Jeffrey Wright. © 2023/2024 Amazon MGM Studios, Orion Pictures, MRC Film, T-Street Productions, Almost Infinite, 3 Arts Entertainment.
Directed by Cord Jefferson. VFA Nominee - 4 VFAs Including "Best Motion Picture"
For Your Consideration (FYC) Screener
Create The Message By Being The Message Itself People praise a generational piece that not only speaks to them personally but it has a meaningful impact that will be looked upon for generations. Well, Monk has a problem with that. The problem is that those generational pieces are being converted into stereotypes with no meaningful message behind them. It is just absurdity, lazy, and potentially offensive. However, it is not all about that. In Cord Jefferson's directorial debut film, he explores how the media has changed the interpretation of black culture but also criticizes the modern entertainment today that the general public is consuming. It is a mix of comedy and drama that not only gets its point across but opens it up for interpretation. Let's follow Monk's literary adventure of the hypocrisy of Black entertainment. Story: Monk is a frustrated novelist who's fed up with the establishment that profits from Black entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, he uses a pen name to write an outlandish Black book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain. One of the few films this year including American Fiction has not only critiqued the media system and made fun of it, but also gives possible answers to fix those issues. Whether it is politics, culture, or race, there is a solution to every problem but you will need to find the root of the problem in order to fix it and critique it to arrive at that solution. Jefferson does that by letting the audience be in the shoes of Monk (Jeffrey Wright) and see how today's media has shifted towards stereotypical issues that we see portrayed in the media instead of smart and thoughtful media literature in film, books, news, music, and more. By making his themes work through the eyes of Monk, Jefferson uses comedy and satire to critique the modern media while using family drama as the possible solution to his point. The mixture of those elements in its screenplay and direction works very well alongside its cast. The satirical comedy of the stereotypes being used was hilarious and smartly written. The dark comedy in certain scenes with drama was placed intentionally to get the point across but the scene still allows that heavy drama to be at the main forefront. For the comedic scenes alone, they were funny and well-executed. There were a lot of memorable scenes from this film and I laughed constantly throughout this film which made me appreciate the comedy being used with the issues that the film is tackling. There are interesting ambitious sequences that take the comedy in a whole new direction and it works for this type of story. Especially for the protagonist who is a book writer. With Jefferson's screenplay, he balances out the drama and comedy by giving depth to his characters while still keeping the story engaging and funny. While the tone may be inconsistent, the screenplay manages to bring new ideas that can elevate the comedy and lay out the drama in a smart way. Monk's situation with his new book and his family issues raises the stakes and it allows Monk to make difficult decisions for his career and his family. Monk has an interesting relationship with his family and friends which creates more problems with Monk. Jefferson allows some breather between the comedy with the family drama that Monk is dealing with while creating his new book. Plus, the screenplay makes Monk's journey a bit more difficult when he finds a new relationship which can halt his book development. The characters from Monk's family and friends are hilarious and they add to the satire and family drama that Jefferson is aiming for. Every person in Monk's personal family adds more stress to his work but it allows Monk's character to find that spark for his main book that he's creating. Yet, the subplot with his family gets more complex by the third act and it changes the behavior of Monk. From the supporting cast of characters, Cliff, played by Sterling K. Brown, gives a hilarious and human performance which gives more depth to the subplot of the family drama. The chemistry between Monk and Cliff is wonderful and there are flaws within their sibling relationship that add weight to the drama and comedy as well. Even though Issa Rae's character Sintara is barely in the film, her character symbolizes modern young artists in a good and bad way which helps Jefferson's social commentary of the film. Yet, her character allows her to criticize Monk's first thought of her work which later reveals to be a completely different book than he expected. The film not only allows Monk to re-evaluate if his new book is worthy or not but also criticizes his own work and looks at the outer bubble. It brings many questions to the table but Monk still needs to finish his initial journey that he started with his new book. After all, he wants to prove that today's audience doesn't want to read complex stories anymore. They just want to read easy books that have stereotypes that prevent real critical thinking. By the end of the film, I started to realize that this film is a bit of a wake-up call to this new "media" we are consuming and how this type of media is being slipped into the air without any second looks. That is where the main social commentary of the film comes into play.
