1975 Films, Burgess Meredith, Donald Sutherland, Drama, Geraldine Page, Gloria LeRoy, Jackie Earle Haley, John Hillerman, John Schlesinger, Karen Black, Natalie Schafer, Richard Dysart, Satire, William Atherton

The Day of the Locust-1975

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The Day of the Locust-1975

Director John Schlesinger

Starring William Atherton, Karen Black, Donald Sutherland

Scott’s Review #1,460

Reviewed January 16, 2025

Grade: A

I love films set in Los Angeles, especially those dealing with Hollywood and/or the dark underbelly of the City of Angels. With its lights and allure, there is a murky side laden with drama, jealousy, and loneliness.

John Schlesinger’s dark period piece The Day of the Locust (1975) examines the bleak lives of several aspiring people in 1930s Hollywood, just before World War II.

The prominent themes are alienation and desperation, whose aspirations of success do not come true, emphasizing the sad saying, ‘The road to Hollywood is paved with broken dreams.’

It’s a brilliant adaptation by screenwriter Waldo Salt, based on Nathanael West’s 1939 novel of the same title. The film horrifically depicts the Hollywood film industry in all its artificial glitz and glamour.

In 1930s Los Angeles, sunny Hollywood shined like a beacon to helpless people across the city who were looking for fame, fortune, or a quick buck.

In one apartment block, blond bombshell Faye Greener (Black) aspires to be an actress, artist Tod Hackett (Atherton) seeks legitimacy, and a frightening child actor named Adore (Jackie Earle Haley) performs a grotesque homage to Mae West.

Introverted accountant Homer Simpson (Donald Sutherland) watches as society collapses under greed and ambition.

From a romantic standpoint, Homer and Tod vie for Faye’s affection in a tragic triangle fraught with jealousy and competition.

Schlesinger knows his way around dark, influential, intelligent films. He created stalwarts such as Midnight Cowboy (1969) and Sunday Bloody Sunday (1975), both unconventional and controversial, the former being the only film ever to win Best Picture and garnering an X rating.

The Day of the Locust is no different.

There is scarcely a likable character in the cast, but I ascertain that Tod is the most stable and trustworthy in the rogues gallery.

He appears grounded and the voice of reason, though he mocks Homer later on at a party, so he’s not exactly Prince Charming. He arrives to work as an art department production illustrator at a major film studio and rents an apartment in the same community as the other characters.

Gently, he places a lovely flower in a crack in the wall.

Tod is smitten with Faye, a callous vixen who beds not one, not two, not three, but four men and makes no bones about it. Not exactly a feminist, she is more concerned with rising to move star status at any cost.

We meet Faye as she works as an extra in a lavish production. She smacks gum and then snaps into character as a royal sophisticate, revealing a tacky and tawdry presence to the audience.

Later, during the grand finale, she tries to glimpse the big stars arriving in limos at a premiere event at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, one in a crowd of thousands.

She’s a lost soul, filled with self-deluded importance, desperately wanting the spotlight in whatever form she can.

Her father is played by Burgess Meredith, who nearly steals the show as an elderly, washed-up ex-vaudevillian.

Despite the outstanding performances, the production design and cinematography are flawless and seamlessly portray what life was like in Hollywood in the early days.

My favorite sequences are in the movie sets filled with pizazz, glamour, and intricacies.

The most significant scene, though, occurs at the star-studded event, a premiere of The Buccaneer, when all hell breaks loose, and a tragic death occurs, leading to subsequent bloodshed and further death and destruction.

It’s a spectacle, supposed to be the movie event of the year, with champagne and the ultimate celebration of film, but the stark nature of one’s rage overtakes the beautiful moment.

During this pivotal scene, we see the darkness of humanity counterbalanced against the glitz and glamour of movie stars.

Schlesinger masterfully takes us through this journey of human depravity with flawless ease.

The Day of the Locust (1975) is a brilliant film.

Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actor-Burgess Meredith, Best Cinematography

2024 Films, Billie Lourd, Brenda Song, Dave Bautista, Drama, Gia Coppola, Independent, Independent Drama, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jason Schwartzman, Kiernan Shipka, Pamela Anderson

The Last Showgirl-2024

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The Last Showgirl-2024

Director Gia Coppola

Starring Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Bautista

Scott’s Review #1,459

Reviewed January 12, 2025

Grade: A

The Last Showgirl (2024) is a powerfully acted and beautifully written story about an aging Las Vegas showgirl who struggles to find relevance and retain her identity after her show closes.

Pamela Anderson’s career-highlighting performance leads the film, featuring stellar acting from Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Bautista, Billie Lourd, and Kiernan Shipka in supporting roles.

The story showcases a disenfranchised and easily dismissed group of Vegas performers like Boogie Nights (1997) did for the adult film industry and The Wrestler (2008) for the professional wrestling community.

Gia Coppola, granddaughter of legendary director Frances Ford Coppola (The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, 1972-1974), has talent in her blood as she creates the proper mood and the setup to showcase outstanding performances and the underbelly of the Vegas glitz and glamor.

Coppola uses handheld cameras and mostly close-up shots, which could distract some but allow for the rawness and blatancy of seeing Anderson, mainly sans makeup.

The film is a poignant story of resilience that anyone troubled by the aging process regarding their career and livelihood can easily relate to.

Pamela Anderson is a revelation as Shelley, a showgirl who must plan for her future when her show abruptly closes after a thirty-year run. She is proud to be in Le Razzle Dazzle, a classic French-style revue at a casino on the Las Vegas Strip, and views the show as glamorous art rather than a nudie show.

Her co-stars in the show include several younger women, including Mary-Anne (Brenda Song) and Jodie (Kiernan Shipka), who view Shelly as a mother figure.

Shelly’s older best friend, Annette (Jamie Lee Curtis), is boozy and has a gambling addiction, yet maintains a close relationship with Shelly. Years ago, she was ousted from the show and now works as a cocktail waitress.

Anderson, for years known as a sexpot, blonde bombshell femme fatale type who dates rockstars and keeps in the headlines, gives a stunning acting performance.

I was floored.

With her baby voice and kindness, the character of Shelly allows Anderson to give a refreshingly raw and dramatic performance. Usually there for everyone else, she faces an uncertain future, leaving her exposed and vulnerable.

A side story involves Shelly’s estranged daughter, Hannah, played by Billie Lourd. Shelly’s attempt to reconnect with her is interesting but not as effective as the loss of her show and her struggle with identity.

Anderson’s best scene occurs at the beginning and end of the film when she is forced to audition for a modern and sexy stage show. Shelly is confident and insecure as she struts around the stage to a 1980s Pat Benatar song, clumsily revealing her time capsule world with her song choice.

Ridiculed and brutally given honest advice by the director, she nonetheless champions herself, boldly describing herself as ‘fifty-seven years old and beautiful.’

One can’t help but see Anderson stripping off her defenses and applying makeup for herself and her character, Shelly.

Curtis gets better and better with age and now accepts supporting roles with grit and mustard rather than genre roles that define her. Annette wears dated blue makeup and a hairstyle she has undoubtedly had since the 1980s but cannot be held back; she is proud of who she is.

Former professional wrestler Bautista is amazing as Eddie, the revue producer.  Having succeeded at wrestling, he has now brilliantly forged into acting with stellar results. He gives a heartwarming performance.

The Last Showgirl (2024) left me mesmerized, teary, and pondering life and the reality of getting older. It does what great films are supposed to do and left me thinking long after the credits rolled.

Thanks to several awards season nominations for Anderson and Curtis, the small film receives proper exposure and word-of-mouth credibility, encouraging many cinema fans to see it.

1988 Films, Action, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Bruce Willis, Christmas, John McTiernan, Paul Gleason, Reginald VelJohnson

Die Hard-1988

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Die Hard-1988

Director John McTiernan

Starring Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia

Scott’s Review #1,458

Reviewed December 28, 2024

Grade: B+

Die Hard (1988) is one of the best action films of the late 1980s and 1990s. Because of its success and mainstream appeal, it spawned dozens of copycat films patterned after it.

It features hunky Hollywood star Bruce Willis in his breakout role, propelling him to a box-office stronghold that lasted for many years. He would later appear in more cerebral offerings like Pulp Fiction (1994) and The Sixth Sense (1999), but Die Hard put him on the map.

Is it a Christmas film, or is it not? It can be debated.

Depending on one’s socioeconomic leanings, Die Hard can be seen as a film that puts the working-class Joe in the driver’s seat and makes yuppies or corporate types look like incompetent fools.

The film, watched decades after its making, is guilty of stereotypes and clichés. It is riddled with nearly every action film standard one-liner intended to evoke laughter, which now seems silly and contrived.

Hokey? Yes, but it’s also fun and a chance to watch the muscular and sweaty Willis run barechested for most of the running time.

Like Friday the 13th (1980), the film produced several sequels, all subpar to the original.

New York City policeman John McClane (Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) in Los Angeles on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a posh holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for.

The festivities are quickly interrupted by a group of terrorists led by the crazed but calm Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), who take over the exclusive high-rise and everyone in it.

McClane realizes that he must save the day.

John McTiernan, who directs, knows his way around the action genre, and Die Hard is easily his best. Other notable works include Predator (1987) and The Hunt for Red October (1990), so he also knows how to create an action star.

The season, the setting, and the villain are other high points of Die Hard.

The perfect setup is a glossy high-rise in downtown Los Angeles at a glitzy corporate party on Christmas Eve. Drizzling with possibilities, McTiernan adds the German terrorists for good measure and a slice of necessary Americana, a fixture of the 1980s ‘USA good, Europe bad’ mentality.

Naturally, McClane is a good old-fashioned American boy. While he initially wants his successful wife, Holly (Bonnie Bedelia), to be a traditional homemaker, he realizes she’s good at being a corporate officer.

But, the traditional and conservative mindset still shines through.

In a stroke of genius and authenticity, the real Fox Plaza in Century City was used for the skyscraper rather than an ineffectual mock set. This adds a lot to the enjoyment, and glimpses of The Towering Inferno (1974) crossed my mind.

In standard fashion, the feds, detectives, television reporters, and police officers are primarily incompetent, except for McClane. This adds to the earlier notion that the working-class guy is the movie’s hero.

Actor Paul Gleason, well-known for a similar curmudgeonly role in 1985’s The Breakfast Club, bears much of the brunt. As he callously shouts at police officer Powell (Reginald VelJohnson), he also frets at the mayor’s reaction to the handling of the situation with repeated ‘the mayor will have my ass’ remarks.

Interestingly, Powell, who bonds over the radio with McClane, is the only character to receive a competence award. The relationship between the two male cops is warm, respectful, and a high point.

The other well-written character is the main villain, Hans. Played deliciously by Rickman, he’s a baddie for the ages, cold and calm, and his deadly tumble from the top of the enormous building is satisfying to patient fans.

Die Hard (1988) centers around the good hero cop besting the bad guys from Germany in a definitive pro-American theme popular for the times.

