Ferrari

Ever since the advent of the automobile, Hollywood has graced the screens with many racing films, i.e. "Grand Prix" "Driven", "Rush", "LeMans", "The Art of Racing in the Rain", even the comedy farce, "The Great Race" to mention a few. While "Ferrari" is yet another film devoted to racing, it certainly won't be the last one, considering audiences' fascination with this topic.

Set during the summer of 1957. Ex-racecar driver, Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver), is in crisis. Bankruptcy stalks the company he and his wife Laura (Penelope Cruz) built from nothing ten years earlier. Their tempestuous marriage struggles with the mourning for one son and the acknowledgement of another. He decides to counter his losses by rolling the dice on one race--1,000 miles across Italy, the iconic Mille Miglia. So, with this and his bitter fights with his wife over the guilt of losing their son, and Ferrari's subsequent mistress, Lina Lardi (Shailene Woodley),which his wife knew of, but was still a strain, and his looming bankruptcy woes, Ferrari's life becomes in a constant turmoil. 

Others to round out the cast are Sarah Gadon as Linda Christian, Jack O'Connell as Peter Collins, Patrick Dempsey as Piero Taruffi, Michele Savoia as Carlo Chiti, Erik Haugen as Edmund Nelson, Giuseppe Attanasio as Romolo Tavoni and Lino Musella as Sergio Scaglietti.

This was directed with sheer intensity while also being poignant by veteran Michael Mann ("The Jericho Mile" (TV movie) '79, "Thief" '81, "The Keep"'83, "Manhunter" '86,"L.A. Takedown" (TV movie) '89, "The Last of the Mohicans" '92, "Heat" '95, "The Insider" '99, "Ali" '01, "Collateral" '04, "Miami Vice" '06, "Public Enemies" '09,"Blackhat" '15) plus TV and shorts. Certainly, it isn't a tough stretch to realize this was directed by Mann, considering his massive resume of action, yet intensely dramatic films as this film is. His ability to encourage his actors to emit just the correct amount of emotions in the different scenes is amazing. I really had to keep looking at Driver's eyes to realize that I was actually watching the actor. The makeup, hair and tonality in his speech is something to behold, but considering the incomparable dialect coach being his coach, Tim Monich along with Cruz also, it's no surprise. He is one of the best dialect coaches in the biz. It was equally well written by Troy Kennedy Martin ("Incident at Echo Six" (TV movie) '58, "The Italian Job" '69, "Kelly's Heroes" "70, "The Jerusalem File" '72, "Sweeney 2" '78, "Red Heat" '88, "Bravo Two Zero" (TV movie) '99, "Red Dust" '04) plus TV and a video game. The amazing aspect of this writer is that he has been prolific for 60 plus years! So, it's amazing he was even able to write, not just another screenplay, but one with quite the substance. It keep one's attention, all the while letting us into the complexities of the Ferrari family. The only negative about this is that it was just a bit long-in-the-tooth and it would've been great to see more racing sequences. But, his intention was most likely to dwell more on the issues of the family and all the problems--both emotionally and financially. The racing scenes that were displayed were intense even though they were limited. The editing by Pietro Scalia ace, was awesome in that the quick cutting that took place when the racer was shifting gears, and Scalia showed a cut from the shift gear to the gauge and back with rapid speed. This simply showcased the frenzy of the scene. He should see a nomination come Oscar time, along with Mann, Driver and Cruz. 

If you like the director, Man, and more to the point, racing films in general, you'll like this. With this film you'll see it all: fine acting by both Driver and Cruz, directing, and editing. It will certainly rev you up--pun intended. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                          Rated: R                                          130mins.

Migration

One thing about Illumination Animation is that they have proven themselves time and again with amazing artistry coupled with incredible stories that are so watchable, i.e. the 'Despicable Me' franchise, the 'Minions" franchise, "The Lorax", "Sing". "The Secret Life of Pets", and many others. I loved those films, so when "Migration" was released, I felt I would not be disappointed, and I was right.

