Disney's newest outing in live action remakes stands true to the success of the original animated film.  The "tale as old as time" remains relevant to society with it's depiction of love and different levels of societal classes.  Beauty and the Beast has deeper messages hidden in its storyline, but is still enjoyable as a family film filled with charm and attraction.  Sticking to a storyline that has already been put to the test on the big screen can be hard, but Bill Condon's (Dreamgirls) direction gives the film a fresh setting and jaw-dropping effects.  Throughout the film, animation still prevails with normally inanimate objects.  Lumiere (played by Ewan McGregor [Trainspotting, Star Wars]) shines as bright as he did in the original film, and Cogsworth's (played by Ian McKellen [The Lord of the Rings]) gears turn once again in the new adaptation.  The two actors for these roles heavy lifting with their voice acting roles.  While McGregor was able to charm as Lumiere, I'm not sure that I buy his French accent.  It was a bit over-the-top, but it did not detract too much from the film.

The best roles are saved for two very prominent actors of our time.  Dan Stevens (The Guest) is unrecognizable as the beast, which is a good thing.  After the opening scene, we get a scary image that takes time to gain the audience's trust.  His role is much different from his other works.  Stevens seems to be one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood right now.  

Speaking of versatile actors, Emma Watson (Harry Potter) graces the big screen once again as an iconic Disney character.  In this remake, Belle is different from the original film.  This time, she is a much more empowered character.  Watson's work on feminism clearly made its way into the film, proving that equality in movies is possible.  No one could do a better job in this role than Watson, and no one is more fitting.  Condon makes it very clear that this story is more based around Belle than it is around the beast.  

Of course, this wouldn't be a Disney live action adaptation without a reworking of the original score.  Usually, pre-recorded performances distract me from the screen as I watch clear lip-syncing.  However, I applaud Beauty and the Beast's sound crew for making the singing look as realistic as possible.  Sure it is not as authentic as the Les Miserables performances, but this is as good as it gets!  The massive scale choreography is also exciting to watch as the cast dances to iconic songs such as "Belle", "Be Our Guest", and the titular song "Beauty and the Beast".  Of course, "Gaston" remains as one of my favorite Disney songs ever with a job well done by Josh Gad (Frozen) and Luke Evans (Fast & Furious 6).  These familiar names play off of each other with a grand stage presence.  Evans is menacing as hell and Gad brings another wimpy character to life.

The Bottom Line: Beauty and the Beast ​brings back a tale as old as time with grandeur and charm-filled acting that could only be produced by the familiar faces in the cast.

Score: 9.3/10

Image credit: ​By http://flickr.com/photos/nieve44/ - http://flickr.com/photos/nieve44/418072188/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2099783

I first heard of Cataldo via a Locals Only segment on 107.7 The End (a Seattle-based station).  My first experience with the band was a single titled, "Photograph".  After that, I had to check out the rest of their music and I was hooked.  It turns out that I had picked the perfect time to check them out, with a new album coming out merely a month after I heard "Photograph".  Cataldo's fifth album might be their best yet, with flowingly poetic lyrics and introspective instrumentals.  But wait, it gets better.  Their new album was released by a record label that is owned by my favorite Seattle ice cream shop!  Mooncrew Records is a new label created by the ever-so-delicious Molly Moon's ice cream company.

Cataldo's new album, Keepers, starts off with a very deep track.  "Room Without a Flame" is full of odd-but-thoughtful ideas and layered backing tracks.  A lot of artists would likely put a track like this towards the end of the album, but Cataldo chooses to get the brain juices flowing right off the bat.  With the help of other musical artists (including Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie), the album bounces from instrumental loops to psychological lyrics in mere seconds.  It is easy to get lost in a track as complex as "Photograph".  This lead single for the album is layered with jazzy brass and syncopated piano expressions.
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After "Photograph", the album lightens up a bit with "Little Heartbeat".  Female backing vocals are reminiscent of Cyndi Lauper tracks from the eighties.  They play perfectly with Eric Anderson's lead vocals, giving him an opportunity to have a back-and-forth with another singer.  After "Little Heartbeat", we get more vocal tracks leading up to a multi-layered vocal track titled "Your Love Has Got Me Running Home (To You)".  This track has a lot going on with its rhythm.  Every time I listen to it, I can hear a new track in the background.  If you just close your eyes and take it all in, you might be able to capture the full soundscape.

