"Wicked: For Good": The Magic of Feeling Over Thinking
What’s more New York than the Empire State Building and a Broadway show? Having seen Wicked on the big screen, we found ourselves taking in the hit Broadway musical during a Spring Break trip to the Big Apple. Sandwiched between the cinematic release of part one and part two, my family and I discovered the magic of the stage play. Wicked: For Good may be the inferior of the three experiences but it still manages to pull off one trick: a theater full of strangers vibing to the songs and spectacle with the sound of sniffles at the end.
Twelve tide turns since Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) came into her own and defied gravity, For Good dives further into the world of Oz. It opens showing a yellow brick road that has been laid and the animals who are being used to continue the work. As the freedom fighter, political activist and Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, continues to wreak havoc against any plan that the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) has, Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) has managed to prop Glinda (Arianna Grande) up as the goodwill ambassador for the Wizard. As Elphaba fights for persecuted animals and tries to clue the citizens of Oz to the truth, she lives in the woods to keep her distance from her sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), the new Governor of Munchkin Land. In a world where the true good is muffled and the performative good is promoted, it’s a true political slight of hand fit for the times.
It’s the same slight of hand in the movie that writers Stephen Schwartz, Winnie Holzman, and Gregory Maguire want viewers to experience outside of it. The gap in time leaves plot holes that likely would have helped part two be as strong as part one. It’s the journey of seeing Elphaba and Glinda grow in their relationship and power that makes the ending of Wicked so powerful. Here, we have to just go with the jumps in character development. How did Nessa become captor over lover of Boq (Ethan Slater)? Why is Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) captain of the Wizard’s guards? While the movie does explain Glinda’s desire to be accepted as her reason for sticking around, we don’t quite get an understanding as to why Elphaba would tolerate her bestie continuing to participate in the charade. Regardless, the film isn’t asking you to think. Instead it wants you to feel.
So if you’re willing to roll with it, you can get swept away in the feels of the story. After all, musicals are an outward expression of what we feel through song. The songs and vocals don’t disappoint here. It’s leading ladies have lungs for days. While arguably Wicked holds the more powerful ballads, the songs in Wicked: For Good support the character development and moments that make this musical touching.
The film, like the stage play, rushes the second half of the story. It loops in some of the major plot points of The Wizard of Oz, giving the behind the scenes that we didn’t know while making sure we don’t focus on Dorothy and her companions too much. Ultimately, as the movie made it’s way to it’s final running time, I heard the sound of sniffling in the screening I was in. I saw a grown man crying next to my daughter on one side and a mother holding her young daughter while wiping tears on the other side of me. So plot holes aside, Wicked: For Good is still affective and may still your heart for a clock tick.
Rating: B-
"Elemental" Review: This isn't Pixar's Best
Animation can be a great storytelling tool! When done well, filmmakers can use the genre to express emotions and show things that can’t be done in live-action. With “Elemental”, the ambiguity of anthropomorphism makes for a confusing story, weird relationships and complex storytelling that should otherwise be simple.
Set in a place called Elemental City, the inhabitants consist of fire, wind, earth and water people. Fire is the one element that is somewhat ostracized due to their ability to destroy most elements. Ember (Leah Lewis) is a second generation fire element of the city. Her father (Ronnie Del Carmen) has worked hard to keep his store, The Fireplace, up and running. His goal is to pass it on to Ember. Ember is stuck between wanting to honor her father’s wishes and wanting to find out what she loves. The frustration of being stuck in the middle produces an uncontrollable fireball that Ember has to release. On one such occasion, she retreats to the basement to blow off steam only to have Wade (Mamoudou Athie) come through a leaky pipe. Wade is a city inspector who can’t let the violations he sees in the basement go. So the rest of the film is about the shenanigans this odd couple gets into as Ember tries to save her dad’s shop from being shut down.
There are clear rules in this world. Fire can boil water, water can replenish Earth, water can also douse a flame, etc. So a romantic relationship between fire and water shouldn’t work. Pixar is usually known for being able to mix social messages with their films but there are a few too many messages going on here. There is a generational understanding issue, a xenophobia issue, a class issue, and frankly, an ethnicity issue. Ember’s parents seem to have an Asian accent and exhibit the traditional values of an Asian family. (This is based on director, Peter Sohn’s, life.) So rather than focusing on the elements being blank canvases without intricate human qualities, dealing with universal problems, this feels like the elements are geared after a certain group of people. This is fine when you make clear lines, but the anthropomorphism makes it hazy. There are too many things that writers John Hoberg, Kat Likkel and Brenda Hsueh are trying to tackle. Children won’t care but adults will scratch their heads.
This does feel like new territory for Pixar as the relationship between Ember and Wade feels like young adults falling in love. It’s hard to know their age, but context clues put this in unchartered territory. Perhaps the best part of the film is the visuals that are served to the audience. In fact, the song “Steal The Show” by Ari Leff and Thomas Newman does just that in a beautiful montage of Ember and Wade seeing each other’s uniqueness against the backdrop of Elemental City. It’s a great number and captures what Pixar does best.
This isn’t Pixar’s best in their catalogue. Outside of the song, this isn’t very memorable and leaves a few more questions than answers. Yet, there are moments of Pixar brilliance. No need to rush out for this one parents.
Rating: C
"Transformers: Rise of The Beasts" Review: More of The Same & A Little New
I didn’t have big expectations going in to Transformers: Rise of The Beasts. I told my kids they could expect loud sound. I went to get snacks during the opening of the film. They ran out of the theater as I was coming back with snacks and said it was too loud. Just like my kids, over the course of the film, I got adjusted to the usual noise and wound up enjoying the experience. Let me explain.
Set in 1994, the film introduces us to Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos), an army vet who is looking for work while looking after his sick little brother, Kris (Dean Scott Vazquez). When an interview doesn’t work out as he’d hoped for due to some marks on his record, Noah turns to Reek (Tobe Nwigwe) to boost a car. Elsewhere in New York, Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback) has found an interesting artifact (it’s always something “mysterious” with a Transformer logo that just needs to be touched or turned the right way) that even as an overqualified intern/expert in hieroglyphs and artifacts, she can’t figure out what it is. When the mysterious key starts working unbeknownst to her, it brings Autobots and Decepticons out of hiding, and thus Noah and Elena’s paths cross.
The big baddy this go round is Scourge (Peter Dinklage). Scourge wants the key to bring his planet eating master to dinner on Earth or a dinner of Earth.? Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) sees it as a way to get off the planet and home. The race is on and thus you have another Transformers movie.