While the terrible 1980s hairstyles, clothes, and cheesy dialogue do not hold up well, the action is, and the film can surprisingly be watched repeatedly.

Oscar Nominations: Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Sound

2024 Films, Biography, Boyd Holbrook, Drama, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, James Mangold, Monica Barbaro, Musical, Musical Drama, P. J. Byrne, Scoot McNairy, Timothée Chalamet

A Complete Unknown-2024

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A Complete Unknown-2024

Director James Mangold

Starring Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning

Scott’s Review #1,457

Reviewed December 27, 2024

Grade: A-

James Mangold, who directs the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (2024), celebrates the folk singer as a humanitarian and champions Dylan’s dedication and confidence in his art.

Mangold is well known for directing other musical biopics, such as Walk the Line (2005), which focused on the lives and careers of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. He even incorporates Johnny as a prominent character in Dylan’s film, so there is a correlation between the two films.

With A Complete Unknown, Mangold focuses only on 1961-1965 rather than a decades-long approach beginning with the events in New York in 1961.

Set against a blossoming and vibrant music scene and a decade of tumultuous cultural upheaval, an enigmatic nineteen-year-old from Minnesota arrives with his guitar and revolutionary talent, destined to change the course of American music.

He crosses paths with folk greats and his idols, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Joan Baez, and finds a niche within their Greenwich Village circle.

Like them, he is sympathetic to humanity and runs in the same circles as the Civil Rights movement and other humanitarian efforts.

Based on Elijah Wald’s 2015 book, Dylan Goes Electric! The film follows Dylan from his earliest folk music success to the momentous controversy over his use of electric instruments at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.

Timothée Chalamet is exceptionally well cast. The actor, able to play waifish twinks, a fantasy chocolate maker, or a drug addict, is just as believable as Bob Dylan. His speech pattern is adjusted, and his vocals are convincing as he immerses himself in the folk world. 

He also plays guitar and harmonica frequently during the film.

The best scenes are when Chalamet performs in a dingy open mic club or on the festival stage. The actor performed a mind-blowing forty Dylan songs, so the film was showcased on the music.

The art and set design are pretty marvelous. The plumes of smoke in bars and the cloudy, smoky settings feel true to the 1960s when everyone regularly lit a cigarette or two.

A poet, Dylan knows and loves his craft and doesn’t waver in his notion of shaking up the folk world with an electric guitar, and Chalamet successfully replicates this.

Interestingly, Mangold doesn’t explore the singer’s family life or upbringing but instead focuses on the uproarious switch from acoustic to electric guitar and the stir it caused.

While not a womanizer, he does carry on an affair with Baez (Monica Barbaro) and dates Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning) during this time. Russo (changed from Suze Rotolo at Dylan’s request) is a fascinating character since she reportedly influenced Dylan’s work during that period.

The focus is on creating the singer’s famous music rather than any demons or drama he may have faced.

In retrospect, this is a wise move by Mangold, and while the pacing of the film is relatively slow, the focus is crystal clear, and the 1960s revolution is front and center mixed with Dylan’s art.

The film feels fresh and authentic with the knowledge that Bob Dylan gave his approval stamp and served as an advisor or consultant to the finished piece. Since he had a hand in the overall product, there was a feeling of satisfaction knowing that the singer-songwriter was involved.

There are no blowup fights over jealousy, dramatic pieces about unfair songwriting credits, or other backstabbing trials and tribulations. Instead, the film does a great job of reaffirming that Bob Dylan is one of the greatest songwriters ever.

A Complete Unknown (2024) is a pleasing film, and I happily hummed ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ and ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ on the way home from the theater.

I still am.

2024 Films, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Derek Jacobi, Drama, Epic, Fred Hechinger, Historical Drama, Joseph Quinn, Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Ridley Scott

Gladiator II-2024

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Gladiator II-2024

Director Ridley Scott

Starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington

Scott’s Review #1,456

Reviewed December 21, 2024

Grade: B+

Ridley Scott, who directed Gladiator (2000), returns to the fold to direct Gladiator II almost twenty-five years later. Both are epic proportions and center on the barbaric yet luscious Ancient Roman Era.

It’s the type of film best seen in the theater on a large screen with loud surround sound. It’s bloodier than the first Gladiator.

Scott wisely incorporates snippets of the original’s ending to familiarize the audience with the events and ties a significant character to characters from the first film, both dead and alive.

The great thing about Scott directing both films is that despite the long gap between them, they feel very much aligned and have a similar tone.

When the film begins, we are told that Rome is nearly ruinous and led by tyrants. The peacefulness after Maximus’s (Russell Crowe in Gladiator) death is sadly gone.

Rome is now ruled by corrupt twin emperors, Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). They are barbaric and evil and use scare tactics to keep the masses in line.

We meet Lucius (Paul Mescal) when the emperors of Rome steal his home and kill his wife. He has unrelenting rage in his heart, and it’s revealed that he is the rightful heir to Rome and witnessed his father’s (Maximus) death at the hands of his uncle as a young boy.

With the empire’s future at stake, he looks to the past to find the strength and honor needed to return the glory of Rome to its people.

The fact that Lucius is the rightful heir and that his mother, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), is still alive and now remarried to General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) provides immediate rooting value.

Combined with the viciousness of the current regime, we want the good guys to beat the bad guys. The bloody battles and the machismo nature of the story make it a muscular vehicle sure to appeal to a male audience.

It’s that type of film.

However, there is much to see visually to titillate one’s loins. Mescal looks chiseled and cut in his gladiator attire, sweatily and bloodily fighting others to the death. His hunky nature and dreamy blue eyes only make the character a sure crowd-pleaser.

Mescal also looks enough like Crowe to make the heritage believable.

Pascal and Denzel Washington are terrific in supporting roles. Washington, as Macrinus, a motivated leader intent on having the throne for himself, is bisexual, though this is hardly explored other than one line of dialogue.

A rumored kiss between Macrinus and another male character was reportedly scrapped, and shame on the powers that be for that. Too much for mainstream audiences?

The central LGBTQ+ presence is saved for the more unhinged twin ruler in a more stereotypical form.

There is little unpredictability since we know from the start that Lucius will conquer the tyranny and save the Roman people from further chaos.

But, the violent matches between gladiators and vicious beasts and one another are entertaining to watch and enthralling in their violence.

The visuals of a mock Roman Colosseum and palatial dining areas are well constructed and look real enough to transport us to the Roman Era.

Politically, the twins are compared to present-day tyrannical rulers in office and a rogue’s gallery of appointed officials. Although it can be argued that the twins are somewhat played for laughs, the fact that dictators like this rule is scary.

Gladiator (2000) packs more emotional punch than Gladiator II (2024), but watching them in parallel would be fun. From a story perspective, they link well and have the same look and feel.

2024 Films, Adriana Paz, Drama, French, International, International Drama, International Musical, Jacques Audiard, Karla Sofía Gascón, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, LGBTQ+ International, Musical, Musical Drama, Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldaña

Emilia Pérez-2024

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Emilia Pérez-2024

Director Jacques Audiard

Starring Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez

Scott’s Review #1,455

Reviewed December 15, 2024

Grade: A

Emilia Pérez (2024) is a brilliantly unique film that uses musical numbers to tell the riveting story of a transgender Mexican crime lord, her transition from male to female, and her difficult separation from her family.

Jacques Audiard, most known for A Prophet (2009) and Rust and Bone (2012), directs this unique and brave film.

Boldly featuring transgender actress Karla Sofía Gascón in the title role, the film showcases her talents and a needed burst of transgender representation in cinema.

The film also defies genres and expectations. Is it a crime thriller? A musical? An LGBTQ+ film? It’s a bit of each with an operatic spin.

On paper, it might seem jarring to watch a film about a Mexican drug cartel set against musical numbers, but I was immediately captured.

Emilia’s character is a feared cartel leader who enlists a lawyer, Rita (Zoe Saldañato), to help her disappear and achieve her dream of becoming a woman while whisking her clueless wife Jessi (Selena Gomez) and children off to snowy Switzerland.

While officially French, Emilia Pérez feels Latin since it is set mainly in Mexico, and most of the film is in Spanish.

The film follows several women’s journeys in Mexico through liberating song, dance, and bold visuals, each pursuing their own happiness. Emilia is center stage, and Rita, Jessi, and Emilia’s later love interest, Epifanía (Adriana Paz), also have their own stories, giving it an excellent ensemble feel.

Rita is an unappreciated lawyer stuck in a dead-end job, Jessi wants to move on from her presumed-to-be dead husband, and Epifanía intends to move on from her abusive husband.

Audiard makes it clear that the women cannot escape the drug cartel world even though they’d like to. Emilia even champions a movement to identify the victims of cartel-related deaths, attempting to give back to others with her new life.

Emilia Perez is a significant victory because it’s so different, and that word kept returning to me. Rather than a straightforward transgender story, it mixes many other genres and creative song and dance numbers.

Could Broadway be in its future?

Each musical number is excellent, but two themes resonate most and support the story best.

When Emilia, now pretending to be her children’s long-lost aunt, puts her son to bed, he confesses he still recognizes her scent (“Papá”). She quietly weeps, knowing he will never see the truth.

The other theme is merged into three musical numbers. After meeting with doctors in Bangkok (“La vaginoplasty”) and Tel Aviv (“Lady”), Rita finds a surgeon who agrees to perform the procedure on Emilia after hearing Manitas’ recollections of gender dysphoria during childhood (“Deseo”).

The numbers explain the transition procedure in graphic detail while reminding the audience of the powerful emotional toll the transition takes on a person.

The film’s final chapter is an energetic and classic crime thriller with a major reveal of the truth to a significant character. A deadly car chase scene culminates in a fiery explosion and a reminder that rarely can anyone leave the drug cartel circuit alive.

The release of Emilia Perez in the year 2024, when there is current United States legislation to limit or exterminate transgender rights altogether, is a powerful reminder of why it’s essential to showcase a film like this.

Fortunately, the film’s slew of year-end award nominations has increased viewership and, thus, awareness of this critical topic.

1999 Films, Adventure, Burt Bacharach, Camp, Charles Napier, Comedy, Elizabeth Hurley, Elvis Costello, Fred Willard, Heather Graham, Jay Roach, Jennifer Coolidge, Jerry Springer, Kristen Johnston, Michael York, Mike Myers, Mindy Sterling, Rebecca Romijn, Rob Lowe, Robert Wagner, Satire, Seth Green, Steve Wilkos, Tim Robbins, Verne Troyer, Will Ferrell, Willie Nelson, Woody Harrelson

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me-1999

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Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me-1999

Director Jay Roach

Starring Mike Meyers, Heather Graham, Michael York

Scott’s Review #1,454

Reviewed December 7, 2024

Grade: C

The silly comedy franchise Austin Powers, which gripped the nation in the late 1990s, never tickled me pink like it did so many others. International Man of Mystery debuted in 1997 and provided a smirk or two, but the follow-up ran out of gas by using more or less the same schtick as the first in the series.

