Conclave

Religious films have become a mainstay in the creation of movies made in Hollywood, and with that we have seen just about every religion represented: Christianity, Catholicism, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. So, when viewing "Conclave", this is about the process of choosing a new Pope after the existing one has died, hence the title of the film. 

Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church's most powerful leaders, including Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Tremblay (John Lithgow), Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), Woznial (Jacek Koman) and others have gathered from around the world and are sequestered together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church.

Others to round out the cast are Isabella Rossellini as Sister Agnes, Brian F. O'Byrne as O'Malley, Sergio Castellitto as Tedesco, Thomas Loibl as Mandorff, Rony Kramer as Mendoza, Valerio Da Silva as Father Haas and Carlos Diehz as Vincent Benitez. 

This was intensely and passionately directed by Edward Berger ("Strait-Jacket" '92, "Wanderbread" '95, "Windland" (TV movie) '07, "A Good Summer" (TV movie) '11, "Jack" '14, "All My Loving" '19, "All Quiet on the Western Front" '22) plus other films, another TV movie and TV. Combined with tight editing, sound effects and a riveting musical score, this director was able to pull these talented actors together and interact them with each other in order to convey to his audience that believability that these characters are real. It was creatively written by Peter Straughan ("Sixty Six" '06, "The Men Who Stare at Goats" '09, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" '11, "Frank" '14, "The Snowman" '17, "The Goldfinch" '19) plus other films, TV and a short, and Robert Harris ("D-Day to Berlin: Newsnight Special" (TV movie) '85, "Fatherland" (TV movie) '94, "Archangel" (TV movie) '05, "The Ghost Writer" '10, "An Officer and a Spy" '19) plus other films and TV. I'm not a Catholic, but this was a compelling film of what could happen as a conclave is in progress, and that can be captivating for many people. As the process of this conclave is proceeding, certain deep secrets end up coming to light which is a good thing, but the complexities of this process simply kept arising.These seasoned writers were able to intertwine these issues into the meat of the story where Lawrence was being driven crazy to keep this conclave in one piece. It was sequenced well and amazingly concise in its script. Other that a couple of areas of slowness in story, this screenplay was riveting, especially as the story started picking up. 

No spoilers, but the end is quite the shocker--I did not see it coming, so it ends bittersweetly. Whether you are Catholic or not, this is a captivating film with solid directing, writing, acting, especially that of Fiennes, music, editing and photography. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                  Rated: PG                                       120mns.

Venom: The Last Dance

When the original "Venom" premiered back in 2018, I felt it was going to be a total waste of celluloid. But, after seeing it, I felt it was a hoot! Not only were the visual effects amazing, but you knew that, but the story was fascinating in that the 'superhero' was inside of the hero played brilliantly by Tom Hardy--he was Venom. Well, after a second go around, we now have the end of the trilogy--"Venom: The Last Dance" to sink our teeth into.

In this next installment, Tom Hardy returns as Venom once again, one of Marvel's greatest and most complex characters, for the final film in the trilogy, Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie's last dance. Will they win, or will the alien nemesis beat them at their own game? Not sure, but the ring side seat known as the theater will be first rate.  

Others to round out the cast are Chiwetel Ejiofor as General Rex Strickland, Juno Temple as Dr. Payne, Stephen Graham as Detective Mulligan, Rhys Ifans as Martin, Peggy Lu as Mrs. Chen, Hala Finley as Exho and Alanna Ubach as Christmas. 

This was masterfully directed with excitement by Kelly Marcel. Since this film was written by her and the story was based on hers and Hardy's idea, and she has written all the films would certainly lend her an advantage in being effective behind the camera. This being the only credit in the directing category, it is still amazing that she was able to harness a certain amount of humanity from her actors to prove they are capable of more than being military or studying things in a lab. This was also written with great sequencing by Kelly Marcel ("Saving Mr. Banks" '13, "Fifty Shades of Grey" '15, "Venom" '18, "Cruella" (story) '21, "Venom: Let There Be Carnage" '21) plus TV, based on a story by Tom Hardy and Kelly Marcel, which is based on the Marvel Comics. Even though this film dealt with some multi-universe aspects, Marcel was able to construct the screenplay so it made more sense as compared to other films delving into multi-universe aspects. Since this writer wrote the three different scripts for this franchise, I really did appreciate the amount of wit and humor she injected in the story. It more humanizes the story instead of it being a straight drama. There were only a couple of very slow places within the screenplay, however not enough to detract from the story at hand. And, of course, the visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) and Double Negative were seamless and actually enhanced the more comedic moments of the film. 

