ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Laura Dern

8.27 Lost Worlds and Legacies in JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION

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Directed by Colin Trevorrow, JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION takes place four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar. Since that fateful day, the once-secluded dinosaurs have spread across the globe, living and hunting alongside the human race. However, when a new species threatens the global food industry, teams spanning generations must reunite in order to solve the mystery and prevent global catastrophe. This week, Dave Voigt (In The Seats) and Ben Dower (SF’s Monster Mondays) band together to bite back at DOMINION and its world of mayhem as we discuss missed opportunities and the joy of theme park rides.

You can stream on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Google Play, Spotify, iHeart Radio or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can downoad the ep on Apple Podcasts!

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.

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Jurassic World: Dominion – Sound and Fury

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The age of the dinosaurs has come to an end. And there are many who are celebrating its demise.

Although the franchise has seen tremendous financial success over the past three decates, few of the entries have been a hit with critics. Other than the (still) brilliant original, many have felt (rightly) that the sequels have been somewhat of a mixed bag, either relying too heavily on nostalgia or just plain ridiculous. But its latest instalment, Jurassic World: Dominion, has found itself utterly blasted by poor reviews across the board.

Spoiler alert: this won’t be one of them. (Well, not entirely.)

Directed by Colin Trevorrow, Jurassic World: Dominion takes place four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar. Since that fateful day, the once-secluded dinosaurs have spread across the globe, living and hunting alongside the human race. However, when a new species threatens the global food industry, Dr. Ellie Sadler (Laura Dern), Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) reunite to prevent global catastrophe. Meanwhile, Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) are also working hard to discover what mega-corporation BioSyn wants with their daughter Maisie (Isabella Sermon) as she may hold the key to solving the mystery herself.

Every longstanding franchise comes to a point where they have to change the formula in order to survive. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Admittedly, the Jurassic world wrote itself into a corner with the ending of the previous installment, Fallen Kingdom. By unleashing dinosaurs to rule the earth, the franchise opened a Pandora’s Box without any way to close it. All of a sudden, a series that found its greatest success telling stories about a group of people fighting for survival an enclosed environment completely reversed their formula. 

The series that began as a Lost World had transformed into Land of the Lost. 

Now, as the beasts of history were trampling wide-open spaces around the world, the franchise was forced to pivot. Given the impossible task of attempting to re-create the magic of a classic film, Dominion has had all of its rules changed. How do you attempt to wrap up an iconic franchise when the previous installment threw away the things that made it work? (In fact, one could argue that, like the characters in the film itself, the screenwriters are clearly trying to make the best of a bad situation.)

In a lot of ways, one has to respect the franchise for trying to make the old feel fresh. After all, they had been using similar formulas for the last 30 years with varying degrees of success. Ambitious and wild, Dominion is an attempt to bring an aging franchise into a whole new (Jurassic) world. As a result, the film is chaotic, silly and often non-sensical. 

But, dang it, I enjoyed myself.

Over the years, there’s been much debate as to whether certain films are ‘cinema’ or nothing more than ‘theme park rides’, as though there is some definitive line between the two sides. Dominion may be the film that hits both targets. Broad in its scope, this film feels as though the viewer has paid their ticket, gotten into the boat and takes a trip through a world of wild and possibilities. Whereas early films in the franchise attempted to delve into the moral high ground of scientific achievement, Dominion has no such sensibilities. (I believe it Shakespeare would say that it’s fueled by ‘sound and fury, signifying nothing’.) Instead, it simply wants to play with the toys they’ve created and unleash them in their new environment. Gone is much of the social commentary that marked Spielberg’s original, now replaced by scene after scene of monster-mayhem.

But it’s having fun doing it.

As (supposedly) the last film in the franchise, a clear effort has been made to bring the past and present together. By reuniting original characters with legacy cast, Dominion is very interested in bringing generations together. Wisely, the older characters are far more than cameos. Similar to the returnees in Spider-Man: No Way Home, beloved characters like Ellie Sadler, Alan Grant and Ian Malcolm are allowed to affect the plot. Although the film is drenched in nostalgia, there remains a certain level of satisfaction in seeing them back together onscreen. 

