It takes a long, long time to land on the moon. So much can be said for the research, development, and execution of the Apollo 11 spacecraft on the lunar surface on July 21, 1969. Much can also be said of Damien Chazelle’s (La La Land, Whiplash) lackluster First Man. Maybe Chazelle should go back to writing his own screenplays. After earning Oscar nominations (adapted for Whiplash, original for La La Land) for his first two directed movies, Chazelle picked up Josh Singer’s (Spotlight, The Post) for his third directorial effort. Unfortunately, the culmination likely didn’t do either man any favors. First Man seemed to lack want, energy, and originality and frequently veered into downright disinterest in its characters and outright boredom. While the film has resonated with critics (88%), there is a sharp dropoff in audience score (66%). While the accomplishment in First Man is an important story that needed to be told in this medium (particularly to those who weren’t even born when this achievement happened, I think it should have been spearheaded by a director who is more seasoned in the biopic genre or at least had directed a film outside of the music drama genre which has thus far defined his career.
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Category Archives: Ethan Embry
Blindspotting (2018)
Blindspotting, one of the mid-summer hidden gems of a promising 2018, is an extremely ambitious movie from two unknown actors who will very likely be household names in the future. It’s certainly a breakout for the film’s stars Daveed Diggs (who won a Tony for his role in Hamilton) and newcomer Rafael Casal, who also wrote the film. Adding to the virginity of this experience was first-time director Carlos Lopez Estrada. This movie has been a hit with critics and audiences alike (93% and 86% on Rotten Tomatoes). It is a good movie that teeters on the verge of being great. However, it feels like a few different movies weaved into one. Worse, it goes back and forth between these different styles and intents and ultimately leaves us confused as its two lead characters, but in completely different ways. I could empathize with their situation and their confusion. What was hard to comprehend was the character’s rapidly changing thoughts, feelings, and actions. Sure, people can act differently in particular situations, but we had each of these two characters go through the complete gamut in a four period of four days. Ultimately, it left me with many questions to ponder. I also felt like I was watching a series of one-act plays rather than one cohesive movie.
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