Animal Farm

When George Orwell wrote the novel "Animal Farm" back during the time of November 1943 and February 1944, who knew we, as a country would be even thoughtful about the possibly of communism in this country? He was clearly a visionary and he was warning us, because there are many people today who are concerned about this country going that route. This animated "Animal Farm" addresses that potentiality by Angel Studios which is quite timely. 

From visionary director Andy Serkis, and featuring the voices of Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Glenn Close, and Woody Harrelson, comes a satirical allegory of revolution and power. Animal Farm traces how a movement for equality is systematically corrupted. As the pigs, including Napoleon (Seth Rogen), Lucky (Gaten Matarazzo), Puff (Iman Vellani), Squealer (Kieran Culkin), and others consolidate control, truth is erased, dissent is crushed, and the farm descends into a ruthless dictatorship--fulfilling Orwell's warning about the dangers of communism. Through Lucky, Boxer, a horse (Woody Harrelson) and others, the power lust of Napoleon  and human, Freida Pilkington (Glenn Close) is put through the test. 

Others to round out the cast are Jim Parsons as Carl, Steve Buscemi as Mr. Whymper, Kathleen Turner as Benjamin, Laverne Fox as Snowball, and Andy Serkis as Mr, Jones, the farmer. 

This was directed with the ability to increase the intensity in a subtle, but continuous way by Andy Serkis ("Breathe" '17, "The Ruins of Empires" (TV movie) '18, "Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle" '18, "Venom: Let There Be Carnage" '21) plus a video game.  Most of this fimmaker's experience has been as an actor, so going from in front of the camera to behind it was an easier place considering his knowledge of what to expect from his actors, him being one. His resume isn't extensive, however what he's done has been quality. If fact, if you like his style, his "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum" is in post production for a 2027 release. His staging and pacing is effective and the characters interacted well. It was interestingly penned by Nicholas Stoller ("Fun with Dick and Jane" '05, "Yes Man" '08, "Get Him to the Greek" '10, "Gulliver's Travels" '10, "The Muppets" '11, "The Five-Year Engagement" '12, "Zoolander 2" '16, "Storks" '16, "Night School" '18, "You're Cordially Invited" '25) plus other films, a TV movie, TV, and a video, based on the novel, "Animal Farm" by George Orwell. Obviously this writer is seasoned. The end of this is a bit different than the novel it's based on, probably because of it being geared toward family, and being animated. There were a couple of places of disjointedness and was a bit choppy in some places, but the message and execution of it was strong and much needed in this society. The animation was created by Cinesite was effective and fit the film well. 

'If you've never read Orwell's novel, read it. Being written in the mid '40s, this is basically prophetic. It's like looking at the newspaper today. Interesting it was Orwell who also wrote 'the book "1984" about 'big brother' with the corporate world and huge government back between 1946 and 1948, that was published in June of 1949. This man was a visionary. They probably laughed at him back then, but whose laughing now? 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                        Rated: PG                                         95mins.

Fuze

We've seen films that center around the threat of a bomb in a city, and also have seen films about war, specifically in around the Middle East, but we haven't seen the combination of the two, which is where "Fuze" was born. This carries a whole new meaning of the term, 'a nail-biter'.

Set in contemporary London, "Fuze" unfolds after an unexpected World War II bomb is unearthed at a busy construction site, forcing a massive citywide evacuation headed up by Major Will Tranker (Aaron Taylor Johnson). Amid the escalating tension and chaos, a daring criminal operation headed up by X (Sam Worthington) and Karalis (Theo James) is set in motion--one that uses the evacuation as cover for a meticulously planned heist. As authorities race against time to contain the crisis, alliances blur and moral boundaries are crossed, the film deftly propels audiences through a series of calculated twists delivering a wildly entertaining ride. 

Others to round out the cast are Elham Ehsas as Rahim, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Zusana, Saffron Hocking as Dootsie, Laurie Duncan as Wardy, Hannah Collins as PC Marks, Matt Beverage as PC Turner, Shaun Mason as Y and Nabil Elouahabi as Z. 

