Attica

Some movies won't be on streaming forever. The Oscar-nominated documentary Attica is an example; Amazon Prime de-listed its free stream after yesterday. I tried watching it on Sling, a streaming service I didn't hear about till now, but it left after I streamed about 16 minutes. At least I remembered where I was when I picked it back up on XFinity. It's $9.99 mostly everywhere else. 

Let's talk about the film before I prattle on about streaming.

Stanley Nelson and Traci Curry chronicle the uprising at the Attica Correctional Facility from Sep. 9-13, 1971. Its numerous prisoners, overwhelmingly black or Latino, and understandably fed up with mistreatment, revolted against their all-White guards. Their demands, as voiced by spokesman L.D. Barkley, included basic human dignity not just for themselves, but prisoners everywhere. But Gov. Nelson Rockefeller sent the police and National Guard to take back the prison by force. That assault killed prisoners and hostages alike.

It's not an easy film to sit through. Former prisoners testify about getting a measly minimum of amenities and nothing else really. Any complaints about it made it worse. The San Quentin prison riot a few weeks earlier emboldened them. You can see the tension rise up to when the prisoners finally revolt. 

 Basic living conditions are bad enough, but the climactic assault cements the cruelty. In all seriousness, the prisoners getting shot up amidst commands of "put your hands up and you will not be harmed" make the cops sound like the Martians in Mars Attacks, only far less funny. The ceaseless gunfire on the soundtrack sells us on how disproportionate the assault was. Reporter John Johnson also testifies getting threatened by victorious cops on a kill-happy power trip. You'll shudder as the film shows how the guards reprised against their prisoners. 

You'll sympathize with the prisoners despite whatever deeds landed them in "the last place." None of them try to excuse their original crimes. They just wanted basic human rights in spite of them. Al Victory, a white prisoner, testifies of his shame of getting preferential treatment for himself and not just for others. William Quinn, the only prison guard killed by the prisoners, got medical treatment from a few prisoners. The hostage family members interviewed show no ill will to the prisoners. They have plenty of that for the State Government's inadequate attempts at restitution. 

Overall, Attica earns its place among this year's Oscar nominees. It's a tense and perfectly infuriating documentary about the injustice of the justice system. It gives you a lot to think about the present as it describes the past. You won't stop thinking about it after its 117 minutes are done. You can only hope that it's somewhat better than it was. Somewhat. 

Marry Me

 Oh yeah, my house has Peacock. But I never got the urge to watch something there for this blog. 

Until this week.

That something is Marry Me, a harmless romantic comedy with a wacky premise based on the Webcomic of the same name by Bobby Crosby. The film takes the concept in its own silly direction. It's a good break from whatever serious movies I have left on my list.

Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson) is an average math teacher and divorced dad to Lou (Chloe Coleman). Kat Valdez (Jennifer López) is a pop superstar about to marry her boyfriend, Bastian (Maluma), live in concert. Charlie's best pal Parker (Sarah Silverman) convinces him to take Lou and join her for the concert. But Kat finds out that Bastian's been cheating on her just before the vows. So Kat, already married thrice, decides to marry a random guy in crowd. That guy is Charlie, just because Parker got him to hold a "Marry Me" sign.

So now, Charlie has to adjust to being married to an international icon. Kat decides to go through with the marriage even though her support team wants it to blow over. They find that they have surprisingly much in common. But will it be enough when Bastian decides to win her back?

Wilson and López make an unlikely compelling couple. She wants something new in her life after her latest heartbreak. He's a good guy who just wants to make a stranger happy. It's really compelling to see their relationship become genuine. They start off trying to make sense of a convoluted situation. But they soon bond over Coney Island and Charlie's dog, Tank, among other things. While Charlie's insecurities help drive the act three breakup, they soon realize they're made for each other. It all adds up to a fun climax at a mathalon. 

Kat's support team, including her manager Colin (John Bradley), are understandably confused by her sudden marriage. They're a likable bunch who have the best intentions, though. Chloé is a good kid who helps bring out the best in her dad. Parker, who sets the plot in motion, has her best moment when she helps Kat to the mathalon. Bastian isn't too antagonistic towards Charlie after the wedding. He seems apologetic, though he does rebound quickly. The biggest jerk is the opposing Mathalon coach.

The soundtrack, including the title theme, has plenty of memorable tunes. They're kind of silly songs, but they fit the film. The most serious song is called On My Way,  which plays an important part in the climax. The score by John Debney is just as good as the pop music. There's some great editing by Peter Teschner and Michael Berenbaum in the climax too. Finally,  some points to the production design for Kat's elaborate apartment. 

Marry Me is an endearingly silly comedy. It makes a surprisingly compelling case for its off kilter concept. Its unlikely couple will keep you interested for a good 112 minutes. It's ready for you to say yes on Peacock or theatres. I can think of a few webcomics Hollywood could option if they're interested. This current film gets my interest in a few of them.

CODA

I need to hurry to make the most of my free Apple TV. This week, after putting it off for too long, I found time for CODA, the service's Oscar-nominated remake of the French film, La Famille Belier. Seeing it now makes me wish I saw it sooner.

CODA stands for "Child of Deaf Adults," and that's what Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) is. She's the only one who can interpret for her deaf parents Frank (Troy Kotsur) & Jackie (Marlee Matlin), and her also deaf brother Leo (Daniel Durant). She works with Frank and Leo on their fishing boat while going to high school. One day, she joins Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) into the choir headed by Mr. Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez). She impresses "Mr. V" so much he gives her private lessons and recommends her for Berklee.

Unfortunately, the family fishing boat is threatened by overbearing Union suits. Frank and Leo decide to start their own fish mongering business. But they need Ruby's help, while Ruby wants to follow her singing dreams. Naturally, she finds herself struggling to balance her commitments. 

Writer and Director Sian Heder gives us a great family drama. Sure, it's a typical movie plot about balancing dreams vs family. But there are compelling reasons for each side. It's easy to forget (or discount, as I did) that the ADA would've (or should've) alleviated much of Ruby's stress. She's all the help her family knows. But we see her exhibit a promising talent. I'll elaborate further on the conflict when I discuss the cast.

Jones as Ruby is a compelling lead. We understand her exhaustive life as she balances fishing and school. The choir gives her an outlet to sing in front of others. It's a stressful prospect at first but we see her get some confidence. What makes her conflict compelling is that her family is likable. Matlin and Kotsur are (nonverbally) outspoken parents, much to Ruby's embarrassment. Frank, especially, is a hoot as he signs out some colorful language. His business really needs help, as shown when Ruby is essentially substituted with a beyond-useless Union rep. They soon understand how much singing means to Ruby. Durant as Leo understands quicker when he tells her to go to Berklee. Meanwhile, Derbez as Mr. V proves to be more than a typically eccentric teacher. 

There are some standout moments during its 112 minutes. One of the earliest scenes has Ruby endure some unbearable loudness from her unaware family. The climax gives us the opposite as we experience the Rossi's watch Ruby's concert in total silence. Her successful audition at Berklee is an emotional moment, as is when Frank feels her vocal cords singing. We get to hear plenty of stellar singing from Ruby on the soundtrack.

CODA makes a compelling case to get Apple TV. There's a great cast acting out this moving family story. There's plenty of laughs and drama to be found here. You might be lucky this weekend as some cities will get free theatrical screenings then. Whatever format is fine as long as you see it soon. 

Uncharted

 Harrison Ford is the only Indiana Jones on the big screen (so far), but anybody can be Nathan Drake with their Playstations in the Uncharted video games. Now, Naughty Dog's resident adventure archaeologist has a movie of his own. One that shows us how he started his adventuring career. Let's see how it is.

It begins when Victor "Sully" Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) walks into the bar where Nate (Tom Holland) works and pickpockets. Sully recruits Nate to help him find the lost treasure ships of Ferdinand Magellan. Nate's brother Sam helped Sully steal the MacGuffin diary that'll tell them where those ships are. Sam's gone missing, so Nate agrees to help steal MacGuffin keys that'll open the treasure. The guys join with fellow treasure hunter Chloe Frazer (Sophia Ali) to dissect the clues.

Billionaire Santiago Moncada's (Antonio Banderas) ancestors funded the original Magellan expedition. So, he's naturally interested in getting that long-delayed return in their investment. He sends a mercenary squad led by Jo Braddock (Tati Gabrielle) to deal with our heroes. It's going to be a long treasure hunt.

I never had the time or Playstations to play Uncharted. So, I don't know how much the screenplay lines up with the continuity. What I do know is that it's a decent action film. Nate starts the film in media res falling from a cargo plane. The lead up to that misadventure takes him from a New York auction house to underneath Barcelona. The climax has him aboard Magellan's ships as they're lifted by helicopters. These scenes are tied together by a somewhat average story. I was invested when Chloe and Nate were trapped in a flooding crypt while Sully, who can stop the flooding with his key, is fighting Braddock at a Papa John's. It's an overlong fight but it's still tense.

