A Complete Unknown

We need to talk about the Man in the Long Black Coat.

Johnny Cash?

No, that's the Man in Black. But he is a character in A Complete Unknown, which is what I'm about to review. That's where you'll get acquainted with the actual Man in the Long Black Coat, Bob Dylan.

I think this is a clunky joke.

You're right, Bo.

We meet Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet) as he hitches a ride to New York in 1961. He wants to meet his idol, Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), who is being hospitalized with Huntington's Disease. He happens upon Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) the day he visits and impresses them both with his literal Song to Woody. Seeger gives Bob his big break in the folk music scene, where he becomes the voice of his generation. But Bob wants to expand his horizons beyond the folk music industry. That leads him to using electric instruments at the Newport Music Festival, which is the climax of the movie.

Spoilers, Jethro!

I know, but you'd know it already if you read Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald, the book that director James Mangold and Jay Cocks used for their screenplay. It's a lot more conventional than I'm Not There, the 2007 biopic that had Bob played by six different characters and actors, including Cate Blanchett (weird movie, I know). Let's focus a bit on the Newport climax. Either I'm missing something, or Bob's decision to go electric suddenly comes up in conversation amongst the festival committee. While the electric numbers are showstoppers, the acoustic finale seems depressing with how defeated Bob looks the whole time (is it just me?). 

Bob's decision to go electric wasn't popular in real life, but the musical performances are exactly that. Chalamet's musicality renders each song delightfully fresh; you might feel the urge to sing along yourself when Bob whips out The Times They Are A-Changin. He's not the only musical star here, as we still have Johnny Cash. Cash (Boyd Holbrook) is quite likable as a musical bad boy and prospective mentor, particularly when he drunkenly encourages Bob to go electric at Newport. Holbrook's musicality is just as dynamic as Joaquin Phoenix's turn as the Man in Black in Walk the Line (also directed by Mangold!). 

Off-stage, we sympathize with Bob as he's trapped by his own image. He doesn't want to be stuck singing covers, or his greatest hits, over-and-over again for all eternity. That's quite understandable. He has some good chemistry with his two love interests, Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning) - the latter of whom is a renamed Suze Rotolo - even as he gets unlikable. He frustrates Sylvie with his aloofness and mysterious, if not embellished, past. He aggravates Joan with his ego, but at least he admits that she's right when she calls him out for it. Both of Bob's leading ladies are compelling, though Sylvie nearly storming out of Newport in heartbreak gives her a slight edge. 

Norton never drops his folksy attitude as Seeger. That's what makes him likable, even sympathetic, when he reluctantly tries to get the Newport sound guys to cut off Bob. His wife, Toshi (Eriko Hatsune), has her time to shine at Newport when she wordlessly gets him to back off. He has some great chemistry with Guthrie, who by this point, is rendered mute by Huntington's and would eventually die from it in 1967. McNairy, then, does a great job acting with just body language. A few other actors are surprisingly unrecognizable in their roles; it took me until now to realize that it's Norbert Leo Butz as Alan Lomax, the founder of the Newport festival and the most antagonistic towards Bob's electric plans.

Let's highlight the technical stars, starting with the Oscar-shortlisted sound designers. Besides the excellent musical performances, they show off their prowess when they build up New York's hustle and bustle. One standout scene has Bob spend the night with Joan just as the Cuban Missile Crisis starts. There's chaos in the streets as everyone tries to go anywhere else; the next morning, the crisis is over, and all is calm. Great contrast, even if it makes the crisis a lot shorter than it actually was. 

That aforementioned scene is also a standout moment for editors Andrew Buckland & Scott Morris. Another highlight is the Newport Climax, and not just for electrifying Bob's electric numbers. They build up the crowd's resulting animosity so much that you'd think they'd riot. A few fights happen, though no riot, but the tension is still great. Meanwhile, the opening shot by cinematographer Phedon Papamichael, where Bob rides across a bridge, is alluring in its serenity. I can go on, but I can't.

At 142 minutes, A Complete Unknown feels quite long, but those musical numbers make their waits worth it. It's not only a good introduction to Bob Dylan's life, but an excellent introduction to most of the other musical acts featured here. There is not a single sour note amongst any of its musical performances. You'll get plenty of musical goodness when you check out A Complete Unknown at your nearest theater. I think that it might be a memorable way to start the New Year. 

Here's hoping that 2025 won't be that bad, after all.

The Concierge

I need something quick and easy for family viewing. 

Well, then sir, may I recommend The Concierge? 

What's that?

