Kathleen Kennedy

‘The Color Purple’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

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

This was my first time having the pleasure of sitting down to watch “The Color Purple,” directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg. This is a director who has never been afraid to tackle any type of film project.  When watching this film, his trademark heart is clearly on display.  What makes it stand out and be as memorable as it is, though, is the terrific acting, especially from Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey.  “The Color Purple” is based on the novel by Alice Walker, which I have not read, so my film review will be solely based on the film itself. I have no frame of reference to compare it to, and I think that is more than OK. Too often, people get caught up in comparing films to books, and in the end, they are two totally different mediums.  You will never be able to cover everything from the book because you are limited by the running time of the film.

The film takes place from 1909 to 1943 in Georgia where we are introduced to Celie Harris (Whoopi Goldberg), a young teenager who already has two children, a boy and a girl, because she was raped by her father. Her father took the children from her and has essentially sold them off for profit.  Celie wonders where her children are and worries about them constantly, as any mother would when they are abruptly taken.  She was also married off, thanks to her father, to Albert Johnson (Danny Glover), an abusive man who makes her do anything and everything for him.  He beats her, forces her to have sex with him, and controls every aspect of her life. In his eyes, this woman serves one purpose and one purpose only, which is to take care of him. She even has to call him “Mister.”

During this time, she was separated from her sister, Nettie, played by Akosua Busia. When Albert came looking for a wife, he was initially interested in Nettie, but their father would not part with her and insisted on Celie going with Albert.  Celie is often told she is too skinny and ugly.  She sees inspiration in the strong-willed Sofia, played by Oprah Winfrey.  Sofia is not one to take guff from anyone in her life, but you wonder how long this will last before she is beaten down by the rampant racism she experiences.  We get to know another woman named Shug Avery, played by Margaret Avery, a flamboyant performer who has Albert Johnson’s full attention. Even though Shug comes with some baggage, she seems to know how to hold her own and capture the attention of men while remaining independent and tough. Celie is hoping to receive some letters from her sister Nettie, but she starts to wonder why they never show up and if her sister is even alive after they were separated.

“The Color Purple” covers a great deal of time and because of the amount of time it covers, four decades, it makes sense that the film is 153 minutes. This was one of those films where I rarely noticed the running time because it was a prime example of good old-fashioned Hollywood craftsmanship. When film critics and fans say things like, “They don’t make ‘em like they used to,” in my eyes, they are talking about films like this one, which was released in 1985.  It’s a drama made by adults for adults.  This is a serious subject matter, but it’s handled with Spielberg’s trademark warmth, tenderness and care. Because we spend so much time with Celie on her journey, we can’t help but root for her to overcome her circumstances.  We get to know her and the women close to her as they have made an impact on her life.

The film is incredibly patient in allowing things to slowly build up to its climax without ever feeling like it’s taking too long to get there. Goldberg is tremendous here.  She expresses a plethora of emotions on her face without ever overacting or doing too much. You can look in her eyes and see the pain and heartache of her character.  It’s a terrific performance, and I think people forget what a great actress she is when given the chance to show off her range of emotions. Of course, she won an Oscar for “Ghost” in 1991.  However, this is clearly the film she should have won an Oscar for, with all due respect to Geraldine Page.

“The Color Purple” does sometimes go off the beaten path with its narrative plot and, at times, it can spend too much time with one character in a specific time and place instead of sticking with Goldberg and her character’s story.  I was very, very close to giving this film four stars, especially because of the emotional weight which was incredibly powerful.  It earns the tears of the audience here by allowing things to build up and develop.  Winfrey is also really, really good here and earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in this film along with Avery.

