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Bob Odenkirk

Nobody: Murder, Mayhem and [Toxic] Masculinity

June 22, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

First, Liam Neeson changed the course of his career with Taken. Then, Reeves found his gun-fu again in John Wick. Now, Nobody introduces us to another ex-special ops man trying to move on with his life has risen to protect… well… suburbia.

Nobody introduces the world to Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk), a middle-aged man trapped in a cycle of routine. Though he adores his wife and kids, Mansell is stuck in a dead-end job and clearly feels dejected as he attempts to navigate life in the suburbs. However, after a home invasion shakes up his world, Mansell’s long-simmering inner rage is unleashed upon those who broke into his home. When a brutal attack leads to the death of a mob boss’ son, Mansell suddenly must defend his family from a dangerous adversary bent on revenge.

Penned by the writer of John Wick, Nobody definitely falls in line with that particular franchise. Violent, vicious but also hilarious at times, Nobody is a tonne of fun. Directed by Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry), the film puts a heavy emphasis on the violence of its action set pieces. Even so, while the blood flows freely, Naishull gives these scenes a bounce and elegance that keeps the tone fairly light as opposed to horrify. Backed by a solid cast (including the most entertaining performance by Christopher Lloyd in years), Odenkirk brings a surprisingly brutal energy that lights up the screen. As a middle-aged man pushed too far, Odenkirk is absolutely delightful as the former military man who wants to convince everyone—including himself—that his past is behind him. At the same time, the normally comedic actor completely commits to the action scenes and throw himself into the mix in such a way that you can’t help but enjoy watching. Although he plays the role with the utmost seriousness, there’s simply an affability around him that makes him enjoyable to watch. 

What sets Nobody apart from the Wick films though is that Mansell is just waiting for an excuse to return to his old life. Whereas Wick is dragged back into the underworld with the death of his dog, Mansell begins the series of events himself out of his own pent-up rage. Feelings of inferiority combined with the inevitable routine of life, Mansell feels as though he’s lost a part of himself and the stress continues within him builds until he explodes. (“There’s a part of me that’s been awakened apparently,” he recognizes.) In doing so, however, his actions create a cycle of violence that continues to escalate. Nevertheless, despite his own culpability, the film never judges him for his actions and he’s held up as the hero.

That’s where things get interesting.

Through its celebration of violence, the film also unintentionally (or intentionally?) celebrates toxic masculinity. Because of his love for his family and desire to protect others, one can’t help but like Mansell. At the same time, however, the film uses its revenge fantasy element to breathe life into him. This is a world where women are resided to the basement (literally) when the violence breaks out. While may be a fun ride as an action film, Mansell’s character becomes problematic as it upholds the current trend of the ‘angry, middle class male’. 

Trapped by the feeling of weakness when his family is attacked, Mansell has lost a sense of himself, especially as everyone around him seems to point out how pathetic he has become. (“You did the right thing for you… but if it was my family,” he’s told by a police officer.) By highlighting the restlessness that’s gnawing at Mansell from within, Nobody validates his unleashing of rage as an act of reclaiming his manhood. Here, Mansell has a renewed sense of confidence and vigour. Suddenly, the repressed male becomes the actualized male. (Due to the fun nature of the world and action scenes, one only hopes that this is lack of awareness is balanced out with stronger female representation in the inevitable sequel.)

With the home video release, one can’t deny that the film looks great in 4K. Nobody takes its set pieces seriously enough that the digital release helps augment the fun. At the same time, while the bonus features are sparse, there are some interesting tidbits that come out through them. (Like the fact that the story was inspired by actual events in Odenkirk’s life!) A behind-the-scenes featurette and bonus scenes are expected but there’s also a solid feature-length commentary included as well which lets Odenkirk and his team delve into the world that they have created together.

