Category: Review

Reviews from all of the movies we have seen lately, including everything in theaters and on DVD.

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET – Review

Well, feature animation fans it’s time to empty out that big change jar and head down to the video arcade. You know, right next to the multiplex. What to do you mean it’s gone? Why the next thing you’ll tell me is that the Blockbuster Video is…uh, oh. That sums up the challenge for the folks at the Walt Disney Animation Studios. In 2010 they finally had a hit that almost rivaled their friendly (same company by then) neighbor at Pixar, a modern attitude take on the Rapunzel fairy tale called TANGLED. And two years later WDAS had an even bigger hit with WRECK-IT RALPH a zany look at what goes on after hours at a video arcade, a clever mix of TOY STORY and WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (lots of cameos from game superstars from several companies). Six years later WDAS decides to finally produce a theatrical sequel (most follow-ups to their features go right to home video or TV), but video arcades are on the outs, unless they’re part of those big family fun places that include food (pizza primarily) and interactive activities (bumper cars, mini-coasters, etc.). Where are folks playing video games now? At home mostly, with gaming systems and online with other folks across town or the globe. There’s now only one option for that brick smashing game icon, as we try to maintain our WiFi connection when RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET.

Yes, the setting of this new flick is today, and somehow Litwak’s Arcade is still open. Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) spend their days entertaining the kid clientele via their respective games, “Fix-It Felix Jr.” and “Sugar Rush”. At night, the two meet down at the electrical outlet power strip and spend the wee hours at different games before heading to Tappers for a frosty root beer before heading back to their respective home games. Vanellope enjoys their time together but ponders to Ralph whether there’s more to do. One day their routine is disrupted when one of the other games is unplugged and replaced with a WiFi router. The two are curious but are warned away by Surge Protector (Phil Johnston). Hours later, the ultimate disaster occurs, the steering wheel on the Sugar Rush game is broken. Ralph and Vanellope overhear Mr. Litwak (Ed O’Neill) say that he’ll have to order a new one from the internet. Now the duo has a mission, as they sneak into the world wide web via the router cord. The helpful guide/search engine KnowsMore (Alan Tudyk), gets them to the eBay site which has a wheel up for auction. The two bid way too much, thinking the point is to top each other’s number, and so they need to make some quick cash. In their travels the two stumble into the gritty game, Slaughter Race, where Vanellope becomes fast friends with its racing star Shank (Gal Gadot). While they bond, Ralph visits the BuzzTube offices of Yesss (Taraji P. Henson) who plans to make him a viral video superstar (lots of hits=lotsa’ dough). Then the unthinkable happens. Vanellope thinks that she may want to stay online in Shanks’ game. Will these inseparable best buds be …separated? And can Ralph prevent that from happening without, well, breaking the internet?

The returning voice actors easily slip back into their gaming personas, like, um, a comfortable old pair of slippers. Reilly is that same big, friendly affable lunkhead with a soft heart to match his head, at times. He always has the best intentions, though never truly thinks out the consequences. But he’s a devoted pal to Vanellope who still has the right mix of innocence and sass thanks to the spirited vocal stylings of Silverman. This time out, though there’s a touch of pathos to the mischievous imp. Like some many Disney heroines before her, she’s yearning for something and eager to explore the world, newly expanded thanks to the “interweb”. Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch also return as the oddest of arcade couple, eternal lovebirds perky, peppy Felix and tough somewhat surly Calhoun. As for the new additions, Gadot is smooth and sultry as the street-smart Shank making her the ideal big sis to Ms. V. While Henson brings an infectious energy to the also cool, though much flashier Yesss who nearly flings herself across her opulent digs when formulating a plan. Tudyk, who may be WDAS’s good luck charm as much as John Ratzenberger is over at Pixar, makes KnowsMore a very funny and endearing “know-it-all”. SNL vet Bill Hader pops in and out as a motor-mouthed pop-up ad pitchman, similar to a cyber member of Nathan Detroit’s crew from GUYS AND DOLLS. But not everybody’s helpful and pleasant. Alfred Molina represents the “dark side” of the web as the growling, gruesome underworld…er web kingpin known as Double Dan (if you’re reminded of a 1990 sci-fi misfit, then you have TOTAL RECALL). Plus there are loads of familiar voices showing up as the online incarnation of their famous media roles.

Rich Moore, who snagged a well-deserved Oscar for ZOOTOPIA a couple of years ago, returns for this sequel sharing the director reigns with first-time feature filmmaker Phil Johnson. Oh, and the two share story and screenplay credits with Jim Reardon, Pamela Ribon, and Josie Trinidad. Big kudos to them all for bringing us a follow-up that just as funny, and perhaps, emotionally richer than the first flick. Happily, the look of the new supporting players is just as interesting as the “Mutt and Jeff” dynamic of Ralph and Vanellope, while bringing us a variety of design and styles. And somehow they all work well together. There are the “cartoony” short and squat looks (inspired by the UPA shorts of the 1950’s) of KnowMore and the “pop-up” pitchmen. But they’re distinct from the icons representing internet viewers with cubed heads and spindly-thin bodies (look for one that recalls a very recently departed, much-beloved superstar). Then we’ve got the fairly realistic, almost out of an adventure comic strip, denizens of the Slaughter Race site, with the fine details of Shank’s streetwear and chopped frayed hair. Somewhere in-between is the slick, curved rendering of Yesss, who has a neo-futuristic fashion sense, sort of hip-hop meets Hirschfield (the caricature genius that inspired the Genie in ALADDIN). Speaking of character design, as the ads and trailers heavily tout, the Disney Princesses appear all together here. The artists have made the icons from different eras look pleasing in CGI 3D (many were originally drawn in 2D cell animation), and they interact without any jarring visual gaffes. So, Snow White can hang with Moana, and it seems natural. Happily, not all the best jokes and gags are in the ads. There’s a winking sense of affectionate satire in the interactions that will delight Disney fans of all ages. But that’s just a few scenes in this smart script that mingles cyber jokes about that annoying buffering spinning colored circle to the dangers of reading the comments section with a sweet, touching story of relationships. It extolls the joys of friendship while having much to say about a “selfish love” and the destructive results of trying to hold a friend back, for fear of losing them. Heady stuff in a family flick, eh? Oh, about the look of the internet, well it’s a glistening blue-tinged mix of Oz and METROPOLIS (the silent classic, not Superman’s home turf), that is often too jampacked with widgets and “gee-gaws” (maybe I should spring for the 3D upgrade on the next viewing). Yes, it’s a visual feast loaded with heart and humor. When RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET, he and his old and new friends will delight movie audiences of any age.