Through the social commentary of American Fiction, it is ultimately a critique of the modern "media" that audiences have been consuming for the past two decades or so. Hollywood is turning to ideas that they think are relatable to the world and the people they are targeting. Plus, the representation they are aiming at is not clicking there yet for audiences. Jefferson clearly criticizes and satirizes the book and film companies for marketing stereotypical "black" books and films. We get to see this through Sintara's book called "We's Lives In Da Ghetto" which from the title, uses stereotypes of black American culture. We get to see this multiple times in how Jefferson thinks that today's media is portraying the Black community with racial stereotypes through books and thinking it is smart and authentic. In reality, it is not in certain degrees. Even by the ultimate climax of the film which has a weird ending that makes his social commentary come all together. From the portrayal of the media, to how not just Black Americans are being portrayed, but also other ethnicities and races are being portrayed now in the media is just a satirization for Jefferson to point out. Even with the satire being a major part, it is also another way to point out the issues in America and how Americans are thinking differently about politics and the media today. Jefferson wants to point out that there are not many complex, academic, or smart books and films out there that criticize or bring light to important subjects. By explaining this issue, he uses his film by not just satirizing it and making it easier to understand, but add complexity and depth to the satirization itself. There is so much to explain about the social commentary and satire of this film but to wrap this section off, Jefferson's satire of the publishing industry is, unfortunately, a reality where executives think audiences want this or that. But the creators really want their audiences to delve into authentic stories and start real conversations about the many ongoing issues in people's personal lives, in America, or the world.
On the technical side of the film, it is a well-produced film based on the cast, locations, and filmmaking behind it. The cinematography is solid, the production design is good, and the music is surprisingly relaxing for the most part. Nothing too crazy in terms of production scale until the final ten minutes of the film which was the most shocking part of the film. Plus, those ten minutes sell on the satire that Jefferson was commentating on throughout this story. Even with its brilliant satire and smart script, the film falls short on certain subplots within the family drama and the pacing of the film itself. While I love the family drama that helps bring depth to Monk's character, the structure and pacing of that subplot were a bit messy. There were certain beats that didn't quite work in the right moments and with the editing of the film, it makes the subplot a bit harder to grasp emotionally. A certain writing decision that happened in the first thirty minutes of the film did not work for me and it should have been waited right in the second act. It felt melodramatic sometimes within certain scenes of the family drama and there were more subplots in the film where it barely had any development or it was too quick. The editing could have been tighter while still having those slow and thoughtful moments that Jefferson is communicating. There were not any weird editing decisions but the pacing overall felt off in certain bits which ruined the overall flow of the film. Finally, the ending can be a bit divisive for some audiences but it worked for me in what Jefferson was communicating with its satire. Yet, by the end of the film, I was still profound about the complexity of the story and depth of Jefferson's film with its characters and drama that Monk faced throughout his literary journey. Cord Jefferson made a film that not only speaks to today's media representation and how publishers are aiming for the wrong message, but also gives us a deeper look into the author's journey and the blockade of issues that many authors are facing within each media field from books to films. Even beyond its satire, it is a personal journey on how we face our many issues while we create art for others. It is a smart and bold screenplay with fantastic performances including Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown. Honestly, one of the smartest films of this year and it should be analyzed more in what it is critiquing while looking for the answers that Jefferson is providing us through his film. It is a fantastic directorial debut from Cord Jefferson.
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Vizeit Score: "A-"
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Copyright © 2024 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
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Michael Peña and Rosa Salazar. © 2023 Amazon MGM Studios and Select Films. Directed by Alejandra Marquez Abella.
