Month: December 2021

A POWERFUL (YET FLAWED)

CHARACTER STUDY

Over the last century, the Windsor British royal family has become one of the most famous and influential European monarchies; enduring the changing of political climate and the advancement of society, while always showing the real mystique and alluring nature of royalty of sovereign nation. The story of Diana Spencer, the once Princess of Wales, is one of that offers fascination and a cautionary tale for all, within dealing with such a powerful royal family. While her life story has been well-documented throughout history; showcasing Diana’s upbringings, her marriage / divorce to Prince Charles, her humanitarian work, and her parental roles as a mother to the future kings of England, Harry, but her fashionable title of the “People’s Princess” also examines a darker side; one that is marred by expectations of being a member of the Windsor royal family and the painful tragedy of a unlove marriage. Given the guarded nature of her life and her tragic death in 1997, the perplexity and mystery surrounding Diana Spencer has enthralled, engaged, and mystifies many, speculating the painful tale that isn’t shown towards the public. Hollywood hasn’t fully divulged such events that had taking place in Diana’s life, with only a handful of project such as the 2006 film The Queen and Netflix’s TV series The Crown to give a cinematic representation to who Diana was (and those surrounded her situation). Now, Neon and Topic Studios and director Pablo Larrain present the film that examines a glimpse into Diana’s life with the release of Spencer. Does the movie offer a small window into the famed “People’s Princess” or does it completely miss it’s mark on showcasing Diana’s life?

THE STORY

In December of 1991, England’s Royal Family is gathering for a Christmas celebration at Queen Elizabeth’s (Stella Gonet) Sandringham Estate residence. While her son, Prince Charles (Jack Farthing), gears up to play the part of the heir apparent to Britain, his wife, Princess Diana (Kristen Stewart), has lost the energy to keep up appearances. The overwhelming nature of her role as the Princess of Wales, Diana longs for her freedom, unable to keep weary and trouble thoughts out of her head, while also treasuring time with her personal dresser and confidant, Maggie (Sally Hawkins). Struggling to find merriment in the traditions of yuletide festivities, Diana clings to the presences of her sons, William (Jack Nielen) and Harry (Freddie Spry), which brings comfort to the young princess, but the pressures of the public eye and of her attachment to family in-laws provides to be quite profound and detrimental to her mental health. Fighting to maintain her composure with photographers and the Queen’s orders, Diana finds herself at a crossroads….one that will either make or break the young Princess of Wales.

THE GOOD / THE BAD

I do have to say that I am quite fascinated with England’s royals. Not so much on the recent stuff that has happened in the last few years (not interested in the drama of Harry and Meghan), but all the history before that particular point is quite intriguing to me. Queen Elizabeth has certainly seeing a lot, done a lot, and endure the changing of times throughout history. Yet, the story of Princess Diana is one that has always stuck with me for quite some time. It really is an interesting (almost cautionary) tale to fully examine; showcasing the tragic life of Diana Spencer, who went on to become a such a famous princess from one of the most powerful (and widely publicized) royal monarchy family and shows such a painful life. As mentioned, the story of Diana has been thoroughly examined by many; finding that it is a combination of her inexperience of performing the duties of princess royal, the uncoupling of her relationship with Princes Charles, and how the media intruded a lot in her life. That’s not to say that Princess Diana wasn’t beloved by many as she was with her being the “People’s Princess” to all around the world, her humanitarian work, and being quite comforting to both her two children. However, her death overshadowed that, with her life ending in such a tragic way; one that has certainly shook (including myself) when it happened. The death of Diana (and her life) also shook up the establishment of England’s royal family; placing a heavier scrutiny on the monarchy and how the handle such situations. Whatever you take away from Princess Diana of Wales’s life, one constant is that she left her mark on Britain and…. the world.

Naturally, this brings me back around to talking about Spencer, a 2021 biographical film of the late Princess Diana of Wales. As mentioned, the story of Diana Spencer is certainly ripe for cinematic treatment, so it came at no surprise (to me at least) when it was announced that a movie studio was going to be down a bio-pic drama on the late princess. I, for one, was quite interested to see what the film was going to present of Diana’s life…. something all-encompass (i.e., from birth to death) or made just something a small, yet important part of her life to focus on. After that initial announcement, I remember hearing that actress Kristen Stewart was attached to the project and that she would be playing the lead role as Diana Spencer. I was a bit off-put by that as I’m not the biggest fan of Stewart since her Twilight days. However, I do have to admit that she has certainly improved in her acting ability and seems to be one of the better acting talents of the main cast of Twilight that has risen to stardom in Hollywood. Of course, the film’s movie trailers showcased that promise; previewing Stewart as Diana in a favorable light in portraying the tragic life of princess. So, I was looking forward to seeing Spencer when it came out during November 2021. However, I didn’t get the chance to see the movie in the theaters (my schedule got too busy), but I was able to catch Spencer when it came to digital release in December (boy, that was quick). So…. what did I think of this biopic of Princess Di? Well, it was okay. Despite a very strong performance from Stewart and fairly interesting personal glimpse into some of Diana’s most critical moments, Spencer is a somewhat shallow film that lacks substance and hinges on nuances more than anything else. There is some insightful / cinematics into the feature, but it isn’t quite the “cinematic gold” that some are making it out to be.

