Cindy Prascik's Review of The Man Who Invented Christmas

 

My dear reader(s): In my attempt to wallow in holiday revelry until they drag me kicking and screaming back to work on Tuesday, on New Year's Eve I checked out an older (but new to me) holiday flick, the Man Who Invented Christmas.

Spoiler level here will be mild.

Charles Dickens juggles family and artistic struggles while writing a Christmas Carol.

The Man Who Invented Christmas intertwines fantasy with reality, as characters from the story Dickens is writing appear in a real world where he's fighting both family and professional difficulties. Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens leads a cast of familiar faces through the serviceable story. The trailer sells the film as a comedy, which it isn't, but it's entertaining enough despite not feeling very Christmasey until the very end.

The Man Who Invented Christmas clocks in at 104 minutes and is rated PG for "thematic elements and some mild language."

It's not the most festive holiday film around, but the Man Who Invented Christmas is an engaging tale that will help you keep the spirit of the season alive. Of a possible nine Weasleys, the Man Who Invented Christmas gets five.

The Man Who Invented Christmas is now streaming on Prime.

Until next time...

Cindy Prascik's Review of Candy Cane Lane

My dear reader(s): If, like me, you seek a bit of cinematic Christmas cheer, but want to steer clear of holiday-themed horror and romance (some would say they're the same), it can be challenging to find anything that fits the bill. May I invite you, then, to Candy Cane Lane?

Spolier level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailer.

A man obsessed with Christmas goes to imprudent lengths to win a holiday decorating contest in his neighborhood.

Candy Cane Lane is a feel-good family film that doesn't try to reinvent the starlight mint. Eddie Murphy (a favorite in our house since we wore out our VHS copy of Raw!) leads a likeable cast through an adventure that teaches the true meaning of Christmas. The movie features gorgeous and festive sets, cute animation, and some great Christmas tunes. It's more amusing than laugh-out-loud funny, and it even throws proper shade at retailers putting out Valentines before Christmas, one of my particular pet peeves! Candy Cane Lane isn't anything revolutionary, but it's easy, comfortable, and promotes that warm, fuzzy feeling that's perfect for the holiday season.

Candy Cane Lane runs 117 minutes and is rated PG for "language throughout, and some suggestive references."

If you're looking for a fun family movie to close out your holiday break, Candy Cane Lane is just the ticket. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Candy Cane Lane gets seven.

Candy Cane Lane is now streaming on Prime.

Until next time, I wish you all safe celebrations and the happiest of New Years!

Cindy Prascik's Review of Rebel Moon: A Child of Fire

My dear reader(s): Over the Christmas break, my plan was to catch up with some movies.

First on my holiday docket: Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers, except the exact second when Charlie Hunnam turns up.

Rebels rise up against an evil space empire. (No, not *those* rebels or *that* space empire.)

Out of the gate, I want to offer a couple disclaimers: First, though I've kicked science fiction fantasy to the curb almost entirely, I like Zack Snyder and I hoped/expected to like this. Secondly, Netflix has some super algorithms, because the Rebel Moon picture on my home page is all Charlie Hunnam, though he doesn't appear until 51:05 and enjoys only sporadic screen time after. Well played, Netflix. Well played.

While almost any story bears traces of tales that came before it, Rebel Moon is nothing but derivative, Star Wars with a Mad-Maxey vibe...if Star Wars and Mad Max somehow managed to become the most boring movies ever made. I fell asleep three times in the first hour and had to keep rolling it back so I didn't "miss" anything.

The acting seems almost universally awful, but the dialogue is so badly written it's difficult to pin blame. The cast is full of well-known faces, most of whom are generally at least decent, so it's possible Meryl Streep couldn't have done anything with this material. Charlie's is a cheeky role that's particularly well suited to him, so he fares better than most. Nice visuals are marred by the odd bad green screen moment. Fight sequences are dull, awkward, and painfully fake-looking. The story, so often (better) told before, doesn't begin to earn its two-hours-plus runtime. A disappointment all 'round.

Rebel Moon clocks in at 133 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of strong violence, sexual assault, bloody images, language, sexual material, and partial nudity."

The fact that Rebel Moon, part two, is coming next year feels more like a threat than a promise. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Rebel Moon gets three.

Rebel Moon is now streaming on Netflix.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: FERRARI

 

During the summer of 1957, bankruptcy looms over the company that Enzo Ferrari and his wife built 10 years earlier. He decides to roll the dice and wager it all on the iconic Mille Miglia, a treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy.

Director: Michael Mann

Cast: Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Sarah Gadon, Gabriel Leone, Jack O'Connell, Patrick Dempsey

Release Date: December 25, 2023

Genre: Biography, Drama, History

Rated R for some violent content/graphic images, sexual content and language.

Runtime: 2h 11m

Michael Mann's Ferrari is a slick, easily digestible bio pic led by strong central performances from Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz with the latter nearly stealing the show.  Mann gives the film the kind of polish that you'd expect from any of his films with the racing sequences pulsing off the screen.  The quieter moments he leaves to his stellar cast lead by Adam Driver.  Driver's quiet intensity and determination shines through even though he's a tad too young for the roles even as he sports a fully silver head of hair for the majority of the film.  He manages to give the character plenty of depth with his nuanced performance.  The film really sizzles when Penélope Cruz joins him onscreen as she delivers an excellent turn as Ferrari's emotionally broken wife.  Cruz's brings an acidic passion and anger to the screen with incredible ease which speaks to her immense talent.  While the story is engaging enough it never quite finds the same sort of energy when Cruz is off screen leaving Shailene Woodley's character feel rather bland and uninteresting in comparison.  This leaves those moments a more ponderous which kills the film's energy and overall pacing which makes the film far more choppy than it should be.  The film does recover in its final act with a pulse pounding and ultimately tragic race that's initially thrilling before delivering a brutal gut punch.  Those closing moments do give the story a more grounded and somber feel to the story of Ferrari and his life's passion.  

B+

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-