Don't Worry Darling

Hollywood has produced a myriad of films about utopian societies where the society presents itself as idyllic in order to woo their 'victims' in so this will appease the leader of the society, sect, faction or whatever title one would want to put on it. While "Don't Worry Darling" is one of those types of films, I can't help but see a definite correlation of this film and "The Stepford Wives", both 1975 and 2004 versions. 

Alice and Jack Chambers (Florence Pugh and Harry Styles) respectively are lucky to be living in the idealized community of Victory, the experimental company town housing the men who work for the top-secret Victory Project and their families. The 1950's societal optimism espoused by their CEO, Frank (Chris Pine)--equal parts corporate visionary and motivational life coach--anchors every aspect of daily life in the tight-knit desert utopia. While the husbands spend every day inside the Victory Project Headquarters, working on the "development of progressive materials", their wives--including Frank's elegant partner and wife, Shelley (Gemma Chan)--get to spend their time enjoying the beauty, luxury and debauchery of their community. Life is perfect, with every resident's needs met by the company. All they ask in return is discretion, loyalty and unquestioning commitment to The Victory cause. But when cracks in her idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of something much more sinister lurking beneath the attractive facade, Alice can't help questioning exactly what they're doing in Victory, and why. Just how much is Alice willing to lose to expose what's really going on in this paradise?

Others to round out the cast are Olivia Wilde as Bunny, Sydney Chandler as Violet, Kate Berlant as Peg, Nick Kroll as Dean, Timothy Simonds as Dr. Collins, Douglas Smith as Bill, Kiki Layne as Margaret and Dita Von Teese as  Dita Von Teese.

This was chillingly directed by Olivia Wilde ("Booksmart" '19) plus shorts and music videos. Wilde is one of those actors that has decided to cross that road into the directing realm like her counterparts, Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, Ben Alleck, Angelina Jolie, Mel Gibson, Woody Allen, Kevin Costner, etc. The company is so rich in talent that it shouldn't be a surprise that yet another actor has decided to cross that line. Even though her directing experience is as limited as it is, her direction of this was chilling, intense and cutting. Being an actor herself, she knows what it is like to be able to extract those emotions from an actor to be able to convey that raw believability to the audience so they believe the emotions they are seeing on the screen. If you like this brand of directing, her "Perfect" is in pre-production. It was written with high energy by Katie Silberman ("Set It Up" '18, "Isn't It Romantic" '19, "Booksmart" '19) plus shorts, based on the story by Carey Van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke and Katie Silberman. As I've mentioned in the preface, this reminds me so much of "The Stepford Wives" in that the wives are incredibly controlled by their husbands in, what looks to be, a cultish atmosphere. The one difference is that in the former, the wives were replaced with robots subservient to the husbands' every whim, whereas in this film, the wives are manipulated and controlled to the point of extreme submission to their husbands. Otherwise, the similarities are stunning. She certainly has talent of being a well-crafted screenwriter, however, with this script, I' not sure if this was performed as a homage to "The Stepford Wives" or just a desperate way to cash in on a very similar premise. I want to believe that it's a homage. 

If you liked Ira Levin's "The Stepford Wives", you'll love this, however if you are suspect in this being a copy, then you might want to veer from it. All in all, I did enjoy this--although I liked "The Stepford Wives", so going solely by my recommendation is probably subjective. Certainly both Chris Pine and Florence Pugh were at the top of their game, and if this gets you in the theater, you'll be a better filmgoer for it.

Out of 4 Stars 3                                     Rated: R                                               122mins.

See How They Run

Whodunit films have been a Hollywood mainstay for many decades, and although they typically have similar formats in which to work from, they are always intriguing to attempt at solving whodunits. Recently we saw "Knives Out", and then subsequently a remake of Agatha Christie's "Death on the Nile". Well, now we have "See How They Run" in the offing to try to figure out, yes, you guessed it, whodunit. 

