Abominable

As we start approaching the 'end of the year' film season, as with other genres, there are a few animated flicks to tickle our fancy. "Frozen II" and "Onward" are on the cusp, so now we have "Abominable" to kick it off. Surely, a film that is family oriented with a good message is something we all could always use.

 

When teenage Yi (Chloe Bennet) encounters a young Yeti on the roof of her apartment building in Shanghai, she and her mischievous friends, Jin (Tenzing Norgay Trainor) and Peng (Albert Tsai), name him "Everest" (Joseph Izzo) and embark on an epic quest to reunite the magical creature with his family at the highest point on Earth, Mt. Everest. But the trio of friends will have to stay one-step ahead of Burnish (Eddie Izzard), a wealthy man intent on capturing a Yeti, and zoologist Dr. Zara (Sarah Paulson) to help Everest get home.

 

 

Others to round out the cast are Tsai Chin as Nai Nai, Yi's grandmother, Michelle Wong as Yi's mother, Rich B. Dietl as Goon Leader and James Hong as Yak Leader.

 

When I saw the trailer of this, I was not wooed by it, which is ironic, considering the trailer is supposed to sell the film. It was an amazing surprise. It was wonderfully directed by virtual newcomer to the director's chair, Jill Culton ("Open Season" '06) plus a video, and co-directed by Todd Wilderman (video and a short). She certainly has a bit of animation work under her belt, but she definitely proves her ability helming a film. The emotions emitted from the Yeti is both charming and heartwarming. She will continue receiving work. Even though Wilderman had the smaller slice of the experience pie, he clearly had pivotal input. It was also cleverly written by Culton ("Monsters Inc." (original story) '01, "Open Season"  (screen story) '06) plus a video. This not only was a well thought out storyline, but was concise, cohesive all the while being entertaining. And in this day and age, it's truly difficult to get these ingredients in a film and have it work, and this definitely worked in spades. Other than a couple of very small places of choppiness--and I mean small, this script was one that kept the audience's attention and then some. And the animation from both DreamWorks and Pearl Studios were amazing.

 

This film is definitely for kids and their families, but I truly believe anyone could and would enjoy this, especially the message it carries. Come alone or bring your family, grab the popcorn and simply escape into this one.

 

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

 

 

 

 

Judy

We have seen many biopics of grandiose and with pivotal characters in our history throughout the last 20 years and even prior. The list is endless, however a handful come to mind: "Patton" '70, "The Queen" '06, "The Iron Lady" '11, "Hyde Park on Hudson" '12, "Jackie" '16, "The Darkest Hour" '17 to mention a few. As Hollywood is fascinated with biopics, it was not surprising to see one about Frances Gumm aka Judy Garland in the riveting "Judy",

 

Winter 1968 and showbiz legend Judy Garland (Renee Zellweger) arrives in Swinging London to perform a five-week sold-out run at The Talk of the Town. It turns out that she is basically a has-been in the states, however London still loves her. It is 30 years since she shot to global stardom in "The Wizard of Oz", but if her voice has weakened, its dramatic intensity has only grown, as she prepares for the show, battles with management, namely Bernard Delfont (Michael Gambon) of The Talk of the Town and her assistant, Rosalyn Wilder (Jessie Buckley), charms musicians including Burt (Royce Pierreson), the musical director and reminisces with friends and adoring fans, her wit and warmth shine through. Even dreams of love seem undimmed as she embarks on a whirlwind romance with good friend Mickey Deans (Finn Wittrock), her soon-to-be fifth husband. Featuring some of her best-known songs, the film celebrates the tumultuous and eclectic life of the entertainer as she faces the end of her illustrious career.

 

Others to round out the cast are Rufus Sewell as Sidney Luft, an ex-husband of Garland's, Bella Ramsey as Lorna Luft, daughter of Garland's, Gemma-Leah Devereux as Liza Minnelli, daughter of Garland's, Gaia Weiss as Abbie, Andy Nyman as Dan, John Dagleish as Lonnie Donegan, Phil Dunster as Ben, Darci Shaw as young Judy, Richard Cordery as Louis B. Mayer and Daniel Cerqueira as Stan.

