We Are Movie Geeks All things movies… as noted by geeks.

January 8, 2025

DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 6:48 pm

Just ten days into the new year and it appears that the studios are trying to create a new action thriller franchise. Technically it really began in 2018 with a flick that attempted to combine a heist caper plot with a police procedural led by a detective that’s not exactly squeaky clean. It did modest business (some might say barely a box office “ripple”), so this sequel is more than unexpected (“outta’ nowhere” is more like it). But since the big Summer blockbuster season feels light years away, especially with the weather’s artic plunge, those fans of tough guys with big guns driving fast cars need an adrenaline “fix”. And if they “check their brains” at the concession counter, then they may get the needed “rush” from DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA.


Whoa, in the opening moments, we’re thrust right into a big “heist” involving computer hacking, a phony flight attendant, pilfered jewels, and a hijacked armored vehicle. Hey, it sounds similar to that big crime seven years ago. Well, that was in the US rather than a busy foreign international airport, though there is one familiar face. Barking commands in French is that criminal mastermind Donnie Wilson (Oshea Jackson, Jr.). Luckily, his old nemesis back in the States gets wind of it through his stripper snitch Holly (Meadow Williams). LA County Sheriff’s Department Detective Nick “Big Nike” O’Brien (Gerard Butler) needs a new case to occupy his time having just endured a really nasty divorce. After pulling a few strings with the feds, Nick’s on his way across the pond to a quaint, quiet Marseilles, which has an elite, and very protected jewelry exchange district. This is where Donnie and his crew have settled in. He uses gems from that airport heist to open a space in one of the office buildings, aided by the proper “intro” from the gang’s “femme fatale” Jovanna (Evin Ahmad). It seems those heist jewels were bait in order to break into the big vault in that exclusive district. Ah, but Donnie’s plans shift with the unexpected arrival of Nick. Hold up, this cop wants “in” on the score. Has he really gone rogue, or is Nick truly under deep, deep “cover”? Donnie’s got to take a chance, otherwise his crew will turn on him (some already are planning that). But Nick is in contact with the local cops, who tell him that the armored heist has made them a target of the feared Panther mafia, who want to retrieve a revered family stone that was part of the theft. Will these new “players” botch the job, or will Nick work with Donnie and disavow his cop career and turn his back on the “badge”?

Butler easily shifts back into swaggering “bro” mode as “big Nick”, though this new plot throws a few curves his way. Mainly in his new ‘stomping grounds” far away from “La La” Land. This allows Butler to display his comedic chops as the burly, coarse cop being the loud, violent “fish out of water” in the cultured climes of Marseilles. And he’s got to “clean up his act” considerably and adjust his “fashion sense” in order to glide in and out of the “diamond fortress”. To do so, he must follow the lead of Donnie, played with smooth and silky confidence by the charismatic Jackson, who’s quite believable as the crew’s “point man”. Despite their past conflicts, Donnie and Nick become a slick team shifting into a duo capable of this complex game of deception and duplicity. Complimenting them is the sultry Ahmad whose fashion-model looks and poise distract. allowing her to use her keen intellect in easily accessing and evading the tight (much like her attire) security measures in place.

Also returning for this follow-up is writer/director Christian Gudegast, who attempts to tweak the story structure of the original with the exotic European locales. and the ambiguity of Nick’s motivations as we wonder if he has embraced the “outlaw’ life. Unfortunately, the obstacle more daunting than the hallway camera and the countless guards scanning the multiple monitors is the languid pacing that makes its 144 runtime (c’mon, really) feel like a round trip to France…in coach. The flick has far too many scenes of the guys trying to out “macho” each other at various bars and bistros, including a disco packed to the gills with supermodels in tight shiny gowns (of course, a big brawl occurs). Plus there are endless “prep” bits (the crew clashes over the music choices) that wear us down before the big “break-in”, which includes every possible “crime caper” cliche. It feels like a retread of heist ” challenges” done with more style and suspense in the OCEANS and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE franchises (they must climb up a long metal hook between buildings, so we’re waiting for the eventual “slip”). And as with most action flicks, we get multiple endings to allow for double and “triple crosses”. All this is in service to a sequel that nobody was demanding other than investors of the forgettable 2018 original. Hopefully, all of this tiresome “mach-man” preening will be shelved after the chaotic cinema crimes of DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA.

1/2 Out of 4

DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, January 10. 2025

THE LAST SHOWGIRL – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 6:32 pm

This weekend’s new film release builds on an interesting trend from 2024. Though it’s not something embraced by major studios, like the deep dive into movie riffs on popular toys and video games, it’s proving to be an awards showcase for the “indie upstarts”. I’m writing of the new venues for the often neglected (by studio execs) bombshell superstar actresses from a few decades ago. Often they’re banished to straight-to-video (now streaming) sex or horror “potboilers”, or sent to be supporting players on series TV. Just a few months ago, cinephiles were stunned by the outrageous satire of THE SUBSTANCE and embraced the courageous, and meta (spoofing lots of old tabloid “fodder”) performance of its lead, Demi Moore (who is now a big Oscar “front-runner” after her Golden Globe win and touching acceptance speech). Historians can point to the brief spate of mature actress thrillers from the early 1960s (WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE and its ilk) as an inspiration for that film. Well, the other actress getting some awards love for a much more restrained story, but with a similar modern-day “pathos” and drama, is Pamela Anderson, who could very well claim the title of THE LAST SHOWGIRL.