A family of Mallard ducks, Mack (Kamail Nanjani), Pam (Elizabeth Banks), Uncle Dan (Danny DeVito), Dax (Caspar Jennings) and Gwen (Tresi Gazal) decide to leave the safety of a New England pond for an adventurous trip to Jamaica, however their well-laid plans quickly go awry when they get lost and wind up in New York City. They meet Chump (Awkwafina), a feisty pigeon to guide them in the right direction, and the experience soon inspires them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends such as Leroy (Keegan-Michael Key), and accomplish more than they ever thought possible. 

Others to round out the cast are Carol Kane as Erin, David Mitchell as GooGoo, Isabela Merced as Kim and Carlos Alazraqui as Additional Voices. 

This was delineated with amazing clarity by Benjamin Renner ("Ernest & Celestine" '12, "The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales" '17) plus a short, and co-directed by Guylo Homsy (a video), even though neither director has a plethora of experience behind the camera, especially Homsy, who came from an animated visual effects background, they were still able to produce a well paced and sequenced animated story. These artists can only improve with more work which would serve them. The connection between the different family members seemed amazingly effortless. It was brilliantly written by Mike White ("Dead Man on Campus" '98, "Chuck & Buck" 2000, "Orange County" '02, "The Good Girl" '02, "School of Rock" '03, "Nacho Libre" '06, "Year of the Dog" '07, "The Emoji Movie" '07, "Brad's Status" '07, "Mamma Dallas" (TV movie) '16, "Beatriz At Dinner" '17, "The Emoji Movie" '17, "Brad's Status" '17, "Pitch Perfect 3" '17, "The One and Only Ivan"'20) plus TV, based on a story by Mike White and Benjamin Renner. Clearly White headed up an amazing experience here,  where White is one of those handful of writers that can and does think outside the box--one can never pigeon-hole this honed writer. One of the best films he's ever written is "School of Rock" '03, which he wrote for his buddy, Jack Black, who was born to play that role. Undoubtedly, he will write another script, and it will only be our guess at what the film could be about, will it be live-action or animated? Who knows, but this is the charm of this artist--not knowing, so the surprise element will be that much more evident. And Illumination Animation is so clever in presenting their animation in that it's always so creative and keeps the audience wanting for more.

If you like animated flicks, and more to the point, if you like Illumination's take on how they produce their work, you will revel with this one. The trailer sells the film, but in some ways, it doesn't. Trust me, this is a great film for the whole family replete with adventure, warmth, love and redemption all rolled up in one entertaining and well thought out story.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                 Rated: PG                              93mins. (including a 10min short entitled "Mooned" directed by Jonathan Del Val)

The Boys in the Boat

Well, the films studios have dumped just about every 'big' film into the theaters so 1) they can hopefully be considered for Academy Award nominations, and 2) so they can make an incredible profit considering a fair amount of people who have this time off either from work or school. The problem is that they've flooded the market all at once. Both "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" and "Migration" opened horribly, "The Boys in the Boat" should profit considering this is the quintessential underdog film.

This is a sports drama based on the #1 New York Times bestselling non-fiction novel written by Daniel James Brown. The film centers around the 1936 University of Washington rowing team that competed for gold at the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. This inspirational true story follows one coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton) and a group of underdogs, including Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), Don Hume (Jack Mulhern), Shorty Hunt (Bruce Herbelin), Chuck Day (Thomas Elms), Bobby Moch (Luke Slattery), and others at the height of the Great Depression as they are thrust into the spotlight and take on elite rivals from around the world. The boat builder, George Pocock (Peter Guinness) plays an amazing pivotal role as the boys mentor and confidante.

Others to round out the cast are Sam Strike as Roger Morris, Wil Coban as John McMillin, Tom Varey as Johnny White, Joel Phillimore as Gordy Adam, James Wolk as Coach Tom Bolles, Hadley Robinson as Joyce Simdars, Courtney Henggeler as Hazel Ulbrickson, Al's wife and Glenn Wrage as Coach Ky Ebright.