 

This was deliciously and dramatically directed by Rupert Goold ("True Story" '15, "King Charles III" (TV movie) '17) plus a good deal of episodic TV. I've mentioned it before, and I'll say it again, this is exquisitely directed by a virtual newcomer to feature films because of his insurmountable work in episodic TV. This only allows him to hone his craft that much more. They way he was able to stage and pace Zellweger in getting her to emit that certain emotion given the appropriate scene was amazing. It was brilliantly written by an even newer writer for films, Tom Edge ("The Last Dragonslayer" (TV movie) '16) plus episodic TV and a video game, based on the stageplay "End of the Rainbow" by Peter Quilter. The film actually starts in 1939 with a young Judy (Darci Shaw) being talked to by producer Louis B. Mayer (Richard Cordery) on the set of "The Wizard of Oz" about her importance of the film at hand. Then it shoots ahead to her in the late '60's attempting to strive in her life. The film goes back and forth from her early years to her later years which shows us how the two eras connected. Edge's work of how tragic her life was and how it really fell apart was delineated with a fine-tuned edge. From her being an abused child to being manipulated by the Hollywood community when she was young to having one failed marriage after another all the while hiding her addiction problems showed us how tragic, but also how talented this entertainer was. Edge conveyed this in spades in this screenplay. And, of course, the real star here is Zellweger herself. Here she hasn't done too much lately, this film didn't receive a ton of press before release, so it comes in through the back door, and voila!, we see an outstanding film with a performance by Zellweger that will certainly give her an Oscar nod. There were times I had to keep telling myself that it wasn't Judy Garland up on that screen. The tonality, the movements, the look, the nuances--Zellweger nailed Garland!

 

Whether one is interested in biopics or not, this film is undeniably an inexhaustible portrayal of an entertaining icon of films, concerts and music. Some aspects we know about Judy, however in this, more layers were peeled. Between Zellweger's performance, Edge's tight script and Ole Bratt Birkeland's stunning photography, this will be 2 hours of fine filmmaking that is difficult to find in this day and age of lifeless, boring films. Enjoy! I know I did.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                          Rated: PG-13                                    119mins.

 

Downtown Abbey

When it comes to films based on TV series, reboots, remakes, franchises, sequels, prequels, or continuations, Hollywood reigns king. "Downtown Abbey" is based on the TV series. Let's see, have we seen this before? Let's count: "Charlie's Angels", Starsky & Hutch", "The Addams Family", "Get Smart", "Shaft"; shall I go on? When will we see more originality in films Hollywood?

 

The TV series, "Downtown Abbey", becomes a grand motion picture event. The beloved Crawleys comprised of Robert (Hugh Bonneville), Violet (Maggie Smith) and Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) and their intrepid staff including Mr. Carson (Jim Carter), Daisy Mason (Sophie McShera) and Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol) prepare for the most important moment of their lives--a royal visit from the king, King George V (Simon Jones) and queen, Queen Mary (Geraldine James) of England in the early 20th century. This, in multiple ways, will unleash scandal, romance and intrigue that will leave the future of Downtown hanging in the balance.

 

Others to round out the cast are Matthew Goode as Henry Talbot, Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Talbot, Tuppence Middleton as Lucy Smith, Allen Leech as Tom Branson, Penelope Wilton as Isobel Merton, David Haig as Mr. Wilson, Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith, Max Brown as Richard Ellis, Robert James-Collier as Thomas Barrow and Kate Phillips as Princess Mary.

 

This was effectively directed by Michael Engler ("Mastergate" (TV movie) '92, "Twenty Questions" (TV movie) '06, "Two Families" (TV movie) '07, "Single with Parents" (TV movie) '08, "Lost & Found" (TV movie) '09) plus a ton of TV and a short. Considering this filmmaker has directed several of the Downtown Abbey TV episodes during the season of 2014 and 15, he certainly didn't have to go out on a limb of how he was to direct this. Surely familiarity can help with the right continuity or tempo with the original, but this couldn't have been a stretch for him to create any character development for this production. The fact that this is his first theatrical film speaks volumes on his ability, however as I've mentioned in other reviews, having a strong TV background can only be an asset to working in feature films. It was written by Julian Fellowes ("Gosford Park" '01, "Vanity Fair" '04, "Piccadilly Jim" '04, "Separate Lies" '05, "The Young Victoria" '09, "The Tourist" '10, "Romeo & Juliet" '13, "Crooked House" '17, "The Chaperone" '18, "School of Rock" '18) plus TV, based on the TV series and characters created by Julian Fellowes. Even though I've never seen this series before (don't judge me), it was still written in a series type of style. Of course, with the creator also penning the screenplay here, it would be easy to see that similar style. It was written in a way where there were different small subplots that eventually melded together as the story was unfolding. Certainly Fellowes knows how to write a well orchestrated screenplay, however this storyline isn't anything we haven't seen before in films. Period films have been quite common in the past 20 years, and will continue to be produced. The acting was solid and strong, especially by the consummate veteran Maggie Smith. Her acerbic wit is always clever, dry and entertaining. She perennially plays these types of roles, but she is so incredible in these roles, the forgiveness has to be implemented.

