Cindy Prascik's Review of A Christmas Mystery

 

My dear friends on the Nice List, in the interest of enjoying a little holiday cheer for Christmas in July, this weekend I checked out A Christmas Mystery.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailer.

When her best friend's father is unjustly accused of stealing the town's famous Jingle Bells, a girl uses her sleuthing skills to track down the real thief.

A Christmas Mystery is a by-the-numbers holiday tale, full of faces you'll know even if you don't quite know the names. It's fair to say no one's talent is over-taxed, but the familiar story is as comfortable as your favorite fuzzy Christmas socks. The sunny setting keeps A Christmas Mystery from feeling super Christmasey, and odds are you'll see the ending coming from as far away as the North Pole, but if you're looking for an easy, feel-good film, A Christmas Mystery will find a place on your Christmas list.

A Christmas Mystery clocks in at a quick 87 minutes, and is rated PG for "mild thematic material."

It won't exactly keep you on the edge of your sleigh, but A Christmas Mystery is a sweet story with a likeable cast, good fun for the whole family.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, A Christmas Mystery gets five.

A Christmas Mystery is now streaming on Max.

Merry Christmas in July, everyone!

Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Review of One Night in Miami

 

My dear reader(s): Last weekend I caught up with One Night in Miami, a fictionalized account of a gathering of luminaries: Malcolm X, Cassius Clay, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown. 

I've been pushing my notes on this around for a week, and I think this may wind up more discussion than review, so expect some spoilers. Maybe. 

Since normally this *would* be a review, I will say, first, if you're on the fence about seeing One Night in Miami, please climb down and watch. The movie features stellar performances, important conversations, and a pretty polished bit of directing from Regina King, in her feature directorial debut. 

One Night in Miami feels like a pretty big deal, especially as we get accustomed to "cinema worthy" efforts hitting our TVs the same time as they hit big screens. That's largely due to Oscar winner King's star power, but, if I take an objective half-step back, I realize it's also because — if the names Kingsley Ben-Adir, Aldis Hodge, and Leslie Odom, Jr. aren't quite Hollywood A-List — they're definitely Cindy A-List. Kingsley Ben-Adir, in particular, is a favorite in my household, and seeing his name heading the cast of a film of this caliber made me pretty happy. Top to bottom, the cast turns in exceptional work with a talky script that asks a lot of them. 

For a picture without a beginning-middle-end type story, One Night in Miami is well paced and never seems to drag. Hair, costumes, and makeup are authentic to the time and characters, and overall the film looks good. Given the subject matter and time frame, I expected a contentious movie; however, like the Boys in the Band, surprisingly more conflict came from within than without. Also like the Boys in the Band, I found the characters' language and general treatment of one another jarring, and sometimes wondered why they called themselves friends at all, they were often so disdainful of one another. Arguments between Malcolm X and Sam Cooke, in particular, mirror those I continue to hear all these years later: If we're all working towards the same end, who has the right to tell someone else how best to achieve that end? It's a hard conversation with no firm answer, which makes it all the more exhausting. The fact that One Night in Miami is a worthwhile watch doesn't make it an easy one. 

One Night in Miami clocks in at 114 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout." 

One Night in Miami is an exceptional bit of filmmaking that sets the 2021 movie bar pretty high indeed. 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, One Night in Miami gets seven. 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI

 

On the night of Feb. 25, 1964, in Miami, Cassius Clay joins Jim Brown, Sam Cooke and Malcom X, and they discuss the responsibility of being successful black men during the civil rights movement.

Director: Regina King

Cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr., Lance Reddick, Joaquina Kalukango, Nicolette Robinson, Beau Bridges

Release Date: December 25, 2020

Genre: Drama

Rated R for language throughout

Runtime: 1 h 54 min

Review:

Regina King’s directorial debut is a confident refined film that tackles some big racial issues.  King displays a keen eye for setting helped greatly by the fact that this script is adapted from a stage play confined to one location.  The dramatized relationships and dialogue humanizes these legendary figures.  The script shines by displaying layered and nuanced people rather than demigods.  Kingsley Ben-Adir leads the foursome of the actors at the center of this film.  His performance as Malcom X is an impressive turn which is sure to lead to awards chatter.  He’s the beating of heart of the story but that doesn’t mean any of the supporting players are outshined.  Eli Goree delivers an equally impressive turn as Cassius Clay where he’s able to capture his spirit and sound to an uncanny degree.  Leslie Odom Jr.’s Sam Cooke is a bit more challenging but it fit perfectly into his wheelhouse.  Odom Jr’s captures his vocals while still bringing a strong sense of heart to his performance.  Aldis Hodge has the least showy part but he turns in a wonderful performance as Jim Brown.  Hodge must have put in an exceptional amount of research because he captures the tenor of his voice perfectly along with his movements.  The actor’s definitely make the film work since very little actually happens with the dialogue driving the narrative while discussing important issues that have modern day relevance.  There’s a sense of hope and melancholy engrained through every frame of the story that makes every word have more impact and resonance with the film leaving a lasting impression.   

A