Doctor Sleep - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Ewan McGregor as Dan Torrance in ‘Doctor Sleep’. Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Dir: Mike Flanagan
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Cliff Curtis, Zahn McClarnon, and Emily Alyn Lind

Author Stephen King published “The Shining” in 1977 and director Stanley Kubrick would adapt the book into a film three years later in 1980, turning it into one of the seminal horror movies of all time even though Stephen King has made public statements of how much he dislikes it.

King would continue to look into the past for influence on his 2013 book “Doctor Sleep”, a sequel to “The Shining” which follows young Danny Torrance after the events at the Overlook Hotel and into complicated adulthood that details struggle with addiction and the continuation of evil in different forms.

Director Mike Flanagan, who last helmed the fantastic Netflix series “The Haunting of Hill House” and another King adaptation the impressive “Gerald’s Game”, takes an interesting approach to “Doctor Sleep” by crafting a film that pays special attention to King’s source material themes, both in vague and specific ways, while offering a superb homage to Kubrick’s iconic film.

Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor) has been haunted by the events that occurred at the Overlook Hotel when he was a child, the memories and ghosts of that day continue to follow and torment him. However, Danny further develops his special ability, which he calls “the shining”, with the help from the ghost of his old friend Dick Hallorann (Carl Lumbly playing the role made famous by Scatman Crothers from “The Shining”), which allows him to trap the spirits around him inside his mind.

Danny grows up, troubled with addictions, and wandering through different towns until he winds up in a small New Hampshire town where he finds peace, along with sobriety, with the help of a kindly friend named Billy (Cliff Curtis).

Things aren’t safe for Danny, along with other people who can “shine”, as a murderous roaming caravan of people who feed off those that shine is hunting a young girl named Abra (Kyleigh Curran) who Danny has developed a friendship with.

“Doctor Sleep” has a lot of story to tell here, a lifetime in the case of Danny Torrance who experiences so much trauma as a young boy and then grows into adulthood with the scars of that event still very much healing, sometimes still bleeding when a ghost comes wandering back into his life. Director Mike Flanagan taps into this character, utilizing a subdued and affected Ewan McGregor to make this character the emotional core of the film.

Stephen King crafts the novel with an approach that is far less of a supernatural tale and one that is more of the horror that happens in everyday life, the evil that exists without ghosts or paranormal monsters. Flanagan focuses on this narrative element, crafting tension with the roving group of killers led by the wicked Rose, played fiercely by Rebecca Ferguson, and orchestrating some disturbing elements involving children. One of these specific scenes is extremely hard to watch, a moment played to increase the peril which is effectively done right before Abra becomes a target for the group.

Flanagan clearly understands and respects the vision of Stephen King for this story, but also the vision from Stanley Kubrick who turned “The Shining” into one of the best-regarded genre films in history. There are moments within “Doctor Sleep” where Flanagan recreates scenes, characters, and designs from “The Shining”, they are amazing and utilized so effectively to accommodate the tone of this film.

“Doctor Sleep” has some minor pacing issues, which makes the story feel like it may have been better suited for an extended series to provide attention for all the characters and the journey Danny takes. Still, these are minor issues for a film that feels so accomplished in its vision, even when it’s working hard to honor the themes of the source material and the artistic style of Stanley Kubrick’s film. Mike Flanagan has demonstrated with his recent films, and specifically with “Doctor Sleep”, that he is truly the current master of horror.

Monte’s Rating
4.00 out of 5.00

Proxima - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Eva Green in “Proxima”. Photo courtesy of TIFF.

‘Proxima’:  This astronaut-daughter story successfully floats and soars with gentle, nuanced tones

Directed by:  Alice Winocour

Written by:  Alice Winocour, Jean-Stephane Bron, Marcia Romano, and Nynne Oldenburg

Starring:  Eva Green, Matt Dillon, Lars Eidinger, Zelie Boulant, and Sandra Huller

“Proxima” – “Behind every working woman is an enormous pile of unwashed laundry.”  - cartoonist Barbara Dale

“It’s not difficult to take care of a child.  It’s difficult to do anything else while taking care of a child.” – Julianne Moore

Sarah (Eva Green) is a mom.

She is a working mom. 

She is an astronaut.

Director Alice Winocour’s film takes on the well-documented tug-of-war between motherhood and the workplace, because while Sarah looks to the stars, she also feels the pull on Earth in the form of her elementary school-age daughter Stella (Zelie Boulant).  Despite the potential for a troubling, space-age drama, “Proxima” floats and soars with gentle, nuanced tones.  The picture’s fulcrum remains with mother and daughter, but Sarah’s training for her extended business trip on the International Space Station is the device to emphasize the aforementioned eternal struggle. 

Green - who might be best known for her femme fatale roles in “Casino Royale” (2006), “300: Rise of an Empire” (2014) and “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” (2014) – takes a subtle approach here as Sarah, a Frenchwoman, who carries a deep, tranquil strength.  She has the capacity and smarts for CEO-like leadership, but instead focuses her talents on her out-of-this-world profession with proficiency and grace. 

Winocour and Green do not insist that Sarah needs to work twice as hard as a man, but the film demonstrates that she needs to always maintain a calm aura of professionalism in a most stressful work environment.  She’s part of a three-person, space-traveler team, but her American colleague Mike (Matt Dillon) seems to constantly test her with sometimes-overt, sometimes-understated sexist comments.  Some evolved men might think such behavior has been left behind in the 20th century, but ask any woman if sexism is dead, and she might say that chauvinism is a zombie that will never perish.

Meanwhile, Mike can freely express concern for his family or proudly parade them at a press conference or networking event.  He’s the all-American type who radiates machismo.  Mike will grill hot dogs with his wife and kids, and isn’t afraid to proclaim – to a group of eager reporters - that Sarah is a great addition to the team, partially because her French culinary skills will be most useful in space.  Meanwhile, her family is in a state of repair, as she shares custody of Stella with her ex-husband (Lars Eidinger). 

Winocour – who cowrote “Mustang” (2015), a story about five Turkish sisters facing the nauseating prospect of arranged marriages during their teen years – is not dealing with such extremes here, but her refreshing perspective carries weight when chronicling Sarah’s journey.

Sarah internalizes everything and appears to not only feel eyes gazing upon her within the story, but also with theatre audiences too.  Still, she pushes hard with her training, while attempting to maintain an equilibrium between work-life and home-life that just might not be possible.   The film refrains from emotional extremes and trauma, but Sarah’s never-ending balancing act is a very real and primal burden.

These messages ring true for her and probably with working moms everywhere, whether an office commute is five miles on the freeway or 254 miles straight up.

(3.5/ 4 stars) 

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Playing With Fire - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Keegan-Michael Key and John Cena in “Playing With Fire.” Photo Credit: Doane Gregory/Paramount Pictures

Directed by: Andy Fickman

Screenplay by: Dan Ewen and Matt Lieberman

Story by: Dan Ewen

Starring: John Cena, Keegan-Michael Key, John Leguizamo, Brianna Hildebrand, Dennis Haysbert, Judy Greer, Tyler Mane

With the recent wildfires in California, we really only see the physical part of what a fire fighter, any kind of fire fighter does for a living; they put themselves in harms’ way to protect us and, if they can, our property. One would also think that with “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2”, that Andy Fickman’s resume is not exactly what one looks for when thinking about “Playing with Fire.”

However, the marriage between these two polar opposites couldn’t be further from the truth.

Sure, Dan Ewen and Matt Lieberman’s script, from Ewen’s story, doesn’t exactly ring a three-alarm wrangling to the movie theater: a group of wildfire fighters in the Sierra Nevada’s rescues a group of children from a fire.

The embers of the simplistic story keep glowing with a strong cast of characters. John Cena, who turned wrestling pro into actor, plays Jake “Supe” Carson, the station supervisor. He is a tough-as-nails, by the book leader, following in the footsteps of his father. Trying to crack his shell is Mark played by Keegan-Michael Key. If Key was this hilarious when he played with Peele, then I need to revisit their show. John Leguizamo plays Rodrigo the station’s chef and boy, does he love his Spam. Tyler Mane is Axe, the silent giant with, well, an axe.

Fickman smartly expands the reach of the story just enough to start “Supes” heroism out on the right foot – with an environmental concern. As the firefighters rush off to douse a burning home, which just happens to contain Brynn (Brianna Hildebrand), Will (Christian Convery) and Zoey (Finley Rose Slater), they also grab a bucket of water from a lake being monitored by Dr. Amy Hicks (Judy Greer).

The crew manages to save the children from the fire and an effort to return them to their parents proves a hilarious, and a sobering challenge. At the center of the story really are themes of family and trust; each of the actors plays into this with all their heart.

The key to the antics lies squarely on Mark’s feet. Mark is constantly putting subliminal reminders into Jake’s field of view in camera as a way to break his impenetrable force field of sheer will and determination. Yet, we know from the way the kids were rescued from the fire, that the story is going to take a predictable turn.