Let’s get back to the noise I mentioned in the beginning. So many of these films have the same cliché beginning, middle and end. An average Joe gets stuck in the middle of an intergalactic feud and fights for the fate of the world. The dialogue and comedic punch lines feel so paint by the numbers you’d be hard pressed to laugh when the music dies down just enough for them to stick the line. That’s where this film fails. Even the heartwarming big bro, little bro relationship between the Diaz brothers feels forced rather than earned. Although, some credit should be given to the young Vazquez as he gives a pep talk to his older brother.
Where the movie succeeds is allowing you to take in the spectacle of it all. Sure, some may say it’s CGI heavy, but it’s great seeing the Maximals take the stage, seeing the jungle of Peru, and the imaginary worlds created. Another win is the ‘90s soundtrack that the film is infused with. If you grew up during the decade and loved hip hop, there is plenty there.
A few noteworthy performances are Anthony Ramos as the lead, Pete Davidson as Mirage, and Tobe Nwigwe as Reek. It’s easy to like Noah and root for him due to Ramos’s portrayal as an every man. Davidson doesn’t go too overboard with the black culture influenced Mirage that was probably written on the page. Thus, Mirage becomes a memorable Autobot. If you know you know when it comes to Tobe Nwigwe. It’s been amazing to watch his career. He’s an amazing creative and to see him go into film is great, but to see him actually create a well rounded bit character speaks to his talent.
Transformers: Rise of The Beasts is a summer, popcorn blockbuster. Nothing more. Nothing less. It’s a good choice for the movies this weekend if you haven’t already seen Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse. Just prepared to witness more of the same and just enough uniqueness to make this an alright installment in the franchise.
Rating: C-
"M3GAN" Review: When Killer Dolls Play It Safe
M3GAN has the potential to be a pop-culture icon. The memes that have come from the trailer alone have been enough to have her ascend to memorable villain status. However, the film itself is a paint by numbers horror movie that, unlike its robotic star, doesn’t have the same amount of life and punch!
After her parents die in an accident, Cady (Violet McGraw) has to live with her aunt Gemma (Allison Williams). It’s quite evident that Gemma hasn’t had too many touch points with children. Her house is a nerdy roboticist’s bachelorette pad, equipped with collectibles and an Alexa-type device that runs the house. To Gemma’s credit, she wants to fight to keep her niece with her instead of Cady going to live with her father’s parents. She wants to fill the void she sees in Cady’s life while simultaneously wanting to please her boss David (Ronny Chieng) in getting a new toy to market.
Gemma figures she can solve both issues with her Model 3 Generative ANdroid aka M3GAN (voiced by Jenna Davis and played by Amie Donald), a prototype of what could be a game changer in toys. A doll that is continuously learning the child it’s paired with and told to protect her sounds like a great idea! Right? Wrong! Let the dangers of a sentient Artificial Intelligence (AI) manifest!
There are so many things going for this film. For starters, the M3GAN doll body and face is horrifically realistic and yet the wig is awful. So this villain has the physical characteristics to be memorable. The film starts with a realistic promo for a Furby-like toy for today’s kids. You can feed it via an app and the physical toy responds. If you over-feed it, it poops. It’s so over the top but grounded in today’s reality, which underscores the films theme of relationships. There is a constant nod to our connection with technology and one another as human beings. The fight between what we pay attention to more, tech or the ones we love is real! The tension created by director Gerard Johnstone between M3GAN and the adults who realize something is wrong is palpable. This is largely due to the cinematography of Peter McCaffrey and Simon Raby (director of photography). The frame hides M3GAN in shadow when needed and puts her on full display at other times.
When the movie leans into its satirical nature and the themes it explores, it’s a blast, but it takes itself too seriously more often than not. It’s as though it knows it comes from a long line of killer doll movies and is afraid to buck the rules or step out of line by making memorable kills or noteworthy dialogue. The best performances come from Williams, McGraw and the physicality of Donald as your standard horror leads. Yet, it’s probably because they are the best developed characters on the page. Chieng’s David is supposed to be the self-centered, berating boss but his lines are vapid and poorly delivered. Everyone else in the film seems to be set pieces to get us from Act 1 to Act 3.
The best moments are probably not meant to be funny, like the cop who says “I’m sorry, I wasn’t supposed to laugh at that” or M3GAN playing “Toy Soldiers”. Each set up for a genuine scary moment is stress inducing until its underwhelming finish. I’m assuming the PG-13 rating kept M3GAN from going for the fences. Instead we get a bunt that should definitely bring viewers in for a streaming platform view at home, but not the home run in theaters! Save your theater money, but definitely grab some popcorn when this hits whatever streaming platform it will land on.
Rating: C
Check out some of the best memes to come from the trailer:
"The Menu" Review: Don't Let This Sneak By You!
The Menu is not a film that will be advertised well. The trailers won’t do it justice because it’s hard to really tell what the film is about without spoiling something or oversharing. So it’s doomed from the start from a marketing perspective. You’ll just have to trust me that you should see this film if you enjoy smart, dark humor, and mysteries that reveal the truth in clever ways over the course of the films running time. Much like its main character’s menu, the movie is something you have to ride along with. As the slow burn story unfolds, the ending is delicious!
Margo (Anna Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) are one of many couples going to a nearby island to enjoy the food of Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) at an exclusive restaurant called Hawthorne. Pairs may be a better word as not everyone is romantically involved, but one thing for sure, they’ve been chosen. We’re introduced to each patron in a bumbling fashion as they board the boat. There’s the power broker bros in Bryce (Rob Yang), Dave (Mark St. Cyr), and Soren (Arturo Castro). An actor past his heyday only known as a Movie Star (John Leguizamo) with his assistant Felicity (Aimee Carrero) provide screwball comedy, while an elderly couple Richard (Reed Birney), and Anne (Judith Light) give a glimpse of life on autopilot.
As the evening gets underway, we quickly see that at $1,250 per plate, most guests are there for either the lavish experience or to say they were there. Chef Slowik’s guests don’t have his attention when the first course is served. Yet as each course is dished, that quickly changes.
This film comes down to performance. The ensemble of personalities are what draws us in to care when we otherwise wouldn’t. Anna Taylor-Joy’s Margot is fun to watch as a misfit amongst the guests. Hong Chau is a stand out as Chef Slowik’s right hand, Elsa. She is devoid of emotion and yet her physical presence and delivery of dialogue commands respect. Fiennes exudes an unsettling calm in his cult-like figurehead.
While Fox Searchlight may be the studio behind this film, it feels more like an A24 movie. It is reminiscent of Midsommar in its dark mischief that toys with patrons in the film and viewers watching. Writers Seith Reiss and Will Tracy craft a story that touches on classism, obsession and desensitization. Director Mark Mylod uses the virtually one location shoot to his advantage. The visually intimate and beautiful set, slowly turns into a claustrophobic and horrifying space. This is definitely worth the price of admission! Just remember to tip your waiter.
