Instant Family

★★★½ - A Review by Cameron Kanachki

The foster care system in America is incredibly flawed. Over 400,000 kids are in the foster care system, with many of them failing to get the support that they sorely need, & they face an incredible amount of problems when trying to get approved for certain things.

Instant Family definitely sin't perfect, but it's an endearing look into adoption. Based on a true story, the film follows Pete (played by Mark Wahlberg) & Ellie (played by Rose Byrne) Wagner, a married couple in California. Although they are happily married, they feel that there is something missing in their lives. They would like to have children, but Pete is pretty old to be a father of a newborn child. Ellie brings up the idea of adoption, but Pete isn't up for it. However, Pete eventually warms up to the idea.

Pete & Ellie then begin an 8-week foster parenting class led by Sharon (played by Tig Notaro), who is more reserved; & Karen (played by Octavia Spencer), who is more outspoken. They eventually get their foster parenting licenses, & go to an adoption fair to see what kids they may be interested in. One of the teenage foster children, Lizzie (played by Isabella Moner), lets them know that they know that foster parents aren't really interested in the teenagers. However, this interests Pete & Ellie, & when they ask about becoming Lizzie's foster parents, they are told that Lizzie has two younger siblings: Juan (played by Gustavo Quiroz) & Lita (played by Julianna Gamiz). Pete & Ellie decide to take in all 3 of the kids, which meets mixed reactions from Pete & Ellie's families: Ellie's mother Jan (played by Julie Hagerty) is more hesitant about their decision, while Pete's mother Sandy (played by Margo Martindale) is more welcoming.

Although the initial few weeks with Lizzie, Juan & Lita in their house are great, it starts to become hectic for Pete & Ellie, as Lizzie is bratty, Juan is overly sensitive, & Lita will only eat potato chips. But although Pete & Ellie are not ready for what will follow, but they think they'll be alright in the end.

The cast is amazing. Mark Wahlberg & Rose Byrne have such great chemistry here. Tig Notaro & Octavia Spencer are hilarious in their small roles. But the standout is Isabella Moner, who truly shines here. And Gustavo Quiroz & Julianna Gamiz also shine.

Sean Anders' direction is great. Although there isn't much that stylistically differentiates Anders from other directors, he is able to overcome that with a warm-hearted sensibility & a personal touch, as the true story is Anders' true story of adopting 3 kids.

And the screenplay by Sean Anders & John Morris is very good. Although the plot is formulaic & the narrative is predictable, the humorous dialogue sticks out, & the screenplay isn't afraid to tackle the racial issues of the adoption.

This is a good comedy-drama. Although it's definitely too sentimental at times, the film is saved by a cast filled with great, warm-hearted performances.

Instant Family was seen by me at the MJR Marketplace Digital Cinema 20 in Sterling Heights, MI on Sunday, December 30, 2018. It is in theaters everywhere. Its runtime is 118 minutes, & it is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, sexual material, language & some drug references.

If Beale Street Could Talk

★★★★★ - A Review by Cameron Kanachki

With his 2016 breakout film Moonlight, Barry Jenkins became one of the best directors in independent cinema. His subdued style of direction focusing on everyday beauty evokes reminders of the films of Wong-Kar Wai, & his affinity for closeup shots of his characters brings flashbacks to the films of Jonathan Demme. And I personally consider Jenkins to be one of my favorite directors of the decade so far.

If Beale Street Could Talk builds off of Moonlight, & is the best film in Jenkins' young career. Based on the 1974 novel If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin, & set in 1970s New York, the film follows Clementine "Tish" Rivers (played by KiKi Layne), a 19-year-old girl living with her mother Sharon (played by Regina King), her father Joseph (played by Colman Domingo), & her sister Ernestine (played by Teyonah Parris) in the Harlem neighborhood in Upper Manhattan. She is in a relationship with Alonzo "Fonny" Hunt (played by Stephan James), a 22-year-old sculptor living with his mother, Alice (played by Aunjanue Ellis), his father Frank (played by Michael Beach), & his sisters Adrienne (played by Ebony Obsidian) & Sheila (played by Dominique Thorne). They also live in Harlem.

In their relationship, Tish & Fonny encounter various people, including Pedrocito (played by Diego Luna), Fonny's friend who is a waiter at a restaurant; Levy (played by Dave Franco), a landlord who owns an apartment block where Tish & Fonny are looking to live in; & Daniel Carty (played by Brian Tyree Henry), a longtime friend of Fonny who has been very negatively affected by his time in prison due to the harsh treatment he received.

