This is the only film I know that combines punk teenagers, Auto repossessors, and alien abductions. The movie begins with a mad scientist careening down a New Mexico road in his Chevy Malibu. He is stopped by a cop, who finds some really strange things happening in the car’s trunk. Then the action moves to Los Angeles, where a punk kid Emilio Estevez is passing the time by going to dances and banging his head against other kids’ heads, to demonstrate his affection.

 

The whole pace of the movie is pretty quick in my opinion especially when the notable saying the movie holds to is: “I’ve never known a repo man who didn’t use a lot of speed.” I feel as if the movie’s way of using visual humor isn’t as try hard as a lot of movies come out to be. Its stupid and just silly how the use of food packages make stupid fun or how each interaction just seems so awkward despite the kid learning the ropes of being a repoman. All the angst, weirdness and everything else mixed with the sci fi aspect makes this to be a very unusual experience for anyone watching.

 

In the bigger picture I find Repoman to be a break away from the usual formula of how movies were made to be or tried to be a hit and all of these weird themes and plots just mesh together for no apparent reason, but you’re still entertained. They used a lot of things over done by the years and made it into something different and strange. Teenage angst, car chases, aliens, and drama have all been made to serve something else and for me gives a new twist to an old formula.

Velvet Goldmine is (no pun intended) a treasure for both gay culture and discovering one’s own sexuality. Honestly Im very bland when it comes to sexuality especially being curious about experimenting so seeing Arthur Stuart reliving his own journey of sexuality as he follows the rise and fall of Glamrockstar Brian Slade was very enlightening.

It was amazing how the transistions went from past to oresent as Brian was going through different stages if his career and “journey” the use of medias res kept us guessing and wondering and speculating what mightve happened and the innate curiousity to see everything end and see the resolution kept me at the edge of my seat. the story was was just as much as Brian’s story as it was Arthur’s as we really got to empathize through his flashbacks and looking at the rejection and alienation he felt when discovering himself.

But more than the story, the music and cinematoograhy felt as energetic as the concerts and shows. It was almost as if I could feel the sweat coming off the screen and even euphoria Brian mustve felt being on top.

Its also the exact opposite, I witnessed how devestating the fall felt seeing everything decline after the stunt he pulled in the begining of the movie. The addiction to be elusive, ever guessing and never tied down seemed a lonely life. Eccentricity, as pretty as it was, created walls that kept everyone else from knowing anyone. I found myself pitying Brian even more because in his quest of self discovery, he threw away so much just to become someone he wasn’t only for him.

Conversly, Arthur felt more liberated. In his previous scenes, the present seemed so dull and grey but when flashbacks of his you ger years when he began to experiment and explore his own sexuality, it seem vibrant, almost popping with color. But it was as if Arthur had lost all of that in exchange of being accepted and being with everyone else. He gave up who he was to wear a maske everyone knew. And both characters in parallel painted a picture of not just greatness, but of courage. the courage to go out be vulnerable for the sake of ones own journey to self discovery. And I hinestly believe that too be the strongest selling points of Velvet Goldmine as a homesexual treasure and culture of sexual discovery.

Out of all the factors that go into constructing a film, one aspect that is most commonly overlooked is the music or the overall scoring of the story. Of course, this is not to say that it’s completely being tossed aside as proven by the years of iconic movie themes such as Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Batman (1989), Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter series, etc. We owe most of the recognizable tunes in Hollywood to the great minds of John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, Howard Shore just to name a few. But why is it that the movies I mentioned above have such staying power to our auditory senses but so many others are easily forgotten despite all the hard work that’s been poured towards their conceptualization?

            The Marvel Cinematic Universe or any superhero movie is probably one of the best examples I could give when it comes to this subject. Many people ask why is it that despite it being one of the most popular film franchises today and with such a wide array of beloved characters and stories, they fail to be successful when it comes to their scoring. With budgets ranging from 150-300 million dollars, you’d think they would be able to hire some competent composers to craft something that would match or even surpass the visual spectacle onscreen but unfortunately, that is where they hit a dead end.

            This is not to say that the hired composers of the MCU/ superhero movies are bad or lack any sort of creative talent, in fact, some of them are actually quite amazing. If you actually take time and listen to some of the musical pieces that are played over in some of the scenes, they really do match the sense of wonder and spectacle our characters are going through.

Take the scene from Xmen: First Class wherein Magneto lifts up a submarine from the ocean during the third act. To understand this, let’s first deconstruct this scene and what it means for the overall movie. First Class is a prequel movie to the rest of the famous superhero franchise by fox and it aims to introduce to us the different characters we’ve all come to love throughout the years but in a more humanized and grounded way. The highlights of this story are of course the relationship between Professor X and Magneto and how this came to be. The musical score on display once Magneto successfully carries the submarine builds up and up till it hits the sweet spot alongside the money shot of a wide. Cut to reactions of both our heroes and the villians and you’ve got yourself a scene that just successfully generated goosebumps and without the musical genius that is Hans Zimmer, this probably would have never been achieved.

Overall, musical scoring in film matters a lot and it helps in keeping the scenes memorable and it definitely has a hand in adding layers of emotion. This is what the filmmakers behind superhero movies need to understand. The visual spectacle isn’t enough if the auditory aspects surrounding it lacks any semblance of a soul. As time progresses, technology and techniques get more sophisticated in terms of the filmmaking world, it’s only fair that scorers and composers get to stretch their craft more as well.

            Before watching this film, I went in completely blind not knowing any information related to it. I didn’t watch any trailer, nor did I even look at a poster. All I had was a weird fascination with the unique title and word from my fellow friends that it’s some sort of a love story. Much to my surprise, the movie turns every expectation you may have and completely throws it over your head for one serenely wild ride that will grip you to your seats and will have you thinking about what you’ve watched long after the credits roll down.

