Disney Pixar's Coco Dazzles In Rich Visuals While Serving As A Powerful Testament To The Strength Of Family And The Pursuit Of One's Dreams

       When it comes to making animated movies that are visually breathtaking while being emotionally powerful in terms of both storytelling and narrative, no one does it better than Disney's Pixar as they're​ able to create visually enchanting worlds while presenting audiences with stories and characters, whom they ultimately come to care about. Their trackrecord of films is highly impressive not just with how successful they manage to turn out financially, but how many of their films were able to resonate with audiences in regards to achieving both critical acclaim and stature. What makes them such a unique studio is the diverse group of stories they create, that not only charm the pants off young audiences but can move them with the emotional journeys they take them on. With 2017's Coco, Pixar not only creates a story that both celebrates as well as honor Hispanic culture, it also serves as being a visually enchanting and deeply moving tale made around the themes of life, family, culture, death, and remembrance. For the acclaimed animated studio, Coco stands as being one of their finest works as well as further establishing them as being the best in the business in terms of crafting beautiful pieces of animated work, that manages to be entirely possessive of both heart and emotion. 

      The plot for Coco centers around a young boy named Miguel (Voiced brilliantly by Anthony Gonzalez), who carries around his guitar and constantly practices his skills at playing. Desperate for a music career, he defies his families opposition to music and consults with his ancestors in the Land of the Dead. What makes Coco's story so effective is the amount of heart it possesses, as well as being charming, thoughtful, and poignant. While the films breathtaking animation provides the film with its shell, it's the soul that the story carries which makes audiences connect with it on a deep level. The film serves as being a powerful stamp on the idea that family members should support one another in career choices, but that family is most important overall. In delivering that message, Coco gives audiences characters that they grow connected to as well as centering them around a story structure and narrative, that they can find relatable on an emotional level. As a representation of Hispanic culture, Coco feels rich, colorful, and highly respectful with its script taking direct inspiration from the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day Of The Dead), as well as glorifying the culture as a whole from the style of music to peoples clothing and family ties. Coco is a film that feels like it was made with a genuine pride and respect for the stories main setting with the film being purely delightful to watch along with feeling heartfelt at times. It's beautifully drawn, brilliantly written, and acted with both excitement and enthusiasm for the films main story and touching message regarding how important family is, and that one should always pursue as well as follow their dreams. For young audiences as well as older ones watching it, Coco gives them an experience that's thrilling to watch with it sticking with them long after its over due to its empowering narrative.

      As incredible as Coco's visual world appears, it's the wonderful and energetic voice acting from its main cast that makes it work as being an experience that feels both special and genuine. The vocal work here is phenomenal with everyone delivering the right level of enthusiasm and emotion required for their roles. Anthony Gonzalez as Miguel provides the film with both its heart and pulse with his charming voice performance as a young boy, who dreams of being a musician and is determined to be such regardless of how his family feels about music overall. His performance is the key to the audience becoming connected with the story and he manages to do a fantastic job of making his character both likable and sympathetic. Gael Garcia Bernal is terrific as Hector, a charming trickster in the Land of the Dead who enlists Miguel to help him visit the Land of the Living. He plays his character as being a tragic figure as its later revealed that he's Miguel's true great-great grandfather. Benjamin Bratt turns in an excellent voice acting performance as Ernesto de la Cruz, the most famous musician in the history of Mexico and Miguel's idol who happens to be more popular in the Land of the Dead compared to the Living. Bratt plays his character as having a Frank Sinatra type persona with him carrying swagger and confidence, as well as having an obsession with both his legacy and image. Alanna Ubach impresses as Miguel's late great-great grandmother Mama Imelda, whose also Hector's wife, Coco's mother, and the matriarch of the family. Other noteworthy supporting roles include Renee Victor as Coco's daughter and Miguel's grandmother Abuelita, whose shown to strictly enforce the Rivera family's music ban. Ana Ofelia Murguia shines in her warm and touching performance as Mama Coco, Miguel's great-grandmother and the daughter of Hector and Imelda. Other fun supporting voice roles include Edward James Olmos as Chicharron, a friend of Hector's who ultimately becomes forgotten in the Land Of the Dead, and Alfonso Arau as Coco's husband and Miguel's late great-grandfather Papa Julio. The cast as a whole for Coco is wonderfully diverse in terms of talent with the actors being of Latin American descent, driving home the authenticity of the story. Each performance adds something special to the story with the actors and actresses all personalizing their roles as the family traditions shown in the film speak to their own family legacies, as well as large portions of the audience watching Coco. 

