Inside Out

Year: 2015

Director: Pete Doctor & Ronaldo Del Carmen

Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, and Richard Kind
Tagline: Meet the little voices inside your head.
Synopsis: Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger are 11-year-old Riley's emotions.  Their job is to keep Riley going, a job that gets more difficult when she and her family move from Minnesota to San Francisco.

Review

Before I dive into Inside Out, I should mention the short film that precedes it: "Lava."  The short film tells the story of a volcanic island that just wants someone to "lava" (wordplay on "love").  It's a nice little story with the beautiful animation we've come to expect from Pixar.  The song the volcano sings is also lovely ("lavaly"?).  It's a nice short, though perhaps not the brilliance of "Geri's Game" or "Boundin'."

On to our feature presentation ...

Inside Out is fantastic!  I've liked their last few films, but this is truly a return to the Pixar we know and love.  It's such a crazy idea that could only be brought to life through animation.  Much of the movie takes place inside Riley's brain, which is the most colorful, zany, and yet psychologically sound place you could imagine.  The world the animators have created is so rich and detailed, you'll likely be finding new things on the 5th and 10th viewings (and it is worth that many viewings).  And longtime Pixar collaborator Michael Giacchino does his usual fabulous job with the score.

Pixar is known for being outstanding in its animation.  And Inside Out lives up to that.  It is visually stunning.  If you look at the different emotions, they appear sort of fuzzy.  They are described as being made up of energy, which gives them a fun and unique look that totally works for personified emotions.

While Pixar always excels visually, what makes Pixar Pixar is its dedication to story, stories that are honest, humorous, and heartfelt.  Inside Out is pure Pixar.  This isn't a story about the goofy antics of personified emotions interacting, although there is plenty of that.  This is a film that has the courage to say emotions can be good, they can be bad, they are sometimes hard, but they are always necessary.  When's the last time a movie or television show -- aimed at kids or adults -- showed the importance and need for sadness in our lives?  Beneath all the sight gags and stunning visuals, Inside Out is about what it means to be human and what it means to grow up.

There is no villain in Inside Out, which in and of itself is unusual for a movie aimed at children.  Although the five emotions are very different, they work together.  None of the emotions are presented as negative.  They each have a purpose in Riley's life.  We tend to view fear and anger as negative things that are bad.  But those emotions really do have purposes in our lives and the task of life is to bridle them, not pretend they don't exist.  As the story shows, while feeling certain emotions is hard and unpleasant, it is far worse to feel nothing.  Numbness is worse than any emotion.

Fear, as shown in the movie, is tasked with keeping Riley safe.  Fear is the voice saying, "Wear your seatbelt because you never know what might happen."  A little fear is good, unless you let it paralyze you.  Likewise, Anger is all about what is right and fair.  Anger is the one saying, "That's not how things should be" or "I should stand up for myself."  It's when anger consumes that it becomes bad.  Disgust is important too ... but I haven't figured that one out as much.  But she'll save you from broccoli pizza.

The film is primarily about Joy and Sadness, both as characters and emotions.  Disgust is green with green eyes and green hair.  Fear is purple with purple eyes.  Anger is red with red eyes.  And Sadness is blue with blue eyes and blue hair.  But Joy is yellow with blue eyes and blue hair.  Those features may in part be because it makes for a stunning contrast (and they didn't want her to look jaundiced), but it also visually shows the connection between Joy and Sadness.  That connection is at the heart of the story.  That connection is what makes Inside Out not only an excellent film, but also an important film.

Joy just wants Riley to be happy, so she doesn't understand Sadness or her purpose.  She doesn't understand that you can't have one without the other.  You can't understand one without the other.  Learning the interwoven balance between joy and sadness is a fundamental part of life.  Yes, "men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25).  But that very same chapter states that there must be "opposition in all things" (2 Nephi 2:11).  During His life, Jesus Christ had perfect faith and a perfect perspective, so we might think He was perfectly happy.  Yet He is described as "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3).  There are times for joy and there are times for sadness.  And there are times for both, because we're human and wonderfully complicated like that.

Did I mention that Inside Out is also incredibly funny?  Because it is.

If you haven't already seen Inside Out, go see it.  If you have seen it, go see it again.  I plan to.  And I expect to find even more brilliant nuances and insights.