This anime film, based on Tsuchika Nishimura's manga The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store, premiered last year, was screened theatrically for just one night in September and recently premiered on Crunchyroll. Its content is more than suited for family viewing. It also has a convenient runtime at just 70 minutes.

And it was in movie theaters? Well, I'll be. Tell me more.

Akino (Natsumi Kawaida) is the newest concierge at the gigantic Hokkyoku Department Store. The staff are humans, but the clientele are animals, even extinct animals like Japanese Wolves and Barbary Lions. Dubbed V.I.A., the extinct clients are given special treatment by the upper management. Over a few months, Akino learns how to meet the needs of her unique customers. That's the basic premise.

Is that really it? What else is there?

Eruru the Great Auk (Takeo Ohtsuka), the president of Hokkyoku, exposits that the store was founded to let animals partake in consumerism. That just highlights a few questions the film isn't interested in answering. One of the more obvious, for example, is "why are there extinct animals around?" If I had my own answer, it would be "that's just how the world works, so roll with it." Said world, visualized by director Yoshimi Itazu, writer Satomi Ooshima, and the staff at Production IG, is a delightfully quirky one. The animation & character designs are bright & appealing, while Hokkyoku looks like a great place to get lost in (just wait until the ending shows you its full size!).

It's pretty episodic as we follow Akino and her senior concierges, Mori & Iwase (Megumi Han & Natsumi Fujiwara), manage the daily operations at Hokkyoku. Early on, Akino sprints ragged as she helps a superstar sea mink (Minako Kotobuki) and her dad (Hiroshi Yanaka) - neither know that the other is there - shop for each other. Later on, she lets an overdemanding Carribean monk seal (Kyoko Hikami) walk over her. I'm sure anyone who's been in the customer service business will relate to Akino's daily hilarity. Its gentle sense of humor appeals to everybody, young and old. 

A few animals provide some plot threads. Akino and company try to manage the world's most affectionate Peafowls (Hiroki Nanami & Marika Kono). A Barbary Lion cub (Ayumu Murase) hunts for a specific perfume that might no longer exists. A Japanese wolf (Miyu Irino) wants to propose to his girlfriend (Kana Hanazawa) at the fancy restaurant. Mr. Woolly (Kenjiro Tsuda), a famous ice-sculptor, prepares his latest exhibit. You'll feel warm and fuzzy as most of these plot threads play out. You'll feel especially happy as Akino and a few recurring customers team up to fulfill a Christmas wish for a sick parrot.

It's hard to dislike anybody in the cast. Mr. Tokiwa (Yuichi Nakamura), the vice-president (?), threatens Akino's job over the seal incident, but he stands down after a meaningful talk with Eruru. Akino's clumsiness is as endearing as her diligence, while Mori & Iwase make for a fun pair of co-workers. Todo (Nobuo Tobita), their floor manager, is perhaps the funniest character in the whole movie for his ability to appear anywhere (even in a pot of stew!). Eruru's sly personality is quite enjoyable, especially when we first meet him. Really, the only truly dislikable character is the seal, though she apparently redeems herself off-screen.

Wow, Mister, you've said a lot about a short movie.

I know. There's actually quite a bit I haven't spoiled here, and I'll leave it to you to check them out as you watch The Concierge. I guarantee that you'll feel warm and fuzzy just thinking about it afterwards. It's just that great a movie. 

In that case, I'll give it a go. I'm sold.

Nosferatu

Do you Nosferatu?

When F.W. Murnau adapted Dracula into Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, he did so without the permission of the Stoker estate. As such, the estate tried to sue the film out of existence, and they almost succeeded. A few copies survived, and thus, movie fans can still watch it to this day. 

Now, anybody can make Dracula movies thanks to the public domain. They can even remake Nosferatu, which is what Robert Eggers did with his fourth feature film. Let's see what this Nosferatu is all about, shall we?

It’s 1838 in Wisborg, Germany. Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) has been haunted by nightmares ever since the night she prayed for a soulmate. These nightmares persist even after she married her husband, Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult), an up-and-coming solicitor. One day, Thomas’s employer, Herr Knock (Simon McBurney), sends him to Transylvania to close a real-estate purchase by the reclusive Count Orlok. Ellen doesn’t want him to go, but he does, and that’s when things go wrong.

Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), of course, is a vampire; some folks call them Nosferatu. Anyway, Orlok ships off to Wisborg after he sees Ellen’s picture in Thomas’s locket. His impending arrival drives Ellen and Knock insane, which attracts the attention of Dr. Sievers (Ralph Ineson) and his eccentric mentor, Prof. Von Franz (Willem Dafoe). Meanwhile, Thomas races back to Wisborg to thwart the undead villain. But it’s Ellen who has to thwart Orlok with the ultimate sacrifice.

