MOVIE REVIEW: TURNING RED

 

Mei Lee is a 13-year-old girl who is torn between being her mother's obedient daughter and the chaos of her youth. As if that were not enough, when she gets too excited, she turns into a big red panda.

Director: Domee Shi

Cast: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Hyein Park, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, Tristan Allerick Chen, James Hong

Release Date: March 11, 2022

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy

Rated PG for thematic material, suggestive content and language

Runtime: 1h 40m

Review:

Pixar's Turning Red is another top notch family film which captures a universal experience in a fun fizzy package.  Domee Shi's film is a vibrant energetic film filled with beautiful animation from start to finish.  Rosalie Chiang voices Mei Lee with the perfect level of chaotic tween energy as her character traverses the joys of puberty.  Sandra Oh and Ava Morse voice Mei Lee's parent with Oh getting the lions share of the work.  Oh and Chiang have believable chemistry as mother and daughter with the relationship being the lynchpin of the entire story.  Ava Morse, Hyein Park and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan play Mei's friends with each bringing a specific kind of energy to their assorted crew.  Turning Red fits right in with Inside Out as it deals with real life experiences metaphorically in inventive and fun ways with being made more for tweens than very young children.   

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of The Batman

 

My dear reader(s) and fellow Batfans, today I bring you a review of Matt Reeves' The Batman.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing plot-related that isn't evident in the trailers. Emo!

Batman faces off with Survivalist!Riddler in a bid for Gotham's very survival. 

Snarky synopsis aside, The Batman is a great Batman movie, and, yes, a great movie without the Bat-qualifier. I'm going to try not to let this get *too* long, but Batman is one of my most beloved characters, so...buckle up. 

The Batman is a dark film, and I mean in every way. It's never daytime. It never stops raining. There is no levity in dialogue or in action. Neither Bruce Wayne nor Wayne Manor enjoys much screen time; the film is wholly centered in Batman, the Batcave, and other similarly gloomy locales. When seen outside the cape and cowl, Bruce Wayne remains shrouded in darkness, both literally and figuratively. 

The Batman showcases a younger Bruce Wayne, ably portrayed by Robert Pattinson, but one who shares the physical exhaustion and world-weariness of his older predecessor (Ben Affleck). While many if not most Batman movies make a point of showing Batman's physical scars (he is, after all, only human, with no real "super powers"), this one also focuses on his mental scars: his torment, his jadedness, and even his vulnerability. Pattinson is the perfect actor for this role in this film. Even lacking Affleck's physical bulk, his Batman is dark and properly menacing. He is magnificent. 

A younger Bruce Wayne means a younger Alfred, personified in this outing by Lord of the Rings alum Andy Serkis. Serkis is a man of many faces, and this is hardly a stretch of his considerable talent, but his Alfred somehow seems less imperative than previous incarnations of the character. Zoe Kravitz is a little flat as Serena Kyle, definitely missing the spark of some others who have worn the catsuit. Colin Farrell, Paul Dano, and John Turturro are serviceable if unexceptional baddies. Finally, of course I found fault with Jeffrey Wright's Commissioner Gordon, not because I have anything against Jeffrey Wright (on the contrary, I'm a fan), but because he's not Gary Oldman and that's just a cross borne by all of us who aren't Gary Oldman. If only the whole world could be Gary Oldman. But I digress........ 

The Batman features a new Batman, but it is careful to avoid repeating the Batman origins story. It adds layers to Bruce Wayne's history without asking the audience to relive the pearls. Again. The plot is more detective thriller than superhero tale, with new twists built around familiar characters. At nearly three hours long, the film could use a trim, but I never felt the length, never checked the clock, and I'd go so far as to say it absolutely needs at least two and a half hours to bring its story from beginning to end properly. (That's 30 minutes' indulgence over what I'd normally allow!) 

The Batman has a few moments that struck me funny, mostly things that too closely mirror specific moments in The Dark Knight, and one scene that was so Blues Brothers-esque I almost laughed out loud. The narration is hokey early on, but gets less so as the movie progresses. There's plenty of action, yet The Batman is mercifully lacking the endless fight and chase scenes that plague most films of the genre. Michael Giacchino's exceptional score pairs poorly with certain scenes, making the music so melodramatic as to seem almost silly at times (or maybe that's vice-versa). Kudos to hair and makeup--turning Colin Farrell, the planet's most attractive human, into something ugly is no small feat! 

