House of Gucci

As we continue with the end of year holiday film season, after reviewing one biopic, "King Richard" we go to another, "House of Gucci", which isn't a biopic on any particular individual as much as it centers around the Gucci family. While viewing this film, the old adage comes to mind, "Oh what tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive". 

This film is inspired by the shocking true story of the family behind the Italian fashion empire. When Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), an outsider from humble beginnings, marries Mauricio Gucci (Adam Driver) of the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately...murder. Because of Patrizia's unfamiliarity with fame and fortune, she cannot harness the responsibility that comes with notoriety nearly as well as the Gucci family including Aldo Gucci (Al Pacino), Rodolfo Gucci (Jeremy Irons) and Paolo Gucci (Jared Leto). So, with this newfound wealth that quickly comes Patrizio's way, she soon begins to pit the family members against one another to appease her power and control, only for this to become her undoing. 

Others to round out the cast are Jack Huston as Domenico De Sole, Salma Hayek as Pina Auriemma, Alexia Murray as Silvanna Reggiani, Vincent Riotta as Fernando Reggiani, Gaetano Bruno as Franco, Camille Cottin as Paola Franchi and Reeve Carney as Tom Ford. 

This was delineated extremely well by director Ridley Scott ("The Duelists" '77, "Alien" '79, "Blade Runner" '82, "Black Rain" '89, "Thelma & Louise" '91, "White Squall" '96, "Gladiator" 2000, "Black Hawk Down" '01, "Matchstick Men" '03, "American Gangster" '07, "Prometheus" '12, "Exodus: Gods and Kings" '14, "The Martian" '15, "All the Money in the World" '17, "The Last Duel" '21) plus many others, TV and video shorts. Every time I see a film where Scott helms the picture, I can always be guaranteed that the direction will be consummate. He is an actor's director in that he can simply bring the characters written about to life through his actors. He has a massive resume and knowing this, any film he's involved with will assuredly be a winner, even if other aspects aren't as honed. If you like this filmmaker's brand of directing, his "Kitbag" is going through the filming process at this time. It was subtly, but intensely written by Becky Johnston ("Under the Cherry Moon" '86, "The Prince of Tides" '91, "Seven Years in Tibet" '97, "Arthur Newman" '12) and Roberto Bentivegna (shorts), based on a story by Johnston, which is based on the book by Sara Gay Forden. After viewing the trailer on this film, I was not wowed into seeing this, but considering Ridley Scott directed and the cast was unbelievable, I decided, reluctantly, to view it. As I was viewing this with great trepidation, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, and, although it wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, it was exceedingly better than I could've dreamt. The film sequence was spot on as was the cohesiveness. Really, other than a few places of choppiness and some areas of continuity issues, this expose of the Gucci family was certainly worthy of the price of admission. 

Trust me, the trailer of this film doesn't sell it. It goes deeper and definitely shows the insecurities of this family far more than the trailer depicts. And, how bad can a film be with actors like Pacino, Irons, Driver and Leto; in fact Driver or Leto could end up with an Oscar nod. Message here? Money, power and notoriety can't buy happiness. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                             Rated: R                                                157mins.

Encanto

During this holiday season, there will be several animated films for audiences to choose from. "Sing 2" is released soon and now "Encanto" is offered to us from the Disney studios. While Disney has tackled many different forms of producing films, their animation, which they are world-known for, cannot be beat.

"Encanto" tells the tale an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous , charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal every child except one, Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family's last hope. The patriarch, Abuela Alma (Maria Cecilia Botero), her sister Isabella (Diane Guerrero) and others seem to feel the need to suppress Mirabel considering her limitations of having a gift, but Mirabel ultimately realizes that she must find the 'black sheep' of the family, Bruno (John Leguizamo) in order to connect any reasoning of how the Encanto is beginning to lose its magic.