You’ll hear Orlok long before you see him, and already, you’ll be intimidated by his booming, unearthly voice. Trust me, nothing he does will assuage your nerves. You’ll have a hard time believing that it is Skarsgård once you hear Orlok, and you’ll have a harder time believing it once you see him. Imagine a zombified Rasputin, rather than the rat-like ghoul immortalized by Max Schreck a century ago, and you get this Count Orlok. He is indeed played by the same actor who previously played Pennywise. The Oscar-shortlisted makeup team deserves all the praise coming their way. The same goes for Linda Muir, the costume designer, for his impressive attire.

Dafoe, who previously played Schreck in Shadow of the Vampire, goes all out as the eccentric Van Franz, especially when he burns Orlok’s crypt in the finale. We still listen when he calmly warns the others of the undead dangers they face. McBurney plays Herr Knock as perhaps the most unnerving variant of Renfield to date. Hoult, who actually played Renfield last year, is a compelling hero as Thomas. We’re on edge with him when he’s kept prisoner in Castle Orlok, and later, when he barely escapes with his life. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emma Corrin are also pretty good as Friedrich and Anna Harding, the Hutters’ best friends and eventual victims of Orlok. Friedrich is even pitiable when he becomes a massive jerk at the end.

But I’m sure all eyes will be on Depp. Ellen frequently convulses under Orlok’s influence; one particularly disturbing instance is during a heated argument with Thomas. It’s equally disturbing to see her vividly describe one such nightmare to Thomas early on. That nightmare, in which she happily marries the Grim Reaper, perfectly encapsulates her relationship with Orlok. She gets some moments of happiness with Thomas, their cat, and the Harding family, so it’s not all doom and gloom. It’s both satisfying and tragic when she makes her ultimate sacrifice.

This is a technically outstanding horror film. The editor, Louise Ford, gives us plenty of scares and strangeness. At one point, Thomas visits a village full of wary villagers who later have a late-night staking. The next morning, they’re all gone. The driver-less carriage that takes him to Castle Orlok is perfectly eerie. In fact, all the sets designed by Craig Lathrop are all spectacularly creepy. The scenery itself, as photographed by Jarin Blaschke, is exquisite. As far as visual effects are concerned, none are more instantly iconic than the shadow of Orlok’s hand reaching over Wisborg. There’s also some excellent sound design, along with an also Oscar-shortlisted score by Robin Coralan that perfectly mixes melancholy with dread. 

So, as the days grow colder and darker, what better way to pass the time with a good horror movie? Submitted for your approval, this unforgettably gruesome remake of Nosferatu. The little changes Eggers makes to the template it borrowed from Murnau and Stoker help to make this a masterful adaptation. I am also told Eggers' films are historically faithful to their time periods, so I imagine historians will get a kick out of this one, too. Dare you enter Transylvania once again? If not, I can recommend a few family-friendlier films. I'll let you decide ...

And remember, Keep Circulating the Tapes.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

 Merry After Christmas!

To celebrate, let’s check up on the world’s fastest hedgehog. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 promises two hedgehogs going fast, with the blue blur (Ben Schwartz) fighting longtime fan-favorite anti-hero Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves). I’m sure you want to know why.

In the last movie, Shadow was discovered in stasis at the literal Prison Island. This movie opens with Shadow waking up and breaking out. He causes trouble in Tokyo, so GUN recruits Sonic and his funny animal friends, Tails & Knuckles (Coleen O’Shaughnessy & Idris Elba), to stop him. This new hedgehog proves too much for our heroes, so they seek help from a villain, namely a somehow still alive Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey).

That alliance ends when Ivo meets his grandpa, Gerald (also Carrey), who happens to be Shadow’s old friend. Gerald and Shadow seek to use the Eclipse Cannon, a doomsday weapon, for their master plan. They need a few keycards to boot it up, and it’s up to Team Sonic to stop them. That’s pretty much it.

The film has too much fun with Carrey’s double-act. The Robotniks’ first scene together even points out that it’s a double act; it’s made funny by their synchronized aside glance. There’s plenty of fun as the Robotniks have a synchronized dance scene in a laser room (long story) and eventually brawl inside the Eclipse Cannon. The visual effects team that helped this double act happen should be commended, as should the makeup team.

But it’s not all fun and games. In his backstory, Shadow was friends with Gerald’s granddaughter, Maria (Alyla Browne), who died decades ago. Naturally, Shadow and Gerald’s master plan is to seek revenge for her death. Gerald’s angry villain speech is perfectly unnerving after all of his antics with Ivo. Meanwhile, Shadow acts like there’s nothing funny about him, even as he spouts some incredibly silly dialogue. But he’s pretty scary when he’s unambiguously serious. On the bright side, he has some enjoyable flashbacks with Maria, while his change of heart is decently moving. 

