Gladiator II

Grade: B-

In this sequel to the 2000 hit, Lucius (played by Paul Mescal), now grown up, is captured and sold into slavery as a gladiator after his wife is killed and his city conquered by the Roman Empire. Like Maximus before him, Lucius vows revenge.

The movie starts slow for the first two-thirds. It also feels like it's copying plot points too much from the first, such as the enslaving, the political intrigue against the current ruler, and especially the wife death, which just feels a little like a cheap trope the second time around and a little misogynistic that you need to kill a woman to spur a man's storyline. (When Casino Royale came out we were like "Oh, a Bond girl death. It's been a while". When Quantum of Solace came out we were like "Oh, the Bond girl death again, well it's still kinda effective". When Skyfall came out we were like, "Seriously? This one went real nihilistic, man".)

This felt rather like Gladiator-light, as the events don't feel quite as grounded as the original. Characterization is not as strong. Lucius' fellow gladiators do not get a lot of screen time and there is not a natural time line of them warning up to him, they just start working with him. (Also, the movie makes a mistake of having Lucius interacting with few people he likes and too many people he has got a beef with. I like Lucius, but he could have been given more time to really shine as a leader and a person people will follow.)  

Some of the deaths feel like overkill as well. Plus, this goes for the "ending of the last film meant nothing and things went bad" trend that a lot of sequels made decades after their predecessors have been doing. You know that you can have characters doing alright and then set up a new threat/conflict, right?

But there are also some good ideas, lines, and moments in this sprinkled througout. This is a Ridley Scott movie, and though I would not say this is the best of his in terms of visuals, they have been his strong point and he he will catch your eye at times, including some creative kills. A great idea is to have this Rome be more of a fancy-looking, corrupt decadent type of Rome.

It is when the third act comes and everything comes to a head, and we do not have to wait anymore, that things get interesting. Some of the best parts are here including some legitimate surprise moments (including one truly earned scene of melodrama) and the type of epic final battle that the audience wants to see. Though the movie starts out like the original, it definitely tries something different here.

The best part hands down is Denzel Washington's character of Macrinus, the gladiator owner who purchased Lucius and a master schemer who climbed up the ladder from the bottom. He gets the best lines and Washington gives one of the liveliest performances he's ever given in a style I dub "restrained flamboyance". His body language is killing it here.

Mescal is no Crowe (though, the script is not giving him any favors), but he ain't half bad. The character of Lucius is a little dull at first, but Mescal gets a chance to show his ability as the angrier and fed up he gets. You're rooting for Lucius as he wants to burn all the awfulness he encounters to the ground.

Though I felt the emperor in the last film was a little overwrought, he had better characterization than the twin emperors here. They given could have been given more backstory, personality, and stuff to do, but, as spoiled/foppish sort of rulers, they definitely have some fun scenes. All credit should be given to Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla, the more juvenile of the duo. He IS the character, providing some great facial work.

Pedro Pascal is the head general of Rome, and I am sad to say that this is one of his less impressive performances. He feels so low-energy throughout most of this film.

A light recommendation. It is not as strong as the original, but when it works it works, and I truly enjoyed the finale. Honestly, some will find this too long and a little dull, while others will enjoy the action and grandeur of this all, and I feel a lot of Gladiator fans may be more forgiving of this than me (I honestly did not love the original as much as some).

Here

Grade: A

Here based on the magazine strip turned graphic novel by Richard McGuire is shot from the exact same angle and follows a spot of land and the house that is eventually built on it throughout history with emphasis on said house and the marriage of occupants Richard (played by Tom Hanks) and Margaret (Robin Wright). 

In recent years, Zemeckis' films have been more hit or miss and the last few in particular haven't been well accepted, but I felt this was a real return to form. It honestly feels like an old-school feel-good drama. Admittedly, some may feel the movie to be a bit maudlin, especially by today's more cynical standards, and the main sources of conflicts in Richard and Margaret's stories respectively may not feel quite like how these circumstances would play out in real life, but honestly this was still an entertaining slice-of-life film.

The slipping between timelines and the various vignettes is what really makes it work. You ever seen an educational video or animatronic performance at Disney World (World of Tomorrow is the best example)? It has that kinda feel, with sort of a lets have fun with the presentation kind of way. The stories work, heck most of the shorter ones are actually more interesting than the main story.

Zemeckis' does a solid job of transitioning between time periods, often in a way where things don't all change at once, and incorporates panels, being reminiscent of the format of the original comics. Hearing the basic description of this, you wouldn't think this would be fancy-looking giving the limited locations, but a lot of effort was put into making the background look like the appropriate time periods. The set design and props are also pretty effective at selling the era.

