The Whale

We all go to see films for a variety of reasons, but typically those reasons are to either entertain or to witness true artistic film craft at its finest. Well, I must say, "The Whale" is truly a well crafted film that when seeing this, it isn't for entertainment value, but rather for the shear artistry that it is. The acting, writing and directing are stunning. 

A reclusive online English teacher, Charlie (Brendan Fraser) suffering from severe morbid obesity and is riddled with CHF (congestive heart failure) attempts to reconnect with his troubled, estranged daughter, Ellie (Sadie Sink) for one last chance at redemption. He certainly knows as well as his friend/visiting RN Liz (Hong Chau) that he could could die any day considering his diagnosis. So, since he refuses to go to the hospital, he asks Ellie to visit him and she begrudgingly decides to. Many things that he has done (or not done) has caused such an upheaval in his and his family's lives, which he is so depressed over, but now he feels that if he had this one last chance, could he be redeemed or is it way too late?

Others to round out the cast are Ty Simpkins as Thomas, Samantha Morton as Mary, Charlie's ex-wife, Sathya Sridharan as Dan the pizza man and Jacey Sink as young Ellie.

This was carefully delineated by director Darren Aronofsky ("Pi" '98, Requiem for a Dream" 2000, "The Fountain" '06, "The Wrestler" '08, "Black Swan" '10, "Noah" '14, "Mother!" '17) plus TV, shorts and a music video. Aronofsky is without a doubt an extremely talented director, but this has got to be his best direction yet. How he was able to extract the incredible nuances of emotion from his actors, especially that of Fraser, was simply astounding! Fraser certainly has quite the resume of interesting and well performed roles, but this was a sheer tour de force. Of course, with a director such as Aronofsky at the helm, it definitely helps. If you like the brand of this filmmaker, his "Adrift" is in pre production. It was brilliantly written by Simon D. Hunter based on his play. He only has TV and a short to his film credit, but since he is a playwright, I understand that he wouldn't have a ton of film experience. However, after seeing this film, he could easily obtain the interest from any producer or director to write another screenplay this being so well written. The sequence of scenes were so fluid that the pages jumped off the screen. The characters were developed  with incredible precision that you felt that you were eavesdropping in on real individuals. Fraser has always been a fine actor and I was sure sorry that he moved away from the limelight, but after seeing this film, hopefully he will come back to making more films. He will undoubtedly receive an Academy Award nomination, and could win for sure. 

Even though this film is a bit depressing, the artistry of the film will blow you away, especially if you are a film buff. This is a film about troubled people and how much their issues can and certainly does affect others. The question is, can they improve? We can ask ourselves that same question. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                                 Rated: R                                                    116mins.

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

In the last 2-3 decades, Hollywood has invested a great deal of money and time in developing biopic films about performers. We've seen a plethora of them: "Ray", "Judy", "Bohemian Rhapsody", and the most recent "Elvis" to mention a handful. Now, to add to that ever growing list, we have "Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody" in the offing.

This is a joyous, emotional, heartbreaking celebration of the life and music of Whitney Houston (Naomi Ackie), one of the greatest R&B pop vocalists of all time, tracking her journey from obscurity to musical superstardom. Discovered by record executive Clive Davis (Stanley Tucci), Houston rises to fame in the 1980's to become one of the greatest singers of her generation, subsequently obtaining the title "The Voice". As with so many other talented past singers, Houston had a litany of issues--drug and alcohol issues to mention a couple. 

Others to round out the cast are Ashton Edwards as Bobby Brown, Tamara Tunie as Cissy Houston, Whitney's mother, Clarke Peters as John Houston, Whitney's father, Napessa Williams as Robyn Crawford, Daniel Washington as Gary Houston, JaQuan Malik Jones as Michael Houston, Kris Sidberry as Pat Houston and Dave Heard as Rickey Minor. 

This was executed well by director Kasi Lemmons ("Eve's Bayou" '97, "The Caveman's Valentine" '01, "Talk to Me" '07, "Black Nativity" '13, "Harriet" '19) plus TV and a short. Considering this filmmaker's very eclectic resume, it was not surprising that she wouldn't be able to handle a film such as this. Really, the only other film that is basically a biopic that she has directed is "Harriet", so she didn't have a great amount of experience with this particular genre, however having the one film under her belt could've only helped her with this project. The pacing of Ackie and Tucci was exercised well and brought a certain realism to those characters. It was adequately written by Anthony McCarten ("The English Harem" (TV movie) '05, "Show of Hands" (based on his novel) '08, "Death of a Superhero" (based on his novel) '11, "The Theory of Everything" '14, "Darkest Hour" '17, "Bohemian Rhapsody" '18, "The Two Popes" '19) plus TV and shorts. Although this screenplay was accurately written as far as pacing, clarity, cohesiveness and sequencing of the different scenes, I can't help but think that it would've been clearer to the audience if McCarten had delved more into why and how Houston became as problematic as she did. In other words, what and or who drove her to the bevy of issues she ended up with? I realize that by adding this aspect, it would only increase the running time longer than it already is, however if he decreased a bit of the section where she was problematic because of the issues, the running time probably wouldn't be any longer, but we would receive more of a poignant insight of this troubled soul. Otherwise, this script was rock solid by an obvious and experienced writer. 

Certainly if you like the music of Whitney Houston, which I do, you will revel with this. Interesting that she did lead a double life as a bisexual which did surprise me, but I suppose it is somewhat understanding since the biz she was in caters to many different lifestyles. If one sees this, it will clearly be for the music, since she was donned as 'The Voice'.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                            Rated: PG-13                                            145mins.

Babylon

Hollywood, in my opinion, has always been a questionable community for many decades, but if "Babylon" has any truth ti it, I certainly pegged that opinion correct. This expose of the early days of the Hollywood era was rife with decadence that was incredibly stunning. This being set at the mid 1920's, and displaying all the gratuitous everything, it's no wonder why this country financially collapsed in 1928--consequences having to be paid.

A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, this story traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood. It starts in 1926 during the silent film era with an established lead star Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt) as 'king of the hill'. He hires an assistant, Manny Torres (Diego Calva) who, after some lucky breaks and connections subsequently becomes a studio executive. Before that happens, Manny meets and befriends a would be actress discovery, Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie) who gets a break in a role when the star that project was supposed to do the role, ends up killing herself. Nellie becomes a huge star and becomes friends with Jack and all the other actors. But, in a community, where egos are huge and narcissism is the order of the day, there is much conflict and then throw in the progression of talkie films coming into play by 1927, and it becomes a perfect storm for many problems and issues that run the gambit. 

Others to round out the cast are Olivia Wilde as Ina Conrad, Jack's estranged wife, Jean Smart as critic, Elinor St. John, Jovan Adepo as musician, Sidney Palmer, Flea as director Bob Levine, Li Jun Li as Lady Fay Zhu, Lukas Haas as George Munn, Eric Roberts as Robert Roy, Nellie's father, Jeff Garlin as producer Don Wallach and Rory Scovel as The Count.

