‘Training Day’ Movie and 4K UHD Review

Posted on 25 Days Ago by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

It has been a long time since I have sat down and watched “Training Day” from start to finish. Upon hearing about its 4K release from the fine folks over at Warner Brothers, I was looking forward to sitting down and revisiting it and seeing how it would hold up twenty-two years later. Denzel Washington can always be counted on to give a powerful performance, and he does not disappoint here in a role that earned him an Oscar. Ethan Hawke is one of Hollywood’s most underrated actors, and the pairing of these two together was something I looked forward to with great anticipation. When you throw in the direction of Antoine Fuqua, a frequent collaborator with Washington, everything seemed to be in order for a great film.

“Training Day” opens up by introducing the audience to Jake Hoyt, played by Hawke. Jake is a young up-and-comer on the police force who is looking to make a name for himself in the Los Angeles Police Department. But before he’s considered for a promotion, Jake must spend a day under the watchful eye of Detective Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington) who will see if he’s cut out for the big leagues. Jake is looking to clean up the streets and get rid of the drugs and crime in the Los Angeles area. He’s eager to learn from Alonzo, but he’s not exactly sure what to make of him as Alonzo has a big personality. Also, Alonzo doesn’t always play by the rules.

In Alonzo’s mind, he has to do what is necessary to survive out there in Los Angeles as a detective. The great director William Friedkin used to talk about how there was a fine line between the police officer and the criminal as well as the good guy and the bad guy. Alonzo is someone who definitely falls under that category. However, the more time Jake spends with Alonzo, the more Jake realizes he didn’t exactly sign up for Alonzo’s unique style of being a detective. Alonzo has got an edge to him, and it is something which makes Jake quite uncomfortable at times.

Make no mistake about it, this is Washington’s movie. It is a big performance from the actor as he finds himself in many situations where he seems to be in control of things, but he’s also losing his sense of reality. When certain people get into a position of power, they don’t always know when to stop or reel it in before it ends up biting them in the behind. Washington is captivating on screen, and he hits all of the right notes without ever being too over-the-top. Yes, it’s a showy, loud and in-your-face performance, but this is what the film needs in order for the character to come across the way writer David Ayer and Fuqua drew him up to be.

Hawke, on the other hand, is subdued for most of the film, but you can also see the anguish on his face. He’s uncomfortable by this whole situation, but he’s not in a position of power where he can do anything about it. In the last forty-minutes, Hawke gets his chance to shine, and he delivers in a meaningful and intense way. He’s one of those actors who knows how to make big moments count. In many ways, Jake is waiting in the wings and waiting for his chance to pounce and take over. Jake is not corrupt or out for money like Alonzo. He truly wants to be a good cop and help people. Their car rides provide for fascinating dialogue as we see the hardened and rough Alonzo interacting with the young and prideful Jake as he tries to fight off the cynicism and charisma of Alonzo.

Overall, “Training Day” is far from a perfect film. The acting, though, is flawless. Every single actor on screen is at the top of their game. We even get scenes with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. The soundtrack is also really, really good. However, I found the script to be a little bit repetitive in certain instances. After a while, we get the idea of what’s happening with Alonzo and his moral compass. We know what to expect from him and, at times, it seems like it’s the same scene just played out in a different setting and with different actors. I was looking for more character development as well from the supporting cast. The two leads could have been fleshed out more too.

In the end, the performances from Hawke and Washington mixed with a violent and brutal final act are what make this film worth watching and worth recommending. I think it’s a good cop movie, but it could have been a great cop movie. It’s a good movie with great performances, and I wish it was as good as the performances from its leads. As mentioned previously, the third act features some really, really gripping material which stayed with me. The middle act, however, tends to drag and seems to be spinning its wheels. I liked “Training Day” a lot, but I didn’t love it.

* * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “Training Day” is released on a two-disc 4K combo pack from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It comes with the 4K, Blu-ray and a digital copy of the film as well. I found it interesting, however, that the 4K and Blu-ray are in Blu-ray packaging as opposed to a black 4K case. It was different, and I didn’t mind it, but it is worth noting. It also comes with a really nice slipcover. The film has a running time of 122 minutes and is rated R for strong brutal violence, pervasive language, drug content and brief nudity. The 4K looks really, really good with its HDR. When the film gets darker, it has a really grim and moody look that makes it worth the upgrade. This is the best I’ve seen this film look, and I was very impressed with the finished product.

Audio Info: We are treated to a Dolby Atmos track, and it really packs a big wallop here during the more intense and violent scenes. However, it’s not so loud and overwhelming that it’s distracting or you need to look for your remote. It’s perfect.

Special Features:

Pharoahe Monch’s “Got You” music video

Nelly’s “#1” music video

Deleted Scenes

Commentary by director Antoine Fuqua

“Training Day:” Crossing the Line Featurette

Alternative Endings

Should You Buy It?

Considering the memorable moments and performances, “Training Day” is a film I firmly believe you should add to your 4K collection. As per usual, we get the same special features that have been transported over from the Blu-ray release. I can’t be disappointed by this anymore, as it’s to be expected. At this point, if you don’t own “Training Day” at all, or if you own the Blu-ray, you are wondering if you should upgrade to 4K. In my eyes, it’s a no-brainer. I loved the dark and murky look of it. It’s an unsettling film (in a good way) and the HDR transfer really encapsulates the dread and moodiness. If you haven’t seen the film before, there is a lot to like from Hawke and Washington on screen. Washington shows why he is one of the greatest actors of his generation as he crushes it here. Hawke, one of my favorite actors, gives a very subdued, conflicted and under-the-radar performance which only gets better with age. This is a film which, if you are going to own it, you have to own it on 4K.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

Tony Farinella’s Top 10 Movies of 2018

Posted on February 17, 2019 by The Ultimate Rabbit

2018 was not a great year for cinema, but the films that were good were really good. The year started out strong, it died out in the middle, and finished good but not good enough.

Honorable Mentions for Really Good Movies:

“Game Night,” “Blockers,” “Assassination Nation,” “Paterno,” “Halloween,” “Never Goin’ Back,” “Creed 2,” “Widows,” “The Hate U Give,” “Three Identical Strangers,” “The Wife,” “What They Had,” “All the Money in the World,” “Sorry to Bother You,” “Fahrenheit 11/9” and “Upgrade.”

10) “Love, Simon”

This flick came out in March, and it is truly a film which needed to be made. It was directed incredibly well by Greg Berlanti. Here is the thing about films which deal with someone being gay and not being sure how to tell their friends and family: these are stories that help others feel more comfortable about coming out. This film was funny, touching and incredibly moving. The lead, Nick Robinson, shows the audience all of Simon’s conflicting emotions from coming out to his parents, played by Josh Duhamel and Jennifer Garner, as well as his group of friends. Katherine Langford from “13 Reasons Why” is terrific as his best friend, and Tony Hale is also great as the vice principal of the school. The film deals with the subject in a sensitive but profound way. At the end of the day, it is a love story filled with a big heart and a lot of humor. If you missed it back in March 2018, now is the time to see it.

Click here to check out The Ultimate Rabbit’s review of “Love, Simon.”

9) “A Quiet Place”

As someone who tries to attend the cinema as often as possible, I know how hard it is to get an audience to keep quiet. While watching this movie in a packed theater, it was total and complete silence. It was a truly surreal and great moviegoing experience. This was an April release and it did well at the box office and with critics. It stars John Krasinski and Emily Blunt as a family that must survive during a time where, if there is any noise, monsters will appear and attack and kill you. Krasinski is also behind the camera on this one, and he shows some real talent as a filmmaker. When the stakes are so high and no one can talk or make any noise, the tension is unnerving and unsettling in the best possible way. The film also features two great performances from the two children: Millicent Simmonds (hearing impaired in real life) and Noah Jupe. It was great casting to find a young actress who was really deaf as it lends to the film’s authenticity.