Rating: B
"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" Review: This Feels Personal
You can hear a pin drop in the first five minutes of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It’s intense and doesn’t let go of wrestling with loss, the cycle of violence and how we respond to it all throughout its running time. Even with that, this film is a vibe! It pays tribute, takes you in directions that you expect and does an intentional job of curving your expectations at the right time. This is one of the best MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) installments in a while!
The loss of Chadwick Boseman shook the world. It was a death we didn’t expect. He was a talented actor and better human being to all who knew him. He endured in silence, proving his quiet strength and giving us a lot to think about in hindsight. Whether it was not to make fun of a celebrity’s (or anyone for that matter) weight loss because you don’t know what they’re dealing with or his words in interviews, we all had to wrestle with his death. Writer/director Ryan Coogler and the rest of the cast had to do this as well. The original sequel script had to be re-written. It’s in the spaces of deep pain as a reflection of deep love that you can get a focused script like Wakanda Forever. It’s not a perfect script/story, but it’s deeply personal in every frame.
This is a spoiler free review, so I’ll only speak based off of what you can gather from the trailer. The world of Wakanda is familiar yet matured here after the Blip. Her people are dealing with the loss of their leader. Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) is mourning as a mother would, with maturity and grace, while keeping the outside world at bay from using vibranium in a way that would harm others. Shuri (Letitia Wright) is going through it! Her grief is manifested in overworking and anger.
In the outside world’s zest to find vibranium, a new underwater nation called Talokan is awoken. With a desire to stay hidden, its’ leader Namor (Tenoch Huerta), will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Even if it means taking down Wakanda to do it. So Wakanda calls on her heroes Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), Okoye (Danai Gurira), M’Baku (Winston Duke) and new comer Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne).
Ruth Carter’s wardrobe in the film is once again Oscar worthy. Part of the reason the film is a vibe is because of how cool the cast looks throughout the film. Whether they are wearing street clothes or traditional garb, Carter nailed it! The production and art design is incredible grounded in a tangible future. The music from Ludwig Goransson is haunting, inspired and sets the right tone for the film. Listen to the music playing in the lab while Shuri is working. It fits seamlessly to the point you might miss it because so much thought has been put into this world from head to toe.
There is an element of this film that we have to deal with. While the story does a great job of giving us Afro and Latino Futurism visions, the fact remains that the majority of the film is about two brown communities fighting each other. While the Talokan people are blue on land, they’re brown under water. They’re of Mayan origin. So it’s easy to forget this point. At a micro level, two brown nations are willing to go at each other in order to save themselves from colonizers out of fear of colonization. It’s not even guaranteed. It’s strategy for a possibility. Yet, it’s evident that they are two of the strongest nations in this world. There’s an invisible chain at play that just feels a little all too familiar for me.
That said, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a serious character drama with super hero action in the background. Their are noteworthy performances from Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira and Letitia Wright as the women take the stage in a way that feels lived in from my black experience! Equal to the performances are the character arcs of the protagonists and antagonist. Just as Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) was a great idealogical foil to T’Challa, Namor is another villain who could be considered a hero depending on the side of the coin you align with. It’s an entertaining film that will be remembered in the MCU due to the loss of Chadwick Boseman and the universal themes it deals with. There’s only one post credit scene, so you don’t have to wait until the credits finishing rolling this time!
Rating: B+
P.S.
Look for the male extra on the left side of the screen dancing in white in the beginning of the film. Someone should have been watching the dailies to remind him to stay in character! He was having too much fun I guess. If it wasn’t such a serious moment…I would have been laughin’!
"All Quiet On The Western Front" Review: The Horror of War
Franklin D. Roosevelt was right when he said “War is young men dying and old men talking.” All Quiet On The Western Front embodies this throughout its running time. It’s not a war movie, it’s a collateral movie. The violence and silence within it shows the horror that is war.
Director Edward Berger takes the third at bat for the adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s book. Berger’s eye for detail and his ensemble’s performances make for a war film that stands out in the genre and annals of cinematic history. The story hasn’t changed. Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) is a seventeen year old who wants to go to war after hearing a speech given at his school. It’s some speech, because war sounds like a way to serve his country, become a man and a hero to him and his friends. They enlist the next day and Paul is quickly thrust into the truth and horrors of war. So are we.
Within a few hours of being out in the field, an attack leaves Paul as the sole survivor amongst his friends and scarred for life. It’s the little details along the way that make this so heart wrenching. He should have known something was up when he received a uniform that belonged to someone else. Once he’s in it, there is the collection of dog tags. The soldiers not only have to fight and fear for their lives, but they also have to face death. They literally have to look at bodies of fallen friends who had a name, family and friends and collect identification from their corpse. It’s cruel. It’s traumatizing. We have to witness it along with Paul.
A tale tale heart moment comes later when Paul kills an enemy in the trenches and has to listen to him die slowly because he can’t get out of the trench. He watches him take his last breaths and suffers mentally knowing how much pain he is in. The shift from kill or be killed to empathy is executed in a heartbreaking moment as he tries to save him and apologizes for what he’s done. This results in him finding a photo of his wife and child. This is what the film repetitively nails home. There is nothing fun, beautiful or fantastical about war.
If there’s a film that should help us think twice about war, especially in these times, it’s this one. The collateral of war is not just on the battle field but it hits the soldiers family back home and especially the soldiers themselves.
Rating: A
"The Woman King" Review: This Should Not Be Missed!
There’s no doubt that The Woman King will be a cultural experience for many this weekend. The telling of one of the most feared and revered female warriors on the big screen is something to behold. While some of the action feels “Disney-fied”, the message in this film is undeniably powerful and should not be missed!
The film revolves around the West African nation of Dahomey in the early 1800s. Known for their fierce, all-female warriors called the Agojie, we’re thrust amidst an ongoing Game of Thrones amongst African Kingdoms. Nanisca (Viola Davis) leads these incredible warriors and after a recent battle, realizes she needs new, stronger soldiers to fight off the rival Oyo empire. The Agojie are all that stand in the way of the Oyo and King Ghezo (John Boyega) has full faith in them.
Nanisca leans on her right hand, Amenza (Sheila Atim). It’s evident that they have been through good and bad times together. Amenza holds Nanisca’s orders, secrets and trust as a chosen sister. Izogie (Lashana Lynch) trains the new crop of prospective Agojie. She’s an aggressive fighter with ambition to be more who gives tough love and mentoring to the hopeful. One amongst them is Nawi (Thuso Mbedu). Nawi is an untraditional young woman who has turned every suitor away with her attitude. For her, the Agojie is her way out of a life of subjectivity.