This was brilliantly and intensely directed by Damien Chazelle ("Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench" '09, "Whiplash" '14, "La La Land" '16, "First Man" '18) plus TV, a short and a video. As with his past films, Chazelle knows just the right amount of emotion his actors need to emit in order to convince the audience that these characters really do exist, and this film is no exception. Each film he helms simply gets better and better. It was also written by Chazelle ("Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench" '09, "The Last Exorcism Part II" '13, "Grand Piano" '13, "10 Cloverfield Lane" '16, "La La Land" '16) plus a short. As director, Chazelle excelled, however when it clearly came to the writing, the story simply became bogged down with continuity and cohesiveness issues. Maybe he was taking on too much of a premise to truly capture the essence that he was attempting to convey, otherwise, it just became lost after a while. Also, I understand the need to show us how depraved the ones in that community were, however it was incredibly gratuitous, to say the least, in bringing that point across. The beginning scene was one of a couple where it made me cringe because it just went on and on with the depravity. The acting, especially by that of Pitt, Robbie and Calva was handled amazingly well, but even they, the top stars that they are, couldn't save this. Also, this was a bit long-in-the-tooth--about 20 minutes could've been left out and it wouldn't have lost anything in the story.

Was this a total wash? No, of course not. There were some truly interesting scenes that actually tugged at your heart, but suffice it to say, the screenplay needed to be worked over again. If you're a Pitt or Robbie fan, you'll love this. Also, this is rated R for a reason. This not for kids or even some adults, so buyer beware.

Out of 4 Stars: 2                                          Rated: R                                                  190mins.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Being the end of year film season, we haven't seen an abundance of animated flicks released. One would think that with the holiday season here i.e. Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc., animated, or family oriented films would be the order of the day. Well, Dreamworks Animation hasn't let us down with releasing "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish", which is a brilliant follow up of the favorite "Puss in Boots" '11.

Everyone's favorite leche-loving, swashbuckling, fear-defying feline returns. For the first time in more than a decade, Dreamworks Animation presents a new adventure in the 'Shrek' universe as daring outlaw Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) discovers that his passion for peril and disregard for safety have taken their toll. Puss has burned through eight of his nine lives, though he lost count along the way. Getting those lives back will send Puss in Boots on his grandest quest yet. Puss embarks on an epic journey into the Black Forest to find the mythical Wishing Star and restore his lost lives. But with only one life left, Puss will have to humble himself and ask for help from his former partner and nemesis: the captivating Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek). In their quest, Puss and Kitty will be aided--against their better judgment--by a ratty, chatty, relentlessly cheerful mutt Perro (Harvey Guillen). Together, our trio of heroes will have to stay one step ahead of Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and The Three Bears Crime Family, "Big" Jack Horner (John Mulaney) and terrifying bounty hunter, The Big Bad Wolf (Wagner Moura).

Others to round out the cast are Ray Winstone as Papa Bear, Olivia Colman as Mama Bear, Samson Kayo as Baby Bear, Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Mama Luna, Anthony Mendez as Doctor and Joel Crawford as Band Member.

This was whimsically and creatively directed well by Joel Crawford ("Trolls Holiday" (TV movie) '17, "The Croods: A new Age" '20) plus a video game and co-directed by Januel Mercado (TV and a video). Between the over-the-top emotions involved here and the fun, quick editing to captivate continued attention, this director, along wit Mercado as co-director excelled in spades and the film simply flowed like water. It was brilliantly written by Paul Fisher ("Flushed Away" (additional screenplay material) '06, "The Lego Ninjago Movie" '12, "The Croods: A New Age"'20) plus TV and Tommy Swerdlow ("Cool Runnings" '93, "Little Giants" '94, "Bushwhacked" '95, "Snow Dogs" '02, "A Thousand Junkies" '17, "The Grinch" '18) plus TV, based on a story by Swerdlow and Fisher. Even though neither of these writers were involved in the original, the script here was simply perfect. It was paced and sequenced with extreme fluidity, and the premise and execution of the story was amazingly well told. These writers are some of the best writers in the biz that I 've seen in a while. Hopefully they will create another amazing screenplay very soon so we can be as entertained as much as with this story. And, as usual, Dreamworks Animation's animation was incredibly designed well showcasing these characters and their surroundings with such expertise.

Kudos to the entire staff of this production. It was written, directed and acted well and the entertainment factor went off the charts. If you liked the original "Puss in Boots", you'll love this one. It had it all: humor, adventure, fun and heart--a great family film for sure. Grab the popcorn and revel with this! I know I did!

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                              Rated: PG                                              102mins.

Empire of Light

There are films that are made simply to entertain, and then there are those that are crafted with artistic endeavor where the two are typically never combined. As with the case of "Empire of Light, it was crafted with such expertise artistically that you feel like you just left a film theory class. 

Set in an English seaside town in the early 1980's, this story is a powerful and poignant tale about human connection and the magic of cinema. Empire movie theater comprises of a group of eclectic characters, namely Hilary (Olivia Colman), new employee, Stephen (Micheal Ward), manager, Donald Ellis (Colin Firth), projectionist, Norman (Toby Jones), Neil (Tom Brooke) and Janine (Hannah Onslow), where their issues are aplenty. Whether it be anger, self-deprecation, depression, self-centeredness and the like, it's amazing how any work gets done. Some have moderate issues, whereas others are truly bent and really are not cognisant of them. But, through the magic of cinema and the willingness of being able to escape into a film, it's truly amazing how well this group seems to get along. 

Others to round out the cast are Crystal Clarke as Ruby, Tanya Moodie as Delia, Monica Dolan as Rosemary Bates, Ron Cook as Mr. Cooper, Sara Stewart as Brenda Ellis, Donald's wife and Justin Edwards as Jim Booth. 

This was painstakingly well crafted by Director Sam Mendes ("Cabaret" (TV movie) '93, "American Beauty" '99, "Road to Perdition" '02, "Jarhead" '05, "Revolutionary Road" '08, "Away We Go" '09, "Skyfall" '12, "King Lear" '14, "Spectre" '15, "The Lehman Trilogy" '19, "1917" '19) plus a video. As one can see by this filmmaker's resume, he allows his audience to look into the lives of certain characters so much of the time that when observing these characters, it gives us the sense of eavesdropping into other lives because the direction is delineated with such conciseness. There is no stone unturned with his direction, and this film is of no exception. If you like and appreciate this filmmaker's brand of directing, his "The Motive and the Cue" is in pre production. It was delineated with such expertise by writer Mendes as well. And even though "1917" '19 was his only other film in which he wrote, this, as with "1917" was incredibly well written. With his incredible ability to direct and working with a cavalcade  of writers, he has been able to develop screenplays with such aplomb that he seems a consummate pro. Although this story comes across as unfathomably depressing, I believe it was purposely designed that way so as to look into the different troubled lives of the employees of the Empire theater. It would've been much easier for the writer to create similar traits of the characters, however Mendes transcended above that and developed each and every character with not only such precision, but also deep quirks that it made it that much more intriguing to view for any audience. 

This film was an incredibly captivating film, where the writer was able to describe each character to a degree that gave the audience a sense that they knew these people by films' end. Is this film for anyone? No, because of the complexities of these characters, there are some that wouldn't feel comfortable seeing certain things up on that screen. One isn't really seeing this for the entertainment factor as much as for its artistry. It is incredibly well acted, directed and written. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me to see Mendes and Colman receiving a nod for directing and acting respectively, come Oscar time. 

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

Avatar: The Way of Water

Way back in 2009 when "Avatar" was released, you never thought that there would be a sequel. Well, several years later, talk about it was flying around, so before one knew it, a sequel was definitely in the works. I really thought that it would be a waste of time, because a sequel wouldn't work. Well, now that I've seen this film, not only did it work, it was probably better than its predecessor.

Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, this tells the story of the Sully family, Jake (Sam Worthington0, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and the kids, the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure. The Sullys' live on the extrasolar moon Pandora. Once a familiar threat headed up by Col. Quaritch (Stephen Lang) returns to finish off what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na'vi race (people of the water) to protect their home. 

Others to round out the cast are Sigourney Weaver as Kari, Kate Winslet as Ronal, Cliff Curtis as Tonowari, Joel David Moore as Norm, Edie Falco as General Ardmore, CCH Pounder as Mo'at, Jack Champion as Spider, Britain Dalton as Lo'ak, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss as Tuk, Brendan Cowell as Scoresby, Jemaine Clement as  Dr. Garvin and Jamie Flatters as Neteyam. 

This was brilliantly directed by veteran James Cameron ("The Terminator" '84, "Aliens" '86, "The Abyss" '89, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" '91, "True Lies" '94, "Titanic" '97, "Avatar" '09, "Alita: Battle Angel" '19) plus others, TV, video games and shorts. What can I say but that Cameron's creation of these characters simply came to life when seeing them on the screen. He gave the audience that incredible feeling of not only the closeness of family, but, when something happens, the family is right there, no matter what. Certainly Worthington and Saldana reprised their roles from the original which made this closeness even tighter, but it was definitely Cameron's direction that enhanced that feeling as well. It was incredibly written by Cameron, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, based on the story by Cameron, Jaffa, Silver, Josh Friedman and Shane Salerno. This story leapt off the page at me with a vengeance. I was entertained from the first frame until the last. Unless I just wasn't prepared for the original film, this continuation just spoke to me in spades. It was concise, cohesive, all the while bringing a certain nuance to the story that brought me closer to the characters involved. Considering the vast experience these writers have, it's no doubt that the script was penned with such expertise. But they were also able to bring heart to this story as well. And the visual effects designed by both ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) and Weta Digital were seamless and truly enhanced the story. 

If you liked the original "Avatar", you truly will like this as well. It has it all: adventure, redemption, heart, humor and suspense all rolled up in an incredible story about humanity at its worst and best. I saw it in 3D which was awesome, but if you're interested, it's also presented in an IMAX format for that up, close and personal feeling. Even though it exceeds a 3 hour running time, it moves fight along. Enjoy!

Out of 4 Star: 4                                            Rated: PG-13                                           193mins.

Violent Night

Well, it's the Christmas season once again. Ho! Ho! Ho! We used to have several holiday movies released yearly, but recently they have dwindled. They come in all genres: comedy, drama or even a musical format, and they may be designed to inspire or just entertain. As with "Violent Night", it's basically designed to entertain.

When a team of mercenaries headed up by Mr. Scrooge (John Leguizamo) breaks into a wealthy family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone including Gertrude Lightstone (Beverly D'Angelo), Jason Lightstone (Alex Hassell), Linda (Alexis Louder), Jason's wife and Trudy (Leah Brady), Jason and Linda's daughter, inside hostage, the team isn't prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus (David Harbour) is on the grounds, and he's about to show why this Nick is no saint. Will he be able to save this family and still finish his job for the night?

Others to round out the cast are Cam Giganet as Morgan Steel, Edi Patterson as Alva Lightstone, Alexander Elliot as Bert, Brendan Fletcher as Krampus, Andre Erikeen as Gingerbread, Mike Dopud as Commander Thorp, Mitra Suri as Candy Cane and Stephanie Sy as Sugarplum.

This was intensely and grittily directed by Tommy Wirkola ("Kill Buljo: The Movie" '07, "Dead Snow" '09, "Kurt Josef Wagle og legenden om Fjorheksa" '10, "Hanzel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" '13, "Kill Buljo 2" '13, "Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead" '14, "Kurt Josef Wagle og mordmysteriet pa Hurtigruta"'17, "The Trip" '21) plus TV. These characters are all over-the-top which obviously was deliberate making it even more fun and entertaining. It shows us that Santa Claus isn't just this fat, white-bearded jolly old elf that flings toys to all the good kids. He is also, when pushed into a corner, an entirely different sort, and Wirkola was definitely able to extract those differences from Harbour. It was written by writing team Pat Casey and Josh Miller ("Sledgehammers at Dawn" '13, "Team Hot Wheels: The Skills to Thrill" (TV movie) '15, "Sonic the Hedgehog" '20, "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" '22) plus TV, shorts and a video. These writers certainly know their way around a screenplay; you need only to look at their resume to understand. Even though there were  characters that represented good and bad, there were sill references of bad within the good and visa versa which makes it a bit more realistic in creating the story. If I had to akin this film with any other, it would have to be "Home Alone", but that film on steroids. I feel it was a sort of homage to "Home Alone" since the references were so blatant. This Santa has been doing his job probably a bit too long, but maybe. just maybe he finds new life when protecting these people. Other than a couple of very small places of continuity issues, this was spot on with its storytelling.

If you like Christmas films, or more to the point, a Christmas film that takes an untraditional trek, this is the film for you. The poster gives the appearance of a horror flick, and with its title, one can only wonder. But in reading about the film, I came to realize it's not horror, but rather a rough and tumble comedy with suspense thrown in. It's a fun film for what it is replete with pratfalls, blood and good vs. evil with a Santa Claus backdrop. Ho! Ho! Ho!

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                           Rated: R                                            112mins.

Strange World

As we are in the midst of the end of the year film season, we find what typically is released during the summer film season in the form of "Strange World", because it is an animated film, released now. Disney usually creates animated work that is more traditional, however with this film, they went out on that proverbial limb. 

This action-packed adventure introduces a legendary family of explorers, the Clades including Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid), Searcher Clade (Jake Gyllenhaal), Ethan Clade (Jaboukie Young-White) and Meridian Clade (Gabrielle Union), as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blog that Ethan named Splat, a three-legged dog named Legend and a slew of ravenous creatures. Do they make it out of this strange land or are they trapped forever?

Others to round out the cast are Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal, Karan Soni as Caspian, Alan Tudyk as narrator/radio host/Lt. Duffle, Adelina Anthony as Pulk, Abraham Evenrubi as Lonnie Redshirt, Jonathan Melo as Diazo, Nik Dodani as Kardez, Francesca Reale as Azi Muth, Emily Kutoda as Ro and Reed Buck as Rory. 

This was directed with a one two punch by Don Hall ("Big Hero 6" '14) and co-directed by Qui Nguyen. Hall is a main staple artist for Disney with a ton of animation work under his belt whereas he is developing into a talented director as well. With his knowledge of animation coupled with his newer ability of directing, he was able to create a stimulating connection with these different and eclectic characters. Even though Qui Nguyen has no other feature film experience, I'm sure his input was pivotal, especially being the writer of this. As just mentioned, this script was penned by Qui Nguyen ("Raya and the Last Dragon" '21, "The un-Princess not Bride" '21, She Kills Monsters" '22) plus TV and a short. Certainly, by his resume, he is more of a seasoned writer than being behind the camera, but in time and more work, that should change. This script is an incredibly well crafted one with a very fresh, original story--something that Disney, of late, isn't really known for. They typically have the tendency to go for remakes or something that's tried and true and easy and inexpensive to put together. So kudos to them for their willing to accept this premise. Really, the only thing I have an issue with about this story is the fact that the son, Ethan of Searcher has a sexual identity problem in that he is interested in his buddy Diazo. This typically wouldn't be an issue with me, however since this is an animated film rated PG that is targeted toward young and very young kids, I feel this, first of all, is inappropriate for a demographic that is in their formative years, and secondly, because of this, this wasn't an issue that was pivotal in order for this story to work. Disney also attempted this same tactic with "Lightyear", by inserting a kiss, albeit quick, but a kiss between two women in another animated rated PG film. It was somewhat controversial that it didn't garner the profits they were expecting. So, since Disney is woke, it seems like they just have to get political when it's not necessary. Nguyen did a great job with the story, otherwise and deserves kudos for that. I can't wait to see another film with his writing credit on it.