Quotable Quotes

• "We did not die today.  I call that an unqualified success!" -- Fear
• "Crying helps me slow down and obsess over the weight of life's problems." -- Sadness
• "Well, I just saved our lives.  Yeah, you're welcome." -- Disgust (after "saving" Riley from broccoli)
• "Oooh airplane.  We've got an airplane, everybody." -- Anger
• "Can I say that curse word now?" -- Anger

*** Spoiler Section ***

I put things in the spoiler section hoping you won't read them until after you've seen the film.  Obviously whether or not you follow that is your decision.  But in this instance, I strongly encourage seeing the film first (I even moved this section below the quotes to avoid accidental reading).  What follows isn't some huge plot twist a la The Sixth Sense.  But it is a pretty touching point in the film.  It gave me a case of the sniffles.  And I heard the adult behind me in the theater get a case of the sniffles too.

When Bing Bong and Joy are trying to escape from the Memory Dump, I was surprised they didn't make it the first time.  And then they failed again and I was wondering if there was something more for Joy to learn before they could reach the surface again.  And then on the third time Bing Bong jumped quietly out of the rocket and my heart kinda broke.

It's not that Bing Bong is the most brilliant character ever* whom we absolutely adored (like Ellie in Up).  What makes his sacrifice and fading from memory sad is what he represents.  He's not just an imaginary friend, he's a part of childhood: a goofy and joyous innocence.  Bing Bong fading away isn't painful because it is unexpected.  It's painful because as an adult looking back, I realize it was inevitable.  Imaginary friends are ephemeral by nature.  And some aspects of childhood are simply lost as we grow up.  It's a little heartbreaking, looking back and realizing what we lose as we grow up, or what our children lose as they grow up.

I may also have gotten a bit choked up when that first new mixed memory rolled out.  It wasn't yellow; it wasn't blue.  It was both.  It was both sadness and joy together, which rings so emotionally true.

* In retrospect, my fondness for Bing Bong has grown incredibly.  Initially I distrusted him in the film (which was the filmmakers' intention).  I wondered if this was another Stinky Pete or Lotso who would do anything to forward his own agenda.  Once he loses his sled and has his moment with Sadness, I knew Bing Bong was trustworthy.  And now, as I look at all he represents -- childhood, innocence, imagination, dreams -- I think he is one of the great characters in Pixar's who's who.  So thank you, Bing Bong, for loving Riley enough.  "Take her to the moon for me, Joy."

ISFS

Far from the Madding Crowd

Year: 2015

Director: Thomas Vinterberg

Starring: Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Tom Sturridge, and Michael Sheen
Synopsis: Bathsheba Everdene is a young, independent, and headstrong woman courted by three very different men as she faces not only choices but the consequences of her actions.

Review

I happened to see a trailer for Far from the Madding Crowd and was intrigued.  It was not one of the Thomas Hardy novels I'd read either in high school or college.  But the reviews were positive and I thought I'd give it a chance.  I'm very glad I did, as I enjoyed the film even more than expected.

AP English was my favorite high school class, and I was an English minor at BYU, so it was quite enjoyable to get in touch with that literary side again.  While superhero movies are fun, they don't often deal with matters of consequence: issues faced by normal, non-super people.  Far from the Madding Crowd is a love story.  But it also deals with matters like bad luck and good fortune, and how we deal with each.  It is about the choices we make and the consequences of making them flippantly.

Hardy -- at least in this novel -- carefully chose his characters' names.  Protagonist Bathsheba Everdene's three suitors are Sgt. Francis Troy, Mr. Boldwood, and Gabriel Oak.  I don't know if it was Hardy's intent, but Sgt. Troy reminds me of the Greek Troy, or more specifically, the Trojan Horse.  He's dashing and flashy on the outside, but full of deceit and misery.  Mr. Boldwood is a more mature gentleman, safe, secure, and deep-rooted.  He is also quite bold in his ardor.

And then there is Gabriel Oak, who is as good as his name implies.  "Gabriel" means "God is my strength."  While religion isn't prominent in the film, Gabriel is nonetheless a good, upright, honest, and kindhearted man.  He is also like an oak: steadfast, sturdy, and strong.  He takes all his setbacks in stride, relying on hard work and doing the right thing because it is right.  Seriously, he could give Mr. Darcy a run for his money in terms of most eligible literary bachelor.