The rest of the tracks on the album seem to have similar traits to the previous tracks.  Cataldo finishes the 34 minute album with a grand atmosphere of drum beats, vocal tracks, and long synthesized notes.  "America, Goodnight!" leaves the listener with a great hope for the success of the band.  This track literally says "goodnight", but I am sure that there will be more to hear from the band that is skyrocketing towards popularity.  Quite honestly, I believe Cataldo will be the new Death Cab after this album.  Anderson is reminiscent of Gibbard and the depth of his vocals create a nostalgia for Narrow Stairs.  I encourage you to head to the nearest ice cream parlor and jam out to Keepers!

Score: 9/10

Favorite Tracks: "Room Without a Flame", "Photograph", "Your Love Has Got Me Running Home (To You)", "America, Goodnight!"

Least Favorite Tracks:  Honestly, I'm alright with all of them.  No dislikes here!

Image credit: ​By Another Believer - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32050375

If the unhealthy food at McDonald's is not enough to reduce your visits, the portrayal of Ray Kroc in The Founder will surely turn you away from the company.  Although I have eaten at Mcdonald's many times (too many times) in my life, I never knew the history of the fast food empire.  Since I only have this film as a perspective of the franchise's history, I cannot tell if Ray Kroc was actually a complete sales shark or if this film is terribly biased towards one side of the story.  The film basically claims that Kroc stole the restaurant company from Richard and Mac McDonald, which might be accurate.  What started off as a family restaurant became a worldwide phenomenon based around the model of speed.  

Although there are star actors in this one, the performances feel forced at times and never hit the depth of emotion of similar films.  Coming off of vast success in Birdman, Michael Keaton seemed poised to take on any role as a lead actor.  Unfortunately, this one was a miscast with Keaton forcing a personality that is fake.  Hopefully this role won't lead him downwards from the peak of success, but I have high hopes for his role in Spider-Man: Homecoming.  Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) and John Carroll Lynch (Gran Torino) are decent as the McDonald brothers, but their talents feel wasted with small parts.  If there was a bit more heart in the script, there could have been a lot of room for fearless performances.  Yet, The Founder falls far from similar pictures like The Social Network and The Wolf of Wall Street.  

Another issue that I had with this film was the pace of events.  The film opens with almost no backstory for Ray Kroc.  Our minds are implanted with the fact that he is just a cheating salesperson.  If I were given more outlook on his upbringing, I would have had more of a connection with the character.  Nothing about this character is moral or good.  Surely, there is another trait that we can at least appreciate about Ray Kroc.  The film is rushed into paperwork signings and contracts, without stopping to show the audience the actual process of Kroc's success.  He seemingly does nothing and succeeds, making him an even less likeable character.  

The Bottom Line:  A broken pace and forced acting create a boring look at the fast-food takeover that Ray Kroc committed.   

Score: 6/10

Image credit: ​By Memorias22 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58336632

Father John Misty, AKA Josh Tillman, has returned in 2017 with Pure Comedy. It is his third studio album under this pseudonym, following 2015’s critically acclaimed I Love You, Honeybear. The long-time singer-songwriter and former drummer for Fleet Foxes provides a great opportunity to dive into these two recent records for my first double album review.

I Love You, Honeybear -

There is no doubt about it. As its name would suggest, I Love You, Honeybear is all about love. Pure, unadulterated, rock you to your core love. Through a diverse set of tracks, Tillman explores themes of affection, commitment, and self-deconstruction. And he does not hold back, becoming a complete sap over his love and devotion to his wife Emma.

Right from the opening title-track, the chorus triumphantly proclaims “I love you, Honeybear.” He opens his heart, and is not shy in letting you know why they are perfect together. His verses are punctuated by moments such as, “My love, you're the one I want to watch the ship go down with.”

The ride of love continues into the second track, “Chateau Lobby #4". It is one of the album’s most lusty and physical, backed with driving horns you would hear in a Spanish ballad. Tracks such as "Nothing Good Ever Happens at the Goddamn Thirsty Crow", "Strange Encounter", and "Ideal Husband" provide an introspective look into Tillman. He absolutely rags on his character and all the flaws that come with it. These narratives pair well with sentimental moments such as "When You’re Smiling and Astride Me". These contrasts show one of Tillman’s biggest strengths. The emotion in the music feels real. There are no empty gestures or stories on the album. It comes across completely down-to-earth, as he relentlessly tears himself down while singing endless praises of his wife.