This was directed with tenacity, grit and incredible intensity by David Mackenzie ("The Last Great Wilderness" '02, "Young Adam" '03, "Asylum" '05, "Hallam Foe" '07, "Spread" '09, "Perfect Sense" '11, "Tonight You're Mine" '11, "Starred Up" '13, "Hell or High Water" '16, "Outlaw King" '18, "Relay" '24) plus TV and shorts. This became a great character study between Will, Karalis and X which is talented directing. These characters obtained their own distinct personalities and although these actors are talented, this was fine directing. Look at this filmmaker's resume and you'll see that Mackenzie was very much in his zone. It was cleverly written by Ben Hopkins ("Simon Magus" '99, "Janice Beard" '99, "The Nine Lives of Tomas Katz" 2000, "The Market: A Tale of Trade" '08, "Napoli: City of the Damned" (TV movie) '09, "Lost in Karastan" '14, "Hasret: Sehnsucht" '15, "Marionette" '19, "In Search of Monsters" '21, "Inside" '23, "Limonov: The Ballad of Eddie" '24, "The Narrative" (co-writer) '26). The way this writer was able to intertwine the story of the mass evacuation and of the bank heist and still was able to tie them together was amazing. However, was this flawless? No, since there were a couple of places that seemed a bit disjointed, it did have a tendency to meander a little. But otherwise, this story kept its audience on the edge of there seats and the twists and turns will keep anyone riveted. 

The directing and writing were implemented well, but the combination of the three stars, James, Worthington and Taylor-Johnson kept you glued to the screen. The raw intensity between them and the supporting cast was real, convincing and compelling.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: R                                             97mins.

Michael

As time has gone on through the decades, we've seen a plethora of different biopics about singers in the limelight. We have biopics on singers, such as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, Bob Marley, to mention a handful. So, now to add to that ever growing list is "Michael" about the 'king of pop' Michael Jackson.

"Michael" is the cinematic portrayal of the life and legacy of one of the most influential artists the world has ever known. The film tells the story of Michael Jackson's life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless  pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world. Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins. Through Michael's (Jaafar Jackson) upbringing in Gary, Indiana, by his dad, Joe Jackson (Colman Domingo) and his mom, Katherine (Nia Long), the starting of his career as the lead of the Jackson Five, to his breaking away from them to go solo with his new manager John Branca (Miles Teller), to his Pepsi commercial gone awry, he lead a rather tumultuous life all the while not really experiencing anything of a normal childhood or life in general. 

This was directed with incredible delineation and oreciseness by Antoine Fuqua ("The Replacement Killers" '98, "Bait" 2000, "Training Day" '01, "Tears of the Sun" '03, "Lightning in a Bottle" '04, "King Arthur" '04, "Shooter" '07, "Brooklyn's Finest" '09, "Olympus Has Fallen" '13, "The Equalizer" '14, "Southpaw" '15, "The Magnificent Seven" '16, "The Equalizer 2" '18, "What's My Name: Muhammed Ali" '19,"Infinite" '21, "The Guilty" '21, "Emancipation" '22,"The Equalizer 3" '23, "Troublemaker: The Story Behind the Mandela Tapes" '26) plus TV, TV movies, shorts, videos and a plethora of music videos. This filmmaker simply improves with each and every project he is attached to--his sequencing, staging, pacing, cohesiveness in his films are effortless and this film is no exception. His "Training Day" and "The Magnificent Seven" films are definitely a couple of his best. This film was dissected with amazing clarity and he was able to get his actors to dig deep in the way they conveyed their respective characters. It was equally well written by John Logan ("Bats" '99, "Any Given Sunday" '99, "Gladiator" 2000, "The Time Machine" '02, "Star Trek: Nemesis" '02, "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas" '03, "The Last Samurai" '03, "The Aviator" '04, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" '07, "Rango" '11, "Coriolanus" '11, "Hugo" '11, "Skyfall" '12, "Spectre"'15, "Genius" '16, "Alien: Covenant" '17, "They/Them" '22) plus TV, TV movies, shorts, videos and and a video game. As with Fuqua, this writer is a seasoned pro with work that is a list of artful projects. This was formatted as a flashback as has occurred in many films, especially biopics, but this clearly showed us how Michael became the individual he became through the different incidents in his life letting the audience in on his way of thinking. The only aspect of this film that was perplexing was that after Michael's London tour in 1988, the screen then shows three words which says, his story continues, which I certainly wasn't expecting, but was definitely purposed.So, there's more than likely a continuation. And the cinematography by Dion Beebe acs/asc ("Crush" '92, "Chicago" '02, "Collateral" '04, "Memoirs of a Geisha" '05, "Green Lantern" '11, "Gangster Squad" '13, "Into the Woods" '14, "13 Hours" '16, "Mary Poppins Returns" '18, "The Little Mermaid" '23) plus other films,TV, TV movies, shorts, videos and music videos) was absolutely stunning as are all his productions. He certainly brings out the color, the vividness and clarity in his films. 