If you liked the first two installments of this franchise, you'll certainly like this one as well, especially since it was written by the same writer. This film is supposed to be the third and last installment, hence the 'last dance' part of the title, however it does leave opened-ended. There are a couple of small videos within the end credits if that is telling. Certainly if this makes a truck-load of money, another will likely return, otherwise probably not. It is also presented in a nifty IMAX format if you wish. Enjoy, I know I did.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                       Rated: PG-13                                       108mins.

Goodrich

Remember the days when Michael Keaton would star in roles where he became involved in a family dilemma and the more he attempted to 'fix it', the worse it got? well, he's starred in some interesting films since, however with "Goodrich" he is seemingly going back to that type of film, at least with this film. 

Andy Goodrich's (Michael Keaton) life is upended when his wife, Naomi (Laura Benanti) and mother of their nine-year-old twins, Moses (Jacob Kopera) and Billie (Vivien Lyra Blair) enters a 90-day rehab program for prescription meds addiction, leaving him on his own with their young kids. Thrust into the world of modern parenthood, Goodrich leans on his daughter, Grace (Mila Kunis) from his first marriage, all the while his art gallery is having financial woes. As Grace and Andy get to know one another again, he ultimately evolves into the father Grace never had. 

Others to round out the cast are Michael Urie as Terry, Danny Defarrari as Pete, Grace's husband, Andie MacDowell as Ann, Andy's ex-wife, Carmen Ejogo as Tully, Andrew Leeds as Greg, Kevin Pollack as Sy, Nico Hiraga as Jonny and Kimberly Condict as Cecile. 

This was directed with wit and heart by Hallie Meyers-Shyer ("Home Again" '17). This being only the second film she has directed makes this an amazing movie. I've seen seasoned directors that weren't as effective in being able to get their actors to truly dig deep in how they were able to convince the audience of their respective hurt and issues involved. She will certainly go far. This was also written with amazing pathos and humor by Hallie Meyers-Shyer ("Homw Again" '17). Certainly when a director writes their own film, it has a tendency to excel since they know about each and every character that's involved in the production. Although, even with this in mind, since she has only one other film to her credit, I still went to see this film with great trepidation. And after viewing it, I came to the conclusion that the formula of director/writer concept still holds true. Although, this wasn't a perfect film--it was a bit choppy in a couple of places, it certainly wasn't enough to take away from the effectiveness this filmmaker was attempting to convey. Michael Keaton gave his usual steadfast reliable performance that we all have come to love, and with this, it's a film that will have us nostalgic for his past films. 

Definitely if you're a Keaton fan, you'll revel. It's a great expose of the progression of how a blended family can co-exist in spite of their different issues. Emotionally, this film runs the gambit: humor, sorrow, despair, confusion and redemption all rolled up in a tight and bold script.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                       Rated: R                                           110mins.

We Live in Time

Hollywood has produced a fair amount of romance films: "The Vow", "The Notebook", "Dear John", "The Lucky One" and the like, and although they certainly have their specific demographic--young single females, depending on how the film is structured, can obtain other fans as well. With "We Live in Time", it can hold either gender's attention equally it too being a romance.

An up and coming chef, Almut (Florence Pugh) and a recent divorcee, Tobias (Andrew Garfield) find their lives forever changed when a chance encounter brings them together, in a decade-spanning, deeply moving romance. As they embark on a path challenged by the limits of time, they learn to cherish each moment of their unconventional love story. With the several obstacles in their way to making a harmonious home life, their challenge of continuing to stay in the relationship as the obstacles unfold, becomes more and more stressful and unclear.

Others to round out the cast are Adam James as Simon Maxson, Amy Morgan as Leah, Niamh Cusack as Sylvia, Lee Braithwaite as Jade, Douglas Hodge as Reginald, Lucy Briers as Dr. Kerri Weaver, Nikhil Parmar as Sanjaya and Kerry Godliman as Jane. 