8) “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

How in the world did this film get overlooked at the Oscars? How did it not even get a nomination? This is something which will puzzle and bother me for quite a while. This is a tremendous documentary and a great film. Everyone remembers Mr. Rogers, and this film shows the impact he had on children and the world. It also dives into other aspects of his life and leaves no stone unturned. It is the kind of movie which makes you feel good, and we need more movies like it during these trying times. Mr. Rogers was a special person, and this is a special film. As the tagline on the poster says, “A Little Kindness Goes A Long Way.” It will take you back to when you were a kid and grew up watching and responding to him. He was never afraid to tackle tough subjects in a profound and thoughtful way, and his impact will forever be felt.

Click here to check out The Ultimate Rabbit’s review of “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

7) “BlacKkKlansman”

Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” is a mind-blowing film which shows how Detective Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) was able to be part of the Ku Klux Klan as a black man with the help of Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), his partner. Stallworth does all of the voice work over the phone to convince David Duke (Topher Grace) he’s really white while Flip shows up to various meetings. The usual Spike Lee humor is infused in the script as well, and it works because he is still taking the subject matter seriously. Racism is still very much alive today, as they show this in the end credits, but Lee makes an entertaining true story come to life here. Washington keeps proving he is an actor and not just Denzel’s son. This is tough material, no question about it, but Lee has never been afraid to go there. You have to go there in order for real change to occur.

Click here to check out The Ultimate Rabbit’s review of “BlacKkKlansman.”

6) “Eighth Grade”

Bo Burnham’s directorial debut took the world by storm in the summer of 2018. My wife and I went out of our way to see it. We have always been big supporters of independent cinema, and we were glad to see it and more than happy to make the drive. Burnham is very much in touch with social media, and even though he is not a girl in eighth grade, he taps into what it feels like to be in that mindset and how terrifying it can feel. It feels like the end of the world and all of this pressure is mounting on you. Elsie Fisher is the star of the show, and she’s so likable, funny and interesting, even though she does not see it. In interviews, Burnham talked about how she was a shy girl trying to be confident in auditions, and this is exactly what he was looking for as everyone else was a confident girl trying to act shy. The best scenes in the film are the ones with her and her father, played by Josh Hamilton. It is a great movie which more people need to discover now that it’s out on Blu-ray.

Click here to check out The Ultimate Rabbit’s review of “Eighth Grade.

5) “Boy Erased”

The LGBTQ community got another great film in “Boy Erased.” This was a November release which sadly did not perform well at the box office. It was written and directed by Joel Edgerton and adapted from the novel by Garrard Conley. The film deals with something called conversation therapy. Those who perform this therapy believe they can turn someone who is homosexual into a straight man or woman. Edgerton also plays the leader of this program, and he has some unusual methods to say the least. Lucas Hedges tells the story of Garrard Conley, although his character’s name in the film is Jared Eamons. His parents are played by Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe, and this is shockingly their first time working together. Things are complicated because Jared’s father is a pastor, and his father believes this is the best way to handle this situation. The mother is not really on board with it, but she is sticking by her husband even though you sense her regret. It is a haunting, scary and emotional film which deserves to be seen. People are unaware places like these still exist in so many states. The only way they will not exist is if people pay attention and do something. It is an eye-opening film which was criminally overlooked by moviegoers. Just because a film deals with tough subject matter, it does not mean audiences should not view it. Film can educate and inform us.

4) “First Reformed”

Paul Schrader’s “First Reformed” is yet another great movie which audiences decided to turn away from at the box office. I understand people enjoy their Marvel movies and their popcorn entertainment, but there are films which can create discussion. That, to me, is the power of cinema. The always terrific Ethan Hawke is a pastor named Toller at the First Reformed church. One day, Mary (Amanda Seyfried) comes to his church and asks him to help out her husband Michael (Philip Ettinger) who is worried about the state of the world, the planet and what we are doing to it. Her husband wants to do something about it, has been arrested and he feels people are turning a blind eye to these major issues going on in the world. Toller starts to believe in a lot of what he is being told by Michael and even questions his own faith and his church. He has health problems and is not happy with how things are being run over at Abundant Life, which is part of First Reformed, by Jeffers (Cedric Kyles, a.k.a. Cedric the Entertainer ). He is journaling everything and trying to process his feelings. Toller also has some issues from his past which he has never gotten over as well. This is an impactful movie which left me speechless. It is a must-see.