The story opens up (after a brief “flash forward”) on Anderson as Shelly, the reigning “queen” of the long-running casino show “Razzle Dazzle”, as she hurries through a quick costume change and tries to trudge up the stairs to the stage without damaging all the sequins and feathers of her towering tiara. As the show’s producer, Eddie (Dave Bautista) bids goodnight over the intercom speakers, Shelly invites her younger co-stars, Mary-Anne (Brenda Song) and Jodie (Kiernan Shipka) over to her modest home for a BBQ Lunch on their “off” day. Joining them, along with Eddie, is a former showgirl now casino waitress, the acerbic Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis). Their high spirits are dampened by the mention of a rumor that the new owners of the casino will close the RD show and replace it with something younger and “edgier”. Shelly dismisses this as nonsense until the formal notices come down from “on high”. Only a dozen or so shows remain before the dwindling audiences. While Mary-Anne and Jodie scramble to find a new “gig”, Shelly wonders if she can stay relevant while also reflecting on her past glories. This prompts her to reach out to the daughter that she gave up for adoption many years ago, Hannah (Billie Lourd). Though the relationship is strained, they finally reconnect. As the final show looms, Shelly tries to repair that parental bond, while pondering her future in a world that doesn’t seem to have any need of her style of glamour and glitz anymore.

After being largely absent from view, aside from some cameos and a stint on Broadway in “Chicago”, Ms. Anderson commands the big screen with a remarkable nuanced performance as the sweet on the outside but hauntingly sad inside Shelly. At first glance, she may seem a bit ditzy and distracted, but as the story progresses we realize that she’s emotionally floundering, searching for any life preserver, as the vessel that is her existence is slowly sinking (and picking up speed into the depths of despair). As she nears her final “runway walk” she blocks any feelings of regret, proudly defending her choices to continue her “craft”. It all culminates in a heart-wrenching audition sequence in which Anderson summons her inner strength, demanding to be seen and not dismissed into the shadows of yesteryear. At times Shelly frustrates, but Anderson compels us to root for her, even as her reality cracks and crumbles. She gets great support in another mesmerizing turn from Curtis as her BFF Annette who has escaped the “stage game”, though she secretly yearns for the adoration of the audience, while also trying to shake up Shelly to face the choices still left to her. Song is solid as the more aggressive and world-weary “show sister” while Shipka is full of wide-eyed hope and hustle as the newbie will land on her “high heels” and conform to any demands of the market. Also well cast is Lourd as the estranged daughter who mixes her anger at her mother for being “cast off” with a general snarky disdain for the family “business”. The other big casting “against type” surprise is Bautista as the soft-spoken, brusque but still concerned Eddie, who hides a history with his girls and wants to help but is also looking to serve and please his new casino masters. And big kudos go to the small, almost a cameo, role of the shadowy audition director who is given a condescending venomous bite by Jason Schwartzman, as he delivers a “wake up” call with the violence of a swift “gut punch”.

Director Gia Coppola is a terrific addition to her family’s filmmaking dynasty by giving us a very tough, unflinching profile of a woman clinging to past glory as the world around her undergoes a seismic cultural shift. Working from the well-researched, emotionally intimate screenplay by Kate Gersten, Ms. Coppola gives us a “fly on the wall” look at the showier aspect of the service biz in Sin City. Full disclosure: I lived and worked in Vegas thirty years ago just as they were shifting from “family fun” to “adults-only playground”, so I recognized that air of sunbaked desperation that wafts over the street “buskers” and casino crews wondering if they can survive the next corporate “facelift” of the strip. Coppola and Gersten captured that panic to stay trendy and relevant as the tour groups and high-rolling “whales” were tiring of the traditional “main room” sparkly “t&a” two-drink minimum extravaganzas. The bonding of Shelly and her castmates feels almost like those of soldiers in the trenches awaiting the final charge (but here it’s a last show). My only complaint is that there are too many stretches and montage sequences of Shelly wandering past the employee casino entrances, perhaps as she recalls past encounters, but it’s unneeded “padding”. That’s a slight qualm as this is a most engaging look at a quickly disappearing legacy (Vegas cares little about its history), and s stellar acting triumph from Anderson, who dazzles in and out of the sequins and feathers, as THE LAST SHOWGIRL. “Places please, places…”

3.5 Out of 4

THE LAST SHOWGIRL opens in select theatres on Friday, January 10, 2025

January 3, 2025

HARBIN – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , — Mark Glass @ 6:00 am
A scene from the South Korean historical epic HARBIN. Courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment

The Korean epic HARBIN is billed as historical and biographical, but I don’t know enough to vouch for the accuracy of either. It chronicles a specific plan by Korean resistance fighters against the occupying Japanese forces in late 1909. The focus is on General Ahn (Hyun Bin), who led a successful raid, but made a decision that proved costly to his band of rebels. Most of the running time concerns his next big plan of offense to revitalize the willing patriots.

That first encounter earned him the vicious enmity of defeated Japanese Major Mori (Park Hoon), who then made it his life’s mission to kill Ahn, as an even higher priority than protecting and advancing his country’s goals of annexation and dominance over their neighbor. As in every action film from China or Korea covering any period of Japanese invasions and occupations, the outsiders are depicted as ruthless and brutal. I don’t think they plan on selling many tickets in Tokyo theaters.

