The Father (2021) directed by Florian Zeller

I was really proud of myself this year because on the morning of the Oscar nominations coming out, I realized that there was only one film nominated for Best Picture that I hadn't seen yet. Florian Zeller's The Father is a film that I have heard about for a while now but based on the trailers, assumed that it was going to be this year's unavoidable, Academy Award bait. The preconceived notions in my head, thankfully, failed to be true and I am genuinely glad that I went out of my way to see this. Zeller's film is a wonderful drama with two incredible lead performances that heighten this story up to the next level. His script and direction might leave a little momentum to be desired but I thoroughly loved all of his creative choices throughout this movie. It is also certainly a play adaptation through and through but thanks to its quick runtime and writing that wastes no time, I was genuinely engaged by this story.

Anthony (Anthony Hopkins) is an aging man living in a flat in London where his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) frequently checks up on him. He is struggling with losing his memory and constantly gets confused as to who he is seeing and what he is doing. As his memory starts to get worse and worse, Anne struggles with what to do with her life while knowing she has a father to take care of. The premise of this film, written by Zeller and Christopher Hampton and adapted from Zeller's stage play of the same name, seems on the surface to be a melancholy examination of how we as humans treat the elderly. Zeller's story is so much more than that, however, as he takes this plot and turns it into an almost psychological thriller set from Anthony's perspective. What I loved about his writing was how he was able to take the entire film and place it in Anthony's point of view without making a mockery of the character. Even though it is never directly said what condition Anthony is in (Alzheimer's, dementia, etc.), Zeller makes it clear to the audience that his brain is rapidly deteriorating. Zeller does a fantastic job with utilizing the other actors and actresses to play the "same role" of Anne and her husband in order to really place his audience into the mind of Anthony. A lesser film would have made the "POV of a man with dementia" trope much more humorous and gag-oriented but the consistent decline of Anthony's mental health was portrayed brilliantly. I also adored how Zeller is able to tell the conflicting story of Anne at the same time all while through Anthony's perspective. He is able to play with time, character placement, and motivation very well in order to really put this whole film through the lens of a sick, elderly man. This was honestly the greatest part of The Father and Zeller does a phenomenal job of being able to make his viewers feel the way that I am sure many people suffering from Alzheimer's or dementia feel each and every day.

While Zeller does a great job of crafting this story in a way to make the audience feel for Anthony, I was not too on board with the overall execution of the style. Like I mentioned before, he never made a mockery out of anything or took advantage of people with dementia but the idea of immediately setting the story from Anthony's perspective was a bit much. The entire film plays out in expected beats, which includes Anthony getting ready to meet someone or to have dinner with Anne, followed by Anthony forgetting where he was or who he was supposed to meet, and finally concluding with a "restart" of his day. This cycle happens throughout the entirety of The Father and while I can recognize that is what people suffering from these illnesses actually experience, it became a bit tired in regards to its cinematic portrayal. I wish that Zeller would have focused a bit more on Anthony's clarity before throwing his audience into the deep end of dementia. That way, we would have been a bit more accustomed to Anthony's prior lifestyle while at the same time seeing his sick, downward spiral. Zeller still does an amazing job handling the story, though, and that is also due to the performances from Hopkins and Colman. The two of them have spectacular chemistry as father and daughter and solely because of their performances, I was able to sympathize with both of their characters equally. On the outside, Anthony may have been a stubborn, obstinate dad who refuses the fact that his mind is going away but on the inside, he is desperately crying out for help. The final scene of this movie actually got to me pretty good because Hopkins' performance is enough to just make anyone break down. Colman is great at this as well and her supporting performance was so nuanced and utterly perfect. I can definitely see her Oscar chances go up after seeing this film and I was just overall genuinely enthralled at how much I ended up liking this film.

The Father is a delicate yet intensely impactful drama led by Hopkins and Colman that never ceases to be anything less than wildly emotional. The two of them absolutely steal this film but along with Zeller's stellar direction, every department seemed to be at the top of their game. This is not normally what I would consider an entertaining film but thanks to Zeller's directorial choices, his debut feature film proves to be a much more creative and unique take on this kind of story than the normal Oscar bait that we usually see each year.

My Rating: ★★★½

Titanic (1997) directed by James Cameron

AFI Top 100: #83

I truly believe that only a handful of films really deserve the title of "blockbuster" and it's a status that must be earned by not just box office gross but also by cultural significance over time. James Cameron's masterpiece Titanic is a blockbuster through and through (one of the best and actually bearable ones!) and even after twenty-four years, this film is still one of the most impactful stories ever told. Combining the real-life tragedy of the sinking of the ship with a love story that will be able to resonate for ages is only one of its greatest strengths and I really can't believe that it took me this long to finally see this film. From the performances from the main cast to the cinematography to the practical and visual effects, everything works in such a distinct harmony to make it a truly remarkable piece of storytelling.

On the day that the RMS Titanic is bound to set sail, the young and scrappy Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) wins a ticket to board it and head to New York. On the ship, he meets and falls in love with the rich but troubled socialite Rose Dewitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), and as the two try and conceal their love affair on the trip, they are confronted with an even bigger problem as the ship strikes an iceberg and begins to sink into the Atlantic. Based on the (obviously) true story of the ship that sank in 1912, this film had the potential to be a much more boring biopic of sorts. James Cameron's writing and direction make this film so phenomenal and the contrast between the disaster of the ship with the romance between Rose and Jack is such a simple but wildly effective writing point. Titanic very easily could have been a dull and lifeless retelling of the ship sinking but the fact that Cameron instills this romance into the story and makes it the most prominently emotional aspect is really what makes this movie so damn special. Now, of course, everything that I am saying here is going to bring nothing new to the table as this film has been discussed endlessly for years but these are just things that I noticed on my first watch. Cameron's direction is also very interesting to me throughout the course of this film because of how much I liked and some choices that I really didn't. The pacing of this movie is flawlessly smooth and never once felt like I was watching a movie that was 3+ hours long. Cameron does such a wonderful job of maneuvering through this story and knows perfectly how to place emotional moments within the more explosive action set pieces. The only part of his direction that I didn't really care for was the story's returning to the older Rose (Gloria Stuart). I think that framing this film at the beginning and end with the modern-day story is a solid choice but Cameron dips back into this modern-day only at a few, awkward times and it really took me out of the gaudy, 1920s setting.

The other things about this film that really struck a chord with me are the chemistry between Winslet and DiCaprio, the cinematography from Russell Carpenter, and the beautifully intricate effects used throughout. Winslet and DiCaprio were born to play these roles together and I just adored how they played off each other and how different their characters were. This gives them so much room to grow and develop as characters and their performances just roll with it so well. I also loved a lot of the supporting performances in this film, including Kathy Bates and Billy Zane. Zane plays such a perfectly insufferable millionaire and Bates, while also playing a rich passenger, actually brings some humanity to that group of people. It's near impossible to humanize the rich but when it comes down to Kathy Bates joyfully and motherly helping DiCaprio's character dress right to impress a girl, her human side shines so brightly. The camerawork from Carpenter was just masterful and I loved the way he shoots every scene of this film. He shoots the movie tightly as the characters are falling in love or experiencing new sensations but widely as the catastrophe of the ship begins to unfold. This might seem like a given based on the premise of the story but the way that Carpenter utilizes different styles to suit the blockbuster aspects of Titanic is amazing. The action scenes throughout this film were also so unbelievably exciting and while I agree they might have gone on a bit too long, I never thought they lost any impact. Cameron's focus on the disaster and how long he lets the audience bask in its atrocity is such a wonderful choice and even though I know how the story ends, it was never anything less than enthralling. The inclusion of practical effects for many of the inside ship scenes was fantastic too and it honestly felt more like I was riding a theme park attraction of the ship than I was watching a movie, which is just what Cameron intended. The thrill I got from seeing this story play out was unlike anything I have seen recently and I truly, truly loved it.

Titanic is such a household name in romantic filmmaking that I was honestly shocked that I enjoyed it as much as I did. While I have known the story, plot points, and memes for practically my entire life, actually sitting down to experience this timeless film is a whole other story. DiCaprio and Winslet are truly magic together and they not only enhance this film to the nth degree but help to make this story one of the most romantic ones ever told. And what's better than turning on a classic movie you've never seen only to be greeted by a shaggy Bill Paxton? Nothing, that's what.

My Rating: ★★★★½

Jumbo (2021) directed by Zoé Wittock

Objectum sexuality is one of the more unheard-of orientations in our social climate and when I first heard about Zoé Wittock's debut film Jumbo, I was instantly compelled. A romantic drama between the breakout star of (my personal favorite romance film) Céline Sciamma's Portrait of a Lady on Fire and a Tilt-a-Whirl is such a unique concept that I knew I had to see for myself. There was so much genuine excitement and intrigue building up in me until I was finally able to view this movie and unfortunately, I left feeling a bit less than satisfied. What could have been a wonderfully eccentric love story on par with Spike Jonze's Her ends up being a tonal mess that never sticks to what it promises while simultaneously distancing me even farther from learning about this particular sexual orientation. While the performances from the cast are excellent and the cinematography sure is pretty, I was never able to get into this as much as I desperately wanted.

Jeanne (Noémie Merlant) is a young, shy woman who just starts working at a theme park when a new ride called the "Move-It" is brought into the collection of attractions. She quickly and furiously develops a strong, romantic connection to the ride and struggles to pursue what she loves while dealing with her hypocritical and discriminatory mother Margarette (Emmanuelle Bercot). This film, written and directed by Zoé Wittock, had the potential to be so many different, great things. It could have been a downright lovely romance story between Jeanne and the ride while slowly but surely developing their relationship. It could have been a learning experience for the audience about objectum sexuality and its educated link to people with autism. And it also could have been a straight-up, sci-fi romp that leaves its viewers in awe at its beauty. What Wittock fails to do with Jumbo, however, is pick any of those paths and stick with it. There are elements of each one included here and there but no route was ever fully explored, leaving me confused as to what Wittock was trying to accomplish. The writing and dialogue make sense for each of the characters included in the story but their motivations and reasons for what they do became blurred right off the bat. There are a lot of scenes included throughout this film that would have been so interesting and visually entertaining if Wittock would have stuck with one idea but instead, her direction leaves the audience confused as to what kind of movie they just watched. The biggest issue with her script is that it never takes itself seriously. On the surface, a woman falling in love with a theme park ride sounds kinda goofy but some of the best romance movies are that way; at least until the director takes their work seriously. If Wittock would have spent more time developing the character of Jeanne and why her assumed autism is linked to her attraction to the "Move-It," I would have been absolutely down. The film would have been a wonderfully idiosyncratic love story that even teaches its audience a thing or two but I just think reducing Jeanne's personality to her mother calling her "special" is a bit lazy and offensive. 

I really, really wanted to love this but with every passing minute, it became clear that Wittock was not sure how to approach her own story. Her direction is all over the place, riddled with bits and pieces of other, more concise romance movies. One of the other big issues was how she never decides on a tone for the film. This has to do with not picking one path for the writing but it also has to do with the kind of aesthetic she was aiming for. As the film began, the coming-of-age vibes were immaculate, complete with a punky rock beginning introducing us to a character that is definitely not the popular one. However, this soon transitions into the love story that takes up most of the film but Wittock dips in and out of the tone she was trying to achieve. I was constantly confused as to the pacing of this story and Wittock's lack of sticking with one tone did not help that at all. I also thought that Jumbo could have been a gorgeous sci-fi romance film and there are scenes that made me think that was the ending it was going for. The Tilt-a-Whirl moves by itself and seems to be sentient and while that was never explained, I wish it would have been. A sci-fi approach to this story would be so interesting and would have definitely better justified the stunning cinematography from Thomas Buelens. The way Buelens shoots this movie is incredible, as he lends a helping hand to the VFX artists in crafting some astounding shots. The way the camera moves and reflects Jeanne's relationship with the attraction almost makes it seem like the ride could have lifted up and taken Jeanne away at any moment. However, just like Wittock's direction, that was never really confirmed, and the ridiculously corny last ten minutes of Jumbo only makes the film that much more confusing overall. Despite all of the glaring problems with the writing and direction, Merlant and Bercot give it all they've got. They are some of the most talented French actresses that we have today and their mother-daughter dynamic was made very believable mostly because of them. I loved seeing them eat up their roles and even though I was not very satisfied with what this film was trying to do, their talent carries this movie.

Jumbo is a bit of a ginormous mess and one that strangely left me even more curious than when I started. Although I still adore Merlant as a performer and see a fantastic future for Wittock as a director, I think this film was more of a strikeout in a creative world where it easily could have been a home run. Not many of its topics were fully fleshed out, it could never decide on a path, and the musically-inspired, coming-of-age scenes just did not work. It's a bummer, too, because I just really wanted to love this amusement park romance.

My Rating: ★★½