MOVIE REVIEW: THE COLOR PURPLE

Torn apart from her sister and her children, Celie faces many hardships in life, including an abusive husband. With support from a sultry singer named Shug Avery, as well as her stand-her-ground stepdaughter, Celie ultimately finds extraordinary strength in the unbreakable bonds of a new kind of sisterhood.

Director: Blitz Bazawule

Cast: Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Halle Bailey, Louis Gossett Jr., Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, Ciara, Jon Batiste, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

Release Date: December 25, 2023

Genre: Drama, Musical

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, sexual content, violence and language.

Runtime: 2h 21m

The Color Purple is a lavishly constructed, vibrant musical which does a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of the original film for a new audience.  Blitz Bazawule confidentially directs the film with a decisive hand, staging a series of wonderfully choreographed musical numbers that each bring a distinctive kind of energy.  These sequences serve as the film's beating heart and in those moments the energy pops off the screen with impressive verve.  There are moments that echo other film musicals like Chicago or more fanciful moments similar to Julie Taymor's Across the Universe.  It’s a fascinating blend of styles and approaches that works in the film's favor for the most part even though some of dramatic weight of the story gets lost in spots.  There's a lighter tone throughout even as Celie experiences some of the uglier bits of abuse from Mister which makes for an abrupt turn after lively musical moments.  The ensemble cast manages to balance those moments thanks to strong performances across the board.  Phylicia Pearl Mpasi and Halle Bailey leave a lasting impression in their limited screen time during the film's open act before Fantasia Barrino takes center stage.  Barrino's turn is understated, meek, earnest and ultimately hopeful.  Her performance isn't as big as other more outsized characters, but she manages to be the backbone of the film before being allowed to display her immense vocal talent in a series of revelatory songs.  Barrino share excellent onscreen chemistry with the cast with it really shining through when paired with Taraji P. Henson and Danielle Brooks.  Henson and Brooks are perfectly suited to play their outsized and more garish characters with the latter stealing nearly every scene she's in.  Colman Domingo's baritone voice is perfectly suited for his turn as Mister, even though he's never quite as menacing as Danny Glover in the original film, mainly due to an inherent kindness that comes through all his performances in general.  Corey Hawkins possesses a similar energy which is much better suited for his character, Harpo, more so than Domingo's Mister.  It makes some slightly strange dynamics which the film can't quite balance perfectly in the non musical moments.  Minor issues like that can be forgiven thanks to the quality of the performances and direction which is sure to leave an impression regardless if people are experiencing the story for the first time or are already familiar with it.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: THE IRON CLAW

 

The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who make history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports.

Director: Sean Durkin

Cast: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany, Lily James

Release Date: December 22, 2023

Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport

Rated R for language, suicide, some sexuality and drug use.

Runtime: 2h 12m

The Iron Claw, the tragic true-life tale of the Von Erich family, is the kind of sports movie that doesn't require you to be a fan of the sport to be moved and affected by its painful story.  Sean Durkin directs the film with a nuanced hand giving it a sweaty, gritty feel which gives the story an air of authenticity.  He makes you feel every bit of flesh hitting the mat during the wrestling sequences but adds an overreach sense of dread and sadness throughout the entire film.  Thematically, it covers well worn concepts about masculinity and overbearing fathers trying to live vicariously through their sons but does so with a surprisingly level of effectiveness thanks to its cast.  Holt McCallany is the kind of actor that can bring a certain level of intimidation, intensity without overt physicality which works incredibly well here as the family patriarch.  There's an emotional frigidity to his character that's reflected in his treatment of his sons as mere vessels to correct his list of grievances and shortcomings.  The character is cold, emotionally distant, and aloof even as tragedy continues to befall his children due in large part to his constant pushing and playing them against each other.  Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson and Stanley Simons all deliver authentic, engaging performances, each reflecting the sons burning desire to please their father at any cost.  Efron though carries the emotional weight of the film as he makes you feel the pain of his perceived failures and shortcomings early on in the story before he’s burdened by loss of his siblings along with the realization of the root cause.  It’s an excellent showcase for Efron as he emotes all the internalized pain and trauma with a level of nuance and depth that I honestly didn't think he was capable of.  His psychical transformation almost becomes an afterthought due to his committed performance which elevates the entire film and makes it easier to overlook a few pacing issues and underwritten female characters.