            The film mainly follows four male characters who are distinct from one another in terms of personality and age group. We have a thrift shop worker, Caloy (Nicco Manalo) who yearns to escape the walls his workplace and small apartment trap him in, a middle-aged sexually frustrated man who has been a widower for 12 years who’s played by Soliman Cruz, a hormone induced college youth who’s eyes are married to the screen of either a phone or a computer played by Dylan Ray Talon, and a lonely mute snatcher by Anthony Falcon. And arguably the most important character of the film is Iana Bernardez’s Aileen, a girl that everyone seems to desire in their own way. The film doesn’t have much to go on about in terms of supporting characters but the one stand out performance is Nestor Abrogena who plays Caloy’s roommate/ fellow worker in the thrift shop with a highly charismatic performance that steal every scene he is in.

            All of the actors fully lose themselves inside the respective characters they play. Aside from one supporting character in the scenes of Soliman Cruz, the acting doesn’t feel forced at all. These are people you could meet in real life and for some, they can also be relatable to a certain extent. It really goes to show how far the lengths the cast went through to put depth into what could have been one-note or borderline offensive portrayals of the demographic the roles represent.

            Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus is a character centered story through and through. This is emphasized by the unique cinematography at display that mostly utilizes close to medium shots of the characters and would only occasionally cut to wides to establish the environment they are in as it is vital to each of their character traits.

            The environment as well is a character on its own. The streets of Quiapo has never been so painstakingly captured and realized as it is now with its bustling nature in the morning and it’s dark and eerie atmosphere yet somewhat colorful lighting at night. Viewers will definitely be treated to a whole new perspective of looking into such a familiar location. This is mainly evident in Anthony Falcon’s scenes as they contain No dialogue therefore it relies heavily on how the shots move and look. Needless to say, they do not disappoint.

            Dwein Baltazar both directed and wrote this film after a 6-year hiatus. Baltazar’s razor sharp direction is felt with every scene as there is barely any useless/ filler moments you can call out upon. The pacing at times may feel a bit too dragging but all will pay off when you reach the film’s mind-blowing 3rd act. Much praise can also be given to the film’s script. It doesn’t fall into the trap of pretentious indie film scripts that tries to sound smart way more than it has any right to be, instead, it’s a script that understood its characters and the situations they are in and it fully commits to them. The movie demands your attention from the very first frame all the way till the credits role and when they do, rest assured, every element that has been presented will all come into fruition and suddenly every question you have will be answered one way or another. 

            Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus is a strong addition to the lineup of CineFIlipino and soon to be part of Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino festival as well. This is a rare type of film that has every second count and will keep you engaged not only in a way you’ll be entertained, but also will challenge the way you perceive things and emotions. A great piece of Filipino cinema that deserves all the praise that will surely come its way.

The musical film genre has slowly but steadily making its comeback to modern cinemas as proven by the recent successes of film franchises such as Pitch Perfect and the hugely popular La La Land. Audiences flock to the theaters to acquire a sense of wonder with the toe tapping beats composed for every scene, while some films may be more loved than others but there’s no denying that studios nowadays have been warming up to the idea of a musically driven narrative. People may not realize easily at first, but directing a musical is arguably harder than a normal film. Other than the fact that the directors has to oversee the acting, writing, cinematography, etc. They must also make sure that the music and choreography hits the right beats when it comes to how and when they show up and how well they fit into the narrative. All these stacked on top of each other while making sure the pacing stays both consistent and engaging.

This is one of the biggest strengths of The Greatest showman considering that it has a relatively inexperienced director. For Michael Gracey, who’s mostly known for his visual effects work, this was his first directorial role and that in it of itself has its pros and cons.

To the film’s credit, it starts off with a high note with a musical number introducing us to the main character, P.T. Barnum in a dream sequence that eventually leads to the revelation that he had a troubled childhood all the way up to a mediocre job as an adult barely supporting his family. These first few minutes presents to us the main theme of what the film stands for, dreams. With songs like “The Greatest Show” and “A Million Dreams” coming in early in the film’s runtime, it immediately pulls in the viewer for one sublime experience that will definitely ignite some sort of spark inside. This is what The Greatest Showman excels at. Throughout the entire runtime of the movie, with every musical number and moments between the characters, a sense of passion and drive is felt with everything they do.  It also helps with the fact that the film’s cinematography is visually stunning (which is no surprise due to the director’s past works) though it may not have elaborated long takes or unique angles, every shot is still oozing with bright colors that pop and it does a great job at keeping things fresh and interesting.

A good example of this would be the sequence of the highly popular “Rewrite the stars”. This was arguably the most popular song amongst the general public leading up to the film’s release to the point where it was already being played in the local radio stations. Going into the theater, I was fully expecting the song’s part in the film would feel somewhat redundant and all too familiar. Although the build up towards this moment is almost non-existent (which I will get into more in a few) the way the camera tracks Anne Wheeler (Zendaya) from the side while she walks away from Phillip (Zac Efron) who begins to sing the famous first few lines was simple yet effective and it had the entire theater I was in to scream in delight.

Within all that shine, and spectacle though comes a painfully mediocre script. This may have been a story about hopes and dreams but the heart of it has to come down to its characters which unfortunately, still requires me to google their names for me to be able to identify them. Other than P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman) and Charity Barnum (Michelle Williams), you’d be lucky to remember any of the names of the other characters, even the ones Zac Efron and Zendaya are playing. What’s mostly to blame here is the non-existent character development whatsoever. Even the cast of P.T. Barnum’s circus who give out a performance of their lives are barely named and can only be remembered by their excellent costume and makeup design and not much else.