RZA, Bob Odenkirk and Christopher Lloyd star in a scene from the movie “Nobody.” The Catholic News Service classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. (CNS photo/Allen Fraser, Universal Pictures)

While the film certainly requires some reflection in regards to its masculine stereotypes, it is still a visual treat with its choreography and gunplay. Like Neeson and Reeves, Odenkirk has found new life in an action franchise that reinvents him as an actor. Personally though, I just hope that future entries in the franchise help this Nobody to be more inclusive to everybody.

Nobody is available in theatres and on VOD on Tuesday, June 22nd, 2021.

Filed Under: Film, Reviews, VOD Tagged With: Bob Odenkirk, David Leitch, Ilya Naishuller, John Wick, Nobody, toxic masculinity

Giveaway! NOBODY on 4K disc!

June 20, 2021 by Steve Norton 2 Comments

Be a somebody… by winning Nobody!

Thanks to our friends at Universal and TARO PR, ScreenFish is giving away a copy of Nobody on 4K Blu-Ray and one on Blu-Ray!

Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) fails to defend himself or his family when two thieves break into his suburban home one night. The aftermath of the incident soon strikes a match to his long-simmering rage. In a barrage of fists, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must now save his wife and son from a dangerous adversary — and ensure that he will never be underestimated again.

In order to enter, simply like/share this post on Facebook and/or Instagram and tell us the name of Bob Odenkirk’s follow-up series to Breaking Bad!

Winners will receive either a 4K or Blu-ray copy of Nobody.

All entries must be received by 11:59pm on Wednesday June 23rd, 2021.

Nobody will be released on Blu-Ray, 4K and DVD on June 22nd, 2021.

Filed Under: Featured, Giveaways, VOD Tagged With: Bob Odenkirk, Giveaways, Nobody

4.20 Exploring Gender Roles in INCREDIBLES 2

July 4, 2018 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

http://screenfish.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/4.20-INCREDIBLES-2.mp3

Picking up where they left off, INCREDIBLES 2 reintroduces us to the Parr family as they seek to bring evil-doers to justice in a world where superheroes are illegal. When a mysterious billionaire invites them to work with him, Elastigirl goes back to work while Bob takes care of the homefront. As a result, Pixar takes a swing at gender dynamics in a #MeToo world by its reversal of stereotypes… but does it work? This week, ScreenFish’rs Alan Sharrer and Heather Johnson join Steve to discuss the film’s portrayal of gender, screen slaves and power of children.

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

4.20 Incredibles 2

Thanks Alan and Heather for joining us!

Filed Under: Film, Podcast Tagged With: #Metoo, Bao, Bob Odenkirk, Dash, Disney, Elastigirl, Incredibles 2, Jack-Jack, Mr. Incredible, Pixar, superhero films

Incredibles 2: Together We Rise

June 15, 2018 by J. Alan Sharrer Leave a Comment

It’s been a while.

The goal of a film critic is to encourage people to go and see high quality movies while steering people away from titles that aren’t very good. To do this, the critic watches a film, then dissects it like an expert surgeon, analyzing it for plot holes, characterization, quality of CGI, music selection, theme, and at least a hundred additional items.  With so many variables, a film can receive vastly different reviews depending on the reviewer.  And to make things even more interesting, theater-goers may feel differently than the critic when the credits roll.

In the case of director Brad Bird’s latest film Incredibles 2, I believe the two groups will agree the film is a fantastic way to spend a couple hours in an air-conditioned theater.  Whether I2 holds up to fourteen years of waiting will depend on your personal perspective.

If you recall, the end of The Incredibles found the Parr family—burly Bob (Craig T Nelson), Stretch-Armstrong-like Helen (Holly Hunter), teenager Violet (Sarah Vowell), lightning-fast Dash (Huck Milner), and baby Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile)—preparing to take on a burrowing villain called the Underminer.  In Incredibles 2, we finally get to see how the battle turns out.

It’s not pretty. At least half the town is destroyed, including cars, freeway overpasses, buildings, and at least one character’s emotional stability. As a result, the Supers are forced underground yet again (and the Parr family into living out of a hotel room). But there may be some hope in the form of Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk), a multi-billionaire who has been fascinated with superheroes his entire life (even singing their theme songs). He meets Bob, Helen, and Frozone (Samuel L Jackson) in order to reveal a plan to get Supers back on the good side of the general public. But in a surprise to Bob, Winston wants Helen to be the face of positive public perception, leaving him to stay home and take care of the kids.

Helen Parr (AKA Elastigirl) meets some new Supers.

Helen, in her Elastigirl outfit, immediately has to deal with a runaway monorail in New Urbem that showcases her talents as well as the new motorcycle Winston’s sister and uber-talented Evelyn (Catherine Keener) designed.  Her success leads to more Supers coming out of hiding, including Void (Sophia Bush), a superfan of Helen’s who creates interdimensional portals out of thin air. But there’s a more sinister villain than the Underminer on the loose—one that always seems to be a step ahead of Helen.  The Screenslaver hypnotizes people who are looking at video screens into obeying their commands, threatening to destroy Supers once and for all.  Helen thinks she’s got the villain figured out—but is sorely incorrect.

Meanwhile, Bob struggles mightily to be an effective full-time dad. Dash can’t figure out his math homework; Violet is an emotional mess regarding a boy; and Jack-Jack keeps Bob up at all hours while harboring multiple superpowers that are beginning to manifest themselves.  It all exhausts Bob, leaving him gruff and unshaven, and in one of the craziest scenes in the film, asleep while Jack-Jack combats his new arch enemy—a territorial raccoon.  Thankfully, the kids intervene in the form of Frozone and a diminutive yet pugnacious fashion designer named Edna Mode (Brad Bird himself).

In order to defeat the Screenslaver, it’s going to take more than Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl.  As a result, the final portion of the film is an action-packed spectacle I won’t spoil for you.  When the credits rolled, the crowd applauded and cheered loudly.

In the end, I felt Incredibles 2 was just as good as the original film.  Michael Giacchino’s score delivered the right amount of gravitas while keeping pace with the action onscreen. All the actors did well with their roles, but I’ll single out Vowell for her emotional portrayal of an uncertain, surly, yet teenage Violet who needed some form of support from her parental unit.  Animation has always been one of Pixar’s hallmarks, and Incredibles 2 is no exception.  They’ve come a long way in fourteen years with gradation, shading, water effects, and sense of speed.

“We’re all in this together.”

As for the film itself, Dash seemed to fall to the wayside on a few occasions and was a bit one-note with his performance.  Jack-Jack stole each scene he was in, but was surprisingly tame in the final sequences.  But when he and Edna were on the screen together, it was absolutely electric.  I wanted more.  The Screenslaver was a worthy villain and provided caution for each of us about devoting our lives to video screens—be they televisions, tablets, phones, or computers.  Another line that struck me was when Evelyn said, “People will trade quality for ease every time.”  Perhaps we all need to up our standards in our daily activities and not settle for second best when something better is available.

The focus of Incredibles 2, despite the superhero title, remains the family.  In many ways, I saw in the Parrs a microcosm of my own family.  Not everything in life goes the way we would like it to (and often doesn’t).  We struggle, we run away, we argue, we lose hope, but we always fall back on each other when the day is over. And in that, the Bible reminds us to “encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception” (Hebrews 3:13 HCSB).  The world can be a very evil place, so we must make sure we’re not falling captive to the issues around us while making a difference for good wherever we go. Together we rise; apart we fall.

That’s something all film critics can agree with.

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Bob Odenkirk, Brad Bird, Catherine Keener, Craig T. Nelson, Disney, Elastigirl, Eli Fucile, Encouragement, Evelyn Deavor, Family, Frozone, Holly Hunter, Huck Milner, Incredibles 2, Mr. Incredible, Pixar, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Vowell, Screenslaver, Sophia Bush, superheroes, Winston Deavor

Incredibles 2 – Family Bonds

June 14, 2018 by Darrel Manson Leave a Comment

Incredibles 2 continues the story of the Parr family from The Incredibles. While it is ostensibly a superhero story, at its heart this is a film about family and especially about parenting as children go through all the changes of growing up.

