MOVIE REVIEW: THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME

 

Wealthy businessman, Zsa-zsa Korda appoints his only daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate. As Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists, and determined assassins.

Director: Wes Anderson

Cast: Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, F. Murray Abraham, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Willem Dafoe, Bill Murray

Release Date: June 6, 2025

Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for violent content, bloody images, some sexual material, nude images, and smoking throughout.

Runtime: 1h 45m

Review:

Wes Anderson's latest film, The Phoenician Scheme, finds his esoteric style increasingly refined which is sure to please a long time but it'll do little to bring others into the fold.  Anderson meticulous visuals always give his films their distinctive style with that being true again here.  He toys with more hallucinatory detours that give this film a more spiritual sensibility centered around themes of legacy and redemption of self.  It’s a fascinating subject matter, one that's laced some of his previous films such as The Royal Tenenbaums and The Grand Hotel Budapest, but his approach is even more overt here.  There's a mediative contemplation to it all as we follow Benicio del Toro's Zsa-zsa Korda plan to cement his legacy while attempting to mend his relationship with his estranged daughter played wonderfully by Mia Threapleton.  The overly complex plans sometimes hamper the central themes he's exploring which leaves you wishing he'd chosen something a bit less involved to focus on the father/daughter relationship which drives the film.  Those moments possess the kind of tender, soulfulness that have made some of his best films stand out.  It’s a difficult balancing act that he can't pull off this time around as the film occasionally comes to a screeching halt thanks to an over indulgence on the quirky scenario and cameos which are fun but feel far more superfluous than usual.  Those cameos are peppered with a cavalcade of A listers with each making the most of their screentime with Jeffrey Wright's character sorely begging for more time to shine.  Benicio del Toro and Mia Threapleton make for a strong onscreen duo as two different sides of the same coin even though she may or may not be his biological daughter.  Michael Cera fits right in as the third primary cast member with him easily working himself into Anderson's world, so much so that you're left wondering why they haven't worked together sooner.  The Phoenician Scheme may not land in the upper echelon of Wes Anderson's but that doesn't mean that fans won't find plenty to enjoy in this fanciful excursion.  

B-

My 10 Favorite Films of 2020

 

2020 was a strange year on many levels but for movie lovers it was a particularly strange one.  This year was probably the first time I didn’t lurk the halls of my beloved theaters for months at a time.  Still there were plenty of films that stood out, since I’m terrible at making and sticking with a top 10 ranking, here are my 10 favorite films of the year in no particular order. 

Birds of Prey

Cathy Yan’s Birds of Prey was one of the early victims of the Covid Pandemic which is a shame since the film is one of the comic book films that truly found its own voice.  Birds of Prey never feels formulaic or cookie cutter as we see Margot Robbie’s Harley evolve into her own. 

Gretel & Hansel

Oz Perkin’s film went under the radar but those looking for a striking horror film will find plenty to like with the mind bending remaining of the classic fairy tale.  Sophia Lillis continues to rack up impressive performances, films like this should make her big break feel like inevitable. 

The Invisible Man

Leigh Whannell’s remake of The Invisible Man seemed ready made for forgettable horror fodder.  What Leigh Whannel and Elisabeth Moss were able to accomplish is quite an impressive feat.  They take a fascinating angle on the concept which made it fresh and timely, paired with a stellar turn from Moss turned this retread into a taut thriller. 

Wonder Woman 1984

Patty Jenkin’s follow up is a overstuffed and unfocused but that doesn’t keep her film from being fun and trying for something meaningful.  Even if she didn’t quite stick the landing you have to respect Jenkin’s attempt to create a 80s superhero film in tone as opposed to just placing it in the 80s.  Gadot was born to play Diana but Kristen Wiig and Pedro Pascal both put in memorable turns.

Promising Young Woman

There are some films that just stick with you long after you’ve left the theater.  Emerald Fennell’s meticulously crafted debut film fits the bill in spades.  Carey Mulligan delivers a career best performance playing against type as the tragic protagonist.    

Palm Springs

Andy Samberg & Cristin Milioti time loop rom/com seemed tailor made for 2020.  The concept has been done plenty of times before but there’s a sweetness and reflective insight that makes this love story work. 

Sound of Metal

Riz Ahmed has built up a solid resume of strong performances but Sound of Metal might be his best.  Ahmed’s work here is a raw, gritty and authentic, so much so that he’s sure to earn best actor nods come award season. 

Soul

Pixar has tackled some big concepts over the years but Soul feels like another step up.  While the candy colored film still has the hallmarks of a kids movie this is the first one that feels like it’s aimed more at the parents than the kids. 

Freaky

Christopher Landon’s third film continues to show how much a horror fan he is while showing that it’s ok to have fun with some of the concepts.  Freaky’s body swap concept works because Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton both go all in with the concept to great effect.

