In the Vatican, an Election with Several Possible Outcomes

Ralph Fiennes in "Conclave"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

In 2022, director Edward Berger delivered a harrowing war epic with his remake of “All Quiet on the Western Front.”  Using a sprawling scale of the battlefields and trenches to bring us the horrors of war, Berger visualized a story of the tensions and bloodshed of which men are capable under the most dire of circumstances.  It was an emotional and ambitious movie that had me looking forward to what Berger would bring us next.

With his latest film, Berger deals with tensions amongst men on a smaller scale, yet one that impacts the world, nonetheless, in his mystery-thriller, “Conclave,” which boasts a quiet, yet galvanizing lead performance, tense direction, and a story that’ll have you leaning forward at each twist and turn.

When the pope passes away, the Vatican is in a race to install a new leader for the Catholic Church.  Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is put in charge to lead the conclave to choose the next pope.  As the election unfolds, he deals with candidates who want the position more than anything, as well as the secrets that some of them are hiding.

Fiennes delivers one of the best performances of his career as a man tasked with finding a leader.  He brings out his character’s sense of duty, but also shows the burden of having such an assignment.  Fiennes displays the gravity of what this task entails, presenting his character’s views of what such a decision means for both the church and the world.  This is a performance that thrives on how subdued it is, with Fiennes bringing forth a man of faith who’s also bothered by some questions that he has for the church that he serves.  His work in this film is superb throughout, but one of his most memorable scenes is one at the beginning of the voting process where he gives opening remarks about faith and uncertainty.  It’s a speech that captures his character’s viewpoints, all of which have complexities added to them when he doesn’t want the papacy himself, despite thinking that those best fit for power are those who don’t seek it.  It’s a fascinating depth that this role carries, and Fiennes is absolutely magnetic with how he grips your attention as you anticipate the decisions that Cardinal Lawrence will make.

Backing up Fiennes are some superb supporting performances from Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Lucien Msamati, and Carlos Diehz as cardinals who are in the running to be the next pope, and Isabella Rossellini as a Sister and the cardinal’s head housekeeper.  All of these cast members add their own bit of intrigue in the way that they approach their characters, having you wonder who’s hiding what secrets and what it’ll mean for the conclave as it commences.

The screenplay by Peter Straughan, which is based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris, offers a tantalizing mystery that gets you hooked from the first scene.  From there, like all great film puzzles, it doles out details little by little as we become more wrapped up in the goings-on behind the Vatican’s walls.  The narrative is populated with characters who have their own goals for who they want to be in the church and what they want the church to be, and it’s never anything less than intriguing to see these clashes of views as the pool for the papacy successors becomes shallower.  All of this leads up to one of the most surprising conclusions I’ve seen in a movie recently.  “Conclave” is one of those occasions where I’m glad I didn’t read the book first because the last 10 minutes had the people at my screening murmuring in surprise with what it reveals, offering an electrifying experience of communal discovery that feels rare these days with theatrical releases.

Just as Berger did with the vast settings of “Western Front,” he’s able to bring us the fullest details of the more enclosed settings of the Vatican, giving off a strong sense of intrigue as we try to guess what’s going on within.  To accomplish this, he collaborates with cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine, who works on a level that he did with his work on Pablo Larraín’s 2016 film, “Jackie.”  Similar to how Fontaine gave us a look into the inner layers of the White House for that historical drama, he does the same with the Vatican in “Conclave.”  Fontaine not only has a talent for photographing places where people in high positions of power operate, but also when these places are in a period of transition.  With the pairing of Berger and Fontaine, they pull back the curtain on areas that many don’t get to see in real life, taking us through the courtyards, hallways, and private rooms of the Vatican.  Whether we’re in a scene with a character alone in a room finding out a secret, or a scene with many characters where there’s voting taking place, Berger maintains the thrills of the story no matter where he takes us on the Vatican grounds.  Helping to highlight these thrills is composer Volker Bertelmann, who worked with Berger on “Western Front,” and here, he provides music that emphasizes stringed instruments to maximum effect to have us feel the tightly-wound tension and weight of what’s happening around the characters.

“Conclave” is the type of fast-paced thriller that offers an equal abundance of suspense and narrative depth that cements this as one of the best films of the year.  While Cardinal Lawrence holds uncertainty as a virtue, you’re certain to be enthralled with this captivating mystery.

Grade: A

A Pop Star Shares the Stage with a Deadly Curse

Naomi Scott in "Smile 2"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

In 2022, writer-director Parker Finn expanded his 2020 short film, “Laura Hasn’t Slept,” into the disturbing feature, “Smile.”  Similar to “Saw,” “Mama,” and “Lights Out,” Finn continued the tradition of filmmakers taking their small horror ideas and expanding them into movies that chill, petrify, or both.  Through strong acting and some very creepy visuals, Finn gave us a memorable shocker that announced him as a new talent to watch in horror cinema.

Finn now returns to write and direct “Smile 2,” where he delivers a sequel that isn’t only as good as the original, but might even surpass it in some respects, boasting a stellar lead performance, strong technical prowess, and a story that’s both tense and grim.

Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) is a pop star who’s trying to get her life back on track after suffering from loss and addiction.  When she becomes the latest victim of a curse, Skye is plagued by frightening occurrences as she prepares for her comeback tour.

Scott delivers an emotionally visceral performance of someone who’s trying to heal from previous devastating life changes while facing a curse that manages to resurrect the demons she’s tried to cast away.  She exhibits an intensity in Skye becoming unraveled as each day brings a deeper horror into her life and cripples her sanity.  This is a performance that hooks you into the frightful nature of the scenario, with Scott displaying the depths of Skye’s pain as she faces a past that continues to haunt her.  It’s work that mixes fear, sadness, and anger, and Scott elicits a power from each of those feelings as her character becomes more and more desperate to save herself from a horrible fate.  With this being Scott’s first horror film, she couldn’t have made a bigger entrance than with a portrayal that has you experience her fear and desperation as the curse closes in on her.

Out of all of the supporting performances, the standout is Lukas Gage, who portrays an acquaintance of Skye’s.  In just one scene near the start of the film, he absorbs you in the crushing fear in which the curse has enveloped him, giving a crazed portrayal of someone who knows he’s at the end of the line and all out of options.  It’s a sequence that rattles you, not only because of the unsettling aesthetic, but because of his performance that absorbs you back into the fear and paranoia that was felt in the first movie.  We know the horror that’s in store for Skye, and Gage’s performance presents the similar sense of dread that Skye will carry for the rest of the film.

Although the screenplay by Finn follows several of the first film’s principal beats, he makes up for that with the effectiveness in which he utilizes the music-industry setting.  The story builds in a way that has you think about just how much worse Skye’s life can spiral out of control.  With Skye not being able to tell what’s real and what’s not, we begin to understand that manipulation the narrative is using, having us wonder what’s real and what the curse wants Skye to see.  The story places her in several scenarios that would put a character in her profession on edge in a normal life, but with the curse that’s added into the mix, the apprehension is ramped up as the film goes from an everyday person of the first film to someone in this film who’s always in the public eye.  Due to the people that Skye surrounds herself with as a celebrity, the narrative gives plenty of characters with whom Skye interacts, and this allows us to get to know who she is and how she expresses the tension and fear that she feels as it becomes stronger.

Charlie Sarroff, who provided the cinematography for the first film, gives some great lensing, particularly in the opening scene, which is filmed all in one take.  It’s a scene that invests you right away in the movie and offers you a clue to the creativity of the camerawork that you’ll see throughout the film, and it doesn’t disappoint.  Sarroff also takes advantage in the way he photographs the expansive settings of the film, be it concert venues or Skye’s spacious NYC apartment.  And, just like in the first movie, Sarroff isn’t afraid to go a little weird with the imagery.  With the sequel going bigger, Sarroff ensures that the ambition of his camerawork reflects the film’s wider scope and makes this curse seem that much more terrifying.

Finn constructs a very unsettling movie that shows a continued determination to build his still-young horror profile within features, and he does so by using a bigger setting and impactful dramatic stakes with the main character.  After showing filmmaking confidence when making his short film into a feature, he exhibits dedication to the overall story of this series, having delivered two films that get under your skin from beginning to end by delivering great jump scares and some harrowing emotion.  Finn is a director who has an ability to add smarts into mainstream horror entertainment, and whenever he moves on to something outside of “Smile,” he’ll surely deliver a must-see.

Finn’s multiplex success all started with an 11-minute short film, and “Smile 2” offers a terrific new chapter in this story.  And, whether or not Finn makes a third feature from this, we can agree his “Smile” movies aren’t afraid to bear their teeth.

