MOVIE REVIEW: BEING THE RICARDOS

 

In 1952, Hollywood power couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz face personal and professional obstacles that threaten their careers, their relationship, and their hit television show.

Director: Aaron Sorkin

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, J. K. Simmons, Nina Arianda, Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat, Jake Lacy, Clark Gregg

Release Date: December 10, 2021 

Genre: Biography, Drama

Rated R for language

Runtime: 2h 5m

Review:

Being The Richardos is a showy biopic that's held together by a wonderful turn from it's cast but it lacks consistency from start to finish.  Writer/director Aaron Sorkin brings his signature dialogue to his film and it drives the narrative as expected.  A strange and unnecessary faux documentary framing device though saps the film of forward momentum by moving the focus off the titular couple. Once onscreen, Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem make for an interesting couple even if their physical similarities to the real people are less than convincing especially Bardem.  Kidman is fully committed to the role and delivers a strong performance, capturing Ball's signature raspy voice and mannerisms.  There are portions of the film where she just disappears into the role especially in the few scenes where iconic moments from the original show are recreated.  Outside of mere mimicry, Sorkin and Kidman give us moments that display Ball's eye for comedy and others that display her strength as the TV heavyweight she was.  Bardem is solid throughout even though his performance isn't able to escape his gravelly voice and distinct style.  Its a minor issue as Bardem and Kidman share some strong moments together onscreen especially in the film's final act.  The supporting cast is made up of familiar faces like Alia Shawkat, Tony Hale and Jack Lacy who all deliver workman turns.  J.K. Simmons and Nina Arianda though leave the biggest impressions, once you overlook the fact that neither looks anything like their real life counter parts, with memorable turns as William Frawley and Vivian Vance who played the Mertz.  It all makes for an entertaining biopic that uses heavy dramatic license to condenses multiple life events in the Balls life but Being The Richardos is not the homerun it should have been.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: CAPTAIN MARVEL

Captain Marvel is an extraterrestrial Kree warrior who finds herself caught in the middle of an intergalactic battle between her people and the Skrulls. Living on Earth in 1995, she keeps having recurring memories of another life as U.S. Air Force pilot Carol Danvers. With help from Nick Fury, Captain Marvel tries to uncover the secrets of her past while harnessing her special superpowers to end the war with the evil Skrulls.

Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

  

Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg,  Jude Law

  

Release Date: March 8, 2019

  

Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

  

Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and brief suggestive language

  

Runtime: 2h 4 min

  

Review:

Captain Marvel is a solid if bland origin story.  That's not to say that there isn't fun to be had but the plot does telegraph some of the biggest reveals.  At the center of the film is Brie Larson who is typically a strong performer.  Here though, she's mostly wooden and she never really gives her character much personality.  As such, the titular character and star isn't all that interesting for the majority of the film.  Thankfully the supporting characters give the film a lot more life.  Sam Jackson finally gets his proper due in the MCU by giving us a look at Nick Fury as a young SHEILD agent.  The film is at its best when it pairs Larson and Jackson in a sort of buddy comedy, which really gives the film some life.  The real surprise though is a Ben Mendelsohn who brings a lot more to the table than you'd expect.  His character looks like a standard baddie but there's much more depth at play than at first glance.  Throw in a scene stealing cat and you get film that's better in it's final act than it was in the previous two portions.  The soundtrack is bound to make certain people nostalgic even if it plays like a copy of "Now that's what I call Music 90s."  Ultimately the film does a workman like job of checking all the boxes on a origin film but with a clever feminist twist even if it's not a natural or organic as say Wonder Woman.

B- 

Movie Reviews: CHOKE

Saturday, September 27, 2008
Movie Reviews: CHOKE
IN THEATERS

CHOKE

An adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's novel, Choke is the sardonic story about mother and son relationship, fear of aging, sexual addiction, and the dark side of historical theme parks.

Cast: Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly MacDonald, Brad Henke, Clark Gregg

Director: Clark Gregg

Opened September 26, 2008

Runtime: 1 hr. 32 min.

Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity and language

Genres: Black Comedy, Sex Comedy, Comedy

Review:

Choke can be called to things for certain, perverse and subversive but just not as much as it may think it is in. Actor turned director Clark Gregg does an admirable job of translated Chuck Palahniuk's novel even if it doesn't quite reach the manic nihilism of David Fincher's inspired adaptation of Fight Club. With a much smaller budget and resources Gregg does a fine job bringing us a translation which will offend the overly sensitive but Choke's bark is far worse than it's bite. Sex covers this movie in every shape and form but it's never meant to titillate, instead it comes across as a user getting his fix. Dirty and at times inspired Choke wraps it greasy raunchy fingers around your corneas and demands you watch. Sam Rockwell plays his part to a T as he lives in the skin of Victor, the slime ball adolescence protagonist. There's a sad self realization of his own pathetic nature drawled across his face as we see every twisted fantasy on screen throughout the film. Brad Henke does well as Victor's best friend whose equally sad if slightly less swarmy than Victor. Anjelica Huston is mostly wasted here but does have a few impressive scenes with Rockwell, it's a shame she isn't give more to do. Clark Gregg gives himself a fun little role as Rockwell and Henke's boss who take his role as lord of the historical theme park a tad too seriously. Gregg's has a good sense of the spirit of Palahniuk's novel yet he doesn't quite get it to translate to the screen a 100 percent. Gregg's film may not have the visual flourishes of Fincher's Fight Club but its still a solid effort and make it gives you the sense that we are viewing the world through the protagonist's fractured eyes.

B