The producers spared no expense in providing exceptional sets, scenery, props and costumes. That includes some locations in Latvia, since part of the heroes’ plot unfolds in wintry Russia. Several action sequences are also riveting in scope and detail. The first major clash is not for the faint of heart. Same for some of the torture methods deployed against captured resistors. There’s an extra element of suspense provided by reasons to believe there’s a mole among the Koreans’ inner circle. There’s no use of martial arts or f/x-enhanced fighting to detract from the sense of historical realism.

For Koreans, or those who identify with them, the story should feel inspirational, as the resistance fighters are shown as noble and determined despite overwhelming odds against them. Even when they disagree over tactics, their commitment to regaining freedom is unwavering. For others, the intrigue may grow a bit tedious, as quiet machinations and discussions in dark, secretive locations take up a huge chunk of the nearly two-hour running time. For the amount of dialog, we learn relatively little about the main characters’ backstories and natures compared to most such offerings. That limits the degree of empathy one might develop with any of them. Even so, there’s much to admire – especially for those who connect viscerally with the period and events.

HARBIN, in Korean and Japanese with English subtitles, opens in theaters on Friday, Jan. 4.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

January 2, 2025

WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 5:07 pm
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2024

Happy New Year 2025 indeed, since it’s off to a “crackin’ good start’! And you’re no doubt wondering why? Well, premiering just 72 hours after the “ball drop” is the feature film return of one of the most beloved comedy teams on the planet. Now, it’s not another biopic set in Hollywood’s Golden Age ala STAN & OLLIE nor a Farrelly Brothers follow-up to THE THREE STOOGES. Mind you this duo has been entertaining audiences for over 35 years, starting with a couple of acclaimed shorts before making their first feature in 2017. Oh, did I not mention that they’re animated characters, rendered in clay? From “across the pond” it’s their full-length adventure from the artists of Aardman Animations Limited, WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL. Put the kettle on and bring out the cheese…

This story begins with a flashback from over thirty years ago, near the end of the classic short subject, “Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers”. Gromit the dog watches silently as his best pal Wallace (voice of Ben Whitehead) phones the police after tying up the mastermind behind the Blue Diamond heist, the penguin known as Feathers McGraw. He’s swiftly brought to justice, locked up in a musty jail cell that opens into the Arctic animal habitat at the local zoo. But Feathers keeps in shape while waiting patiently for the perfect time to escape. Spring ahead to the present day as Gromit worries over the deluge of overdue bills in the “morning post”. Wallace doesn’t fret as he completes his newest creation that will rescue Gromit from toiling in the garden (which he actually enjoys). It’s a robotic groundskeeper resembling a garden gnome that he dubs “Norbot” (Reece Shearsmith). Several neighbors observe it making the backyard “neat and tidy” and inquire about renting its services. Aha! Financial problems are solved, though Gromit remains a bit leery of the grinning tech sprite. Soon the local media cover the story of Wallace’s gizmo, and Feathers catches a morning TV news crew segment. The “stars have aligned” as the local museum is about to bring out that Blue Diamond from the vault where it has been since the attempted theft, which is now the main interest of the soon-retiring original officer Chief Inspector Mackintosh (Peter Kay) and eager new PC Mukherjee (Lauren Patel). What happens when McGraw’s plan for revenge utilizes the Norbot and casts doubt on the honesty of its creator Wallace? Can even his dedicated and resourceful buddy Gromit hope to thwart this dastardly scheme?

Well. well, who should get the first bit of praise for this excellent entertainment? We may as well begin with the superb vocal ensemble led by an actor with a most daunting task. Namely, he had to take over the role of Wallace since his original much-beloved voice, Peter Sallis passed away in 2017. I’m happy to report that Mr. Whitehead is also quite charming as the eccentric inventor evoking just the right mix of childhood enthusiasm and endearing daffiness. He’s the ultimate “child-man” who delights in his toys but is often hurt when the world shuns him. Shearsmith is also gloriously goofy as Norbot with his awkward upbeat delivery even when he’s hiding a threat. As the defenders of the peace, Kay is a delightful fumbling “old school’ copper while Patel has a bubbly youthful zeal as she reminds her mentor of the “proper procedures” in a nice parody of the cop/buddy pairing of grizzled vets and “by the book” newbies’.

Now we need to laud the incredible team of craftspeople and artisans for creating the world of Yorkshire especially 62 West Wallaby Street (where Wallace works his wizardry). I was particularly “wowed” by the dazzling colors of the gardens and the intricate details of every dwelling, inside and out”. This touches on the props with everything from the furnishings to the transports (we get vans, motorcycles and racing boats). Happily, the characters move flawlessly with a touch of graceful physical movement much like classic clowns and gestures (of course Gromit’s deadpan evokes Buster Keaton, with a touch of Bob Newhart’s exasperated “takes”). Of course this would all be very impressive “eye candy” without the clever, witty script by Mark Burton and W&G’s creator Nick Park which deftly juggles vibrant visual gags, silly slapstick (love Wallace’s morning “bath flume”), smart satire (Feathers does a great “Max Cady” CAPE FEAR homage), tense action (a midnight hunt leads to an aquatic showdown), and a heart-tugging celebration of the unbreakable bond between the leads. It all works as an action comedy due to another team, the directing duo of Park and first-timer Merlin Crossingham (apropos moniker). They prove that an all-ages film can keep the whole family enthralled and engaged. These cartoon cutups have been around since 1989 and they still feel fresh, exciting, and hilarious. With this creative team in place, “firing on all cylinders”, let’s hope this will be the first of many new “inventor adventures”, though it’ll be tough to equal, let alone top, the wild, warm, and wacky WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL.