The highly anticipated love story between Zac Efron’s and Zendaya’s character had no development or build-up in any way. One scene would be them meeting for the first time and the next would be them trying to awkwardly hold hands already. It’s really a shame since the backbone of this romance had a powerful message especially in the time period the story takes place but ultimately it disappoints and ends up being no better than an above average romance sub-plot in a superhero movie.

Ultimately, The Greatest Showman can only be categorized as a “moments” film. It has some good parts that hit the high notes but has a hollow skeleton connecting those scenes. The problems the characters encounter doesn’t feel like they have much weight to them because they are literally either solved or brushed off with just a few scenes later. Consequences, if they exist at all don’t feel like they’re taking a toll which is a shame considering that this story could have easily benefited from a little bit of tension.

The Greatest Showman is an amazing musical but ultimately fails as a movie. It’s bland writing and flat direction are only saved by the amazing soundtrack and vibrant cinematography at play. It’s a safe and fun watch for the whole family that will for sure tug at some heart strings but in the end, it fails to meet its potential with its characters and becomes an underwhelming film all in all.

Avengers: Infinity War is the 19^th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a franchise that has been relatively consistent in terms of quality and vision for the last 10 years. It’s the massive culminating event that has constantly been set up with the three phases of MCU movies with each of the individual heroes’ adventures all leading up to this.

Marvel’s massive reputation and cultural impact was not as prominent as it is today. Having sold some of their most recognizable characters’ movie rights to other companies such as the X-men and the Fantastic Four being produced by 20^th Century Fox and Spiderman belonging to Sony. Their first movie, Iron Man (2008) was a risk to say the least. The concept of an Avengers movie was merely just a thought but never an actual legitimate vision.

A fun little innocent scene was placed at the end of the credits showcasing Samuel L. Jackson’s now iconic character Nick Fury to show up to talk to Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark about the Avengers initiative. Conversations about this scene grew until Marvel Studios revealed its plan to produce more superhero movies leading up to an Avengers film. Thus, the MCU was born.

The first real culminating event was 2012’s Avengers directed by Joss Whedon. To say that the film was a success is an understatement compared to how exactly fans and critics responded to it. The film featured breathtaking action sequences, entertaining interactions between the characters and a carefully crafted three-act structure that successfully combined all the elements that were set-up during the standalone movies. Included in Phase 2 was its sequel, Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), whichfeatured new characters such as Scarlett Witch, Quicksilver and Vision. Unlike its predecessor, it was met with mixed reactions between the audience and critics. Some commended it for the sheer spectacle on display and seeing our heroes assemble again but in time people soon accepted the fact that the film had a disjointed narrative, a disappointing villain and a few unlikeable characters.

Regardless, these first two Avengers films successfully assembled the heroes and characters we’ve all come to love. It’s not wrong to say that some of us may have garnered some sort of attachment to them that naturally makes us care for what happens throughout the series, especially in Infinity War where stakes are at an all-time high with talks of possible permanent deaths and ending of contracts of certain actors.

What could possibly have created this attachment to this universe is how the movies always tried to set themselves apart not just in the tonality of its films but also in the production behind it. The directors the studio hired were not your typical action filmmakers but were more story, character and comedy focused. And it’s also not uncommon to see the MCU go with the recent trend of giving blockbuster projects to directors who mostly made a name for themselves in the indie scene or small-time projects such as television. Filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo, who were mostly known for the TV series Community TV, were hired for Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and then for Civil War (2016). Both films were met with commercial and critical praise with engaging plots that were grounded in reality setting it apart from the rest of the MCU, it was a clear choice for Feige to call upon the Russo brothers again to work their magic. And boy did they deliver with Infinity War.

The 3^rd Avengers film features an incredible roster of every hero that has been established alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy. This feat has been so monumental in scale and scope that it has often been regarded as the most ambitious crossover event in cinematic history and if I’m being completely honest, it definitely earns that title.

Immediately, the film starts off incredibly strong with the chilling rightful introduction of the main event, Thanos. Gone are the days of post credit setups or small cameos, here we are placed face to face with him alongside his team who are not to be messed with. Thanos as a villain is truly an achievement for the film. You would think that him being a purely CGI creation would make him feel weightless and absent but that’s far from the case. Josh Brolin gives a hauntingly calculated performance that was beautifully motion captured as real emotions were seen, and true terror was felt whenever he was on screen. The MCU has always faced criticism about its villains but recently they have been nailing it in that department especially with Thanos. When people say that Infinity War is a Thanos movie instead of an Avengers one, it’s a valid statement to say. This is ultimately Thanos’ story and the Avengers are simply background characters. Some could even look at them as the real antagonists of the story as Thanos’ actions may be grim but once you deconstruct his motivations, they actually present a proper argument to a certain extent.

A massive cast is something that’s unavoidable with this being a culmination of 10 years’ worth of movies. At times, the film, struggles with the weight it has to carry as it tries to give each character their own individual adventures that all come down to stopping Thanos. Despite this, it doesn’t feel overly bloated. Each of the heroes get a decent amount of screen time. Some may shine more than others, but this can easily be forgiven given that this is technically a two-part storyline and the film was already nearly three hours long.

Considering the runtime, the film is still a rollercoaster ride that rarely lets you take a breather. Just from the very first shot all the way to the last you will be left speechless and in pure state of either awe or shock. If in previous MCU movies, the stakes were rarely felt and a sense of danger was minimal, Infinity War turns this over your head and whacks you with it continuously. I wouldn’t say that there were certain throwaway scenes that could’ve been left on the cutting room floor but there were definitely some moments where I was more invested in than others. This can mainly be due to personal attachments to certain characters or just a simple desire to get back to the action. Character moments between our heroes are highly entertaining with the filmmakers and writers taking advantage of each of their quirks and antics that play off of each other. But what’s more impressive is that in its core, the identity of its characters remain intact. When the Guardians are on screen, it feels like a Guardians movie and so on.

