Staff Movie Reviews

Dr. Strange is an intriguing character in the Marvel universe, a place dominated by people of science.   In his first movie, I saw effects that wouldn’t belong in any other Marvel movie.  That is even more so in the sequel Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Marvel has spun off into streaming shows, the first of which was Wandavision featuring the Scarlet Witch.   If you haven’t seen the show, you’re going to behind the story in Dr. Strange though not completely lost.  Just a heads-up.

The multiverse is essentially parallel worlds each with its own variation of the characters.  Teenage America Chavez has the unique ability to travel between these worlds, and because of this others want her power to further their own needs.  The good doctor takes it upon himself to protect her and stop the antagonist.

I heard this movie was going to be the first Marvel horror movie, and while it isn’t right out scary, there are some horrific moments.  The way shots are lined up, the iconography, and the fate of some characters definitely borrow from that genre.  Directed by Sam Raimi, who also did Evil Dead and the Tobey Maguire Spider-man movies, this outing shows the former’s influence as he brings you to the dark side of characters.   The movie is still PG-13 and mostly fine for the younger audience.

The plot follows the Marvel formula of action/drama/comedy though with a heavier fixture on character decisions in regards to Strange and the Scarlet Witch.  With some heroes like Captain America, the path is clear and there’s not a lot of moral dilemma.  However, Strange sometimes makes controversial decisions, making him more complex.  In contrast, very little is known about America Chavez.  For a living plot device, she takes a backseat in development.

Despite not being as outstanding or well-paced as other Marvel movies, Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has a unique feel and offers something different.  That may just be enough.

~ Mark

Disney is not exactly known for taking risks.  If something works, they keep at it so if one villain origin story proves successful, why not another?  Hence, we found ourselves from Maleficent to Cruella.

Right away, Disney draws in familiar characteristics.  Emma Stone plays Estella, an orphaned girl born with black and white hair and bearing the nickname Cruella.  Estella finds herself on the streets and joins up with two young thieves her age, Jasper and Horace.  Together, they make a living by stealing until Estella gets her dream job at a high fashion department store.  Well, it's a custodial job, but it does lead to a job working for the Baroness, a high powered designer herself.  Under the stern and selfish Baroness, played by Emma Thompson, Estella designs, schemes, and learns about her past all in 70’s era London complete with period music.   

The movie feels long at times, and with its limited locations and sets, I felt my attention occasionally drifting.  As usual, Emma Stone is delightful to watch a sshe changes into her alter ego, and Emma Thompson adds an appropriate wickedness that makes her even darker than Cruella.  The often drab settings are punctuated by colorful dresses, highlighting the theme of fashion.  There are a few twisty plot points that revitalize the story which is sometimes in danger of dragging.

Cruella works to blend light humor and darker material as well it should.  The movie doesn’t need to be a serious drama yet an edge is necessary to talk about a person who eventually wants to skin dalmations.  The comedy comes often from Horace, one of Estella's partners in crime, and his small dog Wink.  Their playfulness, however, can come across as grating and forced. 

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the original 101 Dalmations so I can’t say how well this prequel fits its predecessor.  Cruella is a tricky story to tell and one I enjoyed but probably not so much as others did.  If you’re interested, then it is worth checking out.

~ Mark

Freaky is the latest entry in the body-swapping genre.  You know, like in Freaky Friday when a teenage girl swapped bodies with her mother and hilarity ensued?  In this case, it’s a teen switching with a serial killer played by Vince Vaughn.

The movie plays with familiar horror tropes to fair effect.  It opens with several teens being offed in true slasher fashion.  The killer comes across an ancient dagger in an art collection, and pockets it for himself.  The next day we are introduced to Millie (Katheryn Newton), an everyday teen dealing with bullies, college on the horizon, and the memory of her deceased dad.  When the killer tries to use the dagger on Millie, they wake up the next day in each other’s bodies.  From then on is Milie’s journey of getting back to normal while dealing with interpersonal issues and inhabiting the body of a large, unhygienic man. 

The comedy doesn’t really crank up until the morning after the incident when Mille wakes up in a dirty bed surrounded by bizarre mannequins and taxidermied animals.   As the killer discovers his surroundings in Millie’s feminine room and body, I was at a loss regarding the story’s direction.  Are we going to get to know the killer as a person or is he just a plot device?  It turns out it’s the latter, and while Newton employs a creepiness in her actions, it’s hard to feel too interested in the killer’s scenes when you know there is no real arc for the character to go through.  The main joy is seeing how the killer deals with the problematic people in Millie’s life in ways that don’t skimp on the violence.  