4 Out of 4 stars

WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL streams exclusively on Netflix beginning on Friday, January 3, 2025

December 30, 2024

NOSFERATU – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Cate Marquis @ 6:25 am
A carriage approaches Orlok’s castle in director Robert Eggers’ NOSFERATU, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Before Bela Lugosi created the image of an elegant Dracula in Todd Browning’s film DRACULA, F.W. Murnau made the brilliant silent film NOSFERATU, the first film adaptation of Bram Stoker’s eerie novel. Stoker’s estate refused to let the legendary German director use the book’s title but Murnau made the film anyway, renaming the vampire Count Orlok and re-setting the latter part of the story in Germany rather than England. Director Robert Eggers’ NOSFERATU is an outstanding film that both honors and recreates Murnau’s great classic, while also adding a modern horror edge as well.

Fans of Murnau’s incredible silent horror film will delight in Eggers’ new NOSFERATU, which faithfully recreates several of the striking scenes in the original. NOSFERATU is visually astounding, with gorgeously eerie scenes and set pieces, often using the central, symmetric framing typical of the silent movie era. Scene after scene opens with either a perfect recreation of Murnau’s atmospheric composition or a sternly creepy vista that sets the tone for the horror to come. The dark, brooding scene of a coach wending its way through stark looming mountains, to enter the sinister castle, which is featured in the movie’s trailer, is but a small taste of the visual delights to come. Leaning into the visual power of the silent is the perfect choice.

Although there have been countless Dracula movies, only a handful have gone back to Murnau’s great silent, with his Count Orlok. Those exceptions have included SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE, a chiller about the making of Murnau’s silent, and Werner Herzog’s NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE, with the great Klaus Kinski.

While Eggers’ based his script on Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” and Henrik Galeen’s screenplay for the first NOSFERATU, there are a few changes. The source of the vampire Count’s fascination with his real estate agent’s fiancee (his wife in this tale) is different and references to Vlad the Impaler, the blood-thirsty Eastern European Medieval prince who was Bram Stoker’s partial inspiration for the vampire in his novel.

The cinematography and the script are near flawless in this homage to the brilliant original, and the modern horror elements added by director Eggers, including leaning into the psycho-sexual aspects of the story, help bring the story into the current era without violating its late Victorian gothic setting. However the pacing is a bit slow for modern horror fans. Further, Bill Skarsgard’s Count Orlok, after his first appearance, looks more like a bulky if decaying Prince Vlad than Max Streck’s skeletal Orlok, making Orlok seem more intimidating than truly scary.

The cast includes a splendid Willem Dafoe as the Van Helsing-like Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz. Nicholas Hoult plays Thomas Hutter, the first victim to aid Count Orlok’s escape from the castle, and Lily-Rose Depp plays his wife Ellen, who in this retelling is the reincarnation of Orlok’s former lover. Lily-Rose Depp’s performance is bold and over-the-top, sometimes veering into the absurd, but Nicholas Hoult’s more grounded, sincere performance helps balance things. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emma Corrin do fine work as the Hutters’ friends Friedrich and Anna Harding, but the other supporting actors give the horror tale its real fire, with outstanding work by Ralph Ineson as Wilhelm Sievers and Simon McBurney as creepy Herr Knock.

This remake/update NOSFERATU is a treat in particular for fans of Murnau’s original, but may not connect for all horror fans not familiar with the silent classic. Hopefully, they will remedy that by seeing the Murnau film, ideally on a big screen with live music.

NOSFERATU opens Wednesday, Dec. 25, in theaters.

RATING: 4 out of 4 stars

December 29, 2024

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Cate Marquis @ 8:16 pm
Timothée Chalamet in A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. Photo by Macall Polay, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Timothee Chalamet stars a young Bob Dylan at the beginning of his career, in director James Mangold’s A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. The biopic begins with the 19-year-old musician newly arrived in New York and visiting Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), hospitalized and rendered mute by his Huntington’s chorea. Guthrie’s friend and fellow social activist folk musician great Pete Seeger (Edward Norton) is there too, visiting Guthrie as he regularly did.

Seeger is polite to the young visitor but, at first, he assumes Dylan is just another fan, paying his respects to the legendary Woody Guthrie. That all changes when Dylan plays a song he wrote for Guthrie, and both Guthrie and Seeger are thunder-struck as they realize they are hearing a brilliant new talent. Seeger sets out to introduce young Bob Dylan to the central forces in the folk music movement in New York, including recording studio owners, and iconic figures like music ethnographer Alan Lomax (Norbert Leo Butz), and Dylan’s tough manager Albert Grossman (Dan Fogler). Seeger shepherds Dylan into the top tier of its Greenwich Village inner circle.

The biopic follows Dylan’s rise in the New York’s folk music community, then his leap to fame, and then up to the famous pivotal moment when he split with the folk music movement by going electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.

The music is one of the most delightful aspects of this top-notch drama. The film lets Bob Dylan fans revisit his music and his story, but the film also introduces that music to another generation, as it recounts the history. We hear all the Bob Dylan early hits, including the song that forms the title.

We meet other musical greats of the era, such as Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and Johnny Cash (Boyd Holbrook), and we get a sampling of their hits as well. The film covers Dylan’s personal life and love life as well as his music, and that includes his romance with Baez. Elle Fanning plays non-musician Sylvie Russo, which whom Timothee Chalamet’s Dylan pursues and then has a long up-and-down affair, in a nice performance. But the one who comes on strongest in the film is Monica Barbaro’s Joan Baez, already a star when Dylan arrives and the only seemingly not awed by his talent. Her strong-will and independence make her irresistible to Dylan but set up round after round of conflict, giving the film a bit dramatic kick and an unpredictability.