One day, Fonny is arrested for the rape of Victoria Rogers (played by Emily Rios). Although the rape did occur, Fonny was not the person that did it, as he was with Tish & Daniel at their apartment. Fonny was likely arrested not because of testimony, but because of the mindset of racist cops, especially Officer Bell (played by Ed Skrein). Victoria was probably misled by Bell & others to believe that Fonny was her rapist through loaded questions. As a result, Fonny is being wrongfully jailed for a crime he did not commit.

Despite help from Hayward (played by Finn Wittrock), Fonny's lawyer, the fight to free Fonny is a tough fight, as Victoria had left New York for her home of Puerto Rico & for her friend Pietro Alvarez (played by Pedro Pascal), due to stress & trauma from the assault, despite some pleas for her to return. But things get tougher, as Tish is now pregnant with her & Fonny's child. Although this news receives happiness from Tish's family & Frank, it receives scorn from Alice & Fonny's sisters, who consider themselves to be superior to Tish & her family, brushing off their child as a product of "sin," as Alice calls it, since Tish & Fonny were not married. The road to free Fonny will only get rougher from this moment on, as Tish must fight to free Fonny before the birth of their child.

The cast is phenomenal. KiKi Layne gives one of the best feature film acting debuts in recent memory. Stephan James is a knockout. Regina King gives the best performance of her career. And the rest of the cast is perfectly cast down to the smallest of roles.

Barry Jenkins' direction is incredible. Jenkins oversees the film with a calm, subdued mentality & a visual style that is so simple yet so luminous.

Barry Jenkins's screenplay is superb. Jenkins does a terrific job of adapting the humor & heart of Baldwin's writing, populating the film with fully 3-dimensional characters that you could encounter any day of your life on the street.

James Laxton's cinematography is gorgeous. Laxton's camerawork is just a marvel to look at, with his bright hues of greens, oranges, yellows, & browns, & his spectacular lighting, especially in the nighttime scenes that gorgeously light up Harlem.

The editing by Joi McMillon & Nat Sanders is excellent. McMillon & Sanders let the events slowly unfold before our eyes, & there is not a single jarring edit throughout the film.

Caroline Eselin's costume design is amazing. The costumes are very simple, but very lovely & very accurate to the 1970s.

Mark Friedberg's production design is fantastic. The attention to detail is impressive here, as the sets transport you into 1970s New York.

And Nicholas Britell's score is beautiful. Led by a piano & violins, Britell's score perfectly underscores the beauty of the film.

This is one of the best films of the year. It's a flat-out masterpiece filled with such stunning beauty. I definitely can't wait to see what Barry Jenkins does next.

If Beale Street Could Talk was seen by me at the Landmark Main Art Theatre in Royal Oak, MI on Friday, December 28, 2018. It is currently in 2 theaters in the Detroit area: the Landmark Main Art Theatre in Royal Oak, MI; & the Emagine Riviera in Farmington Hills, MI; it will expand into more theaters on Friday, January 4, 2019 & Friday, January 11, 2019, before going into wide release on Friday, January 18, 2019. Its runtime is 119 minutes, & it is rated R for language & some sexual content.

The Mule

★★★★ - A Review by Cameron Kanachki

Clint Eastwood is 88 years old. He may quite possibly never get the opportunity to act in or direct another film. If this were to occur, then I'd say it would be nothing short of a very exemplary career for him.

The Mule does have its flaws, but it's easily Eastwood's best film of this decade. Based on the 2014 New York Times article The Sinaloa Cartel's 90-Year-Old Drug Mule by Sam Dolnick, the film follows Earl Stone (played by Clint Eastwood), a horticulturist & Korean War veteran. Earl has become estranged from his wife Mary (played by Dianne Wiest), his daughter Iris (played by Alison Eastwood), & his granddaughter Ginny (played by Taissa Farmiga), as he decided to prioritize his job over his family.

One day, Earl receives a solicitation to deliver packages for some people. He is shocked to discover that he has become a drug mule. However, he decides to continue with this occupation, as his house has been foreclosed, & the drug business is very lucrative.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, DEA Agent Colin Bates (played by Bradley Cooper) has been sent by the DEA Special Agent in Charge (played by Laurence Fishburne) to investigate the cartel deliveries to Chicago that have been led by the boss Laton (played by Andy Garcia). Bates & Agent Trevino (played by Michael Peña) are sent to close in on the deliveries. Eventually, the path of Earl & the path of Bates will cross.

The cast is excellent. Clint Eastwood is still enigmatic at 88, & this is one of his best performances in recent memory. Bradley Cooper also does a great job, especially in one scene with Eastwood. And the rest of the cast provides great support. But this one belongs to Clint Eastwood, as he runs with it the whole way through.