This was directed with heart and pathos by John Crowley ("Intermission" '03, "Celebration" (TV movie) '07, "Boy A" '07, "Is Anybody There?" '08, "Closed Circuit" '13, "Brooklyn" '15, "The Goldfinch" '19) plus TV and a short. The emotions, especially those of Garfield and Pugh were raw, honest and truly became pivotal to the story. This film was basically hinged on the chemistry of the two lead stars and it definitely worked and this is talented directing. It was interestingly written by Nick Payne ("The Sense of an Ending" '17, "The Last Letter from Your Lover" '21) plus TV and a short. I believe that Nick Payne is a talented writer, however with this film, it became rather disjointed. The different scenes played out in a seemingly disheveled way, however I believe this was purposed so as to piece the scenes together, after a point, in order to make the film continuous with a flow. This style has been performed by other writers successfully, however Payne took too long to piece the scenes together, so by the time the story started making sense,it became a little too much, a little too late. Once the pieces were optimal, the story really did pick up, and then became the story this writer was looking for. The premise was interesting--it just needed to come to a fluid place sooner, otherwise this was a good story and, like I said, an interesting film. The performances by both Garfield and Pugh was stunning and they worked well off of one another. 

If you're into romance, fine acting and effective directing, you'll revel with this, however if one is looking for a tight, cohesive script, this will be frustrating for you. I feel that Nick Payne is talented, and maybe his "Midwinter Break" which is in post production will prove it better than this did. We'll have to see. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                            Rated: R                                          107mins.

Super / Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

Documentaries have become quite the mainstay of Hollywood for a number of decades. We've seen many that teach us, entertain us, lecture us and inform us, yet I'm hard-pressed to see one that is anything but fluid with an abundance of quality, which "Super / Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" is the epitome of. 

Christopher Reeve's rise to becoming a film star, mostly due to the popularity of 1978's "Superman: The Movive", follows with a near-fatal horse-riding accident on May 27, 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down. After the accident, with the help of Dana Reeve (his wife), and friends Robin Williams, Michael Manganiello, Will Reeve and Matthew Reeve (his sons), he became an activist for spinal cord injury treatments and disability rights. Through his efforts, many are walking today with the help of special medical treatments all because he cared so much for people. 

Others interviewed were Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, Brooke Ellison, Richard Donner, Steven Kirschblum MD, Whoopi Goldberg, Kevin Johnson, Gae Exton, Alexandra Reeve Givens (his daughter), John Kerry and Laurie Hawkins. 

This was directed with a plethora of sobriety and heart by Ian Bonhote ("Alleycats" '16, "McQueen" '18, "Rising Phoenix" '20) plus shorts, and music videos, and Peter Ettedgui ("McQueen" '18, "Rising Phoenix" '20). The exhausting amount of research it took to pull this all together was insurmountable. This actually spans from the early 70's to the passing of Dana Reeve's death in March of 2006. Odd, that Christopher Reeve passed away only two years prior to Dana's death in October of 2004. This film was sequenced perfectly and kept the audience on the edge of their seats. I basically followed Reeve's situation, and I still was able to learn so much more than I ever thought I would receive from this documentary. It was brilliantly written by Peter Ettedgui (" The Temptation of Franz Schubert" (TV movie) '97, "Vigo" '98, "Onegin" '99, "Everything or Nothing" (co-writer) '12, "Listen to Me Marlon" (co-writer) '15, "McQueen" '18) plus TV, and co-written by Ian Bonhote and Otto Burnham. Again, the incredible research these writers obtained was thorough and exhaustive. Their ability to sequence the footage and interviews spanning the better part of four decades, was heart-pounding and sobering. I was in awe of the way this documentary simply fell into place so we can have a whole new look at what this man had to go through, especially when he was a spinal cord advocate. 

This film will undoubtedly be nominated come Oscar time for the rawness and heart and thoroughness this documentary carried. This film should be seen by all to experience what this man went through and endured for, not only for his family, but for all people as well. People left the theater very quiet and thoughtful as this film affected them immeasurably. 

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

Saturday Night

For a show that was actually doomed to fail out the gate, "Saturday Night" was and has been an amazing success considering it has lasted 49 years. As this film unfolds, it becomes difficult to believe that this show would last a year, much less approximately 5 decades. Unfortunately, the show has suffered through the years where a different cast hasn't served the producers well.

At 11:30 pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians, including Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O'Brien), John Belushi (Matt Wood), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris) and others and writers changed television--and culture--forever. "Saturday Night" is based on the true story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live. With the creator and producer Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) at the helm, or trying to be, it's 'all hell breaks loose time wondering if this show will ever air. Full of humor, chaos, and the magic of a revolution that almost wasn't, we count down the minutes in real time until we hear those famous words: "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!".