The cast was entertaining. Nate is a likable guy who's a bit hapless in the action scenes but proves himself a crafty dude. His chemistry with Sully is good with their best moment being at the end. Sully himself is a decent mentor with a dark past. Chloe is the standout of the cast as she spends the movie fluctuating sides. Her nice act with Nate is legitimately convincing. So, it's genuinely shocking when she double-crosses him. Nate outwits her in a surprising switcheroo. Moncada is an interesting villain while Braddock is just fine.

Uncharted is a good way to spend a slow day. There's plenty of hijinks and thrills as Nate and Sully travel the world. It's not the most original story but it was rarely, if ever, boring. It moves along rather well at 116 minutes. You need not be familiar with the game lore, other than for a few cameos at the end. While some have considered it miscast, I think this cast is fine for a prequel. I'm slightly intrigued enough to see where it'll go. 

Summer of Soul

The poster for American Graffiti asked its audience "where were you in '62?" 

That's easy.

 I wasn't there for '62, or '69, when Woodstock was a thing. That lasted a weekend in August and led to an Oscar-winning documentary. The Harlem Cultural Festival lasted throughout the Dog Days of Summer. But that barely got any attention.  The documentary Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) will chronicle those days.

Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson chronicles the festival's place in history. It was created as an outlet to celebrate African American culture after a decade of turmoil. It was something positive a year after MLK and RFK were murdered. "It was like seeing royalty," says Musa Jackson, the first interviewee, about the many black festivalgoers. Music Royalty such as Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, BB King, Nina Simone, the 5th Dimension, and many more, reigned on stage. 

Hal Tulchin filmed forty hours of footage that barely anyone wanted. Still, he wanted someone to broadcast them. They sat in his basement for nearly fifty years. While Questlove couldn't show it all in one movie, he and his editor, Joshua L. Pearson compiled it into a compelling 117-minute film. Jackson and his fellow interviewees tell us how the festival was important to them. They're astounded to see the archival footage for the first time. Chances are, you will be too.

One of the best anecdotes comes from Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. of The 5th Dimension. They tell us of how they impressed the producers of Hair, who let them see the show for free and let them record its signature medley, Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In. It's a delightful stroke of luck. They tell us how the festival helped the band prove to the festivalgoers they were as black as them.

Journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault is another memorable interviewee. One of the first black students at the University of Georgia, her white classmates weren't that welcoming. She got through it with the music of Nina Simone. She tells us how, as a New York Times journalist, she got the paper to substitute "Negro" for "Black." The festival helped see herself as, to quote Simone, "young, gifted and black." It's a compelling personal story.

Where to begin with the concert footage? A lot of effort was made to make it look and sound pristine. It's the next best thing to being there in '69. It's astounding to see many a familiar face in their youthful prime. It's just as incredible to hear them perform. The soundtrack is sure to get your feet tapping. It's a dream setlist for fans of soul, jazz, R'N'B and more.

Summer of Soul gives an important cultural event its day in the sun. You'll understand its place in history in no time at all. You'll be shocked that it hasn't been extensively chronicled before. But rest assured. Fifty-One years after Michael Wadleigh won an Oscar for documenting Woodstock, Questlove will most certainly do the same for chronicling the event dubbed "Black Woodstock." It's that great a documentary. You can either stream it on Disney + (like I did) or Hulu now. Either one is a good option.

Death on the Nile

Hercule Poirot could have solved the Death on the Nile again in 2020. But his cinematic layover was longer than expected. A lot has happened in the world since then. So, let's get on the case.

Kenneth Branagh retains his services from Murder on the Orient Express as director and as M. Poirot. But while that film promised a "murder on the bloody Nile" at the end, it actually happens an hour in this film. Apparently, Poirot solved another case on the Nile, returned to England and then went back to the Nile to solve this titular crime. Huh?

We first spend that hour during Poirot's time in World War I. We first see Poirot's captain, who could easily be mistaken for young Poirot thanks to his elaborate moustache, before we meet the clean-shaven and convincingly digitally de-aged Poirot. The captain is killed in an explosion that disfigures Poirot. He soon grows his own supreme moustache.

1937 London. Poirot witnesses a love triangle in progress between layabout Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer), his fiancée Jackie de Bellfort (Emma Mackey) and the wealthy Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot). When he sees them again in Egypt, Simon and Linnet are now married and Jackie is stalking them. Simon hires Poirot to keep tabs on Jackie. The Doyles, Poirot and their wedding guests board the SS Karnak for a river cruise. Jackie follows them there too. 

We finally get to the crime itself. Somebody shoots Linnet during the night. Almost everyone on board is a suspect. Poirot intends to keep everyone on the Karnak until he can figure out which of them did it. He'll have to hurry as this killer isn't afraid to add more to the body count.

This film runs 127 minutes, which is shorter than the 1978 film with Peter Ustinov. It feels longer thanks to its slow build-up to the main crime itself. It's easy to miss some details that pop up during Poirot's summation. The sequel hook from Orient Express adds some confusion to the mix. A throwaway line near the start suggests that Poirot already solved the main event. But it's actually linear storytelling. 

It gets going great once it finally gets to the death. Branagh has fun exercising Poirot's personality as he interviews an all-star cast of suspects. A few memorable suspects include Dr. Windlesham (Russell Brand, unrecognizably strait-laced), Linnet's Communist godmother Marie Van Schuyler (Jennifer Saunders), her helper Mrs. Bowers (Dawn French) and socialite Rosalie (Letitia Wright). It's far too easy to guess the obvious suspect onboard if not for their alibi. But they're not that innocent. The final twist is as devious now as it was when Agatha Christie devised it 85 years ago.

As I said, digital fountain of youth is exquisite. But the digital compositing is glaringly obvious. The actors don't look like they're actually in Egypt (never mind that they weren't, as it was filmed in Surrey and Morrocco). The digital scenery and Haris Zambarloukos's cinematography are far better looking. The aural front gives us a memorably foreboding score by Patrick Doyle. The sound designers hit their strongest mark when the second body turns up.

Death on the Nile takes its sweet time to get to the titular event. But Branagh puts his acting and directing prowess to great use when it happens. This film will twist your suspicions in knots well before the summation. Let's just say it's a memorable summation. I'm once again ready for another big Poirot mystery should it happen. It wisely doesn't give us a sequel hook at the end. We don't need to stump viewers with continuity hang-ups twice, do we?

Flee

I'm going to try to catch this year's Oscar nominated International and Documentary films again this year. Key word is "try," for some of them aren't accessible in my area now. At least one will be in theatres soon but is playing at inopportune times.

I'll start my trek with the movie that's up for both awards. Flee, Denmark's entry, is that film, which is also nominated for Best Animated Feature. I worried that I'd be waiting for a theatrical release that would never come. But here it is now on Hulu.

Jonas Poher Rasmussen chronicles his high school pal, Amin Nawabi, an Afghani refugee, and how he made it to Denmark. He realized early on he was gay thanks to the films of Jean-Claude Van Damme. His pilot father was seized by the Muhajadeen as a political dissenter. The Afghani Civil War forced him and the rest of his family to hightail it to Russia. They soon lived in fear of poverty and deportation. Human traffickers helped them across the border for a price.

Meanwhile, Amin is about to marry his boyfriend, Kasper. Amin has never told Kasper about his rough past. But he'll now tell Rasmussen about it through multiple interviews. Amin is often shown in close-up lying on a couch. His world weariness is front and center even if his true face (and name, for Amin isn't it) isn't on display. That's before he divulges his life story full of bleakness and brevity.

You'll notice that the animation here isn't Pixar perfect. The scenery is full of brisk colors, but the characters move choppily. A few flashbacks even resemble moving sketches. But you can't deny the emotions here. One of those flashbacks visualizes Amin's mother's fear of drowning. That plays out when a trafficker vessel they're on starts flooding. As if being locked below the lightless decks wasn't a terrifying concept before. He and his fellow refugees are naturally overjoyed to be spotted by a Norwegian cruise ship. But that turns to palpable despair when they're informed the Estonian Coast Guard will send them back.

Both the traffickers and Russian police are presented as terrifying villains. Both hate it when they're not appeased with bribes. Amin and his brother have an encounter with the police in which they meet a nameless immigrant girl that they never see again. What could've happened is the scary part. Meanwhile, the traffickers threaten to shoot an elderly refugee when she slows them down. It's little wonder that Amin pretends to be an orphaned refugee instead of going with the traffickers to Denmark. It's not an easy choice to make or commit to.