Bathsheba's circumstances are to a degree similar to the Bible narrative in that she is married to one man and pursued by another.  And it gets messy.  That is the extent of the the similarities.  But the name also has an exotic flare to it, which suits the strong-willed, independent Miss Everdene (and yes, she is apparently the namesake of Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games).  Unlike the Bible Bathsheba, Bathsheba Everdene is in part to blame for some of her misfortunes and struggles.  On more than one occasion, she acts unwisely, with no thought of consequences.  With Troy she follows passion rather than reason.  With Boldwood she acts flippantly then indecisively, further leading him on.

Despite her faults, Bathsheba is a sympathetic, understandable, and even admirable character.  She learns from her follies.  And though she is often slow to take counsel or advice, she does eventually take it.  The same stubborn, strong-willed spirit that gets her into trouble also makes her an excellent mistress of the farm she inherits.  She's not content to sit in her study or let others oversee things.  She manages the farm herself, rolls up her sleeves and works alongside her hired hands, and stands up for herself as a woman in a man's world of commerce.

Among other things, it was immensely refreshing to watch a movie with virtually no visual effects (which made for surprisingly short credits).  I read that 2/3 of the film is shot outdoors, on location in England.  And that is one of the film's greatest strengths.  It's not about a bunch of people talking indoors.  It's people going about real life and real work in the great outdoors.  And it just so happens that those great outdoors are absolutely gorgeous.

The music for the film is also beautiful and well suited.  Carey Mulligan and Martin Sheen even sing a duet at one point, a melancholy English folk song called "Let No Man Steal Your Thyme."  It works perfectly within the story.

The only criticism I have of the film is that it at times felt condensed.  Some scenes felt like they were part of a slightly longer story, and we were getting the abbreviated version.  I was left wondering what additional material was in the novel.  That's not necessarily a bad thing.  It wasn't that anything felt particularly missing or that parts didn't make sense.  But it felt like there was more to it and the film didn't have time to go into those details.  Such is the nature of cinema.

Sadly, this film was only in limited release.  So you may have to wait and hunt it down on Netflix or Redbox.  But I highly recommend it.  Far from the Madding Crowd is a beautiful and worthwhile film.

*** Spoiler Section ***

Poor Mr. Boldwood.  He's a very likable fellow.  But he plays David to this Bathsheba and lets his ardor turn to obsession and finally to a fit of insanity and rage.  In the end, I felt more pity than anything else for him.  Michael Sheen does an excellent job portraying the layered gentleman.

I even felt a little bad for Sgt. Troy.  He's not a villain.  He's kind of a jerk and a greedy player.  But he genuinely loves (and mourns) Fanny.  The scene where he is outside swordfighting a post and then chasing chickens tells a lot about the man.  He doesn't know how to do anything but be a soldier.  What's more, he has realized he's made a mistake and will never find happiness on the path he has chosen.

My two favorite scenes both involve Gabriel.  The first is when, after having just fired him, Bathsheba realizes Gabriel is the only one who can save her sheep from sickness.  She sends for him, but he makes her swallow her pride and come ask him herself.  She had it coming.

The other moment is when Gabriel must (again) swallow his own disappointment.  Bathsheba (whom he loves) has just married Troy and on the night of their wedding celebration the farm is threatened by a storm.  When Gabriel asks for a few men to help cover and protect the grain harvest, Troy rebuffs him and refuses.  Gabriel has every reason in the world to throw his hands up in the air and get drunk like all the other men on the farm.  Instead, he goes out alone and starts covering the grain stacks by himself before the rain hits.  Seriously, such a good guy.

Quotable Quotes

• "Miss Bathsheba Everdeen, I have brought you a lamb." -- Gabriel
• "I intend to astonish you." -- Bathsheba
• "He said you'd say that.  His reply is: 'Beggars can't be choosers.'" -- Joseph, relaying Gabriel's message to Bathsheba

ISFS

Tomorrowland

Year: 2015

Director: Brad Bird

Starring: Britt Robertson, George Clooney, Raffey Cassidy, and Hugh Laurie
Tagline: Remember the Future
Synopsis: An optimistic teenager teams up with a jaded former boy-genius in order to find Tomorrowland and save the future.

Review

I wanted to like this movie.  I really, really, really wanted to like this movie.  It's directed by Brad Bird.  It's original.  It's visually stunning.  It's buoyantly optimistic.  It's ... kind of a mess.

