After failing to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta wields the power of the mythic Black Trident to unleash an ancient and malevolent force. Hoping to end his reign of terror, Aquaman forges an unlikely alliance with his brother, Orm, the former king of Atlantis. Setting aside their differences, they join forces to protect their kingdom and save the world from irreversible destruction.
Director: James Wan
Cast: Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman, Temuera Morrison, Randall Park
Release Date: December 22, 2023
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some language.
Runtime: 2h 4m
James Wan's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a goofy, lighthearted adventure that delivers plenty of well staged, CGI infused action sequences which keeps things entertaining but the cobbled together script keeps it from being truly fun. To his credit, Wan creates a large, expansive world as his heroes move from massive set pieces to another. He borrows from a bevy of sources such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings which gives the proceedings a familiar feel from the start. His visual flourishes create a rather kinetic feel to all the action which prove to be the high points of the film. The combination of advanced tech, mysticism, villainous underlings dressed in matching uniforms and large men in garishly designed costumes might make people of a certain age think they've accidently stumbled into a Masters of the Universe film. The whole film has a Saturday morning cartoon come to life feel which would be more fun if the script hadn't been so painfully hackneyed. The first movie was sophomoric fun with its brotastic humor but it was smart enough to give its stars time to add a little depth to their characters. That's all gone here as each character is stripped down its most basic, simplistic version of itself. Jason Momoa's oversized persona and charisma are what made this character work but he's strangely muted for the majority of the runtime. Pairing him with Patrick Wilson for a straight man/wild card pairing ala Men in Black or 48 Hours should work far better than it does. The pair's chemistry just never works which isn't helped by an unbaked script that gives them some painfully bad comedic exchanges. Wilson is surprisingly stiff for the better part of the film while Momoa just sort of seems happy to be there. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who was a surprisingly engaging villain in the original, suffers a similar fate with the script asking him to look intense but little more. The strange thing is that even with its faults, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a surprisingly breezy, easy to enjoy mindless bit of superhero fluff even with its two hours runtime but it could have been a proper send off for the Synderverse if there was more time and care put into the characters and script.
Prince Amleth is on the verge of becoming a man when his father is brutally murdered by his uncle, who kidnaps the boy's mother. Two decades later, Amleth is now a Viking who raids Slavic villages. He soon meets a seeress who reminds him of his vow -- save his mother, kill his uncle, avenge his father.
Director:Robert Eggers
Cast: Alexander Skarsgård; Nicole Kidman; Claes Bang; Anya Taylor-Joy; Ethan Hawke; Björk; Willem Dafoe
Rated R for strong bloody violence, some sexual content and nudity
Runtime: 2h 16m
Review:
The Northman is a visually striking, blood soaked, revenge epic that's sure to leave an impression long after the film's finished. Robert Eggers most expensive film to date is also his most accessible with a straightforward Viking Hamlet tome that still allows him to engage in his signature folklore flourishes. Eggers peppers his film with paganistic mythology which pairs perfectly with the imposing Irish vistas subbing in for Iceland. There's a brutishly beautiful tone set from the start and maintained for the duration which plays like a grimier Gladiator with sprinkles of Clash of the Titans and Excalibur. Alexander Skarsgård is a hulking mass of revenge whose intensity screams through the screen the moment he appears. Its not necessarily a challenging role since there's not much depth to his character, none of the characters in the film are, but Skarsgård still makes for a imposing and engaging figure. Anya Taylor-Joy channels a more mature version of her character from The Witch which makes for a fascinating turn even if her and Skarsgård don't share much onscreen chemistry. Ethan Hawke, Björk and Willem Dafoe have small supporting turns which adds texture to the film. Nicole Kidman also has a small but pivotal role that gives her a scene that allows to flex her incredible talent. The Northman may not have the thematic depth and reach of Robert Eggers first two films but that doesn't make it anymore impactful memorable due in large part to his creative vision.
