Tag: Amanda Seyfried

THE TESTMENT OF ANN LEE – Review

Amanda Siegfried gives a powerful and fearless performance in this drama based on the true story of Ann Lee, the founder of Shaker religious community in 1774 Colonial America. Director/co-writer Mona Fastvold’s historical drama THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE depicts both the life and legend of Ann Lee, the leading light of this religious movement in Britain and then the New World, a faith community known now mostly it’s creation of beautiful practical objects and its lovely hymns, but which also preached gender and social class equality, worshiped through dance and song, and embraced a celibate communal life.

Director Mona Fastvold was inspired to make this historical drama after hearing Shaker songs, and the film is a musical of sorts, with music inspired by Shaker hymns and choreography that recalls the Shakers’ wild religiously ecstatic, whole-body movement way of worship. The musical scenes are striking and integrated logically into the film as moments of worship, using traditional Shaker hymns for choreography by Celia Rowlson-Hall (Vox Lux) that re-imagines the rapturous movements of Shakers rather than strictly recreating them.

Director/co-writer Mona Fastvold and her film-making partner Brady Corbet are the creative team who made THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE, but they were also the creative pair behind last year’s THE BRUTALIST. While the architect character in that film was fictional, Ann Lee was a real person, a historical figure that Fastvold felt deserved more attention, a rare woman religious leader in the late 1700s who rose to head a religious following in England, and then established the religious community in America, just as the country was being born. Like the pair’s previous film, THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE features outstanding cinematography, great acting, and a moving story.

Fastvold leans into the myth and legend of Ann Lee rather than focusing only on facts, although the film is basically historically accurate, apart from a little time shifting for dramatic purposes.

However, it must be said that it is very helpful to already know something about the Shakers beyond that they made beautiful, elegant furniture and wrote a lovely hymn, “Simple Gifts,” that composer Aaron Copeland used in “Appalachian Spring.” The film is light on exposition, despite having a narrator, and really does not give much information on the Shakers until some title cards at the film’s end. Yes, it can be considered a flaw that the film assumes you know more about the Shakers, but a little advance research does enhance the viewing of this ambitious and worthwhile biographical film.

This true story is dramatic, but Amanda Siegfried gives a strikingly raw, no-holds-barred performance as this female religious leader, something very rare then. All this takes place during an era of new utopian religious communities, many of which were drawn to rural Colonial America. People who didn’t fit in to European societies were often drawn to these new faiths.

Thomasin McKenzie narrates, a bit in the style of a myth, the sometimes raw, unblinking, emotional biographical drama. It tells Ann Lee’s story in three parts, beginning with her impoverished childhood in grimy, rough Manchester. The film takes us through Ann Lee’s introduction to and then ascendancy in the British Quaker offshoot then known as the Shaking Quakers, and then to her founding of the Shaker community in Colonial America.

Ann was the second oldest of eight children. With their mother dead, their blacksmith father struggles to make a living, even with a second job as a tailor. Ann and the older children are expected to help out and earn extra cash with little tasks where they can. There is no money for education. Even as a child, Ann is deeply religious, and very close to her younger brother William, and offended and appalled by the sinfulness she see all around her in gritty Manchester.

In the film’s second part, Ann (Amanda Seyfried), now grown, is looking for something more life-changing than the Quaker faith of her family. Hearing about a new branch of the Quakers, called the “Shaking Quakers,” who embrace worshiping through shaking dance and chanting and have more radical beliefs about equality, she and her brother William (Lewis Pullman) seek them out. There they find a spiritual home, and new ideas. Ann also meets the man who became her husband Abraham Standerin (Christopher Abbott). With her fervent belief and charismatic personality, Ann Lee, despite being illiterate, rises in the congregation to become its leader.

In the third part, Ann’s bold, and loud, public worship makes her a target of British authorities, which lands her in jail and an asylum. The persecution ultimately leads her to decide, 1774, to move to Colonial America, along with a group of followers, to establish a utopian Shaker community in rural New York. Meanwhile, after losing all four of her children in birth or shortly after, Ann at the same time concludes that God is telling her that sex is the Original Sin, which leads her proclaim that and tell her followers that renouncing it is the only path to salvation.

This third portion of the film focuses on Ann after this point and as she establishes their utopian Shaker community in pre-Revolutionary, and then Revolutionary, America.

One of the most striking aspects of this film is Amanda Seyfried’s wild, fierce, fearless performance. Be warned that some scenes are unblinkingly, harshly realistic or even, with the birth scenes, bordering on graphic. Another striking aspect are the highly-choreographed singing and dancing sequences. They represent the Shaker’s form of worship, but are certainly not an authentic depiction, although they are beautiful and moving. Yet another aspect to note is the filmmaker’s embrace of myth and tales of Ann Lee almost on an equal footing with the known facts about her, although it mostly follows those.