I’ll never forget people mimicking taglines like ‘Yeah, baby’ to delightful laughter during this time, which I found more irritating than humorous.

Mike Meyers is talented and gives his all in the title role and two others. He infuses his natural comic talents into ridiculous, over-the-top, loud characters. He also does triple duty and portrays the main villain and henchman.

He deserves props for solid performances with mediocre writing.

Poor Heather Graham, excellent as ‘roller girl’ in Paul Thomas Anderson’s brilliant Boogie Nights (1997), is reduced to a scantily clad love interest. Besides being eye candy, her character has little worth to offer, undoubtedly frustrating to the then-rising star.

The film isn’t a total failure since the visuals and makeup are to be admired. Colorful sets and groovy designs replicate the 1960s in zany design, making watching the film better than listening to it.

It also serves as a modest treat for James Bond fans since the satire and parodies give credence.

Jay Roach, the director, must have advised his actors to perform as outrageously as possible, especially Robert Wagner, Rob Lowe, and Mindy Sterling, and Meyers does so on his own.

Blessedly, the running time is one hour and thirty-five minutes.

In the second installment, British super spy Austin Powers (Meyers) must return to 1969, as arch-nemesis Dr. Evil (Meyers) has ventured back to that year and successfully stolen Austin’s “mojo,” set up a powerful laser and aimed it at Earth.

With the help of gorgeous agent Felicity Shagwell (Graham), the newly single Austin must now contend not only with Dr. Evil but also Evil’s vicious, pint-size attack clone, Mini-Me (Verne Troya).

The point of the franchise is to spoof the legendary James Bond series while incorporating a Swinging London, free-love vibe, which on paper sounds good. However, the situations play more like sketch comedy or Saturday Night Live setups than a flowing screenplay.

Even the title greedily borrows the title of the 1977 The Spy Who Loved Me Bond film.

As with many comedy or romantic comedy films, screenwriters Mike Meyers and Michael McCullers desperately incorporate bathroom humor and countless sly sex sequences for laughs.

Also, keeping with a popular theme of comedy films, celebrity cameos run rampant. Jerry Springer, Willie Nelson, Woody Harrelson, and others appear as themselves.

I like the Bond references and themes the best, but the jokes mostly don’t work.

To its credit, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) is not as bad as its follow-up, Goldmember (2002), but the gags fall flat most of the way.

Oscar Nominations: Best Makeup

2024 Films, Ariana Grande, Bowen Yang, Cynthia Erivo, Fantasy, Idina Menzel, Jeff Goldblum, Jon M. Chu, Jonathan Bailey, Kristin Chenoweth, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, Musical, Musical Drama, Peter Dinklage

Wicked: Part I-2024

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Wicked: Part I-2024

Director Jon M. Chu

Starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande-Butera, Jonathan Bailey

Scott’s Review #1,453

Reviewed December 1, 2024

Grade: A

The extravagant Broadway musical Wicked (2024) is brought to the silver screen with beautiful results. Overtaking the nation in hefty box office returns with many donning witch hats for the event, the production has enough substance to justify the craze.

It is the first of a two-part film adaptation of the stage musical of the same name, loosely based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, which in turn is based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, its sequels, and its 1939 film adaptation.

Part II will emerge in late 2025.

Powerhouse Cynthia Erivo leads the charge as Elphaba, a young woman misunderstood because of her unusual green skin who has yet to discover her true power. When conceived, Elphaba’s mother and her secret beau drank a mysterious potion assumed responsible for her nature.

Elphaba is noticed by Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the Dean of Sorcerer Studies, and welcomed at Shiz University. Her disabled younger sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode) is a new student there.

Ariana Grande plays Glinda, a privileged and ambitious young woman who is jealous of yet enamored with Elphaba and yearns to discover her talent and powers.

Elphaba and Glinda forge an unlikely but powerful friendship. After encountering The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads, and their lives take very different paths.

The film begins with Glinda (the Good Witch of the North) recounting their relationship as Elphaba (or The Wicked Witch of the West) has just died to much celebration.

Whether viewers are familiar with the novels, the 1939 film, or the stage version, the rich history is well-combined.

The colorful sets and visuals are marvelous, with luminous greens encompassing the shimmering Emerald city. The Shiz University is more pastel with muted blue and pink colors.

Aside from the story, there is so much to look at visually. Be sure to glimpse background activity during dancing or celebration scenes to notice even more particulars.

Hints of what’s to come (the Cowardly Lion, a broomstick) also can be noticed.

The second half is the better portion when the action takes off and gets to a darker place. The colors are also darker than in the first half.

Watching the monkeys start to transition and grow wings painfully is a bit scary, especially for younger children.

The side story of animals losing their rights and being caged in the beginning, when they speak and even teach university, is complex to watch and represents the current state of the United States.

Director Jon M. Chu and screenwriters Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox wisely replace humans with animals as they remind audiences of groups of people (immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community) targeted by hate.

Sadly, the world needs an ‘other,’ as the Wizard of Oz and Madame Morrible remind Elphaba. The parallels between animals and humans are readily apparent.

Perhaps to combat the hate, Chu includes gay actors Jonathan Bailey and Bowen Yang in prominent roles.

Chu, most notable for Crazy Rich Asians (2018), delivers a stunning product filled with glamour, bravura, and necessary female empowerment.

The dynamic between Erivo and Grande-Butera is strong, making their rivalry/friendship believable and layered. Erivo gets the showier, albeit in a less attractive role, but she powerfully uses her voice to her advantage.

‘I’m Not That Girl’ and ‘Defying Gravity’ have quickly become favorites.

Wicked: Part I (2024) is an intriguing and spectacular production dotted with societal questions that must be discussed further. Whether marveling at the visuals or diving deeper into gender and repression, the film has something for everyone.

2024 Films, Comedy, Drama, Emma Stone, Jennifer Grey, Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe

A Real Pain-2024

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A Real Pain-2024

Director Jesse Eisenberg

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Jennifer Grey

Scott’s Review #1,452

Reviewed November 25, 2024

Grade: A-

A Real Pain (2024) is a well-written film about life’s emotions, experiences, joys, and pains. It wonderfully mixes comedy with drama, not one genre or the other but a pot of delicious flavors forming a potent concoction.

Jesse Eisenberg produces, writes, directs, and acts in his creation, making it his own. Kieran Culkin is a revelation as a troubled young man plagued by depression and ravaged by passion.

Emma Stone co-produces.

David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Culkin) play New York Jewish cousins with seemingly minor in common who reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother.

David, a reserved and pragmatic father and husband, contrasts sharply with Benji, a free-spirited and eccentric drifter. Their personalities clash as Benji criticizes David for losing his former passion and spontaneity, while David struggles with Benji’s unfiltered outbursts and lack of direction.

In Poland, the pair meets up with a Holocaust tour group that each shares a link to the Holocaust history.

Emotional honesty among the group members and tour guide occurs during their week-long trip as brutal truths and past tensions surface.

A Real Pain is a character study with flawless writing. Eisenberg delivers an effort reminiscent of a Woody Allen film with punchy moments, neurotic characters, and cheeky humor.

Benji and David, more like brothers than cousins, admire and resent each other. Benji wishes he had what David does- a stable job, a wife and child, and peace of mind. David resents the way Benji lights up a room with his passion, quickly becoming center stage while David is forced to lurk in his shadow.

Together, the film belongs to Eisenberg and Culkin as their dazzling chemistry emulates from the screen.

From the first scene, we sense David’s frustration. He rushes to the chaotic airport, hurriedly leaving voicemails for Benji. But the carefree Benji has been at the airport for hours and dismisses David at every measure.

David is a nice guy who selflessly gives Benji the window seat and first dibs on the shower. But he secretly feels bullied by Benji’s selfishness.

David realizes that people always fall for Benji and give him a pass, which frustrates him. He essentially mocks and calls the tour group assholes but somehow is deemed ‘real’ or ‘honest.’

Benji is tough to like, but Culkin’s wounded blue eyes allow the audience to realize he is hurting and suffering from deep pain.

My only knock is why the tour guide, who is mocked and criticized by Benji, ultimately thanks him for his brutal honesty and more or less snubs David.

Compared to the otherwise honest writing, this scene feels forced and unrealistic.

Eisenberg flawlessly delivers a performance that showcases his range of emotions. Sufferingly patient, he explodes during a dinner scene, letting his emotions spill onto the table.

Eisenberg and Culkin’s great acting is showcased, especially during the scenes where they let their emotions rip. Their best scene together is atop a hotel, where they smoke pot and old wounds furiously come to the surface.

Besides the acting, Eisenberg, the screenwriter, immerses the audience in the importance of Holocaust history.

It’s not for the faint of heart. Powerful scenes of the tour group walking through  Majdanek concentration camp are hard to watch, with the knowledge that thousands were exterminated.

Led by a scene-stealing turn from Culkin and a bevy of creative talents by Eisenberg, A Real Pain (2024) is a powerfully funny, emotionally resonant dramedy that finds him playing to his strengths on either side of the camera.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Supporting Performance-Kieran Culkin, Best Screenplay

1985 Films, Daniel Day-Lewis, Drama, Gordon Warnecke, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, LGBTQ+ Romance, Romantic Drama, Roshan Seth, Saeed Jaffrey, Shirley Anne Field, Stephen Frears

My Beautiful Laundrette-1985

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My Beautiful Laundrette-1985

Director Stephen Frears

Starring Gordon Warnecke, Daniel Day-Lewis

Scott’s Review #1,451

Reviewed November 10, 2024

Grade: A-

My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) is an early LGBTQ+-themed British film directed by Stephen Frears. He would later become well-known for directing The Queen (2006).

Though the film is choppy and contains several stories, the LGBTQ+ story is one of the few in the genre that represents a satisfying and hopeful ending. Later, and admittedly, more defined films, like Brokeback Mountain (2006) and Boy’s Don’t Cry (1999), were harsher and more realistic.

The British flavor, interracial pairing, and class differences make My Beautiful Laundrette a lovely watch. But, it’s also all over the place.

In a seedy corner of London, a young Pakistani, Omar (Gordon Warnecke), is given a run-down laundromat by his affluent uncle Nasser (Saeed Jaffrey), who hopes to turn it into a successful business.

Soon after, Omar is attacked by a group of racist punks but realizes their leader is his former lover, Johnny (Daniel Day-Lewis). The men resume their relationship and rehabilitate the laundromat together, but various social forces threaten to compromise their success.

Omar’s father is an unhappy former left-wing journalist, who has turned to alcohol. Nasser’s daughter, Tania, is meant to be Omar’s future bride, while Nasser is in love with his mistress, Rachel (Shirley Anne Field).

Besides these storylines, there is a complicated relationship between brothers Nasser and Hussein, and a drug smuggling storyline.

While every story has some intrigue and shapes the structure, the male romance is not front and center enough to be completely developed.

Omar and Johnny hold interest because despite differences they connect and are truly in love. Politically, Omar is left-wing, and Johnny is right. Omar is upper class while Johnny is working class. Omar is Pakistani while Johnny is British.

