Moviefone Editorial

Author: Jami Philbrick

  • Movie Review: ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

    Tom Holland and Zendaya in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'
    Tom Holland and Zendaya in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

    The wait is finally over as the most anticipated film of 2021, ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ is now in theaters. Much has been said about this film, who will be in it and who will not, but now audiences will be able to see for themselves, and they will not be disappointed. The film marks the third solo outing for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, as the hero finds his secret identity exposed in public and asks Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help. But when Strange’s spell goes wrong, and Spider-Man villains from other universes begin to invade our Earth, Peter Parker and his friends must find a way to stop them before they destroy our world.

    In addition to Holland and Cumberbatch, the movie also stars several other MCU actors including Zendaya as MJ, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds, Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan, and Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei as May Parker. The film also features actors from other Spider-Man movies reprising their roles like Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin from ‘Spider-Man,’ Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus from ‘Spider-Man 2,’ Thomas Haden Church as Sandman from ‘Spider-Man 3,’ Rhys Ifans as Lizard from ‘The Amazing Spider-Man,’ and Jamie Foxx as Electro from ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2.’ The result is a well-crafted and extremely entertaining love letter to Spider-Man fans that completely lives up to all of its outrageous expectations and is one of the best Spider-Man movies of all-time.

    The film begins almost exactly where “Spider-Man: Far from Home’ left off, with Peter Parker (Holland) being outed publicly by Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) as both Spider-Man and a murderer. The news completely changes Peter, his family and his friends’ lives, and in order to “fix it,” he asks Doctor Strange (Cumberbatch) to cast a spell so the world forgets he is Spider-Man. But while casting the spell, Peter tries to change it so his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya), his Aunt May (Tomei), and best friend Ned (Batalon) don’t forget, and creates a chain of events that sees Spider-Man villains from the multiverse ascending on our Earth. To right their wrongs, and stop the multiverse from being destroyed, Strange tasks Peter, MJ, and Ned with collecting the villains and sending them back to their own world, where they will ultimately die. Peter can’t stand the idea of essentially sending these villains to their death, and after encouragement from Aunt May, he defies Strange’s wishes and vows to find a way to save the multiverse without killing his enemies.

    If you have been following the production of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ for the last year or so, then you know there have been dozens of rumors about which former Spider-Man movie actors and actresses might appear in the film, and I will neither confirm nor deny any of them. But since Sony wisely revealed the five former Spider-Man movie villains that appear in the movie before its release, I feel it’s safe to talk about them. Obviously, Willem Dafoe and Alfred Molina get the most screen time as they are clearly the most beloved of the five villains included, and both actors returned to their roles exceedingly well. They both have the opportunity to play with elements of their characters that were not developed as much in their previous incarnations, especially Dafoe, whose “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” complex is better explained this time around. While Molina has a chance to play with the “Am I a villain or not?” aspect of his character that was only touched upon in the final moments of “Spider-Man 2.”

    The remaining three villains, Electro, Lizard and Sandman, are all somewhat polarizing characters from former Spider-Man movies that didn’t quite work in their previous incarnations. But in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ they are redeemed and allowed to be closer representations of their comic book counterparts. Jamie Foxx’s Electro is probably the best example, as fans hated his unusual blue form in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2.’ While it is referenced in this film, the character quickly becomes something new, which is closer to the Electro from the source material, and you can tell Foxx is enjoying his second chance at getting the role right.

    Oscar-nominee Thomas Hayden Church as Flint Marko/Sandman was not the problem with ‘Spider-Man 3,’ an over-bloated script with too many characters was, so it was nice to see him return as well. The filmmakers chose to keep Marko in his Sandman form through most of the film, which really works, and the CGI is fairly flawless. Unfortunately, Rhys Ifans’ Lizard gets the least amount of screen time, and while it is difficult to relate to a character that is basically a monster, the actor is given a few moments to shine. That being said, the returning villains all get better treatment this time around, and while technically they are the “Sinister Five” and not the comic book team known as the “Sinister Six,” this is certainly the closest we’ve ever gotten to seeing the infamous group of Spider-Man villains all on screen together in live-action fighting Spidey at the same time.

    At the risk of giving away spoilers, I will just say that there are some very cool “unexpected” appearances in the film, and with the exception of only one, they are much more than just cameos. The actors or actresses in question are allowed to really develop their characters and are integral to the plot and are not just in the movie as fan-service. I’m not denying that the film utilizes a lot of fan-service, but it is always in line with the story they are telling, and never feels forced or cheap. Yes, there is a mid-credit scene, while I won’t tell you what it is, I will say that it ties up loose ends from another popular mid-credit scene. There is also an end-credit tag, which is more than just a scene, and sets up a future MCU movie. Think the ‘Avengers’ trailer that ran at the end of ‘Captain America: The First Avenger.’

    But for all the multiverse shenanigans and other franchise actor appearances, ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ works best as a coming-of-age love story between Peter Parker and MJ. Building on their previous MCU outings, the relationship between Peter and MJ, and to a lesser degree Peter and Ned, is really at the heart of the movie. Even though the plot is somewhat outlandish, it is always grounded by those simple relationships in Peter’s life, including his bond with Aunt May. As MJ, Zendaya embodies the modern-day superhero girlfriend, not a woman who stands on the sidelines waiting to be saved, but a heroine in her own right, in the thick of the battle with her hero boyfriend. She also happens to have some of the best lines in the film. But it’s Tom Holland who has really brought Peter Parker and Spider-Man back to his roots, playing the character as a young man trying to find his way through the world, even with amazing powers. Holland is charming, loveable, and sympathetic all at the same time and will be the one true Spider-Man for generations to come.

    Fans who have been waiting for the MCU to adapt certain elements of the Spider-Man mythos that have yet to be utilized will be very happy with this film, as the “With great power comes great responsibility” speech and other iconic moments from the source material are captured in the movie. For obvious reasons, ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ feels like a live-action ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,’ but is so much more than just that one gimmick and in many ways feels like the most authentic Spider-Man movie yet. The film really sticks to the ideals that comic book legends Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created in the comic books all those decades ago. In the end, ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is an entertaining and exhilarating movie that delivers on all its outrageous promises and expectations while building on the MCU’s Spider-Man by paying homage to all that has come before it. Not only is ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ the best of the solo Tom Holland movies, it is one of the best MCU films, and possibly even the best live-action Spider-Man movie ever made.

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home” receives 5 out of 5 stars.

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  • Movie Review: ‘Don’t Look Up’

    Cate Blanchett, Tyler Perry, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jennifer Lawrence in 'Don't Look Up'
    Cate Blanchett, Tyler Perry, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jennifer Lawrence in ‘Don’t Look Up’

    Currently in theaters before streaming on Netflix on December 24th is the new comedy from director Adam McKay (‘The Big Short,’ ‘Vice’) called ‘Don’t Look Up.’ The film is a political satire that follows two scientists as they desperately try to convince the media, the President, and a politically divided United States that an asteroid scheduled to collide with Earth in six-months will destroy all life on the planet.

    The new movie features a very impressive cast that includes Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio (‘The Revenant’), Jennifer Lawrence (‘Silver Linings Playbook’), Mark Rylance (‘Bridge of Spies’), Cate Blanchett (‘Blue Jasmine’), and Meryl Streep (‘The Iron Lady’), as well as Jonah Hill (‘Moneyball’), Tyler Perry (‘Gone Girl’), Timothée Chalamet (‘Dune’), Ron Perlman (‘Drive’), and pop singer Ariana Grande. The result is a clever comedic satire that has something important to say about the world we live in and presents it in an entertaining way with fantastic over-the-top performances from the entire cast.

