Canvas Marvel.
92 Mins. Starring: Brie Larson, Joan Cusack, Bradley Whitford, Mamoudou Athie, Karan Soni, Hamish Linklater & Samuel L. Jackson. Director: Brie Larson.
First born Unicorn. Let me ask you a question. Do you believe in those pointy horses? How about superheroes then? Pastel Harajuku colors canvas fashion this picture like neon on nightlife, or a BTS Korean Pop music video visual. But what's in store with Brie Larson's directorial debut, 'Unicorn Store' streaming on Netflix now? Well I tell you what, 'Captain Marvel' is back. And only a week later after flying off to space. All before she returns to a post 'Infinity War' paged earth to save the Avengers from their 'Endgame' in a snap. But just when you thought Samuel L. Jackson was 'Far From Home' and turned to Spider-Man dust (or should we say glitter?), he's back too motherf#####s! In the only film marshmallow fluff enough like his hair for him to not use the M.F. word he does in all those hundreds of other films he's in this year like punctuation. Looks like the 'Long Kiss Goodnight' homaged, Geena Davis like one, two partnership he has with the 'Wonder Woman' lassoing Larson has lasted to the morning after. And I can't even get a text back! Name a more iconic duo. Go on...we don't even need to wait. Chemistry set like you're book bags full of test tubes, this perfect partnership of real super talents never ended in 'Civil Wars' as they assembled Captain. But this unicorn is the real Marvel like MVP Buck Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is the real horse with the horn I'd buy if I had a store of this sprinkled magic fairy dust. Sorry James Harden...I still fear the beard. But as the brilliant Brie neglects the Hollywood cheesy for the whimsy of even young girls beyond Disney dreams, she paints the perfect picture in living colour of what happens to our youth when girls are no longer interrupted like Angelina Jolie, but instead given their own angelic halos and canvas stage to brush stroke the future. Bob Ross would be pleased with this tree as a friend happy little accident. But make no mistake this interest of a talent pursued is no mistake. This Avant Garde art project from Larson taking everyone to school is anything but paint by numbers.
Wishes and dreams do come true boys and girls in this existential coming of age story, that begins beautifully and perfectly personally with some real life home videos of a childhood Brie and all her hope and creativity becoming the young woman she is today. A great of this generation who is the perfect young role model for girls looking up to the twinkling Tinseltown stars like her superhero alias. Brie will make you believe. In all this and all of yourself. Colouring outside the lines and thinking outside the box for an iconic intro and art display. Even is snooty, shaking head faced critics want to draw a line right through it like a 'Velvet Buzzsaw' for this rainbow faced protégée downcast by their minimalist minds. Owning the 'Room' though like an Oscar, this Academy Award 'Best Actress' winner for her defining drama already has the acting smarts down. But now with this personal passion project that is a labour of longing love, she shows in her debut that her directing is as dynamite as it is dynamic. Exploding on a canvas of colour with her palette of parlor tricks. Bringing those real world 'Short Term 12' troubles of coming to terms with ourselves from our past, hiding behind something else to a 'Life Of Pi' like home based, sweet slice of storytelling. Save your rotten red tomatoes. Because in hues of pink, green, yellow and blue I haven't seen anything as fresh as this on a smartphone screen constantly refreshing in a long time. There's no other movie like this around right now. This all inclusive art has all the colours. Not just Kree green, or the red, white and blue of the Captain's stars that spangle like gold. Mar-vel may be what everyone is talking about right now. But this is the real marvel. And it's hard to hear I know but it even has a better alternative soundtrack to Carol Danvers' Discman of 90's nostalgia. As a brilliant Brie brings even more humour and humanity to this role that is probably the closest to the real her that she has had in her career. Nuanced in both comedy and drama as this outstanding offbeat movie sees her Kit character quit her art dream after dropping out of school, like we all shout at the screen wish she wouldn't for the easel of office work. Trading her paints for pens and her framed art for the four wall plastic prison of her own cubicle. Where photo frames of family and friends are her hopes and dreams lie. But she's playing along perfectly like we all do until a mysterious man sends the best party invites you've ever seen in your life (better get back online and template some better ones for your arts and crafts), and offers her the opportunity of a lifetime. No not in art world, but our dream one. This man gives her the chance to adopt her very own unicorn! Sign me the shut up and take my money up!
Wait...what?! Yeah I said it. What did you think the name of this movie was just a play on words people. And guess who this 'Unicorn Store' is owned by? Samuel L. Motherf##### Jackson. Who although going easy on the swears like Will Smith once warned his son Jaden about on 'Just The Two Of Us' still gets a few s###s in like only we can hope we can when doing that 9-5, Dolly Parton office job shift (what a way to make a living) with his trademark octave raise. Tell me at this point why haven't you swiped away from this article and double tapped your Netflix app right now? Because I'm telling you you haven't streamed anything like this warm, heartfelt, forever young story that's also meta aware, funny as f### in a long time. I'm sorry I'm swearing again at a film that young and old can enjoy. But it's all for Samuel. The legend of our time who again adds to his hundreds and billions making formidable filmography with these hundreds and thousands that really serve as a cherry on top. As with more colour in his suits that a Unicorns tail stream (I think that's their farts) and tinsel in this pink punk rockers afro, you've never Jackson like this before as Samuel gives us something different to his definitive catalogue. Although the one thing that is familiar is that warm, charming and disarming chemistry he has with Larson that is simply beautiful and feels as old as they do friends. Although it's only been a couple of weeks (or maybe it was the 90's for this 'Just A (grunge) Girl'. No doubt!) since they first met. And we hope ashes to dust they do again...very soon. But if alas not, fear not. 'Deadpool's' Taxi Driver is here. There's no way Dopinder didn't survive the snap. He'd put Thanos in his trunk for that. As Karan Soni brings the nice and funny once more to the point were all casting directors will be hailing his name soon. But the real breakout star is former Wolverine 'Front Runner' Mamoudou Athie as the saviour of carpentry. Finding this all as perfectly peculiar as his droll humour. Scene stealing alongside 'Fantastic Four' star Hamish Linklater's oddball character we only hope doesn't turn out as perverse as he seems. A class cast with room for a pair of great vets, as the "emotional" support of 'School Of Rock' star Joan Cusack (with a beautiful note) and 'The West Wing's' Bradley Whitford (who won us over again in Jordan Peele's 'Get Out') make for the perfect meddling, but meaning well parents. Still somehow secretly trapped in their own sixties bohemian. And this is the perfect word to describe this Bowie of a movie that even gets its Ziggy Stardust sparkle on. I loved this lovely movie that unlike and against (office) type of most predictable pap today keeps you guessing on the end until the final frame. Or in other words, "IS THERE ACTUALLY A FREAKING UNICORN IN THIS"!? Cue the Jeff Goldblum, "actual dinosaurs in your dinosaur theme park" reference. But hey to all the naysaying in times today non believers out there getting vacuumed up like all the haters, I'll say it like the horned t-shirt I once gave an old girlfriend who was obsessed with unicorns back in the day (and why not?). "Maybe we don't believe in you!" The store is now open. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'Captain Marvel', 'Room', 'Short Term 12'.
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