Single All the Way - Movie Review

Director: Michael Mayer

Writer: Chad Hodge

Cast: Michael Urie, Philemon Chambers, Kathy Najimy, Jennifer Coolidge, & Barry Bostwick

Available 12/2/21 on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81148358

By Jen Johans

Like putting new lenses in a beloved old pair of glasses, this week's sharply written, sweet-natured gay Netflix holiday romcom gives us a fresh look at a familiar genre.

Wisely and earnestly leaning into the tropes of a Christmas romance, in the quick-witted charmer “Single All the Way,” screenwriter Chad Hodge (who created one of my favorite little-seen TV shows of the late 2010s in “Good Behavior”) wins us over with his sincere affection for the films he's using as a jumping-off point.

To this end, when we first meet our adorable yet perpetually unlucky in love protagonist Peter (Michael Urie), he's disappointed once again after another short-lived romance goes down in flames. As tired of working on social media ad campaigns in Los Angeles as he is being single, when Peter begins making plans to visit his family in New Hampshire for the holidays, he ropes his oldest friend and roommate Nick (Philemon Chambers) into coming home with him and posing as his new boyfriend.

Not wanting to lie to a family that's come to mean almost as much to him as Peter, Nick begrudgingly goes along with Peter's plan. However, just when you think you've seen this movie before, almost as soon as they arrive at his parent's house, a wrench is thrown into the proceedings by Peter's jubilant mother Carole (Kathy Najimy).

Appearing on the scene with her newest homemade sign “Sleigh Queen,” before Peter and Nick can deliver their white lie, Carole decides to play another one of the romcom genre's greatest hits by happily announcing that she's set her son up on a blind date with her hunky spin instructor James (Luke Macfarlane).

But while his mom is content to try to craft a new romance for her son (like it's just one of the many signs she gives as gifts and hangs throughout the home), the rest of his family decides it's time to bring Peter and Nick together once and for all. Sensing not only their obvious chemistry but perhaps the lingering looks sent Peter's way by Nick, Peter's father (Barry Bostwick) and nieces make it their holiday mission to make this vital love connection. Gradually, they bring an amused, if torn, Nick into the fold.

Whether you're a devotee of the endless holiday romcoms produced by the Hallmark Channel or Lifetime every year, or your favorites are the classics like “The Shop Around the Corner,” and Christmas in Connecticut,” etc., or you stick with the treacly yet wicked wit of British comedies like “Bridget Jones's Diary” or “Love Actually,” romance fans know precisely where this film is headed almost as soon as it starts.

Yet rather than run from the genre conventions we routinely see in these traditionally straight romances, “Single All the Way” uses them as vibrant, positive building blocks to show that love is love, family is family, and it's both all relative and universal. Proving this, it layers in a variety of beloved romcom mainstays from its small-town setting (as Peter wonders if he should move back home) and a friends to lovers plotline to a dance number (to Britney, bitch!) and romantic hijinks care of quirky relatives, including an obligatory scene where the two leads must share a bed. 

Along the way, "Single" incorporates an amusing, if undercooked subplot involving a community Christmas pageant called “Jesus H. Christ” that's the brainchild of Peter's colorful Aunt Sandy, who's played by Jennifer Coolidge. Much like Najimy gives the film a needed shot of candy-cane-coated adrenaline as soon as we see her, with her warmth, humor, and vivacity, veteran Christopher Guest scene-stealer Coolidge buoys her part of the film, which, unfortunately, plays like a rushed afterthought.

Guided by a steady hand, “Single All the Way” was helmed by the versatile Michael Mayer, who directed the moving, gorgeously acted but woefully underseen adaptation of “A Home at the End of the World,” as well as the excellent “Flicka” and “The Seagull.” Mayer knows how to work with actors and it shows. 

With so much - at times, too much - going on throughout, although it's easy to predict that of course, Peter will end up with Nick, “Single All the Way” is a loving, spirited ensemble film that never runs out of plot. Tonally, as sunny and bright as the visuals are snowy and cozy, and filled with terrific turns by a talented cast that's ready for anything (including “Schitt's Creek” star Jennifer Robertson), as someone who watches a lot of these films, “Single All the Way,” greatly exceeded my expectations.

Succeeding where last year's well-intentioned, star-studded, but ultimately disappointing Hulu film “Happiest Season” failed, while I'm speaking merely as a straight film critic, it feels truly rewarding and vital for audiences to see an LGBTQ holiday romantic comedy that doesn't make coming out or lying to one's family the main character's entire narrative arc. Similarly fighting against other gay movie tropes where its protagonist desperately wants to escape their small town and go to the big city or make their parents understand their lifestyle, it's refreshing instead to see Bostwick and Najimy scheme and plan to get their son happily coupled up.

By making the sexuality of its characters secondary to everything else going on, "Single All the Way" cleverly sidesteps the need for any moral speechifying that would pull us out of the storyline and ring false. Respecting our maturity and intellect right from the start, Mayer's film counts on its audience to have already come to the realization that we all deserve love, not to mention contemporary, clear-eyed, re-framed romantic movies for one and all that are this heartfelt, genuine, and fun.

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A Netflix Holiday - “A Boy Called Christmas” and “A Castle for Christmas” - Movie Review

Movie Review: A Netflix Holiday - “A Boy Called Christmas” and “A Castle for Christmas”

by Jen Johans

“A Boy Called Christmas”

Director: Gil Kenan

Cast: Henry Lawfull, Maggie Smith, Michiel Huisman, & Sally Hawkins

On Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81029733

“A Castle for Christmas”

Director: Mary Lambert

Cast: Brooke Shields, Cary Elwes, Andi Osho, & Lee Ross

On Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81026181

The Netflix equivalent of putting up your Christmas tree and/or starting your holiday shopping the day after Thanksgiving, this year, the streaming service's version of Black Friday comes in two new high profile, high caliber Christmas movies which are scheduled to premiere on Friday, November 26.

Inspired by the question “was Father Christmas ever a boy?” which was posed by author Matt Haig's son, the first film, from “Monster House” director Gil Kenan, is a gorgeously crafted, old-fashioned fairytale adaptation of Haig's bestselling 2015 British children's book “A Boy Called Christmas.”

Tonally a cross between C.S. Lewis, Hans Christian Andersen, Charles Dickens, J.K. Rowling, and Roald Dahl in its balance of darkness, magic, heart, and light, Kenan's film begins with a framing device straight out of “The Princess Bride.”Arriving at their home late at night, a great aunt played by the irreplaceable Maggie Smith tells the tale of the brave boy we'll all eventually know as Father Christmas to her young relatives at bedtime. Next, switching to a different time and place, we move away from contemporary London as Smith's fable starts to play out before our eyes.

Still reeling from the loss of his mother, which is something shared by the characters in the modern setting as well, “Christmas” chronicles the plight of Nikolas (portrayed by top-notch relative newcomer Henry Lawfull). Fearing for the safety of the sole parent he has left (Michiel Huisman), Nikolas sets out on a perilous journey to the north to find his dad when he fails to return from his search for the village of Elfhelm in order to bring hope to us all.  

Populated by a who's who of great character actors, including Sally Hawkins, Kristen Wiig, Jim Broadbent, Toby Jones, and Stephen Merchant (priceless here as the voice of Miika the Mouse), the film looks and sounds like a dream, thanks to the effects team and production designer behind the “Paddington” movies, and a lovely score courtesy of the great Dario Marianelli. Additionally, it's fun to see the actors let loose, particularly Hawkins and Wiig who relish their Wicked Witch-like moments to eat up the screen. 

The type of film you could leave on in the background when you make cookies or put up your tree, while it's easy to lose yourself in the snowy spectacle of it all, disappointingly from a narrative standpoint, “A Boy Called Christmas” runs out of steam quickly. With episodic plot points, as the indefatigable, ever-determined, delightful Lawfull encounters one new character or problem after another in a by-the-numbers fashion, it grows increasingly repetitive as it continues on.

Although I am unfamiliar with the source material, I can't help but ask if perhaps its error might be an early “Harry Potter” franchise-style case of staying far too faithful to the book. Needless to say, of course, young fans of Haig's novel are sure to love seeing every moment come to life. For the rest of us, however, despite some beautiful revelations that come to light near the end of the movie, its muddled second act makes it feel twice as long as the first, and I think most viewers who don't know Haig's novel will grow restless as soon as the storyline begins to wander.

Still, from the jaw-dropping 4k presentation where even the opening sequence of Smith walking down a light-filled city street feels painterly (and indeed I wondered but really didn't care if it was CG), “A Boy Called Christmas” is a stellar technical achievement from these talented craftsmen, even if it doesn't fully work for me as a film overall. Not nearly as successful as “Monster House” or Kenan's wonderful adaptation of “City of Ember,” (of which I might be the only fan and still wish for a sequel), he's such a great director that regardless of the film's shortcomings, I look forward to seeing what he'll do next.

Incidentally, it turns out that looking forward is exactly what romance author Sophie Brown (Brooke Shields) realizes she needs to do at the start of director Mary Lambert's picturesque holiday romcom travelogue “A Castle for Christmas.” 

Whereas “A Boy Called Christmas” was made for the kids, “A Castle for Christmas” is Netflix's present for teens and adults. It comes in the form of a fun, fluffy, snowflake light hybrid of the kinds of seasonal romances that Lifetime and the Hallmark Channel produce with alarming frequency and the sassier UK romcoms that Hugh Grant made popular back in the '90s. 

Centered on Shields' Brown, the plot of "Castle" is incredibly straightforward.  Having killed off the romantic hero of her dozen bestselling novels after a messy divorce, Sophie Brown incurs the wrath of her heartbroken legion of fans who want their dream man back. In desperate need of a change of scenery, she journeys to Scotland to not only hide out and write the next book in her popular Emma Gale romance series but also visit the castle that her late father loved while growing up as the son of the groundskeeper there. 

Having barely arrived in her new surroundings, Sophie finds new friends quickly when she joins the knitting club in the pub of the inn where she's staying. The same dynamic we encountered in Netflix's outstanding (and much more substantive) adaptation of the acclaimed novel “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," in “Castle,” the scenes that producer-star Shields shares with her motley knitting crew are absolutely delightful.

Still, as the romance author she's portraying here knows, you can't have a love story without a male lead, and thankfully, for that we have Cary Elwes getting his scowl on as the sour, curmudgeon-like Duke of said castle, who eventually melts under Sophie's charms.

Phenomenally predictable to anyone who's ever seen a romantic comedy before, while the pair are excellent in their roles, Sheilds and Elwes' chemistry does leave a little something to be desired, although that’s likely more the fault of their underdeveloped characters than the actors in question, who aren't given a whole lot with which to work.

One of those movies where the credits reveal that it was written by a committee of four different writers, it feels like certain screenwriters were hoping to emphasize the knitting club as well as develop a potential B or C romantic subplot, and others were more clearly focused on the castle angle. All in all, it's a bumpy yet nonetheless, above average cheery holiday romance.

Featuring a welcome cameo by Drew Barrymore that bookends the film as she first appears in a slightly cringeworthy, over-the-top introduction to Sophie Brown who loses it live on Barrymore's talk show (which Shields plays too broadly), Barrymore returns at the end during the final credits in a very funny two-hander between the two women.

Targeted to Gen X, it's ideally suited to those from the era who grew up watching Shields and Barrymore, were dazzled by Lambert's iconic Madonna music video “Like a Prayer,” and frightened by her adaptation of “Pet Semetary,” and fell in love with “Castle” leading man Cary Elwes in “The Princess Bride.” And indeed, Netflix is smart to aim for this demographic. 

Usually overlooked in seasonal fare that's often developed with late teens and early twenty-somethings in mind, “A Castle for Christmas” is just the pleasantly diverting, if ultimately forgettable thing to settle in with after you spend Thanksgiving in the kitchen and Black Friday setting up that tree and/or starting to shop. With so much holiday stress on the horizon, 'tis the season for snowy movies after all.

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C’mon C’mon – Movie Review

Directed and written by:  Mike Mills

Starring:  Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, and Woody Norman

Runtime:  108 minuteS

‘C’mon C’mon’ is a beautiful but untethered journey  

Writer/director Mike Mills’ last two films – “Beginners” (2010) and “20th Century Women” (2016) – look to the past. 