Early Screening
Dreams Can Take You Outer-Space I had no expectations going into this film. The only thing I knew about this film was that Michael Peña was going to star in the film. After seeing the film and also rewatching to analyze the authentic Mexican representation on-screen, this is one of the most surprising films of this year. Easily a crowd-pleaser of a film and I'm shocked that this was dumped on Prime and not in theaters. This could've been an easy contender for small film awards. This film is electrifying from start to finish and it's easily an emotional film, especially for Latino viewers. Let's head to the NASA space center and shutter off to outer space! Story: A biopic about Jose Hernandez and his path from a farm worker to becoming an engineer and an astronaut. A tale of perseverance, community, and sacrifice to accomplish a seemingly impossible dream. If you want to go into this film with an open mind, I recommend going in blind. This is a beautiful small biopic Latino film that we haven't seen in almost a decade since Cesar Chavez (2014). A simple biopic with heart and emotional weight. Plus, the film is funnier than I thought. A lot of Hispanics will recognize some of the visual and verbal comedy elements but what struck me the most is its authentic representation. I haven't seen this type of true simple Mexican-American representation in a film for a long time. From Jose (Michael Peña) working in the fields to becoming a NASA astronaut. It's a beautiful and heartwarming story about succeeding and pushing yourself to reach that goal. Seeing this from a Hispanic perspective really makes this story authentic. Director Alejandra Marquez Abella brought a rich screenplay that gives depth not just to Jose, but his journey and his family all around him. Every person in his family from his wife to his elementary teacher, really helped him move forward and the execution of those elements really worked. Plus, the film subverted my expectations by avoiding its use of biopic cliches and other small tropes that could have held back the authenticity of the film. The creative vision is seen throughout with a unique camera and acting direction. Abella uses those crucial moments as a breather while still giving emotional weight and checkpoint on Jose's journey. The night conversation scene with the creative VFX graphics on-screen was the best scene in the film. That scene really was a personal reflection for me on my career as a filmmaker and critic, and I was emotionally invested in the rest of Jose's journey from there.
The performances are fantastic in this film including Michael Peña and Rosa Salazar. I really loved their dynamic and chemistry as these real-life people and it felt very authentic. Each of the characters that Jose helped him in his life have their own moments and it's refreshing for the protagonist to reconnect with the people who helped me throughout his journey. The story also isn't sugarcoated which allows the pacing to flow even better and get to scene after scene. Some scenes feel fast yet it has weight and importance to the overall story. For a two-hour runtime film, it flew by quickly but I was enjoying it throughout. Funny enough, I saw with a crowd of student filmmakers and they were hooked on some of the emotional, funny, and redeeming moments of the film. Watching this with other student filmmakers made the viewing experience more fun. It was a heartful experience to see this story play out and I felt like there were barely any crumbs with its story. Especially with its Mexican representation of this story, there was real care and thought into it.
The technical production of this film is also very well constructed with its time period progression. Plus, by bringing the authentic Mexican representation on-screen, the set design really captured the Mexican traditions and lifestyle of Jose and his wife Adela. The major stronghold through the set design is being on-location which makes the journey feel lived in. It was really cool to see the NASA facilities in the film and it gives authenticity to the story through technical filmmaking. The cinematography is also very great with a lot of interesting lighting and color decisions during pivotal moments. Some shots reminded me of older 90s films due to the framing and lighting. You can easily tell that the vision was alive through the cinematography alone. I also liked the song choices in this film and it made me smile and gave me literal goosebumps hearing it through transition sequences or emotional scenes. Plus, it wasn't overused and it was used at the right moments. The editing here is also very solid with its calm yet fast flow of the film's pacing. Overall, the production of this film was very well constructed with care behind this project. There aren't many flaws with this film but this is by no means a perfect film. The film follows a simple tradition with its biopic storytelling. Nothing too crazy with its portrayal of this story but the authentic representation really sells this movie well. Nothing too critical with this film and I'm happy it was told in an authentic yet engaging true story. Watching this film was a joy from start to finish. The authentic Mexican representation on-screen really captivated Jose's story and with the great performance from Peña, it struck my emotions heavily. The film is well written with great pacing, unique direction, and overall, an engaging and captivating story that should be looked at. This is a perfect film to watch with your family and if you are Latino, you will immediately be hooked right when the film starts.
Now Streaming Only on Amazon Prime!
Vizeit Score: "A-"
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Copyright © 2023 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
Barry Keoghan. © 2023 Amazon MGM Studios, MRC, LuckyChap Entertainment, and Lie Still. Directed by Emerald Fennell.