    The film begins when astronomers Kate Dibiasky (Lawrence) and Dr. Randall Mindy (DiCaprio) discover an asteroid larger than the one that wiped out the dinosaurs will crash into Earth, destroying all life in approximately six months. They immediately notify NASA and are sent to Washington to debrief President Orlean (Streep) and her son and Chief of Staff, Jason Orlean (Jonah Hill). However, preoccupied with getting her Supreme Court nominee passed by the Senate and a personal scandal of her own, President Orlean dismisses the scientists and declares that they will “sit on this,’’ and not report it to the media.

    Frightened for the future of mankind and not trusting that the President will do the right thing, Mindy and Dibiasky contact a newspaper and agree to go on a popular political morning show hosted by Brie Evantee (Blanchett) and Jack Bremmer (Perry). But when the talk show hosts don’t take the scientists seriously, Kate loses her composer and blurts out on TV that “everyone is going to die.” In the aftermath, Kate becomes a national laughingstock and Dr. Mindy becomes a hero for being the “handsome scientist.” He eventually gets caught-up in his own celebrity and leaves his wife and family for a relationship with Brie. But, when the President’s approval ratings begin to go down, she starts to take the crisis seriously, realizing that saving the planet is the only way she will be reelected.

    Working with the scientists, the President enacts a plan to send Colonel Ben Drask (Perlman) into space to blow up the asteroid. However, just as the plan is about to work, tech billionaire Peter Isherwell (Rylance) contacts the President asking her to abort the mission, and she agrees, much to the dismay of Randall and Kate. Isherwell has discovered that the precious minerals required to make cell phones and computers will soon be depleted on Earth, and that the asteroid possesses an endless supply of the needed materials, which will make them billions of dollars in the process. Their plan is to allow the asteroid to get into our orbit, then send tiny drones to land on it and begin drilling so that pieces fall to Earth but are small enough that it does not destroy it. This news divides the country, with those against it trending on Twitter with #JustLookUp, and its supporters chanting at rallies, “Don’t Look Up.” As the world debates and waits to see if Isherwell and the President’s plan will work, Kate and Randall try to pick up the pieces of their own personal lives, which have been devastated by their new-found celebrity.

    Writer and director Adam McKay, who began his career helming Will Ferrell comedies like ‘Anchorman’ and ‘Talladega Nights,’ made a stark turn to political satire with 2015’s brilliant ‘The Big Short,’ which earned him an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He followed it up with the 2018 biopic ‘Vice,’ which also earned him Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. ‘Don’t Look Up’ is not quite as good as ‘The Big Short,’ which in my opinion is a recent classic. But it is a much stronger film than ‘Vice,’ which was a slow movie that was really only carried by Christian Bale’s commanding performance as former Vice President Dick Cheney. Basically, using the plot of ‘Armageddon’ as a mirror to the pandemic and how our divided country became more divided because of a worldwide health crisis, was a stroke of brilliance and creates the poignant comedy of the film.

    McKay’s script also spoofs several real-life people, as Streep and Hill are clearly playing Donald Trump and Jared Kushner, respectively, Cate Blanchett is a version of cable news hosts Megan Kelly and Mika Brzezinski, and DiCaprio’s Dr. Mindy is a substitute for Anthony Fauci. But while the world of ‘Don’t Look Up’ clearly mirrors our own, McKay makes it clear that this is a fictional universe as comedian Sarah Silverman and journalist Ashleigh Banfield play characters similar to whom they really are, a podcast host and a reporter, respectively, but are given fictional names to demonstrate that this is not happening in “our” world yet, but it certainly could.

    While I loved almost all of the performances, let me start with the one I liked the least, and that was Mark Rylance. The Oscar winner is playing Peter Isherwell as a Steve Jobs/Jeff Bezos/Elon Musk type of character, and he does it quite well, except he’s basically playing the same role he did in ‘Ready Player One.’ Since the characters are so similar, I would have appreciated another casting for Isherwell, or at the very least having Rylance portray the character in a different way.

    Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio give very strong comedic performances and have a nice chemistry together in the film. They both balance the comedy and drama well, but it’s DiCaprio who is surprisingly hilarious as a decent family man who gets wrapped up in his own celebrity. Lawrence’s character is a little one-note for the first half of the film but reaches a new level when paired with Timothée Chalamet in the third act. Rob Morgan (Mudbound) is also worth mentioning and is very good as a scientist who helps Randall and Kate.

    Tyler Perry and Cate Blanchett steal every scene they are in as a mock-version of MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe,’ but it’s Blanchett who is truly wonderful as a news anchor more obsessed with power and celebrity than the truth. She is the character that tries to corrupt Dr. Mindy and challenges his values, and the actress is great opposite DiCaprio. I think Blanchett’s performance is so good that she would definitely be nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar if it wasn’t for one thing … and that one thing is Meryl Streep!

    Meryl Streep’s brilliant and commanding performance as essentially a female version of Donald Trump is all anyone is going to talk about after seeing this film and unfortunately, it will take the oxygen out of any conversation that might have taken place about nominating Blanchett. In some ways, correctly so, as Streep is certainly the comedic centerpiece of this film and gives a completely believable over-the-top performance. Streep will probably get a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role, as she usually gets nominated for just about every film she makes. But this time it will be well deserved as the movie only works if you buy into her ridiculous character, which thanks to her performance, you do.

    I also have to mention Jonah Hill, who as the President’s son and Chief of Staff, gives one of the most sarcastic, funny yet mean-spirited performances of his career. The actor creates a pathetic and outrageously obnoxious character that you absolutely hate but still look forward to seeing in every scene he’s in because you know he’ll have the funniest lines. In the end, Adam McKay has delivered another funny, smart, and poignant political satire, the kind of movie that is not made much anymore, that features strong performances and an important story that reflects our own society.

    ‘Don’t Look Up’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.

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  • Movie Review: ‘Being the Ricardos’

    Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem in 'Being the Ricardos'
    Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem in ‘Being the Ricardos’

    Currently, in theaters, before streaming on Amazon Prime December 21st, is the biopic ‘Being the Ricardos,’ which was written and directed by Oscar-winner Aaron Sorkin (‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’). The film follows the working and personal lives of legendary television pioneers Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, as the married couple try to produce their hit show ‘I Love Lucy’ the same week Ball is accused of being a communist during the height of the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s.

    The movie boasts a stellar cast of actors that includes Oscar-winners Nicole Kidman (‘The Hours”) as Lucille Ball and Javier Bardem (‘No Country for Old Men’) as Desi Arnaz, respectively, as well as Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons (‘Whiplash’), Nina Arianda (‘Stan & Ollie’), Tony Hale (‘Toy Story 4’), Alia Shawkat (‘The Runaways’), and Clark Gregg (‘Avengers’). The result is a brilliant, moving and entertaining movie that illuminates Ball and Arnaz’s groundbreaking work and difficult marriage, while featuring Oscar worthy performances from Kidman, Bardem, and Simmons.