I’m used to seeing Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead (“Deadpool”). Here she sheds most of the boldness from that role, but none of the brashness as Brynn. We know from the way the story telegraphs the importance of the children’s presence, that not everything is as it seems with these children. Hildebrand’s performance as Jake-lite was endearing, reminding me of a mother bear protecting her cubs, clawing out at anything or, anyone, who gets in her way. Jake, wanting to do the right thing, stumbles on to the real story behind the kid’s presence in the forest.

Dennis Haysbert, who you probably know better from the Allstate Insurance commercials, plays Commander Richards. Like a parent, and ironically like a good neighbor (but wrong insurer), Richards checks in on the stationhouse.

And just when we think the party’s over, Carson and Fickman turn over a new leaf. “Playing with Fire” has a lot of heart, reminding me of Vin Diesel’s “The Pacifier” from 2005. “Playing with Fire” isn’t going to win any awards and its over simplistic story has more fun than it is serious, but it tugs at our heart strings and that’s okay.

2.5 out of 4

Midway - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Nick Jonas stars as ‘Bruno Gaido’ in “Midway”. Photo Credit: Reiner Bajo

‘Midway’ is an okay telling of an extraordinary battle

Directed by:  Roland Emmerich

Written by:  Wes Tooke

Starring:  Patrick Wilson, Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Luke Evans, Mandy Moore, and Nick Jonas

“Midway” – Midway Atoll sits in isolation in the Pacific Ocean, about 1,400 miles northwest of Honolulu, and the expression “blink, and you’ll miss it” certainly applies to this tiny island.

Ironically, this diminutive locale played host to one of the biggest WWII battles.  Six months after the Japanese Empire bludgeoned the American Navy at Pearl Harbor, the U.S. hoped to halt Japan’s momentum at Midway on June 4, 1942. 

Director Roland Emmerich proudly stands by his big budget, special effects pictures, but for every “Stargate” (1994) or “Independence Day” (1996), he badly misses twice as often with mindless, overcooked action films like “Godzilla” (1998), “10,000 BC” (2008), “2012” (2009), and “Independence Day: Resurgence” (2015). 

Emmerich is Michael Bay-light in a way, except he’s – thankfully - more judicious with his runtimes.  Well, most of the time.  Refined moviegoers are still kicking themselves for accidentally picking “2112” at their local cineplex and suffering through 2 hours and 38 minutes of utter nonsense. 

In 2019, instead of churning out a disaster, monster or alien-invasion movie, Emmerich - armed with a 100 million-dollar budget - turns to the history books with “Midway”.

True to form, Emmerich overwhelms the movie screen with infinitely-busy special effects, and this begins straightaway with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  As countless planes dive, dart and ram through the unsuspecting aircraft carriers, their gunfire and bombs trigger massive explosions and mountains of black smoke, as twisted metal remnants of these proud ships sink into shallow waters. 

The level of destruction may trigger anger or sorrow, but quite frankly, the visuals seem a little cartoonish, so apathy might be your co-pilot.

For instance, when a Japanese plane finds and flies into an empty space between two American ships - like the Millennium Falcon squeezing into tight quarters inside a Death Star in “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” (1983) - the impact has all the gravitas of a video game.  This could have been a “game over” for the rest of the film, but Emmerich, costume designer Mario Davignon and cinematographer Robby Baumgartner collaborate to offer an appealing look of the period by paying meticulous attention to attire and grayish, yellowish camera filters that create a time warp back to the early 1940s. 

The big battles may not look authentic, but everyday moments of exposition and banter between the characters (mostly) feel genuine.   Although Emmerich overwhelms the screen with action at times, he introduces a manageable number of characters – who are also real-life military men - for the audience to follow. 

Lt. Dick Best (Ed Skrein) and Lt. Commander Wade McClusky (Luke Evans) reign the skies as two lead fighter pilots. 

Adm. Chester Nimitz (Woody Harrelson) and Vice Adm. Bull Halsey (Dennis Quaid) move chess pieces on ground.

A few younger “kids” fill in some spaces, like Nick Jonas who delivers a surprising macho turn.  His character Bruno Gaido doesn’t fear death because, “You never know what’s going to get you, so why worry about it?”

The script offers healthy servings of action and exposition, and for the latter, Patrick Wilson’s turn as codebreaker Edwin Layton is the most intriguing character, as he and his team frequently decipher Japanese communications.  These are important history lessons, and the movie shows admiration for the men who fought and lost their lives.  The audience also learns Japan’s perspectives as well.  This doesn’t mean that “Midway” is a great movie, because it’s not.  It’s cliché and carries one too many win-one-for-The Gipper moments.    

On the other hand, it – thankfully - does not embrace countless scenes of romance, as a few critics mentioned after the Tempe, Ariz. “Midway” screening.  Romance might have been tricky anyway, since Dick Best’s wife Ann (Mandy Moore) and Edwin Layton’s wife Dange (Rachael Perrell Fosket) look like clones, and it will take about eight seconds per appearance to decipher if Ann or Dange is gracing the screen. 

No, Emmerich’s picture is not “Pearl Harbor” (2001), but it’s not “Flags of Our Fathers” (2006) either.  Maybe somewhere in the middle.  You know, somewhere…

(2.5/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic. Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Terminator: Dark Fate - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in Skydance Productions and Paramount Pictures’ "TERMINATOR: DARK FATE."

Directed by: Tim Miller

Screenplay by: David Goyer, Justin Rhodes and Billy Ray

Story by: James Cameron, Charles Eglee, Josh Friedman, David Goyer, Justin Rhodes

Based on Characters by: James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd

Starring: Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, Gabriel Luna, Diego Boneta

If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you either enjoy the “Terminator” series of films and you either want to see how they dig themselves out of the debacles that were “Terminator 3,” “Terminator Salvation,” and “Terminator Genisys.” On the other hand, you might want to enjoy an early Awards season spectacle that might just knock you off your feet again.

Either way, you’ve left your chances to “Terminator: Dark Fate” to decide which choice Tim Miller’s (“Deadpool”) film answers.

The short answer is that it does both, but not necessarily in a good way.

The fifth film in the franchise sees James Cameron return in a producer and co-writer capacity, but the film feels like his prints are all over it, which is a good thing. His presence gives the story elements of what made the first two films so enthralling: the presence of mind to know that technology was, then and is now ruling our lives.

Mackenzie Davis plays Grace, solider from the future sent back to protect Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes). Gabriel Luna plays Rev-9, an amped up version of Robert Patrick’s T-1000 from the 1991 “Terminator 2,” of which “Dark Fate” is a direct sequel.

The story by David Goyer (“Batman Begins,” “The Dark Knight”), Justin Rhodes and Billy Ray (“Gemini Man”) uses the same tropes that defined “The Terminator” and “T2” and almost too excessively. Miller directs the new cast to some of the same beats as “The Terminator,” partly to establish who each of the new characters are in relation to their counterparts from the original films, but also to assure us that this film belongs in the same universe and that we can . . .  conveniently . . . forget the three films that sit in between this film and “T2.”

Admittedly, as much as the rehashing of what’s come before grated on my nerves, there is a touch of sentimentality that I don’t mind, especially when Linda Hamilton steps on to the screen as Sarah Connor.

Her presence and in particular her introduction into the story feel very “Logan”-esque. Miller gives her space to work her magic and it was nice to see her on the screen again as she tries to stay off the grid. There’s a lot of humor to her role as she reflects back on “what if.” The story doesn’t give Sarah much room to integrate with either Grace nor Danni, and that’s a shame because as much as this is Sarah’s story, it really isn’t.

It focuses too much on the technology and the struggle to survive in not only the future, but in our current environment as it touches on drone warfare, immigration and economics.

It isn’t until Arnold Schwarzenegger makes his half John Matrix, half T-900 return to the role that the movie picks up much steam. Schwarzenegger enjoyed hamming it up and his interactions with Hamilton did make me smile.

Miller does an expert job at handling the action, something we’ve seen with “Deadpool” and it’s hard to realize that this is his sophomore directorial effort, until you realize that Cameron is really behind the final shaping of the film, wich is why it feels like warmed over “Terminator” rather than something completely new.

Skydance, et al were wise to hold this movie back until early Awards season and it will be interesting to see how it plays the box office game with “Joker” amongst other films.

Just because its “Terminator: Dark Fate” doesn’t mean you’re not going to have fun with it. Tim Miller’s essence is still on the film and he does an excellent job bringing the past together with the future so that we all can experience a new fate.

Just that it happens to be, well, dark.

1.75 out of 4

Motherless Brooklyn - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Edward Norton and Willem Dafoe in “Motherless Brooklyn”. Photo Credit: Warner Bros.

Dir: Edward Norton
Starring: Edward Norton, Alec Baldwin, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ehtan Suplee, Dallas Roberts, Bobby Cannavale, and Willem Dafoe 

A lone New York gumshoe exits the darkness of a side alleyway, a fedora casting a shadow over his eyes as steam rises from a manhole nearby. “Motherless Brooklyn”, directed, acted, and written by Edward Norton, tackles the crime film noir genre with aggressive style and impressive performances from a group of exceptional actors placed in roles that allow them to flex and chew scenery in unique ways. It’s a movie that doesn’t often get made in today’s sequel-heavy, superhero influenced atmosphere, the fact that it understands film noir characteristics and narrative themes keeps this film thought-provoking and engaging throughout.

