MOVIE REVIEW: GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY

 

Tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek island. When someone turns up dead, Detective Benoit Blanc is put on the case.

Director: Rian Johnson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista

Release Date: November 23, 2022 

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for strong language, some violence, sexual material and drug content

Runtime: 2h 20m

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is the kind of film that pulsates with palatable energy from its cast and director that you can't help but be entranced in the murder mystery at play.  Rian Johnson delivers another sharp and playful mystery for his own Hercule Poirot, Detective Benoit Blanc.  Johnson and Daniel Craig clearly love the material and character with their energy gleefully seeping through the screen.  Craig clearly loves playing the character and his Foghorn Leghorn drawl with this entry finding him refining his persona making him more human even with the outsized attitudes.  He's graced with another solid ensemble cast who all bring their own sort of energy.  They, like Blanc, are all oversized personas representing certain kinds of people from eccentric billionaires like Ed Norton's Miles Bron or Kate Hudson's ditzy supermodel Birdie Jay.  Ethan Hawke shows up for a split second before disappearing entirely which leaves you wondering if a subplot was left on the cutting room floor.  Still, Johnson makes solid use of the rest of the supporting cast throughout the film which likes to play with scenes by telling them from different points of view as the story unfolds.  Each character has their own underlying agenda at play with Janelle Monáe's Cassandra Brand being the crux of the story.  In its final act the film feels reminiscent of the 1985's Clue, a game Blanc hates, with character's motivations being dissected.  The final reveal isn't much of a surprise but that doesn't make it any less fun when the cast in front of the camera and director behind it are clearly having so much fun.   

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: MUSIC

Zu is newly sober when she receives news that she is to become the sole guardian of her half-sister named Music, a young girl on the autism spectrum. The film explores two of Sia's favourite themes finding your voice and creating family.

Director: Sia

Cast: Kate Hudson, Maddie Ziegler, Leslie Odom Jr., Héctor Elizondo, Ben Schwartz, Beto Calvillo

Release Date: February 10, 2021

Genre: Drama, Musical

Rated PG-13 for thematic content, drug material, brief violence and strong language

Runtime: 1 h 47 min

Review:

Sia’s directorial debut has garnered a massive amount of press before its release mainly for all the wrong reasons.  Sia’s intentions and heart seem to be in the right place but the finished product falls into a strange hybrid of a visual album and an autistic melodrama.  The musical numbers are very much on brand with Sia’s previous works and performances.  They are candy colored fantasy’s that pop right off the screen with booming vocals that’s sure to please fans of the singer.  The drama portion is anchored by strong performances from Kate Hudson and Leslie Odom Jr. who elevate the script which feels like a relic from the past.  It unapologetically pulls on every heartstring possible which makes film’s like 1985’s Mask or 1976’s The Boy in the Bubble seem subtle by comparison.  Maddie Ziegler casting as the titular Music has caused the biggest uproar since she’s a neurotypical actress playing an autistic character.  The issue is ultimately a bigger issue that needs to be addressed but in terms of this film, Ziegler’s performance is decidedly broad and overstated.  Music is ultimately the type of vanity project that’s probably suffered from being created in a bubble which resulted in tunnel vision to its detriment.

C

Movie Reviews: NINE

Sunday, December 27, 2009
Movie Reviews: NINE
IN THEATERS

NINE

Famous film director Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) grapples with epic crises in his personal and professional life. At the same time, he must strike a balance among the demands of the numerous women in his life, including his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penélope Cruz), and his confidant (Judi Dench).

Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman

Opened December 25, 2009..

Runtime: 1 hr. 50 min.

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and smoking

Director: Rob Marshall

Genres: Musical Drama, Musical

Review:

Rob Marshall’s Nine should be a home run. It’s got an Academy Award winning director and a cast that could light a night sky with star power. Unfortunately, it lacks power and emotion as it listlessly moves through its plot. Marshall brings the same energy and direction he brought to Chicago’s musical numbers; all of them here are lavishly done and visually impressive. Where Marshall falters is during the non musical segments, there is a visual disconnect and the actors seem just as disinterested as the director. It gets to the point where, during some of the slower portions, it becomes a chore to sit through them until the next song starts. Adding to the problem is what should have been the film’s strong point, its lead Daniel Day Lewis. Sadly, Lewis is miscast as the role and the singing just don’t fit this stellar actor’s talents. Lewis is at his best playing strong willed decisive characters and Guido is the exact opposite, he like a Hamlet in the 60’s. Lewis’s vocal talents are limited and his singing sounds more like spoken word poetry even at its best. His supporting starlets are a mixed bag as well. Penelope Cruz has a saucy fun number early on but disappears from the film quickly there after. Judi Dench belts out a serviceable French number in her portion and does a good job as the Guido’s friend and confidant. Kate Hudson has a small role as a flirty Vogue reporter and her number is surprisingly good. Nicole Kidman as Gudio’s muse has a nice little song and she once again shows off her impressive singing talents. The two standouts are Marion Cotillard and Stacy Ferguson aka Fergie from the Black Eye Peas. Marion Cotillard is given two numbers and she shows off her impressive local talents especially in the 2nd number. Fergie make the biggest impression singing her version of Be Italian with wonderful gusto. Her being the standout while being surrounded by some of the biggest movie talents is kind of a statement about this superficial homage to Fellini’s 8 ½. Nine should have been a meaningful movie that left a mark on our memory; instead it’s mostly forgotten as soon as you leave the theater.

C