GREEN BOOK – Review

 

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

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

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

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

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

5 Out of 5

 

The Gang Is Back In New Poster And Trailer For THE LEGO MOVIE 2

Emmet ventures to another universe in the new trailer for THE LEGO MOVIE 2, in cinemas February 8, 2019.

“The LEGO® Movie 2” reunites the heroes of Bricksburg in an all new action-packed adventure to save their beloved city. It’s been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are facing a huge new threat: LEGO DUPLO® invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than they can rebuild. The battle to defeat them and restore harmony to the LEGO universe will take Emmet, Lucy, Batman and their friends to faraway, unexplored worlds, including a strange galaxy where everything is a musical. It will test their courage, creativity and Master Building skills, and reveal just how special they really are.

Reprising their fan-favorite characters from “The LEGO Movie” are Chris Pratt as Emmet, Elizabeth Banks as Lucy (aka Wyldstyle), Will Arnett as LEGO BatmanTM, Nick Offerman as Metal Beard, and Alison Brie as Unikitty. They are joined by Tiffany Haddish, Stephanie Beatriz, and Arturo Castro as, respectively, new characters Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi, Sweet Mayhem and Ice Cream Cone.

“The LEGO Movie 2” opens in 2D and 3D beginning February 8, 2019.

The film is being produced by Dan Lin, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Roy Lee, the team behind the LEGO film franchise since “The LEGO Movie” debuted in 2014.

BATMAN is trademark of and © DC Comics.
LEGO, DUPLO, the LEGO logo, the minifigure and the brick and knob configuration are trademarks of The LEGO Group. ©2018 The LEGO Group. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

See Rudolph and the Snow Miser at THE MAGIC SMOKING MONKEY HOLIDAY SHOW Beginning November 30th


Many TV specials from our childhood, like Rankin/Bass’ Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1966), were based on popular Christmas songs. In 1974, Rankin/Bass produced yet another popular Christmas special, The Year Without a Santa Claus, based loosely on Phyllis McGinley’s 1956 book of the same name. Two supporting characters created specifically for the special, Snow Miser and Heat Miser, are unusual fictional characters in the annals of television; several of their fans have devoted entire websites to them, and even Snow Miser’s song was paid tribute in a scene from the 1997 film BATMAN AND ROBIN


Now those Rankin/Bass animated TV classics don’t stand a chance when St. Louis Shakespeare’s The Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre takes them on stage beginning November 30th. The uber-talented Smoking Monkeys adapt a cult film (or TV show) into an onstage farce once a year. PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, REEFER MADNESS, GLEN OR GLENDA, THE STAR WARS TRILOGY, THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES, and STUPEFY!: THE 90-MINUTE HARRY POTTER have all been the victims of sidesplitting, Pythonesque parody courtesy of The Smoking Monkeys in previous years. This time these lunatic thespians are calling their show ‘The Magic Smoking Monkey Holiday Show’. You can catch the craziness at The Regional Arts Commission (6128 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63112)

The Magic Smoking Monkey site can be found HERE
http://www.stlshakespeare.org/pages/magic-smoking-monkey


Performances:
11/30 and 12/1 – 8PM show only
12/2 – 2PM show
12/5 and 12/6 – 8PM show
12/7 and 12/8 – 8PM and 10:30PM shows

Cost:
General Admission $15
Children 14 and younger $10

This year The Magic Smoking Monkey is partnering with Shriner’s Hospital to help make the holidays merry and bright for children in the St. Louis Area.  Bring a new, unwrapped toy to the box office with you on any night of the performance to be entered in a special drawing to win 4 tickets to a future Magic Smoking Monkey production.

Holidays Are for Lovers: SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE Returns to U.S. Theaters December 2nd and 5th

Twenty-five years ago, moviegoers fell in love with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan as two strangers searching for a soulmate in “Sleepless in Seattle.” As the romantic-comedy by director Nora Ephron marks its silver anniversary, Fathom Events and Sony Pictures Entertainment are bringing the enchanting film back to cinemas nationwide for two days only.

Tickets to “Sleepless in Seattle” are now available at www.FathomEvents.comor at participating theater box offices.

The Fathom Spotlight Series will present the 1993 box-office smash – along with a brand-new introduction by Meg Ryan and producer Gary Foster – in nearly 400 movie theaters nationwide for two days only: Sunday, December 2, at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., and Wednesday, December 5, at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (all local times).

On its release, Roger Ebert praised “Sleepless in Seattle” as a film “so warm and gentle I smiled the whole way through,” and audiences couldn’t get enough of the second of four on-screen pairings of Ryan and Hanks. (1990’s “Joe Versus the Volcano,” “You’ve Got Mail” in 1998, and Ryan’s directorial debut “Ithaca” in 2015.) Filled with the strains of hopelessly romantic popular hits, “Sleepless in Seattle” was one of the five top-grossing films of 1993 and has also been named by the American Film Institute as one of the 10 most romantic movies ever made.