With war as a vehicle of urgency, in the backdrop of the setting is also the Atlantic slave trade. It’s a part of the movie that is naturally highlighted as a theme of both physical and mental slavery shows itself throughout the film. Writers Dana Stevens and Maria Bello shine light on the various tribes and nations involved in the atrocity and in a minor way, the impact that we can assume it had on the African people. Trauma is dealt with in a way that is both heartbreaking and triumphant! As each member of the Agojie carry the weight of their own trauma, how they overcome is perhaps the most powerful message in the film.
Gina Prince-Bythewood (Beyond The Lights) may not be a house hold name to many, because she directs a feature film so infrequently. However, when she does get behind the camera, it’s always worth watching. Her ability to capture human relationships is always refreshing. Viola Davis gives a masterful performance as always. The lean she does at the climax of the film takes you through so many emotions without her saying a word. Lashana Lynch will likely have Oscar buzz surrounding her performance as she gives Izogie a hard exterior with a soft core to create a complex but lovable character.
The celebration in song and dance throughout the film is moving. You can feel the joy and pain at times in the tribal dancing. The action in this film is a little underwhelming at times. To be all female warriors, you would expect serious bloodshed. Even if that couldn’t be shown due to the rating, the problem is that the camera doesn’t allow you to see the fight choreography in full. Mid-shots are used rather than wides. So the action feels stifled at times, which is sad because it would be nice to see all of the hard work these amazing actresses put in on full display. To see women tough and brutal is not something we get often from film. Perhaps some will say we got a lot here, but this did feel like it was under the watchful eye of someone to keep it PG-13.
Whatever the case may be, the message in this film and the portrayals by the cast is worth seeing! Grab some friends and go this weekend! This was like church for the crowd I screened the film with. They talked to the screen and audibly showed they related to the message. That’s the power of film!
Rating: B+
"Barbarian" Review: An Unexpected Surprise!
If you like films that go in a direction you don’t expect, or subvert their genre, Barbarian is one to see. The film was marketed in a way that doesn’t give away the overall story, but has more to it than meets the eye. It’s a psychological thriller that will keep you questioning what will happen next, even when it admittedly goes a bit off track!
Tess (Georgina Campbell) is checking in to her Air BnB to no avail. A light pops on inside the house and she meets Keith (Bill Skarsgard), who seems to be occupying the space through another rental service. After they both realized they’ve been double booked, they’re tasked with awkwardly trying to figure out how they will do sleeping arrangements for the night. It’s the friend or foe mystery that propels the story forward.
As much as I’d like to give more context, going about as far as the trailers explore is best. Tess does discover an ominous room in the basement. Writer/Director Zach Cregger understands the story he’s telling and where he wants to lead his audience. Visually his framing leads the eye to an object or character, but he blocks his characters in the same frame to hide what we really want to see.
In understanding the rules of the horror genre, Cregger manipulates his audience in fun and entertaining ways. As Barbarian develops, its self-awareness and dark humor makes exploration of the secrets that lie beneath its story interesting to peel back. Somewhat like the way I’ve mentioned the genre(s) this film straddles, if you were paying attention! This is worth a view!
Rating: B
"Prey" Review: A Prequel On Par With The Original
In a world of streaming, Prey is one of those films that will be released directly on Hulu, but is worthy of the big screen! The beautiful landscape, scale of humans versus animals or Predator, and entertaining story would have been worth the summer blockbuster theater check-in. This film is on par with the original Predator in terms of entertainment and story! It’s worth the watch this weekend!
Naru (Amber Midthunder) is a young Comanche who wants to hunt like the men in her tribe, but isn’t given the same respect because she is a woman. Her older brother, Taabe (Dakota Beavers), recognizes her potential but also knows Naru has to earn her stripes. She’s an excellent tracker, knows natural medicine, and can throw an axe like the rest of the boys. Her opportunity comes in the form of a hunt for a big cat. Her much larger test however, comes from the sky and no one else seems to notice. In fact, she’s the only one to pick up on the signs of a much larger, dangerous being in their midst.
As with any of these movies, it takes a while before the Predator is revealed fully and that’s when the fun begins. The kills and weapons in Prey are creative and awesome for franchise fans! This particular predator has so many different weapons in its arsenal that we get to see used in creative ways. Similarly, because of the time period (late 1700s), our weapons are primitive in comparison. Yes, our weapons are always primitive in comparison to a Predator’s but this showdown calls for a primal fist to cuffs. It’s the stripped back, crude nature of this story that touches our basic needs and thus makes the movie a suspenseful and thrilling watch. Amber Midthunder is the heart of the film and a protagonist underdog we can get behind!
The battle of wits is what all Predator films come down to, but the camera work and editing are elements that make this exciting to watch as well. Director, Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) uses matching shots of wounds being cleaned and the fight for survival amongst predator and prey of all walks of life weave together a story that is understood through montage. Low angles show the scale of the Predator (Dane DiLiegro is a former basketball player) 6’9” frame towers over its competition. Aerial shots of high grass fields show the speed in which this Predator can move on its prey!
Perhaps an interesting point in this film is how the Predator only goes after what it deems as a threat or real competition. Similarly, Hulu should not be afraid to take on the competition in the box office if it has a movie like this on its hands! This likely would have done well by word of mouth. Instead, to take a line from the film, they said “This is as far as you go. No more. This is it.” Hopefully, the overwhelming response from fans will change their mind in the future!
Rating: B+
Nope Review: An Old School Alien Film
It takes three unique, memorable and well done films to become an auteur in my book. With three films, you can start to find patterns of the director and ensure it’s not a fluke. Nope establishes Jordan Peele as an auteur, with a unique perspective in telling stories cinematically! Don’t worry folks, if you think you saw the movie in the final trailers, you don’t know what you’re in for.
OJ Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya) heads up the family business after his father passes from a freak accident. As Hollywood animal trainers on a horse ranch in an isolated gulch in California, there is always work to be done. His sister Emerald (Keke Palmer) is a rolling stone who comes by to look through some items at the house. It’s obvious that Em is feeling out if she’s wanted around or not. The likely dramatic history of the family seems thick, but their bond is thicker.
As odd occurrences start happening around the property, OJ enlists the help of an electronics store employee named Angel (Brandon Perea) to capture it on camera. They’re looking for the money or “Oprah shot” as they call it. A once in a life time, first discovery image that will catapult them in the history books. Their neighbor, Ricky Park (Steven Yeun) runs a poorly attended theme park and he seems to know something is up as well.
Kaluuya brings a presence to the film that is felt from the first time he appears on screen. Palmer gives a star making performance as the firecracker and comic relief in the film! Emerald has dreams, the gift of gab, past mistakes, and a heart of gold that won’t be denied all in the one bag she came home with. The lesser known, Brandon Perea, is one to watch as the lovelorn camera installer. The overall ensemble works well together.
