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THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE – Review

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Oh, sure, Labor Day is just a couple of weeks away, and most kids are already back in school. However, that doesn’t mean that there can’t be a few new family-friendly flicks opening at the multiplex this weekend. Now, I’d say that next week’s big movie is truly “all-ages”, though this one opening today is really aimed at the grade-schoolers. Unlike the recent sequels and “game IP” like the Marios, here’s a feature with literary roots, proving that the big-screen adaptations aren’t limited to Seuss and C.S. Lewis. Here’s a tale taken from a book series that started way back in 1939. Not to worry, this is very much set in the modern world. It explores how some 21st-century tech-savvy pre-teens might react after encountering THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE.

This is the tale of the Thompsons. The family of five is led by dreamy stay-at-home papa Tim (Andrew Garfield) and inventor/breadwinner mama Polly (Claire Foy). They’re a bit flustered that their three kids are too attached to their “devices” and “screens”. Despite the protests of Tim, his dinnertime pasta dishes are ignored by eldest daughter Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy), son Joe (Phoenix Laroche) donning a VR visor for gaming, and concerningly quiet youngest daughter Fran (Billie Gadsdon). The meal ends as Polly returns home from work and drops a “bombshell”. She quit her appliance designer job over the company’s “spyware” being installed on her creations (a fridge that records your eating habits). And since her company owns the flat where they reside, a new home must be found. But Tim has a plan. They’ll get an old farmhouse near where he grew up, far away in the countryside, where he can harvest tomatoes for his special sauce. The kids aren’t keen on it, of course. But as they hike from the train station to their new abode, Fran sees an odd purse near the trail. Spotting something moving in the foliage, she holds it out, and the purse is snatched away…by something. Actually, the purse belongs to a fairy named Silky (Nicola Coughlan). That night, she leaves a note in Fran’s room. It’s an invite to visit her at the “Magic Faraway Tree” out in the woods. With her parents occupied with rehabbing the place (no electricity), Fran walks to the location and is greeted by Silky and her unusual pals, Moonface (Nonso Anozie), the Saucepan Man (Dustin Demri-Burns), and the washerwoman Dame Washalot (Jessica Gunning). Aside from her laundry chores, she also sends the group away to other strange realms like the “Land of Sweets”. the “Land of Birthdays”, and the ” Land of Spells”. Eventually, Fran’s siblings join her. It’s all fun and laughs until an impulsive wish wreaks havoc on the family’s new life. Can the magic of that tree somehow right this wrong and provide a “happily ever after”?


Anchoring this large, diverse cast are the two heads of the family, though they stay close to the new home rather than embark on the fantasy travels and travails. Garfield’s Tim is the optimistic, “glass half-full” go-getter, following his dream. As his partner and main cheerleader, Foy is a bit more grounded as she engulfs her offspring in the bracing warmth of maternal love. As those not-so-wee ones, Gadson’s Fran is the soft-spoken, nearly silent, adventuring explorer, ready to give in to the wonder. At the other end of the spectrum is Bennett-Cardy as the often abrasive and brash Beth, the sneering, snarky “squeaky wheel”, while Laroche’s Joe “goes with the flow” as he discovers thrills without tech. The other main “human” is the terrific Jennifer Saunders as their Gramma, who just wants the Thompsons to give up on this rural nonsense and return to the “rat race” of London. Magic and myth are well represented by Couglan as the sweet, ethereal Silky, eager to guide her new friends. Anozie’s Moonface is all royal, oblivious bluster, while Demri-Burns is quite funny and absurd as the “mis-hearing” cookware-clad sidekick. Rounding out the ensemble are plenty of delightful English legends; there’s even a “Python”, with winning “bits” from Michael Dapaah as the “goodie policeman’ (“Dun’ be greeedy!!”) and Marc Heap as the irritated and bombastic Mr. Oom Boom Boom. Perhaps the biggest villain, not counting the Beth/Gramma “tag team,” is Rebecca Ferguson who appears to be having a blast as the sour, ill-tempered horrible headmistress Dame Snap.


As I mentioned earlier, this is adapted from a celebrated book series by author Enid Blyton. Bringing it to life are director Ben Gregor and screenwriter Simon Farnaby (he worked on two of the great Paddington films). The latter does “double-duty” as the farm’s daffy caretaker (“I got wify’!”). They keep the story rolling along briskly from the “real world” to the wonder-filled lands. Kudos to the art departments for their creativity and imagination, especially on the rainbow roller-disco “Birthday” backdrops. This story is indeed filled with “wide-eyed” whimsy, but other than a dark turn with Dama Snap, it’s fairly benign and toothless, which can make the overly sweet segments treacly and far too tame. It’s a great “first movie theatre” experience for the “pre K” moppets, but for a fable railing against the onslaught of tech, TOY STORY 5 has more bite (or byte) and inspired satire. The photography gives the Farm a nice golden glow, along with a shiny fairytale focus for the interior tree and the destinations. There are some good “messages” expressed, but their delivery is strained by the sincere sweetness inside THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE.

2.5 Out of 5

THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE is now playing in select theatres

PRESSURE (2026) – Review

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How about that, here’s another movie for grown-ups in theatres near the very start of the big Summer season of blockbusters. Yes, they’re usually saved for the end of the year for the big awards. Speaking of those accolades, this new film stars an Oscar-winning actor (he grabbed the gold only a few years ago). Did I mention that it’s based on a true story? Near the end of WWII, so this celebrates that “greatest generation”. This film is all about the planning and prep for one of the greatest battles, which has been memorably recreated on screen several times. But this is from a vastly different perspective, as we don’t witness montages of the “GI Joes’ rigorously training (drills, target practice, marching, etc.). It turns out that this mission’s success or failure hinged on predicting the weather, hence the multiple meanings of the title PRESSURE.

