Bee Movie.
114 Mins. Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Dylan O'Brien, Justin Theroux, Angelea Basset, Peter Cullen & John Ortiz. Director: Travis Knight.
Bumble young bee, bumble! The nuts and bolts of the 'Transformer' franchise has really transformed now. A welcome change from the Michael Bay pig-headed direction of explosions by every sunset in epic, overexposed slow motion. Not to insult, I only want to spread love with what I write...genuinely. Which reading reviews will probably tell you I'm in the wrong game (and yep I kind of give everything either a 4 or 3.5 out of 5, I'll admit it). But I want to celebrate cinema, especially in this streaming age of Netflix and chill at home on your own. The beauty, the romance. Just like your date of driving out to the big screen when the lights go down is so much better than being stuck on the sofa, glued to your phone. And every film from big blockbusters to indie darlings, no matter the prize or misfire (hello 'Dawn Of' critical injustice) have something about them that make them special. Otherwise they would have never left the studio lot. It's like what Tom Hanks (no stranger to thick and thin as the Hollywood star with the thickest famous filmography) said about your favourite bands and even when they release a bad album, you can still see their heart in there (I think he was trying to explain 'Larry Crowne' and 'Cloud Atlas'...but God help anyone trying to explain that...still liked it though. C'mon it's me). Even the let's still be thankful turkeys at Christmas have their trimmings and those being buried in the dry heave of January sometimes garner hidden treasure. Especially come Oscar bid season, or all the fall favourites you want to catch up with after that hectic end of the calender on New Year's. But I digress, because sometimes s### is just, well...s###. And after his homage to Hasbro with the first terrific 'Transformers' film, Michael Bay suffered an 'Armageddon' of a sophomore slump. Before the most exciting blockbuster buster in Hollywood ended the Shia LaBeouf trilogy on an excited skyscraper splitting high note, with the enthused energy of his scene stealing and all singing 'Fast and Furious' footsoldier Tyrese Gibson. But after all that came more and a little too much despite the addition of Hollywood heavyweight Mark Wahlberg as Shia had surely had enough. After the cash, bang and wallop, white noise and prolific and perplexing product placement of the first of these mad movies dulled every sense, I gave it a pretty bad review saying something like, "my childhood had been ruined" or similar to that nature. Too much? Probably. But looks who's talking! As for the last one. I didn't even see it. Can't even remember its name. So what does that tell you? But forgive my ignorance I will take blame now, as it almost had the same effect here for a man who was more excited about the 'Bad Boys For Life' Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reunion when he found out Bay wasn't helming it (O.K. this looks too much like hate talk now. He's actually a great director with a lot of skill. But let's say sometimes he should just reign it in...just a little. But no 'Pain & Gain' right?!). Because after my words were stung by the perfect surprise left under the tree that is 'Bumblebee', this Transformer who uses famous quotes for words has left me saying, I'm buzzing.
1987. Now children of Optimus Prime to save our "ruined" childhoods we have to take it back to our collective, 80's baby childhoods, like our 'Back To The Future' faded pictures in this selfie age of millennials. Because our "Great Scott", Doc Brown here with the Lakers canary coloured car of tomorrow, Travis Knight (no not the former NBA back-up big man, but the master rapper behind the 'Kubo And Two Strings' classic) is taking us back to the drive of the residence on 'E.T.' street. All for a Spielbergian story that phones the same home of that and the time Vin Diesel's rust and gravel 'Iron Giant' superhero before the Stark Marvel told us he'd go whilst we stay. Because behind honeycomb vision and a nest of intricate mechanisms we can finally CGI see in all their detailed, blueprint changing design, for formidable fight were we can actually see the fists. And no longer transforming into a Beats Pill or what for some reason counts as a script. One 'Indiana Jones' boulder chasing moment sees two bots rocking and rolling, whilst our hero runs from a melee that is as awe-inspiring cinematic as it is convincingly realistic. Behind all those scraps of metal is a beating heart for a beautiful, throwback story of epic escapism of every emotion, showing that some superheroes wear car door wings instead of capes. The perfect slept on Christmas movie to wake up the New Year blues right there with Disney's joyful of sugar in 'Marry Poppins Returns' and the DC Comics 'Aquaman' they all thought would sink, but instead swam to a billion box office with a trident triumph. And tenderly touching to the open palms, never has the connection between human and CGI robot looked, or more important felt to tear jerking real, no longer blockbuster raw. This is really something. Something special. All the way to the detailed facial expressions of an android who can evoke expression in the electric blue eyes of its soul core. Eliciting more "awws" than dentists asking you to "open wide". Now that's real Hasbro heart for a perfect kids movie that educates lessons of life and loss and teaches us to do more than just blow s### up. There's nothing mechanical here. In this digital age this instant vintage, retro like an old Casio, couldn't be more human.
