Category Archives: Films

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi “Final Duel” (1983)

While it’s fairly common now to have epic lightsaber duels with equally epic soundtracks backing them up, it’s easy to remember that this wasn’t always the case. The first lightsaber duel (in Episode IV) had no music until the very end, and even the iconic duel in Episode V has minimal music in the background. The action was more of the focus at this time, music just didn’t play that large a role, presumably because it was felt it would be a distraction.

And then came Episode VI, with the final lightsaber duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader (with the Emperor watching).

This duel changed everything as far as the relationship between lightsaber action and film music is concerned. For the first time, the music firmly established the tone of the fight, not only that, it also illustrated what was at stake. For this reason and more, I need to talk with about the “Final Duel” cue in Return of the Jedi.

This cue comes at the very end of the duel between Vader and Luke. It starts when Luke has fallen from the gantry and Vader is hunting for him in the shadows below the Emperor’s throne. I’m pretty sure this is low woodwinds in the beginning, but it could easily be low strings as well. Regardless of instrumentation, this opening portion screams of the menacing evil personified in Vader as he hunts for his son. Furthermore, Luke himself is fighting the urge to give in to the Dark Side, something the music could also be symbolizing.

But this is just the beginning. After Vader comes to the conclusion that Luke has a twin sister (note the *crash* in the music as Vader makes the connection), the music ups the ante. Take note, when Vader begins the line “If *you” will not turn to the Dark Side…” listen to how the strings begin to rev up and join the melody. They sound tightly coiled, as if ready to spring and boy, do they ever! Once Vader makes his threat to turn Luke’s sister to the Dark Side, all hell breaks loose, both physically and musically speaking. (And on a practical note, the sudden appearance of the strings could also be helping to transition between the opening part of this cue and the climax).

For over twenty years this has been my favorite piece of music in all of Star Wars. When Luke gives in to his anger and lunges at Vader with all of his fury, you KNOW this is it, this is the critical moment, and it’s all because of the music. This is the first time John Williams paired a choir with the lightsaber duel, and it works to perfection. The chorus is mournful as we watch Luke chase Vader across the scene, a reminder that this is a BAD thing we are watching, if Luke goes all the way, he’s doomed. This all culminates in a series of brass “strokes” not quite timed with Luke’s own hits until finally…WHAM!! There’s a musical “blow” as Luke cuts off Vader’s hand, effectively ending the cue as the music transitions to the Emperor’s Theme in full force (no pun intended).

I have to go back through, to the key moment in the duel when Luke gives in to the Dark Side because I can’t emphasize enough how powerful this part is. The music here is simple, but extremely effective. Sure, it’s child’s play compared to “Duel of the Fates” and “Battle of the Heroes” but it’s safe to say that “Final Duel” provided the genesis of both of those themes by proving that film music and lightsaber duels work very well together.

If you’re going to properly appreciate all of the lightsaber duels and their music, then you really need to start here, with the climax of Luke and Vader’s duel in Episode VI. This scene laid the foundation for so much that was to come later and I will defend the awesomeness of this scene forever.

Let me know what you think about “Final Duel” in the comments below and have a great day!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens “Kylo Ren’s Theme” (2015)

Star Wars: The Last Jedi “The Spark” (2017)

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker “Kylo Ren’s Theme (Redeemed Version)” (2019)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars “Bad Batch Theme” (2020)

Star Wars: Rebels “It’s Over Now”

Film Soundtracks A-W

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens “Kylo Ren’s Theme” (2015)

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Something I was really excited about when the sequel trilogy was announced was finding out all of the new music John Williams would create for the galaxy far far away. After all, this is the composer who brought us “The Imperial March” as well as the Star Wars Overture, just to name two of many, MANY examples. We’ll be arguing for years about how these themes stack up against the musical themes created for the original trilogy, but for now I’ll be satisfied in just looking at the sequel trilogy themes that interest me the most.

One such theme that I want to talk about is the theme for Kylo Ren, the primary villain for most of the sequel trilogy. Well, properly speaking this is more of a motif than a proper theme. The difference is in length: a theme, like “The Imperial March” is somewhat longer, lasting for several minutes while a motif consists of a bare handful of notes in comparison. Listen below, the motif comes around the 0:50 mark and I’ll explain after.

