Tag: Thandiwe Newton

MUFASA: THE LION KING – Review

With Christmas less than a week away, the “Mouse House” has decided to send another family-friendly flick into the multiplexes to share space with its recent “box-office behemoth” MOANA 2 (which is still in the number one spot). Oh, and this is somewhat of a sequel, too. When the Marvel Cinematic Universe made a huge cinematic splash, many studios wanted to create their own versions of a “brand”. Naturally Warner Brothers had their DC Comics line (which is getting a big “re-do”) and Universal keeps attempting a “Dark Universe’ based on those classic monsters (THE WOLF MAN is on the way next year). And though Marvel is a partner, Disney itself is “getting into the act” with their legacy of classic animated tales, the twist being that they’re being remade in “live-action”. This new film is unique in that it is “technically” an animated film with pixels replacing the pencils involved with 2-D “hand drawn” films. And, as I mentioned earlier, this is the first sequel. to one of these remakes. Ah, but it’s actually more of a prequel, since its main focus is the “origin” story of MUFASA: THE LION KING.

This film begins a few years after the finale of THE LION KING, as we return to the denizens of Pride Rock. Nala (voice of Beyonce Knowles-Carter) has embarked on a “sabbatical” in the deep woods leaving her daughter Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter) with Papa Simba (Donald Glover). But now it’s time for him to join her so he enlists three “babysitters”: Pumbaa the warthog (Seth Rogan), Timon the meerkat (Billy Eichner), and the shamen-mandrill Rafika (John Kani). Kiara is frightened by the approaching thunderstorm, so Rafika decides to calm her by telling the story of her grandfather, Mufasa. His blissful life as a royal cub is shattered by a flood that separates him from his adored parents. Mufasa is swept far away by a swift stream until another cub, Taka, pulls him onto the shore. The two return to Taka’s pride, where their king, Obasi (Lennie James) shuns him and pushes him toward the females, led by his mate Eshe (Thandiwe Newton). Luckily she is a nurturer and encourages Mufasa’s “gifts”. The years pass, and teenaged Mufusa (Aaron Pierre) and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) practice their hunting skills and encounter a pride of white lions known as “The Outsiders” ruled by the cruel and avaricious King Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen). When they attack Obasi’s pride, the two teens begin a desperate journey to find the bountiful land known as M’Leilei. Along the way, Mufasa and Taka are joined by a young lioness named Sarabi (Tiffany Boone) and her scout/servant, the hornbill Zasu (Preston Nyman). And they luckily run into their guide, the younger Rafiki (Kagiso Lediga), but can his mystical skills protect them as Kiros and his pack trails them in order to enact his vengeance? Friendships are tested and changed for good during the long hard trek.

Though it’s been five years since the remake (the original just turned thirty), those returning voice actors slip right back into their roles as though they were in the recording studio yesterday. Especially potent is the comic chemistry between Eichner and Rogan who riff like a classic vaudeville comedy team, with Pumbaa a bit more of a lunkhead who beams with pride about his “fragrance” while Timon is the motor-mouthed wiseguy who delights in breaking (not the wind like his BFF) the “fourth wall”. Spin-off, please. In her acting debut, Miss Carter projects a sweet energetic innocence as the future queen. Both Kani and Lediga give Rafiki the proper gravitas and magical mentoring. Pierre is an engaging lead who goes from confusion to confidence as the king-to-be, while Harrison relates the pressure of his lineage while slowly succumbing to very human emotional faults. Boone is a spunky heroine who can dive into the action right alongside the fellas. James is a great blustering and conniving king as Obasi. The film’s best asset might be the compelling Mikkelsen who accentuates each threat with a sneering snarl making Kiro a fearsome villain. He’s pure silky menace.

Aside from the film’s unique structure as a sequel/prequel, it’s got another unusual filmmaker for an animated film in the director’s chair. It’s helmed by the acclaimed crafter of live-action dramas (MOONLIGHT, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK), Barry Jenkins, who is working from the screenplay by Jeff Nathanson (based on the 1994 film). He gives the story an added emotional heft, slowly zooming in during essential conversations and confrontations. Of the latter, he brings lots of excitement to the deadly encounters, from hungry crocs to the revenge-obsessed Outsiders. The African environments are stunning, going from arid plains to snowy mountains and particularly the utopia of M’Leilei with its lush vegetation. But despite the advancements in CGI, the animals (though expertly rendered) just can’t convey the bravada acting and emoting of those hand-drawn icons of that 90s classic. Though they’re caricatures the gestures and expressions tell us so much more than these computer creations. It helps that the coloring and voices make the main characters here more distinct, along with the voices, but I can still mix up the principals. Wisely, the narrative cuts back to the present, to provide some welcome comic asides from T & P, but the pace seems to drag before the big reveals of the third act (key settings and props are introduced). Perhaps another “pass” at the script was needed to trim a few minutes. Still, it’s a well-crafted extension of the story rather than a quick “cash grab” like the straight-to-home video follow-ups back in the VHS “glory days”. A few more memorable songs might have helped since none of the new tunes comes close to the stellar work of Elton John and Tim Rice. But kids that are “crazy about critters” will be happy to return to the exotic “pride lands” as they explore the legend of MUFASA: THE LION KING.