If you like original and freshness in a premise, this is the film for you. You be the judge if you want to let your very young child see this given the sexual identity issue within it. Otherwise, it does have a great message of families coming together after a difficult trek and reuniting realizing what  their real priorities are. The creatures are amazingly original and wondrous. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                          Rated: PG                                               101mins.

Devotion

We've all seen war films including WWI, WWII, the Vietnam War, the Middle East War, but other than the film "M*A*S*H" '70, "Devotion" is really the only other film that has the Korean War, or otherwise known as the forgotten war, as its backdrop. Based on a true story, it's a riveting film about comraderie, teamwork and the devotion involved in order to combat any mission.

This story is an aerial war epic based on the best selling book of the same name about the harrowing true story of two elite US Navy fighter pilots, Ens. Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors) and Ens. Tom Hudner (Glen Powell) during the Korean War. Their heroic sacrifices would ultimately make them the Navy's most celebrated wingmen. It all starts with their training under the command of Lt. Comm. Dick Cevola (Thomas Sadoski) aboard a USS aircraft carrier. Most of the men are single except Brown who has to be concerned for his wife Daisy (Christina Jaxkson). With the comraderie of other pilots including Marty Goode (Joe Jonas), Bill Koenig (Daren Kagasoff), Ed Lavery (Spencer Neville) and Carol Mohring (Nick Hargrove), these guys put together an incredible team that excels in their missions.

Others to round out the cast are Boone Platt as Buddy Gill, Dean Denton as Captain Sisson, Thad Luckinbill as Peters, Joseph Cross as Charlie Ward, Serinda Swan as Elizabeth Taylor and Matt Riedy as Hudner Sr

It was directed with such pathos and determination by J.D. Dillard ("Quick Change" .05, "Judy Goose" '06, "Overheard in NYC" '08, "Mariah" '09, "Sleight" '16, "Sweetheart" '19) plus TV. There was such a chasm of emotion between these pilots in that they'll be like regular guys having comaderie, to seeing another and breaking down with a buddy because they're extremely hurting and anywhere in between. These characters simply cared about each other and this director saw fit that we, the audience could see this. It was surprisingly written well from Jake Crane (shorts) and Jonathan A.H. Stewart (1 short), based on the book by Adam Makos. When I was prepping for this review before viewing the film, I noticed that these writers had virtually no experience in the feature film biz, so I went to see the film with great trepidation. However, after seeing this film, I was amazingly surprised how well thought out this story was as it unfolded before my eyes. it was concise, cohesive, and its sequence was especially spot on. These writers have obviously honed their talent on TV and shorts, and with that have proven themselves as the writers they are. What is interesting is that if this is the quality of their first feature film screenplay, it should be interesting to see what they produce next. The aerial coordination by Kevin LaRosa II was incredibly shot well and looked amazing on the large screen. 

Certainly, if you like war films, this will be a treat for you, however, if it's not your cup of tea, the aerials, acting and photography was incredible. This was exhaustive in its research, so much so, that the audience felt like that could keep them glued to the screen.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                           Rated: PG-13                                              139mins.

 

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Out of all the genres Hollywood could ever produce, it's got to be that of the 'whodunit'. Perhaps it's the element of surprise when finding out who did it, or maybe because these films are typically crammed with leading stars of the day, but, suffice it to say, they are intriguing. When I saw "Knives Out", I felt that was a very well executed and thought out film, but how could they improve on that? Well, "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" is as good or possibly better.

Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns to peel back the layers in a new Rian Johnson whodunit. This fresh adventure finds the intrepid detective at a lavish private estate on a Greek island, but how and why he comes to be there is only the first of many puzzles. Blanc soon meets a distinctly disparate group of friends gathering at the invitation of billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) for their yearly reunion. Among those on the guest list are Miles' former business partner Andi Brand (Janelle Monae), current Connecticut governor Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn), cutting edge scientist Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jr.), fashion designer and former model Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson) and her conscientious assistant Peg (Jessica Henwick) and influencer Duke Cody (Dave Bautista) and his sidekick girlfriend Whiskey (Madelyn Cline). As in all the best murder mysteries, each character harbors their own secrets, lies and motivations. When someone turns up dead, everyone is a suspect. 

Others to round out the cast Are Noah Segan as Derol, Jackie Hoffman as Ma, Dallas Roberts as Devon Debella, Ethan Hawke as efficient man, Hugh Grant as Phillip, Stephen Sondheim as himself and Angela Lansbury as herself. 

This was directed with such amazing delineation by Rian Johnson ("Brick" '05, "The Brothers Bloom" '08, "Looper" '12, "Star Wars: Episode VIII--The Last Jedi" '17, "Knives Out" '19) plus TV, videos and shorts. As with "Knives Out", he carried the same flavor from one film to the other obviously to connect the two in order for Blanc to remain the same. This was just another place with an entirely different cast, and it excelled in spades. If you like this brand of directing, his "Knives Out 3" has been announced. This was also well crafted by writer Johnson (Same as resume above) plus TV and shorts. There's a lot to be said for penning previous installments of franchises in that it keeps a similar feel to the story even when most of the cast has been  purposely changed. Considering this, it would be extremely difficult for another writer or director to take over the reins and still establish continuity. There were two very small issues with this, however to divulge one of them would cause a spoiler alert, but the other is that Blanc played by Craig just happened to be in ear shot of potential incriminating discussions more than once. Coincidence? I think not, but then how would he figure out what happened? These issues certainly didn't taint the screenplay, because it was still spot on and I never had to look at my watch because I thought the film was too long. The more than two hour running time simply moved right along. 

This being as entertaining as it was, I can't wait to see "Knives Out 3" whenever that is released. The eclectic cast in this made it even better--something the audience can sink their teeth into. With the same writer and director, this franchise could go on for a while. The sky is definitely the limit. Grab the popcorn and enjoy this gem!

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                             Rated: PG-13                                         140mins.

The Fabelmans

In Hollywood there are biopics, but, at times, there are semi-autobiographical films made as well. There are several out there, but one that comes to mind is Neil Simon's "Biloxi Blues" looseley based on Simon's time in boot camp in Biloxi, Mississippi. Well, in the same vein, we are offered "The Fabelmans", a loosely based film about Spielberg's youth and teenage years grappling with the idea of pondering making films. 

Loosely based on Spielberg's childhood growing up in post-World War II era Arizona, from age seven to eighteen, a young man named Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) inadvertently discovers a shattering family secret, and explores how the power of movies help us see the truth about each other and ourselves. Sammy quickly falls in love with movies after parents Mitzi and Burt Fabelman (Michelle Williams and Paul Dano) respectively, take him to see "The Greatest Show on Earth". Armed with a camera, Sammy starts to make his films at home, much to the delight of his supportive mom. Sammy gets much other support from the family friend, Bennie Loewy (Seth Rogen) and uncle Boris (Judd Hirsch). 