Certainly if you love Michael Jackson's music, you'll be in that heaven. I'm not expressly a Jackson fan, however, with all objectivity, this film was amazing--acting, writing, directing, photography. Apparently Michael Jackson's nephew (Jaafar Jackson) played the part of Michael as an adult in this and considering this is his first film, he will go places. If you like that up close and personal feeling, this is presented in an IMAX format as well. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                       Rated: PG-13                                       127mins.

Normal

Films about small-town America can be fraught with deep secrets "Normal" being of no exception. Everybody knows everybody and all stick together, so what happened with this small town? Well, it certainly wasn't anything I could've thought of which makes it definitely more fresh and original. 

"Normal" is a neo-Western thriller that stars Bob Odenkirk as Ulysses Richardson, an unassuming substitute sheriff assigned to the quiet Midwestern town of Normal, Minnesota. Seeking a temporary escape from personal and professional turmoil, Ujysses instead finds himself drawn into a crisis when a botched bank robbery exposes a dangerous secret beneath the town's calm exterior. As tensions escalate (and boy, do they escalate), he is forced to confront his troubled past and the true nature of the community namely the mayor, Kibner (Henry Winkler), Deputy Blaine Anderson (Ryan Allen), Deputy Mike Nelson (Billy MacLellan) and others he has been tasked with protecting. 

Others to round out the cast are Lena Headey as Moira, Reena Jolly as Lori, Brendan Fletcher as Keith, Peter Shinkoda as Joe, Jess McLeod as Alex, David Lawrence as Dr. Walter Ville, John C. MacDonald as Kenny, Alex MacMillan as Kent, Dan De Jaeger as Ernie and Derek Barnes as James.

This was slickly directed with grit, intensity and humor by Ben Wheatley ("Down Terrace" '09, "Kill List" '11, "Sightseers" '12, "A Field in England" '13, "High-Rise" '15, "Free Fire" '16, "Happy New Year, Colin Burstead" '18, "Rebecca" '20, "In the Earth" '21, "Meg 2: The Trench" '23, "Bulk" '25) plus TV movies, TV, videos and a music video. This director's staging, pacing and sequencing was incredible in how this film kept its audience on the edge of their seats. Odenkirk's character as sheriff was so staid, but with an underlying intensity to him and this is simply effective directing. It was creatively well written by Derek Kolstad ("One in the Chamber" '12, "The Package" '12, "John Wick" '14, "John Wick: Chapter 2" '17, "John Wick 3--Parabellum" '19, "Nobody" '21, "Die Hart" '23, "John Wick: Chapter 4" '23, "Nobody 2" '25) plus TV, shorts, and videos, based on a story by Derek Kolstad and Bob Odenkirk. Considering that Kolstad wrote this film, it's no wonder why or how it could've been written in any other way but slickly and cohesive. The sequencing in script was spot on, and the cast worked so well off of each other.This definitely had a "Nobody"feel to it which is a plus, but then again, Kolstad wrote that film as well. The premise was unique, fresh with definite twists. Can't wait to his next project, and many more are coming. 

If you liked the 'Nobody' or 'John Wick' franchises, you'll love this. It simply has it all: action, high-adrenaline, explosiveness, passion, humor and redemption all rolled up in this tight, concise and slickly executed thriller. It does have a few more than a few cuss words, so not for the kids, but it is rollicking and thrilling. Enjoy! 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                         Rated: R                                        92mins.