      On both a directing and technical note, Lee Unkrich once again solidifies himself as being a masterful filmmaker of animation who can generate visually colorful and breathtaking worlds, while simultaneously being able to connect with the audience emotionally. His previous works on Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo, and Toy Story 3 further emphasize that he's a filmmaker who carries the right balance between telling a story and giving it the visual flare that's demanded. With Coco, Unkrich creates an experience that's immersive for the audience along with presenting Latino culture in a form that glorifies it, as well as making the whole story emotionally captivating and ultimately empowering. The films animation is top notch with it being the first Pixar film to be filmed in 3D, making it the ideal icebreaker for the studio given its colorful imagery. The locations in Land of the Dead gives the story a Tim Burton style feel to it with both the sets and costume design being gorgeously sketched along with showcasing Mexican culture in full form. The films running time is longer than the average Pixar animated film at 109 minutes, but it's story moves at a steady pace which allows the building up and establishing of characters along with the story to make the films emotional climax pay off. The films key scene involving its main theme Remember Me, is beautifully drawn and brought to life in a form that feels poetic as well as being a tear-jerking moment for the audience. The soundtrack is perfect for the story with the main song hitting home with its strategic placements within the story, along with the different guitar songs that Miguel, Ernesto, and Hector sing throughout the film that blend in along with serving as being highly complimentary of Hispanic culture. UnKrich does a fantastic job of bringing the story to life in a form that not only feels both groundbreaking and remarkable visually, but helps restore Pixar studios as being one that can generate original animated stories again rather than relying on numerous sequels to previously established hits of theirs. The work that's brought to Coco on a filmmaking front feels sincere with Lee UnKrich demonstrating a clear amount of respect and adoration for the films story and the culture that its inspired by. He gives his all and puts the story in the best format possible in making it an experience, that feels larger-than-life for audiences.

      The films emotional core along with its strong message regarding family is further cemented by its writing. The script written by Adrian Molina and Matthew Aldrich based off a story by Unkrich, Jason Katz, Matthew Aldrich, and Adrian Molina is well thought out and explores many relevant themes such as the dreaming of success, figuring out ones calling, the strength and love of family, death, remembering loved ones, believing in the afterlife, and family curses. Coco takes these themes and presents them in a way that makes them feel both poignant and self-reflective of Latin culture with Miguel desiring to be a successful musician someday and keep the family tradition going. The film takes the concepts of death, as well as the remembrance of loved ones and presents them in a form that feels both mature and respectful. What the script does well is take many of the films different themes and issues and blend them together nicely while enriching the family values of the films chosen culture it glorifies. The characters are both well established and developed with Miguel's character being relatable and sympathetic to the audience with the plot twist revolving around Hector and Ernesto being both surprising and well-executed. The buildup of emotion throughout the story is handled well with the climactic end scenes paying off emotionally with one being hard-pressed not to shed a tear at the end. As a story, Coco works best as being a masterfully written and heartwarming story about family, faith, pride, tradition, and the beauty of Mexican culture with its originally making the whole experience feel more spontaneous and special. The script also works as being both insightful as well as informative for audiences in regards to giving them a representation of what Day of the Dead is and what it stands for in Hispanic culture.

     As a film that aims to tell a moving story about the importance of family and living out ones dreams along with serving as a celebration of Hispanic culture, Coco succeeds on all counts. It not only stands as being one of Pixar's finest efforts, but reaffirms their stature as being an animated studio that can still produce charming and hard-hitting stories, that not only feel original but properly honor the cultures they represent. Coco is a beautifully told and richly satisfying celebration of life as well as being an observance of death, and the remembrance and hope that someday both parties will reunite in the afterlife. For Latinos and those of Mexican descent, they couldn't ask for a greater representation of their cultural heritage than what Disney's Pixar give here. Coco is a film will charm the pants off its audience, dazzle them with top notch animation, and move them to tears with the message it proudly delivers. The film proudly earns its well-deserved wins for the Best Animated Film Oscar as well as Best Song for Remember Me.

Final Verdict: For Disney fans and those who enjoy Hispanic culture, Coco is a must see as it largely satisfies on both ends while establishing itself as being a modern animated classic. 

The Favorite Thrives As Being An Unusually Witty Period Piece That's Wonderfully Acted By Its Main Cast And Masterfully Directed

      

    

       One of the key elements that makes movies designed as being historical set-pieces​ so interesting as well as engaging for the audience, are the distinct and unique forms of storytelling that each filmmaker brings to their respective stories. Whereas most films based around historical settings tend to follow a straight-forward and even narrative, there are some that aim to take a more unconventional and unique approach in telling their stories. With 2018's The Favorite starting Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, audiences get that unusually different approach that not only feels bizarre but is bold, daring, and ultimately comes across as feeling a bit timely with its overall themes and messages. Named as one of the top 10 best films of 2018 and nominated for 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture with a single win for Olivia Colman in a supporting actress role as Queen Anne, The Favorite aimed to throw audiences off their feet with both its weird and witty style of telling its story with the end result being that for the most part, it works. Whereas The Favorite may not be among the most interesting of films set around a different historical era and can be too much of a slow-burner for the average filmgoer, there's much to appreciate here in terms of the strong performances the main cast of lead actresses deliver along with the crafty direction that filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos brings to the story. 