This was amazingly well directed by George Clooney ("Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" '02, "Good Night, and Good Luck" '05, "Leatherheads" '08, "The Ides of March" '11, "The Monuments Men" '14, "Suburbicon" '17, "The Midnight Sky" '20, "The Tender Bar" '21) plus TV. As with other actors that have shifted from acting to directing i.e. Clint Eastwood, Mel Gibson, Bradley Cooper, and others, if Clooney ever wanted to step from in front of the camera to behind it, he would not have any problem with that since his talent is evident. As with the case of "Maestro" with Cooper directing that, being an actor has got to serve them exponentially. This director has this innate ability to bring his actors to a place where the emotions emitted can and are poignant, clear, all the while being subtle when it's needed. He's a name one looks for when he directs. It was equally well written by Mark L. Smith ("Seance" '06, "Vacancy" '07, "Vacancy 2: The First Cut" '08, "The Hole" '09, "Martyrs" '15, "The Revenant" '15, "Overlord" '18, "The Midnight Sky" '20, "The Marsh King's Daughter" '23), based on the book by Daniel James Brown. Certainly this writer knows his way around the workings of a taut script, and we can definitely see it with this screenplay. This has got to be one of the most quintessential underdog stories replete with a rag-tag team--some have never rowed a boat, a coach that needs to prove himself with those over him, they are at the Summer Olympics in Berlin in 1936--prewar with Hitler spectating. It was basically a do or die situation. The premise of this was already great fodder for an outstanding film and Smith was able to hand us just that in spades!

Wow, what can I say, but this film is one all should see. If our society needed a shot in the arm, it is right now, and this film delivers that shot and more. This will undoubtedly be considered come Oscar time for picture, directing, writing and photography by Martin Ruhe asc. Be prepared to be wowed! I sure was!

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                           Rated: R                                        123mins.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

I was wondering where all the films were for the end of year film season, and all of a sudden, boom!, here they are. there will be seven plus films released in just two days. Some of these films probably won't profit very much because of the onslaught of releases. Well, the start of this massive list is that of "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom", which is a follow up of 2018's "Aquaman". 

Having failed to defeat Aquaman/Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) the first time, Black Manta/David Kane (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), still driven by the need to avenge his father's death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman's family, and the world from irreversible destruction.

Others to round out the cast are Amber Heard as Mera, Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin, Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry, Arthur's father, Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus, Martin Short as Kingfish, Jani Zhao as Stingray, Pilou Asbaek as Kordax, Indya Moore as Karshon and John Rhys-Davies as Brine King. 

This was intensely directed with grit by James Wan ("Stygian" 2000, "Saw" '04, "Insidious" '10, "The Conjuring" '13, "Furious 7" '15, "Aquaman" '18, "Malignant" '21) plus others, TV, a short and a video. While this filmmaker was once the 'king of horror', has now graduated to other genres which is healthy. Even though this director will probably never helm a comedy, he certainly has been willing to go out of his comfort zone which is my definition of talented. This was directed with the same intensity and action as its predecessor, however the predecessor being directed by Wan, one can see the similarity. It was penned well by writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick ("Orphan" '09,"Red Riding Hood" '11, "Wrath of the Titans" '12, :The Conjuring 2" '16, "Aquaman" '18, "The Conjuring : The Devil Made Me Do It" '21) plus TV and a short. What makes this film work is, like Wan directed both "Aquaman" and Aquaman 2, this writer has also written both films. Although Johnson-McGoldrick has adhered himself to mostly the horror genre, he has still proven himself with the action packed type of films. There were a couple of places of predictability in this, but that could be purposed in order to make it that much more captivating considering the major demographic involved. Also, the visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic), MPC (Moving Picture Company) and Double Negative were seamless and amazing, but were a bit over-the-top in some places of script.

Certainly, if you liked "Aquaman" '18, you'll like this as well. It has a plethora of action, explosives, adventure all in a fantasical setting, all the while holding an element of family and how important that is. It has been rumored that this is the end of the franchise since DC is involved in overhauling the company. We'll see.