Click here to check out The Ultimate Rabbit’s review of “First Reformed.”

3) “Blindspotting”

Another overlooked critical darling is “Blindspotting” which was written by long-time friends Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal. Diggs plays Collin, a black man on parole trying to finish it out without any incidents. This is incredibly difficult due to his friendship with Miles (Casal), a white-man living in Oakland who is always trying to act tough and intimidate people to get respect. Collin is just trying to keep to himself and do his job so he can be free from probation, but he’s finding this hard to do when he sees a young black man killed by a police officer. He wants to say something, but he is worried about how it will impact his parole. “Blindspotting” is a term where people look at something and they only see one thing and are missing another piece of the picture. The chemistry between Diggs and Casal is totally natural, as to be expected, and they have a lot of humorous moments together. That is the beauty of “Blindspotting,” and there are similar films talking about these things happening in the world right now. You can show the ugly side and bring it to people’s attention, but you can also have some humor in there as well. It does not have to be all gloom and doom. There is a lot of terrific music in the film and a lot of it is free style rapping which pertains to the plot. As Collin says, “You monsters got me feeling like a monster in my own town.”

2) “Green Book”

This is more than your average road trip buddy movie between two unlikely friends. Mahershala Ali plays Dr. Don Shirley, a famous pianist who needs a driver to take him through the south. Tony Lip, played by Viggo Mortensen, needs some money and ends up taking the job as his driver. Tony is not necessarily racist, but he does offer fried chicken to Don Shirley, as I imagine he is more ignorant than anything else. Tony sees how white men are treating Mr. Shirley and is not happy about it. He forms a kinship with him, especially after Shirley helps Tony write love letters to his wife, played by Linda Cardellini. It is based on a true story, and the two leads knock it out of the park. I have to give a slight edge to Mortensen’s performance, but that is only because he has the juicer lines and more material to work with compared to Ali. Make no mistake about it, though, Ali is superb in this movie and he knows when to pick his scenes to knock it out of the park. This is a moving picture which deals with race in a thoughtful and heartfelt way, and it doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff either.

1) “A Star is Born”

If you are surprised by this selection, you have not heard me rave about this movie since I first watched it with my wife on opening night back in October. Bradley Cooper is a great director and he should have been given a nomination for Best Director. I hope Lady Gaga wins Best Actress over Glenn Close. This movie is about mental illness, fame, believing in yourself, putting yourself out there and so much more. Cooper is believable as a singer and Lady Gaga is believable as an actress. The two have chemistry for days. It’s a heartbreaking film which truly earns every tear from the audience. The music is catchy, and it has a great soundtrack as well. This is why I go to the movies and, as I said in my review, no film has affected me as much as since 2004’s “Million Dollar Baby.” This is the best film of 2018, hands down. If you don’t cry during it, you are made of stone.

Click here to check out Tony Farinella’s review of “A Star is Born.”

‘Blaze’ Gives a Late Musician the Audience He Never Got in Life

Posted on September 21, 2018 by The Ultimate Rabbit

Blaze 2018 movie poster

There have been a number of music biopics in the last few years like “Straight Outta Compton,” “Love and Mercy” and “I Saw the Light.” Looking back, I wonder if my enjoyment, or lack of, was the result of how much knowledge I had of their main subjects: the rap group N.W.A., Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson, and country singer Hank Williams. Typically, biopics focus on people we know of, and I went into them wondering if the filmmakers had anything new to say about these iconic figures. Biopics are, of course, “based on a true story,” so you can expect many liberties will be taken with the source material, so this just complicates things even more.