In 1950’s New York, Lionel Essrog (Edward Norton), sometimes known as Brooklyn and often self-described as Freakshow, works for a private investigation company run by Frank Minna (Bruce Willis). Lionel is an orphan who grew up rough, Frank protected him when he was younger, keeping others from taking advantage of him. Lionel has a condition, he says his “brain is all messed up”, that accompanies physical twitches and involuntary verbal bursts. But being in the investigation business, this condition has an advantage as Lionel has a photographic memory.

Frank arranges a setup with a group of mysterious guys, bringing Lionel and another one of Minna’s Men (Ethan Suplee) along to watch his back. Things go bad and Frank is shot, leaving Lionel to piece together a scheme of corruption beyond the private sector, but rather into the realms of New York politics, greed, and murder.

“Motherless Brooklyn” is an interesting piece of noir cinema, it feels unusual yet refreshing to see a film like this on the big screen, which is where this film should be seen. Edward Norton, wearing the director’s hat, does a great job of combining familiar genre characteristics from crime films from the past, bringing a shadowy and hazy atmosphere to New York City while also showing the contrasting beauty of the city’s architecture and landscape both in bright sunlight and the dark of night. It feels, in very specific moments, like John Alton’s style of noir composition with films like “T-Men” and “He Walked By Night”, with deep shadows and pinpoint lighting style.

The cast is an ensemble of great actors who all contribute nicely with characters, some who control the screen with glee. Take for instance Alec Baldwin playing a forceful businessman in a politician’s disguise. Baldwin’s introduction in the film finds him bursting through doors, feet and fist stomping, into a celebratory meeting that immediately stops.

Minna’s Men, Bobby Cannavale, Ethan Suplee, and Dallas Roberts, have the fun task of playing the many different versions of noir detectives we’ve seen from the past. The tough guy, the playboy, the family man…each in search of a different reason for being a detective.

Edward Norton’s character is the most complex, the most intricate and the most unlike the standard stereotype found for this character. At one-point Lionel, seemingly shedding his persona to look more like something more familiar, picks up a trench coat, fedora and a holster with a gun, putting on the uniform of the determined gumshoe. Norton is doing so much with the character, consistent twitching and verbal rhyming spells, more flair than vulgar, that become more prominent when he is agitated or, in the one instance, grooving to jazz music in a smoky night club.

The narrative weaves a nice who-dun-it but delves into over explanation too often, with flashbacks that assist the mystery in ways the audience is already keen to. The primary story conflict is that of power, and throughout the film this aspect is what gives the movie its motion, it what keeps you engaged to see how the sympathetic Lionel will best the bad guy. This drives the film until, in the final act, it shifts into a story about protection of the past, present, and future. It works in pieces.

“Motherless Brooklyn” is inspired by so many great things, “Chinatown”, classic film noir, jazz (the score and accompanying music from an amazing group of artists like Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker, Wynton Marsalis, Thom Yorke, and a score by Daniel Pemberton), and New York City. While the narrative encounters a few bumps, the film does a great job of organizing an intricate and interesting noir film. 

Monte’s Rating
4.00 out of 5.00

Frankie - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Marisa Tomei and Isabelle Hubbert in “Frankie”. Photo Credit: Sony Pictures Classics

‘Frankie’ serves too many ordinary slices in this slice-of-life picture

Directed by:  Ira Sachs

Written by:  Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias

Starring:  Isabelle Huppert, Brendan Gleeson, Marisa Tomei, Greg Kinnear, and Vinette Robinson

“Frankie” – Lush and picturesque, Sintra is a luxurious destination city and filled with beautiful views and rich history.  Located in the Portuguese Riviera, it’s a coastal home to royal palaces and castles, and after a few days, tourists might feel like kings and queens.   

Francoise Cremont (Isabelle Huppert) – known as Frankie to everyone – is not a queen but a famous actress.  She also proudly carries the title of matriarch and calls her family to the aforementioned community for a reunion of sorts.  She has her reasons, and director/co-writer Ira Sachs will reveal them, but other than the eventual audience-clarity of Frankie’s motivation, this movie - unfortunately - is a nonevent. 

This comes as a total surprise, because Sachs recently delivered an involved, layered tale of friendship in the New York City drama “Little Men” (2016), and his new picture attracts a terrific ensemble cast with Huppert, Brendan Gleeson, Marisa Tomei, Greg Kinnear, and Jeremie Renier.

Taking place over one day, “Frankie” is a slice-of-life film that doubles and triples down on its everyday-event concept.  Despite Sachs teeing up several appealing characters, they simply converse about their issues, and the screenplay rarely advances towards any resolutions. 

Moviegoers are left with 98 minutes of mundane exposition with no oomph to push the narrative forward.  Every character seems terribly bored, and the mood may become contagious in a theatre near you. 

Although, the film feels just fine at the very beginning.  It’s early morning, and Frankie jumps in a swimming pool.  After happily discarding her top, she feels free from concern, a moment of contentment.  Such moments, however, are extremely few and far between for Frankie or anyone else in this picture.

Frankie’s stepdaughter Sylvia (Vinette Robinson) has marital problems. 

Our lead protagonist asks her hairdresser/make-up artist Ilene (Tomei) to fly to Portugal in the hopes of setting up her single, detached son Paul (Renier).  Since Ilene was unaware of Frankie’s matchmaking attempts, she brought her boyfriend Gary (Kinnear) along, but after a few hours, she wishes that she hadn’t. 

Meanwhile, Frankie’s husband Jimmy (Gleeson) seems distracted, and her first husband Michel (Pascal Greggory) makes the trip to Sintra too. 

Sachs hops between the various characters, as they drone on about their problems and wander about the resort and surrounding city.  Sometimes Sachs takes advantage of the setting, as Sylvia’s daughter Maya (Sennia Nanua) heads to a beautiful beach, and Frankie hikes on a winding, unpaved path through a heavily wooded forest.  In fact, Huppert pulls off quite a feat:  she treads along the turns, inclines, slippery branches, and leaves in high platform heels with the greatest of ease. 

Perhaps, Frankie was a runway model in a past life? 

Well, Isabelle did have some notable, model-like costume changes, as Frankie wore a rainbow-striped top in the morning, a long, shiny purple skirt in the afternoon and an orange one in the early evening.  Frankie’s outfits really popped, so credit Isabelle’s costume designer Khadija Zeggai for her sense of fashion. 

Then again, if Frankie’s attire is the most provoking element of the movie, that’s a problem.

(1.5/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic. Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Harriet - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Cynthia Erivo stars as Harriet Tubman in HARRIET, a Focus Features release. Credit: Glen Wilson

Directed by: Kasi Lemmons

Screenplay by: Gergory Allen Howard and Kasi Lemmons

Story by: Gregory Allen Howard

Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn, Janelle Monae

History has a way of repeating itself. Particularly now.

As the generations behind me struggle to clean up the messes left by the generations in front of them, there is a desire to free those who live in tyranny. Whether you’re thinking politically about the current Administration or you’re thinking of those who are mistreated by the law and seek to be equal, the fight that abolitionist Harriet Tubman started in 1849 still lives on today.

As Harriet, Cynthia Erivo (“Bad Times at the El Royale,” “Widows”) is absolutely dynamite; the look in her eyes as she squares off with Joe Alwyn’s Gideon Brodess, or William Still (Leslie Odom Jr.), the film treats Ms. Tubman as free. She knows better and the intelligence behind the character’s eyes are a direct reflection of co-writer and director, Kasi Lemmons (“Eve’s Bayou”).

There’s a sense of urgency from the opening frame as Harriet tries to free herself and her husband, John (Zackary Momoh) along with her father Ben (Clarke Peters) and mother, Rit (Vanessa Bell Calloway). There’s an equal sense of energy coming from their slave owners, who seek to keep them exactly where they are.

Erivo channels the energy given by Lemmons and co-writer Gregory Allen Howard to break free. The night scenes during her escape are treacherous as cinematographer John Toll (“Legends of the Fall,” “Bravehart”) captures the essence of her energy to escape.

Leaving her family behind, she makes her way to Philadelphia where she meets Mr. Still and Marie Buchanon (Janelle Monáe). Though there are moments of tenderness as she realizes she is safe, the character’s altruistic nature wants to get right back in to action to free her family.

Lemmons had all the right ideas about how to present Harriet to a modern audience who might not remember her efforts to free slaves. Erivo carries the manifestation of the risk and the danger Tubman put herself through to ensure that those who could be saved were saved.

“Harriet” strives too much to be about Harriet’s journey that the story loses sight of why her journey was such an important point in our collective history. In fact, I learned a thing or two, so it gets points for that.

Ms. Erivo, whose grace and poise on the screen impressed last year not once, but twice, does it a third time. While “Harriet” does justice her legacy, the story seemed generic enough that it pulls away from what it set out to do, though Ms. Erivo’s performance is a strong reason to see the film in theaters.

2 out of 4

An interview with Thomasin McKenzie from 'Jojo Rabbit' by Jeff Mitchell

Thomasin McKenzie who stars as Elsa in ‘Jojo Rabbit”.