Others to round out the cast are Mauro Castillo as Felix, Jessica Darrow as Luisa, Angie Cepeda as Julieta, Carolina Gaitan as Pepa, Wilmer Valderrama as Agustin, Rhenzy Feliz as Camilo, Ravi Cabot-Conyers as Antonio, Adassa as Dolores and Maluma as Mariano.

This was whimsically directed by Jared Bush ("Zootopia" (co-dir.) '16) plus a music video, Byron Howard ("Tangled" '10, "Zootopia" '16) plus a music video and shorts, and co-directed by Charise Castro Smith. This was directed with such pathos and compassion that one felt as though you knew these people extraordinarily better than when the film started. Even though these directors haven't garnered a tremendous amount of experience in the director's chair, their quality speaks for itself. It was equally and creatively written by Charlise Castro Smith ("The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez" (TV movie) '16) plus TV and Jared Bush ("Zootopia" '16, "Moana" '16) plus TV and a video game, based on a story by Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith, Jason Hand, Nancy Kruse and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Again, with the collective, limited writing experience, this script was spot on! It was easy to follow, concise and cohesive in their ability to convey this story to the audience. It was based on a story by six artists and with this, it was truly smart to have only two of them to write the screenplay, otherwise it could've been convoluted with so many writers. And what can I say about Lin-Manuel Miranda? His music was remarkable and definitely enhanced this production. Coming off his music he created for "Hamilton", "In the Heights" and extra music for "Mary Poppins Returns", he is incredibly talented with every project he touches. 

If you like an amazing animated film from the king of animation, Disney, and great music from Lin-Manuel Miranda, you will love this. It is also presented in a 3D format for your viewing pleasure, however, seeing this on the large screen, I believe you don't need to see this in that format to get that grandiose feeling. This is a charming and great family film for all. The animated short at the beginning, "Far from the Tree" was charming with a great message.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                      Rated: PG                        102mins., animated short, 8mins.

                                                                                              

King Richard

With the many films that Hollywood has produced, biopics have certainly become a common genre that has graced the silver screen for a number of decades. I believe what makes "King Richard" a bit different than most is the fact that it's more about the father of two famous tennis players than it is about the tennis players themselves. 

Armed with a clear vision and a brazen 78-page plan, Richard Williams (Will Smith) is determined to write his daughters, Venus and Serena (Sanlyya Sidney and Demi Singleton) respectively, into history. Training on Compton, California's neglected tennis courts--rain or shine--the girls are shaped by their father's unyielding commitment and their mother's, Brandy (Aunjanue Ellis) balanced perspective and keen intuition, defying the seemingly insurmountable odds and prevailing expectations laid before them. Knowing they need a coach to sponsor Venus so the expenses won't overcome Richard and Brandy, they ultimately hire Rick Macci (Jon Bernthal). Based on the true story that will inspire the world, "King Richard" follows the uplifting journey of a family whose unwavering resolve and unconditional belief ultimately delivers two of the world's greatest sports legends. 

Others to round out the cast are Tony Goldwyn as Paul Cohen, Mikayla Lashae Bartholomew as Tunde Price, Daniele Lawson as Isha Price, Kevin Dunn as Vic Braden, Noah Bean as PV CC tennis pro and Josiah Cross as TD. 

This was brilliantly directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green ("Monsters and Men" '18, "Joe Bell" '20) plus TV and shorts. Although this filmmaker doesn't have a plethora of feature film experience, what he does have is quality. This is truly an artist who dwells on his craft instead of just cranking out money makers, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for that. The characters in his films simply come to life, as with this film as well. His directing of Smith will undoubtedly garner Smith an Oscar nod, and with that, this director will go far. It was equally written well by a virtual unknown, Zach Baylin. This writer is obviously a natural which is rare since most writers that start with feature film screenplays are typically choppy and questionable at best. This was cohesive, concise, well sequenced all with a tight script. He does have a film that has been announced for a 2022 release which is "Creed III" which he writes. If that film is anything as well thought out as this, it should be a want-to-see film. Jon Bernthal as the coach also gave a stunning performance and also could garner him a supporting Oscar nod as well. Smith's rendition of Richard went back and forth between protectiveness of his daughters and the realization that they ultimately had to make their decision of what they really wanted to do with their future in tennis. So, one minute the audience is cheering for him, and then another minute, you wonder what he's thinking. This is compelling acting.

