no escape for our protagonist. The score and sound effects, involving long slowly built screeches, kept me uncomfortable and accentuated certain scenes involving two characters in particular: Steven and Martin.
Barry Keoghan as Martin really made me feel like there was something not quite right with him at first, to fully suspecting a clinical mental disorder. Colin Farrell as Steven felt in command of his character as a confident successful man who is humiliated and brought low. Nicole Kidman as Anna felt like how any desperate parent would do believably reacts to the information that is unveiled to her.
The tense dialog, brilliant cinematography, unsettling score and interesting acting carry this movie and kept me captivated despite it's seemingly slow pace and sometimes weak plot. This movie stands superior to most thrillers and is definitely worth a watch.