Following middling critical and audience reception for the Batfleck movies, many would call The Batman a redemption for DC in general and for Batman in particular. I'm enough of a Batfan that I'd argue the point (despite the mediocre films, Affleck remains my all-time favorite Batman), but I'll happily take this as a vote in DC's favor from the court of general opinion. 

The Batman clocks in at a whopping 176 minutes and is rated PG13 for "strong, violent, and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material." 

Anyone who says it's as good as or better than The Dark Knight is delusional or blowing smoke (it's not even close), but The Batman is a great, fresh take on an oft-resurrected character, and I look forward to seeing where this Bat flies. Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Batman gets eight. 

Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Review of West Side Story

 

My dear, neglected reader(s), the weekend just passed saw a major new release in cinemas that was very much of interest to me (The Batman), and a brand new Sebastian Stan movie that I could have screened in the comfort and safety of my own home (Fresh). Instead I elected to watch the remake of West Side Story, which, at the very least, is new to a couple streaming services this week...in other words, no longer a twrnty-dollar rental. Twenty-dollar rentals are the hill on which I've chosen to die.

Spoiler level here will be mild, I suppose, though I can't imagine anyone doesn't know how this plays out by now.

Against a backdrop of racially-motivated gang violence and neighborhood gentrification, a young Puerto Rican girl and a Polish-American boy fall in love.

I am of the...vintage...where everything I've ever loved is being remade into something I don't understand by people younger than I can remember. I try not to be bitter about it and, generally, I don't hate remakes for the sake of it. (Just don't get me started on The Crow.) That being said, I'm a big fan of the original West Side Story, and I wasn't sure how to feel about it being remade. It seems somewhat cemented in its time. I'm happy to report this is neither destruction nor fawning copy of the original. It also isn't some "woke" reimagining. The show's message endures, without this new version feeling the need to beat anyone over the head with it.

WSS-2021 is two and a half hours long, but it doesn't feel bloated or slow. The better and more interesting musical numbers all occur in the first half, and there's nothing for it, but I never was checking the time incessantly or waiting for the movie to end. With one notable exception (more on that later), vocal performances are solid and acting is okay-ish. The dancing is exceptional, with choreography is reminiscent of the original, but somehow busier and, thus - to someone with two left feet, anyway - all the more fascinating. Bonus points for eliminating that chicken-walk thing (which I've always hated) from the mambo!

On the minus side, I don't think Ansel Elgort was hired for his voice. He's not a bad singer, but he's not a particularly good singer, either. The 1961 version used voice doubles for some of the leads, and may have had the right idea. Staging sucks the life right out of some formerly dynamic numbers (notably, America), and many of the exteriors have the same awful green-screen effect that plagued In the Heights. Also, not that it could be helped, but no one in this move is George Chakiris, and that's never less than a shame.

West Side Story runs 156 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some strong violence, strong language, thematic content, suggestive material, and brief smoking."

I definitely don't get the awards love for any of it, but the remake of West Side Story is a decent effort, and if its recognition keeps people making movie musicals, I'm all for it. Of a possible nine Weasleys, West Side Story gets seven.

West Side Story is now streaming on Disney+ and the HBO family of channels.

Fangirl points: Brian d'Arcy James! Corey Stoll!

Oh, and, for the record, I did start Fresh and realized about 30 minutes in that — no matter how much I love Sebastian Stan — I can no longer be a person who watches everything he does. Hard pass.

MOVIE REVIEW: THE BATMAN

 

Batman ventures into Gotham City's underworld when a sadistic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues. As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator's plans become clear, he must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued the metropolis.

