Movie Reviews
Movie Reviews: Feel-good Films Are Just the Ticket – GoWEHO.com
Ryan Gosling in Sony Pictures’ ‘Project Hail Mary’
Now in Theaters
“Project Hail Mary”
(Amazon – MGM Pictures)
Rated PG-13
“I put the ‘Not’ in ‘astronaut!’
When was the last time you walked out of movie theater feeling not only better about humanity but also our future?
Based on the revered 2021 Andy Weir novel of the same name, and adapted for the screen by Drew Goddard (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Daredevil” and “The Martian”), “Project Hail Mary” is an ingeniously crafted and perfectly paced sci-fi drama about a biologist and school teacher who wakes up from a coma aboard a spacecraft that’s on a mission to save all life on Earth. As both the star and co-producer, it took Ryan Gosling seven years to bring this vastly entertaining instant classic to the big screen, and it was so worth the wait.
Admittedly, I wasn’t thrilled with the trailers or even the tone that seemed to give ABC afterschool-special vibes. But after seeing it in its entirety, everything about it blew me away.
Who Are We?
Bursting with fascinating and enthralling moral quandaries, it makes viewers question themselves and our species. And refreshingly, “Project Hail Mary” is a magnificent “grand idea” kind of story that seamlessly weaves themes of self-preservation, obligation, the intrinsic meaning of humanity and most powerfully (and surprisingly) friendship. You will come away with fresh personal revelations and deep, self-examinations that you probably never intended to ponder, which is the beauty of epic sci-fi tales like this. They force us to muse about the kinds of societies we want to live in.
And with the wondrous inclusion of Gosling’s all too real co-star Rocky, I became so emotionally gripped, that I was close to tears a few times. I just love it when a film not only challenges but surpasses whatever preconceived notions you may have held about it beforehand.
Intensely moving, meticulously thoughtful, endlessly nuanced and massively entertaining, it’s easy to see why “Project Hail Mary” is already considered one of the best films of the year.
-@TheAndreKelley
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ONLY IN THEATERS
“You, Me & Tuscany”
(Will Packer Productions)
Rated PG-13
“You pretended to be the White Italian man’s fiancé?
But ended up catching feelings for the Black Italian cousin-brother?”
As expected, “You, Me & Tuscany” is really, really cute. Halle Bailey (“The Little Mermaid,” “Grown-ish”) and Rege-Jean Page (“Black Bag,” “Bridgerton”) are initially combative, though there’s little doubt as to where the two are headed in this charming and delightfully executed story. Writer-producer Will Packer (“Think Like A Man,” “Girls Trip”) outdid himself in this colorful, feel-good, family-friendly, classic comedy of errors.
Glorious Tuscan Countryside
And while making excellent use of the lush and intoxicating Tuscan countryside, what I found curiously effective was that the dynamic of the ensemble became as big a part of the film as the romance itself. Surprisingly, I was completely caught off-guard as those familial aspects developed. And though Rege-Jean Page is not my cup of tea (too skinny, too pretty) as a lead, I now see why women react to him the way they do. He’s a very good dramatic actor, he holds attention quite easily on the big screen and of course, that face-card would never be declined.
Also, with Black women now becoming the most educated, economically-empowered and increasingly, well-traveled demographic of society, Packer smartly captures that zeitgeist with this well-produced and topically focused vacation vehicle.
Notably, his critically-acclaimed and commercially successful “Girls Trip” was domestically based whereas Tuscany makes faithful and fantastic use of the kinds of village locales and gorgeous countrysides we’d all like to visit. So what better way to explore and find parts of ourselves while also falling in love than abroad?
A Welcome Genre Update
And finally, be it his television shows or movies, I sincerely love Will Packer’s upscale treatment and desperately needed update of the romantic-comedy genre. Typically, the majority are White and situation-based, whereas this one was Black-centered and in an international setting. So, those aspects alone I genuinely enjoyed.
I’m a sucker for thoughtful production with Black folks looking great, being well-lit and shot properly. We don’t often get passport-driven international fare with a wonderful balance of warmth, humor and heart like this, so don’t wait to stream it. “You, Me & Tuscany” is well worth the trip.
@YOUMETUSCANY
#YOUMETUSCANY
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NOW IN THEATERS
“Hoppers”
(Pixar) Rated PG
“Let’s squish the humans!”
Impressively, within mere minutes of its opening we get a solidly hilarious understanding of Mabel Tanaka’s deeply feisty affinity for animals, and her incessant, almost uncontrollable desire to help them.
Voiced delightfully by Piper Curda (Disney Channel’s “A.N.T. Farm”) as the willful and resourceful protagonist, she makes quick use of new technology that allows her to infiltrate and talk to the animal kingdom.
John Hamm (“Bridesmaids,” “Mad Men”) is fantastic as her arch nemesis, the town’s preening and vainglorious, Gavin Newsom-esque Mayor Jerry, who’s behind the ominous threat to the very habitat that Mabel and her friends are fighting to defend.
State-of-the-art Animation
And true to the magnificent legacy of Pixar’s usual flawless execution (“Hoppers” is their 30th film) the state-of-the-art animation is absolutely gorgeous and intriguing to look at. Much of it, especially with regard to the larger animals, is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. You almost want to reach out and touch them. The hair and body textures are next-level fascinating and so lifelike, it’s as if you’re watching plush animals come to life in this brilliantly spooled sci-fi comedy.
And don’t get it twisted nor let the animation aspects of talking animals fool you. There are some very clear (as well as oblique) nods to our current reality that make this more than what it appears on the surface. Ingeniously, it imparts universal themes of cooperation, community and inclusion, as well as a plethora of life-lessons we want all young people exposed to.
Stay for the Credits
Unfortunately, there’s no usual Pixar short at the beginning of the movie and like any Marvel film, I strongly urge you to stay for the end credits. Witty, warm and a bit whimsical, “Hoppers” is brimming with hilarious and heartfelt laughs and lessons.
And with everything that’s currently happening in our world, there’s never been a better time to enjoy what’s going on in someone else’s.