      Set during 18th century England, the plot for The Favorite focuses on a frail Queen Anne (Played by Olivia Colman) occupying the throne with her close friend, Lady Sarah (Played by Rachel Weisz) govering the country in her stead. When a new servant arrives named Abigail (Played by Emma Stone), her charm endears her to Sarah along with capturing the attention of the queen with both women finding themselves fighting for her favor. Designed as a dark comedy disguised as a period piece, The Favorite aims to surprise audiences with both its strange blending of wit and knife-in-the-back politics. The film aggressively entertains its audience with the fantastic acting of its main trio with Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, and Olivia Colman delivering some of the finest performances of their careers with striking, cinematography, gorgeous costume and set design cementing the whole proceedings as a unique and bold period piece. The movie is essentially about two women fighting for the affections of their queen with Lanthimos getting the most of his cast. The Favorite works as being a well-staged and put together production that carries a smartly written and quirky script with fantastic performances, strong production qualities, and directing that's skillful at blending all of the films key elements together in making it a striking period piece that catches the audiences attention along with maintaining it. The most notable aspect of the film is how much its willing to take risks with its unconventional style of storytelling. Instead of taking a bland approach to telling its story, the film is willing to reimagine its historical plot in a way that subverts audiences expectations while still managing to entertain and ultimately satisfy for those who carry an open mind for the films changes to history as well as its darkly comedic approach. The Favorite is not a film that aims to play it safe nor please everyone, but those going in with the expectation of receiving an unusual yet artistic approach to its story will be satisfied by the films overall quality and dynamic performances from its main cast. 

     As skillful as the films writing and directing comes across, it's the killer performances from the main trio that make the story work as well as it ultimately does. All three actresses here are phenomenal and rightly earn their respective Oscar nominations for their performances. The dedication that the lead actresses put into their roles and display on the screen, is evident with each doing both a beautiful and effective job of playing their roles. Rachel Weisz delivers an excellent performance as Lady Sarah, Queen Anne's confidante, advisor, and secretive lover who rules the country largely due to her influence over the queen. Weisz performance is near flawless with her characters presence being authoritative, commanding and darkly witty with her character establishing herself as being the one wearing the pants in the relationship between her and Anne along with essentially filling in her shoes as being the undisclosed ruler of Great Britain. As great as Weisz turns out to be in her role, Emma Stone also impresses as Sarah's impoverished younger cousin Abigail Hill, who arrives in search of employment. Stone does a great job of displaying her characters vulnerabilities as she's forced to do menial work as a scullery maid in the palace. The role Stone plays is unlike any that she's played before previously with her not only managing to do a terrific job but is a delight to watch when her character begins to compete against Lady Sarah for the affections of the queen. Not only are Weisz and Stone excellent together as the films main leads, both manage to work off each other in terms of generating the best performances while showcasing strong chemistry. As terrific as Weisz and Stone are in the main roles, it's Olivia Colman who both surprises as well as impresses as the ill and ineffective Queen Anne. Like the other actresses, Colman is brilliant in her performance with her showing the frail state of her character, as well as both her lack of desire to rule any further along with her affection for both female servants. The relationship between the three main characters in the film are presented as being dynamic with their performances and chemistry being on point. Colman's performance helps to solidify the strength of the trip with her Oscar win being well-deserved. The rest of the supporting cast delivers strong and notable performances with Nicholas Hoult as Robert Harley, leader of the Opposition who thwart's Sarah's efforts to control Anne with him arguing against a doubling of property taxes proposed to fund the war against the French, and Joe Alwyn as Masham, British courtier in the court of Queen Anne, as well as the husband of her favorite, Abigail Masham. The cast for The Favorite remains one of its most appealing and strongest elements with everyone delivering performances that range from being good to phenomenal. The film ultimately wouldn't work as effectively as it does if it didn't have the combined talents of its main actresses giving their all on the screen, along with working exceptionally well together. Regardless of how one feels about the film as a whole given its darkly comedic tone, it can be agreed upon that the performances from the main actresses stand as being one of the films main highlights.

      What helps make the performances of the main actresses so appealing as well as effective, is the skillful direction that filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos brings to the story. He manages to give the film a rich and stylish production that masterfully blends with the stories dryly funny tone. The cinematography is beautifully handled with the film utilizing a combination of steady cam, wide angle shots, and long tracking ones that give film lovers flashbacks to the style of cinematography that Stanley Kubrick used in his films. The films set and costume design are terrific with both selling the stories timeline to the audience. The black and white costumes appropriately fit the tone of the story with the brownish background being effectively used. The costumes also manage to represent the characters and events they experience in the story such as Abigail's constant changing wardrobe with the further she climbs up the social ladder. The films editing moves the story at a snail's pace but builds up growing conflict between Lady Sarah and Abigail, as well as showing the jealously both parties hold when it seems that the other has the advantage in terms of having the queen's affections. Lanthimos sets up the first half of the movie to be humor based while establishing the relationship between the main trio before taking things down a darker and more cynical path with the films second half. The score is also effective in blending with the films period setting with its score consisting mostly of baroque and classical music. I'm terms of directing, Lanthimos gives the film a dark and slapstick approach in terms of presenting a story that essentially revolves around the theme of power and those competing against each other to get in a higher position of it. He takes what's essentially a straight-forward narrative and spins it on its head with the bizarre approach taken in telling the story. The films sexual content is handled in a way that's​ beneficial to the story as well as surprising the audience in terms of shock value that reemphasize the story as not only being about fighting over power, but is also one about seduction. In terms of overall look, Lanthimos gives the film the right grim black and white look that's revealing of its tone. If anything, he demonstrates both his firm and creative hand in meshing a historical set-piece with witty and dry-wit humour.