But what about Team Sonic? Well, once again, Sonic is still the same fun guy after all these movies. Still, we feel it when he drops the jokes after his adopted human Tom (James Marsden) is accidentally injured by Shadow. He even nearly comes to blows with Knuckles when he decides to grab the last film’s Master Emerald. Tails is still a delightful sidekick, while Knuckles’s own brand of comic seriousness is still hilarious. What more do I have to say?

Well, once again, the visual effects for Sonic and his pals are pretty good. The speed effects are still great, as are the Robotniks’ machines; special mention goes to a device the Robotniks’ use to blend with nearby paintings. The location shooting in Tokyo is splendid, while Tom Holkenborg once again gives us an entertaining score. As for the supporting characters, Lee Majdoub (as Agent Stone) and Tom Butler (as Maj. Walters) were the highlights. GUN Director Rockwell (Krysten Ritter) is supposed to be another antagonist, but her character is a bit lackluster. Adam Pally, as Tom’s Deputy Wade, made more of an impression in his one scene than Rockwell in more. I think I’ve said enough.

The only real things wrong with Sonic the Hedgehog 3 are a few minor quibbles (like, how did Ivo survive the last film? I don’t think it explains that). Otherwise, it’s still an entertaining movie, and not even its mood whiplashes are enough to detract from it. I’m actually intrigued for the next film, which promises two new characters in its dynamic mid-credit scene. It’s supposed to come out in 2027, and it can’t come fast enough.

Next up, something that’s not for kids.

Mufasa: The Lion King

Let's get to the "mane" event of Disney's Christmas season.

Mufasa: The Lion King is the sequel and prequel to Disney's "live-action" remake of The Lion King. Jon Favreau, who directed the previous film, is swapped out with Barry Jenkins, who retains Jeff Nathanson as the screenwriter. Let's see what they did.

As King Simba & Queen Nala (Donald Glover & Beyoncé Knowles-Carter) head off elsewhere, their cub Kiara (Beyoncé's actual daughter, Blue Ivy) stays at Pride Rock with Uncles Timon & Pumba (Billy Eichner & Seth Rogen). Rafiki (John Kani) shows up to tell Kiara the origin story of her Grandpa Mufasa.

As a cub, Mufasa (voiced as an adult by Aaron Pierre) got swept up by a flood. He's adopted into a royal pride at the insistence of Prince Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and the reluctance of King Obasi (Lennie James). Unfortunately, the good times end when an evil pride of white lions, led by Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen), show up. 

Mufasa and Taka, the only survivors of their pride, head off to Milele, a paradise spoken of by Mufasa's parents, Masego & Afia (Keith David & Anika Noni Rose). They're joined by the lioness Sarabi (Tiffany Boone), the hornbill Zazu (Preston Nyman) and the younger Rafiki (Kagiso Lediga). During their journey, Mufasa tries to help Taka confess to Sarabi, but she's into Mufasa, and he eventually falls for her too. That drives Taka to team up with Kiros and eventually take on the moniker Scar. That's basically it.

The change in directors is immediately obvious with the wildlife. The CGI animals are as impressively rendered as those in the previous film. Unlike the previous film, the animals not only look like animals, but they emote like characters. I think Favreau tried too hard in the previous film to make his talking animals realistic; I think Jenkins found the right balance. It’s thus easier to get invested in their dramatic moments, particularly when they’re expressed in song form by Lin-Manuel Miranda. A few memorable numbers include Kiros's villain song (Bye Bye), Mufasa & Taka's song (I Always Wanted a Brother), and Mufasa & Sarabi's love song (The currently Oscar shortlisted Tell Me It's You). 

But it's not exactly perfect. Be Prepared to sit through a rather slow plot which unfolds over nearly two-hours. A lot of it is spent walking as the good guys outwalk the bad guys. Kiros hates Mufasa because Mufasa killed his son during the white lions' first attack. That son doesn't even speak, at all, so that revelation comes as an odd surprise. That Taka turns evil because of a love triangle is a bit underwhelming, though the call-forwards to his eventual regicide of Mufasa are impactful. I thought my ears were deceiving me as Mufasa seemed to have two different voice actors as a cub. Actually, I wasn't, for siblings Braelyn & Brielle Rankins voiced cub Mufasa, and I'm sure you'll notice the differences too.