Others to round out the cast are Jeannie Berlin as Hadassah Fabelman, Julia Butters as Reggie Fabelman, Robin Bartlett as Tina Schildkraut, Keeley Karsten as Natalie Fabelman, Oakes Fegley as Chad Thomas, Sam Rechner as Logan Hall, Sophia Kopera as Lisa Fabelman and Mateo Zoryon Francis-DeFord as younger Sammy Fabelman. 

This was directed effortlessly by the incomparable Steven Spielberg ("Duel" (TV movie) '71, "Jaws" '75, "1941" '79, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" '81, "E.T. the Extra Terrestrial" '82, "The Color Purple" '85, "Hook" '91, "Jurassic Park" '93, "Schindler's List" '93, "Amistad" '97, "Minority Report" '02, "Catch Me If You Can" '02, "Munich" '05, "War Horse" '11, "Lincoln" '12, "The BFG" '16, "Ready Player One" '18, "West Side Story" '21) plus many others, TV and shorts. Spielberg is, yet again, one of those directors that if you see his name on it, it will undoubtedly be quality artistry at its finest, and this is definitely what you get with this story. Being a very personal film, the quality does show in spades, however Spielberg always gives his audience more than they bargained for. He, as with this and all his films simply make the characters come alive. It was penned well  also by Spielberg ("Firelight" 64, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" '77, "Poltergeist" '82, "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" '01) plus TV and video games, and Tony Kushner ("Angels in Ameica: The Opera" (TV movie) '04, "Munich" '05, "Lincoln" '12, "Fifty Years on Stage" (TV movie) (segment, "Angels in America") '13, "Angels in America" (TV movie) '21, "West Side Story" '21) plus others, TV, a video and a short. It certainly is no surprise that this script was as tight and concise as it was considering that, not only have these two writers worked together many times, but that this is, like said prior, a very personal film for Spielberg which can allow for much ease when it comes to penning the story. And really, other than a very small place of a continuity issue within the story, this was spot on. I believe there is already Oscar buzz for not only Michelle Williams and Judd Hirsch, but Spielberg as well in the directing category. I also have to give high praise for Gabriel LaBelle as the teenage Sammy Fabelman. I've never heard of him, but he will assuredly receive more work since his performance was riveting.

If you are a Spielberg fan, you will undoubtedly love this film since it's basically based on his life, but even if you're not, this is a well crafted film just to sit back and enjoy the pure artistry of the production. Spielberg never seizes to amaze me with such talent. He can do it all: direct, write or produce. Is there anything this guy can't do? 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                            Rated: PG-13                                        150mins.

The Menu

The best aspect of most independent films is that they are typically original in their concept and executed with amazing finesse. As with the case of "The Menu", while having a fresh and original concept, the execution could've been a bit more polished, in that some things weren't explained.

A young couple, Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) travel to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef, Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) and his staff has prepared a lavish menu with some shocking surprises. The patron list is a who's who: an actor (John Leguizamo), a food critic, Lillian Bloom (Janet McTeer), and a head of staff, Elsa (Hong Chau) who definitely puts the 'I' in intensity. 

Others to round out the cast are Judith Light as Anne, Reed Birney as Richard, Paul Adelstein as Ted, Aimee Carrero as Felicity, Arturo Castro as Soren, Mark St. Cyr as Dave and Rob Yang as Bryce.

This was directed with such subtle intensity by Mark Mylod ("All G Indahouse" '02, "The Big White" '05, "The Royle Family: The New Sofa" (TV movie) '08, "Washingtonienne" (TV movie) '09, "What's Your Number?" '11) plus TV and shorts. This filmmaker truly was able to extract just the accurate amount of intensity within the characters so they neither came across as terrified necessarily nor weren't under-played so the audience would still see the potential peril these patrons would, or could, receive. This was executed well by writers Seth Reiss (TV and shorts) and Will Tracy (TV). Obviously, by reading the above resumes, neither of these writers have any feature film experience, however, considering this aspect, the script was crisp and concise. The fact both of them have extensive TV and/or short experience certainly paved the way in their ability to create an interesting story--they simply need more feature film writing. There were definitely a number of places in the script that simply were not explained, especially in places that could have helped with the screenplay. I could mention a few places, but so not to give any spoil alerts, suffice it to say, if the audience knew of these omitted places, there would have been a bit more understanding with certain characters. Where the character development became sharp was that between the chef and Margot. It took time to build, however after a certain point, one could tell that they were playing a 'cat and mouse' game and knew exactly where each were coming from. This was the best part of the screenplay. Fiennes gives his usual fine performance, however Taylor-Joy was stunning in her role as well. 

If you like films that become great fodder for psychological character studies, look no farther. This film would give any psychologist a field since just about everyone in this film was disturbed. It was well directed, photographed and edited, and leaves you with a basic bittersweet ending not to throw you off. 

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

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Any more, films based on a comic book or series isn't exclusively a flick that's shown during the summer film season. As with the point of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever", it is released during the end of the year film season where typically Hollywood brings out the more artistically crafted films 'for your consideration' seeing as 12-31-22 is the Oscar deadline for nominated films. Perhaps Marvel has high hopes for this film that reach higher than just the bottom line. 

Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M'Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Guira) and the Dora Milaje, including Ayo (Florence Kasumba) fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T'Challa's death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) and CIA agent Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. Without T'Challa at their side, can they survive the peril that has yet to come?

Others to round out the cast are Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor, Dominique Thorne as Riri, Michaela Coel as Aneka, Alex Livinalli as Attuma, Mabel Cadena as Namora, Isaach De Bankole as river tribe elder and Danny Sapani as border tribe elder. 

This was directed with such subtle intensity and tenacity by Ryan Coogler ("Fruitvale Station" '13, "Creed" '15, "Black Panther" '18) plus shorts. Although his experience isn't vast, the quality of Coogler's work is undeniable. He's in that 'club' of directors that when you see any film that they have helmed, the bet is that it will be consummate. The connection he created within these characters were amazing--you felt that they knew one another for their whole lives. If you like Coogler's brand of directing, his "Wrong Answer" has been announced. It was surprising written well by Coogler ("Fruitvale Station" '13, "Creed" '15, "Black Panther" '18, "Creed II" (based on characters) '18), and Joe Robert Cole ("Black Panther" '18, "All Day and a Night" '20) plus TV, based on a story by Coogler. I say surprisingly because typically the 'comic book films' are not known for their quality writing as much as for the visuals, photography, sets, costumes, etc. So much of the time, if the script is well written, it becomes a backdrop for the visuals and CGI involved. The things that I can only point out as constructed criticism is that there were a few places of sequence inconsistencies and it was simply too long. Approximately 15-20 mins could've been shaved off the final print and still would've had the same impact. Coogler didn't write "Creed III", however it was based on a story by Coogler, which is in post production. And, as with other big-budget films, the visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic), Cinesite and Digital Domain were stunning and actually enhanced the story. 

I don't think it's a spoiler alert to say that  this franchise will be back since Marvel Studios is the franchise king. I originally felt that they could never pull off a sequel since Chadwick Boseman's demise, but they actually did pull it off. It will be interesting to see how they handle the next sequel. This is worthy of the price of admission if for no other reason than it's so grandiose, that it would be a waste on your TV screen. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                       Rated: PG-13                                       161mins.