The deaging technology works really well and usually only seems odd if you're  specifically focusing on it. Zemeckis makes the wise choice of avoiding having the characters close up to the camera too often. I wished the movie had used makeup for old age instead of digital effects. There is a couple usages of that where it feels the most fake.

Hanks and Wright, not surprisingly, are solid. Yeah, Hanks does sound a little old if you listen to him long enough, but I did feel he intentionally put more energy into his younger performance. Wright manages to not sound old when playing her younger self. Honestly, some of the supporting actors here are even more entertaining. Paul Bettany as Richard's father gives a particularly lively and multifaceted performance.

The music didn't work for me. It was too 90's light-hearted and didn't feel like it appropriately fitted certain scenes.

Recommended. I know a lot of critics don't like this, and not to say there are no valid criticisms about the main story, but I thought this was a sincerely emotional, impressive, entertaining, and unique work.

Unfrosted

7/10

Jerry Seinfeld is an interesting guy, after having one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, he's been limited in his output. The only major projects he's spearheaded afterwards are Comedians in Cars with Coffee and the animated children's film Bee Movie. And now he's co-written and directed a really fictional Netflix comedy account of Kellog's creation of the Pop-Tart and its competition with Post.

This is a throwback to films like Naked Gun or Airplane, movies that are just completely silly, wacky, and gag/schtick heavy. (The co-writers were the same guys who worked on Bee Movie, which may give a hint at the tone of this.) The film is the writers throwing a bunch of stuff at you. Not every bit or line is a winner (Seinfeld's got an interesting style of rapid-fire dialogue that may not work for everyone), but something that works will quickly come along afterward. If you're a fan of 60's nostalgia, Unfrosted is filled to the brim with humorous depictions of famous figures.

The movie is  a who's who of well known or at least experienced actors, usually comedic. Unfrosted is one of those works where you might want to tune in just to see who'll pop up next. Seinfeld and Melissa McCarthy, as the one's overseeing the creation of the Pop-Tart, and Jim Gaffigan as company owner Edsel Kellog III make for a solid trio that work well alongside each other. Unfortunately, there are way too many good performances to list in this. I think we have time to mention Hugh Grant, who's been doing more and more comical performances, but this is appears to be his first pure comedy that isn't also a hybrid film. Here he plays a thespian actor who also plays the Tony the Tiger mascot (seeing Grant in the costume alone is a delight).  Though admittedly he already played a full-of-himself actor in Paddington 2, I found this performance to be just different enough. He plays himself more faux serious and less pomp here. Grant is doing the most ridiculous stuff he's ever done in his career, and the famous actor is completely game for anything. 

A lot of credit should be given to the look of the film. It's very colorful, again evoking 60's nostalgia.

Recommended. I'm not saying this is the funniest movie of all time, but if you want something light that you want to turn your brain off for, then this may be for you.

Late Night with the Devil

8.5/10

In Late Night with the Devil, Jack Delroy (played by David Dastmalchian), the host of the late night show Night Owls, tries to restore his show's dwindling ratings by having a special Halloween show that includes Lilly D'Abo (Ingrid Torelli), a girl allegedly possessed by a demon.

I think it's been a while since I've seen such a well constructed story. All plot points flow naturally and we are fed information bit by bit. The interesting thing about this film is that it isn't your typical demon possession tale. There is a lot more going on and one is left interested as to what exactly is at play here.

One is kept engaged as to where everything is going and what'll happen next. True scares can be a slow burn often, but that really isn't an issue due to the film's general sense of unease in that Delroy is messing with stuff he shouldn't as well as solid characterization (Delroy's got several guests/show staff with differing agendas and views on the supernatural). 

Only reason I'm not rating this higher is the ending.  It runs a little longer than needed, and it lacks the cohesion and satisfaction of the rest of the film. To the ending's credit, it does show, not tell, however, I would've prefer the info. to be more explained and spoon fed. Part of the fun of this is putting all the clues together, but the movie ends with you asking a lot of "wait, what about?" questions. That having been said, the ending's not an absolute stinker, I've seen vaguer endings, and what occurs is definitely a choice.   

Strong cast in this. Dastmalchian is like Alan Tudyk in that he's one of those character actors who popped up more and more until they just suddenly hit that point where they became a known name that's in demand. (Among other things Dastmalchian was the main villain the MacGyver reboot, the Russian guy in the Ant-Man movies, and Polka-Dot Man in Suicide Squad.) He especially seems to have gotten his foot in movies lately. However, this is the first time he's gotten the main lead, and he kills it as an charming but ratings hungry TV host who also has to carefully navigate strange occurrences and various opinionated members of the show. 