Others to round out the cast are Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster, Emily Fairn as Loraine Newman, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Finn Wolfhard as NBC page, Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson, Andrew Barth Feldman as Neil Levy, Nicholas Podany as Billy Crystal, Tommy Dewey as Michael O'Donoghue, Jon Batiste as Billy Preston and J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle. 

This was brilliantly directed with frenzy and raw humor by Jason Reitman ("Thank You for Smoking" '05, "Juno" '07, "Up in the Air" '09, "Young Adult" '11, "Labor Day" '13, "Men, Women & Children" '14, "Tully" '18, "The Front Runner" '18, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" '21) plus TV, shorts and a video. As with his "Thank You for Smoking", this is a dark comedy which Reitman surely excels well with. Considering he hasn't a plethora of experience, considering his years in the biz, he obviously chooses his projects carefully and this has served him well. His late father, the famed director Ivan Reitman definitely passed the directing baton to Jason since this filmmaker is assuredly a consummate pro. His ability to sequence his work is phenomenal, and the way he directed this with a frenetic feel certainly added to the amazement of this show and how it ever got off the ground. It was creatively written by Gil Kenan ("Ghostbusters: Afterlife" '21, "A Boy Called Christmas" '21, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" '24) and Jason Reitman ("Thank You for Smoking" '05, "Up in the Air" '09, "Labor Day" '13, "Men, Women & Children" '14, "The Front Runner" '18, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" '21, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" '24) plus shorts. Again, Jason Reitman received that writing gene from his father, Ivan since Ivan Reitman also wrote a fair amount of his films. He has written many films with Gil Kenan so they are basically a writing team. Other than a couple of very small slow places in script, this screenplay soared. It was humorous, frenetic, irreverent (these artists had many issues) and concise, all in a well thought out story. 

Certainly if you're a SNL fan, you'll love this since it leads its audience, in real time, how this show was able to get off the ground and become the iconic show it has been for almost 50 years. With all the chaos, star stroking, writing, sound, set and time restrictions, you'll see it all if you can only get through all the frenzy involved!

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

 

Piece by Piece

When the first 'Lego' movie was released back in 2014, I actually thought it was going to be terrible. Well, after viewing it, I was hooked! It was a great film. Well written, directed and just downright entertaining. Well, several sequels later, and now we have "Piece by Piece", a documentary produced in a 'lego' format which certainly makes it a very interesting and original documentary. 

This is an unparalleled motion picture experience that captures the magic and brilliance of Pharrell Williams' creative genius, one LEGO brick at a time. Uninterested in making a traditional film about his life, Pharrell set out to tell his story in a way that would set audience's imaginations free. Developed from his singular vision, "PIECE by PIECE" defies genres and expectations to transport audiences into a LEGO world where anything is possible. Certainly making this documentary in a Lego format is original yet entertaining. 

Others to round out the cast are Morgan Neville, Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani, Timbaland, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Pharoah and Carolyn Williams, Helen Williams, Missy Elliott, Chad Hugo, Teddy Riley, Jimmy Iovine, Jon Platt, Shae Haley, Tammy Lucas, Rob Walker, Nigo and ItzKiff.

This was culminated thoroughly by director Morgan Neville ("Shotgun Freeway: Drives Through Lost L.A." (documentary) '95, "Shakespeare Was a Big George Jones Fan: 'Cowboy Jack Clement's Home Movies" (documentary) '05, "The Cool School" '08, "Troubadours" '11, "20 Feet from Stardom" '13, "A Fighting Chance" '16, "Won't You Be My Neighbor" '18, "This Is Not a House" '23, "The Saint of Second Chances" '23) plus other films, TV, TV movies, videos and a TV short. What truly made this documentary was the fact that Neville and Williams incorporated a LEGO format throughout the film which definitely made it more original and captivating while experiencing this. The documentary was enhanced also by Williams' absolute love for his craft...music, and it shows in the way that he has produced many different types of music which reminds me that he is a true artist. It was painstakingly well written by Morgan Neville, Oscar Vazquez, Aaron Wickenden and Jason Zeldes. These writers know Pharrell very well--worked with him for many years, and this expose in written form only showcased this. It was 90 plus minutes of exhaustive research into the life of this artist and family man. There were a couple of places of slightly slow places, but truly nothing to detract from this amazing film, so I'm not going to be picky. And, what can I say about LEGO? The makers of Legos are amazing and can simply make a story out of any base--whether fictional or fact. 