4.5 Out of 5

GREEN BOOK – Review

 

As we hurriedly prepare for the big year-end holiday, or even trying to catch up with all the films released in time for the awards and best lists, it’s nice to be reminded of a Christmas aspect that’s often overlooked. It’s an extra bonus when that’s the central theme of one of the year’s finest films. I’m referring to “good will toward men”, but to not be sexist, this would include all “humankind”. While it may feel great to wrap up in warm nostalgia for sweeter bygone days (and memories of those long-ago holidays), there really wasn’t a lot of “good will” toward some men. Mind you, we’ve still got a ways to go, but things are much better than they were, say 66 years ago. This new film takes off those “rose-colored” glasses that distort yesteryear. But what about that title? Is this a grass-colored tome that contains demonic spirits? Not exactly, but there’s a bit of truth there, in this story inspired by true events. And, as we’ll soon see, the GREEN BOOK was very real.

It’s the Fall of 1962 and things are hopping in that New York nightspot the Copacabana. Head bouncer Tony “Lip” Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) is quick to toss out guys “gettin’ outta’ line”, delivering a busted nose as a reminder to “be nice”. Unfortunately, his employers are shutting the place down in November and December for “renovations” (could this be because of a prank he pulled on a “connected” guest). Tony’s got a family, a gorgeous wife Dolores (Linda Cardellini) and two boys in grade school, so he has to find a way to keep the money flowing. Before he’s forced to contact some of those “connected” types, a pal gives him a lead on a gig driving for a doctor. But there must be some mistake, the doc’s address is Carnegie Hall? The doc is Donald Shirley (Mahershala Ali) who has a doctorate in music (and a piano wiz). Tony’s put off by Shirley’s African robes and throne-like chair and refuses to be a valet (“I ain’t shinin’ no shoes!”). And he’s not sure about workin’ for a “colored guy”, so he makes a big salary demand. Which Shirley matches (after clearing it with a call to Dolores). So Tony’s working till Christmas per his wife insistence.

The next day Tony meets up with the record execs that are footing the bill for the concert tour to promote his new album. The other members of the “Don Shirley Trio”, Oleg (Dimiter D. Marinov) and George (Mike Hatton) have loaded their bass violin and cello into one of the two new teal Cadillacs. Tony is given the keys to the other Caddy along with the “green book”, “The Negro Motorist Green Book”, a guide to “Negroes only” hotels and eateries. The two-month tour will take the trio from NYC through the very segregated South with Birmingham, Alabama their final stop. In the long days ahead, the uncultured, brutish Tony clashes with the aloof, sophisticated Don. But as the pair encounters the ignorance and intolerance of the times, they lower their barriers and find that they’ve got more in common than anyone would guess. But can Tony make sure that the trio plays all their engagements (he’s just been paid one half of his fee up front, the rest upon completetion)? And, more importantly, can he make back to the Bronx before December 26?

As you might gather, this is basically a two character story, as in the vein of DRIVING MISS DAISY or even SLEUTH. Much of the film’s scenes are Tony driving and conversing with Donald, lounging in the back seat. Thankfully the filmmakers have cast two wonderful actors at the “top of their game” to bring these characters (though real men) to vivid life. The bigger role belongs to Mortensen, who’s been a film actor for over 33 years. After a two year hiatus (he was CAPTAIN FANTASTIC in 2016) he proves that he’s so much more than the charismatic swordsman from the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy. Mortensen completely inhabits this neighborhood “paisan” who barely stays on the right side of the law (though he’s certainly tempted). Gaining a good bit of weight for the role (not to RAGING BULL extremes), his Tony resembles the star high school jock who forgot how to push away the pasta (so endearing in his tank t-shirt and boxers, much like TV’s Tony Soprano), but can still flatten gigantic “goombas”. He’s a ‘dese’ and ‘dose’ guy who is steeped in the local prejudices (note his disgust at the two black tile installers in the film’s first act) but learns to slowly change and respect someone he friends despise. And though he’s got little in the way of ‘book smarts’ he knows how to “read” people and when to fight or flee. Happily, Mortensen has the ideal acting sparring partner in the compelling Ali, astounding in his first feature since earning an Oscar for his superb supporting turn in MOONLIGHT. Mind you, he’s as much the star of this movie as Mortensen, though he’s so different from the smooth, silky gangsters of that earlier film and the Netflix “Luke Cage” show (Juan and “Cottonmouth”, respectively), it shows the breadth of this gifted actor’s range. Don indeed looks down on Tony, with a condescending sneer at first. But Ali shows us that Don realizes quickly that Tony could be his perfect protector and manager. Still, in those first hundred or so miles on the road, Don’s aloof and snobbish, and is quick to humiliate Tony, in a memorable scene involving a “lucky” stone. But then he begins to open up and reveal the hurt, lonely child prodigy still inside his hard, proud exterior. He’s determined to enter the “lion’s den” of the segregated South while refusing to be the grinning affable piano-man with the half glass of scotch resting near the keys, even though he must play pop tunes like “Happy Talk” rather than his classical pieces. He seems wrapped up in his music, as if in a cocoon, drinking himself to sleep in those dingy hotel rooms, until making a human connection allows him to breathe. It’s a compelling and quite moving performance. The two are ably supported by the delightful, radiant Cardellini as Tony’s string willed Bronx-based bride, whose heart is melted by her hubby’s letters from the trip (wonder if he had some help). And the great stand-up comic Sebastian Maniscalco provides lots of laughs as Tony’s best pal and brother-in-law.

So, here’s the most surprising thing about this film. Well, it’s not the fact that it’s “inspired by true events” (though they take some liberties…the actual trip/tour was over a year). No, the stunner is the director, it’s Peter Farrelly. Yes, the same guy that, with his brother Bobby, made a string of “gross-out” R-rated comedies, THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, KINGPIN, and DUMB AND DUMBER TO most recently in 2014. Hmmm, maybe I shouldn’t be so shocked since Jerry Zucker broke off from his AIRPLANE! co-directors to make GHOST. Hey, and Mel Brooks produced THE ELEPHANT MAN. Sure, there are many laughs here, but Farrelly has tackled some tough subjects here, head on. He shows the vicious cycle of bigotry with some of the most hateful bile spewing from the most genteel members of society, although the film has its share of drooling rednecks and trigger-happy lawmen. Of course, this all started with the script he co-wrote with Brian Hayes Currie and Nick Vallelonga (Tony’s son). Aside from DAISY, the story seamlessly weaves in elements from civil rights films like THE HELP and SELMA, along with the warmth of PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES (minus the first two of the list), and even some of the romance of ROXANNE. The early 1960’s is expertly recreated from the hairstyles to the fashions and those glorious classic autos. In the opening Copa sequence, you almost expect the camera to swing around and catch Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci sitting at a table with their girlfriends from GOODFELLAS (that’s a great way to start a movie). But best of all, Farrelly makes the time feel current, with a palpable sense of danger around every curve of the road and in every little “podunk” village (I had no knowledge of “sundown towns”, what a travesty). And, as previously noted, he elicits high caliber work from his two leads. GREEN BOOK is a reminder of how far equality has come, a needed nudge that we still have a ways to go, and a real-life lesson in how hearts and minds can change through empathy, respect, and friendship. Need I say, this entertaining work is one of the year’s best. That’s why it earns…

5 Out of 5

 

WIDOWS – Review

Viola Davis stars in Twentieth Century Fox’s WIDOWS. Photo Credit: Merrick Morton.

