2021 End-of-Year Movie Catchup

The year is almost over.  So, I decided to do a little bit of catching up on some movies before I finalized the list for my top 10 favorite movies of the year.

Winston Duke and Zazie Beetz in "Nine Days"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

1) “Nine Days” - An understated, yet bold filmmaking debut from this year was writer-director Edson Oda’s meditative supernatural drama, which follows a man named Will (Winston Duke), who interviews five unborn souls to see which one will be given the chance for a life on Earth.  Duke provides a beautiful performance as a man who must make tough decisions of who gets the sought-after opportunity.  While all of the supporting performances are terrific, the standouts are two of the souls, played by Zazie Beetz as the kind, inquisitive Emma, and David Rysdahl as the soft-spoken Mike, both of whom offer windows into their minds and allow us to see the many thoughts that percolate within them as they go through this emotional process.  Oda’s screenplay is a layered, contemplative story that examines life from a fascinating angle, providing us with a poignant look at how each of the characters views this valuable opportunity.  Through Oda’s direction, he allows us to sit and take in the power that he extracts from each of the character interactions, all while he constructs an otherworldly environment befitting to a premise that’s loaded with originality.  In a movie that’s asks some powerful questions about life, this is a story that brims with it. 

Grade: A

Stephanie Beatriz in "Encanto"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

2. “Encanto” - This year, Disney’s animated films have invited us on cross-cultural excursions through Southeast Asia in “Raya and the Last Dragon” and the Italian coast in “Luca.”  Now, they whisk us away to the lush lands of Columbia in their latest movie, “Encanto.”  The film tells the story of Mirabel Madrigal (Stephanie Beatriz), a young woman who lives with her family in a magical home where everyone has a superhuman ability, except her.  When the magic of their family is threatened, it’s up to Mirabel to find a way save it.  The voice cast has a vibrancy throughout, especially Beatriz and John Leguizamo as Mirbael’s cousin, Bruno.  Although the screenplay is a little rushed near the ending, it subverts the expectations of the traditional Disney hero/heroine story, with the journey being less a physical journey then it is an emotional one.  As for the music, while a couple of the songs aren’t too memorable, there are some standouts, such as the opening number, “The Family Madrigal,” and the emotional “Dos Oruguitas.”  Directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard provide a movie that continues Disney’s tradition of bringing us to gorgeous settings that show how far animation has grown.  This ensures that, despite a couple of flaws, “Encanto” will still find a way to leave you enchanted.

Grade: B+

Isabelle Fuhrman in "The Novice"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

3. “The Novice” - When it comes to movies like Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” or Damien Chazelle’s  “Whiplash,” we know that it’s always a tense experience when you watch a movie that focuses on the main character striving for perfection and the addiction into which it can morph.  Such is the case with writer-director Lauren Hadaway’s filmmaking debut.  The story follows Alex Dall (Isabelle Fuhrman), a college freshman who joins her school’s rowing team, only to become obsessed with being the best.  Fuhrman delivers a profound performance of a young woman who puts herself through the physical and psychological wringer to place herself above everyone else.  For a character who shows a full, yet unsettling commitment to her goals, Fuhrman shows the fullest commitment to inhabiting this character and her questionable ideals.  Despite some heavy-handed symbolism in spots, the screenplay’s central message is still impactful as we see the dangerous degree to which Alex dedicates herself to reaching her goal, showing a character who’s her own worst enemy.  Hadaway delivers exhausting workout sequences and rowing scenes, bringing us through moments of blood, sweat, tears, and blisters, always having you wonder what Alex will lose as she strives for what she wishes to gain.

Grade: A-

Riz Ahmed in "Mogul Mowgli"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

4. “Mogul Mowgli” - One of the most superb and new dramatic visions of the year comes from director, Bassam Tariq.  In his film, we follow Zed (Riz Ahmed) a British-Pakistani rapper who’s career is on the rise.  When he’s diagnosed with a degenerative autoimmune disease, he returns to London to see his family.  Ahmed, who cowrote the screenplay with Tariq, provides hard-hitting work as an artist who boasts a commanding energy when performing, but then must go through a heartbreaking shift when faced with restricted movement.  Given how Ahmed stared in Darius Marder’s “Sound of Metal” last year, in which he played a drummer who faces progressive hearing loss, Tariq’s film serves as a fine companion piece, with these being two films concerning artists who encounter intense hardships that hinder their ability to create.  Through occasional dreamlike imagery, a couple of electric concert sequences, and scenes of Zed dealing with his family and the possibility of never being able to perform again, the film has to cover quite a bit in just 90 minutes, but succeeds.  Through this, you’ll come away from the movie feeling as if you experienced a full view into the main character’s life, both with what he faces in the present, and what he has faced in his past.   

Grade: A 

When Looking for Work, a Man Falls into a World of Dark Attractions

Rooney Mara and Bradley Cooper 
in "Nightmare Alley"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Guillermo del Toro loves his monsters and specters.  Whenever we see a movie from him, it’s always exciting to see what new and memorable creations he’ll bring to his latest film.  However, in movies like “The Devil’s Backbone,” “Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Crimson Peak,” and “The Shape of Water,” he’s used these creatures and ghosts as a way to explore the monster-like tendencies that can be found in humans.

Now, with the neo-noir psychological thriller, “Nightmare Alley,” he leaves monsters and ghosts out of the story and instead focuses on the violent and cruel actions of humans, making this his first movie to not include these horror entities.  As with his other work, his characters and settings absorb you in the dark, complex environments that he presents to the screen.

In the early 1940s, Stanton “Stan” Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) finds work helping at a carnival.  After honing his skill to con people as a psychic, Stan pairs up with a devious psychologist, Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett), and the deceptions that they pull on others will soon have deadly consequences.

Cooper provides superb work as a man who, while always expressing glimmers of a troubled past, carries an air of genuineness and workmanship about him as we meet his character.  He gives his character a soft charisma as he tries to bond with the other carnies and make a living.  For the first third of the movie, Cooper has a charming, work-your-way-from-the-ground-up enthusiasm that hooks you into his arc.  However, once Stan reaches fame as a psychic, Cooper brings out the cunning nature of a showman who lets his newfound greed for success get the best of him.  We see the obsessiveness for trickery engulf him as he sinks further and further into bigger cons, forging an amoral path that shifts him into a much different person than to whom we were introduced.  Cooper excels at digging into every aspect of his troubled character, leading to an emotional climax that has some of the finest acting he’s ever accomplished.

Blanchett is engaging as a therapist who’s on the same level of deceitfulness as Stan.  She always has an expression on her face where you can see the gears turning as she contemplates her next move, keeping you on your toes as you wait to see how her connection to Stan will develop.  Blanchett has the look and persona of an actress from the film-noir era, which was when the original film from Edmund Goulding was released, creating a character who inhabits her environment to the fullest degree.  Lilith’s wrapped in a mystery that’s enticing to see unfold, and in true Blanchett fashion, she grips your attention whenever she makes an appearance.

Rooney Mara, who plays Molly Cahill, a fellow carny who soon becomes Stan’s assistant in his mentalist act, gives a wonderful performance as a young woman who has a love for the carnival and her coworkers.  However, as the movie goes on and she begins performing more with Stan, Mara shows Molly’s increased sense of conflict that she experiences as Stan’s act becomes more and more questionable.  She sees the unsettling changes that overcome Stan, and Mara is excellent in her emotional portrayal of an individual who has a love for performing, but realizes that this love is being poisoned by Stan’s growing greed.

The rest of the supporting cast immerses you in the carnival community.  There’s Toni Collette as Zeena Krumbein, a clairvoyant; David Strathairn as Peter, Zeena’s husband; and Willem Dafoe as Clement Hoately, the carnival owner.  But, the one who stands out is del Toro’s “Shape of Water” alum, Richard Jenkins, who plays Ezra Grindle, a troubled man who becomes a prime target of Sam and Lilith’s con game.  Jenkins gives Ezra a persona where he seems peaceful, yet a little unhinged, and you’ll be glued to this character as his connection with Stan becomes dangerous.

The screenplay by del Toro and Kim Morgan is a new adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham’s 1946 novel of the same name.  While the portion of the movie that takes place after Stan leaves the carnival has more intrigue and dramatic heft, the segment of the movie that comes before that should still be commended for giving us enough time to spend in the carnival setting and becoming acquainted with the surrogate family that accepts Stan.  The characters to whom we’re introduced offer a well-rounded glimpse into the strange world that Stan soon inhabits, and the details that del Toro and Morgan offer to entice us into this environment helps to prepare us for the intensity that comes later in the movie.