Being 1985 and early in the LGBTQ+ genre, Frears focuses mostly on their romance and less on their differences. There is a brief sequence where Omar treats Johnny as a lowly employee but for the most part, they are in love.

It takes a long time to showcase Omar and Johnny making My Beautiful Laundrette only marginally an LGBTQ+ effort.

There is no mention of the A.I.D.S. epidemic which would have made it a different kind of film.

The romance between Nasser and Rachel is marvelous. They are a couple the audience shouldn’t root for but do anyway. Rachel is the other woman, merely a mistress, but why is she so appealing? Why do Nasser and Rachel connect so well?

Shirley Anne Field pours kindness and empathy into her character while Saeed Jaffrey relays his love for Rachel to Nasser. Yes, he is married but the marriage is traditional and his wife is Pakistani. We know that at another time Nasser and Rachel would have a chance.

When Tania snaps at Rachel and accuses her of being a woman who so easily lives off a man, Rachel reminds her that she does too. Rachel is from a different generation where opportunities for women are scarce.

Field makes the scene her own and wins over the audience which could have been against her.

The Rachel/Nasser romance parallels the Omar/Johnny love story. Both couples live secret lives, hidden from the world and shrouded in secrecy.

This is evident in a powerful scene when the two couples are simultaneously romantic in the laundrette. Neither sees each other at first but the audience sees both couples. This mirrors their mutual love and it’s a beautiful sequence.

While sometimes there is too much to follow, most of the material is poignant and relevant making My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) a film to recommend.

It has an LGBTQ+ presence but is not restricted to that genre offering other nice stories to the experience.

It also leaves one feeling hopeful which is sometimes needed in cinema.

Oscar Nominations: Best Original Screenplay

2024 Films, Comedy, Drama, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, Karren Karagulian, Mark Eidelstein, Mikey Madison, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Drama, Sean Baker, Yura Borisov

Anora-2024

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Anora-2024

Director Sean Baker

Starring Mikey Madison, Mark Eidelstein, Yura Borisov

Scott’s Review #1,450

Reviewed November 3, 2024

Grade: A

Anora (2024) is one of the boldest films I’ve seen in some time and is my favorite Sean Baker film so far. Tangerine (2015) and The Florida Project (2017) are also great works.

Those planning to see the film should do homework and learn what Baker films are about. He frequently directs independent feature films about the lives of marginalized people, especially immigrants and sex workers.

Baker’s films are dirty, dark, and outrageous.

Because Anora has received awards buzz and is classified as a romantic comedy, the audience at my showing seemed slightly overwhelmed by its raw nature. While there are comedic moments, they are shrouded in darkness, and I don’t think my audience quite knew how to respond.

Some cover art captured the main couple, played by Mickey Madison and Mark Eidelstein, happily dancing and depicted them with the caption ‘a modern day Cinderella story’. This is misleading to the gritty nature of the story.

Madison plays Ani (Anora), an exotic dancer and part-time sex worker at a swanky Manhattan strip club. She lives in a Russian section of Brooklyn. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets and impulsively marries Vanya (Mark Eidelstein), the childlike son of a Russian billionaire.

When Vanya’s godfather and parents catch wind of the union, they send their henchmen to annul the marriage, setting off a wild chase through the streets of New York. Vanya flees the scene, and the others must find him.

Madison is brilliant. Known for a small role as Susan Atkins in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) and a role in one version of Scream (2022), the young actress comes on as gangbusters.

Her character is tricky. We only know she lives with her older sister, and their mother lives in Florida with her boyfriend. Presumably, her father is absent, and she has had to find work to support herself. She is brassy, savvy, and intelligent. Most importantly, the audience roots for her.

Madison has an aura surrounding her, and she believably plays loving and hysterical with ease. Ani wants love but is also intelligent enough to know love doesn’t come easy and has a price. Madison channels each emotion with seeming ease.

Baker has become a favorite director of mine. He also writes, produces, and edits most of his projects. Although his films are not easy to watch, that’s what I like about them.

His films take marginalized or dismissed groups and provide representation.

Another standout is Russian actor Yura Borisov. Since Ani is the only character worth rooting for, Borisov’s character, Igor, slowly becomes a fan favorite. Assumed to be a henchman, he begins to care for Ani and strive to do the right thing amid chaos.

Borisov provides Igor with warmth and kindness in a world of chaos. I yearned to know more about the character. How did he get to be where he is? Did he need to escape Russia any way he could?

It’s hard to like the other characters, and I wouldn’t say I enjoyed quite a few, especially the wealthier ones. I yearned to leap across the aisles and smack Vanya, his mother, and one stripper who is Ani’s rival.

This caused me to react viscerally to the film and think about my emotions after it ended. Anyone who appreciates good cinema knows that the longer you think about it, the better it is.

Towards the end, Baker incorporates satisfying moments of Ani standing up for herself, especially against Vanya and his mother. This only reaffirmed the passion of her character. Even in despair, Ani remains tough and refuses to be mistreated by anyone.

My favorite sequence is at the end, during a January snowstorm in Brooklyn. A tender moment occurs between Ani and Igor where the writing, cinematography, and camera angles are beautiful.

Anora (2024) is recommended for fans of Baker’s work. He successfully and carefully weaves a tale of adventure, romance, desperation, and the haves versus the have-nots that are emotional and raw.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Feature, Best Director-Sean Baker, Best Lead Performance-Mikey Madison, Best Supporting Performance-Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian

1982 Films, Bill Murray, Charles Durning, Christine Ebersole, Comedy, Dabney Coleman, Doris Belack, Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, George Gaynes, Jessica Lange, Lynne Thigpen, Romantic Comedy, Satire, Sydney Pollack, Teri Garr

Tootsie-1982

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Tootsie-1982

Director Sydney Pollack

Starring Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr

Scott’s Review #1,449

Reviewed November 2, 2024

Grade: A

Dustin Hoffman is perfectly cast in the romantic comedy Tootsie (1982), a blockbuster hit from 1982 with much going on within its cinematic walls and a progressive-leaning slant.

Sydney Pollack directs and also has a supporting role in the film.

In addition to Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, and Charles Durning give all-star performances.

Tootsie is genuinely funny and a treat for anyone who has ever auditioned or been interested in the acting or theater professions. The popular soap opera or daytime drama genre features directors, producers, and actors intertwining.

Romance, drag, wacky setups, insecurities, and social commentary on gender inequality are analyzed making Tootsie more relevant than most romantic comedies and an unforgettable experience.

Hoffman plays New York actor Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman), a talented yet opinionated perfectionist unable to find work. His flustered agent (Pollack) sends him on a soap opera audition that goes poorly.

Michael decides to reinvent himself as actress Dorothy Michaels and wins the part. What was supposed to be a short-lived role turns into a long-term contract, but when Michael falls for his castmate Julie (Jessica Lange), complications develop.

Hoffman flawlessly merges with Dorothy, a feminist,  to make her a character the audience loves and champions. This is a risky assignment and could easily make the character a goof or not be taken seriously.

Not only does Hoffman look convincing in a dress, wig, heels, and a feminine southern accent, but he makes us forget he’s a man.

The hilarity of other characters not knowing Dorothy is Michael is there when a romantic quadrangle develops. Neurotic Sandy Lester (Garr) is in love with Michael while he is in love with Julie who thinks Michael is Dorothy. Finally, Julie’s father, Les (Durning) falls for Dorothy.

The New York setting works wonderfully as struggling actors, greedy agents, and temperamental directors co-exist on tense sets, over dinners, and at many schmoozy parties. This presents the grit of New York show business in the 1980s when the city was crime-infested and dangerous.

The hustle and bustle perfectly showcases the time.

Pollack and screenwriters, Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal, add satire to the soap opera, or as mentioned in the film, the politically correct, daytime drama, world.

The horny and inept longtime cast member, John Van Horn (George Gaynes) needs a teleprompter while the sexy ingenue April (Geena Davis) prances around in underwear. Hurried script rewrites and pages of dialogue to memorize makes the cast frazzled and rushed.

Tootsie takes an important though lighthearted approach to sexism but at least it’s recognized. Dorothy scolds her boss and director Ron (Coleman) for calling her demeaning nicknames like ‘Tootsie’ and treating Julie, who he’s casually dating, poorly.

Michael begins to realize that he doesn’t treat Sandy well either so he learns from his experience as a woman and being judged on beauty rather than anything else.

It forces the audience to realize this too. Tootsie was released in the early 1980s when women’s liberation was strong and more women were in the workplace so the message was timely.

The producer of the fictional soap opera is female which enhances the gender message brought across.

Still, the comedy takes center stage and the film isn’t a message movie. The funny moments feel fresh as the characters work their magic. Julie first assumes Dorothy is a lesbian when they nearly kiss and Sandy thinks Michael is having an affair with Dorothy which means he is having an affair with himself.

The antics go on and on and resemble the classic Some Like It Hot (1959) especially tender moments between Les and Dorothy.

Tootsie (1982) holds up well decades after release. Smart dialogue, witty sequences, and strong characters make it a timeless treasure to revisit often.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Director-Sydney Pollack, Best Actor-Dustin Hoffman, Best Supporting Actress-Jessica Lange (won), Teri Garr, Best Screenplay-Written Directly for the Screen, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Song-“It Might Be You”, Best Sound

2023 Films, Anna Kendrick, Autumn Best, Crime Thriller, Daniel Zovatto, Nicolette Robinson, Thriller, Tony Hale

Woman of the Hour-2023

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Woman of the Hour-2023

Director Anna Kendrick

Starring Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Autumn Best

Scott’s Review #1,448

Reviewed October 21, 2024

Grade: A-

I never thought of Anna Kendrick as a quality film director or even a director. Her most notable acting role was Up in the Air in 2009 and I had nearly forgotten about her until watching the Netflix film Woman of the Hour (2023) in which she stars and directs.

She impressed the hell out of me in her directorial debut and since the film industry still needs more female directors I hope Kendrick keeps at it.

Woman of the Hour premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023 but wasn’t released by Netflix until October 2024 so it’s technically a 2023 film.

Kendrick creates an intelligent work that serves as a compelling and taut thriller and a lesson in misogyny and objectification. Yes, it’s set in the 1970s and an argument can be made that society has progressed in that regard but not nearly enough as this film starkly reminds us.

An aspiring actress, Cheryl Bradshaw (Kendrick), who has had little success finding roles, is talked into appearing on an episode of the popular game show ‘The Dating Game’.

She crosses paths with a prolific serial killer, Bachelor #3 on the television show, 1978. He is Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto) who is feared to have raped and murdered over one hundred women.

The audience is well aware of the actions of Alcala since the action goes back and forth from the present times (1979) and New York City in 1971 when he presumably killed his first victim.

I felt uncomfortable from the first scene and remained this way during the one hour and thirty-four minute running time. The film was too short.

Alcala doesn’t lurk around corners or break into apartments brandishing a butcher knife. Instead, he sweet-talks the women into posing for photographs or offers to help them out of a jam to gain their trust.