In this warts-and-all biopic, Chalamet is both charming and callous as the talented but sometimes selfish Dylan, but the most impressive performance comes from Edward Norton, who is astonishing as he channels folk legend Pete Seeger. As someone who met the real Pete Seeger late in his life, I was struck by how perfectly Edward Norton captured Seeger’s posture and mannerisms, his speech cadence, and even more his personality, his combination of gentleness, tact and yet total determination that you will do it his way.

The film does a wonderful job evoking that era of folk music and artists in the smokey, underground cafes of Greenwich Village. The folk music movement aimed to spread appreciation of traditional music played on traditional instruments, with a sense of social activism and awareness, with a big pro-union base. Pete Seeger had taken on leadership in that movement, but he and all the folk music supporters were thrilled by the star power and public attention Bob Dylan brought to their cause.

With A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, James Mangold is top of his game, crafting an excellent biopic filled with glorious music and a spot-on, perfect recreation of a vanished time and New York’s folk music community at it’s height.

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN opens Wednesday, Dec. 25, in theaters.

RATING: 4 out of 4 stars

December 24, 2024

THE FIRE INSIDE – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 1:52 pm

Well, it seems as though we’ve arrived at another end-of-the-year inspirational true-life sports story award contender. Last year it was THE BOYS IN THE BOAT and THE IRON CLAW. And both of them have an Olympic connection to this new film (the latter just touched on the gold in its first act). But that’s where the comparisons end as this story happened less than twenty years ago. Oh, and the “biggie”, is that this film concerns a young (mostly high school-age) African-American woman. Now her coach plays a big role here, though it is in support of her journey. But the biggest difference is that that journey doesn’t end with the medal ceremony, all wrapped up nicely with the star-spangled ribbon. No, she forges ahead due to her courage, skills, and determination fueled by THE FIRE WITHIN.

The film begins with a flashback to a few years after the start of the 21st century. A pre-teen girl dashes through the snowy, mean streets of Flint, Michigan until she reaches her destination, the boys’ athletic club. Former pro-fighter Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry) is teaching the fundamentals of boxing to a group of rowdy young men. He sees the quiet young girl, who has shown up before and tried to step into the ring. Jason implores her to leave to no avail. Okay, maybe a little time lying on the canvas will send her home. The boys are hesitant until Jason convinces one named Lil’ Zay to spar with her. And to Jason’s shock, she lands a few solid hits. Later that night he drops her off at home where she’s the main caregiver to her little brother and sister while Mom parties, and Papa’s in prison. The years pass and Jason continues to coach her as Claressa Shields (Ryan Destiny) gains a fierce reputation and a nickname, “T-Rex”. Oh, and a secret boyfriend, now teenage Zay (Idrissa Sanogo). She confides in him, telling of being touched by one of her many “uncles”. Things explode when she returns home while Mom is entertaining. A “playa” gets aggressive and she decks him prompting Mom to send her out into the streets. Luckily Jason finds her and gets his wife Mickey (De’ Adre Aziza) to set her up in one of their old empty bedrooms (the kids have long flown from the next). Jason spends every minute he’s not installing cable lines to train her for a local competition, which leads to an Olympic tryout. Soon Claressa is off to compete in China without him as he’s not officially sanctioned. After she barely makes the “cut”, working with a new coach, Jason gets the funds to join her at the 2012 London Olympics as a sideline “supporter”. The real trials and struggles for Clarissa begin after the torch is snuffed and she must try and help her family when the limelight fades.

The film’s success really relies on the shoulders of the lead actress. Happily, the very talented Ms. Destiny is more than up to the task. Yes, she has sass and ferocity to spare, but she also has the talent to make Claressa a fully rounded human being rather than a symbol on a pedestal. She defies the groomers, bristling at the ‘suggestions to tone down her interview replies (“It’s true, I like to knock people out”) and their pleas to “glam’ herself up (she’s stunned to see another boxer doing a fighting stance while looking like she’s “made up” for a fashion magazine cover). But we also see her vulnerable side as she tells Zay of her painful abuse trauma past and later as she tries to ease her inner pain by bonding with her surrogate family. It’s truly a star-making turn, enhanced by pairing her with a stage and screen vet, Henry. As Jason, he’s the warm, caring fatherly figure that Claressa so needs, though he’s no cuddly pushover. He knows when she’s “playing’ and doesn’t hesitate to call her out. Henry shows us that he’s got a deep respect and love for his protege, while also trying to temper his frustrations with her stubborn spirit (perhaps he sees a lot of his own qualities in her). Plus we get the impression that he also believes this is a shot at glory, as we see him wistfully looking at a grainy VHS tape of his past bouts. This truly dynamic duo elevates the film above and beyond the standard “fight picture”.

