Where the Crawdads Sing

We've all seen biopics or films based on true stories, but "Where the Crawdads Sing", while being based on a novel, carries itself like a film based on a true story. This story easy could've happened, however it was a well honed script based on a well crafted novel about a young girl's life as she maneuvers living in a marshland.

From the best selling novel comes a captivating mystery. This tells the story of Kya Clark (Daisy Edgar-Jones), an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men from town, Tate (Taylor John Smith) and Chase (Harris Dickinson) Kya opens herself to a new and startling world; but when one of them is found dead, she is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect. As the case unfolds, the verdict as to what actually happened becomes increasingly unclear, as her attorney, Tom Milton (David Strathairn) unravels one layer of evidence after another. This ends up threatening to reveal the many secrets that lay within the marsh. 

Others to round out the cast are Michael Hyatt as Mabel, Sterling Macer Jr. as Jumpin', Logan Macrae as Jodie Clark, Kya's, brother, Bill Kelly as Sheriff Jackson, Ahna O'Reilly as Ma, Garret Dillahunt as Pa, Jayson Warner Smith as Deputy Perdue and Dane Rhodes as Judge Sims. 

This was directed with such pathos and careful delineation by Olivia Newman ("First Match '18) plus TV and shorts. Even though she only has one film to her credit, she does have a fair amount of TV and shorts in which was still was able to cut her teeth on, and frankly, I believe she is clearly a natural. Seasoned directors have not directed any better than she performed on this film. She will simply receive more work. It was equally well crafted by writer Lucy Alibar ("Beasts of the Southern Wild" '12, "Troop Zero" '19), based on the novel by Delia Owens. As I mentioned in the preface, this conveys as a film based on a true story even though it was not. The characters were well thought out and rich in their development. I've never really heard of Edgar-Jones as Kya, however she was simply perfect as Kya, and the chemistry between her and Smith's Tate was incredibly captivating unlike we typically see in most films today. It was a very endearing film, but presented in an incredible amount of realism. This 'rights of passage' film carries us from the 1950's through to the early 1970's spanning all the different situations and people Kya encountered. Could Edgar-Jones be nominated come Oscar time? Not sure, but suffice it to say, she would definitely deserve a nod.

This is definitely one of those small films we typically don't see during the summer film season, it being a small independent offing, but that's one of the aspects I like about it. It gives us that chance to see a well written, directed and acted film with a fresh, original feel to it, instead of the typical onslaught of big-budget, high-adrenaline type films. Enjoy, I know I did. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                            Rated: PG-13                                             126mins.

Thor: Love and Thunder

The summer film season is typically fraught with 'franchise land', and although most of these films are usually part of a franchise, Hollywood keeps on popping them out as long as the audiences will plunk down an admission to see them. "Thor: Love and Thunder" is the fourth film of this franchise, the others being "Thor" '11, "Thor: The Dark World" '13 and "Thor: Ragnarok" '17, and this is certainly as rollicking as its predecessors. 

This film finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he's ever faced--a quest for inner peace. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of gods for them allowing his daughter to die. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who--to Thor's surprise--inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as The Mighty Thor, Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher's vengeance and stop him before it's too late. Can they do this or is Gorr's powers too strong?

Others to round out the cast are Russell Crowe as Zeus, Jaimie Alexander as Sif, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, David Bautista as Drax, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Sean Gunn as Kraglin, Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket and Carly Rees as Miek.