The plot starts out like a mystery, as we follow Casey who finds a pin that "transports" her to Tomorrowland, a place where anything is possible.  But what she sees is only a sort of vision, and eventually the timer runs out.  Casey, and the audience, are then left to unravel where the pin came from, why, and how to get to Tomorrowland.  As a mystery, it does a relatively good job.  But then things start to fall apart.

The more we learn the more questions arise, many of which are simply never answered.  What really happened to Tomorrowland?  Where did all the robots come from?  Are there other people living in Tomorrowland, or is Governor Nix there by himself with a few guards that may or may not have been robots?  And those are just a few questions that don't spoil anything.

Also, why do all the robots in the film have such violent self-destruct protocols?  Once they are damaged to a certain degree ... BOOM!  I understand not wanting to leave behind evidence or sensitive information.  But why do they have to turn into bombs capable of leveling a building?

The framing device used at the start and end of the movie is also a bit problematic.  Yes, framing scenes can be a fun way to tell a story.  But in this case, it eliminated any actual worry about the main characters.  No matter what peril they were in, we already knew they'd survive to the end because they were telling the story.

I could have been more forgiving of the various plot holes had the characters been more likable.  Frank -- both old and young -- is likable and relatable enough.  But the rest of the characters were rather bland.  Athena was too distant and ... well, robotic.  Casey was just shy of being annoying.  Yes, she's optimistic.  But she's rather arrogant in her tactics.  She's like the film itself: heavy-handed.

I will say this, the visuals for Tomorrowland are superb.  And the world that is shown to Casey when she touches the pin is richly imagined and beautifully detailed.  The actual Tomorrowland Casey visits is a far cry from that utopia.  That was the problem with the film itself: big, beautiful promises but a disappointing, bland reality.

I didn't hate Tomorrowland.  It's not a bad movie.  But I had such high hopes and expectations for it, and it failed to deliver.  The visuals are terrific.  And it is imaginative.  My recommendation would be to give it a chance once it comes to Redbox or Netflix.

*** Spoiler Section ***

I'm still not entirely sure what Governor Nix was doing to "feed the wrong wolf."  Supposedly Frank was the only person in the real world who knew about and was watching the clock tick down until doomsday.  Was the tachyon machine thinger somehow going to cause the end of the world?  Seriously, I'm so confused.

Nix himself is confusing.  In the real world, various robots have been authorized by Nix to kill Frank and destroy Athena.  Yet when Frank, Casey, and Athena arrive in Tomorrowland, Nix greets them civilly, listens to them (well, kind of), and then offers to banish them with a cheery "good to see you."  It doesn't mesh.

While I'm still puzzling over how Frank had the "Edison tube" in his possession, watching the Eiffel Tower move apart to make way for a rocket was pretty darn cool.  Just how were they going to explain that in the real world?

One more nitpick.  Did Frank really spend the rest of his life pining over his childhood crush on a robot?

Quotable Quotes

• "All around you the coal mine canaries are dropping dead and you won't take the hint!" -- Governor Nix
• "Dreamers need to stick together." -- Athena
• "There are two wolves who are always fighting.  One is darkness and despair.  The other is light and hope.  The question is ... which wolf wins?"  "The one you feed." -- Casey and her father

ISFS

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Year: 2015

Director: Joss Whedon

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Paul Bettany, James Spader, etc.
Tagline: A new age begins.
Synopsis: In an attempt to create a peace-keeping robot, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner accidentally create a murder-bot: Ultron.  Mayhem and robot-smashing ensues.

Review

Blockbuster season has arrived, and with it, the latest Marvel film.  The season certainly starts off with a bang.  Age of Ultron is a fun movie.  It's got amazing visuals, more witty banter and one-liners than I could possibly include in my quotes section, and all the action and explosions you'd expect in a superhero movie.  It's a fun movie.  Is it a good film?  Well, no.  Not really.

The more I think about the movie, the more disappointed I feel.  The story just wasn't strong and the pieces felt cobbled together.  As fun, witty, and action packed as it was, Age of Ultron sort of feels like what would happen if a 9-year-old playing with their action figures was given a few hundred million dollars and told to come up with a story.  The climax features all the heroes together in one place fighting against all the robots.  There is much smashing of robots.  Civilians are jeopardized and saved.  There's even a great deus ex machina save at one point.

There are also a number of elements that just don't quite make sense.  Thor has a side story that was whittled down to the bare minimum.  What remains is solely to help tie the Marvel Cinematic Universe together.  They wouldn't want us to forget about all those Infinity Stones on the loose in every other film.