Of course their work would mean little without the expert guidance of Rachel Morrison, in (and this is surprising) her feature film directing debut (after several TV dramas). She captures the grimy dangerous and desperate vibe of Flint (not much has changed in the 35 years since ROGER AND ME) especially the dire home life of the Shields household (filthy dishes and an always empty fridge). Morrison switches from the urban drama to the shiny glitz of Olympic competition, putting us right alongside the fighters as their sweat splashes against the lens. As I mentioned earlier, while other sports flicks would finish with the big bout, Morrison is back on those Michigan streets to show us that happy endings require continued passion, Credit must also go to the script by Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins providing some thought-provoking commentary on the battle against sexism (the female athletes get a third of the “stipend” that the males get) in the world of amateur and pro sports. My only complaint is that the final minutes feel a tad truncated as the pre-end title info cards must do a lot of “heavy lifting’ to round out the second shot of glory for Claressa, and her most recent endeavors. But the tale presented here is most engaging. avoiding many cliches of the genre but still delivering an inspiring denouncement. Perhaps for others seeking a near unattainable goal it will light THE FIRE INSIDE.

3 out of 4

THE FIRE INSIDE opens in theatres everywhere on Christmas day, 2024

BABYGIRL (2024) – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 1:37 pm

All ready to indulge in a holiday tradition, at least for the last couple of decades? The movie industry discovered that lots of folks do their Christmas festivities the night before and very early (depending on the kiddos maybe dawn) that day, so they want to bag up the ripped-up wrapping paper and head over to the multiplex for a flick, preferably a brand spankin’ (there’s some foreshadowing) new one. Well, that spirited indie upstart A24 (quickly becoming more of a major player) is going to get in on the action. If you’ve been extra nice for this festive season, they’ve got something naughty in store. It appears that they’ve been saving the big star power for the year’s end since they released the steamy QUEER with ex-Bond Daniel Craig a few weeks ago. And now an Oscar winner will be fogging up the auditoriums (rather than shilling for the AMC chain) in the title role of BABYGIRL.

Well, that’s the title’s character’s “role-playing” nickname. To the outside world, she’s a high-powered exec named Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman). She’s the CEO of a firm touting the benefits of AI in the workforce (hmmm…okay) and is the wife of a successful director of the Broadway stage, Jacob (Antonio Banderas). They have a deluxe Manhatten apartment and a gorgeous country estate upstate which they share with their two daughters. Eighteen-year-old Isabel (Esther McGregor) is a snarky rebel juggling several girlfriends while her kid sister Nora (Vaughan Reilly) is enamored with song and dance. When we first meet Romy and Jacob they’re enjoying some late-night lovemaking. Or so it seems. When she leaves the bedroom for a quick break, she indulges in some rough-content internet porn. The next morning it’s back to life as usual, getting the girls off to school as he prepares a new play. Romy’s got to head to the office, but first, she stops off for some “maintenance” ala facial injections and stripping down in a “freeze chamber”, all to delay “Father Time”. One morning near her offices, Romy is stunned when a stray dog dashes through the crowds to attack someone. Luckily a handsome young man intervenes and calms down the canine before any real damage occurs allowing the pet’s owner to clip its leash back on. Romy is amazed. Later on that day, there’s a “meet and greet” for the interns looking for mentors in the company’s program to develop new talent. Looking them over Romy is baffled when she recognizes one of them as that “dog whisperer” He later walks into her office, introducing himself as Samuel (Harris Dickinson) and informing her that she will be his mentor. Romy calmly states that she’s not one of the mentor candidates, but he strongly insists, putting her “off balance”. He hints that she wants to be instructed which arouses her despite her protests. Thus begins an illicit obsessive affair of dominance between the two. Can they keep it a secret from the rest of the firm? And can Romy hide it from Jacob and her daughters even as Samuel becomes more emboldened and aggressive in his pursuit of her? How far will she go to satisfy her dark desires?

Aside from the Oscar, Ms. Kidman recently received the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, so it’s not a great stretch that in taking this daring role she’s not resting on her laurels. To say Romy is a complex character, full of contradictions and walking a very thin tightrope wouldn’t be an understatement. Kidman cues us into Romy by playing off several online jabs at her own “cosmetic journey”, so kudos for firing back at the trolls (daughter Isabel teases her mom about acquiring bird-like features). Still, Kidman doesn’t make Romy overly sympathetic as her emotional cravings seem to override her common sense, let alone the marital vows. All the while we see how her icy office demeanor is slowly melting away. The person applying that heat is Samuel, played with a snarky aloof quality by Dickinson, who is also very difficult to “read” as withholds any hint of overt passion. the fellow is an enigma, a very closed book, which allows us to debate his motivations. Has he targeted Romy due to an attraction, or is he going to exploit her for a “leg up” in the company? Or is it as simple as wanting major “hush money”? Dickinson barely changes his facial expressions or his tone is order to draw us toward him, much like Romy does. He’s quite a switch from her hubby, the outgoing, fiery Jacob played with great charm and empathy by Banderas. He’s a good man who is confused by this new side of the woman he adores over everything. Also of note in the cast is the talented Sophie Wilde, so compelling in the recent horror film TALK TO ME, as Romy’s assistant Esme. who unknowingly becomes the third member of the office love triangle.