Whether you are a tennis fan or not, this is a compelling expose of one family's determination to triumph in spike of any obstacles involved. Considering I'm really not a fan of tennis, the almost two and a half hour running time sailed right along, and that's the sign of a well crafted film. The acting, directing and writing will astound.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                                    Rated: PG-13                                             144mins.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Ever since the original "Ghostbusters" premiered back in 1984, the franchise has carried a rather obtuse legacy since. What with "Ghostbusters 2" in 1989, which didn't fair well, and then a female version in 2016 was released with less than impressive reviews, it has had a varied existence. Now, with "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" premiering as a continuation of what happened to Dr. Spengler--one of the original ghostbusters, we are offered a new story filled, once again, with several ghosts to conquer.

When a single mom, Callie (Carrie Coon) and her two kids Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenzie Grace) arrive in a small town in Oklahoma, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind. As the kids ultimately befriend their school instructor, Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd), Phoebe's classmate Podcast (Logan Kim) and a coworker of Trevor's Lucky (Celeste O'Connor), they soon help Trevor and Phoebe in uncovering a hidden cave where the Ghosts dwelled. 

Others to round out the cast are Bokeem Woodbine as Sheriff Domingo, Bill Murray as Dr. Peter Venkman, Dan Aykroyd as Dr. Ray Stantz, Ernie Hudson as Dr. Winston Zeddmore, Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz, Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett and Oliver Cooper as Elton.

This was directed with wit and thoroughness by Jason Reitman ("Thank You for Smoking" '05, "Juno" '07, "Up in the Air" '09, "Young Adult" '11, "Labor Day" '13, "Men, Women & Children" '14, "Tully" '18, "The Front Runner" '18) plus TV and shorts. This is a director who seems to direct somewhat odd or quirky films which has to be more fulfilling as a filmmaker, but since his dad, Ivan Reitman directed the original "Ghostbusters", I can certainly understand that it would be so appropriate for him to be behind the director's chair for this, even though this is basically a commercial film. This director definitely gave the same feel of this as his dad outlaid in the original, and seeing, not only some original cast members, i.e. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Annie Potts, but the old Cadillac vehicle used in the original allowed the audience to walk down memory lane. It was effectively written by Gil Kenan ("A Boy Called Christmas" '21) and Jason Reitman ("Thank You for Smoking" '05, "Up in the Air" '09, "Labor Day" '13, "Men, Women & Children" '14, "The Front Runner" '18) plus shorts, based on the 1984 film "Ghostbusters", an Ivan Reitman film by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. Certainly, Jason Reitman gave this script a thorough continuation of the original's story and I even wonder how thorough it would've been if there wasn't a family tie with Ivan Reitman. One thing that caught my eye is that instead of the Pilsbury dough boy being huge--like in the original, he was small and there were many of them. It was a nice detail and connection. Was this film flawless? No, however, other than a couple of small places of the need for more clarity, this was spot on. And, as usual, the visual effects predominantly designed by MPC (Moving Picture Company) and Double Negative were seamless and truly added to the story. And the cinematography by Robert Elswit asc was amazing as well. 

If you're a Ghostbusters freak, you'll love this, and seeing all the connections with the original film only help the film be the film we all were waiting for. I can't help but think that this would've been killer in IMAX which is also formatted in. This is a fun, and great escapism film which we all could use today.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                           Rated: PG-13                                               124mins.