But it’s also worth noting that some characters may not act the way we were accustomed to them in their solo movies. This should be expected given the difference of directors and writers and visions towards what and who they are. None were too different to the point where it’s a complete 180 of a character trait but just subtle enough to be noticed a bit or can be argued as part of their arc.

The action sequences in Infinity War are spectacle in its purest form. The Russo brother’s first two films in the MCU, The Winter Soldier and Civil War both contained amazing action scenes but most of them would regularly use quick jump cuts and an overly reliance on shaky and handheld camera work. Infinity War is arguably their first “fantastical” movie as their previous projects in the Captain America franchise were mostly grounded in reality. Thankfully they improved their craft in this one utilizing mostly wide shots and steady cams. The fight choreography and the breathtaking visual effects that supplement them invoke an epic feeling that is so much more emphasized with the familiar iconic score of the Avengers theme. One moment in particular near the climax had all these elements come together to create one bombastic moment that had the entire theater screaming in delight.

On the topic of the Avengers theme, Alan Silvestri’s score for this filmalso deserves much praise for what it accomplished. Although it should be expected given that the Avengers score is one of the most recognizable themes today, Silvestri’s new pieces in this film are as memorable and impactful as the scene themselves. The action sequences are injected with auditory adrenaline rush coupled with the masterful sound design and mixing but even the slower, more emotionally driven moments in the film contain some of the best scores to come out of the MCU.

All in all, it really was incredible to witness the development of the MCU franchise from its humble beginnings with Iron Man all the way down to Infinity War. All the stories the directors have told and all the elements they had to set up all coming into fruition in this one epic cinematic event. The Russo brothers deserve all the praise they could get for accomplishing this monumental task. Many have tried and failed to launch a cinematic universe such as the DCEU or Universal Studio’s Dark Universe, but it’s with the MCU that truly believes in its own vision and in the stories they tell.

All the beats in Infinity War hit when they need to. Wonder and spectacle alongside tension and emotion jell together for one massive sweep that generally satisfies majority of the hype that developed over the years. A global cinematic event that deserves to be seen and a proper payoff to all those years of excellence. Infinity War is definitely up there with the best of the MCU and it cements itself as one we would be talking about years down the line. The future of the franchise looks bright and with the continuation of the storyline scheduled to release next year, it’s only a matter of time till we see our favorite heroes assemble once again.

Looking back at the history of the MCU, it really is amazing to see that obscure, relatively unknown characters would get blockbusters of their own such as Ant-man and the Guardians of the Galaxy. But after the box office success of those franchises with sequels planned or already being produced, a Doctor Strange adaption doesn’t seem all that surprising in today’s context.

            If I were to completely be honest, the trailers of Doctor Strange really did not impress me. From my first impressions it just looked like a bunch of effect jumbled together to make a spectacle out of a scene. Back then, I wasn’t all that aware of the character of Doctor Strange. I’ll even go as far as to say that I didn’t even know he was an Avenger to begin with so when they finally announced a live action adaptation for the MCU, I was genuinely intrigued but borderline skeptical about it.

            The first red flag, should I even call it as such, is the casting of the main character himself, Benedict Cumberbatch. Not because I doubted his acting abilities, in fact I actually praise him in the films and shows I’ve watched. I’m not that well exposed to his filmography but in what I’ve seen, he really proves to me that he is one of the best working actors in Hollywood today. But I mostly saw him as someone who took serious projects with weight to them. Now hear me out, I’m not saying the MCU is just shlock entertainment. Even though it’s one of the most successful film franchises of all time, I just saw it as a really high-quality action popcorn flick series and nothing more. So, it came as a shock to me that such a high caliber actor such as Benedict would take on the project.

            If we were to talk about his character, I still don’t feel like the role of Doctor Strange is irreplaceable like Tony Stark is to RDJ and Captain America is to Chris Evans. Benedict Cumberbatch is completely fine and does a well-rounded job but I feel like I still need more time with him in the Character to fully gauge if he really was “born for the role” as is the case with majority of the MCU’s cast. It’s also worth noting that there are some people out there who criticize his American accent. I personally saw nothing wrong with it but I do get the “off vibe” that I can’t completely explain.

            The movie in general was great for me. Nothing groundbreaking like Civil War or the first Iron Man movie but certainly not as forgettable as the second Thor movie as some people would describe. The filmmakers definitely struct a wonderful balance between unlikeable douchebag and relatable asshole when it comes to the character of Strange. He’s a highly intelligent and skilled doctor so it’s only natural that he might be a tad bit annoyed at the slightly low leveled fellow surgeons in the beginning of the film. Though it may be a bit too much, his reaction is not all that jarring. His desire to remain on top and to keep a flawless record when it comes to the medical field may come off as egotistical at first, but this is a character trait that will somewhat be elevated and paid off later in the film.

            For some people, the pacing might seem a bit slow especially during the first act of the film which is entirely dedicated to fleshing out Strange’s character hammering home completely that he is not exactly a nice guy therefore triggering the eventual hero’s journey for his long overdue reality bitch slap from The Ancient One himself both literally and figuratively (watch the film and this would make more sense). But the second that Strange is touched in his forehead and dragged into a visually stunning and eerily disgusting trip, the film completely grips you until the very end.