This was directed with the same excitement as the previous 'Thor' in '17 by Taika Waititi ("Eagle vs Shark" '07, "Boy" '10, "What We Do in the Shadows" '14, "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" '16, "Thor: Ragnarok" '17, "Jojo Rabbit" '19) plus TV, shorts and video shorts. This filmmaker certainly runs the gambit as far as the many different genres he has tackled, although the one element that is present in each of his films is the element of quirkiness or oddity, which makes many of his films that much more interesting. This film was over-the-top, but with his directing edge that he brought to the production, created an interesting slant to this story. If you like his brand of directing, his "Next Goal Wins", which he also wrote, has been completed for a 2022 release. It was written in an over-the-top way by Waititi ("Eagle vs Shark" '07, "Boy" '10, "What We Do in the Shadows" '14, "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" '16, "Jojo Rabbit" '19) plus TV, and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson ("Someone Great" '19, "Unpregnant" '20), based on a story by Waititi, which is based on the Marvel comics by Stan Lee and Jason Aaron. This film pulls out all the stops of being over-the-top, visual effects aplenty, and bigger than life characters. The main thing I could appreciate about the screenplay is that it came across at times to read out as a parody, especially by that of Hemsworth. It's like he made light of his character while performing the character, which came across unique. It was a bit choppy in a couple places and with that had some continuity issues, but hey, it's Hemsworth as Thor and he IS Thor. This installation of the franchise was definitely written for the 18-24 year old single male demographic--get them in the theater seats--ka-ching! And with this, you must forgive the fact that a certain amount of this script is predictable, but then welcome to the summer film fare. And the visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) were, of course, seamless--tons of them, but as I just said, welcome to the summer film fare. 

Certainly if to like Thor and Marvel, you'll love this. FYI--stay through the credits for a bit of a surprise--could there be a Thor 5? And if you like a HUGE screen, it's also presented in an IMAX format so you'll feel like you're right there. This is escapism at its finest, and couldn't use more of that in this day and age?

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                           Rated: PG-13                                             119mins.

Minions: The Rise of Gru

As we continue into the summer film season, we see more and more of animated films on the docket. Animated flicks being a regular mainstay of the summer film genre, we will see several: "Paws of Fury", "The League of Superpets", "Lyle, Lyle Crocodile" (which is part live), and even "Puss 'N Boots: The Last Wish", which is released at Christmas, we are now being offered "Minions: The Rise of Gru". 

In the heart of the 1970's, amidst a flurry of feathered hair and flared jeans, Gru (Steve Carell) is growing up in the suburbs. A fanboy of supervillain supergroup known as the Vicious 6, Gru hatches a plan to become evil enough to join them. Luckily, he gets some mayhem-making back-up from his loyal followers, the Minions. Together, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto--a new Minion sporting braces and a desperate need to please--deploy their skills as they and Gru build their first lair, experiment with their first weapons, and pull off their first missions. When the Vicious 6, including Belle Bottom (Taraji P. Henson), Jean-Clawed (Jean-Claude Van Damme), Stronghold (Danny Trejo), Svengeance (Dolph Lundgren) and Nun-Chuck (Lucy Lawless), oust their leader, legendary fighter Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), Gru interviews to become their newest member. It doesn't go well (to say the least), and only gets worse after Gru outsmarts them, and suddenly finds himself the mortal enemy of the apex of evil. On the run, Gru will turn to an unlikely source for guidance, Wild Knuckles, and discover that even bad guys need a little help from their friends.

Others to round out the cast are Michelle Yeoh as Master Chow, Julie Andrews as Gru's Mom, Russell Brand as Nefario, RZA as Biker and Will Arnett as Mr. Perkins. 

This was frenetically directed by Kyle Balda ("The Lorax" (co-dir.) '12, "Minions" '15, "Despicable Me 3" '17) plus shorts and videos, co-directed by Johnathan del Val ("The Secret Life of Pets 2" (co-dir.) '19) and Brad Ableson (TV and shorts). This was certainly directed in the same vein as the other Minion and Despicable Me films--of course, with the same one (Balda) behind the camera, it's definitely easy to see this. Much of the credit goes to the character development of Gru and the Minions, but considering Carell and Coffin's rendition of the Minions, it simply pulls the audience in. However, Balda's ability to maneuver these characters within the story certainly shows his talent as director. He truly has the lion's share of experience here, however, I'm sure the co=directors both del Val and Ableson were able to convey their input as well. It was creatively written by Matthew Fogel ("Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son" '11, "The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part" (story) '19) plus a TV movie, based on a story by Brian Lynch and Fogel. Even though the experience with this writer is limited, he was definitely able to pull off an effectively funny script. The writing of the Lego movies has always been the best aspect of those films, being written in such a 'tongue and cheek' way. I wouldn't call this 'tongue and cheek', however it clearly kept the story on that hilarious roller coaster which makes for great summer escapism. Other than a couple of small areas of inconsistencies, this story was spot on.  And, of course, the animation by Illumination Studios was amazingly creative.

