Emotional Sendoff for WICKED: FOR GOOD

From its stage production adapted to Wicked and its followup, Wicked: For Good brings the ambitious musical full circle and provides a reasonably satisfying conclusion to a grand production. 

Branded a villain and threat to the city of Oz by the treacherous Madame (Michelle Yeoh) and not so powerful Wizard (Jeff Goldblum), Elphaba (Cynthis Erivo) is labeled The Wicked Witch while a guilt ridden Glinda (Ariana Grande) is groomed as The Good Witch to lift the people’s spirits. With an exodus of shunned animals, Elphaba is desperate to confront the Wizard to save her friends and find true love.  Glinda is torn between fulfilling her duties and her sisterly bond with Elphaba.  Can both find their own happiness amid dark times?

The film is an emotional journey that works when it centers upon the core relationship of Elphaba and Glinda.  The pervasive theme is one of unrequited love, and the story also depicts the origins of iconic elements like the Yellow Brick Road and the Munchkins.  While this magical tale merges its revisionist take with the more familiar narrative of the original Wizard of Oz, it is telling how the story, despite having the advantage of expanded, back to back films, skirts over details involving Elphaba’s fate and the evolution of major characters like the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and especially the Scarecrow.    

Lavishly produced with gorgeous sets and costumes, the film, despite its darker tone, has its redeeming moments as the dynamic duo of Erivo and Grande sparkle with their acting and glorious singing while Goldblum is splendid leading the supporting cast.  Despite any shortcoming, this is still an entertaining journey; it’s a narrative where secrets are revealed at the end with some that must remain that way.

 **** of ***** stars (for hardcore fans)

 

Third Time’s the Charm in NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T

The slight-of-hand team is back in Now You See Me: Now you Don’t, a pleasing return to form of the previous two films. (Think Mission Impossible using magic.)

After ten years, The Four Horsemen, key members of The Eye, use their powers of illusion and misdirect to punish criminal entities and evildoers around the world.  At the same time a formidable trio of talented magicians and con artists want to make their mark. When a wealthy, corporate head, Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike) plans to dominate the diamond market and strengthen her ties to the underworld, the two teams are brought together and learn to combine their unique talents.  However, Vanderberg is powerful and vengeful, and the team risks not only going to jail but their lives as well.   

In a story that spans locations from the French countryside to Antwerpen to Abu Dhabi, the adventure keeps things on a brisk pace.  The plot is convoluted and a bit contrived, but these films work due to the chemistry of the cast (including Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco) and the visually impressive, set pieces of magic. In fact magic is the teams’ superpower. The team up between old and new magicians feels earned never forced or awkward. There are some surprises and fans will appreciate a couple of call backs and key characters returning.  There are moments especially in a magician’s chateaux that feels like National Treasure. 

Just don’t think too hard about the logic of all the plot points, and you will have a good, entertaining time.  This film achieves exactly what it sets out to accomplish, and if it seems like the cast is having fun, get set for another sequel in the future!

***1/2 of ***** stars 

 

PREDATOR: BADLANDS and a Brilliant Shift

Director Dan Trachtenberg (Prey) invigorates the Predator franchise again with Predator: Badlands, an exciting science fiction actioner that not only expands the Predator universe, but reinvents the ethos in grand style.

Yautja, the Predator warriors (not unlike Klingons), have rites of passage, and Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) is the runt of his clan who has yet to prove himself.  Faced with shame and death from his family, he escapes to the planet Genna to hunt the ultimate prey, the Kalisk, which has proven fatal to Yautja hunters.  Dek realizes this hostile planet is teaming with a multitude of deadly creatures and plant life (razor sharp grass).  When he happens upon a damaged synth, Thia (Elle Fanning), the two form an uneasy alliance until the Weyland-Yutani Corporation returns with Thia’s ‘sister’ Tessa, also searching for the Kalisk to add to their bioweapons division.  As Dek fights for his life, help may come from the unlikeliest of sources.