Spencer is directed by Pablo Larrain, whose previous directorial works include such films as The Club, Neruda, and Jackie. Given his background, Larrain makes for a suitable choice in helming such a project like this. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of which Larrain does with Spencer is the same way of how he approaches the film as a whole. Much like what he did with Jackie, Larrain shapes Spencer to be a defining moment for the female protagonist character role; focusing on pivotal moment in Diana’s life, where her life (both public and private) is standing upon an edge of a knife; one that could “make or break” the young princess of Wales. Given all that happens throughout Diana’s life (both before and after these events depicted in the film), Larrain decision to focus on this particular moment of her life is quite interesting and certainly has enough gumption to make such a motion picture. While I do have some problems with the feature’s substance and narrative progression plot points in the film (more on that below), I felt that the focused pin point of a story surrounding Diana’s time at the Sandringham estate during the holidays with Britain’s royal family is one that gives some dramatic flair; one that is matched equally with Diana’s frustration and royal traditions. In a more interesting way, if one goes deeper into the movie’s story presentation, Spencer isn’t solely focused on the events of Diana’s life. What do I mean? Well, the film itself isn’t about the “life and times” of Diana. Thus, the movie isn’t about her as a princess, or her humanitarian efforts, and only briefly mentions the relationship she has with the royal family. Basically, Larrain makes Spencer about a female, who is fragile and fractured state of mind, weighs heavily on her and how she interacts with everyone. There is a sublime almost saddened feeling while watching this film, with Larrain portraying the loneliness and isolation of Diana and how she tries to overcome the various things that stands before her. In the end, while there are some things that I think could’ve been done better, I think that Larrain does make Spencer have a good character study feeling of examining the struggle that Diana faces….both in public eye and personal demons.

The presentation of Spencer is pretty good in a few areas and a few waning in others. As for the positives, I think that the film’s overall “look and feel” (from a visual perspective) definitely matches the overall tone of the feature. And what I mean by that is…. Larrain, much like how he wants to portray the character of Diana Spencer, projects the film’s background / setting aesthetics to mirror the plight of the young princess’s struggles. How so? Well, everything (setting-wise) in the movie has that regal look; one that is grace with elegance and poise that is befitting England’s royal family…..and yet…. everything has that muted color….as if worn down by time and dulled to the touch. Thus, the juxtaposition of those two aspects is carefully managed throughout Spencer. Additionally, what definitely does make a striking appearance in the film is the various costumes and wardrobe attires that Diana wears throughout the film, which definitely reflects the lavishing outfits that the real Diana Spencer wore during her time. Thus, the various “behind the scenes” members, including Ralf Schreck and Stefan Speth (art direction), Guy Hendrix Dyas (production designs), Yesim Zolan (set decorations), and Jacqueline Durran (costume designs) should be commended for their efforts on the movie.

Additionally, I thought that the cinematography work by Claire Mathon is decent and definitely flavor to the feature’s proceedings. As mentioned, the whole movie is presented with a sort of “muted” color and I think that Mathon’s work aides in that endeavor, with camera angles and wide lens framework to make the film’s landscape beautiful yet desolate, ornate yet dull, and regal yet cold. Lastly, while I usually like movie soundtracks and usually praise the composition pieces that are provided for the film, I do have to say that I was a bit unimpressed with Spencer’s score, which was composed by Jonny Greenwood. The score for the feature seems a bit too “arthouse-y” for me and comes off as a weak composition. Some elements of the music work, but I wasn’t too fond of Greenwood’s score. Plus, I thought that the heavy usage of jazz-esque style music was a bit wonky and didn’t fit the movie. Altogether, I was disappointed with the score for Spencer.

Problems do quickly show up in the movie that hold Spencer back from being something truly interesting and cinematically brilliant. Perhaps the one that is the most prevalent throughout the feature is in the screenplay, which was penned by Steven Knight, and where it goes with many of its avenues it tries to explore. While I do praise the script for focusing on a particular moment in Diana’s life, I felt that the feature’s narrative struggles to find a proper balance of storytelling and character growth. What do I mean? Well, majority of Spencer is spent on Diana and, while the movie is heavily focused on her in a somewhat character study, there seems to be something greatly lacking throughout the feature. Yes, I fully understand that the movie is to be solely on Diana, but I think that the movie’s script seems to be a bit undercooked; sacrificing a lot of secondary characters as well as storytelling beats. Basically, the movie is quite the slow burner and I think that Larrain struggles to make for an engaging endeavor, for there are cracks throughout the movie that seem too distracting to make a fully realized tale of what is being told about Diana’s time at Sandringham during the holidays. Thus, the context for Spencer, while important and thought provoking, comes off as a bit boring with several pacing issues that are scattered throughout the feature. Personally, I felt that the film could’ve benefitted from having more substance added to the story being told, which could’ve included various other characters as well as help explain certain things that the character of Diana is going through.