As in the original, superheroes are still illegal, but with the supervillain The Underminer on the loose, the family of superheroes goes into action—rather heavy-handedly, creating a mess of the city and being relocated. Forced to live in a motel, the family tries to think about what the future will hold for them. The parents, Bob, aka Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson), and Helen, aka Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), know that one of them will need to get a job to support the family. Meanwhile, their middle school aged daughter Violet (Sarah Vowell) is attracted to a boy at school, son Dash (Huckleberry Milner) struggles with his homework, and toddler Jack-Jack is a handful just in himself.

But Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, and their friend Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) get an offer from industrialist siblings Winston and Evelyn Deavor (Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener). They want to improve the world’s opinion of superheroes and make them legal again. Their plan is to use Elastigirl to stop some crimes (she does far less damage in the process that Mr. Incredible or Frozone). So Helen goes off to the big city while Bob stays home with the kids.

It turns out that Bob is a stereotypical incompetent father. He tries, but he can’t grasp new math, has no idea how to help Violet with the boys, and Jack-Jack is impossible to get down for the night. Plus, Jack-Jack now is manifesting his own superpowers—a wide array of powers.

Helen is busy doing battle with The Screenslaver, a villain who uses screen (TV, computer, whatever) to hypnotize people and have them do his will. She feels bad that she isn’t with her family, but relishes the opportunity so show off her skills. It’s not unlike the juggling of priorities that many parents experience. But when The Screenslaver gets the upper hand, Bob and the kids head off to save the day and the world (mostly it’s the kids, including Jack-Jack, that get their parents out of hot water).

What is charming about the Incredibles films is that they give us a chance to see superheroes who aren’t sullen loners, but rather people with happy family lives—happy even when the going is hard. The film, I think, allows parents to be reminded that the job they do matters.  As the diminutive designer to the superheroes Edna Mode (Brad Bird) says, “Done properly, parenting is a heroic task.” As Bob mopes about being left out while Helen is fighting crime, this is a reminder of what the really hard job is. Parents aren’t gifted with super strength and powers—only with the love they have for their children. With that, parents face years of problems but also years of joy.

For the Parrs, a family where everyone has special powers, what really ties them together is not being strong, fast, elastic, invisible, or having lasers shooting out of their eyes. The connection they have is really the bond that can exist in the families of all those who go to watch the movie together.

Let me also put in a word here for Bao, the short directed by Domee Shi (the first woman to direct a Pixar film), playing along with Incredibles 2. It is a delightful story of a woman whose handmade dumpling comes to life. We watch as she and the dumpling go through the years. The dumpling passes through all the phases of childhood and into being a young adult. It is hard for the woman to let go of her baby dumpling, but in the end, we see just how wonderful it is to see your child grow into an adult.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: animated, animated short, Bob Odenkirk, Brad Bird, Catherine Keener, Craig T. Nelson, Disney, Family, Holly Hunter, Huckleberry Milner, parenting, Pixar, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Vowell, superheroes

4.09 Digging for Truth in THE POST

January 16, 2018 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

http://screenfish.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/4.09-The-Post.mp3

In his latest film, THE POST, Steven Spielberg and his all-star cast aren’t satisfied with merely retelling a chapter in American history. They’re on a search for truth and justice in our culture today. This week, Steve welcomes back Kevin McLenithan (Seeing and Believing) to dig into THE POST while also offering their Top 3 Movie Moments of 2017.

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

A special thanks to Kevin for joining us!

4.09 The Post

For those of you in Canada who are interested, you can donate to ScreenFish by clicking the link below and simply selecting ‘ScreenFish’ from the ‘Apply Your Donation…’ area. 

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/connect-city/

Filed Under: Film, Oscar Spotlight, Podcast Tagged With: Allison Brie, Bob Odenkirk, Bruce Greenwood, fake news, Meryl Streep, Oscars, Sarah Paulson, Steven Spielberg, The Post, Tom Hanks

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