The film does do some things right.  Vision is a fascinating new character who I look forward to seeing more of.  And Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are also nice additions to the lineup.  Until now, the Avengers were mostly good at shooting things, throwing things, or hitting things.  Having characters with completely different abilities is a welcome change.  For one thing, they bring new visual elements to the story.

One of the early trailers for the film shows the various Avengers trying -- unsuccessfully -- to lift Thor's hammer.  It's a fun, laid back scene in and of itself.  But it works even better within the story because there is a payoff later in the film.  It wasn't just there for fun, it became interwoven into the plot.  I only wish more elements were so well done.

I also appreciated how many of the characters were at a place they ought to be, psychologically, by this film.  Tony Stark is still shell-shocked from the first Avengers story line and wants to be able to "go home" and not always have to be a superhero.  That is why he creates Ultron ... which is, of course, an epic fail.  Maria Hill (who I always wish got more screen time) is clearly doing her somewhat frazzled best to keep everything together in a post-S.H.I.E.L.D. world.  Black Widow is trying to figure out her place in life.  And Nick Fury clearly can't give up his love for making a good entrance.

The best part of the film, though, was Ultron himself.  James Spader does a fantastic job as the voice of Ultron.  As much as I enjoy Loki, Ultron feels like a much stronger villain.  He's intelligent yet somehow lacks understanding.  He feels very broken, in a way, which makes him almost sympathetic until you realize how completely insane he is.

Everything else will have to go in the spoiler section.

I really, really wanted to love Avengers: Age of Ultron.  I certainly enjoyed the movie.  I laughed, or at least chuckled, quite frequently.  And I marveled at the visual effects and the fun action scenes.  It's a lot like cotton candy: colorful and fun, but lacking any real substance.

*** Spoiler Section ***

I'm not opposed to the budding romance between Bruce Banner and Natasha (aka Black Widow).  But it felt like it came out of nowhere.  Maybe I need to go back to the first Avengers movie and see if they did something to lay the groundwork.  But it just felt a bit thrown together.

I do have to give Marvel kudos for one thing though.  The big reveal for Black Widow is that as part of her assassin training program she was sterilized.  This is shown to be a pretty big deal for her.  By this time in her life, she mourns the fact she cannot be a mother.  I never thought I'd see the importance of family and motherhood stressed in a live action* superhero movie. The terrific irony is that Scarlett Johansson, the actress who plays Black Widow, was actually pregnant during filming.

There have been rumors for quite a while that someone would die in this movie: and actually stay dead (as opposed to Agent Coulson, Loki, or Nick Fury).  Hawkeye (aka Clint Barton) was certainly one of the most obvious choices.  The film proceeds to throw out every typical setup that he's going to be killed: he has a wife, she's pregnant and worried for his safety, he's got all these remodeling plans for when he comes home.  It was such a blatant, heavy-handed setup that I knew it had to be a bluff, which it was.  Right when you think Hawkeye is done for (saving a child no less), Quicksilver comes to the rescue and is killed instead.  While I didn't quite see that coming, it still failed emotionally.  After all the buildup, all I felt was "ha, I knew it was a bluff" rather than "gah, they killed the interesting new guy."

*But thank you The Incredibles.

Quotable Quotes

• "The most powerful element on earth ... and they used it to make a Frisbee." -- Ultron, talking about vibranium which was used to make Captain America's shield
• "All set up boss."  "Actually he's the boss.  I just pay for everything.  And design everything.  And make everyone look cooler."  Maria Hill and Tony Stark (who indicates Steve Rogers is the "boss")
• "Please be a secret door.  Please be a secret door.  Please be a secret door. [Finds a secret door.] Yay." -- Tony Stark
• "The city is flying.  We're fighting an army of robots.  And I have a bow and arrow.  Nothing makes sense." -- Clint Barton
• "You're unbelievably naive."  "Well, I was born yesterday." -- Ultron and Vision

ISFS

The Age of Adaline

Year: 2015

Director: Lee Toland Krieger

Starring: Blake Lively, Michiel Huisman, Ellen Burstyn, and Harrison Ford
Tagline: The world has changed in the last century.  Adaline has not.
Synopsis: A freak accident prevents Adaline from aging.  Almost 80 years of hiding her secret is a lonely way to live.