Watching Vince Vaughn parade around like a teenage girl wasn’t as endearing as I may have thought.  You do get a glimpse of the goofy roles he once had about 15 or so years ago.   The initial introduction to Mille before the swap felt somewhat rushed so it’s hard to say if Vaughn is actually portraying the character or just a teenage girl in general.  He was far more interesting to watch as the killer since it is an unlikely role for him, and his height of 6’ 5 adds to the killer’s dominating presence.  I wanted to know more about this character.

Freaky adequately blends horror with comedy yet not always smoothly.   The tone sometimes feels uneven, and in some scenes I wasn’t sure how the director wanted me to feel.   There are points of character growth for Millie that felt forced and implausible, which prompts the audience to further stretch their suspension of belief during these hammered scenes.

If you’re a horror fan or  a comedy fan who doesn’t mind gore, Freaky is a sufficient meal though you probably won’t be asking for seconds. 

~ Mark

 Martha Marcy May Marlene is about a young women who leaves a cult after two years and the trauma it has on her social skills.   It’s a simple premise for a rather simple story though its implications aren’t quite as straightforward. 

The movie begins with Martha (Elizabeth Olsen) setting a table.  It switches to a group of men quietly eating together while the women wait in the other room and then only eat when the men are gone.  This immediately clues the viewer in on a misogynistic religious setting.  Very early on, Martha runs out and contacts her estranged sister.  The rest of the movie alternates between Martha’s life in the cult and her first days with her sister and brother-in-law.  While at her sister’s home, she exhibits paranoia and poor judgment on social boundaries, putting a strain on their relationship. 

The cult reminded me of the Manson family with the leader, Patrick, analogous to Charles Manson.  Patrick is charming, plays guitar, and dominates his female followers who appear hypnotized into performing his whims.  You can see how Martha is taken advantage of and brainwashed. 

I was more interested in how the cult operated then Martha’s obstacles in societal re-entry, perhaps because the latter went about as I would expect.   The movie’s appeal is in tension, not surprise.  It would have been more interesting to see the long term effects of the cult on Martha.  I think everyone would know the first few days would be rough, but for how long would it stay that way?  The movie gave too short a time frame for me to really feel the extent of Martha’s trauma, and the ending, while satisfying, was too quick for my liking.  

Overall, Martha Marcy May Marlene is a decent study on the possible harm of religion and false leaders and an adequate character piece though the latter is too short term to achieve its emotional best.  (It also helps not to give the movie a name one’s tongue can trip over when trying to tell a friend about it.)

~ Mark

I was excited when PBS announced the show was going to air in early 2020, and I was not disappointed in the content or presentation.  Since  the events took place almost 70 years ago, the individuals involved could not be interviewed directly, narration, historians, political experts, members of the media, and actual footage tell the story of Joe McCarthy.  The presentation was not biased and the producers did not make any commentary about the political environment at the time of the show's original airing.  I found the show to be a good primer into the public and political fears of the early 1950’s.

McCarthyism: defamation of character or reputation by means of widely publicized indiscriminate allegations, especially on the basis of unsubstantiated charges.

The show chronicles the rise and fall of Joe McCarthy, a senator from Wisconsin who served from 1947 – 1957.  It is a comprehensive look at how Joe gained power and focuses on his chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Government Operations which included the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.  This subcommittee was the vehicle through which McCarthy, (he appointed himself as chairman) attacked and ruined the lives of many Americans he accused, without any evidence, of being communists among other charges. The beginning of McCarthy’s downfall was his attack on the US Army after it was revealed that he and his chief counsel Roy Cohn had arranged for preferential treatment of a close friend of Cohn’s, G. David Schine, who had also been a former aide to McCarthy himself.

One of the important things mentioned is the person of Roy Cohn, who McCarthy had appointed as Chief Counsel to his subcommittee.  After the censure of McCarthy and his unfortunate passing due to alcoholism (cirrhosis of the liver), Cohn returned to NYC to practice law.

 Cohn later became a mentor to Donald Trump and was his attorney starting in 1971, (as well as other famous New Yorkers including crime figures Tony Salerno and John Gotti). Cohn is credited with teaching Trump the tactic of spreading mistruths at loud volumes. More precisely: if you say something long enough and loud enough, people will believe it to be the truth even if what you are saying is not true at all. 