You hear that, right? Those five notes? That’s the sum total of Kylo Ren’s theme. It doesn’t seem like much at first glance, but there’s really a lot going on here. First, the sharp tone of that brass is designed to grab your attention, this is a character to pay attention to. As a result, even before we know who Kylo Ren is, we know that this is someone important. Second, and more importantly, these five notes are actually related to “The Imperial March.”

For instance, here’s the first part of “The Imperial March” below:

Now, look at Kylo Ren’s Theme:

To see the similarity, compare the last five notes of the “Imperial March” motif to Kylo Ren’s Theme. Notice how they move in the same way? If it helps, hum the last part of “The Imperial March” and then hum Kylo Ren’s Theme to yourself. They’re not identical by any means, but the similarity is there.

And how fitting is it that Kylo Ren’s theme be derived from “The Imperial March”?? This is Darth Vader’s grandson after all, musically speaking it makes all the sense in the world that their themes would have a connection. It’s also a great way to musically connect the original trilogy to the sequel trilogy, even if the connection isn’t that obvious at first glance.

This is yet another example of John Williams’ musical genius at work. He can go back to a theme he created decades ago and derive something completely new from it. Not all composers can do that AND do it well, and Williams handles it masterfully. This is just one example of how well the master can work.

Let me know what you think about this look at Kylo Ren’s Theme in the comments below and have a great day!

Star Wars: Rebels “It’s Over Now”

Star Wars: The Clone Wars “Bad Batch Theme” (2020)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens “Rey’s Theme” (2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens “March of the Resistance” (2015)

Star Wars: The Last Jedi “The Spark” (2017)

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker “Kylo Ren’s Theme (Redeemed Version)” (2019)

Film Soundtracks A-W

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi “The Spark” (2017)

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My general opinion of The Last Jedi has changed a great deal since I first saw the movie in 2017, but one thing that hasn’t changed is my love of the film’s soundtrack. It’s been my longstanding opinion that the Star Wars soundtrack as a whole is one of the greatest film music creations ever made and the music for The Last Jedi is up there with some of the best themes Williams ever created.

“The Spark” is one such theme and one I’ve wanted to talk about for a while. It occurs very late in the film, when Luke Skywalker appears out of nowhere in the remains of the Rebel base on Crait. Most of the cue, starting around 1:00 is actually from a Return of the Jedi theme known as “Luke and Leia” and plays when Luke finally reunites with his twin sister. You would know this as the music that plays in ROTJ when Luke reveals that Leia is his twin. It’s pretty much the same theme all over again and it really is perfect for this scene that happens to be the first and sadly, only, time we see Luke and Leia together in the sequel trilogy (everything after this was done with body doubles and CGI so it doesn’t really “count” for me if that makes sense).

After this memorable theme runs its course, then the fun really starts. Starting around 2:15 the music begins to morph into something different but it doesn’t latch onto the new theme until around 2:30. From that point on, the music enters a weird march-like motif that might sound odd at first, or vaguely familiar depending on your point of view. There’s a deep, booming motif that repeats over and over again as Luke strides out to confront the First Order and his wayward nephew Kylo Ren. As you listen to it, you might realize that this is actually from the bass line of The Imperial March, known the world over as “Darth Vader’s theme.”

Think of the symbolism in this choice on the composer’s part. We have Luke Skywalker, Jedi, hero of the Rebellion, etc. and so on, marching out to face the evil First Order to more or less the tune of the Imperial March. I don’t know if it’s merely ironic or also meant to send a message, maybe something to the effect that it’s Luke who has the power and authority that Kylo has always sought but will never find because he’s too much of a hothead. It could be I’m thinking too much into it but it always sends chills down my spine to hear the remnants of that immortal theme when Luke walks out, all alone, to stare the enemy down.

Some people gave John Williams a lot of flack for not creating a new Imperial March or something equivalent for the sequel trilogy, but I really feel he didn’t need to, and “The Spark” is a prime reason why. It’s a combination of the old and new that lends sadness and power to this scene in a way that only Williams can make possible.