Writer/director/actor Taika Waititi’s new film “Jojo Rabbit” is set in Germany during the last throes of WWII, and Jojo Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis), 10, is a devoted member of the Hitler Youth.  He discovers, however, that his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) in their home, which throws his little fanatical mind for a loop. 

This film carries all the somber shades of a heavy, difficult and heartfelt drama, but “Jojo Rabbit” is also a flat-out hilarious and dicey physical comedy, which also includes our lead frequently talking to his imaginary friend Adolf Hitler, played by Taika.

“Jojo Rabbit” is no ordinary trip to the movies.

Oct. 23 was not an ordinary day at the Camelview Harkins Theatres in Scottsdale, Ariz.  Thomasin McKenzie (“Leave No Trace” (2018)) flew to the Valley, and she spoke at a “Jojo Rabbit” screening/Q&A with me at the aforementioned locale to a warm and welcoming audience.  She was also in town on Oct. 24 and sat down and chatted with the Phoenix Film Festival and three other movie outlets for a group interview. 

We all enjoyed an enjoyable and insightful discussion, and Thomasin talked about working with her co-stars Roman and Scarlett, finding the right balance with her character and much more!

“Jojo Rabbit” is rated PG-13.  It’s currently playing at the Camelview Harkins Theatres, and the Phoenix Film Festival gave Thomasin’s movie 3.5 out of 4 stars.

Q:  “Jojo Rabbit” can be described as:  a comedy where a kid has Adolf Hitler as an imaginary friend.  Did you have any apprehension about taking a role in this film, or did you think that Taika is doing it, so you’re in?

TM:  I definitely had a bit of apprehension.  The second I read through the audition screens, I talked to my team about it and heard what they had to say.  I could tell it was going to be something really special. 

When I got the role and was on the set, there was always a vibe that everyone was so excited to share and tell this story that’s been told so many times before, but in such a different and unexpected way.  Although we were all so excited, you never know how the audience is going to react, no matter what you’re doing.  It could be the safest film on Earth, and people could hate it.  No one’s going to like everything.  So, there was definitely a bit of apprehension and not knowing how people (would) respond, but despite that, the whole time I could feel that (this movie) was such a special project.  I am beyond lucky to be a part of it. 

Thomasin McKenzie and Roman Griffin Davis in “Jojo Rabbit”.

Q:  Elsa is a strong person, and she put Jojo on his heels.  At the same time, the current state of affairs leaves her incredibly vulnerable.  What was your process about finding your character and mixing her strength and vulnerabilities?

TM:  I did a lot of research and worked with a historian who (filled) in a lot of gaps for me but also told me some really shocking things that (Jewish people) were confronting at that time.  (It helped) to know that history and at the same time, being aware of how terrified Elsa must have been, but I also wanted to portray her as a strong person. 

It was a constant balance.  There were times, when she was feeling very vulnerable, but she put on a strong face.  There was a lot going on in her mind, (and for me), being aware of that past and at the same time, still wanting to show that Elsa wasn’t just a victim. 

She was so much more, and that’s where the balance came.

Q:  At one point, the Nazis come knocking at Jojo’s house, and the scene was very intense, but there were also some moments of comedy too.  Did you feel that mix of emotions?

TM:  I definitely felt mixed emotions.  It was a bit of a rollercoaster.  Elsa started in that scene with a lot of confidence, and saying, “I’m here.  I’m standing, and you guys don’t own me.”  By the end of the scene, it’s the first time, I think, that we see Elsa really breakdown a bit and show her fear, which she’s been trying so hard to hide. 

Q:  Elsa is a victim, but she refuses to let it be her sole, defining characteristic.  Was that something that you considered when taking this role, by playing this multifaceted person who just wasn’t one-dimensional?

TM:  Yes, yes.  Definitely.  (Now,) I was not offered this role straight off the bat.  It was a normal audition process.  They didn’t (just) send me the script, and I (thought), “Do I want to be part of this or not?”  

The whole time I was saying, “I really want to be a part of this!  Please cast me!”

In a lot of WWII and Holocaust films, the Anne Frank-like characters are (more often) portrayed on the victim-side.  Of course, they were victims and going through disgusting (years) that no human being on Earth should have to experience, but I was also interested in Elsa having some kind of power in a way, as much power as she could possibly have in that situation. 

Elsa is a very, very smart girl, and she saw an opportunity with Jojo.  She saw how manipulated he (was), and his idea of what she was:  this monster in the attic.  She recognized that and used it to her advantage.  She got the upper hand in that way.  She was able to control him.  Anyone in that situation - holding so much anger and confusion mixed with fear - would want to take back some kind of control. 

So, Elsa is such an interesting character, because she has so many things going on inside her mind, and (at the same time), she’s a really young girl.  She has no idea why all of this is happening to her. 

Thomasin McKenzie and film critic, Jeff Mitchell, at a screening for the film “Jojo Rabbit” in Scottsdale, Arizona at Harkins Camelview.

Q:  “Jojo Rabbit” is Roman’s first movie.  Were you like his big sister on-set, and did you help coach him? 

TM:  Oh, he definitely was my little brother, and I felt like his big sister.  He did not need coaching from me at all.  I had so much admiration for him throughout the whole experience, because he was working more days that I was, and he handled a heavier role with so much professionalism and emotional maturity. 

I definitely did not feel like I needed to give any advice.  I was kind of taking advice from him. 

Q:  Most of your scenes were with Roman, but you have a couple wonderful moments with Scarlett Johansson that are so sweet and tender.  How did you approach those scenes? 

TM:  Scarlett is someone who I’ve looked up to for a very long time.  She’s such a strong person, so I was bit star-struck, but when we were actually filming the scenes, she was so lovely.  I didn’t feel like she was some massive actress, who has an incredible career.  She’s just a human being, and we were doing it together, and we had a really lovely time. 

Also, Elsa and Rosie are the only two sane people in the film, (so those) were the calmest scenes (that) I did.  They were very quiet and gentle. 

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic. Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Jojo Rabbit - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Photo by: Kimberley French. © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

‘Jojo Rabbit’ successfully walks a comedic and emotional tightrope

Written and directed by:  Taika Waititi

Starring:  Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, and Archie Yates

“Jojo Rabbit” –  Taika Waititi is an immensely talented and creative actor, writer and director, but he needs to add tightrope walker to his resume, because he pulls off an impossible balancing act with his new film “Jojo Rabbit”. 

Set in Germany during the last throes of WWII, Jojo Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis), 10, is a devoted member of the Hitler Youth, but he discovers that his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl in their home, which throws his little fanatical mind for a loop. 

On the surface, this seems like a semi-customary pitch to any movie studio, and yes, this film absolutely carries all the somber shades of a heavy, difficult and heartfelt drama.   On the other hand, “Jojo Rabbit” is also a flat-out hilarious and dicey physical comedy, which also includes our lead frequently talking to his imaginary friend Adolf Hitler, played by Taika. 

Adolf Hitler?  Imaginary friend?  Let’s just say that “Jojo Rabbit” is not an ordinary trip to the movies.

Well, Taika’s courageous move would make Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom blush, and in the process, he successfully pulls off a high-wire-film-walk from the top of the 368-meter Fernsehturm Berlin to the tallest point of the 331-meter Europaturm.

Straightaway, the picture leaps on the screen with a startling and surreal three-minute cheerleading session, and then Jojo bursts from his home and runs through cobblestone streets repeating “Heil Hitler!” over and over, while an infinitely recognizable song “Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand” – from an infinitely recognizable band - blasts throughout the theatre. 

(Note:  If you don’t know German, please hold back from turning to Google Translate for the English meaning, and for those who mastered the said language, many apologies for the reveal.)

From there, Jojo heads to his Hitler Youth Training Weekend, where the instructors teach Jojo, his second best friend Yorki (Archie Yates) and a couple hundred other kids how to climb ropes, properly wear gas masks, throw knives, and toss grenades.  The little tykes also discover the joy of burning books!  The montages and sequences play as visually farcical as the Khaki Scout Summer Camp in Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom” (2012), but here, counselor Fraulein Rahm (Rebel Wilson) preaches buckets of anti-Semitic messages, and the constantly-drinking Captain Klenzendorf (Sam Rockwell) – otherwise known as Captain K – demonstrates weapons’ logistics with overwhelming apathy. 

Weapons and children?  What could possibly go wrong?

Well, something does, and at the film’s 18-minute mark, the narrative turns away from slapstick and satire to a scene of sudden sobriety, when Jojo and his mom Rosie cannot unsee one of the horrors executed by the Nazis.

We also meet Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie), the aforementioned German-Jewish girl, and the picture starts a personal, singular story of a teenage oppressee meeting a 10-year-old oppressor.

Taika has plenty of experience working with kids and edgy material, and look no further than “Boy” (2010) and “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” (2016) as prime examples.  In “Jojo Rabbit”, Jojo and Elsa share plenty of screen time, as his rockheaded perspectives – fed by the Nazi propaganda machine – might just crack through their intimate conversations. 