 

Surely if these types of period films are your delight, you'll be in film heaven, however if  they aren't, the acting, photography, costumes, and the grandiose production that it is will win you over. Did it have some issues? Sure, but it's a great way to escape for a couple of hours in another world.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                         Rated: PG                                         121mins.

 

Ad Astra

One of the most popular film genres is that of the sci-fi. It's been around almost as long as films have been--think "Buck Rogers". And with this genre, a certain amount of films with a cerebral side to them have surfaced: "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Inception", "Intersteller" "The Tree of Life" all come to mind. Even though "Ad Astra" isn't as cerebral as some of these listed, it still is one that makes one think.

 

In the not too distant future, astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) travels to the outer edges of an unforgiving solar system, a mere 7.5 billion miles away, to uncover the truth of his missing father, H. Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones) and his doomed expedition called the Lima Project that now, for 30 years, Roy must unravel the mystery that threatens the survival of our planet. His journey will uncover secrets that challenge the nature of human existence and our place in the cosmos.

 

Others to round out the cast are Ruth Negga as Helen Lantos, Donald Sutherland as Thomas Pruitt, Kimberly Elise as Lorraine Deavers, John Ortiz as Lt. Gen. Rivas, John Finn as Brig. Gen. Stroud, LisaGay Hamilton as Adj, Gen. Vogel, Liv Tyler as Eve, Loren Dean as Donald Stanford, Donnie Heshawarz as Capt. Lawrence Tanner and Sean Blakemore as Willie Levant.

 

This was painstakingly well delineated by director James Gray ("Little Odessa" '94, "The Yards" 2000, "We Own the Night" '07, "Two Lovers" '08, "The Immigrant" '13, "The Lost City of Z" '16) plus TV and a short. I realize that Pitt, given the right roll, can excel in a performance extremely well, but Gray's ability to extract the nuances of the emotion that Pitt was emanating was subtle and repressed. You could tell that, in most scenes, Pitt's character, Roy was truly upset, but he wasn't able to display those emotions for whatever reason. This is fine acting, however it is also talented directing. If this filmmaker is one that interests you, his "I Am Pilgrim" is in pre-production. It was also written well by Gray (all the films listed above and "Blood Ties" '13) plus TV and Ethan Gross ("Klepto" '03) plus TV and a short. Clearly, Gray holds the lion's share of the writing here, but I'm sure the input given by Gross was pivotal as it was necessary. As I stated above, this was a bit cerebral in that one had to pay attention as it unfolded. It, in a sense, gives you the feeling of questioning what's out there and what is our place in this universe. Couple that with all the scientific possibilities in the workings of space travel and what it takes to travel in deep space, and it can become mind-boggling. Really, other than a couple of places that were a bit slow--mostly because those particular scenes were so quiet, this script was extremely fluid and was concise. Pitt absolutely shined here, so much so, that he could be looking at a nod come Oscar time, if he doesn't get a nod for "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" which he did excel well at. The visual effects, predominantly designed by MPC (Moving Picture Company), Weta Digital and Mr. X were unbelievably seamless and enhanced the story that much more.

 

To quote Pitt when interviewed, that when you see a superhero film where they save the day, well this is the opposite of that. In other words, this is not your typical sci-fi flick. It has a compelling story that will stir a discussion when leaving the multiplex, and the acting, especially by Brad Pitt is amazing--this is not his typical fare. And hey, you can see this in a nifty IMAX or 4DX format as well.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                Rated: PG-13                                      123mins.

 

The Goldfinch

We've seen films about different characters finding love, redemption and reinvention through hard knocks and tragedy, i.e. "Boy Hood", "Brooklyn", "Shawshank Redemption", "Driving Miss Daisy", "Almost Famous" and the like. The list is endless. We love an underdog and want them to make good. Well, with "The Goldfinch", we see a similar pattern and while wincing for this character, we only hope he gets through this mess in his life.

 

"The Goldfinch" is the film adaptation of Donna Tartt's globally acclaimed bestseller of the same name, which won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Theodore 'Theo' Decker (Oakes Fegley) was 13 years old when his mother was killed in a terrorist bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The tragedy changes the course of his life, sending him on a stirring odyssey of grief and guilt, reinvention and redemption and even love. Through it all, Theo now an adult (Ansel Elgort) holds on to one tangible piece of hope from that terrible day...a painting of a tiny bird chained to its perch otherwise known as The Goldfinch. With help of his 'adopted family', Mrs. Barbour (Nicole Kidman), adult Kitsey Barbour (Willa Fitzgerald), friend, adult Boris (Aneurin Barnard), and associate Hobie (Jeffrey Wright), he attempts to transcend above the horrific bombing he survived and all the emotional upheaval that comes with it.