Enjoy listening to “The Spark” from Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Let me know your thoughts about this moment in the comments below and have a great day!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens “Kylo Ren’s Theme” (2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens “Rey’s Theme” (2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens “March of the Resistance” (2015)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars “Bad Batch Theme” (2020)

Star Wars: Rebels “It’s Over Now”

Film Soundtracks A-W

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Disturbing Bluth #7: Charlie Dreams of Hell in All Dogs Go to Heaven

Disturbing Bluth #2: The Secret of NIMH: Dragon the (Demon) Cat

Disturbing Bluth #3: The Great Owl in The Secret of NIMH (1982)

Disturbing Bluth #4: Jenner in The Secret of NIMH (1982)

Disturbing Bluth #5: The House is Sinking in The Secret of NIMH (1982)

Disturbing Bluth #6: Meeting Brutus in The Secret of NIMH (1982)

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Soundtrack Review: The Invisible Man (2020)

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The soundtrack for Universal Pictures’ remake of The Invisible Man is now available digitally and will be available on LP starting March 4th, 2020. Starring Emmy Award winner Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale), The Invisible Man is a terrifying modern tale of obsession inspired by Universal’s classic Monster character.

Trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist, Cecilia Kass (Moss) escapes in the dead of night and disappears into hiding. But when Cecilia’s abusive ex, Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House), commits suicide and leaves her a generous portion of his vast fortune, Cecilia suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of eerie coincidences turn lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia’s sanity begins to unravel as she desperately tries to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.

The film’s score was composed by Benjamin Wallfisch (Blade Runner 2049, IT). He has worked on over 75 feature films and has received Golden Globe®, BAFTA®, two-time GRAMMY® and Emmy® nominations. It was recently announced that Wallfisch will score the New Line/Warner Bros reboot of Mortal Kombat, which is slated for a 2021 release.

Regarding the film’s score, Wallfisch had the following to say:

It was about using silence rhythmically. When there is music, the gestures and sonic attitude are sometimes so left-field and extreme that you almost don’t trust the score’s absence when it’s not there. As a kind of analogue to the presence of Adrian Griffin [the Invisible Man] in the film.

Also, the orchestral instrumentation is deliberately constrained to strings- only so that the musicians were pushed to their max, without the support of a full orchestra. That choice was also an homage to one of my heroes, Bernard Herrmann and one of his masterpieces, the Psycho score.

As the film progresses, Cecilia (Moss) devolves into questioning her every move, then grows into her power. The composer reflected that journey musically as well:

Cecilia’s Theme,’ a simple melody for cello and strings, was written to be a musical reminder of her own sanity, as everything unravels around her,” Wallfisch said. “You only hear it a handful of times in the movie, at key turning points in the story. There is also a piano motif that recurs a few times, something building and insistent, meant to portray the way she still manages to hold on to who she really is, against all the odds, ultimately triumphing.”

Because Wallfisch was tasked with creating musical space for an antagonist who is literally not present, the composer had to factor into his choices for Adrian/the Invisible Man some elements that he’d not previously considered for a villain:

Rather than a melodic theme, we needed a signature sound for Adrian—something that just creeps up on you. The sonic for the Invisible Man himself is entirely electronic, and when it goes full tilt, we tried to push things as hard as they could possibly go.

Knowing that the Invisible Man is characterized by electronic sounds makes listening to the soundtrack very interesting indeed, as his motif truly does creep up on you, appearing when you least expect it. There’s a jarring contrast between the strings of the orchestra and the electronic tones as well, which could be symbolizing how unnatural Griffin’s invisible existence really is (after all humans weren’t meant to be invisible). Also, I can definitely sense the homage to Herrmann with the all-strings orchestra. These days it’s somewhat unusual to get a film orchestra that’s all strings, as it creates a musical dynamic that you don’t hear all that often anymore.

Wallfisch really appears to be ratcheting up the tension with this soundtrack as well, as each track is just full of it. Even the tracks that don’t contain references to the Invisible Man are full of subtle tensions (which you would expect in a horror film), as if the next encounter could happen at any moment. It was enjoyable to listen to, but also more than a little nerve wracking since after a while you come to expect that at some point the Invisible Man sonic will jump in and surprise you.

All in all, the soundtrack for The Invisible Man was quite enjoyable, just from listening to it I’m half tempted to check out the film itself once it arrives in theaters.

TRACK LIST

Cobolt
Escape
He’s Gone
This Is What He Does
We’ve Got That In Common
Make It Rain
Attack
Why Me
The Suit
Asylum
He’s Behind You
House Fight
It’s All a Lie
Surprise
Denouement

Check out the soundtrack for The Invisible Man when you get the chance. And let me know what you think of it (and the film) in the comments below, and have a great night!