As mentioned before, the narrative also ventures into the idea of the monstrous nature of humans.  It’s an aspect that’s established with a bit of Dafoe’s dialogue, as the carnival barker tells his audience as they group together to see his attraction, “Is it a beast, or is it a man?  You're in luck, because tonight, you will see him feed!  Come on in and find out.  Is he a man...or beast?”  While this concept is meant to feed into Stan’s eventual predatory descent on his targets as a mentalist, it’s a notion that can be applied to more than one character, and del Toro and Morgan provide a complex view into this idea.  It all relates to the film’s other prominent theme of the horrible acts that people will commit in order to hide their truths, or to find out the truths of others.

Del Toro is one of the foremost directors working today when it comes to immersing audiences in the settings that he creates.  When he brings us into the carnival, the details that he includes not only introduce us to the environment itself, but the era as a whole, establishing a firm sense of place and constructing the noir aesthetic of Goulding’s version.  This is all with the help of cinematographer Dan Laustsen, who worked with del Toro on “Mimic,” “Crimson Peak,” and “The Shape of Water.”  Paired with Laustsen’s framing is the stunning production design by Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau, which excels in bringing to life the carnival setting in the first act of the movie, as well as using cold-color palettes throughout the film that work well alongside the noir camerawork, especially in the winter setting that arrives later in the movie.

Del Toro creates a disturbing parable that shows the unfortunate choices that people make that will take them through life’s darkest alleys and shows that if they’re not careful, it can be difficult to find a way back.

Grade: A-

For Steven Spielberg’s Latest Film, He Revisits and Reinvigorates a Classic

Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler 
in "West Side Story"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

In 1961, directors Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins gave moviegoers one of the most iconic films of all time with “West Side Story,” an adaptation of Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurentis’ 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which itself was a retelling of “Romeo and Juliet.”  Through passionate performances, soulful singing, and energetic dance sequences, this is a movie that has remained in the hearts of viewers, both old and young, and it helped set the standard for movie musicals that would arrive over the course of the next few decades.

This is one of those movies that one couldn’t imagine ever being given another chance for an adaptation, a movie that seemed untouchable.  However, when Spielberg was brought onboard to direct a new version, that was reason enough to be cautiously optimistic.  I’m beyond thrilled to say that not only has he delivered what may one of the best movies of the year, but a rare remake that’s better than the original.

In 1957, a gang of white Americans, called the Jets, and a gang of Puerto Ricans, known as the Sharks, are at odds with each other over the changing demographics of their community of San Juan Hill.  When former Jet Tony (Ansel Elgort) falls in love with María (Rachel Zegler), the sister of Sharks leader Bernardo (David Alvarez), this couple will have to overcome their different backgrounds if their love will prevail.

Zegler offers a stunning, glorious breakout performance as María.  Her work in this movie proves that she’s passed being a star in the making because she already is one.  She portrays María as someone who intends to follow her dream and make a life for herself, and through her acting, singing, and dancing, Zegler beautifully expresses her character’s intent on embracing the possibilities that America has for her.  There’s a radiance to her that acts a a wonderful introduction of Zegler to movie audiences, and with her joyousness when performing songs like “Tonight” and “I Feel Pretty,” it’s stunning what she’s able to accomplish, with this not only being her debut film role, but a role in a movie from a director as immortal as Spielberg.  This is a role that Zegler was born to play, which is only appropriate because of how this movie gives birth to an actress that has a promising career ahead of her.

Ariana DeBose, who plays María’s friend Anita, proves to be more than capable of following in the footsteps of Rita Moreno, who portrayed Anita in the 1961 film.  As a sisterly figure for María, DeBose exhibits the love and care that she has for her friend, always being there to give María advice and make sure she stays out of trouble.  She captures the layered emotional arc that makes her character so fascinating, exhibiting a boundless energy when she sings her iconic toe-tapping tune, “America,” only to then have the bright future that she imagined come into question when she realizes the fullest extent of the animosity between the Jets and the Sharks.

While Zegler and DeBose are great together throughout the movie, the peak of their on-screen connection comes near the end.  When the two have differences over which course to take following a tragic event, their duet of “A Boy Like That/I Have a Love” will break your heart as tensions flare between them.

Mike Faist, who plays Jets leader Riff, does his absolute best in commanding his scenes with his unfaltering screen presence.  He has the look of a classic movie star that’s perfect for this film, and the way in which he talks, emotes, and moves shows a person who inhabits his character to portray someone who’s had a rough life and only knows the streets and the friends that he’s made there.  Faist gives his character a street-smart swagger that makes it near impossible to even blink whenever he’s on screen, a magnetism from which you can’t pull away your eyes, especially in the sequence where he performs the song “Cool.”

Alvarez has an energy to him that always shows that his character is ready for a fight and will do whatever’s necessary to protect the ones whom he loves.  Whenever you see Bernardo, he shows a roughness that comes with his need to watch over his territory, and Alvarez unleashes the power of his character as he displays Bernardo’s commitment to his family.

Moreno makes a heartfelt return to Sondheim’s creation as Valentina, the owner of a local drugstore, similar to the Doc character in the original.  As one of the defining aspects of the original “West Side Story,” this return couldn’t be anymore welcome as we see Moreno display her acting and singing talents that wowed audiences all of those decades ago.  For this character, Moreno hits a poignant apex with her performance of the song “Somewhere,” a number that’s used in a different way, compared to the 1961 film.  Where Tony and María sang it in that version, Valentina sings it here, offering one of the most emotional scenes in the film that will have you elated to see Moreno on the big screen once again.

The screenplay by Tony Kushner follows much of the outline from the original film, with all of the wonderful songs and characters intact.  However, one of the things that he does as an improvement over the 1961 film is dig much deeper into the heart of what’s causing the tension between the Jets and the Sharks.  He goes into detail about the Jets being threatened of the changing demographics in their community, as well as the mass demolition around their neighborhood that’s meant to make way for newer landmarks.  This is highlighted in the opening long take that’s the antithesis to the opening of the original.  Where the original had the opening overhead shots of New York City skyscrapers, this movie opens on an overhead long take of massive heaps of rubble that’s meant to be the location of Lincoln Center.  This is a perfect example of taking a story that we know, retaining that story’s essence, but reframing it to present the narrative from a fresh angle.

As a filmmaker, Spielberg doesn’t try to replicate the images from the first movie, but instead uses his own ideas to present these scenes to a brand new audience.  He collaborates with his usual cinematographer Janusz Kamiński and editors Michael Kahn and Sarah Broshar to create musical sequences that range from electric to romantic to tragic, showing us how much love for the source material went into making this movie.  There are balletic confrontation scenes, particularly the Jets/Sharks rumble and the “Cool” sequence between Riff and Tony; the heartwarming balcony setting for María and Tony’s rendition of “Tonight”; and the thrilling prologue that introduces us to the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks.  However, one of the most memorable songs of “West Side Story,” “America,” moves the action from a rooftop to the streets, allowing for the sequence to unfold with more intricacies that come together without fault, leaving you breathless with the adventurous ideas that were brought to this re-adaptation.  Everything that Spielberg and his team set out to do results in an unforgettable blend of old-school movie magic and advanced filmmaking techniques.

The original “West Side Story” is a movie that has been beloved for many years, and given what Spielberg has accomplished with his retelling, I think we can say that the same will happen for his film.

Grade: A

The Arrival of Two People Alters Life on a Montana Ranch

Benedict Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons in 
"The Power of the Dog"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Out of all film genres, the one that may be the most iconic to the medium is the western.  Not only do the films within this genre have an unparalleled grandness to them, but they also carry a sense of time that you don’t quite feel with other genres, in that you can see an era of America from decades and decades ago that has been explored in film countless times. 

The latest addition comes from writer-director Jane Campion with her film, “The Power of the Dog,” a film which proves that, even in the 2020s, there’s still a wealth of stories to tell in the western genre.

Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his brother, George (Jesse Plemons), are the wealthy owners of a ranch in 1925 Montana.  When George brings his new wife, Rose (Kirsten Dunst), and her son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), to live with him on the ranch, Phil will start to experience feelings that he didn’t know he had.