Genna is a fully realized world with convincing visual effects (that James Cameron would envy). This is a feast for fans in its details (like the trophy wall), and smartly links to the Alien franchise. Trachtenberg knows his way around the Predator mythos and reinvents the dynamics in a role reversal where the hunter, Dek, becomes the hunted, and by exploring aspects of grief, camaraderie, and survival, the story becomes much more than honor and conflict; but also trust and compassion.  Fanning excels in a dual role, and Schuster-Koloamatangi effectively emotes through heavy prosthetics and makeup.

Don’t let the PG-13 rating fool you; plenty of non-human blood is spilled.  Imagine a movie with no humans, about a character that was previously a horrific villain who garners empathy amid a thrilling adventure. Imagine what Trachtenberg could do next?!

**** of ***** stars (add ½* for Predator fans)

 

BUGONIA and Its Otherworldly Trauma

 

Reteaming with his muse, Emma Stone, director Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things) presents a movie that is an unusual, psychological drama, Bugonia, a well-acted tale of trauma and wild plots.

Teddy (Jesse Plemons) is a conspiracy theorist who, with his not so bright cousin, Don, abduct a high-powered executive, Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone) and hold her prisoner in their remote home. They think of themselves as part of a human resistance defending against a threat from aliens, and Michelle is their means to contact their mother ship.  As Michelle attempts to reason with her captors, Teddy is shown to be one who has experienced trauma and suffered great loss.  As he counts the days until the lunar eclipse when the mother ship must depart, a startling truth emerges about his past and how his fate is connected to Michelle.  It all leads to a stunning conclusion that takes an astonishing turn where reality is subverted and turned on its head.

The strong screenplay is an exercise in unresolved conflict with echoes not unlike The Fisher King, and while it holds your attention for a good portion of the film, it doesn’t always hold together.   What the film does so well is to project a seemingly straightforward story that slowly evolves into something completely different.  Plemons registers a terrific performance with his biggest role to date as a seemingly obsessed man with secrets and a great deal of pain, while Stone excels as a complex character who has ulterior motives and hidden agendas.

Your reaction to the film will depend greatly on its remarkable, unorthodox ending which requires suspension of disbelief and understanding how Lanthimos works his narratives and takes risks, but if you are game and want something challenging, you will appreciate this atypical, unconventional film.

**** of ***** (for Lanthimos fans)

Nuclear Angst in A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE

Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) returns from a long absence with A House of Dynamite, a detailed reenactment of a nuclear ‘what-if’ scenario that is both a high-powered thriller and cautionary tale that rings true.

An intercontinental ballistic missile launch in the Pacific by an unknown power triggers alarms in the United States at early warning military stations that begin tracking its ominous trajectory toward the Midwest.  As various federal agencies spring into action, 19 precious minutes remain before a critical decision must be made by The President (Idris Elba).  When an intercept missile is fired to stop the invading missile, it is compared to “a bullet hitting a bullet”.  As frantic communications among key sources desperately attempt to make sense of their information, The President must make a fateful, agonizing choice amid a worst case scenario.

Told from several points of view in repeat succession (like Weapons), those at the highest level of government are shown responding to an extraordinary, impossible situation which has ramifications on a personal level.  Aside from Elba, standouts in the cast include Rebecca Ferguson and Jared Harris among the huge cast.      

This tense story has a highly authentic feel in the minute details and location work, and what Bigelow does to heighten the realism and immediacy involves rapid editing and hand held camerawork.  It is noteworthy that the film works as well as it does by being an updated, state-of-the-art thriller in the mode of numerous Cold War-themed TV shows (Special Bulletin) and films like Fail Safe, Dr. Strangelove, The Bedford Incident, and Wargames. 

It isn’t a perfect film especially at the ending (which may disappoint some), but it’s an effective, plausible dramatization and reminder of the constant, ever present risk of nuclear proliferation.  There are no easy answers here.

**** of *****  on Netflix

 

A TV Mom of Moms

 

Actress June Lockhart has passed at 100. Her long career covered eight decades in stage, film and television and included Emmy nominations and a Tony Award as a newcomer.  Her first film role was daughter to her father Gene Lockhart in 1938 for A Christmas Carol. She had countless film and television guest roles, but she will always be remembered as the TV moms in Lassie and Lost in Space, two shows that are near and dear to my heart.  Though I met several stars of Lost in Space, I never got to meet her, but she lives on forever on video.