            The visuals on display are great and creative in their presentation but I don’t completely agree that it deserved an Oscar nomination sadly. I can only imagine that these visual elements are very difficult to pull off especially a set piece including New York city being bent in reality in the middle of the film but they’re not something that I haven’t seen before in terms of the fidelity of the effects. Some earlier movies in the MCU might even match or surpass Doctor Strange’s visuals though not in the creative aspect but in the technicalities behind it. what’s disappointing however is the fight choreography. I expected that there would be a lot of creative spells and fight sequences but ultimately it all came down to the typical punching and kicking and a strange over reliance on a rope like spell they would always use. I’m not all that familiar with the comics but I do know that Strange is one of the most powerful beings in the comic universe and he has quite a few creative spells under his belt. It’s only a shame that the film didn’t utilize his abilities fully though it can be argued they went down this route to show that he is not yet the Sorcerer Supreme that the comic universe has come to know.

            Strange’s development as a character can be compared to Tony Stark’s although in this film, it felt a little bit rushed. One scene he is questioning everything that the Ancient One shows him but the next we see him fully engulfing himself in the study and practices being presented. In one instance we see him barely casting a spell and the next we see him standing his own ground against a mentor in combat and eventually against the main villain and his associates in an early confrontation. I imagine this has been done since they’re pressed for time and they needed Doctor Strange for the inevitable Infinity War but a little more development and setup for the character would’ve been more natural.

            Sadly, though the villain characters in this film falls completely flat in my opinion. The typical villain that blurts out philosophical mumbo jumbo to justify their actions with not much

            Nonetheless I felt that director Scott Derickson did the best he could with what was given. The choreography of the visuals was fantastic but the hand to hand fight scenes could’ve used more work and imagination. Less cuts and closeups would’ve also been appreciated to fully comprehend the spectacle of the spells. The cinematography is not all that special or groundbreaking. The color scheme throughout the movie seems to change but not as jarring or noticeable as Zack Snyder’s BvS. Coming from a horror background, I felt that Scott did a really good job helming such a visually heavy blockbuster for the MCU. Along with Cumberbatch, this is a whole new territory of film that they’re not all that familiar or associated with and for a first attempt, it’s certainly not a fail.

            I wouldn’t say this is one of the most forgettable movies in the MCU. It’s actually one of the most creative ones if you think about it though it doesn’t do much to be cemented as something that would stand out like what the GOTG franchise is doing. It’s a good stepping stone and if there’s one thing we can take from this movie, is that this character and its abilities have a whole lot of potential for the filmmakers to play with in the future.

The concept of a “film” at its surface may or may not mean all that much to an average viewer. For some it can just be a mindless form of entertainment for two hours, but there are people who view it with some level of respect and can even go as far as to treat it as an art form. This is what separates the word “movie” and “film”. There is a fundamental difference in movies which attempt to provide enjoyment and relaxation, and films which attempt to convey enlightenment through challenge and involvement (Jowett, Linton, 1989) with the former approach having a much more prominent presence especially in today’s Hollywood cinema business.

            With the blockbuster film genre taking up its throne in the filmmaking industry with constant reboots and sequels and the rise of interconnected cinematic universes taking up the bulk of the revenue from audiences, there is a longing for something different and fresh yet feels familiar and what better place to look for than the works of Michael Bay.  In an interview with CNET for the promotion of Transformers: The Last Knight, he mentions how he is a strong believer of protecting the cinema experience right before showcasing his unorthodox manner of shooting the movie. Despite Michael Bay’s projects garnering countless criticisms and audience backlash for their immature and childish nature, his movies are still consistently at the top of box office numbers because of his uncommon practices that catches the appeal of moviegoers.

            Michael Benjamin Bay is a graduate of Film studies at Wesleyan University and spent his early career working on music videos and TV advertisements until he earned enough recognition for a number of MTV award nominations and other titles. This is until he was able to direct his first ever feature film “Bad Boys” back in 1995 which grossed more than 160 million dollars worldwide cementing his career in the Hollywood business earlier than most directors would be lucky enough to have had.

            With all that said, it’s not a secret that Bay has a certain eye for catching spectacle and frantic energy into his shots and this is what mostly attracts most of the viewers of his movies. To understand why his critical success is not the same with his commercial and financial achievements, we’ll be looking into three major aspects of what goes on into making a movie and what it really means. This will include the business part involving marketing and budgeting, what a director actually stands and does for the movie, and recognizable trademarks a filmmaker has in his/her projects that keep reeling in fans to come back for more.

            Before a movie is greenlit to start filming, something has to be done for the production companies to be able to gauge whether or not the project is feasible at a given budget and if it will be something an audience would want to see. This is a process called “market research”. Although it can be traced back up until 1915, it didn’t really become such an integral part of the Hollywood industry until the early 1980s. Basically what this process does is to determine whether or not a certain film/movie is going to be profitable through audiences and to what extent they will market the said project. Will they be targeting a certain age demographic? Will merchandise be a big part of the financial support? How far can we get sponsors to showcase our product?