One of the biggest criticisms of this film is that it was directed by a white director in Steven Spielberg. This is a film populated with a cast which is 95% Black.  I can see why audiences would take issue with that, but Spielberg is wise to stay out of the way of the material and the actors.  Even though some of his familiar touches are here, as mentioned earlier, it doesn’t feel like a typical Spielberg film.  He is sensitive to the story, and he does a terrific job of allowing the performances of his cast and the story itself to take center stage.  He’s more in the background here and, for once, it isn’t a bad thing.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “The Color Purple” is released on a single 4K disc from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  It also comes with a digital copy of the film.  The film is rated PG-13 and has a running time of 153 minutes.

4K Video/Audio Info:  This is another top-notch transfer from the folks over at Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The HDR here really shines in some of the outdoor scenes which are lively and colorful.  It has a cinematic feel to it while also cleaning up the picture as well.  The audio track is also really solid, as this is a dialogue heavy film, and it’s easy to understand everything that is being said with a clean and crisp audio track here. Subtitles are included in English, Spanish and French.

Special Features:

Conversations with the Ancestors: The Color Purple from Book to Screen

A Collaboration of Spirits: Casting and Acting The Color Purple

Cultivating a Classic: The Making of The Color Purple

The Color Purple: The Musical

Teaser #1

Teaser #2

Trailer

Should You Buy It?

If you read my 4K reviews (and thank you if you do), you know what a big proponent I am of film history and preservation. In the year 2023, Warner Brothers has done their job in going through their extensive catalogue of films and bringing them to 4K and making them look bigger and better than ever.  There are a ton of important films in the Warner Brothers library that have received their day in court this year. In order for them to continue doing their job, we need to support their restorations of classic cinema, especially when they are done in such a magnificent manner, leaving no stone unturned. “The Color Purple” pops off the TV here and looks better than it ever has, thanks to this 4K transfer.  It sounds great as well. The film itself is an important piece of cinematic history that shows off great acting and tells a vital story with a great cast of actors and one of the best directors of all-time. At its current price point, which is around $23, this is a day one purchase on its December 5th release date.

**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.

‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ – Yes, I Liked It

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Leading up to the release of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” I was often reminded of a piece of dialogue from “Live Free or Die Hard” in which Thomas Gabriel described John McClane as being “a Timex watch in a digital age.” This was certainly the case when Harrison Ford put back on that fedora and bullwhip in 2008 with “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” and it remains the case with this fifth and final installment in this thrilling franchise. While practical effects were the thing for Steven Spielberg and company back in the 1980’s and 1990’s, CGI has taken over to give some de-aging power to Ford and to create, or even re-create, those creepy crawlers Indiana hates with a passion. Indeed, times did change for Dr. Jones and us but, like him, I wonder if we can adjust to the changes from what we grew up on and loved.

Following an exciting prologue in which Indy and fellow archaeologist Basil Shaw (Toby Jones) discover half of Archimedes’ Dial during the last days of World War II, the action then shifts to 1969 where we find an aging Indiana Jones being woken up by the Beatles’ “Magical Mystery Tour” and teaching classes at New York’s Hunter College. And while the students at the university he previously taught it had crushes on him, the ones he teaches here could not care less about artifacts from the past, especially when man has only recently landed on the Moon with the Apollo 11 mission. At this point in his life, Indiana has become a curmudgeon of sorts, and anyone has to be considered such if they don’t like any songs by the Beatles.

Into the picture comes the Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), Basil’s daughter and Indy’s goddaughter, who herself has a degree in archaeology and is eager to find the other half of Archimedes’ Dial. This is the prize of this Indiana Jones installment as this device is said to locate fissures in time. That’s right, Indy and company are dealing with an artifact which allows for time travel, so you know the spacetime continuum rules from “Back to the Future” will come into play at some point.

With its middling reception at the Cannes Film Festival, and with many fans still complaining about how bad they thought “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” was with its aliens and nuking the fridge, I think one should go into “Dial of Destiny” not expecting the greatest action movie of all time, but instead an Indiana Jones film directed by James Mangold. Having given us such excellent films like “Logan,” “Copland” and “Ford Vs. Ferrari,” he takes over director’s chair from Spielberg and gives us something he cannot completely make his own, but that’s okay because this is not a franchise in need of too much change.