See also:

Film Soundtracks A-W

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Check out the YouTube channel (and consider hitting the subscribe button)

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Soundtrack Review: Wendy (2020)

See also:

Film Soundtracks A-W

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Check out the YouTube channel (and consider hitting the subscribe button)

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My Thoughts on: Pokémon 4Ever- Celebi – Voice of the Forest (2001)

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In coming to Pokémon 4Ever, I finally reached terra incognita. For while I’d seen the first and third Pokémon movies, and new of the second one, I’d never seen much less heard of any of the Pokémon films after that (with the possible exception of Arceus and the Jewel of Life, but that’s a story for another day). So I was very excited to sit down and watch this film for the very first time.

And from what I can see, Pokémon 4Ever is a really enjoyable film (with spot-on animation for the most part). The story sees Ash, Misty, and Brock set out to help save Celebi, a Pokémon who functions as the “Voice of the Forest” and has the ability to travel through time. To escape from a hunter, the Pokémon travels to the future, inadvertently bringing along a young boy named Sam with him. Together, Sam, Ash and company must work to save Celebi from forces that are hunting Celebi for the great power he possesses.

This movie really makes you feel for poor Celebi. I thought watching the first movie was an emotional experience, but this movie takes it to a whole different level. Most of the movie sees Celebi being chased, abused, and otherwise scared out of his mind. And even after the situation is fixed, more enemies appear and make the situation worse. This Pokémon really goes through a beating.

And then there’s Team Rocket. Oh, not Jessie, James, and Meowth. Oh sure, they’re as persistent as always, but they’re nothing compared to Iron Masked Marauder, the Team Rocket Member chasing Celebi. This is the first time I can recall being actually scared of Team Rocket, before watching this film I thought Team Rocket was only meant to be a joke, not to be taken seriously. This film definitely proved me wrong on that count.

I’m not completely satisfied with this film’s plot twist. While I find it interesting that Sam is revealed to be a young Professor Oak, I’m not sure I’m okay with how the details are worked out. How Oak remembers something that Ash and company haven’t even done yet doesn’t quite make sense to me. Perhaps I’m thinking too hard about it, but the plot details don’t quite mesh and that bothered me quite a bit while I was watching. Also, the CGI of…whatever that thing is that Celebi creates doesn’t quite hold up now that it’s nearly 20 years old. The contrast between it and the surrounding animation is just weird.

Also, is it weird that I was expecting Suicune to talk? Maybe I was spoiled after seeing Entei in the third film, but I was fully prepared for Suicune, as a legendary Pokémon, to have dialogue and it doesn’t, which completely subverted my expectations.

On a final note, the very concept of the Dark Balls is a scary one. It actually reminds me somewhat of Mewtwo’s plan in the first film, only instead of cloning Pokémon that are stronger than the originals, the Dark Balls just corrupt the existing creatures instead.

All in all, I enjoyed Pokémon 4Ever. It’s not perfect by any means, but it is enjoyable, and it was nice to finally move past the first three Pokémon films.

Let me know what you think about Pokémon 4Ever in the comments below and have a great day!

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: The Movie 2000 (1999)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon 3: The Movie: Entei – Spell of the Unown (2000)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon Heroes: Latios and Latias (2002)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Jirachi—Wish Maker (2003)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (2005)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (2006)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai (2007)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Giratina & the Sky Warrior (2008)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (2009)

My Thoughts on: Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)

Animated Film Reviews

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My Thoughts on: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

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Sonic the Hedgehog occupies what might be a completely unique position in my mind. This is, as far back as I can remember, the first time I’ve ever gone to see a movie because I felt I owed it to the filmmakers to do so. Allow me to explain: remember when the original trailer for this film came out and we were all horrified by Sonic’s appearance? And then, to the shock of all, the studio withdrew the film and actually fixed it? That NEVER happens, and since the studio was so thoughtful as to actually listen to our wishes, I felt I had no choice but to repay them by going to see the film in theaters.

That turned out to be a great decision because Sonic the Hedgehog is a lot of fun! The story doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the comedy is actually pretty funny (that’s saying a lot from me because I’m very picky about the comedy I like). James Marsden made a great foil for Sonic, and aside from one or two awkward moments there really weren’t any moments I didn’t like.

Aside from Sonic himself (more on that in a moment), my favorite part of this film has to be Jim Carrey. He was made for a movie like this and throws himself into the role of Dr. Robotnik with everything he has. Seriously, Carrey’s performance had me in stitches from the moment he arrived onscreen. If the clearly teased sequel happens, then I really hope we see more of Carrey’s Robotnik.