    The film begins like a documentary with several interviews from former ‘I Love Lucy’ writers, now in their 80s, narrating the story, which then cuts to the set of the series in the 1950s and focuses on a specific week in history. As the movie begins, ‘I Love Lucy’ is the most popular show on television and Lucy and Desi have become the biggest stars in Hollywood. But trouble begins when it is reported on the radio that Lucy is a former member of the communist party, which happens at the height of both her fame and McCarthyism. Fearing that it is true, the heads of the network and the advertisers meet with Desi, who assures them it was just a mistake, and that Lucy simply checked the wrong box. But Lucy would rather have the country know the truth, that she was influenced by an Uncle, rather than think she made a “ditzy” mistake.

    Meanwhile, Lucy is also dealing with her new-found fame, Desi’s adulteress behavior and being pregnant, which also threatens the future of the show. Understandably stressed out, Lucy focuses on work, taking time to make sure everything on the show is done right, which begins to anger the director, writers, and other cast members. Lucy’s co-star, Vivian Vance (Arianda) is battling her own demons playing the “frumpy friend” on the series, fighting to have her character appear “prettier” on the show. While Lucy’s other co-star, William Frawley (Simmons) has a hard time staying sober through the day, he also hates communists but sympathizes with Ball instead of condemning her. The story culminates with the production of that week’s episode and Lucy discovering if America will still love her or not when they discover the truth. The film also flashes back periodically to important moments from Ball and Arnaz’s lives, including how they met and fell in love, and what led to their career resurgence and the creation of ‘I Love Lucy.’

    I’ve been a fan of Aaron Sorkin for a long time. The first play I ever read was ‘A Few Good Men,’ and I was a huge fan of ‘The West Wing.’ While he did not direct them, I love many of the movies that have been made from his screenplays, including ‘Charlie Wilson’s War,’ ‘Moneyball,’ ‘Steve Jobs,’ and ‘The Social Network,’ for which he won Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards. However, his first directorial effort, 2017’s ‘Molly’s Game’ didn’t work for me. The dialogue and characters were great, but cinematically I was not impressed. That changed with last year’s ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7,’ which was visually stunning but still had the weight of strong characters and fascinating dialogue.

    But ‘Being the Ricardos’ is Sorkin’s best work yet as a director, creating an almost flawless movie that seemingly jumps time periods without ever losing the audience or the themes of the story. The writer/director also hits on many themes from the 1950s that still resonate today, like political fear and women’s rights, through the lens of Ball’s unusual predicament. I expect the film is in the running to receive Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay nominations, and maybe even a Best Director nomination for Sorkin too, at the 2022 Academy Awards.

    The supporting cast is terrific with a lot of familiar TV faces to recognize including ‘Arrested Development’s Tony Hale and Alia Shawkat, ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Clark Gregg, and even ‘Alice’s Linda Lavin as the older version of writer Madelyn Pugh. While she will probably get left out of this year’s Oscar race, actress Nina Arianda should definitely not be! She gives a tremendous supporting performance as Vivian Vance and brings a lot of humanity and vulnerability to the role. But I’m really hoping J.K. Simmonds will get an Oscar nomination this year for his role as William Frawley. You think that the usually drunk and crusty Frawley is going to be an antagonist to Ball in the beginning, but he becomes one of her strongest supporters thanks to a beautiful and earnest performance from Simmons.

    But there is no doubt in my mind that Kidman and Bardem will receive Oscar nominations for their performances in ‘Being the Ricardos’ this year. Bardem will have a tough time winning, since this is “Will Smith’s year,” but Kidman could very well win her second Academy Award for this performance, but she will have to beat front-runner Kristen Stewart first. Bardem is absolutely mesmerizing as Desi Arnaz and gives one of the most multifaceted performances of his career, both singing and dancing as the charismatic performer. I can’t say I’ve always been a Nicole Kidman fan, but she was nothing short of incredible as Lucille Ball. She was so good that there were times I actually forgot I was watching Kidman and thought it was Ball, and that’s probably the best compliment you can give an actor that is portraying a real person. Kidman perfectly captures the drive, confidence and determination it took for Ball to become the legend she is, and has wonderful onscreen chemistry with Bardem.

    In the end, ‘Being the Ricardos’ hits a new level for Aaron Sorkin as a filmmaker and is fairly close to a perfect film. It’s entertaining, moving, funny, and tells a true story that still feels relevant today.

    ‘Being the Ricardos’ receives 5 out of 5 stars.

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  • Movie Review: ‘Nightmare Alley’

    Rooney Mara and Bradley Cooper in 'Nightmare Alley'
    Rooney Mara and Bradley Cooper in ‘Nightmare Alley’

    Opening in theaters on December 17th is the new neo-noir thriller from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro entitled ‘Nightmare Alley,’ which is based on the novel of the same name by William Lindsay Gresham. The film stars Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper (‘A Star is Born’) as a 1940s carnival con-man turned famous mentalist who meets his match in a psychiatrist played by Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (’Blue Jasmine’).

    In addition to Cooper and Blanchett, the movie also features an impressive cast that includes Academy Award nominees Rooney Mara (‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’), Toni Collette (‘The Sixth Sense’), Willem Dafoe (‘Platoon’), Richard Jenkins (‘The Shape of Water’), and David Strathairn (‘Good Night, and Good Luck), as well as Academy Award winner Mary Steenburgen (‘Melvin and Howard’). The result is another absolute masterpiece from Guillermo del Toro, a visually stunning and extremely disturbing movie that actually gets better the more you think about it after viewing, which features Bradley Cooper in the best performance of his career thus far.

    The film begins by introducing us to a mysterious drifter named Stan (Cooper), who gets a job at a carnival doing odd jobs in the early 1940s. One of his jobs includes working with Clem (Dafoe) running the “freak show.” The “freak,” as Clem explains, is a “fake,” and is actually just a local drunk that they bribe with booze to eat live chickens in front of an audience. Eventually, Stan befriends Pete (Strathairn) and Zeena (Collette), who are “mentalists” at the carnival, but are actually just con-artists. Pete begins teaching Stan some of his tricks, but Stan wants to learn more and attempts to read Pete’s book of secrets. Stan soon starts a relationship with Molly (Mara), who plays the “electric lady” in the show. When a local sheriff threatens to close down the carnival, Stan steps up and uses his new “powers” to convince the cops to let them go. Stan and Molly eventually marry and leave the carnival to start an act of their own.

    The film then flashes forward several years, and we find the couple performing a successful “mentalist” act for wealthy socialites in the big city. Stan and Molly now have a very extravagant life, living in hotels and driving fancy cars, a long way from their carnival days. Molly is happy, but yearns for more attention from Stan, who is obsessed with his own fame and ambition. The trouble begins during one of their performances, when a psychiatrist named Dr. Lilith Ritter (Blanchett) challenges Stan and is skeptic of his abilities. Stan is able to “con” his way out of it but becomes captivated with Lilith and eventually becomes seduced by her to con wealthy businessman, Ezra Grindle (Jenkins). But when the con goes wrong, it will threaten not only Stan’s relationship with Molly and everything he’s achieved, but it will also threaten his life.

    With ‘Nightmare Alley,’ director Guillermo del Toro is able to infuse the film with all the strange elements of the macabre he loves including societal outcasts and the supernatural, which creates a tone and a mood that is completely del Toro’s own. While based on the original novel, technically it is a remake, since the source material was first adapted into the 1947 movie starring Tyrone Power. However, del Toro has made a film that stands completely on its own, and in many ways is his most very personal movie.