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.
Down-on-their-luck Broadway stars shake up a small Indiana town as they rally behind a teen who wants to go
to the prom with her girlfriend.
Director: Ryan Murphy
Cast: Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Keegan-Michael Key,
Andrew Rannells, Ariana DeBose, Tracey Ullman, Kevin Chamberlin, Mary Kay Place, Kerry Washington, Jo Ellen Pellman
Release Date: December 4, 2020
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Musical
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some suggestive/sexual references and
language
Runtime: 2h 10min
Review:
Ryan Murphy’s Prom is an over the top musical cornucopia of schmaltz and
positive message that’s easy to digest.
Those looking for any deep meaning should probably look elsewhere
because this film is all glitz and jazz hands.
Character development is sparse with each character representing more of
a type than a fully formed person. The
real trick is that Murphy keeps you engaged with each of these characters
throughout each musical number. The
cast, which is made up of A listers, helps mainly because they are all clearly
having a great time and it shines through in their performances. Streep, Kidman and Corden all seem very much
in their wheel house belting out Broadway style musical numbers so that
shouldn’t come as much a surprise.
Somehow Jo Ellen Pellman finds a way to have her moment even with all
the luminaries sharing the same proverbial stage. It’s an impressive
understated performance that is sure to draw the attention of more than a few
casting directors. The film itself feels
a little like a more musical riff on Footloose with a generally upbeat feel
which works for the current situation.
It’s overlong, Netflix seems terribly uninterested in reigning in their
talent, and overstuffed but it’s the best kind of comfort food for anybody who
loves musicals.
A revealing look inside
the most powerful and controversial media empire of all time and the explosive
story of the women who brought down the infamous man who created it.
Director: Jay Roach
Cast: Charlize Theron,
Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, John Lithgow, Kate McKinnon, Connie Britton,
Malcolm McDowell, Allison Janney
Release Date: December 13,
2019
Rated R for sexual
material and language throughout
Runtime: 1hr 48 min.
Genres: Biography, Drama
Review:
Bombshell’s impact on
anyone is sure to be colored by their feeling about the real life people
portrayed. Jay Roach delivers a funny
but ultimately depressing tales about the behind the scenes machinations at
propaganda machine as known as Fox News.
Roach has the unenviable task of displaying people who are all on
varying scales of terrible. The tale
about Roger Ailes numerous misdeeds was previously covered on Showtime’s The
Loudest Voice so Bombshell feels a bit like a companion piece since this film
focuses more on the woman than Ailes himself.
As such the trio of Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie are
front and center and truly carry the film.
Charlize Theron’s Megyn Kelly is one of those transformative performances
that is sure to garner her a lot of awards buzz and with good reason. She’s nearly unrecognizable here, capturing
Kelly’s look and voice with an uncanny degree of accuracy. The performance is such an attention grabber
that it’s easy to overlook Nicole Kidman and Margo Robbie slightly more subtle
performances. Kidman’s take on Gretchen
Carlson is solid but it’s hard to say it any better than Naomi Watt’s version
on The Loudest Voice. Robbie’s character
is a composite character but serves a purpose of putting us in the room with
Ailes while he’s harassing and victimizing these women. John Lithgow’s take on Roger Ailes isn’t as a
nuanced as Russell Crowe’s take earlier this year which leads to the bigger
issue at play. Bombshell seems content
with going through basics but never really cares to dig any deep or offer any
colors of gray. As such certain
characters are painted as heroes which can be difficult to swallow since their
real life counterparts are terrible for other reasons.
Once home to the most advanced civilization
on Earth, the city of Atlantis
is now an underwater kingdom ruled by the power-hungry King Orm. With a vast
army at his disposal, Orm plans to conquer the remaining oceanic people -- and
then the surface world. Standing in his way is Aquaman, Orm's half-human,
half-Atlantean brother and true heir to the throne. With help from royal
counselor Vulko, Aquaman must retrieve the legendary Trident of Atlan and
embrace his destiny as protector of the deep.