Armageddon Time

Hollywood has produced many rites-of-passage films through the years, whether it be through a biopic or someone striving to 'make it' in an otherwise difficult situation. While "Armageddon Time" is a rites-of-passage film, it is basically seen through the eyes of the one going through the process in his life.

This is a deeply personal coming-of-age story in 1980 about the strength of family, particularly that of the Graff family, Irving (Jeremy Strong), his wife, Esther (Anne Hathaway), their son, Paul (Banks Repeta), their other son, Ted (Ryan Sell) and grandpa, Aaron Rabinowitz (Anthony Hopkins), and involving the generational pursuit of the American Dream. This is seen through the eyes of Paul Graff, the 16-year-old of the family as he's struggling to fit in at school, his family and the world.

Others to round out the cast are Jaylin Webb as Johnny Davis, friend of Paul's, Tovah Feldshuh as Grandma Mickey, John Diehl as Fred Trump, Andrew Polk as Mr. Turkeltaub and Jessica Chastain as Maryanne Trump. 

This was grittingly and intensely directed by 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, "Ad Astra" '19) plus TV and shorts. Gray is not only a talented director, but especially with films that are heavy-laden as with this film. Watching these actors is so realistically portrayed that it appears like you're eavesdropping on people living their lives, and that's talented directing. It was also equally well executed by writer James Gray ("Above resume plus "Blood Ties" '13). Although the plot is about the struggles of a family where we've seen films with this premise in the past, the way it's written makes this a cut above films as this. Another film that had a premise we had seen before and after was that of "Kramer vs Kramer '79 with Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep. It had a seemingly unremarkable plot, but the way it was written (by Robert Benton),  became this incredible, poignant film that contained so many nuances of subtlety that no wonder it won the Oscar for best writing. This is the same in that the subtlety is amazing in this film--the better part of 2 hours long, it moved right along and this is all about the writing. Other than a couple of very small places of inconsistencies, and I mean very small, this was a spot on script. This proves that even if the premise of a film isn't necessarily original, if it's written with enough pathos, subtlety and finesse, it can excel as a powerful film as with "Armageddon Time".

If intense, powerful, but subtle films are something you like, this is the film for you. It's a small independent film about life from a struggling family. If you're looking for fine acting, look no farther. Anthony Hopkins is stunning as the patriarch of the family and could be courting a supporting actor nod come Oscar time. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                         Rated: R                                                   114mins.

   

Triangle of Sadness

There are independent films, and then there is "Triangle of Sadness". For a relatively simple ship sinking and a subsequent survival of passengers on a desert island, this certainly went into many tributaries for plot and story. I sort of akin this film to those such as "The Lord of the Flies" and "The Beach" when it comes to survival.

In Ruben Ostlund's sardonically funny Palme d'Or winner, social hierarchy is turned upside down, revealing the tawdry relationship between power and beauty. Celebrity model couple, Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean), are invited on a luxury cruise for the uber-rich, helmed by an alcoholic, unhinged boat captain named Thomas (Woody Harrelson); a major storm brews and subsequent sickness ensues with the passengers. What starts as an instagrammable time, ends catastrophically, leaving the survivors stranded on a desert island and fighting for survival mostly with certain crew members, Paula (Vicki Berlin) and Abigail (Dolly De Leon), then with each other. 

Others to round out the cast are Zlatko Buric as Dimitry, Alicia Eriksson as Alicia, Arvin Kananian as Darius, Oliver Ford Davies as Winston, Iris Berben as Therese, Sunnyi Melles as Vera,  Carolina Gynning as Ludmilla and Thobias Thorwid as Lewis. 

This was directed with such subtle intensity by Ruben Ostlund ("Family Again" (documentary) '02, "The Guitar Mongoloid" '04, "Involuntary" '08, "Play" '11, "Force Majeure" '14, "The Square" '17) plus shorts. He has the innate ability to not only get his actors to emit the emotions the way he needs for it to happen, but he also knows how to create that subtleness when it comes to increasing that intensity or other emotion that's involved. It was also executed in an interesting way by writer Ostlund (same as resume above except "Family Again"). The best aspect of this story is that of the premise. Think about it: a luxury cruise filled with spoiled, rich, self-centered passengers ending up on a desert island after their ship sinks, and is put in a situation of total survival mode. It is incredible fodder for a very funny script, however, the delivery just didn't come across as very funny at all. It had some dry humorous parts, but overall, it lacked, and thereby didn't have that punch it could've had. Also, there were some things not explained, such as, what happened to most of the passengers and crew, especially the captain? The assumption is that they didn't make, but that was never mentioned, and with a 147 minute running time, it could've been mentioned. Plus, it was simply too long-in-the-tooth--approximately 20-30 minutes could've been cut and still have the same impact. Was it a total wash? Absolutely not--the acting and character development was fine and creative respectively. Also, it was truly difficult to have much sympathy for these passengers because of the many issues that didn't lead the audience to empathize with. Ostlund will truly receive more work since most of his experience lies in the independent realm, and that carries a whole different audience base.

If you like independent films, you'll love this since it is a quintessential indie film. I just wish it was a bit funnier, because that would've been more captivating--not a physical comedy, but one where the writing would be more satirical in nature. Both Dickinson and Harrelson gave memorable performances which certainly added to that intensity. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                            Rated: R                                               147mins.

Till

It's amazing how we, as a society, have to showcase films in order to teach us something that we should already know: that we should love and respect each other as we love and respect ourselves. I know, it's the 'golden rule', but it packs such a wallop, especially after seeing a sobering film as "Till". 

This is a profoundly emotional, and cinematic film about the true story of Mamie Till Mobley's (Danielle Deadwyler) relentless pursuit of justice for her 14-year-old son, Emmett 'Bo' Till (Jalyn Hall), who, in August of 1955, was lynched while visiting his cousins in Mississippi from Chicago. In Mamie's poignant journey of grief turned to action, we see the universal power of a mother's ability to change the world. Others to assist her in her quest was Medger Evers (Tosin Cole), Rayfield Mooty (Kevin Carroll) of NAACP, and her husband, Gene (Sean Patrick Thomas). 

Others to round out the cast are Frankie Faison as John Carthan, Haley Bennett as Carolyn Bryant, Whoopi Goldberg as Alma Carthan, John's wife, Jayme Lawson as Myrlie Evers, Medger's wife, John Douglas Thompson as Moses Wright and Roger Guenveur Smith as Dr. T.R.M. Howard. 

This was rivetingly directed by Chinonye Chukwu ("alaskaLand" '12, "Clemency" '19) plus TV and shorts. Considering the limited experience behind the camera, I was mesmerized by this filmmaker to be able to connect so well with Deadwyler in order to get her to emit the emotions she was able to extract to convince the audience that she was this distraught about losing her son at such an early age. She will continue to go far in her ability to direct quality films. It was incredibly well crafted by writers Michael Reilly, Keith Beauchamp and Chinonye Chukwu. What amazes me even more is that two of the three writers here have no other than this film to their credit for feature films (Reilly and Beauchamp)< and Chukwu doesn't have a plethora of experience as well. This tells me two things: either they're all naturals or maybe a good day at at the laptop--not sure, but suffice it to say, this was a dynamite script. The sequence of scenes were seamless and the continuity was spot on. It was a 130 minute running time and it didn't seem, at all, like it, because it was incredibly cohesive, paced and staged. These writers, director and Deadwyler will undoubtedly receive Oscar nods come that time. 