    I have to admit, I wasn’t really sure how much I enjoyed the movie while I was actually watching it, but I have not been able to stop thinking about it since I saw it, and the movie just gets better the more I relive it in my head. Del Toro has a vision that is truly unique to him, and the Oscar winning filmmaker masterfully builds the suspense and mystery throughout the film. While I did guess the twist ending before it happened, I believe del Toro spread clues throughout the movie like breadcrumbs, so the audience could play along and “solve the mystery” before the conclusion was actually revealed. This gives the entire story a “predetermined nature,” in a sense saying that there was nothing Stan could do, he was always destined for this outcome, something that the character shockingly says out loud in the movie’s final moments.

    Del Toro filled the film with some of the best character actors working today including Richard Jenkins, Tim Blake Nelson, Clifton Collins Jr., Mary Steenburgen and, del Toro’s constant collaborator, Ron Perlman. Willem Dafoe feels right at home playing the untrustworthy Clem, who is really our introduction to the carnival world. But it’s Toni Collette and David Strathairn as Stan’s mentalist mentors Zeena and Pete Krumbein, respectively, who really stand out. Collette gives a warm yet vulnerable performance, while you sympathize with Strathairn’s down-on-his-luck character. Rooney Mara is also wonderful as Molly, the best thing that ever happened to Stan, unfortunately he doesn’t know it. Mara plays her character with a sweetness and a naïveté that is in stark contrast to Stan’s unbridled ambition.

    Coming off of very strong performances this year in both ‘The French Dispatch’ and ‘Don’t Look Up,’ Cate Blanchett gives another marvelous turn that could earn her an Oscar nomination. As Dr. Lilith Ritter, Blanchett is cold and calculating, and every bit of a match for Stan. Blanchett’s role embodies the idea of a Femme Fatale, and the actress is excellent at conveying her character’s motivations in the subtlest of ways. The actress is absolutely electrifying in the role and has great chemistry with Cooper. But it’s Bradley Cooper’s magnetic, powerhouse performances that really makes ‘Nightmare Alley’ worth seeing. Cooper puts on a masterclass of acting and absolutely loses himself in the role.

    I absolutely loved ‘A Star is Born’ and thought Cooper deserved an Oscar for that role, but this is easily the best work of his career. While we all know that it has been predetermined that this is “Will Smith’s year,” and that he will definitely win an Oscar for ‘King Richard,’ I wouldn’t be cleaning off the mantelpiece just yet if I was the former-Fresh Prince as Cooper could definitely give Smith a run for his money this coming award season. Cooper’s performance is multi-layered, as playing Stan requires him to really portray three different types of characters at once, including a mysterious but ambitious young man, a successful socialite, and a washed up drunk. The actor excels at portraying all three aspects of the character and delivers a believable, well-rounded performance.

    In the end, ‘Nightmare Alley’ may be based on previous source material but feels completely like it originated in the head of Guillermo del Toro. The material is synonymous with the filmmaker’s sensibilities and is a haunting piece of neo-noir cinema, grounded by an outstanding performance from Bradley Cooper.

    ‘Nightmare Alley’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.

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  • Movie Review: ‘C’mon C’mon’

    Joaquin Phoenix in 'C'mon C'mon'
    Joaquin Phoenix in ‘C’mon C’mon’

    Currently playing in theaters is the new comedy-drama ‘C’mon C’mon’ from writer and director Mike Mills (‘Beginners’). Shot in black-and-white, the film stars Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix (‘Joker’) as a documentary journalist who agrees to take care of his estranged sister’s son while she helps her ex-husband, who is battling mental illness. In addition to Phoenix, the film also stars Gabby Hoffman (‘Field of Dreams’), Scott McNairy (‘Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice’), and newcomer Woody Norman. The result is a sweet and emotional film, beautifully directed by Mike Mills, and featuring a quiet but strong performance from Joaquin Phoenix.

    ‘C’mon C’mon’ stars Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny, an NPR-type radio journalist traveling the country interviewing children about their hopes and dreams. He hasn’t spoken to his sister, Viv (Hoffman), since their mother died, but suddenly receives a call from her. She asks Johnny if he can come to Los Angeles and take care of her nine-year-old son, Jesse (Norman), while she goes up state to help her ex-husband (McNairy) who suffers from mental illness. Jesse is a very obnoxious young boy and gets on Johnny’s nerves as he continuingly asks him to talk about his personal life, which he is reluctant to do. When Paul’s condition worsens, and Viv is forced to stay longer, she agrees to let Johnny take Jesse to New York and eventually New Orleans, so he can finish his work. As the uncle and nephew begin to form a deep bond, Johnny starts to open up to Jesse about his past, why he hasn’t spoken to Viv since their mother’s passing, and why he isn’t married. Johnny also learns the challenges of raising a young child and worries that Jesse may one day suffer from the same issues as his father.

    Writer/director Mike Mills is probably best known for his 2010 film ‘Beginners,’ which earned Christopher Plummer a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, as well as his 2016 movie ‘20th Century Woman,’ which earned Mills an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. ‘C’mon C’mon’ is similar to ‘Beginners,’ as it is a character driven drama about estranged family members who come together over adversity. Mills has a wonderful ability of getting very touching and emotional performances from his actors, and the choice to shoot in black-and-white gives the movie a specific style that is more intimate than using color. Mills allows the audience to feel like they are in the room with the characters, understanding their emotions and motivations. Mills also navigates the subject of mental illness well, with respect, dignity and class.

    The screenplay is fantastic, with honest dialogue that is extremely relatable. Mills made an excellent choice in having Phoenix’s character be a documentary journalist whose latest project focuses on children. This allows an interesting contrast between Johnny talking to children for a living, and then struggling to communicate with his own nephew. It’s also interesting that Johnny asks others to open up about their personal lives, but yet is so guarded around his own family. Interestingly, Molly Webster, who plays Johnny’s co-worker Roxanne, is the real-life Senior Correspondent for WNYC’s Radiolab, which might explain why the podcast scenes seem so realistic. As he did with ‘Beginners,’ Mills shows a side of Los Angeles that is not often seen on screen, shooting in the quiet suburbs rather than the concrete jungle of downtown. The music in the movie is also excellent, with a lovely score by Aaron and Bryce Dessner, not to mention Robbie Ryan’s phenomenal cinematography.

    Young actor Woody Norman plays a challenging and pivotal role as Jesse, as most of the film’s drama revolves around him and his relationship to Johnny. The character must be both annoying and loveable at the same time, a difficult performance for any actor to pull off, and Norman excels at it. While Jesse is obnoxious at first, you sympathize with his situation and begin to fall in love with the character the same way Johnny does. Actor Scoot McNairy has a very small role, but it is also pivotal, playing Jessie’s dad and struggling with mental illness. McNairy delivers a great performance, even though he is on-screen for a short amount of time. Actress Abbey Hoffman gives a terrific performance as Viv and is great opposite all three of her male co-stars. You really sympathize with her character when she is dealing with her ex-husband’s disease, and you also feel her equal frustration and love for Jessie. But her strongest scenes are with Phoenix, as the mystery of their estranged relationship is at the core of the film’s story.

    But the movie really belongs to Joaquin Phoenix, who, coming off his Best Actor win at the Academy Awards for ‘Joker,’ gives another commanding and extremely vulnerable performance. As Johnny, you really get the idea that Phoenix is showing us the real “Joaquin,” or at least as much as the enigmatic actor is willing to. Phoenix is known for disappearing behind a role, like in ‘Joker’ or ‘The Master,’ but there is nowhere to hide in ‘C’mon C’mon’ as the actor wears his heart on his sleeve in almost every scene. Phoenix is also great working off of Norman’s manic energy, as well as creating a mysterious past with Hoffman’s Viv, which is reveled in flashbacks. While Phoenix has several strong scenes with Norman, his best comes towards the end of the film, when Jesse has finally worn Johnny down, and he tells him about the love of his life and how he lost her. Phoenix is at his rawest in this moment and is completely in command of the scene.