As with previous entries, there is an admiration of the natural world that pervades the film as well. At every opportunity, Dominion wants you to know that the filmmakers still care about the dinosaurs, even if the beasts almost feel as though they are the background as opposed to in it. With nature now lording over the ‘civilized’ world, these monsters are simply looking for a way to make their home among us. No longer are they for our amusement, yet they still carry the Spielberg-ian sense of wonder. (For example, an Apatosaurus slowly wandering through a lumber site is only one moment of many where humanity pauses to admire their new dino-roommates.)

As such, there is a deeper level of humility for nature in this than any of the other films. Whereas previous entries were about attempting to gain control of the nature world, Dominion recognizes that humanity is no longer the top of the food chain. (“Humanity has no more right to be top of the food chain than any other species,” pines Ian Malcolm.) The damage has been done and we must accept the reality that we’ve created. The past cannot be changed… so what does it mean to live in the moment that is here? 

Right now, there are many who feel like Jurassic World: Dominion is an extinction-level event. But this reviewer simply doesn’t agree. Although there are moments that are laughable, Dominion’s insanity is wrapped in gleeful silliness. Is it the best of the franchise? Not at all. But, despite what some may say, it isn’t the worst either.

Admittedly, one needs to lower their expectations for Dominion if they believe it will achieve the heights of the original. But, if you’re willing to hop onboard for a journey into dino-chaos, there’s no reason that you won’t enjoy the ride.

Jurassic World: Dominion roars into theatres on Friday, June 10th, 2022.

Marriage Story: Love Unraveled

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Marriage Story examines the fallout of Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole’s (Scarlett Johansson) failed marriage as they begin divorce proceedings. Though both of them want to ‘make this easy’ and ‘do what’s best for their son’, civility slowly begins to disintegrate by adding lawyers and looking out for their own interests. When Nicole moves from New York to Los Angeles to be with her family, things begin to unravel more rapidly, pushing them to their personal and creative extremes.

Written and directed by Noam Baumbach (The Meyerowitz Stories), Marriage Storyworks on every level and may be the best film of his career. Known for his signature awkward banter and flawed characters, Baumbach paints a portrait of what happens when what once was a loving marriage is exhumed at the hands of lawyers and bitter hearts. Anchored by Oscar-worthy performances from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, Baumbach showcases all the messiness of a divorce without ever taking sides or simplifying the arguments. In Marriage Story, there are no heroes or villains. Instead, there are only two people attempting to navigate all the pain and frustration that comes with ending their relationship. Rather than bog down the viewer with flashbacks and very little backstory, the film focuses entirely on the present and what has to happen next in order for this family to find a new space for success and healing.

Unlike other tales of divorce, Marriage Story chooses not to focus itself on one particular event that drove the relationship apart. Although there was one instance of marital infidelity, Nicole and Charlie’s marriage has not been destroyed over a moment. Instead, through lawyers and filtered conversation, the story speaks to how a marriage can unravel over multiple issues and arguments when love and humility give way to pride and frustration. Though both Charlie and Nicole are good people who genuinely want to work things out in the best way possible for their son, they also slowly begin to fight for the high ground in the divorce settlement. Gentle discussions that took place during their marriage such as where to live become full blown battlegrounds when the lawyers get involved, forcing Charlie and Nicole into greater and greater odds. In arguments such as these, the film highlights the perils of being entrenched in our own perspectives, especially when the solution only serves our interests. While the film offers no ‘answers’ about love, it clearly points to the fact that relationships fall asunder when both people cease to listen to one another and humbly seek a solution. In other words, if love, as they say, really is patient, kind and not self-seeking, Marriage Story shows what happens when those things become lost over time.

Pulling no punches with the awkward realism associated with divorce and starting over, Baumbach’s Marriage Story shows that when love is unraveled, the remaining anger can be a force to be reckoned with. Despite beginning with the best of intentions, the pride and bitterness of divorce can quickly cause caring people to fight tooth and nail for their rights, even at the expense of others. Honest, searing and hilarious at times, Baumbach has spun a story that shows the true pain of family separation while also showing what a couple needs to do in order to begin again.

Marriage Story plays in theatres starting November 6th, 2019. It will also stream digitally on Netflix as of December 6th, 2019.

TIFF ’19: Marriage Story

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Marriage Story examines the fallout of Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole’s (Scarlett Johansson) failed marriage as they begin divorce proceedings. Though both of them want to ‘make this easy’ and ‘do what’s best for their son’, civility slowly begins to disintegrate by adding lawyers and looking out for their own interests. When Nicole moves from New York to Los Angeles to be with her family, things begin to unravel more rapidly, pushing them to their personal and creative extremes.