The complete delight of seeing Viola Davis in the role of an elegantly-dressed, wealthy wife whose sheltered life is suddenly upended by the death of her crime boss husband, played by Liam Neeson, is one of the pleasures of crime thriller WIDOWS. The Oscar-winning actress so often seen in roles as mothers or working-class women, here plays a svelte, elegant, pampered wife, a woman dressed in tasteful expensive clothes and clutching her little dog as she leaves her luxurious Chicago penthouse apartment to spend her day shopping or lunching. It isn’t the way we usually see her but Davis pulls it off with commanding style.

WIDOWS focuses on four women with little in common other than that their husbands were members of a criminal team killed in the commission of a heist. Now faced with threats from another criminal operation, the widows band together for their own heist, in Steve McQueen’s woman-centric crime thriller. But what starts out as a highly entertaining but straightforward crime thriller, morphs midway into something that is also deeper, more meaningful.

WIDOWS does all this while never dropping its driving pace or suspense of the top-tier crime thriller it is. Oscar-winning director Steven McQueen (12 YEARS A SLAVE) co-wrote the script with Gillian Flynn (GONE GIRL), as a updating of 1980s British TV series WIDOWS, in which overlooked women take charge of their own lives. McQueen and Flynn moved the story to Chicago in the present and shot the film on location. The film also features an outstanding cast who craft fully-rounded characters who draw us in.

That is the premise for a terrific crime thriller, and most films would be satisfied with that. But on top of that thriller, WIDOWS explores the issues of widows left struggling after their husband’s death, issues of race and class, and of female empowerment. But even that is not enough for this outstanding film, which then adds in a political campaign between a young white politician (Colin Farrell), the son of a powerful, bullying Chicago political boss (Robert Duvall) in a tight aldermanic race with a black man, Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry), the leader of another crime ring looking to expand his power into the political.

Veronica Rawlings (Viola Davis) knew her husband Harry (Liam Neeson) was involved in crime but knows nothing else about his business. She also knows nothing of their finances. At first, newly-widowed Veronica is the classic picture of a pampered wife shielded from the real world and practical matters by her protective husband . Flashbacks establish their loving relationship but now alone, Veronica’s grief and vulnerability are conveyed effectively by Davis, delicately clutching her little dog with a dazed, helpless expression. When her husband is killed, her world comes crashing down, flattened not just by her grief but the the jolt of finding she is nearly broke. On top of that, thugs are threatening her, demanding the 2 millions dollars her late husband stole from them, money burned up in the deadly shoot-out that killed him and his crew.

Desperate, Veronica hits on a plan to steal the money, with the help of the other widows of the men in her husband’s criminal team, using plans for a new heist her late husband left behind. When she reaches out the other widows, Veronica find they too are in financial difficulties. Linda (Michelle Rodriguez) is a Latina mother of two small children who discovers that the small shop she runs has been mortgaged by her late husband to loan sharks, who quickly take it all. Blonde-haired Alice (Elizabeth Debicki), a second generation Polish immigrant, was an abused wife under the thumb of her husband Florek (Jon Bernthal), a woman who believes her beauty is all she has to offer the world. Left penniless, her mother (Jackie Weaver) urges her daughter to take up work as a call girl, an idea the usually submissive Alice finds unsettling. The fourth member of the team is Belle (Cynthia Erivo), a hard-working single mother from the projects, who takes any and all jobs she can get, who was Linda’s babysitter and friend as well as a woman of remarkable resourcefulness.

Viola Davis is fabulous as the take-charge Veronica, a force unleashed by her personal tragedy, but all the cast get their chance to shine, creating memorable, distinctive characters who speak to the real world. Elizabeth Debicki may have found her break-out role as Alice, a woman who has an awakening to her own worth and intelligence. Cynthia Ervivo makes a strong screen debut and Rodriguez adds another strong role to her already considerable resume.

All of the characters are complex, and Liam Neeson gets one of his meatier, if small, parts of recent years. Likewise, Colin Farrell and the legendary Robert Duvall deliver compelling, nuanced work as Jack and Tom Mulligan, a father and son locked in a toxic relationship built around political power. Brian Tyree Henry plays the enigmatic Jamal Manning, Jack Mulligan’s African American political opponent for alderman of their majority-black ward, but a man from the same violent crime world as the late Harry Rawlings.

WIDOWS is a film that has it all – a smart script, driving crime thriller energy, memorable characters and something to say about the world we live in.

RATINGS: 5 out of 5 stars

FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD – Review

Prior to my film screening, a man walked about the auditorium performing card tricks for audience members. Kids and adults alike were wowed by his magic tricks, but as everyone knows, the deck was stacked in his favor. He didn’t have to worry about what cards he held, which seems like a problem J.K. Rowling had to face when establishing the FANTASTIC BEASTS universe. Establishing characters that were only hinted at in the Wizarding World and some not even mentioned at all was perhaps the biggest of many challenges. Ultimately, the first film was a tonal mess of jumbled themes that didn’t know exactly what it wanted to do – the equivalent of not knowing whether to go for a full house or three-of-a-kind. And unlike the entertainer with the deck of cards, J.K. Rowling had to lay on the table a number of weak cards in the first film before she was able to play a stronger hand with the second film in the series.

At the end of the first film, the powerful wizard Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escapes custody and begins gathering followers to fulfill his mission: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings (No-majes). In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander to stop him, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead.

THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD opens with an exciting breakout as Grindelwald is attempted to be transported from one jail to another. It sets the tone for an espionage-heavy story that also weaves a cat-and-mouse chase across multiple countries. A wave of a wand and characters pop up in a new place, and then leave soon after to pop up in another. While on paper, it sounds like an exhilarating departure from the first film’s childlike hijinks, it’s told without much conviction and lacking any forward trajectory. The story is much more focused than its predecessor, but director David Yates seems more interested in the intimate character moments than the fear of a growing evil presence that looms over the characters. Cinematographer Philippe Rousselot highlights this through a number of extremely tight close-ups on the characters, something that was practically non-existent in the previous film’s visual storytelling.