Review

Romances are not normally my thing.  Honestly, I tend to avoid them and react to their previews with eye-rolling and groans.  But the premise of The Age of Adaline caught my attention.  The fact Harrison Ford was in it didn't hurt either.  And frankly, sometimes its just nice to see something that isn't action, fantasy, or animated.  Still, I went in with low expectations.

I can't quite say I was pleasantly surprised, but I was at least pleasantly diverted during the course of the film.

The film is what it is.  It's a romance with a fantastical premise where a freak accident leaves a woman ageless, perennially 29 years old.  If you can accept that premise, you can enjoy the ride.

The film's most glaring mistake was that it seemed incapable of accepting its own nature.  The Age of Adaline is essentially a modern fairy tale.  So when a narrator starts doing his thing during the opening scenes, it's not too unexpected or strange.  Narrators are a familiar trope in fairy tales (see pretty much any Disney fairy tale for an example).  But instead of embracing that fairy tale/fantasy nature, the narrator seems to think he was hired to do a documentary on the Science Channel.  The film feels the need to offer a "scientific" explanation for Adaline's condition.  They even give it some theoretical name, explaining how the scientific principles of the "physiological reaction" will be "discovered" in the year 2035.

I suppose it is a sad commentary of our modern era that the film feels the need to rely on "science" rather than allowing for a magical or miraculous occurrence.  Who even needs an explanation?  Groundhog Day never offered one, and was a stronger film for it.  Honestly, the more "science" this film spewed the sillier it seemed.  Nothing says "romance" like a clinical breakdown of how the body reacts during hypothermia, right?

Even without the narration, The Age of Adaline is hardly groundbreaking cinema.  And it probably could have done more to delve into Adaline's character.  It feels as if we only see a few glimpses into the life of a clearly fascinating woman who has more stories to tell than could ever fit in a two-hour time slot.  But while the film isn't fantastic, it was on the whole enjoyable and it did some things quite right.

The film itself is beautiful.  And it is bolstered by an excellent cast.  Blake Lively is Adaline.  It is no small feat to portray a 106-year-old woman in an unchanging 29-year-old body.  But she does an admirable job of it.  Adaline embodies the adage "still waters run deep."  She is calm, reserved, somewhat aloof, but fascinating and mysterious at the same time.  She catches the eye of her love interest, Ellis, when she is sitting outdoors reading braille, because apparently during her 80 years of being stuck, she decided to learn braille.  Why not?  She also speaks fluent Portuguese and is not someone to play Trivial Pursuit against.  Adaline is likable and intriguing.  And as she is conflicted between having a relationship and hiding her secret, she is even relatable.

The film uses a number of means to offer glimpses into the life that Adaline has led over the decades.  Some worked better than others.  At least for me, the most poignant involved her dog, and watching her flip through a photo album filled with pictures of previous dogs.  Although she has a daughter, Flemming, for various reasons you realize those beloved dogs have been Adaline's only companions in her solitary existence.

Watching Adaline interact with her daughter -- who looks as though she were Adaline's grandmother -- is quite interesting.  I wished there had been more to their story.  But aside from a few flashbacks, we only see Flemming as an older woman who has long ago accepted her mother's condition and its ramifications on their relationship.

Although he doesn't have a lot of screen time, Harrison Ford's character, William, plays a pivotal role in the story.  Although it is a far cry from the brash smuggler or intrepid archaeologist characters that made him famous, Ford fills the role perfectly.  His character, Ellis' father, helps to ground the film (which it very much needs by the time he shows up) and bring perspective.

As I said, The Age of Adaline is what it is.  It's a charming, romantic fairy-tale that takes a few missteps and falls short of its potential.  But it is still likable (aside from the ridiculous narration) and beautiful.  It manages to have sentiment without turning into schmaltz.  If having read this you think it sounds interesting, go see it; you'll probably enjoy it.  If The Age of Adaline is not for you ... The Age of Ultron is almost here.

*** Spoiler Section ***

The story wraps up tidily and rather predictably.  It's a romance.  That's what they do.  You knew she'd run away and that something would stop her and bring about the final change of heart, allowing her to share her secret with Ellis.  I was glad the film showed restraint and skipped from "My name isn't Jenny" to telling Flemming (hours later), "He knows."  Thank you for not indulging in what would likely have been a sappy, over-the-top scene.