If you love this particular franchise, you'll love this. It has it all: humor, adventure, while showing us that we need one another more than we know. It was also presented in an IMAX format to give it that up, close and personal feeling. Enjoy this little gem. Kids will love it!

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                         Rated: PG                                                87mins.

Elvis

Elvis Presley has been an indelible icon for decades even since his death on August 16, 1977. There have been a number of films he starred in as well as films created as biopics on the legendary singer, "Elvis" '79, a TV movie and "Elvis" '05. So it was certainly a pleasure to see another biopic appropriately titled, yes you guessed it, "Elvis" whereas it truly digs even deeper than its predecessors in dissecting the man, the singer and the icon. 

This film explores the life and music of Elvis Aaron Presley (Austin Butler), seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley's rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving culture landscape--both Bobby Kennedy's and Martin Luther King's assassinations, and the growing loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis's life, his wife Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge). 

Others to round out the cast are Helen Thomson as Gladys, Richard Roxburgh as Vernon, Kelvin Harrison Jr, as B.B. King, David Wenham as Hank Snow, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Jimmie Rodgers Snow, Luke Bracey as Jerry Schilling, Dacre Montgomery as Steve Binder, Leon Ford as Tom Diskin, Natasha Bassett as Dixie Locke and Gary Clark Jr. as Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup. 

This was delineated with expertise by director Baz Luhrmann ("Strictly Ballroom" '92, "Romeo + Juliet" '96, "Moulin Rouge!" '01, "Australia" '08, "The Great Gatsby" '13) plus TV, shorts and a video short. What this filmmaker was able to extract from his actors, specifically Butler and Hanks was simply genius. Surely Hanks is a consummate actor, however Butler is certainly newer to feature films and Luhrmann was incredible with guiding this actor to 'own' the character of Elvis. Considering how long Luhrmann has been directing, he doesn't have quite the lengthy resume, however, where he is limited in number of films, he more than makes up for quality. It was effectively written by Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce and Jeremy Doner, based on the story by Luhrmann and Doner. Luhrmann clearly has the lion's share of the experience here and, although the other writers have feature film experience, it is still somewhat limited, and that aspect does come out in this film. It was conveyed as a series of flashbacks by Parker, however, there were places where Presley was also interjecting situations that obviously pertained to him. Considering how often the flashbacks were going back and forth, the script was still able to allow the audience to understand the characters involved, especially Presley. However, there were a couple of places where the story seemed a bit confusing in the connection of scenes, but they were minimal. The story certainly obtained issues that is your basic common knowledge, but there were clearly places that I didn't realize nor most other people probably didn't know. Tom Hanks was his usual consummate (just look at his resume), but where did they find this Austin Butler. He encapsulated the very essence of the the icon of Presley in spades!. Could he see a nomination come Oscar time? Not sure, but it wouldn't surprise me. 

If you're an Elvis fan, you'll love this, and even if you're not, this has so much more that just seeing Elvis sing. The acting and directing of this was amazing and even though it was about 2 hours and 40 minutes, it sped right along. I can't believe that this would necessarily be needed to be seen in IMAX, but if you want that up, close and personal feeling, you'll be able to feel like you're right there with Elvis.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                             Rated: PG-13                                         159mins.

Lightyear

With Pixar Animation Studios' inception of "Toy Story" back in 1995, we have all seen a new way to view animated films. However, because the computer generated films have been so aplenty, we have that tendency to not be as awed by them, hence their newest "Lightyear". Based on Toy Story's birthday gift for Andy, Buzz Lightyear, we see in this the background of this space commander. 

Legendary space ranger Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) embarks on an intergalactic adventure alongside ambitious recruits Izzy Hawthorne (Keke Palmer), Mo Morrison (Taika Waititi), Darby Steel (Dale Soules) and a feline robot SOX Peter Sohn). As this motley crew tackles their toughest mission yet, they must learn to work together as a team to escape the evil Zurg (James Brolin) and his dutiful robot army that are after a fuel source that Buzz has. It seems that every time Buzz and the crew attempt to conquer Zurg and escape, Zurg and company are never far behind. 