Kendrick doesn’t play softball with the audience. She gets the action going with a brutal scene where Alcala takes photos of a young woman in the plains. After he gets the woman to open up about her painful breakup with an ex-boyfriend, he strangles her. He revives her, then strangles her to death.

The victim is pitiful since she is already distressed over her ex. The audience sees a glimmer of hope in her eyes when she considers she may have finally met a nice guy. There is slight trust and it’s heartbreaking to see reality strike the poor woman.

Kendrick does it again in a side story from 1979 when events finally ended climatically. A young runaway named Amy, played wonderfully by Autumn Best, meets Alcala and spontaneously goes hiking with him in a remote location.

Best, through Kendrick, plays wounded not as victimized but as a strong woman with a will to live. Hardly cowering, she instead channels energy and outsmarts her pursuant.

I was continually impressed with how Kendrick weaved a thriller with female empowerment.

As good as those scenes are, the best sequence is during The Dating Game since there is so much going on.

We see the creepy Alcala and know that Cheryl will choose him. He knows how to schmooze, capitalizing on the other bachelor’s weaknesses. After he wins, bachelor #2 whispers a warning to Cheryl.

It gave me goosebumps.

Daniel Zovatto is a standout as the killer. His facade of Mr. Nice Guy made me trust him as most people would. He appears kind, friendly, and helpful. When he suddenly turns evil the actor gives a creepy smile on par with the one from the horror film Smile (2022).

I shudder thinking about the smile and film and Woman of the Hour (2023) has followed me since watching it.

An impressive directorial debut, Kendrick has the chops necessary to continue her journey. She acts well but her director talents are her superpower.

2024 Films, Edward Berger, Isabella Rossellini, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, Ralph Fiennes, Sergio Castellitto, Stanley Tucci, Thriller

Conclave-2024

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Conclave-2024

Director Edward Berger

Starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow

Scott’s Review #1,447

Reviewed October 17, 2024

Grade: A

I was fortunate to see the Conclave (2024) premiere at our local art theater before most of the public audiences had. I anticipate those talking about the ‘twist’ at the end will be stunned. Having been told there was a ‘twist’ at the start, but not knowing what it was kept me wondering.

I’ll say nothing more about the ‘twist’.

Admittedly, the premise didn’t wow me, and I only saw Conclave because of the acclaim and awards season buzz surrounding it.

Heavyweight actors like Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini didn’t hurt.

The end product is well written, well acted, and well produced, with a tinge of push-pull between liberalism and conservativism that feels timely and relevant.

It’s based on a 2016 novel written by Robert Harris.

The story is fictional and follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, selecting the new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence, expertly played by Fiennes, is tasked with running this complex process after the unexpected death of the beloved current Pope.

Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders, most chomping at the bit to be elected the next Pope, have gathered from around the world, Lawrence uncovers a trail of secrets involving the dead Pope, secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church.

They are locked in the Vatican, protected from the outside world until the majority chooses the new Pope.

Edward Berger did a phenomenal job bringing the 1930 epic All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) to legions of audiences and a slew of Oscar nominations. All bets are that he does it again with Conclave.

The screenplay is written by Peter Straughan, primarily a British playwright. The action immediately begins with the Pope’s death, and most of it is a slow buildup, sometimes even a crawl.

Halfway through, I wondered why Conclave was receiving so much notice. After the conclusion, I could not stop thinking about it for days.

Berger/Straughan play their cards close to the pocket throughout most of the running time, toying with audiences who expect a traditional, mainstream affair before the rug is yanked from beneath them.

Usually, dramas or thrillers with a religious theme, mainly centering around questioning the Catholic Church, risk dismissal or ridicule. I’m anxious to see how this plays out with Conclave.

In hindsight, more than the obvious make Conclave worth talking about after the upside-down ride that results.

Character-driven, Lawrence questions his faith and devotion and doesn’t even want to be the new Pope. We’re not exactly sure why he wants to leave the Church. Is he involved in a secret scandal? Could he be in a relationship?

One intelligent scene mentions that a Pope should not be sure of his faith and should question it. Traditions can be tweaked for the times. A conservative leader mocks the Pope for ruining the Catholic Church with whimsical decisions embracing the current times. Another liberal leader doesn’t think he went far enough.

It’s easy to see that Berger/Straughan/Harris have Pope Francis, who was elected in 2013, in mind. Having strongly brought more progressive thought to the Catholic Church, it’s easy to see the representation.

Fiennes gives a powerful performance as a decent man who tries to do the right thing without favoritism or conflict. He is subdued but strong-willed, and the performance is understated. He gives so much to a role that could be mistaken for too little.

Volker Bertelmann composes the score, which is reminiscent of All Quiet on the Western Front. It has a soft tone, is not bombastic, and slowly increases intensity during scenes. The buildup is tense and magnificent.

Conclave (2024) is a human story about humanity and imperfection. It’s also about human complexities, mistakes, and kindness. It magnifies the scope of the Catholic Church and reminds audiences that those shrouded within its wall are not without imperfections.

It also reminds us that even the Catholic Church has corruption.

1978 Films, Amy Irving, Andrew Stevens, Betty Buckley, Brian De Palma, Carrie Snodgress, Charles Durning, Dennis Franz, Fiona Lewis, Horror, John Cassavetes, Kirk Douglas, Melody Thomas Scott, Thriller, William Finley

The Fury-1978

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The Fury-1978

Director Brian De Palma

Starring Kirk Douglas, Amy Irving, John Cassavetes

Scott’s Review #1,446

Reviewed October 15, 2024

Grade: A-

The Fury (1978) is one of Brian De Palma’s films that flies under the radar and is underappreciated. It contains many of his trademark effects like slow-motion camerawork and incorporates actors who appear in more than one of his psychological thriller films.

The story might be more complicated than it needs to be and while legendary actor Kirk Douglas gets top billing he disappears for a good part of the film before returning towards the end. He hands the reins to Amy Irving who capably carries the rest of the film.

This is a small gripe for a film that ranks pretty close to classics like Dressed to Kill (1980), Carrie (1976), and Blow Out (1981).

I’m as guilty as anyone else for underappreciating The Fury since it’s only my second time viewing it.

The all-star cast features John Cassavetes as the villain, Carrie Snodgress, Charles Durning, Douglas, and Irving. That’s enough to make cinema fans want to see it. There are also unique actors in small roles who flesh out the quirky cast in a major win.

The screenplay by John Farris was based on his 1976 novel of the same name which feels a lot like a popular Stephen King novel.

The Fury utilizes the talents of esteemed John Williams who scored such greats like Fiddler on the Roof (1971), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), and Jaws (1975), to name a few. The highly lauded composer aptly uses the music to enhance the overall product.

Events start in Israel when a plot separates CIA agent Peter Sandza (Douglas) from his son, Robin (Andrew Stevens), but the distraught father manages to see through the ruse.

He realizes that Robin is being held at an institute by Ben Childress (Cassavetes) because the teenager possesses supernatural powers that Ben intends to use as weapons.

Meanwhile, Gillian (Amy Irving), a teen with telekinesis, forms a psychic connection to Robin and teams up with Peter to find and rescue him. They are forced to endure villains intent on destroying them for their gain.

I am amazed how well the film, made in 1978, holds up tremendously decades later considering the characters play dated video games and the automobiles are very 1970s. The overindulgence of 1970s ‘stuff’ is what holds the most appeal.

Appealing is the glimpse at hundreds of extras appearing in the many exterior Chicago scenes. While Gillian and her friend La Rue (Melody Thomas Scott) stroll down the boardwalk they pass teams of regular people harkening back to a time long ago.

The unwieldy American sedans popular in the mid-1970s pepper the streets of Chicago while the sofa and carpet styles of the time are prominently featured at the Paragon Institute feeling like a nostalgic hug in authenticity.

When the character of Gillian is introduced during a high school sequence parallels to the film Carrie are immediately noticed. Carrie and Gillian are both high school students, who possess psychic powers, including telekinesis, and these powers harm people who physically touch or provoke her.

The kicker is that Irving also appeared in Carrie but not as the title character.

The best scenes are when Hester (Snodgress) is struck and killed by a car propelling her bloody body through the windshield or when Institute employee, Dr. Susan Charles (Fiona Lewis) is tortured and spun to death over a lavish dinner table setting.

The food references are plentiful, mouthwatering, and fun to track. Hester and Gillian chat and giggle over heaping hot fudge sundaes, while scrambled eggs and dinner are mentioned during other scenes.

Some plot holes or inexplicable story points like Robin’s turn into a psycho and turning on his father because another psychic will replace him aren’t as compelling as other points of the film.

During one scene Gillian has Robin’s powers transfer to her causing her body to writhe and contort in an unconvincing way and Irving looks plain silly.

Being a huge De Palma fan I’m glad I dusted The Fury (1978) off the shelf because it’s a terrific watch with an exceptional cast. It contains many of De Palma’s trademarks making it fantastic, especially for his fans.

1982 Films, Adrienne Barbeau, Camp, David Hess, Dick Durock, Louis Jourdan, Ray Wise, Super Hero, Wes Craven

Swamp Thing-1982

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Swamp Thing-1982

Director Wes Craven

Starring Adrienne Barbeau, Louis Jourdan, Ray Wise

Scott’s Review #1,445

Reviewed October 14, 2024

Grade: B+

Wes Craven’s murky swampland, Adrienne Barbeau’s cleavage, and a battle of good versus evil make Swamp Thing (1982) a titillating watch.

It is marketed as a superhero movie and contains a famous cover art shot of the ‘swamp thing’ carrying a scantily clad Barbeau across a swamp. This is warranted since it is adapted from a DC Comics character of the same name.

Swamp Thing is pure camp and makes no bones about it.

There’s not a lot that is interesting from a story perspective other than a run-of-the-mill plot. The bad guy greedily plots to take over the world with a mysterious serum and is conquered.

But, the visuals make Swamp Thing atmospheric, the bizarre romance works, and Barbeau carries the film making it an entertaining one hour and thirty-one minutes.

Dr. Alec Holland (Ray Wise) is a botanist on the verge of a breakthrough to wipe out world hunger when special government agent Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau) arrives on the scene to protect him from a threat.

A brief flirtation ensues between the pair.

Psychotic scientist Anton Arcane (Louis Jourdan) wants to steal Holland’s research for his fame. An unforeseen accident during the heist turns Holland into the Swamp Thing, an enormous plant-like creature that fights back against Arcane’s henchmen to save Alice.

Swamp Thing hints at Craven’s notoriously dark revenge film, The Last House on the Left (1972) though nowhere near as dark as that film.

The exterior settings resemble each other despite being filmed in different locales and characters frequently charge or flee the woodsy atmosphere in peril. Watching on a streaming service provided a grainy video which enhanced a rawness that helped the film look less cartoonish.

A repeated watch might need better video production to notice subtleties missed during its first viewing.

I can’t be critical of Swamp Thing because it’s an enjoyable experience.