 

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: REBEL MOON PART ONE: A CHILD OF FIRE

 

When a colony on the edge of the galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of the tyrannical Regent Balisarius, they dispatch a young woman with a mysterious past to seek out warriors from neighbouring planets to help them take a stand.

Director: Zack Snyder

Cast: Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Doona Bae, Ray Fisher, Charlie Hunnam, Anthony Hopkins

Release Date: December 15, 2023

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, sexual assault, bloody images, language, sexual material and partial nudity.

Runtime: 2h 13m

Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire is a lifeless space epic that never truly finds its footing as it mines bits and pieces of Star Wars by way of Seven Samurai while bringing nothing new to the table.  All of Snyder's visual bravado and his unrelenting love of slow motion is still here but it all feels perfunctory and overdone paired with a rather listless, all too familiar story.  Characterization is at minimal as the story journey's to collection a ragtag crew of rebels whom we have little to no emotional connection to as we move from introductory set piece to another.  It would be easier to ignore some of these story issues if the action was fun or interesting.  There's a surprisingly blandness to the action which is something you wouldn't expect from Snyder with Bae Doona's Nemesis battle with a spider woman being the only one that registers as any sort of tangible fun.  Likewise the performances are all rather lifeless with Sofia Boutella's lead character barely registering as determined and driven much less inspiring.  Anthony Hopkins voicework for the robot introduced in the first act and offers a small tinge of life but he quickly disappears from the story only to reappear at the very without another line of dialogue.   It doesn't help matters that the entire film serves as nothing more than set up for the second part which would be fine if there were some time invested in character development and world building.  Sadly, this first entry feels more like a Sucker Punch level misfire from Snyder which feels like a major step back for him as a storyteller.  
 

D

MOVIE REVIEW: MAESTRO

 

On the verge of securing a golden opportunity, American conductor Leonard Bernstein begins a tumultuous relationship with actress Felicia Montealegre, upturning their lives.

Director: Bradley Cooper

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman

Release Date: December 8, 2023 

Genre: Drama, Music, Romance

Rated R for some language and drug use.

Runtime: 2h 9m

Bradley Cooper's Maestro contains all the trappings of an awards contender but some strangle choices in this biopic leave you feeling disconnected from the story's central character.  Cooper stars and directs the film with a tangible sense of energy on both sides of the camera.  His direction is steady and confident particularly in the open half which he shoots in black and white while having characters exchange dialogue in quick fire succession.  It gives the film a fun, old school look and feel as we are introduced to Bernstein after his debut.  Cooper clearly studied his subject to great extents to deliver a level of mimicry in an attempt to capture Bernstein's speech patterns and mannerism with its effectiveness varying from scene to scene.  Capturing such a large persona is a huge undertaking and Cooper can't quite find the right mix resulting in a uneven performance which never finds the emotional center of the character.  Carey Mulligan fares far better and practically steals the show as Felicia Montealegre with a more nuanced and subtle performance.  As a result we get far more insight into Mulligan's character than we ever do with Cooper's Bernstein.  A handful of sizzling sequences between the two prove to be the high points during the film runtime which feels rushed as it spends very little time on Bernstein's work or his impact.  Its a strange choice which leaves the central character feel more like a supporting player in his own story with Mulligan serving as the film's beating heart.  Cooper does deliver a rather impressive performance of Bernstein conducting in a sweaty but passionate sequences which gives us more insight into his love of music than any other portions of the film.  The energy and passion seeping through that sequence leaves you wondering why the film doesn't bother to explore it in great detail which ultimately leaves Maestro a well intentioned but misguided biopic.