Director: James Wan
Cast: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem
Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman
Release Date: December 14, 2018
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence
and action, and for some language
Runtime: 2h 23 min
Review:
Aquaman is one of those properties that
could have gone off the rails fairly easily much like Marvel’s Thor.The best thing DC did was nail the casting
much like they did with Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.Jason Momoa has great screen presence and he
never takes himself overly serious.He’s
had a trial run with him making an impressive debut in Justice League and he
proves that he’s more than capable of carrying his own film here.The combination of James Wan and Jason Momoa
make for an incredibly fun film which has a massive scope but it never loses its
focus even as it becomes more and more ridiculous.Wan does a healthy bit of world building
delivering some incredibly impressive visual set pieces and action
sequences.After a bit of a slow start
the film revs up and never let’s down, its energy is palpable through out even
at nearly two in half hours.The supporting
cast rounds out the film with Amber Heard leaving the biggest impression with
Nichole Kidman coming in a strong second.It’s a testament to how well crafted the film is that you can overlook a
few missteps like a bland villain, Black Manta would have worked better as the
primary baddie, and some formulaic story beats.Even so Aquaman is a superhero film that’s sure to please nearly
everyone especially long suffering DC fans.
Dearest Blog: After missing out last week, this weekend it was off to Marquee Cinemas for four--yes, FOUR--big-screen blasts.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know or have guessed from the trailers.
First on my agenda: Resident Evil: The Final Chapter.
Alice makes a last(ish) stand against the Umbrella Corporation.
With this ostensibly "final" chapter of Resident Evil coming so quickly on the heels of Underworld's potential finale, for me it was inevitable to draw comparisons between the two badass-broad-fronted movies. I think Resident Evil comes up on the short end, but it's still a fun watch.
Like Underworld: Blood Wars, RE6 kicks off with a refresher on how we got to where we are. In both cases, this proved a waste of time. These movies do a good enough job of (over)explaining themselves as they go along that a person wouldn't be too lost to enjoy, regardless of what he did or didn't remember. It's to Milla Jovovich's benefit that acting chops are immaterial, as she acrobatically faces off with living and undead. Iain Glen is about as subtle a baddie as Snidely Whiplash. Though it's hard, these days, not to see him as the perpetually-friendzoned Ser Jorah Mormont, he does his best to prove himself a Wicked, Wicked Person here. The 2D effects are nothing to write home about, and certainly nothing to recommend the 3D upcharge and headache. There's some nice disaster footage (think Deepwater Horizon, if everybody hated the undead instead of the planet), and some truly wacky stunts, but much of the action is so dark all you can do is cross your fingers and hope your favorite character is still standing when it finally gets light again. Clumsy storytelling makes the film feel overlong. There's a nice thank-you message from director and star before the show, and, if it turns out this really is The End, it's a satisfying--if hokey--finish.
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter runs 106 minutes and is rated R for "sequences of violence throughout."
The premise is less interesting and the cast less enjoyable than Underworld, but Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is big, dumb fun. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter gets four.
Next on the docket, xXx: The Return of Xander Cage.
The original Triple X is back in business.
Well, dear reader(s)... Now. We. Are. Talking. Were you in the market for a great, fun actioner? Well, you found it! xXx: The Return of Xander Cage is filled with absurd stunts, good-natured humor, pretty faces, and hardbodies all 'round. The plot obviously won't tax those little grey cells too much, but there are a few nice surprises wrapped around edge-of-your-seat action and a truly likable cast. And did I mention ridiculous stunts? Over the top in the most fun way. Vin Diesel knows his niche as well as any actor, and, while there may come a day when I no longer get a kick out of watching him do what he does, it is not this day.
xXx: The Return of Xander Cage clocks in at 107 minutes and is rated PG13 for "extended sequences of gunplay and violent action, and for sexual material."