Okay, let me get some of my issues with “Dial of Destiny” out of the way here. At 154 minutes, this film could have used some tightening. There are moments where the story and action drag when they should not, and my mind did wander at times And yes, sometimes the CGI effects took me out of the film such as when our characters encounter those eels which could only hope of being as scary as the one in “Jaws: The Revenge” or those thousands of snakes in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

Still, I was very much entertained by “Dial of Destiny” as it does have the heart, soul and the action we come to expect from these action extravaganzas. When it comes to Ford, I am glad he gave us one last go around as the man with the hat. With each “Indiana Jones” film, he gives us a different side of this iconic character. In this one, Indy is a broken man on the verge of retirement and living in a time which does not seem to have much use for him. Marion Ravenwood is in the process of divorcing him, and the retirement gift of a clock from his staff is one he is understandably quick to give away to a stranger. Despite all the great adventures he has been on in his lifetime, no one outside his inner circle knows or cares about what he has been through. As for the villains of this piece, he is only a means to an end for them as he simply holds the key to an artifact which is far more interesting to them than anything else.

While the Nazis were a thing of the past in the previous installment, they are back in force this time around as Jurgen Volter (Mads Mikkelsen), a former Nazi whom Indy encountered back in World War II, looks to correct the mistakes Adolf Hitler made years ago and to where the world a better place to live in. Mikkelsen plays Jurgen in the same way he played his James Bond villain in “Casino Royale,” as a man with a cool façade who eventually unravels when things do not go his way. While I hoped Mikkelsen would have had more fun playing this Nazi sympathizer in the same way Alan Rickman did when he played a most memorable villain in “Die Hard,” he does give Indy the formidable foe this picture needs.

And there is no escaping Phoebe Waller-Bridge when it comes to reviewing “Dial of Destiny.” Does this film have too much of her character, Helena Shaw? Perhaps, but can you blame Mangold and company for featuring so much of the “Fleabag” star? She is such an infectious presence in life, let alone in this film, and she gives the proceedings the excitement and enthusiasm it desires. Also, like many classic characters in this franchise, she has quite the poker face which eventually comes apart as Helena gains a perspective on life which affects her original stance of being in this just for the money.

Other than that, we have John Rhys-Davies returning as Sallah, Indy’s longtime friend who was sorely missing in the last film. Antonio Banderas is a fun presence as another friend of Indy’s, Renaldo, who captains a boat Indy and Helena set sail on. Shaunette Renée Wilson gives us an interesting presence as Mason, a US government agent who represents the kind the FBI and CIA recruited back in the 1960’s to infiltrate certain groups like the Black Panthers. And I enjoy seeing Boyd Holbrook (“Logan” and “The Predator”) here as Klaber, a right-hand man to Jurgen Volter and an especially nefarious individual who is quick to kill someone without a second thought.

As for Mutt Williams, Shia LaBeouf’s character from “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” he does not appear here, but he is mentioned. I think this was a smart move on the part of the filmmakers because to pretend this character never existed would have been thoughtless to where he would have come across as total mistake in retrospect.

When it comes to “Dial of Destiny’s” final act, many have described it as being “bonkers,” but these people are the same ones who decried “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” for being “unrealistic.” While these films take place in historical periods which have long since passed us by, the filmmakers do a great job of capturing those time periods with a good deal of authenticity to where it vividly comes to life. This helps ground the action in a reality we know and understand while the fantasy elements reign supreme on the silver screen.

I cannot spoil the last half of this film for anyone, but I loved how it proved a few things for me and, I sincerely hope, many others. When it comes to mathematics, it is more useful tool in life than we realized while in high school as it truly provides us with a universal language. Also, when certain characters do not take continental drift into their plans, I hope this reminds everyone around the world about how science can only be refuted by more science, and it made me love this film’s final act all the more.

