Mike Goes To Movies

Soul (2020) TLDR: For a year where many may feel like they have lost a little piece of their own, Soul has arrived to remind us all what's most important in life. This is a Pixar film that is arguably more important for adults to watch than kids: it is beautiful - in both story and art, it is quirky, it is heartfelt and, as these trying times endlessly push on, it reminds us that there is still a lot of good in this world to enjoy and reflect upon.  Note: some spoilers below. It takes a little bit of time to ease into Disney/Pixar's Soul. Though the film starts out in a lush and beautifully rendered NYC filled with delightful jazz music as we follow Joe around his everyday boroughs, things very quickly run astray. Suddenly, we are thrown into an abstract world filled with Picasso-like wiry characters and massively heady existential concepts like 'where do we come from', 'the great beyond', and much more. If it's not immediately apparent, it soon becomes clea

How to With John Wilson (Season 1) TLDR: It's hard to describe exactly what How To is or why exactly it works, but there's a certain point in every episode when the comedy begins to click and then the human element - the surprising poignancy and the everyman/woman relatability - comes out in spades. This documentary series is unlike anything else out there and absolutely worth your time. Who exactly is John Wilson? That's the first question that comes to mind when HBO's new documentary series is recommended to a new viewer. The name is in the show's title, and yet John Wilson is rather a nobody in the grand scheme of things as well as in the entertainment industry (at least he was prior to the becoming a bonafide hit). However, not long ago, contemporary comedy icon Nathan Fielder discovered Wilson and, after seeing his work and style, decided to jump on board as a producer for a new series made by Wilson.  So, again, what exactly is this show? Well, each episode of

Sound of Metal (2020) TLDR: Easily one of the best films I have seen in a long while. Grounded by an absolutely stellar performance by Riz Ahmed (and co-star, Olivia Cooke), Darius Marder's Sound of Metal is a moving and deeply-empathetic look into the journey and struggle to find peace with one's self through the lens of a musician who loses his hearing.  Have no doubt, if you are not yet familiar with the names Riz Ahmed and Olivia Cooke you are about to be. Both actors - Ahmed in particular who leads the film - are transcendent in Darius Marder's Sound of Metal. Ahmed plays Ruben, a heavy metal drummer, in a duo group led by guitar/singer, Lou, played by Cooke. The two are as much a pair off-stage as they are on it. It is clear from early on that they are all that the other really has in life and they are content to travel across the country in their RV together playing shows and making ends meet as best they can. However, all goes awry when Ruben - who batters his eardr

Pierrot le Fou (1965) TLDR: Despite being a 'classic' and perhaps one of the quintessential European New Wave films, Godard's Pierrot le Fou is the antithesis to today's contemporary mainstream movie-going experience. It is an entertainingly goofy affair yet also baffling and often indecipherable. It is both an homage and also a commentary on the medium of film, and one that requires a good deal of contemplative afterthought to ponder what exactly it is you've just watched... I will admit that Pierrot is the first film by the legendary Jean-Luc Godard that I have seen. While I knew his status as an auteur and as one of the best of his craft, I didn't quite know his 'style' going into this film. As anyone who has seen some of Godard's will know, within twenty minutes or so, I was taken for quite the turn - I quickly felt like I was part of Ferdinand and Marianne's chaotic joy ride through the European countryside filled with romance, crime, non-se

The New Mutants (2020) TLDR: A sad, dismal final chapter in Fox's once-acclaimed X-Men saga. The New Mutants shows promise in fragments, but its poor script and plot and often awkward execution makes for a sickly overall package that is quite fitting for this equally-sickly year that it has finally been released in... The New Mutants were an alt-X-Men team created in the early 80's in an effort to revamp and re-contemporize a new team of teenage X-Men. The new series became a smash-hit with new star mutants like Magik, Cannonball, Sunspot, Wolfsbane and Mirage, all of whom continue to headline Marvel comics to this day. Josh Boone's The New Mutants, which was announced more than five years ago and shot in 2017, has finally seen the light of day in 2020... The film seeks to adapt the team's beloved 'Demon Bear' storyline, while introducing audiences to this fresh team of mutant superheroes. In doing so, Boone tries to create an omelet-homage from the likes of Ste

The Before Trilogy TLDR: As a whole, and in each of its separate parts, Richard Linklater's 'Before Trilogy' is the cinematic experience in its absolute finest form. The story of Celine and Jesse speaks to the core of the human experience - surprising joys, inevitable obstacles and eventual pains, and, most importantly, the mystery and intrigue of love - and it does it in an affecting way that, almost unlike any other film, is simultaneously theatrical and also remarkably raw and realistic.  "It's just, people have these romantic projections they put on everything. That's not based on any kind of reality." - Jesse, Before Sunrise Even more than the multitudes of other incredible introspective bits of wisdom and philosophy that Celine and Jesse converse in across the three movies, this quote perhaps sums up the trilogy best of all. What are romance movies other than certain individuals' projections of what romance - often, idealized romance - is. Most o

Whiplash (2012) TLDR: On multiple levels Whiplash is a brilliant film. A dual character study. An ode to jazz music supremacy. And a cautionary (or inspiring?) tale of what it takes to become the world's greatest. In an instant, Whiplash cements Damien Chazelle as one of today's youngest and most talented filmmakers brimming with artistry, intensity and craftsmanship. This is not one to miss. It was surprising that the first time I saw Whiplash, I left the theatre with a slightly nauseous feeling in my gut. Not because of the film itself - its visuals or audio per se - there is nothing to criticize about its radiance. It was in its simple yet utterly-effective and haunting discussion of what it takes to become the greatest in one's field that left me feeling torn and conflicted. While most of the film seems to be a cautionary or reprimanding tale of jazz instructor Fletcher's (JK Simmons) brutal methods of 'mentorship', its ending posits perhaps an equally stron

Spring Breakers (2012) TLDR: A hypnotic dramedy and Black Mirror-esque tale of a group of millennials seeking to voyage and take part in their hedonistic Mecca, called Spring Break in Florida. This film can easily be interpreted to be something it is not, but for those who 'get it', Spring Breakers is a fitting and compelling continuation of Harmony Korine's ellucidating saga of outlandish contemporary Americana. Harmony Korine is one of the most fascinating auteuristic filmmakers today. His films frequently tackle segments of American society - often teenage and adult debauchery - through a lens that looks to have dropped more than a few tabs of LSD and a cocktail of assorted booze. Bizarre characters are tantamount, as are his neon colour palettes and great musical choices. And yet, like an expose on a walk of life you had never been aware of, there is always something to be taken away from Korine's stories and subject matter.  Spring Breakers taps into the oft-deprav

 Tenet (2020) TLDR: A true 'Nolan-extravaganza': it is shiny and fun to look at, yet utterly nonsensical and devoid of anything resembling an emotional core. Smartly, the film never stops for even a moment's breath to let you reflect on its absurd logic, which might enable you to see the plentiful holes in this piece of cinematic swiss cheese.  There is no denying that people were clamouring to see Nolan's newest blockbuster Tenet. He is arguably the master of contemporary smart action, which makes every new film he comes out with one that comes with preconceived excitement and hype. On top of that, not only was Tenet always to be one of this year's biggest releases, but it also now rings in the re-opening of theatres across the globe, making this film, on multiple levels, a big deal.  In some ways, Tenet does succeed in creating a celebratory reason to return to the silver screen: it is an ostentatious film, shot in mammoth IMAX ratio, and filled with wondrous acti

 The Place Beyond The Pines (2012) TLDR: Ambitious in its scope, structure and themes, The Place Beyond The Pines is a compelling film with much to admire, but, at times, it falls under its own lofty weight due to plot holes, inconsistent pacing and a much weaker third act. Derek Cianfrance's The Place Beyond The Pines shoots for the moon but gets lost floating somewhere in its orbit. The film, divided into three distinct acts, is more concerned with exploring compelling themes of fate, fatherhood and consequence and, less, about telling a well-plotted story with consistent characters and progressions. It is an undoubtedly ambitious endeavour and one that, at many points, succeeds in drawing out the emotion it very clearly wants from its audience. However, the film suffers from a habit of cutting corners - consistently jumping, in jarring ways, from Point A to Point B in order to get to the plot points and twists in its story required for later emotional fallout. It is not very sub

 Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) TLDR: Sciamma's Portrait is everything that a story of romance should be: poignant, defiant, sensual, heartbreaking and, of course, beautiful in every aspect within the medium of film. Celina Sciamma's Portrait of a Lady on Fire may be set in the 1700's, but the romance at the heart of its story is universal and one that most should be able to relate to, having experienced it in full or in desirous  moments throughout life. The tenderness that Sciamma shows in the evolving relationship between Marianne and Heloise perfectly illustrates and encapsulates the ebb and flow, the push and pull, of such lustrous romance. And for any of the romantics or the storytellers out there, what romance is steamier or more compelling than one that is forbidden? Portrait has similarities to other recent romance film, Call Me Be Your Name, not only in its central LGBTQ relationships, but also in the slow, moving beauty of the two films, both of which are set

Phew. And here we are, at the end. Part three of this tale of curious and haunting isolation. Not sure who has stuck around for the ride to this point - but for those who have, I appreciate and thank you. Now, here is the final chapter. Once again, follow the LINK IN BIO. Cheers! Part III Somewhere, a new voice, spoke to me. It came from somewhere in the back of my mind, telling me, that I had begun to unravel. It wasn’t constant or direct, more like a car taking a winding road down a treacherous mountain. Despite my provisions still remaining, I had stopped eating and only drank small amounts of water when my parched body demanded it. I wanted to see myself, see the reflection of my face; I thought that would be serviceable indication as to whether I had, in fact, lost my faculties.   What I received instead was only the voice. The godforsaken voice. But, it had changed. No longer the declaration of singular words and names. Now, its ghoulish mockery framed full sentences:   “You atte

Thanks everyone for the feedback for Part I of the story - I really appreciate all of the positivity! Here is Part II, which you can again access through the LINK IN MY BIO. I hope you enjoy!! The Voice Part II   When I awoke, the dreams, or nightmares, were gone. Whatever my subconscious had been deliberating over during my sleep had since receded back to the nether realms of my psyche. I had no recollection of them, only the lingering feeling of unease from the previous day.   It is a conviction of mine that there is nothing in this world that cannot be explained with rational thinking. Lesser minds have oft believed to have had metaphysical encounters: spirits, deities, creatures unknown, and other such unexplainables. But these are notions suffered by the minds of the ill and the ignorant. They have not experienced life to the extent that one, such as myself has, who understands that such paranormal entities – if one may use that term – do not exist in this world, and that all occu