Displaying items by tag: Jenny Slate

THE ELECTRIC STATE

US, 2025, 125 minutes, Colour.

Chris Pratt, Millie Bobby Brown, Woody Norman, Jason Alexander, Giancarlo Esposito, Ann Russo, Greg Cromer, Stanley Tucci, Holly Hunter, voices of: Woody Harrelson, Ke Huy Quan, Alan Tudyk, Anthony Mackie, Jenny Slate, Brian Cox, Hank Azariah, Colman Domingo, Kurt Loder.

Directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo.

There were high expectations for this big-budget action fantasy adventure, set in an alternate world in the 1990s. It was directed by the Russo Brothers who had moved from smaller popular films to three Captain America superhero epics and then to two Avengers adventures, Avengers Endgame registering the highest box office.

Then came this ambitious fantasy adventure, based on the graphic images by Simon Stalenhag, adapted by the Russo Bros regular writers for the Marvel Universe films. And a very strong cast of character actors led by Chris Pratt and Millie Bobby Brown and including Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Holly Hunter, Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, Colman Domingo…

However, reviews were unfavourable and the film was not popular. However, there is much to appeal to audiences who like imaginative, futuristic fantasy adventures.

1. The status of the film, the budget, the cast, the directors? Based on an illustrated novel? Pull critical response?
2. The 1990s, the title, an alternate world history, humans versus robots? The title?
3. The American cities, the war, the deserts and outposts? The musical score?
4. Ethan Skate as hero and villain, his technology an empire, the robots, taking over the consciousness of human minds, the reaction of the humans, many living and vegetative life, rising up against the robots, the human victory, robots to the Exclusion Zone?
5. 1994, Michelle, history of the crash and her parents, in foster homes, Ted and his lazy life, Michelle at school, not using AI technology for her work?
6. Cosmo, the sense in robot, the TV character, Michelle’s brother, Christopher and his delight with Cosmo? Cosmo programmed with gestures, sounds, controlled by Christopher’s consciousness?
7. The sense of mission, the encounter with Keats, his history, his character, offhand, soldier? The visit to Dr Amherst and his declaration the Christopher was dead?
8. The adventure, the journey, the trek through the desert, Keats and is exploitations? The Exclusion Zone, home of the robot, Mr Peanut? Characters and voices?
9. The confrontation with Skate, his character, presumptions, using Christopher and his mind and consciousness, the impact for humans, robots?
10. The pursuit of Christopher, Col Bradbury, the deadly mission, candle Bradbury and is disillusioned with Skate, changing his attitude?
11. Michelle, PC at the robots, the confrontation with skate’s Army? The role of Bradbury?
12. Christopher, the explanation, his wanting to be disconnected, Michelle disconnecting? The further attacks, the attack on Herman, the smaller version?
13. The aftermath, Christopher dying, Skate and his loss of control, arrest? Michelle and her explanation of what it happened? And the possibility of humans and robots and the Exclusion Zone in the future?

I WANT YOU BACK

US, 2022, 116 minutes, Colour.

Charlie Day, Jenny Slate, Scott Eastwood, Gina Rodriguez, Manny Jacinto, Clark Backo, Pete Davidson, Jamie Gertz.

Directed by Jason Orley.

This twist on romantic comedies is more enjoyable than it might sound. The characters are well developed, especially the central characters of Peter and Emma, played by Charlie dealing with his continual patter style, Emma by Jenny Slate, seemingly ditzy but having more depth.

The film opens with two breakups and the consequences for those abandoned. Peter and Emma work in the same building, and weeping in the same stairwell, share their stories, make the plan that each will breakup the new relationship with their former partners.

Emma, this is going to a theatrical group, working with children, putting on a musical, her helping, singing a song, getting the attention of the director – and, her ultimate tactic, suggesting a threesome which he is enthusiastic about but which Peter’s former partner disapproves of. She decides to take Peter back.

On the other hand, Peter befriends Noah, Scott Eastwood, going to the gym, developing a friendship, a kind of romance, meeting the owner of the pie shop, Clark back oh, and failing to break up this romance when Noah proposes and is accepted.

How to bring this all 20 and? Both are invited to Noah’s wedding, the awkwardness, the interactions, Emma upset, Peter awkward, but the finale, nicely on a plane home, a situation I have discussed about true love and who helps a fellow passenger to oxygen, helping themselves first or helping the one-day Love first. And this is the nice ending for Peter and Emma.

1. Romantic comedy with a difference, romances, breaking up romances?
2. The title? Peter and Emma? The scenes of the breakup, Peter at the party, the children, clowning, and and her declaration, six years, wanting to be an actress, the separation? Emma, chatting and eating, no way and his breaking with her, her reaction?
3. The two working in the same building, Emma and the orthodontist, weeping? Peter, the board, care for the elderly, saving money and conditions, his reaction, the two in the stairwell, meeting, sharing, the meeting, the decision to undermine the new partnerships?
4. Emma, her going to the theatre, the encounter with Logan, meeting And, Little of horrors, her helping, singing the song for Audrey? Logan and the attraction? The young boy, surly, his work, clashing with Emma, her talking, being straight with him, the good interaction, her further helping him, the future? The episode of the invitation for the threesome, Emma, bold, Logan wanting it, And and her reaction, walking out?
5. Peter, going to the gym, the help from Noah, their friendship, and the gym, sharing? No meeting Jenny and her work with the pies? Buildup of the bromance? Going to the party, the underage girls, the dancing, the pool, Peter leaping into the pool, the father coming home, there are escape?
6. Peter and Emma and their meeting, comparing notes? Emma and her achievement, Peter and his haste, going to And, the seeming reconciliation?
7. Peter invited to the wedding, Noah inviting Emma, on the boat, the tensions, the eventual revelation of the truth, Noah and his punching out Peter? Emma and her upset? The breaking of their friendship?
8. The return flight, sitting marriage other, the previous conversation about helping with the oxygen, helping someone loved before oneself, and this happening on the flight home? The happy ending?