Cumberbatch provides a tense performance as the surly ranch owner who can make anyone nervous whenever he enters the room.  There’s an understated ruthlessness to how he operates the property and demands respect from his peers, leaving the viewer on edge as you anticipate how he will interact with those around him, particularly Rose and Peter.  However, as the film goes on, Cumberbatch shows the cracks that slowly form in his persona, exposing the true self underneath that he tries to hide, but might be wishing to be revealed.  It’s a performance that has intriguing emotional layers that will pull you even further into his character later in the film and keep you hooked into where his arc will take you. 

Dunst gives heartrending work as a woman who tries to protect her son from the roughness of Phil and the other cowboys, while also dealing with her personal demons.  We see the psychological toll that Phil’s presence has on her as she tries to be a caring mother and wife, and Dunst exhibits the pain of someone who’s doing what she can to make the best of her new life, but is always looking over her shoulder to avoid Phil, who always seems to be just a few feet away.

Plemons gives a quiet, yet profound performance as an individual who’s the opposite of Phil, trying to be the peacekeeper between Phil and his new family.  Plemons provides a presence that acts as a source of relief whenever he’s on screen because of how he gives his character a tone of voice that exudes reasonableness, which is much needed whenever he has to handle his brother’s uncouth attitude.    

Smit-McPhee gives the type of performance where much of the impact comes in his facial expressions.  We see an emotionally beaten-down individual who’s ridiculed by Phil and the other ranchers for not fitting in with them, all while attempting to get through his day-to-day life the way in which he wishes.  Smit-McPhee gives a portrayal where we can sense the turmoil that’s hiding within his character, sometimes showing a pained stoicism of someone who doesn’t quite know how to present himself in front of others who view him as different.

The screenplay by Campion, which is based on Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel of the same name, allows the characters to develop with subtleties that immerse you in their arcs.  The four main characters are constructed in such a way where it seems like they each have pains that are residing within them, but aren’t disclosing them right away.  The narrative has us study these characters to see how outside factors are influencing the way in which they live and interact with others, and it’s always fascinating to see what will happen when their ideals clash.

Another neat aspect about the screenplay is how, despite being a western, it forgoes action set-pieces that we often associate with these movies, and instead focuses more on the characters and the drama that takes place among them.  In terms of the narrative, this is a western that’s built on a smaller scale, offering a refreshing change of pace for how stories within this genre can be told.

This is Campion’s first directorial effort since her 2009 film, “Bright Star,” and she makes a majestic return as she captures the vastness of the Montana wilderness and utilizing it as a beautifully framed background for the intimacy of the story that’s being told.  With cinematography by Ari Wegner, we’re given the expansive imagery of the open country that we’ve come to love from this genre, all while Campion builds tension amongst her ensemble and maintains a slow burn as we venture deeper into the hearts of Phil, Rose, George, and Peter.

Campion’s work here is a welcome addition to the gloriousness of westerns, and her commitment to using a sweeping backdrop to tell a character-driven story is what gives the movie its lasting power. 

Grade: A 

Through a Documentarian, a Young Man Remembers His Difficult Past

Amin Nawabi in "Flee"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

When it comes to the documentary genre, as long as the subject matter is fascinating, the traditional use of interviews and archival footage isn’t an issue.  However, it’s always a memorable experience when documentaries employ different approaches to absorb us in their subjects.  There are documentaries like “Three Identical Strangers” and “The Rescue,” which use some dramatic reenactments to tell their stories, and “Honeyland,” which unfolds like a narrative drama, without the use of any traditional documentary hallmarks.

The genre delivers an innovative entry (this one being animated) with Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s heartrending film, “Flee,” a searing account of one man’s journey to find a better life.

The story follows Amin Nawabi, a young man who lives in Denmark with his boyfriend.  As he’s interviewed about his life, he reveals the events involving him leaving a war-torn Afghanistan with his family to moving to a new country as a refugee.

The vivid, expressive animation gives us a chance to experience Amin’s story in a way that can best be described as unforgettable.  Even though Amin’s narration keeps this movie grounded in the knowledge that it's a documentary, the flashback sequences outside of the framing device of the interview process create a narrative within the movie that highlights Amin’s talent as a storyteller, almost making you forget that this is a documentary and instead making it seem like you’re just sitting next to someone as they tell you their story and confide in you these intimate details.  Through these flashbacks, Amin shows himself to be a chronicler of tremendous impact, immersing us in what he experienced as a refugee in his dangerous travels to find a new life.

 

The movie has the feeling of a therapy session, with the director asking Amin to lay down at the beginning as he prepares to unload the unimaginable experiences that he has had.  The tone of Amin’s voice exemplifies how revealing such details are equal parts liberating and painful.  He seems relaxed as he lays down and puts his trust in the documentarian, but also holds a tone of someone whose past continues to haunt him, an individual whose past has engraved itself in his heart, mind, and bones.  Through his voice, Amin invites the viewer into his memories as we go through these dark years of his young adulthood, with is tone expressing the far-reaching impact that these events have had on him.

Although the director talks here and there with Amin, he also let's Amin tell his story without asking too many questions.  We have lengthy, uninterrupted stretches of Amin speaking about his past and having us venture deeper into what he did to survive the seemingly endless days of traveling, waiting, and traveling some more in order to reach a place of safety.  By allowing Amin these chances to talk for several minutes at a time, this lets his words sink into us as we come to understand the unthinkable circumstances of his former life.

As Amin reveals his past, he provides us with a detailed account of his family and what their life was like before and after they escape from Afghanistan.  We’re given a sense of how much they loved their home and how much it pained them to have to leave.  Following that, we have a gut-wrenching descent into the horrors that he faced as he and his family went through their journey to reach the safety that they needed.  The story then shows what came after, as Amin tries to adjust to a peacefulness that seems alien to him, but does what he can to rebuild his life.  Through these three stages of the narrative, each portion of Amin’s story is given the attention that it deserves so that we can understand everything through which he’s been.

In between these stages, we have the moments of Amin with the documentarian.  These scenes have a sense of comfort to them as we see what’s transitioned several years after the end of Amin’s journey.  This comfort comes from witnessing Amin taking his life day by day, and although he’s still troubled by his past, he’s doing his best to move on and live the life he always wanted with his boyfriend.

While there are bits of news footage used here and there, everything else in the movie is animated.  The animation is used in such a way that has us see Amin’s story through his eyes, and this allows us to feel more connected to his character as he takes us through these years of his life.

When we view Amin’s collection of memories in “Flee,” it’s as if we’re watching someone live, die, and then be reborn.

Grade: A

A Father Helps His Daughters Make History on the Tennis Court

Demi Singleton, Saniyya Sidney, and 
Will Smith in "King Richard"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

The story of tennis players Venus and Serena Williams is probably one of the most recognizable and inspiring in the last 25 years of sports history.  Becoming prodigies at a young age and taking the world by storm was an impressive feat to behold, and it couldn’t have been more clear that they would be considered as some of the greats when it came to tennis.

Their story is the center of director Reinaldo Marcus Green’s biopic, “King Richard,” a fine addition to the sports drama that boasts powerful performances and a deep love for tennis.

Richard Williams (Will Smith) is a tennis coach living in Compton, California with his wife Oracene (Aunjanue Ellis), daughters Venus (Saniyya Sidney) and Serena (Demi Singleton), and step-daughters Tunde (Mikayla LaShae Bartholomew), Isha (Danielle Lawson), and Lyndrea (Layla Crawford).  As Venus and Serena continue to train, Richard will do what he can to make sure that they reach their fullest potential.

Smith provides his greatest performance in years as a hardworking father who’s adamant about giving his family the best life that he can.  He sheds his blockbuster persona and digs deep into this character to give us an inspiring view into a parent who doesn’t see anything less than the greatest of prospects for his daughters.  Just like his performances in “Ali’ and “The Pursuit of Happiness,” Smith shows his intense capability of wielding a dramatically rich role when given the opportunity.  There’s an optimism that Smith’s character carries throughout the film that keeps you absorbed in Richard’s journey to help his daughters.  However, there’s also a troubled past hidden behind the cheerfulness, with Richard revealing a part of it to Venus in a heartrending scene that reinforces Smith’s dramatic talents.  Smith does superb work in balancing the joyous and sad sides to his character, offering a performance that blurs the line between “movie star” and “actor.”