This is the second English-language film directed by Dutch actress Halina Rejin, who also wrote the screenplay. It’s impressive that she’s adept at exploring the business dynamics alongside the inner workings of this upper-class family. And she makes excellent use of the Big Apple settings in addition to the lush greenery of the Mathis vacation home. The film’s main problems come as the story’s main “selling point”, the forbidden affair between the boss and underling kicks in. We’re supposed to be shocked as Romy submits completely to Samuels’s demands, but the encounters lack any real heat. Perhaps we’re meant to see this “power flip” as liberating, but it all feels like a late-night cable movie retread of late 1980’s “erotic explorations”, ala 9 1/2 WEEKS or BASIC INSTINCT. An attempted dose of danger and suspense is injected when Samuel “invades” the family (dropping off an office item) and later when Romy is pawed in a sweaty dance club as she tracks down Samuel, but it amounts to little more than titillation as we see a famous actress being edgy. When Romy’s worlds finally collide the result is more “meh” than gripping. She is supposed to be liberated by embracing her inner yearnings, but the impact on her marriage is somewhat illogical (ok, she can tell off a sleazy, work letch, so there). The film’s marketing promises fiery carnal chaos, but the lack of solid chemistry between the leads barely generates an errant spark or two in the more lurid than lustful BABYGIRL.

1.5 Out of 4

BABYGIRL opens in select theatres on Christmas Day 2024

December 19, 2024

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 6:13 pm

Oh my, it looks like the animated critters have taken over the multiplex during this pre-holiday weekend. While Mufusa’s growls and roars are echoing through the hallways, another CGI-rendered creature is threatening to dash right off the screens. Now, they do have a few other things in common as they are both sequels, with this flick actually the third in a franchise. And it’s not based on a beloved thirty-year-old animated classic, but rather a still-adored video game dynasty (which predates THE LION KING by three years). Oh, and this one includes “real live” actors alongside the “pixel pals”. So what new kicks (and spins and dashes) are in store after two previous outings in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3?

Well for one thing we’re introduced to a new character (to the film series that started four years ago). At a Tokyo Island G.U.N (Guardian Units of Nations) prison, a creature floating inside a liquid containment chamber is stirring after being dormant for fifty years. A heavily-armed squadron leaps into action but they don’t stand a chance when this black and red hedgehog named Shadow (voice of Keanu Reeves) breaks through the glass. Using his speed and teleporting powers (think Nightcrawler of the X-Men), he escapes into the night. GUN acting director Rockwell (Krysten Ritter) has to call in back-up, namely Sonic (vo: Ben Schwartz), Tails (vo: Colleen O’Shaughnessey), and Knuckles (vo: Idris Elba), a trio of small super-powered alien animals. The trio bids farewell to their adoptive parents Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter) and are whsked to Japan…where they’re defeated by Shadow. Before pursuing him, Sonic and his pals stop to “refuel” at a local eatery and are attacked by floating egg-shaped drones. Luckily they’re helped by a mysterious man in black. It’s none other than an old nemesis, Agent Stone (Lee Mahdoub). He informs them that that drones aren’t sent by his boss, then leads them to the floating underwater home (the “Crab”) of Sonic’s arch-enemy, the now flabby and disheveled Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey). Hearing of the appropriation of his tech he springs into action, theorizing that Shadow is returning to the long-scrapped GUN facility in England. The trio becomes a quintet as they discover the man behind the release of Shadow and the egg drone assault, Ivo’s long-lost grandpa Gerald (also Carrey). It’s all part of his plan to rule the world with his ultimate invention, a space arsenal satellite, the Eclipse Cannon. Can the Sonic crew shut it down despite its defender, the formidable Shadow, before it levels the planet?

Most of the cast (both live and voice) are returning after at least one previous installment of the franchise (and even a streaming series). Schwartz has that rapid vocal delivery to match Sonic’s jet-like speed as he spews wisecracks and zany retorts. Elba has a hesitant humorless stoic line-reading as Knuckles seems to take everything literally and needs to spell things out (like another Marvel staple, Drax). Shaughnessey exudes youthful enthusiasm and sweetness as Tails. This is the exact opposite of the dour, somber Shadow given the proper icy tone by newbie Reeves. The most prominent of the “live-action” actors is Carrey, who’s so frenetic they don’t try to contain him in one character. As Ivo, he’s still the superlative comic villain, full of snarky zingers and rubbery bits of physical schtick. But he’s also Grandpa Gerald the gravel-voiced manipulator who only wants to bond with Ivo to fulfill his dreams of world domination. Sumpter and Marsden are still an engaging couple though they’re on the sidelines for most of the action, only getting a chance to “step up” in the prelude to the big action finale. They’re the warm, nurturing counterpart to newbie Ritter as the tough-as-nails Rockwell. Mahdoub as Stone is still the over-accommodating doormat of a sidekick. Happily, we get a terrific cameo by Adam Pally as goofball lawman Wadw Whipple.

Also returning to the director’s chair for the third time is Jeff Fowler, who strives to keep the slapstick and verbal asides coming at us with the speed of the title character. And that works well for most of the story although the film stumbles a bit during the “ET-like’ flashbacks about Shadow’s friendship in the 70s with a pre-teen girl. It’s to establish Shadow’s arc, but it’s a tad clunky. As are a few other bits of business including a riff on Telenovelas that loses its spicy salsa satire. Ditto for an Ivo and Gerald bonding montage that stops the story in its tracks (plus I kept getting a Jim Gaffigan vibe from elder Robotnik). Other detours are non-sensical as when Tom and Maddie must pass themselves off as her aggressive sister and vain hubby. After so many sideroads the plot concludes in an outer space showdown that piles on the climaxes to the point of exhaustion (lots of action involving those golden ring portals). The youngest fans of Sonic and his various games and off-shoots will probably be amused and engaged, but for the older folks, it may feel like a big party at an unfamiliar office (which happens this time of year). Of course, we get end-credit bonus scenes, so as to hype up their fanbase for continued IP merch long after most have forgotten the few pleasures (mostly from Carrey) in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3.