The fantastic beasts from the title are more cleverly woven into the fabric of the story than they were previously. In the first film, they acted as cute distractions from the witch-hunt, here, they pick locks for characters to escape and act as guardians when trouble arises. In fact, one of the shining characters in the film is a large fanged dragon-looking cat that resembles something in a Chinese Dragon Dance. Compared to the first entry, Newt Scamander’s role as a magical zookeeper doesn’t get in the way of his new role in helping to save the world (as silly as that may sound).

The magical world is central to the story, and the numerous flashbacks and new reveals will excite fans of this universe. Hearing the iconic John Williams score once again and taking a trip back to Hogwarts was a welcome return. Who is particularly strong in these scenes is Jude Law as a young Dumbledore. He is able to perfectly balance the scholarly manner of the character along with a hint of mischievousness that comes through at times in something as subtle a passing comment and slight smirk. Because of his relationship with Newt Scamander and others, the first film suddenly is given new purpose – something that I question whether was actually planned out from the start.

As I was expecting yet another over-the-top performance from Johnny Depp, I was shocked to see how restrained he is with Grindelwald’s line delivery and mannerisms. Under the pale skin and white hair, he plays the villain as an all-seeing, stoic British gentleman, not unlike David Bowie late in his life. David Yates appropriately limits his screentime until the finale, where we see just how much power he has in the wizarding world. His roaring speech to his followers is a moody show-stopper. While it may take a little too long to get to that point, he casts a spell over the audience and his followers through his manipulation of fear and the threat of war – it becomes an effective allusion to Hitler’s rise to power in pre-WWII Europe.

While THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD suffers at times from many crimes, they are far fewer and less offensive than FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM. Just as the original series of films balanced an innocent sense of wonder with an intriguing dissection of the blurred line between good and evil, here’s hoping that this new series continues to figure out its own unique style between wowing kids and adults and engaging wizards and no-majes.

 

Overall Score: 3 out of 5

FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD opens in theaters November 16th, 2018

 

THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS – Review

Tim Blake Nelson is Buster Scruggs in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, a film by Joel and Ethan Coen.

Joel and Ethan Coen spin not one but six Western tales in their excellent anthology THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS. Starring a fine cast including James Franco, Liam Neeson, Tom Waits, Zoe Kazan, Brendon Gleeson, Tim Blake Nelson and others, the film’s title is actually the name of the first tale in a short story anthology. What connects the tales is their Old West setting and also that they are basically campfire tales – the kind of suspense-filled tales best told around a campfire – sometimes scary, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, but often with a twist or surprise and a touch of the surreal or supernatural. These stories evoke both ghost stories and O. Henry tales, with a dash of adventure, but they are transformed into signature Coen brothers tales. That means dark humor, twisted expectations, irony, and a certain amount of violence – basically, anything but ordinary.

Each tale features iconic Western characters and themes, referencing both classic Western films like HIGH NOON and adventure tales like those of Jack London. But like all good campfire stories, there is some trickery afoot and the Coens play on our expectations of these familiar characters and situations, recombining them in clever, unexpected ways that make for gripping, surprising stories – some suspenseful, some heartbreaking, some darkly comic but all highly entertaining. All deal with death in some way, appropriate for the ghost-story flavor of campfire stories. Perfectly evoking the sense of campfire tales, the Coens twist and spoof the Western genre, adding their signature irony and dark humor. Despite the anthology form, THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS is classic Coen brothers..

The film opens with an old-fashioned feel, presenting its stories as drawn from a old book of short stories. The opening shot is of the cover of an old-fashioned leather-bound book of illustrated tales, with a hand opens the book and turns the pages. Each tale starts with its title on the page, accompanied by an illustration with a mysterious caption to draw us in. The Coens’ use this technique to tie the stories together, returning to the book at the end of each to transition to the next. The technique puts the audience in the right mind-set for old-fashioned tales; and it works well as transition, but also lulls the viewer into a comfortable complacency that makes it easier for the Coens to take us by surprise when they upend things.

Since twists and surprises are essential parts of campfire tales, we will reveal few plot details here. All the stories are filled with iconic Western characters and take place in Western settings like dusty frontier towns, dry desert gulches, remote snowy mountains, or the wind-swept open range. The tales are varied, touching on different Western types and themes, and range from humorous to tragic, with plenty of suspense and drama, but all suffused with the Coens’ unique style.

The film begins with a more comic tale drawn from one of the earliest Western movie styles, the singing cowboy. In the title story “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,” Tim Blake Nelson plays Buster Scruggs, a singing cowboy type dressed all in good-guy white, from his fancy buckskin suit to his big Stetson hat. Strumming his guitar aside a white horse, talkative and affable Buster narrates his own story as he roams from town to town in the dusty desert landscape. Buster is a top-notch singer but he is a crack shot as well, a skill that comes in handy. Fans of O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? know that Nelson has the pipes for this singing cowboy role, as well as a goofy, comic style combined with serious acting chops that serves this story well.

After that strong start, the film follows up with different tone in “Near Algodones,” with James Franco as a would-be bank robber. Other tales feature Zoe Kazan as a woman traveling in a wagon train in “The Gal Who Got Rattled” and Liam Neeson and Harry Melling star in a tale of a traveling show offering entertainment to remote mining camps in the high mountains, titled “Meal Ticket.” Most of the stories have the dark, color-desaturated look of the Coens’ TRUE GRIT, but “All Gold Canyon,” in which Tom Waits plays a prospector, takes place in a color-drenched natural world in which man an intruder. One the most darkly funny tales is the last one, “The Mortal Remains,” an ensemble story of five people traveling together in a stage coach and starring Brendon Gleeson and Tyne Daly among others.

Carter Burwell’s score is perfect, hitting all the right notes for tales of singing cowboys, bank robbers, gunslingers, wagon trains, bounty hunters, and stagecoaches in the old frontier.

The landscapes look classic Western but this Netflix release film is the Coens’ first foray into digital rather than film. Still, Oscar-nominated Director of Photography Bruno Delbonnel (INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, AMELIE) delivers all the outstanding visual fire and artistry one expects from a Coen brothers movie. The film is being released in a few theaters as well as on Netflix. It may have been originally planned as a online-only release but the film is visually powerful enough that seeing it on a big screen is preferable.

