MOVIE REVIEW: MOANA 2

 

Moana journeys to the far seas of Oceania after receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors.

Director: Dana Ledoux Miller, Jason Hand, David Derrick Jr.

Cast: Auliʻi Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Rachel House, Alan Tudyk, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Hualālai Chung, Awhimai Fraser, Gerald Ramsey

Release Date: November 27, 2024

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical

Rated PG for action/peril.

Runtime: 1h 40m

Review:

Moana 2 delivers vibrant animation and an earnest central performance from Auliʻi Cravalho but it never manages to hit the heights of the original.  Directors Dana Ledoux Miller, Jason Hand and David Derrick Jr. recreate the world and characters of the first while attempting to expand the cast of characters.  There's a solid sense of familiarity throughout as you are left waiting for it to finally take off with a rousing song or action set piece and finally forge its own path.  There's a slightly more mature theme in this entry as we watch Moana grow into a leader but the script never really takes advantage of the opportunity before moving on.  The new characters that join her on this voyage are little more than clichéd types who don't really add much to the story with a mute coconut warrior leaving the largest impression in the long run.  Awhimai Fraser's Matangi is initially poised as an intriguing villainess who's holding Maui captive, but her storyline is quickly resolved before the film can take full advantage of the character.  The story fumbles moments like this across the board as it holds the reunion between Cravalho's Moana and Johnson's Maui until the final act.  The film pops a bit once the central duo are back on screen together but never does anything new or interesting with them, instead being content to provide remixed versions of similar moments or songs.  The songs themselves aren't as memorable or catchy as those from the original, with the film sorely missing Lin-Manuel Miranda's talents.  Moana 2 is a solid enough family film, it was originally destined for Disney +, but it is missing that special spark of the original to make it memorable.

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: GLADIATOR II

 

Years after witnessing the death of Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius must enter the Colosseum after the powerful emperors of Rome conquer his home. With rage in his heart and the future of the empire at stake, he looks to the past to find the strength and honor needed to return the glory of Rome to its people.

Director: Ridley Scott

Cast: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington

Release Date: November 22, 2024

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama

Rated R for strong bloody violence.

Runtime: 2h 28m

Review:

Gladiator 2 marks Ridley Scott's return to ancient Rome's fighting pits with massive action set pieces that are dazzling and entertaining, but the story never finds its own footing as it is content with hitting the same beats as the original.  Twenty four years after his Oscar winning original Ridley Scott is still a master of creating massive set pieces with a heavier emphasis on maritime action here.  The battles are wonderfully staged and appropriately bloody and chaotic as Scott ups the ante in terms of cinematic mayhem.  These moments deliver the kind of thrills you'd expect from a legendary filmmaker returning to one of his most loved creations but it does beg the question as to why the story feels like an afterthought.  The plot seems to twist itself into all sort of illogical contrivances to make Maximus's son follow the exact same path as his father.  It would be excusable if it had something new, interesting or revelatory to say but its pretty much the same "Dream of Rome" tagline from the original.  It makes everything feel like a hollow facsimile of the original which is hammered home with clips of that film being inserted throughout.  Paul Mescal has the unenviable task of stepping into Russell Crowe's shoes here and sadly he can't match the screen presence or intensity he brought in the original film.  Mescal does his best but he's generally the least interesting character onscreen as we follow him go through the same trials as Crowe's Maximus, he even has a dead wife he wants to meet in the afterlife to boot.  Suffering a similar fate are Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger who have to step into the emperor role which Joaquin Phoenix memorably played in the original. In spite of their best effort, neither can really bring the sort of dangerous depravity needed to make for a memorable antagonist.  Pedro Pascal fairs better with a measured turn as a general who is ready to lead a revolt.  The film wouldn't have fared better if it'd given his character more of a spotlight as there's plenty of moral grey to play with but the story never bothers to fully explore it.  Denzel Washington proves to be the film's saving grace as the only real movie star onscreen throughout.  Washington is clearly having a ball as he chews up scenery gleefully every time he shows up onscreen.  He bring so much enthusiastic energy to his performance that you easily overlook how clichéd the character and his motivations are written.  In another universe there's a better version of this story that would have focused on Pascal and Washington's characters and political aspirations and intrigue.  These kind of missed opportunities leaves Gladiator 2 feeling like a well constructed but ultimately soulless retread of far better film. 

