On an Opulent Estate, a Tutor Meets a Master

Richard E. Grant in "The Lesson"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Having spent a lot of free time throughout my life diving into books and movies with equal zeal has made films about writing near impossible to resist.  With movies like “Misery,” “Capote,” “Stranger Than Fiction,” and “The End of the Tour,” to name a few, seeing an author dedicate their time to putting pen to paper is always fascinating to see, every bit as much as it is to see how literature can shape a person, whether they be writer, reader, or both.

The latest of such movies to do this is the feature-film debut of director Alice Troughton for her thriller, “The Lesson,” which offers a pressure-cooker scenario of an admirer and his idol.

In England, Liam Sommers (Dylan McCormack) is an English Literature tutor and aspiring novelist.  One day, he’s given the opportunity to live at the home of one of his favorite authors, J.M. Sinclair (Richard E. Grant), and his wife, Hélène (Julie Delpy), to instruct their Oxford-candidate son, Bertie (Stephen McMillan).  However, as Liam’s time at the home goes on, he learns that the Sinclairs harbor some troubling secrets that put the futures of the four of them at risk.

McCormack gives a wonderful performance as someone who has a passion for what he does.  In his first few scenes, you can really sense the love of literature that Liam has as he recites lines of poetry and tries to help Bertie.  It’s later on when McCormack shows Liam’s sense of cunning that he draws us even further into his character’s journey and displays another side of his character’s strong intellect as he tries to figure out what the Sinclairs are hiding from him.

Grant is outstanding as the posh, poisonous patriarch of the family who expects nothing less that his family live up to his expectations.  For every scene he’s in, you experience a cloud of disapproval pervade the space as he looks on/talks with distaste and passive-aggressiveness.  You tense up as he unleashes his psychological cruelty towards those around him, leaving you aghast at how willingly he puts his family through his mental torment.

Delpy turns in understated, yet impactful work as Hélène, a character who’s more than she seems.  Delpy brings out an enigmatic quality of Hélène that has us keep thinking about her, slowly opening up to us as we get further into the film’s mystery.

McMillan is heartbreaking as Bertie, who has heavy expectations placed on him by his parents, especially his father.  McMillan brings across the suffocation that he feels around his home, always seeming on edge when his father’s around.  However, as the film goes on, McMillan shows his character’s hidden layers to emotional effect.

Although the screenplay by Alex MacKeith could’ve done without the prologue, given that it hints at what’s going to happen later on, the story is nevertheless an engaging view of a never-meet-your-heroes narrative.  He offers an enticing mystery that invites us into this world of a successful author, bringing two characters together who share a love of words that slowly becomes something unsettling.  For the most part, MacKeith’s story takes place at the Sinclairs’ estate, and his story utilizes the one setting to an impactful degree.  On the inside, his story brings us through the many rooms of the house and all of its artistic, upscale flourishing.  Meanwhile, other scenes take us through the outside of the house, which employs beautiful landscaping.  For both areas of the estate, MacKeith injects some rich symbolism that adds depth to the characters and the situation at hand, always keeping your mind going as you wonder what certain motifs mean in the greater context of the story.  With just four main characters populating that setting, MacKeith offers plenty of material for each of them to have us ponder as to which paths they’ll take in this potentially destructive grouping.

As a director, Troughton constructs tension throughout as Liam gets to know the family.  She uses the spaciousness of the grounds and house to emphasize the isolation and coldness that permeate the family and reach across to Liam.  Whether it be the apprehensive exchanges at the dinner table, or the sense of detachment amongst everyone when they’re in separate quarters of the house, Troughton’s able to convey the emotional complications of characters, whether it be how they act towards each other, or how they conduct themselves when they’re off on their own.

With wonderful performances, some understated thrills, and an unsettling story, this is a lesson that’ll have your attention. 

Grade: A- 

For Agent Ethan Hunt, a New Enemy is Everywhere and Nowhere

Hayley Atwell and Tom Cruise in 
"Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning -
Part One"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

While it can be said that director Brad Bird helped reinvigorate the “Mission: Impossible” film series with the fourth film, “Ghost Protocol,” you can’t deny that director Christopher McQuarrie took it to another level with the fifth and sixth films, “Rogue Nation” and “Fallout.”  Displaying some of the most thrilling action sequences of the series, McQuarrie and franchise star Tom Cruise brought this series to a whole new place that was very different than what it was when the first film, directed by Brian De Palma, was released in 1996.