Joel and Ethan Coen entertain and engross us just as well with this marvelous collection of unsettling tales as they have with their feature-length stories. This anthology film is not only just as good as those films, it is one of the Coens’ best. THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS opens Friday, Nov. 16, at the Tivoli Theater and on-demand on Netflix.

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars

BOY ERASED – Review

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, families across the country will be getting together for that big meal and generally re-connecting. But what about those families that have split, those who are torn apart virtually at the seams? Many will be facing that reality over the next week, perhaps into the following holiday. At the heart of many of these rifts are religious beliefs about sexual orientation. But most faiths put family first? That’s the conundrum addressed in this new film about a young man who feels as though his parents are pushing him away and aside, making him a BOY ERASED. Surprisingly it’s based on a true story.

We first meet eighteen-year-old Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges) as he’s attending church services on a warm Texas evening. Next to him is his adoring mother Nancy (Nicole Kidman), and at the pulpit, preaching to the congregation is his father Marshall (Russell Crowe). Cut to the Eamons family home as Jared and Nancy load up the Towncar and drive into the night. What caused this late night trek? We flashback to the previous months, as Jared pulls away from his school sweetheart Chloe, and retreats into his thoughts. At a local college, he strikes up a friendship with another track enthusiast named Henry (Joe Alwyn). But things are more serious for Jared as he realizes he’s attracted to the older student. Before he can profess his feelings, Henry sexually assaults him during a sleepover. Emotionally shattered and confused, Jared comes out to his parents who are devastated. Marshall calls over some of the church elders to the home, and after much praying asks Jared if he will attend a camp that will “cure” him of his leanings. He agrees and its decided that Nancy will accompany him to this “day camp” several miles away. She’ll stay at a hotel, drop Jared off at the camp early in the morning, then pick him up for dinner and back to the hotel. Arriving at the camp, Jared’s cell phone and other personal items are locked away. He meets the camp director, Victor Sykes (Joel Edgerton) who convinces him that his “therapy” methods will turn him away from the sin of homosexuality. Sykes is adamant that Jared does not discuss any of the camp activities with family or friends. He’s trained by counselors on how to stand, walk, and throw a ball in a masculine “straight” way. More importantly, Sykes wants Jared to trace his family tree to find the “weakness” that sent him on his path. Jared is soon horrified by the brutal treatment of some of his fellow “campers” and rebels against Sykes. But will his mother and father get him out of the conversation center, and eventually accept him as he is?

The story is firmly anchored by the compelling performance by Hedges in the title role. With a most impressive resume (including this past month’s MID90S and the upcoming BEN IS BACK), this young talent is on his way to being a leading star for the next wave of actors to watch. Through his brooding eyes, he conveys Jared’s inner conflict and turmoil, torn between his family and faith and his true nature. With his body language, we see Jared embracing his manhood, as he stands up to the destructive forces at the camp. Fortunately, Jared has the full unconditional love of his mother Nancy, as Hedges has a real chemistry with Kidman, whose character may be the film’s joyous beating heart. At first, Nancy is there just to make peace in the household, making sure that she doesn’t “make waves”. Though Jared tries to push her aside, Nancy is able to pick up on his mood. It’s then that Kidman shows us the formidable, fierce “mama Grizzly” that will protect her child at any cost. Crowe is her stubborn “papa bear”, though not nearly as intuitive as his missus. His Marshall is deeply committed to his faith, which blinds him to understanding his son’s struggles while convinced that the camp will work. The later scenes in which the patriarch slowly opens up his heart are quite moving. The real unmovable heart may belong to the camp’s chief played by Edgerton as an unyielding tyrant, unwavering in his devotion to his “tough love” tactic and therapy. Edgerton shows us his indifference as Sykes refuses to acknowledge anyone else’s opinions or thoughts. Red Hot Chilli Peppers frontman Flea is truly effective as the most intimidating of the camp instructors (basically an enforcer for Sykes). And there are effective supporting performances by fellow camp kids Troye Sivan (who gives Jared the mantra “fake it till you make it”), Xavier Dolan, and Britton Sear, heartbreaking as the abused, doomed Cameron.

Cast member Edgerton expertly wears several hats on the film as director, producer, and screenwriter adapting Garrad Conley’s memoir. Aside from getting wonderfully subtle work from his fellow actors, he maintains a mood of warm hazy melancholy echoing the quiet sadness in Jared. Edgerton knows just when to cut away for a flashback, doling out the information slowly. It’s a soft slow build-up to the story’s centerpiece, a therapy utilizing brutal violence, which adds to the horror of the sequence. And unlike another conversion camp film from last Summer, THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST, the focus is on both the subject and his parents, rather than just the other campers (who get plenty of time here). And the film ends on a note of hope while also being a rallying cry to action, telling us that far too many of these centers are still in operation, and filled with children barely in their teens. BOY ERASED is a compelling drama that will hopefully spur many family conversations.

4 Out of 5

BOY ERASED plays everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas

INSTANT FAMILY – Review

So the family’s all together for the big holiday, well why not head over to the multiplex to enjoy a family film? And hey, “family” is even in the title. That’s what the studios are counting on, hoping audiences will go for a breezy all-ages comedy in between those somber awards contenders. Most of the time, the studios will go a couple of different ways with a “family” comedy/drama. Either it’s a multi-generational gathering of uncles and cousins like PARENTHOOD and more recently, the reviled LOVE THE COOPERS, or it’s about a family with lots and lots of kids like CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (original and remake) along with blended families like YOURS, MINE, AND OURS (ditto), which begat that iconic TV show and its feature film THE BRADY BUNCH MOVIE. But this new flick has fewer kids and a message. The filmmakers want to give us a look at the foster parenting system (which often leads to adoption), and perhaps inspire viewers to get involved. The movies have tackled the subject, usually in “tearjerkers”, notably in 1941’s PENNY SERENADE. The kids here aren’t the typical movie kids looking for parents. They’re not plucky orphans like ANNIE, because, well, they’re not technically orphans. Lots of heart-tugging and comic complications occur when they join a couple and become an INSTANT FAMILY.