2 Out of 4

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 is now playing in theatres everywhere

MUFASA: THE LION KING – Review

Filed under: Review — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Jim Batts @ 5:58 pm

With Christmas less than a week away, the “Mouse House” has decided to send another family-friendly flick into the multiplexes to share space with its recent “box-office behemoth” MOANA 2 (which is still in the number one spot). Oh, and this is somewhat of a sequel, too. When the Marvel Cinematic Universe made a huge cinematic splash, many studios wanted to create their own versions of a “brand”. Naturally Warner Brothers had their DC Comics line (which is getting a big “re-do”) and Universal keeps attempting a “Dark Universe’ based on those classic monsters (THE WOLF MAN is on the way next year). And though Marvel is a partner, Disney itself is “getting into the act” with their legacy of classic animated tales, the twist being that they’re being remade in “live-action”. This new film is unique in that it is “technically” an animated film with pixels replacing the pencils involved with 2-D “hand drawn” films. And, as I mentioned earlier, this is the first sequel. to one of these remakes. Ah, but it’s actually more of a prequel, since its main focus is the “origin” story of MUFASA: THE LION KING.

This film begins a few years after the finale of THE LION KING, as we return to the denizens of Pride Rock. Nala (voice of Beyonce Knowles-Carter) has embarked on a “sabbatical” in the deep woods leaving her daughter Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter) with Papa Simba (Donald Glover). But now it’s time for him to join her so he enlists three “babysitters”: Pumbaa the warthog (Seth Rogan), Timon the meerkat (Billy Eichner), and the shamen-mandrill Rafika (John Kani). Kiara is frightened by the approaching thunderstorm, so Rafika decides to calm her by telling the story of her grandfather, Mufasa. His blissful life as a royal cub is shattered by a flood that separates him from his adored parents. Mufasa is swept far away by a swift stream until another cub, Taka, pulls him onto the shore. The two return to Taka’s pride, where their king, Obasi (Lennie James) shuns him and pushes him toward the females, led by his mate Eshe (Thandiwe Newton). Luckily she is a nurturer and encourages Mufasa’s “gifts”. The years pass, and teenaged Mufusa (Aaron Pierre) and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) practice their hunting skills and encounter a pride of white lions known as “The Outsiders” ruled by the cruel and avaricious King Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen). When they attack Obasi’s pride, the two teens begin a desperate journey to find the bountiful land known as M’Leilei. Along the way, Mufasa and Taka are joined by a young lioness named Sarabi (Tiffany Boone) and her scout/servant, the hornbill Zasu (Preston Nyman). And they luckily run into their guide, the younger Rafiki (Kagiso Lediga), but can his mystical skills protect them as Kiros and his pack trails them in order to enact his vengeance? Friendships are tested and changed for good during the long hard trek.

Though it’s been five years since the remake (the original just turned thirty), those returning voice actors slip right back into their roles as though they were in the recording studio yesterday. Especially potent is the comic chemistry between Eichner and Rogan who riff like a classic vaudeville comedy team, with Pumbaa a bit more of a lunkhead who beams with pride about his “fragrance” while Timon is the motor-mouthed wiseguy who delights in breaking (not the wind like his BFF) the “fourth wall”. Spin-off, please. In her acting debut, Miss Carter projects a sweet energetic innocence as the future queen. Both Kani and Lediga give Rafiki the proper gravitas and magical mentoring. Pierre is an engaging lead who goes from confusion to confidence as the king-to-be, while Harrison relates the pressure of his lineage while slowly succumbing to very human emotional faults. Boone is a spunky heroine who can dive into the action right alongside the fellas. James is a great blustering and conniving king as Obasi. The film’s best asset might be the compelling Mikkelsen who accentuates each threat with a sneering snarl making Kiro a fearsome villain. He’s pure silky menace.

Aside from the film’s unique structure as a sequel/prequel, it’s got another unusual filmmaker for an animated film in the director’s chair. It’s helmed by the acclaimed crafter of live-action dramas (MOONLIGHT, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK), Barry Jenkins, who is working from the screenplay by Jeff Nathanson (based on the 1994 film). He gives the story an added emotional heft, slowly zooming in during essential conversations and confrontations. Of the latter, he brings lots of excitement to the deadly encounters, from hungry crocs to the revenge-obsessed Outsiders. The African environments are stunning, going from arid plains to snowy mountains and particularly the utopia of M’Leilei with its lush vegetation. But despite the advancements in CGI, the animals (though expertly rendered) just can’t convey the bravada acting and emoting of those hand-drawn icons of that 90s classic. Though they’re caricatures the gestures and expressions tell us so much more than these computer creations. It helps that the coloring and voices make the main characters here more distinct, along with the voices, but I can still mix up the principals. Wisely, the narrative cuts back to the present, to provide some welcome comic asides from T & P, but the pace seems to drag before the big reveals of the third act (key settings and props are introduced). Perhaps another “pass” at the script was needed to trim a few minutes. Still, it’s a well-crafted extension of the story rather than a quick “cash grab” like the straight-to-home video follow-ups back in the VHS “glory days”. A few more memorable songs might have helped since none of the new tunes comes close to the stellar work of Elton John and Tim Rice. But kids that are “crazy about critters” will be happy to return to the exotic “pride lands” as they explore the legend of MUFASA: THE LION KING.

2.5 Out of 4

MUFASA: THE LION KING is now playing in theatres everywhere

« Newer Posts — Older Posts »

Powered by WordPress