Other highlights of this are Torelli whose Lilly is more uncomfortable when the demon isn't speaking through her, Rhys Auteri as Delroy's affable co-host Gus McConnell, and Fayssal Bazzi as showman psychic Christou.

The movie really encapsulates the feel and look of the 1970's and talk shows. It doesn't feel anachronistic or forced. Budget was clearly small, but the Night Owls' set is pulled off nicely.

Highly recommended. Yes, the finale's not perfect, but the film as a whole is definitely worth a watch. Unfortunately, this is only in limited theaters, the ones that are usually close to or in cities.  If you're not near one of these, this'll be on Shudder in a month, I believe, and if you're not subscribing to that, most films from the streamer appear on DVD/Blu-ray a few months later.

Rustin

7.5/10

The Netflix movie Rustin retells how black and gay civil rights leader Rustin Bayard (played by Colman Domingo) helped organize the March on Washington.

Domingo makes this movie in an electrified and erudite performance; a brave man who was committed to peaceful protest despite the odds and wanted to live his truth. Heck, the majority of the cast is strong, including some known faces.

What unfolds is an interesting look at the behinds-the-scenes of everything it took to make the massive march come to fruition.

Though the film mostly focuses on the organizational aspects of the civil rights movement, it reminds the viewers of the injustices done to African Americans through a few well-placed brief snippets.

Naturally, the film is also about Bayard being both black and gay in 1960's America. Credit must be given to the creators for being honestly cynical about achieving political goals as it focuses on how Bayard's homosexuality was an issue for certain NAACPT members or a weak spot for the movement for more pragmatic members. He's arguably one of the less advertised African American rights activists because of his sexual orientation, and the movie shows the ultimate sadness of a man dedicated toward good but forced to muzzle himself due to his gayness. 

Though the movie wasn't that long, it still could've been shortened. Some scenes just feel like padding or a little dry. Most of the writing flows well, but there is one scene involving an anti-war group where a character's dialogue felt really unnatural and expositioney. (I get the feeling that some scenes for that subplot were cut down and maybe the dialogue would've felt more natural if we had more context.)

Recommended. This is a well told film with an excellent lead performance.

The Burial

7.5/10

In this Amazon Prime film inspired by real events (I admire how the film is straight up honest in its embellishment) that takes place in the '90's, Jeremiah "Jerry" O'Keefe (played by Tommy Lee Jones), the owner of several Mississippi funeral homes, is suffering from money problems. He makes a deal with Ray Loewen (Bill Camp), the owner of a Canadian funeral home company to sell a few of O'Keefe's businesses. However, Loewen stalls for months on signing the contract so he can just wait out on O'Keefe not being able to afford insurance so he can sweep in and take over O'Keefe's entire turf. The Mississippian decides to sue and since the trial takes place in a predominantly black district, he decides to hire black personal injury lawyer Willie Gary (Jamie Fox), who has never lost a case but does not have contract law experience.  

The Burial is your typical feel-good historical drama that involves disparate people working together. The movie's biggest weakness is that it's too blatant in certain parts of dialogue in its attempts to emotionally tug on the audience's sympathies. However, it is a well orchestrated film of its type. The cast and script are solid and make for an enjoyable two hours and six minutes that blow by.

Needless to say that the best part of a movie starring Fox and James is Fox and James. Fox owns the role of the fast-talking, showman type of lawyer, and Jones easily has mastery over the role of a salt of the earth, family man. Camp doesn't get much screen time, but he succeeds in the time he has as a guy who is slime, but intelligent and knows the game. Ferris Bueller/Succession's Alan Ruck and Elemental's Mamoudou Athie also do well as O'Keefe's long term contract lawyer and the lawyer who introduces O'Keefe to Gary.  

Recommended. It's just a well told story that works. 

The Continental: From the world of John Wick

8.5/10

In three movie-length episodes, this Peacock television spin-off/prequel of the John Wick movies (couldn't tell if it is supposed to be a season 1 or just a mini-series) is about how Winston Scott (played here by Colin Woodell) became the manager of The Continental, the hotel for assassins and other criminals, as a young man back in the 1970's. The movie starts with businessman Winston being forced by crime boss and current Continental manager McCormac O'Connor (Mel Gibson) to find his brother Frankie (Animal Kingdom's Ben Robson) who has stolen a valuable item.