Grade: A-

One Night, the Birth of a Cultural Institution

Cooper Hoffman (left) and Gabriel LaBelle
in "Saturday Night"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Next year, it’ll be 50 years since “Saturday Night Live” premiered on television.  Introducing audiences to a show revolving around a group of unknown comedians doing sketch comedy was a huge risk, but it paid off.  Nearly five decades later, which have been full of memorable cast members and characters, this show became one of the most influential entertainment touchstones of the 20th century, launching many careers and delivering laughs to our living rooms week after week.

For director Jason Reitman’s latest film, “Saturday Night,” he dives into the minutes leading up to the series premiere of “SNL.”  With a stellar cast, great jokes, and an electric feeling of watching people make television history, we get a fun show-business movie that takes us behind the scenes of what went into the harried production of the show’s first episode.

On October 11, 1975, Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) is at Studio 8H in Rockefeller Plaza trying to take care of last-minute problems leading up to the launch of “SNL.”  With more fires starting than can be put out, Lorne will do whatever he can to make the show work.  And, with many careers on the line, including his own, failure isn’t an option.

After exhibiting a ton of potential when leading Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” two years ago in a breakout performance, LaBelle displays that talent again when showing Lorne as a mad scientist of television trying to bring his precarious creation to life.  Throughout his work here, LaBelle holds onto the nervous energy as Lorne tries to orchestrate everything to make sure the production goes according to plan.  LaBelle has a wonderful ability to go from someone who truly believes that this could all work to someone who’s being crushed under the weight of everyone’s good and bad expectations.  He brings across the intense apprehension of what this night could mean for all involved, having us feel every ounce of pressure of having all eyes on him.  This is a performance that needs LaBelle to always be moving around and interacting with others, and you sometimes feel out of breath when you go along with him as he seems to cover every inch of Rockefeller Plaza, and LaBelle’s work in this film absorbs you in the whirlwind in which Lorne finds himself.

With this being a peek at a big chapter in the television industry, the movie boasts a sizable supporting cast, all of whom make their mark.  Some of these include Rachel Sennott as “SNL” writer and Lorne’s wife, Rosie Shuster; Ella Hunt, Dylan O’Brien, Matt Wood, and Lamorne Morris as original show cast members Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, and Garret Morris, respectively; Nicholas Braun in a dual performance as comedian Andy Kaufman and Muppets-creator Jim Henson; Cooper Hoffman and Willem Dafoe as as network executives Dick Ebersol and David Tebet, respectively; and Matthew Rhys as iconic comedian George Carlin, who hosted the premiere of “SNL.”  However, the two standouts of the supporting cast are Corey Michael Smith, who delivers a note-perfect portrayal of original cast member Chevy Chase, and J.K. Simmons, who brings very funny egotism as comedian Milton Berle.  What really makes you remember these two performances is one of the film’s best and funniest scenes, where Chase and Berle have a confrontation over each other’s star power.  The jabs they share are increasingly vicious and witty, and you wish the scene could go on for another minute to watch these two verbally duke it out.

The screenplay by Reitman and Gil Kenan feels just a tad drawn out at times, but for the most part, the film glides by with its constant flow of dialogue and the move from place to place within the studio.  This is a screenplay that has the dialogue flow like water from a hydrant with characters digging into their lines and sometimes having to talk over each other, and you can tell that the cast members relish the best of the comedic lines that they’re given, as well as the discussions that are more heated.  The story takes us through hallways, onstage, backstage, the writer’s room, elevators, stairways, etc., and the narrative juggles its many characters and settings well as the cast members constantly move around the different settings and must face new problems as the night goes on.

Eric Steelberg, who provided the cinematography for all of Reitman’s films since “Juno,”  offers a grainy texture that harkens back to the ‘70s, while also employing a documentary-like style of camera movements that capture the behind-the-scenes chaos of that first night at “SNL.”  In the middle of this, Steelberg uses several single takes that have the camera travel through the many spaces of Studio 8H as everything unfolds.  A notable example of this is the first scene within the hallways of the studio, with Steelberg providing a minutes-long take that’s a fine introduction to the hectic nature that we can expect from this setting.

While Reitman has shown an ability to explore characters through the relatively laid-back environments of his comedies and dramas, he has to do something very different here.  In this film, he gets to expand his filmmaking abilities by presenting a story that’s built on disarray.  This is a film that has countless moving parts and requires a lot of complex scene-blocking, and Reitman’s able to handle it all while maintaining the energy and tension felt by all involved with making “SNL.”  He has a firm command in making sure the movements of the camera and the cast remain hectic, but in such a way that we can still comprehend what’s going on and remain invested in the race-against-time scenario.

There’s so much history behind the decades of “SNL,” and with “Saturday Night,” we have a wonderful tribute to the night that started it all.

Grade: A-

From Street Clown to Court Jester

Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in 
"Joker: Folie à Deux"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Five years ago, director Todd Phillips delivered a disturbing, yet fascinating examination of Batman’s arch-nemesis in “Joker.”  Playing out like a psychological thriller, Joaquin Phoenix portrayed the title character in a way we’ve never seen, bringing out a blazing performance that invited us into an interpretation of Gotham City that reflected the griminess of late-‘70s/early-‘80s New York City in such a way that got under your skin every bit as much as the lead performance.  Given how Phillips was mainly known for directing comedies before this, “Joker” offered a new depth into the filmmaker’s capabilities that showed something that was far, far removed from his usual style.

Phillips now returns to direct the sequel, “Joker: Folie à Deux,” this time venturing into this mythology in the form of a musical thriller.  As a film that’s vastly different from what came before, it has its flaws, but is kept afloat by its visual designs and two central performances.  

Two years after the events of the first film, Arthur Fleck (aka Joker) is in Arkham State Hospital awaiting trial for his crimes.  While there, he befriends fellow patient Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga).  As the two form a romance, they’ll indulge in each other’s delusions to have the world see who they really are.

Phoenix does just as well as he did in the first film when it comes to showing his severely damaged character.  He exhibits an Arthur who’s reserved in his confinement, while still showing glimpses of the cracked mentality that lingers beneath him.  However, it’s his courtroom scenes and musical numbers where Phoenix gets to showcase Arthur’s true Joker persona, where we see more of the man he became at the end of the first movie.  When he’s put on the world’s stage, Phoenix displays Arthur's psychotic showmanship that’s been building up in him that he wants to unleash upon Gotham. In the five years that have passed since he last played this role, Phoenix hasn’t lost any of the terrifying rage that plagues his character, ensuring that your eyes won’t be on anything else but him as he grabs each of his scenes by the collar and throttles them.

Although Harleen Quinzel isn’t very developed in the film, Gaga still does what she can to provide a memorable rendition of Joker’s infamous love interest who takes to his destruction dreams.  Just as she accomplished with her breakout film performance in “A Star is Born,” Gaga gets to display both her acting and singing abilities in portraying a character who shares Arthur’s need to be noticed.  She exhibits fine chemistry with Phoenix as she talks and sings with him, showing a desire to want to build a chaotic life with him.  This is Gaga’s third top-billing role, and she continues to prove that she could have a film career that’s every bit as successful as that of her music.  The concert stage might be her first home, but the big screen could easily be her second.

The main issue with the film is the screenplay by Phillips and Scott Silver, who co-wrote the first film.  With this movie being over two hours, there’s not a lot of story to make that runtime worthwhile.  Pretty much the whole movie goes between Arkham and the courthouse, and while these scenes really give the cast many chances to put their hearts into the material and have some engaging interactions, the story is pretty much kept in the same place.  Although there might be a few too many musical numbers inserted into the story, they offer a look into the minds of Joker and Harleen, all while providing some energy to the narrative in the middle of the constant back-and-forth between the two main locations of the film.  

Despite the underwhelming screenplay, Phillips still manages to craft a movie that has the same strong technical aspects as the first movie.  To score the film, he brings back Hildur Guðnadóttir, who delivers music that really makes you feel the dark nature that permeates Gotham and the mind of the Joker.  In terms of visuals, Phillips re-teams with Lawrence Sher, who provided the camerawork for the previous “Joker” and every Phillips movie since “The Hangover.”  Aside from the eye-catching imagery of the musical numbers and some subtle motifs that reflect aspects of the characters, a highlight of his lensing is a superb single-take sequence during the movie’s finale.  It’s a tense scene that drags you into the citywide tumultuousness that the Joker spawns.  There’s also accomplished production design from Mark Friedberg (another “Joker” collaborator) that has you experience the griminess of the spaces that Joker and Harleen occupy, as well as the flashy Broadway-esque set designs of the musical numbers.  Even with the relatively thin story, it’s nevertheless intriguing to see Phillips and his team try something that we haven’t seen in his other movies.