In addition, the movie also relies too heavily on the various artistic flourishes that permeates the entire production. Much like how Jackie was, Larrain definitely has a “arthouse” approach with his filmmaking style, which is clearly displayed “front and center” in Spencer. This includes a lot of elongated camera shots, lingering sequences, confusing / ambiguous scenes, and moments that are left a bit of a “head scratcher”. I sort of knew that the movie was going to be a little bit like this, but these “arthouse” nuances sort of took me out of the movie as if Larrain is making the feature for a final exam project for a college filmmaking course. I know that it might not bother some, but these flourishes seem a bit much (in my opinion); making the film more of a slight oddity than anything else. Of course, 2021 has seeing plenty of bizarre “arthouse” movies take center stage and get praise for the different strokes of cinematic storytelling (i.e., The Green Knight, Lamb, The French Exit, etc.), but I think that Spencer seems a bit “too much” when trying to project the arthouse feeling and filmmaking aesthetics that it comes off as too straining.

As a minor point of criticism, I found it a bit odd that the movie doesn’t mention the name of Camilla Parker Bowles; only referring to her as “her”. Yes, it is quite commonly known that Princes Charles had an affair with Camilla, who (after divorcing Diana) married her, but it’s a bit peculiar that the movie doesn’t mention her by name. Thus, though she is not physically in the movie, there’s a lot of moments that “her” is referring to Camilla and it just seems a bit offputting….as if they (the filmmakers) were not allowed to say “Camilla” in Spencer. I know that seems like a minor gripe, but it’s just my opinion.

The cast in Spencer is relatively good and, while I think that are a fairly good selection, most get somewhat sacrificed; pushed aside with the movie giving more screen-time for protagonist character of Diana Spencer to shine. This, of course, means that the lead role for Spencer gets the most grit and most character built most throughout the entire cast of characters, with Larrain focusing the camera lens on the subject matter of who Diana is. It is because of this that actress Kristen Stewart does actually shine brightly in the movie as Diana Spencer. Known for her roles in the Twilight saga as well as Snow White and the Huntsman and Seberg, Stewart has certainly made a name of herself since she first appeared in Hollywood, and I do have to say that her performance in Spencer is probably her best yet. There’s no denying the simple fact that Stewart does give her all in trying to portray the famous princess of Wales on-screen, without straining or going “over the top” in her performances (something that many could easily do in depicting her madness). Stewart demonstrates the personal struggle of Diana throughout the entire film; showcasing the anxiety, the indecisions, the off-kilter moods, the quiet comforts, and the overall fracture mindset that Diana must have felt throughout her time with the England’s royal family; one that is heavily viewed with eyes of scrutiny everywhere. Much like what actress Natalie Portman did with Jackie Kennedy in Jackie, Larrain makes Spencer a cinematic vehicle for Stewart to control throughout the entire film; placing a large emphasis on the character, with Stewart up to challenge and equally matching it with her talents. You definitely can feel her emotions in almost every scene she’s in and this is convey in her various sequences; projecting elations, frustration, sadness, and moments of joy with realistic feeling; offering a possible glimpses as to what level of fragile state of mind that the real Diana was facing. In the end, whether you like her or not as an actress, there is no denying the fact that Stewart did a fantastic job in the role of Diana; one that is probably her defining character role in her career.

Beyond Stewart’s performance, there are several additional characters that hold the spotlight in the movie as supporting players to the feature, yet their characters themselves are fully strong enough…. merely lending their weight in bolstering Diana’s character throughout the feature. This, of course, means that these characters have little growth in the film and are simply there to help strengthen Diana’s plight throughout. Who actually does this is the most is in the character of Maggie, the royal dresser for Diana and who is played by actress Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water and Paddington). The on-screen chemistry between Hawkins’s Maggie and Stewart’s Diana is felt immediately and, while Hawkins’s screen is limited, the actress does bring a subtle comfort to the manic tensions that the princess of Wales is going through. Additionally, actors Sean Harris (Harry Brown and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation) and Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner and Vanilla Sky) give solid performances in their respective roles as the royal head chef Darren McGrady and Equerry Major Alistair Gregory (who is based on retired RAF officer David Walker). Both Harris and Spall showcase their acting talents well whenever on-screen, especially when interacting with Stewart’s Diana, but they themselves are regulated to thinly sketched supporting players (again, only there to help bolster the lead role in various scenes). As a sidenote, I think that young actors Jack Nielen and Freddie Spry (both of whom make their acting debut with Spencer) do good job in their respective roles of Diana’s two children, William and Harry. As expected, Williams gets to shine a bit more than Harry, which shows in Nielen’s performance.