One of the earliest scenes shows young Amin running around listening to Take Me On. A carefree lad unaware of the political unrest waiting to explode. He said he always knew he was different. But he didn't know his family knew. When he comes out at the end, his family gives him some money for a gay bar. His scenes with his family, and Kasper, give the subject matter its needed brevity.

Flee certainly earns its three nominations. Its unique animation style is mixed with live-action clips to tell its tale. It's a captivating story about one man's quest for survival. You won't forget any one of its 89 minutes. It's worth checking out on Hulu or in theatres if it's playing there. There's also an English dub available with Riz Ahmed (who executive produced this) voicing Amin. Either language is great; just give it a watch.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

I wasn't in the mood for much moviegoing when The Eyes of Tammy Faye debuted in September. But I gave it a shot on HBOMax now that Jessica Chastain and her makeup artists have Oscar nominations. It's a respectable biopic all things considered.

This is a narrative remake of the 2000 documentary by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato. Director Michael Showalter (The Big Sick) introduces us to Tammy Faye Grover (Chastain) as a kid (Chandler Head) fascinated by the Church despite her divorced mom, Rachel's (Cherry Jones) objections. She meets Jim Bakker (Andrew Garfield) at Bible College, and they quickly wed. They spread The Word with puppets and songs. Pat Robertson (Gabriel Olds) hires them to host The 700 Club for the CBN. 

The Bakkers form their own network, The PTL, in the 1970s. They find themselves with a nice family and a spectacular house. Tammy Faye, despite her devotion to Jim, breaks with him and their ally, Jerry Falwell's (Vincent D'Onofrio), rigid views. She shows her support for the gay community upon the onset of AIDS. Their media empire collapses once Jim's financial and marital impropriety is confirmed. 

I wasn't exactly familiar with much of Tammy Faye's life, especially the puppets and the singing career. So, Abe Sylvia's screenplay was a good introduction to her life story. I wish they'd mention Heritage USA, the Bakkers' shuttered theme park, more than in passing (if only because I'm reminded of a Simpsons episode about a similarly ill-fated Bible theme park). It makes a great case for her good nature. The best scene is her televised interview with AIDS patient Steve Pieters (Randy Havens) where she shows him more compassion than a lot of people did in the day. What's especially outstanding is finding out Pieters is still alive as of this writing. 

The makeup team certainly earned their Oscar nod. They perfectly recreate Tammy Faye's overly beautified visage (to put it charitably) on Chastain and convincingly age her and Garfield throughout the years. Nothing is amiss as Tammy Faye goes from college age to her fifties. D'Onofrio is unrecognizable as Falwell. The production design and cinematography create a gaudily oversaturated look for the Bakkers' mansion. It fits well with their inhabitants.

What about the actors? Chastain is convincingly earnest as Tammy Faye. There's some overacting but you'll believe what she says. Her chipper accent becomes lyrical when she voices her puppet characters. Garfield is fine as Jim as he goes from warm to cold. I only felt sympathy for him when Falwell publicly throws him under the bus during a press conference and when he and Tammy Faye reconcile when he's in prison. Havens and Jones give the best performances of the ensemble. Rachel starts off as Tammy Faye's "nothing you do's good for me" mother. But as she mellows out with age, you'll feel sorry for her once she's thrown out of the Bakkers' mansion.

I haven't seen the original documentary. But The Eyes of Tammy Faye is a decent place to start learning about its infamous subject. Don't expect it to give you the full story, though. It's not an audacious biopic but it's not a miserable one either. It's a good showcase for Jessica Chastain and a better one for the makeup department. It's ready to watch on physical and digital media any time now. It's a good way to spend two hours on a slow afternoon.

Coming 2 America

Behold! For once it was told of an African Prince who went to Queens, New York, America to find the woman of his dreams. A series of complications and eccentric characters came between him and his one true love. But he made through them a better man. Such a tale was told in the feature film Coming to America, and was told further in a sequel, Coming 2 America. We're a year late telling the tale, so let's begin...

Epic Narrator Tone Off...

Anyway, Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) of Zamunda and his Queen Lisa (Shari Headley) have been happily married thirty years with three daughters. King Jaffe (James Earl Jones) is on his deathbed, but he waits to die until the funeral. Before then, he tells Akeem that he has an illegitimate son with a legitimate claim to the throne. General Izzi (Wesley Snipes) of Nexdoria wants to cut through the line of succession by marrying his son Idi (Rotimi) to Akeem's eldest, Meeka (Kiki Layne). So, Akeem and his manservant, Semmi (Arsenio Hall) hop on the royal jet back to Queens.

His son Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler) brings his mom, Mary (Leslie Jones) back to Zamunda. Akeem tries to get his son accustomed to his royal birthright. Lavelle finds himself out of his element, but he does find romance with his royal groomer, Mirembe (Nomzamo Mbatha). An undeterred Izzi decides to have his daughter, Bopoto (Teyana Taylor) marry Lavelle. What's a royal heir to do?

The biggest obstacle of this sequel is its central premise. Specifically, that Lavelle was conceived by, basically, date rape. It treats Akeem as the wrongdoer while depicting him as inebriated. It's so hilarious except that it's not.

It still has some comedic value, though. King Jaffe's pre-funeral is audaciously funny, while Trevor Noah is hilarious as Zamunda News Anchor Totatsi Bibinyana. Lavelle shows some ingenuity when he's tasked to pluck some lion whiskers. Izzi's training regimen includes Dance Dance Revolution and shake weights. It's also hilariously perplexing to guess how old some of the already old bit characters from the first film (usually Murphy or Hall) are now. Hall's new role, the shaman Baba, highlights the hilariously exaggerated old age makeup here. These bit characters earned the film an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup just like the first film did. I have no complaints about that.

Murphy and Hall are good in any one of their roles. Akeem and Semmi, specifically, aren't unlikable together or apart. Akeem could've avoided much of the plot if he overhauled the laws of succession. But it's a simple mistake he rectifies. Lavelle's best scenes come from his relationship with Mirembe. General Izzi is a decent comedic villain. Meeka's arc is the best part of the story; it culminates in an epic battle with Izzi and his men.

I didn't have time for Coming 2 America when it debuted on Amazon Prime last March. Needless to say, I do now. It's an OK sequel, one glaringly unfunny issue aside, but I don't think it's a destined comedy classic like the first film. It's still a great makeup highlight reel much like that first film, though. It's still free after nearly a year on Prime. See it if you want.

The King's Daughter

 Once upon a time, there was - and still is - a movie studio called Paramount Pictures. They started production in 2014 on a fantasy adventure called The Moon and The Sun, based on Vonda N. McIntyre's novel of the same name. It seemed like a fantasy classic in the making. But Paramount suddenly decided to sit on it like a golden goose egg rather than let the public see the fruits of their labor. It found its way to Gravitas Pictures, who rebranded it as The King's Daughter, and they only recently released said fruits of labor.

How is it? 

One word: "Meh."

Our heroine is Marie-Josephe (Kaya Scodelario), an illegitimate daughter of King Louis XIV of France (Pierce Brosnan). She's spent her life living in a convent driving the nuns mad (side note: Julie Andrews is the narrator. Let the casting gag sink in.). Anyway, the "Sun King" summons her to Versailles for reasons. She likes it there until she finds someone ...

It turns out King Louis is keeping a mermaid in a cave. He wants to sacrifice her (Fan Bingbing) during an eclipse so his sun can never set. Marie-Josephe is the only one who can communicate with her. She discovers the mermaid's healing abilities firsthand. She's naturally horrified when she finds out Louis's intentions. She's also betrothed to a boring duke named Lintillac (Ben Lloyd-Hughes). Her heart is really with Yves De La Croix (Benjamin Walker), the man who fished out the mermaid. The two of them decide to free her. 

I must say that this is a dull cliche storm. There's literally nothing surprising with the plot and characters. Sure, Marie-Josephe reacts with shock once she learns of her parentage and betrothal. But you'll feel nothing for her.  Her betrothal seems like an afterthought for King Louis. A bunch of dialogue is a mountain of exposition. A good chunk of the prologue is spent with The King and not His Daughter.  It's not a good way to start.

The biggest problem is the mermaid. There's nothing wrong with her personality and her visual effects are adequate. But there's nothing about her. She's mute with some barely discernable telepathic dialogue. Marie-Josephe has to relay her thoughts and feelings. What could've been an interesting deuteroganist (I've read a summary of the novel, and she is so) is a plot device instead. Marie-Josephe and de La Croix's relationship is no adequate substitute. 

What else can I note? The only memorable bit of music is when De La Croix fishes out the mermaid. The violin theme so obviously like those in Pirates of the Caribbean. The mermaid's cave looks straight out of the Disneyland ride. Its overall visual effects aren't spectacular, but they aren't awful. There's also some decent location shooting at the actual Versailles. William Hurt is also on hand as the only interesting character, Pere La Chaise, the King's advisor who ends up helping Marie-Josephe free the mermaid.