Clint Eastwood's direction is amazing. Eastwood directs the film with a subdued quality unlike any other film of his in a while, & it does wonders here.

And the screenplay by Nick Schenk is great. Although the characterization is a bit thin outside of Eastwood & Cooper's characters, the plot is always intriguing, & the dialogue is very well-written & also very poignant.

This is a very good film. Although it does have some issues, it's nevertheless quietly entertaining, & if this were to be Clint's sendoff, then it would be nothing short of a great sendoff for one of Hollywood's biggest screen legends.

The Mule was seen by me at the MJR Marketplace Digital Cinema 20 in Sterling Heights, MI on Thursday, December 27, 2018. It is in theaters everywhere. Its runtime is 116 minutes, & it is rated R for language throughout & brief sexuality/nudity.

Welcome to Marwen

★½ - A Review by Cameron Kanachki

Hot take: I hate Forrest Gump. Although the cast & visuals are good, everything else is a complete mess. Lately, Robert Zemeckis, who directed Forrest Gump, has been trying to recreate that magic he discovered 23 years ago.

Welcome to Marwen is the closest Zemeckis has come to doing another Forrest Gump - & not in a good way. It's a disappointment. The film follows Mark Hogancamp (played by Steve Carell), a photographer in Kingston, New York. After being beaten by 5 guys outside a bar for telling them that he was a cross-dresser, Mark lost his memory from before the assault. In order to cope with his PTSD & his memory loss, Mark built a 1/6-scale wartime Belgian town called Marwen, populated by dolls, including Capt. Hogie (voiced by Steve Carell) & 5 women, all of them women based off of those that Mark has encountered in real life: Roberta (played & voiced by Merritt Wever), the owner of a hobby shop in Kingston; Julie (played & voiced by Janelle Monáe), a military veteran who helps Mark in physical therapy; Caralala (played & voiced by Eiza González), a bartender; Anna (played & voiced by Gwendoline Christie), Mark's Russian caretaker; & Suzette (played & voiced by Leslie Zemeckis), Mark's favorite actress. These women are his friends & protectors in Marwen & in life. Some Nazi dolls also come through Marwen every so often, looking for Capt. Hogie, & a witch named Deja Thoris (voiced by Diane Kruger) comes through periodically, trying to keep Mark all to herself.

One day, a new neighbor moves in across the street from Mark. The new neighbor is Nicol (played & voiced by Leslie Mann), who has just got out of a relationship with Kurt (played & voiced by Neil Jackson). Mark becomes smitten with Nicol, & makes a doll for her. But something is looming for Mark: the date where he will have to make an impact statement at the sentencing of the 5 men who assaulted him.

The cast is great. Steve Carell gives a very good performance. The rest of the cast does very good work, but this is Carell's show.

Robert Zemeckis' direction is mediocre. Zemeckis's direction is tonally inconsistent, constantly jumping between the unaffecting drama of the real world & the unfunny comedy of the world of the dolls.

And the screenplay by Robert Zemeckis & Caroline Thompson is a misfire. The plot is incredibly deficient, as the way the story is told ends up hindering it. The characterization is very poor outside of Carell's character, & the dialogue is very clunky.

This is a majorly disappointing film. Although Carell gives it his all, he can't overcome defective direction & a terrible screenplay.

Welcome to Marwen was seen by me at the MJR Marketplace Digital Cinema 20 in Sterling Heights, MI on Wednesday, December 26, 2018. It is in theaters everywhere. Its runtime is 116 minutes, & it is rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence, some disturbing images, brief suggestive content, thematic material & language.

Bumblebee

★★★★½ - A Review by Cameron Kanachki

I only liked the first Transformers film. I saw pieces of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, but I didn't care for what I saw. I haven't seen the other 3 Transformers films, but I think I know how they went: a bunch of big explosive robot fights, with some bad editing, shots of scantily-clad women, & no room for characterization. I think I got it right, & that's what I'd expect from Michael Bay, the worst director ever.

Bumblebee, while just shy of perfect, is a fresh change of pace for the franchise. Set in 1987, the film follows Charlie Watson (played by Hailee Steinfeld), a teenage girl in California. She lives with her mother Sally (played by Pamela Adlon), her stepfather Ron (played by Stephen Schneider), & her brother Otis (played by Jason Drucker). Charlie is angry at her mom for remarrying so soon after her father's death.