Unfortunately, the rest of the cast, including actor Jack Farthing (Poldark and Blandings) as Prince Charles, actress Stella Gonet (How I Live Now and The House of Elliot) as Queen Elizabeth II, actor Richard Sammel (Casino Royale and Inglorious Basterds) as Prince Philip, and actress Elizabeth Berrington (Last Night in Soho and In Bruges) as Princess Anne are pushed aside and are merely “window dressing” in the feature…. having little screen time in Spencer. Of course, I do understand that Larrain wanted to make the feature have a stronger focus on Diana, which is understandable, but the more secondary characters are severely (almost woefully) underdeveloped, especially those concerning Diana’s husband (Charles) and her mother in-law (Queen Elizabeth II), who I thought would have more substance / screen time in the movie. Kind of disappointed in that regard.

FINAL THOUGHTS

During her royal holiday visit to the Sandringham Estate, Diana Spencer finds herself at crossroads with her life; one that could make or break the young princess of Wales with the release of Spencer. Director Pablo Larrain’s latest film takes a new (and interesting) look into the life of the late of Princess Diana; offering up a tale of a fracture woman, who is scared and haunted by her own demons and those around her with an insurmountable fear. While the intentions are sincere, the themes are palpable, and a great performance from Stewart in the lead role, the movie does struggle to find a proper balance, especially considering its sluggish balancing, its arthouse nuances, and lacking substance throughout. Personally, I thought that this movie was good, but not great. I definitely get where they are going with this feature (story and character and all) and, while it is moving and thought provoking, I felt that the hype for the movie doesn’t match what’s actually presented. Basically, it’s definitely an “Oscar bait” film….and that can be a good or bad thing. Personally, I thought that Jackie was better than this movie. Thus, my recommendation for the movie is a “iffy choice” as some will probably like it a lot, while others will probably not find the feature’s narrative to their liking, In the end, while the story of Diana will continue to be fascinated subject to dive into and fully examine, Spencer gives a glimpse into the late Princess of Wales; one that showcases a fragile woman’s life in a world of tradition and scrutiny, yet presented in a cinematic light with a bit too much arthouse flourishes.

3.4 Out of 5 (iffy Choice)

Released On: November 5th, 2021

Reviewed On: December 14th, 2021

Spencer  is 111 minutes long and is rated R for some language

ABSOLUM?!

The duality of technology is one that is helpful, yet addicting at the same time. It’s one that has perplexed many out there, but the masses crave the “latest and greatest” of technology, especially when it comes in the form of social media. Over the years, the rise of various social media platforms (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, etc.) have certainly taking “centerstage” with millions of viewers out there partaking on these media platforms of socializing, sharing, and watching. There is no doubt that a wide variety of generations of different ages have taken to these social media outlets for both business or pleasure, but especially the younger generations has found a niche market in attracting and playing up these media platforms to their liking, with the consumer developing more towards the Generation Y and Z. Naturally, the addiction and palpable taste of social media (both good and bad) is one of a cautionary tale, with Hollywood tackling on several usages of social media within cinematic lines, including Nerve, Unfriended, Ready Player One, Ralph Breaks the Internet, The Emoji Movie, Searching and a few others. Now, 20^th Century Fox, Locksmith Animation, and directors Sarah Smith and Jean-Phillippe Vine release the latest film to examine the social media addiction platform with the release of the animated movie Ron’s Gone Wrong. Does this cartoon tale find warmth, laughs, and meaning behind its narrative or is it just another bland “cash and grab” animated endeavor?

THE STORY

Bubble, one of the premiere and popular tech corporations, is giving the kids of America the ultimate social media friend, with the release of “B-bots”, making their robotic creations a must-have for kids of all ages, who looking to have their social media experience with these small, connected pals. While everyone seemingly at his school owns his or her own B-bot, Barney Pudowski (Jack Dylan Grazer) doesn’t have one as he struggles to make friends, preferring to remain alone out of unbridled fear. On his birthday, Barney’s father, Graham (Ed Helms), and his grandmother, Donka (Olivia Coleman), who can only offer the boy family love, but seeing the desperate boy wanting a B-bot to “fit in” at school, inspiring the duo to try their luck at a Bubble Store, finding their way to a defective machine to procure. Once given to him, Barney is thrilled to final have his own personal B-boy, who he names Ron (Zach Galfanakis), but the robot’s programing is off, making him unpredictable and is in need of an education on how to be a good friend to his new owner. Barney tries his best to make Ron special, but the B-bot is soon out of control, triggering interest from B-bot’s creator, Marc (Justice Smith), and Bubble’s CEO Andrew (Ron Delaney), who wants Ron back before he creates a PR nightmare for the company. As intension mount and Ron’s oddities become public knowledge amongst his peers, Barney begins to form a bond between him and his defective B-bot; promising something more than what he original expected from the little machine….. and vice versa.

