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: CHAOS WALKING

 

In Prentisstown, Todd has been brought up to believe that the Spackle released a germ that killed all the women and unleashed Noise on the remaining men. After discovering a patch of silence out in the swamp, his surrogate parents immediately tell him that he has to run, leaving him with only a map of New World, a message, and many unanswered questions. He soon discovers the source of the silence: a girl, named Viola.

Director: Doug Liman

Cast: Daisy Ridley, Tom Holland, Mads Mikkelsen, Demián Bichir, Cynthia Erivo, Nick Jonas, David Oyelowo

Release Date: March 5, 2021

Genre: Adventure, Sci-Fi 

Rated PG-13 for violence and language 

Runtime: 1 h 49 min

Review:

Chaos Walking is a prime example of an enjoyable film that still feels like a missed opportunity.  Doug Liman's troubled production, originally filmed in 2017 and pushed back multiple times, is a visually appealing hybrid of a couple of genres.  There's the standard dystopian base mixed with a western, paired with some lovely pacific northwestern vistas which gives the film a distinctive look.  Linman tries his best to keep you from noticing the clichés that make up the skeleton of the plot while using some impressive effects to visualizes the film's primary conceit, the noise.  The "thoughts" are visualized as personalized auras or projections occasionally which keeps the proceedings from lagging even in slower moments.  The cast does the best they can with the script which seems interested in larger themes like sexual politics and zealotry but never delves into any of them with any serious depth.  Daisy Ridley's female character is the kicking off point of the entire story but her character feels painfully underwritten, as such she's relegating to reacting to situations and not much else.  Tom Holland's character fares better mainly due to his general boyish likeability which works so well for as Spiderman.  Holland's interactions with Ridley are the lifeblood of the film and makes markedly more watchable than it deserves to be.  Sadly, there is a bevy of a excellent actors who are short changed by the script.  Mads Mikkelsen can play passive aggressive villainy in his sleep but the film doesn't really give him much to do outside of looking at people menacingly.  Faring even worse are Demián Bichir, Cynthia Erivo, & David Oyelowo whose character seem much more nuanced and interesting than the script allows them to be.  Ultimately, Chaos Walking is a forgettable miss that could have been so much more.

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: WIDOWS

A police shootout leaves four thieves dead during an explosive armed robbery attempt in Chicago. Their widows -- Veronica, Linda, Alice and Belle -- have nothing in common except a debt left behind by their spouses' criminal activities. Hoping to forge a future on their own terms, Veronica joins forces with the other three women to pull off a heist that her husband was planning.

Director: Steve McQueen

Cast: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, Liam Neeson

Release Date: November 16, 2018

Genres: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Rated R for violence, language throughout, and some sexual content/nudity

Runtime: 2h 9 min

Review:

Steve McQueen’s Widows is a densely packed heist thriller.  Beautifully shot and thoroughly engaging, the film is never boring.  McQueen packs so much into his film that it might be necessary to give it multiple viewings.  He touches a multitude of topics from gender and racial politics all while unfurling a well crafted heist film.  The film moves at a methodical pace, never rushing from one scene to the next.  Instead it allows you to enjoy and appreciate the series of fine performances on display.  Viola Davis leads the film with her steady hand which makes you feel every bit of determination commingled with grief.  Elizabeth Debicki is just as impressive playing an abused trophy wife who is left picking up the pieces to her life after her husband’s death.  Michelle Rodriguez delivers as strong a performance as she can turn in but it’s hard not to notice the difference in talent level between her and her cast mates.  Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall make for a fascinating father and son duo and they deliver one of the film’s most impactful moments.  Brian Tyree Henry and Daniel Kaluuya are both just as interesting with limited screen time.  Widows is quiet at the level of Michael Mann’s Heat but its pretty close.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald & Widows

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and Widows.

 

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

 

First on the docket, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

 

The magical world must pick a side when the dark wizard Grindelwald begins spreading a dangerous message.

 

Well, dear readers, in my house Harry Potter is gospel. It's unlikely I'll ever worship the Fantastic Beasts movies as I do the original series, but I'm happy enough to see the franchise continue and generally have no issues with its means of doing so. However...