It you're into message-laden films, this is the ticket for you, but even if you're not, the quality directing, writing and acting will woo you into purchasing a ticket. One lesson to learn from this? A mother's love can't be fought against, can't be bought, and should never be toyed with lest you receive the wrath of her. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                          Rated: PG-13                                             130mins.

Ticket to Paradise

The genre of romcoms or romantic comedies are about as common as seeing a drama film in the theaters these days, however entirely different genres. Most dramas are typically well thought out and acted with interesting stories, but romcoms, on the other hand are not. Now, not all romcoms are created equal--some are actually interesting, but "Ticket to Paradise", although has some funny, interesting scenes, is often written in a way where the jokes seem forced and the premise isn't anything original.

David Cotton (George Clooney) and Georgia Cotton (Julia Roberts), two divorced parents who can't tolerate one another, head to Bali after their daughter, Lily (Kaitlyn Dever) announces her plans to marry a local islander, Gede (Maxime Bouttier) she just met while on holiday with her best friend, Wren Butler (Billie Lourd) after their college graduation. David and Georgia decide to put aside their differences and work together to stop the wedding, believing that doing so will keep Lily from making a dreadful mistake similar to their own mistake 25 years ago. Will they succeed, or end up wondering if they even made the right decision that many years ago?

Others to round out the cast are Lucas Bravo as Paul, Cintya Dharmayanti as Losi, Sean Lynch as Rob, Genevieve Lemon as Beth-Ann and Nom Gunadi as Losi's uncle. 

This was paced and staged well by director Ol Parker ("Imagine Me & You" '05, "Now Is Good" '12, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" '18). As with other romcoms, the formula is rather similar so therefore, directing most of these films is like 'paint by numbers'. Surely there were some interesting places where the actors could shine when on the set, but both Clooney and Roberts had to of yawned through their performances. If there's a culprit here, it would have to be the writers which are Ol Parker ("Loved Up" (TV movie) '95, "In Your Dreams" (TV movie) '96, "It Was an Accident" 2000, "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" '15, "Mama Mia! Here We Go Again" '18, "A Boy Called Christmas" '21) plus TV, and Daniel Pipski. Parker has the lion's share of the writing, however I'm sure Pipski was pivotal in his ideas. As with previous romcoms, this had the exact same formula: boy meets girl, girl meets boy, they have a dilemma that they must figure out, throw in some parents, friends, co-workers into the mix, and trouble ensues, but not to worry, because the dilemma is figured out and the ending is tied up with a nice big bow. Sound familiar? It's not that this film is poorly written as much as it is not really original. But having both Clooney and Roberts in the lead roles certainly didn't hurt this story, and for that reason, this is why you are there. 

This film is great if you are either a Clooney or Roberts fan, but if not, it will be a fidgety sit. Certainly in a world that is fraught with increased crime, inflation, politics and disease, a comedy would definitely hit the spot, and this is not a total wash, but it would be nice to see something a bit more fresh.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                       Rated: PG-13                                           104mins.

Black Adam

Well, it looks to be that the beginning of the holiday film season is now upon us and what a better way to start it off than with DC Comics' "Black Adam", what with all the adrenaline-ridden action, the grandiose feel and with a story that isn't tough to figure out. Yes, I know that this genre is typically reserved for the summer crowd, but since this is still the 'Indian Summer' time of year, it's still fitting. 

Kahndaq, 2,500 B.C. Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the mighty powers of the Egyptian ancient gods--and imprisoned just as quickly--Teth Adam (Dwayne Johnson) is freed inadvertently by Adrianna Tomaz (Sarah Shahi) to save her own life, from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world. It turns out that Ismael (Marwan Kenzari), descendent of the evil king of Kahndaq 5,000 years ago, is bent on obtaining the king's crown made of a priceless gem known as eternium which he believes Adrianna and son Amon (Bodhi Sabongui) possess. So as Black Adam (as he's later labeled) make the scene and protect the two, the global justice league which is comprised of Dr. Kent Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Carter/Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) and Atom Smasher (Noah Cantineo), come to Kahndaq to arrest Adam for violating peace. Is there any way these people can unify their differences in order to combat the tyranny that is yet to come?

Others to round out the cast are Mohammed Amer as Karim, Adrianna's brother, James Cusati-Moyer as Samir, Jalon Christian as Hurut, Benjamin Patterson as skinny Teth Adam and Henry Winkler as Uncle Al, uncle to Atom Smasher. 

This was directed with that much needed one two punch by Jaume Collet-Serra ("House of Wax" '05, "Goal II: Living the Dream" '07, "Orphan" '09, "Unknown" '11, "Non-Stop" '14, "Run All Night" '15, "The Shallows" '16, "The Commuter" '18, "Jungle Cruise" '21) plus TV and videos. As one might expect, this definitely was adrenaline packed with more explosions and explosive moments one could count. Considering this filmmaker's resume, this probably wasn't much of a challenge for him since he was assuredly in his comfort zone. If you like his brand of directing, his "Carry On" is filming at this time for a 2023 release date. It was written with franchise all over it by Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, based on characters created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck. As with so many other films, this is where the issues ensue. First of all, there are more than two writers on the project which is all too many hands in the pot. Secondly, with the exception of Sztykiel, the experience isn't what I would deem extensive. When a film is dealing with multiple worlds--in this case, two entirely different time periods, it is so easy for the script to become bogged down with a certain amount of choppiness and some issues of continuity--this being the case with this production. The connection with the time frame of today and that of 5,000 years ago wasn't even explained until about mid point into the film. Once the connection was established, the script actually started to find itself and it became the film it was looking for. And, of course, the visual effects predominantly designed by Weta Digital and Digital Domain were seamless. They were used a bit too much, however they were beautifully executed. 

Make sure you stay for, at least, the main end credits since there is a bit of a surprise, although maybe not, in store. Can you say--S-E-Q-U-E-L? I know, what a shock! The franchise must go on. If you like this type of fare, it's presented in an IMAX format to give you than up, close and personal feel. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                              Rated: PG-13                                           125mins.

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile

Remember back in the day when movies were created solely for entertainment purposes? Well, with "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile", this is exactly what you get when leaving the theater--hey, you'll feel this way as you watch the film. This is a film that all can watch and should where it's fun, heartwarming, entertaining, all with a great message. 

When the Primm family (Constance Wu, Scoot McNairy and son, Josh, Winslow Fegley) moves to New York City, their young son Josh struggles to adapt to his new school and new friends. All that changes when he discovers Lyle (voiced by Shawn Mendes)--a singing crocodile who loves baths, caviar and great music living in the attic of his new home. The two become fast friends, but when Lyle's existence is threatened by evil neighbor Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman), the Primm's must band together with Lyle's charismatic owner, Hector P. Valenti (Javier Bardem), to show the world that family can come from the most unexpected places and there's nothing wrong with a big singing crocodile with an even bigger personality. 

Others to round out the cast are Sal Viscuso as the judge, Lyric Hurd as Trudy, Yussie Jupiter as Broadway theater goer and Don DiPetta as paramedic.