Now, McQuarrie returns to the director’s chair for the seventh installment, “Dead Reckoning - Part One.”  These films keep topping themselves, and with a devoted performance from Cruise, a thrilling story, and a continued emphasis on delivering first-rate action, you’ll be in awe of what this 27-year-old franchise can still give audiences.

The story follows the IMF (Impossible Missions Force) as Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his fellow team members face off against a malevolent AI program known as “the Entity” and the competing nations who’ll do anything to have its power.  

Cruise has been in this series from the beginning, and even with all of the time that has passed, Cruise still manages to show how committed he is to the role by doing all of his stunts.  This emphasizes his unwavering vitality that shows why his film stardom has lasted for decades.  When you view one of his star vehicles, you know you’ll be seeing his movie-magic devotion unfold, and that couldn’t be more evident than when he laughs in the face of fear as a means to impress us with what he can do.  Whether it’s hand-to-hand combat, accomplished weapons work, or driving a motorcycle off of a cliff, you should never bet against Cruise and his penchant for big-screen greatness.  However, in between the action set-pieces, there are some small emotional beats Cruise displays that show the toll this job has taken on Ethan, particular his first scene where Cruise gives us a rather mellow reintroduction to Ethan.  Here, Cruise shows an agent who’s seasoned from the physical and psychological demands of his work, but still knows the resilience that it takes to do what his character’s been doing for so long.

Hayley Atwell makes for a superb addition to the series as Grace, a professional thief who becomes a new ally of Ethan’s.  With this character, Atwell exhibits a screen presence that shows she’s a great fit for this series.  She has terrific chemistry with Cruise, displaying an ingenuity that matches his as she unwittingly gets pulled into the world of the IMF.  Right from Cruise and Atwell’s first scene, you know that their on-screen connection is going to be a highlight of the film.

Backing up Cruise and Atwell is a collection of memorable supporting performances.  In terms of those who return from previous films, there are Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg as Luther Stickell and Benji Dunn, respectively, playing Ethan’s humorous fellow agents; Rebecca Ferguson, who became a series standout with her first appearance in “Rogue Nation,” as Ilsa Faust, another ally of Ethan’s; Vanessa Kirby, who entered the series in “Fallout,” as the icy, quietly merciless arms dealer Alanna Mitsopolis; Esai Morales as Gabriel, a terrorist who’ll stop at nothing to gain control of the Entity; Pom Klementieff as Paris, an assassin who comes after Ethan; and Henry Czerny makes an enticing return as Eugene Kittridge, the former director of the IMF who we last saw in the first film.  These movies have always done well with brining back characters that we love and characters who are new to us, and this installment isn’t an exception.

The screenplay by McQuarrie (who wrote the previous two films) and Erik Jendresen builds a story that gives Ethan and his team their biggest threat yet, as well as some impactful emotional moments peppered throughout.  Despite this movie being billed as a “part one,” it still feels like a full movie, all while setting up what we can expect for part two, which is due for release in June 2024.  At over two and a half hours, this is the longest movie in the series, and the narrative uses that time to flesh out the stakes of the film, bringing us to several locations around the world and getting to know the new characters who Ethan encounters.  As with the other films in the series, the narrative offers layer upon layer of mystery as we try to figure out what all of the characters want and what their decisions mean for the bigger picture.  And, with the length of the action sequences that are written, McQuarrie and Jendresen give us plenty of time to see everyone take on whatever life-threatening obstacles come their way in between the tense verbal interactions of the characters.

As a director, McQuarrie has become the best thing to thing to happen to the “Mission: Impossible” movies.  With the films extended action sequences, you’ll sit in your seat stunned at what he and his team are able to accomplish.  He collaborates with cinematographer Fraser Taggart (a newcomer to the franchise) and the two of them capture all of the white-knuckle boldness of the actions scenes, which are some of the finest in the series.  Whether it’s a horseback chase through the Arabian Desert, a car chase through the crowded streets of Venice, or a staggering set-piece on the Orient Express, your adrenaline will spike.  There’s also a terrific fight sequence in a tight alleyway that offers plenty of thrills, as well.  Through all of this, McQuarrie maintains the tradition of these films employing practical effects for their action scenes, and you’ll be more than awestruck at what this installment delivers.

