Displaying items by tag: Zoe Saldana

AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH

US, 2025, 197 minutes, Colour.

Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Oona Chaplin, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Jemaine Clement, Giovanni Ribisi, David Thewless, Britain Dalton, Jack Champion.

Directed by James Cameron.

The third Avatar fantasy and science-fiction adventure from James Cameron. It is, in fact, 16 years since the first Avatar film was released with great success. Then a 13 year wait for Avatar: The Way of Water. Only three years wait this time. And, Cameron has noted that although sequels are in preparation, his making them will depend on how this film is received. There is no doubt of its popularity and success at the box office – but, along with critical comment and popular reactions, will this be enough?

In the meantime, here we are again in Pandora, out in the galaxies, beautiful floating islands, homes in the forests, mountains, cliffs, crags and oceans, huge creatures swooping in the air, exhilarating transport for humans, marvellous giant beasts of the sea with consciousness, communication – and the background of a creation mythology. Audiences who relished all this in the first films will appreciate it once again, especially since this is how this film begins, the fantasy, rather than focus on the Sky People, the humans who had journeyed here with their vast laboratories, scientific equipment, boats and weapons.

Many of the responses to Fire and Ash have stated that, in many ways, most ways?, is a replay of the previous films, the establishing of the families and tribes, the dangers from the humans, the relentless human expansion, clashes between the tribes, the buildup to the final battles. And, this is quite true. But, there are many audiences who are willing to surrender themselves to this kind of repeat experience.

Once again Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana play the parents, the leaders of the Navi tribe, their children, especially Loach, still suffering the loss of his brother and feeling responsible for his death, his bonding with his brothers and sisters, and with the children from the local tribes. But there is a change in the family, the presence of the human, Spyder, teenager, needing a mask to breethe, but welcomed into the family except for the severity of the virulent hostility from the mother, loathing humans. In fact, Spyder is the son of the former soldier, Quaritch, who, like Jake, has been transformed.

The presence of Spyder, his welcome in the family, his father searching and wanting him back, provides much of the drama at the centre of this film, leading to the issue of whether Spyder be sacrificed for the safety of the tribes (echoes of the biblical story of Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac).

But, this time there is another warrior tribe, led by one of the most savage female leaders, absolutely relentless. And she teaming up with Quaritch to wreak vengeance.

And the expected battles: the confrontation between Jake Sully and Quaritch. And, of course, at great length, intensity and spectacle, the Navi’s long and spectacular battle with the humans.

There is one complaint, true of the other films. Much of the dialogue is quite commonplace, often trite, and, with Spyder, the kind of quick American slang that would appear in the bubble a cartoon panel.

So, for the fans, more of the same but with some variations as a new characters like Spyder and barre. It runs for 3 ¼ hours but, with continuous action, it keeps up its pace. And the question raised: can there be still more created stories out there in Pandora?