2.5 Out of 4

MUFASA: THE LION KING is now playing in theatres everywhere

CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET – Review

So, since we’re deep into the holiday season (the biggie is just ten days away), what better time to revisit some old friends? And it really has been a long stretch, actually more than twenty years. That’s quite a gap between sequels, especially in animation where franchises seem to abound almost annually. Yes, the decades set this flick apart, but also its style. It’s not drawn at the old “light-desk’ nor is fashioned from pixels via an army of computers. This piece would truly be considered “old school’ as it returns to the techniques of “stop-motion animation”, which has been a cinema staple for over a hundred years. These days it’s mainly employed in the service of “selling” in TV commercials or the occasional TV special. But these wacky “wizards of clay” at Aardman (the main characters are molded and sculpted) are masters of this time-consuming craft and they’re returning to bring back some fine feathered friends (and some human foes) in CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET.


The plot of this fable explores what comes next post “they all lived happily ever after”. At the conclusion of the 200 original, Rocky the rooster, and the hens escaped the terrible Tweedy Farm. And they’ve been living peacefully on an island, far from the shore of the countryside. Ginger (voice of Thandiwe Newton) and Rocky (Zachary Levi) are enjoying the domestic life and are delighted when their egg hatches. Soon the chick grows into a spirited, feisty teenager they’ve named Molly (Bella Ramsey). Keeping her out of trouble seems to be a full-time job for her parents and most of the neighbors. Then Molly climbs a tree for a “bird’s eye view” of that world across the water and soon makes her escape. When Ginger sees that she’s AWOL, she enlists Rocky and the rest of the old “henhouse crew” (Babs, Bunty, Mac, and old Fowler) on a rescue mission. After hitching a boat ride from their rat “sea trader” pals Nick and Fetcher, the gang arrives just in time to see Molly and her new best pal, a feral hen named Frizzle (Jose Sedgwick-Davis), get scooped up by a truck from Fun Land Farms. The island chickens follow it to the gate of a nearly impenetrable fortress. Ginger has no choice but to actually break into the “processing plant” to rescue her only daughter. But can she and her friends triumph when they learn that an old adversary is behind this new method of turning their ilk into tasty crunchy “nuggets”?

The new vocal cast (save for one former nemesis) does a splendid job of selling the verbal jabs and jokes in this new adventure fantasy. Newton and Levi are a good match as parents with different “nurturing styles”. Ginger is the more pragmatic while Rocky has a casual “have a blast” attitude (similar to many modern sitcom couples). Ramsey conveys all the optimistic energetic spirit of youth with much curiosity and naivete. And there’s great supportive work from Nick Mohammed as the sinister super-genius Dr. Fry (get it). All these actors service the superb skills of talented designers, sculptors, and animators (working with clay rather than a pencil or a keyboard/mouse). The island sequences have a warm natural feel with the foilage jutting into the tranquil lake. But it all turns dark and sinister for the nocturnal capture of Molly. And then the story “shifts gears” in the spiky citadel of Fun Land Farms. It certainly reflects the tone of the sequel. While the original film played as a parody of WWII POW camp epics (think THE GREAT ESCAPE or STALAG 17), this one has “a laugh” at the 1960s and 1970s spy capers. We can almost imagine 007 or even Derek Flint or Matt Helm dashing through the shiny metallic hallways of “the farm” (it feels as though it should be inside a volcano or mountain). Plus there are terrific parodies of sci-fi (maybe THE MATRIX meets THE STEPFORD WIVES0 and a playful poke at amusement parks with a phony plastic pastel backdrop. These bug-eyed birds are just so hilarious as they try to become action heroes. It does go on a bit too long, as one ending shifts into another challenge, but the film should keep every member of the family entertained and amusing. So, the witty script and dazzling visuals make CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGETS a truly tasty holiday treat.

3 Out 4

CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET is now streaming exclusively on Netflix

ALL THE OLD KNIVES – Review

Thandiwe Newton in ALL THE OLD KNIVES. Courtesy of Amazon.