In the West End of 1950's London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to an abrupt halt after, a pivotal member of the crew is murdered. When world-weary Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and eager rookie Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) take on the case, the two find themselves thrown into a puzzling whodunit within the glamorously sordid theater underground, investigating the mysterious homicide at their own peril. Interestingly, the murder occurred at the end of the 100th performance of a play, based on an Agatha Christie novel called "The Mousetrap", so is this life imitating art? The suspects are aplenty including John Woolf (Reece Shearsmith), Dickie Attenborough (Harris Dickinson), Mervyn Cocker Norris (David Oyelowo), Petula Spencer (Ruth Wilson), etc. 

Others to round out the cast are Adrien Brody as Leo Kopernick, Charlie Cooper as Dennis Corrigan, Pippa Bennett-Warner as Ann Saville, Pearl Chanda as Sheila Sim, Sian Clifford as Edana Romney, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as Gio and Shirley Henderson as Dame. 

This was adequately directed by a newcomer to the feature film biz, Tom George (TV and shorts). Certainly when a filmmaker is handed a project as a new director, expectations are typically not very high. And, although this direction needed a bit more polish, it was still, again,t being a new director, better than I or anyone could've expected. There were a few places of stiffness and the staging did involve some issues, but all in all, again considering, this was a well helmed film. It was written by Mark Chappell ("The Rat Pack" '16) plus TV. Again, this writer, like the director, being a virtual newbie to feature films, the story, at times, had the tendency to veer off and become a bit choppy with a couple of continuity issues. The film had that 'film noir' look to it along with a voice over narrative, which one might expect considering the time it was set in, but with the flashbacks along with the story, it got a bit bogged down. After approximately half the film,the story did pick up, and soon became the film it was searching for. I believe that both the director and writer are talented filmmakers, and given more work (especially more TV, specials, etc), they will only improve so as to be able to handle feature films. Both Rockwell and Ronan were great as a very droll inspector and eager constable respectively. 

I never tire of a whodunit, because I usually never guess correctly of who did it, as with this film, but this simply needed a bit more polish. The whole idea of incorporating a Christie play with this film as a whodunit is an intriguing premise, and with Rockwell and Ronan leading the cast, you can't go wrong. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                       Rated: PG-13                                          108mins.

Running the Bases

Typically we expect to see Inspirational films in the springtime, however, the producers decided to release "Running the Bases" at this time for reasons I'm not sure about. Inspirational films are always fraught with messages we can always extract from, so when I realized this was playing I thought this is simply the type of film we all could use considering all the upheaval in our world today.

When a small-town baseball coach, Luke Brooks (Brett Varvel) gets the offer of a lifetime from a larger 6A High School. he uproots his family, including his wife, Jessica (Gigi Orsillo) and son, Josh (Raphael Ruggero), and leaves the only home he's ever known to move to Dallas. But as a man of faith, he soon faces extreme opposition to his coaching methods from the school superintendent, Michael Jamison (Todd Terry). You see, Jamison is not a Christian, but Brooks is, so this ensues the issues. Sounds a lot of what's happening today in this country. 

Others to round out the cast are Eric Hanson as Coach Gilbert, Cameron Arnett as Sam Parker, Jackson Trent as Coach Morris, Justin Sterner as Ryan Jamison, Levan Smith as Tony, David Michael Reardon as Cody Garrison, Garry Nation as Ted Graham, Brendan Carl Reimer as Joshua Brooks and Candace Kirkpatrick as Heather Gray.

This was surprising well directed by newcomers Marty Roberts (TV) and Jimmy Womble. Neither have directed anything in the feature film realm before and for them to come in and pull off a film as well helmed as this was shocking at best. This should've never been the case, but these two were assuredly naturals. These actors showed such pathos with just the right amount of emotion that you knew that they were being directed well. The writing was also performed by these same two filmmakers, and, again, they had no other writing experience under their belts, which, again, tells me they are naturals. And really, other than a coupe of very small places of choppiness and continuity issues, this script was amazing. These consummate pros will definitely receive more work, considering that they are so green professionally. The message is as timely as any can be: a teacher goes to a school, and in teaching the students unorthodox methods, is caught between his religious beliefs and the school's rigid intolerance of these methods. Sound familiar today? Whatever side of the fence anyone is on, if a person's religious beliefs are hampered in any way, it becomes a slippery slope due to the first amendment of the US constitution of freedom of speech and religion. What made this healthy was that these writers carried their approach of this in a very constructive way, which, in a country that is so divided on many levels, makes this approach a breath of fresh air