 

Fantastic Beasts 2 has some problems. It's solid enough that I still enjoyed it, but the negatives are noteworthy.

 

The Harry Potter movies were always better than they had to be, largely due to the quality of the talent they attracted. Fantastic Beasts also has its share of great actors, but the missteps seem more pronounced. Katherine Waterston, in particular, is annoying to the point of distraction. On the flip side, an under-used Jude Law is wonderful as the young Dumbledore and--though it's unfashionable to say so--Johnny Depp is remarkable as Grindelwald. Law's characterization of Dumbledore skews more amiable-Richard-Harris than aggressively-kooky-Michael-Gambon, a wise choice that leaves plenty of room for development. Though his recent films do little to prove it, for my money Johnny Depp remains the most talented actor in the world. Fantastic Beasts lacks the gravitas of his best projects, but in his turn as Grindelwald there are flashes of the brilliance we once took for granted, particularly during a showcase speech towards the film's end.

 

Fantastic Beasts runs long and frequently feels like it's wasting time, yet there are no drawn-out action sequences or other obvious spots that could have used a trim. The movie fiddles with canon in ways both large and small, but before anyone gets their robes in a bunch, I'd suggest not everything is as it seems just now. Remember: Three more films are planned for this series. Nods and callbacks to the original series provide plenty of "awwww" moments for die-hards. Fantastic Beasts 2 boasts glorious visuals, with top-notch effects and lovely colors and textures in the costumes. James Newton Howard's always exceptional work in the music department effectively sets the mood from start to finish. It's an uneven but entertaining outing that leaves me excited for the next installment, and hopeful the filmmakers will sharpen their efforts to make a movie more worthy of carrying on this much-loved franchise.

 

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald clocks in at 134 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some sequences of fantasy action."

 

Fantastic Beasts 2 is an imperfect movie that's still magical enough to keep fans of the wizarding world wanting more. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald gets seven.

 

Next on my agenda, Widows.

 

When their husbands are killed on a job gone wrong, a group of women attempts to pull off a heist the men had planned.

 

Widows is being touted by some Serious Film Critics as a potential best picture contender, so I suppose it's a pretty great movie, but the sad fact is I hated every minute of it.

 

For an action movie that presents as credible drama, Widows has too many suspiciously convenient turns, and a fair few other things I just couldn't swallow. Outlandish tricks work with light entertainment like Oceans 8, but not here. Viola Davis lately makes a career of playing troubled people for whom I just can't muster any sympathy, and her abrasive gang leader is no different. As one of the finest actresses of her generation, I did wonder that nobody could have taught her to hold a dog as if she'd actually *seen* a dog before, but other than that it's a strong performance as another brash, unlikable woman. If there's a more irritating actor than Zooey Deschanel working today, well, I guess her name is Elizabeth Debicki. (End of list.) Smokin' hotness can't save Michelle Rodriguez from being way out of her acting depth. A chilling turn by Daniel Kaluuya is easily the movie's the best work, and, fresh off a stellar performance in Bad Times at the El Royale, Cynthia Erivo manages to present Widows' one and only character with any appeal at all. (Not counting the dog, of course. The dog is always the best character in any movie.) Overall Widows is a drab, violent exercise that's way too implausible for as seriously as it takes itself.

 

Widows runs 128 minutes and is rated R for "violence, language throughout, and some sexuality/nudity."

 

The next time I see a movie that opens with Liam Neeson in a van talking about a plan, it better be a sequel to The A-Team. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Widows gets four.

 

Fangirl points: Garrett Dillahunt! Manuel Garcia-Rulfo! That oddly-placed WASP song!

 

Until next time!!

MOVIE REVIEW: BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE

The El Royale is run-down hotel that sits on the border between California and Nevada. It soon becomes a seedy battleground when seven strangers -- a cleric, a soul singer, a traveling salesman, two sisters, the manager and the mysterious Billy Lee -- converge on a fateful night for one last shot at redemption before everything goes wrong.