Mank

David Fincher’s labor of love is sure to get plenty of awards nods when the season comes simply because Hollywood loves Hollywood.  Still Fincher’s film is a loving homage to the golden era of Hollywood led by strong performance from Gary Oldman who could make these kinds of films for the rest of his career as far as I’m concerned. 

MOVIE REVIEW: SOUND OF METAL

 

A heavy-metal drummer's life is thrown into freefall when he begins to lose his hearing.

Director: Darius Marder

Cast: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff, Mathieu Amalric

Release Date: December 4, 2020

Genre: Drama, Music 

Rated R for language throughout and brief nude images 

Runtime: 2 h 10 min

Review:

Sound of Metal, Darius Marder's directorial debut, is a evocative, gritty drama that's simplistic on it's surface but emotionally dense.  It's conceit is fairly simple and Marder's approach gives the film an lived in almost documentary feel to it.  The pacing is leisurely but intense at the same time with Riz Ahmed's performance pulling you into his character's pain instantly.  Ahmed displays a simmering frustration and anger especially in the early portion of the film but subtly softens it as the story moves along.  He's able to emote so much via gestures or looks that you feel everything his character is going through as he learns to live with his situation.  This is a film that doesn't have a lot of large movements to the story but Marder uses sounds to put us in the main character's head, its a deft move that brings a tangible connection to his situation.  There's a sense of melancholy that permeates the entire film that makes it feel more authentic as we follow Ruben's journey of self realization.  As such, we feel those highs and lows he experiences throughout the story.  In lesser hands this kind of story might have felt too Hollywoodish or artificial but Marder and Ahmed deliver something meaningful and impactful.  

A

MOVIE REVIEW: VENOM

Journalist Eddie Brock is trying to take down Carlton Drake, the notorious and brilliant founder of the Life Foundation. While investigating one of Drake's experiments, Eddie's body merges with the alien Venom -- leaving him with superhuman strength and power. Twisted, dark and fueled by rage, Venom tries to control the new and dangerous abilities that Eddie finds so intoxicating.

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Jenny Slate, Scott Haze, Reid Scott

Release Date: October 5, 2018

 

Genres: Action , Horror , Sci-Fi

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

Runtime: 1h 36 min

Review:

Venom is a strange silly film that is saved by Tom Hardy’s commitment.  Ruben Fleisher’s movie is loud, tonally erratic and occasionally enjoyable.  When it works it works mostly due to Hardy who’s having a blast in the film.  He’s so incredibly watchable that it almost makes you forget the movie and its overall plot is so basic and tired.  Riz Ahmed and Michelle Williams on the other hand seem to be collecting paychecks.  Neither seems to be terribly excited about their characters probably because their so simplistic and one dimensional.  Fleishcher seems to be channeling 90’s movies for some reason.  Some of the action sequences, like a motorcycle/car chase, feel like they’ve been pulled right out of Michael Bay’s The Rock.  Hardy, to his credit, keeps it from being an outright disaster and if there’s a sequel hopefully it gives him a better overall film.

C+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Venom and A Star is Born

  

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the "strange bedfellows" double-bill of Venom and A Star is Born.

 

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

 

First on the docket: Venom.

 

A down-on-his-luck video-journalist unwittingly merges with an alien life form, turning his world upside down.

 

Venom is a disaster. It's a big miss from Marvel, a company noted for not missing even when all it has to offer is Ant-Man. If not for the supreme good fortune of having Tom Hardy in the lead, the movie would be utterly unwatchable. Thankfully, Hardy seems to be having a blast, which makes at least his performance good fun. The rest is, unfortunately, so stupid as to be no fun at all. With its horrific-looking aliens and an overload of carnage, the movie's PG13 rating feels disingenuous; maybe if they'd tossed in an extra F-word and gone full R the finished product wouldn't seem so lame. A told-to-death backstory, underwhelming effects, and idiotic humor ruin any chance of caring about the characters or what is happening to them. If the Captain Marvel trailer made me think a time is coming when comic-book movies will no longer be must-see for me, then Venom certainly drove home the point. In the immortal words of Nathan from The Full Monty, "That were crap."

Venom clocks in at 112 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for language."

 

Venom ranks among the worst movies I've seen in 2018. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Venom gets two.

 

Next up, the third big-screen rendering of A Star is Born.

 

A superstar musician takes on a talented protege, and romance ensues.

 

Dear reader(s): A Star is Born forces me to offer warring disclaimers. If I'm predisposed to view romantic films with disdain, I'm (at least) equally inclined to love any movie about music or musicians. It is to this film's credit that it's so good I don't think either had much influence on my opinion of the whole.