Watched it at 59th The Chicago International Film Festival @ Music Box (CIFF #2)
Q&A Section Included We're All About to Lose Our Minds After the amazing crazy film from Emerald Fennell's directorial debut, she amps up the eroticism and insanity of her characters which leads to unexpected turns. That is what best defined for Fennell's sophomore feature Saltburn. It takes approaches that are risky yet rewarding through the protagonist and the characters surrounding him. Not a lot of people will approach and take away from this film in a positive light but it sure does serve a pack a punch throughout its daring sequences. Let's go to Saltburn and see the wonderfulness of this unique broken estate. Story: A student at Oxford University finds himself drawn into the world of a charming and aristocratic classmate, who invites him to his eccentric family's sprawling estate for a summer never to be forgotten. The sensation of this film is all over the place but in a good way. Fennell's unique screenplay really delves into the psychological mind of Oliver (Barry Keoghan) and his insane love for Felix (Jacob Elordi). His character arc starts slow but as the film progresses, the flow of the energy doesn't stop. The relationship between Oliver and Felix is very well written. There is nuance through Oliver's point of view of the palace and his feelings towards Felix's family. It touches on each one of them through Oliver's point of view and it's well-balanced to see how he feels about the family. The structure here in the film is similar to her past film but a bit longer which does add depth to Oliver but also adds tension to each character's dilemma. Alongside her unique script, Fennell's directing here is amazing. There are unique moments in the film that give an artsy vibe while giving a thriller or horror vibe. Her creative decisions here could be polarizing because there are scenes in the film that will leave you a bit traumatized or disgusted. However, it lets you get inside the mind of the character in those scenes which opens the vulnerability of that character. It's clever writing and direction with the support of the amazing performances from each actor. Barry Keoghan is great in the film. He gets to play a unique character who is seeking love and something more erotic. His performance is wild in the second half but he really encaptivates the character and it's a wild ride from start to finish. Jacob Elordi is also surprisingly great. After only seeing him in Euphoria (thank god I didn't watch The Kissing Both), I was hoping he would play a character that would not only fit his personality but play a character that allow a bit of character freedom. What I can report back is that this is his best performance since Euphoria. His character and performance are charming in a way that could be very jocky. Yet, his chemistry with Keoghan's character is very daunting and intimate. The supporting cast here all around are great. The biggest standouts would be Rosamund Pike and Richard E. Grant. They elevate the drama and comedy in the film. Plus, their chemistry with each other characters is unnatural yet good. As I mentioned in my last paragraph, the screenplay alongside its story is well written. There are interesting unique twist and turns that elevates the plot and the climax. The plot lets you be with the characters in the good and weird moments while the eroticism and beauty start to take over the story. You can even look at this film's story as a chaotic party family drama but really, it's a vampire story. Without spoilers, during a Q&A panel with Fennell, she said "We just knew exactly the kind of gothic, sort of, sexy. kind of, erotic thing, we wanted to make. And I think with Suzie Davies, the production designer, and with everyone else too, I think the thing is if we are making something this kind of, I suppose, knowingly aesthetic, that kind of took place on sort of beautyism and literature, your sort of acknowledging things but also making your own thing." (Taken from a Post Q&A during the Chicago International Film Festival 2023).
With the aesthetics and gothic storytelling that inspired this original story, Fennell wants audiences to be clear that when Keoghan's character journey begins at the estate, it's going to be erotic, chilling, and jolting. See the film for yourself and you will come out with many reactions all at once. Even with its psychological story, Fennell made sure the technical side of the film hits the spot to bring this story to life.
