My dear reader(s), if you have been with me for any length of time, you will know that I’ve gone from a twice-a-week movie-goer to a twice-a-year movie-goer, and my reviews these days are mostly limited to streaming options. If ever there were a person who could get me to face the talkers, the seat-kickers, the popcorn-bag-rattlers, and the straw-slurpers at the cinema again, that person is Christopher Nolan, who last week presented us with yet another masterpiece, Oppenheimer.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn’t know from the trailers, possibly from real life, and from the paragraph above, wherein I pretty much spoiled my entire review. D’oh!
Yes, Oppenheimer is a masterpiece, among Christopher Nolan’s best work, and that’s a very high bar. It’s early goings yet, but people are already throwing around the “O” word (no, not *that* O-word, though Florence Pugh is pretty hot), and, with half the year behind us, I’d say that’s probably going to stick. Nolan makes a three-hour movie seem like three minutes, with mesmerizing storytelling, sharp dialogue, and a glorious visual landscape. Robert Oppenheimer is painted neither hero nor villain, but rather a man so consumed by whether a thing *could* be done, he failed to consider whether it *should* be done…until it was too late. While there are some gruesome images in Oppenheimer, there’s nothing over-the-top or gratuitous, and the movie never takes lightly the grave ramifications of the choices it depicts.
Cillian Murphy, of course, is brilliant in the title role. He’s never been less, and if anyone didn’t know that by now, this is their education. The whole cast really couldn’t be more perfect, and it’s a testament to the Power of Nolan how many big people took little roles just to be part of this project. Expect awards season to be lucrative for at least Murphy, Robert Downey, Jr., Emily Blunt, and (depending on the field) Ms. Flo, although her role is comparatively small. Exceptional work to a person, Oppenheimer left me breathless.
Oppenheimer clocks in at 180 minutes and is rated R for “some sexuality, nudity, and language.”
Oppenheimer is a masterclass in storytelling and performing, making fascinating work of a grim tale. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Oppenheimer gets all nine.
A feature biography from director Christopher Nolan, explores how one man's brilliance, hubris, and relentless drive changed the nature of war forever, led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, and unleashed mass hysteria.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh
Release Date: July 21, 2023
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Rated R for some sexuality, nudity and language
Runtime: 3h 0m
Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer is a heady, engrossing biopic that makes a series of conversations feel just as thrilling as any large scale action set piece. Nolan's meticulous eye is laser focused throughout as he unveils a bendy narrative that jumps from two separate time periods and view points. His sweeping visual style is more focused here, taking plenty of time on faces and subtle ruminations from the main characters as they tackle some truly world changing concepts and the repercussions they bring. Cillian Murphy leads the film with a nuanced measured performance that maybe the best of his career. Murphy's hundred yard stare conveys a bevy of emotions as the character carries the weight of the world as his mind juggles through the countless challenges and ultimate ramifications of what his work creates after the fact Nolan uses his faces and expressions on more than a few occasions to communicate a slew of information occasionally without a single line of dialogue being uttered. He's the driving force in the film but he benefits from some truly impressive turns from a stellar supporting cast. Robert Downey Jr. gets the meatiest role as Oppenheimer's post war rival who is trying to secure a cabinet position. Downey Jr. sinks his teeth into the role with impressive ease as he reveals the character's duplicitous nature. His scenes play well in contrast against Murphy's more subdued, internalized sequences. Matt Damon and Emily Blunt have smaller supporting roles with each doing the most with their screen time with the latter playing against time with great effect. Florence Pugh is equally solid as Oppenheimer's mistress even if she is a bit young for the role. A slew of other familiar faces pepper the film giving it a rich textured quality, Tom Conti, in particular, is fascinating in his limited screen time as Albert Einstein. Their conversation revealed near the end of the film is particularly revelatory and devastating in its implications. Its these kind of moments that Oppenheimer revels and delivers in a steady stream throughout with the cast and crew all working in top form.
James Bond is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica after leaving active service. However, his peace is short-lived as his old CIA friend, Felix Leiter, shows up and asks for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond on the trail of a mysterious villain who's armed with a dangerous new technology.