The story begins with a simulation of D-Day. a disastrous “rehearsal” which alarms the strategist, General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser). Luckily, there’s an “ace” he has yet to play. Cut to the home of meteorologist Captain James Stagg (Andrew Scott) as he prepares breakfast for his very pregnant missus before leaving for his new assignment. He is ushered into the posh estate, Southwick House, which has been converted into a massive war room plotting the Allied invasion of Normandy. “Ike” wants his troops on the Omaha and Utah beaches on June 5, but he wants to be certain that the weather will be accommodating: no squalls, gale-force winds, or torrential downpours. Kay Summersby (Kerry Condon), Ike’s driver and personal assistant, escorts Stagg to the big “weather center” to meet with his fellow tacticians and his American “counterpart”, Captain Irving Krick (Chris Messina). The two men clash immediately, leading to countless scenarios and predictions for their concerned commander and his team of high-ranking officers, particularly Britain’s General Bernard “Monty” Montgomery (Damian Lewis). Maps are drawn, observation balloons are launched, and everyone gets “antsy” as Krick seemingly tells Ike what he wants to hear, while the pessimistic Stagg tries to be confident in his data while also worrying about the fate of his wife and unborn child.

Once again, Scott turns in a terrific performance as the prickly, somber Stagg, though we do see a few cracks in his armor when the war truly starts to “hit home”. But he resists the urge to compromise with Scott, showing that focused, steely dedication to Stagg’s craft. The most controversial casting may be that of the gifted Fraser as Ike. Even with his prominent shaved forehead, he seems literally larger than life, towering over nearly every scene partner. Physicality aside, Fraser is mainly there to pace, chain-smoke, and bellow at those who just won’t commit to his needs. Perhaps it’s a script deficiency, as Ike was an important part of our victory, he’s not that engaging here (and I kept thinking of the more colorful PATTON). The fiery antithesis to the dogmatic Stagg is the volatile Krink, played with great grit and energy by the dependable Messina. Ditto for Condon, though she’s given scant chance to shine as Somersby, maybe it’s due to the erasure of the scandalous whispers of her dalliance with her superior. Lewis is also watchable as the “stiff upper lip, passive-aggressive and impatient “gentleman soldier, Monty.

Eight years after the visceral tension of HOTEL MUMBAI, director Anthony Maras somehow succeeds in keeping the pace steady, even with our knowledge of the outcome (history and other flicks). Despite his efforts, the film’s “stage roots” are showing. Maras worked with actor David Haig in adapting his play for the film. Sure, they leave Southwick often, but the story seems to lurch from one dialogue-heavy confrontation to another (Ike and Stagg, Stagg and Krick). I expect school speech teams will use many of them for the duet pieces. But for movie audiences, it never really vibrates. It doesn’t help that the scenes are bathed in that brown 1940’s “glow” (I thought that Captain Steve Rogers would pop in for a “spot of tea”). And really, can arguments about weather predictions be compelling when the event is so entrenched in our brains? There are a few glimpses into the battle on the beach, but the carnage here pales when compared to the still agonizingly powerful opening of Spielberg’s SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. It may be an unfair comparison since this film’s budget forced the inclusion of several snippets of re-colored archival footage. Plus, the period details feel just “off” (sure, the soldiers sang along with “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” but did they really dance to decades-old Cab Calloway tunes?). Finally, we’re left with a story focusing on an historical “side note” that’s just not that cinematic. Without an Oscar-winner “fronting” it, this would be forgotten fodder for the many basic cable channels (something Tony Soprano would watch on a weekend).I suppose exploring these heroes of WWII had the creative team feeling loads of PRESSURE.

2 Out of 4

PRESSURE is now playing in select theatres

BILLIE EILISH: HIT ME HARD AND SOFT- THE TOUR LIVE IN 3D – Review

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Hey, is this a movie website or a music website? The confusion is understandable considering the many music-based films that have already opened in 2026 (and we’re not at the halfway mark). I’ve reviewed two of them in the last couple of weeks, with the box office dynamics of the biopic MICHAEL and last week’s “shaggy dog” documentary PRETTY UGLY: THE STORY OF THE LUNACHICKS (worth a stream). And going all the way back to February, there was “the King” in EPiC (thank ya’ very much). I suppose this new film is a bit more of the latter, as it’s a “fly-on-the-wall” portrait of a music superstar and her “arena sell-out” tour. Specifically, it’s one stop on said tour. Oh, and it’s crafted (credited as co-director) by a man better known for SF/fantasy epics in glorious, eye-popping 3D. And this is shot in the same format, which closely approximates the experience of BILLIE EILISH: HIT ME HARD AND HIT ME SOFT-THE TOUR LIVE IN 3D. Sure, you’ll have to wear those glasses, but the concession prices are a lot less “pricey”!