            For this approach, I’ll be looking into arguably Michael Bay’s most famous franchise, the Transformers series. If you were to tell someone before 2007 that Paramount studios would be making a live action movie based on an obscure eighties animated children’s television show based on Hasbro’s Transformers toy line, they would laugh directly at your face but fast forward to 2018 with five titles to its name, it has now become a billion dollar franchise and the architect of this success is no other than Michael Bay himself having directed all five movies. Going back to the first entry in the franchise back in 2007, Paramount pictures knew they had a hit in their hands before the project even begun production. It was given a 150 million dollar budget and with critically acclaimed director Steven Spielberg to step in as an executive producer having handpicked Michael Bay himself to direct the movie, all odds seem to be in their favor. When the studio dropped the first ever trailer, the hype surrounding the movie was at an all time high as audiences were treated with a visual feast that was never before seen in film at that scope. The trailer showcased a gritty action movie with a few comedic moments and at its center was a teenager boy becoming an unconventional hero for the story. Finally, an action movie that wasn’t rated R that looked amazingly entertaining to begin with. Teens and adults alike flocked to the theaters and it showed in the box office with the movie earning somewhere near 700 million dollars with the audience praising the movie for its visual effects and non-stop action but on the other side of the spectrum, critics bashed the movie only garnering 61 points in metacritic. It was criticized for having immature and downright offensive humor, over glorification of the US military, annoying cast of characters and lacking focus on the actual transformers themselves but more on the human part of the story. We will soon find out that a handful of these complaints are not exclusive to just this one movie of Michael Bay.

            But what really made the people go to the theater to watch the movie despite having early reviews informing them of its shortcomings? Audiences who first saw the movie came out with an experience that stuck to their heads and word of mouth enabled the others to be attracted to what they had to say and what the movie had to show. They were treated with a movie that had class A visual effects for the transformers themselves that to this day, many people in the industry still refer to as a cinematic technical marvel for CGI. The criticisms about the offensive humor may have been voiced out angrily, but somehow people enjoyed the cast of characters with loud mouths and half functioning brains as they translated to slapstick entertainment reminiscent of old school cartoon and tv sitcoms. The movie was your average, run-of-the-mill, save the world from the bad guys cliché but Michael Bay along with his frantic directing style made it work. It also helps that Paramount’s partnership with Hasbro enabled them to sell out millions of toys for kids and collectors alike. It wouldn’t be a legitimate toy store unless you can see it selling some sort of transformers product. People were entangled into this universe Michael Bay created through his camera lenses. They found escapism through Hollywood cinema. “The moment I took my seat it was a different world, plush and exciting, the world outside was forgotten. I felt grown up and sophisticated” (Betty Cruse).

            The movie was truly a blockbuster superstar. A blockbuster is defined by 2 characteristics. First would be its size and scope, speed and sound of the film while the second leans moreover to the empirical side of measurement which is the cash spent on production and advertising and how much it has made at the box office. As the transformers movies increased and evolved through time, its size and scope demands for it to be experienced in the theater. Technological advancements allowed Michael Bay to back up every tool and technique he had on his sleeve and crank them up to 10 with his later movies being in close partnership with IMAX to provide a sublime 3D experience. This is the type of spectacle the audience is looking for. Despite criticisms increasing with every new entry in the series and the score of each subsequent movie declining, people still come out and see them in theaters because of the experience Michael Bay crafts with the top of the line special effects and sound mixing. Never mind amazing cinematography and pacing of a story, as long as there’s visual candy for the eyes to feast on and well filmed action that keeps the heart beating, people will dish out their wallets. The franchise grew a name for itself and a reputation that is both positive and negative. People keep hearing about this movie franchise that is just downright terrible? But they look at the trailers and see giant robots at war that look realistic? Well of course they’re still going to see it. This is a common trend in the Hollywood blockbuster culture. We can see this type of fame similar to a franchise that is well-known to many, Star Wars. Instead of the original trilogy which is mostly universally loved and respected, we turn to the prequel trilogy which was and still is universally despised in the film industry. By the time the third movie in the series finished its global run, the prequels alone had a combined worldwide theatrical gross of 2.5 billion dollars not counting the merchandise sold along with the movies. Both of these said franchises were technical marvels at the time of their release but were flops in terms of telling a story people loved. It only goes to show that in blockbusters, plot merely provides a framework, an excuse for a special effects and spectacle.

            To demystify the role of a director when it comes to filmmaking, their job is to tell a story plain and simple. But how they choose to go about it needs to have a proper vision and passion as with any work we do if we are to expect a proper output. A director without a love for his/her craft will just result in a problematic production all in all. They’re basically an editor-in-chief of everything there is that goes into making a movie such as production design, script tuning, logistics, etc. Award-winning Director and Cinematographer Dan Villegas, who directed critically acclaimed movies such as English Only, Please, once stated that you have to fall in love with the story for you to be able to tell it properly. A director is basically the architect of the whole project. Films communicate primarily through moving images and it is the director’s job to determine the choice of shots, angles, lighting effects, filters, optical effects, framing, composition, camera movements, and editing to name a few visual elements. Michael Bay as a director is passionate not for the story, but what revolves around it. His film clichés include over glorification of the US military with the 2001 movie Pearl Harbor being the worst offender of this but somehow he manages to cram in a military subplot into almost all of his films with just a few rare exceptions such as 2013’s Pain & Gain. With regard to his camera work, he rarely ever uses a static shot with his camera always moving most of his scenes even in just normal conversation moments. He loves to use tight, emphatic close ups, camera spins, framed under the hairline and above the chin of his actors. His countless obsession with the slow-motion shots of an object crashing towards the camera. And of course, explosions. Lots and lots of explosions. These are just a few of the many quirks Bay has towards his filmmaking techniques and as much as he has become a living meme in the industry, his style is different and ‘weird’ enough to be profitable and in demand.

