When Papa Smurf (John Goodman) is mysteriously taken by evil wizards, Razamel and Gargamel, Smurfette (Rihanna) leads the Smurfs on a mission into the real world to save him. With the help of new friends, the Smurfs must discover what defines their destiny to save the universe.
SMURFS features an all-star voice cast including Rihanna, James Corden, Nick Offerman, JP Karliak, Daniel Levy, Amy Sedaris, Natasha Lyonne, Sandra Oh, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Alex Winter, Maya Erskine, Billie Lourd, Xolo Maridueña, Marshmello, with Kurt Russell and John Goodman.
Directed by Chris Miller, SMURFS opens in theaters on July 18.
WAMG is giving away to our St. Louis area readers eight (8) family 4-packs of passes.
The special SMURF-Tastic advance screening is on B&B West Olive Creve Coeur 10 this Saturday, July 12th at 11:00 AM. (tons of free activities and prizes for the kids)
EMAIL michelle@wearemoviegeeks.com to enter. WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
(from left) Darrell (Dante Brown, back to camera), Chaz (Gianni Paolo), Sue Ann (Octavia Spencer) and Haley (McKaley Miller) in “Ma,” directed by Tate Taylor.
Tom Stockman wrote in his review, “MA is one of the most fun ‘audience’ movies I’ve seen in some time. It’s scary, but not under-the-skin terrifying and it’s darkly funny, generating nervous laughter as well as a few big gut-busters. I hope MA finds the cult status it deserves.” And so it has.
As part of its first-ever The Business of Fear event examining the growing power of horror subgenres, Blumhouse has announced that Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer will return as Ma in a sequel to the hit Blumhouse revenge horror film.
The original 2019 film, directed by Tate Taylor, earned more than $60 million in global box office, but also spawned hundreds of memes, with audiences embracing Ma as an iconic horror character for the ages. The fandom helped make Ma a phenomenon at Blumhouse’s recent Halfway to Halloween festival.
“Ma has proven to be a social phenomenon since its release in 2019, with fans eagerly embracing the film and Octavia’s iconic performance as Ma. Ma likes to say ‘don’t make me drink alone,’ so we’re thrilled Octavia will join us again for a second round,” said Jason Blum, Founder/CEO, Blumhouse.
Synopsis: Everybody’s welcome at Ma’s. But good luck getting home safe.
Oscar® winner Octavia Spencer stars as Sue Ann, a loner who keeps to herself in her quiet Ohio town. One day, she is asked by Maggie, a new teenager in town (Diana Silvers, Glass), to buy some booze for her and her friends, and Sue Ann sees the chance to make some unsuspecting, if younger, friends of her own.
She offers the kids the chance to avoid drinking and driving by hanging out in the basement of her home. But there are some house rules: One of the kids has to stay sober. Don’t curse. Never go upstairs. And call her “Ma.”
But as Ma’s hospitality starts to curdle into obsession, what began as a teenage dream turns into a terrorizing nightmare, and Ma’s place goes from the best place in town to the worst place on earth.
Ma also stars Juliette Lewis (August: Osage County) as Maggie’s mom, Luke Evans (Beauty and the Beast) as a local dad, Missi Pyle (Gone Girl) as his girlfriend, and McKaley Miller (TV’s Hart of Dixie), Corey Fogelmanis (TV’s Girl Meets World), Gianni Paolo (TV’s Power) and Dante Brown (Lethal Weapon TV series) as Maggie’s friends.
From Tate Taylor, the acclaimed director of The Help and Get On Up, and blockbuster producer Jason Blum (Get Out, Halloween, The Purge series) comes a thriller anchored by a daring and unexpected performance from Spencer, one of the most powerful actors of her generation.
SMURFS Movie announces the full soundtrack to the film featuring music from Rihanna, Tyla, DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Shenseea, James Corden and more. The soundtrack is available for Pre-Order/Pre-Save HERE and will officially release June 13th via Roc Nation Distribution.