The last big worldwide tour for this twenty-something singing sensation (she’s half an “EGOT” already) occurred over the last two years or so. The opening number puts us right into the enthusiastic audience (well over 70, 000) in Manchester, England, during two nights in July 2025 at the Co-Op Live venue. After “wowing” them with “Chihiro”, the film “backtracks” a few minutes to show how she snuck onto the giant floating LED-sparkly cube. Well, that can be “retired”. After another number, the “doc-clock” takes us to the hotel room of Ms. Eilish around breakfast time for a brief interview with her collaborator/co-director, James Cameron (yes, Mr. TITANIC and AVATAR). The film goes back and forth between the concert performances (with only a four-member band and a pair of backup singers), and the preparation details (sound and tech “checks”, backstage meetings, and some “dog time” with several local “rescues”). For those “newbies” (guess I’m one), we’re treated to some archival clips of Eilish playing at smaller venues (hard to believe she’s been at it for ten years), often next to another collaborator, her talented brother Finneas. Making this tour extra special, and perhaps a bit more daunting, is that she’ll be “out there” without the support of her “big bro”. But there’s seemingly no anxiety as the “petite powerhouse” has the ecstatic and extremely vocal fans in the palm of her gloved hand.

Now, I can’t claim that Eilish was an “unknown” to me before this new film. Of course, I heard her Oscar-winning songs from the last James Bond flick and BARBIE. However, I also streamed two previous movies (perhaps more like extended music videos) a few years ago, BILLIE EILISH: THE WORLD’S A LITTLE BLURRY and HAPPIER THAN EVER: A LOVE LETTER TO LOS ANGELES (which features several delightful animated sequences, so it was natural fit for Disney+), because I find her vocal styling relaxing and I was impressed with her comedic skills on SNL (she “held her own” with the great Kate McKinnon). It turns out that I had never seen her as a superb entertainer who also puts on a heckuva’ show ( I was reminded of Elvis in EPiC, telling reporters that his fans could just listen to his albums at home, so he owed them a spectacle for going out). As much as I enjoyed the concert sequences, I was perhaps more riveted by the interviews with Cameron (he’s pushing back against his “raging despot dictator director” rep by his easy-going eagerness to be merely a “reporter”), as she explains her desires and inspirations. Eilish is also quite an athlete, as her legs are taped up backstage (I’ll bet she really gets her steps “in”), and later shows off the scratches (some truly “deep cuts”) from reaching out to the audience. And nothing escapes her attention as we watch her make detailed notes on all the stage effects, especially the choice of color for each tune. In many ways, this film may actually be a love story at heart, between the artist and her audience, with each giving and receiving intense connection, despite the massive stadium throngs. I did find it off-putting to hear the crowds singing along with her every word in every song, muttering, “I paid to hear Billie, not the kids around me,” but Eilish revels in the waves of concentrated connectivity. And though much of her work tells of heartbreak and thwarted longing, Eilish exudes joy as she dashes about the stage and below it (there’s a real labyrinth just out of sight). Hey, I almost forgot to mention that the 3D isn’t gimmicky with only a few “in your face” shots of microphones and the huge dangling spotlights, though I often thought that folks in the rows in front of me were standing up to block my view. Needless to say, this would be best seen on the biggest screen with a top-of-the-line sound system (when it streams, I’ll certainly put it on “cc” to help grasp her lyrics). An engaging and entertaining (and informative) time can now be had at the multiplex (with better parking options than a stadium), experiencing BILLIE EILISH: HIT ME HARD AND SOFT-THE TOUR LIVE IN 3D.

3 Out of 4

BILLIE EILISH: HIT ME HARD AND SOFT-THE TOUR LIVE IN 3D is in theatres everywhere on Friday, May 8, 2026

H IS FOR HAWK – Review

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I would say that it’s unusual for a somber set-in-the-UK drama based on a memoir (yes, it’s all true) to be released three weeks into the new year, well past awards noms deadline, but further research has revealed that this did get a one-week run in a US theater last month to be considered for the accolades. And so far, bupkis (we’ll see early Thursday morning). Of course, that’s no reflection on this film’s quality or merits. Still, its title suggests a whimsical “nature-bonding” story ala THE PENGUIN LESSONS or countless canine sagas. Now, that species connection factors in, but the heart of the story is a woman’s emotional journey in H IS FOR HAWK.


The woman at this story’s center is a research (mostly science history) fellow at Jesus College, Cambridge named Helen Macdonald (Claire Foy). On a blustery day in 2007, she’s birdwatching in the nearby countryside. As she heads home, she phones her photojournalist father Alisdair (Brendan Gleeson) with news that she spotted a pair of goshawks (a rare sighting). Dad cuts the call short as he must head to a London assignment. That evening, at her on-campus housing home, Helen meets another academic, Christina (Denise Gough) for dinner. On the way out, Helen gets a phone call that changes everything: her adored papa succumbed to a fatal heart attack in the city. Helen’s life goes into a tailspin, indecisive about pursuing a three-year position in Germany, which squelches her new romance. She then has an epiphany and knocks on the door of an old friend named Stu (Sam Spruell). Years before, both had been ardent members of a falconry society. He’s still involved (his bird is perched in his kitchen), so Helen asks him for intel on getting back in. But she doesn’t want a falcon. Instead, Helen wants to train the more difficult, spirited goshawk. Stu hooks her up with a seller, and soon the bird she names Mabel is taking up her every spare moment. Quickly the bond between the two becomes so intense that Helen is neglecting her classes and ignoring calls and visits from friends. And then the school administrators tell her that this type of “pet” isn’t allowed in college quarters. Can Helen continue to train and hunt with Mabel? And could this be a way for Helen to escape her grief rather than facing it and moving forward with her life?

