The summer film season has long since commenced, and several movies have already cemented themselves in the popular zeitgeist. Deadpool 2 dominated May while Incredibles 2 dominated June, so I thought in July I could talk about some movies that aren't sequels to superhero movies. All of these movies are either in theaters now or coming out soon.
1. Sorry to Bother You (in theaters now!):
This is one of the most exciting movies of the year. It is the feature film directorial debut of well-known '90s rapper Boots Riley. (Yeah, he kept the name.) His movie has received lavish praise from critics, and deservedly so. Its smarts and intrepidity surprisingly back up its near-ludicrous premise: a black man, strapped for cash, gets a job at a telemarketing firm and uses his "white voice" so people will stay on the line and... it works quite well. The film does, too. It is, and this cannot be repeated enough, hilarious. It's no made-for-TV comedy. Its vivid atmosphere and cinematography are highly individualistic, and it is that individuality that's so stirring. Playing the lead role of "Cash" is Lakeith Stanfield, who you might recognize from Sorry to Bother You's cousin Get Out.
The films are dramatically different but share these two undeniable similarities: fervent critical adulation, especially for their originality, at a time when black directors are drastically underrepresented in the film industry; and a poised, first-rate performance by a lead actor on this kind of stage for the first time. Many forecast that after Get Out's warm embrace, culminating in an Oscar win, more films made by and about black people could be, first, produced at the very least and, second, given a fair shake by producers and critics. If its reception is any tell, Sorry to Bother You may be part of a significant shift in the demographics of American movies for years to come. The arrival of Boots Riley is, at least, resounding.
2. Eighth Grade (July 13):
Unlike the last movie, I have yet to see Eighth Grade from A24, a studio with some of the best output around right now. In the same way you could call Sorry to Bother You this year's Get Out—though that would be a stretch—you could also say that Eighth Grade is this year's Lady Bird. That's the comparison it's getting, at least. Both films focus on the educationally transitory periods in our lives we so often dread and crave at the same time. Lady Bird focuses on the transition between the senior year of high school and freshman year of college, while Eighth Grade focuses on the transition into high school from middle school.
Lady Bird was a magical movie. I find the phrase "made with love" a little idealistic sometimes, but it felt true of Lady Bird. It had a delicate humanity that touched all kinds of people. It connected to the current crop of adolescents as genuinely as Frank Ocean, speaking the language of youth. After screenings, mothers responded as if they had just read a heartwarming letter from a long-lost daughter—o.k. enough about Lady Bird. Anyway, Eighth Grade has a lot to live up to. It is the directorial debut of Bo Burnam, a dynamically versatile and internet-savvy comedian. (In this way, I suppose, Eighth Grade could also be this year's Get Out.) It has received near-universal praise from audiences and critics alike, and I'm mainly excited to see how such a goofy stage performer could spin out this kind of movie.
3. RBG (in theaters now!):
RBG is as much a tribute to the titular Ruth Bader Ginsburg as it is a documentary about her, yet it is still objective. Merely listing her accomplishments and triumphs by rote inspires tribute because of their inherent bravery and importance. RBG was the second female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, appointed in 1993. She approved landmark legislation and wrote inspired dissents, inspiring a generation of young women. So RBG the film need not lionize RBG the woman, a lioness already in her own right. The movie calmly paints a moving portrait of her, rarely tempted by the kind of histrionics found in recent Hollywood biopics.
This, on the other hand, is an indie documentary, and accordingly its production value is a little low but its vision is clear. The movie does a great job in the two most important respects: it illustrates well the dramatic journey of Bader Ginsburg's life and career, and it also illustrates well RBG the person—still brimming with verve and steadfastness. She still works regularly, performing speeches across the country with the same attitude that pushed her through years of reactionary oppression. Her voice is strong in this country. She is a feminist icon, referred to in the film on multiple occasions as "a superhero." She even lifts (admittedly small) weights! And she's 85 years old, so I think you can get off your computer to run to the theater and see this. RBG isn't flashy or cinematic but it is educational, and at times so inspiring that it might even raise your personal efficacy.
Summers are notorious for their big-budget box-office smashes and this summer seems particularly deluged with them. What is lost in this monotony of superheroes and supervillains are challenging narrative perspectives, and narrative complexity in general. Rarely are audiences coming out of the theater talking about these movies in any sense beyond their glossy surfaces. They are almost always "good vs. bad" stories with little importance placed on characterization. I do not wish to demonize this kind of film because there are inventive superhero movies, but their scarcity is undeniable.
These three movies listed—three indie movies, that is—are not as simple. They strive to challenge your presumptions and shift your point of view—to that of a black man pretending to be a white man, to that of an eighth-grade girl taking life's next step, and to that of a political giant forever entrenched in virtue. To most of us it would be difficult to conjure ourselves in these characters, to really step in their shoes; but the fond empathy evident in each director's work makes that easy.
No comments:
Post a Comment