 

Others to round out the cast are Luke Wilson as Larry, Sarah Paulson as Xandra, Finn Wolfhard as Young Boris, Ashleigh Cummings as Adult Pippa, Aimee Lawrence as Young Pippa, Robert Joy as Welty, Boyd Gaines as Mr. Barbour, Luke Kleintank as Adult Platt Barbour and Ryan Foust as Young Andy Barbour.

 

This was delineated well by director John Crowley ("Intermission" '03, "Celebration" (TV movie) '07, "Boy A" '07, "Is Anybody There?" '08, "Closed Circuit" '13, "Brooklyn" '15) plus TV and a TV short. This filmmaker has this innate ability to dig deep when it comes to emotional grit when it comes to extracting just the correct emotion to fit the scene like a jigsaw puzzle. He hasn't directed a ton of films, but what he has done, he has a distinct style. It was interestingly written by Peter Straughan ("Sixty Six" '06, "Mrs. Ratcliffe's Revolution" '07, "How to Lose Friends & Alienate People" '08, "The Men Who Stare at Goats" '09, "The Debt" '10, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" '11, "Frank" '14, "Our Brand Is Crisis" '15, "The Snowman" '17) plus TV and a short , based on a novel by Donna Tartt. Not that the format used here was necessarily original--it was written as a flashback, yet it was still interesting in that each scenario of Theo's life all, slowly by surely, fit together as the film was entering near the end. As the film opened. there were a couple of places that appeared to be choppy, but, as mentioned before, all fell into place. Patience is imperative with this film, especially it having a 150 minute running time. It is a bit long-in-the-tooth, but again, you must have the patience with it and questions will be answered. Was this style of screenplay purposed in this? Not sure, however it truly does give it a much more original approach to this story. This writer is certainly a 'chameleon' when it comes to his writing--just look at his resume. The best thing about this is the directing, the acting especially by Elgort and the photography by Roger Deakins asc/bsc.

 

I don't believe that this film was produced for the large audience appeal in that it's a small story done within a global playground and with that, it's not a banal comedy, a film packed visual effects or one that relies heavily on star power which most people like. I've never read the novel which this film is based, but since it was a Pulitzer Prize winning story, it is probably written incredibly well, and I love truly talented writing.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                      Rated: R                                         150mins.

 

It Chapter Two

As we enter one of the 'dead seasons' of the calendar year, we have a raft of films to sift through. Sequels are aplenty in Hollywood and if we didn't have them, where would all the films be? We saw "It" back in 2017, and we saw that menacing clown and what it did to those kids in the town. Now that clown is back again in the sequel "It Chapter Two".

 

Twenty-seven years after the Losers Club defeated Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard), he has returned to terrorize the town of Derry, Maine once more. Now adults, the Losers, including Bill Denbrough (James McAvoy), Beverly Marsh (Jessica Chastain), Richie Tozier (Bill Hader), Ben Hanscom (Jay Ryan), Eddie Kaspbrak (James Ransone) and Stanley Uris (Andy Bean), have long since gone their separate ways. However, people are disappearing again, so Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa), the only one of the group to remain in their hometown, calls the others home. Damaged by the experiences of their past, they must each conquer their deepest fears to destroy Pennywise once and for all...putting them directly in the path of the shape-shifting clown that has become deadlier than ever.

 

Others to round out the cast are Jaeden Martell as Young Bill Denbrough, Wyatt Oleff as Young Stanley Uris, Jack Dylan Grazer as Young Eddie Kaspbrak, Finn Wolfhard as Young Richie Tozier, Sophia Lillis as Young Beverly Marsh, Chosen Jacobs as Young Mike Hanlon, Jeremy Ray Taylor as Young Ben Hanscom, Teach Grant as Henry Bowers and Nicholas Hamilton as Young Henry Bowers.