Almost a decade of micromanagement hasn't been kind. Or maybe it wasn't good to begin with? The King's Daughter is a boring but short movie. A book about its making, as well as the actual source novel, sounds more interesting. Its story beats have been done better in other films. See those other films (like ET, Free Wily) instead. If you want a recent family film with a strong female protagonist, then you have to see Belle. You'll feel a lot more for its main character than anyone in this film.

Passing

Now for the other film I saw yesterday. The film is Passing, which Rebecca Hall adapted from Nella Larsen's 1929 novel for her directorial debut. It's got a lot to say in its 99 minutes.

It's the 1920s. Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) and Clare Bellew (Ruth Negga) are light-skinned Black women in New York. While both can pass for white, only Clare does so, married to the disgustingly casual racist John (Alexander Skarsgard). They meet again while dining in a hotel. The happy reunion sours when Irene grows a tad jealous over Clare able to sit pretty in a racist society. It gets worse when Clare decides to mingle with Irene and her family.

My description of John isn't hyperbole. He tells Irene about Clare's darkening skin complexion and how his term of endearment for her is something I'm not going to say. He casually tells Irene what he thinks of black people. It all leads to some awkward laughter for all. He doesn't need to do much to make the audience hate every bit of him from the word go. 'Less you think he's joking, he's not; the finale shows his berserk button smashed with full force once he realizes the truth. The finale is sure to get you talking over Clare's final fate.

Its leads are far more likable and sympathetic. They both try to navigate their racist society in their own ways. Their frustrations over their struggle to pass is palpable. We see Irene with suppressed anger over John's casual racism. But she still tries to shield her sons from the horrors of the racist South despite her husband Brian's (Andre Holland) insistence. She sees Clare and she thinks she has it easy. But it's not; we see her breakdown over this a few times. Her easy life is not a good way to live. They never lose their audience sympathy despite their final outcome.

Can you guess what colors Ret Turner designed the costumes in? Not with Eduard Grau's black-and-white cinematography, you can't. A red hat could've been yellow on set. The monochrome style helps hide Irene and Clare's complexions, and stomps on arbitrary ethnic divisions perfectly. The production design by Nora Mendis is most striking during the snowy finale. All in all, the technical crew is Irene and Clare's biggest ally in their struggle.

Passing is a stylish directorial debut with a captivating story. It's as relevant now as it was back then. A few controversies have only added to its relevance. Be prepared for its sudden finale. It not only lives up to its hype, but it needs more of it. You can add to it if you have Netflix. It's ready for you anytime.

The Lost Daughter

I doubled up movies today. They have quite a bit in common: both are on Netflix, are based on books, feature the directorial debut of a noted actress and are up for Outstanding First Time Director at the Directors Guild Awards.

The Lost Daughter is Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut, based on the 2006 novel by Elena Ferrante. I think it has the DGA First Time Director Award in the bag, given its recent Golden Globe nomination. But is it worthy of the top Oscars?

I don't know.

We find renowned academic Leda Caruso (Olivia Colman) on holiday in Greece. She's not much of a people person. But Nina (Dakota Johnson) and her daughter, Elena (Athena Martin), get her attention. She gets in their good graces when Elena is lost and found. But for whatever reason, Leda decides to hold onto Elena's dolly.

Meanwhile, we see flashbacks of her unhappy family life. She (Jessie Buckley) and her husband Joe (Jack Farthing) had two daughters and academic careers. But Leda struggled under pressure and sought solace with another man. She finds herself wondering if she made the right life choices.

Its pacing is its biggest drawback. Present Leda's holiday is somewhat uneventful. She inadvertently shares a bed with a cicada, finds some rotten fruit and deals with some unpleasant people time. A few instances, such as dealing with hecklers in a movie theater, are the only instances I sympathized with Present Leda. Its pacing was such that I thought it was fifty minutes before the Elena Lost and Found episode. Upon rewatch, I realized it was a more reasonable thirty minutes. Present Leda drags out the plot by holding onto dolly. Why?

Past Leda is better. "I'm suffocating," she says, under the pressure of family life. A lot of it is from having too much responsibility hoisted on her. We can understand her frustrations with her kids' loudness. She gets some fun time with her kids, though. A few nice moments too, such as when she tends to one of the girls' cut fingers. While she does leave Joe for Prof. Hardy (Peter Sarsgaard), it only adds to Present Leda's mounting issues.

Nina is a fine contrast to Present Leda. She has a happyish family life despite having an affair. She tells Present Leda that her husband won't take it well if he finds out. Her exact words are sure to shock you - just as it did me and Present Leda. The Grand Theft Dolly taxes her patience exponentially. It's made clear when she and Present Leda finally fall out. We sympathize with Nina's frustrations even if we don't agree with her method. 

This is a film that punishes waning attention spans. The Lost Daughter is sure to test them with its slow 121-minute plot and its double narrative. If anything, the flashbacks do a good job explaining its main character's unhappiness. That's no excuse for stealing the kid's doll, but even she recognizes her own flaws in the end. It's enough for one to not wish too much ill on her. It's ready on Netflix if you want to see what the awards hype is all about. I'm ambivalent on it. I don't know if you will be.

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania

Dracula and his spooky friends have a lot to adjust to in their fourth outing in the Hotel Transylvania. For starters, Adam Sandler is substituted as Dracula by Brian Hull, while his pal Frank goes from Kevin James to Brad Abrell. But you can barely tell the difference; the actors do that great a job.

More noticeable, however, is that this entry, subtitled Transformania, has forgone theaters in favor of Amazon Prime. It also substitutes director Genndy Tartakovsky for Derek Drymon and Jennifer Kluska. It's got some issues, but I can't hate it at all.

This time, Dracula plans to retire from the Hotel Transylvania and leave it to daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) and son-in-law Johnny (Andy Samberg). But word quickly reaches them, so Drac has to back-pedal and tell Johnny that he can't inherit the hotel because of "monster real-estate laws." So, Johnny visits Dr. Van Helsing to make him a monster. The Doctor makes a dragon out of Johnny with his new transforming wand. The wand can also humanize monsters, so Drac tries to humanize Johnny. But Drac accidentally humanizes himself and his pals, Frank, Griffin, Murray and Wayne.

The Macguffin Crystal that powers the wand is now broken. So, Johnny and Dracula are directed to South America to find a replacement. Hilarity ensues. What's not hilarious is that the monsterizing won't stop until Johnny is a mindless beast. So, Mavis and company join them to beat the deadline.

What are my issues with it? Its basic premise is too similar to the first movie. Both of them are about Dracula accepting Johnny as a family member. It's been ten years and he hasn't? Wayne's life with his absurdly numerous kids and his eternally expecting Wanda (Molly Shannon) has gotten old too. 

 And that's it, actually. Let's get to the positives.

The zany cartoon antics are as lively as ever. The facial expressions and slapstick are sure to get some chuckles. There are some funny gags involving the humanized monsters. Dracula and Johnny get some amusing father and son-in-law bonding time. They even bond over a loopy marshmallow analogy. There's plenty of kid-friendly action scenes for those who can't stand kiddy slapstick. Gigi, Van Helsing's literal guinea pig for his wand, makes for a funny threat. The finale turns it into an amusing shaggy dog story.

The spooky aesthetics are still appealing as ever. The best designs come from Ericka's (Kathryn Hahn), aka Mrs. Dracula's, airship, and the crystal cave where they end up. We even get a humorous gag when the CGI visuals go 2D; I'm not telling you when. 

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania promises to be the final outing for Dracula and his friends. Still, Johnny's dragon antics make him a news hero, so if the franchise continues, that's where it should check-in. It's sure to entertain kids and annoy serious adults. The plot is decent even if it's too familiar. I also didn't hate the cast of monsters or their human pals. It's only 87 minutes, so it should make for an easy home matinee any time.

The Tragedy of Macbeth

I've decided to add to my expenses an Apple TV+ subscription. I get the first three months free, so let's start right away with The Tragedy of Macbeth, in which Joel Coen, and not with Ethan, conjures up perhaps the spookiest rendition of Shakespeare's play. 

Macbeth (Denzel Washington) has just led the armies of Scotland to victory against the evil Thane of Cawdor. He and his pal Banquo (Bertie Carvel) meet three Witches (all Kathryn Hunter) who tell them some prophecies. Namely that Macbeth will be king, while Banquo's heirs will be kings. When good King Duncan (Brendan Gleeson) pays Macbeth a visit, Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand) tells him to make true the prophecy ...with regicide.

Macbeth is now King of Scotland and not a nice one. He decides to kill off anyone that'll get in his way. Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth becomes a guilt-ridden, sleepwalking mess. A few of the Witches' unlikely prophecies are about to come true ...