It's not brain surgery, but The Return of Xander Cage is about as much fun as I can imagine having at the cinema. Of a possible nine Weasleys, xXx: The Return of Xander Cage gets seven.
Movie Catchup Day Two kicked off with Gold.
Against all odds, a down-on-his-luck prospector and a geologist strike gold in Indonesia.
Initially, Gold appeared to be another potential awards goldmine (see what I did there?) for Matthew McConaughey, but his loony performance doesn't help this too-talky tale get off the ground. McConaughey underwent another extreme physical transformation to portray Kenny Wells, a doughy dude with a receding hairline, and nothing says "Oscar bait" like a handsome actor who looks nothing like himself in a based-on-a-true-story role. Sadly, neither the performance nor the picture is very memorable, and Wells' appearance is played mostly for mean-spirited laughs. Edgar Ramirez is the film's highlight, understated as Wells' partner Michael Acosta. The picture moves slowly and is never really that interesting, thanks to unlikable characters and twists that can be seen a mile out. Ultimately it's a nasty little tale about greed and willful cluelessness, The Wolf of Wall Street without the gripping relevance.
Gold runs 121 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout and some sexuality/nudity."
Gold is a dull, disappointing movie with little to recommend it. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Gold gets four.
Fangirl points: An Iron Maiden t-shirt is pretty prominent in one important scene. This is not a drill: an Iron Maiden t-shirt is in the movie!
The final installment on the weekend's busy schedule: Oscar hopeful Lion.
A young man who was lost as a child in India, then adopted by an Australian couple, searches for his birth family.
Lion is a moving true story of love and, if we're being honest, not a little good fortune. The film points out that over 80,000 children go missing in India each year, but this is a story about one of the lucky ones. Lost and miles from home, Saroo faces many threats to his well-being before being adopted by a childless, loving Australian couple. The setup drags on too long, and, for my money, the film would have been better served if it were trimmed a bit and/or spent more time on the young man's search for his birth family and less on the travails of his younger self. Having said that, newcomer Sunny Pawar is delightful and absolutely heartbreaking as the younger Saroo, owning the screen like a seasoned pro. Early scenes of his time on the streets are tense and uncomfortable, but effective. Nicole Kidman and David Wenham are almost too good to be true as the boy's adoptive parents, challenges touched on but mostly airbrushed like an unfortunate wrinkle before botox. (Sorry, Nicole.) As grownup Saroo delves ever more deeply into his search, Dev Patel is brilliant; eager and terrified, desperate for information, but hiding his intent from even those who might be able to help. It's a testament to the power of this story that, in an age where everyone seems to have forgotten how to behave appropriately at the cinema, there was nary a peep from my audience for the duration.
Lion clocks in at 118 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic material and some sensuality."
Lion is a sobering but uplifting tale of love and luck. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Lion gets seven.
Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the depressing double-bill of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2 and Secret in Their Eyes.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
Mama always said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." If I adhered to that advice, I'd have a free day today, but since I wasted yesterday watching these movies, it seems fitting that I waste today writing about them.
First on the docket: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2, the further and final adventures of Katniss Everdeen.
Dear Reader(s), let it be noted that I consider myself a fan of the Hunger Games franchise.
It doesn't talk down to its audience, and the folks responsible for bringing it to the screen have done so with genuine regard for quality, rather than just milking a popular franchise for a cash grab.
It's a miserable premise--the sort of thing I'd never watch more than once--but to this point I've given HG full marks for execution.
Sadly, this final installment is a real letdown.
For as much as Mockingjay-Part 2 has got going on, it is insufferably slow and dull. Perhaps stretching the final book to two movies was a bad idea, or maybe they've just done a poor job of translating events from page to screen, but I was ready to claw out my eyes long before the halfway point.