THE GOOD / THE BAD

As I stated above, the rise of technology has created such a powerful vacuum for consumers and companies throughout the years; resulting in an addictive nature that’s almost a necessary evil…. sort of speak. I mean, most people use phones to communicate / talk with people, but now the power of multiple possibilities and access to streaming accounts and internet access across the globe is one of paramount importance in today’s world. Thus, the rise of the various social media platforms began and has flourished into every country across the world, with many platforms offering something slightly different / unique to attract the us (the consumer). Heck, my blogging efforts for my movie reviews wouldn’t be possible without the usage of social media outlets such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (as well as few others). Thus, I do say that I embrace the idea of social media, but I would say that it doesn’t consume me, for I have seeing many (and I mean many) out there that their whole daily routine revolves around spending a great deal of time on a variety of social media outlets. Of course, as I mentioned above, the idea of social media has come across cinematic landscape with a few various films centering around the usage of outlet for filmmaking storytelling. Naturally, some are used for thrilling / dramatic effects for narrative driven suspense such as Unfriended, Searching, and Nerve, but there are a few that are played for entertainment purposes such as The Emoji Movie and Ralph Breaks the Internet. Personally, I like Ready Player One, which provides plenty of ground work for the pitfalls of social media addiction as well as providing the fun usage of staying connected. In the end, I think that the placement on social media (both good and bad) is something that a necessary evil; one that is vital towards connecting people and to the community (as a whole), but the addiction / consumption of it all can be one of a cautionary tale. Much like the old saying goes…. “too much of a good thing is a bad thing”.

This brings me back to talking about Ron’s Gone Wrong, a 2021 animated feature film and the latest feature film to examine the cause and effect of the social media platform craze. To be quite honest, I really didn’t hear about this movie until a few months before it’s release. This was probably due to the fact that the project was being released under the 20^th Century Fox umbrella, with the Disney acquisition of the studio happening a few years back, delaying several projects from moving forward and / or being released until the acquisition was firmly completed. It is for that reason why Ron’s Gone Wrong, probably was pushed back as well as the on-going effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw animators and voice actors doing their respective roles for the upcoming kid’s movie remotely. As mentioned, I really didn’t hear about this movie until a few months back when the film’s movie trailer. From the trailer alone, it looked quite humorous, and it looked like the project was going to tackle the latest obsession of social media addiction, which definitely intrigued me to go see it. Thus, I was very much interested to see Ron’s Gone Wrong, when it was set to come out October 15^th, 2021. While I did see the animated film a week after its release, my work schedule got a bit overloaded (due to the upcoming holiday season and all), so I had to delay my thoughts on this movie for a month or so until had some free time to collect / complied it for my review. Well, the time is now to share what I thought of Ron’s Gone Wrong? And what were they? Well, I have to say that they are really good. While it isn’t the most original animated film out there, Ron’s Gone Wrong gets a lot more right than it does wrong; providing plenty of animated hijinks for an endeavor that’s hilarious, insightful, and heartfelt at the same time. It may not be beat out a typical Disney or Pixar movie (in terms of storytelling and animation), but this movie is strikingly entertaining and fun to watch from onset to conclusion.

Ron’s Gone Wrong is directed by Sarah Smith and Jean-Phillippe Vine, with their directorial works including such projects like Arthur Christmas, Shaun the Sheep, and Where’s Elvis This Week?. In addition, Octavio E. Rodriguez, who’s background in the art department on such projects like Incredibles 2, Coco, and Star Wars: Clone Wars, acting as co-director to Smith and Vine. Thus, given the efforts of all three directing such an animated project, one would think that there is “too many cooks in the kitchen” for movie like Ron’s Gone Wrong. While there might be some of that effecting the feature’s latter portion (more on that below), the trio of directors do seem to strike an animated gold with the creation of Ron’s Gone Wrong, with the movie finding a pleasantly nice stride for beginning to end. At its center, the trio of directors finds the movie’s narrative squarely focusing on the friendship between Barney and Ron and how it is develop throughout the course of the film. The trio never loose sight of this, which makes for the movie to have a much more tighter fitting narration; creating a “bud comedy” as we (the viewers) watch the various interactions that Barney and Ron have with each other and those around them. This develops keeps the momentum going for large portion of the feature, which creates a lot of humorous moments as well as some sincere heartfelt ones, especially those concerning kid’s today of cyber-bullying, isolation, and outcast anxiety. Of course, this is centered around Barney, and I think it is handled quite beautifully.

On the other end of the spectrum is the film’s humor, which I found to be quite hilarious. Yes, the movie is aimed at the more younger crowd (tweens), but I found myself laughing a lot of the jokes and gags that are presented throughout the feature. Basically, almost anything that was said by Ron was quite funny and had me laughing at, but also in the way how the movie pokes fun at social media and at the members of Silicon Valley (in general terms). Also, the film does have a relatively short and manageable runtime, with the feature clocking in at around 106 minutes (one hour and forty-six minutes). Thus, it tells its story and gets out within appropriate timeframe. There are a few elements where it the movie could’ve ended (more on that below), but I felt that movie doesn’t feel superfluously bloated and keeps its focus on the core relationship between Barney and Ron at its forefront. In the end, I think that the trio collaborations of Smart, Vine, and Rodriquez definitely brings a quality to the feature; making Ron’s Gone Wrong an hilarious fun and entertaining animated movie from start to finish.