Whether one is a Christian or not, this film has something to learn for everyone. It doesn't pull people apart , but uplifts, or attempts to understand the people in this. And even though this film does not apologize for its basis, it truly attempts to understand where different people are at in their lives, so they hopefully can heal, and we all could use that.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                             Rated: PG                                             127mins.

Three Thousand Years of Longing

Fantasy films are often reserved for the younger demographic amongst us, but clearly "Three Thousand Years of Longing" was destined for the adults. Just as Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" was a fantasy fairy tale for adults, this film was certainly for us adults, and we are only the victors of it. 

Dr. Alithea Binnie (Tilda Swinton) is an academic--content with life and a creature of reason. While in Istanbul attending a conference, she happens to encounter a Djinn (Idris Elba) who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. This presents two problems. First, she doubt's that he is real and second, because she is a scholar of story and mythology, she knows all the cautionary tales of wishes gone wrong. the Djinn pleads his case by telling her fantastical stories of his past. Eventually, she is beguiled and subsequently makes a wish that surprises the both of them. 

Others to round out the cast are Aamito Lagum as Sheba, Nicolas Mouawad as King Solomon, Ece Yuksel asGulten, Matteo Bocelli as Prince Mustafa, Lachy Hulme as Sultan Suleiman, Megan Gale as Hurrem, Zerrin Tekindor as Kosem, Ogulcan Arman Uslu as Murad IV, Jack Braddy as Brahim, Burcu Golgedar as Zefir and Alyla Browne as young Alithea. 

It was brilliantly directed by the consummate George Miller ("Mad Max" '79, "The Road Warrior" '81, "Twilight Zone: The Movie" (segment: "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet") '83, "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" '85, "The Witches of Eastwick" '87, "Lorenzo's Oil" '92, "Babe: Pig in the City" '98, "Happy Feet" '06, "Happy Feet Two" '11, "Mad Max: Fury Road" '15) plus TV and shorts. By his very resume, one cannot pigeon-hole this director since he has been involved with multiple genres and subject matter. He's done it all: drama, action, animated, which makes him a filmmaker that's willing to take on any challenge. The direction here between Elba and Swinton was touching as it was confronting and these actors knew exactly how far to reach with each scene, and this is amazing directing. If you like his brand of directing, his "Furlosa" is filming at this time and will be released in 2024. It was wonderfully and whimsically written by George Miller ("Mad Max" '79, "The Road Warrior" '81, "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" '85, "Lorenzo's Oil" '92, "Babe" '95, "Babe: Pig in the City" '98, "Happy Feet" '06, "Happy Feet Two" '11, "Mad Max: Fury Road" '15) plus TV and shorts, and Augusta Gore, based on the short story :The Djinn in the Nightmare's Eye" by A.S. Byatt. This is one of those films where you just believe the unbelievable in that the way it's written makes the audience believe what's going on in the story and this is true storytelling. Clearly Miller has the lion's share of the experience here, however I'm sure that Gore's ideas were pivotal. These two actors were an unlikely pair to be in a film, however, the story and its execution of story along with the fact that both Elba and Swinton are consummate actors made this film the film it was. Really, other than a couple of very small issues of inconsistences in plot, this film and its premise was spot on!

If you like fantasy films that have a bit of an edge to them, this film will be for you. Certainly, if you liked "Pan's Labyrinth".as I did, you will be right at home with this. This is not one for the kids which I'm sure was purposed, so leave the kids home. This is a touching and heartwarming story of how a cooped up Djinn and a reclusive narrologist who finds her emotions though the stories she reads, can see things on the same page.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                             Rated: R                                                  109mins.