ALL THE OLD KNIVES is an intense political thriller with a relatively unusual framework. Eight years before the principal action, terrorists hijacked a commercial plane in Europe and wound up killing themselves and over 100 others. We learn that from the get-go. The mystery comes from newly-discovered evidence that there may have been a mole in the CIA who contributed to that disastrous failure. The head honcho Victor Wallinger (Laurence Fishburne) assigns his top agent Henry Pelham (Chris Pine) to head up this new inquiry. Primary suspects among his old colleagues are his then-girlfriend Celia Harrison (Thandiwe Newton) and their veteran department head Bill Compton (Jonathan Pryce).

Pine approaches the task with great reluctance. Newton left him and the spy biz right after the incident, morphing into a suburban mom. Pine still pines for her from afar. The screenplay includes many flashbacks to the time of the tragedy, showing different perspectives and collateral relationships and transactions that may or may not prove who was culpable. Beyond that, the less you know the more intense and suspenseful the viewing will be.

Director Janus Metz and his editing team did well at bouncing us between the film’s then and now without losing coherence. Good work also from the makeup and wardrobe crews makes the casts’ ages look appropriately different for the two periods presented. Among performances, Fishburne’s fans won’t get to see much of their guy. Pine plays it appropriately blank, telegraphing little of his character’s agenda, like a good spy should. Newton is the one who shines brightest, as she continues to defy the calendar. Though closing in on 50, in scenes of that earlier period, she looks no older than her early thirties, even in the less-clad moments.

The film is based on Olen Steinhauer’s source novel and screenplay. I haven’t read the book, but I’d bet his adaptation preserved its best in the transition to our screens. The script is taut, low-key and keeps us guessing until the end. The story presents more emotional layers and complexities than most espionage films. Not only are the embers of Pine and Newton’s old romance in play, but many other friendships and alliances that were meaningful to the players beyond their professional dimension. There’s less action than in most genre entries (no Jason Bourne heroics) but it’s offset by the suspense and tensions throughout Pine’s investigation, resulting in a highly realistic, human-scale package. If you’re seeking entertainment more cerebral than visceral, this one’s a solid choice.

ALL THE OLD KNIVES opens in theaters and streaming on Amazon Prime on Friday, Apr. 8.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

REMINISCENCE – Review

(L-r) HUGH JACKMAN as Nick Bannister, REBECCA FERGUSON as Mae and THANDIWE NEWTON as Watts in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action thriller “REMINISCENCE,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. © 2021 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

REMINISCENCE stars Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson and Thandiwe Newton in a twisty sci-fi mystery that is part BLADE RUNNER, part TOTAL RECALL – both films loosely based on novels by imaginative science fiction writer Phillip K. Dick – which then goes Hitchcock by way of Chinatown with a deep noir flavor. Set in a flooded future Miami, where the streets are navigated like the canals of Venice and no one goes out until dark due to the heat, this is classic noir set in a gritty post-war, post climate-disaster dystopia. Essentially an homage to Hollywood classics, of the 1940s particularly, and packed with film references, REMINISCENSE is film noir wrapped in a sci-fi setting.

Dark, noirish, stylish, with that classic narration, it is a story of love, obsession, haunting memories, deception, illusions, and truth – and memories extracted by futuristic technology. If all that sounds like an intriguing brew, REMINISCENSE will hook you and take you for its twisty ride.

The mystery/thriller is the directorial debut of director/writer/producer Lisa Joy, the show-runner and co-creator of “Westworld” along with husband Jonathan Nolan. Joy, who was inspired by a wish to explore the power of memory in her original screenplay, brought many of her “Westworld” collaborators with her to this project, including director of photography Paul Cameron and star Thandiwe Newton. Angela Sarafyan, another “Westworld” cast member, also has a smaller role in the film.

Although REMINISCENSE is a sci-fi tale set in a climate-disaster future, film noir mystery is the aspect that dominants. The film is filled to the brim with film references, which is part of its fun, but it also delivers an interesting update on the classic femme fatale character. The twisty plot does not always completely makes sense but the film scores better on atmosphere and character as it blends elements of mystery, romance, thriller, and noir, with meditations on memory, time and illusions. The film aims high and while it does not really hit the mark, it does deliver good, if imperfect, entertainment for those who enjoy classic noir and sci-fi.

This noirish detective tale takes place in a dystopian future Miami, post-civil war and post-climate disaster, where streets are flooded by rising sea levels and life is lived at night to avoid the intolerable heat. Sunsets have become dawns, sunrises signal day’s end, and staying out past that has to be done in the shade, and not too late.

