Thursday, May 21, 2020

Chris Butler's MISSING LINK (2019)

I do not love the character design, 
Especially the faces; they all look
Like they're in need of Kleenex, or less wine. 
At least the animators sort of took
Their physics lessons, and the backgrounds are
Magnificent and detailed. So why make 
The figures so damned ugly? It's bizarre. 
Then there's the shrewish lady lead. I'd stake
A modest sum the writing staff were male,
But really don't care near enough to check. 
Some neat ideas, though, like a haughty, pale
And racist vale of cryptids, and, on deck
A cryptic hunting Saqsquatch. Really, I
Just wished they'd made more effort on this try. 

Matt Sears' THE SKY (2020)


I love my lo-fi sci-fi, and it seems
The genre has a future, if the Earth
Continues turning, if small, nimble teams
Of young filmmakers keep at it. At first
This seems the most lo-fi, two women sit
In folding chairs out in the wilderness
And talk, and then decide to have a bit
Of magic mushroom as the End will bless
Or curse the whole world soon. Good cam'ra tricks
And psychedelic FX sure would be
Enough, but here the actresses, script, mix
Well with the other efforts. I will see
As much of Matt Sears work as e'er I may,
And hope we've years yet 'til the here-shown day.

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Morgan Neville's 20 FEET FROM STARDOM (2013)

The giants on whose shoulders long have stood
The giants whom we hail as household names
Still walk among us, small, less known, and good?
Don't damn them with faint praise. A little fame 
Is overdue these ladies, and right here, 
Right from the ope'ning credits we receive
That message. All the art direction near
Distracts from these great ladies, but, believe:
They still stand out. A fine, harmonic whole, 
This film -- and even when it cuts to stars 
The spotlight stays on Lisa, Darlene. Know
I'll soon hunt down their vinyl from afar!
We're at our best when we are not alone. 
Now someone make this film but for trombone!

Jeff Dolan's PHASE 6 (2019)


With just twelve minutes for to tell a tale,
Each aspect must be tight, all without waste.
Scripts must be tight, and dialogue can't fail
To be efficient, curt but still with taste.
And both of these prevail here, as do all
The SFX and art direction, though
The actors, as if Lucas made the call
To treat them like set-pieces, make this show
A bit uneven. Still, this harrowing
Account of med-tech turned to nasty ends
Is tense and good, is creepy, narrowing
The battle for the world to two young friends'
Own bodies. I do fear that wing-nuts
Will treat this as non-fiction, in my guts...

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Maren Ade's THE FOREST FOR THE TREES (2003)


Some trigger warnings might be needed here,
For social awkwardness at its worst height
Of tension is this film's point. I don't fear
Encounters with new people, but new fright
Might well be triggered by the agony
We share with Melanie (especially since
The smart and lucky ones still aren't quite free
Of lockdown in this COVID year). You'll wince
Each this young, new teacher meets someone,
And nod as her collection of house plants
Increases as her life moves from not fun
To desolate. If Eva Lobau's glance,
All neediness and optimism, breaks
Your heart, well, you were warned, and no mistake.

Friday, May 8, 2020

Celine Sciamma's PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (2019)

Much could be made of what just isn't here --
No music and no men, and yes, no pow'r
Imbalances, except, eschewing fear,
Officially. 'Tis right that we did show'r
This wonder with awards, effusive praise, 
Superlatives. Within this ladies' world
It's all about the loving female gaze
Bestowed and, too, received in trust, unfurled
Among a set of equals. This is so 
Refreshing I near failed to notice that
They play Egyptian Ratscrew by the glow 
Of candles. And of course it's lovely; at
The very least it will pull at your heart.
It's also simply stunning vis'ual art!

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Lindsay Anderson's O LUCKY MAN! (1973)

 I'm now become an Alan Price fan girl,
Graham Crowden steals his brief scenes yet again
As our Mick Travers blunders through a world
Still made for white boys. We last saw him when
He made a right mess of his schoolboy days
But seems to not have suffered consequence.
He sees some this time 'round, but somehow stays
A poster boy for priv'lege. Some expense
Was spared in casting, though it's all top notch --
They all get many roles, which adds a bit
To surreality, and does a lot
To make this funnier. The perfect fit,
Though is how Price's band serves in the tale,
And how the ending dance party just wails!

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Christopher Miller & Phil Lord's THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (2019)


I guess I have to write a sonnet for
This sequel, too, though you could all refer
To yesterday's. They clearly meant for more
To come at last one's end, and what occurs
Is all there in that final scene. A few
Good jokes, and Maya Rudolph, and a bit
Of traveling in time and that will do,
I guess. I do admire the technique. It
Would be much cooler, though, if they had ta'en
The Harryhausen route, with act'ual blocks
Made into act'ual spaceships, ruined plain
And dance floors, but that would sure run out the clocks,
And, too, the patience of the financiers.
Whatever. S'not the worst we've seen, these years.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Christopher Miller & Phil Lord's THE LEGO MOVIE (2014)


Oh god, please make it stop, that effing song,
So dumb it's smart, or, yeah, so smart it's dumb
I will say this, though, as things moved along
I hated Ferrell less than e'er my numb
And hateful heart could e'er allow. This tale
Of toys and how they're played with and of how
They get commodified and made a rail
Along which thoughts are shoved felt very now
Until the bit when Emmett, hailed as one
Unspecial leader with no talents, well,
It's not so funny, ne'er will be as fun
Since that November when we went to hell
In 2016. Oh well, it was cute
And I'm sure all the sequels are a hoot.

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Robert Eggers' THE LIGHTHOUSE (2019)


If ever did a film need black and white
T'were this'un, as the light and shadows play
Across these faces, crazed and pure and right
Out of a William Blake book, I might say
(Check out those mad tableaus!), or, then again
From Goya. How did Jaren Blaschke not
Receive a shelf-full of awards, but then
I've not yet seen what beat him. Still, you've got
To hand it to him; nothing's looked like this
Since Hameister, perhaps. And yes, the cast
Chewed up the scene'ry well. I'd be amiss
To not shout out the gull unit, too. 'Vast!
I could go on and on about this one,
It's tense and crazy and it's lots of fun.


Friday, May 1, 2020

Ari Aster's MIDSOMMAR (2019)


The folk art that foreshadows from behind
Each scene almost distracts th'unwary eye
From double-you-tee-eff that blows the mind
As Wicker Man gets blown away sky-high.
How Florence Pugh expressed emotions which
Should not exist, I marvel! But look out --
Some graphic horrors wait. My brain doth itch
From what I saw, but yes, I think about
Another viewing soon. Just how much art
Foretold just how much plot? I saw a bear
On Dani's wall in act one, and a chart
Cartoon of how her beau was going to fare...
And yes, the camera tricks worked well, as did
The scenery. A re-watch I am bid!

Guillermo del Toro's THE SHAPE OF WATER (2017)

Some movies are for looking at, and I'd Say this is one, for ev'ry gorgeous frame Would look great on my wall. All that ...