Others to round out the cast are Uzo Aduba as Alisha Hawthorne, Mary McDonald-Lewis as I.V.A.N., Isiah Whitlock, Jr. as Commander Burnside, Angus MacLane as Eric, Bill Hader as Featheringhamstan, Efren Ramirez as Airman Diaz and Keira Hairston as young Izzy.

This was effectively directed by Angus MacLane ("Finding Dory" (co-dir.) '16) plus shorts. Certainly this filmmaker has very limited experience in the director's chair, however, what he lacks there, he more than makes up for with working in the animation departments on many films for many years. He clearly honed his talent working with so many directors being in the animation side of films. He will surely receive more work because of this. It was paced and staged in its writing by writers Jason Headley ("A Bad Idea Gone Wrong" '17, "Onward" '20) plus shorts and MacLane (shorts), based on a story by MacLane, Matthew Aldrich and Headley, which is based on characters created by John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton and Joe Ranft. It would've been wise for Pixar to hire some of their past writers who were able to create such inventive plot stories, but with the writers used, the screenplays weren't bad, but not expressly inventive or original. Plus, there were a couple of places where the storyline was a bit slow. And, I'm not sure why they decided to make Alisha Hawthorne a lesbian with a partner, and, of course, had the controversial kiss, but whether she was gay or straight, it didn't seem to matter. I guess since the film was rated PG and it was obviously geared to ward young children, I guess I just had a bit of a problem. If it was rated PG-13 and garnered a target audience of a somewhat old demographic, I probably wouldn't have nearly an issue with it. Even without the infamous kiss, this was definitely not one of Pixar's best efforts. The animation by Presto was its usual consummate, but the writing wasn't their usual spot on. 

If you like Pixar, and more importantly Buzz Lightyear, you'll love this. It does leave its audience with the possibility of a sequel, but I'm sure that has everything to do with how much profit this film pulls in. Remember, Disney, who owns Pixar, are the marketers of the planet. If you like that up, close and personal feeling, it's also presented in an IMAX format as well. 

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

Crimes of the Future

We've seen many films that have surrounded us with the premise of 'in the near or distant future', and what we receive is typically a dark inside look at what the future will bring. Maybe it's to teach us a lesson of how we can live today so as to have a brighter future--not sure. But, suffice it to say, this is the way they're portrayed, and this is how "Crimes of the Future" is laid out.

As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. With his partner Caprice (Lea Seydoux), Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), celebrity performance artist, publicity showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed through Lang Dotrice (Scott Speedman)... Their mission--to use Saul's notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution. 

Others to round out the cast are Don McKellar as Wippet, Welket Bungue as Detective Cope, Tanaya Beatty as Berst, Nadia Latz as Router and Denise Capezza as Odile. 

This was directed with the precision one would expect from veteran, David Cronenberg ("Crimes of the Future" '70, "Shivers" '75, "Rabid" '77, "Fast Company" '79, "Scanners" '81, "Videodrome" '83, "The Fly" '86, "Dead Ringers" '88, "M. Butterfly" '93, "Crash" '96, "Spider" '02, "A History of Violence" '05, "Eastern Promises" '07, "Cosmopolis" '12) plus others, TV, TV movies and shorts. Although Cronenberg's directing is typically riveting, his expertise in this film lacked to a degree. The performances seemed a bit stiff and forced, even though having fine actors like Mortensen and Stewart. It wasn't awful directing, just a bit stiff in some places. It was also written by Cronenberg (see above resume, except "Spider", "A History of Violence" and "Eastern Promises"). This is where the brunt of the issues with this film lies. First of all, this premise, although had promise, simply put the 'B' in bizarre. What started as a somewhat interesting story basically ended up being about a society whereas people evolved enjoying sex through certain surgical procedures including blood-letting. Certain people were inadvertently growing unnatural body parts, and in attempting to rid of them, the procedure was performed in front of people and certain people were finding the act exhilarating. How the different parts were able to be created in the first place, the story ultimately explains--be patient. Secondly, the script does have a tendency to meander and seems a bit disjointed. This really surprised me considering Cronenberg is quite the veteran whether in the writing or directing realm. Bad day at the laptop-- not sure, but suffice it to say, this was very tough to sit through. Was it a total wash. No, both Mortensen and Stewart gave their, as usual, riveting performances--ones' most people come to expect. This wasn't the first film collaboration between Cronenberg and Mortensen--the others being "A History of Violence" and "Eastern Promises", but with that, I guess I expected more. Usually Cronenberg's work is odd, but usually executed well, and with that, if you like his work, his "Shrouds"is in pre production. 