Fennell went all in with the cinematography, production design, and even editing of this film. I really dig the academy aspect ratio which allows the beauty of the production design done by Davies to be shown in its full glory. Plus, Linus Sandgren's camera work here is beautiful and colorful as well. I really love the mixture of orange, red, and blue colors including the close-ups in this film. The estate is pretty enormous and the way they shot it is very smooth. Plus, there are interesting framing choices that allow the audience to delve into a certain character. The editing here is also great with its smooth pacing and the score feels so romantic yet daunting and un-natural. The costume designs here are underrated, especially during the big party scene. Overall, it's a very well-made technical film that helps bring the story to its full potential. However, there are flaws behind this magnificent estate of a film. The film can be a bit of a mess with its plot. There is a lot to take in and while it keeps you entertained, it can be a bit too much all at once. There were moments when I had no idea what was going on yet, but I was still entertained. Again, there are interesting directing choices that people will be divisive on but I thought they were darkly smart. However, the film tries to juggle some ideas or plot strings that need to match the overall story or even the intentions of the protagonist. The biggest scene that people will love or hate will be the ending. For me, I thought it was a solid ending but it left me questioning about the state of the protagonist and the world around him. Even with those small flaws, I was still thrilled by the film's nature of its story and characters. Beyond the beautiful darkly estate full of emotions and desires, this is Fennell's most unapologetic sexy, and daring film that she has made. Filled with great performances from Barry Keoghan and Rosamund Pike, alongside its unique screenplay and story, it's a film that dares to tackle unique subjects and themes that ultimately surround desires and temptation. While this film will slip under the radar during awards season, it is sure a film that doesn't hold back on anything it is showing. Especially that grave scene...yeah, I drank bleach right after that.
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Vizeit Score: "A-"
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Copyright © 2023 Vizeit Reviews. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
Ben Affleck. © 2023 Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports, Artists Equity, and Mandalay Pictures. Directed by Ben Affleck.
Early Screening at AMC Theaters
Some Icons Are Meant to Fly. Nike is the biggest shoemaker in the world but without one person, they couldn't fly high. However, it's not who think it is. It's just an employee at Nike who is about to save and innovate the shoe world once again. This film flies high with a great cast and directing that we have been waiting for since Argo. Sports movies are back on the market and with the latest film AIR, legacy can be still living if done right and AIR does complete justice. Join me back to 1984 where we explore the beginning of a legacy and the rise of the modern shoe era. Story: Sonny Vaccaro and Nike pursue basketball rookie Michael Jordan, creating a partnership that revolutionizes the world of sports and contemporary culture. Sonny teams up and gets help from Phil Knight, Rob Strasser, and George Raveling on reaching this deal to save the company. One thing that caught my attention right away, was when this film was announced, it was going to be directed by Ben Affleck and his directing here is great! It's his best work in terms of directing since Argo. He makes every scene enjoyable and engaging with humor and drama. Affleck is at his best when there's tension in a scene that will lead up to the big scene of the act. It's very well done and he keeps the film engaging while making the story easy to follow with great performances. The cast is strong in this film and it's nice to see Chris Tucker back on screen! It's also weird to see Marlon Wayans in a dramatic film. However, his role is fitted well and I liked his performance. Matt Damon is always excellent in every role and his chemistry with Jason Bateman is the strongest. Obviously, Ben Affleck is also starring in the film and he was great in his supporting role. I thought Viola Davis wouldn't get a lot of screen time but she had the right amount and she was great. The cast overall is excellent and the story itself is pretty straightforward. The screenplay is very slick and it gets right to the point. Easy to follow and the pacing of this film doesn't drag. It keeps you at the moment and makes you care about these real-life characters. The cinematography is very solid and there are a lot of shots in this film that surprises me for this type of sports film. The production design is very great and I loved the 80s vibe and company aesthetics presented. It feels cheesy but done right. This film has energy and it succeeds in what sports film should do. It's hilarious with its edgy language humor and the speech scene was heartwarming and emotional. It's a simple sports film that delivers what it is and the execution is done right. However, when flying, not everything will land.
I would say the editing on this film was pretty mixed. A lot of fucking cuts but I can't lie that it kept the pacing well. I was disappointed that they didn't show Michael Jordan himself but I respect Affleck's choice not to show him. I still feel like Viola Davis's character was a little bit underused, however, the runtime was justified. It's your typical sports story and you know which direction is going to take, but this story was still enjoyable from start to finish.
I really enjoyed this film due to the cast performances, great directing, and solid pacing that kept me engaged with the film. Sports films aren't that big anymore unless you bring energy and care to the project. This film has the potential to bring back sports film into the spotlight. AIR was such a fun time at the theaters and it's definitely a crowd-pleaser. Please more films directed by Ben Affleck, please!? Only in Theaters April 5. Vizeit Score: "A-" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2023. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. |
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