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 4stars
WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL streams exclusively on Netflix beginning on Friday, January 3, 2025
Nicolas Gob and Eleonore Bernheim, in the French TV crime series “Art of Crime” Season 7. Courtesy of MHz Choice
Last May, I covered the first six seasons of this light-hearted French crime series. Here’s the link to that review to bring you up to speed or refresh your memory before watching “The Art of Crime” Season Seven: https://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2024/05/the-art-of-crime-season-6-tv-series-review/
Season 7 brings another pair of two-part mysteries for our “Odd Couple” to solve. At the end of Season 6, it appeared that the will-they-won’t they finally landed in the boink column. But this round opens with Antoine and Florence awkwardly backpedaling from the idea of the horizontal mambo realm. The first murder takes them to Versailles where the stiff du jour was seeking a treasure allegedly hidden in Marie Antoinette’s elegantly-crafted wardrobe. The little coterie from the séance he performed that led him there provides a nice suspect pool. It also sets up Florence’s usual imaginary chats with the artist whose work is central to the case. This one lovingly drew a key portrait of the queen while the latter’s head was still properly affixed to her lovely royal shoulders.
The second revolves around a painting that may, or may not, be a very significant Botticelli, and artists’ obsessions with their muses, then and now. Florence confers again with the relevant old master in sussing out the truths behind his art and the current crimes.
Compared to the prior seasons, the first adventure is up to snuff in humor, mystery and character development. Versailles also adds some splendid visuals to the production. But the second tried my patience, as it spent too much time on romantic silliness and not enough on the mystery-solving or the art history element. Maybe I suffer from rom-com overload, but these two are taking too long to grasp some obvious pieces of their emotional puzzles. They’re not as charismatic as “Moonlighting’s” David and Maddie, and should have tied up this plot thread by now, whether by knot or scissors. I even checked on whether this last one was scripted by newbies, but series creators Angele Herry-Leclerc and Pierre-Yves Mora have headed the writing team throughout.
Also, for better or worse, Florence’s dad Pierre has less screen time to amuse or annoy (or both) than in many of the prior episodes, putting more of the character comedy load on the two stars. I actually missed his intrusions into their lives and their cases more than I expected. I hope there’ll be a Season 8, and that the dust will settle on the romance. Antoine, Florence and their loyal, patient viewers all deserve some closure.
“The Art of Crime,” in French with English subtitles, streams on MHzChoice starting Dec. 31.
L’art du crime saison 7. Episode 22, Botticelli, Nicolas Gob
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.
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.
L to R: Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in WICKED, directed by Jon M. Chu
Ring in the New Year with the grand cinematic triumph WICKED.! After setting the record for the biggest opening for a movie based on a Broadway show ever and nominated for four Golden Globes® including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, the thrillifying, must-have musical adaptation will be available exclusively on digital platforms to own or rent in time to celebrate New Year’s Eve on December 31, 2024, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Having cast a captivating spell on film audiences around the world, the film has earned Certified Fresh and Verified Hot designations on Rotten Tomatoes and a wickedly stunning “A” CinemaScore. Experience the magic of the spellbinding film with a dazzling bonus Sing-Along version, a 40-minute journey through Oz that celebrates the film’s transformative on-screen magic, deleted & extended scenes and so much more only when you purchase from participating digital retailers nationwide, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu), Comcast Xfinity, Cox, and Microsoft Movies & TV. WICKED will also debut on 4K UHD, Blu-ray™ and DVD on February 4, 2025.
WICKED, one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, arrives on your screen as a generation-defining cinematic sensation. The untold story of the witches of Oz, WICKED stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman who has yet to discover her true power, and Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman who has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet at Shiz University and forge an unlikely friendship – before their lives take different paths following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Their extraordinary adventures will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Wicked is an immersive, cultural celebration you’ll want to experience over and over again! (review)
Based on the stage play with music and lyrics by the legendary Grammy and Oscar® winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, WICKED is expertly directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights). The film also stars Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Crazy Rich Asians), Oliver Award winner and Emmy nominee Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers), Tony nominee Ethan Slater (Broadway’s SpongeBob SquarePants, Fosse/Verdon), Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), and Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park, Independence Day).
EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES WHEN YOU PURCHASE AT PARTICIPATING RETAILERS:
SING ALONG – ALTERNATE FEATURE-LENGTH VERSION – Rejoicify, it’s your turn to sing your way through Oz! Sing-along to all of your favorite Wicked songs as you join Elphaba and Glinda on their magical journey.
DELETED AND EXTENDED SCENES
Pfannee & ShenShen Meet Glinda
Reunited at Shiz University, Glinda, Pfannee, and ShenShen recall their past by performing a twirling routine together.
Shiz Gazette Introduces Fiyero
Excitement spreads across Shiz as word gets out that Prince Fiyero is on his way.
Toss Toss
Glinda teaches Elphaba the art of Toss Toss, with mixed results.
Elphaba & Fiyero in the Forest
The relationship between Elphaba and Fiyero takes a turn as they come to care for a lost lion cub.
Elphaba’s Promise
Elphaba makes a pledge to Glinda that they both hope will strengthen their friendship.
Train Platform Farewell
Glinda, Madame Morrible, and Governor Thropp gather to send Elphaba off to Emerald City.
Boq & Elphaba Talk
Elphaba challenges Boq to face the truth about his feelings for Nessa Rose, but she has difficulty doing the same when it comes to Fiyero.
Train Ride to Emerald City
Glinda and Elphaba expand their world by taking a luxurious train ride to Emerald City.
In the Emerald City
The bustling streets of Emerald City take Glinda and Elphaba one step closer to finally meeting the Wizard.
Palace Monkeys Chase
Elphaba and Glinda race through a maddening maze of winged monkeys determined to take them down.
MAKING WICKED – Return to Oz for a fantastic behind-the-scenes journey with this expansive look inside the characters, choreography, and creativity that make up the movie’s unforgettable world.
WELCOME TO SHIZ – Unlimited imagination, couture fashion, and spectacular production design come together at Shiz University, providing a place for performers and viewers to be fully immersed in the fantasy. Designed from details in L. Frank Baum’s books, the uniforms, clever contraptions, and circular sets create a sprawling campus where magic feels like an everyday occurrence.
A WICKED LEGACY –Take delight in the cast and filmmakers sharing personal memories of their first encounters with the original Broadway production, and how those lasting connections created emotional experiences while making the movie. Also highlighted are the iconic cameos that pay tribute to the cultural phenomenon that became one of the most popular musicals of all time.
THE WONDERFUL WIZARD – Follow the yellow brick road to Emerald City for an in-depth look at the infamous Wizard of Oz. Inside the palace’s throne room, the Wizard himself, Jeff Goldblum, pulls back the curtain to peer at his character’s magic and mechanics with senior special effects technician Christopher Clarke, who details how the Wizard’s massive robotic head comes to life.
FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR JON M. CHU
FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH STARS CYNTHIA ERIVO AND ARIANA GRANDE
FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum
Executive Producers: Stephen Schwartz, David Nicksay, Jared LeBoff, Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox
Produced By: Marc Platt P.G.A., David Stone
Based on the Stage Play with Music and Lyrics By: Stephen Schwartz
Rating: PG Some scary action, thematic material and brief suggestive material.
Languages/Subtitles: English, French Canadian, Latin American Spanish
Sound: English (Dolby Atmos for Feature, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1), Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1)
Rating: PG Some scary action, thematic material and brief suggestive material.
Languages/Subtitles: English, French Canadian, Latin American Spanish
Sound: English (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 for Feature, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1), Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1)
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
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
The cinematic landscape in 2024 was indeed exciting, with films tackling profound themes of human connection, imagination, and the pursuit of utopia in a dystopian world. The cinemas offered prequels, sequels and franchises, highly anticipated adaptations and reboots and remakes.
The world witnessed various events in the last 12 months.
International sporting competitions, such as the 2024 Paris Olympics or the Cricket World Cup (first major ICC tournament to feature matches played in the U.S.), brought together athletes and fans from around the world.
2024 saw Americans go to the polls and elect Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States, four years after he left office as the 45th. Elections and political developments in various other countries influenced national and international landscapes, while efforts to address social issues, humanitarian crises, and global challenges continued to be important areas of focus.