This exploration into the art and skill of falconry becomes a compelling showcase for the gifted Foy. We’ve seen her excellent supporting work in films like FIRST MAN and WOMEN TALKING, but we’ve really not seen her carry the emotional weight of a film’s lead performance (though I’m told she was excellent as Queen Elizabeth II in the streaming series, “The Crown”). Foy shows us the vibrant, engaged Helen in the early scenes of her birdwatching and lecturing her class, but with her loss we see the light in her eyes suddenly dim. Not even a romantic online fling brings that spark back, until Mabel literally swoops in. Then Foy shows us another side of Helen, with an overriding obsession that almost seals her off from the world. It’s a tricky balancing act as Helen elicits our sympathy while often frustrating us, and Foy is more than up to the complex challenges. Happily we’re treated to several flashbacks of her opposite the always engaging Gleeson as her lovably gruff, but warm and encouraging papa, perhaps a near perfect “girl dad”. It’s quite a contrast to Helen’s maternal connections with her mum, played with subtle restraint and grace by Lindsay Duncan. We see that the loss of her soulmate has drained her, though she also yearns to share the grief with her increasingly distant daughter. Spruell is strong as Helen’s her birding buddy Stu as he tries to help train Mabel while attempting to calm the always anxious Helen. Speaking of pals, Gough (so wonderful on another streaming show, “Andor”) is also very effective as co-worker confidant Christina, who wants to be a “lifeline” to her floundering chum as she tries to understand her increasing withdrawl into mania.

The impressive ensemble is guided by director Phillipa Lowthrope, working from Emma Donoghue’s screenplay adaptation of Helen Macdonald’s acclaimed memoir. Lowthrope keeps us engaged, as the backdrops suddenly switch from ancient academia to the glories of the countryside. And those scenes of Helen working (she insists that they’re partners in the hunts) with the gorgeous, intense (her glare) Mabel truly soar. A sequence in the deep woods of Mabel swooping in on a very unlucky rabbit is haunting (there’s a drone crew in the credits that were really “on their toes”). While these scenes are worthy of any lauded nature docuseries, it’s the very human drama at the center of the story that’s truly compelling. This is such a well-crafted exploration of the impact of mourning on someone grieving, though it offers no easy fixes. In less works, the introduction of an “animal partner” would be the needed “remedy”, but here we see how the distracting fixation can cut a person out of the human (rat) race. Some viewers may be a bit put off by the rather open-ended finale, but life can’t always be “wrapped up in a bow” to facilitate a desired “happy ending”. That idea and the winning performance of Foy really enables H IS FOR HAWK to spread its wings and take flight.

3 Out of 4

H IS FOR HAWK opens in select theatres on Friday, January 23, 2026

JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE – Review

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CAMILLE RUTHERFORD as Agathe, PABLO PAULY as Felix in ‘Jane Austen Wrecked
My Life.’ Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

A French film about English author Jane Austen? No, a delightful contemporary French comedy, partly in English, about a young French would-be author who admires Jane Austen but who can’t seem to finish any of the novels she herself starts writing. However, an invitation to a writers’ retreat at the Austen family home in England raises hopes that her writer’s block situation could change, as well as the possibility of bigger changes in her quiet life.

With far more emphasis on the comedy side, writer/director Laura Piani has concocted a clever, contemporary, bi-lingual comedy romance centered on Agathe Robinson (a wonderful Camille Rutherford), a young half-French, half-English woman who works in Parisian bookstore that specializes in English literature, where her ease in both French and English a plus. Agathe loves her job at the bookstore but she is stuck in a rut, as an author and in life. The aspiring writer, who adores Jane Austen and wants to emulate her, long ago gave up on love, seeing herself as being like the lead character in “Persuasion,” a “faded flower” and “old maid.”

There is no need to love Jane Austen, or even know much about her, to enjoy this treat, although it is a bit more fun if you do. JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE is a comedy rather than a romantic comedy, because it is actually funny, and smartly, cleverly so, unlike the typical formulaic rom com, more in the vein of great classic comedies like “THE AWFUL TRUTH and PHILADELPHIA STORY, from an era when the best comedies were romantic comedies instead of the reverse.

Agathe lives with her beloved sister Cheryl (Annabelle Lengronne) and six-year-old nephew. Her sister is supportive and encouraging, if teasingly so, to Agathe, who is still traumatized after surviving the car accident that killed their parents. Generally, Agathe has a happy, if limited life, with her sister and nephew, although she is frustrated that she can’t seem to finish any of those novels she starts.

Her best friend, and co-worker the bookstore, is Felix (Pablo Pauly), a playful kidder who frequently hangs out at Agathe’s house with her sister and nephew. Felix has no girlfriend but has a string of romances where he strings women along – “bread-crumbing” them with texts – while seems unable to commit to just one. After sneaking a peek at her latest unfinished novel, Felix secretly signs up best friend Agathe for a writer’s retreat at the family home of Jane Austen in England.

When that surprise invitation arrives, Agathe is reluctant to go but is persuaded by her sister. She begins to hope the two-week retreat will help her break her writer’s block with her latest book. Felix drives her to the boat, even though Agathe is nervous to even be in a car again after the accident, having avoided them ever since. Felix playfully teases her on the way, then impulsively kisses her before sending her off to the ferry.