Director: Drew Goddard

Cast: Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullman, Nick Offerman, Chris Hemsworth

Release Date: October 12, 2018

Genres: Mystery , Thriller

Rated R for horror violence, and language including some sexual references

Runtime: 2h 21min

Review:

Bad Times at the El Royale is a solid twisty thriller from Drew Goddard.  You’d be remiss if you didn’t feel some very strong Tarantino vibes throughout mixed together with some Agatha Christie as each individual story plays out.  The film is stylish and engrossing even if the ultimate payoff is bit of a letdown.  Goddard cast is made up of strong performers and a bevy of recognizable faces but Broadway star Cynthia Erivo really leaves an impressive mark.  Jeff Bridges centers the whole thing with a tangible sense of heart with healthy shades of grey.  Jon Hamm does solid work in a limited role and the film is lesser for taking him off the board as early as it does.  A perpetually shirtless Chris Hemsworth is clearly having a blast hamming it up as the cult leader that brings all the plot threads together.  For all the strong performances and stories, you d start to get the sense that Drew Goddard fell in love with his own creation as the film starts to meander towards the end.  There’s really no reason for the film to be nearly 2 and half hours and the film suffers since this type of pulpy fare is best in short doses.  

B

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of First Man and Bad Times at the El Royale

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for First Man and Bad Times at the El Royale.

 

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

 

First on my agenda: First Man.

 

Some stuff you know and probably a lot you didn't know about Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon.

 

First Man is approximately 90% Things-I-Hate-About-Awards-Type-Movies, but I still enjoyed it more than I expected to. Ryan Gosling is terrific in the lead, and his supporting cast--led by the extraordinary Claire Foy--has no trouble keeping pace. The story of Armstrong's personal life is almost as fascinating as his road to the moon, and the film gives equal screen time to each. An over-abundance of extreme close-ups is effective in depicting claustrophobic cockpit conditions, but it gets awkward when it's just folks talking science or eating dinner. Likewise, jiggly camera work and very dark shots work well in putting the viewer inside the craft--often under terrifying circumstances--but otherwise are plain annoying. The movie could have used a bit of a trim, but it never really drags or feels bloated; ultimately the amazing story outweighs any flaws in the filmmaking. Closing with full disclosure: for the duration, all I could think of was Lincoln Osiris trying to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere in an old refrigerator box, which is why they don't let me vote for the Oscars.

First Man clocks in at 141 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some thematic content involving peril, and brief strong language."

 

First Man is a flawed telling of a great story, well worth your movie dollar. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, First Man gets seven and a half.

 

Fangirl points: So many much-loved faces in this one! Shea Whigham! Corey Stoll! Ciaran Hinds! Pablo Schreiber! Brian d'Arcy James! Mister Cory Michael Smith!

 

Next on the docket, one of my most-anticipated titles of the year, Bad Times at the El Royale.

 

Mystery abounds at a past-its-prime hotel that straddles the state line between California and Nevada.

From the trailers, I expected Bad Times at the El Royale to be darkly funny, but instead it's mostly just dark. Smart, twisty storytelling and an exceptional cast should be the envy of Hollywood, with Chris Hemsworth, Cynthia Erivo, and Jeff Bridges turning in exceptionally strong performances. El Royale has layers to spare, and just when you think you've got it figured out, another one peels off to reveal something unexpected. The film boasts superb production design and a strong score by Michael Giacchino. I can't go into much detail without spoiling important plot points, but there are some disturbing and uncomfortable moments that lend a grim tone to the whole, ultimately making it less fun than it might have been, but no less brilliant.

 

Bad Times at the El Royale runs 141 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence, language, some drug content, and brief nudity."

 

Bad Times at the El Royale is one of the best movies I've seen this year...but I probably wouldn't watch it again. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Bad Times at the El Royale gets seven, which would have been eight but for a mean and unnecessary dig at my beautiful home state of West Virginia.

 

Fangirl points: You know it's officially awards season when Shea Whigham starts turning up in everything!

 

Until next time...