Subtle mood, thy won't find it here. The black-and-white cinematography by Bruno Delbonnel and production design by Stefan Dechant that would fit right with Nosferatu tell you what kind of film this is. Before all that, we hear the Witches' unnerving voices over a black screen with one word: When. That's when we also hear the first of Carter Burwell's haunting score, which is on this year's Oscar shortlist. The sound designers also amp up a few sound effects, like dripping water, to unsettling loudness.

Let's discuss everyone but Macbeth first. A highlight of the supporting cast is Hunter, whose three Witches act like they're really one. They even sound the same. Hunter's experience as a contortionist is used to great effect here. Stephen Root steals his one scene as the Porter of Castle Macbeth. Ross (Alex Hassell) seems the most uncertain with his lines, though his mannerisms were perfectly conniving. The two men who join Ross in killing Banquo (Scott Subiono and Brian Thompson) are surprisingly entertaining. Macduff (Corey Hawkins) has his best moments when Macbeth's slaughter of his household provokes his rage. 

Denzel Washington as Macbeth adds to his resume of charismatic villains. He's reluctant at first to speed up the line of succession, but when he does, it's a nightmarish sight. His paranoia frequently explodes in unsettling rage. His voice is fresh out of emotion once he realizes he's done. His Lady, meanwhile, is a vicious schemer, though her semi-heel face turn is a bit quick. That doesn't detract from her shouts of "Out! Damned Spot!"

The Tragedy of Macbeth seems shorter than its 105 minutes. It's not just because Coen trimmed down the text. That's true, but I also read the play before and saw Roman Polanski's version in High School. The text and production values result in an unforgettable claustrophobic thriller. I saw this on my phone but that was no detriment to its presentation. You might get to see it in theaters if you're lucky. At least Apple TV+ is not as expensive as a few other streamers...

Belle

Didn't I review this movie years ago?

On a titular basis, yes. 

But this Belle, Mamoru Hosoda's follow-up to his first Oscar nominated anime film, takes after Beauty and the Beast and The Matrix more than real life. What kind of film does that result in? A visually and emotionally appealing one. It's available in both English and Japanese screenings; either one is a great choice.

Suzu Naito (Kylie McNeil) used to sing with her mother as a kid. But then her mom died saving a kid from a raging river. She can't bring herself to sing until her best friend, the brainy Hiroka (Jessica DiCicco), comes in. Hiro invites Suzu onto U, a digital platform whose users biometrically sync up with their avatars. Suzu uploads a group photo, and it generates an avatar, Belle, mixing her and her popular classmate, Ruka (Hunter Schafer). Belle becomes the world's most popular digital superstar with Hiro as her "manager." 

One of her concerts is disrupted by a rough avatar referred to as The Dragon (Paul Castro Jr) with self-appointed "Justices" in pursuit. The top Justice, Justin (Chace Crawford), doesn't take kindly to "The Beast's" roughhousing in the U fighting arenas and wants to unmask him. Belle is intrigued by the heavily bruised Dragon and wants to appeal to him. But that would make Justin want to unmask her instead. How would the masses react to Belle being a mousy high schooler? Or has Suzu's time in the digital world made her stronger IRL?

The film opens with Suzu, already Belle, performing to adoring digital fans on a flying whale outfitted with speakers. These digital fans are CGI characters made to look 2D. It's an appealing and rarely obvious combination. Disney veteran Jin Kim designed Belle, who fits right in with the studio's princesses. U itself is a stunning digital world designed with help by the Irish studio Cartoon Saloon, who most recently did Wolfwalkers. 

These visuals are paired with an amazing soundtrack. Among the numerous names composing the score include Ludvig Forssell, Taisei Iwasaki, Yuta Bandoh and Daiki Tsuneta. The lyrical side also has Hosoda himself and Kaho Nakamura, who also voices Suzu/Belle herself in Japanese. Belle's four songs are thematically appropriate to the story itself. The opening number sells us on U being a digital paradise, while Belle's debut single is surly an appeal to her late mom. The others are, at least partially, appeals to The Dragon, who as it turns out, is an abused boy. The visuals paired with those two don't help one's composure.

But a few characters do. Hiro gets the best lines, while a few of the false Dragon leads prove amusingly pathetic IRL. Suzu goes to war with her classmates over a rumor in a scene which plays out as an online war game. She then gets to play matchmaker between Ruka and their dorky sportsman classmate, Shinjiro (Brandon Engman). Ruka, though popular, is no mean girl, which adds to her appeal. Another U popstar, Peggy Sue, is hilarious when she finds herself dethroned by Belle, but ultimately supports her. 

Suzu spends the movie coming out of her shell. We see her niceness throughout the film, but she proves herself strong when she stands up for The Dragon online and IRL. The Dragon only shows himself Beastly to Belle when she meets him in his castle. But we eventually get to see his soft side; maybe earlier, as he doesn't hurt Belle during his concert interruption. Their IRL meeting is nice, but one may question what happens next for him. Justin, meanwhile, abandons any likability when he beats up The Dragon's innocent AI familiars. It's a relief when his sponsors turn against him at the end. 

None of Belle's 124 minutes were ever boring. A bit confusing in places and rushed in others, but it's not too detrimental. It's got great characters with an excellent mixture of music and visuals. That mixture alone warrants the biggest screen possible. I'm sure that'll magnify its emotional story. It's a further case for distributing international animated films wider and wider. Or even a few more musical anime films. 

A few films I'm hoping will play locally are certain Oscar contender, Flee, and another anime, Pompo the Cinephile. When?

Don't Look Up

Comedy often works best when you don't dwell on pain too much. That explains why Mel Brooks said that "Tragedy is when I cut my finger; comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die." You'll understand the relevance of that quote as I discuss Adam McKay's satire, Don't Look Up. 

Hopefully ...

PHD Candidate Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) spots a comet with the Subaru Telescope. Her professor, Randall Mindy (Leonardo Dicaprio) calculates that it will smash into Earth in six months and two weeks. After that, goodbye to everything. There's just one problem: outside of the scientific community, nobody cares.

President Orlean (Meryl Streep) takes some interest in stopping the comet. But that goes out the window when evil rich man Peter Isherwell (Mark Rylance) tells her of the embarrassment of riches comprising the comet. Riches, need I remind you, are useless in a mass-extinction event. The baddies vilify Dibiasky and Mindy when they try to warn the public themselves. 

It's not so subtle about its messaging. It presents the general population as infuriating morons. Dibiasky and Mindy go on a morning show, whose anchors (Tyler Perry and Cate Blanchett), try to sugarcoat the coming apocalypse. Dibiasky's understandable breakdown gets her mocked on social media. The baddies abort their first and best chance to save the world right after launch. Their plan to mine the comet is a spectacular disaster. Our heroes attempt to save the world repeatedly fall on deaf ears. Its 138-minute runtime drags out the looming dread too long.

Is there any ray of sunshine? A few of the skewed priority gags, including those surrounding a controversial Supreme Court pick (Erik Parillo), were funny. Ron Perlman's here as Benedict Drask, pilot of the aborted mission, and one of the few characters outside the heroes' inner circle I didn't wish death on. The inner circle includes Yule (Timothee Chalamet), a cool skater dude who starts dating Dibiasky. Nicholas Britell's score adds some appropriate gravitas to the story. But the biggest ray of sunshine is that, as the mid-credits show, the baddies' attempt to save themselves is also a disaster.

Mindy and Dibiasky are ultimately the most sympathetic characters here. Sure, they're surrounded by sheeple and their overlords, but they find the Earth worth saving (so does the movie, as its use of natural stock clips suggests). You'll feel their frustration as they're ignored, vilified or worse. Orlean and her doofus son, Jason (Jonah Hill), seem reasonable despite their self-centeredness. But they show their true colors when Isherwell enters the picture. He's quite a creepy villain despite being seemingly awkward. Perhaps the most prominent of the numerous bit characters are pop stars Riley Bina (Arianna Grande) and DJ Chello (Scott Mescudi), who ultimately perform the Oscar-shortlisted Just Look Up.

Don't Look Up is supposed to satirize the response to climate change. But I'd think the common man is more adept with dealing with that than a planet-killing comet. It's quite a depressing comedy when you think about it. Actually, the film wants you to know that the end of the world isn't fine. Did it make its point rather well? Too well? Or not at all? You can find out for itself if you see it on Netflix.

The Matrix Resurrections

There are plenty of movies that I couldn't schedule for last year. So, let's get many of them this year. I'll start my movie year with The Matrix Resurrections, which sees series co-creator Lana Wachowski fly solo without her collaborator/sister, Lily, to continue the story they concluded in 2003. Let's see how it is.

Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) is the creator of The Matrix video game trilogy. Warner Bros wants him and his business partner (Jonathan Groff) to continue the story with a Matrix 4. Meanwhile, Mr. Anderson has trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality. It seems he's conflating his life with that of Neo, the hero of The Matrix trilogy. It turns out that he is indeed Neo, and his normal world is The Matrix itself.

The Matrix Revolutions seemingly ended with Neo sacrificing himself to free humanity from their machine overlords. But he and his love interest Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), who also died in that movie, are still alive. His old mentor Morpheus (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, substituting for Laurence Fishburne) and a few new rebel hackers free Neo's mind. Neo wants to free Trinity, who's now a married woman named Tiffany, too. His old human ally Niobe (Jada Pinkett-Smith) says no, while his analyst (Neil Patrick Harris) wants him plugged in again. His aforementioned business partner is actually his old nemesis Agent Smith (previously Hugo Weaving). It's not going to be easy for anyone.

Every time they talk about the in-movie video game trilogy is bluntly obvious metafictional commentary on the real film trilogy. How so? A few shallow-minded programmers have nothing useful to add to the new game beyond bullet time. The Merovingian (Lambert Wilson), a co-villain from Reloaded, is now a raving homeless man ranting about how sequels and remakes suck. I'm sure that Lana and her co-writers, David Mitchell and Aleksander Hemon, wrote the film as a huge take that to both mindsets. But their way to continue the series feels like running a mile after finishing a marathon. Its 148-minute runtime tries many a patience.

One of the new hackers, Bugs (Jessica Henwick), is the best of the new cast. She only saw Neo once when he, as Mr. Anderson, tried to jump off a building, which inspired her to free her mind. She and her fellow hackers are endearing as they gush over getting involved in Neo's story. Abdul-Mateen is a great substitute as Morpheus, while Groff is a decent new Smith. Harris is a warm presence as The Analyst, and an OK one when he turns out to be the true villain. Wilson's scene as The Merovingian is so bizarre, I forgot who he was until later. The makeup team that aged him and Pinkett-Smith did a great job here.

But the makeup team has to sit out on Oscar night. The Visual Effects and Sound teams, however, are deservedly shortlisted this year. There's plenty of action on the visual side, including bullet time and bullet stopping. There's also some stunning digital scenery, including a shot with Neo walking through a half-binary and half-real city. Cinematographers Daniele Massaccesi and John Toll should be commended for their alluring color palette here. The most memorable sound effects come from the creepy machines, including the Bots, who are inhuman sleeper agents. Johnny Klimek & Tom Tykwer's score sets a strong pace for the cyberpunk action.

Overall, The Matrix Resurrections is a groggy sequel to a dormant franchise. Its technical side is wide awake, but its storytelling is rusty. It's quite hard to continue a series after its original conclusion was conclusive. But I don't hate the film. It did inspire me to read up on the originals' philosophies. The first film's mix of philosophy and action was extraordinary back then and now. If this new film sparks some more interest in philosophy, then this "mindless sequel" isn't a total waste of time.

Licorice Pizza

I've got one more film review to get out before New Year's. So, let's go.

Paul Thomas Anderson's newest film, Licorice Pizza, takes its name from an extinct record store chain in Southern California. Southern California is where we find young acting pro Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman, son and dead ringer to his late dad, Philip Seymour) in 1973. He meets Alana Kane (Alana Haim) when she works as a photographer's assistant at his picture day. He asks her out - even though he's 15 and she's 25 - and stuff happens.

He decides to be a waterbed entrepreneur. Alana dates and breaks up with one of Gary's costars, then joins Gary in the waterbed business. The energy crisis puts them out of business. But they have one last job with eccentric producer Jon Peters (Bradley Cooper). Gary decides to go into the arcade business. Alana decides to volunteer with Joel Wachs's (Benny Safdie) mayoral campaign. They appear to be on different career paths. But eventually, they realize they're made for each other.

I might've described the whole film already ...

It challenges attention spans with its slow plot and 133-minute runtime. Think of it as a series of episodes chronicling what I guess is the summer of 1973. Gary gets arrested on suspicion of murder and is quickly cleared. Jon Peters threatens Gary and his family if Gary mucks up the waterbed job. He never follows through on that. A few celebrities - some with their names changed - appear throughout the story. Some standouts include Sean Penn as daredevil movie star Jack Holden, Christine Baranski as Lucille Ball Lucy Doolittle, and John C Reilly, whose voice gives him away as Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster. The only thread that matters is Alana and Gary.

It's a great thread as Hoffman and Kane are stellar in their film debut. They're both likable together and apart. He's an amiable kid chasing whatever trend catches his eye. She wants to find a higher calling, but she hasn't outgrown her childish temper ("You're always thinking things, you thinker!" she tells her sister). They have a few arguments over their differing tastes. But they do have a few good moments to bond. Their climactic run for each other takes a hilarious twist. It still ends nicely for them.

There are quite a few standout moments. We have Cooper's memorable performance as the hilariously creepy Jon Peters. A scene where Alana and Holden undertake a motorcycle stunt. There's the aforementioned climactic run for Alana and Gary. Or my personal favorite, when Gary and Alana navigate a gasless truck as it careens across L.A. Editor Andy Jurgensen perfectly keeps the suspense going in these moments, which are highlighted with seventies standards and a Jonny Greenwood score.

Overall, Licorice Pizza is a fine romantic comedy. One is sure to be offended by minor character Jerry putting on an "Asian" accent. Others may be alienated by the age gap romance. But rest assured as the romance is kept nice and chaste. You'll never question why these two are meant to be together. I found this a good film to finish off my really busy movie year. May the next year put me on my regular schedule.

Sing 2

It's time for more singing cartoon animals. Sing 2 arrives five years after the original made the box office do just that. Let's see how it is.

Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) the koala thrives with his troupe at the New Moon Theater. But he wants them to make it to Redshore City (Las Vegas, definitely Vegas). They go there themselves after they fail to impress a talent scout. They want to appeal to the big bad wolf boss Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale) himself. Crystal decides to fund Gunter (Nick Kroll) the ham's sci-fi show idea when he promises them Clay Calloway (Bono), a reclusive rock star. 

Now they need to find Calloway and get the show together. The troupe have their own issues to deal with. Rosita the sow, cast as the lead astronaut, is demoted and replaced by Crystal's vapid daughter, Porsha (Halsey). Johnny the Gorilla deals with a strict choreographer; he finds his own in Nooshy the street dancer. Meena the elephant deals with stage fright and a self-absorbed scene partner. Buster tries to appeal to Calloway, but Ash the porcupine has better luck. The deadline - and Crystal's patience - wears thin.

It doesn't start with a compelling set-up (i.e., saving the theater from closure, like in the first film). But once again, the animal cast and their subplots make it worth it. Let's take our villain, for example. Jimmy only acts tough to motivate Buster, but he's a nice guy, right? We see later he's deadly serious about making sure Buster fulfills his contractual obligations. Meanwhile, Porsha's a pleasant, albeit self-absorbed girl, who wises up at the end. These subplots all come together nicely when they perform the show, Out of this World. 

Once again, the soundtrack is filled with recognizable plot standards. Its use of Bad Guy by Billie Eilish is particularly amusing, given its use in the trailer for Dreamworks's The Bad Guys, which you'll more than likely see before the main feature. Clay's comeback singing I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For could've been stronger if it wasn't heavily featured in this film's own trailers. At least Bono and U2 have a new song, Your Song Saved My Life, an Oscar-shortlisted number which ends the film on a nice note.

Let's talk about the outstanding visual design. Redshore City is as alluring as the real Las Vegas; it's the next best thing to visiting Vegas right now. Rosita and Porsha swinging around on harnesses provides some stunning cinematography. The space effects in Out of this World feel like an IMAX movie on a normal screen (guess it helps having a front row seat). The sets and costumes for the show are wonderfully surreal. 

Sing 2 is a harmless family film if one wants a matinee with the kids. There's plenty of slapstick and seriousness throughout its 110 minutes. It'll entertain adults too as long as they don't overthink it. I overthought it at first but then I had fun with it. It's a lot better than being cooped up in the house all day. It's a good way to liven up a rainy day or otherwise slow day. See it soon and you might agree with me.

Being the Ricardos

 Jethro, you've got some 'splainin to do!

Do I?

OK, I can tell you about why I think the sky is blue, why the Earth is round (and why anyone who disagrees with that doesn't know what they're talking about) and why Being the Ricardos is a good choice on Amazon Prime. But since this is a movie blog, I'll talk about the last thing.

Ayi, yi, yi...