While “Joker: Folie à Deux” is a few steps down from what came before, the pairing of Phoenix and Phillips have at least given us their sparks of vision in the ever-evolving Batman mythology.

Grade: B-

Inside a Robot is the Heart and Soul of Parenthood

Lupita Nyong'o in "The Wild Robot"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

One of many things that movies have taught us over the years, especially those that are animated, is that characters made of wires and machinery can be just as warm and heartfelt as those made of flesh and blood.  A couple of the finest cases in this matter are Brad Bird’s “The Iron Giant” and Andrew Stanton’s “WALL-E.”  Through these titular characters, we saw how they interacted with our world and expressed feelings that are all too human, and in the process, brought forth stories that resonated because of how deep their emotions ran.

Writer-director Chris Sanders now adds his stamp to this type of narrative with “The Wild Robot,” an adaptation of the first book in author-illustrator Peter Brown’s trilogy of children’s books.  Through superb voice performances, dazzling animation, and an approach that grasps the ethos of the source material, this is a movie that’ll capture your imagination.

ROZZUM unit 7134, or “Roz” (Lupita Nyong’o) is a robot who’s shipwrecked on a deserted island.  As she spends more time there and adapts to her new environment, she’ll soon become a mother to an orphaned goose, Brightbill (Kit Connor).

Nyong’o gives a soulful voice performance as Roz, bringing to life a character who becomes much more than she ever expected, finding inside herself someone who’s capable of feelings that were once beyond her programming.  As her character begins her journey, Nyong’o exhibits the humor of Roz trying to understand what’s foreign to her, exploring her surroundings and understanding how the wildlife operates.  When the film moves forward, Nyong’o makes a smooth shift from her strictly robotic cadences to that of a loving parent who tries to comprehend having emotions, and then implements them towards her newfound family.  This vocal performance has a warmth to it that has you know, even if circumstances get tough for the characters, Roz will be there to protect her friends and family, and the strength of Nyong’o’s work has you hang onto every hopeful word she speaks.

Connor has strong emotional chemistry with Nyong’o, portraying someone who feels ostracized from everyone and trying to come into his own.  The connection that they build is something that shows the affection they have for each other, but also the tension in knowing that they don’t quite have the parent-child bond that the other animals have.  The film’s best drama comes from Connor and Nyong’o bonding and trying to understand each other, and it’s a connection that, as it goes on, does well in showing how each of them will move forward in their separate journeys.

Alongside Nyong’o and Connor are some fine supporting performances from Pedro Pascal, voicing a sly fox who advises Roz about the ins and outs of the animal kingdom; Catherine O’Hara, who turns in some very funny work as an opossum who teaches Roz about motherhood; and Bill Nighy as a goose who tries to help Brightbill through his first migration from home.  Through their work, we not only get some laughs, but also moments of warmth as they interact with Roz and help her come to terms with the new emotions that she’s experiencing.

The screenplay by Sanders crafts a faithful adaptation of Brown’s bestselling book that makes the characters as lovable as they are on the page.  We get a sense of who they are as Sanders takes his time in setting up Roz’s journey of motherhood, having a lot of the first third of the movie show her getting to know the landscape and inhabitants of the island and how she’s going to navigate it all with her adopted son.  This makes way for the rest of the narrative to show the deeper aspects of these characters, displaying a strong focus on the challenges that Roz and the other animals face, both within their own groups and as a whole community.  In relation to this, Sanders doesn’t shy away from the book’s somewhat darker edges that involve animal nature and what it takes to survive, adding a layer to these characters as they go up against several threats.

Brown’s books include terrific black-and-white illustrations, and Sanders presents them through stunning animation that places 3D characters against hand-painted backdrops, allowing for a distinct visual style that provokes the feeling of seeing something wondrous.  The breathtaking images match the strong emotions of the story, immersing you in a lush, colorful world that displays the beauty and danger that encompasses nature, and this provides a grandness to the scenery that has us see the world with the same sense of wonder as Roz.  Backing up Sanders’ vibrant visuals is a powerful score from Kris Bowers that captures the dramatic highs of the characters and their perilous, yet moving adventures.

Given how Sanders and his team were able to capture the essence of Brown’s work, they prove to be a perfect match to the trilogy if they choose to adapt the other two books, “The Wild Robot Escapes” and “The Wild Robot Protects.”  As a robot getting to know the world, there’s still much for Roz to learn, and much for audiences to learn about her.

Grade: A

For the Robots in Disguise, We See How It All Began

From left: Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry), 
Bumblebee (Keegan-Michael Key), Elita-1 
(Scarlett Johansson), and Optimus Prime 
(Chris Hemsworth) in "Transformers One"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Given how Hasbros’ famous toy line, Transformers, has had seven live-action films since 2007, it might be easy to forget that they were preceded by an animated film and several animated series.  While there have been some animated shows over the last few years, a lot of the attention has been focused on the big-budget films from the last decade and a half.  With “Transformers: The Movie” coming out almost 40 years ago, it seemed rather unlikely that we’d see the Autobots and Decepticons on the big screen again in an animated format.

For the latest film in the franchise, there’s a return to animation, but instead of 2D, it brings the robots into 3D animation with director Josh Cooley’s “Transformers One.”  Instead of simply relying on the brand name to deliver its story, his film drives forward with fleshed-out characters, gorgeous visuals, and a surprisingly dramatic story.

The movie follows the friendship of Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry).  When they come across a discovery that will change the course of the planet Cybertron forever, they’ll go on a journey where the decisions they make will eventually turn them against each other.

Hemsworth and Henry bring compelling voice work to their roles as robots who have a deep friendship that will soon be tested, providing a great anchor as the story expands.  Right from their first scene, you get a sense of their bond through the chemistry of the actors.  They’re a lot of fun to listen to as they banter and disagree on what to do in terms of their newfound mission, providing a humorous connection that soon gives way to the animosity that consumes their comradeship.  You can hear the dedication in Hemsworth and Henry’s voice work that they give to these characters, doing justice to the script and knowing that this isn’t a cartoon made just for young audiences, but is something that offers much more on an emotional level than what the live-action films gave us.  The strength of their voice acting and their commitment to their characters is a huge factor in capturing the epic feel for this world.

Acting as reinforcements to Hemsworth and Henry is a fine selection of supporting performances of Cybertronians.  There’s Scarlett Johansson as Elita-1, who grudgingly and comically has to put up with Optimus and Megatron’s antics; Keegan-Michael Key as the never-shuts-up Bumblebee; Steve Buscemi as the intimidating Starscream; Laurence Fishburne as the wise Alpha Trion; and Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime, the leader of Cybertron.  Each of these cast members brings an abundance of personality to their characters, making them feel as well-drawn as the two leads.

The screenplay by Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari has a couple of predictable elements (outside of the inevitable friends-become-foes aspect), but it’s held afloat by giving us characters that have emotional depth, instead of making them feel like they’re there to sell toys.  The story gives us plenty to see within the bond between Optimus and Megatron, showing us their alliance before slowly morphing it into the adversarial relationship that we’ve all come to know.  Although this movie has many characters and offers a lot of details in the Transformers mythology, the writers create a story that’s accessible for people who have just a casual understanding of the franchise.  Despite this being a story that's based on toys, the narrative doesn’t treat its audiences like merchandise consumers, but rather engages them with respect and gives them something that’s more than it could’ve been.  It has jokes at all of the right moments and doesn’t shy away from exhibiting the poignancy of the two lead characters breaking away from each other.

Cooley, who has a history with Pixar (including directing “Toy Story 4”), offers his talents in bringing the Transformers and Cybertron to colorful, pulsing life.  As soon as you see these characters in their environment in this format on the big screen, it’s clear that Cooley and his team have done whatever they can to absorb you in this world.  The stunning 3D animation displays the grand nature of Iacon City in the sub-levels of Cybertron, as well as the danger-plagued landscapes on the planet’s surface level, bringing across the epic scope that’s needed for a franchise with a lore this deep.  Inside these huge environments, Cooley gives us some thrilling action, such as the Iacon 5000 race throughout the city, exciting battles on Cybertron’s service, and the final confrontation between good and evil.  Aside from the action that we expect from this franchise, Cooley uses his visuals to have the character-driven moments succeed on a dramatic scale, allowing us to experience the weight of the characters’ decisions and feelings as their destinies unfold.

After several years of seeing the Transformers in live action, “Transformers One” offers a refreshing way in which to experience these characters and worlds on the big screen.  With the equal attention to both drama and action, we see how, even though the quality of the movies in this franchise has experienced more lows than highs, it can always show the potential to transform.