However, the highlight of the film is the extended Orient Express segment in the finale.  What the filmmaking team is able to accomplish with this is astonishing.  And, just when you think you’ve reached the end of this sequence, there’s more to it that’ll keep you rigid in your seat as you wait to see what will happen to the characters who are involved.  It’s a spectacular finish that only a “Mission: Impossible” movie could pull off.

McQuarrie also re-teams with editor Eddie Hamilton, who worked on “Rogue Nation” and “Fallout.”  As before, Hamilton formats the flow of the scenes in such a way where, even amidst the abundance of action that takes place, you can still make out what’s happening.  The action scenes in the “Mission: Impossible” films thrive on their ability to not lose the comprehensibility in the middle of the thrills, and that’s certainly the case here with Hamilton’s work.

With “Dead Reckoning - Part Two” not set to come out for almost a year, it’s going to feel like forever as we wait for it.  However, given how well McQuarrie, Cruise, and their team set the pieces in motion for the next installment, I think they’ll have this series stun us like never before.  Trust me, that won’t be impossible.

Grade: A

Top Five Movies of 2023 So Far

 

Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott in
"Sanctuary"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

5) Sanctuary - One of the most enticing premises to come out of the first half of the year can be found in director Zachary Wigon’s psychological thriller.  The story focuses on hotel-empire heir Hal (Christopher Abbott) who hires his regular dominatrix, Rebecca (Margaret Qualley) for the night in the room of one of his hotels.  When he tells her that this is their last session, she doesn’t plan on ending their relationship so easily.  Abbott and Qualley have superb chemistry as their characters battle each other in twisted mind games, offering performances that keep you hooked on every scene of their mental duel.  The screenplay by Micah Bloomberg does well in setting up the relationship between Hal and Rebecca in the first third, and then has everything unravel as they try to outwit each other when things get tense.  During all of this, we try to figure out what are the lies and what’s real in the things that they disclose.  As a director, Wigon makes the most of the one-night, one-setting premise as he keeps the apprehension at a high rate, all while balancing the thrills, drama, and humor to bring us something that’s always dismantling our predications.  This is a brisk, yet thought-provoking trip into the minds of two emotionally chaotic individuals, keeping you wondering how they’re going to move passed their conflicting needs.  This is a thriller to which you should check in.

Keanu Reeves in "John Wick: Chapter Four"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

4) John Wick: Chapter 4 - Who would’ve thought that the “John Wick” series would come as far as it has since the first film hit theaters in October 2014?  Each film has been better than the last, leaving the latest entry something that HAD to be experienced on the big screen.  This latest installment follows the titular assassin (Keanu Reeves) as he sets out for revenge against the High Table, the top council that left him for dead at the end of the previous film.  Reeves shows a blistering commitment to performing the complex fight/weapons choreography for which this franchise has become famous.  Everything that Reeves started has built to this, and to see how much he’s evolved with this character over four movies is terrific to watch.  With a nearly three-hour runtime, the screenplay by Shay Hattan and Michael Finch expands the film’s world of assassins even further, employing eye-catching locations and an array of memorable new characters, particularly those played by Donnie Yen and Shamier Anderson.  Chad Stahelski, who directed all of the films in the series, constructs some of the best action scenes you’ll see in a long time, using intricacy in both the fight choreography and camera movements to absorb you in the non-stop action that’ll thrill you from scene to scene.  With everything that the series has built towards leading to this latest installment, “John Wick: Chapter 4” delivers on all fronts.