  Not mentioned in the show but two interesting bits of history:

• Arthur Miller wrote the book “The Crucible” as an allegory of the witch hunts of McCarthyism.  Written about the Salem MA witch trials, it allowed Miller to escape the wrath of McCarthy.  

• The movie “High Noon”, a western in which a sheriff is the only person to stand up to bandits, is also an allegory of the McCarthy time.

From a local perspective to show how the tentacles of McCarthyism were long and far reaching:  In the spring of 1975, Mrs. Barbara Kahn, an English teacher at Alvirne High School, during her commencement address to the graduating seniors, told her story about how McCarthy had destroyed her family’s life, and the career of her husband.

Click here to watch the documentary online.

If you would like to learn more about McCarthyism a good book to read as an unofficial companion to the show is “Demagogue” by Larry Nye.  It weighs in at over 600 pages and was written with unfettered access to McCarthy’s papers and records with the blessing of his family.

~ Duane

While browsing for a movie to stream, I remembered hearing positive reviews about The Wicker Man and wanted to see if it holds up to a modern audience.  

Sergeant Howie receives an anonymous letter saying that a girl on a remote Scottish island is in danger and goes by himself to look into it.  As a strict, devout Christian, he immediately feels out of place among the liberal pagans.  There is a constant buildup of tension as Howie navigates the mysterious answers he gets to his inquiries.  He eventually faces down the island’s leader, Lord Summerisle, played by the always imposing Christopher Lee who considers this one of his best movies. 

The Wicker Man runs at about 90 minutes, which keeps the story lean and fast-paced.  I was immersed in the constant tension and eerie yet sublime atmosphere. With its lack of an overt supernatural presence and its unexpected musical numbers (there are a few), the story is more of a creepy mystery than a flat-out horror offering, though not without its disturbing elements and imagery.

Does the movie hold up to a modern audience?  Yes.  Quite so.  Though modern society relies on technology, it’s feasible to believe that there is somewhere a setting like this “unplugged” island even today. The production does feel dated as the clothing and hairstyles show this as 70’s cinema.  The cinematography and the tone border are similar to that of its religious-centered horror contemporaries such as The Omen and Rosemary's Baby.  However, it’s straightforward narrative and insight into humanity’s religious inclinations adds a timeless element.  

~ Mark

“This film is a dramatization inspired by actual events.”

That’s how Bombshells begins. The movie follows three female journalists and how they deal with sexual harassment while working for Fox News. The main culprit is executive James Aisles played by John Lithgow. Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie give very credible performances as victims, each at a different point of her career. 

If you’ve seen Theron, Kidman, or Robbie in other movies, you know what to expect: quality performances.  Of particular note is Theron as Megyn Kelly, who transformed herself so well physically and emotionally that I didn’t recognize her at first.  Robbie plays Kayla, an aspiring anchor who gets subjected to what the other two already experienced. It is through her eyes that we see what they went through to rise in the news ranks.  It’s mostly the character of Gretchen Carlson (Kidman) and her push for justice that opens up the doors for everyone else to come forward.

Recent political events may heavily impact what you take from this movie.  To me, it felt skewed to a Democratic point of view.  Your own political opinions will almost certainly determine how you feel about the film.  Overall, I recommend it.   If you enjoy other movies like this, I strongly suggest The Post (see my review) or The Big Short.  

~ Mark

As a David Fincher fan, I was excited to see his next movie.  If you don’t know him, he’s the director behind acckaimed movies such as Gone Girl, The Social Network, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.   When I heard Mank was coming to Netflix, my reaction was “A new David Fincher movie?  Where do I sign up?”

Mank showcases true-life alcoholic writer Herman Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) as he works on the script for Citizen Kane while bedridden.   It sounds more mundane than it is.  Thankfully, there are flashbacks where we see Mank walking around Hollywood, interacting with big names of the times.

The movie is filmed in black-and-white, and title cards are written in script format to emulate that old-timey feel.  Some may be turned off by this artsy approach as Mank doesn’t seem to be intended for mass appeal.  It relies heavily on history and politics.  Characters will talk about others in a manner that without context, can be confusing to follow.  I was constantly tempted to reference the Internet to fill my ignorance, and had I known the real-life characters I would have gotten more out of the film.

Oldman’s performance is, as usual, engaging.  Over the course of the movie his character is realized not as much by his actions but by his interactions with others.  The dialogue, which is constantly witty and filled with clever turn of phrases, is one of the highlights.  Mank is a writer and speaks in a literary manner giving the scenes a poetic resonance. 