Beast

Through the decades we have experienced many boxing films, i.e. "Rocky", "Raging Bull", "The Fighter", "Southpaw", "Creed" and others, however "Beast" is one of the first MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) films that has come along. This film comes across as something that is similar to the format of a boxing film, but clearly is not. And with this, it's about redemption, revenge, soul-searching and fear, elements that typically boxing films deal with.

After years away from the cage, a once-feared MMA champion, Patton James (Daniel McPherson) is pulled back in for the fight of his life when his younger brother, Malon (Mojean Aria) is put in danger. Reuniting with the trainer who once made him a legend, Sammy (Russell Crowe), he commits to one final showdown against the reigning title holder--Xavier Grau (Bren Foster), a brutal fighter determined to dismantle the ex-champ's legacy in front of the world. Along with Sammy, he has his MMA fighter daughter, Rose (Amy Shark) to assist him in the training. Pushed to Patton's  breaking point, the contender's stakes are simple: win, or lose everything he's built. 

Others to round out the cast are Luke Hemsworth as Gabriel, Kelly Gale as Luciana, Patton's wife, George Burgess as Neal, Matt Nable as Barry, Nathan Phillips as Skipper, Saphira Moran as Nadine and Eliza Matengu as Toni. 

This was directed with grit and intensity by Tyler Atkins ("Ocean Boy" '22) plus a short. Even though this filmmaker doesn't have a plethora of experience, he was still able to convince his audience of the peril, the grittiness and pathos of this contender trying to balance his marriage, his family and career all the while having to fight for his life in that cage. This director's sequencing and staging was amazing. He will undoubtedly receive more work. It was penned well by writers David Frigerio ("Wreckage" '10, "The Signal" '14, "Crypto" '19, "Land of Bad" '24) plus a short and Russell Crowe ("Poker Face" '22), based on a story by David Frigerio. Before I viewed this film, I was expecting basically a modern day "Rocky", with the trainer coming back to retrain a contender, Rocky, however after seeing this, it was definitely different in its approach and format in what needed to transpire beyond the re-connection between the two. The script obtained a couple of small places of slowness, however all in all, the story, in a short while, did find its footing, and became a very captivating sports film. This was well cast, especially of that of Daniel McPherson as Patton. I've never heard of him--maybe he's more known in Australia--the locale of the film, but he gave a riveting performance. Between the photography and stunts, this carried the audience throughout. And I've never seen Luke Hemsworth, the older brother of Chris and Liam, in a role before, even though he is an actor in his home country of Australia. 

If you like action sports films, this will be a knockout (pun intended). It has action, fear, challenges, high-adrenaline and redemption all rolled up into a nice way to spend a couple of hours. It has an eclectic, but effective cast that will intrigue.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                        Rated: R                                        115mins.

You, Me & Tuscany

Typically, the genre of romantic comedies, or romcoms as they are often called are unoriginal, banal projects that fall flat because of their predictability, but there have been a handful that are actually executed well depending on all the ingredients, i.e. acting, directing and especially writing. "You, Me & Tuscany" is one that is basically predictable, while still entertaining us.

Sometimes the wrong place is right where you need to be. From the Will Packer productions comes an interesting romcom about one little lie, one large Italian villa, and two people getting lost in the sauce of love. Halle Bailey stars as Anna Montgomery, a young woman who has abandoned her dreams of becoming a chef and is now drifting through her twenties with a series of bad choices. When Anna loses her house-sitting job (and housing) in one fell swoop, a chance encounter with Matteo (Lorenzo De Moor)--a handsome Italian who happens to have a villa sitting empty in Tuscany--will inspire her to jet off for Italy, against the advice of her always honest bestie, Claire (Aziza Scott). But Anna's plan to crash at Matteo's villa, without permission, just for one night, falls apart when Matteo's mother, Gabriella (Isabella Ferrari) shows up at the house unexpectedly. In a panic, Anna allows Gabriella to believe that she is Matteo's fiance. That little lie becomes a big problem, though, when Matteo's cousin, Michael (Rege-Jean Page) shows up, and Anna discovers that the heat between them may ignite a fire that will transform her life. 