Ellis delivers terrific work as Venus and Serena’s mother, showing her support for their efforts while also having her character exhibit a calmness that lets us see her high tolerance for Richard’s stubbornness for sticking to his special ways of training Venus and Serena.  But, in one of the film’s most memorable scenes, Oracene pushes back against Richard, creating a poignant sequence where she picks apart Richard’s character to get to the core of why he is the way he is, and Ellis makes this a prime example of a character providing a quiet, yet impactful presence, only to burst through it all when the timing is right.

Singleton has several opportunities to make an impression as Serena, and succeeds, but the movie then shifts of a lot of its focus to Venus as we follow her career taking off before that of Serena’s.  Sidney exhibits a fierceness and determination whenever she steps onto the court, exemplifying a character who, despite just being a teenager, is aware of who she wants to be and what dream she wishes to achieve.

Jon Bernthal gives an energetic performance as Venus’ coach, Rick Macci, showing his character’s enthusiasm for the sport and the strong work ethic with which he trains his athletes.  The vibrancy of his character exhibits an intriguing contrast between Richard’s obstinate persona and unconventional approach to training, leaving Bernthal and Smith to have some great interactions when they disagree with the other’s athletic plan.

The screenplay by Zach Baylin doesn’t focus on the lives of the Williams sisters in full, but instead hones in on 1994 at the start of their professional careers.  By the time the movie begins, Venus and Serena are avid tennis players, so the movie doesn’t have to spend time on them learning the game, and can instead focus on what they’re going to do with their talents.  The narrative has family drama and sports drama in equal doses, providing us with a detailed look into how the two intertwined within the Williams family.  It’s a straightforward movie, but one that unfolds with a heartfelt view into the story behind Venus and Serena’s success.

As a director, Green is able to maintain the strong camaraderie of his cast and have the near two-and-half-hour runtime move at a good pace.  But, the rest of the filmmaking sometimes carries the feel of a TV movie, and the camerawork from renowned cinematographer Robert Elswit doesn’t quite live up to what he’s done before.  Despite that, you’ll still be won over by the power of the story and performances.

While many have enjoyed viewing the Williams sisters’ talent on the court over the years, “King Richard” gives you the chance to see how their uplifting story began.

Grade: A-

A Thanksgiving Dinner with More Than Food Involved

From left: June Squibb, Beanie Feldstein,
Steven Yeun, Richard Jenkins, 
Jayne Houdyshell, and Amy Schumer in
"The Humans"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

There isn’t a better to time than Thanksgiving for movie studio A24 to release its latest drama, “The Humans,” which is based on Stephen Karam’s 2016 Tony Award-winning one-act play of the same name. Taking place on the aforementioned holiday, it reflects the experiences of many families, in that each family has its own story, and within that are the individual stories of each member.  Any viewer can watch this story unfold and see themselves in at least one of the characters.

In his feature-directorial debut, Karam delivers an adaptation that captures the tense, sometimes haunting tone of his play to perfection, all in a story that will elicit laughs, tension, and tears.

On Thanksgiving, a young couple, Richard (Steven Yeun) and Brigid (Beanie Feldstein), host dinner at their Manhattan apartment in Chinatown for the latter’s family, which includes her father (Richard Jenkins), mother (Jayne Houdyshell, who won a Tony Award for originating the role), sister (Amy Schumer), and grandmother (June Squibb).  As the six of them spend the day together, they will face familial issues that begin to surface.

The whole cast provides terrific performances that play off of each other so, so well.  The way in which they interact paints them as a real family for whom you feel the love and thorns between them.  There’s a strong genuineness to how they act within the situation that the family is facing, making sure that there isn’t a false note in any of the performances.

Jenkins delivers the standout performance of the ensemble, portraying a father who tries to steer his daughters in the best direction that he sees, despite not doing so in the most tactful way.  He’s a father figure to whom we can relate in one way or another, and even if he might say or do the wrong thing, we know it all comes out of his love for his daughters.  There are small details as to why he’s like this, and they’re revealed sparingly throughout the duration of the movie.  It’s an emotional performance as you see Jenkins’ character trying to connect with his loved ones, but something always seems to be holding him back from doing the best that he can, making him look devastatingly alone in certain scenes.

Karam’s screenplay is able to cover everything that happens in the play, but even if you’ve read it, it all feels fresh because of how well you see it unfold as a movie.  Just like the source material, the screenplay takes a simple scenario like a family dinner and allows it to build upon little moments that soon lead into something bigger as everyone becomes more and more strained from being together.  We’re able to learn about each character and the different challenges that they face, which constructs a deep view into their lives that covers so much in a narrative timeframe that just lasts a day.

The title itself carries the connotation of something akin to a horror story.  With it just being called “The Humans,” it’s as if this is a narrative about beings that are meant to be feared and seen from a distance.  There’s a scene in the film where Yeun’s character mentions a comic book that he would read when he was younger about an alien species that told horror stories about humans, and what we have here is a movie that comes very close to that.  This is horror on an emotional level, the kind of emotions that people might sometimes experience during family gatherings. 

The cinematography by Lol Crawley frames the family in several different ways, whether it be watching them from another room; being in the same room as them, but from a distance; or having long takes that slowly zoom in on the characters.  This provides the movie with an observational view as we’re given the opportunity to examine these characters within the confines of the apartment.  Sometimes, the way in which the camera gradually zooms in is slow enough to the point where you won’t even notice that it’s been zooming in until you happen to look over at the edge of the screen and see things going out of the frame.

Given the way Karam and his cinematographer frame the apartment, we feel the textures and ambiance of the setting.  This duo refrains from making the movie feel stagy, providing this movie with a cinematic feel that shows Karam’s ability to transition from stage to screen.  Although the last shot of the movie is the only one that looks stagy, that’s not at all a bad thing.  The way in which it’s framed makes it one of the most impactful of the movie and highlights the notion of us being observers to the habitat of the humans at the center of the story.

Karam’s use of sound realizes the lifestyle of living in an apartment.  With noises such as footsteps of other tenants, water running, and lightbulbs going out, we’re given a firm sense of place as we travel around this apartment and become acquainted with every room.  Between the sound design, David Gropman’s claustrophobic production design, and the apprehensive discussions amongst the characters, Karam captures the anxiety-inducing feeling of being trapped with this group for the duration of the story (the whole play and movie take place in the apartment). 

A lot of us will be sitting down to holiday meals with family this season, but in between, take some time to join "The Humans" for a special cinematic dinner.

Grade: A

Approaching 30, a Hopeful Playwright Speeds Up His Strive for Success

Andrew Garfield in "Tick, Tick...Boom!"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

There’s a moment in director Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical drama, “Tick, Tick…Boom!” where playwright Jonathan Larson’s (Andrew Garfield) agent, Rosa Stevens (Judith Light), tells him to try “writing about what you know.”  While that advice would lead him to bring about the blockbuster musical, “Rent,” he would first use it to create a semi-autobiographical musical, which serves as the source material for Miranda’s film.  I didn’t know anything about Larson’s story before viewing this movie, but what I experienced was a story of success that was as heartbreaking as it was inspiring, a musical that bursts with tears and energy.

In 1990, Jonathan Larson is working as a waiter and living in New York City, all while worrying that his life isn’t going in the direction he wants, acknowledging that he hasn’t achieved his dream as his 30th birthday approaches.  Motivated by the sense of time racing by, Jonathan works day and night to find success on Broadway, all while trying to hold onto his relationship with his girlfriend, Susan (Alexandra Shipp), and losing friends to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Garfield exudes musical theatricality in one of his finest performances to date.  He displays a boundless vigor as we’re introduced to his character in the opening number, “30/90,” absorbing us right away in Larson’s journey.  Garfield inhabits the go-for-broke, nothing-will-stand-in-my-way commitment to reaching his artistic goal, but he also shows plenty of poignancy when he’s faced with having to choose whether to focus on his creative endeavors or focus on his loved ones.  We see that struggle as Larson tries to make everyone happy, creating a layer of sadness as he faces disconnections with those whom he loves.  This is a performance in a whole different field from what we’ve seen Garfield do before, and he captivates you with his Broadway-on-film talents.