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

Maestro

Back when films were created to be the sole purpose of pure entertainment was a simpler time. But since a number of decades ago, there are still those films to entertain, however it has branched off to being a vehicle of learning about a certain person or event in history. Many biopics have graced our screens--too numerous to list--but "Maestro" is one of those biopics that draws us into a world of a composer and conductor that lead an interesting life, to put it mildly.

"Maestro" will tell the complex love story of Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), a story that spans over 30 years--from the time they met in 1946 at a party and continuing through two engagements, a 25 year marriage, the tension between the two dealing with his bi-sexual lifestyle, and three children, Jamie Bernstein and Nina Bernstein Simmons. The film starts with an older Bernstein in his home, and his retelling to a crew filming his piano playing, of his meeting and his subsequent relationship with his Felicia. 

Others to round out the cast are Matt Bomer as David Oppenheim, Greg Hildreth as Isaac, Michael Urie as Jerry Robbins, Vincenzo Amato-Bruno as Zipato, Nick Blaemire as Adolph Green, Mallory Portnoy as Betty Comden, Sarah Silverman as Shirley Bernstein, Kate Eastman as Ellen Adler and Tim Rogan as Dick Hart.

This was incredibly well delineated by director Bradley Cooper ("A Star Is Born" '18) plus a music video. As with "A Star Is Born", this film is directed with grit and amazing realism. With Cooper's ability to pace and stage his actors as well as he does, if he ever wanted to go into directing full time, he could make the transition easily. His striving to bring the detail he demands only furthers to enhance his production. Also, the fact that he is such an accomplished actor himself certainly could only help behind the camera as well. If you can appreciate this director's brand of filmmaking, his "Is This Thing On?" is in production. It was penned equally well by writers Bradley Cooper ("A Star Is Born" '18) and Josh Singer ("The Fifth Estate" '13, "Spotlight" '15, "The Post" '17, "First Man" '18) plus TV and a video. I'm not sure why Cooper received top billing over Singer in the writing category except that Singer allowed it since this was basically Cooper's 'baby', since Singer has the lion's share of the experience. Both writers are amazing at producing a fine screenplay, and it showed in spades here. Other than a couple of small continuity issues here, this script was amazingly well thought out. 

An interesting fact is that Steven Spielberg being one of the producers, had originally committed to directing this film, however, after viewing one of the dailies of "A Star Is Born", he told Cooper that he had to direct this. This film is an incredibly well crafted film replete with fine acting, directing, writing and photography by Matthew Libatique asc. Undoubtedly, this will garner several Oscar nods come that time. You really thought you were experiencing Leonard Bernstein by the performance Cooper gave. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                       Rated: R                                          129mins.

Wonka

There have been other renditions of Roald Dahl's beloved Willy Wonka story through the decades: "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 1971, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 2005, and now we have a prequel in how Willy became Wonka in "Wonka", as Willy is just finding his place in the chocolate world.

Based on the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl's most iconic children's book and one of the best-selling children's books of all time, "Wonka" tells the wondrous story of how the world's greatest inventor, magician and chocolate maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today. This comprises a young Willy Wonka (Timothee Chalamet) attempting to 'fit in' a town where chocolate makers are aplenty. Down on his luck, he decides to stay at Mrs. Scrubitt's  (Olivia Colman) house only to end up trapped there, but ends up befriending Noodle (Calah Lane), Abacus Crunch (Jim Carter), Piper Benz (Natasha Rothwell) and others, only to be pursued by Oompa Loompa (Hugh Grant)