One day, Charlie finds a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle in a scrapyard owned by her Uncle Hank (played by Len Cariou), which she is given as a birthday present. It's not long after that Charlie realizes that her car is not just any ordinary Volkswagen Beetle. It is B-127 (voiced by Dylan O'Brien), an Autobot who has fled to Earth from Cybertron to create a base for other Autobots. B-127 is unable to speak, as his voice box has been ripped out by Blitzwing (voiced by David Sobolov), a Decepticon. Charlie nicknames B-127 Bumblebee.

Bumblebee's homing signal has attracted 2 major Decepticons: Shatter (voiced by Angela Bassett), who can turn into a Plymouth Satellite & a Harrier Jump Jet; & Dropkick (voiced by Justin Theroux), who can turn into an AMC Javelin & a Bell AH-1 SuperCobra. It has also attracted Memo (played by Jorge Lendenborg Jr.), a nerdy co-worker of Charlie, who is attracted to her. He promises to keep Bumblebee a secret. But Bumblebee receives attention from two men from Sector 7: Col. Jack Burns (played by John Cena) & Dr. Powell (played by John Ortiz). Now Charlie & Memo must protect Bumblebee from Sector 7 & the Decepticons at all costs.

The cast is superb. Hailee Steinfeld cements herself as one of our finest young actresses. John Cena is delightfully funny. And the rest of the cast provides great support.

Travis Knight's direction is great. Although there are a couple issues involving some early action sequences, Knight overcomes them with a great mix of style & substance, & the ability to let moments set in with the audience.

Christina Hodson's screenplay is amazing. The plot is intriguing, the narrative is more character-driven, the characterization is excellent, & the dialogue is often very funny.

And the visual effects are stunning. The CGI is very well-done & polished, which is surprising, as the film had a much smaller budget than the previous Transformers films. But that shows that sometimes, less is more.

This is a great surprise. Although it does have a couple flaws, it's easily the best film of the Transformers franchise.

Bumblebee was seen by me at the MJR Marketplace Digital Cinema 20 in Sterling Heights, MI on Wednesday, December 26, 2018. It is in theaters everywhere. Its runtime is 114 minutes, & it is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action violence.

Vice

★★★★★ - A Review by Cameron Kanachki

I barely remember all but a few things about the presidency of George W. Bush as it happened. However, I knew enough to know that he was not good at his job. And I did not like Dick Cheney either, as he seemed smarter than Bush, for better & for worse: although Cheney was actually able to make grammatical sense, he was more likely to use his power to the fullest extent, no matter what the cost.

Vice is a scathingly funny & deeply horrifying look into the most powerful Vice President in American history. Set from 1963-2012, & narrated by Kurt (played by Jesse Plemons), a quasi-relative of Cheney, the film follows Dick Cheney (played by Christian Bale), a Wyoming alcoholic recently expelled from Yale. After receiving a second DUI, he is told by his wife Lynne (played by Amy Adams) to immediately clean up his act. He agrees to clean himself up, & they eventually have 2 daughters: Liz (played by Lily Rabe) & Mary (played by Alison Pill), who eventually comes out as a lesbian.

In 1969, Cheney ends up working as a White House intern, eventually becoming an assistant to Counselor to the President Donald Rumsfeld (played by Steve Carell). However, both Rumsfeld & Cheney are cast aside by Richard Nixon, but get back into the White House when Gerald Ford (played by Bill Camp) becomes President, as Rumsfeld becomes Secretary of Defense & Cheney becomes Chief of Staff. However, their time there is short-lived, as Ford loses the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter.

Next, Cheney decides to run for the U.S. House seat in Wyoming; however, after giving a very underwhelming campaign speech, he suffers a heart attack. While Cheney recovers, Lynne campaigns for him, bringing a lot of firepower to the campaigning, eventually leading to Cheney's election. He stays in the house until 1989, when he is made Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush. Although he does consider running for President in 1996, he eventually declines due to the scrutiny that Mary would likely face, as Republicans are still going on an anti-gay marriage platform. He then becomes CEO of Halliburton.

In 2000, he is asked by George W. Bush (played by Sam Rockwell) to be his running mate in the 2000 election. Although Cheney declines at first, he eventually agrees on the condition that he oversee the more mundane responsibilities, cementing himself as the most powerful Vice President in American history.

In his first few years as VP, Cheney continues his work with again-Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, & creates bonds with his counsel David Addington (played by Don McManus) & Chief of Staff to the Vice President Scooter Libby (played by Justin Kirk), but also makes adversaries in Secretary of State Colin Powell (played by Tyler Perry) & National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice (played by LisaGay Hamilton). But as the country goes into Iraq & Afghanistan, Cheney's power only continues to grow.