Naturally, one of the main aspects that the movie tackles / examines throughout the narrative is the usage of social media and how the commentary message of its usage has been quite addicted and part of our daily lives, especially with the younger generations. Personally, I liked how the script, which was penned by Smith as well as Peter Baynham, sort of approaches this particular subject; finding all the kids at Barney’s school so “glued” to their B-bots and how their minds are addicted to share and commenting on Bubble platform. Again, it’s a mirror reflection to today’s world, with not just adults and teenagers, but younger generations are now having a sort of fixation / attachment towards the various social media outlets and how their daily lives are surrounded by it. This is easily extrapolated from the movie (for all ages) and how the social media is addictive and how its creators / corporate greed in Silicon Valley have influenced their consumption of their product. This is can vividly seeing in the creators of Bubble in the movie, with the characters of Marc, the young inventor, and Andrew, the business owner, approach the issues with Barney’s defective B-bot, which (in a scary scenario) are probably something that can happen (and being discussed) by those who work for Goggle and Facebook. Thus, Ron’s Gone Wrong has a lot to examine and digest through its commentary themes on social media platforms and its overall usage is one that is being a “way of life” in today’s world; an eerie reflection (through a kid’s animated film) of the current world’s addiction to the platform and the masterminding of those in Silicon Valley who are behind it.

In the presentation category, Ron’s Gone Wrong is a pretty solid animated feature film endeavor that definitely has its own distinct charm and swagger about it….and that’s a good thing. The movie is the first theatrical motion picture from Locksmith Animation, relatively smaller / unknown animation studio of late, especially compared to the rest of the larger and more famously known cartoon studios out there (i.e., Disney, Pixar, Illumination Entertainment, etc.). While those more prominent studios are renowned for their efforts in children’s entertainment, Locksmith Animation does quite the exceptional job in presenting Ron’s Gone Wrong. Although it isn’t as heavily detailed or boldly rich as to a Disney / Pixar endeavor, Locksmith Animation’s for this particular cartoon film is still great and definitely fits “in-line” with today’s animated feature films. Colors are vibrant, animation designs are cleverly used, and the overall art direction feel for Ron’s Gone Wrong is delightfully charming; carrying its own distinct look. Thus, some of the various “behind the scenes” members for this film, including Karen DeJong and Till Nowak (art direction) and Nathan Crowley and Aurelien Predal (production designs) as well as the entire art department team, for their efforts on Ron’s Gone Wrong. Additionally, the cinematography work by David Peers and Hailey White is also and definitely a few moments of cinematic flair towards numerous scenes for some visual fun / entertaining sequences. Lastly, the film’s score, which was composed by Henry Jackman, provides a solid musical composition for the feature’s story; one that layers the movie that typical children’s entertainment notes and melodies, yet also providing some unique pieces to make the score stand on its own. Overall, a good score with a solid presentation for the film.

There are a few problems that I had with Ron’s Gone Wrong that don’t really derail the movie, but hold the feature back from being that much more enjoyable. Perhaps the most noticeable point of criticism is in how the last act of the film is a bit shapeless. What do I mean? Well, for the most part, the film (as mentioned above) is to be considered as atypical “buddy comedy”, with a heavily focus on the relationship between Barney and Ron. However, the movie starts to head towards into a survival / wilderness movie format in one poignant moment and one would think this is where the film’s narrative reaches its climax / resolution of the movie. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and the film continues further and ultimately becomes a heist type film for its finale; adding another layer to the feature for a story that doesn’t really require. Of course, there is some big heartfelt moments for the story to tackle during this final stretch, but it feels like the script is struggling to find a proper ending for the movie. It is because of this that the latter half is also considered to be a tad overstuffed. Thus, the third act seems a stretch and strung along and could’ve ended a lot earlier than what the final cut of Ron’s Gone Wrong decided to conclude the tale of Barney and Ron.

Adding to that notion (and not as detrimental towards the film itself) is the overall movie and how the story is presented. While I do like Ron’s Gone Wrong (a lot…. mind you), there is no denying the fact that this animated feature is nothing relatively new as the narrative of a budding friendship / relationship between a protagonist character and another has been tackled and presented every now and again, especially within a children’s animated motion picture. Thus, their a great sense of familiarity, which can be fine to a certain degree, yet the overall predictable nature of the film still lingers throughout the movie. Thus, one can easily see where the story is heading for Barney and Ron’s journey in Ron’s Gone Wrong and where the ultimately resolution is concluded. Again, it’s not so much of a big-time deal breaker for the feature, but it is merely a minor complaint of criticism.