      The screenplay by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara serves as being a well-written and thoughtful effort, that essentially works as being an effective morality play between the three characters with themes incorporated into its script regarding greed, wealth, power, manipulation, jealously, blackmail, loyalty, betrayal, confidence, and solidifying one's own position within society. The overall message that the film conveys is a timely one which says amoral people can rise to power by manipulation, flattery, and ultimately a lack of empathy which is evidenced by the firm grip that Lady Sarah has over Queen Anne, along with the jealously she displays upon seeing Abigail being favored by her. What the script does well is build up the conflict between both Sarah and Abigail with their relationship with Anne feeling like a confused love triangle with the two women doing their absolute best to one up each other. The writing comes across as feeling smart and well thought out with the roles of the two women beginning to reverse over the course of the story with Abigail going from being the vulnerable and struggling newcomer to being the queen's new favorite, and Sarah going from being the one in control to her being pissed and jealous at Abigail's progression in terms of winning Anne's heart. The scenario is written in a way that makes it feel cruel, seductive, yet engaging to watch with everything from lousy tricks to ground shiftings between the two being thrown out there. The script also does well with emphasizing how people mislead and use others to further their own personal gain which is evidenced by Abigail getting close to the queen in order to retain her aristocratic roots after being gambled away by her father in a game of whist, as well as marrying Masham for both financial and stature purposes. The screenplay's most compelling element is how it flips the roles of both main characters as the story progresses with the three main actresses all carrying complexed performances that aren't usually seen in today's films. It's the complexity of the characters as well as the dark and satirical edge of the story that allows the audience to become invested in the film, along with holding their interest throughout its 120 minute running time.

      The best way to describe how The Favorite presents its story to the audience, is that its fearless. The film takes both risks and chances with altering historical events regarding the characters and plot to make it more compelling with the end result being that it works in giving audiences an unusual yet rewarding experience with characters they grow connected to in the films period setting. The film is aggressive in its desire to entertain, and is detailed in its exploration of how power and manipulation can put the most amoral people in a high position of having it. Those who appreciate well-acted and staged period pieces will find much to appreciate here with the performances being the soul of the movie, as well as the directing being stylishly effective. While it may be a bit too slow-moving for mainstream audiences along with its humour being hit or miss, those looking for strange yet bold unconventional storytelling will find this to be a genuinely fun and enjoyable experience if they watch it with the appropriate mindset. If anything else, the performances from the main actresses alone are worth the watch.

Final Verdict: Fans of historical period pieces and those who like bizarre and completely random forms of storytelling will appreciate and enjoy The Favorite as it's stunningly well acted, brilliantly written, and directed by a filmmaker who shows a firm hand over his craft.

On The Basis Of Sex Delivers A Fairly Insightful And Honorable Tribute To An American Trailblazer In Her Fight For Gender Equality

    

       Heroes come in different forms whether they're male or female. That also includes trailblazers or people who begin a trend, that will lead to the betterment of the lives of others in society. That certainly is the case with the story of Ruth Bedar Ginsberg being given a larger-than-life presentation in On The Basis Of Sex. Although biopics on famous and inspiring people can be a challenge to make as they not only have to be respectful to the real-life people their telling the story about, they also must serve as being compelling stories on their own right. In a time where both gender and women's rights are being put into question and in some cases being outright threatened, the story of Ruth Bedar Ginsberg's rise to stature as a Supreme Court Justice feels appropriate in bringing to the big screen as it's deeply inspirational and timely. Although the film didn't garner any major award nominations during it's initial 2018 theatrical release, it generated generally positive reviews from both critics and audiences with much praise going towards the films sincere approach to telling Ginsberg's story along with Felicity Jone's terrific performance as a young and tenacious Ruth Bader. Having seen the film, those praises are well-warranted with On The Basis Of Sex being a charming and inspirational biopic, that's brilliantly acted and firmly directed with a genuine respect and admiration for both the story and its main subject.