Further developments in the era of AI, including large language models and their applications across various fields, continued to be a major area of progress and concern. The 2024 solar eclipse and discoveries related to space exploration, including those focused on missions to the Moon and beyond, captured public attention and research and innovations in healthcare, medicine, and other scientific fields contributed to new knowledge and potential solutions to global challenges
New releases in music, film, and other forms of entertainment provided cultural experiences and captured public interest. Ongoing discussions and movements related to social justice, equality, and cultural shifts continued to shape public discourse.
Always a favorite to share with you every year, have a look at what Hollywood offered to movie fans!
As we head into 2025, WAMG’s Cate Marquis, Jim Batts and Michelle McCue are celebrating the diverse year that was 2024 and one that had something for everyone!
We kick it off with our Honorable Mention, HARD TRUTH– Cate
The great Mike Leigh is famous for his truth-telling dramas about human nature and historical events, and HARD TRUTHS, reportedly the director’s last film, does indeed hit hard. Pansy is no delicate flower but an angry, hyper-critical woman who is massively unhappy in her life, and seemingly determined to make everyone around her unhappy too, particularly her hard-working husband and beaten-down, 22-year-old son. Marianne Jean-Baptiste gives an astounding performance as Pansy, revealing layers and nuances of this angry, self-destructive woman, while Michele Austin is wonderful as her cheerful, loving sister, the only one who seems able to reach through Pansy’s defensive walls. A tough but telling family drama in Mike Leigh’s signature style that does indeed tell hard truths about toxic unhappiness.
For the first time in more than a decade, we were treated to a single flick this year from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (not to be associated with the dreadful trio of Sony “Spidey-verse IP), but what an event as Deadpool entered the MCU. And Ryan Reynolds brought Hugh jackman back as Wolverine. Or at least a “variant” from another “multiverse”. Yes, Wade is still the “merc with a mouth” so the movie is bursting at the seams with “meta gags”, inside “jabs” and a demolishing of the “fourth wall”. And it’s the first film involving the Time Variance Authority from the Loki series on Disney+. The two heroes make a splendid comedy team when they’re not trying to eviscerate the other. So yes, there’s action and laughs, but there’s a real beating heart thanks to the great cameos and a surprisingly touching “send-off” to the Marvel films released by New World and Fox (now part of Disney). This bodes well for the other acquired additions to the MCU (welcome FF and those misunderstood mutants). (review)
Fancy another visit from our favorite cheese-loving man and dog duo? Crikeys, yes! Netflix teams with Aardman Animation for a brand new feature-length romp that’s an action-packed sequel to one of their most popular short films, “The Wrong Trousers”. And this means another showdown with their greatest adversary, the equally brilliant and ruthless Feathers McGraw, that pilfering penguin. Naturally, there are also plenty of laughs with sophisticated satire mixed with hilarious slapstick and sight gags (they somehow make the morning “wake up” a blast). Plus the big final boat/train chase rivals anything from those big live-action blockbusters (fast, furious, and so, so funny). After thirty-five years these characters have lost none of their charm and wonder, even as the visual tech becomes more polished and eye-poppingly gorgeous. It’s true cinematic art, so how about a theatrical run for the next adventure, eh?
Streaming on Netflix: Jan. 3
8. LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL – Jim
So you remember that infamous episode of the 70s talk show that involved demonic possession, the one they couldn’t air? You don’t? Well, that’s because it’s part of a clever conceit dreamed up by the directing siblings the Cairnes Brothers in a truly spirited (sorry) twist on the now tired “found footage” horror flick. In this alternate universe, an “outlier” TV network decides to challenge “Carson the King” (as many did in fact) with their own past prime-time offering “Night Owls with Jack Delroy”. As the host, talented character actor David Dastmalchian gets to pull out “all the stops’ as the lead by portraying a TV personality who seems to be “uncomfortable in his own skin” as the “flop sweat” stains his polyester leisure suits. The show’s ratings are “swirling toward the drain”, so he makes a desperate Halloween ratings grab by having therapist hypnotize and interview a young woman who is the sole survivor of Manson-like satanic cult. And literally all Hell does break loose. Yes, there are lots of scares but there are plenty of nostalgic laughs from the recreation of 1977 kitsch (especially the sets, fashions, and hairstyles) and a terrific “history” of Delroy mixed with “backstage ” footage of him with his hapless on-air sidekick and the show’s seedy producer. this is a real “under the radar” “old school” chiller that will reward anyone who gives it a look. (review)
The talented artisans at Dreamworks Animation finally broke away from their successful franchises (SHREK, KUNG FU PANDA, etc.) and delivered a very original animated adventure that pulls inspiration from many diverse sources. It’s futuristic science fiction set among cuddly forest animals. Plus there’s a good dash of consumer society satire and an engaging subplot about an unlikely friendship. A service robot named Roz is washed ashore on an island full of animals who react with fear, resulting in a first act that’s a slapstick symphony similar to the classic silent film clowns and the best of Golden Age cartoon shorts. The movement is fluid, especially of the title character who is a few basic circular shapes supported by flailing coil arms and legs. There’s also great character design and animation of Roz’s main sidekick Fink the fox, with Lupita Nyong’o and Pedro Pascal providing their voices (part of a superb vocal ensemble). It’s interesting that this film would come out 25 years after that cult classic THE IRON GIANT since they both involve machines developing emotions, often more in tune with them than many humans. This is brought “home’ in the thrilling climax that cements this work is real cinematic gem that is truly for “all ages”. (review)
Streaming: Available to watch in 4K Ultra HD on Prime Video, Apple TV and other video-on-demand platforms.
6. STRANGE DARLING – Michelle
Having its premiere at the 2023 Fantastic Fest Film Festival, writer/director JT Mollner’s STRANGE DARLING is a clever and relentless thrill ride that defies audience expectation at every turn. Nothing, and we mean nothing, is what it seems when a twisted one-night stand spirals into a serial killer’s vicious murder spree. A different film to be sure, the terrific revelations were that actor/producer Giovanni Ribisi was a first time director of photography on the film, catching the cat-and-mouse game like never before, and actor Willa Fitzgerald’s (JACK REACHER, Season One), performance is easily one of the best of the year and one we can’t rave enough about. Everyone’s advice on our #6 pick was to go in blind and we still highly recommend a first time, SPOILER-FREE viewing of the remarkable STRANGE DARLING.
Streaming to rent: YouTube, Apple, Amazon, and Vudu.
5. THE BRUTALIST – Cate
Adrien Brody gives his best performance in years as a Jewish Hungarian architect who survived the Nazis and post-war relocates to America full of hope, in director Brady Corbet’s brilliant epic drama THE BRUTALIST. Mirroring countless immigrant tales, the architect goes from joy on arriving in America to facing the hard reality of living in a new land. In his home country, the architect was famous as an acclaimed, ground-breaking modernist but here he is an unknown, and he struggles to find his way in this very different world. Guy Pearce gives a chilling performance as rich man who hires, then tries to own, the architect. Felicity Jones is touching as the architect’s wife, once thought lost, who arrives unexpectedly, after surviving a concentration camp, as this fictional tale reflects countless post-war immigrant experiences. The drama, shot on 35mm film, is long but has an intermission, and it is so engrossing that one doesn’t feel the running time.
In select theaters December 20.