The early romance between Alice and Alec is nice though limited. I confess to nearly being teary-eyed during a tender moment between Alice and ‘Swamp Thing’, now played by Dick Durock. After Alice is shot in the breast she is tenderly healed and held by the creature.

Speaking of breasts, Barbeau bares them during a scene where she bathes in the swamp. The intent is sensational and to showcase her ‘girls’ as much as her running around or being chained in a low-cut dress is.

Being a fan of Barbeau’s this didn’t bother me as much as it should have but where were the scantily clad men? They didn’t exist.

Also laughable is Barbeau as ‘damsel in distress’ when the actress is well known for tough girl roles like Rizzo in Grease or Maggie in John Carpenter’s Escape from New York made only a year earlier.

As she meekly cried out for help I couldn’t help but chuckle inside, especially since her character is part of a government security team sent to protect.

Jourdan is excellent as the evil Anton playing the role over the top like standard superhero villains. This proves successful as we cheer on his ultimate demise.

The musical composer Harry Manfredini also scored most of the Friday the 13th film series (1980-2001) which is easy for fans with a knack for spotting eerie yet 1980s-based soundtracks.

Swamp Thing (1982) may not be a cinematic genius but there is enough to enjoy for the average viewer, especially early superhero fans. Barbeau and Craven make the film better than it would have been without them.

1994 Films, Andie MacDowell, British, Charlotte Coleman, Comedy, David Bower, Hugh Grant, James Fleet, John Hannah, Kristin Scott Thomas, Mike Newell, Richard Curtis, Romantic Comedy, Simon Callow

Four Weddings and a Funeral-1994

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Four Weddings and a Funeral-1994

Director Mike Newell

Starring Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell

Scott’s Review #1,444

Reviewed October 8, 2024

Grade: A-

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) is a surprisingly fresh and delightful romantic comedy and one of the better offerings of the 1990s. It is likely an inspiration for Love, Actually, from 2003, which I have seen recently, and they would be paired well together.

Both are British or set in the London area and have an English sophistication often lacking in American rom-coms.

The key to Four Weddings and a Funeral’s success is the writing. Storylines about real life emerge and relatable, awkward, and flawed characters grace the page. Lovelorn audience members who may have lost love or suffered from loneliness may relate most.

This is a huge win for a genre that often plays it safe or revels in predictability. Crisp writing goes a long way.

The main couple are played by Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell and made them household names plummeting them to a successful decade in similar films, especially Grant.

Lovable Englishman Charles (Grant) and his group of friends seem to be unlucky in love. They frequently gather at parties or weddings never finding what they truly want, linking them together for life.

When Charles meets a beautiful American named Carrie (Andie MacDowell) at a wedding, he thinks his luck may have changed. But, after one magical night, Carrie, deemed ‘slutty’ returns to the States, ending what might have been a wonderful long-term relationship.

As Charles and Carrie’s paths continue to cross usually at someone’s wedding and one funeral, Charles believes they are meant to be together, even if their timing always seems to be off.

Grant shines in his role despite believing his performance was hideous, at least before the film received many accolades. Mike Newell, the director, provided conflicting direction making it hard for Grant to play the role in a particular way.

His stuttering and confusion, though, are what makes his character so endearing.

MacDowell is good too. It’s not clear why she doesn’t drop everything right away and date Charles or why she chooses an older Scottish guy to marry but the story-dictated situations only make the characters shine brighter.

Once the first wedding occurred I found myself hooked. I couldn’t wait to find out what three nuptials would be forthcoming and who the funeral was for.

Could it be a main character or even Charles or Carrie?

That makes Four Weddings and a Funeral compelling especially as the supporting characters are fleshed out.

We get to know Fiona (Kristin Scott Thomas), a bitchy friend who seems to judge everyone she meets. Her snobbery is slowly replaced with vulnerability when it’s revealed that she has always loved Charles.

Other characters like Tom (James Fleet) and Scarlett (Charlotte Coleman) are comic relief while a same-sex couple, Gareth and Matthew (Simon Callow and John Hannah), and Charles’s deaf brother David (David Bower) are part of the group with no judgments about their sexuality or disability.

In 1994 this was a searing victory and a feeling of inclusion is apparent.

The icing on the cake is a spectacular soap opera moment when a bride and groom are about to take their vows only for one party to admit their love for another character. Hysterics, a meltdown, and good old-fashioned drama commence and make the scene satisfying.

I didn’t expect to enjoy Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) as much as I did. Audiences agreed and the film was rewarded with two surprising Oscar nominations.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay

1984 Films, Christmas, Comedy, Corey Feldman, Dark Comedy, Fantasy, Frances Lee McCain, Horror, Horror-Comedy, Howie Mandel, Hoyt Axton, Joe Dante, Judge Reinhold, Michael Winslow, Phoebe Cates, Polly Holliday, Steven Spielberg, Zach Galligan

Gremlins-1984

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Gremlins-1984

Director Joe Dante

Starring Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates

Scott’s Review #1,443

Reviewed September 28, 2024

Grade: B+

A mishmash of film genres like black comedy, horror, and Christmas, Gremlins (1984) is one of the films responsible for the new Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rating of PG-13 introduced in the mid-1980s.

Too soft for an adult R rating but too scary for a PG rating many films fit better in the PG-13 category.

The film features a cute E.T. the Extra-terrestrial (1982) reminiscent creature named Gizmo. Since Steven Spielberg’s executive produced Gremlins, there are comparisons to the successful mega box office film.

But Gremlins is darker than E.T. especially when the spawn of Gizmo emerges in a fierce, aggressive manner and one dons a mohawk-style haircut. Many of the gremlins die and a few humans are killed by the gremlins giving it a scarier vibe.

This is thanks to director, Joe Dante, who gives the film a 1950s B movie style that offers a dark campy style.

A gadget salesman, Randall Peltzer (Hoyt Axton) is looking for a special Christmas gift for his son Billy (Zach Galligan) and finds one at a store in Chinatown. The shopkeeper is reluctant to sell him the “mogwai” but does and warns him never to expose him to bright light, or water, or feed him after midnight.

Naturally, when Randall returns to his home in the United States all of this happens and the result is a gang of gremlins that decide to tear up the town on Christmas Eve.

There are a couple of ways to view this film. The ‘message’ is a statement of the consumer culture running rampant in the 1980s. Wanting everything but not appreciating things is stated during the final scene.

The Chinese shopkeeper repossesses the “mogwai”, scolds the family for their negligence, and criticizes Western society for its carelessness with nature.

In a touching scene, Gizmo, having bonded with Billy, bids him goodbye. The touched shopkeeper concedes that Billy may be ready one day and, until then, Gizmo will be waiting.

Anyone with a pet will get a teary eye or two.

One can also view Gremlins as an entertaining popcorn flick with superior special effects and a fun story. The visual effects and the art direction are worth a pause for. Impressive are the sequences in the town where the stores and homes are perfectly dressed for the holidays.

The Christmas lights, trees, snow, and other trimmings provide feelings of warmth and spirit.

Galligan and Phoebe Cates who plays his love interest, Kate, have wonderful chemistry as a teen romance blossoms. This makes the audience more invested in their peril as they try to save the townspeople from doom.

Axton and Frances Mee McCain who plays Billy’s mother, Lynn, also are rootable. They are believable as a lovely suburban couple who have a wacky side.

Corey Feldman and Judge Reinhold appear in small roles as a friend and Billy’s obnoxious boss, respectively. Neither role is developed or necessary but familiar faces are always nice to see in cinema.

Polly Holliday nearly steals the show as the dog-hating Ruby Deagle. In a clear nod to Mrs. Gulch in The Wizard of Oz (1939) she sneers and snickers in an ill-fated attempt to have Billy’s dog destroyed.

Delightfully, she gets a death scene where the gremlins terrorize her to death when her stair chair goes wonky and throws her out a window. Holliday is a hoot and must have had a ball playing the villain.

Other stock characters like the disbelieving police force are cliched and only serve to hinder the actions of the main characters.

Gremlins (1984) is a darling film that holds up well. It’s mischievous without going full horror and can be enjoyed by the entire family on Christmas Eve. The quirky comedy elements and cool visuals make the film fun and impressive.

1984 Films, Bruce Mahler, Bubba Smith, Comedy, David Graf, Donovan Scott, G. W. Bailey, George Gaynes, Hugh Wilson, Kim Cattrall, Leslie Easterbrook, Marion Ramsey, Michael Winslow, Scott Thomson, Steve Guttenberg

Police Academy-1984

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Police Academy-1984

Director Hugh Wilson

Starring Steve Guttenberg, Kim Cattrall, G.W. Bailey

Scott’s Review #1,442

Reviewed September 27, 2024

Grade: B+

Police Academy (1984) is a fun slice of nostalgia for me that oozes back memories of being a pre-pubescent boy that it’s difficult to put my ‘critic’ hat on long enough to review the film adequately and impartially.

But I’ll try.

1980s cinema is filled with movies like Police Academy featuring bumbling antics and situation comedy gags with little film integrity or artistic merit. The dimwitted and sex-crazed characters, usually male, go from one situation to another with the hopes of fun and sex.

The franchise depends on basic slap-stick humor, usually based on simple characterization and physical comedy. As with many similar films, the theme is a group of underdogs struggling to prove themselves, while various authority figures try to suppress them.

Thus, the audience adores and roots for them.

Yes, Police Academy is riddled with cliches, idiocy, and a disrespect for law enforcement but only in the softest of ways. Filmmakers have no ill contempt and only intend to follow a well-used comedy formula to produce a hit.

Quite a hit it spawned six sequels culminating in 1994’s lame Police Academy: Mission to Moscow.

When the mayor of an unnamed crime-ridden city loosens the restrictions on entering the police academy to get more cops on the street, all manner of oddball characters enlist to join the force.

Among the cadets are sexy Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), hulking Moses Hightower (Bubba Smith), blonde Karen Thompson (Kim Cattrall), and sound effects-generating Larvell Jones (Michael Winslow), who all have to show initiative and courage when they are faced with tough situations out on patrol.

The law enforcement villains are Police Chief Henry Hurst (George R. Robinson) and Lieutenant Thaddeus Harris (G.W. Bailey) who scheme to make the training unbearable so the recruits will quit.

In predictable form, the good-looking Mahoney and Karen fall in love while the incompetent rookies manage to save the day and bust some thugs. They receive recognition for bravery and graduate from the academy.

Beneath the surface is the racial diversity of three prominent black characters who became popular staples of the franchise. There are a few ethnic slurs but those are by the villains who receive their comeuppance.

There are several LGBTQ+ situations one of which involves two of the foils purposely being sent to a gay bar and dancing the night away with masculine leather men. Later, Commandant Eric Lessard thinks Mahoney has provided him with fellatio (it’s a female prostitute), and thinks he sees Mahoney making out with a man.

The inclusion is a nice touch for the time and it’s unclear if the message is that the foils may be gay but the situations are meant for laughs and that being straight is better.