It’s this desire to see train wrecks, mysterious occurrences or miracles that Peele explores here. It’s innate within us and we can’t seem to turn away, no matter the cost. Peele’s camera work is exquisite. Director of photography, Hoyte Van Hoytema, can take credit there as well. The setting leans to extreme wides that show the beauty of the landscape. Yet, Peele makes sure that we see what he wants us to see. It’s in the choices of using pans rather than cutting to another shot, or making the camera follow something with an obstructed view that builds suspense and tension. Peele’s genius and knowledge of film is on full display in the way that Nope is crafted from a cinematography and sound perspective. Sound and the lack thereof is used beautifully throughout the tale. A picture is worth a thousand words and Peele uses one frame, cuts to the next and then the next to give an intellectual montage that tells us a story while pushing the movie forward seamlessly.
There are some issues with the film. Certain storylines seem to be dead ends when all is said and done, but are mouth watering moments while watching. While this movie harkens back to 80’s and 50’s alien movies in feel, it is not in the same lane as Get Out or Us. However, there’s no question that it demands another viewing as his prior work has done as well. Trying to understand how this world works is part of the fun of being in the hands of an auteur!
Rating: B
Jurassic World Dominon Review: Fans Will Love It! Anyone Else Should Wait For Streaming.
Let’s cut straight to the point on this. Jurassic World Dominion is great for fans of the franchise and may be disjointed and unbelievable to anyone else. If you are looking for fan service, it’s rich with it. Otherwise, this may be a good streaming pick later.
First, with a word like dominion in the title, you would think that dinosaurs are assorting their dominance in the world. Semantics don’t matter as the species just live among us in this film. Credit goes to screenwriters Emily Carmichael and Colin Trevorrow for creating a world that feels lived in and thought out. What if dinosaurs really lived among us? What would a black market for dinosaurs look like? What would the PETA equivalent look like in this world? They’ve thought of it all, accept how to tell a cohesive story.
The film has a Steve Jobs-like CEO, Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott), as its villain. Dodgson was a minor character from the original film and was a corporate rival of the park’s creators. He’s now is the head of a massive company called Biosyn. It’s the type of tech company that is heavily guarded and you have to have an invite to get on campus. He’s bioengineered locusts that eat the crops of the world, in order to control the world’s food supply.
This is where the gang loosely comes together. Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) are looking after Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon), a teenager who Fallen Kingdom revealed to be a clone of a deceased scientist. She holds the key to stopping the disaster and everyone wants a piece of her…kind of literally. We get a globe trotting race to stop impending disaster and the re-introduction of fan favorites Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum. How they all link up is where you have to suspend disbelief. It’s that kind of a film where you really need to just, not think. “It’s a film about dinosaurs!” I hear you yelling at me. I get that, but that doesn’t mean that we have to accept characters being in one location in one scene and appearing in a distant location in the immediate following scene with no context as to how they got there unless they were The Flash.
This film introduces the always interesting Mamoudou Athie as Ramsay and DeWanda Wise as Kayla. Kayla is a black pilot who smuggles whatever for the right price. She provides a source of keep it real comedy that is needed for some of the unrealistic moments in the film. Sermon is the heart of the film as she wars with is she real or not. Jeff Goldblum is his charming, old man swagged out self as Ian Malcolm. His humor is much welcomed as well.
There is a major gripe I’ve had with big beasts/monster movies in cinematic history and that is the fact that, since King Kong (1933), we’ve seen how a white character can bring a beast under control with a touch. This is a film where white characters lift their hand and stare down a dinosaur to make it back down. It happens multiple times throughout this film and this imagery is worrisome because seeing yourself on the big screen is important. King Kong, Godzilla, Frankenstein (before it tosses the girl into the lake), any Potter film and more beasts are always under this spell. Shot sizes and cinematography matters. There is a subconscious message that, against impossible odds, white characters can tame a beast. Hollywood needs to stop planting this in its viewers’ minds or at least spread the wealth in these preposterous situations and reflections of power. Let a little girl from Nepal stare down the next dinosaur!
Off of my soap box, it would definitely be of use to revisit Fallen Kingdom, Jurassic Park, and maybe even Jurassic World for this to catch easter eggs. For fans of the franchise, this is likely to be a good time. If you’re not a huge fan, save your money this weekend, or go see Top Gun: Maverick again!
Rating: C-
Top Gun: Maverick Review- Definition of A Must See!
This is why we go to the movies! It’s a cliche phrase that may be tossed around on some movie trailers or posters, but it’s not cliche when it’s true. Top Gun: Maverick is why we go to the movies! We want to be entertained, yes, but we also want emotional storytelling that tells us something about ourselves and the world around us. We want the thrill of suspense, to root for characters, to be in awe of cinematography, and to share the collective experience of unity in watching a film with strangers.This movie gives you that and more!
We catch up with Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise) in present day. He’s a captain when he should be an admiral. The navy looks at him as a problem, but judging by the leather jacket he dawned over 30 years ago that’s now full of patches, he’s likely done more good than bad in his service. He’s still pushing the limits as he tests an expensive aircraft for the US Pacific Fleet. This film’s premise is simple and something we’ve seen before, but in the hands of a team of skilled writers (Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, Christopher McQuarrie) it somehow feels original.
Maverick is the best of the best and thus is called in to train the best of the best in the next generation of Top Gun pilots. There is a dangerous mission that anyone in their right mind would call a suicide mission. For the sake of space, the new recruits go by the call signs Phoenix (Monica Barbaro), Bob (Lewis Pullman), Payback (Jay Ellis), Fanboy (Danny Ramirez), and Hangman (Glen Powell). Perhaps the most important recruit is Lt. Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw (Miles Teller); he’s Goose’s (Maverick’s former wingman) son and there’s obvious history between Rooster and Maverick.
Here’s where the film soars. Exposition, history, and where relationships stand is told as needed and without belaboring the point. The audience can fill in the gaps, but the cast carries the weight of decisions made throughout the years in their performance. The theme of time and the facets of young vs. old, wisdom vs. fearlessness, and new birth vs. extinction are analyzed here. There’s a dual message happening on screen and off screen. On one hand, we see Maverick as he tries to whip the young recruits into shape. On the other, we see an aged Tom Cruise, one of the last of the Hollywood stars who would bring audiences out simply by name. The film is a summer blockbuster by definition and the cinematography of Claudio Miranda frames these characters in a larger than life way that harkens back to the days of Hollywood stars. Even the end credits seem to tip its hat to the era of movie stars who were inaccessible due to a lack of cell phones and social media, and therefore were giants in the public eye. There’s an intimacy and love from the cast and crew that went into making this movie that is both seen on the screen and felt as you watch it.