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Cast: Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz, Rory Kinnear, Ralph Fiennes, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch, Billy Magnussen, Ana de Armas
Release Date: October 8, 2021
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some strong language, disturbing material and suggestive references
Runtime: 2h 43m
Review:
Daniel Craig's much delayed swan song as James Bond, No Time to Die, is an expansive wide-reaching finale that provides a true series capper to his run in the tuxedo. Cary Joji Fukunaga directs the film with a steady hand, delivering the expected exotic locals and massive set pieces. Those action set pieces are incredibly fun but mostly relegated to the film's first act before it moves into a heaty bit of exposition in its second act. Fukunaga's film is visually appealing throughout even in its quieter moments as there's a palpable sense of finality and mortality. Craig is more comfortable than ever with his world-weary take on the character feeling more at home here even as he drops sly quips with relative ease. The script works in lighthearted moments even in the mist of more dramatic sequences to keep the entire thing from becoming overbearing. Craig is able to work both ends of the spectrum easily and having a game supporting cast makes his job all that much easier. Léa Seydoux returns as his primary love interest though her character doesn't carry as much emotional heft as she should. Faring much better are Lashana Lynch, Naomie Harris and Ana de Armas who each leaving a strong impression with the film giving them ample time to shine. Rami Malek though is saddled with undercooked villain who reeks of the worst clichés of Bond villains complete with a secret island base. The script works in large portions of the film as it caps off story threads from Craig's run but it's also unfocused, causing the film to drag in its nearly 3 hour runtime which borders on attrition. Those issues aside, No Time to Die brings a solid sense of closure and completion rarely seen in the Bond franchise
Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon
joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter to search for a serial killer who's
terrorizing Los
Angeles. As
they track the culprit, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up
echoes of Deke's past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more
than his case.
Director: John Lee Hancock
Cast: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared
Leto, Chris Bauer, Natalie Morales, Terry Kinney
Release Date: January 29, 2021
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Rated R for violent/disturbing images,
language and full nudity
Runtime: 2 h 7 min
Review:
There’s plenty
that will feel familiar about The Little Things, it’s a film that feels stuck
in the past on multiple levels. John Lee
Hancock’s film is methodically paced and well filmed but all of it feels
perfunctory and familiar. The
character’s all have specific quirks or demon’s they are dealing with but the
story never gives us anything new or revelatory about these tortured men. Instead its stellar cast is stuck making the
best of this script which feels like it’s from another era, mainly because it
is. This script has been languishing in
development since the 90’s and so much about it feels like it would have been
fresh back then but now some of these tropes have been done multiple times
over. It’d be easy to get some Seven
vibes here and there but its never as polished or refined as that film. Denzel Washington leads the film ably and
honestly he can play this type of character in his sleep so it’s not a
challenging role for him. That being
said, he’s able make his character interesting enough to keep the proceedings
engaging enough to keep you moving forward.
Rami Malek feels miscast as the young rising detective, something about
Malek’s talents and this type of role just don’t mesh in a believable
fashion. Jared Leto’s performance here
lacks any sort of subtly which takes you out of the film once he gets the
spotlight. The third act can be
described as problematic without giving anything away. The Little Things is saved from being a
complete mess by top tier talent but even then it’s decidedly middle of the
road.
My dear reader(s), this weekend the streaming services offered up a gift to the the homebound and weary: The Little Things, starring Academy Award (tm) winner Denzel Washington, Academy Award (tm) winner Rami Malek, and Academy Award (tm) winner Jared Leto.
Spoiler level here will be...uh...mild, I guess. If you saw a trailer, there's not likely anything here you didn't see or guess from there.
Two cops risk everything in the hunt down a serial killer.
So, you got that the Little Things stars some ACADEMY AWARD (tm) winners, right?? All that hardware is the film's chief selling point, and, for my money, anything that has Denzel Washington's name at the top of the list is worth a look. I don't think the Little Things strains Denzel's exceptional skillset, but, as usual, he carries the picture with ease. I've fallen out of love with Rami Malek since his Oscar win, so if he's any better than serviceable here, it's lost on me. Jared Leto is laughably bad in a poorly-crafted role. I actively despised every minute he was onscreen, and I'm not normally a Leto-hater. I even liked his Joker. (Don't @ me.)
Outside of its acting heavyweights, the Little Things is a creepy but predictable procedural. The cops rough up persons of interest and deliver tone-deaf dialogue as reliably as if it were an old Starsky & Hutch episode. Everybody makes bad choices. You get a bad choice! You get a bad choice! And YOU get a bad choice! Where those choices lead may surprise you...or not...depending on how much of this sort of thing you watch. The Little Things looks, sounds, and feels suitably bleak, with muted colors and a grim score by Thomas Newman. Outside of Leto, it's a pretty well-crafted work that suffers only for feeling like it should be more, somehow. Maybe not worth subscribing to HBO Max, but if you're already a subscriber, definitely worth a look.
The Little Things runs 127 minutes and is rated R for "violent/disturbing images, language, and full nudity." The Little Things is a passable yarn that features some nice work by Denzel Washington. In Covid times, we can't ask for much more...apparently. Of a possible nine Weasleys, the Little Things gets six and a half.
Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping
celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie
Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of
the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise
of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach
unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker
influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly
without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his
bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS
diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the
history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire
outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day
Director: Bryan Singer
Cast: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee,
Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Aidan Gillen, Tom Hollander, Allen Leech, Mike
Myers
Release Date: November 2, 2018
Genres: Biography, Drama , Music
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements,
suggestive material, drug content and language
Runtime: 2h 12 min
Review:
Bohemian Rhapsody is a serviceable if
sanitized rock biopic that’s helped greatly by great performances.Bryan Singer’s film bears some of his style
but there is a sense that after he was let go there was a bit of committee
thinking going on resulting in some generic decisions.Even though the film plays out in a
predictable paint by the number pattern, there’s plenty to love about it.Rami Malek makes the film by delivering a
star making performance.Malek
transforms into Mercury and he’s always the most interesting person on
screen.He captures the look and feel of
Mercury especially during the musical portions that it makes it easy to
overlook some of the film’s short comings.Helping matters is the supporting cast which delivers equally impressive
work as the rest of the band mates.The
music itself is irresistible and through some impressive blending of actual
singing and lip syncing you really feel the performances which drive the film
ending with the iconic Live Aid show.
Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for The Nutcracker and the Four Realms and Bohemian Rhapsody.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
First on the docket: Christmas comes early with The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.
On Christmas Eve, a grieving young lady is transported to a mysterious world where her help is needed.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms wants to know two things: How soon is too soon to go full Christmas? and: How is it possible to go so wrong with this story, this cast, and the full weight of Disney in your corner?
We'll start with the positives, because there are a few. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a spectacular production with gorgeous sets and costumes, and the CGI is astonishing throughout, avoiding those missteps that have become common in even the priciest productions. The cast is top notch and mostly seems to be having fun despite the poor material. James Newton Howard's lush score perfectly compliments familiar excerpts from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. All of those things ordinarily would keep the Four Realms spreading its cinematic cheer all the way through the new year, but...
...the Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a lousy movie. All the bells and whistles in the world can't offset a paper-thin story, an easy-to-spot twist, and a mysterious world that looks beautiful but feels more mundane than magical. An underused Helen Mirren is the only principal who seems to recognize just how badly it's all going to turn out, and she appears uncomfortable every second of her too-little screen time. The movie runs well shy of two hours, but feels very long indeed. Setting itself up as a new family holiday tradition, the Nutcracker and the Four Realms is likely to disappear from cinemas and from the memories of those who see it long before ol' Santa slides on down the chimney.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms clocks in at 99 minutes and is rated PG for "some mild peril."
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a criminal waste of some wonderful resources.
Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms gets three.
Fangirl points: Matthew Macfadyen! Jack Whitehall! Gustavo Dudamel! The divine Misty Copeland!
Next up, the much-anticipated Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.
The story of one of the world's most revered rock n' roll bands, from inception through their performance at 1985's Live Aid.
Well, dear reader(s), as I've mentioned a time or twelve, I make every effort not to read reviews prior to writing my own, to ensure nothing outside of the film itself informs my opinion. Having said that, I spend a LOT of time online, and there's no avoiding headlines and friends' posts all the time. From what I've seen, it appears fans absolutely love Bohemian Rhapsody, and critics are somewhat less enthusiastic. I understand both sides, and I'll talk a little about each, but mostly I want you to know why I come down firmly on the side of the former.
Bohemian Rhapsody is less a grittily-realistic biography than it is a loving tribute to Freddie Mercury. While his less-flattering diva moments aren't entirely missing, they're easily outweighed by the affection with which the film presents him. The surviving members of Queen come off very well, as people who live to tell their own stories tend to do.
Though the trailers promised to tell "his story," Bohemian Rhapsody doesn't delve too deeply into Mercury's difficulties with a disapproving father, nor the painful reality of being a gay man in the 70s and 80s. It's all there, but none of it is really the focal point it might have been in a Very Serious Film releasing into awards season. It feels like filmmakers backed off a bit for fear of alienating the broader audience for which they clearly are aiming, which results in some unfortunate missed opportunities, but a happier film overall. Bohemian Rhapsody navigated a tumultuous road to the big screen, so of course there are those who feel it would have been better served by other talent that had been attached along the way. Personally, I think it does beautifully with the talent it has. Though they aren't necessarily A-List (yet), I am more than a little familiar with Rami Malik, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, and Joe Mazzello, yet I never saw anyone other than Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon up on the screen, so effectively do they embody their characters. The supporting cast is equally extraordinary. If the film is guilty of glossing over some of the lower moments in the band's and Mercury's histories, it more than makes up for it with iconic performances, perfectly mimicked by four fantastic actors. Choosing to end on a high note--with the rousing Live Aid performance--might be considered contrived, but it's a fitting tribute to a legend and that's good enough for me.
Bohemian Rhapsody runs 134 minutes (could have gone another 134 with no complaints here) and is rated PG13 for "thematic elements, suggestive material, drug content, and language."
Bohemian Rhapsody may be a less-than-factual biopic, but it's a joyful tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time, and I enjoyed every minute. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Bohemian Rhapsody gets nine.
Fangirl points: Gwilym Lee!! Rami Malek! Tom Hollander! Aidan Gillen! (This might be my favorite cast ever!)