Not only does the film walk a fine line between being offensive and comical - while also juggling several tonal shifts - but McKenzie balances Elsa’s internal struggles as well.  Make no mistake, Elsa is a strong person.  She stands her ground and puts this wannabe-Nazi in his place and on his heels, but she is also vulnerable and terribly scared.  McKenzie weaves these complex dynamics into Elsa which enrich her exchanges with Jojo and raise the stakes between the two in an ordinary house that is semi-insulated from the country’s disarray.

Meanwhile “Jojo Rabbit” is Davis’ first film, but one would never know it, as the young actor fearlessly dives into his character with a boisterous fever, as Jojo can verbally challenge Hitler, help the German war effort, show tender love for his mom, and also question his beliefs.  Nonetheless, after a lifetime of listening to his loving, altruistic mother but also Nazi propaganda, this little kid needs a ton of therapy.

During an Oct. 23rd “Jojo Rabbit” screening and Q&A with Thomasin McKenzie at the Camelview Harkins Theatre in Scottsdale, Ariz., she mentions that Rosie and Elsa are the most sane people in the movie.  With buckets of madcap comedy – including several scene-stealing moments from Captain K, Fraulein Rahm and Yorki - amid ever-present Nazi danger just outside Rosie and Jojo’s home, Thomasin is right. 

Elsa shares her clear perspectives with Jojo, and Rosie offers the same through daily life lessons, bike rides, gentle walks, and warm hugs.  Still, Rosie cannot quite find the right human-passcode that will convince her son to give up his Nazi ideals, but perhaps Elsa and Jojo might break down some walls and become friends. 

Friendship, support and love are hard to come by in 1945 Germany.  The country is on the verge of collapse.  Very little makes sense, and Taika offers his unique take on this time and place that stirs several emotions across the human spectrum over 108 minutes.  As the movie concludes, you might need a few more minutes to sit and simply process the experience, because it turns out that Taika and his film are not walking on a tightrope.  In order to cope with the chaos below, they are dancing on it.

(3.5/4 stars) 

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic. Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively

Dolemite Is My Name - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Photo Credit courtesy of Netflix.

Dir: Craig Brewer
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Keegan-Michael Key, Craig Robinson, Wesley Snipes, Mike Epps, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Chris Rock, and Snoop Dogg

In the late 1960’s, the multi-tasking talent Rudy Ray Moore was working at a record store trying to get one of his songs played on the radio station, he was also working the nightclubs in hopes of getting a permanent stand-up comedian gig; Moore was doing everything in his power to break into the Hollywood system, to find fame and notoriety in an industry that strongly exhibited prejudice to people of color.

But in 1975, at the peak of the Blaxploitation cinema movement where films like “Shaft”, “Super Fly” and “Coffy” found major success beyond the supportive black community, Rudy Ray Moore’s dedication would pay off as the now successful comedian, with a blend of raunchy, boastful anecdotes and braggadocios self-talk, would introduce the world to the legendary stylings of Dolemite.

For a character as bold, confident, and imposing as Rudy Ray Moore was, it would take an actor equally as commanding to compose a representation that was justified for a cinematic biopic. How about Eddie Murphy? “Dolemite Is My Name”, from director Craig Brewer who helmed “Hustle and Flow” and “Black Snake Moan”, is an exceptionally fun film that takes a glimpse into a moment in time for Rudy Ray Moore’s career resolve but also into the independent process of making your celluloid dreams come true. Even with these positive attributes, “Dolemite Is My Name” belongs completely to the impressive performance of Eddie Murphy.

“Dolemite Is My Name” feels similar in tone and pacing to another biopic, Tim Burton’s “Ed Wood”. Makes perfect sense considering writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski wrote both of these films. The structure of the film is broken up into two different kind of movies; the film begins with a character study, following Rudy Ray Moore through the struggle of chasing his dreams of fame and stardom. It’s an effective design that allows the viewer to gain an understanding of Moore’s determination but also the specific circumstances that offer opportunity and influence creativity for the comedian. There is a great scene where Moore finds his confidence, turning words into a character in front of a mirror.

Eventually the story transitions into something different, it shifts into Moore’s journey into the film industry a trip to the movies left him wondering why films weren’t made for people that looked and talked like him in leading roles, or why films didn’t indulge in the gratuitous, often silly, elements of violence, sex, and nudity. This portion of the film is an absolute treat, displaying the difficulties, the ingenuities, and the early spirit of the independent filmmaking process. It’s completely fun and very humorous watching it all come together. 

The cast is fantastic here. Eddie Murphy composes Moore with exuberance and bravado but also keeps clearly visible elements of sadness and desperation behind his eyes and between the tremble of the words he is speaking. It’s nuanced and quiet in small moments but also flashy and buoyant whenever the character Dolemite makes an entrance. Perhaps the standout from the film, alongside Murphy, belongs to Wesley Snipes who absolute nails the performance playing actor D’Urville Martin. Snipes steals every single scene that he is in.

Director Craig Brewer rarely takes a break in the film, the pace is always fast moving. The melodrama that could sneak in never does, the forced romance and unnecessary conflicts that often take over biopics are pushed back in favor of letting the character of Dolemite chew scenery. While this keeps the film focused on entertainment value, it also keeps the film from delving deeper into the inherit drama associated with being a performer in Hollywood, let alone a black man trying to find his place in a world run by white men.   

Still “Dolemite is my Name” is a funny, heartfelt, and passionate ode to Rudy Ray Moore, the independent filmmaking process, and also the career of comedian Eddie Murphy who gives one the best performances of his career here.

Monte’s Rating
4.00 out of 5.00

The Current War: Director's Cut - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Photo Credit: Dean Rogers

Directed by: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Written by: Michael Mitnick

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, Katherine Waterston, Tom Holland, Nicholas Hoult

The road to releasing a major motion picture is a tough one. Regardless of whether it is shown in a theater or online, whether it is an action-spectacle or a hard-hitting drama, no film that I can remember from recent history has had more of an uphill climb to reach an audience than Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s “The Current War.”

The drama to release the film is almost more electrifying than Michael Mitnick’s black-listed screenplay. Mitnick’s story is a drama surrounding the competing electric delivery systems as developed by Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon). Nicholas Hoult plays Nikola Tesla, the Serbo-Croatian who was also a key figure in the development of a delivery system.

The “war of the currents” was really a battle of the minds in Mitnick’s story, concluding with the Chicago World’s Fair as both men presented their competing systems. To get to that, now historical event, we entered a man’s world, full of cunning and guile; of deception and strategy.

As Edison, Cumberbatch delivered a stand out performance, keeping the character on even footing. Ever the family man, Edison was also modest and thinking for the longer term. He was pragmatic when it came to his Direct Current system. Gomez-Rajon contrasts Edison’s modesty with a keen sense of right and wrong. He was demanding, especially of his assistant, Samuel Insull, played by Tom Holland.

On the other side of the battle was George Westinghouse. Michael Shannon gave the role a bit of gravitas, towering over everyone that he came into contact with; his dominating figure instilling confidence in his word while seeking every advantage he could get.

The film uses tragedy in a unique way to paint the historical side of the story, affecting both men with the history leading to ambition – Edison to prove that his system was far safer than Westinghouse’s, but that Westinghouse was far more a business man than an inventor.

Tesla was the conduit between the two men with brilliant and innovative thoughts that could help clear the wedge between Edison and Westinghouse; Hoult delivers a solid, yet underwhelming character. The challenge isn’t with the performance as much as how effectively the character is in the context of the overall story.

Now in a “Director’s Cut,” “The Current War” underwent revisions by Gomez-Rejon who, following a troubled Toronto International Film Festival screening and the sale of the film away from TWC, was able to recut the film. The over arcing drama was nowhere near as fascinating as the history being represented, the characters less interesting than their settings.

The performances though were strong, and hats off to both Cumberbatch and Shannon who go head to head for the brilliant minds they were, or would become.

2 out of 4 stars

The Kill Team - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Photo Credit: A24 Studios with Nat Wolff, left, and Alexander Skarsgard on the right.

Written and Directed by: Dan Krauss

Starring: Nat Wolff, Adam Long, Jonathan Whitesell, Brian “Sene” Marc, Alexander Skarsgård

From Academy Award winning director Dan Krauss comes “The Kill Team,” a docudrama about the Maywand District murders during our conflict in Afghanistan. The drama centers around Private Andrew Briggman’s (Nat Wolff) moral conflict over the platoon’s participation in the murder of innocent Afghan civilians.

Krauss, who directed the documentary this film is based off, has an exceptional eye for unfolding drama in a natural setting and his experience with the documentary this film is based on made him the ideal choice to explore a dramatized version.

The story we get is a psychological look at conflicted soldiers, who are first out to prove they are worthy, second to protect their own hides and those of their team and third, are loyal to a fault. Wolff gives a very convincing performance as someone who is trapped under their own skin, not just as he is acclimatizing to his new surroundings, but dealing with familial pressures at home with a father who was a desk jokey during Vietnam and an over protective mother.

Interestingly, Alexander Skarsgård’s Sergeant Deeks serves as the stronger father figure to Andrew than his own father. While this serves to underpin the dramatic conflict Briggman undergoes, it undermines the most basic answer to the character’s challenge: should I take action or not.