      Based on a true story, the plot for On The Basis Of Sex focuses on the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg with the film exploring the early cases of her historic career along with her struggles in fighting for equal rights, that led to her landmark nomination and confirmation as a member of the U.S Supreme Court Associate Justice. The story of Ruth Ginsberg is one that's groundbreaking and certainly worth telling as she went through both incredible odds and heavy opposition to bring effective change to the lives of others, while building an incredible legacy based on the pursuit for gender rights and equality. The film is noble in its intentions and aims to be completely respectful of Ginsberg's legacy, even if it comes across as feeling a bit formulaic at times and ultimately not being as groundbreaking as the career of its main subject despite being a solid effort. What On The Basis Of Sex does well at is giving audiences the essence of who Ruth Bedar Ginsburg is, while also showing that her climb to the Supreme Court was not an easy one with it ultimately being twice as hard for her due to her being a female. The film is essentially a story about a woman who wants to become a lawyer so she can help change the laws for the better. Her story is tightly-paced, exceptionally well-acted, and filmed with a sense of understanding regarding the extraordinariness of Ginsberg's life, that its hard not to think of the end result as being a solid effort. On the Basis Of Sex is all heart and proves to be a wonderful celebration of an American icon, who stood by her convictions and never stopped fighting until she made change both within the Supreme Court and outside of it. The filmmakers deserve commending for also taking a basic court case and making it an engaging one with the audience becoming emotionally invested in its outcome. 

      As well as the film manages to be in regards to storytelling, it's the performances of the main cast that make it work as strong and effective as it ultimately does with Felicity Jones performance as Ruth Bader Ginsberg providing the film with its heart and soul. Not only is she perfect casting for the role, she manages to capture all of Ginsberg's mannerisms along with conveying her characters struggles and frustrations in trying to succeed in a career/environment that's male dominated. The film is as strong and effective as it comes across due to her work here with Ginsberg treating the role with the appropriate respect and admiration it demands. The second best performance goes to Armie D. Hammer as Ruth's loyal and supportive husband Martin Ginsberg. Hammer does a terrific job as well with his character witnessing the significance of his wife's efforts, as well as being supportive of her regardless​ of the amount of opposition they endure. Both Hammer and Jones perform terrific together along with showcasing believable chemistry as a married couple. The audience gets a genuine feel for their relationship and care when Martin's character becomes sick and Ruth chooses to stand by him. The rest of the supporting​ cast does well with Cailee Spaeny as Ruth and Martin's daughter Jane C. Ginsberg. Spaney impresses with her role as the young daughter of Ruth, who embodies an activist spirit while pushing her mother to not succomb to the system that's rigged against women and to keep fighting. She becomes Ruth's conscience and motivation to keep fighting her case, particularly when Jane references Atticus Finch with To Kill A Mockingbird. Justin Theroux also shines with his effective role as Ruth's friend and boss Melvin Wulf. Theroux proves effective with his character believing in Ruth's cause, but also reminding her of limitations regarding her case. Kathy Bates also manages to surprise in her minimal yet pivotal role as a forgotten female trailblazing activist Dorothy Kenyon, who helps Ruth in her quest to fight her clients case along with bringing change to both gender and women's rights. The rest of the cast deliver notable performances with Sam Waterston as Erwin Griswold, Chris Mulkey in sympathetic performance as the client that Ginsberg defends, Charles Moritz, Jack Reynor as the young prosecutor going against Ginsberg's​ client, Stephen Root and Ronald Guttman as Ginsberg's former professors Ernest Brown and Gerald Gunther, who run against her on the opposing team attempting to discredit Ruth's case. The cast for On The Basis Of Sex has a great deal to do with why the film works as well as it does in terms of being a powerful presentation of Ginsberg's life and early achievements. Every performance is handled well and adds to the engagement the audience feels with the events depicted in the film. As well as the supporting cast does in helping to add both realism and believability to the story, it's the work of Felicity Jones and Armie D. Hammer that standout as being the best performances in the whole film with both actors appearing totally committed as well as passionate about playing their parts. 

      In addition to its exceptional acting performances, the films directing by Mimi Leder is well-handled with the story being given a rich and reasonably high quality production, that never allows the film to feel like a bland TV drama. Despite the noble intentions of its filmmaker, the film often comes across as feeling a bit old-fashioned and formulaic in terms of narrative with nothing new being shown. Leder's directing at times feels as if she's going through a checklist with including all the essential elements of an old school biography and legal drama such as intense courtroom showdowns, the personal struggles involving the lawyers of the defendants outside of court, and a powerfully effective closing argument that ensures victory due to it being so well-spoken and delivered by the main character. Although these scenes are well-executed in terms of both acting and directing, they feel like they're intended to make the film appeal as an award season flick, which ultimately makes Leder's directing feel a bit safe despite giving the film an inspiring feel to it. The film is well-shot with cinematography that blends well with the films costume and set design in transporting audiences back several decades prior to witness the rise of a young Ruth Ginsberg as a revolutionary activist beginning in the 1950's leading up to the 70's and 80's era. Each decade shown is properly represented with its overall look and style, further adding realism to the film. The score by Mychael Danna also serves as being an added plus for the film with the music enhancing the emotional core of the story, as well as its key dramatic moments. The editing gives the film a snails pace, though it makes complete sense given that both Leder and the films writers aim to take audiences through the early groundbreaking career of Ginsberg, which spans over the course of numerous decades. Even though the directing doesn't standout as being anything special that would've won it any major awards, Leder's work is well-crafted and heartfelt in placing the films main hero on the big screen in the most respectful yet larger-than-life form possible. One can truly feel the love and passion that the director has for the films main subject, while appreciating the attention to detail that Mimi gives the story, as well as delivering a tone that feels both insightful and compelling. What could've ended up being a boring biographical/courtroom drama is made into a heartfelt story thanks to the filmmakers desire to honor their subject.

