MOVIE REVIEW: ASTEROID CITY

 

World-changing events spectacularly disrupt the itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention in an American desert town circa 1955.

Director: Wes Anderson

Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Steve Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori, Jake Ryan, Jeff Goldblum

Release Date: June 23, 2023 

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Rated PG-13 on appeal for brief graphic nudity, smoking and some suggestive material

Runtime:1h 45m

By this point in Wes Anderson's career people should know what they are getting into when they step into the theater to watch one of his films.  His esoteric, meticulous style may not be for everybody but you have to appreciate the level of craftmanship on display in every shot.  This latest entry has all of his quirks and style set to max which a multilevel structure that allow him to explore a wide variety of themes and ruminations on life, love and loss.  Anderson has run through these sort of themes in the past but this is his most densely packed film which is ready made for discussion and dissection. The film follows a very specific pace which might be a bit slow for some since its in no hurry to get anywhere.  Like everything in this film, its measured and calculated and it allows the all star cast really shine in each scene.  It's truly an ensemble piece with everyone getting their moment throughout the film with Schwartzman and Johansson getting slightly more screen time.  Those looking for a straightforward comedy might be disappointed since it's a much more varied beast that has more charm than outright belly laughs.  As the film moves into its final act it also gets more experimental in its structure and overall approach.  Asteroid City proves to be something far more interesting and innovative when its all said and done.  Its an impressive feat from Anderson and his cast but I don't believe this is the type of film that will change people who dislike his singular style into fans.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING

 

While attending a conference in Istanbul, Dr. Alithea Binnie happens to encounter a djinn who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. This presents two problems: first, she doubts that he's real, and second, because she's a scholar of story and mythology, she knows all the cautionary tales of wishes gone wrong. The djinn pleads his case by telling her fantastical stories of his past. Eventually, she's beguiled and makes a wish that surprises them both.

Director: George Miller

Cast: Idris Elba, Tilda Swinton, Alyla Browne, Aamito Lagum, Aamito Lagum, Matteo Bocelli, Kaan Guldur

Release Date: August 26, 2022

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Rated R for some sexual content, graphic nudity and brief violence

Runtime: 1h 48m

Review:

George Miller's Three Thousand Years of Longing is a lavish and ambitious fable that attempts to show the importance of storytelling.  Miller has lofty goals in mind, something that's fairly apparent early on with it's heady dissection of narratives.  His visual flourishes are wonderfully garish and impactful but the script is really where the meat of the film lies.  Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton carry the film's connective story with some solid chemistry together which makes the film work better than it should.  The collection of stories are a mixed bag with some faring better than others.  It makes for an uneven experience with the film lagging and perking up depending on the tale being told.  Its nature keeps the film from maintaining a consistent energy and flow in spite of committed performances across the board.  As such, the film ends up feeling much longer than it's actual runtime.  Additionally, the primary story between Swinton and Elba doesn't really connect the way it should even though it serves are the film's closer.  Three Thousand Years of Longing sadly never reaches the heights it aspires too ultimately coming off as noble misfire from George Miller.  

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: SUSPIRIA

Young American dancer Susie Bannion arrives in 1970s Berlin to audition for the world-renowned Helena Markos Dance Co. When she vaults to the role of lead dancer, the woman she replaces breaks down and accuses the company's female directors of witchcraft. Meanwhile, an inquisitive psychotherapist and a member of the troupe uncover dark and sinister secrets as they probe the depths of the studio's hidden underground chambers.

Director: Luca Guadagnino

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, Chloë Grace Moretz, Angela Winkler, Renée Soutendijk, Ingrid Caven, Sylvie Testud

Rated R for horror violence, disturbing images, language, drug use and brief graphic nudity

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery

Runtime: 2h 32min

Review:

Remaking Suspiria was an interesting choice and one that could have gone terribly wrong.  The fact that a high end director like Luca Guadagnino decided to undertake the task made the idea of a remake interesting to say the least.  Luca Guadagnino decision to reimagine as oppose to simply remake it was a wise one.  Fans of the original techincolor fever dream may not enjoy this version for a variety of reasons.  Guadagnino ditches the highly stylized visuals and delivers a dense Polanski type horror film.  It’s engaging and always interesting but it feels overly complex and obsessed with itself at the same time.  There are plenty of sequences that will leave a lasting impression such as an early dance sequence which is beautiful, brutal and vicious.   Guadagnino talent as a director is on full display but at times it does seem to lack forward momentum.  To say it’s a slow moving film is a bit of an understatement, the film moves at a glacial pace and it feels every bit of a it’s 2 and half hour run time.  It can be a detriment but there is so much to appreciate in terms of craftsmanship that you can enjoy it multiple levels especially once the final reveal uncorks an insane sequence.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: DOCTOR STRANGE

After a car accident leaves him with nerve damage that ends his career as a New York neurosurgeon, Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) travels to Kathmandu in the hope of finding an otherworldly cure for his injuries. There, a powerful mystic known as the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) accepts him as her pupil and trains him in the art of sorcery. Eventually, Strange must use his new powers to stop a rival (Mads Mikkelsen) from causing chaos by accessing the Dark Dimension. Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Benedict Wong co-star in this entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Directed by Scott Derrickson (Sinister). ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi

Director: Scott Derrickson 

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benedict Wong, Tilda Swinton

Release Date: Nov 04, 2016

Rated PG-13 for Sci-Fi Violence and Action and an Intense Crash Sequence 

Runtime: 1 hr. 55 min. 