Matthew Maher, Matt Damon, and Jason Bateman
in "Air"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

3) Air - After a six-year break from directing, Ben Affleck makes a wonderful return with this biographical comedy-drama.  In it, he tells the story of Nike basketball talent scout Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) as he sets out to create the Air Jordan sneaker and save his division from closing.  Damon offers an inspirational performance as a man who’s unstoppable in his pursuit for business innovation, while Affleck and Jason Bateman offer great supporting performances as Nike co-founder and CEO Phil Knight and marketing VP Rob Strasser, respectively.  However, the standout of the supporting cast is Viola Davis as Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris, where she shows an unwavering love for her son and a keen business sense of what she thinks is best for him.  The screenplay by Alex Convery offers a fascinating view into the Nike world as it involves several of the higher-ups in the company and has them converse over how they’re going to design the sneaker and have Michael Jordan sign with their company.  Meanwhile, Affleck makes us feel the mounting tension of these business meetings as the characters race against the clock and try to make the impossible happen.  With its talented cast, old-fashioned feel-good story, and Affleck’s direction, this movie’s a winner.

Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks in
"Asteroid City"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

2) Asteroid City - Throughout his career, Wes Anderson has given audiences several memorable comedies that audiences have enjoyed for over two decades, stories that’ve treated viewers to his distinct quirkiness with some moments of warmth.  For his latest film, he provides a metatextual plot that simultaneously shows the events of a Junior Stargazer convention in 1955, with those events staged as a play, and the development of that play.  As with many of Anderson’s films, this one is stacked with a talented cast, and each member is given a chance to be noticed.  The cast is led by Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson, both of whom provide humorous, deadpan line delivery, while also showing some great emotional chemistry.  As with some of Anderson’s other films, his screenplay utilizes specific literary motifs, with this story taking on the form of a play, having three acts and an epilogue.  He creates an inventive scenario that becomes a look at the meaning of life and art, absorbing us in the plights of the characters in the play and the characters who are preparing that play.  Anderson teams with his usual collaborators, such as cinematographer Robert Yeoman and composer Alexandre Desplat to bring his unique world to colorful life.  With some of the most moving moments that Anderson has put to film (particularly one at the end of the behind-the-scenes storyline), this is easily one of his finest films.  If you’re looking for something that’s vibrantly original in your summer moviegoing, “Asteroid City” has you covered.

Miles Morales/Spider-Man (Shameik Moore) in
"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

1) Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - The best movie of the year so far also joins the ranks of sequels that are even better than their original.  Directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson continue the story of Miles Morales/Spider-Man (Shameik Moore) who does his best to balance his life as a superhero and high-school student.  When he’s faced with a new villain called “The Spot” (Jason Schwartzman), he teams up with Spider-People from other universes to bring him down.  Moore provides a vocal performance that builds on what he gave in the previous film, “Into the Spider-Verse,” showing a character who’s maturing and faced with choices that are more difficult than what’s he’s encountered before.  Alongside Moore are Hailee Steinfeld and Oscar Isaac, who give poignant voice work as Gwen Stacey/Spider-Woman and Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099.  The screenplay by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and David Callaham does a stellar job at expanding what came before by bringing us several new characters, vibrant settings, and rich emotion in Miles’ ongoing journey.  Meanwhile, directors Dos Santos, Powers, and Thompson expand on the groundbreaking animation of the first film to display something that’s truly spectacular.  Boasting an abundance of thrilling action and hard-hitting drama, this is a superhero movie that holds a massive vision, and you’ll be engrossed with every frame.

2023 Midway Movie Catchup

Glenn Howerton in "BlackBerry"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

BlackBerry - It turns out Ben Affleck’s “Air” isn’t the only great movie this year that focuses on a famous product.  In director/co-writer Matt Johnson’s film, he tells the story of the making of the BlackBerry mobile phone and the tension that arises amongst the team, which includes co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton).  Baruchel uses the nervous energy that we see in many of his comedies and translates that to the energy of a harried inventor trying to make the next big thing.  It’s his best performance to date, and it’ll hopefully lead to more dramatic roles for him.  Howerton gives a towering performance as an individual who demands the absolute best from his team and their creations, bringing forth a ruthless business-world persona.  Johnson and Matthew Miller’s screenplay, which is based on Jacqui McNish and Sean Silcoff’s book “Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry,” brings us on a journey from the company’s inception in 1996 to their success in 2003 to their downfall in 2007 when they’re forced to compete with the advent of the iPhone, and each section keeps you enthralled at how this business managed its rise and fall.  Johnson uses cinematography from Jared Raab that emphasizes closeups and shaky-cam as Lazaridis and his team work tirelessly to bring their company’s product to life and maintain their company.  Although the story is about a business that fails in the end, this movie succeeds.