Grade: A-

More Than Three Decades Later, Beetlejuice is Summoned Once Again

Michael Keaton in "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

In 1988, director Tim Burton treated audiences to the devilishly entertaining horror-comedy, “Beetlejuice.”  Focusing on a ghostly husband and wife who must face off against the titular demon, we had a film that showed us the first real glimpses of the macabre style that we would see in Burton’s films over the decades that followed.  Between his unique visuals, darkly funny tone, and quirky characters, this movie became a staple of Burton’s filmography and remains as fun as ever.

Burton now returns to helm the long-awaited sequel, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”  While not as fresh as its predecessor, it’s nevertheless an enjoyable pre-Halloween treat that harkens back to Burton’s earlier dark fantasies.

Thirty-six years after the events of the first film, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder), her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega), and her stepmother Delia (Catherine O”Hara) return to their family home in Winter River after a loss.  When circumstances arise that bring Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) back into their lives, the Deetz family must find a way to stop his latest round of fiendish tricks.

Although Keaton didn’t have a lot of screen time in the first movie, he was the standout of the cast, making the most of every minute with his character’s delightfully cartoonish and rogue personality.  He gets much more screen time in the sequel, easing back into the character with a clear love for this role.  In doing so, Keaton is endlessly fun to watch as he interacts with the characters and settings.  With his off-color dialogue and comical movements, Keaton inhabits every bit of energy playing this role as he did in 1988, and you’re sure to become giddy whenever he invades the screen with his wicked antics.

As the mother and daughter at the center of the story, Ryder and Ortega have a fine chemistry that both encapsulates the loneliness and sense of loss that each of them feels, while also showing the rift between them that’s caused by Lydia’s belief in the supernatural and Astrid’s disbelief.  When they have a heartfelt moment here and there, the two do well in exhibiting the tension and love between them.

For the supporting cast, we have some amusing performances from Justin Theroux as Lydia’s boyfriend; Willem Dafoe as a ghost detective in the afterlife; and Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice’s vengeful ex-wife, who has an excellent introductory scene.  However, O’Hara is the highlight, as she always makes you laugh at her character’s overdramatic persona, exposing everyone to her attention-grabbing ridiculousness as O’Hara revels in the material that she’s given.

The screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar offers entertaining scenarios for the characters, but it often tries to do too much.  It has several plot threads going on at once, with most of them feeling underdeveloped.  This is especially true for the storyline involving Bellucci’s character, who had the makings of a great secondary villain, if only she was given more time to grow.  Each of the subplots has potential for its own “Beetlejuice” movie, but it seems like the screenwriters were trying to make up for lost time between the two movies by including as much as possible.  As a whole, the narrative has creative parts to it, but those parts needed to be more fleshed out.

While the story might be the weak link of the movie, Burton’s direction helps elevate it.  With Burton back as director, the movie emphasizes practical effects over CGI, calling to mind the old-school movie magic of his ‘80s-‘90s era.  These effects are both used with the makeup for the ghostly characters of the afterlife and the production design of that setting, capturing that feeling of the actors being in those environments and conversing with those entities, just like the characters in the original film.  Burton’s signature weirdness is allowed to thrive as it welcomes audiences back into this world, and between the production design, costumes, makeup effects, and musical score, we get a movie that’s very much a Burton film in the technical aspects.  Aside from that, it’s great to see how his darkly comic sensibilities are still as finely tuned as ever, exhibiting his well-known filmmaking persona that encourages you to give yourself over to his inventive strangeness and have a good time.

Although “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” has a few drawbacks, you can still see everyone’s love for the characters and their world, delivering a sequel that’s still a worthy welcome for the fall season.  While Beetlejuice’s first go-around might be the preferred outing in the end, this continuation is a fun revisit to the afterlife as only Burton can envision it.

Grade: B

On the Sidelines of Ellen Ripley’s Story, Something Else Happened

Cailee Spaeny in "Alien: Romulus"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

When director Ridley Scott returned to the “Alien” franchise in 2012 with his prequel, “Prometheus,” it was the first installment he directed since the 1979 original.  Although the prequel had its flaws, it was a visually mesmerizing film that set up some fascinating prospects as to where this mythology could expand.  Five years later, he gave us his followup, “Alien: Covenant,” which, despite being an okay entry, didn’t do much to move the pre-“Alien” story forward in a meaningful way.  Since then, any continuation of Scott’s new batch of films was abandoned.

Now, director Fede Álvarez brings us back to this iconic series with “Alien: Romulus.”  With this film, he doesn’t give us a prequel or sequel, but rather, a movie that takes place in between “Alien” and James Cameron’s 1986 followup, “Aliens.”  While it doesn’t reach the heights of those two films, it nevertheless shows that there’s still potential in this franchise to charter some new outer-space territory.

The story follows a group of space colonists who, while exploring an abandoned space station, must do what they can to survive when a xenomorph goes on the hunt.

Cailee Spaeny, who plays Rain Carradine, is a welcome addition to the leading ladies of the franchise, following in the footsteps of Sigourney Weaver, Noomi Rapace, and Katherine Waterson.  She exhibits the terror of being faced with a deadly, otherworldly being, while also showing the fortitude to keep as many of her group alive as possible.  It’s the type of performance that has become a staple of the series, one that carries a grit to it as Rain and her group must evade the bloody rampage of the xenomorph.  If there are more films that continue this storyline, Spaeny proves that she’s a force to be reckoned with to carry this narrative further.

Just as Spaeny succeeds in emulating those who came before in similar roles, David Jonsson does the same in his role as Andy, an android who accompanies the colonists.  Actors like Ian Holm, Lance Henriksen, and Michael Fassbender have all had a chance to portray such AI characters, and Jonnson puts his stamp on it as a robot who’s hopelessly adamant about making sure their mission directive is met.  He’s engaging to watch as you see him make decisions that he forms out of logic, but provides tension as we watch the consequences of such choices, see him come to terms with the effects, and how the rest of his group responds to it.

The screenplay by Álvarez and Rodo Sayagues, who collaborated on the scripts for Álvarez’s “Evil Dead” remake and “Don’t Breathe,” pretty much follows the basic outline of most “Alien” movies, but it still adds enough to the mythology to make the franchise’s overall story still worth exploring.  While some of the fan service can be a bit irksome on occasion, the narrative makes a few crazy, but effective creative decisions that involve some unexpected connections to other films in the series.  While the first two thirds of the film are pretty standard, but still fun and tense sci-fi horror, it’s the third act that offers quite a bit that can open some doors as to where this franchise can go.  Seven installments into this series (not including the two “Alien vs. Predator” movies), it’s great to see that there are still some enticing possibilities to be had.    

The cinematography by Galo Olivares, who’s working with Álvarez for the first time, offers both stunning visuals of space and accomplished framing of the space station’s interiors.  When it comes to the vastness of space, Olivares offers imagery that shows the beautiful and terrifying depth of outer space and what could be hiding amongst the stars and darkness.  When it comes to the space station, Olivares makes us apprehensive at the shadows of the many dark or low-lit rooms where anything can be hiding.

Álvarez is someone who’s exemplified a terrific handling when it comes to films where characters are in one location for a majority of the runtime, whether it be young adults stuck in a cabin facing off against supernatural forces in “Evil Dead,” or a group of burglars being retaliated against by a blind veteran in “Don’t Breathe.”  He takes that talent and presents it on a bigger scale with a space station and instills the terror for which he’s known.  Just as he did with “Evil Dead,” Álvarez exhibits a confidence in taking on a well-known series and providing his own sense of invention to the larger scope that has grown out of Ridley Scott’s iconic 1979 film that started it all.  He utilizes both practical effects and CGI imagery to great impact, mixing them in a way that shows a devotion to the lower-budget sensibilities of the earlier installments and the advanced effects of the later entries.

If what we see in “Romulus” is anything to go by, this series has more of those alien facehugger eggs to hatch.

Grade: B+

To Catch a Killer

Josh Hartnett in "Trap"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

When it comes to writer-director M. Night Shyamalan’s filmography, while it may be popular to point out that the quality of his movies is all over the place, you can’t deny that it’s been fascinating to see him fluctuate between genres.  We’ve seen him tackle the supernatural with “The Sixth Sense,” sci-fi with “Signs,” superheroes with his “Unbreakable” trilogy, found-footage horror with “The Visit,” body horror with “Old,” and apocalyptic horror with “Knock at the Cabin.”  As divisive of a filmmaker as he might be, you almost can’t resist the intrigue of seeing what kind of spin he’ll put on a genre or sub-genre.

