The Huckleberries Vol. 20 - Is God Is & Deep Water

     Obviously we want to have an area for reviewing new films here at The Film Encomium, but we want to send a message with our methodology. That message is a simple one: Don’t forget about the fun. 

Yes, film can be transformative, prophetic, and groundbreaking. It can also be none of those things and still be a damn good time, and we want to validate both of those experiences. If you are looking for evidence that a film adapted from a stage play is best left in the hands of its creator, look to Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead; but if you want to become well-rounded, you should take some time to wallow in disaster with the likes of Roland Emmerich. 

It is from the balance of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn that we draw inspiration for the title of this section. Tom is clever; Tom is great. If there were one of those boys we were going to try to get into Harvard, it would be young Mr. Sawyer…but he will always need his Huckleberry. 

We all need our Huckleberries. Art needs its Huckleberries. Sometimes beauty is in the little things and reasoned reflection. Other times beauty is loud, bright, and bold. In the interest of providing our readers with a comprehensive experience, we are not willing to skip The Huckleberries. 

So, with that in mind, here are two exceptional flicks that dropped in theaters recently. The first will reveal how being part of a family is always a journey. The second will remind you that journeys don’t always reach their intended destination. Enjoy!

Is God Is -

At The Film Encomium, there are few hills we will die upon more steadfastly than this: Let the creators of original content hold the reins on adaptations of their own work. Artists have consistently showcased a capacity to convey their work via a new medium which far outstrips the ability of those already versed in said medium to tap into the lifeforce of another’s creative designs. Thankfully—though this hasn’t always been the case—movie studios are finally coming to terms with this trend, and Is God Is strengthens the case yet again. 

Aleshea Harris was already an established and respected playwright, but the ambition to take this production from stage to screen certainly pushes her up a tier. Adaptation is an art form in its own right, and Harris seems to be as adept at that as she is at imagining the world she transports us to in the first place. With live theater, there are always going to be certain inherent limitations, but those limitations always lead to creative solutions. The trick when retooling a play for the silver screen is to not lose those subtle quirks that define the piece. A good director can work with that fact, a great director can make that fact work with them. 

What helps Harris to fall into the latter camp is that she very clearly has a love for not only cinema in general but black cinema in particular. For cinephiles of any vintage it is truly a treat to watch how this flick manages to pay homage to classic filmmaking in a way that is simultaneously very much bold enough to walk its own path. It hits hard from the opening scene and just grows in intensity until it reaches its climax, which is a truly remarkable feat for a directorial debut. 

Another promising trend this production adheres to is using more seasoned and celebrated performers in supporting roles; thereby allowing the more rapidly ascending stars to shine all the brighter as the leads. Kara Young and Mallory Johnson do just that as twins Racine and Anaia (the Rough One and the Quiet One, respectively). With support from Sterling K. Brown and Vivica A. Fox—not to mention a scene stealing Janelle Monáe—-this really adds up to quite the ensemble that Harris has put together, and they reward her with a captivating collective performance. 

Equal parts vicious and thoughtful, this is a film that asks a lot of its audience, and gives a lot back in return. It can be stylish and charming one moment and then transform into an utter monstrosity. Driven by complex characters and situations, this is a masterstroke of unrelenting conflict. If you are in the market for something that feels both entertaining and enlightening, this is one of the year’s best.

Deep Water - 

Frankly, this is precisely the sort of movie we had in mind when we envisioned the format for The Huckleberries. It is over the top and has a blemish or two, but it leans headfirst into being a moviegoing experience, and it works. Is it fundamentally insane? Absolutely. Is it going to get a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards? That would be surprising. Should you go see it in theaters anyway? You’d be a whole lot cooler if you did. 

What this film is as much as anything is another memorable entry into the filmography of Renny Harlin—the man in the chair for Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, Deep Blue Sea, The Covenant, and Cutthroat Island—who clearly is not taking his first foray into disaster stories. He may not be known for thinkpieces, but the man is an underrated powerhouse when it comes to putting on a spectacle.   

What we have in Deep Water is a disaster film that is bored with being limited to ONE disaster. The story originated as a sequel to Bait 3D, in what we assume was a blunt rotation where somebody said “What if they, like, crashed a plane INTO a shark-infested reef, man?” and everyone just decided to run with it. That version of the film was scrapped due to similarities with the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, until Gene Simmons started a production company and resurrected it as their debut production. Truly, even the backstory of this film is outrageous.

Most modern disaster films that get run in theaters have a budget of $100M or more, so when someone decides to make one for $40M that includes no less than two types of disasters, an endless swarm of sharks, plus also featured roles for both Aaron Eckhart and Ben Kingsley, there are going to be some corners that need to be cut. The most evident example of that in this final product was the VFX, which can be fairly classified as “passable” in our estimation. 

Still, that is the most notable blemish on record here. The writing somehow is both very technically proficient but also reminds you of the original Final Destination movie. The cast does well and is surprisingly elevated not by either of the two established stars, but rather young Molly Belle Wright. Her performance changes the entire emotional dynamic of this film, and it turns the entire proceeding into something a hundred times more heart-wrenching. 

This movie is a lot. It doesn’t care to play it safe and it is more than willing to hurt you. It is a riot, don’t watch it with your boring friends. 

~The Film Encomium~