    In the end, ‘C’mon C’mon’ is a throwback to the classic independent films of the 90s and is an emotionally heartwarming movie with stellar performances from Phoenix and the rest of the ensemble cast. While it is definitely a long shot in the upcoming awards season, I wouldn’t be surprised if Phoenix’s performance is rewarded with an Oscar nomination, as well as a Best Original Screenplay nom for Mills. But even if the Academy does not recognize the film, I expect it will nab quite a number of nominations at the upcoming Independent Spirit Awards.

    ‘C’mon C’mon’ receives 4.5 out of 5 stars

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  • Movie Review: ‘West Side Story’

    (L to R) Ezra Menas, Ben Cook, Sean Harrison Jones, Mike Faist, Patrick Higgins, Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, David Alvarez, Julius Anthony Rubio, Ricardo Zayas, Josh Andrés Rivera, Sebastian Serra, and Carlos Sánchez Falú in 'West Side Story'
    (L to R) Ezra Menas, Ben Cook, Sean Harrison Jones, Mike Faist, Patrick Higgins, Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, David Alvarez, Julius Anthony Rubio, Ricardo Zayas, Josh Andrés Rivera, Sebastian Serra, and Carlos Sánchez Falú in ‘West Side Story’

    Opening in theaters on December 10th is the new musical remake ‘West Side Story,’ which is based on the Broadway play and the original 1961 film of the same name. Directed by Oscar winner Steven Spielberg (‘Schindler’s List) and written by Oscar winner Tony Kushner (‘Lincoln’), the film tells the story of teenagers Tony and Maria, who are both affiliated with rival street gangs in 1950s New York. The movie boasts a strong cast of actors including Ansel Elgort (‘Baby Driver’), Rachel Zegler (‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’), Ariana DeBose (‘The Prom’), David Alvarez, Mike Faist (‘Touched with Fire’), Brian d’Arcy James (‘Spotlight’), Corey Stroll (‘Ant-Man’), and Academy Award winner Rita Moreno (the original ‘West Side Story’). The result is a fairly satisfying and visually stunning remake, with some strong performances, which ultimately does not work because there is nothing really new to separate it from its predecessor.

    In 1950s New York, two gangs of teenagers, the white Jets, and the Puerto Rican Sharks, struggle for control of the Upper West Side, which will be remodeled soon to become Lincoln Center. The Jets are led by Riff (Faist), and the Sharks are led by Bernardo (Alvarez). After a fight between the two gangs, Rif wants to challenge the Sharks to a rumble, and asks his friend, Tony (Elgort) for help. Tony is a founding member of the Jets, but after nearly killing a boy in a fight, just served a year in prison and wants nothing to do with gang-life. With no family of his own, Tony works at the local drugstore and lives there with its owner, Valentina (Moreno). Tony agrees to go to a local dance with Riff, where the Jets will challenge the Sharks to a rumble.

    Meanwhile, Bernardo’s sister, Maria (Zegler), and his girlfriend Anita (DeBose), are getting ready for the dance. Bernardo brings his friend, Chino (Josh Andres Rivera) as Maria’s date, and reluctantly she agrees to go with him. At the dance, Tony and Maria meet, and quickly fall in love. But their time together is short, as Rif challenges Bernardo and the Sharks to a rumble set for the following night. Tony follows Maria home, and eventually they decide to run away together. But before that happens, the rumble takes place and quickly escalates to a tragic degree, leaving Tony and Maria unsure if they can ever actually be together.

    I am not the biggest Steven Spielberg fan, but I do recognize him as one of the greatest film directors of all-time, and I have enjoyed several of his recent films, including ‘The Post,’ ‘Ready Player One,’ and ‘Minority Report.’ So, it surprised me that ‘West Side Story’ is basically a shot-for-shot remake of what is widely considered the greatest movie musical of all-time. Spielberg does not update the story, other than casting culturally appropriate actors, and giving a new role to Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the original movie. Other than that, pretty much everything is exactly the same, and it makes me wonder who is this movie for? And why wouldn’t you just watch the original?

    That being said, it is interesting to watch the “Spielbergian” version, equipped with a very well-polished screenplay by Tony Kushner. Again, he’s just adapting the already brilliant material, loosely based on William Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo & Juliet,’ but the dialogue and tone is excellent nonetheless. The color pallet of the film is extraordinary and definitely has that “Spielberg feel.” Tony Award-winning Broadway choreographer Justin Peck did an excellent job with the dance sequences, although, dancing knife fights didn’t really work on-screen in 1961, and they still don’t work today. Some of the best parts of the movie are the musical numbers, but again, nostalgia plays a big part in those sequences too.

    The cast on a whole is quite good, but let’s begin by addressing the elephant in the room: Ansel Elgort. The actor is way out of his depth in this role, and his biggest challenge is caring the weight of the story with conviction, which at times he is unable to do. Elgort is a charming actor, and I really enjoyed him in ‘Baby Driver,’ but in ‘West Side Story’ there are serious moments where you feel like the actor is just on the verge of a smirk, and doesn’t understand the gravity of the situation his character is in. Elgort’s charm works to make the character likable, but at times he comes off a bit aloof, and you begin to wonder what Maria is making such a big deal about?

    In complete contrast, Rachel Zegler is adorable as Maria, and beautifully captures the character’s hopes and dreams. She is wonderful in the singing and dancing scenes, and I think this film will be a launching pad for a very successful career. Similarly, Mike Faist was really good as Riff, and brought a slick and believable street-smarts to his part. Just like in the original, the character of Anita is the true show-stopper, and Ariana DeBose takes over the role Rita Moreno won her Oscar for with class and grace. The actress has an amazing singing voice, and sparkles in Anita’s signature song, ‘America.’ Supporting actors Brian d’Arcy and Corey Stroll give strong performances as usual and bring a lot of humor to the film.

    In some ways, the film really feels like a love letter to Rita Moreno, who is also a producer on the project. Changing the role of Doc to his widow, Valentina, and casting Moreno is the smartest and only original thing the movie really did. It was also brilliant to have Moreno sing the musical’s signature song, ‘Somewhere,’ instead of Tony and Maria, as it would have been a shame to have Moreno in the movie and not sing. The legendary actress gives a very strong performance, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Academy voters show the icon some love come Oscar time. In the end, Steven Spielberg has delivered a beautiful and visually stunning, but unnecessary remake of an all-time classic without offering anything truly new or exciting to entice the audience.

    ‘West Side Story’ receives 2.5 out of 5 stars.

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  • ‘Jurassic World Dominion’ Prologue Goes All the Way Back to the Cretaceous

    Jurassic World Dominion

    Universal Pictures has released an online teaser for the upcoming ‘Jurassic World Dominion,’ entitled ‘The Prologue.’ The trailer, which was originally released on IMAX screens with ‘F9’ last summer does something no other ‘Jurassic Park’ movie has ever done, depict dinosaurs in their natural habitat over 65 million years ago, before jumping to present day to see a T. rex terrorizing a drive-in movie theater.