His past.  

“Beginners” – starring Christopher Plummer, Ewan McGregor, and Melanie Laurent – is based on Mills’ dad.  Hal (Plummer) comes out during his golden years, and Plummer won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his revelatory performance.  

Six years later, Mills turns to his mother with “20th Century Women”, as Annette Bening plays Dorothea, a single mom who reaches out to a 30-something (Greta Gerwig) and a high school student (Elle Fanning) to help raise her teenage son.  The Academy wrongfully left Bening off their 2017 Oscar register, but Mills rightfully earned a screenwriting nomination.    

Mills grounds both movies with lengthy morsels of meaningful, everyday discourse.  Then, the moments soar into mystical spaces by overlaying an occasional new-age score and photo flashes of dear lineage and faraway places.  Walking away from these outstanding works, you’ll be magically compelled to dial into your history while exploring the sights and sounds of the director’s past.  

However, with “C’mon C’mon”, Mr. Mills partially departs from his winning cinematic formula.  

Presented in black and white and vastly conversational, his new movie feels like a gorgeously-captured French New Wave picture.  Especially with the color (or lack thereof) choice and urban settings (like Los Angeles, New York, and two other cities that will not be named in this review), shades of Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless” (1960) and Agnes Varda’s “Cleo from 5 to 7” (1962) come to mind.  

Also, in this celluloid effort, our director’s headspace is not looking to the past.  The film bathes in the present and gazes towards the future.  Yes, family is the prevailing theme, and this time, Mills garners inspiration from conversations with his child, Hopper.  

Rather than reference the aforementioned French Godard and Varda movies, German director Wim Wenders’ 1974 film, “Alice in the Cities” motivated him.

“I’d watch ‘Alice in the Cities’ as, like, a medicine situation.  I knew I wanted to try to do something about being a parent, about all those experiences,” Mills tells Josh Rottenberg in a Sept. 10, 2021 Los Angeles Times article.  

In “C’mon C’mon”, Viv (Gaby Hoffmann) asks her single and childless brother, Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix), to watch her 9-year-old son Jesse (Woody Norman) for several days while she tends to her husband in Northern California.

Jesse is an inquisitive and forthright kid, but he doesn’t know his uncle exceptionally well.  He hasn’t seen Johnny in a year.  Johnny lives a busy existence in New York as a nationally-syndicated radio journalist.  Nonetheless, Johnny is a supportive and thoughtful sort, and he gladly (but also a bit hesitantly) stays with Jesse in the City of Angels as a very temporary guardian.  

Yes, the screenplay dances with Johnny’s bachelordom versus Jesse’s limitless curiosity, but without dramatics, save for two stressful scenes, when the young lad disappears from his uncle’s sight.  Think a causally-paced “Kramer vs. Kramer” (1979), since Johnny and Jesse are forced to adjust from their previously comfortable lifestyles, but there’s no concern about permanent household changes.  Jesse’s mom will return, so the two converse in streams of constant nuance about some grand ideas, but they mostly chat about ordinary stuff, like meals, bedtimes, and defining boundaries through frank talk and mental judo. 

Their relationship is informal and untailored, but the clear hurdles are:

• Jesse copes with a new adult imposing his restrictions.

• Johnny muddles through a brand-new and crucial parenting responsibility. 

Mills and Phoenix frame Johnny’s emotional journey through his job because - as a radio journalist – he interviews seemingly dozens of teenagers about the state of the world.  His evident comfort with his vocation contrasts with his day-in and day-out rapport with Jesse because Johnny’s brief engagements with random, anonymous teens have exactly zero long-term consequences other than their recorded quotes.  

Granted, the teenagers offer heaping helpings of thoughtful insight into their perceptions of their current and future existences on Earth.  These frequent, valuable verbal marches provide ease and relief - to the audience - that the next generation might manage our planet with secure hands.  Thank you, On-screen Teens and Mills, for not submitting a 108-minute episode of “Kids Say the Darndest Things”.  

Far from it.  

What does it all mean?  It’s difficult to say.  The multiple threads between Johnny and Jesse, Viv in San Francisco, and our reporter’s work attempt to tie into an intricate and gentle picture of family and community under flat-out beautiful backdrops, like Santa Monica Pier and a New York City skateboard park.   

The said thematic strands are most likely connected, but this critic cannot find the bonds exactly.  The comedic elements didn’t always land, and the intended emotional weight didn’t register through the film’s untethered style and competing narratives.

Perhaps it’ll take another viewing or two for the movie’s lessons to emerge more clearly.  

Perhaps parents will find this picture dramatically more meaningful. 

Both statements are probably true.

Jeff’s ranking

2.5/4 stars

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Ghostbusters: Afterlife - Movie Review

Dir: Jason Reitman

Starring: Mckenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Celeste O'Conner, Logan Kim, Carrie Coon, and Paul Rudd

2h 4m

"Who you gonna call?" 

The cultural impact of Ivan Reitman's 1984 film "Ghostbusters" continues to display its influential grasp every year since its release. The repertory cinemas arranging screenings every Halloween, the hard to escape Ray Parker Jr. theme at parties, costumes with glowing proton packs, and the franchise's reboot with a female influence in 2016; "Ghostbusters" is undeniably a pop culture icon. 

Ivan Reitman, director of the original and sequel, created a not-so-scary film about ghosts with major crossover comedy appeal for audiences. Both of these films were met with mixed critical reactions. The reboot in 2016, directed by Paul Feig, gathered a group of hilarious women and placed them in a movie that had the simple goal of being an entertaining nostalgic revisit. The film received unnecessary hate from numerous regions of the internet. 

While the cards are stacked against "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," new director Jason Reitman takes the Ghostbuster's motto of "no job too big" and fashions an entertaining, kid-centric film that is also a loving tribute to his father, Ivan Reitman. Focusing solely on the original film as a jumping point for future events, Jason Reitman takes the ghostbusting out of the big city, transposes it into a small town, and hands the responsibility to a group of young people. "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" wears its heart on its sleeve proudly.

Egon Spengler, no longer known as a Ghostbuster but rather "the dirt farmer" in the small Oklahoma town where he lives a secluded life, is attacked and killed by an indiscernible entity. Callie (Carrie Coon), Egon's estranged daughter, struggles financially and decides to take her two kids to the farm to sort out the mysterious affairs left unresolved by her father. Trevor (Finn Wolfhard), the oldest of the siblings, is a teenager who finds work and a crush at the local diner. Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), an intelligent and curious 12-year-old, finds a fast friend named Podcast (Logan Kim) and begins to unravel the true nature of her grandfather's past. 

The town experiences small earthquakes and strange occurrences happening in the local abandoned mines. These disturbances catch the attention of Phoebe and her summer school teacher Mr. Grooberson (Paul Rudd). Once Phoebe begins investigating the unusual tremors and her grandfather's cryptic home, she discovers an evil force preparing its return to the world. 

 The introduction of "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" composes the most horror elements of the entire film; a chase scene with an unseen presence, lots of camera atmosphere, and a fun combination of scenarios help build the tension. An excellent introduction for a budding horror movie fan who might not be ready for more intense PG-13 horror films. The remainder of the film is less scary and more action and comedy-focused, featuring an eclectic group of characters committedly played by an ensemble of talented actors. 

The young actors bring the charm and heart out of "Ghostbusters: Afterlife." Mckenna Grace is a highlight as Phoebe; she imbues the character with the same dry wit and staunch composure as Harold Ramis playing Egon. Finn Wolfhard is also good, playing the committed and trustworthy older brother. Logan Kim, playing a humorous podcaster named Podcast, has terrific chemistry with every character on screen. The relationship between Phoebe and Podcast is the foundation for the film. 

The narrative brings pieces of the original film back into the frame while also developing some unique alterations and twists for new audiences. The story is a heartfelt attempt to pay homage to the original movie and redevelop the themes for a new generation. There are a few pacing issues with the film, which makes the final act feel a little rushed in the scheme of the story. But most of these issues go unnoticed because of the engaging cast and Jason Reitman's assured direction. 

"Ghostbusters: Afterlife" is a fun rehash of the original "Ghostbusters" film, utilizing young people to lead the charge. While it may not have the most engaging story to tell at times, it has a ton of heart and great humor. Jason Reitman has done a diligent job of updating this pop culture sensation for new audiences. 

Monte's Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

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Julia – Movie Review

Directed by:  Julie Cohen and Betsy West

Starring:  Jose Andres, Ina Garten, Marcus Samuelsson, and Julia Child (archived footage)

Runtime:  94 minutes

‘Julia’:  An enjoyable, breezy, and well-prepared doc

“Don’t be afraid of failure.” – Julia Child

Good advice!

Julia Child - television’s premiere cooking personality, who paved the way for hundreds (or is it thousands or tens of thousands?) of local, national, and worldwide on-air chefs – took her advice.  Naturally, she was speaking about culinary gymnastics, but directors Julie Cohen and Betsy West – the dynamic documentary-duo behind “RBG” (2018) and “My Name is Pauli Murray” (2021) – clearly reveal that Ms. Child applied those same principles outside the kitchen as well.  

Cohen and West lead the audience through the famous chef’s recipe of success and happiness over her 91 years.  A lovely remembrance of this one-of-a-kind personality, “Julia” is a worthy tribute, but it’s also a straightforward presentation that doesn’t deviate from traditional documentary ingredients.

After the first few minutes, this chronological arrangement starts at Julia Carolyn McWilliams’ affluent beginnings in Pasadena, Calif.  The oldest of three children, each kid grew into soaring statures, and Julia was the runt of the litter, standing at “only” 6’3”.  

Even though Julia could physically look above her classmates and friends, she – growing up - couldn’t necessarily see beyond her family’s sheltered lifestyle.  That all changed during WWII, as the United States shipped her overseas.  Julia worked as a typist and clerk, and she met her husband-to-be, Paul Child.  The young couple discovered each other and the world around them (in a couple of locations that will not be revealed in this review), but after the war, they landed in Paris, where Julia’s French cuisine education began.   

Through a longer-than-you-can-imagine collaboration with Simone Beck, the two – in 1961 - published “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”, a massive 700-plus hard-cover document that provided (and continues to supply) a far-reaching template for housewives (or anyone else) to prepare such meals at home with ordinary supermarket ingredients.  

Their book was a colossal and revolutionary departure from the era’s disposable, processed meal prep, and the film explains that Julia infused science into her literary creation. 

Science?  Yes, science. 

If her written words weren’t groundbreaking enough, wait for her WGBH (Boston) TV work on “The French Chef”.   This wildly successful show led Child into American households as the airwaves connected her studio kitchen to so many homes in the cities, suburbs, and countrysides.  The rest is history, and during the doc, chefs - like Jose Andres and Marcus Samuelsson – lather deserved praise Child for her enthusiasm, energy, and expertise.  

After this 94-minute film ends, you’ll wish for a time machine to catch just 10 minutes with Ms. Child, chat about her love for food, get a selfie, and profusely thank her for her delightful and celebrated impact!

Most certainly, “Julia” accomplishes these warm feelings.  If I had another 20 minutes, I’d ask questions that the movie doesn’t address:  her favorite meal, her challenges of competing in a male-dominated field, and – no question - the origin of her irreplaceable accent. 

That can’t be a Southern California cadence, right?  

Still, “Julia” is an enjoyable and light experience, and it has encouraged this critic to – someday soon - pick up “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and actually use an appliance that others refer to as a stove.  

Jeff’s ranking

3/4 stars

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Passing – Movie Review

Directed by:  Rebecca Hall

Written by:  Rebecca Hall, based on Nella Larsen’s novel

Starring:  Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, Andre Holland, and Bill Camp

Runtime:  94 minutes

‘Passing’:  Don’t pass on experiencing this delicate, complex friendship

Irene (Tessa Thompson) and Clare (Ruth Negga) were high school friends.  Not close comrades, but dear enough to actively reach out if a future encounter ever occurs.

At least 12 years after school, that day arrives for the two ladies during an ordinary afternoon at The Drayton Hotel, an upscale spot in New York City.  Irene and Clare both sit alone at small, circular tables with white linen covers, and bright daylight illuminates every inch of a large, open sunroom with 30-foot high ceilings.  They catch each other’s eye, which is more difficult for Clare because Irene dons a cloche hat with an extended brim and frequently looks downward.  