Clifford the Big Red Dog

As we all have gone through the ringer with this pandemic in the past year and a half plus, it's been a while since we've seen a really heartwarming family film. Families have been the brunt of all that has caused hardship, what with mandates, supply chain issues, vaccines, death, sickness, financial difficulty, and the like. So, by now we sincerely need a film like "Clifford the Big Red Dog" to be able to attempt to diffuse all the problems we have encountered out there.

When middle-schooler, 12-year-old Emily Elizabeth Howard (Darby Camp) meets a magical animal rescuer Bridwell (John Cleese) who gifts her a little red puppy, she never anticipated waking up to find a giant ten-foot hound in her small New York City apartment. While her single mom Maggie (Sienna Guillory) is away for business, Emily and her fun, but impulsive and irresponsible uncle, Casey (Jack Whitehall) set out on an adventure attempting to stop one Zac Tieran (Tony Hale) from kidnapping Clifford for nefarious reasons that will keep you on the edge of your seat as our heroes take a bite out of  the Big Apple. Based on the Scholastic book character, Clifford will teach the world how to love big!

Others to round out the cast are Izaac Wang as Owen, David Alan Grier as Packard, Russell Peters as Malik, Paul Rodriguez as Alonso, Horatio Sanz as Raul, Russell Wong as Mr. Yu and Kenan Thompson as a vet.

This was whimsically directed by Walt Becker ("Van Wilder" '02, "Buying the Cow" '02, "Wild Hogs" '07, "1321 Clover" (TV movie) '07, "Old Dogs" '09, "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip" '15) plus TV. Although this filmmaker doesn't escape from his comfort zone with this, we are all the recipients of the positive feel of this heartwarming story. The expressiveness of Emily, Casey and especially Clifford is undeniably attractive to its target audience: the family. If this kind of directing pleases, his "Tradeshow" is in pre-production. This was effectively written by Jay Scherick, David Ronn and Blaise Hemingway, based on a screen story by Justin Malen and Ellen Rapoport, which is based on the beloved Scholastic Book Series "Clifford the Big Red Dog" by Norman Bridwell. This was well written in the fact that it followed the book series well, it was cohesive, concise all with a tight script. Now, did this have a somewhat predictable premise? Sure, but it is based on a child's story and with this, the predictability is definitely permissible. As I've mentioned in previous reviews, typically, if there are more than two writers involved with a screenplay, it has a tendency to become bogged down with choppiness and meandering, however, this having three writers didn't cause those situations to occur. In fact, because there was such a meaty source of this screenplay, they were able to pull it off. Of course, both Scherick and Ronn, who have collaborated on many films, and having the lion's share of the experience here didn't hurt. 

If you have a family, or know many families, this is a film for you. This has so many positive attributes imbued within the script: discovery, love, compassion all with an amazing message for all actually. And in a day where we could use more love and compassion, this film has spoken in volumes!

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

Belfast

There are several filmmakers out there that I would deem as talented in their field in the entertainment business. Throughout the past we've seen the likes of Alfred Hitchcock, Sidney Lumet, Steven Spielberg, David Lean, Spike Lee, Clint Eastwood, Wes Anderson, Ridley Scott and the like, but now I believe I can add Kenneth Branagh to that ever growing list with "Belfast".

This is a poignant story of love, laughter and loss in one boy's, Buddy (Jude Hill) childhood, amid the music and social tumult of the late 1960's. The backdrop to this story was the Catholic/Protestant civil unrest in the 1960's which caused all in that community to endure having to walk on eggs just to live or co-exist with each other. Buddy and his family, Pa (Jamie Dornan ), Ma (Caitriona Balfe), Pop (Ciaran Hinds), Granny (Judi Dench) and Will (Lewis McAskie) all, in their own lives, have to be able to endure the times of the riotous Belfast civil unrest with passion, compassion, endurance and strength at a time when those attributes are difficult to hold on to when one needs them the most. 