It’s the tale of two romantic souls destined to be together but kept apart by fate. After the death of his wife, Sam Baldwin (Hanks) is trapped in grief, and moves from Chicago to Seattle with his 8-year-old son Jonah (Ross Malinger, in a scene-stealing role). Unsure of how to help his father get through the pain, Jonah calls a national radio show to seek the advice of a psychologist, immediately attracting the attention of millions of people, including reporter Annie Reed (Ryan). She can’t stop thinking about Sam’s predicament, even though she’s already engaged to Walter (Bill Pullman). Urged on by her best friend and editor (Rosie O’Donnell), Annie proposes a plan to meet Sam at the top of the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day … but no one is sure the meeting will happen.

“We couldn’t let 2018 come to an end without honoring one of the truly great romantic comedies as it celebrates its 25th anniversary – and we’re doubly excited to have the help of Meg Ryan and Gary Foster, whose talents were so critical to making this film a success,” said Tom Lucas, Fathom Events VP of Studio Relations.

Tristar Pictures presents “Sleepless in Seattle” with executive producers Lynda Obst and Patrick Crowley. The story is by Jeff Arch with screenplay by Nora Ephron and David S. Ward and Jeff Arch. The film was produced by Gary Foster and directed by Nora Ephron. “Sleepless in Seattle” is available on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital.

TARZAN’S GREATEST ADVENTURE Now Available on Blu-ray from Warner Archives


Exciting news! TARZAN’S GREATEST ADVENTURE (1959) is now available on Blu-ray from Warner Archives! Ordering information can  be found HERE


After Lex Barker carried the mantle clear of Weissmuller’s long shadow, Gordon Scott was free to claim the crown of King of the Jungle. His Tarzan was keen, intelligent, and literate – much as Tarzan’s creator, Edgar Rice Burroughs, had envisioned – and in the aptly named Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure, Scott’s run as the jungle lord reached a peak in what is widely regarded as one of the best entries in the prodigious series of action adventure classics. Tarzan is on a deadly trail, determined to find the diamond hunters (including Anthony Quayle and Sean Connery) who brought terror and death to a peaceful village. But as much as Tarzan is a tracker and avenger, he’s also a protector. An irresponsible gadfly from the so-called civilized world intrudes on his quest and Tarzan knows he cannot leave her to fend for herself. In this crackling 1080p HD transfer, director John Guillermin’s top notch sinewy cinema spectacle is served up as if brand new! 16×9 Widescreen

PG-13 Rated ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL Opens In Theaters This Holiday From December 12 – December 24

This December, get ready for a fairy tale that gives zero F’s.

To kick off the holiday season, the (sometimes) good guy in red is delivering the official trailer for ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL from 20th Century Fox.

Audiences of almost all ages will soon be able to enjoy the Merc with the Mouth’s reimagining of Deadpool 2 filtered through the prism of childlike innocence.

“Fox has been asking for a PG-13 basically since the start in 2006,” Ryan Reynolds told Deadline. “I’ve said no since 2006. Now, this one time, I said ‘Yes’ on two conditions. First, a portion of the proceeds had to go to charity. Second, I wanted to kidnap Fred Savage. The second condition took some explaining…”

Website: www.Deadpool.com

Fred Savage will join Reynolds in new scenes for ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL in an homage to Savage’s starring role in the 1987 bedtime-story classic THE PRINCESS BRIDE. Fred remarked, “while my participation in this film was anything but voluntary, I am happy to learn that Fudge Cancer will be the beneficiary of this shameless cash grab”

For every ticket sold, $1 will go to the charity Fudge Cancer – previously known as Fuck Cancer, who have graciously changed their name to be more PG-13 friendly for the 12 days of ONCE UPON A DEAD POOL’S release.

ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL opens in theaters for a limited engagement this holiday season from December 12 through December 24, 2018.

TONIGHT – Win A Family Four Pack To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET

Ralph Breaks the Internet in theatres Wednesday, get your tickets today: http://bit.ly/RlphBrksTix

For a chance to take the whole family TONIGHT to the St. Louis advance screening, enter your name and email below in our comments section.

No purchase necessary.

“Ralph Breaks the Internet” leaves Litwak’s video arcade behind, venturing into the uncharted, expansive and thrilling world of the internet—which may or may not survive Ralph’s wrecking. Video game bad guy Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) must risk it all by traveling to the world wide web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope’s video game, Sugar Rush. In way over their heads, Ralph and Vanellope rely on the citizens of the internet—the netizens—to help navigate their way, including a webite entrepreneur named Yesss (voice of Taraji P. Henson), who is the head algorithm and the heart and soul of trend-making site “BuzzzTube.” Directed by Rich Moore (“Zootopia,” “Wreck-It Ralph”) and Phil Johnston (co-writer “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Cedar Rapids,” co-writer “Zootopia,”), and produced by Clark Spencer (“Zootopia,” “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Bolt”), “Ralph Breaks the Internet” hits theaters on Nov. 21, 2018.

See more from Wreck-It Ralph: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WreckItRalph/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wreckitralph

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wreckitralph/

Rated PG

WIDOWS – Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RATINGS: 5 out of 5 stars

FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD – Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Overall Score: 3 out of 5

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

 

THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS – Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RATING: 5 out of 5 stars