The reveal of the soundtrack follows the release of Rihanna’s “Friend Of Mine” off the soundtrack as well as “Higher Love” by DESI TRILL featuring DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Natania and Subhi. “Higher Love” also saw an official music video.
See the full soundtrack tracklisting below.
SMURFS MOVIE SOUNDTRACK TRACKLIST
1. Milenge by Natania
2. Celebrate by Natania
3. Friend Of Mine by Rihanna
4. Higher Love by DESI TRILL feat. DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Natania and Subhi
5. Liar For A Living by Natania
6. It Takes A Village by Natania and The Indian Connect
7. Big Dreams by James Fauntleroy
8. To Me by Lous and the Yakuza
9. Did We by Natania
10. Balle Balouza by Natania, Subhi and The Indian Connect
11. Everything Goes With Blue by Tyla
12. It’s My Party by Shenseea
13. Always On The Outside by James Corden
14. Higher Calling by The Indian Connect
When Papa Smurf (John Goodman) is mysteriously taken by evil wizards, Razamel and Gargamel, Smurfette (Rihanna) leads the Smurfs on a mission into the real world to save him. With the help of new friends, the Smurfs must discover what defines their destiny to save the universe. SMURFS features an all-star voice cast including Rihanna, James Corden, Nick Offerman, JP Karliak, Daniel Levy, Amy Sedaris, Natasha Lyonne, Sandra Oh, Jimmy Kimmel, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Alex Winter, Maya Erskine, Billie Lourd, Xolo Maridueña, Marshmello, with Kurt Russell and John Goodman.
SMURFSIn Theatres July 18, 2025.
Paramount Animation Presents In Association with Domain Entertainment. A Ty Ty and Jay Brown Production
No Name (James Corden) and Smurfette (Rihanna) in Smurfs from Paramount Animation.
When Papa Smurf (John Goodman) is mysteriously taken by evil wizards, Razamel and Gargamel, Smurfette (Rihanna) leads the Smurfs on a mission into the real world to save him. With the help of new friends, the Smurfs must discover what defines their destiny to save the universe.
SMURFS features an all-star voice cast including Rihanna, James Corden, Nick Offerman, JP Karliak, Daniel Levy, Amy Sedaris, Natasha Lyonne, Sandra Oh, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Alex Winter, Maya Erskine, Billie Lourd, Xolo Maridueña with Kurt Russell and John Goodman.
The Smurf movies have been a hit with audiences. The first Smurfs movie was the most commercially successful, grossing over half a billion dollars worldwide. The totals for the live-action films are, The Smurfs (2011) $563,749,323 and The Smurfs 2 (2013): $347,434,178, while the animated films brought in respectively The Smurfs and the Magic Flute (1975): $19,000,000 and Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017): $197,183,546. The total box office gross stands at $1,127,367,047.
The holiday season is often a festive time for families, with lots of parties and out-of-town guests. But what about those families that are fractured and splintered? That’s one of the subjects explored in this new feature drama that’s out right between the two big special days near the end of the year. And speaking of “the end” that’s just what this now single father is obsessed with. I mean really fixated. Which may have been acerbated by the dissolution of his family and the separation from his sons. But he’s got something of a plan, a rescue that’s more of an abduction. So, when this trio goes on the run, just what will they ENCOUNTER?
The opening scenes of this story are told through the eyes and actions of a man on the run, dishonorably discharged soldier, and parolee Malik Khan (Riz Ahmed). He views lights shooting through the skies, perhaps meteors or asteroids that carry microscopic invaders that are spread to the human race by the insect world (mainly mosquitos). In his squalid home, Malik squashes crawling bugs while dousing himself with aerosol repellant. He packs a bag with cans of spray, clothes, and his pistol before hitting the road for…. Cut to the house where his ex-wife Piya (Janina Gavankar) lives with their two sons, pre-teen Jay (Lucian-River Chauhan) and first-grader Bobby (Aditya Geddada), along with her new beau Dylan (Misha Collins). Bobby seems to have formed a bond with his soon-to-be stepdad while Jay has contempt for him, voraciously reading the few letters from papa Malik. Late that evening Malik sneaks into their bedroom, waking them up with the promise of a great adventure on the road. While Piya and Dylan are locked in the garage, the trio drives off into the darkness, as Malik uses a map to plot the fastest way to the “base”. After a meal stop, he tells the boys he has to check in with the said base. Instead, he places a call to his parole officer Hattie (Octavia Spencer). The brief call sends her to the local somewhat disinterested authorities. But when Malik has a violent episode with a law officer, the FBI. led by “Shep” West (Rory Cochrane), scoop up Hattie for info. Can they track Malik down before he does serious harm to the public, himself, or more importantly, the two youngsters?