Quotable Quotes

• "That's the last picture I have of you."  "If you've seen one you've seen them all."  "That's true." -- Flemming and Adaline
• "Don't get sloppy.  It's the little things that trip you up." -- Adaline
• "She said she can't ... change." -- William to Ellis

ISFS

Freetown

Credible Credits

Year: 2015

Director: Garrett Batty

Starring: Henry Adofo, Michael Attram, Phillip Adekunle Michael, and Clement Amegayie
Synopsis: A group of LDS missionaries must flee from war-torn Liberia to the safety of Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Review

Director Garret Batty's previous film was The Saratov Approach, which I very much enjoyed.  So I was highly intrigued when I heard about his next based-on-a-true story film.  Freetown is a very good follow-up.

While the true story had been in the Ensign a few months ago, it didn't go into very many details.  Going into the film, I only had a general idea of what the outcome would be.  It is a credit to the film that despite what I did know, the movie had me on the edge of my seat at times.  There were many genuinely tense moments, especially in the start of the film.  The drama -- how it was acted, how it was shot, and how it was relayed -- was gripping.  From the start, I was invested in the film.

The story, however, becomes a road trip movie, as the missionaries flee from Liberia to Sierra Leone.  At that point, the film did start to feel a bit sluggish.  Instead of drama, there was a lot of talking.  Some of the discussions felt natural, but a few felt ... forced, so that certain faith-related topics could be checked off.

The film does address the issue of blacks and the priesthood, and to the film's credit leaves the resolution open.  The character who brings it up has found his internal reconciliation, but offers no pat explanation.  Without saying as much, the film's "answer" is "seek out your own answer" and then moves on.

There is some humor in the film, which stems from the personalities of the various missionaries.  Sometimes the humor felt a bit forced, but that was primarily because it was incredible to believe that anyone could find humor in such circumstances.  The missionaries leave because rebels are killing people, specifically people from a certain tribe.  Some of the missionaries watch helplessly as people are murdered.  The road trip is to preserve their lives, especially since one of the missionaries is a member of the tribe being hunted.  But while such circumstances are unfathomable to me, that was indeed a reality (and is still a reality in many places of the world).  I suppose you'd have to keep your humor to keep your sanity.

Despite a few rough patches with the story, the film itself is extremely well crafted.  I was stunned by the excellent cinematography.  The film was entirely shot in Africa and there is such a realism and beauty to the film because of that.  Also fantastic was the musical score, which felt perfectly suited to the film and never over done.

Freetown is rated PG-13.  It isn't graphic in any way, but it is intense.  Characters may not be killed on screen, but there is no mistaking they are killed off screen.  This certainly isn't a film for younger audiences.  But while it does have its flaws, it is an enjoyable film and a good film.  Freetown is definitely worth seeing.

*** Spoiler Section ***

The missionaries are assisted in their efforts by a man named Abubakar, who is a convert of 5 years.  On the rear windshield of his car, in big letters, is the reference Mark 9:24.  I'm not very good with New Testament references, so I had no idea what that verse was.  During the credits it happily explained.  The verse is: "And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."

Throughout the film, Abubakar has many doubts.  He fears they will never make it to Sierra Leone and asks the missionaries to simply hide in Liberia.  To his credit, he overcomes his fears and his doubts and moves forward.  Each time his doubts resurface, the missionaries encourage him to trust God.  The film is in some respects about Abubakar's spiritual journey, a fact the film might have done well to emphasize more.

Quotable Quotes

• "I teach by example."  "Example of not talking." -- Elder Nyanforh and Elder Gaye
• "We may not have faith to walk on water ... but we have faith to drive through it." -- Elder Menti
• "Is faith supposed to be so exhausting?" -- Abubakar

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Cinderella

Credible Credits

Year: 2015

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Starring: Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, and Helena Bonham Carter
Tagline: Midnight Is Just the Beginning

Review

Before I get to the feature presentation, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the short that preceded it, namely Frozen Fever.  I believe I've mentioned before that I'm fully on board with these kind of short films.  It was fun to revisit Arendelle, Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and Kristoff.  It was an enjoyable way to sort of see what "happens" next after the main film is over.  The plot is simple enough: it's Anna's birthday and Elsa wants it to be perfect.  Unfortunately, Elsa gets a cold as only she could get a cold.  The song was catchy and the little story was quite funny.  It made me smile and a couple of the gags even made me laugh out loud.  Well done Disney.