Arriving on the other side, Agathe is greeted by her driver, Oliver (Charlie Anson), who turns out to be the great-great-great-great-great grandnephew of Jane Austen, and the son of the couple who run the writers’ retreat. Oliver is an unfriendly, unpleasant, brooding Darcy type who, unfortunately for Agathe, drives a sports car. He is a teacher of contemporary literature and actually doesn’t care for the novels of his famous relative. Arriving, after some car trouble, at the Austen mansion, Agathe is charmed by her hostess Beth, who speaks French as well as English too, and her quirky host Todd () who might be in the early stages of dementia, and meets the other resident authors. She is told that the retreat will end with a ball in period costume, and a reading of each author’s writing during the retreat, a daunting prospect for Agathe.

Camille Rutherford is completely charming as Agathe. The cast is marvelous in fact, but Rutherford is particularly excellent, exuding both an appealing charm and an underlying depth and sadness linked to the traumatic deaths of her parents and her frustrations in life. Her Agathe is afraid of change yet on one level, she knows she must change, in order to become the writer she hopes to be. Pablo Pauly is silly, funny, sometimes goofy as Felix, who teases Agathe relentlessly while still projecting how much he cares about her. As Oliver, Charlie Anson is prickly and difficult at first, with an air of arrogance, but he softens as we learn more about his situation with his parents and his own romantic history. The rest of the cast are all very good, and director Laura Piani has no problem putting them into comically dignity-dinging situations.

The smart script, the wonderful performances, and Piani’s smooth direction are all supported by the beautiful sets and locations, dreamy photography, and a score that skillfully mixes modern tunes and classical selections for the perfect musical accompaniment.

Smart, clever, literary and sometimes a bit bawdy, JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE is just fun for readers of all stripes. The Jane Austen parallels are plentiful, like the author who lives with a beloved sister and has little interest in romance for herself, but subtle, as are the references to Austen novels. Those references keep us guessing as to which Austen novel this contemporary author might be in, while director Laura Piani keeps us laughing and charmed with the whole idea. While the romantic comedy genre has a dismal reputation for being dull and formulaic, JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE’s delightful burst of fresh air and literary fun is the entertaining exception.

With 2025 being the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, films and other productions referencing Austen seems to be increasingly everywhere in recent years. Some of them are swooningly romantic or tiresome in their humorless adoration of the author, in a kind of idol worship that appeals only to the most devoted fans, ironically the opposite of Austen’s own brilliantly funny, even biting social commentary. JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE is far different, one that discusses literary concepts and reflects on the life of writers generally, and built around a contemporary author, captures much more of the real feel of Austen’s writing. Any book lover is sure to enjoy this clever, playful comedy.

JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE opens in theaters on Friday, May 30, 2025.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL – Review

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Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2024

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

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

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

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

4 Out of 4 stars

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

BLITZ (2024) – Review

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With a big holiday mere days away. this week’s new film reflects on families that can’t be together, certainly not for the “big feast”. And not by choice as it focuses on a dark time when the whole world was indeed at war. World War II is the setting for this drama. inspired by so many true events of the time. At the heart of this tale is a decision so difficult it may be tough for a modern audience to comprehend. But it was done. But there’s also the fervent desire to reunite, to return to the family unit, no matter how fractured or how dangerous. That’s because death was literally in the air and all around during the time of the BLITZ.

As the film begins we watch as bombs drop from a German bomber flying over London in 1940 (a year or so before the US joined the fight). Rita (Saoirse Ronan) is a single mother living with her widowed dad Gerald (Paul Weller) and trying to raise her mixed-race son George (Elliott Heffernan). As they return from an air raid shelter, she must prepare for a heartbreaking journey. For George, alone. In order to escape the near-nightly bombing of the city, the government sent children via train to live with families in the countryside until the city was back to normal (nobody knew when). George is furious and refuses to say goodbye to his Mum as he boards the train. The other kids in his train car mock him over his darker skin and thick curly hair. But George has a plan. While his seatmate sleeps he grabs his seatcase. opens the door to the outside connecter, and leaps off the speeding locomotive. He’s bruised but still determined and begins walking the rail to hop onto a train heading in the opposite direction AKA home. Meanwhile, Rita sadly goes back to work with her girlfriends at the munitions plant. At least she’ll get to sing on the radio when the BBC drops in. George does have some luck in jumping into an open boxcar of a passing train where he’s befriended by a group of other young “returnees”. The danger really begins as they try to elude the “bulls” in the London train yard. George makes it back to London, but it’s still a long long way from Mum. During his journey, he is helped by a friendly African immigrant air raid warden named Ife (Benjamin Clemente) and is later “recruited” into a gang of looters led by the unhinged Albert (Stephen Graham). Back at the factory, Rita learns from the relocation agents that George didn’t make it to the country. She then leaves the plant to look for him and enlists the help of a young fireman who is smitten with her, named Jack (Harris Dickinson). But even with their combined efforts, can they find George before he becomes another casualty in the war-ravaged heart of Britain?

Making his screen (big or small) debut is Heffernan, who is really the focus of this historical fable, despite the film vet that gets top billing in the marketing. He’s completely captivating as George, who can be sweet, soulful, fearful, and frustrating (verging on bratty) often within the same scene. He projects a real vulnerability as he’s taunted by the local kids, and transfers a bit of that cruelty as his mother makes a terrible decision that is for the best, though it doesn’t ease her heartache. We root for George when he triumphs and hold our breath as he tries to survive. Also running the gamut of emotions is vet Ronan as Rita, a working-class woman trying to shield her child from the horrors of war, while dealing with the heartache of losing her partner to the prejudices of the time (George’s papa is sent back to his faraway island birthplace). After Rita sends her son to safety, she’s near-catatonic until her chance at radio fame revives her a bit. When she gets the news of George’s train jumps, she goes into “mama grizzly” mode as we see the determination in Ronan’s eyes. Kudos to the strong supporting players, especially Clemente as the caring and gentle Ife who connects with George and to Graham as Albert who only wishes to exploit and deceive the lad (think of him as a psychotic Fagin).