I bring this up because “Blaze” deals with a country singer and songwriter whom I am not familiar with, Blaze Foley. Many consider him a cult figure in the realm of country music, especially in Austin, Texas. What results here is an absorbing motion picture which delves into the life of a musician whose life, like many of his ilk, was cut short at far too young an age. Part of me wonders if my enjoyment of this movie would have been affected had I known more about Blaze Foley before I walked into the theater, but considering how much I liked it, I suppose the answer doesn’t matter much.

Based on the memoir “Living in the Woods in a Tree: Remembering Blaze” by Sybil Rosen, “Blaze” weaves together three different timelines which examines this musician in life and death. We see him develop a loving relationship with aspiring actress Sybil Rosen (Alia Shawkat) to where she becomes his muse. Then we see him being discussed post-mortem by his close friends Zee (Josh Hamilton) and Townes Van Zandt (Charlie Sexton) on a radio show, and they reflect on his life with both respect and bafflement. And then there is the Blaze’s last night on earth which is presented in an unspectacular fashion, and we come to mourn a loss which was deeper than many realized at the time.

The narrative of “Blaze” shifts back and forth quite often, but I never lost track of where the story was going. This is saying a lot as the editing job on this movie could have rendered it into a complete mess, but it instead makes “Blaze” into an especially interesting motion picture as I was never sure which direction it would end up taking. Viewing a person’s life while they were alive and after they died proves to be endlessly fascinating here as we see all sides of the man in a way which feels both subjective and objective.

While watching “Blaze,” I kept thinking of “I Saw the Light” which focused on the life of Hank Williams. While it featured a stellar performance by Loki himself, Tom Hiddleston, the movie was a narrative mess even though it was told in a linear fashion. There were moments where it took me some time to figure out what was happening as events jumped from one place to another with very little warning. “Blaze” could have been a similar mess, but Hawke never lets us lose sight of where things are going, and kept my attention throughout as I was intrigued to see where the movie would head next. I can’t say that for a lot of biopics these days.

When we first see Blaze Foley, he is a complete mess and screwing up a recording session to where a producer does little to hesitate in throwing him out of his studio. But then we rewind back to when he was an up and coming musician who showed the great love he had for music. Sybil asks him if he wants to be famous, but Blaze replies he how he instead wants to be a legend. As the movie goes on, we see him struggling with being a true musician and becoming a star in a way which he feels will dilute everything he does. When the movie started, I felt it would be like Oliver Stone’s “The Doors” which made Jim Morrison into the kind of musician you thought you would like to spend time with, but ended up wanting to avoid at all costs. Instead, the movie dares to look at Blaze’s life in a way which evokes both sympathy and pity.

In his unorthodox way of wooing Sybil, we see Blaze defying ordinary conventions in showing his love to another human being. As the movie goes on, we watch as he struggles with both his artistic ambitions and the fear he has of becoming a commodity which may make him a rich man, but will also rob him of any artistic integrity he ever hopes to have. Clearly this is a musician who wants to leave his mark on society, but like any stubborn artist, he wants to leave his mark on his own terms. The trouble is, does anyone get to leave their mark on this world on their own terms?

“Blaze” was co-written and directed by Ethan Hawke, an actor who has struggled with his place as a celebrity. We know him for acting in box office hits like “Dead Poets Society” and “Sinister,” but he is also well-known for delving into movies which defy mainstream convention like the “Before Sunrise” trilogy. I can see how the story of Blaze Foley appealed to him as Blaze is an artist who wants to be true to his art, but he is also subjected to the pressures of commercial success, or the potential for it, to such a degree that they fold under the pressure or have an overwhelming fear of being seen as a sellout. Hawke continues to walk the fine line between Hollywood and indie movies, and I believe it when he says how long it took for him to become comfortable with the fame he had achieved.