What definitely helps the feature from overlooking those criticisms points is in the voice talent involved in Ron’s Gone Wrong, which I do have to admit are solid all the way around…. regardless if they are major or minor players in the story. Leading the charge in the movie is young actor Jack Dylan Grazer, who plays the film’s central protagonist character of Barney Pudowski. Known for his roles in IT, Luca, and Shazam!, Grazer has certainly made a name for himself over the past several years and it definitely shows, with his performance in Ron’s Gone Wrong bringing a lot of joyous fun and energy throughout the entire film. Much like his efforts as Alberto in Pixar’s Luca, Grazer emotes a lot of emotions through his voice acting, which gives his performance of Barney plenty of range; offering the charming (yet slightly stereotypical) classic loner protagonist lead, who finds courage throughout the film. Overall, I think Grazer does a great job and I did like him as Barney Pudowski. Who actually shines the better than Grazer (and is the brightest) in the movie is actor Zach Galfanakis, who provides the voice of the co-protagonist lead role of Ron, a defective B-bot who befriends Barney. Known for his roles in The Hangover trilogy as well as The LEGO Batman Movie and Keeping Up with the Joneses, Galfanakis has also made a name for himself throughout his acting career, the actor usually gravitating towards comedic roles, which do play up to his strength. Although, I do have to admit that some projects that Galfanakis has been attached to are a bit “hit or miss”. Luckily, his involvement in this animated film is one that is former and not the latter as Galfanakis is quite “pitch perfect” in bringing the voice of Ron to life. There’s a certain type of charm that he imbues Ron as a friendly yet totally misunderstood concept of ideas / wordings throughout, which provides plenty of laugh-out-loud moments in the film. Some might find the over usage of Ron’s enthusiastic ineptitude be an annoying, but I loved it, which (again) provide Galfanakis plenty of comedic room. In the end, I thought that Galfanakis was fantastic and spot on in voicing Ron and is definitely one of the most memorable (and effective) voice performances in Ron’s Gone Wrong. As a sidenote, I couldn’t fall in love with the overall design of Ron. Heck, I wish that I had a B-bot like Ron.

In supporting roles, actress Olivia Coleman (The Crown and The Favourite) is terrific as Barney’s eastern European grandmother Donka Pudowski. While she has been known for playing such dramatic and dynamic live-action roles in her acting career, Coleman has certainly been making a name for herself in the animated world, especially after her humorous performances in 2021’s The Mitchells vs. the Machines. Thus, Coleman’s vocal performance as Donka is hilarious to watch throughout the movie as one can easily hear (through her jokes, quips, and dialogue comments) that Coleman is having a blast in playing such an eccentric character. Behind her, actor Ed Helms (The Hangover and Chappaquiddick) is sturdy as Barney’s dad Graham Pudowski, with the actor providing the right amount of goofy / zany quirks of a stereotypical dad-like character as well as the necessary warmth of a fatherly figure. Lastly, actor Justice Smith (Pokémon: Detective Pikachu and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) does a solid job as Marc, the creative inventor behind Bubble’s B-bot line, while actor Rob Delaney (Bombshell and Tom and Jerry) provides to be effective as Marc’s corporate / sleazy partner Andrew Morris, who definitely looks like a Steve Jobs-esque character from its design (hair, glasses, etc.). Again, all of these players are strong supporting roles in the movie and definitely lend their seasoned acting talents for the better in the movie.

The rest of the cast, including actress Kylie Cantrall (Raven’s Home and Gabby Duran & The Unsittables) as Barney’s aspiring social media vlogger classmate Savannah Meades, actor Ricardo Hurtado (School of Rock and Glitch Techs) as Barney’s prankster classmates Rich Belcher, actor Cullen McCarthy (Mission Force One and Fat Camp) as Barney’s video game enthusiasts classmate Noah, actress Ava Morse (Surprise Me! and The History of Us) as Barney’s science loving classmate Ava, actress Ruby Wax (Girls on Top and Chariots of Fire) as Barney’s teacher Ms. Hartley, and actors Marcus Scribner (Black-ish and The Good Dinosaur) and Thomas Barbusca (The Mick and Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life) as Rich cronies Alex and Jayden, play various supporting characters throughout the movie. Some of them get more screen-time than others, but all acting talents in this group are solid in their respective roles; lending the vocal performances into this animated tale.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Social outcast Barney Pudowski wants nothing more than to have his own B-bot companion, but what he gets is something more than what he can ask for in the movie Ron’s Gone Wrong. Directors Sarah Smith, Jean-Phillippe Vine, and Octavio E. Rodriguez’s latest film takes a stab at today’s world of social media consumption and addiction; presenting a unique cartoon feature that has plenty to say of its characters and commentary messages, but also in personal story it wants to tell. While the film has a few problematic areas within its predictable formula and overextends tensions, the movie still manages to find an entertainment rhythm, especially thanks to the film’s direction, its zany and hilarious humor, touches upon the thematic commentary of today’s social media popularity, solid animation, and great voice talents all the way around. Personally, I liked this movie. It does have a few areas where the feature stumbles, but I thought that the film was pleasantly fun to watch and had me laughing at many parts. Plus, as I said before, who could not love such an animated character like Ron. Thus, my recommendation for this movie is a solid “highly recommended” as it has plenty to offer for all ages and is a good recommendation for a family movie night. It’s hard to say that if a sequel is warranted (as the film’s ending is relatively concluded), but I won’t be opposed to seeing a Ron’s Gone Wrong 2 in the near future. Even if one does or does not materialize, it still stands to reason that Ron’s Gone Wrong has a lot going for it and deserves the praise of which it has received. In the end, I think that this animated film has a lot to offer for some great entertainment value; finding Ron’s Gone Wrong charmingly fun, a bit insightful in commentary message of social media, and heartwarming in its relationship between a boy and his B-bot.

