After hearing a couple of Star Wars Stories and having read From the Book of Saw, it was apparently time to learn what’s going on From the World of John Wick. Ballerina is the result of a classic studio movie, where a popular franchise extends itself further by adapting a well-liked screenplay (Ballerina was previously voted onto The Black List) and reshaping it to fit within the established IP. Fortunately, while all the details of the John Wick world (such…
How do you prepare for the end? Or should you? The Life of Chuck is meant to be seen as a life-affirming story. It’s also an adaptation of a novella by Stephen King, suggesting at least some dark elements may be lurking in the background. Perhaps that’s why director/screenwriter Mike Flanagan (a King devotee) chose a non-linear approach to this film, further making it clear what this story is after. Putting plot structure aside, just as intriguing is watching a…
Snyder’s best since Watchmen. His efforts to keep the visuals interesting (he’s his own DP for this one) plays well with the “big dumb fun” energy that holds throughout, with the added bonus of a few characters playing better than they are written due to the cast. And the opening credits are terrific, which seems to be one aspect you can usually rely on for Snyder flicks.
Leave it to David Fincher to pivot away from a more familiar movie making story about Citizen Kane and instead dive headfirst into deconstructing Hollywood politics and make it engrossing. Mank is as impeccably made as one would expect, but also a fabulous writing treat.
