Photo: Universal Pictures  https://www.vulture.com/2020/02/the-invisible-man-movie-review.html

Over the break, I watched The Invisible Man directed by Leigh Whannell. The film challenges other conventional horror and thriller films because it does not rely on what is shown on the screen for the most part. It is actually what is not shown that plays with the audience’s perception of real and fake, and even takes an unexpected turn into the sci-fi realm. What stood out the most to me as a viewer was the intricacy of the action scenes. The plot revolves around Elisabeth Moss’s character dealing with an unseen force, so from a technical aspect, it was impressive to see how they went about displaying this in a believable manner. According to interviews, all of the action sequences were filmed with real-life stunt performers and the main actress without relying on CGI, and this decision definitely helped pay off in the end.

Even without heavy CGI, the narrative was fulfilled through well-timed and choreographed movements.  Advanced motion capturing cameras required actors and performers to be precise with their timing to follow the camera tracking. The rotating camera’s orientation towards an area of the room gave just enough time for performers to alternate in the scene before the next action. For example, in a scene where Cecilia first encounters the “figure” in her kitchen,  she is lifted and thrown across the room seemingly all in one take. But in actuality the main actress and her double alternated seamlessly while a green suit performer played the role of the “figure”, giving many off-screen directions for Cecilia’s reactions. It was remarkable just how effective the acting and choreography was in building the intensity of some of the film’s scariest moments.  Overall, this was a fantastic flick that I’d recommend for any movie-goer who is looking for an elevated approach to sci-fi horror. 

Photo: Gabriel Kutcha/ Getty Images

This past weekend I went to see the release of the highly anticipated 2020 film, Tenant, in theaters. Given the current pandemic I chose to wait it out a month or so before heading to theaters and was pleasantly surprised by the social distancing measures and precautions taken by the staff. There were not more than 10 people in the lobby when I went and each section of the theater was labeled and secured off so that there was minimal interaction between visitors and employees. These measures were especially present in the viewing theater as there were rows upon rows of empty seats between each person. This could have been due to the crowds thinning out over time, but it definitely eased my movie-going experience to have the space and accommodations necessary while I was there. Overall, I would say to those who are still concerned about the risk of attending movie theaters that it is not nearly as dangerous and would greatly recommend the experience. 

Photo: Warner Bros https://www.radiotimes.com/news/film/2020-08-27/tenet-inception-link/

I went with high expectations given the movie’s performance at global box offices and high online ratings, but there are some critics that argue the film plot suffers due to its complexity. From the opening sequence, the viewer is placed in a non-linear story which is only further complicated by the time-travel aspect of this film. But I think that this was the intention of Nolan. The cinematography and editing was on point and effectively messes with the notion of time, which is thematically reminiscent of Nolan’s 2010 release Inception. However, this film stood out to me because of its highly choreographed action sequences that have legitimately messed with my mind trying to unravel how certain scenes were done. And this goes against the argument of the film’s complexity because the more that you try to understand it the less you will enjoy the film. Taken at face value, the plot is interesting and captivating enough to view several more times. But ultimately the plot’s layers will reveal itself which is why I think this film accomplished exactly what it set out to do and continues to do after viewing.

This weekend was full of award ceremony firsts as the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards took place last Sunday. Jimmy Kimmel hosted the first-ever virtual Emmys to millions of viewers online, with a global camera and crew located in 10 different countries and 20 cities. The nominees also streamed privately from their homes, offering many a brief glimpse into the altered way of life for actors and filmmakers alike. And with the absence of red carpet coverage, many celebrities took to social media to share their thoughts about the ongoing event.

 Photo: ABC           https://people.com/style/emmys-2020-zendaya-plunging-dress-outfit-changes/

The biggest topic of discussion for the night came after Zendaya won Outstanding Lead Actress for her performance in the HBO series “Euphoria”. The actress, aged 24, became the youngest person to win Best Lead Actress in a Drama, usurping the title from actress Jodie Comer who won it the previous year. Many celebrities on Twitter, including Drake and Sarah Paulson, offered praise for her captivating performances and celebrated her historic win. The award came somewhat as a surprise for fans considering competition within that category which included critically-acclaimed performances by Jennifer Aniston in “The Morning Show” and Sandra Oh in “Killing Eve”.

Photo: HBO  https://www.goldderby.com/article/2020/euphoria-emmys-why-zendaya-can-win-drama-actress/

Zendaya’s previous work in Disney Channel’s 2010 sitcom “Shake It Up” and Marvel’s 2017 “Spider-Man: Homecoming” provides a stark contrast to her role in “Euphoria”. Zendaya portrays Rue, who is a highschool drug-addict on the difficult path to recovery. As she struggles in sobriety, she becomes acquainted with many people having similar yet profoundly different stories that intertwine throughout the show. The series is an honest display of teenage drug-abuse and offers a unique exploration of spectrum sexuality. Zendaya’s performance is powerful and heart-wrenching as she tries her best to navigate, making this one of her most ambitious roles to date, and reception of her recent Emmy Award well-deserved.   

Melinda Sue Gordon/Warner Bros.

A burning question on the minds of film-goers and cinephiles everywhere: is it safe yet? Since the closure of most theaters across America in early March, viewers have been encouraged to streamline the movie-going experience altogether by purchasing films at home. With increased accessibility to films through on-demand streaming devices like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, the necessity of the physical experience became compromised.

And with the absence of loyal patrons, global box offices have taken a major hit up until recently. Christopher Nolan’s newest theater-only film release “Tenet” has encouraged socially distanced movie-goers to return in a major way. The opening weekend alone grossed $53 million at the box office in countries like France, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Germany. As many speculate, this could signal the possible return of other movies, as its performance prompted select cities across the United States to screen the new film this opening week.

Nolan’s film is anticipated to gross roughly $15-35 million in the upcoming week, as fans and casual patrons roll into theaters at expected higher rates than before. Some online ticket sales have sold-out because of increasing streaming and viewing demands (people are also buying the pre-release of the film before it premieres). An optimistic air surrounds theaters and production companies for guaranteed box-office success, specifically for Warner Bros.

Other big blockbuster releases such as Patty Jenkin’s, “Wonder Woman 1984”, and Denis Villeneuve’s, “Dune”, are set to release later this year after postponed screenings. With a similar curiosity surrounding “Tenet”, fans will be encouraged to witness the acting performances of fresh faces. John David Washington’s lead role will be a first for a Nolan directed film and a much-needed change to cinematic diversity in Hollywood. Kristen Wiig’s will introduce a new villainous character for the Wonder Woman film franchise as she portrays ‘Cheetah’. Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet’s roles in the 2020 remake “Dune” will inspire younger fans to flock to theaters. But will crowd numbers turn up as expected? And can “Tenet” save the day? We’ll have to wait out the upcoming opening weeks to find out.