Up until now, Shyamalan hasn’t really done a film that could be seen as a straight thriller, something that doesn’t have ghosts, aliens, or superheroes.  However, he tries his hand at that with his latest film, “Trap.”  Although this movie isn’t one of Shyamalan’s best, there’s still much to enjoy with his so-absurd-it’s-good big-screen offering.

Cooper (Josh Hartnett) is a serial killer known as “The Butcher,” whose identity remans unknown.  When he takes his daughter, Riley (Ariel Donoghue), to a pop concert, he notices a heightened police presence and finds out its in place after a tip said he’ll be there.  As the concert goes on, Cooper will have to do whatever he can to avoid being found out and captured.

Hartnett looks like he’s having a lot of fun playing a villain.  He imbues his character with a slight fatherly goofiness that mixes well with his malicious side, creating a person that can make you chuckle in one scene and unsettle you in the next.  As Hartnett moves forward in the story, he does well in showing how his killer’s mind works when he tries to think on his feet as evading police presence becomes more difficult.  Hartnett shows his character with a jitteriness of being caught, but also a confidence of being able to get away with more of his heinous acts, a killer who keeps a level head, yet is anything but on the inside.  His impulse to inflict harm on his targets will have you wonder what he plans to do next, and Hartnett keeps us absorbed as a killer who’ll do whatever he can to keep his evil impulses alive.

The screenplay by Shyamalan unfolds as the most Hitchcockian narrative he’s done.  While it isn’t anywhere near as tightly plotted as the films from the Master of Suspense, Shyamalan manages to construct a story that still immerses you in the thrills.  Despite the off-kilter construction of the story, the narrative still seems pretty straightforward for the first two thirds of the film.  However, once you hit the third act, you’re in for a wallop as the story will have you grinning from ear to ear when it swerves into something that has an abundance of gleeful throw-logic-out-the-window fun.  Although the movie overstays its welcome by about 10 minutes, that certainly doesn’t dilute the whacky fun that precedes it.

One aspect of the script that provides some tension is how you pretty much experience the concert in real time.  By doing so, you feel the tension that Cooper experiences more and more as the event goes on, with him knowing that he only has a certain amount of time to accomplish what he wishes to accomplish.  This story unfolds as somewhat of a concert-thriller, and Shyamalan enhances that by including a few sequences of performances with catchy songs that were written and are sung by one of his daughters, Saleka Night Shyamalan, who plays Lady Raven, the pop star at the center of the concert.

As a director, the goofiness that Shyamalan gives some of his movies can be an enjoyable factor, so long as it doesn’t go completely off the rails, like in “The Happening.”  For “Trap,” he hits that sweet spot where he brings us enough of that humor, but doesn’t make it so that the film goes into “bad movie” territory.  Even with the bonkers nature of the third act, it’s still handled in such a way where you’re having fun instead of cringing.  In the middle of his take-it-or-leave-it brand of humor, Shyamalan still manages to keep your pulse pounding with the scenario in which he places his characters.  Part of that comes down to his collaboration with cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, who’s working with Shyamalan for the first time.  With his camerawork, Mukdeeprom captures the many details of the setting, bringing us onstage, backstage, through the crowded hallways, and into the access-only areas.  By doing so, you’re immersed in the environment as you’re placed in Cooper’s frame of mind when he realizes there are eyes everywhere and he must avoid suspicion. 

This movie might not have all of the trappings that make for a top-tier thriller, but it certainly has enough to keep your attention ensnared.

Grade: B

A Satanic Portrait of a Serial Killer

Maika Monroe in "Longlegs"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

When it comes to movies that mix crime-thrillers with horror, there’s so much potential to craft something that sticks with the audience because you have two genres come together that can depict disturbing acts of which people can be capable.  Whether it’s Jonathan Demme’s “The Silence of the Lambs,” David Fincher’s “Seven,” or the latter’s based-on-a-true-story “Zodiac,” these movies absorb you in the narratives of their characters as you watch them traverse the dangers of what the worst of humanity has to offer.

Writer-director Osgood Perkins is the latest filmmaker to do this with his horror-thriller, “Longlegs,” a film that’s awash in atmosphere, has great scares, and is boosted by two great lead performances, especially a very disturbing villain.

Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) is a special agent for the FBI in Oregon.  When she’s assigned to a case that has her tracking down a serial killer who’s involved in the occult, Lee will make a discovery more shocking than she could’ve imagined.

Monroe delivers a performance that shows Lee as reserved to a point where you want to peer inside her head to unravel what’s going on.  She brings a strong sense of mystery to her character through her careful, probing gaze as Lee goes about her job and attempts to fathom the frightening implications of what she’s investigating.  Behind her gaze is also a sadness that hints at someone who’s seen things that no person should see.  Just as she tries to sift through the clues, we try to understand her and her way of thinking, resulting in a lead performance that keeps you invested in the nightmare through which Lee has to delve.

Nicolas Cage has an absolute horrific blast in the role of a Satanic worshipper.  We’ve seen Cage go all-in with certain performances where you have to admire how much he’s willing to let loose, and this runs along those lines, but with a terrifying edge.  Right from his brief first appearance, Cage sets the tone for the bone-rattling chills that he’ll give you for the rest of the movie.  You keep wanting to see him again and experience what his performance has to offer, but you also feel like you want to put it off for as long as possible because you don’t want to see what terrible acts his character might commit.  He gives a performance of someone whose brain seems to have been tinkered with by the devil himself, and you’ll be left shaken once the film arrives at the point where it gives you the full dose of his crazed monstrousness.

The screenplay by Perkins brings you through a labyrinth of clues that implores you to pay close attention to what’s going on, making you want to piece everything together even while other stuff is being presented to you.  This is a scenario that pins your eyes to the screen from the very start as you try to catch whatever you can and figure out how it might fit into the bigger picture.  Even if you notice a lot upon your first viewing, Perkins crafts a narrative that will surely warrant a second viewing so you can see what you missed.  This screenplay engages its viewers to try to figure out the mystery every bit as much as it wants you to figure out its lead character, adding layers on both a storytelling front and a dramatic one.  Although pursuing serial killers is something we’ve seen several times in film, don’t let the simplicity of the plot synopsis turn you away because this movie offers much more than I can explain without giving anything away.

The cinematography by Andrés Arochi, who works with Perkins for the first time, gives us camerawork that always has you scanning the frame to either look at a space where someone sinister could appear, or take in the setting to catch as many details as possible that could help you piece the mystery together.  Arochi makes the most of the film’s dark interiors that have you feel the unease of what could be lurking in the shadows, but he also makes effective use of the exteriors. With the story taking place in a rural region of Oregon, Arochi uses his lensing to highlight the disquieting sense of isolation that you can feel outside in such a location, knowing how alone you could be and realizing that danger can come from anywhere.

When talking about the directorial nature of this film, you have to recognize two sets of films.  The first group is the one from the beginning of this review that mentions films that blend crime and horror, and what “Longlegs” does is bring its own distinct and disturbing style, joining the ranks of those chilling stories.  The second group includes Perkins’ other three films, “The Blackcoat’s Daughter,” “I’m the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House,” and “Gretel and Hansel”; and just like with those movies, “Longlegs” shows Perkins’ skill in loading his films with haunting imagery and a sense of dread that follows you from the start of the film to the end.  Mixing with this dread is the excellent use of quiet in certain scenes, which creates a sense of unease as we brace ourselves for whatever might disturb that quiet.  The mood that Perkins instills is one where it seems like all of the presence of good has left the community, only to be replaced by an evil that’s calculating and merciless.

With “Longlegs,” Perkins has you feel the combined rush of being scared and trying to figure out the puzzle, creating a horror-movie experience to which you’ll want to return right away so that you can feel that rush all over again.

Grade: A

An Aspiring Actress Tries to Survive More Than Just Show Business

Mia Goth in "MaXXXine"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

In 2022, writer-director Ti West gave moviegoers not just the first installment, but also the second installment of his “X” trilogy with “X” and the prequel “Pearl.”  By doing so, he offered two of the best horror films of that year and made leading actress Mia Goth into one of the topmost performers to be working in the genre today.  Since the release of “Pearl,” audiences have been waiting to see how West would cap off his story of amateur actress Maxine Minx (Goth) trying to make it to the big time.

West finally presents his trilogy’s conclusion with “MaXXXine,” a thrilling finale that brings us to not just a new decade, but a new setting as we get pulled into a deadly journey with the titular character.

Maxine Minx is an adult-film actress who wishes to be taken seriously in the movie industry.  When she’s offered the lead in a horror film, Maxine uses this as a chance to prove herself.  However, when a serial killer known as “The Night Stalker’ begins terrorizing the streets of Hollywood, Maxine will have to do what she can to not become the next victim.