So, why isn't Taka's Face-Heel Turn completely underwhelming? It goes back to Tell Me It's You; after the love song, we get a dark reprise where he sings of his dejection. He's such a lovable dork when he tries talking with Sarabi, so to see him go bad is perfectly tragic. What makes it underwhelming is how quick he goes bad, even if we see some personality seeds planted by Obasi. When Taka saves the day, you already won't want him to go bad even if he has to because "prequel." Obasi, meanwhile, fluctuates between "not so bad" and "still bad" at the end of his screentime. As Kiros, Mikkelsen is just as good voicing villains as he is physically playing them; to put it bluntly, his villain song rocks

Now for a few others. Mufasa is compelling throughout his life, particularly with his brotherhood with Taka. Their camaraderie as cubs is delightful, while their ultimate fallout is as devastating as it is inevitable. Pierre's commanding cadence as Mufasa is as memorable as the recently deceased James Earl Jones, who gets a quick dedication at the start. Timon & Pumba have the best lines, even if some of them are a bit implausible (they've seen the Broadway musical!). Meanwhile, Zazu and Taka's lazy uncle Chigaru (Abdul Salis) have the best lines among the flashback cast. Chigaru, at least, is more likable than Obasi by a mile.

Although its story could have used some work, Mufasa: The Lion King is still more interesting than its predecessor. Its explanations for a few bits of lore - like the shape of Pride Rock - are pretty decent. Its improved visual effects and buoyant soundtrack are pretty good reasons to see it. Otherwise, there's another talking animal film that might appeal to your kids a bit more. Conveniently enough, I have time for both these films this holiday season; that review is next!

Kraven the Hunter

Was it a noble experiment doomed to failure? Or was it a waste of everyone’s time to make Spider-Man movies without Spider-Man?

The Venom movies did pretty good for Sony, but Morbius and Madame Web were embarrassing failures. That didn’t bode well for Kraven the Hunter, the long-delayed cinematic debut of one of Spidey’s earliest foes. J.C. Chandor makes for a welcome choice as director in this installment of "Sony's Spider-Man Universe." It's one of the better films in the "franchise," even if it has a few glaring flaws.

Sergei Kravinoff (Levi Miller) and his half-brother, Dmitri (Billy Barratt) are the sons of a big Russian Mobster, Nikolai (Russell Crowe). The boys head on an impromptu safari after the death of Sergei’s mom. There, Sergei is mauled by a lion but is saved by the world’s best Good Samaritan and her magic potion. Sergei ends up with animalistic abilities, cuts ties with Nikolai and travels the world looking for bad guys to kill. All in that order.

Sergei, now Kraven (now Aaron Taylor-Johnson), opens the film by killing a bad guy in prison. He reunites with Nikolai and Dmitri (Fred Hechinger) in London just in time for the plot. Aleksei Sytsevich (Alessandro Nivola), an aspiring bad guy, wants to move into Nikolai’s territory. For that end, he abducts Dmitri and sends “The Foreigner” (Christopher Abbott) after Kraven. Kraven reunites with his Good Samaritan, a lawyer named Calypso Ezili (Ariana DeBose), to help him track down the bad guys. His hunt is further complicated by Aleksei’s ability to become a rhino-man. That’s pretty much it.

Let me tell you about a few quibbles. We're told that Nikolai, as a big crime boss, puts evil into the world, but we rarely see his line of work. Now, if he had been just a big game hunter and an abusive dad, which we see him as, then we'd be going somewhere good. Aleksei's rise to power is mostly handled off-screen, perhaps helped by the frequently referred to Dr. Miles Warren (better known as The Jackal, a significant Spidey villain). It would have helped if we saw how he went from aspiring lackey to big bad. The Foreigner actually has a grudge against Kraven, but it's exposited in an off-hand newspaper way. The film's finale, where Aleksei goes full Rhino, is so abruptly edited together it's hard to follow.

So, why did I say that it's one of the better films? Well, part of the reason is Kraven himself. He stalks his prey with darkly amusing casualness before he brutally dispatches them. That's especially highlighted when he tracks one poacher to his London office. He's humanized by his sympathetic backstory, his affinity for animals, and especially by his relationship with Dmitri. All of which contribute to his palpable animosity with his dad, and the cold way he dispatches him in the end. You'll just have to see it for yourself, if you want to see it at all.

Which brings me to the villains. Nikolai, as I said, won't win father of the year anytime soon. He's particularly heartless over his wife's death, but we do see some depth later on about that. Keyword: some. Aleksei has a decent enough motive in that he wants to be the top crime boss; it's not much, but it is a motive. His partial rhino transformation is pretty creepy, while his full Rhino form is a decent CGI-aided approximation of his comic book counterpart. The Foreigner, with better expansion, would have been an excellent Big Bad. He's still creepy when he utilizes his super speed on his own prey. 