Pete (Mark Wahlberg) and Ellie (Rose Byrne) are a fun-loving married couple in their thirties (can we still call them “yuppies”) who work together as “house flippers” (buying run-down homes, fixing them up, and selling them for profit). As they’re showing off their newest property to Ellie’s pregnant sister and her hubby, a causal comment gets them pondering. Ellie and Pete think that maybe they should start a family. Or maybe not, as Pete wonders if he could keep up with a newborn. This prompts Ellie to consider fostering a child. After scanning and viewing countless adorable tykes online, they call the local fostering center. There the duo meets another duo, social workers Karen (Octavia Spenser) and Sharon (Tig Notaro), who welcome them into a class for prospective foster parents. After several sessions with the other couples, it’s time to meet the kids at a big foster parenting picnic, sort of a mix and match. Pete notices that the tots and pre-teens are getting all the attention while the teenagers are left to mingle amongst themselves (as Pete crudely comments, “People are avoiding them like they’re dipped in s#*t!”). One of the teens, Lizzy (Isabela Moner) overhears this and fires back with a snarky retort. That seals it for Ellie and Pete, they want to foster her. Ah, but there’s a hitch! Lizzy doesn’t want to be separated from her two younger siblings. A “package deal”. No problem as the couple takes in Lizzy, her twelve-year-old shy, insecure brother Juan (Gustavo Quiroz) and high-spirited six-year-old sister Lita (Julianna Gamiz). This “instant family” endures many highs and lows as Ellie and Pete hone their parenting skills. The main challenge is Lizzy who pushes back against the duo. Then things get really complicated when the kids’ birth mother is released from a court-ordered drug rehab program. Will the kids go back to live with her? And will Pete and Ellie be able to let go and do what’s best for the trio?

Wahlberg and Byrne have an effortless chemistry, making you wonder why these two talented actors haven’t been paired up before. As the energetic, firmly focused Pete, Wahlberg has smoothed out some of the rougher edges of his usual screen comedy persona, as in the often coarse TED and DADDY’S HOME, film to give us an affable everyman, a “good Joe” eager to accommodate though his enthusiasm often gets the better of him. The same can frequently be said for Byrne’s Ellie who’s just as smitten with these new additions to her life. And she can “go off the deep end” at times adding a little bit of zany spice to the couple’s partnership (they each know just when the other is losing focus). The duo has a formidable sparring partner in Moner as the strong-willed teen Lizzy. She’s not as easily won over as her siblings and rankles when the “pretend parents” doubt her method of dealing with the wee ones (Lizzy’s been their protector for seemingly quite a while). But Moner also shows us the vulnerable side of Lizzy, as she starts to let her guard down and embrace this home before “catching herself’ and “shutting that door”. It’s a complex role that this impressive young actress handles with great skill. There’s another great duo in addition to Pete and Ellie, and that’s Spenser and Notaro as the Oscar and Felix of social workers, Karen and Sharon. Spenser “shoots from the hip” with a boisterous “no B.S.” attitude while Notaro is the quieter, “by the books” guide to fostering challenges. Though their methods differ, both are committed to the same goal and provide some of the film’s best laughs. Speaking of inspired match-ups, kudos for casting the stars of the two biggest comedy hits of 1980 as Ellie’s parents, Julie (AIRPLANE!) Hagerty and Michael (CADDYSHACK) O’Keefe. Hagerty has an ethereal child-like, loopy air as Jan in stark contrast to Margo Martindale as Pete’s “steamroller” mother, Sandy. This “force of nature” provides another source of comic conflict as she tries to get everything and everyone back on track. Quiroz is endearing as the jittery Juan who over-apologizes as he frets over any misstep, while Gamiz is adorable and often exasperating as “I only eat chips” Lita. Aside from Notaro, several other stand-up comedy stars pop up in supporting roles, such as Tom Segura as trouble-maker Russ and particularly Iliza Shlesinger as the single parent foster candidate October, who has a very specific list of requirements for his desired child.

Comedy film veteran Sean Anders (HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 and the DADDY’S HOME flicks) gets the most of the slapstick situations and keeps the pacing fast and frantic for funny “throw-downs” and verbal fights. But he handles most of the dramatic scenes with equal ease. making a simple scene of Ellie gently brushing Lizzy’s hair very moving and warm. The film’s main flaws seem to come from the script he co-wrote with John Morris. As we many comedies, especially domestic life sagas, the story feels like several episodes of a TV situation comedy crammed together, though with the fostering classes and at home adjustments and problems, it could be two separate sitcoms thrown in a mixer. There are the wacky potential parents butting up against Ellie and Peters’ challenges and triumphs. Big conflicts are brought in (Lizzy is “sexting”), then quickly dismissed with a gag and forgotten. The birth mother is introduced for the climactic final act, but she has little to do other than acting uncomfortable and staring listlessly. The biggest misfire is the film’s big emotional finale. As the principals are pleading and pouring their hearts out, the wacky down-the-street neighbor wanders in, almost as if from another movie, to sabotage the pathos with some awkward (I really enjoy this comic actress, but her annoying role baffled me) asides. This scene is immediately followed by an uplifting epilogue that brings in almost the entire cast for a feel-good finale that would’ve seen cloying and contrived in a 60’s sitcom. I will give them points for discussing the “white savior” aspect of this and even name-checking THE BLIND SIDE, but this doesn’t excuse the many loopy bits of whimsy (who tries to douse a fire with ketchup when several glasses of water are within reach). This movie is full of good intentions as it encourages childless couples to consider the foster system, but it doesn’t make for a consistent comedy or drama. INSTANT FAMILY isn’t instantly forgettable, but it’s not the movie that the noble subject deserves.

2.5 Out of 5

SLIFF 2018 Review – THE RAINBOW EXPERIMENT

THE RAINBOW EXPERIMENT screens Saturday Nov. 10th at 9pm and again Sunday Nov. 11th at 3:15 as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival. Both screenings are at The Tivoli Theater. Ticket information can be found HERE and HERE

Review by Stephen Tronicek

The Rainbow Experiment is a brutal exploration of the different anxieties surrounding the aftermath of a terrible accident that takes place in a high school. There’s a sense of urgency over the entirety of the production that spawns out of naturalistic performances and nerve-shredding cinematography but on top of that, the film partakes in addicting melodrama that highlights the dichotomy of the professional and emotional worlds at the center of the school.

During a chemistry class gone wrong, Matty (Connor Seimer) bursts into flames, leaving his fellow classmates traumatized and the administration reeling in the fallout. It is into this fray that we are presented with our ensemble of characters, each offering a unique perspective to the story.

What makes The Rainbow Experiment work so well is that way that it captures the anxiety ridden hallways of a high school. There’s a particular prison like quality to the facilities that is perfect for the type of adult drama that The Rainbow Experiment provides. The whole production feels like a suspense drama ratcheting up further and further as new information is revealed about each character. On top of this, the film perfectly captures the emotional disconnect between the adults and the children in a high school environment. The students are complex human beings that are only able to perceive the world through their own emotional prisms and the teachers are encouraged to keep at a distance from them. This works further towards the theme of generational disconnect that allows for an accident like this to happen. By following the professional rules of the school, the two sides can only fail to reach into what really causes this: humanity.