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy 

Review:

Doctor Strange is a visually impressive origin story that’s better than it should be most due to its cast.  That’s not to say that director Scott Derrickson doesn’t do some impressive cinematic gymnastics because he does.  Its just that when you peel back all visual flourishes its plot feels incredibly familiar with magic taking the place of superhero powers.  Thankfully, the film is a generally enjoyable thanks to some strong turns by Benedict Cumberbatch and Tilda Swinton.  Benedict Cumberbatch feels perfect for the roles and he’s clearly having a great time throughout.  The real stand out though is Tilda Swinton who’s generally the most interesting actor on screen throughout.  It’s a bit of a disappointment that the other great actors assembled aren’t given much to do.  Mads Mikkelsen, Rachel McAdams and Chiwetel Ejiofor are all saddled with some terribly underwritten and generic characters.  It’s a shame because they are all excellent actors and with better material this film could have been something truly special.  As is, the film is a solid addition to the ever expanding Marvel Cinematic universe.

B

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Doctor Strange & Hacksaw Ridge

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for Doctor Strange and Hacksaw Ridge, two movies that I anticipated about as much as a fork in the eye. (Any 80s metal fans guess what I'm listening to as I write?) Fortunately, one of them had the decency to be better than expected. 

 

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

 

First on the agenda: Marvel's latest cinema smash, Doctor Strange. Following a car accident that cost him his career, an arrogant doctor is awakened to a whole new world. Ladies and gents, if I had to describe Doctor Strange in one word, that word would be "trippy." 

 

Of course I'm gonna use a lot more words than that, but...yeah...trippy. I saw it in 2D, but I'll go on record as recommending the 3D unreservedly; I'm entirely convinced it's worth-the-upcharge spectacular. Inception-Meets-Pink-Floyd-Laser-Show special effects are Doctor Strange's primary virtue, but Marvel has hit it out of the park on casting again, as well. 

 

Benedict Cumberbatch is mesmerising as Strange, and make no mistake, he HAS to be. 

 

Strange is the Dr. House of comic books; he's abrasive and needs the right portrayal for fans to warm to him. In Cumberbatch, he's got it. Chiwetel Ejifor and Mads Mikkelsen lead a supporting cast that is almost uniformly terrific. 

 

The movie could have done with more Rachel McAdams and less Tilda Swinton, but Benedict Wong nearly walks off with the whole thing anyway. Michael Giacchino's epic score provides perfect accompaniment to the huge set pieces and fantastic action. 

 

The movie features the requisite Stan Lee cameo and a couple quick reminders that you're supposed to love it because it's from the people who gave you the Avengers. Guys...THE AVENGERS!! 

 

Don't forget now! Marvel's trademark humor occasionally seems shoehorned into situations where it feels awkward, ill-fitting, and inappropriate, but it mostly hits the mark. Story-wise, Doctor Strange is a generic origins tale that dwells too long on certain bits, making it seem bloated even though it's not really that long. It's a movie with some great elements, but hardly a great movie. Doctor Strange clocks in at 115 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sci-fi violence and action throughout, and an intense crash sequence." Doctor Strange never fails to entertain, but, ultimately, it's nothing special. 

 

And if that's not Marvel's corporate slogan...well...it should be. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Doctor Strange gets seven. 

 

Fangirl points: Benjamin Bratt! Michael Stuhlbarg! 

 

Next up: Hacksaw Ridge. A young man whose faith keeps him from carrying a weapon hopes to serve as a combat medic in World War II. (A.K.A. "War is Hell. Literally.") 

 

Hacksaw Ridge is an inspiring tale that, in someone else's hands, might have made a great movie. In director Mel Gibson's hands, it's two hours of being clubbed over the head with an agenda. Andrew Garfield heads a magnificent cast with zero weak links. 

 

I'd hoped this might be Garfield's step up to a long-deserved Oscar nod, and I'm not sure it's that, but he is brilliant nonetheless. Hugo Weaving is heartbreaking in a scene-stealing turn that'll have you digging for the Kleenex, and Luke Bracey, Sam Worthington, and Vince Vaughn (you heard me) flesh out a memorable supporting cast with excellent chemistry. Sound mixing and editing are spectacular as well. That's the good news. 

 

The bad news is, Hacksaw Ridge has little else going for it. An excessive runtime exacerbates the feeling that it never gets anywhere. The terrible physical toll of war is detailed in such up-close, prolonged excess that it strays into Tropic Thunder territory. War = Bad. We've got it. No need to spend half the film focused on men you can't tell from lunchmeat. 