The animals here are mostly obviously CGI wildlife. Surprisingly, a few moments, like young Sergei listening to a dying gazelle's heartbeat, and later staring down a buffalo stampede, feel real. The lion attack is sufficiently brutal, even if it doesn't match something like the bear attack in The Revenant. Dmitri, with some excellent sound editors, can mimic other peoples' voices. His comic book counterpart is The Chameleon, Spidey's very first supervillain, but the reveal of this power is still a great surprise. He can later shapeshift, which he uses to great effect in the end, even if his new base form looks too cartoony. 

A few other highlights include Eve Stewart's production design, which gives us a neat lair for Kraven. His various outfits designed by Sammy Sheldon are sufficient approximations of his comic book counterpart. That's before he gets his actual superhero look, which is saved for the last scene. The score by Benjamin Wallfisch and the Galperine Brothers (Evgueni & Sacha) is pretty good, but the most memorable track is Basil Poledouris's opening theme from The Hunt for Red October. That's the very first thing we hear in the movie!

This is apparently supposed to be the last film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe; either that, or it's the last one that doesn't involve Spidey himself. In either case, Kraven the Hunter makes for a decently bloody superhero matinee. The screenplay could have been a lot better, but it still has a pretty good anti-hero, is tonally consistent, and has a committed bad guy. Spider-Man's next MCU adventure is supposed to be in a few years, but I'm still waiting for Beyond the Spider-Verse. You can spend some time before then watching this film, or not. I'll leave it to you.

Onwards to my next packed weekend!

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

 It’s time to see Middle-Earth like you’ve never seen it before.

Actually, not really. I’ll explain.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, renders a few pages of Tolkien's famous appendices into an epic anime movie. This technically isn’t the first anime based on the material; the Rankin-Bass TV movies of The Hobbit and The Return of the King were animated by Topcraft, the studio that was eventually re-branded as Studio Ghibli.  Let’s see how this new effort fares.

Several centuries before The Lord of the Rings, Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox) ruled over the Kingdom of Rohan with his sons Hama (Yazdan Qafouri) and Haleth (Benjamin Wainwright) by his side. Helm’s favorite child, however, is his “wild and free” daughter, Héra (Gaia Wise), who’d rather prefer equestrian pursuits than marital ones. When Freca (Shaun Dooley), King of the neighboring Dunlendings, proposes marriage between his son Wulf (Luke Pasqualino) and Héra, Helm recognizes it as a power-grab and challenges Freca to fisticuffs. Helm knocks out Freca with a single, fatal hammerhand. Afterwards, Wulf swears revenge.

It takes a while, but the Dundelings set forth to take revenge on Helm and his line. Wulf, a childhood friend of Héra, wants to take revenge on her specifically for rejecting him. The people of Rohan's capital, Edoras, evacuate to the stronghold of Hornburg - the eventual Helm's Deep- with Wulf in pursuit. It eventually falls to Héra to not only lead her people to safety, but to ward off the invaders with whatever help she can get. 

All of this is narrated by Miranda Otto, reprising her role as Eowyn from the original trilogy. She tells us that Héra's story was never passed down "in the tales of song," perhaps nodding to how she isn't even named in the appendices. I'm not complaining about these liberties, given how Arwen was expanded upon in the original films. Héra is given a decent hero's journey by original trilogy co-writer Phillipa Boyens and several others. Héra is a typical, yet likable, tomboy princess, and her hesitation to marry anyone - not just Wulf - is understandable. It has a stunning opening scene, where Héra meets a giant eagle, who becomes relevant in the climax. The climax also gives us a good final battle between her and Wulf.

Wulf, by contrast, isn't as sympathetic as the film thinks he is. He exposits how he was looked down upon for his mixed heritage, but we barely get anything to back it up. We get just one flashback between him and Héra as kids, literally the only time we see them as kids. He goes straight into evil territory once he formally begins the war. He even blows off Héra's one offer to marry him because of his massive ego. Wulf's only sympathetic moment is when he finally realizes he's lost (his last-ditch effort to kill Héra notwithstanding). His General, Targg (Michael Wildman), is far more sympathetic as he at least realizes how pointless the war is. 