This was whimsically directed by Josh Gordon ("Blades of Glory" '07, "The Switch" '10, "Office Christmas Party" '16) plus TV and shorts, and Will Speck (same as Gordon's resume). What with the visual effects, musical numbers, and the actors to work with, this would typically be a logistics nightmare for any director, but these two filmmakers absolutely pulled it off. Their ability to stage, pace and extract the many different emotions from their actors was phenomenal. If you like their brand of directing, their "Distant" is completed for a 2023 release. It was brilliantly written by Will Davies ("Student Exchange" (TV movie) '87, "Twins" '88, "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot" '92, "The Real McCoy" '93, "Ghost in the Machine" '93, "Bermuda Grace" (TV movie) '94, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" '95, "The Guilty" 2000, "Ignition" '01, "Johnny English" '03, "Alien Autopsy" '06, "Flushed Away" '06, "How to Train Your Dragon" '10, "Mia and the White Lion" '18) plus TV, based on the book series by Bernard Waber. When I saw the trailer to this film, I thought it looked odd enough for a premise to be decent. Wow, I was way off, because this film was an absolute delight from start to finish. The family was believable, Bardem as Valenti was eccentric, but with a good heart, but the star here was clearly Lyle. He was smart, touching, talented and the creation of him was simply genius. If you like the writing here, Davies' "Blackout" is in pre-production. What also made this movie sing (pun intended) was the musical numbers brilliantly composed by Justin Paul and Benj Pasek ("LA LA Land", "The Greatest Showman"). The music and lyrics in this had that distinct style that you will recognize immediately. 

If you not only like musical comedy, but are a fan of the works of Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, you have got to see this. The film has it all: humor, great numbers, a great message, a terrific story that is tailor-made for all to see. Enjoy this one! I know I did!

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                           Rated: PG                                                 107mins.

Amsterdam

There are filmmakers out there that can be a virtual hit and miss, and then there are those that perennially score big time with every film. However, "Amsterdam" was a somewhat of a miss for its writer/director David O. Russell which is usually a consistent hit. 

This is 1933, and during these times, two friends, Burt Berendsen (Christian Bale) and Harold Woodman (John David Washington) witness a murder, are framed for it, and ultimately uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American history. They soon meet up with Valerie Voze (Margot Robbie) in Amsterdam to avoid the police and live their lives out there for a while. While in Amsterdam, Burt feels compelled to move back to the states because of his missing his wife, Beatrice (Andrea Riseborough0, even though they are estranged. Burt soon finds himself in charge of a war reunion and, in an attempt to correct his good name because of his accusation of this murder, he strives to enlist a very well known general named Gil Dillenbeck (Robert De Niro) to give a speech at the event in order to clear his name. After a point, all hell breaks loose and is anyone going to come out of this clean?

Others to round out the cast are Alessandro Nivola as Detective Hiltz, Anya Taylor-Joy as Libby Voze, Chris Rock as Milton King, Michael Schoenaerts as Detective Lem Getweller, Michael Shannon as Henry Norcross, Mike Myers as Paul Canterbury, Rami Malek as Tom Voze, Zoe Saldana as Irma St. Clair, Timothy Olyphant as Taron Milfax, Taylor Swift as Liz Meekins and Mel Fair as patient Wayne.

This was directed with careful precision by David O. Russell ("Spanking the Monkey" '94, "Flirting with Disaster" '96, "Three Kings" '99, "I Heart Huckabees" '04, "The Fighter" '10, "Silver Linings Playbook" '12, "American Hustle" '13, "Accidental Love" '15, "Joy" '15) plus shorts. Even though his direction has been a bit more delineated, this was still staged and paced amazingly well. Of course, Russell using a good number of cast repeatedly certainly helps in his endeavor of producing the right feel of a film. Where there are misses in this is the writing by Russell (same resume as listed prior except "The Fighter" and "Accidental Love"). First of all, this was way too long-in-the-tooth for this film and many other films in general. I kept waiting, in many scenes, to just cut to the chase. Secondly, until approximately half way through the film, it just meandered and jumped a bit too much. Some of the scenes I became a bit confused with. Was this a total wash. No, not at all. There were many scenes that excelled well, especially after about half the film. Will Russell be in the running come Oscar time? Probably not, but this doesn't shoot down his film. It simply just needed a little more polish. Bad day at the laptop? Not sure, but I'm sure he'll review this film after it's done its rounds and realize what he may have to do to make sure his next film sings. 

Even if this is not one of Russell's better efforts, assuming you're a Russell fan, you'll still love this. And who wouldn't love to see a film with a cast this exemplary? If you're in love with an up, close and personal format, this is presented in IMAX.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                         Rated: R                                                  134mins.

The Good House

One of the largest genres Hollywood has to offer is that of dramas. The list of them would comprise volumes, so, suffice it to say, there have been many dramas produced that have been stunning--both artistically and story wise. When I saw the trailer for "The Good House" a short while ago, it didn't really capture my attention. I like actors Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline, however, even with their presence, was this going to be anything interesting at all? Well, the answer to that thought is...yes.

Wendover, Ma. This story follows Hildy Good (Sigourney Weaver), a wry New England realtor and descendent of the Salem witches, who loves her wine and her secrets. Her compartmentalized life begins to unravel as she rekindles a romance with her old high school flame, Frank Getchell (Kevin Kline), and becomes dangerously entwined in one person's reckless behavior. Igniting long-buried emotions and family secrets, Hildy is propelled toward a reckoning with the one person she's avoiding for decades: herself. You see, she's a working alcoholic, which is tougher to admit since one can be functioning. So, she, through Frank and her family, must come to grips with it so her life doesn't completely unravel to a point of no return. 

Others to round out the cast are Morena Baccarin as Rebecca McAllister, Rob Delaney as Peter Newbold, David Rasche as Scott Good, Hildy's ex-husband, Rebecca Henderson as Tess Good, Molly Brown as Emily Good, Kathryn Erbe as Wendy Heatherton, Kelly AuCoin as Brian McAllister, Georgia Lyman as Cassie Dwight, Jimmy LeBlanc as Patch Dwight, Beverly D'Angelo as Mamie Lang and Oliver Boyle as Ben McAllister. 

This was surprisingly well directed by Maya Forbes ("Infinitely Polar Bear" '14, "The Polka King" '17) and Wallace Wolodarsky ("Coldblooded" '95, "Sorority Boys" '02, "Seeing Other People" '04). I say surprisingly since neither of them encumber a huge body of work behind the camera. Their staging and pacing was spot on, as was the ability to work with their actors in order to extract those emotions especially needed given the subject matter. It was far better written than I thought considering the trailer. This was penned by Thomas Bezucha, Forbes and Wolodarsky, which is based on the novel by Ann Leary. Wolodarsky has the lion's share of the experience here, not that the other two writers were remiss in lack of experience. What made this film to flow as well as it did was the way it was handled in that they took a fairly common story, and used a narrative technique performed by Weaver throughout the film as each scene was about to begin. This is not the first time this has been done, however, the way this was treated, it would set the mood, along with giving it a certain lightness to an otherwise bleak premise. Because of its rather common premise, I see now why the trailer didn't wow me. Really, other than a couple of very small slow places in script, this screenplay was rock solid.

One must experience this story firsthand, because, as I stated prior, the trailer doesn't sell it so you might feel hesitant in even giving this film a shot. It has a lot to say, and if one can learn anything from this, it's that chronic problems will only continue if not confronted head on. In fact those issues will grow even worse. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                         Rated: R                                            103mins.