The other part of the film I really liked is Sonic. I was admittedly doubtful that the speedy hedgehog could ever be realized in a live-action movie, but after overhauling the design it works really well. Sonic looks just enough like his video game counterpart to satisfy longtime fans of the video games, while also looking like a living, breathing creature that found its way to Earth.

And that leads me to one point that I do have a problem with: the story of how Sonic got to Earth. Now, I understand that the story needs an explanation of how we got to this point, but that prologue feels extremely rushed, with a lot of exposition crammed into what felt like five minutes or less. Perhaps a sequel will delve into this part of the story a bit more, because I have a lot of questions regarding how and why Sonic has his powers and the film didn’t really answer them (I should note I have never played any of the Sonic games). These aren’t the only pacing issues the story has, but it is the part that bothered me the most.

And speaking of sequels, I am completely excited to see one after seeing the mid-credits scene. When that scene came on, that’s the first time in a long time that I’ve heard a there burst into applause and cheers. They could really be on to something here with a Sonic film franchise and I never thought I’d say this but I want to see what happens next!

Defying my worst fears, Sonic the Hedgehog is a cute movie that makes for a great time. While the story has a few pacing issues, Jim Carrey’s performance as Dr. Robotnik makes up for most of the issues, and the hints of what may come in a sequel leave me eager for more. If you go in with an open mind, you are definitely going to enjoy this movie.

Let me know what you think about Sonic the Hedgehog in the comments below and have a great day!

See also:

Film Reviews

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Soundtrack Review: Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)

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WaterTower Music has announced that the soundtrack for Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is finally available for purchase. The soundtrack features 27 tracks composed for the motion picture by Daniel Pemberton. He is a multi Golden Globe, Emmy and Bafta Award-nominated composer who has been regularly cited as one of the most exciting and original new voices working in modern film scoring today. Constantly working with some of the most renowned names in the industry Pemberton has scored projects for the likes of Danny Boyle (Yesterday, Steve Jobs), Ridley Scott (All The Money In The World, The Counsellor), Aaron Sorkin (Molly’s Game), Darren Aronofsky (One Strange Rock), Edward Norton (Motherless Brooklyn), Louis Leterrier (Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance) and Guy Ritchie (The Man From UNCLE, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword).

Regarding the score, composer Daniel Pemberton had the following to say:

One of the best things about writing this score was the fact I felt Harley Quinn as a character would be into anything – I can see her listening to whatever she wants: opera, metal, hip-hop, EDM, rockabilly, gospel, pop. I always felt she didn’t really care for one thing – she’d absorb them all and not give a f*** if anyone thought it was cool or not. So, I felt I’d do that with the music. In the same way she dresses like no one else, pulling disparate styles together to make something her own, I wanted to do the same with the score. Then couple that with a crew of other great larger-than-life characters and the completely unique take on Gotham that director Cathy Yan has created, a world with a kaleidoscopically colorful palate, you have something very special to inspire you.

And the soundtrack for Birds of Prey truly is an eclectic collection of musical styles befitting the insane mind of Harley Quinn and the twisted world of Gotham. Anyone who describes this soundtrack as being “not much to listen to” really hasn’t been paying attention. While it’s true that several of the tracks firmly belong to the pop rock genre, others, and I must cite “The Black Mask Club” by name, are more traditional, with an aura of menace generated by the strings.

I’m also a really big fan of the fast-paced electronic music that characterizes the early parts of the films (particularly Harley getting really drunk at the club). It really gets you into Harley’s state of mind, not just in the moment but as a whole. You have to remember that Harley Quinn is a crazy person at the core, and the electronic music fits that part of her perfectly. It’s frenetic, almost manic, and it symbolizes Harley’s insane mind racing along from one idea to the next with little to no concept of the consequences. “Harley Gogo Agogo” is a great example of this idea.

Of course a lot of the soundtrack is just fun to listen to, like “Battle Commences” and “Fight Together.” Pemberton is really skilled at weaving together music that heightens the action on the screen or making potentially dull moments interesting, it’s one of the reasons I like his work so much. There is always something going on in this soundtrack, and in this case that’s a good thing.