This WW II family odyssey comes from writer/director Steve McQueen who expertly recreates the period’s look and emotions of fear and dread as sunset doesn’t bring rest and relief, but the threat of sudden decimation. We can almost smell the wounded and dying as the camera takes us through piles of rubble that were home just moments ago. It’s a story that has been recalled in films set in that era (HOPE AND GLORY) and other lands (LION), with great parallels to another wartime family reunion, EMPIRE OF THE SUN with a touch of the NARNIA series. Still, McQueen provides a fresh take thanks to the strong cast and several haunting set pieces. The sudden slaughter at the train yard is real nightmare fuel. that’s especially true as we go inside a swanky nightclub that operates as though all is normal outside its door. And then we hear the sirens and the whizzing sounds (cutting to the great shots of the bombs coming at us through the clouds). After a flash cut, we’re next to Albert and his crew of ghouls as they pry away jewelry as the rescue teams look away. As the story concludes, we’re running through those crumbling streets as this story of family love proves to be stronger than any damage inflicted by the BLITZ.

3 Out of 4

Blitz is playing in select theatres and streams exclusively on Apple TV+ beginning on Friday, November 22, 2024

SPEAK NO EVIL – Review

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L to R: (from left) Paddy (James McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) in Speak No Evil, directed by James Watkins. Courtesy of Universal

In the chilling thriller/horror drama SPEAK NO EVIL, James McAvoy delivers another striking performance as character who shifts between charming and aggressive. No one does this like McAvoy, who has played roles from sweet heroes to madmen, a range that means audiences are never sure which McAvoy they will encounter, creating an edgy tension from the start.

In this story, two couple meet on vacation and hit it off. One couple is American, Louise (Mackenzie Davis) and Ben (Scoot McNairy) who have an 11-year-old daughter, Agnes (Alix West Lefler), and live in London. The other couple are British, Patrick (James McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), and their shy, mostly mute son Ant (Dan Hough), who live in scenic, rural west England. The Brits are fun, lively, and adventurous, particularly Patrick, who goes by Paddy, a breath of fresh air for the Americans. The two families have a great time in Paris, and the kids seem to hit it off too, despite the age difference and the fact that the boy has difficulty speaking, due a problem with his tongue. “Congenital aglossia,” says the British dad, who tells the Americans that he’s a doctor. When the British couple later send the London-based Americans a postcard with a photo from that trip, and invite them for a weekend visit at their home in the west England countryside, it doesn’t take much to persuade Ben and Louise.

SPEAK NO EVIL is an English-language remake of the Danish horror drama of the same name. In the Danish original, the couples are Danish and Dutch, and meet in Italy instead of France, but the Dutch couple lives in the country and invites the Danes one the visit. Like many such remakes, it varies from the origin – for example, in the original the children are about the same age – but in this case several scenes early on follow the original closely, even down the the dialog, although the last portion diverges.

One thing that is different – very different – from the start, and that is James McAvoy’s character. Rather than a harmless-seeming fellow, very like the other couple, McAvoy’s Paddy is alternately charming and a bit unsettling from the start, put us much more on edge from the start. No one does this kind of character like the talented Mr. McAvoy.

McAvoy is a big reason to see this film, which once it diverges from the original morphs into something that plays on a lot of horror tropes. But McAvoy always keeps us off-balance, being unhinged at times, while even touching at others, charmingly persuasive and rational, but always exuding power and a sense he’s in control – even when he’s not. It is thrilling just to see this actor work.

The tension develops slowly, apart from McAvoy’s character’s occasional flashes of scary. In the original, the couples feel more alike, which is a bit part of the appeal for the Danes. In the remake, it is the differences, the hints of excitement and adventure in the British couple, that is part of what draws in the Americans. Chalk it up to cultural differences.

This remake diverges significantly from the original, so they end up as very different films, although starting from a common premise. In both, the first half of this film feels more like psychological horror but finishes up in more taut thriller territory. For one thing, there are more weapons in this one, although not more gore. The original Danish film is more philosophical, more nihilistic, but this remake adds more rationale motives for what happens. It also adds more complicated relationships for the couples, and how those dynamics interact heightens interest, even when the newer film makes a turn into more conventional horror film territory, with a siege reminiscent of the classic STRAW DOGS. The last half is more rational, and the resolution is different, with the characters in American couple undergoing changes that are the opposite of what happens in the Danish film.

What lifts the film in this turn towards more typical horror is the cast. James McAvoy is splendid but the rest of the cast bring it too. Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy as the American couple struggling in their marriage deliver fine performances as their relationship dynamics shift under the challenges they face. Likewise, the kids are both very good, particularly newcomer Dan Hough who plays a larger role in this version despite his near-muteness. Aisling Franciosi is also good as Paddy’s seemingly harmless wife, and she and McAvoy bring a complexity to their relationship too, none of which appears in the first one.