Past Imperfect in REGRETTING YOU

Past meets present with emotional trauma in the touching film adaptation of the best-seller, Regretting You, a drama that is highlighted by sensitive direction from Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars) and a good cast.

Morgan (Allison Williams) and Jenny are sisters who, 17 years later, are now moms. Morgan is married to Chris and has a teenager, Clara (Mckenna Grace), while Jenny, a new mother herself, is planning to marry Jonah. Clara yearns to be an actress and finds a soulmate in Miller, another high schooler with dreams of being a filmmaker.  Life seems blissful until tragedy strikes, and Morgan’s life is not only shaken, but devastated when a dark secret emerges thst threatens to unravel her relationship with Clara.  Mother and daughter struggle with the truth and an uncertain future.

The story establishes the quartet of high school friends whose relationships grow over the years, and though the narrative does give hints of something hidden, when it is revealed, these characters’ intertwined worlds are forever changed.  The film achieves the difficult task of balancing multiple sets of relationships including Morgan and Jonah, Clara and Miller, and especially Morgan and Clara. Not only is it about rediscovering one’s true passion but, in the case of Morgan, reinvention and letting go of a painful past.  The appealing cast performs admirably especially Williams in an emotionally challenging role. 

This is a straightforward drama not without moments of humor and irony. Though parts may seem a bit clichéd and predictable, it is played convincingly and realistically as during Clara’s birthday dinner where all the principal characters collide.   Above all, what comes through in the end is the love each person has to give. How’s that for a parting message?

***1/2 of ***** (add ½* for fans of the book)

 

And Unconventional Star

Actress/Director Diane Keaton has passed at 79. This unique star had a lengthy film career that had her costar in some of Woody Allen's greatest, early films including Sleeper, Love and Death, Manhattan, Interiors, and Annie Hall which immortalized the quote, "la-de-da", garnering her an Oscar for Best Actress, and influencing audiences as a fashion icon. She was a big part of the Godfather films where came into her own as a dramatic actress. Her other major films included Reds, Looking for Mr Goodbar, Father of the Bride, The First Wives Club, and Something's Gotta Give which resulted in another Oscar nomination. In addition to directing projects like the music video, Heaven Is a Place on Earth, and an episode of Twin Peaks, she was awarded The American Film Institute life achievement award.

Tatum Shines as ROOFMAN

Based on a true story, Roofman is the fascinating depiction of a criminal with a heart of gold who is winningly portrayed by Channing Tatum in a thoroughly entertaining comedy/drama.

In the early 2000’s military veteran Jeffrey Manchester (Tatum) is struggling to make a better life for his fractured family.  He turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by entering the roofs until the police close in, and he goes to prison.  Ever observant and resourceful, he manages to escape and stumbles upon a Toys “R” Us store where he sneaks in and makes it his makeshift home unbeknownst to the staff including Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced mother.  His generous heart leads to a toy donation at a church and a chance meeting with Leigh, and the two begin an improbable relationship.  But Jeffrey’s new life cannot last forever, and when given a choice of freedom or staying with his true love, he is at a crossroads.

There is a sort of Cinderella vibe where Jeffrey leaves his unhappiness for moments of love and joy and displaying his facade. What makes this a delight is watching how he lives a solitary, idyllic existence with all the amenities a toy store has to offer including monitors, candy, and merchandise he exchanges for cash. He is clever, yet fallible at times, making goofy mistakes and barely evading detection.

Tatum is quite charming and endearing as the robber with a conscience.  He and Dunst, who has become a strong, mature actress (Civil War), make a terrific couple, and they are ably supported by Peter Dinklage and LaKeith Stanfield.  Brimming with sentiment and good will, the film builds empathy, and you can’t help but root for Jeffrey and Leigh.  It is nothing more than a sweet, earnest film

**** of ***** stars (A must for Tatum fans)

 

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER and the Legacy of Family

 

One Battle After Another, writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson’s (There Will Be Blood. Magnolia) bold statement on family amid extreme circumstances, is also one of the best films of the year.

Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio) and girlfriend Perfidia (Teyana Taylor) are part of a revolutionary group attacking immigrant detention centers and other targets. When Perfidia and detention commander Captain Lockjaw (Sean Penn) develop an unsavory relationship, the group is exposed, and Bob takes his newly born baby to safety. Sixteen years later Bob and his  teen daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) are pursued by (now Colonel) Lockjaw, who is determined to remove any evidence of an interracial relationship (with Perfidia) in order to qualify for membership to a white supremacist group. When Willa disappears, a desperate Bob enlists the help of a Sensei (Benicio del Toro).  His journey will test loyalties and reveal deep secrets that could cost him and his daughter’s life.

Anderson’s most ambitious work is an epic, outrageous drama that hearkens to current events including detention centers, white supremacy, and military intervention, and yet the prevailing theme of ‘father and daughter’ is central to the film.  Essentially one long series of chases, the cast is outstanding with DiCaprio, a standout, playing a paranoid dad and special mention to newcomer Infiniti and veteran del Toro.    

This is the work of a filmmaker at the height of his powers balancing tense scenarios with moments of humor (including uproarious scenes of DiCaprio trying to remember his group’s passwords), as he manages to deftly converge the characters’ narrative arcs.  At 161 minutes, this well paced film, shot in the Vistavision format, is constantly engaging, and it deserves to be experienced on the big screen. Expect multiple Oscar nominations across the board including Best Picture.

 ***** of ***** stars

The Madness of HIM

 

Jordan Peele (Get Out) is the producer on HIM, a film from director/cowriter Justin Tipping, and the result is a confusing, nightmare (in many ways) of a film that proves to be a disappointment.

A young boy dreams of being a pro football star like his idol, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans). As an adult, Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers) is participating in a major combine when he is attacked by a mysterious figure and left with potential brain damage. Desperate to succeed, he accepts help from his idol, White, now an aged star, who acts as an unorthodox mentor. What follows is an intense regimen including brutal workouts and psychological torture that tests his limits and sanity.  Will he be able to handle the harsh, mind numbing training (which includes blood transfusions) and still survive? It all leads to a surprising, diabolical reveal.

The story starts out promisingly about a talented athlete, and whether he has what it takes to be the best but quickly devolves into, simply put, a convoluted, surreal mess. What could have been a study on the physical and psychological sacrifice of White and the highly competitive nature of being elite, deviates into tangents and loses its audience.  Unfortunately, the only good thing to recommend here are two good performances (by Wayans and Withers) and not much else.  Certainly, there is a visual talent on display, but for what purpose and to what end? The film, bereft of a decent script, gets progressively more confusing and disturbing without a clear, rational narrative. It’s a case of wasted talent and technique.

This is a graphic study of obsession that leads to an empty resolution.  Someday, Tipping may create a more coherent, effective film. This isn’t it.  

** of ***** stars (a * for each lead actor)

MidAtlantic Nostalgia Convention and a New Venue

 

The 20th MidAtlantic Nostalgia Convention is underway at a new venue the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel in Towson through Saturday. Along with the usual vendors of memorabilia including comic books, stills, posters, records, toys, games and much more, there were the celebrities from TV and movie past including Vicki Lawrence, Hayley Mills, Bruce McGill (D Day) and Peter Riegert (Boone) from Animal House, Morgan Fairchild, Larry Matthew's (Ritchie on Dick Van Dyke Show), and more. Juliet Millls got delayed til tomorrow and Kristy McNichol couldn't make it. 

I got to meet Brad from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Barry Bostwick, and he signed my poster! We talked about his hidden gem of a film, Movie Movie and his role on TVs War and Remembrance. This Tony Award winner was very cool and gracious. I went with Laura who had a field day with the cocreator of H. R. Pufnstuf, Marty Krofft. She and I played tag team photographers and shoppers. And we saw the show runner, Martin Grams who is capping off his last convention with a bang. Thank you for the memories and the thrills. The event ends this Saturday.