Others to round out the cast are Josie Walter as Auntie Violet, Freya Yates as Cousin Frances, Nessa Eriksson as Cousin Vanessa, Charlie Earnard as Cousin Charlie, Frankie Hastings as Auntie Mary, Michael Maloney as Frankie West and Ian Dunnett Jr. as Uncle Tony. 

This was brilliantly and poignantly directed by veteran Kenneth Branagh ("Henry V" '89, "Dead Again" '91, "Much Ado About Nothing" '93, "Mary Shelley"s Frankenstein" '94, "Hamlet" '96, "As You Like It" '06, "Sleuth" '07, "Thor" '11, "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" '14, "Cinderella" '15, "Murder on the Orient Express" '17, "All Is True" '18, "Artemis Fowl" '20) plus other films and shorts. Considering the resume this filmmaker has, I feel he is today's William Shakespeare with the films that are either based on his work or certainly has that similar feel. he simply knows how to bring his characters to life with passion and pathos unlike a lot of directors are unable to pull off. If you like the crispness and clarity of this director, his "Death on the Nile" is completed for a 2022 release. It is equally well written by Branagh ("Henry V" '89, "Much Ado About Nothing" '93, "A Midwinter's Tale" '95, "Hamlet" '96, "Love's Labour's Lost" 2000, "As You Like It" '06, "The Magic Flute" '06) plus a short. Although he doesn't have a tremendous amount of writing experience, for what he has is quality and is spot on. He truly captured the essence of these different characters and their distinctive attributes, and truly knows his way around a script. He can take a minimal amount of running time and bring his audience into a world that isn't, in and of itself, is a complex storyline, but the way he pens his screenplays he can take an otherwise common story and, all of a sudden, it truly sings and grips the audience. This could easily pick up some Oscar nominations including best picture, Branagh as director, Haris Zambarloukos bsc/csc for cinematography and possibly Judi Dench for supporting actress. 

If artfully well crafted films are your type thing, this will delight. This is not for the mass audience appeal, specifically if explosive films are more your desire. It does have some explosive moments--it  does take place in a civil unrest, but this is more than a backdrop to the film being more about life through the perspective of this small boy and his family and his neighborhood. This is a must see simply because of the sheer quality of how this was crafted.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                          Rated: PG-13                                              97mins.

Eternals

The MCU or Marvel Cinematic Universe has produced a plethora of films whether it be "Ironman", "Captain America", "Guardians of the Galaxy", "Deadpool", etc, and although each and every one of them are visually stunning, not all of them are particularly original or penned expressly well, especially this film from the MCU corral titled "Eternals'.

This film centers on ancient aliens called Eternals including Sersi (Gemma Chan),  Ikaris (Richard Madden), Thena (Angelina Jolie), Ajak (Salma Hayek), Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), Sprite (Lia McHugh), Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry), Druig (Barry Keoghan), Ma dong-Seok (Don Lee) and Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. Following the events of "Avengers: Endgame", an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows to reunite against mankind's most ancient enemy, the Deviants, which were supposedly eliminated by the Eternals approximately 5,000 years ago. The story unfolds and spans, not only different eras in time, but many locales as well in searching out the Deviants in order of terminating them to save mankind.

Others to round out the cast are Kit Harington as Dane Whitman, Harish Patel as Karun, Haaz Sleiman as Ben, Alan Scott as Patrick, Hannah Dodd as Sandra and Esai Daniel Cross as Jack.

This was brilliantly directed by Chloe Zhao ("Songs My Brothers Taught Me" '15, "The Rider" '17, "Nomadland" '21) plus shorts. As with "Nomadland", this filmmaker has proven she knows her way around the director's chair. The pathos, intense emotions and staging is absolutely amazing. What's more amazing is that with the limited theatrical film experience she has, with each film, she proves she is a natural which, in this day and age, they don't come by very often. She will continue to be offered more work. This was written by Zhao, Patrick Burleigh, Ryan Firpo and Kaz Firpo, based on a story by Ryan Firpo and Kaz Firpo, which is based on the Marvel comics by Jack Kirby. Where the direction was extremely spot on, the writing, however, was not. It was an effective effort, but the story kept jumping around and became choppy in several places. I've mentioned prior, and I'll say it again, typically, when there is more than two writers involved on any given film, there's a great propensity of it becoming bogged down with choppiness, becoming inconsistent in script and sequentially mismanaged. This wasn't a total wash--it was visually stunning by ILM (Industrial Light & Magic) and Weta Digital, and the directing and even acting were enough to keep one attentive, however, no one could really save the writing from itself. They really shouldn't have allowed any more than two writers to pen this--too many hands in the pot, if you will. 