Others to round out the cast are Keenan-Michael Key as chief of police, Paterson Joseph as Slugworth, Matt Lucas as Prodnose, Mathew Baynton as Pickelgruber, Sally Hawkins as Mamma, Rowan Atkinson as Father Julius, Rich Fulcher as Larry Chuckesworth and Tom Davis as Bleacher. This was whimsically directed by Paul King ("Under One Roof"(TV movie) '07, "Bunny and the Bull" '09, "The Pajama Men: Last Stand to Reason" (TV movie) '11, "Paddington" '14, "Paddington 2" '17) plus TV and shorts. This filmmaker simply made these characters come to life by the way they jumped off the page of the story to this screen This director has a plethora of experience and it shows in the quality this film holds. It was written well by Simon Farnaby ("Mindhorn" '16, "Paddington 2"  '17, "The Phantom of the Opera" '21) plus TV and Paul King ("Bunny and the Bull" '09, "Paddington" '14, "Paddington 2" '17) plus TV, based on a story by Paul King, which is based on characters created by Roald Dahl. This was an extremely unique and captivating premise--by Wonka coming from meager beginnings to become the most nortoripus chocolatier in the world. Really, other than a couple of very small places of slowness which occurred around the middle of the film, this story was spot on.

If you're either a Willy Wonka fan or even a Roald Dahl aficionado, this film is for you. While the casting of Wonka was incredible, the rest of the supporting cast was amazingly pivotal in their respective roles as well. Prequels can be tricky in their ability to convince the audience of their validity, but this was expressly conveyed effectively. This is a film for the entire family to enjoy.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: PG                                          117mins.

Wish

Remember when Disney was in business to purely entertain us, before they went woke with their own agenda? Well, with "Wish", it looks to be that possibly they have learned their lesson by giving us a film to simply entertain us, has paid off  After a string of flops, their respective pocket book has been screaming. This film hasn't profited mostly because Disney has a ways to go to earn the public's trust once again.

This story is an all-new musical comedy, welcoming audiences to the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha (Ariana DeBose), a sharp-witted idealist makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force--a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star and her friends including Valentino (Alan Tudyk), Amaya (Angelique Cabral), Sabino (Victor Garber) and others, confront a most formidable foe--the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico (Chris Pine)--to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. 

Others to round out the cast are Natasha Rothwell as Sakina, Jennifer Kumiyama as Dahlia, Harvey Guillen as Gabo, Niko Vargas as Hal, Evan Peters as Simon, Ramy Youssef as Safi, Jon Rudnitsky as Dario and Della Saba as Bazeema. 

This was whimsically directed by Chris Buck ("Tarzan" '99, "Surf's Up" '07, "Frozen" '13, "Frozen II" '19) plus TV, a short and a music video, and Fawn Veerasunthorn. Clearly, with the experience that Buck brought to the table, this was directed with the expertise we've come to expect from Disney. Even though Veerasunthorn has no other experience except for the animation department, the input of this filmmaker I'm sure was pivotal. But clearly, with Buck carrying the lion's share of experience, this was his film. These characters simply came alive on that screen and this is fine-tuned direction. It was also well penned by writer Jennifer Lee ("Wreck-It Ralph" '12, "Frozen" '13, "Zootopia" (story) '16, "A Wrinkle in Time" '18, "Frozen II" '19) plus video games and a short, and Allison Moore (a plethora of TV), based on a story by Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck, Fawn Veerasunthorn and Allison Moore. This was written with that charm, yet a lesson to be learned way that Disney was always able to produce. Certainly the feature film experience falls on the shoulders of Lee, however, Moore was certainly pivotal in her input since she has plenty of TV experience which has served her well. The story started as a narrative as in the beginning of a fairytale story replete with "Once upon a time...". This format is the trademark of an entertaining Disney story which I hope we can continue to see. The only aspect that seemed to occur was that a couple of the songs didn't have as an effective introduction in the story that they could've had. Otherwise, this was a classic waiting to happen. The songs by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice were catchy and worked well in this production, so much so that I wouldn't mind purchasing the CD soundtrack. 

If you're a fan of the old Disney that is pure entertainment without the political agenda, this is the film for you. The story is entertaining, witty all the while with a great lesson for all to learn. This is the quintessential family film with a good guy, a bad guy and a community that eventually unites around the good guy. Not a tough premise, but the entertainment factor is first rate. 

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

The Oath

We've seen a plethora of ancient renaissance type films: "Camelot", all the "King Arthur" type films, "The Last Duel", "Gladiator", "Dragonheart",and the like. Now, we have "The Oath" to add to that ever growing list. What makes this a bit different than its predecessors is that this is more of a conflict--a small squirmish as opposed to a huge epic like most are.