    Very little is known at this point about the plot of ‘Dominion,’ except that it will pick up where ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ left off, with cloned dinosaurs running wild through our modern society. Filmmaker Colin Trevorrow, who directed 2015’s ‘Jurassic World,’ is set to return for ‘Dominion’ after sitting out ‘Fallen Kingdom.’

    The Prologue is five and a half minutes long and begins over 65 million years ago, showing several types of ancient species living together in peace… that is, until we see a T. rex attack another T. rex and kill it by biting its neck. We then see what appears to be a mosquito bite the dead T. rex and fly away, which is of course what led to the dinosaur cloning we see in the first film.

    The trailer then jumps ahead 65 million years, to what appears to be present day, as a helicopter chases a T. rex to a drive-in movie theater, which is playing a double feature of ‘American Graffiti’ and ‘Flash Gordon.’ The drive-in theaters’ double feature and the retro clothes on the theater patrons might lead some to believe that this scene takes place in the early 80s, before the events of the first ‘Jurassic Park, but that theory is shot down when Chris Pratt appears, indicating that this is present day. It’s also worth mentioning that the movies shown at the theater could be a nod to original ‘Jurassic Park’ director Steven Spielberg, who’s best friend, George Lucas, wrote and directed ‘American Graffiti’.’

    During the retro “Let’s all go to the lobby” animated commercial that used to play before movie screenings, terror erupts as the T. rex arrives. Most of the patrons beginning screaming and running for their life, while others don’t even notice the dinosaur because they’re focused on watching the movie screen. Then we see our hero, Chris Pratt’s Owen Grady, in the helicopter taking a shot at the T. rex with a rifle. The tranquilizer he shoots misses the dinosaur and hits the car of an unsuspecting driver trying to escape the dinosaur massacre before fading to black.

    The new teaser begins with the Universal Pictures logo, making one think that the footage from 65 million years ago might be the way the movie actually starts. However, the drive-in theater footage could appear later in the film, unless this scene is our first introduction to Owen Grady after the events of ‘Fallen Kingdom.’ Since ‘Dominion’ is set to feature a world dominated by dinosaurs and humans alike after the events of ‘Fallen Kingdom,’ it makes sense to begin the film like this, contrasting a world before humans to now, when humans and dinosaurs will be forced to live together.

    The teaser trailer also gives us our first look at seven new species of dinosaurs never before seen in a ‘Jurassic Park’ movie, which was recently confirmed by Trevorrow to Empire Magazine. “We have our first feathered dinosaur, the Oviraptor,” the director said to the British film publication. “I feel like that’s going to be a bit of a headline for those who care about paleontological accuracy. Another one, with feathers, is the Moros intrepidus. That one showed up maybe two years ago. It probably popped up into your feed, that people found a tiny, T-Rex-like feathered dinosaur. That was one of the quickest turnarounds that we’ve had, from discovery to putting it on screen.”

    ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ is scheduled for release on June 10th, 2022 and will be the third film in the ‘Jurassic World’ sequel series, which began with Trevorrow’s ‘Jurassic World’ in 2015. That film was at one time the third highest grossing movie of all time, and currently is the sixth highest grossing film of all time following ‘Avatar,’ ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ ‘Titanic,’ ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ and ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ The series continued with director J.A. Bayona’s ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ in 2018, which is currently the fifteenth highest grossing movie of all time. But ‘Dominion’ will also feature the return of Jeff Goldblum’s fan-favorite character Dr. Ian Malcolm, after a brief cameo in ‘Fallen Kingdom,’ as well as Sam Neill and Oscar winner Laura Dern reprising their roles as Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Sattler, respectively, for the first time since ‘Jurassic Park III.’

    The original film series, which is based on author Michael Crichton’s 1990 novel of the same name, began in 1993 with ‘Jurassic Park,’ which was directed by Steven Spielberg. The film was a massive hit and went on to earn over a billion dollars at the box office and was selected in 2018 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Spielberg returned in 1997 to direct ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park,’ which was based on Crichton’s sequel novel. Goldblum and Richard Attenborough, who played Dr. John Hammond, were the only original cast members to return, and were joined by Julianne Moore and Vince Vaughn. The original trilogy ended in 2001 with the third installment, ‘Jurassic Park III.’ There was no Goldblum this time around, but Neil and Dern did return, along with new cast members William H. Macy and Téa Leoni.

    In addition to Chris Pratt, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, and Laura Dern returning for ‘Jurassic Park: Dominion’, Bryce Dallas Howard and B.D. Wong are also set to reprise their franchise roles as Claire Dearing and Dr. Henry Wu, respectively, while Campbell Scott will join the series as Dr. Lewis Dodgson, a character briefly seen in the first ‘Jurassic Park’ portrayed by actor Cameron Thor. Actors Omar Sy (‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’), Scott Haze (‘Venom’), Daniella Pineda (‘Cowboy Bebop’), and Justice Smith (‘Detective Pikachu’) are also all scheduled to appear.

    You can watch ‘The Prologue’ teaser trailer for ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ below:

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  • Casting News for ‘Blade,’ Scorsese’s Grateful Dead biopic

    If you were following social media last week, you might think the only movie news was the new ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ trailer, but there was so much more than that. We saw casting announcements for the MCU’s ‘Blade’ starring Mahershala Ali, as well as director Martin Scorsese’s Grateful Dead biopic.

    We also saw production updates on ‘Lethal Weapon 5’ and the announcement of its new director, and ‘Trolls 3,’ which now has a release date. As well as the release of eight new character posters for the upcoming sequel, ‘The Matrix Resurrections.’

    If you missed anything, Moviefone has you covered!

    CASTING NEWS:

    BLADE

    Blade

    It was reported that Disney has confirmed acclaimed actor Delroy Lindo is joining the cast of their upcoming reboot of ‘Blade,’ which will star two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali in the title role. Lindo, who received rave reviews for his performance in last year’s ‘Da Five Bloods,’ is the first actor since Ali to be confirmed to appear in the movie, although his role is still being kept under wraps.

    Of course, that didn’t stop the internet from guessing who the actor might play, which ranged from a villain to Blade’s mentor and friend, Whistler. Blade is set to be directed by Bassam Tariq (‘Mogul Mowgli’), from a screenplay by Stacy Osei-Kuffour (‘Watchmen’). Lindo can currently be seen in ‘The Harder They Fall,’ and is best known for his roles in ‘Malcolm X,’ ‘Get Shorty,’ ‘The Cider House Rules,’ and ‘Gone in 60 Seconds.’

    GRATEFUL DEAD BIOPIC

    There was great news for Deadheads as Deadline announced exclusively that legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese will direct a Grateful Dead biopic for Apple and that Jonah Hill has been cast as the band’s iconic frontman, Jerry Garcia. The film will be produced by Scorsese and Hill, as well as the remaining members of the band, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mikey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann.

    The screenplay will be written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, who are no strangers to biopics after penning ‘The People vs. Larry Flynt,’ ‘Man on the Moon’ about comedian Andy Kaufman, and the award-winning TV series ‘American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson.’ Scorsese is also no stranger to the Grateful Dead, having directed the 2017 documentary series about the band for Amazon Prime called ‘Long Strange Trip.’ The project marks the first time Scorsese and Hill have worked together since 2013’s ‘The Wolf of Wall Street,’ which earned Hill an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

    PRODUCTION NEWS:

    LETHAL WEAPON 5

    Variety confirmed that Academy Award-winning director Mel Gibson will take over for the late great Richard Donner and helm ‘Lethal Weapon 5,’ the latest installment of the popular action franchise. The movie, which will be written by Richard Wenk (‘The Equalizer’), was developed to be Donner’s final film before his death on July 5th. His widow, Lauren Shuler Donner (‘X-Men’) will produce.