What works about this is that the show doesn't feel like a cookie cutter plot of the traditional JW formula. Don't get it wrong, there is plenty of action (more about that later), but there's a lot more focus on characters and plot. This is doing a strong job of being a 70's crime story and the battles/cooperation between various characters make things interesting.

The action isn't the pure gun-fu from JW, but the show is action-packed. Some may be disappointed that the second episode doesn't have that much fighting, but they're saving it all for the finale. Rarely have I seen the final episode of a season so rewarding. Almost the entirety of it is a pure violence and choreography lover's dream.

The protagonists are decent. I wouldn't say they're all stand-outs, but they all work well. A particularly strong performance is Ayomede Adugin as the young version of Winston's right hand Charon (Ayomide Adegun), who's currently Cormac's right hand at this point. The actor perfectly captures Lance Reddick's charm and professionalism. At first, Cormac doesn't seem that interesting as he feels like a basic mobster. However as  his situation becomes more and more desperate (he's got superiors who don't want failure) the character becomes more and more intriguingly disturbed. 

The villains who really stand out here are the silent assassin twins Hansel (actor and stuntman Mark Musachi) and Gretel (Marina Mazepi, who's specialized in playing monsters in the past). Yeah, the whole silent twins thing has been done before but what make this different is that these two psychos aren't identical in their mannerisms or fighting styles. They make for ideal real threats and are fascinatingly weird. They might actually be my favorite antagonists in the whole JohWicki-iverse.

If you're a fan of the films, you might be disappointed with how the rules of the world are handled. The characters in the movies take the rules of the criminal underground very seriously with major repercussions if you cross them. However, there is a lot of rule breaking or bending in this show and not as much enforcement. In fairness, since this takes place in the past the answer could simply be that the organization played more fast and loose back then. Maybe the rules became more strictly enforced as time went on. If that is true, they didn't make it clear, though.

If you liked that the JW films had plenty of stylish deaths but no civilian deaths, so you don't feel guilty or bummed out, The Continental doesn't follow this format. In the 70's it's dangerous to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Recommended, this was a surprisingly entertaining crime show.

Winning Time- Season 2 (Final)

7.5/10

In this second and final season of the Max show about how Dr. Jerry Buss (played by John C. Reilly) and the Los Angeles Lakers changed the world of basketball, we see the team after their first championship win and their struggles to recapture that.

This season lacks a bit of the oomph as the last one. Not as much big, interesting stuff happening. In fairness, the writers work with what history gives them. Also, last season was able to show how Buss revolutionized sports entertainment and with that out of the way, it's mostly just the behind-the-scenes drama.

Not to say that the show isn't entertaining anymore. Again, we've got a great cast. The best part is How I Met Your Mother's Jason Segel as Paul Westhead. He's been trying to prove how versatile he is since the show ended and this might be one of his best performances. The show follows Westhead's fall from grace in a riveting performance of a man succumbing to pride and pressure. (By the way, he isn't a main player, but I continue to love the guy who plays Johnson's lawyer. Guy's competent but cold-blooded.)  

The writers try to correct some of the last season's weaknesses. The less pleasant aspects of the cocky Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) are sanded down. Heck, everyone's sanded down except for Buss. I do think they portray him making bad, selfish decisions way too often. The writers also addressed the complaints that they showed Jeanie Buss (Hadley Robinson) having to struggle to earn her father's respect and her place in the business. Yeah, they wanted to make this a feminist piece, but by going this course they disregard the accomplishments she'd already achieved at that point in her real life. This season, they treat the character with more respect and the show is less about her struggling and more about her juggling business and family.

Recommended. First season was better but this is still an enjoyable glimpse of a long gone time and acting remains top notch. I am disappointed Max cancelled this. (The fact that the episode number was cut was a good warning.) Wanted to see more. 

The Last Voyage of the Demeter

7/10

In this film based on a section from Bram Stoker's Dracula, the audience follows the crew of the Demeter, the ship that brought Dracula from Transylvania to England.

This is one of those movies that fail to go that extra mile but are competently made. Though there are some pretty good lines of dialogue, a lot of it, including the exposition-heavy first thirty minutes, feel perfunctory. Camerawork and lighting are good, but again just decent. The very opening scene and the very ending scene feel forced and don't flow naturally. Also, there's one obvious moment near the end where you might go "Why didn't they...?"

But like I said, this was by no means a shoddy effort. I was engaged and didn't regret watching this. Loved the set design of the ship; it felt impressive. The filmmakers went darker than you'd think with this, and I applaud their guts. The throat biting is the goriest I've seen in vampire movies. 