The supporting characters that populate Larson’s life create an ensemble of beautiful performances.  As Larson’s girlfriend, Shipp portrays someone who, just like her boyfriend, is finding a challenge in maintaining their relationship in the middle of establishing a career in the performing arts.  Vanessa Hudgens and Joshua Henry, who portray Larson’s friends Karessa and Roger, deliver an exuberance that speaks to their experience as Broadway performers.  However, the standout is Robin de Jesús, who portrays Larson’s best friend, Michael.  Two of the best scenes in the movie are ones that involve de Jesús because he has such a powerful interplay with Garfield, and the passion that he uses in these scenes to try to get through to Garfield’s character will give you chills with how much emotion he can elicit in just these two scenes.

The screenplay by Steven Levenson has Larson performing “Tick, Tick…Boom!” as a frame story and goes between that and the main story of him trying to become an established playwright.  With us having the chance to see Larson’s musical performed, we witness how much of his experiences impacted the stories that he would tell on stage, going back to the notion of writing what you know.  Between Larson’s quest for musical greatness, the troubled relationships with those closest to him, and the backdrop of the HIV/AIDS crisis, we’re given enough time with each of these factors of Larson’s story to comprehend their significance in his life.  The dialogue and the songs provide a beautiful blend that give us an insight into what Larson’s experiencing and what he wishes to achieve, making this a wonderful story that celebrates artistic ambition, but doesn’t shy away from the heartbreak that comes along the way.

With this being Miranda’s feature-directorial debut, he channels his extensive Broadway history and makes it fit the cinematic format.  He collaborates with cinematographer Alice Brooks and editors Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum, the former two of whom worked on the film adaptation of Miranda’s musical, “In the Heights,” earlier this year.  Through their combined work, they create stunning musical sequences that, while they play well at home, make me wish I had seen this film on a bigger screen.  That’s not to disparage movie, but is instead a compliment to the superb work that’s put into these scenes.  With the lyrical sequences like “30/90,” “Sunday,” “Therapy,” “Come to Your Senses,” “Why,” and “Louder Than Words,” you learn so much in terms of Larson’s life, as shown in a whirlwind of laughs and tears that Miranda presents as a testament to the thrill and power of theater.

“Tick, Tick…Boom!” is an exhilarating example of how, when it comes to time, all that matters is what you make of it.  And, no matter your age, the possibility for greatness is never out of reach.

Grade: A

A Reunion Between Two Friends Leads to Tension

Ruth Negga (left) and Tessa Thompson 
in "Passing"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

The opening scene of actress Rebecca Hall’s feature directorial debut, “Passing,” follows its lead character as she walks into a hotel dining room to seek shelter for the sweltering heat.  While there, she comes across an old friend.  However, something seems off about this friend.  The deeper, heartbreaking reasons behind what’s occurring is explored in this story about racial issues in 1920s New York City.

Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) is a light-skinned African-American living in Harlem with her husband, Brian (André Holland), and their two sons.  One day, Irene reunites with Clare Bellew (Ruth Negga), an acquaintance with whom Irene grew up.  Just like Irene, Clare is a light-skinned African-American, but she chooses to pass as white.  While the two friends reconnect, they will also have to face the difficulties that come with denying your true identity.

Thompson provides a deep performance of someone who’s troubled by what Clare’s doing, while also trying to shield her children not only from the notion of passing, but also from the news of racial violence that their father tries to discuss with them.  Thompson shows an individual who wants to maintain the peaceful life that their family has built for themselves, but we see a melancholy in how she carries herself, always displaying a soft sadness in her voice as she tries to make sense of the environment around her.

Negga gives a performance that’s just as poignant as Thompson’s.  Negga has us believe at first that her character is content with what she’s doing, but soon, we see that even she has some doubts about how she’s living her life.  Between the radiant personality that Clare displays in front of others, we see slight hints of apprehension as she realizes how far into this she has gotten herself, and the happiness that she expresses earlier begins to come apart little by little, with Negga showing the quiet, emotional turmoil of what her character’s experiencing.

The screenplay by Hall, which is based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Nella Larson, offers the audience the chance to sit in on several discussions that the characters have, whether it be Irene and Clare talking about passing or Irene and Brian talking about whether or not to guard their children from news about racial cruelty.  With the movie only being just over 90 minutes, there are times where you feel like the story would benefit from a slightly longer runtime to go even deeper into the themes that it explores.  However, what we’re given still offers enough insight into the narrative’s messages, which is helped my the committed performances.

As a director, it’s admirable to see Hall take on a sensitive topic such as this for her first feature.  With gorgeous black-and-white cinematography by Eduard Grau that fits in with the time period of the ‘20s, as well as a slow jazz score from Devonte Hynes that’s also befitting to the period, Hall provides a feeling for the time and place in which the story happens.  Besides unfolding the story through those technical standpoints, Hall is also able to create a feeling of strain as the characters try to understand each other, while also having disagreements over certain topics.

Through its heart-rending characters and poignant story, “Passing” creates a portrait of what it means to live an easier life if it results in giving up who you are.

Grade: A-

When Home Doesn’t Feel Like Home Anymore, a Family Must Make a Tough Decision

From left: Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, 
Judi Dench, Jude Hill, and Lewis McAskie
in "Belfast"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

When it comes to film directors, one of the most fascinating things that they can do with their work is reveal to their audiences events from their lives that influenced them to become visual storytellers.  With films like Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma,” Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir,” and Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari,” each of these movies provides the viewer with a powerful look into these filmmakers’ pasts and perspectives on life itself.

Writer-director Kenneth Branagh can now be added to this roster with his drama, “Belfast,” a heartwarming and poignant exploration of his childhood in the titular city.

The story takes place from August 1969 to early 1970 and follows Buddy (Jude Hill), a young boy in a working-class family who lives in Belfast with this mother (Caitríona Balfe), father (Jamie Dornan), and brother (Lewis McAskie).  As the conflict between Protestants and Catholics reaches a breaking point, Buddy’s parents will soon have to make a choice as to whether they should stay in their hometown, or find a safer life somewhere else.

Hill gives a spirited breakout performance of a child who has a deep love for his neighborhood and the bonds he’s made. Hill shows us a character who’s seen violence in the streets, but is still able to hold onto the innocence and fun of childhood. Between his interactions with his family, friends, and neighbors, Hill presents an outgoing and inquisitive individual.  This is a performance that shows an astounding amount of natural talent in Hill, exhibiting the maturity within a character who has to grow up quicker than he might have anticipated.

Balfe portrays a mother who’s torn between wanting a better life for her family and wanting to stay in the home that’s been a part of them. She shows the sternness of a parent who’s trying to protect her children and instill values in them. Between running a household and taking care of her children while their father is away, Balfe exhibits her character’s strength in making sure their children don’t get into danger.  With the work that Balfe does, we always see her character’s internal conflict as she tries to figure out what’s best for her family, and Balfe’s emotional performance won’t leave you anything less than riveted.

As Buddy’s soft-spoken father, Dornan shows a character who doesn’t wish to confront anyone, but will put up his fists to defend his family if any threat comes near them.  He gives his character an air of someone who has built up years of hard work to help provide for his family and will do what he can to make sure that a roof is kept over their heads.  However, Dornan’s character isn’t all about seriousness, as one of the most upbeat scenes of the film is when he sings Robert Knight’s “Everlasting Love” to his wife at a party, a sequence that shows a moment of lightheartedness that this couple deserves after experiencing the hardships that’ve come before.  

Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds offer humorous performances as Buddy’s grandparents. Whether it be to offer Buddy advice or a laugh, Dench and Hinds are joyful to watch, offering a warmth to all of their scenes and making you feel optimistic in the tumultuous situations unfolding in their streets.

The screenplay by Branagh is a semi-autobiographical view of the years that he lived in Belfast, and it develops a story where you can feel the personal connection that Branagh has to that city, all while showing the deep love that he has for his family. He imbues the movie with the perfect amount of historical context to help us understand what’s happening around Buddy’s family, while also showing how the Protestant/Catholic conflicts are impacting his family in its direct way.  Whether it’s a poignant discussion between Buddy’s mom and dad on a bus, or Buddy becoming distressed when his parents reveal the possibility of moving, we see the emotional stress that’s placed on the family as they contemplate what to do.  However, between these scenes are uplifting moments where we see the family enjoying themselves, be it opening presents on Christmas morning or visiting a cinema to see “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” and it’s in moments like these where we see the solace that these characters find in each other, helping them get through the difficulties of what’s happening outside of their home.

The cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos, who’s a frequent collaborator of Branagh’s, offers beautiful black-and-white camerawork that highlights the feeling of going back in time to this era. The movie’s first few minutes are in color, showing a present-day Belfast. Then, the film transitions to black and white as we go back to 1969.  This is a fascinating use of black and white because, during the scenes where Buddy goes to a theater or a cinema, the images on the theater screen within the film, or the performers on the stage, are presented in color as Buddy and his family watch them.  It’s a heartwarming view of how such entertainments allowed them to escape for a while into something else, as well as an example of how film and stage influenced Branagh to become the immense talent that he is today.

From the opening scene, Branagh shows the harshness of the conflict between the Protestants and Catholics, making you feel the rumble in the streets as the opposing sides clash while the bystanders rush to safety.  Right away, we’re made aware of the dangers that are present, but this story isn’t just about the conflict. Outside of this, Branagh displays a loving view of the happiness that could be found in his childhood home in the moments between the chaos, creating a portrait of nostalgia that refrains from becoming overly sentimental, but is still heartwarming.

Through Branagh’s celebration of his family and native land, “Belfast” is a testament to how, whether you stay in or leave the home that you’ve come to know and love, you’ll always carry it with you, no matter what.

 Grade: A

On Leave from Prison, a Man Becomes a Prisoner of a Different Kind

Amir Jadidi in "A Hero"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

I’m ashamed to admit that, before seeing writer-director Asghar Farhadi’s latest drama, “A Hero,” I hadn’t seen any of this other movies.  With acclaimed films like “A Separation,” “The Past,” and “The Salesman,” I heard of him being a celebrated filmmaker who has become a prominent voice in international cinema.  So, when I had a chance to catch a preview screening of his recent film, I figured this would be as good of a time as any to be introduced to his work.

And, what an introduction it was.  “A Hero” showed me the complex vision that Farhadi brings to his filmmaking in a morality tale that unfurls into something bigger than its characters could have expected.

Rahim (Amir Jadidi) is in prison for an inability to repay a debt.  During his sentence, he’s granted a two-day leave.  When he hands in a lost purse, a small lie in the aftermath soon creates a deep web of deceit that entraps Rahim and threatens to destroy his life.

Jadidi delivers a superb performance as someone who sort of bumbles his way through the events that unfold from his lie, but then begins to realize that he’s way in over his head in terms of handle it.  However, with Rahim’s financial and familial situations, Jadidi creates a character for whom you can’t help but feel sorry as he tries to keep everything on track.  He’s an endearing character because of how ordinary he is, and Jadidi sells the everyday nature of Rahim, rendering him relatable as we try to see ourselves in this precarious scenario and wonder how we would handle it.

The supporting cast has several superb performances from portrayals of characters who become caught up in Rahim’s lie, most notably Mohsen Tanabandeh as Bahram, Rahim’s debtor, and Sahar Goldoost as Farkhondeh, Rahim’s new girlfriend and confidante.  The whole supporting cast is able to match the uncertainty and stress that Jadidi experiences as the consequences of his lies close around them, and the strength of their work makes their characters every bit as intriguing as Jadidi’s. 

The screenplay by Farhadi isn’t necessarily a thriller, but the way in which he builds tension little my little as the web of lies becomes more complex peppers some understated thrills throughout.  With the amount of characters who get pulled into the ripples of the initial lie, there’s an enticing unpredictability as to how everyone will be effected by this event and how their involvement will shape the growing complications of what Jadidi has started.  

This is a narrative where, every time a new layer to the original lie is added, we spend enough time on it as we see how the effects from that layer will unfold.  The story shows the consequences of each lie, and the way in which the screenplay exhibits how each lie leads into another is a vivid display of how not telling the truth can spiral into something that can become impossible to control.

The cinematography by Ali Ghazi and Arash Ramezani captures the newfound, yet temporary freedom of Rahim in a long take of him exiting the jail as the camera frames him behind a fence, only to follow him as he appears on the other side.  This is then followed by a a shot that lingers on him as he walks amongst a construction site alongside some mountains, having the camera frame him against this backdrop as he walks further and further away into the openness of the region.  

Then, once we arrive to Jadidi’s series of lies, that freedom dissipates as we transition to scenes of him and other characters crowded in closed spaces, whether it be a room in a house or a shop, and the way in which these individuals are shown in these spaces heightens the concept of how the consequences of the lie are closing in on them little by little.

However, a standout moment in the camerawork is the final shot.  I won’t give anything away, but the way in which Ghazi and Ramezani use light and darkness creates a meditative, haunting, but somewhat hopeful conclusion that results in what may be one of the best closing shots of the year.  If you think this movie will give you much to discuss afterwards, this image solidifies that notion.

Farhadi provides terrific work in capturing the drama between Jadidi, his family, and other acquaintances, always giving audiences an idea of the simmering tension underneath, and then allowing it have an exposure that progresses throughout the film.  He creates a movie that’s both a family drama and a cautionary tale, intertwining the two into a complex character study of someone who not only tries to right his wrongs in a questionable way, but also realizes that what seems like a simple solution can lead to a difficult outcome.

Grade: A

For the Princess of Wales, a Holiday of Festivities and Scrutiny

Kristen Stewart in "Spencer"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

The first few minutes of director Pablo Larraín’s new drama, “Spencer,” unfold with very little dialogue.  A group of military personnel arrives at Queen Elizabeth’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk and do a safety inspection.  Upon finding that all’s clear, the servants and cooks enter the property with a similar military precision.  This establishes a portrait of how everything must go according to plan as the Royal Family begins their arrival.  However, one person is late: Princess Diana.

Not much later, there’s an overhead shot as her car pulls into the front courtyard, skirting around a section that looks like the crosshairs of a rifle.  What she anticipates is that she’ll be in just about everyone’s crosshairs for the next few days as she spends time with the rest of the Royal Family.  What happens during all of this results in a tense, emotional, visceral, and psychological view of what we imagine might have occurred during this brief period in Diana’s life.

The story follows a fictionalized account of Christmas weekend in 1991 as Diana (Kristen Stewart) tries to make it through three days of criticisms and deep-rooted traditions.

Stewart gives an astounding performance that hooks you into her character’s anguish.  Throughout the film, Stewart displays Diana’s feeling of being an outcast within her family, always looking like she’s in pain as she tries to hold herself up to their standards, but also wanting to free herself from the constraints that such a life imposes on her.  The inner pain that Stewart exhibits when playing Diana is to such a degree that we feel it while watching Diana traverse the hallways and watchful eyes of its inhabitants.  However, it’s not all despair and uncertainty that Stewart shows in her work.  While those moments are powerful, just as powerful are the moments where Diana feels like herself.  Between Diana’s interactions with her sons and the castle staff, Stewart shows how comfortable Diana is with people who aren’t judging her actions within the scope of what the rest of the royal family deems suitable.  Stewart makes us experience the relief that Diana feels when she can spend time with someone who isn’t explicitly or implicitly judging her, offering a reprieve from the suffocating nervousness that Diana feels.  This is a performance that must be seen, one where the performer sinks so far into the roll that they disappear.

With Stewart being an American actress amongst an all-European cast, this helps heighten the sense of disconnect that her character has with others.  Whether this was part of the casting decision or not, it works as an extra bit of genius behind the casting.

Among Stewart is a supporting cast where each person plays their part beside her with tremendous success.  There’s Jack Farthing as Prince Charles, who exhibits a palpable coldness towards Diana that chills the screen; Sally Hawkins as Maggie, the Royal Dresser who’s a comforting presence as Diana’s confidante; Sean Harris as Darren, the Royal Head Chef who offers a sympathetic ear to Diana when Maggie’s not around; and Timothy Spall as Equerry Major Alistair Gregory, who provides a haunting presence as he watches over the halls of the castle, but soon becomes an ally to Diana and offers her words of support.

The screenplay by Steven Knight offers a haunting view into what those three days in Diana’s life might have been like.  Even though most of the story is fictional, everything that happens feels like it could have taken place, such is the attention to detail that Knight provides his characters and setting.  With the dialogue between Diana, her family, and the castle staff, Knight provides a deep, psychological study of Diana.  Diana is pretty much in every scene, and Knight’s intense focus on her allows the audience to understand what she’s going through and how it’s impacting her mentality.