 

There are a great many positives here, so we'll start with the most obvious: the performances of the film's leads, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. I dig Bradley Cooper. Since The A-Team came out in 2010, my ringtone has been Steely Dan's Reelin' in the Years, so when the phone rings I can hope it's Bradley Cooper. (Spoiler alert: It's never Bradley Cooper.) I will watch Cooper in anything, and I think he elevates any project lucky enough to have him. At this point, it should be no surprise to anyone that he is amazing, though at times I still worry he's so ridiculously good-looking as to be sold short. Here he's no less than Oscar worthy, and (now that Gary Oldman has his!), I genuinely hope that this is Cooper's year. In his debut behind the camera, his top-notch direction may garner him additional hardware. Gaga is also terrific. She's served well by her own experiences, and I won't be at all surprised if she, too, bathes in awards love this winter. The picture's original songs are solid, though I much preferred the guitar-driven numbers performed by Cooper's band to Gaga's epic ballads. If you're still having a hard time getting over all the accolades heaped on LaLa Land's lackluster songs and middling vocals, this movie should be the cure for what ails you. The film runs a bit long, and the story is sort-of hokey at times--as love stories are--but it's well told enough and the characters so engaging that it's a petty quibble. I don't think it's spoilery to warn that A Star is Born is a tearjerker--the woman behind me was sobbing so hard I thought we were going to have to call the EMTs--so bring the Kleenex.

 

A Star is Born runs 135 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout, some sexuality/nudity, and substance abuse."

 

A Star is Born offers a new take on a timeless tale, showcasing some truly extraordinary performances and firing perhaps the first real shots of this awards season.

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, A Star is Born gets eight.

 

Fangirl points: Look, there's really no need for me to say any more about Bradley Cooper, but...did I mention Bradley Cooper with long hair and a guitar? *sigh*

 

Until next time...

 

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story / Collateral Beauty

 

 

Dearest Blog: Yesterday I (or, more specifically, the driver) braved inclement weather to get to Marquee Cinemas for the promising double-bill of Rogue One and Collateral Beauty. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. 

 

First up: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Episode 3.5: The Rebel Alliance risks everything in hopes of finding the key to destroying the Death Star. Rogue One is basically the story you don't (or didn't) know that lays the foundation for the one you do. 

 

Familiar elements provide a nice touch, but the movie makes every effort to stand on its own. It's a little slow getting started, but, ultimately, it's solid enough to recommend to even those who have never seen a Star Wars movie before. That being said: The first act of Rogue One could have been better paced. 

 

The movie spends a good deal of time laying groundwork that really isn't all that complicated; then, as if that weren't enough, it wastes even more time flashing back to stuff that happened only 20 minutes before. It's awkward and frustrating. Warming up to our heroine, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), is no easy task; she's not even half-likeable until she meets up with Rebel pilot Cassian Andor (Diego Luna).  (Disclaimer: Opinion may be based entirely on the fact that I don't like Jones or her weird teeth.) 

 

Once the picture gets moving, there's plenty of action to go 'round, and it becomes much easier to get invested in the characters...perhaps because they're just better characters. The movie really finds its heart when Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen), Baze Malbus (Wen Jiang), and Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) turn up, and, unlike Jyn, it's very easy to root for them. Ahmed, in particular, is terrific and does scared and conflicted about as well as anyone. Rogue One has a fair bit of humor, some that hits the mark and some that's just too silly for the situation. 

 

Michael Giacchino provides a rousing score, though, ultimately, it's those hints of John Williams' original music that really feel like home. Large sections of the picture are too dark to see what's going on, and the runtime is a little excessive (which could have been remedied easily if only that first half had been better plotted), but, for my money, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a fun outing that's even better than The Force Awakens. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story clocks in at 134 minutes and is rated PG13 for "extended sequences of sci-fi violence and action." 

 

Rogue One is another worthy installment in one of the greatest movie sagas of all time. Do see it on the big screen while you can. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Rogue One gets seven and a half. 

 

Fangirl points: Ben Mendelsohn! Mads Mikkelson! Jimmy Smits! *swoon* 

 

Next up: Collateral Beauty. After the loss of his young daughter, a grieving man begins writing theraputic letters to Love, Time, and Death. Much to his surprise, Love, Time, and Death offer the favor of a personal reply. 

 

When I went to buy my ticket for Collateral Beauty, I accidentally asked for Collateral Damage, which anyone who knows anything about me will TOTALLY understand. Collateral Beauty isn't really my thing, but the trailer promised some Oscar-worthy performances, and, since none of the really good awards contenders--La La Land, Manchester By The Sea, Nocturnal Animals--have played here (I'll hopefully add a "yet" to the end of that bit), it became my default option for a weekend so deep into Awards Season I couldn't afford to take a pass. 