IT ENDS WITH US

US, 2024, 130 minutes, Colour.

Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Jenny Slate, Brandon Sklenar, Alex Neustaedter, Hasan Minhaj, Kevin McKiddc, Amy Morton, Isabela Ferrer, Emily Baldoni

Directed by Justin Baldoni.

At first, a glossy romantic tale. But, ultimately, a challenge, a drama of domestic violence. In fact, during the final credits, there is website information for any of the audience disturbed by the theme and the treatment.

The cinema staff member who gave me my ticket told me she had read the novel and was very much looking forward to seeing the film. The novel. Written and self-published in 2016 by Colleen Hoover, indicating that aspects of the plot were influenced by her parents’ experience, the book became a “must-read” when promoted on social media, especially on Tik-Tok. Then the author found a publisher and further novels. And a readership of millions.

And, now, It Ends with Us has become a box office success, $150 million in two weeks and not just in the United States, very popular in Australia.

This is a film very much geared towards the female audience. But, it also targets the male audience, challenging both. So, the female audience identifies with the central character who plans to open a flower shop in Boston – with her not so subtle name of Lily Blossom Bloom!. Her father has died, the liver something of a local celebrity in his small Maine town, her mother wanting her daughter to the funeral eulogy, to find five good things to say about him. She can’t. She doesn’t. She has left the town with memories of parental domestic violence and a happy, sad memories of a long past encounter with a young man, Atlas.

Lily is played by Blake Lively.

After the funeral, quietly reflecting on a rooftop, she watches a rather dashing type, thinking himself alone, indulging in a temper tantrum. They talk. She can’t believe he is a neurosurgeon, Ryle, and at first, neither can we. But he is.

There follows a story of growing friendship that gradually transforms into love. Some have found this part of the film too glossy, but it is nicely pleasant entertainment, Lily and some reconciliation with her mother, finding a best friend in Ryle’s sister (Jenny Slate). Ryle is played by Justin Baldoni who directed the film.

Then, sudden alarming situations arise, drama, melodrama, domestic violence, physical, psychological, apologies, failure, all complicated by pregnancy, birth, mother and child.

There have been different perspectives voiced by critics and audiences, too soft on the one hand or very important on the other. But, for an Australian audience in 2024, the statistics on cases this year of men killing women in domestic violence is alarmingly large, averaging a death the week.

It Ends with Us brings these stories to popular attention – and challenge.

1. The popularity of the original novel, its influence on readers, romance novel, a novel about domestic violence?
2. The title, the reference to Lily and the man she loved, but finally Lily and her daughter?
3. The action in Plethora, Maine? Homes, streets, buses, the funeral, atmosphere? The contrast with Boston, high-rise, vistas of the city, apartments, hospitals, the flower shop and its development, clubs and restaurants? The musical score?
4. Lily’s story, the opening, her mother’s anxiety, her father’s death, her mother’s pressure on her to give the eulogy, five points in his favour, Lily going back to her old room, her memories, the ceremony, her standing at the lectern, not saying anything, walking out? Audience curiosity about her father?
5. The insertion of the flashbacks, her age, at home, seeing Atlas, squatting, stealing the food, on the bus, her buying the food and leaving the bags, his speaking to on the bus? Her standing up and kissing him, the reaction? The friendship, the bond between them, the sexual relationship? Her father catching them, his ousting Atlas? The separation from Atlas, his going to the military, disappearing?
6. Lily’s mother, anxious, the phone calls, the visit to Boston, meeting Ryle, the revelations about her husband, visualised, his domestic violence, yet her loving him?
7. Lily, back to Boston, on the roof, Ryle and his violent outbursts, kicking the chair, then seeing her, the conversation, on the ledge, the to and fro of the conversation, his flirting, her challenging him?
8. Lily, the purchase of the shop, cleaning, Allysa arriving, the conversation, friendship, getting to work, Alysa and her husband, the friendliness, the discovery that Ryle was Alsysa’s brother?
9. The film’s development of the relationship between Lily and Ryle, his work as a neurosurgeon, her initial disbelief, his skills, his charm, continued attentions to Lily, her response, as Friends, gradual breaking down of the barriers, moving in, their life together?
10. Lily, the prosperity of the shop, Allysa and the friendship? Alyssa’s pregnancy?
11. Lily’s mother, coming to Boston, meeting Ryle, charmed by him? The irony that Atlas was at the restaurant, Lily disconcerted, talking with him, not telling Ryle?
12. The eventual proposal, Lily accepting, the ceremony? Her mother’s anxiety of not being there?
13. Ryle and his charm, the initial violence, his suspicions, the visit to the restaurant, Lily and her anxiety, talking with Atlas, Ryle following, the fight? And Atlas giving Lily his phone number, concealed and her phone? Ryle’s discovering it, the confrontation, his violence, pushing down the stairs?
14. At the hospital, with Atlas, discovering she was pregnant?
15. The consequences, support from Alisa, condemnations of Ryle, the stories anxiety, six-year-old, with the gun, the death of his brother? Consequent anxieties?
16. The separation from Ryle, his visits, with the gynaecologist, discovering it was a daughter, letting Ryle be present, at the birth?
17. Lily then assertive, love for her daughter, the friendship with Ryle, but the divorce?
18. The consequences, the years passing, meeting Atlas again, possibilities for a future?
19. The credibility of Ryle and his violence, domestic violence, cruelty, denials, repentance? And the message of the film about domestic violence?