When it comes to “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” I think we are coming into this one with a lot of trepidation as expectations are so hard to deliver on or surmount. A lot of people had their daggers out for this one before it was released as they wanted it to be a certain kind of motion picture, and while many of them will not get past their individual prejudices, I hope there will be enough to accept for this film for what it is as opposed to what they want it to be. It has its flaws as most films do, but this one still had me engaged for the most part, and I walked out of the theater with a smile on my face as seeing Indiana grab that fedora of his was a most pleasing sight. I expected a fun time at the movies, and that is what I got.

And yes, we do get another monumental music score from the great John Williams which adds to the action in a glorious way. Even at 91 years old, this man still knows how to deliver, so don’t tell me someone is too old to do something. I hope, if I ever reach that age, that I can still be every bit as creative.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ is Not the Droid You Are Looking For

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Solo movie poster

Here we are again in a galaxy far, far away, and it is the third time we have ventured there in three years. We also head back to an even longer time ago when one of our favorite “Star Wars” characters, in this case Han Solo, was young, full of vigor and demographically desirable. But while the “Star Wars” movies have always been filled with tremendous imagination and unforgettable characters, I have to be honest and say that “Solo: A Star Wars Story” proved to be an underwhelming space adventure. While I am as big a Han Solo fan as the next person, seeing his early years portrayed here felt strangely ordinary to where this didn’t feel like a “Star Wars” movie, but instead an average science fiction movie yearning to be.

This movie begins with a routine chase sequence in which Han (Alden Ehrenreich) and his girlfriend Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke) attempt to escape a criminal gang, and from there I started to have a bad feeling about this. Usually these movies have me totally hooked in right from the start, but I did not feel the same kind of excitement I usually feel with the average Lucasfilm adventure. When Qi’ra and Han are suddenly separated at a transport station, Han tells her he will come back for her. Will he? Well, she is played by Emilia Clarke. Will Qi’ra and Han live happily ever after? Did Greedo really shoot first?

“Solo” reminded me of the problems I have with most prequels as they seem more concerned with connecting the dots between their story and the ones we have seen a thousand times. Like “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and “The Thing” prequel, the filmmakers are saddled with a cinematic history they are forced to adhere to, and it results in a lack of surprise and suspense as we know how things will turn out. And, like “Hannibal Rising,” it tells us more than we need to know about an iconic character to where I walked out feeling how certain things are best left to the imagination instead of being made into a movie.

Alden Ehrenreich has been an actor on the rise ever since his scene-stealing role in “Hail, Caesar,” and he certainly has a strong screen presence as Han Solo. At the same time, he ends up giving a one-note performance as the intergalactic smuggler which lacks the charisma Harrison Ford brought to the role. While he tries to play it cool throughout, Ehrenreich never quite comes to life here, and what results is a disappointing case of miscasting.

We do get introduced to some new characters, and among which is Tobias Beckett who is played by Woody Harrelson. As always, I am reminded of how Harrelson can play just about any character he takes on, and he provides us with the mentor Han Solo was always destined to have. Tobias, like Han, is a smuggler, but he also represents the darker road Han could find himself on if he is not careful.

Other actors are not as lucky. Thandie Newton shows up as Val Beckett, Tobias’ wife and partner in crime, but she is gone way too soon. Jon Favreau voices the alien character Rio Durant, but Rio merely functions as an easily disposable member of Tobias’ crew who we know will not last long. Paul Bettany makes Dryden Vos into a wonderfully ruthless crime lord, but his presence in “Solo” feels a bit uneven as if he is there to fill in the missing blanks. It should be noted how Bettany took over this role after the original actor cast, Michael K. Williams, was unable to return for reshoots. Things had to be changed to accommodate Bettany, and it shows.

Production problems kept plaguing “Solo” before its release, the biggest of which was the firing of the original directors, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, both of whom still received an executive producer credit. It was one of several instances which showed how protective Lucasfilm was of this franchise. The word behind the scenes was that Lord and Miller were looking to mix things up and did not want to give audiences the same old thing, but Kathleen Kennedy was not about to let anyone change things up. While I commend Kennedy and Lawrence Kasdan for taking extra special care of this franchise, I came out of “Solo” thinking they should shake things up in the future if they want it to maintain the relevance it still has.