Aaron Sorkin's third film as writer-director chronicles a week in the life of that pioneering TV sitcom, I Love Lucy, and its stars, Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem). Among other issues, Lucy's past with the Communist Party is front page news, as is Desi's extra-homelife activities; both deal with executives who won't let them write her real-life pregnancy into the show and they try to fine-tune this week's script. Meanwhile, flashbacks show how they met and got I Love Lucy started. Flashforwards show scenes from the show itself (re-enacted by this movie's cast, of course), as well as documentary-style interviews with the head writers. It sounds like a lot to take in but it's actually simple.

Let me start by highlighting the stars. Bardem and Kidman play Desilu rather well. They're a decade older than them during Lucy's second season, but they've got the speech patterns down. They've got great chemistry together; separately, they're charismatic people instead of wooden characters. There are some great highlights of their pre-Lucy days. We see a writer try to egotize Desi, only for Desi to forcibly rebuke him. A later flashback shows how hard Lucy fought to get him cast in the show.  So, it's a bummer when the only piece of epilogue is that they divorced in 1960.

The MVP of the ensemble is JK Simmons, as co-star William Frawley (Fred Mertz), a cantankerous old man who starts the movie by arguing with Vivian Vance (Nina Arianda), playing Ethel, over something. His rivalry with her is mainly played for laughs. His bickering with all is audaciously funny. He gets to show his warmer side as he sympathizes with Desi's plight in Cuba. Vivian, meanwhile, gets a few good scenes to bond with Lucy herself.

Being the Ricardos is a distillation of Desilu's lives. Let's just say everything that happens here did not happen in one week. It's still interesting enough to inspire one to catch a few episodes, especially the one they film here. The last time I saw an episode was a few years ago; that one guest starred Superman! It's especially fun to watch the TV filming week play out. I liked it better on my second time watching it. It's free on Prime, so watch it as many times as you want. 

Spider-Man: No Way Home

I wasn't thrilled when I realized a lot of films on my docket are two and a half hours. As in, one after the other after the other. But Spider-Man No Way Home is a film that earns its excessive time length (That, and Dune). There's so much to talk about here that I don't know if I can sum its plot in a few paragraphs.

I'll try ...

It starts immediately where Far from Home ended, when Peter Parker (Tom Holland) was forcibly outed by Mysterio (Jake Gylenhaal) and fringe newsman J. Jonah Jameson (JK Simmons) as being Spider-Man. He's also framed for Mysterio's untimely demise. The good news is that lawyer Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) cleared his name in legal court. The bad news is that the Court of Public Opinion is after him. No College even wants him or his pals, Ned (Jacob Batalon) and MJ (Zendaya). So, he decides to get Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to magic away everyone knowing his secret identity. But it goes wrong when he tries to get Strange to make exceptions for the spell.

How wrong? A few characters from other dimensions - other Spider-Man movies - show up. Otto Octavius/Dr. Octopus (Alfred Molina) and Norman Osborn/Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) show up first, followed by Flint Marko/Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), Max Dillon/Electro (Jamie Foxx) and Curt Connors/The Lizard (Rhys Ifans). Strange tasks Peter and friends to find them and send them back. Otherwise, a whole lot more people from across the multiverse will show up. 

Peter isn't happy knowing that some of them will die fighting their versions of Spider-Man. So, he decides to cure them of their problems. A few of the villains don't want to be depowered either. Peter has to stop them before they take over his world ... or the multiverse cracks apart. He's got help, including two of him (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield), for this mission.

A lot easier than I thought ...

It's probably easier because the past villains of each dimension know about each other. They easily fill in this Peter - and the unfamiliar in the audience - about each other's fates. They all have great chemistry, not just as villains, but as people blessed with suck. Doc Ock and even Osborn are particularly sympathetic men driven mad, while Sandman is the token good teammate. It's easy to understand why Peter would want to help them. Even when Electro, Lizard and Green Goblin (there's a reason why I listed him twice) prove loose cannons.  That's just one way the story recontextualizes Spidey's classic creed - with great power comes great responsibility. The finale upends Spidey's life quite spectacularly.

Now for the Spider-Men. The main Spidey is still likable in-and-out of the suit. His biggest flaw, throughout his solo movies, is misguided goodness, which has tragic consequences this time. Then again, being forcibly outed like that isn't good for one's self-esteem. There's still some humor in his public secret, but you'll feel the tension just as much. The other two Spideys get some decent closure for their timelines mentoring the younger hero. Still, with all the Spideys, it was hard to tell who's who during the climactic battle.

The Oscar-shortlisted Visual Effects team visualize eerie magic and spectacular web-slinging. One of their greatest tricks is de-aging Molina to his 2004 self. Their greatest is de-aging Dafoe a few decades too; I had no idea he was digitally de-aged until I read up some more after the film. Their digital fountain of youth is seamless. Sandman lives up to his name and is spectacular now as he was in 2007. Electro apparating is another visual spectacle - and the creepy sound effects justifies why its Sound team is also shortlisted for Oscar notice. Let's not forget another rousing score by Michael Giacchino, which didn't get Oscar shortlist notice. Oh well.

Spider-Man No Way Home is a good motivation to get thee to the cinema. It's an epic superhero story which perfectly weaves together three separate cinematic timelines. It's a great coda for the earlier two timelines and a strong finale for this trilogy. Who knows if and when this Spidey will get another movie? I'd like to see some follow-up to the ending. But I can wait.

Anyone waiting for follow-up to Let There Be Carnage's mid-credit scene will get it in this movie's mid-credit scene. It's not much, but still enough, as we see Venom will be indirectly involved in the MCU. Somehow. Stay through the credits to get an actual trailer for Dr. Strange's next movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. If you're lucky, you'll get a trailer for Spidey's next animated movie, Spider-Man Across the Spiderverse (Part One).

Nightmare Alley

After Kaiju & Ghosts & Demons & Fishmen, Guillermo del Toro deals with human terrors in Nightmare Alley. William Lindsey Gresham's novel previously haunted the screens in 1947. This new film is ready to haunt your Christmas movie season now.

It's 1939, shortly before World War II kicks off. Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) burns a wrapped-up corpse and his house down before leaving to seek his fortune. He takes a bus all the way to a traveling carnival. Owner Clem Hoatley (Willem Dafoe) hires him as a carny. Stanton meets Zeena and Pete (Toni Collette and David Strathairn), a psychic act who operate on a coded system. He turns their clairvoyance into his hustle when he bluffs a sheriff into not shutting them down. He then elopes with Molly (Rooney Mara), who electrocutes herself in her act, and we go to part two:

It's now 1941, and the War has come for the US. Stanton and Molly take their psychic act to Chicago. One night, he meets Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett), a psychiatrist who sees through his act. Nevertheless, she decides to join him in conning rich men. One such rich man is Ezra Grindle (Richard Jenkins), who'd like nothing more than to meet the ghost of his first love. Pete previously warned Stanton about the unpredictability of "spook shows." But Stanton thinks he can manage it. He's wrong, of course.

Del Toro wrote the screenplay with his now-wife, Kim Morgan. They introduce Stanton right as he commits his arson. Whose body he burns is silently established in a flashback and verbally explained in the second half. He doesn't even speak his first line until about fifteen minutes in. That's when he tries to coax the carnival's geek out of hiding. What's a geek? The film answers that in gory detail. The first half sets up the tricks to Stanton's trade, which pay off spectacularly in the second half. Pay attention, as Clem also sets up Stanton's final fate.

Let's talk about Stanton in further detail. The whole film is his rags to riches to rags again story. Cooper's performance makes him perfectly charismatic and amoral. His conversations with the geek and his clients show that he has some humanity. Is it genuine humanity? I don't know, but I bought into his nice guy act. But he's still a con man with a hidden violent side. His fatal flaw is his overestimating himself, and it surely is fatal. 

Now for a few more characters. Blanchett as Ritter is a formidable femme fatale. She spends the movie outconning the conman and the payoff is brutal. Jenkins as Grindle whose good nature gives way to his own violent side. Ms. Kimball (Mary Steenburgen), one of Stanton's clients, has the absolutely worst interpretation of a "seance" with her dead son. Molly is one of the few good characters in this bleak world. Perhaps the most sympathetic is the geek (Paul Anderson), a "feral beast" who is actually a drunken wreck of a man. It's also good to see Ron Perlman here, playing Bruno the Strongman.

Nightmare Alley's nightmarish world is conjured up by production designer Tamara Deverell and cinematographer Dan Laustsen. There are some creepy locales like the carnival, Ritter's office and the garden where the big spook job takes place. A haunted house truly looks like another dimension. Stanton dreaming himself inside his burning house, and his actual leaving that house, defines eerie. There's some strong makeup work for the carnival freaks & geek, as well as Stanton's evolving appearance. Nathan Johnson's score accompanies the creepiness rather well.