In this harsh world, Nick Bannister (Hugh Jackman) has built a business helping clients escape the dreary present to relive memories of a better time, using advanced technology and special skills he learned for interrogation when he served in the military during the war. The machine lets them access their memories, which are projected on a 3-D stage, as Nick safely guides and monitors his dreaming, drugged clients as they float in water-filled tank. Besides his reminiscencing clients, Nick uses his interrogation skills to help the local Miami police in investigations as a private detective.

Nick’s memory services should be a lucrative business in this grim world but Nick has a soft spot for his old veteran buddies, especially the wounded ones, and tends not to charge them, much to the dismay of his business partner and fellow war buddy Watts (Thandiwe Newton). The cynical, hard-drinking Watts is damaged goods, haunted by a fatal mistake she made during the war, memories she drowns in the bottle.

Nick and Watts operate their memory business out of a run-down warehouse space, off a side street that is always slightly flooded. But their routine lives are disrupted and everything changes after a beautiful woman named Mae (Rebecca Ferguson) turns up, seeking help remembering where she left her keys. It seems an odd request for what is probably an expensive service but Nick is too dazzled by Mae’s beauty to question the mysterious woman. Despite Watt’s worries, and a touch of jealousy due to the secret torch she is carrying for her co-worker, Nick quickly falls for Mae, and when she disappears, he falls into obsessed depression. The obsession takes Nick into a seedy underworld of criminal kingpins and corrupt cops in his search of Mae.

Actually, REMINISCENCE does not dwell much on either the climate-impacted world we see all around us or details of the civil war it references. Instead goes straight for its mystery thriller tale of obsession, love, damaged souls and the power of memory.

Hugh Jackman, as the film’s central character, plays a jaded soul who has his life upended by a mysterious woman, a character that draws on Humphrey Bogart in CASABLANCA and James Stewart in VERTIGO, among other influences, although Jackman handles his role well and creates his own character. He and Ferguson generate romantic chemistry in their scenes together, but we sense something hidden in Mae, which keep us guessing about her through the film.

While Hugh Jackman has the central role as the hardened detective with a soft heart who becomes obsessed with her, the film offers a different twist on the femme fatale character, one who goes beyond the usual one-dimensional type, a more interesting character than we expect. Mae, played well by Rebecca Ferguson, starts out like most noir femme fatales – appealing, mysterious, haunting but with a dangerous undercurrent. Classically these characters turn out to be either good or bad, but mostly are seen through the lens of the male gaze and point of view of the film’s protagonist. But Ferguson’s Mae is more complicated, more her own person, a woman coping with tough circumstances and using the tools she has to survive.

This femme fatale role is one you could easily see Thandiwe Newton in, but instead Newton plays the supporting part of Nick’s damaged partner, haunted by her past mistakes and harboring a secret longing for Nick. The casting is less expected, but gives Newton a rare chance to flex other acting muscles. Other cast members also lend good support, with Cliff Curtis a standout as corrupt cop Boothe, effectively menacing Jackman’s Nick and Ferguson’s Mae, and lingering in our memory even when not on screen.

REMINISCENCE is visually stunning, a future Miami where rising sea levels have flooded the streets and rising temperatures have driven life to the nighttime. Director of photography Paul Cameron gives is haunting, even majestic, images of this dark, watery world – images that will stick in your memory. In “Westworld,” Cameron created a visual world that was a perfect reference to the Western genre, with a sci-fi touches, and does the same here for the noir genre. Interior scenes are stylish and noir-drenched, with slanting light, abundant shadows and ever-present ceiling fans.

One feels both classic Hollywood and the Nolan influence in this world. In REMINISCENCE’s Miami, most people live in a sodden world but the wealthy live in the few dry spots, real estate they grabbed early on, behind flood walls that keep out the water, adding an income-inequality edge to their tough lives. Some scenes take place in the off-shore, where houses on stilts are now islands and in a similarly flooded New Orleans. The images create an effective, complete alternate world.

You have got to love film noir to really give in to REMINISCENCE, and if the genre does not appeal, this film is likely not for you. Although this is a sci-fi tale set in a climate-disaster future – and the imagery of that world is impressive and memorable – REMINISCENCE is the film noir mystery at its heart. Hugh Jackman and Rebecca Ferguson deliver nice performances, as well as Thandiwe Newton and Cliff Curtis, in the film’s twisty thriller blend of mystery, obsession, and romance, with meditations on memory, time and illusions. The film aims high, and while it does not really hit that mark, it does deliver good entertainment for those up for its classic noir/sci-fi mash-up.

REMINISCENCE opens Friday, August 20, at the Chase Cinema and various other theaters.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars