MOVIE REVIEW: THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE

 

Revered by her followers, Ann Lee preaches gender and social equality as the founder of the devotional sect the Shakers.

Director: Mona Fastvold

Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Stacy Martin, Tim Blake Nelson, Christopher Abbott

Release Date: December 25, 2025

Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Musical

Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, violence and bloody images

Runtime: 2h 10m

Review:

Mona Fastvold’s The Testament of Ann Lee is a fascinating curiosity of a film that’s powered by a fully committed turn from Amanda Seyfried and painstakingly constructed to elicit a sense of the religious fervor that drove Ann Lee but outside of the arresting musical numbers the film keeps the audience at a frustrating arm’s length from her psyche.  Fastvold’s directs her film with a steady hand as we follow the course of Ann Lee’s life, narrated by Thomasin McKenzie’s Sister Mary, and her journey to self-discovery after the loss of four infants to her transformation into religious leader.  The movie moves at a methodical pace with the musical numbers sprinkled throughout giving it a distinctive look and feel with those moments bringing a palpable sense of energy that the film struggles to maintain once those sequences end.  Seyfried is fantastic across the board with the film giving her ample time for her talents to shine but the film takes the focus off her at regular intervals which dulls the impact of her performance.  Lewis Pullman gets a hefty amount of screentime as her missionary brother tasked with growing their following which is fine, but his character is never as interesting or engaging as Seyfried’s Ann Lee.  Their journey together into the new world feels like it should be far more riveting and engaging than it ultimately is onscreen.  Seyfried’s character is further removed from the spotlight in the film’s final act which doesn’t give the audience a lot of insight into what made her so attractive to her followers or her general mindset as a self-proclaimed vessel of God.  Her position as the rare female preacher also seems like fertile ground to explore but the film never delves too much into it until a violent encounter near the end of the film that is rather jarring thanks to the viciousness of the violence.  After that point, the film fast tracks towards its finale in a rather rushed manner which just closes the story out as quickly as possible.  It makes The Testament of Ann Lee feel like a missed opportunity since you get the sense that Seyfried could have brought so much more emotional texture and nuance that would have made her character connect on a more personal level that extended beyond her emotional damage.

C

MOVIE REVIEW: LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

 

An aspiring fashion designer is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s, where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer. However, the glamour is not all it appears to be, and the dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something far darker.

Director: Edgar Wright

Cast:  Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Terence Stamp, Diana Rigg, Margaret Nolan

Release Date: October 29, 2021

Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Rated R for bloody violence, sexual content, language, brief drug material and brief graphic nudity

Runtime: 1h 56min

Review:

Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho is a retro horror thriller that uses his technical prowess to deliver a visual cinematic treat.  Wright, who co-wrote the film with Krysty Wilson-Cairns, draws inspiration from 60's horror thrillers and it's obvious from the onset it's a genre he loves as he recreates the era with incredible energy.  Those 60's set sequences are the life blood of the film as he uses era songs and a seemingly endless bag of technical tricks to make them stand out.  It's an impressive trick to watch him slyly move the atmosphere of these sequences from light and fun to something far more ominous and foreboding.  Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy hold the entire thing together with excellent engaging performances.  McKenzie who looks and sounds like a life sized pixie is immediately believable as a country mouse in the big city.  It's not the showiest of the two roles but she does get her moments to shine as the film takes on a more horror centric look and feel.  Anya Taylor-Joy looks like she was born to channel the era with great effect much like she did in The Queen's Gambit.  She's a blonde Barbie in pink with doll eyes filled with sadness.  Sadly, both character's are woefully underwritten with each relying on well worn tropes far too much.  The supporting cast makes it easier to ignore some of the scripts deficiencies with strong turns Matt Smith, Terence Stamp and the late Diana Rigg.  Smith does well playing swarmy while Stamp is just as strong playing ominous and mysterious.  Diana Rigg gets a fun cinematic send off as she blesses the screen with her signature style. Last Night in Soho falls just short of greatness mainly due to a script that only scratches the surface of its themes and characters even though its an incredibly fun ride. 

B

MOVIE REVIEW: JOJO RABBIT

Jojo is a lonely German boy who discovers that his single mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his imaginary friend -- Adolf Hitler -- Jojo must confront his blind nationalism as World War II continues to rage on.

Director: Taika Waititi

Cast: Roman Griffin Davis,Scarlett Johansson, Thomasin McKenzie, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, Alfie Allen, Sam Rockwell, Taika Waititi

Release Date: October 18, 2019

Genres: Comedy, Drama, War

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, some disturbing images, violence, and language

Runtime: 1h 48min

Review:

Jojo Rabbit’s concept may sound odd on paper but some how Taika Waititi makes the whole thing work.  Waititi’s irreverent type of humor is perfectly suited for this satire delivering a fun, touching and moving film.  Roman Griffin Davis stars as the titual Jojo and he does an admirable job of carrying the film.  He’s likable and never feels forced which is rare for a child actor.  Thomasin McKenzie is equally impressive in her role even if she’s a bit more understated than Davis.  Scarlett Johansson’s role is limited but she makes the most of her scenes giving the film a good deal of its heart.  Taika Waititi’s Hitler is fun particularly when he breaks into full bore Hitlering.  Sam Rockwell and Alfie Allen are good fun in supporting roles.  The cast as a whole makes this dark subject matter end up being a feel good film with a timely message given our current state of political tribalism.  It’s not a perfect film with the final act lingering on a bit too long but otherwise it’s surprisingly thoughtful film with some real heart. 

A