Reviews: "Yesterday" & "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood"
Yesterday
The Beatles will never belong to Yesterday
The Beatles are no longer a British band; they have become a social event. It is rather inspiring to see how, even after decades, a movie named after one of their most notorious songs still gathers people of all ages in the cinema.
Yesterday is a movie which must not be approached with the expectation that it will be the cult film of the decade. Its mission is to entertain, and I admire the grace in which it succeeds in doing so.
Jack Malik, a bland musician with no particular appeal, was destiny’s choice for bringing The Beatles back to a world where everyone has forgotten about them after a global blackout. Other pop culture items such as Coca-Cola or Harry Potter also ceased to exist, making way for really enjoyable comedy.
British sour humor is a cinematic genre of its own and this movie manages to portray it in a fresh way. There are certain scenes which will stay with you, such as the battle between Ed Sheeran (yes, I have said Ed Sheeran. That is reason enough to go and watch this movie) and Jack on who can compose the best song in ten minutes, or an honest and emotional encounter between the main character and an elderly Beatles member.
Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) is, however, not the only human who remembers this iconic band; there is a couple, portrayed with the mystery of otherness that anthropomorphic aliens have in movies, who seem to chase the protagonist around the world because they have realized the fraud being committed. Tension rises when one of them shakes a yellow submarine toy in the middle of a press conference yelling, “I know what you did”
In the end they turn out to be harmless people who only wanted to thank Jack for sharing The Beatles with the world, for remember the music but could not sing at all. Don’t these people represent us, in a way? If the Beatles did not exist, we would still want someone to share their music.
It is at times overwhelming to think what would happen if we were the chosen ones to bring back iconic songs. Truth is, only a very reduced and select group would be able to do it. Learning songs by heart is perfectly possible but… what would happen if we had to re-compose them? The average person can only sing Bohemian Rhapsody or Star man in the shower. Plagiarizing has never been so easy and so difficult at the same time.
Sheeran and Jack’s manager, Debra (Kate McKinnon), is the personification of greed and dehumanization, resulting in a comedic yet cynical character. She is a product of the music industry who sees people as products as well. McKinnon’s performance is impeccable and every time she is on screen, you know that the lines of dialogue are going to be memorable.
The love story between Jack and Ellie (Lily James) brings perfect contrast, making the movie never repetitive. However, it is at times a little bit over dramatized, and the characters lose their authenticity. I love you but I’m too stupid to tell you and when I tell you it’s too late cliché.
Although unnecessary, the film is a fun and emotional tribute to John, Paul, Ringo, and George. Beatles fans will find Easter eggs such as “the guitar has to gently weep more,’’ or “will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?’’ which will keep them on the edge of their seats.
The proof of its value? I would watch it again. If you are a Beatles fan, every location and reference will make you scream internally. But even if you are not, you will enjoy yourself because there is no running away from The Beatles one way or another. Nobody can say no to a good dosage of entertainment and humor.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Tarantino is back, and he is happy! Perhaps it has to do with his recent marriage (or not) but the fact that this is his most sensitive movie is undeniable. This is not the movie atmosphere we usually expect from him. The film director has taken a step forward in his creative abilities, crafting a universe that feels really close to his childhood and containing real and fictional characters that show emotional depth and their inner trains of thought with no barriers.
In his prior movies, characters’ true feelings or intentions are never made clear onscreen. Vincent Vega, played by John Travolta, in Pulp Fiction is a great example of this style. Vincent is a drug addict and a killer who does not seem to be able to express himself without swearing (a very characteristic trait of old school Tarantino scripts) but the viewer knows that there is more to him than meets the eye. His scenes with Mia are just splendid and show that he can really behave and even be interesting; but it is the person behind the screen who must make the effort to guess what may be going on in his mind.
What can be said about this movie’s cast? Tarantino has achieved what others couldn’t in decades. He rang his bell for master actors and Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt responded to his call with no doubts. Their chemistry onscreen is highly enjoyable and they show, once again, why they are two of the most prized actors in Hollywood. DiCaprio, an Oscar-winning actor who has deserved it for ages, can change accents and registers in the blink of an eye, possessing a great understanding of human emotions. Pitt is just brilliant in portraying Cliff, a laidback stunt double that is considered dangerous by everybody and who allegedly killed his wife.
This movie does not seem to have been directed by Tarantino until we reach the final part, but ironically it is his most personal movie. He grew up in that atmosphere and has made a great job translating it onscreen. This movie can be tagged as a comedy, and it is the perfect vehicle to express his hatred towards the hippie movement. If it was not clear enough: Tarantino loathes it.
There is room for drama, laughter, eternal Easter eggs related to other Hollywood stars and movies, and even mystery and horror, a genre that would peak in the 80s. The depiction of Manson family is just sublime: Pitt’s character bumps into a young and careless hippie girl several times until he agrees to finally give her a lift to her house. Someone who at first seemed to be completely harmless and naïve turns out to be a member of a really suspicious community.
Unsettling it may be, the events are treated comically enough so the leads are portrayed as just a bunch of scumbags who cannot be taken seriously. The ending of the movie was certainly expected, but there was no other possible ending for a director who aimed to change the past by getting rid of that moronic threat to Hollywood and its members. Although quite predictable, it was enjoyable, as no other carries Tarantino’s signature.
I find it strange how Tarantino has not used Helter Skelter in the soundtrack, given its relevance regarding the Manson family and his penchant for using massive hits in his movies. Again, I believe that it is part of his intention to erase any stain that these people could have left in the world that he reimagined. The final seconds of the apparent happy ending seem quite unsettling. There is an aura of mystery as the cameras get further and further away on an ascending trajectory. We do not seem to be safe until the lights are turned on in the room.
What is there to say about Margot Robbie’s performance? It is obvious that Tarantino wanted the perfect Sharon Tate, pampering her image and memory up to every last detail. Robbie did not provide an acting master class, but it wasn’t the purpose of this character. She lightens the room with a wide smile that hides the realness of classic Hollywood. Some say about Margot that she is the new it girl in Hollywood and that she had everything planned and has been ticking away movie directors’ names as she worked with them. She even wrote a letter to Tarantino stating that she believed to be good enough to work with him. What people may not know is that Tarantino had reached out to her as well, so the letter was never necessary; the movie director had already set his eyes on her, and that can be read as talent.
Al Pacino who is ALSO part of the cast (yes, crazy as it sounds, that’s the magic of Quentin Tarantino) does not have a relevant role but it seems that whenever he makes an appearance in a movie, it is a huge event, given the saint-like halo that decades in the industry and brilliant roles have given him.
This is a pleasant movie to watch and there is no trace of the excessive and unreal violence that is so characteristic of Tarantino’s prior movies. The film director stated that he will stop making movies after his tenth, being this one his 9th creation, although we may find him in other formats such as TV.
After drinking this cocktail of class, beauty, poetry, human passions, and irony. do not leave the cinema so soon. There is a present for those who can wait until what seems to be the end of the credits.
By Paula Lobato