1. The third in the series? The popularity of the films? Box office records? The work of imagination and James Cameron?
2. Recreation of the world of Pandora, the visuals of space, the beauty of the floating islands, the colonies for the various tribes, homes, cliffs and rocks, the sea, rivers? The contrast with the scientific base, the scientific equipment, elaborate, the controls? The space vehicles? The ships? The creatures, flying, the giant creatures in the sea? The range of special effects, especially for the confrontations, the battles, the rescues, the attacks, the deaths? In the background of the musical score?
3. Presuppositions from the earlier films, the range of characters, Jake Sully, his human background, becoming part of the tribe, the romance, his wife, the children in the family life? His being hero, his wife and her prejudice against the humans? Quaritch, human, transformed, his son, his warrior behaviour, his death, revived? The general and her command, the Captain Scoresby on his boat, the scientists and their demands, the warriors, the humans and their scientific advances, the havoc on Earth, potential havoc for space? The development of these themes again?
4. The previous emphasis on the science and the expedition from Earth? This film taking it for granted, opening with Pandora, its beauty, peace, the islands in space, the homes, the family? The audience invited to enter the world of fantasy rather than science and science fiction?
5. The repeat of the situations, humans as Sky People and their attack on the Navi? The life of the Navi, the relationship with the other tribes? The buildup to the confrontation between the tribes, and the clash with the humans?
6. Jake Sully, established character, his leadership? The death of his son, the blaming of the younger son? The younger son and his friends from the other tribes? Spyder and his being the son of Quaritch, received by the Navi, wearing a mask, the hostility of the mother?
7. The revelation of the warlike tribe, the leader, visualised, fierce, merciless? Teaming with Quaritch? His associate?” Marriage and his love for his son, wanting with him? Spyder’s response? Spyder and the experience without the mask, the daughter, her special powers, her representing the God, his revival?
8. The focus on the family relationships, the dangers, the threats, the role of the young son, relationship with his father, clashes, reconciliation, his role in the final battles?
9. The mythical aspects, Kiri and origins, the visual manifestations, the flying creatures, the creatures and the sea, communicating with them, their communications, life? These beasts the target of the humans?
10. The range of battles, their being visualised, in the air? The humans and their weapons and vehicles? The herding of the sea beasts?
11. Focus on the humans, the general and her attitude, commands? The captain of the ship, his mission? Dr Garvan, sympathetic, his helping Jake Sully? The contrast with Selfridge and his wanting to get Spyder and study him?
12. The buildup to the confrontations, Varang and her fierceness, her role in the battles, the final defeat?
13. The issue with Spyder, Jake and his decisions, his wife, agreeing, changing her mind, seeing Spyder saving Jake’s life, Jake taking him out, echoes of the Abraham story and the sacrifice of Isaac, his inability to kill? Leading to the confrontation with Quaritch and his falling into the abyss?
14. Peace among the tribes, Jake as leader, the defeat of the humans – abandon ship? The future, peace in Pandora? The role of the humans?
15. And the success of sequels depending on the commercial success of this third in the franchise?

ELIO

US, 2025, 98 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Remy Edgerly, Brandon Moon, Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil, Young Dylan, Shirley Henderson, Kate Mulgrew.

Directed by Adrian Molina, Madeleine Sharafian, Domee Shi.

Over the decades, in many of its animated films, the Pixar Studios have focused on young boys. This was the case with the Toy Story series. There was also Luca, Onward, not that Pixar neglected young girl central characters, think the Inside Out series.

This time the young hero is Elio, American, Hispanic background, grieving the death of his parents, not responding well to the care from his aunt who is in space military, supervising space travel. Elio loves space and explorations, eager for contact with aliens. His room at home is covered with posters, photos, all kinds of space paraphernalia. And he works with his radio connections. But, he is bullied at school, gets into trouble with the authorities. And, on visits to the military bases, his curiosity gets him into all kinds of trouble including failures and typing out an appeal message for any creature in space to respond.

While audiences will be sympathetic to Elio in his sadness, they will (at least many of the parent generation will) feel very annoyed with him at times, his wilfulness, stubbornness, and his inability to respond to his aunt’s care.

But, that is the background! Most of the action actually takes place in space. And, for anyone in the young audience, boy or girl, there is the fascination of imagining what it might be like to find oneself in space, with all the technical know-how, to find all kinds of friendly alien creatures, share language with them, make friends – and, especially for Elio, to be thought of as the leader from his planet.

So there are many comic touches with the creatures on the planet he arrives at, and a large group of cultured representatives from various planets. And Elio discovers a special creature, Glordon, who looks and sounds cute and cuddly! But, Glordon’s father is an aggressive warlord, in huge threatening armour, glowering with a whole platoon of similarly fearsome troops. And he has territorial ambitions.

So, a young boys’ fantasy, Elio asserts himself as the leader from earth, confronting the warlord. There is a nice dramatic device where a clone can be made both of Elio and Glordon, clone Elio coming to earth and being absolutely charming and cooperative with his aunt to her shock. The cloned Glordon coming to the warlord and agreeing to be his aggressive successor.