Still, this is a remarkable film, notable for its visual beauty, remarkable cinematography and powerful performances, making it a film worthy of your time as it throws a spotlight on this too-little known female leader of a religious movement.

THE TESTMENT OF ANN LEE opens in theaters on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

THE HOUSEMAID (2025) – Review

Sydney Sweeney as Millie and Amanda Seyfried as Nina in The Housemaid. Photo Credit: Daniel McFadden/Lionsgate

Ho, ho, ho, Hollywood is coming home for the holidays. Oh, but what a home. The domicile featured in this new movie is exquisite, lush, the stuff of “house and garden” fever dreams. But the looks are indeed deceiving. That’s because some deadly, dark secrets are tucked behind those pricey but tasteful furnishings. No doubt countless weekly book clubs explored this when the literary inspiration for this new release came out just a little over three years ago. Now, it’s getting the full “studio movie” adaptation, with a screen vet and a sizzling “hot” rising star cast in the title role of THE HOUSEMAID.


That title refers to a young woman in her early twenties named Millie (Sydney Sweeney). She’s certainly at a crossroads in her life as she tries to find work, Any work, Why the rejections? We learn that she’s got a lot of “baggage”, namely a criminal record requiring her to check in with a parole officer who insists that she be employed. As the story begins, Millie is interviewing for the position of “general housekeeper (or that earlier title)” at a ritzy, right from the pages of “Architectural Digest” New Jersey estate. Quizzing her is the “lady of the house”, the gorgeous, blonde, refined Nina (Amanda Seyfried). After being told that the gig would involve cleaning, light cooking, helping with her ten-year-old daughter Cecilia (Indiana Elle), Nina bids Millie adieu, insisting that she’ll “be in touch”. Thinking that this was the “brush off” Millie hunkers down in her “beater” of a “home on wheels” for another long, cold night parked in an empty lot. Just as the cops tap on the car door, she gets a call from Nina offering the position. Millie zips over where Nina gives her the tour, taking her to the top floor location of Millie’s attic bedroom. Is this perfect, or what? Well, Millie meets the “master of the house”, Nina’s hunky hubby Andrew (Brandon Sklenar). No, no,no, she’s determined to keep things “professional”. But after the first night there, she gets a “front row seat” to a Nina “freak out”. This is the first of many scenes of erratic behavior from her, leading to threats of dismissal. Millie endures, needing to work, or it’s back to jail. But can she take the bizarre behavior and the unpredictable mania of Nina? And what’s up with the dark, brooding groundskeeper, the stoic Enzo (Michele Morone)? Could this dream home be the epicenter of a “nightmare manor” for Millie? And just what was her crime?

That “hot” darling of current pop culture is that “super-nova” Ms. Sweeney, who is given a chance to carry the dramatic weight of this tale. Though she burst out (I’ll not make a wardrobe comment), a couple of years ago, she’s bounced (watch it) from forgettable rom-coms to generic thrillers (though she did very well with a supporting role in ECHO VALLEY), she’s not gotten a real chance to test her star-power until this. Yes, Millie is often the victim that the audience frets over, but we also see her taking charge to find the truth. And she also embarks on a swoony forbidden romance, until Sweeney becomes a full action heroine. For much of the film she must hold the screen with the equally compelling charisma of Seyfried, whose Nina may be the “showier” role as she careens from sweet to unhinged with little warning, like a human pinball ricocheting off the tasteful-texured walls. With her wide expressive eyes, she draws us into the world of this pampered domestic diva, prepping us for another abrupt switch as we’re plunged into her own past. Sklenar is a slick, smooth charmer whose sympathy often feels too good to be true as he becomes Millie’s secret ally during Nina’s explosive displays. Morone emits a suave, sinister vibe as the terse gardener who seems to magically appear in Millie’s eyeline (yes, “jump-scares” a’plenty). Elle is also strong as the pouty, snooty rich kid who will not warm up to Millie, despite her efforts. Also of note is Alexandra Seal as Officer Conners,, a local cop who might just have a connection to the mysteries of the mansion.