His name is Helm Hammerhand, but he's surprised when he instantly kills Freca. Is this the moment that he earned his Hammerhand name? The film doesn't explain that; neither does Tolkien for that matter. It's a bit flummoxing, but he puts those Hammerhands to good use as a "wraith." You won't forget the ominous horn that announces his presence, that's for sure. His last stand against Wulf's army at the Gates of Hornburg sits nicely alongside the biggest moments of the original trilogy. Outside of battle, his moments of fatherly affection for Héra are nice. This is a man who respects how his daughter isn't like the other ladies. In fact, the whole royal family gets some nice moments together. One of the best moments involves the fate of Hama's harp.

Director Kenji Kamiyama (Star Wars: Visions; screenwriter of Blood: The Last Vampire) gives us an appealing animated approximation of Peter Jackson's Middle-Earth. Its locations are just as one remembered them from the original trilogy, while its vibrant color palette is nothing short of outstanding. A few great set pieces include a rampaging Mumak, its death by a Watcher in the Water, and the climactic cavalry. Héra's aunt, Olwyn (Lorraine Ashburne), and squire Lief (Bilal Hasna), are not only likable supporting characters, but look very much like updated Rankin-Bass designs. That's nifty. The CGI animation is pretty noticeable against the 2D characters, but that rarely bothered me for some reason. And yes, the rumors are true, Christopher Lee gets a posthumous line in as Saruman with an old piece of audio.

Some have questioned why The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim had to be an anime. I'm fine with it as it means another anime movie gets to be on the big screen. It helps its case with plenty of great action scenes, many of which I've already mentioned. Still, it could have been shorter than its 134-minutes; it's particularly noticeable late during the second half. In any case, it's still better than stretching a thin novel into a nearly eight-hour film trilogy. I think it's fine taking this journey to Middle-Earth, even once, just to see the new direction. If not, there's always the original trilogy.

Solo Leveling: ReAwakening

 Solo Leveling, a South Korean web novel and comic by Chugong, was a pretty big deal long before it was adapted into an anime early this year. And now, with the second season fast approaching, its fans can get a taste of the action in Solo Leveling: ReAwakening. What can new fans expect?

In this two-hour movie, the audience will get a 75-minute Viewer's Digest of the anime's first season, followed by a nearly seamless edit of the second season's first two episodes. I'll explain later what I mean about "nearly seamless" while I get into the actual content of this movie.

In the backstory, portals to fantastical "dungeons" keep popping up around Earth. Meanwhile, a few people get superpowers, and it's up to these "Hunters" to fight off the monsters on the other side. Otherwise, the monsters will inevitably invade Earth. A Hunter's Power Level is stagnant, which is a problem for series protagonist Sung Jinwoo, since he is literally called the World's Weakest Hunter. One day, "The System" takes pity on him and "ReAwakens" him with the ability to Level-Up just like an RPG Character. After a while, anyone expecting an easy target will get a nasty surprise. It's even nastier when Jinwoo ascends to become a Necromancer.

During one of his Dungeon Raids, Jinwoo and his new friend, Yoo Jinho, are left to die by their guild at the fangs of a Spider Boss. Jinwoo kills the Spider, and later, the treacherous guild members. Their leader, Hwang Dongsuk, has a brutish brother named Dongsoo, who arrives to take vengeance during part two. By that point, Jinwoo - Jinho was already hushed out of the story - and his new guild are fighting Ice Monsters in a snowy dungeon. Jinwoo takes down the monster Polar Bears, but the Ice Elves are a different story. 

The film works as an appetizer for the series as a whole. There are plenty of impressive battles between the hunters and various monsters. The villains, whether they be humans or monsters, are quite monstrous, and their ghoulish smiles will etch into your memories. It just makes it cathartic when Jinwoo gets down to business and deals with them. Them taunting Jinwoo over his "weakling" status makes for great dramatic irony. The concepts of the system were intriguing enough to get me to check out a bit of the show on Crunchyroll when it was done. Maybe it will get you interested, too.

Let's talk about a few supporting players. Jinho's screentime is relatively short, but his chipper personality and heroic determinism will win you over in no time. Dongsuk's nice guy act is legitimately convincing, which makes it all the scarier when he drops it. A few other highlights include Jinwoo's sister Jin-Ah and aspiring hunter Han Song-Yi, both of whom help humanize Jinwoo. Another hunter, Kim Cheol, is legitimately scary when his sanity cracks during part two. But when he's killed and resurrected into one of Jinwoo's Shadow Warriors, Iron, he becomes surprisingly and legitimately goofy. One of the most memorable antagonists is Igris, a Red Knight who becomes Jinwoo's number one Shadow Warrior after a long and brutal fight. 