 

The faith angle gets full marks for its earnestness, but, again, is so unsubtle as to be comical. If I'd rolled my eyes any harder, I'd be writing this out the back of my head. Ultimately, you can't help feeling such an extraordinary story deserved better. Hacksaw Ridge runs 131 minutes and is rated R for "intense, prolonged, realistically-graphic sequences of war violence, including grisly, bloody images." 

 

Hacksaw Ridge is an inexcusably pedestrian telling of an amazing tale. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Hacksaw Ridge gets four. 

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: HAIL, CAESAR!

Slick Hollywood fixer Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) is pressed into action when superstar actor Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) is kidnapped and held for ransom by a mysterious group. Mannix races to quietly collect the ransom money without gossip columnists Thessaly and Thora Thacker (Tilda Swinton in a dual role) catching wind of the scandal. Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Jonah Hill, Frances McDormand, and Channing Tatum co-star in this comedy set in Hollywood's golden age. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Cast: George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Jonah Hill

Release Date: Feb 05, 2016

Rated PG-13 Some suggestive content and smoking.

Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min.

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Music/Performing Arts

Review:

Hail, Caesar is the Coen’s brother loving tribute to old Hollywood with a healthy dose of laughter.  Its plot is almost an afterthought since the Coen’s seem more concerned with recreating some of the golden eras favorite genres.  It’s an enjoyable trek with enough laughs to keep you entertained for the better part of its runtime.  Josh Brolin is fine as the studio fixer who’s just trying to keep all the proverbial plates spinning.  He mostly serves as your guide through the fictional studio so we have an excuse to wander through some wonderfully choreographed sequences like Scarlett Johansson water based musical or Channing Tatum’s fun Gene Kellyesque sailor sequence.  Alden Ehrenreich does impressive work as the cowboy star turned dramatic actor, it helps that he shares a fantastic little sequence with an underused Ralph Fiennes.  It’s all light wacky fun which is going to leave you smiling even if the film would have been better if it’d been just a tad more focused.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

Wes Anderson heads to Europe for the first time with this Indian Paintbrush production starring Saoirse Ronan, Ralph Fiennes, Bill Murray, and Jude Law. Gustav H., the famous concierge at a legendary hotel situated in the Alps during the 1930's becomes the center of a farcical whirlwind of suspicion when one of his institution's oldest and richest patrons turns up dead, and she suspiciously leaves him her most priceless work of art -- a Renaissance painting of a boy with an apple. Infuriated that she left anything of value to anyone else, the woman's greedy and nefarious heir uses all manner of underhanded and illegal tactics to pin her death on Gustav and to silence anyone who questions his objective of inheriting every penny of her estate, leaving Gustav's trusted lobby boy Zero to clear Gustav's name and prove that the grand lady's killer is none other than her own son. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Wes Anderson 

Cast: Tony Revolori, Saoirse Ronan, Ralph Fiennes, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum

Release Date: Mar 07, 2014

Rated: R for Violence, Some Sexual Content and Language

Runtime: 1 hr. 39 min.

Genres: Comedy, Drama

Review:

I’ve been a Wes Anderson fan for a long time and I know some people are turned off by his style but any self respecting movie fan should love his work.  The Grand Budapest Hotel is another gem which delivers a thrilling and hilarious movie watching experience.  The story is funny yet incredibly moving at the same time anchored by a wonderful performance by Ralph Fiennes.  Fiennes is typically a somber and serious performer so it’s a lot of fun to see him fully commit to a character like Gustav H. who such an outlandish and hilarious character.  Fiennes and newcomer Tony Revolori share a wonderful chemistry together and the film is at its strongest when the two are on screen.  The supporting cast is a made up of a who’s who of Hollywood’s A list and each is fully committed.  All of them populate a wonderfully crafted world which a visual feast for the eyes.  At a little over and hour and a half the film just flies by delivering one of the most enjoyable movie watching experiences in recent memory. 

A

MOVIE REVIEW: MOONRISE KINGDOM

IN THEATERS

MOONRISE KINGDOM




Director/co-writer Wes Anderson teams with screenwriter Roman Coppola for this period comedy-drama set in the 1960s, in which a pair of young lovers (Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) from an island off the New England coast head for the hills and throw their small town into a frenzy. Bruce Willis co-stars with Bill Murray, Edward Norton, and Frances McDormand. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Wes Anderson

Cast: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman

Release Date: May 25, 2012

Rated PG-13 for Sexual Content and Smoking

Runtime: 1 hr. 34 min.

Genres: Drama, Romance

Review:

I was a strange child, a fact my parents love reminding me of. There are certain movies that really tap into a portion of the childhood experience; Moonrise Kingdom is one of those films. Wes Anderson’s newest film maybe his best. A touching tribute to love, childhood innocence and those moments you wish you could hold on to forever. Anderson wonderfully crafted shots create an almost ethereal texture to the film. The cast from top to bottom brings there A game. Anderson has a talent of bringing out special performances from his actors and this film is no different. Each of the cast members brings a certain level of sincerity and quirkiness to their roles. Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward in particular make an impressive tandem with each actor bringing so much to both sides of the story. The story is purposely lighthearted and easily digestible making it a film that’s easy to revisit over and over again. Something a film like this requires in order to truly appreciate every bit of nuance and detail, savor it and digest.

A