Grade: A

Michelle Williams and Hong Chau in
"Showing Up"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Showing Up - Kelly Reichardt is a writer-director who specializes in stories about working-class communities and the everyday challenges that they face.  For her latest film, she tells the story of Lizzy (Michelle Williams), a sculptor living in Oregon who tries to put her art show together, all while dealing with other issues along the way.  While Williams and Hong Chau, who plays a fellow artist and Lizzy’s landlord, Jo, do what they can with the material that they’re given, they don’t have much of a chance to do much that stands out to the viewer.  Williams and Chau had a great 2022, with both of them receiving Oscar nominations for “The Fabelmans” and “The Whale,” respectively, so what you see of them in this film leaves you wanting because you know they could do so much more if they’re given deeper material with which to work.  While you see a lot of how such an artistic community operates, that isn’t really enough to make up for the fact that there isn’t enough substance to the characters.  I know Reichardt takes a minimalist approach to filmmaking, but it seems as though there could’ve been a few more layers to the screenplay, which Reichardt wrote with frequent collaborator, Jon Raymond.  Her previous movie, the terrific “First Cow” (which was one of my top 10 favorite movies of 2020) had higher stakes and a more engaging character relationship at its center, and is an example of what Reichardt can do when she and Raymond give their characters more.  Reichardt gave herself an interesting canvas with which to work; but there could’ve been something a little deeper.  

Grade: C+

Teyana Taylor in "A Thousand and One"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

A Thousand and One - The best feature directorial debut that I’ve seen so far this year comes from writer-director A.V. Rockwell’s NYC-based drama.  The story follows Inez (Teyana Taylor) who kidnaps her six-year-old son Terry (Aaron Kingsley Adetola) out of the foster care system to raise him in an ever-changing city.  Taylor delivers a gripping performance as a mother who’s trying to do right by her son and keep a roof over their heads.  Will Catlett gives a poignant performance as Terry’s stepfather, sharing a couple of standout scenes when he’s bonding with him.  And, the three actors who portray Terry (Adetola, Aven Courtney as Terry at age 13, and Josiah Cross as Terry at age 17) all exemplify the apprehension of growing up and trying to deal with circumstances that threaten their future.  Rockwell’s screenplay does a beautiful job at chronicling the journey of Inez and Terry over 12 years, with each of the film’s three sections detailing the issues that they have at that point in their lives.  This all leads to a heart-rending conclusion that makes you understand these characters more than you thought you did.  As a director, Rockwell makes the movie feel very much of its time and place, having the story span from 1994 to 2006 and including audio cues of broadcasts that briefly detail what’s happening in the city at those times.  It’s an emotional journey for Inez and Terry, but you’ll be glad you took the chance to follow them.

Grade: A

Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks in
"Asteroid City"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Asteroid City - Throughout his career, Wes Anderson has given audiences several memorable comedies that audiences have enjoyed for over two decades, stories that’ve treated viewers to his distinct quirkiness with some moments of warmth.  For his latest film, he provides a metatextual plot that simultaneously shows the events of a Junior Stargazer convention in 1955, with those events staged as a play, and the development of that play.  As with many of Anderson’s films, this one is stacked with a talented cast, and each member is given a chance to be noticed.  The cast is led by Jason Schwartzman and Scarlett Johansson, both of whom provide humorous, deadpan line delivery, while also showing some great emotional chemistry.  As with some of Anderson’s other films, his screenplay utilizes specific literary motifs, with this story taking on the form of a play, having three acts and an epilogue.  He creates an inventive scenario that becomes a look at the meaning of life and art, absorbing us in the plights of the characters in the play and the characters who are preparing that play.  Anderson teams with his usual collaborators, such as cinematographer Robert Yeoman and composer Alexandre Desplat to bring his unique world to colorful life.  With some of the most moving moments that Anderson has put to film (particularly one at the end of the behind-the-scenes storyline), this is easily one of his finest films.  If you’re looking for something that’s vibrantly original in your summer moviegoing, “Asteroid City” has you covered.

Grade: A