The film yadda-yadda-yaddas over at least one thing that seems pretty important, and the ending feels like the author just got bored and turned it over to a 14-year-old fan-fiction writer. On the plus side, James Newton Howard has provided his usual strong score, and there are some nifty effects.
The acting is solid from top to bottom, and Jennifer Lawrence is no less outstanding than when she's fronting something the Academy takes seriously.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2 clocks in at an excessive 137 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of violence and action, and for some thematic material."
It's not without its good points, but The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2 is, overall, a disappointment.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Mockingjay-Part 2 gets five.
Next up: Secret in Their Eyes.
A group of law-enforcement professionals presses the law's limits when one of their young daughters is murdered.
It's clear, at some point, someone fancied Secret in Their Eyes a legitimate awards contender, The film on which it's based has already collected an Oscar (thanks, Maynard Maynard, for that tidbit!), the cast is mint, and it's a Very Serious Story.
Sadly, it's also a tedious affair in which the twists happen exactly how and when you'd expect, and two-thirds of the decorated principals are embarrassingly bad.
Nicole Kidman is about as expressive as a ventriloquist's dummy, which may be less about her actual acting than it is about her tinkering with her face 'til it no longer moves. On the other end of the spectrum, Julia Roberts flails through the proceedings "as if there were no such thing as overacting." (I have shamelessly poached that glorious insult from an old review of Gary Oldman's performance in Bram Stoker's Dracula!)
Chiwetel Ejiofor is terrific, making it hard to believe he's the only one of the three who doesn't (yet) have an Oscar.
An unnecessary romantic subplot adds nothing, and the movie seems to take it as a matter of personal pride that each storyline reaches the least-satisfying resolution possible.
Secret in Their Eyes runs 111 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic material involving disturbing violent content, language, and some sexual references."
Secret in Their Eyes has all the pieces of a great bit of cinema, but, unfortunately, it fails to put them together.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, Secret in Their Eyes gets four.
If you are visiting the cinema this weekend, and--like me--you weren't lucky enough to get Legend or Spotlight, I suggest you revisit Spectre or The Peanuts Movie, and take a pass on these two downers.
Dearest Blog, yesterday I took a pass on the weekend's big releases
to spend some quality time with Colin Firth and The Railway Man.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't get from the trailer.
Years after World War II, a tormented former POW comes face to face with one of his captors.
Well,
Blog, you know me. I'm a blockbuster kinda gal. I like monsters and
superheroes and have, on more than one occasion, called The Expendables
"all the movie I'll ever need." (Don't judge!)
Sometimes,
though...sometimes there's a different kind of movie that tells a story I
want to hear, and tells it in such a way that I'm willing to put off my
date with a wicked witch and shoot-em-ups and even Sharlto Copley to
see it.
The Railway Man is an extraordinary true story of love and
redemption and forgiveness. The horrors of war are depicted in brutal
detail, but never gratuitously. The pace is deliberate--this movie is in
no hurry to get anywhere--but it never feels like it's dragging. It
would be easy to single out the always-remarkable (and, by always, I
mean even in St. Trinian's!) Colin Firth as worth mentioning, but the
entire cast is so extraordinary that wouldn't be fair. Even Nicole
Kidman, a perennial member of my "Most Hated" list, manages to shine.
Sadly, the fact that the film's been released in May, when everything
about it screams "awards season," tells me Someone Very Important has
already deemed it unworthy of next winter's accolades. That's a real
shame.
The Railway Man is a wonderful, terrible, beautiful,
painful story that's easily the best movie I've seen this year. With a
new blockbuster landing every weekend, it won't stick around long, so I
enthusiastically encourage you to get out and see it as soon as you can.
The Railway Man runs 116 minutes and is rated R for "disturbing prisoner of war violence." (Is that a thing?)
The
trailer for The Railway Man closes with the line, "Sometime the hating
has to stop," and the movie is just great enough to inspire viewers to
go out and try to make it so.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Railway Man gets eight and a half.
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.