Track List

Flying High (Birds of Prey)
The Fantabulous Emancipation Explosion
Harley Quinn (Danger Danger)
Birds of Prey
Harley Gogo Agogo
The Black Mask Club
Stolen Diamond
Bad Ass Broad (Whistle MF)
Lonely in Gotham
Black Canary Echo
The Bertinelli Massacre (The Huntress Story)
Bump It!
Roman Sionis
Lockdown
Bruce and the Beaver
Lotus Flower
Femme Fatale
Breakout!
The Bertinelli Revenge
I Want To Kill You Because I Can
Zsasz Showdown
Work Together
Battle Commence
Fight Together (Birds Of Prey)
Founders Pier
Roller Vs Rollers
The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn

I hope this review has inspired you to check out Daniel Pemberton’s soundtrack for Birds of Prey, which is available for purchase now. I certainly enjoyed listening to it, and it proves once again why Pemberton is one of my all-time favorite film composers.

Let me know what you think about the soundtrack in the comments below and have a great day!

Film Soundtracks A-W

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My Thoughts on Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)

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Oh where do I even START with Birds of Prey?? It’s been almost a full 24 hours since I sat down to see this movie and I’m still wondering how to piece together what I think of this film. At one point, I didn’t think I’d ever be sitting down to watch any kind of follow-up to Suicide Squad (2016), but here I am having done it, and I loved it!

Well, first let’s start with the obvious: Birds of Prey is a fantastic film. I walked out of the theater feeling highly satisfied with the experience. This is the kind of comic book movie that I love, the kind that features the misfits and crazier characters that can be found in these types of films. And Birds of Prey certainly isn’t lacking there: for those who haven’t heard, the story follows a certain Harley Quinn as she embarks on a new life of independence after unceremoniously breaking up with the Joker. There’s just one tiny little hiccup in this plan: now that she’s single, most of Gotham wants Harley dead. And that’s just the beginning of the story, it gets crazier from there.

You can practically feel the tug between male and female in this movie, with Roman Sionis (and his downright creepy henchman) serving as the epitome of everything that is wrong with the male patriarchy, while Harley and the other Birds of Prey show all the ways things can be awesome when you turn awesome and badass women loose on the world.

The casting for this film is spot-on:

Margot Robbie is the perfect cinematic Harley Quinn (though I will always have a special place in my heart for Arleen Sorkin, the animated Harley from Batman: TAS), and watching her interact with the other “Birds of Prey” is a lot of fun.

Jurnee Smollett- Bell is AMAZING as Dinah Lance (aka Black Canary). Aside from Harley herself, Dinah is absolutely my favorite character in the film, please give her her own movie because I would sit down to watch it. (minor spoiler: the moment where we get to see Black Canary’s power is as awesome as you think it will be).

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is a good Huntress, though I almost wasn’t a fan of how she played the character (I have a special place in my heart for Huntress). Though, having had time to think about it, I get why the film does what it did with the character. I will say it might not be what you expect, so keep an open mind when she’s introduced.

Rosie Perez and Ella Jay Basco are a lot of fun to watch as Renee Montoya and Cassandra Cain respectively. With Perez, you really feel Montoya’s frustration as all of these road blocks are placed in front of her. And Basco is just phenomenal. Give her more roles as Cassandra Cain and I will come see the films that include her.

I would dearly love to watch a movie starring all of these ladies again. I don’t even care what the story is about, I just want to see all of them together again.

And then there’s Ewan McGregor as Roman Sionis. Outside of the awesome Birds of Prey, his performance is one of the biggest highlights of the film. He’s terrifying, he’s funny, and my God he’s PERFECT for this movie.

With all of that said, I should add that Birds of Prey is not a perfect movie. It does take a while to get going, and the film’s storyline is a little problematic at times. However, once things really get going, oh man do they ever get going. From the third act onward I was riveted to the screen. The climax of this film was everything I wanted and more. Please, please, please, PLEASE give me more of this in future DC films and I will be a very happy movie-blogger indeed.

I also can’t review this film without giving Daniel Pemberton’s soundtrack a mention. He’s quickly become one of my favorite film composers and this film features all the reasons why I love his work. The music is quirky and perfectly suited to this madcap story, and it includes a number of song selections that perfectly speak to the themes of man vs woman. Hopefully I’ll be able to get my hands on the soundtrack at some point for a more proper review.

What I’m trying to say is that you really should go see Birds of Prey. It’s a little messy in a few places but the latter half of the film is immensely satisfying and more than makes up for any faults in my opinion.

Let me know what you think about Birds of Prey in the comments below and have a great day!

Thoughts on Suicide Squad (2016)

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