Another one of Tillman’s strengths is a great sense of comedic relief. He never takes the album too seriously. This shines in the tracks "The Ideal Husband" – which describes exactly the opposite – and "Bored in the USA" – which plays off the famous Springsteen song.

The album keeps itself lively and energetic despite its subject matter through consistent, but diverse sounds. Tillman matches the subject of "The Ideal Husband" with the album’s most aggressive sound. He lets loose in the closing minute, as he screams his way through a drastic and personal breaking point. On "I Went to the Store One Day", he closes the album with lush strings and vocals to tell a sweet tale of his marriage’s future. For the most part, Tillman keeps a strong pop-sense and brings replay value to the music.

However, FJM’s tendency to change styles comes back to bite him on "True Affection". He rolls with an electronic sound, and he does not do anything particularly interesting with it. The track just seems to stick out as a musical sore thumb. And while "Bored in the USA" is a nice song by itself, it’s a bit distracting. Acting as a detour from the main subject matter.

While love is a relatively simple concept in music and has certainly been done before, Tillman’s endearing character carries the record. His romantic tales of the past, present, and future are some of the most compelling you will hear. This isn’t Disney or fairy-tale love. It’s raw and real. Full of honesty, humor, and captivating emotions – Father John Misty delivers a wonderful album backed with a catchy and gorgeous set of sounds.

Score: 8.75/10

Favorite Tracks: "I Love You, Honeybear", "Chateau Lobby #4", "When You’re Smiling and Astride Me", "Nothing Good Ever Happens at the Goddamn Thirsty Crow", "Strange Encounter", "The Ideal Husband", "I Went to the Store One Day"

Least Favorite Tracks: "True Affection", "Bored in the USA"
 
Pure Comedy -

From Pure Comedy’s opening cut, it is clear Tillman fails where he previously succeeded on I Love You, Honeybear. Taking the album too seriously. The album tackles a wide range of social issues and ailments, but ultimately fails to say anything that truly sticks. It lacks the raw, emotional punch of his last musical effort. Tillman is not as convincing as a deep-diving philosopher. You felt a lot more when he was just singing about his wife. The record just seems to lack a real sense of energy and relatability.

Without getting too detailed about the lyrics, Tillman does a decent job of describing all of his worldly opinions. "Leaving LA" is a 12 minute adventure of harsh Hollywood criticism. The title track is a solid introduction to everything that’s wrong with society. "Things It Would Have Been Helpful to Know Before the Revolution" is an interesting “what-if” about the world. "So I’m Growing Old on Magic Mountain" is my favorite narrative of the album. FJM tells a story about an elderly man reflecting on his youth, and it presents one of the more relatable and laid-back cuts from this record. But besides these select few, Pure Comedy feels repetitive. It’s as if he took "Bored in the USA" from his last album and extended it over 74 minutes. It can get old pretty fast.

Musically, Tillman ditches some of the pop appeal he had on Honeybear and instead aims towards more ambitious instrumentals. Strings and horns are featured prominently, giving the album a grander scale. Although the replay value is much lower here. Highlights include the moving orchestral section of "Leaving LA" that builds up over the lengthy track. "Things It Would Have Been Helpful to Know Before the Revolution" builds up to one of the album’s most lively climaxes, and then fades into a piano ballad that is built like a signature Elton John song. "The Memo" is most experimental cut from the record, featuring intriguing vocal distortions.

Overall Pure Comedy is a solid return for Father John Misty that does not pull its punches with the world’s social issues. However, the album falls short by taking itself too seriously. While Josh Tillman once again brings his signature sense of humor on some of the tracks, the album lacks any meaningful impact. It all becomes rather exhausting through the album’s extended run time. While I wish there was some more aggression in the music, Tillman shows an improvement in his composition by arranging an impressive set of instrumentation.