Orchestrating all the over-the-top mayhem and machinations is acclaimed comedy director (the guru of that TV gem, “Freaks and Geeks”), Paul Feig. But he’s in a different “mode” here from the inspired hilarity of BRIDESMAIDS and THE HEAT. Instead, he’s diving into the sparkly “high class” camp of his thriller parody A SIMPLE FAVOR (and let’s erase that lackluster sequel from our memory, shall we) to create another homage to the classic “women’s pictures” of Hollywood’s “golden age”. Think back to that classic first film of THE WOMEN, where screen sirens “faced off” to fight for their desires (I guess there’s also a pinch of the Davis/Crawford dynamic from WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE). Here two extremely photogenic blondes battle for “the whole enchilada”, going just short of hair-pulling and punching (there’s some physical stuff in the finale). Plus, there’s even a take on the whole “rescued princess” fantasy that Feig expertly trashes. Speaking of, yes this is really good “high gloss” trash, a super-sized, souped up version of all the over-heated, soapy, sudsy, made for basic-cable TV thrillers, given a studio sheen. This superior silliness is lifted by Rebecca Sonnenshines’ juicy screenplay adaptation of the bestseller from Freida McFadden (guessing it was seen at last of beach pools over the last couple of summers). And with all the high fashion and furnishing, we still get a solid tale of strong ladies “gettin’ it done”. Speaking of, here’s hoping that these two are teamed once more (Seyfried and Sweeney certainly hammered that home in their press tour). During the cold Winter of somber Oscar hopefuls, take a fluffy, popcorn break with THE HOUSEMAID.

3 Out of 4

THE HOUSEMAID opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, December 19, 2025

THINGS HEARD & SEEN – Review

With Spring in full bloom through most of the country, many cooped-up urbanites are longing for a sweet getaway, perhaps at a quaint old cottage. Even a century-old farmhouse would do for a nice rest. Ah, but what if someone was already there and refusing to rest. Or stay in the “underworld”? Oh yes, it’s haunted house time at the movies (or at least the number one movie streaming service). No, it’s not another mission for those 1970s paranormal “PIs”, the Warrens, though they’ll be back soon in another entry in the ever-expanding CONJURING series (what, they’ve got like four spin-offs, already). No, this time it’s pure fiction (yes, those other flicks are hotly debated certainly), and it springs ahead into the start of the next decade. Otherwise, it’s a new take on yet another attractive young family as they begin to unravel due to those unexplained, late at night (usually) THINGS HEARD & SEEN.

And those “things” are in full swing as the film begins in the winter of 1980. A young “thirtysomething” man encounters them as he pulls his car into the garage of his somewhat desolate farmhouse home. The story takes a fast rewind to the previous Spring in an NYC apartment where he, artist/historian George Claire (James Norton), and art-restorer wife Catherine (Amanda Seyfried) are hosting a fourth birthday party for their adorable daughter Franny (Ana Sophis Heger). But actually, it’s an excuse for them to drink with their city friends and family, and to announce that George has accepted a teaching internship at upstate Saginaw College. All a cause for celebration, but Amanda’s eating disorder hints at cracks in the happy union. But soon the relocation plans begin as an anxious local real estate agent in Chosen, NY, Mare (Karen Allen) takes the Claires to a 100-year-old four-bedroom former dairy farm known as the Snit (later Vayle) house. It’s a “fixer-upper”, but Catherine’s ready for the challenge as Michael meets with the head of the school’s art department, Floyd DeBeers (F. Murray Abraham). One morning Catherine is surprised when two local young men knock on the door and inquire about work. She hires them with post highschooler Eddie (Alex Neustaedter) as “fix-it man” and his pre-teen brother Cole (Jack Gore0 as a babysitter for Frannie. But something’s just “off”. The lights flicker at night, while intense gasoline exhaust smells waft through the home. Cate’s discovery of an old family Bible raises many questions, while George becomes distracted by a wispy young woman working at a nearby stable, Willis (Natalia Dyer). As Floyd helps to set up a seance (unknown to George) with Cate, the college weaving teacher Justine (Rhea Seehorn) becomes friends with Cate as she begins to question George’s motives and his past. Will these otherworld forces at the new home add to the tensions in the increasingly shaky marriage? And are these “entities” trying to help or harm Catherine?

With those intense expressive eyes, it seems that Seyfried was custom-made to headline ‘spook shows ‘ of this nature. Certainly, but she also carries the emotional weight of the story’s dramatic arc. Although she adores her child, Catherine tries to clamp down on her depressive thoughts and uncertainties, which rises to the surface with that early episode of closeted bulimia. Sure, Seyfried shows us a woman facing the unknown, the same forces that somehow liberate the repressed artist. Curiosity triumphs over terror as Catherine becomes a hidden sleuth, giving her the strength to stand up to the smothering arrogant George. Norton nails his villainous spouse role using his charming smile to get himself out of sticky situations while seducing every easily swayed young woman (the female students swoon at his lectures as though he was a certain Dr. Jones). His smugness and privilege mask his inner evil. Ah, but a few see thru his slick veneer, especially Dyer as the too wise for her years Willis. She knows what George is after, yet can’t stop herself from giving in, as Dyler’s sad dark eyes explain it all to us. Also seeing past the hair and gleaming teeth is Seehorn’s Justine who chooses not to be moved by his B.S. and becomes the crusader that will end his career climb and also rescue Cate from his vise-like grip. She’s “running the show” while the terrific James Urbanik scores a few needed laughs as her pot-growing failed-writer house-hubby. Neustaedter raises the temps as the smoldering long-haired teen dream right from the cover of a romance paperback (complete with Fabio-style hair). Oscar-winner Abraham brings the proper gravitas to his department boss role, while also becoming a kindly mentor/father-figure to the confused Catherine. And kudos to casting two 1980s screen icons as the non-college town couple. Allen, as the sympathetic realtor, and Michael O’Keefe (CADDYSHACK) as her stoic sheriff/ husband.