 

This film was eerily directed by Andy Mushietti ("Historias Breves 3" '99, "Mama" '08, "It" '17) plus shorts. Even though this filmmaker directed the predecessor, and one might believe he would have a 'leg up' on this being easy. This being set 27 years later, he had to work with a whole new cast in that they have grown up. Also, the fact that he doesn't have a ton of feature film experience tells me that this guy is a natural. Although this cast includes McAvoy, Chastain and Hader which are talented actors, it still takes fine directing to pull the emotions out of his actors enabling them to convey the rawness of character to the audience. He will undoubtedly receive more work. It was written by the horror king Gary Dauberman ("In the Spider's Web" (TV movie) '07, "Swamp Devil" '08, "Annabelle" '14, "Within" '16, "Wolves at the Door" '16, "Annabelle: Creation" '17, "It" '17, "The Nun" '18, "Annabelle Comes Home" '19) plus TV and a video, based on the novel "It" by Stephen King. This was a slickly written, well casted, well edited and photographed film with amazing visual and special makeup effects. With that said, it did have problems. First of all, it was simply too long--almost a three-hour running time? I know there was a fair deal of transitioning from their young past to their adulthood, but it could have been a bit shorter, Secondly, there were too many variables to grasp here--didn't Pennywise die in the first film? Also, it was never really explained why the 27-year gap was pivotal. So, even though Pennywise dies in this one--hey, this should not be a surprise, will he come back again 27 years later? Don't get me wrong, this was a nail-biter to pull you through that proverbial knothole, but why can't this clown die? For a 169 minute running time, the story did move fairly smoothly, and for that it does deserve praise. If you like his brand of writing, his "The Cabin House" is due out on Halloween next month and his "Are You Afraid of the Dark? is in pre-production at this time for a 2019 release.

 

Hey, with Pennywise able to cheat death, as long as this installment makes a ton of money like its predecessor, maybe we'll see the kids of these adults in this film another 27 years later in yet another sequel. You think?

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                   Rated: R                                     169mins.

 

47 Meters Down: Uncaged

Ever since Steven Spielberg terrorized his audience with "Jaws" in 1975, people have been terrified, yet fascinated with shark bites and the fear associated with it. Since then we've seen "Jaws 2" '78, "47 Meters Down" '17, the recent "The Meg" '18 and several in between to feed the fascination. Now we have "47 Meters Down: Uncaged" to carry on that fascinated fear.

 

This story chronicles the diving adventure of four teenage girls, Mia (Sophie Nelisse), Sasha (Corinne Foxx), Alexa (Brianne Tju) and Nicole (Sistine Stallone) exploring a submerged Mayan City. Once inside, their rush of excitement turns into a jolt of terror as they discover the sunken ruins are a hunting ground for deadly Great White Sharks. With their air supply steadily dwindling, the friends must navigate the underwater labyrinth of claustrophobic caves and eerie tunnels in search of a way out of their watery hell.

 

Others to round out the cast are John Corbett as Grant, Nia Long as Jennifer, Brec Bassinger as Catherine, Davi Santos as Ben, Khylin Rhambo as Carl and Axel Mansilla as Chum Man.

 

This was chillingly and grippingly directed by Johannes Roberts ("Alice" '02, "Hellbreeder" '04, "Darkhunters" '04, "Forest of the Damned" '05, "F" '10, "Roadkill" (TV movie) '11, "Storage 24" '12, "The Other Side of the Door" '16, "47 Meters Down" '17, "The Strangers: Prey at Night" '18) plus TV, a short and a video. By his very resume, this filmmaker knows intense and suspense. It has the same feel as "47 Meters Down" which he also directed which helps when capturing the suspense and intense reality of the characters. As long as audiences continue to be intrigued with being scared, this guy will continue to give them what they want. It was also written by Roberts (above listed films, except "Alice" '02 and "The Strangers: Prey at Night" '18) and Ernest Riera ("The Other Side of the Door" '16, "47 Meters Down" '17, "Overbooking" (documentary) '19) plus a short. As with their "47 Meters Down", this certainly was fraught with fear, suspense and terror all in a claustrophobic arena called caves in an underwater setting. . Being basically a 90 minute running time, this definitely cuts to the chase which is fine for me. This is one of those films that clearly doesn't need a huge build up to get to the point, so with this concept, it worked. However it wasn't without issues in that even though the sharks were blind (hey, they are cave dwellers), it was amazing that they would get so close to these girls and not be able to smell them being that close even though the girls were as quiet as they could be, but then that would end the film. And there a couple of places of choppiness, otherwise this was as every bit as suspenseful as its predecessor.

 

If you're on the fence in whether you should see this, I would see this on the large screen to get the sheer terror out of it. This will lose that impact on a 50 incher. As long as this makes money, there will be a Part 3. Hey, the franchise must go on.

 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                     Rated: PG-13                                     89mins.