Rogue One

Direction: Gareth Edwards; Cast: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Medelsohn, Donnie Yen, Forest Whitaker;  Story:  John Knoll, Gary Whitta; Screenplay: Chriz Weitz, Tony Gilroy; Cinematography: Greig Fraser; Editing: John Gilroy, Colin Goudie; Music: Michael Giacchino; Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur, Simon Emanuel; Genre: Sci-fi Adventure; Location: Galaxy Far Away; Distributor: Walt Disney;  Running Time: 133 minutes; 

Technical assessment: 3.5 

Moral assessment: 4 

CINEMA rating: VA 

MTRCB rating: GP 

Rogue One happens in between Revenge of the Sith (Episode 3) and A New Hope (Episode 4) wherein the Jedis have been wiped out and the Emperor through Darth Vader controls the galaxy. Galen Erso, (Mikkelsen) a research scientist is kidnapped by Orson Krennic (Mendelsohn) to have him complete the Death Star. Galen’s young daughter, Jyn survives the attack of the Imperial army and is taken to safety by the family friend and rebel leader Gerrera (Whitaker). After 15 years, Jyn (Jones) is in Imperial Captivity for being a rebel. Meanwhile Galen influences an Imperial pilot—Rook—to defect and transmit a message to Gererra informing him that he has placed a vulnerability within the Death Star and urges them to retrieve the schematics and free the galaxy from Imperial Control.  Jyn and other rebels group together and face several battles in order to steal the schematics. The ending of this film directly connects to Star Wars A New Hope wherein Princess Leia holds the schematics and prepares to attack the empire. 

Rogue One provides texture and depth in the Star Wars universe without contradicting the narrative and characters already set by the original storyline. It works both as a standalone film and a part of the epic. For non-Star Wars fans, the movie has a lot of characters and terms to keep track of and at times feels thin and underdeveloped. And because the film picks up one element to work on, it leaps from battle to battle from one planet to another. But as previously mentioned, the movie works because of the dynamic action sequences and impressive CGIs. The visual artistry of the film stays faithful to the franchise but adds contemporary flavor that blends seamlessly. 

The main deviation of the film is the theme. Whereas most oppression-related movies rely on the “chosen one” or characters destined to deliver freedom. Rogue One brings ordinary people doing extra ordinary works. The absence of the JEDI powers is significant because the rebels rely on their own resourcefulness and commitment to save mankind against the tyrannical ruling of the Emperor and Darth Vader. Rebellion as theme is developed as hope—that which allows us to see the greatness ahead. But this hope is not one that falls from the skies and into the hands of a lucky person who had to do nothing except exist. Hope is the inspiration but sacrifice is the key. CINEMA believes that the bravest heroes are those whose names are almost forgotten because they fought without the need for recognition or acknowledgement. While Rogue One is not necessarily violent, it is recommended that the parents guide their very young children when watching.  

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

DIRECTOR: Ang Lee  LEAD CAST: Joe Alwyn, Kristen Stewart, Chris Tucker, Garrett Hedlund, Vin Diesel, Steve Martin  SCREENWRITERS:  Jean-Christophe Castelli  PRODUCERS: Marc Platt, Ang Lee, Rhodri Thomas, Stephen Cornwell  EDITOR: Tim Squyres  MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Jeff Danna, Mychael Danna  GENRE:  War, Drama  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  John Toll  DISTRIBUTOR:  Columbia Pictures  LOCATION:  USA, Morocco  RUNNING TIME:   110 min

Technical assessment:  3.5

Moral assessment:  3

CINEMA rating:  V14

Set in 2004, the story follows the members of Bravo Squad, American soldiers from the Iraq War on a publicity tour led by Billy Lynn (Joe Alwyn) who became a hero when a video of his rescue of a fellow soldier during a firefight went viral. For most of the single day we observe them as they prepare to take part in a halftime show at a Dallas football game.  The film flashes back and forth to the squad’s experience in Iraq, the stadium show, and to Billy’s scenes with his family, especially his sister (Kristen Stewart) who feels responsible for getting Billy to enlist.