Replacing Lord and Miller is Oscar-winning director Ron Howard, and this had me excited as this is the same man who directed “Apollo 13.” That film was based on a real-life event everyone knew the outcome of, and yet he turned it into a riveting piece of entertainment. I figured he would bring this same energy to “Solo,” but even he is saddled with the characters’ history which he cannot easily maneuver around. Apparently, Howard reshot 70% of this movie, and I came out of it wondering how much of the finished product was his. As a result, the whole movie feels inescapably uneven.

For what it is worth, “Solo” does improve when Donald Glover, a man of many talents, arrives on the scene as Lando Calrissian. Glover brings the kind of charisma to this role I expected Ehrenreich to bring a wealth of to Han, and it makes me want to see Lando get a film of his own. From the first moment he appears onscreen, Glover makes this character the epitome of cool to where he does not need a can of Colt 45 to prove it, and he brings an infectious joy to a movie which needed it sooner.

We also get to meet another unforgettable droid here, L3-37. As voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, she is a sardonic delight as she shows more attitude and resilience than any other droid I have seen in any previous installment. It is also a kick to see L3-37 discuss the possibilities of sexual compatibility between her and Han with Qi’ra. After all these years, the “Star Wars” movies are proving to be more progressive than ever before! As for Lando, I think it is safe to say this is the droid he was looking for.

While certain moments like the first time Han meets Chewbacca (played here by Joonas Suotamo) and the initial appearance of the Millennium Falcon end up feeling uninspired and anticlimactic, the scene where Han makes the infamous Kessel Run in less than twenty parsecs is thrilling to watch, and it reminded of why I love the “Star Wars” movies so much. Yes, we know how things will turn out, but Howard keeps us on the edge of our seats as he subverts our expectations and plays with our emotions with glee.

Sure, “Solo” does have its moments, but they only served to remind of everything about it which does not work. The screenplay by Jonathan Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan features dialogue which feels lifeless even when spoken by talented actors. Granted, there is none of the god-awful dialogue Hayden Christensen was forced to utter in “Attack of the Clones,” but it still feels derivative of lesser sci-fi movies which cannot even compare to “Star Wars” in general. I was also surprised at how uninspired the film score by “Jason Bourne” composer John Powell ends up sounding, and it only comes to life when he utilizes the immortal themes of John Williams.

“Rogue One” was also a prequel, but it had a cast of characters you really cared about, and its story of sacrifice pushed all the right buttons as we came to deeply admire the heroic actions they took. Even though we know the secret plans of the Death Star would end up in the hands of the Rebels, getting there was more than half the fun. “Solo,” however, is nowhere as effective, and what results is a big disappointment and a missed opportunity. This marks the first time I have ever given a negative review for a “Star Wars” movie, and yes, I have seen “The Phantom Menace.”

Lucasfilm would be better off looking to the future instead of going back to the past. Enough backstory has been established for these iconic characters to where we don’t need any additional information. We will certainly be looking forward when “Episode IX” is released in December of 2019, but it appears other “Star Wars” origin movies are in the works such as one on Obi-Wan Kenobi. Seriously, I am with Ralph Garman when he said, wouldn’t a movie about Obi-Wan watching Luke Skywalker growing up from a distance be a little too creepy?

* * out of * * * *

Lincoln

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

lincoln-movie-poster

The one thing which always drove me nuts in history class as a kid was how the teachers and the books we read made the past seem so much better than our present. We were taught about how Presidents like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were such great leaders who helped make America the country it is today, and in the process, they were turned into mythological characters to where we forgot they were human beings like the rest of us. Juxtaposing this with the politics of America back when Ronald Reagan was President, it looked like we could do nothing but complain about the state of the world. It made me wonder what we did as Americans which made us seem so ungrateful for what our forefathers brought about.