Elio does have success, is also captured, but is well advised and is able to use the real Glordon a bargaining chip for the warlord’s surrender and Elio’s release.

Of course, the final question is whether Elio will want to stay in space. The clone has enabled his aunt to travel to the planet. Will he stay or will he find love and affection and want to go home?

So, apart from Buzz Lightyear in space, this is a different Pixar story, not one of the greatest, but entertaining in its way.

1. The popularity of Pixar films. The place of this film in its catalogue? The target audience, younger audiences, the young hero, a boy, his ambitions, space exploration, aliens?
2. The imagination of the film, the young boy, the death of his parents, super version by his aunt, his age and grief, assertiveness, intolerance? Bullied at school? His fascination with space technology, the decorations in his room, his creating his own language, his radio and technology?
3. The aunt, military service, and space travel supervision? Love for her nephew, strict, difficulties in communicating with him? His getting into trouble, her having to rescue him? At the base, going into the laps, interfering, disasters? Her job?
4. With the boys, the friend, the bullying boy, the fight, the principal and the two boys reprimanded? The effect of the bullying boy, the technology, contact?
5. Elio, at the base, sending out a message, its being transmitted?
6. The Joy of the space contact, his going into space, the planet, the mentally of creatures, their appearance, their voices, their intellect, culture? His being seen as a rescuer? The leader from his planet? The effect on him, his costume, his speeches, his hopes?
7. The Lord Grigon, his appearance, armour, voice, his military? Ambitions, takeover, threats to the planet, the inhabitants gathering for culture, not for combat? The assumption that Elio was leader?
8. The appearance of Glordon, voice, appearance, the father, the ability to talk and communicate, games together, happy possibilities? The appearance of Glordon, his father, demanding on Glordon?
9. The device of the clones, clone Elio going to earth, the opposite of the real Elio, collaborating with his aunt, conversation, work, diligent? The hair, coming alive, the aunt looking beneath the eyepatch, realising he was a clone?
10. Cloning Glordon, a tough clone and, the armour, going back to Grigon, Grigon’s delight?
11. Grigon, the confrontation with Elio, the truth about him, dominating, the surrender, the effect on the community on the planet?
12. Elio and his plan, Glordon as a bargaining chip, the father wanting his child back, the confrontation, the negotiation, Grigon out of his armour, soft and cuddly, embracing Glordon? Peace for everyone?
13. The clone of Elio, the bond with the aunt, in the base, getting the equipment, the discovery of the capsule with Glordon? The two clones and then disappearing?
14. The aunt in space, the reconciliation with Elio, the peaceful situation, Elio and leadership?
15. The return to Earth, on the beach with its memories, the reconciliation with his friend, the bonding with his aunt, a happy life?

EMILIA PEREZ

France, 2024, 132 minutes, Colour.

Karla Sofia Gascon, Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Edgar Ramirez, Mark Ivanir.

Directed by Jacques Audiard.

Even if you have heard about Emilia Perez and heard about its drama and its music, its impact is still surprising, very surprising.

This is the work of French director, Jacques Audiard, who has directed some strong and tough films like A Prophet, Rust and Bone, even a Western, The Sisters Brothers, but they don’t quite prepare us for Emilia Perez.

Even without the music, the singing and the dancing, there is a strong narrative. On the one hand, at the centre, is a young lawyer, Rita (Zoe Saldana, Golden Globe, Best Supporting Actress), getting murderers off charges, rather disgusted at and her profession. But, she is abducted, is confronted by a cartel chief who has a special commission for her, his disappearance, getting his wife and children to safety in Switzerland.

Even when we know the plot, the reality of the special commission is still something of a surprise. The issue is trans-gender, the cartel leader and his forming into Emilia Perez. Both roles are played by Karla Sofia Gascon, herself transgender, an imposing performance.