The cinematography by Claire Mathon offers intense closeups of Diana, giving us the experience of what it feels for her to be under the scrutiny of others.  The study of Diana’s character makes closeups like this essential so that we can see everything that passes through her face and eyes.  We don’t miss a thing, and neither does the camera.

Another standout factor of Mathon’s lensing is how she captures the interiors of the castle.  We have Kubrickian tracking shots between the palatial rooms and throughout the long hallways, and given the nature of what Diana’s experiencing, the way these settings are shown make them feel every bit as claustrophobic as they are spacious.

Part of what makes the apprehension in the film so tremendous is the music.  Jonny Greenwood creates one of the most intense scores of the year, one that helps build an unnerving atmosphere.  This is especially the case in the Christmas Eve dinner scene, where Diana feels as though she’s being suffocated by the silent criticism of others at the table as Greenwood’s score increases in volume through the duration of the sequence.

Just like what Larraín accomplished in 2016 with “Jackie,” he provides the audience with a chance to look at an iconic figure in a new, dreamlike way.  There’s an ethereal nature to how Larraín carries us through the film, setting a tone where reality feels a little distorted, which helps make this movie a unique view of a well-known individual.  From the performances to the imagery to the music, we become swept up in what may be the most distinct moviegoing experience that you’ll have this year.

Even though much of this movie is fiction, you’ll still walk out of “Spencer” feeling like you’ve been given a layered view into the mind beneath her crown.

Grade: A 

An Aspiring Fashion Designer Goes Through the Fabrics of Time

Thomasin McKenzie in "Last Night in Soho"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Writer-director Edgar Wright is best known for making several kinetic films that cover a wide variety of genres.  You have the western film “A Fistful of Fingers,” the zombie comedy “Shaun of the Dead,” the buddy-cop film “Hot Fuzz,” the sci-fi adventure “The World’s End,” the graphic novel adaptation “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” and the heist film “Baby Driver.”  Throughout his career, Wright has proven to be adaptable in telling a story, no matter the genre in which it takes place.

Until now, “Shaun of the Dead” has been Wright’s sole dealing with horror, so it was enticing to hear that he would be returning to the genre.  This time, it isn’t a horror-comedy, but the psychological-horror film, “Last Night in Soho.”  Despite some solid performances, the movie turns out to a rare disappointment from Wright.  

Eloise Turner (Thomasin McKenzie) is a young woman who moves from her rural home in Redruth, Cornwall and travels to London to study fashion.  One night, Eloise has a dream where she’s transported back to England’s “Swinging Sixties,” an era that she loves.  While there, she observes the goings-on of a hopeful singer named Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy).  As Eloise keeps returning to the past, she discovers the disturbing secrets that are hidden there, which soon find their way into her present life.

McKenzie delivers a strong performance as someone who shows shades of optimism in her new life in London, but is also uncomfortable with the culture shock.  As the movie goes on, McKenzie displays the ache of being disillusioned by what she thought was an innocent era, which becomes even more potent as she begins to be plagued by hallucinations from terrors of the past.  We see her psyche unravel as Eloise enters further into the film’s central mystery, and McKenzie absorbs you in the franticness, fear, and increased detachment from reality that her character experiences as her dreams threaten to consume her.

Taylor-Joy has terrific screen presence as a character who can walk into a club and act like she owns the place, presenting a person whose confidence displays an engaging individual.  However, her arc becomes thematically linked with Eloise’s because, just like the latter, Sandie’s expectations of what she wants out of life are difficult for her to reach, and seeing her fall into unexpected hardships shows hints of tragedy as she tries to keep up her toughness, even when it looks like it could fall apart.

Along with the two leads are some memorable supporting performances, such as the late Diana Rigg, who plays Eloise’s stern, yet kind landlady; Matt Smith, who portrays Sandie’s sketchy boyfriend/manager; and Terence Stamp, who plays a mysterious older man who, somehow, always finds his way to Eloise.

The screenplay by Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns focuses on the theme of how people tend to romanticize the past, but the rest of the story isn’t quite as strong enough to support this enticing angle.  Nothing much happens for the first hour, as you’re left without many significant developments.  Although a standout aspect of the script is the thematic parallel of Eloise and Sandie’s arcs, the events that happen within their individual timelines become repetitive, leaving you in some frustration as you begin to wonder where the plot is taking you.  Then, by the time we arrive at one revelation in the last 15 minutes, there isn’t any further exploration into it before we soon get to the film’s bigger, and questionable reveal.

Despite the narrative shortcomings, Wright handles his latest foray into horror well enough for the first half of the movie in regard to the tone.  He provides disquieting settings as he explores the present-day London that doesn’t meet all of Eloise’s expectations, as well as in the much darker corners of 1960s London as Sandie encounters her own troubles.  His work with editor Paul Machliss, who collaborated with Wright on “Scott Pilgrim,” “The World’s End,” and “Baby Driver,” gives the movie the snappy editing that we’ve come to expect from Wright’s films and weaves between dreams and reality with fine effect.  And, the cinematography from Chung-hoon Chung delivers ethereal imagery as Eloise’s dreams unfold.  However, Wright goes a little too heavy into the horror elements for the second half, increasing them without much buildup and making this section of the narrative feel like it’s from a different movie.

Although Wright has given us several memorable films, his trip to Soho is just so-so.

Grade: C

In Wes Anderson’s Latest, He Delivers a Cinematic Newspaper

Bill Murray in "The French Dispatch"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Throughout director Wes Anderson’s career, he has brought a cheerful, whimsical style to his films that have given audiences one of the most distinctive visions in twentieth-first-century movies.  Even if you’ve arrived to the point where you might be turned off by the quirkiness of his films, you can’t deny that his stories have an overflowing of originality that’s difficult to ignore.

However, Anderson’s latest comedy, “The French Dispatch,” falls prey to him indulging too much in some storytelling elements, resulting in a film that's ambitious to a fault.

The story follows the titular newspaper as its staff works to assemble the latest issue out of its office in the fictional town of Ennui, France.  Within this frame narrative, we see three of the news stories play out: the first tells the tale of an imprisoned painter (Benicio del Toro); the second follows a reporter (Frances McDormand) who’s writing about a student revolutionary (Timothée Chalemet); and the third chronicles a food journalist (Jeffrey Wright) who assists the Ennui police commissioner (Mathieu Amalric) in rescuing his kidnapped son (Winston Ait Hellal).

The cast consists of many established actors and actresses.  While the leads in the stories (del Toro, Léa Seydoux, Adrian Brody, and Tilda Swinton in the first story; Chalamet, McDormand, and Lyna Khoudri in the second; Wright, Amalric, and Liev Schreiber in the third; and Bill Murray and Owen Wilson in the frame story) all have a good amount of screen time, you have cast members like Saoirse Ronan, Christoph Waltz, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Willem Dafoe, and Elizabeth Moss who all have very little material with which to work.  While it’s understandable that some might have more to do than others, the spectrum of screen time consists of two extremes: having a lot to do, and having barely anything to do.  This is one of the reasons why each story should have been its own movie, so that we can have more time with these characters.  Even the ones that have the most screen time feel like they’re shortchanged because of the brief nature of the three stories.  Anderson gathers his biggest ensemble ever, but many of those in attendance maybe get two minutes of screen time at the most, and for some of those cast members, that’s a generous estimate.

Anderson’s screenplay has a boldness to how it unfolds, with each act being a story within a different section of the newspaper, be it arts, politics, or cuisine.  However, we’re not provided with enough time with either one to make them impactful.  As mentioned before, any of the three stories within this film could have been a feature-length movie, given the plot material and how many characters there are.  Anderson tries to cram so much into each of these narratives and has the stories move at a pace that’s much too quick to appreciate everything that he includes, and this doesn’t provide the characters with a chance to evolve.  Even the frame story of the “French Dispatch” staff could have been a full-length movie.  There’s enough talent in each portion of this film, but to have them all fight for our attention in a 108-minute movie doesn’t quite work.

The film is also hindered by too much narration.  By overusing this technique, we’re not given the chance to hear the stories from the characters themselves; and, just like the limited time spent with them, this is another aspect that makes it difficult to connect with them.