The role of the troubled father is another in a growing list of impressive performances by the talented Ahmed (whose voice can also be heard in the recent animated documentary FLEE, which he co-produced). He balances a parent’s protective nature, often shielding the youngest from danger, with a state of heightened anxiousness. At times he’s fervent in his “mission’, but his tenuous grasp on reality will try to derail his mania. Malik dearly loves his kids, but his psychological trauma won’t permit him to be “all there” with them. Ahmed conveys this with his stiff body language, labored breathing, and laser-focused glare. The only person that can calm him is Hattie, played with maternal empathy by Spencer. She wants no harm to come to Malik but realizes that he’s got to be “reeled in”, for the kids’ safety. Spencer’s sad eyes tell us that she’s seen this story of mental illness played out before, with a heartbreaking conclusion. The two young actors are surprisingly good, with no cloying cuteness, but feel real and natural. Geddada as Bobby is still the wide-eyed innocent, full of wonder and eager to get past the “baby’ stage. He’s comfortable with Dylan, but is ready to bond with Malik. Chauhan still holds him up as a hero, but his loyalty wavers as he begins to question his father’s “quest”. Cochrane is also strong as the “hangdog’ Shep, who’s doing his best to prevent a tragic outcome, as he fights his own tired pessimism.
Director/co-writer (with Joe Barton) Michael Pearce imbues the opening sequences with a unique visual style utilizing vibrant micro-photography enhanced by CGI effects and animation to bring us into Malik’s paranoid delusions (he’s living an SF conspiracy). Later on, Pearce gives us a beautiful road trip by day, then morphing into a dangerous hellscape by night, with death lurking past every curve of the pavement. Unfortunately, the story veers into action-cliche territory as many leaps of logic lead to “showdowns” and ‘shootouts”. And before the big finale several characters behave in a way to goes against previous behaviors, mainly to ratchet up the tension for the big third act resolution. But despite the script “glitches”, this talented acting ensemble makes for a most compelling and emotional ENCOUNTER.
3 Out of 4
ENCOUNTER opens in select theatres and streams exclusively on Amazon Prime beginning on Friday, December 10, 2021.
ENCOUNTER will be available worldwide on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, December 10th
Desperate to save his two young sons, Jay and Bobby, from a mysterious threat, decorated Marine Malik Khan (Riz Ahmed) packs them in a car and sets off on a perilous journey across the western U.S. But while racing toward a secret military base in Nevada that may hold the key to safety, the trio encounters danger at every turn. Staying one step ahead of a group of government agents, Malik and the boys find themselves bonding in unexpected ways. As their relentless pursuers close in, and with time quickly running out, each of them must confront hard truths about the world, forcing Jay and Bobby to leave their childhoods behind. A gripping story of a father’s mission to keep his children safe at all costs, ENCOUNTER is at once a riveting thriller and a powerful drama about a family dealing with a seemingly unstoppable enemy.
I’m guessing everyone’s ready for the start of Summer movie season, anxiously awaiting the first batch of action blockbusters, slapstick comedies, and, of course, the superheroes (and superheroines). Well, we’re going to have to wait a bit longer as the vaccines try to eradicate the pandemic that still has lots of screen venues shuttered. Yeah, we’ve gone over a year without a multiplex trip to the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), so perhaps we need something to keep us going until the BLACK WIDOW finally arrives, after lots of delays (but her stingers are charged up for July, for sure). This weekend we’ve got a super-powered duo of lady crusaders (though without capes) ready to fight for justice. And laughs. Yes, one of the current queens of comedy teams up with a beloved Oscar-winner to put a satiric spin on the genre. Plus it’s streaming exclusively, so no need to seek out a cinema “safe haven”. Ah, but things are far from safe (I imagine a big spike in property damage claims) when those craven criminals face the power of THUNDER FORCE.