In order for all of this to land correctly, the film has to be perfectly balanced. A lack of subtlety would lead to the film feeling heavy handed, too subtle and the film wouldn’t be exciting to watch. Writer/director Christina Kallas, along with the performances and expressive cinematography hit just the right mark. The performances walk the line between melodramatic and realistic, with the actors clearly having a mastery of the language that they are performing. Every word lands like an exponential, compounding piece of drama that becomes incredibly exciting. The camerawork lands similarly to the work of Paul Greengrass or Damien Chazelle, where the documentary style accommodates the intensity rather than dispelling it. This mainly comes down to the fact that it feels intense and urgent, while not sacrificing the spatial geography of a given scene. It really is fantastic stuff.

The Rainbow Experiment is a revelation, a continually impressive ensemble piece allows all its given voices to inform on the theme in a way that seems nuanced, while never sacrificing the fire (no pun intended) at the center of the story. The fact that it holds its ground and becomes a wonderful, well, experiment makes it one of the unmissable films of the festival.

 

THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB: A NEW DRAGON TATTOO STORY – Review

It’s reboot time once more, but this one’s not another entry in the horror genre, as the recent HALLOWEEN and SUSPIRIA, but it does have a connection, though slight. The source flick doesn’t go back 40 years, merely seven. That’s when Hollywood decided there needed to be an English-language film adaptation of a book series that was an international sensation. Steig Larsson’s THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO was a huge hit inspiring a film version of that and its two sequels in his native Sweden. Ah, but America could certainly make it into a monster hit, and even though that foreign language trilogy played here at the “art house” cinemas, Sony Studios brought in director David Fincher (FIGHT CLUB) and screenwriter Steve Zaillian (SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISHER), and cast Bond himself Daniel Craig along with relative movie newcomer Rooney Mara. The results were…tepid. This was not to be the start of a franchise, so the plans for a US trilogy were scrapped. But much has happened since 2011, mainly the MeToo and Time’sUp movement making headlines with horrific stories of sexual intimidation, harassment, and abuse of women. Perhaps the time is exactly right for the story of a lone female swooping in to exact justice on the powerful men that pummel and degrade. Maybe audiences are ready for the return of Lisbeth Salander, in a different tale, now known as THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB: A NEW DRAGON TATTOO STORY.

This “new story” actually starts with a flashback. In a dark mansion, far from the cities of Sweden, ten-year-old Lisbeth Salander plays chess with her slightly older sister Camilla in their gloomy nursery. A servant breaks the silence, summoning them to their father’s master bedroom (mother is out of the picture). When Lisbeth realizes his demented intentions, she backs away toward the balcony, several stories above the snow covered grounds. She gives her sister a pleading stare, but Camilla will not join her escape. Lisbeth tumbles into the nearby woods and disappears. In the present day, she is wanted by the Stockholm police for a series of attacks on prominent men, who were usually beating and raping their wives, co-workers, and daughters. After her latest job, she speeds her motorcycle back to an empty old warehouse and awaits her next “assignment”. Meanwhile, her crime-fighting aide, reporter Mikal Blomkvist (Sverrir Gudnason) complains to his married/editor lover Erika (Vicky Krieps) about their news magazine’s arrogant current owner. Lisbeth (Claire Foy) is not waiting very long. She must use her considerable computer hacking skills to retrieve a dangerous piece of software from the US and return it to its creator Fran Balder (Stephen Merchant). Balder’s work, dubbed Firefall, can give a single user complete access and control of all nuclear missiles and rockets hidden in silos around the world. She is so skilled that only Edwin Needham (Lakeith Stanfield) is alerted of the program’s removal from the US security systems. Somehow word leaks out and Lisbeth’s home is set afire by masked gunmen who grab her laptop with Firefall installed. The same gunmen go after Balder and his pre-teen son August (Christopher Convery) when they are given protection by the local police. With intel from Mikael, Lisbeth learns that she was the target of the Spider Gang, a brutal band of Russian assassins. Can she keep two steps ahead of them, the police, and Needham and take back Firefall before it gets into the wrong hands. And just who is the mysterious leader of the Spiders?

The title pretty much sums up this thriller, mainly that Lisbeth played by the very talented Ms. Foy is “front and center”. Just weeks after her stunning supporting turn as Mrs. Armstrong in FIRST MAN, she proves her ability to carry a film as a dynamic action star. Her character is an avenging angel in black, in her first adult sequence literally wrapping up a bully in her web, submitting him to physical (and financial) punishment. But Foy makes this super-heroine very human. We see the fear in her eyes as she realizes that the odds against her may be overwhelming. And she pays a price for her actions in pure pain, whether stapling shut an oozing wound or careening off her cycle. Foy shows her as a haunted, lonely soul who can barely exist between “jobs”. It’s a complex, compelling performance. Unfortunately, her supporting cast are saddled with very simple, sometimes cliched characters. There’s not a strong connection between Lisbeth and Mikael, who’s played by Gudnason like a sullen co-worker, reminding me of Beck Bennett playing a befuddled Nordic tourist in an SNL sketch. Sylvia Hoeks, so good in BLADE RUNNER 2049, is pure deadpan banal evil as an enigmatic woman in red. Comic mastermind Merchant is quite compelling as the guilt-ridden scientist and divorced dad, sort of a modern internet Victor Frankenstein, trying to recapture his monster before it devours the planet. Stanfield is cool and confident, a man on a mission, who slowly begins to admire Lisbeth and her crew. And there’s some good comic relief from Cameron Britton as Lisbeth’s computer consultant/tech wiz only known as “Plague”.

So, you recall my mention of a “horror connection”? Well, that’s because the film’s director, Fede Alvarez, made a name for himself for the one-two box office punch of the 2013 EVIL DEAD reboot and the very entertaining “sleeper hit” of 2016 DON’T BREATHE. Now he’s made his debut as an expert action director, though there are several chilling scenes. Most notably, it’s the reveal of the Spider Gang’s stomach-churning retaliation against a former member who got too “chatty”. Whew, that’s the stuff of nightmares, along with a skin-tight back leather cocoon (hooked up to a device sucks in any air). Fede also co-wrote the script with Jay Basu and Steven Knight (basing it on the book by David Lagercrantz using Larsson’s characters), which has a definite Bond/Bourne feel with its software “MacGuffin” that turns deadly weapons against their makers. But unlike those “super spies” Salander, in the opening scenes, is a champion for individuals rather than countries. With her black hood and jumpsuit, accented by a white makeup mask about her eyes, she’s a near unstoppable “bat-woman” or even a “lady Punisher”, who’ll give these very very bad men “just what they got comin’ to ’em”. We do see a few of the plot twists “coming across the fjords” (another faked suicide, eh), but Foy is so terrific and the action set pieces are so nail-biting, that we can forgive and almost forget as we wonder whether she can survive. It’s not much of a spoiler to say that this will hopefully spark another (not saying franchise or even trilogy) thriller involving THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB.