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: WICKED

 

Misunderstood because of her green skin, a young woman named Elphaba forges an unlikely but profound friendship with Glinda, a student with an unflinching desire for popularity. Following an encounter with the Wizard of Oz, their relationship soon reaches a crossroad as their lives begin to take very different paths.

Director: Jon M. Chu

Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum

Release Date: November 22, 2024

Genre: Fantasy, Musical, Romance

Rated PG for some scary action, thematic material and brief suggestive material.

Runtime: 2h 41m

Review:

The big screen adaptation of Wicked is a massive spectacle, almost to a fault, as it assaults nearly every sense in a colorful cornucopia of sights and sounds.  Jon M. Chu's film shoots a dizzying kaleidoscope of visual imagery onscreen paired with the kind of large scale choreography you'd expect from this kind of production.  People who hate movie musicals should steer clear of this film since it unapologetically embraces its source material.  It’s a lavish production that's sure to win a bevy of awards on that merit alone with the impressive amount of world building on display.  Oz is wonderfully rendered in all its CGI glory with the central setting of Shiz University coming to life like a brighter, slightly older Hogwarts.  There's a lot to take in but none of it would work as well as it does if the two central performances from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande weren't as engaging as they are.  Ariana Grande is great fun as she perfectly channels Kristin Chenoweth as the vacuous, self-absorbed Glinda with impressive gusto.  Grande's performance is likeable and fun even as she's playing a bulldozer of a mean girl, friendmeny in the first half of the film.  She brings a likable effervescence to the role which keeps the character from coming off as truly mean spirited.  It’s a big showy role that she nails from start to finish while Cynthia Erivo has a slightly tougher task with a more layered character.  Erivo proves to be up to the task as she manages to convey the character's tough exterior with a lingering sense of melancholy from being ostracized her entire life.  There's plenty of nuance in her turn which cycles through a range of emotions which is strangely reminiscent of Sissy Spacek's performance in 1976's Carrie.  They share wonderful, natural chemistry together onscreen that's paired with their immense vocal talents make the film work as well as it does.  Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum have small but importance supporting roles with each bringing their specific energy to the performances to great effect.  If there is an issue that works against this all is the film's slightly bloated runtime which start to turn its final forty minutes into an exercise in attrition.  There's plenty of moments that linger on for longer than needed and they would have benefited from some judicious edits to make it a more streamlined, effective film.  That doesn't mean that Wicked Part One isn't an enjoyable cinematic journey even though it's noticeably bloated in the long run.  

 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: JUROR #2

 

A juror for a high-profile murder trial finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma that could influence the verdict and potentially convict, or free, the accused killer.

Director: Clint Eastwood

Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J. K. Simmons, Kiefer Sutherland, Chris Messina, Zoey Deutch

Release Date: October 27, 2024

Genre: Thriller

Rated PG-13 for some violent images and strong language.

Runtime: 1h 54m

Review:

Clint Eastwood's latest film is a fascinating morality tale in the form of a courtroom drama that dissects the ideas of truth and justice in an earnest, meaningfully way.  Eastwood's film is a deliberately paced throwback drama that gives the audience plenty to chew on while rarely falling back on didactic moralism.   It’s a film that works in morally grey areas for the majority of its runtime with each participant bringing their own self interest to the table adding an intriguing level of complexity to their motivations.  Eastwood does a solid job of laying all these conflicting viewpoints onscreen to show how complicated and imperfect the justice system can be.  It’s all very glossy, lacking the kind of real world grittiness that would have made it even more effective with Eastwood pulling for a more satisfying resolution as opposed to something more nebulous and complicated.  It’s a minor complaint because the film is so well constructed and acted that it’s easy to overlook some of the film's biggest cinematic stretches.  The ensemble cast led by Nicholas Hoult is solid across the board.  Hoult's tortured turn as the juror/assailant is a study in subtly as more and more layers reveal themselves as the film goes on.  Zoey Deutch is given an underwritten role as his wife which she does what she can with.  There's a sense that there's plenty of fertile ground that goes untouched thanks to the generic characterization she's given to work with.  Toni Collette, sporting an aggressive southern access, fares better as the DA who's prosecuting the case and running for re-election.  Collette brings a dogged single mindedness to the character making her tunnel vision make sense as she attempts to advance her career.  There's a bit of moderation in the back half of the film as her friend and public defender played with abject earnestness by Chris Messina makes it clear she's more focused on her career as opposed to the pursuit of truth.  Messina and Collette have solid chemistry together which makes their interaction a strong showcase for both even though you wish the script offered more details about their friendship.  J. K. Simmons, Kiefer Sutherland and Leslie Bibb have small supporting roles which add texture to the story just through their screen presence.  The film could have made better use of Simmons in particular who has a moment to shine before he's shuffled off screen for the remainder of the story.  Juror #2 plays it a tad too safe for my taste in its final act but that doesn't detract from its polished presentation and strong performances from its ensemble. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: A REAL PAIN

Mismatched cousins David and Benji tour Poland to honor their grandmother. Their adventure becomes complicated as old tensions resurface while exploring their family history.