Score: 7.5/10

Favorite Tracks: "Pure Comedy", "Total Entertainment Forever", "Things It Would Have Been Helpful to Know Before the Revolution", "Leaving LA", "A Bigger Paper Bag", "So I’m Growing Old on Magic Mountain"
Least Favorite Tracks: "Birdie", "Smoochie", "Two Wildly Different Perspectives"

Image credit: ​By Ralph Arvesen - https://www.flickr.com/photos/rarvesen/15790868494/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38176862

For a three hour runtime, this is one of the quickest paced movies I have ever watched.  Scorsese (The Departed) directs this biopic about Jordan Belfort, one of the many salespeople who took advantage of others for their own gains on Wall Street.  I have not yet read Belfort's book, but I imagine that it is just as crazy as the film adaptation.  Drugs, sex, and all sorts of raunchiness progress the film forwards at a relentless pace.  Just when I wondered what could happen next, surprising events unfold as Belfort and his gang constantly get high and make millions of dollars.

A trio of acting dominates the storyline with Leonardo DiCaprio (Inception, The Departed, Titanic) at the helm.  Leo's portrayal of Belfort balances on a tightrope of lovability and immorality.  Even with his wishy-washy character, Leo leads the film in what is his best performance to date.  Don't get me wrong, The Revenant is another great film in his filmography, but nothing beats the authenticity of this role.  The other two screen-dominating roles are Jonah Hill (21 Jump Street, Superbad) as Donny Azoff and Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club​) as Mark Hanna.  At a time when Jonah Hill was starting to take off, he plays the perfect henchman for Belfort to work with.  Azoff is an oddball character that is shrouded in mystery.  No actor could have been a better fit for this role.  Alongside Hill and DiCaprio, McConaughey shines bright as a mentor for Belfort.  Even though his role is short-lived, he is iconic and exciting to watch.

It still amazes me that this film is directed by Scorsese.  The Wolf of Wall Street is not for all ages, but geared toward a specific audience.  Anyone who is interested in economics might take offense with the film and its display of Wall Street crookedness.  However, at a time when everyone dreamed of being rich, the film played well to young adults.  Honestly, who doesn't dream of a life with the comfort of Jordan Belfort's.  Of course there were clear flaws with living this sort of life, but you have to admit that being able to buy a yacht and go wherever you want in the world has an appeal.  Scorsese's character study is able to appeal to wannabe millionaires even with a story as immoral as Belfort's.

The Bottom Line:  Fine acting and a quick pace push this drug-filled film forwards, creating a piece of art that will be remembered by anyone who dreams of being rich.

Score: 9/10

Natalie Portman (V for Vendetta, Black Swan, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith) has played a lot of large roles, but she has never filled the shoes of someone as iconic as Jackie Kennedy before.  Her performance makes her almost unrecognizable, blending in as Jackie without a trace of pretend.  She looks just like her, sounds just like her, and I imagine that she took some time researching the mannerisms of the former First Lady.  At times the story drags a bit, but Portman is fun to watch throughout the full film.

When the trailers came out a few months back, I was not exactly sure what the timeframe of the film would be.  The film takes place right after the assassination of JFK, spanning over only a few days.  By choosing to focus on a very short time period, Pablo Larrain's (Neruda​) direction is centered around the character rather than big events.  For this reason the film chugs along slowly so that the audience is forced to study Jackie's thoughts and actions.  This is a full character study after an event that formed the main character.  It is nice to see that Jackie is the focal point, rather than her popular husband.  It is not often that directors choose to create a story around a strong female character.  Yet, that is the beauty of contemporary indie filmmaking.  We finally get good roles for actresses to portray.

To create the connection between the audience and Jackie, Larrain uses close-up shots, putting us directly in front of the character.  We see every ounce of emotion in Portman's facial expressions, proving her abilities as a lead actress.  Personally, I was not alive at the time of the events that take place on screen, so the grainy footage also adds to the film's time period.  A good amount of the film looks like it was taken from cameras that were actually filming in the 1960s.  That sounds weird, but these subtle decisions in filmmaking create an authentic atmosphere for the audience.  

The Bottom Line:  Portman's authentic acting and Larrain's superb direction re-create an interesting story that younger generations haven't been exposed to.