4 Out of 5

DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH – Review

While you’re still finding bits of the jack o’lantern in the front yard or porch, and probably still munching from the big bowl of “fun-sized” candy, Hollywood is dashing right past Thanksgiving (much like retail stores and the remaining malls) to present us with the first big Christmas themed feature film. Yes, though it’s over six weeks away the multiplex hallways will be filled with some familiar carols. And it’s an animated feature, since the end of the year is a major release time for those, too. It’s been well over a year since we’ve seen a new flick from the fine folks at Illumination, home of the DESPICABLE ME franchise along with SING and THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS. So, is this a story of the Minions getting all merry (you can just imagine their bug eyes appearing in the eggnog pitcher). No, that’s because the Universal-based animation house has a deal with the Dr. Seuss estate (going back to their 2012 treatment of THE LORAX). So Seuss and Christmas can only mean one thing: the return of that grumbling green “meanie” who despises all the icons of yule time. And now he’s come somewhat full circle. The children’s book curmudgeon was first brought to life via 2D cell animation for TV in 1966, then Ron Howard directed Jim Carrey (in terrific prosthetics and makeup from Rick Baker and his team) in a live-action feature in 2000, and now he’s back in animation, computer generated with optional 3D, with the title shortened considerably (perhaps to not give away too much of the well-known plot). The holiday tale is now simple DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH.

The story’s narrator whisks us away to the snow-covered town of Whoville as the citizens happily begin three weeks of preparation and decorating mania in anticipation of the big December holiday. Getting caught up in the frenzy is harried working (in and out of the home) single mom Donna Lou Who (voiced by Rashida Jones). As she catches a quick snooze on the trolley, someone else is just waking up. In cave inside a mountain overlooking the village resides the green, furry, ill-tempered Grinch (Benedict Cumberbatch), who’s about to enjoy a breakfast served by his tiny dog, Max. But wait, the shelves and fridge are bare. Ah yes, the holidays cause him to “stress eat”. Now, he’ll have to go into town for supplies. Meanwhile, Donna is also about to have breakfast with her twin toddler boys and her pre-teen daughter Cindy Lou (Cameron Seely), who’s focused on a letter she wants to send to the North Pole, home of, ya’ know. As she dashes off to catch the letter carrier, Cindy nearly collides with the Grinch and Max. He sneers that the letter, no doubt with a huge wishlist, will be lost in Santa’s mountain of mail. Leaving the grocery store, the Grinch tries and fails to avoid the number one Whoville holiday enthusiast Bricklebaum (Kenan Thompson), who believes the green guy is his best buddy. Back at his cave, the Grinch comes up with his own Christmas plans, not celebrating nor decorating, but “stealing” the happy day from the town. This just as Cindy Lou, with the help of her pals, hatches her own plan to get in her request to the jolly ole’ elf. With that December deadline approaching, the Grinch, along with his over-worked pooch, goes through his checklist (sled, costume, reindeer?), and delights in getting revenge against that magical, merry day.

For some inexplicable reason, the filmmakers have insisted that Cumberbatch, yes the definitive modern-day Sherlock (sorry Jonny Lee), perform the lead role with an American accent. Hey, his natural speech worked for Karloff over 50 years ago, so why must the “mean one” sound like he’s applying for Harvard (or any of the Ivy League)? Mind you, the right tone of snark is there in his contempt for the happy goofballs that live below him, but he sounds like a cousin of Dr. Steven Strange with a case of the “hangries”. It’s an odd choice that takes some getting used too. Fortunately, he still has a great chemistry with Thompson who brings the same zany energy to the affable, but clueless Bricklebaum that he has for the last fifteen (wow) years as a regular cast member on TV’s “Saturday Night Live”. With his bushy beard obscuring his mouth, he tosses off hilarious jokes much like the masterful Jack Mercer did as Popeye in countless cartoons (I wonder if they might have been added in post, much like Mercer did). Jones as Donna doesn’t have nearly as much fun as that duo. She’s there to be the dutiful, tired, but noble matriarch who says just the right things to encourage and inspire her daughter. As the said daughter, Seely is sweet, but not saccharine with just the correct dose of spunk without becoming obnoxious. I also couldn’t “get” the use of Pharrell Williams as the narrator with his rather listless line reading. Now maybe if Cumberbatch had told the tale in his smooth British baritone. And they bring in family film superstar Angela Landsbury for one scene as the town’s mayor? Talk about under-utilizing an extraordinary talent! that’s “Mrs. Potts” for gosh sakes!

Directors Yarrow Cheney and Scott Mosier have delivered a flick that’s most pleasing to the eyes with colors that pop, clever designs (I like how the tiny Whoville shops spin around to show their wares), and characters close to the original Seuss pen and ink sketches. But, as with the 2000 feature, it’s all in service to a story that was told almost perfectly in 23 minutes in 1966. Unlike the last version, we don’t delve as much into the pre-adult Grinch (here spending 12/25 all alone in an orphanage), but we get new characters that “pad’ the tale (or to sell more toys, if you want to be cynical). As I said earlier Thompson is tons o’ fun as Bricklebaum, but he doesn’t advance the plot one lick (of a candy cane). The same could certainly be said of the cohorts of Cindy (certainly much older than two, this time out). Again, more merch and maybe a chance to be more diverse. Then there’s Fred, the lone waddling, beefy reindeer with a Shemp Howard-styled orange tuft of hair. He drifts in and out of the film (because Max has to pull that big sled solo). Plus Fred helps to eliminate one of the greatest images of the story, that being the Grinch triumphantly lifting the massive, stuffed sled over his head. Yes, really! The blame can rest at the screenplay by Michael LeSieur and Tommy Swerdlow (it took two), which somehow expands and simplifies the story. Now we get to see the Whovians waking to empty living rooms, along with an explanation of the holiday’s true meaning from Donna to Cindy (that singing circle is not enough). And in one tired gag, the Grinch tries to use a giant catapult (did he have one gathering dust in a corner of the cave, or is the empty Acme Company crate nearby). Oh, and we’re “treated” to a modern take (rap) on those classic, timeless Eugene Poddany tunes (you are so missed, Thurl Ravenscroft). The little ones may be amused by the flick’s first act, but their patience will be sorely tested. Though not a big lump of coal, DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH is not the upgrade that’s on anybody’s wish list.

2.5 Out of 5