She acts like a foreign spy on a secret mission and does not wish to be recognized.  Conversely, Clare places herself wide-open in plain sight, stares at her old friend, tries to place her for several seconds, perhaps 10, and then confidently stands up and approaches her.  

Nervously, Irene feels discovered and looks to scramble for an exit when Clare says, “Pardon me.  I don’t mean to stare, but I think I know you.”  

Their accidental meeting turns friendly, but Irene’s mind races with disbelief.  The setting is sometime during the 1920s, and ordinarily, the two women wouldn’t be welcome at The Drayton because they are Black.  However, they are passing as white.  Irene is discreet and traveling incognito, while Clare openly flaunts her whole person without a disguise or reservation.  Her complexion is light, and she has blonde hair.  Clare appears white, even to her husband, John (Alexander Skarsgard), a racist who unequivocally believes that she is Caucasian.  

This is the opening to Rebecca Hall’s first movie, and she wrote and directed “Passing”, based on Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel of the same name.  This story is particularly personal to Hall because she has explored her racial identity.  

During an Oct. 27, 2021 Film Independent Q&A with Thompson and Negga, Hall explained conversations with her mother.  

“She would say, ‘It’s possible that we’re black.  It’s possible that we’re Native American.  I don’t really know,’” Hall says. 

Hall adds, “I found myself in situations - specifically in America, actually, for what it’s worth - sitting in rooms where people made assumptions about what I am, based on what they’re seeing.  I found myself increasingly not being comfortable with that and sort of sticking out my hand and awkwardly saying, ‘I think I might be mixed-race.’  Someone handed me this book and said, ‘This is going to help with what you’re trying to articulate.’  And I looked at the book and thought, ‘Passing?  What does that mean?’”

Hall and cinematographer Eduard Grau’s present their film in a rich, nostalgic black and white.  Striking lighting and shadows contrast in various settings - like in the aforementioned hotel, quiet moments at Irene and her husband’s (Andre Holland) home, and snow blanketing a concrete courtyard – and they take on symbolism.  On the other hand, perhaps I am reading too much into these black, white, and gray backdrops. Maybe those double meanings don’t exist, but the exploration of race and identity seems ever-present throughout the 94-minute runtime. 

The movie’s most dramatic and heightened moments – when our eyes widen and ears perk – occur during all the precious seconds when Clare appears on-screen.  Irene frequently attempts to learn more about Clare’s emotional makeup but can’t quite get there.  Clare is a mystery.  Irene wonders how Clare can freely and willingly pass as a white woman 24/7 for weeks, months, and years on end, and especially when her husband, the father of her daughter, is a bigot.  It’s a betrayal. 

Still, Clare was her friend so many years ago, and she’s congenial and pleasant to everyone in Irene’s world today, even though Brian (Holland) recognizes her invented drama and social duplicity.  

Hall and Negga don’t just portray Clare as a mystery.  She’s a recurring recollection of sorts.  After a lengthy, opening set piece at the Drayton, Hall’s screenplay hops through time.  One minute, Clare lives in Chicago, and in the next scene, Irene and Brian discuss that she’s settled in New York City.  Soon after, she and her family reside in Switzerland. 

It’s almost as if “Passing” is a collection of memories, and the black and white celluloid canvas and accompanying, singular piano score add to this dreamlike time warp.  However, don’t mistake a dream with haze or fog because the gorgeously filmed and haunting images lay across our senses and settle into permanent recall.  

Even though race relations and societal conflicts are at the heart of the picture, the film only includes two brief scenes of ugly racially-motivated confrontations.  So, the movie doesn’t delve into 90 minutes of on-screen cruelty, but Irene and Brian often discuss their divided nation, as mentions of lynchings and hostile monikers fill some spaces while Clare is off-camera.  

Although Irene lives a comfortable lifestyle – due to Brian’s vocation as a doctor – she and her family don’t have the same advantages as their white counterparts.  This triggers conflicting feelings about Clare, the most prominent constant in “Passing”, as Thompson and Negga deliver standout performances depicting this delicate, complex friendship. 

Jeff’s ranking

3.5/4 stars

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Beans – Movie Review

Directed by:  Tracey Deer

Written by:  Tracey Deer and Meredith Vuchnich

Starring:  Kiawentiio, Rainbow Dickerson, Joel Montgrand, Violah Beauvais, and Paulina Alexis

Runtime:  92 minutes

‘Beans’:  Kiawentiio delivers a grown-up performance about growing up under perilous happenings

“Growing up is losing some illusions in order to acquire others.” – Virginia Woolf

Beans (Kiawentiio), 12, enjoys a content, supportive existence with her mom (Rainbow Dickerson), dad (Joel Montgrand), and younger sister, Ruby (Violah Beauvais), while living outside of Montreal.  She’s a happy kid, and the year is 1990, a time when parents drew distinct, discernable lines between themselves and their children, and Beans and Ruby respect their mother and father’s firm lead.  At the moment, Lily (Dickerson) and Kania’Tarilo (Montgrand) push Beans to pursue a private school education.  Sure, it’s not this about-to-be-a-teenager’s passion, but the posh academy seems lovely, and her folks know best.  

Director/co-writer Tracey Deer sets her debut narrative feature during one of the worst times for Beans, her family, and their local Mohawk community.  The Oka Crisis – a real-life land dispute between the Oka, Quebec government and the Mohawk people, which lasted for two and a half months and included violence – quickly overshadowed any stresses that Beans assembled over admittance (and fitting in) to a new school.  

Deer’s movie is semi-autobiographical, as she lived through that tumultuous, racially-divisive time as a child. 

“It actually took a very, very long time to write the script.  Figuring out what I wanted to say, but also having to revisit that time, revisit those emotions, I definitely hit a number of blocks,” Deer says during a Sept. 15, 2020 TIFF Originals interview.  

She adds, “I do say that the film is inspired by, so it is not truly autobiographical.  So, I do think of (Beans) as representative of not only my generation 30 years ago, but of kids today and the support, and the love, and the safety that they all need in order to thrive.”

The Oka Crisis included gun-pointed standoffs between Mohawk men versus police and also verbal confrontations with white locals.  The clashes get downright ugly and hurtful.  Deer includes a brutal moment where dozens of Quebecois Caucasians throw rocks at cars driven by First Nation families, including Lily, Beans, and Ruby.  

(After watching the film a second time, this critic also saw a law enforcement officer joining in the sickening display.)  

No doubt, Deer’s movie is a troubling, upsetting experience, and in addition to filming the said events from this volatile period, she adds news footage from 31 years ago.  Hence, the audience grasps the reality of the on-screen happenings.

Deer explores the larger politics, but briefly.  Instead, she tightens the story through the eyes of a 12-year-old girl, as Beans absorbs elevated prejudice first-hand.  It changes her.  Her innocence crumbles, as well as her family’s protected walls, because mom and dad face the same dangers.  Beans doesn’t help herself either, as she spends way too many hours, days, and weeks with older kids who bully her.  Of course, the taunts and physical blows morph into inclusion into mischief and adult vices.

Beans’ older “friend” April (Paulina Alexis) and other teens are endless sources of shoddy behavior.  Be warned, April and her pals’ rough vocab is too much for younger audiences.  

Still, Deer centers her picture around Kiawentiio and relies on this young actress to do the heavy lifting, as fiery outside forces and peer pressure contort Beans’ previously held conceptions and moral compass.  Kiawentiio handles all of Deer’s asks and successfully delivers a complex, emotionally elastic performance, where she embraces Beans’ precarious steps into reality.  Her work is so strong here, the film feels like a documentary at times, but the occasional news clips bring us out of those temporary trances.  

Dickerson’s performance stands out too, as she offers a resolute strength as a sometimes unshakable mom but also as a human being reacting to the acts and faces of hatred.

“Beans” might be the story of a preteen kid, but this is a grown-up movie, and our lead, unfortunately, loses her illusions of a just and fair society.  Rather than acquiring other misconceptions, at least Beans sees the world and herself on more genuine terms. 

 Jeff’s ranking

3/4 stars

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Eternals - Movie Review

Dir: Chloé Zhao

Starring: Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Brian Tyree Henry, Ma Dong-seok, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Lia McHugh, and Kit Harington

2h 37m

Director Chloé Zhao won an Academy Award, both for achievement in directing and best picture, for the film “Nomadland” earlier this year. Zhao’s moody and minimalistic film follows a woman in her sixties embarking on a journey through the American West after losing everything in the Great Recession. During a worldwide pandemic, “Nomadland” touched on issues of isolation and loneliness while also beautifully portraying the independence and peace found within a solitary existence connected to the world. Zhao’s catalog of films examines identity within the complicated structures of the ever-changing American ideal. And Chloé Zhao is the director Marvel Studios chose to helm their newest franchise addition, “Eternals,”; and it’s a fascinating and complicated decision.

The Eternals, created by comic-book legend Jack Kirby in 1976, are lesser-known heroes in the Marvel Universe. The god-like humanoids have existed for centuries, watching/helping worlds evolve in creative and self-destructive ways while safeguarding humanity from threatening creatures known as Deviants. 

Zhao’s film takes the origins of Kirby’s comic and adapts a story for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) that feels like that one puzzle piece that could fit anywhere but also nowhere at the same time. With beautiful wide-framed locations and a sensibility leaning into authentic instead of artificial composition, Zhao’s filmmaking presence is felt from the opening scene and, at moments, within the performances from the impressive cast playing the immortal superheroes. However, despite all its attempts to separate itself from the MCU’s consistent, familiar structures, “Eternals” unique introductions get lost in the mix of mundane Marvel ingredients.

Ancient aliens known as Eternals have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. Their job is to support humanity by helping them advance while also protecting them from otherworldly creatures known as Deviants. The Eternals have seen their efforts preserve and devastate society. This cycle grows more difficult for the nine superheroes to accept, knowing that they have the abilities to help in different ways. After centuries of working as a team, the Eternals separate over how they should use their powers. They begin living their own lives amongst humanity. The Deviants, which the Eternals thought they had defeated, return and start attacking the separated heroes individually. These attacks bring the Eternals back together, exposing the truth about their long-lived history and the plan for the future of humanity.

Chloé Zhao’s filmmaking sensibilities are present throughout the film, at times obvious and other times more subtle. Zhao brings a sense of connection between the world and those separated into this massive Marvel machine. Much like her past films, which focus on the disenfranchised moving through the American dream, Zhao asks questions and explores feelings with these immortal aliens. Questions about worth, sacrifice, honor, and servitude. Emotions like confusion, fear, love, and contempt. It’s all there and examined through varying degrees of magnification. A scene that explores the bond of family, specifically the fear of leaving and losing family, is beautifully captured in a quiet moment during a bedtime routine with a child. At the same time, a scene about the joy and passion of love, both physical and emotional, is inelegantly portrayed with a passionless sex scene and a sappy moment of new love set against magic-hour sunlight. It’s easy to see that “Eternals” is trying to be different, trying to frame a story about superhuman beings, magic powers, and ancient universes with captivating actors and a dynamic director to bring a new and different quality to familiar material. While the execution is elegant, the story and characters rarely engage in anything new but instead exist to introduce prospective properties.

An impressive cast of characters, who range in ability, race, and sexuality, played by an equally impressive list of actors, helps “Eternals” remain engaging. Zhao is fantastic with actors; the ensemble is excellent when all together, but there isn’t enough material or time for the individual cast to develop beyond superficial qualities. Angelina Jolie’s character Thena is an impressive warrior, but the character often feels like an afterthought. Salma Hayek plays the leader Ajak but her screen time is limited to a couple of group scenes and a few short monologues where the character offers sage words of wisdom. Gemma Chan, playing the lead Sersi, is provided the most depth, but against the grand scheme of the story, the character’s change from reluctant team member to influential leader rarely has the effect it should. As the flying Ikaris, Richard Madden has a good screen presence and works his superhero arrogance with glee. Bryan Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, and Barry Keoghan have secondary roles, but they provide a few insightful moments and some laughs in their limited time. Lauren Ridloff, playing Marvel’s first deaf character Makkari, and Lia McHugh, portraying Sprite, shine bright in their limited roles.