The nostalgic call backs and cameos help create that loving feeling. Minus one seen, they all work perfectly and don’t detract from the film but add to it. This sequel is a thousand times better than its Regan era, military propaganda predecessor, but there’s beauty in the way the two are linked decades apart. There’s beauty in seeing the aging of its characters physically across the films. There’s beauty in seeing a more mature, thoughtful film with a solid story and multiple things at stake.
This is a must see film. See it on the largest screen you can with the best sound system in theaters. I haven’t clapped, yelled in excitement, and cried with an audience in a theater in a long time! You feel like you’re in the cockpit with these pilots, there’s little to no fat in the story and each beat is earned in beautiful ways. You’re still reading? Get your keys, order your ticket and get to the theater!
Rating: A
"I Want You Back" Review: This Ones A Keeper!
I Want You Back is a great choice for a good laugh on Amazon Prime! It’s a good spirited, romantic comedy that’s just in time for Valentine’s Day weekend. While it is a little long for the conventional film of its kind, the plot development is hysterical enough to keep you engaged from scene to scene. It hits all the right notes of a modern rom-com and dare I say could be a classic!
The film gets straight into the action with a break up between two couples: Emma (Jenny Slate) and Noah (Scott Eastwood), and Anne (Gina Rodriguez) and Peter (Charlie Day). Feeling emotional from their breakup, Emma and Peter retreat to the office building’s stairwell one day to have a good cry and meet each other in their grief. This chance meeting turns into a friendship in which the two lament about their exes and eventually hatch a plan to get them back. Peter will befriend Noah and remind him of the one who got away. Emma will try to seduce Logan (Manny Jacinto), Anne’s new boyfriend, and cause Anne to run back to Peter. At least, that’s the plan!
Slate and Day are laugh-out-loud funny with spitball comedy chemistry! Emma and Peter are fully realized characters on screen. You can almost write in their histories yourself based on the way they move through life, the decisions they make, and their dialogue. Emma suffers from a bit of arrested development (her roommates are young college students because she can’t afford the rent on her own) and she’s a hopeless romantic. Peter has a heart for the elderly but lacks confidence in chasing his dreams. The banter between the two is a game of tennis that is exciting to watch.
Director Jason Orley pays particular attention to the frame within this film. Leading lines point to his characters in the stairwell, sitting at a cafe, standing in a crowd or changing in a changing room. The mise-en-scene (stage design and arrangement of actors) in the film is noteworthy for a comedy in this genre, which isn’t something I would usually say. No, this isn’t high art, but there is care and intention in the frame. So what does it do for the film? It helps with the character and scene development. For instance, in a scene where Emma and Peter hash out their plan, they are sitting in a courtyard in front of a giant building. The building dwarfs them in scope while emphasizing the big plan they’re putting together. In another scene, Anne and Logan face each other in the foreground while Emma stands in between them in the background. The framing of shots mean something in many scenes which is refreshing to see.
Editing doesn’t get enough love in well executed rom-coms. Editor Jonathan Schwartz has as much to do with the comedic timing as Day and Slate. The film gives us what we need to know about a particular moment and cuts to the next event. It’s the choice of cuts- whether jumps, crosscuts, fades or smash cuts- that work to further the film’s laughs. A cut from an emotionally sweet moment during a children’s musical to men spraying champagne in a club is a part of the beautiful, unexpected mashup of thought this film is at times.
In short, I Want You Back fires on all cylinders from top to bottom. At its core, writers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger have shaped a story that understands tropes of the past and looks to circumvent them. When it does fall into cliché it earns the moment. The film has a long-running time just under two hours, but the sketches of comedy built-in getting there is worth the ride. This film is a keeper!
Rating: A-
"Hotel Transylvania: Transformania" Review- May The Franchise Rest In Peace
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania puts the nail in the franchise’s coffin and not a single tear was shed. It’s another film that can bring the family together, but it’s not very inspired. The stakes are logical, it builds on prior films, but there’s no special magic here.
The one thing that Drac (Brian Hull) has always held against Jonathan (Andy Samberg) whether seriously or in jest, is the fact that he isn’t a monster. So it would make sense that when Drac is ready to give his famous hotel to Mavis (Selena Gomez), realizing that Jonathan would help run it as well puts Drac on edge. In fact, he gets cold feet and states to Johnathan that he won’t be able to allow them to inherit the hotel due to a real estate clause that calls for the hotel to be monster owned.
What’s a loving, wanting to impress dad, slightly insecure son going to do to ensure the hotel is bequeathed to Mavis and himself? He talks to Van Helsing (Jim Gaffigan) about being turned into a monster. Of course, things don’t go as planned and we get to spend the remaining running time in a search for the cure for the monsters who have become humans and the human who has become a monster.
It’s hard not to like the good-hearted nature of the ensemble. The addition of voice actor Brian Hull, in replacement of Adam Sandler as Drac, is like a cat in the Matrix. You know something is a bit off if you really listen to Drac’s voice, but otherwise it’s a seamless handoff of the character. Overall, this is a slapstick comedy that earns its sympathy chuckles.
If you’re of a certain age, you remember that when movies would go straight to video it usually meant they weren’t very good. We’re living in an age when movies that go to streaming instead of theaters or a simultaneous release have the same meaning. This wasn’t a Toy Story 3 bow that felt like an end of a franchise and was done beautifully. Instead, this was squeezing the franchise for the last bit of blood it had left. May it rest in peace. You can watch this with the kids on Amazon Prime today!
Rating: C-
"Sing 2": Sophomore Jitters But Still A Good Time!
Sing 2 suffers from the sophomore jitters. The film goes bigger than Sing but relies on the same “Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) must prove himself” ideal that we saw in its predecessor. That said, it’s still a fun time in the theaters with the family.
We already know the main players, so Sing 2 throws us into the group’s latest performance. It’s a beautiful rendition of Alice in Wonderland that showcases Meena (Tori Kelly), Ash (Scarlett Johansson), and Johnny (Taron Egerton) in their own ways. Buster, however, wants to go bigger! He has a dream of taking his team to perform in the entertainment center of the world, Redshore City, but not just anyone can get a show in this Las Vegas style city. You have to get the approval of Mr. Crystal (Bobby Cannavale), a wolf who seems to be head of the mob in Redshore.
After sneaking their way into an audition for Mr. Crystal, Moon and associates have Crystal’s backing with a blank check under one condition: they promise to have rock star-turned recluse Clay Calloway (Bono) in the show. The only problem is, they don’t know where Calloway is themselves. Thus, this starts a race to create a unique show fit for the high expectations of a Redshore City show, Mr. Crystal’s intimidating persona, and getting Calloway to come out of seclusion.