As mentioned, there is a wide range of songs, inserted to dramatise particular characters, different styles of music, dramatic lyrics, sometimes song and dance routines. Rita sings about her life and her attitudes towards her life, the cartel chief sings, Emilia sings, as does the chief’s wife, Jessi (Selena Gomez) and, one of the doctors Rita consults in Tel Aviv about the surgery,

Face out. Four years later. Rita is working as a lawyer in London, invited to a dinner, sitting next to an imposing rather glamorous woman – who looks deep into her, and Rita recognises Emilia Perez.

Which means that the second part of the film, while in Mexico, is a story about Emilia trying to bond with her children, posing as an aunt, suspicious of the behaviour of Jessi who links up with a past lover, but, more importantly, the opportunity for a cartel chief to do some kind of good, some reparation, disturbed by the relatives of those who have disappeared, starting a foundation to dig up graves, identify bones, restore some kind of peace to bereaved families. And a complication in a relationship with one of the wives who actually does not grieve the death of her brutal husband.

It has to come to a head, of course, and it does so in a rather Mexican cartel violence fashion.

Punning on the director’s name, some have called the film ‘audacious’. In many ways it is. In many ways unpredictable. And, so often when we are wondering where it is all going, the characters burst into self-identifying songs.

1. The impact of the film? The drama? The music and songs? The interconnection? Real, surreal? The wards and nominations?
2. The work of the director, the French origins of his story, the Mexican settings, French language, Spanish, English? The range of the cast?
3. The impact of the songs, dramatising each of the characters singing, the lyrics, the musical rhythms and style, the musical numbers, choreography, within the context of the narrative, the hospital, clubs…?
4. The initial focus on Rita, as a lawyer, her background, Spanish-speaking, defending the murderer, alleging his wife suicide, the performance in the court, the verdict, his reaction, her reaction, her song?
5. The phone call, the rendezvous, her being abducted, in the presence of Manitas, threatening, his song, the surprise of the request? Her intervention? Transgender issues? In the context of his leaving the cartel and his brutality? His wife, the children?
6. Rita, the consultation in Bangkok, the interview with the doctor in Tel Aviv, his song? Rights and wrongs of the procedure, its taking place, post surgery, masked, success of the operation? Rita and the money, her life, in London?
7. The character of Jessi, the children, Rita organising them to live in Switzerland?
8. The meal, sitting next to the woman, looking at her, recognising Manitas, Emilia? Look, manner, filling, clothes, talk, with Simon? A new commission for Rita, to recover her children?
9. The return to Mexico, getting Jessi and the children from Switzerland, Emilia posing as their aunt, her mothering them, demonstrative, Rita urging caution? The reaction of the children, Mexico City, going to school, life at home?
10. Jessi, personality, young bride, the later revelation is by Emilia about money tales and Jessi’s sister, marrying her, the children? Happiness and unhappiness? Enjoying the life in Switzerland? Making contact again with Gustavo? The relationship, the outings? The sensuality of her song?
11. Emilia and her change of attitude, yet her capacity for ruthlessness, the approach by relatives of her victims, the setting of the foundation, Rita doing the business, the interviews, the money available, the digging up of the groups, identifying the bones?
12. The visit of Epifania? Her dead husband, the knife, the interview with Emilia, the truth about her husband, glad that he was dead, the bond with Emilia, the later meetings, the affair, the emotional impact on Emilia, as former male, as female, as trans?
13. Jessi, wanting to go with the children, with Gustavo, the disappearance? Emilia, her pursuit, ruthlessness? The confrontations with Jessi, tying up Emilia, getting loose, the fight, her revealing the truth, Jessi’s dismay?
14. Chase, the dangers, Rita coming with the money, Emilia as hostage, the guns, the shooting, the car, the explosion?
15. The ending with Epifania, cult of Emilia, procession and hymns, statue, the women, mourning Emilia, with Rita, her experience, the spirit of Emilia, her continuing the work and caring for the children?