Some may be annoyed that LVotD goes with mostly silent monster Dracula and not conversational able to pass as human Dracula. However, in this film, he does make an unsettling creature. The creepiest thing about Dracula is his toothy mouth. He's enjoying this and seeing him smile is even more spooky. Wouldn't say this has the best CGI, but director Andre Ovredal (Troll Hunter, Authopsy of Jane Doe, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark) is wise enough to know less is more and keeps Dracula partially hidden in shadows most of the time.

No complaints about the casting in this. Straight Outta Compton/In the Heightss Corey Hawkins as ship's doctor Clemens and Game of Thrones' Liam Cunningham as Captain Elliot both have some above average delivery.

Kinda recommended. This does nothing to break the mold; but it's a decent watch.

Oppenheimer

 

9/10

This new Christopher Nolan film looks at how physicist J. Robert Oppnheimer (played by Cillian Murphy) led the team that created the atomic bomb and how he was eventually forced out of the Atomic Energy Commission and any other influence on atomic weapon policy in government.

This movie is a gripping three-dimensional portrayal of Oppenheimer as both a man compelled to help win the war but also as a man grappling with such a deadly weapon he's unleashed upon the world. Many have criticized the three hour run time, but it really does allow you to get a feel for Oppenheimer as a person. (There is one scene in particular near the beginning that will make you say "Did that really happen?! Feels like a stretch." I checked and yeah, that's generally what happened, just movied up a bit.) There are also a LOT of historical characters in this, but I wouldn't have wanted to drop any of them. Having all these figures really enhances the historical feel to the film.

What mostly prevents this movie from getting boring is that Nolan realizes you shouldn't spend too much time on one scene. This isn't a film about long drawn out dialogues in order to fill out the runtime. This movie hammers in historical plot point after historical plot point. Every new thing I learned was pretty interesting. (Admittedly, I felt exhausted by the first part of the third act, yeah this is so long the acts have acts, but things start getting engrossing again.)

The movie is really about two things. One is naturally about the creation of the atomic bomb, all the effort that went into it and Oppenheimer and his fellow scientist's moral struggles with what they were doing, and the other part that wasn't apparent in the trailers was about his being forced out of the political sphere because his viewpoints didn't match the hawkish powers that be. This part is just as watchable as it is a very pointed look at how science and people are manipulated by politicians and the military and how Oppenheimer was useful until he wasn't.

This is a Christopher Nolan film, so the thing is shot and edited superbly. The story is told in a non-linear manner, but I never got confused as to what was going on. This has some of the best use of sound I've seen in a movie in a while; Nolan uses it a couple times to great dramatic effect. There's one scene in this that's chilling. 'Course since this is a Nolan film and he's an old school auteur, he's basically yelling at you "Cinema! Cinema! Cinema, d***it!" There is one artsy scene I felt was trying too hard.

Mostly the makeup in this showing Oppenheimer and others aging, was really, really good. It felt so natural. However, when I said "mostly," for some reason the very final stage of makeup looked fake; luckily there's not much of it.

Cillian has always been a good actor, but this may be the one performance he'll be most remembered and possibly receive an Oscar for. He makes you feel for Oppenheimer, but he also makes it clear he's not perfect. I also see supporting acting nominations for Emily Blunt, in a strong-willed performance as Oppenheimer's wife Kitty, and Robert Downey Jr. as former AEC head Lewis Strauss. You wouldn't guess it from the trailers, but Downey is basically the third biggest character in this. Since recently Downey's been knowing for playing a type, but here he's playing against character, and I almost didn't recognize him at first, he's so different looking in this. 

The entire, large cast is solid. You get some big names in this as well as some actors you probably recognize and like, but they don't get as much exposure as they should.

Highly recommended. This is one of Nolan's best films and a great rebound from Tenet.

Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom

7/10

Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom (original French title: Asterix & Obelix: L'Empire du Milieu), now on Netflix, is the fifth of the live-action films based on the popular and long-running Asterix the Gaul comics (known for their combination of slapstick and satirical humor) and the first of said films (not counting the animated ones) not based on one of the original stories. This stars Gauls (the ancestors of the French and Belgians) Asterix (played by Guillaume Canet) and his friend Obelix (Gilles Lellouche) who live in the only village that hasn't been occupied by the Roman Empire thanks to a magical potion the druid Getafix (English)/Panoramix (French) (Pierre Richard) brews that gives people super strength. In this installment, the friends travel to China in order to help Princess Fu Yi (Julie Chen) regain control of China from the forces of the prince Deng Tsin Qin (Bun Hay Mean) and Julius Cesar (Vincent Cassel).