Skarsgård and Wolff are formidable when they are onscreen together. Deeks is a hard case, someone who thinks he can get away with whatever he wants. He engenders loyalty in order to build his troops to his own cause. That cause is not exactly made clear in the story, but Skarsgård gives a convincing performance otherwise, having fun with the boys.

Adding to Briggman’s internal conflict are his teammates, namely Rayburn (Adam Long) and Coombs (Jonathan Whitesell).  From Briggman’s perspective, they were wildly out of control, the fears of war and conflict worn on their sleeves. Krauss uses this to deflect Briggman’s attempt to report the situation to his family, bringing Briggman closer to Deeks.

Briggman’s psychosis was reminiscent of Doug Liman’s “The Wall,” in which two snipers are pinned against each other in a mortal struggle for survival; here, the only way out for Briggman was through his own wall, Deeks, who thinks he is invincible.

That invincibility clouds the justification for their actions and strangles any meaningful resolution.

Krauss’s story spends far too much time with story threads that meander, tamping down on the drama. There is a realism to what happens on the screen because Krauss has seen the situation unfold in front of in in real time. There is also a realism in Wolff’s performance, that convincingly makes his struggle interesting, but to a fault. Life can’t be edited down to the sum of its parts, but that’s what they tried to accomplish here.

If anything, the fictionalized “Kill Team” compels one to consider the 2014 documentary if nothing else then to better understand the rationale behind this group of elite soldiers committing crimes such as this.

“The Kill Team” has a strong cast and solid performances but doesn’t make for compelling drama.

1.5 out of 4

Parasite - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Photo Credit courtesy of NEON CJ Entertainment.

Dir: Bong Joon-ho
Starring: Kang-ho Song, Yeo-jeong Jo, So-dam Park, Woo-sik Choi, Sun-kyun Lee, and Seo-joon Park 

Some films make you laugh, some films make you cry. Some films make you scared, some films make you think. Every now and then a film tries to make you do all these things, all in one movie. Even less frequently a film successfully does all these things, separately and at once. These are the films that stick with you, these films make an impact; director Bong Joon-ho’s masterful multi-mood drama, comedy, thriller, horror is one of those memorable moments in cinema.

To call the Kim family “down-on-their-luck” would be an understatement. In fact, if “down-on-their-luck” was street level the Kim’s home, which is located with windows looking up at the street level, would be the better description of their current place in the South Korean city they live in, however, that social status can be universally placed in any big city in the world in Bong Joon-ho’s narrative design here. 

We are introduced to the family sitting in squalor, moving about the crowded living space looking for a Wi-Fi signal to steal from someone living in the spaces above them. The family makes money folding pizza boxes for a delivery company, they aren’t good at it, but they stick together and support one another even when things seem to look bleak. The patriarch of the family is Kim Ki-taek, a brilliant performance from long-time Joon-ho collaborator Kang-ho Song, who doesn’t have much going in his favor beyond the affection of his wife Chung-sook (Hye-jin Jang) and the respect of his daughter Ki-jung (So-dam Park) and son Ki-woo (Woo-sik Choi). 

Things turn in favor of the Kim’s when Ki-woo (Woo-sik Choi) gets a job as a tutor for the Park family (Sun-kyun Lee and Yeo-jeong Jo). The Park’s live in a house that belonged to a famous architect, the design of the home is lavish and the Park family is well-off enough to afford a lifestyle the Kim family could only dream of. And Ki-woo recognizes that opportunity is in the palm of his hands the moment he moves across the boundaries of the world he knows into the wealthy new community. Ki-woo’s charm and lies gets his sister a job as an art teacher/therapist for the Park family’s only son. Ki-jung jokingly talks about knowing nothing about art therapy until she Googled what it meant and then just simply made up the rest. Before long Ki-taek and Chung-sook infiltrate jobs within the family, using underhanded schemes and manipulations to gain jobs as a chauffeur and housekeeper.

“Parasite” is a film about social status, class systems, family dynamics, human decency and dignity, manners, respect, history…if that sounds like too much narrative politics for one film, it never feels that way. The beauty and masterful quality of this film is that even though it is clearly trying to make a point about different things, Bong Joon-ho never pushes his points in exhaustive ways. It’s the subtlety of his narrative, Joon-ho shares screenplay credit with Jin Won Han, that makes the film as entertaining as it is unnerving, as naturally comical as it is boldly serious.

Joon-ho has always told intriguing stories by meticulously understanding the visual language used within the frame of his picture. Many times, the framing of characters and the position of shapes and objects in view offer as much visual explanation as a purposeful line of dialog would. “Parasite” is consistently interesting to observe; the contrast between two worlds is told with shapes and the concept of space, where the Kim family operates in tight quarters, often hunching and crouching to get into places that allow them a sense of freedom, the Park family has so much room to explore in their mansion, so much space to lose themselves in their giant world. The identity of two families is explored with how they occupy the frame with one another, where the Kim family is often times positioned close to one another, the Park family is separated and distant from one another. Bong Joon-ho is a master of using space to show and dissect relationships and motivations, it’s all present here.

With everything Bong Joon-ho is doing with the fantastic actors, who all give fantastic performances, and is trying to say with his multifaceted narrative, the core of the film is simply about the complicated lives of two families (plus another twist that will not be revealed here).  Joon-ho taps into uneasy subject matter and then easily finds a way to see the unflinching humor within these truths, it’s a fascinating exploration of humanity regardless of the subtitles and cultural differences found in this film. Bong Joon-ho simply has a keen understanding of people and what motivates them to do both beautiful and disgusting things.

Bong Joon-ho is a brilliant filmmaker and “Parasite” is absolutely stunning film.

Monte’s Rating
5.00 out of 5.00

The Lighthouse - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Photo Credit: Eric Chakeen / A24 / The Everett Collection

‘The Lighthouse’ is a mesmerizing visual feast…and a rudderless waste of time

Directed by:  Robert Eggers

Written by:  Robert and Max Eggers

Starring:  Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson

“The Lighthouse” – Robert Eggers’ follow-up to his eerie, creepy horror film “The Witch” (2015) (4/4 stars) is an equally eerie, creepy drama about two weathered men watching over a lonely lighthouse.    

There’s little doubt that this visual feast sets a disturbing tone, as “The Lighthouse” has an Ingmar Bergman-“Hour of the Wolf”-thing working greatly in its favor.  Filmed entirely in black and white and almost exclusively with a 1:1 aspect ratio (or very close to it), Eggers delivers a horrible sense of doom on a teeny, tiny island near the coast of who knows where (although, imdb.com says that New England is the setting) around the turn of the 19th century.  The cloudy, windy weather never seems to break, and for anyone hoping for a pleasant four-week stay in calm isolation, a one-way trip to a federal prison under solitary confinement is a better alternative. 

Two lighthouse keepers – a crusty, elderly Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe) and a young, brooding Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) - willingly choose to occupy their time on this rock and tend to a loyal lamp for nearly a month.  This seems simple enough, except Wake constantly barks orders at Winslow, and “please” and “thank you” aren’t listed in his personal dictionary, so his protégé’s patience wears terribly thin, like an arsonist standing in a barn full of hay while eyeing a book of matches at his feet.  

Wake and Winslow’s partnership could become violently combustible at any moment, but the painfully long 109-minute runtime feels a lot closer to the aforementioned four weeks. 

Well, most moviegoers will easily predict the film’s conclusion after four minutes, so the hook has to reside with Wake and Winslow’s journey, and the screenplay purposely sends the audience into confusion.  When’s he’s not pushing a heavy wheelbarrow, climbing a ladder to fix some roof shingles or running around to complete dozens of other chores, Winslow succumbs to bizarre visions of his troubling past during his downtime.  Meanwhile, Wake has zero self-reflection on his gruff – but not malicious – temperament.   He makes Winslow work long days but then shares several drinks for long, boisterous evenings, as the two sometimes burst into drunken-song, so their relationship is a seesaw of extremes. 

The good and bad times don’t seem to follow a designed pattern, however, so Eggers leads us into madness of sorts, and reality becomes opaque.  His camera lens certainly is not, as he captures truly haunting images throughout the picture and dazzles us with framing.  He also plays with light, as “The Lighthouse” doesn’t exactly feel like a black and white picture.  Instead, it’s filled with miserable shades of gray. 

This is a film-lover’s movie.  A visual one, and Dafoe and Pattinson absolutely transform into two unrecognizable, memorable characters, but they are trapped in a directionless script.  Other than the obvious end, writers Robert and Max Eggers don’t offer any guardrails for the audience, so the barrages of endless, tiresome confrontations and occasional warped dream sequences lack focus and coherence.

Similar to last year’s “Suspiria”, there is something deeper afoot from beginning to end.  Eggers has a master plan at work, but in the moment, it’s not easy to grasp.  Multiple viewings are mostly likely needed, and keen attention to Wake’s constant diatribes should be a top priority. Then again, Eggers may be simply diving into deep oceans of self-indulgence. 

These are legitimate arguments…for someone else.  For this critic, “The Lighthouse” is a rudderless waste of time. 

(2/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic. Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

"The Politician" interview with Laura Dreyfuss and Theo Germaine by Jeff Mitchell

From left to right: Theo Germaine, Jeff Mitchell, and Laura Dreyfuss.