Score: 9.0/10

Every single element of T2 Trainspotting progresses the story and adds to the acclaimed preceding film.  This is about as good as any sequel can be.  Of course the original film stands out as the classic, but T2 Trainspotting should not be lost in the shadows.  Trainspotting focuses on the drug culture and addiction that the gang encounter in life, but T2 Trainspotting reminisces on the memories and mistakes of the young lads.  

Upon hearing about the sequel, I had no idea where the story would go in this installment.  I imagined that the aesthetic would remain the same, and the problems revolve around drugs.  The aesthetic does remain the same, but the storyline focuses on the redemption and development of the individual characters.  Intermittent themes remind us of the past film, with addiction and life ideals constantly popping up.  Drugs are still in the film, but the newest drug for the gang is redemption.  With the bodies of mid-life men, the characters still have the mindsets of their past selves, creating an entertaining follow-up to Danny Boyle's (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours​) original masterpiece.

Throughout the film, I got lost on the journey of each character.  I understood what was going on, but felt trapped in the unfolding story.  Don't get me wrong, this is a great thing!  When you can connect to the characters and their lives, you know that the story has been written well.  John Hodge's (The Beach​) screenplay is reminiscent of Pulp Fiction, with separate stories that are intertwined in the final act.  Ewan McGregor (Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith), Robert Carlyle (28 Weeks Later), Ewen Bremner (Black Hawk Down), and Johnny Lee Miller (Hackers) clearly remember their acting talents from Trainspotting.  Their character portrayals have not changed in the 20 years that have gone by.  Angjela Nedyalkova (The Paradise Suite) adds a great character to the mix as well with her portrayal of Veronika.  The development of these characters keep the film rolling at a runtime that is almost half an hour longer than the original.

I would go amiss to neglect a short discussion of the soundtrack as well.  "Perfect Day" was such a big hit in the original film that the filmmakers chose to keep it for the second film as well.  However, new additions to the soundtrack remind the audience that times have changed.  U2 and Queen hits create an atmosphere that lives on for younger audiences.  Without these new hits, the film might have been a drag!  

The Bottom Line:  The same gang is back to live out the rest of the original story with new developments that create another film full of fun and emotion.

Score: 9.5/10

Image credit: ​By Martin Kraft - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56610727

Let's just start with the first scene.  Sound good to you?  

The film opens with a promising scene involving a monster that is very similar to Godzilla.  In fact, the monster is similar enough to Godzilla that Toho ended up taking Voltage Pictures and Nacho Vigalondo (Timecrimes) to court.  This movie seemingly held enough value for a lawsuit to occur.  Anyways, back to the first scene.  The monster looks aesthetically perfect and the soundtrack jumps in right away with the mere glimpse of the monster.  The soundtrack is grand and heavy, fitting into the movie seamlessly.  BOOM, the film jumps to 25 years later.  If the film had ended at that precise moment, I probably would've been okay with it.  Unfortunately, Colossal turns into a disaster.  

I had high hopes for Jason Sudeikis (Horrible Bosses) and Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables, The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar).  While trailers looked odd, I was sold on the premise of the indie film.  Sudeikis and Hathaway seemed like an odd matchup, but so did Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe before the release of Swiss Army Man.  In all honesty, I was excited for this curveball of a film.  To my dismay, the two actors should never ever be on screen together again, especially for this genre.  At times, they both clearly overact and Hathaway's acting pushed me back into her Princess Diaries debut.  Gloria is an annoyingly shallow character.  On the other hand, Sudeikis's character constantly flip-flops between morality and serial-killer ideals.  Imagine the rough ending of The Girl on the Train.  That type of acting is prevalent throughout this whole film... 

Legion M's shareholders might be happy that one of their investments has come to fruition, but I doubt the payoff will have been worth the effort.  The one thing that Colossal deserves credit for is the monster scenes.  The monsters look great and are still fun to watch.  There are few monster scenes throughout the film but whenever they pop up, I was able to get the story out of my head and appreciate the effects.  If there were more monster scenes, I might have been able to rank this a bit higher.  Yet, it will sit at the bottom of my ranked 2017 film list for now.  

The Bottom Line:  Big flaws and odd acting bring out the worst in a story that could've benefitted from it's cool visuals.

Score: 4/10

Image credit: 
​​By younghollywood - www.younghollywood.com, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53611751
By Christopherpeterson at en.wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3840611