I had mixed feelings by the time the credits came because I felt there was so much more going on than I could grasp.  To get the most out of Mank, one should have an appreciation for the film industry and its history.  This limits the audience, but if you have such an appreciation then this will be a pleasantly rare picture to watch.

~ Mark

Adam Sandler is known for the occasional dramatic role with positive results.  Watching Uncut Gems reminded me how good he can be.   

Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a New York jeweler with a gambling addiction.  He acquires a rare black opal from Ethiopia with the hope that selling it will help him clear his debts and get his life on track.  The people in his way?  An NBA player, his romantic relationships, debt collectors, and ultimately himself.   Ratner acquires the opal early on, and most of the movie is him trying to keep it in his possession so he can offer it up for auction.   Unfortunately, he isn’t the most likeable man.  He can be selfish and ill-tempered.  At times, you feel that he deserves what he gets.  He’s more of an interesting character as opposed to a straight good guy, someone you may relate to more than cheer for.

One of the movie’s strengths is creating tension.  Practically every scene has some element of conflict, physical or through conversation.  There’s suspense in all of Ratner’s interactions, and he’s often angry or frustrated.  Even in the quieter scenes there’s something pushing him to act.  This keeps the movie flowing well from beginning to the end.  Sandler is capable of the emotional range required to play Ratner.  When his character has a breakdown, you feel it.  

Uncut Gems is like Sandler’s other dramatic roles, namely Punch Drunk Love and Reign On Me.  If you don’t like his comedy, you may still be impressed by his dramatic performances.  Whereas this movie isn’t likely to win any Oscars, it’s a solid entry in Sandler’s filmography.

~ Mark

Dani is going through a bad time.  Her bipolar sister recently killed herself and their parents.   This adds to her already strained relationship with her boyfriend, Christian, an anthropology student.   When Christian’s friend Pelle invites his friends and Dani to a rare festival at his remote Swedish village, their relationship gets further tested by the strange pagan rituals occurring around them.

Midsommar is an arthouse horror movie that breathes over time.  Instead of jump scares and shadows, it shows us bright colors, smiling faces and lots of sun. This makes the shocking behavior and gory rituals all the more impactful.  The beautiful, rustic cinematography complements a haunting soundtrack that incorporates both heavenly and ghastly elements; the movie looks and sounds fantastic.  Florence Pugh's performance as Dani is absolutely amazing as she pushes herself through a performance that is unsettling in its believable depiction of mental anguish.

I can’t recommend this movie for everyone.  It’s slow, methodical, character driven, and at times, bloody.  The relaxed pace gives it a rather long runtime.   Occasionally, I felt it took too long.  I have seen it twice, the second time a longer cut that ironically, did not feel as slow.  If you manage your expectations and take time to look at the details, Midsommar will prove a chilling, satisfying experience.

Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a mentally ill man who laughs uncontrollably.  He works as a clown, sees a social worker, lives with his frail mother, and aspires to be a comedian.   As the movie progresses, Arthur feels betrayal from everyone around him, pushing him to a breaking point as his support system crumbles. 

Joker is an unusual comic book movie in the sense that it is a character study.  Inspired in part by Martin Scorsese films like King of Comedy and Taxi Driver, Joker looks at the need for affection and identity.   This contrasts heavily with action-packed superhero movies.  It’s a serious, disturbing movie that opens itself to critical thinking, not all of it pleasant as exemplified  when Arthur, in a moment of exasperation, tells his social worker “All I have are negative thoughts.”  A subtle, cello driven soundtrack that nicked the composer an Oscar pairs well with the colorless, moody cinematography.

Usually, the Joker is defined by his relationship with Batman.  Bruce Wayne and his family play an important part in this story yet you could substitute another rich family without changing the plot much.  Fleck’s journey is not as connected to his traditional comic book role as in other movies where his status as antagonist is cemented.  Here we are challenged to ask if Arthur is a villain or a victim.

Given its grim and specific nature, it’s hard to recommend this movie for everyone.  There are times when ambiguity makes me wonder what the director is going for, and the Bruce Wayne aspect caused me to feel like this was part of a story instead of completely independent one.   I felt it would have stood stronger on its own by removing all Batman references

Joker is the thinking person’s comic book movie, and it’s worth a look even if you’re not into the superhero genre.  What other movie of this type can you watch where the main character shuts himself inside a refrigerator to escape the world?  If you’re challenged by dramas or gritty, character-driven tales, this is the movie you’ll want to check out.    

 Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for this role.  If you watch it, you’ll probably see why.

~ Mark

In 1989, Bill and Ted--two rock music loving, below average high school students--went on their first excellent adventure through time to prepare for a school assignment.  In 1991, they took a bogus journey to the underworld.  Now, in 2020, the song they were supposed to write to unite the world hasn’t been completed, and the universe is unraveling.

When I first heard the premise, I thought the movie would start with Bill and Ted having been too lazy to write the song, and their goofiness catching up to them.  I was pleased to see it was the opposite.  The characters maintain their goofball nature yet are mature and trying very hard to live up to the expectations placed upon them as historic musicians.   When they are told they have less than two hours to play the song, they go to the future to find when the song was already written.  Meanwhile, their daughters separately travel through time to gather famous musicians in a subplot paralleling the first movie.

Bill & Ted Face the Music feels like a natural progression of these characters by maintaining their quirky vocabulary and eliminating the slacker overtones.  In fact, they come across far more serious especially when encountering future versions of themselves.  There are times when the story shifts to the humorously grim as in the second movie yet the characters still face these changes with seriousness.  When this occurs, the tone becomes uneven and a little tough to ride out.  Their daughters could have benefited from more development so we could get a better glimpse of what life was like for them beforehand. This would have strengthened the relationships with their fathers and tightened the movie as a whole.

At this grim time, society needs another adventure with Bill and Ted.   This third installment combines elements of its predecessors yet stands on its own.  If you enjoyed the first two or need a fresh comedy, this one is worth a go.

~Mark

I had been in the mood for a Spielberg movie so I gave The Post a try.   Back in the early 70s The New York Times got in trouble for printing leaked information stating that the government had been lying for some time about the success of the Vietnam War.  Now The Washington Post is given similar information from the same source.   If they run the story, they hit a storm of legal and ethical issues. 

The Post focuses on the true story of publisher Katherine Graham (Meryl Streep), a woman in a male dominated field, and executive editor Ben Bradlee, (Tom Hanks) as they are faced with this dilemma.  I found Hanks exceptional primarily because he plays a demanding boss, surprisingly more so than in Saving Private Ryan in which he led a WWII squad.  This is a pleasant change from the nice guys he usually plays.  Bradlee isn’t mean, but he is confident in his decisions and wants people to see them through.  This contrasts with Graham who is often indecisive and doubts herself.

The story focuses on the news drama and spends little time on overt subplots.  This is necessary to sufficiently follow the chain of events that led up to this histoircal moment.  Spielberg nicely constructs the story this way to keep the tension moving.   Whether or not to print a story doesn’t sound like the highest stakes, but the movie is presented in a way that shows that the decision  can—and does—affect the whole country.   As the story progressed, I noticed what I thought was a lack of subplots was actually an emphasis on characterization.  I could easily follow the traits of the supporting cast and where their allegiances lie.  The subplots were sprinkled in mostly as tension between characters, giving the story a depth that is tricky to pull off

 As historical drama, The Post works quite well.  It doesn’t do anything to stand out in this genre or bear any unique Spielberg trademarks.  It can promote discussion of the ethics involved, but it’s hard for me to imagine anyone outside of the journalism field doing so.  The average moviegoer will probably watch it, enjoy it then move on.  Don’t let this turn you off as the movie offers more than what you can see up front 

~ Mark

To push themselves as a brand and as a response to an insult, Ford decides to outdo Ferrari on the racetrack, specifically the Le Mans race, a 24 hour endurance contest held in Italy.   That is the basic premise of the 1960s biographical Ford v. Ferrari starring Christian Bale as driver Ken Miles and Matt Damon as former race winner and project team leader Carroll Shelby.

You may assume like I did that Bale and Damon were on opposite teams.   Nope, they are both working for Ford.  Well, Miles isn’t exactly a team player, and that is the crux of the character conflicts.  Ford doesn’t really want him.  As I watched the drama progress I really didn’t feel that Miles was as problematic as the movie wanted me to believe.  He’s a good father, and a decent husband though the marriage subplot comes across as all too familiar and played safely.  The entertainment factor is high primarily because of the great performances, of which Christian Bale stands out, and the directing and cinematography.   Bale’s portrayal is slightly manic and endearing, and the production values made me feel as if I were in the testing area and pit along with the crew.  There are various issues that underscore the main story such as capitalism, egos, friendship, and honor.  It all helps push an average sports movie into something more than average.