I bet you can tell that Nightmare Alley isn't family friendly. It's also rather long at 150 minutes. Despite some lulls, it's still a compelling story of an amoral man undone by his hubris. I can see why del Toro thought this nightmare was right up his alley. Anyone looking for a visually stunning thriller this holiday season will get their money's worth here. Anyone looking for something friendlier should look elsewhere in their neighborhood. I'm sure you've got options. 

Maybe something rather obvious...

The Power of the Dog

 The Power of the Dog?! 

What dog? There's nothing there!

Actually, Baxter, that's a reference to Psalm 22:20 and it appears at the very end. When did you tune out?

An hour.

.... 

Now that I've explained the title, let's explain the movie.

In 1925, Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Burbank (Jesse Plemmons) are cowboys with their own Ranch in Montana. One day, they stop at an Inn for food and relaxation. George falls for the widowed innkeeper, Rose Gordon (Kirsten Dunst). Phil doesn't take kindly to her or her awkward son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee). It gets worse when George and Rose get married. Phil decides to take out his frustrations on her, which drives her to drink. But he and Peter take a mutual liking to each other. Phil decides to teach his new nephew the ways of the cowboy. It doesn't end well for him.

Jane Campion (The Piano) wrote and directed this take on Thomas Savage's novel. The film's more interested in character development than plot, which unfolds for 125 minutes. During which, we see Rose's alcoholism, Peter's morbid interests and George being there. Phil spends the plot taunting and mocking Rose. But his antagonism is quietly squashed before it culminates in a violent confrontation. We also get to understand why Phil is the way he is. It does an excellent job at spreading out clues towards his final fate. We're left wondering if it was a just one, too.

Let's talk about the cast. Cumberbatch perfectly plays Phil as a repressive Jerk. He's caustic towards people, but tender in private, especially when he brings up his late mentor, Bronco Henry. Smit-McPhee as Peter is no mere awkward pushover. Their relationship makes the second half a compelling one. Plemmons is OK as the nice George, but he's absent for a large chunk of the film. Dunst as Rose is a good woman trying to find her place in her new husband's household. Among which is Lola (Thomasin McKenzie), a servant with a surprising underreaction to Peter's dissection of a rabbit.

The technical stars of the film are Ari Wegner's cinematography and Jonny Greenwood's score. Wegner captures some astounding New Zealand (standing in for Montana) landscape imagery here. She also captures imposing closeups of its emotionally troubled characters. Greenwood's unnerving score accentuates the film's emotional conflicts rather well. Editor Peter Scibberas helps set up Phil's final fate with some telling cuts. One will understand what happened even if the characters can't.

The Power of the Dog's slow story might turn off first time viewers. But if you give it a second try, which is easy since it's on Netflix, you'll get some subtleties you missed. Its strong characterization makes up for its lack of an apparent plot. Overall, it's an interesting western; it's easy to see why it's the frontrunner for the next Best Picture Oscar. See it now and you may agree with the hype.

Or not.

West Side Story

 Now for the most anticipated remake nobody knew they wanted ...

West Side Story, also known as "Romeo and Juliet in New York City," was previously filmed in 1961 by Robert Wise and the show's original director, Jerome Robbins. That film, of course, won ten Oscars, including Best Picture. The new film by Steven Spielberg should look forward for a few Oscars of its own in March.

In 1957, the white Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks are rival street gangs fighting in New York. Their neighborhood is established right away as the site of the future Lincoln Center. In the meantime, Jet leader Riff (Mike Faist) decides to set up a final "rumble" with Shark leader Bernardo (David Alvarez). Riff wants his best pal, Tony (Ansel Elgort), to rumble with him. But he doesn't want to break his parole after he nearly killed someone in his last rumble. Still, Tony decides to go to a local dance. That's where he meets Maria (Rachel Zegler), Bernardo's sister.

Tony and Maria fall for each other pretty quickly. Unfortunately, Bernardo is now amenable for the rumble. Maria hopes that Tony can persuade both sides not to do it. But just like Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers, it doesn't end well. 

The screenplay by Tony Kushner reworks Arthur Laurents' libretto considerably. Stephen Sondheim's lyrics are intact but plenty of the original spoken dialogue was rewritten. The main characters get strong new backstories. This helps us see how unpleasant the gang war is. One supporting character, Doc the grocer, is replaced with his widow, Valentina (Rita Moreno). Moreno won an Oscar for the first film as Bernardo's girlfriend, Anita, now played by Ariana DeBose. So, her coming to Anita's rescue when the Jets harass her is cathartic. These changes and more help its 156 minutes go by quickly. 

Now for that ensemble. Elgort as Tony takes some getting used to. His singing is a bit flat, but you'll feel it when he gets emotional. Zegler's Maria is a triumphant film debut, perfectly giddy when she feels pretty and despondent in the finale. DeBose's Anita is initially optimistic about her being in America. But that's destroyed when Bernardo dies. As for Bernardo, Alvarez is a good man whose hot bloodedness is his downfall. Faist as Riff is full of pent-up rage. Meanwhile, Anybodys (Iris Menas), an aspiring Jet, makes the most of his minimal screentime. Chino (Josh Andres Rivera), the hypoteneuse of Maria and Tony's love, is a likable guy with a tragic ending.

Leonard Bernstein's iconic score was adapted by David Newman. It gets going great when the opening prologue takes us on a tour, photographed by Janusz Kaminski, of a desolate construction site. Editors Michael Kahn & Sarah Broshar show the Jets as they steal supplies to commit vandalism with. They help, rather than obscure, Justin Peck's elaborate choreography, not to mention the violence. Paul Tazewell's costume designs give the Jets and Sharks a muted, but still colorfully distinctive wardrobes. Let's not forget production designer Adam Stockhausen for recreating New York as it was.

Despite some flaws, 1961's West Side Story told a compelling musical story about the dangers of hate. So, it was surprising to hear it was going to be remade. Not anymore. Its revised script is a captivating new take on the famous story and its Shakespeare ancestor. You're never bored as you wait for the next song to happen. I don't know if it'll follow its originator to the Best Picture Oscar, but if it does, that's fine by me. It's really one of the best films of the year. See it as quickly as possible on the biggest screen you can find.

House of Gucci

We now get to Ridley Scott's second film of the 2021 Oscar season. This is House of Gucci, rewritten from Sara Gay Forden's nonfiction book by Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna. I found this more interesting than I thought it would be ... some issues notwithstanding.

In 1978, Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) marries Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver), heir to the Gucci fashion empire. His father, Rodolfo (Jeremy Irons), disapproves but not his uncle, Aldo (Al Pacino). Patrizia decides to play Lady Macbeth for her and Maurizio's sake. That involves tricking Aldo and his loser son, Paolo (Jared Leto), into signing away pretty much all their shares. Maurizio, once a promising law student, now becomes a corrupt mogul. Meanwhile, Patrizia makes friends with a TV psychic, Pina (Salma Hayek). They decide to take care of Maurizio when he threatens to divorce her. 

Its pileup of corporate and financial betrayals lasts for 158 minutes. Other bits include Paolo outing Aldo for Tax Fraud, Patrizia sicking the copyright police on Paolo, Maurizio cheating on Patrizia with a friend, Paola (Camille Cottin), and Maurizio heading for Switzerland to avoid arrest. This makes for a wacky soap opera season. It's fun to see it pile up despite its massive length. But it often plays its hijinks seriously as much as it goes over the top. One must remember it's a film where a TV psychic helps plot a murder. 

Theoretically, this cast is fine. Driver, Pacino, Irons and Hayek fit their parts like well-worn Gucci suits. Gaga as Patrizia is great as a scheming Lady Macbeth type; however, the film seems to flip-flop later whether she's that or the forgotten wife of a scheming suit. Some folks have questioned her accent, but it's subtle compared to Leto as Paolo. I rarely took any of his scenes seriously thanks to his over-the-top accent and mannerisms. A notable exception is when Rodolfo lambasts his gaudy fashion designs; his dejection is pitiable. But overdubbing his anguished cries when the copyright police strike with a car horn is unintentionally hilarious. He's Fredo Corleone if The Godfather was a Saturday Morning Cartoon.

Those aforementioned Gucci suits are recreated by costume designer Janty Yates. They make part of a memorable fall lineup that includes Paolo's gaudy fashion and Patrizia's extremely formal attire. A strong makeup team convincingly ages Lady Gaga nearly twenty years and renders Leto unrecognizable as Paolo. Production Designer Arthur Max and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski do a fine job of recreating the Guccis' fashionably sterile world. There's also a score by Harry Gregson-Williams, but there's a more memorable selection of oldies on the soundtrack, including some opera.

House of Gucci makes for a long soap opera episode. It's also a serious drama about the corrupting power of wealth. A few characters act like they're in one or the other. The Gucci brand is out of my price range, but its dysfunctional family story is easy to buy into. See it for yourself if you agree. Just be prepared for that massive length; there's several more films of that size to get through this year.