Nuanced in nostalgia just as much this thing, 'It' is just as aesthetic atmospheric as those kids world in 'Stranger Things'. In this small town across the California gate of the gap bridged by San Francisco to the golden era of movies and music. From the basement to the garage as 80's set as the 'Breakfast Club' of radio alarm clocks that shoot up like the Pop Tarts out the toaster. As the heart of this movie wakes up this testament time with modern traditional tribute. From drumming along to The Smiths with a toothbrush between spits whilst rocking and Elvis Costello and The Attractions band tee. To the soundtrack you're about to Sam Cooke Spotify, but you should save for vinyl. Or all those vintage cassettes flipped through and tape deck popped in (you know this writer who considers Aussie rock God Michael Hutchence a real hero was full of heart when he saw this movie 'Kick' it with a mystifying INXS classic that Side A to B will 'Never Tear Us Apart', even if we lived for over a thousand years). Taking all this on A-Ha to Bon Jovi the only thing that will be given up is the chance to be Rick rolled here to hilarious, "we ain't ready for that yet" effect. As this submarine yellow Beetle to Bee origin story that Easter Egg cracks open so many hidden truths, previously voiced by 'Maze Runner's Dylan O'Brien with a heroes heart (slick Justin Theroux, legend Angela Bassett and of course as always Peter Cullen provide the other robotic voices) tunes into many a classic to communicate what he's trying to say to heart warming, hair standing on end, fuzzy feeling effect. And just wait until he takes a "watch that vase", classic extraterrestrial honouring tour around a house to rival the one Macaulay Culkin brought back for Christmas 'Home Alone'. Google it. We have no idea how lucky we think we actually are these days. But through all the Hollywood moments of entertainment history and a game cast. Featuring a 'Trainwreck' hilarious scene wrestler, who rock armed up and built like a Humvee wants in on the action in John Cena. Who see it to believe is so ready for this type of Josh Duhamel, military grade movie stardom I want to exclaim his name on a Vine whilst shoving two flutes up my nose. Plus character actor great John Ortiz back in the lab and the kid from 'Love Simon' and 'Spider-Man: Homecoming', Jorge Lendeborg Jr. fondly showing us that John Hughes young love, genuine awkwardness. It's Hailee Steinfeld that is so sensational, yet so underrated that she makes us believe and more importantly love it all. Mesmerising and moving. From the very first connected meeting of shy and insecure minds under the hood. "The driver doesn't pick the car, the car picks the driver". And sometimes the movie doesn't pick the star. The star picks her own one born. And it's that mystical bond between woman and machine that wins our heart. Steinfeld always displaying great poise and 'True Grit' since her child star days were she was robbed of the Oscar is all grown up now to the point you forget it's the same person and amazing character disappearing actress. This singing star is 'Pitch Perfect'. Aca-YES! And with this comic-book one shot being the most outstanding, best autobot yet, it's almost a shame we won't get to see this Bee and butterfly blooming actor sting the critics again. But then again just like 'E.T.' why revisit or reboot something so perfect (do NOT phone home again in CGI Hollywood...ever)? There is no way they could remake something that's just remade a whole franchise from the storytelling toy chest. Now back light-years ahead of its time, how's that for buzz? TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Transformers', 'ET', 'The Iron Giant'.
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