“Eternals,” throughout the film, is planting the seeds of future stories for the MCU to cultivate. While this isn’t particularly new for the Marvel efforts, there are moments in “Eternals” that make you think about the future characters and story plots instead of remaining in the present with the story being told on the screen. While “Eternals” tries its best to stand on its own, as a separate pillar in the Marvel universe, it ultimately feels like another stepping stone.

Monte’s Rating

2.75 out of 5.00

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Spencer – Movie Review

Directed by:  Pablo Larrain

Written by:  Steven Knight

Starring:  Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Sean Harris, and Sally Hawkins

Runtime:  111 minutes

‘Spencer’:  Larrain and Stewart bestow a royal and unconventional biopic

Diana Frances Spencer was born on July 1, 1961 in Norfolk, England, and - seemingly - every moment in her life was cast in a spotlight - the size of the London Eye - beginning on July 29, 1981.  On that date, she became Diana, Princess of Wales.  Yes, a wealth of her experiences are well-documented, but perhaps, not those moments behind palace walls.  

Well, instead of steering into typical cinematic practices, director Pablo Larrain and screenwriter Steven Knight take a noticeably unconventional approach with their Diana biopic, “Spencer”.  

Rather than gather a decades-long, chronological presentation, Larrain set his film over the 1991 Christmas holiday, about a year before Diana and Charles’ separation.  One could argue that “Spencer” is a slice of life picture because he captures Diana (Kristen Stewart) during ordinary events over three days.  He opens the door to the Royals’ Sandringham House and invites the audience to actively witness Princess Diana’s encounters with family members, staff, and long stretches of alone time.

(Note, if Larrain’s endeavor feels familiar, it should.  “Spencer” is a perfect companion piece with his 2016 biopic about Jacqueline Kennedy, “Jackie”, where Pablo has a similar avant-garde style.) 

Barely any of Diana’s Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day happenings bring any joy.  Instead, she roams in her room, down countless hallways, and on the grounds under constant duress and emotional claustrophobia, primarily due to Charles’ infidelity.  

Very early in the first act, Larrain offers two scenes of foreshadowing regarding Diana’s dilemma.  First, two or three squads of soldiers rush into the Sandringham House with several heavy boxes that – I don’t know – could contain grenade launchers, but the contents are – actually - quite harmless and welcoming!  The point is that the regal formalities are as severe as a Monday morning heart attack.  Second, Diana is lost while driving her sports car on Norfolk’s winding roads.  She stops for directions, turns to a group of strangers, and asks, “Where am I?”

Of course, this remark carries a double meaning. 

She’s filled with anxiety and sorrow and feels imprisoned, jailed by a thousand years of tradition, and Larrain feeds us nearly two hours of consternation with his camera almost always on Stewart and her portrayal of Diana.  

During a Sept. 3, 2021 Fred Film Radio interview, Larrain explains his version of the said events.  

“Of course, there’s a lot of fascination around Diana, and the Royal Family is very strict.  You don’t really know much, and that gives a lot of room for fiction.  It was a way to enter in a psychological space of her, and that crisis is surrounded by the people and the conflicts that are in that moment of her life.” Larrain says.   

So, “Spencer” isn’t exactly a slice of life but an interpretation of her state of mind during that time.  In short, the film takes liberties to communicate its views.  

How much is truth, and how much is fiction?  

“The Crown” (2016 – Present) devotees and history buffs could probably discern the differences through instantaneous analysis and commentary while sitting with you in a theatre.  Then again, if you wish to keep conversation to a minimum during your 111-minute movie experience, go solo or with a Diana novice.  Afterward, read the “’Spencer’ Movie vs. the True Story of Princess Diana” article on historyvshollywood.com to find a foundation after this dizzying confrontation.  

This uncomfortable story overflows with opportunities for empathy, as Diana is apparently without an ally, save her assistant Maggie (Sally Hawkins), a sympathetic head chef, Darren (Sean Harris), and naturally, her two young boys.  Otherwise, she can’t trust anyone, and the majestic walls have ears.  The movie also wisely spends valuable minutes by contrasting broader views through Diana’s one-on-one conversations with Darren, who shares his concern, versus Major Alistar Gregory’s (Timothy Spall) firm hand, including one enlightening third-act exchange that cements her ultimate stress.

Even though Pablo fills his picture with gorgeous imperial splendor (filmed at the Sandringham House and two German locations: the Schlosshotel Kronberg and the Schloss Marquardt), Jonny Greenwood’s decorative but also imposing classical string score, and Jacqueline Durran’s impressive and ornate costume designs, “Spencer” rises or falls with Stewart’s performance. 

Yes, Kristen looks the part.  Even though Diana stood at 5’ 10”, and Stewart is 5’ 5”, Kristen’s thin frame gives her the illusion of a taller stature on-screen.  She also receives a huge assist from the seven-person makeup team, who gets her hair precisely right.  Diana’s trademark hairstyle was as iconic as Jackie Kennedy’s, and right from the get-go – when we see her drive her sports car around Norfolk, UK – Stewart effectively establishes an initial acceptance as the princess just with a first look.  

Does she deliver Diana’s accent, cadence, and mannerisms with the utmost accurate precision?

I couldn’t tell you, but I fully believed Kristen was Diana due to her resemblance and demonstrative pulls into trauma through matter-of-fact, polite conversations with ominous undercurrents and sudden, unexpected rises in distress.  

“Spencer” is a challenging and traumatic time at the movies for both its aforementioned vision and content.  The screenplay and Stewart don’t shy away from Diana’s more private troubles, and except for 10 minutes of third-act flashbacks of happier years, the movie doesn’t leave this three-day retreat from hell.  She’s subsisting in a nightmare, and it truly feels that way, especially when Diana avoids – seemingly forever - attending two specific events.  Larrain also includes so many references of Princess Di’s ultimate demise that you’d swear Death – complete with a black-hooded robe and a scythe – is constantly following her throughout this country estate. 

Still, during this cinematic presentation, Diana is very much alive, but she vigorously looks for a way to live.   

Jeff’s ranking

3.5/4 stars

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Antlers - Movie Review

Dir: Scott Cooper

Starring: Keri Russell, Jesse Plemons, Graham Greene, Scott Haze, Amy Madigan, and Jeremy T. Thomas

1 h 39 m

Director Scott Cooper's newest film "Antlers" delves deep into issues of abuse and trauma while terrorizing a small gloomy town with an ancient entity who has an insatiable taste for human flesh. The mythological creature is the wendigo or windigo, a cultural entity originating from diverse Indigenous populations from the northeastern seaboard and continental interior around the Great Lakes. The wendigo is a protector of the Earth, a spirit of winter, and a symbol of the dangers of greed and selfishness that exist in the world. Cooper attempts to connect the Indigenous mythos with an introduction, spoken in Ojibwe, that describes how Mother Earth is being destroyed by those who walk with greed in their hearts. 

"Antlers" takes an Indigenous cultural cautionary tale and turns it into a brutal and gruesome horror movie. With guidance from Academy Award winner, Guillermo del Toro, Cooper and the team construct an impressive creature, coordinate great performances from a committed cast, but struggle to find a satisfying pathway to move the script into a more memorable experience.

In a foggy Oregon town, an ancient creature stalks an economically depressed community. The local coal mines have closed, and residents, like Frank Weaver (Scott Haze), use the abandoned spaces for cooking meth. The wendigo arrives to punish Frank, transforming him slowly into a zombie-like monster that craves human flesh. Frank's son Lucas (Jeremy T. Thomas), a traumatized 12-year old, is left to pick up the pieces of his already destroyed family life. Julia (Keri Russell), an English teacher at the local elementary school, notices the signs of abuse and some disturbing drawings in Lucas's journal. When Julia begins to investigate Lucas' home life, she discovers the disturbing truth.

"Antlers," based on the short story "The Quiet Boy" by Nick Antosca, does a decent job of building anticipation and tension with its beautifully, horrifically composed monster. With its horned head and disfigured body, the creature's design is made more intimidating by its physical ferocity. One jump scare is so vicious that you can almost feel it. And the sound design for its guttural screams underlined by a disturbing human crying voice is entirely unsettling.

The performances from the cast are also strong characteristics here. Keri Russell plays a concerned advocate with compassion but also resilience. Her character's story is forwarded with past trauma and abuse that is seen through flashbacks. Jesse Plemons does a fine job of being the somewhat bumbling, mostly overwhelmed town sheriff trying to make sense of the mangled bodies coming into the morgue. The standout, however, is Jeremy T. Thomas, who is entirely mesmerizing and haunting as the fractured Lucas.

The problematic piece for "Antlers" exists with its wandering narrative. The use of abuse and trauma as core character elements, one that identifies Julia as a trauma survivor of a horrific experience and displays the anguish felt by children dealing with a neglectful parent, is present but rarely explored beyond flashbacks. The connections aren't apparent when adding these elements of abuse to connect with the wendigo myth, which is introduced as a spirit protector of the land from the greed and selfishness of humanity.

More annoying is the representation, or lack thereof, of Indigenous people and culture throughout the film. The film begins with an Ojibwe spoken proverb, a setup that feels like Indigenous culture will be represented in some way. Unfortunately, the only Indigenous character shows up to explain the myth to non-Indigenous characters. This character is played by the wonderfully talented Graham Greene, who isn't offered anything more to do than 5-minutes of being the stereotypical magical Native American. A tired and offensive trope that still exists.

"Antlers" is a downtrodden horror film with a fantastic creature, good performances, and mediocre and culturally problematic script. Horror fans will enjoy the gore and scares, they are pretty good throughout, but the story has issues that even the best horror scenes can't fix.

Monte's Rating

2.50 out of 5.00

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Dune – Movie Review by Jeff Mitchell

Directed by:  Denis Villeneuve

Written by:  Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts, and Eric Roth

Starring:  Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgard, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, and Javier Bardem

Runtime:  155 minutes

‘Dune’ is a spectacular, procedural exercise

“My desert.  My Arrakis.  My Dune.” – Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard)

The 2021 film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal 1965 science-fiction novel is Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune”.   

The man proudly sports a resume bursting with provocative titles, including “Polytechnique” (2009), “Incendies” (2010), “Prisoners” (2013), “Enemy” (2013), “Sicario” (2015), and “Arrival” (2016).  He also bravely helmed the unthinkable, a “Blade Runner” sequel with “Blade Runner 2049” (2017).  

Ridley Scott (who directed the original “Blade Runner”) and Villeneuve were probably the most trusted directors to oversee such an undertaking at the time by staying true to the first movie and Philip K. Dick’s novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” and also extending the universe further into some unknown through line.  David Cronenberg may have been a third, but his films excel in small, narrow spaces.  Broad, sweeping epics are not his specialty.  Then again, look at arthouse director Chloe Zhao’s leap into the gigantic MCU undertaking “Eternals” (2021), although this critic hasn’t yet seen that movie.  Well, Villeneuve wasn’t a big-budget filmmaker in the beginning either, and “Sicario” and “Arrival” have two of the most haunting third acts in 21st-century cinema.  

The point is that Villeneuve is a gifted and proven director, and like “Blade Runner 2049”, he’s one of the few individuals who could embrace a new, big-screen version of Herbert’s novel. 

Decades ago, Alejandro Jodorowsky passionately attempted a “Dune” film, but the project folded (and by the way, see the extraordinary documentary “Jodorowsky’s Dune” (2013) to learn his story).  

Dune (1984)

David Lynch famously brought his “Dune” vision to the screen in 1984.  For those who haven’t read the book – including this critic – the 137-minute movie is a bizarre collection of characters, sets, endless references of spice, and constant internal dialogues that serve as narration.  Frankly, the voiceovers are probably needed to help escort novice viewers.  

As a side note, Princess Irulan’s (Virginia Madsen) opening introduction is vastly helpful.

Lynch’s film landed just a year after the enormously celebrated “Return of the Jedi” (1983), the conclusion of George Lucas’ first trilogy.  General movie audiences were hungry for new swashbuckling sci-fi, but “Dune” was not it, as the movie feels like Cronenberg’s “Naked Lunch” (1991) meets an outer space acid trip.  

Yes, another Cronenberg mention, and Jodorowsky said he wanted his “Dune” to be “a film that gives LSD hallucinations without taking LSD.”  In other words, the aforementioned analogy fits. 

(Note:  Director John Harrison also made “Frank Herbert’s Dune” (2000), a 4-hour 25-minute mini-series for television, but I have not seen it.)