4.1 Out of 5 (Highly Recommended)

Released On: October 22nd, 2021

Reviewed On: December 15th, 2021

Ron’s Gone Wrong  is 106 minutes long and is rated PG for some rude material, thematic elements, and language

Every passenger has a motive as 20th Century Fox releases the second official trailer for the upcoming murder mystery sequel Death on the Nile. View trailer below.

Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot’s Egyptian vacation aboard a glamorous river steamer turns into a terrifying search for a murderer when a picture-perfect couple’s idyllic honeymoon is tragically cut short. Set against an epic landscape of sweeping desert vistas and the majestic Giza pyramids, this tale of unbridled passion and incapacitating jealousy features a cosmopolitan group of impeccably dressed travelers, and enough wicked twists and turns to leave audiences guessing until the final, shocking denouement.

Death on the Nile  opens in theaters on February 11th, 2022

The Multiverse is a concept about which we know frighteningly little as Marvel Studios releases the official teaser trailer for the upcoming film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. View trailer below.

After the events of Avengers: Endgame, Dr. Stephen Strange continues his research on the Time Stone. But an old friend turned enemy seeks to destroy every sorcerer on Earth, messing with Strange’s plan and also causing him to unleash an unspeakable evil.

Oh wow….without spoiling anything….I wasn’t expecting this official teaser trailer to drop this quick. Yet, here it is and I am excited for it. Definitely interested as to what is going to happen with this movie. Given all the recent releases from Marvel Studios on their various platforms (i.e. Loki, WandaVision, and Spider-Man: No Way Home), I know that there has been a large emphasis placed on this movie as well as the multiverse concept. So, that will definitely be playing a big role in the film. This official teaser trailer showcases plenty of awesome footage, including Elizabeth’s Olsen’s Wanda appearing. Overall, I’m very excited to see where this sequel will take the MCU!

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness  arrives in theaters on May 6th, 2022

Marvel Comics and March 2022 Solicitations Spoilers follows.

In Sign Of The Times The Punisher Changes For 2022 and…

…Dons New Symbol For War On Crime!

Marvel reports.

Frank Castle’s Definitive Chapter Begins In New Prestige Punisher Comic Series This March

PUNISHER will be written by Jason Aaron and drawn by Jesús Saiz and Paul Azaceta

Frank Castle must face his destiny. Beginning this March, Frank’s dark path will be revealed in PUNISHER, a series years in the making that will mark the definitive culmination of Frank Castle’s journey in the Marvel Universe to date, building on his past to reveal his inescapable future.

PUNISHER, written by Avengers architect Jason Aaron, will be a 13-issue prestige limited series. Running monthly, each issue will be oversized to explore the past, present, and future of Frank Castle’s character and reveal where his motivations truly lie. The series will be drawn by Jesús Saiz and Paul Azaceta, with each separately taking on Castle’s present day and Castle’s past through flashbacks, respectively.

“After writing the Punisher over the years, I’ve always been fascinated by the character of Frank Castle. What moments made him the Punisher, even before that fateful day in the park? And how far will he go to win the war that has consumed his life? Spoiler: as far as it damn well takes,” said Aaron. “This story is the destined next step in the dark and tragic evolution of Frank Castle, from troubled kid to heroic soldier to revenge-driven vigilante…to the duly anointed King of Killers. Believe me when I say, I am as excited about this story as anything I’ve ever written for Marvel.”

As the Punisher, Frank Castle has become the most accomplished killer the world has ever seen. After a shocking secret pushes him to become the warlord of the Hand, he now serves the Beast, a role he’s been fated to fulfill. Tragedy, war, and rage come together as he takes up his sword and his new armor with the most notorious clan of assassins in the Marvel Universe. Will it mean an end for the Punisher? Or a whole new bloody beginning?

“A few years ago, Jason Aaron came into one of our creative summits with a pitch for Frank that made our collective jaws drop,” said Marvel Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski. “The story Jason is telling – a truly epic tale about darkness, violence, and choices – can only be told with the Punisher at its core. This series will build on Frank’s legacy while introducing us to a side of him we’ve never seen before, setting the stage for an evolution that we’ll find was inevitable.”

More information about PUNISHER will be released in the coming months.

PUNISHER #1
Written by JASON AARON
Art by JESÚS SAIZ and PAUL AZACETA
Colors by DAVE STEWART
Cover by JESÚS SAIZ
On sale March 2022

The change of symbol has a long time coming considering how it’s been co-opted in recent years.