It's nice to finally get an Asterix movie on Netflix in America, and one which is prominently displayed no less. There's a ton of these films but since Asterix isn't big the way he is in France and other countries he doesn't get much love stateside. Some of the movies are completely unavailable and the others often require Internet research to determine the various streaming platforms they're all on. 

'Course there's ultimately the question of whether this movie's good or not regardless of the fact that America's finally giving the franchise a chance. The Asterix films can be inconsistent. I've seen the first 3 live-action ones and the first is okay, the second is pretty good, and the third was a disappointment. My final verdict on this one: It's not perfect, but it's funny.

There are jokes in this that either don't work (there's a weird visual gag involving a box that the writers had an undeserved confidence in) or the French sensibility or topical humor doesn't cross the cultural divide, but a lot of the jokes do land, including one laugh-out-loud moment for me. A lot of the stuff in this film that works is based on the fact that it's an adaptation of a children's humorous comic. The whole thing is just plain silly humor and a lot of jokes juxtaposing modern cultural references with ancient times, and it sounds like the latter could get old but it never really does.

What helps make the comedy work is that the entire cast knows what kind of movie they're making and go all in on the silliness. The guys playing the villains especially seem to be having fun mugging for the camera. There's like six of them and yet their scenes never feel overstuffed, and each one has a distinct personality.

Surprisingly, one of the weaker parts of this are the two leads. The writing for Asterix and Obelix feels a little off. Asterix especially doesn't feel quite like himself. He's always been a a positive fellow who likes his lot in life. Here he comes off a little selfish and is questioning stuff that has been staples of his characters. The first ten minutes of the film don't make a great impression due to his personality alone. (The movie does take a little time to really get going. If you watch, I suggest you give this at least 30-45 min. before you decide to give up.)

The sets are all really nice and colorful. The movie's filmed in France, but the production crew seemed to be doing their best to make the setting is somewhere else.

Since this is French, expect this movie to be a bit more liberal with content. Parents should understand that though this is considered a family film, there are sexual references including a brief usage of the word "orgies." I can't quite put a finger on anything specific, but anyone who's actually Chinese or of Chinese ancestry may not be thrilled with how fast and loose the movie makers play with Chinese culture.

This is one of those movies that are hard to recommend or not. Some will find this definitely funny and a nice lighthearted affair. Others may be frustrated with the parts that don't work or just don't get the film as a whole. This is probably a better recommendation for kids (provided their parents are okay with the content) as I think they'll probably be less picky and like the goofiness of it all. If you're curious about the Asterix franchise, I don't know if I can say this is the perfect entry point. I'd recommend either Asterix and the Vikings, if it ever comes back to streaming in the U.S., which is the one that feels the most like a traditional American kids' film, and the animation is pretty good, too, or The Twelve Tasks of Asterix, the best in my opinion and currently for rent on a few streaming platforms, helmed by the original creators, and has this unique feel to it you could only get in the 70's. (Admittedly, there is one brief scene in the movie that is unarguably racist.)

Sisu

10/10

Sisu, a new Finnish movie mostly in English (I'm not sure if it was recorded in both English and Finnish or just English, research was inconclusive; definitely not dubbed, I'll tell you that, the lips matched perfectly), Aatami, a gold miner during the Lapland War (which was part of World War II but also kinda its own separate campaign, look it up), strikes the motherload and determinedly takes his haul across the war torn landscape. He come across a bunch of Nazis who become determined to take the gold for themselves, but Aatami's not going let go of it without a fight.

This is basically Mad Max: Fury Road meets John Wick combined with a war movie and a smidge of Tarantino. There is nothing groundbreaking about the story, really it's all been done before, but it's done so spectacularly.

This is one of those movies where action takes precedence over everything else. This is an action fan's Valhalla. Yeah, a lot of it can be downright cartoonish but man is it entertaining. The movie can get creative including one of the most insanely unique survival techniques I've ever seen in film. In case you haven't guessed, this gets really gory; great if you love that and definitely a red flag if you don't. (There is also reference to sexual violence if you're squeamish about that. Nothing onscreen though.) There's one scene that's rather impressive in its intensity. 