2019 is not a presidential election year, but political discussions are dominating news cycles and hovering over the nation.  Leaping headfirst into today’s tribal divides can be tricky, but Netflix offers a reprieve through an enjoyable and thought-provoking slant on the aforementioned topic in its new, eight-episode high school comedy/drama “The Politician”. 

Ben Platt plays Payton Hobart, who feels destined to win his high school’s presidential election, but the road to capturing the top student government post at Saint Sebastian in Santa Barbara, Calif. is not an easy one.  He needs a campaign team for support, and McAfee Westbrook (Laura Dreyfuss) and James Sullivan (Theo Germaine) are his biggest backers. 

Laura and Theo champion their new show “The Politician” too, and they arrived in Phoenix to sit down and chat with the Phoenix Film Festival and other movie outlets for a welcoming and insightful group interview.   We talked about McAfee’s and James’ relationship with Payton, working with several supportive directors, the show’s parallels with national politics, and much more! 

“The Politician” – from the creators of “Glee” and “American Horror Story” -  is currently streaming on Netflix, and Dreyfuss, Germaine, Platt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Lange, Zoey Deutch, and David Corenswet star.

Q:  James and McAfee are loyal to Payton and his candidacy.  Were they friends first, or did they gravitate to Payton because of his presidential ambitions?

TG:  James and Payton have been friends since the second grade, and when they got to high school, they probably started to take stuff more seriously.  Maybe they began working together, and it just got more and more intense, but it did start off as a friendship, a long time ago. 

LD:  I think McAfee came in a little later, but it’s still a friendship.  They were kids, when they met.  They had a very common goal and shared that interest.

TG:  I feel they probably all found each other because of their similar drive.  A sense of:  “We’re going to move mountains.”

Behind the scenes of “The Politician” starring actress Laura Dreyfuss.

Q:  There’s a recurring theme throughout the show where a handful of characters question if they are authentic people, or if they are solely defined by their actions.  A number of times the answer is:  Does it matter?  So, my question is…does it matter?

LD:  I always equate it to volunteer work.  If you are (volunteering) but doing it for a self-serving purpose - because it makes you feel good - does it really matter?  You are making a difference.  You are still doing something.  You are helping, (and) just because the intention feels a little false to you, it doesn’t negate the work.

TG:  It feels like that question itself is one of the show’s themes, and I hope when people watch it, they will constantly have that question in their heads.

LD:  When we are electing leaders, what are we looking for?  What qualities are we looking for?  Are we electing them, because we think they are good people, or are we electing them, because we think they can get the right things done? 

Q:  I loved “The Voter” episode, because it is such a departure from everything we had seen up until that point.  Do you think that episode was a reflection on the American voter?  Are there any lessons learned?   The more one specific voter was pushed to vote, the less he wanted to step into the booth and pull the lever.

LD:  I think it’s such an interesting comment on apathy. 

TG:  In that episode, both candidates are doing whatever they can to get the undecided (voters) to pick a side.  It’s not a good thing, because you see them (operating) for personal gain. 

LD:  What I took away from (the episode) is every vote does count.  It’s easy to feel that your vote doesn’t matter, but it does in the end. 

TG:  It’s important to not be apathetic.  If you’re apathetic and then you get pushed, you still are not going to care.  Even if you don’t want to be invested, we can’t afford to not be invested. 

LD:  It’s also very funny, because it kind of zooms out of the world that is so tightly created in the first couple episodes, and so you almost get a chance to see how ridiculous these people are.   That’s what makes it so funny to me, because you get to really laugh at these children, who are so hyper-focused on this one goal. 

Ben Platt acting as Payton Hobart in the series “The Politician”

Q:  Scandal is one of the recurring themes of the show.  With most political TV shows, there’s always a scandal of some kind, but in this show, there’s a scandal in almost every layer of the cake.  Does it reflect our current political climate, or is “The Politician” heightening scandal for dramatic effect?

LD:  Very early on, we learn that Payton reads the biographies of all the presidents, and he starts with Ronald Reagan, because he believes that he created the modern presidency.  He did that by the use of television and making it entertaining.  So, we now ask ourselves this question, when we are invested in politics:  How much has become entertainment, and how much is real?  

TG:  The Romans killed people and had gladiator battles for fun.  That was their entertainment, and we’re not doing that obviously, but politics can be entertainment, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing.

LD:  I think it’s an interesting reflection on how (political) scandals have become like a TV show. 

TG:  Humans love scandal, and that makes us not pay attention (to what’s important), because we are excited about the televised scandal. 

Q:  I’ve been reviewing movies for several years and hardly watch television, so binging “The Politician” is a new experience, and I noticed that several directors contributed to the first season.  By working with multiple directors, did you have opportunities to look at the same material differently, episode to episode? 

LD:  Absolutely!

TG:  Yes, it does!

LD:  Ryan (Murphy) directed the first (episode), so that was wonderful, because we were able to set the tone with him and understand the world that he created.  As we started to move on, we got to work with these brilliant, brilliant people.  The women, in particular. 

Janet Mock, Helen Hunt and Gwyneth Horder-Payton.  Ryan gives such a voice to so many people, and a very diverse group of people, so it’s really important to have them tell the story.   We got that with the directors, so it really did change our view and our perspective, and also our level of comfort.  We felt incredibly comfortable to have these brilliant women using their vision to tell the story. 

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic. Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Zombieland: Double Tap - Movie Review by Ben Cahlamer

Photo Credit: Jessica Miglio © 2019 CTMG, Inc.

Directed by: Ruben Fleischer

Written by: Rhett Reese, Paul Wemick and Dave Callaham

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin, Emma Stone, Rosario Dawson, Zoey Deutch, Luke Wilson

There’s a point midway through Ruben Fleischer’s “Zombieland: Double Tap” when I asked myself how our fearless group of survivors managed to get so lucky  to have supplies to survive in the first place.

Then I remembered that it doesn’t matter how they survive, just that they do survive.

“Zombieland: Double Tap” picks up ten years after “Zombieland” with Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin and Emma Stone all reprising their roles. In an early scene, Columbus (Eisenberg) offers a voice over with an explanation of each type of zombie, committing to the fact that the group has become adept at identifying and killing each particular zombie type.

Screenwriters Rhett Reese, Paul Wemick and Dave Callaham use Columbus’s rules as the basis for the story as each character is reintroduced to us. Tallahassee (Harrelson), Little Rock (Breslin) and Wichita (Stone) are all holed up in the abandoned White House.

One thing that stood out for me in this film is the chemistry between each of the four actors – there was an energy between them that, even when they split up, they had fun doing this film and that translates to the fun atmosphere.

Zombies can be pretty serious business (just ask Edgar Wright and George Romero). Fleischer uses the character’s chemistry and the constant pop culture references peppered into this story, along with Columbus’s rules to carry the story, which is really the dressing for an unfortunately limp narrative.

I respect the ambition behind bringing the cast back together after a ten – year hiatus. It gave Fleischer and crew a chance to introduce new characters in a very unique way; Zoey Deutch plays Madison. If you’ve seen the trailer, you have some sense of the type of character she plays, but she’s an absolute gem of an addition to an already stellar cast. Rosario Dawson plays Nevada, who gives Tallahassee a run for his money. So much so, that he’s ‘all shook up.’

The Southwest gets some more love in this story, namely Albuquerque (Luke Wilson) and Flagstaff (Thomas Middleditch). These reflective characters serve to keep our loveable heroes on track, but also remind us to stick to a script.

Although zombies don’t have a schedule, they don’t think. They just feed. Mercilessly. The introduction of Nevada, Albuquerque and Flagstaff all remind us that our heroes are just as resourceful as they are determined to survive. This connective section of the film, brought home the realization for me that

“Zombieland: Double Tap” is more than just a fun romp; it is a reminder of our resourcefulness and ingenuity when our backs are up against the wall. Oh, I know you’re going to want to go to the rest room after the movie, but don’t rush off – stay through all of the credits. You’ll thank me.

2.75 out of 4

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Angelina Jolie as Maleficent. / Courtesy of Disney

Dir: Joachim Rønning

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Warwick Davis, and Michelle Pfeiffer

A group of men are walking through a dark and mystical forest carrying lanterns. They are entering a forbidden territory in hopes of stealing something magical for the human world. Before these trespassing men can accomplish their goal, they are confronted through the shadows by a horned creature with fiery eyes, massive wings, and glowing green supernatural powers.

While this may sound like a perfect premise for a spooky Halloween movie, this introduction, the scariest moment of this otherwise overly tame fairytale, belongs to Disney’s sequel “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”. Angelina Jolie, returning as the re-envisioned villain who demonstrates more heart and sympathy than anger and vengeance, brings a calm yet intimidating demeanor to the iconic villain of the animated “Sleeping Beauty”.

Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) and her goddaughter Aurora (Elle Fanning) have been living a peaceful existence. Aurora is the ruler of an enchanted land, a forest-like domain where fairies fly with water droplets and fields of glowing dandelions grow in majesty. Aurora becomes engaged to Prince Phillip (Harris Dickinson) which disrupts the already complicated bound with Maleficent. The ensuing nuptials bring about the hope of peace between the human and fairy world, however, Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer) has other devious plans in mind for Maleficent and Aurora.

