DA 5 BLOODS
Spike Lee is back with what might be his most ambitious piece of filmmaking in a long time. Da 5 Bloods is a tale (and a statement) about male friendship, about aging and about how war can break your spirit. A movie full of ideas, full of social commentary and it also works as a family-drama. Four Black-American Vietnam war veterans go back to Vietnam searching for a buried treasure and the body of a deceased brother in arms, who happened to be shot in battle - it might sound of a treasure hunt kind of movie, but Lee's sharp screenplay elevates the movie plot and provides rich character development. The ensemble cast does a fantastic work - there are no bad performances in this movie - but it is Delroy Lindo who truly shines as Paul, a man who has his demons but whose self-pity doesn't allow him to move on. It's a terrific Oscar-caliber performance that achieves its true greatness thanks to a monologue in the begining of the third act. Terence Blanchard's score is also impressive, but it gets overshadowed by the spotlight given to Marvin Gaye's tunes. The editing work is great and it does its work by giving some dynamic to the scenes. A note to the cinematography, which felt inconsistent to me while trying to give a different look to nowadays vs Vietnam war scenes. In the end, you realise Da 5 Bloods might not be the year's best movie, but it will be one of the most relevant because of its social commentary - the Trump administration, being a Black-American, the historical discrimination of the Black people, the relevant Black-American cultural figures, etc. A solid screenplay and a stellar performance from Lindo elevate Da 5 Bloods above the standard post-war + PTS + grief dramas and it is one of Spike Lee's most ambitious directing works in terms of scale and aim to ressonate emotionally.
RATING: 4 / 5
Oscar potential categories:
- Best Picture
- Best Director (Spike Lee)
- Best Actor (Delroy Lindo)
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Editing
- Best Sound
MULAN
Few animated features from the 90's still hit me hard as Mulan (and I recently re-watched it before watching 2020's Mulan) and it still delivers a more honorable message than 2020's take on the Chinese legend, despite being released 22 years ago. Niki Caro's take on Mulan is a visual marvel indeed: from the costume design to the set decoration and production design works, the beautifully shot landscapes and some impressive light/shadow cinematography works, Mulan is beautiful to look at. BUT... 2020's Mulan fails to deliver a great emotional punch like its animated take - a particular scene, when Mulan decides to take her father's place in the army and takes his armor and his sword, is played in such a light way that I couldn't hide my disappointment. In the animated version, you hear no words, just the heavy score playing, Mulan praying to her ancestors to give her strenght and then she opens the closet and takes the blade... and then she cuts her hair! This scene where Mulan leaves the naive and clumsy village girl behind (and her long hair) is a major fault in Caro's adaptation. I understand the director is trying to avoid a live-action replica of the animated version, but the "Mulan's decision" scene being so "light" just didn't work for me. Another element that made me scratch my head is the "special thing" Mulan has inside her that makes her naturally gifted to be a warrior instead of her being just a woman who works harder than anyone to achieve her goals. Nevertheless, Mulan still is a very entertaining movie, with a very strong 2nd Act and eye-popping action scenes (that recall some Kill Bill inspiration). Yifei Liu makes for an engaging leading lady hitting all the right notes as the Chinese heroin and Gong Li is scene-stealing as a witch who tries to make her own in a world of man. Ultimately, Mulan is a nice Saturday noon movie, with a message of feminism and a "just be yourself" moto... Not the great version I was expecting, but a decent visually dazzling one! It could be more if it didn't try to detach itself too much from the animated version - which delivered the message with more strenght.
RATING: 3 / 5
Oscar potential categories:
- Best Cinematography
- Best Production Design
- Best Costume Design
- Best Makeup & Hair
- Best Visual Effects
- Best Original Song ("Loyal Brave True")
ENOLA HOLMES
A breath of fresh air, Enola Holmes was a pleasant surprise! Carried by a charismatic Millie Bobby Brown performance as Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes younger and wild sister, Brown delivers her start-making performance on film! It's Brown show from the very first scene to the last one and the actress proves she has great comedic timing. I don't know how will she fare in the future once Stranger Things TV series ends, but Enola Holmes gives you a glimpse of a star on the rise. Millie Bobby Brown praise aside, the movie is surprisingly good and it is far more complex than the movie trailer might suggest. Yes, it is a search for Enola's missing mother, but it is also about a young woman who doesn't fit in the strict British society or about the changing political scenario back in the day. It might a period piece, but there's no style over substance! Costume design work is great and set pieces are also beautiful, but what's really special about Enola Holmes is that it has a fresh take on the Holmes-inspired world. Henry Cavill plays the iconic Sherlock and he's okay and Sam Claflin plays Mycroft (and he seems to have great fun) - but it is Brown's movie and there are no room for Cavill's or Claflin's characters to develop that much. Fiona Shaw and Helena Bonham Carter are also welcome on-screen presence as the yin and yang of the British woman. I can not say that much, because Enola Holmes' plot kinda suggests a Sherlock Holmes adventure, so any spoiler might be "fatal". My adise is: go watch it and enjoy! It's not a piece of art, but it is a refreshing female-led mystery-action-comedy set in the 19th century.
RATING: 3,5 / 5
Oscar potential categories:
- Best Production Design
- Best Costume Design
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