Well, here we are on Earth in 2021, 56 years after Herbert’s novel, 37 after Lynch’s film, 21 after Harrison’s mini-series, and one year after a COVID-19 delay, Villeneuve’s “Dune” arrives in theatres and on HBO Max.  

What’s the verdict?

“Dune” is profoundly procedural.  The film has pacing issues, and it will spur some sincere questions about its logic.  On the other hand, this 165 million dollar celluloid creation offers a spectacular visual experience that plucks moviegoers from their daily physical and emotional chores, work emails, family responsibilities, constant social media messaging, COVID fears, and consumer-driven pressures to an unfamiliar, otherworldly place.  

Accustomed and everyday rules don’t apply.  

The year is 10191.  

A substance dubbed spice is the most coveted commodity in the universe because it’s essential for interstellar travel.  Spice – also named Spice Melange - is only found on one planet, Arrakis, a desolate, desert rock where scorching temperatures fall between unbearable and unlivable.  If that wasn’t rough enough, giant human-sucking worms - that are a couple of hundred yards long - could rumble from the sand and swallow you up in one bite.  

The Freman (who live below the surface) live on Arrakis, and the dark orange spice – which looks like sand - seems to be everywhere.  Hey, Arrakis has plenty of beaches, but leave your surfboards at home.  You won’t find an ocean, but the spice turns the Freman people’s eyes aqua blue. 

Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), his wife Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), and their son Paul (Timothee Chalamet) live on Caladan, a lush green and blue planet, and they found a nice spot to plant their roots.  Think Dana Point, Calif. meets the Scottish Highlands.  This royal family enjoys a large military, spaceships, and all sorts of creature comforts.  The men wear dapper, stylish peacoats, and the women sometimes don black goth hoods that Darth Sidious (from “Star Wars”) would emphatically endorse.  On other occasions, they sport ceremonial garb with 20 yards of flowing flamboyant scarves that Lady Gaga would die for.  Life couldn’t be better for Duke Leto, Lady Jessica, and Paul, but the Emperor requests that The House of Atreides move to Arrakis and take over spice mining from the House Harkonnen.  

Baron Vladimir Harkonnen – the HH leader - is an overweight, malevolent albino creep who bathes in a weirdo tarpit, and his loyal subjects and soldiers wear black.  Sure, the Baron won’t mind that the good Duke and The House of Atreides will oversee and collect the most crucial ingredient in the universe.  

What could go wrong?

Oh, one other thing, Paul has a supercharged ESP.  He’s training to use his “voice”, which will command others to follow his instructions blindly.  It pseudo-works like The Force (again, from “Star Wars”), but he also sees haunting premonitions, including visions of a Freman woman (Zendaya) he never met.

There you have it.  

Including the Emperor’s folks, the movie features four groups of people embroiled in an intergalactic story of capitalism, contracts, and colonialism.  The film is a political chess game, albeit with just one or two moves stretching over 155 minutes.  Politics, finance, and operations capture the forefront, while Paul’s journey towards enlightenment hovers just below.  

Massive stakes are in play, and to wholly embrace them, Villeneuve divided the book into two parts.  This film is only Part One, and compared to Lynch’s crowded, sometimes kinetic effort, Villeneuve gives his version time to let the narrative breathe.  

The endpoint of his 2-hour 35-minute picture lands at 1984 movie’s 1-hour 28-minute mark.  We march at a leisurely pace in 2021.  

Here are a few examples that help stretch out the film:  

Paul contemplates his future alone in his room on more than one occasion.

Sweeping, ceremonial welcoming parties meet two spaceship landings.

Paul and Jessica occupy precious screen time scouring the desert in the third act.  

Villeneuve bequeaths a golden opportunity for moviegoers to sit back and absorb it all, but he also offers space.  Each room inside the featured compounds on Caladan and Arrakis might be 1,500 sq. ft.  Could you imagine the real estate prices in the 102nd century?  

Cinematographer Greg Fraser spends plenty of time outside on Arrakis and effectively captures the harsh brutality of the place.  He and Villeneuve filmed in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.  It doesn’t feel like Paul and Lady Jessica are hiking all over a sound stage, and only a CGI mouse is their sole companion out in the Middle East.  

The special effects are top-notch, especially during an explosive firefight that lights up the night sky, as the differences between 1984 technology and 2021 equate to an Atari 2600 and a Sony PlayStation PS5.  There’s just no comparison, and fans of the novel and 1984 film will gratefully and gleefully welcome this movie’s visual joy and wonder.  

If you decide to see Denis’ “Dune”, catch it on the big screen (if you feel safe in theatres) to live through the spectacle of it all, including Hans Zimmer’s rumbling score, which will vibrate your innards during a couple of scenes.  That’s a good thing, I think. 

What’s not so great is - sometimes - the music overshadows conversations, and a movie colleague commented after an October theatre screening that she’d rewatch the film on HBO Max with subtitles.

Smart thinking!  

So, if you commit to “Dune” (2021), prepare to watch it twice.  I’m sure diehard fans and brand new ones will pledge to see it many more times, but at least one viewing with subtitles is required.

“Dune: Part Two” is also required.  Looking at the entire story, yes, Villeneuve landed on an appropriate spot to end Part One, but it’s still an unsatisfying and underwhelming one.

Unfortunately, with much need for exposition, “Dune” feels like a bureaucratic exercise or an experiment.  Except for Jason Momoa’s Duncan Idaho, the entire film is devoid of any humor.  Sure, that’s not the point with “Dune”, but the movie failed to trigger – at least from my perspective – any emotions (that weren’t special effects-driven), save for one first-act scene when Lady Jessica actively displays her alarm over Paul’s safety.   

An all-star cast, including Isaac, Ferguson, Skarsgard, Momoa, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Charlotte Rampling, David Dastmalchian, and Dave Bautista amply offer their capable services, and it’s pleasing to see so many admirable actors in this colossal project.  Chalamet is a fine casting choice as Paul.  Early in the first act, he’s briefly seen without his shirt, which will appease his adoring fans, but his slim appearance highlights Paul’s underdog vulnerability. 

The 1984 film attracted considerable talent too.  That’s a tribute to the directors and the source material.  Herbert’s book was published in the mid-60s, so the man deserves heaping praise for his out-of-this-world vision. 

Still, while watching “Dune” (2021), some random questions appear.  

When the script stresses spice’s importance throughout the film, why do we only see brief glimpses of interstellar travel?

Why does Zimmer repeatedly include bothersome, screeching chants when sudden discoveries occur?  

Why can Paul and Jessica sometimes stride normally in the desert but on other occasions, they perform a special walk to avoid the worms?  

Why do Gurney (Brolin), Duncan (Momoa), and hundreds of others even bother turning on their shields when an enemy’s blade cuts right through the protection like a knife slicing a stick of warm butter?  

Why are armies – in the year 10191 with the technology to build and fly spaceships and helicopters (that move like dragonflies) – using swords and knives during hand-to-hand combat?

These aren’t monumental points, but they may pull you out of the intended 2.5-hour trance.

Nonetheless, Villeneuve’s “Dune” is a stunning technological achievement, and millions and millions of fans will claim this film as their “Dune” too.  

I’m sorry to report that it’s not this critic’s “Dune”, but neither was the 1984 movie.  Oh well, plunk me on Arrakis with a giant worm nearby, if makes you feel better.

Jeff’s ranking

2/4 stars

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Dune - Movie Review by Monte Yazzie

Dir: Denis Villeneuve

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Jason Mamoa, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, Stellan Skarsgård, and Zendeya

2 h 35 m

Author Frank Herbert wrote the seminal science fiction classic "Dune" in 1965, and it has influenced fantastic tales throughout cinema ever since. The introduction of Robert Zemeckis' 1997 film "Contact" is directly reconstructed from Herbert's novel. The concept work for the infamous Alejandro Jodoworsky cinematic version of "Dune" influenced "Alien" and "Blade Runner." And, perhaps, the most recognizable imitator of the Herbert novel is George Lucas' "Star Wars" saga. It's undeniable that the meticulous and intricate world Herbert weaved with themes of colonialism, ecology, religion, rebellions, all tied together in a fight over the fate of humanity between warriors, witches, and nobles, is an enormous undertaking. 

Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and Frank Herbert's "Dune" is a beautiful, perfect arrangement of artist and artwork. Villeneuve does not disappoint in this epic and elegant demonstration of pure cinematic vision. The depth of detail in the richly composed scenes of "Dune" is beautiful to watch. Though, amidst the stunning scenery of Villeneuve's science fiction drama is a story that struggles to find the emotion between the characters and the circumstances they face, most glaringly with the composition of the teenage hero messiah Paul Atreides. Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" is epic, elegant, and at times emotionless. 

The year is 10191. Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), a brilliant and gifted young man, has visions of a destiny he doesn't completely understand. Born into the noble House Atreides, Paul's parents, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) are reassigned to Planet Arrakis to take over operations. Arrakis is a harsh desert environment mined for a valuable resource called "spice" and patrolled by giant sandworms. It is inhabited by a group of native people known as the Fremen. They have fought colonizers their entire life. They believe that Paul is the prophesized "Muad' Dib," the messiah that will lead the Fremen to freedom. 

The adaptation from the literary descriptions to the cinematic vision of the world of "Dune" is a revelation. Denis Villeneuve, along with cinematographer Greig Fraser and production designer Patrice Vermette, has meticulously crafted an introduction to a science fiction epic that is beautifully composed and elegantly detailed. The costumes are visually dynamic, the environments are richly textured, and the special effects are equally subtle and bold in their crafting of floating grains of sand and massive sand creatures that cannot be contained even by an IMAX screen. It's a confident and clear vision of filmmaking from a true cinema auteur. 

The story is dense and convoluted with familial, political, and spiritual themes. It's not your average hero's journey, even if it might look like it from afar. Herbert's mistrust of authoritarian rule from the novels is present in Villeneuve's story but more contemplative for the central character Paul Atreides. Paul struggles with the ideas and insights about his destiny. Will he take over as ruling Duke of Atreides? Will he do the bidding of his mother's lineage of spiritual influencers known as the Bene Gesserit? Or, will he embrace the speculation that he is the "Chosen One?" These questions run deep within the narrative introduction of "Dune." 

However, the slight problem with Villeneuve's version of "Dune" exists in the composition of the character core to the questions needing answers. Timothée Chalamet, who has been consistently good at playing all types of characters, struggles to convey the traits of a teenage boy tasked with carrying more than a few heavy burdens. In moments, Chalamet displays the confidence necessary to show a young man transitioning quickly into adulthood. In other, more emotionally sensitive moments, the performance feels restrained to surface-level stares and glares. There is room for this character to grow; this is only part one of Villeneuve's "Dune" after all. 

"Dune" captures the visual grandeur and wonderment that Frank Herbert described in his science fiction myth. While the film struggles to balance its stunning visual charms and complex narrative deliberations, it is still an awe-inducing cinematic experience. Here's hoping that Denis Villeneuve has the opportunity to complete this fascinating, fantastical space saga. 

Monte's Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

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Ron’s Gone Wrong – Movie Review

Directed by:  Sarah Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine, and Octavio E. Rodriguez

Written by:  Sarah Smith and Peter Baynham

Starring:  Jack Dylan Grazer, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, and Olivia Colman

Runtime:  106 minutes

‘Ron’s Gone Wrong’ serves up laughs and social media warnings

“I was watching ‘Her’ by Spike Jonze, and I thought, ‘I need to make a version of this movie for my 3-year-old who’s getting lost in the iPad,’” co-director/co-writer Sarah Smith says in an Oct. 15, 2021 interview with Cinemark.

Smith, along with co-directors Jean-Philippe Vine and Octavio E. Rodriguez, made a film, and thankfully, they did not feature toddlers as their lead and supporting characters.

Whew!  

Instead, their movie is a middle-school animated adventure, and our hero is Barney Pudowski (Jack Dylan Grazer).

He’s a swell kid who attends Nonsuch Middle School, but he doesn’t have any close friends, and geez, no one showed up at his birthday party.  To make matters worse, everyone but Master Pudowski has the latest electronic gadget, a B-Bot!