But first, as with most comic book-inspired epics, we get a brief origin story, told with lots of “pop art” comic panels. Way back in 1983 mysterious cosmic rays bombarded the planet. While not affecting average citizens, they gifted sociopaths with various forms of super abilities. The media dubbed these new kinds of criminals “Miscreants”. On a fateful Chicago “L” train ride, husband and wife geneticists who were working on a way to combat them became the latest victims. Their preteen daughter Emily vowed to continue their research. But first, she’s got to get through public school. Luckily the teased “brainiac” is befriended by the tough though much less cerebral Lydia. The two become inseparable pals through the grade levels, but eventually have a falling out in high school, sending them on their own adult pathways. Cut to today as the big high school reunion approaches. Beer-drinking, blue-collar worker Lydia (Melissa McCarthy) decides to reach out to “Em” who actually replies to her text, saying that she may drop in. But when she’s a “no show”, Lydia decides to try and see her at her brand new downtown Chicago division of Stanton Labs. Emily (Octavia Spencer) is surprised and delighted to see her but needs to finish up some work and asks Lydia to wait in her office. Unfortunately, it’s connected to the main lab, and a slightly ‘buzzed’ Emily initiates the big new project. When she awakes, Lydia is told by Emily that she’s been injected by a “one-of-a-kind” serum that increases one’s strength, which had been intended for her. Instead, Emily will continue with the other treatment to produce the powers of invisibility, all to “even the playing field” with the Miscreants. The two are aided by a short-tempered secret government liaison Allie (Melissa Leo) and Emily’s genius teen daughter (her dad’s long gone), Tracy (Taylor Mosby). Once Lydia and Emily finish their treatments and training they suit up as “Thunder Force” (or “The Hammer” and “Bingo” to some) and take on the Miscreants that play a pivotal role in the city’s hotly contested mayoral race. But can the duo stop the deadly dangerous Laser (Pom Klementieff) and the criminal Crab (Jason Bateman), who may have connections to the megalomaniac tycoon turned candidate who calls himself The King (Bobby Cannavale), before the Windy City citizens cast their ballots? More importantly, can these former BFFS put aside their past squabbles and become the heroes the city, well maybe the world, desperately needs?
Once again, McCarthy exercises her considerable physical comedy skills, this time with an interesting unique twist. Instead of doing damage to her character (actual injuries and pride), her super strength turns Lydia into a true human “wrecking ball” as her untapped aggression often does more harm than good (we’re constantly told that “nobody was hurt”). Otherwise, she’s recreating lots of elements from previous roles, the tough coarse exterior that eventually melts to reveal a heart of gold, All through the battles, Ms. McCarthy somehow displays a real graceful balance, as though the specials serums have unlocked the prima ballerina within as she twirls and catapults into the mayhem. For the most part, Spencer is regulated to straight ma…”person”, the “smartie” who gets agitated by Lydia’s low-class antics. It’s not till the story’s mid-point where Emily really opens up and pushes through her fears about leaving the lab and bopping the baddies. It’s then that the TF team really works thanks to their personality conflicts. She’s all planning and reason while Lydia lives up to her “Hammer” nickname by smashing nearly everything in sight. The other “straight” is probably Leo’s Allie who has little to do as the needling authority figure/ “party pooper”. It’s a shame that her role is little more than an uptight pants suit. Mosby brings a bright youthful energy to the story as Tracy, who is exposed to the fun side of life by Lydia, much as she did with her mom. Perhaps the film’s biggest scene-stealer is the laid-back Bateman who makes the most of his clunky/retro “monster man” vibe. With his crab arms, always exposed by short-sleeved shirts. he seems a not-so-distant cousin to man/beast late show combos like THE FLY (the 50s not 80s). And Bateman can still destroy with his snarky, almost under his breath line delivery, though he sideways “runaway” is a killer sight gag. His Crab is certainly more interesting than Cannavale’s “The King” who bellows, struts, and screams in a not-so-subtle riff on another recent business titan turned politico. Luckily he shares many of his scenes with Klementieff who brings a sultry sense of silky menace to her volatile Laser, a cat-like sparkplug that delights in taunting her prey before showering them with deadly needles of lightening (actually a much better version of the Spidey villain Electro).