      The films screenplay by Daniel Stiepleman is well-structured with the films main narrative remaining focused on Ginsberg beginning her legacy in law as a student at Harvard with her being apart of only a handful of women allowed to attend the class. The writing does a reasonably decent job of balancing out Ruth's early career along with the relationship between her family. With the film, the audience gets to know Ruth Bedar Ginsberg on a more personal level in terms of witnessing her struggle in regards to being taken seriously as a female attorney, while combating the endless amount of resistance as well as sexism she receives due to her gender. The script also manages to show how strong of a bond Ruth has with her husband Martin with her choosing to be supportive of him by attending both his Harvard classes, along with hers during his battle with testicular cancer. Her strength both as a character and person is shown with her not only tackling both work loads, but also caring for her sick husband and their infant daughter Jane. The script does a fine job of humanizing Ginsberg, along with making her relatable to audiences. The relationship between Ruth and her daughter Jane is significant in showing how Ruth temporarily gave into the rigged system, but found inspiration to keep fighting again with her ultimately taking the case of Charles Moritz, Jane serves as being Ruth's conscience when she loses sight of what she's fighting for while also serving as her personal cheerleader in fighting not just for her case, but also for both women and gender rights. The script effectively tackles relevant themes of today that mesh well with the events depicted in the story such as discrimination under the law based upon gender, experiencing disappointment which Ruth does whenever she is forcibly set back from achieving her goals or mistreated due to being a woman by society, gender roles, cultural  change, equal rights, protesting against Vietnam, tax law, privilege, morality, status quo, desegregation, stereotypes, legal ethics, and how words matter. The screenplay explores many of these themes and gives moments, that effectively convey them such as Ruth witnessing the privilege that her husband Martin experiences as he's complimented on his law skills by fellow colleagues with her efforts being unrecognized much to her frustration. The script also tackles stereotypes regarding what's expected in terms of gender roles with Ruth's client Charles being punished for being a male care provider for his mother with the expectation being that it's left up to a female to do such a task. While the films screenplay may feel as if it attempts to tackle all these important themes and risk buckling under its own pressure, the end result actually proves to be well-balanced as well as capturing the essence of who Ruth Ginsberg is along with showing that her landmark achievements despite being groundbreaking, were not easy to accomplish. With her character, Stiepleman not only informs the audience on her past but also makes her relatable to them with showing the constant denial she experiences of being given the same tasks as men with many members of the audience seeing themselves through her representation. If On The Basis Of Sex does anything right in regards to its writing, it's that it makes the audience fully understand who Ruth Bedar Ginsberg is for both those who are or aren't familiar with her, as well as showing that sometimes it ultimately takes one person to become the vessel for change in the realm of social justice.     

       As a film that desires and wants to become the go to source for learning about pioneering historical female trailblazers, On The Basis Of Sex proves itself to be worthy of such a title as it aims to inform its audience on the life of an extraordinary female, whose story is both motivational and inspiring to young generations of women. The film is not without its minor faults such as it often feeling a bit cliched and old-fashioned with its courtroom style drama, but the story is well-handled with sincerity and pure devotion in bringing Ginsberg's story to the big screen. The films message is also effectively driven home with it showing that Ruth Bedar Ginsberg devoted both her career and life to fighting for equal rights for women under the law, along with reshaping the perception of gender roles through winning her case. With Ginsberg's story, the filmmakers show that not all heroes need to have superpowers or costumes to make a difference in society. As the film shows, sometimes it just takes one person going against the odds with both the persistence and determination to succeed in making effective change, which is what Ginsberg has done. It may not be the most groundbreaking or original biographical drama, but its one that has its heart in the right place and aims to entertain, education, inform, and ultimately honor its subject in the most humble and respectful way. On that level, the filmmakers behind On The Basis Of Sex succeed while serving as a timely message for younger generations of women to preserve the progress Ginsberg has made thus far and push forward. Those wanting to learn more about the life of Ruth Bedar Ginsberg or the progression of women's rights, will find themselves enjoying as well as appreciating the efforts of the cast and crew as this is a story that's both well-told, and engrossing​ from start to finish.

Final Verdict: For both biographical and history buffs, On The Basis Of Sex serves as being a solidly effective and well-acted historical drama that respectfully presents it's iconic figure in a light that both humanizes, as well as celebrates her legendary career.

Southside With You Is A Sweet And Charming Look at Barack and Michelle Obama's First Date As Well As A Celebration Of Enduring Love

       

      Some of the strongest relationships and marriages can often begin with a simple date, even if both parties happen to be a young Barack Obama and young Michelle Robinson. When looking at the different type of biopics that Hollywood generally makes, one of the more understated ones are those that center around Presidential figures. Some of the more recent Presidential biopics have taken bold and controversial approaches in exploring their key historical figures such as Oliver Stones Nixon, 2008's W, Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, and to an extent 2018's Vice which starred Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Sam Rockwell. With Southside Of You, the filmmakers decided to opt out of making a direct biographical drama on the life of 44th President Barack Obama, and instead chose to focus on a pivotal moment in both the ex-president and former first lady's life. The filmmakers shape the story to feel like a romantic drama with the plot focusing on their fateful real-life date, which led to their eventual marriage as well as them becoming one of the strongest couples in political history. Instead of delving into the young life and politics centering around Barack Obama's two-term presidency, the film takes a more intimate approach with the blossoming of a strong romance that would ultimately shape and mold both parties lives with the rest being history. Southside With You serves as being a charming and sweet look at the young lives of Barack and Michelle Obama with their fateful first date being being both an engaging as well as an empowering experience for the audience. 

      The plot for Southside With You focuses on a 1989 summer afternoon first date with future President Of The United States Barack Obama, as well as future First Lady Michelle Obama (Then named Robinson), with both sharing stories centering around each others upbringing while exploring Chicago's South Side and catching a screening of Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing. For those who've seen the iconic Before Sunrise, Sunset, and Before Midnight trilogy which centered around a pair of fateful lovers meeting as well as spending a short period of time together with their romance blossoming into something that feels both passionate and real, Southside With You will give those viewers flashbacks as its story strongly resembles those films in regards to its design and overall story-structure. What could've ultimately ended up being a straight-forward and bland presidential biopic surprises audiences with its desire to take a different approach in regards to honoring its main subjects. The film feels more like an ideal date night flick to watch with one's significant other rather than a presidential biopic, that would be shown in a history class. While that may appear to be a direct criticism of the films chosen time setting, it's more of an acknowledgment of the fact that it took a different approach in depicting its real-life historical figures. To some, it may appear as being awkward that Barack and Michelle's first date was chosen as the main focus for the story but when looking at the way the film perfectly characterizes the two characters, it comes across as being both a smart and brilliant move as so much is conveyed between the two through their simple date. The film works as not just being strictly about their spontaneous romance, but also serves as an eye-opening reflection regarding the status of race in America. Although the film is set in 1989, the social themes and issues explored within its script pertain to today's society with both Barack and Michelle exchanging dialogue in which they reveal the challenges they face in trying to be successful in America as black individuals. Southside With You is not a typical presidential biopic nor does it set out to be as such, but where it succeeds and thrives at is celebrating a romance between two beloved people, that's built upon genuine affection as well as pure devotion to one another while exploring the idea of what it means to be black in America. 

      Despite the films sincere and intimate approach to telling its story, it's the strength of the main leads in regards to delivering their performances that ultimately make it work as well as it does. Both Parker Sawyer's and Tika Sumpter deliver fantastic performances as young Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson, with them both convincingly and flawlessly nailing their characters personas and mannerisms. Not only do both feel perfectly casted in their roles, they also share tremendous chemistry on screen. Parker Sawyer's performance as young Barack Obama feels inspired with him brilliantly conveying the appropriate mannerisms and tone of the real-life figure. He presents young Obama as being a charming, well-educated and smooth-talking individual whose bent on winning Michelle's heart on what he considers to be their first date. Sawyer does wonderfully with making his character likable along with giving audiences a glimpse of the type of person Obama was before entering the realm of politics. While Sawyer's​ performance is spot-on, it's the work of Tika Sumpter that stands out with her playing a guarded and resistant Michelle Robinson. Sumpter does terrific with portraying her character as being a compassionate and smart individual, who desires of making a difference in her community along with the lives of women. Her character comes across as being strong-willed, but also aware of the social barriers she crosses on a daily basis in terms of being her own person outside of work while changing her persona up to fit in with a more corporate version of America. Her character also plays a song and dance game with Sawyer's in terms of her not believing that both her and Barack are on a date while understating the obvious. It is however, the strength of the two main leads as well as their devotion to nailing their real-life individuals personas, that give the film the spark needed to make their simple date such a sweet and ultimately engaging experience for the audience. The chemistry that Sawyer and Sumpter present on the screen is remarkable, and helps a great deal of heart to the story along with a genuine thrill that the audience knows how their spontaneous first date will end. 