Back in the day, how many of us felt left out because “everyone else” had (warning, this critic is dating himself in a couple of places) Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, a ColecoVision, Barbie’s Dreamhouse, a cell phone, or a car?  

If so, you can relate to Barney’s anxiety. 

Look, you might not have been the ONLY teenager without a phone during middle school, but here, Barney is the sole B-Bot-less adolescent in town.  

“You need a B-Bot to have a social life?” his dad, Graham (Ed Helms), asks.

“Yea, kind of, Dad,” Barney replies.

Okay, what’s a B-Bot?  

A B-Bot resembles a 2-foot Weeble (again, dating myself), and it’s an interactive device that works like (an) Alexa or Siri.  It has all of your preferences, likes, and favorites.  The difference is that your B-Bot will roll along – and carry on conversations - with you 24/7.  Well, except during class, but it’s on at school recess!

And you thought a smartphone sucked up all of your child’s time?  

Even though Barney’s grandmother (Olivia Colman) and widower dad didn’t get his most-coveted wish for his fiesta, they secured a defective one later that evening.  On the following day, he met HIS B-Bot!

Yahoo!   

The issue is that this particular one is missing some necessary code.  This whitish/translucent Tic Tac doesn’t possess flashing colors or patterns or contain any of Barney’s favs.  In other words, he’s offline or just a bit off.  For instance, he refers to Barney as “Insert Registered Name”.  Say what?  The machine is a clean slate and takes every word Barney or anyone else says literally….in the most verbatim sense.

Look, this B-bot – who is later named Ron – is just different!

Smith, Vine, Rodriguez, and co-writer Peter Baynham embrace the seemingly timeless (and repetitive) cinematic theme of a teenage misfit attempting to find his way and marry it with a more recent one:  too much reliance on (and the exponential reach of) social media.  

“You hear all the time your kids (are) going through friendship issues, and you realize there’s this new playground they’re going into, and you can’t go with them and hold their hand and advise them.  I thought we needed to make a movie where an iPad can become an animated character,” Smith says in the aforementioned Cinemark interview. 

Since Ron doesn’t possess the programming to mirror and (placate to) Barney’s every predisposed whim, the two find themselves working hard to know one another.  For every other teen-gizmo paring, the human counterparts simply lean on their electronic and plastic buddies as friendly Internet tools.  

In Barney and Ron’s case, however, they slowly walk through the organic process of becoming buds.  

Since Ron was “born yesterday”, Zach Galifianakis might be the perfect comedic actor to play Ron.  His character approaches nearly everything with childlike wonder and curiosity, and Galifianakis showcased this on-screen persona as Alan in “The Hangover” (2009) and its sequels.  Although Ron isn’t hoping to ship Barney off to “Las Vegas, looking for strippers and cocaine.”  

No, this is a PG-rated film all the way, and Ron hopes to build an affable bond with Barney and help him make other friends, ones in person.

Set in a picturesque – and at times, quite stunning - mid-sized town, nestled in a valley of buttes and pines (Bend, Ore., perhaps?), Smith, Vine, and Rodriguez create a robust but remote locale that serves as Barney’s physical world.  The movie offers natural boundaries that force Barney to look towards neighbors, classmates, and families. 

Indeed, “Ron’s Gone Wrong” resonates with some authentic teaching moments about the negative impacts that social media imprints on kids, in addition to the comic relief that Galfianakis definitely and effectively delivers here.

The problem is the screenplay wanders too much during the second half of the 106-minute runtime.  For instance, Barney and Ron take an unnecessary detour into the wilderness.  The story also burns calories with the tired scenario of “We were friends in elementary school, so what happened?”-theme and a silly cloak and dagger operation at the B-Bot company, Bubble, which might as well double as Google or Apple.  

Yes, the cartoonish rivalry between Bubble CEO Andrew Morris (Rob Delaney) – who’s a Steve Jobs lookalike – and B-Bot creator Marc Weidell (Justice Smith) explores real-life ethical dilemmas, but the long-winded literal and figurative maze late in the third act becomes tiring.  

“Ron’s Gone Wrong” might be better served with a tighter, more focused tale.  Still, the film nicely balances its tones of hijinks, heart, and an authentic warning about our current daily (or hourly) personal use of social media and the data collected.

That said, let’s post this review on social media, pronto!    

Jeff’s ranking

2.5/4 stars

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Halloween Kills - Movie Review

Dir: David Gordon Green

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Thomas Mann, Will Patton, Dylan Arnold, Kyle Richards, Nancy Stephens, Robert Longstreet, and Anthony Michael Hall

1 h 46 m

"Let it burn!" These are the words Laurie Strode, the babysitter who battled Michael Myers back in 1978, screams at passing firetrucks. Laurie, who waited 40 years for Myers to return to Haddonfield, trapped Michael inside the basement of her compound and set the whole place on fire, saving her daughter and granddaughter in the process. 

David Gordon Green's sequel, "Halloween Kills, takes a different route than the rebooted first film. Taking the emphasis away from the character study of the resilient and traumatized Laurie Strode, played with ferocity by Jamie Lee Curtis in the first film, and refocusing on the genre's slasher intentions. Green eliminates suspense in favor of brutality, which is violent, bloody, and gory, and shifts the perspective from Laurie's plan for closure against Michael Myers onto other survivors from that fateful Halloween night in 1978. Specifically, an angry mob, led by Tommy Doyle, a commanding Anthony Michael Hall, are planning a frenzied hunting party searching for the Boogeyman who still haunts their beloved Haddonfield. 

When "Halloween Kills" opens, it's still Halloween night, and Michael Myers has survived, brutally slaying the group of firemen who freed him from the blazing trap set by Laurie, who is now recovering in the local hospital after her encounter. Her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) are also worse for wear. 

At the same time, the surviving members of Michael's carnage in 1978 meet at a local dive bar. Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall) and Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards), the kids Laurie babysat as a teenager, meet with former nurse Marion Chambers (Nancy Stephens) and grown-up bully Lonnie Elam (Robert Longstreet). Phones begin to chime, and a television news alert interrupts the Halloween festivities as word breaks that Michael Myers has escaped and returned to continue his hometown rampage in Haddonfield. Tommy, a baseball bat in hand, organizes a gang of locals to hunt the Boogeyman down once and for all, fiercely proclaiming "evil dies tonight." 

Director David Gordon Green aggressively shifts tone, substituting the suspenseful scares and menace of the first film for a more brutal and horrific approach. While there is nothing wrong with manipulating genre expectations, especially with a franchise that has existed for more than 40 years, Green also diverts from the core emotional character of the Halloween myth, Laurie Strode. For much of "Halloween Kills," Laurie is sidelined to the confines of a hospital bed. And when she finally regains consciousness, the character is left with a one-note emotion of guilt that isn't explored. 

In place of Laurie, the film focuses much of its time on Tommy Doyle and the crowd of traumatized townsfolk who grow more aggressive with every dimwitted decision they make. There are hints of commentary surrounding mob mentality and the impact one strong voice can make in a crowd of scared individuals; one scene involving another escaped inmate brings these themes closest to a complete emotion. However, the narrative rarely offers the time between kills to examine these pieces. 

What is very clear about "Halloween Kills" is the composition of Michael Myers. The near superhuman monster has one purpose, destruction. For the survivors of Michael's past mayhem, who are traumatized, scared, and angry, their connection with The Shape is personal and affecting. For Michael, he barely registers any relationship to his past victims; this is shown through the sudden, forceful, and vicious acts of violence committed against anyone who gets in Michael's way. These gory special effects-driven scenes are sure to have the horror fans "oohing" and "aahing" with glee.

It is well known that "Halloween Kills" is not the finale for this franchise, which belongs to the forthcoming and aptly titled "Halloween Ends." David Gordon Green attempts to do something different with this sequel; while the heightened special effects viscera and nostalgic community of characters bring chaos to the drama, the absence of Laurie Strode for much of the film turns Michael Myers into an unstoppable machine and ultimately makes this film feel like a placeholder, a side story of Michael's night of terror until Laurie meets him face to face one final time. 

Monte's Rating

2.75 out of 5.00

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Mass – Movie Review

Written and directed by:  Fran Kranz

Starring:  Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton, Reed Birney, and Ann Dowd

Runtime:  110 minutes

‘Mass’ bravely dives into deep, emotional places in one confined space

Here’s my best advice to approach “Mass”, writer/director Fran Kranz’s first film.  

Don’t watch the trailer.

This gripping, conversational drama is almost entirely set in one location.  The four main characters confront a painful, deeply personal topic, one that has haunted them for years, but don’t ask a friend, sibling, your local movie critic, or the Internet the key matter that Jay (Jason Isaacs), Gail (Martha Plimpton), Linda (Ann Dowd), and Richard (Reed Birney) debate.  

During an Oct. 10 interview with Collider, Kranz says, “Look, it has been a lot.  It’s been emotional.  It was emotional writing it.  It was emotional making it, and it’s emotional talking about it.  But I had no choice.  This thing took over my life.  I didn’t start doing the research because I wanted to make a movie.  I started reading about these things because I was upset.”

Now, walking into Kranz’s film, knowing the issue that the four adults discuss won’t ruin the experience, like say, discovering that Malcolm Grove (Bruce Willis) is a ghost prior to watching “The Sixth Sense” (1999), but I didn’t see or hear the contents of “Mass” beforehand, and I’m grateful.   

Nearly the entire film – that feels like a play with a brief prologue followed by one continuous act – takes place in an ordinary room, an unassuming spot with crème-colored walls.  A white, circular plastic table (that you might pick up at Costco or Target) sits in the middle and four chairs rest around the synthetic edges. 

It’s a quiet locale inside an Episcopal church, and the only potential for disturbances are piano and choir practices.  Fortunately, nothing outside this confined but comfortable setting should interfere with the discussion between four people, a married couple and a divorced one.  

They are in their 50s or 60s, and Jay and Gail will meet with Richard and Linda under apprehensive, uncomfortable circumstances.  

Before reaching the church, Jay and Gail sit in their parked car, and cinematographer Ryan Jackson-Healy effectively captures the outdoor setting, a crisp and sunny fall afternoon in Sun Valley, Idaho.  The couple dresses like they might stop by a pumpkin farm afterward, but today is no holiday. 

Gail asks, “What the hell are we doing here?”

When everyone arrives at the church, awkward feelings accompany them.  Linda makes a kind gesture by bringing flowers, but this considerate thought becomes a minor burden.  Our eyes gaze at the aforementioned gift, and placing it at the center of the table creates a distraction.  

A bother, actually.  

At this point, the screenplay does not offer reasons for the consternation, and via this critic’s watch, we don’t receive a direct answer until 30 minutes into the movie.  We realize that anxiety runs high, like if someone begrudgingly reconnects with an estranged parent for coffee or confronts a high school bully at a 10-year reunion. 

Here, the stakes are infinitely raised, and Kendra (Michelle N. Carter), a no-nonsense counselor, mentions that she’s worked with Jay and Gail (or perhaps all four principals) for six years.  

“Mass” is a gut-wrenching tale that may stick with you for eons, and it heavily leans on its masterclass actors and nuanced script.  Nuanced and circular because the couples face a dinosaur-sized elephant when entering the room.  They carefully tiptoe, tread, leap, jump, and fall back when approaching the said imposing article throughout the 110-minute runtime.  

Jay and Gail look across the table and sometimes see enemies, although Richard and Linda are not foes by wishful design.  Meanwhile, the said alleged antagonists are defensive, shamed, and face the potential for verbal prosecution.  

However, no villains are present in this room.

They are all sequestered in a space for a little less than two hours, as the movie runs in real-time.  Kranz, Jackson-Healy, and their camera sit in this nondescript chamber as if they are invisible.  They film the four leads with individual close-ups or size them up through their natural pairings and don’t get fancy with dissolves, pans, or overhead shots.  

Darren Morze composed music for the film, but did he include compositions during our time inside the room?  I’ve seen the movie twice and don’t recall one single solitary note.  Either because none existed, or the discourse so riveted me, I tuned out everything else.

Kranz thankfully keeps it simple, so our attention is squarely focused on what his characters say because, quite frankly, nothing else matters. 

Pleasantries and polite inquiry commence but then organically morph into deeper inquisitions and raw feelings.  These grown-ups attempt civil exchanges and hope to keep visceral emotions at bay, but that’s ultimately impossible. 