 

Collateral Beauty has two chief strikes against it: First, it is a criminal waste of everything that normally makes Will Smith such a compelling lead. Smith is more than capable of tackling this sort of drama, but he's got an inherent charm that's suffocated by this lifeless character. 

 

Even when he gets really angry, it's a flatline. Secondly, everyone outside of Smith is just SO. DAMN. EARNEST. A little of that goes a long way, and so much makes these individuals seem insincere, like one-dimensional paper dolls. Helen Mirren is always a delight, and, if there's something that's almost as cool as Helen Mirren with an RPG in RED, it's Helen Mirren as Death, even if that's not *quite* what the trailer leads you to believe. 

 

The remainder of the cast is more than solid, but they're drowning in broadly-drawn characters that are about as subtle as a dollar-store greeting card. Collateral Beauty's finale is unspeakably hokey, but, if you didn't guess from the trailers that hokey was on the menu, you probably weren't paying attention. 

 

Ultimately, Collateral Beauty fails to tick any of the boxes that make a quality motion picture, but it's got a warm-and-fuzzy holiday vibe and, to be honest, I liked it better than it probably deserves. (But Collateral Damage is still way better.) 

 

Collateral Beauty runs a very reasonable 97 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic elements and brief strong language." The awards contender that wasn't, Collateral Beauty will still satisfy any cravings for sentimental holiday fare. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Collateral Beauty gets four and a half. 

Fangirl points: My beautiful New York City! Naomie Harris (even if her accent is all over the place)! 

 

Until next time... 

 

MOVIE REVIEW: NIGHTCRAWLER

An ambitious young crime journalist probes the dark underbelly of L.A. in this cynical urban drama that marks the feature directorial debut of screenwriter Dan Gilroy (Real Steal, Dan Gilroy). Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhall) is a petty thief in search of a payday when he stumbles onto the scene of a grisly car accident, and witnesses seasoned "Nightcrawler" Joe Loder (Bill Paxton) gathering video footage for a local news broadcast. Convinced that this is a career he could excel at, Lou promptly purchases a police scanner and a cheap video camera, and hits the streets. In short order Lou has hired an assistant (Riz Ahmed) to help him navigate the city streets, and started selling footage to local TV producer Nina (Rene Russo), one of Joe's regular buyers. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Dan Gilroy 

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton, Riz Ahmed

Release Date: Oct 31, 2014

Rated R for Violence, Language and Graphic Images

Runtime: 1 hr. 57 min.

Genres: Drama

Review:

Nightcrawler is a kinetic film anchored by a career defining performance by Jake Gyllenhaal which is sure to garner more than a few acting nods come award season.  Dan Gilroy’s directorial debut isn’t perfect but it’s impressive enough to leave a lasting impression.  His film captures the hollow neon griminess of the Los Angeles at night all while following an empty and nearly soulless character.  Gyllenhaal’s performance is entrancing from the start as he channels a serial killers level of creepiness mixed with a robotic energy peppered with corporate speak as a second language.  Renee Russo is solid in a supporting role as the TV producer with an endless amount of moral grey area.  She’s reserved but just as focused as Gyllenhaal.  There is some clumsiness in Gilroy’s directorial effort which is most apparent near the end where the film lingers a tad longer than it needs to.  Still, it’s a rather impressive debut and perfect showcase for Gyllenhaal’s talent.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of Nightcrawler

Dearest Blog, yesterday I spent the final day of my vacation as you might expect: at the cinema with Nightcrawler.

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

An unemployed but highly-motivated young man shoehorns his way into the LA video news business, but blurs the line between covering a story and becoming part of it.

Nightcrawler finds Jake Gyllenhaal on point as Louis Bloom, utterly mesmerizing from start to finish. Regular reader(s) will know that I worship Gyllenhaal's Donnie Darko performance as well, despite the fact I think the movie itself is grossly overrated.

The moral of the story is: Creepy Jake = Amazing Jake. Nightcrawler sets a dark, gritty tone, filled with nighttime skylines and some seedier bits of Los Angeles. The film's humor is darker still, uneasy graveyard laughs that keep the movie enjoyable without turning it silly.

Nightcrawler is an uncomfortable watch. At face value, it's unnerving to see Bloom using whatever means he deems necessary to achieve his ends. On a deeper level, it puts a spotlight on our society's willingness to exploit misery for entertainment. It's a fascinating, if unsettling, ride that hooks you for the duration and ends at exactly the right spot, suffering neither a hurried, contrived finish nor (as is annoyingly common in this day of three-hour non-epics) dragging on long after it should have said farewell.

Nightcrawler runs 117 minutes and is rated R for "violence including graphic images, and for language."

Nightcrawler is a terrific crime drama that should be considered a contender in at least the Best Picture and Best Actor categories come awards time.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Nightcrawler gets eight.

Until next time...

Happy Jake = *sigh