Hawke has directed a few movies previously such as “Chelsea Walls” and “The Hottest State,” both of which had their share of flaws but showed him to be a filmmaker willing to take chances even if critics questioned his methods and material. With “Blaze,” he has given us a motion picture which feels assured in its vision, and it features some of the most ingenious editing I have seen in movie in some time.

Playing Blaze Foley is musician Ben Dickey, a man who has never acted before. But in a movie like this, the actors are meant to inhabit their characters more than play him, and Dickey ends up inhabiting Blaze in a way few others could. His life is similar to Blaze’s in a number of ways as he also has music running through his blood and has traveled throughout America playing songs filled with cinematic imagery which deal with life at its most hopeful and at its darkest.

As Blaze. Dickey gives the movie its heart and soul as we see him traveling through life wanting to be pure as an artist while dealing with a past and a heartache that will never let him be. He is matched perfectly with the fantastic Alia Shawkat as Blaze’s wife and muse, Sybil. I admired her work in a movie which came out earlier this year called “Duck Butter,” and she brings same emotionally raw power to the role of a person who lives to be another’s muse until it becomes too much to bear.

My only real complaint with “Blaze” is it never digs too deep into the singer’s life. We get only hints and implications of how troubled his childhood was, but no real specifics are given so we can only guess what led him to be such a tortured soul. We do get a nice cameo from Kris Kristofferson as Blaze’s father who is seen asking everyone for a cigarette, but it only tells us so much about their relationship. Perhaps Hawke felt it was better to imply certain things without spelling everything out to audience.

Hawke has had quite the year with this and “First Reformed,” and “Blaze” shows he has long since arrived at a place where he can do passion projects like this and Hollywood films to where he can transition from one to the other with relative ease. More importantly, he makes Blaze Foley into a complex human being who may have alienated many people close to him, but we never lose our empathy for the struggles he endures. I have seen many biopics which try to present a complex portrait and have failed to get below the surface, and it says a lot that Hawke doesn’t make the same mistake here.

*** * * ½ out of * * * ***

‘First Reformed’ Could Very Well Be Paul Schrader’s Filmmaking Masterpiece

Posted on July 17, 2018 by The Ultimate Rabbit

First Reformed movie poster

I remember taking a film class on the works of Alfred Hitchcock, and the instructor talked about how filmmakers often make the same movie over and over again. This is certainly the case with Paul Schrader as “First Reformed” marks his return to the “God’s lonely man” story or, as he would describe it, the “man in a room” stories. Whether it is Travis Bickle in “Taxi Driver,” Julian Kaye in “American Gigolo,” John LeTour in “Light Sleeper,” Wade Whitehouse in “Affliction” or Carter Page III in “The Walker,” Schrader has always been attracted to the lives of men trapped in their own bubble of solitude as they desperately try to find some meaning in life which will rescue them from the crippling isolation and despair which threatens to envelop them.

With “First Reformed,” you could say Schrader is offering his audience variations on a theme here as not everything is as predictable like us movie buffs might expect. But more importantly, he gives us one of the very best movies he has made in years as his exploration of a man in spiritual crisis remain as powerful as ever, and it features excellent performances from its very talented cast as well as a deeply thoughtful screenplay which succeeds in taking us to hell and back. While Schrader has not always had the technical brilliance which Martin Scorsese continues to possess, “First Reformed” shows us the cinematic leaps and bound he has made over the years, and he does it with a story which highlights the eternal conflict between our belief in God and the inescapable realities we can no longer lie to ourselves about.

Ethan Hawke plays Toller, a former military chaplain who works as a priest and provides sermons to a small congregation at the First Reformed Church in upstate New York. We learn he had a son whom he encouraged to enlist in the military, and that he was killed six months after arriving in Iraq. The tragedy of his son’s death destroyed his marriage, and he bemoans how he sent his only child into a war which had no moral justification. With his role at First Reformed Church, he looks to redeem himself in the eyes of not just everyone around him, but in God’s as well.