Certainly if you like the LEGO movies and Pharrell Williams, you'll love this! I'm not expressly into

his music, however after viewing this, I have a whole new appreciation and respect for the man and his love for his craft. Take note: this IS a documentary, not a fictional story, so even if it is in a LEGO format, the kids may not have the same appreciation for this. But for all others, is quite the experience! 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                  Rated: PG                                          93mins.

 

Joker: Folie a Deux

When "Joker" was released back in 2019, with all that's happened in this world, it seems like an eternity ago. Certainly Todd Phillips brought us a complicated and delineated version of Joker that was very effective. However, with this follow up, we have "Joker: Folie a Deux" that gives us a musical slant to a story that clearly doesn't scream musical. 

This follow up to "Joker" finds Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes--murders as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love--another patient there, Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga) who later becomes Harley Quinn, he also finds the music that's always been inside him. Arthur continues to have graphic dreams that accentuates his dual identity issues which between that and Quinn's bad influence only causes Joker to become stronger. 

Others to round out the cast are Brendon Gleeson as Jackie Sullivan, Catherine Keener as Maryanne Stewart, Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond, Steve Coogan as Paddy Meyers, Harry Lawtey as Harvey Dent, Leigh Gill as Gary Puddles, Ken Leung as Dr. Victor Lui, Bill Smitrovich as Judge Herman Rothwax, Jacob Lofland as Ricky Meline and Sharon Washington as Debra. 

This was directed with the intensity and grit as the original by Todd Phillips ("Road Trip" 2000, "Old School" '03, "Starsky & Hutch" '04, "School for Scoundrels" '06, "The Hangover" '09, "Due Date" '10, "The Hangover Part II" '11, "War Dogs" '16, "Joker" '19) plus other films, a TV movie and a video. As with the original, Phillips was able to extract the intense emotions, especially that of Phoenix, in order to convince the audience that these characters have been delineated precisely. He has a tendency to direct with a somewhat dark style, but this certainly can make him stand out that much more. It was interestingly written by Scott Silver ("Johns" '96, "The Mod Squad" '99, "8 Mile" '02, "The Fighter" '10, "The Finest Hours" '16, "Joker" '19) and Todd Phillips ("Road Trip" 2000, "Borat" (story) '06, "Due Date" '10, "The Hangover Part II" '11, "War Dogs" '16) plus other films, a TV movie and video, based on the DC comics. Where "Joker" excelled with its screenplay, this film fell short. First of all, the original wasn't a musical--for a reason, but this film was, simply missed the mark, and secondly there were too many places where it became confusing where the dreams ended and real life took over and visa versa. Both of these writers are seasoned--Phillips and Silver wrote the original, however I'm not sure what happened--bad day at the laptop? And Lady Gaga shouldn't have been cast as Harley Quinn--someone like Margot Robbie would've been a better choice. Maybe Robbie was involved in another project or maybe not interested, but this needed another choice. Was it a wash? Certainly not--the acting by Phoenix was amazing as was the directing and the photography by Lawrence Sher asc. 

If you must see this, it truly needs to be on the large screen for the grandiose effect--it's even presented in an IMAX format, but be prepared for a musical, albeit in dream sequences, but a musical and a script that is not cohesive and concise. 

Out of 4 Stars: 1.5                                     Rated: R                                            138mins.

Monster Summer

Every generation seems to bring forth a rites of passage film that includes several young preteens in the hope to uncover something sinister going on in the neighborhood. We've seen "Stand By Me", "The Goonies", "It", "Super 8" among the few. Now we have "Monster Summer" in the offing to sink our teeth into. 

Martha's Vineyard 1997. When a mysterious force begins to disrupt their big summer fun, Noah (Mason Thames) and his friends, including Ben (Noah Cottrell) and Sammy (Abby James Witherspoon), team up with a local retired police detective, Gene Carruthers (Mel Gibson) to embark on a monstrous adventure to save their island. Between the town not believing Noah since he's only a kid and a retired detective since he IS retired, these individuals have an incredible time attempting to convince the local police in whet they believe that's going on and it is definitely sinister and the children of the town are disappearing. What IS going on ?!

Others to round out the cast are Lorraine Bracco as Miss Halverson, Patrick Renna as the umpire, Lilah Pate as Ellie Evans, Spencer Fitzgerald as Ronnie Harlow, Julian Lerner as Eugene, Kelly Collins Lintz as Deb Harlow, Gavin Bedell as Kevin and Kevin James as Newspaper editor. 