Ford v. Ferrari scores as a sports drama.  Put yourself in the driver’s seat and get ready for a good show.  (If you enjoy it, I highly recommend Rush, the true story of two Formula One racing rivals.  It’s comparable in subject, setting and quality.) 

~Mark

Eurovision Song Contest:  The Story of Fire Saga is the latest Will Ferrell offering, pairing him up with Rachel McAdams.  For me, Will Ferrell is hit-or miss, and I prefer him when he’s not too over the top.  McAdams (Wedding Crashers, Dr. Strange) has never disappointed. 

Fire Saga is about childhood friends Lars and Sigrit who have been making music for years and dream of winning the Eurovision contest, an actual competition where countries compete musically.   Lars is more driven to win than Sigrit, who prefers to just have her own musical voice.   Much of the drama plays off these conflicting desires and their romantic tension.  After all, they’re not brother or sister, or as Lars says “probably not” when asked.  Most of the comedy is through mishaps and Ferrell throwing out lines that smell of improvisation.  Though he is the co-star, the comedy style has his mark all over it.   There is also a part about elves, but I’ll save that for viewers.

One of the things that appealed to me was the setting.  Lars and Sigrit are Icelanders, and the rural, isolated town setting offered a style I don’t see much in American cinema.  Plus, seeing Ferrell with long hair was just fun.  He plays Lars a bit over-the-top in typical Ferell-ish manner, but not at the expense of the character.  There is a fair amount of music including a party scene that would be at home in a full musical film.  The tension never goes deep, allowing the mood to stay light when jokes aren’t flying.  I had a mixed reaction to this.  Sometimes it made the movie boring; other times it worked well to keep the fun at the forefront.  I’m not a pop fan though I enjoyed the songs.  The padded jokes do affect the pace; a slimmer story would have made it cleaner. 

If you like Will Ferrell then give this a try.  I’d say it’s one of his better movies and different enough to recommend to anyone who at least doesn’t mind him. Give it a try, and maybe you’ll be asking for an encore of “JaJa Ding Dong” too (Watch the movie to get that joke.)

~ Mark

On her wedding night, Grace (Samara Weaving) is asked by her new husband, Daniel (Mark O’Brien), to play a game with his family.  You see, his family made their fortune developing board and table games, and its tradition that new family members play a game with them on their wedding night.  Grace chooses Hide-N-Seek.  When she runs off to hide, we start to wonder why her new family is seeking her with guns, bows, and a battleaxe.  

Ready or Not is a horror-comedy chase movie.  Grace tries to survive until dawn; if she does, then something bad happens to the family, giving them true urgency to find her.  The family consists of quirky, eccentric characters from which the comedy derives through their personalities and constant bickering.   At times, this dilutes their ability to come across as threatening though it allows the audience leeway to breathe in the humor.  As they cross paths with Grace, we are challenged to discover who is really a threat or a secret ally.  There is also no shortage of violence and gore so those more interested in thrillers may want to sit this one out.   The movie never amounts to anything more than it promises, which is just enough for escapist viewing.

~Mark

In 1996, at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, a bomb went off.  Several people were killed, and over 100 were wounded.  These numbers would have been far worse if security guard Richard Jewell had not spotted a suspicious backpack and alerted the authorities beforehand.  Jewell becomes a media hero, but when it’s discovered that the FBI considers him a suspect, the press turns on him.

True story.

Clint Eastwood’s retelling of the events paints the picture of a man who may be just misunderstood or truly has mental issues.  Jewell is awkward enough to be laughed at by peers and so passionate about law enforcement that he oversteps his bounds, which causes friction with superiors.  People close to him roll their eyes at his actions as Richard is his own worst enemy just by being himself.  Eastwood aims less on “did he do it?” and more on “how will he get out of this?”

Subplots are minimized to keep the focus on Jewell, and other characters are more one-dimensional.  Thankfully, these are played wonderfully by Olivia Wilde as an ambitious reporter, Jon Hamm as the FBI agent in charge, and Sam Rockwell as Jewell’s attorney.  Simplistic as these characters are, the actors’ choices for body language and line delivery inject each with a unique personality.  My sympathies were most for Jewell’s mother played by Kathy Bates, especially when she breaks down and confesses “I don’t know how to protect you from these people!”  How many mothers feel powerless when something bad happens to one of their children?

Richard Jewell reminds us that it’s not always if you do something wrong, but the stress of dealing with people who think you did wrong.  Though the move is not a courtroom drama, it often feels like one, and what separates it from most is its basis in truth.  As is, the story can be underwhelming compared to other biopics, but the emotional issues it raises are relevant to all.