    Speaking at an event in London last week, according to The Sun, Gibson talked about taking over directing duties from Donner. “He was developing the screenplay, and he got pretty far along with it,” Gibson said. “And he said to me one day, ‘Listen kid, if I kick the bucket, you will do it.’ He did indeed pass away, but he did ask me to do it, and, at the time, I didn’t say anything. He said it to his wife, to the studio and the producer. So, I will be directing the fifth one,” Gibson confirmed.

    ‘Lethal Weapon’ was released in 1987 and has spawned three other sequels including ‘Lethal Weapon 2,’ ‘Lethal Weapon 3,’ and ‘Lethal Weapon 4,’ as well as a TV series that ran from 2016-2019. It is assumed that Gibson will also reprise his iconic role of Martin Riggs, but it is still unknown if Danny Glover, Joe Pesci and Rene Russo will return to their franchise roles.

    TROLLS 3

    It was reported in Deadline that Universal has set a release date for DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Troll 3’ for November 17th, 2023. However, unlike 2020’s ‘Trolls World Tour,’ the film will be release exclusively in theaters for 17 days before going to PVOD.

    ‘Trolls’ premiered in 2016 and went on to earn almost $350 million at the box office and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling,’ performed by Justin Timberlake. No word yet if franchise stars Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick will return.

    PHOTOS AND POSTERS:

    SCREAM

    Bloody Disgusting released a new photo from ‘Scream,’ which is the fifth installment of the popular horror franchise. Set to hit theaters on January 14th, 2022, the photo features David Arquette reprising his role as Dewey Ridley alongside new cast member Melissa Barrera. The film is said to take place twenty-five years after the original, and features a new killer wearing the Ghostface mask.

    The new film is once again executive produced by Kevin Williamson, from a script written by James Vanderbilt (‘The Amazing Spider-Man’) and Guy Busick (‘Castle Rock’) and directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (‘Ready or Not’). In addition to Arquette and Barrera, the film also stars Jack Quaid (‘The Boys’), Jenna Ortega (‘You’), Dylan Minnette (‘Goosbumps’), and Mason Gooding (‘In the Heights’), as well as returning cast members Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, and https://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/marley-shelton/1829816/main/.

    THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS

    With the forth ‘Matrix’ film coming to theaters next month, Warner Bros. has dropped on Twitter eight new character posters from ‘The Matrix Resurrections’. The posters feature the return of Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss as Neo and Trinity, respectively, as well as Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Candyman) as Morpheus and Jessica Henwick (Iron Fist) as Bugs. Neil Patrick Harris, Jonathan Groff, Eréndira Ibarra and Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s mysterious characters also received character posters.

    ‘The Matrix’ was released in 1999, followed by two sequels, including 2003’s ‘The Matrix Reloaded’ and ‘The Matrix Revolutions.’ Directed by Lana Wachowski, ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ will hit theaters on December 22nd, and also stars Jada Pinkett Smith, Lambert Wilson, and Christina Ricci.

    TRAILERS:

    SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

    And just in case you missed it, here is the final trailer for ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ which opens in theaters on December 17th.

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  • REVIEW: ‘House of Gucci’ has great performances, but feels too long

    (L to R) Jared Leto, Florence Andrews, Adam Driver, Lady Gaga, and Al Pacino in 'House of Gucci'
    (L to R) Jared Leto, Florence Andrews, Adam Driver, Lady Gaga, and Al Pacino in ‘House of Gucci’

    Opening in theaters on November 24th is Oscar winning director Ridley Scott’s latest film, ‘House of Gucci,’ which chronicles the rise and fall of the Gucci family and the empire they created and lost. The movie features an incredible cast all delivering their best, including Lady Gaga (‘A Star is Born’), Adam Driver (‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’), Salma Hayek (‘Eternals’), and Academy Award winners Jared Leto (‘Dallas Buyers Club’), Jeremy Irons (‘Reversal of Fortune’) and Al Pacino (‘The Godfather’). The result is an over-sized movie with a strong story and truly winning performances from the cast including Gaga and Leto but suffers in the pacing and falls apart in the third act.

    The film begins by introducing us to Patrizia Reggiani (Gaga), who works for her father’s trucking business in Italy. One night at a party, she meets Maurizio Gucci (Driver), the heir to the famous Italian luxury label dynasty. Patrizia is relentless in her pursuit of Maurizio, and eventually they fall in love, but he has no interest in his family’s business. Maurizio soon introduces Patrizia to his estranged father Rodolfo Gucci (Irons), who believes Patrizia just wants the Gucci money and forbids his son to marry her. After their wedding, the couple begin spending time with Rodolfo’s brother, Aldo Gucci (Pacino), who encourages Maurizio to join the family business, much to Patrizia’s delight. She then orchestrates a way for her husband to take over the company from Aldo, with the help of his incompetent cousin and Aldo’s son, Paolo (Leto). But Maurizio and Patrizia get greedy for power and betray Paolo in the process. Eventually, their marriage begins to fall apart, and the Gucci brand falls in financial trouble. Maurizio has an affair and leaves Patrizia, who turns to her psychic (Hayek) for help finding someone to murder her husband.

    ‘House of Gucci’ marks the second film directed this year by Oscar winner Ridley Scott after ‘The Last Duel.’ That’s a pretty amazing accomplishment for anyone, especially an eighty-three-year-old filmmaker. It’s no question that Ridley Scott is one of the greatest directors of his generation, with a resume that includes ‘Alien,’ ‘Blade Runner,’ ‘Thelma & Louise,’ and ‘Gladiator.’ But for every ‘Black Hawk Down’ or ‘The Martian’ there is a ‘Robin Hood’ or ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings,’ and the prolific director can be hit or miss to say the least. He’s taken a crack at the crime thriller genre before with mixed success, again, for every ‘American Gangster’ there is ‘The Counselor.’ But this time around, Scott scores pretty well by turning the Gucci family into the Corleone’s, and it works… for the most part.

    However, the biggest issue I have with the film is the length, as it would have benefited from a tighter run time and better pacing towards the end. Since it is a true story, it can be easily googled, so trying to draw on the drama doesn’t really work because we know Patrizia will kill Maurizio in the end. Where the film, as well as Scott and the cast, shine is in setting up the inevitable and really diving into their relationship and the family business. Scott also sets the tone for the decadent 80s quite well with appropriate music like The Eurhythmics and Blondie, as well as the clothes, cars, and over-the-top lifestyles. Scott also has a sharp eye for performances, and he got stellar ones out of his four lead actors.

    Jeremey Irons and Salma Hayek are both fine in the film, but have very small roles and honestly do not do a lot. I’m surprised actors of their caliber would even take roles that small, but undoubtfully it was just for the chance to work with the celebrated director. Al Pacino is very strong as Aldo Gucci and even though he does terrible things, you feel a great sympathy for him at the end, thanks to his performance. After a terrific performance in ‘The Irishman,’ it seems like the legendary actor has another chance at a Best Supporting nom this year. But the actor who is definitely getting a nomination for best supporting actor is Jared Leto for his transcending work as Paolo. The actor is completely unrecognizable, which the Academy loves, and his quite funny playing the sad and pathetic character. Much like Pacino, Leto draws on great sympathy from the audience for his bumbling character and creates a singular performance all to his own. I have no idea if the real Paolo Gucci looked anything like Leto does in the film, but the performance is original and fun.