Jaws

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water, we have a re-release of the iconic film, "Jaws", this time in either a Real 3D or an IMAX version for your viewing pleasure. Although Steven Spielberg had directed other work prior to this film, "Jaws" was the one that put him on the map. He since has proven himself the director that is consummate in every project he's involved in. 

It's a hot summer on Amity Island, a small community whose main business is its beaches. When new Sheriff Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) discovers the remains of a shark attack victim, his first inclination is to close the beaches to swimmers. This doesn't sit well with Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) and several of the local businessmen. Brody reluctantly acquiesces to his regret as that weekend a small boy is killed by the predator. The dead boy's mother, Mrs. Kintner (Lee Fierro) confronts Brody and then they put out a bounty on the shark, and Amity is soon swamped with amateur hunters and fishermen hoping to cash in on the reward. A local fisherman with much experience hunting sharks, Quint (Robert Shaw), offers to hunt down the creature for a hefty fee. Soon Quint, Brody and Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) from the Oceanigraphic Institute are at sea hunting the Great White shark. As Brody succinctly surmises after their first encounter with the creature, he then so eloquently pulls out the iconic line, "You're gonna need a bigger boat". 

Others to round out the cast are Lorraine Gary as Ellen Brody, Martin's wife, Carl Gottlieb as Meadows, Jeffrey Kramer as Deputy Hendricks, Susan Blacklinie as Chrissie, Jonathan Filley as Cassidy, Chris Rebello as Michael Brody, Martin and Ellen's son and Jay Mello as Sean Brody, Martin and Ellen's other son. 

This was delineated extremely well by director Steven Spielberg ("Duel" (TV movie) '71, "The Sugarland Express" '74, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" '77, "1941" '79, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" '81, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestial" '82, "The Color Purple" '85, "Hook" '91, "Jurassic Park" '93, "Schindler's List" '93, "Amistad" '97, "Saving Private Ryan" '98, "Minority Report" '02, "The Terminal" '94, "Munich" '05, "War Horse" '11, "Lincoln" '12, "The BPG" '16, "Ready Player One" '18, "West Side Story" '21) plus many others, TV and shorts. Ever since "Jaws" was released, this filmmaker cannot be stopped. He has helmed one hit after another with consistency that simply amazes. He knows every nuance of filmmaking and what it takes to encourage his actors to emit a certain emotion that makes that character come to life. If you can appreciate this director's talent, and who can't, his "The Fabelmans" has been completed for a 2022 release. It was deftly written by Peter Benchley ("Jeremiah of Jacob's Neck" (TV movie) '76, "The Deep" '77, "The Island" '80) plus TV and shorts and Carl Gottlieb ("Pat Paulsen for President" (TV movie) '68, "A Session with the Committee" (documentary) '69, "Which Way Is Up?" '77, "Jaws 2" '78, "The Jerk" '79, "Caveman" '81, "Doctor Detroit" '83, "Jaws 3-D" '83) plus TV, other TV movies and shorts, based on the novel by Peter Benchley. Even though these writers have more TV and shorts experience, it truly helps to have the novelist as a screenwriter as well, especially when so many novelists are not screenwriters and visa versa. The build up of this story of a small island community being terrorized by this predator was pure genius, and that iconic score by the consummate John Williams made one want to jump out of their seats. This is the quintessential summer flick if there ever was one. The entire production team was strategically put together including Williams' score, Verna Fields' amazing editing, Bill Butler's definitive cinematography, and the three lead actors, Scheider, Shaw and Dreyfuss. This film had it all!

As mentioned earlier, this was presented in either Real 3-D or IMAX, and even though I saw in the 3D, I'm sure IMAX would've been killer. Either, way, if you haven't seen this on the large screen recently or especially not at all, go see this gem before it's yanked, because it won't be around very much longer. Grab the popcorn--it's a nail-biter!

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                           Rated: PG                                            124mins.