Probably, the best part of this is its cinematography (worthy of an Oscar nomination but probably won't due to it not being a prestige film), the whole thing looks great and was clearly planned down to the details. The Lapland landscape looks gorgeous (including one of the most beautifully shot scenes of its type (I'm deliberately keeping it vague as to avoid spoiling it) I've seen). It gives the film a natural feel but the lack of any plants that aren't small growth also gives off a desolate nature. (The setting can also work against Aatami as he has to deal with limited hiding places.)   

This is that rare film that's light on dialogue. It's not like no one ever talks, but there are stretches that are completely reliant on the action, visuals, and physical acting. I rather like the less-is-more approach. 

Good casting in this. Though the Nazis are there to be mowed down, I give credit to director/writer Jalmari Helander (the same guy behind the dark Christmas film Rare Exports and the Samuel Jackson flick The Big Game) for giving actual personality to the villains. I mean they're all awful, but you clearly get each of them, some bit parts, merely by minor actions and expressions. They also play the villains smart. Yeah, they're all overconfident, but they are realistic of the danger of the man they're pursuing and react appropriately to the their adversary.

Highly recommended, unless you're not a gore fan. This is one of those films that are pure cinema and nail the execution.

The Pale Blue Eye

8/10

In this Netflix film and adaptation of the book by Louis Bayard, retired detective Augustus Landor (played by Christian Bale) is called upon to investigate a mysterious death at West Point. He's soon aided by a young Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling, best known for playing Harry Potter's cousin) who's a cadet there.

This was a well constructed film with sort of an old-fashioned Hammer Studios feel to it. Superb acting all across the board (with a surprising number of British actors playing Americans). Has a solid script and dialogue and competent mystery. Sets and shooting locations and cinematography really help build the atmosphere.

Even though this features Poe, I'm glad they were interested in making this more of a historical film than a Poe-porn movie with constant references to his future works or their dark/gothic nature. (Funny enough, this has been the second movie about the author solving murders. Remember The Raven? That was decent, but I think this was better.) The movie features a young Poe as just that, a young Poe who's an aspiring poet. He's not supposed to be at the horror stage of his life yet. I appreciate that the movie doesn't even have a scene showing how the murderous events in the film will shape his future (you know, the obvious scene of him saying "This gives me an idea for a story.")

This length might not be for everyone. Pale Blue Eye runs at a robust two hours and eight minutes. Pacing is steady but deliberate. Nothing runs too long, but there is a fair amount of setting the characters and plot points up, and some of it probably could've been cut.

As I said, the cast's great. Christian Bale, naturally, delivers a strong performance. However, it's Melling who steals the show. The guy is perfectly cast. His face kinda resembles the author and he delivers an impressive Southern accent and manages to make the already solid dialogue flow oh-so-well. It's too bad this isn't the sort of film that attracts award nominations, because I thought Melling was Oscar-worthy. I also like that Pale Blue Eye features a few faces you haven't seen in many films these days (or at least American ones.) Timothy Spall is Superintendent Thayer, the head of West Point, and I was blown away by his accent and voice. I've always seen him talk the same away. I never realized he was talented at voice work, too. You wouldn't know it was him if you just heard the audio. Also, there is one other actor or actress in this that did a great job, but I won't spoil them for you.

Recommended. This is just a well-made film.

Death on the Nile

 

8/10

In Death on the Nile, based on Agatha Christie's book of the same name, Hercule Poirot (played by director Kenneth Branagh) solves a murder upon a ship sailing the Nile containing the members of a wedding party. 

Though I wouldn't say this had as many stand out moments as its predecessor Murder on the Orient Express, this is the better structured film. I think Branagh learned from the last film feeling a little rushed, which was natural considering that that film had a wider cast of suspects to cover. Death on the Nile does a good job of defining the characters and placing all the pieces for this mystery. The buildup to the murder might be a bit slow for some. Admittedly, a lot of that is people lounging about and engaging in white, rich people activities. Things pickup when the actual investigating starts. Also, like the last film but even more, the dialogue may not be to everyone's taste. People are too quick to describe everything about themselves, especially their problems, like they were in a play of earlier years.

This is definitely darker than MotOE; a lot of mining of human emotion. The strongest part of this isn't the main mystery, but actually Poirot himself. There is a lot more of his backstory here and what makes him tick.  

What I like about this movie is that it manages the fine line between being modern and changing some things while maintaining the basic structure and story of the original work. One major change is that Poirot's friend Bouc (Tom Bateman) from the last film returns here. I honestly don't mind the addition. He makes a fine associate to Poirot. The script does a good job of having him be a humorous layabout, but making it believable that he also has a serious side when things go deadly.

