Short Attention Span Review - Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Short Attention Span Review - Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Blade Runner is a film that I cherish, and I avoided this belated sequel for some time.  Honestly, I didn't think there was anything worthwhile left to say where this property is concerned, and I love the questions and discussion that the 1982 masterpiece from Ridley Scott generated.  Last night, I decided to take a look at Blade Runner 2049 in spite of my misgivings.  I'm not really sure why, and I admit that I fully expected to find myself at odds with the material.  From the onset, however, I realized that while Denis Villeneuve may not have matched Scott's brilliance, he authored a dazzling spectacle of his own.  The visuals are extraordinary, the sound is amazing, and the script is equally impressive.  While it is a bit slow, the methodical approach serves the intricate plot well, and allows the viewer to bask in all the breathtaking artistry on display.  It really is a treat for the eyes, with both the design elements and the special effects representing the best that the film industry has to offer.  Mind-boggling stuff, peeps.  The performances are just as compelling, with Ryan Gosling carrying the picture, while Harrison Ford is fully invested in a smaller role that gives the proceedings a strong center.  Jared Leto's extremely creepy work as an icy villain also warrants praise, and Sylvia Hoeks is a veritable powerhouse as his devious vessel of destruction.  Most importantly, like the original, Blade Runner 2049 grapples with difficult questions and big ideas--and it encourages us to explore many of the most important threads on our own.  Less a sequel than another distinct story inolving a shared vision of the future and many of the same characters, it doesn't tarnish what came before in any way.  In fact, I am shocked to admit that I feel that Blade Runner 2049 adds to this stirring landscape.  The pace and the runtime are likely to present issues for some viewers, and many others will long for more action.  This isn't for everyone, to be sure, but those who hope to discover invigorating science fiction ripe with dangerous ideas will find much to enjoy.    

Final Grade: A

Dark and introspective, Blade Runner 2049 is a brooding opus that features some of the best effects you're apt to see. 

Fabulous Faves - Blade Runner (1982)

Fabulous Faves - Blade Runner (1982)

Blade Runner is a film that remains spellbinding better than thirty years after hitting the scene.  It remains a thorough yet quizzical offering that paints a complex picture, exploring some epic questions with pain-staking attention to detail.  Yet it leaves the viewer to ponder many of these questions, and that is what makes it so majestic.  It has so many strengths, to include visionary director Ridley Scott's most creative work, one of Harrison Ford's best performances, and mind-boggling special effects.  Yet I find this beloved film's most potent draw to be dear departed Rutger Hauer's stunning portrayal of one of the cinema's most compelling villains.  Hauer's Roy Batty is as tragic as he is fearsome, and the actor owned the role.  He brought subtlety and introspection to the table, and he also brought brute force and a fiendish zeal.  He was explosive and yet utterly relaxed; it is a completely natural showing that displays remarkable theatrics.  When Hauer recently passed and I paused to look back on his body of work, I couldn't stop thinking about his poignant demise in Blade Runner.  That sequence is truly sublime, and it is merely one of the many vibrant flourishes that make this 1982 production so profound.  All these years after being released, it continues to provide viewers with a fully realized escape into a stark and strangely hypnotic vision of a future that did not come to pass.  It boasts incredible drama, excitement, and stimulation that lasts until the final frame--and beyond.  Blade Runner remains a stunning achievement that surely ranks among the finest motion pictures ever made.

Final Grade: A+

Blade Runner is overflowing with riches, but if I were to single out any one element of this landmark science fiction production as being the most spectacular, I would point to Rutger Hauer's work as Roy Batty.  Roy is the primary antagonist, and he's also the heart and soul of the picture.  You don't often see that.

Short Attention Span Review: Overlord (2018)

Short Attention Span Review: Overlord (2018)

Overlord is a bit generic in many ways, and it doesn't do anything particularly new or inventive, but it does a great many things very well.  First and foremost, the opening and closing reel are bombastic forays into nearly unheralded excitement coupled with a gore quotient that would make Sam Raimi blush.  In fact, there is also an outlandish energy present in these segments that Raimi could appreciate, though I'm not sure that he has every done anything this hardcore.  And while it is far from revolutionary, it did brighten my heart considerably given that I haven't seen this sort of bloody romp on the big screen in quite some time.  The filmmaking is superb, with the opening descent into chaos in particular sporting some inspired bits that are both perfectly realized and totally incredible.  Most importantly, while the picture is often an exercise in unbridled intensity and gruesome shenanigans, it also takes the time to build some strong characters.  Yes, they're types to a large extent, but they are given enough to do aside from enduring supernatural Nazi terror that we ultimately find them endearing.  Our heroes are likable for the most part, and easy enough to root for, and the villains are suitably despicable and intimidating.  The big standout here is Wyatt Russell, whose Ford is so committed to completing the mission that grim setbacks, overwhelming odds, and even demented experiments gone wrong never threaten his devotion.  He oozes both badass and coolness, and the character is damn near iconic.  On the whole, Overlord is a zany action/horror hybrid that never aims for sophistication or greatness.  No, it merely exists to entertain, and it never misses on that front, serving up a vivid rollercoaster ride with wild thrills and spooky atmosphere to spare.

Final Grade: B+

Wyatt Russell is on point as Ford, a first rate badass whose cool demeanor and unwavering toughness nearly lead the character into iconic territory. 

Short Attention Span Review: The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane has to rank among the most poorly-received films of all time.  The movie was ripped to shreds by critics and failed to perform at the box office.  Many protested the fact that it was released at all, aiming politically correct arrows at Andrew Dice Clay's offensive persona.  Let's be clear: the movie is vulgar and boasts numerous lewd jabs that are guaranteed to bother sensitive viewers.  Gays and women are among the primary targets of the lead character's off-color humor, but there are plenty of jokes to go around and it might not be easy to identify any particular segment of humanity that isn't targeted by some of the zingers generously sprinkled throughout the picture.  Having said all that, the question remains: is The Adventures of Ford Fairlane any good?  Honestly, I think it's a minor classic of sorts.  Clay (whose stand-up has always been rather hit-or-miss) is perfect as the lead, a private dick who specializes in cases that involve the music industry.  Ford's keen detective skills aren't as apparent as his love for one-liners and his inability to control his raging libido, but maybe a lack of motivation is to blame--his rock star clients tend to pay him with gifts and memorabilia as opposed to cash.  Wayne Newton is superb as the slimy villain.  Yes, you read that correctly.  I'll say it again: Wayne Newton is superb in this movie.  If it had fared better, who knows what his sleazy turn as a corrupt and murderous producer would have done for his acting career.  Robert Englund generates a lot of laughs as a kooky henchman, and Ed O'Neill damn near steals the show as a smarmy cop who can't stand Dice's cocky P.I.--the scene where he finally reveals the origins of his animosity toward Fairlane is one of my favorite parts of the movie.  There are a few decent action sequences and Renny Harlin probably did his best job as a director with this glitzy exercise in style and excess.  Yes, those who are easily bothered by such material should steer clear of The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, but those who like dirty jokes and obnoxious comedies will find that this much maligned feature film from 1990 is funny, cool, and exciting in equal measures.  It's very offensive, to be sure, but it is also very entertaining, and it remains one of my favorite comedies 25 years after it limped into theaters.

Final Grade: A

One of my favorite aspects of this vulgar comedy is the antagonistic
relationship between Dice's private detective and O'Neill's stiff cop.
Their exchanges are priceless.