Nude scenes featuring female characters exist and we do see male characters shirtless but like many 1980s mainstream R-rated films the females are nude and the males are not.

An unfair double standard that has mercifully changed over the years.

A terrific and apt comparison to the Police Academy (1984-1994) franchise is that they are like the Friday the 13th (1980-2009) franchise. So many sequels follow a similar formula so the audience knows what to expect and adores the redundancy.

I’ve seen both series numerous times and never get tired of them.

Police Academy (1984) is not high art nor meant to be analyzed. For pleasing entertainment and a chance to root for the underdog, the film is satisfying and provides a chuckle or two and I won’t feel guilty for my enjoyment.

2024 Films, Arkasha Stevenson, Bill Nighy, Horror, Nell Tiger Free, Ralph Ineson, Sônia Braga

The First Omen-2024

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The First Omen-2024

Director Arkasha Stevenson

Starring Nell Tiger Free, Ralph Ineson, Bill Nighy

Scott’s Review #1,441

Reviewed September 26, 2024

Grade: B

Having six and a half hours to kill on a late-night international flight to Europe, I eagerly desired some good horror to pass the time. What better way to while away the minutes than some religious treachery?

In truth, I accidentally thought The First Omen (2024) selection was the recent The Exorcist: Believer from 2023. Further, I thought the film was a solid ninety minutes, but I was wrong again. The running time is an unwieldy one hundred and nineteen minutes, a lifetime for a horror film.

So, The First Omen had much going against it before I was even ten seconds into the film.

While not a great film, primarily due to a corny and far-fetched story, The First Omen is memorable for its moments and the stylistic approach to camerawork. 

I love watching films by first-time directors partly because they may become the next Quentin Tarantino, Alfred Hitchcock, or Greta Gerwig. Sometimes a blueprint is served up for what’s to follow in said directors career.

Arkasha Stevenson must have studied films by Italian horror director Dario Argento, the devilish late 1960s horror classic Rosemary’s Baby, or both.

The film has a gothic look, and it was shot on location in Rome, providing authenticity. What better backdrop than the city the Roman Catholic Church is most associated with?

The costumes are excellent, specifically the clothes worn by the nuns. They represent the 1940s or the 1950s even though the film is set during the 1970s, and somehow this works.

For fans of the classic The Omen from 1976, The First Omen serves as a prequel with a couple of satisfying tie-ins to that great film. I can think of two examples incorporated simply because the filmmakers wanted to please moviegoers watching this film because of the original. 

There were sequels made in 1978, 1980, 1982, and 1985, but those must be forgotten entirely.

When a young American woman named Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) is sent to Rome to work at an orphanage before she begins a life of service to the church, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith.

Along with the kindly Father Brennan (Ralph Ineson), she uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.

You see, Brennan explains that radicals within the church, desperate to regain power against the rise of secularism, seek to bring about the Antichrist to create fear and drive people back to the church, with a young orphan named Carlita (Nicole Sorace) intended to be his mother.

There is little need not to reveal that the Antichrist is Damien, the little boy adopted in The Omen (1976) who wreaks havoc.

The standout moments are pretty good. One day, Margaret spots Carlita showing a nun named Anjelica a drawing of a pregnant woman being restrained; moments later, Anjelica self-immolates and hangs herself after she proclaims, ‘It’s all for you.’

This moment is a fantastic ode to a similar scene in The Omen, and I nearly got goosebumps recalling that epic, frightening sequence.

There’s another where Margaret runs into Paolo, a man she may or may not have slept with, who tells her to “look for the mark” before being struck and cut in half by an oncoming truck.

The final climax, which mostly resembles Rosemary’s Baby, is so convoluted that I stopped trying to make sense of the story and instead appreciated the incredible visceral birthing scenes, which were controversial.

The film looks authentically like it’s from the 1970s, which is another win for Stevenson. It could easily be watched right before watching The Omen.

I’m intrigued by Stevenson’s direction and wonder what else she’ll do in the future.

The First Omen (2024) is a quality religious horror film sure to scare religious zealots and somewhat please fans. It’s not great, but it has enough going for it to deserve a watch.

2024 Films, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou, Horror, John Krasinski, Joseph Quinn, Lupita Nyong'o, Michael Sarnoski

A Quiet Place: Day One-2024

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A Quiet Place: Day One-2024

Director Michael Sarnoski

Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Djimon Hounsou

Scott’s Review #1,440

Reviewed September 24, 2024

Grade: B+

I was skeptical about watching A Quiet Place: Day One (2024) since the John Krasinski and Emily Blunt team do not appear (on screen anyway). And let’s be honest, the third in a horror film series is not usually a revelation and is more often than not a money grab.

Be that as it may, I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and Krasinski does serve as a producer who invests in quality over convention.

It’s a prequel to the surprise hit A Quiet Place (2018), which once again brought the horror genre credibility, so it more or less sets the stage for what’s to come later in the events.

The setting of New York City is great. The loud and bustling city complements the hearing-infused theme and counterbalances the necessity for quiet, as viewers already know.

Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o, who is having excellent success in the horror genre after appearing in Jordan Peele’s Us (2019), stars alongside an adorable cat who is a hell of an actor.

Nyong’o plays a terminally ill cancer patient named Sam, living out her days in a hospice facility. Depressed, she yearns for a trip to the Big Apple to live again, remembering how she would accompany her pianist father for pizza and a concert as a child.

When she goes on a field trip to see a puppet show in Manhattan with her primary nurse, the shit hits the fan. Frightening creatures appear out of nowhere to attack and terrorize the city.

Casting Nyong’o is a wise move for credibility. She’s an Oscar-winning actor and a great talent. Since the film requires silence, the actors must use facial expressions and body language to reveal emotions, which Nyong’o does well.

Sam experiences shock, horror, and wonderment as she glimpses the monsters and realizes the wrath of terror they are on. Nyong’o is up to the task.

She pairs well with actor Joseph Quinn as Eric, whom we know little about except that he is kind. The pair slinks around the city, doing their best to avoid death by a monster, and their relationship is tender but not predictable.

In a standard film, they would escape and conquer their foes, or a tepid romance might be added, but Sam is dying and intends to save Eric and her darling cat by any means necessary.

As a cat lover, I was immediately captured by Frodo’s incorporation. Not only does it make sense for a terminally ill cancer patient to cling to a furry friend, but the scenes of Sam losing Frodo and finding him again had me in tears.

How many horror films have that effect?

Suspension of disbelief is required in certain scenes. There is no way a cat would passively agree to be cradled by its owner underwater, especially in a sewer or the Hudson River. But it’s fun to pretend.

Despite being a good movie, A Quiet Place: Day One has few surprises from a story perspective, and A Quiet Place (2018) is the best of the trio of films.

However, this film sets up the events in the others and has a better story angle than merely continuing where Part II left off.

In a nice nod, Djimon Hounsou reprises his role from Part II, so we know where the character originates, but he has little to do. Perhaps if there is another installment, it may center around him. 

The visual and special effects marvel and provide jumps and frights in the right places. Thunderous outbursts of mayhem balance the ‘quiet’ moments.

For a third installment, A Quiet Place: Day One (2024) keeps the story character-driven as we follow a day in Sam’s life and her journey. This is the key to the success of these John Krasinski-created films.

2023 Films, Andrew Haigh, Andrew Scott, British, Claire Foy, Drama, Fantasy, Independent, Independent Drama, Jamie Bell, LGBTQ+ Drama, LGBTQ+ Films, Paul Mescal

All of Us Strangers-2023

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All of Us Strangers-2023

Director Andrew Haigh

Starring Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy

Scott’s Review #1,439

Reviewed September 22, 2024

Grade: A

A moody, dark-lit experience, All of Us Strangers (2023) is a dreamy affair in all the best ways. It’s a bit of a ghost story combined with a love story and can be challenging to explain. 

Especially noteworthy are some elements like the lighting and mood which serve as enhancers. The lavish setting of London, England, and its surroundings are presented as lonely and depressing.

Loneliness is an encompassing description of the film summing up the character-driven story set mostly in an enormous yet almost vacant luxury high-rise apartment.

The vacant building is an effective backdrop to the main character’s experience.

We get inside his head and travel down a tunnel of self-reflection and acceptance just as he does. It’s unclear what is imagined or real, raising the stakes and catapulting the viewer into a world of questions.

The best pleasure comes after finishing the film and wondering how all the pieces come together or even if they do. I wasn’t sure what happened in the conclusion but the overall experience left me thinking. 

The British film follows a lonely screenwriter named Adam who works as a television writer. He develops an intimate relationship with his mysterious male neighbor while revisiting memories from the past involving his parents.

Andrew Haig directs the film and Andrew Scott plays the screenwriter from which the story is his vehicle. Paul Mescal plays his neighbor and love interest.

Haigh is best known for efforts like 45 Years (2015) and Lean on Pete (2017). Both are quiet films and character-driven. All of us Strangers is the best of the trio, though.

The film also has some teary moments of sweetness mostly shown through an LGBTQ+ lens but the film is not only for members or allies of the community but for anyone with a heart or craving something cerebral.

Viewers who have lost parents far too soon before feelings are expressed and only cherished memories remain will find All of Us Strangers to resonate mightily.

Specific to the LGBTQ+ community, what gay man wouldn’t want to travel thirty years into the future and have deep conversations with his parents about his lifestyle? Having missed those prominent years because of death. 

In the story, Adam’s parents died in a car accident when he was a child. Since he never ‘came out’ to them he travels to their house outside of London and imagines conversations with them separately and together. 

The best scenes are between Andrew Scott and Claire Foy who plays Adam’s mother. They are lengthy and poignant and brilliant acting by both are showcased. 

In an ideal fantasy, his mother would leap into Adam’s arms and champion his lifestyle becoming his most ardent supporter. Haig writes the scenes better than that as real-life situations might play out with conflict and misunderstandings.

The mother wants to understand and support but has hesitancies and ideas about a lifestyle different than Adam’s. The scenes become tense and complex not because of shouting but because of a deep struggle for understanding.

Not to be outdone by Foy’s performance in the unique relationship between father and son deliciously played by Jamie Bell. 

Adam has resented his father’s emotional distance for years never forgetting how he needed his father’s support as a child and never got it.

In a powerful scene, Adam and his father embrace. The embrace is one that Adam needed as a child.

The film is for everyone because why wouldn’t anyone want to visit their dead parents years later? Even if still alive there are things between parent and child never said or expressed. 

So many scenes are emotional, poignant, and meaningful in All of Us Strangers. 

The finale is trippy and made me recall David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (1992) where what is real may not be and who we think a character’s life is all about may not be so.