Despite the issues with the story and characterizations, this film isn’t without a couple of technical accomplishments.  Robert Yeoman, who has done the cinematography for all of Anderson’s live-action films, provides the camerawork for this movie.  While the frame story is in color, Yeoman uses beautiful black-and-white cinematography to evoke the look of black-and-white in newspapers from back then.  But, in an additional creative touch, he employs color in shots where the characters’ senses come into play, such as when someone gazes upon a painting.  And, as is customary with Anderson’s movies, you have to marvel at the attention to detail that he bestows upon the environments that he presents us, thanks to the theatrical and lavish production design by Adam Stockhausen, who’s another past collaborator of Anderson’s.

While “The French Dispatch” may unfold like a newspaper, you’ll end up wishing you could have the leisurely experience of reading each story, instead of feeling like you’re skimming through the pages.

Grade: C

At Home, a Child Harbors a Dark and Deadly Secret

Jeremy T. Thomas and Keri Russell in "Antlers"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Writer-director Scott Cooper has built a filmography around movies that have each focused on an element of Americana.  His film “Crazy Heart” dealt with a fading country singer; “Out of the Furnace” told the story of Iraq war veterans in a Pennsylvania steel town; “Black Mass” chronicled infamous gangster Whitey Bulger; and his western, “Hostiles,” followed a growing bond between a U.S. Army calvary officer and a Cheyanne war chief.  All together, these movies have depicted many regions of the country, offering very different American stories through various time periods.

Cooper’s latest film has him delving into supernatural horror concerning Native American folklore with “Antlers,” a story that boasts an atmospheric setting and quality performances, but doesn’t quite give its central themes the attention that they deserve.

Julia Meadows (Keri Russell) is a school teacher in a downtrodden Oregonian town.  In her class is a troubled boy named Lucas Weaver (Jeremy T. Thomas), who keeps to himself.  When Julia tries to learn more about him, she finds out that Lucas is taking care of a savage, ancient creature locked up in his house.

Russell offers fine work as a concerned teacher who tries to be source of guidance for Lucas.  With Russell portraying a character who has experienced trauma in her childhood, she exhibits hints of the sadness that has built up over the years, but also does what she can to overcome it in order to help Lucas.  Russell shows the strength in Julia’s character as she commits herself to protecting Lucas, no matter the cost, resulting in a character who could be Lucas’ only hope.  This offers an emotional center to the story as they try to survive the deadly threat to their town.

Thomas is very effective in his breakout performance of someone who has a disturbing responsibility.  In his voice and eyes, you can sense the intensity of the burden that he carries and the impact that it has on him.  Thomas brings out the closed-off nature to his character as an individual who’s distressed at having to be the creature’s caretaker, and therefore can’t let anyone into his life, out of fear for their safety.  Just like Julia, there’s immense hardship in Lucas’ life, and Thomas does well acting alongside an established actress like Russell as his character begins to open up to Julia.

The screenplay by Cooper, C. Henry Chaisson, and Nick Antosca, which is based on the latter’s 2019 short story, “The Quiet Boy,” finds a few intriguing angles from which to approach the source material, such as drug abuse and intergenerational trauma.  However, the narrative doesn’t go as in-depth with its exploration of these themes as it should, which is unfortunate because this could have presented Antosca’s heart-pounding story in a new light.

As a director, Cooper captures the Oregonian landscapes with great detail, all with the help of cinematographer Florian Hoffmeister.  They provide a palpable ambiance as we travel through the quiet and empty landscapes with Lucas, which reflect the loneliness that his character experiences.  The camerawork also provides us with an effective use of darkness when we’re in Lucas’ house, creating tension as we hear the sounds of the horrors lurking within and wait to see what will be revealed in the shadows.

There isn’t any doubt that there’s some technical and acting skill in “Antlers,” but without the necessary bite to its narrative, you’ll get more out of the short story.

Grade: B-

From Denis Villeneuve Comes a Futuristic World of Political Intrigue

Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson 
in "Dune"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

When discussing science-fiction literature, you always have to bring up Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, “Dune.”  It’s one of the most epic journeys a reader could enjoy, bringing you to unforgettable locales and immersing you in a wide array of characters.  Over the decades, there have been a few attempts to bring Herbert’s vision to film and television, but it never quite worked out.  The most-notable attempts came from David Lynch, who wrote and directed a film adaptation in 1984, and from John Harrison, who wrote and directed a three-part miniseries in 2000, neither of which were able to capture the scope and essence of Herbert’s source material.  There’s even a documentary called “Jodorowsky’s Dune,” which chronicles Alejandro Jodorowsky’s attempt at adapting the film in the mid ‘70s.

However, the time has come when we finally have an adaptation that’s worthy of the novel’s legacy, thanks to director and co-writer, Denis Villeneuve.  After gifting us with two of the best sci-fi movies of the 2010s, “Arrival” and “Blade Runner 2049,” he delivers a stunning part-one to his duology.

In the year 10191, Duke Leto I (Oscar Isaac) of House Atreides rules over the ocean planet of Caladan, and is soon given the opportunity to be a fief ruler on the desert planet of Arrakis, the only source of “spice,” a rare substance that increases human vitality and is used for interstellar travel.  When he and his partner, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), and their son, Paul (Timothée Chalamet) move to their new home, they will find out that there are ulterior motives for the family’s new assignment.

The film has an extensive and talented cast, with Chalamet, Ferguson, and Isaac being at the hart of it.  Isaac has a steadfastness and regality to him that shows a competent ruler, while also expressing his love and dedication to doing what’s best for his family.  Meanwhile, the scenes that Chalamet and Ferguson share offer most of the film’s emotional heft in the later half of the movie.  They both show the hardship of the burdens that their characters experience, with Paul trying to come to terms with being the possible savior of Arrakis, and Lady Jessica knowing that she’s the reason for what Paul is going through.

As for the rest of the cast, everyone in the ensemble commits to their part, whether they’re in it for an ample amount of time or just a couple of scenes.  With a cast that includes Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Stephen McKinley Henderson, David Dastmalchian, Cheng Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Memoa, and Javier Bardem, they each make sure that you’ll remember them.  However, out of all of them, Stellan Skarsgård leaves the biggest impression as the villainous Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.  There’s a slimy sinisterness to him that makes his antagonist so enticing to watch, and you’ll surely be excited to see what he has coming in part two.

The screenplay by Villeneuve, Jon Sphaits, and Eric Roth does a remarkable job of maintaining the out-there essence of the book, all while removing anything that’s not necessary, which results in a narrative that will satisfy fans of the novel, but will also be accessible to newcomers.  There’s quite a bit of setup when it comes to mapping out the mythology of this universe, but it’s nevertheless compelling.  Between the amount of characters that have to be introduced and the worlds that have to be explored, you’re sure to be invested in how this story unfolds and how the social and political angles of the worlds with the movie will play out.

Given how many moving parts there are in this movie, it’s a terrific decision to have this film just cover half of the story.  Because of this, all of the aspects of Herbert’s story that are introduced to us are provided with an opportunity to be explored in a detailed manner, never seeming like it’s rushing through anything.

Just as cinematographer Greig Fraser accomplished with Gareth Edwards’ 2016 film, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” he has a talent for bringing majestic, otherworldly landscapes to audiences in which they can become immersed.  He frames the worlds of Caladan, Arrakis, and Giedi Prime with such a vastness that you feel as though you’ve traveled through the screen and into these awe-inspiring locations.  From the gorgeous greenery and oceans of Caladan to the harsh and unforgiving Arrakis to the bleak grayness of Giedi Prime, Fraser provides the camerawork that brings these places to monumental life.  You’ll be opening your eyes as wide as you can in order to take it all in.

Villeneuve seems to go bigger with each movie that he helms, and “Dune” is everything that readers of the book could have imagined it would be.  He does whatever he can to present Herbert’s novel in full realization, bringing the scope to the film that it deserves.  From the larger-than-life landscapes as framed by Fraser, Patrice Vermette’s operatic production design, Jacqueline West and Robert Morgan’s eye-catching costumes, and Hans Zimmer’s beautiful, thunderous music, you can imagine that this is what Herbert saw in his mind when conceiving this iconic sci-fi story.  Just like how Villeneuve overcame the immense challenge of creating a “Blade Runner” sequel 35 years after the original’s release, he has now risen above an even bigger challenge of crafting an adaptation of a novel that used to be seen as “unfilmable.”  And, in doing so, he brings the scope and humanity that was seen in his “Blade Runner” sequel and “Arrival.”

Part two is set to be released in October 2023, and if part one was able to achieve what it did, I couldn’t be more excited to see what’s in store for the second installment.

Grade: A