Goth provided excellent performances in “X” and “Pearl” that cemented her as one of cinema’s newest queens of horror, and she displays just as much command of the screen in this film.  Goth exhibits a duality of her character’s movie-star-wannabe confidence and a sense of someone who knows that she might be out of her depth.  Maxine has a masterful opening scene where she walks into an audition with a don’t-underestimate-me attitude as she tries to show that she’s more than people give her credit for.  However, this makes her scenes of trepidation on the sets of the horror movie all the more engaging because we see how much she has to lose, wanting to impress her director and knowing she has so few chances to do it.  Maxine knows how to fight for what she wants, but she doesn’t quite know how to fight to keep it once she has it, and that latter factor is fascinating to watch as Goth shows Maxine trying to develop into the person she wants to be.

The film has a terrific supporting cast, but the two standouts are Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth Debicki.  Bacon is a lot of fun to watch as a sleazy private investigator who worms his way into Maxine’s life and tries to derail her career.  He eats up the role as someone who won’t stop pursuing his target until his goals are met.  Meanwhile, Debicki is endlessly magnetic as the film director of Maxine’s latest project, an individual who demands perfection and takes Maxine under her wing.  Just like Goth, Debicki shows how her character is aware of how much her potential career is riding on her film production, and it’s fascinating to see her and Goth interact as their characters express the same vivid desire to become Hollywood underdog successes.

The screenplay by West has a bit of a pacing issue in the third act (we seem to simply arrive at the big reveal rather than build towards it), but it’s nevertheless a fun murder mystery that also dives into the controversy surrounding Hollywood in the 1980s when it came to violence and adult content in the media.  West shows it all in great detail as he crafts a narrative that has this Hollywood tension tie into Maxine’s past in intriguing ways as the danger on the show-business streets continues to close in on her, and this assists in adding layers to her character.  Just as West did with Maxine in “X” and the titular character in “Pearl,” he’s adept at letting us get to know the lead character in between the scares, making this a trilogy that’s every bit as much about building a character as it is about the frights.  All of this puts West’s horror-storytelling passion on display as we learn about Maxine both through her journey and through the company that she keeps and avoids.

The cinematography by Eliott Rockett (who lensed several of West’s films, including “X” and “Pearl”), masters the mood of the setting, particularly the lighting of the seedy establishments that the characters populate.  His camera movements capture the griminess of the environments, especially using lighting techniques that emphasize low lighting or red lighting that help us descend into the environment out of which Maxine needs to climb in order to live a better life.

As a director, West not only presents the details of 1980s Hollywood in dedicated detail, but he also crafts the movie to have its bloodier scenes have the look of an ‘80s horror movie.  To do so, he uses practical effects that exemplify a slasher movie gross-out factor that will make you squirm several times as the body count rises and the sense of dread increases with each scene.  Similar to the other two films in his trilogy, we get a full sense of West’s cinematic influences as he mixes them with his ideas to create a terrific blend of scares, period detail, atmosphere, and memorable performances.

For horror fans and general moviegoers, they should feel lucky to have seen West complete his story in his fullest vision.  This series had him leave his mark on modern horror, and with “MaXXXine,” he has the trilogy go out in style.

Grade: A-

The Day That Silenced the World

Joseph Quinn and Lupita Nyong'o in
"A Quiet Place: Day One"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

In writer-director John Krasinski’s 2021 film, “A Quiet Place: Part 2,” the terrific sequel to his original movie from three years before that, he gave one of the film’s best scenes with the opening sequence, a scene that takes place before the events of the first film.  In this scene, Krasinski delivered a pulse-pounding view into the first day of an invasion by aliens who hunt by sound as they descended upon the quiet town of his character’s family.  It couldn’t have been a better beginning to a film that would be on par with the frights of its predecessor.

We now get an even bigger view into the start of the invasion with the prequel, “A Quiet Place: Day One,” from writer-director Michael Sarnoski, in which he delivers a film of surprising emotional depth in between the scares and thrills.

The story follows Samira (Lupita Nyong’o) as she tries to traverse New York City when it descends into chaos following an alien invasion.

Nyong’o provides an endearing performance as a young woman who tries to cling to what’s left of her previous life.  Portraying a hospice patient caught in NYC during a day trip, she has her character muster every remaining bit of energy in her body to survive the apocalypse and return to her childhood neighborhood before her time runs out.  In between the scenes of running for cover, Nyong’o gives us memorable emotional scenes, and whether it be in scenes of no dialogue or with a little, she’s endlessly engaging to watch.  As you watch her go between processing the terror and reminiscing about what her life was like before she got sick, Nyong’o absorbs you in Samira’s arc as she not only as to survive the external threat of the aliens, but the internal threat of her illness, both of which collide to have her confront her mortality.

Nyong’o also has poignant chemistry with costar Joseph Quinn, who plays Eric, a law school student from England.  While they work well together in the sequences that hinge on their fight for survival, there’s a bittersweet scene in the third act that may be one of the best scenes this series has done.  All I’ll say is that it’s a poignant scene that does beautiful work with show-don’t-tell storytelling that allows these characters reveal small things about themselves.  These films show how much a blockbuster horror movie can thrive when you include some doses of human drama, and Nyong’o and Quinn have just as strong of an on-screen connection as the pairings of Krasinski and Blunt in the first film and Blunt and Cillian Murphy in the second.

Although the screenplay by Sarnoski is, in essence, more of the same as the first two films but just on a larger canvas, he makes up for the familiarity by making this the most emotionally impactful of the series.  In between the scenes of alien horror, he offers some wonderful dramatic scenes that really let us get to know Samira and Eric.  While we’ve seen characters in the past stay quiet for fear of being picked off by the aliens, Sarnoski uses this as an opportunity as a way to display who these characters were before the invasions as they try to open up to each other while still trying to remain as quiet as possible.

The cinematography by Pat Scola, who worked with Sarnosksi on his 2021 feature filmmaking debut for the revenge thriller, “Pig,” offers some imagery that goes between tenderness and somberness that allows for touches of the arthouse sensibility that we saw in Sarnoski’s previous film.  And, when it comes to the big set-pieces, Scola grants us imposing views of NYC besieged by otherworldly destruction, taking full advantage of the transition from the rural environments of the first two films to the cityscape offered by this one, capturing a sense of scale that shows the aftermath on a higher level.

As a director, Sarnoski proves that he’s every bit as capable to helm a blockbuster as much as an indie film.  Similar to “Pig,” he strikes a fine balance between effective drama and heart-pounding thrills.  Three movies in, and this series still exhibits that it can maintain its quality and thrive when it allows filmmakers to craft something that’s meaningful.  These movies are partially character-driven, with this film even more so, and Sarnoski is able to make the drama fit in just right with the surrounding sci-fi dread as he expands the overall story of the series.

Potentially, Krasinski’s coming back next year with a third film focused on the original batch of characters.  But, during that wait, it was fun to have an installment that shows someone else’s approach to the material.  With that, Sarnoski makes his voice heard in this quiet place.

Grade: A-

Through Desolation and Disorder, the Makings of a Post-Apocalyptic Heroine

Anya Taylor-Joy in 
"Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Nine years ago, director George Miller brought moviegoers back to the sun-scorched, brutal environments of the Wasteland with “Mad Max: Fury Road,” the fourth film in his “Mad Max” series.  With memorable characters, captivating visuals, and car-chases that left you exhausted in the best possible way, this became one of the best and most exhilarating action films of all time.  It was a brilliant, imaginative, and beyond epic return to the world of Max Rockatansky and malevolent marauders, and we couldn’t wait to see how Miller would expand the world further in the next installment.

And, expand it, he does.  However, he doesn’t do so by going forwards, but going backwards.  Now, Miller delves into the history of Furiosa, a character who was introduced in “Fury Road” and played by Charlize Theron.  In “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” Miller gives us a detailed, ferocious, and action-packed look into how Furiosa became the resilient protagonist who fired up the screen in the previous film.

As a young girl, Furiosa (Alyla Browne) is kidnapped by the savage Biker Horde leader, Dementus (Chris Hemsworth).  When circumstances arise later on that bring her to the Citadel, a fortress ruled by Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), an older Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) soon gains trust with her ruler and rises in his ranks, eventually bringing her on a path for revenge against Dementus.