            At this point it’s very apparent that Michael Bay is not your typical director and he himself is proud of that. “I make movies for teenage boys, oh dear what a crime.” And with this statement from him alone we understand why he does what he does. his camera work, backgrounds, and saturation of colors all have exaggerated elements within them to create maximum visual impact. Rarely will you get to see a flat image in his movies. Even a simple scenario of 2 people talking will be too mundane for Bay and he will cram as much detail within the shot to provide a sense of scale and movement such as a moving boat across the frame in the scenery as an example from the movie Pain & Gain. Michael Bay also opts to skip out entirely the use of storyboards to plan out his shots. Most of what we see in the actual movies are done on the fly and in the spur of the moment. This is both a blessing and a curse as it does allow him and the production team to save a lot of time and money, but it also open a possibility to more mistakes as improvisation usually does with anything. This would also prove to be difficult in the post-production process of his movies given that the countless CGI elements in his projects would have to be incorporated within the shots and at the same time have ti be compatible with to his credit as well, the numerous practical effects and of course, the performance of the actors. His unique eye for angles and shots filming action set pieces in ways not usually seen in any action movie provides an adrenaline rush through the movie images at display. Pair this with his frantic editing creates an epic scale showcasing a lot of details and elements for a split moment and cuts back to another to convey layers of pure mayhem on screen. The world in his movies feel huge through the characters and environments and multiple scenes all cut together to provide one massive sweep of adrenaline that demands the audience to pay attention thus creating a visually captivating experience.

            Another thing about Michael Bay is that he may not have an eye for “talent” as evidence to mostly casting wooden actors in his leading roles save for a few exceptions, he does know how to capitalize on their popularity and as well as the locations he chooses to film in. A perfect example of this would be the 4^th entry into the transformers movie franchise, Transformers Age of Extinction. The entire 3^rd act of the movie was shot in China complimented with the casting of a prominent actor from the country. All this came back to the production company in the form of an 858 million dollar earning from foreign ticket sales alone. A similar trend can be seen with the recent live action movie adaptation of the Warcraft video game franchise who got the bulk of its revenue through China ticket sales.

            Some might say Michael Bay as a director is an acquired taste and given the context of his unorthodox style of filmmaking, it’s a completely valid form of criticism. But there’s no denying that he is one of Hollywood’s most profitable assets to this day thus, he keeps getting hired for more projects to work on with the sole hook that there is almost a certainty that the money spent on production will be earned back and so much more. Bay is amazing at constructing technically impressive sequences that invoke a sense of wonder and scale but is ultimately bogged down by horrible writing, countless amounts of unnecessary subplots and plot holes, offensive humor, blatant product placement, obsession to the American flag, etc. The countless bad word of mouth regarding his movies simply serve as free publicity and will lead the audience to go to the theaters out of curiosity as to how bad Michael Bay has done it again. His works are dumb popcorn action flicks that anyone can shut their brain off and enjoy. “it’s so bad it’s good” is the saying that comes to mind when thinking of his movies. In this world of remakes, artsy films and cinematic universes, an out of the ordinary Hollywood blockbuster director is what people will gravitate towards to.

When this was first announced a few years back, I got increasingly skeptical considering the direction the Transformers films were heading into with the ever so amazing guidance of Michael Bay. The first movie featured groundbreaking special effects, breathtaking action sequences and a badass lineup of robots in disguise that were ultimately just pulled from a cheesy toy line and a dated cartoon series. Somehow through the eyes of Michael Bay, he made it work. Unfortunately, the same could not be said with the sequels that followed which grew increasingly more disappointing with every release till it just became a joke that took itself way too seriously. That being said, a drastic change was needed and the studio knew it themselves. Transformers: The Last Knight was Michael Bay’s very last chance to prove to the viewers that he could make this franchise somewhat worth the ticket price again but the critical response was so bad that it didn’t make as much money as the franchise was used to. What used to be a money generating franchise is now a poster boy for what exactly not to do in a big budget Hollywood movie.

Then comes Travis Knight. When the public was informed that he would be helming the Bumblebee standalone spinoff, there was a spark of hope but a sense of skepticism present. The critically acclaimed director was the talent behind the award winning Kubo: and the Two Strings but given that this is his first live action project, some doubts were unavoidable especially with a brand that hasn’t exactly been kind to its fans for quite some time. All I know is that we’re all happy Michael Bay isn’t returning this time around. 

Given that this is a spinoff, a smaller budget was given. Criminally low actually compared to the other mainline Transformers movies. The poor box office numbers and reception of the recent entries didn’t help as well. Then the announcement of John Cena and Hailee Steinfeld being casted came out to the world. These two have only barely proven themselves as actors in the industry and suddenly they’re given such a big brand to represent. It may not exactly be a good brand at this point but it’s big nonetheless. For me, this project was already dead from the get go. I had no idea what it was going to be about, hit had a very rocky timeline leading up to the announcements, I personally thought it was going to be about that nazi Bumblebee subplot that was introduced in The Last Knight. Sounds stupid right? Yea, cuz it is. 

Months passed by and I literally forgot the movie even existed till the trailer came out. What a slap to the face that was. Hey, one of your favourite childhood franchises is coming back and you didn’t even know you dumbass. That was the voice in my head as I watched that two minute trailer. I wasn’t excited but I wasn’t completely rubbing it off as well. The day came when I finally dragged myself to watch it. It was the first Transformers film I actually wasn’t all that excited to see despite the reviews claiming it’s a fun time. Yes, I was still excited for the previous ones even though reviews basically ripped them an all new. 

The movie in it of itself was actually quite enjoyable with the first scene being the best scene in all of the Transformers combined. I’m not going to spoil anything but let’s just say that if there was one thing fans have been constantly asking for ever since the first announcement of the first film came, Travis Knight definitely delivered in such a way that only nerds and geeks alike will fall in love with. The special effects were actually incredible and sometimes better than earlier films despite the fact that this one had a significantly smaller budget to begin with. Travis Knight’s background in amazing animation truly shows here with pristine direction of how Bumblebee himself moves. For a robot that doesn’t have a humanoid face and instead has a giant hole for a mouth, he sure does convey a lot of emotion more than the human actors at times. 