Director: Jesse Eisenberg

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, and Daniel Oreskes

Release Date: November 1, 2024

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rated R for language throughout and some drug use.

Runtime: 1h 30m

Review:

Jesse Eisenberg's buddy road trip movie, A Real Pain, is an efficiently directed dramady that packs an impressive emotional punch.  Eisenberg's film is deceptively simple and straightforward but he manages to create a certain rhythm to his film that gives it an airy lightheartedness paired with a lingering melancholy.  It’s a fascinating blend that works with familial and generation themes he's exploring.  Eisenberg displays a talent to make smaller moments feel incredibly authentic as we watch these two reconnect throughout the film.  It’s funny, awkward and devastating at various points as we follow this mismatched pair on their physical and emotional journey.  On screen, Jesse Eisenberg is perfectly in his wheelhouse as the introverted, neurotic half of this odd couple.  Eisenberg's performance gives his character a perfect sense of repressed, self control which works as perfect contrast to Culkin's unrestrained free spirit.  Kieran Culkin performance is fascinating to watch with him giving a chaotic charm that's engaging while carrying around a hefty bit of emotional damage.  Culkin and Eisenberg work off each other so well that every movement and look carries so much behind it that makes the relationship feel lived in and real.  There's joy, pain and levels of resentment that comes through the screen in a way that only lifelong family relationships can create.  Each character is complicated for a multitude of reasons which makes the film so incredibly watchable and impactful, a real testament to the work onscreen and behind it.  

A

MOVIE REVIEW: HERETIC

Two young missionaries become ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse when they knock on the door of the diabolical Mr. Reed. Trapped in his home, they must turn to their faith if they want to make it out alive.

Director: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods

Cast: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, Topher Grace, Elle Young

Release Date: November 8, 2024

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rated R for some bloody violence.

Runtime: 1h 50m

Review:

Heretic is a wickedly sharp horror movie that uses dialogue and traditional scares to great effect led by devilish turn from Huge Grant.  Writer/Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods craft a wonderfully sleek film that grabs you right from the start and rarely lets up.  The claustrophobic feel inside Mr. Reed's house immediately adds a sense of danger.  It's a fairly standard set up which we've seen a million times before but as opposed to the usual killer trope, the villain here is more interested in breaking down their beliefs on a granular level.  It's hard to imagine anyone else but Hugh Grant being able to walk the tightrope between unassumingly charming and mentally menacing at the same time.  Grant's performance carries the film with his character serving as a sort of theological Hannibal Lecter as he breakdowns the missionaries mostly closely held beliefs.  He does this all with nary a sense of anger or vindictiveness coming through as he puts the missionaries through a series of mental gymnastics about the concepts of faith and religion merely because he can.  Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East play the unlucky missionaries who end up at the wrong house and attempt to match wits with their captor.  Thatcher is perfectly suited for the role of Sister Barnes who isn't the true believer her partner is.  Thatcher gives her character more of a street smart feel to her character as opposed to the more wide eyed naiveite of Chole East's Sister Paxton.  East does well as the doe eyed true believer who ultimately displays some impressive resilience.  They are both solid but the roles are fairly generic, mostly there to serve as sounding boards to Grant's Mr. Reed.  There was an opportunity to leave things more nebulous in its final act but it decides for more straight forward path in order to deliver some splatter on screen.  Its a minor quibble with Heretic as a whole especially considering everything put onscreen beforehand especially by Hugh Grant who gleefully plays against type.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: ANORA

 

Anora, a sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.

Director: Sean Baker

Cast: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Aleksei Serebryakov.

Release Date: October 18, 2024

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Rated R for strong sexual content throughout, graphic nudity, pervasive language, and drug use.