~ Mark

Knives Out is a classic whodunit with a stellar cast.  When mystery writer and wealthy patriarch Harlan Thrombey is suddenly found dead, will the ruling of a suicide prove valid?  Or is there more at play?  

Generally, I don’t indulge in mysteries though I recognized some classic tropes: a dysfunctional family, a controversial will, civil servants who know family affairs, and the classic smoking sleuth.  At the center is Marta, played by Ana de Armas, Thrombey’s nurse.  Marta carries a secret the audience is privy to early on, one that challenged my understanding of what the mystery actually was.  She also stands out by one quirk: when she lies, she vomits.  

The cast is star-studded.  The actors play their characters well and dirty enough for you to challenge their motives.  Chris Evans stands out by simply going from the perpetual “nice guy” Captain America to a smug and arrogant jerk.  Daniel Craig employs exaggerated body language and Southern vernacular to bring private investigator Benoit Blanc to life.  As enjoyable as it was, I felt  that long-time mystery fans might see him as a cliché as he is a fairly one-dimensional character. Oh, and someone hired him in secret so there’s that to figure out.

Knives Out embraces the elements of the murder mystery genre.  At times, that familiarity threatens the movie’s flow and its ability to stand out.  Though it doesn’t offer much in terms of re-invention it provides a fun viewing experience.  Go ahead and indulge your armchair detective skills.

~Mark

Jojo Rabbit strikes an odd yet effective balance between humor and sincere respect for the issues it tackles.  It follows JoJo, a boy in Hitler’s youth corp who is so enamored with the Third Reich that he fantasizes the infamous dictator as an imaginary friend.  When JoJo discovers his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their house, he is caught between his loyalty to Hitler and his fascination with her.

Director Taika Waititi keeps the comedy as a prevalent, underlying layer through its stars who play their roles with balance.  The subtlety allows the drama to stay at the forefront.  I never expected Pitch Perfect’s Rebel Wilson to be cast as a Nazi trainer yet there she is in a well-fitted role.  Waititi plays Hitler with such exaggerated playfulness that I wondered how serious I should take this movie.  The idea is so fantastic that Hitler says at one point that he needs to return home to have unicorn for dinner.   Once l realized that this Hitler is from the point of view of a child, it made sense.  Scarlett Johansson, Jojo’s charming mother who doesn’t know her son shares her secret, uses humor to alleviate his concerns. 

A significant amount of the movie is the verbal cat-and-mouse game played between Jojo and Elsa, the strong-willed Jewish girl.  The dialogue between the two is witty and caustic as they challenge each other’s beliefs.

Don’t forget; this is a wartime movie.   It is shot surprisingly in bright colors that bleed more as the darker aspects are revealed.  

Jojo Rabbit challenges viewers who will find their emotions swaying back and forth.  It has an indie feel that separates it from lighter blockbusters.  The middle does get dialogue heavy, but those who stay through it will be rewarded with a satisfying last act. 

~ Mark

As a fan of both the book and Kubrick’s movie ‘The Shining,’ I was curious about ‘Dr. Sleep.’  Would it follow the book or the movie? (There had also been a mini-series back in the 90’s, but that hasn’t proved as popular). 

Dan Torrance, played by Ewan McGregor, is now grown up and bears his father’s addictive personality.   The movie starts with him at rock-bottom.  He soon finds a kind soul who helps him find work in hospice, an apartment, and assistance for his addiction.  Dan later on connects with the young Abra, who can also Shine.   However, a cult led by the mysterious Rose the Hat hunts children who Shine and feeds off their power.  When they discover Abra, can Dan help her?

The movie strives to give equal time to Rose, Abra and Dan, and at times it feels uneven.  More time was spent on Rose and her companions than I expected though it bogged down the pace a bit. Dan’s character is a natural progression of his traumatic background at the Overlook hotel.  I would have preferred more time given to Abra so we can sense what her life was like before the events.  

The actual power of Shining is nebulous and not easily defined.  In the book it came across as similar to ESP.  In 'Dr. sleep,'people can fight by the power of their minds and transport their consciousness elsewhere.  Surreal visuals illustrate the versatile mental powers of the characters, and this is where the movie format really proves superior.   As far as which adaption the movie tries to follow—well, it seems to follow both the book and the Kubrick film.  The soundtrack is reminiscent of Kubrick’s, and fans will definitely see some references though these can be mysterious in themselves just as they were in the original movie.