Director Joachim Rønning, who last helmed 2017’s “Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”, handles the difficult task of continuing the story, which seemingly didn’t need a sequel, of the Disney villainess. Though the cause for story continuation here is assisted by three extremely talented actors who are doing their absolute best to bring life to this familiar tale.

The role of Maleficent seems tailored for Angelina Jolie, her grin is especially utilized with numerous emotions fluctuating throughout. Unfortunately, much of the character development in this film is a retread from themes from the first film, still, there are a few moments where Jolie is provided room to expand the character. Elle Fanning adds some much-needed character charm to the film with Aurora, the character becomes the vessel for peace between two worlds, the primary conflict of the film. Michelle Pfeiffer is a good choice to counter Jolie here, she plays evil with glee in almost every scene.

Unfortunately, all these great actors are stuck in a film without a strong narrative standpoint. While the film is aiming to display themes of accepting differences and embracing family in whatever form it may take, these components are often undercut by the need to adhere to the familiar fairytale, storybook steps. There are a few interesting moments involving the evolution of Maleficent, which allows the character to find the emotional conflict to bridge towards the finale. And whenever Maleficent is allowed to be vulnerable, which doesn’t happen enough, the film finds its stride in displaying its core theme of embracing difference and the dedication one has to family. 

“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” has a great cast who are stuck within a story that never allows them to grow into anything different from everything we already know them as.  This doesn’t help the journey this sequel is trying to promote but instead makes it seem somewhat one-note which is unfortunate when you have such a unique character like Maleficent, played by a dedicated Angelina Jolie, holding the frame.

Monte’s Rating
2.25 out of 5.00

Pain and Glory - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Photo Credit: Sony Pictures Classics

Almodóvar gets personal in ‘Pain & Glory’, his best film since ‘Broken Embraces’

Written and directed by:  Pedro Almodóvar

Starring:  Antonio Banderas, Penelope Cruz, Asier Etxeandia, and Leonardo Sbaraglia

“Pain & Glory” – “The cinema of my childhood always smells of piss, and of jasmine, and of the summer breeze.” – Salvador Mallo (Antonio Banderas)

Pedro Almodóvar’s latest film is about living with pain, both physical and emotional.

It’s about reflecting on childhood. 

It’s about him….mostly. 

“Pain & Glory” is not an Almodóvar autobiography, but he pours his feelings, shades and experiences into his on-screen character, director Salvador Mallo. 

It’s 2019, and Salvador is in his 50s or 60s.  He suffers from a back injury and complains of other ailments.  He lives alone in a beautiful Madrid flat, surrounded by stylish, modern future, and enormous artworks are displayed across the walls.  He does not entertain, does not pursue relationships, does not seek out friends, and does not call family, and the latter, because his parents have both died.

Salvador is not writing a screenplay or filming a movie, so solitude is his most loyal companion, and he contemplates the present and past, as well as the logical and illogical links between the two. 

To ground and fill this personal picture, Almodóvar calls upon his two most-trusted actors, Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz, and they have starred – together and separately - in so many of his movies, including “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” (1988), “Tie Me Up!  Tie Me Down!” (1989), “All About My Mother” (1999), “Volver” (2006), “Broken Embraces” (2009), and “The Skin I Live In” (2012). 

Cruz plays Salvador’s mother Jacinta in a supporting role, and - most appropriately - supports her son, as he grows up in their small Spanish town, a place where modern creature comforts are woefully absent.  For instance, we see Jacinta washing clothes in a nearby stream rather than pressing “Wash” on her in-house Whirlpool.  She is stripped-down and usually worn-out, but Salvador’s happiness and growth are her top priorities.  Piles of cash may be nonexistent in their humble abode and lives, but love between mother and son is plentiful and real. 

Love without total understanding. 

Although Jacinta feels a sense of belonging in this nestled community, Salvador doesn’t fit in, and she is acutely aware.

“Pain & Glory”, however, spends most of its time with Salvador as an adult, and after watching Banderas on-screen for just a few minutes, we become acutely aware that he’s channeling Almodóvar.  If nothing else, Salvador’s/Banderas’ highly-perched hair gives it away.  Although vastly successful, Salvador still does not fit in with his surroundings.  For different reasons, but that sentiment still lingers years and years later.  

This is a gentle picture. 

Without explosive reveals, mysteries or a family crisis, the film embraces a man who just might stumble into inner peace through a pair of old connections and a temporary stillness in his restless mind that strings thin, but determined, threads towards his past.

The film’s joy comes from Banderas’ nuanced, quiet performance, as he attempts to navigate Salvador through previously-unexplored waters, while also offering a bona fide opportunity to live through some of Almodóvar’s struggles and triumphs, and not through stark peaks and valleys.  Small discoveries without blatantly-obvious aha moments.  All cannot be ascertained with a 115-minute runtime, but significant understandings can be held. 

In 1992’s “A River Runs Through It”, director Robert Redford narrates author Norman Maclean’s words, “Long ago, when I was a young man, my father said to me, ‘Norman, you like to write stories,’ and I said, ‘Yes, I do.’  Then he said, ‘Someday, when you’re ready, you might tell our family story, only then will you understand, and what happened and why.’”

“Pain & Glory” carries a similar, rich theme, and the film is also blessed with swathes of Almodóvar’s life, without telling a pure autobiography.  After the watching the film, dive into his 2019 interviews with The Guardian, The British Film Institute and The Jakarta Post to help discern between film-fact and film-fiction. 

In the meantime, walk into a “Pain & Glory” screening for a lucid, gratifying tale about the fogginess of being human.

(3/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.

Where's My Roy Cohn? - Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Photo Credit: Sony Pictures Classics

The documentary ‘Where’s My Roy Cohn?’ finds an answer to its question

Director:  Matt Tyrnauer

Starring:  Ken Auletta, Roy M. Cohn and Roger Stone

“Where’s My Roy Cohn?” – Roy Cohn died in 1986, but 33 years later, this American lawyer’s influence is shaping U.S. policy, dominating 24-hour news cycles and infuriating or bringing joy to a politically-split United States’ electorate. 

You see, Cohn was Donald Trump’s lawyer in the 1970s and 80s, and decades later, when Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from Robert Mueller’s investigation in 2017, the current President of the United States allegedly asked a question.  

Where’s my Roy Cohn?    

Director Matt Tyrnauer’s informative documentary – that also doubles as a 97-minute on-screen case of déjà vu – answers this question: Who is Roy Cohn?

Born into wealth in the Bronx, NY, this only child graduated from Columbia University Law School at 20, and – because of his age - the state made him wait a year to take the bar exam.  (Geez, and what were you doing at 20?) 

After prosecuting a hyper-infamous trial in 1951, Cohn became Sen. Joe McCarthy’s trusted chief counsel.  During the McCarthy hearings, Cohn was regularly seen in courtrooms and whispering shadowy advice to the aforementioned lawmaker, the most polarizing political figure of the 1950s.

From there, Cohn’s career takes off into murkier, darker heights in New York City.  Tyrnauer does not whisper, but - grabs a microphone and a couple dozen megaphones and - shouts from the tallest skyscrapers about this lawyer’s relentless, grimy panache of self-absorption and persistent ambition.  All the while, Tyrnauer interviews journalists, Cohn’s relatives and even conservative pundit Roger Stone, as they dissect and reflect on the man’s wholly controversial, but massively effective, philosophies.  

Never admit you’re wrong.

Always claim victory, even in defeat. 

Know the political value of wrapping yourself in the American flag…and more.

Certainly the parallels between Roy Cohn and Donald J. Trump become frighteningly or beautifully (depending upon your political stripe) clear, and although Tyrnauer’s film is a straight-up documentary, he carries a slanted view while proving his thesis.  The filmmaker, however, does score points by including Cohn’s friend Stone, and journalist Ken Auletta’s audio interview is the movie’s backbone, as we hear Cohn’s first-hand perspectives. 

Still, comparing President Trump to Roy Cohn is far from a moral compliment.  Quite the opposite.  The doc presents that Cohn courted nefarious clients, bathed in scandal and committed high larceny in plain sight, while also bellowing the biggest lies to newspapers and telling the smallest ones - without a second thought - to his closest allies and confidants. 

For those who loathe President Trump, “Where’s My Roy Cohn?” is reliving a daily nightmare, as Cohn is that irresponsible uncle who babysits his nephew on weekends.  Instead of putting together puzzles or playing catch in the backyard, he’s preaching hard lessons, sharing packs of cigarettes and hustling tourists out of their money in Time Square. 

“Where’s My Roy Cohn?” is not a pleasant, temporary reprieve from the news, campaign ads and the latest but he said-but she said-but they said-but we said-but the dog said.  This eye-opening tutorial convincingly draws a line – even more permanent than a Sharpie – between Cohn and Trump, and the answer to the film’s title is obvious. 

For better or worse, President Trump should look in the mirror.  

(3/4 stars)

Jeff – a member of the Phoenix Critics Circle – has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic.  Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.