Directing his spouse (Ms. McCarthy) for the fifth time is Ben Falcone, who wrote the script and gives himself a nice small role as The Crab’s number two. This effort fits squarely into the middle-quality range of the other collaborations. The big action scenes work both as thrill rides and as parodies of the now nearly standard super “throw-downs” (CGI-check, wire-work-double check, etc.). But a lot of it does fall flat, especially an 80s rock ballad video fantasy that causes TF’s first big action sequence to screech to a halt. Prior to that too much time was given to easy sight gags of Lydia hovering too close to computer cameras (yeah the nostrils don’t work the third time) and the gross-out (literal) gags of her slurping raw chicken meat (the serum makes her crave the slimy stuff). These indulgences make the film seem bloated at 105 minutes. The same goes for the bits concerning Lydia and Emily’s difficulty in getting in and out of their souped-up set of wheels (since Em was always part of the program shouldn’t they have designed something a tad less tiny). And, as I mentioned, the main bad guy isn’t that compelling. However, kudos to taking a few jabs at the boss/henchmen cliches as The Crab wonders aloud if The King should be destroying the staff when things don’t go his way. There must be a better way to inspire the rest without depleting the crew, ya’ know? And the Chicago locations look fabulous, although most of the flick was shot in Georgia (just as the duo’s previous THE BOSS). Once again, this is better than some, but it comes nowhere near McCarthy’s glorious work with Paul Feig (hope they’ve got another project in mind). But if you’re in the need of a superhero cinema flix and don’t mind the playful shots at the genre then you may have some fitful fun suiting up with the THUNDER FORCE. But as Lydia says of their spandex, “After a while, it’s pretty gamey!”.
1.5 Out of 4
THUNDER FORCE streams exclusively on Netflix beginning Friday, April 9, 2021.
Audiences across the world can celebrate Halloween starting October 22 with the release of Warner Bros. Pictures and Robert Zemeckis’s reimagined “Roald Dahl’s The Witches,” premiering exclusively on HBO Max in the U.S. Zemeckis, the Oscar-winning director and master storyteller who gave us “Forrest Gump,” the Christmas classic “The Polar Express,” and the “Back to the Future” trilogy, brings a fresh sense of humor along with warmth and the unexpected to what is sure to be a Halloween favorite: Roald Dahl’s beloved story The Witches.
In addition to the film’s U.S. debut on HBO Max, the film will fly into theatres internationally beginning October 28.
Zemeckis is joined by a world-class team of filmmakers, including Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro and Kenya Barris, for this fantasy adventure about a young boy who stumbles upon a secret coven of witches and, with the help of his loving grandmother, tries to stop their evil plan to turn the world’s children into mice. The cast includes powerhouse performances from Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, Kristin Chenoweth and Chris Rock, with newcomer Jahzir Kadeen Bruno as the brave young hero.
“‘The Witches’ is a wonderful reimagining of Roald Dahl’s timeless tale that combines world-class filmmaking with fantastic performances. It’s fun for the whole family and ideal for this time of year,” said Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.
“This film, with its stellar cast, is outstanding,” said Casey Bloys, Chief Content Officer for HBO and HBO Max. “We are thrilled to be able to use our platform to deliver timely, relevant and engaging new content during this time when the theatrical experience is not available to everyone.”