Venturing into the supernatural for the first time, directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini (AMERICAN SPLENDOR) create a subtle, simmering atmosphere of dread, making this tale closer to classics like THE UNINVITED and the original THE HAUNTING rather than the current CGI-enhanced “found footage” flicks and more effects-heavy franchises. Yes, there are a few “jump scares”, but there’s little reliance on the jarring sound mix tricks that have almost become cliche. Thanks to their screenplay adaptation of Elizabeth Brundage’s novel, the unraveling of the Claire marriage has as much importance as the disembodied voices and the hovering crows (with the time frame, you may recall ORDINARY PEOPLE). The frenetic third act has some unexpected turns, that lead to a final denouncement that offers little in the way of a dramatic “pay-off’ while creating lots of questions involving logic and character motivations. But, as I mentioned, that 80s atmosphere really works (praise to those artists in costumes, hairstyles, and set decoration), and Seyfried is a sublime horror heroine. With her as our guide, it’s an engaging tour through THINGS HEARD AND SEEN.

3 Out of 4

THINGS HEARD & SEEN streams exclusively on Netflix beginning on Thursday, April 29, 2021.

MANK – Review

Class is now in session for Film History 101. And this will be on the final. Hopefully, that didn’t inspire too many nervous flashbacks, though I always looked forward to the few cinema courses I could take. Now the intro is spot on because this new film is mainly about another film that did make history, for lots of reasons. It truly stood out despite being produced during the second greatest year of Hollywood’s Golden Age (just two years after the prolific 1939). Yes, like 2012’s HITCHCOCK it is a biography of a very creative artist, but it focuses on one seminal work (PSYCHO for that earlier film). Oh, and instead of a director we now shine a much-deserved spotlight on the lowly, neglected writer, much like 2015’s TRUMBO. Well perhaps in this case not too neglected since he shared in the classic film’s only Oscar win. That iconic masterpiece is CITIZEN KANE, and its co-screenwriter is the talented Herman J. Mankiewicz, known to his many friends, and a few foes, as MANK.

Slow fade in on a dusty road near Victorville California early 1940s. A caravan of sedans pulls up to a rustic house just off a dirt road. It’s a place far away from the distractions of “Tinsel-Town”, ideal for the hard-drinking screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman). He’s been tasked to pen the movie debut of the current media darling, the 24-year-old “wunderkind” Orson Welles (Tom Burke). Along with “Mank” is one of the project’s producers John Houseman (Sam Troughton), a young typist/transcriber, British “war-bride” Rita Alexander (Lily Collins), and his personal nurse “Fraulein” Frieda (Monica Gossman), an essential aide after an auto accident (he was the unlucky passenger) has encased much of his lower body in plaster. Before leaving, Houseman phones Welles who shortens the deadline from 90 to 60 days. As Mank settles in, his mind recalls incidents from his movie work a decade prior. His nights back then are spent “in his cups” despite the efforts of his wife “poor” Sara (Tuppence Middleton). His hung-over days are confined to the legendary writers’ room at MGM under the watchful eye of its prickly, manipulative figurehead Louis B. Meyer (Arliss Howard). And despite his indulgences he becomes the adored friend and confidant of film star Marion Davies (Amanda Seyfried), not-so-secretly the “kept woman” of newspaper magnate William Randolf Hearst (Charles Dance). As the story bounces from the present to past and back again, Mack attends the lavish parties at Hearst’s San Simeon while learning of his host’s plan (helped by Meyer) to use staged propaganda newsreels to thwart Upton Sinclair’s campaign for governor. Eventually the drawbridge to Hearst Castle is closed to Mank. Could the Welles screenplay be his revenge against his former chums? As Mank denies this, will Davies really believe him? What of the efforts to shut down the production?  Will Mank be banned from the movie biz?