One of Toller’s regular attendees is Mary (Amanda Seyfried) who is expecting a baby with her husband, Michael (Philip Ettinger). Mary is eager to welcome this baby into the world, but Michael, however, does not share her enthusiasm and thinks it would be better to terminate the pregnancy. Mary asks Toller to counsel Michael to see if he can relieve her husband of his ongoing depression, and it is during their talks that Toller discovers Michael is a radical environmentalist who has long since been convinced of how global warming is destroying the earth, and that time has already past for humanity to effectively reverse the damage. Things become even more tense when Mary invites Toller over to her house to show him something Michael had hidden from her, a suicide vest.

Revealing more of the story from here would be criminal as it would spoil an already immersive cinematic experience which holds you in its grasp from the get go. What you should know more than anything else is this: global warming is real and is an even bigger threat to this planet than ever before. None of this is lost on Toller as he finds himself sympathizing with Michael to where he doesn’t realize how Michael’s despair is infecting him to an increasing degree. As much as he wants to help Michael, Toller finds himself questioning if God can ever forgive humans for what they have done to the planet. As “First Reformed” shows, this will either not be the case, or that forgiveness may come in another and unexpected form.

The brilliant conceit of “First Reformed” is how it deals with the crisis of faith in regards to an environmental issue which continues to get worse and worse with each passing year. Even Toller has to admit how Michael’s fears are becoming a quicker reality than many would want, or even care, to admit, and this leaves him in a state of conflict which pulls him into a dark place which offers no easy exit. Toller feels compelled to do something about this continuing environmental disaster, but he finds himself caught up in a personal struggle which has him drinking an endless amount of alcohol to drown his troubles away. Many see the suffering of an alcoholic as being someone who is too afraid to live and too scared to die, and Toller clearly fits this description as he cannot lie to himself about the apocalyptic path humanity is on.

When it comes to Schrader, his work as a writer typically outshines what he pulls off as a filmmaker. While his sometimes collaborator Martin Scorsese continues to show a filmmaking mastery few others can come close to equaling, Schrader has to make do with whatever is available to him, and this sometimes shows in embarrassing ways (for example, check out the terrible special effects in “Dominion: A Prequel to The Exorcist”). His films have long since been relegated to the independent film realm which thrived in the 1990’s but came to suffer inescapable blows to where you were more likely to see his films on your iPhone instead of the silver screen.

With “First Reformed,” however, Schrader gives us one of his best films ever as everything about it feels perfect. The acting is superb, the cinematography by Alexander Dynan is both beautiful and appropriately haunting, and the music of Lustmord helps to accentuate the conflict between hope and despair shown here. Considering how this film was shot in just 20 days on a budget of $3.5 million dollars, this makes what he accomplished here all the more commendable.

Ethan Hawke has long since proven to be one of the best actors of his generation, and his performance as Toller ranks among his finest. Seeing Hawke trying to hold his sanity together as his faith continually gives way to despair is fascinating to watch as his actions come to speak much louder than words can. Amanda Seyfried beautifully underplays her role as an expectant mother who is trying to come to grips with an increasingly dangerous world she wants to welcome her baby into, and she is such a luminous presence here. Even Cedric Kyles, better known as Cedric the Entertainer, shows up here as Reverend Joel Jeffers, a man who has to balance out his duty to God with the pressing issues from corporate entities that do not want anything to get in the way of profit. Church is a way of life for many people, but make no mistake, it is also a business for others.

“First Reformed” is far and away one of the best films I have seen in 2018, and it may very well be Paul Schrader’s filmmaking masterpiece. It ends on a rather ambiguous note as not everything is wrapped up in a neat and tidy fashion, but with a film like this we are left with more questions than answers and for a very good reason. Schrader seeks to test the faith and beliefs of his audience in an effort to wake them up about climate change and global warming as we have long since become complacent with our elected officials doing little to nothing about reduce the damage it has wrought.

I also have to say that if Hawke had performed a certain action in the film’s last few minutes, I would have been waiting for him to say “corn nuts.” If you have ever seen the cult classic “Heathers” starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, you will know what I mean.

*** * * * out of * * * ***