The cast is spectacular. Christian Bale gives the best performance of his career as Dick Cheney, completely disappearing into the role & into Cheney's Machiavellian mindset. Amy Adams also gives the best performance of her career, phenomenally transforming herself into Lynne Cheney, & putting on a Lady Macbethian sensibility. Steve Carell also gives a terrific performance as Donald Rumsfeld, looking almost exactly like him. Sam Rockwell is magnificent as George W. Bush, as he is probably the perfect person to ever portray him. And the rest of the cast, especially Perry & Pill, is perfectly cast down to the smallest of roles.

Adam McKay's direction is stunning. McKay is firing on all cylinders, as he satirizes & attacks Cheney & the Bush administration at every moment with his rapid-fire style.

Adam McKay's screenplay is brilliant. The plot always keeps us at the edge of our seat, the characterization is incredibly well-thought out, the narrative is awesomely bizarre, & the dialogue is just perfect, always being either bitingly funny or intensely terrifying.

Greig Fraser's cinematography is amazing. Fraser's camerawork is fantastic, as it has a crisp, film-like feel to it.

Hank Corwin's editing is impeccable. Corwin uses the rapid-fire editing style that worked perfectly in The Big Short & it works like a charm, perfectly fitting the chaotic time period in which the film is set.

The makeup & hairstyling is phenomenal. It is astoundingly transformative, especially for Bale, but it is also very transformative for Adams & Carell. This is some of the best makeup work in recent memory.

And Nicholas Britell's score is excellent. Led by a piano & violins, the score perfectly complements both the comedic & dramatic parts of the film.

This is, by far, the best film of 2018. It's a brutally funny, intensely frightening, well-acted, well-made, well-written masterwork of a film.

Vice was seen by me at the MJR Partridge Creek Digital Cinema 14 in Clinton Township, MI on Monday, December 24, 2018. It is in theaters everywhere. Its runtime is 132 minutes, & it is rated R for language & some violent images.

Mary Queen of Scots

★★★½ - A Review by Cameron Kanachki

Lately, I've become interested in the monarchies of Europe, especially those of the UK & France. I'm fascinated by how these people came to power & eventually fell from power.

Mary Queen of Scots is flawed, but it's a very well-acted & well-designed film. Based on the 2004 biography Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart by John Guy, & set between 1561 & 1587 UK, the film follows Mary, Queen of Scots (played by Saoirse Ronan), who has returned to Scotland after spending many of her formative years in France. She has returned to take her place at the throne as the Catholic Queen of Scotland. This is not an easy task, as her Protestant cousin, Elizabeth I, Queen of England (played by Margot Robbie), is leader of England & Scotland, along with the rest of the UK.

However, Mary is not well-liked in Scotland by some, especially John Knox (played by David Tennant), a Protestant cleric. After refusing to marry for some time, she eventually marries Lord Darnley (played by Jack Lowden), & they eventually have a son, James. Mary also decides to take the throne from Elizabeth, as she would be next in line for the throne if Elizabeth fails to produce an heir.

In England, Elizabeth is guarded by her advisor William Cecil (played by Guy Pearce), & is in love with Robert Dudley (played by Joe Alwyn). However, she is unable to produce an heir due to reasons with Dudley.

With both fighting for power in a masculine world, Mary & Elizabeth try their hardest to remain peaceful. But betrayal & rebellion will soon follow.

The cast is fantastic. Saoirse Ronan is amazing once again. She continues to give amazing performances after amazing performances, & she is the best actress of her generation. Margot Robbie is also fierce in her role.

Josie Rourke's direction is great. Although some moments lag, Rourke is able to sustain the film with her visual style & her stage background, making this a well-made directorial debut for Rourke.

Beau Willimon's screenplay is very good. Although the plot is a bit cumbersome, & the narrative is a bit lagging, the clever dialogue is what definitely sticks out.

Alexandra Byrne's costume design is gorgeous. The costumes are very extravagant, period-accurate, & just absolutely lovely.

James Merifield's production design is superb. The sets are very period-accurate & extravagant, & immerses the audience in the time frame.

And the makeup & hairstyling is phenomenal. The hairstyling is very period-accurate, & the makeup is as well, but it is also very transformative.

This is a solidly made film. It does have some flaws, but it is saved by its two spectacular lead performances & its period elements.

Mary Queen of Scots was seen by me at the Emagine Rochester Hills in Rochester Hills, MI on Sunday, December 23, 2018. It is in theaters everywhere. Its runtime is 124 minutes, & it is rated R for some violence & sexuality.