One man must race against time to stop history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds as they get together to plot a war that could wipe out millions of people and destroy humanity.
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Cast: Ralph Fienne, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Harris Dickinson, Daniel Brühl, Djimon Hounsou, Charles Dance
Release Date: December 22, 2021
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Rated R for sequences of strong/bloody violence, language, and some sexual material
Runtime:2h 28m
Review:
The King's Man is one of the strangest and unnecessary prequels in recent memory. Matthew Vaughn's film is tonally off kilter with the previous entries, deciding to go for a more self serious tone that's sure to confuse fans who come in expecting a loose goofy bit of fun. Ralph Fienne leads the film ably even if it does feel like he's a in a different franchise all together. To his credit, Fiennes seems fully committed to the role and he makes the entire thing much more watchable than it deserves to be. Rhys Ifans seems to be the only one who's aware of the franchise hallmarks and he hams it up as Rasputin. His character big action sequence is a dizzying death ballet that outlandish, goofy and one of the sole bits of fun in the entire film. Sadly, he comes and goes far to quickly and are left with a so so WW1 drama that isn't ashamed to steal scenes from Wonder Woman. Gemma Arterton and Djimon Hounsou do solid supporting work but you get the distinct feeling that the film would have benefited from using their talent far more than it does. Even worse, the film cast Daniel Brühl and decides to have him do nothing for the better part of the film. The King's Man is a bizarre follow up that doesn't fit in the franchises tone or spirit and ultimately feels like a bad misstep.
With Spider-Man's identity now revealed, our friendly neighborhood web-slinger is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life as Peter Parker from the high stakes of being a superhero. When Peter asks for help from Doctor Strange, the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.
Director: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Benedict Wong, Tony Revolori, Marisa Tomei
Release Date: December 17, 2021
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Rated PG-13 for sequences of action/violence, some language and brief suggestive comments
Runtime:2h 28m
Review:
Spider-Man: No Way Home is a crowd pleasing trilogy capper for Tom Holland's run as the webslinger. Jon Watts film is initially chaotic and contrived as he tries to set the table for the plot. Once the film gets moving in earnest Watts and Holland start hitting that sweet spot with the latter bringing that youthful optimism and naivety to Parker that fits the character perfectly. Plot threads from there on out become difficult to discuss without spoiling the fan service that's doled out in copious amounts in the film's last two acts. There's a significant story at play in the background which deals with the characters legacy and future at the same time. It's a hefty bit of character work and Tom Holland delivers one of his best performances in the role. His turn here is more nuanced and layered than his previous takes and the film is the better for it. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon return as Parker's girlfriend and best friend with the script not asking much from them other than playing it light and moving the story along as needed. Jon Favreau and Marisa Tomei are in a same boat but Tomei does get a moment to really shine for the first time in this series. Willem Dafoe, Jamie Foxx, Alfred Molina, Thomas Haden Church and Rhys Ifans return to the Spider-Man universe with varying degrees of effectiveness. Molina who gets the most screen time early on does an impressive job of channeling his original performance. Willem Dafoe is equally impressive bring back his Green Goblin and even builds on it as the story moves along which is sure to leave an impression. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Jamie Foxx who decides to ham it up every time he's on screen to a distracting degree. A minor hiccup considering the amount of effort employed to get all these characters on screen at once. Spider-Man: No Way Home manages to balance all these story threads while zeroing in the character's heart in the finale. That being said, it's not perfect since there's a tangible sense that the film could have been streamlined and trimmed by at least a half an hour. It's also easy to forget that the kicking off point of the entire story is incredibly contrived and nonsensical. Ultimately, long term fans probably won't care by the time the film ends since it ultimately delivers on multiple levels
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!)
Director Juan Antonio Bayona follows up his critically acclaimed feature debut The Orphanage with this drama set during the 2004 Thailand tsunami, detailing one family's incredible fight for survival. Inspired by actual events. Tom Hollander and Geraldine Chaplin co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
Cast: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Hollander, Marta Etura, Sönke Möhring, Geraldine Chaplin
Release Date: Dec 21, 2012
Rated R for intense realistic disaster sequence, disturbing injury images and brief
nudity
Runtime: 1 hr. 43 min.
Genres: Drama
Review:
The Impossible is the type of harrowing experience that has you watching the film through clenched teeth while grasping the arm rest during some of the more intense sequences. It’s a dramatization of a true story but it does an impressive job of giving you an approximation of the destruction that occurred during this tragic event. Bayona masterfully re-creates the tsunami’s impact with the visceral punch of a horrific amusement park ride. Naomi Watts and Tom Hollander do the majority of the heavy lifting on the emotional side. Watts and Hollander share a strong believable chemistry as mother and son. Personally, I can’t think of anybody better at playing emotionally beaten and frayed than Naomi Watts while keeping a quite strength behind her eyes. Watts delivers an unglamorous raw turn; it leaves a lasting impression even though she disappears for the better part of the last act. Hollander matches her every step of the way with one of the best performances I’ve seen by a child actor in years. Ewan McGregor and the 2 younger actors get some small moments to shine and each does impressive work with limited screen time. They get relegated to the background for the most part and the script seems content to use them for some of the more manufactured moments of heart string pulling such as a trifold set of near misses before the final reunion. It’s an issue that becomes more apparent as the film nears its finale. These moments feel out of place and forced even though the story didn’t need to beat you over the head with agony and could have relied on the organic moments of uplifting human drama.