Where it doesn't work is that it loses some details in its Viewer's Digest form. The film rushes Jinwoo from world's weakest to world's strongest so fast that his character growth barely registers. We barely know Jinwoo's raid party during "The Double Dungeon Event," a name barely explained here, which makes two of them being murdered by the psychotic hunter Kang Taeshik not that impactful. Jinwoo's sick mother is alluded to, but she also barely registers in the plot. Ironically, these lost details aren't enough to leave new viewers stranded at sea. They can understand, for example, the concept of ReAwakening even if it's also barely explained. 

Now, what did I mean about "almost seamlessly" earlier? During part two, there's a repeated shot of Cheol charging at Jinwoo during his battle with the Boss Ice Elf. It's either where the show comes out of a commercial break, or part of the last time segment at the start of an episode. I'm thinking it's the latter. Otherwise, the two episodes really do flow together.

We have another month before Solo Leveling's second season - subtitled Arise from the Shadow - comes out. Solo Leveling: ReAwakening won't have much time before it's crowded out of theaters by a whole slew of other films. So, if you want a taste of things to come, you have to get to theatres now. If not, the whole first season is there on Crunchyroll. I think it's worth a try either way. That's it for now.

Moana 2

 It's not even been a decade since Moana came out, and already, Disney is giving it a live-action remake. Come to think of it, by the time it comes out, it will have been a decade. But it's still too short to give it a remake.

In the meantime, we have an actual sequel, aptly named Moana 2. This was supposed to have been a Disney + series until the big mice promoted it to feature status. It's a fine sequel, but I don't think it's a new modern masterpiece. You can disagree once you read on.

This time, Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) learns about the lost island of Motufetu, the lost island that was once the center of the oceanic world. The evil god Nalo sunk it beneath a nasty tempest, and unless Moana can find it, her people will eventually face extinction. Moana sets sail with her pig and rooster, Pua and Heihei, along with a few villagers - Loto the shipwright (Rose Matafeo), Moni the historian (Hualālai Chung) and Kele the farmer (David Fane) - to find the island. Their quest gets slightly easier when they locate Maui (Dwayne Johnson), the demigod apt at pulling islands from the ocean.

Yeah, that's pretty much it. Besides from Nalo, our heroes tangle with Matangi (Awihimi Fraser), a literally batty witch who keeps Maui tangled up. When Moana eventually reunites with Maui, he warns her that Matangi is bad news. When Moana finally meets Matangi, we find out that she's not so bad, but we're left expecting some kind of double-cross. Keep expecting that, because she flies off after her big musical number, Get Lost. She only shows up again in the mid-credits, which is where we finally see Nalo in-person, where he's voiced by comedian Tofiga Fepulea'i. I wonder if the feature promotion left some of her big scenes on the cutting room floor. 

The new human crewmates all embody a collective case of "remember the new guy?" syndrome. From the first number onward, they're set up like they've always been part of Moana's community, and not characters created for this movie/series. At least Moana's new sister, Simea (Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), was born during the three-year gap between movies. These three are already there. They're all likable thanks to their amusing, if somewhat surface level, quirks. Kele's grumpiness made him the best of the new crewmates. Meanwhile, Simea, who doesn't join the voyage, has some of the best lines in the film.

Maui, meanwhile, has not only the absolute best lines in the film, but has the best number, Can I Get a Chee Hoo?, which is part of a pretty good training montage. Moana's new song, the rousing Beyond, isn't as instantly impactful as the first film's How Far I'll Go, but it's still pretty good. There's not much new of them, personality wise. For most of the film, Maui hangs around the stomach of a giant clam, while Moana joins him about halfway through. The late reunion eventually pays off when things get exceptionally dark during the climax. You'll need to see what I mean, but you can already guess things will turn all right. It's still powerful when the happy ending kicks in.

With Lin-Manuel Miranda off doing this month's Mufasa: The Lion King, the songwriting duties fell to Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear (The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical). All of the songs are decently entertaining, especially with the pattering in Can I Get a Chee Hoo? and What Could Be Better Than This? The songs are paired with a rousing score by returning composer Mark Mancina. The accompanying animation is still impressive, whether it's for the ocean itself, the insides of that giant clam or the storm around Motufetu. In fact, the animation and music collaborate the best when Maui finally raises Motufetu.

Don't expect a deep story if you go into Moana 2. It's just a family matinee movie, and it's certainly not the worst movie of its kind. It still has a few good songs, a good sense of humor, a great climax and a welcome presentation of Polynesian culture. It would have been slightly better if the villains had a lot more presence. Ironically, I'm slightly interested now in a Moana 3, just to see if they'll figure into the story a lot better. I'm more interested in that than the Moana remake, though maybe it might surprise me in a few years. Until then, I have to sail off to my next reviews.