Great cast, maybe not quite as many household names, but there's still some big/veteran players. Especially effective are Annette Bening as Bouc's sharp-tongued mother and Sophie Okonedo as a quick-tongued songstress. The most surprising role is that of comedian Russell Brand, known for his specific outgoing personality, as a doctor. Taking over MotOE's Josh Gad slot as traditional comic actor who wants to prove he has chops, Brand plays it completely straight, and I didn't even recognize him as first. I can't say he has the strongest character in this, but he really gave it his all with becoming the character.      

Branagh brings the same visual panache he did in the last film, bringing some pretty majestic or interesting shots. The whole thing is retro fashion porn. There a couple of shots that didn't work for me, but I credit the director for at least taking a chance.

Recommended. Liked the first one a little more, but this is a solidly made film that has a real cinematic feel to it.

The Alienist: Angel of Darkness (Season 2)

9/10

This second season of The Alienist, which feels more like a sequel and is based on the book sequel Angel of Darkness. Psychiatrist Laszlo Kreizler (played by Daniel Brühl), John Moore (Luke Evans), now a reporter, and Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning), now a private detective, reunite to hunt down a baby killer. I think I liked this more than the first.

The length was cut down from ten episodes to eight and I think that really helped with the pacing. Subplots and the mystery don't feel dragged out like last time did a little. 

Brühl, Evans, and Fanning remain a powerhouse acting triumvirate. The personal subplot of Kreizler, whose storyline last season was wrapped up, feels undercooked. Moore and Howard, whose romantic tension carries over from last season, have a lot more to work with.

The character of former police commissioner Thomas Byrnes is greatly improved here. Ted Levine gave a good performance last time, don't get me wrong, but the character felt a little thin. Here, he's given more to do and is written more nuanced. You understand him more and he's an interesting morally ambiguous character. One of his highpoints this season is his many behind-the-scenes scheming sessions with William Randolph Hearst (Matt Letscher), which is one of the best additions this season.

The antagonist here is more interesting than last time.

The show continues to do a great job working with the historical setting, including the topics of Hearst's yellow journalism and the climate just before the beginning of the Spanish-American War. Visually, the show's depiction of 19th century New York still looks really, really good, especially considering this is for cable television. My hats off to whoever designed Fanning's outfits. They are all so unique and expertly compliment the character and the actress' distinct features.

Be forewarned that like last season, this show goes DARK. Although, I'm pleased that this season didn't feel like it crossed the line and pushed things too hard like they did with that one scene with Moore last time.

I did feel that there were too many "blatantly uncaring establishment" characters shoved in the audience's face. Also, there is an element in the show that is big at first but suddenly feels completely and unsatisfactorily abandoned by the end. 

Overall, if you liked or kind of liked the last one, I recommend this slicker version. 

Hamilton

10/10

This is a filmed recording of the hit musical Hamilton, a musical about first Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton featuring a predominantly Hispanic and African American cast and hip-hop music mixed with other styles. From what I understand, it mixes footage from a live performance and separately filmed close-ups. This is a wonderful show!

The story in this is an engrossing look at one man's life and death, his tremendous highs and lows. Besides being dramatic, the clever lines in this can also be pretty funny.

The songs in this are truly unique. This presentation shows why Hamilton is the biggest musical of the decade. It accomplishes something that appears to be rarer and rarer in recent decades: every song is a winner. This is especially impressive since this is a song-only musical with basically no spoken dialogue.

The one part of this show that could be an issue for some is that singing and exposition can go by pretty quickly, especially in the first fifteen minutes, and you could miss something.

The choreography and staging are also great, not to mention very creative at times. The dancing really accentuates the story and songs. The set rather than changing scenes takes the minimalist route of having one basic set and the use of body movement, props, and a couple other stage aspects in order to tell the story. It's all so complex and fascinating to watch.

The performances in this are top-notch all-around. I've heard and seen a lot of comments that Lin Manuel-Miranda (the lead and creator of this) isn't as strong a singer as the rest of the cast, however it's hard to imagine anyone else in the role. (Though by now, I'm sure plenty of people on stage have.) He just pulls off the man's drive so well in such a passionate manner. Going back to the show's sense of humor and unique interpretations, we are treated to a couple of delightfully flamboyant turns from Daveed Diggs and Johnathan Groff (from Frozen and Mindhunters).

The nice thing about this compared to seeing the show live on stage is that the close-up shots allow you to truly get a good look at the actors' expressions. (Though once in a while since the blocking is done in relation to talking in the direction of an audience, the actors can be facing the camera at an odd angle. It's not a big issue.)

Overall, I can not recommend this tremendous work enough.