The film will also be featured in HBO Max’s “Halloween is Here” spotlight page, alongside a curated roster of more than 140 movies, series and Halloween-themed TV episodes, hand-picked by HBO Max’s dedicated editorial team. https://play.hbomax.com/page/urn:hbo:page:Halloween-is-here
Reimagining Dahl’s beloved story for a modern audience, Robert Zemeckis’s visually innovative film tells the darkly humorous and heartwarming tale of a young orphaned boy who, in late 1967, goes to live with his loving Grandma in the rural Alabama town of Demopolis. As the boy and his grandmother encounter some deceptively glamorous but thoroughly diabolical witches, she wisely whisks our young hero away to an opulent seaside resort. Regrettably, they arrive at precisely the same time that the world’s Grand High Witch has gathered her fellow cronies from around the globe—undercover—to carry out her nefarious plans.
The film stars Oscar winners Anne Hathaway (“Les Misérable,” “Ocean’s 8”) and Octavia Spencer (“The Help,” “The Shape of Water”), Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci (“The Hunger Games” films, “The Lovely Bones”), with Kristin Chenoweth (TV’s “Glee” and “BoJack Horseman”) and award-winning comedy legend Chris Rock. Newcomer Jahzir Kadeem Bruno (TV’s “Atlanta”) also stars, alongside Codie-Lei Eastick (“Holmes & Watson”).
Based on the book by Roald Dahl, the screenplay is by Robert Zemeckis & Kenya Barris (TV’s “black-ish,” “Shaft”) and Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro (“The Shape of Water”). Zemeckis is also producing, alongside Jack Rapke, del Toro, Alfonso Cuarón and Luke Kelly. Serving as executive producers are Jacqueline Levine, Marianne Jenkins, Michael Siegel, Gideon Simeloff and Cate Adams.
Zemeckis’s behind-the-scenes team includes his frequent collaborators, including Oscar-nominated director of photography Don Burgess (“Forrest Gump”), production designer Gary Freeman, editors Jeremiah O’Driscoll and Ryan Chan, Oscar-nominated costume designer Joanna Johnston (“Allied,” “Lincoln”), and Oscar-nominated composer Alan Silvestri (“Polar Express,” “Forrest Gump”).
Premiering on HBO Max on October 22, Warner Bros. Pictures Presents, an Image Movers/Necropia/Experanto Filmoj Production, a Robert Zemeckis Film, “Roald Dahl’s The Witches.” Rated PG for scary images/moments, language and thematic elements. The film will also release in theatres internationally beginning October 28.
For animation feature fans it’s been a long cold couple of months since the Christmas Day release of SPIES IN DISGUISE (not the clump of coal many thought, but not a big award-grabber). Well, the drought is finally over. This weekend sees the first big studio feature animated flick of 2020, and we’re not counting SONIC THE HEDGEHOG or CALL OF THE WILD which had CGI stars (or co-stars) working with humans against mostly real backdrops. And it’s the “jackpot” for fans because it’s from the talented folks from Emeryville, CA: Pixar. Though it’s a tad early (they generally release their works in Summer or close to the end of the year), it’s because it’s the first time in five years that they’ve got two flicks in the same year (SOUL arrives in June). Oh, and another reason to be interested: this is the first original, non-sequel in over two years (it was franchise time in 2018 for INCREDIBLE 2 and last year’s Oscar-winning TOY STORY 4). Yes, new territory for Pixar, but the setting is familiar from a couple of live-action box office blockbuster trilogies from the last couple of decades. But enough of this teasing and pondering, to quote one of this story’s characters. “Let’s shift into ONWARD!”.
As the film opens, we’re given some backstory on this world fairly close to our own. Ah, but this is a realm of fantasy, at least back in it’s “olden days”. Warriors and adventurers teamed with wizards and sorcerers to battle (now considered) mythical beasts on epic quests. Well, until magic went out of the public’s favor. They instead turned to the much-easier science-based technology. Light bulbs led to automobiles, and so forth. Fantasy creatures still exist, but within an urban/suburban setting much like ours. The plot focuses on one such family, of point-eared bluish elves, the Lightfoots. Ian (Tom Holland) lives a happy life in New Mushroom Town with his older brother Barley (Chris Pratt), who’s in a long “gap year” before starting college, and single mom Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who’s dating a straight-laced centaur cop named Colt Bronco (Mel Rodriguez). He’s a socially awkward high-schooler, while his boisterous big “bro’ yearns for the magic of the past, trying to save old relics like the stone fountain. On Ian’s sixteenth birthday he recieves a most unexpected gift from his father who died before he was born. Before passing he told Laurel to present it to him on this special days. What’s the long thin item wrapped in a blanket? It’s a wizard’s staff along with a super rare Phoenix jewel as its top piece. Plus handy instructions including a phrase that will bring back Pop for a limited time (the next sunset). Naturally, Barley wants to cast the spell, but after multiple failed attempts, Laurel leaves to pick up the birthday cake. Then Ian decides to give it a go. And it works…halfway. From the Hush Puppy-style shoes to the belt on his polyester slacks. Half a Dad. And the jewel is toast. Of course, Barley has a plan. He and Ian (and partial Pop) will embark on a quest to locate another Phoenix Stone. But first, they must get its location from the ferocious beast-warrior of legend, the Manticore (Octavia Spencer). Simple eh? Except for a lil’ curse on said gem.
In their first pairing outside the Marvel Movie-verse, Holland and Pratt (Spidey and Starlord) make a most endearing “Odd Couple” of siblings. As the shy Ian, Holland amps up the Peter Parker anxiety, while giving him a most compelling desire, that yearning for just a few minutes with his patriarch. Plus he hits all the right comedic notes as he tries to cover for his impulsive big Bro. And Pratt adds lots of bluster and energy to the enthusiastic, ultra-caffeinated Barley. He seems to have enough confidence for the both of them (with tons to spare). But there’s a softer side, as he speaks of his own fading memories of dad, and later when he’s unintentionally hurt by Ian, one that nearly saps his spirit. Louis-Dreyfus makes for a most sympathetic mother, she helps her boys despite her own sorrow over her loss so many years ago. Laurel’s frustrated with her guys but calls on a bottomless wellspring of courage to protect them when needed. Almost matching the manic Pratt is Spencer, who’s so busy juggling her modern responsibilities (maybe plate spinning is more apt) that she almost forgets her true nature, buried away until Barley reminds her of it. And kudos to Rodriguez for his inspired comic turn as the very “un-cool” cop named Colt. He cares greatly for the Lightfoot family but just can’t connect with those kids (maybe that nervous whinny-chuckle is to blame).
Dan Scanlon, veteran director of MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, keeps the action rolling along while never losing the focus of the relationship between the two very different Lightfoot brothers. Of course, this is greatly aided by the witty script he co-wrote with Jason Headley and Keith Bunin. The only real problem with the project is its somewhat dated feel. Aside from nods to the Rings and Hobbit trilogy, the winks at the D&D role-playing games make the flick seem about 40 years late to the party. Fortunately the look of the film is lush with dazzling backgrounds, ranging from the sprawling vistas to the often grungy urban streets (a constantly packed highway with zooming cars is almost as scary as a similar sequence in GOOD BOYS). Then there are the details on the characters themselves. I thought Barley’s denim vest festooned with “heavy metal” patches accented with a plastic wrist cast truly defined his personality. This extends to the terrific supporting players, from a biker gang called the Pixie Dusters to the Gollum-like sleezy pawn shop owner. But the eye candy can’t make up for “wheel-spinning” retreads of Indiana Jones booby traps, which delay the slam-bang climax involving a very unique take on the dragon-staple of the dice-rolling role games, a big change from the Lightfoot family pet dragon, a serpent-spin on Dino from the classic TV cartoons. The film’s strong point is the brothers’ bond, perhaps just as fierce as the FROZEN sisters, and that longing for just one more day with a departed dad. That story thread elevates this above most of the lackluster manic forgetttable noisy nonsense that’s passed off as family entertainment. So proceed ONWARD to the multiplex, already and let it cast its spell on you.
Enough with Summertime frivolity, time to get serious. Really, here’s a real thought-provoking, and debate-provoking, drama featuring some award-winning actors and a fresh new actor who could be up for several of those with this work. Though set in the world of high school, this film focuses on the parents and teachers as much as the students. Yes, it is a drama, but it’s also a mystery, as loyalties change and evolve, and unlikely alliances are formed. Throw in explorations of class and race and you’ve got a compelling tale that swirls all around the title high school student, the young man named LUCE.
The story opens at the start of his senior year as Luce Edgar (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) delivers a speech to a most appreciative audience of fellow students, faculty, and parents including his folks, Amy (Naomi Watts) and Peter (Tim Roth). Ten years ago the Edgars brought Luce over from the war-torn African nation of Eritrea where he was a “child soldier”, and after months of therapy, adopted him. The only one not enthralled with the speech is Luce’s taciturn history teacher Harriet Wilson (Octavia Spencer), who meets the Edgars post-speech along with Principal Dan Towson (Norbert Leo Butz). Shortly after the event, Ms. Wilson calls in Amy for a private meeting at the school. Harriet was alarmed by Luce’s recent essay. It was to be told in the voice of a historical figure (some students chose FDR). Luce picked the violent revolutionary West Indian radical leader Frantz Fanon. The brutal rhetoric of the paper alarmed Harriet so much that she searched Luce’s locker and found a bag of illegal (and very dangerous) fireworks. Amy is shocked by the violation of her son’s privacy at first. Breaking the news to Peter, the parents are conflicted over what to do next. This sets off a chain of events that lead to secrets concerning sexual assault, drugs, and the whole social class system of the school and eventually threatens this “model family” and “shining example” son.
This film derives much of its impact from this talented cast lead by the star-making performance of relative newcomer Harrison in the title role. He makes Luce a wily chameleon, ready to switch personas as if he were donning a mask from an almost bottomless bag o’ tricks. Harrison effectively uses his eyes and body language to go from confident crusader to a clueless victim, sometimes jumping back and forth in the course of the same conversation. This puts us in much the same position as his co-stars. Except for Spencer’s Harriet, who is an unyielding rock, a solid wall that Luke can’t break through with his charm or eagerness to “please’. But Spenser also gives us her softer side as she tries to deal with an unstable sibling, showing us that the teacher must have order in the classroom as her home life is in chaos. Harrison and Spenser are superb sparring partners especially as Luce toys with her during a trivial talk about holidays. Caught in their crossfire is Watts, torn between devotion to her son and worries about the ghosts of his past life. At one point she becomes an internet sleuth, desperate to set her mind at ease while fearful of what she may digitally “dig up”. All this while trying to maintain a “united front’ with her hubby Peter, played with a gritty “low key” edge by Roth. Pete wants to think the best of their boy but refuses to “walk on eggshells” around him. And as he sees other families, Roth shows us the man’s deep regrets over “mutual decisions”. Butz is quite good as the usually easy-going administrator who strives to please faculty and parents using his good-natured sense of humor. And special kudos to the heart-wrenching performances by Marsha Stephanie Blake as Harriet’s mentally ill sister Rosemary, whose inner demons figure into the final act, and Andrea Bang as Luce’s loyal, needy and confused classmate Stephanie.
Director Julius Onah, working from the screenplay adaptation he co-wrote with J.C. Lee (based on his play), maintains a most somber tone, filling the school hallways with a sense of dread and tension. He captures the awkwardness of that setting along with the Edgar dinner table. This is particularly true when Pete veers away from Amy’s planned reveal to Luce about the essay and the fireworks. Onah’s eschews fancy camerawork and effects to find the impact of dialogue. The “cat and mouse’ exchanges between Luce and Harriet are as riveting as any high-speed car chase. He sets the horrific within the most casual of settings as when Amy talks to Stephanie about a “party game”. This story takes unexpected turns and twists, but never feel contrived. That may be because of the flawed characters, no 100% “good guys and bad guys”, just human beings trying to do right, but often coming up short. The overall mood is aided by the hypnotic score by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury. And, once again, the movie soars on this talented cast. They make LUCE a complex morality tale perfect for these troubled times.
3.5 out of 4
LUCE opens everywhere and screen exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas and Tivoli Theatre