Written and directed by Noam Baumbach (The Meyerowitz Stories), Marriage Storyworks on every level and may be the best film of his career. Known for his signature awkward banter and flawed characters, Baumbach paints a portrait of what happens when what once was a loving marriage is exhumed at the hands of lawyers and bitter hearts. Anchored by Oscar-worthy performances from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, Baumbach showcases all the messiness of a divorce without ever taking sides or simplifying the arguments. In Marriage Story, there are no heroes or villains. Instead, there are only two people attempting to navigate all the pain and frustration that comes with ending their relationship. Rather than bog down the viewer with flashbacks and very little backstory, the film focuses entirely on the present and what has to happen next in order for this family to find a new space for success and healing.

Honest, searing and hilarious at times, Baumbach’s Marriage Story spins a story that shows the true pain of family separation while also showing what a couple needs to do in order to begin again.

Marriage Story had its North American premiere last week at the Toronto International Film Festival and plays in theatres starting November 6th, 2019. It will also stream digitally on Netflix as of December 6th, 2019.

JT LeRoy: Finding Yourself in Someone Else

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BBased on Savannah Knoop’s memoir, Girl Boy Girl: How I Became JT LeRoy, JT Leroytells the true story of deception and lies behind one of the greatest literary hoaxs of our time.Author of a NY Times best-seller,Laura Albert (Laura Dern) writes as her “avatar,” a disenfranchised young queer man named JT LeRoy. When JT becomes a literary darling, asks her boyfriend’s androgynous sister, Savannah (Kristen Stewart) to be JT in the public eye.As they gradually infiltrate the Hollywood and literary elite, the lines between truth and lies collide as they discover who they are while living as someone else.

Directed by Justin Kelly (I Am Michael) and co-written with Knoop herself, JT Leroyis an interesting look at the trappings of fame and the compromises we’re often willing to make to get there. Although the dialogue is uneven in places, stars Laura Dern and Kristen Stewart do a solid job of bringing the material to life, portraying their characters with earnestness. As the ‘voice of JT’, Laura Albert, Dern brings her character to life, as she remains caught in the tension between keeping the notoriety and wanting to speak for herself.

One of the most intriguing aspects of JT LeRoyis how seemingly believable the film is in today’s culture. As Albert and Knoop dig deeper into the character of LeRoy, there is a pageantry that accompanies their celebrity that doesn’t seem that far-fetched in a world obsessed with Instagram and visual presentations. While the film takes place in pre-Facebook era of the early-2000s (otherwise known as the ‘Dark Ages’), the film feels… current as it recognizes a world that wants to believe everything they see. (‘When you meet someone new, do you question who they say they are?,’ Albert argues.) To Albert, what matters most is that people believe that her story is authentic, rather than know the truth itself. 

Of course, this question of the truth is what ultimately lies at the heart of JT LeRoyitself. Though Knoop is at first put off by the awkwardness of lying about her identity, she soon becomes addicted to living a double life. Meanwhile, Albert celebrates the challenge of living as JT, a character she feels ‘flows out of her’ naturally. Having blended the lines between truth and fiction in her book, bringing LeRoy to life allows her to express her deepest pains in an [arguably] safe manner. (Interestingly, the film also references the journey of Colette, another TIFF ’18 selection that focuses on a woman’s literary nom-de-plume as a man.) 

Though the character is ultimately a lie, to Albert and Knoop, he feelsreal. In fact, as people gradually become more suspicious of the façade, Albert and Knoop have also began to inhibit the character with such enthusiasm that—for them—LeRoy is slowly becoming the truth. For them, the lines have blurred between reality and fiction. For a culture that feels like authenticity is lost, this is a story that wants to ask what identity really looks like in a culture in the midst of crisis. (Asked by a reporter how they know JT is who they say he is, a disguised Knoop simply throws the question back on them, stating ‘How do we know who you are?’) There is an openness and fluidity to reality in this film that mirrors a culture where the moorings of truth have shifted dramatically, especially in terms of identity.

Ultimately, JT LeRoy doesn’t really have specific answers for such questions but that may be the point. The story of Knoop’s journey as LeRoy doesn’t seek to tell you who you are but, rather, to encourage you to ask the question for yourself.

JT Leroyspins its story in theatres beginning on May 3rd, 2019.