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: POOR THINGS

 

Brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist, a young woman runs off with a lawyer on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, she grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Cast: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Christopher Abbott, Jerrod Carmichael

Release Date: December 8, 2023 

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi

Rated R for strong and pervasive sexual content, graphic nudity, disturbing material, gore, and language

Runtime: 2h 21m

Yorgos Lanthimos' Frankenstein-like fable, Poor Things, is a darkly comedic and bold exploration of self-discovery of oneself.  Its a fascinating journey with a distinctive style and feel that permeates the film from its opening act, shot in black and white, before the world and color palate of the film opens up with great effect.  Lanthimos' approach is aggressive but self assured as a bevy of themes and concepts that range from the grotesque, to the perverse and philosophical are thrown at the screen in steady succession.  Its a fearless approach that unafraid of losing portions of the audience along the way.  The film and story is held together and propelled by Emma Stone's central turn as Bella Baxter.  Stone's performance carries the film as she makes her character's journey believable and organic with an effortless ease as we see the character move from innate, instinctive, impulses into a fully defined persona. She has an impressive ability to make every step of journey feel authentic all the while never losing her comedic timing during some of the film's more insane and absurd moments.  If not for Stone's fearless turn, Mark Ruffalo could have easily stolen the entire film from a lesser actress.  Ruffalo's turn as the swarmy and nefarious lawyer is a true testament to his talent as actor.  Ruffalo works against his nice guy type to deliver an overconfident lothario who quickly loses control of Baxter before being ultimately ruined financially and emotionally by her.  Ruffalo and Stone work off each incredibly well which really gives the film an almost manic and vibrant energy it never manages to recapture in the back half of the film.  There's a definite sense that film starts to lose a bit of  steam in the final act which drags here and there which would have been helped with some judicious edits.  Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef and Jerrod Carmichael round out the cast with each turning in subtly effective performances in limited screen time.  Much like one of Dr. Godwin Baxter's experiments, Poor Things, is a fascinating amalgam of ideas and concepts that results in something singular and distinctive.  

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM

 

After failing to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta wields the power of the mythic Black Trident to unleash an ancient and malevolent force. Hoping to end his reign of terror, Aquaman forges an unlikely alliance with his brother, Orm, the former king of Atlantis. Setting aside their differences, they join forces to protect their kingdom and save the world from irreversible destruction.

Director: James Wan

Cast: Jason Momoa,  Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman, Temuera Morrison, Randall Park

Release Date: December 22, 2023

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and some language.

Runtime: 2h 4m

James Wan's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a goofy, lighthearted adventure that delivers plenty of well staged, CGI infused action sequences which keeps things entertaining but the cobbled together script keeps it from being truly fun.  To his credit, Wan creates a large, expansive world as his heroes move from massive set pieces to another.  He borrows from a bevy of sources such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings which gives the proceedings a familiar feel from the start.  His visual flourishes create a rather kinetic feel to all the action which prove to be the high points of the film.  The combination of advanced tech, mysticism, villainous underlings dressed in matching uniforms and large men in garishly designed costumes might make people of a certain age think they've accidently stumbled into a Masters of the Universe film.  The whole film has a Saturday morning cartoon come to life feel which would be more fun if the script hadn't been so painfully hackneyed.  The first movie was sophomoric fun with its brotastic humor but it was smart enough to give its stars time to add a little depth to their characters.  That's all gone here as each character is stripped down its most basic, simplistic version of itself.  Jason Momoa's oversized persona and charisma are what made this character work but he's strangely muted for the majority of the runtime.  Pairing him with Patrick Wilson for a straight man/wild card pairing ala Men in Black or 48 Hours should work far better than it does.  The pair's chemistry just never works which isn't helped by an unbaked script that gives them some painfully bad comedic exchanges.  Wilson is surprisingly stiff for the better part of the film while Momoa just sort of seems happy to be there.  Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who was a surprisingly engaging villain in the original, suffers a similar fate with the script asking him to look intense but little more.  The strange thing is that even with its faults, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a surprisingly breezy, easy to enjoy mindless bit of superhero fluff even with its two hours runtime but it could have been a proper send off for the Synderverse if there was more time and care  put into the characters and script.

C+