It’s definitely a lower stakes type of adventure here. This movie acts more or less as a soft reboot for the entire franchise and so this is once again, the first time earth is encountering these robots in disguise and I’m all for an all new series that follows this timeline. The relationship between Bumblebee and Hailey Steinfeld’s character (in which I already forgot the name of at this point of writing the review, the human characters are that forgettable) is sweet and it works for the most part. One just has to overcome the absolute absurdity of it all and the situations they put themselves it. It’s a dumb movie. A really dumb transformers movie but it’s the best one out there. 

The action sequences are thankfully filmed more sophisticatedly as we do see what is happening for the most part and the robots are easily distinguishable all thanks to the great re-designs they all had. It doesn’t look like two garbage trucks a smashed in together anymore. A fight feels like a proper fight and any movie that gives me giant robot fights that are actually staged well is a plus for me. Be that as it may, it’s a more subdued story so it means that although the action sequences are there and they’re great, they’re kinda spread too far apart from each other in service of the more human part of the story. Thankfully, it’s not annoying this time around but it definitely needs more fine tuning. 

Overall, Bumblebee is a fun time to be had. A Transformers movie that actually has heart to it. There is nothing to lose when watching this and surely, anyone from all ages will find something to enjoy. The future of the Transformers series looks bright if they choose to go down this path and I hope that Hasbro will take better care of the license. The series has potential, it just needs good filmmakers such as Travis Knight to bring out that potential and make it into something special. 

The Endless is the most philosophical film that we’ve watched in class to date and a large part of this is due to the underlying themes and concepts it constantly bombards the viewer through the course of its runtime. It’s a type of film that demands patience from the viewer themselves and will ultimately be rewarded by the time the credits roll in or at least a semblance of it. It’s not exactly a fun watch nor an enjoyable experience but there’s no denying that it definitely is an interesting one. The film utilises a lot of symbolisms and concepts that mirror what we have in the real life which definitely helps in keeping the narrative down to earth despite having a handful of fictional elements to it. 

The first and most obvious parallel to real life is the concept of religion. The characters of the story all associate themselves and their situation to a certain deity or a celestial being that apparently controls the way they live and function at least all within the confines of the time loop. There are two sides to this, there are the people who completely subject themselves to be under this so-called deity while there are some who choose to resent it over time due to them not being able to accept the fact that they have been in the place for so long. At the start, we see the people thriving and enjoying the “benefits” of the place up until we see the story progresses and suddenly we are shown people who don’t get as lucky in terms of the time loop effects. It helps that the two main characters, Justin and Aaron, played by the directors themselves, are both confused or generally longing for answers throughout the entire course of the runtime making us the audience easily cling onto them and their situation. 

The two brothers both contradict each other in a way that is somewhat of a nice dynamic between the two. Their interplay with each other is that one is increasingly open to the idea of staying in the place as he see the countless benefits of having a life full of second chances while the other, who seems more aware of the things happening around them, argues that the only thing they should worry about is finding a way out. This is a clever way to integrate whatever it is that the ensemble is making them believe and it would be easy to take them down a linear path but to have them diverge according to both ends of the argument creates a nice conflict on top of the already horrible situation they find themselves in.

A sense of dread and fear is felt throughout the entire runtime. It doesn’t feel safe for the characters and it doesn’t feel safe in general. There’s always something that might show up that can cause trouble and I’m all for it. This unpredictability is largely due to the amazing cinematography and sound design. Camera work and overall look of every shot feels claustrophobic and eerie in a sense. The aesthetic of the shots look muted and sometimes seem like there is vaseline smeared all over the camera lens which gives a ominous tone to whatever it is we’re seeing. Sprinkle in good sound design and a uncomfortable constant presence of ambience with the forest setting. 

Although it achieves so much in terms of its technicality, fundamentally, the film stutters a little bit. I found The Endless to have a few pacing issues especially in the first few parts right down to the second act. It’s a slow burn to say the least and if you aren’t really into films that do take their time to get the point across then this would probably be a difficult sitting the first time around. Thankfully, it picks up the pace in the other half of the second act up until the third but again, to get there, you’re gonna have to be patient. Ill admit that I found myself struggling to keep my eyes open during the first viewing since it has a serene tone to it almost. Again, this has cinematography to blame. Some performances as well don’t exactly hit the right mark. The two directors would sometimes faulted in trying to deliver certain dramatic moments or make an already awkward scene even mores. A lot of dead air is present here and I don’t know it was a directorial choice or an editing mistake but whatever it was, it didn’t work all the time for me. 

The last part of the film was quite disappointing. For a runtime dedicated to confusing both the characters and the audience together, I expected some questions to at least be answered but what happened is just a series of “okay here you go” without the sense that it was properly achieved. Even the two brothers themselves look at each other after escaping as if what just happened came out of nowhere and did it really happen? What did we do to get this anyways? It didn’t feel like it had a proper ending to say the least. Maybe it’s because I didn’t watch an earlier film called Resolution (2012) from the same filmmakers but I’d like to think that small connections like that shouldn’t be required to a full understanding of a film that presents itself to stand alone. 

A great ensemble cast and a wacky set of personalities saves this film from becoming an artsy bore-fest and in the end, it’s also the technical aspects of it all that show how much of an effort the directorial duo had in terms of constructing the narrative. A few pacing issues aside, The Endless is something that should at least be given a shot once if someone is looking for something new. Multiple viewings are definitely recommended to experience the full effect of it all and overall it was a fascinating journey to go on. All you need to do is accept the fact that the ending is not all that fulfilling. Maybe that’s why it’s called The Endless, it doesn’t really end all that well so it just tells the audience it doesn’t have a proper one.