Ultimately, SPEAK NO EVIL is less groundbreaking and unconventional than the Danish original but it is still a well-made, nail-biting, satisfying thriller, that is mostly elevated by its psychological thriller set-up and the strong performances of the cast, who are good on all levels.

SPEAK NO EVIL opens Friday, Sept. 13, in theaters.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

THE DIG (2021) – Review

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Word of this week’s new movie release, all about archeology, may have quickened the pulses of many action film fans. Perhaps visions of a daring, rugged adventurer escaping insidious death traps, battling vicious rivals and their burly henchmen, rescuing damsels in dire distress, and snatching up mystical riches swirled in their fevered brains. Or perhaps of heroes facing peril from an ancient evil, released from the tomb to cause havoc and horror may come to mind for many. Well, maybe the word that this is based on an actual event puts the brakes on those expectations of Indiana Jones and monstrous mummies. Turns out it’s tedious and filthy work with dirt in your boots and embedded under fingernails. Ah, but despite that, along with power politics, there’s still the thrill of discovery. That may be the biggest “find” in the new “docudrama THE DIG.

The story doesn’t begin in a humid jungle or in an arid desert. It all starts on an overcast, chilly day in 1939 near Woodbridge in Suffolk, England. After a brief ride in a local’s boat, Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes) pedals his bicycle through the countryside to an opulent mansion. He has an appointment with the lady of the house, Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan), a widow with an energetic nine-year-old son Robert (Archie Barnes). She takes Basil to the land behind her home to a field dotted with several mounds of soil. Edith wants to engage his services as an archeologist to dig up whatever is beneath them. Basil is a bit hesitant as the local Ipswich Museum is keen on exploring a discovered Roman villa, but after a bit of negotiating, and despite a visit of the Ipswich director Reid Moir (James Ready), Basil accepts the job and will live at the estate in the servant’s quarters. He quickly becomes a mentor to Robert who is keen on all the sciences (he even wears a foil hat after his hero, Buck Rogers). This is a relief to Edith, whose weakened condition stems from a childhood heart ailment. As aircraft swoop in from the skies overhead in preparation for a possible war, Basil discovers two ancient rivets, possibly from a ship. In need of more aides than his two locals, Edith brings in a distant cousin, the nomadic photographer Rory Lomax (Johnny Flynn). And after meeting with Moir, he then contacts Charles Phillips (Ken Stott) of the British Museum who brings in several scientists to reveal the seventh-century burial ship deep below the mound. Included in the crew are the husband and wife team of Stuart (Ben Chaplin) and Peggy Piggott (Lily James). But can they explore the site and discover its secrets before the country enters this armed conflict engulfing nearly all of Europe?

A big switch from his usual suave, “upper crust” roles, Fiennes slips into the skin of determined “digger” Basil as though the part were a pair of old dependable work boots (the kind he’s wear on the mounds). Fiennes captures the tired stoop of a man who’s spent most of his life outdoors toiling from sun up to sundown. But he also gives him dignity and a feeling of pride in his skills. And though he’s considered “working class”, Fiennes conveys that Basil’s zeal for learning and natural curiosity has not dimmed at all since his youth. Yes, he’s often gruff and stubborn, but he shows a real tenderness as he nurtures young Robert’s interests and as he deals with his employer. Mulligan’s quite believable as the aristocratic Edith, who never puts on “airs” around anyone, especially Basil. She shows us Edith’s adventurous spirit as she visits the mounds, but it’s tinged with sadness as her heart continues to fail her. Edith doesn’t quite give in to despair, as Mulligan slows her stride and lets us see her delight of motherhood while knowing her boy will soon be on his own. She perhaps sees Basil as a mentoring uncle who challenges her intellect and honesty. All while being an “older sister” in spirit to the adventurous Rory who is given the full rebel “good bad-boy” vibe (he‘s going into the services, camps outdoors, and rides a motorbike) by the dashing Flynn. It’s no wonder that he catches the eye of Peggy who James plays as a neglected wallflower finally bathed in sunlight and ready to blossom. Also of note are the twin pompous “supervisors” played with prickly charm by Stott and Ready, along with the warm-hearted spouse of Basil played with subtlety by Monica Dolan.

Director Simon Stone captures the quiet country life of 30s England, while always letting us know of the chaos to come, with newspapers and the radio bracing the land for the upcoming conflict (those planes are always zipping above). He keeps the story moving at a leisurely assured pace which adds impact to an early scene showing the real dangers of exploration (a real scare for the claustrophobic). The relationship and emerging friendship between Edith and Basil is quite compelling and progresses naturally. Unfortunately the script by Moira Buffini, adapting the novel by John Preston, veers into romantic clichés in the second half with the Piggott/Lomax love triangle that veers into the swooning predictable soap territory as she’s rebuffed by her hubby prompting her to free herself (why, without those spectacles she’s …) with the headed to war Rory. Despite this sappy subplot, the locations and period settings are lovely and the whole finding of the boat and the ancient money is quite involving. Those elements, combined with the teaming of Mulligan and Fiennes, make THE DIG well worth exploring.