This is why I’m thankful for movies like Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” which helps to humanize those historical figures we learned about in class. In this case, the historical figure is Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. The film focuses on the last four months of his Presidency when the Civil War was raging on and was insistent on getting the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery, passed in the House of Representatives. It presents this President, one of the greatest America has ever known, as a flesh and blood human being endowed with strengths and flaws which will make you admire him more than ever before.

Much of the accomplishment in making President Lincoln so vividly human here is the result of another unsurprisingly brilliant performance from the great Daniel Day Lewis. Known for his intense method acting and laser sharp focus in preparing for each role he does, he brings his own touches to a man so defined by his historical deeds, and he succeeds in making this character his own during the movie’s two and a half hour running time.

“Lincoln” also shows how the world of politics has always been a cutthroat place to be in. The Republican and Democratic parties were much different than from what they are today, but during the 1800’s getting certain amendments passed involved a lot of tricks which were not always highly regarded. Even Lincoln wasn’t above hiring three politicians, played by Tim Blake Nelson, John Hawkes and James Spader, to lobby members of the House to vote in favor of passing the Thirteenth Amendment. But what made this President’s actions especially courageous was how he wasn’t just thinking about solving the country’s problems but of the effects this particular amendment would have on generations to come.

“Lincoln” also delves into the President’s personal life which had been fractured by the loss of a child and was also unsteady due to the fiery personality of his wife Mary, played by Sally Field. Watching Field here reminds us of what a remarkable actress she remains after all these years. Field is such a live wire as she struggles to make her husband see the consequences of the actions he is about to take. The actress had signed on to play this role years ago, back when Liam Neeson was set to play Lincoln, and she had to fight to keep it. It’s a good thing Spielberg kept her around because she has always been a tremendous acting talent, and she enthralls us in every scene she appears in.

Like many of Spielberg’s best films, there isn’t a single weak performance to be found in “Lincoln” which boasts quite the cast. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who had a heck of a year in 2012 with “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Looper” and “Premium Rush,” is excellent as Lincoln’s oldest son, Robert, who considers quitting school to join the army and fight for his country. David Strathairn is a wonderfully strong presence as Secretary of State William Seward, the great Hal Holbrook is unforgettable as the influential politician Francis Preston Blair, Gloria Reuben is very moving in her performance as former slave Elizabeth Keckley, and Jackie Earle Haley has some strong moments as the Confederate States Vice President Alexander H. Stephens.

But the one great performance which needs to be singled out in “Lincoln,” other than the ones given by Lewis or Field, is Tommy Lee Jones’ who portrays the Radical Republican Congressional leader Thaddeus Stevens. Jones is a powerhouse throughout as he empowers this fervent abolitionist with a passion as undeniable as it is undying, and seeing him reduce other congressional members to jelly is a thrill to witness. Jones is tremendous as we see him fight for what he feels is right regardless of how he goes about achieving it.

Spielberg employs his usual band of collaborators here like producer Kathleen Kennedy, director of photography Janusz Kamiński, editor Michael Kahn and composer John Williams to create a movie which captures the importance of Lincoln’s place in history while also making it intimate in a way we don’t expect it to be. He also benefits from having the great playwright Tony Kushner on board as the movie’s screenwriter. Kushner’s knowledge of history has never been in doubt ever since we witnessed his magnum opus of “Angels in America,” and word is he spent six years working on the script for “Lincoln.” His efforts do show as he gives us a riveting portrait of a divided nation on the verge of making a major change, and even back then America was resistant and deeply frightened to making certain changes regardless of whether or not it would benefit from them.

Granted, Lincoln’s life would probably be better explored in a miniseries as there is so much to explore, and this movie can explore only so much of it. Regardless, “Lincoln” is an invigorating portrait of a great American President who fought for the benefit of his country’s future. The sacrifices he made tragically cut his life short, but his legacy will never ever die as Spielberg’s film rightly proves.

* * * * out of * * * *