Though wrapped in fantasy, All of Us Strangers (2023) is focused on grief through a deep emotional lens and uses superior acting to tell its story.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Film, Best Director-Andrew Haigh, Best Lead Performance-Andrew Scott

2003 Films, Alan Rickman, Andrew Lincoln, Bill Nighy, Billy Bob Thornton, British, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Christmas, Claudia Schiffer, Colin Firth, Comedy, Denise Richards, Emma Thompson, Gregor Fisher, Heike Makatsch, Hugh Grant, January Jones, Joanna Page, Keira Knightley, Kris Marshall, Laura Linney, Liam Neeson, Lúcia Moniz, Martin Freeman, Martine McCutcheon, Richard Curtis, Rodrigo Santoro, Romantic Comedy

Love Actually-2003

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Love Actually-2003

Director Richard Curtis

Starring Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson

Scott’s Review #1,438

Reviewed September 8, 2024

Grade: B

Love Actually (2003) is a British romantic comedy perfect for watching around the holidays, especially on Christmas Eve. Perhaps even on Valentine’s Day, the setting is tinsel-laden and filled with holiday merriment and sweetness.

It involves an ensemble cast of dozens but surprisingly not hard to follow. The myriad of stories had me naturally more invested in some than others, preferring the heavy drama to the silly side plots.

The film begins beautifully as a voice-over narrator sets the stage and message of love. He ruminates about pure and uncomplicated love of lovers, and friends, and points out that the messages from the 9/11 victims were messages of love and not hate.

The story then switches among the interconnecting “love stories” of many people.

The quick segment nearly left me in tears and to let the poignant message sink in.

I was pleasantly surprised to find nine stories some of which intersect with others. I am a fan of this type of storytelling but not all of them connect with others which might have made it too confusing or even better layered.

Some stories are not given a lot of exposure but the balance feels close to right.

I preferred the first half of Love Actually to the second. I had heard of the film and finally watched it twenty years later but anticipated more of a sappy romantic comedy than anything of substance, especially since the rom-com master Hugh Grant stars.

I immediately felt an emotional connection to stories like the United Kingdom Prime Minister (Grant) and his romantic connection with Natalie (Martine McCutcheon), a junior member of his household staff. This ‘boy meets a girl from the wrong side of tracks’ felt authentic and laden with possibilities.

Another win is the love story between Sarah (Laura Linney) and handsome creative director, Karl (Rodrigo Santoro). Their buildup and near tryst after a Christmas party had me in their corner, and rooting for the pair to overcome an obstacle involving Sarah’s dependent brother.

Finally, my favorite couple is writer Jamie (Colin Firth) and his Portuguese housekeeper, Aurélia (Lúcia Moniz). Their sweetness and innocence are gleeful and true and rooting for them to get together despite language barriers was easy. 

Richard Curtis, who directs and writes the screenplay, misses an opportunity when he creates an unfulfilling love triangle between newlyweds Juliet (Keira Knightley), Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor), and best man Mike (Andrew Lincoln). Initially unclear if Mike is smitten with Juliet or Peter the traditional route is chosen instead of an LGBTQ+ presence.  

In one story, the horny British lad named Colin (Kris Marchall) unsuccessfully tries to woo British women and decides to go to America to get laid. Predictably, he meets one hot woman after another in the mid-west USA.

This story is hokey and could have been dropped altogether in favor of more screen time for the more interesting stories.

In the final act, I was disappointed when the film teeters too much towards cheesy with a tepid Christmas pageant where many stories come to a head.

This culminates with a silly chase throughout Heathrow Airport where one character jumps security and outwits inattentive airport personnel to catch his love interest before she leaves on a flight to New York.

Since 9/11 is mentioned in the beginning this tired plot device is surprising given the times of heightened terrorism and deserved respect for airport security.

Curtis rips off Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights (1997) in the epilogue by using the same song, ‘God Only Knows’ by the Beach Boys, and the same wrap-up of what happens to the characters.

Despite the thievery, I did enjoy seeing what happens in my favorite stories.

Love Actually (2003) wobbles a bit by trying to have all nine stories pack a punch but the effort is nice and the message of love closes out the film.

We know happiness and Christmas miracles usually don’t pan out but it’s nice to escape and pretend they do.

1965 Films, British, Donald Sutherland, Hammer Horror, Horror, Maurice Kaufmann, Peter Vaughan, Silvio Narizzano, Stefanie Powers, Tallulah Bankhead, Yootha Joyce

Die! Die! My Darling!-1965

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Die! Die! My Darling! -1965

Director Silvio Narizzano

Starring Tallulah Bankhead, Stefanie Powers, Peter Vaughn

Scott’s Review #1,437

Reviewed September 2, 2024

Grade: B

Die! Die! My Darling! (1965) is a British horror film released under this name in the United States, but it was initially titled Fanatic in the United Kingdom. This was frequently done for marketing purposes.

The film follows a young woman, played by Stefanie Powers, who wanders into the clutches of an old wacko, played by legendary actress Tallulah Bankhead. The once-sultry actress is unrecognizable as an elderly, hobbling old crone who is a religious freak.

She blends nicely into the 1960s trend of a once sexy and acclaimed actress going the horror route sans glamour or makeup. Bette Davis did the same thing, most notably in 1962’s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? who Bankhead’s character is similar to.

One could argue that Davis led the pack with heavyweights like Joan Crawford, Joan Fontaine, and Veronica Lake.

Patricia Carroll (Powers) plays an American woman who travels to London to marry her boyfriend, Alan (Maurice Kaufmann). While there, Patricia decides to visit Mrs. Trefoile (Bankhead), the mother of her deceased ex-fiancé, to pay her respects and chat with the woman before marrying Alan.

Upon arriving, however, Patricia discovers that Mrs. Trefoile’s grief over her son has transformed her into a lunatic, and the woman plans to ‘save’ Patricia by holding her prisoner and helping her see God’s light.

Mrs. Trefoile’s staff—the housekeeper, Anna (Yootha Joyce), the groundsman, Harry (Peter Vaughn), and the mentally challenged, Joseph (Donald Sutherland)—are along for the ride.

The film is a perfect late-night watch and should not be taken too seriously. Once Patricia is locked in the upstairs bedroom of the quaint English cottage, it’s no surprise that she will eventually escape.

The fun is watching her many attempts at freedom and the inevitable conclusion.

Director Silvio Narizzano provides genuine thrills and peril that would make Hitchcock proud. When Patricia crafts a makeshift rope by tying bed linens together to climb down the side of the house, I hold my breath, hoping she will make it as she carefully scales past two characters chatting near a window.

The comical element is how she cannot physically overpower the older woman or Anna. She is younger, more muscular than either, and has the will to survive.

But Die! Die! My Darling! It isn’t meant to be analyzed but merely enjoyed. Narizzano fulfills that request with a nice set design of the cottage interiors, superior acting by Bankhead and Powers mainly, and real moments of peril the audience can enjoy.

As a viewer, I felt emotionally invested in the characters and couldn’t wait for Patricia to escape and Mrs. Trefoile to give her desserts.

I mostly enjoyed Patricia’s determination and battle with the wicked older woman. Some characters might have cowered to her demands, but Patricia remained strong in what was undoubtedly an effort to provide for 1960s feminism.

This counterbalances nicely with Mrs. Trefoile’s old-fashioned religious fanatism. It’s the old versus the new, especially when Patricia admits she’s not into religion.

Bankhead is the highlight, and I could only imagine Davis playing the role instead. Bankhead plays the part magnificently, and accurate glamour shots of Bankhead appear to have been used to show a younger Mrs. Trefoile, an actress.

The film is a cat-and-mouse affair and begins with a quick graphic of a cat chasing a mouse. Fans familiar with Hammer Horror Productions can rest assured that the cheap but effective sets are fully displayed.

A creak here and there and battered couches and walls only enhance the experience.

Die! Die! My Darling! (1965) is recommended for horror fans or Bankhead fans who want to see her stripped down, only three years before she died at age sixty-six.

2024 Films, Alyla Browne, Horror, Kiah Roache-Turner, Ryan Corr

Sting-2024

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Sting-2024

Director Kiah Roache-Turner

Starring Alyla Browne, Ryan Corr

Scott’s Review #1,436

Reviewed August 18, 2024

Grade: B-

Sting (2024) is a lightweight but suspenseful late-night horror flick. It takes a bit to get going, and at only one hour and thirty minutes, it’s too long for it to take off and have a satisfying effect.

The set designs are the best part as the wintery Brooklyn, New York atmosphere pairs well with the dingy and stuffy walk-up apartment complex where the action occurs, and a family lives.

The dusty rooms, creaking floors, and walls are well-done thanks to dim lighting and a secluded vibe. I bought it because the family lives this way, but it feels cozy, thanks to these trimmings.

As with most modern horror films, the plot makes little sense and is not plausible.

To compare Sting to other films, it plays like Arachnophobia (1990) with a dash of Alien (1979) thrown in, but it is inferior to those films because it lacks either the campy humor or the wonderful special effects.

The film is not scary but, at most, thrilling.

Sting reintroduces a spider as the protagonist with marginal success. The spider starts innocently but grows into a sinister carnivore with human beings as its desired menu item.

Events surround twelve-year-old Charlotte (Alyla Browne), who obtains a pet spider who becomes her pride and joy and whom she names Sting. Once she realizes that Sting plans to eat her entire family, Charlotte goes into protector mode and must fight for their survival.

Directed by Kiah Roache-Turner, an Australian director unknown to me, she uses Australian actors primarily.

Sting starts well with a scene involving an elderly tenant named Helga. She begins to hear noises in the walls and assumes they are rats, so she calls a local exterminator.

Helga has dementia, and the audience quickly realizes she has already called an exterminator but has forgotten. The investigating exterminator is snatched by an unknown force and dragged into the wall canals of the old building.

Then Roache-Turner takes us back to four days prior.

This point immediately made me invested in the film, especially when other characters are introduced, and we learn about Helga’s connection.

What’s going to happen in the next four days?

Unfortunately, Sting loses steam from this point, introducing marginally exciting characters. Charlotte, her overworked stepfather, Ethan (Ryan Corr), her clueless and frazzled mother, Heather (Penelope Mitchell), and her creepy German Aunt Gunter (Robyn Nevin).

Stock characters like a boozy Spanish neighbor, the weird Asian kid upstairs, and the comical black exterminator are included.

Hey, at least diversity was added.

The only likable character is Ethan. He struggles to connect with the bratty Charlotte through graphic novels and the demands put upon him by Heather’s family, who do not like him for some reason.

The poor guy serves as the building superintendent, works a day job, attempts to do creative work by night, and is a surrogate father. Sounds like a hero to me.

The family drama’s point only adds filler to the already slow-paced film and has nothing to do with the main event of Sting eating the family.

Charlotte is quite unlikeable, and I rooted for Sting to turn on her and make her its next victim. She mostly pouts and broods and has a sense of entitlement. I’m not sure why Roache-Turner made the character this way; she should have softened her.

Events do pick up towards the end, when a character is finally killed, and the others are accosted and put into webs, presumably to be dined on later.

This was anticlimactic since Charlotte is the character we are supposed to root for, and I hated her.

Predictably but also clever is how a perfect sequel setup occurs at the end. I’m not sure Sting is good enough to warrant a sequel, but box office receipts will determine this.

Sting (2024) is entertaining and fun, but it’s not much more. I’ve already started to forget about it.

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