The theme of overcoming the odds and believing in yourself is front and center again. Which is great for kids and families. However, getting to the point that the team is seeing their dreams come true in the race to pull off an amazing show is based on Moon lying his way into that position. The film never addresses this and thus there is a conflict of morals in the messaging. “Hey kids, you can do anything you put your mind to, even if you don’t tell the truth to get there along the way!” If there is a Sing 3, which there very well could be, writer/director Garth Jennings, needs to rethink Buster’s constant need to lie and somehow successfully pull off tasks. Life doesn’t work that way.
That big issue aside, the movie is fun and fast moving. A special shoutout has to be given to the Animation Department and Patrick Delage, the animation director. Sing 2 essentially is a movie that showcases a broadway style theatrical show and the animators nail it! From behind the scenes to the set design, everything looks and feels like a big theatrical show.
New characters, Porsha Crystal (Halsey), Suki (Chelsea Peretti) and Nooshy (Letitia Wright) are fun to watch and worth mentioning. Porsha is Mr. Crystal’s daughter who can sing like an angel but can’t act to save her life, forcing the Moon to choose between talent and pleasing Mr. Crystal. Suki is Mr. Crystal’s chief of staff of sorts whose animated bob and wardrobe is worth studying in and of itself in terms of character design. Nooshy is a street cat that has the performing skills that can’t be taught, or maybe they can if she can help Johnny.
The stakes are higher, sets are bigger and better, and the songs are just as fun as they were in Sing. My kiddos watched the screener I received five times within three days. I kid you not. So the kids will love the film! It’s a good time at the movies this holiday season!
Rating: B+
"Eternals" Review: A Step In A New Direction!?
Eternals is far from the Marvel films we’ve come to expect. There is generally a formula to these films. You have a problem that occurs, heroes who respond, big action set pieces and spoon fulls of comedy sugar along the way. Co-writer/director Chloe Zhao takes this film in a dramatic direction with spoon fulls of action along the way. With a complex story and multiple characters to get to know, this is another step in the staircase of Marvel that feels like a set up to take us somewhere new.
A group of immortal beings have been on Earth since BC time. They came and have helped civilization advance forward, but have remained in the shadows trying not to interfere as much as possible. The Eternals are a rag tag group with special powers. Ajak (Salma Hayek) leads the group as the maternal figure who has the power to heal and give wise advice. Ikaris (Richard Madden), Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), Gilgamesh (Don Lee), and Thena (Angelina Jolie) are the frontline warriors, each imbued with unique powers to fight. The thinkers of the group are the young illusionist, Sprite (Lia McHugh), speedster Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), master inventor Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) and telepath Druig (Barry Keoghan). Sersi (Gemma Chan), whom much of the film revolves around, can transmute inanimate matter and finds herself somewhere in between the warriors and thinkers.
The non-linear story jumps through history while grounding itself in present day, not long after the events of Avengers: Endgame. With fifty percent of the planet back, a countdown to an apocalyptic event has started. The Eternals must decide if they will intervene to protect the species they’ve grown to respect and love or continue to stand by.
Zhao’s vision for the film is fully manifested. Much of the movie’s flashbacks are shot at golden hour, giving a soft, warm hue to the cinematography. Her camera frames subjects in an affectionate way. She bottles the feeling you have when you’re falling in love with someone and in a room full of people, it’s just you and that person, and pours it on screen. It’s that tenderness that infuses throughout the film to give MCU fans something that feels wholly different and unique.
As beautiful as the film is, it can drag along at times with its two and a half hour plus running time. The character building and backstory that has to occur in an origin story is hum drum at times with certain characters receiving more love than others. With ten Eternals to introduce to an audience, that can be a task. Overall, the task is achieved but not without the price of a bit of fatigue in getting there.
Then there’s the topic of sexuality. Sexuality in this film feels forced rather than the “firsts” it desires to display. Parents of younger children be warned, two of the Eternals get busy in a mid-shot that shows them naked (while bodies cover private areas) but leaves no question to the thrusting going on. So if you haven’t had the sex talk, you’re going to have to after this. There’s a same sex kiss as well. The reason this all seems forced is because, well (semi-spoiler alert if you haven’t read the comics ahead), the Eternals are humanoids and can’t breed amongst themselves. So logically, reproduction and sexuality doesn’t seem to make sense as the story unfolds in this world.
Special attention needs to be given to the performance of Harish Patel as Karun. In the film, he follows Kingo around as his manager/personal cameraman. Patel provides not only humor throughout the film, but touching moments that would be hard to perform in the hands of a lesser character actor! Even though he is a side character, we should give that man his props and flowers for his performance!
Zhao and company shoot for the stars and land somewhere in Earth’s orbit. This isn’t a bad film. You can get lost in its entertainment. However, it truly feels like a stepping stone to open other parts of the MCU. This film feels like a door to opening more of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in two ways. One is that the Eternals unlocks a new characters layer in the MCU as we learn about Eternals, Celestials and deviants. The second is the arthouse influence from Zhao’s direction that will shift the blockbuster feel we’ve experienced in the past to possibly give us more of an independent vibe in these films. We’ve seen the shift in Disney+ shows, but this is certainly different. Overall, if you’re a fan of the MCU you’ll be entertained. If not, you can catch up to this when it streams!
Rating: C+
"The Harder They Fall" Review: A Refreshing Western Genre Entry
The Harder They Fall is a stylish, fully realized vision from co-writer/director Jeymes Samuel. Rooted in the western genre it borrows French New Wave characteristics as well. With a stellar cast, engaging dialogue, and a bumpin’ soundtrack, this movie is not only an entertaining watch but memorable as well. With a predominately black cast, the film tells a fictional, swagged-out tale of real-life black cowboys who once roamed the American West.
The film starts out giving us the backstory of Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) as a child. After witnessing the murder of his parents and receiving a scar from Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), we find Nat as an adult years later on the path to finishing his revenge. Layered through this journey we’re introduced to Mary Fields (Zazie Beets), Bass Reeves (Delroy Lindo), Trudy Smith (Regina King), and Cherokee Bill (Lakeith Stanfield) amongst other notable/familiar faces. That’s about all I’ll reveal as far as the plot goes because how the story unfolds is where so much of the enjoyment lies.
There are way too many beautiful shots to talk about in this film but let’s dig into a couple. In a scene where Cherokee Bill is introduced to us, he slowly glides down the center of the train, center framed while the rest of the gang is blocked by his head. He gives a young boy an alternative telling him to “put the gun down or we’ll kill everyone on this train”. When no movement is made, Bill draws his weapon and simultaneously arms from fellow gang members shoot out of his head in the background. This camera placement and blocking of the actors conveys the danger while showing us in one shot, a stylistic but thoughtful use of framing. This is consistent throughout the film as Samuel uses his camera to show instead of tell.