Your Lie in April

DIRECTOR: TAKEHIKO SHINJO;  LEAD CAST: KENTO YAMAZAKI, SUZU HIROSE, ANNA ISHII, TAISHI NAKAGAWA;  SCREENWRITER: YUKARI TATSUI  (ORIGINAL STORY BY NAOSHI ARAKAWA);  MUSIC: MASARU YAKAYAMA; PRODUCER: JUICHI EUHARA, KASUMI YAO;   GENRE: TEEN ROMANCE, MUSIC, MANGA COMIC STORY;  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  MITSURU KOMIYAMA;  DISTRIBUTOR: TOHO;  LANGUAGE: JAPANESE (WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES) LOCATION:  JAPAN;  RUNNING TIME:   122 minutes

Technical assessment: 3.5

Moral assessment: 3

CINEMA rating: V14

Since his mother’s death when he was a young boy, piano prodigy Kousei Arima (Kento Yamazaki) has refused to play the piano.  Blaming himself for the death of his mother’s who was his mercilessly strict piano teacher, he is consumed with guilt, and claims he has lost his ability to hear his playing in spite of his otherwise perfect sense of hearing.  He continues school, maintaining his friendship with childhood friends Tsubaki (Anna Ishii) and Watari (Taishi Nakagawa), but daily retires to his monochromatic, monotonous world, far removed from his glorious past when he was known as a “human metronome” for his exceptional piano playing skills.  One day when the cherry blossoms are in peak bloom, Kaori Miyazono (Suzu Hirose) enters Kousei’s life.  Kaori is a free spirit, and it shows in her verve in playing the violin.  She is entering a violin competition, and wants Kousei to accompany her on the piano.

Known in Japan as “Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso”, Your Lie in April is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoshi Arakawa, and has had an anime television series adaptation.  As a full length feature film, it can stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the better teen romance films of recent memory, with cinematography that enhances the beauty of the setting without overpowering the plot.  Fresh faces, simple, straightforward dialogue, and seemingly unstudied performances add to the credibility of the story while preventing it from descending into melodrama.  Outstanding are the recitals that focus on the pianist and the violinist.  All throughout the concerts the viewer cannot but believe that the actors themselves are actually playing their instruments onstage, otherwise there is the film editor to thank for the seamless job.

--> Your Lie in April is saying something about obsessive parents who demand perfection and superhuman performance from very young children.  Kousei’s mother may have had his best interest in mind, but circumstances may not always be kind, thus the trauma and psychological imbalance the boy goes through as a result of his mother’s misguided discipline threaten the very future of the child.  But there is hope, the movie shows, and the boy’s recovery also stems from his very trauma—just as certain as spring follows winter.  No spoilers coming; suffice it to say that Kaori the violinist has a secret—she lied in springtime, in April when the landscape is pink with cherry blossoms, a lie that is to be uncovered when the dying blossoms are falling to the ground.

Office Christmas Party

DIRECTOR:  Josh Gordon, Will Speck  LEAD CAST:  Jason Bateman, T.J. Miller, Olivia Munn, Jennifer Aniston, Kate McKinnon Mary, Courtney Vance, Jillian Bell  SCREENWRITER:  Justin Malen, Laura Solon, Dan Mazer & Jon Lucas, Scott Moore and Timothy Dowling  PRODUCER:   Guymon Casady, Daniel Rappaport, Scott Stuber  EDITOR:   Jeff Groth, Evan Henke  MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Theodore Shapiro  GENRE:  Comedy  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Jeff Cutter  DISTRIBUTOR: Paramount Pictures  LOCATION:  Chicago, Illinois; Georgia  RUNNING TIME: 105 minutes

Technical assessment: 3.5

Moral assessment: 2

CINEMA rating: V18

The film tells the story of a struggling branch of an IT company specializing in internet servers.  The branch head Clay (TJ Miller) is the son of the former owner, whose sister Carol (Jennifer Aniston) was made CEO after the death of their father.  Carol is bent on closing the branch for missing its targets, which she arbitrarily set.  The chief technical officer Josh (Jason Bateman) is caught between the two warring siblings as the company tries to set up a Christmas party to impress a potential client (Courtney Vance) who may be able to deliver the account to keep their branch going.