The title role provides a great showcase for the always compelling Oldman who plays Mank almost as a “world-weary” private eye who’d be a fixture in flicks later in that decade. Even in those flashbacks, we know that Mank’s been through enough heartache and disappointment to send most screenwriters off to the pawnshop to “hock” their typewriters. But as “down” as he gets, Mank still has the perfect verbal “burn”, which Oldman tosses off effortlessly. Despite his dour demeanor, Oldman shows us Mank’s humanity whether he’s helping out a panhandling pal or commiserating with screen royalty. Speaking of which, the film’s most delightful surprise is the dazzling turn by Seyfried as Davies. With her bright expressive eyes, she projects a magnetism that captivates everyone around her from lowly laborers to boozy writers to “gazillionaires”. Seyfried conveys her mischievous wit but really gets to the heart of her character as she opens up about her “beau”. It seems that the “princess locked in the tower” (she keeps a radio-telephone stashed away for private calls) is really in love with her “captor”. Let’s hope this leads to more frequent film roles for the talented Ms. S. As for the other women in Mank’s life, Collins is good as the no-nonsense assistant, but the role seems too similar to the secretary in Oldman’s DARKEST HOUR. Much the same can be said for Middleton who tries, often in vain, to steer her hubby away from her indulgent impulses. Troughton is perfectly prim and pompous as the stuffy Houseman, while Burke is the ultimate “big dog” treating every room as his theatre, as the bellowing Welles. And happily, there are some great villains for Oldman to confront. Howard’s Meyer projects a “kindly grandpa” persona that masks a cruel vindictive “penny-pincher”, while Dance is a looming, smiling cobra as Hearst, ready to strike at any affront, his venom poisoning his decadent opulent surroundings.

Director David Fincher, working with the screenplay by his late father Jack, has crafted a wonderful homage to the legacy of KANE while utilizing many of its techniques (the slow fade to black, focused foregrounds and backgrounds, high angle shots, etc.). Though there are a few movie trivia slip-ups (no Wolfman in the early 30s), most of the film lore is solid. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross contribute a lush, haunting score that has just a hint of Herriman. But the film’s greatest asset (aside from Oldman and Seyfried) may be the superb silvery black and white cinematography by Erik Messerschmidt with its languid deep shadows shattered by blazing white shafts of sunlight. He captures the glorious kitsch of Simeon while hinting that it may be a gilded gold prison in the future. The visuals make some of the pacing problems a bit more bearable. The whole “sacrificial lamb” to the power-grabbing duo subplot feels heavy-handed and obvious. Plus the countless scenes of a shuffling, drunken chain-smoking Mank with his comb-over dangling over one eye as he slurs sloshy soliloquies becomes repetitive as the film lurches slowly forward. At least we have ample time to gaze longingly at the fabulous fashions and aristocratic autos of the long-gone gods of the screen. MANK is an adoring, slightly bloated, look back at the creative process that birthed a true piece of cinema that will inspire generations to come.

3 out of 4

MANK is playing in select theatres and streams exclusively on Netflix beginning Friday, December 4th, 2020.

Blumhouse’s YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT Sinister Trailer Stars Kevin Bacon And Amanda Seyfried – On Demand June 19

Available to rent on many streaming services – perfect during these warm days of summer 2020 – comes the film YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT.

In a new psychological thriller from Blumhouse Productions and legendary screenwriter David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Panic Room), Kevin Bacon and Amanda Seyfried star as a couple seeking a restful vacation on an isolated edge of the world only to discover that secrets demand a reckoning … and travel with you.

Check out the trailer now and rent the movie on June 19.

In this terrifying, mind-twisting tale, a father fights desperately to save his family from a beautiful home that refuses to let them leave.

Theo Conroy (Bacon) is a successful middle-aged man whose marriage to his much younger actress wife, Susanna (Seyfried) is shredding at the seams, frayed by her secretiveness, his jealousy, and the shadow of his past.

(from left) Susanna Conroy (Amanda Seyfried) and Theo Conroy (Kevin Bacon) in You Should Have Left, written and directed by David Koepp.

In an effort to repair their relationship, Theo and Susanna book a vacation at a stunning, remote modern home in the Welsh countryside for themselves and their six-year-old daughter, Ella (Avery Essex). What at first seems like a perfect retreat distorts into a perfect nightmare when Theo’s grasp on reality begins to unravel and he suspects that a sinister force within the house knows more than he or Susanna have revealed, even to each other.

https://www.youshouldhaveleftmovie.com/

Kevin Bacon as Theo Conroy in You Should Have Left, written and directed by David Koepp.

