Directed by George Michael and David Austin, George Michael: Freedom is a documentary film about the life and career of the British singer who achieved fame as part of the pop duo Wham! with Andrew Ridgeley and later becoming a successful solo artist. Made largely in 2016 just before Michael’s shocking death on Christmas Day on that year with manager/friend David Austin completing the film. The film has Michael tell his own story through his own words with archival interviews and rare footage as well as testimonies from friends and musicians like Sir Elton John, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Liam Gallagher of Oasis, Nile Rodgers, and Mark Ronson as well as friends such as James Corden, Ricky Gervais, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Tatjana Patitz, and Christy Turlington. The result is an engaging and evocative film from George Michael and David Austin.
With many films about artists who have passed, it’s often told from the perspective of those who knew that person or outsiders who had observed that person’s body of work. With George Michael just before his own untimely passing, he was fortunate to tell his own story through his own words as well as cultivating all of the footage of interviews and stuff he did in his lifetime as well as getting others to share their perspectives of the highs and lows he went through. The film mainly focuses on certain periods of his life such as his time in Wham! with Andrew Ridgeley where they didn’t take themselves very seriously in their approach to stardom. When the group split-up in 1986, it was a mutual decision as Michael knew that he had been yearning for solo stardom. When his solo debut album Faith was released in 1987, it was bigger than it expected to be as Michael admittedly felt overwhelmed by its massive success.
The film is broken into chapters as one devotes itself to his second album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, the third chapter is about meeting Anselmo Felepa in 1991 who would be the love his life, the fourth is about Michael’s fight with Sony, and the fifth is the release of his third album Older and the aftermath of his life and career. Much of Michael’s struggle with the success of Faith had to do with his struggle over the persona he created as he just wanted to be a normal person people would see in the neighborhood and spend time with his dog. In making Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 in which several artists like Liam Gallagher, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder, Nile Rodgers, Mark Ronson, Elton John, and comedian James Corden all reveal their favorite bits on the album. Music executives from Sony in Britain talked about why Michael chose not to promote it as it had to do with him wanting to take a step back and just take some time off for himself. The people at Sony from the British and European division made the effort to promote the album for Michael which did extremely well but in America is where things soured.
The artists and British executives all felt that Michael was treated unfairly by the American division in Sony who stated that he was an artist for a certain demographic and had to cater to that demographic as well as do tours, music videos, and all sorts of things. Michael refused as the video for Freedom ’90 that was directed by David Fincher and featured supermodels Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington, and Linda Evangelista lip-syncing the song was made with Michael’s involvement but it wasn’t enough for the American division at Sony. The film would unveil footage and testimonies from the British executives who felt that Michael’s suit against Sony was bad for all sides as they felt they let Michael down. Even though Michael would lose his lawsuit against Sony in 1994, many felt that Michael’s stand did help provide artists the chance to say something towards the record companies they were working for.
Many of the interviews were shot by cinematographer Graham Smith and recorded by sound recordist Julian Wilson under David Austin’s direction as they all give their testimonies as well as look at a vinyl record of Michael’s second album to listen to. Blige, Wonder, and Rodgers also discuss Michael’s love for soul music as they felt the criticism he received in the late 80s when Faith was big and winning awards in the R&B/Soul category was unfair when he was actually faithful to the genre. Michael, via audio, understands the criticism as it only added to the anxieties he was dealing during the tour for Faith. Editors Jerry Chater, Gene Limbrick, and Gwyn Moxham would cultivate the many footage and interviews in the film along with some rare home movie footage including Michael’s time with Felepa as well as some rare behind-the-scenes footage of a few music videos that were being made.
At the heart of the film is the music as it showcased how wide-ranging Michael was with the music whether it’s through pop, hip-hop, rock, soul, folk, jazz, and bossa-nova. It showed that gift he had for making great music as well as being someone who was able to create his own voice and legacy. At the same time, he never took himself seriously as he wasn’t afraid to make fun of himself as well as be generous to others. Overall, Michael created a film that showed who he was and not afraid to show his flaws with the help of his friend David Austin creating what was to be Michael’s final artistic piece.
George Michael: Freedom is a marvelous film from George Michael and David Austin. Featuring some entertaining rare footage and tidbits from friends, it’s a film that showcases one of the greatest singers that ever lived and why he made an impact in the world of popular music. In the end, George Michael: Freedom is a remarkable film from David Austin and the late, great George Michael.
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by James Bobin and written by Bobin and Nicholas Stoller, Muppets Most Wanted is the story of the Muppets who take part in a European tour where a notorious criminal who looks like Kermit the Frog has Kermit taken to the Gulag in Siberia while pretending to be Kermit much to the suspicion of the other Muppets. The sequel to the 2011 film that brought the Muppets back to the public consciousness, the film is a suspense-comedy where it involves thefts, doubles, singing Russian criminals, and all sorts of crazy things. Starring Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey, and the Muppets. Muppets Most Wanted is a very entertaining film from James Bobin and the Muppets.
Party Central
Written and directed by Kelsey Mann, Party Central is a sequel short to 2013’s Monsters University in which Mike and Sulley help out their fraternity brothers in Oozma Kappa create the ultimate college party. It’s a short where Mike and Sulley do some very crazy things to help their friends create the ultimate college party where a lot of craziness ensues that includes moments where monsters walk through the homes of humans who become freaked out by what is happening. It’s a fun, fun, fun short film from Pixar who continues to deliver with the shorts.
Muppets Most Wanted
The film is a simple story which picks up where the last film is left off where the Muppets try to figure out what to do next. Under the advice of a tour manager, the Muppets go on an European tour where Kermit the Frog is ambushed and taken to the Gulag prison in Siberia as he is believed to be the notorious thief Constantine who switches places with him. Yet, Constantine’s real plan with his associate Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais) is to steal clues to obtain the Crown Jewels of England while a few of the Muppets become suspicious over Kermit’s odd behavior. It’s a film that has a premise that may not be entirely original but it does play into a world where taking one Muppet out of the equation in the group can spell disharmony as Miss Piggy finds herself unfulfilled in the new devotion that Kermit has for her unaware that it’s really Constantine.
James Bobin and Nicholas Stoller’s screenplay keeps the premise simple in the way the Muppets not only deal with success but also deal with the fact that many of their ideas don’t always work sometimes. In some respects, the film is sort of the anti-sequel as the film opens with a song about sequels and how they’re often not as good as the predecessor. Not only do Bobin and Stoller take a few shots at it but also infuse it with some suspense and comedy to play into Kermit’s situation at the Gulag where its warden Nadya (Tina Fey) has a major crush on Kermit. Meanwhile, an Interpol agent in Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell) teams up with Sam Eagle to not only uncover the jewelry thefts but also deal with each other where a lot of hilarity ensues.
Bobin’s direction is very simple where he aims for something that is crazy at times but also slow things down so that audiences can be engaged into the story. While there’s a lot of excellent musical numbers, it is balanced by its approach to comedy and drama where much of the film is shot in Britain with a few location shots in Berlin, Madrid, and Los Angeles as Bobin goes for mostly medium shots and close-ups. Yet, he does manage to create a few wide shots for some of the film’s big musical numbers as well as present this elaborate climax that is definitely entertaining and gripping. Overall, Bobin creates a very delightful and fun film about the Muppets dealing with a doppelganger and other crazy things.
Cinematographer Don Burgess does nice work with the film‘s cinematography from the look of the scenes at the Gulag to the lavish lighting for some of the stage performances by the Muppets. Editor James Thomas does terrific work with the editing as it‘s pretty straightforward while has some effective use in the montages. Production designer Eve Stewart, with set decorator Anna Lynch-Robinson and supervising art director Grant Armstrong, does excellent work with the set pieces from the Muppets stage presentation to the look of the Gulag.
Costume designer Rahel Afiley does wonderful work with the costumes from the look of the prison uniforms to some of clothes the Muppets wear. Visual effects supervisor Sean Mathiesen does fantastic work with the visual effects in some of the musical numbers to some of the more action-based effects in the film. Sound editors Kami Asgar, Sean McCormack, and Jeffrey A. Pitts do superb work with the sound in creating layers of sound effects and textures in some of the stage performances and the scenes in the Gulag. The film’s music by Christoph Beck and Bret McKenzie is great for some of the original songs that is made as well as some of the musical choices they put in including a very inspired take on Working in the Coal Mine and an over-the-top duet between Miss Piggy and Celine Dion.
The casting by Randi Hiller and Tamara Notcutt is brilliant for the cameos they bring in as among the celebrities that appear in the film are Celine Dion, Salma Hayek, Tom Hiddleston, Chloe Grace Mortez, Christoph Waltz, Mackenzie Cook, Toby Jones, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Zach Galifianakis, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Frank Langella, Hugh Bonneville, Stanley Tucci, Miranda Richardson, Saoirse Ronan, James McAvoy, Josh Groban, Usher, and Til Schweiger. In other cameos as prisoners of the Gulag, there’s Danny Trejo, Jermaine Clement, Ray Liotta, and Dylan “Hornswoggle” Postl as they bring a nice edge to their performances as tough criminals who want to sing. Ty Burrell is terrific as the very comical Jean Pierre Napoleon who teams with Sam Eagle to find what is going on.
Tina Fey is amazing as she does a very comical Russian accent as the Gulag warden Nadya who tries to be tough but has a secret crush on Kermit. Ricky Gervais is excellent as Constantine’s henchman Dominic Badguy (pronounced Bad-gee) who serves as a foil for Constantine. Finally, there’s the Muppets as the people who perform such great characters as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo the Great, Fozzie Bear, Walter, Scooter, Animal, and the rest of the gang are just fun to watch. Especially as Matt Vogel does superb work in voicing Constantine who does his worst to ruin Kermit’s persona.
Muppets Most Wanted is an excellent film from James Bobin. Not only is it a worthy successor to its 2011 predecessor but also proof that the Muppets are still vital. Even as they manage to engage audiences from all ages to kids and adults as they all want to do is entertain and give the audiences a good time. In the end, Muppets Most Wanted is a superbly fun film from James Bobin.
The Muppets Films: (The Muppet Movie) - (The Great Muppet Caper) - (Muppets Take Manhattan) - (Sesame Streets Presents Follow That Bird) - (The Muppets Christmas Carol) - (Muppet Treasure Island) - (Muppets from Space) - (The Adventure of Elmo in Grouchland) - The Muppets
© thevoid99 2014