Office Christmas Party delivers the most entertainment with perfect timing. Here the characters and gags rule. Technical elements are good enough; mishaps, even with the storyline, are overshadowed by the ensemble of talented actor-comedians that makes this movie a treat for adults. The office situations, the jokes and running gags can get predictable towards the end but the cast manages to deliver the laughs.  Bateman and Miller perform their lead parts admirably, but it is the supporting cast of characters that makes the movie memorable. Among them Kate Mckinnon as the straitlaced HR head, Randall Park as standard office accountant, Jillian Bell as the soft menacing pimp and Fortune Feimster as a newbie Uber driver. The movie is a jolly ruckus. Credit should go to the directors and the team of six credited screenwriters for making this chaotic world coherent enough to be a crowd pleaser and surprisingly mainstream.

Although the movie does not purport to depict the spirit of Christmas, the use of Christmas as its setting is nevertheless offensive to Christians.  The meaning of Christmas, that of the birth of our Savior, is trivialized in the film. It is commercialized, used as a platform for impressing a potential client, and an excuse to indulge in excesses.  Symbols of high spiritual value for Christians, including the image of Jesus Christ, are presented with irreverence.

Moana

Direction: Ron Clements, John Musker;  Cast: Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, Alan Tudyk; Story and Screenplay: Ron Clements, John Musker, Chris Williams, Don Hall, et al; Editing: Jeff Draheim; Music: Mark Mancina, Lin-Maneul Miranda, Opetaia Foa’i; Producer: Osnat Shurer; Genre: Animation; Location: Polynesian Islands; Distributor: Walt Disney Studios a107 minutes;

Technical Assessment  : 3

Moral Assessment: 4

CINEMA Rating: VA

MTRCB rating:  GP

Maui (Johnson) is a shape shifting demigod who wants to win favors with humanity. But his latest attempt to steal the heart of Te Fiti, the island goddess, destroys life and awakens Te Ka, the lava demon.  Te Ka attacks Maui and causes the heart of Te Fiti and his magical fishhook to sink into oblivion and him to be cast away in an unknown island.  One thousand years after, Moana (Cravalho), the young daughter of the chief of Motunui, is chosen by the ocean to receive the heart and eventually return it to Te Fiti when the time comes. Moana grows up with a passionate desire to sail the vast ocean which her father, Tui (Morrison), always rejects. But when food becomes scarce and Moana discovers that her ancestors were really seafaring voyagers, she ventures to find Maui and return Te Fiti’s heart to save her people. Together, Maui and Moana bond and discover each other’s goodness and talents. But in a final twist, they learn how life is interwoven and why it should be loved and respected.

Moana is a visual feat. Both the animation and the artistry sit comfortably beside previous Disney master pieces. The textures are alive and dynamic you could almost feel water splash in your face. The storyline is another area of success with the rich dimensionality of the characters and the narrative. There is a deep wisdom in how the ocean is presented as a character itself.  In the truest sense, Moana is a family movie which appeals to the imagination of the young and the maturity of the adults.  However, its music and songs lacked appeal. We missed the indigenous feel of Polynesia both in the music and the rendition of the characters, particularly Maui’s. There are also forgivable lapses in the interpretation of the Polynesian mythology—particularly leaving out Maui’s goddess companion, Hina.  Overall, Moana delivers beyond what is expected of a Disney animation—entertainment and values.

There are several strong themes in Moana. One, selflessness and courage in pursuing one’s destiny.  Whether we are Christians or have other spiritual beliefs, we are always called to do things greater than ourselves. It is a gentle call that does not force but reminds that we are born to do things for a better world. Mother Nature is the loving life giver—the image of Te Fiti—but when abused, disrespected and mistreated, she becomes Te Ka—a vicious demon who takes away life.  This should lead us to retrospection—we are Mother Nature’s stewards, not her owners.  Three, beneath Maui’s brute self-centeredness is a desire to be one with humanity.  This is admirable until he goes too far and steals life itself.  While we understand our need to belong and to be accepted, this need can never supersede what is right and moral, nor make us escape the consequences of wrongdoing. There is an occasional crude humor in the movie but overall, this is a wholesome entertainment for the entire family.