400 A.D., in a forgotten time of Ancient America, a lone Hebraic fugitive, a Nephite, Moroni (Darin Scott) must preserve the history of his fallen nation while being hunted by a ruthless tyrant, Lamanite, King Aaron (Billy Zane), but rescuing the King's abused mistress, Bathsheba (Nora Dale) could awaken a warrior's past. Considering Moroni and King Aaron are estranged brothers, how is this confrontation going to play out?

Others to round out the cast are Karina Lombard as Mahigana, the king's best tracker, Eugene Brave Rock as Cohor, Philip Niu as assassin #1, Aron Stevens as assassin #2 and Wase Chief as King's wife.

This was passionately directed with incredible pathos by Darin Scott (three shorts). Working on the shorts this filmmaker produced served him well, because every character in this was delineated with such feeling and realism. The audience experienced the raw emotions that exuded from these actors in a way that left you drained. He should receive more work behind the camera. It was also penned well by writer Darin Scott (four shorts). Again, not a plethora of experience, but working on the shorts certainly helped him with this script. Was this storyline laid out perfectly? No, however the way he crafted this script in an almost intimate way considering it was about survival and subsequent revenge was an interesting twist to an otherwise hackneyed premise. Considering Scott, wrote, directed, edited and starred in this production allows us to see into the heart of this filmmaker in that this was obviously his 'baby' and it simply was as transparent as a piece of Saran Wrap. It was a bit slow in a couple of places, however, probably that might very well have been purposed, And there were a couple of continuity issues, but otherwise was a story that kept your attention. Given more feature film work could only improve this writer, and given that chance, I would like to see what he tackles next.

Certainly if you are into the "Game of Thrones" type of film fare replete with swords, violence and revenge, this will be the film for you. This film is all about those aspects as well as survival, redemption and reconciliation. again, it has eight people that comprise of the entire cast as opposed to an epic film with hundreds of cast members, and this is just as powerful as any of those other films. This is an intriguing film and with a bittersweet ending, it makes it that much more original of its genre. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                   Rated: PG-13                                       105mins.

The Shift

When it comes to films that involve time travel, rime dimension, multiple worlds, and the like, confusion and the propensity to enter into paradoxes and becoming disjointed, can certainly ensue. Films like "The Time Machine", "Back to the Future", "Dr. Strange", "Everything Everywhere All At Once",and the like, can, in and of themselves be captivating films, however, attempting to write a cohesive screenplay can, and does quite often, become a daunting task, As with "The Shift", it is an interesting concept as long as all the pieces can come together in a honed script.

In this modern day retelling of Job, Kevin Garner (Kristoffer Polaha) embarks on a journey across worlds and dimensions to reunite with Molly (Elizabeth Tabish), his true love. The narrative unfolds as a dystopian drama and sci-fi thriller, where a mysterious adversary, The Benefactor (Neal McDonough), disrupts Kevin's reality. Faced with infinite worlds and impossible choices, Kevin must navigate through an ultimate reality, resisting The Benefactor's tempting over of wealth and power. As survival hangs in the balance, Kevin fights to return to the familiar world he cherishes and the woman he loves.

Others to round out the cast are Sean Astin as Gabriel, Emily Rose as Tabitha, Rose Reid as Tina, John Billingsley as Russo, Paras Patel as Rajit Nadir, Jordan Alexandra as Priya Nadir, Nolan North as Brett and Jason Marsden as Cyrus. 