If you are a Marvel and/or Eternals fan, you'll love this regardless of the writing, or lack thereof, but even if one isn't a fan, the directing and visual effects are worthy of the price of admission. There will be another "Eternals". I know, what a shock, since the MCU are all about sequels and their franchise. Hopefully the writing will be better--maybe one or two less writers? We can only hope for the best. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2                                            Rated: PG-13                                            156mins.

The French Dispatch

When it comes to independent films, Wes Anderson is probably at the top of the list. He is the quintessential artist of quirky and extremely different. Most of Anderson's films are formatted in a droll and satirical way and while they are dramatic, they are laced with extremely powder dry comedy, and "The French Dispatch" is no exception. 

This is a love letter to journalists, including Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand), J.K.L. Berensen (Tilda Swinton), Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright) and Herbsaint Sazerac (Owen Wilson), set in an American newspaper in a fictional twentieth century French city that brings to life a collection of stories published in "The French Dispatch". This film is presented in a series of vignettes covering the different sections of the newspaper such politics, arts and entertainment, cooking, etc. These different writers tell their stories to their editor, Arthur Howitzer, Jr. (Bill Murray), so they can figure out what to leave in the story and what to eliminate. The stories are as diverse as they are creative in that the characters are amazingly problematic and insecure, and is a wonder how these characters can figure anything out in their lives. 

Others to round out the cast are Benicio Del Toro as Moses Rosenthaler, Adrien Brody as Julian Cadazio, Lea Seydoux as Simone, Timothee Chalamet as Zeffirelli, Lyna Khoudri as Juliette, Steve Park as Nescaffier, Mathieu Amalric as The Commissaire, Bob Balaban as Uncle Nick, Henry Winkler as Uncle Joe, Lois Smith as Uphur 'Maw' Clammette and Tony Revolori as Young Rosenthaler.

This was directed by the indie filmmaker of them all, Wes Anderson ("Bottle Rocket" '96, "Rushmore" '98, "The Royal Tenenbaums" '01, "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" '04, "The Darjeeling Limited" '07, "Fantastic Mr. Fox" '09, "Moonrise Kingdom" '12, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" '14, "Isle of Dogs" '18) plus shorts and a video short. This director is the actors' filmmaker, which is probably why he uses a certain number of the same actors in many of his films. He truly knows how to extract that droll, almost deadpan quality from his actors. All of his films are similar in that element he uses of being droll--it's almost become his trademark. It was also well written by Anderson (see above list), based on a story by Anderson, Roman Coppola, Hugo Guinness and Jason Schwartzman. When watching this, it can come across as confusing as the different sections don't seem to connect, but if you keep yourself attentive to the story, there is a subtle connection. Many of Anderson films are shot in similar ways replete with similar photography, Robert Yeoman asc., he has used many times, the sets in certain scenes are almost theater set looking and, of course, the satirical, droll powder dry comedy is evident in the films as well. If you like this director's brand of writing and directing, his "Asteroid City" is is post production for a 2022 release. 

Certainly if you are an Anderson die-hard fan, you will love this since it is golden Anderson, but even if not, this is a well crafted film. Don't get me wrong, this film isn't for the mass audience appeal, but if a powder dry, droll humor type of film is something you can sink your teeth into, you might give this a try.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                          Rated: R                                                  108mins.