Based on the novel by best-selling German literary sensation Daniel Kehlmann (Measuring the World), You Should Have Left is written and directed by David Koepp (Stir of Echoes). The film is produced by grandmaster of terror Jason Blum (The Purge and Halloween franchises), Kevin Bacon and Dean O’Toole (Walk Like a Panther), and is executive produced by Jeanette Volturno, Couper Samuelson and Derek Ambrosi.

(forefront, from left) Kevin Bacon and writer/director David Koepp on the set of You Should Have Left.

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN – Review

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is the third film I’ve seen theatrically so far this year narrated by a dog. A DOG’S JOURNEY and its cheesy-but-sweet knockoff A DOG’S WAY HOME showed that a dogs-eye view of the world can make for funny, refreshing and insightful cinema. THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN starts out well, but the story quickly turns sad, then morose, then unsavory, then unbearably dull, falling into one predictable cliché after another. Though it comes with a stronger pedigree than the other two films (it was based on an acclaimed novel by Garth Stein), it’s easily the worst of the three.

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN begins with an old, dying golden retriever (voiced by Kevin Costner) reflecting on the highlights of his life and that of the beloved human who’d adopted him, amateur Formula One driver Denny Swift (a bland Milo Ventimiglia).  He’s named Enzo after Italian motor racing legend Enzo Ferrari. Soon after getting Enzo, Denny falls hard for a pretty teacher named Eve (Amanda Seyfried). Though Eve’s wealthy parents Maxwell (Martin Donovan) and Trish (Kathy Baker) don’t approve of Denny’s risky profession, they marry and have a daughter, Zoë, who’s born when Denny is away racing in Daytona. Except for the loneliness that Enzo feels because Denny is spending more time pursuing his racing career, everything goes well for the young family in the early years. But tragedies happen in quick succession. Eve becomes ill with brain cancer (Enzo smells it early on) and moves in with her protective parents, taking Zoe with her. Then after about an hour of cancer drama, Eve dies and a battle ensues between Denny and his hateful in-laws who are so cruel they serve Denny with custody papers for little Zoë the day he buries his wife (though of course they are redeemed at the end). Through the ensuing tumultuous time, Enzo remains Denny’s steadfast friend, and a rambling witness to wrongs perpetrated against his human.

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN has a pulse during the race track scenes but those are few and far between. The problem with the film (and it’s a big one) is that the middle 85 minutes (of a 110 minute film) is a cheap series of dramas little better than a daily soap opera that focus on cancer, death, child custody issues, bankruptcy, an auto accident, and a lame courtroom battle. Enzo occasionally comments on the melodrama with his less-than-insightful narration, but the story’s never really about him. The whole racing theme only exists so metaphors can be shoved down the audience’s throat with platitudes like “your car goes where your eyes go”.

As Enzo, a gravelly voiced Kevin Costner sounds like a highly educated adult male bemoaning his inability to speak and his lack of opposable thumbs. I assume this dialog must have worked better in the novel (his favorite word seems to be ‘manifest’). Enzo claims he’s so wise because he watches TV and has educated himself to go off on these philosophical rants and is ready to go to the next life reborn as a human. This is another area where A DOG’S JOURNEY got it right. The dog’s voice in that was Josh Gad, who seemed to speaking in that excitable “I’ve-just-met-you-and-now-I-love-you” tone and saying dumb things I hope an actual dog might say if one could talk rather than the tiresome and preachy new age bromides here.

I’m not saying THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN lacks emotion. It’s a tear-jerker of the highest order, blatantly tugging hard at the heart strings but there is nothing truly thoughtful or novel here. You’ve got a sweet little girl, a young mother suffering from cancer, and a devoted dog that grows old and dies. With these hard-to-resist elements it’s easy to wring tears out of an audience. There seemed to be plenty of sniffles in the screening I attended, but I wasn’t buying it this time. I usually enjoy a bit of sentimentality, but, especially with its treacly score and maudlin songs on the soundtrack, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN produces more eye-rolling than tears.

1 of 4 Stars

Paul Schrader’s FIRST REFORMED Arrives on Blu-ray and DVD August 21st


From legendary writer-director Paul Schrader (Raging Bull, Taxi Driver), First Reformed arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital) and DVD on August 21 from Lionsgate. Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke (Best Supporting Actor, Boyhood, 2014) is “better than ever” (IndieWire, Eric Kohn) alongside Amanda Seyfried and, in a powerful dramatic turn, Cedric the Entertainer.

 The film, Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh, is being hailed as “an epiphany” (The New York Times, A.O. Scott) and “one of the mind-bending treasures of recent cinema” (The New Yorker, Richard Brody). The First Reformed Blu-ray and DVD release includes a never-before-seen featurette and audio commentary with director Paul Schrader and will be available for the suggested retail price of $24.99 and $19.98, respectively.