Others to round out the cast are Stefania Casini as Nonna Alessia, Desiree Pooper as Isabella, Stella Pecollo as Francesca, Paolo Sassanelli as Vincenzo, Tommaso Cassissa as Enzo, Luca Setaccioli as Leo and Emanuele Pacca as Giuseppe.

This was directed with heart and wit by Kat Coiro ("Life Happens" '11, "And While We Were Here" '12, "A Case of You" '13, "Daddy Issues" (TV movie) '18, "Happy Accident" (TV movie) '19, "Marry Me" '22) plus TV, shorts a video and a music video. As with a seasoned resume which has certainly served her, she definitely knew how to sequence, stage and pace this film. It being shot in New York and Tuscany, the sequencing was effortless in its conveyance. It was also effectively written by Ryan Engle ("Non-Stop" '14, "The Commuter" '18, "Rampage" '18, "Breaking In" '18, "Beast" '22) plus a short, based on a story by Ryan Engle and Kristin Engle.  This film started out a bit rocky whereas the story started as an extremely predictable premise, as with most romcoms. It was simply meandering and was written in a way that one could basically mouth the words. But then, as the film went to Tuscany and other eclectic characters were introduced, the plot then started to pick up and it ultimately became the film they and we were looking for. The Italian cast turned an otherwise fair story into something fresh and quite humorous in how the story was being conveyed. Certainly the chemistry between Michael (Page) and Anna (Bailey) was incredibly well matched. The other aspect that saved the film was also its location in Tuscany--breathtaking!

Certainly, if you like romcoms in general, you'll love this, and with the eclectic characters and beautiful locales, you'll be in romcom heaven. With a seasoned director and writer and a great cast, this was a fun film for all to enjoy.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                       Rated: PG                                       105mins.

Fantasy Life

Comedy/drama, or dramedies as I like to call them have become more popularized through the years, and usually are very well artistically achieved. I believe this particular genre was started or was prolific in the Woody Allen era, whereas comedy/dramas were something Allen either created or allowed this concept to be known. So, now we have "Fantasy Life" in the offing mixing dry humor with drama amongst several dysfunctional individuals. 

This story centers around an anxious law school dropout, Sam Stein (Matthew Shear) as he stumbles into a job babysitting his psychiatrist, Fred's (Judd Hirsch) three granddaughters and falls for the girls' mother, Dianne Cohen (Amanda Peet), an actress in a rocky marriage to David Finman (Alessandro Nivola), all while attempting to manage his life due to the panic attacks he constantly fights with little success. This is a smart, New York--set romantic comedy with a heaping amount of dysfunction to carry one through the story. 

Others to round out the cast are Bob Balaban as Lenny, Andrea Martin as Helen Finman, David's mother, Zosia Mamet as Jenny, Holland Taylor as Dr. Mary Greene, Jessica Harper as Toby Seltzer, Romy Fay as Zoe Finman, Callie Santoro as Claire Finman and Riley Vinson as Emma Finman, all three as David and Dianne's kids and Alana Raquel Bowers as Lauren Waters.

This was surprisingly well directed by Matthew Shear (acting). This being his first outing behind the camera is better than one would think considering his limited experience. He, like other actors, is obviously attempting to transition from in front of the camera to behind--even though he did star in this, assuming he keeps to this pattern, he could join the club of others, i.e. Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, John Krasinski, etc. The directing was a bit slow in its pacing, but given more work, he'll only improve. It was executed well by writer  Matthew Shear (acting). Again, with no other writing experience under his belt, this writer was able to capture the pure dysfunction of his character as well as others. Even though the running time was only approximately 90 minutes, it was still a bit long-in-the-tooth. There could have been a good 5 minutes cut from the final and still obtain the impact that Shear was trying to convey. The character development along with the acting was probably the best aspect of this film and kudos to Shear for that. Seriously, if given more work, i.e. writing and directing, this filmmaking could only improve since he has the raw talent. Certainly his acting has served him well in being able to commit himself to such an undertaking'

If the 'Woody Allen' style of comedy/drama works for you. this will hit a home run. The acting and characters in this are well developed and are distinct in their interactions with one another. If this is Shear's first outing in the writing and directing field, I would be interested to see what he creates next.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                        Rated: R                                     91mins.