In closing, this certainly is not for the mass audience appeal, as with most other Cronenberg vehicles, but if you're into totally bizarre, weird stories from independent companies, you'll like this. The gratuitousness with this--name the category, was simply incredible. It almost appeared as though Cronenberg was attempting to create a premise that was purposely as gratuitous as he could. Not sure, but if you're curious about this, it would certainly be cheaper to Netflix or rent this when available. 

Out of 4 Stars: 1                                     Rated: R                                                 98mins.

Jurassic World: Dominion

Ever since the 'Jurassic' franchise started with "Jurassic Park" back in 1993, I felt it was an awesome film, but certainly one that wouldn't have lasted 29 years. Each films' dinosaurs only got bigger and badder than its predecessor, which kept its audiences coming back time and again. With its supposed conclusion, we have "Jurassic World: Dominion", which could be its conclusion depending on how much money it pulls in. 

This summer, experience the epic conclusion to the Jurassic era as two generations unite for the first time. Chris Pratt as Owen Grady and Bryce Dallas Howard as Claire Dearing are joined by Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler, Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm and Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant in "Jurassic World: Dominion", a bold, timely and breathtaking new adventure that spans the globe, this story takes place 4 years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed by a volcano. Dinosaurs now live--and hunt--alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history's most fearsome creatures. 

Others to round out the cast are DeWanda Wise as Kayla Watts, Mamoudou Athie as Ramsay Cole, Isabella Sermon as Maisie Lockwood, Campbell Scott as Lewis Dodgson, BD Wong as Dr. Henry Wu, Omar Sy as Barry Sembeme, Justice Smith as Franklin Webb, Daniella Pineda as Dr. Zia Rodriguez and Scott Haze as Rainn Delacourt.

This was directed with a one two punch in an action-packed premise by Colin Trevorrow ("Reality Show" (documentary) '04, "Safety Not Guaranteed" '12, "Jurassic World" '15, "The Book of Henry" '17) plus shorts and a TV short. Trevorrow has certainly been an amazing addition to the 'Jurassic' franchise--considering that he also directed "Jurassic World" '15 and this installment. It should be no surprise that while "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" wasn't as effective as the other two 'world' films, it was also not directed by Trevorrow. It was written skillfully by Emily Carmichael ("Pacific Rim: Uprising" '18) plus TV and a plethora of shorts, and Trevorrow(" Making Revolution" '03, "Reality Show" (documentary) '04, "Jurassic World" '15, "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" '18, "Star Wars: Episode IX--The Rise of Skywalker" (story) '19) plus TV and shorts, based on a story by Derek Connolly and Trevorrow, which is based on characters created by Michael Crichton. This was a nice addition to the franchise which they say is the conclusion of the franchise, but as I stated prior, it will be unless it rakes in the bucks, then I'm sure Universal will change their mind. So, my guess, look out for another one since this will make tons of profit. It was left open-ended so it could go either way, so we'll see. Other than a couple of small places where the story seemed to meander just a bit, this story and premise simply was enjoyable and ties up the story nicely if it ends up going that route. It ran for just shy of two and a half hours, and it moved right along, so certainly it is worthy of the price of admission. The visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) and Double Negative were effective as they also enhanced the story. Not only was it a hoot to see the original cast from "Jurassic Park" in this to add to the nostalgia, but there were also certain scenes that were reminiscent of the original film that was a homage and was clever to insert them in. 

If you're a Jurassic aficionado, like I am, you'll love this next, and maybe last installment. It simply pulls out all the stops in dinosaur overload. I had to see this in IMAX to get that experience of being in the midst of all these dinosaurs and it was awesome! In this day and age of how many issues this country has, this, being pure escapism, is the perfect vehicle to just go to the theater and go to another place with different people on that screen and be able to escape into it. Grab the popcorn and enjoy. I sure did! 

Out of 4 stars: 3.5                                         Rated: PG-13                                              148mins.