Samuel takes his framing even further with the use of music and sound. Whether it’s pushing in on a character to the thump of a gun hitting the floor or the kick of a drum in the soundtrack, there is intentionality on full display. Two percussion hits reveal one character behind another in step with a camera move to the right. Samuel’s chucking of conventional framing and attention to the fact that we, the audience, are aware we’re watching a movie, has French New Wave written all over it but shows his creativity in constructing a movie that draws on western genre traits while being refreshingly unique.
Cinematographer, Mihai Malaimare Jr. (The Master, Jojo Rabbit) adds his gift of painting with light to the film. The colors in each scene are vibrant while shifting from cool to warm temperatures with ease. Understanding when to implement the shift in palettes may be missed by the average viewer, but it builds this story to perfection. When a character tells something from their past, warm colors are used to bolster the vulnerability of discussing an old memory.
The dialogue in this film is handled masterfully in its delivery from each main cast member. Silence is used where it’s needed to allow the visuals of the film to speak for themselves. If someone speaks, it's important to the forward progression of the film’s storytelling. Otherwise, nothing needs to be said. The southern drawl or New Orleans accent of characters not only rings authentic but serves as a layer to this delicious cake of a film. Each cast member gives nuance and life to their role. To highlight one individual performance would slight this ensemble of no weak links. The soundtrack of the film fills in the role of an additional, unseen character, telling a part of this tale. Turn on the subtitles and you’ll see the lyrics align perfectly with each scene they are heard in.
At a two hour and ten minute running time, you won’t notice it. The Harder They Fall is engaging from start to finish and if we got more from this world we’d be lucky! Grab your popcorn and turn on Netflix as soon as you can!
Rating: A
"Wonder Woman 1984" Review: A Made For TV Hero Film
It’s not that “Wonder Woman 1984” is not entertaining. I found myself invested in Diana Prince’s (Gal Gadot) journey by the time it was coming to a close. It’s just not as inspired and handled with the same care that director Patty Jenkins had with its predecessor, Wonder Woman. While the studio was brave in releasing the film in 2020 to HBO Max and theaters during COVID, this film is suited for small screen excitement. It’s not much of a visual spectacle and suffers from a predictable story.
The last time we learned about Diana Prince’s back story it was focused during World War I. This time we’re in Washington D.C. in 1984. (As a 10 year DMV resident, D.C. is displayed well in the film.) Diana works at the Smithsonian and is burdened by her responsibilities as a protector of her city, while not having a true relationship with anyone due to her double life. After a jewelry heist she thwarted reveals precious artifacts were squirreled away in said store, the artifacts wind up coming to the Smithsonian to be analyzed by Dr. Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig).
Barbara is the overlooked lab geek that just wants to be noticed. She gets special attention from Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), a failing serial entrepreneur, who is driven to succeed at all costs. He's after the crystal that’s recently come into her possession and seems to be the only person who knows it is a Dream Stone. Anyone who touches it and makes a wish will have it granted at a price. That’s it. That’s the bad guy, the McGuffin, and the lesson. Be careful what you wish for. Diana, Barbara, and Maxwell all get a chance to make a wish, knowingly or unknowingly.
The story is unremarkable and the characters are dull. The problem with characterization in this film is that every person that you think “something ain’t right with him/her”, you’re correct. There is no subtlety in the design and depth of these characters. Everyone as written, whether child actors, villains or heroes are stereotypes of archetypes we’ve seen before. Even the glow up of Kristen Wiig from baggy clothed nerd to beauty feels pedestrian.
Gal Gadot has a strong on screen presence throughout the two and a half hour running time. In fact, her earnest performance is what makes the film palatable. In a year in which we’ve had an unprecedented lack of super hero films, it’s nice to have a moment to escape! I highly recommend seeing it in the comfort of your home over seeing it in theaters. You won’t regret it. Oh, and stick around mid credit roll to see a nice cameo!
Rating: C
"Fatale" Review: What Happened In Vegas, Didn't Stay There!
“Fatale” is the latest in the cheating husband who messed with the wrong woman genre. “Fatal Attraction” is the gold standard for husbands stepping out on their wives and reaping what they sow. Since the 1987 film there have been plenty that have tried to emulate it or deliver something similar. In fact, screenwriter David Loughery wrote 2009’s “Obsessed”, which had a similar theme. It seems he learned a few things with his latest screenplay for “Fatale” by side-stepping predictability but a couple flaws keep it from greatness.
Derrick (Michael Ealy) is a man who has it all on paper. He’s got the job, the luxurious house, and a beautiful wife. He and his wife have hit a rough patch and they seem to be on different pages. So when Derrick attends a bachelor party in Vegas with his business partner Rafe (Mike Colter), he has a one night stand with Val (Hilary Swank). It’s a mutual fling with both stating they are from out of town trying to blow off steam.
The next morning, Derrick wakes up and is ready to bounce, having come to his senses, but Val wants more. Weeks later, Derrick has the fight of his life with a masked home invader. When the police arrive, the detective in charge of the case is Valerie Quinlan, his one night stand. From there, the game of cat and mouse begins with some surprising twists along the way.
Swank has fun trying on a non-traditional character for her. She walks the tightrope of a scorned woman and an evil genius with just the right touch of humanity to create a three dimensional fatale. Ealy brings a certain relatability to his fish out of water character and does what he can with the script. Unfortunately, his character is written to continuously make poor decisions. That doesn’t stop him and Swank from having some juicy moments on screen. The subtext in their second encounter, right after the home invasion, is fun to watch. In fact, a lot of the delivery of Swank’s lines have a consistent weight to them that makes her character scary yet thrilling to watch because she’s so smooth with her hidden rage.
A lot of credit goes to director Deon Taylor. He’s shown tremendous growth in his storytelling since he dipped his toes in the thriller genre with "Traffik". He understands how to craft suspense (as evident in his last pairing with Ealy in "The Intruder") and uses his camera to speak where the script doesn’t. In one scene, after speaking with Derrick, Val backs out of the driveway with the camera locked down and watching from the back seat. As the car goes up the natural incline of the driveway and then levels out, Derrick disappears from the background of the frame due to the front of the car lifting up. We’re left to focus solely on Val’s face in the foreground. It’s a power shift that is told in pictures, not words. Taylor is certainly one to watch.
Cinematographer Dante Spinotti shoots LA for the first time since “Heat”. It’s a gorgeous and sleek looking film that adds to the story that all that shimmers isn’t gold. This is the third collaboration of Taylor and Spinotti and each outing continues to build on their ability to tell story through film.
While the “Fatale” does a good job of subverting the stereotypical plot, it forgets to leave the dumb husband trope out of loop. By the time Derrick starts making good decisions, you’ve yelled at the screen enough to leave him to Val’s schemes. Nonetheless, it’s still an entertaining watch with some moments you won’t see coming.
Rating: B