The quiet period before the deluge of the fall TV season has me trying to catch up on a few movies, though I find myself drawn to gaming or music at times which makes things difficult. This week I did manage to add two more films to the watched pile while also starting on one of my favorite traditions.
First up, it took awhile but I finally got to see the Bumblebee movie. I never saw the last Transformers film and like a lot of people had a very rough relationship with that franchise overall. I continue to believe it’s a mistake to set this within the same continuity instead of using it as a fresh reboot but here we are, stuck to a bloated and problematic run of films. This film, however, is basically an eighties movie made today but without the heavy leaning on nostalgia that properties like Stranger Things engage in. It uses it as a light touch reminder while taking us through 1987 as B-127 comes to Earth to safeguard it against Decepticons so that the Autobots can make their way here and survive as a refuge after the fall of Cybertron. It’s a straightforward film in a lot of ways and it underuses the military side, especially John Cena, but the payoff is that it works with Hailee Steinfeld as Charlie in a big way. Christina Hodson has a smooth and strong script here that connects her and Bumblebee well so that it feels like a natural relationship right out of what fans of the old cartoon back in the 80s would imagine in live-action – right down to the jacket she wears in the final act. It’s an utterly delightful film that has big stakes looming, keeps it small and accessible, and delivers solid action and a lot of good heart and humor. Under director Travis Knight, we finally get to see the Transformers done right.
I love romantic comedies. I’m a sucker for the structure if you can get the right characters into play with the right actors. A lot of them don’t work because it’s hard to suspend disbelief over the configuration that’s put together but you also have to remind yourself that love comes in unexpected ways with people that would never fit. And half the fun is just in watching how it handles everything. While I like a number of Seth Rogen movies I’m also wary of a lot of them because they don’t appeal. You can tell when he’s making more general movies, like this one, and those that defined his early career that he enjoys dabbling in. Working with Charlize Theron and once again with director Jonathan Levine, the trio have put together an utterly delightful work. While there are rough areas, notably how Rogen’s character is in the first act and the terrible third act “we’re all the same” bit with his friend, the growth works well for him and you get some solid leading man material while still retaining the things that has defined him. It also helps, as expected, that Theron is just an absolute delight here. She navigates a straightforward script with ease but imbues it with some great humanity and emotion while also struggling with the reality of the positions she has. And through the journey where they’re traveling for a good bit of time you can understand exactly how they click, especially since he’s someone that knew a sliver of the real her from their youth. It’s a good bit to give it the weight it needs and anchor it. I’m very wary of political films in today’s environment but this one largely navigated it well outside of a rough part in the third act.
There’s been a lot of good Star Wars news lately with the various TV shows that are moving forward and coming soon, especially The Mandalorian and another season of The Clone Wars. Add in Rise of Skywalker and this longtime fan is getting super excited to see new pieces added to the greater work. While I’m continuing through reading the various novels and comics as they come out, I’m also beginning my slow rewatch of the mainline universe – or at least most of it. I’ve got what amounts fo a four-day run of material that’s not the machete order because I enjoy a lot of elements of the prequels. But the playlist runs like this:
- The Phantom Menace
- Attack of the Clones
- The Clone Wars Seasons 1-6
- Revenge of the Sith
- Solo
- Rogue One
- A New Hope
- Empire Strikes Back
- Return of the Jedi
- The Force Awakens
- The Last Jedi
It took me some time to come around on the Clone Wars series when it first aired, especially after a problematic first season, but as it progressed it really hit a great stride. I even recommend watching the sixth season Lost Missions, as a must-see piece before watching Revenge of the Sith as it has a couple of really slick arcs that fills in a lot of gaps and blanks to make the film even more engaging.
I’d have Rebels in the mix but sadly I have not seen that at a price I’d buy it at yet.