This was directed with intensity and grit by relative newcomer Brock Heasley (two shorts). With only two shorts under his belt, he was certainly able to direct a story with as many diverse characters as the plot twists themselves. His actors really were able to convince the audience of their particular predicament given which character we are speaking of, and this is the mark of a well honed director. He will undoubtedly receive more work. It was also interestingly written by Brock Heasley (three shorts). Again, considering that this writer is a relative newcomer, and the topic in which he decided to delve into can become disjointed and confusing with a seasoned writer, he actually was able to pull off this story with a certain amount of clarity and cohesiveness. As mentioned, seasoned writers would or could have stumbled with this premise, however, this writer, with the exceptions of some areas of choppiness and continuity issues, actually wrote a fairly cohesive and intense script that definitely captured my attention. The lead of Kevin played by Polaha was very convincing in his role, however, the one who clearly stole the show was that of McDonough who played The Benefactor, or some might call him the Devil. But, then again, villainous roles are usually the meatier of roles, but considering how often McDonough has played the villain, he's learned a thing or two how it's done. Again, this writer will surely be considered for more feature film work.

If films about time or time travel, or in this case, shifting from one world to another are your liking,  this should intrigue that most ardent fan. The story keeps one riveted for the almost two hour running time, and with several twists and turns, it will keep you wondering what's going on.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                          Rated: PG-13                                        115mins.

Napoleon

Out of all the different films based on true stories, certainly one of the most dramatic and interesting ones are that of a wartime story. We've seen many that has graced the silver screen: "Midway" (both versions), "Tora!, Tora!, Tora!, "Pearl Harbor", "Patton", "All Quiet on the Western Front", "Dunkirk", "1917", you get the point, and now we have, yet another, film to add to that ever growing list in the form of "Napoleon". 

This is the spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix). Against a stunning backdrop of large scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte's relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby), showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed . This film covers the start of the French Revolution in 1789, up through the war of 1812, and culminating with the war with England in 1815, with Napoleon's ultimate exile in October of 1815 on the isle of St. Helena. 

Others to round out the cast are Rupert Everett as Duke of Wellington, Tahar Rahim as Paul Barras, Ben Miles as Cailaincourt, Paul Rhys as Talleyrand, Youssef Kerkour as Marshal Davout, Scott Handy as Marshal Berthier, Edouard Phillipponnat as Tsar Alexander and Aoubakar Salim as General Dumas.

This was directed with sheer spectacle and vision by legendary Ridley Scott ("The Duelists" '77, "Alien" '79, "Blade Runner" '82, "Legend" '85, "Black Rain" '89, "Thelma & Louise" '91, "Gladiator" 2000, "Black Hawk Down" '01, "Matchstick Men" '03, "American Gangster" '07, "Robin Hood" '10, "Prometheus" '12, "The Martian" '15, "Alien: Covenant" '17, "All the Money in the World" '17, "House of Gucci" '21) plus others, TV, videos, shorts and a TV movie. What can I say about Scott except that he has proven himself repeatedly for decades as a consummate director. Each and every actor simply looks like they are playing their respective characters effortlessly, and this is fine direction. It was crafted well by writer David Scarpa ("The Last Castle" '01, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" '08, "All the Money in the World" '17), plus TV. Certainly Scarpa doesn't have a plethora of experience, however, what experience he does have is written well, which makes him a talented writer. The only issues I had with this script that it was a bit too long-in-the-tooth, and could've been edited about 5-10 mins off its running time--so much was covered in this, and that the fact that Napoleon and others didn't even have a French dialect, and spoke in an American dialect was a bit disappointing.They had a dialect coach on the set, but if they hired a Tim Monich or Elizabeth Himelstein to help with an effective dialect coaching, this would've carried more impact. Otherwise, this was a story that keeps you riveted to your seat. There will undoubtedly be Oscar nods including for Scott and Phoenix and definitely the director of photography by Dariusz Wolski asc. The photography was incredible and carried an almost antiquated, grainy look to the film which simply added to the story. The visual effects predominately designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) and MPC (Moving Picture Company) were seamless and actually enhanced the story that much more. ' 

If you're a historical aficionado, this film will be the one to sink your teeth into. Even if you're not, the acting by Phoenix and Kirby and direction by Scott will certainly be enough to keep anyone captivated. This is an epic that with thrill and looks great on the large screen. And if you really want that up, close and personal feeling, this is presented in an IMAX format as well. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                      Rated: R                                       158mins.