      Directed by Richard Tanne in his impressive feature film directorial debut, he does a solidly effective job of keeping the story grounded on a personal level. It becomes apparent while watching the movie that Tanne has a great amount of respect as well as affection for the relationship the Obama's hold as he clearly wants to safeguard their personal love story, but also present it in a fashion that's larger-than-life on the big screen. He gives the film an approach that feels both intimate and sincere with an atmosphere that comes across as feeling inviting for the audience into the lives of the Obama's before their turn into politics. Although the film carries with it a short running time of 84 minutes, the story is moved at a rather steady pace that allows for the characters of Barack and Michelle to be properly established, while making the progression of their  romance feel natural despite taking place over the course of one day. Tanne gives the film strong cinematography, that presents the story in both a crisp and bright look which makes it feel like summertime. He also utilizes exterior shots in capturing those pivotal moments where the main actors deliver exchanges or looks, that showcase emotion as well as affection for each other. The films costume and set design both go hand-in-hand in transporting audiences back to 1989, along with showing the South Side to be a less wealthy and more poverished side of Chicago. The movies soundtrack is both well-handled and effective in regards to driving home the 80's setting of the story with Janet Jackson's hit song from the time period Miss You Much playing in the background during the films opening sequence. As far as the films directing goes, Richard Tanne succeeds in presenting a feel good and sweet romance to audiences that not only is charming to watch, but is well-crafted with him putting his full talent on display. He allows his main leads enough freedom to become their historical counterparts with him keeping a steady yet gentle hand on the films story-structure and overall narrative. On a technical note, he manages to make the film appealing while letting both the main actors as well as the story speak for itself. 

      The films screenplay also by Tanne is smartly-written with the narratives​ primary focus being on the romance between young Barack and Michelle, while incorporating social themes and issues that are relevant in today's society such as curiosity, courage, empathy, and coming into one's own. The script is essentially a story about two young and bright people forming a strong connection with each other with them both trying to understand the world around them. The screenplay is heavily worded but the dialogue given to the main leads serves as being both thought-provoking and intelligent. Examples are scenes in which Barack and Michelle confide in each other about what it means to be black in America. Michelle's character is given dialogue in which she reveals the struggle she feels in regards to working twice as hard at her law firm both as a female and as a black woman having to leave one side of her identity behind outside of work in order to embrace a more successful person that fits along corporate lines. The audience is also given insight of Obama's past such as the anger he holds towards his father for not being there as evidenced by his conversation with Michelle prior to them watching Spike Lee's​ Do The Right Thing. The audience is also shown moments where young Obama is revealed as being an effective speaker such as him speaking to a church congregation regarding their frustration over the lack of funding they requested to help improve their neighborhood. Whereas the audience appears to be visibly frustrated, Obama's​ manages to instill both reassurance and hope with his words of wisdom. His influence on others is also shown as one of the mothers of a church reveal to Michelle that Obama's encouraging of her son to join the Navy paid off with him actually doing so. These moments are significant in the film because it gives both Michelle as well as the audience, the essence of who Barack is as well as giving early glimpses of him being both an effective and motivational speaker. His character also admits that he desires to obtain some type of civil rights or leadership which thrills the audience because they know what inevitably comes later down the road with the Obama's. The script also gives moments where racial division is evident such as the scenes involving Barack and Michelle watching Do The Right Thing in theaters and the aftermath where they run into one of their white colleagues from work with him showing visible frustration at Spike Lee's character throwing the trash can through the window of a shop he worked at in the film. Whereas his questioning shows a lack of understanding of what's happening in the film, Obama manages to give him a different angle of what that scene represents to make him better understand what was happening. The script for Southside With You may play out like a typical romance, but it's well thought out and explores the state of race relations in America while focusing its main story around young love.

      The best thing that can be said about Southside With You is how down to earth and relatable both its story and characters feel. One doesn't necessarily have to be a fan of the Obama's politically to have both respect as well as admiration for them and their undying love. While some audiences may be confused by the selected timeline for their biography and wish that the movie focused more on their run for political office, others will appreciate the gentle and admirable approach that director Richard Tanne took with wanting to explore the personal side of the Obama's while giving audiences the essence of who both Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson are. The film comes across as feeling completely (And perhaps overly) respectful with it often feeling a bit safe at times in telling its story, but the enthusiasm and passion behind its production is undeniable. The performances by both leads are phenomenal with one hoping that both actors become stars down the road, along with Tanne continuing to expand his strengths as both a writer and director. The film easily goes down as being one of 2016's best and most underappreciated films, and essentially serves as being a fitting send-off for the Obama's on the cinematic side. The film serves as being a clever combination of wittiness and satire with the film showing the back and forth between the main characters in regards to whether or not they're actually on a date, and the multiple conversations both have regarding the racism they experience with Michelle's character bearing the heavier testimony. The film is every bit a romantic flick as it is a biographical drama, but it's how the two genres are meshed together that make it standout as being effective and ultimately an uplifting and feel good experience. Whereas the film expresses the vulnerabilities that many people of color feel when being at the mercy of others, it also serves as being both an empowering and moving experience that's​ best summed up as being a celebration of true love, as well as taking pride in ones culture. For a film that wishes to honor it's real-life historical figures, one can't think of a better way to show adoration for their partnership than giving audiences a glimpse of their enduring love.

Final Verdict: For romance fans as well as those who enjoy solid biographical dramas, Southside Of You is a must see with it being solidly-filmed, charming, and ultimately inspirational with it's end message regarding love and appreciating ones culture and upbringing.