    Adam Driver and Lady Gaga in 'House of Gucci'
    Adam Driver and Lady Gaga in ‘House of Gucci’

    Adam Driver gives an almost thankless performance in the film, playing opposite Lady Gaga, but he is definitely the anchor of the movie. Driver gives a quiet performance but is completely believable as a man with good intentions wrapped up in a world of greed and power. His accent is excellent, and he also gives a performance worthy of at least Oscar attention. But unfortunately for Driver, all eyes are on Lady Gaga, who shares almost every scene with Driver in the film and can’t help stealing most of them. Gaga gives a completely commanding performance as Patrizia and reminded me of Sharon Stone in ‘Casino.’ She creates a character that you understand and relate to, even if you can’t relate to many of her actions. It would be easy for the movie to paint Patrizia as a “gold digger,” but Gaga’s performance elevates that, so you really believe that she truly loved Maurizio, even if the money was also enticing. In my opinion, Lady Gaga is 2 for 2 after her performance in ‘A Star is Born,’ and deserves another nomination this year.

    In the end, ‘House of Gucci’ is certainly no ‘Godfather,’ but it is a decent modern-day story about the rise and fall of a family empire filled with all the drama, passion, greed and betrayal that comes with it. Ridley Scott delivers a strong film that is too long and drags in the third act but is saved by top-notch performances from the accomplished cast, especially Lady Gaga and Jared Leto.

    ‘House of Gucci’ receives 3.5 out of 5 stars

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  • Review: ‘Licorice Pizza’ Is Paul Thomas Anderson’s Latest Masterpiece

    Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman in 'Licorice Pizza'
    Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman in ‘Licorice Pizza’

    Opening in theaters on November 26th is acclaimed filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson’s ninth feature film, ‘Licorice Pizza.’ The movie fallows the story of a teenage actor growing up in the San Fernando Valley in the early 1970s, who falls in love with a twenty-five-year-old woman while working together on several different business ventures over the course of a summer. The movie boasts an excellent cast including musician Alana Haim (from the rock group Haim), Cooper Hoffman (son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman), Benny Safdie (‘Good Time’), Bradley Cooper (‘A Star is Born’), Tom Waits (‘Seven Psychopaths’), and Oscar winner Sean Penn (‘Milk’). The result is Paul Thomas Anderson’s unique version of a romcom, a brilliant and tender film about growing up, with Oscar worthy performances from both Alana Haim and Bradley Cooper.

    The film begins by introducing us to Gary Valentine (Hoffman), a 15-year-old actor and entrepreneur living in Encino, California in the early 1970s. He soon meets Alana Kane (Haim), a 25-yeard old woman working dead-end jobs with no plans for her future. Gary professes his love to Alana right away, who of course rejects him due to his age, but the two become fast friends. Throughout the summer, they audition for films together, start a waterbed company, and even work for Joel Wachs’ (Safdie) mayoral campaign. They also meet several celebrities including actress Lucille Doolittle (Christine Ebersole), actor Jack Holden (Penn), director Rex Blau (Waits), and Barbara Streisand’s boyfriend, Jon Peters (Cooper). As their friendship grows, each becomes jealous of the other when they both begin dating people their own age, and this tears a rift in their relationship and businesses together. Eventually, they both realize how much they truly care for each other.

    I’m a big fan of Paul Thomas Anderson, and remember seeing ‘Magnolia’ for the first time and thinking, “Someday, this guy is going to make the great American movie, but this isn’t quite it.” Then, less than ten years later, I watched ‘There Will Be Blood’ and said, “Wow, he did it. He made the quintessential American film.” Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the greatest directors of my lifetime, right up there with Quentin Tarantino, Spike Lee, Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson and the Coen Brothers. ‘Licorice Pizza’ is one of Paul Thomas Anderson’s best films, right up there with ‘There Will Be Blood,’ ‘Boogie Nights and ‘Inherent Vice.’ It’s basically Anderson’s version of a romantic comedy, and a sort of modern day ‘Harold & Maude.’ While the difference in age between Gary and Alana is problematic, Anderson handles it in such a sweet and innocent way that you almost forgive the filmmaker for even “going there.” It also helps that Alana rejects Gary’s attempts at love throughout most of the film.

    ‘Licorice Pizza’ also marks the second time this year we’ve seen the son of a late actor taking on a role that their father might have done had they been alive and age appropriate. We saw this first when James Gandolfini’s son Michael played a young Tony Soprano in ‘The Many Saints of Newark,’ and now with Cooper Hoffman, whose late father, Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman was a constant collaborator with Anderson. I have to admit that through most of the movie I did not like the character of Gary and found him to be annoying, but I think that was the point. I’d compare him to Jason Schwartzman’s character in ‘Rushmore.’ So, in that sense, Hoffman did a great job creating a very irritating character that you don’t really care for through a majority of the movie. But what the young actor does that is truly incredible is that he turns you around before the end of the film and makes you feel sympathy and really root for his character. You should definitely keep an eye on Cooper Hoffman, I think he is going to have a long career.

    But the big discovery in ‘Licorice Pizza’ is the brilliant and layered work done by musician turned actress Alana Haim. She absolutely lights up the screen and steals every scene she is in. She carries the weight of the film and gives one of the best performances of the year. The actress is absolutely commanding in the movie and has fantastic chemistry with Hoffman. Haim definitely deserves an Academy Award nomination, and in a very tough year, I hope she will not be forgotten. She’s fun, smart, tough, vulnerable, and makes it all look effortless. It’s also worth mentioning that Haim’s real-life sisters and bandmates play her sisters in the movie, and their real-life parents also have roles as their parents.

    (L to R) Bradley Cooper, Cooper Hoffman, and Alana Haim in 'Licorice Pizza'
    (L to R) Bradley Cooper, Cooper Hoffman, and Alana Haim in ‘Licorice Pizza’

    Bradley Cooper gives an Oscar worthy and very funny performance as an out-of-control Jon Peters. He’s not in a lot of the movie, but just enough to be considered for a Best Supporting Oscar nom. But I did find it interesting that Anderson chose to change a lot of the celebrity’s names, like Lucille Ball is now Lucille Doolittle and William Holden is Jack Holden, but he didn’t change Jon Peters’ name, and I’d be curious to know why, especially since he is the only “real person” that comes off looking bad in the film. Sean Penn is also very strong as Jack Holden and has some fun scenes with a motorcycle and Tom Waits, who is clearly channeling John Huston. There are also some really fun cameos including Anderson’s wife, Maya Rudolph, comedic actor John Michael Higgins, Sasha Spielberg (daughter of Steven) and George DiCaprio (father of Leonardo).

    While the movie is supposedly loosely based on the childhood of Tom Hanks’ producing partner Gary Goetzman, Anderson also grew up in the San Fernando Valley in the 70s and clearly put some of his own experience in the movie. The director also captures the feeling of the 70s perfectly, a changing time both culturally and politically, which the film reflects, especially with the 1970s gas crisis looming in the background. In the end, Paul Thomas Anderson has delivered another masterpiece with ‘Licorice Pizza,’ an entertaining, funny, and sweet film about the fleetingness of youth and love, in a love letter to his own youth and the city he loves.

    ‘Licorice Pizza’ receives 4.5 out of 5 stars.

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