I’ve never seen a performance from Taylor-Joy that I haven’t liked, so it’s wonderful to see a whole new side to her acting ability, portraying an action heroine who must face-off against a cruel and unforgiving world.  While Taylor-Joy doesn’t appear until about halfway through the movie, she makes up for the wait by coming out in full force during one of the film’s big action set-pieces.  She captivates you right away as an unwaveringly tough fighter who does what she can to survive.  And, with only a few dozen lines of dialogue, she not only captures the spirit of Theron’s Furiosa, but also even sounds more and more like her as the movie goes on.  This is a committed performance that we’ve come to expect from Taylor-Joy, further showing why she continues to impress since her debut in “The Witch” from 2016.

Alyla Browne does superb work when introducing us to Furiosa as a child, giving us a look at the type of person we know she’ll become later on in the film.  Brown shows her character as a girl of resourcefulness and quick thinking, having the audience know that, even when she’s in the most dire of scenarios, Furiosa will find a way to outsmart those who wish her harm.  Just like Taylor-Joy, Browne doesn’t have a lot of dialogue, but instead must rely on her facial expressions to let us know how she absorbs her new environments and how she views others.

Hemsworth gives an intimidating performance that allows him to break the mold left by his tenure as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Just like his terrific performance on 2013’s “Rush,” this is a character that reminds us what Hemsworth is able to do when given the chance to do something that breaks the norm of what we’ve seen him do for most of his career.  It’s work that has him carry a sadistic charisma that not only unsettles you, but also makes you laugh from time to time.  He’s very much in tune with the eccentric nature of this series, and he calibrates his performance into something that very much feels at home in the film’s universe.

In terms of the villains, we also get a return of the terrifying Immortan Joe, with Hulme taking up the mantle of the late Hugh Keays-Byrne, who portrayed the character in “Fury Road.”  Between the movements of his hulking body and a stone-hard stare, Hulme’s able to maintain the menacing nature of Immortan Joe that Keays-Byrne established.  He also presents a perfect opposite to Hemsworth’s antagonistic portrayal, whereby, in a scene between Immortan Joe and Dementus where the two are bargaining, you have the former’s disquieting watchfulness versus Dementus’ comical overconfidence.  It’s a great scene that displays an entertaining dichotomy of these two tyrannical characters.

The screenplay by Miller and Nico Lathouris, who were two of the writers on “Fury Road,” brings a detailed backstory to the breakout character of that film.  Although the narrative drags a little bit in the first hour, it’s still fascinating to watch the pieces fall into place that build up “Fury Road” and to see how Furiosa’s arc feeds into that film.  Between the time we spend with her both as a child and an adult, we get an engaging and thrilling view into one of the most notable characters to come out of modern action movies.  The narrative also spends enough time in each of the main locations of the film, the three fortresses of the Citadel (we actually get more time in here than we did in “Fury Road”), the Bullet Farm, and Gastown, the latter two of which are only briefly seen/mentioned in the previous film.  Through all of this, Miller and Lathouris strike a fine balance of introducing new aspects and fleshing out what we saw in “Fury Road.”

Even 45 years after the original film was released, it’s still impressive how well Miller’s able to build some epic action sequences.  His filmography is made up of some of the best car chases you’ll see on film, and he continues that tradition with “Furiosa.”  It’s clear that this is the type of filmmaking that Miller lives for, once again displaying an abundance of creativity not only when it comes to putting these action scenes together, but also in the visuals concerning the settings that he gives us.  To bring his vision to the screen, Miller recruits the help of cinematographer Simon Duggan, a first-timer to the franchise, just like John Seale was on “Fury Road.”  And, similar to Seale, Duggan shows the fullest capability of lensing Miller’s ideas and working with a scope that captures the daunting nature of the fortresses and the vehicular chaos of the car chases.  

Miller is a filmmaker who always works hard to deliver with this iconic series, and based on what he presents us in “Furiosa,” you’ll certainly want to take this latest chance to be a desert dweller.

Grade: A-

A Stuntman Gets into Some Off-Camera Action

Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in 
"The Fall Guy"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

For big-budget films, one of the most important aspects is having a committed stunt team.  They’re the ones who make the intricate movements of the characters possible.  As viewers, we sit there thinking to ourselves that there’s no way we could ever pull off such death-defying work, but when you see it up there on the screen being performed by people who stare danger in the face as soon the cameras roll, you’re left in awe that such feats have been captured.

The work of stunt teams is the basis of director David Leitch’s new comedy, “The Fall Guy,” which is based on Glen A. Larson’s TV show of the same name, which ran from 1981-1986.  With Leitch’s typical flair for action, he brings us on an energetic ride that’s loaded with thrills, wit, and a superb connection between its two stars.

Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is a stuntman whose latest job has him working with his ex-girlfriend, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), who’s making a sci-fi action film as her directorial debut.  When the film’s lead actor, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) goes missing, Colt is tasked with finding him before the over-budget production gets shut down.

Gosling gives a humorous and kinetic performance as the talented stuntman, once again displaying his movie-star charm with ease as he swaggers his way through the memorable dialogue and big-budget set pieces.  Gosling displays a ruggedness and confidence that’s faultless throughout, giving us a protagonist who’s comically endearing.  His work in the past has shown that he possesses equal talents with action, comedy, and romance, and Gosling proves once again that he can pretty much shine in any kind of genre.

Gosling and Blunt have wonderful romantic and comedic chemistry.  Whenever they interact, they display a bond that’s both funny and heartfelt, giving you an idea of the loving relationship that they shared before the events of the movie.  Even when their characters are at odds with each other, Gosling and Blunt exhibit a connection that’s as fiery as the pyrotechnics on Jody’s movie set.

The screenplay by Drew Pierce does well in establishing the two lead characters and the bond that they used to have and are trying to rebuild.  He sets them up in such a way that makes you want to get to know them more, and he does this with some well-placed meta humor.  And, although that aspect of Pearce’s humor doesn’t always hit the mark, it still works well in other places.  One of the best examples of this is when he mixes meta humor that’s both verbal and visual during a phone conversation between Colt and Jody that uses the split-screen technique in a clever way that highlights their emotional distance from each other.  Besides the romance, there’s an enticing conspiracy plot that has plenty of excitement as you wait to see how it unfolds.  Each set piece that Pearce brings us delivers on the enjoyable insanity of the situation, terrifically melding a likable lead character with a comically dangerous scenario.

Leitch, who has extensive experience as a stuntman, is the perfect fit for a film such as this, creating a love letter to both stunt teams and moviemaking.  He frames his action with the help of lensing from Jonathan Sela and editing by Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir, both of whom have been frequent collaborators with Leitch.  With Sela’s lensing and Ronaldsdóttir’s editing, the action is captured in such a way where it maintains the thrills, but are still comprehensible when it comes to knowing where everything and everyone is and what’s going on.  While all of the action scenes are fun, one of the most memorable is a fight sequence in a neon-lit nightclub, complete with some humorously trippy visuals.  Through this talented trio, they also offer a couple of eye-catching long takes that highlight the depth of the details of the film sets.  These extended takes allow us to see all of the comings and goings of the people involved with the film production, bringing us into the hectic nature of such environments.

When it comes to “The Fall Guy,” you won’t need air conditioning in the theater because this movie is as breezy as it gets.

Grade: A-

In the Future, Primates Lead the Animal Kingdom

Noa (Owen Teague, left) and Raka (Peter Macon) 
in "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Nearly 13 years ago, the “Planet of the Apes” franchise was given new life in the form of a prequel with director Rupert Wyatt’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.”  In what seemed like just another attempt to revive the series after Tim Burton’s lackluster 2001 remake of the 1968 original, it nevertheless proved to be a thrilling and intelligent film that boasted some groundbreaking visual effects.  It began as the story of a highly intelligent chimpanzee named Caesar (through a motion-capture performance by Andy Serkis), only to then spawn two sequels from director Matt Reeves in 2014 and 2017, titled “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and “War for the Planet of the Apes.,” respectively.  With these three films, we were given one of the best trilogies of modern cinema.

It turns out this series still has some stories left to tell because we now have the latest installment, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” directed by Wes Ball.  With typically beautiful visual effects, emotional performances, and an epic scope, we have a great start to a whole new narrative within this decades-old series.

Several generations after the events of “War,” the story follows a young chimpanzee named Noa (Owen Teague), a hunter and heir to his ape clan.  When his community is attacked by an enemy clan and he’s left for dead, Noa teams up with a reclusive orangutan, Raka (Peter Macon), and a young woman, Mae (Freya Allen), to take on an ape society that’s ruled by a bonobo ape, Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand).

Even though Serkis doesn't return as Caesar, Teague takes up the mantle in a strong performance as a young ape who comes of age by having to save his tribe.  Right from the beginning, Teague exhibits his character’s fun-loving nature mixed with an adolescent bravery as he swings and climbs through his environment, and we can sense that this is a character who could very well grow into a superb protagonist going forward.  Teague shows Noa’s attempt to grasp a world he has yet to understand as he ventures into it, having to come to terms with re-examining his beliefs when other people tell him differently and show his beliefs in a different light.