3 Out of 4

THE DIG opens in select theatres and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at the Hi-Pointe Theatre along with Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas

GREED (2020) – Review

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So the title of this new comedy refers to one of the “seven deadly sins” as labeled in most Christian teachings. In these times the word’s a bit more complicated. After all, fictional real estate mogul Gordon Geeko, in an Oscar-winning performance by Michael Douglas, proclaimed that it is “good” in one of the most quoted scenes from Oliver Stone’s 1987 classic WALL STREET. Another take on that word now comes from two-thirds of the trio responsible for a delightful series of comedic travelogues that began ten years ago with THE TRIP. But they’re not going after Stone’s street, rather they’re taking aim at Great Britain’s avenue of haughty fashion retail shops, High Street. And as you might have guessed, this isn’t a remake of the Erich von Stroheim silent 1924 epic. The sin’s much the same, but this is a completely different take on GREED.

In the opening moments, we see a TV news report touting the success of the big fashion line from High Street staple Sir Richard McCreadie (Steve Coogan). Video of the big company shareholders’ party shows him handing out over-sized checks to supervisors and board members including his wife Samantha (Isla Fisher). Watching the report from his tiny apartment is writer Nick (David Mitchell), who is in the middle of his latest book deal, authoring a biography of said tycoon. The film then flashes back to Nick interviewing Richard’s past business associates and a few family members, and includes scenes of a young Richard (Jamie Blackley) conning classmates at his posh prep school before being expelled, with his mum Margaret (Shirley Henderson) deriding the headmaster. As Nick boards a plane to Greece, where a lavish 60th birthday celebration for Richard will be held on the island of Mykonos, we learn more of the mogul’s business past, lowballing clothing companies, pushing out competitors, low bidding “sweatshop” factories in Sri Lanka, bankrupting several shops and fashion lines, and getting a “rap on the knuckles” from the British courts. On the island , the McCreadie staff is in a panic trying to push the local laborers and craftsmen to finish a recreation of a Roman collesium in the next two days. It’s a party inspired by their boss’s favorite film GLADIATOR, complete with an old lethargic lion. Soon the McCreadie family begin arriving on different yachts. First, it’s Richard with his mistress, supermodel Naomi (Shanina Shaik). Then it’s estranged wife Samantha with her new French beau (yes, she and Richard are only married in the legal sense as he’s using her as a tax shield). Surly son Finn (Asa Butterfield) drops in as does the huge entourage (including the film crew of her “reality” TV show) of his sister Lily (Sophie Cookson). The planners are put through more agita as they try to deal with the refugees that are legally allowed to set up camp on the public beaches. But surely all will be ready for the world to witness the adoration of the famous and powerful for the “birthday boy”. But will this finally erase his nickname of “Greedy McCreadie”? It just might, unless something goes wrong…

Once again Coogan proves himself to be the comedy king of self-absorbed pompous jerks (talking of his roles, of course). With McCreadie, he ventures into cartoonish grotesquery with his over-sprayed tan and ludicrous blinding-white choppers (makes Sandler’s dental deceit in UNCUT GEMS look restrained). Perhaps this is to heighten the character’s disconnection with humanity and exaggerate his buffoonish braying and boasting. Sure he’s just as clueless as Coogan’s other comic turns, but unlike Alan Patridge and His caricatured persona in the TRIP flicks, there’s few redeemable qualities in McCreadie, all that’s there is an avarice ego-driven monster who lives to cheat anyone of the few possessions they need. The faults of his family and various sycophants pale next to this modern ogre. Henderson as his devoted, enabling mother proves that the apple doesn’t fall that far at all. She emits a true toxic energy casting a pall over any scene she waddles into. Fisher ‘s a delightfully daffy social climber whose heart (buried deep in her latest surgical …um…enhancements) still somehow longs for eventual ex. Meanwhile Butterfield, as their son, seethes with contempt, miserable as he must endure his Daddy’s taunts and tirades. Cookson scores lots of laughs as the typical “spoiled lil’ rich girl” who just can’t emote for his reality show’s “storyline”. Mitchell makes an awkward investigator who, with his clumsy, often witty musing, is a true fish out of water. The plot’s dramatic subplot is expertly carried by Dinita Gohil as Amanda, ex-retail store manager who’s now part of an army of personal assistants. She knows the true consequences of McCreadie’s dealings and may find a way to hasten his much-delayed comeuppance.

Director Michael Winterbottom, who wrote the script with an assist from Sean Gray, appears to be juggling the styles of several other iconic comedy filmmakers. Nick’s inquiries and interviews are much in the vein of Christopher Guest’s “mockumentaries” with the cuts from the “talking heads” to the scenes of McCreadie’s corruption. As the prep for the party amps up, Winterbottom adds to the chaos via the overlapping dialogue techniques of Howard Hawks and especially Robert Altman (with some of the thick accents I had a tough time grasping some gags). Still the film falters a bit when it explores several real-life tragedies, especially with the families stranded on the beach, although their exploitation by the reality show is a needed jab at publicity-starved celebs using those really starving. That’s when story is set aside for the film’s real agenda. It’s hammered (or pummeled) home during an interminable “fact-montage” preceding the end credits pointing out (over and over) the massive gap between those who make the clothes and those that sell and model them. The producers must assume that we didn’t come away with that from the film’s previous 95 minutes. Perhaps part of that sequence could have been whittled down in order to spend the time and budget on that inept CGI lion (I may owe the cartoon Buck the dog in CALL OF THE WILD an apology). Yes, this is a satire on society, but the true ugliness of the subjects (and their real-life inspirations) works against the comic tone of the tale. What should be a banana peel pratfall of a stuffy rich guy turns into a gruesome evisceration. Coogan’s always a watchable performer, but the heavy-handed GREED is just not (here’s Gecko again) “good”.

2 out of 4

GREED opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas