Film

Monologue Slam Submission

Hello all!

Thought I’d share my submission to the Monologue Slam Online competition for this month.

I chose a short little piece from Garth Davis’ Mary Magdalene, which I had just recently watched and adored. I had been meaning to see this film since it was first talked about that Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix would be doing a film about Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Unfortunately it was derailed from a release date back when the Weinstein news broke out, and was in a bit of a limbo before being shared with the world, but by then the marketing seemed to have lessened, and reviews weren’t as favourable to give it a wider release in theatres, so it flew by the radar of most people. It’s currently on Amazon Prime for anyone that is interested in seeing it. It was a beautifully shot and well acted film. I was drawn to the cinematography and soft, gentle, artistic pacing of the film, which was a great shift from Gibson’s Passion of the Christ’s brutality.

The scene I chose was when Jesus and his disciples talk to a group of women about asking God forgiveness for one’s sins. One of the women tells the story of one of their own who was brutally raped and drowned by her husband when found with another man. She questions God in this moment, in how one of the men sought forgiveness at the time of his trial. Jesus gives with deep humility and compassion that hate can be a powerful emotion, but forgiveness is a virtue that allows you into the Kingdom of God. It is a very touching performance by Joaquin, and he does very strong work in the few scenes that he is in the film. But it is truly Rooney Mara that commands the presence within her perspective of the story. I highly recommend everyone to see it, even if they are not religious, or grew up Catholic, there is rich sentiments, and spirituality in Jesus’ teachings. I feel the manipulation is found in how Religion and the Church can shift these teachings into fear mongering and absolutes, rather than allowing them to be heard and interpreted in its true essence and form. We are to make the decisions of our own lives, but ultimately to take steps and actions towards a virtuous life is always one of a positive encouragement.

Especially with all of the violence, war and hate in this world, it is often hard to even think about forgiveness, to allow our hearts to feel the opposing side of view, knowing that we are all humans, we are all one another, brothers and sisters. This is my hope in humanity, that we find the healing hearts to love one another despite our differences, until then we cannot come close to this Kingdom, for it is within us. We will build it, with our thoughts, our actions and our prayers.

Be good to one another,

Peace and Love,

J

Thanks for all the love on The Twilight Zone!

I just wanted to put out a big thank you to everyone that watched my episode of The Twilight Zone!

It’s currently streaming on CBS All Access, I’m on episode 3, “The Who of You,” which stars other great actors Ethan Embry, Billy Porter and Mel Rodriguez, directed by the wonderful Peter Atencio, produced by Jordan Peele.

It was such a joyous experience to work on my first television show here in Vancouver. It’s been a dream and cannot wait to do more wonderful work in this city. I know times are tough and it’s been a crazy world, but there is lots to be hopeful about. Lots of magic in the air as the world gets its shit together and cleans up. Be nice to one another, stay healthy and happy, be clean, wash your hands and wear a mask in public! It’s important to note that we’re all in this together and we should be acting in unity and community.

Much love,

JMC

PS. You can watch the clip from my episode on my Instagram @joelchicoshow or check out the link below!

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CB51lNOgVuE/

View this post on Instagram

Here's the clip from my episode of @thetwilightzone ! Season 2 Episode 3 - The Who of You! Directed by @atencio I am over the moon with excitement to share this with the world. This is by far the most fun I've had in a role, and my first principal role acting in Vancouver. I got to work with the incredible @realmelrodriguez who made me laugh to pieces in @officiallastman and now freaked me out every take we did of this scene. It was such an honor to work opposite of him even for these few moments. The use of this really tiny camera to shoot these eyeball explosions blew my mind and now I can say I've had my Requiem for a Dream moment! It was dope to see my buddy @labanpitmanjohnson at the cafe acting his way on set too! @paolomaiolo and I did take after take of running down Carrall St. in Gastown! It was the first time I'd ever have to do a scene where there was a crowd of people (probably tourists) watching and filming as I prepped to turn a corner and run with this foot brace 😂 Thanks to the amazing @directorlashlauro for being my first stunt guy ever and taking this hit from @robvhayley ! A drunk Irish guy watching literally ran out during a take and asked if he was alright cause he saw him get tackled hahaha, and it blew his mind that we were filming a TV show! And shout outs to @jayhindle to take the money and run, your reaction at the end is priceless!! Thanks so much to @jordanpeele and @cbsallaccess for producing such a cool episode and hope to work with ya again in the future! My favourite moment on set was thanking Peter Atencio at the end of the first day and saying, "hey I have message for Jordan Peele," I look around to see if anyone was looking and say, "I saiiiiid biiiiiiitch!" as Peter chuckled his ass off accepting the homage. Enjoy the Twilight Zone my friends you're stepping into a trip, I know I did! . . . . . #TwilightZone #PeterAtencio #JordanPeele #MelRodriguez #JoelChico #CBS #Film #Television #Acting #Actor #Writer #Director #Star #Famous #Celebrity #Action #Stunts #Hollywood #HollywoodNorth #Vancouver #Canada #Filipino #FilipinoActor #Ethnicity #AsianActor #Phillipines #Toronto #Camera #Video #IGTV

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AD ASTRA - A JAMES GRAY FILM

⚪ATTENTION THIS WRITTEN CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE CONTAINS SPOILERS⚪
⚫Please read at your discretion, this is not a review, simply a first impression of a film⚫

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🌟Stay til the end.🌟
James Gray always includes a final sound bite that encaptulates his films and this one was worth the wait, coming from one that admires his films and provides the patience it deserves.

It's hard to reintegrate into reality after seeing Ad Astra. Even now as I write this in a ramen bar ordering food to eat at home in my own seclusion of pensive pondering I am elated, overwhelmed and completely satisfied, for this film was worth the long wait I have been enduring since the closing credits of The Lost City of Z. Attentively awaiting one of my favourite filmmakers to emerge from his own captivity to finally present his next feature.

I saw him at the beginning of the year during TIFF's retrospective of his filmwork and luckily had an opportunity to chat with him in person, and ask a question during his in conversation with panel. When discussing Ad Astra he was deep in the editing process and he was exhausted. It had been a long haul, getting the final touches on all of the digital effects was taking time that differed from his previous films. This was January 2019, it was originally scheduled to be released in April/May, but pushed to mid September. Patience is everything, and Ad Astra is worth it all.

Ad Astra is visual poetry.
It is imaginative and serene.
It is beautiful beyond belief, absolutely gorgeous in it's presentation, words cease to have meaning in how shots simply take your breath away.

James Gray talked about how he discovers the films he wants to make through a feeling. For Two Lovers it was a somber man walking alone on a beach. For Ad Astra, it was the feeling of floating in space. The cinematic version of this feeling is to take the viewer on an experience that stretches the boundaries of human resilience, will and determination. To understand the feeling of floating in space is to question why anyone would want to seek such an experience, and travel past their own limits to understand the life long question, are we alone in the universe?

James Gray's films are pensive, thought provoking and literal examinations of the human condition, the ties that bind his characters to both mythology and destiny. One continuing theme is that of the sons of their fathers, how far they try to run from their parentage, but ultimately become them in some degrees. It is in that struggle to want to become something you admire, that furthers your ambition to succeed to do so. The driving force that allows us to be our best is the same blood that runs in our veins. We are determined to be like them in order to understand them, but yet still come across so far.

Brad Pitt's Major Roy McBride aspired to be like his astronaut father, to mission and serve with the same strength and will of heroism as he believed him to be. No matter how distant his presence had become. This is shown in Roy's aptitude of perseverance, cunning and resourcefulness. Throughout the film he is faced with finite challenges that demand the utmost precision, timing and force of action, literal moments of life and death. McBride's opening mission of aiding a space antenna, and falling to impending doom when hit with an energetic surge is reminiscent of Tom Cruise's HALO jump in Fallout last year, but amped to a greater height, turbulence and danger factor. Brad Pitt's McBride, showcases patience in maneuvering through casualty. His heart rate controlled, grasp managed and prepared through all outcome to ensure safe return and arrival to ground zero. The first of many instances of problem solving, action and keeping calm, cool and collective. He is trained to be precise. His job is life or death at any given moment. Every moment counts.

Gray allows this patience with his film to digest not only the visual scope (seeing it in IMAX makes a world of difference to the overall experience) but the acceptance of the reality of the "Near Future" he has brought us to. The world has advanced but not much has changed. We have colonized the Moon and Mars but we are still fighting for resources in extremities. Humanity has taken their worst traits and populated other planets for it's own pleasure. Space travel had become customized airline flights, time and service is substantially convenient and luxurious. But the focus is on the mission. Retrieve a connection to the father thought deceased for thirty years, stop the impending doom of a seismic force, energetic surges from the distance of Neptune caused from the ship that had gone offline many years ago.

Roy's mission is one of emotional deliverance and personal sacrifice. He is trained all his life to do the impossible, including a reconnection to an absent father. Gray takes us through the beautiful eyes of Brad Pitt, the innocence, the age, and the fatigue of a man who has seen it all. A harrowing point of view shared by an actor that has aged like a delicate wine, still withholding of all the finesse and purity that shot him into stardom, his resilience, and his ability to highlight adept range through subtlety, presence and care of the actor's craft. He is in full swing, a role that defines his own struggles, loss, balance and sacrifice to be the best in his class. His entire career is shed through his eyes, his beats mastered with the precision needed to play a man of masterful control of his craft. From humor to heart break, his range is vast as the stars he sees, the performance he brings to the silence of a look is incomparable, for each second, emotion and story is read through his face. One that has given us years of service, through that wry cackle and smile, but there is a deep fragility in Roy McBride. James Gray was able to pull out such nuanced performances from his leading actors, through stories that help define their skills and abilities to carry a narrative arc and give it a degree of explosive force that is both mesmerizing, and awe inspiring, that it can be discussed and explored for multiple viewings and years after it's release. This may as well be the film to give Brad his Oscar, even if he isn't campaigning to receive one, his work is masterful and he leaves it on the screen with his viewers.

He is accompanied by a wonderful cast that each serve the story, accenting motivators to propel him towards his goal, a climax to the hardest challenge to face, his father. Tommy Lee Jones gives a performance of utmost delicacy, his minimal screen time simply showcases his ability to provide all that is necessary through few scenes, with enough care and support to leverage Brad's longing and struggles, an encounter 16 years in the making expressed in a scene with such grace and attention it holds the entire emotional weight of Roy's journey in it's balance and pedigree. To travel 2.7 billion miles to see the father you have missed for the last two decades is an undertaking this son endures for the love still in his heart. A journey into the heart of darkness to find a piece of yourself.

Ad Astra is poetry of the highest cinematic order that demands patience and perseverance. It captures the isolation and solitary nature of space, our desire to venture to the farthest reaches of our galaxy, simply to miss everything we had back home. It is made with care and respect to art of filmmaking. James Gray has made a picture that will stand the test of time, like that of Apocalypse Now and 2001 Space Odyssey, it exists outside of its contemporaries because it is remotely unique and challenging in it's own merit, it rivals none because it is simply what it is, absolutely beautiful.

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