4. THE APPRENTICE – Jim
During one of the most divisive election years in this nation’s history, the producers of this film took a big swing, and a big risk, by making this searing dramatized look at the formative years (the mid-70s through the 80s) of Donald J. Trump. Though many were tired of the endless news cycle, and some theatres were leery of booking it, this tale was well worth exploring thanks to the sharp direction by Ali Abbasi, who captures the seedy, grimy look of a “wormy” Big Apple, and a sharp script from screenwriter Gabriel Sherman that’s neither a “puff piece” nor a demonizing cinematic screed. Rather, it’s almost a classic comic book “origin” story as we see the beginning of the person who dominates the media. But what really sets this apart from a “basic cable” biopic are the superb performances. In the lead, Sebastian Stan strays far from the MCU, and avoids going the caricature path. with a gradual descent into the too-familiar gestures and speech patterns. Yes, it’s a bold and gutsy role, but the juiciest character may be the “mentor” Roy Cohn, played brilliantly by the compelling Jeremy Strong, who should be up for all the awards. If Donald is Anakin, then he is Palpatine. His Cohn is a dead-eyed reptilian power-broker who relishes leading others to the “dark side” before he embarks on his own very tragic march to tragedy. This film is worth seeing for this truly dynamic duo that brought recent (and ongoing) history to dazzling light. (review)
Streaming to rent: YouTube, Apple, Amazon, Fandango
3. CONCLAVE – Cate
In this lavish and visually lush drama from director Edward Berger (ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT), Ralph Fiennes is excellent as a Cardinal in the unsought position of organizing and directing the College of Cardinals in a conclave to pick the next Pope of the Catholic Church. CONCLAVE is twisty and intrigue-filled, a smart, well-acted ensemble film that blends political thriller and psychological drama. CONCLAVE is suffused with startlingly beautiful images, and boasts an excellent cast that also includes Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and a marvelous Isabella Rossellini, as a nun who suddenly injects some pointed words into this man’s-world gathering. (review)
Director James Mangold helms this biopic with Timothee Chalamet as a young Bob Dylan at the beginning of his career in New York’s folk music community, up to the famous pivotal moment when he split with the folk music movement, and went electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. In this warts-and-all biopic, Chalamet is both charming and callous as the talented Dylan, but Edward Norton is astonishing as he channels folk legend Pete Seeger, in this excellent biopic filled with wonderful music.
In theaters Christmas Day.
1. SING SING – Michelle
The stellar performance from the Oscar-nominated Colman Domingo (RUSTIN), as well as many real-life formerly incarcerated men who were themselves alumni of the program during their incarceration at Sing Sing, lands the #1 spot on our list. Already having received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama, Domingo is brilliant as John “Divine G” Whitfield, gives one of the great performances of the last decade (and a lifetime) and there’s no other choice this year – he is the obvious winner for the Academy Awards Best Actor Oscar.
Cinematographer Pat Scola said of the theme of SING SING (review), “the film is about men finding their humanity inside of this place behind these walls and it’s about to the joy and warmth and heartbreak of everything that these men go through inside.” (interview) The ending is made even more compelling with the original song “Like A Bird” written and performed by Grammy-winning artist Adrian Quesada of the Black Pumas and breakout artist Abraham Alexander.
The artists sought to capture the infinite complexity of the moment – the song and the movie helps the audience to see someone’s longing for freedom, immerse themselves in empathy and tops our list as the best film of 2024.
Streaming to rent: YouTube, Apple, Amazon, and Vudu
Below are the Geeks individual favorites of the year…
Cate’s Top Ten Films of 2024
THE BRUTALIST
SEED OF THE SACRED FIG
CONCLAVE
SING SING
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
QUEER
NOSFERATU
NICKEL BOYS
LA CHIMERA
THE APPRENTICE
HM: STRANGE DARLING, WALLACE AND GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL, ANORA, THE SUBSTANCE, HARD TRUTHS.
Jim’s Top Ten Films of 2024
SATURDAY NIGHT
INSIDE OUT 2
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY
SEPTEMBER 5
WICKED
WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL
REMEMBERING GENE WILDER
THE APPRENTICE
DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE
HM: STRANGE DARLING, LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, THE WILD ROBOT, WOMAN OF THE HOUR.
Michelle’s Top Ten Filmsof 2024
ALIEN: ROMULUS
KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
SING SING
CONCLAVE
TRANSFORMERS ONE
A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE
THE FALL GUY
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
THE WILD ROBOT
STRANGE DARLING
HM: THE BEEKEEPER, LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, ONE LIFE, INSTIGATORS, ABIGAIL, ODDITY, FIRST OMEN, FLOW, REBEL RIDGE.
File this under: “TV series that were so excellent they felt like movies” – SHOGUN and THE PENGUIN.
And the STAR TREK film, UNIFICATION. It reminded us what made Star Trek so special!
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
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