Runtime:  2h 19m

Review:

Sean Baker's Anora takes the viewer through the full scope of wish fulfillment, manic comedy and ultimately the harsh light of reality powered by a star making turn from Mikey Madison.  Baker's film has a chaotic energy pulsating through it although for different reasons at different points in the story.  The initial brotastic rom-com act is a bacchanal full of sex, drugs and seemingly endless parties.  It’s a breezy, unbridled vibe that permeates that opening sequence which perfectly sets up the other shoe to finally drop.  Once everything starts going sideways, the film becomes a sort of gonzo road film with a series of hilarious sequences that prove to be the high points of the film.  He pulls off the tonal shift with impressive ease thanks in large part to some excellent performances from his cast lead by a stellar Mikey Madison.  Her street-smart hustler who's just as capable of delivering a quip as she is a punch is the film's beating heart from opening to close.  Sporting a heavy New Yorker accent she's a no-nonsense survivor who's added so many layers of emotional padding in order to protect herself.  Madison manages to show glimpses of the character youthful naivety that allows her to believe the whirlwind romance could possibly be real and last.  There are cracks that start to pop up as the reality of the situation becomes more obvious and unavoidable with Madison turning in excellent work to capture all the emotional turmoil happening underneath the service.  The supporting cast proves to be just as capable with Mark Eidelstein filling the bill as the wild child, rich boy who’s never presented as particularly charming or charismatic just obnoxiously rich and entitled.  Vache Tovmasyan, Karren Karagulian and Yuriy Borisov have excellent chemistry together as the bumbling caretakers tasked with keeping Eidelstein's Ivan under control.  Karren Karagulian's Toro is hopelessly exasperated having dealt with Ivan's antics for the entirety of his life.  Vache Tovmasyan is thoroughly overwhelmed by the situation while Yuriy Borisov's possess more clarity as the hired heavy that shares an unexpected connection with Madison's Anora.  The foursome dominates the second half of the film and their endlessly effective chemistry makes it all incredibly watchable.  That being said there are plenty of spots peppered throughout the film that scream for some judicious editing as the film becomes a bit more cumbersome and overlong than it should be.  A tighter job of editing would have made Anora's journey far more effective and ultimately its finale more impactful.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE SUBSTANCE

 

Elisabeth Sparkle, renowned for an aerobics show, faces a devastating blow on her 50th birthday as her boss fires her. Amid her distress, a laboratory offers her a substance which promises to transform her into an enhanced version of herself.

Director: Coralie Fargeat

Cast: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Edward Hamilton Clark, Gore Abrams

Release Date: September 20, 2024

Genre: Drama, Horror

Rated R for strong bloody violent content, gore, graphic nudity and language.

Runtime: 2h 20m

Review:

Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance is a wickedly twisted satire about aging in an appearance obsessed society that gets crazier as it barrels into its finale.  Fargeat's film makes great use of striking visuals to create the elevated sense of reality to drive home how the old are so incredibly old and decrepit while the young are practically bursting at the seams with vitality and sexual energy.  She makes great use of colors throughout to create a striking series of images that are bound to leave an impression for a variety of reasons.  The story itself is thematically loaded outside of the most obvious aspect of it all especially as it turns into a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde conflict that pits an older and younger version of yourself against each other.  It’s an interesting angle that adds a lot more depth to the entire thing as it turns into a meditation on what we are in our youth and how it affects our older selves.  Needless to say, there's plenty to chew on after it all ends and the film is so cartoonishly over the top to drive home its point that it might be a bit too much for some people.  Demi Moore is fully committed throughout as she dives headfirst into every aspect of the incredibly unglamourous role.  Her performance gives a solid sense of the character's internal turmoil as she tries to cope with aging as she's thrust aside the moment a younger, hotter starlet hits the scene.  She's shot in every unflattering light imaginable and that's before things get decidedly stranger and more grotesque.  On the opposite end is Margaret Qualley who is shot like she's constantly in the world's horniest soda ad or aerobics videos.  Qualley leans into it with glossy eyed aggressiveness and lip biting that set her sex appeal to a thousand.  Dennis Quaid serves as the stand in for every gross man you've ever met.  Quaid is deliciously over the top every time he pops up onscreen with the extreme close up of his face channeling the uncomfortable invasion of space these kinds of guys are prone to.  They are all fascinating performances, but this might be a career best for Moore who just goes for broke even during its finale.  The finale act does start to suffer a bit as the film overstays it's welcome which might have some people getting flashbacks of 1989's cult film Society.  The Substance stumbles a bit in its close but that doesn't keep it from being an effective satire told via strong performances and a strong visual language.  

B+