‘Dr. Sleep’ didn’t make the impression that Kubrick’s did though those are big shoes to fill.   I didn’t really find Rose or the cult as much a threat as perhaps the director wanted me to.  However, the movie  successfully appeases the excitement of re-visiting the world of the ‘Shining’ and the general audience should be pleased though King fans may be split on opinions. 

~Mark

A horticulturist forced out of his business and estranged from his family transports drugs for a cartel.  That is the basic premise of The Mule.  As a fan of Clint Eastwood’s directing, I was excited to watch this.   

Eastwood’s directorial offerings like The Changeling show that he knows how to set up a scene with a dramatic tone and make it look great, my favorite example being Gran Torino.  The Mule is no different.  The drug runners not only look and sound like you expect but they are more dimensional by their casual dialogue.  Everything has that looks-like-real life appeal that draws you in.  Add to this great actors like Bradley Cooper and Laurence Fishburne and the movie hits on all cylinders.

Where it tends to lack is on its main character, Earl Stone, played by Eastwood.  Stone is the typical workaholic who ignored his family, and what we get is little new that you haven’t seen in this type of plot before albeit in the nice package Eastwood delivers.  I found myself trying to figure out exactly what kind of person Stone is and felt there was little to make me empathize with him or at least until the end.  Even at that point the ending wrapped up a bit too neatly for me, leaving some open-ended questions.  Cooper is under-utilized as a DEA agent under pressure to make a dent in the cartel, and this versatile actor doesn’t break any new ground being in a role no different than a cop chasing bad guys.

The Mule is a solid offering that is not quite on par with Eastwood’s other projects yet a worthy viewing on its own.  The amount of talent holds the movie up well though you may find yourself not connecting as much with the characters as you had in Eastwood’s previous movies. 

 ~ Mark

I wanted to like this movie so much, I really did. Especially after Margot Robbie's killer performance as Harley Quinn in the 2016 film Suicide Squad. Unfortunately, Birds of Prey missed the mark. Before I start going off on what I did not like about the film, I feel that I should mention that there were three things about the movie that I did enjoy immensely.  The fight scenes were absolutely amazing. They managed to be perfectly violent and gruesome yet also pretty and artistic. If you like well done fight scenes then this movie is worth a watch. The second thing I enjoyed about the film were the costumes. She might be crazy, but hey at least Harley's got style. Finally, there were some funny one liners in the movie. So even with all these positives going for it, why did Birds of Prey miss the mark? 

For me, the film lacked direction and tried too hard to be a girl power feminist movie. The thing about Harley Quinn's character is that historically, she is a complete lunatic who doesn't play nice with others. So the fact that the movie has her apologizing to a kid for being a bad person, working with a gang of girls, and at one point agreeing to be someone's errand girl to get out of being killed just doesn't ring true for this character. For most of the film, she was delightfully crazy, but the aforementioned scenes definitely detracted from what makes Harley great: she just doesn't care what you or anyone else thinks. The other thing that annoyed me about Birds of Prey was what I mentioned previously: it tries too hard to be a girl power feminist movie. Huntress is portrayed awkwardly, Renee Montoya doesn't resonate, and it is almost impossible to care about Cassandra Cain. Also, the whole point of Black Canary is her amazing vocal powers which were only used twice. Other than that she was just some dude's chauffeur.  The moral of this film review is that you need more than well-costumed hot chicks beating everyone to a pulp to make a decent movie.  

~ Becca

Zak, a man with Downs Syndrome played by Zack Gottsagen, escapes from his care facility to be a wrestler.  Meanwhile, Tyler, played by Shia LaBeouf, mourns the loss of his brother and commits a crime against a rival business.  The two join paths and try to avoid a caretaker, the law, and the businessmen who want revenge as they journey off-road to Florida.  

This is the basic plot of The Peanut Butter Falcon, a movie of open landscapes and small groups.  The main attraction is the forming bond between Zak and Tyler made deeper by Dakota Johnson’s portrayal of Eleanor, a caretaker tasked with finding Zak.  The relationship subplots are handled well, particularly when Eleanor’s presence influences the bond between Zak and Tyler.  At times, the movie comes across as a bit pretentious when highlighting its more “Oscar notable” scenes though the runtime of about 90 minutes keeps the movie from dragging out.  The plot turns nicely in the third act leading up to a final experience that feels satisfactory.  The Peanut Butter Falcon delivers on a simpler concept with enough complexity to keep you engaged.

 ~ Mark