Hopeful pragmatism holds, cracks, breaks, and occasionally shatters, but the prospect for answers exists.  More importantly, the potential for healing may happen over a couple of hours. 

“Healing is more about accepting the pain and finding a way to peacefully co-exist with it.  Our life doesn’t have to end where the pain begins, but rather, it is where we start to mend.”  - Jaeda DeWalt 

Jay, Gail, Richard, and Linda will never fully mend, but they may stitch together fragments of recovery through this challenging connection.  Still, they and we will need time, space, and plenty of tissues to recuperate.

Dear Academy, please consider multiple Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. 

Jeff’s ranking

4/4 stars

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The Velvet Underground - Movie Review

Director: Todd Haynes

Cast: Lou Reed, John Cale, Maureen Ann Tucker, & Sterling Morrison

By Jen Johans

Dig the scene. In the middle of the 1960s, a former New York Polish wedding and social hall nicknamed The Dom could for weeks at a time be the musical residency of The Velvet Underground as they played night after night with the experimental films of Andy Warhol and company projected larger-than-life on the wall behind them. Colorful, spinning psychedelic lights that bounced off surfaces in all directions were usually operated by the first person who volunteered when Warhol asked if anyone knew how to work the equipment. Occasionally this led to mishaps where bulbs broke and spotlights fell from the balcony when they were operated by someone with more confidence and amphetamines than any real technical know-how. 

Ignoring this, on the ballroom floor below, patrons danced – not just people, but a wide cross-section of East Coasters. Filling The Dom, you could find bikers, drag queens, juvenile delinquents, Harvard professors, art collectors, poets, leftover Beats who hadn't gone west to San Francisco, the kind of arty junkies who flooded in and out of The Factory throughout the decade, future “Chelsea Girls,” as well as Warhol's influential friends like Jackie Kennedy and Walter Cronkite. On a given evening, they'd be there side-by-side, milling and dancing next to some broken lights, next to someone with broken dreams, listening to some intentionally broken chords as they struggled not to break amid the overwhelm of polka dots, spirals, mazes, and avant-garde imagery going on around them.

It was a scene of too much too-muchness. But strip away the visual spectacle and "anti-elite elite" hobnobbing, just focus on the sound, and the same can be said for the music of the Underground. A sort of dissonant bubble-gum rockabilly filled with viola strings that sounded like saws, drums straight out of Bo Diddley, the droning, deliberate delivery of guest vocalist Nico, a searing guitar, and stream-of-consciousness lyrics about drugs, sex, and the New York streets outside, the sound alone was brutal, beautiful, bold, brilliant, and played on all the senses at once. 

With so much to take in, is it any wonder it didn't last? Is it any wonder it was chaos? And is it any wonder that it still sounds so fresh – so much like the act of creativity in process – that it still inspires us fifty-five years later?

Seeking to not only encapsulate and explore the roots and history of both the band and the scene from the people who lived to tell the tale but also do so in a way that brings a night at The Dom or The Factory to viewers watching it today, with “The Velvet Underground,” director Todd Haynes has released his first full-length musical documentary. And fittingly, especially from a man who once told the Karen Carpenter story with Barbie dolls and made the nonlinear, arty film “I'm Not There” about Bob Dylan, it's much more avant-garde than it is VH1 Behind the Music.

It opens with dueling, yet complementary narratives of The Velvet Underground's own version of Wilson and Love, Lennon and McCartney, Jagger and Richards, and Page and Plant. In Haynes' film, portraits of the band's eventual founders Lou Reed and John Cale as emotionally and creatively frustrated young artists emerge, which foreshadow both their future promise as well as the way that their two titanic personalities will only temporarily harmonize in mutual dissonance before they can hold that note no longer.

Paying the most attention to those two figures, with the scales tipping more in favor of the man who was with the band the longest in Reed, the documentary chronicles the way they came with ample baggage from vastly different backgrounds before impossibly finding one another in New York. Reed, then working as a fast songwriter and musician for hire, first collaborated with the Welsh-born multi-instrumentalist on an insanely catchy forgotten dance single called “The Ostrich,” but rather than a one-off thing, their passion for improvisational composition bonded the two right from the start.

While Reed, who sought inspiration in poets like Ginsberg and Rimbaud, longed to translate his raw, gritty, profane poetry into rock hits in a way similar to The Rolling Stones, Cale loved experimenting with new modes of expression using tones, drones, and dissonance, and spent his time studying with the avant-garde musicians of the day. Bonded by their otherness, their loathing of the mainstream, and determination to go against the status quo, once they got together with guitarist Sterling Morrison, and drummer Maureen “Mo” Tucker (replacing Angus MacLise), they sought to bring high art to the gutter, and still make it something people wanted to hear, whether they could dance to it or not.

From the in-name-only Warhol produced “Banana Album” with Nico to Reed eventually firing Warhol (without the band's input) so they could go on to push the limits even further with “White Light/White Heat” and more, this lineup was as revelatory as it was combustible.

Ego, attitudes, communication breakdown, and infighting – all accelerated by drugs, insecurity, posturing, jealousy, uncertainty, and the era – in the film, we're given an engrossing “he said," "she heard," "I think," "you recall,” overview of the band. And along the way, Haynes worries less about fact-checking, follow-ups, or sourcing certain claims than he does in making his “Velvet Underground” vibrate on a darkly intoxicating, dissonant frequency that we might've expected to come from Cale's viola or Morrison's guitar.

Like something straight out of The Dom, it's filled with art, imagery, and colorful flashing lights to the point that it should come with a warning for those with epilepsy or migraine light sensitivity. While admittedly, there are times I longed for more details about certain songs (“Heroin” gets the lion's share of the screen-time) as well as the post-Nico and Cale albums or more analysis of the personnel changes, it's all told with so much affection, color, and vigor that it immediately draws you in with its too much too-muchness. An exhaustively covered period in music and pop culture journalism, Haynes' version of the events adds more humanity, humor, and warmth to the proceedings than one might expect when contrasted by the coolly detached handling of the Velvets in past docs.

Feeling like we're with the band rather than just dryly reverential of Warhol, Cale, or Reed, there are no villains in “The Velvet Underground.” To this end, I applaud the decision here to invite Reed's sister to weigh in about the often biased chronicling of the shock treatment era in her brother's adolescence. Similarly, the film gives Nico more respect as a poet and professional than she normally receives, and treats Warhol as more of a friend, facilitator, and minor figure rather than the driving force behind the band, in a way that feels right and overdue. Also welcome is the way Haynes refuses to gloss over the drugs or the misogyny of The Factory that treated women as currency where their value came only in their physical appearance. Even if the latter gets a brief mention, it's reassuring that he's unwilling to simply romanticize all things Warhol as other filmmakers have done in the past and instead allow some of the degradation and darkness – incidentally the two things Reed liked in sex – to rightfully permeate this chronicling of events.

A labor of love by a filmmaker who's so enamored of the band and era that one of his earliest big studio movies for Miramax was the unfairly maligned glam rock opus “Velvet Goldmine,” “The Velvet Underground” is a documentary that, in tribute to its subject, is as artful as a film as it is experimental. Neither as dryly objective as a more academically minded PBS doc nor as full of insider-only information that those unfamiliar with the band won't still be able to appreciate, it's a seductive mix of both approaches plus something wholly its own. And to Haynes' great credit, “The Velvet Underground” plays halfway between a night of excess and broken glass at The Dom and the after-party where you leave the lights and the dance floor behind you to just hang – somewhere in NY, somewhere underground, somewhere dangerous – with the band.

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Warrior Spirit – Movie Review

Directed by:  Landon Dyksterhouse

Starring:  Nicco Montano, Steve Hanna, Clint Wattenberg, and Dr. Charlsey McDonald

Runtime:  94 minutes

‘Warrior Spirit’: This initially straightforward doc turns into an ominous cautionary tale

Nicco Montano is a woman of firsts.  At 28 years young, on Dec. 1, 2017, she won the UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship.  On that day, she became that division’s premiere female UFC champion and the organization’s first Native titleholder.

Wow.

In the documentary “Warrior Spirit”, Nicco - an admirable, inspirational role model with Navajo roots - arrives at her alma mater, Chinle High School in Chinle, Ariz., and speaks at the 2018 graduation ceremony.  Students, parents, and teachers give her a rock-star welcome, and she reciprocates. 

“Thank you, my friends, family, and my people.  I love you,” Nicco says. 

Montano was born in Lukachukai, Ariz.  Her father was a fighter, and she spent time with him in boxing gyms as a kid, but Nicco didn’t wish to pursue such a career as an adult until she met her boyfriend, Steve Hanna.  

“He convinced me (to train and compete in mixed martial arts) through his passion, his love of the sport, so I got to see how fun it was and promote my own confidence,” Montano says.  

As a UFC champ, 2018 should be Nicco’s year, and director Landon Dyksterhouse chronicles the months leading to another first, her title defense.  The challenger – at UFC 228 on Sept. 8 in Dallas, Tex. - is Valentina Shevchenko.  Now, if a team of screenwriters descended from the Rocky Heavens to conjure up an intimidating antagonist, they would draw up Valentina faster than you can say, “Ivan Drago.”

She’s a blonde-haired, muscular, no-nonsense pugilist from Kyrgyzstan (a former republic of the Soviet Union), who speaks with a thick accent.  

No, she doesn’t utter, “I must break you,” but you can easily imagine her saying it. 

Let’s set aside Shevchenko for the moment because Montano runs into other challenges and bad breaks, as her journey towards Sept. 8 is brutally rocky.

Now, Nicco doesn’t need help with fighting techniques or mechanics.  She can fight, and Dyksterhouse films numerous training sessions.  For instance, during a 3-week camp at an Albuquerque gym, Nicco flips over an MMA grappling dummy, hovers above the helpless leather model, and repeatedly smashes her fists and forearms into its face, like a possessed demon pulverizing her prey.  

After watching Nicco bludgeon that inanimate object for, perhaps, 10 seconds on the big screen from my movie theatre seat, I’m pretty darn convinced – somewhere between 99.9 and 99.99 percent - that I won’t ever enter an octagon.   

No, Valentina and training for her upcoming brawl aren’t Montano’s biggest hurdles.  

Time is her most intimidating enemy.  Tonsillitis and a foot injury slowed down and hampered her training.  Nicco now has to play catchup to be in fighting shape for the set Sept. 8 date and cut a significant amount of weight.  According to the paperwork shown in the film, on July 13, 2018, Nicco weighs 154.7 pounds, and she needs to drop 29.7 to 125 by Sept. 7, the weigh-in day. 

UFC Performance Institute Director of Nutrition Clint Wattenberg states that given a choice between September or October, waiting until October is a preferable option for Nicco’s sake.   

Nicco has a different idea, as she calls out, “December.”  

But, the September date stands, so Nicco has no choice. 

Earlier in the doc, Dr. Charlsey McDonald provides therapy on Nicco’s injured foot, and she offers a worrying bit of foreshadowing.  

“And then towards the end of camp, you’re facing a weight cut, which is extra on the body, extra exhausting, extra hard for the tissues to heal.  You’ll feel depleted,” Dr. McDonald said.

You’ll feel depleted.   

This documentary’s initial vision may have started as a celebratory piece or an insider’s look at training for a PPV bout, but Dyksterhouse’s film morphs into an ominous cautionary tale.  Frankly, the second half of the 94-minute doc becomes a horror show:  Nicco’s last five days before the dreaded Friday, Sept. 7 weigh-in at a Dallas Hilton. 

Montano diets, avoids sodium, and says, “I’ve been living off of boiled eggs and almond butter since Monday.” 

If you thought dropping 30 pounds in 8 weeks was taxing, you flat-out won’t believe how much weight the woman has to lose during the last 16 hours.  The amount is so shocking that it’s a spoiler to reveal the pounds in this review.  Perhaps, dramatic weight loss one day before a weigh-in is standard, business-as-usual practices, but reaching her target in the given timeframe seems impossible.   

Imagine a track coach asking his athlete to run a 2-minute mile.  

How in the world can it be done?  The answer – and this is coming from a critic with zero MMA or boxing experience – seems, again, impossible.    