Macon gives a tender performance as Raka.  Just as Noa replaces Caesar, Raka fills in for the role of Maurice, an orangutan who befriended Caesar throughout the previous trilogy.  Macon brings across a low-key piousness as he displays someone whose beliefs remain unshaken in a changed world.  Throughout this, he also has touches of humor that offer some levity here and there as he imparts some wit and wisdom on to Noa.

When it comes to the main villain, Durand offers an intimidating presence as Proximus.  Durand exhibits the beastly formidability of a primate who leads his kingdom with a countenance that’s a mix of a king and a fervent religious leader.  It’s a performance where Durand inhabits the full commanding nature of his character, being able to render a space quiet whenever he has a word to give.

As the two humans at the center of the story, Allen and William H. Macy give fine performances that further emphasize the complicated nature between humans and apes, something that will come into play even further in future installments.

While the screenplay by Josh Friedman could’ve offered a little more time to the antagonist, he makes up for it by giving us details into Noa’s society and the loved ones he has in his life.  Between what we see in Noa’s community and the lands through which he travels, Friedman maintains the figurative presence of Caesar throughout, whether it be through dialogue or visual motifs.  With this, it’s fascinating to see how the world has been influenced by Caesar many, many years since his death.  We’re provided with a view into how his teachings have been followed to their true meanings with one ape clan, and how they’ve been twisted by another.  Through that aspect, the story touches upon religion and how certain people restructure their beliefs to fit their own desires.  Friedman manages this through moments that get the point across without it being heavy handed, adding to the thematic depth that has been maintained in the newer films.  By doing so, Friedman’s screenplay explores the outline and ideals of this world in a way that promises a compelling view into how this setting might unfold in later films.

Despite it being almost 13 years since the release of “Rise,” this series still leaves you in awe of what the special-effects team can accomplish.  Between the texture of the fur on the apes and the look of their environments, these effects look astonishingly real and continue to break barriers for what visual effects can do.  The effects immerse you in this world right from the opening scene, where you travel with Noa and his friends through forests and vegetation-laden buildings.  With this introduction, it’s evident that we’re in for a gorgeously realized journey.

The cinematography by Gyula Pados, who provided the camerawork for Ball’s second and third “Maze Runner” films, captures stunning views of the lands that nature has overtaken since the fall of civilization.  Pados’ lensing is meant for the big screen, providing eye-popping environments throughout, from the lush greenery of Noa’s home to Proximus’ seaside kingdom that’s composed of the rusted ruins of beached ships.  He captures every detail of the special effects, providing shots that have us marvel at the world that’s been created, a world that looks both beautiful and grim.

Ball, who up until this point only had experience directing young-adult fare with the three “Maze Runner” films, shows a new talent for thoughtful blockbuster filmmaking.  His work here exhibits a confidence in putting his stamp on this famed sci-fi series, displaying an ability to capture the scope of what has come before.  Between the way in which he handles the thrilling action set-pieces and the dramatic interactions amongst the characters, he maintains that balance the previous trilogy did so well, and it’s clear that he’s up to the task of ushering us into this enduring franchise’s new phase.

While Caesar’s story offered a captivating trilogy, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” gives a reason for the franchise to continue beyond that.  If the care for the story and characters remains, we’re in for a further evolution of this series.

Grade: A-

A Love Triangle Has Tennis Players Caught in a Net of Romance

Mike Faist, Zendaya, and Josh O'Connor 
in "Challengers"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

When it comes to tennis, it’s hard to imagine there’s anything else for the spectator, other than just sitting in the stands simply watching a ball go back and forth on the court.  However, there’s a little more to it than that.  With tennis, you’re watching a game of constant movement as the players hustle from front to back and side to side as they chase the ball to get another swing at it.  To be in that environment, the energy and tension is fun to experience.

Director Luca Guadagnino captures all of that and much more in his romantic sports drama, “Challengers.”  With a trio of spark-inducing leads, a complex and emotional narrative, and some exciting technical work, we have the latest sports movie that can appeal to both fans of the game and everyday moviegoers.

Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) is a talented tennis player who retires early after a knee injury.  Now, her tennis-playing husband Art (Mike Faist), is staging a comeback, with the help of her coaching.  As he makes his way through a series of matches to the final face-off, he realizes he’ll have to go up against his former best friend, Patrick (Josh O’Connor), who also happens to be Tashi’s former boyfriend.

Zendaya gives an electric performance as a tennis star who exudes a competitive persona.  She exhibits unshakable fierceness when she’s on the court, showing the audience how committed she is to her game and won’t let anything stand in her way to greatness.  In the scenes that show the dramatic side to her character, we see someone where it’s obvious that tennis has become the core of who she is, someone who expresses her romanticized view of the game when she first meets Art and Patrick.  When it comes to those two characters, Zendaya has great chemistry with them.  Whether she’s working with one or both of them in a scene, Zendaya shows an attitude that shakes up the screen as Tashi maneuvers through the affections and eventual relationships of her suitors.

I can’t get into deep detail about the performances of Faist and O’Connor without going into spoilers with their character arcs, but I’ll say that they have terrific competitive energy as two players who are pitted against each other.  Whenever they share the screen, you can see the evolution of what was once a great friendship that has now turned into something very damaged.  As the film goes on, you can sense the strain getting tighter and tighter around their bond as their athletic kinship slowly starts taking a backseat to fierce animosity when their mutual love for Tashi corrodes the connection that they’ve built.

The screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes utilizes a non-linear narrative as an intriguing method to let us know the history behind these characters.  The way in which this story goes back and forth through time gives it the feeling of a tennis match as your attention is pulled between different moments of these characters’ lives.  This keeps us immersed throughout the film as we watch certain scenes play out, and then go back in time to see why such things happened the way they did.  This adds a depth to the frame story of the game between Art and Patrick, with Tashi sitting with the spectators and acting as the audience surrogate as she and the viewers watch the two former friends and analyze where it all went wrong.  The narrative offers plenty of time to set up the dramatic stakes, having us get to know the three characters who are involved in the love triangle, as well as how the relationships, both platonic and romantic, are created and dismantled as we get closer to the big match.

One of the strong points of the screenplay is how Kuritzkes uses many small details that appear and then return later on.  Not only do the multiple appearances of these details add layers to the narrative on a thematic level, but they also show how times have changed the characters.  These details take on bigger meanings when they pop up again, encouraging you to compare the first time and second time that they appear and what they all stand for in the greater scope of the story.

The cinematography by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom provides standout camerawork that adds to the tension both inside and outside of the tennis sequences.  He provides some excellent long takes, be they dramatically tense encounters or scenes on the court.  These scenes allow for the fullest emotion of the characters to unfold as their situations become more and more complicated, and the audience will watch a scene evolve from one thing into something else entirely.  One of the most memorable instances of Mukdeeprom’s cinematography comes near the end of the final match between Art and Patrick, when the camera shifts to the POV of the tennis ball as it continues to get hit across the court.  In a scene that’s already overflowing with energy, this brings some extra visual flair to the sequence as the match reaches a boiling point.

The editing by Marco Costa transitions between timelines with an abundance of ease.  Costa juggles several time periods in such a way that doesn’t lose the audience, but instead keeps us invested in the layers that are constantly being pulled back as we’re brought further into the past events that lead up to the frame story.

The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, as usual, comes loaded with a techno vibrancy that gets your blood pumping as you watch the tennis matches and the confrontations between the main characters.  Just like with the camerawork and editing, their music makes sure that the tension doesn’t abate when we’re off the tennis court, but continues as the trio of characters sorts through the difficulties that their relationships face when their competitiveness spirals out of control.

This is a movie that comes with an equal amount of drama and laughs.  Just as the editing does well with its switches between timelines, Guadagnino has an expert dexterity when going between the humor and emotion, the seriousness and witty awkwardness.  It’s a whirlwind of tones that Guadagnino is able to keep under control as he brings us through the increasing chaos of the personal and professional lives of the three main characters.  Even though this is a romantic drama at heart, Guadagnino certainly knows how to mix in some great sports action that will absorb the viewers into the game, staging it with a fine eye for movement that’ll make your heart race as the aggressiveness of the players grows with each serve.

For “Challengers,” Guadagnino has assembled a talented group that presents us a movie that’s about more than tennis.  He combines the abilities of the writer, actors, and technical crew to give us a romance-based sports film where you feel the weight of everything that’s being said and done to the characters.  Once the movie is over, you’ll see there isn’t anything that’s not left on the court.

Grade: A