From the time I heard Disney was planning a live action remake of their animated Cinderella, I was leery, to say the least.  I enjoyed the rather revisionist "sequel" Alice in Wonderland from a few years ago.  But I couldn't bring myself to go see the completely revisionist Maleficent, which seemed to ruin all I love about Sleeping Beauty.  This completely traditional Cinderella outshines both of those and more than justifies its existence.

For starters, the film is simply gorgeous.  The quaint settings, the exquisite wardrobe (granted I'm not one for fashion), the CGI magic: all are simply beautiful.  There's so much color and life to the film that it is basically eye candy.  It is a rich imagining of what a live fairy tale ought to be.  In that sense, it is a visual antithesis to Disney's recent Into the Woods.  Both are beautiful in their own way.  But their perspectives on fairy tale worlds are completely opposite.

Importantly, the cast for Cinderella is superb.  Richard Madden is both charming and sincere as the prince.  He has a lot more to do than his animated counterpart and has a good deal more depth and personality.  He's also clever and funny.  For her part, Lily James brings a much-needed sincerity to the role of Cinderella.  She truly comes across as courageous and kind.  But she also rounds out the character with frustration, exhaustion, grief, and at times despair.  It is clear that Cinderella isn't kind or optimistic out of some simple-minded naivete.  Her kindness and courage are her choice.  That is what this adaptation is all about: choosing to be kind and courageous in spite of heartbreak, disappointment, and cruelty.

I was skeptical of Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother.  She bares little resemblance to the white-haired grandmotherly Fairy Godmother in the animated version.  But she brings a fun, quirkiness to the role and makes it work.  She is certainly a far cry from her previous wand-waving role, namely as the crazy, murderous Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter films.

Cate Blanchett is simply perfect as the stepmother.  Rather than "wicked" or "evil" she is jealous, vain, vindictive, and a bit cunning.  But the narrative also shows/explains some of what has led to her coldhearted state.

That is one of the strengths in general of the film: it has more time to explain things.  The first ten minutes of the film (give or take) are dedicated to Cinderella's youth, her mother's death, and her relationship with her father.  Such context adds a good deal of depth to the story.  We also get to see more of Prince Kit and his interactions with both his father and the grand duke.

There is an ongoing argument about the lack of strong female characters in movies.  While that has been changing some in recent years, too often the "strong" female character is a tough, no-nonsense, gun-toting (or bow and arrow toting) woman whose strength comes from an iron will, a sharp tongue, or a roundhouse kick.  I enjoy (some) of those characters.  They are fun and, to an extent, can be good role models.

I'm reminded, however, of Sister Margaret D. Nadauld's quote*: "The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender.  There are enough women who are course; we need women who are kind."  Cinderella is about a woman who is strong because she is kind.  She shows courage not against aliens, monsters, or villains, but against cruelty, despair, and unfairness.  That is admirable.  Cinderella as a character is good, and that makes Cinderella as a movie great.

One more thing.  If you see the film (which you should), stay through the credits.  While there is no scene to watch, you will be treated to Lily James singing "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" and Helena Bonham Carter doing her own rendition of "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo."

*** Spoiler Section ***

The moment the stepmother smashes Cinderella's glass slipper, you know the film can't be resolved the same way as the animated version.  And that's a good thing, as it allows this film to distinguish itself and find what works best for itself.

That the prince (well, by that point, the king) has been incognito and tagging along with the search party is a nice touch.  He's not one to just sit back, twiddling his thumbs, idly hoping they find his mystery girl.  I also like that it is still the mice who help Cinderella out.  But really, what ultimately "rescues" Cinderella is her own goodness.  Rather than mope and feel sorry for herself and the unfair situation she is in, she chooses to treasure her memories and find joy in singing on a beautiful day.  It is a Disney movie after all.  Important things happen when characters sing.

The film also does a nice job of explaining the magic.  A touch of magic is why the stepmother and stepsisters can't recognize Cinderella at the ball.  And the magic in the glass slipper prevents it from fitting any other maiden's foot.

Quotable Quotes

• "I can't drive!  I'm a goose." -- the goose
• "I'm a lizard, not a footman.  Enjoy it while it lasts." -- a lizard
• "Have courage and be kind." -- Cinderella's mother
• "Do you have any watermelons?"  "Sorry."  "Cantaloupe?"  "I don't know what that is." -- Fairy Godmother and Cinderella (searching for something to become a coach)

*Sister Margaret D. Nadauld, "The Joy of Womanhood," October 2000

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