During this last day, the movie captures Nicco shuttling between a sauna, a hot tub, her room, the lobby, and a courtyard with a winding path, where she jogs.  She denies herself water, and Hanna – who has cut weight before - says, “Every cell in your body is screaming for water.”  

Wattenberg and Hanna stay with Montano during her agony, but she horribly suffers and, at times, lays on the cold tile like a wounded soldier on a battlefield with a shotgun wound to the abdomen.  During this crisis, the two men show concern, but they both appear calm and composed during the entire ordeal, like business consultants on a conference call discussing billable hours while Nicco withers away.  

I was squirming in my seat and silently pleading for a doctor to show up.  Witnessing Nicco grieve was a torturous experience, but “Warrior Spirit” offers eye-opening insight into hideous extremes. 

Does Nicco make weight?  

Since UFC 228 happened three years ago, a simple Google search will provide the answer, but this movie is not only a revealing, visceral experience in a Dallas hotel.  It also celebrates Montano’s accomplishments, but yes, the documentary records her struggles.  Dyksterhouse overlays the sound of several interviews on top of joyful and painful images.  The result is a conflicting array of visuals and commentary, which sparks clashing feelings and thoughts. 

One of the most telling ones is towards the very end of the film.  Nicco recalls her physical, emotional, and financial nightmare in Sept. 2018, but we see her at a more reasonable and comfortable weight.  Here, she looks healthy and speaks calmly, which is a stark contrast from the scenes – that we just witnessed - where her cheeks are hollowed out as she dry heaves on the floor.  

Regardless of any setbacks, no one can take away Nicco Montano’s successes.  This MMA warrior - who fittingly sports a pair of Wonder Woman gloves during a training session in the film – can always be defined by her aforementioned, groundbreaking firsts.  Unfortunately, my guess is that she’s not the last one to face a seemingly unattainable weight loss before a bout. 

Jeff’s ranking

3/4 stars

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No Time to Die - Movie Review

Dir: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Starring: Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Billy Magnussen, Christoph Waltz, Ana de Armas, and Rami Malek

2 h 43 m

With a delayed release due to the pandemic, the newest James Bond film "No Time to Die" makes its long-awaited arrival in theaters this week. Regardless of the ups and downs from its predecessors, James Bond films are exciting popcorn fare and will always remain intriguing due to the 60-year movie history of the character and franchise. This newest 007 film is the final outing for Daniel Craig's portrayal of Bond. Craig's five-film incarnation of the character emphasized the construction of the MI6 icon from Ian Fleming's novels. 

With his stoic mannerisms and rugged good looks, Craig portrayed Bond as imperfect, arrogant, and untrusting. Notably, Craig's James Bond is the only version in the entire franchise to offer a look at the spy at the start and end of his tenure in Her Majesty's Secret Service. That makes "No Time to Die" all the more poignant, even if the highlight of this newest adventure owes more to Daniel Craig's efforts than it does to its challengingly mediocre script that clocks in at a staggering 2 hours and 43 minutes.

James Bond (Daniel Craig) has left his days as an active spy for a simple life in Jamaica. Though, for an agent as prolific as Bond, the world will always be in desperate need of his specific skillsets. The island paradise is short-lived when a friend from the C.I.A, Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright), arrives to ask James for help. The mission involves the rescue of a kidnapped scientist who has developed an airborne biological weapon that can target people by their DNA. A mysterious villain (Rami Malek), who connects to Bond's past foes, is also chasing the weapon, forcing Bond to save the world one more time.

Director Cary Joji Fukunaga introduces "No Time to Die" as many 007 films have done in the past, with an impressive action sequence. Fukunaga's opening moments are exciting, with a car chase that displays all the gadgetry and death-defying stunts that have come to define the franchise. But Fukunaga, amidst the gunfights and chase moments of the opening, takes time to establish a somber tone, one where Bond's attempts at love and happily-ever-after are interrupted by foes looking to even the score. James leaves his newest love interest Madeline Swann, played by the intriguing Léa Seydoux, on a train once the smoke clears. Billie Eilish's opening theme sets the framework for Bond's emotional complications that will endure through the film. 

Once this opening scenario concludes, "No Time to Die" settles into the typical clichés, elaborate and elegant shootouts, and globe-trotting chases that define a 007 franchise. The unusual part of all this fanfare is that none of it feels incredibly unique. On a few occasions, the developments, like the seemingly unnecessary and unfortunately uninteresting villains played by the returning Christoph Waltz and new addition Rami Malek, don't have the urgency needed to push the story forward. This oversight could be attributed to a script written by five authors. However, in small sequences and dialogue moments, co-writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge's comedic genius can be felt in the writing. 

The bulk of the heavy lifting for the film lies in the capable hands of Daniel Craig's performance which shines brightly throughout the film. A cameo from Ana de Armas, playing an operative in training, is a welcome humorous highlight. Lashana Lynch plays Nomi, an MI6 agent who clashes with the idea of the old 007 coming back. Jeffrey Wright, who always does something interesting with his characters, offers support as James Bond's only friend. While Léa Seydoux, who provides a mysterious quality to her performance, is underutilized but good whenever paired against Bond. 

"No Time to Die" has a few highlights that will satisfy and check the James Bond formula boxes with fun. While the adventure for Bond may not be as intriguing as past films, Daniel Craig's performance keeps the movie exciting and proves that his portrayal of James Bond should be regarded as one of the best in the franchise.

Monte's Rating

3.25 out 5.00

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Lamb - Movie Review

Dir: Valdimar Jóhannsson

Starring: Noomi Rapace, Hilmir Snær Guðnason, and Björn Hlynur Haraldsson

1 h 46 m

The icy Icelandic sheep farm landscape in Valdimar Jóhannsson's folktale turned horror hybrid, "Lamb," is cold and lonely. It feels like an alien world with snowcapped peaks, rocky terrain, and rolling green fields. It's secluded, a place not yet visited by humanity, perhaps a planet similar to Earth but from another galaxy.

"Lamb" is another artistic piece of emotional drama mixed into a blender of genre influences from studio A24. However, unlike the production company's other films, "The Witch" and "Hereditary," "Lamb" takes a different, straight out of the deep left-field approach to its narrative manipulations.

Maria (Noomi Rapace) and Ingvar (Hilmir Snær Guðnason) are sheep farmers, living a quiet life of routines and schedules in rural Iceland. One day the couple makes an alarming, act of nature, discovery inside their animal barn. One of their lambs is born different from the others in the flock. The other sheep recognize the difference and begin to act oddly towards the lamb, which is taken into the couple's home and named Ada. They nurture and care for the lamb as if it was part of their family.

The debut film from writer/director Valdimar Jóhannsson takes a matter-of-fact approach to the bizarre elements that the script introduces. There are moments when, under a different director's guidance or even under the influence of an American writer's pen, humor or comedy would settle into the proceedings to allow the tone to lighten and shift from its gloomy and dark emotions. Not for Jóhannsson!

"Lamb" settles into its modern folktale motifs and remains committed to blind guidance into the dialogues of the relationships that exist between humanity and the wonders of nature. The story for Maria and Ingvar is never wholly conveyed. They are a couple seemingly struck by a tragedy surrounding a child they once had; neither discuss it with words, but their interactions display heartbreak and a relationship on the verge of ending. Jóhannsson rarely commits to explanations surrounding the primary characters. Still, once Ava arrives in their home, it is visible that a wound has been bandaged, even if it is ominously fleeting as the film maintains a foreboding quality.

The photography of "Lamb" is a beautiful composition of landscapes desaturated by the constant presence of tumultuously cloudy skies. The invading dangers and reality of the outside world penetrate the house's interior, making it feel safe but claustrophobic.  Cinematographer Eli Arenson transitions from stabilized to walking motion shots, expressing both the temporary comfort and constant panic that new parents endure as their little ones grow.

The film's minimalistic approach runs out of steam as the movie wanders into complications, both with Ava's development and a guest who arrives to add context to the strange surroundings. These transitions in storytelling attempt to lead the film into different contemplative moods, specifically regarding Maria's parental fears. It's the committed work of Noomi Rapace's performance that keeps these pieces from completely falling apart.

"Lamb" is a unique, albeit offbeat and demanding, first feature from Valdimar Jóhannsson. While the outcome utilizes horror primarily as a framing device, the film is more influenced by the quiet yet creatively artistic works of Béla Tarr. Still, "Lamb" is an engrossing oddity from start to finish.

Monte's Rating

3.00 out of 5.00

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Titane - Movie Review

Dir: Julia Ducournau

Starring: Agathe Rousselle and Vincent Lindon

1h 48m

Upon leaving the screening of Julia Ducournau's incendiary second film "Titane," the hallways of the cinema were abuzz with questions, observations, and insights concerning the 108-minute odyssey of violence, sex, love, grief, suffering, and joy. Metaphors were offered, outrage was expressed, confusion was visible on faces, levity was heard with laughter, and smiles were shown as moviegoers walked up and said, "so, what did you think?" Whatever convictions about Ducournau's art one may have, it's undeniable that "Titane" made people feel something. That's beautiful, and so is this confident artist's daring and evocative work of genre-busting cinema. 

"Titane" begins with 7-year-old Alexia (Adèle Guigue) traumatically injuring her head in a car accident. A surgery saves her life, leaving a large titanium metal plate transplanted into the side of her head, which is temporarily held in place by an external fixator that braces her skull. 

The film transitions into adulthood for Alexia (Agathe Rousselle), as she lives a wild, free-spirited life dancing as a car model, moving provocatively upon vintage Cadillacs. But dancing isn't the only lifestyle Alexia leads. She is also a serial killer, utilizing a metal hair stick to penetrate the heads of her victims. 

A botched evening with a potential lover/victim leads authorities to identify Alexia. She flees, cutting her hair, shaving her eyebrows, shedding herself of femininity, and takes on the identity of Vincent, the long-lost son of a grieving fireman named Adrien (Vincent Lindon). Adrien takes Alexia into his care, creating an undeniable bond that satisfies their missing needs from their separate lives. 

Ducournau establishes an unreliable, albeit completely confident, tone from the beginning of the film. Even watching the trailer for this film will not prepare you for the direction "Titane" takes along its winding path of emotional sensation and stimulation. 

The introduction sets into motion the structuring of a horror film, with a young girl haunted by traumas from the past. Ducournau establishes the genre influences early, but the narrative begins to unpeel its layers, revealing that Alexia is a serial killer and has an erotic connection with cars, to the point of binding herself into the backseat and engaging in the emotions of sexual intercourse. The influence of David Cronenberg's "Crash" from 1996, Shin'ya Tsukamoto's "Tetsuo: The Iron Man" from 1989, and Zoe Wittock's "Jumbo" from 2020 are all present. There is more to this plot, but the journey of Ducournau's film, the excesses and boundary-pushing story elements, is part of the many reasons "Titane" will not be forgotten easily. 

As soon as it feels like "Titane" will take a permanent storytelling route, the film shifts gears jarringly into something completely different but still equally complicated. Alexia, having evaded authorities, assumes the identity of a missing boy who is presumed dead. The father, played with an absolute command by Vincent Lindon, is still grieving and is relieved his son is still alive. At this point, Ducournau switches from the violence, horror, and sex of the introduction into a film about compassion, love, and rebirth. It's one of the strangest narrative movements of recent years, but under the steady and assured guidance of director Julia Ducournau, it is executed sublimely.   

There is no easy categorization for this film. While the narrative is frustratingly messy at times, it is undeniable that the filmmaking is entirely immersive. The photography from Ruben Impens is slick and vibrant, with a color palette of cold black and greys that are broken by neon bursts and bright white light streaks. The score by Jim Williams, who also composed "Raw," brings pulsating rhythms, choir chanting, and an undertone of industrial metal instrumentation. It's foreboding from start to finish. 

Agathe Rousselle and Vincent Lindon are exceptional in the leading roles. Their chemistry is a mix of anger and pain but also sweetness and hope. It's fascinating watching them battle their inner demons while they struggle with the growing empathy they have for each other. It's the reason this wild, daunting film works until the end credits. 

"Titane" is not a film for everyone, and that's okay. Cinema needs stories that push boundaries. And film needs filmmakers willing to do daringly confident work. Julia Ducournau is one of those filmmakers, and it's a beautiful, horrific, complicated, and enthralling thing to witness.

Monte's Rating

3.50 out of 5.00

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