Reverend Ernst Toller (Hawke) is a solitary, middle-aged parish pastor at a struggling church. When a pregnant parishioner (Seyfried) asks the reverend to counsel her husband, Toller is plunged into his own tormented past-and equally despairing future-until he finds redemption.

BLU-RAY/DVD/DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES

  • Audio Commentary with Director Paul Schrader
  • “Discernment: Contemplating First Reformed” Featurette

CAST

Ethan Hawke                         Boyhood, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Amanda Seyfried                    Love the Coopers, Mama Mia!, Mean Girls, Les Misérables

and Cedric Kyles                   TV’s “The Last O.G.”, Why Him?

 

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN – Review

(L to R) Young Tanya (JESSICA KEENAN WYNN), Young Donna (LILY JAMES) and Young Rosie (ALEXA DAVIES) in “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.” Ten years after “Mamma Mia! The Movie,” you are invited to return to the magical Greek island of Kalokairi in an all-new original musical based on the songs of ABBA. Photo courtesy of Universal Studios.

The sequel MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN is explosion of late ’70s spandex and glitter set to the tune of ABBA hits, which is just what fans of the original MAMMA MIA! are looking for.

For fans of either the stage musical, its movie adaptation or even just ABBA songs, this sequel hits all the right marks. Set on a sun-drenched Greek island where nothing very bad happens, it is light, sentimental romantic comedy packed to the rafters with those absurd late ’70s-early ’80s fashions. It is also filled with song and dance production numbers, each one topping the one before and all set to ABBA songs. For those less enthused about the Swedish disco-pop band or lacking nostalgia for mid-to-late ’70s fashions of gold lame and flowery pink overalls, no need to bother. This one is strictly for the fans.

The original MAMMA MIA! stage musical uncovered a nostalgia for the bouncy pop hits of Swedish band ABBA. The Broadway hit musical was a romantic comedy centered on a wedding on an idyllic Greek island, where unbeknownst to her free-spirited single mom, the young bride has secretly invited her three possible dads. In the 2008 movie version, Meryl Streep played the mom Donna with Amanda Seyfried as daughter Sophie, and Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skargard and Colin Firth as the potential dads, successful architect Sam, Swedish playboy Bill, and shy rich guy Harry. Doubtless the sequel will make the leap back to the stage, now that the original musical has done its farewell tour.

The sequel tells dual, alternating stories. The first continues from the first movie, about daughter Sophie (Seyfried) and her struggles as she prepares for the grand opening to re-launch the tarverna her late mom Donna ran as a newly-renovated fancy hotel. The other story is a sort of origin tale, a flashback to Donna,played by Lily James, as a young woman in the ’70s. The dual story was an inspired idea, tapping into fans’ love of the original while keeping things more interesting than either plot probably could on its own.

Apparently there is a great hunger among big name stars, particularly older ones, to appear in a light-hearted musical, as the sequel boasts an impressive cast. The original cast returns with Seyfried as Sophie, Brosnan as architect Sam, Colin Firth as shy rich guy Harry and Stellan Skarsgard as Scandinavian playboy Bill. Dominic Copper again plays Sophie’s husband Sky and Christine Baranski and Julie Walters are back as Donna’s friends Tanya and Rosie. Even Streep makes an appearance. New cast members include Lily James as the young Donna, but also Andy Garcia as the mysterious Fernando, Sophie’s hotel manager in the contemporary story, and Cher, appropriately, as Sophie’s glam rock star grandma.

The sequel’s writer/director Ol Parker directed THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL, which also has a young/old theme. The music is all ABBA and band members/composers Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus are executive producers.

Basically, its a mom movie, based on nostalgia for ABBA and for musicals generally, but have a sense of fun and the young that some others of that type lack. The cast is enthusiastic and there is a campy charm to the sequel, despite the risk of sparkly spandex overdose. It does have a hook for younger audiences with the parallel tale about young Donna, played perfectly by the appealing Lily James. The two-track story keeps the pace humming along and provides lots of room for humor, sweet sentiment, sunny scenery and musical numbers.

The ensemble musical numbers are among the film’s most enjoyable moments, sprinkled with high-energy dancing and acrobatics by the chorus. While the first one used up most of the Swedish band’s big hits, the sequel does feature the one the original missed, “Waterloo,” the band’s breakout hit. It is featured in the young Donna story, in a rather crazy production number set in a Paris cafe with waiters are dressed in Napoleonic uniforms. Fan favorite songs “Mamma Mia” and “Dancing Queen” get a second outing in new colorful production numbers.

Comedy, romance and sentiment are all part of the musical mix. As is often the case, Christine Baranski steals much of the comedy spotlight, delivering her lines and zingers with accuracy and style. The dads get less screen time in this one, although Stellan Skarsgard has a little fun with a dual role, but Andy Garcia gets a nice featured role as the romantic and mysterious Fernando, as well as being focus of a musical number using the song of that name. The wildly energetic, color-filled and splashy ensemble musical numbers are among the film’s best moments. There is more comedy than romance in the sequel but there are sad or dramatic moments too. There is one particularly sweet, touching scene between Streep and Seyfried that is a sure tear-jerker.

For those who loved the first movie or the stage musical, this sequel hits all the right notes, in all the sparkly, sky-blue and pink spandex fans could want.

RATING: 31/2 out of 5 stars

FIRST REFORMED – Review


Writer/director Paul Schrader’s FIRST REFORMED is a spellbinding film, smart and suspenseful, one of the best so far this year. Ethan Hawke stars as Reverend Ernst Toller, the pastor of First Reformed, a modest Dutch church in upstate New York that had once served as a safe house for slaves as part of the Underground Railroad. Founded in 1767, the church is prepping for its 250th anniversary reconsecration ceremony to be attended by various local leaders. Toller, haunted by his son’s death in Iraq and his subsequent divorce, leads a simple and lonely life, spending more time giving tours of the church’s historical grounds than actually preaching to the small handful of regular parishioners.  His life finds purpose when confronted by Mary (Amanda Seyfried) a desperate young woman named in need of his guidance. She is pregnant, but her husband Michael (Philip Ettinger), is demanding she have an abortion. Toller meets with Michael, a climate change obsessive convinced Earth will soon be reduced to a burning wasteland. Mary’s troubles become more dire when she discovers her husband’s suicide bomb vest in the garage. But Toller has his own problems. He’s peeing blood and his doctor suspects stomach cancer. He finds comfort only in booze and his writings in a journal where he scrawls out an increasingly disturbed longhand confession. Toller rejects Esther (Victoria Hill), a woman he was briefly involved with and who now leads the choir at Abundant Life, though she’s the only one who seems to care about his health.  Abundant Life is a nearby megachurch which owns First Reformed and is led by Joel Jeffers (Cedric Kyles, aka Cedric the Entertainer), a pastor who preaches a flashier brand of gospel built more around materialism and entertainment  than forgiveness of sins. Toller connects Abundant Life to what he sees as the immorality of the energy industry through Balq (Michael Gaston), the CEO of a company that donates heavily to the mega-church and is one of the sponsors of First Reformed’s upcoming anniversary ceremony. Balq’s firm, Toller uncovers to his horror, is one of the country’s leading polluters. Toller’s grip on reality loosens as he aims his righteous fury.

Paul Schrader, best known for directing AMERICAN GIGOLO, HARDCORE, CAT PEOPLE (and writing  TAXI DRIVER and ROLLING THUNDER) has been making serious and challenging films like FIRST REFORMED for decades, yet it’s the first of his films to play St. Louis screens since AUTO FOCUS in 2002.  It’s a powerful look at the mixing of faith and political activism and by combining Biblical prophecies with progressive principles about the fate of the earth and the terrorist strategies of Islamist fundamentalists, Schrader has created an timely and plausible tale. All of the performances are outstanding, especially a smartly-cast Cedric Lyles and an angelic Amanda Seyfried, but this is Ethan Hawke’s show and it’s the best performance I’ve ever seen him give. The actor does a magnificent job showing the inner turmoil and despair brewing inside Ernst Toller and he’s so good I can’t imagine anyone else in the role. Don’t miss FIRST REFORMED.

5 of 5 Stars

FIRST REFORMED opens in St. Louis June 1st at Landmark’s The Tivoli Theater and Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Theater

Here’s the First Trailer for Paul Schrader’s FIRST REFORMED Starring Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried


FIRST REFORMED, the festival hit from the visionary writer of TAXI DRIVER opens in theaters May 18.


Here’s the new trailer for FIRST REFORMED:

Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke) is a solitary, middle-aged parish pastor at a small Dutch Reform church in upstate New York on the cusp of celebrating its 250th anniversary. Once a stop on the Underground Railroad, the church is now a tourist attraction catering to a dwindling congregation, eclipsed by its nearby parent church, Abundant Life, with its state-of-the-art facilities and 5,000-strong flock. When a pregnant parishioner (Amanda Seyfried) asks Reverend Toller to counsel her husband, a radical environmentalist, the clergyman finds himself plunged into his own tormented past, and equally despairing future, until he finds redemption in an act of grandiose violence. From writer-director Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver; American Gigolo; Affliction) comes a gripping thriller about a crisis of faith that is at once personal, political, and planetary.