Director: Matt Reeves

Cast: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell

Release Date: March 4, 2022

Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Superhero

Rated PG-13 for strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material

Runtime: 2h 55m

Review:

Matt Reeves' The Batman is a mash up of inspirations which results in a gritty noir detective thriller that takes the character back to his pulpy roots.  Reeves draws inspiration from excellent Batman graphic novels like The Long Halloween and Hush while also pulling cinematic inspiration from Se7en, Zodiac and Christopher Nolan's run.  The end result is a moody, atmospheric mystery that's as self serious as they come.  This take on the character focuses more on his deduction skills, even though there are a handful of action set pieces, which gives the film a more meticulous and methodical pace as the story unfolds.  Its the type of story that takes its time to reveal itself as we follow the characters down the rabbit hole.  Robert Pattinson, playing a much younger version of the character, brings the intensity and a simmering uncontrolled rage which hasn't been focused.  Pattinson gives us glimpses of the more unhinged aspects of the character as we see a character still finding his way, it's an impressive take on the character.  Jeffrey Wright, whose never been more earnest, works well onscreen with Pattinson which makes their interactions and relationship feels authentic.  Colin Farrell's take on The Penguin is one of the few character in the that feels like he's having fun with him providing a few moments of levity in the film.  Zoë Kravitz turn as Selina Kyle/Catwoman is excellent but underutilized since the script has her appear and disappear throughout the film.  Paul Dano and John Turturro play their characters a bit too over the top in comparison to the rest of the cast, its not jarring per say but noticeable.  Dano's character in particular would have been better served with a more subtle, understated and cerebral turn.  Overall, you have to appreciate Reeves holding the moody horror vibe for nearly three hours but it can become oppressive in spots which makes the case that some edits could have made this entry a sleeker more streamlined affair.  There are also portions of the final act that feel less like homages with scenes and sequences being lifted from other films almost verbatim which comes off as lazy.  Issues aside, The Batman is an impressive take on the character from a different lens which works on a different level than previous iterations. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: CYRANO

 

Cyrano de Bergerac dazzles everyone with his ferocious wordplay and brilliant swordplay. However, he's convinced his appearance renders him unworthy of the affections of the luminous Roxanne, a devoted friend who's in love with someone else.

Director: Joe Wright

Cast: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr. Ben Mendelsohn, Bashir Salahuddin, Monica Dolan

Release Date: February 25, 2022

Genre: Drama, Musical, Romance

Rated PG-13 for some strong violence, thematic and suggestive material, and brief language

Runtime: 2h 4m

Review:

Joe Wright's adaptation of the stage musical of the same name is lavish, heartfelt with an undercurrent of melancholy running throughout its runtime. Wright stages some wonderfully choregraphed sequences paired with songs and lyrics by The National.  The song's lyrics lean more wistful than overtly romantic utilizing a variety of approaches from  spoken word to more operatic.  The majority of the songs aren't instantly memorable but Someone to Say and Wherever I Fall do leave a lasting impression.  Peter Dinklage and Haley Bennett reprise their roles from the stage play, bringing a familiarity and confidence to their roles.  The pair shares a tangible sense of chemistry that makes their relationship feel real and grounded.  Dinklage carries the film with relative ease by delivering a performance that's self assured, honest and ultimately heartbreaking.  He's the most interesting performer onscreen for the majority of the film even if his singing voice isn't the best.  Haley Bennett's performance is hindered by an underwritten role but her singing voice is lovely enough to overlook some of the script's deficiencies.   Kelvin Harrison Jr suffers a similar fate with his character's songs being better than his story arch.  Issues aside Cyrano is a solid movie musical take on this classic story elevated by a central performance from Peter Dinklage.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE

 

Influencers looking to breathe new life into a Texas ghost town encounter Leatherface, the legendary killer who wears a mask of human skin.

Director: David Blue Garcia 

Cast: Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham, Jacob Latimore, Moe Dunford, Olwen Fouéré, Alice Krige, Jessica Allain, Nell Hudson

Release Date: February 18, 2022 

Genre: Crime, Horror, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody horror violence and gore, and language

Runtime: 1h 21m

Review:

Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the newest entry in the long running franchise, takes the recent Halloween route ignoring all the sequels after the original.  However instead of doing anything interesting with the conceit David Blue Garcia’s film is total misfire on multiple levels.  Garcia’s disposable and forgettable film comes off as rushed and a haphazard cash in on the franchise name.  The nonsensical script from Fede Álvarez and Rodo Sayagues does nothing but prop up dislikable characters who are nothing more than meat for the grinder.  The main hook here is supposed to be its connection to the original film but for some reason it decides to make Sally, the lone survivor from the original, nothing more than an afterthought and giving her an utterly unsatisfying resolution.  The plot’s only purpose is to serve up mindless blood and gore while ignoring any semblance of a coherent, logical story that ties this entry to the original film.  This iteration Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a disappointing revival which will be forgotten as soon as its finished. 

F