This was directed with intensity by David Henrie ("This Is the Year" '20) plus shorts. This relative newcomer behind the camera was actually right on with his direction--he knew how to encourage his actors to dig deep and convince us that there are monsters among them. His pacing and staging was effective and considering he is also an actor, this certainly served him. He should receive more work behind the camera. It was effectively written by Cornelius Uliano and Bryan Schulz ("The Peanuts Movie" '15) plus TV and shorts. These writers are apparently a team in their work,and even though they are new to writing, penning scripts as a team certainly can be more effective. Considering they are relative newcomers, this script was sequenced well and it was able to build the intensity so as to keep the audience on the edge of their seats wondering what's going on and who is it that's causing such havoc? There were a few places where certain things weren't explained and a couple of places of choppiness, but otherwise the story kept the audience's attention. 

If you like 'rites of passage' films, you'll like this. It's a great way to spend an hour and a half to simply sit and go into another world so as to escape. It has some nifty visual effects and the with a twist, it should take one by surprise. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                         Rated: PG-13                                      98mins.

White Bird

Stories produced in Hollywood centering on WWII, and more to the point, the hiding of Jews due to the rise of Nazism through Adolf Hitler, are sobering films at best, and need to be shown ever so often as to not forget about a horrific time. As with "Schindler's List", "Sophie's Choice" and "The Pianist", "White Bird" is no exception.

Struggling to fit in at a new school after being expelled for his treatment of Auggie Pullman, Julian Albans (Bryce Gheisar) is visited by his Grandmere Sara Blum (Helen Mirren) and is transformed by the story of her being a young Jewish girl, Sara (Ariella Glaser) and her being hidden by one of her classmates, Julien Beaumier (Orlando Schwerdt) and his family, mother and father (Gillian Anderson) and (Jo Stone-Fewings) respectively, and her attempts to escape Nazi-occupied France during WWII. As she was hidden for more than a year, Julien and her became best friends along with his family. 

Others to round out the cast are Priya Ghotane as Rahmiya, Teagan Booth as Dillon, Selma Kaymakci as Mariann, Jem Matthews as Vincent, Stuart McQuarrie as Pastor Luc, Mia Kadlecova as Sophie, Laura Hudeckova as Sara (age 5 & 8), Ishai Golan as Max Blum and Olivia Ross as Rose Blum. 

This was brilliantly directed with amazing pathos and heart by Marc Forster ("Loungers" '95, "Everything Put Together" 2000, "Monster's Ball" '01, "Finding Neverland" '04, "Stay" '05, "Stranger Than Fiction" '06, "The Kite Runner" '07, "Quantum of Solace" '08, "Machine Gun Preacher" '11, "World War Z" '13, "All I See Is You" '16, "Christopher Robin" '18, "A Man Called Otto" '22) plus TV, a short and a video. By his very resume, this filmmaker is a chameleon in that he can't be pigeon-holed. He's done it all: comedy, drama, espionage, fantasy, sci-fi, and with this film, he has put a whole new slant on the holocaust days of Nazi Germany. The intensity and grit was immense as was the heart and sobriety captivating. It was equally penned well by veteran writer Mark Bomback ("The Night Caller" '98, "Godsend" '04, "Live Free or Die Hard" '07, "Deception" '08, "Race to Witch Mountain" '09, "Unstoppable" '10, "Total Recall" '12, "The Wolverine" '13, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" '14, "The Divergent Series: Insurgent" '15, "War for the Planet of the Apes" '17, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" '19) plus TV, based on the book by R.J. Palacio. This is written as a series of flashbacks from the beginning whereas Grandmere is confronting her grandson, Julian about his improper treatment of Jews. And as she tells her story, we are brought back to WWII and Nazi-occupied France, and then goes back and forth from 1942 and back to present. The writing was sequenced well, concise, cohesive and knew how to capture the audience's heart. Everyone was effective in their respective roles especially that of Helen Mirren, Orlando Schwerdt and Ariella Qaser. 

If you like the films that chronicle the horror of war, especially that of the Nazi WWII era, you will find this captivating, yet sobering. With anti-semitism on the rise today, it's shocking that we haven't learned our lesson in how we treat Jewish people or anyone that one may have an issue with. We need to grow up as a society and learn and retain the horrific past memories and rid of these prejudices once and for all. This film was amazing and should be required viewing in any high school. You be the judge. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                           Rated: PG-13                                            121mins.